Our Kiwi adventure - Macra/IFJ Stephen Cullinan scholarships
As we write this piece, it is hard to believe our time in New Zealand is coming to an end. It has been a great adventure and one we will remember forever.
The recipients of the Stephen Cullinan scholarship spent time on dairy farms in New Zealand.
ADVERTISEMENT
It has been very rewarding for us from a social and educational point of view to have received the Stephen Cullinan scholarship. Our time on dairy farms in Canterbury has brought us into contact with some new and interesting tools that will enhance our future careers in the dairy industry. The simplicity of farming here at such scale is very impressive. Technology is playing a big part in this ease of management. We have seen heat detection cameras, soil moisture metres, GPS irrigation and even the use of drones to carry out tasks such as measuring land area.
Management of people on farms is a big driver in efficiencies. People work as part of a team and good management makes the daily running very simple. Specialised people on farms for certain tasks, such as calf rearing and tractor driving, also help to keep the job being done to a high standard. All farms are focused on profit and key to this is utilisation of as much grass as possible.
It was not all work. We also got to experience what New Zealand has to offer. We travelled to both the North Island and South Island. It is a beautiful country with lovely scenery and attractions to suit everyone. The North Island, in particular, reminded us of home with a lot of similar features such as hills and windy roads, which was the complete opposite to our Canterbury base.
ADVERTISEMENT
The people of New Zealand are very welcoming and have a great sense of humour. All the people we have met on our travels have been most helpful and we have formed lasting friendships and contacts. Special thanks must be given to the people at New Zealand Dairy Careers for going out of their way to accommodate us and help us maximise the educational experience and to Macra na Feirme and the Agricultural Trust for the scholarship.
Register for free to read this story and our free stories.
This content is available to digital subscribers and loyalty code users only. Sign in to your account, use the code or subscribe to get unlimited access.
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
CODE ACCEPTED
You have full access to the site until next Wednesday at 9pm.
CODE NOT VALID
Please try again or contact support.
It has been very rewarding for us from a social and educational point of view to have received the Stephen Cullinan scholarship. Our time on dairy farms in Canterbury has brought us into contact with some new and interesting tools that will enhance our future careers in the dairy industry. The simplicity of farming here at such scale is very impressive. Technology is playing a big part in this ease of management. We have seen heat detection cameras, soil moisture metres, GPS irrigation and even the use of drones to carry out tasks such as measuring land area.
Management of people on farms is a big driver in efficiencies. People work as part of a team and good management makes the daily running very simple. Specialised people on farms for certain tasks, such as calf rearing and tractor driving, also help to keep the job being done to a high standard. All farms are focused on profit and key to this is utilisation of as much grass as possible.
It was not all work. We also got to experience what New Zealand has to offer. We travelled to both the North Island and South Island. It is a beautiful country with lovely scenery and attractions to suit everyone. The North Island, in particular, reminded us of home with a lot of similar features such as hills and windy roads, which was the complete opposite to our Canterbury base.
The people of New Zealand are very welcoming and have a great sense of humour. All the people we have met on our travels have been most helpful and we have formed lasting friendships and contacts. Special thanks must be given to the people at New Zealand Dairy Careers for going out of their way to accommodate us and help us maximise the educational experience and to Macra na Feirme and the Agricultural Trust for the scholarship.
If you would like to speak to a member of our team, please call us on 01-4199525.
Link sent to your email address
We have sent an email to your address. Please click on the link in this email to reset your password. If you can't find it in your inbox, please check your spam folder. If you can't find the email, please call us on 01-4199525.
ENTER YOUR LOYALTY CODE:
The reader loyalty code gives you full access to the site from when you enter it until the following Wednesday at 9pm. Find your unique code on the back page of Irish Country Living every week.
SHARING OPTIONS