Farmlander February 2020 by Farmlands

SPECIAL OFFERS AND INFORMATION FOR FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS

FEBRUARY 2020 Valid from 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 29 February 2020

The FARMLANDER VISION AND VALUES NURTURING THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE PAGE 8

BEST LAID PLANS PAGE 17

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

PRODUCERS INVITE THE PUBLIC ON-FARM PAGE 20

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GREAT CARD PARTNER DEALS INSIDE!

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TURNING A GOOD PLAN INTO A GREAT ONE

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FEBRUARY

INTEREST

PLAN 365 Plan365 Nutrition

Farmlands Staff Profile

From the CEO

27.

Managing calves to avoid a summer slump

5 minutes with Julia Jones

29.

The domino effect of facial eczema

Get out and Grab 2020

31.

Summer feeding and management

Special Feature – Sustaining generations

WHAT’S ON

5–7

Plan365 Animal Management

14.

Plating up, Mackintosh style

17.

To tomorrow and beyond

33.

Win the war on rabbits

Farmlands appoints Sjoerd Post as new Independent Director

35.

Avoiding ants through effective control

Northland Field Days

37.

Target production-limiting parasites

20.

Open Farms: open conversations

39.

21.

Farmlands joins forestry project

DNA from tissue sampling delivers multi-benefits

Gear up for the year ahead at Dargaville’s special event.

23.

Equipping rural professionals to help farmers navigate change

25.

Planning for safe machinery use

41.

A great start for new hybrid ryegrass

34.

Buying Power Promise

43.

The chemistry of healthy soil

44.

Century Farms – Success in Southland

45.

New perennial ryegrass performs in trials

54.

Property Brokers Real Estate

19.

Plan365 Forage and Arable

Plan 365 – Rural Infrastructure

SPECIAL OFFERS

S AND INFORMATION FOR FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDER

FEBRUARY 2020 Valid from 1 – 29 February 2019

The FARMLANDER

47.

Dam versus trough?

49.

Is your trough valve fit for purpose?

51.

Do you have stray power in your steel gates?

MARCH

19–21 MARCH

Central District Field Days Whether you’re a farmer or a foodie, don’t miss the latest trends and deals on show.

10–15 MARCH

ON THE COVER

VALUES VISIONTHEAND LAND AND ITS PEOPLE NURTURING PAGE 8

BEST LAID PLANS

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TURNING A GOOD PLAN INTO A GREAT ONE PAGE 17

BRIDGING THE DIVIDE

PRODUCERS INVITE THE PUBLIC ON FARM PAGE 20

6005

0991

1047

7802 EXP

MAY

GREAT CARD PARTNER DEALS

INSIDE!

Land Rover Horse of the Year

Wairarapa Moana Incorporation draws on past lessons to drive their agricultural investment and stewardship. We spoke with leaders Kingi Smiler, Murray Hemi and Trevor Hamilton about how the Incorporation has grown and diversified while staying true to their values, bringing shareholders on their journey to supply the world’s consumers with milk product.

New Zealand’s premier equestrian competition features over 1,400 riders and their mounts competing for glory across disciplines.

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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

2 | THE FARMLANDER

this publication 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.

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. The Farmlander paper is sourced from sustainably managed, small, non-industrial, private forests.

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FARMLANDS STAFF PROFILE

FROM THE CEO

Gaz Ingram

Welcome to the first edition of The Farmlander for 2020. I hope you had an opportunity to spend some quality time with friends and family during the holiday period. We are looking forward to working with you through another year with the ambition of helping you achieve greater success.

Organic and Biological Manager – Horticulture

Q: What do you enjoy about your job? A: The diversity! No day is ever the same as the next, there are plenty of different things to be done. Q: Where are you from originally? A: I’m from Central Hawke’s Bay and now based in Hastings. Q: What do you like to do in your spare time? A: It’s mostly spent with the family, I’ve got two girls under 5 that take up a good chunk of time! I’m currently working on a V8 Kingswood, it’s been a 20-year project but she’s going to look great when she’s done. Q: What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten? A: I ate raw chicken by mistake at a sushi bar in Japan – we didn’t speak Japanese well enough (clearly) and there were some interpretive dance moves as the waitress explained what the opaque, unidentifiable meat on our rice was. Q: What’s the most interesting trip you have ever taken? A: I’ve been very lucky over the years to travel with work to some great places. Two of my favourites were Italy and Japan. In previous roles I went to Italy to visit supplier facilities and to Japan for an exchange programme with the Japanese government. It was a very interesting trip and some of the landscapes look exactly like New Zealand. The best thing was that it was all-expenses paid, the only money I spent was buying presents for my wife. Q: What is the golden rule you work by when planning a shareholder’s upcoming seasonal requirements? A: Stop and listen. Once you understand what the shareholder’s needs, wants and goals are, you can begin to plan around it. It’s not about me, it’s about the shareholder and ensuring they are successful. Get that right and you’re away!

Method 1. Preheat oven to 175-190 degrees ˚C, depending on how your oven bakes. 2. Melt chocolate and set aside to cool down.

Ingredients •

150g unsweetened chocolate

•

1⁄4 cup instant coffee granules

•

2 cups self-raising flour

•

1⁄4 cup boiling water

•

1 1⁄4 cups cold water

•

1⁄2 cup Jack Daniel’s Black Label Whiskey

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1 teaspoon vanilla

•

1 cup butter

•

2 cups sugar

•

3 eggs

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3. Dissolve the coffee granules in the boiling water. When dissolved, stir in the cold water. Add the whiskey and set aside. 4. In a large electric mixer cream the butter, vanilla and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the chocolate.

The theme for our February issue is Planning Ahead. In this issue, we profile some of the leaders in our sector to gain insight into their plans for the future. Managing our land is more complex than it has ever been and the need to be adaptable will be a key driver of success in the decade to come. Our co-operative also needs to plan for the future of our business and its governance. To support this, we are continuing our partnership with Silver Fern Farms to host the “To the Core” rural governance development programme. This year, “To the Core” will be held from 17th-19th June. For those who see the potential of co-operative governance as something they aspire to, applications for this development programme are now open and close on 20th March. Farmlands and Silver Fern Farm shareholders can apply by visiting www.farmlands.co.nz/tothecore. As a part of the co-operative spirit, contact with myself and/or our Board of Directors is encouraged. I am contactable through ceoinform@farmlands.co.nz and our new chair Rob Hewett can also be contacted on at chair@farmlands.co.nz. If email is not an option, a call to our Contact Centre will provide my contact number, provided we can verify you as a shareholder. One of the biggest topics of the past few months has been climate change – both in terms of changing weather patterns and our own responsibility to alter our behaviours. The tragic destruction of large swathes of Australian land, on the back of an ongoing significant drought, has been a sobering reminder of the dangers posed by extreme weather. Our thoughts continue to be with those affected, many of them from rural communities. I wish you all the best for the month ahead. Thank you for your continued support of Farmlands.

5. With the mixer on low, add the flour alternating with the coffee/whiskey mixture. Note: The batter will be thin and runny but do not add more flour. 6. Pour into two prepared loaf pans. 7. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean – about 60 to 90 minutes.

Peter Reidie

8. Cool then serve with your refreshment of choice.

Chief Executive Officer Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited

THE FARMLANDER | 3

5 minutes with Julia Jones Head of Analytics, NZX Limited We interviewed you in April 2018 – what has changed since then? I’m now at NZX, New Zealand’s stock exchange where my team and I analyse global dairy and agri food behaviours, sustainability, infrastructure and equities. We produce industry reports like the recent Global Dairy Report, we forecast, model and look at case studies. A large part of my job involves travelling, gleaning insights and identifying trends and then sharing those in forums to hopefully support informed and balanced decision making. I continue to talk about the same themes that we discussed two years ago. Probably the biggest change I’ve noticed in the last 18 months is the pace and volume of change. It’s so much faster now! Would you call yourself a futurist? No, I don’t look far enough into the future! I have worked with Ian Proudfoot (KPMG) and have a lot of time for Melissa Clark-Reynolds (Independent director at Beef + Lamb) – I consider them fantastic futurists. They have the wonderful capability to look beyond 20 years. I operate on a 5-10 year ahead basis; I’m curious and interested in the future and I like to shine a light on opportunity and neutralise fear-based motivators.

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What is your one big message for farmers and growers right now?

When you’re doing your business

There is a lot of uncertainty however there always has been – we have never known what tomorrow will bring and this makes us innovators. I believe in our industry’s capability to adapt for success, so have faith in yourselves. It’s important we shift the focus away from blame and looking backwards – we need to look forward and focus on solutions.

advisors in? Include people that

Many are seeking a single silver bullet to solve all these issues we face but the reality is: there is no one answer, no blueprint for how to do it. We need to be holistic in approach, protect our environment, our community and ensure we have resilient economics. We need to realise that each farm and its people are different and therefore each solution is going to be different too.

and farm planning, why not get some can challenge your way of thinking. Whether it’s getting your Farmlands TFO, accountant, banker, field reps around the table – you don’t have to be a big corporate to do this. What turns a good farm plan into a great one? A great plan is one that gets actioned. When I worked for a bank we did a survey of farmers and the top three things they were focused on was: currency, interest rates and weather. What they were least focused on was: budgeting, planning and business forecasting. I know farmers have often relied on intuitive decisions and quick responses but there is real value in setting out what you want to achieve and how you will get there.

Your letter for the NZ Herald, ‘Dear food and fibre 2019, it’s 2030 here’ talks about investing. What should shareholders invest their time and/or money in this year? To know if you have succeeded, first you need to identify what success looks like for New Zealand. This letter captured my thinking on how behavioural change in our sector will help us get fit for a better world. Farmers are brilliant at understanding capital investment but forget to invest in themselves. I think they should consider investing in their own knowledge of emerging trends and capability of their teams – such as training, getting off-farm and learning about industries outside of agriculture.

A good plan will tick all the boxes, but a great plan will create positive outcomes and be a living document that you review and monitor. You can’t afford to set and forget as things move too fast. We can’t get stuck worrying about uncertainty – planning is about focusing on what you can control. Life isn’t linear so things will happen outside the plan however having the plan helps you get things back on track quicker. A great plan will factor in what is important to you, your business and your family and this will be different for everyone. It’s about ensuring your business and personal goals intersect and don’t contradict.

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FARMLANDS 5 MINUTES

What's the Primary Sector Council's (PSC) vision for NZ Ag? I have been part of the PSC since it was set up 18 months ago – bringing agribusiness leaders together to help the primary sector get more value from its work. On the 12th of December we released the vision we have worked on entitled ‘Fit for a Better World’. It is a bold new vision for New Zealand’s agriculture, food and fibres sector and it involves strategy and recommendations. PSC want all our country’s food and fibre businesses to succeed along with our communities, our economy and most importantly, our environment. It has been an incredible opportunity for me. We are an extremely diverse group who are not afraid to challenge the status quo.

“

and it can be hard to turn around. That’s where Farmlands and other industry organisations come in – by

We can’t get stuck worrying about uncertainty – planning is about focusing on what you can control.”

educating and helping business owners

Any tips on how best to deal with change?

New Zealand thinks that freshwater

Change is a survival technique for me; it’s a learned behaviour. Like any muscle, you need to practice using it. You don’t have to like change but once you understand your change response you can work out how to navigate it. You change or get changed. If you proactively change you can regain some control. Have confidence in yourself to find your own answers. Identify what you can do tomorrow and go do it. I do appreciate that without support some folks can miss the intersection

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to deal with change. What did you get out of the recent NZX Global Dairy Seminar in Singapore? Globally, people still love how we produce and don’t understand why we aren’t

the road who already thinks like them? We can’t expect people to understand us if we don’t take time to understand them. There are a growing number of platforms that can support building understanding; one is Open Farms this year and there is also social media which, used well, can be a great platform. To build trust we don’t need to tell a story, we just need to tell the truth.

more positive about our own industry. and climate change is national

You spoke to our 2019 To the Core cohort – how was that?

Do you believe in the ruralurban divide?

I challenged the group with a scenario: what if they were a Director of a meat board and they had to respond to cellular meat coming into supermarkets? They were strategic and came up with some brilliant stuff. There were so many innovative ideas and people were so open to adapting – it was a fun session.

I know that there is a lack of

What does success look like for you?

government regulation but the reality is that all countries, even developing countries and the United States (led by private companies), are adapting at pace because consumers expect it.

understanding out there. Farmers tell me they are telling their story all the time, that they couldn’t be talking more. But who are they telling it to? Is it the person just down

When our industry sets up many generations ahead for success. www.fitforabetterworld.org.nz For Open Farms see page 20.

THE FARMLANDER | 5

GET OUT & GRAB 2020 SOUTHERN FIELD DAYS

12 – 14 FEBRUARY Waimumu, Gore The latest in rural technology, equipment and ideas from around the world will be on show over three action-packed days. Pick up advice and product at exhibitions from leading rural businesses. southernfielddays.co.nz

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

Get the low-down on what’s happening in your patch and make a day of it! Visit www.farmlands.co.nz/events for more information.

6 | TH THE EF FARMLANDER ARML AR LAN ANDE DER R

Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © February 2020. All rights rig reserved.

5–7 MARCH Dargaville That Northland Field Days showcases everything from tractors of the 1940s to the latest farming innovations and technology, inviting visitors from around the region and New Zealand. northlandfielddays.co.nz

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EVENTS 2020

MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDAR 5–7 MAR NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS

HORSE OF THE YEAR

10 – 15 MARCH

CENTRAL DISTRICT FIELD DAYS

19–21 MAR

19 – 21 MARCH

Hawke's Bay The annual Land Rover Horse of the Year is New Zealand’s premier equestrian competition, featuring a range of horse and rider combinations from multiple disciplines. With over 1400 riders and 1800 horses competing for lucrative titles and prize money, the show is a feature on all equestrian calendars. hoy.kiwi

27–28 MAR

Feilding

CENTRAL DISTRICTS FIELD DAYS

10–15 MAR

AGFEST

The Central Districts Field Days is one the largest regional agricultural events in the country. Showcasing over 600 exhibitors, the event has plenty to offer to all visitors, from farmers to foodies. The latest trends and developments in rural innovation, agribusiness and agritech will be on show and with special deals exclusive to the event, visitors can stock up on elite products at great prices.

HORSE OF THE YEAR

13–14 MAR

cdfielddays.co.nz

WANAKA A&P SHOW

12–14 FEB SOUTHERN FIELD DAYS

WANAKA A&P SHOW

AGFEST

13 – 14 MARCH

27 – 28 MARCH

Wanaka Showgrounds The Wanaka A&P Show is an iconic community event for Wanaka and the Southern Lakes. The advice and products on offer have grown the event into one of national significance. wanakashow.co.nz

INNOV ATION

A&P SHOWS

DEALS

Greymouth

COMPE TITION S

FIELD DAYS TECHNICAL ADVICE

Farmlands AgFest West Coast is an event that recognises the importance of the agricultural sector on the West Coast. Celebrating the agricultural industry and its significance to businesses around the Coast, AgFest is an event that touches the hearts of many. agfest.co.nz

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THE FARMLANDER | 7

Sustaining generations Dairy producer Miraka has grown its footprint on the concept of kaitiakitanga â&#x20AC;&#x201C; stewardship of the land. A lesser known facet of their story is the 165-year odyssey of one of its majority shareholders, Wairarapa Moana Incorporation.

8 | THE FARMLANDER

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Murray Hemi can trace his involvement in Wairarapa Moana Incorporation (WMI) to the day he was born. On his birth, his grandmother gifted him shares in land the incorporation owns near Mangakino, in the central North Island.

“With that came a lot of land surrounding the Wairarapa lake that was an important food resource for the southern Wairarapa Māori community. Māori still owned the lakebed – and the Crown had purchased the land around the lake.”

“Whenever there was an AGM, for whatever reason, she would pick me up and take me there. I was the one running around the back while she was at the AGM,” he recalls.

After a 20-year legal battle, a compromise was reached. Local Māori would gift the lake to the Crown, in return for equivalent land somewhere else. The assumption was that this land would be somewhere else in Wairarapa.

Now a WMI Board member, Murray understands his early exposure to these meetings was all part of succession planning – preparing the next generation to protect the land for the generations to follow. “I spent a year and a half as a junior member of the Board – my first term was in my late 20s, in the early 2000s,” he says. “This is my second term. I’ve been back on the Board for about 5 years now.” So how did Wairarapa Moana Incorporation, with its office in Masterton, end up with a long-standing investment in the central North Island? “In 1853, the Crown set its sights on purchasing as much land as possible in the Wairarapa, purchasing 90 percent of the land in 12–18 months,” Murray says.

“The land in Wairarapa had become increasingly valuable and the Crown wasn’t prepared to spend on that scale,” Murray says. “They did however have a whole lot of derelict land in the centre of the North Island. It was the only serious offer that was available to Wairarapa Māori so after a period of time there was an acceptance of that land.” The journey to farming was still some time away for WMI. While they owned land, there was no infrastructure to reach it. The land remained unoccupied for close to 40 years, until the Ministry of Public Works decided some of that land would be ideal for a new hydroelectric scheme. “We gained access in 1948 and the land was put under the stewardship of the Māori Affairs Department,” Murray says.

| Over time, WMI have transitioned away from sheep and beef and focused primarily on their dairy operations via the processing and exporting brand, Miraka.

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THE FARMLANDER | 9

The overarching philosophy of WMI is kaitiakitanga. We talked about being a good kaitiaki, or steward, that is going to nurture the lands and our people for future generations.”

| Nick Rowe (Operations Manager), Kingi Smiler and Murray Hemi are tasked with growing WMI while sustaining their people and the land over time.

“The farm was positioned to be the poster project – a model demonstration of the Māori land development programme. “However it never really reached the heights expected of it. In the end the Wairarapa Moana landowners decided they didn’t want the department looking after it and got it back in 1983.” What followed was what Murray terms “becoming determiners of our own destiny”. This meant taking lessons learned from generations past and incorporating them into practice on-farm – ironically the same concepts that have forced their way into the primary sector consciousness in recent times. “Māori farms and Māori agribusinesses have been around for a long, long time. Other cultures and societies can be invisible to those not in that world and in some ways, Māori agribusiness has been growing on its own, in its own little circle,” he says. “It’s been a bit like the hare and the tortoise. Māori agribusiness has been slowly but steadily growing, to the point it is now more visible to other mainstream business. “We’ve been slow, quiet achievers.”

| WMI focuses on the environment and community alongside profit.

10 | THE FARMLANDER

The achievements have been built on finding the balance between business profit and growth and protecting the land and its resources for the generations to come. The environment – and the community – factor into every business decision.

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| The Miraka brand represents the link to M ori beliefs and traditions.

“In the last 10 years there has been an increasing focus generally on our environment, stewardship and giving back to the natural resources in the land. Māori have come to the fore with that thinking and kaitiaki dynamic – it has become increasingly relevant in modern business,” Murray says.

Farming a Vision

“The other thing that is really interesting, particularly in dairy, is the need for social licence. Māori business knows how to take the community with them – when they don’t bring their whānau along, business becomes hard for them.

“My mother would take me to meetings. She would ask me to read financials and if she had any questions, I would ask on her behalf.”

“There is a need for credibility and consistency in the things that Māori businesses do, because of the focus on their own communities. Often if I look at the way Māori businesses report back, the financial returns are nice but you have shareholders and shareholder whānau wanting to know about the environment and the community, they want to know what is happening there too. It’s never just the financials – that’s often a poor third. It’s all about the environment and the social/ community development first. “Māori agribusiness continues to focus on those two things, along with being successful, profitable businesses. That dynamic is entirely relevant these days in terms of modern, mainstream business.”

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Like Murray, Chairman Kingi Smiler can trace his involvement in Wairarapa Moana Incorporation back to his formative years. He attended his first meeting in 1975 and aside from a stint living overseas in Canada, has been a regular attendee.

Family ties run strong for Kingi – in addition to being Chairman of WMI, he is also a trustee of Wi Pere Trust through his father’s side. A chartered accountant by trade, Kingi’s time at the Board table has coincided with a time of change and growth. “The first thing we did was put together a new strategy and business plan for the Incorporation and whānau lands. We articulated what our vision was and what values were related to Wairarapa Moana Incorporation,” he says. “The overarching philosophy of WMI is kaitiakitanga. We talked about being a good kaitiaki, or steward, that is going to nurture the lands and our people for future generations.” Kingi explains that there are legal structures under Te Ture Whenua Māori which govern Māori freehold land to ensure that the land is held for future generations and not sold. Given the complexities of ownership across multiple generations,

THE FARMLANDER | 11

it is “virtually impossible” to sell that land. This drives the urgency to protect the land for future generations, requiring strategies to achieve this. “Fundamentally – and intrinsically – all of our committee understand and acknowledge that. When we adapt our strategies, that is always at the forefront of our mind. “It is something unique to us in some ways – certainly from an international perspective – but is something we are able to adapt and accept without having commercial considerations being so pervasive.” WMI identified five key goals for their journey: to grow and protect the existing land holding, become an industry leader in their primary sector interests, look beyond the farm gate to grow their holdings, create shareholder pride and give back to the current generation. It was a great achievement for the whānau to win the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy in 2005. “We have certainly lifted productivity and profitability, as well as developed how we use nutrients on our farm,” Kingi explains. “We have involved AgResearch and have run a number of trials on what the impact of nutrient use was and how we might do that better.

“From an owner’s perspective, we were 100 percent sharemilkers in 2000 and progressively over time we have put our own managers on-farm. That has given more opportunities for our whānau to develop and it’s allowed us to have a more direct impact and substantially improve our return on asset.” It was during this time that WMI transitioned away from sheep and beef and focused primarily on their dairy operations. “We have a contiguous property of 11,000ha, 4,000ha is in dairy and dairy support, with the remainder being forestry that surrounds the property. These significant forestry holdings position the Incorporation well for climate change and rules relating to CO2 emissions,” Kingi says. “We wanted to not just be farmers. We wanted to take our product direct to consumers. This led to the creation of Miraka, which opened in 2011.” The tagline of Miraka is “nurturing our world”. The business exports milk products to every continent apart from Europe and Antarctica, utilising a network of farms all within an 85km radius of its Mokai plant. Kingi, who is also Chairman of Miraka in addition to his WMI role, says the question asked of WMI and the other shareholders was how to grow and sustain people over time, while taking their locally grown approach to the world. “The story of the Miraka brand articulates the importance of our Māori values. At the forefront is our value of kaitiakitanga. The spirals which represent the forms of Ranginui (the sky father) and Papatuanuku (the earth mother) tell our story of creation, their children who created the natural world and the connected relationships we have with one another. The face of the kaitiaki symbolises the strong emphasis Miraka places on its responsibility as kaitiaki of our people and our environment for future generations. This philosophy is what drives Miraka,” Kingi says.

12 | THE FARMLANDER

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Incentivising Change GM of Wairarapa Moana Farms, Trevor Hamilton had plenty on his plate before he took up the role with WMI. As owner of TH Enterprises, Trevor already has his own 8,000 cow operation with farms in Canterbury, Central Hawke’s Bay and the Central Plateau. Having been on WMI’s business advisory group for close to a decade, Trevor says giving back to the industry drove him to accept an offer from Kingi Smiler. “It’s a challenge for me – and I like to be challenged,” he says. “I’m now challenging myself and WMI to optimise farm systems and planning.” As a supplier to Miraka in his own right, Trevor has first-hand knowledge of Miraka’s farm excellence programme, Te Ara Miraka. The programme defines a clear social responsibility as an organisation, focusing on people, environment, prosperity of business, health and wellbeing of cows and the quality of the milk produced. “Te Ara Miraka is streets above what other processors out there are doing because it is staged,” Trevor says. “It is incentivised and as you go through it, you can earn up to an additional 20c per kg of milksolids. What it does is it gets managers to fulfil opportunities you wanted them to fulfil anyway, such as looking at environment, animal welfare, human resources, effluent and everything around that, milk quality and production. “Everything is tied into that and people can step it up accordingly.” Trevor’s experience with his own farms shaped his opinion. Installing an additional pond added an extra 3c per kg to his pay-out, allowing him to see a tangible return on investment.

“The whole Miraka staged system will eventually see the suppliers to Miraka have higher standards. Miraka paid 2c less than the Fonterra farm gate milk price at the last pay-out but both WMI and my own business picked up 16c through Te Ara Miraka. The overall net effect was 14c above the farm gate price. “To me – and for a business of WMI’s size – that’s a significant bonus for completing those things.” Trevor says in the short time he has been with WMI change has been constant. They have removed cropping from rotation and have shifted to an exclusively pasture-based system. They have reviewed their animal health approach and have optimised a new programme to drive profitability. Trevor feels WMI has achieved its objective to be a leader in its field, by stepping out in front and lifting the bar. “They are forever lifting the bar. While we are chasing Te Ara Miraka points, they are lifting the bar on sustainability, human resources and wellbeing as well. There are around 75 staff at WMI and there is a clear goal to be a good employer as well. And all of this is independently audited, so you can’t fudge it.” From land disputes, isolation and derelict land has grown a sustainable roadmap for future generations, as was foreseen by Wairarapa Moana Incorporation’s forebears 165 years ago. While Trevor is a late arrival, he sees a distinct value in adopting some traditional concepts in the modern pressure cooker of social licence. “Although it’s a Māori incorporation, it comes back to ‘NZ Inc.’ as well,” he says. “It’s easy to work for a company when you believe in the culture. I believe in the culture of both WMI and Miraka.”

It comes back to NZ Inc... it's easy to work for a company when you believe in the culture."

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THE FARMLANDER | 13

Plating up, Mackintosh style For the Mackintosh family, exposure is the key to developing critical thinking in children. Through themes of sustainability, animal welfare and nutrition, Duncan and Tina Mackintosh of North Canterbury farm, White Rock Mains, are changing the way children think about where their meat comes from. When Duncan Mackintosh first started at North Loburn Primary School he was

the fourth generation of Mackintosh’s to attend. As the years have progressed and urban blocks developed around the area, the ratio of urban to rural children enrolled at the small school has changed and with it, local farm knowledge has decreased.

attending the school, Duncan and Tina

Now a father of two girls, Duncan is conscious that agricultural material is not available through the school curriculum. With Casey and PJ currently

the students how their food ends up on

decided to get involved. North Loburn school had already obtained GreenGold status as an ‘Enviroschool’ through a programme designed to encourage innovation and sustainability. They welcomed the couple’s initiative to teach their plates. Community engagement is very important to Duncan and Tina. “We’ve all got stories we can share and tell the wider community about the great work farming is doing throughout the whole country,” Duncan says.

We’ve all got stories we can share and tell the wider community about the great work farming is doing throughout the whole country.” Last year, the school adopted ‘Garden to Table’, a nationwide education programme fronted by chef Al Brown. The charity aims to “change the way Kiwi kids think about food”. It costs North Loburn $16,000 to be involved, so the school covers half the cost through their Ministry of Education budget and fundraise the rest. Duncan and Tina wanted to supplement the established programme by offering children the opportunity to learn where their meat has come from, as well as their fruit and vegetables. The older children in years 6–8 (mostly | The MacKintosh Family.

14 | THE FARMLANDER

10–12 year olds) study the entire life

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

cycle of the animals. The Mackintosh’s provide the meat, with support from Silver Fern Farms and are looking at fencing off an area near the school for sheep so that students can monitor the full ‘Paddock to Plate’ journey. “The kids are just loving it,” says Tina. “We aren’t here to convert people, we just want to provide all of the information and grow awareness so that kids can think critically about what they’re eating.” Food is not the only aspect of Tina and Duncan’s work with the school; they have allowed 91 hectares of native bush on White Rock Mains to regenerate naturally, creating a QEII covenant. The covenant is supported by Environment Canterbury (ECAN) and is managed by the children, with a pest trapping programme in place to protect the native wildlife. “We had a Ballance Field Day on our farm and the kids came up and did a presentation on trapping,” Tina says. “They stayed for the whole day and many of the children didn’t realise how science-based farming is.” Ballance recognised Tina and Duncan for their excellent operation this year by awarding them the

| Tina and Duncan Mackintosh have volunteered to educate students at North Loburn Primary on where their food comes from.

Regional Ballance Farm Environmental Award. The Mackintosh’s encourage farmers to ask for help if they are not meeting the environment standards now being put in place.

“It’s not just about our kids, it’s

“It is paramount that farmers – as a collective – have zero tolerance of any farming practice that puts the transparency and integrity of the sector at risk,” stresses Tina.

at North Loburn and both Tina and

Similarly, Tina and Duncan challenge those in the urban community to accept invitations to see what is happening on farm and go there with an open mind. “Engage in individual critical thinking and if you’re still not sure, ask.”

| The Mackintosh’s intend to be involved with the ‘Garden to Table’ initiative for a long time yet.

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Their work is genuine and focused on the children, with plans to continue the programme after their daughters have left for high school.

about all kids connecting with the environment and making informed choices,” Tina notes. With 130 children currently on the roll Duncan on the Board of Trustees, the agricultural education will continue with more developments to come. “This is still a relatively new venture so we can continue building on what we’ve done so far. We are encouraging as much learning as possible – for us, instilling a respect for dietary diversity is a priority.” See page 20 for the Open Farms event which will initiate more conversations between rural and urban communities.

THE FARMLANDER | 15

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INDUSTRY NEWS

To tomorrow and beyond Future-proofing our land takes careful planning, preparation and - mu, a the ability to adapt. Pa state-owned farming enterprise, is leading the way with sustainable, innovative farm trials. In November they opened up to the public to showcase their work and share best-practice knowledge on Health and Safety. Pa- mu’s Eyrewell Dairy Farm opened its gates to more than 100 people for the Tomorrow’s Farms event in West Eyreton, North Canterbury on 6th November. Pa- mu and participants shared their projects and swapped stories about the day-to-day challenges and opportunities in farming. Organised by a team from Farmlands, Pa- mu, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and Synlait, it is hoped the Tomorrow's Farms Farm Event Day will be rolled out across the country. Pa- mu Dairy Operations General Manager, Mark Julian says they wanted to show change does not have to be stressful. “Canterbury is going to be a hot spot for environmental limits to farming obviously, so one of the big take-home messages was that our Eyrewell Dairy Farm is changing its system to lower nitrogen leaching. We also want to achieve other goals around animal welfare, reducing bobby calves and looking at innovations such as fertigation and using alternative foragers.” Eyrewell Farm has traditionally milked 1,000 cows but is downsizing to 600 cows over three years in a bid to reduce nitrogen emissions. Currently at 800 cows with a plan to rear young stock,

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| Pa-mu aims to future-proof their land via innovative trials. In November they invited the public on-farm to find out more.

the farm is already beginning to notice the difference. “The farm has reduced in total milk production but now has dairy and beef as another revenue line coming out of the farm system,” Mark says. “By changing that we change from female mixed-age dairy cows to a mixture of young stock being grown out on-farm. We are targeting primarily steers and male animals which have a lower nitrogen footprint in terms of urine.” The farm has also moved to lower nitrogen crops such as Lucerne and has been using fertigation to further reduce total nitrogen. With the irrigation system already delivering water across the farm, using pivots to apply liquid fertiliser also reduces double handling and puts less vehicles on the farm. “We know vehicles are the primary cause of serious harm and fatalities on-farm so we reduce that risk as well,” Mark says. Planning is a key aspect of successful

Health and Safety practices, as with a plan comes clarity and organisation. Agricultural Leaders’ Health and Safety Action Group General Manager Tony Watson says good farmers are already making safety part of everyday business. “Productivity and safety go hand-inhand. When things are well organised and run smoothly, people are less likely to be rushing around fixing things which can lead to mistakes and fatigue,” Tony says. For Pa- mu, having their neighbours and the wider community onto their land allows perspectives to widen and has a flow-on effect to other on-farm plans. "Change is always going to be there no matter what and we’ve got to look forward with positivity and innovation. Farmers are natural innovators and the innovative farmers are ahead of research, they’re ahead of the industry and they’re ahead of government in terms of how land use is going to build into the future,” Mark says.

- mu For more information on Pa see www.pamunewzealand.com

THE FARMLANDER | 17

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Farmlands appoints Sjoerd Post as new Independent Director Jasmax CEO Sjoerd Post has been appointed to the Board of Farmlands Co-operative, joining Julie Bohnenn and John Journee as Independent Directors. Mr Post is an executive with more than 30 years of experience in leadership positions around the world, including roles with Refining NZ, Shell and Europia. His work experience in more than 60 countries brings a wealth of supply chain, commercial sales and trading experience to the Board table. Originally from The Netherlands, Mr Post relocated to New Zealand in the mid-1980s. Educating at State University of Groningen (The Netherlands) and achieving a Masters in Mathematics, Mr Post says during the weekends you will find him spending time with his wife and two daughters. He also enjoys music, the visual arts and sailing.

He says he began his career in IT before moving into commercial executive positions. “I very much look forward to contributing to the direction and

His technical expertise, particularly around supply chain and strategy, are a welcome addition as we re-invent how we provide services and solutions to our 70,000 shareholders nationwide.”

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continued success of Farmlands,” he says. Farmlands Chairman Rob Hewett says Mr Post’s skill-set is a major coup for the governance of the rural supplies and services co-operative. “The appointment of Independent Directors is critical to complementing the abilities and knowledge base

“His technical expertise, particularly around supply chain and strategy, are a welcome addition as we re-invent how we provide services and solutions to our 70,000 shareholders nationwide.” Mr Post’s appointment follows a change to the Board structure last year, with Farmlands changing from an eight shareholder-elected/two independent Director structure, to a six/three split. The elected representatives continue to be evenly split between the North and South Islands and must be Farmlands shareholders.

already around the Board table,” Mr Hewett says. “With Sjoerd, we have added a proven performer who will add a distinct voice to our discussions.

THE FARMLANDER | 19

Open Farms: open conversations Knowledge-sharing dates back to the first people drawing hunting and foraging pictures on cave walls. In the current social media climate, storytelling is easier than ever. For the primary sector, sharing information is a way to allay consumer uncertainty about how their food and clothing is produced.

damage and the concept of a “rural/ urban divide” has evolved. ‘Open Farms’ is a new project founded on knowledge-sharing. It is a way to bridge the “divide” and to provide clarity and connection between communities on and off-farm. Kicking off on 1st March, Open Farms was inspired by a popular United Kingdom

In a 2017 survey run by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), rural and urban communities were asked if they felt positively or negatively about the primary industries, including horticulture, dairy farming, sheep and beef farming, forestry and fisheries. While general positivity towards primary industries was significant, this had decreased since the last survey in 2008. Media attention highlighting the cost farming causes to the environment has heightened despite many farmers actively working to reduce the amount of carbon emissions on-farm. Farmers have reported feeling the pressure from the wider public to fix the environmental

initiative called ‘Open Farm Sunday’. “This is about reconnecting Kiwis with the people and places that grow our food,” Open Farms founder Daniel Eb says. “60 percent of urban Kiwis don’t visit rural New Zealand; farmers are trying to tell their story and too many of us feel separated from our food and the land. Open Farms is about building a place in the middle, where we can all reconnect. “We believe that every Kiwi should have access to a genuine on-farm experience and we’ve built the roadmap to get there. Now we need farmers to reach out with us and invite urban New Zealanders back onto the land.”

Farms around New Zealand will be showcasing their innovations, ideas and farming processes to the public next month. Through the Open Farms website, prospective farmer hosts can find information on health and safety, insurance and activity ideas. Hosts can post an event, set and track visitor numbers, download an all-in-one hosting guide and stay in regular contact with other hosts and the organisers. Farmlands is a project Channel Partner and sponsors include Beef + Lamb NZ and Dairy NZ. Director of External Relations for Farmlands, Mark McHardy, says Open Farms is critical to starting conversations between rural and urban communities. “There is concern from shareholders about a lack of understanding of the role the primary industry plays and the positive things farmers do. As a Channel Partner, we are 100 percent behind Open Farms – I think it’s the logical initiative. “You cannot beat first-hand experiences and one-on-one conversations to build mutual understanding,” he says. The first Open Farm is due to take place on 1st March and everyone is invited to join in. If you would like to host an Open Farm day please register at www.openfarms.co.nz

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Farmlands joins forestry project Farmers are having to re-evaluate the way they farm in light of new climate change and environmental regulations as well as shifts in consumer behaviour. Forestry, native and exotic, provides both an income diversification opportunity and a means to boost farm environmental performance. To support decisions on how to integrate trees into the farm business, landowners need up-todate, easily accessed information on different forestry options tailored to their circumstances. Farmlands, knowing the importance of quality advice on forestry for its members, is delighted to be a partner and investor in a 12-month initiative, funded by the One Billion Trees Fund, alongside Dairy NZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, multiple regional councils, Forestry Growers Research and Living Water. The project, to be delivered by Perrin Ag Consultants and forestry scientists, will generate new insights on how to optimise the integration of different forms of forestry with existing land use

activities. The project team began in October and will work with industry, dairy farmers and dry stock farmers in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Rangitikei regions. The range of farm types and land classes will result in guidelines for which forestry option is likely to be best suited to a property. • Farmers are currently being interviewed to identify their knowledge of farm forestry and to select 10 farms for in-depth case studies. Three of these properties will be Maˉ ori-owned. • Whole farm business analyses will be used to compare physical and financial performance when different forestry options are incorporated. • The effects on environmental performance (water quality, erosion control, enhanced biodiversity) and greenhouse gas emissions will be modelled along with benefits arising from the inclusion of the trees that qualify for the Emissions Trading Scheme.

To achieve the “right tree, in the right place, for the right purpose”, a range of silvicultural options and forestry species, both native and exotic, will be assessed. This will include the indigenous species pinus radiata, Douglas fir, manuka and apiculture for carbon and biodiversity. It will also include short-rotation exotic species for carbon and wood fibre. Management guidelines to achieve a high-value end product from trees will cover tree varieties, management, pest control, area required to be viable and harvesting implications. Information provided by the case studies will also highlight the resources, tools, industry support and grants needed to support landowners implementing forestry programmes. Three other case studies will be used to explore how farmers might benefit from establishing or joining a forestry syndicate. It is thought the syndicate may best suit dairy farmers on highquality, intensively managed properties to help them diversify their income and benefit from the sale of carbon. A fourth catchment case study, co-funded by Living Water, will consider riparian and biodiversity benefits. Farmlands Director – Agri Products and Services, Andrew Horsbrugh is looking forward to working with the project team to ensure results are made available to shareholders. Information will also be shared via field days, workshops and rural presentations. “We expect shareholders to gain a lot of value from the project findings. It will help to inform the design of transition pathways best suited to reducing a property’s environmental footprint while sustaining financial returns,” he says.

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THE FARMLANDER | 21

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Equipping rural professionals to help farmers navigate change In April 2019 Dr Harry Clark, Director of the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) told the Agricultural Climate Change conference in Palmerston North that the rural professional sector lacks clear information, expertise and knowledge of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Without this understanding, Harry and his team believed that engagement with individual farmers and growers on approaches to reducing or mitigating emissions would be more challenging and take longer. This gap is now being plugged by experts via a series of bespoke seminars. “Greenhouse gas emissions on Kiwi farms is a complex issue that cuts across science and policy – so we need to convey a breadth of detail to influencers,” Phil Journeaux, an AgFirst Agricultural Economist who has been working with the NZAGRC to deliver the seminars, says. “The main challenge for our sector when addressing climate change is that each farm faces its own unique circumstances. On-farm consultants and rural professionals are very important as they know each business and it’s their job to give well-informed advice,” he says.

and jointly implemented by NZAGRC, AgFirst and the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management. Over 250 rural professionals have attended 14 sessions around the country so far. Feedback has been “universally outstanding,” Phil reports. Professional attendees have included Farmlands field staff, farm consultants, rural bankers, fertiliser representatives, industry staff, land valuers, local government workers and real estate agents. Demand has been so high that three additional seminars have been scheduled in February 2020. Ian Power, Ballance Agri-Nutrients Environmental Management Specialist, attended the seminar in Hastings in December to clarify the Emissions Trading Scheme’s impact on New Zealand agriculture and horticulture. “I wanted to join the dots on several aspects and the seminar certainly did that for me. It confirmed to me that the sector needs to make significant positive change by limiting methane and nitrous oxide emissions.” Ian says.

The ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions on New Zealand Farms’ seminars help to explain the science, communicate the results of onfarm modelling (including profit impacts) and discuss case studies.

“The learnings will enable me to discuss the issues on a factual basis with customers and staff. I think the main message for farmers and growers is to get your OverseerFM nutrient budget completed and from that, extract your greenhouse gas emissions report," he says. Mark McHardy, Farmlands Director of External Relations, attended the Ashburton seminar and agrees that farmers' first step is to measure.

The free seminar series is funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries

"Reporting on your farm's emissions status will help you understand

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| Dr Harry Clark, Director of the NZAGRC presents the science at a ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions on New Zealand Farms’ seminar in Palmerston North.

where to apply mitigations and make reductions," he says. Facilitated by Greg Lambert, a Manawatu farmer and Agricultural Consultant, the ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions on New Zealand Farms’ series began in October and covers: • New Zealand’s emissions profile. • Livestock emissions and the carbon cycle. • Mitigation approaches on farm. • The economic impacts. • Forestry offsets. • The Emissions Trading Scheme. • Soil carbon evidence. • Best management practices and tools to estimate emissions on farm. Seminar organisers put the positive response down to small groups and the use of clear language, videos and an interactive approach to navigate the myths and complexities of the topic. The NZAGRC are developing a hands-on training workshop for rural professionals wanting to work with farmers to estimate their emissions and provide mitigation advice. Discover a seminar recording and other resources at agmatters.nz

THE FARMLANDER | 23

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Planning for safe machinery use

With high summer upon us, farmers will be making plans for harvesting – which inevitably means heavy machinery being used on-farm. “Evaluation of ACC data over 17 years has shown that 80 percent of fatalities on farms were related to the use of vehicles or machinery,” Al McCone, Agricultural Sector Lead for WorkSafe, says. “Over the past three years, this has become closer to 90 percent. There are large risks around large machinery and they need to be managed well.” February has the highest incident rate of people on farms being injured by being trapped in moving machinery or equipment. It also has high rates of injuries from being hit by moving objects or by hitting stationary objects. “Farmers are towing heavy loads and moving large plant around farms where there are people and obstacles,” Al says. “Even if these are familiar jobs you have done many times before, research shows there is an increased likelihood of accidents and injuries.

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“It’s important you choose the right vehicle for the job. Quads and sideby-sides aren’t designed to pull heavy loads. It’s also important to take advantage of vehicle safety features. Always wear a seatbelt – most of the recent side-by-side and tractor fatalities in New Zealand could have been prevented by the driver wearing a seatbelt.” Al says that taking a little time to plan ahead is important. “Consider walking the route where heavy machinery is going to be taken, to look out for any potential risks – narrow areas where it might be difficult to manoeuvre or low hanging branches or dried up furrows in the ground. “Anyone operating heavy machinery needs to be trained and experienced enough to do the job. No matter how busy you are, don’t be tempted to let someone new take charge of machinery before you’ve ascertained for yourself that they are fully competent – even if they say they are.” Drive shafts should always be wellmaintained, fitted correctly and have

the proper guards, which are kept in good condition and are used according to manufacturer’s instructions. PTOs can rotate at speeds of up to 1000rmp and have been the cause of a number of fatal accidents. It is important never to wear loose clothes when operating machines powered by PTOs. There are overlapping duties between farmers and contractors to manage health and safety risks. Farmers’ responsibilities include making sure that any risks from farm work or previous work are reasonably managed and that farm buildings and areas where work is being carried out – apart from the farmhouse – are safe for everyone. Contractors must make sure any risks from their work that could affect the farmer, farm workers or other contractors on farm are reasonably managed. “That’s as simple as having a faceto-face or over-the-phone meeting before work starts to reach a common understanding and establish clear roles, responsibilities and actions,” Al says. Article supplied by WorkSafe.

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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.

Managing calves to avoid a summer slump | Meeting weight targets in the first three phases of a calf’s life is crucial to future success.

There are three phases in a calf’s life that are all equally important to reach targets — the ‘nursery phase’ for the first 60 days, the ‘transition phase” from 60 to 90 days and the ‘grower phase’ from 3 to 8 months onwards. It is important to focus on strategies to keep calves growing quickly, efficiently and consistently in all three phases in order to hit targets without checks or catch up needed later. The transition phase should maintain gains made during the nursery phase and is dependent on adequate calf size, a functioning and healthy rumen, a low-stress environment and adequate access to clean water and high-quality feed. Spring-born calves are still transitioning into the grower phase and are sensitive to environmental and nutritional challenges that can produce growth checks. Lost gain in beef cattle may mean they have to be carried on longer and may miss optimum markets. Heifers need to meet their weight targets to trigger the brain to start the puberty cycle and then get in calf quickly.

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Many hormones that are influenced by nutrition carry out important roles in reproduction; dominant heifers that get the best tucker will always reach targets earlier (by more than two weeks) than shyer or compromised heifers. During the summer months, heat stress and drought can limit intake and pasture quality. When I have weighed mobs it is clear that calves that have rarely reached targets will barely be gaining weight and may even be in a maintenance period. Helping the lightest quartile is especially important.

help. There is an opportunity during the first summer to achieve higher growth rates by very good stock and pasture management and if necessary, with higher energy supplementary feed. Pasture and straights may not deliver all the minerals that growing stock require so mineralised feed may be beneficial.

Heifers that reach targets in the first 15 months generally have good frame size and stature. Heifers whose growth was checked during this time will be stunted and have potential calving problems as small-framed heifers and subsequently, may struggle to get pregnant. Heifers must attain enough weight to reach their first estrous cycle before the onset of the breeding season. If they reach puberty by 13 months and are at 63–65 percent of mature weight this will help raise the fertility level of cows in the herd.

Work with your local NRM Nutrition Specialist, vets and use your previous farm records to better understand the development of your calves.

Holstein heifers mature at an older age than Jersey heifers so may need extra

Having a summer feed pinch strategy to ensure targets are hit may give your replacements the advantages of an extra estrous cycle before breeding time, greater first lactation potential and future reproductive efficiency.

Give some thought to the grower phase and if your weighing scales need upgrading talk to your local Farmlands Technical Field Officer. You may be surprised by the opportunities you find and the long-term production gains. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Karen Fraser, NRM Technical Specialist.

THE FARMLANDER | 27

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NUTRITION

The domino effect of facial eczema Facial eczema is a condition caused by the spores of a fungus commonly found living on ryegrass. Hot and humid weather triggers the fungus to ramp up spore production, so spore numbers can explode given the right conditions. The most obvious sign of the disease is sunburn in ruminant animals, which is where the somewhat misleading name ‘facial eczema’ has come from. The sun damaged faces and udders of affected animals are however just an indicator of a more sinister chain of events happening in the animal: • When spores are consumed by animals grazing the pasture, they release a potent mycotoxin into the gastrointestinal tract. • This toxin is then absorbed into the bloodstream and is directed to the liver for detoxification. • The liver becomes overwhelmed with the toxin and liver damage results (in particular, we see bile duct thickening and blockages). • A damaged liver is unable to effectively process chlorophyll (found in grass) so a breakdown product of chlorophyll spills over into the blood and it is the elevated levels of this breakdown product circulating in the blood that causes sensitivity to the sun. As you can see it is a complicated domino effect – so by the time you physically see the problem, such as photosensitivity, the animals are already suffering with liver damage.

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If you live in an area of New Zealand that is affected by facial eczema due to climatic conditions (most of the North Island and the top of the South) it is worth keeping your eye on local spore levels. This data is often given out free of charge by vet clinics. District averages are helpful for understanding facial eczema risk but spore counts can be different across a farm at any one time, let alone from farm to farm, so you may want to do some spore counts on your property. There are some ways to prevent the spores causing liver damage: • Take animals off pasture that has a high spore count – although this is often not the most practical solution. • Fungicides can help to reduce the spore count by hitting the fungus before it produces spores and can be targeted at the worst paddocks. • Feeding high levels of zinc to animals. Zinc forms a complex with the toxin which inhibits its ability to cause damage in the liver. Zinc can be delivered to stock via water, boluses or bulk NRM compound feed and blends formulated with a high zinc level specifically for preventing facial eczema. For people with less stock, NRM’s MultiFeed Nuts + Zinc in 20kg bags is a great option for aiding in the prevention of facial eczema in cattle and sheep. Just make sure you follow the feeding rates on the bag as it is important to dose the right among of zinc per kilogram of body weight to ensure adequate coverage.

| The first signs of facial eczema is sun burnt faces and udders. This can progress to much more severe sun damage though, with the white parts of animals being most severely impacted.

It is also best to start delivering the zinc a few weeks before spores reach dangerous levels so talk to your vet and try to pre-empt the danger period. Feeding high amounts of zinc for extended periods of time can cause toxicity, so ensure that you do not feed high levels of zinc for longer than a 100-day period. For further information, contact your local Nutritional Specialist or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, NRM Nutritionist.

THE FARMLANDER | 29

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Elastotape *GCX[ FWV[ GNCUVKE CFJGUKXG DCPFCIG <KPE QZKFG CPF NCVGZ HTGG DCUGF adhesive. Available in 75mm and 100mm $9.75, $12.50 1040968, 1040964

AVAILABLE FROM SELECTED FARMLANDS STORES

30 | THE FARMLANDER

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NUTRITION

Summer feeding and management The settled weather of summer means that for most horse owners it is their busiest time, with the daylight hours giving more time for riding and most equestrian disciplines having full event calendars. While New Zealand summer temperatures are milder than in some parts of the world, they can reach significant heights in some areas and there are important feeding and management factors to consider to keep horses healthy and comfortable in the heat.

| From fibre requirements to hoof health – there are a few best-practice horse feeding and management factors to implement over summer.

Fibre is the most important part of the

nutrients, using a balanced NRM or

horse’s diet and inadequate amounts

McMillan feed at the correct level is a

of forage consumed daily can increase

great way to complement forage and

the risk of digestive problems. Lack of

provide a balanced overall diet.

fibre ingested often means that energy

Constant access to fresh, clean water

requirements are not being met which

is essential as some horse’s water intake will increase up to 100L per

Constant access to fresh, clean water is essential as some horse’s water intake will increase up to 100L per day...”

day, especially if they are working and sweating consistently. Giving access to a salt block in the paddock is a great way to ensure the sodium and chloride that is lost in sweat is replaced and a balanced electrolyte that also contains potassium and magnesium will be required for working horses. Providing shelter from the sun for at

could result in weight loss. In areas

least some parts of the day through

where heat and lack of rain has caused

natural shelter belts or man-made

pastures to dry off over summer,

shelters is very important, especially

horses will need supplementary forage

when horses are older or have pink skin

through hay or baleage, chaff or fibre

that is at higher risk of sun damage.

sources such as soy hulls and beet

Some horses will require sunscreen or

pulp. As forage alone does not meet

zinc on white or light-coloured muzzles

the requirements for many essential

to avoid painful burns.

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Keep manure levels in paddocks low to avoid too many flies and use fly sheets or fly sprays when required as stamping at flies constantly uses a lot of energy and is hard on legs and hooves. Hoof health is especially important in the dryer months, especially with horses working on harder ground. The nutrients needed for hoof growth — usually biotin, methionine and others — are often contained in a horse’s normal diet but adding a hoof supplement ensures that the horse has sufficient material to develop strong hoof tissue. Hooves grow slowly however and the outside of the hoof will not show the full effect of a hoof supplement for several months. For best results, use the supplement continuously in all seasons. For further information, contact your Nutrition Specialist or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Equine Nutritionist.

THE FARMLANDER | 31

FARM BUILDINGS THAT SUIT YOUR NEEDS

Whether it’s a kitset or a custom build, our farm buildings are constructed with quality materials that last. • Four standard kitset designs (2 Bays, 3 Bays, 4 Bays & 5 Bays)

• Suitable for high wind zone areas

• Kitset with plans & material quantities ready to be ordered

• All ﬂashings supplied

• Custom options for your farm building available upon request

• Zincalume roof and cladding as standard (The roof and

• Made from H3.2 Gauged Timber, H5 Treated SED Poles

walls are 0.4mm Zincalume Custom Orb with the option to upgrade to 0.4mm Custom Orb COLORSTEEL® Endura)

• Timber from sustainable forests • PVC roller curtains available on request

To ﬁnd out your exclusive Farmlands price or to learn more talk to your Bunnings Trade Team, Trade Account Manager or email sales@bunnings.co.nz All the standard sheds are designed to `High wind zone’. Delivery is included for addresses within a 50km radius of the store. Anything outside of this range may incur an additional charge. The pole embedment is up to 1.2m only. Screws supplied for roof and cladding (not nails). Materials must be checked for damage and quantity within 3 days of delivery, suppliers are not liable after this time. All materials to be delivered within 2 weeks of order (where possible).

IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 32 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Win the war on rabbits After being introduced to New Zealand in the 19th century for food and sport, rabbits soon became a pest. They have reached plague proportions in some areas and cost the country millions of dollars through lost production on farmland as well as through attempts to control them. Rabbits have a significant effect on the ecosystem and cause large areas of land to become eroded and native vegetation to change. Being a good food source to predators, these increased populations put huge pressure on our native birds and wildlife. Most wild rabbits live for approximately 18 months and live in colonies or warrens with a social hierarchy. Males

often make mounds or ‘buck heaps’ to mark the dominant male’s territory. Rabbits are also capable of living above ground in either rocky terrain or within dense scrub. As rabbits are nocturnal, they spend most of their day underground in the safety of their burrow, before venturing out at twilight to feed for most of the night. Often when rabbits are observed out and about during the day this indicates a high population. The home range of the rabbit is generally 2–3 hectares however they will stray further in search of food. Controlling rabbits can be difficult especially in built-up areas. The option of shooting may not be possible, or all that effective, if numbers are high.

To ensure shooting is more effective, a good baiting programme can help keep numbers to a minimum. Pindone is a first-generation anticoagulant poison in a cereal-based pellet that is designed for the control of rabbits in rural and urban areas. Pindone is a slow-acting anticoagulant that needs to be consumed over several days to be effective. The toxin reduces the clotting power of the blood, causing internal haemorrhage. Death occurs 4–11 days after bait consumption. While rabbits may be active in the treated area for 4–5 days after taking the poison, very few rabbit carcasses will be found. Rabbits will go back to their burrows to die. Bait should always be applied using bait stations. In cases where there is concern about bait being accessible during the daytime, use a bait station that can be closed off to stop nontarget species accessing the bait. If large areas need to be treated then consider using aerial or ground applications using a registered applicator, this will allow baits to be spread on the ground. Withholding period for stock is 28 days. Another option for controlling rabbits is to treat both the warrens and burrows with Magtoxin. This is a pellet that, once placed in the burrow, becomes a gas and fumigates the rabbits beneath the ground. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Key Industries.

| Rabbits have a significant effect on the ecosystem and cause large areas of land to become eroded and native vegetation to change.

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THE FARMLANDER | 33

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34 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Avoiding ants through effective control While ants are not a hot topic of conversation for most people, this can change very quickly if the house or outdoor living space becomes overrun by them. Of the 39 species of ant found in New Zealand, only 11 of these are considered endemic to our country and 17 species originate from Australia. Almost all of the complaints about ants feature exotic species. Ants will adapt to live inside and outdoors as the weather and temperature dictates; history has shown that they can survive the harshest conditions. Most reactions to ants are directly related to their social impact and how it affects people’s living or working environment. This can be seen in the overwhelming of the outdoor barbeque by Argentine ants or

| There are 39 species of ant found in New Zealand and many are problematic around the home. The type of product recommended depends on where the ants are.

a kitchen invasion by black house ants Invariably ant control is attempted

lasting effect. X-it Ant should be used

by most people as their numbers

on hard surfaces (including the trunks

increase to unacceptable levels. One

of trees) and is also very effective on

of the mistakes often made is failing

cockroaches that travel on the same

to recognise the type of product

highways the ants use. NoPests®

needed for their control. If a repellent

Sand4Ants should be used on soft

food and food preparation areas. There

insecticide or aerosol is used control

areas where ants are below a substrate

are several exotic species that are a

can be very limited as ants move

e.g. compost or long grass areas.

risk to our primary production as some

away from the sprayed areas and

If ants are indoors, a programme

overseas markets have no tolerance if

may go into overdrive, reproducing

using a highly palatable bait like

these ants are found in our produce.

even faster as they perceive

NoPests® Ant Bait™ and No Pest

Ants have highly structured colonies

themselves to be under attack.

Crawling spray will be very effective.

and have distinct castes: queen(s),

For outdoor control, a uniquely

Ants in wall cavities can be treated

workers and males. They feed on both

formulated insecticide called NO

with NoPests® Insect Dust.

sugary substances and protein. If food

Pests X-it Ant has been designed to

and/or water is not present in their

withstand rain, irrigation, UV light,

immediate living area, the ants will

and variations of pH level. As well as

travel for some distance to access both

this, it is totally non-repellent which is

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

for their survival.

crucial for its initial impact and long-

Article supplied by Key Industries.

or several other species. Ants can be disease carriers as they often feed on dead and decaying animals/insects for their protein. As a result, E. coli, Shigella and Salmonella can be transferred from their feet to

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THE FARMLANDER | 35

CYDECTIN PACKS A PUNCH AGAINST PARASITES.

Cydectin is the original moxidectin brand, trusted by farmers to control the key production limiting parasites for longer. Purchase two drums of Cydectin Oral 15L at Farmlands and get a Gibbon Spotlight IP65 absolutely FREE.*

FAR_09490

* Exclusive to Farmlands shareholders only. While stock last. Terms and conditions apply. Promotion valid 1 February - 30 April 2020. CYDECTIN is a registered trade mark of Zoetis. ACVM No. A6204 and A7388.

36 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Target production limiting parasites Effective parasite control is good for the environment and good for your pocket. The majority of gastrointestinal parasites produce the same clinical signs in both lambs and young cattle. These include weight loss or lack of weight gain and scouring. Poor drenching practices, lax programmes or the use of ineffective drenches will result in the loss of potential income. With both cattle and lamb prices at an all-time high this could be very costly. In fattening lambs, the use of an ineffective drench has been shown to decrease carcass values by 10–14 percent1 (about $23 per lamb). The slower growth rates and decreased feed utilisation caused by gastrointestinal parasites have also been shown to increase methane yields by up to 33 percent2. Therefore, having an effective drenching programme is both good for the environment and for your income. One parasite found in sheep that differs from the rest is barber’s pole worm or Haemonchus contortus. This parasite sucks blood rather than feeding on the lining of the gut. In large numbers it causes anaemia and can result in sudden death due to acute blood loss. Barber’s pole is a prolific egg layer with female worms able to produce up to 10,000 eggs per day. Combine this with an ability to rapidly complete its life cycle under ideal conditions and you have a very dangerous parasite that can build up on pastures very quickly. The key to controlling this parasite is to ensure eggs and larvae do not build up on pasture during the summer and

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| A drench check each year will identify if your programme is working.

autumn months. The most convenient way to achieve this is to use Cydectin® Oral Drench for Sheep. This is a very potent drench which kills all the important gastrointestinal parasites of sheep, as well as barber’s pole. The key difference from other drenches is its persistent activity. Cydectin Oral keeps killing the incoming barber’s pole larvae for up to 35 days and Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) circumcinta larvae for 21 days, meaning parasites do not get a chance to build up on pasture and cause a problem. No matter which drench you use as part of your drenching programme you should check to ensure it is working effectively. The easiest way to do this is to do a drench check each year. Simply faecal sample the lambs or calves 14 days after drenching to ensure the

drench has worked. If no eggs are found, then your drench is probably fine but if eggs are still present then you may be using an ineffective drench and further investigation is required. Using an effective drench that targets the key production-limiting parasites is not only good for your pocket but will ensure you grow lambs quickly and efficiently, which is good for the environment. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Zoetis. 1) The production costs of anthelmintic resistance in sheep managed within a monthly preventive drench program. I.A Sutherland et al. Veterinary Parasitology 171 (2010) 300–304. 2) Ubiquitous parasites drive a 33 percent increase in methane yield from livestock. N.J. Fox et al, International Journal for Parasitology 48 (2018) 1017–1021.

THE FARMLANDER | 37

Farming has evolved from grass based to mixed feed systems at varying levels. ProDairy is speciямБcally designed to enhance your cows digestive systems to get the most out of your feed. s (IGHER YIELDING HERD FOR A BETTER BOTTOM LINE s )NCREASE BODY WEIGHT AND CONDITION s (ELPS FIRM DUNG AND AID IN REDUCING ACIDOSIS s .IL WITHHOLDING PERIOD

NEW ZEALAND BASED Independent ямБeld trials, some of which were published by the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, saw an average increase in milk solid production of 6.4% equating to an increase of 65.3 grams MS/day.

4HE VALUE OF INCREASED PRODUCTION FROM THESE TRIALS AT A PAYOUT AND GAIN OF COULD YIELD AN EXTRA WORTH OF MILK SOLID INCOME FOR A COW HERD DOING DAYS MILKING 4HE COST OF 0RO$AIRY FOR THE SEASON AT THE AVERAGE VOLUME USED IN THESE TRIALS WOULD BE AROUND OR C PER COW PER DAY AT ML DOSE RATE $ONAGHYS RECOMMENDS USING A ML DOSE RATE AT A COST OF OR C PER COW PER DAY

Visit your local Farmlands store today and ask for ProDairy 38 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

DNA from tissue sampling delivers multi-benefits Five years ago, DNA testing became a much simpler task for Coopworth and Romney breeders, Hinenui Genetics. The Gisborne hill country operation aims to breed eczema-tolerant sheep with high production values, using DNA testing to achieve this. The business is owned and operated by the Teutenberg family and the Hinenui flock now has the largest selection of Coopworth genetics in the country. They have been 100 percent DNA testing the Coopworth flock since 2002 and now test the Romney flock as well. “We were using blood cards up until about 5 years ago and they were an absolute pain. Tissue sampling is so much easier,” Ryan Teutenberg explains. This year the Hinenui team took over 3,700 tissue samples, the majority

“The barcode on the TSU has the EID information on it so it makes the process almost error free. We tag and take the sample at docking and it’s a really simple process,” he says. Hinenui Genetics use the Shepherd Complete programme through Zoetis and are collecting the tissue samples for multi-sire mating programmes. The samples collected at docking are used to determine parentage and can also be used to identify genetic traits including those required to achieve FEGold status in both their Romney and Coopworth flocks. Tissue sampling also enables them to identify the genetic components of performance that are passed on through the ram or ewe to the lamb. They record information through Sheep Improvement Ltd (SIL) and focus on the five goal traits:

at docking time. With 700 ewes new

• Reproduction

to the business also being sampled

• Survival

they now have every animal on

• Growth

the farm fully DNA recorded.

“

Take one tissue sample and see what you think – it’s so much easier...”

Ryan purchases the tissue sampling units (TSUs) through Farmlands as a paired blister set with both an EID and a visual tag for each animal.

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| Claire Teutenberg with TSU.

• Wool • Meat Growth and meat are the core traits for Hinenui and with the DNA from each tissue sample they can make improvements in their flock. Along with accuracy, tissue sampling minimises the disruption at lambing which is normally created by tagging lambs at birth. Ewes and lambs are left alone until docking and then parentage DNA is collected using the paired TSU pack, all in the one event. Allflex TSUs have proven to be much simpler to collect than blood samples

and minimise contamination within the sample. For the Teutenberg’s TSUs have been a welcomed change, especially in the paired blister pack with tags. For farmers still using blood samples to collect DNA records, Ryan has some simple advice: “Take one tissue sample and see what you think – it’s so much easier.” For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Allflex.

THE FARMLANDER | 39

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

A great start for new hybrid ryegrass For many farmers and retail representatives, the word “profitability” still dominates conversations on farm. There is no doubt that in the future we are all going to have to do more with potentially less resources. This puts more importance on the decisions farmers are making every day, and Ben McDougall is no exception. Ben’s family, alongside his parents, run a mixed system featuring two dairy operations in conjunction with run-off blocks and dry stock finishing units based in Kimbolton and Rangitikei, Manawatu.

“

Hybrids produce a lot of upfront and cool season production which is paramount from an autumn sowing...”

In early 2019 Agricom released limited volumes of its new tetrachloride hybrid ryegrass Mohaka with AR37 endophyte. Farmlands Technical Field Officer, James Abbiss recomended Ben try it alongside his current grass selection in the hybrid. “Ben is constantly on the lookout for forage products that can add value to the system, pushing seasonal growth boundaries and ultimately

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maximising the return on a cents/kg dry matter produced,” James says. “So it is incredibly important we see new products out in the field, on a small scale, before extending its use to large areas of the farm.” Ben uses hybrid ryegrass on his productive land to match speed of rotation during cropping phases and to maximise growth throughout the shoulders of the season. “Hybrids produce a lot of upfront and cool season production, which is paramount from an autumn sowing as our growth curve declines quickly in the late autumn due to our property being located at over 350 metres above sea level,” Ben says. Hybrid ryegrasses are defined by having genetics from Italian and perennial ryegrass parents. Cultivars vary but they typically persist from 2–4 years depending on conditions. Their feed quality and winter growth are very good, generally higher than perennial ryegrasses in similar circumstances. It is this cool season production that impressed Ben in Mohaka AR37’s first six months on his farm.

| Farmlands TFO James Abbiss with farmer Ben McDougall on Ben’s Mohaka paddock.

performance of these new genetics under a range of enterprises and management techniques,” James says. The Mohaka fit adds another gear to the growth curve of this system as it is used

James has been watching the grass in its first season and has been excited with its speed of establishment compared to other hybrids available on the market.

from lactation through to finishing and

“As a Technical Field Officer, it’s one of my roles to deliver new forage options to fit the requirements of my client’s system. It’s great to be able to take Agricom products that I’ve watched in regional trials to a farm situation where I can gauge for myself the forage

James says.

as a supplement option. “The AR37 endophyte certainly adds value when put into an area prone to, stem weevil larvae and other pests,”

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agricom.

THE FARMLANDER | 41

A HOME YOU LOVE, WHEREVER YOU LIVE No matter where you are in New Zealand, our nationwide consultants come to you. We visit you at your convenience for a free in-home consultation, bringing with us an incredible sample range to choose from and years of experience to help advise you on finding the perfect window furnishing solution. Plus, get 25% off* curtains and blinds, exclusive to Farmlands shareholders.

Book your free in-home consultation 0800 808 300 russellscurtains.co.nz Featured fabric–James Dunlop Chancellor. *Terms & conditions: Offer exclusive to Farmlands shareholders. Discount is applied off retail price and does not apply to curtain making or installation. Excludes shutters and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Discount on curtains applies to fabrics over RRP $29.95p/m and from selected leading fabric suppliers: James Dunlop Essential range, Charles Parsons and Maurice Kain fabrics only, Villa Textiles, Ken Bimler, Warwick and Nettex.

IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 42 | THE FARMLANDER

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

The chemistry of healthy soil In the second of a series of articles covering the three dimensions of soil – physical, chemical and biological – our forage expert talks about soil’s chemical health.

What’s a ‘chemically healthy’ soil?

Organic matter content is driven by high

When we talk about soil chemical health we are talking about the macronutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur – and how they react with soil to become more or less available for plant growth. There is no doubt that soils with a long history of good fertility will be better than those with less. However, it is more than just the macronutrients in the chemistry pool; other soil attributes play an integral part in the results achieved.

fertility. More productive soil has more

Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is an important measure of the soil’s ability to bind positively charged cations such as potassium, magnesium, calcium and sodium. Negatively charged binding sites are largely a function of the ratio of sand, silt and clay plus how much soil organic matter is present. By increasing organic matter in the soil over time, we can increase the number of exchange sites and the amount of nutrients the soil can hold.

nutrients, which in turn regulate plant

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organic matter and is likely to have a greater range of soil microbes. Anion storage capacity (ASC) is an integral part of the soil. ASC is a measure of the ability of the soil to bind negatively charged anions such as phosphate. ASC does not change except in peat soils, where it increases over time as the soils progress from raw to developed. Soil acidity (pH) is important as it helps to determine the availability of soil growth. Ideally pH is kept around 6.0. How does chemical health fit in to the bigger picture of healthy soil? If the right nutrients are available, plants will do better and so will soil organisms. Healthy levels of macronutrients means the soil better feeds the plants (which develop stronger, deeper roots), the land produces optimum yields

and the plants provide more feed for soil organisms. More organic matter means the soil can retain more nutrients plus it enables better water infiltration and a greater water-holding capacity. What can be done to maintain the chemical health of soil? Regular soil testing is a good way to get a reliable status on soil nutrient levels (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and magnesium), pH, CEC and ASC. A soil testing programme supports the application of nutrients necessary for optimal production, avoiding overor under-application of nutrients. It is important to use calibrated soil tests, which have been matched against optimum pasture and crop production in New Zealand conditions. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients Forage Specialist Murray Lane.

THE FARMLANDER | 43

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.

Success in Southland The Sloan family has sucessfully farmed Winfield for more than 100 years and forward thinking has made all the difference.

moving the dairy operation from “Winfield” to “Rosebank”. The barn was a popular venue for community barn dances. The woolshed, built in the late 1800s, was used by nine of the neighbouring farms and although no longer in use, still stands today. The family lived in the original Winfield homestead, built in the 1860s, with

In 1915 James and Jane Sloan, with

a new house built by George and

their youngest son, George moved

his wife, Isabella in the early 1950s.

from Palmerston, Otago to take up a

George’s eldest son, Ian eventually

lease of part of the “Winfield Estate”

took over the farming operation in

at Mataura Island, Southland.

partnership with his youngest brother,

They were joined by James’ brother-

Barry, who owns Winfield today.

in-law, Ernest Johansen. James had

In the 1960s George purchased

previously worked on his father’s farm

Rosebank (which boundaries

at Goodwood, he had also been the

Winfield) for Ian and in 2000, Ian

mail runner between Palmerston and

and Barry purchased a nearby

Naseby, the Head Groom for Wright

property “Clifton Downs”.

Stephenson and Co Ltd at their Dunedin

In 1972, Ian and Barry began the

Horse Bazaar, and had operated

conversion to organic farming and in

a grocery store in Palmerston.

1989 received full Bio-Gro certification.

James built a cow shed around 1930

Ian was instrumental in starting the

after freeholding his 272 acres of

export of frozen organic lamb to the

land in 1929. This shed was still in

UK and setting up the Southern Region

use (with modern milking equipment)

Biological Producers and Consumers

until the 1998 season when a new

Council, while Jenny, his wife, served on

dairy conversion was completed,

the Bio-Gro board for many years. Ian

| The new “Winfield” homestead, barn and sheaf stacks of oats, circa 1954.

44 | THE FARMLANDER

| Ian Sloan at Alliance Lorneville plant with the first organic lambs for the UK market, 2001.

and Jenny were granted permission to be buried on the farm and in December 2014, Ian was laid to rest at Rosebank. Barry now leases Winfield to the current partnership of P.J. and J.M. Sloan. The dairy herd was sold in 2013 and the transition was made from a sheep/ dairy/beef unit to sheep and beef, with Romney Texel ewes and rearing beef cross calves to various ages. Today, Ian and Jenny’s youngest son, Philip farms in partnership with Jenny and continues to follow in his father’s footsteps. With the recent arrival of Philip and Laura’s son, Cooper it is hoped that the Sloans will be farming Winfield for generations to come.

| The homestead “Winfield Estate”, built 1860s.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

New perennial ryegrass performs in trials Andy Hunt dairy farms in the Ashley Clinton District of Central Hawke’s Bay. Andy runs a simple but very effective grass-based system on his dryland dairy farm. Over the past six years Andy has used a perennial ryegrass option with endophyte throughout his platform. Over the summer Andy plants around 15 percent of his platform in choice chicory which he follows with re-grassing in the autumn. Andy is also a huge advocate for planting Ecotain® environmental plantain in with his pastures, not only for the environmental benefit of reduced nitrate leaching but also to improve the summer quality of his ryegrass and clover-based pastures. The main benefits Andy has seen in using Prospect with AR37 endophyte is its density and ability to persist. In his words there is “no reason not to use Prospect as it’s doing the job for me”. In autumn 2019 Andy was given the opportunity by his Farmlands Technical Field Officer, Shane Mullany to sow a pre-commercial line of Agricom’s new perennial ryegrass, Legion AR37 (GPD 13013) alongside Prospect. Having similar heading dates, Andy was interested to see how Legion would perform and persist against Prospect in his dryland environment. As described by Shane, Legion is a high-performance, late-heading diploid perennial ryegrass which was bred to have good rust tolerance, vigour and low aftermath heading. Legion has been developed to have very good tiller density which makes it an incredibly robust plant under challenging conditions. The ryegrass can adapt

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| Farmlands Technical Field Officer, Shane Mullany worked with Andy Hunt to trial a new pre-commercial line of perennial ryegrass on his dairy farm.

across a number of environments too, be it in dairy or sheep and beef pastures.

that performed particularly well through

“I have been very impressed with Legion’s overall performance on our farm. It’s vigour and production since establishment has been outstanding,” Andy says.

being very competitive during spring –

Like Prospect, Legion is late-heading (+12–14 days compared with Nui) which means farmers would not see much seed head development before midNovember. This is a real positive for Andy as it means it will stay vegetative in mid-summer so summer grazing management becomes quite a feature, with its palatability remaining high at this time of year.

summer production with the benefits of

Production wise, Legion has completed three Plant Breeding and Research Association (NZPBRA) trials in Waikato, Palmerston North and Canterbury. In these trials Legion was a leading variety

summer, autumn and winter while also a season some late-heading varieties struggle to compete in. Legion looks to be a widely adapted grass with a complete growth habit and clean, leafy AR37 endophyte. Legion has proven to be a complete grass for Andy so far and one he looks forward to integrating into his system going forward. Legion AR37 will be fully commercial with AR37 in 2020 and subsequently become available with AR1 during 2021. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agricom.

THE FARMLANDER | 45

NORTHERN HOSPITALITY AT ITS FARMING BEST Gear up with Farmlands and the Northland Field Days 2020 at Dargaville and set yourself up for the season ahead. WHEN:

5th – 7th March 2020

WHERE:

Northland Field Days, Dargaville

VISIT US AT SITE 195-240A

FAR_09320

VISIT US FOR A RANGE OF HOT CASH AND CARRY OFFERS, SHAREHOLDER HOSPITALITY AND EXPERT ADVICE FROM THE WHOLE CO-OPERATIVE.

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Dam versus trough?

Conversations began with understanding where the participants source their stock water; open water source, reticulation or a mixture of both. This was followed up with a tour of the host farm to understand the farming system, which engendered further discussion. John involved Pete Carswell, Rural Project Manager from Iplex Pipelines to give an overview of stock water systems to the groups, alongside a local supplier of solarpowered pump systems. “Reticulation of rolling to steep country is a topical issue at the moment with the recent Draft National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management being proposed,” Pete says. “Fencing off natural waterways will lead to a choice between dam-based or reticulated stock water systems.

Beef Cattle weight gain: Dam versus trough water (per day) 1.4 Gain in kilograms

John Stantiall of Perrin Ag Consultants has run several onfarm discussion groups in the lower North Island over the last six months. While covering many productivity issues relating to sheep and beef, John aimed to foster the group’s appreciation of the important part water plays in maximising production.

1.2kg

1.2 1kg

1.0

930g

793g

0.8 0.6 0.4 220g 0.2

0.0 Cows

Calves Dam

Steers Trough

The production benefits of the latter are well understood by farmers, as greater reliability and easier access to better quality water is gained through reticulated systems, compared to dam water.”

“Solar-powered pump systems,

In cases where the water needs to be pumped and there is not ready access to grid-electricity, the cost of powering a remotely located pump has traditionally been prohibitive. This is even when taking into consideration the one-off capital investment in a low-maintenance reticulated system, versus the outlay on establishment and ongoing upkeep of dam water sources.

He advises that it is important for

now much more affordable and with improved performance, are a game changer. They dramatically change the cost-benefit calculation,” Pete says. farmers to be aware of the reticulation system design process which involves calculating water requirements, surveying farm processes, looking at the reticulation system choices, understanding scheme components and assessing installation options. Being able to answer specific questions from a farmer in the group, that others can relate to, is an excellent learning process for everyone Pete says. “The one overriding message I like to leave these discussion groups with is – don’t guess what you need when it comes to stock water reticulation. It’s a major farm infrastructure investment that is key to maximising returns, so seek professional advice and get it right.” For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

| Manawatu farmers attended a stock water discussion group in Kiwitea. This was part of a series run by Perrin Ag Consultants including Iplex Pipelines in 2019.

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Article Supplied by Iplex.

THE FARMLANDER | 47

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IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 48 | THE FARMLANDER

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Is your trough valve fit for purpose? The demands on your water system can be extreme in the heat. To maintain a reliable water system consideration needs to be given to maintenance. This time of year is ideal to assess the suitability of your water system, to see if it is meeting the needs of your current farming operation.

traditional brass trough valves there are

As a general rule, the three key

With so much choice, selection can be

elements in the design of a water

difficult. The golden rule is the trough

system are height, distance and how

valve should provide flow that is equal

much water is required. With regards

to, or slightly more than, the maximum

to quantity needed, this may be the

potential demand at the trough.

ideal time to service, repair or replace

Obviously, farm type has a major bearing

your existing trough valves. Where it is

on this. For example, a lactating cow will

necessary to replace existing trough

consume 70 litres per head per day (over

valves, replacing like-with-like may be a

a 5-hour period) whereas a non-lactating

perfectly sensible approach, however,

cow only requires 45 litres per head per

it is also an opportunity to see if your existing trough valve is fit for purpose. The days of the brass ballcock or trough valve being the only options are long gone. Farmlands offers an extensive range of Apex trough valves to suit your needs. Along with

“

... A wellfunctioning water system can deliver real benefits to the wellbeing of your stock... and deliver tangible returns.”

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plastic options, high-flow, medium and low-flow valves, armless valves, diaphragm, plunger and piston designs. There are trough valves that are camlock compatible (for easy connection to portable troughs) and there are trough valves designed specifically for thin-walled plastic tanks.

| Gone are the days of one or two options for your water reticulation system. Numerous trough valves exist now, to suit your particular needs.

day (consumed over a 6-hour period). These are New Zealand averages and suggested by sources including DairyNZ and Lincoln University1. Consideration should also be given to future-proofing your water reticulation system, taking into account potential changes to your farming operation. For example, increases in herd size or developing a dairy support unit on a sheep and beef farm could greatly increase demand at the trough. Selecting a trough valve purely on the basis of having the highest flow rate (when this may well be in excess of the maximum required flow rate), may lead to some unintended consequences if the pipe has not been sized accordingly. As so much water is going to one demand point on a farm it can be at the expense of another demand point and so may create negative

pressure in a pipe line. In the worst-case scenario, this vacuum can cause the pipe to collapse. It goes without saying that a wellfunctioning water system can deliver real benefits to the wellbeing of your stock and any investment in improving your water system, if done correctly, can deliver tangible returns. For new water schemes, it is suggested you use a water system design service. Farmlands offer this service to shareholders and can arrange a consultant to contact you. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. 1) Article supplied by Hydroflow Distributors Ltd (distributors of Apex Trough Valves).

THE FARMLANDER | 49

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Do you have stray power in your steel gates? This is a common problem for farmers and growers. The first thing you need to establish is if it’s stray power or a fault. To check if it is a fault causing power to get into the gates: • Apply your fault finder to the hot wire on the energizer side of the gate. Take note of the amperage loss. • Then run a galvanised wire down the strainer post, stapling against all the non-electrified wires and into the ground. Then re-check the loss: if the amperage loss from the second reading is noticeably higher than your first reading, then you most probably have a physical fault. It could possibly be poor performing or cracked insulators, or damaged underground cable causing power to transfer into the gates. Alternately, there could be a fault in the fence causing transmission of power to the non-electric wires, which will then be transferred into the gate. Some very high-powered energizers can also create leakage across seemingly good end insulators, particularly in wet conditions. This can also be worsened by contaminants on the insulator e.g. dust or salt spray.

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“

If the amperage loss from the second reading is noticeably higher than your first reading, then you most probably have a physical fault... To remedy this problem, we suggest that you use two Joule Shield High Strain End Insulators about 100mm apart on either side of where you have steel gates. If, after ruling all these possibilities out, you still have power in your gate then the problem is likely to be caused by induction. Electromagnetic or magnetic induction enables the transmission of electrical energy between conductors without a physical connection. With larger mains units symptoms of induction are relatively common. Induction on an electric fence is effectively power radiating out from the hot wire, transferring power to the non-powered and/or tie wire, attaching the egg insulator to the strainer and then into the gates. This situation is often more evident in dry conditions due to the strainer post being more insulated. You will then get a shock when you open the gate as the stray power finds a way to earth – through you.

| Induction is often more evident in dry conditions due to the strainer post being more insulated.]

To remedy problems with induction, as explained in the initial assessment step, you can attach a wire vertically down your strainer post and push the end into the ground. Staple the vertical wire against all the tie wires to create a connection, thus taking the stray power down into the ground. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Donald Cornwall, Strainrite Fencing Specialists.

THE FARMLANDER | 51

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THE FARMLANDER | 53

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54 | THE FARMLANDER

WEB ID GIC73295

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Simply stylish A quality home with an easy living, country-feel, featuring three lovely bedrooms and two living areas (one could be utilised as an ofďŹ ce). You will enjoy the rural outlook from the fantastic deck which is surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens. There is plenty of off-street parking for the boat, camper or caravan aswell as the internal access double garage. This is a must see for the lock and leave or a live in-it and love it purchaser.

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THE FARMLANDER | 55

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