40th year in the livestock transport business
This year marks the 40th year in the transport business, and what a privilege it has been. From the small beginnings of a single truck and tandem trailer in 1984, serving the South Canterbury area, to 13 truck & trailer units with three depots, covering the length and breadth of the country in 2024.
Many things have changed:
Horsepower - one of our original trucks was 160 HP, now 500 HP is common
Capacity - The original unit carried 30 deer. Now, with our H units, we can shift 160 deer at a time
Species - mainly red deer, now we transport Stud Bulls, Stud Rams, Sire Stags, commercial cattle, deer & sheep
Animals - adult hind 85-90kg now these can weigh 120-135kgs
Directions - Shell Road Map and phone directions. Now we have GPS satellite navigation
Communication - landline & fax, now we use all means
Distance - Originally, we were local to South Canterbury, but now we are in Interisland weekly.
We have survived the ups and downs of farming over the last 40 years through innovation and diversification when times and the farming landscape change. Many things have stayed the same over the years, mainly:
Customer Focus, Family values, doing the job right, still only 24 hours a day, correct gear for the task, drivers competent with an array of species, livestock can be difficult to deal with
A number of farming families have been with us right from the start, and we appreciate that. We want to continue providing you all with great service now and in the future. This month, we will be having a get-together for drivers past and present to celebrate the 40-year milestone. These guys and girls have all given significant time and effort to initially put Downlans on the map and, from then on, keep us front and centre.
The big question is where to go from here. Anybody guess, but one thing is for us, some things will be more challenging:
Animal welfare regulations, finding and retaining competent staff, work time rule regulations, carting animals further to slaughter as processing companies consolidate—animals keep getting bigger!
Once again, I'd like to thank everyone involved in Downlands, whether it be staff, family or clients. You helped share our vision as NZ's premiere livestock transport company. A company that strives for success and value competes against many whose sole focus is the cheapest price and the quickest job. Thanks again for the support you all show
