Waioto Farm Description
Waioto Farm Ltd is a 452 ha (432 effective) fully irrigated dairy farm located at 
Westerfield, Ashburton, milking 1,600 cows through an 80 bail rotary cowshed. Waioto was converted by Peter & Marg Ormsby in 2004. Buildings include a new managers house, two original homesteads, two new staff flats and a new 3 bedroom house.
The farm has 3 different types of irrigation, 2 centre pivots, 4 rotorainers and sprinklers which are mainly around the corners of the pivot.
The soil type is Lismore stoney silt loam. There are three types of pastures, the older being a perennial ryegrass and clover mix, which is 5 years old and covering approximately 120 ha. The second grass is Banquet and Kopu 2 which was planted in March 2004. the third is Bealey Ryegrass and Kotari cover planted 2006 and covering 130ha.
The shed is an 80 bail rotary with a separate covered area for AB and lame cow treatment. Milking times in the summer are approximately 3 hours in the morning and 2 1/2 hours in the afternoon. The yard is flood washed into an effluent pond at the end of the shed which is then pumped out onto the farm carried by the irrigation system.
The herd is a mixture of Fresians and Cross-breds. AB is carried out for approximately 5 weeks and 350 heifer calves are reared each year.
