Young farmer champions Holstein herd

Progressive Waiuku dairy farmer and Holstein Friesian breeder Justin Ruygrok enjoyed taking part in the Young Farmer of the Year Competition so much last year that he’s back for another round this year.

The variable order sharemilker, who grew up on a dairy farm just down the road from where he is now, says the experience was so positive he wishes he’d entered sooner.

With a clear passion for Holstein Friesians, a love of breeding quality cows and steady career progression, Streamline Stud operator Justin has taken learnings from the competition and is well on his way to achieving his goal of farm ownership.

Justin ‘grew up Holstein Friesian’, with parents and long-time Holstein Friesian NZ members Nick and Nikki Ruygrok, who farm under the ‘Nou En’ stud name.

“Growing up around Holsteins really instilled in me a passion for the breed,” he says.

While Justin attended school in Auckland, he admits the city environment wasn’t where he thrived. “It just wasn’t for me,” he says.

After completing high school, he attended a dairy training school in Masterton, which allowed him to celebrate his passion for farming and for the outdoors. He received a Diploma of Agriculture, and after coming home to Waiuku he entered a sharemilking position.

Justin began working for Ray and Tony Reid (Reid Brothers) nine years ago as a lower order sharemilker on their Franklin farm. He is now a variable order sharemilker, and under the arrangement Justin owns the herd while the farm owners cover most farm expenses – a structure that gives him both autonomy and accountability.

The Reid Brothers are market gardeners rather than dairy farmers, which Justin says works well. “They mostly leave me to it, which I like,” he says.

The sharemilking operation comprises 170 cows, producing 530kgMS/cow on a 52ha milking platform and this year they are on track to produce more. The system uses moderate inputs, including in-shed feeding, maize silage and pasture silage, to support production while maintaining cow condition.

Although the farm has few environmental issues, it does get wet in winter as it’s on the Waikato River flood plain. Justin’s proactive approach means he can mitigate the worst of the winter wet.

“I hump and hollow the paddocks, so the water runs off easier,” Justin says. “But being on a flood plain is good in the summer, as we retain a bit more moisture than other farms in the region, and don’t dry out as much.”

The spring-calving herd starts calving on August 1, with the number of replacements kept dependent on heifer births.

“We are growing so many nice heifers at the moment,” Justin says. “We try and keep 40, but we heavily use sexed semen which results in strong numbers of heifers.”

Mating starts October 24 and for the first time, Justin committed to all-AI.

“Previously, we have done five weeks of AI and five weeks of bulls,” Justin says. “I carry out the AI myself, supported by collars and synchronised heifers, which makes things a little easier. The heifers are all mated to sexed semen; the first week of mating is full-on with heifers calving.”

Originally focused on New Zealand genetics with limited overseas use, Justin now increasingly sources sires from Semex and World Wide Sires to increase cow size.

When it comes to breeding goals, Justin is clear about what he wants. Capacity is top of the list, followed closely by udder quality and milk components. He likes cows with stature – “taller, but not too tall” – and places strong emphasis on overall conformation and dairy strength.

“I like a good dairy cow,” he says.

Holstein sires Justin has used include Bacon-Hill Montross-ET, which Justin describes as a “standout”, along with Delta Magister, Josuper Rocketfire-ET and Delaberge Salt. “I could go on,” he laughs.

Beyond the farm gate, Justin is active in industry activities and competitions. This year, he judged the Hammond Trophy for the Waipa Holstein Club alongside Duncan Pipe – an experience he says he thoroughly enjoyed.

He also values the Young Farmer of the Year competition. Last year, he won the Northland title in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition, earning a spot at the Grand Final in Invercargill, where he placed fifth out of seven finalists.

“I got roped into doing it,” he laughs. “But it was a cool experience. The best parts were the connections I made with people, and the new skills I learnt along the way. I was stoked to have won, as I had no idea what to expect heading into the competition. To come out on top was pretty unreal.

“I’ve entered again this year, and hopefully I can do even better.”

Longer term, Justin’s sights are firmly set on land ownership. His main goal is to buy the farm from the Reid Brothers within the next two years – a target he is actively working towards – and Holstein Friesians are central to that vision.

 “I appreciate a nice-looking Holstein cow,” he says. “I love their colours, and love that they’re big milkers. Having been brought up with Holsteins, I appreciate both their production ability and their overall value, particularly for cull cows. It’s cool to have a Holstein herd ticking along.”