Camden Group Services

Dunsandel

Camden Group Services Limited is the administration and head office function for the Camden Group. CGS is based out of our offices in Dunsandel.

CGS provides oversight to the Camden Group farms, along with assistance and business support and consultancy services to Highveld Pastures, Kohika Downs, and other agricultural businesses.

Dunsandel

Established 2016

5 staff

Management Team

Terry Kilday

General Manager
Camden Group

Travis Gordon

Business Manager
Camden Group

Portfolio

Rural Life: Challenges ahead in reducing N loss

In the Media

Feb 2021: Inside Dairy

Challenges ahead in reducing N loss

Published by Rural Life, 10 July 2024

Canterbury farmers who were part of a Hinds and Selwyn project to come up with ways to reduce nitrogen leaching on their farms expect it will be more difficult to make progress in future.

Otago Daily Times: ‘We should all be so proud’: farmers reflect on year

In the Media

June 2022: Otago Daily Times

‘We should all be so proud’: Farmers reflect on year

Published by Otago Daily Times, June 2022

Dynamic is a great word to describe New Zealand’s dairy farmers in 2022, South Island Dairy Event committee chairwoman Anna Wakelin says.

Chiswick Farm – Dairy Farm Assistant or Herd Manager

Dairy Vacancy

Chiswick Farm Ltd

Dairy Farm Assistant or Herd Manager

Start date 01/06/2025 or negotiable

Applications close 31/05/2025

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join our highly motivated team as a Dairy Farm Assistant.

Reporting to the Farm Manager, we’re on the search for someone with an excellent attitude, honesty, reliability, punctuality, self-organisation and has a desire to work as part of a team. We’re keen for flexibility to meet seasonal requirements and unforeseen circumstances, someone who cares about animals and the environment.

You’ll have a range of duties to keep you busy, interested and developing including:
– Milking twice a day
– shifting cows and feeding
– fencing, weed control
– calving, calf rearing,
– shed cleaning and setup,
– identifying and alerting managers to sick cows
– Setting fences
– and other general farm duties.
Weekly hours are a maximum of 48 for the salary. Since farm work is dependent on a number of unknown factors like weather and animals, should you work beyond the agreed maximum hours in a year, you will be paid the agreed overtime hourly rate of $29.66 for any hours beyond the maximum hours.
Total salary package is up to $74,500 per annum subject to experience.

Candidates will ideally have previous dairy farming experience. To be considered you must: – provide a CV which is current, correct and complete or alternative evidence of work (this is proof of work and professionalism and the employer will not consider you without this) – be a solid worker and with good character (where possible, we will do a criminal check) – be physically fit – be able to pass a pre-employment drug test – have at least a restricted driver licence as you’ll need to go between farm and runoff.

We offer a competitive salary based on experience and skill level, accommodation, regular flexible rostered time off, and time off for training. There are also opportunities for further growth in seasons to come.
Accommodation is a modern one bedroom unit. No pets or smoking in the accommodation. Rent will be deducted from salary.

Chiswick Farm Ltd has six staff and aims to peak milk 930 cows through a 60 bail rotary with automatic cup removers and in-shed feeting. The Farm is 251ha, with irrigation via a centre pivot, three rotorainers and a small number of fixed sprinklers.

Chiswick Farm is located in Te Pirita – 15 minutes south of Dunsandel, 1 hour south of Christchurch & 15 minutes north of Rakaia.

Submit your interest by email to business@camdengroup.co.nz addressing the above requirements in a detailed cover letter and CV. A full job description is available on request.

Opportunities

Aylesbury Grazing – Dry Stock Farm Assistant

Dry Stock Farm Assistant

Aylesbury Grazing Ltd

Start date negotiable, permanent position

The Camden Group has an exciting opportunity for someone to join our highly motivated team as a Farm Assistant at our dry stock farm, Aylesbury Grazing in Burnham.

Reporting to the Farm Manager, we’re on the search for someone with excellent attitudes, honesty, reliability, punctuality, self-organisation and has a desire to work as part of a team. We’re keen for flexibility to meet seasonal requirements and unforeseen circumstances, someone who cares about animals and the environment.

The farm carries:

1500 calves from 1 December to 31 April
1500 heifers from 1 May to 1 May
100 Jersey bull calves from 1 December through to heifer mating, then sent to grazing
100 R2-year bulls from October to December, then they are used across Camden Group dairy herds to tail after AI
200 carryover cows which are grazed and mated on-farm and sold to the Group farms if required.

The property is irrigated using three centre pivots for 270ha, 4 single span towable pivots covering 65ha and set sprinklers for 40ha.

This is a great opportunity for someone living in the Burnham/Rolleston area. No accommodation is available on-farm.

Does this sound like you?

You’ve had some experience with animals and a good understanding of animal nutrition, animal health and animal welfare
You can use farm equipment, machinery and vehicles competently
You have a good understanding of compliance requirements and a desire to be environmentally low impact
You have excellent record keeping skills and reporting skills
You’re great at time management and how you prioritise tasks
You have excellent problem solving skills

Successful applicants must be honest and reliable with practical ability and good common sense and some mechanical knowledge.

Interested? Email us a detailed CV and cover letter to business@camdengroup.co.nz.

A full position description is available on request.

We will be reviewing applications before the close date so get in as soon as you can.

Opportunities

Dairy Exporter: Taking the big leap

In the Media

February 2022

Taking the big leap

Published by Dairy Exporter, February 2022

A shift to the South Island, contract milking, has led a couple to an equity management role, with the prospect of growing ownership. Anne Lee reports.

Dairy Exporter: Sustainable farming sparks excitement

In the Media

August 2021: Dairy Exporter

Sustainable farming sparks excitement

Published by Dairy Exporter, August 2021

Canterbury sharemilkers Glenn Jones and Sarah Brett are embracing sustainability while making a profit.

Highveld Pastures

Methven

Highveld Pastures was purchased in June 2021 as an existing dairy platform. The property is 230ha and aims to milk 850 cows in a 3-in-2 milking regime.

Irrigation is by centre pivots and set grid sprinklers, with connection to the Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Scheme.

The business is a joint venture between the Camden Group, Waterton Agricultural Ltd, the Kilday, Maw and Coetzee families, John Donkers and Steffan Vermeer, who have all been involved with Camden Group businesses past or present.

Equity Managers Flo and Jen Coetzee run the day-to-day operations with support from the management teams at Camden Group and Waterton Agricultural.

Reynolds Road, Methven

Established 2021

850 cows

213 ha

Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Scheme

54-bail rotary shed

5 staff

Management Team

Flo & Jen Coetzee

Equity Managers
Highveld Pastures

Travis Gordon

Business Manager
Highveld Pastures

Portfolio

Inside Dairy: Playing for long-term gains

In the Media

Feb 2021: Inside Dairy

Playing for long-term gains

Published by Inside Dairy, February 2021

Changing how they farm has already enabled the Willsden Farm team to reduce their farming footprint while maintaining profit.

Te Pirita Enterprises

Canterbury

Te Pirita Enterprises is a contracting group of which Camden Group owns a portion. Their headquarters is situated on the northern end of Willsden Farm.

Services include:

Cultivation
Direct drilling
Drilling
Ploughing
Precision planting

Tractors

John Deere 750A 6m Direct Drills

Two machines available when time is critical. Suitable for establishing all crops into all conditions. Provides hydraulic down pressure for consistent seed placement. Fertiliser and insecticide options with small seeds. Slug bait spreading.

8m Vaderstad Rapid Drill

Bio drill utilised for broadcasting of small seeds or planting two crops at once. Cultivation elements for reducing the number of passes pre-drilling. Fertiliser option available.

2 Vaderstad Tempo 12 row Precision Planters

Two 12 row Tempo planters available for fodder beet, maize and all other precision planted crops with section control. Fertiliser option available.

CLAAS 3400 large square baler

We have the ability to supply straw delivered on-farm. Quality product. Competitive pricing.

Cultivation Services

2 Vaderstad 7 metre Topdown Primary Cultivators

Utilised for intensive mixing and breadking down of clods after winter grazing, re-grassing and cereal stubble incorporation. A great all-round machine suitable for all soil types.

Bednar 10m Swifterdisc shallow disc cultivator

Suitable for chopping, mixing and incorporating of crop residue. Utilised for breaking down of clods and turf and provides a high daily output.

Sunflower Cultivator

8m cultivator used for finishing. Can be used with Vaderstad cambridge roller.

Sumo Quatro

Versatile cultivator with four elements that can be fine-tuned to adapt to a variety of conditions. Consisting of two rows of discs, staggered subsoiler legs providing full-width lift and pan shatter, two more rows of discs and roller. Up to 400mm working depth.

Case Quadtrac

The independent four-track design delivers maximum traction with minimum soil compaction. 500hp to guarantee cultivators can be pulled at correct depth.

8 Furrow Gregoire Besson Reversible plough

Versatile plough for high output performance.

Leveller and Roller Combination

8m wide for high daily output while also leaving a level and consolidated finish ready to drill or plant on. For use after the plough or Topdown. Folding fully adjustable leveller towing a Vaderstad cambridge roller with levelling boards.

Sharlands Road, Te Pirita

Management Team

Neil Costello

General Manager
Te Pirita Enterprises

027 922 3843

Gabi Costello

Business Manager
Te Pirita Enterprises

Leo Donkers

Chairman
Te Pirita Enterprises