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August 2018
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A supreme partnership
Southland farm is the top Dairy Business of the Year
Job opportunity came knocking
Never a dull moment for dairy chairman
Innovative approach to calf club days
WELCOME TO THE LAUNCH OF DAIRY FARMER GlobalHQ is proud to announce the launch of Dairy Farmer, a monthly dairy magazine that focuses on successes and issues from behind the farm gate. Here at Dairy Farmer we are interested in the people who make the industry what it is, innovation that shapes us and issues that affect us. Keep an eye on your letter box monthly and join us on the journey.
Page 8
Dairy Farmer will feature an On Farm Story monthly. We will use video and print to champion characters of influence in the industry and highlight people making waves behind the farm gate. The characters of On Farm Story are those in agriculture who determine their own future, don’t do things by halves and stand out from the crowd.
Dairy Farmer Update - Stay in the know Subscribe to our free Dairy Farmer eNewsletter today and keep up to date with industry information, innovations, stories of dairy farmers making a difference and to read our full virtual publication.
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Inside
8 NEWS
16 17 19
ON FARM
Online
Farmers band together to form an online calf club
Yummy
Worldwide craze for a sweet treat
International
Contracts for Spanish dairy farmers are workable
8 20
The best of the best
Southland’s MOBH Farm is the Dairy Business of the Year supreme winner
New season, new job
The Manawatu Dairy Manager of the Year is taking on a new challenge this season
THEME
40
Herd Health and Calving
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DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
August 2018 Editor SONITA CHANDAR 06 374 5544 / 027 446 6221 sonita.chandar@globalhq.co.nz
Sales
20 FARMING CHAMPIONS
28 32
Fast Five
Jodie Goudswaard
Dairy Champion
Federated Farmers national dairy chairman Chris Lewis
REGULAR FEATURES
29 30 36
At the grassroots
Farmer opinion – John Barrow
Industry Good
News from DairyNZ
Research and Science
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August 2018
EDITORIAL
We’re telling your stories
B
LOODY media.” I wouldn’t mind a dollar for every time I’ve heard that. A lot of people blame the media for the bad rap farming gets. That’s not entirely fair ... media is not your marketing company. We tell stories, more good stories than bad, but the bad ones by their very nature seem to grow legs – in the bloody media. Media also reports bad builders, teachers, doctors, lawyers, truck drivers and so on. As it should. But we love telling the good stories more, especially in this new publication. Come on New Zealand farmers, it’s time to stop being defensive in an attempt to get everyone to understand us and how misunderstood we are. We should instead invest more energy into owning our own NZ farming story. “
YOUR PUBLISHERS: Dean and Cushla Williamson are the couple behind the launch of the new Dairy Farmer. Ta-daa .... introducing On-Farm Story. Our team at GlobalHQ (Farmers Weekly and Dairy Farmer) are committed to helping you tell your story by producing a new On-Farm Story every week in video and in print in Farmers
Weekly and every month in the Dairy Farmer. They will become a resource for the whole industry to share and to use on websites, in presentations, at field days and more. The videos are short, of the highest quality and they’re guaranteed to inform, inspire and entertain you. There will still be those farmers who have to be held to account every now and then but we all know the number of good stories in farming far outweigh the bad. We’ll do our bit by publishing and filming stories about the passionate people who are proud to call themselves farmers and who deserve to have their story told. Please enjoy your journey through this first issue of the all new Dairy Farmer. Please feel free to fire any feedback our way. Dean and Cushla Williamson
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ON FARM
MOBH Farm Partnership is the 2018 Dairy Business of the Year Supreme winner. Equity partners are, from left, Tim Montgomerie, Jodie Heaps who is also farm manager and Kevin Hall. Photos: Natwick Photography 8
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
Four does go into one Teamwork is the secret to success for the Southland farm judged the best dairy business in the land. Sonita Chandar reports.
D
ESPITE three of the four partners living in the North Island the success of a Southland farming business can be attributed to exceptional teamwork and good clear lines of communication. Each partner brings strengths to the table but no one is above the others. They are all equals, make decisions as a group and share in the spoils of their collective success. MOBH Farm, an equity partnership made up of Kevin Hall, Tim Montgomerie, Jodie Heaps and Mark Turnwald, won two category awards as well as being named the supreme winner at the 2018 Dairy Business of the Year awards (DBOY).
The awards used farm data from the 2016-17 season. Judges said MOBH stood out in all areas. Production was 331,000 kilograms of milksolids and at 486kg MS a cow was the highest of all finalists and achieved on an 82% pasture-based system. The return on capital of 7.9% was significantly higher than any other finalist and their operating profit margin of 46.3% was the second highest. Environmentally, the farm scored highly with 10 out of 15. All waterways have been fenced and riparian planting is done. The partnership won the Best Southland Farm Performance Award. Judges said MOBH achieved an outstanding financial performance on
the back of the second-highest operating margin and second-lowest cost of production at $3.25/kg MS. It also won the award for Medium Input Farm with the Best Financial Performance. Montgomerie said the win came as surprise to them all as they entered to benchmark the business against other top farms. “It is pretty cool,” he said. “Winning the supreme award is really good recognition of Jodie and his team and how they manage and run the farm on a day-to-day basis and also of the partnership.” They had entered twice previously as the competition is numbers-based and a good platform for farmers looking to crunch numbers. “Every decision we make is based on the numbers,” Montgomerie said. “We are a team and make all of those decisions together.”
Continued page 10
FARM FACTS
The herd is wintered on the runoff but when it returns is transitioned on fodderbeet before calving begins. DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
n Owners: MOBH Farm Partnership n Location: Gore, Southland n Farm size: 200ha, 80ha lease, runoff 132ha n Cows: 700 crossbred n Production: 2016-2017 331,000kgMS, 2017-2018 315,000kg MS n Target: 2018-2019 335,000kg MS n Staff: Manager and three others
9
ON FARM Hall said winning confirmed what they already believed and feedback from the judges highlighted the areas where improvements could be made. “We are always sharpening our pencils and looking to make improvements towards efficiency,” Hall said. “The system is fairly robust but there is always something you can do a bit better without compromising other areas.” They meet four times a year to discuss strategy and are in regular contact by phone and email. They hold an annual meeting and the other visits are usually jam-packed with planning. “Ours is a good story about how equity partnerships can work well, even when three of us are absent most of the year,” Montgomerie said. Over the years they have come to realise good governance is critical and having a structure in place with robust monitoring, recording and reporting is vital. Turnwald said the partnership works well because of the different skill sets. His rural banking background has proved to be invaluable as he does the cashflows, budgets and financial reports.
“Kevin has experience with the finances and managed the farm for nine seasons so he knows the farm inside and out. Tim is very good at production systems and analysing things and Jodie is a local lad, knows the region and is the man on the ground running things,” Turnwald said. MOBH bought the 148ha property 2004. At the time Hall was working as a farm manager for Montgomerie on his farm at Cambridge when they had the idea to form a partnership to buy the Southland farm. “We considered where we wanted to invest our dollars and the Southland farm and region appealed,” Montgomerie said. “Southland had a similar climate and growth to our second farm at Mamaku near Rotorua.” The farm was a dairy unit converted to sheep and beef then back to dairy. “It had been farmed quite conservatively by the previous owner for 20 or more years and we believed the property had significant untapped
Partner and manager Jodie Heaps takes in the view on the farm at Gore that was a dairy unit converted to sheep and beef then back to dairy.
Continued page 12
10
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
Three of the four partners in MOBH Farm live in the North Island but meet four times a year to discuss strategy and iron out any issues. They include, from left, Jodie Heaps, Kevin Hall and Tim Montgomerie.
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August 2018
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ON FARM potential,” Hall said. Hall moved his family to Southland to run the farm and for the first year milked just over 400 cows through the existing old herringbone shed. “The first six months were really challenging. We did it hard,” Hall said. Towards the end of the first season the decision was made to do a development programme, which quickly turned into a reconversion. A new, 50-bail, rotary shed with an adjoining feedpad was built in the middle of the farm, new races were constructed and a large portion of the farm was refenced.
Using Hereford bulls means we have few bobby calves. Instead, we get a valuable Hereford calf.
In the 2016-17 season, which the awards were judged on, the herd produced 331,000kg MS or 486kg MS a cow, the highest of all finalists.
Jodie Heaps
Soon after development started an adjoining 50ha came on the market so they bought it then another 80ha next to it was secured on a long-term lease. The development programme was eventually completed in 2009. Over the years the farm has also been regrassed with more productive pastures. “It took a lot of hard work. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into developing the farm but we soon started to reap the rewards of the hard work and effort we had put in,” Hall said. “Milking was certainly a lot easier and quicker.” Heaps worked part-time on the farm for a few years before taking on the role full-time. When Hall and wife Linda decided it was time to return to the North Island to be closer to family Heaps was offered the chance to buy-in and take over the management. Growing up on a dairy farm in Southland Heaps had always enjoyed mucking around on the farm and with machinery. “Farming was always my goal so when DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
Equity partner Mark Turnwald joined MOBH Farms three years ago. He looks after the budgets, cashflows and financial reports for the business.
Kevin first moved down and offered me the job I jumped at it even though it was part-time,” Heaps said. He had been thinking about progression and what steps he could take to grow his business when the offer came. “It was a surprise and bit earlier in the timeline that I had been planning but I was not going to turn it down. “I have learnt a great deal about the
business and people management since I took over. It is really important that the people around you are ambitious and invested to help the farm succeed.” Turnwald is a fifth-generation dairy farmer and is farming his family farm at Ohaupo south of Hamilton. He joined the partnership three years ago. Heaps has been managing the property for five seasons and has three full-time staff plus a calf rearer as well as 13
ON FARM
Checking the herd in the fodderbeet paddock are, from left, Kevin Hall, Jodie Heaps and Tim Montgomerie.
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the support of the partnership. Hall said farming in Southland’s cold winters can be challenging but they know for at least eight to nine months an abundance of quality pasture can be grown and the reliable summer rainfall ensures pasture quality is maintained. “Quality pasture along with the general absence of any significant heat stress in the herd during the summer, I believe, are two of the real drivers of what we are achieving.” In 2014 they bought a 132ha run-off 10km south of Gore, which changed the business structure significantly. “The run-off has proven to be a great asset to the business,” Hall said. “It has insulated us from the open market in regards to bought-in feed and grazing youngstock. “Having the run-off means we now have full control over the wintering of the herd as well as the growth and development of our youngstock.” The block also means MOBH Farm is self-contained, therefore risks of diseases such as Mycoplasma bovis are mitigated. “With M bovis continuing to be discovered all over the country selfcontainment is becoming vital. “Any farmer that is self-contained is going to be better off in terms of risk,” Hall said. They run a System 2-3 with grass silage grown and harvested on the runoff and milking platform making up the bulk of supplements fed. “Grass, grass and more grass and then some grass silage on the shoulders of the season,” Heaps says. “In spring if there is a shortage of feed before the second rotation we will add a small amount of palm kernel to the mix to give the herd a boost.” Weekly pasture monitoring is done with a tow-behind CDax unit and the data is used to control residuals. “The aim is to feed paddocks between 2800kg DM and 3000kg DM and graze down to 1600,” Heaps said. Pasture quality is maintained through topping in the spring or with carryover cows. About 6-8ha of fodderbeet is grown on the platform to transition cows as they return home for calving. They expect to get a yield of 28-30 tonnes per hectare but this season the yield was 25t/ha because of bad weather. “We get the odd snowfall and frosts but that is all part of farming – especially DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
Jodie Heaps began working at MOBH Farm part-time and has worked his way up to become an equity partner and he also manages the operation.
in Southland,” Heaps said. “June is often our drier month but generally the growth is really good.” Calving begins on August 6 and the springers are checked twice a day and again before everyone leaves for the day.
With M bovis continuing to be discovered all over the country selfcontainment is becoming vital. Kevin Hall
On a busy day up to 30 calves can drop and are fed good-quality colostrum as soon as possible. A calf-rearer takes over and looks after the youngstock for 10-12 weeks, which takes the pressure off. They keep 150-160 replacements and any excess calves are sold as seven-dayolds.
Target weaning is 100kg then calves are sent to the run-off and return as incalf heifers. Mating begins on October 28 and they do AI for six weeks followed by a Hereford bull for a further six weeks. “We select the bulls through LIC but this is one area I am looking at to improve the genetics of the herd,” Heaps said. “Using Hereford bulls means we have few bobby calves. Instead, we get a valuable Hereford calf.” Looking ahead, their focus is on debt reduction, which Turnwald said will be their priority for the next few years. But they all agree harvesting pasture, optimising production and profitability are also at the top of the list. Heaps is busy preparing for calving while spending as much time as possible with his partner Hayley Cowan and their newborn daughter Mila. “Eventually, Hayley and I hope to get to a stage where we can invest in another property or even buy the Heaps family farm,” Heaps said. “But for now the focus is on what is in front of me. MOBH farm is a big enough job without adding another property to our name.” 15
NEWS
Tradition lives on SONITA CHANDAR
T
HE threat of Mycoplasma bovis might ruin an annual tradition that is a firm favourite on the agricultural calendar. Calf club days around the country are being put on hold or cancelled because of fears of spreading the disease, which has seen cattle banned from some A&P Shows. However, a group of Waikato farmers has come up with a failsafe idea that carries zero risks and allows children to enter calf clubs and compete against others without having to leave the farm. On a Facebook page farmers suggested running an online club. Joshua Herbes of Own Real Experience offered to build a website where children could enter and upload photos of them with their calves. “We launched Calf Club New Zealand last month and the response has been incredible,” Herbes said. “In the first nine hours there were 150200 entries and our small post went viral on Facebook with more than 130 shares.” Herbes, along with Waikato dairy farmer Michelle Burgess will run the site, which is simple to use. Along with a photo, entrants can tell
16
the story of their calf. “As well as the basic details about the calf they can tell us about their experience – what they are doing or have learnt about looking after a young calf.” Pre-schoolers will compete in the social league and all other age-groups can elect to enter the formal league and judging when they enter. “People will be able to vote online and once we have the top 10 calves in each category, judges will visit those children and their calf on-farm. “They will be able to show off their training, grooming and leading skills just as they would at Calf Club Day at their school.” Details of cattle classes and categories are still to be worked out but several sponsors have come forward to support the initiative. “Everyone has been hugely supportive. “This is something for farmers by farmers and it is really cool to see the industry come together. “This is a vital link to the dairy farming industry and it needs to be preserved.” While farmers would prefer to keep calf clubs going in schools the current situation means that is not possible. “The dairy industry is so important to NZ and M bovis has already done enough damage.
Kiwi kids will still be able to participate in calf club days albeit online as fears of Mycoplasma bovis have led to many schools cancelling their events.
“It is up to the people that can to ensure that this does not destroy this iconic rite of passage for our children. “We believe that many important skills and ethics are taught through this amazing experience and the breakout should not take this away from the kids.” The annual tradition of calf club dates back to 1911 when a Boys Agricultural Group in Otago held the first recorded event. Originally the day was known as Calf Club even though children exhibited animals like lambs and goats. Today, with fewer children having access to farm animals the day has become known, in some areas, as Pet, Livestock or Agriculture Day with events for all classes of animals, pets and handcrafts.
MORE:
For further information or to register your calf, go to www.calfclubnz.co.nz. Entries close August 20. DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
NEWS
Muddy buns boost butter MUDDY Buns, Dirty Dirty Bread or zang zang bao as they’re known in China are creating a social media frenzy and driving a further craving for butter around the world. Fonterra Edgecumbe is all geared up to handle this global trend and is commissioning a new butter line that will nearly double the factory’s butter sheet production from 4500 tonnes to 7000 tonnes. Fonterra global food service marketing general manager Susan Cassidy said “The Dirty Dirty Bread can best be described as a chocolate croissant. “People love the flaky chocolate pastry that’s coated in rich chocolate ganache and sprinkled with cocoa powder. “It makes it impossible to keep your face clean while eating. “They are popular with celebrities who have taken to social media to share images of their muddy bun face experience.” Cassidy said demand for butter is as strong as ever. People want natural products and they are prepared to pay for them. And that’s why global butter prices, including those in New Zealand, are continuing to rise. “Even in temperatures of minus 10C crowds of people are queuing for
Muddy buns, known as zang zang bao in China, are the latest food trend.
It makes it impossible to keep your face clean while eating. hours to get their hands on their Muddy Bun.” Edgecumbe operations manager Allan Muggeridge said the first butter sheet will roll off the new butter line
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on September 1. “We’ve been watching demand for butter build for a number of years now. “The building part of the project started in May so it’s been a quick turnaround to get it up and running,” Muggeridge said. Fifteen local contractors have been employed to complete the expansion at the site, which employees 380 people. “It’s been a real boost to the local business community, especially after the rough past 12 months Edgecumbe has had,” he said.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Spanish set example for English
S
PANISH dairy producers and processors have overcome initial caution and concerns over their mandatory contracts and can show the United Kingdom industry how to make them a success, it has been claimed. National Farmers Union Scotland vice-president Gary Mitchell travelled to Madrid to see how they work, as the UK moves towards its own mandatory contracts. While the UK opted for a voluntary code on contracts, the Spanish government had encouraged uptake of all three measures allowable under the 2012 European Union Dairy Package. They allowed for compulsory regulated contracts, increasing the scale and effectiveness of dairy producer organisations and developing crosssector bodies including producers, processors and retailers known as interbranch organisations. Dairy UK chairman Paul Vernon had raised concerns the contracts will create less certainty and more volatility for farmers. Mitchell said the UK’s voluntary code had underachieved, with organisations not developed in the UK and no interbranch organisations.
“All parties in Spain have overcome initial caution and concerns and see the introduction of mandatory contracts as a positive step,” he said. “The result is that all milk sold in Spain is now under a contract that has been agreed and overseen.” There is still friction but it had increased stability and clarity as well as creating meaningful dialogue. And progress in the UK could be made with George Eustice reportedly in favour of mandatory contracts supported by better producer collaboration and Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon calling for their adoption Mitchell said: “These may be the most significant initiatives in the UK
All parties in Spain have overcome initial caution and concerns and see the introduction of mandatory contracts as a positive step. dairy sector for a generation. “Our plea is that farmers and processors engage with them seriously.”
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No longer a t
Angela Strawbridge is the farm manager on Malcolm and Shirley Brunton’s farm at Dannevirke. Photos: Sonita Chandar
20
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
ownie
ON FARM A former townie is now one of the top dairy farm managers in the country. Sonita Chandar reports.
A
NGE Strawbridge firmly believes people should enjoy what they do. “If you love the job you are in then it isn’t hard work,”
Strawbridge said. “I enjoy my job. It is a privilege and great responsibility to be able to make a living from the land and working with animals.” For the past four years she has worked as herd manager for Stewart Dairylands, on James and Debbie Stewart’s 800-cow property at Hiwinui near Palmerston North. She looked after herd genetics and pasture management. When she decided to put feelers out for a new job for the 2019-2020 season she didn’t really expect anything to come from it. After all, it was a year away and she was more than happy with her job at Stewart Dairylands – she had no intentions of going anywhere for a while. What she hadn’t counted on was winning the 2018 Manawatu Dairy Manager of the Year title. The competition had raised her profile and got her name out in farming circles. “What I was hoping to do was get my advertisement out there early and just let prospective employers know I was looking for next season. “I had three people in two days call me and ask if I was interested in a job this season. I said no but one said ‘just come along and have a look’ so I thought there wouldn’t be any harm in it.” After visiting the farm she was offered the manager’s position, which she turned down. “After I said no I began to have second thoughts so rang to ask if I could reconsider. “Apart from being a management role I could see the great challenges and wanted to take them on.” She started her new role milking 300 cows for Malcolm and Shirley Brunton on one of their three Maharahara properties south of Dannevirke in the third week of July. She reckons she has done pretty well for a townie who has either taught DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
herself or learnt through studying and working. “I didn’t grow up on a farm. I actually describe myself as a city chick.” Growing up in Dannevirke then Napier she had dreams of becoming a chef or a fashion designer as she discovered a hidden talent for sewing. Leaving school she went to Australia on a working holiday then returned to work at Norsewear where she ended up in manufacturing. She married a Norsewood dairy farmer and though she knew nothing about dairy farming took on the roles of relief milker and calf rearer. “I grew up around farming but not dairying. Dad’s mother owned thoroughbred horses so I was comfortable on the land. “But dairying was quite different. My first time in the shed I couldn’t stop thinking how huge the cows were and was sure I was going to get crapped on.” Being keen to learn, she kept on eye out so she could watch a cow calve. “It was exciting at first then it turned bad. “Complications set in and we had to get the vet out. The cow survived but the calf didn’t. I wasn’t put off though. That is just the way nature works sometimes.” She worked through all three pregnancies and her children, Jessica, Calum and Brooke became shed babies and would sit in a cot or pushchair while she worked. During that time she also completed
Continued page 22
FARM FACTS n Owners: Malcolm and Shirley Brunton n Farm manager: Ange Strawbridge n Location: Dannevirke, Tararua n Farm size: 100ha n Cows: 300 Jersey n Production: 201718 82,000kg MS n Target: 2018-19 90,000kg MS
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ON FARM
Ange Strawbridge will be milking 300 cows on 100ha near Dannevirke and says it will be less intense than her last job on a high-input, 800-cow farm.
her Primary ITO level 3. With the break-up of her marriage she moved to Stewart Dairylands and went on to win the title. She has entered the awards three times previously, twice as a solo manager and says that there are numerous benefits to entering, including making new connections with other contestants and using the judges feedback to improve and progress.
the awards didn’t stop. I took all the feedback on board and worked hard to improve those areas. I am driven to achieve what I want. “I am a sponge for knowledge and go to as many seminars or discussion
groups as possible to absorb and learn.” She also won the Fitzherbert Rowe Employee Engagement Merit Award. “I was chuffed to win that merit award
Continued page 24
I had three people in two days call me and ask if I was interested in a job this season. “The reason I entered the first time was for the feedback so I could identify where my strengths and weaknesses were. “After the awards people usually just carry on with their work but for me, 22
The farm is a System 1 and the herd produces about 82,000kg MS on an all grass diet but Ange Strawbridge believes they could be producing more. DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
BUSTING CALF FEEDING MYTHS Dr. Bas Schouten is regarded as one of New Zealand’s leading calf-rearing specialists, so his considered opinion carries immense weight within the calf rearing community. He clears up some of the myths about calf feeding:
MYTH: The amount of saliva a calf produces is due to the teats used on the calf feeder. FACT:
MYTH: Bucket feeding calves causes lower growth rate, diarrhoea and affects digestion of milk. FACT:
Over the last 50 years, worldwide research has not proven any difference to growth, digestion or diarrhoea between bucket and teat feeding systems. (Source: Davis & Drackley)
MYTH: Nutritional scours are caused by teat quality on the calf feeder. FACT:
MYTH: There are differences in calves reared with fast feeding and slower feeding teats. FACT:
The amount of saliva is influenced by physiological factors, such as seeing the milk feeder and the calf-rearer, as well as the smell of the milk.
There is no credible, independent clinical trial data to support the indication of any differences between fast and slow teat feeding.
Nutritional scours arise because of an overflow of undigested Casein proteins from the calf’s abomasum into the small intestine, not the digestion of lactose in the milk. Digestion of lactose occurs naturally in the calf’s small intestine. (Source: Woodford et al; Tomkins & Jaster 1991)
MYTH: The speed calves feed at causes nutritional scours.
MYTH: The presence and volume of Ecoli in a calf’s small intestine is enhanced by raw, undigested milk entering the small intestine too quickly.
FACT:
FACT:
Nutritional scours are caused by low immunity, feeding cold milk, contaminated milk, environmental factors and over-feeding. (Source: Roy, Davis & Drackley)
Ecoli is a bacteria caused by environmental (faecal) contamination and is not related to the type of calf teat used.
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because people are what hold all our values together. Culture is important with trust, respect, honesty and responsibility being the key traits held by people involved with operations. “Health and safety is part of having a happy workplace. We work together to ensure hazards and risks are identified so we can all finish the day safely.” In her new role she will be responsible for 2.5 labour units. She says her first year in the role is likely to be spent learning about the farm and how it performs.
I didn’t grow up on a farm. I actually describe myself as a city chick. “When you have been in one place for a while you soon get to know how certain paddocks perform at different times, what the climate impacts are and get to know the herd as well. “This is the first challenge for me as I don’t know anything about the farm so it will be a learning curve.” Last season the herd averaged 273kg MS a cow to produce 82,000kg MS. They run a System 1 and feed an allgrass diet. No crops are grown and no pasture renewal programme is in place. That is one challenge she is looking forward to tackling. “I believe a herd fed an all-grass diet and managed right could easily be doing 400kg of milksolids. “They have been doing quite a bit
less so I think with some new pastures and perhaps even a crop or two I can lift production to that level. It is definitely something worth looking at and doing the figures.” The Bruntons also own a run-off where they graze youngstock and make baleage and hay. The farm is self-contained so they do not buy in any feed. “Being self-contained is a good thing
as it mitigates any risk of Mycoplasma bovis, which seems to be popping up everywhere.” She believes good pasture management is fundamental to the system and maintaining quality and good growth is a specialty area for her. She joined the DairyNZ Tiller Talk programme while at Stewart Dairylands.
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See website for video demonsration DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
I believe a herd fed an allgrass diet and managed right could easily be doing 400kg of milksolids.
Ange Strawbridge found that winning the 2018 Dairy Manager of the Year title has raised her profile in farming circles, leading to an unexpected shift to a new farm this season with owners Malcolm and Shirley Brunton.
“I learnt about soil structure, crops, the different tiller stages and that helped me build my pasture management skills. “It is something that I found hugely valuable. Good management, having grass-fed animals and working with the natural environment of producing costcompetitive feed is really important to me.
“As farmers, we need to take great care and have good management practices with ongoing education to limit farming’s footprint so we can leave the land in better condition than we found it.” The plan is to graze paddocks at 2200kg of drymatter and leave residuals of 1600kg DM. Hitting those residuals and fully feeding the herd will help lift production as well.
She intends to do pasture walks every 10 days and uses FarmIQ to create feed budgets. “Stewart’s farm was a high-input system and the herd Friesian so this job will not be as intense. “I haven’t worked with Jerseys before so I have to learn what their nutritional needs are.” Calving begins on August 10 and they will rear 65 replacements. She intends to check the herd at least three times a day and bring in any newborn calves. “That is the plan because I don’t know the herd yet and how they go during calving and that sort of thing. “They are a very friendly herd though. They mob you when you go into the paddock.” Any excess calves will be reared and either sent to one of the other farms or sold if the other farms reach their targets and vice versa. They will do premating heats and she is a fan of heat detection patches because they are easy to use and help to identify more cows in heat. Mating will begin on November 5 and they do AI for six weeks followed by a
Continued page 26
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ON FARM
Ange Strawbridge will spend her first year in the role learning about the farm and getting to know the herd.
Scottish Highlander bull for two weeks then a Jersey bull for another four weeks. They use a selective mating plan to take full advantage of bulls with desirable traits. Selected semen is used on the top cows and they use Wagyu straws on the least desirable cows. “Breeding from good genetics is a particular passion of mine. Ever since witnessing that first calving I have taken an interest so I don’t ever repeat that first experience. “I will be looking to get rid of any cows that have any less-than-desirable traits, which is a lot easier to manage in a smaller herd.” Away from the farm she coaches and umpires her children’s sports teams. She is also a member of the Manawatu Dairy Women’s Network, which she joined in 2011. “It’s a great way to network with likeminded people. 26
“The Dairy Women’s Network has many tools available to help women progress and learn, which are two of my key goals. She recently took on the role of the Manawatu DWN regional team leader.
Breeding from good genetics is a particular passion of mine. “There is also the social aspect of getting to meet like-minded women – and men – and you can talk to them about anything and ask anything without feeling dumb.” As a winner of the dairy manager title she will be the Dairy Manager of the
Year team leader for Manawatu. She encourages people to give it a go. “It not too early to start thinking about the awards. “If you have a strong area that you are passionate about then it’s a great opportunity to show that and share your ideas with others. You never know you could even win an award. It’s not just about the competition, it’s about networking, gaining knowledge and building your goals for your future.” Looking ahead, her goal is to rebuild her asset base and go either sharemilking or contract milking within five years. “Eventually, I would like to buy a small farm with a small herd that is easy to manage and run. But that is the long-term plan. I am in no rush. The population is growing and the world needs feeding so the dairy industry is not going anywhere. It is here to stay.” DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
A Sottish Highland bull is used over the herd for two weeks during mating.
The team, from left, Connor Mackie on the ute, Kelum Matiu and Ange Strawbridge prepare to head off for an afternoon of fencing.
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
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Our people, five questions 1. What motivates or drives you? I am motivated by achieving goals. I like to challenge myself then work towards achieving it. I am motivated by seeing other people develop and grow. I really enjoy working with our farm staff to help them achieve their goals. Also, I am motivated by building our own business and achieving our farm goals. And at the moment I am really motivated by seeing happy, healthy calves grow each day. 2. What philosophy do you live by? To enjoy life, to work as a team to achieve more and to be better than yesterday – and by doing this achieve our goals and build our equity. 3. Why dairying? What attracted you to the industry? I grew up on a dairy farm but then met my husband while we were both living and working in Wellington. He had studied outdoor recreation and wanted to give dairying a go so I completely supported, if not perhaps pushed a little bit, for him to do it. I loved growing up on a farm and we have never looked back. We can work together in our business while also raising a family.
Jodie Goudswaard Jodie and her husband Carl sharemilk 530 cows at Walton in Waikato. They have three children – Loki, 10, Alise, 8, and Finn, 7. She has been farming for eight years and before that was an event manager running multisport events in Bay of Plenty and Wellington. She is a passionate Dairy Women’s Network leader in east Waikato where she enjoys connecting with and providing learning opportunities for dairy women to build connections and develop their own farming businesses. Jodie says the opportunities the network has given her have been fantastic and as a result she has developed health and safety and finance modules and delivered them to DWN groups throughout the North Island. Jodie also chaired the DWN annual conference earlier this year in Rotorua. She works part time off the farm meeting farmers to get their Dairybase data and is also training for a quarter ironman in December.
4. What are some of the biggest challenges you face this season? Need I say it … Mycoplasma bovis. Whether you believe it can be eradicated or not it has been a wake-up call for the whole industry. We have had a really good look at our biosecurity on farm and tightened up on everything. Being sharemilkers, the herd is our everything so we have focused on trying to keep the girls safe. 5. Future goals Definitely farm ownership. We are not sure exactly on how we are going to get there as yet. We like to keep our options open. We love the job we have with great owners, a beautiful farm, fantastic staff so we would like to stay here for a while yet and then maybe buy our own farm from here.
Proven Product. Best Spread. 28
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
AT THE GRASSROOTS
Farmers contribute too JOHN BARROW
I
RECENTLY returned a little disappointed from the Local Government New Zealand conference in Christchurch. From a dairy farmer’s perspective I was disappointed at the lack of recognition of the cost of farming and issues we are facing – all the emphasis was on urban. The conference theme was We are Firmly Focused on the Future: Future Proofing for a Prosperous and Vibrant NZ. In other words, local government must adapt, get ahead of the game and foresee and manage the looming issues for our communities. In keeping with the theme Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta expressed a need for a change in approach to managing issues such as freshwater – a step-change as she put it. She sees a need for far stronger collaboration between central and local government if we are to adequately serve the needs of our communities. Her address was aspirational and, as she put it, at the conceptual policy stage. Local government is charged with regulation and managing local infrastructure. The local infrastructure in Mahuta’s spotlight is the wastewater, storm water and drinking water services provided for and regulated by district and regional councils. Mahuta recognised the financial pressure on district councils to meet central government regulation relating to water quality. This is all good but sounds very familiar. Farmers have faced the best part of a decade of vitriol from a media frenzy of deception and misunderstanding. Farmers are often in the firing line over perceptions of dirty dairying and are constantly expected to fork out for regulatory costs. The cost of meeting the regulation is not even the biggest issue. How indeed does a farmer stop nitrogen leeching through the soil for example? So we also add the cost of research on plantain, nitrification
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
John Barrow is a fifth generation dairy farmer milking 250 cows south of Dannevirke and is a Horizons regional councillor.
inhibitors and so on. Little of farmers’ substantial environmental cost or effort is ever recognised. It is a little hard to swallow all the noise that has fallen out of urban NZ when urban NZ is faced with substantially lower costs per ratepayer for its environmental impacts. Who in local or central government has lost any sleep over farmers’ infrastructural costs? Too few it would seem. The problem here is that until regional and district councils are regularly appraised of each other’s and farmers’ infrastructural costs and functions then the disconnect will remain. Regardless, there has been significant pressure and a significant investment from farmers towards clean water. Perhaps a word or two of recognition from Mahuta might have added a tier of credibility to her call for collaboration. Fair enough, the focus is on the populated areas but are farmers not part of the community too? Farmers are significant contributors to the community and deserve recognition as part of a combined, not separate, community. Perhaps this unfortunate chapter is what has stimulated a need for a change in approach.
So how do we collaborate and join up our thinking across three levels of government? Certainly regional and district councils must work in closer unison. We both provide infrastructural services to the public and we both have regulatory roles that affect the public. Tension arises around the regulatory role of regional councils in relation to wastewater treatment plants in particular. Strained relationships between some regional councillors and their district mayors don’t help either. Elected reps all need to remember who they serve – we get that firmly implanted then the rest is about how best to do it. NZ’s population, spread over a large geographic area, is the size of a city population in many countries. Of course we join up the political thinking across district and regional boundaries and with central government. All aspirational and conceptual stuff, of course, but can Mahuta, mayors and chairmen deliver? This will need a collaborative effort from forward-thinking politicians elected by and representing farmers as an integral part of the local and wider NZ community. 29
News from DairyNZ
Leading the way in animal care Katherine DeWitt
DairyNZ animal care and biosecurity developer
I’VE seen first-hand on farms how many farmers pride themselves on taking good care of their animals. That is reinforced by the dairy sector’s commitment to animal care set out in the Dairy Tomorrow strategy. The goal? To be world-leading in animal care. It’s a commitment I believe many farmers are working hard towards and something that attracted me to move from the United States to be a part of the New Zealand dairy sector. I’ve been impressed by the number of you who have made changes to improve animal welfare on farms, even before regulations came into place. Take tail shortening, for example. From this October, removing the last two-three vertebrae of a cow’s tail will
THE DAIRY TOMORROW VISION ONE of the six commitments and goals in the sector strategy is “We will be world leading in on-farm animal care”. This means the sector will develop and implement a framework that ensures every animal is valued and treated with care and respect and achieve all farmers implementing and reporting under the framework by 2023.
MORE:
To find out more about the strategy, visit www.dairytomorrow.co.nz
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Tail trimming is allow in new rules that ban tail shortening.
be prohibited. A vet will still be allowed to shorten or dock a tail under local anaesthetic if it is damaged or diseased. We know from our interactions with farmers that most of you have already stopped shortening tails a long time ago, which is great because it is painful for the cow and extensive research shows it does not improve udder hygiene or reduce mastitis and somatic cell counts. Better options for tail management include good hygiene, stockmanship and vaccination programmes that have been found to be a much more effective option. A cow’s tail actually provides a range of benefits including allowing her to swat away flies and communicate intentions and moods to herd mates and handlers. Trimming a cow’s tail hair, or switch, is allowed under the new regulations. This is a good option to help maintain
Removing the last two-three vertebrae of a cow’s tail will be prohibited.
udder health and keep cows’ udders and milkers’ faces clean while still allowing cows to deter flies. Tails can be trimmed using hand shears, scissors or electric trimmers. It’s up to you and what works best for your farm system and team.
MORE:
For more information on tail trimming visit www.dairynz.co.nz/tail-management or to find out more about the new tail shortening regulations visit www.mpi.govt.nz DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
Sharpen up burndown of 60+ weeds Fast control of the toughest broadleaf weeds crop-solutions.basf.co.nz
DAIRY CHAMPION
No ordinary job Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis has a lot on his plate. Sonita Chandar reports.
F
EDERATED Farmers national dairy chairman Chris Lewis says farmer’s lives have been turned upside down over the past few years but that is the nature of the dairy industry. “There is never a dull moment in dairying,” Lewis said. “I am actually looking forward to some dull moments. It would be nice to have a quiet moment and catch our breathe.” Lewis served as national vicepresident in the dairy section for three years and replaced Andrew Hoggard in the top job a year ago. He knew he would have big shoes to fill.
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“Andrew is the benchmark of the Feds. He did a great job despite the huge challenges facing the industry. “Eventually, I hope to set a new benchmark for my successor to reach and surpass, which is how we will drive this industry forward and take this organisation to an even better place in the future.” He has a wish list of things he wants to achieve during his term and said Hoggard probably had a similar list. “No doubt, Andrew had things he wanted to achieve during his term but he served during the low-payout years which was tough on everyone.” With the milk payout and the global markets improving Lewis was relishing
taking on the role until Mycoplasma bovis hit. “I had all these good intentions to do this and that but the M bovis situation is sucking a massive amount of time and resources from the industry. “It is fair to say the issue has overtaken everything else.” Lewis will be keeping a close eye on what happens with the disease, how things are managed and whether targets are met. “The Feds and dairy farmers support the effort to eradicate the disease as those who have been affected have taken a massive hit.
Continued page 34 DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
DAIRY CHAMPION
Federated Farmer national dairy chairman Chris Lewis was relishing taking on the role until Mycoplasma bovis hit the country’s herds.
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
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DAIRY CHAMPION “A few have left the industry.” He is also keen for the next round of milk-testing in spring to get under way to identify any further infected farms. “People don’t realise what a massive undertaking this has been.
I am passionate about ensuring better employment practices in the industry. “We have had to learn about M bovis – it is a complicated thing to detect but also a fast-moving beast. “Affected farmers have needed and do need support and help in dealing with the Ministry for Primary Industries
Chris Lewis has a wishlist of things he wants to achieve during his term. 34
and how to deal with things moving forward.” Lewis said M bovis is not affecting only farmers but also the wider community including urban people. “Organisations such as IHC have benefited from $1.4m worth of donated stock in the past for fundraising and sports clubs and schools would have had a similar amount donated if not more. “They rely on fundraising and especially donations to survive. “If you look at rural schools, many have town children on their rolls so fundraising for things like camp fees will affect them as well. The potential is there for them to take a massive hit from not having that support from farmers.” Balancing the demands of his role with family, friends and farming is a challenge as the role is no ordinary nineto-five job. “I get calls all the time and I have 600 contacts in my cellphone. “But at the end of the day I am a conduit of information to guide people in the right direction. “As a farmer I know where they are coming from as I have been through it too.” Farming runs through his veins and though he grew up on a sheep and beef unit he saw dairying as a way to progress further and quicker. “As a kid I mucked around on motorbikes and machinery so they were a big part of the attraction of farming. “I really enjoyed drystock farming but I knew dairying would help me achieve my goal of farm ownership.” During school holidays he worked on a nearby dairy farm to gain experience and earn pocket money. He remembers walking into the cowshed for the first time and followed the farmer’s lead and began changing cups. “I was a bit worried about getting pooped on – cows tend to behave like the animals they are.” Leaving school he joined the farm cadet scheme and completed a certificate of agriculture. In 2006 he and wife Caroline bought the farm at Pukeatua in Waikato. The farm is 360 hectares milking 1150 cows on 330 effective. They also own a 140ha drystock unit. “The farm needed a lot of development. We put in new races, fences, water supply, upgraded the effluent system and sprayed and regrassed the whole place.”
He joined the Feds in 1997 when he needed some help with lower-order sharemilking contracts and not long after, a neighbour invited him to attend a meeting. Over the years he has held a number of positions including serving as Waikato provincial president. His role as national dairy chairman is a step up from working with district and regional councils at a provincial level to interacting with central government and agencies in Wellington as well as the dairy companies. “The issues are still the same but at a national level. “Having served in different roles has given me a good grounding and exposure to lots of things including difficult people. “Not everybody sees farming as we farmers do and that is a real challenge to communicate the good things in the industry.” A notable change is dealing with media – something Hoggard also grappled with in his first year in the role. “At a junior level I probably only dealt with media a couple of times a year but now I talk to someone nearly every day and the secret is to be well-prepared and ahead of the issues. “But sometimes the issues, you find out first hand from a well-informed reporter on a developing news story. That can be hard, reacting on the spot, as the reporter is hoping you do react and get a headline from you.” He is looking forward to moving on from M bovis and working on his wish list. “I am passionate about ensuring better employment practices in the industry and we recently completed the Workplace Action Plan with DairyNZ, now relooking at it and implementing new goals and targets with the Dairy Women’s Network. “We need to ensure there are pathways for people including immigrants to get into farming as a career and to achieve farm ownership.” He is also big on environmental sustainability, economic prosperity and ensuring farmers have a strong voice both locally and in Wellington. “All sides of big issues and goals need to be worked and we need to do this together. “It brings people together so they can use their skills collectively to deal with DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
DAIRY CHAMPION things. That is the advantage of having a big network such as the Feds.” Lewis said farmers have copped a lot in the past few years and have hit a wall of regulations they have to abide by. “It bugs me that a Cabinet minister recently said that ‘dairy farmers are making a good profit at the moment’.
We are not sitting on a pile of cash. I wish we were. “The reality is that every spare dollar farmers may have, either the bank has their hand out for it or it is being invested back into the farm to meet that wall of regulations. “It is easy to assume that farmers are turning a big profit when the reality is that many are just managing to keep their head above the water. “We are not sitting on a pile of cash. I wish we were.”
Chris Lewis is finding balancing work with farming and family is a challenge. The Lewis family, from left, Chris, Daniel, 10, Olivia, 13, and Caroline enjoy spending time at nearby Lake Arapuni.
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RESEARCH
Consider plantain C O NC R ET E
I NT ER NA L W A LL
INGE P
Bala Tikkisetty is a sustainable agriculture adviser at Waikato Regional Council. Contact him on 0800 800 401.
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GUT OWNPI & D
GAT E S
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G E IN P R I E P T WN UT O G& D
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T IS well established that urine patches can contribute to levels of nitrogen in intensively grazed pastures in excess of the pasture’s ability to use. Nitrogen is a key element of plant growth and is essential for animal productivity and overall farm profitability. However, in areas where cows are grazed nitrogen is lost from farm systems and can contaminate streams and other water bodies. Excluding natural plant fixation of atmospheric nitrogen, the two main sources of nitrogen originate from the application of fertiliser and urine
DRACOEIRL
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perennial ryegrass and white clover pastures. In a recent trial in Waikato, the milk production and urinary nitrogen output were measured for cows grazing four pasture mixtures. The mixtures were chosen to provide greater milksolids production and to reduce UN excretion relative to a conventional ryegrass/white clover pasture. The UN concentration from cows grazing plantain pastures was significantly less than from those grazing non-plantain pastures in both summer, 38% lower, and spring, 21% lower. So, if you are looking for ways to reduce nitrogen leaching from your farm while maintaining production levels, including plantain in your pastures is well worth considering.
S LA B
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Bala Tikkisetty
deposits from farm animals. Plants can use nitrate more easily. However, when nitrate concentration exceeds plant assimilation requirements a build-up of nitrate in soil solution is likely and this nitrogen is highly susceptible to leaching. Some of the research to mitigate the nitrogen losses has focused on growing pasture with more rooting depth for interception of nitrate, duration controlled grazing for reducing the amount of time animals spend on pasture and feeding various types of pasture species for reducing dietary protein. Plantain appears to be a key species for increasing drymatter production and reducing urine nitrogen concentration. A Lincoln University study showed a 1% greater milksolids production per day in late lactation combined with a 56% reduction in urinary nitrogen (UN) concentration from cows grazing pure plantain in comparison with irrigated
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DAIRY FARMER 23/07/18 August 2018 3:20 PM
SCIENCE
Methane breakthrough
A
SMART cattle nose-ring developed by a British agtech start-up might hold the key to reducing burped methane from cows while creating a market for added-value beef and dairy products from certified low-emission herds. Methane, a greenhouse gas, is emitted from ruminants in the digestive process. And with meat and milk production expected to double by 2050 previous suggestions for methane-reducing solutions have ranged from scientific rumen additives to the bizarre methanecollecting backpacks. Now, the Zero Emissions Livestock Project (Zelp), a start-up from London’s Royal College of Art’s Innovation Centre, believes it has the answer. The son of a fourth-generation cattle farmer from Argentina, Francisco Norris, has combined his agricultural knowledge with his design expertise – and a trio of electronic, mechanical and chemical engineers – to develop a wearable device that oxidises methane as it leaves the animal. Zelp intends to provide the device to farmers at no cost. The company’s value proposition relies on three income streams. The first, in partnership with processors and retailers, is to develop certification schemes for low-emission beef and dairy products. “Our market research shows two-thirds of the middle to high-income population would pay up to 27% more for green, low-emission products,” Norris said. “We’ll set up and administer the schemes – we’re in discussion with three of the biggest United States meat
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
The Zelp nose ring weighs no more than a copper one and can be used to monitor animal performance as well as cutting methane emissions.
and dairy processors – and share that premium with the producer.” A device-wearing cow also becomes a carbon credit generator. Each animal could generate two or three carbon credits a year, which can be traded and sold. Then there’s the value of the aggregated data for production and profitability insights. “If we can get this right, low-emission meat helps put us back in the game against synthetic and plant-based meats from the laboratory,” Norris said. “If we can eliminate the methane, we can reduce ruminants’ impact on the environment by a factor of 85.” Prototype testing moves up a gear later this year when the device starts trials at Argentina’s National Institute of Agricultural Technology. An angel funding application is under way, which will be directed towards further research
and development next year. “If development continues as planned, we’ll bring Zelp to the market in 2020,” he said. “As the cow exhales the device detects methane and activates a micro-oxidation chamber where it’s turned into carbon dioxide and water vapour. “We expect to convert up to 80% of the cow’s exhaled methane.” The patent-pending device also features other technology for additional producer benefits. “Methane isn’t just greenhouse gas emissions but lost energy for the cow, wasting up to 12% of feed energy,” he said. “By counting the oxidations and recording the animal’s calorific conversion efficiency we learn which cows have a more efficient gut. “Then we can select cows with a lowpollution genotype, and the farmer has another metric on which to select higherperforming, more profitable animals.” Geolocation is standard and the device is battery-powered, backed up by two mini solar panels and a thermo-electric generator. The device transmits data to a cloud server where it is stored for the animal’s lifetime and is accessible to the producer for management and analysis. UK Farmers Weekly 37
SCIENCE
M bovis tests strain lab capacity TIM FULTON NEW Zealand laboratories did 124,000 Mycoplasma bovis tests in the past year – three to four times more than their peak output before the disease was discovered. The Government gave the Ministry for Primary Industries $43 million for M bovis testing, an MPI spokeswoman said. The ministry used five accredited, private laboratories and state-owned AsureQuality facilities. At MPI’s Wallaceville animal health laboratory in Upper Hutt 40 staff, 27 from MPI and 13 contractors, were involved in the testing. But MPI did not know how much the programme has cost. The only tests available for diagnosing M bovis-infected animals are polymerase chain reaction and an antibody test. The reaction test finds DNA from a virus or bacteria. It is best for detecting M bovis in individual animals but is not effective if an animal is not shedding when tested. Infected cattle shed when showing clinical signs of illness but might also sometimes shed without showing signs of illness. If an animal is not shedding the bacteria its DNA will not be present in the sample and the test will be negative. “So, you also have to take other factors into account when choosing to purchase animals. The advice is therefore not to base a decision only on the result of a laboratory test,” a spokesman said. The test can be used on milk samples, swabs from the back of the throat but they are hard to get, fluid from swollen joints of clinical animals and semen or preputial swabs in bulls. It can’t be used on blood samples. The other test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, finds antibodies to bacteria in the animal’s blood. It looks for the body’s immune response to an infecting organism rather than looking for the organism itself. 38
The Ministry for Primary Industries has 300 people working on the Mycoplasma bovis response and is thinking of setting up an M bovis directorate.
That test can give information at the herd level by looking at how a group of animals’ immune systems are reacting to bacteria like M bovis, which helps determine if it is present in the herd. “Because there can be antibody crossreactions with other bacteria normally found in NZ and because the test is not perfect, the results from a herd can be very difficult to interpret. This test is not available for commercial use in NZ at this time but MPI is using it as part of our testing regime.” Vetcare Heifer Grazing and Bull Hire consultant John Pickering said only the reaction test is commercially available because MPI needs every assay test kit it can get its hands on to test the large numbers of cattle necessary to attempt eradication. Pickering said both tests are useful only in groups of animals, not individuals. As the number of animals tested in a herd increases and the number of times an animal is tested, the sensitivity of detecting an infected herd increases but is never 100% reliable. Labour-intensive; time-consuming and expensive reaction testing of nasopharyngeal or preputial swabs or semen is commercially available for service bulls but, for similar reasons, is
The test is not perfect, the results from a herd can be very difficult to interpret. MPI
not reliable enough and not practical for testing large numbers of bulls. Even if the assay blood test becomes commercially available there is too big a risk of false positives, Pickering said. MPI response manager David Yard last month told North Canterbury sheep and beef farmers the ministry had cleared out whole floors of its Wellington head office to manage M bovis and is setting up regional contact centres. MPI has about 300 staff working on M bovis at any one time and is thinking about setting up an M bovis directorate. The spokesman later said MPI is working through the details about how that will be structured. DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
SCIENCE
Cultivar yields under spotlight DAIRYNZ’s Forage Value Index (FVI) helps farmers choose the bestperforming grasses for their region using its simple five-star rating system. Trials have now started to test the FVI systems under realistic dairy farm management conditions, DairyNZ senior scientist Cathal Wims said. The DairyNZ FVI is an independent, region-specific, profit-based index for short-term and perennial ryegrass cultivars. It allows farmers to select cultivars based on the expected economic value to their business. It categorises cultivars into five star-rated groups in each dairy region – those with a higher star rating are expected to deliver greater economic value for dairy farmers. The FVI is supported by a comprehensive, levy-funded programme of research and was launched in 2012. It’s now entering a validation phase, testing the FVI systems under realistic farm management conditions. That will give DairyNZ increased confidence the FVI methodology is robust and that the FVI can be trusted. The FVI measures only seasonal dry matter (DM) yield but DairyNZ plans to include metabolisable energy and persistence in the index. Trials are taking place on DairyNZ’s Scott Farm, just outside Hamilton, and are managed by DairyNZ’s science, technical and farm teams. Over the past three autumns 40 hectares of pasture was regrassed, with equal areas sown to high- and lowranked FVI cultivars. The high-ranked FVI cultivars were
Trials have started in Waikato and Southland to test DairyNZ’s Forage Value Index against the actual performance of various cultivars in realistic dairy farm conditions.
KEY POINTS 1. Trials have started to test the FVI systems. 2. They’ll compare high- and low-ranked FVI cultivars. 3. The research will measure milk and pasture production and calculate operating profit. 4. It will ensure FVI methodology is robust and a trusted tool for farmers.
selected from the five-star rating band in the FVI for the upper North Island while the low-ranked FVI cultivars were selected from the one- and two-star rating bands. All cultivars were sown with white clover, which is standard farm practice. The pastures were used to create two farm systems treatments: one based on low-ranked FVI cultivars and another based on high-ranked FVI cultivars. They will be compared in a three-year
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farm system experiment that started last month. The aim is to determine whether DM yield differences of the cultivars emerge as expected and translate into profit rankings matching their relative FVI positions. “We’ll measure milk production and pasture production and calculate the operating profit from each system,” Wims said. The Scott Farm trials are being supported by work at the Southern Dairy Hub where 32ha was regrassed using either high- or low-ranked FVI cultivars in February 2017. The results of these tests will also be shared when they are available.
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HERD HEALTH
Lameness – don’t blame the rain Neil Chesterton
THE season before last vets all over New Zealand treated about twice as many lame cows as they did the previous year. What happened? One day I was talking to a farmer who had heaps of lame cows and he said “The rain caused it.” It is true that whenever we get extended periods of wet weather, as we did again this last year, the number of lame cows goes up but does rain cause lameness? The interesting thing was that the farmer’s immediate neighbour didn’t have a lameness problem so the rain couldn’t have been the cause. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a major risk. What I want to discuss in this article is the difference between cause and risk. We need to see lameness as a risky business. So, if rain doesn’t cause
lameness why does it seem that lameness increases in rainy periods on some farms and not others? The reason is that rain exposes many of the other risk factors. For example, rain might expose a poor surface of a track that in dry weather is covered in soft, protective, dry faeces, In rainy weather mud and gravel is carried onto the concrete surfaces if there is no transition surface before the concrete. Rain exposes poorly drained areas of the track. Rain tests the patience of herders. So rain makes existing risks more risky. In our pasture system, 90% of the lameness is due to only four types of lesion – whiteline injury (WL), sole injury (SI), axial wall crack (AWC) and footrot (FR). The mix of lesions will vary from farm to farm. On some farms 90% can be caused by just one lesion such as white-line injury. On another farm 60% might be white line and 20% sole injuries. I have been to a farm where
almost 60% of the lameness was because of axial wall cracks. What is the difference between these farms? What we find is that each lesion type has a different set of possible risk factors and never a single cause. On each farm there will be a different set of hazards or risks for lameness. I remember one farmer ringing for help. He was conscientiously recording what he found when he treated his lame cows. He contacted me at the end of February because something had changed. Until Christmas nearly every cow was treated for WL. Now in February, when he called for help, about 50% had WL and about 40% had sole injuries. His observations made it much easier to identify what had happened – the risks had changed. So, what do you do if you have a lameness problem? First, it is important to record what you are finding because the type of lesion tells you something about
Slow milkings in poorly designed sheds, small yards, backing gates moving too fast and rough track surfaces are risks for lameness. 40
what risk factors to look for. If the risk factors are not obvious to you, get someone from outside to do the looking for you. It is amazing how easy it can be to see your neighbour’s risk factors yet miss those on your own farm. There are vets in many practices trained as DairyNZ Healthy Hoof Providers who can help and because they go to many farms they will see risk factors you never thought of. I visited a large farm where they had treated almost 300 lame cows out of their 850 cows before Christmas. Here we put all these principles in to practice.
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
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Distance walked acts as a multiplier of other risks of lameness.
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It is amazing how easy it can be to see your neighbour’s risk factors yet miss those on your own farm. The farm had excellent records. The problem was mainly WL injuries. The records showed about 270 lames were cows from the older herd of 550 cows and only 30 from the 300-cow younger herd. I quickly realised they had only half a lame problem. Both herds had lots of white-line risk factors – pressure herding, slow milkings in a poorly designed rotary shed, a small yard, a backing gate moving too fast, track surfaces needing resurfacing. These risks did not cause WL, they only made it more possible that cows might end up with WL. The straw that broke the camel’s back for the older herd was longer walking distances plus by accident the older herd had been grazed on six of the farthest paddocks for six days in a row DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
– a big increase in risks. Distance walked is a multiplier of the other risks. By itself the distance would not have been such a huge problem but together with the other risk factors it was a very significant problem. Records, another set of eyes and risky thinking found the source of the problem. Now it was up to the farm manager to lessen the risks. So, don’t just blame rain. Don’t just say “There is lameness everywhere this year”. Get a fresh set of eyes to help you to identify the risks on your farm. Then you can work on those risks knowing that you will decrease your lameness this year. Neil Chesterton of Vet Education Transfer Services can be contacted at chesterton@xtra.co.nz
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HERD HEALTH
Keep mastitis cows in check MIKE BAILEY
M
ASTITIS, we’ve all seen it and our cows continue to get it. It is undoubtedly the biggest animal health issue we face on farm and costs the industry millions of dollars. But what exactly is mastitis? Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder and teat in lactating cows usually caused by an immune system reaction to a bacterial infection. It will cause a decrease in milk production and quality. In extreme
cases mastitis can result in one or more quarters of the udder drying up and can cause the cow to get very sick and die. There are two types of mastitis: subclinical and clinical. With sub-clinical animals get a mild infection that can be difficult to detect and can present as mild udder or teat inflammation and slimy milk quality. There might be no noticeable symptoms other than an elevated bulk somatic cell count and it can be hard to isolate. Clinical mastitis is a serious infection that will present itself initially with hard or glutinous globules or clots in the milk and is easily detected when stripped.
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The udder might be swollen and hot and she will not generally milk out fully. With both clinical and sub-clinical
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August 2018
you will see elevated SCC in the bulk milk testing and that indicates the cow’s immune system is working at something not quite right. With clinical mastitis a good operator will generally pick up cases as they present but as herds and sheds get bigger and more automated it’s less likely there will always be an experienced person at cups-off where hard quarters and cows not fully milked out will be identified.
The bulk somatic cell count numbers give a very good indication as to the estimated infection status of your herd. In this instance the filter sock will be the first place a problem is picked up. Sub-clinical is more likely to be picked up by a spike or gradual increase in the BSCC reading as shown on the daily docket. In both cases the next step is to strip the herd and look for the low hanging fruit, ie the obvious clinical cases. Stripping can be done in stages over a couple of milkings with back quarters stripped in the morning and front quarters in the evening. In my experience you seem to get more cases in the back quarters so start there. If it’s sub-clinical you might need to California Mastitis Test but also go back to the most recent herd test and look at any serial offenders with high cell counts. Once identified treat as per vet recommendation. So we know what to look for but what is causing mastitis? Disease-causing bacteria are called pathogens. The most common mastitis pathogens are found in the udder tissues and spread from cow to cow (contagious pathogens) or in the herd’s surroundings (environmental pathogens). Contagious pathogens that cause mastitis tend to live on the cow’s udder and teat skin and transfer from affected cow or quarter to unaffected cow or DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
quarter during milking. These pathogens can colonise and grow and end up in the teat canal where the infection occurs. Environmental mastitis pathogens are present in the environment as their name suggests. They will be affected to a greater or lesser degree by prevailing conditions. The pathogen can enter the teat canal by force during milking, pre and post calving and when in muddy conditions either in the paddock, tracks, yards or feed pads. The environmental pathogens do not possess the same ability as contagious pathogens to adhere to and colonise the teat. Therefore, dry cow therapy (DCT) has little value in their control because these kinds of infections do not carry from one lactation to the next. The major pathogens are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus uberis, accounting for 86% of all cases. The bulk somatic cell count numbers give a very good indication as to the estimated infection status of your herd. Minimising the incidence of mastitis in your herd starts with a systematic approach across the season.
CALVING Calve on clean pasture or a clean, dry calving pad. Milk cows as soon as possible and check for mastitis, CMT paddle test before cows enter the herd. Focus on hygiene at this sensitive stage in the lactation.
LACTATION Provide a stress-free environment for the cows. Stressed cows will exhibit elevated cell counts. Provide high levels of hygiene, wear gloves, be aware of splashing too much water around and potentially contaminating teats. Cups-on needs to be a calm and consistent routine.
CHECK VACUUM Cups-off should be checking for obvious signs of mastitis, teat end damage, alert management to cup slip and monitor or execute teat spray system.
Maintain and use correct liners. Teat spray entire season.
HERD TEST Monitor BSCC and react by identifying and treating offenders.
DRYING OFF Decide on rules for drying cows off – whole herd or partial. Condition score, yield etc. What treatments you will use (Teatseal, short or long-acting DCT or both Teatseal and DCT)? Who will deliver these treatments and training required? What cows are to be culled based on mastitis and cell count history? Maintain good records and be aware of withholding periods for early calvers. It has been widely flagged that blanket DCT will cease to be an option going forward and will mean either Teatseal for lower SCC cows, if any treatment is to be used, and DCT for cows above a certain threshold. Special care needs to be taken when administering anything into a cow’s treat canal and especially so with Teatseal. Use gloves and wipes supplied and follow the instructions set out with the product chosen.
DRY PERIOD Cows are susceptible to new cases of mastitis immediately following dry-off. Observe cows in the paddock for swollen quarters. Run cows through the shed every 14 days once you are satisfied cows are fully dry over the dry period. Use a lactation antibiotic on any clinical cases. Mastitis is a complex issue and every situation is slightly different. There are plenty of resources available to help you get on top of a particular problem or maintain a satisfactory status. Start with maintaining good animal husbandry and hygiene, teat spray all season, monitor your cows’ individual status by regularly herd testing. Train your staff well by using the resources available such as SmartSAMM from DairyNZ and your vet and consultant. Mike Bailey is a FarmWise consultant in Waikato/South Auckland. Contact him on 027 270 2364 or mike.bailey@lic.co.nz 43
CALF REARING
Calf-rearing tips
Your staff as well as your calves need looking after. Photo: Lee Davies
W
ITH calving well under way successful rearing will be high on the agenda for dairy farmers around the country. DairyNZ’s animal care team ,anager Helen Thoday says having the right knowledge and skills for the job makes the team’s life easier and more rewarding and ensures all calves receive the best start to life. If farmers didn’t get the chance to attend one of DairyNZ’s calving smart workshops or need a quick refresher the following information will be helpful in the weeks ahead. Encourage regular breaks It’s tempting when busy to skip breaks but that is often counterproductive. Tired, hungry or dehydrated people make mistakes. Remind your team it’s important to take regular breaks to prevent burnout. A quick snack and drink of water between meal breaks can go a long way to recharging energy levels. Checking new-born calves Cows and calves can get separated in the calving paddock. Calves can hide in drains, hollows, hedges and long grass or they might walk under break fences so remember to take your time checking the paddock. It’s useful to know that in cold, wet and windy weather calves will tend to walk in the direction of the wind. 44
Picking up calves more than once a day There is only a short window of opportunity for calves to absorb colostrum and get the full health benefits of this liquid gold. Ideally, calves should drink at least two litres of fresh colostrum during the first six hours of life to get the protective antibodies. Picking up calves more than once a day can make a huge difference to the amount of colostrum they get during that short time. If the weather is bad calves should be picked up more often. Better access to grain Calves eat grain shortly after they drink milk. If all the calves in the pen can access the grain feeder at the same time it helps encourage intake. Observe your calves to see how many feed after drinking and how many can fit around the feeder. Most calf rearers like to wean calves when they are eating at least 1kg/day. It’s hard to tell what they are eating, however, and recent studies show the grain intake can vary from 0.2-1.9kg/ day. To help encourage your calves to eat grain, position your meal feeder so it’s easily visible to help them find it. Making it longer will also make it easier for them to all access the grain. Biosecurity for calves Good biosecurity practices can help keep calves and the farm team healthy. Your replacement calf shed should be a fortress. Having dedicated personal
protective equipment for the calf sheds is an easy form of biosecurity and many farms find this easier than managing footbaths and scrubbing boots. For information on Mycoplasma bovis precautions for calf rearing visit dairynz. co.nz/mbovis.
GENERAL CALF HEALTH Daily health checks are a good way to help you identify and treat any issues early. From a distance, check if there are any calves: • Isolated from the group; • Not interested in feeding or; • Behaving differently to the group. Check calves over while they are feeding: • Treat navels with iodine to reduce infection risk and dry the navel quicker; • Feel for abnormal/swollen navels regularly; • Look for scours or dirty bums; • Look for any with dull or sunken eyes or walking unsteadily and; • Look for any not feeding as enthusiastically as the others. “Calves that are well cared for have a reduced risk of disease and cost less to rear,” Thoday says. “They grow faster and go on to be stronger, well-grown replacements that will continue to develop into valuable, productive adults.” DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
HERD HEALTH
AI to monitor cows
F
ARMER-OWNED cooperative LIC is in the early stages of developing artificial intelligence (AI) software to allow early detection of lameness from cow gait. With a focus on farm improvement and research to keep New Zealand at the leading edge of dairy farming, LIC is experimenting with AI and sophisticated imaging techniques to monitor and track lameness daily. Injuries and illnesses of hooves, or lameness, can lead to declining body condition and milk production and, if left untreated, affect cow survival. That results in significant losses for the dairy industry. LIC science leader Bevin Harris said the new technology could let farmers detect lameness at a much earlier stage, leading to shorter recovery times and, therefore, lower costs and improved
cow health and welfare. “Lameness is concerning for farmers on several fronts – health and safety for both cow and farmer as well as the cost and time involved in detecting and treating animals. “With this new technology farmers could receive daily alerts that show trends. “This trend information can then be used to develop prevention strategies that address the underlying causes of lameness at an earlier stage. In time we expect to see a reduction in the overall incidence of lameness through the use of this software,” Harris said. A Massey University study found only 27% of the cows showing reduced mobility – a lameness score of at least 2 – were identified by farmers. LIC intends to develop a system that will identify all levels of lameness and output a lameness score based on the DairyNZ scale of 0-3, tracking and
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recording the movement of each hoof and head using cameras. LIC expects AI-powered image analysis to be revolutionary to dairy farmers, who need training to lameness score and spend time monitoring and recording each animal as they see them. “Our aim is that the system will identify all levels of lameness,” Harris said. “Smart use of this early trend information can be very useful to reduce workload on-farm.” Knowing the low-level lameness trend allows farmers to make early changes in environmental or herd management conditions to avoid a rapid increase in cases of lameness. That can be achieved by improving races,or grazing in closer paddocks at critical times or seeking professional advice. The co-op is hoping to start prototyping a system this season.
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August 2018
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CALF REARING
Calf-rearing essen
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LMOST half of all newborn dairy calves, if left to their own devices, do not get sufficient colostrum quickly enough to develop an effective immune system, Energy Vets Taranaki vet Aaron chambers of Inglewood says. New-born calves must receive adequate colostrum in the first eight to 12 hours. “For a calf’s immune system to be strong enough to prevent diseases like the scours there have to be enough antibodies passed on to the calf from the cow’s colostrum,” Chambers said. “Antibodies can be passed on to the calf only in the first eight to 12 hours as after this time the antibodies cannot pass from the gut to the bloodstream where they build immunity. “Almost half of the calves born, if left to their own devices, do not consume enough colostrum in this critical period to develop an effective immune system. “Every calf coming into the shed needs to be fed at least two litres of firstmilking colostrum, followed by a further two litres in the next six to eight hours. “It is extremely important to feed an adequate volume of good-quality colostrum to the new-born calf to protect it against disease. Calves need to receive at least 10% to 15% of their bodyweight as colostrum, ie a 40kg calf needs a minimum of four litres, split over two feeds. This works out at two 2-litre feeds or two 3-litre feeds, depending on the size of the calf. “Make sure you watch calves drinking to identify any potential problems, such as slow drinkers.” But not all colostrum is equal, Chambers said. Gold colostrum, ie first-milking colostrum, contains the highest concentration of antibodies. It should be fed to new-born calves for at least their first two feeds and longer if available. Milkings two to eight of the colostrum period no longer contain enough antibodies for the newborn and should be fed to the older calves. This is transitional milk, not colostrum. “Gold colostrum should be stored 46
Veterinarian Aaron Chambers says calves must receive enough good quality colostrum within the first eight to 12 hours to build their immunity.
separately from the transitional milk.” Personal hygiene and hygiene with the calf-rearing shed are essential to prevent the spread of disease-carrying organisms. “The organisms that cause disease are found everywhere,” Chamber said. “Poor hygiene leads to increasing the number and spread of these organisms.
The organisms that cause disease are found everywhere. “Always attend to and feed the youngest animals first and make sure you are not carrying any faeces or muck on your boots, leggings or hands. Calves always suck your fingers or leggings and if they are contaminated the calves will quickly become infected. Always wear gloves when dealing with the calves.” Calf-rearing sheds should ideally be north to east facing and while well-ventilated to avoid a build-up of ammonia, should be warm. Calves must
be kept dry and free of draughts. “If using an open-sided hay shed make sure the shed is twice as deep as it is wide to ensure the calves can get far enough away from the entrance to be warm, dry and draught-free at the back of the shed. “Pens should have solid partitions to minimise the risk of crosscontamination between pens. There should be easy access to each pen so you don’t have to go through one pen to get to another and thus minimise the risk of spreading bugs. Pens should be big enough to allow adequate space of 1.5-2 square metres a calf. “Fill each pen as calves are born and keep them in the same pen. “Don’t shift sick calves from one pen to another and don’t introduce new calves once a pen has been filled. If you introduce young calves to a group of older calves their immune systems are not prepared for the number or type of bugs the older group will have. Groups of calves should be no more than seven days in age difference. “Feed the youngest calves first then older calves. Feed the sick ones last. “Keep topping up bedding in pens as they become soiled.” DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
ntials Good planning is essential to produce healthy calves and that begins before they are born. Preparation for the arrival of calves includes ensuring pens are set up and ready. There should be good bedding, which must be dry. The vats in which colostrum is to be stored should be cleaned. Calf feeders should be cleaned and disinfected. The kit for taking into the calving paddocks should be ready to go. It should contain calf identification tags to tie around their necks for tagging later or ID tags for the ear, iodine, calcium for milk fever cows and calving chains. Rotavirus, coronavirus and E coli are three of the more common causes of calf scours and vaccinating against these pathogens is a very useful tool to aid in the control of calf scours, Chambers said. “Vaccination is highly recommended for farms that have diagnosed any of the above pathogens in the past as a cause of calf scours. “The vaccine stimulates the cow’s immune system to produce antibodies against these three pathogens and these antibodies are transferred in high quantities into the colostrum. It is important to understand the calves still need to drink enough of this high-quality colostrum as soon as possible after birth to ensure they benefit from the vaccine. Some cows are natural shedders of rotavirus and vaccinating them reduces shedding of the virus in the dung, too.” Chambers advises picking up calves twice daily. “This will ensure the calves get their first feed of colostrum early enough. Calves left on a cow are less likely to get enough colostrum. “If this is not an option take some colostrum down to the calving mob to feed the new-born calves if they won’t be picked up until the next morning. They can then have their second feed when they get brought to the shed. Navels should be sprayed as calves go in the trailer. “The sooner calves get out of the weather and off muddy paddocks, the better because there is less exposure to potentially harmful pathogens. In bad DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
Calf-rearing sheds should ideally be north to east-facing and, while wellventilated to avoid a build-up of ammonia, should be warm.
weather calves are cold and weak and therefore less likely to drink off the cow. You will need to do a bad-weather run if the weather turns ugly.” Meal concentrate should be available to calves in small quantities from day one though calves won’t eat much but they will be interested and slowly eat more. It is also crucial calves are given fresh water daily.
Don’t shift sick calves from one pen to another and don’t introduce new calves once a pen has been filled. “Make sure the water troughs do not leak, to keep the pens dry. Bugs love moisture. Elevate troughs to keep them clean and free from calf faecal contamination. “Warmed milk is better than cold as calves waste less energy processing it. Milk heaters can quickly warm milk before feeding. Shivering calves are wasting energy trying to warm up. “Calves can be introduced to grass at any stage but it should not be the main part of their diet until their rumens are developed. They need to be consuming at least .15kg to 2kg of meal a calf a day
before they are weaned.” “We must remember that a new-born calf is a neonate, totally dependent upon the calf rearer to provide nutrition, protection from the elements and protection from disease. “We rear calves in a very intensive manner with higher stocking rates than they would encounter in the natural state. This intensification increases the contamination occurring in a small area, which, in turn, increases the number of bacteria, viruses and other diseasecausing organisms the young animals are exposed to. “If their immune systems are not fully functioning, ie not enough colostrum intake, or they are exposed to other stress factors such as cold and drafty pens, poor hygiene or mucky, contaminated pens then disease will almost certainly result. “Most of the organisms that cause diseases like the scours are found everywhere in the environment or on the animals. “The calves will be exposed to these organisms and while we cannot prevent this, disease can be prevented if calves are exposed in a controlled manner with low numbers of the organisms and with a strong, fully functioning immune system. “This controlled exposure can be achieved with good calf-rearing practices such as minimising the contamination of pens, good hygienic principles, avoiding the mixing of different aged animals and maximising colostrum intake from birth,” Chambers said. 47
As well as producing 85,000kg MS this farm also rears beef cattle and crops.
Year-round farming climate, results in good production. The 200-cow herd produces about 85,000kg milksolids as well as rearing most of the calves and finishing many of them. As well as dairy and beef the farm regularly grows up to 30ha of maize for silage or seed to sell. Cows are milked through a 20-aside herringbone dairy with a 300-cow yard and an adjacent feedpad that are used through the year for the split-calving regime to supply milk for Open Country. Supporting the farm operation is
KAIRANGA FARM WITHIN CITY BOUNDARY
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Les Cain of Sallan Realty on 0274 420 582.
DAIRY FARM WITH LIFESTYLE
• This quality property is located on the outskirts of Palmerston North and is 76 hectares in four titles. • Currently milking cows and would be suited to any agricultural activity. • Has resource consent for intensive agriculture along with a recent upgrade to the cowshed effluent system. • Facilities include a 16 aside dairy, large machinery shed and very good hay shed. • Very nice stand of native timber that adds character to this farm and appeal. • With silt loam soils this could be a great chance to add a forage and heifer block to your current dairy business. • Call Les to inspect this property.
Sallan Realty
a big, six-bay machinery shed that doubles as a calf shed plus a large silage bunker and stock loafing area. A good bore supplies quality water to stock, the dairy and the two homes. Built on a rise that provides fantastic views over farmland is the threebedroom-plus-office main home while a second three-bedroom home can cater for staff. The farm is for sale by negotiation and has a rateable value of $3 million.
Google ‘Sallan Realty’ Your Farm Sales Specialist
• Have you ever wanted to go fishing in between milking? Well this is your chance. • This 525 acre property located in the central Horowhenua has all the features you and your family will be looking for. • A good mix of flat to rolling contour that has the ability to winter cows at home. • Modern herringbone dairy along with a nice five bedroom family home. • Our current Vendors and their family have loved living in this location and now it’s your chance to own this property. • With growth in this area who knows how great this farm could be as an investment in the future. • Call Les to inspect this property.
LK0093607©
A FIRST-FARM opportunity near Whanganui has a diverse income stream from dairy, beef and cropping with the luxury of living a short distance from the city and its lifestyle. Located in the coastal strip between Whanganui and Turakina provides an ideal climate, especially for winter pasture production on the farm with 83ha freehold and 92ha leased. The mainly flat to rolling contour of the farm covers good soil fertility with Olsen P levels averaging more than 40, which, combined with its coastal
LES CAIN 0274 420 582
Licensed Agent REAA 2008
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
High-tech operation WALCHA Dairy is one of Australia’s top dairy enterprises combining a dairy farm with the capacity to milk 1000 cows, a nearby 150ha heifer-raising facility and state-of-the-art technology. Located in New South Wales on a high-rainfall part of the New England tablelands provides a good base for a business that makes the most of technological advancements to ensure efficiency. The 478ha dairy farm was completely redesigned in 2008 and strategically fenced to achieve greatest productivity, which this season is forecast to be 560,000kg milksolids from 900 cows. The 80-unit rotary has milk meters, electronic cup removers and automatic teat sprayers in place to enhance ease of milking while world-leading technology provides important data for herd management. GEA DairyPlan C21 software assists planning, operating and monitoring milk production, reproduction, feeding and health of the cows that can be analysed and used to make the correct decisions at the right time. GEA CowScout neck monitors have an alert function that reacts when a cow is exhibiting feeding or health problems so they can be solved quickly and appropriately. It also measures the amount of time the cow spends eating roughage and grazing and whether that differs from the previous 10 days. Technology comes into play in surveillance as well, offering coverage of the dairy’s operations inside the milking facility and around the property that can be remotely viewed from around the world. Walcha Dairy has a fully structured and documented management plan along with a highly-skilled management team that is capable of continuing the high level of management. Expressions of interest are sought for Walcha Dairy.
This unit has capacity to milk 1000 cows.
Australia’s Top Dairy
WALCHA DAIRY, NSW
626ha opportunity
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Stuart Watts, 0439 661 655, or Roddie Wyllie, 0427 377 513, from the Professionals Tamworth.
Targeted to supply profitable northern liquid milk market World class dairy on the NSW Northern Tablelands Producing over 7.3 million lts milk FY16/17, & over 7 million lts FY17/18 MS 533,000kg FY16/17 & MS $8.40/kg to May 31st FY17/18. Milk income 64 CPL to May 31st FY17/18
Additional milk payments in July/August approx. 4.3 CPL & $0.54/kg MS. Significant NSW production and freight competitive advantages with Full management team in place
Walcha Dairy is a true industry leader, making use of the latest technology and management practices to allow for the greatest productivity to be achieved. Roderick Wyllie Stuart Watts
0427 377 513 Roderick@protam.com.au 0439 661 655 stuart @protam.com.au
This 478ha dairy farm was redesigned in 2008. DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
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August 2018
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August 2018
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A supreme partnership
Southland farm is the top Dairy Business of the Year
Job opportunity came knocking
Never a dull moment for dairy chairman
Innovative approach to calf club days
One last word …
S
AME same but different – the Dairy Farmer is back, better and brighter than before. The same because we will continue to tell your stories. The on-farm stories will focus on farmers and what they are doing behind the farm gate. Experience tells us that is what people enjoy reading about the most. Every month we will bring you an on-farm story video. You’ll find it on our Farmers Weekly website, on You Tube or in your social media feed. They’re only two minutes long but they tell the story of farmers, farming families and the caring way we farm. Farmers are at the heart of the industry, every farm and farmer is different and every farmer has a story to tell. We will also continue to profile our dairy champions, those people working and making a difference in the industry. We are different because there will be more packed into each edition with new features being introduced in the coming months. This month we have four new additions – a farmer opinion piece, science and research sections and international news. The farmer opinion piece is open to anyone and everyone so if you have a burning issue that you want to talk about
DAIRY FARMER
August 2018
– good or bad – then get in touch. Research is ongoing in the sector with scientists and researchers always looking at new things and ways of doing things so the industry continues to be robust and sustainable. We will bring you international news so you can keep up with what is happening in the dairy sector around the world. One thing that hasn’t changed is me. I am thrilled to be back at my desk writing about this amazing industry of ours. While we at GlobalHQ understand and support the online presence of rural reporting we also recognise the power of print and know people like what they can touch so we are proud to produce Dairy Farmer for our farmers. Over the past few weeks I have been in touch with many of you to let you know GlobalHQ is publishing Dairy Farmer and have been heartened by the positive response and vibe from you all – it means we are doing something right and giving our readers what they want – a magazine dedicated to them. We recognise the importance of the agriculture sector to the country – the contribution you farmers make to the local economy is vital and we believe your stories need to be shared. Dairy Farmer is the only dairy magazine delivered to every letterbox on
every dairy farm across New Zealand. Along with our flagship paper Farmers Weekly, our rural titles are at the heart of their communities and inform and inspire hundreds of thousands of Kiwis each and every week. We hope you have enjoyed the first edition of Dairy Farmer as much as we have bringing it to you. Keep an eye out in your letterboxes for the next issue of Dairy Farmer. We will have more onfarm stories, another farming champion, all our regular features plus stories on cropping and pasture renewal and a feature on dairy bulls – all breeds to help you make the right breeding and purchasing decisions for your herd.
Sonita
n Dean and Cushla Williamson are Feilding publishers who recently established GlobalHQ Limited and acquired Farmers Weekly and Dairy Farmer. GlobalHQ is a farming familyowned business that donates 1% of advertising revenue to the Rural Support Trust. Need help now? You can talk to someone who understands the pressures of farming by phoning your local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254. 51
programme
If your herd fertility is going the wrong way