Farms

Apiti Heights has a milking platform of 220ha (effective), consisting of 165ha flat and 55ha rolling hills. Peak milk 580 kiwi cross cows with a target to produce 430KgMS/cow.

All young stock stay on farm and grazed on 92ha of attached support block.  We use Halter (cow collars) to help us make the best decisions and to help guide us fully feed cows and harvest as much pasture as we can.

Roster is 6 / 2 all year round with 3 fulltime staff and a causal over calving. Apiti Heights farm is located 10 minutes north of Apiti which provides a great area for hunting.

• Cows: 580
• Effective Area: 220ha
• Dairy Shed: 40-Bale Rotary
• Spring Calving

Blythe is situated in Opiki, 15 minutes from Palmerston North. It consists of highly fertile soils, supported by centre pivot irrigators ensures good pasture growth throughout summer.

While Blythe has an older style 44 ASHB dairy shed, it flows well with 750 quiet cross breed cows calving in Spring and achieving the lowest SCC for the group in 2025 (127,000 average for the season). The farm is well set up, utilising chicory as a summer crop and we a strong emphasis on keeping staff safe and happy.

Our working roster of 6/2 means our four full-time staff are well-rested and get good family time! We challenge ourselves to think outside the square by pushing boundaries and trying new ideas

• Cows: 750
• Effective Area: 245ha
• Dairy Shed: 44-Aside Herringbon
• Spring Calving

Grandbend is located just north of the Apiti township, with an affective area of 336ha and peak milking 950 Spring calving cross bred cows running a System 4.

Grandbend has four fulltime staff on a 6/2 roster allowing for a work/life balance. The farm utilises Halter (cow collars) to minimise labour, improve pasture utilisation and consistent feeding. The animal health and reproductive data assists further with management decisions.

• Cows: 970
• Effective Area: 336ha
• Dairy Shed: 60-Bale Rotary with automatic cup removers
• Spring Calving

Kohunui is a beautiful 646 ha property at the top of the Kawhatau Valley. The property has 260 ha of flat land, 180 ha of hills used for grazing with scatter scrub, along with 124 ha of regenerated scrub and a further 82 ha of native bush running into the Ruahine ranges. It has free-draining Kiwitea silt loam soil.

Kohunui has previously been a dairy support property, however, has transitioned recently towards beef trading and finishing.

A mixture of beef cross steers and heifers are purchased externally or internally (from our dairy operations), grown to around 550 kg liveweight before sold to meat processors. We purchase empty cows which are mated and sent back to various farms.

Kohunui is run by a full-time manager with the support of a part-time worker and staff from the farms within the group when required. Kohunui offers some seasonal challenges but provides a great lifestyle for people who enjoy the outdoors with great access to walking tracks, hunting, trout fishing and we are also an access way to huts in the Ruahine ranges with permission required seasonally.

• Effective Area: 646ha

Tableflat is a 245ha effective farm located north of the Apiti township near the region’s famous glow worm caves. Tableflat milks around 630 Kiwicross cows. Young stock leave Tableflat at a minimum of 100kg returning as in-calf R2 heifers.

Tableflat operates on a 6/2 roster with four full time staff to allow time to enjoy family life or the great outdoors at the farm’s doorstep.

Tableflat is running Cow Manager ear tag technology to accurately monitor cows’ nutrition, health and fertility. Tableflat is a spring only calving farm and moving to AI only mating.

• Cows: 630
• Effective Area: 245ha
• Dairy Shed: 50-Bale Rotary with automatic cup removers
• Spring Calving

Tahuna is a 375-hectare property near Bulls, primarily used as a grazing and wintering block.

Tahuna is the main dairy support for the Hopkins Farming Group, wintering up to 4,000 cows and in-calf heifers.  The farm grows maize during the summer and harvests as much grass silage as possible to support the winter grazing operation. The farm also grazes young dairy heifers from weaning until they go to external grazing in the autumn.

Due to the high number of cattle grazed over winter, special care must be taken with pasture management to maximise growth and minimise soil damage.

Of the total area, 230 hectares are irrigated, despite the soil being a mix of coastal sands. Irrigation plays a critical role in maintaining consistent pasture growth during drier periods, ensuring a reliable summer feed supply for growing stock and replacement animals. Effective Area:375ha

Te Marama, located in Kiwitea, north of Feilding, is a 330-hectare effective, System 4, split-calving farm with an astonishing view. There is a further 38ha of support land used for cropping and calving. The farm is close to the river, offering great opportunities for hunting and fishing.

It milks 950 cows through a 50-bale rotary shed equipped with cup removers. Te Marama employs five full-time staff and operates on an 8/2 roster.

The farm is deeply committed to sustainability, animal welfare, and creating a positive work environment.

• Cows: 950
• Effective Area
• Dairy Shed: 50-Bale Rotary with automatic cup removers
• Spring & Autumn Calving

Tokomaru based 25km south of Palmerston North and a couple of minutes’ drive from the Tokomaru Village that has its own kindergarten and primary school.

Calving 650 spring cows and 300 autumn cows. Tokomaru use a medium input system over 310ha with a 60-bale rotary shed with cup removers and feed pad. Tokomaru Farm pride themselves on being one of the most profitable of all the Hopkins Farming Group farms, averaging 430 – 450 MS/cow per season. Tokomaru develops their staff, with prior team members progressed their careers through the group and outside the group. Tokomaru operates an 8/2 roster with five full-time staff.

Tokomaru Farm reaps the rewards of being close enough to town but still enjoying the country life. The Tokomaru River is a well-known swimming spot, offers good trout fishing and conveniently runs through the farm.

2025 recipient of the prestigious John Hopkins Supreme Farm Award.

• Cows: 950
• Effective Area: 310ha
• Dairy Shed: 60-Bale Rotary with automatic cup removers
• Spring & Autumn Calving

Tollbridge is nestled 15 minutes from Palmerston North in the Opiki area. We manage a thriving dairy operation across 222 hectares, with a mix of autumn and spring calving herds.

With peak milk production at around 650 cows, we’re dedicated to delivering top-notch dairy products while continuously improving our farm’s sustainability and productivity.

Our commitment to sustainable farming practices ensures high-quality milk production year-round, supported by advanced pasture management and a balanced diet for our herds.

Looking to the future, we’re focusing on genetic improvements by using sexed semen on the top 20% of our herd. This strategy aims to boost production efficiency while maintaining a lower stocking rate. We also manage 100 hectares under K-line irrigation, ensuring optimal water use and pasture growth.

One of the challenges we navigate is managing occasional flooding of the Manawatu River on an area of the farm outside the stop bank. Our resilient team and forward-thinking strategies keep us prepared for any curveball’s nature throws our way.

• Cows: 650
• Effective Area: 220ha
• Dairy Shed: 40-Aside Herringbone
• Spring & Autumn Calving

Waihora Farm is a premier dairy operation located in Opiki, Manawatu—just a short drive from Palmerston North and only 20 minutes from the scenic Himatangi Beach. The local primary school is conveniently situated just 5 minutes away, making the area ideal for families.

Spanning 340 hectares, Waihora Farm peaks at milking 1,000 cows and operates a split calving system, with 300 cows calving in autumn to meet winter milk supply targets. The farm features modern infrastructure including well-maintained calf sheds, a feed pad, and dedicated feed bunkers, supporting efficient and high-performing operations.

Our experienced and cohesive team includes a Farm Manager, Assistant Manager, and three Farm Assistants, all of whom have worked together over many seasons to consistently achieve excellence.

Waihora is a cornerstone of the Hopkins Farming Group and a proud, frequent recipient of the prestigious John Hopkins Supreme Farm Award, recognising the highest return on capital across the group. Waihora also earned the Dairy Business of the Year – Best Lower North Island Farm Performance Award in both 2019 and 2020.

Waihora Farm exemplifies innovation, performance, and teamwork—setting the standard for success in New Zealand’s dairy industry.

• Cows:1000
• Effective Area: 340ha
• Dairy Shed: 60-Bale Rotary with automatic cup removers
• Spring & Autumn Calving