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.