Guardian Farming August

Page 1

Guardian

farming

An Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

August 2010

interesting • informative • essential

$2.00

A Chinese experience for dairy farmer ... page 3 Confidence growing in agricultural sector ... page 13 W O N

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Page 2

GUARDIAN FARMING

What’s inside/happening

contents

Event

calendar

Chinese exhange enlightening.......................P3 Mini field days gaining mementum..............P4 Gearing up for irrigation season....................P5 The right to medical care..................................P6 Rainer Irrigation feature................................P8-9 FAR conference pictorial...........................P10-11 Green or brown grass which is best?..........P12 Thinking outside the square.........................P13 Winter feed options..........................................P15 Changes to employment law........................P16 Winchmore update...........................................P18 Agribusiness inovation project....................P19 The canine role model..................................20-21 Greater era or error.....................................P22-23 Weather by the moon......................................P24

Tue 3 Wed 4 Thur 5 Fri 6 Sat 7 Sun 8 Mon 9 Tue 10 Wed 11 Thur 12 Fri 13 Sat 14 Sun 15 Mon 16 Tue 17 Wed 18 Thur 19 Fri 20 Sat 21 Sun 22 Mon 23 Tue 24 Wed 25 Thur 26 Fri 27 Sat 28 Sun 29 Mon 30 Guardian Tues 31 Wed 1 interesting • informative • essential Any feedback is welcome, any comments about our or write to PO Box 77, Ashburton. Thur 2 magazine, letters or story suggestions. Advertising: Phone 307-7900 Fri 3 Email: jack.p@theguardian.co.nz Please direct any correspondence to: Publication date: August 3, 2010. Sat 4 Amanda Niblett, on 307-7927 Next issue: September 7, 2010 email: amanda.n@theguardian.co.nz Sun 5 An advertising feature for the Ashburton Guardian. Any opinions expressed in this publication are or to: Mon 6 FREE DELIVERY not necessarily those of Guardian Farming or the Lance Isbister, on 307-7953 4 Bay 6m $ Ashburton Guardian. email: lance.i@theguardian.co.nz Tue 7

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 3

Exchange gives new perspective

Lance Isbister, Ashburton Guardian rural reporter

Dairy farmer Jessie Chan has recently returned to New Zealand with a new perspective after her trip to Japan through the Jenesys programme. The Japan East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youth, better known as the Jenesys programme, invites young New Zealand professionals involved in the agricultural industry to better understand Japanese culture, business and society. Ms Chan was among 50 other Kiwis who went to Japan on the Jenesys programme which focuses on agriculture and brought them face to face with Japanese farming, food and customs. She said the experience was interesting from a dairy point of view to see the how the Japanese utilised their farmland. Ms Chan visited Hokaido, the northern dairy region of Japan, where farmers house their cows five months of the year when it snowed.

The Jenesys programme promoted the exchange of 50 Kiwis involved in agriculture to spend more than a week in Japan, where they learned about Japanese farming models, business and culture. Ms Chan said Japanese dairy farmers saw New Zealand as an efficient pasture based dairy producer.

She said the Japanese used a high input system based on US high input milk production systems where they fed cows a lot of imported grain.

Through the Jenesys programme she caught up with Japanese dairy farmer Yoichi Ishida who had worked for local dairy farmers Hamish and Natalie Davidson three years ago and discussed the different strengths Japan and New Zealand have.

Ms Chan said the average herd size in Hokaido is 80 cows per farm and their cows produce an average milk yield of 8000 litres per cow per year. In comparison the average size of the New Zealand dairy herd in 2008/09 was 366 and the average milk yield was 3774 litres per cow per year.

Ms Chan said Mr Ishida farmed 40 dairy cows and worked to his strength of being close to Tokyo by making and selling his own gelato dairy products. She saw Mr Ishida as being very progressive through his gelato venture which invited people from urban areas to witness and experience how the milk was harvested to

Ms Chan said Japanese dairy farms bred all year round and their cows had a lactation period of about 305 days compared to New Zealand cows’ 280 day lactation period.

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Page 4

GUARDIAN FARMING

Mini field days gaining momentum

Neal Shaw, ATS Chief Executive

The marquee’s been dismantled and packed away, the retail areas have been restored to their usual format and the staff at ATS are catching their breath after an extremely busy month following our own mini field days – the ATS Instore Days. In 16 years this event has grown from a single business operation to an event which this year attracted 75 retailers and suppliers. Initial planning is already underway for the next Instore Days, although we will take a bit of a break before planning reaches top gear again. The feedback from this year’s event has been very positive. Members and Suppliers said they loved the two day event because it was the most professional and well organised they had been involved in. Comments from retailers indicated business was brisk – even off-site. Ashburton definitely had a bit of that Christmas feel to it with plenty of shoppers around. There’s been plenty of talk about a second recession and a brittle economy, but there was little evidence of that during the successful Instore Days. It would be interesting to crunch the numbers across the wider community to assess the impact the two days have on the local economy. There’s no doubt it brings people to town, and it is highly unlikely they will have only visited the ATS Instore Days and ATS suppliers. Other businesses around the town will have benefited from visitors looking to shop, find accommodation or dine out. ATS understands the wider benefit and effect on the community and it is something we are looking to grow and expand on in the future. The event promotes new business opportunities, it reinforces Ashburton’s importance as the hub of agricultural activity in the region and it helps put the district on the map. It also creates healthy competition between other agricultural supply businesses and that’s good for all customers. The ATS Instore Days are attracting more and more widespread attention and status. This can be measured by the numbers attending (more than 1600 lunches were consumed during this year’s event), the increased number of retailers and suppliers attending and the media coverage the event attracted. This adds value back to both the community and the local economy. For the 2010 Instore days ATS increased the size of the marquee considerably – by about 40 per cent. We also rearranged the Retail Store to make the best use of space possible. We know the two days have a wider benefit than the obvious business and retailing opportunities; it also provides an occasion for the farming community to come to town and catch up, so it was important to provide space for people to mingle and share information. It is one of the reasons the Instore Days has gained the

PHOTO SARAH CHAMBERLAIN 080710-SC-080

Ashburton Trading Society’s chief executive Neal Shaw (right) welcomes Westerfield dairy farmers Dick and Jan Johnson to the 16th In Store Days. reputation of being a mini field days. That’s exactly how one of our celebrity guests, rugby legend Buck Shelford, described the event. ATS invited celebrity guests to the Instore Days and Buck Shelford and Black Caps cricketer, Shane Bond, were a great hit with the crowds – young and old. The inclusion of these guests added a new flavour to the event. There are always going to be challenges when it comes to holding events like this, and we were aware parking was one such issue. This is something we will consider during planning for the next Instore Days, but we also have to accept that some aspects of this may be out of our control. On any other day, customers would expect to park outside the door, but when our carpark becomes the venue that option obviously changes. Despite this, the venue will remain the same. If we moved from the current ATS site then we would potentially lose the connection with ATS and we would also lose the look and feel of the days.

The atmosphere created by utilising the ATS retail store and the marquee in the carpark is unique and the feedback we receive backs this up. The success of this event lies not just with ATS staff, but with the many retailers and suppliers who take part and enter into the spirit of the event by providing ATS members with great deals for quality products and services. So where to from here? Feedback is important to our planning process when organising the next Instore Days. We welcome comments and suggestions on what could be included in the future, whether it be more attractions, the inclusion of some noncommercial services or including more locally sourced foods to be served at lunch-time. Working with the community provides the opportunity to strengthen relationships so we can continue to stage successful Instore Days which will be of benefit to our whole district.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Water whisperings Our winter continues to provide for the upcoming irrigation season. Yes the upcoming irrigation season!

Page 5

Tony Davoren, Hydroservices

to the deeper aquifers over time.

Observation Bore K37/0398 0

The next irrigation season – something most will not want to think about. We always plan to be ready to go by September 1 and that is just over a month away.

The water level is still below the high recorded in July 2006 after similarly low end of irrigation season water levels. While some may wish it further, getting the water level back close to the maximum is best at this time of the year.

Have you sorted whatever maintenance is required – can you remember what needed to be done? There is still something like 3500 Roto-rainers in Canterbury, and simple as they maybe they still require maintenance.

This will only be achieved with more bigger rainfall events. Not only does it mean the irrigation season will start with a “full� aquifer, but more water will trickle through

Let’s just consider some of the features you need to check to ensure your roto-rainer is services and ready to do the job come September.

Component

What to Check

Position

Parked away or is it protected from the wind

Turn-table

Is it greased? What is the general condition? Center seal condition, does it need to be replaced?

Leaks

Any leaks around anges? If so tighten. Does the center seal leak – it will need to be replaced

Sprinklers

Tightness Are the nozzles worn or damaged. If so, replace them. Is the correct nozzle installed Do you know what the nozzle size should be?

Pressure

Do you have an inlet Pressure Gauge and is it working? Check it against with another gauge that is correct Is the pressure at least 280kPa?

Wheels and Tyres

Are the wheel lug bolts tight? Do you have the correct air pressure? What is the tyre condition and integrity? Now is the time to replace them.

Structure

Tighten nuts and bolts Are there any signs of corrosion? If yes, best you get onto it. Got bent pipes? Get them ďŹ xed because it effects uniformity Do you have two splash plates? Both are essential for correct function. Are they aligned correctly? Again, this is essential for correct operation.

Maximum Recorded

-2

metres below ground level

Last month I used a plot of the groundwater levels from K37/0398, a shallow (7.9m deep) observation bore close to the Ashburton River just above SH1. The recovery (recharge) has slowed and the water level in mid July was still about 1m below the maximum-recorded water level of -1.25m at this time of the year.

Depth to Water -1

-3

-4

-5

-6

-7

-8 2-Jul-01

2-Jul-02

2-Jul-03

2-Jul-04

2-Jul-05

2-Jul-06

2-Jul-07

2-Jul-08

2-Jul-09

2-Jul-10

22-Feb-08

6-Jul-09

18-Nov-10

K37/0388 -4

Depth to Water

Maximum Recorded

-6

-8

metres below groundlevel

Groundwater levels continue to rise throughout Canterbury and every rainfall event now ends up as recharge. Irrigation – while you might not want to think about it time is running out to be ready again.

I also showed last month that deeper bores like K37/0398 had showed quite rapid recharge. The recovery of this aquifer 2 bore has also slowed since June and is still about 1m below the maximum recorded for this time of the year. It also has some way to go to reach the “heady� heights of 2000, 2006 and 2008. So, both examples show and defy the adage that “more (rain) is best�.

-10

-12

-14

-16

24-Jul-98

6-Dec-99

19-Apr-01

1-Sep-02

14-Jan-04

28-May-05

10-Oct-06

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Many of the tasks are simple and straightforward. The key is that you carry out the preliminary “survey� and that you deal to the problems. If you want to make the best use of your water, the roto-rainer must operate as it was designed. Do not leave it to the last minute, there are not that many servicemen to fix everything the day before you want to use it.

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Page 6

GUARDIAN FARMING

The right to medical care Over recent weeks we have read of the Canterbury DHB’s decision to remove emergency surgical services from Ashburton Hospital. There has been outrage from many quarters, indignation and dismay from those who fought this same battle in earlier years, letters to the editor, public and private debate, justifications from the DHB, and even the surgeons themselves have had their say.

Kerry Maw

During the pre-election campaigns for the last General Election, we actively advocated for funding of a well trained rural health workforce, increased funding for first line treatment services, and the development of the infrastructure required for telemedicine options.

The DHB appears firm in its belief that emergency surgical services are better provided from Christchurch which, according to them, is better equipped to handle this work from a staffing, equipment and resources perspective. And yet, today (Tuesday, July 27) there is a report in the Christchurch Press informing us that doctors believe the emergency services at Christchurch Hospital are woefully under-staffed and underresourced, potentially putting patient safety at risk. Who are we to believe? And, how are we to have confidence that high quality professional expertise and up-to-date technology will be available to us when we need it most – in a medical emergency. Rural Women New Zealand recognise that rural health problems are compounded by difficulties in recruitment and retention of a multi-disciplinary health workforce, and that access to specialist services is constrained by time and distance.

Admittedly there has been some progress with training of Nurse Practitioners, locum programmes, and so on as well as the roll-out of fast broadband to improve telecommunications, although that initiative is focused on rural schools. I’m not sure how much emergency surgery you’ll get from the local school, but they can probably rustle up a sticking plaster or two from the first aid box. It is however very pleasing to see that the National Health Committee (a statutory body providing independent advice to the Minister of Health) has included most of Rural Women New Zealand’s recommendations in their report titled Rural Health: Challenges of Distance, Opportunities for Innovation which was released in January 2010. One of the report’s findings was that rural communities are concerned about access to health services. No surprises there! The report goes on to state that “The trend towards specialisation with many services being delivered only from regional centres is a challenge for health and disability service delivery in rural areas.” And “Supportive business models, community

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governance, broader scopes of practice, and contracts and funding arrangements that are flexible, sustainable and efficient will enable better and more appropriate service delivery”.

Paris on 10 December 1948 to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There are two Articles in that Declaration that are particularly interesting. Article 25 (1) states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services”

Fairly typical of the type of “Wellingtonspeak” these Government reports are written with. But, in a nutshell, what it means is that there are significant challenges in providing health and disability services in rural areas, and that the answer can be found in innovative local community solutions.

And perhaps more importantly, Article 21 (2) states that “Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.”

This idea of local community solutions to problems is a strong tenet of the National Government. The proof of this can be seen in the Rural Health Strategies developed by each of the 21 DHB’s around the country. Each is particular to its area, and therefore slightly different to the others. In practice, what that means is that the level of health care for rural communities is different depending on where you live and what the priorities of your DHB are.

Hmmm … presumably medical services funded by the Government (via DHB’s) are a public service. As such, everyone whether living in urban or rural areas, is entitled to equal access to that service. So, it could be argued that due to the diverse Rural Health Strategies created by DHB’s, the creation of inequalities in access to medical services for rural communities could be a challenge to our human rights.

While this system enables communities to find solutions that work for them, it has the potential to establish inequalities in health care around the country and possibly even create barriers to access for individuals in more isolated rural locations.

The key here is in the phrase “equal access”. Take the example of the removal of emergency surgery from Ashburton Hospital, making access to such services for rural people more challenging. Does this challenge our human right of “equal access to public service”?

Barriers to access can sometimes be seen as a form of discrimination. New Zealand was one of 48 countries that met in

What an interesting debate to have in the lead-up to DHB elections later this year.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Rainer Irrigation - Your one stop shop

The Briggs family behind Rainer Irrigation: Colleen, Les, Rodger and Gavin. Rainer Irrigation provides clients with full control from the power pole to the pump and is a one stop shop for irrigation and pump needs. Rainer Irrigation is a locally based, family owned company, which ďŹ rst started in 1989 with 14 staff and has since expanded to 70 full time staff which includes their most recent addition of two electricians with more to come. The company install and service a range of equipment, which include Briggs Linear & Roto Rainer, Zimmatic Centre Pivot & Laterals, Trailco & Briggs guns, irrigation & domestic water pumps, water troughs, efuent and pressure systems. Rainer has been importing and distributing Zimmatic & Lateral Pivots

for four years. They have found the parent company Lindsay Corporation to be a good company to deal with as it provides a good backup service to Rainer which in turn is passed onto their clients. Rainer Irrigations director Gavin Briggs said the company’s aim is to be exible and accommodate client’s needs through keeping the operation in-house and as efďŹ cient as possible. “This allows us to move very quickly when required.â€? The most exciting addition to the company has been in the electrical department which designs and builds switch boards to service clients needs, for both centre pivots or pumps. Gavin said it was a natural progression in

developing control equipment. “The name of the game is efďŹ ciency throughout the whole design.â€? Rainer Irrigation also employs a full time graphic designer who combines GPS technology with computer mapping to provide farmers with an accurate picture of the area covered by their irrigation system. Gavin said Rainer Irrigation appreciates the day to day pressures of running a farm which has to carry on regardless of breakdowns; therefore they consider it their responsibility to help the farmer make their business run as smoothly as possible through excellent service. During the irrigation season Rainer Irrigation provides repairs & servicing for

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 9

Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

Left: From design through to installation Rainer Irrigation has the machinery and experience to do it all. Right: Steve Ellis operating a computer control proďŹ le cutter providing precise cutting of steel. mainline, rotorainers, centre pivots, efuent systems and electrical seven days a week so clients can be conďŹ dent help is never far away if there is a problem. Rainer Irrigation also carries plenty of stock to ensure clients aren’t waiting on the parts they need while seeing their production and proďŹ t targets fall off. The progressive business has recently expanded to incorporate an electrical department, which saves clients’ time, money and the hassle of coordinating another company to work on a job. Gavin said while rotorainers may be seen as old technology, the 4,500 that have been sold are still operating throughout Australasia, a number of which are more than three decades old. Even when the hard working rotorainers are past their prime, Rainer Irrigation can offer them a new lease of life refurbishing them in the factory to look and operate as if they rolled off the assembly line brand new. “There are many rotorainers that have done more than 100,000 hours. Rainer Irrigation

aspires to be at the forefront of research and development in rotorainer technology through staff expertise and innovation. Each head of department has several years of experience behind them having started from the bottom to work their way up through the company to be specialists in their respective trades. To ensure the quality of their products Rainer Irrigation has its own in-house efďŹ ciency evaluation, which keeps their standards as high as possible. The long term goal is to have all designer staff qualiďŹ ed to the Irrigation NZ Design Practice. “Rotorainers still have a large footprint in agriculture because of their reliability; we’re making them more efďŹ cient to meet the high standards of the industry.â€? “EfďŹ ciency is where irrigation is heading, that’s how farms will be bought and sold, based on how much they produce and how effective their irrigation systems are.â€? The company incorporates a range of technology into its irrigation systems which give

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clients remote access to information on power consumption, ow and application rates, in real time through their home computers. Rainer Irrigation imports ow metres and data loggers so clients can monitor the precise amount of water they are pumping in order to remain compliant with Ecan requirements. Rainer Irrigation’s commitment to improving the rotorainer irrigator has seen them join forces with Irrigation New Zealand and Aqualinc where new systems will be developed in regards to efďŹ ciencies to meet the new irrigation standard. Last year a network system was developed where two rotorainers are linked together by radio, one is on standby while the other is running. The irrigator completes its run, turns off, then radios to the second irrigator, which then starts up, it’s an ideal system where short runs are involved and ďŹ nishing times are in the middle of the night. Gavin said the new technology aims to save water, time, labour and speed up irrigation rotations so pastures and crops don’t suffer from a lack of moisture.

The company is involved in the design of irrigation equipment right through to its installation and has a eet of trucks and several excavators. Operating with their own equipment, Gavin said Rainer Irrigation can send a range of vehicles out to do an entire job, whether it be excavating a trench for irrigation pipe or lifting out a submersible pump. Efuent disposal is another big part of the business, Rainer manufactures, designs and installs efuent irrigation equipment and has sold 3000 efuent irrigators nationwide. Rainer Irrigation has also been recently approved as the New Zealand distributor of Australian manufactured Trailco soft hose gun irrigator, other new agencies added in recent months are both the Grundfos & Lowara domestic pumps & pressure systems. They are also the sole south island importer & distributor of the new Angus Layat Dragmaster hose which now has a full replacement warranty for manufacturing faults for the ďŹ rst four years then a pro rata replacement for the following 6 years.

From commercial to domestic, we have a pump for any application

Grundfos

Lowara

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FH Series, Reliable high performance pump with casing in high resistance cast iron and high strength impeller in a laser welded 316L stainless steel

The Grundfos AgPRO booster system has been designed speciďŹ cally to meet the needs of a wide range of irrigation applications.

DIWA Submersible Wastewater for drainage of cellars, sumps, basements and tanks. Dirty water transfer, garden irrigation, foundations and water features.

The Hydro Solo E combines the renowned CR multistage with the MGE variable speed motor, developed by Grundfos and packaged as a quiet turn key booster system capable of adjusting its performance based on the requirements of your application.

SV Series, The SV is a technologically advanced pump renowned for excellent performance and high reliability. With a large range of sizes available it is capable of performing a wide range of duties in a wide range of industries.

4 ROBINSON ST, ASHBURTON - * " ! % # % & (%'$# $ #+ ) & ' ))) % # % $ #+

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10 Robinson Street, Ashburton | Ph 03 307 9049 | Fax 03 307 9047 Email rainer@ashburton.co.nz | website www.rainer.co.nz

Page 10

GUARDIAN FARMING

The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) FAR International Conference 2010

Sowing the seeds for the future By Lance Isbister

The Foundation for Arable Research International Conference opened with its theme of Sowing the Seeds for a Brighter Future at the Ashburton Event Centre on Wednesday. The two-day conference brought together scientists from around the world to speak on the research, technology and management used to make arable farming a more sustainable industry for the future. Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) board chairman Stuart Wright opened the conference which saw farmers and industry representatives from around the country flock to the Ashburton Event Centre. FAR Chief Executive Nick Pyke was pleased to host the fifth International Conference in the heart of New Zealand’s arable region. “This conference will highlight the future potential of NZ arable farming. Sustainable arable production is foremost in producers’ minds, as is the incorporation of new technologies and market opportunities.”

Professor Paul Miller from the UK’s The Arable Group (TAG) was the first to speak about arable farming in the computer age, when farming systems and decisions have been increasingly based on data from precision agriculture such as sensor technology. Mr Miller covered the range of technology being developed and in use on arable farms throughout the world, which is used to measure the canopy cover, chlorophyll content, yield and biomass of plants. Through this technology farmers can take a more critical approach to crop management, in particular nitrogen applications in deficient areas. FAR research co-ordinator Nick Poole reinforced Mr Miller’s stance on crop sensors being seen as a way forward in the industry to make gains through measuring plant growth biomass and yield with tools such as the German Yara Sensor, which is now being used throughout the UK and Europe. These types of tools give farmers a better picture of their canopy cover as well as what rate they should be applying nitrogen to the crops.

For woolsheds, grain sheds, or any type of farm building, see the experts...

The Ashburton Trust Event Centre hosted arable farmers from around the country last week, when the Foundation for Arable Research held its fifth international conference. With its theme “sowing the seed for a brighter future”, the conference was a chance for farmers to hear the latest advances in their sector, including the use of sensor technology.

PHOTO CARMEN ROONEY 280710-CR-005

Professor Paul Miller outlines the future of arable farming using sensor technology in precision agriculture at the International Conference held at the Ashburton Event Centre on Wednesday.

Micanta Construction offer a range of truly kitset buildings designed with the farmer in mind. You can erect them yourself, or we can erect for you. Tools required – a level, hammer and spanner - it’s that easy! If you require a commercial building, see us first, from start to finish we ensure value for money.

(A division of North End Engineering and Mechanical Ltd)

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PHOTO CARMEN ROONEY 280710-CR-010

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Drains are never a problem until they become sluggish or are blocked and then you need to clear them fast. Using ACL’s high pressure jetting service can have your drains flowing with debris flushed out. ACL uses advanced technology operated by our highly skilled team. We can be positive that whatever is blocking your drain will be quickly identified and then addressable. High Pressure Water Jetting can clear blockages quickly and effectively clean pipe work such as effluent lines.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 11

The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) FAR International Conference 2010 photo carmen rooney 280710-cr-025

photo carmen rooney 280710-cr-038

photo carmen rooney 280710-cr-015

photo carmen rooney 280710-cr-032

Who ate all the pies? Doesn’t matter really because you can take your own ingredients into Derlen Bakery and have your beef, chicken pheasant or anything you desire turned in to tasty pies from

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Concrete your farm NOW to save you money later Concrete pathways will reduce mud and dust in your sheds and on your vehicles, and will reduce the possibility of lame stock. Concrete silage pits are durable, and will stand the test of time through harsh weather conditions. Concrete floors in your sheds will provide a clean, solid work space, easy to keep clean. Dairy Laneways provide safe areas to move your stock, considerably reducing maintenance costs over traditional laneways. We’re available for all jobs big and small, whether you need a base for a pivot irrigator, or have some post holes that need filling, an effluent pond that needs lining or a shed floor to pour, our experienced drivers will make it an effortless experience, and will go the extra mile to make sure you have a quality concrete experience, each and every load.

WE ALSO DELIVER ON SATURDAY MORNINGS

ASHBURTON CONTRACTING LTD

Phone 307 8303, Dobson Street West, Ashburton Email: hamishwright@ashcon.co.nz Website: www.ashcon.co.nz

Page 12

GUARDIAN FARMING

Is there enough fibre in green grass?

Jenny Paterson, B.Sc

Does Green, Growing Grass Supply Enough Fibre For Our Horses? Unfortunately not! This is because of its stage of growth. Mature grass, like roadside grass, or grass when it is about to be baled for hay, contains way more fibre than the short, green growing grass our New Zealand horses are averagely eating. Constant grazing keeps grass in this young non-fibrous stage of growth (a bit like your lawn!). Grass is made up of two types of carbohydrate: 1. Structural. This is the cell walls (cellulose), the fibre part. It is the bricks and mortar of the grass, in other words it is what makes the grass ‘stalky’. Young green, growing grass is not very ‘stalky’

Short green, growing grass, higher in non-structural carbs (sugar), protein and potassium.

2. Non-Structural. This is the soluble carbohydrate which is found inside the cell walls, the ‘juice’ if you like, or the ‘sugary’ part. Horses need to be supplied with a diet high in structural fibre because their whole digestive system is geared for it. Their exceptionally strong stomach acids start the break-down process of this coarse material which is eventually completed by the billions of resident micro-flora waiting in their huge hind-gut. These micro-organisms simply cannot digest the excess carbohydrate dumped on them when the diet is high in green grass and molassed grains. Instead, this excess sugar ferments, resulting in acidosis which kills off the ‘good flora’. There ensues a chain reaction of metabolic chaos within the horse. You might notice green, soft or sloppy manure, behavioural problems, maybe sore feet. Like us you probably have taken these issues lightly in the past. However, we have now become aware that these symptoms can represent early signs of more serious trouble brewing. Green, growing grass is comparatively high in nonstructural carbohydrates (or sugars) and low in fibre. Some grasses are much higher in sugars than others, like your rye/clovers which are selected to achieve rapid weight gain and milk production in livestock. Not what we are after for our horses! Here are some comparisons of the NSC content of various grasses and grains (from Dairy One, USA) Rye-Grass up to 39% Weeds 27% Cocksfoot 20% Red Clover 18% Brown Top 10%

Mature brown-top, high in structural carbs (fibre) and comparatively low in sugar. Grass Hay Oat Hay Straw Beet Pulp Corn Barley Oats Molasses

13% 23% 12% 12% 73% 63% 50% 58%

It is important to work out the total NSC (sugar) content of your horse’s diet. If he is eating predominantly green, growing grass, especially if it is a rye/clover mix AND you are feeding molassed grains, then he is probably suffering the carbohydrate overload mentioned, causing ‘Metabolic Syndrome’, insulin resistance, and in some cases, obesity and laminitis. Too much sugar, not enough fibre! This is in addition to the other problems you will likely be experiencing from the imbalances of excess potassium/ nitrates: inadequate sodium/calcium/magnesium, mycotoxins, and photodynamic pigments also associated with these kinds of grasses. Rye-grass represents even more trouble because when night-time temperatures become too cool for growth, it stores its sugars as fructans. Whereas horses can process starch, they do not have the ability to digest fructans. The streptococcus bacteria, normally present in small numbers in the hind-gut, has a population explosion when fructans arrive, causing upset to the beneficial intestinal flora and inflammation and damage to the lining of the gut and potentially triggering laminitis.

The key is to think in terms of supplementing fibre to feed the flora in the hind-gut which in turn feed the horse, keeping him calm and healthy. A person would do well to think of every possible way to add fibre to his horse’s daily diet. Horses require approximately 2% of their body weight in coarse fibrous material every day, not just when ‘you run out of grass’! This can come from as mature grass as possible, good quality hay, beet products, and hay chaffs. (Baleage is fine so long as it has been stored properly). Remember to avoid rye/clover mixes as mycotoxins are still present in hay made from these grasses. Brown top, cocksfoot, crested dog’s tail and Yorkshire fog or any mixtures thereof make fabulous high fibre, low sugar forages for recreational horses. Add any of the Bromes like Prairie grass and some Timothy for breeding or performance horses. Young, green, growing grass, grains and pellets race thru the horse’s system in 24-36 hours, whereas fibrous foods like hay take more like 50-60 hours. Because fibre takes more time to chew and pass through the horse, their whole system slows down and they become contented and healthy. They no longer have a pathological hunger for sweet grasses and cease gutsing and gorging! The difference in ‘temperament’ is amazing. Feedback from people who have made the effort to reduce or eliminate these harmful grasses, and increase the fibre content of their horse’s diet with more hay, beets and hay chaff, is truly inspiring. We are kind of programmed to prefer the ‘green’ look of our paddocks. Unfortunately the ‘green’ look means potential health and behaviour problems especially at certain times of the year and weather conditions. The ‘brown’ look is much more conducive to producing calm, healthy horses that you can enjoy.

120 High Street, Southbridge, Canterbury, New Zealand Ph: 03 324 2571 www.drilling.co.nz IRRIGATION & DOMESTIC WELLS, AQUIFER TESTING, ELECTRONIC WELL MONITORING, WATER QUALITY TESTING

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 13

Thinking outside the square Beef and Lamb New Zealand’s Profitable Beef Partnership is making farmers think outside of the square.

production in the context of maximising whole farm profitability in the Whaingaroa riding�.

Waingaro farmers Gordon and Jenni Vernon are considering spraying less herbicide and applying urea instead this season to help lift profitability on their farm.

The Vernons are considering saving twothird of their $10,000 Agritone 750 bill by not applying the herbicide to the steepest parts of their undulating farm. Having been dairy farmers, until recently, Mrs Vernon said they were bringing ideas from the dairy sector to the dry stock sector and hoped to be able to increase the amount of dry matter produced per hectare using urea.

The pair’s operation is one of 10 north Waikato farms which signed up to the Profitable Beef Partnership, a rural think tank funded by Beef and Lamb New Zealand, in March to brainstorm on ways of increasing the profitability of beef weaners. The group’s mission statement was “optimising weaner growth for beef

“It’s conversion of dry matter to dollars, but I don’t think most of us have thought about it that way,� Mrs Vernon said. “We have all had to sharpen our pencils because of costs.�

Confidence grows Two separate farming reports show confidence is growing in the agricultural sector. A Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry report said New Zealand growers remained cautiously optimistic about their future profitability, despite returns for many crops falling in 2009. A recent Federated Farmers email survey also shows farmer confidence in the general economy is down slightly from January, but significantly better than this time last year. MAF’s annual horticulture and arable farm monitoring reports provide an overview of the economic performance of orchards, vineyards and arable farms throughout New Zealand, based on data from the previous year and growers’ views of the coming year. The report shows growers are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead as the world continues to recover from the global economic crisis, despite at best mixed outcomes for the sectors in 2009. MAF Senior Policy Analyst Annette Carey says growers are budgeting for steady or improving profitability in 2010/11, although for some the outlook is more uncertain. “They are focused on keeping tight constraints on expenses and continuing efforts to improve productivity, product quality and targeting marketing

Locally owned and operated

Phone 308 4079

strategies that extract premiums in the marketplace,� she said. A weaker New Zealand dollar in early 2009 provided a buffer from weaker consumer demand as a result of the global economic crisis. However, it strengthened considerably over the course of the year and this significantly impacted on grower returns. Favourable growing conditions led to good arable yields with the report showing an increased operating surplus in 2009/10 but this is reflected in increased crop on hand, rather than cash in the bank. Federated Farmers economics spokesman Philip York while farmers were not overly optimistic about general economic conditions they were slightly more upbeat about the profitability of their own farms. The federation’s survey showed 24.9% of farmers expected the economy to improve, 50.1% thought it would stay the same, 22.1% thought it would get worse, and 2.9% didn’t know. In July 2009, 47.3% thought it would get worse. “The overwhelming depression recorded in 2009 has receded,� the federation commented. “After drought and income volatility ... farmers are clearly hoping for better things from the new 2010-2011 season.�

Since the new initiative was set up in March, members have benchmarked themselves against each other, and are now in the process of trying new ideas from their brainstorming and sharing the results. All 10 farms had fed their basic farm data into the Farmax pasture planning software, and compared notes at the most recent meeting on Mid Northern Sheep and Beef Council chairman Rob Macnab’s farm. “Now that we have had all of the farms metred we are getting to the nitty gritty,� she said. “We have got pretty good skills from the dairy focus on grass management. “Being new to the sector we thought we would be terrible, but we weren’t. “A lot of these guys have been going 30 years plus on their farms and we have got into this group (with them) and it’s great. We have got some really good farmers and we are trying to all work together.� The project is a response to the fragmentation experienced by beef and sheep farmers due to multiple meat processors competing for product, and Mrs Vernon can’t praise Beef and Lamb New Zealand enough for its support. “We (the sheep and beef sector) have got to be much more smarter because the odds are against us,� she said.

The Vernons, who farm 1100 ewes and 280 yearling friesian hereford cross cattle, have recently added angus cattle to their farm. “We bought five angus weaners as an experiment,� Mrs Vernon said. They are also considering planting some of the unproductive gullies to claim carbon credits through the Emissions Trading Scheme as they can earn $4000 per hectare. “We are not going to lose any farm production at all.� The couple have between 10ha and 20ha which they could plant out for harvesting in more than a century. Also worthy of discussion, in the group, was whether to feed palm kernel - a feed so far only really used by the dairy industry. “This year is a very good time to be looking at beef and ewes,� Mrs Vernon said. “We are only just finding out out the impacts of that last damn drought. The 2008 drought has been well documented, but the 2009 one was a fairly late thing.� Mrs Vernon hopes to share her idea at the September meeting of The Profitable Beef Council which meets six times a year. Nicola Bradstreet, Beef and Lamb New Zealand’s extension officer in the North North Island, said they would be looking at using the scheme and its farmers for other initiatives.

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Page 14

GUARDIAN FARMING Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

farm machinery Knowledge is our strength and we’re happy to share it

Looking for specialised agricultural and outdoor power equipment? Looking for machinery that delivers optimum results? Look no further - you’re in the right place.

Service is our main priority

“Service is our main priority at JJ Limited” says Terry Gordon, Manager of JJ Ltd, Christchurch. “When our Clients season is in full swing – our Field technicians are on call 24/7. They are called out in all hours of the day to help a client keep going “says Terry. When our technicians are called out to an all night job, customers will sometimes feed them, make them tea and occasionally give them with a bed for the night! I know our boys appreciate that when they’ve been on the go for 14 hours straight. That is the kind of spirit that we find in Canterbury! We cover from Kaikoura to the Rangitata and the most important thing for a client is

that they can get in contact with the field technician straight away and explain their problem – which sometimes can allow our technician to tell them they can still use the machinery without causing any damage .All our factory trained field technicians have their own mobile phones and are encouraged to give this number to all clients. As a new branch – JJ Limited Christchurch has a very exciting future, we have already had to expand our service department to accommodate our Clients needs and we will keep evolving says Terry. JJ Ltd has over 50 years of field service experience in Southland and is now brining that to Canterbury.

Hubbards Stihl Shop Ashburton is located in Mid Canterbury, right in the centre of New Zealand’s South Island. Founded by Colin Hubbard in the early 1980’s, the company started with importing agricultural machinery. A service and repair element naturally followed, and today Hubbards have a strong reputation for fast and reliable servicing. Colin’s analytical approach led to the development of custom-made New Zealand-built machinery. This innovative equipment very quickly established itself as being perfectly suited to the New Zealand environment, working smarter and stronger. For nearly thirty years Hubbards Machinery has been providing solutions to the New Zealand agricultural industry. We know the New Zealand market; we know you have specific requirements. Hubbards is established as a leader in agricultural machinery, manufacturing and retailing famous brands that get results, such as Stihl outdoor power equipment, Can-am ATV’s and Masport mowers. We know your conditions, we know what you need, we know how to get it and we make sure you can get it. We are able to service and repair most makes of chainsaws, lawnmowers, 4 wheel motorbikes and farm machinery. At Hubbards

Stihl shop Ashburton, we are proud of our reputation as a company that aims to provide you with quality farm machinery and outdoor power equipment repair solutions. Our modern service department is fully equipped with the latest technology operated by qualified engineers and mechanics who will maintain your Chainsaw, lawnmower, ATV and Farm Machinery to factory specifications. We also offer an extensive mobile and on farm mechanical service. Our wide range of farm machinery repair services include: Full servicing and maintenance of all makes and models of chainsaws Lawnmower repairs – both ride-on and push mowers; Workshop and on farm servicing of ATV bikes; Light engineering repairs or design and build; Hubbards Machinery and Stihl shop Ashburton is a progressive and innovative company that has spent nearly three decades developing knowledge of agricultural and outdoor power equipment; where it’s used, how it’s used and what it needs to achieve. We supply only quality branded products, and for your piece of mind all of our quality machinery is backed with a full service, parts and warranty. Hubbards Stihl Shop Ashburton– maximising the relationship between machinery and land.

WINTER SERVICING

We will service any make or model including ride-on mowers

ONLY $ .00 Will over 50 years experience in on-site repairs and servicing. JJ Ltd offers factory trained technicians to provide you with a 24/7 back-up service to keep you operational in your busy periods. JJ Ltd are the only dealer that can supply genuine Massey Ferguson and Fendt parts in Canterbury that are supplied by the manufacture and carries the manufactures 12 month warranty

55

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Winter feed options

Page 15

John Benefield, Managing Director Graz4u Ltd

Already growers are already looking at the options of winter feed for next year. Seed merchants are seeking orders from retailers for the supply of seed for planting this season. In light of the problems that have been encountered in the Canterbury region with fodder beet this year growers would be well advised to ascertain from their dairy farmer clients the preference for green feed crops for next winter. I am aware that a number of dairy farmers who have had negative experiences with fodder beet this year are not going to purchase fodder beet as a winter fodder for their cows in the future. Your seed distributor needs to be aware of your requirements now to ensure the quantities of the preferred crop seeds are available later. I would expect that there will be some farm advisors and veterinarians who will be strongly recommending that their clients do not use fodder beet for winter cow feed in the future. An alternative may be that the grower grows the fodder beet but also have sufficient silage available for 50% of the diet to be made up of silage.

Conserving water Conserving water -Conserving water smart choice smart choice Conserving waterchoice - one. water smart number one. Conserving number smart choice smart choice number one. numbernumber one. one.

Now is the time to be doing your costs and preparation to ensure that you can sell the crop you intend to grow and that you have sufficient quality supplement to go with it. Growers need to cost out their options as we often hear the cry “I am not making enough from this venture.” If you cannot produce winter feed for dairy cows cost effectively and make a profit without pricing yourself off the market then the grower needs to seriously consider the economics of entering into such a commitment. It may seem early in the piece to be talking about

Your seed distributor needs to be aware of your requirements now to ensure the quantities of the preferred crop seeds are available later. winter feed for 2011, but there is a lot of planning and preparation required behind the scenes and this needs to be undertaken very shortly. Young Stock There seems to be a lot of yersinia and salmonella around at the moment and animals going back very quickly. Any scouring or ill-thrift needs to be attended to sooner rather than later to avoid deaths. Treatment for these two ailments should be by a vet as valuable time can be lost trying to treat them yourself. With stock prices increasing again every animal is going to be valuable during this season by indications at

present. Again keep an eye on trace element supplementation as the demand has been very high this winter through the stresses of the weather. Ensure that young dairy heifers do not encounter any stress which results in weight loss between now and mating as it will have a detrimental effect on the mating results. Dairy heifers cannot be flushed in a short period as with ewes. If animals are under pressure due to pasture damage now may be a good time to utilise some of the surplus crop around to get them off the farm and give the farm time to recover for the rest of the season.

Conserving water – smart choice number one.

Electrogator II Low Profile Center Pivot

earth’s most Choosing to conserve water, one of earth’s most zedprecious irrigation, resources by using mechanized irrigation, einke to do the is your first smart choice. Choosing Reinke to do the Electrogator Electrogator II Low Profile II Low Center Profile Pivot Center Pivot

job should be your second. Choosing Choosing to conserve to conserve water, onewater, of earth’sone most of earth’s most precious precious resources resources by using mechanized by using irrigation, mechanized ere. Smart Irrigation - it all starts here.irrigation, is is your your first smart first choice. smartChoosing choice. Reinke Choosing to do theReinke to do the job job should should be your be second. your Choosing to conserve water,second. one of earth’s most precious resources by using

Choosing Reinke to do the job should be your second. Smart Smart Irrigation Irrigation - it all starts - it here. all starts here.

mechanised irrigation, is your first smart choice.

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Choosing to conserve water, one of earth’s most precious resources by using mechanized irrigation, Range Street,Choosing Riverside Industrial Park, Phone (03) 308 6022 is your first smart choice. Reinke to do Ashburton the

Page 16

GUARDIAN FARMING

Proposed changes to employment law Rob Stevenson, Teamwork (SI) Limited

The Prime Minster, John Key has announced several changes to New Zealand’s employment laws; for the most part they have been expected. An extension to the 90-day trial period was anticipated although not to the extent of being available to all employers. I see this as a good move and the change will not disadvantage good employees employed by highquality employers. My views are: 1/ this is a tool intended to minimise the effect of an undesirable appointment, not to allow employers to remedy careless recruitment practices. 2/ I encourage applicants’ to ask for referees and research their prospective employers. 3/ if this tool is not used wisely, it will surely be removed or revised at some future time. 4/ employers who abuse this tool should be exposed and expect no support from fellow employers. Giving the Employment Relations Authority the ability to filter out ‘vexatious or frivolous’ claims and ‘delaying behaviour’ is a worthy objective. However it is easier said than done to make a system more robust and swift at the same time. I truly hope the Government can achieve both. Changes to the Holidays Act include the move from ‘relevant daily pay’ to a new calculation known as ‘average daily pay’. This will be based on an average of their pay over the past year. Workers will be allowed to request a trade of up to one week of their annual holiday entitlement for cash. This had been signalled some time ago and will be welcomed by many. I have had many queries surrounding this practice,

most often coming from an employee. I am happy that the cashing-in leave entitlements will only be at the employee’s request and cannot be raised in salary negotiations. There is a signal of allowing the transfer of Public Holidays. I will be pleased to see this issue tidied up after many years of litigation around the treatment of Public Holidays. The law in its current interpretation is clear around entitlement and payment but provides little flexibility. Nick Smith has signalled changes to ACC with discounts for employers with low/no claims and penalties for workplaces with higher rates of claim. AWellington coroner has called for legislation around the safe use of ATVs. I am unaware what effect legislation exists in the Health and Safety in Employment these changes will have Act. I do however acknowledge these provisions are often on the Agricultural Workplace Safety Discount. I still enforced only after a tragic event and does not cover encourage farmers to seek this discount. Many of my private or recreational use. clients have obtained this discount with little effort (other than being responsible employers). We should strive to have a safer workplace for the simple fact that over the last 10 years, on average, at least one Health and safety is never far from the news, with a person per week died in work related accidents. During Wellington coroner calling for legislation around the 2009 one in four of those deaths was a farmer. safe use of ATVs. Inside the workplace I believe sufficient

Time for a trim?

Our poles don’t grow anymore! But trees still do And they don’t care where.

Help keep yourself and loved ones safe, including your supply and keep your trees trimmed. Avoiding fire risks, power interruptions and the potential danger of someone climbing into a fatal trap. Electricity Ashburton has its own qualified Arborists to help with advice or the trimming/removal of problem trees. Maybe just arrange an isolation to keep your own contractors safe.

We’re here to help.

ElectricityAshburton YOUR POWER PARTNER

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 17

What is

biological farming?

Biological farming combines the best of chemistry , physics ,biology and microbiology with sound sustainable management practises. Biological farming is all about CARBON management. Understanding the process involved and developing systems to maximise carbon levels in the soil. Biological farm management enhances Photosynthesis, by having balanced nutrients in the plant so that the energy from the sun and CO2 can be efficiently converted through the photosynthesis process into sugars, protein and energy. Biological farmers recognise the importance of microbiology in converting nutrients in the soil to plant available forms and to provide soil and plant health and to sequester carbon. Biological agriculture understands the important balanced relationship between these aspects and uses modern technology and new methods which combine the best of conventional and organic farming practises to raise the level of productivity, sustainability, the health and wealth of its participants to a new standard.( Everything in this world and nature is connected to something else, alter one and there is a effect on the other. )In a nutshell Biological farming encompasses - Human -Food -Plant -Soil There is a link between Human and Animal health and the mineral balance of the soil , traditional farming and fertiliser practices and science have been concentrating all there efforts on the results of problems and neglect the causes, it is imperative that we concentrate on the cause not the consequences. Insects and diseases of plants and animals are symptoms of failing crops or pastures , they are not the cause of the failure but the result due to farming

practices , mineral unbalances and poor soils ,because of the influence of the soil on the metabolism of the living cell. 1 The secret of biological farming is to convert a continuous supply of nutrients from the soil. 2 To create plant -available nutrients measured through soil tests. 3 To minimize purchased inputs, maxi mising using the correct fertilisers . 4 To shift the emphasis from extremely soluble fertilisers to nutrients released biologically from the soil 5 Ultimately achieve a point where the plant gets most of its nutrtional needs from the soil, therefore only small amounts of supplemental balanced crop fertilisers are required. Healthy Soils aim is to provide, = Premium quality products which promote healthy nutritionally balanced soils, plants, animals, food and water. = Consultation and assistance to re-establish nutritionally balanced soils though testing and correction. = Re-establish abundant microbial activity in the soil with the use of live microbial products and food for the use on soil, seed and foliar applications to the plants. =To efficiently supply and manage the application of fertilisers and mineral nutrients needed to produce quality crops and pasture for sustainability and profit. Benefits of Biological Agriculture - Improving soil structure and nutrient availability - Raising organic matter, carbon sequestration and soil base saturation percentage. - Increase the water and nutrient hold-

ing capacity of the soil and stop Nitrate and Phosphorous leaching into ground water. - Requires less water than intensive conventional fertiliser practices - Restores the structure, mineral and microbial balance of the soil - Reduces the dependence on high analysis fertilisers, chemicals, Insecticides, pesticides and fungicides. - Improves plant and animal health, less insects and diseases and nutritional problems - Improves the nutritional value of food for animals and humans. Biological farming practices have proven that increases in yield and better quality pastures and soil quality are achieved though providing the right environment and nutrient balance in the soil to enable up to a 50 % reduction in fertiliser and chemicals usage over time. It may not happen over night but it will happen. Biological management of soils has been scientifically proven for many years but generally it has been easier to over-use fertlisers and chemicals on our soils than use good environmental management practices. “While we have learnt a lot in the last fifty years the most important thing we have learnt is that part of nature that we don’t know is infinitely greater than the little bit that we think we do.” - Sir John Russell, British pioneer of Soil Science. D L Hart. 2010 Soil Secrets Ltd and Healthy Soils Ltd

A compost turning machine aerating compost on Springfield Estate.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Winchmore update – July Well, July to date (20th) has certainly been dry, with only 5.2mm of rainfall so far. The lowest July rainfall recorded was in 1993 at 0.5mm and yet the met data I have says that year had above the average rainfall. It must have been fairly wet the other 11 months. Ignore the above paragraph in my reference to a dry July! It has just started raining from the north-east, so will no doubt make up for a lack and continue on, and yes, here we are at 8am on the 23rd with 26.2 mm of rain recorded over the past 48 hours. It just goes to show that we can never out guess Mother Nature. The frosts, although they have been up to 9.8°C had been great in drying up all the mud. I guess what we would really like to see is a nice warm shower of rain to kickstart pasture growth again. At the time of writing this the soil temperature was back up to 6.4°C and while I expect it to not probably stay that high, it is an indication that some better weather will be on its way. As expected, pasture growth has only been 0.5 cm so far this month but a lot of the month has seen soil temperature down to 2.0°C. It is only since the frosts have stopped has it climbed upwards. It could be interesting to measure the growth for the last week of July. Mobs of cows will be going home this week

John Carson

or next in readiness for the calving season. The lack of mud has made feeding out quite pleasant, although some of the more severe frosts have meant we have been unable to pull down the electric fences until about 11am when the frost has gone. The heavier kale crops we grew this year has meant that two clients will be able to leave their late calving cows on their respective paddocks into early August, which is a bonus for them and means the crop is totally cleaned up making it less of a hassle for me. The plan for the kale blocks at this stage depends much on what science bring along in the way of trial work as to whether some of the kale paddocks are grassed down this year or not. Unfortunately science can sometimes have difficulty discovering exactly what its client wants to gain from the work and then finding the funding, which often makes it hard for it to give an answer on area or stock numbers required. All part of the challenge in managing a research farm. Stock, both cows and sheep, have enjoyed the dry underfoot conditions and are in quite good order health wise. The triplet bearing ewes are on really good pasture, and will soon be supplemented with barley to keep their energy levels up. The twins and singles are still together grazing off the

By now the cows will have totally cleaned up the kale crop. long term fertiliser trial and then they will be separated and the twins feeding levels increased. The singles can tidy up some headraces and areas that miss the usual grazing rotation.

me. The shortest day has gone and I find myself busting to get into spring and all its busyness. I guess I feel like that because there is a limit to just how tidy your office and workshop need to be.

July and early August are “impatient” for

Take care and be safe.

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Agri-business Innovation Project A project is being undertaken by Grow Mid Canterbury and the Christchurch economic development agency (Canterbury Development Corporation) under the Canterbury Regional Economic Development Strategy. The project aims to improve the commercial uptake of innovation throughout the Canterbury Agribusiness sector and is being funded by the Ministry of Economic Development. Grow Mid Canterbury will be managing the project on behalf of both organisations and will be supported by Canterbury Innovation Incubator Limited (Cii). Innovation in the Canterbury agri-business sector has been specifically identified for a number of reasons: • Agriculture is central to NZ’s economy and the Canterbury region possesses comparative advantage in agricultural production in New Zealand • The agriculture industry builds on New Zealand’s natural comparative advantage. It is the only NZ industry that can boast both truly international scale and world leaders. It employs one in eight workers and contributes more than $20bn to GDP • This industry currently faces its most significant medium/long term economic opportunities since World War Two as worldwide demand for food is set to increase dramatically • Meeting that demand will require greatly enhanced food production – this in turn will require new crops, new methods and new systems

• However according to some experts the agricultural sector in NZ is failing to “fully embrace the huge opportunities to innovate that present around areas such as precision agriculture . . . robotics . . . sustainable food” etc • Private research exists into precision agriculture, plant extractions and seed development. There is a growing base of agricultural innovation and IP generation in the Canterbury region but this needs to be quantified and qualified. The project will have two key stages. Stage One – Intellectual Property and Research & Development Capability Audit Currently there is limited data available on private company IP & R & D in the Canterbury agricultural sector, however anecdotal evidence suggests there may be significant activity at this level. Therefore stage one of this project includes undertaking a capability audit of relevant R & D and IP in the Canterbury agri-business sector with the potential for commercialisation. The project will not only target research centres but, importantly, will focus upon investigating private company R & D and IP generation. An important output will be to identify the scale and quality of R&D and IP and determine how it could benefit from the existing Canterbury Regional Innovation System. The key goal of stage one is to quantify the IP and R &

Page 19

Rob Brawley

D activity within this key sector. Stage Two –Assessment and Business Case Development Stage two of the project will build on the previous work which identified potential research and IP and develop an assessment of the value of untapped IP within the Canterbury Agri-business sector. It will also identify sub-sectors/areas with the highest concentration or scale. This stage will include an economic impact assessment of the potential outcomes from using the Canterbury Regional Innovation System model to concentrate and accelerate the commercialisation of relevant agri-business R&D & IP. Key outcomes expected from this project include: 1. Identification of the level and quality of IP generation in the agri-business sector of Canterbury 2. Improved identification of R&D & IP in the agribusiness sector of Canterbury that is suitable for commercialisation 3. A measurable increase in the level of regional R&D/ IP creation that is suitable for commercialisation 4. A greater conversion rate of R&D into products and services for; productivity enhancement, export or import substitution. Early indications show that a significant level of IP generation will offer environmental sustainability opportunities in addition to productivity and export opportunities.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

The Canine Role Model I was drawn to read and read again an excellent Christian Comment article by Pastor Rob Davison in the Guardian of July 17.

ill disciplined. Indeed in the various roles I have in this community I certainly meet many young people I’d be proud to call my own.

In a week that has seen the cowardly attack on ex-Wakanui lad and close family friend Senior Constable Bruce Lamb in Christchurch on July 13 and the murder of his dog Gage, the questions raised and opinions expressed were very close to my own thoughts.

In schools, churches, sports clubs and community groups throughout the district, male and female, migrant or sixth generation Kiwis, we have a huge pool of potential community leaders.

While for Bruce the physical healing will take some weeks, the mental trauma of losing a close family member (albeit canine) in such circumstances will linger much longer. Having observed joint exercises by the Christchurch and Timaru Police Dog squads on our farming property many years ago, I’m fully aware of the discipline required for successful deployment and the absolute loyalty of dog to handler. Oh that the human species showed the same attributes. There is no simple answer to Rob’s question “why are there so many angry people around today?” However he certainly is not far from the mark in my view, with his reasoning. I’m in no way suggesting that today’s generation of younger folk are inherently

The fact that really worries me is that those that are bad are really really bad. What is it that makes a 17 year old girl after a disagreement with a friend; seek retribution via an axe attack? Why do our youth, often working productively during the week, suddenly become boy racing “demons” at the weekend, putting their own lives and those of passengers, police and bystanders at risk?

I’m certainly no authority on the subject but I do believe successful parenting is mostly about role modelling and discipline. Not discipline in the physical sense, but things like withdrawing privileges, insisting on apologies for misdemeanours, and saying no, and meaning it.

play with a favourite toy – and just watch the body language of the dogs! Those of us who have trained dogs as part of our occupation know how important it is to be consistent with the messages given. Parenting is just the same.

It is equally important to acknowledge good behaviour or achievements, something not always done within my own generation. Watching TV programmes showing dogs at work send some good messages. Usually when custom or police dogs make a “catch”, reward is nothing more than a show of affection or a brief opportunity to

Returning again to the decline in respect for persons and property, I’m certain significant blame can be attached to legislative change. For example the link between alcohol consumption and criminal activity is indisputable. Every court day we see the evidence. As I walk the streets of Ashburton I note the discarded RTD (ready to drink) bottles littering town streets and reserves after

Maybe some of the significant rise in reported cases of domestic violence can be attributed to greater awareness of the issue, but this doesn’t explain a 40% increase in death by violence. How has human life become so undervalued? The reasons are many and varied but emphasise a dangerous downward spiral of self-discipline and respect – furthermore there’s unlikely to be an overnight change.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 21

John Leadley

each weekend. When RTDs were first introduced to liquor outlets I understood the limit was about 4.5% alcohol by volume – about the same as beer. Some how we now have this “lolly water” containing 12 to 13% alcohol available to anyone over the age of 18 years. What’s more many parents seem happy to supply their teenagers with significant quantities well before that age. Indeed we reap what we sow. I continue to be dismayed by the lack of intestinal fortitude by the judiciary when dealing with repeat offenders. Why anyone who has seven previous drink driving offences can still own a car and resume driving after 6 to 9 months defies reason.

‘

Why anyone who has seven previous drink driving offences can still own a car and resume driving after 6 to 9 months defies reason

’

I acknowledge I’m at odds with government thinking, but I’m still a great believer in “three strikes and you’re out” when dealing with these types of offences. Again, just like raising children, depriving someone of their privileges, if consistently applied is a strong effective deterrent to re-offending. Like Rob Davison, I see the ready

availability of videos and film footage portraying violence as acceptable behaviour, a real negative to good role modelling. Technological advances in the electronic field, PlayStation, Facebook, Twitter etc together with cell phone capabilities allow ready access to bullying and life-like information on all manner of violent activities, if used inappropriately. Modern technology makes possible huge educational advantages – wrongly used and the consequences can be life threatening unless monitored with firm discipline. I’m not a supporter of the level of political correctness that surrounds our children today. I’m happy for kids to climb trees – if they fall they’ll probably hurt themselves. If it hurts enough they’ll learn by the experience – a simple thing called consequence. Life’s actions should and do have consequences.

It’s Saturday night and she’s legless . . . an all too familiar sight on New Zealand streets

I’m thrilled to watch young people play sport, extending themselves both physically and mentally. Inevitably as they go through life, teamwork and co-operation with others will be an essential element to success. Just like the musterer’s team of dogs, respect for each other’s skill and teamwork gives the best results. Every weekend our hospitals and police holding cells are choked by victims and perpetrators of drug and alcohol fuelled incidents. Eighty percent of the prisoners in police custody any weekend in Christchurch are there as a result of drug or alcohol induced crime. The cost to taxpayers for their irresponsible actions is immense. Like police dog education, boundaries need to be set as soon after birth as possible – strong and consistent application of boundaries builds mutual respect. Blame the government. Blame the education system. Blame the judiciary. Blame whoever you wish. Nothing will compensate for poor parental role modelling. Succeed and the rewards are immeasurable. Fail and the results can be heart wrenching.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Greater Era or Error? One of the most powerful supercomputers of its kind has been switched on at NIWA’s Greta Point base. At a cost to the taxpayer of $12.7 million it promises to improve scientists’ ability to forecast the impacts of severe weather events, model climate change, predict river flow, ocean levels and wave patterns and to help the country prepare for the future. It can perform 34 trillion calculations a second – equal to 7000 laptops working at once. This will increase to 65 trillion calculations in 2011. It is 100 times faster and has 500 times more disk space than the previous system. Models that took 80 minutes to complete on 40 per cent of the old supercomputer will now take 8 minutes on about 4 per cent of the new system. This mighty beast has been named FitzRoy after Admiral Robert FitzRoy, the 19th century scientist, surveyor and hydrographer who captained the Beagle on Charles Darwin’s famous 1831 voyage, was the second Governor of New Zealand from 1843, and was recalled to England to found the UK Met Office in 1854 because lunarists were gaining an upper hand distributing storm and gale warnings to mariners, at times surprisingly accurate. The astrologers were utilising moon and sun patterns, most upsetting to the Establishment, among whom were prominent clergy.

The cooling cluster on an IBM p575 POWER6 computer similar to the one NIWA has installed.

FitzRoy attached great importance to lunisolar effects arguing that the moon and sun exerted a gravitational pull on the atmosphere and their combined effect was significant enough to cause disturbances at the equinoxes. At the same time he publicly denied that he was a lunarist. Devoutly religious, he suffered from chronic depressions. It is believed his piety interfered with his weather theories. His role in helping Darwin prove evolution also greatly troubled him. FitzRoy himself spoke of using intuition and mentally channeling for

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weather forecasts, and was called a fraud by the press. In 1865 FitzRoy took his own life, slitting his wrists. FitzRoy was a protĂŠgĂŠ of Francis Beaufort (inventor of the Beaufort Scale for wind strengths) and is remembered for inventing weather ‘forecasts’ and for developing a variety of different barometers. One lunarist, a Royal Navy officer who was also an astronomer named Lieutenant Saxby even had an event, the Saxby Gale named after him. Saxby had written a letter to the London Times almost ten months before this happened; warning that in the October of the coming year the position of the moon in relation to other heavenly bodies would cause a gale of immense and devastating force. He even foretold the day - October 5th. Most of those who read Saxby’s prediction - widely reprinted in American and Canadian newspapers - dismissed the warning. But the gale did strike, on the evening of October 4, 1869. 123 vessels were tossed up onto the beach and a barque named the Genii was sunk with the loss of 11 lives. Saxby was not alone in his methods but the unfunded lunarists were no match for the government-backed met office. Despite claims to the contrary weather forecasts are no more accurate today than they were a century and a half ago. This winter in the South Island started earlier in terms of cold, with our first snows of the year in April and May. It was always going to be a longer winter with most precipitation likely later. A lunarist would point out that the cold engine of the 2010 winter, the perigeal new moon, comes in the second weeks of August, September and October. The second week of September sees the new moon the second closest for the whole year, bringing the potential for some of the coldest winter’s temperatures then. August will probably be the wettest month of the year for most of the country, but Canterbury alone may escape much August precipitation because the alps should shield the region from the expected prevailing westerlies. September and October may deliver cold snaps plus wind chill that will affect stock, and spring looks set to bring an unwelcome continuation of cold, wet and cloud. The lack of

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 23

Ken Ring

direct sunshine warming the ground means lower spring soil temperatures may seriously affect the main harvest. So there may be lots of winter still to come. Yet our official forecasters have been in the news lately saying we can breathe easy because we have had our coldest temperatures already. This is either supercomputer-speak or based on guesswork, because oddly, despite FitzRoy being switched on and doing its 34 trillion calculations a second, there have been no more prognostications about winter from the national climate office. One wonders where the rest is. Until now NIWA’s forecasts have been largely backcasts or nowcasts. It would be sad if $12.7m still only buys us temperatures that have been, and not, say, wind, cloud, and/or the timing of extreme weather events expected between now and the end of this year. Or is The Machine saying there will be no extreme weather for the remainder of the year? A facility for accurate predictions surely means we can expect public warning systems of floods, gales, storms and heavy snows to come many months in advance, and not just more of the same uncertainty presented in a more expensive format. Metservice ambassador Bob McDavitt has always said weather is 80% random and chaos, yet no public statement revising this has accompanied FitzRoy’s installation. Colder winter temperatures here in New Zealand arrive when the moon is either at winter new moon or is moving north from southern declination. This is easily proven. The coldest spells have been, this year, for say, Christchurch, April 8-10, (moon moving north 6-12), May 4-6 (moon moving north 4-6) June 4-5 (moon moving north 3-5) and June 13-14 (new moon 12th) July 1-4 (moon moving north 28 June-July 3) and July 10-14 (new moon 12th).

You don’t need a super computer to predict snow - there are much more reliable means available.

Recently temperatures have warmed in the upper half of the North Island. This is because the moon has been coming down from the north for the past fortnight, with perigeal momentum, bringing warmer temperatures. Whenever that happens the North Island is more warmed than the South Island. The

reverse, cooling, is seen when the moon travels north from its southernmost position (22 July), and then the South Island is affected more than the North Island. So the next cold spells are almost upon us as the moon starts to move north within the next week. And if I had a brand new $12.7 million PC occupying most of my house, instead of my grunty old slow laptop on my rickety desk, my prediction would be absolutely no different.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Weather By The Moon: August Forecast Mid Canterbury, Rakaia to Rangitata. Outlook period: August 1-31

21st AUG

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Sunshine daily hours

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9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0

Temperature trends, max and min

20 15 10 5

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-5

9th AUG

0 7th AUG

94hours (Aug average 124 hours)

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Estimated sunshine amount for Ashburton:

0

5th AUG

August 23 August 9 August 3, 17 August 16, 22 August 6-11, 23-28 August 13, 14 54mm 67mm 65mm 44mm

5

5th AUG

Coolest maximum temperatures: Warmest minimums: Coldest minimums: Sunniest days: Cloudiest period: Best days for outdoor recreation: Estimated precipitation for Ashburton: Rakaia: Methven: Ranfurly

10

3rd AUG

August 7-10, 12-17 August 1, 18, 23, 30 August 8, 18, 29

15

3rd AUG

Mostly dry: Wettest periods: Warmest maximum temperatures:

20

3rd AUG

About 5-10 August 1-6, 11, 16-19, 23-26, 30

25

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Number of rain days: Likely precipitation times:

August may be a slightly warmer month than July with the average potential for maximums being 9-11°C and for minimums 0-2°C. At least5-8daysmaysee good precipitation, mostly with snow. No more than 10 days should see reasonable sunshine. Snow in the South Island over August is expected around 1st-7th, 10th-11th, 13th-15th, 22nd30th.

30

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Summary, outlook period

35

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General (allow 24-hour error)

Estimated precipitation timing 40

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