18 Volume 134 – December 5, 2022
Ag&Ed
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Educational resources for schools & students
Read, listen to and watch what is happening in New Zealand agriculture by scanning the QR codes or following the links. Answer the questions to complete the exercises. The big issue
Have a listen
How will a reset of the Chinese economy impact NZ exports? For the first time in 30 years China’s economic growth could be surpassed by that of other Asian countries. farmersweekly.co.nz/even-as-it-slows-china-key-to-nz-sales/ Have a go: 1. What percentage of NZ’s total exports went to China in 2021? 2. What are three factors affecting the Chinese market? 3. How much have Chinese property sales fallen in the year to August? What does this demonstrate?
In the news
What challenges are there for our green pastures? NZ Scientists look at the priorities to achieve a lowfootprint, high value food producing future. bit.ly/beeflambnz-greener-pastures Have a go: 1. Do some research. What is the NZ Grassland Association? 2. There have been increasing cases of newly sown pastures failing within one to two years. Why do you think ‘pasture persistence’ is important? 3. New Zealand is known for its pasture based systems compared to other countries. Why is this a benefit for NZ farmers? 4. What factors might be impacting pasture persistence?
Analyse this
Currrency figures affect milk prices. bit.ly/nzx-milk-forecast Have a go: 1. What was the NZX forecast milk price at the end of November? 2. Why does the NZD:USD currency figures affect milk prices? 3. What is the Black Sea grain corridor?
How do this season’s NI lamb prices compare?
North Island lamb slaughter price ($/kg) 10.0
Have a go: 1. How do lamb slaughter values in November this year compare to last November levels? 2. Did lamb values peak earlier or later this season compared to last year? 3. Looking at last year and the five-year average, what do prices typically do from here on?
9.5 9.0 8.5 8.0 7.5 7.0 26-Aug
What’s happening with milk prices?
26-Oct 5-yr Ave
26-Feb
26-Dec Last Year
This Year
Stretch yourself: 4. It has been reported that lambs have been slower to reach finishing weight due to the delayed start to spring. Why is good weather important for lamb growth? 5. Staff shortages have been an issue for a while now. How do you think this impacts farmgate values? Source: AgriHQ
Ag&Ed
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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – December 5, 2022
Watch this
Did you know?
Native shrubs giving refuge? Native Native shrubs shrubs can can be be aa good good option option for for hill hill country country farms. farms. bit.ly/beefl bit.ly/beeflambnz-aginnovation ambnz-aginnovation Have Have aa go: go: 1. 1. What What are are some some different different types types of of woody woody vegetation? vegetation? 2. 2. Name Name some some common common native native shrubs shrubs Stretch Stretch yourself: yourself: 3. 3. How How does does woody woody vegetation vegetation support support hill hill country? country? 4. 4. What What are are some some potential potential benefi benefits ts of of planting planting native native vegetation vegetation on on hill hill country? country? 5. 5. What What are are some some potential potential issues? issues? 6. 6. From From aa fifiscal scal perspective perspective how how does does native native vegetation vegetation stack stack up up against against exotic exotic options options (pine (pine trees)? trees)? 7. 7. In In your your opinion opinion are are there there enough enough other other benefi benefits ts to to outweigh outweigh the the large large costs costs associated associated with with planting planting natives? natives? 8. 8. What What is is the the ME ME (metabolisable (metabolisable energy) energy) of of native native shrubs shrubs compared compared to to pasture? pasture? Would Would it it be be suitable suitable as as aa grazing grazing option? option? If If so, so, under under what what conditions? conditions?
Did you know?
What does a dairy farm assistant’s job entail? Farm Farm assistant assistant jobs jobs are are an an entry entry level level position position that that gives gives workers workers aa good good base base for for future future roles roles dairynz.co.nz/people/recruitment/roles/farm-assistant/ dairynz.co.nz/people/recruitment/roles/farm-assistant/ Have Have aa go: go: 1. 1. Do Do you you need need aa qualifi qualification cation to to become become aa dairy dairy farm farm assistant? assistant? 2. 2. What What are are some some attributes attributes that that would would be be valued valued by by aa potential potential employer? employer? Stretch Stretch yourself: yourself: 3. 3. What What is is aa dairy dairy assistant’s assistant’s role role when when milking? milking? 4. 4. What What are are some some of of the the animal animal handling handling and and general general skills skills that that will will be be learnt learnt in in this this role? role? 5. 5. What What are are seven seven other other skills skills that that would would be be learnt learnt on on the the job job in in this this role? role? 6. 6. Though Though formal formal qualifi qualifications cations are are not not necessarily necessarily required required for for this this role, role, what what options options are are available available ifif you you did did want want to to get get qualifi qualifications? cations? Who Who provides provides these? these?
What is ewe wastage? Massey Massey University University and and Lincoln Lincoln University University have have carried carried out out aa collaborative collaborative study study to to describe describe ewe ewe wastage wastage on on NZ NZ sheep sheep farms. farms.
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Have Have aa go: go: 1. 1. Explain Explain what what ewe ewe wastage wastage is? is? 2. 2. How How many many of of the the farms farms studied studied were were in in the the North North Island? Island? How How many many were were in in the the South South Island? Island? Stretch Stretch yourself: yourself: 3. 3. What What were were some some common common reasons reasons for for culling culling ewes? ewes? 4. 4. What What was was the the variance variance of of replacement replacement rates rates across across the the study? study? What What do do you you think think would would be be an an ideal ideal replacement replacement rate? rate? 5. 5. Why Why are are these these studies studies valuable? valuable?
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