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.
![](https://camdengroup.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/om11side_1-225x300.jpg)
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.
![](https://camdengroup.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Croteezs.jpg)
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.
![Glenn Jones, Sarah Brett and children](https://camdengroup.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/37_MG_7833.jpg)
Highveld Pastures
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.
Irrigation is by centre pivots and a linear irrigator, 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
Highveld Pastures
Terry Kilday
Highveld Pastures
Leo Donkers
Highveld Pastures
Glenn Jones
Highveld Pastures
Travis Gordon
Highveld Pastures
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
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
![](https://camdengroup.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/3F0107-300x117-1.jpg)
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
Te Pirita Enterprises
027 922 3843
Gabi Costello
Te Pirita Enterprises
Leo Donkers
Te Pirita Enterprises
Kohika Downs
Kohika Downs
South Canterbury
Alto Holdings Ltd was set up in 2009 as a joint venture with Tony and Anna Wakelin. 50/50 sharemilking began in West Eyreton, with 1,050 cows on 340ha.
After 10 years of sharemilking, 2019 saw Camden Dairy Farms and Tony and Anna Wakelin co-purchase a 501ha dryland dairy farm in South Canterbury, renaming the company to Kohika Downs Ltd.
The property is self-contained with adjacent land leased for dairy support.
Kohika achieved their target of 420,722kgMS in their first season of 2019/20, and exceeded their 2020/21 target by achieving 458,241kgMS in their second season.
![](https://camdengroup.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KDL-PNG-768x200.png)
Back Line Road, Otaio
Established 2009
1,050 cows
436kgMS per cow
501ha
Dryland
80 bail rotary shed
6 staff
Management Team
Tony & Anna Wakelin
Kohika Downs
Terry Kilday
Camden Group
Leo Donkers
Camden Group
Highbury Farm
Highbury Farm
Te Pirita
Highbury Farm was originally a dryland sheep farm.
Camden Group purchased the property in 2015 to run as the winter/silage support land for Chiswick, Prairie and Willsden farms.
An extra 80ha is also leased from Willsden Farm as the winter/silage support land for Camden Farm.
It was connected to the CPWL irrigation scheme in 2015 and the property was reconfigured to a dairy platform – removing 8km of mature pine shelter belts, relocating the house, garage and hay shed, installing new access lanes, installing irrigation and stockwater system and increasing base fertility.
The property is irrigated by 4 centre pivots for 222ha and set sprinklers in corners covering 25ha.
Sharlands Road, Te Pirita
Purchased 2015
Winter grazing
Support land
254ha
CPWL supply water
Management Team
Paula Buechele
Highbury Farm
Terry Kilday
Camden Group
Travis Gordon
Camden Group
Aylesbury Grazing
Aylesbury Grazing
Burnham
Aylesbury Grazing was converted from a forestry block to pasture in 2005 and was operated as an irrigated sheep and beef finishing farm by the Selwyn Plantation Board.
Camden Group purchased the property in September 2010 to use as dairy grazing for Camden Group dry stock.
It has been redeveloped to dairy farm level by upgrading irrigation, stock water, fertility levels, re-pasturing and fencing.
The property is irrigated using three centre pivots for 270ha, 4 single span towable pivots covering 65ha and set sprinklers for 40ha.
The farm carries:
- 1650 calves from 1 December to 31 April
- 1650 heifers from 1 May to 1 May
- 200 IC heifers in May
- 120 Jersey bull calves from 1 December through to heifer mating, then sent to grazing
- 120 R2-year bulls from October to December, then they are used across Camden Group dairy herds to tail after AI
- 180 carryover cows which are grazed and mated on-farm and sold to the Group farms if required.
Grange Road, Burnham
2010
Dry stock grazing
388ha
CPWL supply water
3 staff
Management Team
Simon Rabbidge
Aylesbury Grazing
Tayla James & Beau Galletly
Aylesbury Grazing
Terry Kilday
Camden Group
Travis Gordon
Camden Group