Dairy Focus April 2011

Page 1

An Ashburton Guardian Supplement

FOCUS Issue 35 - April 19, 2011

Award winners’ recipe for success P3 Delving into the price of milk P4

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Contents Staying clean and green comes with a cost It seems a strange paradox that as the world’s food supply becomes even more limited with a growing population, consumers expect more accountability in the way it is produced and distributed. In my opinion New Zealanders are fortunate to have good access to a huge range of food staples, which we seem to take for granted every day. That doesn’t mean to say that we or any other consumers around the globe don’t deserve to know where their food comes from and how it is produced. My concern is consumers and retailers alike do not weigh the increasing costs of production against the shelf price of the goods. Primary goods are more expensive than ever to produce because consumers expect them to be grown

and processed in a more “environmentally friendly” and “politically correct” way. Sure, I can go along with that, the environmentally friendly part anyway, and you don’t have to go far in this region to find farmers working to achieve a more harmonious working relationship with the land and stock. It stands to reason that a good farmer will look after their stock and land in a sustainable way because they make a living from it and have a vested interest in viable future production. The Government’s answer for satisfying New Zealanders’ and the world’s eco concerns through the implementation of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) no doubt hit people in the pocket, and it also

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FOCUS

Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Ashburton Guardian Publication date: Next issue:

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made food more expensive to produce taking . Lance Isbister Since July last year the Ashburton Guardian rural reporter Government introduced the ETS and increased GST from 12.5 per cent to 15 per cent in October. While these changes have had a broad impact across the New Zealand economy, it’s perhaps more noticeable on the supermarket shelves and certainly when the checkout operator prints and hands you your receipt. At the end of the day I believe if people are pushing for food to be produced in a more environmentally friendly way, they should be prepared to pay for it as well, just like the ETS.

We welcome any correspondence to either: Amanda Niblett, phone 307-7927 email: amanda.n@theguardian.co.nz or Lance Isbister, phone 307-7953 email: lance.i@theguardian.co.nz

3

Sharing their recipe for success Lance Isbister er Rural Reporter, Ashburton Guardian n

From humble beginnings and hard work in the dairy industry the Mackles explained their journey of success to scores of dairy farmers and industry representatives. The Mackles won the New Zealand Dairy Industry Award (NZDIA) Canterbury/North Otago sharemilker/ equity farmer of the year last month and will go on to compete in the national finals held in Queenstown in May. They relished the opportunity to host an open day last week on Graham Brooker’s farm where they 50/50 sharemilk more than 535 friesian-cross cows on 140 effective hectares. Throughout their dairy career, which spans more than 20 years, the Mackles have seen their share of tough times, especially in the beginning, but are grateful towards the industry which rewards their work ethic and management practices. They also have a huge appreciation for the sharing of knowledge and skills offered by the industry through groups such as DairyNZ and competitions like the NZDIA which encourage them to strive for excellence.“For us the opportunities that dairy farming offers is not matched in any other industry”. The Mackles said their achievement through the NZDIA was one of their greatest challenges, especially considering the high calibre of numerous progressive dairy farmers in the region. The couple discussed everything from their pathway in dairying through to

their farm management and business philosophy. They see their family as the core of their dairy business. Debbie said one of the best decisions they ever made in fostering the business was their marriage which they value as their prime strength. Rob said because they were both strongwilled people and work together day in day out, they had well-defined roles in the business and knew how to communicate well. The Mackles hold great value in personal and professional relationships, which they see as key to getting ahead in the industry. They said farmers needed to push to get 50/50 sharemilking jobs and although it was pleasing to hear people were still securing those jobs, the opportunities to get into 50/50 sharemilking had diminished in recent years. It is their sixth season on Graham’s farm and swear by the sharemilking system which has enabled them to strengthen their financial position through cash flow and control their own destiny. “Cash is king, that’s why we 50/50 sharemilk, it’s that cash flow that brings you to that next step.” For the Mackles, the next step is to best position themselves for the opportunity of farm ownership, when the right block of land is on offer.

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The Mackles see a bright future for the dairy industry and are passionate about sharing their knowledge and experience with other farmers. They already have their retirement plans in mind, which involves a trip of a lifetime around the world on HarleyDavidson motorbikes around the year 2028. In the coming weeks they will focus on the improvements NZDIA judges have suggested they can make as they look toward the NZDIA sharemilker/equity farmer of the year national final held in Queenstown on May 14.

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4

The price of milk Willy Leferink k ry Vice president Fed Farm Dairy

In the past couple of weeks we have been exposed to a lot of speculation that dairy farmers are ripping off the wider public concerning the price they have to pay for milk. This has gone so far that first the Commerce Commission was going to investigate how much the public had to pay for milk, then it was canned. In the end, however under pressure from certain community groups it decided that it was warranted to look whether there was a case. In the meantime Fonterra announced that it wanted to share the good times in the dairy industry with the rest of New Zealand and freeze the price of milk till Christmas.

have minimal impact on the overall performance of Fonterra.

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The public under the lead of some broadcasters saw it differently and thought that they were ripped off before the price freeze. Personally I find a price freeze a tool that I would not choose, as to me it means that you can deal with a lower mark-up. You never see the oil companies reacting in this way as they know that you are going to need petrol at some time.

Milk in schools would have been a Woolworths Australia, to $1 a litre. better choice to my mind as it would have helped the people that need it most. This will cost the company in the near future about $A40 million, but it expects It all started with Coles, one of the to recoup this on extra sales somewhere Everybody who reads this publication biggest supermarket chains in Australia, else. It increased its market share of knows that Fonterra exports more than announcing that it was going to drop people through the door about 5 per cent. 90 per cent of its milk intake and that the milk price in its supermarkets, to the effect of this price freeze would get a competitive advantage on its rival The problem will come next year when the Australian dairy farmers will have to renegotiate their contracts through their processors with the The consumer complains about $2 per supermarkets and the retailers want to cut their losses to maintain a sustainable litre of milk for a healthy, nutritious, margin on the milk and milk products safe product, but they do not complain they sell.

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about buying a bottle of 500ml of water with no nutrition for about $3.30 which has a markup of several 100 per cent.

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There will be one big loser in these negotiations and that will be the Australian dairy farmer. They do not have a Fonterra like us, although heavily regulated protecting the interest of the shareholders the New Zealand dairy farmers. Murray Goulburn in Australia is the biggest dairy co-op over there, but is just on its way back from nearly falling off the cliff and is in no position to do huge investments to mop up all the extra milk produced in Australia since it started raining again.

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None of the other dairy companies has large export capabilities, so it is my guess there is extra liquid milk sitting around and Coles will be the first to take advantage of it. The rest will come over time unless the dairy farmers over there take action and forge their own destiny again. In New Zealand it is a totally different story. It’s not a problem to export all of our milk overseas as we have the capacity to do so and demand for our products is huge.

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We dairy farmers get about 65 cents a litre for our milk and if you put the winter milk premium in to it, it might be around 70 cents. Andrew Ferrier, CEO of Fonterra, disclosed that Fonterra’s consumer industry, Anchor, was making a margin of about 12 per cent and there is 15 per cent GST on all consumer goods. This brings it to a total of about 90 cents a litre. You can make your own conclusion who makes the rest. You have to allow for some milk that will go over date and is no longer fit to be sold, but it is not for me to judge the margins of the retailer. We at Federated Farmers did an investigation around the world in countries with a similar lifestyle to us on what consumers were paying for milk and only at Coles and in the USA milk was cheaper per litre, but in the USA you have to factor in a subsidy which mounts up to more than a dollar per litre. The problem I find difficult to swallow is that the consumer complains about $2 per litre of milk for a healthy, nutritious, safe product, but they do not complain about buying a bottle of 500ml of water with no nutrition for about $3.30 which has a markup of several 100 per cent.

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Big plans for farms Wellington – The latest Chinese company bidding for the 16 farms owned by four financially-troubled Crafar family companies — Shanghai Pengxin International Group Ltd, said it plans to boost milk production from the properties, and export infant formula, cheese and icecream to China.

particular, our networks of influence within China and Asia.�

It has set up a Hong Kong-based subsidiary, Milk New Zealand Holding Ltd, whose only director will be the chairman of Pengxin, Shanghai realestate multi-millionaire Jiang Zhaobai.

Shanghai Pengxin has said its total assets were about $US2 billion ($NZ2.58 billion), in property development, infrastructure, mining and agriculture.

The receiver for the Crafar family’s four companies KordaMentha said the Pengxin oer was the best that it had and the deal was now waiting on OIO approval.

Mr Jiang’s net worth, with his brother Jiang Lei, was reported by Forbes magazine to be $US670m.

Shanghai Pengxin Group this week lodged an application with the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) to buy the farms.

Mr Jiang grew up in a farming village in Nantong, but has ridden the wave of China’s economic boom, starting his first business in 1988, the Seattle Times reported last year, when he visited looking for American companies focusing on newly emerging technology.

Purchase of related assets and upgrading of the farms will cost $200 million in the first two years, and will be funded by a shareholder advance from the parent company. China, already a significant market for New Zealand oered a huge and exciting future potential for dairy exports, according to Mr Jiang. Milk New Zealand will upgrade the farms, and employ more New Zealanders, the company said in a recent statement. “We have great admiration for the New Zealand dairy industry and its potential and believe we can be a strong ally for New Zealand dairy industries throughout international trade connections and in

The farms were previously sought by Chinese investors using a mining company rebranded as Natural Dairy NZ Holdings Ltd to buy the farms through a New Zealand company, UBNZ Funds Management Ltd. Cabinet ministers Maurice Williamson and Kate Wilkinson last year declined consent for Natural Dairy’s application because they were not satisfied that all the individuals with control of Natural Dairy were of good character. - NZPA

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Building a new dairy shed Do you need to upgrade? Introduction Dairy infrastructure can have a major impact on milking efficiency and the comfort of cows and milkers. Upgrading an existing dairy or installing a new dairy are big projects that often require a large outlay. A decision to change the dairy should be based on a genuine need for improved infrastructure. It should be financially viable and support the achievement of the farmer’s goals.

Do you need to upgrade your dairy? Generally a change in the milk harvesting system cannot be assessed in isolation from the rest of the farm business. A major upgrade or a new dairy is not ‘just a shed’ but has implications for the whole farm system. The motivation for undertaking a major change may come from a number of sources such as: • Current system may be working well but may be too small to cope with future goals ie. milking more cows, employing more or less labour. • Current system may not be working well i.e. the milker is idle or flat out, dairy is too cramped, or it takes too long to milk. In this case it is possible that the extra capacity released by

the increased efficiency of a new set up could be used to help generate funds to pay for the investment. • Sometimes the motivation for change may be a combination of both - for example, milking may be taking too long and extra income may be needed to cover increasing expenses. Other reasons for seeking changes include the desire to improve the working environment to get benefits like: • Reduced OSH risks. • Improved attitudes to the milking job and farming in general. • More time to spend on management tasks or being able to attract (and keep) high calibre staff to take over the day-to-day operational tasks.

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financial failure are kept to a minimum and financial targets are reached.

General considerations • Will the change be an upgrade or a whole new dairy? • Will more cows be required to make an investment in a new dairy feasible? • If extra cows are required, what will the impact be on the herd, feed, man-

agement, labour, infrastructure and debt? • Make sure that all additional costs associated with a new dairy are taken into consideration when doing budgets and plans. These costs can have a major impact on the financial viability of a project e.g. will the existing infrastructure meet requirements of an expanded herd (effluent, fencing, laneways and water)?

Farm goals It is important to be very clear about what is motivating the desire for a change and to have a focused picture of the farm goals. If the primary goal is to increase disposable income there may be other ways to achieve this without undertaking a major building project. Not all of a farmer’s goals will be financially motivated but every decision made on the farm has a financial implication. The implications of building a new dairy need to be analysed from many different angles so the risks of

Before deciding if it’s time for a new dairy shed you need to analyse your current shed to see if it is still up to the task.

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7

Building a new dairy shed Dairy Type The rotary and the herringbone are the two main dairy designs are employed in New Zealand. If well designed, both rotary and herringbones can provide a productive working environment that is both cow and milker friendly. When deciding on dairy type it is important to start by defining what you require from your farm dairy, and then select the dairy which best suits your needs. The size of the dairy should be considered at the same time as selecting a dairy type.

Sizing the Dairy As the life of a dairy is at least 25 years, when building a new dairy it is important to give a lot of consideration to the size, particularly with rotaries as they do not lend themselves to expansion. When considering the optimum number of clusters the following should be taken into account: labour efficiency, cow numbers, capital cost, and other factors such as personal preference and the potential for increasing herd size in the future. Planning is important to ensure that you get a dairy which suits the needs of your business and the people in it. General considerations when sizing a dairy

Modern rotary dairy sheds are efficient, slick milk gathering units. • Optimisation of labour. Using labour efficiently • Automation. Although other critical factors include • Flexibility. availability of capital, perception on Sizing to maximise milking efficiency practical milking times and personal preference, a key driver for dairy size • Cluster throughput. should be efficiency of labour utilisation. • Milker throughput. It was once thought that people could • Sizing a herringbone or rotary. only milk about 10 rows of cows in a herringbone without getting tired and General considerations also needed to leave enough “free” time when sizing a new dairy to do the rest of the farm work. Now there are dedicated milkers The optimum cluster number doing little other farm work. In this in a dairy is dependent on cluster situation it is best that milkers are throughput in relation to milker rostered in shifts so that although the throughput. It needs to be recognised milking time may be extended – thereby that at the upper limits people are making more efficient use of capital working to a high level of efficiency which they may not be able to maintain. individual milkers are not working for prolonged periods of time. Also that whatever limit is suggested Note that it is still possible and there will be farmers gearing up to desirable to provide work of varying exceed it!

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Automation The use of automation can have a large impact on labour efficiency and the sizing of the dairy. Automatic cluster removal and automatic teat spraying on a rotary can remove the need for a person at the clusters-off position for much of the lactation period. In herringbones, it removes the risk of over-milking and makes it possible to extend herringbones to about 30 clusters and still be managed by one milker. Automatic teat spraying in herringbones also makes milking easier. Automatic drafting is becoming the norm in all large dairies, herringbone or rotary, due to labour savings and stressreducing attributes.

8

Building a new dairy shed Building in flexibility • change in farm size and / or changes in herd numbers • increases in average production/cow • changes in milking frequency, e.g. to once-a-day or 16 hour interval milking • availability of skilled labour • changes over time in average size of cows in the herd • changes in the rate of milking, at different stages of the lactation, in seasonally-calving herds • changes to feeding systems in the bail due to automation or increase in quantities • distance to the dairy from the furthest paddocks i.e. walking time for the herd. Two smaller dairies rather than one large could be more effective e.g. on a narrow farm milking 1500 cows, it may be better to consider building two, one milker, 50 bail rotaries rather than one, two milker, 80 bail unit where cows need to walk a long way.

Suggested improvements •

Seek expert advice. With the range of skills needed in developing a new dairy, advice is needed from several different sources. These include: dairy builders, the local authority, milking machine companies etc. • In particular, consider the benefit of specialists in milk harvesting who may have a better understanding of the details of design and their impact on cow flow. Allow plenty of time to analyse, double check and test any advice.

Infrastructure checklist Upgrading milk harvesting facilities presents an

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opportunity for designing an environment which has optimum cow flow, safe and efficient working areas, and allows for easy animal handling. There are a large range of options to choose from when upgrading milk harvesting infrastructure. This should be a carefully planned process paying attention to detail is important. Having a clear idea about the present and future requirements of the dairy enables smoother communication with contractors and can help avoid costly mistakes.

Safety design considerations Every year people are killed and seriously harmed in dairies in New Zealand, with on average six people dying per year. Many of the injuries are caused by either being crushed or caught by moving machinery. It is an employer’s obligation under the Health and Safety Act 1992 to eliminate, isolate and minimise any hazards in the workplace. Even if you are fully aware of the dangers in the dairy, some of which may have been there for years, new staff, visitors and children may not be aware of the danger, in saying that experienced farmers are also at risk of coming to serious harm on their farms. See the DairyNZ Compliance Tool Kit at www. compliancetoolkit.co.nz for more information about your obligations as an employer, health and safety on the farm and training staff. The main issue in rotaries is trapping hazards, particularly where the steel supports within the rotary pass fixed parts of the platform, particularly the exit and entry points, but also around the support structures for the platform and guard rails. For full document see http://www.osh.govt.nz/ order/catalogue/rotarymilkingplatforms.shtml.

Once you decide to build a new dairy shed then there is the decision - herringbone or rotary?

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9

On a positive note Murray Hollings gs DairyCool Ltd td

There is a noticeably better feel out there for the dairy industry (and also in other aspects of the farming sector). Higher predicted payouts, while not immediately improving cash flows, present a better environment for dairy farmers to invest and grow their businesses. The recent South Island Agricultural Field Days was a good example of this and provided a good feel for the mood out there, with many more visitors to the stands and a larger number of product sales. This contrasts with the same event two years ago where there were fewer visitors and, due to the sudden economic contraction, few farmers purchasing discretionary products. In fact two years ago at Lincoln many farmers avoided visiting stands to avoid temptation and stayed at the event for less time if indeed they visited at all.

indicator of confidence in the rural sector with some 50 new farm conversions in Canterbury for next season anticipated, and while most are on reasonably tight budgets still this will certainly relax by the 2012 season as long as the payout stays buoyant. Some are predicting the payout for next season to be around $9 or more, although it is generally considered better to have a more stable slightly lower payout without the challenging to management of volatile swings we have experienced in the past couple of seasons.

So where to from here? Assuming (always a dangerous thing to do) the dairy payout pans out as expected, and with generally more conservative equity positions, we could be looking at significantly higher investment into dairy industry growth, with the two dairy companies increasing their processing capabilities and the advent of several irrigation projects likely to come on stream in the next few seasons.

The weather has also provided the As always it is better to maintain catalyst for a good season with regular rain over summer and into autumn, consistent, more sustainable growth ensuring a good season of milk production which is easier to manage and budget for and we believe a more conservative in Canterbury. banking sector, with the lessons of the New Dairy Conversions past three years firmly in mind should assist in maintaining an environment of New dairy conversions are also another sustainable growth.

The only local supplier and service centre for Genuine Milka-Ware products Milka-Ware Ashburton also provides the following services: Suppliers of Quality: Q Concrete Water/Feed Troughs Q Silage Pits Q Septic Tanks

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Water Tanks / Effluent Tanks Concrete Bunkers Q Pump/Dangerous Goods/Killing Sheds Q Q

Specialising in providing quality concrete solutions for more than 50 years. We can work with you to fulfill your specific requirements.

For any quotes or enquiries contact us on 03 308-4816 or call into the yard at 205 Wilkins Rd, Tinwald, Ashburton. email: info@hanhamconcrete.co.nz

96 South Street, Ashburton - Call Luke on 021 689 432 or 03 308 8335

To get that pivot on - you’ll need those trees gone Ring for a free quote 0800 693 7377, The timber may help cover the cost of clearing With loads of experience Blake has the know-how to deliver what you want when you need it.

• Irrigation Pivot Maintenance • Land Development • Tree & stump Removal

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10

Taking care of your dairy lane

Advertising feature

When it’s time to mooove your herd... Good track design, construction and maintenance are integral to ensuring efficient cow flow and the reduction of incidences of lameness and mastitis in the herd. ACL will consult with the land owner from the start to discuss the track width, the distance the cows have to walk, making note of restriction and distraction points, making sure that the track is designed with the number of cows in mind, not just now, but allowing for future growth of the herd. The longer the track, the greater the impact on cow comfort, walking speed and milking efficiency. If track maintenance is left until serious problems occur, milking efficiency will be affected as cows will be slower to get to the dairy. ACL have the local experience matched with the best machinery to make your dairy lane project stress free and effective. We pride ourselves on working with our clients, on farm, to complete timely, cost effective projects

to the highest possible standards. We aren’t just here to provide the service today, your farm will go on for many years, and ACL will be there to ensure the integrity of our work. ACL operates an extensive fleet of late model plant, complemented by an experienced local staff, to ensure the best possible result is delivered each and every time. ACL is passionate about providing a one-stop solution, so you do not have to deal with multiple companies to get the task completed. We can clear trees and prepare the base for your dairy track project, construct an efficient drainage system, provide all necessary fill to ensure a solid surface, starting with a well compacted base, and finished with high quality lime which is soft enough for the cows to walk on. Need to move your stock across a road? Save time and effort by allowing ACL to construct a quality underpass, specific to your stock movement requirements.

ACL underpasses are designed to strict and proven specifications to allow safe and easy movement of stock and farm traffic under roadways, without placing any added stress on stock. Our underpasses will increase safety for you, your workers and your stock. You only need to speak to one contractor as ACL can do the whole installation from excavation to resealing the road. Our concrete underpasses are known for their adaptability, strength and performance, using our specifically engineer designed concrete, tested under high stress situations to ensure longevity. Our underpass units are not restricted to farm use and can be utilised as box culverts for stream crossings, pedestrian tunnels or with sealing modifications as siphons for civil engineering projects.

ACL – we will move the earth for you.

Underpasses • Tree Clearing • Dairy Lanes ASHBURTON CONTRACTING LTD

Phone 308-4039,, South Street,, Ashburton

11

Taking care of your dairy lane

Advertising feature

Creating the perfect Dairy Lane A properly constructed Dairy Lane will help improve efficiency on your farm, and the maintenance of that track is crucial to maintaining stock comfort on their journey to and from the milking shed. Track design It is very important that tracks are well designed and constructed. Poor tracks will increase the risk of lameness and slow cows down. The more feet the races have to support, the greater the importance of their design. Use a professional contractor with knowledge of local materials, especially if building new tracks.

• Dairy industry regulations require that all farm races are free draining and made of concrete for a distance of 10m from the farm. Track width Farm tracks need to be wide enough for the herd to move without being pressured. Cows with sufficient space are less likely to push or be pushed. The number of cows in the herd should determine the width of a farm’s tracks. New tracks should be sized for the expected future number of cows. Track maintenance

• A surface layer which is soft enough for cows to walk on,

A regular maintenance program (at least annual) should be followed. Maintenance should be part of an overall plan not a reaction to a problem. During dry weather it is easy to overlook track maintenance but a single rainfall can cause big problems if maintenance has been neglected. Any maintenance program should have two focuses – keeping surfaces in good repair and maintaining effective drainage.

• A crowned surface that sheds water,

Suggested improvements

• An efficient drainage system,

Actions to take

• Ideally, no right angled turns,

Keep surfaces in good repair

• Some tracks on the farm should also be constructed to withstand vehicle traffic.

• Fill and compact potholes as they occur. Surface pocketing caused by cows feet can trap water, turning

• A well compacted soil or rock base,

Professional Contracting made easy • • • • •

Dairy Conversions Dairy Tracks Capping Dairy Lanes Water Races Pond Construction (Effluent and Water storage) • Borderdyking • Hedge and Stump Removal • Grader Work • Pump Hire For quality workmanship and a free quote call today

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• Grade track surfaces on a regular basis – at least annually. Tractors on tracks cause the surface to lift and rut quite quickly, as does regularly holding stock on tracks. • Slow down in farm vehicles and keep tractor use on tracks to a minimum. Maintain drainage • Clean drains to make tracks last longer. Ensure any side drains are open when it rains. Deal with small blockages as they occur. Carry a shovel when getting the cows in to clear side drains (along with a knapsack to spray weeds). • If grass and manure has built up on track edges and you wish to leave it to help support the track structure, cut lateral drains to allow water to flow away. If you wish to remove it, use a tractor blade – it may need to be done annually. Using a contractor with a grader or digger is a good option. • Fix leaking troughs and irrigation equipment. Irrigators that run over tracks can cause problems.

... visit our website: www.agcontracting.co.nz

• Enough width to allow for unconstrained cow movement,

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Farm tracks should possess the following qualities:

the surface layer into slurry and the base layer into a bog.

• Prune or remove trees near tracks – they block sun and wind and keep tracks from drying out and roots destroy the structure.

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Storage Pond Construction • Land Clearing & Development • Dairy Lanes • Riverwork • Border Dyking • Silage Bunkers You can rely upon the... Experienced team with over 20 years in the contracting business, plus the... Expertise of NZQA qualified operators and Rural Contractors Federation members who have been compliance assessed. Complete management and co-ordination of any projects for smooth, on-time progress. Assurance of a RCNC compliance assessment

Yeatman Brothers Ltd Talk to Nick or Hoss Yeatman today

03 303 7567 or 0274 745 243 Email: yeatmans@agcontracting .co.nz

‘Adding value to Canterbury’s Agriculture’

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12

Taking care of your dairy lane

Advertising feature

Lance Isbister er Rural Reporter, Ashburton Guardian n

PHOTO KIRSTY GRAHAM 150710-KG-141

Last year Mark Robinson put in a stock underpass for his dairy conversion on the Methven Highway, using BMW Construction Mr Robinson converted 70 hectares of his cropping contractors installed the underpass, a project Mr The underpass is positioned three metres underground land on the eastern side of the highway to dairying and Robinson said had cost of more than $100,000. and also features a 30 metre track which gradually slopes required an underpass in order to move stock from side upward to form with the rest of the track. Mr Robinson couldn’t start installing the underpass of the bisected farm to the other. in May when he was granted resource consent due to Mr Robinson said the underpass has to be strong the rain which delayed the project. enough to stand up to the myriad of heavy vehicles Mr Robinson required an underpass due to passing over it, incorporating 150 tonnes of reinforced expanding his dairying business with another 160 cows After the initial delay, the project went ahead in the concrete which is made up from 16 box culverts last season and is hoping to have a herd of 660 cows. midst of ski season when the Highway sees plenty of weighing nine tonnes each. He said it took more than five months to go through the traffic, a situation he wanted to avoid. resource consent process, dealing with Transit Opus and He said the underpass was made by Ashburton Pre“You don’t realise how much traffic goes along that the New Zealand Transport Agency to organise a detour Stressed Concrete and BMW contractors were installing it. road until you’ve been working right beside it.� just outside of Methven where the underpass was built. The underpass was completed just before they start The underpass is 2.2 metres wide so a small vehicle The detour was in place for four days while calving. like a ute can go under it.

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13

Nitrate poisoning Ian Hodge, BVSc. MACVSc. c. Riverside Veterinary Services Ltd td

During autumn, soil temperatures can still be reasonably warm which can mean chemical reactions occurring in the soil and in the plant root system proceed rapidly, and plants rapidly take up nitrogen from the soil in the form of nitrate. Most of this nitrate is converted in to plant protein through the action of photosynthesis which is dependent on sunlight. In cloudy conditions plants do not photosynthesise sufficiently to convert nitrate to plant protein and nitrates accumulate in plants. When soil nitrogen levels are high or where excessive effluent run- o is a problem or if water is high in nitrates plants can accumulate excessive nitrates. The rumen degrades the plant material and the nitrates are converted in to nitrites. In cows nitrites are converted to ammonia and in most cases this process keeps the levels of nitrites low. However if the supply of nitrites is excessive it will not all be converted into ammonia. Nitrites in high levels in the animals make it almost impossible for blood to carry sufficient oxygen and the animal quickly becomes anaemic and runs out of oxygen. Obviously death will follow quickly if the animal is not treated quickly and eectively. Nitrate poisoning can result in foetal loss if the animal is pregnant. Some crops are more prone to take up nitrates

Extreme care should be taken when feeding brassicas to animals that are not used to them. than others. The autumn saved green feeds and early brassica crops are prime examples.

provide plenty of hay and or straw. Allow animals to run o on to safer grass if possible.

Extreme care should be taken when feeding these crops to animals that are not used to them. Animals can adapt to quite high levels of nitrates but this adaptation process has to be gradual.

Testing the crop for nitrate levels is easy and the kits are available from your vet clinic.

Feed new crops in smaller quantities and

If you suspect nitrate poisoning call your vet without delay. Animals can easily be treated and saved in most cases.

Packed with Features

For more information please contact 10 Robinson Street, Ashburton Ph 03 307 9049 Fax 03 307 9047 Email: rainer@ashburton.co.nz website: www.rainer.co.nz

14

Value of a professional hoof trimmer Fred Hoekstra ra es Veehof Dairy Services

in, it is not as important as the quality that they provide.

Why would a farmer ask a professional hoof trimmer to come in and treat their lame cows?

The aim of treating lame cows goes much further than trying to get them to come right again. We need those cows to come right again as fast as possible. That is for financial reasons and for animal welfare reasons.

That is a very good question to ask. What is it that professional hoof trimmers do to make it cost eective for them to treat lame cows rather then the farmer himself?

Often when I ask how long it takes for a cow to come right after the farmer has treated her I get an answer like four or five weeks.

I think that most farmers would answer that question from a ‘time’ point of view. Time seems to be perceived as the most added value that a hoof trimmer brings to a farm. So often farmers tell us that they know how to trim and treat lame cows. They have done it for many years and they know what they are on about. They admit that they struggle to make the hoof look as nice as what we do but that is because they don’t have the equipment to do the job like we have. Apart from that they do as good a job as what we do. It is true that it is not really that

The thing is that if you don’t treat a lame cow at all, most of them probably will come right by themselves in about four or five weeks.

Here are two photos of the same cow. The photo on the left shows how the farmer treated the cow and the photo on the right shows what it looks like after a qualiďŹ ed hoof trimmer treats the cow. important how nice the hoof looks after the cow has been trimmed. Cows are a bit dierent in that respect than their predominantly female human counterparts.

We come across many lame cows that have been treated by the farmer who are worse o after the treatment than before.

They realise that the number of cows that we do in one day would take them a few weeks.

Live tissue prolapses out of holes that have been dug into the hooves.

Having many years of experience does not make somebody a good hoof Cows don’t stand in front of the mir- trimmer. ror to look at their beautiful hooves. Somebody could have many years of experience in poor hoof trimming with However, it is fair to say that if a many bad habits. hoof looks nice it is probably more functional. I would say that even though time Farmers tell us that they haven’t got is a positive and important benefit of getting professional hoof trimmers the time to treat their lame cows.

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Treat your COWS and INCREASE

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With a good hoof trimmer most cows will walk better straight after the trimming.

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15

A farm for farmers to focus on Leighton Parker, Dairy NZ Z ry Consulting Officer Mid Canterbury

A new Focus Farm will give Winchmore farmers the opportunity to discuss regional-specific issues using information from a real farm business in the area Farmers in the Winchmore area for the past couple of years have had the opportunity of being part of a strong, dynamic and challenging farm systems discussion group. The Winchmore farm systems discussion group has 35 farmers involved and meets every four to five weeks with strong attendance from the local farming community. There, local farmers have a challenging discussion based on factual technical facts. Now the group will have another opportunity to enhance the learning and sharing of experiences of its members through a discussion group focus farm. This discussion group focus farm was instigated by the local farmers so they could track the changes on an individual farm throughout the year. The benefit being they could contribute to the discussion around the management decisions and reflect on how it relates to their own farm businesses.

PHOTO LANCE ISBISTER 110711-LI-014

Local dairy farmers have yet another avenue of education and deliberation through the new Winchmore focus farm hosted by equity managers Jo and Cindy De Kort and DairyNZ.

The focus farm involves following one farm every third discussion group throughout the season (three to four events per annum) to discuss ways to improve the profitability and sustainability of the farm.

and values of the business, discussion on seasonal feed supply and demand (issues around calving date, stocking rate and how pasture cover is managed); analysis of the forecasted annual budget for next season and ways to improve the six week in-calf rate from 58 per cent to 78 per cent using the DiaryNZ In-calf programme.

The farmers, Jo and Cindy De Kort, are equity managers of the 530 cow farm and are fully onboard with working together to enhance the farm business.

Jo and Cindy have very clear targets for the farm, however farmers get involved with decision making at the meetings as well.

The first meeting, held last week, primarily involved strategic and tactical management, setting up the goals

From the discussion on the day a plan is formulated and the strategy is put in place and monitored.

s .O MORE BOUNCING OVER ROUGH PIVOT TRACKS s 3MOOTH TRAVEL WHEN USING SPREADERS SPRAYERS AND OTHER MACHINERY s 2EDUCE FARM EQUIPMENT REPAIR COSTS s !VOID IRRIGATION SYSTEMS HAVING TO WORK TWICE AS HARD TO TRAVEL IN DEEP PIVOT TRACKS s 2EDUCED STRESS ON TIRES BEAMS SPANS MOTORS AND GENERATORS s -AKING YOUR SOIL MORE STABLE THROUGH THE IRRIGATION SEASON

WE CAN ALSO HELP WITH TROUGH GRAVEL AND POND EROSION "ARRY 7HITTAKER #ONTRACTING WILL lLL AND PACK YOUR PIVOT TRACKS SAVING YOU TIME AND LABOUR

Ultimately it is a commercial farm and Jo and Cindy have the final say, however, it is a great example to utilise knowledge and experience of their peers to further the farm business. If you wish to know more about this farm and check its progress contact Leighton Parker on 0212877059.

You already know that pivot ruts are potentially hazardous and costly . . .

Irrigation pivot tracks causing a bump in your day 6 Reasons to Have your Pivot Tracks ďŹ lled and packed

With follow up meetings the group has a chance to track the performance and outcomes from decision making and be involved with how the farm is continued to be managed.

So you should know that Welshy can take care of them for you. Save time and money through: s Less maintenance on motors & machinery s Less risk of irrigators tipping s Reduced risk of farm accidents s Less down time Welshy Digger Hire can dig out shingle on site or cart it in. Any type of shingle can pass through our machine. Call Welshy and ask for a price today

Also available:

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Cell 021 369 483 After hours 03 307 2480 Fax 03 307 2490 Email a.mdavies@xtra.co.nz 116 Wakanui Rd, Ashburton

What we can do for You!

Call us for a consultation specific to your needs.

Specialists in all types of: • Earthmoving Construction • Borderdyking (Laser & GPS) • Dairy Conversions, Underpasses & Farm Maintenance • Irrigation Work, Trenching & Pipe Laying • Pond Construction • Tree & Stump Removal • General Excavation Work • Subdivisions • Heavy Haulage, Certified Pilots • Gravel/Soil Screening

Local Knowledge That Counts Alford Forest Road, PO Box 403 Ashburton Phone (03) 308 6011 Fax (03) 308 5108 Mobile 027 249 7306

16

Effluent workshops A series of workshops on the new Farm Dairy Effluent (FDE) Design Code of Practice and Standards is being run around the country for effluent system designers, installers and other specialists. DairyNZ in conjunction with New Zealand Milking & Pumping Trade Association (NZMPTA) and Irrigation New Zealand are running the events to raise awareness of the new developments in the area of effluent system design. The Canterbury workshop is to be held on Wednesday, April 27 at the Hotel Ashburton at 10am. DairyNZ development project manager for effluent, Dr Theresa Wilson said the programme for implementation of the code will be outlined so businesses can see the variety of support on oer to help them get to grips with the code and standards. “Industry training courses for designers and installers will be up and running by mid year. The training is an essential part of growing the skills we need in this area. This will be followed by a company accreditation process.â€? “We expect suppliers will wear that accreditation like a badge of honour because they will have the skills to be oering their farmers an excellent level of expertise in this area.â€?

Workshops are being used to raise awareness of the new developments in the area of efuent system design.

Tim Scott of the New Zealand Milking & Pumping Trade Association Inc (NZMPTA) sees this as a positive development for effluent system designers and installers as well as farmers. “The effluent services industry sees this as a way of lifting the bar on the level of services and equipment we provide to farmers in this area.�

“We think farmers will seek out the services of suppliers who follow the recommendations in the new code and standards because those recommendations will lead to more eective use of the nutrients in the effluent which has environmental benefits as well.â€? Irrigation New Zealand Chief Executive Andrew Curtis expects the workshops will be well-attended. “This is something new for the industry to take on and these workshops will be a good chance to ask

questions, network with others and work through what the code and standards entail.� Registrations are essential, please register by email to effluentcode@dairynz.co.nz or contact Lindy Crawford 06 3505214 or 021 2865751. The Farm Dairy Effluent (FDE) Design Code of Practice and Farm Dairy Effluent (FDE) Design Standards are available for download from www. dairynz.co.nz/effluentcode

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