There are no frills in the new 26-aside herringbone on Asd and Jill de Groot’s farm on the outskirts of Morrinsville. And that's how it's meant to be, are highly functional environment which facilitates smooth, efficient and fast milking, minimalizing the time cows spend standing on concrete.

Aad de Groot immigrated from Holland in the early 1980s after growing up on a small dairy farm, attending agricultural college before compulsory military training. “I had Dutch friends who were farming in the Waikato and a short visit with them was enough to convince me that I wanted to make New Zealand my home.”

Initially Aad was a farm worker before progressing through the ranks becoming 50/50 share milker with wife Jill on a 35ha farm on Gibbon Road, Morrinsville. The couple subsequently purchased the farm in 1995.

“The Gibbon/Roache Road area, like much of the Waikato, was made-up of small (by today's standards) farms and so, in subsequent years, we were able to purchase neighbouring farms as they came on the market - in 2003 and adjoining 34 hectare and recently, 35 hectare farm on the back boundary of the farm which we had leased for 10 years.”

“The combined farms are now run as one. A total of 105 hectares milking 280 cross bred cows, farm system 2 with cows averaging between 400 kgsMS and 450 kgsMS per cow and all young stock reared on-farm,” says Aad.

Until 2023 the herd was milked in two mobs through an old 18-aside herringbone on the block they purchased in 2003. Ads says they had “some substance under the VAT stand which necessitated a new stand, but overall the shed was tired and needed replacement”.

With son Andrew and wife Vivian managing and contract milking, Aad and Jill decided to build a new dairy to provide a more functional environment. “Cow numbers supported our decision to stick with a slightly larger basic 26 aside hearing bone with the ability to add technology in the future.”

Initial thoughts were that the near shed should be constructed on the site of the old shed because it occupied the highest point on the farm to optimise drainage and effluent run off.

Normal rhythm

“However, building on the same site compressed and potentially compromised the building process,” says Aad. “As the old shed would have to be demolished in the new built while the herd was out, so we decided to develop the land beside the old shed, enabling us to maintain the normal rhythm of the farm or the new shed was being built.”

Ad approached local builder Rob Broomfield of Broomfield Construction. “I'd seen some of the sheds he had built and his workmanship is great. Rob takes a personal interest in every job, he's on-site and I appreciate that connection and attention to detail,” says Aad. Rob Broomfield says Aad wanted a simple, functional shed. “I had built one with a dairy farmer similar to what he wanted in the district so he could satisfy himself that it would meet his needs before we refined the plan.”

Site development was undertaken by Paul Steiner in April 2023. Paul says he “brought in truck loads of brown rock to raise the site for the new shed and yards finishing with a layer of sand”. “We also dug out the new pit ready for the builder.”

Refined yard layout

Edwin Meek, co-manager of Leask engineering, says they worked with Aad and the builder to refine the yard layout, which due to a delay and demolition of the old sheds and yards, required temporary draft pens and exit race.

“We fabricated and installed all the herringbone steelwork, pet step rails, pendulum exit gates, platform entry gates and all livestock handling equipment and facilities to promote optimum cow flow. This included a 10 meter circular yard with water boom and backing gates - one gate fitted with a wash system - AI and vet races. “Aad initially wanted overhead piping for wash water in the pit but we convinced him that it would be more efficient for it to be channelled through one side of the pit steps - and he really likes it.”

“In relation to the temporary exit yards, we constructed 2 small pens either side of the exit race until the old shed and yards are dismantled. Then the exit race and drafting yards will be extended,” says Edwin.

Excellent Cup alignment

McGregor Farm Services based in Morrinsville, supplied and installed the Delaval milking machine. McGregor’s managing director Daniel Peake says the Delaval Midiline reinforces that Delaval’s quality and innovation covers the spectrum - from simple and efficient, to high-tech and efficient”. The great thing is that the bridge between the two is it cheap able and cost effective. If, at any stage, ad or Andrew want to add technology, it's simply a matter of retrofitting.

“The dairy has great cow flow, the cluster droppers enabling excellent cup alignment.” Morrinsville based Silvester electrical installed a new mains cable to the old shed 2 years ago. Graham Silvester says this necessitated a temporary cable to supply power to the new shared during the build. Once the old shed was decommissioned a generator was used for a few days before the mains was redirected to the new shed. Silvester electrical did all electrical wiring for the new shed including water and bore pumps which had to be changed over on the same day - so, one day working in the old shed, next day in the new. When it came to refrigeration in the new shed, Aad and Andrew were able to harness the existing DTS ice bank in the old shed for pre-chilling.

DTS Waikato and Bay of Plenty regional manager Lawrence Kerr says addition of a second vat called for a new stand-alone refrigeration unit to prioritise the supply vat and keep the calf milk vat cold. The DTS ice bank is extremely efficient, minimising power usage while ensuring milk is consistently chilled to around 6°C is it goes into the vat,” says Lawrence. Work on the new shared started in April 2023. Aad recalls that with no tight deadline for the new dairy to be completed, he and Andrew were able to milk in the old shed until the new build was commissioned on October 25, 2023.

Very happy

“We milk in two mobs - younger cows and older cows – twice-a-day to end of December and then once-a-day with the young cows. I milk with Andrew in the mornings, mainly to drench the cows for minerals.”

“We ran both mobs through the new shed before it was commissioned so when it came to the actual change-over they settled reasonably quickly”.  Andrew de Groot says he and his father are very happy with the new dairy. “The improved cow flow and overall efficiency enhancements means faster milkings, so the cows aren't standing on the yard as long as they were before.”

• Clare Bayly