A Tale of Two Choppers
Read Davin Mudford's story which featured in the 2024 Corson Maize edition of the Dairy Exporter
Expansion, a tireless work ethic and resilience has seen the mudfords farming business grow with supported by maize hybrids. This story started 50 years ago when Davin Mudford’s parents were involved in precision-cut maize silage in 1974. The Mudford’s were contract harvesting for other farms around the district and identified an opportunity where maize could benefit their own farm. This prompted the Mudford’s to start growing maize as supplementary feed for the dairy cows on their farm in Otorohanga, Waikato.
When Davin’s father sadly passed away suddenly when Davin was only ten years old, his mother, Gwenda, determined to make a success of the farm, continued to run the farm by herself and Davin’s responsibilities quickly increased.
Over the years, the Mudford’s expanded their farming operation and purchased another farm in 1985, where Davin milked 220 cows by himself on one farm, while Gwenda milked 240 by herself on the other.
When times became tough in dairying towards the end of the 80s, to earn extra money, Davin would get up at 1 am, milk the cows, and then go off and drive trucks. The increase in work meant Gwenda would have to milk Davin’s cows at 1pm and then milk her own cows afterwards. In addition to milking, they would rear another 400 calves, which helped with their income.
Always looking for a new opportunity, Davin gained his fixed-wing pilot’s license in 1989, shortly followed by flying helicopters in 1992.
Davin gained further experience flying helicopters by working for Skyworks and managing their base in Tokoroa. He eventually purchased their central North Island business in 2005 and set up HeliA1 based in Otorohanga.
This business now works all over the North Island as well as overseas, and at the time of writing this story, Davin’s son Alex is fulfilling a contract to fly in Bora Bora. Hand in hand with the Heli business development, Davin has expanded his on farm contracting business for local farmers from his Otorohanga base.
As he has continued to grow maize over the years for his dairy operation, he has seen how maize has benefited other dairy farms and has supported those around him to start growing maize.
He now has all the equipment for growing and harvesting maize for locals and has recently added a second forage harvester to the fleet. When asked why he continues to grow Corson Maize hybrids, Davin says “They have been so reliable in all the different conditions that we see happening these days. Leaf disease is a real problem now, and Corson Maize hybrids aren’t as prone to it [leaf disease] as the other hybrids in the market. I can always rely on their hybrids, and I can always rely on their team, Maria looks after me really well.”
Davin’s dairy operation has developed over the years and he now spring calves 460 cows on 153 ha effective in Otorohanga. He is currently feeding about 1 t of maize silage dry matter/per cow/per year. Davin intends to keep this up to ensure feed gaps are filled and increase production as needed to ensure his herd maintains its production levels and body condition. What does the future hold for Davin and his businesses? Well, only as a pilot would say, “the sky’s the limit.”
You can't fly that chopper!