Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti
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Lachlan during his work in the milking shed.
Lachlan Hutchinson has completed a free three-week dairy taster course at Taratahi and was hired on the spot as farm assistant at a dairy farm in Greytown. Before moving to the Wairarapa Lachlan was living in Palmerston North where he studied animal care planning to go into vet nursing.
The intensive course at Taratahi opened up a whole new world. Lachlan now works eight days on followed by a three-day break. His work days start at 3.30 in the morning. Twice a day he and his fellow workers are to milk around 1000 cows using a Rotary milking system. Lachlan was impressed by the technology behind the rotating milking platform and is now capable of operating the machine independently.
There are varied tasks that he has to complete throughout the day from herding the cows, milking, taking them back into the yards feeding the calves and fencing. “It’s a steep learning curve when you start a new job but it’s practical and hands-on learning and that’s pretty exciting.”
