Guardian Farming May 2011

An Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

PPRS ‘an unhealthy risk’ . . . page 3

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GUARDIAN FARMING

What’s happening Event May 11

Let’s be fair to one and all New Zealand’s agricultural markets are among the most open in the world, but are we opening ourselves up to too many risks and unnecessary costs?

While Kiwi farmers stand tall as world leaders in agricultural production and free trade, they are under pressure to produce goods in a more environmentally friendly way while striving to compete in a global market.

While these aspirations are admirable in driving efficiency and sustainability, they come at a cost to farmers who wonder whether New Zealand will truly benefit in the long run.

The National Identification Animal Tracing (NAIT) scheme, Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and new animal welfare standards which will see sow crates phased out are just some of the changes Kiwi farmers are

expected to adapt to within the next five years.

The Government seems to be setting the bar higher and higher for our Lance Isbister farmers when it comes to Ashburton Guardian rural reporter quality food production and traceability, however imported produce does not seem to be tarred with the same brush.

It has been said that New Zealand farmers are not on a level playing field when it comes to free trade, a sentiment I share.

Our domestic pig farmers have been forced to change their farming practices by phasing out sow crates, yet consumers still purchase imported pork products from countries which do not have the same level of animal welfare standards.

Guardian interesting • informative • essential

Any feedback is welcome, any comments about our magazine, letters or story suggestions.

Advertising: Phone 307-7900 Email: emma.j@theguardian.co.nz Publication date: May 3, 2011

Please direct any correspondence to: Amanda Niblett, on 307-7927 email: amanda.n@theguardian.co.nz or to: Lance Isbister, on 307-7953 email: lance.i@theguardian.co.nz or write to PO Box 77, Ashburton.

Next issue: June 7, 2011 An advertising feature for the Ashburton Guardian. Any opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Guardian Farming or the Ashburton Guardian.

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PRRS fear has pig farmers scared Lance Isbister, Ashburton Guardian rural reporter

The battle lines are drawn as the Pork Industry Board takes legal action against the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to protect itself from biosecurity threats.

which would devastate New Zealand’s cattle herds.

The Pork Industry Board has undertaken legal proceedings against MAF in response to its decision to relax the rules around the importation of uncooked pork products from countries where porcine reproduction and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is established.

Industry representatives and local pig farmers alike see PRRS as one of the biggest threats to their industry because it is highly infectious and has the potential to wipe out the population of piglets.

He said pigs were a vector for foot and mouth disease and the 2001 outbreak in Britain was said to have originated from someone feeding a pig a ham sandwich which was infected with the disease.

“This country cannot afford another disease piggy-backing on this.”

Mr Carter said one of the greatest risks in spreading the PRRS disease (if it made its way into the country) was from people rearing backyard pigs as they could feed uncooked pork scraps to their pigs which could see them contract the disease.

Pork Industry Board director Ian Carter said MAF’s decision to relax the rules around the importation of uncooked pork products not only put the pork industry at risk but also the wider agricultural sector.

“From an industry point of view we don’t see why they would want to go this way.”

Mr Carter said he could not understand why the New Zealand pork industry was required to adhere to stringent new animal welfare standards when MAF’s decision put pig health and welfare at risk.

Mr Carter said if a disease such as PRRS could come into the country, the agricultural sector would be just as vulnerable to others such as the dreaded foot and mouth disease

He said the outbreak of mad cow disease in Britain saw the New Zealand government of the day push through legislation making the feeding of meat from a species back to the same species illegal.

“I’m not advocating that people shouldn’t have pigs in the backyard, but it should be controlled at the border.”

Mr Carter said the frustrating thing was the pork industry was fighting the very organisation which is supposed to support the primary industry through vigilance against biosecurity threats.

He said the one strength the pork industry drew on regarding the issue was that

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Alister Hyde’s fiancé Stephanie Von Preuchen tends to their piglets which would be directly threatened by an incursion of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome also known as PRRS. members were unanimous in fighting against MAF’s decision.

Prior to the Pig Industry Board taking legal action against MAF, MAF deputy director general standards Carol Barnao said the risk of PRRS would be effectively managed by import health standards.

“Our extensive assessment, based on the best available science, shows that the risk of PRRS introduction through pork imports will be effectively managed through the application of measures outlined in these standards.”

Since then MAF has been contacted, but was not prepared to comment due to the legal proceedings already under way.

Local pig farmers Hamish and Vicki Mee and Alister Hyde are disillusioned with the Government, which seemed supportive of their plight in 2007 when in opposition, but now stands by MAF’s decision.

Kiwi pig farmers and industry representatives have been left to ponder what is the benefit of relaxing the rules around the biosecurity of uncooked imported pork, when it could leave them vulnerable to PRRS.

Page 4

GUARDIAN FARMING

Number of farm sales hits new all-time low T

here were 190 farm sales in the three months ended March 2011 compared to 204 in the three months ended February 2011 and 210 in the three months to March 2010 continuing the trend of falling farm sales over the past three years.

largest number of sales with 45.2 per cent share of all sales over the three months. Dairy properties accounted for 18.4 per cent, horticulture properties 10.5 per cent and finishing properties 14.7 per cent.

These four property types accounted for 88.8 per cent of all sales during the three months ended February 2011.

The number of farm sales for the year ended March 2011 was 869, compared to 2692 farm sales for the year ended March 2008, a drop of almost 68 per cent.

Beginning this month REINZ is moving away from reporting median farm prices and will instead report average selling price per hectare figures instead.

REINZ Rural Market Spokesman Peter McDonald said the data for the three months to March shows the weakest number of farm sales they had seen for more than 15 years.

The falling number of farm sales has made the median farm price a less consistent measure of the value of rural properties and moving to average selling prices per hectare should provide a more reliable and consistent measure of farm values moving forward.

“While there are certainly signs of confidence in the rural sector with rising payouts and a strong improvement in sheep and beef farm profitability, this is not yet being translated in property activity.� “This is frustrating for the rural real estate industry, with a number of well presented and sound properties available for sale, and good interest from buyers,� Mr McDonald said. “This may be due to conservatism on the part of buyers in ensuring that properties they are looking at really meet their needs, or continued restraints on rural lending by the banking sector.�

Included in sales for the month of March were 15 dairy farms at an average sale value of $29,272 per hectare and $34 per kg of milk solids (MS).

with a range of 31 hectares in Taranaki to 509 hectares in Hawkes Bay. The average production per hectare across all farms sold in February was 870 kgs.

There was considerable variability in these numbers with the values ranging from $23 per kg of MS in Manawatu to $52 per kg of MS in Taranaki.

Further, a 3400 hectare high country property was sold in the Nelson region for in excess of $5.5 million during the month of March.

By switching to this new measure REINZ will be able to provide more accurate information about the trends in farm prices and values, as well as provide greater insight into the trends apparent with each farming type,� Mr McDonald said.

The average farm size was 163 hectares

Grazing properties accounted for the

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per hectare for dairy farms for some time now, and this new presentation of the data extends this across all farm types.”

For the three months ended March 2011 the average sales price per hectare for dairy farms was $32,533 (35 properties) compared to $36,687 for the three months ended February 2011 (50 properties), and $32,000 (35 properties) for the three months ended March 2010.

The average dairy farm size for the three months ended March 2011 was 113 hectares.

For the three months ended March 2011 the average sales price per hectare for grazing farms was $13,220 (86 properties) compared to $13,569 for the three months ended February 2011 (84 properties), and $13,274 (92 properties) for the three months ended March 2010.

The average grazing farm size for the three months ended March 2011 was 97 hectares.

For the three months ended March 2011 the average sales price per hectare for horticulture farms was $128,077 (20 properties) compared to $129,310 for the three months ended February 2011 (21 properties), and $134,689 (28 properties) for the three months ended March 2010.

The average horticulture farm size for the

Page 5

three months ended March 2011 was 4 hectares.

The lifestyle property market saw something of a lift in volume and median prices in the three months to March 2011.

REINZ is not changing the measurement basis for lifestyle properties and is retaining the median sale price measure for this property type.

The national median price was $455,000 for the three months to March 2011, up $19,500 compared to the three months to February 2011, and up $15,000 compared to the three months ended March 2010.

Total sales completed for the three months to March 2011 were 946, up 16 (1.7 per cent) compared to the three months ended February 2011, but down 172 (15.4 per cent) compared to the three months ended March 2010.

Mr McDonald said, “The pattern with the lifestyle properties is consistent with the residential statistics released earlier last month, with strong volume and price growth in Auckland, but a generally weaker trend elsewhere.”

“We are seeing clear evidence of rising confidence in the farming sector and increasing farm returns, which should translate into higher levels of activity in the rural property sector.”

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Loyalty rewards - who really pays?

Neal Shaw, ATS Chief Executive

W

hat keeps customers coming back to our businesses?

Customer service is definitely at the top of the list as outlined in my column last month.

norm for many businesses. There has to be a cost associated with running the schemes, and the question has to be asked if businesses ditched the programmes (and their associated running costs), would customers be better off? Could the savings be turned into price reductions on goods and services?

But where do loyalty cards and rewards programmes fit and what importance do customers place on these schemes?

There is no escaping this phenomenon.

We only have to take a look in our wallets to see the numerous cards we have acquired from many varied outlets.

The whole system raises many other questions around how and why we make purchases. I am not personally motivated to use some of these schemes, and they don’t make me go into particular shops, but like everyone, if I acquire rewards as a result of a particular purchase, then I am happy to redeem my reward.

Cafes, hairdressers, clothing stores, nationwide retailers, fuel companies, credit cards and New Zealand’s number one loyalty card, Fly Buys, all make up the myriad of loyalty cards which clutter our wallets.

It’s estimated Fly Buys has almost 2.5 million members which goes to show just how popular these schemes can be.

The idea behind the cards and programmes is that we, the customer, will be further enticed to remain loyal to a particular retailer or service provider because of the rewards we can earn by using their services or buying their goods. It might be a free cup of coffee or something much more substantial.

We all like the idea of getting something for nothing but is that what we’re really

Although they are an incentive, loyalty schemes are unlikely to be the sole reason a customer chooses to purchase goods or services. getting?

There has been much discussion at different times about the perceived discounts on offer. According to an article published by Fair Go last year some rewards are only around one per cent, with the equivalent of only $1 reward being earned for every $100 spent.

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Coffee cards are arguably better value, with most making the 10th cup free.

If a proposed purchase is comparable to other retailers, then the 1 per cent rewards incentive is a good thing. But if the same item is cheaper or on offer with a 10, 20 or 30 per cent discount, then the numbers just don’t stack up.

These loyalty schemes are unlikely to be the sole reason a customer chooses to purchase goods or services – a high level of customer service, quality goods and value for money almost always come first when making a purchasing decision.

So if these are the factors we are looking for, how do loyalty schemes fit into the mix? One school of thought is that reward schemes will never take the place of good service and that true loyalty is based on more solid foundations such as quality, value for money and trust, and not solely on a possible freebie.

If this is the case, then loyalty rewards are just the icing on the cake. The challenge is to make them unique to your business so your customers feel special and feel like they’re receiving something different to all of the other rewards being offered by your competitors.

Loyalty rewards schemes are so widespread they have become the

Another interesting question is whether rewards are always redeemed or not, and does that mean those who are not actively taking part in the programmes are subsidising the rest of us?

Research shows up to a third of points across a variety of nationwide schemes are not redeemed, although the redemption rate can be higher during times of economic hardship.

Availability and exclusivity of these schemes also raises questions. If anyone can join loyalty programmes, then are customers who have been loyal (in the real sense of the word) to a retailer for a long period of time being fairly rewarded compared to a relative new-comer?

Then there is the question of those with greater buying power being disproportionally more highly rewarded than those with limited funds. Should rewards be built into a value proposition for all?

Companies using the schemes are not only looking to encourage customer loyalty and repeat business. There’s also the added bonus of gaining important information from customers, such as buying habits, which can help shape the future development of these businesses.

The cynics among us may see these schemes as just bribery. But whatever your thoughts are surrounding these programmes today’s consumers have plenty of options when it comes to purchasing goods so it is up to each business to understand their consumer and provide the value.

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 7

Let’s get real value for money John Leadley

T

he leading story in the news on April 21 was the government had just confirmed a grant of $36 million to allow Team New Zealand to compete at San Francisco for the America’s Cup in 2013.

According to acting Tourism Minister David Carter, and confirmed by Team New Zealand Chief Executive Officer, Grant Dalton, this grant stems from a contract between previous Labour finance minister, Michael Cullen and Team NZ in 2008.

Yachting New Zealand’s spokesperson believes that the return to the New Zealand taxpayer could reach nearly two dollars for every dollar invested due to profile and employment opportunities created. Big deal!

Second news item was confirmation that the country can expect to lose at least $39 million in hosting the Rugby World Cup. One consolation for those north of the Bombay Hills is the significant upgrade of Auckland’s transport that has taken place. Most of this has been paid for not by Auckland ratepayers but by the taxpayers of all New Zealand.

Average ratepayer expenditure on roads for many rural South Island areas is 10 times that of their Auckland City counterparts. Call that a level playing field when it comes to funding the National Transport network?

As an avid supporter of all types of sport and physical activity, I struggle to see these “investments” as wise polices in the current economic climate. There’s little doubt that the RWC will bring high spending tourists to New Zealand and provide a great opportunity to raise the profile of our wonderful nation as a tourism venue of choice.

My personal preference would have been for more emphasis on the cheaper end of tourism – the home stay, back pack, rural lifestyle adventure, giving a more realistic cultural experience.

As for a return on investment on these two high profile ventures – likely to be very disappointing in the long term, even if we can bag the America’s Cup in 2013.

If government is really keen to make a long term guaranteed investment of $75 million, I would suggest the money be spent on further use of our abundant alpine fed water resource in Canterbury.

Retained peak river flows would be more than adequate to sustainably develop all potentially-irrigated land in Canterbury to its maximum potential.

Modern farming practices, including the use of nitrogen inhibitors, minimum tillage techniques, crop residue incorporation and similar developments, have proven sustainability and soil enhancement are readily achievable.

This can be done without compromising the aesthetic, recreational, environmental and cultural value of our waterways.

Agricultural production remains the cornerstone of the New Zealand economy. (Where would we be at the moment without the much maligned dairy Industry?)

We remain a world leader in efficient food production – a proven backbone to the economic wealth of the nation over several generations. Worldwide land availability and population expansion determines this demand will continue to grow.

Increasing prosperity among densely populated Asian nations in particular is already impacting positively on farm product prices. Proximity to these markets is an added advantage.

As a nation we must utilise our natural resource wisely and for genuine longterm benefits.

While willingly acknowledging the advantages of sport, recreation and tourism to the economy and the need to continually invest in these areas, the best long-term return surely relates to the provision of food, the very basis of human need.

Seventy-five million dollars spent on irrigation development in Canterbury would accrue aggregating benefits for years to come, more than just a one-off feel-good sporting scenario.

English trying to produce an election year document with some taxpayer appeal.

It’s bad enough to inherit an economy in deficit and an interest on borrowing bill of $250 million annually during an international depression, but add to that natural and man-made disasters that seem never ending and the task is enormous.

• Billions of dollars on propping up failed finance companies • Billions of dollars spent on the unforeseeable natural disasters • Pike River mine and Canterbury earthquakes and failing insurance companies as a consequence, and the impact on tourism.

• The list goes on and on.

Just where would our balance of payments be without dairying, forestry and the other current reasonably buoyant rural product prices. The farming sector is surely pivotal!

If I were Bill English I would be looking at both increasing income and reducing expenditure. Income could be significantly increased by efficiently maximising use of our abundant soil, water and farming skills.

To reduce long-term expenditure and increase income I would suggest consideration of any or all of the following:

Q VO Z ; M M L I M A

Q VO ?M M L [ Z I M A

• Inflation adjusted capital gains tax on all non-owner occupied residential or commercial investments.

• Much tighter rules around student loan availability and repayment – consider a low interest rate if warranted, • Eliminate unemployment payments to people whose sole reason not to work is alcohol and drug dependency.

• Beginning 2015, transition the age of eligibility for universal superannuation out by one year every four to reach age 70 by 2031.

• Return to tax deductibility for life insurance premiums to encourage self-reliance and savings.

• Subsidise loans to first home buyers by 1-2 per cent to make home ownership for young couples more affordable as of 50 years ago.

• Make the perpetrators of white collar crime more accountable • Take any sensible measure to make benefit dependency less attractive.

• Natural and man-made disasters have placed the nation’s economy in a precarious position.

• We will all need to make sure some sacrifices if our children and grandchildren are to enjoy the living standards that are applicable to the current generation.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Hard work reaps rewards Ashburton Guardian Advertisting Feature

Happy in New Zealand after moving from Wales, members of the Davies family, from left: Tomos, Mark (Welshy), Megan and Andrea with Jeff the dog in front.

Story | Amanda Niblett From arriving in New Zealand in April, 2001, to creating a successful and continually expanding business in 2011, Mark Davies passion for his business is living proof that hard work and a great attitude is all you need to succeed.

It’s a long journey from Wales to New Zealand, but after 10 years of living in Ashburton, the Davies family now lovingly refer to it as home. After exploring the country in a campervan, Mark and Andrea Davies decided that Ashburton was the perfect environment to settle for a while and raise their two children Tomos and Megan. The welcoming community and beautiful atmosphere inspired their choice towards Ashburton, and with Mark’s flourishing digger hire business, they are happy to be here to stay.

Mark has adopted the nic-name of ‘Welshy’ from both his business name and heritage, and has a well established reputation throughout the community. Both his business and family have moved upward in different directions recently, due to some exciting developments.

Mark’s wife Andrea is one of the friendly teachers at Hampstead School. Tomos is now in his first year studying engineering at university in Christchurch, and Megan is currently studying at Ashburton College.

The business has recently shifted base.

Previously it was run from Mark’s home on Manse Street, with machinery stored at a facility on Alford Forest Road. With Welshy’s growing business, the purchase of additional machinery and vehicles meant he needed a larger space to operate from. The best

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Hard work reaps rewards Ashburton Guardian Advertisting Feature

solution was to purchase land on Wakanui Road, from which he developed into a yard for his vehicles, as well as being the family’s new home.

Welshy is proud to say that when he first started his business, he was a one man band. He previously had 15 years experience of contracting and rural operations that he gained from Wales, so after working locally for an irrigation firm and a local electricity provider, he put his experience to use by starting his own company.

Soon after developing Welshy Digger Hire Ltd, Mark obtained the prestigious title of

Canterbury Digger Operator of the Year in 2004, giving his clients the reassurance that they are hiring the best in the industry.

Through the support of the local community, Welshy has provided his expertise and services to a list of jobs that he describes as endless. It’s not a case of what he can do, but more a question of what he can’t. His main contracted work that has allowed him to expand has been through laying power and fibre optic cable for Electricity Ashburton, and irrigation work for local farmers.

The recent Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation (BCI) scheme also provided a big opportunity for

Welshy, as he was contracted to do work for Water Dynamics. The growing local economy, particularly in dairy, has meant that Mark has also had to grow to keep up with demand from his clients. He now employs a part time office administrator to stay on top of the paperwork, and has increased his fleet to three diggers, a tractor and trailers plus two tip trucks.

The increased fleet allows him to perform a wider range of tasks, ensuring that when a client rings wanting something done, Welshy Digger Hire can look after the entire job, from start to finish. With Welshy keeping a keen eye on all work completed, his clients also find

reassurance in the quality of work delivered, knowing that each task is completed to the highest of standards.

Mark and his family would like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for welcoming them with open arms, and helping to create their new home in Ashburton. It is through support from friends, suppliers, colleagues and clients that Welshy Digger Hire has grown to the business that it is today.

Call Welshy today and see what we can do for you!

“We are proud to be associated with Welshy Digger Hire.

We have been very pleased with their drainage work on our backyard and will recommend them to anybody requiring a digging specialist ”

Come and see us for all your Claas sales and services needs.

bed 2

bed 3

entry

bed 4

WH

living / family

pantry

dining

master bed w/r

ens

kitchen bath

ldy wc D/W

239 Alford Forest Road, Ashburton Phone 308 8541 - Mobile 021 743 980 Garages and Workshops

CS from only

$18,180

Won’t Be Beaten Get incredible value on all steel buildings, at Wide Span Sheds!

127.1 sqm- Length: 18.1m - Width: 7.2m

$149,638 incl. GST Contact Johnny Fyall at A1 Homes on 03-377-9051 or Craig Fraser at Helmack on 03-307-0412 for all your enquiries.

Farm, Storage & Machinery sheds Wide Span Sheds is a recognised supplier of

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Wide Span Sheds prides itself on the supply of buildings manufactured to the highest possible standards, Commercial Buildings, Covers & Arenas leveraging 450MPa (or greater) GALVSTEEL structural columns, purlins and componentry with recognised engineering techniques. $77,530

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Stables & Heritage Barns

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185 Alford Forest Road, Ashburton Ph 03-308-0324 or 0800-94-33-77 or Paul 021-433-936

92 Dobson Street, Ashburton. Phone 307 0412 Hours: Mon - Fri 7am - 5.30pm- Sat 8.30am - 12.30pm

39 Sherborne Street, St Albans, Christchurch. Phone 377 9051 Open: Mon to Fri 9am to 4pm, Sat 10am - 2pm

Page 10

GUARDIAN FARMING

Key services

offered by Welshy Digger Hire Ltd

Ashburton Guardian Advertisting Feature

22 Tonne Excavator Available for...

• Tree, stump and hedge removal • Root raking • Mole ploughing • Farm maintenance • Large trenching • Demolition

• • • • • •

Water races Effluent pond Main line Drainage Cable trenches Shed sites

2 Tonne Mini Digger & Mini Tip Truck Available for...

• Main line irrigation repairs • Landscaping • Calf shed clearing • Pole holes

• • • •

Drains Lawns Post hole boring Electric fence gateways

Make sure your machinery is ready to do the job this season

24h, 7 days service

Fulton Hogan – Proud to be associated with Welshy Digger Hire providing his aggregate needs.

We specialize in all your machinery repairs s 3ERVICE REPAIRS s #/& REPAIRS s %NGINEERING s -ECHANICAL REPAIRS “We are proud to be associated with Welshy Digger Hire and wishes Mark the best”

s !LL MAKES AND MODELS

Contact us for all your driveway, aggregate and landscape supplies.

Ashburton Telephone (03) 308 2418 Freephone 0800 FH ASH1 Facsimile (03) 308 8731

www.fultonhogan.com

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 11

Key services

offered by Welshy Digger Hire Ltd

Ashburton Guardian Advertisting Feature

Tractor & Trailers

165 HP Deutz-Fahr Tractor with Gravel Trailer and Dump Trailer Available for...

• Gravel Trailer - filling pivot ruts and filling trenches • Dump trailer - for all farm maintenance and general cartage

8 Tonne Excavator & Tip Truck • • • • • • • •

Available for...

Site clearances House foundations Trenches Cable laying Farm maintenance Water race Irrigation Mole ploughing

• Drainage • Swimming pools • Landscaping • Calf shed cleaning • Water troughs • Gorse hedge removal • Pole holes Give Welshy a call today, and Do some Digging!

Imagine the Savings! to drill in one hit - Guaranteed.

This is more than just a hammer...

and the team is more th han just builders

With h over 30 homes bu uilt or re eno nova ated in the last 16 years yyo ou can be assssur u ed ttha hat wi with th h G&D &D Russe sell Build ders we make sure re eve veryth thin ng iss taken care of.

“W We are arre very ve ery pro proud ud to t be be a assso ssoc ocia ate ed wi with th Welshy Digger Hire an and nd to be be su suppor pportting his is fea eature ture”

G & D Russell Builders Ltd P/F: 03 308 5325 M: 0274 367 986 E: g-drussellbuilders@xtra.co.nz

LET US TAKE THE STRAIN Speci Spe Sp cia ciial a ali list fo lis or: rr:: Irri riga ati tio on n De ev v ve elop el pme me ent ntt n

s Sh Shee eep ee p Ya Y rd rdss s C Catt Ca attle Yard ds s Po Post o Drivi iving ng s En s Entr tran nce Way ayss

Operrat Op atin ng two side siide de-m mo ou unt n ed d Hyd ydra rau ullic i Posst D Drriv riv i errs. s.

Call Mike English Contracting now on 027-479-0455 to arrange a visit and quote

80 Thomson St, Ashburton Ph: 03-308-9670 Fax: 03-308-9570 Mobile: 027 437 1040 Established 1993

Page 12

GUARDIAN FARMING

Get your seed sowing right with the right machinery Eco Seeder

Quantum

s MM COIL TINES STRONG AND MAINTAIN THEIR SHAPE FOR MORE ACCURATE SEEDING s $UNCAN @4 "OOT CREAT AN EXCELLENT SEED BED ENVIRONMENT s 4UNGSTEN TILE ON THE LEADING EDGE TO INCREASE THE LIFE OF THE POINT 4UNGSTEN CHIP POINTS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR STONY CONDITIONS s 7EIGH KIT s 2EAR FOOT BOARD

Enviro

s 4RACK ERADICATORS s !GITATOR SHAFT IN BOTH BOXES s 2EAR LOADING PLATFORM s %LECTRONIC HECTARE METER s ,ONG LIFE CLUTCH s 0EG ROLLER SEEDER UNITS BOTH BOXES s 7EIGH KIT

Enviro 3000e

s 6ARIABLE SPEED GEARBOX s %LECTRONIC HECTARE METER s 7EIGH KIT s 7EATHER SKIRTS TO COVER SEEDER UNITS s &REE WHEELING HUB s 3AFETY CHAINS s $UAL BOXES s 2OAD LIGHTS s &RONT REAR LOADING PLATFORM

Renovator Classic

s INCH ROW SPACING s MM COIL TINE AND $UNCAN g4g BOOT WITH TUNGSTEN TILE ON LEADING EDGE s 7EIGH KIT WITH SCALES s 3AFETY CHAINS s 3TAINLESS STEEL AGITATOR SHAFT s 0EG ROLLER SEEDER UNIT

s %LECTRIC DRIVE FOR ACCURATE EVEN SOWING s 6ARIATION OF SOWING RATES AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON s $RAWBAR RAM FOR EASY ADJUSTMENT s 2ADAR FOR ACCURATE AREA COUNT s 7EATHER SKIRTS TO COVER THE SEEDER UNITS s 3OWING WIDTH EQUALS TRANSPORT WIDTH s ,ARGE PLATFORM WITH ADJUSTABLE HAND RAILS

Roller Drill

s 2UBBER ENCASED ROLLER AXLE BEARINGS s ROLLER AXLES s *ACK STAND s 3AFETY CHAINS ON DRAWBAR s $EmECTOR TABS ON EACH END OF THE FRAME s 4URNBUCKLE FOR DRAWBAR ADJUSTMENT s 3AFETY SUPPORT CHAIN FOR TRANSPORT

MK4 Renovator s /PTION OF OR INCH ROW SPACING s ,ARGE CAPACITY BINS WITH LIDS OPENING TO ² AND GAS STRUT ON OUTSIDE OF THE LID s BAR FRAME GIVING BETTER TRASH mOW s .EW DESIGN BINS GIVING BETTER SEED mOW s ,ARGE LOADING PLATFORM WITH SAFETY RAILS s !CCURATE PEG ROLLER SEEDER UNITS ABLE TO SOW TURNIPS THROUGH TO PEAS s %LECTRONIC HECTARE METER s 7EATHER SKIRTS TO COVER SEEDER UNITS IN DAMP CONDITIONS

22 Robinson Street, Ashburton Phone (03) 307-8550

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 13

Ashburton Guardian Advertisting Feature

Winter

feed

drilling When Yeatman brothers decided to purchase a new no till drill they made up a check list of things they consider to be important, ensuring the best results for their customers and for themselves. Direct drills they had in the past used triple disc systems that relied on down pressure for seed depth placement, and flute fed drop seed meters. These are problematic in uneven soils and undulating ground.

They wanted a large capacity machine (six metres) that was quick and easy to move from place to place . Long life, low maintenance ground engaging equipment with minimum number of moving parts was also very important, to increase productivity and reduce downtime.

The most important features identified were an accurate seed metering system that used a reliable monitor to optimise their customers investment in valuable seed. With an accurate depth and pressure control system that put the seed exactly where their customers want it, deep enough for good soil and moisture contact, yet shallow enough for a rapid and even strike. The John Deere 750A six metre no till air drill ticked all the boxes. Bonuses

s Ploughing

are, unequalled trash capability and with a gauge wheel on every coulter, six inch spacing and accord metering system, this machine delivers seed evenly at precise depth every time no matter how hard or rough the ground conditions.

This machine is available to establish pasture and crops in freshly cleared land , stubble, old pasture, or seed bed with or without cultivation, with consistent reliability. Also it serves equally well as a conventional drill with operating speeds up 15kph and six metre working width. Yeatman Brothers Limited can establish crops very quickly and economically. When the drilling is finished the unit folds down to a three metre transport width from the seat, and is on its way to the next job

s Drilling

Excellent Sowing with the Duncan Eco Seeder

WATER BORE PROBLEMS? • Farm • Domestic • Irrigation All Eco Seeders come with the following features as standard equipment: • 25mm coil tines • Duncan ‘T’ Boot • Ni-Hard cast points with Tungsten tip • Weigh kit • Rear foot board

Dixon Machinery & Diesel Tech 12 Line Road, Methven Phone 302 8946

We have rigs available in your area to restore your water bore.

Local drillers that know the conditions, Free assessments and pricing.

Call Reon 021532986; John 021638825; Aaron 0212778441 Or inquire on 0800 566493

BOART LONGYEAR

Page 14

GUARDIAN FARMING

Planning for irrigation Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

Story: Amanda Niblett Due to the size and productivity demands of today’s farming land, there is a niche market for advising farmers on the planning, building and operating of their irrigation systems, which themselves are becoming bigger and more complex. The main aim is to ensure that the irrigated agriculture is both profitable, by increasing productivity, and environmentally sustainable. It is also

important to consider the operating costs involved, as over time, this can make a large financial difference.

Irrigation management will help to increase productivity, lower costs and contribute to the health and value of the land. The lack of an irrigation management program will lead to increased costs and a degraded environment. Proper irrigation will maximise

forage production while conserving water and reducing labour.

Irrigation companies or independent consultants can now offer thorough advice, to ensure that the irrigation system installed, will produce maximum productivity with lower running costs. The initial stage of mapping the area that requires irrigation is crucial, to ensure that each part is irrigated appropriately. An irrigation management specialist can advise on the best system to cover the area, ensuring that the flow volumes are appropriate for intended crops and soil types. They can offer the most energy efficient options, and will also discuss the ability for future up-grades to allow for possible expansion.

When different quotes are obtained from different irrigation suppliers, independent advice can be sought so that the differences in price or set up can be explained in relation to the differing performance level.

Pump and motor selection are important system design considerations.

Assessing pump and system delivery efficiency is crucial in respect to profitability, and should be covered by your irrigation expert. Incorrectly sized or physically deteriorated pumps or components waste energy and money, where an efficient pumping system saves you money. The pump must provide adequate pressure and flow to ensure the system operates as designed, therefore your consultant can recommend the correct size to ensure top performance to the rest of the system.

Pipe and component selection are also important system design considerations.

Selecting smaller options may reduce up front capital cost but in the long run can increase ongoing energy costs as bigger pumps are required.

The correct selections optimise the necessary trade-offs, again this will be covered in the planning by your chosen irrigation advisor.

Natural disasters, as we are all too aware of now, can strike without warning and in any area. As with our own personal precautions to minimise damage against nature, a preventative plan for your irrigation equipment is essential. There are a number of different reasons why your equipment can get severely damaged during a natural disaster. Your irrigation expert can advise on the different techniques and features available to safe guard your system against the elements.

As with everything in life, your system is only as good as the on-going maintenance you are prepared to invest in. The inability to irrigate your land during the dry season can have devastating effects on your investment, therefore a regular inspection and maintenance plan should also be covered by your irrigation consultant. Having a maintenance programme for pre-season start up and post-season shut down of irrigation equipment, pumping plant and electrics is imperative.

KITTO CONSULTING Irrigation consultant & certified irrigation evaluator

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Grant Kitto - KITTO CONSULTING 1st floor Apix Building - 131 Alford Forest Rd Ashburton 10% discount off services when you use your CRT card

027 514 0964

www.kitto.co.nz

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 15

‘Delivering Essential Water Infrastructure for Canterbury’s Future’ Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Scheme is now 100% Delivered • In full • Ahead of time • On budget • Outstanding Environmental, Health & Safety Score • 63km of pipelines 100% complete • 14 pumping stations 100% complete • 47 Property off-takes 100% complete Tyco Flow Control New Zealand and Water Infrastructure Group are proud to have successfully delivered the Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation pressurised pipe network, demonstrating our commitment to ‘Delivering Essential Water Infrastructure for Canterbury’s Future.’

In December 2009, following a successful capital raising by our client, Tyco Flow Control New Zealand (Tyco) was awarded the contract to build the B.C.I. pressurised pipe network near Methven. This complex project encompassed design, product supply, construction, project management and commissioning.

The distribution network involved building 63km of polyethylene pipe, 14 pumping stations, 5 intakes and 47 property off-takes.

Although the contract with BCI was signed in December 2009 and the design was not finalised, Tyco remained committed to a contract due date of 31st January 2011.

Distribution system specifics: • Five main distribution lines, comprising of 63km of high-density polyethylene pipe • 2.5 million kilograms of polyethylene resin material used in manufacturing the pipe • Pipe size ranges from 200 OD to 1000 OD and pressure ratings from 4 to 12 bar.

• Where possible, gravity head is used to provide 35-40 metres of pressure at the property off-takes • Where gravity head is insufficient to provide 35-40 metres of pressure, booster pumps have been utilised After signing of the contract, Tyco further agreed to target completion of all lines preChristmas 2010, in advance of our contractual

obligations, and lines were completed Oct-Dec 2010. Tyco’s key motivation behind the timing of the project was for farmers to have access to water during the 2010 / 2011 irrigation season.

Brendan Hawes, Tyco Infrastructure Development Engineer who designed the distribution network said “It is satisfying to see the farmers on the scheme enjoying the benefits of having pressurised water being delivered to their property.”

“The BCI pressurised pipeline network has been cleverly designed to distribute 3,000 litres per second in the first year of operation with allowance for extra capacity to deliver up to 6,500 litres per second, sufficient to irrigate up to 14,500 hectares. The pipeline design allowed for additional farmers to connect to the scheme during construction, this happened throughout the project delivery.

The design also allows for connection to the scheme in the years following the completion of the project, without significant disturbance to the scheme operations.”

The polyethylene pipeline manufactured

by Tyco Flow Control for projects like the BCI scheme is made from a high-density thermo plastic material that accommodates for ground movement and temperature fluctuations during construction and its operating life. This flexible pipeline system features characteristics, necessary for delivering large volumes of water over long distances. With a durability life in excess of 50 years, polyethylene pipe is one of the preferred materials used in municipal council drinking water and sewer reticulation systems throughout New Zealand and across the world.

To meet the challenging construction programme and to accommodate for the unforeseen dynamics associated with schemes of this nature, design had to proceed parallel with the construction. With such a complex and demanding project at hand, Tyco engaged the capabilities of Water Infrastructure group, the project delivery arm of Tyco, to deliver the infrastructure for BCI. Water Infrastructure Group offers solesource accountability for streamlined delivery of sustainable water infrastructure to meet community and business needs.

This dedicated project engineering and project management team provides highly

acclaimed construction methodology and with a reputation for delivering challenging projects within budget, on time and with outstanding safety, environmental and community outcomes.

Project headquarters were established in Methven Township and a project management team of 6 staff was carefully selected drawing on experience in the delivery of Civil Construction projects Tyco had previously delivered both in New Zealand and overseas.

Most staff made the move to Methven with their families to enjoy the benefits the region had to offer, placing them right in the heart of the main construction works.

Mark Tammett, Project Manager for construction said “The successful delivery of the BCI project can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, Tyco’s willingness to work closely with BCI in the early days, to get the scheme off the ground. The scope of the scheme changed a number of times, but Tyco was committed to the development for over a year, designing and re-designing the scheme in an economical way to meet the client’s budget, and to ensure commercial viability.”

“Secondly, our adaptability during construction. Following signing of the contract, there were client driven changes to meet stakeholder needs we had to manage. Combining the design, supply and construction of the scheme under one umbrella ensured a fast and nimble turnaround when changes occurred.”

“Thirdly, the quality of our staff; the supervision, knowledge and quality assurance they brought to the construction phase. We set up a permanent base in Methven, and through Tyco subsidiary Water Infrastructure Group, our staff co-ordinated all materials delivery and subcontractors on a day to day basis. Technical knowledge is an important aspect, but tying all the pieces together through good project management is often where the challenge lies. The fact we were able to deliver the project more than 1 month ahead of contract due date, to the client’s budget, despite changes and inclement weather we suffered in Winter, was a fantastic achievement.”

Jamie Hamilton, Water Infrastructure Group Construction Manager said, “These large

irrigation schemes cannot be paralleled to on-farm irrigation and, simply put, you need construction and project management professionals to deliver the best possible outcome.”

“During construction of the scheme Tyco, Tyco’s subcontractors and B.C.I where faced with many challenges on a daily basis and credited the success to the people involved and their willingness to make it happen.”

Jamie also said “It had been a huge commitment by Tyco and their subcontractors but also the B.C.I Shareholder’s and other Joint venture partners to raise funds during a difficult economic time, I credit them for the foresight shown to commit to the scheme and Tyco’s design principles of utilising the natural resources in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner.”

He also made mention to the excellent safety record achieved during the construction of the project and said Tyco’s high quality systems for health and safety implemented by the site team was the main contributing factor. Jamie hoped their appointed subcontractors would take this experience & knowledge gained with them to future projects.

Tyco were very appreciative of the support received from the local community over the past year. As a way of giving something back to the community, Tyco donated pipe and fittings and together with one of our main contractors – Conhur, helped the many other businesses and volunteers to upgrade the plumbing system at the Methven Community Pool.

The key to the success of the BCI scheme starts with the company’s people. This group has been regionally placed, immersed in the agricultural industry and backed by the Tyco owned factories that produce the main components of the scheme. It is absolutely essential to have the confidence in the key components and with Tyco Flow Control you get exactly this.

Tyco Flow Control has a strong investment in New Zealand with 2 manufacturing facilities, 11 distribution outlets, 4 design centres and a fully integrated service team. Tyco Flow Control employs over 300 people across multiple business sectors.

Page 16

GUARDIAN FARMING

Quack, Quack Dr Glenn Beeman man

O

xford dictionary definition of a ‘Quack’ – pretender to a medical or other skill, charlatan, or an abbreviation for quacksalver seller of salves and ointments.

Is your horse not right? Subtle lameness, losing weight, poor performance, ill tempered, head tossing, behavioural changes, sore back, muscle sore, skin problem – who are you going to call?

If like many horse people you will first ask friends and other horse owners/trainers/ instructors.

Next you might search the internet or ask on the chat lines.

Then you might pop down to the local saddler, feed mill, or local co-operative for a product, drench or feed additive.

The next step might even be the services of an alternative medicine person such as the chiropractic, saddle fitter, massage therapist, laser therapist, bowen person, reiki therapist, crystal man, or psychic.

Seeking the help of a veterinarian, for many horse owners often seems to be the last port of call.

For many years as an equine veterinarian I have tried to understand this phenomenon.

It is unique among horse owners.

Few people would jeopardise their own health by not seeking the advice of a doctor if having either physical or mental

problems.

Owners of companion animals (dogs and cats) are quick to seek professional veterinary advice.

and drench families?

Sheep, deer, beef and dairy producers rely heavily on veterinary advice for nutrition, mineral supplementation, vaccination protocols, and herd health programmes.

Does the person on the internet site selling vitamins, additives and toxin binders have a degree in nutrition?

Lay persons providing ‘procedures’ for horses goes back centuries. It is no different than the travelling salesman selling snake oils and tonics to cure the ills of the public.

Horse owners should carefully examine the credentials of these alternative therapists.

The level and skill, competency and training of equine “pseudo professionals” become a contentious issue.

There always has, and always will be lay persons providing alternative therapies, behaviour modification, training, farrier care, and dentistry for horses. The veterinary profession has always recognised this fact and has brokered relationships with these parties for good or for bad.

Horse owners should be very careful using the services of these lay people as their “primary equine health provider”. If you are not asking your equine veterinarian first, you are putting your horse’s health at risk, and likely putting money down the drain.

Veterinarians have a minimum of five years of university education studying anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, medicine, and surgery.

Does your riding instructor have any training in lameness diagnosis?

Most, at best have only learned a technical skill. The certification process of equine alternative practitioners in many parts of the world is ambiguous.

Many of the technical skills taught, and required for certification are not based on sound scientific principles or studies.

Many “certificates” and “registrations” toted by these pseudo professionals are obtained by attending weekend courses taught by other pseudo professionals.

A vet is a trained specialist when it comes to diagnosing problems.

Does the sales girl in the saddlery store have Medical doctors and veterinarians usually practice the “3Ds”. any education related to parasite control

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When presented with an illness, problem, disease or injury, veterinary professionals come up with a list of differentials.

The second step using examination, blood test, x-rays, ultrasound, scans, etc, is to come up with a diagnosis.

The final step involves the decision-making process to determine and discuss the best treatment options available for the animal and the owner based on the diagnosis.

Let me explain by way of examples.

Stiffness as a symptom in horses has a range of differentials including fever, vitamin deficiency, muscle problems, arthritis, and hoof problems (laminitis). Another example would be a horse that has weight loss and a poor appetite.

Differentials for inappetance might include simple things like a change in diet or spoiled feed to more complicated things like fever, oral (teeth) pain, parasitism, abdominal pain

(colic), or cancer. A horse lying down more than usual could be just related to old age, or in other cases may be due to exhaustion, heat stress, anaemia (blood loss), fever, colic, arthritis or hoof pain.

Without a proper diagnosis, additives, drugs or alternative therapies directed at a stiff horse thinking it is arthritis are not going to help if the horse has a vitamin deficiency or hoof problems.

Equally owners can try different feeds to stimulate appetite, but it is not going to help a horse with a sore tooth.

A pony lying down a lot may not improve unless dietary management, weight loss, farrier care, and anti-inflammatory medication are directed at helping the laminitis – the reason for the pony’s hoof pain.

It takes an equine veterinarian to recognise the subtle differences between similar symptoms, make a proper diagnosis, and organise the correct course of treatments.

Alternative therapies have a place in both human and veterinary medicine but their use should follow a proper examination and diagnosis by a medical or veterinary professional.

WATER WELLS 120 High Street Southbridge Tel (03) 324 2571 www.drilling.co.nz

quality, professionalism, knowledge

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 17

Our precious water Sheryl Stivenss

ater is a complex subject full of interesting facts and something most of us take for granted in our everyday lives.

W

throughout Canterbury and are meeting on a regular basis to develop their local water management implementation programme.

One of the most rewarding things I’ve done in recent times is to develop a Schools Water Conservation Education programme as part of my role with Mastagard Education Services.

There are ten target areas: • Ecosystem health and biodiversity • Natural character of braided rivers • Kaitiakitanga (stewardship) • Drinking water • Recreational and amenity opportunities • Water use efficiency • Irrigated land area • Energy security and efficiency • Environmental limits

Did you know that tomatoes are 90 per cent water, potatoes are 80 per cent water and our bodies are 70 per cent water?

• Water makes up 83 per cent of our blood.

• Water transports our body wastes.

• Water lubricates our body’s joints.

• Water keeps our body’s temperature stable.

• Water is part of the cells that make up the human body. Drinking water or other liquids provides only half of the water we need. The other half comes from the foods we eat.

Throughout Canterbury water quality and quantity is a hot topic. Some of you will have attended meetings several years ago hosted by the mayoral forum to develop the Canterbury Water Management Strategy and address long-term issues with water quality and quantity throughout the Canterbury region.

Zone committees have now been set up

The Ashburton Water Zone committee has identified its initial four priority areas, for discussion with the wider community all of which are of course closely linked and interconnected...

Target areas: ecosystem health and biodiversity; kaitiakitanga; drinking water, recreational and amenity opportunities; water use efficiency; irrigated land area; Energy security and efficiency 3. Ashburton River. This includes leadership of the review of the Ashburton flow plan, but also consideration of the implications for the river and its ecosystems (in terms of quality, quantity and timing of flows) of changes in availability and use of water across the zone.

Target areas: ecosystem health and biodiversity; kaitiakitanga; nnatural character of braided rivers; drinking water; recreational and amenity opportunities; drinking water; water use efficiency; irrigated land area; energy security and efficiency; environmental limits

These priority areas are: 1. Water quality. This is critical for the health of ecosystems, the use of water for human consumption and in recreational use.

Target areas: ecosystem health and biodiversity; kaitiakitanga; drinking water, recreational and amenity opportunities; environmental limits 2. Security of water – for human consumption, for the environment and for irrigation.

4. Biodiversity Target areas: Ecosystem health and biodiversity; Natural character of braided rivers; Water use efficiency; environmental limits

knowledge will contribute greatly to the ongoing discussions and help us all with making wise decisions for the future management of our natural resources and ecological systems.

Throughout our district there is a huge wealth of knowledge about the Ashburton River, streams and waterways as well as a lot of interest and passion in utilising and caring for our precious water.

If you would like to provide some feedback on the topic areas above go onto the Canterbury Water management website and tick – “What is happening in the Ashburton zone’ or alternatively make contact with me.

Getting involved and sharing this

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Page 18

GUARDIAN FARMING

Winchmore update - April John Carson

Back from an Easter break up in the North Island to some rain and colder weather although the barometer has gone up considerably overnight so maybe we will get some more settled weather again.

week meaning that early this month with a crutch and a weigh they will be off to sale. The 220 dairy heifers will also go soon and gradually be replaced with some older cattle.

On the met data scene, April has been, to date (26th) reasonably average, with 91.7 mm of rain, 12.5° C soil temperature and a 4.1° C frost all being part of a normal autumn month according to the range of long term met data I have available.

I have been fortunate to have had a student to help over the summer and then decide to stay on until June. Will has spent days checking electric fences, replacing lead out wires and on the way made sure that gates and other fences are up to scratch.

Pasture growth has been up 53 kilograms of dry matter per hectare per day but only due to the 100 kg per ha of urea I put on, nevertheless the response has set the farm up nicely for the coming winter.

His wet days have been spent cleaning and sorting the workshop and servicing some of our small motors on the sprayer and generators.

Most of the kale paddocks are looking good, the few that arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t are right beside the road where a combination of pests, drilling and fertility let us down. However observations have been made and notes jotted down to not make the same mistake next time.

May is going to be more relaxed without these jobs to do and with a few troughs and water supplies to finish sorting out all will be ready for the winter cows to arrive.

The maize has all been harvested, not quite as good a crop as last year but still better than my budgeted 18 ton per ha so still a good result.

The chimneys have been cleaned and the firewoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cut and in. chance to concentrate on more dairy individual mating mobs and are now all support with kale and maize crops and to in their small paddocks doing their thing. renew some of the older pastures.

Most of the lambs being used in the I still have 300 science breeding ewes and science grazing trials that Ray Moss wrote they have all been sorted out into their about last month were due to finish last

On the stock side of things, 500 of the sheep have been trucked down to the AgResearch farm at Invermay to build their numbers and this has given me the

In the meantime the houses on the farm have had the chimneys swept in preparation for burning the firewood that has been cut, split and in the woodshed ready.

The snow up on the hills is not there just to look pretty, it means winter is nearly here.

Take care and stay warm.

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Irrigation

Irrigation New Zealand Inc www.irrigationnz.co.nz

Putting your irrigator to bed N o ladies, this is not an invitation for your long awaited lie-in with your man!

Winter is the time to put the irrigators that have sustained your operation over the summer months into hibernation.

very costly in terms of lost production.

Replacement parts can be ordered and repairs and maintenance done on time to avoid down-time during the season.

Excluding stock from pump sheds and other areas avoids bored cows chewing or rubbing stray wires. Turning off the mains supply to irrigator controllers conserves energy and also avoids potentially damaging power surges.

With a significant investment in hardware it is important to protect that investment and safeguard next year’s production by correctly shutting down and storing those expensive assets that reside in your paddocks.

With the big ticket items - pivots, laterals, guns and travelling irrigators parking them in the shed is not an option. You need to park them, but make sure that they are in a safe position. Pivots and laterals need to be parked in the direction of the prevailing wind to avoid the expensive twisted meccano set that can happen.

Without water to weight irrigators down their flimsy nature, in relation to their large wingspan in the face of a howling nor’-wester or in the teeth of a southerly gale, make them prone to be blown over. Another option is chain/ anchor them to the ground.

Equally if irrigators are parked in the shelter of trees make sure that the trees themselves don’t become the hazard, with whole trees or large branches falling from wind or snow events.

A hazard often overlooked is the expansion and contraction of metal with temperature change. To give an example an 800 metre pivot facing temperature changes from 30 degrees during a summer day to a bone-chilling 15 degree frost can contract up to 500mm over the length of the pivot. If a pivot is locked or frozen in wheel tracks the stress of the contraction caused by the change in temperature manifests itself in the joints and seals along the pivot.

Disconnecting the machine at the hitch and/or a third of the way out from the pivot allows for the contraction of the steel. If this is impractical operating the pivot once a month will walk the stress out of the pipeline.

Page 19

Mostly it is commonsense. The key points to remember are around the weather, wind and temperature, and winter maintenance – keep it moving in a timely fashion.

With irrigation finished for the season, now is the ideal time to take care of those repairs and prepare your irrigator for its winter hibernation. putting gear away for the winter.

The other component of irrigation affected by temperature is of course • Make sure irrigators are anchored or water. It sounds obvious but you need tied against the wind. to drain as much water as possible out • Don’t park the irrigator for months on of all exposed pipes and pumps and end without moving it. ensure no part of the system remains • Have the service booked in well before pressurised. the spring start up time.

Don’t forget the small diameter Getting an irrigator serviced early can pipes that lead to pressure gauges or identify problems that could become automatic shut-off components. And if drain plugs and bungs are left out put them somewhere that they can be found again in the spring when you need them.

This will mean your investment dollars are protected and your next season’s production dollars are safeguarded.

The final word – this winter is the time to get your water meter installed to beat the expected last-minute rush that will otherwise result next winter, ahead of the November 2012 deadline.

If you have any queries or problems contact your local service provider. They will ensure a smooth start to the next irrigation season.

Have you been thinking of driving a heavy vehicle?

Open pipes and drains make for inviting hidey holes for a variety of small critters. Often they manage to squeeze in but can’t get back out again. Bits of them are then really good at blocking nozzles or sprinklers at start-up time. So to avoid headaches, (yours and theirs) remember to cover any open pipes or drains.

Simple greasing of all moving parts covers two aspects of winter maintenance. Firstly it forces out any water left in the joints, preventing frost damage and secondly it prevents corrosion and moving parts seizing.

To avoid becoming a spring statistic, specialist rural insurers Farmers Mutual Group recommends three key points that irrigators should consider when

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Page 20

GUARDIAN FARMING

Ashburton

Industrial Estate

Taking irrigation to the next level The friendly team at Plains Irrigators are dedicated to providing top service to their clients. Pictured above are some of the team, with many other members out in the field, keeping irrigation in Mid Canterbury pumping.

Editorial: Amanda Niblett | Photo: Carmen Rooney Are you looking for a technologically advanced solution to your irrigation needs which is also cost-effective? Plains Irrigators should be your first choice.

Plains Irrigators have more than a decade’s experience on the ground throughout Canterbury, Otago and the rest of the South Island, and have the expertise to provide you with the right solution and ongoing service for your irrigation system.

As we move into winter, now is the perfect time to have your irrigation system serviced, to prevent break downs during the dry season.

In today’s economic climate, we know you cannot afford to have a machine out of operation, so Plains offer a full service and maintenance schedule. The experienced, committed team of engineers and service technicians who are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week during the summer, will service your system now, to reduce the likelihood of errors when your system is

required to work to full capacity next season.

Plains Irrigators’ service technicians have the broad knowledge base to service any irrigation system, as well as the Zimmatic brand which they specialise in.

To ensure you are operating your system to it’s full potential, Plains Irrigators are at the forefront of technological advances, that can be added to your current system, to save you money and resources.

“Keeping up with the latest technology and being able to offer it as an affordable option to the farmer is a key solution in reducing costs and increasing productivity,” says managing director Graeme Cooper.

One of the exciting initiatives to recently enter the market, is the Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI). The concept is very simple, VRI is an add on to a centre pivot or lateral move irrigation system that allows different amounts of water to be applied along any part of the length of the irrigator at any one time. Plains Irrigators

have been working closely with NZ Company, Precision Irrigation to install VRI on several mid Canterbury farms. Dairy farmers are singing the praises of having dry cow tracks, immediate savings in track maintenance, reduced lameness along with savings in water and pumping costs. Cropping farmers are experiencing more uniform crop yields. The main thing that will most affect a crop is over or under watering – the biggest return on irrigation investment is getting the water right, the right application rate on the right spot.

Plains also have the technology to map the relative conductivity of soils in the paddock, with their Electromagnetic Mapping feature.

By creating an EM map of a field being irrigated, you get a good insight into the variability of the soils and this is a great starting point for creating a plan for variable rate irrigation. There is little benefit in over watering an already wet area in a paddock, but conversely there is huge benefit in

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applying appropriate water rates to very dry areas. Exclusive to Zimmatic, FieldNET Mobile is a must for any technophobe with a smart phone. Essentially the technology allows you to fully control and monitor your irrigators anywhere through the convenience of your smart phone. With full control and monitoring from anywhere, you can be more efficient with your time and always know the status of your irrigation system in one list, receive system alerts, view water usage reports and receive a history of irrigator run times.

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Page 21

Biodiversity plan ‘poorly thought out’ Farmers on the east coast of the North Island could be dealt a crippling blow if a planned Government policy on managing biodiversity goes ahead unchanged.

Federated Farmers’ Gisborne-Wairoa provincial president Hamish Cave said farmers care about biodiversity but were up against poor policy making that makes the importance of farm pasture a distant second to regenerating native scrubland.

“The Ministry for the Environment’s (MfE) proposed national policy statement (NPS) on managing native biodiversity sounds innocent enough, but it would force councils to introduce rules limiting our ability to clear regenerating scrubland.

“I’m not being melodramatic, but this could shut down farming not just on the East Coast but in other parts of New Zealand.

“Someone has not thought through this very well. We need to clear regenerating scrubland from pasture because that’s what our stock feed upon and it’s our stock that helps pay for the likes of healthcare and education.

“The flow-on effect to support businesses could be significant over time, leading to further depopulation of rural towns much like Wairoa.

that week, where, I understand, 70 farmers expressed the same concerns.

“Farmers care about protecting quality native vegetation but quality and not quantity is the key word here.

“While we hear about supporting an export led recovery from one part of Government, another part seems hell-bent on shutting down farming.”

A fortnight ago 90 farmers met in Wairoa to discuss this NPS as they were worried.

“This follows on from a similar meeting in Taranaki earlier

A planned Government policy would see farmers having to manage regenerating manuka and kanuka.

“Federated Farmers was a driving force behind the QEII National Trust’s formation 34 years ago. That now has more than 111,000 hectares voluntarily protected - not far off Egmont and Tongariro National Park’s combined.

“Policy makers have to understand that farms, just like cities, are modified working landscapes. We must balance

protection with productive sustainable farming and on the east coast, this means farmers having to manage regenerating manuka and kanuka.

“It’s time MfE officials put on their gumboots and talked to farmers about what will work and what won’t. It’s also time we get due recognition for being the front line fighting weed and animal pests that provides real benefits to our native fauna and flora.

“Gisborne-Wairoa farmers have given me a strong mandate to oppose this NPS and we’ll be taking this mandate direct to Government,” Mr Cave said.

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Page 22

GUARDIAN FARMING

Water whisperings Tony Davoren, Hydroservices

H

mm, what happened to the dry and mild April? It brought some decent rain and some cold weather, but not enough to put off some ardent irrigators. With the irrigation season “officially” over, what now for irrigation?

Last month I wrote of autumn marking a time of sharp changes and fluctuations in weather. While early March was relatively settled and mild, there were already signs that autumn and the change of seasons were upon us. And so it was.

Now it is May, there is little need to think about irrigating and so little to inspire something related to “Water Whisperings”.

I wondered what was significant about April in terms of weather, irrigating or the like.

Other than April being one of only four months with a length of 30 days, was originally the second month of the Roman calendar and is associated with autumn (for us), the equivalent of October in the Northern hemisphere.

Pretty boring until I unearthed that in: (a) China “the symbolic ploughing of the earth by the emperor and princes of the blood took place in their third month, which frequently corresponds to our April”; and (b) Finland this was the month when “the wood for beat and burn clearing of farmland was felled”.

I also discovered that April starts on the same day of the week as July in all years and ends on the same day of the week as December every year. All in all an innocuous month in terms of irrigation and so it should be.

Since my last article there have been three cold southerly outbreaks with the last bringing a decent fall of snow to the mountains and 30-50mm rain.

A bouquet to those who heeded my comments that this is a time of the year when greater attention needs to be given to other growth determining factors like soil temperature and day length.

Alas, some determined that despite 40-45mm of rain around April 5 and subsequent cold temperatures and shortening days and heavy dews, there was a need to pour more water on just one week later as the next rain began on April 14. I just wish these subjective decision makers were not so obvious to the general public – like on some isolated gravel road and not state highway one.

With the forecast for the next three months for “cold winter winds” and “the next four to five months may be colder than normal” the irrigation season can be closed off. Now is the time to remember those little maintenance jobs that need attending to this winter. This does not mean just booking in for an irrigator service, but those little things that will improve your on-farm efficiency. Like:

Become part of the winning team with Methven Seed Cleaning Mixiing g and d supplly off all pasture seed

• Leaks. The table above shows that while leaks are not that important in the overall scheme of things, typically accounting for not much more than 1 per cent, they can be as high as 10 per cent of the losses in an irrigation system.

Many of these you can fix – that leaking hydrant seal, that leaking boot at the pivot or linear towe, that cracked drop hose on the linear or pivot and the like.

Some you may need to get the experts to deal with – that bent and broken pipe on the roto-rainer (and there are a couple of obvious ones to be seen from state highway one), the leak in a pivot or linear pipe, the centre seal on the rotorainer etc.

• Uneven application. The table above shows the biggest “loss” results from uneven application and/or excessive application depths and rates. The winter is a great time to sort this problem. If you irrigate with a centre pivot or linear, the uniformity (evenness of application) should be better than 0.85. There is no

excuse for such a high spec irrigator to be operating with a lesser uniformity.

For example, the distribution plot from this centre pivot shows a poor performance with a distribution uniformity of just 0.57, a long way shy of 0.85.

A simple uniformity test (the plot below is from such a test) will determine how well your irrigator is performing – not just a pivot or linear, but any irrigator. Any improvement you can make in distribution uniformity increases the area you can irrigate.

Remember: Increasing the distribution uniformity from 0.7 to 0.9 means you can irrigate half again as much area with the same water or save about one third of the energy cost.

Now is the time to think about this type of test – remember you need time to remedy the problems (if there are any) before the next season.

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Page 23

Weather by the moon Ken Ring

A

s the moon transits the sky from east to west during the day, it will be observed to not only change its shape, but also to describe a higher and lower arc on different days. Watching every night and you will see the arc of transit slowly rising and falling over the course of a month. The situation in winter is the highest arc, with the moon’s midheaven directly above us on full moon. In summer a full moon night is the time of lowest arc, and at midheaven sits lowest above the horizon. It is the same for every country.

In summer the new moon is our highest moon, and the winter the new moon skips close to the horizon. At the moment for us the arc is dropping, a descending moon, and will reach its lowest on May 6. This means it will then be at northern “declination” over northern hemisphere skies, such that when they look up from that hemisphere they see the moon overhead. It is summer time there.

For gardeners and farmers this ascending and descending moon is a more important cycle than the full moon/new moon one.

The full moon is when the Moon is on one side of Earth in space with the Sun on the other side. New moon is when both Moon and Sun are on the same side of Earth.

Coming up to full moon is called waxing and approaching new moon is called waning. This is called phase. The ascending and descending arc of the moon is called the declination cycle.

Since its last highest point in the southern hemisphere sky was on April 21 when the

moon was right above us, the Moon’s arc has been getting lower day by day. On May 6 it reaches its lowest for the month then starts ascending again. April 19 was the peak of the kingtide and water levels stayed fairly high, but started to go down last weekend as we started to move away from kingtide levels. Then we had the neap tide on Tuesday 26th. Whether or not it is a kingtide depends on another cycle, the perigee cycle, which is when the Moon comes closer once per month. The nearest full moon or new moon to perigee produces a kingtide.

But the three cycles are linked by the seasons. The of April 25 was the lastQ moon which is between full and new. LastQ is the D-shape and in the southern hemisphere you always only see the D-shape in a morning, never in an afternoon. If you only ever see that morning D-moon, you would notice that from now on through the year as the months progress, the arc of the D-morning-moon gets lower and lower, and in mid-winter it occurs about halfway down the sky.

When the D-moon gets to its lowest point, the northern declination, it’ll be our springtime. But of course every month the moon goes between north and south hemispheres anyway, and the arc is ascending and descending 13 times in a year in all. So whether or not it’s waxing, waning (changing shape) and ascending or descending (changing height above horizon), these combinations change

through the month, and month by month.

However they do not change from year to year. To summarise: New moon rises in the northern hemisphere in our winter, crosses the equator heading south at time of rising in our spring, rises at southern declination in our summer, and crosses the equator heading north at time of rising in our autumn. To the observer, new moon is always out of our sky overnight.

C-shaped first quarter moon rises in the northern hemisphere in our autumn, crosses the equator heading south at time of rising in our winter, rises at southern declination in our spring, and crosses the equator heading north at time of rising in our summer. First quarter moon is always out of our sky midnight to noon.

Full moon rises in the northern hemisphere in our summer, crosses the equator heading south at time of rising in our autumn, rises at southern declination in our winter, and crosses the equator heading north at time of rising in our spring. Full moon is always out of our sky during daylight hours.

D-shaped last quarter moon rises in the northern hemisphere in our spring, crosses the equator heading south at time of rising in our summer, rises at southern declination in our autumn, and crosses the equator heading north at time of rising in our winter. Last quarter moon is always out of our sky from noon to midnight.

So there are times the waxing+ascending

days combine, or waxing and descending, and at other times the waning+descending days. Over the final April week we have had both a waning and a descending moon. The gardeners follow this because waning+descending means the moon energies are at a maximum downwards, so it is a good time for pruning because regenerative growth is slower in a cut branch, and sap seapage tends to be less. The longest stretches of waning+descending moon intervals and also waxing+ascending moon intervals maximise between February and August and the kingtides are sandwiched almost exactly between these intervals. Kingtides usually bring cooler temperatures, during or just before or just after, which we had before Easter. And right now we have waning+descending days which will be with us to the end of April. Then it is smaller kingtides around May 4 to 5, and following that, 10 days of a waxing+ascending moon, from May 7to16. This is a good time for planting, as waxing+ascending means moon energies are at a maximum upwards, which brings nutrients from the soil to roots and stems. Here are best planting and pruning periods for the rest of the year.

The waxing+ascension periods (planting) are June 3 - 14, July 2 - 11, August 1 - 7, August 30 – September 3, September 28 October 2, and October 28 - 29.

The waning+descension periods (pruning) are April 22 - May 2, May 20 – 31, June 17 28, July16 - 25, August 15 - 21, September 13 - 18 and October 13 - 16.

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Page 24

GUARDIAN FARMING

Weather by The Moon: May Forecast General Number of rain days: Precipitation potential times: Mostly dry Wettest periods: Warmest maximum temperatures:

About 10 May 1st-3rd, 6th-11th, 17th, 26th-29th May 12th-16th, 18th-25th May 26th-28th May 6th

Coolest maximum temperatures:

May 28th

Warmest minimums:

May 26th

Coldest minimums:

May 13th and 18th

Sunniest days:

May 13th-14th

Best days for outdoor recreation:

May 18th-25th

Cloudiest:

May 7th-12th, 26th-30th

Estimated precipation for Ashburton:

123mm

Rakaia:

116mm

Methven:

109mm

Estimated sunshine amount for Ashburton:

108 hrs (May average 132hrs)

May should be wetter than average, cloudier and average to cooler. Three rain phases are expected, with the heaviest falls likely in the last week.

On at least three mornings there is potential for frosts, and in some places light snow.

High kingtides are expected around 17th.

Most potential ground tremor risk is between 1st, 5th, 11th, 15th-19th and 25th27th. Averages for maxima may be 1214째C and for minima 1-4째C.