Dairy farmers Brendan and Tessa Hopson have a favourite cow who loves to eat bananas.
The couple are currently 20 per cent equity partners and 25 per cent lower order sharemilking 330 cows on 108 hectares near Paeroa, where they live with their sons Toby and Ollie.
Tessa says Number 115 has been a character in the shed since the couple added her to their herd a few years ago.
“She’s one of our top producers and she’s super friendly. But she has a weak spot for bananas!
“Her previous owners used to take a banana to the shed for breakfast every morning and leave it sitting on a ledge near the front of the milking platform,” Tessa explains. “The banana kept disappearing, until they realised Number 115 was eating them!
“Every herd has those really friendly cows that will come up and give you a gentle bunt looking for a scratch or a pat.”
Number 70 is another favourite cow who is always first in line when the Hopsons shift their herd onto a new feed break. Tessa says she always seeks them out for a scratch.
“She’s just a really lovely cow, so quiet and friendly - definitely one of the favorites in our herd. She is always one of the first onto the milking platform.”
Dairy farmers love their cows - and not just for their milk production. It is easy to see why many are smitten by their individual characters and affectionate nature. On World Milk Day, Gallagher joins dairy farmers in celebrating one of their most valuable assets.
World Milk Day is an international day established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to recognise the importance of milk as a global food.
In 2020, New Zealand produced about three per cent of the world’s total milk production. Our 4.92 million milking cows from more than 11,000 dairy herds, pumped out around 21.1 billion litres of milk, feeding hungry mouths both here and abroad. ¹
Gallagher is proud to support dairy. We work alongside dairy farmers like the Hopsons to ensure cows live their best life, while producing the high-quality milk products New Zealand is known for around the world.
Tessa says they have a passion for agriculture and are proud to be New Zealand dairy farmers.
“Our mission is to produce high quality milk from a happy and healthy herd. We’re pretty proud we can supply that milk to the world from our favourite cows.”
