jordantaylor Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 hi i am travelling to new zealand with college this saturday for 3 weeks. i was just wondering how many of the guys on here are from new zealand, whats happening there at the moment farming wise, and where abouts you are based. we are going to and stopping at Taratahi agricultural college on the north island. we do travel up to Rotorua where we stop for a few days. we have to kill, butcher and cook our own food ( sheep ). we also do some milking , sheep mustering, deer farming, shearing ect... i will be posting photos when i get back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leakeyvale Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Have a good trip, Jordan and look forward to the pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordTractorCrazy Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 have a great trip Jordan, that is an awesome country to travel, definately if you have an agricultural heart.. I think Nick on here lives on the southern end of the North Island and runs a Diary farm ? Also thought Ol lives on the Northern Island. Have friends living on the southern island as well.. Seeing it is nearing fall there, i would expect lots of harvesting being done right now! Keep your nose closed in Rotarua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere-est Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Nick is in/near Palmerston North, he'll be of great help to know where to and what to do if you get any free time. I stayed near Hamilton, working right through the Waikato region and also up north at Paero. Spelt different to that I am sure. Even 'dicky' lived there for some time too, working for John Austin. New Zealand is amazing, if it wasn't for the distance it would be my home too. Such a wonderful place. You'll love it Jordan and I hope it gives you a big enough taster to go back again and work there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdc Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I second all the above - great country. Make the most of your visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordantaylor Posted March 22, 2012 Author Share Posted March 22, 2012 cheers guys, ill have to update you as to how it goes, i am keen to go to canada to work but i think NZ might change my mind after paying it a visit. ill take plenty of pics and let you know how it goes jordan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeere6910 Posted March 23, 2012 Share Posted March 23, 2012 Going to NZ sounds good Jordan, it's s country I want to visit as well, look forward to the pictures when you get back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickheff89 Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 I was out there for a few months milking cows, I was down in canterbury on an 850 cow farm. the scale out there is overwhelming! I have worked on 300 cow herds in Ireland but its crazy the scale and intensity of the operations. No regard for environmental safet but they probably wont show you that! In relationt o what we have to deal with Ireland... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordantaylor Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 well i arrived back from new zealand yesterday. i was there for just under a month and all i can say is it is such an amazing country. we travelled around to multiple beef,sheep and dairy stations across the north island. we stayed at taratahi agricultural training college which is the main agriculture college in new zealand and visited all of there farms and working on them aswell. they have 3 dairy farms 2 with 50 & 60 point rotary parlours and a 48-96 herringbone swingover parlour. they have thousands of sheep about 9000 i think. they also have about 4-500 deer and a few hundred beef cattle aswell. the farms seem to have all the latest modern technologies and they can do a job with less stress on the animal and the worker in less time than we can in the uk. i could talk for days on this trip and i will let the photos talk for themselves oh and there machinery (and cars ) are all in fantastic condition even kit from back in the 80's was like brand new Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordantaylor Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 well one thing i have noticed with farms in new zealand is that they dont like loaders but are all for the loader tractor i also found this mint condition massey ferguson 390 loader tractor at a local new holland dealer. and surprisingly for an older tractor in new zealand it actually had a full cab and not just a bit of plastic above the seat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordantaylor Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 another MF 390 but not in as good a condition but a nice find though. and more rangle of old and new kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
painter Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 Sounds like you had a good time Jordan ,would you consider heading back again to work full time? Thanks for the pics,nice scenery over there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordantaylor Posted April 21, 2012 Author Share Posted April 21, 2012 i had a fantastic time while i was there, i even caught chicken pocks for a 2nd time but it didnt stop me working or enjoying myself. i would like to go out there again. i enjoyed working on the sheep units and im not really a stockman im more of an arable lad but i really enjoyed it. they seem to be able to handle larger numbers of stock allot faster and with less stress. in 3 hours on one sheep farm 6 of us were able to drench and vacinate for anti abortion over 1000 ewes. we would struggle to do that in a day at college with a full group of us. all the farms in general seem to be clean and tidy and for the size they are very quiet. the staff all seem very relaxed and layed back. the stock throughout the country is very clean and stress free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deere-est Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 It really is an amazing country, you're right there Jordan. The views are spectacular and there are very few places where there is nothing interesting to see. I hope you do get out there again properly on a visa mate, it will be hard to leave though. I can promise you thay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordTractorCrazy Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 (edited) that MF390 is interesting... with it's FORD weights on it from what i gathered when i was there, is that a lot of old kit is still being used by immigrants that moved there in the last 20-30 years and brought their stuff with them, but i also see a lot of new kit on your pictures! They used to import mostly asian equipment as those were cheapest to import, so happily surprised things are turnign around.. size does matter! it is mostly easier and more efficient to have bigger herds and bigger farms have to put a lot of thought into making things more efficient, the ideas on how to do that, differ from country to country, so it is a good thing you have witnessed different ideas and methods for doing a thing like vaccinating ewes.. and on other areas as well! on a note: we used to have a wheelloader on our farm, but now we have a tractor with frontloader, and we wouldnt want to change back ever.. so i can see their point in using frontloaders rather then wheelloaders! Edited April 21, 2012 by FordTractorCrazy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Light Land Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 I've just found this topic,Glad you enjoyed NZ Jordie lad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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