The Ballance Farm Environment Awards Otago regional supreme winners Luke and Nicole Kane are continually seeking ways to improve their business.
They are the fourth generation of the Kane family to run Westholm farm near Tapanui since 1929.
The first generation, David and Nellie Kane, milked four house cows, churning cream into butter, wrapping it in paper and sending it by train to Dunedin.
Now the Kane family milk about 700 cows on Westholm.
Mr Kane said milk was the main source of income on the dairy and beef operation.
In 2010, the family held a dispersal sale to downsize the beef stud to make way for a dairy conversion and milk 480 cows on Westholm.
The first time he milked a cow was on Westholm, Mr Kane said.
"It was a big, fast learning curve, with a lot of ITO training, learning from mistakes and talking to neighbours, discussion groups and rural professionals."
More land was bought and sheep sales followed, the last of the flock going in 2021, allowing for the beef and dairy operation to expand.
An aim on Westholm was to grow the business by making it more efficient, he said — "chasing more production for less money and continue to make this thing bigger".
The farm lies between 90m and 220m above sea level.
All the livestock was wintered on farm on fodder beet, kale and swedes.
Heavy cattle were excluded from fodder beet.
"That’s like a Fitbit for cows."
The tags tracked data including body temperature, rumination and lying time, he said.
"During a cold wet day in the winter, we can prove that an animal is comfortable, lying, happy and healthy."
Before they fitted the technology, they thought they knew how to feed cows.
The data had revealed how to feed their cows better to hit their genetic potential, he said.
After leaving John McGlashan College in Dunedin, Mr Kane got a summer job working for a local contractor raking silage.
He enjoyed the work so much, he scrapped his plans to study at Lincoln University.
The contractor gig allowed him to work with a range of heavy machinery.
"All the Tonka toys. The opportunities were endless and quite addictive."
Mr Kane’s father Robert Kane said his son loved developing the farm.
"He builds lanes where I’d just put up with it and use my dogs.
"Luke just won’t stop developing. He is a pain to me and our bank manager," he quipped.
"But once he has got it done I think, ‘why didn’t I do this?’ It has made life so much easier."
"I probably have a heavy metal disease and continually buy equipment."
Bigger gear was more efficient, he said.
As a general rule, he wanted a $5 return for every $1 invested on farm, he said.
Stops on the open day included a wetland and a pad for calving Angus cows and heifers.
Breeding objectives included producing an Angus cow which constantly produced a calf without any assistance.
"We haven’t pulled a calf in five or six years."
The beef herd was culled to improve traits in the herd, such as temperament.
"As it’s not our key source of income, we can be ruthless and we are."
Other traits targeted included short gestation and high growth.
A benefit of beef cattle was they could follow the dairy cattle to eat leftover pasture.
"At certain times of the year they are worth their weight in gold," he said.
His mother Mary-Anne praised the work ethic of her son and daughter-in-law since building their dairy business from their 25% sharemilking partnership with them.
"People will say they were spoiled but this young couple worked and really, really worked."
