Showcasing the best of New Zealand agriculture

During your trip you will visit three Craigmore properties and four partner properties. This is an opportunity for us to showcase Craigmore and for you to learn about some exciting innovations in the New Zealand agricultural sector.

Craigmore spans the length of the country 1,651 kms

From Kaitaia in the North to Oamaru in the South

Farming

Lincoln University & Lincoln University Dairy Farm

Lincoln University is the oldest agricultural teaching institution in the Southern Hemisphere, recognised as a leader in agricultural and environmental research and education. Here you will see a lysimeter which demonstrates the efficacy of the nitrification inhibitors and how it measures reductions in nitrous oxide and nitrate leaching. You will also learn about other biological innovations being instigated by the University. Lincoln University is located at 21 Ellemere Junction Road, Lincoln. Learn more at www.lincoln.ac.nz

The Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) is a 186-hectare commercially operated dairy farm, milking 560 cows. Here you will see a demonstration of EcoPond, the effluent pond technology which reduces methane emissions from the pond by over 90%. This technology is currently being trialled at Craigmore’s Glen Eyre Dairy Farm in Oxford. LUDF is supported by the South Island Dairy Demonstration Centre (SIDDC). SIDDC is an industry-funded partnership of six leading dairy sector organisations. LUDF is located at cnr Shands and Ellesmere Junction Roads, Lincoln. Learn more at www.ludf.org.nz

Te Awa Dairy Farm

Business Manager: Tony Watson; Farm Manager: Jega Jeyathiswaran with seven staff including two relief milkers. Located at 911 Rakaia Terrace Road, Bankside, 68km from Central Christchurch.

Purchased in 2018, Te Awa Dairy Farm, on the banks of the Rakaia River, is a 305-hectare property which includes an 80-hectare block (The Crossing) leased from Mark Cox. Peak cows milked are 1,147 on a 60-bale rotary dairy, with milk supplied to Fonterra. The property features a low-cost pivot irrigation system with water provided by the Rakaia River. In the 2023/24 season, Te Awa produced 505,195kgMS (440 per cow, 1,656 per hectare), compared to 469,280kgMS (409 per cow, 1,539 per hectare) in 2022/23.

On the visit, you will learn about Flow, a camera-based AI solution for a backing gate which responds to herd movement in real time. This technology automatically manages the backing gate movements using live imaging to optimise cow flow into the dairy shed. Learn more at www.lvs.nz. See below for further information on trials underway on all Craigmore farms.

Horticulture

Sunpark Orchard

Development Manager: Sean Finlayson; Orchard Manager: Joshua Rowe. Located at Pitcher Road, Te Karaka, Gisborne.

Purchased in 2022, Sunpark Orchard is an 84-hectare property which is being converted to an apple orchard. Across 30-hectares, the property has more than 77,000 trees made up of Rockit and Bay Queen (A1) apple varieties. An additional smaller area is currently under development. First harvest from the Sunpark Orchard will be in 2025.

Glenpark Orchard

Orchard Manager: Joshua Rowe. Located at 86 Cooper Road, Patutahi, Gisborne.

Purchased in 2018, Sunpark Orchard is a 59-hectare property growing a combination of Sauvignon Blanc grapes (8-hectares) and Envy apples (33-hectares).

In 2023, the property was struck by Cyclone Gabrielle, suffering significant damage. We are delighted to showcase the tremendous amount of work that went into the recovery of the property which allowed for a return to harvest for both crops in 2024. In the 2023/24 the vineyard produced 81 tonnes of grapes, and the orchard picked more than 24,000 trays of apples. We partner with Bay Grape Harvesters for the management of Glenpark Vineyard.

Kiwifruit Orchard

Host: Craig Thompson, Director of Zespri; Orchard Manager: Matt Bell. Located at 437 Matawai Road, Waeranga-a-hika, Gisborne.

This pair of adjacent properties are not owned or managed by Craigmore. They have 23 canopy hectares of kiwifruit – 21.5-hectares of Sungold and 1.3-hectares of RubyRed. At this site we will discuss the benefits of the different varieties of kiwifruit and recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle.

LeaderBrand

Established in 1975 by Murray McPhail, Leaderbrand is one of New Zealand’s most progressive horticultural businesses. Growing produce on farms in Pukekohe (Auckland) Gisborne and Chertsey (South Canterbury) the business distributes a wide range of fruit and vegetables nationally and internationally.

On your visit to their property in Gisborne, you will meet new CEO Richard McPhail (son of Murray) and discuss the investment in a new modern glasshouse facility, built with support of government funding. You will also look at their regenerative programme underway in partnership with Woolworths. Leaderbrand is located at 280 Tucker Road, Makauri, Gisborne. Learn more at www.leaderbrand.co.nz

Forestry

Maranga Station

This property, located at Rockhill Road, Waerenga-o-kuri, 30mins from Gisborne is not owned by Craigmore. Maranga Station is a 900-hectare hill country farm on which the owners recently planted 300-hectares of the steeper parts of the property in the forestry species – pinus radiata. The remaining land has been retained in pasture for sheep and beef production. There is also a smaller second rotation forest and the neighbouring property is currently being harvested.

At this property you will visit a recently regrassed harvest site, observe how trees are pruned today and how they might be pruned in the future, visit harvest operations currently harvesting trees, and discuss the implications of land-use change throughout the valley.

Dairy initiatives

The Craigmore Farming team has a number of trials underway, demonstrating our commitment to innovation and willingness to take a leadership position with adoption of leading-edge technology. Becoming industry leaders in environmental solutions and animal welfare is a priority for our farming teams, investors and consumers, and we are building solutions into our businesses.

Protecting and enhancing waterways through riparian planting is key to improving biodiversity on our farms. A key focus this season has been the completion of a native planting programme at Caithness farm in Culverden, North Canterbury. This significant programme has seen 4,500 natives planted over the last two years made up of 18 different indigenous varieties. The plantings will enhance both aquatic ecology and protect the riparian margins.

In addition, a range of trials continue across Craigmore farms:

  • SmaxTec: a 10cm internal measuring device administered orally to better understand cows and improve health and welfare. The sensor transmits measurements from inside the cow every ten minutes, which can be viewed on a computer or smartphone.
  • Herd-i: (formerly OmniEye) is a system which records information captured by a camera positioned on the exit race to the milking shed, analysing and charting the locomotion of each cow to monitor herd health. Lameness is a significant threat to the health of a cow and preventing it means that the animal remains well and a productive member of the milking system. Locomotion scores will help inform on-farm decisions.
  • Halter: the wearable device now in use for the fourth season at Riverend, enhances labour flexibility, optimises pasture management and improves animal health and performance by enabling farmers to remotely move virtual fences and monitor animal health. The smart collars sends information to an app providing information on animal behaviour while the virtual fencing function allows the team to remotely move the herd.
  • Flow: is a camera-based AI solution for a backing gate which responds to herd movement in real time. This technology automatically manages the backing gate movements using live imaging to optimise cow flow into the dairy shed
  • EcoPond: an effluent treatment system targets methane with an additive normally used in the treatment of drinking water. EcoPond can reduce methane emissions from dairy effluent pond by over 90%, with significant reduction in phosphate leaching, E.coli, odour, ammonia and hydrogen sulphide gas loss.
  • Compost fertilizer: a compost made up of wood chips, offal stomach content and sheep skins are being trailed as an alternative to convention fertiliser. Cheaper, with no waste, the product is full of organic matter and high in nitrogen with slow-release benefits, meaning only 10-30% of nutrients in the compost is available for grass uptake in the first year of application, reducing leaching and nutrient loss.
  • Ruminant BioTech: is developing a world leading technology for reducing methane emissions from livestock on pastoral farms. The key patent-protected technology is a small capsule (‘bolus’), which sits in a cow’s stomach, releasing a controlled dose of a methane inhibiting substance for up to six months. The technology uses a highly pure form of synthetic  tribromomethane, a compound found in red algae seaweed.
  • Kowbucha: Since 2022, the Craigmore has been working with Fonterra trialling a probiotic solution called Kowbucha on our dairy farms at Te Awa, Darnley and Glen Eyre. Kowbucha is added to colostrum, milk or calf milk replacer from birth until weaning to influence the gut and immune system of the cow from an early age. It has been shown to reduce feed intake and methane emissions by up to 20% in dairy heifers up to one year of age, without reducing calf liveweight gain or health parameters. Learn more about Kowbucha here.
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