Dairy Focus

An Ashburton Guardian Supplement

July 2012

Life in the dairy fish bowl Pages 2-3-4

Synlait recognised all around the world Pages 8-9

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Dairy Focus July 2012

The Millers farm with pride Rebecca Miller is one busy dairy farmer. She and husband Brent are busy growing their own business, and Rebecca is regional convener for the Mid Canterbury branch of the Dairy Women’s Network.

The branch has around 200 members who meet regularly throughout the year, sharing information about the industry and raising the knowledge bar for all involved.

Spectrum’s Tower Rakaia dairy Linda Clarke, farmers Rebecca Peak Station, a dry rural reporter, and Brent Miller live stock support unit Ashburton Guardian in a fish bowl. Their based in Te Anau, 1070-cow farm winters up to 4000 borders State Highway 1 just north heifers but most of the Millers’ of the Rakaia overbridge and every herd is wintered at Hororata. With man and his dog can see what they calving due to start, there is plenty are up to. to do on the farm.

Rebecca says the couple joke Brent, 32, and Rebecca, 34, met about living in the limelight but back in 1997 when Brent was at they farm with pride, knowing Telford with Rebecca’s brother the cows and land they manage Graham. The couple both come are regularly scrutinised by from farming families and have passing dairy farmers and often photographed by tourists taken by worked on dairy farms all around the green grass, black and white New Zealand. It was a deliberate cows and snowcapped mountains. mission to know as much about the industry as possible, Rebecca says.

The Millers are farm managers They decided Mid Canterbury, with on Burmont Holdings, a 285ha opportunity for large-scale farming, property owned by the Spectrum Group. This new season will be their was the best place to be and “headfourth with the group, which has 12 hunted” Spectrum to give them a dairy farms in Canterbury. job for the 2009-10 season.

Story continues over page

An advertising supplement of the Ashburton Guardian Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Ashburton Guardian Publication date: July 24, 2012 Next issue: August 21, 2012 We welcome any correspondence to either: Amanda Wright, phone 307-7927 email: amanda.w@theguardian.co.nz Linda Clarke, phone 307-7971 email: linda.c@theguardian.co.nz

Photos Amanda Joyce 170712-AJ-008

Rakaia dairy farmers Rebecca and Brent Miller with daughter Rhianna, 2.

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Dairy Focus July 2012

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They found themselves on Rangitata Island, milking 750 cows. Rebecca said it was a lonely existence and she decided to follow up a suggestion from Spectrum boss Sue van der Poel to start a new group in the area to meet other people.

It ran a calving information day recently, with 60 people turning up.

“Calving is one of the most important times. We are all focussed on it and we all want a great calving. It is a job often done by women. It is quite a maternal thing and She started by asking other women in the we have a lot of patience to give to the area if they wanted to meet for a coffee. It future of the herd.” was the beginning of a new branch of the She said the network was a great vehicle Dairy Women’s Network. for spreading information, as well as making “There were four women at the first friends. meeting, then 10 at the next, then 20, and it “It is a transient industry. We are focussed peaked at 40,” Rebecca says. on bridging that change and getting out of Though she and Brent left for Burmont a our comfort zone to meet others. season later, the group is still going strong “You work on the farm and sometimes under new leadership. don’t see many people. If your networks Rebecca now runs activities for the Dairy are not at school, or your kids have left Women’s Network Mid Canterbury branch. school, there can be few opportunities for

interaction with other like-minded people.” and visible from the state highway.

Rebecca uses IT skills learned when she worked as a graphic designer to make the most of her communication with network members, the Spectrum community and the five permanent staff members who work on Burmont.

Rebecca said they took pride in the farm environment and in the condition of their herd. They are planting natives and have plans to establish an orchard that will also supply fruit to workers.

They are constantly improving their business knowledge, setting goals and trying to achieve a healthy work-life “My first purchase was a computer at 15. I balance. They lock in family time for their am not a nerd, but I know how to use it. It is three young children, Blake, 7, Blair, 4, and a great tool.”

Rhianna, 2.

You can see the Millers’ farm from State She said they were currently involved in Highway 1; it is just three minutes north a Lincoln-based focus group challenging of Rakaia, looking west. The property is concepts in the industry around stress and dissected by South Two Chain Road, with the 50-bail dairy shed on the eastern side fatigue in the dairy industry.

Her staff rosters are colour-coded and financial documents, reports and spreadsheets have a “wow” factor.

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Dairy Focus July 2012 170712-AJ-044

The Millers with their skilled workers on Burmont Holdings.

“They have identified a shortage of skilled workers on dairy farms, not only in Canterbury, but around New Zealand.

But where will these workers come from?

There is stress and fatigue in the industry, we need to get that in check to provide an environment which will appeal to all people considering work in the dairy industry.”

Visit the Dairy Women’s Network website www.dwn.co.nz to find out more about the Mid Canterbury branch, or get in touch with Rebecca by phoning 027-444-5677.

will be needed in central Canterbury if the South Rakaia Irrigation Schemes plan to irrigate another 30,000ha go ahead and another 120,000 dairy cows come into the district.

farm owners, managers, sharemilkers, and professionals like accountants, who all have a different point of view on stress and fatigue. “It’s been a real eyeopener.”

The industry has identified it will need Robust rosters and excellent systems are important, as is policies, time management hundreds new qualified farm employees per year to keep up with growth demand. and communication.

She said the focus group involved dairy

At least 600 qualified dairy farm workers

“There is good development in the industry.” The focus is on good conditioned cows, well managed farm, staff satisfaction and effluent in check. Right now they are saving madly for that transition, and growing their skill base. Rebecca, who looks after the financials and HR, is planning to start a bachelor of business through the open polytechnic next year.

Rebecca says Canterbury is abuzz with dairy farmers who want to be both profitable and environmentally sustainable. Change was inevitable, she said. “You have to keep up with it and be prepared to meet She and Brent are part of that movement and have plans to progress as sharemilkers. the challenges ahead.”

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Dairy Focus July 2012 This year is shaping up as a bumpy one for the international dairy industry, with the worst US drought since Ronald Reagan was president and thousands of European dairy farmers taking to the streets in protest.

it comes from a season right out of the box. Westland Milk Willy Leferink Chairperson Federated Products has also lowered Farmers’ Dairy Section its milksolids pay-out range for the season just ended, to between $6 and $6.20 kg/MS.

“We seem to be staring down the barrel of a global dairy crisis, which could benefit New Zealand’s dairy farmers,” says Willy Leferink, Federated Farmers’ dairy chairperson.

New Zealand gingerly navigates a global dairy crisis

“An act of nature in the United States and subsidies elsewhere are putting dairy farmers under the most unimaginable pressure.

WeatherWatch’s Philip Duncan says half of the continental United States is now in drought.

“The world’s largest corn crop is withering and that’s a key marker because US dairy and beef production is grain dependent. US grain prices have climbed a quarter in the past three weeks and corn is following suit.”

The US is the world’s third largest dairy exporter behind New Zealand and the European Union.

“In the United Kingdom, thousands of dairy farmers have marched in London to protest milk pay-outs lower than the cost of production. That’s due to a vicious supermarket price war.

“Hundreds of dairy farmers from Italy, Germany, Ireland and France have gone further, spraying milk outside the European Parliament. While it tells me they have no RMA-type legislation, it shows a sense of frustration in a world that needs this food.

“Here, New Zealand milk is unsubsidised and most of it is sold through co-operatives for export; we are not at the mercy of supermarkets or domestic processors.

“Before drought struck, US dairy production growth was slowing but the brakes will be fully on now. I’ve heard estimates the United “Local retail dairy prices are directly tied to States Department of Agriculture’s modest 0.2 the international market place and while they per cent growth forecast may turn into a 2 per rode the commodities wave up, that same cent fall,” Mr Leferink said. wave means retail prices have come down.”

“This is important because Fonterra In the space of 12 months, fresh milk has Co-operative Group’s opening season milk fallen 8 per cent while cheddar is down 16 per price forecast of $3.85 per kilogram of cent and butter has dropped 24 per cent. milksolids (kg/MS), is down on last season’s opening of $4.40 kg/MS. “We just hope what’s good for consumers in the short term won’t turn sour for ‘NZ Inc’ “While the season just ended may return Fonterra’s farmers $6.05 kg/MS for their milk, longer term,” Mr Leferink said.

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Dairy Focus July 2012

Westland Milk Products celebrates 75 years New Zealand’s second biggest dairy co-operative, Westland Milk Products, last week celebrated 75 years of being an indomitable ‘David’ in the ‘Goliath’ that is New Zealand’s dairy industry.

operative Dairy Company in 1937. Other Coast dairy companies folded or joined over the ensuing years, the latest being Karamea which joined the Westland Co-operative in 1987.

Even bigger change was to come in 2001 when the Dairy Board was broken up, its monopoly on exports dissolved and its assets distributed to the industry.

Competition among dairy interests ensued.

Coast dairy farmers voted emphatically to form their own independent co-operative, Events during anniversary week included to be in control of their own destiny, a special day for suppliers, a gala dinner and allowing continued growth in dairy farming an open day at its Hokitika plant. and processing on the West Coast.

Dairy farming has been present on the “Since then,” says chief executive Rod West Coast for almost 150 years with Quin, “Westland Milk Products has more the Hokitika Dairy Company formed in than held its own in the dairy world. We 1868. Other, often quite localised, dairy have grown, expanded into Canterbury, co-operatives followed. Westland Cool developed new products and found new Storage and Dairy Company Ltd, Kokatahi markets, especially in China and South Co-operative and Waitaha Co-operative East Asia, where the potential for growth is enormous.” formed the nucleus of the Westland CoThe Hokitika-based company, which also has an office and plant in Rolleston, not only looked to its colourful past, but also celebrated its future as a successful independent, award-winning dairy cooperative.

The jubilee is not only a celebration of a company; it is a celebration of people. The fiercely independent and pioneering spirit of Coasters is still alive and well in Westland Milk Products.

“Our success has been driven by the inspiration and adaptability of our farmer shareholders, who willingly stepped into the independent company arena and embraced new technology, on farm and in the factory,” says Westland board of directors chair Matt O’Regan.

“As a united co-operative we have surrounded ourselves with practical and passionate people who are committed to the same principles that applied 75 years ago and which remain our foundation.”

Mr O’Regan points to Westland’s worldclass manufacturing plant in Hokitika and the company’s annual turnover of some $525 million.

“We are often billed as a David to the

Goliath that is the dominant force in the New Zealand dairy industry. In a way it is an apt metaphor, but it’s also worth remembering that by New Zealand standards we are pretty big in our own right. We might be a smaller player on the New Zealand dairy scene but, nationally we are in the top 100 New Zealand businesses by turnover, and we market to more than 70 customers in more than 40 different countries around the world.”

Expansion into Canterbury in search of more suppliers to feed the company’s continued growth has been its more recent landmark, but Westland Milk Products remains staunchly in the heart of the Coast and firmly committed to Hokitika.

“We are Coast-formed, and the imagery, quality of production, and the culture of the Coast is at our heart. That, as much as anything else, is what we’ll be celebrating in jubilee week,” Mr O’Regan says.

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Dairy Focus July 2012

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Photo supplied

Matt O’Regan (chairman) and Rod Quin (CEO).

Company history timeline Dairy farming present on the West Coast for almost 150 years with Hokitika Dairy company formed in 1868.

Those were the days of separation of milk on-farm and the cream collected by horse and cart for butter production at the local factory. The skim milk was fed to pigs.

whole milk could begin. This also meant that more value could be delivered from the milk by selling the skim milk powder as well as the butter. Westland’s skim milk powder factory was the first of its kind in the South Island.

For the next 40 years or so the company developed a reputation for producing Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s a range of high quality butters and milk numerous co-operatives were formed on the powders, many of which had specific West Coast and companies and properties that were unusual, yet important co-operatives were merging and new ones to the offshore customers. This included being created – not always amicably! being stable in the customers’ onward processes.

Some examples of the co-ops of the day were – Grey Valley Dairy Company, Kokatahi In 2001 Westland Milk Products Dairy Company, Karamea Co-operative Dairy shareholders took the courageous decision Factory Company and the Buller Valley Cool to remain independent when the company Storage and Dairy Company. that was to become Fonterra was created.

Eventually in 1937 Westland Milk Products This decision reflected the independent spirit of their farming forebears and ensured was formed, accounting for the majority of the retention of the processing plant on the milk production on the Coast. However it West Coast. It also indicated the unity and wasn’t until 1987 that the Karamea Cosolidarity unique to the Coast. operative amalgamated with Westland to make it the only one on the Coast.

The move away from the old Dairy Board structure also meant that new skills and In 1968 the industry was transformed with the technology to enable spray drying expertise in research and development, sales and marketing were brought into the of skim milk. This meant that instead of organisation – a radical change for Westland. collecting cream only, the collection of

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An office in Christchurch was set up along with warehousing, bringing the company closer to Lyttelton Port.

In 2005 a specialist protein plant was commissioned. This enabled production of a new set of products used in specialist commodities such as sports nutrition bars and powders. In 2008 Westland purchased a share in EasiYo and in 2010 acquired 100 per cent ownership.

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In addition the company was recently named finalist in three categories of the 2012 New Zealand International Business Awards, winning the top award for Best Use of Research and Development in International Business.

This took Westland from being supplier to owner of this iconic New Zealand brand.

Turning over $30m in 2011, EasiYo was also a finalist in its category, Best Business Operating Internationally - $10m to $50m, at the 2012 New Zealand International Business Milk is sourced from more than 330 Awards. predominantly West Coast farmer The September 2010 earthquake severely shareholders, with a growing shareholder affected the Rolleston office but fortunately base in Canterbury. the stock was largely untouched and few About 85 per cent of the company’s orders to customers were affected. products are exported to more than 40 In 2011, for the first time in the company’s countries worldwide. history, milk was collected outside the West More than 360 staff are employed between Coast. This was the first stage of Westland’s its two sites in Hokitika and Rolleston. development into Nutritional Products.

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Dairy Focus July 2012

Recognition on a globa Synlait’s general manager of manufacturing Neil Betteridge and nutritional plant manager Phil O’Malley recently returned from the 5th International Symposium on Spray Dried Dairy Products held in Saint-Malo, France.

globally each year on spray dryers.

Mr Betteridge had been invited to speak at the symposium, the purpose of which was to get users of spray dryers together to share knowledge, and keep up to date on the latest technologies.

Mr Betteridge’s presentation on Synlait Milk’s rapid development and subsequent global success was well received by more than 1000 delegates who attended the event. They were mostly from dairy companies, equipment fabrication companies or research and development organisations from over 34 countries.

Mr Betteridge and Mr O’Malley were able to share notes with some of the leading infant formula companies in the world, such as Nestle, Danone and Mead Johnston.

Synlait Milk has three spray dryers making a range of nutritional products from value-added commodities, colostrum powders and buttermilk powders, through to infant formula. Over 10 million tonnes of dairy products are manufactured

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Phil O’Malley

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Neil Betteridge

al scale for Synlait Milk achievement of Synlait Milk over the past five years from when construction on the more than $200 million diary processing site began.

Since then four processing plants have been built and the company exports its products to more than 50 countries. It has become one of Canterbury’s largest companies, processing 500 million litres of milk a year from around 150 dairy farms, and employing over 130 staff. Revenue growth has followed suit and Synlait expects to turnover $400 million this financial year.

When Mr Betteridge asked the delegates who had heard of Synlait, a relatively small company operating out of Dunsandel in Canterbury, more

than half of them had. This is great anecdotal evidence of how quickly Synlait Milk’s reputation and strong brand is becoming recognised on the global stage.

Mr Betteridge and Mr O’Malley received several comments congratulating the company on its capability, and the excellent work it had done to maintain strong growth during global financial uncertainty and the seismic activity in Canterbury over the past two years. Following on from the Symposium Mr Betteridge and Mr O’Malley met with the leading spray drying manufacturers in the world, being GEA and Tetra Pak. They were impressed that for a small company, it has six professional engineers, five trained at Canterbury.

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Dairy Focus July 2012

Chlorhexidine teat sprays new mastitis weapon Mid Canterbury dairy farmers are being asked farms and improving milk quality. to try a new chlorhexidine teat spray in their “This is a great initiative and resource for battle to keep mastitis rates down. the dairy industry and there is room for With calving just beginning, the udder improvement - TeatX is a big part of the infection is a hot topic; Dairy NZ estimates solution,” he said. The trial involved 9459 cows mastitis costs the New Zealand dairy industry and mastitis cases were cut by one-third. That around $280 million each year. represented a saving of $21 for every cow in the trial.

Deosan is promoting its reformulated chlorhexidine teat spray, TeatX, to reduce herd “While mastitis is multi-factorial, in this infection rate and lower bulk milk somatic cell case there was a substantial improvement in count. teat condition which resulted in decreased BMSCC from 201,000 to 167,000 and 248 less Deosan New Zealand’s managing director clinical cases. This improvement was largely Kip Bodle said reducing mastitis would attributable to the swap from iodine to improve profits for dairy farmers. Infected cows need treatment with antibiotics and Teat-Ex, the precursor to TeatX. And our new must be removed from the herd, they can be formulation, TeatX, will deliver even better out of “business” for at least four days. results.

He said TeatX was trailled on a Synlait farm “While New Zealand farmers have during the 2011-12 season, and reduced traditionally used iodine-based teat spray mastitis by a third, saving almost $200,000. products, we are noticing a sea change with a large number now switching to chlorhexidine Heifers calving for the first time were more sprays,” Mr Bodle said. “Iodine is acidic and susceptible to mastitis so it was timely for harsh on the cow’s skin whereas TeatX has a dairy farmers to consider how best to deal neutral pH which helps prevent teat damage with it. occurring in the first place. Less teat damage Mr Bodle said TeatX’s release coincided perfectly with DairyNZ’s SmartSAMM website means fewer infections and more profit.” that launched recently with the aim of reducing the incidence of mastitis on dairy

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stable compared to all other chlorhexidine teat sprays, remaining clear and in solution when exposed to residual chemical and water contamination. Other chlorhexidine products are extremely vulnerable to precipitation, which can result in the active ingredient ‘bombing out’.”

The TeatX formula also enables chlorhexidine to penetrate soil and the oily layer on cows’ teats much quicker than its competitors. “Penetration speed in teat spray is something farmers should be far more aware of. Active ingredients and emollient in He said that while significant improvements TeatX can’t do the job if it simply runs off the have been made to improve New Zealand’s skin,” he said. average BMSCC, there is still a need to further Deosan’s new formula contains 33 per cent reduce this level across the industry and more active ingredient than its predecessor improvement in teat condition plays a huge to deliver greater killing power in the spring part towards achieving this goal. when cows are more susceptible to mastitis.

“We know that teat condition is one of TeatX also has 10 per cent more emollient to the key issues in the prevention of mastitis. ensure better teat condition and is approved Chlorhexidine is just as effective at killing for use at higher dilution rates for later in the bugs as iodine and TeatX has been proven to season to help farmers save money. outperform every other chlorhexidine teat “TeatX will certainly help dairy farmers sprays on the market. produce more milk solids. By improving teat “Teat sprays are vulnerable to shed chemical condition, lowering the BMSCC and reducing contamination and poor water quality which clinicals, farmers can improve their milk yield is a big issue in New Zealand milking sheds. while reducing treatment costs and ultimately Independent testing shows TeatX is the most the number of cows which need to be culled.”

“There is a growing shift in the dairy market and our research indicates 30 per cent of farmers now prefer to use chlorhexidine teat spray due to its ability to improve teat condition,” Mr Bodle said.

Dairy Focus July 2012

An Australian perspective Australian scientist Darold Klindworth was one of the experts presenting papers at this year’s DairyNZ Farmers Forum at Mystery Creek in May. These are his thoughts on improving milk production through better stock handling.

Summary • Thinking like a cow can make dairying much more pleasant • Improved stock handling can improve milk production and be safer • Cows are hard wired to respond to certain stimuli • Every milking should be calm, quiet and consistent.

I find it interesting that many people working in the dairy industry are not aware of some of the basic points of animal behaviour. Working with the animals rather than against them makes the work safer, more pleasant and productive for everyone.

Thinking like a cow can make working with the herd a more positive experience for both animals and humans. The goal in working with animals is to make them decide to do what we want them to do in a timely fashion and to think it is their idea.

Where has the cow come from?

Introduction

the majority of the herd. As a result of being potential food, cattle developed responses to a number of stimuli that are hard wired into their brain.

This hard wiring is still there in our modern cattle Loud noises mean that cattle must take notice.

They may be reacting to the roar of the sabertooth tiger. Cattle have a good sense of smell.

Some smells will communicate danger. Urine from stressed cows will communicate this stress to other animals in the area as does the smell of blood. Rapid movement catches the eye and suggests potential danger. Perhaps this reminds them of the danger of the saber-tooth tiger rushing in for the kill.

First of all, let’s consider the cow and its evolutionary development. Before cattle were Milk harvesting and milking in particular domesticated they lived in a herd environment Because these responses are hard wired, only are the most important jobs on a dairy farm. and roamed around looking for feed and shelter. the most placid of cows will not respond in some Unfortunately, this work is often just tolerated.

Cows would raise a calf and life was not too way.

Milking is often seen as a thankless chore that demanding. They certainly were not being needs to be completed to get it out of the way. In chased to a dairy at 5am and being pushed into Most people working with cattle will be some cases, there is just too much testosterone cramped sheds. aware of the strong social hierarchy that exists involved when working with cows. in a herd. This is a very important point to However, this life was not all fun and games. understand as it impacts on some very common It has been reported that improved stock The price for this lifestyle was being food for farming behaviours. handling has resulted in 5 per cent or more milk predators. The herd structure was designed in the vat/silo. to help improve the chances of survival of Story continues on page 12

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12

Dairy Focus July 2012

Moving the herd to the dairy for milking Let’s consider moving the herd to the dairy. In Australia around milking time in the afternoon it is common to hear horns honking, dogs barking, and on occasions someone yelling. This sound is often backed up by someone riding a motor bike under the tail of the last cow in the herd.

Can you really push a herd from the rear? Not really. Why? Consider social dominance. The dominant animals and least dominant animals.

Who is at the rear of the herd? The lower dominance animals. Can we realistically believe these animals can push the more dominant animals? Pushing the herd too hard means that the animals are pushed too close together.

Stressed cows get an adrenalin rush. This will hinder good milk let down for up to 30 minutes.

that. Rotaries provide individual spaces for cows.

The main thing to make sure of is that the space you want the cow to stand in while being milked Some farms find that they can open the gate at is large enough. milking time and let the herd come to the dairy on their own. If necessary, after a reasonable Pushing, shoving and belting with poly pipe time someone may go down and follow up stresses cows and people. Poly pipe should be stragglers. Cows arrive at the dairy relaxed and banned in the dairy – at least the belting/hitting comfortable. The former cow pusher is still part. relaxed and calm.

If there are not space/comfort issues and As the herd moves down the laneway they are milking is comfortable and pleasant then cows roughly in the order that they will be milked in. should enter the milking platform willingly. The As they move into the yard they will fill the yard job of the milker should be putting milk in the roughly in that order. This can be important if vat/silo. The job should not be a battle of wills they must enter the yard from the middle of between humans and cows. Too frequently the yard rather than at the end. In that case you leaving the milking station and going out into may get the first part of the yard filled and then the yard trains cows to wait for the stimulus of need to push the rest in as they must rearrange someone coming out before they will enter. themselves once they get into the yard.

Going out quickly into the yard will generally Yard space is also important. Too small a yard mean some cows move rapidly sideways. This and cows must be pushed in causing stress to quick sideways motion may lead to some all parties. How can you tell if the herd is too chance of lameness. It also may mix up the cows’ crowded in the yard? Once again the heads are organisation leading to further issues getting up. cows into the dairy.

What visual clue is there that indicates the cattle are too close together? Their heads are up.

Why is that a bad thing? The placing of the cow’s feet is very important for them. There is a lot of weight being placed on each hoof. Cows walk with their head down scanning the area ahead of them. Foot placement is very important. When you look at the bottom of the hoof you see it is a very small area carrying in excess of 100 kg.

Milking should be a pleasant experience for Much of the bottom of the hoof is sensitive to both cows and milkers. Cows do not like to be in bruising if the hoof is placed on a hard object. contact with another cow too long. The milking For us to judge if a surface is hoof friendly we can space should be comfortable. Many dairies are check it by walking on it with bare feet. too small for the current cows. Some dairies were Why are the cows being pushed? Often built for smaller cows and the current animals because the person with the task of bringing up are too big and getting bigger. the herd would rather be somewhere else. Often In herringbone sheds, the first cow in a row/run when they get to the dairy they are already may not want to be shoved into the exit gate. stressed themselves. They do not value the Bail dividers or stall gates make a difference to benefits from moving cattle calmly.

Getting cows into the dairy

To our newest readers north of Rakaia, welcome to Guardian Farming, your free local rural monthly publication, produced by the Ashburton Guardian.

This magazine and its sister publication, Dairy Focus, are especially for the Canterbury farmer, packed to the brim with the latest news, profiles and comments from local farming personalities and including everything that is relative to the industry.

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Dark shadows, blinding lights, distractions, unfamiliar objects, shiny surfaces can all cause cows to not move freely in and out of a dairy.

If backing gates are used, they should only be taking up empty space and not being used as bull dozers to push cattle.

Dairies well designed for straight through cow movement with plenty of cow space and a pleasant milking experience should have good cow flow. Remember, every milking should be calm, quiet and consistent!

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Dairy Focus July 2012

13

Getting to the root cause of lameness

I still come across a lot of people who struggle to believe what I am saying in my articles. It seems to be so engrained in people’s minds that a bruise in the hoof comes from standing on a stone. The scientists and advisors who make that claim have done a good job in telling their story but it just simply isn’t true.

There is no evidence to support that claim.

If anything I believe I have disproven it (see my previous articles) yet it is so hard to get people to take it on board. Why is that? I can only speculate for an answer but I wonder if it just feels safer.

I guess if we have a multimillion dollar business, and we experience a high incidence rate of lameness with a high price tag attached to it, then we want to play it

walking surface and so I let safe and do the things that this person walk on a tar reduce the lameness as Fred Hoekstra Veehof Dairy sealed road, then they will quickly as possible. I am all Services still be limping if an ingrown for this, and I would never toe nail is the cause of the say that you can push your problem even though they cows as hard as you like on the track or in the yard and it wouldn’t make may be walking easier on tar seal. any difference. That would be a dumb thing In the same way, a cow with laminitis to say especially when it is quite obvious will walk easier on a well-drained smooth to see that you do end up with more lame track than on a stony track, but it is still cows when you do that. not the track that caused the problem.

It only aggravated a problem that was So is that enough to prove that pushing already there. So why then do we see a and standing on stones causes lameness? big improvement when we upgrade the No! If I see a person walking on a gravel road with a bit of a limp then I haven’t got tracks? We need to ask this question: is it enough information by just looking at this because of less physical force on the hooves person from a distance to know what makes or because of something else? I believe it is something else because I still don’t see any this person limp. If I conclude that this person is limping because of a very uneven evidence of trauma to the foot.

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A cow needs about 21 hours per day in the paddock for eating, resting, socialising and drinking. That leaves three hours per day to walk the cows from the paddock to the cow shed, milk them and walk them back again twice a day. So that is only 1.5 hours per milking all up. Most farmers don’t manage that.

If you have rough tracks and you improve them then you also improve the cow flow on the tracks. Cows spend less time on them so there is more time in the paddock which means less stress therefore less laminitis. I believe that this is of far greater consequence than most of us appreciate and therefore to be a much more important factor than the actual physical force.

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Dairy Focus July 2012

Test run as 60 new staff kick into gear at Fonterra Darfield

The new 60-strong team at Fonterra been familiarising themselves with Darfield is into its final few weeks of the systems by visiting four of the trials before the first milk arrives. co-op’s 26 sites around the country, including Te Rapa and Whareroa in Fonterra Canterbury Operations the North Island and Clandeboye Manager Richard Gray says everyone is excited to see their hard and Edendale in the South Island. work come to fruition as the site “While it’s still very early days, it’s transitions from a building phase already clear that the new team has into trialling and then into full a real depth of skills and experience. operations.

And it’s been great to see most of this talent coming from the local “Safety and quality are our top priorities and, with all the team on area,” he said. board, our focus is on testing the Career opportunities at the new new plant’s processes with water,” site have been a good option for he said. those affected by the Christchurch earthquake, says Mike O’Dea, one New members of the team have

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Dairy Focus July 2012

15

of the new packing operators at the “We’ve had a great response plant. from locals with three quarters of the jobs going to people from the “Earthquake damage meant Canterbury region.”

Canterbury Brewery had to be shut and I was made redundant.

Fifty more positions will be added But when one door closes another in 2013 when the site’s second dryer opens and it’s great to have this comes on line. opportunity,” Mr O’Dea said.

When both dryers are fully “There’s a big emphasis on operational the site will process up excellence on site. I’m the last eyes to 6.6 million litres of milk. on the product before the customer sees it.”

“This will further optimise Mr Gray said there is high demand Fonterra’s production and product for roles at the new site, both from mix for New Zealand milk, which locals and from people around the is an important platform for our strategy,” Mr Gray said. country.

When one door closes another opens: Former Canterbury Brewery worker Mike O’Dea is now part of the team at Fonterra Darfield.

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Dairy Focus July 2012

Calving season rolls around once again has a significant cost. A cow or calf Ian Hodge, and for many of us this means a few may appear normal but has a disease BVSc. MACVSc. months of hard work. I have always which may be limiting its potential. For Riverside Veterinary found calving time to be a pleasant interest you may like to visit the Dairy Services Ltd challenge seeing all those new calves New Zealand website and work through come in to the world, and seeing the the mastitis cost calculator. You will be cows once again reach their full potential in the milking surprised at the extra profit available through achieving shed. better mastitis control. Likewise newborn calves need prompt care when they become ill. Diarrhoea caused by Over the years I have stressed to farmers that during viruses is very common and can quickly result in death calving time attention to detail is important. Herds are if treatment is not early and complete. Perhaps the most made up of many individuals and every one counts. important aspect of treating calves with diarrhoea, Each cow, heifer or calf is entitled to the attention and alongside rehydration therapy, is to maintain a high treatment it deserves and in a timely way. energy supply at all times.

Good stock people are good observers: they are As calving progresses milking routines need to vigilant to the animals around them and they know become established to help prevent mastitis. Things when something is not right. They act on their intuition to pay particular attention to are teat spray coverage, to see that major catastrophes are avoided. consistency and strength, teat health, milk out and Sadly not all cows and calves make it through calving hygiene in the shed. Keep calf pens dry and clean and without a health issue. Cows can be affected by uterine minimise traffic between calf and cow shed. Use foot diseases and mastitis as well as general illnesses and baths and wash calf feeding utensils in very hot water. lameness. These diseases can cost you dearly in terms of Finally there are many people available to assist you lost production. when you need it so make use of the help. Vets are There is always a component of the disease we cannot ready, keen and willing to get involved to help you have see that is the sub clinical part of the disease which a successful and profitable calving season.

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Calving season around