Plan 365 July 2015 by Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited

JULY 2015

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

NUTRITION

FORAGE AND ARABLE

HORTICULTURE

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Plan 365 is a technical guide aimed at helping shareholders learn about best practice and the latest advancements in rural technology.

DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Give your cows a JumpStart

™

Deliberate nutrition management before and after calving is important for achieving high production and improved fertility. Cows in the first 10 days of lactation are referred to as colostrum cows. Calving and the colostrum period are critical times for dairy cows. These cows are experiencing a negative energy deficit (when energy demand outstrips energy supplied) and they are stripping weight off because they can’t physically eat enough (breakdown of body fat to bridge the energy gap). They have reduced immune function, a rapid increase in nutrient requirements and are at high risk of metabolic issues such

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JumpStart™ is a ready to use mix of molasses, MPG, calcium and magnesium designed to provide a quick energy boost immediately after calving. JumpStart™ has the highest ME/ litre on the market (based on market information available), which is calculated at 16MJ ME/litre.

For more information, talk to the friendly team at your local as ketosis and milk fever. The transition period is where up to 80 percent of disease costs and 4 percent of involuntary culls come from. Protecting the cow during this period will ensure a higher peak and overall a higher production lactation.

Farmlands store today. Article supplied by Nutritech.

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Proactive approach solves big mastitis problem Mike White is highly focussed on the profitability and sustainability of his farming business. So when the former rural bank manager identified a significant opportunity to reduce the impact of mastitis on his herd, he took a proactive and thorough approach to ensure he achieved the desired outcome. Contract milking 400 cows, on 116 hectares near Putaruru, Mike consistently achieves high levels of milk production with 1,700kgMS/hectare and 500kgMS/cow for the 2014/2015 season. This requires the use of purchased maize silage and palm kernel, which is fed via a feed pad on-farm. However, the feed pad use and associated exposure to environmental bacteria also presents a challenge for mastitis management for Mike and his team.

“We just don’t have any problems with mastitis through the season now – so it’s been great! We think we’re getting a really good result and the proof’s in the pudding!”

For more information, talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store today. Article supplied by Deosan.

| Mike White (Contract Milker Putaruru), Paul Johnson (Deosan Territory Manager) and Peter Wright (Farmlands Technical Field Officer).

“We had a horrific run with mastitis, with 92 cases in the 2013/2014 season. That’s 23 percent of the herd!

had good advice from our vets on milking techniques like cluster removal and teat spraying,” he says.

“We contacted our vets who ran some cultures, which confirmed coliform mastitis and they recommended we switch teat spray to TeatX,” Mike says.

But teat spraying with TeatX remains a corner stone of his prevention programme and he sees it as a key investment. “In any decision we make, we look at cost and benefit. We use TeatX at a 1:4 mix rate throughout the season – that’s the policy we have.”

“The mastitis basically stopped overnight.” The herd had just 10 cases of clinical mastitis (2.5 percent) for the entire 2014/2015 season. “The somatic cell count went from around 150,000 last season to just 50,000 this season,” Mike says. Mike is careful to point out that he takes a broad preventative approach to managing mastitis. “On the hygiene front, we change our liners twice a season and everyone wears gloves for milking. We also use dry cow therapy and teat seal. We have

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The farm’s winter mastitis management programme involves bringing the herd through the shed three times a week to be teat sprayed. In the colostrum mob, where teats are often dry, swollen and chapped, the team ensures good milk out and thorough coverage with TeatX to improve teat skin condition. “We’ve noticed better teat condition on the back of using TeatX,” Mike says.

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Support through supplements Giving your calves a great start in life has its rewards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; healthy animals mean better returns. The primary aim when rearing calves is to grow out strong, healthy animals and get them out of the shed and onto grass as fast as possible. These calves are your next generation of milkers, so getting them up to weight as R2s, into calf and optimising their genetic potential to produce large amounts of milksolids should be the goal.

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Calves are born with a sterile gut, which becomes colonised as calves pick up bacteria from their environment. Some of these bacteria are highly beneficial for improved digestion of colostrum and milk but some are harmful bacteria, which can cause scours.

spectrum disinfectant, in combination with a coccidiostat will provide the best environment for calves to flourish. A calf needs to be consuming 1kg of quality meal or pellets containing a coccidiostat to be protected from coccidiosis.

Providing the ideal environment for the beneficial bacteria and suppressing the harmful bacteria and viruses is critical for the development of the calf. Using a quality probiotic, with high levels of live beneficial bacteria and a broad

friendly team at your local

For more information, talk to the Farmlands store today. Article supplied by Nutritech.

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Metabolic treatment made easy Definition

the whole cascade effect. This entails

condition involved, plus also about 10

Metabolic conditions predominantly

little time and cost comparatively to

other non-metabolic conditions that

occur when cows transition from in-calf

the savings in all other aspects and

commonly occur as well. These all have

to full lactation. This is when a healthy

is under utilised as a key preventive

to be dealt with concurrently, hence a

cow becomes recumbent due to a

measure, as energy and calcium can

thorough examination is essential, as

metabolic condition and then proceeds

stop the slide into many post-calving

it will affect the cost/risk equation. The

to a downer cow if recumbent for 24

conditions associated with low calcium

key is to put maximum effort in early

hours or more.

and depressed appetite.

with the likes of intravenous treatment (not grass staggers) first to get rapid

Preparation A key facet is preparation, with a precalving staff training to develop best practice. This will entail having essential product on-hand and revised treatment protocol. It is important that lifting and moving equipment is appropriate and in good order, with a designated recovery area that is sheltered, dry and handy,

response, followed by subcutaneous to give extended effect and orally to get prolonged cover for up to 12 hours. Reducing milk removal, to decrease stress that stimulated a condition in the first place, or an oral supplement longer term is definitely required. Article supplied by Bayer.

with a suitable surface to prevent further injury to an already debilitated

Prevention

animal. Animal welfare is becoming

Prevention revolves around healthy

an ever increasing concern with the

animals being in good condition with

general public and authorities, so this

adequate nutrition, supplemented with

aspect has to be considered seriously.

magnesium in various forms for at least 3 weeks pre-calving and calcium post-calving in the colostrum mob. The treatment of at-risk (any calving related condition) cows prophylactically with a product like Oral-Max and Oral-Cal canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be underestimated in preventing

Treatment This must be prompt and adequate if the recumbent metabolic cow is to avoid becoming a downer statistic. A good diagnosis is key to this process. As in many cases, there can be more than one distinctive metabolic

Condition

Milk fever

Grass staggers

Ketosis

Deficiency

Low calcium

Low magnesium

Low energy

Symptoms

Weakness, wobbliness, depression, lying down with head turned, glassy eyed and constipation.

Excitability, nervousness, staggery on feet, sitting on knees, unable to get up or cast.

Lack of appetite, grinding of teeth, apparent blindness for circling, sweet, sickly odour to breath and milk.

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

The smart guide to treating scouring calves Whatever the reason, a scouring calf is at risk of massive loss of: • Body fluids • Electrolytes (body salts) • Energy All of these are vital for survival and losses can severely hinder your valuable replacements from reaching their growth potential. When it comes to managing scours, every day is valuable. A calf scouring for even a single day loses significant volumes of fluids and body weight. In the clinical situation, a 40kg calf might potentially lose a couple of litres of fluids during one day of scouring – this equates to 2kg of body weight lost in 1 day! As the scour continues, the weight and fluid loss can quickly become critical. A severely dehydrated calf would need to drink at least 8-10 litres a day to account for the fluid lost in the scour. In reality, this is unlikely to happen without therapeutic intervention, as these dehydrated calves become weak and are simply unable to get enough fluid to replace the lost reserves. Administering fluids that contain electrolytes (such as Dexolyte or ElectroLife) allow better utilisation of the fluids taken in and also contain vital energy and vitamin A components to assist weak and energy deprived calves to get back on track quicker. The sooner a calf can get back onto milk, the sooner it will be able to balance its own fluids, electrolytes and energy levels. For this reason it is recommended that milk feeds continue, even in actively scouring calves, with electrolyte replacements being

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administered between feeds (see feeding recommendations below).

For more information, talk to the

After a moderate scour, calves on this regime can be expected to recover and make a return to routine milk feeding fairly quickly without further problems.

store today.

friendly team at your local Farmlands

Article supplied by Bayer.

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Virkon S — for all your calving biosecurity needs ®

Prevention, rather than cure, is the most effective approach to disease management in any calf rearing programme, ensuring the best possible start for optimum growth and future production. The immune system of a young calf is underdeveloped, therefore minimising the risk of exposure and spread of bacteria, viruses and parasites in the calf’s environment is an essential part of the calf rearing programme. A broad-spectrum disinfectant, such as Virkon®S should be used regularly to clean and sterilise pens, railings, water troughs, feeders and other equipment and surfaces.

Virkon®S is designed for use by farmers and has proven efficacy under real farm conditions with heavy soiling, hard water and low temperatures, which can present serious problems to other disinfectants.

dilution is not corrosive or irritating to skin and eyes and is not sensitising.

No other disinfectant has the same powerful composition or extensive testing. Virkon®S has been independently proven highly effective against all known viral families and also kills bacteria, fungi and mycoplasma including FMD, 14 strains of salmonella, E.Coli, rotavirus, staphylococcus and streptococcus.

For more information, talk to the

Highly effective and fast acting, Virkon®S really is a one-stop disinfectant package for on-farm biosecurity protection.

friendly team at your local Farmlands store today. Article supplied by Virkon.

Virkon®S is both safe and effective for use in the presence of animals and people, particularly in aerial disinfection, water treatment and foot dips. Typical in-use

TriTrace WG with Rumensin ®

New Zealand’s first trace minerals with Rumensin® in a world class dispersible granule, with rapid dispersion and excellent suspensibility in a uniform, dust free granule for fast and easy mixing. TriTrace® WG with Rumensin® offers the benefits of selenium, iodine and cobalt in a convenient granule with the added benefit of Rumensin®. TriTrace® WG with Rumensin® is ideal to be used in the following circumstances: • As a convenient, easy to mix, cost effective way to add Rumensin® to your inline system.

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• During pre-calving and early lactation, where additional selenium, cobalt and iodine would be beneficial. • In conjunction with your existing trace mineral regime to add additional cobalt, selenium and iodine in a very cost effective way during Rumensin® treatment.

N E W PRO

• For farms where stock have high liver copper levels.

DUCT!

• During facial eczema season, when high levels of zinc are being administered. • For all the benefits of Rumensin®, such as increased production of milk protein and as an aid in the control of ketosis and bloat.

• 7.5 cents cow/day. • Available late July. Registered pursuant of the ACVM Act 1997, No. A7871.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Lousy, long-wooled sheep – what to do? For farmers, a lice outbreak can be embarrassing. You don’t want the neighbours knowing you have an outbreak (and wool will be visible on the fences from the rubbing), so if an outbreak occurs, treatment will usually follow. In NZ it was compulsory to dip until 1992 but it is now something that many farmers only choose to do in an emergency situation, once they discover very lousy sheep. Lice is an unwanted problem for all involved. For a long time there were misconceptions that lice could jump across boundaries and survive for weeks in a bit of wool on a fence. What is now known is that close contact with infected sheep is required for lice to move between stock. Controlling lice would be easy if a fully effective

female lice appear unable to produce

Organophosphates (OPs) were once

product was used correctly on every

viable offspring. IGRs pose little risk

widely used, however there are very

sheep (and goat) on-farm at the correct

to humans or animals and are not

few examples of these still on the

time of year and off-shears. In reality,

classified as acutely toxic. Magnum®

market at present.

this is unlikely and leads to a lot of

(diflubenzuron) is an example of these

The neonicotinoid (active),

discussion amongst neighbours and

actives.

imidacloprid, interferes with the

their vets or rural merchandisers.

Synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) kill

nervous system, killing adult and

Lice actives

adult and juvenile parasites by acting

juvenile parasites.

Insect growth regulators (IGRs) kill

on the nervous system. SPs also

Application methods

present minimal risk to animals and

Regardless of the chemical used, the

immature insects by interfering with moulting. Immature lice are killed as IGRs affect their moulting process. Adult lice are not affected and die of ‘old age’ over about 14 weeks. However, after a few weeks, adult

| THE FARMLANDER

people, although some people can suffer skin and eye irritation if they come in direct contact. Vanquish® (alpha-cypermethrin) is an example of these actives.

correct application technique and time of use is vital to the success of treatment. Prevention is always going to be better than cure. And the most effective method of removing large

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

numbers of lice quickly off long-wooled

shearing, to allow some wool to be

professional for a lice management

sheep is shearing them, so this should

present for the chemical to ‘stick to’.

programme. The product’s

be considered in most cases of lousy

Be sure to read the label of the product

effectiveness may be reduced in sheep

sheep in the late winter.

you are using fully, or consult your local

with skin or fleece abnormalities such

Pour-on treatments are all designed for

vet or animal health representative for

as dirt contamination, fungal skin

use off-shears and this means within 24

advice. There is little advantage gained

infection or fleece rot.

hours of shearing, not 3 weeks later.

from spending money on a product and

A more user-friendly off shears

This is because the lanolin grease layer

then using it incorrectly!

product, Magnum® is a highly effective,

on a sheep after shearing assists with

Where lice infestations have been

thorough lice killer. This IGR has a

movement of the chemical around the

identified in long-wooled sheep,

more user-friendly water-based formula

animal. Likewise, saturation dips such

consider use of Vanquish as an

that is safer for humans, stock and the

as a shower or jetting race usually

emergency treatment only, to reduce

environment. Magnum can be applied

require 2-4 weeks’ wool growth after

lice numbers. Consult your health

after winter shearing, as it has a nil meat withholding period, allowing dry cull ewes to be sold immediately. For optimum results, treatment with Magnum is recommended 24 hours after shearing. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Coopers.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Pre-lamb drenching vaccination

It’s now time to consider pre-lamb ewe drenching vaccination. Mature animals generally have strong immunity against parasites for most of the year. However, at lambing this immunity can wane, leaving the animals more susceptible to the harmful effects of parasites. We know that there are several factors to consider — one of the most important considerations is weighing up the benefits against the cost. So we’ve made it easy, comparing some of the top quality pre-lamb ewe products that we have to offer — their application method, targeted parasites and length of persistent activity, as well as a simple summary of each product to help make your decision easier. Whether you’re treating 150 ewes or 1,050, Farmlands has a great range of pre-lamb products for every budget. If you need any advice on what product will work best for your

| THE FARMLANDER

stock, call in to your local Farmlands store and have a chat with one of our knowledgeable staff members. Between our in-store team and our expert suppliers, we’ve got it covered.

For more information see our friendly staff at your local Farmlands store.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

A good start at early lactation is vital

The first 4-6 weeks of lactation can determine the whole season’s production. During this critical time period, a cow’s valuable energy is likely to be compromised. Not only has it just calved and started lactation, it must also get back in-calf again in time to repeat the process 1 year later! Maximising cow health and nutrition during this time is essential if milk production and reproduction potential are going to be obtained. In the immediate post-calving period, a cow simply can not eat enough to meet the energy demands and must use its body fat to fund early lactation and performance. Whilst they might not be causing clinical signs of the disease,

controlling production-limiting worms at

For more information on treating and

worms cause a diversion of energy and

early lactation and offers the essential

controlling internal parasites at early

protein, placing extra demands on the

nil milk withholding. Eon contains the

lactation, see our friendly staff at

cow’s already stretched energy and

active eprinomectin, which is backed

your local Farmlands store.

resources. Hence, treating cows for

by global studies for increasing milk

Article supplier by Bayer.

worms at this time makes sense.

production and improving

Eon Pour-on is ideal for treating and

reproductive performance.

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HORTICULTURE

Growing with improved structure Agbeam, produced by Industrial Tube Manufacturing Co Ltd, is a galvanised steel beam product manufactured specifically for horticultural structures such as pergola growing systems. Both kiwifruit and persimmon crops are commonly grown on Agbeam structures.

Many of the wood laminates used in the older structures have started to break down and an increasing number of growers are replacing them with Agbeam steel product. Agbeam is locally made using New Zealand steel. It is cost effective, robust and relatively easy to install. The product is

1,900 to 2,000 metres per hectare.

demonstrating superior performance

Diagonal 1.8 metre long Agbeam

About 25 years ago, many kiwifruit

compared to some of the cheaper

braces are now available to assist in

pergola structures were made using

imported products entering the market.

supporting existing structures. Many

wooden beams that comprised two 4x1

Crops supported by Agbeam structures

growers who changed from Hayward

inch pieces laminated together. Such

also benefit from advantages in plant

Green to the G3 Gold variety have

structures must not only support wires

health. For example, unlike with

experienced huge increases in crop

but the full crop loading weight. At that

wooden materials, the Agbeam steel

loadings. Some growers that installed

time, crop loadings were approximately

material does not accommodate pests

standard grade Agbeam when they

5-7,000 tray equivalents per hectare

such as passion vine hopper eggs. It

converted to growing G3 Gold are

(or 15-21 tonne/ha of fruit) plus the full

also deters fungal accumulation.

now finding that the actual Agbeam

weight of the canopy growth.

Agbeam is galvanised square

load capacity is higher than originally

With increased crop loadings,

(64x38mm) hollow section steel beam

anticipated. Where loadings exceed

particularly from improved Hayward

that is available in lengths of 5, 6, 7, 8,

what was planned for the use of

yields and the adoption of the G3 Gold

9 and 10 metres. These lengths can

Agbeam braces is ideal, given that

variety, structures have come under

be bought separately, or in packet

neither the structures nor row spacing

increasing pressure. Structures now

lots of 50, which is the most cost

can be altered.

need to handle crops that are yielding

effective. Agbeam is available in two

A full range of clips, braces and ties is

between 9,500-20,000 tray equivalents

wall thicknesses — standard 1.15mm,

available for securing wire to Agbeam.

(28-70 tonne/ha of fruit) plus the weight

or heavy 1.55mm. The heavy grade is

of the vine canopy!

used where heavier crop loadings are anticipated, for example with G3 Gold crops or with row spacing of 4.5 metres or greater. The sections of beam are joined using galvanised 400mm slip-on joiners that simply slide over the two butted ends. Two sizes of joiners are available to match the grade of beam

Agbeam products can be purchased through your local Farmlands store. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Mark Loeffen, Technical Advisor, Farmlands Horticulture.

— standard 1.85mm and light 1.55mm. As a guide, growers planning to use Agbeam will require approximately

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HORTICULTURE

Mineral spraying oils Spraying oils have been used in the horticultural industry for many years on deciduous fruits, berry fruit, grapes, subtropicals, ornamentals and some organically certified crops. These oils have insecticidal, miticidal, wetting and spreading properties. When applied to deciduous plants in early spring they also have dormancy breaking properties.

carbon number, with the optimal range

Some points to note when using

considered to be 20 to 26. These

horticultural mineral oils:

oils are classified as “narrow range

• Gently roll / shake oil containers prior

Spraying oils have an emulsifier added

insecticidal properties. Oils of between

that enables them to readily mix with

23 and 26 show no significant difference

water. They are applied alone, or in

in insect control.

combination with some insecticides,

Oils improve coverage and wetting,

russet sensitive apple varieties

fungicides or herbicides.

enabling sprays to run into cracks,

• Where Captan, sulphur products,

Horticultural mineral spraying oils are

fissures and the flaking bark of trees.

Delan® or Carbaryl have been applied,

manufactured from petroleum oils. Over

High volume dilute applications are

don’t apply oils within 21 days either

the years they have undergone significant

generally recommended to target

side of these applications

changes in chemistry, properties and

these sites.

performance to improve their efficacy

Oils work by smothering insects, e.g.

and reduce unwanted adverse effects.

European red mite eggs are very

oils”. If carbon numbers are below 20, insecticidal efficacy reduces and if above 26, there is increased risk of phytotoxicity and yield reduction, with no improvement in insect control. Oils with a carbon number of 23 appear to have the least phytotoxicity and have very good

It is important that oils are plant safe

effectively controlled with a green-tip

(non-phytotoxic) with good efficacy in

oil application. The oil penetrates the shell

controlling pests.

of the eggs and kills them by affecting

The fruit industry has moved away from

respiratory and metabolic processes.

to use • Agitate spray tanks thoroughly prior to and during application • High volume application and thorough coverage is recommended • Don’t apply during periods of very high or low temperatures • Don’t apply to trees suffering drought or frost stress • Don’t apply after early green tip on

• On Hayward kiwifruit, don’t use in the period between 14 to 35 days from fruit set • On Hort 16A kiwifruit, apply no later than 10 days from fruit set • If mixing with other pesticides check compatibility first • Do not run the tank out on previously

using heavy winter oils on deciduous

This is an important aspect of integrated

trees and now uses lighter, safer and

mite control (IMC) programmes. In

more effective winter and summer oils.

autumn the more advanced eggs are

High concentrations of paraffin are

killed, resulting in a reduced emergence

present in oils and provide the majority of

period of juveniles. This enables timed

the insecticidal activity. Plant damaging

early summer miticide applications to

10 minutes, flush spray from delivery

substances, waxes and aromatics are

achieve season long control.

lines prior to recommencing

removed or reduced to lessen phytotoxic

On citrus crops, summer oils have

For further information, contact

effects. A low level of unsulphonated

good efficacy on citrus red mite, scale

your Farmlands Technical Advisor

residue is important, with the acceptable

crawlers and Australian white fly. The

or the friendly team at your local

minimum level being 92 percent.

addition of a suitable insecticide may

Farmlands store.

Horticultural oils are categorised by

further enhance control.

Article supplied by Martin Taylor, Technical Advisor, Farmlands Horticulture.

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sprayed trees • If applying a double pass down each row, halve the oil rate • If spraying is interrupted for more than

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n n i i W W Molasses for the masses Many cows will have started calving now and the key for all farmers at this time of year is to ensure the herd is eating to peak appetite, to maximise milk production.

NUTRITION

Feeding molasses throughout the seasons will help maintain body condition and appetite and increase milk production, leading to extra days in milk.

Grass is our cheapest form of feed but at different stages of the year there is a nutrient gap that needs filling, in order to provide your herd with the most efficient balance of nutrients. Molasses is a product that can be fed all year round and provide benefits to the cow on its own, or as a carrier of other unpalatable mineral and nutrition products.

New season molasses contract offer

Why use molasses?

Agrifeeds has changed the way molasses

Energy

is sold in the market. Molasses prices

• Extra energy for maintenance and production • Molasses feeds the rumen microbes,

are ex-terminal and freight to farm will be Digestion

billed at cost by Agrifeeds’ designated

• Increases the microbial bacteria

carrier. To kick the season off, three key

improving the utilisation of other feeds

in the rumen, to improve digestion

features of this molasses offer support

in the diet

of high protein and fibre pasture

the Farmlands Nutrition programme:

and supplements

• Lower ex-terminal molasses prices

• Highly digestible carbohydrate to help balance the diet Appetite • Improves PKE intakes and other supplemental feeds

Reproduction • An energy dense diet fed pre-calving

as compared to last season • A “fill your tank” discount on

will assist in keeping the cows in a

Contract/Spot for all deliveries in

good nutritional state post-calving

July and August • Terms to 20th November as an

• Improves palatability of additives

• Provides essential energy before,

• Encourages the cow to eat when

during and after mating to help

option for all molasses purchases in

maintain pregnancy rates and

July, August and September

appetite drive is low

condense calving patterns • Increase blood glucose levels to improve conception rates Agrifeeds Feedgrade Molasses and

For further information, talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agrifeeds.

Molasses Xtra products have a role in maximising cow performance and farm production all year round.

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NUTRITION

Quality calf feed checklist Dry calf feeds should be fed from day 4. When selecting a calf feed, you should consider the following: Palatable — tastes and smells good Early feed intake is higher if a more palatable feed is made available to calves. Research shows that growth rates and rumen development in calves relate to absolute intake. Molasses, steam flaked grains and roughage are key ingredients that improve palatability (NRM Moozlee is heavily molassed and contains both steam flaked grains and lucerne chaff). All NRM calf feed products contain the unique NRM Moozlee flavouring to ensure palatability and easy change between products as the calves grow.

Fibrous texture Fibre in dry feeds stimulates saliva, which assists in maintaining the optimum pH level in the rumen. Good quality roughage is important but beware — if free access to roughage is offered to calves they may reduce their intake of concentrates. Buy a dry feed with the right level of roughage included to prevent this problem. NRM Moozlee and Ready Rumen contain measured amounts of quality roughage, eliminating the need for free access to roughage and improving early intake of feed.

Concentrated, high dry matter feed

Balanced specification and anti-coccidial

Dry feed must be a concentrated source

The maximum protein a calf can

small capacity of the developing rumen.

absorb is 20 percent. This is

Some silage based feeds have a dry

dependent on consumption, so a

of essential nutrients because of the

matter of only 50 percent compared

Digestible

more palatable product may only need

The quality of ingredients used in

18 percent protein.

calf feeds plays an important role in

Calf diets are most often designed to

determining the digestibility of a calf

nutritional requirements of the calf will

meet the optimum protein required and

feed. NRM calf feeds are formulated to

not be met and you are paying for

energy is balanced to utilise this protein.

contain high quality grains and protein

expensive water.

12MJ ME/kg of dry matter will provide

sources, ensuring that NRM calf feeds

enough energy to utilise the protein

are highly digestible.

in a 20 percent feed. Added vitamins, minerals and an anti-coccidial (Bovatec) are also beneficial. Bovatec helps fight

Don’t be fooled by a cheaper price, the

All NRM feeds have a minimum of 85 percemt dry matter. Quality checklist:  High dry matter

coccidiosis and also enhances the

 Tastes good

beneficial bacteria population in the

 Smells good

rumen so that calves get more out of the

 Fibrous texture

feed they eat.

 Firm pellet/nut

NRM calf feeds maintain the ‘right

 Balanced ingredients

balance’ of nutrients as well as added

 Anti-coccidial

vitamins, minerals and an anti-coccidial.

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with concentrates at around 85 percent.

Article supplied by NRM.

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NUTRITION

Nutritional management for a successful start The merits of transition cow feeding strategies have been widely debated in recent years, with little agreement on the most appropriate solution for New Zealand dairy cows. Despite this ongoing debate, everyone agrees that the cow undergoes a rapid and dramatic transition at the point of calving. Similarly, it is well accepted that management and nutrition of the cow at this particularly stressful time can have a dramatic impact on the incidence of metabolic disease as well as milk production in the coming season. Nutritional strategies implemented in the pre-calving period can help to ensure that the cow is physiologically fit for calving and milk production. Feeding management can play an important role in helping to ensure maximum dry matter intake post-calving and plays a valuable role in helping to adapt the rumen microbial population to the high carbohydrate diets fed as part of the lactating cow ration. Grain based concentrates provide a source of starch, a key substrate essential for the production of butyric acid and an important precursor for the development of rumen papillae. Designed to help ease the adaptation of the rumen flora to the post-calving diet, the NRM ProForm Transition feed provides a source of starch and contains a novel yeast

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supplement rich in bioactive ingredients

supplied to cows in late gestation. Adding

to support the development of a healthy

magnesium to the mix ensures that the

rumen microbial population, making

requirements of the cow are met while

this an ideal supplement for those

reducing the need for supplementation

looking to provide cows with a source

through the water.

of starch pre-calving.

For those situations where milk fever

Reduced dry matter intake is typical of

and metabolic diseases post-calving

dairy cows in late gestation, with the

present more of a challenge, a low DCAD

consequence being a dramatic reduction

(dietary cation-anion difference) feed may

in energy intake over this period. In

be one mechanism that can be used to

contrast, the rapidly growing calf requires

help improve calcium mobilisation. The

an increasing supply of nutrients and

NRM ProForm Pre-calving feed is ideally

where nutrient intake is limiting, the

suited to this task and contains a range

cow will mobilise body condition, to

of anionic salts such as magnesium

ensure the demands of its calf are met.

sulphate and ammonium chloride to help

Providing a diet that helps encourage

reduce overall dietary DCAD. Like the

feed intake over this period can help

ProForm Transition pellets, the ProForm

to reduce the incidence of ketosis by

Pre-calving feed also provides a valuable

providing a valuable source of energy.

source of both energy and starch for

Another way to overcome this energy

the springer cow with a low feed intake,

deficit in the pre-calving period is to

quality protein sources and added

increase the efficiency of utilisation of

BovatecÂŽ, essential trace elements

feed consumed. This can be achieved

and vitamins. For optimum results the

through the use of certain feed additives,

ProForm Pre-calving pellets should be

such as BovatecÂŽ, that have a registered

fed for at least 2 weeks pre-calving but

claim for the control of ketosis in dairy

should not be fed for more than 3 weeks

cattle. Reducing the incidence of ketosis

pre-calving.

also plays an important role in supporting

Contact your local NRM Feed

the immune system of the dairy cow,

Specialist or Farmlands store to help

consequently supporting overall health

choose the right calf feed for your

but also helping to reduce the incidence

future cows.

of production disease such as clinical mastitis. Additional support for the

Article supplied by NRM.

immune system can be provided through the inclusion of a comprehensive trace element and vitamin pack in the feed

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NUTRITION

Feeding pre-lamb Ewe nutrition can have a major impact on lamb survivability and growth rates. A lamb that is born to a ewe with an enhanced nutritional status will be healthier and more likely to survive the stress of the cold and wet weather that can commonly arise during the spring period. Lamb mortality can increase significantly in extreme weather conditions, with many of these deaths attributed to a lamb’s inability to generate enough body heat to keep warm. Profitability in sheep farming is largely dependent on the number of lambs weaned per ewe each year. Setting lambs up for a successful and productive life, via feeding ewes well in the late stages of pregnancy and early lactation, can help to capture the increased prolificacy of the modern ewe.

brown adipose tissue, which enables

Brown adipose tissue is a type of fat that

significantly due to the growing foetus, so

is laid down by lambs when they are in

the amount a ewe can eat is reduced and

the womb. For the first few days of life,

it may take time for appetite to increase

this brown fat is important for generating

post-lambing. This occurs in conjunction

body heat and keeping new-born animals

with the stress of lambing and the need

warm. Heat is generated through the

to start producing high quality colostrum

activation of uncoupling proteins in the

and then milk to support lambs once

the free-flow of protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane, resulting in the rapid dissipation of chemical energy as heat. Unbelievably, brown adipose tissue can generate up to 300 watts per kilogram of tissue, compared to all other body tissues, which can only produce 1 watt. Fat reserves accumulate in the lamb in the last 60 days of pregnancy, so feeding ewes well in the late stages of pregnancy is important for maximising this lay down of fat. Feeding ewes prelambing with vitamin E and selenium is also thought to activate the mechanism that allows lambs to use brown fat, which

colostrum and high milk production, which is vital for supporting the growth of healthy lambs. The faster lambs grow, the faster they can be sold and the more profitable a system will be. Getting lambs away earlier can also help to reduce the risks of going into a summer dry period

can boost lamb survivability.

more heavily stocked.

Energy demands of the growing foetus

Compound, grain based feeds can be a

increases dramatically towards the end of pregnancy, particularly for multiple bearing ewes. During the late stages of pregnancy, rumen space can be reduced

they hit the ground. In order to minimise condition loss in the late stages of pregnancy and early lactation, bulky, high

great supplementation option when the goal is low lamb mortality and high lamb health and growth. It is best to look for a feed that contains a good amount of high quality protein, along with energy in the form of molasses, grain and rumen bypass fat – all in a concentrated, highly digestible form. A feed that contains effective levels of trace elements and vitamins (A, D and E) is important for high quality colostrum production, milk production and ewe health around lambing time. Between 200-500 grams per ewe per day can be just what the ewe

fibre feeds such as poor quality silage/

needs to perform optimally.

baleage should be limited – and it is

Contact your local Reliance Feed

beneficial to add high energy, high protein

Specialist or Farmlands store to help

feeds to the diet. Feeding a high protein

choose the right feed for your lambs.

supplement to ewes pre and post-

Article supplied by Reliance.

lambing can help to support good quality

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NUTRITION

Seeing the woods from the trees — calf milk replacers Practical considerations such as ease of mixing, consistency and palatability often encourage brand loyalty with regards to milk replacers but with a variety of options available, it is worthwhile examining the difference between products. Calf milk replacers offer some advantages over milk from the vat. Formulated to a higher protein:fat ratio, they are less satisfying than whole milk and tend to encourage higher intakes of hard feed – which can save costs but also stimulates rumen development,

Products with a good specification but

on whole milk. Intakes of hard feed are

which lessens stresses at weaning.

some non-milk protein (e.g. Reliance

normally stronger when calves are fed

Importantly, they offer a lower risk of

Calf Milk Finisher), may offer some

whey based powders and despite more

disease and are normally fortified with

cost savings and are well suited to

rapid movement through the digestive

essential minerals, trace elements and

conventional, traditionally weaned beef

tracts, scouring can be reduced. A

vitamins but the difference is in the detail,

and heifer calves. Incorporating some

key benefit of whey based powders

which can make subtle differences to

vegetable proteins can help standardise

that contain organic acids, like NRM’s

both growth and health.

the proteins delivered from milk. Very

Power Whey, is that lower gut pH limits

Milk replacers should be selected to suit

young calves lack the ability to fully digest

pathogen growth thereby reducing the

the feeding system, calf type and growth

even high quality vegetable proteins, so

incidence and severity of diarrhoea.

rate goals. Higher protein products (like

finisher type products are best suited

Calf rearing can be stressful, so knowing

Reliance Calf Milk Replacer with 25-26

to older calves – perhaps when the

that your supplier will be available with

percent protein) are better suited to

transition milk, which cannot be sold from

practical advice should problems arise

earlier weaning and accelerated feeding

the first 4 days of lactation, has been

can give some peace of mind. The

programmes. Calf milk powders based

used up.

best evaluation of a calf milk replacer

on whole milk products are a good option

Whey based powders are very popular

is the growth and condition of calves

for farmers who want to move into and

internationally because dried whey

– shareholders can rest assured that

out of calf milk replacer use, because

protein concentrate and dried whey are

Farmlands will only supply proven high

calves transition from one to the other

considered consistent, cost effective

quality milk powders from carefully

very easily. They are also a good option

by-products from cheese manufacture.

scrutinised suppliers and help choose the

to fortify whole milk. The inclusion of a

The whey casein is separated from the

best product for their needs.

coccidiostat can make such products

curd used to make cheese. It does not

more appealing, where units have a

clot and therefore spends less time in

previous history of coccidiosis challenge.

the abomasum than replacers based

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Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Nutritionist, Farmlands Nutrition.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Forage options following winter brassicas Deep in the heart of the Mackenzie country, Farmlands Fairlie shareholder and mixed cropping/dairy support farmer Mitch Taylor from Morelea Farm has seen the strength of Monty forage barley. Even in a tough year it has been a great option for whole crop cereal silage to fill a feed gap following winter brassica. Despite the harsh dry weather on the flat to rolling hill country of Morelea Farm near Mt. Michael, the 300ha, partly irrigated property saw some great results last season with a Monty barley/pea mix sown post winter kale. Mitch has grown traditional barleys before and was looking for a true forage barley for whole crop silage to provide some bulk quality stored feed. Monty has the unique and very visual characteristic of reduced awns, which can minimise the damage that conventional barley awns can do to animals’ mouths, as awns often remain sharp, even in the silage stack. This feature of Monty was one that appealed to Mitch.

that it avoids potential drought stress before harvest.

There are a number of forage options post-winter brassica that can be valuable to produce ‘cut and carried’ stored forage, or in-situ summer/ autumn grazing. Forage cereals tolerate cold soils and can be sown from very early spring, to generate a large amount of whole crop cereal silage by mid/late January. Farmers wanting maximum yields of high carbohydrate silage should take a crop of either Crackerjack triticale or Monty forage barley through to the whole crop stage. Triticale is a high yielding option if planted early spring (July – September), providing there is minimal risk of running out of moisture. Barley becomes a better option when sowing later (October – November), as it is a faster maturing option, meaning

Those farms that dry out quickly in spring and early summer can harvest at the earlier green chop (green leaf with no seed head emergence) stage. While the yield is lower than whole crop, the protein content is higher and the product is easier to store. Oats are best suited to be taken at the green chop stage, as they are fast establishing and cheaper than other cereals, although typically have a lower total yield. While Mitch has used a lot of spring sown Hunter forage brassica for summer/autumn grazing and lamb finishing, his choice to put in a Monty/ pea mix was for a different purpose. Mitch found Monty a good fit after kale and the system worked well to provide valuable feed that was able to be produced and conserved between winter feed crops. Mitch’s Monty/ pea mix was sown early October and harvested mid-January, providing approximately 10t DM/ha of quality cereal silage, before being followed by a summer sown rape. The bulk of feed produced has been very valuable and fits its purpose for feeding out through winter in conjunction with his kale and fodder beet paddocks. “I’ll definitely be putting some more in,” Mitch says. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agricom.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Supplement selection for brassica-fed stock Winter 2015 has arrived and for most farmers, supplements have been chosen. What about next year? Why offer supplements? Brassica-fed stock perform best when offered supplements. Fibre supports healthy rumens and better animal productivity. Protein and minerals (particularly from good quality pasture or lucerne silage) balance a brassica diet. Intake of anti-nutritional compounds (nitrate, SMCO and/ or glucosinolates) are diluted when supplements are fed. Do some stock classes need more supplements than others? Cattle need more dietary fibre than sheep or deer. Once transitioned onto a crop, cattle do best with no more than 70 to 80 percent of the diet as brassica. Up to 90 percent of the diet as brassica can work for sheep and deer, depending on quality of crop and nutritional demands of the stock. What is the ‘ideal’ supplement for brassica-fed stock? There’s not a single perfect supplement for brassica-fed stock. A combination of supplements can work well, e.g. equal amounts of baleage and straw offered daily. For a cow wintered on crop, this might mean 10kg dry matter (DM) as kale or swede, with 2kg DM offered as baleage and 2kg DM offered as straw once cattle have successfully transitioned onto crop.

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What are the best types of straw, hay and silage? Straw: Stock prefer top quality ryegrass straw. Ryegrass straw is better for younger stock, or lighter stock that need top class feeding. Clean, bright barley straw is the next best option. Wheat and oat straw is unsuitable due to low palatability and poor utilisation unless mixed through a mixer wagon. Hay: All hay types are suitable for feeding. Poorer quality hay can replace the need for straw. Very high quality hay can substitute some or all baleage requirements. Very good hay, e.g. lucerne, may be wasted on crop paddocks if leaf shatter is a problem. Baleage or silage: Tighter forage compaction means quality of fine chopped stack silage is usually better than baleage. Wastage challenges with short chopped silage fed on wet/ muddy crop paddocks and risk of feed out wagons becoming bogged in wet paddocks means baleage is often more practical than stack silage.

• Cereal silage and baleage. Feeding short chop whole-crop cereal silage on muddy paddocks can be wasteful. Utilisation of cereal baleage is potentially better but if not chopped at harvest, quality of baleage can be poor to moderate. • Maize silage. Short chopped maize silage is rarely fed due to risk of wastage at feed out in brassica crop paddocks. Other supplements: • Palm kernel extract (PKE). Lighter conditioned dairy cows do well on brassica crops, baleage, straw and PKE. The high oil content of PKE helps cows gain body condition quickly. Practically, feeding PKE on crop paddocks is very challenging. Wastage can be high unless PKE is fed in troughs. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by PGGW Seeds.

Types of baleage or silage: • Pasture and lucerne. Both are common ‘balancers’ for brassicafed stock. For older stock, mature, stemmy baleage is acceptable. For younger stock classes, e.g. yearling cattle or weaner deer, grazing brassicas, top quality leafy pasture or lucerne baleage support better productivity. Feed test your baleage and allocate based on quality to younger or older stock classes.

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Go with gravity The drought conditions in Canterbury this summer have created a number of supply issues with stock water and caused some farmers to reassess their reticulation systems. Such was the case with South Canterbury farmer Paul Johnson. Paul purchased his 565 hectare rolling hill country property 6 years ago and has changed the farm from predominantly sheep to a mixture of sheep and cattle, now grazing 150 heifers.

the troughs. Paul had three issues

contingent running and maintenance

with this system: undersized pipe, the

costs. Secondly, it gave security

drought limiting supply out of the creek

of water supply, as the creek could

and the old positive displacement

deliver enough water, even during a

pump was costly to run and maintain,

severe drought.

with ongoing reliability issues. Paul

Dell-lane captured the height and

approached Simon Lamb, Technical

distance data using GPS technology

Field Officer from Farmlands Fairlie

and designed the system utilising the

to seek advice. At this stage Dell-lane

60 metres of static head provided by

Millard from Iplex Pipelines became

the tank's location. A weir was built

involved and visited Paul on-farm.

in the creek to create a settling pond

Initial thoughts were to replicate

and intake screening installed, so

what was currently in place but

palatable water was delivered to the

The old reticulation system pumped

with improved flow from metric

two supply tanks. The pipe specified

water from a creek off the Opuha Dam,

polyethylene pipe, a more efficient

was 32mm and 40mm Metric OD

up to a holding tank on the back of

pump and greater tank storage.

Greenline polyethylene, to deliver

the property, which then gravity fed

The design procedure included

large-bore flow performance and

understanding the stock’s water

manage the downstream pressure to

requirements, assessing water sources

the trough valves.

and surveying pipeline route options.

Supply of pipe and tanks to farm was

During this process, a small creek on

efficiently managed by Farmlands

Paul’s farm was identified as another

and the use of Plasson compression

possible water source. Paul hadn’t seen

fittings enabled quick and secure

it dry up in his 6 years on the farm and

watertight pipe connections. “I

after checking with the previous owner

couldn’t be more pleased with the

it became apparent this was a viable,

outcome,” Paul says. “This is the

long-term water source.

second time I’ve involved Dell-lane

This changed the whole thinking in

in a stock water development project

regard to the look of the water system.

and his new perspective on this job

The creek inlet was 68 metres above

resulted in a much more cost effective

the lowest trough and could deliver the

and reliable system.”

daily water requirement. Feeding this

For further information, contact

into two 30,000 litre tanks would

your Farmlands Technical Field

allow the stock’s peak water demand

Officer or the friendly team at your

to be met. This system had some

local Farmlands store.

major advantages over what was initially considered. Firstly, it was | Paul Johnson and Simon Lamb

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Article supplied by Iplex.

a gravity system, so no pump and

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