There's never a dull moment on this dairy property
More than 740 cows step out of the morning dark into the Galloway's milking shed on the Takapau Plains.
Jason Hewald swiftly places cups on teats and the spinning milking machine delivers deflated udders to a deft dismount.
The first herd milked, he rushes to a heavily pregnant cow collapsed in the paddock.
"She has probably been mooing about all day complaining about being heavily pregnant and forgotten to eat," he says.
His aunt, Rose Galloway, steadies the Friesian's swinging head while he injects her with calcium borogluconate.
The cow rises 10 minutes later and Jason continues milking into the sunshine.
The herds meander through the dawn to lush and varied pastures, where the only sound is their ripping and chewing of a smorgasbord of lucerne/prairie grass, chicory, plantain, rye, and red and white clover.
Eight years ago, Rose and Sandy Galloway were "happy enough" growing beef and sheep, but Rose wanted more.
"I saw this farm being advertised and I mentioned it to my son, Hamish, who was living in Ireland," says Rose.
"He said, 'Mum, I'd come home for that.' And that was it."
An indulgence for Hamish's Irish wife, who is expecting their third child, is a small flock of sheep beside their house.
Tuesday is grandparents' day, which means Rose and Sandy pick up their 4- and 6-year-old grandchildren at 8.20am and look after them until 7.30pm, when they are delivered next door in pyjamas to a rested mum and dad.
"We feed them whatever they ask for," Rose says.
The family had always looked for interesting challenges.
"There is a huge bonus in being in business with your family, especially if you get along with them."
