Dairy Focus November 2011

Page 1

An Ashburton Guardian Supplement

FOCUS Issue 42 - November 22, 2011

Infant formula plant officially opens P3

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Whitehead on council Linda Clarke ke n Rural Reporter, Ashburton Guardian

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nvironmental issues for farmers wanting to talk and the Dairy Industry about Fonterra issues and the Regulations Act will be company’s direction. big challenges for Fonterra TAF (share trading among in the next few years, says farmers) was a hot topic newly-elected Fonterra of debate leading up to the Shareholders’ Council Fonterra elections this year, representative Charles and Mr Whitehead says there Whitehead. are farmer concerns around Mr Whitehead milks total ownership and control, Charles Whitehead and about outside investors around 960 cows on a dairy farm at the base of Mt Hutt getting a foot in the Fonterra and will represent Fonterra farmer door. suppliers in the Central Canterbury area. “I have been a big supporter to make He and wife Jan have been milking cows sure we try and keep the co-operative in for 22 years; they moved to Methven the hands of the farmer suppliers. I see from Te Puke 14 years ago. the shareholders’ council as basically the Mr Whitehead is one of 35 farmers custodians of the co-op.” on the shareholders’ council, which Also ahead are issues around monitors the performance of the environmentally sustainable dairy Fonterra board, and makes sure farmers’ farming and a review of the dairy interests are reflected in its decisionregulations act (DIRA). making. “We have to make sure our He said he had an open door policy environmental goals are in line with what

the community expects from us. And make sure that we basically don’t tarnish our industry. I believe the majority of farmers want to do their best for the environment and leave a better footprint for the next generation. “I don’t think anyone goes out there to pollute the environment or do anything bad.” Firmer guidelines for farmers would help improve farming practices, along with better public education, he said. Changes to the DIRA would also be a complex issue. Raw milk regulations under the act, set up when Fonterra was formed 10 years ago, require the co-op to supply up to 600 million litres of milk a year to independent processors and competitors. “Fonterra wants a more level playing field,” Mr Whitehead said. He said competitors were able to use Fonterra milk to “square curve” their

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own milk supply, while Fonterra had to process seasonally. The amount of milk Fonterra was compelled to supply, and its price, needed to change. Mr Whitehead is one of three new members of the shareholders’ council, along with North Island dairy farmers Noel Caskey and Sandra Cordell. Shareholders also voted to re-elect incumbent Fonterra directors Jim van der Poel and John Monaghan. They will be joined by new director David MacLeod. Mr McLeod, 43, lives near Hawera in South Taranaki and is a director of PKW Farms Ltd, one of Fonterra’s largest shareholders. He has governance experience with Port Taranaki and Greaves Electrical, and is the current chairman of the Taranaki Regional Council. Shareholders Philip Wilson and Murray Holdaway were re-elected unopposed as members of the Directors’ Remuneration Committee.

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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3

Exciting new beginning John Penno o Synlait Milk CEO O

T

oday marks a new and exciting milestone for Synlait Milk with the official opening of our Infant Nutritional Facility, just north of the Rakaia River.

Synlait Milk part owner Bright Dairy will launch its Pure Canterbury infant formula in Shanghai, China. The Pure Canterbury product solely manufactured by Synlait Milk will have a retail price of approximately $NZ80 per can.

More than 330 guests – including farmers from Mid Canterbury and global customers – will join the Minister of Trade, the Honorable Tim Groser, along with staff in celebrating the commissioning of our $100 million plant. With this development, Synlait Milk now has the largest and most sophisticated Infant Nutritional Facility in the Southern Hemisphere. Today we will also reveal our new corporate brand which repositions the company as a global nutrition business, differentiating Synlait Milk from our New Zealand competitors. The brand repositioning includes a new website www.synlaitmilk.com and if you jump online now you’ll get the scoop on how much we have changed.

In my next column for Dairy Focus, I’ll detail how the Pure Canterbury launch went and relay the response this Synlait Milk-made formula is receiving in Shanghai supermarkets.

Farm manager Mark Knight soon to star on Shanghai TV. customers have responded favourably and we are experiencing new interest weekly.

We have focused on positioning Synlait Milk in the premium category of nutritional milk powder production. Not only does this fit with our new capability, but it means we are less susceptible to commodity market fluctuations.

Farmers in Mid Canterbury are an important part of our nutritional offering. We have consistently promoted Canterbury dairying based on the people operating the farms, the size and quality of the units and the consistency and integrity of the fresh milk our suppliers produce. It is starting to gain real traction.

Repositioning our brand has been driven by the progression of Synlait Milk. From a start up five years ago, we are now the leading nutritionally-focused dairy company in New Zealand. Our target

Recently we hosted a TV crew from China who were putting together a travel documentary about New Zealand. The programme had a major focus on Canterbury and dairy farming. Thanks to

the suppliers who helped out - a viewer audience of over 200 million people is going to be exposed to Synlait Milk and the product we produce. We take it for granted, but the green grass, blue sky, clean air and water all framed by the Southern Alps makes a perfect picture postcard for people deeply concerned about the integrity of their food. Combine that with our world-class staff and the best nutritional plant in this part of the world, and you have a compelling infant formula proposition. Looking forward we have much to be excited about. In three weeks’ time,

The development of the nutritional business is the fundamental business driver for Synlait Milk. Our export markets include Asia and the Middle East, with China, a $20 billion industry - the company’s most important market. By the middle of next year we expect to be working with more than 10 customers in five countries. The growing world-wide demand for higher-value formulated milk powders designed to improve families’ normal diets and protect against health concerns is a major focus for us. But we are also continuing to extend our product range which currently includes infant and adult nutritional formulations, functional food ingredients, and specialised milk powder products for human health and wellbeing. We welcome your interest as suppliers and we look forward to working with more Mid Canterbury dairy farmers in the future.

4

Health issues with calves Ian Hodge, BVSc. MACVSc. c. Riverside Veterinary Services Ltd td

L

ate spring and early summer is often a time when we see various health issues with weaned calves. These young replacements are extremely valuable to you in terms of your ability to continue to improve the generic merit of your herdthey are worth looking after.

deaths in calves on grass. The pastures calves are exposed to are often very lush and growing rapidly with a high carbohydrate and protein content. This can increase the risk of rumen upsets, photosensitive dermatitis, laminitis and bloat in calves.

Young calves can have immune systems that are not fully protective against certain diseases, and this can lead to susceptibility to disease and reduced ability to recover from disease. Calves are often tightly mobbed and infectious diseases can easily spread through the group very rapidly when there are many naĂŻve animals among them. Vaccination is a way of altering an animal’s resilience to disease. I use the word resilience because no vaccine is 100 per cent eective and no vaccine can ever completely protect an animal against the diseases which it is intended for. Vaccines “speakâ€? to the calves’ immune system and challenge it to produce protective antibody proteins that can then combat incoming viruses and bacteria. The degree to which a calf’s immune system responds depends in turn on the overall health status of that animal.

Clostridial diseases are also common under these grazing conditions and will result in very sudden death in very well grown calves.

PHOTO LINDA CLARKE 061011-LC-019

Weaned calves are susceptible to all sorts of diseases as their immune systems aren’t fully developed. Yersiniosis, coccidiosis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases, photosensitive dermatitis, bloat, clostridial diseases and dietary indiscretions are all conditions commonly aecting calves in summer.

It is beyond the scope of this article to go in to the fine details of these conditions but it is important to recognise that they can all cause quick Calves in very good condition generally deaths in calves, on-going ill-thrift, very poor growth rates and long lasting respond much better to vaccines than reductions in growth potential and calves in poor health.

productivity.

The best advice is to vaccinate your calves against as many diseases as you can. Leptospirosis and clostridial vaccines are now commonly used and are very eective. There are no adverse eects to vaccinating and the production benefits far outweigh the costs associated with vaccinations.

Early recognition as well as prevention is important. Coughs in calves are nearly always significant and should be investigated. Respiratory diseases spread like wild fire through mobs of calves and can then be very difficult to control.

Keep your calves on a regular vitamin B12 and selenium programme, keep drenching intervals as short as possible to avoid any parasite re-infection syndrome and regularly weigh your calves to know exactly what they are doing. There may be a group of animals that require some special treatment.

Coccidiosis is common after calves start eating grass. The large amounts of blood lost in the faeces can quickly lead to disruptive aneamias. Yersiniosis also can lead to ill thrift, scouring and quick

Finally keep in regular contact with your vet. Early detection and treatment of any problems is beneficial, and good calf preventive health programmes are very rewarding.

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Breeding show Shaping the cow of the future

M

id Canterbury dairy farmers get a chance to shape the cow of the future when a national road show hits town this week.

will best suit the dairy industry of the future,� he said. “One of the things we want to establish is if farmers think the current traits have the right economic weighting or if they think others should be added. We will also be discussing the limitations of the current cow and the traits of importance for the future.�

The event at the Hotel Ashburton on Thursday is one of 20 from Kaitaia to Invercargill – farmers are being asked to give feedback on the National Breeding Objective. The dairy cow is the engine of the New Zealand dairy industry, with 4.4 million cows producing more than 1.4 billion kilograms of milksolids every year.

Along with providing feedback on the day, farmers will also have the opportunity to participate in an online survey. The survey will focus on determining the traits of importance for farmers across the full spectrum of farming systems across and within breeds.

The National Breeding Objective is to identify animals whose progeny will be the most efficient converters of feed into farmer profit, otherwise known as Breeding Worth (BW). NZ Animal Evaluation Limited manager, Dr George Cruickshank said farmers have the opportunity to say whether the current BW meets their needs, and how they would like to see it change in the future. “Our aim is to ensure that New Zealand dairy farmers have access to animals that

“The roadshow is an important step in the development of a strategy for the National Breeding Objective,� Dr Cruickshank said. “I encourage farmers to attend and have their say in the future of the New Zealand dairy cow.� For more information go to www.nzael. org.nz or www.dairynz.co.nz/events.

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Study put to practical use Linda Clarke ke n Rural Reporter, Ashburton Guardian

J

ulia Bent has come full circle in the academic world. She finished her National Diploma in Agribusiness Management this month, named AgITO’s outstanding graduating student in Mid Canterbury. It is 12 years since dairy farmer husband Warren tempted her to leave Auckland, just one year into a Bachelor of Business degree. Julia said her second attempt at tertiary study was much more rewarding and relevant, lessons learned being able to be applied directly to the Hinds dairy farm on which they are equity managers. While she was more passionate about her study, there have been plenty of distractions, including the couple’s three daughters, aged 8, 7 and 5 – the youngest having just started school. Julia grew up in Tauranga and came to the industry by default, having fallen for Warren, a dairy farmer. “I was living in Auckland at the time and Warren asked would I like to move to Ashburton.” It was a culture shock initially, and the city girl took time to adjust to the provinces. She and Warren worked here until they married in 2001, then set out to see the world. When Julia fell pregnant, they returned to Mid Canterbury. “I love Ashburton. It is a great place to live and bring up a family.” Julia and Warren took a job as lower order sharemilkers on a Longbeach dairy farm for six years, looking for

business could improve, from budgeting and investments to labour issues. Time management has been essential, and Julia admits that particular skill did not come easily. “It was not one of my strengths, but I always had good support from Warren.” Early morning starts to work in the office before anyone else got up also kept disruptions to a minimum and allowed her to make assignment deadlines. Despite her good intentions, there were times when she thought she would never finish the diploma. She said the key was trying not to put assignments on the backburner, 151111-TM-000 PHOTO TETSU MITOMO and prioritising time to complete work. Julia Bent was AgITO’s top agricultural student in Mid Canterbury this year. Discipline was important, but hard in a busy and lively household. opportunities to advance in the industry. been very successful as their different But now the schoolwork is over, she skills complement the business.” When the chance to be equity misses the mental stimulation and regular managers in the 200ha 740-cow operation Fitting a study regime around such a tutor sessions. There are challenges at Hinds arose this season, they grabbed busy life and dairy business has not been ahead, though. it. Warren looks after the day-to-day easy. “Having young kids at home you “It is a good strong industry to be in, running of the dairy farm, and Julia keeps are limited study-wise, especially when with a wealth of networking opportunities the accounts in order and runs the office, you are not living in a main city. Doing out there.” rears the calves, and makes sure the girls the diploma complemented what we are She said dairy specific groups, field get to their netball, gymnastics, brownies doing nicely.” days, discussion groups all helped raise and pippins. The diploma course takes almost three the knowledge bar. “The main reason for doing the diploma years and involves fortnightly classroom Mid Canterbury had its own positives was it complements the skill base that sessions, and regular assignments and challenges, with progression harder Warren and I offer as a couple. Warren covering resources and finances, and as 50-50 sharemilking jobs dried up. has excellent on-farm experience and is a finally a case study requiring some 100 good operator. There is a lot of power in hours’ work. “A lot of the sharemilkers are staying on being able to work as a team. farms where there is a good relationship. While Julia was learning in the Trying to stay in Mid Canterbury as well “There are plenty of examples of classroom, she was constantly making as making progress is quite a challenge.” couples in the dairy industry who have suggestions on how their own dairy farm

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Laser Electrical First ADF systems installed on Canterbury farms The first ADF Milking systems have been installed in the Canterbury region by Laser Electrical Ashburton. Laser Electrical has established a strong reputation for providing total dairy solutions to their clients with preventative electrical maintenance services. Now in conjunction with ADF Milking it is able to offer a total package that will help combat mastitis amongst the herd. ADF Milking was recently judged to be the winner in the Equipment of the Year category at the Mystery Creek Fieldays, in their first year showing. Chief judge Peter Dowd described the system as “a truely innovative solution to a long standing problem.� Because the ADF milking system is designed to further automate the milking process, the farmer can make substantial time savings and increase parlour efficiency. The innovation is within the automatic dipping and flushing milking cups. Traditional methods to control mastitis include manual or automated teat spraying as the cows are exiting the dairy shed, but this can be labour intensive, and can be a bit “hit and miss�, especially since by this stage the teats have already partially retracted back toward the udder. The ADF Milking system automatically covers the teats in spray while the cups are still on, directly after milking when the vacuum is shut off. This ensures a fully extended teat is dipped. An excellent parallel feature is that this also completely releases the vacuum trapped in the head of the liner, creating a far gentler

cluster take-off, reducing cow stress. After removal every liner is automatically disinfected and thoroughly rinsed. Within only 20 seconds from the end of milking, the cluster is ready for the next cow. Every cow thoroughly treated, every cluster thoroughly sanitised to prevent the spread of mastitis. The ADF system is becoming a must-have for modern dairy farmers looking to increase efficiency and profitability. With mastitis reduced throughout the herd, veterinary bills are reduced and milk production increases. Labour costs will be reduced, so the benefits of the ADF system will become obvious where it matters most, in your pocket. Phillip Moore, Rural and Dairy Division Manager at Laser Electrical Ashburton leads an experienced team who are currently installing the ADF system into local dairy farms. Combined with Laser’s specialist dairy programmes, the Laser team are excited to be able to provide a range of systems, all designed to save the farmer time and money. Laser Electrical owner operators Brent and Megan Christie are impressed with the ADF innovation, and see the inclusion of this milking system into their business as an opportunity to offer the local dairy industry a complete package to enhance the farmers profitability. Brent and Phil recently attended the ADF conference in Melbourne, to be able to bring back to our district the latest knowledge and innovation that ADF have to offer. Megan having an extensive vet nursing background was impressed with the advantages that this automated system offers, and could instantly relate to the health benefits that it would provide to the herd. When you purchase any electrical or milking system from Laser Electrical, you can rest assured that you have purchased quality and reliability that will be cost effective, durable, and “totally dependable�. Backed by its exclusive maintenance programmes, it will make sure your dairy farm systems are efficient and productive. Story by: Amanda Niblett

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2012 Dairy Industry Awards E

ntries are starting to roll in for the 2012 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, with a special launch at the Hotel Ashburton tonight aimed at encouraging more dairy people to take the plunge. Panels of previous sharemilker winners and farm manager winners will battle it out, for a few laughs, on the topic “whose cow is it anyway?” While the launch will generate some fun, the aim is to inspire sharemilkers, farm managers and dairy trainees to step outside their comfort zone and enter the industry awards. Entries are being received online at www. dairyindustryawards.co.nz. The Canterbury/North Otago awards launch at the Hotel Ashburton starts at 7pm. Important dates: Event launch, November 22 Early bird entries close, December 1 Entries close, December 20 Entrant and sponsor evening, January 18 Dairy trainee preliminary judging, February 6-10 Sharemilker and equity farmer preliminary judging, February 13-17 Dairy trainee finals judging, February 20-24 Sharemilker and equity farmer finals judging, March 5-9 Awards dinner, March 28 Farm manager of the year field day, April 12 Sharemilker and equity manager of the year field day, April 19

T

e Pirita dairy farmer Mike Woodward enjoys a good laugh, but he has a serious message for dairy farmers looking to progress in the industry.

Working flat out in your business all the time makes it hard to stand back and cast a critical and constructive eye over what you are doing. He says the annual dairy industry awards provide that opportunity and people working in the industry could grab the chance. He and wife Susie farm 2100 cows on 622 hectares at Te Pirita for Synlait. The couple won last year’s Canterbury/North Otago farm manager of the year contest and went on to place third in the national event. They also took out a financial planning and management award. Mike, the son of a North Island angora goat farmer, came to Lincoln University in 1999 then headed to Australia to drive tractors after he graduated. In 2003 he came back looking for a job, and found one with Synlait. Susie grew up in the United States on a 400-cow dairy farm, was impressed by New Zealand farming systems and started forging her career here in 2005.

PHOTO KIRSTY GRAHAM 130911-KG-063

Regional Sharemilker of the Year in 2011 Rob Mackle will be at the dairy awards launch tonight. “The awards allow us to clarify our goals and get feedback on our plans, and use that feedback to drive our business forward. We would not be in the position we are today if we had not entered the awards.” He said standing back and taking a critical look was important. “It is little things that make big differences.”

Together over the past few years, they have used the dairy awards to gain feedback about how they are travelling as dairy farmers and businesspeople.

Mike will side with dairy farm managers Matt Ward and Hamish Davidson to debate, in humorous fashion, the topic “whose cow is it anyway?” On the other side will be sharemilkers Graeme Wall, Rob Mackle and Leo van der Beuken.

Mike said winning the financial award at this year’s national contest was rewarding, given some of their earliest advice from award judges was to seek professional help in that department.

Mike said after the fun stage show, the panellists, all award winning farmers, would be available to talk with entrants and those thinking about entering the awards.

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2012 Dairy Industry Awards Benefits abound for Dairy Trainee of the Year

N

ew Zealand’s 2011 Dairy Trainee of the Year, Ben Smith, has reaped the benefits of being involved in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards since his win in May this year.

through training and is completing his National Certificate in Agriculture, Dairy Farming, Level 4, through AgITO. “The Level 4 qualification is giving me a firm grounding in on-farm knowledge and the theory behind the practical work I’m doing on farm,” he says.

“The competition proved to me that I’m on the right track and that the direction I’m heading is the right one,” Ben, of Wairarapa, says.

“The classes reinforce the theory side of what you’re doing and they’re a good forum for questions. AgITO training gives you an amazing grounding in knowledge,” he says. “It’s not used enough. There is a broad spectrum of qualifications that can help you with a lot of things.”

“I now have a huge range of contacts in the industry to help me gain knowledge and grow as a dairy farmer, and since the awards got my name out there I have moved into a farm management position. It has really helped me progress in my career.” Entries are now open for the 2012 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards and Ben is hoping to encourage other young dairy trainees to enter. The Dairy Trainee of the Year award is open to 18 to 30 year olds who have been employed on a dairy farm for less than five years. Entrants can be studying at any level but judging is based on the National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4).

2011 Dairy Trainee of the Year, Ben Smith. “I met a wide range of people from dairy farmers through to people who service the industry,” he says. “The industry leaders I met will be valuable contacts as I progress through the industry. It’s a great opportunity to learn from people.”

He also got the chance to spend five Ben says the networking opportunities days in Southland on a study tour in the were one of the best things about the lead up to the national final with the competition.

other regional Dairy Trainee of the Year winners. “It was awesome to meet the other regional Dairy Trainees of the Year from across the country. They were all driven and passionate about the industry,” he says. “Being able to mix and mingle and gain contacts with other likeminded individuals was amazing.” Ben is an advocate of upskilling

Ben wants other aspiring dairy farmers to give the awards a go and learn from the experience, which includes practical skills sections and interviews with the judges. “Just being involved in a competition tests what you know,” he says. “There are opportunities to get ahead through networking and meeting leaders associated with the industry – it will blow you away. “What have you got to lose? Everyone that enters benefits – and not just from winning.”

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A total dairy system designed with your success in mind T

he heart of every dairy farm is the milking system, so it makes sense to have your system installed by skilled engineers who can offer a complete repair and maintenance service. Ashburton’s local Milka-ware supplier is located with Cullimore Engineering on South Street, combining engineering prowess with technologically advanced dairy products. It is the only supplier of the popular Milka-ware brand original parts and consumable products. Milka-Ware Ashburton Ltd directors Luke Maginness, Kevin and Ian Cullimore have more than 70 years combined engineering experience, and can offer dairy farmers extensive products and services to enhance their operation. Luke is a qualified maintenance and diagnostic engineer, to provide expert back up if required to any Milka-ware system. He is trained in the correct procedures for installation and service of Milka-ware equipment to ensure the system is maintained at an optimum performance level. His expertise backed with a maintenance programme will help top prevent costly breakdowns or inefficient operation. MilkaWare is a total dairy system, supplying high

Luke Maginness in front of service van fully stocked with spare parts and specialised tools.

quality equipment that gives its customers the ability to achieve high profitable production from their farms. It leads the way in milking system design and manufacture, and can provide solutions for both Herringbone and Rotary shed systems. Its

The only local supplier and service centre for Genuine Milka-Ware products Milka-Ware Ashburton also provides the following services: s -ILKIN NG M MACHINE TESTING s 0 0REVENTIIVE M MAINTENANCE s 4URN +EY $ $AIRY 0 0ACKAGES s 0LATFORM 9A ARD 2 2EPAIRS s -ILKING -ACCHINE INSTA ALLATION 5P PGRADES s 3 3ERVICING -AINT G TENANCE OF ! !LL $ $AIRYY EQUIP PMENT s # #OMPLE ETE RRANG GE OFF 2 2UBBERW WARE # #ONSU UMABLE ES

expertise has extended into the supply of fully computerised herd management systems and associated technology, taking it to the cutting edge of dairy system development. Story continue on page 11

refe ferred fo our recision for • • • • • • • •

Precision engineering Manufacturing engineering Fitting & turning Milling CNC Lathes CNC machining centre CNC horizontal boring RHS bending Proud to be closely associated to Milkaware

Total Dair i y Sy Systems y

Ashb hburtton

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

Phone 308 3129 96 South Street, Ashburton

11

Milka-ware

An Ashburton Guardian advertising feature

Milka-Ware’s technical services are second to none with continuous backup to dealers and farmers through their technical manager, Dr. Werner Schmidt (former head of the Milking Research Centre, Ellinbank.) Its services are also available to the local Milka-Ware team to assist them with addressing problems they may face with herd milking difficulties. Luke and the team are able to oer more than the standard Milka-ware products, services and technology. Being trained engineers and having the extensive machine and fabrication shop at their disposal, means that they have the facilities to fabricate and repair almost anything that a dairy farmer would need done. Instead of having to replace parts, the team have the knowledge and expertise to investigate a repair first, to save their clients money. Milka-Ware Ashburton and Cullimore Engineering has the expertise to rebuild pumps, everything from small milk and vacuum pumps to larger irrigation pumps. It can also custom-build components and fittings to suit their clients requirements rather than adopting a one design suits all approach. It has also created a world leading wireless backing gate, powered by solar panels which charge a 24 volt DC battery system. A radio controlled unit sends commands to the gate from the main consol in the dairy. No cables means easier, quicker, cheaper installation with no maintenance required on long drag cables and no stray voltage. Milka-Ware is a wholly owned private company dedicated to providing dairy farmers with quality products that are reliable, easily maintained and most importantly suitable for New Zealand conditions. It has been manufacturing milking equipment since 1969, and for many years has been recognised by the industry as the leader in stainless steel manufacturing. Milka-Ware is an ISO 9002 quality accredited company that is dedicated to providing its customers with quality products and service. Story by: Amanda Niblett

Above: Luke Maginness in front of Milka-Ware store located in the Cullimore workshop. Left: The Milka-ware/Cullimore building on South Street in Ashburton.

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12

FAR’s annual crop field day F

AR’s annual crop field day on December 7 has plenty of interest for the dairy industry, with topics ranging from forage cereals and maize, to grazing canola and silage. Dairy farmers wanting to go can attend sessions in the middle of the day that have been scheduled to fit around their milking routine. Crops 2011 is being held at FAR’s arable research site in Chertsey, and provides farmers with a chance to view current trials and hear up-to-date research findings from experts from New Zealand and overseas. This year oers an outstanding full day programme with a mix of in-field presentations and live machinery and agronomy demonstrations. Keynote speaker is Robyn Murray, CEO of Go Grains Health & Nutrition Limited in Australia, a membershipbased organisation which links the Australian grains industry value chain from grain growers to food manufacturers (on the health benefits of grain-based foods and legumes). She will provide an overview of how Go Grains reviews the science and communicates the latest research findings about nutrition and health benefits to health professionals, educators, food processors, food

manufacturers and the media so that they can encourage consumers to include these foods in their diet. The field day runs from 9.30am until 5.30pm, with ample opportunity for visitors to attend presentations and demonstrations running throughout the day. Sessions include: • Forage cereals – We will discuss species, cultivars and agronomy of autumn and spring sown cereal silages. Ross Hanson and Andy Hay – Plant & Food Research • Forage maize – Where does forage maize fit into Canterbury rotations for dairy support / livestock? Single pass planting systems – is precision plant spacing important? Andrew Fletcher, Plant & Food Research and Diana Mathers, FAR • Beans and lupins – Latest agronomy results on faba beans – eect of inoculants. Could new European lupin cultivars oer a new break crop option for New Zealand? Nick Brooks, PGG Wrightson and Tracey Wylie, FAR • Grazing canola and cereals – Can we make more of our arable crops in early spring for grazing or silage? What are the latest dry matter

results? Jen Linton and Richard Chynoweth, FAR • Cultivation – yield results for this long term trial will be presented. How are cultivation practices changing and what are the opportunities and implications? Nick Poole, FAR • N on ryegrass - New avenues for nitrogen management in perennial and Italian ryegrass seed crops. Richard Chynoweth, FAR • Hessian fly – The role of natural predators and cultural practices on hessian fly. What have we learnt from last season? Abie Horrocks, Plant & Food Research and Nick Pyke, FAR • Grassweed control – Getting the best of out of new active ingredients for grassweed control. Why did they work so well last autumn? Pramda Lallu, Independent Consultant and Nick Poole, FAR • Arable and dairying – What qualities should dairy farmers look for in grain feed? How can arable assist with pasture renovation programmes and what can we do to ensure better relationships in the future? Dawn Dalley, Dairy NZ • Disease – Why is Conquest wheat now susceptible to leaf rust and what

are the implications for the cereal breeding programme? What diseases are currently on the move? Steve Shorter and Matthew Cromey, Plant & Food Research • 20:20 – 20 tonnes of wheat per hectare by 2020. Rob Craigie, FAR • Clover root weevil – A serious threat to clover seed production or a transient pest moving south? Mark McNeill, AgResearch The day will also see the announcement of the FAR Researcher of the Year and presentations for other awards including FAR Studentships. Nick Pyke, FAR’s chief executive, said crops was a key event in the calendar for farmers and industry personnel who are serious about the arable sector. “The day will provide arable growers and dairy farmers with the latest information on a broad range of topics which will help them farm more productively. “As always, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors for their continued support; their collaboration makes it possible for us to deliver a comprehensive programme with topics of importance for the future sustainability of New Zealand arable farming.â€?

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13

Mating and lameness Fred Hoekstra ra Veehof Dairy Services es

H

ow is your mating going? I am doing an AI run again this year so I thought it would be a good idea to talk a bit about lameness that is more specific to this time of the year - that is lameness in front feet and lameness in the bulls.

stop cows from riding each other. We actually don’t want to stop it so we have to look at the stress levels on the cows and make sure that our tracks and holding yards are stone free. Lameness in bulls is slightly dierent. A few things are happening with bulls when they arrive on the farm and when they go with the cows. For one the environment is totally dierent dierent food, dierent routines and dierent life style. I don’t think the testosterone levels will have an eect on laminitis but all the other changes currently do.

It is normal to get more lameness in front feet at this time of the year compared to other times. Cows are bulling and when bulls come o the ridden cow they land on their front feet. This produces more traumas to deal with than normal walking. There is not really any suspension in the front feet just like there is no suspension in human feet. People can create suspension by bending their knees but a cow can’t do that with their front feet, which puts an enormous amount of pressure on the locomotion apparatus when they do land on their front feet. Did you know that you will break your legs if you jump o the back of a truck and you keep your legs straight? The amount of pressure that the average person puts on their feet by jumping o the back of a truck is about 1000kg. So it is no wonder that you do major damage if you keep your feet straight. In the same way there is a lot of force going on to the front feet of a cow

We do have some physical problems as well. The wear pattern in animals that only walk on pasture is dierent from animals that walk on hard surfaces. When bulls all of a sudden walk on hard surfaces their hooves wear faster, and it will take about six weeks for the bull to adjust the growth rate to the wearing rate so a lot of bulls end up with thin soles. Bulls are a valuable resource and need extra attention during mating season when injury rates rise. when they ride another cow. A lot of the lameness in the front feet is ligament damage but we do get more hoof problems as well. This does not mean that this sort of lameness is purely caused by physical force. Again, the cow must have weakened claws from laminitis and then physical force will

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make the problem worse resulting in lameness. If it was purely caused by physical force we would see a lot more problems because most cows do come on heat but in comparison there are not many going lame on their front feet. We can’t

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14

Pond practice note released T

he Institution of Professional Engineers in New Zealand has released a practice note for dairy farm effluent pond design and construction. DairyNZ project manager for effluent Dr Theresa Wilson said the information set out in the practice note meets a widely recognised need for greater guidance around effluent storage. “This is the first industry-agreed set of good practice standards around the design and the construction of new effluent storage ponds,� Dr Wilson said. “It should address concerns expressed by IPENZ Members, effluent systems’ specialists and farmers about the environmental risks of poorly designed and constructed ponds.� Engineers have introduced a practice note for dairy farm effluent pond design.

She said farmers using services from suppliers who followed the pond construction practice note should have more confidence in the design, engineering and construction advice and expertise they receive. “They’ll make better investment decisions and better storage ponds will be built as a result.� DairyNZ funded the development of the practice note, which was written by a team led by IPENZ professional member and Opus International

Consultants engineer, Rex Corlett. “The practice note is a technical engineering document. It is designed for engineers and specialist pond design and construction companies,� he said. “There was a robust consultation with the wider effluent industry in its development. “It covers the legislation and regulations that apply in this area, the site investigation process, and design,

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Applied Depth – Depth 54 0–5 32 No 1 Overlap mm 0

they will also have confidence in ponds built to these standards at compliance time.�

Federated Farmers Dairy section vice-chairperson Robin Barkler said the practice note will be welcomed by farmers who have been after definitive advice on how ponds should be designed and built.

Dr Wilson said a new effluent pond is often a project farmers manage themselves around the day-to-day running of their farm.

“An effluent pond is a considerable investment – you can pay six figures for one – but it has a great return on investment if built well. “If you can store your nutrients from the effluent in the pond and apply them where you would normally use fertiliser, you’ll make good savings on your fertiliser bill which can pay o a pond in around five or so years. This practice note is good for farmers as

“It’s an involved process; from sorting engineers and designers, contractors through to arranging finance and training sta in the how it should be managed once commissioned. DairyNZ has written ‘A farmer’s guide to building a new effluent pond’. It complements the practice note to help farmers through that management process.â€? Effluent pond design and construction events for farmers will be taking place across the country.

Pluck’s can adapt our ADR 500 and twin pond efuent system to work with your current efuent set ups, keeping your upgrade costs down.

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construction and certification and commissioning phases of constructing effluent ponds.�

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15

Energy saving options T

he main energy uses on a dairy farm are within the milking shed – hot water heating, milk chilling and the milking system’s vacuum pump.

and/or shelter belts to conserve applied water. • Ensure pumps are regularly maintained and any leaks repaired promptly.

Energy efficiency on-farm can reduce costs and lead to improved animal wellbeing and higher productivity and power generators like Meridian and Genesis have sections of their websites devoted to power saving tips.

Systems that control the level of vacuum in milking machines to suit the number of cows being milked are also available. Too much suction is hard on cows, wastes water, and can lead to stray voltage.

Meridian even has a 800-cow dairy farm at Kurow on which to test some of its energy efficiency products.

Varivac, developed by Corkill Systems Ltd in Taranaki, is a software driven vacuum pump control system that has won awards for energy savings and innovation.

Their best advice: • Insulate your hot water cylinder with a wrap and insulate pipes near the cylinder. • Use correctly sized hot water cylinders. • Turn off the water heater until four hours or so before you need the hot water by installing a timer. • Using electricity at off-peak times can significantly reduce power costs. • Use cold water for wash-downs once per day. The other washes need to be at 80°C to achieve adequate sanitation. • Consider installing a heat recovery unit.

Smart dairy farmers are cutting their electrical energy costs by using heat recovery systems to simultaneously cool milk and heat water. • Use plate coolers to pre-cool milk before it enters the vat. • Regularly maintain refrigeration equipment: • Regularly service refrigeration units. • Keep condensing coils free of obstructions and dust ensure a clear air flow. • Situate freezers and refrigerators as far away as possible from heat sources. • Ensure freezers and refrigerators are fully loaded whenever possible.

There are power savings to be made with irrigation too: • Use gravity supply where possible because pumping water costs money. • Correctly match the pump to the system requirements, rather than throttling a system with a gate valve. • Monitor and track water use and demand with a meter. • Use a soil moisture sensor or a professional service to schedule your irrigation application. • Irrigate little and often – do not irrigate below the active root zone. • Where appropriate, use mulching

Varivac controls all kinds of vacuum pumps – single or twin motor. It increases vacuum reserve by up to 20 per cent and reduces noise in the process. On farm experiences show power savings the equivalent of several thousands of dollars. Other milking shed energy saving technology includes heat recovery technology, which uses heat recovery technology to generate hot water while simultaneously chilling milk more quickly which in turn protects milk quality. Meridian profiles Boost units, which claim a three-year payback in power savings.

16

Milestone in farm education T

he 40th “birthday” of New Zealand’s first university degree in agricultural commerce was marked last week with a celebration at Lincoln University, where the qualification was pioneered.

production and farm management were now matched with a parallel focus on scholarship in disciplines associated with the commercialisation of that production and the results of that management.

“The Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce degree, first offered in 1971, was a revolutionary development,” says Lincoln University’s Dr Sharon Forbes, a Lecturer in the Faculty of Commerce and convenor of the celebration.

“Agricultural commerce, the original name in the first degree, is one of the ancestors of what today we know as agribusiness, so we are celebrating a very important field of activity within New Zealand’s land-based economy.”

“The climate was ready for change and innovation and the new degree set the university on an exciting educational path. Its traditional strengths in agricultural

The Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce degree had an initial intake of 129 students and the first batch of graduates in 1974 was swiftly snapped up by

You can trust that my experience assisting other Mid Canterbury rural property owners will mean a successful, confidential, professional service for you

industry, the professions and government agencies. At least two members of the first class attended the 40th birthday function. Prominent in developing the degree was Professor of Agricultural Economics Bruce Ross, later Lincoln University’s first Vice-Chancellor. Professor Ross taught into the degree programme for over a decade before secondment to the OECD in Paris, followed by the principalship of Lincoln College. In 1978 the Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce was replaced by a Bachelor of Commerce (agricultural) degree and innovation continued with Lincoln going on to offer the first off-shore teaching of a New Zealand commerce degree - a Bachelor of Commerce and Management,

in Malaysia - and holding the first offshore graduation ceremony by a New Zealand university, again in Malaysia. Other innovations in the commerce area have included the first appointments in New Zealand of professors of marketing, real estate studies and transport studies and the first offering of university commerce degrees in tourism and in hotel and institutional management. Today a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Lincoln University is offered with “majors” in accounting, agribusiness, business management, economics, finance, hotel management, entrepreneurship, international business, marketing, and supply chain management.

Contact me now to discuss buying or selling. Ian Crosson

Rural/Lifestyle Consultant

MOB 0274 548 398

Mid Canterbury (A member of the First National Group) Licensed Sales Person (REAA 2008)

Office 03 307 8317

Do it Once, Do it Right Greg Donaldson Contracting Ltd prides itself on its biggest asset, its staff. Their vast experience and ability to undertake many and varied tasks and complete them efficiently, ensures customer satisfaction and value for money. With the large range of machinery at our disposal, we are able to offer a wide range of services.

Commercial Residential Rural

• Root raking • Pipe and cable laying • Ripping • Concrete/rock breaking • Augering holes • Mini digger & tip truck • Truck and trailer cartage • Drainage – farm, domestic, commercial • Dairy farm development & maintenance

• Irrigation • Driveway & roading – chipseal & hotmix • Transporter hire • Centre pivot rut filling • Concrete work • Shingle supplies • Pivot steer grader • Company consented landfills • Traffic and project management • General excavation

For all your Commercial, Residential or Rural contracting needs call us TODAY!

15 Malcolm McDowell Road, Ashburton Phone 308 8479 Mobile 0274 338 003 Email donaldsoncontracting@xtra.co.nz

www.gdc.net.nz

Greg Donaldson Contracting

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