Spotlight
on Waihora Station.
2024 Waikato Finalists: Colin & Dale Armer, Scott Armer and David Briscoe of Armer Farms – Waihora Station – Dairy Support.
The family behind this large-scale dairy support operation has a clear understanding of its environmental impact and has their sights set on reducing it.
Waihora Station was purchased in 2008, adding to the Armer Group’s portfolio of dairy farms. While the umbrella company is corporate in size and structure, it remains a family business at heart and the Armers have a particularly special connection to Waihora Station.
Managed by David Briscoe, Waihora Station spans 1,195ha (961ha effective). Each year they run 3,500 cattle and winter 800 cows.
Located in the Lake Taupo catchment, there are strict limits on Nitrogen use and none is applied to this block except for winter crops.
The team has responded by being both innovative and adaptable, ultimately ensuring pastures are lush and resilient. For example, they prioritise clover production to naturally fix nitrogen and promote pasture growth. They also use deferred grazing to push feed from spring to summer, while allowing seed drops to naturally regenerate pastures.