Farmers Weekly NZ May 8 2017 by AgriHQ

25 No fart tax says Bennett Vol 16 No 18, May 8, 2017

farmersweekly.co.nz

Prices ‘smoking hot’ Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com

OUTH Island vendors are an average $150 to $200 an animal better off this year than last after a stellar weaner calf sale season. North Island activity was also very strong with major sales venue Feilding putting high tallies through at markedly improved prices. The main South Island season ended with the Canterbury Park sales on Thursday and it was probably the strongest of any, PGG Wrightson South Island livestock manager Shane Gerken said. “It was the last traditional sale of the season and the last opportunity for many buyers to top up their number so there was a lot of competition.” Heavier steers, 220kg to 280kg, made $4.40/kg to $4.50/kg and lighter steers even higher at more than $5. “Those prices were an exception rather than the rule but over the season the average was still very strong,” Gerken said. He thought the South Island average for steers was in the $4.40 to $4.50 range. That compared with an average $3.70/kg to $3.80/ kg last year. As well as the price gain, excellent recent pasture growth in many cattle-raising areas meant stock were 10kg to 20kg heavier so the all-up returns left vendors very happy, he said. Generally, there is a 30c/kg to 40c/kg gap to weaner heifers but that gap was on average lower this

READY TO ROLL: Randall Aspinall with his cattle before the sale at Mt Aspiring Station.

year with prices $4.20/kg to $4.30. Wrightson’s North Island livestock manager Tom Mowat said the sale season was a fantastic one, starting strongly in Northland “and getting better and better”. “We’re at the tail-end and it’s still going. There will be some very delighted vendors and some

nervous buyers hoping values stay up.” NZX Agri analyst Reece Brick said 12,700 weaner cattle were sold through at Feilding, the highest tally in several years and up from 11,900 last year with vendors taking home an average $1000 an animal, up from $810 last year. The main sale season

also finished last week. Average prices were about $4.55/kg, up from $3.80/kg with weights up about 7kg. In line with the established trend, heavier animals sold better early in the season and lighter stock better as the season went on.

Continued page 3

There will be some very delighted vendors and some nervous buyers hoping values stay up. Tom Mowat PGG Wrightson

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NEWS

NEW THINKING

23 Beef growers deliver results Winning the inaugural New Zealand Food Producer supreme award has put a humble East Coast couple well on the radar of every food writer and beef connoisseur in the country, ticking all the boxes for provenance, quality and taste.

OPINION

4 Sheep and beef profit up 12% A 12% increase in sheep and beef farm profit expectations because of good livestock feeding conditions and higher lamb and beef prices is being forecast by Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Economic Service.

8 Chilled meat trial plants

selected

26 Alternative View Alan Emerson says it’s time to stop picking on farmers over water quality. Editorial �� 24 Cartoon �� 24 Letters �� 24 Pulpit �� 25 Alternative View �� 26 From the Ridge �� 27 From the Lip �� 27

The meat industry has nominated 10 meat processing plants it hopes will be approved by China for a sixmonth chilled export trial.

WORLD

12 Lincoln reverses bad run

backfires

Lincoln University appears on track to reverse a run of dire financial performances, recording a $690,000 operating surplus in January with indications the end of year result will be ahead of budget. GDT augurs well for milk prices �� 3 Sheep and beef profit up 12% �� 4 Meat exports to fall this season �� 5 Myrtle rust impact more cultural than economic �� 7 Chilled meat trial plants selected �� 8 Poo power covers farm’s energy needs �� 10 Fonterra escapes court action �� 11

Recent high-profile national vegan advertising campaigns are having the reverse of their desired effect, according to a new YouGov poll.

REGULARS Real Estate �� 29-36 Employment �� 37 Classifieds �� 38 Livestock �� 38-43

MARKETS

48 Cull cow

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UK farmers want meat answers �� 14

Dairy cattle remain the focus this month for processors as they manage their way through the later than normal run of cull cows.

‘Unbiased’ doco to show farm reality �� 17

NEWSMAKER

22 The dogsbody & dog retires David Bruce looks back on 50 years at Mid Canterbury stock sales.

60 Wetter than

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Lincoln reverses bad run �� 12 Wool industry puts volume before value �� 15

Soil Moisture Anomaly (mm) at 9am May 5, 2017

Market Snapshot �� 44

Map reading tips This map shows the difference or anomaly in soil moisture level at the date shown compared to the average, generated from more than 30 years of records held by NIWA.

Job

Week

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Farm manager – Lone Star Farms, Kurow, South Island – Caberfeidh is a 5300ha (effective) breeding and finishing farm located in the Hakataramea Valley, wintering approximately 30,000su and peaking at over 40,000su. It runs 400 Angus cows and 16,000 Headwater ewes and their replacements, as well as a large finishing and trading operation. For more information and a full job description visit the Farmers Weekly jobs site: farmersweeklyjobs.co.nz and click on Farm Manager category. To find all other agjobs click on ‘All Categories’. #agjobs at your fingertips.

Contact us Editor: Bryan Gibson Twitter: farmersweeklynz Email: nzfarmersweekly@nzx.com Free phone: 0800 85 25 80 DDI: 06 323 1519

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

GDT augurs well for milk prices Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com FONTERRA’S late-May updates of both the old and new season’s milk prices look more promising after the latest Global Dairy Trade index boost of 3.6%, including whole milk powder up 5.2%. Computer models of the farmgate milk price have produced numbers around $6.20/kg milksolids, both as a tweak of the current season and the first guess at the new season. That suggested Fonterra had room to increase its forecast of $6 and it would be a reasonable starting point for 2017-18, equating to about $4.20 first advance in June. Open Country Dairy, the second-largest processor, announced an opening forecast of $6.25 to $6.55, 55c ahead of this season. However, world dairy markets did appear to be in a betweenseason lull with conflicting influences in different parts of the world, AgriHQ dairy analyst Susan Kilsby said. The tightening of Oceania milk supply and demand from China were lifting whole milk powder prices.

Continued from page 1 At Stortford Lodge in Hastings the average price over the season was lower at about $4.20kg, largely because of an earlier sale schedule, Brick said. Stortford weights were also lower than last year because of the very dry midsummer in Hawke’s Bay. The South Island price improvement was caused by several demand factors, including farmers in former drought regions, notably North Canterbury, coming into the market after a favourable late summer/autumn, Gerken said.

The swings in weather and their impact on dairy production have kept dairy markets guessing.

DIFFICULT: It will be a challenge to maintain returns next season as growth in milk supply limits prices, AgriHQ analyst Susan Kilsby says.

Nathan Penny ASB But the rising new season milk supply in Europe and the United States was putting downward pressure on prices. “While the markets are buoyant, it will be a challenge for prices to be sustained at current levels throughout the next season as growth in global milk supply will limit returns,” Kilsby said. The GDT price index rise of 3.6% was the fourth consecutive rise and the biggest since midNovember. It contained a new five-year high of US$6185/tonne for anhydrous milk fat, the new liquid gold. “New Zealand supplies most of the AMF traded on global markets and as our milk production season is now winding down the supply of this product will remain tight until the new season gets under way.”

Added to that, there was real confidence in the beef market, reflected in the attractive schedule levels. Whether the schedule remained elevated to keep their margins intact was also the question for weaner buyers but those farmers buying year-in and year-out knew margins were better some years than others. A number of buyers new to the beef market also emerged this year, mainly farmers previously operating in dairy support grazing but now looking to get in their own stock. Gerken expected many vendors

Before the auction, figures were released showing 8-9% increases in NZ milk production during March (season-to-date minus 3%) but severe flooding was expected to affect the April flow as many NZ farmers tried to prolong autumn milking to compensate for poor spring production. The GDT market reaction to flood impact on milk production was overdone and prices might give back some of the recent gains, ASB senior rural economist Nathan Penny said. “The swings in weather and

would spend some of their gains on new capital stock after reducing numbers in the earlier dry conditions. Many heifers bought at the sales would also probably be kept for breeding by some buyers. The Canterbury farm sale followed another strong sale in Blenheim on Wednesday, where prices were just slightly lower. This year there was also an onfarm weaner calf sales programme in the wider Wanaka area of central Otago, with stock from seven high-country properties, the first sale being at Mt Aspiring Station.

their impact on dairy production have kept dairy markets guessing. “While it is very wet and there has been flooding in areas like Bay of Plenty, we don’t expect a large impact on NZ production this season.” Demand from China remained solid and helped put a floor under dairy prices, Westpac economist Sarah Drought said. Westpac’s forecast was $6.10 but there was now upside risk. China’s dairy imports rose 14% in the 12 months to February, Fonterra reported in the Global

The programme was organised by Wrightson agent Craig Knight, following the closure of the Cromwell sale yards last year. Wrightson agents described the sales as “smoking hot”. With 1353 calves sold, the average price was $985, and the top price was $1460 a head for a line of West Wanaka Station Hereford bull calves. Prices averaged $4.50 to $4.60/kg for steers and $4.20 to $4.30/kg for heifers, Gerken said. The hill country calves were in demand for their very good genetics and typically did well for their buyers.

Dairy Update for April. They also rose 41% in February, compared with February last year, led by whey powder, WMP and fluid and fresh dairy. Latin American dairy imports were up 13% in 2016, Asian countries were up 5% and Middle East and African countries were down 5%. European milk production in 2016 was the same as in 2015. The rate of decline, month-bymonth, was easing as farmers entered the northern hemisphere spring.

About 100 buyers, including some from the North Island, followed the programme. North Island buyers had also been at other sales but had not been big buyers because of the strong pricing, he said. Brick said North Islanders were significant buyers in the South Island at lower prices than in the north most seasons because widespread dry ground conditions lifted sale numbers and limited South Island buyers. That wasn’t the case this year and North Island buyers would have had freight costs to contend with on top of the higher pricing.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Sheep and beef profit up 12% Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com A 12% increase in sheep and beef farm profit expectations because of good livestock feeding conditions and higher lamb and beef prices is being forecast by Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Economic Service. It published a midseason update for 2016-17 incorporating its predictions for the season as a whole in lamb, beef, wool and the average sheep and beef farm accounts. The $8500 increase in farm profit was compared with the new season outlook published by B+LNZ six months ago and incorporated the rising lamb and beef prices now available. Gross farm revenue had been recalculated at $437,800, down 4.3% from 2015-16, driven down by low wool prices and reduced farm output. Total expenditure had been estimated to decline 2.2%, with the largest falls in repairs and maintenance, fertiliser

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and interest payments. Therefore, the nominal farm profit before tax would be $75,200, down 11% from the previous year, assuming an exchange rate throughout the year of US70c. Six months ago the outlook was not as good as it was now, B+LNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said. “The update is telling us profitability is still not great but farmers are in a better space and are confident of their ability to feed stock. “We’re seeing ewes in excellent condition for mating and we also expect to see strong hogget mating numbers.” The mid-season update also pointed to better-thanexpected lamb and beef prices. Six months ago the economic service predicted 485c/kg for lamb but the season had started poorly and only in recent months had prices risen to 560-580c. Because it was late in the season, the season average

would benefit by 10c to 495c, which was the new forecast. Lambs were expected to average 18.4kg carcase weight and would bring farmgate prices of $91 a head, down 2.9% from the previous season. The farmgate mutton price was estimated to average $68/ head or 270c/kg. The economic service based its update for beef on 503c/kg for steers and heifers and 492c for bulls, slightly lower than the previous season. Favourable weather, good grass growth and a shortage of livestock had also contributed to lifting farmgate prices as processors sought livestock to meet customer needs. While the average farmgate price across all classes of cattle was expected to ease by 5.6%, an increase in the average carcase weight would partly offset the price drop. The revised outlook also incorporated a 22% reduction in crossbred strong wool prices to 303c/kg greasy.

IMPROVED: Profitability is not great but better than six months ago so farmers are in a better space and confident they can feed stock, Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive Sam McIvor says.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Meat exports to fall this season Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com THE Beef + Lamb New Zealand Economic Service has forecast 2-3% reductions in lamb and beef export revenue this season despite rising world prices. The meat processing season was well advanced and the recent rises in prices would not bring out any more livestock for slaughter or boost the season-long revenues above those of last year. Lamb revenue for 2016-17 was forecast to be $2.53 billion, down 2.1% from the previous season. Beef and veal revenue was expected to be $3.41b, down 3.2%. In the meat industry year ended September, the cattle slaughter tally for export has been estimated at 2.42 million head, down 3.7% mainly because of another lower cow cull as the dairy industry contracted because of lower milk prices. The average value of export beef and veal was estimated to be $6867/tonne.

Beef and co-products revenue remained relatively strong after coming off recent record highs and for the third consecutive season the beef export earnings would be higher than for sheep meats. The lamb kill was expected to be down 3.6% to 19.2m because of a smaller lamb crop in 2016 and a small increase in the number of hoggets retained. B+LNZ chief executive Sam McIvor said that indicated farmers were still strongly committed to sheep. The cow slaughter number this meat season was expected to be 1m head, down 9% after a 7% drop the previous season – another indication of the retraction. The total cattle slaughter for export was going to be 2.424m, with steers, heifers and bulls in similar numbers making up the non-cow portion of 1.4m head. This year’s total was back from the recent record tally of 2.68m in 2014-15 when cow slaughter nearly reached 1.2m.

CUT: Exports of both beef and lamb are expected to fall this year despite prices rising.

Wool shipments lowest in 100 years Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com WOOL exports are expected to dip below 100,000 tonnes clean this wool selling year, Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Economic Service has predicted. The reasons include a very depressed wool market and the consequent stockpiling of shorn wool by farmers not prepared to take low prices. Should the Economic Service prediction come true, it appeared to be the lowest wool export volume in nearly 100 years, since World War I. Export volumes going back more than a century were in digitised Year Books on the Statistics NZ website. In 1919, freed from the shackles of low labour

availability and wartime shipping risks, NZ wool exports more than doubled the previous year’s volume. They reached 275 million pounds greasy, equivalent to 125,000 tonnes, or about 100,000 tonnes clean. NZ sheep numbers were about 26m at the time. Wool exports had passed 100m pounds in 1890 when our meat exports were about the same volume. They continued to grow, with some interruptions caused by the Great Depression and World War II, and peaked in 1984 when we had 74m sheep. Wool production in that year was 373,000 tonnes greasy. Wool sold at auction was 186,000 tonnes clean, the volume exported was 240,000

tonnes clean and export earnings were about $1 billion. This year wool exports would earn the country about $564m, down 26% or $200m from the previous year, the Economic Service said. That would be the lowest since the global financial crisis. Exports to China year-to-date were down 37% and its share of NZ wool had dropped from 50% to 38%. Low prices were discouraging second shearing and industry feedback indicated some wool cheques did not cover the cost of shearing. When that occurred farmers still had to pay transport, commission and other costs of selling. Strong wool would average $3/

WORLD WAR I: Wool exports this year could hit a low not seen since just after the First World War.

kg greasy this season, medium would be $6 and fine wool more than $10.

Total sheep numbers were 27.6m last July, down 5% from the previous year.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Myrtle rust ag impact limited Richard Rennie richard.rennie@nzx.com THE discovery of myrtle rust in a Kerikeri nursery has the manuka honey industry nervously eyeing what it might mean for that sector’s growth while also threatening feijoa and eucalyptus plantations. Biosecurity experts ranked the biosecurity incursion as a disaster for iconic native species including rata and pohutukawa but labelled its potential economic impact as significantly less than that of the devastating Psa incursion on kiwifruit in 2010. Ministry for Primary Industries response and readiness manager Geoff Gwyn said it was hard to compare the impact of the two diseases. “On a scale of one to five this is a four to my mind but that is due more to its impact on these iconic species. “From a production and economic perspective this is not likely to have a massive impact on our GDP.” For biosecurity experts the incursion had been a case of “when not if” after it was discovered in Australia in 2010 and in March on Raoul Island 1100km northeast of New Zealand. The small wind-borne spores of the myrtle rust fungi spread quickly and easily and its advance in Australia since 2010 has been rapid, moving around the coast north of Sydney to reach Darwin. Its tendency was to move within more temperate areas and gave incursion managers some hope not all of NZ would be affected. “We have done a lot of modelling and estimate the areas of Northland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and coastal Canterbury Plains are most at risk from infection,” Gwyn said. This still left significant manuka growing areas potentially unaffected by the fungus. While Raoul Island had been

COLLABORATION: The bee industry intends to work closely with the Primary Industries Ministry on the myrtle rust invasion, Apiculture New Zealand chief executive Karin Kos says. cited as a possible source Gwyn said Australia was the more likely source. “Our wind plume modelling indicates at least 20 wind events a year that could bring it to NZ. The greater the level of infection in Australia, the greater the risk it will come from there.” NZ was subject to the tail end of Cyclone Debbie that centred on Queensland in early April, quickly followed by Cyclone Cook over Easter. Gwyn said lessons from the Psa experience in 2010 would be applied. “Particularly, at what point do you accept it is a disease for management versus eradication. Some would argue we spent too long in one area with Psa.” Landcare Research scientist and NZ Biological Heritage National Science Challenge director Andrea Byrom said given the rust had been found in a specific spot there might still be a chance for containment and eradication. “But that window is closing quickly.

PRETTY: Myrtle rust looks good but has a deadly effect on trees.

“However, the fact Conservation Minister Maggie Barry and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy are both on the same page on this indicates how seriously it is being taken.” Somewhat sadly, it had been a case of if not when for myrtle rust and NZ researchers had been working in the background in recent years to better understand the disease before it arrived here. “That includes studying its effect on NZ species that are inhabiting countries like South Africa and up in Hawaii. Work has included looking for resistant specimens in populations and studying the disease down to a molecular level.” It was difficult to estimate the economic impact on industries like manuka honey at this stage but it could prove devastating for

taonga (treasured) species. “This could easily change NZ’s ecological landscape by quite a lot and that is not overstating it in my opinion.” She was optimistic there might be a place for “citizen scientists” to go into bush, gardens and public areas to try to identify if the rust was present. Apiculture NZ chief executive Karin Kos said the industry intended to work closely with MPI on managing the fallout from any disease incursion. “I know the Australians have found this to be a devastating disease but we do not know what the impact may be in our particular environment. “There is work to be done there and we will be part of that.” Australians recognised they did not move quickly enough to

We have done a lot of modelling and estimate the areas of Northland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and coastal Canterbury Plains are most at risk from infection. Geoff Gwyn MPI

slow the disease’s spread through human movement. “If we can learn from that experience then all the better,” Kos said.

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News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Jury out on Trump trade plans Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com AFTER 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency the jury is still out over whether it will help or harm world trade. Fiery rhetoric during last year’s election campaign had the political neophyte promising to rip up trade agreements on his first day in the job and take a number of provocative actions likely to antagonise key United States trading partners. While Trump was as good as his word in withdrawing the United States from the Trans Pacific Partnership he stepped back from some of his more protectionist promises. They included naming China a currency manipulator – which could have given his administration cover to impose retaliatory tariffs on Chinese imports – and withdrawing from the North America Free Trade Agreement (Nafta) with Canada and Mexico. Last month’s tax reform plan also left out a 20% border tax backed by Congressional Republicans and previously supported by Trump as a means of paying for income tax cuts and building a wall on the Mexican border. Still, the Government’s agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen says is too early to say which way Trump will jump on trade. “I would not say it is necessarily pragmatism but when they dig into some of their headlinegrabbing rhetoric they realise it is not as easy as they thought or there are other consequences that they had not thought through.

RISK: There is still a chance a border tax on imports to the United States could be revived as Congress looks for ways to raise money to fill funding gaps, Fonterra’s Washington DC representative James McVitty says.

It would have been by any standards utterly ridiculous if Trump had declared China a currency manipulator. Professor Crawford Falconer Lincoln University “They said they were going to pull out of Nafta and they suddenly realise that actually there is a helluva lot of the US that relies on Nafta for income and jobs.

“Heartland America actually benefits from Nafta. The people that voted for Trump, they are the producers … the dairy industry, for example, 50% of its exports go to Mexico.” Fonterra’s representative in Washington DC, James McVitty, agreed it was early days for the administration and protectionist ideas aired on the campaign trail could yet materialise. While the border tax did not feature in the outline last month of Trump’s tax plans it was too soon to write it off completely. “I wouldn’t say the border tax

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proposal is officially dead but more likely to be dropped. “They did mention it as a concept they could not support in its current form but they will continue to review. “There is still a risk the concept may be revived as Congress looks at ways to raise revenue to fill funding gaps.” New Zealand’s former ambassador to the World Trade Organisation and now professor of international trade at Lincoln University, Crawford Falconer, said backing down from declaring China a currency manipulator was

positive but fell short of proving Trump’s credentials as a free trader. “It would have been by any standards utterly ridiculous if Trump had declared China a currency manipulator right now because it has been manifestly propping its currency up. “So this huge concession that Trump hasn’t declared China a currency manipulator … well, was that ever going to happen? Yes it might’ve but it was hardly a sign of a change that it didn’t.” Falconer said his impression was that the Trump administration was in a chaotic state as protectionist-minded advisers in the White House battled with protrade ones for the president’s ear. That was demonstrated most recently by reports the administration was preparing to notify Congress of its intention to pull out of Nafta the same day as it publicly stated it intended to renegotiate the agreement. “People say that is the way Trump works, that there are circles of power that compete for his attention and he likes it that way and he picks and chooses the advice to keep people on their toes. “That all sounds to me to be a little bit of spin, trying to make a virtue out of necessity. “What is probably true for the moment is that there are competing factions as there are in every administration and there is considerable infighting but I get the impression there is more than is normally the case.”

Chilled meat trial plants selected Nigel Stirling nigel.g.stirling@gmail.com THE meat industry has nominated 10 meat processing plants it hopes will be approved by China for a sixmonth chilled export trial. Chinese premier Li Keqiang gave the green light for the premium-priced cuts to head to China on a trial basis during a visit here in March. The plants for the trial were nominated by the Meat Industry Association in consultation with the Ministry for Primary Industries late last month. MPI was awaiting approval of the list from China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) but had no indication of when that could be expected or when the trial could start. It was understood the big four exporters – Silver Fern Farms, Alliance, Anzco and Affco – were allocated two plants each. Hamilton beef processor Greenlea Premier Meats and Craig Hickson’s Ovation were the two other plants. An MPI spokesman said

a mix of multi-species and single species beef and sheep processing plants were put forward for consideration by AQSIQ. Companies had to demonstrate relationships with distributors in China with facilities capable of handling chilled meat. Scale and geographic spread were also considered. Industry players expected little delay in having their plants approved by the Chinese but conceded there was always an element of doubt when dealing with authorities in Beijing. If the trial could start relatively soon it would take in the low part of the New Zealand production season. Affco director Rowan Ogg said the low volumes that would cross the wharves if the trial were to take in the second half of the year were not necessarily a disadvantage. “Clearly, we want to make sure this is a success, that we can demonstrate very clearly to the Chinese authorities that the integrity of our chilled programmes are beyond reproach and what we do not want to do is overload the

infrastructure they have in China and the ability of them to handle it up there.” Ogg hoped China would extend access once the six months was up but it was still not a certainty. “Our own view is that while we want to take full advantage of the trial it is not there to really to make a huge profit out of but to demonstrate to the Chinese that they should have no problem in granting all of our plants access because that is really what we want and is where the real benefit will come from.” After a three-year trial Australia had its own access for chilled meat exports to China extended earlier this year. That saw a further 35 processing plants granted new access and took the total number of Australian plants eligible to export chilled meat to China to 47. A 20,000 tonne annual volume limit for Australian chilled meat exports was also removed. Ogg said while the Chinese supply chain was used to dealing with fresh meat it was still relatively inexperienced in handling chilled imports.

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10 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Poo power covers farm’s energy needs Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com A NEW off-the-shelf system to generate electricity and hot water using methane from dairy effluent ponds could be available in the next few years. A trial on Glenarlea Farm, a 950cow Southland dairy farm owned by Fortuna Group at Isla Bank, was generating 50kw an hour, enough electricity to meet all the needs of the shed, houses and the farm. It also produced more hot water than the farm could use, from a plant operated for 16 hours a day. Venture Southland business and strategic projects manager Steve Canny said the technology cost from $100,000 to $110,000 for a farm milking 900 to 950 cows. It appeared to be viable for farms milking more than 380 cows but was questionable for smaller ones. While a final analysis of the

POWER: Dairy Green consultant John Scandrett explains the intricacies of the methane recovery system that generates energy on a Southland farm.

system’s economic viability was still to be completed it appeared to be feasible, especially if farmers had to pay for methane emissions. “Without even accounting for carbon it appears economically viable to do this.

Without even accounting for carbon it appears economically viable to do this. Steve Canny Venture Southland “If carbon became a cost of production the economics would be even better.” The technology and equipment were readily available but not in the form of a kit tailored for use on dairy farms.

“There have been a number of challenges implementing such systems but these challenges have been overcome and eliminated so when it comes to repeating a build it will be a lot easier to follow,” Canny said. The methane was captured by a large envelope or bladder over the effluent pond then transferred by standard polyethylene piping and fan to a point where it was compressed and passed through a spark ignition generator and created electricity. Gas production did slow over winter but that coincided with lower demand because the dairy shed was not operating. “The need for gas for generating electricity and the need for power are closely aligned.” Hot water was captured from the exhaust manifold and engine and Canny said research in coming months would look at ways to use that surplus hot water. The only other infrastructure

needed was present on most farms, backup electricity generation capacity and an effluent pond. Canny said they were surprised at the volume of hot water produced. The farmer was using it to wash down the shed and pad, which had halved the volume of water used and reduced the requirement for cleaning chemicals while the amount of electricity generated was providing options such as changing to electric bikes. The system would be monitored in the coming season with research on a number of aspects such as the quality of the remaining waste, with some indications it could be of higher nutrient value than conventional effluent pond waste. Shed waste could be less diluted because less water was used and by passing it through an anaerobic process its characteristics might have been altered.

Methane gas could be sourced off feed pad effluent ponds, piggeries and chicken farms and Canny said there had been interest. The project was a collective effort by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), agricultural engineers Dairy Green, Venture Southland and Fortuna Group. Canny said there were environmental benefits in capturing a greenhouse gas and aesthetic benefits from removing the odour by covering the pond but it had been important to test the technology in the cooler Southland climate, which proved it could operate anywhere in NZ. An impetus was three years of monitoring by NIWA of a Dacre dairy farm that revealed greater volumes of methane production than previously forecast and it was 80% pure.

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Fonterra escapes court action Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com

NOT US: Fonterra Australia has been excluded from a legal case against Murray Goulburn because it was transparent about unrealistic milk price promises.

with its Bonlac suppliers group that Fonterra would not pay less for milk than MG. In May last year Fonterra dropped the milk payment for the season from $5.75 to $5/kg milksolids but to claw back the effective over-payment it reduced May and June milk payments to $1.91. The ACCC alleged that MG, its former managing director Gary Helou and former chief

financial officer Bradley Hingle knowingly misled farmers by maintaining an opening price of $5.60 and promoting a final price expectation of $6.05 when that was not the case. Their conduct towards farmers was unconscionable because farmers relied on that information to make business decisions and could not leave MG which knew the forecasts were overstated and unachievable.

The ACCC was seeking compliance orders, corrective notices and costs from MG but not a pecuniary penalty because the cost would be borne by farmersuppliers. It was also seeking pecuniary penalties and disqualification orders against Helou and Hingle. The ACCC was continuing to conduct a broader inquiry into the competitiveness, trading practices and transparency of the Australian

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FONTERRA Australia has escaped an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission court action now to be directed at its largest rival, Murray Goulburn and its former senior executives. MG would be taken to the Federal Court for allegedly misleading its suppliers about farmgate milk prices in 2016. The ACCC decision was followed a few days later by MG’s stock exchange announcement of three plant closures, the loss of 360 jobs and a write-down of A$410 million. On the plus side for its suppliers, MG would also forgive almost $150m owed by farmers in a clawback it called a support package set up after a drastic reduction in milk price. Shares in the MG Unit Trust, a similar vehicle to the Fonterra Shareholders Fund in NZ, that were floated in 2015 at $2.10 fell to 92.5c. Fonterra escaped the ACCC action because it was more transparent about the risks in the international dairy market and the potential for a reduction in farmgate milk prices earlier in the season. But it did not move until MG moved because of an agreement

dairy industry, especially farmgate milk price transparency. Fonterra said it understood it would take time to rebuild confidence in the dairy industry in Australia. “We are working on a range of initiatives, including a more transparent milk price and measures to get our industry back on track.” Lorraine Roberston, a Fonterra supplier from Allendale East, South Australia, said the ACCC action against MG, Helou and Hingle should have the desired effect of reforming the farmgate milk price-setting system. To recover what she said was $150,000 of losses from the last-season drop in milk price in 2016 and its on-going effects she wanted a class action to proceed. The Robertsons halved cow numbers, reared more calves and leased some land to potato growers. “It is good that MG have repaid farmers but that won’t help those who sold cows, sold their farms, committed suicide or died.” Fonterra Australia could have opened the 2015-16 season with a lower milk price to enable realistic budgeting by suppliers and still matched MG at the end of the season, as it was required to by the Bonlac agreement, she said.

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12 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Lincoln reverses bad run Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com LINCOLN University appears on track to reverse a run of dire financial performances, recording a $690,000 operating surplus in January with indications the end of year result will be ahead of budget. Vice chancellor Robin Pollard said the rapid turnaround in finances was the result of a collective response by staff once the seriousness of the accounts became apparent. Costs were contained, some staff were made redundant and new financial planning was introduced, which made faculties accountable for their costs, including office space. “That has had quite a strong affect. People think that things do come at a cost.” Pollard, who was appointed 15 months ago to turn around the university’s fortunes, launched a project called Refreshing Lincoln. He said changes to the way it operated were progressively being rolled out. “Because the finances have improved we can turn our minds to redeveloping the campus, knock down the buildings that are not being used and improve

RECOVERY: Lincoln University has had a rapid turnaround in finances, vice chancellor Robin Pollard says.

the ambience of the campus for students.” Enrolments fell after the earthquakes then recovered but had remained flat since, with numbers this year expected to be similar to last year. Pollard said that could be partly attributed to media coverage of its financial issues but the “heavy lifting” was complete. Improving the attractiveness of Lincoln programmes was a priority with the lure of the pending Lincoln science hub

seen as a chance to link research and education. He believed the boundary between teaching and research should be blurred and academia was better supported by a multi-disciplined and multiinstitutional approach. In his April report to stakeholders Pollard said Refreshing Lincoln had clarified the university’s purpose to be a world-class education and research institution focused on the needs of the land-based sector. The Lincoln Hub, a joint venture between Lincoln, AgResearch, DairyNZ, Landcare Research and Plant and Food Research, would allow interaction between students and researchers. Traditionally, involvement in research or major projects had been offered to fourth year students but Pollard said he could see no reason why it would not be offered earlier, even in their first year. “I’m advancing this as a way of introducing research into earlier years of a student’s time at Lincoln, to build it in to their programme.” Part of that would come in a new, joint building to be used by

Lincoln and AgResearch. It would be one of five buildings in the $206 million Lincoln Hub complex and be fitted out in laboratory and education facilities. Pollard estimated there would be 700 researchers at the hub, who ultimately could have a role in educating students and have a key role addressing challenges facing agriculture. A transformation board had been formed to provide advice and recommendations to the University council on the direction the university should take and how it should reposition itself. In its briefing document the university’s 2017 budgeted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation were $8.3m or 6.6% of revenue with a $1.3m operating surplus expected. The ultimate EBITDA target was $10.8m or 9% of revenue. In 2015 EBITDA was $1.3m and the operating deficit was $5.2m but the accounts were healthier in 2016 with EBITDA of $5.5m and operating surpluses of $400,000. Cash reserves, which dipped below $15m in 2013-14, were restored to more $40m last year.

No deal yet on Telford Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com A DEAL for Taratahi to take over Telford might have to be sweetened with cash. Negotiations between Lincoln and Taratahi Agriculture Training Centre have become protracted over the future of the university’s sub-degree Telford farm training campus in south Otago. Lincoln vice chancellor Robin Pollard acknowledged the uncertainty and anxiety the delay was causing staff, students and the Balclutha community but said Taratahi had to avoid undue risk. “Lincoln may help them and that could include financial and IP (intellectual property) such as course materials.” Part of the problem making the deal work was Telford’s historic reliance on income from contracted education providers delivering off-campus courses. Last year Lincoln ceased that part of the business after having to repay $1.5 million to the Tertiary Education Commission, which found contractors had under delivered the courses. “We don’t want to just dump it.” Taratahi had made it clear it was not in a position to invest vast sums in Telford so Lincoln might help.

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

New lab will help to fine tune feed Glenys Christian glenys.christian@nzx.com DAIRY farmers will soon be able to find out much more about the effects of feed on cow nutrition with the opening of Alltech’s new In Vitro Fermentation Model (IFM) laboratory in Auckland. More than $1 million was invested in the project, which joins four others already set up by the company, two in the United States, one in South Africa and another in China, run in collaboration with Nestle. As well being used for new product development the labs could do an extensive range of feed evaluations, showing how different feed blends could affect rumen fermentation. After 18 months of construction and outfitting, the West Auckland lab, the only one in Oceania, was due to be officially opened in June about the time of the National Fieldays. It employed three people and had already analysed 70 feed samples over the last two months. Alltech dairy research nutrition head Dr Amanda Gehman, who had been involved in its establishment, said New Zealand was a natural site for the company’s latest lab because of local dairy farmers’ willingness to add more technical knowledge to feeding programmes. After 15 years of running overseas labs, Alltech started offering similar services to individual farmers three years ago so they could see exactly how their cows used the feed. They benefitted, as NZ farmers would, from seeing how different rations were digested and could then use that information to improve energy availability to their herd, boosting profitability.

digestion parameters so we can measure how feed is digested in real time.” Samples from Australian cows were to be tested next month. It was envisaged half the lab’s work might involve testing samples from that country because no similar facility was available there. And it could be that the technology, which can be replicated for any ruminant, might be applied to NZ beef steers, as had already happened in the US, Gehman said.

READY TO ROLL: Alltech dairy research nutrition head Amanda Gehman in Alltech’s new Auckland laboratory.

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We can generate 20 different digestion parameters so we can measure how feed is digested in real time. Amanda Gehman Alltech

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The IFM simulated rumen function and evaluated the nutritional value of different feeds by estimating the kinetics of feed digestion rather than measuring digestibility at an end point. It showed how carbohydrates and proteins were fermented, so any barriers could be picked up and rations could then be based on the availability of nutrients and the reduction of energy losses, giving a lower carbon footprint. Feed samples were incubated in rumen fluid and a buffer system to replicate natural rumen fermentation in an oxygen-free environment. The methane and carbon dioxide produced were automatically monitored continuously as digestion took place, with the gas produced separated into fast-fermenting carbohydrates, such as starches and sugars, and slow-fermenting carbohydrates, such as fibre. Through estimation of that gas production, inefficiencies could be pinpointed, which resulted in higher levels of gas being generated for the amount of dry matter digested, so identifying potential problems. With NZ cows being largely pasture-fed, local feed samples had to be collected to replicate what they were eating. And three typical Kiwi cows on a farm close to Auckland had rumen fluid removed through ports to simulate in the lab their microbial digestion process. Gehman said the animals recovered quickly from the surgical procedure. “We can then compare what is happening to reference ranges, which means the results are very accurate,” she said. “We can generate 20 different

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14 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

UK farmers want meat answers

PLEASE EXPLAIN: National Farmers Union livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe has challenged Britain’s levy board to tell farmers what it has done for them in the last two years as concerns mount about competition from New Zealand lamb.

NATIONAL Farmers Union livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe has challenged Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board officials to explain what they have achieved for levy payers over the last two years. The gauntlet was thrown down after delegates at the NFU council meeting accused the body of not doing enough to promote British lamb. Sercombe said he had received a lot of feedback from farmers concerned about the amount of shelf space given to imported product, despite the latest figures showing a drop in the amount of New Zealand lamb arriving in the United Kingdom. “We work very closely with AHDB but it is our role to be their critical friends,” he said. “If we see things we do not feel are in the best interests of our members and levy payers it is quite within our rights to hold them to account. “We have asked (AHDB chief executive) Jane King to come back before the policy board and explain the success of the plans

Finish first with your finishing stock

she gave us two years ago when she said how much money she was going to save and what she was going to put back in front of levy payers. “It is time we asked her what she has achieved in those two years.” Sercombe told the council meeting retailers had to import product to meet demand and balance the carcase over the Easter period but admitted it was an emotive issue. “It offends beef and sheep producers.

“We feel we should be able to compete on a level playing field. “It was about two-to-one in all the stores for imported product to UK. “The blatant ones where imported product is at a discount of 50% of British really do annoy me but this is the supermarkets’ choice. “We make them aware of our displeasure in the strongest possible terms but this is all we can continue to do.” UK Farmers Guardian

Scots don’t want to copy kiwi example Colin Ley THE prospect of Britain following New Zealand’s example of removing subsidies overnight, as part of Britain’s Brexit solution, was described as a “no, no, no” choice by Scottish farm minister Fergus Ewing. Speaking to meat sector leaders in Scotland, Ewing said opting for an abrupt end of subsidies would be fatal for many farming and meat companies and would force thousands of producers out of business in the process. “Scottish agriculture is dependent on European Union funds with £500m a year coming into the United Kingdom, a large part of which goes to support farming,” Ewing, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy, said. Scotland had a 16.5% share of that income because 85% of its land was classed as less favoured against just 15% in England so he pledged to fight for the best postBrexit deal possible for Scots producers. “During a recent meeting with UK Farming Minister George Eustice I made the point that we keep hearing from politicians down south (England) that, in line with the

hard Brexit angle, we should adhere to the NZ example from 1984 and withdraw all subsidies together,” he said. “The answer to that is no, no, no as the impact of such an approach would be fatal to many businesses.” Ewing also warned it would be impossible to put a new farming system in place in two years, arguing instead for more like five years to adjust to a post-Brexit structure. “If we assume Brexit goes ahead, and it’s really up to people to decide, could we really have a brand new policy with appropriate funding streams in place and implemented by April 2019?” he asked. “The present schemes are so complicated that it would be utterly impossible to create a new policy structure in less than two years and administer it. “Being practical, we need to have a Brexit transitional arrangement in which the existing schemes will largely continue to provide clarity and certainty for farmers and crofters. “As such, we need to have a period of, say, five years, as some have already suggested, where there will be a continuance of the current regime.

Retail chain drops Kiwi lamb sales

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BRITISH supermarket chain the Co-op has quit selling New Zealand meat in favour of selling only local meat. Not only did it say it was the first national retailer to go all-British it called on other retailers and food service providers to do the same. Meat imports had doubled over the last 20 years, it said. Since 1996, the quantity of meat going to the United Kingdom from the European Union and other countries had soared from £3 billion to £6.2b. The biggest imports from Asia-Oceania were from Thailand at £423m and New Zealand at £291m. Co-op stores would immediately

provide only 100% fresh British bacon and lamb – dropping Danish bacon and NZ lamb. “British consumers will be shocked to see how meat imports have grown while at the same time retailers hang out the bunting and claim to back British farmers,” Co-op retail chief executive Jo Whitfield said. It could make the move because it was owned by members not shareholders and could invest long-term in what matters to communities, not what provides the fastest shareholder return. The Co-op last week launched a £10m campaign focusing on the benefits of sourcing from British farmers.

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THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Wool industry puts volume before value Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com INVESTING capital off-farm and making sure value is not destroyed by a focus on blending and volumes is the only way for sheep farmers to achieve sustained profits from strong wool, former industry campaigner John Shirtcliff says. Farmers had to get higher on the value chain and ensure wool sent overseas for manufacturing was in pure yarn form, not a mix of different wool types. That meant significant investment by them to operate and control the early to mid-stage processing in New Zealand. “I’m not holding my breath over that,” he said. Ten years after being part of the short-lived Wool Industry Network (WIN) programme to advance wool as an industry he was intrigued to see the future of the fibre being debated again against a backdrop of very low prices. “All I can see is here we go again.” Shirtcliff, a Geraldine farmer and industry consultant, produced a report for WIN in early 2007, setting out his view of the causes of the poor returns to producers. That was largely the whole business model of what he called the silo businesses in the supply chain operating in ways that were totally logical for them but did not create value for farmers. The model put volume ahead of value. They needed to deal in volumes to provide the required scale and turnover. Though logical for them, the decisions were a barrier to the signals about the type of wool they wanted getting back from the end-consumer to farmers. Ten years ago he wrote that gains in farm productivity and efficiency and further research would not fix the problems without a radically different business model that would get those signals through. The situation had not changed in the years since, he said. “The enemy for wool is equalisation where you’ve got different wools being blended and the poorer wool brings the whole lot down in quality and you’re losing 12% to 15% on to the machine room floor because it doesn’t belong in mix.” Testing had proved there was a palpable difference in lines of wool produced onfarm and through a blending process. Shirtcliff said the end-products made for consumers around the world did not need to be made in NZ but it was crucial for the yarn to be supplied from here “so that the wool can’t be wrecked”. There were some promising developments in NZ where farmers were providing funding. They included the Glacial scour concept being trialled by Wools of NZ though the group overall was not operating high enough up the value chain. The Carrfields Primary Wool subsidiary NZ Yarn in Christchurch was a useful initiative and there were also a couple of small hand-knitting initiatives but there was little else. The collapse of the Bruce Woollen Mill business in south Otago had highlighted the need for sufficient capital, quality governance and leadership and a lot of patience in developing high-value businesses. Shirtcliff said it was encouraging that Federated Farmers was looking in to a new wool strategy; the executive and membership of 2007 had not backed the WIN proposals. If the industry did decide on an entry into early stage processing under a new business model, for a good-scale operation, industry seed capital of at least $20 million to $30m would be needed to encourage in co-investors. “I don’t think it is too late.

NO PROGRESS: Nothing has changed since the 2007 Wool Industry Network report on the industry’s problems, its author and farmer John Shirtcliff says.

“It could still be a goer but it would be harder than 10 years ago when we still had a lot of the machines and the machinists and a lot of the knowledge. “There’ll be a lot of rusting machinery about by now.”

Read the Wool Industry Network report bit.ly/WINreport

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16 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Ryegrass trials move to US Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com GENETICALLY modified ryegrass developed in New Zealand be planted in outdoor field trials in the United States Mid West as soon as next week. In what would be the first of a five-year trial, 300 plants would be transplanted from germination pots to the field for monitoring.

It is all going according to plan. Greg Bryan AgResearch AgResearch Grasslands principal plant biotechnology scientist Greg Bryan said half the plants would be the genetically modified High Metabolisable Energy (HME) variety and half standard ryegrass seed. “It means that in the trial we will have a direct comparison of plus

and minus HME technology.” The HME variety being planted next week had in the laboratory grown 30% to 40% faster than conventional ryegrass. The next three lines to be planted would be different versions of HME. Initial research would look at how well the plants grew in the field and they would be cut back several times to measure the biomass. Future plantings would be measured on attributes such as photosynthesis and water use, both of which had shown outstanding performance in the laboratory. It took Bryan and his team of scientists 10 years and the Ministry for Business and Employment and seed companies $10 million to develop HME but difficulties and uncertainty about securing regulatory approval meant trials were not possible in NZ. Permits to ship the seed to the US had been granted and the US Department of Agriculture had approved field trials. “It is all going according to plan.”

PROGRESS: Greg Bryan and other scientists have spent 10 years working on HME ryegrass which is now starting a fiveyear trials phase.

In the laboratory the HME ryegrass, compared to conventional cultivars, used 9% less water, produced 10% more metabolisable energy, reduced methane emissions by 15% to 20% and nitrogen in urine by 9%, which meant less leaching and emissions of nitrous oxide. The first year of the trial would confirm techniques and systems, plant performance and develop

plant material, with hundreds of individual plants grown and monitored. In years two and three the trial would expand and comparisons would be made between different lines of HME and tested for laboratory assumptions and performance, such as a lower need for nitrogen fertiliser and a greater drought tolerance. Nutrition trials would follow in

years four and five with HME grass cut and taken to stock housed in chambers so greenhouse gas emissions could be monitored and other measurements taken. Should HME pass the US field trials it was possible the project funders could decide regulatory conditions in NZ prevented the cultivar’s release here and it would be marketed overseas, Bryan said.

News

farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

‘Unbiased’ doco to show farm reality Neal Wallace neal.wallace@nzx.com THE creator of a documentary on meat says he hopes it will be seen as the non-biased reality of farming he set out to create. David White said his documentary, MEAT, portrayed meat production through the eyes and experiences of three farmers who owned sheep and beef, pig and chicken businesses along with a hunter. The documentary was designed to show the people involved and the reasons they managed their farms and livestock but also the complexity of food production. White said he did not have an agenda other than to show the people involved and what they did. He believed the result was a documentary showing people who were confident and believed in what they were doing and why they did it. “I came from a farm

and felt quite strongly an audience would watch this documentary because there was an interest in food and where it comes from and I wanted to produce something that was not agenda-based.” Rather than depicting the meat production system from start to finish, that was achieved as the four people talked about their philosophies and their lives and they pride they had in what they were doing, he said. Even though the pig and

chicken industries had been attacked by animal rights’ activists the two farmers featured gave unhindered access to their facilities, evidence of the belief they had in what they did and why they did it. A vegan activist who viewed the documentary and enjoyed it, White said. The documentary was not a comparison of farming systems nor did it seek to reach a conclusion. TVNZ’s recent Sunday

programme The Price of Milk was unfair in that respect, he said. It portrayed two farms in two contrasting climatic conditions, did not show comparative effluent systems and he also questioned the fairness of footage of reporter Cameron Bennett lifting a calf. “The media, in my personal opinion, don’t do a fair depiction of farmers, even though they claim they are.” The movie was funded by the NZ Film Commission and NZ On Air and he said there were a number of other farming issues, including dairy, he would like to produce documentaries on. “It is an interesting and huge industry in NZ and there are issues. “It would be good to have a proper conversation about it rather than what we are having at the moment.” The documentary was released in 15 cinemas on Thursday.

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MEAT: The farmers’ perspective The Voice

Craig Wiggins

THE diverse life of those who make their living producing meat or have the commitment to hunt successfully has never been shown in as an uncensored a version as the upcoming documentary MEAT. I have been lucky enough to preview and give my opinion on this film directed by David White, which opened on Thursday. The people who get to tell their unscripted, uncensored, stories of everyday life as a farmer or hunter-gatherer are as close to the bone as possible when it comes to the real reason each one of them chose the path they have to live their lives. Within five minutes of the film starting the hairs on the back of your neck will be standing at full attention no matter what your beliefs are around the production or the consumption of meat. If you’re in the game of producing animal protein for world markets or a vegan/vegetarian you will be wondering where the

documentary is heading. From the producers’ point of view the early questions will be “Gee this is a bit raw, I wonder if it’s a bridge too far or will it be too controversial for the world to see?” For those who abstain from eating meat and animal products their first thoughts will be “Can I sit through the full documentary and does this confirm my belief as to why I choose to abstain?” Once past the initial opening statement the tide turns as each facet or storyline unfolds. There’s the raw-boned mountain man who hunts for his family and who can’t stomach the thought of processed products in cling film, the pig farmer who, above all his financial success, has never lost the passion for his animals and for what he produces despite being in an industry that has been portrayed as lowly as possible by animal welfare activists. Then the female sheep farmer who does not bring the feminine touch anywhere near her daily life and is bloody proud of the fact she has footed it with the boys and still does as she farms in a way that many would describe as heavy manual labour. The final story shows the kind-hearted, converted townie chicken farmer who has mastered the supply chain and shows the ingenuity of

those who choose to make the best of all they have at their disposal. I’ll be honest as a farmer and supporter of the primary industry, those in the meat game will see a few shots I think might go against the way other farmers would approach some tasks, they might also feel aggrieved at the hunter’s revolt against the modern industry.

Within five minutes of the film starting the hairs on the back of your neck will be standing at full attention. The animal welfare activists might choose to abstract and take some of the footage out of context but no-one who watches the film – and I mean actually takes it in – will be able to ignore the passion, hard work and commitment each person featured has for their role in life. An underlying disappointment at the way the modern world wastes much of the food produced or naturally sourced is portrayed by every one of these four stories. The love and pride each person has in their role on the land can never be questioned

and viewers will have to make up their minds as to how they feel about the food they eat knowing the commitment and skin in the game each one of these and many farmers have. This documentary will be hard-hitting and very inflammatory to many viewers and will leave many in the industry either proud or perhaps worried consumers might not want that amount of knowledge about the product on their plate. Either way, we will have a cost-free poll and result on social media starting straight after its release. And it will be released. I suggest you take the significant other out for the night and watch this version of rural New Zealand in its natural form and be totally informed as to which way you will feel when the press or social media join the debate. Credit must go to the director and his team for their hands-off approach to allow those featured to tell their stories warts and all. It’s a bold move and it will be interesting to see where the general public rests on its perception of the topics covered. I do hope for all concerned it’s in a good light. Never before has the clear wrap surrounding meat in the grocery store been so transparent.

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News

18 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Subsidies just part of edge Alan Williams alan.williams@nzx.com SUBSIDIES are just one part of the huge advantage Canadian sawmillers have over their New Zealand competitors, industry leader John Tanner says. The protection given to the industry by government policy required that the country’s forests, all Crown-owned, could not export logs until they satisfied the supply-demand of domestic mills, which also got them at less than the world market price, Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association chief executive Tanner said. In contrast, NZ mills had to compete against all comers for their log supply on an open, unsubsidised market. That includes overseas companies, mostly Chinese, paying the high world market price here but then being subsidised when the logs were shipped back to their own country for processing. They then competed with another big advantage over products developed by NZ mills, Tanner said. The NZ industry had spent the last year working with Chinese regulators on a standards agreement for radiata pine products, allowing shipments of more value-added structural timbers, moving up the chain from the largely industrial grade exports made now. This new opportunity was likely to be under threat from further competition from Canadian mills facing new 20% tariffs on products being sent into the United States, after US President Trump railed against Canadian subsidies as part of an ongoing dispute dating back to the 1980s. Canada was one of the world’s biggest forest product producers

DETERRENT: Lower prices in China might deter Canadian timber exports from diverting products there and they might instead suck up the United States tariffs, ANZ rural economist Con Williams says.

ON THE UP: Concern about competition from subsidised Canadian lumber came at a time New Zealand exports to China had been increasing, NZX Agri analyst Reece Brick said.

and its existing exports to China dwarfed NZ numbers though China was the biggest volume market for this country. There was also some industry talk that Canada could increase log sales to China as a result of the new US lumber tariffs. Canada was certainly expected to divert some lumber products away from the US and China was the likely destination for much of that, Tanner said. “It’s all hugely unfavourable for the industry here,” Tanner said, though there could be opportunities for NZ lumber companies to sell more into the US if Canadian product was diverted elsewhere. The association had legal advice that the Canadian subsidy and protection strategy was illegal under World Trade Organisation

rules and planned to take its case to the Government with a view to action. The Government was already trying to work on a similar complaint by the dairy industry here against Canada’s protectionist stance on its dairy industry. There was no formal action through WTO on that yet and such legal action was a very timeconsuming and costly business, Tanner said. In a research note this week, ANZ Bank analysts said China and other Asian markets had lumber prices significantly lower than those achievable in the US and that might deter Canada from diverting products there. “They might do for some lowgrade product but there’s such a stark difference in revenue that

they might be expected to suck up the 20% tariffs,” agri-sector economist Con Williams said. The supply chain costs of sending products into the US were also much lower than to Asia. There were indications the tariffs imposed by the US “weren’t as bad as they thought they would be”. The ANZ said that last year sawn timber exports to the US from NZ made up to $975 a cubic metre compared to about $324 for sales to China. Official figures for 2016 sales showed 206,839 cubic metres of sawn timber exports to the US for a total $191.5 million. For the same period, 385,248 cubic metres was sold to China for a total $127m. The ANZ also made an interesting point about the impact of the US/Canada trade dispute on the NZ dollar, which had fallen against the US dollar and other non-commodity currencies. ANZ believed the dispute was still a “neighbourly quarrel” rather than a major move towards greater world trade protectionism though everyone had to be mindful of the wider risk. The falling kiwi dollar actually provided a meaningful and helpful loosening in financial conditions. “Hey presto, the macroframework works,” it noted. If greater levels of protectionism were imposed around the world, that would not be great for a small, open, commoditydependent country like NZ and the adjustment in currency values was a trade-off to that, Williams said. The Canada trade concern came at a time when NZ lumber exports to China had been increasing strongly, NZX Agri analysts Reece Brick and Sam Laurenson said in their latest forestry report. To the end of February, year-

to-date exports were 65% up on a year earlier at 7900 tonnes. Other exporters were also benefiting from Chinese lumber demand with total February demand up 50% on a year earlier. Russia provided more than half of the volumes.

It’s all hugely unfavourable for the industry here. Jon Tanner Wood Processors and Manufacturers Assn The improvement in lumber demand made up for lower NZ softwood log exports, with volumes in February being 12% lower than in January and the three-month average being 16% lower. Overall log imports into China were actually higher. NZX Agri said Canadian log exports increased by 25% yearon-year to February; the main destinations being China 59%, Japan 20% and South Korea 13%. Its February lumber exports also remained strong, though lower by 7% on a three-month-average basis. Exports to the US fell by 9% but shipments to China rose 27%. The US was also a major log exporter to China, heading off Canada in volumes to China and Japan but trailing in shipments to South Korea. A strong domestic NZ market, buoyed by house construction, was also keeping mills busy and they were actively seeking good quality logs, the report said. The industry remained in very good shape.

Young auctioneer visits Australia KUROW man Madison Taylor, 22, had a busy week at the Sydney Royal Easter Show recently – not only was he representing New Zealand as a bareback rodeo rider, he was also representing his country as its top young auctioneer. Taylor won the Heartland Bank Young Auctioneer of the Year title at the Canterbury A&P Show in November. Part of his prize was a trip to Sydney to attend the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association’s equivalent competition at the Royal Show. He’ll also take part in the 2017 Tru-Test Beef Expo in Feilding next week where he’ll sell the Queen of Hearts. Taylor’s Sydney trip began with the ALPA Young Auctioneer’s Competition dinner and sponsors’ night in Darling Harbour. “There were 350 people at the

dinner and at the end of the night the 2016 Australian Champion and myself had to do a charity auction. “It was an absolute blast and we made about $20,000 off 12 items. I think the free beer and wine definitely made it easier to draw the bids out of the sponsors,” Taylor said. The next day was spent at the show. Taylor had to navigate the huge show to research three steers he would later sell. “After finding and researching the stock we’d be selling, we had to sell in an indoor theatre that seats about 3000 people. “One of my Limousin steers made $3400 and only weighed 450 kilos. They had a lot of highend butchers and steak houses there buying the steers. “It was a great experience and I loved every minute of it. “It was great to also represent NZ in rodeo while I was over

there. I placed fourth on the first night in the bareback riding but didn’t have much luck after that.” Along with the experience gained during his trip to Sydney, the young auctioneer from Peter Walsh and Associates said that winning the competition has already had a positive effect on his career. “It’s really kicked open a few doors, allowing my boss and colleagues to have a bit more faith in my ability to sell confidently. “I now sell at my own onfarm lamb sales, calf sales and ewe fairs and I hope my clients see this as another reason to trust me to get the best value for their stock. The 2017 Heartland Bank Young Auctioneers Competition will take place during the Canterbury A&P Show, November 15-17. Entries for the competition will open in August.

BLAST: Young auctioneer Madison Taylor says free beer and wine helps bidders raise their arms.

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Hemp seeds will feed farm returns Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com CROPPING farmers are poised to capture their share of a fastgrowing global market as 2017 shapes up to be a massive year for hemp seed. The Australia and New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation in Adelaide approved the recommendation by Food Standards Australia and NZ (FSANZ) to allow the sale of low THC hemp seed food products for human consumption. THC was one of the main psychoactive ingredients in cannabis, to which hemp was closely related. The global market for hemp seeds was worth about $1 billion and its legalisation could eventually generate up to $20m in exports for NZ. That could translate into as much as 2000 hectares of crop potentially generating a return to farmers of $4500 to $5500 a hectare in the medium to long term, NZ Grain and Seed Trade Association (NZGSTA) general manager Thomas Chin said. The regulatory change on hemp seed opened doors for new exports and exciting potential for new jobs with the arable industry hopeful the necessary legal amendments could be made in time to sow the first crops this spring. “This is great news for NZ cropping farmers. “It gives them an alternative, high-value, broadacre annual or rotation crop option and it will also boost investment in the infrastructure needed for the harvest, processing, storage and distribution of hemp seed,” Chin said. The NZ climate and soils favoured industrial hemp seed production and NZ had the added advantage of world-leading agronomic research and cropping expertise in other seed crops such

as ryegrass and clover. Many other places including Europe, Canada and the United States already permitted hemp seed in a range of foods. “As an overall industry we are excited about the opportunities under this revised hemp foods legislation and the future potential economic contribution to NZ agriculture,” Chin said. The largest hemp seed producer in the country, Midlands Seeds, said allowing people to eat the seed would create new markets with huge economic and social benefits for NZ. Midlands managing director of nutritional oils Andrew Davidson was excited with the outcome that had been a long time coming.

I would like to say it should only take six months but the minister’s office has said it could take 18 months. Andrew Davidson Midlands Nutritional Oils Not allowing the whole plant to be used had been a missed opportunity and despite waiting 18 years for approval, Midlands was geared up to move on legislation changes as quickly as possible. “We have been waiting a long time and now we have to move at some speed to hold a competitive advantage,” Davidson said. But just how soon the NZ arable industry could begin to reap benefits was a million-dollar question. “We first have three key tasks and they are to amend the Food Act, the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Medicinal Act.

“We have already started working with the Ministry for Primary Industries on this and I would like to say it should only take six months but the minister’s office has said it could take 18 months,” Davidson said. Six months was a key date to get spring plantings in and also to secure markets for hemp products both in NZ and Australia. “The more time it takes to get the acts amended the greater the competition will be. The seed was a superfood containing essential fatty acids including omega 3, omega 6, omega 9 and protein. While creating a consistent and stable crop for farmers it would also give people access to a nutritious superfood. “We now have our own market in our own backyard and with that opportunity comes an investment in infrastructure and a confidence to invest in the product.” Because NZ producers had been restricted to selling hemp oil, the co-product hemp seed meal, which was 75% of the whole seed, was relegated for sale as an animal food. That had limited the potential value hemp could command and made the oil more expensive to produce. “The change now allows the sale of 100%, making the whole product model much more viable,” he said. Significant value creation would come from further processing the seed crop to hemp food products including oil, hemp flour, hemp protein and hulled hemp seeds. Hemp could be integrated into existing cropping systems and while it was a form of cannabis its very low levels of THC meant it was not used as a recreational drug.

MORE: CARTOON P24

INCOME: Hemp seed crops for human use could generate up to $5000 a hectare for farmers, Grain and Seed Trade Association general manager Thomas Chin says.

OIO ponders Jericho sale LANDCORP is considering an offer for a Southland farm from a foreign buyer subject to Overseas Investment Office approval. The buyer for the 1353ha sheep and beef property, Jericho, in Western Southland, was from China, according to speculation. But a Landcorp spokesman refused to identify the potential buyer because the sale had not been completed. Landcorp was part way through the process started last September of selling nine of its 140 farms covering 14,000ha that were deemed unsuitable for the future direction of its business. The farm, being sold by PGG Wrightson Real Estate, had been advertised in China as well as in New Zealand. The property was featured on the website HouGarden.com,

which bills itself as the largest property portal in NZ targeting the Chinese-speaking market. It says 49% of its 1.3 million views a month are from China and 40% from NZ. The agents’ blurb for the property described it as a well developed paddock and tussock sheep and cattle property capable of finishing stock about 20km southeast of Manapouri and 40km south of Te Anau. It had a northerly aspect and a balance of flat to easy rolling paddocks, developed hill country and tussock hill with a full range of buildings including three houses, a fourstand woolshed, cattle yards and farm office/ It was well subdivided by permanent fencing and had a reticulated water scheme to the flats and easy hill paddocks. Tenders closed on March 8.

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News

20 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Weka breeder invites legal action Tim Fulton WEKA breeder Roger Beattie expects authorities to investigate his likely breach of wildlife law over the sale of a feathered woollen beanie. Beattie, owner of the Wyld apparel label and a farmer of wild sheep, was selling blended woollen and possum fur beanies for $80 apiece. One of his two brands, the Weka Woo, includes a weka feather. Weka were endangered on mainland New Zealand but thrived offshore, particularly on the Chathams and Stewart Island. The sale and movement of weka feathers and meat was prohibited and regulated by Department of Conservation. Beattie’s Wyld sales team had delivered a first run of 60 Weka Woo and Wyld (featherless) beanies to Arrowtown and Millbrook Resort in central Otago and also to a handful of shops around Canterbury. Another order of 300 was on the way, pitched mostly at tourists. Beattie was a trenchant critic of a “DoC monopoly” on wildlife management, arguing that since “no farmed animal has ever gone extinct” farmers should be able to breed endangered species commercially. He had spent about $500,000 developing his beanies, which were a product of carded Pihepe and Bohepe fleece from his own flocks. The Weka Woo was a protest against “evil” state management of threatened wildlife, he said. DoC could either ignore the weka feather or prosecute, he said. “They can go to hell or take me to court.” DoC national compliance manager Darryl Lew said weka were a protected native species and the department was investigating Beattie’s use of weka feathers as part of a commercial product. “DoC will be contacting Mr Beattie about this matter.” Beattie said in the history of DoC challenges to his weka initiatives “the score is about 5-2 to me”. In 2010, for instance, Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson threatened Police intervention when Beattie proposed offering weka meat at the Hokitika Wild Foods Festival. The plan, which he didn’t pursue, was to sell wild sheep meat from Pitt Island. Customers answering three easy quiz questions about the sheep would be eligible to taste weka. “I’m an entrepreneur. This is what I lie awake at night thinking about.” Beattie said DoC control of weka breeding, movement and commercial sale made no sense. Weka meat could be boiled, roasted and served in restaurants for up to $150 a meal, at least as much as crayfish. Farmers could rear them at similar profit to dairying. “If we could break through with

UNREPENTENT: Weka breeder Roger Beattie says the Conservation Department should encourage weka farming because no farmed animal has become extinct.

weka we could break through with other species.” Beattie bred eastern South Island Buff weka behind predatorproof fences on a 13ha farmlet near Christchurch. He kept breeding pairs in six quarter acre (0.1ha) reserves on the farmlet. The main threat was stoats and ferrets, he said. “We have 10 traps maintained the whole time. A stoat came through two years ago – wiped out 11.”

DoC will be contacting Mr Beattie about this matter. Darryl Lew Conservation Department It had happened again since though often a year would go by with no more than a couple of stoats and a ferret caught in the traps. Beattie said DoC repeatedly road-blocked his attempts to import more birds from the Chathams to his mainland sanctuary. “I can get a permit to get 10 dead weka from the Chathams at the drop of a hat but bringing it out live – two years.” The fastest approval was four months, he said. Beattie was writing a book with a working title of Why Bureaucrats are Bastards. The first chapter was called Why DoC is killing the Weka.

“The purpose of the Conservation Act should be to advance conservation not to set up a monopoly. “There are people in DoC who would rather endangered species die out rather than allow commercialisation,” he said. “From a moral, philosophical point of view, do we have more birds become extinct or do we have more farming?” He said DoC argued that rearing Buff weka without careful management risked genetic regression as a result of inbreeding. “If that’s the case we should have more access to weka. You can’t have it both ways.” It was riskier to keep weka in concentrated offshore populations where they could be wiped out by disease or predation, Beattie said. As a breeder he had no interest in creating a commercial stranglehold on weka stocks. “I’ve let about 100 weka go over the past 10 years.” Some of his neighbours had them on their properties. He had given many of his weka to the Mototapu Restoration Trust and the Kiwi Birdlife Park in central Otago, to Ngai Tahu and Russell Langdon, operator of the Mid Canterbury-based Riverbridge Conservation Area. DoC terrestrial ecosystems director Carol West said DoC had a successful model for saving endangered native birds. “It’s based on enabling the birds to save themselves by living and breeding independently in pestfree sanctuaries. “This is the opposite of farming where animals are dependent on

the farmer for their survival.” There were only five black robins in 1980, with just one breeding pair. “Today there are around 250 black robins living safely on predator free islands in the Chatham Islands.” Takahe were thought to be extinct in the first half of the 20th century. They were rediscovered in remote Fiordland mountains in 1948. A recovery programme

was launched and today there were about 250 takahe and the population was steadily rising. “We’ve led the world in removing predators – stoats, rats and possums – from islands. “This has created a string of predator-free island sanctuaries where black robins, takahe, kakapo and other critically endangered native birds have been safe to hatch and raise chicks in natural, wild environments.”

Poultry firm to breed at Huntly INTERNATIONAL poultry breeding company CobbVantress is to invest $58 million in a new breeding facility in New Zealand. It said the venture would eventually generate a similar $58m in genetic stock earnings each year once the development was fully operational. The new Cobb facility was to be built at Rotongaro near Huntly, creating at least 70 new jobs across a farm and hatchery complex covering 148 hectares. “This is a major new project for Cobb that takes advantage of the favourable poultry health status that NZ enjoys,” Asia-Pacific vice president Roy Mutimer said. NZ had a lower risk of diseases such as avian influenza

than was the case in other parts of the world. The new facility would be used to produce grandparent broiler breeding stock, primarily for sale across the Asia-Pacific region, Cobb’s fastest growing area. “The development will play a major role in providing grandparent stock for our distributors in the region and also for our own parent stock production complex in China,” Mutimer said. The Rotongaro project had already received Overseas Investment Office approval for the land purchase. The Land Information service said the resultant export of high-value genetic stock was likely to add some $58m a year to the country’s overseas sales.

News

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Mulching kikuyu pays for itself Hugh Stringleman hugh.stringleman@nzx.com TRACTORS and implements are churning up pasture across Northland as farmers seek to control rampant autumn kikuyu growth. For the second autumn in succession conditions were ideal for kikuyu growth but beef farmers in the north were generally under-stocked, AgFirst Northland consultant Gareth Baynham said. Hence the need for autumn control measures so old kikuyu didn’t smother winter and early spring ryegrass and clover growth and affect livestock production. Baynham was a former coordinator of the Kikuyu Action Group, which, over a decade, established the benefits and

It is almost like regrassing and it prevents that ugly, indigestible thatch of frosted kikuyu holding back winter and spring production. Gareth Baynham AgFirst costs of kikuyu control through mulching, mowing or close grazing with cattle. Most beef farmers used 1.8m mulchers behind 80-90hp tractors and covered about 1ha an hour at a cost of about $120/ha. Use of a 2.5m or 3.3m Maxam mower behind a similar powered tractor could reduce the cost to

CIRCLES: Kikuyu mulching started on Lindsay and Erica Whyte’s Taupo Bay beef farm in the Far North in the middle of April.

about $70/ha, Baynham told a Far North Beef for Profit field day at Temataa Station, Doubtless Bay. Beef farms did not normally require larger tractors for any other task whereas northern dairy farmers probably budgeted on mulching the whole farm each autumn with their own bigger gear or by using a contractor. Farmers with kikuyu-dominant pastures faced long days in the cab or considerable costs but mechanical control methods did pay off, he said. “It is almost like re-grassing and it prevents that ugly, indigestible

thatch of frosted kikuyu holding back winter and spring production.” The Temataa trial showed $150 to $250/ha net margin gain relative to doing nothing. Hard grazing with beef cows was another control option with much lower cost but it was almost impossible to cover a whole farm adequately when kikuyu grew so rapidly at this time of year. Lindsay and Erica Whyte, supreme winners of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Northland in 2008, spend several weeks during autumn mulching their kikuyu.

The Taupo Bay beef cattle farmers used a 140hp tractor to tow a 2.5m mulcher and cover about 7ha a day, Lindsay said. He expected to do 150ha to 160ha of their flatter country and get finished by the end of May. Kikuyu growth had been phenomenal since mid-March, after dry conditions over summer delayed its growth spurt. “Last year we started mulching at the end of February and this year it was towards the end of April so we are behind. “We made kikuyu balage and then hopped on the tractor for mulching.”

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22 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

The dogsbody and dog retires David Bruce started out in the farming industry in 1965 and last week he hung up his boots on a long and loyal career. He talked to Annette Scott about his 52 years as a livestock representative.

AVID Bruce grew up in a family with an extensive farming background. His father had a grain and seed business in Ashburton and his uncle was a local farmer. On leaving Timaru Boys High he started as the dogsbody with National Mortgage in Ashburton in January 1965. “One of my jobs was to get to work at 7.30am to light the fire in the office for the manager,” Bruce said. That he could cope with but later he was to be the dog, literally. “In those days, and we are going back a few years now, the sheep arrived for the ewe fairs at the Tinwald sale yards by train and as the junior I would have to get in the rail wagons, crawl around inside and chase the sheep out, up to 100 per wagon. “I hated it,” he said. Two years on, all the trucking was done by road and Bruce recalled no other part of his 52 years as a livestock agent in Mid Canterbury that he didn’t enjoy. “I really have loved it. Every season is totally different and that’s the joy of the job. It’s not boring.” Bruce’s first posting as a livestock rep was in the Rakaia area where he spent 10 years before being moved back to Ashburton where he spent the rest of his career with PGG Wrightson, until May 5 when he hung up his boots for the final time. “It was tough in the early years. The money wasn’t startling. We

BUSY: Scenes from a sale a Tinwald

would start at 7.30 in the office and finish at 5pm and then go hay carting all hours to make extra money.” In 1969 that changed when Bruce started out as a livestock rep. “It was out drafting 5.30am, away all day and home on the phone all night.” He believes it was the time he spent away from home and the hours he spent on the phone that put his three sons off following in his footsteps. “One is in the furniture business, one in the wine business and the third is a baker. “They had had enough of me on the phone and away all the time.” Bruce recalled how he would drop by the local telephone exchange and get all the messages before he headed home from work each day. “They earned their box of chocolates at the telephone exchange each Christmas.” Technology had changed that. “Now, with mobile phones, you are right up to date before you get home to the house.” Technology also nearly lost Bruce his job. “I had to learn to use a laptop. There was to be no more paperwork and it was move with the times or lose my job – as clear as that.” It was not just technology that had changed the nature of the job. “When I went to Rakaia there was just one farmer with irrigation, now there’s just two without. “In those early days farming

CALLING TIME: David Bruce loved the game, the livestock and the people but after 52 years he’s calling it a day. Photos: Annette Scott

The mind boggles – the crown was Tinwald and they closed it. David Bruce Stock agent on the plains was half-breds and Corriedales, now there’s hardly a sheep east of the foothills.” Dairy took over and sheep farming turned to lamb trading and cattle fattening. That’s when Bruce began his near 30-year association with Five Star Beef. “I have been buying calves for Five Star for 29 years. It’s been an absolute joy to work for them.” As for his “true blue” sheep clients, they dwindled. He lost 45 clients to dairy. “Breeding ewes quietly started slipping away in the late 90s. I have one client left with a halfbred flock. The rest have gone to cropping and fattening lambs – no ewes. “I had 28 top clients that I did everything with and following the clearing sale last week of my very first clients in 1969, it’s down to one.”

Lamb trading had become a huge industry in Mid Canterbury and that had largely changed the role of the livestock agent from a drafter to a broker, Bruce said. “But it’s also created a lot of new challenges for farming and the industry in general. I’m not so sure it’s all good but the future will sort that out. “And that future in the growth of fattening will depend on the dairy industry that at the moment is keeping the cows at home so there is a lot of winter feed about but as we see emerging, every year is going to be different,” he said. It was with great sadness in his long career that Bruce attended the final sale at the Tinwald saleyards on December 13, marking the end of the 138-year history of selling livestock in the district. “Tinwald, right up until its last days, was the hub of farming in Mid Canterbury. “The decision to close the yards was not given a lot of thought by management. That day should never have come about,” Bruce said. At the time of closure and for many years before, the sale yards complex was solely owned by PGG Wrightson. “It can be described as nothing

short of a sad, sad day and one that has had a huge impact on the local farming community and its future. “Ashburton (PGW) has been the top earner for livestock nationwide. The mind boggles – the crown was Tinwald and they closed it.” Bruce decided back then it was time to go. “But I would see the season out,” the 69-year-old said as he recalled the 1980 heydays of sheep in Mid Canterbury when more than 300,000 head of stock traded through the Tinwald sale yards every year. In 50 years I have worked with a tremendous amount of agents and clients. I will miss them all,” Bruce said. “I just love the game, the livestock and the people I have met and their wives. “It’s a wonder I am not 20-odd stone for the all cakes and scones I have eaten.” Bruce will still be driving up driveways to meet socially with famers. He might play some golf and he and wife Jane look forward to some travel around NZ in his retirement. “It’s sad to move on but we can pick our time now to do what we want to do and when we do it.”

LAST CALL: In the selling pens for the final time, Greg Cook and David Bruce clock up 74 years association with the Tinwald saleyards.

New thinking

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Beef growers deliver results Sean and Jodi Brosnahan entered the Food Producer awards hoping to get some feedback. The judges told them exactly what they thought of their product in declaring them supreme winners. They told Richard Rennie what they are doing and why.

INNING the inaugural New Zealand Food Producer supreme award has put a humble East Coast couple well on the radar of every food writer and beef connoisseur in the country, ticking all the boxes for provenance, quality and taste. Sean and Jodi Brosnahan farm 2600ha in the Waikura Valley on East Cape and admited they were as surprised as anyone at winning the inaugural awards they entered largely to gain some feedback from judges. Their Absolute Angus Porterhouse was named alongside seven category winners from horticulture, aquaculture, cheesemaking, butchery and premium artisan products.

We have the philosophy that to produce high quality meat you need fat on it and through it. Sean Brosnahan Farmer “We never expected a win. “For us, selling our meat direct to customers was a way to reconnect with consumers. “We were looking for more feedback and we were blown away to learn we had won it,” Sean said. The former stock agent and his dietician wife took over the lease of Maori trust blocks in the valley in 2009 and moved onto the property five years ago. The Brosnahans had been building up their Angus stud Resurgam Angus over the past 20

years, aiming for purely Scottish bloodlines with no United States genetics. “We have the philosophy that to produce high quality meat you need fat on it and through it. “We get figures for our marbling that indicate our cattle are not highly marbled but everyone who buys our meat tells me the taste is fantastic,” he said. In the quest for leaner, longer carcases Brosnahan believes the breed has risked losing sight of what consumers wanted in terms of taste. It was a desire to reconnect with consumers that compelled the couple to start selling their beef through Bay of Plenty butcher Garth Bostock near Tauranga and in collaboration with him they went to online selling late last year. Brosnahan said the spot nature of market prices for beef made for unnerving budgeting for dry stock farmers and taking ownership of the marketing and retail seemed a better way to try to tie some certainty into pricing for farm income. “Farm costs are continually rising and farmers are not making a lot more revenue wise. “I spent time travelling through Angus feed lots and farms in the US and came back convinced our pasture fed beef deserved to be promoted more than it has been. I think we have just taken it for granted. It’s a big deal in the US.” While it was still early days for the online business, Brosnahan hoped to build business volume, capturing more beef supply from clients around NZ who had invested in his genetics over the years. “But we are also conscious we don’t want to lose sight of us being a niche brand.” The couple were also marketing hogget and lamb cuts

BENEFITS: Sean and Jodi Brosnahan have cut out the middleman from the beef operation which has allowed them to put fat on their financial bones while getting the genetics right to produce tasty meat.

sourced from their Perendale flock. Competition organiser Nicola McConnell said the objective of the contest was to try to better highlight the efforts of primary producers to strive for highquality, consumer-focused food products. Other winners in the competition included a strong emphasis on meat and milk, with Jersey Girl organic whole milk taking out the dairy section primary award and Whitestone Cheese Company winning the outstanding dairy crafted award with its Vintage Windsor Blue cheese. Cloudy Bay Clams won the

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aquaculture award and Prodigal Daughter Sicilian sausages the crafted producer award. “There are other food awards going but some are intended more for processed, packaged products made on a large scale and we are trying to highlight the efforts small-scale, artisan producers are making.” Better connectivity and internet services were resulting in a “democratisation” of the retail supply chain. Producers were not only taking responsibility for processing their products but selling them direct and retaining more of the value they had worked to build. “There was a lot of camaraderie

between the producers at this competition. “We can see a network forming with a community of people to help producers who know a lot about making a great product but not as much about marketing it.” McConnell was confident the competition would gather momentum with strong interest already in for next year’s event. “There is a healthy debate going on in NZ at the moment about value and volume. “It has been easy to go down the volume route but that is not able to grow forever. “Achieving extra value over volume will help make production more sustainable,” she said.

Opinion

24 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

EDITORIAL

Time for farmers to get answers

Stephen Bell

LETTERS

Forestry is not without its faults I HAVE been sitting and stewing for three weeks since reading Alan Williams’ piece headlined Forest benefits have wide reach. The article discusses the benefits of the forestry industry while completely ignoring the downstream costs. To be an industry forestry must harvest its crop. On the fragile hills of New Zealand this can and often does lead to a tremendous amount of downstream damage. The environmental benefits of forestry Williams discusses can all go down the creek figuratively and literally after one night of heavy rain on a block of newly logged hills. Tremendous amounts of logging slash, unwanted logs, native understory, topsoil and

biomass end up in the creeks and rivers. In flood this will head off downstream to cover farm flats, fill coastal lagoons and estuaries, pile up on beaches and destroy the ecosystem of downstream water courses. I lived for 45 years next to a small river that suffered several of these events since large scale logging began upstream about the turn of the century. Those who haven’t witnessed such an event would find it hard to believe. Hour after hour a great slurry of topsoil and biomass goes downstream carrying a continual flow of logs, slash and damaged native regeneration. Nobody doubts the benefits of forestry – the jobs it has brought to Gisborne for example, have revitalised the region.

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Naughty boy IT SEEMS as though Craig Wiggins might have been one of those boys sitting up the back and not paying attention when the late and muchlamented Fred Dagg was educating the New Zealand public – that is if I am correct in inferring from his April 17 column that he believes Fred would have defended the dairy industry against the fake media. Fred was a sheep cocky: I doubt he would have been too keen on the proliferation of

what I have heard other sheep cockies call “black and white maggots”. Further evidence for this can be found in his 2014 Users Guide to NZ, in particular the bit where he suggests people wanting “to enjoy the beautifully clean, swift-flowing NZ river system should make every effort to get out there before the dairy industry gets any more successful”. John Redwood Auckland

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Letterof theWeek

EDITOR Bryan Gibson bryan.gibson@nzx.com

But the collateral damage from large scale logging under present logging practices is the industry’s dirty secret – a secret Williams has quite clearly chosen to leave out of the discussion.

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T’S time to congratulate Climate Change Issues Minister Paula Bennett for letting farmers know exactly where she stands, thus telling them exactly where they stand. In response to our coverage of the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Conference where the possibility of including agriculture in the Emissions Trading Scheme was mooted Bennett has given a clear, unambiguous assurance she won’t do it till a financially viable way of reducing emissions is found. Such a no-nonsense approach is to be recommended to other ministers, bureaucrats and industry leaders. It allows farmers to plan with confidence knowing the rug won’t suddenly be pulled from under them. It’s not unreasonable to imagine that with all the critics lined up against them and uncertainty around so many issues affecting farmers they might feel like a bunch of skittles being lined up for the wrecking ball. The Government has similarly put its money where its mouth is on irrigation, providing funding and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy saying more than once that New Zealand is not short of water but short of storage. However, there are many issues where things are not so clear. It is election year and this provides farmers with an ideal chance to press politicians of all ilks to make clear, public statements about where they stand on issues such as rural health, red tape, water quality, land use, animal welfare and the tourism versus agriculture debate. Farmers accept there have to be rules about what they and others can and can’t do. However, everyone needs to be clear what the rules and expectations are. Beyond rules there’s what’s become known as the social licence to farm so farms also need to know politicians’ views on the areas not covered by law. It’s only fair that those at the base of our economic pyramid have a clear idea what’s happening on the other levels so they can continue to hold the thing up.

Opinion

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Fart tax is not on the horizon Paula Bennett Climate Change Issues Minister

TEPHEN Bell’s story on March 31 suggests the implementation of a new price on carbon is on the way (Fart tax

back?). Let me take this opportunity to clearly state the Government’s position: until there is an economically viable way of reducing agricultural emissions through technological advances or otherwise, I will not be bringing agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme. In a Parliamentary debate on the recent Globe New Zealand report into climate change, Labour’s David Parker said “If we are elected, agriculture will be coming into ETS very fast. We have always said it should”. Here’s my response to Parker. We fully support our farmers here in NZ. There is absolutely no point in cutting them off at the knees because more inefficient farmers across the world would pick up the slack and leave us worse off overall.

A thriving and productive agricultural sector is pivotal to the health of NZ’s economy and farmers are natural environmentalists. Paula Bennett Minister The greenhouse gas footprint from dairy here is less than half the global average. We are a nation of four million feeding 40m – the world needs what our farmers produce. We should be backing our NZ farmers. The actions farmers are already taking to improve water quality and reduce nitrogen fertiliser

The

Pulpit

costs have climate change cobenefits. Farms that are improving efficiency and productivity are also reducing emissions intensity. Over the past 25 years farmers have improved the emissions efficiency of production by about 1% a year. Without these gains, agricultural emissions would have increased by 40% to produce the same amount of product, rather than the current 15% increase in emissions. We need to make sure actions to achieve these efficiency gains become standard practice and that we strive for further improvements that have both onfarm economic and climate benefits. A thriving and productive agricultural sector is pivotal to the health of NZ’s economy and farmers are natural environmentalists. We’ll be working in partnership with farmers, not against them, to make the changes we need to make to reach our ambitious Paris

Agreement emissions reduction target. We continue to put about $20m a year into agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation and adaptation research. It includes improving our national forestry and agriculture greenhouse gas inventory and reporting, understanding and adapting to the impacts of climate change, research on reducing methane and nitrous oxide and how soil can be used to store carbon. The Primary Growth Partnership and the Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre are examples of governmentindustry partnerships to find new technologies and production systems that will make farming more productive and sustainable. Fonterra has formed a 10-year, $20m partnership programme with the Department of Conservation to reduce predators and improve habitats and water quality. This project looks at how sustainable dairying can be part of healthy,

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functioning ecosystems, highlighting the important two-way relationship between environmental health and economic prosperity. NZ is working with other countries on many projects related to agriculture and recently signed an agreement with China to share technical expertise on carbon trading and agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation. The Government continues to fund forestry schemes which provide additional income from marginal land, help improve water quality and act as a carbon sink. We provide start-up support for community

irrigation schemes which must meet regional environmental requirements. NZ has a great opportunity to demonstrate that we have that integrity and to market ourselves as a really superb grower of premium food. I have never met a farmer who didn’t want to leave the environment in a better state than they found it, for future generations. We all need to work together to embed and accelerate good management practice and connect better with our consumers, both here and overseas.

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

NO WAY: Climate Change Issues Minister Paula Bennett has given Farmers Weekly an assurance agriculture won’t be included in the Emissions Trading Scheme until there is an economically viable way of reducing emissions.

Opinion

26 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Time to stop picking on farmers Alternative View

Alan Emerson

I’VE read the Ministry for the Environment and Statistics New Zealand report into fresh water in and found it interesting. It comes hard on the heels of Professor Sir Peter Gluckman’s report into the health of our waterways that was the subject of my column a fortnight ago. Federated Farmers water spokesman Chris Allen provided what I thought was a good analysis of the MfE-Statistics NZ report. He told me that the health of 80% of our waterways was improving or being maintained. He said using solutions based on science and hard data is the best way to tackle those rivers and lakes where there is a problem. No doubt to the horror of Greenpeace and the like, he says there are a range of causes for the 20% of our waterways getting worse. They include farm animals, soil erosion, wildfowl such as

ducks and geese, trout and koi carp, factory discharges, urban sewage and storm water. That is the nexus of the argument. Yes, most of our waterways are improving or static. Yes, we need to do something about the 20% that are degrading and, yes, there are many causes of that degradation, of which farming is but one. To concentrate on farming as it seems to me Radio NZ and Mike Joy have done is wrong. It is also important to acknowledge dairy cow numbers have decreased by 200,000 since 2014. The amount of land converted to dairying since 2000 is less than that for lifestyle blocks that have taken it out of production. Professor Sir Peter Gluckman said we need an end to the polarised position that has characterised the debate so far and I believe that is vital if we are to achieve anything. I was also intrigued by a statement from Secretary for the Environment Vicky Robertson who said we are now seeing the impact of practices from 60 years ago and decisions made now will have their impact many years in the future. It is an important point to

make as there is no quick fix. The rub, however, is that it is not just farming that needs to work to fix our rivers. There are a plethora of other groups as well. Sixty years ago, according to the 1957 Year Book, we had 37,000 dairy farmers with almost half having fewer than 40 cows. We had just two million dairy cows. We had 40m sheep and 38,000 farmers with, again, almost half having fewer than 500 animals. We fertilised just 8.2m acres or about 3.7m hectares. So, in the 1950s when, according to Robertson, our freshwater problems were starting, we certainly didn’t have intensive agriculture. We didn’t have big cities either because our total population was less than Auckland’s current size. That tells me is that our fresh water situation isn’t entirely the fault of agriculture. Where there would be an issue for agriculture is during the high subsidy period from 1972 to 1984 when farmers were paid to produce, produce and produce for the good of the country. We were paid to put fertiliser on by the bucket-load so NZ could be prosperous. We did and the country was. There was no criticism of farming practices and that generation of

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IMPACT: Water problems now are the result of the practices of 60 years ago, Environment Secretary Vicky Robertson says. farmers has long since retired. Returning to the present I found the report a good basis for discussion but I’m concerned about the practical relevance of some of its modelling. You can talk about percentages increasing or decreasing as the report does but increasing from what? Just looking at changes doesn’t give us any indication of quality. The report highlights some good points, the first being that pollution is worse in urban rivers than rural.

E coli is 22 times higher in urban areas compared with 9.5 times in pastoral areas. There is an issue with indigenous fish but that is not a result of nitrogen as claimed by Joy. One way to make life better for those fish would be to get rid of the invasive, aggressive, imported trout. My answer, however, is unchanged from a fortnight ago that all sides need to get together and work towards a common goal. Green Party leader James Shaw acknowledged the environment is everyone’s problem and I agree. His problem is a media release from his water spokeswoman Catherine Delahunty who ignores the constructive report to have an emotive rant at farming. Mind you, that paled into insignificance with the asinine Greenpeace diatribe about irrigation and the environment, which made no sense to me at all. Yes, we do need a roundtable discussion to get our environmental house in order but it must be constructive and Feds must be part of it.

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

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Opinion

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

A brief trip into Jane’s past life From the Ridge

Steve Wyn-Harris

WE’VE just had a brief sojourn in Central Otago and it was great to get back into the country where the real men and women farm. I’m just glad it isn’t me because I’d be poorly suited to the tough conditions but it is a terrific landscape to drive through. Jane was brought up in the rock belt east of Middlemarch and as soon as we hit those schist rocks she went all nostalgic and talked of the rabbiters, the railway men and the huts she used to make in the rocks with only her imaginary friends to keep her company. She pines for that past and says she’d go back to live there in a heartbeat but she has softened after more than 30 years living here and I reckon would come running home quick smart. Her mother used to marvel at the growth in our trees and Jane’s garden. She was once so rationed with water she would tip the leftover tea from the pot onto her roses to keep them going.

We were further west than Jane’s old home town in the Manuherikia River catchment for an old Lincoln mate’s daughter’s wedding. The wedding was out past the old Omakau Racecourse but I booked for us to stay just over the river in Ophir, so named after the place from whence King Solomon got the gold to sheath the temple in Jerusalem. In 1863 during the gold rush 1000 folk lived there but now just 50 call it home. Back in 1995, Ophir recorded the second lowest NZ temperature of -21.6C but still 3C warmer than Ranfurly on July 17, 1903. The Ophir residents had to prise their frozen hens off their perches and found livestock frozen to the ground. We stayed in the art deco pub, Black’s Hotel, where I swapped lies with the ebullient publican Miles Dixon. Driving through the Gibbston Valley we called in to buy wine from the vineyard where our nephew is the grape grower and he took us out to show the end of the harvest and how a very poor spring and summer had affected the crop with grapes less than a half normal size. Many had not even been pollinated. Back around the Pisa Range for a couple of nights in Wanaka, which, like Queenstown, had transformed into a bustling and

TASTY: Steve and Jan Wyn-Harris had fish and chips on their trip in Otago.

I swapped lies with the ebullient publican Miles Dixon.

hustling town since I was last there. We had a great walk up the modest Mount Iron that is a glacier carved rocky knoll and just 250 metres but gives great views of the Wanaka basin and all the peaks that surround it. During the depths of the last ice age there would have been a massive 1000 metres of ice still above our heads if we stood on that hill. Those great glacial rivers of ice carved this whole landscape in a profound and dramatic way.

Then, over the excellent Crown Range Road, which, at 1121 metres, is our highest sealed road and on this day of lovely weather yielded spectacular views back into the Wakatipu basin. We just had to visit Arrowtown, given this was getting through autumn but the colours were still stunning. In a wet autumn like this one the rust takes hold of our poplars here and they go a muddy brown but in dry autumns our poplars colour up well. However, nothing like the Lombardy poplars in Central Otago that were still resplendent yellow and with hillsides clothed in reds and oranges as the maples and sycamores added their palate. Stopping for a lunch of fish and chips at a caravan before flying back out of Queenstown I came

across Eric and Anna Arndt. I remembered them from their innovation of meat chips a long time ago when we were getting so little for our sheep meat that someone needed to be innovative and those products are still stocked in supermarkets. Now they are selling sea products but Eric fed me on his latest meat idea which will soon be sold from their three sites. Finally, that incredible flight out of the tight valley where it seems the wings graze the Remarkables and over that landscape that we had been part of for several great days.

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

Them ducks is just too cute to shoot From the Lip

Jamie Mackay

I WILL be shot (no bad duckshooting pun intended) for saying this but I’d rather plant native trees around my duck pond than shoot ducks on it. Where once the thrill of the kill was all engrossing, I now find myself channelling my inner Muhammad Ali, who famously said “I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong” when he refused the United States army draft in 1966. Part of me feels that way towards to the ducks. When I was a farmer they were a legitimate target, a pest that had to be ruthlessly culled. Besides, if I didn’t do it, Mother Nature would, just as she controls grass grubs in our pastures.

But now I’m reckoning, as a townie, I ain’t got no quarrel with them ducks. This was further reinforced to me last year when the programme director, aka my beloved wife, and I bought a small plot of land in Central Otago. It has a lovely little stream/pond running through the bottom of the section, surrounded by native plantings. It also has a resident duck population comprising half a dozen of the feathered foe. But I just can’t look upon them as the enemy. The mother duck and her ducklings were just so damn cute. Which only encouraged the programme director to duly scold me, saying how could I possibly shoot such harmless creatures? And if I’m totally honest, duck shooting or duck hunting as it’s known in its more politically palatable form is entirely about the camaraderie for me. It’s an annual gathering of old mates who all went to primary school together 50 years ago. Case in point is Professor Ken Hodge, a man smart enough to have been

the sports shrink for the 1992 New Zealand Olympic team at Barcelona. We live in the same city, Dunedin, and work within 3km of one another but we catch up only once a year, back in Riversdale, where we grew up on neighbouring farms.

I have a dream – a dream that one day my children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their waterways.

Conversation in the mai mai inevitably turns to farming, politics, rugby, beer and women, not necessarily always in that order. And then there’s always the issue of the day. Because our pond is surrounded by a dairy farm, albeit an organic and very

environmentally sustainable one, I would not be at all surprised if water quality reared its controversial head this year. After all, it is the current topic du jour dividing urban and rural folk. As fate would have it, our mai mai has an urban/rural divide with three townies, three farming folk and one who defies description. We grew up together, went to school together, played rugby together in the winter and spent our summers swimming together in the nearby Mataura River. Roll the clock forward 50 years and a lot of things have changed in Riversdale. Cows have replaced sheep. Only three of seven reside there now and I’m not so sure we’d all willingly swim in the Mataura River. But one thing has not changed in the past half century. Farming and the primary sector remain the backbone of this nation’s economy. You can talk tourism till the cows come home but you’ve got to remember it’s an export as well

as an import. Yes, it has overtaken dairy farming as our single biggest earner but that was off the back of a $3.90 payout season. Throw in sheep, beef, forestry, fishing, horticulture and viticulture and the primary sector still dwarfs tourism. I wish as a nation we would embrace, rather than abuse, farming and farmers. Yes, farmers can definitely do better when it comes to the environment but so too can townies. Like another great 1960s icon, Martin Luther King, I have a dream – a dream that one day my children will live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their waterways but by the content of their character. A nation where all townies will be proud to say, I ain’t got no quarrel with them farmers.

Your View Jamie Mackay is the host of The Country that airs on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport, 12-1pm, weekdays. jamie@thecountry.co.nz

World

28 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

Go Vegan ad campaign backfires RECENT high-profile national vegan advertising campaigns are having the reverse of their desired effect, according to a new YouGov poll. The survey found that of the 83% of United Kingdom adults surveyed who had not seen the pro-vegan campaigns before, 54% said they were less likely to become vegan after being exposed to two of the adverts. Just 7% of the 2023 adults surveyed on April 12 said the anti-meat and dairy farming campaigns meant they might consider turning vegan. National Farmers Union president Meurig Raymond said “While we accept that 1% of the population choose to be vegan, what these survey results show is that these extreme views aren’t shared with the wider public who continue to show their support for British farming. “Our own survey work demonstrates that public support for British farming is growing. “This latest survey demonstrates that the public do not like the anti-farming rhetoric and scaremongering coming out of some organisations and are demonstrating this by actively choosing to support farming even more after seeing these anti-

0076663

IN YOUR FACE: One of the Go Vegan World posters put up around Britain.

farming adverts. “Like many other farmers, I am proud to work in a safe, traceable and independently audited food chain under assurance schemes like the Red Tractor.” Pro-vegan advertising campaigns increased in frequency this year, featuring in several national newspapers and on billboards and hoardings in cities around the country. The publicity had largely vilified the meat and dairy industries

agrievents Wednesdays 10/05/2017, 07/06/2017, 05/07/2017 and 02/08/2017 AWDT Understanding Your Farming Business Three full-day workshops and an evening graduation ceremony run over four months. Venue: Te Akau Community Complex, Te Akau Contact: anna@awdt.org.nz or 06 377 4560 Website: To register for the programme go to http:// www.awdt.org.nz/programmes/understanding-yourfarming-business/ Monday 15/05/2017 to Tuesday 16/05/2017 TruTest Beef Expo Venue: Manfield, South Street, Feilding Time: 9.00am Thursdays 25/05/2017, 22/06/2017, 20/07/2017 and 17/08/2017 AWDT Understanding Your Farming Business Three full-day workshops and an evening graduation ceremony run over four months. Venue: TBC, Paeroa 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/

LK0085515©

Saturday 27/05/2017 to Sunday 28/05/2017 Dunedin Poultry Show 2017 Classic showing of Pekin Bantams. Venue: Otago Canine Training Facility, 194 Norwood Street, Dunedin Time: Saturday 12pm. Sunday 9am

Should your important event be listed here? Phone 0800 85 25 80 or email adcopy@nzx.com

Adverts such as this paint an incorrect picture of the UK dairy industry and dishearten the nation’s dairy farmers. Michael Oakes NFU potential they need to be happy and healthy, whether the future is within the dairy herd or within the beef supply chain. Oakes championed the work of the Red Tractor kite mark, which applied to nearly all British farms and promoted high animal welfare, environmental and food standards. “It also means farmers comply with specific standards, for calves and cows. “This includes calves having visual and tactile contact with other calves. “Dairy farmers have had a horrendous two years of sustained low milk prices and we are grateful for the fantastic support we have received from the British public.” UK Farmers Weekly

Trade talks in ‘bloodbath’

200x71.67

Saturday 22/09/2017 2017 National Alpaca Show Venue: Manfield, South Street West, Feilding Time: 9.00am

with Go Vegan World director Sarah Higgins describing humans’ treatment of animals as the greatest tragedy the world had ever seen. The NFU had earlier slammed the vegan media campaign relating to dairy. The adverts featured in a Sunday newspaper and appeared on billboards and on the sides of buses and taxis in Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle and London.

Go Vegan World also used billboards at the Stadio Olimpico during the Italy v Ireland Six Nations rugby match, which attracted millions of television viewers. Higgins said “This campaign aims to reflect the truth of the consequences for animals of our non-vegan lifestyle values and choices, casting a light into the hidden, dark world of human predation on defenceless others. “The health benefits of veganism or any of the other benefits of veganism are not usually sufficient to ensure that people cease their participation in all animal use.” NFU dairy board chairman Michael Oakes expressed his shock at seeing the misleading advertising campaign. “Adverts such as this paint an incorrect picture of the UK dairy industry and dishearten the nation’s dairy farmers, for whom the health, welfare and care of dairy cows and calves is incredibly important. “About half of our beef production comes from the dairy herd – a vital source of both calves for prime beef production and cow beef. “For calves to reach their

EUROPEAN Union agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan expects a “bloodbath” over the terms of any postBrexit free-trade deal between Britain and America. Addressing an event organised by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) in County Kildare, Hogan said the United Kingdom had made it clear it intended to pursue its own international trade agenda once it left the EU. However, “fault lines” were already emerging with respect to any UK-US trade agreement. “International trade secretary Liam Fox is pushing for agriculture to be included in such discussions, claiming that Americans have been eating hormone beef and chlorine chicken perfectly safely for years, so what’s all the fuss about?” he said. “I predict an interesting debate on this. “Would British farmers and consumers accept hormone beef and chlorine chicken on their supermarket shelves? I seriously doubt it. “There may yet be a bloodbath over these issues.” Hogan said he was encouraged by British Prime Minister Theresa May’s desire to secure a “bold and ambitious free-trade agreement with the EU”. However, the UK’s desire to also strike trade deals with non-EU countries meant May was unwilling to keep the UK in the EU customs union because that would mean it would have to apply the same external tariffs on imports. “It is my hope that, over the coming months, the British government will recognise that the best way to maintain the freest possible trade in goods such as agri-food is to remain in the customs union and that sense will prevail,” Hogan said.

THEY WON’T SWALLOW THAT: European Union agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan doubts British consumers would accept American food standards in imports of hormone beef and chlorine chicken.

Any free-trade agreement must include the maintenance of European standards. Joe Healey Irish Farmers Assn Failure to do so would allow the UK to open the doors to cheaper food imports from around the world – something that would be extremely damaging for the Irish agri-food sector. IFA president Joe Healey said 40%, or €4bn worth of Irish agri-food exports went to the UK each year. “The value of our exports cannot be undermined by an increase in low-cost food imports into the UK market,” he said. “Any free-trade agreement must include the maintenance of European

standards and the UK’s acceptance of the European common external tariff to protect the UK market against low-cost imports from outside the EU.” Earlier, the Countryside Alliance in Britain said the UK government had to maintain tariff-free trade access with the EU post-Brexit and be “pragmatic” when it came to developing new trading relationships with non-EU countries. The rural lobby group published a Brexit policy document that outlined its demands to ensure the countryside remained “living and working” once the UK was outside Europe. The group argued high tariffs on the agricultural sector would be damaging to UK producers and EU consumers. “Approximately 90% of UK beef, sheep and dairy exports go to the EU and high tariffs would be particularly damaging to some of our most rural areas where farming is a vital part of the local economy and community,” it said. UK Farmers Weekly

WAIPAOA STATION - A PASTORAL ICON After a very successful 20 year partnership the vendors have decided to place Waipaoa Station on the market, presenting a unique opportunity for a new owner to become part of New Zealand’s rich farming heritage. Having met their objectives of developing a ’best in class’ farming operation and the Waipaoa Station Farm Cadet Training Trust making a meaningful contribution to the farming community, the vendors believe it is time to sell this iconic East Coast property. Located 58kms from Gisborne, the station is 1,667ha carrying 13,500 quality stock units (16,500 SU incl. adjoining 358ha lease). The owners have invested in subdivision giving 87 main paddocks, and a troughed water system to approximately 1,000ha of the station. The majority of the land is very clean with natural fertility, enhanced by annual and capital fertiliser applications. Estimated contour consists of 25ha of flats and 900ha of easy medium contour hill with discable portions. Station infrastructure is impressive, the most notable being; the 10-stand 3,000 NP woolshed, the spacious fully renovated four bedroom homestead on elevated grounds with superb views, and the 10 bedroom, commercial kitchen, lounge and classroom building used by the Cadets.

448 Armstrong Road, Gisborne International Tender 4pm, Fri 2 Jun 2017 (will not be sold prior)

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/2750347

James Macpherson

Ashburton Forks

2058 Ashburton Staveley Road

Auction 1pm,

Genuine motivated sellers, new business plans calling

Brand new 220m² home with four bedrooms and two bathrooms

152 hectares subdivided into 26 paddocks with two wire electric fencing

138 hectares irrigated by two centre pivots

Reticulated stock water system

New cattle yards accessed from main central lane

Extensive regrassing programme with Trojan and Aran

Potential for conversion

MACPHERSON MORICE LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

IRRIGATED RUNOFF/BEEF FATTENING D

Simon Bousfield

M 021 488 018 M 027 665 8778 B 06 868 5188 B 06 868 5188 james.macpherson@bayleys.co.nz simon.bousfield@bayleys.co.nz

Tues 6 Jun 2017 Ashburton Hotel, Racecourse Road, Ashburton

View by appointment

www.bayleys.co.nz/554630

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

Kurt Snook

Noel May

M 027 256 0449 B 03 687 1227 kurt.snook@bayleys.co.nz

M 021 457 643 B 03 687 1227 noel.may@bayleys.co.nz

WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

www.bayleys.co.nz

NO TIC E FI NA L

GRAZING + SUPPORT

1152 Kopuku Road, Maramarua

’OAKLAND PASTURES’

41ha (STS) in total and currently run as part of a dairy unit, this

Auction 11am,

150 Budd Road

Deadline Sale 4pm,

’Oakland Pastures’ is a well laid out 199.9671 hectare farm

Fri 26 May 2017 (unless sold prior)

block is well supported with a large powered barn. Approx. 24ha of

Thurs 25 May 2017 (unless sold prior) the easy contoured land is situated on the eastern side of the road and is well elevated with the perfect building platform, propelling 360 96 Ulster Street, Hamilton Tues 9 & 16 May 12-1pm

degree views over the surrounding rural landscape. While a three

bedroom home provides accommodation. The location is within a

View

www.bayleys.co.nz/812864

currently milking approximately 720 cows through a modern 54 bail Rotary shed with DeLaval Alpro plant, automatic cup removers, automatic drafting and milk metres plus in-shed feeding system. 450

Karl Davis

cow feed pad ensures minimal damage to pasture in winter months. Irrigated via four centre pivot irrigators and topped up with K-line

Pukekohe 35km away. The thriving township of Ngatea is only 33km

M 027 496 4633 B 0508 83 83 83

away offering everyday facilities and outstanding schooling options.

Lee Carter

5min drive away is the Maramarua Golf Course and the Maramarua

M 027 696 5781

comfortable commute to South Auckland with Bombay 26km and

Forest for keen hunters. Start your next adventure here!

pods. Produced over 285,000kgMS 2015/16, on track to reach targets this season. Excellent standard of shedding including large

SUCCESS REALTY LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

calf rearing shed fitted with 15 automatic calf feeders and hot wash down system. Accommodation infrastructure is very good including five homes. With quality soils and a good resource consent to draw

Winchester, South Canterbury

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554494

George Morris M 027 212 8668 B 03 307 7377 george.morris@bayleys.co.nz

Nick Young M 027 437 7820 B 03 307 7377 nick.young@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

water, ’Oakland’ has been a high producing dairy unit for many years.

West Eyreton, North Canterbury

’TIMPENDEAN’

969 Downs Road

Deadline Sale 4pm,

94 Weka Pass Road

Deadline Sale 4pm,

This 153.8993ha bareland block is a blank-canvas and provides you

Thurs 18 May 2017 (unless sold prior)

’Timpendean’ is a standout 583.24ha arable, grazing and finishing

Thurs 18 May 2017 (unless sold prior)

AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY

with the opportunity to create something special. With its treasured Templeton and Mayfield soils, excellent shape and production levels, good shelter, fencing and great views, the property provides the opportunity to build a home and live and farm in this wonderful area. The farm has been leased in recent years and our Vendors have now decided to sell these beautiful soils. Property in this area can be subdivided down to 4ha blocks and with the recent growth and development in the area, this should develop into a valuable future investment. There is also the opportunity to purchase an adjoining 15.88ha bareland block.

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554579

Ben Turner M 027 530 1400 B 03 375 4700 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Mike Adamson M 027 221 1909 B 03 375 4700 mike.adamson@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

property with deep, rich, high-producing limestone soils and naturally high fertility. The property provides a balance of contour and aspect, with oversown and top-dressed tussock hill-country and approximately 293ha of easily workable flat and undulating areas for

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554578

Ben Turner M 027 530 1400

grazing or arable crops. Coupled with good fencing and lane systems, B 03 375 4700 reliable stock water supplies and distribution, and very good shelter, these contribute to the success of this valuable property. There are excellent improvements and farm infrastructure to suit most farming operations. Inspection is imperative to appreciate all this farm has to offer.

Inspection will not disappoint - this may be the opportunity you are looking for.

www.bayleys.co.nz

Waikari, North Canterbury

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Mike Adamson M 027 221 1909 B 03 375 4700 mike.adamson@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

PRODUCTIVE NORTH CANTERBURY UNIT

Waiau, North Canterbury

LOCATION, SOILS AND IRRIGATION

459 Inland Road

Deadline Sale 4pm,

279 Corbetts Road

Auction 1.30pm,

’Leebrook’ is a 156ha fully diversified property with good productive

Thurs 18 May 2017 (unless sold prior)

Located in the much sought after Wakanui area of Mid Canterbury,

Fri 19 May 2017 (unless sold prior) Hotel Ashburton

soils, reasonable annual rainfall and approximately 68% irrigated by centre pivot and Ocmis gun, with a 60 litre/sec consent. Almost the whole property has been re-grassed in the last three years and with an increase in fertiliser application, has resulted in highly productive pastures. The property is currently grazing sheep and dairy cows. Shedding and fencing are very good and there is a new set of cattle yards. The homestead is a four-bedroom, two-storey Oamaru-stone home in landscaped gardens with fantastic views of the property and

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554493

Ben Turner M 027 530 1400 B 03 375 4700 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Mike Adamson M 027 221 1909 mike.adamson@bayleys.co.nz WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

Ashburton, Mid Canterbury

’Moorepark’ is a well irrigated 148.1392 hectare freehold property with excellent soils. The property has a history of mainly mixed arable plus some lamb finishing over the winter period. Above

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554568

average crop yields over the past five years have been impressive,

Jon McAuliffe

with the farm also having the ability to grow vegetables. Location,

M 027 432 7769 B 03 307 7377 jon.mcauliffe@bayleys.co.nz

soils and good irrigation infrastructure support this farming policy. Woolshed, grain storage plus a four bedroom brick family home complete this package. Rarely does an opportunity of this calibre

WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

present to the market in the heart of the granary of Mid Canterbury.

surrounds. A very productive and attractive property.

FULLY IRRIGATED, HIGH PRODUCTION

Dunsandel, Canterbury

AHEAD OF THE GAME

3682 Main South Road

Deadline Sale 4pm,

239 Hororata Dunsandel Rd

Deadline Sale 4pm,

This is an exceptionally well-located 184.431ha fully-irrigated

Thurs 18 May 2017 (unless sold prior)

This exceptional 112ha bareland property is farmed in conjunction

Tues 16 May 2017 (unless sold prior)

property with excellent soils. Two very productive wells consented for a combined take of 98 litres per second supply irrigation water to two, 250 Rotorainers and a Turborainer. This combination of good soils and water provides excellent production and yield from grass and fodder-beet/greenfeed crops for the current beef fattening and dairy grazing operation. Infrastructure includes very good cattle yards, hayshed, silos, three implement sheds and a recently refurbished four-bedroom homestead. This excellent property would also suit other stock or crop options. The property is in three Titles and could provide the opportunity to

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554567

Ben Turner M 027 530 1400 B 03 375 4700 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Mike Adamson

Dunsandel, Canterbury

with the Vendor’s dairy farm. The presentation and health of this property is exceptional. It has a combination of Mayfield and Darnley soils, irrigated by centre pivots with water from two wells with a 50 l/ sec consent. Fully developed over recent years, with everything done to the highest standard, including cattle yards, deer fences, very good and reliable stock water supply, water-pumps and electrics, pivots, fences, new pastures and a good crop rotation. A focus on

M 027 221 1909 B 03 375 4700

soil health and fertility, through fertiliser for plant growth and

WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

microbiological activity, puts this property ahead of the game.

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554562

Ben Turner M 027 530 1400 B 03 375 4700 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Mike Adamson M 027 221 1909 B 03 375 4700 WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

An exceptional property.

purchase these individually.

Contributor to realestate.co.nz

www.bayleys.co.nz

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 8, 2017

RURAL rural@propertybrokers.co.nz Office 0800 FOR LAND

Property Brokers Limited Licensed under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008

Coastal farm 109.504 ha

Alfredton finishing property

TENDER

WEB ID MTR54690 AUCTION BULLS 49 Duncan Road View By Appointment AUCTION 2.00pm, Fri 26th May, 2017, 240 Broadway A very desirable 109.5054 ha Rangitikei coastal farm consisting of mainly flat contour with some hummocky Palmerston North breaks. There is a good array of buildings for both storage and calf rearing. Stock water is courtesy of a bore and pumped to all paddocks. Set in tidy grounds the very comfortable 3 bedroom home is well maintained and features spacious and comfortably laid out living areas. My retiring clients have presented the 3 Richard White Mobile 027 442 6171 farm in good stead, making way for the new owner to Office 06 327 0070 realise the potential this attractive property offers. Home 06 342 3702 richardw@propertybrokers.co.nz

WEB ID PR55313 PAHIATUA 15091 Route 52, Alfredton This 466ha (sts) property has been farmed as part of a larger entity for the last 14 years. Significant capital expenditure has been invested in fertiliser, fencing & drainage with the business operating at a stocking rate of 9.5 su's per ha. Featuring a well balanced contour of approx 80ha flats, 140ha rolling to easy hill & 176ha easy to medium hill with some steeper sidlings. There is 70ha of ineffective native bush. Improvements include a large comfortable 5 bedroom home, 4 stand woolshed with covered yards (1600 np) & excellent cattle yards serviced by a central lane.

TENDER View By Appointment TENDER closes Thursday 1st June, 2017 at 2.00pm, Property Brokers, 129 Main Street Pahiatua

Phil Wilson

Mobile 021 518 660 Office 06 376 5478

Jared Brock

Mobile 027 449 5496 Office 06 376 4823

John Arends

Mobile 027 444 7380 Office 06 376 4364

www.propertybrokers.co.nz

Accelerating success.

Reach more people - better results faster.

POISED FOR THE NEXT LEVEL

Darfield, Central Canterbury

355 Kimberley Road

Deadline Sale

This Kimberley farm is an immaculate 196.8923ha property with

Thurs 25 May 2017 (unless sold prior)

productive Lismore soils, a high standard of fertility and improvements, and shares held in Stage Two of Central Plains Water irrigation scheme. The property has recently been used for wintering dairy stock on kale, fattening lambs and producing hay and baleage from grass and lucerne. Infrastructure includes a large, twelve-bay shed currently used for hay and storage, implement sheds, an airstrip and aircraft hangar, large, modern four-bedroom home in beautifully planted and sheltered gardens with fantastic mountain views, and a very good two-bedroom cottage.

4pm,

View by appointment www.bayleys.co.nz/554618

Ben Turner M 027 530 1400 B 03 375 4700 ben.turner@bayleys.co.nz

Mike Adamson M 027 221 1909 B 03 375 4700 WHALAN AND PARTNERS LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008.

The addition of irrigation will take this property to the next level.

www.bayleys.co.nz

colliers.co.nz

WE DON’T JUST SAY TEAM. WE GUARANTEE TEAM.

It’s no secret that the rural real estate industry is known for agents working in isolation and jealously guarding their listings. That’s not great for you and is why every member of the Property Brokers’ rural team has signed a binding agreement to work together to sell your property. No working in isolation, no guarding listings. So while you’ll still have a lead agent, you are guaranteed to have a true team of equally committed agents, marketing experts and support staff, from right across the country, working for you to get you and your farm the best result. Find out more at pb.co.nz/trueteam

TRUE TEAM

Property Brokers Limited MREINZ Licensed REAA 2008 0800 FOR LAND

This is Property Brokers’ Country!

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Real Estate

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 8, 2017

VI W DEO EB O SIT N E

LOCATION, SCALE & AESTHETIC APPEAL- THE SWEET SPOT "Bushgrove" 72 Adams Peak Road, Tinui, Masterton

1,086 hectares Tender www.nzr.nz ref: W024

Located in a sheltered valley just 20 minutes drive east of Masterton sits this picturesque economically sized sheep & beef unit. Bushgrove & Glentarn have been in the vendors family since 1884 over four generations. The two units have been farmed as one for many years and together carry 7,140 su (5 yr av). There are around 845ha effective with the majority being medium hill accentuated by a small area of productive flats and a very attractive 58ha block of QE2. There are 74ha of developed forestry with 31ha being held under forestry right (can be purchased with the farm) The balance of the property being 110ha of bush & bee hungry manuka scrub gullies. A real feature of the property are the lanes, tracking & access. An attractive character homestead and supporting shearers quarters, four stand wool shed with covered yards and other support buildings all being very tidy. With this scale a stock manager can take the pressure off an owner and a partner can work in town, kids are easily schooled in quality local & Masterton primary & secondary options and the sports fields and cafes aren’t far away! Tenders for separate units will be considered (conditional on both being sold). A detailed property report is available- please contact Blair for a copy.

Tender, Closes 4pm Tues 23 May 17 NZR 1st Floor, 16 Perry St, Masterton Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 | 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

Professionals, Patrick & Scott Ltd

AUCTION

Blackburn Road, Ongaonga TOTARANUI

Totaranui comprises 275 hectares including approx. 23 ha of prime flats with the remainder being predominantly easy rolling hills situated between Blackburn Rd & the Tuki Tuki River in the heart of the Central Hawkes Bay district. Currently farmed as a trading & finishing property, Totaranui boasts an excellent standard of fencing, with a new water system reticulating stock water to troughs over the property. A pasture renovation programme is in place, with significant areas currently in plantain & brassica crop. Recent fertiliser applications ensure that the permanent pastures are in good heart. There are areas of native bush in open space covenant adding to the aesthetic appeal of the property. Totaranui boasts a full range of facilities including an early 1900’s majestic 2 storey Homestead set in established & attractive gardens. Other buildings include a 3 bedroom cottage, whare, stables, 4 bay fully enclosed implement shed, 4 stand woolshed, haybarn & other auxiliary shedding. Two sets of sheepyards & pipe cattleyards provide good stock handling facilities. Situated in the catchment of the proposed Ruataniwha Dam, Totaranui must appeal as an established performing property offering an appealing lifestyle in the beautiful CHB. Register To View: 10 May - 1.00 - 3.00 or By Appointment Auction: Thursday 25th May, 2.00pm, Ongaonga Golf Club (if not sold prior) Contact: Geoff Waterworth 027 437 8063 Wayne McDonagh 027 445 3199 Website: www.housepoint.co.nz web # DVB74

Professionals, Patrick & Scott Ltd LICENSED REAA 2008

Telephone: 06 374 4407 9 High Street, Dannevirke

housepoint.co.nz

VI W DEO EB O SIT N E

KOROMIKO - HEALTHY LIMESTONE, CENTRAL LOCATION 853 Admiral Hill Road, Gladstone

Tender, Closes 4pm Fri 2 June 17 NZR 1st Floor, 16 Perry St, Masterton Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 | 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

VI W DEO EB O SIT N E

Koromiko is centrally located in the thriving rural community of Gladstone. This district is sought after for its limestone soils which are very healthy and clean. Koromiko offers great lifestyle choices for the family - being close to towns allowing the opportunity for off farm employment; it is close to the Gladstone school, the sports complex and the popular Gladstone Inn, and within commuting distance of Wellington. The property is well balanced with approximately 45% of easy rolling limestone - the front country, with the balance being medium hill mudstone soils which are sheltered, and hang on in the summer months as they lie away from the predominant nor west wind. Koromiko has well maintained fencing, with around 38 main paddocks, all with great access and the renowned quality limestone water feeding stock and domestic supply. The property has a four-bedroom house with rumpus room/artist studio, double garage with office/sleep out, a large high stud workshop, three bay hayshed, a tenanted three-bedroom cottage and garage, a four stand woolshed and covered yards, cattle yards and satellite sheep yards. The farm has been leased in conjunction with other properties and regular fertiliser has been applied. The seven titles and central location could provide opportunities to split the farm. Some rare scale in Gladstone- buying quality has always been a good choice! Property report available, drone video on website.

378 hectares Tender www.nzr.nz ref: W025

WAIRARAPA COASTAL STATION ’Cross Keys’, 750 Otahome Road, Whareama, Masterton There´s something special about this section of New Zealand´s Pacific Coast. Cross Keys Station, located between Castlepoint & Riversdale beach, is a 35-minute drive from Masterton and features almost three kilometres of uninhabited coastline loaded with Paua and Crayfish and excellent recreational fishing. An Iconic Kiwi bach sits above a private beach (see website for video) near the middle of the property. There are numerous potential house sites that have sweeping 180 degree views from Castle Rock down to Riversdale, with the sunrise out of the Pacific and the crystal clear night sky´s being world class. The farming operation is a traditional sheep and beef breeding and semi finishing unit in a summer dry climate carrying approximately 5,000 stock units. There are around 540 hectares effective, mainly medium hill, and 72 hectares of pine plantations (included in the sale). A three bedroom dwelling, four-stand woolshed and other support buildings are located in a sheltered valley near the western road entrance. The farm is well set up to be run by one labour unit with good tracks, stock laneways and Otahome Rd enhancing access. The proximity to Masterton means there are off farm employment and top secondary schooling options. The local rural community supported primary school of Whareama is just a few kilometres distant. This is a once in a life time opportunity to secure your slice of heaven.

618 hectares Tender www.nzr.nz ref: W026 Tender, Closes 4pm Wed 31 May 2017 NZR 1st Floor, 16 Perry St, Masterton Blair Stevens AREINZ 06 370 9199 | 027 527 7007 blair@nzr.nz NZR Real Estate Limited | Licensed REAA 2008

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate 0800 85 25 80

Real Estate

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 8, 2017

TR ANS F O R M I N G R E A L E STAT E I NTO REAL ADVANTAG E FOR SALE MANUKA ISLAND FOREST STATE HIGHWAY 63, Marlborough

1,902 HECTARES OF QUALITY FORESTY Set on the Northbank of the Wairau River near Blenheim Manuka Island offers a superb opportunity to invest in a quality Pinus Radiata and Douglas Fir forest. With predominately ground based harvesting, eligible for carbon credits, and imminent harvest volumes of both pruned and unpruned regimes coming on stream this must be looked at. The location is superb with cart distance of approx. 100km to either Nelson or Picton Ports, and multiple domestic processors nearby. Call today for a full information memorandum and up to date inventory.

2 STAGE DEADLINE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST Thursday 1 June 2017 at 4pm

021 461 210 jeremy.keating@cbre.co.nz

WARWICK SEARLE

021 362 778 warwick searle@cbre.co.nz

New Zealand’s leading rural real estate company

Licenced under REAA 2008

NEW LISTING

THE ADDRESS FOR RURAL REAL ESTATE Stay up-to-date with the real estate market with

farmersweekly.co.nz/realestate

Avocados And An A1 Lifestyle

Lower Kaimai

• 8.1ha with mature well managed irrigated avocados (6000 trays last two years) • Three bedroom, en suite modernised warm family farm house with big views • Two large sheds, three phase power, equipment included as an option • Five paddocks for the ponies, sheep or cattle, yards and shearing facility • Superb horse riding and outdoor living on this property and surrounding areas • Exquisite, mature gardens, lots of colour • Visit our website for the property video

TENDER

www.pggwre.co.nz ID: TAR26005

(Unless Sold By Private Treaty) Closes 4pm, Wednesday, 31 May

Andrew Fowler B 07 571 5797 M 027 275 2244

pggwre.co.nz

Employment

Parengarenga Station is a 5900-hectare station situated in the Far North specializing in the farming of high quality beef and lamb. The Incorporation also has commercial interests in Forestry and development plans in Apiculture, Tourism, Aquaculture and Horticulture.

Our clients own a well-developed farm 45 minutes from Christchurch CBD, with a milking platform of 122ha, a 17ha runoff and an 18ha support block. The farm has a 30ASHB shed with a Read Plant milking 360 cows producing 170,000kgMS and with a central pivot irrigation.

The successful applicant must have excellent stockmanship skills and run a minimum of 3 dogs. A positive attitude, sound judgement, initiative and dependability together with good communication skills and the ability to be a team player being important attributes.

The station has initiated a significant development that will grow the effective farming area and expand stock numbers well beyond the current level of 40,000 stock units.

This hands-on role requires you to assist with all operational activities including pasture management and feed budgeting, milk harvesting, animal health, effluent and farm maintenance. Working with the owner you will have the chance to gradually take on more responsibility moving up to Farm Manager over a short period of time.

Please attach CV and written application to: Matt Sisam, matt@sisamson.co.nz or 31 Sisam Valley Road, RD1, Whakatane

To cope with this expansion, three key positions have been identified as specialists in a new organisational structure, each reporting to the Station Manager.

With accessibility to Lincoln University and current farming practices, this farm offers an opportunity for you to advance in all the right areas in your dairying career. A large modern family home is available along with good local schools with buses from the farm gate.

The role of Stock Supervisor is one of these key positions. The person most suitable for this role will have significant experience in beef and lamb farming and will be acclimatised to either working in Northland, a coastal farming operation or farming along the East coast of the North island, New Zealand.

Need more? The beach and ski fields are only an hour away. To view photos visit www.fegan.co.nz

Ideally this person will have great stock knowledge and knowledge of rotational grazing, great people management skills and will be familiar with the use of TracMap, FarmAx, FarmIQ, Figured or some similar data based farm management program.

To apply phone 07 823 0117 or email jobs@fegan.co.nz

Enquiries phone: Matt Sisam 07 312 9060 (evenings) or Ken Stewart 07 312 9399 (evenings) Applications close Friday 12th May

EMPLOYMENT REACH EVERY FARMER IN NZ FROM MONDAY

Name: Phone: Address:

Email: Heading: Advert to read:

Endorsements in training in the use of a quad bike, tractor and the safe use of general farm equipment are a must.

DAIRY FARM MANAGER

Courses completed in First Aid and GroSafe would be an advantage. Although not central to this role, a good understanding of pasture management, water reticulation and animal health would be an advantage to working in conjunction with the senior management team.

Required for Victoria, Australia. Milking 600 cows

$2.00 + GST per word - Please print clearly

Health & Safety is a major focus of any farming operation and this person will be up to date with good practice and the requirements of a robust health & safety system.

www.fegan.co.nz

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This is an excellent opportunity to develop management skills.

We are offering a very competitive salary, with added benefits of a regular allocation of meat, a complimentary house and a bonus.

If you are this special person we would welcome your application to: The General Manager Parengarenga Incorporation 6636 Far North Rd, RD 4, Kaitaia 0484 Email: GM@parengarenga.co.nz

Apply to: Paul Groves

A Position Description is available upon request.

pgroves592@bigpond.com

Applications close 5 pm, Wednesday 31st May 2017

TIMBURN STATION POSITION

FARM MANAGER

(Central Otago)

Timburn Station in Lindis Pass, Tarras is looking for a self-motivated person to help with the running of the 12,000su property. The right person will have the ability to work towards a managerial position running Merino sheep, Angus cattle, finishing, irrigation, mustering and general farm experience required. 3-bedroom house on property with schooling at Tarras. Contact Sam 027 571 3194

Lone Star Farms, Kurow, South Island

Stock Manager / General Farm Hand We require a full time stock manager/general farm hand for our sheep breeding and dairy beef finishing property. Someone who has practical farming experience and a passion for farming, stock welfare and pasture management. Ideally this position would suit a person who is a self-starter with the ability to work independently yet able to communicate well with farm management for farm development and stock carrying capacity. Duties include: • Stock health and animal husbandry • Grazing and pasture management • Water reticulation and general farm maintenance • Fence repairs and weed spraying

The ideal applicant will have: ■ A strong business acumen and financial awareness; ■ Experience with managing, motivating and coaching staff ; ■ At least 5 years experience in a Farm Management position, experience managing an intensive sheep and beef breeding and finishing operation; ■ Track record of managing and achieving high stock performance levels; ■ Managed a farm financial budget, reporting against it monthly; ■ Good knowledge of agronomy and experience in growing winter fodder crops; ■ Competent in formal feed budgeting and planning. Lone Star Farms may require the successful candidate to undertake and pass a pre-employment drug and alcohol test.

Position offers: • Warm 3-bedroom house • Strong support from managing partners • School bus to very good local schools • Remuneration according to experience and skill level • Favourable location 40 minutes to Auckland City allowing partner to work off-farm

Further information is available at www.lonestarfarms.co.nz

Interested applicants should phone Tania during business hours on 03 545 7602 to discuss. Applications close on Monday 22 May 2017 LK0087437©

If you are fit, energetic and have a clean drug record then send us a covering letter and CV with three references to: m.turnwald@xtra.co.nz M Turnwald 2 Egremont St , Belmont 0622, Auckland Mob 021 041 5859

Caberfeidh is a 5300ha (effective) breeding and finishing farm located in the Hakataramea Valley, wintering approximately 30,000su and peaking at over 40,000su. It runs 400 Angus cows and 16,000 Headwater ewes and their replacements, as well as a large finishing and trading operation. The Farm Manager reports to the General Manager and is responsible for leading and managing a team of 10 staff to achieve financial, production and performance targets and goals. Caberfeidh is a dynamic environment so identifying opportunities and potential risks and adjusting plans in response to market, climate and other factors is an important aspect of the role.

For the 80ha Sheep and Beef farming operation located between Wainui and Puhoi in the Rodney district.

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

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Due to internal promotion, Sisam & Sons Limited are recruiting for the position of a shepherd on a 1100ha block, situated 24km south of Whakatane, Bay of Plenty.

This position offers a wide experience of intensive and extensive farming systems comprising of bulls, steers, dairy heifers, carry over cows and breeding ewes.

STOCK SUPERVISOR

TRAINEE FARM MANAGER Canterbury

Sisam & Sons Limited

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SHEPHERD GENERAL

classifieds@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

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THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 8, 2017

Livestock

Classifieds

ANIMAL HANDLING

ATTENTION FARMERS

DOGS WANTED

GRAZING AVAILABLE

WANTED TO BUY

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

DEMOLITION houses, villas, buildings, town or country. Please phone 021 165 8664.

12 MONTHS TO 5½-yearold Heading dogs and Huntaways wanted. Phone 022 698 8195. QUICK EASY $ALE! No one buys or pays more! 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes.

COWS OR HEIFERS. Short or long-term. Fattening feed. 350 quality baleage. River terraces. 20 years exp. Hawke’s Bay. Phone 06 874 3764.

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.

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.

HEIFERS WANTED WANTED TO LEASE up to 50 in-calf raising 2 or 3 year cross bred Heifers. Horowhenua district. Contact Ron Halford on 021 430 961.

PUMPS

Autumn 2017 Deal Classifieds display advertising

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

A reminder on how it works: Buy 4 ads and only pay for 3 What does this include? • • • • •

Colour Discussion around the content of your ad The design of your ad Proof to you for your approval for signing off And the chance to speak with some very nice people at Farmers Weekly.

If you are thinking of advertising, call me on 06 323 0765. I’d like to find out about your business which means I can put together an advertising campaign that meets your requirements and objectives. We’ll work together to get your product out to the market. With a weekly circulation of 79,118, we’ll get more eyeballs looking at your ad. Or if you thinking of renewing your campaign let me know you’ve seen this deal and we can do the same for you.

To be part of this deal – Call Debbie on 06 323 0765 or email classifieds@nzx.com

“Predominately Angus herd, Tawanui introduced a (B) herd and decided to mate to a terminal. A Charolais was decided and so purchased 3 bulls from Kuwau Charolais Stud. Temperament for me, a very big plus, the bulls held good condition after mating, cows scanned out well, but most impressive were the calves at foot”. Stephen Tapa, Manager Tawanui Station, Atihau-Whanganui Incorporation

HAVE A SALE COMING UP? Call Nigel

0800 85 25 80 livestock@nzx.com

Bully A/h 06 385 4310 Paddy 027 484 0700

RANUI Bull Sale

CITRUS TREES Specialists in superior field grown trees, all varieties grown.

3.00pm Thursday, 8th June Karamu, 662 Rangitatau East Rd, Wanganui

Price list available.

• All bulls are semen and service tested • Hard surface in sale ring. Feet visible • Scanned for carcase • BVD Tested Antigen Clear & • Independently inspected Vaccinated • Cow herds run under commercial • 3-year Guarantee for soundness & conditions fertility • Bulls displayed on concrete

COPPERFIELD NURSERIES 221 Snodgrass Rd RD 4 Tauranga

Ph: 07 552 5780

“Internationally proven from sea level to snow line”

Fax: 07 552 4638

Enquiries to:

grant@copperfield.co.nz www.copperfieldnurseries.co.nz

Lin Johnstone Phone: 027 445 3213 DAY Lindsay Johnstone Phone: 027 445 3211 N E P O ranui.w@farmside.co.nz 9 MAY PGG Wrightson Agents Callum Stewart Ph: 027 280 2688 Ken Roberts Ph: 027 591 8042

w w w. e l e c t r o t e k . c o . n z STOP BIRDS NOW!

P.O. Box 30, Palmerston North 4440, NZ

We’ve decided as the Autumn Deal had such a good response that we are going to extend it to the end of 2017. You are welcome!

“Our Charolais bulls, purchased from Kuwau Stud in recent years, have progeny which are quiet and grow into big animals. The bulls themselves have good temperament and sound feet”. Ron Frew, Ron Frew Family Partnership, Ohakune

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GOATS WANTED

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WINDMILLS for water pumping. Ferguson Windmills Company. www.windmills.co.nz sales@windmilAls.co.nz Phone 09 412 8655 or 027 282 7689.

Connections 40+ Dating Meet and greet nights: Wanganui Fri 19th May ChCh Thurs 1st June Timaru Fri 2nd June Dunedin Sat 3rd June Invercargill Sun 4th June Picton Thurs 8th June Whangarei Fri 16th June Early bookings recommended Phone 027 3909 189 No texts. No door sales. Find us on Facebook. (formerly just country)

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING

Sale Catalogue online: www.ranuiangus.co.nz

ZON BIRDSCARER

electro-tek@xtra.co.nz DE HORNER

Phone: +64 6 357 2454 HOOF TRIMMER

EARMARKERS

1113205-Electronic Registers:Layout 6

30/09/2010

Free Dummy Collar, LOOK! if required, with all NO GST PRICE INCREASE! InnoteksportDOG NZ is maintaining allorders current low prices

RAUPUHA SHORTHORNS Red, White & Roans of our world

KEEP YOUR WORKING DOGS ON THE JOB * Model SD-1825 with up to 6 collars 1.6km range (1 mile) * Model SD-1225 with up to 3 collars - 1.2km range & SD-825 - 800 metre range

GREAT VALUE * All with tone and vibration options

SD-1825 with collar * 24 levels of correction -31 year warranty$685.00 SD-800 with 1 collar $535.00

* All collars and remotes rechargable and waterproof Extra collars $245.00

Prices include GST

GREAT VALUE

SD-1825 WITH 1 COLLAR $695.00 SD-1225 WITH 1 COLLAR $595.00 SD-825 WITH 1 COLLAR $495.00 EXTRA COLLARS $375.00 PRICES INCLUDE GST

Come and join us at our on-farm sale: Friday 2 June 2017always at welcome 10:00am Enquiries and inspection

sales@innotek.co.nz • Anti-bark training collars • Containment systems

For a free brochure call

0800 872 546

www.innotek.co.nz or Ph 0274 935 444

Contact Russell Proffit email: rnmwproffit@xtra.co.nz 2033 State Highway 3, RD Mahoenui, 3978 Phone 07 877 8977 or 027 355 2927 www.raupuhastud.co.nz

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APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, GARLIC & HONEY. 200L - $450 or 1000L - $2000 excl. with FREE DELIVERY from Black Type Minerals Ltd www.blacktypeminerals. co.nz

NZ BIGGEST DOG SALE! On Farm or online. Demonstration on sheep and cattle. $500$2500. Ship Whangarei to Invercargill. 07 315 5553. Mike Hughes. ONE BLUE BEARDIE dog. Two years old. Basic commands. Phone 027 271 0558. TEAM OF DOGS. Four Huntaways and three Heading. Phone 04 472 2351.

FOR SALE

PERSONAL

For Sale By Private Treaty

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ANIMAL SUPPLEMENTS

DOGS FOR SALE

DOLOMITE, NZ’s finest Magnesium fertiliser. Bio-Gro certified, bulk or bagged. 0800 436 566.

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

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

FERTILISER

DAIRY COW GRAZING for approximately 100 cows. Available for winter period on pasture. Flat land 40ks west of Hastings. Phone Matthew 06 874 2858. Evenings. WE ARE LOOKING for 150 Dairy Heifers to winter graze and carry through on a May-May basis. We have had proven successful results on our 70ha terraced block south of Nelson for over 8 years. Previous Dairy Farmers we know how to feed and grow your animals well. Please email for more info: funnyfarm578@icloud.com BOOK AN AD. For only $2.00 + gst per word you can book a word only ad in The Farmers Weekly Classifieds. Phone Debbie Brown on 0800 85 25 80 to book.

LK0087144©

CRAIGCO SHEEP JETTERS. Sensor Jet. Deal to fly and Lice now. Guaranteed performance. Unbeatable pricing. Phone 06 835 6863. www. craigcojetters.com

FARMERS WANTED TO share farm. We are looking for farmers in Southland or Otago to share farm ewes. For further enquiries please phone Greg on 021 276 6528.

Charolais Bulls

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Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 8, 2017

SPRINGDALE ANGUS

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

STOCK REQUIRED

KAIRURU

ANGUS & AH X STEER CALVES

POLLED HEREFORDS

18MTH BULLS 380-460kgs

SINCE 1979

370-450kgs 18MTH STEERS

ON FARM SALE

26TH ANNUAL SALE

18MTH HEIFERS 300-380kgs

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JUNE 7 AT 1PM 470-550kgs R3 YR–STEERS at Kairuru, Reporoa (midway Rotorua Taupo)

Annual On Farm Sale

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Performance Recorded BVD Antigen Tested Clear & Vaccinated Leptospirosis Vaccinated Fully Guaranteed Free delivery in North Island

Sale catalogue available online at: www.pggwrightson.co.nz and www.mylivestock.co.nz

Enquiries welcome: Ian & Karenne Borck – 1094 Taringamotu Rd, RD 4, Taumarunui Ph/Fax 07 895 3452 – springdaleangus@outlook.co.nz

www.dyerlivestock.co.nz

Longview

Kerikeri Private Sales (50) 09 401 9633 - Shane & Dot

Glenrossie

Woodcall

Tangiteroria Private Sales 021 556 806 - Bill

12 noon, On Farm Tiraumea

Fully Guaranteed Service & Semen Tested TB Clear C10 EBL & BVD Tested & Vaccinated Free Delivery (NI)

Looking for a Beef Shorthorn? Check them out

Bull Sale – 6th June

Ross Dyer 0274 333 381

Whangarei Heads Sale June 30, 1pm 09 434 0987 - David 09 434 0718 -Will

Lochburn

Taupiri Private Sales 07 824 6751 - Kelvin

Waimai

13 in-calf R2yr heifers Aubrey Raupuha 13 heifer calves

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otapawa@xtra.co.nz Stuart Robbie 027 8484 408 Donald & Marlene Robbie 06 376 7250

Mahoenui Sale June 2, 10am 07 877 8977 - Russell

Waipawa Sale June 13, 11am 07 378 8979 - Tim

Registered Polled Herefords Corsock

Registered Speckle Parks Hiwiroa Sale

Ongarue Private Sales 07 894 6030 - Allan

Waipukurau Sale June 13, 11am 06 858 5369 - Jim 06 855 4737 - Nick

LINDSAY JONES Beef Expo

KEVIN & JANE McDONALD Stratford Private Sales 06 765 7269 - Jack

Feilding Sale May 15, 3.30pm

07 333 8068

0274 528 603

Tall Poppy

Blenheim Private Sales 03 572 4013 - Mike

On-farm Sale Est 2003

Tuatapere Private Sales 03 226 6713 - Anita

Winton Female Dispersal Sale May 18, 1pm 03 236 1139 - John

Rough Ridge

Ranfurly Sale May 19, 11am 03 444 9277 - Bev

Glendhu

Heriot Private Sales 03 204 2052 - Fraser

Masterton Sale June 7, 3pm 06 372 7615 - David

Oamaru Private Sales 03 431 2811 - Norman

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Using a Shorthorn bull in your cross-breeding program will increase bottom line up to 20%

$$$$$$$$$$$

Brigadoon

Hinewaka Sale

Maerewhenua

Westwood

973 Troopers Road, Te Kuiti

Renowned for great marbling producing top quality meat

30 GENUINE HILL COUNTRY BULLS ON OFFER Monday 29th May 2017 at 1pm

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Contact: Paul and Claire Grainger 07 878 6458 – 027 209 1959 pcgraingers@xtra.co.nz ALL BULLS BVD TESTED AND VACCINATED TWO SEASON FOOT GUARANTEE

Browns

Morrinsville Private Sales 07 889 5965 - Hamish

Mangaotuku

KIA TOA CHAROLAIS

Katikati Sale May 25, 1pm 07 552 0815 - Ken 021 520 244 - Craig

7 heifer calves Tahuna Sale 7 bull calves

Ngaruawahia Private Sales 07 825 4763 - John

Waitomo Private Sale 07 873 6968 - Ron Smith

Orena

www.shorthorn.co.nz

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MA COWS due Aug-Nov

$$$$$$$$$$

GET THE WHITEFACE ADVANTAGE

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

MA EWES RWR or SIL

KEVIN & JANE MCDONALD (REPOROA) 07 333 8068 • 027 451 0640 JEFF & NICOLA McDONALD 021 510 351 • kairuruNZ@gmail.com

Thursday 1st June 2017 at Ngakonui – 12noon Offering 48 Quality Rising 2-Year Bulls

Sires of sale bulls: • Kaharau 12-40 • Kaharau 12-218 • Kaharau 11-831 • Kaharau 10-625 • Springdale Clarion 244

26th March at 1:00pm 28 R2YR BULLS

Livestock

TONY AND LOIE PENWARDEN’S HIGH CAPACITY FRIESIAN HERD DISPERSAL SALE

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 8, 2017

DAIRY CLEARING SALE

DISPERSAL SALE SYSTEM 1 OPERATION

MORRINSVILLE SALEYARDS

Monday 15th May 1, 2017

Tuesday 16th May 12 Noon

Friday May 12th 285 Ngatimaru Rd, Tikorangi, Waitara (#43395)

On A/c Murstanberg Ltd 620 Tihoi Rd, Whakamaru Comprising: 460 IC Frs/Frsx Cows BW 72 PW 86 RA 78%

On A/c RJ & JA Tesselaar 100 Fr/Frx Cows BW 36/37 PW 51/60 RA 70% BW’s up to 178 PW’s up to 259 Calving 14/7 LIC Frs 3 weeks – tailed with Frs Bull. Our vendor has owned this herd for 30 years and is only selling due to new farming venture. The cows come forward in excellent condition. Dry since 21/4 and blanket dry cow treated. Enquiries to Bruce Mills 027 574 0242

Held under cover, light luncheon provided. Herd Averages BW 65 PW 68 Rel 98% 10am (sharp): 430 strong Friesian mixed-aged spring calving high-capacity vic cows (310 dry 120 in milk) 1.30pm (approx): 100 budget Friesian vic cows (dry and in-milk) 2.15pm (approx): 100 freshly autumn calved in-milk cows, 5 in-calf R2 Friesian fully recorded heifers NZ Farmers Livestock are privileged to have the opportunity to offer such a quality, highproducing and capacious Friesian herd, bred to A2A2 LIC Friesian bulls for 13 years ownership by our retiring dedicated vendors Tony and Loie Penwarden. Seldom do such an even line of 630 Friesian cows come to the market. The base of the herd has been farmed on the property for 25 years. Temperament and type is second to none. Cows are calving from July 18th, to LIC Friesian A2A2 bulls for 6 weeks and then tailed off with the best of the Downs (Wingrove Stud) PB easy-calving Hereford bulls. The herd produced 457kg MS/cow last year and is consistently producing 450kg MS/cow yearin year-out being commercially farmed producing 2000kg MS/ha annually. The herd TB status is C10. EBL free and vaccinated for Lepto annually. All young stock are vaccinated for BVD annually and bulk milk tested. Four herd tests are carried out throughout every milking lactation. All cows dried off have been administered Cepravin LA dry cow therapy. Buy with confidence as no stone has been left unturned. Trucking from Monday 15th May onwards. Grazing will be available to new sharemilkers and new farm owners until 31st May 2017 at the purchasers risk. All cows staying on will be dried off using Cepravin LA. Payment is June 1st 2017 unless deferred payment arranged prior to the sale by contacting NZFLL Finance (0274 912173). Rebate available to outside agents by contacting Simon prior to the sale. Download the catalogue on www.mylivestock.co.nz or contact:

On A/c Mangahei Farm Partnership 32 Crossbred In Calf Cows BW 102/48 PW 113/73 RA 100% Vetted in-calf, top producing cows. Average production on these cows 506 MS/Cow. Calving from 2/7/17 all July/ Aug calvers. Tailed with Jsy Bulls. Catalogue available on Sale Day. Enquiries to Gareth Price 027 477 7310

LIC Premier sires, last 12 years Kiwi Cross Premier Sires. 4 Weeks AB – tailed with Frs Bulls – out 24 Dec. The herd has been selected for this sale with only the 2-8 Year old sound In Calf cows being offered. SCC Avg 200, C10, EBL Free, BVD Clear, Lepto Vac All cows Blanket Dry cow treated Also on offer: 150 Kiwi Cross IC Heifers – BW 92 PW 92 DTC 25/7 – Bulls out 25 Dec Some farm sundries and machinery for sale at 10:30 am First time Sharemilkers and new farm owners must discuss with the agent in charge (prior to or on sale day) delivery options for cows purchased.

Contact Steve Emile 027 224 3880

Download the app today

KAIMOA

Machinery 10:30am – Herd 11am

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livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

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On Farm Sale Monday, 22nd May 2017 - 1.30pm 1775 MANGAONE VALLEY ROAD EKETAHUNA

Mark & Diana Eagle ‘Chessfield’ 1775 Mangaone Valley Rd Eketahuna

Vendors: Tony and Loie Penwarden 0274 118 946 NZFLL agent: Tim Hurley 0274 451167

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p: 06 376 8256

Vendor agent: Simon Payne 0272 414 585; simon.payne@nzfll.co.nz

e: eagleeketahuna@xtra.co.nz

Kaimoa South Devons have pleasure in putting forward 21 Bulls in 2017 We are committed to producing meaty bulls with good frame, constitution and temperament. With clients’ needs in mind we have sourced new genetics from overseas to maintain the highest qualities in our bulls.

Download the app today

Angus Cattle bred and tested under

COMMERCIAL CONDITIONS SHIAN ANGUS for you

Annual on Farm Sale – Thursday 1st June 2017 @ 3pm

MEADS ROAD TAUMARUNUI 41 BULLS FOR SALE Enquiries & inspections are always welcomed

GLANWORTH

PINEBANK

Joe Fouhy (06) 376 7324 Shaun Fouhy (06) 376 8869

Willie Falloon (06) 372 7041

Bulls Sired by: l Tangihau Kaino H29 l Mangapapa 029 l Shian 468

LOT 1: SHIAN 15-610 l

Libido tested & semen evaluated

l TB

C10, BVD tested & vaccinated

l Lepto l Free

& 10 in 1 Vaccinated

Delivery North Island

Contact: Brian & Sharon Sherson 07 895 7686 Rob & Tracy 07 895 6694/ 027 230 8230 Email: b.sherson@xtra.co.nz www.shianangus.co.nz / Find us on

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W Wai aira rara rapa pa Bu ll k th Bull WalWkal19 18MthayMay 2017 , 2016. Alll vi visi Al sito tors rs w el co welcom me. e.

Livestock

Strathmoor

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

Thursday 11th May - 12 Noon

550 Cattle

Export Contract

Polled Herefords

44 R3 Ang & Ang X Strs 40 R2 Ang & Ang X Strs - 45 R2 D/Beef X Strs 50 R2 Frsn Bulls - 40 R2 D/Beef X Bulls 20 R2 P/Bred Here Hfrs - 50 R2 Ang & A X Hfrs 14 AB M Grey Strs - 100 Wnr Friesian Strs 35 Wnr D/Beef X Strs - 60 Wnr Frsn Bulls 30 Wnr D/Beef X Bulls - 25 Wnr D/Beef X Hfrs

Mid July Delivery

Annual sale June 8th, 2017 at Te Kuiti Saleyards

2016 Born Friesian Heifers (F12+)

Comprising 9 Hereford rising 2-year bulls as part of the Te Kuiti Combined Bull Sale.

$1250 Gross $1250 Gross

300 Sheep

North Island

220 Store Lambs - 80 Ewes For all enquiries Ph 027 4956031 Entries as at 4th May check online for updates

Luke McBride 027 304 0533 Wayne Doran 027 493 8957

Strathmoor are pleased to be offering 1 bull at this year’s National Bull Sale, Beef Expo, Feilding May 15th, 2017

South Island

Richard Harley 021 765 430 Greg Collins 027 481 9772

www.centrallivestock.co.nz

Jon Knauf

Enquiries: Bruce Masters 07 878 8502 1447 Hereheretau Rd, RD 6, WAIROA 4196

John Grainger PGG Wrightson 07 878 8969

Cam Heggie PGG Wrightson 07 855 0448

LK0086930©

or agents PROFIT-A-BULL EXCELLENCE

CONTACT: Or catalogue Jon Knauf 06 838 6793 E: jsknauf@gisborne.net.nz Phil Transom 0274 420 060 PGG Wrightson Ross Mitchell 0274 048 965 Fergus Rural

www.kerrahsimmentals.co.nz

Second On-Farm Bull Auction at Tangiwai Station, Wairoa - 1 pm Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Predominan tly polled performance bulls for auction

ELITE LONG ESTABLISHED HERD AUCTION

A/C: Lama Farms – Mills family DATE: Friday 19 May 2017 ADDRESS: 248 Bird Rd, Stratford, D/C No 40683 START TIME: 11.00am (auction under cover) AUCTION IS HELD IN CONJUNCTION WITH NZ FARMERS LIVESTOCK LTD.

A Simmental bull for every purpose!

COMPRISING OF: • 260 DNA G3 profiled XB cows BW 112 PW 141 R/a 100% HERD DETAILS: • BW up to 193 PW up to 332 • Calving from 27/7 – 4 weeks AB LIC, tailed Angus bulls out 31/12 • 490 MS/cow, HB Shed • TB C10, Lepto Annual, BVD milk clear • Herd all dried off and in good condition

BULL WALK - Thursday 18th May 2017 11.20-11.50am

Ross & Julie McLachlan

Waigroup Stud

Tapiri Stud Pinebank

AUCTIONEERS NOTE: Due to farm sale our companies are privileged to offer this outstanding herd. A great opportunity to purchase high class, high indexed, high performance dairy cows that have been farmed by passionate dairy farmers.

9.55-10.25am

Willie & Angela Falloon

Te Whanga 12.00-12.30pm Lunch provided Stud

PAYMENT TERMS: 1ST JUNE 2017. Farmers without access to farms can graze cattle on to 31 may 2017.

Rob & Robin Borthwick & Scott Gudsell

at Gladstone Inn

10.35-11.05am

having lunch phone: Joan 06 3722838 or email: centralwaiangus@xtra.co.nz

Dandaloo Stud Angus & Trish Thomson LK0087433©

FARM SOURCE LIVESTOCK AGENT: Jason King 027 684 2443 NZ FARMERS LIVESTOCK AGENT: Grant Hobbs 027 477 7406

9.00-9.30am

Gladstone Inn – If intending

1.10-1.40pm

3.05-3.35pm

KayJay Stud Glanworth Stud Neil, Joan & Rod Kjestrup

Joe & Lea, Shaun & Fi Fouhy

1.50-2.20pm

3.45-4.15pm

Oregon Stud Totaranui Stud Keith & Gae Higgins CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LIVESTOCK AGENT

Daimien Reynolds & Tally Jackson

All welcome

PGG Wrightson John Griffith & Co Ltd Carrfields CR Nelson Ltd Kiwi Livestock Ltd Rural Co. Steve Wilkinson John Griffith Dick Chamberlain Craig Nelson Ray Spencer Richard Williams 027 594 5110 027 483 6679 021 945 238 021 457 127 021 544 791 021 519 153

NEED TO MOOOVE SOME STOCK? Advertise your stock sales in The NZ Farmers Weekly Phone Nigel 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@nzx.com

HIGH BW FRSN/ FRSN X HERD DISPERSAL Tuesday 9th May, 11.30am Start 108 Bulmer Rd, Pukeatua A/C B & S Morell Comprising: 300 Frsn (40%) / Frsn x (60%) Inmilk Cows BW83, PW104, RA99% Herd Details • Calving 20th July AB Frsn 5½ weeks • Bull out 20th Dec, Frsn bull Vetted to Dates • 3yr Ave 420p/Cow, (Ave 1.2M/S 28th March), 1730 hec, SCC141 • Cows Inmilk on sale day, cows remaining on property will be dry cowed Boclox • BWs up to 154, PWs to 335 • Lepto vacc/ TB C10/ EBL Free/ BVD Neg/ H/Bone Shed Auctioneer Note Vendors seeking other opportunities after 14 years breeding a compact, high producing herd. Great udder conformation and capacity herd which will come forward in top condition. Delivery – Immediate delivery unless prior arrangement made before auction with Agent. Payment – 1st June 2017 Catalogues available online at Agonline or Contact: Dean Evans 0272 431 092 Richard Todd 0274 942 544

ELITE FRSN/ XBRED HERD & INCALF HEIFERS Thursday 11th May, 11.00am Start 410 Hutchinson Rd, Walton A/C GR Connolly Comprising: 400 Frsn/ XBred Inmilk Cows, BW96, PW118, RA95% 100 Rising 2yr XBred Incalf Heifers, BW114, PW135 Herd/ Heifer Details • Herd not offered for sale privately • Herd due 15th July, 4 weeks AB XBred B.o.D • Tailed off Friesian Bulls, Bulls out 15th December • Production 480M/S last season, SCC 75,000 • Cows Inmilk on sale day, cows staying will be dry cow treated • TB C10, Lepto Vacc, EBL Free, BVD tested neg, H/Bone Shed • Heifers calving 10th July, Jersey Bull Auctioneers Note: Vendor emphasis on strong, capacious cows with top udders to produce consistently year after year. Delivery – Immediate delivery unless prior arrangement with Agent before Auction. Payment – 14 days from Sale, unless prior arrangement with Agent before Sale. Catalogues available on our website Agonline or Contact: Jason Roberts 0272 431 429

COMPLETE HERD & REPLACEMENT SALE Friday 12th May, 11.00am Start Jary Rd, Cambridge D.C 73487 A/C Lansdale Friesians Comprising: 151 Incalf Friesian Cows 25 Inmilk Empty Friesian Cows 70 Incalf R2 Friesian Heifers 90 Rising Yearling Friesian Heifers This is a long established Friesian herd (99 years), farmed by owners that have carefully selected sires from mainly overseas with strong production & conformation traits. This season the herd has produced over 400MS/Cow & was still doing 1.7MS/Cow on the 27/03/17 herd test. There are many very good families & individuals within the herd our vendors’ have spent a lifetime breeding that would complement any purchasers’ herd. Cows calving from 18th July for 6wks AI then run with recorded Frsn Bulls. Incalf Heifers calving from 15th July to Angus easy calve bulls & are approx. 480kg. Heifer calves are well grown & in good condition, showing good dairy type. Mark this date on your calendar if you require genuine cattle that will move & perform at a high standard. TB C10, EBL Free, BVD neg, Lepto Vacc, Herringbone Shed. Further Information on Agonline or Contact: Andrew Reyland 0272 237 092 Peter Schnuriger 0272 431 836

(in top 10 All Breeds for NZ )

•

Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 8, 2017

RIVERLEE HEREFORDS

PICK OF HERD

1st Annual Bull Sale 14th June 2017, 1pm

Flexible with numbers. Pick 50/80 from 160.to be one of Outstanding genetics & potential the countries leading suppliers 440kg ms cows.of Genetics to the dairy industry for years to come. Full details Cell count 167. DTC 30 July. available. Young good conformation herd.

LK0087479©

Enquiries to the sole marketing agents:

Held under cover on farm 2354 Rangiwahia Rd Rangiwahia, Manawatu

Capital Stock Shorthorn Female Dispersal Account Brigadoon Shorthorn On farm 23 Porteous Road Winton Thurs 18 May, 1pm

All enquiries to: McDonald 0272 188 904 BrianNeil Robinson BRLL Brian410051 Robinson 410 051 PH: 0272 or0272 07 8583132

Gary Falkner Jersey Marketing Service PH: 027 482 8771 or 07 846 4491

63 Pedigree Shorthorn Cows. Exceptional line up of Shorthorn genetics. Further Inquiries Callum McDonald, 0274 336 443 PGG Wrightson Terry Cairns, Peter Walsh 0274 917 069 “South Stock, a division of PW&A Ltd” John and Lindy Dobson 03 236 1139

2017 Bull Sales Bull Walk A great chance to see around 1100 R2 Bulls over five days that will be auctioned this season. South & Mid Canterbury Tuesday 23rd May 1pm to 4pm Kakahu Angus/Centrewood Charolais, Geraldine Meadowslea Angus, Fairlie Stern Angus, Pleasant Point Tuesday 23rd May 10am to 4pm Merrylea Hereford, Cave Orari Gorge Hereford, Geraldine Okawa Hereford, Mayfield Matatoki Hereford, Cave

Gerald Hargreaves David Giddings James Fraser

03 6974858 03 685 8027 03 614 7080

James McKerchar Robert Peacock Nick France Paul Scott

03 614 3332 03 692 2893 03 303 9749 03 612 9962

Central Canterbury Wednesday 24th May 12pm to 4pm Sudeley Angus, Irwell Andrew Laing Richon & Beechwood Hereford, Oxford Rob Stokes Rob Burrows Silverstream Charolais & Hereford, Greenpark Brent Fisher

03 329 1709 03 312 4362 0272 633 582 0272 514 791

North Canterbury Thursday 25th May 10am to 4pm Red Oak Angus, Weka Pass Rick Orr Grampians Angus, Culverden Jono Reed Hemingford Charolais, Culverden Sam Holland Kaiwara Angus, Culverden George Johns Grassmere Hereford & Riverlands Angus, Cheviot Chris Jeffries Capethorne Hereford, Cheviot Greg Chamberlain Te Mania Angus, Conway Flat Will Wilding

0272 457 751 0272 580 732 0211 814 868 0221 983 599 0274 608 849 021 549 229 027 826 4015

Marlborough Bull Walk Friday 26th May 10am to 4pm Matariki Herefords, Clarence Bridge James Murray Woodbank Angus, Clarence Bridge Johnny Murray Taimate Angus, Ward Paul Hickman Waterfall Angus, Awatere Charles Waddy Burtergill South Devon, Koromiko Richard Van Asch Brackenfield Angus, Awatere Angus Peter

027 486 6699 027 731 9430 021 575 155 03 575 7388 021 191 5584 027 428 7906

Selling Agents: PGG Wrightson Callum Stewart 027 280 2688 Alex Stewart 027 461 1215

www.agonline.co.nz or www.herefords.co.nz Enquiries & Visitors Welcome Murray & Fiona Curtis 06 328 2881

Email: mfcurtis@farmside.co.nz

COMPLETE DISPERSAL SALE

Feilding Weaner Sale

240 Frsn Frsn x I/C cows Tuesday 16 May 10.30am Start Machinery first then cows straight after. Cows start no later than 11.30am A/C Tetley-Jones Dairy, 4765 State Highway 1, Tokoroa - Dairy Number 78143 BW61, PW82 – Ancestry 98% 9 C/O Rising 4yr in calf to Hereford bull Milked on a flat to rolling. The cows produced 440M/S and are doing 1450 M/S per hectare. 220 calves reared on whole milk for 2016. Cows will all be drycowed 30 April 2017 Emphasis on nominating sires with low SCC (Currently 58 this season), big capacity, strong udder traits and temperament has bred a uniform, profitable, hard working herd that our vendors are proud to offer for sale with confidence. Herd calving from 18 July for 6 weeks AI and tailed with Hereford Bulls, bulls came out 31 December 2016. Scanned to dates. Mark this sale down as a must attend if you are looking for top replacement cattle. TB C10, EBL Free, Lepto Vacc, BVD Neg, Herringbone Shed.

Thurs 18 May 11.30am A/C R Alabaster Family Trust – Taihape Kowhanui Stn 180 Ang & Ang/Hfd Strs 180 Ang & Ang/Hfd Hfrs Rangitane Stn 100 Ang & Ang/Hfd Strs 100 Ang & Ang/Hfd Hfrs Great Opportunity to buy well bred traditional cattle. Heifers suitable for breeding

MACHINERY: John Deere tractor 6125 120 HP 1200 hours, water blaster, hedge clippers, calf feeders, Cause Mag spreader, generator, hand tools,block and tackle, pipe spanners, mower, trailer, calf trailer, silage wagon, round bale feeder, Polaris 4x4, bale clamp, bike weed sprayer, hip lifters, electirc fence reels and standards, car trailer, diesel tank 1000 ltrs.

St Arnaud, Wakefield & Rai Valley Bull Walk Saturday 27th May 10am to 4pm Lake Herefords, St Arnaud Malcolm McConochie 021 251 0078 Martin Farming Hereford & Angus, Wakefield Richard Martin 027 230 3098 Blacknight Angus, Rai Valley Ben Maisey 03 571 6271

A/C Umutoi Valley Farms Ltd C/- SM O’Reilly Apiti 80 Ang Strs 80 Ang Hfrs Further Inquiries Maurice Stewart 06 323 9654 0272 469 255

Delivery – Immediate unless prior arrangement made with Agent. Payment – 1st June 2017. LK0087400©

Further enquiries Callum Dunnett, PGGWrightson – 0275 908 612 Anthony Cox, Rural Livestock – 0272 083 071

21 R2yr Polled Hereford Bulls

HILL COUNTRY BRED FOR HILL COUNTRY FARMERS

Catalogues available online at Agonline or Contact: Bill Donnelly 0274 932 063 Buy and sell livestock at

LIVESTOCK ADVERTISING 0800 85 25 80

LK0087319©

•

Many cows contracted to LIC for–2011 livestock@nzx.com 0800matings 85 25 80 Due to calve from 16-7-12, 6.5 weeks AB Jersey and Kiwi cross Estimated to be 420 cows after non pregnant, culls, older cows & 5% rejection Production last season 347kgs ms/cow, 1000kgs ms/ha, on rolling to steeper contoured Friesian farm, noand meal, palm kernel FriesianX cows or maize fed. Medium size, off hilly farm. Young replacement stock also available

LK0087409©

• •

Livestock

THE NEW ZEALAND FARMERS WEEKLY – May 8, 2017

SALE TALK

With a jolt he remembered he was in New York and reached for his wallet. It was gone. And the youth who bumped him was hurrying down the street. Our lad sprinted after him, grabbed him by the shirt-front and backed him against a wall. “Ok pal. You’ve met your match. You are dealing with a tough as Aussie. Hand over that wallet.”

OKAHU

Polled Herefords 47TH ANNUAL BULL SALE

Clearing Sale

Wairoa Cow & Cattle Fair

Thursday 18 May 2017, 3pm

Thursday 11th May at 11.00am

Poplarbrae Jersey & Xbred Cows Monday 15 May 11.30 Start Morrinsville Saleyards A/c S & H McDonald 154 Jsy/JsyX I/c Cows BW32 PW44 52 Jsy/JsyX I/c Hfrs BW48 PW60 RA95% Calving 15 July AB 6 weeks Jsy/Frsn Bull out 22 Dec tailed Ang & Jsy Bulls Blanket Dry Cow LEPTO Vacc/TB C10/EBL free/BVD neg

Okahu Sonny Bill

• 2014 Champion Asia/Africa in World Hereford Championships • Champion of Champion at 2014 Aginnovation

Due to ill health of my vendors reluctantly we offer this herd & complete replacement line of I/c Hfrs. Cows that will shift. Delivery Immediate unless prior arrangements before auction with agent. Payment 1st June 2017. Catalogue available on Agonline Further Inquiries Chris Elliott

0275 904 827

Approximately 20 two-year old bulls to be sold on property BVD clear & vaccinated - TB status C10 Semen tested - 2 x Covexin 10

Contact: Kelly O’Neill 06 385 4558 Callum Stewart, National Genetics Manager, PGG Wrightson 027 280 2688 Ken Roberts, PGG Wrightson Livestock Representative 0275 918 042

Okahu Herefords are run under natural conditions at an altitude of 2000 feet and over, near Mt Ruapehu. Our aim is to breed hardy, heavy muscled, good hindquartered cattle which can compete with sheep on the hills.

The youth produced a wallet, ducked out of the grip and ran. It wasn’t until our brave, tough Ocker got back to his room that he saw his wallet where he had left it beside the bed!!

K.A. O’Neill - 7425 Valley Road, RD6, Raetihi 4696

OKAHU - Over 100 years of breeding Herefords

NEED TO MOOOVE SOME STOCK?

PGG Wrightson will offer approximately 1725 cattle including: 600 Cows VIC 250 R3yr Heifers VIC 15 R3yr Heifers with calves at foot 60 R3yr Steers 530 R2yr Steers 170 R2yr Heifers 50 Wnr Steers 50 Wnr Heifers Special entries: A/c Mahurangi Stn 250 R3yr Ang Heifers vic Ang 20/10 60 R3yr Ang & Ang/Here Steers A/c Cricklewood Stn 100 Top Ang R2yr Steers A/c Mangatwhiti Stn 27 R9yr Ang & Ang/Here Cows vic Ang 25/11 45 Ang Ang/Here R2yr Steers A/c Tangihau Stn 135 R9 & 10yr Ang Cows vic Ang 7/12 50 Ang R2yr Steers A/c Okare Stn 135 R9 Ang Cows vic Ang 10/12 200 Ang R2yr Steers A/c Marewa Stn 80 R9&10yr Ang & Ang/here Cows vic Ang & Here 1/12 A/c Papuni Stn 80 R2yr Ang & Ang/Here Strs 100 R9yr Ang & Ang/Here Cows vic Ang & Here 1/12 A/c Ngati Pahaurewa 100 Ang R2yr Heifers Grand opportunity to purchase large lines of genuine one earmarked well bred hill country cattle. Enquires: Ian Rissetto Mason Birrell

Advertise your stock sales in The NZ Farmers Weekly Phone Nigel 0800 85 25 80 or email livestock@nzx.com

06 838 8604 06 838 7091

0274 449 347 0274 967 253

Buy and sell livestock at

Providing the most comprehensive Dairy Livestock network in New Zealand. HERDS FOR SALE:

HEIFERS FOR SALE:

AUCTIONS

Computer Split 200 from 520 M/A X/B Cows, BW:71, PW:78. Nice young Herd in great condition that will shift well, OAD from 1st October, Minimal Inputs, Herd Test Available.

67 Frsn, FJX I/C Hfrs, BW:100, PW:96. Complete Replacement Line, quality Frsn Hfrs, Farm Sold.

(Agonline Ref: 061466)

65 Jsy, X/B I/C Hfrs, BW:122, PW:120. Capital Stock Line of Jsy/Jsy X Dairy Hfrs, Very Well Grown.

A/C: Nj & Sr Morell - High Bw Frsn/Frsn X Herd Dispersal - Pukeatua, Waikato 300 Frsn (40%), Frsn X (60%) InMilk Cows, BW:83, PW:W104, RA 99%. Tue 9 Apr, 11:30am Richard Todd, 0274 942 544

$1,650 +GST

Dean Evans, 0272 431 092

200 M/A Cows, BW:34, PW:44. Pick 200 from 230 Tidy Hard Working Herd, off Grass and Silage only platform. Doing over 1:1 MS to Liveweight.

$1,795 +GST

(Agonline Ref: 061369)

Tim Gallagher, 0278 012 888

48 3-6yr Frsn/Frsn X Carry Over Cows, BW:98, PW:140. Very Good Line of Frsn & Frsn X Carry Over Cows with very good figures.

$1,750 +GST

(Agonline Ref: 060879)

Mark Houghton, 0275 975 844

$1,600 +GST

(Agonline Ref: 061468)

Phil Owen, 0274 843 186

$1,500 +GST

(Agonline Ref: 061437)

Kim Harrison, 0275 010 013

30 Frsn, X/B I/C Hfrs, BW:79, PW:85. Nice Blend of mainly X/Bred Hfrs, Surplus to Requirements, Hfrs that will slot into a Commercial Herd nicely.

$1,575 +GST

(Agonline Ref: 061359)

Roddy Bridson, 0274 582 775

40 Frsn, FJX I/C Hfrs, BW:43, PW:62. Nice Well Grown Hfrs, Worth a Look.

$1,390 +GST

384 M/A Black X Bred Frsn Cows, BW:98, PW:119. A Beautiful Black Cross Bred Frsn Herd, got everything you want in a Top Herd, New to the Market.

(Agonline Ref: 061483)

(Agonline Ref: 061338)

$1,300 +GST

Mark Neil, 0277 428 580

$1,900 +GST

48 Frsn/FJX I/C Hfrs, BW:62, PW:85. Well Grown Line of Hfrs, Priced to Sell.

Jason Roberts, 0272 431 429

(Agonline Ref: 061432)

340 M/A Frsn, X/B, Jsy Cows, BW:70, PW:81. Good Northland Herd, Computer Split from 600 Cow Herd.

$1,500 +GST

(Agonline Ref: 061471)

Darryl Williamson, 0294 329 285

Simon Rouse, 0274 924 805

Herd Dispersal Of Quality Jersey & Xbred Cows & Incalf Heifers, Taranaki A/c: Wisnewski Family Trust, Upper Norfolk Road, Inglewood. Comp: 180 Jersey InMilk Cows, 42 Jersey Incalf Heifers. Tue 9 May, 11:00am Jeff See, 0275 680 813 Elite Friesian/Xbred Herd And Incalf Heifers - A/C Gr Connolly, Waikato 410 Hutchinson Rd,Walton: 400 Frsn/XBred Inmlik Cows, BW:96, PW:118, RA95%, 100 R2yr XBred Incalf Heifers, BW:114, PW:135. Thu 11 May, 11:00am Jason Roberts, 0272 431 429

For photos and more information visit www.agonline.co.nz:

31 Kiwi X I/C Hfrs, BW:97, PW:111. Very nice Kiwi X Hfrs out of a long established Herd, well grown, DNA profiled.

$1,400 +GST

(Agonline Ref: 061431)

Simon Rouse, 0274 924 805

www.pggwrightson.co.nz

Helping grow the country

LK0087367©

The lad from Australia got quite a buzz walking down Fifth Avenue in the heart of the Big Apple. He was looking up at the skyscrapers when he felt someone bump him slightly.

livestock@nzx.com – 0800 85 25 80

MARKET SNAPSHOT

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Dairy

Grain & Feed

MILK PRICE FORECAST ($/KGMS) 2016-17

SHEEP MEAT

DOMESTIC

FONTERRA 2016-17

AGRIHQ 2016-17

6.00

6.22

AS OF 23/02/2017

AS OF 04/05/2017

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Canterbury (NZ$/t)

Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week Prior week

Last year

NI lamb (17kg)

6.10

6.00

5.10

Milling Wheat

333

347

NI mutton (20kg)

3.70

2.40

Feed Wheat

321

304

289

SI lamb (17kg)

5.90

5.85

4.75

Feed Barley

328

312

267

SI mutton (20kg)

3.75

3.70

2.30

PKE

218

226

198

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

Waikato (NZ$/t)

9.01

8.77

7.77

Maize Grain

406

395

347

PKE

216

222

204

Feb 17

Apr 17 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

US$/t

WMP GDT PRICES AND NZX FUTURES

* 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.

Last week

Prior week

Last year

Wheat - Nearest

237

216

242

Corn - Nearest

210

204

213

319

313

344

4.5

3500

APW Wheat

3000

ASW Wheat

305

303

329

2500

Feed Wheat

290

286

289

Feed Barley

277

271

263

South Island 1 7kg lamb

6.5 6.0

PKE (US$/t)

Apr 17 Jul 17 NZX WMP Futur es

5.0

CBOT futures (NZ$/t)

Australia (NZ$/t)

1500 Jul 16 Oct 16 Jan 17 C2 Fonter r a WMP

6.0 5.5

INTERNATIONAL

4000

2000

6.5 $/kg

Dec 16 AgriHQ Spot Fonterra forecast

North Island 17kg lamb 7.0

Ex-Malaysia

NZ venison 60kg stag

5.5

600

$/kg

4 Oct 16

UK CKT lamb leg

c/kkg (net)

MILK PRICE COMPARISON

$/kgMS

Sheep

5005.0 4004.5 300

4.0

Oct Oct

Dec Dec

Feb Feb

5‐yr ave NZX DAIRY FUTURES (US$/T) Nearby contract

Prior week

vs 4 weeks ago

WMP

3220

3175

2850

SMP

2085

2100

AMF

6160

Butter

4900

Last week

Prior week

Last year

(NZ$/kg)

Last week

Prior week

Last year

1950

Urea

507

505

29 micron

6.65

8.95

5700

5460

Super

317

330

35 micron

3.85

5.90

4790

4450

DAP

840

39 micron

3.80

3.75

5.85

739

2750 Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

10411

12576

S&P/NZX 50 INDEX

7378

$/kg

250 150 Apr 13

Apr 14

Apr 15

Apr 16

Feed barley

IT WAS another action packed week for investors as the global reporting season continued and the local reporting season began. There were also many economic releases locally and abroad and two important central bank meetings. Both the Reserve Bank of Australia and the United States Federal Reserve held rates this week. The US Fed is expected to cut rates at next month’s meeting. The market also looked to the French election on Sunday. Centrist candidate Emmanuel Macron remained the firm favourite, polling 20% higher than opponent Marine Le Pen. The biggest event on the local calendar was the release of first quarter unemployment data. The unemployment rate fell to 4.9% in the March quarter from 5.2% in the fourth quarter last year. There was a slight uptick in the participation rate at 70.6% and employment growth continued to outpace population growth. The unemployment rate for men fell from 4.8% to 4.2% while for women it held steady at 5.7% with construction, accommodation and food service leading the filled jobs by sector. Disappointingly, annual wage inflation remained stagnant at 1.6%, a figure well below the inflation rate of 2.2%. Market commentary provided by Craigs Investment Partners

S&P/FW AG EQUITY

350

4 w eeks ago

Sharemarket Briefing

S&P/FW PRIMARY SECTOR

600

c/k kg (net)

NZ$/t

US$/t

3000

S&P/NZX 10 INDEX

7325

NZ venison 60kg stag

5.5

450

3250

39 micron wool price

6.5

CANTERBURY FEED PRICES

3500

Latest price

This yr

NZ average (NZ$/t)

WMP FUTURES - VS FOUR WEEKS AGO

Jul

Last yr

AugAug

WOOL

* price as at close of business on Thursday

Jun

JunJun

FERTILISER

Last price*

2500

AprApr

Apr 17

PKE spot

Auckland International Airport Limited

300

2.5Oct Oct

Dec

Feb

Apr

Last yr

Jun

Aug

This yr

Dollar Watch

YTD High

YTD Low

7.04

7.43

6.31

Meridian Energy Limited

2.81

2.95

2.57

Spark New Zealand Limited Fletcher Building Limited Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Ltd Mercury NZ Limited (NS) Ryman Healthcare Limited Contact Energy Limited Vector Limited Z Energy Limited

3.70 8.54 10.00 3.22 8.53 5.19 3.29 7.63

3.74 10.86 10.18 3.25 9.05 5.26 3.30 7.75

3.32 7.77 8.50 2.94 8.12 4.65 3.14 6.80

Listed Agri Shares

400 3.5

5‐yr ave

Top 10 by Market Cap Company

4.5 500

5pm, close of market, Thursday

Company

YTD High

YTD Low

The a2 Milk Company Limited

3.460

3.580

2.060

Cavalier Corporation Limited

0.610

0.810

0.550

Comvita Limited

6.900

8.650

6.000

Delegat Group Limited

6.300

6.720

5.650

Foley Family Wines Limited

1.310

1.500

1.200

Fonterra Shareholders' Fund (NS)

5.900

6.400

5.890

Livestock Improvement Corporation Ltd (NS)

2.600

2.610

2.550

New Zealand King Salmon Investments Ltd

1.350

1.420

1.220

PGG Wrightson Limited

0.590

0.490

Sanford Limited (NS)

7.290

7.750

6.700

Scales Corporation Limited

3.380

3.650

3.210

Seeka Limited

5.230

5.500

4.300

Tegel Group Holdings Limited

1.170

1.460

1.120

S&P/FW Primary Sector

10411

10433

9307

S&P/FW Agriculture Equity

12576

12620

10899

S&P/NZX 50 Index

7378

7422

6971

S&P/NZX 10 Index

7325

7359

6927

WEAKER commodity This Prior Last NZD vs prices stopped the kiwi week week year dollar moving higher USD 0.6868 0.6880 0.6881 against a broadly weaker EUR 0.6252 0.6325 0.6035 United States dollar late in AUD 0.9271 0.9208 0.9222 the week. Markets were looking GBP 0.5314 0.5329 0.4751 to the weekend US payroll Correct as of 9am last Friday figures for direction and they could surprise either way, Westpac Bank strategist Imre Speizer said. Ahead of the release, markets were taking the view the Federal Reserve was settling on an interest rate rise next month. That would fit in with Speizer’s core view of a stronger US economy, rising interest rates and a strong US dollar eventually reappearing this year. He thinks the kiwi will fall below US$0.68, having already gone as low as 0.6840 in the latest easing trend. For an outside view on the main dollar cross, the big Canadian financial services group TD Securities, in a new report, forecasts a US$0.66 rate for the kiwi by year-end and staying there through the end of next year. That is based on a loss of interest rate yield advantage with the US Fed raising and the RBNZ indicating it plans to keep rates unchanged for a couple of years yet. TD Securities says there is even a possibility US rates could overtake NZ’s. Speizer expects the kiwi to weaken against the Aussie dollar, yen and euro over the next three months but to rise against sterling as its strong recent gains are potentially undone by Brexit issues.

Alan Williams

Markets

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017

WAIKATO MAIZE GRAIN

NI SLAUGHTER LAMB

SI SLAUGHTER LAMB

($/T)

($/KG)

BONER FRIESIAN COWS, 475-525KG, AT TEMUKA

($/KG)

($/KG LW)

6.10

406

5.90

Cattle & Deer BEEF Slaughter price (NZ$/kg)

Last week

Prior week

Last year

NI Steer (300kg)

5.70

5.30

NI Bull (300kg)

5.60

5.30

NI Cow (200kg)

4.30

4.35

4.20

SI Steer (300kg)

5.50

5.40

5.00

SI Bull (300kg)

5.15

5.05

4.75

SI Cow (200kg)

3.95

4.00

3.50

US imported 95CL bull

7.42

7.18

6.80

US domestic 90CL cow

6.98

6.76

6.98

Export markets (NZ$/kg)

North Island steer (300kg)

6.5

$/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

4.0

300

3.5

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)

8.40

7.45

NI Hind (50kg)

8.30

7.35

SI Stag (60kg)

8.60

7.45

SI Hind (50kg)

8.50

7.35

New Zealand venison (60kg Stag)

9.5

$/kg

8.5

NZ venison 60kg stag

c/k kg (net)

600

7.5

500

400 6.5 300 5.5Oct

Oct

Dec Feb Dec Feb 5‐yr ave

Apr Apr Last yr

Jun Jun

Aug Aug This yr

1.66

$2.50-$2.60/kg high lights R2 Hereford-Friesian heifers, 350-400kg, at Frankton

$1310-$1530 Traditional beef cows, vetted-in-calf to Angus bulls at Stortford Lodge

Prices ease off as more hit market

AMB numbers throughout the North Island have been steadily increasing over the past few weeks, and prices are now starting to ease as buyers easily fill orders. Stortford Lodge offered up 9400, while the last three weeks has seen yardings of 16,000-22,000 at Feilding. Good male lambs have eased to $95-$110, with similar ewe lambs trading at $90$100. NORTHLAND NORTHLAND A catch up sale at WELLSFORD saw over 1100 store cattle on offer, following a month of weaner fairs and short weeks. Quality in the R2 steer pens was good, and the big yarding of 460 head sold to a determined audience, with prices firm. Good quality, well-marked HerefordFriesian sold in excess of $3/kg, regardless of weight, with second cuts making $2.90-$2.99/kg. Beef-cross lines mainly traded at $2.82-$2.94/ kg, while Angus, 376-395kg, returned $3.03-$3.13/kg. A small offering of R2 bulls also sold well, with the better types making $2.83-$2.95/kg. The R2 heifer market eased however, and Angus-Friesian, 344-384kg, returned $2.80-$2.88/kg, and Angus, 400-406kg, $2.79-$2.89/kg. Weaner numbers were respectable, though quality mixed, and prices reflected the selection on offer. Most steers were medium types that made $650-$790, and lighter, $500-$600. In the heifer pens, Hereford-Friesian, 140-235kg, returned $555-$720, while good Angus, 220-319kg, sold for $725-$910. With winter approaching many vendors took the opportunity to offload into KAIKOHE sale yards last Wednesday, with around 900 cattle on the books. Easing schedules, and a hint of winter, were the main drivers

VISTA: John Templeton of Matukituki Station inspects his calves before last week’s sale. More photos: farmersweekly.co.nz

for a more subdued market, with crossbred cattle in particular hard to move, PGG Wrightson agent Vaughan Vujcich reported.The best of the R2 steers were beef-cross and exoticcross, and sold on a steady market at $3.00-$3.12/kg, with the remainder making $2.85-$2.92/kg. Bids were hard to find for crossbred cattle of lesser quality, with most making $2.40-$2.60/kg. Bull prices were

resilient, and most traded at $2.80$2.90/kg, though again crossbred dropped away to $2.40/kg. A similar result in the heifer pens saw good lines sell to $2.90-$3.02/kg, while lesser sorts made $2.40-$2.50/kg. The weaner steer pens included Gelvbieh, exotic and beef lines, with most trading at $3.00-$3.60/kg, while better

Continued page 46

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Markets

46 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017 dairy-beef bulls made $3.10$3.20/kg, and lighter types, $3.40$3.60/kg. A big yarding of weaner heifers proved hard to shift, with top lines easing to $3.00-$3.20/ kg, and light, $3.60-$4.00/kg.A large yarding of vetted-in-calf and boner cows finished off the sale, with prices easing as heavy Friesian made $1.70-$1.75/kg, and medium types, $1.60-$1.65/kg. AUCKLAND AUCKLAND Prices softened at PUKEKOHE on Saturday 29th April, as very wet conditions and easing schedules take the edge off the market for both prime and store cattle. Prime cattle prices eased, with the best of the steers, 743kg, making $2.85/kg, and 496kg, $2.70/kg. Heifers, 596kg, returned $2.80/ kg, while bulls, 319-478kg, made $2.41-$2.57/kg. Boner cows also softened, with heavier types earning $1.70/kg, and lighter, $1.46/kg. While quality store cattle sold up to recent levels, lesser types were harder to shift, as colder days remind sale goers that winter is approaching. R2 steers, 390-446kg, sold for $2.69-$2.80/ kg, while heifers, 417-487kg, made $2.68-$2.79/kg. The 15-month section offered up a few cattle, and steers 324kg, made $3.17/kg, while lesser quality lines traded at $2.87/kg. Heifers in medium condition, and weighing 350375kg returned $2.60-$2.80/kg, with lighter types sold on a per head value, with 231kg managing $3.11/kg. A small offering of weaners sold to reasonable demand, with steers, 157-181kg, fetching $600-$670, and heifers, 132-136kg, $495-$630. COUNTIES COUNTIES The cold start to May pushed more cattle into the market at TUAKAU last week, and store cattle prices eased, Carrfields agent Keith West reported.Sheep had a solid week however, with last Monday’s sale seeing store lambs sell on a firm market, and primes steady. Top store lambs traded at $88-$104, with the next tier making $72-$86. Heavy prime lambs fetched $130-$141, medium $113-$126, and lighter, $100-$122. A small offering of ewes made $85-$103.Results were mixed for the prime cattle sale last Wednesday. Steers sold on a steady market, with heavy types making $2.83-$2.88/kg, medium $2.79-$2.82/kg, and lighter, $2.67$2.77/kg. Heifer prices came back 5-10c/kg, with tops making $2.80-$2.86/kg and medium $2.73-$2.79/kg, while dairy were well off the pace at $2.08-$2.10/ kg. Bulls traded at $2.39-$2.82/kg. Beef cows sold up to recent levels at $2.07-$2.21/kg, while heavy Friesian returned $1.79-$1.89/kg, medium $1.67-$1.76/kg, and light, $1.46-$1.60/kg.The feature of the week was a big yarding of store cattle last Thursday, but buying power was limited to locals, and bids had a cautious air to them. R3 steers, 481-555kg, sold to $2.70-$2.81/kg, and the best of the R2 steers at similar levels, with 415-475kg, earning $2.71-$2.76/ kg. Prices did not move much for the remainder either, with medium and light steers making $925-$1115, $2.70-$2.78/kg. Heifer prices eased 20c/kg, with top lines earning $950-$1130, and medium, $770-$900. R2 bulls sold for $1290-

$1305, $2.45-$2.70/kg. In the weaner pens, the best of the steers made $820-$880, medium $710$780, and light, $600-$670. Bulls, 160-230kg, traded at $590-$810, and heifers, $670-$700 for the tops, with the remainder making $590-$660. BAY OF PLENTY BAY OF PLENTY Cattle poured into RANGIURU sale yards last Tuesday, with an unexpectedly large yarding of 1390 penned. Weaners overflowed into the sheep pens as line sizes were mainly small, and the sale finished up at 5.30pm, after a half hour delay to the start. All shopping lists were ticked off, as cattle of all ages and sizes were offered, but despite the bigger number, there was enough buying power to keep the bids flowing. Heavy boner cows made $1.66$1.69/kg, with lighter types easing to $1.53-$1.58/kg. Prime steers, and the better R3 lines, were steady at $2.76-$2.89/kg, and R2 Hereford-Friesian also improved to $2.85-$2.93/kg. The best of the older heifers were Angus, 486490kg, at $2.76-$2.80/kg, while most Hereford-Friesian sold for $2.46-$2.67/kg. Wet paddocks pushed more weaners into the marketplace, with Hereford heifer’s featuring, and at 208246kg, returned $675-$760, while Hereford-Friesian were mainly lighter types and made $400-$535. Steers of similar breeding, and 135-160kg, returned $582-$685, and Friesian bulls, 120-160kg, $500-$700. WAIKATO A record yarding of 1710 store cattle and boner cows were offered at FRANKTON last Wednesday, with the last lines of the 230 offered still in the rostrum at 7pm. Two frosts and good prices drew out the cattle, with the bulk of the yarding R2 cattle and weaners, though cows also had a good showing. Store prices generally eased, though boner Friesian cows sold well, with top lines making $1.72-$1.84/kg, and medium, $1.59-$1.68/kg. Good quality store cattle sold to recent levels, with R2 Hereford-Friesian steers, 364-387kg, at $3.04-$3.12/ kg, while similar weighted Friesian and Hereford-Jersey made $2.79-$2.86/kg. Friesian bulls sold well enough, though prices did ease 5-10c/kg. Quality lines, 399-477kg, made $2.82-$2.98/kg, with second cuts earning $2.69$2.79/kg. Results were mixed for a large yarding of heifers, with top lines selling on a steady market at $2.78-$2.84/kg, though a large portion of the yarding of mainly beef-Friesian eased to $2.46-$2.60/kg.There was little let-up in weaner prices, despite the lateness of the day, and Friesian bulls, 188-212kg, made $755-$800, with lighter types earning $610-$650. HerefordFriesian steers, 150-190kg, traded at $685-$815, while two lines of Angus, 241-245kg, made a tidy $900. Hereford-Friesian heifers, 145-211kgs, sold for $600-$730, though Hereford-cross 168-235kg, eased to $490-$670. Vetted-in-calf Angus-cross cows went under the hammer for $1220-$1420, $2.09$2.18/kg. TARANAKI TARANAKI A busy week at STRATFORD

started with 250 cow last Tuesday, and ended with a bigger than expected yarding of store cattle last Wednesday, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Stephen Sutton reported.Boner cow prices eased slightly last Tuesday, with heavy sorts making $1.70-$1.80/ kg, medium $1.60-$1.70/kg and lighter, $1.40-$1.50/kg. Young farming cows still managed $1.90$2.15/kg, giving vendors a $50$100 premium. A handful of good conditioned, in-calf dairy heifers sold for $1200-$1300, $2.50-$2.60/ kg.Wednesday numbers swelled from the expected 250 to just over 500 head, which added pressure to the market, but the lighter, older cattle, and weaner markets were resilient. R3 steers did ease 5-8c/ kg, with $2.80/kg common, while heavy R2 steers made $2.80-$2.90/ kg. Good competition for steers, 340-430kg, kept prices above $3/ kg, with 375kg averaging $3.06/kg. Most heifers tended to sell around $2.70/kg, though some lighter types managed $2.90-$3.00/kg. Despite the lateness of the season, people are still looking for weaner cattle, and this market held up well. The steer pens featured Speckle Park, 280kg, at $1005, while other lines, 170-200kg, traded at $750-$800, with only very off-types making less than $650. A similar result in the heifer pens saw 170-200kg average $650$750, while bulls, 135-160kg, were steady at $650. POVERTY BAY POVERTY BAY There was too much hesitancy among store lamb buyers at MATAWHERO and prices fell as a result. Colder conditions have hindered demand, but store lamb are still readily available. Heavy male lambs were $100-$110. There was a split in the medium to lighter types. Half made $89-$93, but two large shorn lines managed $101.50-$102. Heavy to medium ewe lambs made $95-$101.50, while medium to lighter lines were $73.50-$88. A line of mixed age run-with-ram ewes made $90. Prime ewes were $75-$78. HAWKE’S BAY HAWKE’S BAY Store lamb prices eased last week at STORTFORD LODGE, with large numbers now hitting the market. The in-calf cow fair sold to expectations last Wednesday, with vendors well rewarded.Limited numbers of prime sheep played into vendor’s hands last Monday, while tightening space and easing schedules saw prime cattle prices soften.Just 500 prime sheep were offered, and ewes set a precedent for the lambs, with two very heavy lines making $131-$138, and the next cut earning $90-$112. No lines sold under $70. The lamb market was very solid with mainly mixed sex offered, and the bulk fetched $112-$130. Big lines of empty Angus and Angus-Hereford steers were popular, and the $2.92-$2.99/kg price tag reflected their empty weight. Angus also dominated the cow pens as vetted empty lines were offered. Prices eased, with just one small line selling to $2.01/kg, with most other heavier types at $1.81-$1.92/ kg, and medium, $1.71/kg. Heifer quality was very mixed, though all lines with beef blood fetched $2.69-$2.75/kg.Buyers came out in force for the first scanned-

in-lamb breeding ewes for the season last Wednesday, with this market looking promising. Capital stock, in-lamb Romney MA ewes, 131%, sold for $158$161, and blackface ewes, 152%, $163. Another consignment of woolly 4-tooth to 5-year ewes were run-with-ram, and made $124-$137.Another big sale of lambs saw 9400 offered, with pressure coming off the buyers, and prices easing. Medium male lambs came back to $88-$103, with good lines earning $99-$107. Heavy type’s however firmed to $107-$113. Ewe lambs also eased, with medium making $79-$95, good $89-$100, and heavy, $100$106. Mixed sex mainly traded at $80-$98. Traditional breeding cows were the highlight of a busy store cattle sale, with 280 offered, and selling to strong demand. The later calving cows suited the buying bench, and Angus to Angus bull mainly traded at $1330-$1530, $2.76-$2.79/kg, and Angus-Hereford, $1310-$1450, $2.56-$2.67/kg. The odd sale was outside of these ranges, with some Angus making $2.44-$2.56/kg. Store cattle also came forward in good numbers, with regular buyers picking up the traditional R3 steers for $2.93-$3.08/kg, while Hereford-Friesian featured in the R2 steer pens, with solid results at $2.96-$2.99/kg. R2 Angus heifers were hotly contested by local and Gisborne buyers, with 382-385kg making $3.12-$3.17/kg, and 438kg, $3.06/kg. Friesian bulls, 317-358kg, also sold well at $2.97$3.07/kg, while their younger brothers, 168-200kg, fetched $940$1100. Store lambs featured again at DANNEVIRKE last Thursday, with just a nudge over 4000 on the books.The yarding included a lighter end than the previous week, particularly in the cryptorchid pens, though prices were mainly steady. Top lines sold to $111.50, with medium types earning $102, and light $79. Ewe lambs returned steady prices with heavy lines at $108, medium $94, and light, $75. Ram lambs traded at $92-$109, and mixed sex, $88-$94. Prime numbers were low and quality not up to the previous week. Top lambs made $115, medium $112, and lighter, $108. A very small offering of ewes sold for $55-$113. MANAWATU MANAWATU Big numbers of R2 cattle and boner cows at RONGOTEA last Wednesday were easily absorbed by the buying bench, albeit at slightly softer levels, New Zealand Farmers Livestock agent Darryl Harwood reported. Top Friesian boner cows sold for $1.86/kg, with crossbred and Jersey reaching $1.70-$1.72/kg, and medium types, $1.51-$1.60/kg. Autumn calving, in-milk Friesian cows returned $900-$950.R2 HerefordFriesian steers, 480kg, sold to a top of $2.85/kg, though the remainder of the section were lesser types of beef-cross and cross-bred, which varied from $2.33-$2.63/ kg. Prices were more consistent for bulls, with the top Friesian and Hereford-Friesian making $2.70-$2.74/kg. Hereford-Friesian heifers, 418kg, sold to $2.86/kg, while most other lines traded at $2.42-$2.58/kg, and Friesian, 424455kg, $2.30-$2.42/kg. Weaner

prices were mixed, with good quality lines selling up to recent levels, though lesser sorts tended to be more affordable. HerefordFriesian steers, 160-318kg, made $600-$910, and Friesian, 145216kg, $450-$500. Friesian bulls, 120-225kg, returned $400-$675, and crossbred, 173-213kg, $450$475, while Hereford-Friesian, 120-155kg, made $450-$505. Hereford, 305kg, sold to $1050. In the heifer pens, HerefordFriesian, 114-255kg, fetched $515-$620, Angus 165-198kg, $500-$600, and Simmental-cross, 205-270kg, $625-$660.The small pens consisted of good Friesian, Hereford-Friesian and Charolaiscross bull calves at $380-$405, while smaller calves made $150$280. Heifers traded at $175-$415. Run-with-ram ewes sold for $80, mixed sex lambs $62-$85, and weaner pigs, $30-$60. Records were broken at FEILDING last Monday, with the lamb section resembling a store sale as 11,500 were offered up. Cow numbers also came up, with 430 of the 480 cattle offered cows. Given the big number of lambs, prices did ease, though by a smaller margin than expected. The bulk of the offering sold for $105$135, with just a small number over $140. Ewes numbered 1700, and the majority were grazing ewes, which sold well at $78-$100. Light ewes made $61-$76, and heavier types, $101-$121. Dairy and beef cows filled most pens in the cattle section, and paddock buyers influenced the market significantly, with prices for light to medium types firming, while heavy cows reflected schedules and softened. Heavier dairy cows eased to $1.80/kg, while 425475kg lines firmed to $1.84/kg. Two big lines of Angus & AngusHereford sold well, with 509kg making $2.08/kg, and 495kg, $2.20/kg, though lesser types dropped away to $1.65-$1.74/kg. Jersey’s sold on a steady market, with 432-442kg making $1.60$1.70/kg, and lighter types, $1.52$1.62/kg. Heifers were very mixed, with Friesian, 297-360kg, making $2.22-$2.30/kg, while better beef lines returned $2.65-$2.72/kg. There was the usual selection of late-born hill country cattle at the Feilding weaner steer and bull fair. Buyers came from all across the lower North Island. While they paid similar money as recent weeks for medium and lighter types, the per head outlay for heavier types was too much for many, causing these to ease. Traditional steers, 150-190kg, were $835-$890, with 190-225kg at $910-$980 and 225-255kg making $1020-$1070. Per kilo prices for these were very mixed. The rest up to 285kg were generally $4.00-$4.30/kg. Charolais-cross steers, 215-280kg, all went for $3.95-$4.05/kg with 195-235kg South Devon-cross steers making $880-$980. There were a few bulls too, but quality was lacking. The highlight of these were a line of 250kg Angus-Herefords which made $975, $3.90/kg. Some 210260kg Simmental-cross made $3.60-$3.65/kg. Heifer numbers dropped to just under 1000 on Thursday, with high country calves featuring. The buying bench was not big, but there was enough interest to hold medium heifers at recent

Markets

levels, though heavier types, and exotic lines did ease in line with other fair movements. Traditional heifers made up the majority, with 150-200kg earning $650-$800, and 210-250kg, $780-$860. The better exotic heifers eased, and 230290kg fetched $820-$1025, with just one line cracking $1000. It has been brewing for a couple of weeks and finally the store lamb market corrected downwards on Friday. It was not too punitive but the yarding of around 16,500 lambs fell as much as other saleyards around the North Island. A big line of woolly Romney ewe lambs sold for $115 while 362 Romney cryptorchids sold for $113.50 to top the market. The mixed sex lines continue to sell at a discount and many pens are ready for second-shear so some things never change. Ewes: RWR, $67-$116; Lambs: Very heavy, $103.50-$115; Heavy, $87.50-$111.50, Medium, $90$106.50; Light, $85-$102.50. The cattle yarding was “well represented” by dairy cross cattle which do not command high cents/kg but, considering that, the cattle sale was roughly nearly steady. The day’s top sale price was $1820, $2.92/kg, for a small line of four prime Simmentalcross R2 steers and they were easily the heaviest cattle offered. Older steers were barely steady and younger steers eased slightly with many locals still too wet. The older bull yarding was a fraction of last week’s and probably eased the most. The top price was for 15 R2 Friesians and they sold for $1405, $2.86/ kg. There were probably too many weaner bulls for the number of buyers present and some were unsold. The best pen of 32 weaner Friesian bulls sold for $940, $3.83/ kg. Heifers tracked similarly to the steers with only good beef heifers standing out. 11 Charolais-cross heifers sold for $1390, $2.79/kg, and many of the R1 heifers were dairies and struggled. Steers; R3, 473-551kg, $1310$1600, $2.67-$3.03/kg; R2, 347622kg, $910-$1820, $2.49-$3.36/ kg; R1, 148-270kg, $600-$1025, $3.79-$4.52/kg; Bulls; R2, 425491kg, $1130-$1405, $2.59-$3.00/ kg; R1, 142-286kg, $380-$940, $2.58-$4.55/kg; Heifers; R2&3, 246-502kg, $680-$1390, $2.61$3.11/kg; R1, 133-234kg, $275$810, $1.95-$4.14/kg. WAIRARAPA WAIRARAPA Strong demand from a predominantly local buying bench at the MASTERTON in-calf cow fair resulted in very competitive prices posted, PGG Wrightson agent Steve Wilkinson reported. The yarding of 280 traditional cattle consisted of 220 vetted-incalf, and 70 vetted empty cows. Top price of $1590 was spent on a well grown and presented line of R4 and 5-year Angus, and AngusHereford, in-calf to an Angus bull, with the better lines trading at $1450-$1590. Lighter, later calving, and off type cows also sold well at $1050-$1280, while the only line of heifers was R3 second calving Angus at $1580. Three lines of vetted empty cows traded at $900$1050, est $2.05-$2.08/kg.

MARLBOROUGH MARLBOROUGH The calf sales at BLENHEIM

THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017 finished on a high note, with buyers very competitive for the last opportunity to pick up calves in decent numbers. A capacity yarding of 2000 calves went under the hammer, as vendors look to take advantage of the strong market. They were well rewarded too, with a very competitive local buying bench looking to restock following the drought 12-15 months ago, PGG Wrightson agent Pete Barnes reported. North Island buyers underpinned the market, though struggled to fill orders.The yarding consisted of 1300 steers and 700 heifers, with all lines Angus, Angus-Hereford or Hereford. Top steer price was $1280 for 276kg Angus, with the average price for steers at $1025, $4.54/kg. The majority of the well-bred, quality heifers were purchased for breeding, with the highlight being 22 Hereford heifers, 185kg, at $1000, $5.41/kg, though top honors went to Angus 249kg, at $1030,which headed off to Hawkes Bay. Heifers averaged $880, with few lines selling below $700 as buyers worked to per head targets. CANTERBURY CANTERBURY A quiet start to May at CANTERBURY PARK saw just on 2300 sheep and 93 cattle offered. The limited number put big pressure on buyers, and cattle prices in particular firmed, with prime sheep also showing improvement. Numbers picked up last Thursday however, with the last calf sale offering up 2100 calves, and prices lifted. Just over 1000 lambs sold with mixed results, with lighter mixed sex easing to $64-$73. Better types improved, and medium mixed sex returned $73-$97, and good, $97-$106. Just shy of 900 prime lambs lifted $2-$3 for all types, with most trading at $100-$139. Ewe numbers were very low, and prices also lifted, with very heavy lines earning $149-$161, and medium to heavy, $100-$128. Buying power from both store buyers and processors kept plenty of heat in the cattle market. Steer prices were strong for anything with beef blood, and forward store types sold to $3.13-$3.14/kg, while a number of high yielding prime lines, 510-825kg, made $3.03$3.08/kg. Apart from one or two single beasts, the cheapest steers could be picked up for was $2.85/ kg. Heifer prices followed also firmed, and light lines, 355-393kg, sold to $3.02-$3.04/kg, while 407505kg made up the majority at $2.90-$2.99/kg. Cow and bull numbers were very low, though prices reflected solid demand. Calf sales finished on the

highest note, as 2100 were snapped up at record levels. While the rostrum was packed, much of the steer sale was left to just two buyers, with other buyers turning their attention to the heifer pens instead, ensuring prices stayed strong till the last hammer fell at 4pm. Most traditional steers were in the 180-230kg range, and traded at $900-$1120, $4.50-$5.40/kg, with a handful of lighter lines cracking $6/kg. Charolais steers, 220-270kg, made $1080-$1165, with buyer’s struggling to purchase anything under $870. Heifer prices lifted by similar levels to the steers, and traditional, 140-170kg, made $530-$760, and 180-200kg, $830-$850. Charolais-cross, 209243kg, returned $920-$1055, and Shorthorn, 250-254kg, $1040. Bull numbers were low but featured Hereford, 210-219kg, at $860-$910. COALGATE held a solid sale last Thursday, with prices strong across most sections. Low sheep numbers again worked in vendors favour, though the sale took some time to complete, with nearly 200 small lines offered. Store lambs numbered 1278, with most trading at $81-$105, and a small lighter end, $60-$68. Prime lambs were top notch, and a large chunk sold for $140-$143, with second cuts earning $120-$138, and most of the remainder, $90-$119. Ewe numbers just pushed over 400 head, and prices firmed $2-$5. Ewes also hit the $140 mark, with very heavy lines making $120$149, medium $91-$129, and lighter types, $81-$88. Heifers featured in the prime cattle pens with 140 on offer. Prices held up well, and high yielding types sold for $2.80$2.96/kg, and second cuts, $2.70-$2.78/kg. Angus heifers, 371-395kg sold to $3.21-$3.22/ kg. The best of the steer’s traded at $2.90-$3.00/kg, and 480-596kg, $2.74-$2.89/kg. A good yarding of cows sold to solid demand, and 512-526kg fetched $1.66-$1.71/ kg, while lighter lines of better quality made $1.84-$1.92/kg. Store numbers were low though what lacked in number was made up for in quality. Very strong demand for R2 steers and heifers saw Angus steers, 376-406kg, sell to $3.29$3.31/kg, and Hereford-Friesian, 282-435kg, $3.19-$3.29/kg. These prices were bettered by the heifers though, with Angus-Hereford, 343-369kg, returning $3.27-$3.40/ kg, and Charolais-cross, 366kg, $3.42/kg. The weaner pens offered up a big variety in small lines, with top steers making $900-$1010, and heifers selling to $790-$1000. SOUTH CANTERBURY SOUTH CANTERBURY Cow numbers more than made

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up for the slow start to the cull cow season, with nearly 900 sold at TEMUKA last Monday. While dairy dominated the yarding, there was also a sizeable number of dry beef cows sold. Beef Breeding cows were also offered at the fair last Thursday, and sold at record levels. The sheep market took a backseat to the cow sale, with moderate numbers in all sections. Lighter lambs came off the high prices that have been the norm this season, though medium to good mixed sex were steady to firm. Medium mixed sex sold for $82-$96, with good types earning $93-$100. Single sex lines were limited, but medium ewe lambs eased to $87-$97. A small offering of prime lambs sold on a firm market at $100-$139, while ewes continued their strong run, with very few selling under $90, and most trading at $91-$140. Cows have been slow to come out this year, as grass growth saw many dairy farmers milk on, but that came to a head last Monday, and nearly 900 cows were offered, with 78% of the offering dairy, and the balance beef cows. Despite the big number, the dairy cow prices firmed as paddock buyers underpinned the market, focusing on the light and medium types in particular. Friesian and Friesiancross cows sold for $1.59-$1.69/ kg, with better yielding types up to $1.70-$1.79/kg. Jersey-cross and Kiwi-cross mainly traded at $1.50-$1.60/kg. A consignment of 130 scanned empty Angus-cross cows also met strong demand from fatteners, and 397-458kg returned $2.08-$2.12/kg, while most other beef lines traded at $1.85-$1.95/kg. Dairy heifers featured though in much small numbers. Prices were steady, and Friesian, 395-515kg, sold for $2.64-$2.71/kg, with lesser types making $2.30-$2.40/kg. HerefordFriesian heifers, 410-610kg, made $2.88-$2.95/kg, though were bettered by Hereford, Angus, and Angus-cross, with the top lines selling to $2.98-$3.07/kg. At these prices the heifers bettered the steers, with the top Hereford, 605610kg, making $2.98-$2.99/kg. Angus bulls, 755-865kg, traded at $2.30-$2.40/kg, with lighter sorts climbing to $2.72-$2.76/kg. Traditional breeding cow numbers are dropping each year, and the in-calf heifer and cow fair last Thursday offered up just 378 head. A large bench of buyers gathered for the small yarding, though many went home emptyhanded as record prices were set. Last year’s prices were well up on 2015 levels, and they continued to climb this year, with R3 Hereford heifers to a Hereford bull lifting from $1300-$1340 to

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$1760-$1900, with top price of $2400 paid for the only decent line of Angus heifers to an Angus bull. The strength continued in the cow pens, where Angus cows to an Angus bull, sold for $1300$1760, with the top price of $2060 paid for 3rd and 4th calvers, taking them to $4.98/kg. Angus-Hereford sold for $1370-$1800, compared to $970-$1120 last year. OTAGO OTAGO Good numbers of sheep were entered at BALCULTHA last Wednesday, with most classes selling well, PGG Wrightson agent Emmett Sparrow reported.Store lamb prices improved on the previous week by $5-$10, with heavy types making $92-$97, medium $75-$83, and lighter $65.Heavy prime lambs held their value at $120-$132, but the remainder of the yarding sold on a softer market, with medium types making $105-$113, and lighter lines dropping under $100 to $90-$97. A small yarding of ewes was hotly contested, with prices well up. Heavy lines traded at $110-$120, medium $90-$100, and lighter, $55-$85. SOUTHLAND SOUTHLAND No sale the previous week meant extra stock offered at LORNEVILLE last Tuesday, with all sections increasing in number. Good demand kept prices steady across both the sheep and cattle pens.The best of the store lambs made $85-$93, with medium types earning $78-$83, and light $65-$75, with a small tail end at $40-$50. Prime lambs prices firmed, and heavy lines sold for $118-$127, medium $101-$115, and lighter, $95-$100. Similar results in the ewe pens saw heavy ewes make $115-$140, medium $90-$105, and light $40-$85. Two-tooth’s traded at $41-$80, and rams, $30-$74.Good numbers of both prime and store cattle came forward, with the market holding previous levels. Prime steers of all types sold for $2.65$2.70/kg, while beef-cross heifers, 400kg plus, traded at $2.60-$2.70/ kg. Dairy heifers of quality sold for $2.20-$2.30/kg, with prices dropping to $1.75-$2.00/kg for lesser types. Cows sold over a tight range, with all types trading at $1.60-$1.75/kg, while bulls, 500kg plus, returned $2.40/kg.A large yarding of store cattle met a solid bench of buyers, and highlights included R2 Angus steers, 416kg, at $2.90/kg, and Hereford-cross, 411-475kg, $2.82-$2.84/kg. Beefcross heifers, 446kg, sold for $2.64/kg. Bulls featured in the weaner pens, and Hereford-cross, 223kg, made $800, with Friesian, 220-240kg, at $740-$800, and 190215kg, $670-$730. Hereford-cross steers, 170kg, returned $550-$600. A good gallery of buyers gathered for the store lamb sale at CHARLTON last Thursday, with this section the highlight, PGG Wrightson agent David Morrison reported.The strong demand ensured a good market, with top lambs making $95-$98, medium $85-$90, and light, $65-$70. Prime numbers were lower, and lambs sold to $130 for heavy types, with medium making $110-$115, and lighter, $100. Heavy ewes traded at $120, medium, $85-$100, and light, $50-$65, with rams earning $60-$70.

Markets

48 THE NZ FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – May 8, 2017 NI SLAUGHTER COW

SI SLAUGHTER COW

NI SLAUGHTER STEER

($/KG)

TRADITIONAL WEANER STEERS, 200-250KG, AT FEILDING

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high lights

Cull cow prices to fall Annette Scott annette.scott@nzx.com

AIRY cattle remain the focus this month for processors as they manage their way through the later than normal run of cull cows. The autumn dairy cow slaughter typically kept plants full from March to June but this season it was into late April before significant numbers arrived. The combination of good feed levels, two years of high cull rates and dairy farmers needing to keep milk flowing for as long as possible this season drove the late run. NZX Agri analyst Reece Brick said it was also expected the same drivers would result in the number of cows culled being significantly fewer than historic levels. “That is, even given the late start, the run of cows is expected to be well over by the end of May.” Economic Service figures showed cow slaughter for the past two seasons at 1.1 million for 2016 and 1.2m in 2015, with this season’s kill predicted to be closer to the five-year average at 970,000. So far this season slaughter in both islands was well down on the five-year average with the national cow slaughter tracking 27% down on last year – the South Island slaughter down 34% and North Island down 24%. “It is going to be a hard ask

BRIEF: Cull cows are now running but the run might be done by the end of the month, AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick says.

The much lower cow kill will have a significant impact on processors’ bottom lines. Reece Brick AgriHQ to see final slaughter numbers recover from this low point, particularly with the industry picking a quick end to the cow kill,” Brick said. The past couple of weeks had seen dairy cows flowing in to processing works at a constant rate with backlogs now often exceeding a week.

That had caused a little softening in prices though nothing drastic, Brick said. The range for cows was unchanged at $3.90-$4.20/kg but there were more instances of prices being quoted at the lower end of that bracket. That brought the midrange to $4/kg. The cows might be finally running through processing plants, however, all signals pointed to the run being very short lived. Meantime, processors needed to see more margin in cows. “As has been well documented, the much lower cow kill will have a significant impact on processors’ bottom lines. “Not only is there no throughput to make any money off but the resulting

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competitive pressure has seen processing margins on cows plummet to historical lows,” Brick said. When combined with low bull and prime slaughter, competitive pressure to fill plants pushed cow schedules to record highs last month with South Island schedules up 80 cents a kilogram on last year and $1/kg up on the fiveyear average. The result to the $/kg margin for processors was overwhelmingly negative with margins down 20% on last year and 12% on the five-year average, Brick said. Given the cow slaughter was the period where processors sought to make most of their money some sharp correction to schedules was expected now cows were finally running.

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Traditional Angus cows, vetted-in-calf to Angus bulls at Temuka

Prime lambs at Feilding

More stock on market as winter approaches A VERY chilly start to the week reminded us all that winter is just around the corner and seemed to press a very big offload button around the North Island. Cattle quite literally came out in Suz Bremner droves with throughput levels up AgriHQ Analyst at most sale yards, catching some by surprise. The common reason for the offload seems to be the drop in temperature though with short weeks and school holidays also upsetting the flow for the last three weeks, it felt like it was catch-up time. And catch-up time it was with both Wellsford and Rangiuru selling past the 5pm whistle though Frankton takes the cake with its yarding of 700 swelling to 1700 in mainly small lines with auctioneers still taking bids after 7pm. Temuka also put up an astounding number of cows, as close to 900 traipsed through the rostrum. Buyers would have been rubbing their hands together in glee to finally have the upper hand on what has been a season of digging deep into the pockets to secure cattle. There have still been enough buyers present, however, though most yards reported mainly locals operating, which is hardly surprising, given the number of cattle in each region has been more than adequate to fill orders. Good quality, well-bred cattle of all classes still sold well, albeit at slightly softer levels, but there was a noted drop in prices for the lesserquality, off-bred types. They have been expensive shopping relative to quality and condition but the easing has opened the door for buyers who have been underpinning the market. Lamb numbers have also picked up in the last few weeks in the North Island and that has also taken some of the pressure off buyers with prices easing. Extra sales continued with more weaner fairs and the start of the in-calf cow sales, which we will look at more next week once a few more have gone through the rostrums. suz.bremner@nzx.com

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