ATS News

ATS News AU GU ST 2 0 1 0

Road to change demands full attention ETS takes first swipe at farm budgets Three countries in three weeks

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This month at ATS

From the Chairman

We have only just packed up following last month’s hugely successful Instore Days, but already initial plans for next year’s event are underway.

Events like this don’t just happen. A tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes effort goes into staging Instore Days and it’s a testament to the hard work put in by ATS staff, Card and Retail Suppliers who jointly make the two day extravaganza the success it is.

A number of highlights from this year’s Instore Days are featured in this edition of the ATS News.

August is traditionally an extremely busy time for many within the farming sector and we’ve dedicated some editorial space to some of the more topical farming issues such as calving, lambing and planting spring crops.

Once again another local farming family has let us through the farm gate to share their views on what makes their farming operation work, and in this issue it is the Chisnall family. They made the decision to break with traditional sheep farming three years ago and talk about the steep learning curve which followed their decision to convert to dairying.

Another topical issue has been the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and we cover some of the implications it brings for farmers. We also talk to Ian and Diana Mackenzie about their observations following a recent trip to South America and we take a look at local initiatives created to make life a little easier for the many new immigrants who have decided to make Mid Canterbury their home. Retiring independent Director Garry Diack also shares some of his observations during his time on the ATS Board of Directors.

There’s plenty inside this edition of the ATS News to interest everyone and we hope you find yourself with a quiet break during this month’s hectic schedule to take some time out to enjoy your ATS News.

ATS’s first independently appointed Director Garry Diack has stood down from the Board of Directors following his appointment as Head of Organisation Development and Strategy with Solid Energy.

He brought to the ATS Board Table a wealth of commercial and industry expertise which has been of great assistance to the Board in the areas of governance and strategy.

Last month’s Board Meeting signaled the end of Garry’s involvement with the Board and was the first meeting for our newly appointed Independent Director, Andrew Priest.

Andrew has a 15 year career in international business across industries encompassing building products, FMCG (fast moving consumer goods), mining and energy, tourism and high technology. His global experience includes a senior position for CHH (Carter Holt Harvey) based in the United States.

Andrew is also currently the CEO of General Cable Superconductors Ltd, a leading edge high tech company manufacturing and marketing high temperature superconducting (HTS) power cables for international markets.

We wish Garry well in his future endeavours and thank him for his contribution to the Board, and we welcome Andrew to the role of independent Director on the ATS Board.

John Low, Chairman

Front Page Photo The Chisnall Family (from left) Bailey, Maxine, Evan and Drew

Neal Shaw, Chief Executive ASHBURTON

METHVEN

RAKAIA

HEAD OFFICE

97 Burnett St Tel: 03 307 5100 Fax: 03 307 6721 ashburton@ats.co.nz

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68 Elizabeth Ave Tel: 03 303 5440 Fax: 03 303 5430 rakaia@ats.co.nz

PO Box 131 Ashburton Tel: 03 307 5100 Fax: 03 307 6721 ats@ats.co.nz

DISCLAIMER: All information contained within ATS News is to the best of the author’s knowledge true and accurate. Opinions expressed are those of the author and not of Ashburton Trading Society. Items herein are general comments only and do not constitute or convey advice. This newsletter is issued as a helpful guide to clients.

www.ats.co.nz

pg2 Road to change demands full attention

After a couple of tough years confidence is returning to the dairy sector, and more than a few embattled sheep, beef and cropping farmers are doing the budgets on conversion costs

Contents 5

Opinion—Ele Ludemann

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Family time for newcomers

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Farm finances—an eye on the big picture

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ETS takes first swipe at farm budgets

The start of July marked more than the deepest part of winter—it was also the national kick off date for New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)

pg10 Three countries in three weeks

In June Canterbury arable farmers Ian and Diana Mackenzie were part of a group that visited South America, hosted by a range of farmers, from dairy, sheep and cattle

Independent Director Garry Diack shares his thoughts after reluctantly stepping down from the ATS Board

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Co-operative belief key to future

Ele is readying herself for the task of feeding orphan lambs for the first time in about 15 years Immigrant workers have been hitting the headlines for all of the wrong reasons recently, but the news isn’t all bad

CRS Software

Improved data provides benefits for water policy

Determining comprehensive data has become an elusive goal for farmers and policy makers in the wake of changing land uses over the last 10 or 15 years

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ATS Instore Days

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Turning ordinary into extraordinary

Spring crop success Ballance

Lysaght Glass

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New life for old containers

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Shedding light on in-shed feeding

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Containers Direct

Winslow Feeds

Greenstreet reveals its green secret Irrigation NZ

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Calf rearing reminders

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News at ATS

Riverside Vets

Classifieds

Road to change demands full attention After a couple of tough years confidence is returning to the dairy sector, and more than a few embattled sheep, beef and cropping farmers are doing the budgets on conversion costs, preparing cash flows and talking to their bank managers. By Richard Rennie The jump from arable and sheep farming to dairying brings more than just a big debt. The whole conversion process is a project requiring full attention well before the first consignment of milk is ready for company collection. Evan and Maxine Chisnall were long time sheep and cropping farmers near Hinds before they made the big move to dairy conversion on their property three years ago.

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While never having milked a cow, Evan could see the potential the large property had for conversion, and felt there was a brighter future to be had in milk than in crops and meat.

The couple had more than doubled the size of the family’s 280ha property nine years ago, purchasing an adjoining 360ha. This saw them in something of a holding pattern as they absorbed the debt through their traditional sheep and cropping operation.

Wake-up call on farm’s future However a trip to the UK saw Evan get a “wake-up call” whilst in a UK supermarket when he realised high end lamb cuts were retailing for $65 a kg, similar to the price he was getting for a whole lamb back home.

“I could also see that as a protein source it was right at the top end of the price range, and had nowhere else to go. In the next aisle, milk products were selling at a price that saw dairy farmers getting about half the retail price, which looked a lot more appealing.”

He could see the best way to take the business forward would be to take the plunge into dairying, and this was reinforced by the options open to him and Maxine around water management on the farm.

“We had a big area of dry-land on the farm and to use centre pivots rather than border dyke could only be justified if we went dairying.”

The original proposal was 800 cows and two centre pivots, plus an equity partner. However the opportunity to supply New Zealand Dairies meant no supply shares were necessary, removing the need for the equity partner.

Funds were therefore available to buy four centre pivots to replace all border dyke supply from the RDR on the 360ha block, and another 500 cows saw them kick off with 1300 cows in year one.

The 2008-09 season saw this rise to 1450, and then another three pivots and a second dairy shed saw cow numbers rise to 2000 across the two properties last year. This year sees 2500 cows being milked across the two farms. The Chisnalls now supply Fonterra with one farm on tactical milk supply and one fully shared.

Conversion called for close eye Evan admits from zero cows three years ago to 2500 has involved hours of hard work in that time, and he is finally looking forward to a season that may give him some time to catch breath and assess the operation.

He took a very hands-on role in the conversion process, whilst still running a 550ha cropping operation on the rest of the farm.

the expense. Timing for aspects like re-grassing is also critical—failing to get seed in the ground early enough will only see more pressure on young pasture swards in spring time. In turn this requires increased expenditure on supplements, while also cutting vital revenue earning milk flow right from the start.

“There are horror stories of projects coming unstuck at the start, affecting the whole profitability for at least the first season.”

Evan was conscious of his lack of experience in the industry, and admits to a very steep learning curve over these first three years.

“We obviously had good experience in managing pasture and growing stock, but aspects like herd BWs and dairy shed construction were unfamiliar ground.”

After much ground work looking at successful dairy sheds in the region he opted for local company Read Builders.

“Their approach was pretty much a turn key operation, organising plumbers, electricians etc. For our part we had asked a lot of questions of workers and farmers who had experience in these sheds.” Today the two dairy properties have a 54 and 60 bail rotary platforms, with a moderate level of technology behind them.

“We put in Pro Track, auto teat sprayers, meal feeders and cup removers, which has meant we have kept staff numbers to nine, and reduced the amount of housing required on the farm. I believe the technology will not replace a good staff member, but is definitely better than an average one.”

He is adamant successful large herd operations are about having good people—with two good managers overseeing herd operations he has been able to give the conversion details his full attention.

“We had some long days where I would be jumping on the header in the morning, going until midnight and then making conversion decisions and having meetings first thing in the morning.”

The cab of his header became a conference room of sorts. Plenty of meetings with bankers, staff and contractors were held there “because you simply can’t stop.”

Maxine’s experience managing a travel agency in Ashburton has contributed much to incentivising pay rates and installing a communicative management structure to the farm operations.

As demanding as it was, it paid off—both conversions came in on time and on budget.

With total herd numbers now at 2500, Evan intends to spend more time analysing per cow performance and improving herd records, and focussing on getting more from the cows they have. Irrigation performance is also going to be tightened on the Lismore soils, with good Aquaflex data on moisture levels being backed up by Evan’s traditional grubber test for soil moisture.

Good timing and people critical

“There is no turning back; it is a date that cannot be shifted—you have to be ready by August 1. If things slip from that then problems can compound badly.”

When unexpected expenses come up they sometimes simply have to be worn. The cost of delaying a decision can be greater than wearing

Irrigation performance is an area Evan intends to tighten up in the near future

While many larger Canterbury herds are blighted with poor reproduction figures, Evan’s managers have achieved admirable averages of 5% empties and an 80% six week in-calf rate, putting them among the top 20% in the country.

Evan has probably understated the part his own presence and management skills have played in two successful conversions. Far from being distant absentee owners, he and Maxine live on the property and he is happy to be “very hands on” with plenty to do even if he is not milking.

Evan says once the project gets the green light it becomes highly time critical, with the looming calving date a continual background pressure on the project.

Conversion to dairying marked a brighter future for Evan Chisnall and family on their Hinds property

“We visited a farm the other day where the owner was getting 2000kgMS/ha with low production costs. We have come to the game a bit later, but that is a great benchmark to aim for. With irrigation in Canterbury there is the opportunity to achieve that sort of production sustainably.”

Cow numbers have increased to 2500 this year over two farms

Farming is a family affair for the Chisnall’s and Drew (pictured) enjoys helping when he can

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Three years in review Garry Diack is reluctantly stepping down from his role as ATS’s first independently appointed Director. By Anita Body “It has been a privilege to serve the members of ATS whom all own a critical share of the business. This is your company, your asset, and your uniquely high performing catalyst to Mid Canterbury community unity and prosperity. In the face of all the options competing for your spend, ATS is your own purpose driven exemplar of excellence. To keep the faith and commitment to your ATS is to keep the richness of your community.”

There are obvious benefits to bringing someone with an agricultural business background and a non-biased view to the table. When you combine that with someone who is passionate about farming and has family ties to the Mid Canterbury region it is easy to see why the Board appointment has been so successful.

“Garry’s high level of commercial knowledge and expertise has proved invaluable over recent years when competition has arguably been at its toughest within the farming sector.”

He has enjoyed his time at ATS immensely. It has been an opportunity to touch base with members first hand and that’s an important aspect of the cooperative which is imbued with community purpose in that it remains focussed on the community it was set up to serve.

Garry’s high level of commercial knowledge and expertise has proved invaluable over recent years when competition has arguably been at its toughest within the farming sector. Despite this ATS has stayed true to its original vision of lowering input cost to farmers, however doing so continues to be an immense challenge, he said.

“The integrity of our buying power has been a constant companion and Board focus. Our absolute success in constantly bringing you the cheapest prices

within these conditions is testament to the success of the ATS model and a measure of the inherent excellence of the executive capability within ATS.” Garry believes for ATS to compete well in such an environment requires three critical ingredients. The first is an aware, relevant and evolving strategy for the business.

“In this very challenging environment we have yet to be surprised, bullied or beaten in any commercial strategy or consequence. We have been profoundly disappointed at some of the competitors who chose to come to town. We do have a resolve that it will only be a strong ATS brand that will deliver fully to the purpose of our business objective and reason for being.”

“Secondly, we do enjoy and constantly aspire to excellence in customer responsiveness, service delivery, pricing and commitment to the commercial prosperity of our members and suppliers.”

After three and a half years as ATS’s first independent director, Garry Diack is reluctantly stepping down

The third ingredient is without doubt the loyalty and commitment of the members. “ATS is here for your benefit. Without your support we do not survive and we constantly review how we can retain your loyalty and our own relevancy within this very competitive landscape.”

And it is this loyalty and belief in the ATS model which will be vital in the way forward according to Garry. “I believe there are going to be a lot of changes for member based organisations like this and the key will be the members’ belief in the co-operative. If that is there then it will be successful.”

Garry has recently taken up a new position with Solid Energy as the Head of Organisation Development and Strategy. He describes his three and a half years with the ATS Board as a privilege and said he had reluctantly relinquished his role because he could no longer devote the necessary time the position deserves.

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ETS takes first swipe at farm budgets The start of July marked more than the deepest part of winter—it was also the national kick off date for New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). By Richard Rennie The scheme intends to manage New Zealand’s Kyoto commitments by accounting for all increases and reductions in carbon emissions to a point they are below the country’s 1990 levels. This is achieved by the sectors that create green house gasses paying to the sectors that absorb greenhouse gases.

Total cost to such an operation is around $6720pa, based on a carbon value of $25/t. Average dairy farms can expect the scheme to cost an extra $3000pa, and sheep/beef operators around $1500.

The first Kyoto Protocol period covers 2008 to 2012 and New Zealand’s total allowable gas emissions are five times the 1990 level of 62 million tonnes. The economy has been split into sectors of energy, transport fuels, agriculture, forestry, waste, solvent production and industrial processes. Entry into the scheme is staggered, with forestry already included from 1 January 2008 while 1 July 2010 marked the recognition of emissions from the transport fuels, processing and energy production sectors.

However for farmers practicing low tillage methods, installing energy saving technology and cutting back on farm emissions, there is no means for them to have their efforts recognised in carbon reducing terms (see accompanying article).

The full impact of agricultural emissions will not be felt until 2015 when agricultural emissions from livestock are first recognised.

Meantime however the most immediate impact on farmers, businesses and households will be higher fuel and power bills.

These are estimated at an extra 3c/litre for fuel and 1c/kWhr for electricity.

The Carbon Farming Group, a trust involved in providing information on carbon costs, has an online carbon calculator to provide a valuable insight on how much different farming operations may emit over a year.

A typical example includes a 535 dairy unit with no forestry having a carbon footprint of 1920 carbon units (or tonnes of carbon) per year. Of this 14% relates to the energy, transport and fertiliser component of the business, and the remainder stems from livestock emissions.

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Putting the obligation on processors like Fonterra, and meat companies to account for emissions has removed the paper work for farmers.

Prospects are that the costs captured by the scheme will only go up. At present carbon emitters like fuel and electricity generators are only required to pay 50% of the carbon emissions. This will ultimately move to 100% recovery by 2013.

Farmers can also expect to take a hit from the costs affecting the processors of their milk and meat. Fonterra for example expects the initial impact to cost $38 million next year, or almost 1.5c/kgMS. This will double in 2013, and by the time agriculture enters the scheme in 2015 it will be $107 million pa, or around 7c/kgMS. Lamb producers can expect a cost of over $1.00/head by 2015, and beef of $8.00/head.

Projections in 2007 initially put New Zealand as exceeding its Kyoto allowance to the tune of 45 million tonnes of carbon over the first commitment period of 2008-2012. Based on a carbon valuation of $25/tonne, this put the government’s books in debt to Kyoto to the tune of $1.125 billion per year.

The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) has been providing updates on New Zealand’s net position under the Kyoto agreement.

As recently as April this year MfE figures had New Zealand in a projected surplus position for the assigned period of 2008-2012, at 11.4 million tonnes. This is to be reviewed again in October, but came just as households and businesses including farmers began to calculate the cost to them of the July 1 charges.

Why the turnaround? This has come largely from the agricultural sector contributing less emissions, dropping by 3.5% since last year thanks to widespread drought through much of the North Island and lower South Island.

In addition sheep numbers fell by 5%, beef numbers were stable, and deer numbers fell by 6%. Dairy numbers increased by 4%. However there was some greater than expected loss of forest land (carbon sink) that limited the decline in emissions.

It is deforestation that provides one of the greatest uncertainties about where New Zealand may end up at the end of the first period, rather than forest plantings. It is dependent on how land owners treat that land after deforestation – replanting is deemed “harvested” and therefore not counted as a liability (carbon emission), whereas land clear felled and converted to dairying will require recognition as a liability.

With projections looking like New Zealand will be in a positive position, many in the rural sector could well ask why any household or business should be paying into a scheme that is in the black.

MfE experts however point to the need to have New Zealand’s economy well placed to be able to manage even deeper emission targets in the future, and maintain holding targets makes long term investment decisions in areas like forestry essential for investors and farmers alike.

There are also many uncertainties remaining around the ETS, with sectors like agriculture still to be phased in and questions around how economic growth progresses and what technology may be used in that growth.

Meantime it appears the cost to all sectors is politically palatable, while New Zealand’s trade partners continue to assess whether emissions trading is a pill their electorates will swallow.

Planting trees on farms is one longer term approach to earning carbon credits, but there are also direct and more measurable cost savings to be made simply through better energy use on farm.

For all its uncertainties and failings, the ETS may at least provide a catalyst for smarter energy use on farms, particularly irrigated energy intensive dairy units so typical of the Canterbury farming landscape today.

The Dairy Energy Action programme initiated between Fonterra and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) is underway with participant farms being audited and putting improvements in place to reduce energy consumption.

The programme is aiming to reduce energy spend by at least 10%, a significant sum based around average dairy farm consumption of 88,000kWh per year, or $14,000.

Electricity is one of the fastest rising costs in dairy farm operations, with prices increasing 90% since 2000. Previous efforts to cut energy use through auditing dairy operations have been highly successful.

Landcorp Farming achieved a 9% energy savings valued at $50,000 a year to the SOE in its multi farm operation, already regarded as a benchmark for efficiency. It is expected savings for more typical dairy units would be well in excess of that figure.

Nationally the potential for energy savings are huge.

Fonterra reports that supplier dairy farms account for 2.5% of New Zealand’s total electricity use, and use more than all of Fonterra’s manufacturing sites combined. The results of the pilot study will be announced in June 2011 and will be a template for an industry wide approach to smarter energy use.

Useful ETS websites: www.carbonfarming.org.nz www.maf.govt.nz/climatechange/agriculture www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate www.co2group.co.nz

Farming to reduce ETS costs Feelings have run high over the ETS, but it is legislated and here to stay, albeit subject to a review in 12 months time.

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Thoughts from across the rivers We’ve got in-lamb ewes on our farm for the first time in about 15 years so I’m readying myself for the task of feeding orphans. By Ele Ludemann I had occasional contact with lambs as a child during visits to farms when we town kids delighted in feeding pets but it wasn’t until I spent a year on Great Mercury Island that I had one of my own.

The first was so frail when rescued she couldn’t even bleat so I called her Hush. That name became more than a little ironic when she regained her voice and made good use of it under my window at dawn.

The next orphan I adopted was the ugliest lamb I’ve ever seen but what he lacked in looks was more than compensated for by character. He loved people and whenever he heard voices he’d turn up to share the action.

“However, easy-care lambing or not, one of the pleasures of growing up on a farm is a pet lamb so once our daughter was old enough to look after one we adopted an orphan each spring. “ Unfortunately he had no respect for boundaries and came to an untimely end after wandering into a farm worker’s house once too often.

When I married several years later easy-care lambing had been introduced on the theory that mortality was lower when sheep were left to their own devices than when disturbed by people. Some strays still turned up at home to be warmed and fed but as soon as they were fit enough they were taken back to the paddock to be mothered-up with ewes whose own lambs had died.

However, easy-care lambing or not, one of the pleasures of growing up on a farm is a pet lamb so once our daughter was old enough to look after one we adopted an orphan each spring.

How long they stayed after weaning depended on the strength of the fences separating farm and

house. If the lamb was stronger than the barrier and found its way into the garden it would be banished to the back paddock.

Rainbow was an exception. This was partly because by the time she arrived a stone wall provided a sheep-proof barrier between the lamb paddock and the garden, but also because she was special.

Rainbow turned up with several other orphans and from the start she stood out from the flock. There was something about her appearance and behavior that told us this was no ordinary lamb.

If it’s possible for a sheep to have personality then Rainbow had it in spades.

A veteran of four school pet shows she had an impressive collection of awards including winner of the lead and drink race and the fancy dress competition. She also performed for visitors, answering to her name when called, taking food from our hands and posing for photos like a professional.

“If it’s possible for a sheep to have personality then Rainbow had it in spades.”

Maternity complications in her third spring nearly proved fatal but despite mutterings about “dragging a vet out to a pet sheep”, professional care from one who happened to be attending a cow on the property at the time ensured she pulled through and delivered a healthy lamb.

The new mother, her lamb and Cecil, the previous year’s pet, formed a happy trio until, to our great distress and for no apparent reason, she died.

We’ve no children at home in need of a pet now, but if this spring turns up one like Rainbow we might end up with a new occupant for the lamb paddock.

Ele Ludemann

opinion by:

Ele Ludemann Web: homepaddock.wordpress.com

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Fish hanging, Puerto Monte, Chile

Three countries in three weeks Ian and Diana Mackenzie reflect on the highlights of their June trip to South America

Diana and guide Miguel in the Andes, Puelo, Chile.

Ian and host Amando, Colchagua Valley, Chile—an area famous for its wines

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In June Canterbury arable farmers Ian and Diana Mackenzie were part of a group that visited South America. Ian shared his thoughts and impressions with ATS on his return for this issue….

Six of us flew to Santiago, Chile, on the first leg of our trip to Chile, Argentina and Uruguay.

We hired a van and drove south from Santiago to Puerto Monte.

From Puerto Monte we joined a tour which took us across the Andes to San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina. From there we flew to Buenos Aires and after a few days in and around BA we crossed the Rio de La Plata to Colonia in Uruguay where we picked up rental cars so we could explore the country. We drove to Punta del Este, back to Montevideo and then onto Carmelo and back to Colonia and onto BA. From BA we flew up to the Iguazu Falls and then onto Santiago and home.

All three countries speak Spanish; their currency is the Peso, though this has vastly different values in each country; they share a common history (and were in effect one country only 200 years ago), huge poverty, a similar culture and similar cuisine.

However, they are quite different, and in fact like to emphasise that difference.

Chile—a varied food basket Chile is long, thin and incredibly varied. North of Santiago the country is very hot and dry, but we did not go there. We did drive south for at least the length of NZ and only covered one third of Chile’s length. Chile has volcanoes and earthquakes, and they are active. In the south towns get destroyed by both! We drove through and stayed in parts very close to the epicentre of the 8.6 magnitude earthquake that hit Chile in February. Given the size of the quake it was astonishing that anything survived.

South of Santiago the land looks very productive with large areas of grapes, blueberries, apples and other fruits. Further south horticulture gives way to large scale cropping growing maize, sugar beet, soya beans and wheat. In and around Puerto Monte there are dairy and beef farms, good grass and easy contour, and driving inland towards the mountains these attractive pastoral farms become the norm. In the early days of colonisation Germans came to the south of Chile in large numbers and their influence is obvious everywhere.

We visited a dairy farmer up in the hills behind Pucon, milking 250 cows, mainly on grass supplemented with grain and maize silage.

We saw a smart herringbone shed, automatic cup removers, his own water turbine for self sufficiency in electricity, gravity fed irrigation, and a forestry operation based around sustainable yields of high quality Oregon. This chap was clever, well educated and knew farming from NZ to Europe and throughout North America. I didn’t think there was too much New Zealand dairy farmers could teach this chap!

Argentina—government policy checks potential We crossed the Andes to Argentina from Puerto Monte on boats and buses ending up in San Carlos de Bariloche. The Andes crossing to Bariloche was beautiful, similar to the Marlborough Sounds and Fiordland, just stunning.

From Bariloche we flew to Buenos Aires. We visited a group of cropping farms south of BA owned by a large Danish investment company. This group had bought farms in Argentina and Uruguay at about the same time as NZ Farming systems had invested in Uruguay. They are growing soya beans, wheat, maize and sorghum.

Yields vary depending on rainfall, but wheat yields of around 7–8t/ ha, soya beans between 3–4T/ha are achieved in good years. All

the work is done by contractors, crops are direct drilled, grain is stored in vacuum tubes, and the paddocks were clean. The operations were low cost and impressive. The government has put taxes on grain crops of up to 30% of gross value which did dampen enthusiasm for investing in Argentina. However I calculated that despite this tax these farms were netting around US$400/ha this year.

Most land is owned by absentee landlords who lease their land out on an annual basis and rent is set at the value of 1T of soya beans.

This year that was about US$300/ha, or 25% of gross income in a good year. Although fertiliser, seed and chemicals are similarly priced to here, contract costs such as drilling and spraying are only a fraction. Transport costs are high due not only to the large distances to market but also the terrible state of the roads once you leave the main highways. You would have to question the long term sustainability of annual leases on the soils, however one of the drivers for this is there is no credit system in Argentina. You cannot borrow money! All capital purchases have to come out of savings.

Inflation is running at an unofficial rate of 30% (the government only admits to 15%) and so even saving is difficult—hence, the attraction of investing in Uruguay.

Argentina has vast areas of very good arable land which can produce huge quantities of low cost commodity crops, and the government has absolutely no interest in environmental issues. The spike in grain prices a couple of years ago encouraged a huge shift into grain and away from dairy and beef. It may be hard for those farmers to change back again.

Uruguay holds farming appeal In Uruguay the land is very similar to the best in Argentina however the Uruguayan government is not a liability. Again there has been a huge swing into arable farming and considerable investment from overseas into agriculture. The sheep flock has dropped from 23m to 7m ewes which must be some good news for our beleaguered sheep farmers. There are no punitive taxes on arable crops in Uruguay and as a consequence the profitability of these arable operations would be 20% higher than we saw in Argentina.

We visited some of the NZ Farming Systems dairy farms north of Montevideo. We were impressed by what had been achieved.

However it was clear that the vagaries of the climate, the capital cost and length of time to complete the development had been seriously underestimated. Consequently the farms still require considerable capital and the original shareholders have had their equity diluted as other investors have been brought in to provide capital to finish the project. A good concept poorly executed!

It was a fascinating trip; there are so many contrasts and contradictions that it is difficult to draw any conclusions about South America. The disparity in wealth, super rich living in heavily defended gated communities along side abject poverty; the grand architecture and the ugly tenements; the shared history but the obvious tensions between the different countries; the national pride but the preference to deal in US $’s; the vast agricultural production but the rather mundane quality of their food, (the wine was good!); the impressive motorways and diabolical secondary roads; stable and rational government next to corrupt and inept regimes.

I know it is boring to compare other places to NZ, but we all do—it is great to be home!

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Left: Rebecca Liu with Yorifumi Franks, her son George Taylor and Kirsten Rivera

Family time for newcomers

Right: Plunket’s Helen Whiting and Thelma Bell, of the Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network, with play group attendees

Immigrant workers and especially those in the dairy industry have been hitting the headlines for all of the wrong reasons recently but the news isn’t all bad. By Anita Body There are in fact a number of positive initiatives and support programmes in place to help new immigrants integrate into our local communities and culture.

One such venture is the Newcomers Multicultural Play Group which has been initiated by local Plunket and the Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network.

Plunket is well known for facilitating opportunities for mums and young children to get together and share their experiences while also providing a safe environment for toddlers to play. The introduction of the new playgroup targets a growing local need as many more immigrant families choose to settle here.

With a 22 year involvement in Plunket through her Karitane role, Helen Whiting is well placed to make observations on shifting population trends.

“There’s been a 25 per cent increase in the number of babies in Mid Canterbury and much of that can be attributed to the growth in dairying which has attracted a lot of new young families to the district,” she said. An increasing number of these are coming from overseas and include a wide range of nationalities.

Many new immigrants settle well into their lives here, but employers have a role to play in informing these employees about their new environment, what it means to live rurally and the skills they might need to settle well into the job, a new community and new culture.

Despite their varied backgrounds and cultures, many of these families, and especially mothers, face similar hurdles. These include language barriers; the absence of an extended family structure for support, and isolation. It can be a lonely enough time at home with small children without adding these problems to the mix, and if you’ve come from a highly populated environment with its supportive infrastructures such as public transport and a close

network of family and friends, the problems can be compounded.

Helen said after speaking to a group of new immigrants about Plunket, it was clear there was a need to make a difference for these women by providing an opportunity to get together. It’s also a good chance to share vital information about procedures, laws and life in New Zealand.

“Many of these families already receive home visits thanks to Plunket’s needs based response programme, but this isn’t the same as having contact with other people in similar situations.”

The group meets every Monday at the Ashburton Plunket Rooms and proposed speakers will provide information on topics such as car seat requirements, IRD entitlements and fire safety. It will also give mothers the opportunity to join other activities in the community.

The playgroup provide great support for immigrant families

Many of these families already receive home visits thanks to Plunket’s needs based response programme, but this isn’t the same as having contact with other people in similar situations.

Lack of transport is a common problem, especially for many of the women who cannot drive and were unaware of how isolated they would be on a farm.

With husbands and partners working, women often have to wait until their husbands are free or rely on the goodwill of others to get them to town. A learn to drive programme is in the pipeline to address this problem, thanks to the Community Development Project. “That will be the key to mobilising themselves,” said Helen.

Contact:

Helen Whiting Mid Canterbury Plunket 222 Cameron Street Ashburton Tel: 03 308 5272 Fax: 03 308 5636

She’s hopeful that from small beginnings the Play Group will gain momentum and continue to evolve to meet the needs of these new families.

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Managing director of CRS Software Brian Eccles

Farm finances—an eye on the big picture Ask any farmer to choose between being out on the farm or stuck in the office grappling with the farm finances and the answer is pretty easy—outside work is likely to win hands down. By Pip Hume But there’s no escaping the job and to get it done farmers need computer software which is easy to use, relevant to them and delivers the best results with a minimum of hassle.

Making financial planning quick and easy for farmers has been the focus of Masterton-based farming software company CRS for almost 30 years. Its tried and true computer software Cashmanager RURAL is the most widely used farm business management software available in New Zealand.

“Cashmanager RURAL records details of bank transactions, making use of electronic imports such as ATS statements and auto-coding to take all the effort out of this task.”

Managing Director of CRS Software Brian Eccles is himself a former successful farmer. Winning the Wairarapa Farmer of the Year is one of his many achievements. He believes almost any farmer can use Cashmanager RURAL. “Our sole focus is the farming market,” said Brian. “The software has to be simple to use for typical farmers and their partners, even if they don’t have computer skills. Our local training courses mean they don’t have to travel and our Helpdesk provides support as well.”

The founding principle of Cashmanager RURAL is the “Plan, Do and Review” cycle. Following this process allows farmers to see the big picture and fine-tune their farming operations to make the most of opportunities as they arise.

“Research shows almost all farmers aspire to better financial planning and budgeting, and once they get going the ability to plan and review opens up a whole new perspective,” said Brian.

Cashmanager RURAL records details of bank transactions, making use of electronic imports such as ATS statements and auto-coding to take all the

effort out of this task. Codes are fully customised for the user’s farm type. The software handles GST and wages as well as generating invoices. In many farming businesses these administrative tasks are handled by more than one person, so up to date information can be available for review whenever required to assist with buying and selling decisions or to provide the Bank with an updated cashflow.

In a major innovation, Cashmanager RURAL now offers an on-line version, allowing data to be safely stored on a central server accessed via the internet.

This allows access from anywhere and gives the farmer the opportunity to invite others to use selected parts of the software. For example the Farm Secretary or Accountant may have ”Transactions” permission and the Farm Consultant and Bank Manager may have “Budget” permission, with the farmer able to view all data at any time without having to wait for it to be emailed.

“In a major innovation, Cashmanager RURAL now offers an on-line version, allowing data to be safely stored on a central server accessed via the internet.”

Data is protected by encrypted passwords as it travels the internet and the CRS servers are specifically designed to ensure data is stored to corporate standards, meaning no more need to do backups and no risk of losing precious data.

Any standard broadband service is suitable and the on-line version is tolerant of brief outages. Printing and bank statement downloads are as simple as they are on the user’s desktop.

Contact:

CRS Software 32 Perry Street PO Box 692 Masterton Tel: 06 370 0280 Web: www.crssoftware.co.nz

“This version is very fast—faster than the desktop version,” said Brian. “As a major project it involved a lot of resources, but web-based applications are the way of the future and we intend to be there.”

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Improved data provides benefits for water policy

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Changing land uses within the Canterbury region over the last 10 or 15 years have obviously had an effect on ground and surface water quality.

It is impossible to think otherwise. But determining measurable impacts with comprehensive data has become an elusive goal for farmers and policy makers alike. By Anita Body A supply of hard data showing what impact more intensive farming practices have had on our water quality has been lacking. The rate of change has surpassed the flow of useable information and has left policy makers vulnerable and farmers and environmentalists wondering.

“It gives us the opportunity to look at some of the differences up and down the plains.”

An industry and farmer collaborative is currently underway to do just that, and it is hoped the information the project aims to gather will help put in place some of the comprehensive data which has been so lacking in recent years.

Drainage, nutrient, weather and soil data will be recorded at each site and because lysimeters don’t have all of the answers, computer modelling will be another important part of the process. “We are also working very closely with the farmers involved and they are providing some of their farm data as well. All of this helps to build a picture of what is happening.”

Environment Canterbury (ECan) has been working with a number of organisations including NIWA, Aqualinc, AgResearch, Plant and Food Research and Hydroservices to set up a series of strategically placed lysimeters around the region in an effort to better understand the drainage rates and the volume of nutrients which are being lost under different land uses.

A lysimeter is typically a large tube buried upright in the soil and the water which moves through it can be collected, measured and analysed for nutrient content. It is exactly the sort of information needed, but it is a costly exercise to purchase and install the equipment and that’s part of the reason why the collaboration of all of these groups is so necessary.

Two lysimeters have been installed on Mid Canterbury properties recently—one at Craig Mackenzie’s Methven property and the other at Willy Leferink’s Acton Road, Rakaia, farm. Both sites have been carefully selected because of land use, soil type and location. Another eight to 10 lysimeters are planned to be installed around the region over the next three to four years and those sites will be just as carefully selected to ensure the best spread of data collection possible.

Senior Land Advisor for ECan, Ian Brown said lysimeters are not new. ECan has had six other sites in Canterbury although of those, only one has been on irrigated land, with the remaining five located on dryland farms. Lincoln University also has a number of lysimeters and a large amount of information on drainage rates under different soil conditions has been gathered through these over the years. However, there has been a gap in information from real farming situations, particularly from irrigated properties. “This is where the new lysimeters fit it,” Ian said.

“The aim of the new lysimeter sites is to make sure they fairly represent on-farm activities and replicate real conditions. So they are placed in normal pasture paddocks which are grazed normally, with the usual fertiliser applications and irrigation requirements—in short all the normal farm practices,” said Ian. Free draining soils are of particular interest, along with other factors such as the representative rainfall gradients experienced from the coast to the foothills.

“It’s vital to do this work because at the end of the day we need scientifically robust information to come from this project. And good information can lead to more scientifically robust decisions,” said Ian.

It also shows the depth of this collaborative effort.

It’s not just between the scientific fraternity and industry organisations, but also includes the farming community. “This project has two major roles—the scientific role and its ability to improve and better calibrate models, and the second is the use on-farm for farmers.”

Ian acknowledges there has been a gap in the information gathered so far, and while there is plenty more to be gained from this sort of research he cautions that all the answers are unlikely to be found.

“There will always be uncertainties, but we are going to be much better off than before.”

One of the lysimeters installed at two Mid Canterbury properties

Farmers appreciate the need for this level of research and according to Ian they have wanted to be involved.

One of the property owners involved, Willy Leferink concurs. “The better informed they are the better the decisions they can make.” He says the information gathered will help farmers meet their compliance requirements and he was happy to be part of the project because it was easy to see the value which could be gained from improved data collection.

Ian says there will be opportunities to discuss findings in the future, although they are currently still very much in the initial test phase. “We need two or three months to make sure the equipment and monitoring has settled down well. It’s hard to say when there will be any hard data to discuss.”

The installation process sees the lysimeter buried in the ground (above and below)

Gathering the information is one thing—the analysis of the data is something else, and this is where the collaborative approach will again come into its own.

All of the main players will be involved and much of the preparatory work has already been undertaken to ensure results are as reliable as possible.

ECan will use these results to help make better policy.

“We need to have better information to make better policy. We have recognised there are gaps in the available information and it is very much hoped the information gained will help fill those gaps.”

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ATS Instore Days This year, the aim of the ATS Instore Days was to provide more space, more suppliers and more exclusive deals for our members— and judging by the continued stream of positive feedback from members, staff and suppliers, ATS has achieved just that.

Chief executive Neal Shaw said he was delighted with the way the event unfolded, calling it the most successful in its 16 year history.

“The 2010 Instore Days were very positive with many comments from members regarding the improved layout of the marquee and the number of ATS suppliers on site.”

“I’m very proud of the way the ATS team has been able to deliver another outstanding Instore Days to ATS members. The support shown by the farming community and ATS’s suppliers reinforces the value that ATS brings to the local community,” said Neal.

The extra space for displays coupled with a much larger food and dining area was well received, with many members able to enjoy catching up with fellow members, staff and suppliers in a relaxed and informal environment.

Black Cap Shane Bond and rugby legend Buck Shelford pulled the crowds (and a closet fan club), while the children were kept busy with some enterprising clown and balloon entertainment over the two days.

This year, the best site awards were judged by longstanding ATS employee Alan Lilley and Sandra Curd, president of the Ashburton A & P Show. Alan said while he felt the majority of the sites were of a high standard, some stood out for their overall presentation, product knowledge and general interaction with the Instore Days crowd.

Out in the marquee, the card supplier prize went to Electraserve, who Alan described as “very worthy winners” for their large and informative site. The runner up was Peter May Ltd with their stunning table display.

Inside, the prize for the best retail site went to Pfizer, who wholeheartedly embraced the Instore Days theme of water into their display, with the runner up prize to Shoof International for their interactive product display and interesting site.

Ashburton TV’s Instore Days coverage including interviews with Buck Shelford, Neal Shaw and Electraserve can be viewed online at www.ashburtonontv.co.nz. Further photographs from the day can be seen at www.ashburtononline.co.nz.

Top left: The Electraserve Team, winners of the Best Supplier Site Award Left: Neal Shaw presents Pfizer representative Steve Rooney with the Best Retail Site Award

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ATS Instore Days Neal Shaw and Buck Shelford

Ricky Taylor and Jamie Ward

Isla Syme, Grace Austin and Quin Austin

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Members catch up over lunch

Shane Bond keeps the fans happy

The Wilson family

Warm fare on a cold winter day

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Ballance Representative Nicole Bowis and Barhill farmer Gerald Kidner

Spring crop success Spring-sown crops play an important part in driving farm productivity and profitability. Whether you are sowing maize, wheat or barley; or peas, potatoes or onions, it’s essential you get your fertiliser strategy right, so you get the best yield possible. Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients While every crop has different nutrient requirements, there are some common principles which apply no matter what crop is being grown.

“One of the most important pre-planting activities you can do is a soil test,” said Nicole Bowis, the Ballance technical sales representative for the Rakaia District. “Soil testing tells you the nutrient levels in your soil, and once you’ve got that information you can begin to make some informed decisions about what fertiliser you require—and how much of it you will need.”

“Without a soil test, you are just making a stab in the dark, and you could put on too much—in which case it’s a waste of money—or too little—in which case you reduce the potential growth of your crop.”

At the time of planting, there are three nutrients which are generally of most interest—phosphorus, sulphur and potassium. An often forgotten nutrient, magnesium should also be added to this list.

“Without a soil test, you are just making a stab in the dark, and you could put on too much—in which case it’s a waste of money—or too little—in which case you reduce the potential growth of your crop.”

Phosphorus is extremely important for plant growth, and it needs to be placed near the seed, so that it can be readily accessed by the roots of the seedling.

Sulphur is involved in the production of chlorophyll.

Where land has been subject to heavy rain, sulphur levels can be low, as the sulphate form of this nutrient (which is the form that the plant uses) is vulnerable to loss by leaching. For spring crops 20 to 30kgS/ha is typically applied at planting. Potassium is needed for a range of functions in plants and magnesium is needed for photosynthesis and for effective functioning of the plant’s energy system.

“When you are applying a starter fertiliser at planting, you want to choose one that meets your nutrient needs, and is easy to apply, especially if you are drilling it,” says Nicole. Two of the most popular products are DAP—which supplies nitrogen and phosphorus— and the Cropzeal range of products, which also supplies sulphur and can be blended with potassium.

“Deep N soil testing—to a depth of 60 cm—is an excellent way of determining available N reserves in your soil.”

“The other important factor to look for in a fertiliser is that it contains nutrients in a form that is readily available to plants. You don’t want your seedlings to have to wait for nutrients to be released from the fertiliser granule.”

Once your crop has established, it will need nitrogen to keep it growing. “Nitrogen is a key driver of crop yield,” says Nicole. “But you don’t want to put on too much. Deep N soil testing—to a depth of 60 cm—is an excellent way of determining available N reserves in your soil.”

“Ideally you want to deep N soil test as close as possible to your target nitrogen application time. You need to allow time for the lab to process the samples and get the results back—a week should do it—but then you want to be able to get in and apply the nitrogen.”

“For most crops we recommend split applications of nitrogen. This means you can adjust how much you apply depending on growing conditions. If the yield potential increases because of good early growth, you can apply more nitrogen to help deliver that potential growth.”

For more information on fertiliser requirements for your spring crop, contact Nicole on 027 677 4499, or to be put in touch with your local Ballance rep, phone 0800 222 090.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL TECHNICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE:

Nicole Bowis 027 677 4499 Anna Bedford 027 499 7617 Peter Ayres 027 464 2972 Tel: 0800 222 090 Web: www.ballance.co.nz

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Hannah McDowell and Jim Lysaght doing a stone chip repair on a windscreen—one of the many services offered by Lysaght Ltd

Turning ordinary into extraordinary Style is all about adding those finishing touches which accentuate and enhance good design.

With expertise in glass and wrought iron design and construction, Ashburton engineering business Lysaght Ltd can help turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. By Pip Hume Lysaght Ltd, owned by Greg and Sandy Lysaght, needs little introduction to the people of Mid Canterbury. The business has been established in Ashburton for a number of years and over that time has built an enviable reputation for quality service.

The Glass team is highly experienced in handling all types of glazing, from auto windscreens and coach glazing to domestic and commercial glass. Lysaghts are authorised Smith & Smith dealers, which gives the business and their customers all the benefits of being part of a big company such as access to the latest technology and regular staff training, while retaining their small town feel. Using Smith & Smith’s Glass Medic Repair System they are able to repair stone chips and cracks, preventing further damage and saving the expense and hassle of windscreen replacement.

“The Glass team is highly experienced in handling all types of glazing, from auto windscreens and coach glazing to domestic and commercial glass.”

They also specialise in the on-site repair and replacement of windows in heavy machinery and equipment, such as tractors, headers, diggers and bulldozers. In fact, the Glass team can take on almost any automotive glazing challenge and the ability to draw on the expertise of the Lysaght Engineering team means even complex jobs and those where modifications are required can be engineered around what is needed.

Glass is an inherent part of building and home design and is becoming even more popular and innovative in modern architecture. The Glass team can manufacture and install large and odd sizes, including curved glass as well as mirrors.

opt for the plain splash backs which are readily available, customers looking for something out of the ordinary the splash back can be turned into a feature by creating a design using any of the colours within the Dulux or Resene ranges. The colour is then baked onto the glass.

Glass pool fencing, windbreaks and balustrades are also popular for their clean, stylish and uncluttered finish. Again, the engineering expertise available within the company can be called upon to build to the customer’s specifications. Lysaghts supply their own posts, with customers having the option of using wrought iron alongside the glass panels.

“Whatever the requirement, Lysaghts can help with advice on design and look after the process of manufacture and installation.”

Traditional wrought iron is often associated with black, however these days all sorts of opportunities for using this versatile and robust product have opened up through galvanising or powder coating in a huge variety of colours. Wrought iron is widely used outdoors for purposes such as pathway and driveway entrance gates, swimming pool security fencing and gates. It has also been a popular choice for constructing outdoor furniture. Indoors the uses include candelabra, chandeliers, fire screens and the like.

Whatever the requirement, Lysaghts can help with advice on design and look after the process of manufacture and installation. The combination of technical expertise and superior craftsmanship which Lysaghts offers their customers means everyone can have something individual and special to meet their specific requirements.

Contact:

Lysaght Glass & Wrought Iron 32 Robinson Street Riverside Industrial Estate Ashburton Tel: 03 308 2966 Email: info@lysaghtltd.co.nz Web: www.lysaghtltd.co.nz

Popular at the moment are glass splash-backs in the kitchen, laundry and bathroom. While many people ATS NE WS

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Leading the way for Landscaping in Mid Canterbury Creative & Unique Garden Design Full Landscape Construction On-site Consultations Full Landscape Plans Project Management Garden Maintenance Quality Plants Stone Walls Paving

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The possibilities are endless when it comes to converting containers into useable living or storage space

New life for old containers Who would have thought old shipping containers could be so useful? Obviously they are a great option for expanding your storage area—somewhere to house machinery, store excess furniture and belongings, and of course compliance is made much easier with purpose built chemicals storage. By Pip Hume But who would have thought of adding windows and doors to make a site office or accommodation unit? Or putting containers together to form an attractive and functional home?

One such man behind these ideas and many more innovations is Mark Bohan, Managing Director of Containers Direct Intertrade Limited, based in Hornby, Christchurch.

With a background in the shipping industry, Mark saw the potential to re-use shipping containers when they began to come onto the market around fifteen years ago.

“But who would have thought of adding windows and doors to make a site office or accommodation unit? Or putting containers together to form an attractive and functional home?”

Shipping containers are mass produced in huge volumes world-wide. They are leased to the shipping companies for typically 6 to 10 years, and are retired in batches based on serial number. Many of the shipping containers being retired are relatively free from damage and some have had very little use.

Mark saw the opportunity to recycle these containers —initially for storage, and then refurbishing and modifying them for other uses based on demand and ideas.

Over the years Containers Direct has supplied containers for a huge diversity of uses, from a ticket office to a heavy duty exhaust for a heating plant.

“We get a lot of demand from farmers needing chemical storage which is compliant,” said Mark.

“And with the growth of dairying locally, the accommodation units are popular too, because they

can be manufactured to specification and delivered on-site in a relatively short time frame. Staff rooms, offices and other utility rooms are also common now for larger dairy operations and the container option is quick and durable,” he said.

“The structural strength of the steel containers is a great advantage and they are very cost-effective.

These days people are more aware of recycling, and that aspect has a lot of appeal too.”

“Staff rooms, offices and other utility rooms are also common now for larger dairy operations and the container option is quick and durable…”

The containers are purchased on an ‘as is’ basis.

When they arrive at the Hornby site they are graded, cleaned and any damage or abrasions repaired. The best of the containers are kept for refurbishment and modification on site by the Containers Direct team.

Refurbishment involves repainting with one coat of primer and two top coats of marine grade paint.

Adding electrical wiring, linings, doors and windows turns a cold steel box into an inviting site office or accommodation unit. And when multiple containers are linked and reconfigured together it is possible to very successfully create a modern, light-filled, warm and strong dwelling. The possibilities are endless and really only limited by your imagination.

It’s well worth while paying a visit to the Hornby premises to have a look at the diversity of configurations and modifications. The web site at www.containersdirect.co.nz also gives a good insight into what can be done with a bit of flair, a team of craftsmen and an old shipping container or two.

Contact:

Mark Bohan Containers Direct 8 Prairie Place Hornby Christchurch Tel: 0800 326 001 Email: info@containersdirect.co.nz Web: www.containersdirect.co.nz

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For all your fencing requirements—large & small Call Ed today on 0274 399 322

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ROW CROP Tyres Designed to fit the most heavy harvesting and treatment machines, the narrow tread on the ROW CROP tyre incorporates special features which protect the soil and avoid damage to delicate and valuable crops.

The structure is designed to take the sustained high speeds experienced on road journeys between agricultural locations, maintaining a particular smoothness in approaching the soil.

Wills Street, Ashburton Phone: (03) 308 6737 (24Hrs) Fax: (03) 308 8591

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The force of precision The converging design shape of the lugs does not attack the soil but penetrates lightly without compacting the surface.

This is the result of carefullycalibrated depth and the characteristic surface, with variable inclination at the base of the lugs.

The corners of the lugs are rounded, to avoid cutting sharply into the soil.

Shedding light on in-shed feeding

Traditional cow cubicles in the UK (left) often utilised existing buildings and left cows looking at block walls.

Modern, purpose built dairy sheds in New Zealand are much more open and light (right)

The housing of dairy cattle in New Zealand appears to have been tarnished by images of dry sows in crates and linked to terms such as confinement which suggests movement will be restricted. By Dr. Rob Derrick Dry sows chained in stalls should not be confused with free cow cubicles which are typically individual laying areas with rubber mats separated by dividers.

The only chains present are normally those dragging the scrapers which regularly clean the passageways.

Modern dairy sheds are being used worldwide to help cows escape excess heat, cold, wind, rain and snow.

Grazed grass has many virtues and will continue to form the mainstay of the diet for the vast majority of cows in NZ. It can still form a significant portion of the diet for housed cows—whether as conserved forage or fresh cut grass.

However, no one feed is perfect for any animal production system and rationing requires the balancing of different feeds to optimise nutrition. The nutrient content of young grazed grass is certainly not optimal for dairy cows and carries the added challenge of being so variable—both in terms of nutritional content and supply.

“Grazed grass has many virtues and will continue to form the mainstay of the diet for the vast majority of cows in NZ.” Dairy cows have a valid place in the world of tomorrow because they can utilise forages people can’t eat and turn them into milk people want.

Like any fermentation chamber, the rumen works best given a consistent diet to which the rumen bacteria population can adapt. Invariably, cows leaving a milking shed in the morning will be entering paddocks which may vary considerably from the paddocks they spent the night in.

It is very difficult for single celled organisms like rumen bacteria to be able to respond to such a rapidly changing environment. Also, with such variability it is difficult for the dairy farmer to offer

a supplement which ideally balances the grass throughout the day.

Housed cows are typically fed a totally mixed ration (TMR) or a partially mixed ration (PMR). Forages normally still make up the majority of the total diet but conserved forages can be sampled and analysed so a balanced ration can be formulated for the period ahead—and adjusted if necessary if it is not quite right.

“Because cows shake feed beyond their reach Lely have developed the Juno— an automatic feed pusher which pushes feed up before returning to its own docking station to recharge.”

Different forages (e.g. grass silage, maize silage, Alkalage) can be blended together to reduce variability. Housed cows occupy valuable space so it makes sense to feed them to appetite. Any remaining TMR is normally pushed down the shed for dry cows or young stock before fresh feed is delivered to the milking cows.

Because cows shake feed beyond their reach Lely have developed the Juno—an automatic feed pusher which pushes feed up before returning to its own docking station to recharge. The Juno (the red machine in the picture) ensures the PMR is always within easy reach.

The PMR is normally complemented with concentrates offered during milking or from out of parlour feeders and gives the opportunity to feed to yield— especially in early lactation.

Housed cattle may lack panoramic views enjoyed by their grazing counterparts but at least their nutritional needs should be well catered for.

Contact:

Dr Rob Derrick 605 Main South Road, State Highway 1 Winslow, Ashburton Tel: 03 302 6200 0800 00 77 66 Fax: 03 302 6203 Email: office@winslowltd. co.nz office@winslowltd.co.nz Web: www.winslowltd.co.nz

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Lyndon Webb at the holding pond radial flow control wheel (left), and checking out the scheme’s manual control gate (right)

Greenstreet reveals its green secret Aptly named for its visual appearance there is more to Greenstreet’s greenness that meets the eye. By Annette Scott, Irrigation NZ Communications Executive A drive up the Ashburton Staveley Road can be one of the most beautiful in the Ashburton District with the lush green pastures reflecting the sun shining off the snow clad mountains, a picturesque scene that goes well beyond the eye—at least for the farmers of the district.

And who better to tell the story behind the rich green pastures than the man who has managed the Greenstreet Irrigation Society’s irrigation scheme for more than 30 years.

Lyndon Webb is passionate about the scheme and knows the system inside out. He’s turned the radial flow control wheel 101 times up to three days each week of the irrigation season to ensure water is delivered appropriately to the scheme’s 30-odd members.

The Greenstreet Irrigation Society was formed in 1974 after a small number of farmers in the district agreed to transfer their rights to establish a district-wide scheme.

The scheme incorporates 2000ha and is unique in that every hectare in the district is covered in the scheme.

But the humble inventions of the scheme’s beginning are, now 36 years on, needing some adjustments and its overall operation is being reviewed to ensure optimal water management and efficiency into the future.

Having indisputable belief in a true community scheme, Lyndon is somewhat nervous about change but acknowledges that for years he has been asking for greater control of the water delivery management.

With the new buzz words—Audited Self Management (ASM)—now loitering in the channels of irrigation efficiency Lyndon is finally making some headway on what he believes will answer a lot of questions towards increasing the efficiency and reliability of the scheme.

“It makes total sense for us to be managing our own affairs in this department. We know how it works and we know what will work best for us and our water,” Lyndon said.

Reliability is a key focus and under ASM there is confidence this will be achieved.

“ASM will mean huge water savings and efficiencies for us. If we can hold the water in the channels, rather than having to run the channels dry at times of restriction, then we can get water to farmers quicker and more efficiently, as now with having to run the race dry it takes 15–17 hours to get water back to farmers.”

In 2007 the scheme was on total restrictions for 66 days with another 19 days under 50% restriction. This past season total restrictions were imposed on 20 days with 15 days on 50% restriction.

The option of storage ponds proved uneconomical.

The scheme is also awaiting the outcome of the regional council’s Natural Resources Regional Plan (NRRP) which members believe poses a real threat to their scheme.

Lyndon Webb

“Effectively, depending on how the minimum flows are determined, it could shut us down. We won’t even get started.”

One of the recent upgrades has been the main holding pond fish screen where the water is channelled three kilometres via two natural water ways from consented water takes out of the south branch of the Ashburton River and Snowdens Creek.

Lyndon and Society Chairman Bryan Lawn are in no doubt that “This has been a good little scheme over the years.” Largely that has come about through being affordable. But with more intensive dairying in the district some farmers have moved to spray irrigation systems via private bores.

“This is working for them and for the scheme as they have remained members and if one day we go to a pressurised pipe system it may suit them to come back in. But if we go pressurised we would be paying something like $800/ha and that’s not really an option at this stage,” the men agreed.

Contact:

Andrew Curtis CEO, Irrigation NZ PO Box 3872 Christchurch Tel: 03 379 3820 Fax: 03 372 3520 Web: www.irrigationnz.co.nz

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Calf rearing reminders Very soon new calves will arrive en masse. Our spring calving system dictates we must have all our cows calving over a relatively short time, usually about nine weeks, so these cows have a good chance of getting back in-calf without much delay. By Ian Hodge The mass arrival of calves does present some challenges for calf rearing—namely housing, feeding and disease prevention.

Calves that are housed incorrectly are more prone to diseases. It is easy to appreciate that as the stocking density of the calf pens increases so does the risk of cross contamination/cross infection. This applies in particular to respiratory diseases and diseases which are spread via ingestion of faecal material.

The immediate environment of the calves is very important. There is a well proven association between draughts, poor drainage, lack of sunshine and warmth, contaminated bedding and poor calf shed dimensions, and a higher than expected prevalence of disease.

Feeding large groups of calves can present many issues. It is critical that feeding utensils and equipment are always kept clean. Milk fat is a prime reservoir for bacterial growth, so all washing should be done with hot water and detergents to both melt and rinse away milk fat and associated bacterial deposits.

“There is a well proven association between draughts, poor drainage, lack of sunshine and warmth, contaminated bedding and poor calf shed dimensions, and a higher than expected prevalence of disease.”

Feeding times and the temperature of milk should be kept as consistent as possible. Make sure all calves have an equal opportunity to access feeder teats.

Calf diarrhoea is an event we all dread and some of this is related to incorrect feeding techniques. These calves are often bright and responsive but have milky, pasty diarrhoea. The first thing to do in these cases is to correct any poor feeding practices.

Another common cause of diarrhoea is viruses.

Rotavirus infection is very common and often originates from the main cow herd which is why it is important to minimise all traffic between the cow sheds and the calf sheds. Viral diarrhoea will make calves unwell and quickly become dehydrated.

The process starves the young calf of energy and electrolytes and they quickly die from this if left untreated.

“Good calf rearing will produce healthy well grown calves which in turn can be weaned early and will continue to grow at their full potential.”

Managing your way through a calf diarrhoea outbreak can quickly become very disheartening and expensive. You are well advised to employ your vet to make a diagnosis quickly, and instigate a good treatment and prevention programme.

The principles of treating calf scours are to treat quickly and completely with products that work.

So often we deal with calf scours that are not being treated properly. Affected calves should be isolated and kept separate from other calves by a solid dividing wall. Once recovered, they should always be kept separate from the normal calves as they can remain infectious. Most calves will respond quickly to electrolyte and energy replacement. If they don’t, you need to speak to your vet without delay.

Good calf rearing will produce healthy well grown calves which in turn can be weaned early and will continue to grow at their full potential. Remember that mating these heifer replacements for the first time at 14–15 months of age is the goal.

Contact:

Allan Piercy Managing Director Riverside Veterinary Services Ltd Ashburton Clinic, 1 Smallbone Drive Ashburton Tel: 03 308 2321 Fax: 03 308 2118 Web: www.vetent.co.nz

ATS NE WS

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ATS Seed— people, not just product

Bob O’Reilly

Alan Harrison & Gretchen McGuire

Jeff Hurst & Steve Lawson

Tim Dale—ATS Seed General Manager

ATS team of seed experts are all familiar faces to Canterbury farmers

Contact the ATS Seed Team today for your complete pasture and crop requirements

0800 BUY ATS (289 287) www.ats.co.nz 34

ATS NE WS

Drive 12.5kg

GR1038

$50.00 t Sun Liquid 5l on m le e in sh n e or su 5.00 zesty orang GR1207 $1

GR1956 $6.00

Sun Dishwas her Tablets 30p kt GR1253 $1 6.5

0

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL ATS STORES

Softcare Hand Sanitiser 500ml

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL ATS STORES

Get a

OP O C S EE bag

FRith eachsed! w urcha p

Pedigree MEATY BITES Working Dog, 20kg AF1002

$70.73

Pedigree Meaty Bites Varieties, 20kg AF1015

$66.63

Pedigree Puppy, 12kg AF1006

$55.16

Whiskas RURAL TRAY, 12PK AF1007

$18.90

Whiskas BAG, 4kg AF1093

$17.50

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL ATS STORES

News at ATS Methven Branch Profile

ATS Online Shop

It is seven years ago since the Methven branch of ATS opened its doors for trading, and right from that point it has continued to build a strong reputation for servicing the area’s farmers.

ATS celebrated its first online shopping transaction last month and the move into the world of online selling reinforces ATS’s dedication to meeting the needs of its members.

With two full-time staff as well as part-timers and casuals, the Methven store caters to the needs of a wide farming community. From sheep and beef to cropping, dairy, and the high country stations situated beyond the lower foothills, the farming practices in the Methven area are varied and diverse.

Branch Manager Hannah Bramley has been at the Methven Branch just over 18 months, moving from a strong dairy retail focus at the Ashburton branch to the head of the Methven Retail Store, where she has enjoyed broadening her retail experience into other product areas.

She says the wide range of member farming sectors keeps things interesting, and Methven is a bustling and enjoyable community to be involved in.

Terry Smith came to the Methven store just over three years ago while Jill, who works four days a week, has been with the Methven branch since its beginning.

Terry looks after much of the hardware merchandise while Jill’s strengths include agrichemicals along with clothing and homeward retail.

All are committed to finding the right product solution for their customers and there is a great range of product in store. In the unlikely event a product it isn’t on hand, they will do their best to source it.

Over 100 of ATS’s best-selling products are available to purchase online via the ATS website. The addition of the e-commerce facility offers members the convenience of shopping from home at any time of the day, and when coupled with the Retail Stores and Customer Service Centre, allows ATS to continue to provide the excellent service it is well known for.

The process is easy, and payment is made through members’ ATS accounts. Simply log on to the members area of the ATS website and click “Shop at ATS” - this will open the main page of the online shop where members can browse dairy, clothing, footwear, hardware and many more ATS departments.

Remember - shipping is free within the ATS boundaries (from Oamaru to Culverden, with the Southern Alps being the western boundary) and if members have any queries or orders the Customer Service Centre is available to assist and can be contacted by telephoning 0800 BUY ATS (0800 289 287).

We hope you try our new service and experience a new way of shopping at ATS and we welcome your feedback on how we can further improve our on-line shopping site.

Login

Shop at ATS

Before you shop

Buy online

The Methven staff are on hand to help in any way they can and are always interested in knowing what their members are looking for and how they can best meet their retail needs.

! pen wO No

ATS Online Shop To start shopping simply click which section of the store you would like to see Agricultural Chemical (16) Animal Health/Feed (15) ATS Seed (3) Clothing and Boots (8) Dairy (27) For the Home (33) Members’ Specials For Farm (4) For Home (2) Spray Hardware (25)

See the products that we will sell online!

Methven Staff: Jill Houston, Hannah Bramley and Terry Smith

38

ATS NE WS

Sponsorship SELWYN COMMUNITY OSCAR CHARITABLE TRUST FUNDRAISER A fantastic effort and some deep pockets led to $9500 raised for the Selwyn Community Oscar Trust at a recent fundraiser.

The fundraiser entitled “Selwyn Style Hire Power” and held in the Leeston Rugby Clubrooms, showcased local farmers, business people, handymen and women strutting their stuff on the catwalk auctioning their services to the highest bidder.

Chairperson Kerry-Jayne McDrury said the night was a huge success, and included support from Ashburton businesses, despite the event being held over the bridge. Incidentally, the beautiful kitchen hamper donated by ATS led to a small bidding war, which undoubtedly added to the success of the event.

Selwyn Community Oscar is a charitable trust formed to provide good affordable after school care and holiday programmes for the Selwyn district’s rural children aged between five and 13 years, operating out of the Killinchy Hall in Dunsandel.

NEW ATS Call Plans with Telecom Mobile ATS members can benefit from new and exclusive reduced mobile rate plans. The “ATS On The Go 100” and “ATS Team Talker Zero” offer a variety of benefits for a 24 month contract and call plans are available on the XT network only. Terms and conditions apply.

For more information ATS members can contact their local Orb Communications Ashburton store or call 0800 287 662

Administration Move The ATS administration department is settling into their new office within the Goodman Tavendale Reid building (GTR Building) at 255 Havelock St, Ashburton.

Competitions

The ATS reception remains as it always has within the ATS Retail store on Burnett Street, so nothing will change for members visiting in person to enquire about their accounts. All telephone enquiries should still be directed to 307 5100.

The winners of the April and May ASURE Accommodation Group packages values at $120 were: Quentin & Sandra Hinchcliffe—Stayed at ASURE Dunedin & Academy Court Motels Dunedin John Snowden—stayed at ASURE Sundowner Motel, Blenheim

Sub Accounts Using ATS sub accounts is an efficient way of managing farm and personal spending at ATS Retail Stores and with ATS Suppliers.

Instore Days Hamper The winners of the Instore Days Membership Service Hamper were Graham and Jenny Lowe, Cairndhu Dairy Limited.

The sub account does not replace the Shareholders’ account, but is an additional service available to members.

Sub accounts can be issued for personal accounts, family members, farm managers or farm employees. The sub account holder receives their own ATS account and payment is made from their bank account on the 20th of the month. If payment is not made the Shareholder account is liable.

The sub account holders receive the same benefits as shareholder members, but they do not have to purchase shares, and rebates are not paid on these accounts.

A sub account saves valuable time when sorting through accounts and also allows for extra privacy. For more information please contact Christine at ATS on 307 5163 or email christine.taylor@ats.co.nz

Christine Taylor presents the membership prize hamper to Jenny Lowe ATS NE WS

39

40

ATS NE WS

CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE 2001 Honda TRX 350 Very tidy $3,200 Tel 303 6054

Silage Large Round Bales.

Individually wrapped spring silage.

69 bales in total, east of Tinwald. $75+ GST each, or offers for the lot.

Tel 307 8862 or 027 2121 682

RETAIL

UPCOMING EVENTS

Kidz Korner

18 August

Just arrived, a new shipment of large two-sided floor puzzles with “hidden” numbers and the alphabet.

FAR Arable Y’s Hotel Ashburton, 7pm Racecourse Road, Ashburton

Also check out the ever popular zip-bins along with a large selection of farm toys, games, dolls and dolls houses and so many more gift ideas. Free gift wrapping and a 10% discount for ATS members.

East Street, Ashburton Tel 03 307 0456

25–27 August Groundwater Industry Training Courses Christchurch

14 September Large Round Bales Rye grass straw & barley straw.

Excellent condition, no rain.

Tel 03 308 3536 or 027 439 9155

Freeman Bales Good quality, pasture baleage in Te Pirita Tel Paul Davey 03 318 0770

Irrigator—Briggs Model 250 Roto Rainer Excellent condition and well-maintained.

Wetted width 100m x 600m.

Please tel Ivan McKeown 03 303 6235 or 027 380 5075, Mayfield.

Make your next child’s party/ event unforgettable with marvellous magic, funny juggling and fabulous balloon animals. As featured at the ATS Instore Days!

Contact Shad Rutherford www.entertainer.co.nz Tel 03 352 3150 or 0274 963 746

WANTED

Frizzell Ltd Electronic farm scales from $695.00; Well depth meters from $285.00, weather stations from $124.00, Irrigation monitoring equipment from $195.00, farm weigh bridges from $3,800.00 (all prices plus GST).

If it’s farm electronics contact Frizzell Agricultural Electronics for the best price. We also have wide range of crates and platforms for scales, plus irrigation monitoring and farm security systems.

For free information on our wide range of products contact Alastair Frizzell on 03 318 1333, or your local contact Viv McLachlan on 03 302 7065 or 027 506 6434. www.frizzell.co.nz or sales@frizzell.co.nz

Tux

FAR Women in Arable Meeting Ashburton Hotel, Racecourse Road, Ashburton

15 September FAR Arable Y’s Hotel Ashburton, 7pm Racecourse Road, Ashburton

26–30 September The 17th Australian Weeds Conference Christchurch

Contributors Richard Rennie, Anita Body, Ele Ludemann, Ian Mackenzie, Pip Hume, Dr Rob Derrick, Annette Scott and Ian Hodge

Tux is offering a HOT deal of $88.50 on 40kg packs of Tux Country and Tux Energy working dog formula—and check out their new-look packs!

Photography

The deal is valid from 1–31 August 2010, and is valid on 40kg Tux only. For more information, drop into your nearest ATS Retail Store.

Please contact the Marketing Department on:

Victoria Rutherford

Advertising Enquiries

Tel: 03 307 5100

To Rent

Email: info@ats.co.nz

Christchurch-based ATS staff member looking to rent small one-bedroom unit or similar, anything considered. References available.

Tel Chris on 03 307 5125 or 027 2788 841

www.ats.co.nz

Horse grazing for up to three horses on South side of Tinwald, prefer Winslow area (but any where considered).

Please tel 027 428 4967 or 307 0117 evenings

NRM Buy 10 bags of NRM horse feed, and receive one FREE! Ask for your NRM loyalty card today. Offer ends 31 October 2010, terms and conditions apply. See loyalty card in store for details at one of our three ATS Retail Stores.

Editorial Enquiries Our team welcome your contributions, enquiries and letters.

Please post or email to: Chris Bristol, GM Marketing & Business Development/Editor chris.bristol@ats.co.nz

Now Ope n!

ATS Online Shop Come and experience ATS shopping online!

It’s easy and convenient, offering you our best selling products in our retail stores. All you need to do is login to ATS (like you would to see the weather) and click on the “Shop at ATS” tab.

• Over 100 products

• Free freight (Oamaru to Culverden,

• Open 24/7

Southern Alps west boundary)

• Direct credit to ATS account

Login

Shop at ATS

Before you shop

Buy online

! pen wO No

ATS Online Shop To start shopping simply click which section of the store you would like to see Agricultural Chemical (16) Animal Health/Feed (15) ATS Seed (3) Clothing and Boots (8) Dairy (27) For the Home (33) Members’ Specials For Farm (4) For Home (2) Spray Hardware (25)

See the products that we will sell online!