Canterbury Farming, July 2021

30,287 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast

July 2021 Edition

INSIDE

THIS EDITION Grazing sought

Future farming: Annabelle Stalker is from a sixth generation Canterbury farming family who are part of a threeyear, farmer-led sustainability project aimed at ensuring the future of farming under new regulations.

p3 Animal health focus

p13 Calving

p31 Farmers with a plan

p44

New farmer-led sustainability project launched Annabelle and Georgie Stalker are the sixth generation on their family’s Waimakariri farm, their father Richard is now joining dozens of other local farmers in an MPI-funded project to ensure the future of farming under new regulations.

❚ by Kent Caddick The Stalkers are part of a three-year, farmer-led sustainability project launched in the Waimakariri District. The nearly $700,000 project is supported to the tune of 60% by the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures fund.

The Waimakariri Landcare Trust (WLT), formerly Next Generation Farmers, has initiated the project, which will see farmers working together to identify and monitor new on-farm practices to help address environmental concerns.

Industry bodies and local authorities are partnering with WLT and contributing additional funds. Project partners include Environment Canterbury, DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Waimakariri Irrigation Limited, and Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

WLT Chair and fifth-generation dairy farmer Sam Spencer-Bower said it is an opportunity to investigate practical solutions that balance farm profitability and environmental sustainability.

“Waimakariri farmers face significant water, environmental, and sustainability challenges,” Spencer-Bower said.

“Environmental stewardship is already part of our daily operations – it is part of our social licence and responsibility as caretakers of the land.

“We are bringing the farming sector together to investigate and test new on-farm practices and tools to help farmers continue reducing environmental risk – while still remaining profitable so they can farm into the future.”

Spencer-Bower said farmer confidence and farm viability plays a key role in achieving environmental improvement.

TO PAGE 2

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

DairyNZ pleased to see funding Dairy industry body DairyNZ is reassured to see additional funding delivered today for flood-affected farmers in Canterbury.

❚ by Kent Caddick

DairyNZ has been part of the cross-sector effort, including Federated Farmers and others, to assess the seriousness of the flood impact and understands its scale and impact on individual farmers.

DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said the $4m government funding will certainly deliver greater support for farmers

who’ve been significantly impacted by this month’s flood event.

“Farmers in Canterbury have had a huge job on their hands cleaning up after the floods earlier this month – many have had paddocks and infrastructure with significant flood damage,” Mackle said.

“This has left farmers with parts of their farm businesses unable to function or with huge, manual and costly work to be done to

clean up and get back to productive capacity.

“Additional funding to support the cleanup is very welcome and we encourage farmers to seek it out. We value the government’s assistance to the sector.”

In Canterbury, dairy farming delivers around $1.9billion to the local economy and the sector employs around 17,000 people regionally.

Feed continues to be the most significant issue for most farmers, as they consider how to get through winter well.

“We do know feed is in short supply, but

there have been offers to help fill the gap from other regions.”

Mackle said DairyNZ hopes government will continue to monitor the situation to ensure those communities continue to be appropriately supported.

MPI has a Feed Coordination and Feed Planning Service phoneline for farmers, 0800 327 646. Additional flood recovery information is available online at www. dairynz.co.nz. The Rural Support Trust can also be contacted for recovery support on 0800 787 254 and DairyNZ on 0800 4 324 7969.

Brainstorming practical sustainability FROM PAGE 1 “There are lots of fancy ideas out there but they need to be practical and proven, to give farmers the confidence to invest in them. We are serious about making a difference and driving change from the farm gate.”

Farmers involved with the project have been meeting in groups and collaborating with industry experts to brainstorm ideas.

These include, demonstration sites for application of liquid fer tiliser, using ‘exemplar’ farms as case studies to showcase the journey towards a high-per forming, sustainable system, Investigating the concept of an informative walkway between town and countr y to increase community engagement, and working with industr y specialists to under take research on the economic val-

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ue of environmental mitigation.

For dairy farmer and WLT member Richard Stalker, the project is an opportunity to understand future options and new technologies, while promoting the value of farming to the wider community.

“Farming is an integral part of this district. My family has farmed here for 140 years, and my two daughters are sixth-generation. It’s impor tant that we adopt sustainable land-use practices to ensure the community continues to thrive for future generations.”

Addressing environmental issues “is just good business”, said Stalker Richard, who farms 200-hectares on the outskirts of Rangiora.

“Farmers are already investing in new technology to reduce their environmental impact. We are very receptive to sensible, pragmatic solutions that are supported by science and research.

“For the past eight years I have been applying reduced rates of nitrogen with an online GPS tracking system, which means I can apply precise amounts to certain areas of the paddock – instead of a blanket approach.

“We have also partnered with rural electricity company Solagri Energy to install a first of its kind solar panel system, which has greatly reduced our energy requirements.

‘

The project is a great example of the farming community rallying together to tackle a shared challenge.

Steve Penno Director Investment Programmes at MPI

“WLT is now providing us with a vehicle to communicate our progress and share what we are doing with other farmers and the wider sector.”

Steve Penno, Director Investment Programmes at MPI, said the project is a great example of the farming community rallying to tackle a shared challenge.

“Reducing environmental impacts is a key goal in ‘Fit for a Better World – Accelerating our Economic Recovery’, the roadmap for the food and fibres sector launched last year to boost New Zealand’s recovery efforts from Covid-19.

Christchurch Office 03 377 2721 “MPI is investing in this new project because it will deliver practical tools to reduce environmental im¡ Rural & Urban Subdivisions pacts on-farm, and help ¡ Mapping/Survey Graphics build on New Zealand’s rep¡ Cross Lease/Unit Surveys utation for producing food ¡ Resource Consents with strong environmental credentials. ¡ Topo/Site Surveys “By working together, ¡ GPS Positioning this project will be able to ¡ Land Status Research achieve more than if each farmer embarked on this www.resonant.co.nz work alone,” Penno said.

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CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

FARMING NEWS

3

Grazing sought for drought and flood-affected Canterbury livestock The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is helping drought and flood-affected farmers in Canterbury to find alternative grazing.

❚ by Kent Caddick Widespread flooding caused by an historic one in 200-year rainfall event caused significant damage to thousands of hectares across the region.

MPI has allocated $4.5 million to support flood-affected farmers, including providing grants to help repair uninsurable damage to farms.

“I have visited farms where pasture and winter fodder crops have been buried under flood debris,” MPI’s director of Rural Communities and Farming Support Nick Story said.

“This event has been an extremely challenging situation for farmers. The worst affected farms have a need for alternative grazing for their sheep, beef cattle and dairy cows.”

MPI’s national Feed Coordination Service has been expanded to help find grazing, distribute donated feed, and connect people with surplus feed to farmers who need it.

“Our feed coordinators had more than 35 additional requests from flood-affected farmers in the first half of June who need grazing and feed,” Story said.

“It’s likely the worst flood-affected paddocks will be unusable for some time, so we expect demand will increase further as we move through the winter.

“The service is keen to hear from people who may be able to help with grazing, especially those in Otago, Southland or the West Coast.”

Farmers can also receive free expert support to complete a feed plan to help make crucial decisions about feed this winter and ahead of spring.

“The service helps calculate feed demand and supply, and options to fill feed gaps. Having a feed plan can help give you piece of mind,” Story said.

Farmers needing help to clean-up can call or register using the details below to enable industry groups to match them with volunteers.

People with surplus feed or grazing, or farmers who need support to do a feed plan, are encouraged to call 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646) or to register online via www.mpi.govt.nz/funding-rural-support/ adverse-events/dealing-with-floods

Challenge accepted: MPI’s director of Rural Communities and Farming Support Nick Story says the Canterbury flooding event has been an extremely challenging situation for farmers.

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Damien O’Connor ❚ by for Agriculture, Biosecurity, ❚ Minister Food Safety and Rural Communities ❚

FARMING NEWS

Wellbeing support a crucial part of recovery

I know for many in Canterbury the flooding in late May has been challenging, particularly following the drought conditions which have affected much of the region in recent months.

I visited some of the hardest hit areas following the deluge with the Prime Minister and Acting Minister for Emergency Management Kris Faafoi. While the extent of the damage was immense, we were heartened to see the community coming together to support one another, rescue livestock and begin the big job of cleaning up.

As a Government, we’re committed to helping those affected get through, ensuring financial assistance is available for farmers and growers. To date, following the classification of the flooding as a medium-scale adverse event, the Government has committed more than $5 million to assist with the recovery in Canterbury.

I know for many Canterbury farmers the full extent of the damage is significant and

there are costs that won’t be covered by insurance. I want everyone to be assured that support is available now and we will continue to monitor the situation.

After an emergency like this, it’s important that support extends beyond repairing damage and providing technical advice, with wellbeing support a crucial part of ensuring the communities’ recovery.

I know staff from MPI have been on the ground, working closely with Federated Farmers, Rural Support Trusts, councils, and industry organisations to ensure wraparound support, beginning with depositing grants into the bank accounts of those most severely affected.

Feed coordinators are also helping to find supplementary feed and grazing for flood-affected farmers and will work with Rural Support Trusts to coordinate the distribution of donated feed.

Enhanced Taskforce Green has also been activated and $500,000 has been made available to help with the clean-up. Farmers and growers can self-register for help.

While events like this are always tough to navigate, they also show the strength of Kiwi communities and the resilience of the primary sector. I know the past 18 months have been challenging with pressures in the wake of COVID-19 but I’ve been so pleased to see our rural communities adapt and thrive.

Your hard work has truly helped the country through the worst of the pandemic and continues to play a central role in our recovery.

I know, with the right support available, you’ll get through this latest challenge just as strongly.

Finally, I wanted to briefly update you on my recent overseas trip working on free trade

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Support is available now and we will continue to monitor the situation.

agreements with the UK and EU, in my capacity as Trade and Export Growth Minister.

It was a productive visit and showed the value of face-to-face discussion. It’s easy to forget that the rest of the world is still constrained by significant COVID-19 restrictions and experiencing real human hardship.

It made me grateful for the normalcy we’ve been able to maintain in New Zealand.

I look forward to sharing more details of the result of those talks shortly.

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

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Water sampling shows worsening nitrate contamination in Canterbury Greenpeace is redoubling calls for government action to cut synthetic nitrogen fertiliser following two days of drinking water testing in Canterbury, which confirmed that nitrate contamination in drinking water is worsening.

❚ by Kent Caddick Greenpeace tested 225 water samples at Dunsandel (123) and Woodend (102) in early June.

The two events were run in conjunction with the New Zealand Federation of Freshwater Anglers, who undertook the testing using their spectrometer.

Greenpeace senior campaigner Steve Abel said the turnout showed the level of public awareness about nitrate contamination and its causes, and highlighted regional differences.

“Even in Canterbury’s code-red weather event people showed up in their dozens to find the state of their water,” Abel said.

“Local communities are clearly concerned about nitrate contamination, as research emerges about the health risks - from bowel cancer to premature births.”

At Dunsandel, five water samples (4% of the total tested), measured over the World Health Organisation limit for nitrate allowed in drinking water (11.3mg/L), with the highest being 12.9 mg/L. The WHO limit is set to avoid blue baby syndrome.

Just on 74% were over 0.87mg/L, the concentration associated with increased incidence of bowel cancers in a comprehensive 2018 Danish study, and 27% over 5mg/L, which an American study showed could increase the risk of premature birth by almost half.

In Woodend there were notably fewer high readings: 31% of samples were over 0.87 mg/L, 6% over 5mg/L and none over the current World Health Organisation limit.

“Nobody should have to wonder that their tap water might be making them or their baby sick. Our findings from this weekend, particularly around Dunsandel in the Selwyn Water

Feedback: Senior Greenpeace campaigner Steve Abel (right) speaks with community members during water testing in Dunsandel.

Photo: Zoe Deans

Zone, show nitrate groundwater contamination is getting worse. This should really raise the alarm for central and local government,” Abel said.

“One guy near Dunsandel just spent $10,000 to drill a deeper bore. His existing bore was reading over the World Health Organisation limit at 12.9mg/L. He brought us a sample from the freshly drilled bore, only to discover it was still high at 10.6mg/L. He said it was a ‘kick in the teeth’ to have spent all that money for so little improvement in the nitrate level.

“It’s outrageous that bore owners are having to foot the bill for nitrate contamination caused by big polluters like the fertiliser companies,” Abel said.

“We know nitrate contamination is much worse in areas of the country with inten-

sive dairying. Local and central governments need to cut nitrate pollution at its source and ensure the safety of their communities’ water.

“We’re calling on the Government to lower the limit on nitrate allowed in our water; phase out synthetic nitrogen fertiliser; lower cow stocking rates and support farmers to shift to regenerative organic farming.”

Dr Tim Chambers, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Otago who is studying human health impacts of nitrate, attended the testing at Woodend.

“The hardest thing with our study is collating the data on nitrate in drinking water across the country. Once you have that, it’s easier to look at other conditions that might be affected by nitrate contamination,” Chambers said.

“With colorectal cancer, the concern is long-term chronic exposure. That’s why the link with adverse birth outcomes is troubling, because it’s a relatively short exposure, just during that prenatal period, but the consequences can be quite severe.”

Peter Trolove from the Federation of Freshwater Anglers, who provided the spectrometer and undertook the testing said things are clearly getting worse.

“We have been testing surface water since August 2019 in Selwyn and getting nitrate readings far above what is toxic to aquatic ecosystems.

“Big irrigation is not diluting but worsening the contamination across the board. These water systems are all linked up - we know nitrate is highly toxic to river species and it’s turning out to be toxic for people too.”

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Public consultation on car-tax needed

It was great to attend the annual Fieldays in June, which is always an important opportunity to celebrate New Zealand’s strong rural sectors and the vital contributions they make to our country and economy.

David Bennett ❚ by ❚ National Party spokesperson for Agriculture It would make sense for the Government to look after our farmers and all those who contribute to our rural sectors.

However, this doesn’t seem to be the case as we see continued restrictions placed upon New Zealand’s primary sector; from refusal to adequately address industry labour shortfalls, mapping of significant natural land areas (SNAs) across private land, and Labour’s new car tax.

The new car tax is another kick in the guts for farmers and demonstrates that Government has no idea about farming. The Government will be slapping up to $3000 extra onto the purchase of utes as a penalty for being heavy petrol-run vehicles. These taxes will then be used to reward the purchasers of electric vehicles, hybrids, and low-emissions cars. A work ute could be taxed to pay a subsidy for someone else’s Tesla.

This is a tax on farmers and tradespeople for whom electric vehicles are simply not suitable. Farmers do not drive utes as a fashion statement; they need these vehicles. They are a practical necessity on the farm.

This announcement can hardly be characterised as a surprise. The policy is simply another example of a Government who bases their law-making on ideology rather than material reality.

Farmers need vehicles that can go off-

road, tow trailers, and transport materials.

This Government is making work more expensive and more difficult for those of us who produce this country’s food and goods. This approach shows policy-making without any regard for the consequences on the lives and livelihoods of New Zealanders.

It’s not fair to make farmers, tradies and large families pay more for their cars when they don’t have any other option, just so wealthy executives can get a discount on a Tesla. It’s also not fair to force a car tax on New Zealanders without letting them have a voice, particularly after Labour promised them no surprise taxes after the election.

We also don’t think it’s fair that Labour made a point of removing the car tax from its policy manifesto pre-election, then started working on it the second it was re-elected.

This is another broken promise from Labour on tax.

Ironically the ute tax was announced around the Fieldays. At the Fieldays, the Prime Minister spoke to the media of how she had tried to exempt ute owners from the tax but said “a large number of those buyers of those vehicles are not using them for the legitimate use as those who work in the primary sector and the trades”.

As far as the National Party are concerned, any person who lawfully purchases a

ute owns it legitimately and the Government has no business telling New Zealanders what they can and cannot buy within the law.

National is appealing to Labour to re-open public consultation to let Kiwis have their say about the impact this car tax will have. Most importantly, we will repeal Labour’s car tax and reverse the punishment on hardworking farmers.

‘

The Government has no business telling New Zealanders what they can and cannot buy within the law.

FARMING NEWS

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

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The road back to recovery

Just a few weeks ago, Canterbury/Waitaha was in the thick of an extended dry spell with many farmers desperate for rain. Now, many are facing a long, difficult clean up from the recent downpour and flooding.

Jenny Hughes ❚ by Chair ❚ Environment Canterbury

E21/8586

Just a few weeks ago, Canterbury/Waitaha was in the thick of an extended dry spell with many farmers desperate for rain. Now, many are facing a long, difficult clean up from the recent downpour and flooding.

It’s been a tough time for our rural communities. My condolences to all those whose lives and livelihoods have been impacted by the extreme weather of recent times. For many, even after the clean-up from the flooding, the financial and psychological effects will remain for some time.

The scale of the recent weather event was something we have never seen before.

By way of example, the Mount Somers rain gauge recorded more than double the previously recorded maximum for a 72-hour period. In this case, 546mm.

However, while it will be cold comfort for those who were seriously impacted, the flood-protection network across Canterbury held up remarkably well under such an extreme test.

Flooding is the most common natural hazard we face in this country. Every corner of New Zealand is susceptible, whether caused by a cloudburst, a long and steady rainstorm, rapid runoff due to soil erosion, or rivers clogged with debris.

Because flooding is such a common threat, it means that, even as many start the road back to recovery, we need to be thinking and planning for the next inevitable weather challenge.

We know that climate change increases the likelihood of more extreme weather events. As the scientists tell us, a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, which can result in more extreme rainfall.

We also know that climate change is already impacting our local ecosystems, and the projections are for worse storms, floods and droughts, which will occur more often.

Our recently launched climate change campaign It’s time, Canterbury: Our Climate Change Conversation outlines in some detail just how the region may be impacted.

It is difficult to say to what degree climate change contributed to the latest extreme weather system. Canterbury has always been susceptible to easterly rainstorms - although relatively infrequent, they are by no means unprecedented.

Yet the signature of climate change is likely to be in there somewhere. It may be in the increased intensity of the rainfall, or the duration of the heaviest falls.

Time will tell, but based on what the science says, it would be prudent to consider more of these storms a real possibility and plan accordingly.

Last week, Environment Canterbury adopted the Long-Term Plan 2021-31. Climate change and community resilience is factored into the plan’s work programmes, and this is no less the case when it comes to designing, building and maintaining high-quality infrastructure for flood protection, land drainage and erosion control.

Do you need help updating your winter grazing management plan?

Severe weather and flooding has impacted many farmers in Canterbury this winter. Our team is here to help you update your winter grazing management plan to take into account any on-farm changes you have had to make.

Being well-prepared for more bad weather over next few months can help reduce run-off into waterways, look after your stock, and also improve soil productivity.

We can help you to: • Update your winter grazing management plan, which can be part of your wider Farm Environment Plan • Plan to avoid damaging wet soils in your winter feed paddock • Graze strategically from the top of the paddock downwards • Understand the rules and regulations that apply to winter grazing Get in touch with a Land Management Advisor by calling 0800 324 636 or visit www.ecan.govt.nz/wintergrazing for information and resources.

The many hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of flood protection schemes in this country have all been paid for by regional ratepayers. This work protects lives, communities and billions of dollars of regional assets from the full force of raging rivers. Many of those assets are also nationally important.

A 2018 study calculated that replacing all of New Zealand’s river-management and flood-protection schemes would cost around $2.3 billion.

As flooding is a national issue, and expected to become worse with a warmer climate, there is the question of whether it is still fair to place that burden entirely on local communities.

The Canterbury community is very grateful for the recent $4 million from central govern-

ment for the recovery work, but there is value in discussing co-investment between local and central government for flood-prevention measures, rather than paying to manage a disaster during and after the event.

For those affected by the recent flooding, support is available.

The Civil Defence Emergency Management Canterbury webpage includes advice on how to make your home habitable again, how to remove flood debris, make an insurance claim, and find psychological support, financial help or emergency accommodation.

Go to www.cdemcanterbury.govt.nz and type ‘rural support’ in the search option field.

As always, I look forward to hearing your ideas or any comments you may have. Please email me at Councillor.

Hughey@ecan.govt.nz.

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Bessie Paterson LLB ❚ with ❚ Ronald W Angland & Son

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

The ins and outs of retirement villages

The current rules for the setting up and running retirement villages have been in force for almost 20 years with only very minor reviews during that time.

Retirement Villages have become a growth industry but it is always a good idea to find out as much as possible about them before committing yourself to one in retirement.

A retirement village provides for independent living for its residents in individual units.

Each purchaser of one of the units buys an Occupation Rights Agreement. This document allows the purchasers to live in the unit but does not confer any ownership rights.

The cost of the occupation rights agreement varies with the village and the occupier has a right to occupy the unit for as long as they need to.

If they wish to move out they need to give the operator of the village notice of their intention or if they are in need of personal care they will be asked to move to alternative accommodation.

There are some matters which must be taken into consideration when contemplating moving to a retirement village.

The licence fee is refundable when the li-

censee vacates the unit less a percentage of the fee. There is no right to share in any capital gain when a new licensee purchases a right of occupation. The retirement village is the beneficiary of all increases in unit fees.

The operator of the village does not have to refund the fee immediately the unit is vacated. They wait until they have another resident and they then pay the amount owing to the former resident from the new resident’s settlement monies.

That can take quite some time to achieve and is a source of annoyance to the former resident.

The complaints procedure is difficult to follow and is in need of a major review. It is also quite intimidating for an elderly person to prepare and make a complaint and then to present it to a committee. Very often they would prefer not to bother.

The documentation for the licensing of units in retirement villages is complex and requires extensive reading and understanding.

Photo: Chatswood Retirement Village. Source: armitagewilliams.co.nz

It is essential for an applicant to discuss the provisions of the agreement with their lawyer or legal executive to make sure they under-

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stand their obligations in taking on a retirement village unit.

Most people I have met and who live in a retirement village are very happy with their decision to move to a retirement village.

This article has been prepared by Bessie Paterson a partner at Ronald W Angland & Son, Lawyers, 2 Chapman Street, Leeston

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Grant Edmundson ❚ with ❚ Partner Helmore Stewart

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

9

Online Trading and the impact of the Privacy Act 2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has given rise to a significant increase in online trading and agribusiness in North Canterbury has benefited from this escalation in trade, often stretching the capacity of these online platforms.

dividuals to the collection, storage and management of personal information.

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and the need to give notification to the affected individual as well as to the Privacy Commissioner.

An extension of this obligation would be to update supply contracts with third parties to whom personal information is provided. The contracts should require the service providers to notify the Company of a breach so the Company is able to decide if it is required to notify the Privacy Commissioner.

Under the Act, there is a maximum liability of $10,000 fine for failing to notify the Commissioner of a breach. In addition, there is also a maximum fine of $10,000 for failing to comply with a Compliance Notice (issued by the Privacy Commissioner), knowingly destroying a requested document, etc.

Agribusiness trading portals and online stores for retail businesses in the agribusiness space need to carefully consider their obligations under the Act to mitigate against unlawful access or use of personal information of their clients and/or customers.

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With the online trading environment not necessarily catering, from an IT perspective, for the explosion of business, the online platform often suffers from an additional inadequacy in not managing the lawful solicitation, use and storage of personal information relating to prospective clients.

For example, an agribusiness’s online store mailing list, if accessed and downloaded by an external third party, will likely constitute a breach as the mailing list will have personal information which has been accessed without authorisation.

Subject to the nature of the business concerned, the mailing list may contain personal information that could be exploited for unlawful purposes, ie credit card fraud.

The new Privacy Act 2020 (“Act”) which came into effect 1 December 2020 codifies 12 information privacy principles and now grants the Privacy Commissioner a variety of new powers to enforce the Act. From an IT perspective, proactive steps to mitigate the unlawful access and use of personal information contained on a business client database or mailing list will include implementing protective protocols by adjusting IT systems in regards to limiting access of in-

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10

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Well done Mid Canterbury leaders ❚ with Rob Cope-Williams I want to congratulate the farming industry leaders and support crews in that region for the work they did, not just on the land, but also within the halls of power.

It is not for me to say anything about the $500,000 given as support after the event, however you can probably imagine my reaction, but I am thrilled that the Prime Minister was persuaded to come back down to the area, complete with red band gummies, to take a real look at the situation, and to release another $4m.

When one considers the fact that one of the ‘minor’ insurance companies in that region is adjusting their annual budgets because of a $3m loss caused by the floods you can get some sort of handle on the magnitude of the problem.

What the rest of New Zealand will not understand is that farmers cannot insure their land or fences.

Assets and equipment are covered along with buildings plus EQC will cover a small area around a homestead, but the rest is up to the property owners.

As expected, my thoughts are with those who face the massive clean-up and the mental problems that will arise from the enormity of the problem.

Figures I have gleaned suggest that up to 370 farms are very badly affected and that

I want to congratulate the farming industry leaders and support crews in that region for the work they did, not just on the land, but also within the halls of power.

‘

New Zealand will not understand is that farmers cannot insure their land or fences.

they may never be able to return to normal land use. Again, a bouquet for those who can offer support in whatever way.

As many support people return to their traditional daily routines that leaves just a few to keep battling on and obviously they cannot be everywhere all the time.

People such as the Rural Support Trust, Fed farmers, Rural Women and others are vital and thank goodness we have such dedicated folk within their ranks.

Again, hopefully without sounding like a stuck record, never lose sight of the fact that people who are suffering will hide it and not talk to anyone about it. It is simply a trait that is part of the depression. One becomes a passenger to the condition.

I know because I have been there.

Once again, my congratulations to those behind the scenes who would not let go and when the media moved onto other things, they plugged away to those in Wel-

❚ with John Arts

In theory osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the simplest diseases.

fish oil to reduce inflammation. Often the inflammation causes more pain and mobility loss than the actual cartilage damage. Thirdly we add the antioxidants that protect chondrocyte cells from further damage.

One of the most annoying and painful arthritic joints are small hand joints. While nutritional therapy can really help, these are among the slowest joints to respond.

It seems counter-intuitive, but big weightbearing joints, especially knees, tend to respond faster.

I have been helping someone with OA in their base thumb joint at the wrist. Within 3 months the pain had reduced, and now after a year, the discomfort is really minor only when under heavy use.

lington to get some action.

In the mean time we wish our Minister of Trade all the very best for his talks in the UK because we certainly need our voice heard loud and clearly, especially with the costs of shipping rocketing up faster than they ever have in the past.

As someone recently suggested, if the planes are not carrying people because of covid, take the seats out and carry produce.

Well it is just a thought.

New enhanced formula

Help for Osteoarthritis: Cartilage For years we thought that cartilage in our joints just wore away over time. We now know that OA is a complex disease where the processes that reduce cartilage are affected by genetics, past joint trauma and nutrition especially levels of important antioxidants.

Cartilage is different from other tissue types. It has no nerve or blood supply and it appears as lifeless tissue. Cartilage is actually dynamic tissue: a matrix of proteins (collagen and elastin), chondroitin sulphate, water and living cells called chondrocytes.

Research shows that the health of chondrocytes is central to the development of OA. Each chondrocyte looks after a small patch of cartilage repairing damage by secreting new cartilage matrix where needed. The problem is when chondrocytes are damaged or die. This means that cell can no longer maintain cartilage.

Eventually the cartilage thins leading to a painful bone on bone scenario.

I use a two pronged approach to supporting cartilage. Firstly we add compounds, especially chondroitin, that can support and repair cartilage. Secondly we add curcumin from turmeric and Omega 3

What the rest of

Abundant Health

RURAL PROFESSIONALS

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

11

Inflation is here, but...

Andrew Wyllie ❚ with Is it temporary, or will it be sustained? ❚ Forsyth Barr

There is no doubt we will see higher reported inflation this year. In fact we’ve already seen it – grabbing headlines last month (at least in market circles) were the various United States’ April inflation reads.

The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index (the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation) was up 3.6%, the highest level in over 12 years.

Excluding volatile food and energy, core PCE was still up 3.1%, the first time it has started with a “3” since 1992.

In our view, we generally agree with central banks that many of the current inflationary pressures are short-term factors. The longterm forces that kept inflation low pre-Covid – ageing populations, high debt levels, fast pace of new technology development – are unchanged.

That said: (1) the extent of monetary (low interest rates, quantitative easing, aka money printing) and fiscal (government deficits) stimulus has been unprecedented and the longer-term effects remain uncertain, and (2) justifying the current extreme policy settings will only become harder if economies continue on their current healthy trajectory.

‘

In our view, we generally agree with central banks that many of the current inflationary pressures are shortterm factors.

Jump in bond yields Year-to-date, longer-term interest rates have firmed reflecting the improved economic outlook and higher inflation risks.

For investors who plan to own bonds to maturity, these “losses” on bonds aren’t permanent – holders will still receive the same interest on their investment and be repaid in full when the bond matures (unless, of course, the borrower defaults).

Equities continue to perform well Despite the jump in longer-term interest rates, it has still paid to remain invested in equities.

Global equity markets have continued to push higher with companies generally delivering better-than-expected results benefiting from a combination of improving economic activity and significant cost savings.

New Zealand has remained a laggard For over a decade the New Zealand equities market has been amongst the strongest in the world. Year-to-date, the position has reversed.

The New Zealand market is dominated by defensive dividend-paying stocks which many

If you’re new to investing please see Forsyth Barr’s Introduction to Investing guide available at www.forsythbarr.co.nz/intro-to-investing/ or to discuss your investment options please contact Andrew Wyllie, an Investment Adviser with Forsyth Barr in Christchurch. He can be contacted regarding portfolio management, fixed interest, or share investments on 0800 367 227 or andrew.wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz. This column is general in nature and does not take any of your personal circumstances into account. For personalised financial advice, contact Forsyth Barr for an overview of the services we can provide.

Looking at off-farm investments?

To get personalised investment advice and portfolio management specific to your investing needs, talk to Investment Adviser Andrew Wyllie in confidence on (03) 365 4244 or email andrew.wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz

CHC6189-02 - March 2021

When you are thinking about your investment options, talk to Forsyth Barr

investors look at as an alternative to fixed interest investments such as bonds or term deposits. The rise in long-term interest rates has generally been a headwind for these stocks.

Furthermore, the NZX50 market index is concentrated in a relatively small number of companies – the largest eight companies account for around half the index. What that means is any price changes (up or down) in these larger stocks has a significant impact on the overall index.

Keep expectations in check We remain confident in a strong global econ-

omy over (at least) the next 12 months or so.

That said, there are still risks for markets.

Asset prices are not cheap by any historical reference. Risks of higher-than-expected inflation and therefore upward pressure on interest rates is higher than it has been for a fair while.

Even though markets overall have continued to deliver solid returns, we maintain our view that ultimately these factors will likely mean future returns are lower than what we’ve seen over the past decade or so.

This report covers the three months ending May 31.

12

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

FARMING NEWS

Wet weather challenges farmers Wet weather challenges farmers. The recent weather bomb has been devastating for many farmers in our region and my thoughts are with them as they undertake the long clean-up.

‘

The silver-lining (for those not affected by floods) was that the much-needed moisture did generate a small windfall of grass-growth.

Nicky Hyslop ❚ by ❚ B+LNZ Director, Central South Island The silver-lining (for those not affected by floods) to that particularly black cloud was that the much-needed moisture, coupled with relatively mild conditions, did generate a small windfall of grass-growth.

As always with these events, the rural community showed its true colours and rallied to support those affected. It was fantastic to see so many volunteers out on farms picking up debris and securing fences.

Our industry organisations also came to the fore and Federated Farmers in particular took the lead on coordinating support for those affected, with the help of Beef + Lamb NZ, DairyNZ, Rural Support Trust and the Ministry for Primary Industries.

The wet weather is making grazing winter forage crops a bit of a challenge, but it is important to remember that we only have this year to prove that we do not need regulations

to dictate how we manage our soil and water resources while maintaining high standards of animal welfare.

We should all have documented our winter grazing plan which outlines the risks we have identified on our own farms and ways we intend to mitigate them.

I’ve had a busy month on the road as part of B+LNZ’s six-yearly referendum which gives farmers the opportunity to vote on the continuation of their levy-funded organisation.

A big thanks to those who attended our roadshow events. For me, it was a great opportunity to showcase the broad range of levy-funded work B+LNZ undertakes on behalf of farmers and to hear feedback from farmers on levy priorities.

A common theme is the need for greater collaboration with our industry partners and

we agree. The other is a stronger push for sensible policy that will deliver positive solutions. Again, we agree.

In its renewed strategy, B+LNZ has three priorities. The largest spend by far is “Supporting Farmer Excellence” – this means delivering research and extension to support farmers to run profitable and sustainable businesses.

Helping ‘make the boat go faster’ at a time when Government policy changes are threatening to add layers of cost to our businesses.

The other priorities are “outside of the farm-gate”, namely championing the sector and increasing market returns. This strategy means B+LNZ will do the advocacy and market development work on farmers’ behalf, while still investing in grass-roots farming.

Put simply, it means farmers can just get on and do what they do best, producing the world’s best grass-fed red meat for New Zealanders and global consumers.

While I’m incredibly positive about the future of our sector, we are facing a huge environmental policy reset.

BLNZ is well respected and trusted by Government and policy-makers and while the organisation tries to work alongside officials in a constructive way to ensure policies are sensible, we do not and will not hesitate to thump the table if and when it makes sense to do so.

I strongly encourage all sheep and beef producers (this includes dairy farmers) to vote and not let farmer apathy determine the outcome.

Our sector has too much to lose.

Restrict urban sprawl into the countryside A home isn’t just made up of four walls, it is somewhere warm, and it keeps out the winter draught and stops us getting sick.

Teanau Tuiono ❚ by Agriculture ❚ for the Greenspokesperson Party ❚

A home should be a place of security and affordability, where we lay down foundations, and have a place to raise our tamariki, and become part of a community.

We are currently in the midst of a housing crisis for the last decade which has been set by successive governments.

This crisis is hurting our different generations, and will be a stain among our future leaders. It is occurring because there has been more investment into investors rather than our people and communities. This crisis covers all different regions whether urban or rural, it is affecting all New Zealanders.

Due to the lack of housing specifically rural communities should be receiving homes too. Many of our rural workers also live where they work, and the power imbalance by being both a worker and a tenant puts employees in vulnerable relationships with

the boss goes south.

The complication for the main businesses within our rural communities to best grow the land that rural communities work on to provide for the country while it is all being eaten up by urban sprawl.

The Environment Ministry and Stats NZ recently released Our Land 2021 - a look at land use and the state of the environment in recent decades. The report describes how highly productive agricultural land is being eaten up by urban sprawl.

Only about 15 percent of land is flat, with good soil and climate that makes it ideal for food production, needing less irrigation and fertilisers.

The Government has promised new rules to protect the land where our food grows through a National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Soils, but work seems to have stalled.

Where new properties have been built, are also expensive and located in sprawling suburbs without good access to public trans-

port a long way away from where people work and study. The law focusing on housing developments – the Resource Management Act (RMA) – means there are enough affordable, warm, quality homes built in liveable communities.

Matters were made worse last year when the Reserve Bank, tasked with the sole job of stabilising the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, pumped out money that quickly flowed into property investments, driving up the cost of buying a home.

We are known to be least affordable places in the world for someone to buy a home.

It has meant more vulnerable New Zealand-

ers have been pushed into tenuously renting homes that are often cold, damp, unsafe and inaccessible.

New planning rules need to create liveable communities.

Our Government is currently working to replace the RMA with new laws, and this presents a chance to build up our communities so they’re truly thriving.

It is important the new rules must restrict urban sprawl into the countryside where our food is grown, and encourage more new homes close to where people work and study.

RMA reform should put the needs of people and nature first, not profit-driven developers.

ANIMAL HEALTH & NUTRITION

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

13

Animal health focus central to vet student’s win Working 12-plus hour shifts outdoors in bitter Northern winter temperatures of minus 45 degrees, would send most school leavers shuddering under their duvets, but not Agcarm’s most recent scholarship winner, Gemma Neve.

❚ Article supplied by Agcarm

Working 12-plus hour shifts outdoors in bitter Northern winter temperatures of minus 45 degrees, would send most school leavers shuddering under their duvets, but not Agcarm’s most recent scholarship winner, Gemma Neve.

The Massey University student not only embraced the challenge of working with huskies in Finland but thrived on it.

Realising “an obsession with the North and the Northern Lights”, she secured a winter job-stay at a husky farm in Lapland.

“Within a week, run ragged by long days with no sunlight, feeding 250 dogs, running dog teams and constantly wiggling my toes to slow the frostbite down,” she says she knew she was staying.

The dogs and the wilderness captivated Gemma and her initial three-month stint at Hetta Huskies kennel farm turned into five years - braving every winter there.

Initially employed as a dog handler, Gemma soon progressed to guiding dogsled tours and being responsible for clients and dogs in

her sole care for up to five days.

“I enjoyed introducing people from all over the world to the wilderness. It was a lot of responsibility. You would go from one hut to the next, with all the gear,” Gemma said.

She spent some summers travelling, including two stints working for a New Zealand sled dog company in the Cardrona Valley.

However, having always known that she wanted to be a vet and feeling the need to clarify her career, she enrolled in the Veterinary Science degree at Massey University.

The 25-year-old will use her Agcarm scholarship windfall, valued at $2,500, to help pay for her practical veterinary placements, required as part of her degree.

Agcarm chief executive, Mark Ross, says that the association is proud to be contributing to the future of such a committed student and wishes her well in her career.

“Her application was outstanding, and our panel was impressed with her work ethic and the initiative she demonstrates in her work and academic life,” Ross said.

After her studies, Gemma sees herself

Study time: Gemma Neve enjoying her study placement on a sheep and beef placement while completing her Veterinary Science degree at Massey University.

working in a mixed rural practice.

“I greatly appreciate the role of the veterinarian in protecting animals, society and the planet we share, and also respect the role of the pharmaceutical industry in this mission,” Gemma said.

“I look forward to incorporating these diverse interests into a professional

career promoting responsible farming and animal production as we head into an era of significant environmental and ethical debates.

“I want to see how all those things fit together and see what’s possible to make the farming environment and climate more sustainable.”

14

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

The Case IH Farmlift 742 features a heavy-duty frame which improves safety.

Performance to get the job done ❚ by Tim Fulton The Farmlift 742 telescopic loader is built to work long days.

Case IH has always catered for the needs of almost every type of farm and the Farmlift 742 continues that tradition. With a workhungry 4,200kg max capacity of the 742 and the enormous 7.1m reach the Farmlift 742 caters for the toughest applications.

Superior operating comfort, short loading times and quick vehicle response are the hallmarks of Farmlift telescopic loaders, design for all sorts of farming.

The Farmlift 742 delivers maximum efficiency, delivering 129 hp (143 hp maximum power) to ensure the power you need for your handling work.

All the driveline components are per fectly combined to optimise power, allied with exceptional per formance and frugal fuel consumption. The Farmlift 742 has 6x3 Autoshift transmission and the Power Shuttle on all models makes it easy to move around

small yards or buildings.

Equipped with a stable frame, the Farmlift models feature heavy-duty frames that improve safety. The boom is designed to maximise rigidity and stability, while for added safety, an anti-tipping device is standard on all models.

The ergonomically-smart Farmlift series stands out for its compact size, exceptionally tight turning radius and low centre of gravity for optimal traction.

The Farmlift 742 is compact, produces little noise and the three steering modes enable you to work in the most confined spaces.

The four-cylinder engine meets Tier 4A emissions standards and offers superior hydraulic efficiency, built on robust and reliable gear pumps with a 140 litre/minute hydraulic capacity that delivers fast cycle times for maximum profitability.

Whatever your needs, you know you can count on the Farmlift for superior operating comfort, short loading times and quick vehicle response.

15

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

Contractor says gutsy Valtra never fails to impress Harry Murdoch and Samantha Parker own and operate Murdoch Agricultural Contracting from their base in Reporoa.

❚ Article supplied by AGCO

Harry worked for other contractors for many years and was in sales at a tractor dealership when he decided there was a niche for someone to service lifestyle blocks.

His first two tractors were reliable but old and slow, and, being cab-less, they did not endear themselves to staff.

That led to their first Valtra. In 2017, a 2009 Valtra N141 joined the team. It had a loader and a cab, and with its 50kph gear box, it made the trip to Taupo fast and comfortable. It is still working, still starts first pop, and does the raking, wrapping and stacking.

Then Harry bought a 2013 Valtra N163.

“It is one of the nicest loader tractors I have ever owned or driven,” he says.

“It is four-cylinder, so it is compact and turns on a dime, yet it delivers 160hp so it is grunty enough for big jobs.

“The hydraulics are also superb with electric control and a flow rate of 160 litres/min.

It has front and rear suspension.

“Valtra has lots of technology. They have been ahead of the game for a long time and are an under-rated brand. They are simple to use and have bloody good engines that don’t give problems.”

Safety: Harry Murdoch and Samantha Parker say the Valtra T174 is a very stable tractor, and, with its Powershift transmission, it is safe on hills.

The latest Valtra in Murdoch Agricultural Contracting’s shed is a T174. The T174 came with auto-steer, front PTO, a smart touchscreen, a high-spec Evolution seat, LED light package, fridge and rear and side window washers.

Harry has become fond of those side window washers. It is a feature you think you can live without, but once you have it, you see the advantages.

“The front wipers are pretty good too. They have a 270 degree arc and you can see the front axle when it’s pissing with rain.”

It has a powershift gearbox, as have all of Harry’s Valtras.

“A powershift is safer on hills. It doesn’t run away on them. The driver just picks a gear for uphill and a gear for downhill.

“But the powershift also has an auto function, so it can be driven like a vario. You use the paddle and move it forward to change speed.

“I use auto when I am fert-spreading.”

Within the touchscreen Harry has loaded every implement he owns. That means all the operator has to do is click on say ‘mower’ and all the functions are set – including the correct hydraulic oil flow and assigned functions to buttons.

Every driver also has their own profile and so the tractor is set up the way they like it.

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

17

Stefan’s got his effluent system sorted Right by the Southland/Otago boarder is where it’s at for Stefan Roulston on his 600 cow dairy farm spread over 210 hectares, plus another 100 odd hectares of run-off which is often used to grow silage.

The Nevada slurry tanker allows Stefan Roulston to spread over both the dairy farm and the runoff farm, despite a low horsepower tractor.

Lloyd Thomas ❚ by effluent management ❚ Nevada specialist ❚

Heading into winter he’s pretty relaxed knowing there’s plenty of storage, with effluent being spread between a wintering shed pond, a cow shed pond, and a runoff pond.

“We cart effluent over to the run-off pond by truck and dump it over there. We just collect it over winter and spread when it’s needed.”

Stefan first got in touch with Nevada when he was on the search for a slurry tanker.

“It was the expense of getting contrac-

tors in [to spread over the farms] and getting effluent on when you wanted to.”

After doing his homework, he found Nevada to be the best value for money, having all the specs at a good price. His only concern had been whether or not his tractor could handle pulling the tanker.

“I had set my expectations that it’s a 14,500L slurry tanker, and we’ve only got a 180 horsepower tractor, but it’s been fine.

The tanker is pretty jolly good. No real issues with it. No issues really at all.”

The slurry tanker allows Stefan to spread over both the dairy farm and the run-off farm. In typical Otago fashion, there are a few creeks and streams running over the property, but the light, controlled application of the RainWave™ applicator makes it easy for Stefan to steer clear of the waterways and there’s no concern over run-off.

“It looks thick, but it’s a real light application so it doesn’t run away and we’re not worried about it getting into streams.”

The light application also means the cows can go back to grazing faster.

“We’re really happy with it. It’s been pretty good. The service has been pretty good too.

“Whenever we’ve needed parts they’ve got here pretty fast.”

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Guide to mulching and mulchers This guide outlines the uses for mulchers, benefits of topping with a mulcher, how to pick the correct mulcher for your situation and crucial features that a good mulcher must have.

Gerry Hamlin ❚ by ❚ Agriline Farm Machinery

Mulchers are a great multi-purpose tool on any farm so long as you get the right one for the job. They can be used for clearing Gorse, Broom, Matagouri, Teatree, Rice Grass, Tussock, Rushes, Thistles, and most other vegetation and small trees.

There are some very distinct advantages of clearing with a mulcher. If you spray the vegetation it can often take years to break down before the land can become effective again and by that stage there is often more of the rouge vegetation coming away.

Root-raking will give you a pile of unwanted trash that you have to deal with and will disturb the soil and you may have to cultivate before replanting.

With a mulcher, the vegetation is mulched very fine and will break down quickly so you can over-sow almost straight away with brilliant results.

A mulcher is the ideal machine for topping your pasture. Other topping machines tend to cut the grass and lie it over intact making it very hard for the elements to break it down

this is made even worse when there are thistles and other weeds.

A mulcher will cut the grass and weeds very fine allowing it to break down faster putting nutrients back into the soil and boosting regrowth. The fungus that causes facial eczema lives in the dry plant stems so mulching these up reduce the risk.

Mulchers will also spread out animal waste and reduce the sour patches of grass.

Mulchers are very robust and low maintenance compared to a lot of other topping machines.

Mulchers are the ideal machine to deal with crop residue, they will mulch it up finely to allow you to cultivate easily. Mulching the stubble reduces the blocking of cultivation equipment and allows stubble to break down when buried, if stubble is buried un-mulched it can use up the nitrogen in the soil.

Choosing the right mulcher Width: Ensure you get the right width for your tractor. You need the mulcher to be narrow enough to drive it easily and do a good job, but obviously, the more ground you can cover at the same time the better. Also in rough

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Horsepower Rating: Have plenty of tolerance to give you peace of mind for reliability and scope to run it on a bigger tractor should you decide to upgrade.

Enough Belts: Belts on a mulcher are generally designed to take up to about 35 HP per belt. Make sure your mulcher has enough of them to handle the horsepower of your tractor. Lack of belts will result in belts slipping and destroying themselves.

Dual or Single Transmission: A dual transmission mulcher is where the rotor is driven

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from both ends. This decision is partly to do with getting enough belts for your Horsepower rating, and also once you go over 2.5m Dual Transmission is almost essential.

Flails: For most situations, the triple flail (a Y flail with the straight centre blade) is the ideal option. It does a finer cut, smoother finish and is easier to drive than other flails. Also ensure they are a good solid flail with a large diameter bolt. If you have a high chance of hitting large stones or have a very abrasive environment sometimes a hammer flail is a better option. In these situations, it can be a good idea to get flails hard-faced as well.

Skids & rollers: Where possible in most situations it is best not to have a roller and just run on wide skids. To do this you need at least 150mm wide skids with rolled edges to stop gouging. Once mulchers get up to around 3m it is often better to run a roller to stop scalping.

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Sleek, dense balers for big work A large-square baler at a Case IH dealership in Canterbury is expanding the region’s line-up of high-density baling machines.

❚ by Tim Fulton The Case IH LB436 HD large square baler makes the most of baling windows, giving contractors and farmers maximum bale density and high-quality bales. Built to perform in tough conditions, the baler delivers the highest bale density in the Case IH large square baler line-up, Case IH Product Specialist Ben Payne says.

The baler’s chamber is 16% longer and provides up to 50% more plunger force than other Case IH models. A robust compression system and fully automatic bale density control system help achieve higher, more consistent densities and bale weights — even in changing paddock conditions.

Cochrane’s Canterbury are the first dealership in New Zealand to run the Case IH LB436 HD large square balers for its large and varied customer base.

“With the demands on farmers and contractors, equipment needs to deliver more capacity and density to drive the bottom line,” Cochrane’s sales manager James Cochrane says. “With a simple, innovative design and advanced technology to boost productivity, producers can rely on this new high-density baler to drive efficiency on their operation.”

A large-density ring uses seven hydraulic cylinders to apply pressure to the chamber for increased density and optimum bale shape.

Adding to the machine’s overall durability, a heavy-duty frame is designed to with-

Enhanced: The Case IH LB436 HD large square baler makes the most of baling windows, giving contractors and farmers maximum bale density and high-quality bales.

stand high-density loads and maximize uptime. Maintenance is simple as baler adjustments can be made quickly and easily, with ground-level access for routine service (includes slide-out knife drawer, swing-out doors, twine).

The two-speed gearbox provide easy startup and smooth power flow and maximizes power to deliver 48 strokes per minute, while the TwinePro™ knotter provides reliable tying with the addition of a loop knot, delivering increased knot strength.

Five tine bars and ideal tine distribution

reliably and cleanly pick up windrows, even at higher speeds, while the large tine bar diameter handles heavy crop loads.

Other features include a short drawbar for an unobstructed view of the pickup area and manoeuvrability, dual-axle hydraulic suspension for a smoother ride at high speeds and LED work and service lights for maximum operator comfort and productivity through long hours.

The LB436 HD large square baler is equipped with ISOBUS Class 3 integrated automation, providing ease of use, while the in-

tuitive AFS Pro 700 display puts important information, such as bale weight and moisture, at the operator’s fingertips.

Feedrate Control enables the baler to run at optimal performance by controlling the speed of the tractor and provides two running operations; Charge Control which automatically slows or speeds up the tractor without operator input to run at full capacity, and Slice Control, by which the operator determines the desired number of flakes. The baler automatically adjusts ground speed to reach the target.

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

21

Keep it safe when using a tractor Tractors are used in all farming regions in New Zealand in tough terrain. Steep, rough, slippery or loose ground and towing implements increase the risk of losing control.

❚ Article supplied by WorksafeNZ

Manufacturers advise caution in all these circumstances as the tractor could become unstable because of sudden changes in direction and the tractor’s centre of gravity.

Before going up or down hills, carefully check the ground and set the tractor up to meet the conditions.

You might have to get off the tractor and walk the route you plan to take. When planning your route, find an emergency run-out spot in case you lose traction.

Safety first: Operating a tractor on flat land is relatively straight forward but on hilly terrain there are a number of safety factors to take into account.

Travelling downhill Selecting the wrong gear can result in losing control of the tractor: • too high a gear and engine braking may not hold back the tractor • too low a gear and the tractor may start to slide, like brakes applied on a slippery surface.

Always drive straight down steep hills. Do not drive diagonally across and down slopes.

Find the gentlest possible slope and drive straight down.

Select a low gear before driving down and apply the throttle to reduce the chance of the engine stalling.

Engage ‘diff lock’ before starting a hill descent for maximum braking and to prevent single-wheel lockup. However, note that the tractor will not turn as efficiently when diff lock is on.

Drive slowly forward (heavy end up slope) controlling your speed with engine braking.

Allow for any towed implements’ extra weight. Check surface conditions, slope and route.

If the tractor starts to slide forward, quickly pulse the throttle until you regain traction.

Do not brake, as you have to keep the wheels turning to keep traction.

If the engine loses power, apply the brake and put the tractor in ‘park’ mode.

If you lose control, drop any implements into the ground to act as an anchor.

Keep the tractor well-maintained and filters clear to reduce the chance of engine failure.

Travelling uphill When travelling uphill, the weight moves to the rear of the tractor, increasing the risk of the tractor flipping over backwards.

The wheels can lose traction and make

the tractor slew to the side, increasing the risk of the tractor rolling over.

The tractor can also start rolling backwards, increasing the risk of a backwards flip if the brakes are applied suddenly.

Some modern tractors have hydraulically powered brakes and steering, so if the engine stalls, you can lose power to the brakes and steering.

Always drive straight up steep hills. Select a low gear before driving up and apply the

throttle to minimise the possibility of the engine stalling. Climb with the heavy end up the slope (in reverse).

If it’s a straight climb, engage diff lock and four-wheel drive before starting.

Don’t change gear when moving up slopes. This increases the risk of the tractor flipping backwards. If you lose traction, apply the brake

and clutch together, select reverse gear and back down the hill.

22

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Improved animal health with halter cow collars

Halter Cow Collars have the potential for positive environmental impacts, improved animal health awareness, and on farm financial gains.

❚ by Kent Caddick That’s according to the judges of the South Island Agricultural Field Days who recognised the innovation with the Agri Magic Smart Farming Award at the Field DSays earlier this year.

The judging panel of three industry experts were impressed with collars, which they say demonstrated an ability to integrate quickly into a dairy farming system and offer benefits to multiple layers of farming practices.

“The ability to tell a cow that bad weather was coming, sending it to the feed pad and ensuring it has both shelter and wasn’t having a negative impact on the grass cover or the ability to keep it out of waterways was something that really impressed us,” judge Neil Baxter said.

“There are a handful of other collars on the market that can indicate that a cow has poor health or other issues, but to have a range of benefits is quite unique.”

Baxter also mentioned that the collars’

ability to offer significant value to the purchaser from day one was the reason it rose above the competition.

“There were some great entries this year,” Baxter said.

“But some of them are still finding their place in the market. Whereas the Halter Cow Collars are a real success story, they finished runners up in this competition two years ago, so it’s great to see they’re continuing to develop and add value to the dairy industry.”

Halter CEO Craig Piggott said to win this Agri Magic Smart Farming award is great recognition for the hard work that goes in each day from our team and it’s pleasing to understand how the judges valued what Halter offers.

“Our business is looking at the next area to expand into which is a major reason we weree at the South Island Agricultural Field Days.

“We’re really looking forward to meeting with farmers down South this week and chatting about how Halter could help to drive their on-farm performance.”

Award winning: Halter Cow Collars was awarded the Agri Magic Smart Farming Award at the South Island Agricultural Field Days earlier this year.

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

23

A quality 100 years in the making John Deere has been an innovator in farm machinery for nearly two centuries. But for the past 100+ years, it is their tractors that have revolutionised agricultural productivity around the world.

supplied by ❚ Advertorial ❚ Drummond & Etheridge

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It may be small in size, but do not underestimate the amazing versatility of the John Deere 1025R sub-compact tractor. Mow, dig drains and trenches, load mulch or lift and carry garden waste with ease with plenty of implement and attachment options available to fit the 3-point hitch. The 1025R has ample power to tackle the tough jobs, with great comfort and driveability too.

Affordability and manoeuvrability does not have to come at the expense of performance or capability. Tackle basic jobs like loading soil, gravel and hay, tilling large garden areas and light farm work without com-

promise with the budget-friendly John Deere 3038E. Available on all 1 and 2 Family compact utility tractors, the John Deere AutoConnect™ mowing deck attaches without needing to leave the seat. The deck and driveshaft automatically connects when driven over. The mowing height can be set by changing the gauge wheels on the deck and once they are set there is no requirement to adjust them again. When you want to disconnect, simply lower the deck, shift the lever above the deck and unlock the gauge wheels, sit back on and safely reverse off the deck.

The R Series Quik-Park™ loaders are designed for easy, tool-free mounting and removal. The parking stand is attached to the front frame of the tractor and becomes an integral part of the loader during loader operation. To attach, simply drive up, turn off the engine, release the hydraulic pressure and safely dismount the tractor to plug in the colour coded hydraulic hoses. Then get back on, close the latches onto the loader frame on either side and adjust into position with the joystick.

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Nitrates in Canterbury groundwater The current and long-standing Maximum Acceptable Value for nitrate-nitrogen as stated in the Drinking Water Standards for NZ and other countries is 11.3ppm (mg/L or g/m3). Nitrate nitrogen at 11.3mg/L is equivalent to 50ppm of nitrate. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Sue Kelly Water Systems This figure is based on the level relevant to Methemoglobinemia, or Blue Baby Syndrome, a condition where the transfer of oxygen in the blood is reduced causing blue skin colouring.

Signs and symptoms in adults of methemoglobinemia (methemoglobin level above 10%) include shortness of breath, cyanosis, mental status changes (~50%), headache, fatigue, exercise intolerance, dizziness, and loss of consciousness.

A 2018 Danish university reported on an individual level to study the association between long-term drinking water nitrate exposure and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk.

Individual nitrate exposure was calculated for 2.7 million adults based on drinking water quality analyses at public waterworks and private wells between 1978 and 2011.

For the main analyses, 1.7 million individuals with highest exposure assessment quality were included. Follow-up started at age 35.

The study identified 5,944 incident CRC cases during 23 million person-years at risk. It used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) of nitrate exposure on the risk of CRC, colon and rectal cancer.

Persons exposed to the highest level of drinking water nitrate had an HR of 1.16

(95% CI: 1.08-1.25) for CRC compared with persons exposed to the lowest level. The styudy found statistically significant increased risks at drinking water levels above 3.87 mg/L, well below the current drinking water standard of 50 mg/L. Our results add to the existing evidence suggesting increased CRC risk at drinking water nitrate concentrations below the current drinking water standard.

The cancer risk level (0.87ppm) identified in the study is less than a tenth of the current maximum allowable value (MAV) of nitrate-nitrogen of 11.3ppm (equivalent to 50ppm of nitrate). This level has been in use in many countries for decades Many and varied approaches to reduce Nitrate in ground and surface water are being investigated and trialled and may contribute to a long-term reduction but some opinions are that the levels may possibly increase in the intervening time,.

Canterbury has some of the world’s highest colorectal cancer rates. The risk factors are very high. Reducing Nitrates in domestic water consumption could be compared to the wisdom and logic of using seatbelts and safety equipment as preventative health measures.

A Community and Public Health and Canterbury District Health Board brochure states: “Household cartridge/carbon filters, chemical treatment and boiling will not remove ni-

trate. Reverse Osmosis and ion exchange can remove nitrate however these are expensive options. If your drinking water is at a level exceeding the health limits, find an alternative water source or use bottled water.

If your water is high in nitrate then contamination is occurring. This means bacteria could also be in the water. Bacteria can increase the likelihood of methaemoglobinaemia and cause other illnesses, so don’t forget to test for the bacteria E.coli at the same time”.

Recently released reports on the connection between Nitrate in water and premature births with associated long term health implications, significant inter-generational family disruptions and demands along with major expense warrant further attention.

The cost of a quality Reverse Osmosis water purifier installed can be approximately $1000+GST for a guaranteed dramatic reduction.

Compare that to the costs involved in extending a well in the hope of a lower level of nitrate in a deeper aquifer with no certainty of achieving the reduction.

It is only the water to be consumed that needs to be safeguarded. Reverse Osmosis water purifiers are internationally recognised and have been tested and certified as achieving greater than 86% reduction of nitrate/nitrite. This tested and proven technology is

installed at the point of use in the kitchen to treat all water used for food preparation, cooking, drinking, babies’ formula and foods.

Existing delivery water pressure at 50psi is all that is required or little booster pumps can be simply inserted in-line to the water purifier to achieve optimum performance.

Large scale significant reduction of Nitrate in Canterbury groundwater is a long term goal and possibility but the negative health implications are significant high to warrant immediate remedial actions.

Any reduction will be long term and the levels may continue to rise in the interim.

Many wells now have elevated levels of Nitrate, with proven negative health costs.

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What would be gained in delaying safeguarding the water to be consumed for your family and staff? Can you put a price on your health? What may be lost?

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Rural housing and farm accommodation We’re here to deliver

Genius Homes cater to the rural lifestyle in every capacity – whether you’re in the market to build a new lifestyle block, developing quality farm accommodation for workers, or wanting to make some extra coin on the side with an AirBnb escape, Genius Homes has the experience to bring it together fast, affordably, hassle free, and exactly how you envision. supplied by ❚ Advertorial ❚ Genius Homes Genius houses are manufactured on our production line by skilled and qualified tradesmen, then delivered to your site fully complete and to your specifications.

We manage the whole project from design and consent to site works and delivery, taking the stress out of building your new house and making the experience as easy as possible.

We guide you through the entire process including design, planning, and selection of colours and fittings, while gaining consents and completing all the painful paperwork in the background.

Being built in a purpose-designed factory speeds up the build, streamlines processes, and eliminates external disruptions, meaning that with our unique method of construction, we are able to offer you great value for money with efficient service and all the benefits of a high quality home.

Whether it’s a home for yourself, a home

for your workers, or a weekend getaway for a guest, when living rurally, you require a house that has the grit to stand up against unpredictable weather, while maintaining all the creature comforts of home.

For those looking to find themselves a change of pace with a lifestyle block, Genius Homes is the specialist to turn to.

With years of experience building beautiful houses for every place from city centres to lake shores, beach fronts to mountainsides, we understand how to deliver the best homes and the lifestyle that comes with them.

If the serenity and slow pace of rural living appeals to you, but you’re not ready to give up comfortable, homely living, then take the comforts of the city with you and look into one of our popular lifestyle block builds, the Huxley or the Rakaia – Built to withstand the cold winter and air out the hot summer, with plenty of deck space to bring the outdoors in.

If you’re running an operation and in the market to accommodate your workers in af-

Genius houses are manufactured on the company’s production line by skilled and qualified tradesmen, then delivered to your site fully complete and to your specifications.

fordable yet high quality housing, we’ve also got you covered with options that will keep the whole team warm, comfortable, and happy. Our Manager’s Home, 2IC, and Staff Quarters offer two to four bedroom options that deliver the relaxing features of home, while offering complete resilience and warmth against the outer elements, the perfect place to come back to after a day on the job.

When it’s a bit of extra coin you’re after, living in a scenic, remote area works completely in your favour, as city dwellers look to push outwards for the weekend to enjoy a serene AirBnb stay.

Genius Homes have the perfect price conscious, small cottages – such as the Horizon or the Kiwi – that are built quickly, affordably, and give the feel of a cosy farm getaway, that weekenders will love.

26

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Preparing for calving over winter Winter is well and truly upon us and I know this is a challenging time on the farming calendar. These colder months means that managing both our cows and the calves they are carrying requires extra care and attention.

Ashley Greenwood ❚ by animal care extension ❚ DairyNZ specialist ❚

As we head towards calving, it is important to think about what we can do to avoid our cows calving on mud or crop.

Newborn calves are particularly vulnerable to cold and are more affected than their dams. Planning to calve in the right condi-

tions is essential and there are a few key things to consider to ensure good outcomes all round.

Getting cows off winter crop

Once cows are close to calving drafting them off crop and back onto pasture is important for a few reasons.

• Mineral imbalances in some crops can cause an increase in metabolic diseases, like milk fever.

• A cleaner calving environment reduces the risk of infection for both cow and calf.

• The calf needs to get the required ‘liquid gold’ coLifestyle Blocks & Small Farms lostrum from mum - this is more likely on solid ground Pasture | Crops | Lucerne and not having to choose to shelter over feed, due to any Liquid Fertiliser | Gorse | Broom wet paddock conditions.

It’s worth using all the information you have available to observe cows close to calving.

Daily observation of animal signs such as ‘spring2 0 1 2 L I M I T E D ing up’ and swollen vulvas, alongside their expected Ray Grigg | 027 439 5165 or 03 318 1033 calving dates, will ensure aercore.services@xtra.co.nz cows are removed from crop

Planning: DairyNZ animal care extension specialist Ashley Greenwood says it is important to think about what farmers can do to avoid our cows calving on mud or crop

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Calving in a paddock with shelter gives calves a good start in life, providing more comfort and warmth to benefit their health. If calves are too cold, they are less likely to stand up to drink that precious colostrum from their mother.

WINTER

The calving environment

Providing a safe and sheltered environment for cows to calve on will give them the best start to their lactation, improve general health and reduce the risk of future mastitis.

Now is an important time for us all to be considering what changes can be made onfarm, so we can make a difference this winter.

More information available at dairynz.co.nz/wintering

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Getting help for winter grazing issues Environment Canterbury is encouraging farmers to follow good winter grazing management practices and, if needed, seek advice as early as possible this winter.

❚ Article supplied by ECan

Recent severe weather, including drought and then flooding, means Canterbury farmers are facing a challenging winter and we are working with industry bodies to offer advice and support.

ECan’s Field Operations general manager, Nick Daniels, said winter grazing can be a significant environmental and animal welfare issue if not well managed, so having a good plan is important.

“This year, with the recent weather events, it will be even more important for farmers to have an updated winter grazing plan in place to inform early on-farm decisions. Support is available from industry groups and Environment Canterbury to help make this happen.”

Daniels said farming sector groups were well aware of the issues for this winter and have already provided support to farmers on best practice winter grazing with guidance, discussion groups, and a joint advertising campaign with regional councils.

“It’s great to see the considerable industry-based support available to assist farmers, and we strongly encourage any farmers struggling with winter grazing to seek advice sooner rather than later.”

Environment Canterbury has implemented some of the strictest land-use rules in New Zealand requiring farmers to manage a range of environmental issues, including those caused by winter grazing.

The inclusion of winter forage crop graz-

can result in elevated nitrate leaching, sediment run-off, phosphorus contamination, increased bacterial levels in water and animal welfare issues.

“Our rules require Good Management Practice on winter grazing to be implemented on all farms, including having vegetative buffers between any winter grazing and waterways – usually a minimum of five metres.

“Buffers around critical source areas, as well as paddock selection, strategic grazing, and post-grazing paddock management all need to be carefully considered and planned.

“Early planning is essential, ideally when forage crops are being planned, and mitigation measures will vary farm to farm and from season to season,” Daniels said.

Limits are also in place around discharges of sediment and contaminants to waterways, as well as strict restrictions on stock access to rivers, lakes, wetlands and drains, and consent to farm requirements regulating winter grazing.

Helping hand: ECan is urging farmers who have been affected by flood damage which has resulted in grazing plans having to be altered, or stock moved to other locations to get in touch with them.

ing in the Government’s Essential Freshwater rules, which will mostly come into force for next winter, highlights the significance of this issue nationally.

“Farmers, the industry and Environment Canterbury are all committed to good environmental outcomes,” said Daniels.

“Should compliance issues arise, our team will consider the individual circumstances of the farmer, including the extent of planning and actions that have been un-

dertaken. This could also include situations where flood damage has resulted in grazing plans having to be altered, or stock moved to other locations.”

He said poorly managed winter grazing

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Keeping the grass green It’s no good just looking from the kitchen window and deciding that if the paddocks look green, all is well.

❚ by William MIlnes Pasture has to be long enough for stock to graze, and for cattle this means at least 10cm high. Unlike horses with both top and bottom teeth allowing them to nibble, cattle are unable to do that, and if they are forced to try, they end up wearing away their bottom

teeth and eating large amounts of soil which is bad for digestion.

Sheep can eat much shorter pasture but need enough to prevent them having to eat down to soil level too.

The main issues with late autumn and early winter pasture is feed ‘quality’ and not just feed ‘quantity’. Lush green pasture is low in Dry Matter (DM) so has a high water content, it’s high in protein and energy, but very low in fibre which is important for good rumen digestion. So it’s a very unbalanced feed hence the need for supplements.

With hard frosts in the South Island, growth rates per day can be zero. So this means the deficit has to be made up totally with good quality supplements, so the ‘condition’ of your stock is the best guide to their health and future performance.

The individual feeding needs of different stock will vary over time, and there are tables to provide these data or talk to a consultant or farmer who does regular feed budgets.

Pasture perfect: Just because the grass is green doesn’t mean all is well on the lifestyle block.

Strategic use of nitrogen is always recommended to boost pasture production, but you need to have a good ryegrass content in the pasture and the 10cm soil temperature needs to be above 6degC, and the ground is not waterlogged.

Nitrogen fertiliser such as urea is cheap to buy and easy to apply as it’s in granulated form, but with so much concern now for the environment, be careful to keep the spreader well clear of creeks and wet parts of the paddock, and it’s also better to apply a number of small dressings of under 20kg N/ha rather than in one large dollop.

The biggest sin anyone can commit on a farm or lifestyle block is to damage the delicate soil structure. Dig a few spade spits and examine it carefully seeing how deep the tiny root filaments grow down to, and how many worms there are. Smell the soil too which

should be a very pleasant aroma.

So at all costs avoid pugging the soil, as there’s no point in seeing the highly-nutritious spring pasture grown at considerable expense, being pushed down into the soil by animals although sheep are generally not a problem.

Get a soil test done if there hasn’t been one done for over a year. It’s an ideal time of year to get your lime applications completed. Avoid putting stock to graze on paddocks where fertiliser has been newly applied. Fertiliser needs rain to wash it off the leaves.

Weeds never give up so if you had a bad weed problem last season, start working on it now to get the timing right. Timing of weed spraying is the key, so you have to be able to recognise weeds in the early vegetative stages, long before flowering or seed heads appear in summer.

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29

A beginner’s guide to shearing sheep With winter reaching its mid-point many lifestyle blocks owners who have a paddock of sheep will be turning their attention to the spring needs of their animals.

❚ by William Milnes Sheep grow wool continuously, so it is important to shear them at least once a year.

Shearing is generally carried out in spring, so that sheep don’t get overheated during summer.

If a sheep is not shorn, its fleece becomes so bulky that it has difficulty moving around. The fleece can get water logged, and the sheep can become cast and unable to right itself.

Also a long fleece is particularly likely to get daggy and soiled, making the sheep very susceptible to flystrike.

In very hot weather, sheep carrying too much wool will get heat stressed, and this is even more likely if the sheep is very fat.

When preparing for shearing don’t use any insecticide chemicals on the fleece for six weeks before shearing. When using chemicals on the wool, check the withholding times.

If sheep are dirty, prepare for shearing by having them crutched and dagged (ie remove dirty wool from the belly, and from below and around the tail).

Thinking ahead: Shearing your sheep in spring will help them to remain cool over summer.

Make sure the sheep are completely dry before shearing, otherwise cuts are more likely to become infected and the damp wool

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will heat and get mouldy when stored. Shearers will refuse to shear wet sheep as it can cause skin infections and boils.

To prevent damage to the shears and the sheep, warn the shearers if the sheep have large ear tags (plastic or brass). Make sure shearers are aware of any wethers among the ewes.

Hire skilled shearers shear your sheep.

Keep your sheep in yards overnight, preferably under cover, so their stomachs and intestines empty out a bit and so they remain dry even if it rains in the night. Don’t pack them in too tightly or they will dung on each other’s wool.

Because newly shorn sheep feel the cold, put them in paddocks with windbreaks and plenty of pasture after shearing. It may take six weeks for the fleece to regrow sufficiently to provide effective insulation.

If you don’t have good shelter for your shorn sheep, or if you are shearing them in winter, ask the shearer to use winter combs. These leave a short layer of wool to help protect sheep from cold weather.

Sheep need extra feed after shearing.

If there is insufficient pasture, step up the supplementary feed. The best time to apply louse and flystrike prevention treatments is after shearing, while the wool is short.

30

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

Livestock appreciate shelter from bad weather With winter setting in keeping your lifestyle block animals warm and secure is a priority.

❚ by William Milnes Livestock can usually cope fairly well with either rain or wind or cold temperatures but when two or more of these conditions occur together, livestock can quickly become chilled.

If they get so cold that they shiver, their requirement for feed increases hugely, and if they don’t get extra feed they soon lose weight.

The animals that really need shelter are the old and the young, the newly-shorn and the fine-skinned, those in thin body condition and those that are not well.

This is true whatever the species – horses, ponies, cattle, sheep, deer, goats or alpacas.

Goats are particularly susceptible to cold because they have little fat under the skin and their coat is not waterproof. Tethered goats should always have access to a weatherproof shelter with solid roof and walls.

Horses need shelter from cold wet windy weather and appreciate a cover in winter.

Covers should be waterproof and fitted correctly so that they don’t chafe. The horse’s skin and body condition under the cover

should be checked frequently.

Newborn animals are very vulnerable to bad weather and the odds are stacked against their survival when they are exposed to bad weather.

Rain, wind and cold temperatures together make a lethal combination and providing pregnant livestock with good shelter around the time of birth is like taking out an insurance policy. With effective shelter, the odds of the newborns surviving are improved Summer loving: Goats are not the hardy animals many think they are and dislike cold temperatures. hugely.

Lamb covers can proWind netting secured tightly to the fence vide useful protection from wet windy weath- shade for years to come.

There are many and varied types of shel- on the windward side of the paddock can be er but the covers must fit comfortably and they shouldn’t flap or rustle to frighten the ter plant from low dense flax to native bush, effective.

If you are storing big bales of hay or mother. Monitor closely lambs with covers on from conifers like macrocarpa and pine to debaleage, they could be lined up close to but ciduous poplars and willows. to make sure they don’t get tangled.

Because an effective shelter belt of trees outside the fence.

Winter is a good time to plant trees and Arranging bales of hay in the paddock in shrubs to provide effective shelter and and shrubs takes years to establish, you can put up temporary shelter, especially in pad- pairs in a V-shape angled into the prevailing docks where there are very young animals or wind provides good shelter for smaller grazing animals. newly shorn animals.

CALVING

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

31

First 60 days calving solution There are a number of challenges that face calf-rearers and they all grow exponentially the more calves that arrive. supplied by ❚ Article ❚ Blue Pacific Minerals The first 60 days of a calf’s life is crucial.

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

CALVING

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CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

33

Does more milk cause scours?

There’s a common belief that feeding a high volume of milk to calves causes scours. DairyNZ solutions and development specialist Katherine DeWitt discusses if it’s true.

A high volume of milk feeding is considered at least 20% of a calf’s bodyweight in milk, or eight to 12 litres per day. But does this cause diarrhoea (scours) in calves? Recent studies tell us the answer is ‘no”.

Scouring for evidence Feeding calves a greater volume of liquid feed does create more faeces overall – but offering consistently high volumes of milk should not result in scours.

Scours episodes are commonly caused by viruses, bacteria and protozoa, and the volume of milk fed should have little effect on their spread.

Calves are more likely to be exposed to these bugs through: • poor hygiene (especially associated with milk feeding equipment) • housing conditions (especially bedding conditions) • insufficient colostrum intake, leading to a poorly developed immune system.

High volumes and overall health Several studies have shown that not only does feeding higher volumes of milk not cause scours, but it actually promotes a better immune system in calves.

High milk intake also leads to an increase in calves’ pre- weaning growth rates, which is linked to better lactation performance, and earlier age at first breeding. Other benefits

include reduced cross-sucking behaviour and less vocalisations.

Farmer experience Southland farm owner Amy Johnston decided to try ad-lib milk feeding 10 years ago after having trouble with scours. She trialled one pen of calves, then quickly switched to rearing her 250 replacement calves this way.

Amy fills the drums with milk once or twice a day, depending on the temperature outside. She estimates that each calf drinks at least eight litres of milk daily.

“Sometimes we’ll get the odd scours if it gets cold, but I definitely notice less scours than our previous system,” Amy said.

“The biggest surprise was actually that the pen is silent. I didn’t realise that they only holler when they’re hungry or stressed.

“Watching the behaviour and playfulness in the pen, you can see that they’re happier and just as friendly. The main motivator for me is labour saving, but more than that, I know my calves are getting a good start and that they’re happy and not hungry.”

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

CALVING

Give your calves the best head start If you are preparing to rear calves this season, then look no further than Milligans Feeds’ range of high quality milk replacers.

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CanterburyFarming June Edition 180x260.indd 1

18/05/2021 10:25:45 am

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

DAIRY

35

Calving is a risk period ❚ with Fred Hoekstra

Before we know it, we will be back at calving time and things will get really busy again. It is always a good idea to think and plan ahead.

There are things we can do to minimise lameness before the season starts: lameness management does not start at calving time but at drying off time. What you do between now and calving has a big impact on the season to come.

I have talked in previous articles about the effect of a lack of resting time on lameness. You need to make sure your cows can lay down in a comfortable dry spot. I think this is an issue that is too often overlooked and must be taken seriously.

I am strongly opposed to having cows on winter crop paddocks without access to a grass paddock. I am not a ‘greenie’ and I am not unrealistic when it comes to cow comfort.

Cows are not human beings and as such they can handle a lot more when it comes to weather conditions.

But I do believe that we, as farmers, have the responsibility to provide an environment for our cows where they can function well. Muddy pad-

docks do not fit that criteria – but that is not what I really wanted to focus on this month.

Calving is a risk period for cows.

During this time, they undergo changes in diet, daily routine, environment, staff, and on top of that, a lot of hormonal changes. Specifically, influential here is a hormone called Relaxin which has a big impact on the ligaments in the foot.

This can result in significant haemorrhage as the pedal bone (the last bone of the cow’s foot that sits inside the claw) presses onto the live tissue.

You cannot do anything about this hormone; its production is necessary for the cow to be able to push her calf out.

Instead, there is a heightened need to focus on other factors that have an impact on the health of live tissue.

The key here is to minimise stress, especially for dominant heifers. They have never calved before, they have never been milked before, and are

now suddenly subject to the more dominant older cows. All those stresses add up.

So again, try to control the ones you can. If possible, keep heifers in their own herd. Make sure you fully feed them with a sensible diet, handle them with patience and keep waiting time to a minimum.

You may wonder what I mean with waiting time. It is basically the time when a cow is not in the paddock engaging in normal cow behaviour (grazing, drinking, resting and socializing).

A cow walking to and from the cow shed is classed as a waiting cow just like the one that is standing in the yard, waiting to be milked.

Now is the time to think about these things and plan for a cow friendly farm environment and enjoy the benefits of reduced lameness.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss or comment about these issues: fhoekstra@dhi.ac.nz

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July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

Refreshed campaign aims to attract Kiwis to dairy farming A DairyNZ campaign has been relaunched to encourage Kiwis to consider a career in dairy.

❚ by Kent Caddick The refreshed GoDairy campaign, as part of a long-term programme, will promote dairy as a career of choice and the opportunity to work in a sector helping grow New Zealand’s economy.

Dair yNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said the campaign is focused on suppor ting the sector’s ambition to attract Kiwi workers to the dair y sector, as par t of working toward resolving long-term workforce challenges.

“Our sector has a great story to tell, including the lifestyle and opportunities, and this campaign provides the chance to showcase our sector,” Mackle said.

“We want to attract more Kiwi workers to the sector, where we provide personal and career growth, a lifestyle, and a great community.”

The GoDairy programme has a history of recruiting and supporting people into dairy careers, for more than 10 years.

The relaunched campaign is one component of the long-term GoDairy programme and is designed to encourage people to consider a career in dairy and learn about the range of options on offer.

It aims to create awareness of job opportunities in the dairy sector, including the skills people learn, the benefits of working in dairy, and what living and working in a rural community is like. Information on the range of career options is available on the redesigned GoDairy website.

“We are concerned about the current situation where many dair y farmers are struggling to employ the staf f they need on farm,” Mackle said.

“This initiative will work towards resolving our long-term workforce challenges, by continuing to attract and employ capable New Zealanders who want to work in dairy.

“We also offer among the best wages in the agriculture sector, with entry positions starting from $48,000 per year, while farm managers can earn upwards of $78,000 per year.

“We want new employees to be happy, fulfilled and learn new skills in their jobs, and for farm bosses to have great talent working for them.”

The GoDairy campaign is designed to encourage people to consider a career in dairy and learn about the range of options dairy has to offer. It will provide information about the skills people learn, the benefits of working in dairy, and what living and working in a rural community is like.

This will be primarily through social media and digital advertising, along with the revamped website.

Check out the new GoDairy programme at godairy.co.nz

‘

We want new employees to be happy, fulfilled and learn new skills in their jobs, and for farm bosses

Learning curve: DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says the GoDairy programme is designed to encourage people to consider a career in dairy and learn about the range of options on offer.

to have great talent working for them.

Smartrace proves to be a great option Giving ewes a slow-release dose of important trace elements makes sense to Jeremy Pitts.

So, he switched to dosing ewes with a Smartrace capsule of selenium, cobalt and iodine.

“I’ll definitely do it again this season.”

“We’ve had the best ewe survival rate over winter and lambing for several years.”

The extensive nature of Jeremy and Hayley Pitt’s 5500-hectare high country property, Mt Gladstone Station, means limited trips through the yards for ewes.

“I really like that we can give the ewes what they need with two capsule doses – prior to tupping and then at shearing in late pregnancy,” said Jeremy.

The property runs mediummicron Merino ewes, hoggets and wethers. Smartrace really fits the animal health plan for the ewes, and has potential for wether flocks who require long term supplementation.

The capsule is two pills of trace elements, held together with a biodegradable paper. The paper dissolves and the pills rub together.

As they scratch together the elements are released.

“I like the fact that there is no plastic going into the sheep.”

The Awatere property in Marlborough has a proven issue with low selenium soils. Cattle showed up with selenium

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Jeremy Pitts on his high country property. Photo: Hayley Pitts

“We’ve had the best ewe survival rate over winter and lambing for several years.” deficiency 15 years ago and resolving it made a huge difference to fertility. Ewes have always had selenium, iodine and cobalt supplementation, but Jeremy was

keen to try a product that gave a longer-acting dose.

“Selenised drenches are more short-term and we don’t drench often enough.”

“I decided against the injection as it’s another needle for ewes, when they are already getting two or three vaccinations.”

Jeremy read about Smartrace in the Vet Marlborough newsletter and grabbed a sample pack of capsules from the vets when in town.

The capsules were given to ewes in

the race using an adapted capsule gun, and Jeremy estimates only 12 or so capsules were immediately coughed up out of 3200 ewes. Any ewes seen doing this in the race were given another.

Smartrace has released a new applicator that will make the dose process even faster.

Research by Agrimin (the manufacturer) shows the capsules deliver all three ingredients for up to at least four months, but potentially beyond. Jeremy noticed that a ram killed for dog

tucker still had the capsule inside after four months.

“It was still breaking down.”

“It was really interesting to see.”

Like many treatments, proving the benefits of a supplement is hard to do, Jeremy said.

“But I feel that they are going better.”

“The lambing percentage in the ewes was the same but the ewe survival rate was much improved.”

“We only lost three ewes from ram joining in June to September.”

“Our wool clip was also up but that could also be the season too.”

Iodine regulates ewe body temperature and helps foetal development.

Jeremy said iodine is really important pre-lamb so this is probably the key time to give a capsule, if farmers just wanted to give one. His ewes typically graze high country oversown-top dressed pastures, which are of moderate quality for much of the year.

Giving long-acting selenium means the Pitts have to make sure they give only unselenised drench to the ewes.

“It takes a bit of planning to make sure staff know not to drench ewes with selenised drench, but we write it all on a whiteboard in the shed.”

Jeremy’s advice to other farmers is to give Smartrace a go, as it’s a great option.

DAIRY

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

37

Carbon positive comes naturally

Jargon is a mode of speech familiar only to a group or profession. It’s widely used by the scientific fraternity, particularly with respect to agriculture, and its effect, whether deliberate or otherwise, has been to limit open discussion.

❚ with Peter Burton When you are unsure of the meaning of technical terms there’s a tendency to say nothing so as to not look foolish.

Carbon, whether lost or gained, is fundamental to the future of agriculture, not only here but world-wide.

The government has a stated aim of carbon neutrality by 2050 and those able to show that their farming enterprise is gaining carbon stand to gain financially, either through paying less tax and/or receiving higher returns for their produce.

Those losing carbon will be penalized and their future limited and yet farmers currently have no sure way of knowing which camp they fall into.

The dairy industry admits that they are responsible to some extent for the increase in nitrate nitrogen levels recorded over recent

times, but are yet to explain how this issue is to be resolved.

At present the blunt tool of fewer animals seems to be the accepted next step and this alone may or may not solve the problem.

Farmers need to know where they stand and be able to plan for the future with a degree of certainty.

Banks also require this certainty for land prices to be determined allowing the current group of owners aged 60 plus to sell their properties, should they wish.

Younger folk with energy, enthusiasm, and the skill necessary to take pastoral farming to the next level are presently stymied, and without a clear pathway to land ownership will look to other industries for their futures.

Landcare Research has measured carbon on pastoral land throughout the country and I’m told that the measures show that all irrigated land in this country is losing carbon.

Whether that’s right or wrong, the findings should be freely available, because irrigating land does not necessarily result in a reduction of soil held carbon.

The loss of soil carbon results from farming practices, however which ones? As it is under permanent grazed pasture that carbon is sequestered most rapidly it must be a practice or input that disrupts this natural process.

Animals are an essential part of the sequestration process as it is their dung, urine, and treading that contributes not only to the development of soil but also the speed at which it occurs.

An article published by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council in 2011 contains the following, “recent research has shown that in intensive lowland livestock systems (e.g. dairying), soils have lost organic matter by an average of 1.0 tonne carbon/ha/yr over

the last 20-30 years while in hilly land soils, organic carbon levels have increased.”

What is unique to dairy land is the ongoing application of urea on a regular basis, and that started around 1990, so fits with the timeline, but alone may not be the issue.

With data going back 30 years the scientific fraternity can doubtless provide a hypothesis that can be readily verified.

A term that we feel should be introduced is carbon positive farming, to differentiate between systems that sequester and those that lose carbon.

If farmers were told how to sample their property and what test(s) to request they could develop a benchmark against which future tests could be compared.

Any single test will only be accurate within quite broad parameters, it will be the trend over time that tells the full story.

If we are to meet the 2050 carbon neutral target it is imperative that the tests and sampling procedures are made a top priority.

For more information contact Peter on 0800 843 809.

Intensive dairy: Same soil type but split by a fence-line. The brown soil is the result of many years of high synthetic N inputs, while the darker (black) soil producing more pasture and holding carbon and structure.

38

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

DAIRY

New plantain research a turning point

A new $22 million research initiative is underway to help dairy farmers improve freshwater quality – through using plantain pastures.

❚ Article supplied by DairyNZ

The Plantain Potency and Practice programme is designed to help dairy farmers meet environmental goals, government regulations and market expectations.

Modelling by DairyNZ forecasts a potential reduction of 15,000 tonnes per year of nitrate-nitrogen leached on 4200 New Zealand dairy farms in nitrogen-sensitive catchments per year by 2035. This is a 37% reduction from current levels.

Plantain use is predicted to lead to flowon benefits to national and regional economies. This is due to farmers spending less on other nitrate leaching solutions, therefore having more money to spend on goods and services. Plantain use is expected to save farmers more than $1 billion per decade.

The work will focus on proving plantain’s effectiveness at reducing nitrate leaching, investigating regional effects and protecting the supply chain. The programme will use PGG Wrightson Seeds’ Ecotain environmental plantain, because it already has proven effectiveness.

The work aims to give farmers confidence to invest in growing plantain as an animal feed on their farms throughout New Zealand.

An evaluation system will be developed to assess the environmental benefits of other plantain cultivars.

“This programme is very exciting and is geared at delivering many positive outcomes for farmers, the environment and New Zealand’s economy,” DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle said.

Beneficial: Plantain use is predicted to lead to flow-on benefits to national and regional economies.

“Plantain offers the sector real potential to deliver a new, effective option for farmers.

This research is a platform to see what it can really do for farming and our waterways.

Dairy farmers have a long history of innovation on-farm. This is a great example of Government, farmers and organisations working together to refine our practices and technologies.”

Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri recently announced an $8.98 million Government grant over seven years to expand the innovative sector-run Plantain Potency and Practice programme.

Programme partners DairyNZ, PGG Wrightson Seeds and Fonterra welcome the grant from the Ministry for Primary Industries’

(MPI’s) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund. The three partners are collectively investing $10.47 million in cash and $2.8 million in kind.

PGG Wrightson Seeds chief executive John McKenzie said they are delighted the Government is contributing to this innovative initiative.

“We’re optimistic the programme will confirm previous research, commissioned by us and undertaken by a range of organisations, showing plantain has the potential to significantly contribute to environmental improvement,” McKenzie said.

Ecotain was developed by seed company Agricom (one of PGG Wrightson Seeds’ businesses).

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

DAIRY

39

Reducing reliance on nitrogen fertiliser Meeting the government’s new regulations needn’t be costly or difficult for farmers, they simply need to look at their soil.

❚ Article supplied by Soil Matters

That’s according to Soil Matters general manager Rik Mulder.

“The majority of our clients are not seeing these new regulations as a problem because they’ve focused on their soil health and need to apply a lot less fertiliser as a result so they are well below the thresholds,” he says.

So why is soil so important? Rik explains that soil is complex system of microorganisms, fungi, bacteria and more.

Soil Matters focuses on three key aspects: physical, biological and mineral. By addressing all three in tandem it can help farmers make the right decisions.

The physical aspect of the soil cannot be changed and is identified via a physical assessment, combined with comprehensive plant and soil testing to give insight into the soil structure characteristics. Soil biology is all about breakdown and UP-cycling of carbon and other nutrients.

Rik says that some farmers have traditionally been told that nitrogen is good and therefore the more the better but this is far from the case.

“Nutrients in the soil interact both synergistically or antagonistically. You can’t add one without improving or reducing the availability of a different nutrient. N, P and K are the popular ones as they boost plant growth like no other,” he says.

“But the ones ‘at the back of the class’ are just as, if not more, important for nutrient efficiency. We focus on reducing reliance on synthetically produced nitrogen, enhancing carbon sequestration and pro-

‘

Soil Matters general manager Rik Mulder says some farmers have traditionally been told that nitrogen is good, and therefore the more the better but this is far from the case.

act but by more precision and getting it right farmers can really see results fast.

viding the right balance for nutrient dense crops in New Zealand.”

He says it’s a delicate balancing act but by more precision and getting it right farmers can really see results fast and often save money in the process.

New testing methods, such as sap testing, which tests the ‘blood’ of the plant for greater accuracy compared with tissue testing, provides accurate information on which to base decision so farmers know what nutrients their soil actually needs.

Rik says the aim is to ensure the plants provide the animals with the nutrients they need rather than relying on methods such as adding nutrients to water.

“If the water tastes strange animals will not drink as much and get dehydrated, which of course ultimately affects production,” he says.

For arable farmers the lessons are just as specific. The need to cultivate the soil can disturb fungal networks so careful con-

Be quick!

It’s a delicate balancing

sideration is required when formulating the right plan for the farm including recommendations on cover crops to improve soil health by increasing organic matter, fixing nitrogen, breaking up compact soil, outcompeting weeds and stopping fallow ground from eroding.

“Fungi is essential for the breakdown of complex organic materials like cellulose and boosting availability of nutrients like phosphorous,” explains Rik. “Worms help with aeration and drainage of the soil, and the digestion and transportation of organic material. This allows the efficient utilisation of the organic material by soil microbes, that fix N and provide other nutrients in plant available forms, supporting photosynthesis. If the process is efficient, more nutrients are stored than lost. This is where UP-cycling begins and resilience is built.”

The right advice about crop and stock rotation is also important.

“Different crops deplete or unlock different nutrients in the soil. Simply by rotating crops or cover crops, or putting stock in the most beneficial place, you can change the productivity of a farm.

We work with each clients’ farming rotation to put cover crops in the rotation or simply add plant diversity in the paddock to give them more diverse pastures.”

He says Soil Matters believes that with the right advice and products farmers can improve any plant’s environment and by lifting the quality of a crop, lift the quality of everything that feeds from it.

“We believe that these new regulations present a lot of great opportunities for farmers to improve their profitability.

“At Soil Matters we identify what those opportunities are to create an outcome that is good for the bottom line of the farm and farmer, good for people and good for the environment.”

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40

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

Through ebbs and flows of farming water remains essential We are often sold a picture that everything in life is easy and smooth sailing; it should be, or one day it will be.

However, as we all know this is not the case there are ups and downs and farming is a testament to that.

Vanessa Winning ❚ by ❚ IrrigationNZ Chief Executive

Mother nature plays a big part, although we are very lucky here in New Zealand to have rich soils for growing and a great climate, mother nature can also be punishing.

For example, Canterbury recently going from being in a drought, to experiencing a once in a hundred-year flood or 300 years, in

a matter of days. Then there are financial ups and downs too.

Commodity prices have hit a new record in the first half of the year according to ASB. The bank’s commodities index, which measures prices for dairy, sheep, beef, forestry, and fruit, rose two percent in New Zealand dollar terms in late June, breezing past its previous peak set two years ago.

Prices for dairy, meat, forestry, and seafood are all up between 10% and 30% since the beginning of the year in New Zealand dollar terms. However, we do not know what the prices could be come 2022.

If you knew a drought was going to arrive in five years, would you do something about it today? Of course, you would. So why are we not focusing on streamlining investment in long-term water storage and planning?

In the fast-paced way we live, the focus seems to be too much on what is affecting people today and less on what is going to affect us in the future.

Changes and ups and downs can happen so quickly causing a significant impact on farming businesses, and often we feel like we simply cannot prepare for them.

Nevertheless, something that remains constant is the need for reliable water, wheth-

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er that be irrigation, drinking water, stock water, and more so our need to store it.

Whether you’re living in an apartment in the centre city, in a small rural community, or somewhere remote that has no cell phone reception, we can all relate to the fact that we need water, and we need to have it when we need it.

New Zealand has seen significant underinvestment in infrastructure for the past 40 years. We are now playing catch up with a $183billion estimate to fix the water problem in most of our towns and cities.

This investment needs to include capture and storage of water for multipurpose use: drinking water, renewable energy creation, and productive use.

In most countries overseas this investment is government-driven, rather than user-driven, therefore a national approach is needed to ensure we rectify past underinvestment and make strategic decisions for the whole community.

If we want to ensure our rivers are working as the veins of the country, we need to ensure we are capturing water when the flows are high and repurposing this water when the flows are low. Investment in capture and storage and use is past its due date.

The scaremongering that this investment could lead to more animal agriculture in the wrong places has been used for many years.

Preventing investment in a key resource, such as water due to unlikely outcomes has proven to be short-sighted and a bit of an own goal for the communities it serves.

We are now having a proper conversation about the importance of water capture and storage with less emotion and more fact in areas that need it– it is great to see and will benefit all. If we want to diversify our land, reduce our carbon footprint, and have multiple uses on the land, water availability from capture and storage is key.

We do know that drought, flood, earthquake whatever mother nature decides to throw at us will arrive in the next five years, a bio-security event, social pressure, or even a change in trade circumstances.

We are going to be faced with another biosecurity event, some weather extreme, social pressure around the way we farm, or even a trade war. Something that can offer us resilience in the future to any of the above is water.

If we do not create plans now and act on them, what conversation are we going to be having in ten years?

WATER & IRRIGATION

CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

41

Getting irrigation equipment up to speed With all the rainfall of recent weeks across Canterbury – and with water still lying in paddocks – irrigation is probably not front-of-mind for farmers and growers.

Quinn Elstone ❚ by WaterForce ❚

However, sunny weather and the irrigation season are not that far away. The winter downtime period provides an opportunity to get all the irrigation equipment up to speed and ready to perform at 100% - as soon as the “start” button is pushed Every Irrigation season is different; and demands for irrigation efficiency and minimised downtime continue to grow. In response, growers, farmers and the irrigation service industry are constantly evolving their systems – to balance productivity goals, environmental goals, and best practice policies Annual irrigator servicing is something the team at WaterForce has evolved alongside our clients for many years – with the aim of keeping in-season downtime to an absolute minimum Pivot and linear irrigators are complex pieces of machinery; and there’s more to annual servicing than changing the oil and checking the tyre pressures WaterForce offers a very comprehensive fifty-point mechanical, and fifty-point electrical functionality and electrical safety check, at the centre and across each span of the pivot – applicable to all brands of irrigation machinery Our off-season service regime is focused on looking for the wear and tear items in the electrical, drive and control systems – remedying any faults that have developed over the last year; and checking all systems

Preventative work rather than reactive With focused preventative maintenance plans, we aim to work with growers to make sure we are keeping machinery in good running order.

Good preventative maintenance immediately reduces in-season and weekend call outs, and the consequent downtime and loss of production, It is proven to reduce the overall whole-of-life cost of the equipment.

Equipment upgrades and improvements

to identify what could be at risk for the coming season.

If you haven’t already organised your irrigation equipment’s annual servicing - there are three big things to consider when planning:

Safety Ensure the equipment is electrically and mechanically safe; and identify and remedy any issues which could harm staff or

stock. From damaged drive shaft covers to perished tires; even such small items can cause harm if left un-repaired.

Pivots, including many of the hydraulic ones, have complex electrical controls and safety systems. For continued compliance, and for the safety of farm staff, these should be regularly maintained and inspected – and there needs to be a regular and documented process around inspection of all the electrical safety systems.

This could be connection of pivots to the cloud for remote control and monitoring, using products such as Valley Irrigation’s 365 telemetry and control product.

Or it could be an update to more modern, efficient sprinkler packages, with repairs of any damage to dropper hoses and hardware Working with your irrigation company around cost-effective off-season upgrades can be a lot less costly than critical in-season fixes.

Off-season irrigator servicing can be done in many ways, but the key aspects to annual service need to be ticked-off no matter who is completing the work.

Annual servicing is much more than just an oil change. The best thing you can do to ensure a trouble free season, is to invest some time to discuss your pivot servicing requirements now – when it is needed the least.

42

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

WATER & IRRIGATION

Using high-resolution satellite data

Water Strategies has recently completed a rural professional project in conjunction Plant and Food research funded by the Our land and Water Science Challenge.

Andrew Curtis ❚ by Water ❚ Srategies The projects focus was using remote sensing to determine the crop co-efficient for use in a water balance model for irrigation scheduling.

The project has much relevance for cropping farmers where multiple crops can make soil moisture sensing alone impractical and costly. It also has the potential to decrease the reliance on soil moisture sensors for any farm system.

The science of calculating crop coefficients using remote sensing has been around for decades, however a robust commercial product is not yet available. This had been partly due to the lack of available high resolution satellite imagery in New Zealand, but also the ability to automate interpretation.

Over the last couple of years many more satellites have been launched with the capability to provide high resolution data on a daily time step for New Zealand, however the project found issues with the quality and frequency of high-resolution satellite data available, until a new option became available late in the season. This made it difficult to provide accurate irrigation scheduling decisions based purely on satellite imagery for

the entirety of the growing season.

However, by interpolating the satellite data a reasonable model of crop cover was attained, which correlated well with the soil moisture measurements.

The graph shows the relationship however, it should be noted there are limitations with the soil moisture sensor data as it is a single point in the paddock and any small depths of irrigation at the peak of the season were not picked up (they did not soak down far enough into the soil to be observed).

This relationship gave us confidence that the approach has much potential in New Zealand. Daily high-resolution satellite data in combination with a water balance model such as SWAN Systems can provide farmers and growers accurate irrigation scheduling information at sub-paddock scale across the whole farm.

Another output from the project was a method of calculating crop coefficients for any crop, based on crop growth stages. Water Strategies now uses this calculator to assist our clients with irrigation and we are happy to provide it to anyone farmer or grower that is interested.

For the coming irrigation season Water

Strategies intends to continue the remote sensing research given reliable daily, high resolution (0.8 metre) satellite data is now available.

The research will test the methodology on a wider variety of crops and particularly late spring and summer sown crops (where the value of remote sensing appears to be greatest due to them not reaching full canopy cover until later in the season).

It will also have a focus on calculating

crop coefficients from thermal imagery in combination with NDVI. Recent research in the United States and Australia provides a methodology for this.

If you need a hand making sense of your soil moisture sensor, optimising your irrigation scheduling approach for the coming season, or your irrigation system has become middle-aged and in need of a health-check, give the team at Water Strategies a call – our focus is saving you money.

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CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

FORESTRY & LOGGING

43

Log sales prices unlikely to fall Log prices have lifted NZ$3 to $5 per tonne in June across both Domestic and Export log segments of the New Zealand’s plantation softwood industry.

Allan Laurie MNZIF ❚ with ❚ Laurie Forestry Ltd Like so many other commodities, these are exciting and memorable times indeed, with the bottom line returns to forest growers encouraging both replanting and new planting.

Our sawmill customers report strong sales and finally some small rises in lumber prices adding some better bottom line than has been a feature of their recent past. Regrettably some of the big box stores are adding their margin with gusto with there being much banter about rapidly increasing raw material costs. This is an untruth of the first order but given demand not surprising.

Meanwhile, on the Eastern seaboard of China, we are starting to see some speed wobbles. Off-port sales have dropped to 75,000 cubic metres per day. Not an unexpected seasonal change.

But due to fewer total log volumes being delivered, the total inventory has continued to also fall, as at mid-June sitting at 3.7million cubic metres. This represents a drop of 170,000 cubic metres over the last month.

Whilst 3.7 million m3 might sound like a lot of volume, it represents less than 7 weeks in the supply chain. Thus, we would not expect log sales prices at ports to change downward, at least in the immediate future.

Contrary to what should be a signal of increasing log prices, of some concern is

a trend line heading down in terms of the wholesale price of logs being traded off ports China. The bigger concern is raw material input cost for logs having reached levels which see traders losing any margin between the cost of logs in and the value of lumber or plywood out. I have seen this many times in China. In normally heralds a correction looming.

We are also seeing steel shutters replacing plywood as a lower cost and re-usable alternative in high rise apartment construction.

Collectively, there is an apparent loss of heat in sales with most commentators suggesting the softwood market has plateaued or at least close to it.

Like so many countries, China appears to be suffering labour shortages in tandem with strong imports volumes across their port operations. The combination is leading to massive port congestion.

Across the eastern seaboard, as at midJune there are 20 log vessels carrying an estimated 700,000 cubic metres of NZ logs waiting discharge. At an average 7 day wait time and Handy Class vessels sitting at around US$27,000 per day, demurrage costs are reaching eye watering levels. This is certainly not a game for the faint of heart.

Meanwhile, back in good old NZ, I am supporting the industry in a consultation round on the Legal Harvest Assurance Amendment Bill. If implemented, this Bills seeks to ensure NZ’s continued ability to prove our NZ

plantation forests and both sustainably man- an spruce continues on a go slow, Russian aged and the logs produced are sourced volumes are declining and the US and Canada are basically out of the picture due to dofrom legal harvest.

A contrary view as why is NZ even bother- mestic demand. For the moment NZ supply ing when all of our harvest occurs in planta- of both log and lumber is both assured and tions and woodlots, is countered by what is at traditionally high prices.

As always people, please remember the becoming clearly evident in the international context. And that is the growing disquiet and thoroughly important message, “It remains, condemnation over illegal harvest in coun- as always, fundamentally important, the ontries where there is continuing harvest of nat- ly way forward for climate, country and the planet, is to get out there and plant more ural forests, often illegally.

Our (NZ) ability to ensure the planet un- trees”. derstands our sustainable and legal harvest practices via credible Government driven policy and structure will give us continued surety of access to world markets. Indeed, it is our opportunity to shine above the others.

My emphasis in the current consultation round is to ensure to current importations of lumber from illegally sourced harvest, contrary to what the box stores tell you, receives the same attention. I am also driven to ensure the cost of impleDo you have a stand of trees? mentation and compliance is Would you like these removed? contained as well as ensuring we don’t have a complicated We can offer you competitive rates and construct that results in a disincash in return! centive to engage and comply.

PHONE KENT ON Erstwhile in the log trade and international context, we 021 325 661 SUPPLIES LIMITED are still not seeing high volumes of logs heading to China 21 Manion Road, Rolleston www.macrocarpasupplies.co.nz from other sources. Europe-

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44

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

LIVESTOCK

Seeking farmers with a plan It’s farming, but not as our grandparents might have known it. Nor is it just a New Zealand trend.

❚ with Trevor Walton Global food brands, consumers and investors are looking for the proof that food producers are acting in an ethical and environmentally sustainable manner.

Speaking at the 2021 Deer Industry Conference in Invercargill, Rabobank head of sustainable business development Blair Holgate said food production world-wide is going through a major transformational change.

“Rules are being written locally and globally as to what we farm, how we farm and where we farm. Fresh water, greenhouse gases, animal welfare and biodiversity are all in the mix. In the last 18 months major food companies have started making bold, ambitious statements particularly in the carbon space.”

Consumer demand is not the biggest driver, Holgate said. It’s coming from food companies that are coming under increasing scrutiny from NGOs and investors. They want to protect their social licence to operate and continue to have access to investor capital.

Nestle is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050. JBS, the world’s largest processor of fresh beef and pork, with more than US$50 billion in annual sales, plans to be carbon neutral by 2040.

These and other major companies are not just talking about their own footprint, they’re

talking about the whole supply chain.

“If you look at Nestle, a large part of their carbon footprint will come from our dairy farms in New Zealand,” Holgate said.

Both Holgate and Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) chief executive Innes Moffat told the conference that ‘green washing’ – claiming to be environmentally friendly, without proof of performance – would not cut it. Farmers will need to be able to prove they are farming in ways that are ethical and sustainable The tool that everyone appears to agree on, from agriculture minister Damien O’Connor to Deer Industry NZ, is for farmers to have a robust farm plan. For deer farmers today, that means complying with existing the NZ Farm Assurance and Deer QA Plans delivered by venison companies, and the National Velvet Standards Body’s velvet QA programme.

DINZ and the NZ Deer Farmers Association have also set a 2023 target for all deer farmers to have farm environmental plans (FEPs). Already, more than 60 per cent have one.

Developing FEPs raises awareness of best environmental practices among farmers. And when farmers implement such a plan it demonstrates to regulators that farmers are the people best-placed to manage their farm environments.

DINZ environmental stewardship manag-

Deer farmers at a high country workshop. DINZ environmental stewardship manager Lindsay Fung encourages deer farmers to work in groups to share knowledge about how best to respond to the questions being asked of farming by customers and society er Lindsay Fung told the conference, “It’s vastly better for farmers to have robust farm environmental plans, than to go down the resource consent route.”

Whether or not livestock farmers have comprehensive FEPs in place, they will be required by 1 May next year to have completed a winter grazing ‘module’. This is a government requirement; part of its clamp down on intensive winter grazing practices.

Fung says change is certain and for many deer farmers written plans are already the reality. They are required by their regional council.

“In order to complete a plan, keep photos and maps, documenting what you are doing on your farm.

“Know your GHG number. Know what’s

happening with your water quality,” he said.

“By and large deer farmers are good stewards of the land. Production from our land is of low intensity. We have effective management systems for sediment, which is the main environmental risk posed by deer.”

Fung advises farmers to work in groups with other deer farmers – the local NZDFA branch, DINZ Advance Parties and Deer Industry Environmental Groups – to share knowledge and to build understanding of the solutions to some of these questions being asked of farming.

“Do the right thing on your farm, but don’t stop there. Let others know you are doing the right thing, whether it’s through social media or by getting involved in your community. You have a lot to be proud of.”

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CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

LIVESTOCK

45

Wool market improvement

Another wool selling season will have just been completed by the time this wool update is read.

Rob Cochrane ❚ with Wool Procurement ❚ PGG Wrightson WoolManager, ❚ At the time of writing the final auction for North Island brokers had come to an end whilst catalogues for South Island brokers’ final auction of the 20/21 season, to be held on June 30, as we were going to print. Yes the tradition of printing catalogues for wool exporters to cherish and study whilst comparing printed wool test results with wool samples and record notes in pencil, and in a variety of hieroglyphics and codes that noone else can understand, remains a key part of the pre-open-cry auction process currently.

North Island brokers reported a strong auction market on June 24 with less than one percent of the total offering passed-in by the auctioneers for failing to reach reserve

price. All wool categories offered on June 24, were quoted as being well ahead of the previous Napier auction held two weeks prior, with some categories recording increases of more than ten percent, signaling a better tone and depth to the market and the confirmation that the market has at least lifted from the bottom.

Coarse wool prices have improved every week for the past few months and whilst each increase has been minimal in percentage terms, improvement has been welcomed by all involved from growers to manufacturers.

Compared to a similar time last year, coarse body wool types have improved by between 55% and 60%, with some probably even better than that range, and I’d suggest that if we compare movements of other agricultural crops during the same period, coarse wool’s rebound would out-scale most others.

While recognising the rock-bottom levels of the market prevailing prior to about December 2020, and with a wide range of both old and new seasons’ wools continuing to come onto the market, improvement may have surprised some observers but, in my view, has certainly reinforced the desire of many manufacturers for New Zealand grown wool due to its characteristics, most of which cannot be replicated by wool from any other origin.

Mid-micron wool types have been more erratic in the market place during the past month or so with an obvious requirement from most exporters for wools measuring finer than around twenty-eight microns. It would appear that the stronger edge of the midmicron types have not enjoyed as much demand as those in the medium to fine areas.

Australian auctions have delivered a similar result recently for what they refer to as their crossbred types with the finer edge enjoying most demand.

With limited numbers of Merino wool types available in New Zealand of late, those which

have been offered for sale have enjoyed a very robust market place, with several lines of mainly second-shear wools selling at extremely healthy levels during early to midJune in the Christchurch wool auction room.

Australian brokers have experienced very strong demand for all Merino types during the past few weeks, but, in particular, the extrafine wools measuring finer than around seventeen microns. Recent quotes from AWEX, reporting on daily Australian wool auction results, for sixteen micron wool types have appeared to be at levels almost double those ruling a year earlier, with all other micron categories also moving well ahead as demand has remained very, very high.

This bodes extremely well for local New Zealand growers of Merino wool types as the new season beckons, and with a few early clips appearing in broker catalogues for the Christchurch auction on June 30, expectations are for similar, if not stronger, demand to be shown by exporters representing all countries of manufacture. That’s my view.

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46

July 2021 CANTERBURY FARMING

New Highlander headlines hybrid options Toyota is continuing to drive towards lower emissions for New Zealand customers with a fuel-efficient and environmentally conscious new Toyota Highlander line-up for 2021.

❚ Article supplied by ToyotaNZ

Following the success of the RAV4 hybrid, the 2021 Highlander becomes the ninth model in the current Toyota range to feature a hybrid powertrain.

The new Highlander features a stylish, family friendly design with significantly improved safety and advanced technology, giving it a premium ambience.

The new hybrid variants will feature a revised version of the 2.5L petrol engine used in the RAV4, and an upgraded hybrid system.

Together the combined petrol engine and electric motors offer plenty of power, enough to tow 2000kg (braked). The larger drive motor produces a total system output of 184kW and a combined cycle fuel consumption of just 5.6L/100km.

Like the RAV4, the rear wheels are driv-

en by an E-Four AWD system. The CO2 emissions are just 128g/km on the hybrid variants.

For those customers who still want a 3.5 V6 engine, Toyota New Zealand will continue to offer the petrol-only version in two grades.

The V6 engine featured in the GXL and Limited variants have engine stop/start functionality that helps reduce combined cycle fuel consumption from 9.5 litres/100km to 8.8 litres/100km.

Changes have been made to the 2021 Highlander interior and exterior design to build on their functionality and aesthetic appeal. The front of the new Highlander has a wider stance and features a high-gloss black grille, which is further highlighted by a chrome frame in the Limited ZR version.

The new Highlander is built on the Toyota

Bigger: The new Highlander is built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform and features a 60mm longer wheelbase, 60mm more in overall length and is slightly wider than the current generation.

New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform and features a 60mm longer wheelbase, 60mm more in overall length and is slightly wider (+5mm) than the current generation, delivering more interior space and improved driving stability.

Slim LED headlights are now standard across the range. These are parabola type in the GXL and Limited; and projector type for the Limited ZR. The Limited ZR hybrid includes a powered back door with kick sensor functionality.

The GXL and Limited variants ride on 18” wheels, each with a distinct design, while the Limited ZR hybrid sits on 20” Chromtec wheels clad in an iridium chrome finish.

Inside, the new Highlander offers a premium atmosphere and larger cabin, particularly for third row passengers - and increased luggage space.

For maximum versatility, the Highlander features sliding and 60/40-split folding second row seats and 60/40-split folding third row seats.

Standard equipment includes smart key entry and push button start, air conditioning,

rain sensing wipers and automatic lights, and five USB ports.

The whole family can stay connected with the outside world and keep their devices charged with no fighting over the USB charging ports, of which there are five - three in the front, and two in the rear.

Safety has been significantly improved in the new Highlander with new features for Toyota Safety Sense designed to help prevent or mitigate collisions across a wide range of traffic conditions.

New additions include road sign assist, emergency steering assist and intersection turn assistance on every variant.

This builds upon an already extensive list of driver assistance features that include Pre-Collision System with AEB (vehicle, pedestrian, and bicyclist detection), Lane Tracing Assist, All-speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control with Curve Speed Reduction, and Automatic High Beam. Other standard safety features include blind spot monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert Auto Brake, reversing camera, seven airbags and front and rear parking sensors.

Hybrid power: Together the combined petrol engine and electric motors offer plenty of power, enough to tow 2000kg (braked).

Photo: Shaun Jeffers

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CANTERBURY FARMING July 2021

47

Where to from here?

As we head towards 2050 and we are expected to feed twice the present world population on half the current land, questions are being asked about how we are going to do it.

❚ with Rob Cope-Williams It is expected that the large cities will gobble up areas that will collectively cover an area the size of China, so how do you get food into them, and how do you keep it fresh when you do?

The answer, well one of them, is to grow it within the city.

On a recent trip to Sydney I was shown a multi-storied building that literally had vegetables growing up the walls, on balconies and on the roof. It not only looked great from where I was looking from, but it made a lot of sense. One person was able to oversee the operation and hydroponics did the rest.

I wasn’t able to get a decent close up look, but it certainly endorsed what Prof Tony Bywater from Lincoln University has been saying.

Obviously meat and milk will need to be farmed outside the city, but the vegetables and such can be produced where it will be consumed.

Water is also a factor but with science looking at supplying cities for human con-

sumption, I can see that being fixed. Grey water can be cleaned up already so that is well under way as well.

In a strange way, there’s already a swing back into home vegetable gardens as schools are teaching very young students how to grow veges and being encouraged to take their skills home.

Small apartment building dwellers are growing salad plants in pots, and there is now a very comprehensive range of dwarf fruit trees that produce normal sized fruit for those who want to grow and eat fresh.

On a patio or deck, the trees display blossom in the spring, produce fruit and then autumn colours in the autumn, so the occupants have a full year experience and have the chance to show off to friends and family about their green fingers.

On a bigger scale, it will certainly work if blocks of apartments were to catch on. Obviously those living in homes with a traditional garden area can also produce their own, but as the world housing goes skyward rather than sideways, the need for small potted areas is increasing.

My daughter in Sydney has an apartment that has a balcony that is very small, but she is planning to grow herbs, citrus and some salad plants all in pots.

I think it’s wonderful that she thinks that sitting in her deck chair plucking tomatoes off the vine and eating them is romantic.

‘

The answer, well one of them, is to grow it within the city.

Tears at the climate change conference I was moved to tears at the Agricultural Climate Change Conference at Te Papa in Wellington recently. Not, mind you, for the reasons one might expect. It was a good meeting. We all learned a lot.

❚ by Solis Norton What really tore my night gown was not spending two days rubbing shoulders with several hundred immaculately presented Wellingtonians.

What really tore my night gown was not

the aspirational gospel either, even though much of it had at best a loose connection to physical reality.

What tore my night gown was actually a farmer, or more to the point, his disastrous misrepresentation of most of virtually all of those who work on the land.

Here is the skinny version of this story.

Keep your box of tissues handy.

The Deer Industry Conference and Nuffield Conference in recent weeks highlighted the knotted tension everyone is talking about. Pulling left we have farmers’ confusion about emissions regulation uncertainty.

Pulling right is farmers’ enthusiasm to do the right thing for their land, their business, and their children. It’s intense.

Numerous constructive conversations and

important questions about how we might actually make this work for agriculture from a practical perspective are happening every day. It is a pleasure to be part of and inspiring.

Fast forward to Agricultural Climate Change Conference. Early on day one at Te Papa a grey haired farmer stands up in the front row to ask a question of the Minister of Agriculture. In front of several hundred urban professionals (mis)guiding the future of farming. “Well this should be good”, I thought.

He bawled on for nearly five minutes about how all the people are corrupt, all the science is corrupt, all the corporations are corrupt, and all the farmers knew best and should be just left alone.

The same rant very slightly edited was giv-

en by the same farmer at least four more times. In fact every time he managed to get the microphone. Nobody had the foresight to hit him on the head with it and drag him into the lobby and tie his leg to that big rock they have there.

That was the sum total of our farming expertise given to this audience. You can imagine what they were thinking as they drove home that night. The politicians, MPI staff, MFE staff, scientists, international guests, industry representatives. I could have wept.

It was an absolute mockery of our efforts, our industry, and our goals. Next year we must have at least one of the farmers I’ve been lucky enough to work with in recent months engage with those people. Set the record straight.

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