Farmlander June 2019 South by Farmlands

SPECIAL OFFERS AND INFORMATION FOR FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS

JUNE 2019 Valid from 1–30 June 2019

The FARMLANDER SHAPING OUR RESOURCES PAGE GE 6

FIELDAYS IS HERE

DYNAMIC DNA

GENETIC GAINS BREED HEALTHY PERFORMANCE PAGE 8

7802 1047 MAY EXP 0991 6005 LDER RD HO AM CA RD HOLDER CA ANDY 780 911047

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12â&#x20AC;&#x201C;15 June 2019 | Mystery Creek Events Centre EXPERT ADVICE Get technical advice and see the latest innovative products available from the whole co-operative.

SHAREHOLDER HUB Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lug your shopping around, store it for FREE in our shareholder hub.

Rural Catch contestants on-site Thursday, 10.00am.

Rural Catch

Join 5 lucky shareholders on-site who will each play to find their fortune â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a chance to WIN $1 million cash!

FROM 9AM THURSDAY

BE IN TO

A CHANCE AT

or 10T of fertiliser, or $5K cash.

Â® for 2 to Fieldays to 5 major prize draws for a trip the Farmlands site! play Find Your Fortune live at

When you buy Ballance fertilise

Farmlands TFO, ask at To find out more talk to your us on 0800 200 600 your local Farmlands, or call

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0800 200 600 To find out more visit www.farmlands.co.nz

2 | THE FARMLANDER

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JOIN YOUR CO-OPERATIVE AT FIELDAYS. SAME LOCATION BUT A WHOLE NEW LOOK.

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11.00am-2.00pm daily. Payable on your Farmlands Card.

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SITE

Purchase your tickets at selected Farmlands stores today.*

Visit the Farmlands team at site F103, F105, F107.

$27.00 includes GST

Child 1 Day

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*Purchase your tickets from any Farmlands Waikato or Bay of Plenty store. You can also purchase tickets at the gate with your Farmlands Card.

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I Road

Adult 1 Day

H Road

Shareholders (10% Rebate Included)

I Road

E Street

F Street

Don’t forget your Farmlands Card, it’s your gateway to saving across the event.

THE FARMLANDER | 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE INTEREST

JUNE PLAN365

Farmlands staff profile

From the CEO

Plan365 Nutrition 23

Bunny banter

5 minutes with Ken Taylor

Technology delivers practical benefits

Special Feature – Passing the DNA test

Multi-benefits of milk replacers

Adding value through innovation

The art of developing rumens

Agricultural industry gears up for Fieldays®

Value add or cost add?

HeART of the Community – Tauranga takes tally to ten

WHAT’S ON

Plan365 Dairy Management 31

Change brings real milk production benefits

Get your pre-calving nutrition sorted

Plan365 Rural Infrastructure

Tom Cranswick Memorial Award

Avoiding collateral damage from rodent control

Choices Rewards

Take a step forward with safer farm footwear

Buying Power Promise

Adding value to your farm through Health and Safety Get your fuel ready for winter

Century Farms – Webster family celebrates more than 100 years

Positive signs for the market

Farmlands Real Estate

Shearing shed safety

How much are your ewes worth?

26-27

Plan365 Forage and Arable 47

FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS

JUNE 2019 Valid from

PAGEE 6

GENETIC GAINS BREED HEALTHY PERFORMANCE PAGE 8

6005

0991

1047

7802 EXP

MAY

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PAGE 16

DYNAMIC DNA

National Horticultural Field Days

1–30 June 2019

SHAPING OUR RESOURCES FIELDAYS IS HERE

JUNE

The need for nutrients

The FARMLANDER

ON THE COVER Piquet Hill Farm is a sheep stud, bull leasing and sales operation in the hardy hill country of Te Akau, Waikato. Will Jackson and his team are committed to genetic development that improves heredity animal health and delivers profits on farms around the country. Read more on page 8.

CARD PARTNER DEALS INSIDE! EAT C RE GREAT G

ANDY

911047780

are not necessarily the views or opinion of Farmlands, its editorial contributors, freelancers, associates or information providers. Independent advice is recommended before acting on information or suggestions contained herein. Readers who rely on this information do so at their own risk. Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service whether by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or otherwise does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Farmlands.

Visit the Farmlands team at Showgrounds Hawke’s Bay for this horticulturefocused event.

28 JUNE

Farmlands Ashburton Calving Day Get ahead of the herd at our calving day. Tips and tricks on calf rearing and nutrition.

HOLDER HOLDER AM CARD CARD

4 | THE FARMLANDER

Join us at Mystery Creek, Hamilton, for the Southern Hemisphere’s largest agricultural event.

Plan365 Animal Management

SPECIAL OFFERS AND INFORMATION FOR

The information contained in this publication is given in good faith and has been derived from sources perceived to be reliable and accurate. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the information, Farmlands gives no warranties, express or implied, regarding the information nor does it accept any liability for any opinion or information (including the accuracy or completeness thereof) or for any consequences flowing from its use. The information and views expressed in this publication

JUNE

Fieldays ®

12-15

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publisher. Prices and offers apply only in the month stated on the front cover of this publication and while stocks last. Not all products are available at all Farmlands stores. All prices include GST unless otherwise stated.

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FARMLANDS STAFF PROFILE Karen Fraser Q: What is your current role at Farmlands? A: Technical Specialist – Nutrition. Q: What do you enjoy about your job? A: I love solving problems for farmers and I like to add value to whole of business where I can.

FROM THE CEO

Q: What type of work were you doing before you started at Farmlands? A: I was a consultant/contractor. I ran large teams for Rakaia Island, helping them to rear calves and young stock across their six farms. Q: Tell us a bit about your family. A: I bought my own farm aged 19 and then married a farmer and we had a number of farms. My daughters are hugely into horses – Emily showjumped for NZ and now works as a huntsman while studying and Hannah works around the world on yearling sales and pre-race training. Q: What do you do in your spare time? A: I’m always looking for adventures – camping, hiking, mountain biking. I also love cooking and my daughters and their friends call me ‘Mama Kaz’ when they visit for a meal. Q: What is your signature karaoke song? A: “Always Remember Us This Way” from the movie A Star is Born. When I’m in the car I think I’m as good as Lady Gaga!

Welcome to the June edition of The Farmlander. This month is always significant to our co-operative and if you are travelling to National Fieldays at Mystery Creek, I look forward to catching up with many of you at the Farmlands site. I have spoken often of how we are on a journey to re-invent the Farmlands Co-operative Spirit. This is not a purpose that hinges on how many sales we make. It is a purpose that revolves around being a positive influence on not just our shareholders but the communities we all reside in. Internally, I have been quite vocal to our own people about the need to be vigilant while driving. This is a plea that I extend to every one of our shareholders nationwide. According to NZTA, after the first week of May close to 150 people had died on New Zealand roads. In one horror stretch in April, 29 people died on our roads in the space of 9 days. It is a huge, totally unacceptable number. We aim to put our shareholders’ future success at the centre of everything we do. That success cannot be achieved if our shareholders are injured, or worse, as they drive our country roads. While I have implored our people to work safe and get home safe – every day – I also have a request of our shareholders. One mistake can have significant consequences for you, your family and your community. As the conditions worsen as we head into winter, please stay safe.

Karen’s Chocolate Chippie Biscuits Ingredients • • • •

250g butter 100g sugar 190g sweetened condensed milk 350g flour

• 4tsp baking powder • 210g chocolate chips • Large chocolate buttons

Our staff feel it every time one of our shareholders is reported to have been injured, not just on our roads but on their own properties. Please be careful. Work safe and get home safe, every day. All the best for the month ahead.

Method 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. Cream butter, sugar and condensed milk until light (this is important). 3. Sift flour and baking powder together then add to the creamed mixture and stir well. 4. Mix in chocolate chips. 5. Roll into balls then flatten slightly with a large chocolate button on top.

Peter Reidie Chief Executive Officer Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 180°C.

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THE FARMLANDER | 5

5 minutes with Ken Taylor Director, Our Land and Water. How did Our Land and Water start and why? Our Land and Water is one of 11 National Science Challenges that are tackling the biggest issues facing New Zealand that need science to help fix them. We channel government funding into ambitious, ‘mission-led’ science programmes that aim to transform New Zealand for the better. Our Land and Water is one of the

and we bring a range of scientific disciplines into each programme. We involve stakeholders in our research to make sure it’s relevant to industry and communities and to speed up adoption of change. Our Land and Water’s official objective, set by the government, is to enhance the production and productivity of New Zealand’s primary sector, while maintaining and improving the quality of the country’s land and water for future generations. As Director, what does your role entail?

largest National Science Challenges, funded by the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment for up to $96.9 million over 8 years.

“

We now have the science to demonstrate the positive impact precision agriculture can have. The National Science Challenges are a new way of doing science for New Zealand. Our research is done collaboratively among science providers like Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) and universities

6 | THE FARMLANDER

Ultimately, I’m responsible for making sure our research is bringing us towards achieving our mission. That means making sure our science produces useful outputs, has impact and is accessible. It’s also really important for me to be connected to the social and political context we’re working within. I keep closely in touch with what’s happening in Wellington and the current and potential new policy that’s relevant to achieving our mission. I work with the science community and manage our many relationships – Our Land and Water has 16 partner research institutions, including all seven CRIs and most of New Zealand’s universities. Across our programme of research, there are about 160 scientists and over 100 collaborating institutions, businesses, regional councils, industry bodies and other stakeholders. We are also building strong relationships with M ori communities

and agribusinesses because we recognise their perspectives have much to offer the country. What major projects have you been working on over the past 12 months and what are some of your recent major achievements? The biggest project for me over the past 12 months has been helping the team develop our science strategy for the next 5 years. This was a huge undertaking that required talking to lots of people to make sure our science programme has taken the pulse of industry, farmers, our communities, environmental groups, councils, the scientists and regulators. One of our biggest projects so far has been the development of the ‘land use suitability’ concept and finding ways of making it work. Land use suitability is a way of planning land use that expands upon the traditional assessment of land capability, to include a much more detailed understanding of how and where land naturally reduces agricultural contaminants, the resilience of downstream water bodies and the impacts on the goals our communities have set for our fresh water. Eventually this research will produce tools that make the consequences of different land use decisions clear and predictable. Our goal for these tools is to give land owners confidence to diversify their land use, giving them greater resilience to changes in regulatory limits, weather and markets and improve productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes.

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FARMLANDS 5 MINUTES

What are the predominant trends regarding farming inputs, as social licence becomes more of a hotbutton issue in our primary sector? In New Zealand, we’ve had a tradition of focusing on outputs rather than inputs – managing for effects rather than restricting activities. There’s no doubt that in some quarters there is an increasing call to control inputs directly. My view is that continuing to manage for effects is the best approach, because it allows farmers the flexibility to make the best adjustments or changes for them and their own circumstances and land. However, that requires a good understanding of the relationship between land-use activities and environmental effects and access to management tools that allow land managers to see that connection. The rapidly growing field of agriculture technology and precision agriculture will help here, as will the tools our researchers are developing. Social licence to operate will only be restored when communities see a clear demonstration that things are getting better in the environment. Trust comes with seeing the evidence with your own eyes. We are starting to see some encouraging results. Phosphorus trends are improving and our research shows this is largely to do with onfarm mitigation strategies working. How does Our Land and Water work with New Zealand farmers? If you want buy-in and rapid uptake, you have to work closely with the people making the change on the ground. One of our major research programmes, Next Generation Systems, has worked closely with innovative farmers to identify potential land use mixes and new systems of primary production and helping them de-risk, trial and evaluate their transformation.

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Later this year, new research will look at innovative farms that are responding to niche market opportunities or creating a diversity of enterprises, while matching their practices closely to the fine-scale attributes of the land. Another research programme, Storying Kaitiakitanga, has interviewed people in M ori agribusiness about M ori food production practices that employ the principles of kaitiakitanga, which includes values of guardianship and responsibility. One of the things we think will really help us as a country are the ways M ori look at farming and the environment as part of the same system. This joined-up thinking is validated in Western science as an ecosystem approach. If we’re going to achieve our mission we have to think in terms of systems beyond farming. What can farmers do to help your cause? Our Land and Water has a goal to transform New Zealand’s farmland into more diversified mosaics of land use – because an individual farm may be made up of parcels of land that are suitable for different uses. Our land-use suitability tools aren’t yet complete but on the Our Land and Water website farmers can find our research-backed suggestions, resources and sources of funding (under Get Involved, see What You Can Do On the Farm) and some existing tools (under Resources, see Toolboxes).

| Ken Taylor, Director of Our Land and Water.

research has shown the importance (and cost-effectiveness) of targeting interventions and additional mitigations to these small areas. In many areas we will go a long way towards meeting environmental bottom lines by implementing precision technology and better managing critical source areas. In other areas, land-use change may be necessary

We now have the science to demonstrate the positive impact precision agriculture can have. Our research has shown that using variable rate irrigation on farms with variable soil types can cut the amount of nitrogen and phosphate being lost by 70–80%.

to meet future regulatory limits and

We also know a lot more about critical source areas – low-lying land such as gullies and swales where run-off accumulates – and our

have a particular interest in being

the demands of our markets. Farmers can also participate in our research programmes. Look at our website at the research projects underway and if there are any you involved with, please get in touch with us. Visit the Our Land and Water website at www.ourlandandwater.nz

THE FARMLANDER | 7

PASSING THE DNA TEST 8 | THE FARMLANDER

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SPECIAL FEATURE

A legacy of genetic testing has seen the Piquet Hill Stud’s facial eczema occurrence reduced to virtually nil. Over four decades, their Te Akau farm’s performance record has gone from strength to strength, motivating thirdgeneration breeder Will Jackson to keep adapting. Will and his team are passionate about producing the best-performing stock. Using the knowledge and success of their renowned ram breeding programme, quality service bulls have been added to the business ledger.

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THE FARMLANDER | 9

| Piquet Hill takes a bottom-up approach to breeding, with stud stock put under commercial selection pressure so the best genetics are expressed.

The Jackson family started sheep farming west of Ngaruawahia in the early 1950s when Will Jackson’s grandfather, war veteran Hughlings Jackson, drew a 610acre coastal ballot block. Mostly tough hill country, the farm has always been operated under an easy-care policy with no shepherding to ensure sound and hardy breeding.

who have used Piquet Hill facial eczema tolerant rams exclusively over a long period of time have reduced their incidence of facial eczema to virtually nil.

Will’s father, Peter Jackson, had always been interested in genetics and a massive blow to the farming operation in the 1960s, when they lost 2,500 ewes to facial eczema, was the catalyst for the change in breeding focus.

“If one of our rams breaks out with facial eczema, we will repay the whole ram bill. We’ve never had to do that but that is how confident we are.”

Peter, who was also the chairman of Affco for 10 years, started the Piquet Hill Stud in 1966 with a strong emphasis on facial eczema testing, performance recording and structural soundness. The stud was a member of the original Romney Development Group, screening more than 100,000 ewes which formed a strong genetic base for the initial breeding programme. Will and his brother Tom joined the breeding operation in 2003 and 10 years later formed a partnership to complete the purchase of the farming business. Just last year, Will sole purchased the stud, bull-lease business and 1,600ha which, along with an additional 220ha of leased land, makes up Piquet Hill Farms today. Confidence underpins guarantee The sheep stud, which comprises Romney, Maternal Composite and Suffolk, is one of the highest facial eczema tolerant flocks in New Zealand. Will says clients

10 | THE FARMLANDER

“We guarantee all two-tooth rams against failure for two seasons and all Romney and Maternal Composites come with a lifetime guarantee against facial eczema.

Will says facial eczema has become a significant constraint to overall production of sheep in the North Island and the north of the South Island. He says two percent of clinical cases of facial eczema in ewe hoggets will cause an overall drop of 25 percent in lifetime production in that age group of sheep. “Facial eczema is still at the forefront of farmers’ breeding decisions and there seems to be a renewed interest in the trait. “I get a kick out of seeing farming businesses benefitting from our genetic development and watching flocks improve and profits increase,” Will says. Changing genetics provides greater return Will finds it incredible to see the change in an animal’s genetic profile by managing their development. He explains that on a percentage scale facial eczema is highly heritable, sitting at around 45 percent. Testing involves inputting high levels of laboratory-grown sporidesmin into rams which are later blood tested

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| Will Jackson says a mix of self-belief and criticism are key to improving.

to provide a reading on how tolerant the ram is.

Whatawhata Hill Country Research Station, both of whom

“As the rams become more tolerant, they need a higher dose to show a reaction, hence the increase in the dose rate over time.

worked on the Lands and Survey Waihora Breeding Schemes.

“Because facial eczema is so heritable, we need to keep exposing the breeds to more and more sporidesmin,” he explains.

and genomic breeding values in late November, which are

The Piquet Hill programme involves a group of potential sires selected through their Estimated Breeding Values then put forward for a Ramguard facial eczema test. “We think of a ram as an investment, not a cost. It is about genetic improvement for the future. “All rams that we sell are from a ram that has passed

“

our testing programme. This ensures clients are getting

We think of a ram as an investment, not a cost. It is about genetic improvement for the future.

the highest possible tolerant genetics for their flock.” Will believes that after more than 30 years of testing to improve facial eczema tolerance, and a programme to address worm resistance, they are well positioned to address what he describes as two of the major inhibiting factors to profitable sheep production.

Piquet Hill is currently testing Romneys at 0.069mg per kg of live weight – the highest in the country – with Maternal Composites at 0.062mg per kg of liveweight and Perendales at 0.045mg per kg of liveweight. They are also blood testing all Suffolk ewes and rams for facial eczema.

He says lifting lambing percentages from 120

For 40 years Piquet Hill has recorded through Sheeplan, Animalplan and SIL.

He says better commodity prices and higher

Their results are built off many years of genetic advice from scientists who appreciate the practical challenges of hill country farmers. Initially, this advice came from the late Graeme Hight and then Dr Clive Dalton from the MAF

financial gains in the sheep sector. This, along with

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to 170 percent is now quite achievable. “We have seen hogget mating achieve 120 percent plus lambing and these dramatic gains all come from proven genetics.” production in sheep have also seen some outstanding more sophisticated farm management systems and the tools of cross-breeding, farmers still have opportunities that haven’t previously been available.

THE FARMLANDER | 11

| 30 years of testing to improve disease tolerance and worm resistance has driven profitable sheep production.

Nature plus innovation

structurally sound with a good constitution.

A point of difference for the Piquet Hill Stud is that it is

“Any farmer who has an issue with facial eczema in

run under absolutely natural conditions at commercial

their flock should be looking to source rams from an

stocking rates with rams coming forward for sale

accredited Ramguard breeder and be asking questions

in natural condition straight off hill country.

around what their dose rate is, what is their pass rate at

“We are just a typical farm and what I enjoy the most

that dose rate and how long have they been testing for.

is seeing these genetics performing in a commercial

“We have noticed over the years, through our facial eczema

environment. We have clients from Kaitaia down to Motueka

testing programme, that there is a dramatic reduction

farming on a variety of finishing and breeding properties.

in grass staggers – so grass staggers appear to have

“We describe our breeding programme as a bottom-

a strong correlation with facial eczema tolerance.”

up approach where our stud stock is put under as much commercial selection pressure as possible, so the best genetics express themselves. “If you continually feed stock at the optimum level there is no selection variation. “We don’t drench ewes, don’t priority feed lighter stock and we run all stock to commercial conditions. The stud is now also testing the sires selected for the facial eczema programme for worm resistance.

“

Farmers are on the lookout for no-frills genetics that offer a sustainable product that is structurally sound with a good constitution.

In the autumn, when the worm challenge is at its highest all stud ram hoggets are faecal egg counted for the Worm

Will believes to be a good ram breeder you

Fec programme which is being run by AgResearch.

have to be your own biggest critic.

The results are then collated and inputted into SIL

“It’s essential to be able to market your breed by believing in

and run into the customised Piquet Hill index.

what you are doing, but you also need to be critical enough

Will says the trait is good to pursue when you consider that 10

to see the imperfections and what you need to improve on.”

percent of a flock is spreading 50 percent of the worm burden.

In recent years there has been a change of

“Farmers are on the lookout for no-frills

focus from ewe body weight to body condition

genetics that offer a sustainable product that is

and the correlations between the two.

12 | THE FARMLANDER

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Research has shown that ewe body condition has a dramatic impact on a lot of production traits.

Fighting facial eczema

To meet industry demand Piquet Hill now Body Condition Scores all ewes at weaning and mating.

Facial eczema is a disease that mainly affects ruminants such as sheep, cattle, deer and goats.

Will says the industry is changing in regard to inputs, such as antibiotics, fertiliser and drench. Sheep need fewer inputs, so they are more attractive to the consumer.

It is caused by the fungus Pithomyces chartarum that, under favourable conditions, can rapidly disseminate in pastures. The fungus requires warm, humid weather with night-time temperatures over 13°C for several days and litter at the bottom of the sward.

“There is an increased focus on farming responsibly – farmers need to know how best to meet market expectations, using sustainable and ethical methods. Farmers are responding to environmental challenges through innovation, which they are already well known for. “We fit in as breeders who try to breed sheep that are hardy, low input and that farmers get high production out of. “For me, any growth in sales needs to be sustainable. My target is to have 100 percent of clients happy and sustainably grow over time.” Expanding on their success Expanding on the success of their rams, Piquet Hill Farms also offer quality service bulls to the dairy industry. Ten years ago, the Jackson brothers started leasing cattle to the dairy industry and selling bulls and this year Will sold and leased over 1,700 bulls.

Pithomyces chartarum occurs worldwide, but is a problem predominantly where farm animals are intensively grazed, especially in New Zealand. The spores of the fungus release the mycotoxin sporidesmin in the gastrointestinal tract, blocking the bile ducts that then injures the liver. Bile, chlorophyll and other waste products build up in the bloodstream, causing photosensitivity of the skin. Severe skin irritation and peeled skin results. The large family of fungi that produce mycotoxins live mainly on ryegrasses. Sporidesmin can lower a grazing animal’s immunity and affect total production – when consumed in larger quantities it can be deadly.

Last September’s annual on-farm bull sale saw 410 bulls on offer with a 100 percent clearance. “The bull side of the business is about building on the knowledge and success of our ram breeding programme. “Being able to manage stock is critical and we offer Jersey, Hereford, Angus and Charolais bulls that are guaranteed for quietness and soundness,” he says. The bull business has been particularly difficult with Mycoplasma bovis at the forefront of dairy farmers’ minds. “We have had to test every bull on the property for the disease, although this isn’t fool-proof by any stretch of the imagination – we felt it was our only option to give dairy farmers some surety.” Will says growing a successful farming business requires a team effort and has unique challenges. He is grateful for the support of his partner, Nicola Bradstreet and farm staff who help keep the operation going. “Having bought my brother out last year, we are going through a process of development and change. “At the moment, there is a focus on capital infrastructure including fencing, yards, a new airstrip and all-weather tracks, with the aim of building efficiencies within the business. “Any good business needs competent support staff and strong plans and strategies. We are grateful to have these people around us. “Agriculture is experiencing immense changes

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in the current environment and if you are not willing to adapt, you are left behind. “There are constant environmental and sustainability challenges and as farmers, rather than looking a decade ahead, we need to take a longer-term approach. “I’m incredibly thankful to my father Peter and the work he started. He’s given me the tools to carry on the legacy. “Agriculture has always been my passion and every morning when I wake up, I think how lucky I am to be working in this industry.”

THE FARMLANDER | 13

LIKE TO PUT BACK IN WHAT YOU GET OUT?

THE FEELING’S MUTUAL. Reinvesting into the land is a concept most farmers and growers will be familiar with. Well it’s not so diﬀerent for FMG. As a mutually owned insurer, any proﬁts we make go straight back into the business. If that sounds like the kind of insurer you’d like to have looking after you, ask around about us. Or better still, call us now on 0800 366 466.

We’re here for the good of the country.

14 | THE 14 TH T HE F FARMLANDER AR A RM ML LAN ANDE DER

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Adding value through innovation Developing and improving “solution focused” technology that will benefit Kiwi farmers in the future is a key focus for Farmlands going forward. That’s the view of Farmlands’ new Agri Innovation and Strategy Manager, John Arrell. “There’s no point in bringing technology in for the sake of the technology. It has to be solution focused,” John, who has moved to New Zealand from Ireland, says. “It’s about understanding the challenges and seeing what technology and innovation there is and what benefits it will provide in the long run to ensure shareholders have the best tools at their disposal to deal with consumer requirements as well as environmental and legislative constraints.” John, who started in the role in March, will help deliver new on-farm solutions, services or products that will be needed to successfully farm in the future. Farmlands is already involved in onfarm technology, having launched

SafeFarm and SafeVisit apps with FarmIQ to help make on-farm Health and Safety easier for shareholders. There are three parts to John’s job – looking at what technology has already worked well and helped, what existing technology needs optimising and what will be needed in the future to add value to shareholders, he says. “The ultimate technology for me is invisible technology. “If it’s invisible and the farmer doesn’t even need to do anything while it adds value then that’s great.” He says looking at ways of constantly improving come into the role too. “Farmlands has made a lot of significant innovations in the technology space over the last two or three years. A big part of that role is ensuring this innovation and the technology is adding value to our shareholders.” John comes from a farming background and has run his own software companies in Ireland. Before joining Farmlands, John was Chief

“

Kiwis have that pioneering and ‘give it a go’ attitude. It’s a great place to develop new technology and new solutions that actually make an impact globally.

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| Agri Innovation and Strategy Manager, John Arrell.

Executive of agricultural software company Sixty-5 Technologies in Belfast. Having worked with Farmlands in a number of capacities before, John jumped at the chance to move to Christchurch and take on this new role for the co-operative. “I love New Zealand. If you want to innovate in the agricultural industry, New Zealand is the place to do it. “Kiwis have that pioneering and ‘give it a go’ attitude. It’s a great place to develop new technology and new solutions that actually make an impact globally.” Understanding on-farm technology applications from a shareholder perspective is key to John’s role and he is available to discuss challenges and opportunities – please contact him at john.arrell@farmlands.co.nz

THE FARMLANDER | 15

CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Agricultural industry gears up for Fieldays® Tens of thousands will descend on Waikato’s Mystery Creek this month to attend the Southern Hemisphere’s largest agricultural event.

The four-day event was born through the vision of a small group in 1968 and is now owned and run by the New Zealand National Fieldays Society.

New Zealand Agricultural Fieldays® will run from 12th–15th June, with more than 1,000 exhibitors showcasing the best of the country’s primary industries.

As seen earlier in The Farmlander, Farmlands’ site at Fieldays will offer exclusive deals, expert advice and the latest innovative products. Five lucky punters will participate in Farmlands and Ballance’s Find Your Fortune event on-site to win either $1 million, 10 tonne of fertiliser or $5,000.

This month’s event will offer food, education, international networking, best practice farming advice, clothing, machinery, health and wellbeing services, cuttingedge technology and more. Crowd favourites such as the Tractor Pull and Rural Catch competitions are back this year, along with the Innovation Awards that provide a glimpse into the future of the agricultural industry. Live entertainment will be on offer for the whole family and fencing, logging, excavator and tractor challenges will provide some exciting viewing. Held on a 114ha site about 10 minutes from Hamilton, Fieldays draws visitors and exhibitors from around the world.

16 | THE FARMLANDER

Shareholders can enjoy a lunch in the hospitality area and store their shopping bags for free in the Farmlands shareholder hub. The Rural Catch contestants will visit the Farmlands site on Thursday at 10.00am. “Farmlands has a heavy involvement at National Fieldays because it is the centrepiece of primary sector innovation and fresh thinking,” Farmlands Chief Executive Peter Reidie says. That fresh thinking and innovation is in

line with discussions already underway on changes to our primary sector. Peter says the sector needs to be aware of what the consumer is asking, given the country’s limitations to meet demand. “The reality is the consumer is not going to accept dirty rivers or overuse of sulphates or bad animal practices. Meet the demands of the consumer and we can deliver on this strategy for a prosperous primary sector for New Zealand. “Fieldays is a glimpse into how we will meet those demands.” Fieldays marked its 50th year in 2018 and 130,866 people visited, generating $492 million in sales revenue for New Zealand businesses. The gates to Fieldays will be open from 8.00am–5.00pm from the Wednesday to Friday and from 8.00am–4.00pm on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased from any Waikato or Bay of Plenty Farmlands store, or online at www.fieldays.co.nz

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NO MORE SINGLE USE

In recognition of the environmental impact of single-use plastic bags, we have phased them out of all our stores. But don’t worry, you won’t get caught out — our reusable bags are just $2.00! Thanks for your understanding and for doing your bit for sustainability. While stocks last.

FREE BAAAG! 15TH –30TH JUNE How to redeem: Simply clip this coupon and present in-store for your free bag with your next Farmlands purchase. WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ Co-operative Society Limited | © June 2019. All rights reserved.

SKU: 223574 Free Bag coupon offer valid 15th – 30 th of June 2019. While stocks last.

THE FARMLANDER | 17

Value add or cost add? By Kevin Cooney, Farmlands Chief Financial Officer. “Value add” sits at the heart of most strategies. Indeed, it’s been the ag sector catch-cry for decades. But what does it really mean? Adding value for whom? Too many value-add strategies just add cost or features customers don’t necessarily want or use. For example, many new digital applications for farmers are said to “add value” – but do they? What about the user experience? If the app solves a problem but is hard to use, or you require multiple apps for doing different things, is the experience of using them really “adding” value? The overall experience of engaging with and using them should clearly outweigh any “cost” in terms of time and license fees. Cross-sell and bundling offers from more traditional companies are other great examples. Banks and telco companies have pursued these for years but they risk “feature-creep” – additional features customers neither want, nor value that simply add cost. Competitors quickly copy and roll out similar and often improved-on enhancements. Incremental add-ons give no basis to sustained value. The additional cost risks future margin erosion if customers don’t value the add-ons and won’t pay for them given other choices. “Back to basics” approaches from smaller, more agile operators using cheaper digital platforms step into this gap and deliver only what customers actually want – cheaper, faster and anytime, anywhere.

18 | THE FARMLANDER

Shareholders might ask if a valueadd strategy is truly adding value or just adding cost. The real test for a strategy that truly adds value is the business earning a return that’s more than the cost of providing that value. This can then be either banked and returned as a dividend or rebate, or reinvested to drive future value.

“

Value add strategies require a deep understanding of the qualities or attributes that appeal most to customers.

Adding value – where to start The basics of strategy revolve around creating or exploiting an advantage that’s hard for competitors to replicate. Competitive advantage for this purpose traditionally comes from three sources: price, differentiation and/or brand. Price is about using scale, buying advantages and supply chain advantages to deliver goods and services for prices consistently below competitors. I call that a volume approach and success relies on being the lowest-cost operator. The risk is the so-called race to the bottom, with competitors competing on price that erodes margins and profitability. This favours the most cost-efficient operators.

Differentiation and brand are more costly strategies and what I call a “value” approach. This is about your product or services having features that are unique, that customers value and are willing to pay a premium for. They should be hard to replicate. Generally, they are costlier to deliver because they require greater investment in developing and protecting their unique features and/or marketing to promote their unique values. The challenge is ensuring returns continue to stay well ahead of these higher costs, which in turn requires continuous innovation that’s deeply connected with customers’ evolving preferences. The best businesses are great at one or the other. It’s very difficult to be great at more than one given the different skills and investment needed to be successful at each approach. The challenge of a value add strategy Value add strategies require a deep understanding of the qualities or attributes that appeal most to customers. Key trend analysis, a willingness to experiment and failfast and access to insightful data about customer buying preferences are all important. “Usable” data is customer data that is appropriately utilised so “insights” can help support your decision making. This leads to outcomes such as customers truly aligned to their values and preferences, which enables your business to be more accurate at predicting and catering for future needs. All businesses including farms have

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

data – tonnes of it. New tools and applications to use this data for better decision making are being developed at what seems like a dizzying pace. For many traditional companies, value add is actually just “incrementalism” or an improved version of best practice – an advantage that’s easily replicated and competed away. As this happens, unless new sources of advantage are discovered, margins erode and fail to cover the additional cost of the value add strategy, resulting in decreased profitability. Nimbler start-up businesses use digital platforms that deliver better product fit, with superior user experience. Farming and horticulture businesses will see more examples of this as the years go on – market disruption thrives on it. What can we learn from this as an industry? All value must start from what appeals to the customer’s ‘wants’. That’s often unclear in formulating strategy. The first challenge is dealing with internal biases and myths – what the customer valued even 2 years ago may not be relevant to understanding what they’ll need 2 or 5 years from now. The ag sector is having to lean into profound change and the sheer pace of this change is a huge factor. Environment, water-regulation, nutrient management, commodity price volatility, productivity growth and risk management as part of farming sustainably are now part of the farming business decision-making and strategic universe. It’s important to be aware too that down the chain, consumer

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expectations of what constitutes an acceptable “experience” in their transactions with food and food suppliers are also rapidly evolving. Their need for radical transparency is ultimately the real force behind the on-farm change ahead of us.

complex when you deal with multiple

Naturally, ‘value’ in this environment is also changing. Effective support in navigating complexity will make the hard easy. Insight that’s usable in better and more timely decision making (particularly around key farming inputs) brings meaningful time-savings. Getting a precious hour or two back in a day – and then getting the right product at the right time to the right place for the right price consistently – all drive value in this changing world.

customer but as Henry Ford said, “if I’d

The second challenge is recognising that not all customers are the same in terms of needs and priorities – even within sectors. Really understanding “who” your customer is, what their needs are and what constitutes the “whole product” for them is more

customers across multiple sectors. Without quality data and insight on this, we don’t really know ALL the qualities a customer values. Moreover, it’s well proven we human beings are bad at predicting. We can of course ask the asked my customers what they wanted, they’d have said a faster horse”. The current challenges for developing sustainable farming practices are in fact a massive opportunity. It reminds me of earlier upheavals in the industry – when the UK entered the EEC, or when subsidies for ag were reformed in 1984. In both cases, we emerged over time as a much stronger and more relevant industry and I predict we’ll emerge stronger from these challenges too. The challenge is ensuring we are robust in understanding “value” in formulating our strategies to meet these challenges. That entails letting go of our biases and the myths we hold dear.

THE FARMLANDER | 19

Tauran g a ta k es ta l l y to t en Pa Painting a picture of provincial communities – HeART of the Community, co New Zealand’s prime rural art collection, has been bolstered by a giant new mural. Tauranga is the tenth location for a bold public artwork produced by a top Kiwi artist. Each Farmlands commission depicts aspects of rural New Zealand and captures the local community’s spirit, history and environment. Tauranga, one of our fastest-growing centres, is the gateway to beaches, the Mount and a port. Putting the ‘plenty’ into Bay of Plenty, it is also the capital of kiwifruit and avocado growing and boasts a large lifestyle community. On the outside of Tauranga’s Farmlands store, multi-disciplinary artist Erika Pearce has painted her take on the area’s characteristics. The large-scale project was completed in early May, involving a 20 | THE FARMLANDER

condensed 32 hours of work, due to bad weather at the outset. “It was a big deal entrusting an artist to take our idea and turn it into reality. However, as we watched it unfold everyday it got more vibrant and fun,” Farmlands Tauranga Business Manager Nigel Wilson says. This artwork has a rich horticultural flavour. Animal footprints are painted alongside fruit and fauna, all anchored by a striking tui on a kowhai. The mural is inspired by the look and feel of the popular ‘living wall’ concept. “Everyone just loves it. It’s been a great conversation starter and we think our building now has the most personality on the road. It certainly reflects our store staff – bright, fun and a little crazy,” Nigel says.

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Erika is from Auckland but spent time on family farms as a child. This project was a chance for the award-winning artist to “give back” and recognise the “strong connection I feel with people who work the land”. Local Farmlands staff were involved in the development of the design concept. As with the other successful murals, on display around the country from Taihape to Invercargill, these illustrate the co-operative’s commitment to its rural communities.

To follow the HeART of the Community journey, check out the Farmlands Facebook page, Instagram or www.heartofthecommunity.co.nz

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THE FARMLANDER | 21

NUTRITION

Tom Cranswick

memorial award 2019 PR

TOM OUD TO SUPPOR RS E ORROW ’S RURAL LEAD

YOUR CHANCE TO RECEIVE ONE OF FIVE $2,000 STUDY GRANTS Are you a Farmlands shareholder or the child of a Farmlands shareholder or staff member, currently studying at tertiary level in a discipline related to the primary sector? If so, you have the opportunity to apply for one of five Tom Cranswick Memorial Awards – each offering a $2,000 grant to help you during your primary sector study.

ABOUT THE AWARD

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

The Memorial Award is in honour of Tom Cranswick, a founding Farmlands Director who served on the Board until 1985, including 20 years as Chairman. His passion and dedication was a major influence in the establishment of Farmlands. The Cranswick family has been hugely supportive of Farmlands and it is an honour to offer this award in his memory.

Selection is contingent that as at 30th June 2019: • The applicant is aged 25 or under. • The applicant is a Farmlands shareholder or child of a Farmlands shareholder, whose shareholding has been continuous for two years or more; or a child of a current Farmlands employee whose parent has completed at least two years of permanent continuous service. • The applicant is intending to enrol in a course of study in 2020, having already completed at least one year of tertiary education that is directly associated to the New Zealand rural/ primary sector. (Note: applicants who have not yet commenced their first year of tertiary study are ineligible to apply).

WHAT ARE THE AWARDS FOR? There are FIVE awards, valued at $2,000 each, to enable students through study to further their knowledge and experience and to achieve in their chosen careers, thus allowing them to contribute to the New Zealand primary sector.

Award applications open from 1st July until 31st August 2019. For more information and to register, visit

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www.farmlands.co.nz/tomcranswick

22 | THE FARMLANDER

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Articles in the Plan365 section allow Farmlands suppliers to share best practice and the latest advances in rural technology, NUTRITION to help shareholders with their farming needs all year round.

Bunny banter Someone told me rabbits eat their own poo! Surely this can’t be true. Yes, this is true! Although they don’t eat all their poo… just some of it. The unique muscles of a rabbit’s caecum allow the intestinal tract to separate out fibrous material from more digestible material; the fibrous material is then passed, while the more nutritious material is encased in a mucous lining which is later passed as faeces that are then consumed. They are often referred to as ‘night faeces’, and are high in minerals, vitamins and protein. Night faeces are softer and appear darker in colour than normal faeces. This ‘double digestion’ allows rabbits to extract the necessary nutrients from their high-fibre diet. Can pet rabbits become overweight? Yes, they can. Rabbits that are kept in captivity often get less exercise than wild rabbits and if their diet is not carefully regulated, they can become overweight. Offering a well-balanced, high-fibre feed, such as NRM Rabbit Pellets, will help to keep rabbits at a healthy weight. Should my rabbit have hay all the time? Yes, definitely. Rabbits are designed to consume a diet high in fibre. They are hind gut fermenters which means the majority of their digestion occurs in their caecum where it is fermented by resident microorganisms. If rabbits are not fed enough fibre they can develop a potentially fatal health problem called gut stasis, so it’s important to offer them a feed that is well suited to their unique requirements,

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along with ample access to hay. Does my doe need special feed if she has a litter? NRM Rabbit Pellets are well formulated and used by breeders for both pregnant and lactating rabbits – just restrict levels for pregnant does and feed ad-lib when producing milk. I’m worried about my rabbits contracting Calicivirus as I heard the virus has been released to keep down populations of wild rabbits. Is there anything I can do to protect my rabbit? Yes, there is a vaccination available. Pet rabbits should be vaccinated from 10 weeks of age and boosters given according to your veterinarian’s recommendation. Owners of rabbits that have been previously vaccinated should ensure that booster vaccines are up-to-date.

| Pet rabbits should be vaccinated from 10 weeks of age.

preference for a high-fibre diet, NRM Rabbit Pellets contain high-quality lucerne chaff and a unique raw fibre

Are fruit and veggies good for my rabbit? Provided rabbits are fed a fully formulated feed they should not need extra nutrients from greens. Many common plants, like lettuce and kale, can be harmful and fruit often contains a lot of sugar, which should be limited. Variety is not always the spice of life for rabbits who prefer consistency, so check out what you can feed them and limit how much is fed. Basil, carrots, celery leaves, dandelion leaves and flowers, dill, mint, parsley and watercress are generally considered safe for rabbits. Give NRM Rabbit Pellets a try for your furry friends. Designed to fulfil a rabbit’s

concentrate with a perfect balance of cellulose-to-lignin to improve the digestive health of rabbits. NRM Rabbit Pellets also contain highquality soya oil to deliver linoleic acid, a fatty acid which can help to improve coat condition. A comprehensive, rabbit-specific trace element and vitamin pack to support optimum health and vitality is also included, along with a coccidiostat to prevent coccidiosis – a parasite which can be an issue particularly in young kits but can also affect mature rabbits. For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, Nutritionist.

THE FARMLANDER | 23

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FREE in-home consultation 0800 808 300 russellscurtains.co.nz *Offer exclusive to Farmlands shareholders. Discount is applied off retail price. Excludes shutters and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

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NUTRITION

Technology delivers practical benefits Rangiora dairy farmer Alastair Robinson loves his cows. He is passionate about breeding and managing cows to their potential. He is a hands-on farmer with a good team and performance, so perhaps not an obvious example of a farm that might be considered in need of technology to help manage cow health and fertility. Experience has shown that a cow monitoring system can deliver real benefits for even the best-run operation. Nearly 12 months on from fitting Allflex animal monitoring collars to his cows, Alastair is now a firm believer that the collars have made a real difference. He says they will deliver a return on investment sooner than expected and he “has no hesitation recommending the system to everyone”. The farm has traditional winter milk supply contracts and cows are calving about 10 months of the year to spread milk supply. Collar fitting was staggered to ease the workload and cash flow, as well as to target cows before mating. The system only takes 7-10 days to build up reference data for each cow before unusual behaviour can be flagged up – but it took a little longer for the team to build up confidence in the system. Heat patches were continued for a few months until it became apparent they were giving false positives when cows were rubbing against trees and failed to identify cows in heat that the collars were detecting. With four people on the team who can inseminate the cows, the system’s ability to identify the best

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| Alastair Robinson is passionate about breeding and managing cows to their potential.

time to mate has been a real bonus. Milking has become easier because the pressure to sustain a focus on mating over such an extended period has been removed. More cows than ever before have calved this autumn and recent scanning has confirmed there are 80 less cows not in-calf compared to last season. This may partly reflect a better grass growing season but he believes the collars have undoubtedly helped. The system is very accurate at indicating the best time to breed but also identifying empty cows, which Alastair believes may make pregnancy scanning unnecessary in the future. Alastair has found health alerts to be another key benefit of the system. Again, experience has increased confidence in the system, which can identify cows with acute issues before they occur – for example, the system generated a text message for a cow at 5.30am that looked fine at 6.30am but then succumbed to milk fever after milking. The system has also been very effective

at identifying cows that might be described as “off-colour” that would otherwise have gone unnoticed. The herd’s veterinarian has created a suite of non-antibiotic treatments for cows not running a temperature and with a Health Index below 80. In the majority of cases, a simple therapy puts them on the road to recovery rather than their condition becoming clinical, which has to be good for animal welfare and performance. As Chairman of the Executive Committee for the 2019 South Island Agricultural Field Days, Alastair found being in charge of the grounds and layout for exhibitors meant he was away from the farm for extended periods. By then he had faith that the system would reliably and simply support his team whilst he was away – further demonstrating that this new technology can work hand-in-hand with farmers with traditional values. For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Head Nutritionist.

THE FARMLANDER | 25

NUTRITION

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TO ENTER, PURCHASE ANY SPECIALLY MARKED BAG OF 25KG TUX® ENERGY, 25KG TUX® COUNTRY OR NEW 20KG TUX® ENERGY EXTRA BETWEEN 1 JUNE 2019 AND 31 JULY 2019. One minor prize will be awarded to the South Island and one to the North Island. Retain original purchase receipt to claim prize. Ute includes on road costs. See sticker on bag for further entry details. After purchase, visit tux.co.nz/rural/promotions to register your code and contact details. Valid entries drawn on 05/08/19. Winner notiﬁed by 09/08/19. Open to NZ residents aged 18+ who have a valid driver licence. Full terms and conditions at tux.co.nz/rural/promotions. The promoter is Nestlé New Zealand Limited.

26 | THE FARMLANDER

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NUTRITION

Multi-benefits of milk replacers Milk replacers are increasingly seen as a safer option than untreated whole milk, which carries the risk of transmitting Johne’s, BVD, salmonella and other diseases such as Mycoplasma bovis. Interest is also growing in the use of quality calf milk replacer – beyond providing a safer, more convenient way to rear beefies, or extending stocks of transition milk for dairy replacements (when milk replacer becomes more cost effective than taking milk out of the vat). Fortifying whole milk with milk replacer can help support the growth potential of stock with a high genetic merit while restricting the volume fed. This has both practical implications (in terms of volume of milk that has to be carted around) and health implications (in terms of overloading the abomasum with too much milk per feed). Whilst there is some concern that increased liquid feeding might allow dairy calves to become too fat; adding milk replacer to whole milk is likely to increase the protein-to-fat ratio, which is likely to improve stature and muscle development while decreasing fat deposition. Feeding just two to three litres of milk fortified with 220-300g milk powder is like feeding another 1.5 to 2.4 litres of milk equivalent as milk replacer (depending on the product). Superconcentrated milk should be avoided

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however, as it may increase the risk of diarrhoea and/or abomasal bloat. Top tips for milk replacers The goal should be to deliver the correct concentration in a drinkable volume, produced hygienically. • Choose a product to suit your calves, feeding system and growth goals. • Ensure it is mixed properly. • Feed at the correct level to meet growth targets. • Avoid abrupt changes – to reduce stress and nutritional scours. • Use a thermometer to ensure water is added at the correct temperature, as indicated on the bag. • Do not feed milk replacer with a coccidiostat to bobby calves. NRM Calf Milk Replacer is well suited to earlier weaning and can also be used in accelerated feeding programmes using fortified whole milk. It helps keep calves content and robust so is a good choice if rearers are inexperienced or weather conditions are inclement. NRM Calf Milk Finisher incorporates some vegetable proteins so is a great second stage product and is popular with dairy farmers after the transition milk stocks have been exhausted. NRM Power Whey reflects the price competitiveness and consistency of whey fortified with organic acids.

These lower gut pH levels and reduce the incidence and severity of diarrhoea. Whey milk replacers are also less filling so are ideal for calves that can be housed for longer – especially in colder locations. To get the most from your milk replacer, aim to reduce the risk of diarrhoea. An interesting survey of 45 Waikato dairy farms in 2010 (Denholm 2012) which looked at pre-weaning calf disease and mortality found: • Disease risk was lower when hygiene methods such as gloves and footbaths/boot washing was applied in rearing sheds. • Disease decreased with increasing herd size – possibly because bigger units can support dedicated calf rearing staff. • Disease decreased when herds were vaccinated with rotavirus and/or salmonella vaccines. • Disease was decreased when water was offered in calf pens and when bedding was replaced in calf sheds. Anyone wishing to learn more about calf rearing should check out the practical videos on the Farmlands website. For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. K Denholm 2012 Risk factors for pre-weaning calf morbidity and mortality due to farmerdiagnosed diarrhoea on 45 New Zealand dairy farms, Massey University, Manawatu. Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Lead Nutritionist.

THE FARMLANDER | 27

NUTRITION

With NZ farmers For NZ farmers Mike - Dairy Farmer )DUPODQGV VKDUHKROGHU and Genesis customer

Our Farmlands Energy Deal Farmlands shareholders get extra rewards at Genesis. Whether you need electricity and natural or bottled gas for the farm or the house (or both), our Farmlands shareholder offer rewards you for buying your Genesis energy through Farmlands. Our offers for your home or business include: Â· Up to 17% discount for Business RXU PXOWL IXHO SURPSW SD\PHQW GLVFRXQW SOXV DQ H[WUD )DUPODQGV VKDUHKROGHU UHEDWH Â· 8p to 18% PXOWL IXHO SURPSW SD\PHQW GLVFRXQW for Residential.* Â· 3 ChoiceV Rewards Points for every $150 spent with Genesis. Â· All bill payments will count towards your annual Farmlands Bonus Rebate. Visit www.genesisenergy.co.nz/farmlands to find out more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Å® GLVFUHWLRQ Proud to be a partner of

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NUTRITION

The art of developing rumens The digestive tract of the neonatal calf is dramatically different to that of the adult ruminant. When a calf is first born they have a very small rumen, only a fraction of the size it will eventually need to be when the animal is older and consuming a much higher fibre diet. A key focus of the calf rearing period is to stimulate the rumen of the animals to start growing in preparation for weaning time. All this needs to happen while ensuring calves are hitting growth targets themselves and are as healthy as possible. Nutritious, health-supporting milk and a goodquality starter feed are key components of a successful calf rearing system and can help take some of the stress and risk out of calf rearing. After good colostrum intake has been achieved in the first day of life, milk becomes the most important source of nutrients for a calf. Feeding calves transition milk from the first

milkings and waste milk from treated cows carries the risk of transmitting Johne’s, BVD, salmonella and other diseases such as Mycoplasma bovis. These and other animal health concerns help to justify the use of well formulated calf milk replacer beyond a simple cost-price advantage. Offering a grain-based calf feed in early life is the key to kick starting rumen development in the first few weeks. Although the calves will not eat much, they will start to develop the all-important habit of eating a hard feed and intakes will snowball from there. Top tips for encouraging early hard feed intake • Choose a high-quality starter feed with no palm kernel. A key attribute should be a low-dust feed. It’s all about the mouth feel for a calf and they don’t like eating fines. NRM Moozlee is a great choice as it is high in starch with the added benefit

of a bit of lucerne chaff which is very attractive to young calves. • Hard feed can be offered to calves from very early in life – they will not eat large amounts at first, but it is important to have it available so they start to develop good hard feed eating habits. Remember to increase amounts offered as they increase in appetite. • Always make sure the feed on offer is fresh. Do not put large amounts of feed out and leave it to go mouldy or contaminated by vermin. Little and often is the key. • Calves maintain a lot of mouth activity after a milk feed – hand feeding some hard feed immediately after their milk feed can help get them used to the texture and flavour. • If calves seem a bit slow to take to the hard feed, double check how much milk you are feeding. Overfeeding milk can depress appetite for other food sources. • Some long fibre such as hay or straw is important for calves to start practising rumination. However, if calves are overconsuming long fibre it can depress their appetite for the hard feed. Making the long fibre a little harder to get at, such as stuffed inside hay racks, can help to make sure calves just take a little bit each day. • Always have fresh water available – water is critical for hard feed intake and development of the rumen. For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, Nutritionist.

| A key focus of the calf rearing period is to stimulate their rumen to start growing in preparation for weaning.

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THE FARMLANDER | 29

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To view these offers and more, check out the latest BCD catalogue at www.farmlands.co.nz/bigcarddeals Pricing is exclusive to Farmlands shareholders when transacting on your Farmlands Card. All prices are GST exclusive and subject to stock availability. Pricing is inclusive of all rebates and discounts. Prices are valid until 31st August 2019. For full Terms and Conditions visit www.farmlands.co.nz/bigcarddeals

30 | THE FARMLANDER

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Change brings real milk production benefits Filling the vat with the best milk you can produce is a financial win-win. Studies have shown significant production gains associated with maintaining good milk quality. For example, halving bulk milk somatic cell counts (BMSCC) from 300,000 to 150,000 cells per millilitre of milk is estimated to increase total season milk solids by 2.1%. In general, the lower your somatic cell count (SCC) and the fewer grades you incur during lactation, the more efficient and thorough your milking process is – that’s better for your staff and your herd, as well as your bottom line. Attention to detail and a preventative approach go a long way towards

improving milk quality and this is

“Milking liners are hidden inside the

the ideal time of year to review your

shells, so you can’t see what happens

system. A key question to ask is:

to them when they wear out,” Perry

when did we last replace the liners?

says. “The first thing you might see

Farmers who change milking liners

instead is a cow kicking the cluster off,

at the recommended lifespan of

damaged teat ends or a surprisingly

2,500 milkings report immediate

high BMSCC on the milk docket.”

reduction in teat end damage as well as better somatic cell count results, according to Skellerup National Manager, Perry Davis. Milking liners are the single part of your dairy plant that comes into direct

That’s because a worn, poor-fitting liner can leave milk in the udder, slip off the teat and/or leave permanent rings at the top of the teat. On top of that, any internal cracks in the rubber are an ideal environment for bacteria.

contact with the cow. Every lactation she typically spends 50-100 hours

It is easy to find out if your milking liners

attached to the machine – via those

are due for replacement. All you have

liners – so it’s no wonder they play such

to do is grab a calculator and work out

an important role in milk harvesting.

how many times they’ve been used since they were installed. If the answer comes to 2,500 or more, they’ve reached the end of their lifespan and could soon cost you more than you realise. Visit www.2500change.co.nz or follow these steps: • Step 1 – multiply the number of cows being milked by the number of milkings per day. • Step 2 – divide the number in ‘Step 1’ by the number of milking clusters in the milking plant. • Step 3 – divide 2,500 by the number in ‘Step 2’. This is the number of days between optimum liner changes for your farm. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Skellerup.

| Attention to detail and a preventative approach go a long way towards improving milk quality.

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

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32 | THE FARMLANDER

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Get your pre-calving nutrition sorted Now is a good time to review your springer cow nutrition programme. Not every pre-calving diet has the same feeds, so it is important to get advice that is specific for your farm. It is also advisable to review what is in your springer cow products, as they can vary significantly. Some things to look out for are: Antioxidants and trace elements: Often, these are not considered but are incredibly important as cow antioxidant demand increases significantly at calving, at the same time as intake of antioxidants from pasture decreases. Examples of vital antioxidants include organic selenium and vitamin E. Melofeed® is the first and only primary antioxidant available in New Zealand. Vitamins: Vitamin D plays a critical role in the mobilisation of calcium from bone stores. Other vitamins (A and E) also play a role in cow health and immunity at calving.

Magnesium: Magnesium is required to help enable calcium mobilisation from bone reserves however, it is not the only nutrient we need to be mindful of in the pre-calving diet. DCAD: Addressing the ‘Dietary Cation Anion Difference’ is required in many situations where the ‘cations’ in the diet such as potassium and sodium from pasture and green feeds outweigh the ‘anions’ such as chlorides and sulphates. Running your specific feeds through a nutrition programme such as Diet CheckTM can help identify the DCAD risk for your situation. Rumen health: The transition from dry to springer to colostrum to milker can involve many dietary changes. Easing diet changes makes a big difference. Recent studies have also shown that Levucell®SC live yeast can improve rumen wall integrity and limit inflammatory status of rumen epithelium during the transition period of lactating cows.

Additives to help reduce the effect of prolonged insulin resistance: This is particularly important for cows wintered on high-energy diets such as fodder beet. Examples include chromium and Nexulin® which can improve cow responsiveness to glucose and prevent excessive weight loss post-calving. Total diet balance: Protein, energy, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous all need to be present in sufficient quantities, but not over-supplied either. This is where a holistic view of pre-calving nutrition is important. The whole picture needs to be looked at to not just reduce the incidence of milk fever, but also to enable cow health, productivity and fertility. Pre-calving nutrition is more than just milk fever prevention. A healthy transition flows onto significant production and fertility benefits. Nutrimin® Springer Cow range provides comprehensive pre-calving nutrition support that contains a very effective negative DCAD, vitamins A, D and E, trace minerals including Alkosel® organic selenium, Melofeed® primary antioxidant, magnesium, calcium and chromium. Rumensin, Levucell®SC and Nexulin® options are available. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. 1. Bach, A. et al, (2018). Changes in gene expression in the rumen and colon epithelia during the dry period through lactation of dairy cows and effects of live yeast supplementation, Journal of Dairy Science, 101 (3). 2. Oh, J. et al, (2017). Effects of rumen-protected Capsicum oleoresin on productivity and responses to a glucose tolerance test in lactating dairy cows, Journal of Dairy Science, 100. Article supplied by Nutritech.

| Now is a good time to review your springer cow nutrition programme.

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THE FARMLANDER | 33

DAIRY MANAGEMENT

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36 3 6|T TH THE HE F FARMLANDER AR A RM ML LAN AND DE ER

Farmlands Fa F Far Farm arrm arm a rmlland la lan an a and nd n ds Co C Co-operative o-op -ope --o op o ope pe p errati ra rat ati at a ttiivve eS Society oci oc ocie o cie c ci iie ety ty L Limited im imi imit mit mi m ited it ed | Â© J June une un u ne n e 2019. 201 2019 20 2 019 0 01 19. Al 19 All All rights rriig ght gh ghts hts h tts s reserved. re rres es e serve erv e er rvvve rrve ed ed d..

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Avoiding collateral damage from rodent control Successful farming has always been all about strategic risk management and now farmers face a more complex range of risks than ever before. With the widespread development of chemical resistance and increased environmental concerns, the whole industry has felt the need to diversify control programmes and introduce softer chemistry wherever possible. While other farm programmes have moved away from over-reliance on a single solution, rodent control programmes have some catching up to do. Most of them are still limited to repeated use of the same, or very similar, anticoagulants. Now, the introduction of different chemistry in a new formulation makes it much easier to rotate through different modes of action and formulation types. Cholecalciferol is a natural, nonanticoagulant active ingredient, which has been recognised as a very efficient rodenticide for decades. Its first big advantage is its speed of control. Rodents that consume a bait stop feeding within 24 hours. That allows more of them to feed on the available baits in a short time and the whole population can be controlled after as few as two bait applications. Conventional anticoagulant baits may require up to six applications to deliver similar results. Cholecalciferol’s second big advantage is a substantially reduced risk of secondary poisoning. Anticoagulant rodenticides are only metabolised slowly and residues

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

| Rodents that consume a bait stop feeding within 24 hours.

accumulate in the liver, kidneys and stomach, which means dogs, cats, birds or livestock such as pigs can potentially consume a lethal dose from the carcasses of affected rodents. Cholecalciferol is rapidly metabolised, so rodent carcasses pose minimal risk to other animals.

and over 13 times more palatable than

The only obstacle to cholecalciferol jumping straight to the top of the rodenticide charts way back in the 1980s was the taste – and researchers couldn’t make it palatable enough to attract rodents as strongly as other baits.

effectiveness of anticoagulants.

The BASF scientists who developed new Selontra® Soft Bait went much further than simply overcoming that historical problem. They created a formulation that has been assessed in trial work as four times more palatable to rodents than typical rodenticides

maize silage. So, suddenly the chemical that had been the least attractive has become almost irresistible. All of which means building a product rotation around Selontra has much greater advantages than simply protecting the Adopting a rotational approach to rodenticide, with the introduction of Selontra’s advanced mode of action, will enable rodent control to be managed as efficiently and sustainably as other onfarm protection programmes. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by BASF.

THE FARMLANDER | 37

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Available at your local Farmlands store! 38 | THE FARMLANDER

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

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THE FARMLANDER | 39

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Don’t Wait, Take Action

Ask us in-store about the most effective pest control solution for you!

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0800 200 600 www.farmlands.co.nz 40 | THE FARMLANDER

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Take a step forward with safer farm footwear No matter what kind of farm you have, where it is, or how experienced you are, chances are most days involve routine jobs that can quite literally see you hit the ground. From working at height, working on uneven or slippery surfaces and using ladders, to getting on and off tractors, working in the milking shed, or working with livestock, it’s not easy for farmers and growers to avoid the risk of slips, trips or falls. This risk becomes even more likely in wet or icy winter conditions, which can create unexpected changes in surfaces. In fact, WorkSafe New Zealand has even published a good practice guideline dedicated solely to preventing slips and trips on farm, which can be found on its website. Coming in at number two on its list of top five key points? “Use footwear with good tread.” The Guide advises: “Footwear should have a large heel-to-surface contact area, rubber soles and heels. Replace boots before the tread wears out.” If your current gumboots are looking worse for wear in this regard – or if you’re looking to improve overall Health and Safety right across your farm business – there’s a few key details that can provide protection without sacrificing on comfort. “Most agri workers know to choose steel toecaps, to minimise the risk of crush injuries. Consumers should also look out for important features such as penetration-resistant steel midsoles and a rubber sole that is way more than just slip-resistant,” Skellerup

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| The new Quatro’s fully clad rubber uppers are formulated to stand up to tough environmental challenges.

National Manager Perry Davis says.

The new Quatro Safety Non-Insulated

“A hard-working rubber sole needs to be capable of resisting the effects from acid or heat, releasing mud easily and providing maximum surface area grip,” Perry explains.

gumboot, from Skellerup, has been

Other prime features to look for in a high-quality working gumboot:

protected to keep them on their toes.

• Functionality built into specific areas of the boot, where extra protection is needed.

cushioned innersole, developed with

• Raised ribbing across the front of the boot for enhanced forefoot protection. • High grip on uneven ground, mud and grass. • A rubber compound that has excellent resistance across the board. • Fast-dry, anti-microbial and anti-fungal linings that wick moisture away from the feet. • Excellent cushioning, arch support, shock-absorbing heel and ankle support.

designed to incorporate all of these benefits; while also featuring its special Quatro ComfortFoam. This all-in-one boot means farmers are supported and This hand-made boot has a special a podiatrist, that reduces impact on farmers’ knees and back as well as helping to minimise foot roll. On the outside, the new Quatro’s fully clad rubber uppers are formulated to stand up to tough environmental challenges, including New Zealand’s high UV levels, animal waste and chemicals, while remaining easy to clean. For further information about the new Quatro Safety Non-Insulated gumboot, contact the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Skellerup.

THE FARMLANDER | 41

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42 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Shearing shed safety With safety at the forefront of all farm activity, there is no better time than now to assess the safety in your shearing shed. Due to the busy nature of activity undertaken in and around shearing sheds, the opportunity for an accident to happen is high. You can minimise the risk of accidents in your shearing shed by reviewing the current safeguards your shearing machinery offers. • Does my shearing plant offer safety cut-out in case of lock-up? • Is my shearing plant isolated from electric shock? • Does my woolpress have a safety guard? • Is my woolpress operator safe? Injuries that are preventable cost farmers, contractors and the wool and shearing industries money. Due to technology advances, shearing machinery now incorporates more safety features than before. The extra cost of an upgrade to a higher quality machine is a small price to pay for superior safety in a busy, high-stress work environment. Heiniger’s New Zealand National Sales Manager, Kevin Thirkell, articulates what the risks look like in a real-world context. “Shearers, contractors and farmers increasingly demand tools that provide them with function but do not compromise on safety. For example, in the past when there has been a lock-up, the hand piece can spin around at approximately 3,500rpm – making it an incredibly dangerous

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

and life-threatening weapon – leading to the possibility of serious injuries. A safe and light shearing machine, with the advantage of a downtube isolated from all electrified components, reduces any risk of electric shock,” advises Kevin. The Heiniger Evo Shearing Plant has fast become a market-leader as it was the first shearing plant in the world to be manufactured with an electronic safety switch stopping the machine in case of dangerous handpiece “lock-ups”. It is also extremely light, at only 7.8kg (machine only). A safe, fast, efficient woolpress is also vital for shearers. Key features to look for when upgrading or checking your machine is: • Safety: A fully fitted and approved mechanical safety screen and safety device for operator safety. • Toughness and durability: For intensive use season after season and ensuring expensive servicing is reduced.

| Workplace injuries place a significant financial impost on the wool and shearing industries.

been proven as the fastest press on the market, with a cycle time of

• Speed: To ensure high yield and efficiency when pressing bales.

12-16 seconds in high yielding wools

• Ergonomics: Such as a low filling height to avoid stress and strain on an operator’s back.

Heiniger offers innovative, safer

• Robotics: High-tech machines offer a fully automatic bale ejection system to help your shearing operation. The TPW Xpress Woolpress is widely used by farmers, shearing contractors and many woolstores where the above requirements are demanded. This machine has long been renowned for its speed and toughness. It has

when pressing bales up to 200kg. solutions for your shearing shed. With the Evo Shearing Plant and TPW Xpress Woolpress on the market, there are now few excuses for farmers not to be able to better protect themselves and their staff. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Heiniger.

THE FARMLANDER | 43

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44 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

How much are your ewes worth? How valuable are your ewes this year? $160, $190, $220 or more? And that is without lambs on board. Now that ewes are pregnant, they are worth even more. These valuable animals need to be looked after and vaccinating them against preventable diseases is good insurance for a positive lambing. All ewes should be vaccinated against clostridial diseases. These diseases are common and deadly. They can occur sporadically, affecting a small number of animals or striking down a large group at once. For example, tetanus can occur after tailing, or blackleg after yarding. Most clostridial diseases are very difficult to diagnose and largely untreatable. Where it is unknown why a ewe (or ram or lamb) died, its death may have been preventable. Ewes are most at risk at lambing, as conditions are generally less than ideal – often being muddy, wet and cold. Bruising and abrasions from lambing can allow bacteria to establish, which then multiply in the tissue producing a toxin which kills the ewe. If the ewe dies, so will her lamb(s), compounding your loss. If ewes have not previously been vaccinated, they need to be vaccinated twice prior to lambing. Give 1ml of Lifeguard® 5-in-1 now with the second injection within 4 weeks of lambing. This not only protects the ewe but allows her to pass on immunity to the lambs through her colostrum, protecting them for their first few months of life.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

| All ewes should be vaccinated against clostridial diseases. These diseases are common and deadly.

If your ewes are to receive a prelamb drench, Eweguard® offers the convenience of a combination 5-in-1 clostridial vaccine with a medium-acting drench to protect against worms over the critical lambing period. It is a great option when time or labour is limited. Eweguard will also help reduce dags and has a 49-day meat withholding period, so cull ewes can leave the farm earlier than if they received a longer acting treatment.

“priming dose” stimulates the immune system, and a second “booster” 4 weeks later is needed to provide longterm protection against disease. Do not delay the second shot until after you have identified replacements, or until autumn with prime lambs still on farm, as this creates a lengthy period of unnecessary risk. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

Lambs should be vaccinated at

Lifeguard and Eweguard are registered trademarks of Zoetis. ACVM Nos A7302, A9122, A11146 and A11147.

tailing and again at weaning. The first

Article supplied by Zoetis.

THE FARMLANDER | 45

FORAGE AND ARABLE

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46 | THE FARMLANDER

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

The need for nutrients Just like their larger counterparts, lifestyle farms need nutrients replaced to ensure healthy land, plants and animals, and your own enjoyment of your piece of paradise. Using land to grow plants, whether it’s grass for stock or for a perfect sweep of lawn, removes nutrients from the soil. In some cases, and to varying degrees, nutrients are returned to the soil, but this depends on how the land is being used. For example, land used for grazing removes nutrients in the form of meat, wool and so on, but some nutrients are returned in the form of animal urine and dung. Mowing the lawn with the grass catcher on, or selling pasture as hay or baleage, removes nutrients from the land altogether.

limited, despite all other nutrients being present in sufficient quantities.

sulphate for immediate uptake by

What is missing?

and selenium, to prevent the trace

Soil testing pinpoints exactly what is missing in the soil. Some soils are naturally low in certain nutrients, even before plants use them to grow.

element deficiencies most commonly

Taking soil samples is fairly straightforward, and your Farmlands store can help with advice and equipment. You can also check guidelines on a soil testing laboratory website, such as Hill Laboratories. Soil on small blocks should be tested every 3 years, at least 3 months after applying fertiliser (or lime). Trends over time are important, so keep good records.

farm removes potassium from the

Feeding pasture To replace nutrients in pasture on lifestyle farms, the Nutrigro range of products are a good option. They are designed specifically for that purpose, and come in 20kg bags. Nutrigro contains nitrogen for growth, soluble phosphorus and

As a result, soil nutrients decline over time, leading to plant growth decline and potentially animal health suffering. If just one of the nutrients required by plants is lacking, growth will be

plants and small amounts of cobalt

found on New Zealand farms. Growing crops such as hay and baleage and taking them off the soil. Plants, especially clovers, require potassium for health. If the soil needs potassium, the product “Nutrigro 13K” combines the full range of nutrients and trace elements of Nutrigro with potassium. Feeding lawn If it is lawn, not pasture, you are growing, the right nutrients get it off to a good start. Phosphate close to the seed helps grass seeds quickly develop roots and shoots, and calcium is important for developing roots and tips. A product such as YaraMila Complex provides a good amount of both phosphate and calcium, along with other nutrients. It can also be used for growing fruit, vegetables and ornamentals. Once your lawn is underway, the focus is on replacing soil nutrients removed by mowing and reducing competing plants. The nutrients in Ballance’s Lawn Fertiliser with Moss Killer make your grass greener and iron sulphate helps to get rid of moss. Both products come in 20kg bags. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

| Using land to grow plants removes nutrients from the soil.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Adding value to your farm through Health and Safety Many jobs facing farmers in winter are crucial to overall productivity on farm – but the winter months also see a sharp rise in specific types of accidents. “Having someone off sick hits productivity, especially at times like during calving or when you need to be getting feed out in harsh winter conditions,” Agricultural Sector Lead for WorkSafe, Al McCone says. “Everyone else has to work harder, which is added pressure at a time when colds and flu are doing the rounds anyway. It may mean additional expense to pay someone to cover that job and productivity could still suffer as that temporary person gets up to speed. “By assessing now what your risks are going to be through winter and the best ways to manage them, you will add value to your farm business. It’s no different to planning for what kind of feed or fertiliser you want to invest in or what equipment to purchase – it’s part and parcel of productivity.” Winter sees some of the highest workplace incidents on farms of people being injured when hit by moving objects and workers suffering muscular stress. “When you look at these incident statistics, you can relate many to specific winter tasks; lifting hay bales, lifting lambs, working in calving sheds where floors can get slippery or taking vehicles out on wet slopes,” Al says. Data from the past 17 years has shown 80 percent of fatalities on farms were related to vehicles or

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| By communicating and working with your team, you’ll be best placed to ensure good health and safety.

machinery. Over the past 3 years, this has become closer to 90 percent. Vehicle accidents are also the leading cause of accidents in agriculture requiring more than a week off work. Vehicle-related injuries rise sharply on farms from June. From 2012-2016 there were 349 vehicle-related injuries, spiking to 453 in July and 648 in August. “Fatigue is a major factor – be it driving home in the dark in the early hours after calving or simply after a long strenuous day, especially if you’ve been knocked back by a winter bug,” Al says. “It’s also important not to underestimate the potential severity of a slip, trip or muscular stress – which can all result in lifechanging long-term injuries.” Al says that by putting aside some

time for planning and working with staff to identify the risks posed by winter tasks now, farmers can prevent a lot of potential problems later on. “Every farm is different and your farm team are the best people to assess what the individual risks are. By communicating and working with your team, you’ll be best placed to ensure good Health and Safety throughout the tough winter months. You don’t need to write it down – but you should talk about it. “And that communication needs to be ongoing. For instance, if you, or one of your workers, is going out to check on stock after rain, then take 5 minutes to think or talk about the best vehicle for the job. That’s 5 minutes to help prevent an accident and 5 minutes that adds value to your business.” Article supplied by WorkSafe.

THE FARMLANDER | 49

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THE FARMLANDER | 51

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FARMLANDS FUEL

Get your fuel ready for winter Now is the perfect time to replace filters on fuel tanks, complete any general maintenance and use your summer diesel – so as to fill up with winter diesel. All diesel fuel contains wax molecules, which are natural components of the crude oil diesel is produced from. In severe winter conditions, the wax starts to crystallise and if enough wax crystals form, they can block fuel filters, fuel strainers

and fuel lines in diesel-powered engines and machinery. To combat this, Farmlands Fuel supply regional batches enhanced with additives relevant to different climate zones in New Zealand. This list outlines delivery zones and the minimum operating temperature the additive may work at: • Northland/Auckland – suitable for use down to -6°C • Rest of North Island and Nelson – suitable for use down to -9°C

• Canterbury and South Canterbury plains – suitable for use down to -9°C • South Canterbury inland, hills and high country – suitable for use down to -15°C • Otago and Southland – suitable for use down to -15°C To discuss preparing your fuel for winter, contact the Farmlands Fuel team on 0800 666 626.

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THE FARMLANDER | 53

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The New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards aim to capture and preserve the history of our country’s farming families. Each month we will share stories from Farmlands shareholders who have worked their land for 100 years or more.

Webster family celebrates more than 100 years Rhodes Hills in Dorie, Canterbury, has been home to the Webster family since 1902. In 1902, Thomas Richards purchased 1,014 acres in Dorie, Mid-Canterbury, which has now been farmed by five generations of the Richards family. The farm is named Rhodes Hills – the “Rhodes” name originating from the first settler of the property in 1879. The

| Bob Webster, 1970.

property was often referred to across the county as the 1,000 acre block. Thomas Arnold Richards (Arnold) purchased the property in 1920, married Gladys Brough in 1923 and had two daughters, June and Gwen. Gwen can recall her father saying he was “told off” by his father for taking out the last of the tussocks in the “broom paddock”, as he was losing his lambing shelter. June and her husband, Bob Jack farmed in partnership with Arnold for a couple of years but decided farming wasn’t for them and moved back to

Christchurch. Gwen married Bob Webster in 1958 and they purchased the property from Arnold at this time. They had three sons, John, Andrew and Peter. All three boys showed a passion for the farm. John completed a Surveying Degree but tragically died in a climbing accident in 1981. Andrew and Peter drove the development of irrigation with the first well and irrigator commissioned in spring 1982. Irrigation transformed the property into a predominantly cropping farm, with the last of the breeding ewes being sold in 1985.

Andrew and Peter started leasing the property in their own names in 1987, with Andrew leasing 208ha and Peter 251ha and subsequently purchasing it in 1990. Andrew married Leita Chapman in 1986 and had two children, Lewis and Chantelle. Peter married Nicki Smith in 1987 and had three sons, Thomas, George and James. Peter and Nicki leased Andrew’s part of the property in 1997 and purchased it in 2000. The farm now has a dairy operation of 1,150 cows with a 60 bail rotary dairy shed and this is integrated with 320ha of crops, specialising in the production of small seeds and vegetable seeds. The landholding has grown to 620ha in Dorie and 450ha in Aylesbury, Central Canterbury along with a 20ha block on Rakaia Highway, which houses five chicken sheds leased to Tegel. Tom and George are now involved with Peter and Nicki on the farm and James has just completed an Agricultural Marketing Degree from Lincoln University and is planning his career path.

| Claas Combine in 2018.

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| Arnold Richards, 1939.

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REAL ESTATE

Positive signs for the market Sales results across residential, lifestyle and rural categories are encouraging with a healthy lift in volumes for the month of March. This trend is typical for Autumn, with many owners considering a change in property. Our Farmlands residential and lifestyle teams have had an increase in activity – with a 20% lift in residential properties and a 12% lift in lifestyle properties for sale.

Island, where in the last 3 months

reports also confirm that even in

dairy farm sales total eight (three of

the fringe areas, prices for kiwifruit

which were registered in Southland).

orchards are currently better than the

Finishing – reasonable results

top prices achieved in the good areas

in Northland, Auckland, Waikato

18 months ago. However, activity

and Taranaki; strong volumes

is expected to tail off as picking

in Manawatu/Whanganui;

progresses and is likely to be quiet

solid activity in the Nelson/

until the spring period, when pruning

Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago

and tying down has been completed

and Southland regions.

and the new growth emerges.

Grazing – Northland, Hawke’s Bay,

In summary – Grazing farms were the

Our rural team have had a 10% increase in sheep and beef listings, 5% increase in horticulture properties and our dairy consultants have continued to list premium farms across the country. It has never been a better time to buy a dairy farm with fair-to-low property prices, and a solid milk payout.

Taranaki, Manawatu/Whanganui