“It’s like an employee that never takes a day off” - Gary’s first year with Halter

Halter has transformed Gary’s 440-cow dairy farm, making daily operations smoother, more efficient, and less stressful. From eliminating staffing headaches to simplifying cow movements, Halter has saved him time and reduced on-farm costs. For Gary, Halter isn’t just a collar - it’s a complete farm management system that’s now a critical part of his farm that gives him visibility, confidence, and the freedom to farm the way he’s always wanted.

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Here at Halter, something we know to be true is that farmers want to simplify their operations and increase their bottom line, all while running a successful and enjoyable operation. That’s exactly what one of our customers had in mind when he decided to give Halter a go. Gary runs a 440 cow dairy farm in the heart of Ruawai and has been farming for over 40 years.

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The decision to get Halter 

He’d been thinking about Halter for a while - six months, in fact. Staffing issues were becoming a constant headache, and Gary knew something needed to change. So, after a lot of thought and research, it was time for Halter.

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“I’d had issues with staff, and I just wanted to make my life a bit easier.”

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Deploying during mating wasn’t an issue for Gary - he knew he wanted Halter and he knew he wanted it now. In just two weeks, his herd (and his daily routine) was fully Halter-trained. He reckons the cows learnt just as fast as he did,“my goal was to learn 1 new thing each day.”

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Installing Halter on the farm

Moving cows became as simple as opening the app and dropping a virtual break fence. He could bring one herd in while milking another, saving time and reducing stress on both himself and the cows. No more scrambling to set up reels, or driving back and forth across the farm. And with Halter’s heat alerts, Gary was certain the right girls were being put up for AB each morning during mating. Less hassle, better results - a win win.

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Another positive was the flexibility. Last Christmas, he spent more time with his family, all while managing the farm from his phone. He was also able to stay longer at his daughter’s birthday party because he didn’t have to get home to get the cows in - Halter was there doing it for him.

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“It’s like an employee that doesn’t take a sick day or need a weekend off - it’s there 24/7."

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When the weather was particularly wet, he didn’t need to leave the house to move the cows. No rain jacket required. Checking things were set before winding down for the day? “Before Halter I’d think, have I shut those cows in or not? I’d have to put my gear back on and go and check. Now I can just open up the app and have a look.”

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The results are speaking for themselves

After 6 months of using Halter and loving this new way of farming, Gary knew he needed Halter on his run off block too. This meant he could break fence the rising 2 year olds there and see the same value and gains he was seeing on the main farm. When Gary took off for a 4 day cruise - a proper, off-the-farm getaway - he was able to monitor his farm remotely, specifically his 2 year olds on the recently installed run off block. Moving and checking on his cows from the middle of the ocean? Easy. 

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He checks the app 5 times a day, giving him the oversight he needs to make sure his farm is running smoothly. “I check the app every night before bed, and every morning when I wake up. I check to see which cows are on heat, and then get out there and action the info Halter has given me.”

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From a risk management point of view, Halter helps Gary to have eyes on every single cow, 24/7. This ensures that cows are where they need to be at all times; for example cows on antibiotics are easily excluded from the milking herd, and any cows in the wrong mob are spotted and moved by one quick open of the app. Imagine eyes on the entire herd in just a couple of seconds? For Gary, that's his reality.

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His feedback to us? “Halter has been a game-changer.” Not only has it made his farm more efficient, but it’s also given him back precious time - and the peace of mind to actually enjoy it. Plus, he’s saved on fuel and labour costs, which makes a big difference to his farm’s bottom line. 

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We asked Gary what he’d say to anyone on the (virtual) fence. “I always tell them, it’s going to save your life. You won’t know yourself.”

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To sum up Gary's experience with Halter so far…

To learn about more of our epic Halter farmers, check them out on our Farmers page.