Hauraki Plains dairy farmer’s Calf Club helping troubled students thrive

Julie and Brian Pirie are committed to innovative pasture management and community involvement. Photo / DairyNZ / Barker Photography

At a local school board meeting about some troubled students, Julie Pirie came up with an idea to keep them engaged while sharing her love for dairy farming.

The students often said their bad behaviour was because they had “nothing to do”, so Pirie thought of a way to keep them busy and productive.

“I invited them to come to our farm and help prepare some calves for Calf Club,” she said.

“We ended up with about seven calves that season – five from those kids, along with a couple from our daughters.”

Pirie and her husband Brian’s farm is located near Ngatea township in the Hauraki Plains and was perfectly situated to create the opportunity.

“I quickly realised these kids hadn’t had opportunities like this before, and they absolutely thrived − some even won trophies.

“I learnt a lot from them too, it was incredibly rewarding.”

Fifteen calving seasons later, Pirie’s programme remains strong.

Around 20 children participate each year, with many returning year after year.

Most of the kids are from Ngatea Primary School but there have been a range of schools involved in the programme.

Pirie makes sure that everyone is fully equipped with halters, leads, covers and feed.

She ensures everyone is treated equally, so no one misses out, regardless of their background.

Around 400 calves are reared on the farm annually and Pirie selects the ones she deems suitable for Calf Club and puts them in a dedicated shed.

The children come out one weekend to choose their calves, then care for them after school each week in the lead-up to their Calf Club events.

While Pirie continues to feed them milk, the children do their hay and meal and groom and train the calves each afternoon until their parents collect them.

The calves are also weighed regularly so the children can monitor and see their growth.

“It’s been really neat to be involved and give the kids the opportunity to connect with farming.

“I’ve had a couple decide to go farming as a result of having their calves at Calf Club.”

Julie and Brian Pirie’s farm

The Piries purchased their first farm in 1993, initially 50 hectares, and gradually expanded by acquiring neighbouring farms.

They own 234ha and lease a further 40ha, milking 900 cows. They also have a 160ha support block where they graze their youngstock.

The farm has a unique soil mix, with 30-50cm of kahikatea peat on top of marine clay.

It can get very hot, so a lot of effort is needed to keep the soil moist.

The Hauraki Plains drainage system is designed to prevent too much water from draining away and on the farm, they have weirs in the drains to control water flow and maintain soil moisture levels by retaining water.

“Our farm is really flat, so we use the weirs to hold water and keep the drain levels high so when it rains it is good to go,” Brian said.

Julie Pirie's Calf Club initiative in action. Elaina New teaching hers to lead. Photo / DairyNZ

During some extra dry summers, couch grass became prominent. It took a comprehensive spray and planting programme to gain control, using oats, chicory and maize to keep the paddocks productive.

After the spray and planting programme, they planted permanent pastures again.

“When we first bought the farm, it had a good amount of tall fescue and once we got used to managing it we found it good as it was durable and resilient to our conditions,” Brian said.

“But after a few really dry years, it stopped persisting, so we began experimenting with other types of pasture.

“It took some trial and error, but now we’re using Legion Ryegrass from Agricom, and it’s working well for us.”

There is a focus on reducing pests and weeds.

And in dry seasons, they’ll use a paddock that will be getting cropped soon to feed supplement and preserve pasture paddocks by minimising grazing and damage.

“Pasture is king, it is what makes our business profitable, so making sure our soils and pastures are the best possible through fertiliser, grazing management and the right cropping regime is paramount,” he said.

Supplements are used strategically to manage the grazing rotation, prevent overgrazing, and protect the sensitive soil.

The 70-bail rotary also has an in-shed feeding system.

Their manager for the past two seasons, Lucky Singh, has moved into contract milking this season with Pirie supporting him through the transition.

“I’m acting as a farm adviser guiding Lucky, asking questions and challenging him to help him learn,” Pirie said.

Three years ago, in response to changing climate and seasonal patterns, they moved their calving start forward by about two weeks.

Since then, they’ve focused on condensing the calving period through gradual adjustments.

They run the herd in three, with the heifers and lighter cows in one herd that go on to once-a-day (OAD) milking around Christmas, while the others remain on twice-a-day.

And when it comes to drying off the herd, they base it on seasonal conditions, feed availability and conserving cow condition.

“Our focus is cow condition and we prioritise matching pasture growth and demand,” Julie said.

“I’m body condition score accredited so I’m always keeping an eye on the herd, and if anything is light it’ll move to the OAD herd.”

The herd started as a Friesian-cross base but they have been transitioning towards more Jersey content, aiming for a 75% Jersey cow.

“Jerseys are a better fit for our soil conditions because they’re lighter, which helps minimise pasture damage in wet weather, and they handle heat better, making them more suited to the higher temperatures,” she explained.

“Around 50% of our herd are at least J12 now and we have some registered Jerseys too.

“We aim for good fertility, high milk components and an easy-care cow.”

Shifting to Jersey has also made their calf-rearing easier.

“As I’ve got older I’m finding it easier with the Jerseys as I’m not handling a big animal.

“It’s easier for the staff picking up calves in the paddock too.”

The couple are focusing on stepping back from the physical aspects of farming.

They have hired an overseer who reports to Brian and will manage operations when they are away, and there is a manager on the support block.

“We’re trying to be less involved in the day-to-day operations, but it is hard to step away completely, we still enjoy the farm and want to support our team and set them up for success” Julie said.

They are both active in off-farm roles as well.

Julie serves as the president of Jersey NZ, chairs Donald Pearson Farm Limited (owned by NZ Young Farmers), and chairs Jerseyland Farms in Southland.

Meanwhile, Brian is the chair of the Western Plains Drainage District Committee.

Their two daughters live nearby.

Celine is teaching agriculture at St Peter’s School in Cambridge and Ella has a cattle photography business and is pursuing a dairy farming career.

The Piries’ commitment to sustainable farming practices and soil management reflects their adaptability and deep connection to the land.

Their ongoing efforts to balance hands-on farming with strategic management ensure the long-term success of their operation.

As they gradually step back from day-to-day tasks and support the next generation of farmers, Julie and Brian’s legacy of innovation, community engagement and sustainable farming practices will undoubtedly inspire many for years to come.