Ashleigh George

Ashleigh is the farm manager on Lye Farm, one of DairyNZ’s Waikato-based research farms, and is tasked with managing the on-farm team and overseeing day-to-day operations.

Her job involves a lot of coordination, combining everyday farm operations with the requirements of the many trials DairyNZ runs and collaboration with technicians and scientists.

“On a daily basis, I could be training cows to familiarise them with the indoor facilities, like the metabolism stalls or the intensive feeding barn, managing pasture reserves so that there is sufficient feed to cut and carry for housed cows, or managing cows’ health,” says Ashleigh. “I love working here, the people, being a part of a big team, the animals, and the variability. You don't get bored. There's so much to do all the time and new things to learn.”

Ashleigh initially trained as a large animal technician with the aim of working in a veterinary practice, but working on a dairy farm led to a change in direction and taking on a farm assistant position at DairyNZ. She has now been on the team since 2014, moving through different roles on farm before stepping into her current one.

Alongside developing her farm management expertise, Ashleigh prides herself on sharing her skills with her team and building their confidence and abilities that deliver the important research for dairy farmers.