Farmer sets cow milking record
A Rangitikei dairy farmer has set a world record benchmark by milking more than 5000 cows in 12 consecutive hours.
Bulls farmer Isaac Cook was covered in cow dung, sweat, and milk by the end of his 12 hour shift on Friday afternoon.
But the smile plastered on the 37-year-old’s face said it all.
His friends and family counted down, clapped, and cheered for Cook as he pulled the the last suction cup off the udder of cow number 5065.
Cook’s challenge to set a world milking benchmark stemmed from a Fit4farming programme, which encouraged the farmer to keep fit, train, and eat nutritiously.
Cook said it was a good challenge and a way to get the fitness message out there to farmers.
After a long day’s work, Cook said he was ‘‘a bit stiff in the back’’, but was satisfied with his job.
His partner Rachael Mossop said it was great for their four children to see their dad determined and working hard to complete his goal.
‘‘I think he’s done a really good job - when he hit the 4000 mark, he just wanted to keep going.’’
On a standard day, Cook might milk about 500 cows.
Before the challenge, the most cows he has milked in one day was 2000, but that was with a break. But on Friday he milked 10 times more, across 12 hours and three dairy farms in the Rangitikei area.
While modest, Cook said he did feel a sense of achievement following his efforts.
Friends doused the tired Cook in a bucket of milk and sprayed him with a bottle of bubbly in celebration, just after 4pm.
Despite the big day, Cook said he would be back to work and working normal hours the following morning.
‘‘It won’t be an early night. I’ve got kids to look after.’’
Fit4farming founder Ian Handcock said Cook had ‘‘smashed it’’.
The milking challenge was to encourage farmers to get their heart rate up on the farm especially those who sat in machinery, on bikes or stood for long periods of time, he said.
It was important to encourage farmers to have a healthy lifestyle and also take part in recreation and activities off the farm.