Dairy Farmer August 2023

Eye on the prize

Young Canterbury farmer wins

Farm Manager of the Year

PLUS:

Rolling up the sleeves

➜ Breeding efficiency for the national herd

➜ Mental health and wellbeing

➜ Focus on calving

Agricultural Work Matta™

Work Matta™ Excel

A mid-compression ooring solution for agricultural environments where safety of workers and animals is paramount.

Excel Open surface tiles provide excellent softness underfoot for anti-fatigue when working and is exceptionally e cient at displacing water ow and perfect for agricultural applications where hosing and ushing is used in cleanup.

Work Matta™ Comfort

A modular safety surfacing solution that ghts fatigue, and relieves pressure on joints from long hours standing on concrete.

Laid over the top over any surface, Comfort is laid over the top of rough ooring to prevent herd lameness, and contributing to happier and healthier cows.

• 6-year product warranty

• Easy wash down in a dairy shed application

• Outstanding air ow and drainage capability

• Interlocking system prevents mats coming apart

• Manufactured from 85% recycled PVC

• 6-year product warranty

• Diamond shield texture for extra grip

• Range of colours for de ning spaces

• Low maintenance, easy to clean and relocate

Available at Farm Source outlets soon.

Phone: 0800 628 827

Email: sales@mattaproducts.com

Website: www.mattaproducts.com

A Matta of comfort and safety

BY ANNE BOSWELL

Long hours of standing on hard, cold concrete can cause body strains and injuries to the most robust farmers –and their cows.

Now, the company behind New Zealand’s safest, softest and most sustainable playground matting has introduced a product that will signi cantly reduce the impact on farmers’ bodies while they work.

Work Matta Excel and Work Matta Comfort are two signi cant product o erings to the New Zealand agricultural market from Matta Products, the Kiwi company that has been designing and manufacturing sustainable and durable work and play surfacing for over 30 years.

Established by Murray Scott in 1992, the business started with the sole focus of producing mats for a multitude of markets. But since then, it has evolved into the go-to for high quality surfacing for a variety of environments under Work (agriculture, industrial and automotive spaces) and Play (playgrounds, tness centres, aquatic centres, kindergartens).

Matta is already well established in the New Zealand, British, North American and Australian markets, with the North American market already actively seeking Matta’s products for its agricultural industry. Current Matta Products owners Brent Harris and Dylan Matthews were certain their brand of high performing matting was perfect for New Zealand’s agricultural industry.

There are two products available in the Agricultural Work Matta range: Work Matta Excel and Work Matta Comfort. Both products are designed for workers who stand on hard oors for extended periods of time, with the goal of reducing fatigue, relieving pressure on joints and reducing leg and back strain. Both products are an ergonomic, mid-compression ooring solutions ideal for agricultural environments.

Work Matta Excel is an open-surface tile design that features outstanding air ow and drainage capability for the hosing down and dispersal of debrisladen water, such as that found in a dairy shed.

Work Matta Comfort is a closed surface tile with a diamond shield texture providing more grip to farmers where they do not want material owing beneath the matting surface.

There are plenty of agricultural matting products on the market, but Dylan says Matta’s point of di erence is that its products are made from PVC, not rubber.

“PVC is durable and has a 10-year life, compared with ve years with rubber,” Dylan says.

But perhaps the strongest focus for the company is its commitment to sustainability.

Recycling has always held a prominent position in the company’s ethos and over time it has perfected the technique of turning waste PVC into its high-quality products.

Matta Products is now working with several recycling initiatives to source raw material for its products, which are made from 85% recycled material.

Matta has already recycled 60 million kilograms of waste PVC and rubber to date: its waste streams include electrical cable insulation, clean hospital waste, healthcare manu-

facturing waste, road cones, aprons, in atable pool toys and some types of gumboots.

In 2022, Matta teamed up with Agrecovery, a rural recycling programme that has developed a scheme to allow farmers to recycle agricultural waste material for free.

Items such as Elanco Metabolic Solution bags, plastic containers and bale wrapping can be disposed of at collection boxes at Farm Source stores around the country via the Agrecovery scheme.

Elanco’s metabolic bags are made from PVC, which Matta Products can receive for recycling. Once they arrive at Matta Product’s Otaki manufacturing plant, the bags are shredded into smaller particles and blended with other recycled PVC and some additives before being injection-moulded into Matta’s nished goods.

“Using recycled material means there we are reducing virgin material going onto the market so it’s a win for land ll, for sure,” Dylan says. “And, at the end of the product life, the matting is 100% recyclable by Matta, something that is regularly undertaken.”

Matta products are designed for workers who stand on hard oors for extended periods of time to help reduce fatigue and relieve pressure on joints and leg and back strain.

CHEYENNE NICHOLSON 021 044 1335 offthehoofmedia@gmail.com

TONY BENNY 021 383 156 troutstream@farmside.co.nz

ANNE BOSWELL 027 394 3904 anne@anneboswell.co.nz

Sales ANDY WHITSON 027 626 2269 Sales & Marketing Manager andy.whitson@agrihq.co.nz

STEVE McLAREN – Auckland 027 205 1456 steve.mclaren@agrihq.co.nz

Young Canterbury farmer wins Farm Manager of the Year

Regs without rhyme or reason

By Hayden Dillon

Fast-moving regulations are strangling agribusiness and the economy, says Findex

It’s not regulation that’s the major issue for New Zealand’s farmers – it’s the hasty implementation of ill-conceived rules that are strangling the industry, as burdensome red tape intertwines with unforeseen repercussions, a perilous convergence akin to being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Uncertainty stalks the agricultural sector and that slows investment decisions, particularly in an election year. You see things like the proposal for the trust tax rate shooting up to 39% coming out of the blue, with no discussion, no preamble. Smart money won’t touch that until after the election as it is probably not a well-thoughtout policy but something on the spur of the moment.

Then there’s the carbon price, which didn’t clear the recent auction, leaving the government short of half a billion dollars. This signifies a lack of confidence, and investors are apprehensive that the government might abandon its ambitious environmental objectives as it crashes headlong into economic realities.

The Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership, known as He Waka Eke Noa, is in a precarious state due to ongoing political indecision, with the plan’s future ranging from being on life support to completely abandoned, leaving it – and affected agribusinesses – in limbo.

If that wasn’t enough, there’s increased regulation on banks, and of course while easily promulgated in

Waikato’s managing partner.

Parliament, regulations don’t come cheap for those who must comply.

And if those regulations are on the cards but not yet in law, they create yet more uncertainty – uncertainty that holds everything up and hangs on how the election falls.

As for unexpected consequences, take a close look at the Reserve Bank. It’s been heavy-handed with regulations ostensibly designed to make our 15some banks fairer and more accountable while protecting their balance sheets. In comes Dr Unforeseen Consequences with a perverse, opposite effect. You don’t get more competition (as if 15 banks didn’t signify just that); it becomes harder for agribusiness to get finance as it is more complex to give it to farmers.

The banks focus on home loans as they are easier and more profitable. Extra regulations also increase the barrier to entry, protecting existing operators and delivering a poorer outcome for consumers and the economy.

The Reserve Bank has done one thing right, and that is its emergence as a good example of over-regulation.

Some regulation is also, arguably, redundant. The dairy industry, for example, must comply with the demands of their big buyers, which have carbon emission plans that must be met by Fonterra when negotiating commercial terms, and those requirements are passed on to the farmer. That’s the

says some of New Zealand’s rules and regulations are illconceived.

way it should work, through the force of the market with willing participants –rather than someone from Wellington imposing a regulation on the farmer at the stroke of a pen, without ever having muddied their boots on a South Canterbury dairy farm.

Of course, uncertainty isn’t the same thing as calamity – bankruptcy is not stalking the land just yet – but there is a capital and confidence shortage leaving the sector gun-shy and weary.

While domestic issues are prevalent, there are international concerns, too. China pays all our bills, and it is our biggest customer, but that market is unpredictable coming out of covid. Consumer demand hasn’t bounced back, and

the Chinese government manages inventories, so we see big jumps up and down.

We must manage that; will the government put in money and kick stimulation? We can try understanding their inventories; are they short or long? But ultimately, we don’t know.

Finally, a last word on regulatory impact and how it can limit national prosperity. Regulations on the economy have a profound impact and influence on a nation’s prosperity. If we look at Australia, it becomes apparent why they can offer higher salaries to their teachers and nurses compared to NZ – they simply have the means to do so.

Australia’s ability to generate $140 billion in revenue from coal exports to India plays a significant role in its financial capacity. On the other hand, NZ imposes bans on coal, oil, and gas exports, and apparently any random thing these days, resulting in lower earnings and subsequently limiting our budget for public services.

Remember, there are no free lunches in economics (or anywhere else). The notion of increasing taxes is convoluted, as it involves taxing a diminishing capital base and, as Winston Churchill once noted, “for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle”.

We must acknowledge the existence of economic trade-offs and understand that choices always come with consequences.

Findex Waikato’s managing partner, Hayden Dillon,

Take-charge kind of guy

Determined to take the job by the horns, Jack Symes won a major award just two years into managing the family farm.

Canterbury farmer Jack Symes is the farm manager on the family’s 160ha farm at Southbridge, milking 630 cows. Earlier this year, he was named the 2023 National Dairy Industry Awards Manager of the Year at the National Dairy Industry Awards. Photos: Tony Benny

By Tony Benny

The 2023 National Dairy Industry Awards Manager of the Year winner had an eye on the future when he decided to give the awards a crack with the goal of building his profile and network.

At 25, Jack Symes is just starting out in dairy farming. He has only been in the industry two years but made his mark when was named as the winner.

Symes is the farm manager on his family’s 160ha farm at Southbridge, Canterbury, milking 630 cows for his parents, Brian and Judy Symes.

“Obviously I’ve only had two years of dairy farming and there’s a lot of competition out there but if you have this behind you as well, it’s a good way to get your name out there,” Symes says.

Once he made the decision to enter, he got his staff, Fijian Izaz Ifraz Ali and Brazilian Claudio Bezerra, involved in the process.

“I said to the staff, ‘I’m doing this awards process’, and I set out what we’re going to have to do, and they sort of bought into that and made sure presentation of

the farm was high, they kept an eye out to make sure if something was out of place, they did it and did not have to have me on to them about it.

“I went into it to challenge myself and see where my strengths and weaknesses were and I sort of broke it down,” the first-time entrant says.

“I wanted to get in the top five in the regionals and as soon as I won regionals I was like, ‘Wow, I’ve come this far,

I’m going to really give it my all’.”

He also won the DeLaval Livestock Management Award, the Fonterra Dairy Management Award, the Ravensdown Sustainable Pasture Award and the NZDIA Personal Planning and Financial Management Award – and more than $24,000 in prizes.

The judges observed that farming comes naturally to him, and he is very credible and genuine.

“Jack is a very intelligent, quiet achiever who presented a pristine property,” judge Jack Meehan from ANZ said.

“He runs a tight ship, and his financial planning reflects a commitment to future goals.”

The judges noted Symes was strong across the board and demonstrated best practice in all areas of the farming operation with strengths in pasture, animals and financial management.

The judges noted that he has proactive management skills, especially with regards to milk quality, and they were impressed with his good planning.

“The property demonstrated clean pastures

FARM FACTS

• Farm owners: Judy and Brian Symes

• Farm manager: Jack Symes

• Location: Dunsandel, Canterbury

• Farm size: 160ha

• Cows: 630 Kiwi cross

• Production: 2022-2023: 282,000kg MS

• Production target: 2023-2024: 340,000kg MS

and Jack was flexible on his system depending on the conditions.

“He takes pride and care in the farm.”

Symes grew up on dairy farms and knew from a

Continued page 10

“You might have a cow that’s quite short and dumpy, so you want to put a bigger bull over her, or she has a terrible udder, so you want a bull with a good udder trait. Selecting bulls is quite exciting, it’s not just a blanket breeding.”

Jack Symes

young age he wanted to work with animals outdoors. He says choosing farming gave him the opportunity to pursue his passion.

“I always knew I wanted to go farming, I just had these boxes I wanted to tick before I went straight into it,” he says. The first step was Lincoln

University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture).

In his summer holidays he worked long hours for a silage

contractor and that income, along with what he earned working on the home farm in other holidays, was enough to put him through university without needing a loan.

“Lincoln opened me up to quite a few different ideas and also showcased how each individual sector operates in terms of the economic farm surplus and doing budgets, so I soon got a good idea of what would best suit me going forward.”

He learnt about deer farming, cropping, sheep and beef, dairy and horticulture, but one sector stood out to him.

“What attracted me to the dairy industry was the equity growth potential – you’ve got managing, contract milking, sharemilking opportunities, whereas for sheep and beef it’s very rare to have an opportunity like that.”

But when he finished

Last season, the 630-cow herd produced 282,000kg milksolds on a System 2 and this season, they are moving to a System 3 and hope to produce 340,000kg MS.

university, it was a mixed cropping farm where he took his first job, aiming to pick up practical skills, working with machinery, fixing machinery and preparing ground for cropping.

“You pretty much take the crop from seedbed right through to harvest and I thoroughly enjoyed that –and it was a good way to get the ‘metal’ disease out of the body.”

After two years he’d had enough of sitting on a tractor and decided it was time to look for a 2IC job on a dairy farm. As it turned out, a position opened on his parents’ farm so in March 2021 he started there as 2IC. He began the 2021-22 season in the same job but in October the manager left and found himself taking over as manager.

“I knew what was involved in running a dairy farm but not the sort of day-to-day stuff. I hadn’t really been around for a full season,” Symes says.

But he was far from overwhelmed by the challenge. He thrived in his role.

“It was just learning throughout the season what happens at that time of the

year and what systems work best so I broke it down into calving, mating, summer and then the dryoff and during those times working hard to make sure I was learning the most I could to best prepare myself.

“My parents are very supportive, and they made sure they were there for me

if I needed a hand during that first season managing because it was all new to me.”

“It was quite exciting because I naturally like to be in charge, to take the lead. I like a good challenge so it was really testing myself and I could run things how I wanted to and make a few tweaks and changes that I could see

needed to be done to make things run a bit smoother.”

His parents bought the farm near Dunsandel 10 years ago but it needed development.

When the opportunity to buy the 50ha runoff that adjoined the property came up they enlarged the 150ha

Continued page 12

The Kiwicross herd is descended from the cows his parents started out with and their breeding programme targets their best performers, with the top 100 mated to sexed semen to maximise genetic gain. Jack and his team member Izaz Ifraz Ali from Fiji get out among the herd to check for springers.

The Symes family purchased the farm near Dunsandel 10 years ago, but it needed development and two years ago they built a new 54-bail rotary shed.

With the move to System 3, the team will begin to feed out a cereal blend of wheat, barley, canola meal and dried distiller grains, through the in-shed feeding system instead of feeding out in the paddock.

farm to 170ha, on which they milk 640 cows. But putting those cows through a 25-yearold 30-a-side herringbone shed twice a day was a challenge, so two seasons ago they invested in a new 54-bail rotary shed.

“It used to take us seven hours a day to milk and in our first season in the new shed, took five hours. We have happy staff with one person milking so the pressure isn’t there to get the outside jobs done as there used to be in the old system.”

The farm is run as a System 2, mostly pasture. Silage made on the runoff is fed late in the season. But this season they’ll move to System 3, feeding a cereal blend at milking.

“We’re still going to be a significantly pasture-based system but it’s just utilising the most out of that pasture and being more efficient. So, in the autumn, we’ll get away from the feeding with the wagon twice a day and just use more of the in-shed feeding so you’re saving on labour and maintenance.”

Symes will keep track of progress daily, using a phone app that gives production figures as well as other information including fat percentages and somatic cell counts.

“We feel we’re at the peak of where we could get with just pasture so we thought we could add a bit of supplement in with the pasture to get the

most out of it so we’ve got this blend that will take most of the goodness out of the grass and put it into the udder.”

He says with an all-grass diet, up 20% of the cow’s feed intake is wasted and just disappears out the back end because the animal can’t physically turn it all into milk – but introducing the feed mix of wheat, barley, canola meal and dried distiller grains (DDG) will modify their digestive system and make it more efficient.

“The DDG works in the rumen of the cow in the microbes, and the canola meal works as a bypass protein in the small intestine and

“My parents are very supportive, and they made sure they were there for me if I needed a hand during that first season managing because it was all new to me. It was quite exciting because I naturally like to be in charge, to take the lead.”

Jack Symes

the cereals are used for the condition of the cow and the energy to turn the feed into milk and not use the condition off her back.”

It’s projected that production will increase from 450kgMS/cow to 550kgMS/ cow, which translates to a lift from 1800kg/ha to 2100kgMS/ ha.

“After doing all the figures, I can confidently say we are going to be financially better off than if we were in System 2 and the good thing is if we don’t hit that production, we can easily just pull that feed out and go back to System 2. We’re not relying on System 3 for survival, we just want to get the most out of the system.

“You set a target at the start of the season and you have a line for the season so each pickup you’ll see where that curve is, an actual and budgeted one, so then you can really watch it and see, ‘We’re on the wrong track here, we’re not going to hit production, we’re going to lose money’, or , ‘We’re away above so we’re on the right path’.

“The big thing for us with going into this System 3 was not just being a blanket feeding operation where we just chuck the feed at the cows and hope for the best.

We want to make sure that with the feed we’re feeding we’re getting payback and that it’s doing what it’s meant to.”

When he took over as manager, one of his first tweaks to the system was to reduce the number of downer cows during calving – there were 30 in his first season on the farm, something that, after researching, he put down to their diet and a lack of calcium.

“I changed their diet and

added a slow-release calcium bolus into their system, so as soon as they’re calved, I put one of them down their throat and that led to a better transition period, and we only had one down cow this spring just gone and that was a big, overweight girl at the end of calving.”

Calving begins on July 25, and they keep about 130 replacements along with 50 beef bulls that he finishes on the runoff and sells as two-year-olds. He also picks

20 bulls that he rears on his own 10ha lease block and then leases those animals back to the farm to complete mating over five weeks after AI has finished.

He’s also looking to improve the farm’s 70% six-week in-calf rate, aiming to get it up to 75% or 80% by transitioning well, getting rumination right and minimising body condition loss.

“We’ll be really trying to give them a sugar-coating from calving through to being a milker so that could mean that a cow, instead of being on once-a-day for four days with the colostrums, gets eight days or so.

“We’ll just try those different experiments and then add a wee bit of supplement as well just to get them over the whole procedure they’ve gone through,” says Symes.

He says their herd is in the top 10% of LIC’s clients with a BW of 230 and PW of 280 and he’s keen to make the most of those good genetics.

“It’s about seeing what we can get out of those girls,” he says.

Mating begins on October

Continued page 14

Even with the move to a System 3, the focus will still be on pasture. Team member Izaz Ifraz Ali and Jack check the quality of the pasture.

Jack and team member Izaz Ifraz Ali discuss the herd’s grazing plan and adjust accordingly.

23 and runs for 11 weeks, of which they do six weeks of AB.

The Kiwicross herd is descended from the cows his parents started out with and their breeding programme targets their best performers, with the top 100 mated to sexed semen to maximise genetic gain.

The bottom 20% get beef straws (short gestation Hereford) and four or five bulls are selected for the middlerange cows, working to improve different traits.

“You might have a cow that’s quite short and dumpy, so you want to put a bigger bull over her, or she has a terrible udder, so you want a bull with a good udder trait.

“Selecting bulls is quite exciting, it’s not just a blanket breeding, chucking one bull

over the whole herd, you can mix and match.”

At the same time as building a new shed, they did a mini conversion of the farm, changing the paddock layout and cutting the number of paddocks from 43 to 23. The newly formed paddocks were rectangular rather than the pie-shaped layout centred on centre pivots, which they added in 2014.

“We pretty much hit the reset button really and designed it how we wanted to run the farm and made it a lot simpler and definitely a lot more efficient.”

While the new layout requires more break fences than previously, it has shortened the walking time to and from the shed for milking

and having seperate exit and entry gateways also minimises soil damage.

“They’re on that break for a day and they spend less time on their feet walking everywhere so that will help with lameness as well. We’ve got the daily walk from paddock to shed to break down to about 1km a day, which is quite low for Canterbury. With long walks you’re using so much feed just in their maintenance and that energy to walk.”

He has been proactive about addressing lameness and makes sure there are no long toenails in the herd and trims hooves promptly if necessary. At every milking staff keep an eye out for hoof issues and if they spot any, the cow is drafted out using Protrack and its hoof trimmed before she goes back to the paddock.

“I have the mindset of being proactive not reactive to everything on farm, having systems in place to prevent a problem before it is too late. The staff are on board with that as well; it makes them engaged, they’re not just sort of doing the job day to day in la la land and they’re keen to have their say, which is awesome.”

Rectangular paddocks also make it easier to accurately calculate the optimum size of the breaks and he uses a phone app.

“It has GPS of the whole farm and then you can make sure 100% you’re giving them that area that you set out. You drive into the paddock, drive from one side to the other and then longways and then you can see the line where to put your fence. Really simple and efficient.”

A new effluent system was also installed with the solids settled out in one pond and the virtually clear liquid that flows into a second pond is pumped out through a centre pivot, allowing the effluent spreading area to be increased from 20ha to 70ha, which in

turn makes it easier to meet N loss regulations.

“Every month a quarter of the effluent area will get spread so that means that 20ha won’t need as much N because it’s got it through effluent.”

Before making the changes the family carefully considered whether it was best to invest in upgrading the farm or sell it and buy one with the right infrastructure already in place.

“With the location and the soils and the water that we have on this farm, some of the best in Canterbury, we decided it would be silly to sell what you need to grow grass and produce milk going forward so we thought we’d just do a bit of capital expenditure on the place and bring it up to 100% rather than try to find another farm.”

With that decision made and the new infrastructure in place, it’s now up to him to make the investment pay and one of the ways he plans to do that is by using the in-shed feeding system that came with the new rotary.

“The builder at the time said it’s a lot cheaper to have it in there rather than try to put it in five years later so we thought, ‘We’ll do it’,” Symes says.

He’s aiming to increase

While the herd was dry, they carried out maintenance checks on the farm. Jack and Izaz Ifraz Ali check out the milking plant ahead of calving.

“We thought we could add a bit of supplement in with the pasture to get the most out of it so we’ve got this blend that will take most of the goodness out of the grass and put it into the udder.”

Jack Symes

annual production from 280,000kgMS to closer to 350,000kgMS next season.

“It is quite exciting. It’s not going to come easy but it’s going to be a good challenge and it’s just making sure you’re not taking any shortcuts through the season, to make sure you do all your little things right and that result will come.”

He plans to do another season as manager and then look for new opportunities, possibly contract milking or lower order sharemilking.

“I don’t want to be that typical, ‘He’s gone home and he’s just living off the back of what his parents have done’.

“I’m keen to build my own fort a wee bit and get out and about.”

He’s also keen to help rehabilitate dairy farming’s standing in the wider community. He believes it

is at least in part based on misconceptions.

“We need to get away from that mindset and showcase what actually happens on farm and educate people. We

had protesters at our awards dinner, but I bet 100 of them wouldn’t have known what happens on farm.

“And one thing going up for the awards made me

laugh. Every hour there was a plane leaving from Auckland or Christchurch going back and forth, creating far more environmental damage than what we’re doing.” n

THE FUTURE IS IN THE EAR

THE BULL-FREE SOLUTION

STRESS FREE MATING

Bulls weighing your feed supply down? Across New Zealand, dairy farmers are switching to 100% AB, removing bulls from farm. With the benefits of CowManager, a slightly longer AB season becomes a breeze, and you can confidently say goodbye to retaining bulls on farm.

Jack involved his team when he entered the Dairy Industry Awards and they helped to make sure presentation of the farm was high. Jack and Izaz Ifraz Ali with the herd.

Spring hopes eternal

By Gerald Piddock

Each month the Milk Monitor delves into the dairy industry and gives us the lowdown on the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between.

Farmers will be well through calving now and, with spring just a month away, will be welcoming what is hopefully a spell of warm, settled weather to make the most of peak milking.

It has been a torrid winter for many around the country as heavy rain made many paddocks uninhabitable for cows.

This has limited the options for farmers as they walk a tightrope between providing enough feed to keep their herd well conditioned and protecting their grass in anticipation of what they hope will be a good spring.

Inside the farmgate it will mean milk in the vat and a chance to get summer feed crops in the ground if the predicted El Niño comes to fruition.

For the dairy market, it is increasingly looking like it could be a financially tight season, assuming the forecast stays about where it is around $8/kg milksolids.

While some costs are starting to come down, most notably fertiliser, inflation and interest rates are still high.

BakerAg’s just-released Dairy Systems Monitoring report warns that the industry is about to navigate a period of low commodity prices, and farmers should prepare accordingly.

The report, based on financial data of 50 dairy farms across New Zealand, says the amount of discretionary cash available for these farms is expected to fall from $2.50/kg

MS to $0.50/kg MS.

That doesn’t leave a lot of wriggle room. Looking back at last season, it says that feed and grazing costs made up the largest increase in expenditure among the farms, up 14% on a per-kilogram-ofmilksolids basis.

“This is not surprising, with purchased feed and cropping costs shifting substantially, in some cases by over 20%. Many farmers have higher spending but do have higher feed inventory, which is accounted for as an adjustment to the EBIT.

“Emphasis is needed in 2023-2024 to ensure any feed cost is justified. Leaner systems are needed with a lower milk price.”

The report recommends that those with costs above $6/kg MS keep pruning.

For the dairy market, the peak milk period should test the global fundamentals that are occurring.

Following the July 18 GDT, Westpac blamed an unexpectedly sluggish Chinese economy for the 1% fall and was revising its forecasts for Chinese economic growth this year.

“As recently as last month, we expected economic growth for 2023 of 6.2%. Since then, we have cut the forecast to 5.7%, and this week’s June quarter GDP data indicate further downside risks to that number.

“Factoring in these downgrades and the ongoing dairy price weakness signals clear downside risks to our 2023/24 milk price forecast

of $8.90/kg. As a result, our forecast is under review.”

NZX analyst Alex Winning said the result was no surprise.

“It’s likely prices will continue to slowly soften like this going forward, as there just isn’t much in the market to support any increases.”

ASB, in its Commodities Weekly publication, is trying its hardest not to say “I told you so”.

“As much as six months ago, we highlighted those supply and demand dynamics as headwinds for the 2023-2024 season and our sense is that not much has shifted.

“A rapid recovery in Chinese demand looks unlikely, with the latest economic data continuing to underperform weaker-than-expected GDP growth and stubborn unemployment.”

It does not expect a contraction in milk supply with the potential for drought in Europe and the possibility of an El Niño in New Zealand.

“Perhaps most importantly, domestic Chinese output and inventories for both WMP and SMP have been unusually high. All up, we retain our $7.25/kg MS farmgate milk price forecast for the next season.”

However, Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell was more positive.

Speaking as part of a panel at the China Business Summit in Auckland, he said he was not concerned about the economic outlook – “I’m quite bullish on that in the medium term.”

When the panelists were

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell remains bullish on the outlook for the China market despite banks and analysts predicting a slower-thanexpected recovery in that market.

asked what they saw in China, Hurrell pointed to the rate of change in the country, saying keeping up with that is important.

“It is how we keep up with the changing dynamics and the changing demands of customers or consumers.”

It is expensive to put capital into markets, launch brands and new categories, he said.

“To see your customers move so quickly, it’s hard to keep ahead of, so we’re going to be thinking about that.”

While there are certainly some economic headwinds approaching, farmers first and foremost will be hoping for a bout of warm, sunny early spring weather. Not only would it be good for their cows, but it should also help with on-farm mental health after such a wet challenging winter. n

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Riding herd on emissions

By Gerald Piddock

Efficiency will be the key to finding solutions for emissions and other environmental challenges facing the dairy industry.

It’s been a changeable 18 months for LIC chief executive David Chin as the dairy improvement co-operative assists the dairy industry to meet the environmental challenges it faces locally and globally.

Looking back at the time since he started in the role in January 2022, replacing Wayne McNee, Chin says it has reinforced his appreciation for the role of herd improvement in the dairy industry.

“It has never been as important as what it is right now.

“As we went through He Eke Waka Noa and start looking at more and more of the challenges that the agriculture sector is facing globally, the message we are getting is that efficiency is key.”

The crux of that efficiency is around milksolid production per kilogram of feed eaten while lowering the emissions per animal – and the importance of finding solutions has massively amplified, he says.

“It’s really important now that we roll up the sleeves and sharpen our focus on breeding the most efficient cows for our national herd.”

He sees companies such as LIC playing more of a role in helping farmers reduce their emissions. When farmers ask them for help, the first thing that needs to be established is how efficient their cows are.

The scope for improvement can be determined once the herd is analysed. Chin says it is amazing how much opportunity still exists. Even in

the most well-managed herds, there can be a difference of 150kg milksolids between well-performing cows and poor-performing cows.

This is where there are opportunities for herds to improve – “when you start considering, ‘Where is the opportunity over the next seven years to start improving and what does that look like?’”

“In one instance we worked out it’s about 20,000kg MS, and it equated to around $115,000 in income milking the same number of cows,

but just better cows.”

For the farmer, it gave them an achievable goal.

These opportunities exist on every farm, and Chin sees the national herd’s performance shaped like a bell curve as cow numbers have grown over the past 20 years.

This has now changed with herd numbers peaking and starting to decline. Farmers are now saying they want better cows, rather than more cows.

“They have pivoted their attention to saying, ‘Let’s

do some herd testing and find out which are the cows providing me with the most profit and which are the ones taking profit away’.”

This was reflected in the latest dairy statistics produced by LIC and DairyNZ, which showed that once again cow numbers have declined.

Chin says there is still plenty of scope for the industry to improve, despite NZ’s worldleading efficiency as a milk producer.

“The exciting thing for our industry is that we still have room to improve on that. In every herd, there is a genetics programme we can put in place to improve its efficiency.”

On that front, LIC, in partnership with CRV, Pāmu and funding from the NZ Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC), are conducting research into low-methane-emitting cows, which is progressing well.

The research has proven there is a genetic component to methane production and there is genetic variation among bulls in terms of methane produced per kilogram of feed eaten. Last year, these bulls were mated with heifers from Pāmu farms with the heifer calves due to be born this spring.

The study will examine the progeny of those sired from both the least and the most methane-efficient bulls. The methane production of those calves will then be measured over the course of their lifetime to see how that trait has been passed on.

“If all goes well, the aim is to produce a methane breeding

LIC chief executive David Chin says efficiency in meeting environmental challenges has never been as important as it is now for the dairy industry.

value and all farmers in the country will have access to low methane elite genetics to improve our carbon footprint.”

The beauty of these cows will be that farmers will not have to alter how they farm as the semen will come with a methane BV, he says.

but it’s cumulative and it’s permanent.”

It is no silver bullet, but it is a cost-effective, convenient tool that farmers will be able to use to make a real contribution to lowering their emissions, without reducing cow numbers.

Chin says LIC’s climate change mitigation strategy is three pronged: Reducing the intensity of the climate footprint of milk, mitigate emissions using low methane sires, and, thirdly, supporting how farmers will adapt to the new environment where drought and flooding become more frequent.

When that heifer calf is older, and mated again using the semen, its progeny will carry the cumulative impact of that lower methane breeding value.

By 2050, there will be enough generations of cows born from those low-methane genetics that it should start to make a meaningful contribution to the country’s emission targets.

“It’s a long-term game but genetics always has been, and what we like about it is that, yes, it’s long term,

To that end, LIC was the first to discover the slick gene in cattle that helps improve their heat tolerance. While these animals are available now, it creates a dilemma for LIC because marketing that product now means reductions in efficiency as they are not as genetically superior as the company’s elite bulls.

Chin says the co-op’s heat tolerance research is trying to create a solution where milk production and superiority are retained, so farmers can have their cake and eat it – a highly efficient cow that is also heat tolerant.

He views the national herd like the All Blacks, where NZ has one of the best herds in the world and must be constantly maintaining that advantage.

“I think the dairy industry is in a really good spot to not only maintain that edge but extend that gap.”

NZ’s pasture-based system also gives it a natural advantage over some northern hemisphere systems, particularly with the growing popularity of grass-fed dairy and meat.

“New Zealand dairy is in an exciting position. Yes, there are headwinds, but we have a lot of initiatives already underway to tackle a lot of it, and we have some natural advantages.

“And we’re not playing catch-up. We’re actually at the front of the bunch.”

The co-operative has also seen a big increase in inquiry for beef genetics, fuelled in part by Fonterra’s new rules around non-replacement calves having to enter a value stream as well as the popularity of dairy-beef calves as an alternative income source for farmers.

Those cows not being mated for replacements are inseminated with beef semen, with the calf sold for the dairy beef market.

Chin says this is reflected in LIC’s annual genetics catalogue, which, up until a few years ago, featured

Continued page 20

David Chin chats with attendees at the announcement of Halter integrating with LIC’s MINDA herd software.

“The exciting thing for our industry is that we still have room to improve on that. In every herd, there is a genetics programme we can put in place to improve its efficiency.”

David Chin

predominantly dairy bulls, with beef bulls in the back.

“Now, half of the catalogue is beef bulls. There are more breeds and, quite rightly, we need to turn our focus to how do we source better beef genetics because a lot of these are going to be reared.”

This meant traits such as carcase yield and liveweight gain are now given a lot more consideration than they were a few years ago.

“It’s no longer just, ‘I want a whiteface Hereford’ anymore. We are seeing Charolais, Wagyu contracts, Speckle Park.

“There’s a lot more emphasis on procuring better beef genetics and what role do we have in helping develop those genetics.”

He says they are doing a lot of collaborative work with breeders such as Shrimpton Hills Hereford as well as working with the Beef+Lamb NZ progeny test project. It is a dynamic part of the work LIC is doing.

Looking ahead, one of LIC’s biggest investments that will unlock further value in the dairy industry is data and digital infrastructure, which the co-op is investing millions into.

This includes creating greater efficiencies with data exchange, as more farmers upscale themselves with technologies such as wearable collars.

“This is how we are going to unlock a whole raft of efficiencies and make farming better and profitable for our farmers.”

The second investment is in genomics and accelerating the research around low methane, dairy beef, and heat tolerant BVs.

“We see a massive amount of gain and ability to make a big contribution to the industry by keeping these initiatives as a core focus.”

Chin has been at LIC for 16 years, having started in 2006. He has held various roles including that of chief transformation officer. Most recently he was LIC’s general manager operations and service, on the co-operative’s

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senior leadership team.

He was responsible for LIC’s laboratories, farms and the field teams that deliver services on farm, including artificial breeding, herd testing and the FarmWise consultancy.

LIC is a complex business with several moving parts and having been in such a variety of roles gave him a good grounding for the chief executive role, he says.

The farmer connection, with LIC being owned by shareholders, gives the business a different feel compared to a more conventionally run business.

“How it all fits together is really important. It sets you up well,” he says.

Being asked to lead LIC’s transformation in 2016 played a big role in setting him up to be chief executive.

“It was very successful and was right across the business, taking very much a CEO type of view of how do we get all parts of the business operating.”

The transformation occurred just after the dairy payout fell to $3.90/kg MS.

Chin also held a key accounts role in 2012, which enabled him to talk to large multi-herd operators and hear their views of the dairy industry.

“It was an amazing experience and that was bringing together all of LIC for the benefit of customers and farmers.”

After that, he led LIC’s central North Island sales team, and those two roles gave him experience of the breadth of the business and the value it can provide to farmers.

Chin, along with his wife and three children, lives on a lifestyle block near Cambridge.

“When I’m not thinking about farming during the week, I’m thinking about farming on the weekend,” he laughs.

He is also a volunteer rugby union referee for club and schoolboy games, clocking up 20 years this year.

“That’s a big part of every Saturday for me.” n

The Breeders’ Day event recognizes and celebrates top breeders and the Premier Sires. From left, LIC chief executive David Chin, breeder Robert Bruin and LIC chair Murray King.

Celebrating our farm teams

Every year on August 6, DairyNZ celebrates Farmworker Appreciation Day, an international day that aims to raise awareness of the important work people do on farm, every day of the year.

On this day I like to take time to reflect the hard mahi of every one of our dairy farmers. The past few years have brought their own set of challenges, but our farmers have stepped up to and faced these, while just getting on with it – like we always do.

recognise our staff and the hard work they are doing.

So, let’s take the time to celebrate the love you have for your work, and your workers. Being a supportive and good boss is important for attracting and retaining staff on our farms.

Our people are key to the success of our individual businesses, and our sector. It is important that we are providing the best work environment to support our staff.

We know that little things can make a big difference, so there are a few things to consider to help staff feel valued: Regular one-on-one catchups and team meetings.

Being able to share their views and ideas.

Rosters that provide enough time off to avoid burnout, especially at busy times.

• Making health, safety and wellbeing a priority.

Regularly telling staff they are doing a good job.

focus from farmers on improving their work conditions, specifically focusing on changing their rosters and hours worked, along with ensuring remuneration is competitive.

It is pleasing to see farmers focused on putting their best foot forward and doing work on farm to help attract and retain their staff, which is key to continue reducing the workforce shortage long term.

We also know that people who invest in their businesses to attract and retain the right people benefit from lower staff turnover. This benefits the farm long term with reduced recruitment costs, stress and downtime.

But with a focus on right now, I encourage you to take a minute to celebrate your good work, and the good work of your teams and other teams across New Zealand.

It is not an easy job, but it is an incredibly important and rewarding role we play to support New Zealand – caring for animals and the environment while providing nutritious food to countries around the world.

That is what is so special about all farmers, and why it is important to

• Having a clear set of expectations. Competitive pay. Opportunities for upskilling or training.

Right now, it will be busy for those on farm who are calving right across the country.

These small things can make a big difference, especially during busy periods.

In the past year I have seen more

Have a shared morning tea or spend time grabbing a beer at the end of the week. Just something small to say to yourselves “We are doing great work to support New Zealand and the dairy sector, and we should be proud of the work we do.” n

MORE:

For more information visit dairynz.co.nz/people.

Jane Muir

DairyNZ lead adviser – people.

with DairyNZ

“Let’s take the time to celebrate the love you have for your work, and your workers.”

Farm staff taking a break and connecting on farm.

Gotta feeling for farming

By Samantha Tennent

Living the rock’n’roll lifestyle on the road with a world-renowned band was the opportunity of a lifetime but love for the land eventually drew one Waikato farmer into the industry.

Coming to farming from a rock’n’roll lifestyle, Aidan Mills has had the best of both worlds and has no regrets about his nontraditional pathway.

His music career was kick-started by touring internationally as an audio engineer with the Black Eyed Peas when they first hit the scene, but the lure of the land brought him back to his roots on a dairy farm in Morrinsville.

“When I was young, I was tempted to go farming but followed my passion for music and concerts because there was just something about delivering a great-sounding event that I loved,” Mills says.

“But as much fun as it was, it was never going to be forever, and I’m glad I’ve made it back to farming, it’s such a great lifestyle for our family.”

He worked in the music industry across New Zealand and around the world before going into event production and then leaving the industry altogether in 2018. After that, he stayed home with the kids for a few years and worked part-time for a friend while his wife, Natalie, was working fulltime in the beauty industry in Auckland.

Now they are into their second season on a Morrinsville dairy farm and wonder why they didn’t leave the rat race sooner.

“Our whole lifestyle is so much more relaxed,” Mills says.

“In Auckland, it was so busy all the time, nothing compares to living and working on a farm.”

His first taste of dairy farming was spending time when he was young on a farm

his great-uncle owned. After Mills finished school, he did a music course and learnt how to do the sound for concerts while playing in several bands in Gisborne. At the same time, his dad was working on a local dairy farm and when he moved to Australia, Mills was offered the job.

“We were milking 110 cows through an eight-bail, step-up walk-through shed,” Mills says.

“That was a great first shed to work in as I was standing with the cows and had to hug

into them to put the cups on and it’s where my love for cows grew.”

He spent around 18 months there before heading down to Manawatū in 2002 for a role on a bigger farm. He planned to grow his dairy career and climb the typical pathway but when the opportunity with the Black Eyed Peas came up, he had to decide.

“I was offered the opportunity to be an audio engineer for a band that was touring overseas, which had

Aidan Mills grew up visiting his great-uncle’s farm and loved the land but did a music course and learnt how to do the sound for concerts after leaving school. Aidan with daughter Mia out on the farm.

been a dream of mine and I had never been overseas, but I wasn’t sure.

“I had only been on the new farm six months and the farmer had a clear career path for me, but he told me I’d always regret it if I didn’t and that I had to go, so two weeks later I was on a plane.”

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and he thoroughly enjoyed his career in music. Farming remained in the back of his mind, but he discounted it when he met Natalie because she had no interest in moving to a farm.

But the urge kept niggling as he could see the lifestyle opportunity for the family and managed to bring her around. Before they got started, they sat down and wrote their wishlist as they were adamant

that the right farm and the right people were the most important considerations.

During their job hunt they looked at a variety of roles across several farms before settling on the Morrinsville farm with Bruce and Margaret Wilton.

“They have been amazing. It had been 20 years since I last worked on a farm so I was a little rusty but Bruce has been very patient.

“He can see how much we love it, and it’s both sides, the practical and it keeps you thinking.”

They are milking 290 crossbreed cows on 97ha. The farm embraces technology, with automatic cup removers, an automatic teat sprayer and Protrack.

They have immersed themselves in local DairyNZ and SMASH and events held by the vets, learning something new every time and making some great contacts.

“There’s a lot of good support around, and so many opportunities to learn.”

Mills has completed a Business by Numbers course and aspires to climb the dairy ladder one day.

He plans to utilise specialised avenues for training and education.

Four of their five children are still living at home and have adjusted well. The older ones were a little unsure initially but have picked up

work locally and the younger two spend a lot of time on the farm.

“It’s just the perfect lifestyle for a family, even though our working day spans over a 12hour period, Bruce is adamant we have good breaks and I only work eight to nine hours throughout the day.

“It’s so good to be able to see my family and share the day with them.”

Off the farm, Natalie is a relief teacher at the local daycare, and she also runs the local area for the charity Pro Love, which helps new mums with baskets of essentials to get them going.

The running joke in the family is Mills only has one friend, farm owner Bruce, but he is starting to build his local network too and enjoys supporting the kids’ sports and leading a local Christian Warrior Fellowship group.

“We’ve got a 10-year plan in mind, but the big aim is to progress every year.

“We are very fortunate to have found the perfect farm to get us started on our journey and encourage others to consider it as a lifestyle option, but definitely have a list of what you’re looking for, be very specific and don’t settle for anything else.” n

for Get

When Aidan Mills met Natalie she wasn’t keen on the rural lifestyle but now they all love the farming lifestyle and the time they can spend together. Aidan and Natalie out on the farm with two of their children.

“I had only been on the new farm six months and the farmer had a clear career path for me, but he told me I’d always regret it if I didn’t and that I had to go, so two weeks later I was on a plane.”

Aidan Mills

A good start in life

By Ross Nolly

Calves need to have the best possible start if they are to be well grown and productive throughout their lifetime.

You only get one chance to raise healthy calves.

Those calves are a farm’s future stock and if you don’t do them well at the beginning, and grow them well all the way through, they won’t come into the cowshed and perform for you.

This is the mantra that Taranaki farmers Adrian and Marianne Drummond adhere to when raising their calves and grazing their heifers. The Drummonds are heifer grazers, but also raise around 50 bull calves each year, and have a reputation for growing healthy calves.

They have a 52ha farm and a nearby 30ha runoff. They were dairy farmers from 2002 until 2018. In 2018 they decided that the compliance costs to upgrade their 12-a-side herringbone cowshed and plant were too high, and it wasn’t worth continuing milking.

“This is a small farm that milked 120 Friesian cows, and

the compliance costs wouldn’t have been very different if we were milking 250 or 300 cows. We sold the cows and began grazing heifers,” Adrian says.

In a unique twist, they decided to milk 12 cows through one side of the cowshed to feed their 50 beef calves. They then sold their in-milk cows but kept a dozen older cows to feed calves.

“Now, each year we buy 12 cows from a neighbour in early May. When the calves are sold at the beginning of November, they take back the cows they want to continue milking, and the rest go to the processors,” he says.

“The following May they give us the same number of cows that they took back, and we buy the extras that we need from them. They take back any heifer calves from our cows and replace them with bull calves. It works well.”

The cows arrive after they’ve undergone dry cow therapy in early May. The Drummonds calve them and they milk 12

cows twice daily to get the greatest amount of milk from them.

“Our last cow calves on August 20 so we try to buy early calves within a threeweek period, because we aim to get them to the first weaner beef sale in November. That’s when we get the highest price for them,” Adrian says.

“We buy some Hereford /

Friesian cross bull calves directly from two local farmers, and the rest at the local four-day-old calf sales.”

Two years ago, they had a rotavirus outbreak, but fortunately only lost one calf. However, a great deal of time was spent drenching them with electrolytes.

“Fortunately, we got onto it quickly. We had a couple of

Taranaki farmers Adrian and Marianne Drummond rear calves and graze heifers on their 52ha farm and have a reputation for growing healthy calves.

The cost of upgrading their 12-a-side herringbone shed was too great so the Drummonds downsized the herd and only milk 12 cows to rear calves.

calves that didn’t look quite right and immediately got the vet out to them,” Marianne says.

Following advice from another farmer who also had a rotavirus outbreak, they waterblasted the sheds, spread lime flour on the ground prior to applying the bedding, and to regularly disinfected pens.

“We disinfected the walls, rails, structures and the bedding. We disinfected the bedding on fine days when the calves were outside so it could dry.”

They decided that if they had another rotavirus outbreak they’d probably stop rearing calves. But last year they were free of it so have continued.

Calves are fed colostrum for as long as it lasts, which isn’t long when you only milk 12 cows. Surplus colostrum is frozen in 20 litre drums to

ensure that when they get to the tail end of the new calves, they still have colostrum on hand.

They gradually transition their calves from colostrum onto fresh milk because any abrupt feed change can cause the calves to scour.

“We usually have quite a few mobs because they’re all on different types of milk. But once they’re all on the same milk it becomes very simple.

The calves start off on 2.5 litres of milk twice daily, and it’s increased to three litres per feed as they grow,” Marianne says.

“They’re fed with a compartmentalised cafeteria. This ensures that each calf gets the correct amount of milk. The slow drinker’s share doesn’t get guzzled by the mob’s fast drinkers and you end up with a nice even line of calves. It also makes it easier to notice calves that aren’t

drinking properly.”

The calves are fed twice daily for at least six weeks and have free access to hay and meal from the day they enter the calf shed.

The calves are fed milk right up to the day they go to the sale so the day they go to the sale is the day they’re weaned. If the weather is fine, they let the calves have free access to the paddock within four days of arriving.

“At that age they’re still timid and finding their feet. We find that if we let them out early they find the boundaries faster and easier, and don’t push through fences. We bring them in during the late afternoon and keep them inside at night,” Adrian says.

Last year the heavier calves averaged 125kg and the lighter ones around 115kg.

The weaners go to the saleyards and are usually sold in two lots. They don’t split

Reduce antibiotic usage by

them up by weight; their stock agent picks them by eye with the aim of getting a similar and consistent line of calves in each lot.

They hold back calves that won’t fit into or might weaken the line. They stay on the farm to be reared through to two years old.

Even with 12 cows the Drummonds must be mindful of typical dairy cow problems such as milk fever and must still dust the paddocks.

“But when you milk, you run one line of cows into one side of the herringbone, milk them, and you’re finished,” Adrian says.

“We’re still busy doing things on the farm, we just don’t have to get up as early anymore and we only must milk twice a day for three months. It doesn’t really matter what time we milk, because no tanker is coming,” Marianne says.

are spending a lot

antibiotics by identifying the bug and saving on milk withhold. You would struggle to find a better ROI than Mastatest, we will be using it to test every mastitis case going forward.”

Andrew Lord, Waikato Farmer Andrew Lord, Waikato Farmer

Ease the pain of disbudding

NEW Zealand farmers can take pride in being among the first in the world to incorporate higher standards of pain management than minimum legal requirements in routine husbandry procedures like calf disbudding.

Rewind 20 years and the understanding of cow comfort was a very different story – there were virtually no scientific standards to measure wellbeing in farm animals. This encouraged Boehringer Ingelheim to further study the impact of its long-acting anti-inflammatory pain relief Metacam on reducing the pain associated with these essential farming procedures.

Fast-forward to today and it is this research that has led to an understanding that a procedure like disbudding will produce an acute pain response followed by inflammatory pain that

extends well beyond the reach of a local anesthetic. Findings also indicate disbudding pain can last for three days after the initial procedure.

The NZ Veterinary Association recommends a combination of products: a local anesthetic, a nonsteroidal pain reliever and sedation, as the best approach to managing the pain associated with disbudding.

James Laidlaw, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health veterinarian, says the need to offer a wider suite of pain relief treatments than just the one required under the code of welfare makes sense, given the pain ranking a procedure like disbudding has.

“It is one of the more painful routine practices performed on farms, with the pain occurring in two main phases. One is the initial response immediately after disbudding. The other is the inflammatory phase, which is more prolonged and extends

Research has shown that a procedure like disbudding will produce an acute pain response followed by inflammatory pain that extends well beyond the reach of a local anesthetic.

beyond both this initial phase and the effects of local anesthetic.”

Combining a local anesthetic and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relief treatment when disbudding has proven to have a highly positive impact on the animal’s overall pain experience.

“The use of a non-steroidal treatment helps mitigate the inflammatory pain that invariably occurs once the local has worn off.”

Research with Metacam has shown it to be one of the most effective at dealing with inflammatory pain, Laidlaw says, helping to manage and minimise pain in cattle for up to three days after a single injection, covering the period when disbudding pain can last one to two days.

“Studies looking at Metacam globally have shown a single injection 10 minutes prior to disbudding can provide genuine long-term

pain relief for these calves, having a significant impact on their comfort and recovery afterwards.”

Further work has also revealed evidence that pain management during disbudding can be associated with better daily weight gains during the recovery phase, and increased milk intake.

Laidlaw says NZ farmers can take pride in their approach to recognizing that animals experience pain, and for taking steps to help mitigate that pain. n

Studies looking at Metacam globally have shown a single injection 10 minutes prior to disbudding can provide genuine long-term pain relief for calves.

“It is one of the more painful routine practices performed on farms, with the pain occurring in two main phases.”

James Laidlaw

Go for gold

Providing the right amount of the best colostrum early in life is the right thing to do for your calves. Gold colostrum provides energy and health benefits for all calves and is part of our world-leading animal care.

Calves are born with a non-developed immune system and must absorb antibodies from colostrum until their own immune system becomes functional.

At 24 hours old the calf gut “closes” and becomes unable to absorb antibodies. Calves that fail to absorb enough antibodies in the first 24 hours are said to have suffered failure of passive transfer (FPT).

All calves, including bobbies, must receive adequate fresh colostrum within the first 12 hours of life and should be fed colostrum, or a colostrum substitute, for at least the first four days of life.

Giving your newborn calves the correct amount of highquality colostrum will help ensure:

• Less scours and disease

• Reduced death rates

• Better growth rates

• Improved lifetime productivity and fertility

You can achieve this by:

• Feeding newborn calves four litres (or more for heavier calves) of gold colostrum within the first 6-12 hours of life.

• Testing the quality of colostrum and feeding newborns gold colostrum with Brix readings over 22%.

• Scrubbing all calf-rearing equipment with hot soapy water.

• Storing colostrum in a lidded drum or vat, stirring regularly.

Recent studies have shown about a third of calves in

New Zealand suffer from FPT and do not get enough good quality colostrum soon enough after birth. This is caused by:

• Feeding colostrum with low levels of antibodies.

• Feeding too little colostrum.

• Feeding colostrum too late after birth.

• Bacteria contaminating colostrum at harvest, during

Calves should get the best quality colostrum to ensure they have the best start to life.

storage or at feeding. Are your calves getting what they need?

You can test to see if your calves are getting enough antibodies from colostrum by getting blood tests done by your vet.

Blood samples of 12 healthy calves between one and seven days of age can be sent to the lab to estimate the antibody levels. Doing this at the beginning and peak of calving will give you the best insight into how it is going on your farm.

The 3 Qs of colostrum management

Quality: >22% Brix target

Gold (first milking) colostrum is the highest quality colostrum and should be fed to newborns, but quality can vary. Brix refractometers are small, simple tools that can be used to measure the antibody level in colostrum.

Gold colostrum that measures 22% or more with a Brix refractometer is considered high quality. For the best results, colostrum that measures 22% or more, or

Newborn calves should get four litres of gold colostrum within the first 6-12 hours of life to ensure their future wellbeing.

the highest quality colostrum you have available, should be fed to newborns.

Quickly: feed calves within 12 hours of birth.

It is most effective to feed colostrum in the first 6-12 hours of life as antibodies cannot be absorbed after 24 hours. Every hour counts when it comes to feeding colostrum.

Quantity: 4-6 litres.

Newborn calves need at least 10% of their bodyweight (4 litres for a 40kg calf) of gold colostrum within the first 6-12 hours of life.

Calves can only take 1.5-2 litres in their stomach (abomasum), so two feeds within the first 12 hours is the target.

Colostrum hygiene

Bacteria in colostrum can decrease its quality and prevent calves from absorbing antibodies. Contamination

can occur during colostrum harvest, storage, and feeding.

• Clean collection buckets before use.

• Feed calves from youngest to oldest (sick calves last).

• Use hot soapy water to clean all equipment and buckets after each use.

Colostrum storage

Feeding fresh colostrum is best but if you need to keep it for any length of time, even two or three hours, it

is important to ensure the quality doesn’t decrease.

• Store colostrum in a lidded drum or vat and stir regularly.

• Ideally, colostrum should be refrigerated (at 4degC) or frozen.

• If refrigeration or freezing is not possible, add a chemical preservative agent to the colostrum, such as potassium sorbate at a rate of 1% by volume of a 50% solution.

How to preserve colostrum with potassium sorbate

Potassium sorbate is a chemical food preservative. Its anti-microbial properties stop the growth and spread of harmful bacteria. When used correctly, it inhibits bacterial growth in colostrum and milk. It can also be used to preserve antibody levels in gold (first milking) colostrum. All equipment must be clean and sterile.

• Gather safety equipment

Reduce inflammation and pain when your cows go lame with 3 days

(glasses, mask, gloves).

• Potassium sorbate (preferably granules).

• Water (as clean as you can get it).

• Scale.

• Clean container with milliliter measurements.

• Stirrer.

Dos and Don’ts

• Use only food-grade potassium sorbate and clean water.

• Treat each additional volume of colostrum with 1% potassium sorbate before you add it to your vat.

• Don’t use any potassium sorbate solution that has been mixed up for more than a week.

• Colostrum can be preserved with potassium sorbate and either stored at room temperature or refrigerated, if possible at 4degC.

Source: DairyNZ

“You can test to see if your calves are getting enough antibodies from colostrum by getting blood tests done by your vet.”

Small but critical changes

Clinical mastitis cases and somatic cell count levels have dropped significantly since Central Otago dairy farmer Tim Rivers made small but critical animal health improvements with the help of FIL. This has led to a significant reduction in the use of drugs in the 1200-cow herd.

It was a case of “prevention is the best cure” and looking at the long-term gains for Rivers, who implemented a variety of changes in the dairy shed and upskilled his staff to tackle the mastitis problem he had been dealing with for years.

This year is the fifth season on Goldenburn Farm for the former sheep and beef farmer. He purchased the 350ha Alexandra land in 2013 and converted it to dairy in 2017. Going into the 2021/2022 season, he made a call to make some changes.

Mastitis numbers were high, affecting 30% of the herd (380 cows) and somatic cell count (SCC) elevated, sitting at 223,000.

The situation took its toll on the team of five and he had also been implementing antibiotic susceptibility testing, which was adding cost and complexity without any results.

“My team were getting frustrated. And we were seeing no improvements,” Rivers says.

To tackle the issues, Rivers decided to reach out to FIL in June of 2021.

FIL South Island manager Mike Robinson picked up the call and headed out to Goldenburn to assess the team’s milking techniques and standard operating procedures.

Leading into spring calving, Robinson returned and looked

at making small but critical changes, keeping the longterm goals front of mind.

“FIL had a good look at our plant and saw how everything was running. Cup alignment needed improvement, so we

rectified the issues there and started training the team,” Rivers says.

A large component of the training was around how to handle freshly calved cows and minimising mastitis in early lactation, recommending the following simple changes: Clean gloves for every milking

Maintain high hygiene standards during milking. This includes wearing clean gloves and washing hands between cows with a bucket of hot water mixed with Antigerm disinfectant.

• Pre-spray with an iodinebased teat spray: Iodine-based teat spray is preferred because of its broad spectrum and faster action. This also starts softening any dirt from the teat.

• Trim tails: Trimmed tails reduce the transfer of environmental pathogens onto the udder.

• Alcohol wipes: Clean each quarter with an individual alcohol wipe, paying particular attention to the teat barrel and teat end. This critical step is often missed.

• Cup alignment: Make sure cups are hanging squarely under the udder to promote an even milk out.

• Post spray: After milking, post spray with an iodine-based teat spray with emollient levels between 12% and 15% and iodine at a minimum of 3450 ppm of ready-to-use solution. Apply Active Teat Cream to any damaged or cracked teats.

Staph aureus was also present in this herd, so the iodine levels were adjusted to 3450 ppm for most of the season to have more effect on the pathogen.

Robinson says when they started working with Rivers and his team, they had a very clear goal in mind to reduce mastitis by 50%.

“I knew if they stuck to the calving milking procedures and were patient enough, their mastitis rate would reduce,” Robinson says.

In Rivers’ case, his patience has paid off.

“The calving milking plan is gold. Having the FIL team help identify problems and help train and fine-tune our team’s skills, as well as mentor them around best practice, really got them up to speed and up to the FIL standard,” Rivers says.

He says that rather than his staff constantly treating cows, they now have more time to perform other tasks on farm in the spring when they are usually time-poor.

Central Otago dairy farmer Tim Rivers is a former sheep and beef farmer and converted his farm to dairy in 2017. Four years later he found himself dealing with a high number of mastitis cows.

“FIL had a good look at our plant and saw how everything was running. Cup alignment needed improvement, so we rectified the issues there and started training the team.”

Tim Rivers

“Our initial reason for working with FIL was actually reliability of products,” he says.

The FIL team introduced Iodoshield Active and Active Teat Conditioner early in the process when Robinson came on board to help combat the staph aureus within the herd. An older automated teat spray mixer was also upgraded.

“Now you just know the teat spraying is getting done right every day.”

He attributes significant improvements in his herd’s health to the specific training, making small changes and the use of FIL products, adding that what the team was learning has helping them gain a broader understanding of mastitis management.

In November, the SCC dropped to 95,000. More significant improvements in animal health, financial gains and time savings came gradually.

Mastitis cases dropped significantly from treating 380 cows down to 135 cows the following season. That’s a cost saving of around $49,000.

“I had to look long term if we were to really turn things around,” Rivers says.

“Things didn’t happen

overnight, but the changes paid off. Having someone like Mike, with his expertise and knowledge was so valuable.”

Robinson is beyond thrilled to see the results on Rivers’ farm, saying he knew there would be an impact after the first season but would take two to three seasons to achieve greater results.

“Since Tim and his team have been working with FIL, they have had a cost reduction of 71% in treatments and milk loss,” he says.

“Good things take time and luckily Tim has a great team on board who implemented changes well.

“Some problems can take longer to resolve so correct milking procedures and having farm staff trained well is vital.”

Best of all, Rivers is happy with where his farm is today, as are his team. Going forward, he’s looking at this season with both relief and optimism.

As of February 2023, the herd’s average SCC is sitting at 141,000.

“We are really happy with the results, but there is more work to be done,” Robinson says, adding that they’d like to see treatments drop to 5% of the herd eventually. n

Tim Rivers, left, and farm manager Pete Copeland have worked with the team at FIL on several issues from calving to early lactation.

Nailing down nitrates

By Tony Benny

Research on nitrate levels could be a game changer for a South Canterbury farm as it has given them invaluable data.

New real-time insights into what’s happening with nitrate levels and dynamics beneath the surface of a South Canterbury farm has revealed invaluable data that could lead to changes in grazing management and fertiliser application.

The findings come from a one-year research project led by Our Land and Water Rural Professionals Fund and primary sector consultancy The AgriBusiness Group on the 672ha Wainono Dairy Farm, near Fairlie.

The farm is in a high nitrogen concentration area, something managing director John Wright takes seriously. He has been taking quarterly water samples for 10 years but found that didn’t really help him understand what was happening with nitrate concentrations.

“I didn’t know if a spike or a dip was a one-off or part of a pattern,” Wright says.

Wainono installed three nitrate sensors along the groundwater flow direction to compare upper, middle, and lower farm nitrate levels

and dynamics. The data is uploaded to a HydroMetrics portal and is available in real time.

“I access the data every three of four days and always before and after a weather event,” he says.

It only took two months for the power of real time information to be revealed.

“Levels are going up and down quite a bit, as we suspected from the quarterly spot samples we took previously, but now we can go much further and identify trends.

“I can see the potential in terms of how we manage grazing and when and where we fertilise.”

The findings have been shared with the local irrigation company, catchment groups, community stakeholders,

Research data could lead to changes in grazing management and fertiliser application on The AgriBusiness Group’s Wainono Dairy Farm.

Group consultant Charlotte Senior says the project identified where large nitrate spikes come from.

rural professionals and Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua, the local iwi.

AgriBusiness Group consultant Charlotte Senior says the project identified where large nitrate spikes come from.

“It was clear drainage from big rainfall events was the main driver behind nitrogen losses.”

The sensors also showed high nitrate levels in the groundwater coming onto the property from upstream and taking about two days to show up at the bottom of the farm.

Wright says the sensors have helped identify groundwater problems, and probable causes.

“We see this data as a way of informing any environmental measures we take, such as riparian planting. Over time, we will be able to see if our planting really does make a difference.”

It also sets the farm up for any future regulatory requirements.

“We are creating a rich baseline data set of nitrate levels over time prior to a regulator requiring the information for compliance purposes.

“We will have way more valuable data than that provided by spot grab sampling and also a thorough understanding of the nitrate levels across our farm.”

At the end of the project Wainono Farm purchased the sensors so it could keep collecting the data and help the local community gain further insight into what affects nitrate levels. n

Under the pump?

Under the pump?

Here are some questions that can help you get through.

Here are some questions that can help you get through.

Am I getting enough sleep?

Am I getting enough sleep?

Am I talking to someone about what’s on my mind?

Am I talking to someone about what’s on my mind?

Am I eating well and keeping physically active?

Am I eating well and keeping physically active?

Am I having downtime to recharge?

Am I having downtime to recharge?

Do I have a list of what is realistic to achieve each day?

Do I have a list of what is realistic to achieve each day?

Using these questions to lock in small changes can make a big difference.

Using these questions to lock in small changes can make a big difference.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing

Farming, like professional rugby, is a job with a lot of challenges, says Farmstrong Ambassador Sam Whitelock. That’s why it’s important to look after yourself by investing regularly in your wellbeing. Here are five great ways to achieve that.

International research has found that people who thrive have five habits in common:

• Staying connected with mates

• Keeping active

• Taking notice and enjoy the simple things in life

• Learning new things to keep fresh

• Giving back to friends and community.

Whitelock explains: “These five habits help keep life in perspective when the going gets tough. That’s why I’ve made them part of my life, because whether you’re a rugby player or a farmer there are always going to be things that you can’t control. In rugby it might be the ref, in farming it’s the weather and prices.”

“I’ve found the Five Ways to Wellbeing make a big difference. They have a positive, cumulative effect over time and make you much more resilient. This gives you something to draw on when you are under pressure. It also makes you healthier and more productive on the farm.

Dairy farmers have been sharing with Farmstrong how they use the Five Ways. Here are a few examples to get you thinking.

Paul Walker runs a 300-cow, 90ha dairy farm in Pongakawa

in Bay of Plenty and is a big fan of the Five Ways.

“I like the Take Notice one. I make sure I enjoy the little moments in farming. Snapshots, I call them. The things you get to see in farming that other people never see. You’re waiting for a cow to calve at midnight, and you’ve got a sky full of stars. I take that all in and it gives me a lot of satisfaction.

“In farming you could just keep going 24/7 if you wanted to. There’s always something

else you can do. But no one can go hammer and tongs the whole time. You’ve got to look after yourself or you’re not going last.

“The Farmstrong website has so many resources that can help. It’s really simple stuff – eat well, sleep well, lock in the Five Ways and then you can function properly and everyone around you benefits – farm, family, staff.”

Cambridge dairy farmer Mark Gascoigne found the perfect Five Ways combo at his local cycling club.

“I help to run the Te Awamutu cycle club, which ticks a lot of boxes of the Five Ways – giving back, exercise, staying connected. We’ve got 350 members and run 40-plus races every year on the road and at the velodrome. When you’re helping people like that it energises you and makes a real difference to your own wellness. I’ve also recently become a facilitator for the Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Rural Support Trust to help people going through tough times.

“The main thing I’ve learnt about staying well on the farm is before you can look after your family, your farm and your animals, you’ve got to look after yourself.”

North Canterbury contract milker Abbi Ayre draws a

lot of strength from staying connected. “My husband plays golf at least once a week and I do a lot for the Dairy Women’s Network. I’m a regional leader and help to organise events around the area which keep people connected.”

Ayre says the network has played a big role in helping her feel on top of things.

“Having that sort of support is so important. I get to see a group of women on their one night off farm and we can have a good catch-up. Being in a room full of women like that is special. It’s a great boost.”

Let’s leave the final word with Whitelock.

“Whether you’re noticing good moments, making daily connections, pulling on the running shoes, learning something new or volunteering your time, the Five Ways to Wellbeing can really help you live well and farm well. Different things work for different people, so my message is – find out what works for you and lock it in.” n

MORE:

Farmstrong is an award-winning rural wellbeing programme that helps farmers and farming families live well to farm well. To find out what works for you and lock it in, check out our farmerto-farmer videos, stories and tips on www.farmstrong.co.nz.

To find out what works for you and ‘lock it in’, visit farmstrong.co.nz

Sam Whitelock Farmstrong Ambassador

Investing in your wellbeing during good times means you’ll have plenty to draw on when the going gets tough.

Farmstrong Ambassador Sam Whitelock says farming has a lot of challenges so farmers must look after the wellbeing of themselves and their team.

Mental health after disaster

By Tony Benny

When floodwaters recede leaving farmers staring down the barrel of costly repairs to their land and infrastructure, it can seem overwhelming, but financial assistance is at hand.

While the widespread devastation wrought by Cyclone Gabrielle and the enormous work and resources required to mend land, roads, buildings and businesses have dominated headlines, there’s equally important effort going into looking after the mental wellbeing of the people affected by the disaster.

As floodwaters receded and the sheer scale of the physical damage was revealed, the government confirmed an additional $3.25 million in funding to support the immediate mental wellbeing needs of people impacted.

Minister of Health Ayesha Verrall confirmed the funding after meeting frontline mental health workers in Hawke’s Bay. This is in addition to existing walk-in mental wellbeing services in general practice.

“This funding includes an expansion of the ‘All Sorts’ mental wellbeing campaign which supports communities with tools to look after each other’s wellbeing. We’re also bringing in a team of mental health workers to offer local support to those most impacted by the cyclone,” the minister said.

“Additionally, Te Aka Whai Ora is designing a Māoriled response to support te ao Māori mental wellbeing solutions. I want those facing the worst of it to understand that it’s okay not to be okay. When you need support, it will be there for you.”

As well as free face-to-face services, the government is

funding a range of free telehealth and digital services for those unable to travel to services, Verrall said.

In July the government confirmed its support for Rural Support Trusts to help them in their work with affected farmers with at least $2.4m funding for the 2023-24 financial year.

“During those significant weather events, the Rural Support Trust stepped up to provide critical response and recovery services to affected farmers, growers, and rural communities,” said Local Government Minister Keiran McAnulty.

“Recovery efforts in these regions are ongoing and increased demand for wellbeing support is likely to continue, placing additional demand on Rural Support Trusts.”

The Rural Support Trust is a collective of 14 regional trusts that deliver free and confidential assistance to

farmers and growers facing personal, financial, or climaterelated challenges.

“The funding will assist Rural Support Trusts to co-ordinate local recovery services, clean-up efforts, wellbeing events, extension workshops, and provide other specialised support,” McAnulty said.

“It will also include delivering regional recovery plans and providing one-onone support and a mental health referral service for farmers and growers.”

The trust’s website offers the most up-to-date information to help victims of the flooding deal with its impacts. The Ministry for Primary Industries is also meeting regularly with farmers, growers, rural businesses and Māori landowners to help focus support efforts.

MPI’s website (https://www. mpi.govt.nz/funding-ruralsupport/adverse-events/ resources-for-adverse-events/) lists a wide range of contacts where support can be found.

Another farmer’s mental wellbeing support organisation, Farmstrong, also has important hands-on information online, advice on how to handle the ups and downs and things to look out for that indicate unhealthy

Widespread devastation from Cyclone Gabrielle will cost millions of dollars to repair but help is available for farmers.

Severe flooding gouged out riverbeds and banks leaving a huge mess to clean up for these farmers. File photo

stress levels, (https:// farmstrong.co.nz/wp-content/ uploads/2019/03/FS_DL_ UnderPump-FINAL.pdf).

It lists bodily symptoms like breathing problems, upset stomach and reduced sex drive, mental symptoms including difficulty making decisions and poor concentration, emotional issues like worrying excessively, tearfulness and a short fuse, and behavioural issues including poor eating, withdrawing from people and activities and becoming reactive rather than proactive.

Farmstrong’s site also lists some simple tips including making sure you get enough sleep, staying connected to friends and family and getting off farm to recharge.

“You need that strong commitment to keeping yourself well because the farming environment can be bloody challenging,”

farmer Eliot Cooper says on Farmstrong’s site.

Meanwhile a support package for growers, farmers and businesses affected by the weather events, in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Tararua, and Wairarapa,

was expected to open at the end of July 2023

This will include a loan guarantee scheme as well as access to concessionary loans and equity finance, targeted at viable businesses unable to access lending.

The North Island Weather

Events (NIWE) Loan Guarantee Scheme will provide relief to affected firms seeking commercial lending.

“This scheme leverages the Crown’s financial strength by carrying 80% of the credit risk on covered loans, allowing banks to reduce interest rates and offer more flexible terms,” says Finance Minister Grant Robertson.

The NIWE Primary Producer Finance Scheme will provide access to capital for affected growers and farmers unable to access lending without further support. The funding will target severely affected businesses that have a reasonable likelihood of being commercially viable but cannot currently access commercial finance.

“Many businesses severely affected by the weather events are likely to be commercially viable with the right support,” McAnulty said. n

Once floodwaters receded, they left behind debris strewn across the paddocks. File photo

At the drop of a hat

By Samantha Tennent

Reaching out or asking for help is easier said than done, especially for farmers, but taking that first step is vital.

Changes in physical appearance, changes in mood or changes in behaviour are key signs the Rural Support Trust says to look out for if someone is under stress.

“Watch out for signs like if they are usually well groomed but seem to have dropped their usual standards, or maybe they’re always at a certain event each week but haven’t shown up for a while,” says Maria Shanks, Rural Support Trust (RST) general manager. “It doesn’t always mean something is wrong but it’s good to check in and see if they’re doing okay.”

They know not everyone will respond the first time and helpers should not feel like they have to fix anything. The important part is to encourage them to reach out to the trust, which is what they are there for. They are available to help anyone in any situation, but Kiwis can be stoic and reluctant to reach out.

“It is an ongoing challenge. Sometimes people feel their problem isn’t big enough or others are doing it worse, but if it’s causing stress, ask, that’s what our team is there for.”

Matamata sharemilker

Michael Holman knows all too well how hard it can be to ask for help, but he has asked for support from the trust on several occasions and is grateful for the response.

“I always knew they were there, and a few people suggested it when I was going through a relationship breakup a few years ago,” Holman says.

“I got in touch, and they helped me understand it was going to be okay, which was what I needed. I didn’t have my family around me, and they became my family.

“They also helped with financials, including connecting me with someone in Fonterra when I was concerned about shares and dealing with it all.”

He appreciates that they are there at the drop of a hat and reassure him it will be okay.

“When you’re struggling you don’t want to talk to people to sort things out, but they call you and get things sorted.”

And recently he wandered along to an event that the RST was hosting at his local PGG Wrightsons, where they had arranged Stay Well to do wellbeing checks. He had his blood sugar and cholesterol tested and his blood pressure measured. It turned out to be unhealthily high.

“They recommended I go

to the doctor pretty quickly, so I did, and I’ve been on medication for a few weeks now and I’m thankful they picked it up.”

He wants to see more people reach out for help when they are struggling.

“Farming is a pretty cool industry to be in and the world needs us, we just need to realise it’s okay to ask for help.”

There are 14 RSTs across New Zealand and when someone reaches out, they are connected with a facilitator who works with the person one on one.

The facilitator will connect them to professional help if that is what is needed and remain their ongoing support person.

Although they are known for supporting health and wellbeing, they offer support in many areas. People reach out due to financial pressure, employment issues, succession tension, or

animal welfare, for example. During the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak, when a farmer was given notice they were asked if they wanted RST to get in touch.

“We want to get involved early, most people reach out themselves or ask someone to contact us for them,” Shanks says.

“We encourage people to suggest that we are available to help if they recognise someone under stress or work with us to establish the best approach for someone they are concerned about,” Shanks says.

They are ready to help during adverse events, along with other industry bodies, providing one-on-one support, running community events and often assisting with the enhanced Task Force Green initiative, which can help with things like clean-up.

There are a lot of ways people can get involved with the RST. There are a range of opportunities to help, and they welcome anyone who wants to contribute to the wellbeing of rural communities.

“We want a diverse bunch of people, it’s important the person turning up on the doorstep is relatable.

“Rural life, both farming and growing, will always have its challenges, and our goal is to walk alongside rural people during those tough times and help them come out of it stronger.”

MORE:

Find out about how to get help or how to get involved on their website rural-support.org.nz

Matamata sharemilker Michael Holman knows it is difficult to reach out and ask for help during the tough times, but whenever he has needed support the Rural Support Trust has been there for him.

Stop BVD in its tracks.

A BVD outbreak could cause:

• Decreased milk production

• Poor conception rates

• Persistently infected calves

• Abortions, mummies, and stillbirths

The most devastating impacts of BVD are on pregnant cattle and their unborn calves, so protecting heifers and cows from infection during mating and gestation is critical.

Protect the health of your herd by keeping your herd BVD free with Ultravac BVD®. A premium foetal protection vaccine proven in New Zealand.1

See your vet today.

Breeding off a baseline

By Rory Dean

Before setting out to optimise reproductive performance, you need to know how your herd is performing now.

Like many aspects of farming, in order to improve you must first ensure you understand how you are currently performing. This is increasingly important as costs rise for farming operations throughout New Zealand.

Many of the key factors of reproductive performance are included in the Fertility Focus Report. Standing out at the top of the FFR is the six-week in-calf rate (6WICR), the number of cows that have conceived in the first six weeks of breeding. A higher 6WICR suggests better reproductive management, and is directly related to increased profitability on NZ farms.

A higher 6WICR is valuable to farmers for several reasons. These include: cows spend more time “in milk” and so have more productive lactations, faster genetic gain due to more AB replacements, increased opportunities to cull late-calving cows or culling

cows on type, and a tighter calving pattern.

While the industry target of 78% can seem unrealistic to many farmers (the NZ average is about 66%), trying to improve performance will pay.

“Gap” calculators are available on both the DairyNZ and LIC website to allow you to gauge the increase in operating profit you could

derive from improving 6WICR and not-in-calf rate.

Not-in-calf rate is a measure of the number of cows that have a negative pregnancy diagnosis, and cows that calved this season but don’t have a pregnancy diagnosis or are still recorded doubtful, over the total group of cows. It is subtly different to empty rate, as empty rate is

the number of empty cows divided by the total herd on the day of pregnancy testing.

If cows have left the herd since calving and do not receive a pregnancy diagnosis, they are included in the not-in-calf rate calculation but are not involved in the empty rate calculation.

One of the main questions I receive from farmers is “What

‘MIX IT UP’ WITH PRECISION.

‘MIX IT UP’ WITH PRECISION.

Figure 1.1 – Benchmarking data for 6WICR, Kaipara district, Northland shows a difficult year for many farmers due, in part, to reduced feed quality (particularly ME) in spring. It is only through measuring one can understand how their performance compares. Note 1: Many farmers with good reproductive performance achieve good results year on year, it takes considerable planning and effort for poor performing herds to improve outcomes. Note 2: Very low 6WICR (<40%) are associated with breeding having started, stopped and begun again. This occasionally happens with farmers trying to bring their calving date forward and shows the importance of discussing results with your trusted farm adviser.

ACCURATE MIXING IS IMPERATIVE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY RESULTS FROM YOUR FEED. QUALITY BUILT AND PACKED WITH FEATURES, THERE’S PLENTY OF REASONS WHY YOU’LL SEE AN ABBEY ON A FEED PAD NEAR YOU.

ACCURATE MIXING IS IMPERATIVE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY RESULTS FROM YOUR FEED. QUALITY BUILT AND PACKED WITH FEATURES, THERE’S PLENTY OF REASONS WHY YOU’LL SEE AN ABBEY ON A FEED PAD NEAR YOU.

ACCURATE MIXING IS IMPERATIVE TO ACHIEVE QUALITY RESULTS FROM YOUR FEED. QUALITY BUILT AND PACKED WITH FEATURES, THERE’S PLENTY OF REASONS WHY YOU’LL SEE AN ABBEY ON A FEED PAD NEAR YOU.

Talk to us now about which ABBEY mixer wagon is best for your operation. To see videos of

Talk to us now about which ABBEY mixer wagon is best for your operation. To see videos of ABBEYs in action visit our website.

Built to mix efficiently an ABBEY mixer wagon reduces waste and ensures your stock get all the nutrients they need.

Built to mix efficiently an ABBEY mixer wagon reduces waste and ensures your stock get all the nutrients they need.

Built to mix efficiently an ABBEY mixer wagon reduces waste and ensures your stock get all the nutrients they need.

‘MIX IT UP’ WITH PRECISION.

are empty rates like this year?” There are two issues with this seemingly simple question. One is that empty rates are a (typically) poor measure of reproductive performance in a dairy herd. The reason behind this is simple – one is not comparing apples with apples.

As we can see in Fig 1.2, actual benchmarking data from the Mid-North region shows a huge variety of mating lengths on dairy farms. Obviously the very short breeding periods are representative of split calving herds but it is not uncommon for mating lengths to vary from nine to 16 weeks. We know, through DairyNZ studies, as well as a basic knowledge of cattle, that the longer we mate cattle for, the more of them will become pregnant.

We must be very careful interpreting reproductive performance because there are many factors that may affect it, and it is only through careful, deliberate discussion with your local vet or farm consultant that you can truly give it justice. It is so hugely linked to the profitability of your farming operation that simply looking at a value like empty rate does not scratch the surface.

Submission rate and conception rate are the main drivers of 6WICR. A submission rate of over 90% and a conception rate of over 60% is required to achieve the target 6WICR of 78%. In brief, eight factors are largely responsible for reproductive performance in our herds. These are:

Calving pattern – have latecalving cows contributed to an issue?

• Heifer management – wellgrown, early-calving heifers perform better when they enter the herd.

• Nutrition and body condition – aim to calve cows down at BCS 5 (R2s/ R3s 5.5) and minimise BCS loss in early lactation. Heat detection – missed heats are very costly and

a missed opportunity. Paddock checks can help hugely.

• Non-cycler issues – noncycler cows need to be identified and intervened with early to achieve a good return, regardless of strategy.

Service bulls – roughly one bull to 30 non-pregnant cows is sufficient. Bull health is often overlooked and can lead to high not-in-calf rates.

• AB and genetics – trained,

experienced AI technicians get better results than DIY AI technicians.

Cow health – a high prevalence of mastitis, lameness, or endometritis (dirty cows) can lead to poor performance. Trace element deficiency can play a role. This is an oversimplified look at some of the issues affecting how well mating is going on farms, and a true reproduction review is required to tailor an individual plan for your business going forward.

There are numerous strategies to achieve improved performance in your herd. Preventing non-cycling cows is the key.

Two key factors I have noticed are: Flexible milking/OAD milking – I’ve been really impressed with the improved condition of cows going into mating, seeing cows and heifers transition far better into lactation. This, alongside the obvious savings and improvement in farmer wellbeing, has not been matched with a huge decline in production, as is often the concern.

Listening to local farmers, the best way to consider a move to OAD milking is to talk to farmers around you or attend a local discussion group.

Collar technology – Cow collars are revolutionising the NZ dairy industry. Rumination data can help us improve the transition

and health of cows to minimise non-cycling cows, and heat data allows for breeding timeliness to be optimised, even in those cows that have short, quiet heats. We are all on a learning journey with what this great technology can offer the NZ dairy industry, but I have not heard one of our farmers complain about collars once they have decided to go down this route. There are considerable differences in pricing and functionality of different collars available –do your research.

In summary, if you are motivated to optimise reproductive performance on your farming operation, you first need to know how your herd is currently performing. Consider involving your trusted farm adviser to conduct a comprehensive herd reproduction review with you, tailored to your business and goals. Use benchmarking data if available – but remember, empty rates have their limitations; focusing on 6WICR allows more accurate comparison.

If you are considering changing your business model to allow for OAD milking or utilising collar technology, get involved with your local discussion group, and take notes.

Who am I?

Rory Dean is a farm animal veterinarian practising in the Kaipara District of Northland

Figure 1.2 – Mating length benchmarking data for farms in the Kaipara region, Northland. Note: below nine-week breeding periods are associated with split calving herds.

“It is so hugely linked to the profitability of your farming operation that simply looking at a value like empty rate does not scratch the surface.”

Rory Dean.

WelFarm

general manager

Samantha

Tennant says BVD monitoring information is now a part of the WelFarm programme, to help veterinarians understand what monitoring is occurring among their farmers and highlight to farmers what their peers are doing.

Bang out BVD

By Samantha Tennent

Bovine viral diarrhoea is a nasty disease affecting cattle worldwide. Some countries have successfully eradicated it and so can New Zealand.

It’s alarming to think a bovine viral diarrhoea outbreak could be costing the average herd nearly $10,000 per season, with the latest research suggesting the direct losses are at least $22.22 per cow. And with at least one in three cattle farms in New Zealand currently infected with BVD, there is a good

chance of your cattle being exposed to the virus through the movements of animals, personnel, and equipment between farms.

BVD affects reproduction, milk production and calf health and growth rates, and the symptoms can look similar to other diseases. But the great news is that

BVD has several unique characteristics that make it much easier to eradicate than diseases like bovine tuberculosis (TB) or Mycoplasma bovis.

Almost all new BVD infections are caused by a very small number of persistently infected (PI) animals. PI animals are formed when naïve (not immune to BVD) cows become infected with BVD in the first four to five months of pregnancy, producing a calf infected with BVD for life.

PI calves often have poor immunity and appear ill-thrifty (growing more slowly than expected) but some appear normal and enter the herd. They are the ones that keep the cycle going by infecting other animals.

But since PI animals constantly shed large amounts of virus throughout their entire life, diagnostic tests can be performed almost any time after birth with almost 100% chance of the results for PI animals coming back positive.

If an animal tests negative

for BVD virus, it can be certified as being non-PI for life and does not need to be re-tested since animals can only become PI if they get infected with BVD before birth.

whole herd must be culled because the diagnostic tests are not reliable for detecting infected cattle.

For BVD, there are also effective commercial vaccines that can help prevent new PI calves from being born in herds when it is difficult to stop susceptible dams getting infected with the virus during pregnancy.

Several European countries have already successfully eradicated BVD from their cattle populations and the latest research from BVD Free New Zealand suggests that national eradication could be just as cost-effective for New Zealand with the resources we currently have available.

mented by improving boundary biosecurity to minimise the risk of new BVD introductions by testing all purchased breeding cattle for BVD and preventing nose-tonose contact with cattle from other herds over shared fence lines.

Annual bulk milk or youngstock antibody screening tests are also a useful tool for making sure that the control programme is working to prevent BVD transmission.

Most infected herds will contain fewer than 1-2% PI animals and you only need to cull these small number of PI animals to get BVD under control. Which is unlike Mycoplasma bovis, where the

Computer simulation models suggest the most cost-effective and logistically feasible approach for a national control programme includes testing all replacement heifer calves as soon as possible after birth each year to identify and remove PIs prior to the planned start of mating.

This should be comple-

We have recently started capturing BVD monitoring information in the WelFarm programme, to help veterinarians understand what monitoring is occurring among their farmers and highlight to farmers what their peers are doing. n

MORE:

Talk to your vet about the best options to monitor for BVD among your herd. Find out more at bvdfree.org.nz/

Who am I?

Samantha Tennent is the WelFarm general manager.

Most infected herds will contain fewer than 1-2% persistently infected animals and you only need to cull these to get BVD under control – unlike Mycoplasma bovis, where the whole herd must be culled.

Bovine viral diarrhoea can affect reproduction, milk production and calf health and growth rates, and the symptoms can look similar to other diseases, but the good news is it can be eradicated.

The EcoSmart Silage Cover is made from a flexible inert rubber membrane and sits snugly on the silage. The tight seal accelerates fermentation, reduces spoilage, improves quality and reduces secondary fermentation.

Got it covered

By Samantha Tennent

A silage storage solution new to New Zealand is living up to the reputation it has earned in Europe.

ATaranaki farmer fed up with the amount of spoilage in his maize silage bunker, with its clay composition, knew he had to do something to remedy the situation.

Erwin Heblers, who milks 400 cows on his farm just south of Hāwera, was more than frustrated by the cost and effort resulting from spoilage. Wastage was not only occurring at the top but also along the sides. Eager to identify an effective remedy for covering the stack, he stumbled upon GeoSmart, which appeared to be like the liner utilized in his effluent pond.

“That liner is 14 years old, and it still looks in great condition,” Heblers says.

“So when I found the EcoSmart Silage Cover my gut told me it was worth a try.”

It is a new product to New Zealand but has been used in Europe and France for several years. Heblers has been using the cover for 18 months and is really pleased as it has

significantly reduced wastage from spoilage and met his wishlist.

“I was looking at other covers that a few farmers seemed to be using, but they still had two parts with a film and the cover over top.

“I just wanted something that was low maintenance, only had one layer to deal with and would be durable to last, but mostly I wanted to stop wasting time mucking around

scraping off more silage than we needed because of spoilage.”

The GeoSmart cover goes on easily and they only need to put tyres on the edges and overlap. When it comes time to feed out, Heblers starts folding it back and using the silage straight away.

The cover came with a 10year guarantee and Heblers expects to get a lot more out of it, especially seeing the

performance of his pond liner. He has also noted he is more conscientious about his silage management, utilising bait stations more to keep the rats under control.

“I used to have a lot of rat holes eaten around the edge of the old covers, I was a bit blasé about it all, thinking I would just put another one on next year, but now I put more effort in, especially because it costs more to make or even buy.”

The farm produces about 75t of maize silage. It is just Heblers and another team member on the farm, so he likes to utilise simple, reliable tools to get jobs done. And the biggest benefit he can see is the peace of mind that the cows are not being fed spoiled maize.

He used to use a shovel to pick the bad bits out before the load went into the wagon.

“It just makes feeding out that bit easier, saving the extra hassle.”

The material is a flexible inert rubber membrane, comparable to a tractor

Taranaki farmer Erwin Heblers and his children sitting atop the maize silage stack covered with the new innovative EcoSmart Silage Cover from Cosio.

tube, and sits snugly on the silage and conforms well as the silage settles over time. That tight seal accelerates fermentation, reduces spoilage, improves quality and reduces secondary fermentation.

And being durable, it means people can walk on it easily without the risk of slipping or damaging the cover. It is also resistant to pūkeko and rat

damage and easy to repair if any damage does occur.

Europe has been using the GeoSmart covers for more than 10 years, largely due to its reusable nature. One of the biggest advantages is the significant time and labour saving of adding and removing tyres.

“Single-use plastics are under scrutiny and many companies are looking for alternative, sustainable options,” says Vaughan

Podbielski from Cosio Industries, which has been bringing GeoSmart to NZ.

“By using GeoSmart instead of normal plastic, the average farm can prevent at least 5000kg from being produced.

“And the benefits from

reduced labour and saving time doing away with lots of tyres, decreased spoilage and no annual silage recycling costs make GeoSmart an exciting new offering to the NZ market to help reduce waste.” n

About 75t of maize silage is made each year on the farm but a lot was being spoilt in the bunker. With the Ecosmart silage cover, spoilage has been greatly reduced.

Erwin Heblers used to use a shovel to pick the bad bits out of the silage before the load went into the wagon. He now has peace of mind his cows are not eating spoiled silage.

“I just wanted something that was low maintenance and would be durable to last, but mostly I wanted to stop wasting time mucking around scraping off more silage than we needed because of spoilage.”

Erwin Heblers

Leading by example in the prevention of mastitis.

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If that sounds like the type of partnership you’re after, contact your local FIL Area Manager. Call us on 0508 434 569, or visit fil.co.nz

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THE FUTURE IS IN THE EAR

One last word …

Calving is well underway in most parts of the country and from all reports it is going as well as could be expected given the weather conditions.

Mother Nature has not let up all year.

Almost every farmer I have spoken to this season has experienced weather extremes. First the wet summer in some parts, flooding and cyclones in others. Some farmers experienced dry conditions and then more recently more rain and snow. It’s certainly been a mixed bag, and many are asking what happened to summer. It was virtually nonexistent.

I was looking at some back issues of Dairy Farmer and every year it has been the same: there is always something throwing a challenge at farmers. If it is not the weather, it is new rules and regulations or the like.

I had one farmer ring me feeling quite grumpy about the weather and all the new rules and regulations. He told me it felt like he “was on a merry-go-round that never ended”.

“How do we stop it?” he asked. We may not be able to control the weather – no on-off switch has been invented yet, sadly – but as for the new rules and regulations, the only thing farmers can do is work with industry bodies to ensure they are

heard when it comes to submissions and consultation. It is vital to have your say as it is your business and future.

Last month I mentioned that Dairy Farmer is celebrating its fifth year of publishing under AgriHQ. This issue also marks my last as editor as I leave the role. Dairy Farmer will continue to be published under the leadership of Farmers Weekly managing editor Bryan Gibson and the Farmers Weekly editorial team.

When I first took over this publication it was owned by Stuff and was called The Dairyman, then NZ Dairy Farmer, and now Dairy Farmer under AgriHQ. That was nearly nine years ago, and I have been honoured and feel privileged to have been at the helm of this quality publication.

I would like to take the time to say thank you to our Dairy Farmer editorial team: Gerald Piddock and Samantha Tennant in Waikato, Anne Boswell in Bay of Plenty, Ross Nolly in Taranaki, Cheyenne Nicholson in Manawatū and Tony Benny in the South Island. You all knew how to wind me up and keep me on my toes. And thanks also to our many contributors for their columns and stories.

Thank you to our fabulous network of photographers and in particular Francis Oliver in Auckland, Stephen Barker

in Waikato and Natasha Chadwick in Southland and all the others who donned their gumboots and went out to get all the amazing photos we have run alongside our On Farm stories and profiles.

And a big thank you to the amazing production team at AgriHQ: Stephen Bell, Carmelita Mentor-Fredericks and Claire Robertson for your excellent sub-editing, and Lana Kieselbach, who lays out the magazine each month and makes it look good. Sorry for driving you all crazy with my changes.

Your help and support have been invaluable and greatly appreciated. But most of all, thank you to all of you farmers who have allowed us to tell your stories – without you, the pages would have been empty. Farmers are at the heart of this industry. Every farm and farmer is different and every farmer has a story to tell. I hope we have done justice to those stories.

I wish you all the very best of luck.

Sonita

Like us: farmersweekly.co.nz

Follow us: @DairyFarmer15

Read us anywhere: farmersweekly.co.nz

DAIRY DIARY

August 2023

August 16 – DairyNZ

Ngāhinapōuri Group Catch up, Waikato Mid Calving Catch up

Come and join us for a couple of hours off farm at the Whatawhata pub, where we will be discussing how calving is going, the feed situation and setting up for the rest of the season.

Info at www.dairyevents.co.nz

August 17 – DairyNZ

Waiau Pa/Karaka Mid Calving catch-up, Northland

Take a break from the farm and join us for a social catch-up

We know that calving is a hectic time of year. This is an opportunity to get off farm for a break and to catch up with what others are up to.

If you can only join us for part of the event, please don’t let this stop you from attending altogether. Everyone is welcome.

Info at www.dairyevents.co.nz

September 2023

September 13 – Dairy Women’s Network

The Power of Storytelling, live webinar

We know that stories are a powerful way to influence and engage teams and customers, lead through change, and take any presentation or idea to the next level. How do we use them in a way that sounds natural?

In this webinar, you’ll learn:

• Why stories are so powerful

• How to use them in leading, training and motivating others

• How to build your own story bank to use immediately

Meet the presenter:

Sara Keenan is a Business Customer Experience Facilitation Manager at ASB Bank. Her background encompasses leadership and coaching, and training effectiveness and time management all at levels and industries. This webinar is brought to you by ASB and Dairy Women’s Network.

Info at www.dwn.co.nz/events/

DairyNZ Breakfast on us

Various dates and locations

Take a well-deserved break from the farm and have a breakfast on us and catch up with the community. Bring the team.

Info at www.dairyevents.co.nz

Lunch on us

Various dates and locations

Take a well-deserved break from the farm and have lunch on us.

Info at www.dairyevents.co.nz

September 19 – DairyNZ

South Hokianga spring group

With calving mostly done, join us on the Ambler’s farm for our spring seasonal group. We’ll be covering a variety of topics relevant to the farm, area and season. This will be a chance to get off the farm, connect with the community and hopefully come away with something new. Info at www.dairyevents.co.nz

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