22 Agricademy Volume 133 – November 28, 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. Did you know?
Did you know?
Is NZ pork under threat? A new NPS could limit intensive pig farming in large parts of New Zealand’s Rural Zones. farmersweekly.co.nz/pork-industry-sounds-nps-alarm/ Have a go: 1. Why is the industry under threat? Give an example. 2. Are overseas pig farming standards higher or lower than NZ? 3. What does ‘food security’ mean to you?
The big issue
Do you know why heifers should be weighed regularly? There are benefits to weighing heifers.
Are methane targets realistic?
dairynz.co.nz/animal/heifers/heifer-weights-and-weighing/
There are calls for government to review methane targets.
Have a go: 1. What is the first thing needed to weigh cattle? 2. How often is it recommended that heifers are weighed? Stretch yourself: 1. What are four key times for weighing? 2. Other than accurate scales what factors need to be consistent to keep data accurate? 3. Which heifer would have heavier rumen contents, forage or grain fed? Why do you think this is? 4. What are some key visual assessments that can be carried out to help detect poor performance between weighing? 5. Outline two different ways that weight data can be used.
Analyse this Nth Isl. R1/1-year Friesian bull ($/kg)
https://bit.ly/methane-targets Have a go: 1. What are the specific methane targets legislated by Parliament in 2019? 2. Hill Country sheep and beef farmers are expected to be hit especially hard. What percentage is revenue expected to drop? 3. What are some concerns listed in the HWEN submission?
How do yearling Friesian bull values compare? Look at this graph showing average North Island yearling Friesian bull values to answer the following questions. Have a go: 1. Overall, how do values this year compare to last season? 2. How do current values compare to the five-year average? Stretch yourself: 1. What was the highest $/kg average reached this year? 2. How much would a 350kg yearling Friesian bull have made on average on October 12th this year? 2b. How much more would they have made compared to the same time last year and the five-year average?
Ag&Ed
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FARMERS WEEKLY – farmersweekly.co.nz – November 28, 2022
In the news
Have a listen
How can we reduce methane and retain milk production? A A lot lot of of research research is is going going into into how how the the food food and and fifibre bre sectors sectors can can meet meet greenhouse greenhouse gas gas emission emission targets targets in in aa practical practical and and effi efficient cient manner. manner. farmersweekly.co.nz/fewer-better-fed-cows-can-deliver-methane-cuts/ farmersweekly.co.nz/fewer-better-fed-cows-can-deliver-methane-cuts/ Have Have aa go: go: 1. 1. What What is is aa concentrate concentrate feed? feed? 2. 2. What What is is total total milk milk production? production?
What is the international perspective on sustainable farming?
Stretch Stretch yourself: yourself: 1. 1. This This research research was was carried carried out out using using an an average average Waikato Waikato farm’s farm’s DairyNZ DairyNZ statistics statistics for for the the 2018/2019 2018/2019 season season as as aa “control “control farm”. farm”. What What does does this this mean? mean? Why Why do do you you need need aa control control when when carrying carrying out out research? research? 2. 2. What What were were the the three three main main desired desired outcomes outcomes from from the the research? research? 3. 3. Researchers Researchers wanted wanted to to stay stay within within Fonterra’s Fonterra’s Cooperative Cooperative Difference Difference (framework). (framework). What What is is this? this? 4. 4. What What percentage percentage reduction reduction in in cows cows was was purported purported to to be be possible possible with with the the scenario scenario that that delivered delivered the the greatest greatest environmental environmental benefi benefit? t? What What were were the the total total GHG GHG emission emission reductions reductions from from this? this? 5. 5. What What was was the the regime regime used used within within this this scenario? scenario? 6. 6. Do Do you you think think that that this this system system could could be be viable viable throughout throughout the the NZ NZ dairy dairy industry? industry? Why Why or or why why not? not?
Watch this
youtube.com/watch?v=xuN2PO-20hA youtube.com/watch?v=xuN2PO-20hA
Kate Kate Liversidge Liversidge is is aa senior senior manager manager of of Agriculture Agriculture Operations Operations at at Arla Arla Foods, Foods, one one of of the the largest largest farmerfarmerowner owner dairy dairy cooperatives cooperatives in in the the world. world. https://bit.ly/beefl https://bit.ly/beeflambnz-podcast ambnz-podcast Have Have aa go: go: 1. 1. What What is is aa cooperative? cooperative? How How does does being being in in aa cooperative cooperative benefi benefitt farmers? farmers? 2. 2. What What is is the the vision vision for for Arla Arla Foods? Foods? 3. 3. Why Why is is this this mission mission important? important? 4. 4. Kate Kate believes believes that that ‘sustainability’ ‘sustainability’ is is both both aa challenge challenge and and an an opportunity. opportunity. Explain Explain her her reasoning. reasoning.
What’s La Nina up to? Have Have aa go: go: 1. 1. When When and and where where is is La La Nina Nina expected expected to to peak? peak? 2. 2. What What kind kind of of weather weather does does La La Nina Nina usually usually bring? bring? 3. 3. Looking Looking at at the the soil soil anomaly anomaly graph graph for for the the end end of of October, October, can can you you name name one one region region looking looking wetter wetter than than average average and and one one region region that that is is looking looking drier drier than than average? average?
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