Farmers Weekly NZ April 23 2018

7 SFF Co-op wants better returns Vol 17 No 16, April 23, 2018

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Irrigators tap fund I

These schemes were all part of the solution.

Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com

RRIGATION companies are turning to the Provincial Growth Fund to replace the money lost by the Government winding up Crown Irrigation Investments.

Irrigation New Zealand chief executive Andrew Curtis said the decision to wind up Crown Irrigation Investments has potentially compromised the future of at least five schemes, prompting some to look at the Government’s $1 billion regional growth fund.

It had cast doubt over the viability of Hunter Downs in South Canterbury, Hurunui in North Canterbury, Flaxbourne in Marlborough, Manuherikia in Central Otago and Wairarapa Water.

“Take that (funding) away and they are in pretty serious strife.”

However, if they meet the criteria of enhancing the environment and regional communities they might qualify for the Provincial Growth Fund and Curtis believes some, including the Manuherikia River Company, do.

“They can apply to the regional growth fund because they tick all the boxes.”

Curtis was speaking at the Irrigation NZ conference in Alexandra and said ironically the end of the CII would prevent environmental improvements, such as higher minimum river flows and enhancing the quality of Wainono Lagoon.

Andrew Curtis Irrigation NZ

ON SAME STAGE: Irrigation NZ chairwoman Nicky Hyslop, Agricuture Minister Damien O’Connor and Irrigation NZ chief executive Andrew Curtis stood on the same platform.

Water from the Hunter Downs scheme was to have been diverted into the lagoon to improve water quality.

“There are wider issues such as aquifer recharge, water storage as we face climate change, resolving over-allocated resources and water quality.

“These schemes were all part of the solution.”

Manuherikia River Company chairman Allan Kane said they would look at the Provincial Growth Fund for less than $10 million to pay for a feasibility study, design and planning of the Central Otago scheme.

“Construction capital is not such a concern.

“We believe the economics of the scheme is sufficient that it will not be a major obstacle for farmers. But the feasibility funding is a major obstacle.”

CII contributed to initial stages of the project designed to upgrade and improve the efficiency of the ageing infrastructure and address the ending in 2021 of historic water rights linked to mining permits.

They grant about 200 permits for irrigation water dating back to the goldmining era of the 1880s.

Kane said the upgraded scheme

would provide water to 12,500ha in the valley east of Alexandra, a similar area to that already irrigated but with some futureproofing.

The height of the storage dam would be increased, it would provide insurance against climate change, improve the flow and rehabilitation of the Manuherikia River and the efficiency of irrigators as they shift from flood irrigation to spray.

“It would also future-proof the economies of the community and Alexandra,” he said.

The company will approach the Provincial Growth Fund.

“We tend to feel that while we are disappointed at losing prospective matching funding from CII, we are hopeful we will fit in to the current Government thinking around small water storage schemes, environmental outcomes and future-proofing of the community.”

Irrigation NZ chairwoman Nicky Hyslop did not think the closure of CII signalled an end to new schemes but it did mean the irrigation sector needed to do better at telling its story about the efficient use of water and the impact on water quality.

“A big chunk of that is about water efficiency, how, when and why we apply water.”

It is acceptable the Government requires irrigators meet expected standards but she said it did not preclude the need to investigate the role of water storage not just for irrigation but to soften the impacts of climate change, to service communities and protect food production.

Hyslop believed this is a turning point for the sector.

“We have got to get better at the message we send to the public, accept that irrigation has had an impact and that we are taking action to address that.

“We have got to get a whole lot better at communicating that.”

NEWS

WEATHER OVERVIEW High pressure looks set to dominate New Zealand after several weeks of low pressure dominating our pattern. Being mid-autumn it won’t be perfectly settled with these highs so some rain makers will still come in here and there but they appear short-lived and not widespread. The general trend for the next seven days is that most regions will be fairly dry with drier than usual weather for this time of year. As we head into early May there might be a bit of life from the sub-tropics in the form of a rain maker but we’re also seeing more high pressure coming from Australia. It appears high pressure will be controlling NZ’s weather for the next two weeks.

5 Rugby provides internet watershed Despite its own estimate thousands of rural households are still without high-speed broadband Spark is confident much will be done to change that between now and the Rugby World Cup in September next year.

SFF Co-op wants better returns ������������������������������������ 7

Newsmaker ������������������������������������������������������16 New Thinking ��������������������������������������������������17 Opinion ������������������������������������������������������������18 World �����������������������������������������������������������������22

REGULARS

Pasture Growth Index Above normal Near normal Below normal

7-DAY TRENDS

Wind

Rain A few showers in western NZ over the next week but the bulk of the wet weather will be in Fiordland and will spread a little further up the West Coast and perhaps briefly spill over into Southland. Mainly dry elsewhere.

Parker wants to protect productive land ���������������������� 8 AgFest bounces back from storm �������������������������������� 11

NZX PASTURE GROWTH INDEX – Next 15 days

High pressure dominates the country this week though a weak front on Tuesday will see a surge of west to southwest winds again this week from Wellington southwards, mainly the South Island. Lighter winds later in the week for most.

Highlights/ Extremes

Temperature With more high pressure around this week expect lighter winds and therefore cooler nights and mornings and fairly average/mild days for many.

A little warmth creeps back into the lower South Island too. Warmest in the northern/eastern North Island.

Not much in the way of extreme weather this week but a cold change with rain in the South Island on Tuesday might bring some snow to the mountains and a surge of windier conditions. Otherwise drier than average for most.

14-DAY OUTLOOK

For further information on the NZX PGI visit www.agrihq.co.nz/pgi After a very wet past couple of months an uptick in high pressure will no doubt be welcome by many regions. Most parts of NZ are wetter than they usually are for mid to late April so high pressure coming in will be useful at balancing the soil moisture levels out and encouraging continued positive grass growth. The next week ahead looks positive with few, if any, frosts. Little rain for Gisborne and northern Manawatu, the two driest areas.

SOIL MOISTURE INDEX

Real Estate �������������������������������������������������23-29

– 20/04/2018

Employment ����������������������������������������������������30 Classifieds ��������������������������������������������������������30 Livestock ����������������������������������������������������31-35

40 Caution drops calf prices Buyer caution drops calf pricesCALF prices fell at Wednesday’s Fairlie Basin sale at Temuka. Steer calf prices were down 10c/kg to 15c/kg on earlier South Canterbury sales over the previous two weeks and heifer prices fell further, by 40c/kg to 50c/kg.

Source: WeatherWatch.co.nz

This product is powered by NIWA Data

For more weather information go to farmersweekly.co.nz/weather

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

3

There’s more M bovis to come yet Glenys Christian glenys.christian@nzx.com UP TO three to four years of Mycoplasma bovis monitoring will be needed and more infected animals will probably be found next year, Primary Industries Ministry senior policy analyst Emil Murphy says.

“It doesn’t make animals sick directly,” he told Auckland Federated Farmers executive.

“It’s more like a cold sore where something happens to an animal which is weak already and M bovis jumps in and makes it worse.”

Genetic analysis showed the local strain of M bovis is quite different to that seen in Australia for the last 10 years.

“It’s similar to North American and European strains and has some similarity with those from Asia,” he said.

“It seems certain it arrived on only one farm.”

There are seven ways it could have arrived, all of which are improbable.

Live cattle imports constitute the highest risk but there have been none for the last four years and very few in the three years before that, he said.

Semen, embryos, contaminated machinery or clothing or biological medicines or vaccines and feed imports are the other ways.

“We’ve focused on semen because of the number of imports, which are larger than embryos,” he said.

“The whole system hasn’t been working as well as it could.”

Anomalies had not been followed up and enforcement action taken.

Auckland Federation vicepresident Alan Coles is concerned that because some farmers are not filling out their records correctly, all farmers might face more bureaucracy as a result of the recent review of the system.

And Edgar Henson, who owns a sheep and beef property at Glen Murray, was worried about lost NAIT tags, particularly if that animal had been bought in.

NAIT advice when that happened with one of his animals on a truck recently was that his file could be dumped and then his stock rescanned.

“It’s a big weakness,” he said.

Murphy said there is a problem with missing tags if animals are not going to slaughter.

“Who do you call when tags fall out?” he asked.

When information had been entered correctly the system worked well but there could be issues if it is impractical to tag an animal or when a person receiving stock doesn’t acknowledge that has happened.

The 33 infected farms were “in context, not a great number”, he said.

Those with the disease in South Canterbury were not necessarily where it started but more likely to be a branch from an initial infection that started in Southland.

“It’s not moving very quickly from animal to animal and there’s been no transmission in NZ across a boundary fence,” he said.

It could be spread by semen, saliva and milk with 75% of the spread coming from animal to animal contact and up to 10% spread by feeding raw milk to calves.

Theoretically it could be spread by urine and manure, by clothing and on vehicles but that was not the core mode of transport.

“It doesn’t last that long and is mainly killed off by drying out,” he said.

Plan Change 1 in September 2016 and had to be treated as a normal pre-PC1 application.

However, in doing so WPL also sought a certificate of compliance for the conversion of the land before the PC1

was notified. The compliance certificate provides only a temporary shield from the land use change rule.

The law requires when the plan becomes fully operative, retrospective consent must then

“It seems certain it arrived at only one farm.

“But there’s a big risk of silent carriers, which will break into the disease.”

MPI is going through the last two years’ NAIT records from the 33 infected properties.

“There are a few holes where we will see the disease pop up again next season,” he said.

“It’s not just one group that has failed to make NAIT work.

It’s not just one group that has failed to make NAIT work. The whole system hasn’t been working as well as it could.

Emil Murphy MPI

SLOW: Mycoplasma bovis has not spread very quickly but there are a few holes where the disease will probably pop up again next spring, Primary Industries Ministry policy analyst Emil Murphy says.

“It can be very short-lived.”

On pasture a 60-day period of fallow is enough to kill it but

where cows are housed viable organisms can survive longer in bedding and on rubber matting.

CLARIFICATION WAIKATO Regional Council wants to clarify two points in last week’s article on the Wairakei Pastoral land conversion.

Council chairman Alan Livingston said the consent application was lodged before

be obtained for the conversion.

The application will be considered under the provisions and goals of PC1 (Healthy Rivers).

Regarding nitrogen allocation in the catchment, PC1 does not

specify a maximum nitrogen load for the catchment but does require farmers to operate to within a nitrogen reference point. That will not affect other farmers in the 10-year life of the plan.

Wairere, the traders’ advantage Bill Herrick is a specialised lamb trader near Martinborough in the South Wairarapa. He annually purchases Wairere bred store lambs from White Rock Station on the Wairarapa’s south coast. This year’s weaning draft of 1800 Wairere Dominator / Romney lambs averaged 29kg, with a range from 26 to 38kg, when they arrived in midDecember. The first draft on the January 4th saw 434 average 21kg carcass weight with the majority of the balance reaching the same average, in two drafts, by February 24th, with only 150 left to finish.

“I know that I can budget on an average daily weight gain between 350 and 400gms a day, even in the Wairarapa summer heat”.

“I will happily pay a premium for Wairere bred lambs”

www.wairererams.co.nz | 0800 924 7373

4

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Rescue chopper services face axe Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com ABOUT 1200 people marched through Taupo last week to protest against a threat to end their air ambulance service.

Taupo Mayor David Trewavas said the march attracted many people who owe their lives to the speed and efficient response of their local service.

“People are fired up and are pretty passionate just because of our geographic nature, being in the middle of the North Island.”

A Ministry of Health, ACC and National Ambulance Sector Office review says some air ambulance services should be cut.

Although no decisions have been made, communities in Taupo, Rotorua and Te Anau fear a 10-year modernisation programme for air ambulance services could see their services disbanded and handled from other centres.

“No decision has been made yet on where the air ambulance helicopter services will be based but coverage around the country, including the North Island’s central plateau, Coromandel and Te Anau will continue,” Ministry of Health community and ambulance spokesman Andrew Inder said.

“The locations will be determined through the current request for proposal process but it is important to note there will be an improved nationwide helicopter service that can provide better clinical support for patients.”

Inder said the service is responding to increased aviation and clinical compliance requirements and some variability in clinical outcomes between regions.

Trewavas said losing its local service would mean the Taupo area, including National Park, will be serviced from Hamilton, increasing the 20-minute flight

time to the mountains to 43 minutes.

Being on State Highway 1 close to National Park and with 140,000 people a year walking the alpine Tongariro Crossing, medical events are regular and a speedy response is needed.

In the last year the Taupo and Rotorua helicopters flew 460 missions, 260 of them out of Taupo, of which half were to tourists.

It cost $1.3 million a year to run the Taupo service and, like other air ambulance services, a third was funded by the community and the balance from the Ministry of Health, ACC and district health boards.

Trewavas said he learnt of the threat to the service only two weeks ago when the review was already six months under way.

The helicopter trust has since scrambled to prepare a tender.

Southland Mayor Gary Tong described the potential loss of the Te Anau service as a nonsense.

IN PERIL: No decisions have yet been made on the future of the Taupo rescue helicopter nor for those based in Rotorua and Te Anau.

It services Fiordland, including the remote but heavily travelled Milford Road, western and northern Southland.

A former policeman, Tong spent 500 hours working on helicopter emergency operations and knows the challenges and importance of pilots having local knowledge.

“Of all the incidents we went to there was no loss of life because we got there in a hurry.”

Inder said demand for air ambulance helicopter services has grown rapidly from 7000 mission hours in 2007 to 11,000 hours in 2016.

“The challenge is how to keep those services fit for purpose in the future as service complexity grows.”

The helicopter fleet has an average age of 29 years and a third of the 20 air ambulance helicopters are single engined, which Inder said need replacing over time with double-engined machines that meet Civil Aviation Authority requirements for flying over populated areas.

“Many helicopters operate with higher than acceptable technical and safety risks and single engine helicopters do not allow full access to the patient for treatment.”

The new service proposal is designed to improve services and ensure there are two clinical crews for each air ambulance service callout, Inder said.

“The proposed service is simply looking at accidents and incidents that require an air ambulance because of the need for medical

The intention is to build a national, integrated network that covers all of New Zealand.

Andrew Inder Health Ministry support. If someone needs to be rescued but doesn’t have any need for medical support, this service is still available through search and rescue and is not part of this request for proposal.

“However, any solution needs to consider the requirements of the wider emergency rescue service.

“The intention is to build a national, integrated network that covers all of New Zealand, is well linked with other emergency services, is available around the clock, is safer and is consistently clinically resourced.”

The time taken to reach an incident is one factor as good clinical outcomes require a high level of care at the scene, during transport and at hospital.

In small helicopters the stretcher extends beside the pilot with the patients abdomen and legs tucked under the dashboard.

Inder said that means any urgent work has to be done before the helicopter takes off.

A decision on new providers and services will be made in July or August.

Rural health put on hold A RURAL mental health project run by the Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa will continue until June 30 before being wound up as the parent organisation is put in hibernation after failing to secure $600,000 in Government funding.

Alliance chief executive Michelle Thompson said it has run the rural mental health contract for the Ministry of Health for four years and she fears no one else will pick up the work.

The alliance board effectively put the organisation on hold

from Friday but she was hopeful it would restart again saying rural NZ has lost a trusted, credible conduit to the Government through which to promote solutions to rural health and wellbeing.

“We are so bitterly disappointed for so many reasons but I hope this Government, because it campaigned hard on equitable access to health services, increasing health resources and boosting provincial NZ, will look at it again. It seems so incongruous.”

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

5

Rugby provides internet watershed Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com DESPITE its own estimate thousands of rural households are still without high-speed broadband Spark is confident much will be done to change that between now and the Rugby World Cup in September next year.

Live, streamed games will be the mainstay transmission method for people wanting to see the games, turning the traditional Sky broadcast model on its head.

Spark corporate relations general manager Andrew Pirie described the move to internet transmission as a watershed moment for New Zealand to push connectivity to new levels.

He also points to three times the number of households having broadband than Sky boxes.

“But we do recognise there are people in remote rural areas who do not presently have access to broadband. We reach 90% of the population with broadband that is of streaming quality.”

Those areas are scattered across the country.

“We don’t have an exact figure, thousands, it may even be tens of thousands. This is a concern to us but we are very focused on what we can do between now and later next year.”

Significant funds abound to improve rural connectivity, with almost half a billion dollars put on the table in the past 12 months still to be fully spent.

Pirie pointed to the Rural Connectivity Group (RCG) comprising Spark, Vodafone and 2Degrees as playing a big part in helping push connectivity harder over coming months.

The group put $75 million into the pot to extend rural coverage.

Meantime, the Rural Broadband Initiative 2.0 brought $140m plus $270m put in by National before the election.

That amount alone is targeting 60,000 households in 190 small

UPGRADE: The Rugby World Cup provides a superb chance to boost internet connectivity, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association spokesman Ernie Newman says.

We do recognise there are people in remote rural areas who do not presently have access to broadband.

Andrew Pirie Spark towns and 74,000 households are expected to benefit from RBI 2.0.

“On top of that we are also working with network providers like Chorus and wireless internet service providers (WISP) to see how we can work together better.”

Amuri.net director Chris Roberts said one of his concerns as a WISP operator, in North Canterbury

is the capacity of the internet infrastructure to handle the loads such an event is likely to generate.

“Under RBI 2.0 we have been marching ahead with our upgrading. We are already seeing the Netflix effect come in with more people streaming online and moving from traditional viewing platforms. So, if they have Netflix now, watching the RWC that way is not a big change.

“But the biggest problem I can see is Spark pairing up with other network providers, being able to deliver it to people who are not Spark customers.”

He pointed to the significant investment Netflix has made in servers to ensure a seamless service provision.

“They require what are known as pairing exchanges but no one has really said how this is going to be done for RWC.”

But Pirie said Spark will be engaging closely with all WISPs on the best ways to get the network operating seamlessly.

“There is also a lot of new technology out there we will be calling on including multiplexing that allows many to tap into one source.”

He acknowledged there might well still be rural areas come September 2019 short on broadband speed.

“In those cases, and we will know where they are, we would consider some temporary infrastructure. It could involve tapping into a connectivity point at the local school for example.”

The worst-case option would be using satellite connections but they are constrained by cost and data caps.

Pirie agreed, given the demand the event will put

on infrastructure, a trial run before the tournament is a good possibility.

WISP Association spokesman Ernie Newman said the WRC provides a superb aspirational target to boost the rate of connectivity throughout rural NZ. “Let’s use RWC 2019 to get to 100% streaming quality broadband through NZ. It’s a good goal and may be impossible to achieve but it could close the gap quicker.”

He encouraged rural communities struggling to get big telcos engaged to talk to WISPs that specialise in communityspecific services, often using the input of land and resources provided by those communities.

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News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

7

SFF Co-op wants better returns Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com

and Farmlands to give aspiring directors skill but Hewett said the need remains.

“The opportunity to experience that level of governance has diminished as there are fewer cooperatives.

“The gap between school boards of trustees and sports clubs and overseeing a $2.2 billion company is large so we need to prepare people for that role.”

The board will consult shareholders in the coming months and vote on changes later in the year.

Does our meat suit Armanni?

ON THE UP: The coming year should be steady but improving for Silver Fern Farms, chief executive Simon Limmer says.

Election results ROB Hewett and Fiona Hancox have been reelected to the Silver Fern Farms’ Co-operative Ltd’s board of directors.

The results of the election were: Rob Hewett: 28,849,257 Fiona Hancox: 18,193,756 Conor English: 14,046,529 Chris Allen: 4,595,285 Hewett said the patronage payment will this year be made to all livestock suppliers, including those operating through third parties, but in future it will be paid only to those supplying the company direct.

Shareholders supply 61% of stock handled by the company but Hewett said the patronage and dividend payments are designed to attract more shareholders to supply and more suppliers to become shareholders.

The treatment of dry and supplying shareholders prompted some discussion with Hewett pointing out supplier shareholders

receive twice the bonus payments given to dry shareholders, a ratio he considered about right.

Dry shareholders provide capital and liquidity to the business and are often retired farmers who want to retain links to the company and the industry.

Silver Fern Farms Ltd reported sales of $2.2 billion and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation, but excluding non-recurring items, of $50.9m.

That was a 45% improvement on the previous year.

Hewett said he was happy with the direction of the company.

The season has been exceptional for farmers with lamb prices the best since 2011, beef the highest since 2015 and venison the best ever.

December was a record month during which the company paid $260m for livestock.

“The interesting thing to me is we sold all that stock. We didn’t store it in a freezer. It’s been sold and we’ve been paid.”

Hewett also announced an impending governance review would look at the appointment terms of directors, board size and the ratio of elected and

A DELEGATION of leading international chefs visited New Zealand farms and restaurants recently as part of an innovative initiative designed to showcase lamb, beef and venison.

Chefs from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and NZ along with international food media toured South Island farms and visited premium restaurants as part of the Antipocurean Series organised

by Alliance Group.

Michael Wignall, Renee Miller and Simon Hulstone of the UK and Jim Lofdahl and Silvio Armanni of Hong Kong were among the international chefs attending the tour.

One of the world’s leading food bloggers, Dubai-based Kiwi Zoe Bowker, who has 46,000 Instagram followers, and Wilson Fok, of Hong Kong’s Tatler Dining, also joined the delegation.

The chefs’ skills were put to the test at two public events at Chillingworth Road restaurant in Christchurch and at Jack’s Point restaurant near Queenstown, where they cooked Alliance products including Pure South handpicked 55-day aged beef, Silere alpine origin Merino, Te Mana lamb and Pure South handpicked venison.

The delegation also visited farms including Minaret Station, Wanaka, Godley Peaks Station, Lake Tekapo, and White

Rock Station near the Rangitata Gorge.

Alliance marketing general manager Peter Russell said the Antipocurean Series aims to offer international chefs and media an insight into NZ’s produce and its unique provenance.

“We’re aiming to improve the awareness and understanding of NZ as a purveyor of premium fare.

“Although the country boasts a fine reputation, we can do much more to highlight the source of origin, environment and people behind our premium lamb, beef and venison.”

The Antipocurean Series is an important component of Alliance Group’s food service strategy, which aims to capture greater market value for the benefit of farmer shareholders.

“Alliance is committed to taking our premium fare to the world and building a cadre of international chefs or Antipocureans, who have actually experienced the land, people and environment,” Russell said.

“Alliance is now a food company and our products are enjoyed in more than 65 countries across the globe.

This initiative reflects our commitment to producing a more sophisticated and differentiated offer for our customers.”

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SILVER Fern Farms Co-operative is targeting a 10% return on its investment in Silver Fern Farms Ltd, a goal co-op chairman Rob Hewett describes as a work in progress.

He told Wednesday’s annual meeting that equates to $55 million annual profit, about double what was achieved in the 2017 year.

That result was affected by the closure of the Fairton plant at Ashburton.

Silver Fern Farms Co-operative and Chinese meat processor and retailer Shanghai Maling, are joint shareholders in Silver Fern Farms Ltd. Silver Fern Farms Ltd chief executive Simon Limmer said the year under review was steady but complicated by covering 15 months.

That was necessary to align year-ends but meant twice accounting for the two least profitable months of October and November.

Stock flows were also disrupted by extreme weather.

Limmer said the coming year should be an improvement. He describes it as also likely to be steady but influenced by beef numbers in the coming months, the number of sheep carried over the winter and the ability of the company to cut costs.

Hewett described Silver Fern Farms Co-operative’s 2017 financial result as complex, covering 15 months and ownership implications while the partnership with Shanghai Maling was completed.

“It was unavoidable. We don’t expect another repeat of this in coming years.”

The co-operative reported an after-tax loss, including discontinued operations, for the 15 months to December 31 of $5.6m. At year-end it had cash on hand of $16.6m, no debt and shareholder equity of $272.2m, being its investment in Silver Fern Farms Ltd. It paid a dividend of $3.2m (2.8c a share) and a patronage payment to suppliers of $900,000 (2.9c per eligible share).

independent directors.

The review was driven by concerns at a lack of skilled, potential directors and Hewett said it could result in the number of farmer directors on the co-op board increasing.

With fewer agricultural cooperatives the pool of experienced farmer-directors was reducing but the need remained with Silver Fern Farms having five farmers on the co-op and three on Silver Fern Farms Ltd. The company runs courses in conjunction with Fonterra

8

News

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Fonterra to pay bills sooner Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com FONTERRA has formalised shorter, more generous terms of payment to its smaller trade suppliers, reversing the trend to longer terms that was controversial two years ago.

Chief financial officer Marc Rivers expects from August 1 83% of its New Zealand trade suppliers will be paid on the 20th of the month following invoice.

The change in payment policy applies especially to those Rivers calls smaller vendors billing Fonterra less than $300,000 a year.

There are 3900 of them among about 5000 NZ trade suppliers overall.

The larger suppliers will remain on the 60 days from the end of the

month payment terms that caused controversy when enforced

by Rivers’ predecessor, Lukas Paravicini.

At the time Paravicini said he was adopting global best practice and Rivers agreed the trend internationally remained towards longer terms.

So far 67% of NZ suppliers had arranged “personalised terms” of payment from Fonterra and with the new policy that number would rise to 83% on August 1, Rivers said.

Paravicini’s tougher line was introduced in 2015-16 when the co-operative pursued a Transformation policy to reduce costs and improve cashflow after two seasons of very low milk payouts to farmers.

Rivers said there will be a small

cashflow impact from the new, easier terms but it will not affect farmers.

“The change from 67% to 83% is immaterial in Fonterra’s total spend.”

The change in policy came after receiving feedback from many smaller vendors who are the financial lifeblood of small towns and rural communities.

“We looked at the 67% already and said why don’t we formalise that with policy, to reflect the reality of the situation.”

Rivers said he was attracted to employment with Fonterra because he could regularly meet the co-operative’s owners and had begun doing so during the farmer roadshows and with a weekend spent on a dairy farm.

“By many measures Fonterra

is a successful co-operative with creative mechanisms for its shareholders, who are all large business owners in their own right.

“It is already clear to me that Fonterra has world-class systems in finance, treasury, risk management and foreign exchange.

“The owners and the staff members have that co-operative mindset and very good attitudes towards each other.”

The ongoing improvement of processes and systems will aim to efficiently make thousands of financial transactions every month with harmonisation across the company and the many countries it operates in.

“That combination of feeding the world on behalf of the dairy

Fat demand keeps dairy commodity prices up Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com FRESH evidence of the demand for milk fat products, butter and anhydrous milk fat was provided by the latest Global Dairy Trade auction, contributing to a GDT index rise of 2.7% across all products.

AMF rose 5.3% and butter 2.9%, bringing butter values on world markets back close to their all-time highs.

Lactose, the cheapest and lessfrequently traded dairy commodity, gained 14.8% of US$687/tonne but it remains well below the sub-$1000 level of 11 months ago.

Cheddar was up 4.6%, skim milk powder 3.6%, rennet casein 3.1% and whole milk powder by 0.9%.

WMP prices were firm across the board and the average of US$3311/t was the same as prevailed in the market in May 2017, having gone as low as $2755 in December and risen

20% since.

That returning strength in WMP and milk fat has bolstered the Fonterra farmgate milk price of $6.55/kg MS and with only five weeks to the end of the milk supply season its payout prediction looks to be secure, perhaps conservative.

Rising world prices in the middle of the northern hemisphere spring are a very good sign, ASB rural economist Nathan Penny said.

“The squeeze is back on global butter prices, up 27% so far this year and well ahead of where they were this time last year.

“We anticipate butter prices will shatter last year’s records ($6000/t) over coming months.

“This expectation is based on the fact that NZ is the world’s leading butter exporter, exporting more than 1.5 times the amount of other leading dairy exporters combined.

Penny suggested the strong prices towards the end of the NZ season

create upside risk to the milk price forecast, which will be good news to farmers.

He also predicted a solid start to the new season, for which his prediction is $6.50.

The AgriHQ milk price forecast fore this season lifted 1c to $6.31.

The slight increase was a result of the lateness in the season, when bigger commodity price movements had only small effects on the farmgate payout.

Analyst Amy Castleton thinks the gap between her forecast and Fonterra’s might be partly explained

by Fonterra having sold more product volumes earlier in the year, when prices were even better than now.

The NZX Dairy Derivatives market responded to the GDT results with small increases in futures prices for WMP, SMP and AMF. Milk price futures also rose, to $6.60 for this season and $6.25 for next.

Parker wants to protect productive land ENVIRONMENT Minister David Parker wants officials to work on a national policy statement for versatile land and high-class soils in response to a report showing changing land use such as urban sprawl and intensified farming are adding to natural pressures from climate change and earthquakes.

The Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand reported in Our Land 2018 on the state of the soil and the state of indigenous biodiversity and ecosystems.

It showed significant changes in land use over the past two decades with a 10% expansion of urban areas at the expense of the most versatile land and a 7% contraction in agricultural land, which has become increasingly converted to dairy and used more intensively.

The report found NZ loses 192 million tonnes of soil each year,

with 44% from pasture, and that 48% of tested areas falls short on soil quality in phosphorus content, which indicates soil fertility, and macroporosity, an indicator of the soil’s physical status.

Parker said he is “particularly troubled by how much of our urban growth is occurring in our irreplaceable, highly productive land” and has tasked officials to start work on a national policy statement for versatile land and high-class soils.

A national policy statement lets a government direct a local authority to amend a regional policy statement or district or regional plan to include specific objectives or policies.

“We have to ensure we have enough land to build the houses people need but we must protect our most productive areas too,” Parker said.

“This report must spark a greater effort to build our knowledge of land as it’s clear there are significant data gaps, which must be filled.”

The report shows more intensively used land is more prone to fall short on the quality standards with 51% of tested dairy sites reporting excess phosphorous and 65% below target for macroporosity.

“Healthy soil is like a sponge, full of holes that can absorb air and water,” Parker said.

“When it is compressed it can’t absorb water, which makes it more drought-prone and nutrients are more likely to run off into waterways.”

The report said a loss of tree cover accelerates soil erosion and the increased profitability of dairy contributed to deforestation and conversion.

– BusinessDesk

EASING UP: More of Fonterra’s small suppliers will get speedier payments from new chief financial officer Marc Rivers.

farmers of New Zealand and Fonterra’s importance to the people of NZ is inspiring and motivating.”

Water quality at turning point, experts say Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com FRESHWATER experts believe water quality could be at a turning point with 10-year data showing more monitored sites have improved water quality than are deteriorating.

A water quality trend study by the Cawthron Institute for Land, Air, Water Aotearoa (LAWA) revealed all measured attributes are improving at more sites than are degrading.

LAWA is a collaboration between the 16 regional councils, unitary authorities, the Ministry for the Environment, Massey University and the Tindall Foundation to help manage natural resources.

Cawthron Institute freshwater group manager and ecologist Roger Young described the overall picture as encouraging.

He hopes it represents a turning point in river health.

“While this analysis gives us cause for optimism, water quality is just one indicator of river health and there is still more work to be done.

“While all parameters show there are more sites improving than degrading, there are still degrading sites for all parameters.

“In order to continue further improvements we need to invest in freshwater ecosystem management, routine monitoring and further research and innovation,” he said.

Compared to earlier surveys the trend of nitrogen was pronounced, showing significant progress, with the number of improving sites three

times the number deteriorating.

LAWA and Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead said the trends show the efforts of land users, catchment groups and councils in reducing non-point discharges are having a beneficial impact on water quality.

That is not to say there are not areas still degrading but decade-long trends showing improved water quality are encouraging.

“This trend says ‘yes, we are starting to see some response for the last decade or more commitment and investment from landowners, councils and community groups’.”

Woodhead said scientists need five years’ information to determine a trend but 10 years is better.

That information shows how individuals and communities can improve water quality.

Woodhead said the challenge remains on intensively farmed and urban areas, wkhich would remain a focus for councils.

The study looked at between 296 and 696 sites depending on the water quality parameter. Some sites had insufficient evidence to determine a trend.

“Improving trends for water quality were more common than degrading trends for all water quality parameters.

“Water clarity, ammoniac nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations showed 11, eight and 16 times more sites with improving trends than degrading trends, respectively,” the report said.

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10 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Ag emissions fee work starts Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com THE Government appears to have begun the process of including agriculture in the Emissions Trading Scheme.

Climate Change Minister James Shaw has set up an Interim Climate Change Committee to work towards a zero emissions economy by 2050, with members chosen for their scientific, economic and business expertise rather than representing stakeholder groups.

It will work on how New Zealand transitions to be a net zero emitter of greenhouse gas, which will mean including agriculture in the emissions trading scheme.

“We need work to start now on how things like agriculture might enter into the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme and we need planning now for the transition to 100% renewable electricity generation by 2035,” he said.

Shaw signalled earlier this year he wanted agriculture to be part of the ETS but Federated Farmers climate change spokesman Andrew Hoggard said the message policy staff took out of a briefing

We need work to start now on how things like agriculture might enter into the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme.

James Shaw Climate Change Minister

HAPPY: The members of the Climate Change Committee provide significant scientific thinking and will not rush the job, Federated Farmers climate change spokesman Andrew Hoggard says.

last week is that joining ETS is if not when.

Problems remain about making individual farmers accountable for emissions rather than imposing the costs on the industry and Hoggard said the reality is that agricultural emissions are falling.

Transport has been in the ETS from the start yet the last national

inventory revealed emissions from the sector had increased 82% since 1990.

He welcomed the committee membership, saying it provided significant scientific thinking and the policy would not be rushed.

“This should mean we can figure out once and for all just what the obligations are NZ has to

meet, not just for agriculture, but for all of us.

“We are all emitters.”

Committee members are familiar with agribusiness and the challenges faced, especially given the limited range of tools available to reduce emissions, Hoggard said.

Shaw said the committee will operate until an independent Climate Change Commission is set up under the Zero Carbon Act in May next year.

The committee will consult stakeholders and hand over its work and analysis to the commission.

Asked why there were no farmers on the interim

committee, Shaw said all members were selected from nominations by industry organisations such as Federated Farmers, the Combined Trade Unions and Business NZ. “We were looking for a very specific mix of technical, scientific, industry and economic skills and professional backgrounds to make up the membership.”

The committee will be chaired

by Dr David Prentice who was most recently the chief executive and managing director of infrastructure firm Opus International Consultants.

The deputy chairwoman is Lisa Tumahai, who has significant governance experience and is kaiwhakahaere (chief executive) of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu.

The other members are Dr Harry Clark, an expert on agricultural greenhouse gas research, Dr Keith Turner, former chief executive of Meridian Energy and a professional director, Dr Jan Wright, former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment and Dr Suzi Kerr, an expert in the economics of climate change policy and emissions trading.

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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

11

AgFest bounces back from storm Tim Fulton tim.fulton@nzx.com THE storm that bashed Auckland bowled the West Coast’s only all-industry trade show just three days before a new dawn for the event.

Six of the eight pavilions at Farmlands AgFest were rebuilt thanks to a surge of volunteers including members of the 600-strong Gloriavale Christian Community, one of the biggest workforces on the Coast.

Every helper was crucial as the region has just 30,000 people, spread thinly.

Farming comprises about 350 Westland Milk suppliers and a couple of hundred sheep, beef or deer farmers.

Coasters rallied after the Tuesday April 10 storm and enjoyed fine weather on the Wednesday but it rained again the next day.

Volunteers and contractors toiled from 6am to 10pm for those three emergency days to be ready for the event on April 13-14.

Tent contractors and others did an amazing job to put the show back together for the Friday and Saturday, AgFest co-owner Andy Thompson said.

No-one made much of a fuss and he never doubted it would come together, despite effectively having 36 hours work wiped out on the Tuesday.

“It was no choice, it was emergency work.”

There was a lot on the line for Thompson, his wife Anna-marie and their business partners Adam Berry and Tracey Anderson.

AgFest is basically the West Coast’s only trade show and unlike other comparable field days and trade fairs it is privately-owned.

The wide-ranging retail show was in Greymouth for the first time.

Hokitika’s 2ha Cass Square worked well for the first three AgFests but it was cutting up a sports field and costing ratepayers, Thompson said.

Grey District Council wanted a large trade event so it offered AgFest free use of the publicly-owned 5ha aerodrome.

Most of the coast’s 30,000 people are from Greymouth or further north so the new site is more accessible, attracting visitors from as far away as Tasman.

The event needed room to grow so it made sense to be in Greymouth, which had 12,500 people compared to Hokitika’s 4000.

So being close to town rather than in a field attracted a strong walk-up crowd.

Thompson estimated up to 15,000 attended.

The organisers didn’t do formal ticketing so figures were patchy but numbers were up significantly on last year.

“In the pavilions there seemed to be a third or a half more.”

“We are a profitable company and continue to be. We have no back-up from local councils but that also means we’re not beholden to anyone but ourselves.”

Farmlands took a naming right in 2014 and AgFest aims for a rural market but is always a blend of town and country people and businesses.

Cities had home, building and educational shows and several regions had farm field days whereas the Coast brought it all together.

Farmers were out in force on the Friday, which, like other field days and shows, was often considered a default country day while the Saturday was almost universally accepted as the main public day. Farmers like their peace and quiet, and time to talk to ponder. “On Friday it’s quality, not quantity.”

Ordinarily rain wouldn’t be a biggie running the event although this year’s debrief would include a look at “the issue of under-foot conditions,” Thompson said.

“We’re a West Coast event. Rain doesn’t bother us. All of our exhibitors are under canvas. We’re expecting it to be two days of rain.”

Thompson is a broadcaster for NZME rural radio shows The Muster in Southland and a back-up to the nationwide show, The Country.

He’s also a volunteer communicator for West Coast Civil Defence and communications contractor to the Department of Conservation for the new 65km Paparoa National Park Great Walk – a memorial to the 29 men killed in the Pike River coalmine disaster in 2010.

POPULAR: AgFest in Greymouth provided a day out for both town and country folk.

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12 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Moroccans defend right to mine WHILE visiting one of their largest phosphate rock customers, a Moroccan delegation from mining company OCP Group has also used the visit to provide a company perspective on what is proving a controversial part of the world to mine in.

The company provides 70% of the phosphate rock used by Ballance and Ravensdown and has recently come under the global spotlight for mining in a part of Morocco’s Western Sahara region seeking self-governance.

The region is sometimes home for more than 500,000 Saharawi tribesmen and women, known for their nomadic lifestyle, with separatism being claimed by the Polisario Front.

The background to the separatist claim is mired in Morocco’s complex history of colonisation by assorted countries including Spain, Portugal and France, each contributing as much to Morocco’s cosmopolitan nationality as it does to the claims made by the group.

The contested area also happens to contain some of the highest quality phosphate rock used in NZ fertiliser and has been subject to a United Nations request by Morocco to be placed into a “non-self governing territory”, similar to Britain’s Cayman Islands, or NZ’s Tokelau

HAPPY: Ballance is satisfied with the legality of trading with OCP Group, chief executive Mark Wynne says.

island group.

“But the process of meeting the UN’s request for a politically negotiated compromise on either autonomy or integration has proven controversial,” OCP Group vice-president and general counsel Otmane Bennani-Smires says.

Ultimately the UN wants to see self-determination by the people in the region in context of the Charter of the United Nations.

One possibility mooted was a referendum in the region to enable the population to decide

its fate but that has proved problematic.

“There is no definitive criteria to tell you who is Saharawi and who is not.

“These are nomadic people who are not always in the one place for a long time, making defining a referendum population almost impossible,” Bennani-Smires said., The conflict stretched 18,000km back to NZ last year when a $7 million shipment of phosphate was forced to remain in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, after a court there ruled in favour of an injunction taken out by the Western Sahara independence movement.

But OCP Group maintains the court action by South Africa was questionable at best.

OCP called it political piracy and challenged South Africa’s interference in a Moroccan sovereignty issue.

The South African ruling came after a similar attempt by Polisario had been blocked by a Panamanian court on a ship heading to Canada. In that case the court made it clear a local court was not the appropriate venue to resolve international disputes.

OCP’s view that the Polisario group is not legitimate was boosted two years ago when

the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) asserted large parts of aid supplied to camps run by the group were being diverted to individuals in the group.

Aid support has been provided since 1975, with European donations of more than €100 million in the 10 years of 1994-04 alone.

Investigators discovered aid products being sold in Algerian markets and in Mauritanian cities, with false invoicing and overestimates common.

The Polisario movement has also been criticised by the UN for its continued armed presence adding a destabilising force to a country renowned as a steady democracy in an unstable region.

“There is no way a territory the size of Britain will be handed over to an armed group.”

Given this history, OCP remains quietly defiant and determined to continue operating its Phosboucraa mining facility.

“People have been trying to put pressure on NZ fertiliser companies and farmers, accusing them of being unethical.

“We are doing the exact opposite through the Phosboucraa Foundation.

“We are determined to not only continue our operations but to continue to serve NZ agriculture and farmers,” Bennani-Smires

There is no definitive criteria to tell you who is Saharawi and who is not.

Otmane Bennani-Smires OCP Group said.

Ballance chief executive Mark Wynne said the long-running, complex dispute was not for Ballance to resolve. That rested with the United Nations.

“But we have satisfied ourselves about the legality of trading.

“It then comes down to the ethics and if we are comfortable with them.

“Over the last decade a number of our directors and management team including myself have seen first hand the re-investment OCP makes to the local economy. We are satisfied they are operating with the spirit and intent they claim.”

He had been personally impressed with the high level of remediation done by the company once phosphate was mined.

“Hundreds and thousands of carob and olive trees have been planted, creating sustainable businesses as a result.”

Long-term relationship endures Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com A 30-year relationship between Ballance in New Zealand and a growing African conglomerate is reaping benefits for both parties, despite a gulf of 18,000km between them.

This month a delegation of Moroccan nationals representing the African company OCP Group and its co-operative subsidiary Phosbourcraa took the chance to highlight how, despite supplying 70% of the phosphate rock used in NZ, the trade is by no means one-way.

Both Ravensdown and Ballance use the company’s mine in the disputed Western Sahara region to supply about 70% of their phosphate rock needs.

The low-cadmium, highphosphate rock is mixed with phosphate rock sourced from other countries, including China.

For Otmane Bennani-Smires, OCP executive vice-president of legal affairs, the visit to NZ is more than just business.

The journey from Auckland to Tauranga was a cause for pride among the delegation, with green paddocks and crops a celebration of the role their company has played in providing a key mineral for this country’s food production.

The company’s Khouribga phosphate mine is an hour from Casablanca in a region with about 70% of the world’s known phosphate reserves. It processes about 44 million tonnes a year.

The relationship with NZ’s two main fertiliser companies extends back 30 years, with this country among OCP Group’s top customers for the rock.

With expectations the reserve has at least another 80 years available, the company is keen – despite recent publicity about the disputed territory – to continue its relationship.

It is one increasingly starting to foster benefits over and above the simple sale of bulk phosphate for growing crops.

A key mine subsidiary, Phosbourcraa, is playing a role in helping reciprocate benefits between the company and NZ. After OCP bought the original Spanish owners out completely in 2002, the operation was set up as a co-operative operation with a broad community focus aimed at lifting the quality of life of the people directly employed in the mine and the communities it supports.

“When we took over the operation from the Spanish there were only about 4% locals employed. Today we have 76% employed, across all levels of staff and management,” Phosbourcraa Foundation vice-president Hajbouha Zoubeir said.

The foundation exercises the Phosbourcraa vision to enrich the local community and runs with key pillars – agriculture, social advances, entrepreneurship, urban development and culturalsporting encouragement.

The agricultural programme

now has strong links with agronomists from both Massey and Lincoln Universities, working with the co-op on its 400ha development farm identifying species capable of thriving in high salinity ground water conditions.

Four Moroccan agronomy PhD students are attending Lincoln.

“We have discovered 19 species of crop that can tolerate those conditions. This includes quinoa, where production in high salinity conditions is actually above the national average,” Zoubeir said.

So far extension work has trained almost 2000 farmers over four years on better crop management, camel breeding and improved water efficiency.

A desalinisation plant also provides two million cubic metres of water to the local community alongside a school and research lab.

Almost 30,000 people are benefiting from the foundation’s health and surgery services and 13,000 are children educated through funded schools.

Zoubeir said women have been a key focus of the foundation’s development projects, with 60% of the foundation’s beneficiaries female.

That is in a country that regards itself as an increasingly matriarchal society, with more women starting businesses, leading in academic studies and heading up political parties.

“We are particularly focused on getting more women engaged in agriculture, for example, learning

VISITORS: The OCP Group visiting from Morocco was, from left, Mohamed Belhoussain, Hajbouha Zoubeir, Otmane Bennani-Smires and Maoulainine Maolainine.

to grow quinoa and hopefully for it to be at least as significant as cous cous is now,” Zoubeir said.

NZ’s history of phosphate extraction is not the most enlightened, with Nauru an example of mining’s worst-case footprint on a finite resource.

But Bennani-Smires said sustainability on an environmental and social level is paramount, with the company investing heavily in smarter water

use in an extremely dry climate, desalinisation technology and sourcing 98% of its energy through wind farms.

“The United Nations has an expectation that a population cannot be denied the right to development, jobs and health care.

“So there is a legal framework there and we believe we are well above that standard, doing it in a sustainable way,” he said.

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14 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Beekeepers take united approach Tim Fulton tim.fulton@nzx.com AFTER more than 100 years of professional beekeeping the fiercely parochial industry is about to start a unified apprenticeship scheme.

Professional development will no longer consist of quick homework in the ute between jobs, Apiculture New Zealand skills and education group chairman Stuart Fraser said.

“We want structured learning to verify what is understood and achieved.

“I have a vision of my professional development time is on a Tuesday morning between 8 and 10. The days of grabbing your notebook and scribbling a couple of questions when you’ve driving out to the site, they’re gone.”

NZ has 8000 registered beekeepers, twice the number of five years ago.

An apprenticeship in apiculture will teach seasonal planning and hive management through to the art of managing a queen bee.

The honey industry has about 900,000 registered hives and Fraser said there is strong interest in the apprentice certificates from recreational hobby beekeepers to family businesses and corporates.

The apprenticeships will be for anyone over age 16 and comprise

a full apprenticeship from the gateway level two primer course to level four. The full programme might take two to more than three years to complete.

Beekeepers and honey manufacturers have offered a variety of training plans but this is the first time the industry had agreed on standard content, Fraser said.

“The last 15-20 years, there have been different iterations of standards and qualifications offered by various ITOs. Some businesses have developed their own courses but there has always been discussion as to where the standard really sat.”

Smartphones and video have opened a new way to teach but delivering the training online is just part of bringing the industry into line with other workplaces.

“We’re stepping into the modern world and we’re going to use technology to deliver this.”

Training partner Primary ITO will teach core beekeeping skills and trade know-how to confidently run an independent, smaller-scale business or become a qualified beekeeper in a bigger operation.

The courses include a threeyear certificate in apiculture and an option to continue into a year four diploma in apiculture. An apprentice will pay $999 a year

RESPONSE: There has been strong interest in the beekeeping apprenticeship.

and the employer/business a one-off $299, regardless of how many staff they are training in a particular year.

Apiculture NZ’s website said 90% of the course will be on-thejob learning and the remainder E-learning. Paperwork will be

minimal and students will be able to complete the training as soon as they are able.

Students will need NCEA level one or equivalent to start training and if they change employers they will be able to continue the programme elsewhere.

Eight businesses have enrolled about a dozen students for an upcoming pilot programme for the courses.

The Apiculture NZ conference in July will get more detail about the training and qualifications.

Interest might not lead to sale Alan Williams a.dubu@xtra.co.nz

HANG ON: Interest in Comvita was announced early to protect shareholders who might sell on the profit downgrade, chairman Neil Craig says.

THERE’S no certainty of an offer for honey producer and health product manufacturer Comvita and talks with an interested party were disclosed early because of a profit downgrade, chairman Neil Craig says.

Another poor honey production season is expected to knock the company’s after-tax earnings back about $8 million on previous estimates.

That will put it in a range

between $8m and $11m for the June 30 year, from above $17.1m expected earlier.

“We didn’t want any shareholders selling out due to the downgrade and then seeing a month or so later that there’s been an offer for the company,” Craig said.

Comvita shares fell 12c to $6.85 in trading on the NZX immediately after last Monday’s downgrade but still finished the day at just over $7 on the possibility of a takeover offer.

There isn’t any certainty of an

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offer but the interested party is credible and doing due diligence, he said.

“We wouldn’t have allowed them to do that unless the value expectations were reasonable.

“If a party ticks all the boxes we have to give them the maximum chance to make an offer.”

The proposal remains incomplete.

It’s about seven years since Comvita fought off an unwelcome takeover bid from Singaporebased Cerebos Greggs, at what Craig called an opportunist price.

Cerebos is not the suitor this time.

Comvita told the NZX the due diligence process has been going for several months and there is potential for the other party to acquire all or substantially all the shares, whether by takeover, scheme of arrangement, amalgamation or other business combination.

A further update is expected in mid May. After a promising start poor weather affecting honey production is disappointing, Craig said.

There had been hopes of improved late-summer production in the central North Island to make up for poor results further north but that didn’t happen.

Comvita has now completed 80% of honey extraction for the season and tested 50% of the honey. The yields are only half of original budget levels.

At least the quality is good, he said.

The directors don’t expect an impact on honey supplies for manufacturing, at least for the 12-months immediately ahead.

“We carry a very big inventory of honey to guard against a bad harvest and for our ability to blend for quality requirements. We can stand a couple of years of poor harvests.”

We carry a very big inventory of honey to guard against a bad harvest.

Neil Craig Comvita This is the second successive poor harvest and the company has done a lot of statistical and historical analysis, indicating two in a row is an abnormal occurrence.

Based on that, Comvita is “as confident as you can be” about the prospects for next season.

The honey production impact on the apiary business is the major issue for earnings but the directors said there is also some assumed risk about sales targets to June 30 being achieved.

That related to the level of recovery in grey market sales to China.

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16 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Cows provide unusual careers Australians Bradley Cullen and Mal Nikora have built careers in a somewhat obscure area of agriculture. They tell Neal Wallace that despite that they are kept busy while accumulating air points.

I

T IS a safe bet the Australian census does not have categories for the chosen careers of Bradley Cullen and Mal Nikora.

They have chosen obscure careers but ones that have taken them around the world.

Cullen is a bovine portrait photographer and Nikora is a cattle preparation specialist.

They both predominantly work with dairy cows, helping owners prepare them for sale or show.

Cullen taking pictures and Nikora grooming and prepping them.

For a big player like that in North America it is nothing to pay $2500 for a photograph of his cows.

Bradley Cullen Photographer Cullen lives in Tasmania, the son of 10th generation dairy farmers, of which the last seven farmed in coastal New South Wales. Before that three generations of his family milked cows in Ireland.

The 23-year-old has spent a decade taking photographs,

starting as a 13-year-old helping a wedding photographer before blending his love of photography, dairy farming and genetics to become one of just 16 specialist cattle photographers in the world.

It is a role Cullen says cattle owners take seriously, using his images to promote and market their stock, which is increasingly being done on social media.

A client once flew him 36 hours from Australia to his farm in Spain to photograph one cow over two days then flew him home again.

Cost is not an object for some clients with Cullen saying one United States Jersey breeder had net worth of about NZ$700 million accumulated through a machinery sales business with cattle breeding a sideline interest.

“For a big player like that in North America it is nothing to pay $2500 for a photograph of his cows.”

Another North American Jersey breeder owns the internationally known Manolo shoe brand but all view the quality of photograph as vital for marketing and promotion.

Cullen estimates he has photographed 6800 cows since launching his business in 2010 and averages one sale a month.

He has branched out to helping with marketing, branding and

BUSY: Mal Nikora’s skills in grooming cattle are in demand around the world.

preparing sale catalogues.

Much of that marketing is now targeted via social media but it has also required him to develop skills such as understanding the NZ dairy index system and how to design sale catalogues and market the sales.

Cullen said his career received a major break in 2014 when working with a leading United States cattle photographer Cybil Fisher.

She taught Cullen the intricacies of lighting, presence, conformation and attention to detail, skills he has strived to emulate.

The job has taken him to Europe, the US, Canada, New Zealand and throughout Australia.

Cullen and Nikora were both involved in the recent sale of 49 cattle by Nathan and Amanda

Bayne’s Busybrook Holsteins in North Otago, photographing and grooming the cattle.

Tokoroa-raised Nikora was not from a farming background until his family moved to Australia and his mother married a dairy farmer.

He said he started visiting shows and was fascinated at how stock were prepared so taught himself the art of cattle grooming.

Living in Colac, Victoria, Nikora has been clipping cattle for three years and does about 1500 cows a year throughout North America, Australia and New Zealand.

Depending on an animal’s size the clipping can take between 30 and 90 minutes.

As with photography, grooming cattle is a specialist job that is in demand from breeders wanting to

show or sell their stock.

A North American breeder flew Nikora twice in one month to work with his cattle.

Nikora said he is fully booked until September and in one month his work will require him to visit North America twice, New Zealand and Australia.

Last year he had 10 days off when he wasn’t either working or travelling for work.

“It’s a single man’s game,” he said.

Nikora has acquired knowledge that allows him to contribute more than just clipping and styling cows for sale or show.

Come game day he also advises breeders how much to feed cows and how much milk to leave in the udder so the cows are presented looking their best.

Female calf fetches record price

WEDDING LEADS TO LOVE: Bradley Cullen started helping with wedding pictures and now flies around the world to photograph cows.

A SIX-week-old calf stole the show by selling for $35,000 at Nathan and Amanda Bayne’s sale of Busybrook Holsteins at Duntroon in North Otago’s Waitaki Valley last week.

Busybrook Doorman Hailstorm, a daughter of the two time World Dairy Expo and Royal Winter Fair Grand Champion RF Goldwyn Hailstorm was bought by Peter Sherriff and family of Sherraine Holsteins of Kaiapoi at a record price for a calf in New Zealand.

“Amanda and I were really pleased with how the sale went,” Bayne said.

“Getting a top price of $35,000 for Hailstorm was a standout moment for us but overall we were very happy with the presentation of all the cows on offer, which is a real credit to the team working behind the scenes.”

Busybrook sold 45 lots ranging from cows to two embryo packages grossing

$303,200 at an average of $6738.

The second top price was $18,000 for Busybrook Wind Miss NZ on her first lactation.

A daughter of the 2012 Canadian Cow of the Year and Royal Winter Fair and World Dairy Expo Grand Champion Eastside Lewisdale Gold Missy, EX 95, 27 SBC, she was bought

by Marshall Farms of Te Puke and was sold in-calf to Beemer.

The same buyers also selected Karatane Windbrook Rosa, VG 88, bred from Shoremar Can S Rosa, EX – a former NZ Royal Champion and full sister to the artificially inseminated sire, Talent, paying $11,500.

Then $14,000 was paid by C View Trust of Hawera for Busybrook HH Fav (ET), a rising yearling by Hothouse from an EX Millenium dam with 4.2% protein.

The same buyers also selected several other cows: Busybrook SB May a rising yearling with a BW of 226 by FM Beamer at

$12,000, Busybrook HH Bailey, VG 86, a young cow with a LW of 411 for $10,000, Busybrook SB Faith at $9000 and Busybrook SB Honey with a BW of 225 also at $9000.

Australian buyer Peter Fullerton bought Busybrook Free Dream, VG 87 for $12,000, a young cow with 4.5% protein.

The Valendale herd of Taupiri was an active bidder throughout the sale. Its selections included the yearling Busybrook Impress Anna for $11,500, Karatane Planet Bettie a young cow from an EX Shottle dam at $10,500 and Busybrook Beemer Kay at $8100.

James Ben-Canaan of Temuka paid $11,000 for Busy Brook MTL May a bull dam by Lamont for $11,000.

The 13 cows sold averaged $7769, 20 unjoined heifers averaged $7535, four joined heifers $4125, six unborn calves $4400 and two embryo packages $4250.

New thinking

17

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Cinderella of science left out of funding ball The old question asks if a tree falls in the forest and no-one hears it, does it really fall?

It could apply just as equally to New Zealand’s biodiversity and the unknown impact many introduced species have on the country’s ecosystems. Richard Rennie spoke to ecologist Margaret Stanley who maintains unless NZ starts listening for those falling trees, the primary sector will be first to notice their absence. biosecurity at Auckland University and is disturbed at the measures used by EPA for determining whether the organisms deliberately introduced with EPA permission are having an impact on biodiversity.

“The EPA reports annually against a target measure of no EPA-approved new organisms having become pests, weeds or diseases.

We know there are about 3000 established introduced insects out there but no one knows what they are doing out there.

Dr Margaret Stanley Auckland University “However, success is measured as no one reporting them as having become pests but there is rarely any targeted post-release monitoring of these organisms so we wouldn’t really know if they were having an environmental impact.”

Little is known about how most organisms that have come in are interacting with the environment and each other.

She laments the loss of some long-term, ie more than 20 years, monitoring that was done until the early nineties.

It included the Orongorongo Valley, a 30-year plus dataset that focused on the effect of possums on the environment.

Long-term monitoring of wasps, pests and birds in the Nelson region was another that had almost 30 years of data in it.

“But these really came to a halt with the creation of Crown research institutes and changes in funding.

“These projects require ongoing funding that reaches far beyond the shorter term funding cycles and specific focus more outcome-driven research receives today.”

Adding in a climatic shift that has extreme weather events as now part of the new normal with no two years the same, having longer term studies running is more critical than ever.

Events like global warming elevate the risk of incursions by previously low-risk organisms from tropical regions.

“Climatic shifts can make things like insect swarms an issue for NZ but a lack of long-term monitoring means we may not be able to determine when a swarm is likely.”

There have been a couple of close calls where proposed biocontrol species were due to be introduced, one being the Macrolophus insect, ostensibly to control white fly in tomatoes, in 2014.

“But unfortunately in that case they were getting advice from scientists overseas who

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observe environmental responses.”

Technology for monitoring is more affordable than ever before but the expense comes in the investment in people to harvest the data and develop algorithms for better interpreting it.

Stanley is heartened by the idea under the national Science Challenge that NZ has a longterm ecological research network, similar to the US, to provide and analyse data to better understand climate change impact and the effects of invasive species.

“However, that has not happened.

“Citizen science and community monitoring is valuable for specific purposes but does not allow us to respond to the opening salvo,” she said.

had little idea about NZ’s native ecosystems. This insect turned out to be something of a generalist that would have likely had a severe impact on other insects, in addition to the target insect.”

Stanley points to several monitoring platforms used overseas, most particularly Hubbard Brook, a 3200ha site in New Hampshire, United States, that has produced major discoveries about human and natural disturbances to forested landscape.

Spanning 60 years this living laboratory has charted the rise and fall of bird populations due to climate change, the origin of acid rain and identified nitrogen pollution in streams and lakes.

“Really, it is a huge laboratory where changes can be added in to

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TUMULTUOUS climate, greater trade and tourism combined with poor environmental and ecological monitoring are putting the country on the back foot for dealing with incursions and threats to commercial agriculture, forest and wild life systems, Auckland University ecologist Dr Margaret Stanley says.

At the heart of being able to front-foot incursions and outbreaks is a need for more science money for monitoring ecological and environmental indicators that help predict the likelihood of outbreaks and our vulnerability to them.

“For me, when I have to stand before an Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) panel and answer their question about whether an introduced insect has caused the decline of a native New Zealand species there is nothing more frustrating.

“The answer is no only because we have no evidence to use in that discussion.”

She describes long-term monitoring as the Cinderella of the science world, under-loved and underpaid.

It tends to be pushed aside for the sexier subjects of research increasingly committed to determining commercial results.

“We know there are about 3000 established introduced insects out there but no one knows what they are doing out there.”

Stanley runs a course on

HIDDEN: Little is known about how most organisms that have come into the country are interacting with the environment and each other, Auckland University ecologist Margaret Stanley says.

Opinion

18 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

EDITORIAL

Rural-urban divide proves to be real

T

HE concept of an urban-rural divide can no longer be dismissed as a conspiracy theory given the deluge of Government decisions that negatively affect the rural

sector.

The list is diverse: The end of Government money for irrigation schemes, fuel tax changes that suck money out of the regions for Auckland public transport, the end to offshore drilling for oil and gas which will affect Taranaki, the loss of air ambulance services in Taupo, Rotorua and Te Anau and the refusal to fund $600,000 for the Rural Health Alliance.

Sitting in the wings are promises of tougher regulations on water quality and taxing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Understandably, rural New Zealanders feel under attack from the Government and betrayed by its coalition partner NZ First, which openly courted rural votes at the last election promising improved rural infrastructure, health and social equity.

Its leader Winston Peters can point to success in a $1 billion regional development fund but the reality is his party appears to have been rolled on several issues by Labour and the Greens.

Politics aside, the nature and handling of these decisions leaves the most bitter of tastes.

In the same week the Government allocated $2 million to an inquiry in to an eight-year-old military action involving NZ soldiers in Afghanistan, it said it cannot find $600,000 for a rural health body.

Equally, decisions about ending three air ambulance services and phasing out offshore drilling for oil and gas by 2030, were all made without consulting the communities affected or with the courtesy of advanced notice.

An added insult was Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s decision to celebrate the oil and gas announcement by mixing with Victoria University students rather than fronting Taranaki people. She belatedly despatched senior Cabinet Minister Andrew Little to the province when the chorus of criticism became too loud to bear.

The Government has handled successive decisions with little respect for those rural communities most affected and they can rightly feel second class.

Neal Wallace

LETTERS

Thank you for your patience WE WERE disappointed to read your recent article, Farmers have lost faith in MPI, which effectively contained advice encouraging farmers to break New Zealand law.

You reported Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis advising farmers of Mycoplasma bovis infected properties not to depopulate their farms, as directed by MPI under the Biosecurity Act 1993, until MPI provided “assurance of compensation in a fair and timely process”.

It is disappointing MPI was not given the opportunity to comment in the article.

We understand this is an extremely stressful time for farmers. This disease and the actions we are asking farmers to take to help contain it create a lot of uncertainty.

We acknowledge farmers have concerns about the

compensation process and that is why we are urging them to work closely with their farm advisers to ensure their claims are accurate and complete when submitted. This, as much as anything else, can help speed the compensation process.

For our part, we are pulling out all stops to help affected farmers receive their due compensation and we are significantly increasing staffing in our compensation team to do this. At the time of writing we are nearly halfway through all existing claims by value and we are progressing well.

This is not business-asusual. We would like to thank farmers and the rural community for their patience and understanding as we work towards the best solution for containing this disease and

minimising its impact on farmers and their animals.

The article also quoted the Potgieter family as saying they felt let down by MPI. Again, we feel for the position they are in. We cannot comment publically about individual cases – unless the people concerned are prepared to put their information in the public arena. However, we are committed to ensuring that all affected farmers are compensated to the full extent of what is permissible under the Biosecurity Act. We can do no more or less than that.

Geoff Gwyn Director of Response MPI

Wage question WHEN you read between the lines about the so-called

labour shortage it is obvious that employers need to get the gorse out of their pockets.

When the top workers can earn $175 a week more than the minimum wage for a 50-hour week where is the incentive to do seasonal work in a job that is tough and you have to work hard.

Its all very well quoting the top hourly rates but what is the average?

Mike Davies Darfield

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Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

19

Only science can combat pests

N

EW Zealand is under continued threat from invading pests, diseases and weeds that threaten not only our primary industries but also our natural heritage.

Last year we had myrtle rust, which has now reached the South Island, and Mycoplasma bovis.

This year we are fighting off the brown marmorated stink bug, which has already been stopped at the border several times.

If it becomes established in NZ it threatens not only our horticulture industry but also the home gardens of many urban Kiwis.

Other major threats already here include Chilean needle grass, the tomato-potato psyllid, Psa in kiwifruit, the guava moth, which is increasingly attacking our citrus industry, and Phytophthora agathidicida in kauri.

And don’t forget mealybugs, which transmit devastating viruses to vines and have now spread as far south as Marlborough.

Every new incursion or threat requires new solutions before, at and after the border.

Although agrichemicals continue to be a vital weapon in the war against pests and diseases our choices are reducing.

Fewer new synthetic pesticides are being developed now than at any other time since World War II. Meanwhile, some products such as many organophosphates, are being banned worldwide.

Neonicotinoids, a major group of registered pesticides, are likely to be withdrawn from use in Europe soon.

It’s likely most pesticides withdrawn from use in Europe and the United States will also be banned in NZ, leaving a gap in pest control approaches.

Such bans are also likely to affect exporters, who must ensure their produce is residue-free.

Public concern about the use of toxins in food production because of possible harms to human and environmental health affects our markets here and overseas.

For all these reasons, lasting

GUARDIAN: BioProtection Research Centre director Professor Travis Glare says scientists can provide answers as increasing numbers of pest threats come at a time overseas customers develop resistance to chemical controls.

The

Pulpit

solutions to prevent damage to agriculture, horticulture and our environment must be based on research and bioprotection science.

Biological pest control is a key, acceptable and cost-effective method of bioprotection but even this is not infallible and needs continuous attention.

For example, for many years we have successfully controlled Argentine stem weevil – a serious pest in ryegrass pasture – with an introduced parasitic wasp, saving pasture-based farmers millions of dollars a year.

But that control is becoming less effective and Bio-Protection Research Centre scientists have shown it’s because the pest is evolving much more quickly than its parasite.

If this leads to increased pesticide use on grass crops that would be a severe environmental stress and could also affect how well our pastoral exports are received in more environmentally conscious markets.

The Bio-Protection Research Centre – a government-funded centre of research excellence – has a vital role to play in effectively managing any emerging or established threats to our primary industries because only sciencebased solutions will last the distance.

We have had recent and dramatic success in discovering science-based solutions, including

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finding sustainable ways to manage grass grubs and weta in vineyards, improving biological control of the disease-transmitting psyllid in commercial glasshouses and protecting our commercial forests from disease.

Lasting solutions to prevent damage to agriculture, horticulture and our environment must be based on research and bioprotection science.

Our scientists, based at universities and Crown research institutes throughout the country, are investigating issues such as exactly how the Argentine stem weevil is evolving to avoid its parasite so we can use science to outwit it, why weeds such as dock have become so problematic in NZ but not in their home ranges

and how pathogens such as Psa actually cause disease so we can use science to overcome them.

New pest threats to our primary industries and natural environment will continue to emerge, even as we develop ways to eliminate or manage existing ones.

Only by investing in world-class bioprotection research can we address these challenges in a truly sustainable and acceptable way.

The centre was established in 2003 to drive innovation in sustainable approaches to pest, pathogen and weed control.

It has seven partner institutes: AgResearch, Lincoln University, Massey, Canterbury and Otago Universities, Plant and Food Research, Scion and members throughout NZ.

Your View Got a view on some aspect of farming you would like to get across?

The Pulpit offers readers the chance to have their say. nzfarmersweekly@nzx.com Phone 06 323 1519

Opinion

20 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Big rugby supporters are rural CAN I start by congratulating those who competed at the Commonwealth Games.

Getting there is hard enough, winning medals of any colour is exceptional.

That we won 15 gold medals is a huge tribute to the thousands of training, support and administration staff as well as the people on the podium.

So extremely well done to all involved.

The wooden spoon for the Games goes to Television New Zealand. What a shower they were.

I want to watch NZ athletes in action.

I don’t want to watch Toni Street swanning around interviewing people whose relevance to me is about as much as a bicycle is to a fish.

I also don’t want Australian and British commentators giving me the wisdom of their asinine and irrelevant views. It came across a little like them casting their pearls to the swine.

And the coverage was confusing and bitsy. I never knew what was going to be on and when.

The unannounced flicking between channels also encouraged a drive to drink.

In a sentence it was bitsy, unpredictable, confusing and totally unprofessional.

In NZ we’re spoiled by extremely professional coverage of sport with Sky. It is world-class and far better in my view than sports coverage in Australia, Europe and Britain.

Further, the Sky commentary team is, across the board, relevant

Alternative View

Alan Emerson

and professional.

No, I don’t like to pay for sport that in many cases I’ve subsidised through taxes but yes, Sky Sport is worth the money.

So now we have Sky Sport sidelined for not only next year’s Rugby World Cup but also the Women’s Rugby World Cup, the World Sevens and the World Under 20 Championship.

We won’t have the professionalism of Sky but the amateurish imitation of TVNZ. The analysis so far has been on the commentators TVNZ can attract and, yes, there are some strong names there.

A successful television sports broadcast isn’t just about commentators, it is also about camera angles and expertise and highly specialised directors and producers.

Yes, an international feed might be available but that’s largely what we had at the recent Commonwealth Games.

Iniquitously our only television reception comes through a Sky dish. We can’t receive free to air television any other way.

If we want any television we need Sky. The second issue for me is the

BAD SIGN: The poor Commonwealth Games coverage doesn’t leave Alan Emerson enthusiastic about Rugby World Cup prospects.

The wooden spoon for the Games goes to Television New Zealand.

sad lack of strong broadband in a lot of rural NZ. We’ve been told by technical experts old and rural people will be disadvantaged by the TVNZ-Spark deal and fitting both categories I can sympathise.

According to the 2013 census only 65.6% of Masterton homes had access to the internet and though that will have inevitably increased, the rural areas will be far worse off.

Rugby Union supremo Steve Tew sees a rosy picture in the SparkTVNZ deal.

Suggesting more New Zealanders than ever will have access to live World Cup Rugby is, in my view, an inaccurate, narrow, Wellington-centric approach.

Wairarapa Bush president Richard Dahlberg has a different view.

“Quite frankly, I don’t understand it. I don’t want to understand it,” he said.

“I want to sit on a couch, open a beer and turn the television on.

“I don’t want to watch rugby on ipads, phones or computers.

“Rather than watch rugby on a cell phone I’d like the opportunity to be able to talk to some bugger on it.”

The issue is there are many technical problems.

The Telecom 4G network they’re touting needs a considerable amount of band width. There are concerns that is feasible.

I do wish they’d bring back the milkman Town Talk

Amy Williams

THE other day I was reminiscing about how I used to take the empty milk bottles out to the front gate as a child, in an iconic white wire holder, to be swapped by the milkman the next morning for bottles filled to the brim with creamy milk.

At breakfast, we’d peel off the foil top and scoop out the cream, unless mum got to the bottle first and shook it up.

There are some olden day gems on Te Ara – The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, a site I enjoy looking up for its absolute New Zealandness.

This encyclopaedia states milk was delivered to houses in NZ cities and towns until the mid 1990s when it gradually

stopped. No surprise, really, that the milkman wasn’t in such great demand once supermarkets were authorised to act as milk vendors in 1987.

By the late 1980s glass milk bottles had been replaced by cartons.

Now it’s 2018 and the milkman is making a comeback in big cities around the world. From New York to London and just across the Tasman people are ordering milk to be delivered to their door straight from the dairy farm.

It’s an understatement to say I’m desperate to have the same service here in Auckland city. I’d go back to glass bottled milk in a heartbeat.

We buy at least eight litres of milk a week from the supermarket, in two litre plastic bottles. It takes up the whole bottom shelf of our fridge.

If I could buy glass bottled milk, I’d get two orders a week. Imagine the kids going to the letterbox or doorstep to collect the milk. The nostalgia.

I’d be willing to pay more than at the supermarket for the service (the going rate for boutique glass

bottled milk is $4-$5 a litre, which is expensive, so I’d buy a bit less and I like the idea of re-using glass bottles rather than recycling plastic.

There are boutique milk suppliers bottling their liquid gold in glass – and a few shops in Auckland where I can buy milk in one litre glass bottles.

Waikato company Jersey Girl Organics produces organic and pasteurised A2 milk and it’s stocked in a few local shops – I tried it in a cafe recently and it’s deliciously smooth and creamy. It warranted two coffees in a row.

Jersey Girl Organics also has vending machines in Bay of Plenty, where customers can refill their own containers with the liquid gold. I like that idea but not as much as the milkman deliveries.

One company in the South Island delivers bottled milk to homes and it’s onto something good. Milk and More delivers nostalgia in a bottle, Nelson’s Oaklands milk, a pasteurised A2 milk from pampered cows.

This isn’t new for Milk and More, it has been in the milk

Some claim satellite technology will be fine to provide a broadband service to enable those in rural NZ to watch the cup.

I disagree. In theory maybe you can but in practice I doubt it because there are considerable latency and jitter problems with a satellite service.

In addition, because of the limited bandwidth a game can use five GB of data, meaning if you have a 20 GB plan that will give you just four games.

There is one solution and that is for the Government to shorten the Rural Broadband Initiative Two project from three years to one.

It will be more expensive because the accelerated plan will require extra money for hardware and staff.

On one hand it would be good to accelerate broadband access to our rural hinterland.

On the other I’m opposed to using taxpayer dollars to subsidise the foibles of the Rugby Union, TVNZ and Spark.

My main concern is that unlike Britain and Argentina, where rugby is an elite, urban based sport in New Zealand it isn’t.

It has a strong base in the provincial heartland where broadband coverage is limited.

I can understand TVNZ and Spark continuing to ignore us but for the NZRFU to follow them is myopic in the extreme.

Your View Alan Emerson is a semi-retired Wairarapa farmer and businessman: dath-emerson@wizbiz.net.nz

FUSSY CUSTOMERS: A modern milkman would have to take orders and payments electronically and deliver a chosen type of milk from a farm and herd specificied by the customer.

delivery business for 20 years but recently has seen a resurgence in orders.

Interestingly, reports from Britain suggest millennials are using glass milk bottles in a bid to cut down plastic waste after watching David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II and milkmen there are reporting a rise in orders.

That all goes to show I’m not alone in thinking now is the time for the milkman to make a comeback.

That said, despite the nostalgia, any return to milk deliveries will need to have a different approach from that of the 1980s.

Customers will want a bespoke service – from farms with

pampered cows and honest provenance. This could include the ability to choose the type of milk and even the farm or herd it’s from.

I’d want my milkman to take orders by text or online and receive payment electronically then deliver to my doorstep. I probably wouldn’t want to deal with tokens and definitely not cash.

About now I’m wondering if I could ever afford such a service but if there was enough demand for milk delivery, prices could be reasonable rather than expensive.

The prospect of seeing my kids open a glass bottle of milk?

Priceless.

Opinion

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

21

Sometimes it’s best to shut up Steve Wyn-Harris

A COUPLE of interesting moral dilemma debates last week in the media had me searching my own compass.

Let’s start with the kerfuffle at the Taite Music Awards.

I was pleased to see Aldous (Hannah) Harding win the Taite Music Prize for her latest album, Party. I’ve been very keen on her since her eponymous first album, Aldous Harding, came out in 2014 and have been encouraging my music interested mates to listen to her ever since.

She’s a self-styled gothic folk singer-songwriter from Lyttleton.

It’s amazing the talent that has come out of Lyttleton in recent years including Marlon Williams (Aldous’ recent ex-partner) and

The Eastern to name a couple.

However, the drama wasn’t around Aldous but The Headless Chickens. A band from the 1980s and 1990s, they were presented the Classic Record Award for their ground-breaking 1987 album, Stunt Clown. Most of you might recognise Cruise Control off their later album Body Blow with Fiona Macdonald’s vocals, which were new to the band’s sound at that time.

The band’s founder and bass guitarist Grant Fell died in January after a long battle with cancer.

As they were being presented with the award one of his bandmates scattered some of his ashes on the stage from a small vial.

The band said they wanted their old mate to be with them when they received the award.

Grant’s widow Rachael Churchwood, who supported the ashes sprinkling and is of Maori descent, said Grant wanted his ashes scattered in places he loved and he loved being on the stage playing music.

She pointed out Grant was of Ngapuhi heritage but they didn’t

adhere to every tradition and music was also a big part of his identity as well.

She and the band were responding to the inevitable outcry from Maori about it not being in line with tikanga. Many others also felt it wasn’t right.

When I first heard of the action before knowing of the outcry I thought it was a neat tribute to their mate.

I’m respectful of the dead, graves and ashes but don’t have a feeling of tapu myself.

But on reflection, if you are going to cause a visceral response at a public function from folk who do place great store in tapu and tikanga, I’ve changed my mind.

It does go both ways and I know there are folk who don’t like the wero (challenge) or haka where near naked men aggressively confront others but they tend to keep those views to themselves.

Perhaps in hindsight a better idea could have been to take the ashes up with them but keep them contained as the Monty Python fellows did with Graham Chapman’s ashes when they had a stage reunion.

RECOMMENDED: Steve Wyn-Harris tries to get his friends to listen to Aldous Harding.

Or maybe just be content that Grant was with them in spirit and in the music that was played.

The other moral dilemma to strike me was Israel Folau’s controversial views that all homosexuals are destined for hell.

Folau is the highest paid Australian rugby player and got grief for his comments against marriage equality last year.

I’m not religious and Folau very much is but I’ve been told by my churchgoing friends the Christian God is a forgiving, compassionate and loving one but apparently not in the church Folau prays in.

Now we should all have the right to express our own views on morality or anything else we care to share as a basic human right.

Farmers back in driving seat TIME, creative thinking, resources to create change and information all support us to turn business threats into opportunities.

Leadership well-applied and executed is one of those resources that inspires and supports action to respond.

Applied leadership was exactly what was demonstrated at Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s recent workshop on the red meat sector story where our sector’s origin brand story, go-to-market strategy and response to the threat of alternative proteins were unveiled.

It was inspiring on a number of fronts – what the leadership team of B+LNZ has achieved and who it had collaborated with, its in-depth understanding of customers and detailed analysis of the synthetic protein threat and the knowledge that place of origin acts as a shortcut to consumer understanding and trust in our products.

All of this provides a strategy for action alongside the release of the origin brand story.

What I saw at the workshop was the leadership response to opportunities that could be realised through the threat of TOGETHERNESS: Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry deputy secretary Vangelis Vitalis told farmers success can’t be the responsibility of one person or organisation.

disruption and a strategy to play the game.

It was clear who B+LNZ had collaborated with.

As someone who has watched at least three attempts at sector collaboration, to see that meat producers, processors, marketers and global specialists had combined their knowledge and expertise to draft a strategy that we as farmers can implement is testament that when leadership is well-applied people can and will come together to face challenges and solve problems.

At the workshop global authorities on trade, marketing and branding outlined our reality alongside options for response.

One of those was Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry trade and economics deputy secretary Vangelis Vitalis, who outlined world trade including the constraints, challenges, the unprecedented times we are trading in and how we are navigating through them.

He demonstrated again the theme that together we can achieve and that the complex changes we face can’t be the responsibility of a single person or

organisation.

It requires a whole-of-sector response.

As farmers we need to understand the work that sits behind our products and access to markets.

That might require getting off the farm and supporting MFAT to achieve that for us.

It needs to hear our thoughts, our desires and use our knowledge to ensure it is fully informed to go into the complex shifting realities of trade negotiations. Who else knows more about our farms, our food and our aspirations for where we want to play in a global market?

A key take-home message for me was data that shows the motivations that lead consumers to contemplate alternative proteins are the same motivations that we can tap into.

A desire for better foods at all levels supports a strong future for real red meat.

It was clear to me the red meat story is more than just a brand.

A farm assurance programme, in-depth understanding of consumers and markets and identifying new routes to market such as e-commerce are also in the mix.

The work B+LNZ has done to understand what better looks like from a consumer perspective and how we might provide that makes me feel for the first time in a while that we are back in the driving seat, not a passenger in the back wondering where we are heading but more so, how we will get there.

Freedom of expression.

But there are many people out there struggling with the concept of their own sexuality and some of them are vulnerable young folk and Folau’s position gives his comments wide coverage.

By targeting a marginal group, freedom of expression can easily be seen as hate speech.

Just because we all have the right to free expression, sometimes it is a better and a kinder thing to keep your own thoughts to yourself.

Your View Steve Wyn-Harris is a Central Hawke’s Bay sheep and beef farmer. swyn@xtra.co.nz

Different Perspectives

This won’t be a strategy of Lindy following wherever the path Nelson might lead us but one of creating our own path, our own story and leaving a trail of success.

Later this month, after work to protect intellectual property in key markets, B+LNZ will unveil its red but the rest of NZ. meat origin brand and story to its In doing this we will take back stakeholders – us. the mantel of proud farmers It will be up to us to show the producing exceptional and next step in leadership. sustainable food.

There is no downside to all of us owning our story and talking a collective voice on a global stage.

It requires action. It requires us to embrace our brand story, tell it with pride and live it. farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz We know that when countries 2IC (2) like Ireland and Assistant Manager (1) Norway embrace Block Manager (1) their origin Dairy (1) brands, success Farm Manager (3) follows.

General Hand (2) We have heard Health and Safety Business Partner (1) the warning bells Livestock Representative (1) of threat.

Shepherd (2) Leadership Shepherd General (2) has responded Stock Manager (2) with a strategy we Tractor/Truck/Machinery Operator (1) can embrace for success.

Employers: Advertise your vacancy in the Our job now is employment section of the Farmers Weekly to learn, lean into and as added value it will be uploaded to the unknown, farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz for one month or close of application. work together and win not only the Contact Debbie Brown 06 323 0765 hearts and minds or email classifieds@nzx.com of our customers

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World

22 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Dutch agriculture under pressure and efficiency cannot offset what is the lowest biodiversity in Europe after Malta, with just 15% of the country’s original plant and animal life remaining.

Until now, the Dutch food and farming lobby could count on political support.

But last year’s national elections saw a surge in support for two parties prioritising restrictions on the livestock sector – GreenLeft and Party for the Animals.

Dutch people look to the United Kingdom as a kindred spirit when it comes to public sentiments and seem unsurprised at Britain’s focus on enhancing the natural environment over food production.

Hans Van Trijp, a professor at Wageningen University, said “If you would redesign the Netherlands and were not tied to the status quo, would you do it (the dairy sector as it is) again?

“The answer is probably not.”

Yet that is where the similarities end.

While the Netherlands faces pressure to cut exports, the UK has the second largest net dairy deficit in the world behind China.

If it incentivises farmers to convert land into wildflower meadows, as Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Michael Gove has signalled, and signs trade deals with the United States, what will that mean for food production, biodiversity and land use?

The Dutch, like AWDT Understanding Your Farming Business 3 full-day workshops and an evening graduation ceremony run others, will be over four months watching to find Te Anau: 03/05/2018 out.

Cheviot: 09/05/2018 A hard Brexit Kaitaia: 09/05/2018 would lead to Greymouth: 18/04/2018 and 16/05/2018 Fox Glacier: 19/04/2018 and 17/05/2018 a reduction in

IT IS known as the tiny country that feeds the world but not everyone is happy with the Netherlands’ comparatively large agricultural output.

Dairy, or the engine of the economy as the sector likes to refer to itself, stands out above others.

Dutch farmers produce so much milk that about two-thirds of it is sold abroad, making the country the fifth largest exporter in the world.

But for a wealthy, heavily urbanised population, the arguments about maximising production – and not biodiversity – are turning sour.

About 80% of farms in the Netherlands are producing more manure than they can legally use on their farm and paying about €550 million a year to get rid of it.

“The Netherlands is like a big city.

“Everyone has a house, good life and enough to eat so they think about nature,” Richard Schepe of Rabobank says.

“The pressure is higher than poorer or more rural countries.”

The World Wildlife Fund, not known for taking strong positions on livestock, is calling for a 40% reduction in the number of cows in the country.

It says improved productivity

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Contact: anna@awdt.org.nz or 06 377 4560 Website: To register for the programme go to http://www.awdt. org.nz/programmes/understanding-your-farming-business/

Richard Schepe Rabobank UK imports of poultry, beef and dairy from the Netherlands while resulting in a slight increase in the flow of Dutch pork and tomatoes onto the British market.

That was the headline conclusion of a new study by researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, which calculates Dutch farmers will see about €500 million a year wiped off the value of their UKbound products.

That equates to 1.8% of the export value of the total Dutch farming sector.

While written largely from a Dutch perspective, the university’s 44-page Brexit report also explores the implications for UK farmers of its post-Brexit

Colin Ley

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Future Focus. Planning your farming future – together 2 full-day workshops for you and your farming partner run over two months.

Whangarei: 23 May & 3 July Contact: anna@awdt.org.nz or 06 377 4560 Website: To register for the programme go to http://www.awdt. org.nz/programmes/futurefocus/

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The pressure is higher than poorer or more rural countries.

predictions, highlighting several areas of potential export/import disruption between the two countries.

There was also a specific warning to any Dutch businesses with no previous experience of exporting to non-EU countries that they should start searching now for new post-Brexit markets.

The UK is an important trade partner in agricultural products for the Netherlands, with 10% of all Dutch farm exports finding their way onto the British market.

Going the other way, 3% of all Dutch imports originate from the UK. Although the report concludes a post-Brexit free-trade agreement between the UK and European Union would effectively leave trade flows much as they are at present, the opposite outcome is forecast under a hard Brexit solution.

Given no agreements between the EU and the UK on a new trading relationship, the report’s authors said present trading arrangements between Britain

and the Netherlands would be hindered by import tariffs and higher trade costs.

As for whether the forecasted £445m reduction in the value of Dutch farm products arriving in the UK might actually be of benefit to British farmers, the Wageningen report drew attention to UK farmers’ reliance on migrant labour, questioning the potential negative impacts the loss of such labour might have on UK farming operations.

“Free-trade agreement projections show minor effects on bilateral trade flows between the Netherlands and the UK. “A World Trade Organisation scenario, meanwhile, implies additional trade costs and import tariffs, of which the latter are relatively high for beef, butter and cheese, affecting Dutch exports to the UK negatively for these items.

“Exports of pig meat and tomato increase, however, due to Dutch price competitiveness in the UK market.”

UK Farmers Guardian

Farm trade and border concerns persist in UK

AWDT Wahine Maia, Wahine Whenu 3 full-day workshops and an evening graduation ceremony run over four months Kaikohe: 10/05/2018 Masterton: 24/04/2018 and 22/05/2018 Contact: anna@awdt.org.nz or 06 377 4560 Website: To register for the programme go to http://www.awdt. org.nz/programmes/uyfb-wahine-maia-wahine-whenua/

Wednesday 13/06/2018 to Saturday 16/06/2018 National Agricultural Fieldays Venue: Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton Entry: Gates are open Wednesday - Saturday from 8am to 5pm.

There are generally lines at the gate - why not beat the crowds and purchase your tickets online? Tickets will go online in April.

Online ticket prices: Adult General Admission 1 Day - $20.00; Child* (5-14 years) General Admission 1 Day - $10.00; Adult General Admission 2 Day - $40.00; Adult General Admission 4 Day - $80.00 An online booking fee of $5 per transaction applies *A child is 5 years to 14 years. If you are 15 on the day of the event you are classed as an adult Gate ticket prices: Adult ticket 1 Day - $25; Child (5-14 years) - $15; Child (4 years and under) - Free

WASTE: Dutch farmers pay €550 million a year to get rid of excess manure.

SUBSTANTIAL questions remain over what with happen to the United Kingdom’s existing and future farm trade agreements with the European Union, New Zealand and others despite the announcement of a much-heralded UK/EU Brexit transition agreement.

While farming leaders in London and Edinburgh welcomed the announcement, they still voiced concerns over how the agreement will work in practice, particularly in relation to future trade arrangements.

Remaining doubts over the future state of the Irish border also drew a strong comment from the Republic of Ireland’s deputy prime minister Simon Coveney, who told the Irish parliament there will be no formal Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and UK if the Irish border issue is not resolved.

While UK and EU politicians in Brussels announced their united agreement of a Brexit transitional period running from March 29 2019 to December 2020, with great personal satisfaction, the reaction elsewhere was less enthusiastic.

“A pertinent question is what trading arrangements will apply between the UK and EU both during transition and in the short-to-medium term after December 2020 until new free-trade deals are ratified,” National Farmers Union Scotland policy director Jonnie Hall said.

“It is vital that unfettered and frictionless trade with the EU is maintained during this time via a customs union which protects Scottish producers from non-tariff barriers and being undercut by imported produce.

“A cliff-edge scenario is simply not an option for Scottish food producers nor

the UK consumers which they produce for.”

England and Wales NFU president Minette Batters, while giving the agreement a cautious welcome, said “There is still outstanding vital information which food and farming businesses need to understand.

“The NFU has long called for frictionless trade with the EU, free of tariffs and nontariff barriers.

“As our largest trading partner – over 70% of our exports of food and nonalcoholic drinks being sent to EU markets – access to the EU must be a top priority.”

During the earlier unveiling of the transition deal, the UK’s lead negotiator, David Davies, said the new agreement is not only about providing certainty in the short term but also about beginning life outside the EU. “The UK will be able to step out, sign and ratify new trade deals with old friends and

new allies around the globe for the first time in more than 40 years,” he said.

However, though the UK will be free to negotiate and sign trade deals during the 21-month transition period, Davies also announced that no such new deals will be allowed to actually come into commercial force until after December 2020.

As for the still unresolved Irish border issue, he said “While there is as yet no agreement on the right operational approach, we know what we need to do and we’re going to get on with it.”

EU lead negotiator Michel Barnier said “We are ready to look at all options which allow us to meet our objectives, in a constructive way.”

All that was before Coveney told his Irish colleagues there would be no UK Withdrawal Agreement unless the Irish border issue is resolved.

bayleys.co.nz Contributor to realestate.co.nz

bayleys.co.nz Contributor to realestate.co.nz

FARMERS WEEKLY – April 23, 2018

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PERFECT POTENTIAL FOR A MODERN FARMING FAMILY Wai-iti, 1467 Whangaehu Valley Road, Masterton, Wairarapa

Ref: RX1418751

Tender Closes 4pm, Thur 10 May 2018 NZR, 1st Floor, 16 Perry St, Masterton Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 l 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

FIN AL

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Wai-iti has been in the James family since the 1920’s. The property is of a desirable size for those looking for a first farm with the convenience of being 20min from a major provincial town. The farm is blessed with excellent limestone spring water that is reticulated to over half the property. The soils are well balanced with renown limestone soils being good clean country totalling around 100ha and the reminder split between mudstone and sandstone closer to the road. The Whangaehu community is a friendly mix of mainly sheep and beef farming families and some lifestyle properties all relishing the easy drive to Masterton for social, schooling and off farm employment opportunities. The vendors are passionate farm foresters, having planted many varieties to make Wai-iti aesthetically pleasing.

Another family passion has been ducks- there are two purpose built ponds and maimai. Red & Fallow deer migrate between this and neighbouring farms. The house is a character three bedroom Villa with an inviting sunny deck leading to the mature gardens and trees. There is a four stand wool shed, sheep and cattle yards supported by a shearers /single quarters, workshop/stables, three bay lock up workshop and ample other shedding. With 420ha effective the farm should carry around 4,000su. A capital lime dressing has been applied this season with potential to lift production with further fertiliser. Sound like you? Give Blair a call!

459 hectares Tender www.nzr.nz

HADLEIGH STATION- RARE SCALE AND LOCATION - 14,000SU 1940 Te Ore Ore-Bideford Road, Masterton, Wairarapa Here is the chance to buy one of the Wairarapa´s farming jewels. A combination of three separate farming units Hadleigh Station offers rare scale, location, quality improvements, workable contour and potential all 15 minutes from Masterton. Hadleigh is a very well farmed property with a superior fertiliser history. The farm has an excellent balance of contour; around 50% of the farm is easy to medium hill (incl. 80ha of flats) with the balance medium hill (parts being steeper) totalling over 1600 effective hectares. The carrying capacity has been independantly assessed at 14,000su, with a semi finishing system run, season dependant. A start has been made cultivating the easy country but there is plenty of potential to intensify left. There are four houses- two very good quality-and three wool sheds with the main including a covered sheep yards complex with ample other buildings. Well subdivided into 190 paddocks and well tracked it´s just a five minute drive on a council maintained road to the back yards. Soil fertility is close to optimum levels and the water supply is a mixture of reticulation and dams. This property is well known for producing excellent stock from its high fertility base- the livestock and plant are also available for purchase. Purchase options may exist with separate units; Hadleigh, Mt Clyde and Riverbend. 14,000 stock units just 15 minutes from town - do not miss this rare opportunity- call Blair today for an inspection!

1,727 hectares Tender www.nzr.nz Ref: RX1418720 Tender Closes: 4.00pm Thurs 3rd May 2018 NZR Office, 16 Perry St, Masterton Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

A PROVEN PRODUCER PLUS MORE 5620 Waiaruhe Road, Rangiwaea, Taihape A opportunity to acquire this attractive and productive 340 Ha farm wintering 3500 su - established in an area that is historically held tightly with the reputation of consistently producing top quality livestock and fodder crops. Contour consists of predominately undulating to easy hills with areas of flat suitable for hay or balage. Infrastructure includes a 4bedroom home, 4 stand woolshed/covered yards. Purchasing options are available: 340 Ha - Entire farm, 260 Ha - Home block includes all the buildings, 80 Ha - Speedy Block Bare land.

Tenders closing 4pm, 3rd May 2018 (unless sold prior).

340 hectares Tender (unless sold prior) www.nzr.nz Ref: RX1423753 Jamie Proude AREINZ 06 385 4466 | 027 448 5162 jamie@nzr.nz Jules Brand 06 385 4466 | 027 515 5581 juliane@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

ONE OF THE KING COUNTRY´S BEST 724 State Highway 4, Kopaki, Te Kuiti Triple Farms offers a high performing cattle fattening operation, finishing between 1400-1600 cattle annually plus sheep. Top infrastructure throughout coupled with balanced contour enables an astute purchaser to just walk in and start farming.

Held in numerous titles giving different purchasing options. Call today as farms of this calibre are seldom available. Inspection by appointment or open days at 11am 17/4, and 24/4 (meet at woolshed). Tender closing 4pm, 17th May 2018, 1 Goldfinch Street, Ohakune.

924 Hecatres Tender (unless sold prior) www.nzr.nz Ref:RX1428722 Jamie Proude AREINZ 06 385 4466 | 027 448 5162 jamie@nzr.nz Jules Brand 06 385 4466 | 027 515 5581 juliane@nzr.nz NZR Central Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

28

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WEB ID TMR61187 WAIMATE 129 Shearers Hill Road View By Appointment DEADLINE SALE closes Thursday 3rd May, 2018 at 4.00pm, • 181.9770 hectares (unless sold prior) • 50% Irrigated MGI • Well balanced, good soils • All weather laneways Good bones and location count when buying and selling farms. This property is now on the market after a 10 year lease coming to an end. Comfortable four 4 bedroom plus office home, good sheds, 25 ha under Michael Richardson pivot and 64 ha under K-line. Very good pasture Mobile 027 228 7027 Office 03 687 7145 renewal under the irrigation with good winter kale.

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57.49 hectares

57.49 hectares

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Tender Closes 4pm, Thursday 17th May 2018 (unless sold prior) View By Appointment Only ljhooker.co.nz/E8ZHR1

Peter Begovich 027 476 5787 Rex Butterworth 021 348 276

LJ EĞŐŽƟĂƟŽŶ

KƵƌ ǀĞŶĚŽƌƐ ŚĂǀĞ ƉĂĐŬĞĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ďĂŐƐ͘ dŚŝƐ ϭϱϰ ŚĞĐƚĂƌĞ ĚĂŝƌLJ ĨĂƌŵ ŚĂƐ Ă ǀĞƌLJ ƟĚLJ ϯϬ ĂƐŝĚĞ ĐŽǁƐŚĞĚ͕ Ă ŐŽŽĚ ĐŽŵĨŽƌƚĂďůĞ ŚŽŵĞ ĂŶĚ Ă ĐŽƩĂŐĞ͘ ϲϬ ŚĞĐƚĂƌĞ ůĞĂƐĞ ďůŽĐŬ ŝƐ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŶĞdžƚ ĚŽŽƌ͕ ƉƌŽǀŝĚŝŶŐ ĂŶ ŝĚĞĂů ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ĨŽƌ LJŽƵ ƚŽ ŽƉĞƌĂƚĞ Ă ůĂƌŐĞƌ ĨĂƌŵŝŶŐ ĞŶƚĞƌƉƌŝƐĞ ĨƌŽŵ Ă ůŽǁĞƌ ĐĂƉŝƚĂů ŽƵƚůĂLJ͘ dŚĞ ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ŽŶ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŵĞŶƚ ĂǀĂŝůĂďůĞ ŚĞƌĞ ǁŽƵůĚ ďĞ ŚĂƌĚ ƚŽ ŵĂƚĐŚ ĂŶLJǁŚĞƌĞ ŝŶ EĞǁ ĞĂůĂŶĚ͘ ƐŚĞůƚĞƌĞĚ ĞĂƐƚͲĨĂĐŝŶŐ ĂƐƉĞĐƚ ĂŶĚ ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ƌĂŝŶĨĂůů ;ϭϲϬϬŵŵͿ ŚĞůƉ ƚŽ ŬĞĞƉ ƚŚĞ ĨĂƌŵ ŐƌĞĞŶĞƌ ĨŽƌ ůŽŶŐĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ ŵŽƐƚ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ^ƵŵŵĞƌ͘ dŚĞ ƐŽŝů ƚLJƉĞ ŝƐ ĨĞƌƟůĞ ƌĞĚ ǀŽůĐĂŶŝĐ ĂƐŚ͕ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŵĞĂŶƐ ůĞƐƐ ŵƵĚ ŝŶ tŝŶƚĞƌ͘ ƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJ ƵŶĚĞƌƐƚŽĐŬĞĚ͕ ŝƚ ŚĂƐ ŵŝůŬĞĚ ϮϮϬ ĐŽǁƐ ŽŶ Ă ƐĞůĨͲĐŽŶƚĂŝŶĞĚ ůŽǁ ŝŶƉƵƚ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ͘ KŶĞ ůŽŶŐ ƌĂĐĞ ƉƌŽǀŝĚĞƐ ĞĂƐLJ ĂĐĐĞƐƐ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĨĂƌŵ͕ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽǁƐŚĞĚ ĐĞŶƚƌĂů͘ ŋƵĞŶƚ ŝƐ ŵĂŶĂŐĞĚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ Ă ĨŽƵƌ ƉŽŶĚ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ ǁŝƚŚ ƌĞƐŽƵƌĐĞ ĐŽŶƐĞŶƚ ĨŽƌ ƵƉ ƚŽ ϯϯϬ ĐŽǁƐ͘ dŚĞ ƚŚƌĞĞͲďĞĚƌŽŽŵ ŚŽŵĞ ŝƐ ǁĞůůͲƉƌĞƐĞŶƚĞĚ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶ ŽƉĞŶ ƉůĂŶ ůŝǀŝŶŐ ĂƌĞĂ͕ ŝŶƐƵůĂƚĞĚ ĂŶĚ ĞĂƐLJ ƚŽ ŚĞĂƚ ŝŶ tŝŶƚĞƌ͕ ĂŶĚ Ă ůĂƌŐĞ ĚĞĐŬ ĨŽƌ ŽƵƚĚŽŽƌ ůŝǀŝŶŐ ŝŶ ^ƵŵŵĞƌ͘ dŚĞ ĨĂƌŵ ŚĂƐ ĨŽƵƌ ƐŝŵŝůĂƌ ƐŝnjĞĚ ƟƚůĞƐ Ăůů ǁŝƚŚ ƌŽĂĚ ĨƌŽŶƚĂŐĞ͕ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ůŽĐĂƚĞĚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ dǁŝŶ ŽĂƐƚ ŝƐĐŽǀĞƌLJ dƌĂŝů ŽŶůLJ ϰŬŵ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ĨĂŵŽƵƐ tĂŝƉŽƵĂ <ĂƵƌŝ &ŽƌĞƐƚ͘ Ăůů ŶŽǁ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ LJŽƵƌ ĐŽŵƉƌĞŚĞŶƐŝǀĞ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƚLJ ďƌŽĐŚƵƌĞ͘

By Tender

Matamata

ID# CRE0003

Herein lies the opportunity to own a beautifully presented property showing outstanding results. Our clients are proudly offering for sale one of the best examples of a barn raised chicken farm that you are likely to encounter.

The 6 shed site totaling 11,136m² (floor area) is fully compliant and has a secure long term contract with Inghams Enterprises. To be sold as a going concern with all the necessary consents in place. Three quality dwellings, the main home is five bedrooms on a private setting with an in-ground pool. Every detail of this property has been thoughtfully taken care of. If your quest has been to find a blue chip turn key investment, the search is over!

MATAMATA 07 888 5677

Matamata TOP SHELF

Tender Closes 4pm, Thursday 17th May 2018 (unless sold prior) View By Appointment Only ljhooker.co.nz/E8ZHR1

Peter Begovich 027 476 5787 Rex Butterworth 021 348 276

Herein lies the opportunity to own a beautifully presented property showing outstanding results. Our clients are proudly offering for sale one of the best examples of a barn raised chicken farm that you are likely to encounter.

The 6 shed site totaling 11,136m² (floor area) is fully compliant and has a secure long term contract with Inghams Enterprises. To be sold as a going concern with all the necessary consents in place. Three quality dwellings, the main home is five bedrooms on a private setting with an in-ground pool. Every detail of this property has been thoughtfully taken care of. If your quest has been to find a blue chip turn key investment, the search is over!

MATAMATA 07 888 5677

Real Estate

FARMERS WEEKLY – April 23, 2018

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

29

New Zealand’s leading rural real estate company RURAL | LIFESTYLE | RESIDENTIAL

FINAL NOTICE

302 Collie Road • 59 hectare dairy farm only 20km to Hamilton CBD • Mainly flat contour - terraced, with long river boundary • 21 aside herringbone dairy, three bedroom home, loads of shedding • A nicely private property that would suit dairy and non-dairy alike • First time on the market in many years • This is a must view with plenty of upside potential

3

1

Prime Dairy Unit

Waikato

2

pggwre.co.nz/HAM27966

AUCTION (Unless Sold Prior) 11.00am, Wed 2 May PGGWRE, 87 Duke St, Cambridge VIEW 1.00 - 2.00pm, Mon 23 April

John Sisley M 027 475 9808

This prime dairy farm of 92.5970ha is located on the town's doorstep. Currently being run as an intensive dairy farm and calf rearing property. The land contains good quality pasture with mainly flat contour. Farm buildings include a 40 bail external rotary with full complement support of farm buildings. The dwellings consist of an older three bedroom homestead and two bedroom cottage.

Cows are milked year round with split Autumn and Spring calving. Strongly motivated vendor - call Martin Lee on 027 497 0830 for more information. pggwre.co.nz/CAM27461

jsisley@pggwrightson.co.nz

• Situated on Rangitikei Line west of Palmerston North is this 91ha parcel of land with option to purchase the adjoining 40ha.

• Exceptional soils currently used for dairy farming and growing maize, but would suit market gardening, dairy or beef.

• Deep lead irrigation bore to supply top water for up to 70ha.

• Current dairy infrastructure in place including a modern 30 aside herringbone dairy and 400 cow feed pad.

• Very good road access with central laneway system.

• Call Les to inspect.

Sallan Realty

AUCTION (Unless Sold Prior) 11.00am, Wednesday 9 May PGGWRE, 87 Duke St, Cambridge VIEW BY APPOINTMENT

Martin Lee B 07 823 0632 M 027 497 0830

martin.lee@pggwrightson.co.nz

pggwre.co.nz

PGG Wrightson Real Estate Limited, licensed under REAA 2008

DAIRY FARM WITH OPTIONS

Cambridge

SUPPLEMENTS/GRAZING

• Situated at Makomako, midway between Palmerston North and Pahiatua, is this fantastic dairy run off.

• There are 115 acres of very good volcanic soil of which 75% is mowable, with high pressure water to the stock troughs.

• Facilities include a two stand woolshed, good cattle yards.

• Currently used as a dairy run off to winter cows, run replacements and grow silage and hay.

• Great chance to own very productive land in the Tararua District.

• Call Les to inspect.

Google ‘Sallan Realty’ Your Farm Sales Specialist

THE DESTINATION FOR RURAL REAL ESTATE

Land is the biggest asset to any farming business - so it pays to stay up-to-date with the market.

Connect with the right audience at farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

VENDORS ARE RETIRING

• Well laid out 185 acre dairy farm situated in the heart of Manawatu.

• Lovely art deco homestead with great views over the property.

• Modern 18 aside herringbone dairy with in bale feed system. Very nice feed pad along with good calf and milking sheds.

• Effluent and water systems have been upgraded and are consented for intensive agriculture.

• In retirement mode for the last few seasons our Vendors currently milk up to 160 cows and carry all replacements on farm.

• Priced to sell at $2,200,000 plus GST. Call Les to inspect.

LES CAIN 0274 420 582

Licensed Agent REAA 2008

LK0092369©

A Hidden Gem

AUCTION

Stock Manager Required

Farm Assistant Required 500-600 Dairy Cow Farm set on 250ha - 10 minutes West from Eketahuna - flat to rolling - 40 ASHB with ACR’s - Run in 2 Herds

1200 acre medium hill country property near Raglan. 50/50 sheep to cattle ratio, breeding ewes, steer finishing and dairy grazers.

We are looking for a highly motivated, physically fit Farm Assistant to join our team with a minimum of 1-2 years experience to assist with day-to dayoperation of the dairy farm. The successful applicant must work well in a team and respect other team members with a high standard and respect for all livestock.

The ideal applicant will have a good team of dogs, experience in pasture management and sheep work. Fencing skills an advantage.

Pikowai Farms Limited SHEEP AND BEEF FARM MANAGER – 450HA

You will need to hold a current clean NZ drivers licence and hold a current NZ work visa or residency.

A clear police and drug history is required and must be willing to submit to random drug testing on farm.

Email your current CV and a cover letter with at least two contactable farm related references to: jay_linda@farmside.co.nz

Pikowai Farms Limited operates a diverse farming business located at Matata in the Bay of Plenty.

The opportunity has become available for an enthusiastic and motivated Manager to run the farming operation.

You will be responsible for running the 5000 stock unit operation along with one staff member. The farm runs a mix of sheep, breeding cows, dairy bulls and dairy grazers.

If your skill set includes excellent stock and pasture management, a passion for improving farm performance, accurate reporting and effective communication skills, then this is the job for you.

LK0092393©

This is a rewarding position on a high performing farm with the backing of a supportive team.

For an information sheet please contact: rotorua@agfirst.co.nz or 07 349 4333 or send CV to: Manager PFL PO Box 976, Rotorua 3040 Applications close 5pm, 30th April.

Responsibilities include: • Milking. Getting Cows in. Plant and dairy hygiene.

• Maintain tidy work habits. Assist with herd health.

• Weed control. Fencing maintenance. Tractor work.

• Feeding out using a mixer wagon onto a feed pad.

Stock Manager – Totaranui Stud

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced motivated person to join us and assist in the operation of Moray Farm. A mid Canterbury 450ha progressive breeding and finishing unit that also grows an area of cereals for harvest or feed use.

This position provides a wide variety of work and covers all aspects of a breeding and finishing farm operation.

The successful applicant for this position will require: • good animal husbandary and stockmanship skills • attention to detail • good communication skills • self motivated and team player • have working dog/dogs under good command • initiative and strong work ethic

We’re hiring! Due to an internal promotion we are now looking for a standout Shepherd General to join our team.

be fitted to the successful applicant, based on their current experience and skills.

So, are you looking for a job with real potential for development and promotion? On a well known property recognised for excellence in breeding stud Angus cattle for over 80 years? Are you a high achiever that has a strong work ethic, not afraid to work hard for the opportunity of advancement? breeding and finishing farm 3km from Pahiatua, northern Wairarapa. The property has a balance of flat, rolling and steep hill country. It is intensive, wintering

This is a great opportunity to be involved in an international agribusiness with exciting growth prospects. We pride ourselves on growing our people and are well placed to support those looking for their next career opportunity. If you are looking for an exciting new challenge, we would like to hear from you.

about 13,000 stock units; 4000 ewes, 300 recorded breeding cows, replacements and finishing stock. The position includes a 3-bedroom house.

The successful person will have excellent stockmanship skills, will require a team of working enjoy working in a team. Animal health, feed budgeting

Any questions please phone Farm Manager Rob Jones 06 868 3829 Or to apply please visit https://www.iflgroup.co/employment

LK0092408©

LK0092287©

advantageous, as these would be an integral part of

bulls@totaranuistud.co.nz by 27 April.

www.drench.co.nz farmer owned, very competitive prices. Phone 0800 4 DRENCH (437 362).

AUCKLAND-BASED E A R T H M O V I N G contractor.

Rural earthworks. Subdivisions and house cuts. Roading and civil. Retaining walls.

1.5 - 24 tonne Diggers.

Bobcats.

Trucks.

Call Keegan on 022 614 5313 or email to keegan@ thediggercollective.co.nz GORSE SPRAYING SCRUB CUTTING. 30 years experience.

Blowers, gun and hose.

No job too big. Camp out teams.

Travel anywhere if job big enough. Phone Dave 06 375 8032.

DOGS WANTED 12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195.

BUYING 350 DOGS annually! No trial or breeding required! Running to fully broken. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes.

FERTILISER DOLOMITE, NZ’s finest Magnesium fertiliser.

Bio-Gro certified, bulk or bagged. 0800 436 566.

FORESTRY WANTED

LIVESTOCK FOR SALE RAMS. HILL COUNTRY Perendales. Easy care with good size and quality wool. $250-$500. Phone 06 376 4751 or 021 133 7533.

RAMS. SOUTHDOWNS AND Suffolk/ Southdown X for heavy fast growing lambs. Suitable for Hogget mating. $250- $500. Phone 06 357 7727 or 021 133 7533.

PUMPS HIGH PRESSURE WATER PUMPS, suitable on high headlifts.

Low energy usage for single/3-phase motors, waterwheel and turbine drives. Low maintenance costs and easy to service. Enquiries phone 04 526 4415, email sales@hydra-cell.co.nz

SITUATIONS VACANT

COUNTRY MAN 57yo seeking nice lady, non smoker, non drinker.

Manawatu / Rangitikei area. Text 027 653 4655.

TRACTOR/AIRSEEDER /Boomspray.

Seasonal seeding. Western Australia.

Urgently Required. A$23hr - A$30hr. Also permanent jobs. Cropping/Livestock.

Call or email now. RANZA Australia wide.

Phone: 0061 8 9797 0249.

Email: ranza@aapt.net.au www.ranzaruralemployment. com.au

PROPERTY WANTED

WANTED TO BUY

PERSONAL

HOUSE FOR REMOVAL wanted.

North Island.

Phone 021 0274 5654.

STOCK FEED MOISTURE METERS Hay, Silage dry matter, grain. www.moisturemeters.co.nz 0800 213 343.

NATIVE FOREST FOR MILLING also Macrocarpa and Red Gum, New Zealand wide.

We can arrange permits and plans. Also after milled timber to purchase.

NEW ZEALAND NATIVE TIMBER SUPPLIERS (WGTN) LIMITED 04 293 2097 Richard.

SAWN SHED TIMBER including Black Maire.

Matai, Totara and Rimu etc. Also buying salvaged native logs.

Phone Richard Uren. NZ Native Timber Supplies. Phone 027 688 2954.

SEEKING EXCELLENT RETURNS? • Large scale sheep and beef farms required • Both breeding and finishing farms • Seeking land capable of 150,000 stock units in total for fully integrated project • Lease land, share farming or joint venture arrangement • Offering excellent cash flow returns

FOR SALE

For further details contact Nick 0274 763 658 Email: nick.aam@xtra.co.nz

GOATS WANTED

GOATS WANTED. All weights. All breeds.

Prompt service. Payment on pick up. My on farm prices will not be beaten.

Phone David Hutchings 07 895 8845 or 0274 519 249. Feral goats mustered on a 50/50 share basis.

GRASS SEED TAMA GRASS SEEDS for sale. Excellent test. Buy direct from grower at $1.50 per kg plus GST. Phone 027 721 0838.

AGRICULTURAL ASSET MANAGEMENT

EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE!

FW

Get your April 30 Farmers Weekly bookings in by midday Tuesday April 24.

Contact Debbie Brown DDI: 06 323 0765 0800 85 25 80 classifieds@nzx.com

CLASSIFIEDS

FW FW

REACH EVERY FARMER IN NZ FROM MONDAY

Advertise in the NZ Farmers Weekly $2.10 + GST per word - Please print clearly Name: Address: Email: Heading: Advert to read:

This is an outstanding opportunity to learn within a top performing business, making this a role not to miss.

and accurate stock reconciliation skills would be

Please send CVs and applications to

ANIMAL HEALTH

FORTY HUNTAWAYS, Heading, Handys!

Guaranteed.Trial. $500$2500, Deliver NZ wide. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes.

KELPIES natural workers.

Four blues and three reds. $500 each. Phone 09 439 6720.

MALE HEADING PUP, 12 weeks, well bred. Phone Brian 07 549 4405.

Quality housing, school bus 3km away from gate with option of either Rere or Matawai primary school.

dogs in excellent control, good fencing skills, and

the role.

Located in the Wharekopae district, Matawai, 80km from Gisborne, Tapere Station is a 905ha effective sheep and beef property ranging from rolling to steep hill country. Working closely with the Farm Manager you will be encouraged to use your initiative and directly influence success on farm, running 4000 ewes and wintering 300 cows aiming to finish all progeny with further development through cropping and fencing which will give options of transferring in more stock to finish.

You will have at least two capable working dogs with a chance to add more as you progress, have fencing skills and a great attitude. This team consistently achieves excellent results and are seeking someone equally driven with a willingness to learn.

Totaranui is an iconic property. It is a 900 hectare

MAY - MAY, approximately 80 head @ $9.00 + GST pw. Raglan area. Phone 07 825 5346.

CONTRACTORS

SHEPHERD GENERAL

have a real opportunity for advancement. The role will

2-YEAR HUNTAWAY backing dog. Good noise.

18-MONTH b&t Huntaway.

Good noise. Phone 04 472 2351.

www.gibb-gro.co.nz GROWTH PROMOTANT $5.85 per hectare + GST delivered Brian Mace 0274 389 822 07 571 0336 brianmace@xtra.co.nz

After 28 years of service to our business our manager to allow the right person to develop their skills and

FLY OR LICE problem?

Electrodip - The magic eye sheepjetter since 1989 with unique self adjusting sides.

Incredible chemical and time savings with proven effectiveness.

Phone 07 573 8512 w w w. e l e c t r o d i p . c o m

ATTENTION FARMERS

If you are genuinely interested in this position call Stephen on 027 203 1037 or send your CV with two recent employer referees to: morayfarm@hotmail.co.nz

is leaving. A new role is being created at a lower level

GRAZING AVAILABLE

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, GARLIC & HONEY. 200L - $450 or 1000L - $2000 excl. with FREE DELIVERY from Black Type Minerals Ltd www.blacktypeminerals. co.nz

Sheep and Beef Farm Position (Experienced)

A warm 3 bedroomed house is available.

15 minutes to Methven and 30 minutes to Ashburton. Primary and secondary school bus nearby.

DOGS FOR SALE

ANIMAL SUPPLEMENTS

LK0092377©

Murray Poole 07 825 6788 mapoole@xtra.co.nz

LK0092376©

Competitive remuneration package including a large family home; opportunity for advancement; good local schools.

ANIMAL HANDLING

CRAIGCO SHEEP JETTERS. Sensor Jet. Deal to fly and Lice now. Guaranteed performance.

Unbeatable pricing.

Phone 06 835 6863. www.craigcojetters.com

LK0092352©

Looking for experienced shepherd/head shepherd ready for promotion, or current stock manager.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received.

Classifieds

LK0092341©

Employment

Return this form either by fax to 06 323 7101 attention Debbie Brown Post to NZX Agri Classifieds, PO Box 529, Feilding 4740 - by 12pm Wednesday or Freephone 0800 85 25 80

Phone:

FW

LK0092423©

30

HERD Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – April 23, 2018

1/67 RA 100% eeds 41st forAnnual NZ Jersey ) Female

EARLY DEADLINE NOTICE!

and Young Sire Sale

Friday 4th May 2018 at 12 noon

to be2011 held on thematings property of the vendors: to LICSalefor NG JERSEYM/s & RJERSEY A & P E Adam and family Allen Road OSS HERD Kihikihi R D6.5 5 Te Awamutu Ph 07 871 6884 16-7-12, weeks This high production backed offering will comprise: W RA 100% in calf heifers 20 Jersey in calf cows ss161/6738 Jersey 6 Jersey rising) one year bulls 64 head All Breeds for NZ 20 cows non TB Status C10, Leptoafter and Blackleg vaccinated acted to LIC for 2011 matings Renowned6.5 for their shifting ability this offering has a from 16-7-12, weeks ows & 5% rejection wi cross very high production backing. Herd averages are always in excess be 420 well cows afterof 400kgs non milk solids and 4000 litres of son 347kgs ms/cow, underrejection a low input system.

Udders are a feature of lder cowsmilk & 5% quality herd.

Widely used sires feature. All animals season this 347kgs ms/cow, rolling toled with results steeper have beentoA2 profi available on sale day. , on rolling steeper Presentation of the offering is of a very high standard. no meal, palm kernel or maize al, palm kernel or maize Catalogues giving all details are available on line at

FW

Contact Nigel Ramsden DDI: 06 323 0761 0800 85 25 80 livestock@nzx.com

nz or are available from the auctioneers, Brian Robinson s & potential to be one of Livestock Ltd and Jersey Marketing Service. ng suppliers of Genetics to Enquiries to Brian Robinson Ph 027 241 0051, r years to come. Full details Kevin Hart Ph 027 291 5575, Matthew Satherley Ph 027 869 7805 or Ross Riddell Ph 027 211 1112 le marketing agents:

LK0092431©

ck also available

ervice or 07 846 4491

LK0092425©

Get your April 30 Farmers Weekly bookings in by midday Tuesday April 24.

ent stock also available www.brianrobinsonlivestock.com and www.jersey.org.

potential to be one of LL ppliers 07 8583132 of Genetics to s to come. Full details

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

FW

EVERY THURSDAY 10AM STORE CATTLE

FW

rketing agents:

T&Cs apply. See nzfarmsource.co.nz/rewards

INAUGURAL IN-CALF FEMALE SALE

FW

The following Studs will be open to the public from 10.00am till 2.00pm to inspect the Bulls that will be offered for sale this year.

135 Head 20 Registered R2 Heifers 15 Registered R3 & older cows 100 Commercial R2 Heifers

View catalogue at

www.sternangus.co.nz

e Ngarangi Ayrshires 846 4491A/C D G & G N MACKY

PGGW, Carrfields, PWA, HRL, RLL

• Rockend Herefords –

•

• Hingaia Angus – Richard Jolly, 07 872 2840

147 Hingaia Rd, Wharepunga

•

• Tarangower Angus –

Rob Purdie, 07 877 8935 912 Ngatrawa Rd, Mahoenui

•

• Storth Oaks Angus – LK0092269©

Contact James Fraser 021 186 4796

NORTH KING COUNTRY COMBINED BULL BREEDERS OPEN DAY Monday 30th of April

Heifers originate from Mackenzie clients Simons Hill, Single Hill and Glenmore Station plus Mt Gerald and Warfendale Stations

AUCTION 7th MAY 2018 MONDAY 11:00am

0800 548 339 NZFARMSOURCE.CO.NZ/LIVESTOCK

*

– 20 Commercial Stern Heifers – 80 Station Heifers

583132

FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK NOW SELLING AT TEMUKA SALEYARDS

EARN FARM SOURCE DOLLARS ON ALL SALES AND PURCHASES WITH FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK.

Sterndale, Pleasant Point 3.30pm Wednesday 2nd May

PROGESSIVE LIVESTOCK LTD

EVERY MONDAY 10:30AM PRIME & BONER CATTLE

31

Tim Brittain, 0275 935 387 524 Paewhenua Rd, Maihihi • Iona Angus – Bruce Bevege, 07 877 7541

100 Rauriki Rd, Aria • Kia Toa Charolais –

Paul Grainger, 07 878 6458 973 Troupers Rd, Te Kuiti

•

Peter & Josh McCormack, 07 877 7897 603 Paraheka Rd, Aria Potawa Simmentals – Andrew Neal, 07 877 8009 488 Mangaotaki Rd, Piopio Raupuha Shorthorns – Russell Proffit, 07 877 8977 1933 SH 3 Mahoenui Ipuru South Devons – Peter Foss, 07 877 7881 54 Kumara Rd, Aria Kaha Speckle Parks – Catherine Robertson, 07 877 8111 142a Paekaka Rd, Piopio

For further information please contact: Brent Bougen Cam Heggie NZFLL PGG Wrightson 0272 104698 0275 018182

Bank Road Paterangi RD 3 Ohaupo WE WILL OFFER

• 146 Ayrshire Spring Calving Cows • 9 Ayrshire/Ayrshire X IC Hfrs • 9 Ayrshire Empty in Milk Cows • 40 Ayrshire/Ayrshire X R1Hfrs • 195 Head, TB Status C10, Lepto • BVD & Rotovirus Vaccinated This well known herd has for the last 5 years averaged 501kgs ms/cow. Cell counts have always been very low and this season as at 20/3 averaged 81. Mating commenced on the 1/10/17 with 8 weeks AB then DNA profiled Ayrshire bull ran until 22/12/17. The IC heifers ran with DNA profiled Ayrshire bulls from 29/9/17 until 15/11/17. Herd was pregnancy tested on the 22/12/17 to ascertain early calvers and again on the 20/3/18. The offering contains 22 A2A2 and 17 A1A2 profiled females. These are good framed cows that have the breeding to be great producers and breeding cows.

This herd is well known for the females that perform well in outside hers and the sires that have breed well through AB.

Catalogues giving full details are available online or from the Auctioneer at Progressive Livestock Ltd www.brianrobinsonlivestock.com Brian Robinson Livestock Ltd

Please contact Colin Old - PL Brian Robinson

027 870 4434 027 241 0051

LK0092328©

www.progressivelivestock.co.nz

Hit the bulls-eye with advertising in the Farmers Weekly.

Reaching over 78,000 rural mailboxes weekly we are the ideal space to engage with the right audience for your bull sales.

Farmers Weekly also publishes an e-Newsletter while bull sales are on with top sale results from around the country, and other digital advertising options to link to your website and sale catalogue.

With loads of affordable advertising options contact Nigel Ramsden on 06 323 0761, 027 602 495 or email livestock@nzx.com to get the right solution for you.

farmersweekly.co.nz

2424FWBU

These cattle are fully recommended to intending purchasers.

Livestock

UPCOMING CLEARING AUCTIONS

PROGESSIVE LIVESTOCK LTD AUCTION 26th April 2018 THURSDAY 10:00am

ESTABLISHED LIC BRED HERD, REPLACEMENTS AND MACHINERY AUCTION DATE: Monday 30th April 2016 ADDRESS: 153 Kaweroa Road, Opunake,Taranaki START TIME: 10.00am machinery, 11:30am cattle VENDORS: Edlindale Trust –Tappy & Krissy Taplin COMPRISING OF: ∙ 185 in-calf well-bred 50% FsnX and 50% Jersey herd ∙ BW 87 PW 110 R/a 96% ∙ 48 XB in-calf heifers, BW 132 PW 144 ∙ 52 XB rising ylg hfrs, BW 121 PW 138

shelter, Calf crate, Sitrex 2.4m disc mower, Hustler SL350 bale feeder, Udy feeder, Pearson soft arms, CDax 200lt sprayer, 400lt Bertolini sprayer, 2 x ATV sprayers, Zinc dispensers, Weed wiper, Hip lifters, PKE trailer, 500kg tandum ATV urea spreader, 2008 Suz 500cc ATV, 2016 Suz 300cc quad runner, 1999 Suz Vitara jeep, AB caddy, Mastitis checker, Auto teat sprayer, Burkart 4.5tn trailer, numerous sundries.

A/C RYE DAIRIES LTD 219 PAEWHENUA ROAD RD2 OTOROHANGA SUPPLY NO 74557

AUCTIONEERS NOTE This herd will appeal, well farmed and owned 10 years and AB bred 20+ years. Strong aspects are low MT rates, low som cell rates, very good index’s, good production on challenging wetter farm. Low inputs, no fuss cows.

DETAILS: ∙ Calving from 25th July to LIC Nom 5 weeks ∙ Tailed of Red Devon bulls – out 31/12, HB shed, ∙ TB C10, inoculated for lepto, BVD+EBL free ∙ Low input farming, system 1-2, 360 ms/cow ∙ MT rate 7%, som cell 90,0000.

Comprising 400 Jersey IM Cows BW 45, PW 46, REL 59% Herd due 20/7/18 4 weeks LIC AB Jersey Tailed off with Jersey Bull Bull out date 25/12/17 Production 360 M/S per cow, SCC 60,000, TB C10, EBL free

PAYMENT TERMS: 1ST June 2018 – grazing can be arranged to end of May for farmers only without farm access.

MACHINERY - 10.00am (Eftpos available) 2002 JDeere 6010 tractor, Hydraulic top link, Fencepro post rammer (1yr old), Tyre roller, Tyre harrows, Chain harrows, 2 x vat stands, McKee hay/meal feeder, Pearson forks 4x1000lt pods,1100lt colostrum vat, 2000ltr SS vat, Cedax spreader, Calf

Catalogues available from auctioneers or online.

Contact your local Farm Source agents for details and photos.

AGENT: Jason King 027 684 2443

100% FRIESIAN BRED IN-CALF HEIFER AUCTION 100% FULLY IDENTIFIED DATE: Friday 4th May 2018, ADDRESS: 1099 Tarata Road, Kaimata, Inglewood, Taranaki START TIME: 11.30am undercover VENDORS: M/S BT & GE Stone COMPRISING OF: 180 Friesian fully ID Heifers

AUCTIONEERS NOTE This stylish line up of strong heifers have huge potential for great production. The heifers are grazed on rolling to hilly country and come to auction in good condition.

Photos available and inspection welcomed.

DETAILS: ∙ Due to calve from 24th July to Jsy bulls, bulls out 25th Dec ∙ All heifers scanned in-calf on 26th April 2018 ∙ Heifers all lepto vaccinated ∙ Delivery to be taken within 2-3 days of auction

PAYMENT TERMS: 1st June 2018. Payment options may be discussed prior to auction

FARMERS WEEKLY – April 23, 2018

Auctioneers Note: Good capacious cows doing solid production every year. Very low cell count herd.

50 Years of Breeding and Ownership.

Catalogues available from auctioneers or online. nzfarmsource.co.nz/livestock

Delivery

AGENT: Colin Dent 027 646 8908

Immediate delivery unless prior arrangement with agent before auction.

EARN FARM SOURCE REWARD DOLLARS ON ALL FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK PURCHASES & SALES* *

Payment Delay payment to all purchasers until 30th May 2018.

T&Cs apply. See nzfarmsource.co.nz/rewards

Please contact Steve Old 027 471 2801 steveo@progressivelivestock.co.nz

www.progressivelivestock.co.nz

SALE TALK

A young man at this construction site was bragging that he could outdo anyone based on his strength. He especially made fun of one of his older workmates. After several minutes, the older worker had enough.

“Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?” he said. “I’ll bet a week’s wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to the other building that you won’t be able to wheel back.”

“You’re on, old man,” the young man replied.

“Let’s see what you’ve got.”

The old man reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then nodding to the young man, he said with a smile, “All right.

Get in.

2nd Annual Angus Female In-Calf Production Sale On-Farm Fairlie – Wed 2 May at 12 Noon Offering: approx. 100 Stud Angus Fully Recorded Females including: - 40 R2yr, 20 R3yr, 20 R4yr - 20 Annual draft capital stock stud cows 60 R2yr Commercial Meadowslea-bred heifers Ex Grays Hills Stn, Breamar Stn, Guide Hill Stn, Manahune Stn Note: Cows are mated to all the Top Stud Sires at Meadowslea

: R2yr heifers mated to top low birthweight calving ease yearlings

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livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

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32

Vendor: D S Giddings 03 685 8027 Auctioneers: PGG Wrightson Participating companies: PWA, RLL, Carrfields Catalogues online next week

www.meadowslea.co.nz

KING COUNTRY ANGUS BULL WALK TUESDAY 1ST MAY – 10am Shian; 11am Springdale; 12pm Black Ridge; 1pm Puke-Nui

Annual On Farm Bull Sale Thursday 31st May – 3pm

SPRINGDALE ANGUS

40 BULLS FOR SALE

37th Annual On Farm Sale

Libido tested & semen evaluated TB C10. BVD tested & vaccinated,

Thursday 31st May 2018 at Ngakonui - 12 noon Offering 46 Quality Rising 2yr Bulls

Lepto & 10 in 1 vaccinated.

Contact: Brian & Sharon Sherson 07 895 7686 Rob & Tracy Sherson 07 895 6694/ 0272 308 230 Meads Road, Taumarunui - b.sherson@xtra.co.nz www.shianangus.co.nz

Lot 4 - Springdale Thor 555

BLACK RIDGE ANGUS STUD

PUKE-NUI ANGUS

Annual on farm bull sale 9:30am Thursday 31st May 2018

ANGUS

Bull Sale Wednesday 30th May 2018 at 4pm

30 Bulls

Bull Sale Venue: 303 River Road, SH 43, Taumarunui

30 Bulls

Alan & Catherine Donaldson Alan & Catherine Donaldson Ph: 07 6714 email:agcsdonaldson@gmail.com Email: agcsdonaldson@gmail.com Ph 896 (07)8966714 www.pukenuiangus.co.nz

DEAN & TERESA SHERSON

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Bull Sale Wednesday 30th May 2018 At 4pm

Come and have breakfast with the bulls.

Inspection and enquiries always welcome.

Like and find us on facebook

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Bull Sale Venue: 303 River Road, SH 43, Taumarunui

Sires of sale bulls: • Rangatira 13-38 • Rangatira 13-118 • Kaharau 11-831 • Kaharau 12-40 • Kaharau 13-179 • Springdale Clarion 244

Enquiries welcome: Contact: Ian & Karenne Borck – 1094 Taringamotu Rd, RD 4, Taumarunui Ph/Fax 07 895 3452 – springdaleangus@outlook.co.nz www.springdaleangus.co.nz

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Tangihau Kaino H29

Free North Island Delivery

675 Taringamotu Road RD 4, Taumarunui 3994 p: 07 896 7211 m: 027 690 2033 e: black_ridge@live.com.au

LK0092337©

SHIAN ANGUS

Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – April 23, 2018

Brooklands Simmentals Est. 1981

Bulls selected for structural soundness, growth rates, ease of calving, EBVs, temperament and fertility

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

Auahi Charolais Pio Pio

STOCK FOR SALE

AUTUMN BULL CALVES 100kgs

STOCK REQUIRED

Henderson Partners

New Sale Date – 1pm Thursday 24th May

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381

Several standout Polled Bulls by AI Sire L.T. Venture

We will be offering bulls for sale from this day.

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C10 • Fully guaranteed Inspection anytime Ph John 07 873 8477 or 027 633 1776

RED OAK STUD

2nd Autumn On Farm Service Bull Sale Undercover

FEMALE INCALF PRODUCTION SALE

100% RECORDED HEIFERS Morrinsville Sale Yards – Special Entry Thursday 26th April 12 Noon

Tuesday 1st May at 1pm

On A/c Client – From a retiring vendor who had a 100% recorded and Low SCC herd. Genuine complete line of Kiwi Cross heifers. BW 118 PW 114, IC to Jsy. Well grown heifers.

On Farm Weka Pass MONDAY 7TH MAY 2018 Sale Commences 12 Noon

Offering:

48 33 30

Stud Fully Recorded Females including; Selected R3yr, R4yr, R5yr plus older proven cows MA Commercial cows PTIC R2yr, Commercial Heifers scanned empty R 2yr, Red Oak Bred Heifers PTIC on a/c D & L McPherson, Freshford Cheviot.

NOTE; All stud and commercial cows are mated to the top sires available at Red Oak, R2yr heifers mated to top low birth Wt Red Oak yearlings.

Vendor: Rick Orr - 0272 457 751

View listing # WAI54721

On Account of David & Fiona MacKenzie 300 McDonald Mine Road Huntly

Contact Glenn Tasker 0274 777 345

Delivery dates are on the Monday of the 7th & 21st May and 4th & 18th June or by arrangement.

The bulls are guaranteed sound, TB & BVD tested and double innoculated.

240 x 2yr & 3yr Quality Service Bulls

150 Hereford Bulls - 50 Angus Bulls - 40 Jersey Bulls

FINANCE OR BULL PLAN AVAILABLE TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY

LOVELY NOMINATED AMBREED FRIESIAN HERD SALE

I have inspected these bulls and they come forward in excellent condition.

The Herefords have good markings and the temperament is good.

Buy in confidence!

Auctioneer: PGG Wrightson - John McKone 0272 299 375

HERD BW 46 (BW’s up to 140) PW 59 (PW’s up to 420) RA 94% WEDNESDAY 16TH MAY 12 NOON 958 Tower Rd, Matamata On A/c Greg Trail Comprising: 120 x 2-8 Yr Friesian In Calf Cows, C10, TB & EBL Free, BVD Milk tested.

Calving from 15/7 to Nominated Frs AI for 6 weeks. Tailed with PB Angus Bulls.

52000 total MS and 320 MS/cow on an all grass fed system. SCC 105,000. Herd has previously produced up to 76,000 milk solids on a level 3 system.

Agent in charge: Bill Sweeney - 027 451 5310

Participating Companies: HRL - Trav Dalzell 0272 020 196

To advertise Phone Nigel 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@nzx.com

FRSX ON FARM SALE

Wednesday 2nd May - 12 Noon Puriri Rd, Tokoroa S/N 78030 On A/c SG & RI Thomas BW 77 PW 91 RA 93%

Wednesday 2nd May - 12 Noon Puriri Rd, Tokoroa S/N 78030 On A/c SG & RI Thomas BW 77 PW 91 RA 93%

A very good herd of medium stature, these are good capacious cows that tick a lot of boxes.

A very good herd of medium stature, these are good capacious cows that tick a lot of boxes.

Our vendor has purchased a lease farm with stock so these young cows come to market. DTC 1/8 IC to AB, Tailed with Hfd bull.

Our vendor has purchased a lease farm with stock so these young cows come to market. DTC 1/8 IC to AB, Tailed with Hfd bull.

Sale Catalogues available on the day View Listing #WAI57620 for more details

Sale Catalogues available on the day View Listing #WAI57620 for more details

Contact Steve Emile 027 224 3880

Contact Steve Emile 027 224 3880

If you are after a very attractive Ambreed cow showing beautiful dairy type, then you need to attend this sale. The whole herd, including the young stock have been G3 DNA profiled, so you can buy with confidence.

The cows will be dry on sale day and will be in top condition.

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Have you got a sale coming up?

Advertise in Farmers Weekly

FRSX ON FARM SALE

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GOING GOING GONE!

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Bulls are polled and horned.

Delivery 1st June for shifting farm owners or sharemilkers.

View listing #WAI58389 Contact Bryan Sweeney 027 869 2620

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Progeny regularly topping weaner sales.

A Financing Solution For Your Farm E info@rdlfinance.co.nz

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Wednesday May 2, from 10am at 329 Rakaiatai Rd, Dannevirke

46

STORE LAMBS 28-36kgs 350 x ROM PERE X EWES 18MTH BEEF HEIFERS +350kgs VIC 3 & 4 YR ANGUS COWS 18 MTH A. AX STEERS 380-420kgs

Offering: 28 R2 Bulls • 6 R3 Vic Heifers

OPEN DAY:

Colin and Catherine Hutching Phone (06) 374 1802

33

•

•

Livestock

FARMERS WEEKLY – April 23, 2018

PRIVATE SALE

Talk to us for options to purchase in-milk for September/October Delivery

FLEMING BELTED GALLOWAY HERD – KUROW

Northland Cows & Heifers 390 Frsn/FrsnX BW71 PW103 RA89% DTC 15/7 Very young herd, huge potential $1500

85 Mixed Aged Cows

260 Frsn/FrsnX BW61 PW69 RA90% DTC 20/7 OAD herd long steep walks, will shift well $1500

30 R3 Cows 40 R2 Hfrs (M/T) 35 Hfr Calves All Cows PTIC to Top Belted Galloway Genetics Calving Due 10th August 2018 TB C10 Farmed Commercial for 10 years Some of top Genetics in the Country Great opportunity to Buy a Top Belted Galloway Herd Good Market for R1 Bulls Dairy

145 Frsn/FrsnX BW78 PW93 DTC 15/7-25/8 Great condition, tight calving $1500 31 Jsy young surplus cows DTC Jul/Aug Big framed, I/C to Samen sires, 1st May del $1070 28 I/C Hfrs Frsn/FrsnX BW130 PW135 RA96% DTC 18/7, 29 yrs breeding, well grown $1600 Paul Kane 027 286 9279 (North Waikato/ Northland) National Dairy & Live Export Coordinator Southern North Island Cows & Heifers 120 Frsn/FrsnX BW89 PW104 RA100% DTC 1/8 Good history,Tidy herd, PWs up to 288 $1650 115 Frsn/FrsnX BW47 PW74 RA92% DTC 3/8. Great top up herd from the Southern Hawkes Bay $1600 22 Jsy R3yr Cows BW93 PW81 DTC 1/8 Surplus cows $1400

CONTACTS CALLUM DUNNETT 027 587 0131 LK0092297©

15 A2A2 Xbred I/C Hfrs DTC 1/8 $1500

NEIL MCKERCHAR 027 505 1010

Philip Webb: 027 801 8057 Central & Southern NI Dairy Coordinator

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For extensive listings for all types of dairy stock visit:

www.carrfieldslivestock.co.nz

in conjunction with

Please note the new sale date!

9th Annual Bull Sale 27 RISING 2 YEAR OLD BULLS

Reduction sale

PETERS ANGUS

Complete Dispersal Sale

Straight Bred Friesian Herd

Long Established Ayrshire Herd and Replacements

Friday 27th April 2018 at 11am

Teviot Valley Station, 1205 Teviot Road, Millers Flat, RD2, Roxburgh 9572, Otago.

Phone 03 446 6030 or 027 364 1438

Thursday 3rd May 2018 at 10.30 am

Vendors: Mr Mark Rowland, 279 Aranui Road RD 5 Palmerston North.

Phone 06 329 0890 or 027 495 7728

Vendors: Mr John Thurlow Thurlow Farms Ltd 837 Taniwha Road Waerenga RD 1, Te Kauwhata Sale to be held on the vendors property will comprise:

Sale to be held on the vendors property will comprise: 87 Friesian MA Spring calving cows

Carrfields LIVESTOCK

Roger Keach 027 417 8641 Callum Dunnett 027 587 0131 Donald Baines 027 328 8781 Brent Taylor 027 333 2421

Northbrook Milking Shorthorn Female and Young Sire Sale

1 45 Ayrshire MA Spring calving cows 66 Ayrshire in calf heifers 60 Ayrshire Yearling heifers 5 Ayrshire Yearling bulls 276 Head TB Status C10, Lepto vaccinated, EBL Free

2 Friesian Autumn calved cows 15 Friesian empty in-milk cows 18 Friesian rising one-year heifers

and production standard have been selected for sale quality cows and bulls they have bred. With no family CROSS HERD Sale to be held on the vendors property will BW 143/50 161/67 RA as our vendor reduces numbers and relocates to members toPW carry on the decision has 100% been made to BW 143/50 PW 161/67 comprise:RA 100% By no means the bottomRA end 100% are for sale (in sell. topEarly 10calving All (Breeds foran NZ ) calving (in 33 mid July ) with 8 week BWTaranaki.

143/50 PW 161/67 top 10Shorthorn All Breeds for NZ ) Milking and Blended in calf heifers as those being retained have been selected solely on span those in search of early milk will need look no (in top 10 All Breeds for NZ )

8 Milking Shorthorn and Blended Autumn calved cows cow family which means some outstanding cows • are Many cows LIC for matings further.contracted Over the manyto seasons the 2011 herd has been • Many cows contracted to Blended LIC forEmpty 2011 matings 8 Milking Shorthorn and in milk cows being offered. Production for the 300-400 cow herd • Due tobredcalve from 16-7-12, 6.5 homes weeks to the best AB semen available. Herd Manyhas cows contracted to LIC for 2011 matings 2 year bull 6.5 weeks • Due to 1 Milking calveShorthorn from Rising 16-7-12, always been in the range of 500kgs ms/cow. This AB Jersey Kiwiover cross on theand property the last 3 seasons have been AB Jersey Due season to calve from 16-7-12, 6.5 weeks

2 Milking Shorthorn Rising and Kiwi cross 1 year bulls the herd average to 22/2/18 is 362kgs ms in • Estimated be 420 cows after non used asto a winter stand off pad and to feed home AB Jersey and Kiwi cross 52 head Lepto cows vaccinated,after Milk tested • Estimated toTB status be C10, 420 non 188 days with cc average of 107. Much attention has pregnant, culls, cows & 5%are rejection Estimated be quality 420which cows after non grown maize.older No other supplements fed. Of verypregnant, negative BVD cows & 5% rejection been paid to to udder is evident in todays culls, for older pregnant, culls, & 5% rejection last season 347kgs ms/cow, quiet temperament and consistent production herd. The herd older which iscows not owner milked is of•veryProduction The Woodlast family have been long347kgs time Milkingms/cow, Shorthorn •theseProduction season Production last season 347kgs ms/cow, 1000kgs ms/ha, on rolling to steeper cattle come fully recorded.

Catlle sold on previous good temperament. All on offer are fully recorded, LIC breeders.

Cattle soldon from previous gone all 1000kgs ms/ha, rollingsalestohavesteeper 1000kgs ms/ha, steeper occasions very well in there farm,have noperformed meal, palm kernel ornew maize transferable and offeron thoserolling in need ofto straight bredcontoured over the country performed with distinction.

Type contoured farm, noand meal, palm kernel or maize contoured meal, palm kernel isordue maize fed. herds.

Friesianfarm, cows ano great opporunity.Payment from and production has long been part of this herd. Many fed. fed. all purchasers by the 20th May 2018.

• Young replacement also show awards have been won. Be sure you mark this Catalogues givingstock full details areavailable available from the

•

Young replacement stock also available

Young replacement stock also available

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date as a must attend sale. autioneers, Brian Robinson Livestock Ltd Catalogues giving all details for these fully recorded Outstanding genetics & potential to be one of and transferable cattle are available on line at Ph 07 858 3132 or online at giving details for these OutstandingCatalogues genetics & all potential to fully berecorded one of Outstanding genetics & potential to be one of www.brianrobinsonlivestock.com or the countries leading suppliers of Genetics to and transferable cattle are available on line at to www.brianrobinsonlivestock.com the countries leading suppliers of Genetics the countries leading suppliers of Genetics to www.nzholstein.org.nz the dairy industry for oryears to come. Full details or details www.ayrshire.org.nz the dairy industrywww.brianrobinsonlivestock.com for years to come. Full the dairy industry for years to come. Full details available. Enquiries to: www.nzmilkingshorthorn.co.nz or by contacting Enquiries to the auctioneers, Brian Robinson Livestock available. available.

Ltd Ph 07 858 3132, email b.robinson1@xtra.co.nz, the auctioneers, Brian Robinson Livestock Ltd. Brian Robinson 0272 41O O51 to the sole marketing agents: Enquiries to the sole marketing agents: Selwyn Donald 027 437 8375, Enquiries to the sole marketing agents: Enquiries Matt Satherley 0278 697 805 After hours: Neil McDonald 027 218 8904, Selwyn Donald Ph 0274 378 375 Selwyn Donald Ph 0274 378 375 Brian Robinson 027 241 0051, Brian Robinson BRLL Neil McDonald 0272 188 904 Brian Robinson Brian Robinson 0272 41O O51 Brian Robinson BRLL Matt SatherlyBRLL 027 869 7805 or Kevin Hart 0272 915 575 PH: 0272 410051 or 07 8583132 PH: 0272 410051 8583132 Kevin Hart 027or 29107 5575 Neil McDonald 0272 188 904 PH: 0272 410051 or 07 8583132 AH0092003©

PGG WRIGHTSON LIVESTOCK

Callum McDonald 027 433 6443 Chris Swale 027 442 5032 Paul Pearce 027 478 5761

PRELIMINARY NOTICE

Monday 30th April 2018 at 11am

Vendors: HIGH INDEXING JERSEY & JERSEY INDEXING & and JERSEY M/s David andJERSEY Johanna Wood family This is one of NZs oldest Ayrshire establishmentsHIGH ( 99 CROSS HERD CROSS HERD 806 Reid Line East, Hiwinui, Palmerston North HIGHThese INDEXING JERSEY &very JERSEY years ) and the Thurlow family are well known for the fully recorded Friesian cows of high type 122 head TB status C10, Lepto vaccinated

To be held at Vendor’s property.

Inspections welcome from 9.30am

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11am Friday 1st June 2018

TE MUKA IN CALF SALE TEMUKA SALEYARDS THURSDAY 3RD MAY 10AM ON A/C WAKARE LTD MT SOMERS MID CANTERBURY 40 R2 Ang Hfrs 22 R2 Ang Hrfd Hfrs 11 R2 Hrfd Hfrs PTIC Ang & Ang Hrfd Hfrs IC to Ang Bull Hrfd Hfrs IC to Hrfd Bull TB Status C10 CONTACT CALLUM DUNNETT 027 587 0131

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livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

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34

Your source for PGG Wrightson livestock and farming listings

Key: Dairy

Cattle

Sheep

Other

NORTH ISLAND HERDS FOR SALE

DAIRY HERDS & IN-CALF HEIFERS FOR SALE PGG Wrightson Dairy representatives are specialists at marketing and selling dairy herds.

Benefit from the nationwide team that is dedicated to matching herds with the right buyers and achieving an optimal outcome for your business.

370 Frsn/ Frsnx Cows BW 54

PW 60

225 Frsn/ Frsnx Cows

$1,550+GST

BW 47

•

BW 62

•

150 Frsn/ Frsnx Cows

$1,550+GST

PW 78

BW 82

•

$1,700+GST

PW 107

•

RA82% Calving 18th July, Young Herd, Great Udders.

Jason Roberts – 0272 431 429

RA95% Calving 20th July, Ave 440M/S, 1160M/S hec.

Regan Craig – 0275 028 585

RA63% Calving 14th July.

40yrs One Owner, Low Input.

Dave Stuart – 0272 241 049

RA89%. Calving 20th July. Great Age Breakdown, Challenging Farm.

Jason Roberts – 0272 431 429

Agonline ref: 064232

Agonline ref: 064194

Agonline ref: 063817

Agonline ref: 064316

270 M/A Frsn, Jsy, XBred Cows

142 2yr Friesian Cows

100 Friesian, X/Bred Cows

BW 54

PW 79

$1,775+GST

BW 64

•

PW 82

$1,900+GST

BW 76

•

185 2yr Frsn/Frsn X Cows

$1,750+GST

PW 93

BW 88

•

$1,700+GST

PW 102

•

RA80% Calving 20th July.

Good Young Herd.

Rod Kamphorst – 0274 994 937

RA100% Smart Line of Rising 3yr olds, milked OAD all season in large operation.

Andrew Leggett – 0220 383 216

RA98% Once a Day Milking so reasonable well grown Heifers.

Rex Playle – 0275 946 512

RA91% High altitude farm, Herd will move!! Using 2kg PK per day at present.

Jeff See – 0275 680 813

Agonline ref: 064279

Agonline ref: 063834

Agonline ref: 064227

Agonline ref: 063082

NORTH ISLAND IN-CALF HEIFERS FOR SALE 115 XBred Incalf Heifers BW 102

PW 121

77 Frsn/Frsnx Incalf Heifers

$1,550+GST

•

BW 109

PW 113

$1,500+GST

•

RA100% Calving 19th July, Jsy Bull.

Bull out Early, will Computer Split.

Dean Evans – 0272 431 092

Calving 14th July, Jsy Bull.

CRL, Well Grown.

Tony Blackwood – 0272 431 858

Agonline ref: 064207

Agonline ref: 063456

74 X/Bred InCalf Heifers BW 127 For photos and more information visit: www.agonline.co.nz or contact:

300 Jsy/ Jsyx Cows

$1,875+GST

PW 50

PW 143

•

BW 115

BW 130

30 Frsn Incalf Heifers

$1,300+GST

PW 102

BW 16

•

RA99% Calving 24th July, Jsy Bull.

Matt Hughes – 0274 052 824

PW 39

$1,300+GST

•

Calving 16th July. Well Grown.

Samen Bred heifers.

Regan Craig – 0275 028 585

Agonline ref: 064164

Agonline ref: 064219

74 X/Bred InCalf Heifers

$1,500+GST

37 Jsy/ Jsyx Incalf Heifers

PW 127

108 Friesian/Jersey X InCalf Hfrs

$1,600+GST

•

BW 77

PW 105

$1,550+GST

215 Frsn, Frsn/Jsy X InCalf Hfrs BW 83

•

PW 93

$1,600+GST

•

RA100% Capital Stock LIC Bred Line of X/Bred Heifers, Mated to AB Xbred Sires.

Peter Forrest – 0275 986 153

RA95% A2A2 Portion of Capital stock G3 Line of InCalf Heifers.

Chris Johnston – 0272 574 091

RA100% Well Grown Line of Ambreed Frsn/Jsy X Capital Stock Heifers.

Rex Playle – 0275 946 512

RA100%Ambreed Bred Frsn & Frsn X Heifers, Capital Stock Line.

Rex Playle – 0275 946 512

Agonline ref: 064117

Agonline ref: 064276

Agonline ref: 064237

Agonline ref: 063484

PAUL EDWARDS

National Dairy Manager Ph 027 442 5028

NATIONAL TEAM. LOCAL KNOWLEDGE. AUTUMN & SPRING FRSN & FRSNX HERD Friday 4th May, 11am Start On Farm: 30 Wyatt Road, Te Awamutu A/C Weal Farms Ltd Complete Dispersal Sale Comprising 100 Autumn Inmilk & CTP Cows.

70 Spring Calving Inmilk Cows.

15 Spring Calving Incalf Heifers 22 Autumn Born R1 Heifers 16 Spring Born R1 Heifers Approx 15 3/6 week Autumn calves.

BW32, PW49, RA74%, TB C10.

Our vendors have sold their farm giving purchasers a great opportunity to buy genuine cows or replacement young stock.

The herd has consistently averaged over 510 MS/cow and are bred from nominated Ambreed bulls with a focus on sound udders, temperament and production.

4 years ago robotic milkers were installed, but we see no problem with the cows switching back to conventional milking sheds. The farm is a system 3 feed level.

The herd as well as young stock will come forward in great order on sale day and display the dairy qualities that discerning farmers look for when purchasing cattle.

Payment: 1st June unless prior arrangement made with Agent before sale day.

Delivery: Immediate unless prior arrangement made with Agent before sale day.

Catalogues available on Agonline.

Enquiries to: Andrew Reyland – 0272 237 092

PRELIMINARY NOTICE DISPERSAL SALE OF TRACTORS, MACHINERY AND AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY PARTS A/C North Otago Ag Centre 36 Weston Rd, Oamaru Saturday 28th April 2018 10am Start Comprising 3 Valtra Tractors Hay/Baleage making & Feeding out Equipment

COMPLETE HEREFORD HERD DISPERSAL

HAUROKO VALLEY BULL SALE

Monday 30th April, 12.00pm Start Manuel Rd, Tauhei (On Farm) A/C Tainui Group Holdings Ltd Hangawera Station Comprising 63 R2 VIC Hereford Heifers (Bull in 5/11/17, Bull out 23/01/18) 41 R2 VIC Hereford Heifers (Bull in 19/11/17, Bull out 6/02/18)

Wide range of agricultural Machinery parts

43 R3 VIC Hereford Heifers (Bull in 5/11/17, Bull out 23/01/18)

Full inventory can be viewed at www.agonline.co.nz

95 4yr+5yr VIC Hereford Cows (Bull in 5/11/17, Bull out 19/01/18)

Enquiries to: Merv McCabe (Vendor) – 021 436 405

122 6,7,8,9 & 10yr VIC Hereford Cows (Bull in 5/11/17, Bull out 19/01/18)

Kelvin Wilson (PGG Wrightson) – 0274786190 PGG Wrightson Ltd Oamaru

MANAWATU RANGITIKEI ANGUS BULL WALK Tuesday 8th May Times 9am – 9.30am 10.20am – 11am 11.10am – 11.40am 11.50am – 12.15pm

Clients Ranui Pine Park Merchiston Complimentary lunch Station Hotel Hunterville 1.15pm – 1.45pm Atahua 2.45pm – 3.20pm Ngaputahi Catalogues will be available on the day.

Enquiries to: Callum Stewart – 0272 802 688

Freephone 0800 10 22 76 | www.pggwrightson.co.nz

35 M/A VIC Carryover Hereford Cows (Bull in 5/11/17, Bull out 19/01/18) Due to a change in farming policy, this is a great opportunity to Purchase Capital Stock Hereford Cows and Heifers, All VIC to a Hereford Bull.

Wednesday 30th May 2018, 1pm 1202 Lillburn Valley Road Tuatapere 35 Hereford Bulls (Waiau & Pourakino) 18 Angus Bulls (Pikoburn) 6 South Devon Bulls (Wainuka) 50 R3 Hereford Heifers PTIC Hereford Bulls Please note this sale is different from original calendar dates and will now be held at the above property. There will be a great line of Bulls and Heifers for prospective buyers at one loaction.

Enquiries to: Callum McDonald – 0274 336 443

FEILDING WEANER FAIR Thursday 26 April Feilding Saleyard Complex 11.30am We will be offering on A/C Sue Brothers Ohakune Approx:

Genetics from Kokonga, Kairuru and Craigmore Hereford Studs.

460 H/AX Wnr Strs TBD

Enquiries to: Sam Wright (PGW) – 0274 430 905 Dean Evans (PGW) – 0272 431 092 Shane Hill (Tainui GH) – 0292 929 672

460 H/AX Wnr Hfrs TBD

HIGH QUALITY FRIESIAN DISPERSAL SALE

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

Enquiries to: Robert Auld – 0275 901 335

LED

Thursday 26th April, 11am On Farm Monckton Road, Te Awamutu A/C R & P Moss

EL C ANC

Follow what’s happening out in the field, visit: fb.com/pgwlivestock

Helping grow the country

MARKET SNAPSHOT

36

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Grain & Feed

MILK PRICE FORECAST ($/KGMS) 2017-18

6.55

6.31

AS OF 21/03/2017

AS OF 18/04/2018

7.0

Prior week

Last year

Feb 18 Apr 18 AgriHQ Seasonal

What are the AgriHQ Milk Prices?

The AgriHQ Seasonal milk price is calculated using GDT results and NZX Dairy Futures to give a full season price. The AgriHQ Spot milk price is an indicative price based solely on the prices from the most recent GDT event. To try this using your own figures go to www.agrihq.co.nz/toolbox

WMP GDT PRICES AND NZX FUTURES

7.20

5.90

361

333

NI mutton (20kg)

4.90

4.90

3.70

378

378

303

SI lamb (17kg)

7.05

7.05

5.70

Feed Barley

378

380

311

SI mutton (20kg)

4.85

4.85

3.55

226

Export markets (NZ$/kg) 9.14

9.07

8.75

274

274

UK CKT lamb leg 421

PKE Dec 17 AgriHQ Spot Fonterra forecast

266

441

395

269

229

7.0

* Domestic grain prices are grower bids delivered to the nearest store or mill. PKE and fertiliser prices are ex-store. Australian prices are landed in Auckland.

6.5 6.0 5.5

INTERNATIONAL Last week

Prior week

5.0

Last year

4.5

CBOT futures (NZ$/t) Wheat - Nearest

238

235

223

Corn - Nearest

207

209

203

APW Wheat

373

373

317

ASW Wheat

379

369

303

Feed Wheat

317

317

288

Feed Barley

347

347

275

108

108

80

7.0

2500 2000 Jun 17 Sep 17 Dec 17 C2 Fonterra WMP

PKE (US$/t)

Mar 18 Jun 18 NZX WMP Futures

Ex-Malaysia

6.5

NZ venison 60kg stag

600 6.0

$/kg

3000

South Island 1 7kg lamb

7.5

c/kkg (net)

3500

North Island 17kg lamb

7.5

Australia (NZ$/t)

4000

500 5.5 400 5.0 300 4.5 OctOct

DecDec

FebFeb AprApr

5‐yr ave NZX DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T) Nearby contract

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

3300

3215

3110

SMP

1915

1890

AMF

5900

Butter

5660

Last week

Prior week

Last year

(NZ$/kg)

Last week

Prior week

Last year

1895

Urea

523

523

507

Coarse xbred ind.

3.10

3.02

3.68

5900

6125

Super

307

307

317

Nth Isl 37m

3.25

3.10

3.80

5505

5250

DAP

739

Sth Isl 35m

4.80

4.60

3.65

775

785

3000

Latest price

Aug

Sep

Oct

WITH reporting season now under way in the United States and plenty of economic data to process, the trade drama and rising geopolitical tensions from the past few weeks have been put aside for the moment. Markets have benefitted from the positive earnings season and rising commodity prices.

Fletcher Building went into a trading halt while it executed a capital raising. The $750 million entitlement offer is to strengthen the balance sheet and enable the company to refocus its portfolio. Shares were being offered to existing holders as $4.80, representing a 23.4% discount to the closing price. It will refocus its portfolio on its Australian and NZ activities.

Comvita also grabbed headlines, downgrading guidance for the full year as honey production remains hampered by poor weather. However, the downgrade was accompanied by the news that a possible suitor for the company was undertaking due diligence, and there could be a takeover offer looming.

The a2 Milk Company provided some more upbeat corporate news, announcing that it has signed an agreement with Yuhan Corp in South Korea. Yuhan, a pharmaceutical company, has the exclusive sales and distribution rights for a2 Milk.

Market commentary provided by Craigs Investment Partners

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR

16347

S&P/FW AG EQUITY

22020

250 150 Apr 14

4 weeks ago

Sharemarket Briefing

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

8373

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

8049

$/kg

350

NZ venison 60kg stag

4.5

600

c/k kg (net)

3200

NZ$/t

US$/t

450

Coarse xbred wool indicator

5.5

CANTERBURY FEED PRICES

3400

Jul

This yr

NZ average (NZ$/t)

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Jun

Last yr

AugAug

WOOL

* price as at close of business on Thursday

May

Jun Jun

FERTILISER

Last price*

2800

Last year

7.20

362

Maize Grain

5.5 Oct 17

Last week Prior week

NI lamb (17kg)

Feed Wheat

Waikato (NZ$/t)

6.0

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Milling Wheat

PKE

6.5

$/kgMS

Last week Canterbury (NZ$/t)

MILK PRICE COMPARISON

US$/t

SHEEP MEAT

DOMESTIC

AGRIHQ 2017-18

FONTERRA 2017-18

Sheep

$/kg

Dairy

Apr 15 Feed barley

Apr 16

500

3.5

400 300

2.5

Oct Jul

Apr 17 PKE spot

Feb Nov

5‐yr ave

Apr Jan

Jun Mar

Last yr

Aug May

Jul

This yr

Dollar Watch

Top 10 by Market Cap Company

Close

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

12.70

14.62

7.66

Auckland International Airport Limited

6.27

6.73

6.11

Meridian Energy Limited Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd Spark New Zealand Limited Ryman Healthcare Limited Mercury NZ Limited (NS) Fletcher Building Limited Contact Energy Limited Air New Zealand Limited (NS)

2.87 12.38 3.40 10.63 3.15 6.00 5.34 3.30

3.00 14.39 3.68 11.30 3.45 7.96 5.64 3.43

2.75 12.37 3.28 10.27 3.14 5.74 5.15 2.86

Listed Agri Shares

Dec Sep

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

Close

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

12.700

14.620

7.660

Comvita Limited

6.750

9.210

6.550

Delegat Group Limited

8.250

8.500

7.510

Foley Family Wines Limited

1.420

1.560

1.400

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

5.740

6.660

5.670

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

3.000

3.000

2.250

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

2.410

2.450

1.840

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.610

0.640

0.560

Sanford Limited (NS)

7.510

8.500

7.350

Seeka Limited

6.630

7.000

5.800

Synlait Milk Limited (NS)

9.880

9.930

6.260

T&G Global Limited

3.120

3.300

3.120

Tegel Group Holdings Limited

0.820

1.240

0.810

S&P/FW Primary Sector

16347

16555

14417

S&P/FW Agriculture Equity

22020

22252

18488

S&P/NZX 50 Index

8373

8608

8059

S&P/NZX 10 Index

8049

8368

7640

This week

Prior week

Last year

USD

0.7315

0.7363

0.6948

EUR

0.5915

0.5953

0.6548

AUD

0.942

0.9491

0.9262

GBP

0.5157

0.5191

0.5565

NZD vs

Correct as of 9am last Friday

HIGHER United States interest rates and some uncertainty over rising oil prices dominated currency trends in the last week. ASB institutional currency dealer Tim Kelleher said rising interest rates prompted a sell-off of global currencies in favour of the US dollar.

Early Friday afternoon the New Zealand-US cross rate was US$0.72 compared to US$0.73 a week earlier. The NZ dollar had also weakened in the previous week against other main trading currencies, the euro and sterling as investors flocked to the US dollar.

It was steady against the Australian dollar.

Kelleher said investors were lured by higher US interest rates and the expectation the US Federal Reserve will hike interest rates further in the coming months.

“The fundamental basis is that interest rates will always drive currency.”

In contrast equity and commodity markets were volatile but the interest in the US currency should benefit exporters by driving the NZ exchange rate lower.

Neal Wallace

Markets

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

WAIKATO PKE

NI SLAUGHTER COW

SI SLAUGHTER COW

($/T)

($/KG)

FRIESIAN COWS, 430500KG, AT TEMUKA

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

4.10

266

3.95

Cattle & Deer BEEF Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.35

5.35

5.70

NI Bull (300kg)

5.20

5.25

5.65

NI Cow (200kg)

4.10

4.10

4.40

SI Steer (300kg)

5.30

5.35

5.35

SI Bull (300kg)

5.05

5.10

5.05

SI Cow (200kg)

3.95

4.00

4.05

US imported 95CL bull

6.49

6.31

7.19

US domestic 90CL cow

6.55

6.53

6.76

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

North Island steer (300kg)

$/kg

6.0 5.5 5.0 4.5 4.0

South Island steer (300kg)

6.0 5.5

NZ venison 60kg stag

c/k kg (net) $/kg

600 5.0

500 4.5 400

300 4.0

Oct Oct

Dec Dec

Feb Feb

5‐yr ave

Apr Apr

Jun Jun

Last yr

Aug Aug This yr

VENISON Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

NI Stag (60kg)

10.45

10.45

8.60

NI Hind (50kg)

10.35

10.35

8.50

SI Stag (60kg)

11.00

11.00

8.60

SI Hind (50kg)

10.90

10.90

8.50

New Zealand venison (60kg Stag)

12 10

NZ venison 60kg stag

600 9 500 8

400 7

300

6 Oct

Oct

Dec Dec 5‐yr ave

Feb Feb

Apr Apr Last yr

Jun Jun

Aug Aug This yr

$3.40-$3.60/kg

$595-$770

Weaner Charoalis-cross heifers, 240-280kg, at Feilding Weaner Heifer Fair

Weaner Hereford-Friesian steers, 140-200kg, at Wellsford Weaner Fair

Lamb market positive

W

ITH the days getting shorter store lamb numbers have increased over the past few weeks at most yards. Firming prices has helped drive the lambs in and buyers are pleased to see them, with market’s generally holding.

NORTHLAND NORTHLAND The final run of weaner fairs at WELLSFORD last week were not without their issues, with weatherrelated problems for the steer and bull fair while all markets came back on last year’s results.

At WELLSFORD last Monday quality was varied in the weaner steer pens and the market eased with some lines back $50-$150. Small lines of Angus eased, while Charolais-cross, 303kg, dropped $100 to $1100.

Hereford-cross, 231-247kg, sold for $775-$830, while lighter lines at 194-227kg improved slightly to $708$810. Murray-Grey cross, 155-186kg, softened to $610-$730, and Angus Friesian, 201-249kg, managed $702$850. Lighter Angus-Friesian, 144176kg, fetched $600-$670.

Hereford-Friesian lines eased with 197-222kg back to $760-$820, and 151-195kg, $595-$770. Twenty Hereford-Friesian, 140kg, managed to lift to $700 making the top $/kg for the day at $5/kg. Two lines of Murray Grey-Friesian, 154-171kg, earned $640-$670.

The bull section was a bit tougher going with only a few buyers so the market eased significantly with discounts ranging from $20-$205.

Hereford-cross, 223-252kg, eased to $625-$715. Friesian lines had the largest discounts for all and 243-249kg traded at $700-$715, and 148-190kg, $495-$575. This continued through to Friesian-cross, 205-250kg, back at $545-$660 and 142-171kg, $455-$425.

A line of Devon-cross was the only exception, managing steady returns at $675.

On Tuesday heifer market was steady on earlier levels and a blanket of $2.65-$2.80/kg could be thrown

You’re just a few steps away from applying for livestock finance.

HBA 1042R

c/k kg (net) $/kg

11

1.53

high lights

37

Heartland Bank Limited’s lending criteria, fees and charges apply. For full terms and conditions, visit www.openforlivestock.co.nz

JUMPER: PGG Wrightson Livestock Agents Barry McAlister and Mike Gill draught lambs at last week’s Nokomai Station sale.

over most lines. One line of good Hereford, 362kg, managed $2.90/kg, while even light Friesian-cross, 253336kg, achieved $2.59-$2.66/kg.

Like the older heifers the weaner section of 850 was split between beef-cross and beef-Friesian, as well as a decent number of HerefordJersey. Hereford-Friesian, 170-200kg, dropped $70-$100 to trade at $570$635, while 210-265kg made $605$780, compared to $785-$865 at the last fair. Angus-Friesian at 144-200kg lost $75-$120 to be relatively good shopping for $430-$600. Angus-cross also eased and most traded at $570$780 for 183-260kg, while Exotic, 258302kg eased by a smaller margin of $5-$40 to $810-$975. Hereford-Jersey, 210-216kg, fetched $605-$625.

AT KAIKOHE the 1150-1200 head yarding last Wednesday was a hard sell, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported. Good beef and exotic steers traded at $2.85-$3.10/

kg, with medium types earning $3$3.30/kg. The small calves sold up to $3.20-$3.60/kg, though this was reserved for very light lines. Very little separated the bulls from the steers, with prices similar. Dairy-beef, 150170kg, managed just $420-$440. The market continued to be tough into the heifer pens as heavy lines sold for $2.65-$2.80/kg, medium $2.80-$3.10/ kg, and very light lines, $3.20-$3.40/ kg. There was a good offering of nice young calves which traded around $450-$540.

WAIKATO A big yarding of just over 1000 cattle were penned at FRANKTON last Wednesday and with most lines not having more than 10 head it was a long day. Quality was varied throughout and returns were in line with this.

Continued page 38

Get livestock finance from $10,000. Apply online now in a few easy steps and you could be making your next livestock purchase with confidence. With Heartland Bank you can get up to 100% finance secured against the stock you buy. Then repay the loan when you sell.

Find out more:

Call 0800 87 50 50.

Markets

38 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018

Otago calf sales demonstrate region’s resilience after summer of drought This season’s Otago calf sales show the region’s farmers rebounding well from the drought conditions that beset them through December and January, says a local livestock expert.

According to PGG Wrightson Otago regional livestock manager John Duffy, the sales compare well to last year, when prices hit record highs.

“Sales volumes are around where they were last year, and although prices have averaged around $100 below what they were in 2017, you can largely attribute that to calves being lighter due to this year’s dry summer. While average prices are down from 12 months ago, they are still at or above the record levels that prevailed until 2017,” he said.

Many of the region’s farmers were close to quitting capital stock at the end of a warm, dry December and January. However, a wet February was timely and plenty of feed in the paddocks bodes well to bring stock back to condition through the autumn.

John Duffy reckons Otago’s hills are seldom this green in April, giving farmers confidence they should be able to grow calves out to good weights.

He says the first Otago calf sales, at Owaka in mid-March, featured heavy exotic animals selling at an average price of $1040.

“As the sale season has progressed, the average price has settled at between $850 and $900. Although the price for average and lighter calves has been good, there is a lack of buying power at the top end for steer calves, with these making between $1000 and $1200 per head. Farmers coming south to the sales from Canterbury, which had a wetter summer and more certainty around the provision of autumn feed, have bolstered the market, making up for the buying power that traditionally comes to these sales from Southland. This year, with Southland also suffering a dry summer, there has not been quite such eager support from there.

“Overall, however, this year’s sales are still up there with the best ever, just not quite as strong as last year, which is understandable when we are still recovering from a challenging summer,” he said.

Otago’s annual calf sales range across Mt Benger, Haast, Omakau, Omarama, Waipiata Upper Clutha, Wanaka and Palmerston, from east to west and inland.

Get in touch: 0800 10 22 76 www.pggwrightson.co.nz

Helping grow the country

Hereford-cross steers, 322-356kg, earned $2.57$2.61/kg, while 378-384 were steady at $2.60-$2.78/kg.

Angus-Friesian, 377kg and 520kg, strengthened to $2.79/ kg and $2.73/kg respectively.

The majority of HerefordFriesian, 343-522kg, were softer at $2.70-$2.76/kg, with a line of 12 weighing 377kg the exception, earning a solid $3.09/kg.

Heifers traded at slightly softer levels, with Herefordcross, 241-303kg, easing to $2.18-2.24/kg, as did Hereford-Friesian, 325-433kg, $2.50-$2.56/kg. Friesian, 420-426kg, managed $2.45$2.46/kg. This softening flowed into the bull pens and Friesian, 360-464kg, traded at $2.50-$2.57/kg. Autumn-born 1-year Hereford-cross steers, 316kg, made $2.59/kg, while a line of five Angus-cross, 254kg, managed $3.05/kg. The majority of heifers of the same age and 230-314kg traded at $2.60-$2.76/kg regardless of breed.

The weaner market was solid for most and Hereford-Friesian steers, 164-176kg, were steady at $655-$660, $3.75-$3.99/kg, and 215-221kg, $3.53-$3.67/ kg. Hereford-cross, 216kg, strengthened to $690, $3.19/ kg. Hereford-Friesian heifers, 167-200kg, lifted to $540-$630, $3.10-$3.23/kg, and Murray Grey-cross, 178kg, were solid at $555, $3.12/kg. Hereford weaner bulls, 279-299kg, made strong returns at $1020$1235, $3.66-$4.13/kg, while all Friesian-cross lines, 143163kg, made $300.

The prime market strengthened from last sale and in the steer pens anything with beef blood traded at $2.60-$2.86/kg, while Hereford-Friesian, 487-640kg, lifted to $2.64$2.73/kg. Heifers traded at very similar levels with all 486-494kg and earning $2.68-$2.76/kg regardless of breed. Three vetted-in-calf Hereford heifers, 492kg, were on offer due to a farm sale and made $1340, and a further ten vetted-in-calf cows from the same vendor, 473-608kg, fetched $1030-$1405.

COUNTIES COUNTIES The market for lighter store cattle lifted slightly at TUAKAU last week, Kane Needham of PGG Wrightson reported.

The steer section included 447kg Hereford-Friesian, which traded at $2.59/ kg. Another good pen of Hereford-Friesian, 401kg, made $2.76/kg, with 462kg Angus-Friesian earning $2.78/kg. Good HerefordFriesian yearling steers, 344kg, sold at $2.91/kg, $1000 and Charolais-cross weaner steers, 221kg, $820. HerefordFriesian, 172kg, fetched $775, with a lighter pen at 120kg making $590. Good Hereford weaner bulls, 208kg, earned $750. In the heifer section, 425kg Hereford-Friesian traded at $2.71/kg, and an Angus-cross pen, 410kg,

earned $2.68/kg. Charolaiscross weaner heifers, 200kg, sold for $710, with 157kg Hereford-Friesian making $555, and 171kg AngusFriesian, $580.

About 750 cattle were presented at last Wednesday’s prime sale, including 500 cows. The best of the prime steers sold at $2.84-$2.87/kg, and medium types $2.80$2.83/kg. Lighter beef steers fetched $2.72-$2.76/kg.

Heavy prime heifers traded at $2.70-$2.76/kg, with mediums earning $2.65-$2.68/kg, and lighter heifers $2.59-$2.63/ kg. July-calving Friesian cows returned $2.15-$2.25/kg and well-conditioned empty Friesian made $1.75-$1.85/kg.

Medium cows fetched $1.58$1.67/kg, and lighter boners $1.47-$1.55/kg.

BAY OF PLENTY BAY OF PLENTY Number fell at RANGIURU last Tuesday. A feature was beef cows, run-with bull, and Hereford to Hereford sold for $1340-$1350 while Angus to an Angus bull made $900. R2 steer numbers were limited but the market had a firm tone, with HerefordFriesian, 427-443kg, finishing at $2.71-$2.78/kg, while five lighter Angus reached $2.84/ kg. Lesser sorts through the pens made $2.60-$2.69/kg.

The heifer market was more subdued, and lines struggled to push to $2.65/kg with only Hereford-Friesian achieving that level. Hereford-cross, 402-417kg, made $2.54-$2.59/ kg, while a line of 20 HerefordFriesian, 334kg, sold for $850, $2.54/kg.

Angus-Hereford weaners featured in the steer pens, with a line of 20 at 259kg making $872, while 15 Hereford-Friesian, 150kg, achieved $545. Better Hereford heifers made $600$660, but most of the lines looked cheap in comparison at $305-$480, though that was relative to their weight and quality. One line of 10 Hereford-Friesian, 262kg, did break into the $600 range at $640. The bulls were a standout, with four Hereford, 272kg, selling for breeding at $1110, though a number of other lines sold in excess of $600 also. The boner market firmed and Friesian, 530-560kg, reached $1.76-$1.86/kg, with the next cut discounted by 10c/kg.

Those 372-468kg made $1.54$1.69/kg, which was solid considering processor space is quite tight.

One prime line of HerefordFriesian steers, 672kg, made good value at $2.86/kg.

A small yarding of sheep offered up a good mix for buyers. Competitive bidding on prime lambs resulted in a solid market at $115-$161.50.

One line of 66 capital stock ewes, run with a Poll Dorset ram, sold for $156.

TARANAKI TARANAKI TARANAKI held a combined Female Cattle Fair and Store Cattle sale last Wednesday.

Unfortunately the buying

bench lacked the depth needed to make the market competitive, and vendors had to meet the market at reduced levels.

Vetted-in-calf heifers all sold in the vicinity of $2.42$2.58/kg, with the best of the bunch being Charolais-cross, 477kg, which returned $1200.

A few standout lines in the R2 heifer pens managed to trade up to $2.74-$2.82/kg, though they were generally lighter lines at 280-288kg. One small line of Angus, 488kg, managed $1340, while Hereford-cross, 471kg, made $2.63/kg. From there the market fell away, and Hereford-Friesian, 332-388kg, dropped to $2.41-$2.50/kg, while Angus-Friesian and Hereford-cross, 341-418kg, made $2.27-$2.39/kg, with the Hereford-cross lines earning a premium. The competition did not improve much more for the steers, with a similar scenario as the heifers playing out. Hereford, 283-355kg, did manage $2.79-$2.87/kg, but most other lines made similar values to the heifers at $2.35$2.56/kg.

POVERTY BAY POVERTY BAY One of the biggest yardings of the season were trucked into MATAWHERO. Unfortunately for vendors the numbers out-weighed buying power, though the drop wasn’t too harsh.

Half of the store section were ewe lambs, with most of the remainder ram lambs.

The heavier ewe lambs were mainly $98-$116, though one large line better at $121.50.

Other good ewe lambs were $94-$106.50 while mediums made $81-$94.50. Lighter ewe lambs rest were $71.50-$81.50.

The usual premium for male lambs was obvious.

Heavy-to-good lines were mostly $112-$121, but two pens did climb as far as $126$129. The rest of the good males were $103-$109.50, dropping down to $83.50-$96 for mediums.

The few prime lambs were $105-$139 and prime ewes made $115-$128.

HAWKE’S BAY HAWKE’S BAY On Monday at STORTFORD LODGE demand for ewes was strong and prices lifted.

Nine huge ewes made $194 and good types $132-$160, medium-good $120.50-$130, and light-medium $104$108, with the tail end lifting to $84-$100. The lambs however nearly doubled their throughput and this was matched by an increase of buyers on the rails. Good to heavy cryptorchid lines traded at $122-$158, while heavy males eased $25 to $133-$135.

Similar weighted ram lambs were strong at $163, while good types made $113.50$120.50. Mixed sex lines softened by $10, with heavy types easing to $144-$160 and medium-good $110-$123.50.

All medium-good to heavy wethers managed $110$153.50.

On Tuesday more than 2000 calves, of which 1860 were

steers, were yarded.

The Angus steer market lost about $65-$160 a head, with 260-280kg making $985-$1070 compared to $1050-$1225 at the last fair. Second cuts, 230-245kg, traded at $865$965, though those 205-215kg eased by the smallest margin of $10-$40 to $835-$902. On a $/kg basis, most Angus 215kg plus traded at $3.65$4.00/kg, compared to last fairs results of $4.14-$4.40/ kg. Angus & Angus-Hereford came back by similar margins, and 215-240kg returned $795$910, down $95-$150. Exotic steers could not maintain the strength of the previous fair and Simmental-cross, 246287kg, came back $70-$120 to $875-$1020, while Charolaiscross, 219-255kg, fetched $800-$930. The bull section was very small and Angus, 178-220kg, sold for $735-$820, while the top line of Hereford, 216kg, made $910.

Weaner heifers had their turn on Wednesday with 1100 head in the pens. The first pen was the only one to exceed $1000 and comprised of 29 well-bred and presented Angus heifers at 299kg.

They sold for $1110, while the next two lines of Angus made $910-$920. The better lines sold on a firm market compared to the March fair as 233-300kg made $850-$1110 and 214-224kg, $762-$870.

However the lighter calves eased and 166-200kg dropped $60-$65 to $590-$670. Angus & Angus-Hereford proved to be better shopping this time round as 240-268kg sold for a discounted $805-$888. Results were mixed for the Anguscross lines as, in a 200-243kg range the better end firmed to $3.66-$3.69/kg, while lighter types eased to $3.23-$3.33/ kg. Exotic-cross numbers were much lower with Charolaiscross, 210-247kg, easing to $730-$850, while one line of Simmental-cross improved to $955. A much larger offering of Hereford-Friesian was penned, and 134-168kg returned $475-$600, and 205272kg, $740-$855.

A yarding of 7300 store lambs were offered last Wednesday. Medium ewe lambs traded at $105-$112, compared to $90-$114 for males, while good ewe lambs made $108-$113.50. Heavier single lines traded at $115$156.50. Lighter ewe lambs also firmed to $82-$103.50.

Good cryptorchids sold on a firm market at $112-$127.50, with second cuts making $105-$118. Good mixed sex sold for $114-$127.50.

MANAWATU MANAWATU At FEILDING last Monday 90% of cows were Friesian.

The heaviest and better yielding lines at 528-645kg consistently traded at $1.75$1.85/kg, with the balance making $1.67-$1.80/kg for 386-508kg. One line of offtype Angus-cross cows, 371kg, made $1.74/kg. HerefordFriesian heifers, 483kg, returned $2.55/kg, while the better Friesian lines managed

Markets

$2.20/kg. Two Angus bulls, 620670kg, traded at $2.74-$2.80/kg, while over one ton Charolais made an impressive $2457-$2616.

A heavier end of prime lambs sold to $166-$175 for males. Heavy male and mixed sex lines made $136-$149 and $134-$149.50 respectively. Medium mixed sex sold for $121-$130.50, with a few small lines achieving $105$113.50. Medium-good ewes sold at $121-$125, while light-medium and medium returned $103-$115.

Light ewes traded at $81-$93.50.

At the FEILDING weaner steer fair 240-270kg Angus made $940$980 but the range was as wide as $885-$1040. Some 285-300kg lines were $1085-$1130. The 210-240kg Angus lines were usually $840$895 whereas Angus-Hereford’s made $830-$880. The 165-200kg traditional steers made $720-$795.

The 285-295kg Charolais-cross were $1050-$1110, easing to $865$975 for 230-275kg and $790-$860 for 195-220kg. Some 260-280kg South Devon’s made $990-$1035 and 260-275kg Simmental were $1000-$1060. A few 215-240kg Simmental and Simmental-cross went for $840-$900.

About 1500 heifers and bulls were yarded the next day. Angus heifers, 230-255kg, were mostly bought at $800-$850, dropping to 200-230kg for $710-$790.

The lighter 145-185kg Angus heifers made $540-$645. AngusHereford’s weren’t too different as 225-240kg made $770-$830, 200215kg went for $700-$735 and the 150-190kg lines sold at $570-$650.

Charolais-cross 255-285kg made $910-$980, down to $770-$845 for 225-240kg. Simmental and Simmental-cross, 200-235kg, were $735-$780.

At Friday’s store sale traditional R3 steers made $3-$3.15/kg for 475-550kg whereas 570-650kg were at $2.90-$2.95/kg. R2 Angus steers, 405-560kg were nearly all $3.00-$3.05/kg. Buyers weren’t interested in a large number of 295-465kg Angus-Friesian steers that made $2.35-$2.45/kg, but a few 400-530kg Hereford-Friesians did better at $2.60-$2.65/kg. Good R2 Friesian bulls, 405-520kg, were at $2.65-$2.75/kg. Traditional R2 heifers made $2.65-$2.75/kg for

FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018 375-435kg but some 325-410kg Charolais-cross were a bit stronger at $2.70-$2.80/kg. The 370455kg Hereford-Friesian heifers were mainly $2.60-$2.65/kg.

Some specially advertised 350kg Limousin-cross weaner bulls were $1250, $3.55/kg.

Heavy male lambs made $130$140, good male lambs $116-$128.

Medium types $102-$115.50, light males at $76.50-$95. Ewe lambs topped at $130.50 but there was a big drop-off from there. Good ewe lambs were $104.50-$112.50, though three lines made $115$119.0. Medium types were at $91-$100 with a few tail-enders at $75-$86.50. The average price across the sale was $113, with males at $119 and ewe lambs $103 CANTERBURY CANTERBURY It was a buyers’ market at CANTERBURY PARK on Tuesday.

A moderate yarding of store lambs was dominated by mixed sex. Good lines lost $6 to trade at $89-$111, while medium types came back $7-$10 to $85-$94.

Lighter mixed sex sold for $78-$90 to be the most expensive on a $/ kg basis. Prime lamb prices were on par with recent weeks at $110$158. Ewe numbers dropped to just over 500 head with top prices of $171-$178 well off recent highs.

Good to heavy ewes sold for $143$166 and medium types, $112$141. Medium-good to good rams sold for $121-$136.

A big yarding of prime steers were hard work, with a significant drop in price. The best lines reached $2.74-$2.75/kg for Charolais-cross and AngusFriesian, while the majority traded at $2.60-$2.70/kg. Lighter Hereford-Friesian, 445-528kg, sold for $2.50-$2.62/kg. A much smaller heifer section suffered the same fate and while a few small lines managed $2.70/kg plus most sold for $2.55-$2.65/kg, with second cuts earning $2.40$2.54/kg. Prices like $2/kg were a distant memory in the cow pens, with Murray-Grey, 675-750kg, managing $1.90/kg, but most lines trading at $1.60-$1.70/kg.

In the store pens quite a few lines of R2 steers exceeded $3/ kg, some by quite a margin, but

they tended to be very light, while Angus, 404-459kg, were good buying at $2.72-$2.77/kg.

Shorthorn, 338-372kg, sold for $2.74-$2.81/kg, while a standout line of 405kg Angus-Friesian managed $2.99/kg. Angus and Hereford-Friesian featured in the heifer pens and Angus, 364-426kg, sold for $2.63-$2.75/ kg, while Hereford-Friesian and Angus-Friesian, 341-404kg, made $2.69-$2.80/kg. Lighter HerefordFriesian, 299-321kg, earned $2.90$2.98/kg. Two lines of AngusHereford steers, 220-222kg, sold for $750-$790.

The heavier exotics calves were the highlight of the heifers.

Charolais-cross, 290-315kg were $930-$1020, while 230-280kg of the same breed made $740-$870.

South Devon and Limousin’s, 240-295kg, made $765-$930.

Angus heifers, 220-255kg, were only $730-$790 and 180-190kg made $645-$690. Some 245-265kg Angus-Hereford’s went for $760$810 and 215-240kg Hereford’s were $720-$740. Heavier Angus steers were still solid at $1110$1235 for 305-325kg and $1010$1050 for 255-270kg. It fell from there with 230-250kg at $920-$965 and 160-205kg making $725-$835.

In the Angus-Hereford’s $1000$1070 was paid for 260-275kg and $870-$950 for 215-250kg. Some 220-270kg Hereford’s were mainly $840-$940 but two 240-250kg lines did make $995-$1000. There weren’t too many exotic steers, but 285-360kg Charolais were $1105$1290 and 230-265kg made $900$980. Some 260-315kg Simmentalcross were $880-$1070.

Prime and boner stock featured at COALGATE last Thursday as over 2000 lambs were penned and respectable numbers of cows came forward. Lighter store lambs lacked quality and condition which made for cautious bidding, with prices of $30-$75. Most lambs traded at $90-$107 for mediumgood and the top lines $110-$117.

One line of 114 males reached $120.

Prime lamb numbers increased by 700 head but the market was resilient. Heavy lines achieved $150-$161, and covered just over 40%, while nearly all other lines

sold for $110-$149. A nice line of 2-tooths traded at $150 while the overwhelming majority of the mixed age ewes were light to medium types which sold for $100-$138. A smaller portion reached $140-$189 and a handful of small lines sold as low as $60$74.

Better steers in a 530-718kg range made $2.63-$2.72/kg, with the rest earning $2.55-$2.56/kg.

Beef heifer values were similar with 520-614kg at $2.60-$2.66/ kg. Second cuts, 495-505kg, made $2.52-$2.60/kg, while boner heifers mainly traded at $1.60$1.80/kg. Bull prices were variable with a few lines over $3/kg, though most sat at $2.11-$2.86/kg.

Cull dairy cows eased considerably. One line of two beef cows managed $1.80/kg but the best that could be mustered up for 642-703kg was $1.63-$1.70/kg.

Medium lines dropped to $1.35$1.54/kg, and lighter types even further to $1.25-$1.28/kg.

Store cattle features included a line of six R2 Hereford-Friesian steers at $2.69/kg, and similar weighted heifers which made $2.52/kg. R2 Friesian bulls made up a big chunk of the yarding though prices eased as 347-360kg returned $2.56-$2.62/kg, with heavier lines discounted to $2.40$2.43/kg. Weaner numbers were low and three lines of HerefordFriesian bulls were the highlight, with 170-194kg trading at $455$600.

OTAGO OTAGO The store lamb market showed some softening at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday. The top store lambs came off the previous week’s prices to finish at $95-$109, with medium types also softening to $80-$90. Lighter lambs however held value at $70-$78, and $50$60 for the tail end lines. Heavy prime lambs returned $143-$164, medium $125-$141, and lighter, $113-$120. Ewe prices improved by $5-$10 as heavy types went under the hammer for $131-$170, medium $100-$130, and light $70$90, with very light lines earning $43-$60. Two-tooth’s sold for $124$150 and rams, $100-$120.

Prices for prime and boner

cattle eased. Heavy cows, 500kg plus, lost 20c/kg to trade at $1.50$1.60/kg, while 30c/kg was taken out of those 450-490kg as they returned $1.30-$1.40/kg. The deficit continued to grow as the weight dissipated and light lines, 370-420kg, dropped 40c/kg to $1-$1.20/kg. Steers, 500kg plus, eased 5-10c/kg to $2.40/kg, with 450kg earning $2.30-$2.40/kg.

Beef heifers, 450kg plus, settled at $2.40/kg, while 370-400kg made $2.20-$2.30/kg. Bulls, 550kg, returned $2.20-$2.30/kg.

R2 Hereford-cross steers, 420kg plus, eased to $2.40/kg, with 370-400kg returning $2.25-$2.37/ kg. Friesian, 370-430kg, were not far behind at $2.21-$2.30/kg. In the heifer pens Hereford-cross, 380kg plus, made $2.10-$2.12/kg and Angus-cross, 398kg, $2.27/ kg. Hereford-cross weaner bulls, 160kg, were the best selling at $580, with most other lines 120150kg earning $350-$450. Friesian bulls, 165kg, fetched $520, and 136kg, $455.

PALMERSTON held its second calf sale on Friday April 13, PGG Wrightson agent Gerard Shea reported. The top steer achieved $1140 for four 301kg Angus, with 258kg earning $1125 and 270kg, $1120. Overall steers averaged $952, $4.34/kg, and made up the biggest portion of the sale.

The top line of heifers outpriced the steers at $1150, though at 368kg for Charolais-cross it was hardly surprising. Another line of Charolais-cross, 267kg, returned $1045, with Angus-Hereford from the same property earning $1000.

Heifers averaged $826, $3.81/ kg. Just 62 bulls were offered, averaging $996, $3.91/kg and top honours went to a line of 16 Angus, 294kg, $1170.

A sizeable yarding of store lambs featured at BALCLUTHA last Wednesday. Top lambs softened to $105, though medium and lighter lines remained steady at $80-$90 and $60 respectively.

Prime lamb prices eased as heavy lines went under the hammer for $145, medium $120-$130, and lighter $100. Similarly the ewe market softened with heavy lines achieving $150, medium $110$120, and light $60.

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39

Helping grow the country

Markets

40 FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – April 23, 2018 NI SLAUGHTER BULL

SI SLAUGHTER STEER

SI SLAUGHTER LAMB

($/KG)

($/KG)

AVERAGE TRADITIONAL STEER PRICE FOR 225KG AT FEILDING

($/KG)

($/HD)

5.30

5.20

7.05

high $100-$116 lights Good mixed sex

870

lambs at Temuka

Caution drops calf prices It was a battle to get the prices but we were prepared for it.

Alan Williams a.dubu@xtra.co.nz

C

ALF prices fell at Wednesday’s Fairlie Basin sale at Temuka.

Steer calf prices were down 10c/kg to 15c/kg on earlier South Canterbury sales over the previous two weeks and heifer prices fell further, by 40c/kg to 50c/kg.

“It was a battle to get the prices but we were prepared for it,” PGG Wrightson South Canterbury livestock manager Joe Higgins said.

“We saw the signs in what has happened round the country.”

There was resistance to paying the prices fetched in the opening rounds of autumn calf sales.

Some buyers of calves at higher prices last year didn’t make as much money as they expected and some still had stock to sell so some buyers from last year did not come back this year.

The Fairlie Basin sale was the fourth of five sales in the South Canterbury programme and with 2240 calves yarded, is the second biggest after the Mackenzie Basin sale, but only just smaller.

Steers held their value better than heifer calves, Higgins said.

The heifers generally struggled to make good margins over the last year because of lower weight gains.

Joe Higgins PGG Wrightson

HANDS IN POCKETS: Buyers are resisting high prices paid for calves at earlier sales, PGG Wrightson livestock manager Joe Higgins says.

Fairlie Basin also had a lower number of heavy calves presented.

Heavier steers generally made $3.90/kg to $4/kg, medium animals $4/kg to $4.20 and lighter calves $4.20/kg to $4.60/kg.

Some bigger lines with lighter to medium steers climbed just above $5/kg because of the numbers presented, the convenience of dealing with one vendor and a track record from vendors of calves that shifted well to other farms.

Notable in that group was Fox Peak Station, which had about 500 steers and 400 heifers, mainly Angus and Angus-Hereford, entered.

The steers especially averaged a 10c/kg premium over the general market.

There were very few heavier heifer calves entered

across the sale because most of that type were kept back for breeding.

Medium heifers fetched $3.20/kg to $3.50/kg and lighter calves $3.40/kg to $3.70/kg.

Only two heifer lines went above $4/kg, whereas at earlier sales most reached that mark.

The final South Canterbury calf sale, with stock from Geraldine area, was to be held at Temuka on Friday with a yarding of 1500 expected.

Meanwhile, farmers are being paid record prices for lambs for this time of year as supplies tighten, AgriHQ says.

North Island, processors are offering $7.20/kg for lamb, up from $5.75/kg this time last year and the five-year average of $5.16/

kg. In the South Island, the price last week was $7.05/kg, up from $5.50/kg last year and the five-year average of $5.02/kg.

Lamb production was very low in February and March, with 1.89 million lambs killed in the four weeks to March 17, 20% below the same period last year, 31% behind the five-year average and lower than any previous year as far back to 1990.

March lamb exports were just 31,500 tonnes, the lowest for March since at least 2007 and 22% behind the five-year average.

Farmers sent higher volumes to slaughter earlier in the season and are now holding stock as onfarm conditions improve.

“Lamb and ewes remained high-value commodities both at the farmgate level and on the export market,” analyst Reece Brick said.

“Throughput did climb from the lows of February as more lambs began reaching target weights, however, this was not enough to have a detrimental impact on prices. On-farm conditions have largely stayed in farmers favour.”

$850-$1110 Angus heifers, 220300kg, at Stortford Lodge Weaner Fair

Extra calves hit market prices WE ARE well through the calf selling season now and cracks are showing in what started out to be a very promising market in the earlier sales. Calves at the second round of fairs in the North Island have Suz Bremner generally traded at softer levels to AgriHQ Analyst the first, with some notable drops at some yards. South Island yards have followed a similar pattern, with heifer prices, in particular, coming off the high levels that started the sales. Over the years there really has not been any set pattern between the first round of sales and preceding ones, with it very much dependent on the season and selling environment.

One of the driving factors in the reduction in prices this year has been the extraordinary amount of calves hitting the market. All sale yards are reporting a significant lift in numbers and that is mainly attributed to more people jumping on the bandwagon. The thinking has been why hold calves over the winter to sell in the spring when prices are generally so good now that the margins are minimal. That, however, has been to the market’s detriment and makes me wonder if we vendors are our own worst enemy. As is a typical pattern, something looks good so we all jump in and this year the market has been flooded with calves, which has made buying easier. Price ceilings were also reached last year and while some of the earlier fairs did reach those levels, the latter sales have really not come close.

While we talk of prices coming down and calves selling at disappointing levels we really do need to put that in perspective with past years. For the last few years in the North Island prices for good traditional steers have generally been $900-$1200, with most other lines making $650-$880. Turn the clock back to 2011 and those same cattle were making $650-$800 and $480-$660 respectively.

That’s a $150-$400 Increase in a matter of seven years – no other period has seen such remarkable growth and the only other market that can really match that is their older brothers. suz.bremner@nzx.com

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