Farmstrong: Tararua dairy farmer on wellness priorities with family, staff and stock

Mike Burmeister and his wife Heather farm 710 hecatres just north of Pahīatua and milk 980 cows on 324ha with a team of seven, many of whom have worked with them for years.

After decades in the industry, Mike Burmeister is clear on his priorities.

“My first priority is my family’s wellbeing, my second is my staff’s wellbeing and my third is my stock’s wellbeing.”

He admits an episode of burnout early in his career helped shape his thinking.

Tararua dairy farmer Mike Burmeister puts an emphasis on the wellbeing of himself and his colleagues after changing his priorities. Photo / Farmstrong

“I was in my early 20s, milking about 260 cows and working day in, day out, all hours of the day and half the night, and it reached the stage where I turned up for milking one morning feeling so exhausted that I told the guy working for me, ‘I’m going back to bed for a couple of hours’.”

Thirty years on, it’s no surprise that working smarter hours rather than longer hours is a hallmark of his operation.

They milk three times in two days and the milking roster has not only proved kinder on staff (every second day is a 7.30am start), it’s brought other benefits too.

His cows collectively walk 420,000 fewer kilometres a year, improving their welfare, and 10 million fewer litres of water are being pumped through the cowshed per annum in a catchment where water use is at a premium.

The roster has freed up more than 1000 hours of labour that can be applied to other tasks, all while maintaining milk production and increasing profitability.

Workload during busy times such as calving is also carefully managed (a six-on and two-off roster) – another legacy of Burmeister’s early days in the industry.

“I used to work long hours during calving as everyone does, come home late and then head out again at night to check on the calvers.

“Mentally and physically that was tough. You wouldn’t get home again until about 9pm. It was exhausting.”

After building a new milking shed over the winter of 2004, Burmeister was exhausted and something had to give, so he decided not to do the night check on the calving cows.

The result was a game-changer.

“I realised as long as they were well fed by 5pm, they’d be fine. And I was right. I didn’t lose a cow that spring. That was 20 years ago and I’ve never been out at night again since. It means I can get eight hours’ sleep, even during calving, which makes a huge difference.”

Burmeister said farming was still as much of a challenge but the face of that challenge had changed over time.

“Farming was very physically demanding for our forefathers, these days I think it’s mentally harder. There’s more of everything, and people are time-poor.”

He said you never get to switch off and you’re always looking over your shoulder.

“That’s why I think Farmstrong’s a great initiative. Anything that helps connect and strengthen rural communities has got to be a good thing.

“If you’re not proactive about looking after yourself, you won’t last as long in the industry.”