Ashburton Guardian | Dairy Focus | October 2019 by Ashburton Guardian

Dairy Focus

OCTOBER 2019

Pasture

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INSIDE

EDITORIAL COMMENT

Dairy Focus is proudly published by the Ashburton Guardian Limited

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PAGE 7 NEW HOOFCARE INSTITUTE

Linda Clarke

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Editorial Email your comments to linda.c@theguardian.co.nz Advertising For advertising enquiries email cushla.h@theguardian.co.nz or phone 03 307 7955. Designers Francoise Belpadrome and Yendis Albert Post Ashburton Guardian, PO Box 77, Ashburton 7740

PAGE 16 FUTURE IS CHEESE

NEED TO IMPROVE YOUR BOTTOM LINE?

SENIOR REPORTER

Power up the positive is the message being aimed at farmers, tell your good stories about what you are doing to lighten your environmental footprint. There are people out there, some in Government I suspect, that have no idea how things have changed on dairy farms – indeed almost all farms – in the past decade and a bit. How farms manage effluent, grow grass and crops, and irrigate has changed vastly with the advent and use of technology … and a changing mindset and farming rules, at

least in Mid Canterbury. There are some great operators in the district, who are leading the way with practices that are already showing a reduction in nitrate leaching without feeling like they will go out of business. Dairy farmers are great at sharing information and there are many who are putting in huge amounts of sustainability and biodiversity work. It’s important their stories are told and their learnings shared. While the industry bodies are doing their bit to share that work, it is also important that they share it with the general public, the people in cities and towns all over the country, in a language they can understand. There are many good stories and this issue is full of them. Speak up farmers, tell people what you are doing and be proud. It’s time we were all ag proud.

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Grass the key to successful business Mid Canterbury dairy farmers Greg and Rachel Roadley consider themselves ryegrass farmers before cow farmers. “We are ryegrass farmers first and foremost. We just happen to harvest the grass with dairy cows. A lot of our decisions are based on what is best for the grass plant,” Greg Roadley told a Pasture Summit field day on one of their properties, Batley Farm at Pendarves. Feeding their cows an all-grass diet during the milking season and keeping a tight lid on costs is paying off with Roadley Farms producing an Ebit (earnings before interest and tax) of $5110 a hectare, nearly $2000 higher than the average Canterbury dairy farm. Roadley Farms milk 2000 cows on three coastal Mid Canterbury dairy farms. In total, the couple milk 3100 cows in Mid Canterbury and North Otago across five dairies and associated support blocks, some of which are via equity partnerships. They are also involved in other dairy operations elsewhere in New Zealand and the United States. “Our aim in farming is to operate an efficient, repeatable and sustainable pasture-based dairy businesses that focuses on generating free cash and

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RURAL REPORTER

delivering a total compounding return on equity of at least 15 per cent,” they said. “Whilst we both thoroughly love farming and the lifestyle that it allows, our view is that we are farming as a business and the assets that we control need to deliver a competitive return.” Operating expenses were under $4 a kilogram of milksolids at $3.74 a kg/ MS compared with the Canterbury average of $5.07. Greg Roadley said New Zealand’s competitive advantage was its low-cost dairy production based on perennial ryegrass. Batley Farm’s cows eat an all-grass diet during the milking season, after bought-in supplementary feed was gradually eliminated over several years. Continued over page

Mid Canterbury dairy farmers Rachel and Greg Roadley. PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

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From page 3 Grass surpluses are harvested for emergency winter feed and to fill shortfalls. Cows on Batley Farm eat 2.5 tonnes of drymatter/ha more than the Canterbury average, consuming 17.1 tonnes/ha compared with an average 14.5 tonnes/ha. Total pasture growth at Batley Farm is 19.95 tonnes/ha. Nitrogen use is 220kg/ha on non-effluent paddocks. “Ten years ago, we had a system that bought in 300 to 400kg/DM/cow, but as we have become better at harvesting grass this has dropped until we now have no imported feed,” Roadley says. The farm no longer used its in-shed grain feeder and had sold its silage wagon. “For farmers, the biggest fear is running out of feed for your cows. “It is important to trust in the science and the ability of grass to deliver for your system. “Well managed perennial ryegrass is a good feed for cow performance.” Canterbury dairy farm benchmarking data showed there was a strong correlation between pasture and crop eaten and operating profit. There was no correlation between imported supplements and operating profit. “We understand what the key drivers for the business are and have nonnegotiable rules. “The farm managers are empowered to do the job, they understand clearly

what our system is and they understand the non-negotiables. “As the system is simple, this is largely around feed and target pasture covers, residuals and grazing rotations,” Roadley says. The only exception to the grass rule is five per cent of the milking platform put in fodder beet as part of the pasture renovation programme. Young stock are grazed off the farm and dried off cows wintered on a support block. Every cost was also questioned, with Roadley Farms’ spending on repairs

and maintenance $241/ha, less than half the Canterbury average of $512/ ha. Animal health and breeding costs are $96/cow compared with the Canterbury average of $160/cow. “In terms of animal health, we question any intervention, such as dry cow therapy and mineral supplements. “There is a diminishing margin of return for any input, whether it is nitrogen or CIDRs. “If you are uncertain, use less. “We want to double the return on every dollar we spend, so that sets a

high threshold for any expenditure,” says Roadley, the son of Fonterra’s first chairman John Roadley. One area where the Roadleys spend more than others is on labour, at $607/ cow compared with the Canterbury average of $394/cow. “We understand that people capability is a key driver for our business. “We also like to have a good standard of accommodation.” As a result, the Roadleys are rewarded with a low staff turnover. The Roadleys are not just ahead of the pack in terms of profitability, but

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Left - Mid Canterbury dairy farmer Greg Roadley outlines the family’s low-cost, grass-based farming system.

Right - Regular assessment of farm pasture covers and a feed wedge to identify surpluses and deficits are key tools on Roadley Farms.

PHOTOS ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

also their environmental footprint with a nitrogen loss of 46kgN/ha. Methane emissions on Batley Farm are 9.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent compared with a Canterbury average of 10.2 tonnes, while total greenhouse gases are 14.1 tonnes compared with a Canterbury average of 17.6 tonnes. Considering the Roadleys’ off-farm interests it is no surprise their farm business is so successful. In his down time Greg Roadley is an extreme runner, journeying huge distances across barren and inhospitable landscapes around the world.

Last year he completed a 250km Atacama Crossing desert race in Chile across salt flats, huge sand dunes, canyons and river crossings. The Atacama desert is the driest place on the planet and follows Roadley’s previous extreme races in the Arctic circle and Sahara desert. To manage the feed supply on Roadley Farms, spring feed budgeting starts in autumn. “From the end of February to early March we will start to build pasture cover and extend the grazing round,” Roadley says.

Tools are early culling and reducing cow demand rather than increasing the supply with supplementary feed. The target was a 2000kg/DM/ha pasture cover at dry off, for a 2700kg cover at the start of calving. Nitrogen was used in February and March to boost pasture cover, but stopped from early to mid-April to lower over-all application rates and the risk of leaching. Batley Farm milks 690 cows on 190ha at a stocking rate of 3.65 cows/ ha. Production is 1570kg/MS/ha and 430kg/MS/cow.

From late February, Roadley Farms staff did a lot of work assessing the body condition score of cows. Through autumn, the herd was drafted at 14 to 20-day intervals, with cows with a score less than 4.5 put on once-a-day milking, depending on calving date, so their requirement to put on condition in winter was reduced. Regular drafting of cows continued during winter, to ensure each herd had a tight range in condition. Continued over page

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From page 5 “We target 4.8 to five for mixed age cows at calving and will draft obsessively through winter to achieve that. “Having cows fit and not fat in spring is important. “In our experience, cows over body condition score five at calving are problematic animals.” The winter feed programme was tightly managed for economic reasons as it was a massive component of a farm’s costs, with feed intakes changed almost weekly. “It takes a lot of work and a lot of

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discipline. Even though we do it in-house, it is expensive to feed cows over winter. “It is an area where we have put a lot of focus, but it is a really profitable management tool.” Roadley says he is not particular about his crossbred cows. “They just have to pull their weight and compete well against their mates.” Pasture Summit, which held conferences in Ashburton and Hamilton last year, aimed to share ideas and developments on achieving profitable dairy farming, focusing on pasture systems.

Above - Cows on Roadley Farms eat an all-grass diet.

Left - Rachel Roadley and her children Guy and Mia.

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Hoofcare inspires new training institute By Linda Clarke

linda.c@theguardian.co.nz

New Zealand’s first dairy hoofcare education centre will open just north of Ashburton later this year. The Dairy Hoofcare Institute of New Zealand will teach the holistic Dutch method of hoofcare developed by the University of Utrecht and recognised internationally as leading practice within the industry. Director and instructor Fred Hoekstra has been training dairy industry workers in the technique for 15 years through his hoof trimming business Veehof and said it was time to separate the training arm because of the demand for knowledge and formal recognition of the skill. Hoesktra has been trimming hooves of dairy cattle for 28 years. At one time he was alone in the trade in New Zealand; now there are around 20 professional hoof trimmers, most of them trained by him. There are around five million dairy cows. He says the institute will raise the standard of hoofcare in New Zealand, through education and information. Hoofcare is not just about trimming hooves, but about whole cow health. He said hoofcare was a specialist part of cow care, like dentistry for people. The institute has been a special project for Hoekstra’s wife Sandy and Frikkie Greybe, who have set up the framework. Lame cows are a problem for dairy farmers - those cows are generally unhappy, can’t walk to eat and produce

less milk. Lameness is also one of the top three issues on dairy farms. Hoesktra said farmers and dairy workers often had lightbulb moments on his training courses when they realised lameness was more influenced by diet and stress, leading to unhealthy hooves. About 6000 dairy farmers, veterinarians and farm advisers have been trained by Veehof in one-day or two-day courses over the past 15 years and classes under the new institute banner will begin in December. “We have partnered with the University of Utrecht and used their curriculum, so we can do exams now that are formally recognised by the industry.” The training courses cover theory, which includes the anatomy of a foot, and practical sessions, some using cadaver feet. Courses will be held all over the country, at Veehof ’s base off State Highway 1 near Chertsey and on dairy farms. Hoekstra said farmers were slowly developing a better understanding of lameness and its causes, especially if they were trying to reduce cow numbers without a drop in milk production. They were starting to think more like cow carers, rather than grass converters, he said. The Dairy Hoofcare Institute of New Zealand will be launched at a special event on November 28.

Dairy Hoofcare Institute of New Zealand director and instructor Fred Hoekstra with the plastic model feet used in the hoofcare classroom.

PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

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Is Fonterra as bad as it’s painted? Craig Hickman

ELBOW DEEP @dairymanNZ

Bashing Fonterra in the media is so prevalent it’s almost a national pastime; farmer shareholders keen to share that phone call they got from the chairman, commentators sticking the boot in at the behest of their dairy processor clients and any politician looking for some airtime will happily have a crack. If the payout is low it’s due to the incompetence of directors and management, if the payout is high it’s because Fonterra is screwing the scrum and forcing their competitors to pay more for milk than it’s worth. While there are legitimate criticisms to be levelled at the co-op, and they’re not above scoring own goals in that department, it’s so easy that writing a column panning them is almost lazy. I make no secret that I’m a fan of Fonterra’s new direction; the honesty that is largely on display at shareholder meetings, the way they now engage with the government instead of the Fortress Fonterra mentality of old and their willingness to show leadership and vision in areas that affect their farmers. When this newfound engagement and sense of purpose draws praise, who ever

thought we’d see headlines from a Green MP commending Fonterra for their leadership, it also draws a barrage of criticism: bloody Fonterra is cosying up to the Government! An agricultural journalist recently tweeted that Tatua “… will pay out $8.50, $2.15 more than Fonterra”. While I’m a huge Tatua fan and am happy to celebrate their success, that sort of linear and uncritical comparison is pretty unhelpful. “Imagine,” I replied, “if Tatua had the same regulatory constraints as Fonterra and had to accept milk from everyone who wanted to supply them.” Unfortunately it seemed the journalist couldn’t imagine this scenario and the point I was making was somewhat lost on him. I think the point has been lost on a lot of people, with all the noise about fresh water and emissions and zero carbon, the fact there is a very important issue under consideration by parliament at this very moment has slipped under the radar. The continuation of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act (DIRA) in its current form runs the very real risk seeing New Zealand with too much milk processing capacity. Fonterra is obligated to supply new processors with at-

cost raw milk, essentially subsidising the competition and allowing them to enter the market with almost no risk. This subsidised supply doesn’t benefit domestic consumers; the processed product is shipped offshore along with the profits. In the face of a static or declining milk pool, excess processing capacity can only lead to one thing: plant closures like those we are seeing across the Tasman. I don’t understand the reticence of successive governments to radically reform DIRA; after nine years in power and a bit of tinkering, National have finally promised to repeal DIRA. They did this after realising that Labour were more proactive with deregulation than they had ever been, but that doesn’t do us any good while they’re in

opposition. The Greens should support the wholesale reform of DIRA; it has had the unintended consequence of being the single biggest factor in driving land use to dairy by compelling Fonterra to take all of the new milk. Labour should support the reform of DIRA, if only because Fonterra has a highly unionised and happy workforce whom they look after very well, and a strong Fonterra means a strong dairy workers’ union. Of all the parties New Zealand First should be leading the charge, subsidised foreign companies coming into New Zealand and exporting the profits is anathema to them. Legend has it that Shane Jones once quipped every time he attacked Fonterra he went up in the polls, and he’s not the only politician to have had a crack in recent times. It’s time for the politicians to take a serious look at what’s holding Fonterra back and do something about it. Taking action is not as easy as snide remarks and soundbites, but it’s their job, they can effect meaningful change and it’s time they did.

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Recruitment versus Retention As professional recruiters to the dairy industry our clients invest in us to find them the best possible team for their farms and, when they entrust us so much, we make sure we put in a lot of time and effort into doing a great job for them and finding the best possible match. As part of our service we also spend a lot of time ensuring that, once our clients have made such an investment, that we work with them to make sure they retain their new employees. The dairy industry has been plagued by issues of recruitment and retention of employees for years and is in a lot of ways still quite old fashioned in their approach to dealing with staff issues. All too often we hear horror stories of dairy farmers getting personal grievances raised against them because they did not follow protocol when dismissing members of staff. To avoid this, we spend time educating and helping our clients to take the proper steps to retain their staff because as we always say “retention is much cheaper than recruitment”. It is imperative that when you bring on a new staff member you conduct an in-depth induction programme. A new employee must be fully aware of your expectations before they start work. There is no point spending time and money investing in a new staff member and when they arrive for their first day at work you tell them to just get on with it. Even if they have previous experience each farm operates differently, so it is of the utmost importance that you show them around and show them how you operate, if you don’t do this you are basically setting them up to fail. If they are not aware of your expectations how can you expect them to just know what to do? Once they are aware of what is expected of them and how you operate you must back this up by doing a 30day, 60-day and 90-day review and, if you feel they are not performing as well as you had hoped, then you must sit down with them and explain why

What works best for your dairy farm?

and you must tell them what they need to do to improve and give them time to put it into practice. When an employee contacts us to say they are looking for a new farm, we ask a lot of questions regarding why this is and what is it that they are not getting from their current farm. A high volume of these people tell us it is due to the poor working and living conditions, that there is a lack of career development and they are not encouraged to study AGITO, that there is a huge neglect of health and safety and there is a lack of respect shown to them by their employer, they will also quite often say that they do not need to put up with this due to the availability of alternative employment. Having been a professional recruiter now for well over 20 years and having worked in other industries including accounting and finance, blue collar, secretarial and now dairy farming,

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I have a saying “people do not leave jobs, they leave managers” and this is particularly true in the dairy industry. If an employee feels they are not being treated well by their manager they can simply leave and go elsewhere, they will be doing the same job, so it’s not the job they are leaving it is the manager. An excellent retention strategy is relationship building because the future of the dairy industry, to a degree, depends on its people. A profound change is necessary in the dairy industry to ensure that stakeholders make the effort necessary to retain their staff and have a win-win outcome for all involved. There needs to be support on-farm to ensure an enduring rather than a temporary solution. Team member Francis Renner has had 15 years as a HR professional in the meat industry and has had

considerable experience in interacting with employees from all round the world. Using his expertise, we have now introduced into our service a wide range of HR products and procedures that we offer to our clients. So, if you are struggling with staffing issues, even if you are not one of our current clients, we will be more than happy to come to your farm and work out a strategy for retaining your employees. You can call Paula Conti, owner/operator of Rural People Ltd on 027 511 8814, she will be happy to have a confidential conversation with you. www.ruralpeople.co.nz

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IRRIGATION FEATURE

Water is a hot topic, so speak up New Zealand’s water resource has become a hot topic in recent years, but even more so as of late with the release of the reform of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management at the beginning of September. Many of you will now be aware of what this outlines, including major changes such as tighter regulations around farms requiring nitrate caps, farm management plans, further fencing requirements and protocols around winter grazing. The policy change is very complex and hopefully, by now most of you have had the opportunity to get your head around what changes may affect you and what opinion you hold on them.

“

It is important – if relevant – to personalise your submissions and outline how the changes may affect either your farm or farming business specifically.

New Zealanders want to have clean and healthy freshwater. They want to be able to swim, fish and enjoy freshwater. We also need clean water to drink and irrigation to support a sustainable economy. The New Zealand government’s proposal to introduce a new freshwater planning process will require councils to have new

Elizabeth Soal

IRRIGATION NZ

plans in place no later than 2025. Better, faster, more nationally consistent freshwater management plans and implementation. This is something IrrigationNZ is broadly supportive of – as the end goals are something that need to be a target for New Zealand as a whole, for both urban and rural dwellers alike. However, we do have concerns with how these goals are reached and the implications for water users and their communities. The government has called for feedback on the discussion document, allowing people to make submissions about their thoughts on the proposed policy reform. Due to the complexity of the NPSFM and different aspects of it affecting different types of land use and activities, IrrigationNZ has decided to focus their submission primarily on three aspects which

immediately affect the irrigation sector. • Restrictions on irrigation development. • New limits that may change what regions already have in place. • Mandatory farm environment plans, (which is something we support). Most Kiwis, especially farmers, have an emotional attachment to freshwater and how it is managed. Now is a more important time than ever to express your opinion on what could be the future of freshwater management. I encourage both farmers, stakeholders and communities to submit their questions and concerns through the submission process the Ministry for Environment has provided. It is important – if relevant – to personalise your submissions and outline how the changes may affect either your farm or farming business specifically. This is a good way to demonstrate the on the ground affects the policy reform would have and show how a one size fits all policy may not be the right solution.

WHAT WE ARE WE WORKING ON IrrigationNZ has created a submission guideline to help get you started on making your own. www.irrigationnz.co.nz/ News/Advocacy Submissions close on Thursday, October 31. Following this an independent advisory panel will provide ministers with a report on the consultation submissions. This will include recommendations. Ministers will consider the report before deciding whether or not to proceed with the policy proposals or make changes.

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Leading the way in performance By Heather Chalmers

heather.c@theguardian.co.nz

A Mid Canterbury dairy farm judged to have achieved one of country’s best business performances will open its doors in early November. River Terrace Dairy at Carew was joint runner-up in the 2019 Dairy Business of the Year (DBOY) and judged the best Canterbury farm, with its low-cost, high-production performance. It is managed by lower-order sharemilkers Brent and Rebecca Miller, who were first-time entrants. The farm, owned by Andrew and Rachele Morris, will this season milk 1150 cows on 318 hectares. A field day will be held on November 5 starting at 9.30am at the property, 908 Withells Road, just north of the Rangitata River. River Terrace Dairy also won the business resilience and best people leadership awards. The farming business recorded the lowest cost of production in the competition, at $3.84/kg of milksolids and judges said running a tight ship with good cost control ensured the win in that category. Operating expenses were contained at 45 per cent of gross revenue and River Terrace had a good pasture harvest of 15.5 tonnes of drymatter/ ha, with pasture being 78 per cent of all feed consumed. Production was 495kg/MS per cow, with the business achieving a return on capital of 7.5 per cent. The focus was mainly on pasture, with supplement used in the shoulders of the season to extend lactation. The people performance award showed the Millers had been able to achieve their financial results while caring for their people, the judges said. An emphasis on a good team culture meant staff turnover was virtually nil. The Millers like to empower their staff, including getting them to do their own rosters. Staff are trained to do every job on the farm, so they can fill in if required and to provide variety within roles. The awards used data from the

Top Mid Canterbury dairy business operators Brent and Rebecca Miller are hosting a field day in early November. PHOTO SUPPLIED

2017-18 season when the Millers milked 925 cows on 273ha. In addition to this farm increasing in size and cow numbers in 2018-19, the Millers have also this season taken over the Morris’ second farm, a 398ha property carrying 1450 cows. It was the first time in DBOY’s 12year history that two runners-up were

chosen, but judges said they could not be separated. The other runners-up were Richard and Nadine McCullough, from Karapiro in Waikato. The DBOY supreme award went to Okaihau Pastoral in the Bay of Islands, Northland. Okaihau, a 367ha property milking 1150 cows

and producing about 646,000kgMS, was an equity partnership with 17 shareholders. Okaihau had the highest per cow production of 538kgMS and a cost of production of $4.01kgMS. Its return on capital of 11.3 per cent was 30 per cent greater than the farm with the second highest return.

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Reducing bobby calf numbers By Heather Chalmers

heather.c@theguardian.co.nz

Lincoln University Dairy Farm is using more beef genetics in its mating programme this spring in a bid to reduce its bobby calf numbers. LUDF supervisor Jeremy Savage said about four different mating programmes were considered along with the challenges these brought, particularly around gestation length. The farm planned to have 30 to 40 per cent of calves as bobby calves next year, with the remainder, not including replacements, reared as dairy-beef cross calves. It was working with Craigmore Sustainables, which would assess how the dairy-beef crosses performed as beef animals, said Savage, a farm consultant with Ashburton-based Macfarlane Rural Business. “Something we are a bit shy of in the dairy industry is how well dairybeef crosses perform, especially with the LUDF herd being 50-50 FriesianJersey animals,” he told a LUDF field day. The dairy-beef calves will be reared to 100kg at LUDF, then transferred to Craigmore Sustainables, where they will be grown to killable weights, while being assessed for liveweight gain and their attributes as beef animals. Low breeding worth cows will be mated using short gestation length angus beef genetics. Wagyu beef genetics were trialled two years ago, but the gestation length was too long, Savage said. All cows were mated using artificial insemination, with no bulls used on the farm for several years. Sexed semen was used for more guaranteed female calves, along with A2 milk genetics. “Using sexed semen gives us more space in the herd to put beef straws in. “We can use A2 genetics without compromising our genetic quality at all. It makes sense to plan for the herd to be A2 ready if an opportunity arises,” Savage said. LUDF is milking about 560 cows this season on its 160-hectare milking platform.

Lincoln University Dairy Farm supervisor Jeremy Savage (left) and farm manager Peter Hancox outline the farm’s low-cost, pasture-based, high-production system. PHOTO HEATHER CHALMERS

Its production target this season was 275,000kg of milksolids, equivalent to 491kg/MS/cow at a low operating cost structure of $3.90 a kg/MS. Savage said that LUDF’s low-cost, pasture-based, high-production system was achievable elsewhere. Its herd was achieving production of 500kg/MS/cow on pasture, with minimal supplement and a maximum nitrogen application rate of 170kg/ha. Last season, cows were fed only 230kg/drymatter/cow of grass silage, with no grain or palm kernel. Use of tetraploid ryegrass helped in providing quality pasture for cows.

This allowed pre-grazings to be longer, while maintaining quality. Longer grazing rounds and longer covers meant higher growth, particularly as grass reached the three-leaf growth stage. The farm scale and layout also made it doable and easy, with reliable irrigation and good soils. The only variable impacting on pasture growth rates in summer was temperature, with soil moisture rarely an issue. Farming in a goldfish bowl, beside busy roads and close to Lincoln University and township, also led to

an absolute focus to get things right, Savage said. To make the most of limited nitrogen, the farm waited until soil temperatures rose in spring to get the best response. Applications were finished by late March. In autumn, all cull cows were gone by April 15 as the farm can get wet and feed utilisation can suffer. It was also a good move environmentally, as reducing the stocking rate by 20 per cent dropped the nitrogen leaching rate in April and May under Overseer, Savage said.

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Kintore Farm near Ashburton is one of many farms working to meet new nutrient loss targets in the Hinds zone. PHOTO NICK HOOGEVEEN

Project inclusion paying dividends Ashburton dairy farmer Nick Hoogeveen’s involvement in a DairyNZ project in Hinds and Selwyn is helping him reduce his nitrogen losses on his farm. Nick is a shareholder and operator of Kintore farms, a 450-hectare farm split into two dairy units west of Ashburton. The farm milks 1550 Friesian cows and employs 11 staff. Both Nick and the team who run Kintore are committed to improving the lives of their animals and staff and doing the right thing for the environment. “Being part of this project has been awesome as we get to find out about the latest science, hear what other farmers are trialling, and how it’s working out,” Nick says. Kintore is in the Hinds zone, where dairy farms need to meet a series of nitrogen reduction targets and achieve a 36 per cent reduction in nitrogen losses by 2035. Nick is part of a DairyNZ project running across the Selwyn and Hinds zones which is supporting

farmers to trial different ways to reduce their nitrogen losses but maintain their profit levels. Through the project, some targeted and specific options have been developed for Kintore, to help achieve the farm’s nitrogen loss targets, as well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. One of the easier changes Nick has been able to make is to identify heavy traffic areas on the farm – near water troughs and gateways.

“

the autumn are also at more risk of leaching than in other months, as plant growth to use this nitrogen is limited. Reducing stock numbers before autumn can make a difference and is an option Nick has used. Planting plantain is another way he has reduced nitrogen losses. Last season the farm managed to reduce their nitrogen losses by 18 per cent, and this season they are planning to reduce losses by another 10 per cent.

We want to keep on looking at new options, and to continue improving the way we run the farm and our environmental management. We don’t want to stand still,” he says.

In these areas cows already supply nutrients to the land through urine, and therefore it makes sense to stop applying fertiliser. Nitrogen from urine patches in

Nick and his team are now looking at developing a five-year plan for the farm. One of the big decisions to be made is whether they replace their existing roto rainer, k line

and lateral irrigation systems with centre pivots. This would allow water to be applied in smaller amounts on shorter irrigation rotations, which would reduce nitrogen losses, as well as labour and water use. Although it’s an attractive option, it’s also expensive. The farm also has the option of meeting its nitrogen loss targets by increasing the use of plantain and through careful nutrient management. Nick says that in the future he wants to look at different farming practices which have environmental benefits and will see which regenerative practices he can implement on the farm. “We want to keep on looking at new options, and to continue improving the way we run the farm and our environmental management. We don’t want to stand still,” he says. – Dairy NZ

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Awards a spark for growth, learning By Linda Clarke

linda.c@theguardian.co.nz

Dairy farmers Ruwan and Niranjala Wijayasena have gone from winning last year’s Canterbury share farmer of the year award to helping organise this year’s. The couple are reminding Mid Canterbury dairy farmers thinking about entering this year’s Dairy Industry Awards to act soon. Entries for the 2020 awards are now being accepted, with the cutoff for entries over the three award categories is November 16. Ruwan won the 2019 Canterbury/ North Otago regional share farmer of the year, while Matt Redmond won the dairy manager and Nicola Blowey the trainee category.

“

The knowledge you will gain as a trainee, sharemilker or manager is hugely beneficial. You can learn a lot and gain a lot.

Ruwan contract milks 1840 cows for Theland Farm Group (formerly Synlait) on a 537ha Darfield farm and is in his 14th year dairy farming. He and his wife are Buddhist and their religion stops them owning cows and making decisions to kill them. But they have found a way to grow their business outside the traditional ladder to sharemilker or farm owners. His aim is a strong and sustainable dairy business. At the national event, he won the dairy shed hygiene and business performance awards. Ruwan encouraged people at all levels of dairy farming to think about entering the awards, which were a great way to learn and grow with feedback from experienced judges. Ruwan said the awards had given him access to some industry giants

Top sharemilker Ruwan Wijayasena (above) and his wife Niranjala are helping organise this year’s Canterbury/North Otago regional Dairy Industry Awards. PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN

who were happy to mentor him on his journey as well as introducing him to other farmers with which he could share information and best practice. He said farmers thinking about entering were often worried about the time commitment required and not doing well. But the investment was worthwhile and any learnings gained should be considered a win. “The knowledge you will gain as a trainee, sharemilker or manager is hugely beneficial. You can learn a lot and gain a lot.” Ruwan and Niranjala were in Rotorua last month learning more about their new role helping administer the awards for the Canterbury and North Otago region.

He said his network of like-minded people had grown considerably. The couple are still advancing plans to expand their contract milking business, buoyed by their growing skills and success. This year, entrants in the share farmer of the year category will also have the opportunity to have the body of work they prepare for the awards to serve as evidence for Recognition of Prior Learning, that could lead to partial completion of the New Zealand Diploma in Agribusiness Management. New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards general manager Robin Congdon said this provided participants in the awards an additional way to receive recognition

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and learning and provide a valuable way to promote agribusiness skills training to the industry. “The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are not only a prestigious competition with hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes, they are a learning platform where people can secure their future, learn, connect and grow, both personally and professionally.” After entries close on November 16, judges will undertake a preliminary judging round in February and final round in March. The Canterbury/North Otago regional winners will be announced at a function at the Wigram Airforce Museum on March 19, with a field day on April 8.

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M. bovis: How it’s going in your district We’re often asked how we’re going with the job of the eradicating Mycoplasma bovis. The short answer is, we’re confident that we’re on track to get rid of it. There have been challenges and stumbles along the way, but they haven’t changed our confidence in achieving eradication. Of course, it’s more complex than that. The process of abolishing this debilitating bug is fraught: there’s uncertainty for farmers, animals have to be culled, and there’s pressure on rural families and their livelihoods. Unfortunately, Ashburton has had a ringside seat to the show no-one wanted to be a part of. To protect the productivity of the national herd, and for the long-term welfare of our cattle and farmers, it’s essential we work toward eradication. The Ashburton District has been hit hardest, with so many affected farms in the region, it can appear to be affecting everyone. However, at a national level, there have been only 195 farms with M. bovis, and less than four per cent of all farms in New Zealand have been under a Notice of Direction and required testing. So what’s happening in this district? At the time of writing, there are

Lydia Pomeroy.

three farms with cattle infected with M. bovis. Twenty-six farms have been infected, and are now free of the disease, allowing them to start getting back to business. That figure captures a moment in time, and cannot paint the full picture of what’s been achieved or what fluctuations Ashburton might experience ahead. It’s a similar story with the number of farms subject to movement restrictions (under a Notice of Direction or NOD) – 18. As the M. bovis programme

PHOTO SUPPLIED

continues to get faster at detecting infections, we will need to put more farms under restrictions to determine if they are infected. While there are consequences from a NOD – frustration, stress, and ambiguity – it demonstrates we’re actively tracking down M. bovis. Restricting animal movements while we assess the risk of infection is one of the key measures we take to reduce the risk of the bug spreading. The community here is one that’s very familiar with M. bovis. The programme’s response has been geared to meet local needs.

We have up to 10 staff working out of the Ashburton office, backed by a large team in Christchurch and colleagues at the national office in Wellington. We’re equipped and have capable and skilled personnel on the ground, meaning the workload is wellmanaged. Feedback – good and bad – from farmers is fundamental to our commitment to make continuous improvements to the programme, including local round-table meetings of farmers, industry, and programme partners. It’s a great place for all of us to stay up-to-date and share information. While we’re concentrating on defeating the disease, we’re also fully aware the lens is trained on the farming sector at the moment. You have a lot on your plate, and M. bovis adds to your busy lives. We know you care about your animals and your land. The programme shares that passion and we’re here for a good reason: to protect the entire industry and free the national herd from having to farm with this disease forever. By Lydia Pomeroy and Charlotte Austin, Mycoplasma bovis Programme North South Island Managers

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Dairy Focus

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Say cheese, Kiwi dairy farmers told The cheese market offers compelling global growth opportunities for the New Zealand dairy sector over the medium to longer term, despite some storm clouds brewing on the horizon, according to a recently-released report. In its report, Global Cheese Trade Dynamics, agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank says strong demand prospects for cheese in emerging markets, particularly Asia, will drive export market expansion. But, the report warns, it will not all be smooth sailing as the global trade environment looks set for a period of heightened volatility and uncertainty, and with cheese demand likely to be vulnerable to economic shocks. Report author, Rabobank senior dairy analyst Michael Harvey says cheese has established itself as an important driver of dairy export returns, with 11 per cent of cheese produced now traded on the global market. “Traded cheese volumes have grown by around three per cent per year since the turn of the decade,” he says, “with 70 per cent of trade coming out

of the EU, US, Australia, New Zealand and Argentina.” Harvey said cheese exports make up around 11 per cent of New Zealand’s total dairy export volumes and exports of cheese will continue to lift over time. “This increase will be largely driven by Fonterra, with $240m recently invested to expand the mozzarella capacity of its Clandeboye plant in South Canterbury,” he said. “And over coming years we expect to see cheese playing an increasing role in New Zealand’s dairy production profile.” Harvey says the export opportunities offered by cheese have not only driven heavy investment in cheese processing capacity in the local market, but also globally. “Over the past five years, over one million metric tonnes of new cheese production capacity has come on line globally, and, while that growth has been necessary, we are entering a period with potential excess capacity,” he says. “And this, together with intensifying competition

There’s a big future for cheese, says Rabobank’s Michael Harvey. PHOTO SUPPLIED

– particularly in Asia – will create some challenges for all export regions, despite the strong demand fundamentals.” Harvey says with New Zealand just emerging

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from the cycle of increased investment in cheese capacity, some of which still needs to come online, a more conservative approach to investment is warranted going forward. “The key to success will include staying agile, maintaining access to key offshore markets, scaled manufacturing and a culture of innovation.” Global competition in the global cheese market is also set to remain fierce, he says, “with China fuelling the race to conquer the Asian cheese market”. “But Asia will remain a key market for New Zealand cheese exports,” he says, “with New Zealand product having a good presence in the market and longstanding investment in market development putting us in good stead for the future.” Global cheese production has increased by 1.4 per cent per year since 2010, to more than 21 million metric tonnes in 2019. Half is produced in the EU. Harvey said outside of New Zealand, growth opportunities

were also significant among other key dairy exporting nations. “Over the past five years, Asia has emerged as the cornerstone of growth in global cheese trade as low per-capita cheese consumption, population growth, westernisation of diets and a growing preference for full-fat dairy all provide a platform for growing demand,” Harvey says. The report cautions it will not all be smooth sailing going forward. “These heightened risks include broad macroeconomic headwinds, with a slowing global economy, and a sluggish recovery, which could negatively impact consumer spending,” the report said. In particular, Harvey says exporters are having to contend with an increasingly volatile trade environment, “with mounting tensions between the US and China and more recently, the US and EU, as well as retaliatory tariffs and Brexit, which has the potential to disrupt over 500,000 metric tonnes of internal EU cheese exports to the UK”.

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Ashburton Guardian Celebrates 140 Years Of Service

BOER WAR, BRITAIN AND BURNETT STREET When Robert Bell strode to work in September 1900, he had a lot on his mind. The world was facing a new century and he’d purchased a partnership interest in the Ashburton Guardian. It was established 21 years earlier in 1879 and gone through a multitude of owners. That was to stop with Robert, a Scotsman, who was then manager of the Timaru Herald. Uppermost in his mind was the Transvaal War, later to be called the Boer or South African War. Sieges at Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking had been relieved and the Boer stronghold of Pretoria fell in June, 1900. Ashburton was bustling with patriotism. Committees were set up to raise funds for “our boys” over there.

to families and their letters were reprinted in the Guardian. Supporting Britain and her empire was seen as the right thing to do by the Guardian and its subscribers. Robert Bell also had local issues on his mind. The town was growing and there was a feeling of optimism among its people at the start of a new century. Robert wanted to capture that because, first and foremost, he intended to dedicate his daily newspaper to the community. He did. By 1902 he owned the Guardian and his influence extended to readers and advertisers who populated the front page. That commitment to Mid Canterbury has extended through four generations of his family to the present Owner/Publisher, Bruce Bell.

The Ashburton Rough Riders wrote home from South Africa

ASHBURTON GUARDIAN IS IN GOOD HANDS Ashburton has been enriched by the number of people born and educated in Mid Canterbury, gone away to experience the world and returned, contributing what they’ve learned to the community.

Assistant General Manager and a director of the Ashburton Guardian. When his father’s health started to fail, Bruce became General Manager at 31.

Bruce Bell, Owner/Publisher of the Ashburton Guardian, is a great example.

“At first I felt very underskilled, but I was a quick learner and surrounded myself with a good team,” he recalls. “The legacy of three generations before me, burdened me and it challenged me to be the best I could.”

As a fourth generation Mid Cantabrian, it was preordained he’d join the family firm and eventually take a leadership role. That was far from his mind when, at 17 and a few months, he started in the front office. Bruce took classifieds, proof-read the advertising and served at the counter but “the ink didn’t flow in my veins.” The Ashburton Guardian was his father’s life, not Bruce’s. “Dad was a deep, logical thinker and a good administrator. After dinner he’d spend more time working on the paper. For me the job put petrol in the car,” Bruce said. At 21 he left for London. His OE was overdue. Bruce loved his time away. One abiding memory was journeying 8,500 miles from London to Sri Lanka in a Morris Oxford. With suitcases perched on the roof, Bruce and four companions took eight weeks travelling through Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India before reaching their destination. When he returned he’d changed. “I went away as a boy and came back as a man,” Bruce said. “I realised I was the next generation of family members to run the business. I needed to settle down.” He also realised the importance of The Guardian to its readers. For nearly a hundred years it was the glue that held the community together. It reported on every major event locally, nationally and internationally. It was the independent voice of Mid Canterbury. Bruce realised his calling and set out to be the best administrator he could. To manage The Guardian, he had to learn how to run a business, so he enrolled in the New Zealand Institute of Management. From Assistant Advertising Manager, he became

It can be lonely at the top. Many people will testify to that. Bruce was blessed he had insurance salesman, Bob Elliott, as a sounding board. The following years were buoyant for the newspaper. Bruce developed a strong commercial sense and expanded the business. Guardian Print, then Inkwise, printing arm of the Guardian, printed over 180 different publications, specialist magazines and catalogues. The Guardian also became an internet service provider. But he never forgot the newspaper and its subscribers were his core business and an essential part of Mid Canterbury life. He contributed funding to many major projects such as the Ashburton Trust Event Centre and EA Networks Centre. With the advent of social media, Bruce was keenly aware of changing times in daily papers when huge monopolies purchased newspapers, stifling their independence and often closing the least profitable down. But not the Ashburton Guardian. Today it’s one of very few locally owned and operated papers. It’s open-minded, even-handed and unbiased and provides a depth of daily information that can’t be found anywhere else. “Every day I’m reminded of the Guardian’s value. I get tremendous pride when I see the newspaper on my desk and know I have an incredibly talented team to thank.” The next 10 years, as The Guardian approaches its 150th anniversary, will be a challenge but he’s dedicated to keeping the newspaper profitable. The ink well and truly flows in Bruce Bell’s veins.

“Tomorrow’s another day, another issue, another milestone on our journey. It’s also one where we want to take you with us”

Dairy Focus

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Raising the standard of hoof health Fred Hoekstra

VEEHOF DAIRY SERVICES

Finally, it’s happening! New Zealand is getting its own Dairy Hoofcare Institute. On November 28, the Dairy Hoofcare Institute NZ will be opened by Andrew Falloon in Ashburton. This institute will, as the name suggests, concentrate on the education and training of hoof care in cattle. Why would we need an institute like this you may ask? Hoof care in our cattle, together with infertility and mastitis, is amongst the top three animal health issues on our farms. It is a very costly problem and a very painful one for the cows. NZ has had a major advantage over the years when it comes to lameness because of our pasture-based farming systems. Thirty to 40 years ago we didn’t have much of a lameness issue at all, but since then our farming practices have intensified enormously. The average herd size in 1987 was around 150 cows, now it’s about 450 cows and the average kilogram of milksolids have gone up from 260kg/ cow to 360kg/cow in that time. The increase in lameness issues have followed on the heels of intensification, however, our skill level hasn’t improved accordingly. Many farmers and farm staff are telling me that all the training they had was a 20-minute demonstration from their employer. Lots of farmers have done a hoof trimming course with the local vet practice, but the vets, with all due respect, are often not sufficiently trained in hoof health and trimming themselves. To try and put the skill level of effective hoof trimming into perspective, in Europe, where hoof trimming has been a professional occupation for decades, people study and train for 14 months. After the 14 months of trimming cows’ feet, under full-time supervision, 40 per cent still fail the exam, which gives some indication of just how much is involved in doing proper hoof care. It demands a lot more skill than peeling a potato, for example. I have been running hoof trimming workshops and courses in New Zealand for many years now. I have also had the privilege of training most of the professional hoof trimmers in New Zealand. I completed my qualifications as a hoof trimmer and instructor through the Dairy Training Centre in Oenkerk, Netherlands. These qualifications are the art of trimming cows feet according to the Dutch method. This method was developed by E.

Sandy Hoekstra, Fred Hoekstra and Frikkie Greybe from Veehof.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

Toussaint Raven, in conjunction with the Dairy Training Centre in Oenkerk and the University of Utrecht (NL). It is the most respected method in the farming industry worldwide and it has proven to be very effective in New Zealand as well. Since completing my qualifications, an opportunity came up to partner with the Dairy Training Centre in Oenkerk. This partnership means that we are able to teach the curriculum of DTC, and we can offer exams which allows the successful candidates an industryrecognised qualification. In order to guarantee quality, my skills and abilities need to be reassessed every two years. This also means that the qualification and the training can now be given through an official training institute. So, by starting up the Dairy Hoofcare Institute, we are trying to lift the standards of hoof trimming in New Zealand to the level where we can regain control over the lameness status on our farms. We are making high-quality training available for farmers, veterinarians, hoof trimmers and anyone else who has an interest in cattle farming and hoof health!

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What if you could reduce your NPK fertiliser cost by 50%? BY NOW we all understand that applying fertiliser or growing almost anything increases your soil acidity or lowers the pH of the soil. All good farmers apply Aglime to correct this acidification, however the final target pH level for optimum nutrient availability is and always has been a moving target. The absolute building blocks of growth such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Calcium, Sulphur and Magnesium, are theoretically not even close to their peak availability at a pH of 5.5. The table below goes some way to indicate what the approximate nutrient availability is at various pH levels. As you can see below, a pH at 5.5 seems inefficient and illogical. However, at the pH between 6 and 6.5 availability increases exponentially and even starts peaking across many nutrients.

WHAT IS THE OPTIMAL PH AND WHY?

Your soil’s pH is one of the

key drivers in what nutrients are available to the plant. With a pH that is too low (sub 5.5pH) some real nasties like Aluminum and Manganese may be available and can heavily diminish growth or even kill crops. On the inverse, a pH near 7 or neutral, can be too high and limit the availability of Zinc and Manganese. The general consensus locally is that a pH of 5.5-5.8 is ‘good enough’, but the science just doesn’t back this up. 5

5.5

6.5

7.5

8.5

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ACIDITY NITROGEN PHOSPHORUS POTASSIUM SULPHUR CALCIUM MAGNESIUM IRON

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“One aspect that has baffled us for years, is the apparent disconnect between fertiliser application and the availability or efficiency of the very nutrient being applied due to soil acidity.“

Almost every element of a fertiliser is represented in the nutrient availability table to the left. When you are spending good money on fertiliser, you should be damn concerned if your advisors aren’t ensuring that the nutrient you are applying is at or near maximum availability. If they are not, you need to ask yourself why not, maybe they have a vested interest in selling more fertiliser? In the grand scheme of things, liming is relatively cheap, especially when you consider that a shift in pH could potentially double the efficiency of a fertiliser in both the short and long term. The table to the right indicates this point and goes some way to show how a capital investment in liming may affect your overall and ongoing annual fertiliser spend.

To see the results for yourself, get in touch today for a quote: 0800 303 980 • www.vlime.co.nz

FERTILISER EFFICIENCY AT VARIOUS SOIL PH VALUES

Soil pH

N Efficiency

P Efficiency

K Efficiency

Overall Fertilizer Efficiency

pH = 6.5

95%

63%

100%

86%

pH = 6.0

89%

52%

100%

80%

pH = 5.5

77%

48%

77%

67%

pH = 5.0

53%

34%

52%

56%

vanRoestel, J. (2014, March). The Value of Maintaining a Good soil pH.

CAPITAL LIMING TO LIFT TO AN OPTIMAL PH OF 6.2 – 6.5

As a rule of thumb 1 tonne/ha of high quality Aglime will raise the pH by 0.1 pH unit. Therefor a 6 tonne/ha application is required to increase the pH from 5.7 to 6.3. To maintain the optimum pH of 6.2-6.5, maintenance applications of at least 500kg per annum will be required. The above rates are based on high quality Aglime, and not all lime is created equal. Ensure your Aglime supply has a Lime Equivalency or ‘As delivered’ Calcium Carbonate content of 90% or greater. The particle size should meet New Zealand Aglime standards of 50% passing .5mm and no more than 10% passing

2mm to allow good even spreading and consistent long term release into the soil. Consider solubility and ensure you are dealing with a limestone resource that has been proven to lift pH as expected. Talk to a few neighbors, they will know the history. Keep in mind we can mix your fertiliser(s) with Aglime prior to dispatch to make your annual applications even more cost effective. FREE SOIL PH TESTING

We have a full laboratory based at our Coalgate site and are more than happy to pH test your Soil free of charge. We also have loan soil probes and sample bags available.