From teaching to farming: Selwyn Cleland’s path to milking productivity.
Selwyn Cleland milks 250 cows on 85 hectares in Whakatāne. With roots tracing back to its purchase by his great-grandparents in 1926, the farm boasts a rich heritage spanning nearly a century. Today, Selwyn is proud to be continuing this legacy alongside his wife, Hannah, and three children.
Reflecting on his upbringing, Selwyn recalls his parents’ encouragement for him and his siblings to explore different interests beyond the farm. “Dad never told us we had to do it,” says Selwyn. So, Selwyn pursued a decade-long teaching career before spending three years with his family in Rarotonga, teaching overseas.
In 2019, while Selwyn was still in Rarotonga, his parents made the decision to sell the farm. However, despite selling the herd and anticipating the farm’s sales, the transaction fell through. “In their late sixties they had to start all over again and buy in stock. That was hard to watch, especially when they’re back living at the runoff up the road.”
After finishing the school year, Selwyn and his family returned to New Zealand to help on the farm, eventually taking over the running of the farm in 2021. “We had huge amounts of support from people, and it allowed mum and dad to have a sense of retirement,” shares Selwyn.
After milking through the 14-year-old rotary for two seasons, Selwyn recognised that the existing setup was inefficient and underperforming. The outdated equipment meant they required two operators during milking – one person at cups on and one person at cups off. “You are overlaboured for a 250-cow farm, that was one of the biggest issues,” notes Selwyn. Issues such as malfunctioning cup removers and manual teat spraying further compounded the challenges.
Selwyn opted for a rotary refit with GEA in 2023. The objective was clear: streamline operations and enhance productivity. The refit included installation of automatic cup removers (iCR+), on-platform teat sprayers (iSPRAY4), pulsators (Autopuls), vacuum line, cluster drop down system, and upgraded bails to accommodate the new equipment.
Since the refit, Selwyn has seen significant improvements in milking performance, specifically with the automatic cup removers and new vacuum line. Selwyn is now confident that the cows are being milked out properly and the cups are automatically detaching when the milk flow reaches the right threshold.
The integration of the on-platform teat sprayers has further streamlined operations, reducing labour to one person during milking. “Having functional cup removers and automated teat spraying has saved us half a labour unit,” says Selwyn.
When considering what equipment to choose, simplicity and minimal maintenance were key considerations, and he feels he’s achieved that choosing GEA. “With the GEA system, everything is just easy.”
The rotary refit was completed in just 13 days and was installed by 60/40 Milking. “I've found 60/40 Milking a great team of guys to work with. The communication is good, and they have a huge amount of knowledge. They’re always willing to give things a go and help wherever they can. And as for GEA, Iain Watson has been amazing. Just to be able to ring up if I've got any questions and he's offered support wherever I need it. He’s a helpful and easy person to deal with.”
Since taking over the farm, Selwyn has embraced the multifaceted nature of farming, relishing the diversity it offers. From leveraging his teaching background to crunching numbers for grass growth and budgets, he finds fulfilment in the dynamic challenges it presents. "One day you're a vet, the next an electrician, plumber or seed rep."
Looking ahead, Selwyn’s aspirations for the farm are improved profitability, efficiency, and ease of operation. He is confident that the GEA milking system will play a pivotal role in realising these goals. “Having the GEA system installed has made a huge step towards having that efficient and effective system,” he concludes.
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