Dairy Focus February 2012

Page 1

An Ashburton Guardian Supplement

FOCUS Issue 45 - February 28, 2012

Stress can be a killer P2, 3 Quad-bike safety P10

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Ministering in stressful times

D

airy farming is a stressful business. So stressful, some people take their own lives to escape.

May ield Presbyterian minister Mike Oliver knows that stress. He was a dairy farmer in Rotorua during the harsh economic times of the 1980s. He says pressures on dairy farmers and their staff today are different, but no less, with huge mortgages to pay and up to a thousand animals on individual farms to keep alive and producing milk. Mike leads the parish and has been working part-time testing and carrying out preventive maintenance on milking machinery. He is setting aside his toolbox to run a new service aimed at helping people cope mentally with their demanding dairy jobs. None of them can just walk away if there is a problem. Milking cows is an everyday thing. Mike said dairy farmers included farm owners, managers and those working on dairy farms. With 340 dairy farms in Mid Canterbury, the working pool is large – and so are the potential problems. In his work ministering to the rural farming area he has helped dairy people work through stressful situations and problems like depression. “But there are many more people that could gain advantage from it who don’t come to church.” Mike knows the pressures irst hand. “I was a farmer myself years ago. I got out of it when Rogernomics hit in the 1980s and I suffered some of those problems myself.”

Presbyterian minister Mike Oliver has helped dairy farmers and their workers through difficult times.

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He worries that when dairying’s current boom busts, or de lates a bit, the fall-out will be similar to the recession 30 years ago. Farmers with huge debts were forced off their land, some committed suicide.

February 28, 2012 March 27, 2012

Amanda Niblett, phone 307-7927 email: amanda.n@theguardian.co.nz or Linda Clarke, phone 307-7971 email: linda.c@theguardian.co.nz

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Linda Clarke ke n Rural Reporter, Ashburton Guardian

“So I approached John Key and he put me on to the Health Ministry. I reminded them that we are going into a recession again and those things that happened last time could happen again.�

He said rural people under stress, or suffering from depression, often suffered in isolation, falling between the cracks of other organisations. “We need to do something. We have had suicides.�

He concedes the circumstances are different. “Interest rates have not gone as high as last time. That was crushing back then and some farmers lost all hope.� Mike was milking 150 cows at Rotorua at the time, and interest rates for him were 17.5 per cent. “Others were paying up to 25 per cent.� He says while the inancial circumstances are different, the stress is no less. Herds and mortgages are larger, staff may be from overseas and have problems settling in and adjusting to life in New Zealand.

A case in point was the death of a farm worker. He was working long, lonely hours and then he had a relationship crisis. He says suicide is only the tip of the iceberg. Research indicates a lot of people are on medication like beta blockers. It helps them through it but it does not cure the problem. No one deals with the real root cause, which is often environmental. “People think: I am in a job I don’t like, I have no choice but to do it. I can’t see any other way.�

“What I am noticing is it is hard to get workers and hard to keep workers.�

But if a person is visiting with them on a regular basis, with a friendly face and helpful advice, problems are kept in perspective.

Workers from overseas might have problems with residency. “That can be an expensive process and there are immigration lawyers who will charge them thousands of dollars to help with their applications. And they don’t need to.�

With his on the ground experience, Mike has established ManUp. It is an independent con idential service. Mike wants farm employers, big and small, to seek him out and he is encouraging them to care for the people who care for their animals.

Mike has helped others pass NCEA and farm management courses, and get a driver’s licence. “They often don’t understand the questions and they don’t understand New Zealand systems, like the health system. Generally there are a lot of things that are mysterious.�

He said people on dairy farms worked long and anti-social hours. “Community contact is limited to a person who is working those sorts of hours. They get days off and they just want to sleep.

“They are missing essential social gains that the rest of us enjoy.� Mike does not miss dairy farming, especially when he regularly witnesses the stress of running a big farm. “Sometimes I have been to a farm with people pulling their hair out because they have so many sick cows. It is terrible. “I see it as I move around these farms. Cows are limping, and looking really miserable. But in large herds you cannot afford the time to pay to individual animals. They are often just put out of their misery.� He said sometimes helping a worker was as simple as putting them in touch with a worker on another farm who just wanted a mate. Helping others was also a tool. “Find a cause and make it yours. It gives you new meaning to life. When you are feeling a bit down, you can be self-centred. Get outside yourself and do something for other people, with other people.� Mike said ManUp was not limited to those in the dairy industry, and all farmers needed support. “I think we can be very pleased with the season at the moment, with good climate, good growing conditions, good stock production and good prices. “ But it never lasts.�

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A rare investment opportunity M

yFarm is growing its Mid Canterbury presence, offering investors a share in a 225ha dairy farm on Thompsons Track.

MyFarm director Cliff King said more urban investors were now interested in joining dairy farm syndicates.

The 800-cow property 7km from Rakaia has been managed by Wim and Carla Verberne since 2008 and investment company MyFarm is looking for $9 million to buy it.

He said two-thirds of investor interest came from the farming sector three years ago, but the strong outlook for dairy farming had led to more urban interest. In 2011, 81 New Zealanders invested $43.9 million into 12 MyFarm dairy syndicates. That compares with 68 investors in 2010 and 45 in 2009.

The property’s portfolio describes it as a rare chance in invest in the country’s most productive farming province. The farm is irrigated, with storage, will retain its current equity managers, and is forecasting average cash returns of 8.7 per cent.

Strong interest is expected to continue this year. Mr King says that in the past four years dairy farm pro it margins have grown by 75 per cent from an average $1650 to $2950 per hectare and there is increasing awareness that dairy farms with low debt and good management are generating strong pro it margins.

MyFarm says the timing of the offer is perfect, with land prices irming in the district because of dairying’s strong outlook. The farm is capable of increasing production and generating pro its of up to $6000/ha. Milk is supplied to Synlait. MyFarm has a conditional sale and purchase agreement and is currently undertaking due diligence. MyFarm sales manager Matt Harrington said the investment company already had ive Mid Canterbury properties, owned by syndicates of investors. The combined farms milked 3450 cows on 1044ha. There has been plenty of early interest in the Thompsons Track farm, and it is almost fully syndicated. Mr Harrington said many people recognised the world’s population was growing and would need to be fed. “This is a good opportunity to invest in food.�

“It’s encouraging that dairy farm investments are outperforming bank deposits right at the moment.�

Sales manager Matt Harrington He said MyFarm was continually on the lookout for Mid Canterbury dairy farms, or conversion projects. “We see Mid Canterbury is as good a farming region as you would ind in the country. We rate it highly.� Southland was also a preferred region, with similar bene its of large scale production supported by vibrant rural towns. Mr Harrington said the sustainable use of water was also key to MyFarm’s farm management philosophy.

Mid Canterbury dairy farms are among those being sought by the investment company, though it faces plenty of competition for good farms with reliable water. MyFarm missed out on two tenders for Mid Canterbury properties pre-Christmas, but Mr King says he’s not concerned that the offers were beaten by other dairy farmers. “We don’t want to be drawn into paying the highest price in the district. “There will always be another farm and our business is based on inding quality farms at a fair price.�

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Dairy finalists T

he inalists have been chosen for the Canterbury-North Otago region Dairy Industry Awards.

The inalists were decided after preliminary judging this month; the judges will be back for a second look in March. The inalists are:

Robert Holt and Stephanie MacFarlane, Ashburton Athol New, Rakaia Mick O’Connor, Rakaia Kenneth and Catherine Pottinger, Ashburton Jason and Paula Strawbridge, Ashburton

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Dairy Trainee of the Year: Lisa Avery, Oxford Kristie Austin, Temuka Nathan Christian, Ashburton Joshua Grant, Christchurch Nicholas Rogers, Geraldine Patrick Whittle, Waiau

Sharemilker Equity Farmer of the Year: Glen and Wendy Drummond, Culverden Enda and Sarah Hawe, Ashburton James and Belinda McCone, Waiau Earl and Melissa McSweeney, Ashburton Boyd and Annette Slemmint, Oxford Haydena and Robyn Williams, Oamaru

The winners in each of the categories will be announced at a special dinner to be held at the Hotel Ashburton on March 28.

Farm Manager of the Year: Shannon Croy, Ashburton

Inspiring women to be resilient

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elping dairying women along their journeys toward developing dairy businesses in the face of challenges is one of the main themes of this year’s Dairy Women’s Network annual conference. The conference will be held at Rotorua’s Millennium Hotel from March 21 to 22. The 2012 conference theme is Dairying with Resilience and much of the programme is aimed at inspiring women and giving them the necessary tools to be

resilient at home and on the farm. Kicking off the conference is keynote speaker Sarah Kennedy, CEO of RD1. Sarah will talk about her journey into industry leadership and what it takes to achieve positions of in luence. Network CEO Sarah Speight said many of the speakers and workshops would focus on giving women tools they need to overcome life’s challenges. Women can register for the conference at www.dwn.co.nz

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Leagues ahead of the herd C

heck out Howies Checkpoint – as far as arti icial breeding bulls go, he’s leagues ahead of any other. The last bull to stand so far ahead of his contemporaries was the famous Maori Bestman, the jersey born in 1967. This recent release of the New Zealand Animal Evaluation (NZAEL) Ranking of Active Sires (RAS) List – a dairy industry evaluation ranking New Zealand’s best bulls by Breeding Worth – puts Howies Checkpoint a full 50 BW ahead of the second placed sire Fairmont Mint Edition. The KiwiCrossTM sire has a BW of 318 (compared to New Zealand’s number two at 268 BW), and is 9/16 Holstein Friesian, his ancestry evident in his markings and four white feet.

and that is what has happened here.” Mr Gatley said one of the bene its of having a team of crossbred bulls is that it enables the industry to access to a whole new gene pool of elite cows to breed the next generation of bulls. “About two-thirds of all cows are now crossbred. No sire analyst can afford to walk away from that opportunity”. “Obviously the demand for Checkpoint will be extreme. The phone is already ringing and we’ve thought hard about how to ensure everyone gets a fair go. Howies Checkpoint – a full 50 BW ahead of second-placed sire Fairmont Mint Edition.

Breeding Worth (BW) ranks dairy bulls and cows on their ability to breed ideal milking animals (replacements) - ef icient converters of feed into farmer pro it.** “Maori Bestman is a legend in the dairy industry,” says LIC General Manager Genetics, Peter Gatley. “Harvey Tempero ran the genetic programme for decades and often referred to Bestman as the stand-out. His in luence on the national herd was enormous, with seven of his sons and ive grandsons playing big roles, but he was born in 1967.” The “KiwiCrossTM” is a relatively new breed of bull.

The irst progeny tested team of crossbred bulls in the world was launched by farmer owned co-operative LIC in 2005 in response to farmer demand for a simple solution to breed the crossbred “kiwi” cow that is now the clear favourite in the New Zealand industry.

“We’re considering some unprecedented options to ensure maximum use through fresh semen. We’d be disappointed if he didn’t top quarter of a million insems this spring.”

“Today more than 80 per cent of farmers have at least some crossbred cows in their herds, and as Checkpoint is KiwiCrossTM and strong across all traits, we expect he will be snapped up, even by farmers who would normally stick to traditional breeds.”

*The Ranking of Active Sires (RAS) is a list of ranking of sires, nominated by New Zealand AB (artiϔicial breeding) companies, ranked by Breeding Worth (BW) - which is the national breeding objective. An active sire is one which is likely to have at least 500 doses of semen available in the following mating season.

“To improve genetics the best bulls are matched with the best dams (cows). “Their genes are randomly combined, and sometimes an offspring will end up with an extraordinary selection of the best genes, surpassing both parents,

**An estimated Breeding Worth of +$100 indicates that using this animal as a parent of a replacement is expected to generate an extra $100 proϔit per year per 4.5 tonnes of dry matter consumed, compared to using a parent with a BW of zero.

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‘Wintering barns the way to go’ C

limate change may mean the days of New Zealand dairy cows grazing outside year-round could be over.

That’s the view of Bay of Plenty dairy farmer Bruce Woods who, with wife Judy, is already preparing for what he believes will be the management system of the near future. The couple want to build a 4000sq m covered feed pad or wintering barn for the 460-jersey herd on the farm they call Dream ields near Edgecumbe. Keeping animals inside is something of a controversial concept for many New Zealanders but Mr Woods said it made sense.

answer is yes, then we start irrigating today because the laterals take a week to irrigate the whole area,” he said. Irrigation is carried out through the night and into the early morning to minimise evaporation and also take advantage of off- peak power rates. Mr Woods has used tetraploid rye grass on the irrigated blocks where they have thrived and don’t seem to get under stress. Wet winters and hot dry summers aren’t all the couple have had to contend with. Their farm, like all those around, was rocked by the Edgecumbe earth-

quake of 1987. “I was in the shed with our daughter when it hit and couldn’t stand up. “We had liquefaction just like they’ve had in Christchurch and water was bubbling up out of the ground. The dining room chairs fell over but there was no major damage to the house. “However, our farm dropped 1.5m and the drains started running the wrong way.” Whatever challenges nature puts before them, the Woods believe they are custodians of the land for future generations and don’t want to degrade any of the resources they have on, or off-farm. – APNZ

“I’m sure, given the choice cows would rather be inside when it’s wet and cold. This property gets very muddy in winter and it’s not pleasant for cows to give birth, or their calves to be born in those conditions. The cows would still have the ability to go outside to graze,” said Mr Woods who has seen indoor farming systems in action in Europe. Mr Woods believes the climate is already changing with more signi icant weather events, particularly those involving rain, than in the past. The debate he said, is not about whether or not climate change is happening, but how much can be attributed to man. Who or what is to blame aside, the Woods, who are entrants in the 2012 Ballance Farm Environment Awards, want to prepare for the future welfare of their stock and the environment in which they farm and part of achieving that aim is investing in the new wintering barn. The cows will still go out to graze, returning to the barn to receive supplements and rest, enabling grazing to be controlled and reducing pugging in the paddocks. “It will also give us full control over our cows during winter, compared with having them at a run-off, or at grazing. Hopefully with this on/off grazing approach, we will be able to graze to higher residuals over winter,” said Mr Woods. Mr Woods estimates housing the cows and grazing and feeding them supplements will result in a saving of about 20 per cent in feed costs. The building will have ef luent reticulated to a pond, but sawdust on the top of a drainage layer will absorb much of the waste. This will be cleaned out and spread over the paddocks that are due to be re-grassed. While the Dream ields Farm is virtually lat and often very wet in winter, it dries out in summer. Decisions on when to irrigate are made partly on weather forecasts but mostly on Mr Woods’ local knowledge, with reference to his detailed weather records which date back many years.

Wintering barns make a lot of sense, especially with the prospect of climate change making for harsher winters, according to Edgecumbe, Bay of Plenty, dairy farmer Bruce Woods and his wife Judy, who are preparing for what they believe is the management system of the future.

“If today’s weather was like this for a week would we need to irrigate, is the question we ask and if the

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8

Where laminitis lurks Fred Hoekstra ra Veehof Dairy Services es

S

ometimes I get annoyed with experts who give the wrong advice or only tell half the story.

I get to talk with many people who struggle to keep lameness under control. Farm staff are often being blamed for causing a lameness problem on the farm. They are told that they are push-

ing cows too hard on the tracks and over-using the backing gate. I am sure that this is a contributing factor on many farms but I believe that this is just about never the only reason for a problem, and I think that it isn’t fair to point the inger at the staff and not look any further.

In many cases farm staff can’t avoid getting lame cows because the owner is not giving them the right management tools to achieve that. I talk with staff that do their best to minimise the physical pressure on cows but they still get a lot of lame cows coming through. They don’t know what else to do and are living in despair. Let me put it this way, if a cow’s feet are healthy then any physical pressure won’t make them lame. Our biggest problem in New Zealand when it comes to lame cows is laminitis. In the 18 years that I have trimmed cows in New Zealand I haven’t seen many cows that haven’t got laminitis to some extent. I am talking about haemorrhaging or holes in the sole or other defects. Often experts refer to those injuries as stone bruise and sole penetration.

An example of laminitis in a cow’s hoof. Laminitis is a widespread problem in New Zealand herds.

If that really caused our lameness then farm owners are right in pointing the inger at their staff for pushing the cows too hard.

Stones don’t bruise healthy cows’ feet and stones don’t penetrate soles.

If that was the cause of lameness you could even go as far as taking farmers to court for animal abuse. All you need is to show that a farmer has lame cows. What other evidence do you need? The problem is that stones don’t bruise cows’ feet and stones don’t penetrate soles. If you want me to believe that they do, you will have to show me evidence. As far as I am aware nobody has ever shown evidence but everybody is saying it and when you say something often enough it becomes true. Let’s talk about the sole penetration argument. The only thing that I have seen that penetrates the sole is a staple or some other sharp metal object. It is impossible for a stone to create a hole in the sole of a cow’s foot. Look at your hoof knife. Even when it is blunt it is still a whole lot sharper than a stone.

You know how hard it is for you to push that knife through a cow’s hoof. How realistic do you think that it is for a blunt stone to cut a hole? Look at mountain goats or thar. They are big animals which jump up and down sharp rocks. Imagine the amount of penetration they would suffer from if their hooves were not tough enough to handle that sort of abuse. Cows’ hooves are very similar in texture to their hooves but they can’t stand on a stone once in a while? You can test it yourself and see how likely it is for a stone to create a hole. If you take a slice of cow hoof and a stone of about 5mm diameter and squeeze them together with a pair of pliers. What do you think is going to happen? When I did it the stone disintegrated to dust well before it even left a mark in the hoof. So when you have lame cows, by all means minimise the physical stress but also look further and see what can be done to make the hooves healthier - and think about what advisers and experts are telling you.

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9

Milky way to relieving gout nriched skimmed milk can help gout, according to a study supported by Fonterra and published recently in a British medical journal.

E

use of the two ingredients in relation to gout and is currently investigating opportunities to bring this new solution to gout sufferers globally.

The study found that a daily dose of skimmed milk, enriched with two value add ingredients naturally found in dairy products, may reduce the frequency and intensity of gout lares.

Fonterra Premium Ingredients Group Director of Marketing, Innovation and Ventures, Joanna Mobley says the company is excited by the study’s inding and its potential to provide gout sufferers with a dietary intervention.

The groundbreaking study is the irst clinical trial to study dietary intervention in gout, and was conducted by Dr Nicola Dalbeth from the University of Auckland Bone and Joint Research Group in conjunction with scientists from the Fonterra Research Centre and the University Department of Medicine.

“When you look at the statistics, a prevalence level of more than 1 per cent in China sounds small, but it actually equates to over 15 million sufferers in one country alone.

Dr Dalbeth says the results are likely to come as welcome news to the millions worldwide who suffer from gout - the most common form of in lammatory arthritis and a disease associated with extreme joint pain. “While gout is largely seen as a nutritional disease, until now there have been no clinical trials to show the positive impact of dietary intervention,” she says.

“We know that incidence of gout is growing in adult populations all over the world, so we expect this discovery to play an important part in our innovation strategy to support healthy ageing through advanced nutrition,” said Ms Mobley. Dr Nicola Dalbeth

Joanna Mobley

“If developed further, this discovery has the potential to give patients more control over their condition, and could become a very useful tool in the ongoing management of gout,” said Dr Dalbeth.

Zealand prevalence of gout is around 2.9 per cent of the population, while a rate of 1.4 per cent is reported in Australia. Up to 8.3 million Americans (4 per cent) now suffer from gout and a prevalence of 1.4 per cent has been reported in the UK and Germany, while a comparative study in China showed an increase in prevalence from 0.36 per cent in 2000, to more than 1 per cent in 2006.

Global prevalence of gout appears to be on the increase with recent estimates suggesting that the New

The research has been driven by Fonterra’s Premium Ingredients division, which has patented the

A sample group of 120 gout sufferers were enrolled into the three month study, which analysed the frequency and intensity of gout lare ups. The results showed that those taking the enriched skimmed milk had signi icantly greater reduction in gout lares compared with two control groups, and experienced greater improvements regarding pain intensity. The research was originally funded by LactoPharma; a joint venture between Fonterra and The University of Auckland, which is funded by Fonterra and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology.

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Research shows that gout sufferers taking enriched skimmed milk had significantly greater reduction in gout flares.

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Plant diseases, plant nutrition problems, (effecting nodulation, proteins and photosynthesis), weeds and pests. Animal health problems (sleepy sickness, milk fever, high somatic cell counts). These are indications of soil nutrient problems, such as excesses or deficiencies. It doesn’t have to be that way – we are able to provide a proposed solution. There is a direct relationship between the minerals in the soil and the health of plants and animals. Just applying some nutrients to the soil doesn’t guarantee the plant can access them.

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Let us take a comprehensive p soil test – including g trace minerals. We will analyse y it, p provide interpretation p and g give a recommendation. We can organise, supply pp y and mix fertilisers and nutrients that are required. HEALTHY SOILS Soil Fertilityy Farming g PROGRAMME, is focused on progressively p g building and maintaining soil fertility for optimum quality and yyield. Balancing g soil minerals aids in g getting g the essential nutrients into the plant to maximise p production from the soil, or to solve nutritional problems. We also have a PLAN for improving the biology.

Feed the soil and let the soil feed the plant. This is what the Albrecht system of soil fertility emphasizes, which uses soil chemistry st to affect soil physics. This determines eter the environment for the biology gy of the soil.

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10

Pushing the safety message F

ederated Farmers Mid Canterbury ield of icer Vicky O’Connor is usually handing out advice on safety around quad bikes.

She fell off one when it plummeted over a 20-metre bank during the school holidays. Then sat there alone, regretting no-one knew where she was. “It showed me that even after years of experience and dishing out advice, sometimes it is actually just an accident. “We can all try and minimise the risk by making sensible and informed choices however, things do still happen. I learned that as in the movies, your whole life does lash before you and when in shock your body does amazing things. “I asked myself what could or should I have done differently and the only silly things I did was not tell anyone where I was going and I didn’t take the cellphone.� But she was farm sitting alone, and there was no cell coverage.

The Department of Labour says about half of all serious incidents on farms involve a quad bike rollover.

She said the reason for the fall over the steep bank was because long grass had covered up a metre-long and wide hole.

quad bikes are being operated safely. Inspectors visited 518 farms last spring, issuing 197 written warnings or improvement notices. In Canterbury, they visited 26 farms, and issued one enforcement notice.

She reminds farmers now that they must slow down and take care, not just for their safety, but for their responsibilities to family and the farming business.

The department says about half of all serious incidents on farms involve a quad bike rollover. Riders can be pinned or trapped under the bike, causing severe crushing injuries which are sometimes fatal.

Quad bike safety is still being hammered by the Department of Labour, which is planning another round of farm visits later in the year to make sure

The best advice is to wear a helmet while riding, and know your riding territory. Get into the habit of assessing the terrain before choosing to ride over it.

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• When you’re riding a quad, concentrate on the riding. Look where you are going, not where the stock are going.

about what you are carrying, where you are going, and the angle of the slope you are about to tackle.

• Wear a helmet. Don’t worry if your neighbour doesn’t wear a helmet. That’s their concern. Your concern is to stay alive.

• Remember the 4x2 rule. If you have the slightest doubt about what you are doing, take four steps back and think about it.

• Learn to ride a quad bike properly. Take a course. • Avoid rushes of blood to the head, particularly when mustering. You can zoom off fast to head off straying stock, but that’s how accidents happen. Use the dog. • Think, think, think. Think

• Let people know where you are going and when you think you will be back. Carry a cellphone if you’ve got coverage. There’s plenty of information on the Labour Department’s website too: http://www.dol.govt.nz/quad-bikes/index.asp

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Supplement benefits highlighted D

airy farmers are being encouraged to challenge their traditional dry cow management systems in preparation for this coming winter. The advice comes from farm nutrient company Altum on the back of a recent independent trial on the effects of the magnesium and micro-nutrient enriched crystalline molasses block Crystalyx Dry Cow on the dairy cow transitioning from calving to lactation. New Zealand expert in ruminant physiology and reproductive biology, Dr Mark Oliver of the Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, says the trial showed Crystalyx Dry Cow provided bene its above those delivered by traditional mineral supplementation. These include lower rates of mastitis and reductions in retained placentas, along with an added bene it of a lighter workload for farm staff. “Farm staff appreciated the comparative practicality of the molasses block and its performance in poor weather compared to more traditional systems which use dusting or water trough dosing. Anecdotally, there was a perception that cow mood and ease of handling was also superior in the Crystalyx supplemented herd. These preliminary studies suggest that Dry Cow is suitable for use on New Zealand farms representative of the one used in the trial.� The trial, overseen by Dr Oliver was carried out on a commercial Tokoroa dairy farm operating two herds on adjacent properties. It was undertaken for Altum, who exclusively distributes the Crystalyx range of dehydrated molasses blocks in New Zealand. Altum animal nutrition manager Jackie Aveling said calving and the start of lactation was a time of extreme metabolic stress for dairy cows. “Energy de icits occur, but more commonly the demand for key minerals often outstrips supply especially in the case of magnesium, which is a factor in maintaining blood calcium levels and in the prevention of milk fever. “A common strategy to avoid this problem is to supplement pregnant cows 6-8 weeks before calving with magnesium and other micro-nutrients. Usually, this involves dusting of supple-

mentary feed or trough treatment. “While overseas trials have shown us the bene its of using Crystalyx, we have trial work here in New Zealand which validates its use domestically.� During the trial cows in the control herd were supplemented with magnesium and micro-nutrients using traditional methods while they other herd was supplemented with access to Crystalyx Dry Cow two months before projected calving. Observations on common metabolic and post calving complications were made on 210 cows from the control group and 156 cows from the Crystalyx supplemented group. As part of an agreed health monitoring programme veterinarians conducted blood sampling on a subset of cows from each group before supplementation began, ive weeks after it started and ive weeks later, at the trial’s completion. Crystalyx supplemented cows had an estimated uptake of 190g/day of Dry Cow. Dr Oliver reports that cases of treated milk fever were not different between the groups and did not exceed 7 per cent of either herd. “Similarly there was no signi icant difference in observed cases of assisted delivery or inductions between groups. However in control cows incidence of retained placentas was 11 per cent compared to 2.6 per cent in the Crystalyx supplemented group while mastitis incidence also tended to be higher at 9 per cent in the control herd versus 3.9 per cent in the cows provided with Crystalyx.

Calving and the start of lactation can cause extreme metabolic stress for dairy cows with the demand for key minerals often outstripping supply.

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“In this particular trial, supplementation by either method resulted in suitable plasma concentrations of key nutrients in the vast majority of animals,� says Dr Oliver. Mrs Aveling says that in addition to providing a simple and effective alternative to traditional mineral supplementation, other ruminant experts believe that Crystalyx Dry Cow can play a role in correct management of the dry cow period in preparation for the next season, assisting to maintain good body condition scores and keeping the rumen in good health.

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Improving effluent treatment O

ne of the most common reasons for the poor performance of ef luent pond treatment systems is undersized ponds.

is very important. Reducing ef luent volume will allow the ef luent to be treated to a higher standard and will allow pond systems to continue to be acceptable, economical and practical.

Dairy cow numbers in New Zealand have increased over the past 20 years. Along with this increase in cow numbers, the actual number of dairy farms have declined during the same period, resulting in the average herd size rising.

One of the major contributors to ef luent volume is water. Not only does water increase the volume of ef luent that you have to treat, it also dilutes the amount of micro-organisms that live and work in your ponds treating the ef luent, decreases the temperature of the ponds and reduces the retention time by ‘ lushing’ the ef luent through the system too fast.

Intensi ication has led to more ef icient milk production but it has also led to increasing amounts of ef luent being generated at the farm dairy. Unless your ef luent treatment system has been amended to cater for this increased ef luent, then your existing ef luent system may be inadequate.

It is therefore important to capture and divert any excess water away from your ef luent pond system. An effective stormwater diversion decreases the amount of rainwater entering the system.

Inadequate management of farm dairy ef luent (FDE) can lead to a decline in water quality and nuisance effects from odour.

Consider an average combined yard and roof area of 250m2 – an annual rainfall of 1200 mm will add 300m3 (300,000 litres) of water to the pond system. No stormwater diversion means you will need much bigger ponds or an additional disposal system.

Is my existing efĎ?luent pond treatment system adequate? The pond system will not work well if: • It is too small • Temperatures are below 20°C • A lot of bottom sludge has built up • The retention time is less than 60 days

Undersized anaerobic pond Undersized anaerobic ponds is one of the most common reasons for poor performance of your ef luent pond treatment systems. If the anaerobic pond is undersized the retention time is shorter than that required for adequate treatment and the pond system fails.

Indicators of a poorly operating pond include: • Sludge build-up or excessive crusting • Bubbling has stopped in the anaerobic pond • Discolouration of the receiving waterway • Bad smells from the receiving waterway

To improve the situation of an undersized anaero- Reducing effluent volume will allow the effluent to be bic pond you could increase the size of your antreated to a higher standard. aerobic ( irst) pond. Either increase the size of your existing pond, or add another anaerobic ing that the anaerobic pond is adpond until your total anaerobic volume equate) results in elevated faecal bugs meets the recommended size for your and ammonium nitrogen levels in your herd plus any additional ef luent inputs. wastewater.

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Or add on another treatment system such as applying ef luent to land. Use your ef luent ponds as storage and irrigate from the aerobic (second) pond. Check the effectiveness of the baf le. By allowing solids to move from the anaerobic pond to the aerobic pond, you are overloading the aerobic capacity of these ponds and essentially turning them into another anaerobic pond. To retain solids in the anaerobic pond ensure that a baf le or Tee is set up correctly on the discharge pipe. The position of the inlet and outlet pipe is very important for optimizing the capacity of your ponds. The inlet should be diagonally opposite the outlet pipe. Undersized aerobic pond/s An undersized aerobic pond (assum-

To make improvements, increase the size of your existing aerobic pond, have two average-sized ponds, which is better than one large aerobic pond or add another treatment system, such as application to land and pump your ef luent from the aerobic pond. Add another pond to the system. It is an inexpensive and simple solution when herd size and/ or property sizing increases. The additional pond should be at least half the surface area of the aerobic pond (second pond). Apply the ef luent to land rather than discharging to a waterway. Land application is generally the preferred option of regional councils, and is gaining popularity with farmers. The pond system can provide an excellent irst treatment and storage facility. – Dairy NZ

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13

Farmers the winners John Penno o Synlait Milk CEO O

A

ll New Zealand dairy farmers are better off because Synlait Milk and other independent dairy companies exist, says Synlait Milk chief executive John Penno.

“That reduced surpluses and export volumes from European countries, and has resulted in New Zealand being able to develop free trade agreements with some of our most important dairy markets, including China.�

While independent dairy companies make up a very small portion of the industry, the competitive pressure that Synlait Milk and others bring has brought about faster change within Fonterra than would have occurred had competition not emerged,� he said.

Mr Penno said having a competitive landscape in New Zealand continues to be critical to achieving those outcomes. When Fonterra was formed in 2001 with a dominant position in the industry, it agreed to a set of rules that included measures to allow competition to develop.

Competition between New Zealand dairy companies is not about the international markets. It is all about competition for farmers’ milk.

At the time of Fonterra’s formation almost everyone in the industry knew how important encouraging the development of competition would be for all farmers, he said. The rules were well thought through at the time and were delivering good outcomes.

Because of competition, Fonterra pays farmers more for their milk, which forces independent dairy companies to develop their businesses faster to keep one step ahead, Mr Penno said.

“I am surprised Fonterra’s argument seems to focus on watering these rules down, and ongoing requests to be given a free hand. Now that competition has emerged I think it is weak to suddenly ask for a change in the rules; rules which the industry agreed to in the irst instance,�

“It is a very healthy dynamic in the industry, and one where farmers are the big winners. “The second big reason it was necessary to allow competition to develop within the industry was to prevent a New Zealand Government protected monopoly slowing the progress of trade reform in international dairy markets. “There is no question that trade reform has been the most important factor driving up dairy farmer’s incomes over the past decade. “Trade reform, beginning with the GATT Uruguay

Synlait chief executive officer John Penno

“Fortunately, the Government has had the courage to stand up to the pressure from Fonterra and is being reasonably sensible in their review.

Round, meant market distorting export subsidies encouraging over production of dairy products in Europe were phased out.

While we are generally pleased with the outcomes of the review, we want competition at the farm gate to continue to thrive because we irmly believe that all New Zealand dairy farmers bene it from it.�

New face at Synlait

S

ynlait Milk has appointed Matthew Foster as general manager supply chain reporting to chief executive of icer John Penno. Mr Foster has spent much of his working life with New Zealand agricultural businesses both in New Zealand and overseas. He spent a year as commercial manager with international shipping line Tasman Orient/Swire, before joining transport and logistics business NZL Group as CEO and commercial manager in 2009. Prior to this Mr Foster spent 18 years with the New Zealand Dairy Board (and Fonterra) in various inance and management roles. This included positions at Canpac in New Zealand as well as the

ingredients division in Europe, Australia, Japan and USA, before returning to New Zealand in 2003 to set up the Fonterra Customer Service Centre in Auckland. Mr Foster’s appointment follows the planned retirement of John Roberts at the end of March. He has been general manager supply chain, quality and environment since 2007. During his 42 years in the dairy industry, Mr Roberts has spent more than 10 years in chief executive roles with several co-operative dairy companies. They include Westland Milk Products, and Alpine Dairy Products which merged to form South Island Dairy Co-operative. Mr Roberts was general manager at Bonlac Foods based in Melbourne, and has also spent several years working as a consultant,

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including time with Fonterra Brands in Auckland. Synlait Milk CEO John Penno said Mr Foster had a strong track record. “I also want to acknowledge John’s contribution to Synlait Milk since its inception in 2008, and to the New Zealand dairy industry. John has made a huge impact throughout his career but none more so than with us. “I owe John a great deal of gratitude for his professionalism, dedication and experience in the way he has helped develop Synlait Milk into the global business it is today.� He wished John and wife Eunice well in their retirement.

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New stock exclusion rules on way M

ore stringent rules to ensure stock are kept out of natural waterways to safeguard and improve water quality in Canterbury will come into force in June.

“We are recommending now is a good time for farmers to review their practices and check their farms to ensure they will be fully compliant with the new rules.”

“Fencing and other on-farm work required to keep stock out of natural waterways by the June deadline should be well in hand,” said Kim Drummond, Environment Canterbury’s Director of Resource Management.

Another important initiative is the Canterbury Dairy Ef luent Group, set up in 2008 after Environment Canterbury initiated a meeting with industry partners, Fish & Game and Forest & Bird, to discuss ways to improve levels of dairy ef luent compliance.

Stock are already excluded from natural waterways under the Canterbury Natural Resources Regional Plan (NRRP) if there are signi icant adverse effects. The additional rules, which come in to effect this June, mean intensively farmed stock or any stock grazed on irrigated land will be completely prohibited from entering natural waterways. “There is a real focus in Canterbury on excluding stock from natural waterways in order to improve water quality. “For example Environment Canterbury has been working in collaboration with industry partners and other stakeholders over the past few years to improve the levels of environmental performance on dairy farms. “The Clean Streams Accord is an important part of this ongoing work to encourage and educate farmers about how to continue to lift their environmental performance and to be seen to be doing so. “It is important we are able to build on the progress we have made in recent years and ensure we are ready for the new rules when they become operative in June.” A MAF Stock Exclusion survey released late last year showed Canterbury has one of the highest rates of stock exclusion in the country. The MAF Stock Exclusion Survey was based on an independent assessment of 587 Fonterra dairy supply farms throughout New Zealand. In Canterbury 65.4 per cent of Fonterra’s dairy farms had complete stock exclusion (compared with a national rate of 42.1 per cent), 78.2 per cent of streams had complete stock exclusion (57 per cent nationally), and 93.8 per cent of stream banks had fences or barriers to exclude stock (78.4 per cent nationally). “It’s pleasing to see the igures in the MAF report are similar to the self-reported igures in the Clean Streams Accord report,” Mr Drummond said.

The group has met regularly since then and organised an inaugural dairy ef luent expo which was held in Christchurch recently. More than 500 people attended the expo which showcased the latest in dairy farming good practice and technology and featured more than 25 companies and organisations providing services and advice to the dairy industry. Mr Drummond said Environment Canterbury will continue to work collaboratively to encourage good practice while enforcing the new rules to underpin this approach. “All of us – whether rural or urban dwellers – should be doing the right thing to reduce the contamination of natural waterways. “For stock farmers this includes actions to reduce the impact their animals have on waterways. “Stock exclusion can be as simple as a farm manager putting in a temporary fence to keep stock away from a natural waterway. “Other options include new permanent fences as well as new bridges or culverts. “Planting of riparian margins – whether natives or just grasses – is also a good way to protect waterways by restricting stock access and providing a nutrient absorption zone. “Our preference is to work with farmers to ensure there is widespread understanding of what needs to be done under the new rules but we will take enforcement action if necessary.” Environment Canterbury has a hands-on team which works with farmers and community groups to restore waterways and biodiversity. “There is also a team which works closely with industry and farming groups to implement good practice in water metering and develop audited self management systems. The rules around stock exclusion are available at www.ecan.govt.nz/nrrp

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Higher in-calf rates boost profits I

mproving their six-week in-calf rate by just 10 per cent means the average New Zealand dairy farmer (386 cows) stands to bene it from an additional $15,440 (based on a $5.50 per kilogram milk solid payout). And according to veterinarian, dairy farmer and LIC Reproduction Solutions Advisor, Joyce Voogt, the majority of farmers have the ability to do this. Farmers reap the bene it of a high six-week in-calf rate in more ways than purely by extra days in milk, she said. “Farmers would also bene it from improved empty rates as there is a direct relationship between them. The more cows there are calving early, the less empties there tend to be. “Cows which calve in the irst three weeks of the calving period have more time to recover and start cycling before the next planned start of mating. Cows already on their second or third cycle when irst mated have better conception rates than cows on their irst cycle. These factors all have a positive and cumulative effect. “Research shows that reproductive performance in New Zealand dairy herds has declined in recent years with six week in calf rates dropping from 68 per cent 10 years ago, to an alarming 62 per cent in 2011,” says Joyce. ”Although genetic gain has a part to play in the fertility and reproductive performance of both individual animals and a herd, it is only one of eight key ingredients needed to get the mix right. Approximately 90 per cent of the variation in reproductive performance in a herd is due to farm management practices while only 10 per cent is attributable to genetics.”

In-calf rates dropped from 68 per cent 10 years ago, to 62 per cent in 2011. decline in reproductive performance of the national herd, and the impact this has on farm performance – fewer days in milk, declining six-week in calf rates, increased empty rates and increased calving spread. Joyce Voogt

The ‘bigger ish to fry’ include heat detection eficiency, body condition score at calving and young stock growth and management, she said. The eight “ingredients” needed to maximise herd fertility are: • A compact calving • Good young stock rearing and heifer management • Body condition and nutrition • Effective and accurate heat detection • Identifying and dealing with non-cyclers • Cow health • Genetics and AB practices • Bull management The fundamental principles are covered in the DairyNZ InCalf book, which is available free of charge to all levy paying farmers. “Industry wide we are all aware of the gradual

“It’s a simple fact, though our cows may not be much larger today than they were 10 years ago – they sure are hungrier – and they need to eat more because they produce more milk. The national breeding objective of identifying the most ef icient converters of feed into pro it means that New Zealand has bred cows who will do just that, even at the expense of reproduction.” She said a lot had changed on dairy farms. “Even if management practices have remained the same over the past 10 to 15 years, where arti icial breeding (AB) has been used then the cow’s/herd’s breeding worth and production will have increased and resulted in a higher producing more pro itable animal that needs more feed to perform at its best. ”Many farmers have increased their feeding regimes – and introduced supplementary feed, for example palm kernel, to replace feed shortfalls on farm, however, high BW (breeding worth) cows need to be fed well. “If they are not fed enough, these high performing

animals will condition-strip to put milk in the vat. ”But drying off early enough, to achieve target body condition scores is crucial as well. For improved sixweek in-calf rates and empty rates, we need to ensure heifer and three year old cows are well grown and calve down at body condition score 5.5, while the rest of the herd need to calve at body condition score 5. “Today’s cows are producing 80 kg more milk solids than those of 20 years ago. ”Managed well we can ‘have our cake and eat it’ with regard to our cows, but we need to be constantly mindful of the feed demands on them for both production and reproduction.” More cows in calf quicker means thinking about herd reproduction throughout the year, and not just at mating time, she said. “Recent LIC data indicates that about 70 per cent of irst calvers entering our dairy herds have not been grown to their full potential. “I believe this is a major contributor to low sixweek in-calf rates and high empty rates in our two and three year old cows. Cows continue growing until they are ive years old and when these youngsters are entering the herd smaller and lighter than their mature herd mates they really struggle to compete. “In a well managed herd a more condensed calving means more days in milk, more money in the bank.”

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16

Tools for pasture management P

asture management, quality and quantity, has direct links to productivity and with grass being the cheapest form of food, farmers need to be sure they are making the most of their supply, says LIC’s general manager of Farm Systems Rob Ford. “If you get that wrong, then your production will be suffering as a consequence. Often the most successful farmers, with the highest production, are the ones who are paying careful attention to how their pasture is tracking too.” And a new addition to the dairy farmer co-op’s herd recording software, MINDA, makes it simple, Mr Ford said, with the launch of LIC’s new pasture management tool last week. Known as MINDA Land & Feed Basic, the new feature is free for MINDA customers, with a simple tool for farmers to record their grass covers and create a feed wedge. A feed wedge gives a farmer a clear picture of their feed supply, and allows them to see what likely changes may be ahead, he said. “They just need to add data from the last farm walk, and MINDA does the rest avoiding all the time normally taken to collate and interpret the data. They can quickly see how each of their paddocks are tracking, from shortest to longest, all compared to pre and post grazing targets.

Farmers need to record their grass covers to get a clear picture of their feed supply.

“Then they can use this information to make decisions about which paddocks to graze next, harvesting silage, re-grassing, applying nitrogen, purchasing or feeding supplement and culling cows or increasing numbers.”

a full farm management system. Mr Ford said the majority of New Zealand dairy farmers use MINDA to improve their herd’s performance, so it is a logical extension to provide farmers with tools to make it easier and more ef icient to monitor their grass growth in MINDA too.

“This is just the irst step for pasture management tools in MINDA, and it is an opportunity to give it a go, see how easy it is, and what value it can add, especially with both animal and land information in one whole farm management system.”

MINDA Land & Feed Basic is the irst of a suite of pasture management tools coming to MINDA, as the traditional herd management software moves to be

“Farmers want to manage every aspect of their farm operations; they trust MINDA to manage their herd records – now it does their land as well.

A “pro” version will follow later this year with more enhanced tools for planning, forecasting and feed budgeting.

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