The Farmlander - September 2020 by Farmlands

SPECIAL OFFERS AND INFORMATION FOR FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS

SEPTEMBER 2020 Valid from 1 — 30 September 2020

The FARMLANDER DIVERSITY DELIVERS LOCAL REWARDS PAGES 6—11

TELLING ARABLE’S SUCCESS STORY PAGE 17

GOING BLUE FOR OUR BOYS PAGE 14-15

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SEPTEMBER

INTEREST

PLAN365

3. Farmlands staff profile

Plan365 Nutrition

3. From the CEO

27. Spring – the time for new life and ventures

4. 5 minutes with Alison Stewart

28. Reading cow signals

6. Special Feature - Diverse business provides scope

15. Early prostate screening a priority for rural men 17. Agronomy advice more vital than ever 18. Education ups the enviro-ag game

Plan365 Animal Management 31. Pre-mating tasks 33. Spring dairy calf drenching 35. Clostridial vaccine now with added minerals

20. Events round up

37. Make every mouthful count

22. Buying Power Promise 23. Avoiding injury while handling large animals 24. Power fit for each season? It's a no-brainer. 66. Century Farms - Making Hinerangi Home 67. Rural market update and dairy spotlight

39. Making quality grass silage with a little help 40. Drift retardants: what you may not know 41. Dialling up the heat 43. Ensure your calves hit their target weights 45. Spring time means possum time Plan365 Forage and Arable 47. Fill-a-gap summer crops 49. Reliable weed control is money well spent 51. Weed and pest control in forage brassica

SPECIAL OFFERS AND INFORMATION FOR

FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS

53. Versatile new pest control for pipfruit growers

SEPTEMBER 2020

Valid from

1 — 30 September 2020

The FARMLANDER

RS DIVERSITY DELIVE LOCAL REWARDS

PAGES 6—11

TELLING ARABLE’S SUCCESS STORY PAGE X

55. Solutions right now for future cereal challenges

ON THE COVER Alongside their agricultural contracting service, Southlanders Harold and Helen O’Connor have grown their farming business to rear calves and provide dairy support – while doing fencing, welding and engineering on the side. Their diverse operations allow them to employ skilled local workers all year around. Unsurprisingly, they are fans of robotic machinery to feed their calves too. Find out more about their growth model on page 6.

FOR OUR BOYS PAGE X

2 | THE FARMLANDER

59. Kale cultivar trial results back the decision to change Plan365 Rural Infastructure 60. What’s the secret to better fencing? 61. The benefits of ball valves 63. Give your pump a break

GOING BLUE

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

57. Best farmers get beet right

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.

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FARMLANDS STAFF PROFILE

FROM THE CEO

Kelvin Oppert

Welcome to the September edition of The Farmlander. We have arrived at the busiest time of year for many of our shareholders. Spring brings with it an extensive task list and our focus is supporting you with technical expertise, advice and fulfilling your food and fibre input requirements.

Business Manager, Pukekohe

Q: What do you like most about your job? A: The people – colleagues, suppliers and shareholders. From my very first day on the job it became clear that I was going to enjoy working for Farmlands and it was a place where I could see opportunities to achieve and grow. We have always had a top crew in Pukekohe. Q: Where are you from originally? A: Not that far away. I was born and bred in the Maramarua part of the Franklin district. Q: What do you like to do in your spare time? A: Spare time is a rare commodity these days! I enjoy a game of golf with my son Kerwyn or a quiet fish from the rocks at a local spot with our trusty labrador Riley. Q: What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten? A: I usually love Chinese food – sweet n’ sour pork, fried rice etc – but I couldn’t quite get through chicken feet. It was just one step too far! Q: What is your favourite sport? A: Cricket by an absolute country mile! I will always proudly back our Black Caps and love watching my son play. Q: What is your biggest priority coming into spring? A: Every year our farming community have their battles and this year is no exception. Being aware of shareholder issues by showing empathy and understanding — and being available with the right solutions at the right time — is a big priority. So is letting shareholders know that as individuals, as a store and as a co-op, we are all there to help and be supportive of each other.

Kelvin’s Loaf

Delicious Meat

Ingredients Sauce

Loaf • 500g sausage meat

• ½ cup water

• 500g steak mince

• ¼ cup Worcester sauce

• 2 onions – chopped

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 Tbsp vinegar

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

• 1 tsp instant coffee

• 1 tsp curry powder

• ½ cup tomato sauce

• ½ cup water

• 25g butter

• ½ cup milk

• 2 Tbsp lemon juice

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method 1. Combine all sauce ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil for 5 minutes. 2. Combine meat, breadcrumbs, onion, curry, seasonings and egg in a bowl. Mix well.

I mentioned in last month’s issue that Farmlands was looking at how our organisation was changing to effectively deliver for our shareholders in the current climate of uncertainty. These changes are now embedded across our organisation and our Leadership Team has adjusted to reflect this. Andrew Horsbrugh is now our Director - Growth and Innovation. Farming is evolving at a rapid pace and Andrew has been tasked with positioning Farmlands at the front of sector innovation. We want to be one step ahead and to do this, we need to be the business that introduces you to market leading knowledge and expertise, while providing you with the answers to the challenges our sector faces. John Campbell is our new GM - Sales and Retail. This role is responsible for our store and field teams and includes Nutrition, Agronomy and Energy. We have reorganised this part of our business to deliver services and supplies more effectively at a regional level, given the unique timings and conditions throughout New Zealand. This team is a collective of our frontline teams and will allow us to work more collaboratively for the betterment of our shareholders. Jess Strange has accepted the role of Director Customer Experience. We want everyone to have the best customer experience with Farmlands, whether it is via our Contact Centre, our Choices Rewards programme, or through our Farmlands Card. Jess is responsible for harnessing these touchpoints for our shareholders, customers, suppliers and stakeholders to deliver the best possible interaction with our co-operative. The role of Director – Category has been accepted by Mal Scrymgeour. Mal’s role is to work with our network of suppliers to bring the best products to our shareholders, at the best price. By having a role in the Leadership Team dedicated to optimising our product range, we are confident we will be able to deliver increased value on innovative products that prepare all of our customers for the rigours of modern farming and growing. Adjusting our approach in the wake of the past year’s events is imperative to continuing to deliver value to our shareholders. We have a desire to be responsive, adaptable and market-leading. To achieve this, we need to grow shareholder success. I hope the results speak for themselves in the months and years to come. Kind regards,

3. Gradually add milk and water, mixing until smooth. 4. Using a roasting dish mould to shape, bake in oven for 30 minutes at 180°C. 5. Remove from oven and pour sauce over, bake for a further 45 minutes, basting frequently. 6. Can be served either hot or cold. * From the 1992 Maramarua Golf Club “Golfing Gourmet” Cookbook.

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Peter Reidie Chief Executive Officer Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited

THE FARMLANDER | 3

5 minutes with Alison Stewart CEO, Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) What is your background? I’m originally a city girl from Glasgow, Scotland but when I went to university, I decided I wanted to put myself out of my comfort zone, so I studied Agricultural Science which then got me into Plant Science. When I finished university, I moved to New Zealand and took up an academic position firstly at the University of Auckland and then Lincoln University where I headed up the BioProtection Research Centre. From there, I headed to California and worked for a biopesticide company. Throughout my career I have always enjoyed applied research and working with growers, so when I got back to New Zealand the role with FAR really appealed. I’ve always been interested in the development of sustainable plant production systems.

It’s time for the arable sector to stand up and be counted, since arable cropping is an excellent land use and we have a profitable system.”

4 | THE FARMLANDER

For those who don’t know, how does FAR support the arable industry? FAR is a levy agency. We have close to 3,000 growers who pay a levy on what they produce, and that money comes to FAR to invest into a whole range of research and development projects to benefit the arable growers. Our growers cover cereal grains, pulses, maize and specialised seed crops. FAR has a number of regional grower groups and each year we go out to them with research ideas, they provide feedback with their problems and challenges and from there we work out a programme for that year. Some research is funded for multiple years, such as large environmental projects. We also work with other sectors to address common challenges so are generally undertaking approximately 60–70 projects per year. What stories do NZ arable farmers want to be telling about their produce? The arable industry is different to other sectors in that it is not dominated by exports; we primarily service domestic industries, such as milling wheat and livestock feed. The global price of wheat is a challenge however, as we have to figure out how we can compete with the cheap Australian grain that can be brought over. In light of that, we have learnt to be highly productive and very efficient. We have got very good rainfall, temperatures and soil, and the technical competency of our growers is extremely high. We really know how to grow grain!

What are some environmental challenges that arable farmers are facing currently? The arable industry has many of the same challenges as the other sectors, primarily trying to maintain profitability within increasingly stringent environmental limits. FAR runs an environmental programme that focusses on improving soil health, reducing soil erosion and investigating the most efficient use of inputs to minimise any nutrient leaching. There is also a big push to reduce the amount of synthetic pesticides that are going onto the crops. We are just moving into a major piece of work on integrated pest management. We realise that there is always going to be a place for chemicals because if we have a major pest incursion, most other crop protection methods won’t be able to control the problem. We are looking at biological products and cultural practices, as well as reassessing the cultivars we are using to consider those with greater disease resistance. The ultimate goal is that we develop a biologically based management system, and only have to dial in the chemicals when absolutely required. It will take 5–10 years of research to achieve this across the board, although some growers are already managing this very well now. What makes the arable industry stand out from other primary industries? We have very unique and diverse farming systems, more so than other countries. Our growers operate

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FARMLANDS 5 MINUTES

complex farming systems that are highly differentiated across New Zealand. Growers are mixing and matching up to 20 different crop species and are used to constantly changing and making decisions on a daily basis. Some growers choose to grow organic or spray free or have embraced the full regenerative agriculture movement. Others are comfortable using chemical sprays. FAR is there to provide the research to support growers to make their own decisions.

We are looking at biological products and cultural practices, as well as reassessing the cultivars we are using to consider those with greater disease resistance.” When I first got involved with the arable industry, I was hugely impressed by the technical competency our growers have and their ability to make agile, innovative decisions. I think they’re the exemplar of what a New Zealand farmer should be.

research to enhance the efficiency and

cropping is an excellent land use

profitability of their farm businesses.

and we have a profitable system.

I like working with other sectors to

Arable farming meets all the criteria

create synergies or leverage benefit

that the New Zealand Government

off each other and also working with

is looking for in that it is diversified,

government agencies to try and come

sustainable and resilient. It’s a system

up with a better vision for the future of

that we think the New Zealand public

agriculture in our country. It’s hugely

will look favourably towards and we

challenging but also hugely satisfying!

hope that other sectors may want to

Do you have some exciting events or projects coming up? We’ve got our big bi-annual CROPS event in Chertsey in December. It’s FAR’s 25-year celebration so we are

that we already have in our systems. For more information on FAR’s CROPS event, visit www.far.org.nz/events

making CROPS a real celebration

What is the best thing about your job?

of our industry and getting as many

I love the diversity involved in this job. We have young researchers learning how to be good applied scientists and we have growers implementing this

in that as possible, such as seed

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think about embracing the diversity

of our wider stakeholders involved and chemical companies. It’s time for the arable sector to stand up and be counted, since arable

THE FARMLANDER | 5

| Smiles all round from O'Connor Contracting staff, Daniel Pickett and Rhys Martelli.

| Harold and Helen with their children, Teisha (left) and Jackson (right), who are interested in being involved in the businesses.

6 | THE FARMLANDER

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Diverse business provides scope Year-round farming and contracting operations that prioritise local relationships, including those with their staff, have been the foundation of growth for Southlanders Harold and Helen O’Connor.

Over the past 20 years the O’Connors have developed their business like a jigsaw, with each piece complementing the next. As well as running an agricultural contracting business, Harold and Helen also provide dairy support and rear calves which they grow to become Jersey service bulls and bull beef. Harold (his name is actually Mark but his grandfather called him this as a kid and “it just stuck”) and his brother Grant are the third generation of their families to farm in Kapuka, Invercargill. They have followed in their Dad, Murray O’Connor’s footsteps, by expanding the family dairy farm and contracting business. While Grant is the dairy farmer, Harold farms cattle and has pursued the machinery side. After high school, Harold worked on a couple of sheep farms and at the age of 21 headed to the gold mines in Western Australia where he began as a tradesman’s assistant. He then went on to complete an adult apprenticeship gaining his diesel mechanic qualification. It was in Laverton, Western Australia where he met his future wife Helen, who was born and bred on a Taranaki dairy farm. They headed home when Helen was 6 months’ pregnant, wanting their twins to be born as Kiwis. Harold and Helen returned home to 100 acres of land that they had bought while still in Australia, located on the boundary of Murray’s block. That was 20 years ago; their son Jackson is now part of O’Connor Contracting and Teisha is studying agriculture at Lincoln University.

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THE FARMLANDER | 7

| Daniel Pickett grinding in the workshop during winter. Harold and Helen like to keep staff employed all-year round if they can.

From one tractor and a plough Harold spent a couple of years working as a truck mechanic in Invercargill but with diesel in his veins the next step was to take over the contracting side of the family business. “Dad had one tractor doing a bit of baleage to help the farm income. We bought a plough and, with me full-time and Dad semi-retired, we began to grow the business. “We expanded to provide services in grass harvesting including hay, baleage and silage and agricultural work involving aeration, cultivation, direct drilling, ploughing and precision planting. Along with muck and fert spreading too – we wanted to be a one-stop shop for our clients,” he says. The business now comprises of a fleet of tractors, a silage harvester, ploughs, a single baler with wrapper and two fusion balepaks; they turn out around 30,000 bales of baleage a year. The main season runs from the beginning of October through to May, weather depending, with 12 staff employed at the peak. September and October begin with ploughing, working up last season’s crop ground for planting into grass with around 500ha ploughed every spring. “We have always ploughed to get the fresh ground up after winter damage. We are old school around here, doing what Grandad did.” Harold also prides himself on running good gear with a proactive replacement programme. This season will see the arrival of a new replacement tractor and plough.

8 | THE FARMLANDER

“Each driver starts the season in their own tractor and all machinery is rotated for replacement,” he explains. Local, skilled staff stick around Utilising the local workforce is a priority, with Harold saying a business is only as good as its staff. “We do expect high quality from our staff and they are good operators, which is why we have a strong relationship. “We have had a few overseas workers but mostly we employ locally and our guys stick around. “This season, with the shortage of agricultural workers due to the pandemic affecting international workers coming to New Zealand, it has certainly been peace of mind to know we have a great team who are already trained and ready to hit the ground running.” A key to staff longevity is the O’Connors providing year-round work, despite the contracting side being seasonal. “Our staff drive tractors over the summer and then in the off-season they shift stock, do fencing and welding repairs for local farmers and make round bale hay feeders. Staff weld around 150–200 hay feeders every off season. There is always good demand and we sell them directly to farmers, mainly the ones I’m doing the contracting for. So, the round bales we have baled sit in the hay feeders we have made. “We employ two engineers, so their skills are utilised over winter and that keeps them in work, meaning they don’t have to worry about the seasonal nature of contracting.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

the milk powder and gives each calf the right amount of milk based on the information in the tag. “We try and keep it simple; they get lots of food and once they come off the feeder they are onto grass, hay and grain,” he says. Helen notes that the automatic calf feeders mean the calves cannot overdrink or drink another calf’s milk. “With the robotic feeder they get up to 6 litres over 24 hours but the computer spreads the feeds out, so they are not drinking it all at once.” Once the calves learn to feed the job is a lot easier – it is just about getting them up and drinking, Helen says. “In the early stages that can take all day but after a week or so they are quite self-sufficient.” “We’ve been using this technology for around 4 years and it works well for us. I love doing the calves – I look forward to the first batch,” she enthuses.

| Helen loves the robotic calf feeding system as it gives each calf the right amount of milk.

“I also try and place a couple of the staff on other local farms, so they have guaranteed work and some of the boys have their own blocks so they use the off-season to catch up at their own properties,” Harold says. The O’Connors have added to their original 100 acres, buying an additional 200 acres and leasing another 700. This means that in the winter there is always repairs and maintenance to do and stock to feed. “The contracting side of the business gives us the scope to be able to make about 3,000 bales for ourselves which are used for winter feeding. “We do our own fencing and also contract fencing, as well as offer dairy support grazing for 600 dairy cows that need shifting and feeding daily.” This system is working well, with one of the guys being with Harold since the outset and two others for 10 years. Calves do better on automated system Every year Harold and Helen rear 300 bobby calves. They buy in around 150 4-day-old Jersey bull calves and 150 beef cross calves. Harold says the calf operation came about after a local farmer asked him to raise some service bulls. The concept grew from there, with Harold saying there is good demand and a strong market for well-grown bulls. The calves are under cover in two sheds and are fed using a robotic calf feeding system that reads their NAIT tags, mixes

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The pair believe the calves do better off the automated system. Little and often seems to work with the calves growing better. This approach seems to particularly suit the temperamental Jersey breed. “Our calf sheds are built so the calves can wander out into the paddock and then come back in when they want a drink – it’s very relaxed for them. They can then transition onto grass in their own time and they also have cover if it's wet or cold,” Harold says. While they would not expand their calf rearing, the robotic system has streamlined the operation for the O’Connors; what they have invested in technology and machinery is about the same as the cost of an extra labour unit that would be needed if their feeding system was not automated. “We source our calves from the same local suppliers, some from clients who we do contract work for in the summer, and we usually get them in batches of 10. It’s important we know where the calves come from in this Mycoplasma bovis environment.” The Jersey bulls are weaned at around 12 weeks and are then leased out to dairy farmers as yearlings, before heading back to the O’Connors to be wintered and sold as 2-year-olds for back-up mating. The 150 beef calves are raised and fattened, then depending on the market are sold as store cattle or grown on. The cattle are usually a Hereford cross. While the O’Connors are always looking to expand their land holding they are also keen to ensure a work-life balance and with both children already leaning toward contracting and agriculture the family are growing forward together.

THE FARMLANDER | 9

It’s about choices and timing, costs versus yields and what the need is at the time.”

| Harold is in constant talks with Farmlands Technical Field Officer, Hayley Holland who offers agronomy, calf-rearing and nutrition advice.

10 | THE FARMLANDER

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SPECIAL FEATURE

From crops to calf feed – co-op supports growth An important aspect of the O’Connor’s farming programme is stock feed cropping. Traditionally the O’Connors had grown brassicas for 2 years and followed the crop with regrassing, which has enabled stock to be fed over the winter and pasture to be improved. In 2017 Harold introduced fodder beet which he says improved his farming operation by enabling him to slow down his grass rotation and finish his bull beef earlier than he had with swedes. The brassica wintering system had become costly with a large area of land being taken out each year for winter feed. The fodder beet enables the same dry matter yield in half the land area. From a contracting perspective he understands the importance of making sure the seed bed preparation was right and precision drilling the seed to maximise yields. Last year Harold went back to swedes using HT swedes which enables him to spray out any weeds such as wild turnip. “It’s about choices and timing, costs versus yields and what the need is at the time,” he says. Farmlands has been in the paddock with the family, supporting their planning and decision making.

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For example, their Farmlands Technical Field Officer, Hayley Holland provides agronomy, calf-rearing and nutrition expertise. “Farmlands is a major part of our business – we buy all our milk powder and calf rearing products, along with the baleage plastic and our fuel through them. “Hayley helps us with our agronomy around soil management and the production of field crops as well as calf rearing advice,” Harold explains. Hayley sat down with Helen to prepare for the upcoming calf season and plan feeding options well in advance. She describes the shareholder’s automated calf feeding operation as “very impressive”. “As well as sensing how much milk is needed for each calf, it also mixes the milk powder and is pretty much a one-stop shop,” Hayley says. “Harold and Helen are a great couple – very communityminded and would do anything for anyone. “I’m heavily involved with the O’Connors and other shareholders in the area. I attend their monthly farm discussion groups and am always there if they need me.”

THE FARMLANDER | 11

FAR_09830

Farmlands Technical Field Officer — Luc Rodwell

12 | THE FARMLANDER

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DELIVERING A TRUCKLOAD OF KNOWLEDGE When your TFO pulls up the drive, you’ve got the combined insight of the whole Farmlands network on-farm, right where you need it. Couple this with New Zealand’s leading fert, chem, seed and feed brands and you’ll see increased efficiency and greater success across every part of your farm. Get more from Farmlands this spring. Talk to your TFO today.

farmlands.co.nz 0800 200 600 WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

THE FARMLANDER | 13

THE

statistics ARE

STAGGERING Every year there are around

3,500 MEN DIAGNOSED

with prostate cancer in New Zealand. This September, join Farmlands and the Prostate Cancer Foundation in the fight against the disease.

FAR_09749

Visit www.farmlands.co.nz to find out how you can help.

14 | THE FARMLANDER

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BLUE SEPTEMBER

Early prostate screening a priority for rural men During lockdown, Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ (PCF) estimates there were 30 percent fewer diagnoses of all cancers. That includes those men over 50 who were due for a regular doctors’ visit and did not get their prostate checked. As this deadly cancer often has no symptoms, the preliminary check is the crucial first indicator. In his role as Medical Advisor to PCF, Urologist Jim Duthie aims to reduce the number of men suffering from prostate cancer by expanding good screening throughout the country and encouraging early checks. “Guys don’t see enough doctors,” Jim says bluntly. “So when they do, it’s important they make the most of that appointment.” Tackling a cancer that kills 600 Kiwi men each year is no small feat. According to Health Navigator NZ, men who live in rural areas are at greater risk than those who live in urban areas because they have less access to health services. The research also points to rural men having lower rates of screening than their urban counterparts.1 “This may relate to the nature of their work, geographic location, social isolation or the old ‘battler’ psyche but those excuses need to stop,” Jim says. "Although the risk increases with age, even younger men can be affected and early detection is the key." Initial screening takes the form of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The Guidelines for General Practitioners says that a rectal exam can be added. Jim encourages

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men to ask in advance if their GP will do a PSA test and if not, “ask around as modern diagnostics have greatly improved our ability to identify life-threatening cancers.” "I urge people to avoid putting their head in the sand – if they notice a warning sign like blood, they need to get to a doctor.” With qualifications in psychology and nutrition alongside his clinical training – Jim knows how to challenge blokes to think differently. Last September, he took his health messages on the road, speaking to hundreds of locals at PCF events in Taupo, Whanganui, New Plymouth and Tauranga. Jim’s approach mixes humour and honesty; he is just as comfortable talking about celebrity diets as he is about making end-of-life decisions in advance. “I try to impress on the audience that doing something is better than nothing,” he says. “That goes for easy lifestyle changes too – as there is good evidence to suggest that small diet and exercise changes can really help. “Luckily, the younger generations know they need to look after themselves more if they are going to live longer."

It does not just affect older guys either. Jim recently operated on a 44-year old and for those with a father or brother who has had the disease, the likelihood of getting it earlier in life is much higher. Once again this September, Jim will be helping PCF raise awareness of the importance of getting checked. Farmlands is a proud supporter of Blue September. Shareholders can donate online at www.farmlands.co.nz 1. Research conducted by Bryant Education Centre, Waikato Hospital, 2014.

Going blue for our loved ones While PCF Ambassador Jason Gunn has taken a light-hearted approach to the subject in previous years, things got personal for the media personality this year. Sadly, Alan Henderson – the voice behind the much-loved TV puppet Thingee, the Son of a Gunn’s sidekick – lost his battle against prostate cancer. So, this September we’re going blue for Thingee and all the _ whanau in our lives that have been affected by the disease. www.blueseptember.org.nz

THE FARMLANDER | 15

LIFE & HEALTH

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSET ON FARM IS YOU. WELL DONE TO FARMLANDS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF BLUE SEPTEMBER. The on farm and family impacts of things like prostate cancer is a good example of why we recommend you to think about life & health cover. With experienced Personal Risk Advisers right across the country our team are always happy to review your options. If you’d like to talk give us a call on 0800 366 466 or visit our website at fmg.co.nz Pictured: Blair Shortall, farmer and FMG’s employee.

We’re here for the good of the country.

16 | THE FARMLANDER

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TECHNICAL ADVICE

Agronomy advice more vital than ever After a dry autumn and winter, shareholders are facing many production challenges. Added to this, southern and northern farmers have met a wet weather burden. All of which means agronomy assistance is more vital than ever. “Drought and floods have meant that there isn't sufficient feed for early spring requirements in some places,” Farmlands General Manager Grain & Seed, Tim O’Sullivan says. “Many farmers went into winter without the bank of feed they’d usually have. “In the short-term, affected farmers are potentially facing situations where their pasture swards have been damaged and they have limited ability to maximise dry matter production when it is needed. Our regional Agronomists, along with Technical Field Officers, can help to plan for and plug any feed gaps in early spring.” Guy Mason pays heed to that. The Farmlands Agronomist for Northland/ Waikato spent time in July observing the damage wrought by a severe flood on drought-stricken properties. “The drought in my region was the worst I’ve seen. The Northland flood was like that of 2014, which may explain why owners have been pretty philosophical about it – they farm on a flood plain so know it’s in the nature of the beast,” Guy says. “That does come with an economic cost though.”

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Guy noted that even after 2 weeks, some paddocks or uneven parts were still underwater, meaning those pastures are unlikely to survive and remedial action will be required.

“The aim is to understand what each

“I think the biggest challenge for locals has been to remove as much of the silted cover as possible. Getting machines in there to harrow and mow is vital if rye grass is to get away again."

deficits,” Tim says.

The seasoned expert notes that every case is different but there are always options. For those affected by floods, Guy says they could consider resetting the damaged pasture by dry cow grazing before mowing or chain harrowing, then refreshing the soil with fertiliser. Stitching in short-term seed or over-sowing small seed such as clover, plantain or chicory; or growing something else like maize could also help.

• What typically happens at this time

Supporting Guy on his visits was local Technical Field Officer Mark Forsyth, who is based in Kamo. Part of an Agronomist’s job is to support other field staff on all things grain and seed. “Together, we’ve been revisiting cropping plans that we wrote up last autumn. There’s no point spraying out if the productive grass has gone in places,” Guy says. Beyond the short-term, Tim says that Agronomists are equipping frontline staff to help shareholders mitigate any seasonal challenges and plan for next year's feed requirements.

farmer is trying to achieve and work with them to reach those goals by assessing pasture quality and planning to manage seasonal feed surpluses and Pre-spring, Farmlands’ field staff discuss a raft of topics with each customer, covering: of year and how past seasons have affected the region. • How seasonal changes are influencing on-farm conversations. • Spring goals and how the team can influence farm profitability. • Animal condition and any feed deficits. • Economic or environmental considerations. Guy often produces a farm map as a result, breaking challenges and opportunities down into “bite-sized solutions” by paddock or area. “Inherently I am positive about what farmers up here in Northland can do post-drought and flood. Nature is amazing and plants have an ability to bounce back if we help them.” To get your feed levels to where they need to be, contact a Farmlands Technical Field Officer.

THE FARMLANDER | 17

Education ups the enviro-ag game For the North Otago Sustainable Land Management group (NOSLaM), educating early on positive enviroagriculture practices is key to the upkeep of good pastoral management systems.

NOSLaM Engagement Officer and Farmlands shareholder based in Maheno, Bridget McNally emphasises that by getting children on to farms, positive conversations about the environment can be started early.

Originally founded by North Otago farmers in 1994, NOSLaM now has nearly 200 farmer members, all focussed on improving farm resilience and sustainability. NOSLaM's key role is working with "pods" of farmers to address water quality within their catchment and supporting landowners and community groups as they undertake projects to fence off and plant critical source areas, wetlands and waterways. As each site around the catchment is planted, a local primary school is assigned guardianship of the area.

“We are not a political or regulatory group; our focus is very much about on-farm education, improving the environment and enhancing biodiversity. Planting projects provide an opportunity for students to connect with the land, to do some hard mahi. The students become the guardians of the area and revisit the site to undertake maintenance and observe the growth of plants. “While planting projects vary in size, the one consistent is that the wider community comes together to undertake them. It’s great to see

conversations between generations and people from all over the community, often over a well-deserved BBQ,” she says. Education on sustainable land management is also being prioritised at high school level. NOSLaM works with Waitaki Girls High School in Oamaru on two subjects. The first is a year-long Land and Water Management subject under NCEA Level One (Year 11). NOSLaM co-ordinates and facilitates a field trip at the commencement of the year that allows students the opportunity to see a range of land uses and hear from farmers about their challenges and what they do to uphold good management practices. The second is a supporting Year 10 EnviroAg subject that explores a range of themes and involves taking

| Ag-based school subjects supported by NOSLaM have opened up career pathways for young Otago women.

18 | THE FARMLANDER

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COMMUNITY NEWS

| Planting projects are a fun, hands-on way for children to get involved in their environment.

| Education is key to upholding good farm management practices.

students out on-farm and engaging with a range of farmer and industry speakers. Resources for both courses are sponsored by the Waitaki District Youth Council and DairyNZ. With approximately 22 young women taking the NCEA Level One subject and 30 Year 10 students in the EnviroAg course each year, knowledge of good farm management practices is extended to the next generation.

Students can see the advantages and disadvantages of different farm practices in context and these environmental discussions start very early on,” Bridget notes.

“At a field trip in February, farmers were impressed with the high-quality questions they received. The students are curious, passionate and not afraid to ask the hard questions,” Bridget says.

“The facilitation by NOSLaM of speakers from the wider agricultural community from North Otago has been very positive for the girls and I. The community has been fantastic in offering their time and expertise. The girls are seeing the many potential pathways that ag offers them and are appreciating the access to the many innovative farmers and professionals from our local area,” Jessica says.

Over the COVID-19 lockdown, farmers and industry representatives were more than happy to keep the students engaged in their learning and created knowledge videos for the students. The students valued this immensely and the resulting discussions lead to rich learning experiences. “The courses bring a more sciencebased aspect to agriculture and the environment. It is our hope that it will help retain young people in the industry while also lifting the academic game.

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Jessica Wright, Agriculture teacher in charge of the EnviroSchools programme at Waitaki Girls High School, says that the support from NOSLaM has meant agriculture is much more of a “living” subject for the girls.

Thanks to funding from Curious Minds' Participatory Science Platform with additional funding from the Otago Regional Council’s ECO Fund, a new initiative, “Soil Your Undies” is now underway. The project, which also partners with The East Otago Catchment Group, EnviroSchools,

Beef + Lamb NZ, the University of Otago and AgResearch works with selected schools in the Otago area. Looking into biological indicators of soil health and the role of earthworms and dung beetles within the ecosystem, Soil Your Undies is about burying one's cotton undies in the ground for 2 months and seeing what they look like when they come out. The more threadbare and chewed the undies are, the better the soil health and active biology. The project began in July 2020 and will run until June 2021 with all ages able to get involved. “It’s a fun, engaging and handson way for students, teachers and the community to learn about the importance of healthy soils. We are here to spread knowledge of good land management practices and those seeds need to be planted at a young age,” Bridget says. To find out more about NOSLaM, go to www.noslam.nz. For updates on the Soil Your Undies initiative, see www.beeflambnz.com/your-leviesat-work/soil-your-undies

THE FARMLANDER | 19

EVENTS

ROUND-UP

The Drought Shout June, Hawkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bay Well-known figures Te Radar, David Kirk and Greg Murphy kept hundreds of farmers entertained over four locations. With support from Farmlands, Property Brokers, Ballance and many more, the events were a light-hearted respite for locals after a very tough year. Farmers were able to have a chat, enjoy refreshments and hear from the speakers. | Property Brokers GM Rural, Conrad Wilkshire (right) with All Black legend, David Kirk.

Ballance Find your Fortune 9th July via Zoom The Ballance Find Your Fortune draw was announced and while the big prize eluded the three contestants, they each took home $2,500 cash and a $1,500 Farmlands gift card. Shareholders Tim and Jen Hewitt (Masterton), Max Turnbull (Tutira) and Brent Moss (Te Poi) qualified into the draw by purchasing fertiliser through Ballance on their Farmlands Account. To win, the contestants had to flip three random tiles (out of 25) with a $1 million sticker on them. Only one winning tile was flipped by each shareholder, awarding them the $2,500 each but it was enough to break out the champagne. | Left to right: Teams Hewitt, Turnbull and Moss with local Farmlands staff and Ballance Nutrient Specialists.

20 | THE FARMLANDER

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

Fieldays Online 13th– 26th July via Fieldays TV When COVID-19 tried to kick Fieldays off the events calendar, Fieldays kicked right back and headed online! Live for 2 weeks, Fieldays Online delivered the total experience (without the muddy gumboots) with access to great deals on innovative products and advice straight from the experts. As part of the online event, the Farmlands Future Focus series brought a wealth of knowledge from movers and shakers in the agriculture industry through seminar videos. Farmlands CEO Peter Reidie, Ag Consultant Joanne Finer and Vodafone Wholesale and Infrastructure Director Tony Baird were the first to take the Future Focus stage. Hosted by journalist Sharon Brettkelly, the trio discussed what defines agri-leadership and how to bring young leaders up through the industry. They looked into innovation, start-ups and how to support research and development in the current economic climate. “The industry has been built around efficiency, we have been great users and utilisers of our land. We now have to do an about-face and build around value. How do we create value and get the most valuable product from our land?” noted Peter during the seminar. Other industry leaders such as Cameron Bagrie (Managing Director of Bagrie Economics), Ian Proudfoot (Global Head of Agribusiness – KPMG) and Mike Peterson (Farmer, Te Puna Farm) also lent their wisdom to the series, creating thought-provoking viewing for all. The Future Focus seminar series is available to view on-demand from www.fieldaysonline.co.nz/fieldays-tv/video-on-demand/future-focus

WHAT’S UP NEXT? Young Winemaker of the Year 4th, 10th and 16th September Events in the Hawke’s Bay, Central Otago and Marlborough will see the brightest young wine producers compete for the Young Winemaker of the Year award, sponsored by Farmlands. Competitors will be tested on the skills and expertise required in the winemaking process, as well as networking and expanding their knowledge. Winners of the regional event will go head-to-head in November’s Grand Final to determine who the top young winemaker in the country is!

Farmlands AgFest 13 – 14th November, Greymouth Aerodrome The AgFest team are excited to announce that Farmlands AgFest 2020 will be held at the Greymouth Aerodrome on Friday November 13th and Saturday November 14th this year. Come along and you’ll experience every inch of farming in New Zealand; from the latest in dairy sheds to the best gumboots to wear in them. You’ll see the latest in farming vehicles and implements, stock care, health and safety, and much more. Tickets are available from www.agfest.co.nz

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THE FARMLANDER | 21

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Avoiding injury while handling large animals A major task for spring on many farms is dehorning calves and castrating bull calves. Every year, many people are injured, some fatally, while handling cattle. Most of these are kicking or crushing injuries.

and get cattle to do what they want –

General approaches should include:

quietly, smoothly and safely.

• Before bringing animals into yards,

“Anyone working closely with large animals needs suitable training and experience to be able to assess risks and make the best decisions to ensure their safety and that of others,” Al McCone, Agriculture Lead for WorkSafe NZ, says.

are suitably experienced, they should

“People are more likely to be injured working with large animals when they don’t have the experience to assess the risks. “Cattle have minds of their own, a huge weight advantage and move surprisingly fast. Even skilled cattle handlers take knocks or kicks during their careers. Skilled handlers understand how cattle behave and react. They know where to stand and how to move. They work together

“If you have new or inexperienced

plan an escape route. Ensure the

people working with you, the skilled

area is tidy and well maintained and

staff should be providing them with

remove any sharp objects that could

training around handling of large

injure or ‘spook’ people or livestock.

animals. Until you are confident they

• Leave cattle in the yards for about 30 minutes before handling, so

be observing and doing supporting

they can calm down and become

tasks rather than working closely with

accustomed to their surroundings.

the stock.”

Try to limit noises like shouting,

Al says experienced workers should also be involved in planning and discussion around the safest

barking dogs or revving vehicles. • Try to stay out of the animal’s ‘personal space’ around its

approach to these tasks — and

head and never stand in front

no one should try to move a

of a bar used as a slip rail or

dangerous bull on foot or alone.

hock bar, behind the last animal.

“With any task that involves risk,

Instead, stand the end of the

you should always do some forward

bar and keep it at arm’s length

planning and discuss what the

in case it jerks upwards.

risks are including: assessing an individual animal’s temperament

• Never dehorn large cattle when you are alone in the race. When ear-

and how you are going to manage

tagging, always work from above

it, each person’s job and how you

the animals’ heads never through

will deal with any emergencies.”

the rails. For difficult animals and bulls, use a headbail. • Never get between a calf and its mother, without a barrier or other protection. If you have to catch a calf, keep it between you and the mother and, ideally keep a fence or vehicle between you and the cow. “Good advance planning and ensuring workers are fully trained and experienced, will go a long way to preventing a potentially life-changing accident happening in your farm business,” Al says. Article supplied by WorkSafe.

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THE FARMLANDER | 23

Power fit for each season? It's a no-brainer.

| The Beardmores are in a safe pair of hands with their dedicated Meridian account manager, Gina who knows their business and keeps tabs on their power.

24 | THE FARMLANDER

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SHAREHOLDER STORY

Brian Beardmore’s a traditional kind of guy. The 82-year-old has owned his Taranaki farm for almost 60 years. Although son and daughter-in-law Mark and Sandy manage the farm now, he is still out and about every day, he still pays the bills by cheque, and much prefers talking business – or otherwise – around the kitchen table, rather than over the phone. So it turns out that when Meridian and Farmlands knocked on the Beardmores’ door 6 years ago to chat power over a cuppa, we were off to a good start. “But the price had to be right,” Brian says. And in this case it was, in the form of seasonal rates.

| For Brian and Mark, loyalty is earned through great customer service and the right rates at the right time

Brian and Mark are also impressed with the way their farm is treated

With 1,000 cows, 250 replacement

like an individual business, with a

young stock, 550 hectares and two

dedicated account manager who

properties, this calls for a fair bit of power. So the Beardmores considered

knows their business.

it a no-brainer to choose rates that

“The key thing for us is that we can text

were at their lowest when they were

or ring Gina if we need anything with

using the most.

any of our sites. Having one personal

“When our consumption is at its

contact is a another big reason we’re

peak, that’s when we’re getting the

with Meridian. Working with Gina we

best rates,” Mark says. “It’s such an

get satisfaction with someone knowing

advantage for our business.”

our business, and confidence that we’re

Mark says the team sat around the

getting the best rates year in, year out.”

table, did the rates and it was clear they

Gina says she keeps tabs on the

would be better off having the power

Beardmores’ account so if she notices

under one roof instead of the multiple

any changes in consumption, she will

suppliers they were dealing with.

have a conversation about what they

“When we put everything together

might be doing differently.

and looked at the benefits, there was

“Then we’d check that the plans and

certainly money to be saved by going

rates they’re on still suit – it’s just

with Meridian and Farmlands.”

keeping frequent account reviews going.

When our consumption is at its peak, that’s when we’re getting the best rates. It’s such an advantage for our business.” WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

“We know that things change on farm, and when they do, we’re ready to make sure their power set-up still works well or change it if we need to.” The Meridian-Farmlands partnership has also been a big advantage, Mark says. By billing through Farmlands, they enjoy an extra discount on their power as well as Choices Rewards Points. “Having that relationship and business link has been great for us, and in return, paying for our power through Farmlands is our way of showing a bit of loyalty,” he says – and Brian agrees. “For us loyalty is important. We will stay loyal provided that we’re getting great customer service and the best rates available.” So do they get that from Meridian? “Definitely. That’s why we’ve been with Meridian for over 6 years, and unless anything changes, we’ll be sticking around.” With rates that work with the seasons, an account manager that gets you and your farm, and extra benefits from billing through your rural supplier - Meridian’s a no brainer. Call our dedicated Agribusiness team on 0800 496 444. Article supplied by Meridian.

THE FARMLANDER | 25

FARM BUILDINGS THAT SUIT YOUR NEEDS • Suitable for very high wind zone areas

• Fixings & fasteners included

• Made from SG8 gauged timber

• Roof/cladding manufactured specifically for use in New Zealand in accordance with standards AS 1397:2011 and NZ/AS 2728:2019

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2 2

To order or find out more contact Bunnings National Trade Support Team via email sales@bunnings.co.nz or contact us on mobile 021 516 411 or DDI 09 571 6087 All the standard sheds are designed for very high wind zone. The pricing includes all the roof and wall cladding, head, barge, and corner flashings, screw. Pricing is for materials only. No allowance has been made for installation. All prices quoted are exclusive to Farmlands shareholders and include GST. Prices valid until 30 November 2020.

IS THIS NZ’S MOST VALUABLE CARD? YOU DECIDE. 26 | THE FARMLANDER

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

Spring – the time for new life and ventures The COVID-19 lockdown revealed some of the advantages of a small farm or lifestyle block – selfsufficiency being one and beyond that, the possibility of generating some income from a small block. Spring is a great time to increase livestock numbers because young animals and birds are readily available and they can grow with your farming system over time.

Initially this will take some paddocks out of production but in the long term this will increase productivity.

Laying hens are not only highly efficient at putting food on the table, they can be hugely engaging. They enjoy foraging but are far less dependent on pasture than grazing livestock – their health and productivity can be assured from bagged feed that has been formulated to meet their needs. Simply select a chick starter, pullet grower or layer feed, depending on the age of the bird. Fattening pigs or even breeding sows can also be considered, provided housing is available. Only those folks that are confident handling larger animals should bring in pigs. For those with the will and energy, adding value to pasture by channelling it through ruminants can be a rewarding venture. To avoid over-stocking, stock numbers can be built up gradually over a few years – especially if pasture renovation is planned.

Size-wise, sheep are well suited to the inexperienced farmer and a flock can be started by hand-rearing surplus or orphan lambs. Handreared ewe lambs are a good option because they become attached to the rearer. Your operation’s size and complexity can build gradually over time. Ram lambs can be reared for the freezer and numbers adjusted according to grass supply. Calf rearing is another ideal way to build up experience with smaller animals – albeit ones that need a good degree of care and management. The younger the animal, the more care and attention is required, but do not be discouraged – if you have successfully raised children or kept pets you have a good starting point. Weaned calves weighing 100kg or more require less management and are often available for reasonable prices after the commercial growers have taken their pick. Continuing to supply calf feed will help with growth and increase the calve’s confidence around you. Velvetting stags work on some smaller blocks but more capital investment in fencing and buildings is required.

Merino sheep, alpaca and angora goats offer alternative fibre sources for people with an eye on clothing rather than meat or milk. Animals that put milk on the table possibly represent the pinnacle of selfsufficiency and production; increasingly these could be sheep or goats, rather than cows. Rearing from a young age increases the opportunity to halter train and handle stock that will require daily milking in the future. There are lots of products available at Farmlands to help you rear animals, and staff can offer plenty of advice. Care and attention to detail pays dividends and remember that smaller stock numbers and adequate housing make it easier for stock to thrive. As we are all being encouraged to think local, now is a good time to consider what you can do with your block. Farmlands is packed with people and products that can help your dreams come true. For further information, contact the friendly team at your local Farmlands store or visit www.farmlands.co.nz/Lifestylers Article supplied by Dr Rob Derrick, NRM Lead Nutritionist.

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An introduction to keeping animals on lifestyle farms in New Zealand, designed to optimise nutrition, wellbeing and inspire confidence to try new ventures. FAR_04523

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THE FARMLANDER | 27

Reading cow signals

If we take the time to look at our cows, they can tell us a lot about what is going on. With a little bit of practice, you can use cow signals to make tweaks on farm to improve the health and productivity of your herd. Dung Looking at the dung of cows can tell you a lot about rumen health and the quality of their diet. Very firm dung indicates a high-fibre diet and looser dung indicates a diet lower in fibre. For high-production dairy cows, dung will always be on the looser side because of the higher-energy, lower-fibre diet required to support milk production but it is important to find the balance between rumen health and productivity. When cows are grazing lush pasture, feeding a little hay or straw can help to improve rumen health by adding effective fibre to their diet. Someone once told me that the perfect cow poo of a high-production dairy cow should sound like a slow clap when it lands on the ground!

28 | THE FARMLANDER

Dung containing bubbles can be a sign of ruminal acidosis. The bubbles are produced by fermentation in the lower digestive system, rather than in the rumen, which is indicative of rumen dysfunction. Undigested long fibre particles in the dung can also be a sign that rumen health is sub-optimal as it indicates fibre is not being broken down effectively. The dung of cows across a herd should be consistent if they are eating the same diet – having a variety of dung consistencies within a herd indicates a feed management issue. Rumination Rumination or ‘chewing the cud’ is important for cows as it helps to breakdown fibrous material in their diet into smaller particle sizes so that microorganisms in the rumen can ferment it and turn it into energy and protein a cow can then absorb and utilise. When a cow’s rumen is functioning well, feed will not pass on to the lower digestive system until it has reached a certain particle size. Chewing

activity also produces a lot of saliva which helps to buffer the rumen and keep it at the correct pH level. The more fibre there is in the diet, the more a cow will ruminate, so rumination activity is highly correlated to the quality of the diet on offer. Rumination is also highly correlated to dry matter intake, so the more a cow eats in a day, the more she will ruminate. Rumination collars are now available that record rumination and this can be used, along with walking activity, to pick when a cow is on heat (as cows will eat less and move more when on heat). This new technology can also be harnessed to help assess the diet on offer to cows and identify feed management issues. Rumination collars are great for recording how many minutes per day cows are ruminating, but if you do not have them there is always the old school way of counting how many times a cow chews a bolus before swallowing, which gives an indication of the fibre level of the diet.

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NUTRITION

| Dung consistency can change - but should be consistent across cows eating the same diet.

Pick out a couple of cows in the herd and wait until they bring a bolus from their rumen into their mouth then count how many chews they do until they swallow it. As a rough rule of thumb, if the cows are chewing less than 40 or more than 50 times per bolus, the forage may be a little light or heavy on structural fibre respectively. Condition score Now this is a sign that all farmers will be familiar with! Condition score is a measure of how much body fat is on an animal. Cow condition scoring is done on a scale of 1–10 in New Zealand. There are some critical condition score targets that must be met throughout the season. One target that will be on your mind now is getting your cows in good condition before mating begins. DairyNZ suggests that cows should not lose more than one condition score from calving through to mating and cows should be in a state of actively putting on weight for best mating results. If you are not that

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

| Cow ruminating or ‘chewing the cud’

confident condition scoring your cows then learn how to do it (DairyNZ offers a great course) or get an expert to run their eye over your herd. Now is a great time to identify cows that need some extra help to put on condition before mating kicks off. There are some options for nutritional inputs to help improve energy supply in the lead up to mating such as highenergy compound feed and blends. Chat to your local Nutrition Specialist if you want to explore your options.

tend to have an arched back and carry their head lower and away from their body as they walk. As lameness gets progressively worse, cows will start to show a reluctance to bear weight on a certain limb and will head bob when the affected hoof contacts the ground. Locomotion scoring should be observed when cows are walking on a flat surface that provides good footing. When cows are walking to or from the milking shed it is the perfect time to quietly observe them.

Locomotion score Foot health is extremely important for New Zealand dairy cows as they must graze to harvest grass, and an issue with feet can decrease feed intake and very quickly impact on body condition and productivity. One way we can check in on the foot health of a herd is to locomotion score. Observing back posture, head and limb position, and behaviour when cows are walking can give us insight into their foot health. A lame cow will

Often, what you see every day becomes normal to you, so having an outsider take a look can help to identify what is off and needs reviewing. NRM’s on-farm team are very experienced with reading cow signals and see lots of cows across all regions. If you want to get a second opinion on your herd and discuss feed options, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, NRM Nutritionist.

THE FARMLANDER | 29

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Pre-mating tasks At this time of the year, farmers often feel like they are struggling to keep their heads above water with calving and all the other difficulties that spring weather brings. There are a couple of tasks that farmers can do in September, which will hopefully help make mating in October a bit easier for everybody. Firstly, replacement heifers are a month away from the start of the mating period. This is a prime opportunity to get them into the yards and give the group a good check over. As the temperature warms up and pasture starts growing again,

| Pre-mating heifer checks can involve drenching, vaccinating, weighing, blood sampling and tail painting.

larval development on pasture

A dual or triple active product is

about vaccinations such as BVD,

can also increase, which may lead

recommended because levamisole

which needs an annual booster

to a worm burden impacting on

appears to best control Cooperia but is

and is frequently given just before

growth rates. Remember, these

frequently less effective than white or

mating to provide foetal protection.

heifers have an immune system

mectin actives against other parasite

Secondly, in the dairy herd, it is time to

that is likely to be allowing parasites

species, such as Ostertagia and

apply tail paint to check for pre-mating

to survive in the intestines.

Trichostrongylus. The choice between

heats. In general it is advisable for

Cooperia is a parasite species that

pour on/injectable/oral products usually

tail paint to be applied to any calved

comes down to a trade off between

cows 35 days before planned start of

historically been poor at controlling

cost and convenience â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and there may

mating. Any cows still to calve could

and anecdotally has become more

be some variability in performance

be painted a separate colour. The

problematic in recent times. The

between application methods. From

35-day period gives farmers 25 days

immune system generally starts being

the Donaghys range, you could look at

to see what is happening with cycling

able to control Cooperia around

Saturn Pour On or Concur Cattle oral.

rates in their herd, then about 10 days

15 months of age, although in some

While the heifers are in the yards, it

prior to mating, enables a discussion

animals this could be as young as

is a good idea to weigh the mob and

with advisors about various options

12 months, and in others may be as

identify if there are any animals that

that could be explored. The more

late as 18 months.

need some extra attention before

information you have, the more options

If farmers are contemplating using

mating starts. Blood sampling a

are available.

a drench prior to the start of heifer

subsection of the group to check trace

mating, the drench selected should

element status is also advised, as

ideally be effective against Cooperia;

this gives farmers a couple of weeks

this normally means a combination

to get any mineral supplementation

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

product which contains levamisole.

sorted. Farmers may also be thinking

Article supplied by Donaghys.

white and mectin drenches have

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Spring dairy calf drenching

The future production of your farm is very much reliant on the quality of your replacement heifers. A major target for ensuring their future production in the milking herd is their weight at first mating.

Ostertagia is the most harmful type of worms in cattle of all ages. The ML drenches are best for the control of Ostertagia – particularly the potent active abamectin.

Once we have reared a healthy calf that is well adjusted to a grass diet, we need to optimise growth rates on pasture through to the first mating at 15 months of age. A good parasite control programme is an important part of this.

Converge® is an ideal choice for calves above 100kg liveweight as it contains both levamisole and abamectin. For extra protection from resistance consider Alliance®, a triple combination that contains oxfendazole along with levamisole and abamectin.

In weaned calves, Scanda® is an ideal choice of oral drench for young calves heavier than 50kg liveweight. Scanda is a double combination containing both oxfendazole and levamisole. Calves still feeding on milk rarely need drenching but if they are to be drenched it should be given with a drench gun and not mixed in with the milk.

Although pour-on drenches are seen as being more convenient, studies have shown that their efficacy can be variable, with many factors limiting the absorption of pour-on drenches.2 Oral drenches are the most cost-effective way to drench your stock, combat resistance and ensure excellent growth rates in your replacement heifers.

Once calves are over 100kg, we can consider other combinations of actives that give better control of the two most important parasites of calves: Cooperia sp. and Ostertagia sp.

An ideal programme would be to start with Scanda in your smaller calves then move on to either Converge or Alliance drenching every 28 days through the summer and autumn. Talk to your animal health advisor or grazier about planning on your own farm.

Cooperia is of concern particularly in young stock, with significant burdens on pasture building up and supressing appetite and therefore growth. Cooperia resistance to the ML or “mectin” family of drenches is widespread; however levamisole has retained good efficacy against MLresistant Cooperia.1

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Protection against clostridial disease is also an important consideration for your replacement heifers. Clostridial diseases in cattle include malignant oedema, tetanus, pulpy kidney, black disease and blood poisoning. These diseases are caused by bacteria found

everywhere in the environment and often the first you will see of these diseases is the sudden death of even the biggest calves. Prevention by vaccination is your only option and Multine® 5-in-1, developed and manufactured in New Zealand, is an excellent choice. Full protection with Multine requires an initial sensitiser and then a booster 4–6 weeks later and this programme can be started at any time after weaning in combination with your drench programme. If vitamin B12 supplementation is required in your stock, Multine B12® is an extremely easy and convenient option to supplement B12 in the same single injection as your 5-in-1 vaccination. For instructions on the use of these products please refer to the product label. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. ACVM No: A10119, A10249, A000934, A7130, A11311 ®Registered trademark. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. Phone: 0800 800 543. www.coopersonline. co.nz NZ/ALCE/0718/0006. 1 National Drench Resistance Survey 2004–2005, Waghorn, T. S. et al., NZVJ 54 (6), 278-282, 2006. 2 Leathwick, D. M. & Miller, C. M. Vet. Parasitology 191 (2013), 293–300. Article supplied by MSD Animal Health Ltd.

THE FARMLANDER | 33

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Clostridial vaccine now with added minerals Selenium and vitamin B12 are both vital nutrients and deficiencies in sheep can have a significant economic impact. If you farm on selenium and/or cobalt-deficient soils, tailing is an excellent time for selenium and vitamin B12 supplementation to begin.

the optimal dose for lambs 10–20kg in weight, while 5mg is more appropriate for heavier sheep.2

Selenium is a trace mineral found in soil and pasture; once ingested, it acts as an antioxidant, preventing and repairing cell damage. Selenium-deficient sheep may have low fertility, be ill-thrifty or immune-suppressed. Approximately 30 percent of pastures in New Zealand provide insufficient selenium for grazing stock.1 If you are unsure about the selenium status of your farm, it is best to work with your vet and/ or farm advisor to do some testing prior to supplementing, as overdosing can cause toxicity. Where selenium supplementation is indicated, 2mg is

Vitamin B12 is important for energy metabolism. Young, growing ruminants like lambs (from tailing onwards) have the highest B12 requirements of any class of stock. Lambs with B12 deficiency show signs of illthrift despite grazing good green pasture. Cobalt is the trace element required for vitamin B12 synthesis, but approximately 46 percent of New Zealand pastures provide insufficient cobalt for sheep.3 While you should be careful about oversupplementing selenium, vitamin B12 has a high safety margin and can be used at the same time as other cobalt supplements such as mineralised drenches.4 Supplementation of selenium and/or vitamin B12 from tailing may coincide

with lambs receiving clostridial vaccines such as Multine®, New Zealand’s leading 5-in-1 vaccine. Clostridial vaccination programmes require that lambs receive two doses – a sensitiser at tailing or weaning, followed by a booster dose 4–6 weeks later. Stock should then receive an annual booster of clostridial vaccine every 12 months, with replacement ewes receiving their booster pre-lamb to provide passive protection to their lambs via colostrum. For convenient selenium and vitamin B12 supplementation from tailing, Multine is now available with B12 (Multine B12), or with B12 and a 2mg dose of selenium in combination (Multine B12 Selenised). For ewes 2–4 weeks pre-lamb, Multine 5-in-1 Selenised (containing 5mg selenium) or Multine B12 are appropriate if you would like to combine clostridial vaccination with injectable selenium or B12 supplementation. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. 1. Beef + Lamb New Zealand, ‘Trace Element Nutrition of Sheep’, March 2020. www.beeflambnz.com 2. West, D., Bruere, N. & Ridler, A. (2009). “The Sheep, Health, Disease and Production”. Massey University Press, p138, 200. 3. Knowles, S.O. & Grace, N.D., ‘Vitamin B12 status and the effects of vitamin B12 supplementation during the first year of life of spring calves from pasture-fed dairy herds.’ NZ Vet Journal, 2014: p274–8. 4. Mulvaney, C., Hodgson, B., Cuttance, W., MSD data on file. DATE? New Zealand or overseas data? ACVM Nos: A11766, A0934, A0935, A11311. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. © 2020 Intervet International B.V. All Rights Reserved. NZ-MUL-200700007. Article supplied by MSD Animal Health.

| Sheep that are selenium-deficient or lambs with a vitamin B12 deficiency can both show signs of ill-thrift despite grazing good green pasture.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Make every mouthful count The grass your cows are eating now contains the magic that will drive their production and reproduction results. Attached to this grass and clover however, are miniscule biomasses of inefficiency that can devalue that magic! Parasite larvae are a major, often unseen, cost to our production systems. While adults may be immune and not suffer clinical parasitism as their younger herd mates do, immunity still comes at a cost. Antibodies and inflammatory cells are proteins and associated processes are energy driven. This energy has to come from somewhere in the cow’s system. While the daily effect of parasites can be small, it adds up. New Zealand studies using drenches that prevent larvae from becoming established have demonstrated increased milk solid production and improved reproduction in heifers.1,2

| While the daily effect of parasites can be small, it adds up.

The same protection is not there with short-acting drenches that are usually much cheaper. They simply remove the parasites in the animal that day, but the next day cows are reinfected and the inefficiency starts again. Minimising condition loss is key for successful reproduction and as cows reach peak milk production, their protein and fat stores are depleted and body condition will drop. Spring parasite challenges, or those that were carried over from autumn and winter on board the cow, will accelerate that loss. For cows that are younger, have been compromised in some way around calving or are losing more condition than is acceptable, a targeted treatment

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with Cydectin® may help slow that down. With the severe drought many have faced in the North Island, cow condition will be variable at best and a parasite infection can make that worse.

When the pressure is on in spring, do

Cydectin differs from most of the other cattle pour ons in that it has the longest effect against Ostertagia ostertagi (35 days), the main production-limiting parasite in adult animals. It also has nil withholding times for milk, meat and bobby calves, making it especially convenient to have in the shed. What is more, it is made in New Zealand to strict global quality standards, ensuring it will do the job you expect while supporting New Zealand business at the same time.

improve condition.

not let parasites make mating more difficult. Make every mouthful of grass count, by target treating at-risk cows and heifers with Cydectin Pour On to For further information, contact your local Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Cydectin is a registered trademark of Zoetis. ACVM No. A6204. Zoetis New Zealand Limited. Tel: 0800 963 847; www.zoetis.co.nz. Article supplied by Zoetis. 1 Murphy, A. ‘The effect of treatment with moxidectin, a long acting endectocide, on milk production in lactating dairy cows’, Buiatrics World Congress, 1998. 2 McPherson, W.B., ‘The impact of eprinomectin treatment on dairy cattle reproductive performance’, Proc Soci-ety of DCV NZVA, 2000.

THE FARMLANDER | 37

2020/2021 SHAREHOLDER FULLY ESCORTED TOURS South Island Farming

ESCORTED BY KEVIN BARRETT

Escorted by Kevin Barrett (Taranaki rugby legend and father of the Barrett rugby boys), this farming and sightseeing experience starts in Christchurch at the New Zealand Trotting Cup Day at Addington, and then travels on our exclusively chartered coach through the South Island’s most beautiful regions, staying in the stunning towns of Kaikoura, Blenheim, Punakaiki, Fox Glacier, Wanaka, Queenstown, and finishing in Invercargill. Limited to 25 guests only, and book no later than 30 September. DEPARTS 12 NOVEMBER 2020 | 14 DAY TOUR

Southern South Island Springtime Sightseeing Tour

ESCORTED BY LOCAL LEGEND DAVE MCNAY

Not a farming tour, but it’s simply the very best sightseeing experience of Southern New Zealand. Includes 2-night stays in the iconic southern locations of Queenstown, Te Anau, Invercargill, and Stewart Island and along the way takes in a fantastic array of highlights such as a jet boat adventure in the Fiordland National Park, a Milford Sound day trip, journeying through the Southern Scenic Route of Western Southland, a Stewart Island charter boat trip of Ulva Island, hidden coves and pristine beaches, and much more – Limited to 20 people, and book no later than 20 September. DEPARTS 08 OCTOBER 2020 | 9 DAY TOUR

Auckland & Waiheke Island Sightseeing and Shows Tour

ESCORTED BY TONY & TRACEY LAKER FROM HOUSE OF TRAVEL LAKERS

What a great combination. 3 nights Auckland including sightseeing, a day trip to Waiheke Island, and two fantastic stage shows – the iconic & timeless Mary Poppins, and ‘The Boss’, a full Sky City production bringing alive the fantastic music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Four years in the making, ‘The Boss’ is a 3-hour world-class show featuring the entire ‘Born In The USA’ album plus more than twenty of The Boss’s greatest hits. Book no later than 20 September. DEPARTS 15 OCTOBER 2020 | 4 DAY TOUR

Outback Queensland & Gulf Savannah Farming This same tour sold out very quickly last year. Sightseeing highlights include the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, a cruise in the stunning Cobbold Gorge, an excursion on the Gulflander vintage railway, and much more. And along the way we experience a fantastic range of varied farm and huge station visits including sheep, cattle, crops, cotton, a coffee plantation, and more. Limited to 25 people.

ESCORTED BY PAUL ALLISON

DEPARTS 07 JULY 2021 | 13 DAY TOUR

WINNER 2019 NEW ZEALAND’S BEST RETAIL TRAVEL AGENCY/MULTI LOCATION: LAKER HOUSE OF TRAVEL INVERCARGILL WINNER 2019 NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL INDUSTRY LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: TONY LAKER FOR INFORMATION AND BOOKINGS CONTACT HOUSE OF TRAVEL LAKERS L AKE RS CNR DON & KELVIN STREETS I 03 214 3500 L AKERGROUPS@HOT.CO.NZ I HOTINVERCARGILL .CO.NZ

L AKERS

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Making quality grass silage with a little help Silage quality is made up of not just the nutritional quality of the crop when it is cut, but also the fermentation and hygienic quality. Getting the right bugs working for you will give you the best chance of producing high quality silage. The fermentation can either be fast and efficient, with lactic acid-producing bacteria (good bugs) swiftly bringing the pH level down and preserving the nutrients in the crop, or slow and inefficient with considerable activity of spoilage organisms (bad bugs) and high nutrient losses. The key to successful silage is ensuring the good bugs

| Good compaction of crop in a stack or pit will help give the best chance of producing high-quality silage.

flourish and the bad ones do not. Adding good bugs Using a proven fermentation-enhancing inoculant adds large numbers of lactic acid-producing bacteria to ensure the fermentation is fast and efficient and pH drops quickly. Most spoilage organisms can not grow below a pH of around 5. Not all inoculants are the same so seek advice to make sure you get the right product for your silage and ensure it is supported by sound research along with good technical support. Inoculants must be stored and applied correctly. Getting rid of the air The bacteria that efficiently ferment grass into silage grow in the absence of air. Those that need air to grow are spoilage organisms which we do not want. It is therefore important to exclude air from the stack or pit through good compaction. The crop should be wilted enough to avoid silage

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liquor leaching out but not so dry that it is hard to compact. For drier crops, a shorter chop length can help with compaction. The crop should be spread in thin layers as the stack is built or the pit filled, and each layer compacted well with a suitable heavy vehicle.

very well sealed around the edges but

Keeping the air out Once the stack or pit is finished it needs to be sealed well quickly to keep the air out and starve spoilage organisms of oxygen. If a conventional plastic cover is used (e.g. black and white cover), this should be well sealed along the edges and covered all over with touching tyres. Alternatively, a proven oxygen barrier sheet e.g. SilostopÂŽ can be used to greatly reduce the movement of air into the silage. Oxygen barrier sheets need to be covered by either a conventional black and white cover or a green UV cover to protect them from UV light and damage caused by birds and rodents. They need to be

and tidy, with minimum loose spilt

do not require touching tyres. For pits, sheeting the side walls before filling the pit can also help reduce the growth of spoilage organisms. Managing the silage face at feed out The stack face should be kept tight material at the base, so spoilage organisms cannot grow, wasting energy and producing heat. Any visible spoilage on the top or sides should be cut out and put in a compost heap. Some of the spoilage organisms and the toxins they produce can be harmful to rumen microbes so it is important to do everything you can to minimise silage spoilage. For further information, please contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Nutritech.

THE FARMLANDER | 39

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Drift retardants: what you may not know There are so many options and very few regulations, which makes it is very difficult for those in our rural industry to make informed decisions on what is a good or bad drift-retarding adjuvant. The technology for reducing spray drift (chemical trespass) has been around for a long time. The part that is seldom discussed is how good the driftretarding product is and what its level of efficacy is. Unlike the United States of America, where a drift-reducing adjuvant must be specifically registered with each chemical it is applied with and go through stringent tests to obtain certification for use, New Zealand has none of these safeguards. Many products are sold as having driftreducing capability without even stating or quantifying their level of efficacy. It is simply not enough to state that a product “will reduce some off-target spray movement” as many questions remain unanswered with this statement. How much will it reduce sideways offtarget drift? Will the product increase potential phyto-toxicity of selective herbicides? What is the actual water rate applied and what is the increased level of efficacy to the sprayed swath width if off-target drift is reduced? How is the product achieving the goal of drift reduction? Has the drift

40 | THE FARMLANDER

retardant (or its equivalent) received full certification across a wide range of herbicides and application technology in the USA by the EPA? Does it satisfy the new regulations after 1.4 million ha of soya beans were affected by spray drift from herbicides? The most effective deposition aiddrift retardant is the high-molecularweight polyvinyl polymer. These impart visco-elasticity to the spray solution and function well in getting more of the spray down to the intended deposition surface. Unlike many drift-reducing adjuvants, the spray movements (fines) are reduced as they are emitted from the spray nozzle as opposed to just adding weight to the droplet. Polyvinyl polymers (used in the Mist Control product in New Zealand) have been field tested for many years with excellent results. Numerous comparative tests show that a significant increase in the amount of spray deposition is achieved when the polymer is used, (Goering and Butler, 1975). In over 292 aerial tests conducted, the polyvinyl polymer gave an average increase in deposition on-target of 44.8 percent and an average increase in effective swath width of 2.65m. In deposition tests using a copper tracer fungicide, deposition was increased at all

locations within the spray swath by adding a polyvinyl polymer. Using 180ml polyvinyl polymer per 380 litre spray solution via aerial application, deposition increased from 59.5 percent to 91 percent within the spray swath. Note: test flights were conducted in 8–9 knot crosswinds. With less fines and reduced evaporation by approximately 30 percent the downwind fall out is reduced by 60–70 percent or even higher if the highest rate is used. No changes to spray tank viscosity will occur and it will not reduce chemical activity/coverage although a slight increase in droplet size will occur when used at the correct label rates. Mist Control has not been known to increase phytotoxicity. Use of the polyvinyl polymer will prove profitable for a very minimal investment in both capital and time. Before use, ensure mixing directions and sequence are followed correctly as per the label. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Key Industries. Goering, C.E., & Butler, B.J. (1975). Aired field studies of herbicide drift. ASAE Paper No. 73-1575.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Dialling up the heat Taranaki dairy farmer and AI technician Irene Phillips works hard. On a small farm in Okato she is up before 3am, out in the paddocks getting ready for milking. When it comes to mating, Irene says FlashMate takes all the stress out of the equation. “I highly recommend it, to my artificial breeding clients and other farmers.”

FlashMate uses touch-sensing to measure the most reliable ‘primary signs’ of heat, alerting spikes in bulling and chin-resting (which indicates heat). Objects like fences, trees and hail are ignored.

Healthy, well-managed cows in

The product flashes red for 26 hours for optimal insemination, then stops until further heat activity is detected on the next cycle during mating.

mind. When we are out in the paddock

Science underpins FlashMate. It is the world’s only heat detector that has clinically proven a 6 percent lift in 6-week in-calf rate (6WICR). In 2019, 10 farms that had not used FlashMate before were selected for an updated herd-level study. The average increase in 6WICR was over 6 percent with a range from 3–14 percent.

FlashMate gives best bang for buck by staying on the cow to accurately alert multiple heats throughout mating. This lifts submission quality, drives up conception rates and adds profit. The product is earning a reputation for picking silent heats. Detecting just two silent heats per 100 cows covers the investment across the entire herd outright. “I no longer feel stressed during calving season, which is typically the most stressful time of the year for farmers. Instead we can laugh and joke and focus on other things,” Irene, who has been using FlashMate since 2016, says.

good condition are the basis of good reproductive performance. Irene says FlashMate has increased her in-calf rates significantly. “For me, FlashMate means peace of at 3am, and it’s pitch back and we are tired, you see that blinking red light and you can easily identify which cows are ready for AI.” She says FlashMate is easy to apply and use, effective and accurate, and saves farmers time and money in the long run. Fastidious in her approach, Irene advises that preparation is key to successful application. If you are a good operator and

“Anyone can easily multiply their herd by six, then multiply that by $4 to see what a 6 percent gain yields in extra profit,” Fraser Smith, one of the creators of FlashMate, says.

well set up for AB, you should see

He points out that heat detection is just one aspect of reproduction.

detection is a sound investment.

immediate payback and a good return. FlashMate users are profitoriented farmers who understand that more accurate and efficient heat An AI technician for more than 15 years, Irene says she has converted more than half of her clients to FlashMate “and they are absolutely stoked”. “FlashMate on cows takes away the risk factor during the most important time of year for farmers. You can’t make money from empty cows, and FlashMate means you don’t have to worry about that.” Farmshed Labs can put interested farmers in touch with others who are already using FlashMate. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

| Heat detection is just one aspect of reproduction but FlashMate can help increase in-calf rates significantly.

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Article supplied by Farmshed Labs Limited.

THE FARMLANDER | 41

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Ensure your calves hit their target weights Healthy, well-grown calves are the key to any successful calf rearing operation. Whether you’re a dairy or drystock farm, one of the simplest options is regular weighing and monitoring throughout the season. Datamars Livestock has the hardware and software solutions that make life easy for you when it comes to weighing and EID, adding value to your bottom line and ensuring you meet your compliance obligation too. Tracking growth using a Tru-Test weighing platform, weigh scales, EID stick reader, Z Tags, EID and management tags, (in conjunction with a software package like Datamars Livestock, Minda or FarmIQ,) helps farmers improve productivity and animal management within their farming operation.

| Gather accurate information using a reader and weigh scales, analyse it using cloud-based software, then use it to make timely decisions on farm.

Regular weighing allows you to manage animals individually – identifying top performers or those that may need extra attention to bring them up to weight. It enables you to make the decision to sell animals at the optimum time in order to achieve the best price. Using a Datamars Livestock solution also gives total herd traceability and Datamars Livestock cloud software for Livestock Management helps record and track weight growth plus manage herd genetics. Datamars Livestock is a cloud-based online software system that provides a tool to manage the data you collect. Free when you purchase any Tru-Test product, Datamars Livestock turns weigh session data into an easy-to-

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Regular weighing allows you to manage animals individually…It helps you to make the decision to sell animals at the optimum time in order to achieve the best price.” understand graphical snapshot of

The app is free to download from

where your animals are at and helps

Google Play and the Apple App Store,

identify trends.

allowing you to download sessions from

Datamars Livestock is the simple way

your Tru-Test device and upload them

to monitor animal weight gains and

directly to Datamars Livestock or share

track performance to target weights.

them directly with your NAIT account.

You can gather accurate information

As well as their cloud software,

using your Tru-Test EID reader and

Datamars Livestock offers a dedicated

weigh scales, analyse it using Datamars

support desk, with their friendly team of

Livestock and then use it to make timely

experts available on the 0800 number

decisions on farm.

to help you.

Datamars Livestock have also recently

data to both Datamars Livestock cloud

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

software and their NAIT account.

Article supplied by Datamars Livestock.

updated their Data Link App, making it easy for farmers to move EID session

THE FARMLANDER | 43

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DRIVE PRODUCTION FURTHER WITH 44 | THE FARMLANDER

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GRA1091

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Spring time means possum time Possums are one of the greatest threats to New Zealand’s natural environment. Here, they have no predators and lots of palatable vegetation. As a result, they have a huge impact on our ecosystems, native land and forests, with the added worry of them spreading bovine tuberculosis to cattle.

There are a number of other ways to tell if you have a possum problem: • Severe defoliation of trees in the bush, especially Northern ra.ta

• Possum dung pellets around trees bearing fruit or flowers.

Secure the bait stations about 200mm above ground level or at a similar height above a tree fork where a possum can sit while feeding. Place bait stations 100m apart on shelter belts and bush/ pasture margins, or two per hectare of forest. Keep them out of reach of pets, stock and feral pigs.

• R ubbish bins being searched for fruit.

• It is important to prevent access to bait by domestic livestock and pets.

• M any possums seen on pastures and in the trees at night.

• S tock must be kept off the treatment area until the bait has been removed or destroyed.

• Dead trees (especially Northern ra.ta) in the bush canopy – clearly visible from the air. • F ruit trees in gardens being robbed at nights.

Possums eat leaves, flowers, leaf buds, fruit, eggs, birds, insects and snails, as well as pasture, which means less food for farm animals. They can also damage horticultural and garden crops. The damage caused by possums costs New Zealand farmers millions of dollars a year. New growth in early spring means possums start invading our farms – if you have roses you will know you have a problem by the fur left on the thorns as possums dine on the emerging buds.

• T B-infected possums being found (showing cheesy lymph nodes under arms and back legs). • Possums hissing and squawking at night and running over the roof. • C lear tracks from the bush into the paddocks or fur on the fence wire. • S ick (dopey) possums seen out in the paddocks during daytime.

| Organising a strategy early will help effectively eradicate possums in spring.

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If bait supply is maintained to ensure possums can feed freely over 4–5 consecutive nights, they will usually die 5–10 days after eating a full lethal dose.

Now is the time to organise your strategy to achieve an effective eradication for the coming spring and PestOff Possum Bait and stations are simple, easy-to-use solutions. The bait combines the effectiveness of the anti-coagulant toxin, brodifacoum, with a highly palatable cereal formulation which eliminates the need for prefeeding. PestOff Possum Bait contains attractive lures – either cinnamon or raspberry. This ensures the possum will consume on average 50g per feed, with the lethal dose being 100g, or roughly two feeds.

• D ogs and cats are at risk from scavenging poisoned animal carcasses, pet owners in the immediate vicinity should be notified of this risk. • C ollect animal carcasses where practicable for burning or bury at 600mm below ground, otherwise limit access to the treatment area until poisoned animal carcasses are unlikely to be eaten or to contain residues. You are not required to hold an Approved Handler Certificate to use PestOff Possum Bait and stations. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Bell-Booth.

THE FARMLANDER | 45

FUEL TANK NOT COMPLIANT? NEED TO UPGRADE? Talk to the Farmlands Fuel team today about our extensive range of diesel and petrol fuel storage solutions. Call us on 0800 666 626 or email FuelAccountManagement@farmlands.co.nz

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Fill-a-gap summer crops Forage crops can fill gaps in the feed budget over summer. “Summer forage crops such as plantain, chicory and brassicas offer high-quality stock feed, prevent stock from overgrazing stressed pastures and can fill a feed gap over summer,” Ballance Agri-Nutrients Forage Specialist Murray Lane says. Selecting and preparing paddocks The overall approach for selecting and preparing paddocks is much the same for all summer forage crops. Crops such as brassicas are usually planted as part of a pasture renewal cycle, so are often going into poor-performing or low-yielding paddocks. Unless both the physical state and the nutrient status of these paddocks are addressed before crops are sown, yields will be low.

Murray recommends spraying out in autumn the paddocks you will use the coming spring, and drilling with a winter growing ryegrass variety. Using treated seed will protect against black beetle and Argentine stem weevil. Drill the seed with 100–150 kg DAP/ ha to enhance seedling establishment. Also bait for crickets if present. These pastures can be terminated in spring, and drilled into a summer forage crop.

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RHS 160kg/ha Cropzeal Boron Boost Broadcast after sowing

Boost Drilled with seed

“Test the soil ideally 12 months before sowing, but at least 6 months prior, so you can sort out any issues. If pH needs adjusting, lime takes at least 6 months to have an effect. Soil testing early also allows time to correct the nutrient levels with a suitable base fertiliser. “Ideally, you’ll decide in autumn where to sow summer forage crops in both the coming and the following spring,” he says.

oLHS 160kg/ha Cropzeal Boron Spray out the paddocks you plan to sow with summer forage crops the following spring, and drill treated hybrid ryegrass seed (with live endophyte) with 100–150 kg DAP/ha. These paddocks will grow over winter, survive summer, and then perform the following winter before being terminated and sown into summer crops. The extra pasture grown through the winter and the superior perennial weed control achieved due to the autumn spray out, justify this start time Murray says. “Why take a runout pasture though another winter?”. Sowing for success All summer forage crops do best with starter fertiliser and a side dressing of nitrogen. Drilling with di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) is especially important when ‘no-tillage’ cropping because of a lack of soil mineralisation. It is also useful in cultivated soil, as cultivation

often brings low-fertility subsoil to the surface. Sowing crops with DAP provides plantavailable nitrogen and phosphorus to support developing roots and shoots and good establishment. Cropzeal Boron Boost contains DAP with the micronutrient boron in every granule, which is useful to prevent brown heart in brassicas. Brassicas also need a side dressing of nitrogen 4–6 weeks after emergence and approaching canopy closure. Typical rates – depending on time of sowing, yield potential and soil N – are 100–200 kg/ha Cropzeal Boron Boost as a starter, and then 150–200 kg/ha SustaiN as a side dressing. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

THE FARMLANDER | 47

Weeds beware, ® CRUCIAL is here

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CRUCIAL is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited. ®Pulse is a registered trademark of Nufarm Technologies USA Pty Ltd. *Commercial Performance Guarantee. © Nufarm 2020.

48 | THE FARMLANDER

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Reliable weed control is money well spent From setting up a niche crop like hops, to preparing for a traditional pastoral option like maize, reliable weed control makes all the difference to yield and profitability. This principle applies whether you are working with 3 hectares or 3,000, especially when weather conditions are fickle and you are depending on a good result. One advanced agrichemical formulation has proved this point in two very different situations lately. The only thing that Tasman hop grower Will Prouting and Hawke’s Bay contractor David Fleming have in common is their use of CRUCIAL® herbicide for weed control – and both agree it is money well spent. For Will, converting old pasture to 21 hectares of new hop garden at Wakefield over recent years has been complicated by a huge weed seed burden in the soil. Clean, bare ground

with no competition is essential for establishing and growing hops.

logical move for his one-man business, Fleming Ground Spray.

Working with Farmlands Technical Advisor Alena Griffith, based out of Farmlands Richmond, Will used 5.5 litres/ha of CRUCIAL, plus Pulse® Penetrant, for his first post-harvest spray this year. Scheduled for April, it was delayed a month after unusually warm weather slowed hop dormancy. As a result, weeds were very advanced.

“I know I’m using a product that will work. If it rains 15 minutes after I drive out of a paddock, I still know it’s going to work! Also, there’s less product to cart because it is a high-strength formulation.”

But the result was “brilliant”, Will says. He has now followed up with a second spray, this time including broadleaf herbicide, to get rid of the remaining weeds protected by a canopy of dock last time. Will has no qualms about paying for high-quality, high-strength glyphosate to get results. In Hawke’s Bay, Dannevirke’s David Fleming says switching to CRUCIAL when it was launched last year was a

Most of David’s clients are sheep and beef farmers, with some dairy farmers; he sprays out 3,800–4,000ha of pasture a year. After 10 years in the industry, he says reliability is his number-one requirement for both chemicals and equipment. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. ® CRUCIAL is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited. ® Pulse is a registered trademark of Nufarm Technologies USA Pty Ltd. Article supplied by Nufarm.

If it rains 15 minutes after I drive out of a paddock, I still know it’s going to work”

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THE FARMLANDER | 49

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Weed and pest control in forage brassica Giving forage brassica crops the best possible start is hugely important if you are going to deliver on expectations of yield and crop quality.

Herbicides help bridge the gap leading to canopy closure. • Forage brassicas are prone to split germination in dry soils or seasons — post-em herbicide timing should

From selecting and preparing the right paddock, to planting and effective crop monitoring during establishment — all these activities play a key role in getting the most out of your forage brassica. When it comes to management of the established crop, two key elements are pest and weed control and a clear strategy for each is needed.

be based on stage of weed growth rather than crop stage. Post-em herbicides for forage brassica must be safe over germinating seedlings and cotyledons. • Targeting weeds and pests at the same time — timing should be based on the earliest relevant need. Do not delay and compromise both

Herbicide selection

objectives e.g. if weeds are ready to

Our goals of weed control in a forage brassica crop are to:

be sprayed, do not delay for insects and vice versa.

1. Reduce weed competition within the crop — protect the crop from emergence to canopy closure, minimising competition for moisture, nutrients and light.

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and Milestone™ from Corteva Agriscience. Korvetto provides short plant-backs which allows greater delivers excellent crop safety, as well as control of common brassica

2. Reduce weed competition in subsequent pasture or crop rotation — reduce soil weed seed burden and ensure effective control of perennial and rhizomatous weeds (e.g. cali thistle, yarrow, dock) before planting new pastures or crops.

• The most effective weed control comes from dense crop canopies — target rapid crop emergence, growth and establishment through pH levels, fertility, seedbed preparation, accurate planting depth and seed-to-soil contact.

in forage brassica are Korvetto™

flexibility with re-cropping options,

Note: High weed density, plus low crop density, will reduce yield and quality at grazing.

Key considerations:

Two post-em herbicide options

weeds such as fathen and more difficult weeds like shepherd’s purse. Launched in 2019, Milestone provides control of some of the toughest weeds in forage brassica including spurrey and amaranthus, and has improved crop safety characteristics over T-MAX (which it replaces). IPM pest control in forage brassica Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is

New IPM-compatible insecticides in forage brassicas have enabled widespread adoption of IPM. Products such as Sparta™ and Transform™ provide rapid and effective kill of target insects whilst leaving enemies of these pests in the field to provide ongoing natural control of the population. This in turn minimises the risk of subsequent pest flare-ups which can reduce the need for retreatment, with the added benefit of using insecticides with low toxicity to applicators and the environment. With Sparta and Transform in the insecticide toolbox, growers can effectively control most of the key insect pests of forage brassicas including springtails, leaf miner, white butterfly, diamondback moth, soybean looper caterpillar, green peach aphid and cabbage grey aphid. IPM crop monitoring and spraying • Walk forage brassica crops regularly from early emergence. • Identify and monitor both the pests present and their natural enemies. • Gauge the degree of crop damage against the balance between pests and natural enemies before determining the need to spray. • F or key pests, use an IPMcompatible insecticide such as Sparta and Transform.

parasitoids), chemical (e.g. selective

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

insecticides) and cultural controls in an

Article supplied by Corteva Agriscience.

an approach to pest control utilising biological (e.g. natural predators and

effective, sustainable way.

THE FARMLANDER | 51

CONFIDENCE GROWS HERE All over the country more and more growers and agronomists are turning to the trusted performance and ever-growing range of crop protection and production solutions from BASF

Visit your local Farmlands store today to find out more about BASF crop solutions. You can also learn more at crop-solutions.basf.co.nz ALWAYS READ AND FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTIONS © Copyright BASF 2020 ® Registered trademarks of BASF W244667 05.2020 BASF New Zealand Limited NZBN 9429032151299 PO Box 407, Auckland 1140

52 | THE FARMLANDER

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Versatile new pest control for pipfruit growers A new tool for pipfruit growers helps to control codling moth, leaf roller caterpillar and bronze beetle. With a brand-new registration, Vayego® 200SC Insecticide from Bayer, containing the active ingredient tetraniliprole, is now available to pipfruit growers. Tetraniliprole, a Group 28 Diamide insecticide, is newly registered for pipfruit industry use – just in time for growers to incorporate a different solution into their seasonal pest management programme. Vayego is a liquid formulation that provides excellent efficacy against codling moth, leaf roller caterpillar and bronze beetle, and offers growers versatility and flexibility. With over 4,000 trials performed globally, as well as a rigorous trial programme in New Zealand,

Vayego has demonstrated excellent efficacy across the lepidoptera and coleoptera species targeted. These trials have shown that Vayego has some attractive properties that contribute to its versatility, safety, strength and performance. Vayego is active on all three of the life stages of codling moth, from eggs to adults. While the main control comes from larval ingestion, Vayego also provides preventative and curative ovicidal activity on codling moth eggs. Further action comes from disrupting the viability and number of eggs laid by adult female codling moth that come into contact with Vayego. Rapid feeding cessation is also a feature giving strength to codling moth control. Larvae lose muscle control, become immobile and cease feeding immediately after application, giving the benefit of less damaged fruit. Vayego is also locally systemic which ensures distribution throughout the leaf, helping to maximise coverage and aid in robust rainfastness. A further feature pipfruit growers will find beneficial is the label claim for bronze beetle control. As a third string to its bow, this makes Vayego a very versatile option for pest control for pipfruit growers.

| For best resistance management, use Vayego as part of a seasonal pest control programme.

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Vayego is recommended to be used from post petal fall through to early December. For best practice resistance management, it is important that Vayego is used as part of a seasonal pest control

Larvae lose muscle control, become immobile and cease feeding immediately after application, giving the benefit of less damaged fruit.” programme that incorporates other chemistries with different modes of action. Vayego should only be applied to one generation of codling moth. By targeting the petal fall to early December period, Vayego will only be applied to generation1, which fits into the recommended guidelines, and will protect insect management for the future. Over many years of trials, Vayego has also shown a high level of crop safety, both when applied on its own, or when mixed with a wide range of tank mix partners. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Bayer. Vayego® is a registered trademark of the Bayer Group.

THE FARMLANDER | 53

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Solutions right now for future cereal challenges Global fungicide experts believe resistance to chemistries to be the second-biggest threat to cereal crops. With that risk eclipsed only by catastrophic weather events. The good news is extensive research is currently happening into resistance variables. These include susceptibility of varieties, sowing times, and naturally, the chemistries themselves. The solution, researchers are finding, is not larger amounts of chemical but carefully calculated programmes based around multi-sites. This could protect existing single-site chemistries and provide increased disease protection. Multi-site fungicides act on more than one target site in the fungus, which makes it difficult for the fungus to mutate to overcome the fungicide’s activity. In contrast, single-site products such as SDHIs and DMIs have one mode of action and act on individual pathways in the target fungus. If single-sites are used repeatedly, there is an increased risk of fungus developing resistance.

New Zealand to share his experiences from the UK and Ireland. His message for local growers looking to protect both their yields and existing chemistry was to use a protectant approach. He recommended that “multi-site chemistry should be first in the tank.” Approved for Ramularia control for the 2019 New Zealand barley season, multisite protectant Phoenix® Fungicide (Phoenix) from ADAMA carried a weight of expectation. However, it was already proven in the UK and Europe, and in New Zealand against Septoria in wheat.

In 2018, New Zealand barley growers received a harsh lesson, with yield losses of up to 30 percent caused by Ramularia resistance to SDHIs. According to FAR’s Autumn Round Up 2020, Plant & Food Research identified three SdhC mutations that impacted on the performance of SDHIs against Ramularia in barley. In 2019, microplate assays found that 100 percent of the Ramularia isolates collected in the 2018–19 season were insensitive to this chemistry. In 2017 and 2018, ADAMA UK Technical Specialist, Andy Bailey visited

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| Local growers looking to protect yield and existing chemistry are recommended to use a protectant approach.

This is strengthened even more when Bolide is tank-mixed with Phoenix. If only one spray of Phoenix is being applied in barley, then T2 is the optimum timing. This ensures that leaves 2 and 3 are protected. For best results, a programmed approach suggests even higher levels of Ramularia control when using Phoenix at both T1 and at T2. These applications maximise the crop’s green leaf area index to maximise yields by promoting healthy

An effective addition to the Ramularia control toolbox, it has become a key part of disease control programmes.

spikelet and ear development.

There is currently no recorded resistance to Phoenix’s active, folpet, and ADAMA’s testing has confirmed no sensitivity shifts against Septoria. Phoenix does not inhibit DMI uptake, ensuring full availability and speed of activity of the applied dose.

wheat, there is still a risk to yields,

ADAMA NZ recommends using Phoenix with all-rounder fungicide Bolide® or other triazole chemistry. New Zealand trials with Bolide have not only shown outstanding control for a wide range of diseases comparable to industry standard SDHIs and DMIs, but also highly effective Ramularia control.

by industry bodies.

While recent drier seasons may have reduced some Septoria pressure in particularly in the high-value and more susceptible varieties. ADAMA NZ says their advice, as for barley, is to ensure Phoenix is first in the tank. Application at T1, with a DMI such as Bolide is strongly recommended and supported

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

THE FARMLANDER | 55

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Best farmers get beet right Technical Field Officer Peter Smart is coming up to 19 years at Farmlands and he knows a good beet crop when he sees it.

It was part-grazed and part-lifted, siloed, chipped and added to maize silage.

Over the years he has worked at three different Farmlands branches, before spending the last 12 years at Matamata. Peter’s background in fencing and sheep and beef farming prepared him

New Zealand crop protection company ADAMA has been at the forefront of supplying the products that support the sometimes difficult-to-establish crops.

well for his various roles with the cooperative, but it is cropping that has turned out to be his passion. “It’s good to see a nice job finished well,” Peter says. “When paddock selection, crop selection and weed control all come together, and you see a really decent crop, that’s satisfying.” One such crop this past season was Bruce and Jackie Tiddy’s 20 hectares Peter, who also enjoys the farmer contact, has nothing but praise for the Tiddy’s meticulous

| TFO Peter Smart (above) knows his beet crop inside and out and is particularly impressed by Bruce Tiddy’s sugar beet (below).

The company’s specially designed beet programme is based on a robust preemergence spray, with follow-up that controls any subsequent weeds and provides the best possible start for the valuable, high-yielding crops of sugar, red beet, fodder beet and mangolds.

approach to their dairy farms, where “everything is done well”. He acknowledges that beet is a technically demanding crop and “you need to keep an eye on it.” Peter also believes different farmers and management styles are better suited to different crops, and he enjoys working out the best solutions for every individual. Bruce and Jackie saw the potential in beet a few seasons ago. They were impressed by their herd’s response to the fodder beet purchase from a local grower and the following season, Bruce

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ADAMA New Zealand’s Commercial Manager Doug Speers, who was also involved in the Tiddy’s crop, says it is essential to keep on top of weeds until the crop is at canopy closure in order to maximise yields. “I watched in May as sugar beet was harvested almost as fast as the trucks could transport it – the truck was filled in about 15 minutes,” he says.

of sugar beet at Matamata.

planted 28 hectares in fodder beet.

This year, he switched to sugar beet with a view to lifting and storing the entire crop, before chipping and adding to maize silage. Sugar beet stores better than fodder beet, has high bulb dry matter and one third less water than fodder beet.

The ADAMA beet programme, including Goltix® WG Herbicide, Goltix Uno Herbicide, Ethosat® Herbicide, Rifle®, and now low hazard-profile Goltix Gold, has been rigorously tested and refined to complement New Zealand growing conditions and beet varieties. It is also backed by trial results, which show that the programme can significantly improve weed control.

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by ADAMA New Zealand. Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997. See www. foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions. Approved pursuant to the HSNO Act 1996. See www. epa.govt.nz for approval controls. Ethosat, Goltix and Rifle are registered trademarks of an ADAMA Group Company.

THE FARMLANDER | 57

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Kale cultivar trial results back the decision to change In the search for a suitable successor to the popular kale variety Sovereign, extensive trial work must be conducted. This is an intense research and development process but when Mayfield-based dairy farmer Richard Tait was approached by Farmlands regarding the imminent change to SovGold, it was decided a joint pragmatic approach would be used to compare the two varieties. Richard Tait had long been a user of Sovereign kale within his dairy farming operation. It had consistently been a high-quality performer and an integral part of his winter cropping regime. His question to Farmlands Technical Field Officer Bruce Taylor was, “if the change is happening, can you prove the benefits to me?” Farmlands then approached Agricom and the decision was made to conduct a side-by-side split demonstration in one of Richard’s paddocks to highlight the new and improved SovGold.

| Farmlands TFO Bruce Taylor arranged a side-by-side split demonstration in one of Richard Tait’s paddocks to highlight kale cultivar improvements

Lower stem quality within kale varieties has always hindered total utilisation of the grown crop. SovGold produces higher-quality stems when sown at recommended rates and produces a high leaf-to-stem ratio. Across multiple trials, SovGold has consistently shown a 7 percent increase in total yield over Sovereign, with the leaf yield alone showing an increase of 9 percent.

Richard’s support block carries 1,700 dairy cows, of which 450 are R2 heifers, during the winter months. His winter cropping relies on a kale rotation that absorbs 40 percent of the block annually. From an early November planting, Richard’s crops typically yield 14 tonnes of drymatter per hectare in a dryland environment. Both crops were successful but Richard did observe variances. “If I were to highlight the differences I’ve seen with SovGold it’s the increase in leaf yield as well as the consistency and quality of the whole stem,” he says.

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A unique characteristic of SovGold is the increase in ME in the two lower quartiles of the stem – results have shown that there is an increase of one unit of ME in SovGold compared to Sovereign in the lower half of the stem. SovGold is one of the latest flowering varieties on the market and will hold

through August, without compromising on quality. “I put plenty of effort into my feed budgeting each year. To know that I can have both an increase in ME and total yield can only be a winner. It’s the best of both worlds,” Richard comments. Having seen the varieties side by side, Richard has no hesitation in recommending SovGold as his kale variety of choice. It is out with the old and in with the new. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local store. Article supplied by Agricom.

THE FARMLANDER | 59

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The benefits of ball valves Isolation and control, a couple of concepts New Zealanders have become very familiar with during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are also the functions that valves fulfil in a stock water system.

Ball valves can also shut-off flow very

For example, when isolating pumps for

quickly, which is not recommended

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practice. Fast closure causes water

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hammer – a high-velocity shock wave

trough valves, and fixing leaks.

that rebounds back up the pipeline

Other benefits that Plasson ball

and may cause damage to system

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Ball valves are a simple on-off function valve with a handle that rotates the ball within the body of the valve to an open or closed position. Plastic ball valves have many beneficial features:

components such as pipes, fittings and

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valves. Always open and close a ball

water sampling or draining the line, and

valve slowly to mitigate this effect.

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for tamper resistance. An upgrade to

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• Minimal working parts

a reservoir or filling a tank at a

• Reliable, plastic construction

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• Tough, corrosion resistant and less prone to damage caused by frost events.

Ball valves are also used when

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

isolating parts of a reticulation system

Article supplied by Iplex Pipelines.

for service, repair or additions.

PLASSON BALL VALVE Tough 16-bar Polyamide Glass Reinforced Ball Valves Full bore flow – Minimise pressure loss Drain Port option – Allows pressure gauge installation for pressure monitoring, water sampling and line drainage 40mm and 50mm – Easily upgradable to Long Handle version for improved opening and closing operation Removeable handle – tamper resistance feature Quality assurance – Tested to AS 5830 and AS 4020 for potable water compliance

www.iplex.co.nz Available at your local Farmlands store

60 | THE FARMLANDER

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

What’s the secret to better fencing? We all want the same thing from our fencing – longer holding and less maintenance. It has got to keep animals where they should be, stay up for as long as possible, and require minimal maintenance and repair. Believe it or not, whether your fencing does the job depends largely on which staples you use. Some are on the fence when it comes to whether ribbed or barbed staples hold better, while plenty others swear by the barbed variety. The fencing experts at Delfast thought they would settle the matter for good by putting both to the test in the field. To compare the two staples, the Delfast team:

Whether your fencing does the job depends largely on which staples you use.”

• Bought one ¼ round post and cut it into four 300mm lengths. • Installed six ribbed staples with wire and six barbed staples with wire using the NNK-P400 Delfast Post stapler.

| To discover if ribbed or barbed staples held better, a lab calculated the force required to pull out each type.

The results are clear — Delfast’s ribbed staples hold almost twice as strong as collated barbed staples, requiring over a quarter tonne of force to remove them. That was no surprise to Delfast Sales Director James Currie.

• Waited two weeks for the staples to properly set. They then took the four ¼ round post lengths to an accredited testing laboratory and conducted pull out tests under controlled conditions.

“That’s a great result as we spent a long time perfecting that design. Most of the difference is in the details, like the patented diamond coating and the ribbed sides that maximise friction,” he says.

The results speak for themselves To get a conclusive result, the lab calculated the average amount of force required to pull out each type of staple. Here is what they found: • The 4.0mm X 50mm collated barbed post staple pulled out with an average of 132.83 kg of force over six tests. • The ribbed post staple pulled out with an average of 283.16 kg of force over six tests.

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The science behind the staples Turns out a fair bit of engineering and thought has gone into creating Delfast’s ribbed staples. When entering the post (and/or batten) at high speed through the staple gun, the diamond coating James mentioned heats up rapidly, then sets deep into the fibres of the timber as it cools down.

Along with four ribs on each side of the staple, this diamond coating increases the friction between the post (and/or batten) and the staple – ensuring that it will hold better in the timber. Some might accuse Delfast of overengineering these staples but James says it is all about making life easier for the end user. “At Delfast, we create innovative products that enable the end users to get the job done right. This ribbed staple is a result of that innovation and we’re happy to see the results prove that it holds better in the timber, just as it was designed to.” For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Delfast.

THE FARMLANDER | 61

NO CLUE? WE DO. TO OPEN PULL NARROW TAPE

NOTICE: Do not feed to sheep, cattle, deer, goats, buffaloes or other ruminant contains or may contain animals. This product ruminant protein.

Peck’n’Lay

SUPPORTS SHELL QUALITY

Peck’n’Lay

Pellets ®

Pellets

20kg

A premium feed design egg production in layinged to support hens

Peck’n’Lay

www.nrm.co.nz

CONTAINS ESSENTIAL OILS

Pellets

Peck’n’Lay

FOR GOLDEN YOLKS

FEEDING RECOMMENDA TIONS

Introduce Peck‘n’Lay® from approximately Allow ad lib access to NRM Peck’n’Lay® 1 week before the onset of lay, typically or a good handful) . Hens can be expected around 16 weeks per hen per day. of age. to consume around 125 – 130g (approximately 1 cup If birds are given access to feeds other shell quality. than Peck‘n’Lay®, provide ad lib access to oyster shell grit to ensure good have access to fresh, clean water.

Always ensure birds

TYPICAL ANALYSIS Crude Protein Available Lysine Calcium

Approximate on an

16.5% 6.7g/kg 3.8%

INGREDIENTS SELECTED

‘as fed’ basis

FROM

Grain and grain by-products, plant proteins, vegetable di-calcium phosphate, oils, animal fats, enzymes, salt, sodium bicarbonate, natural pigments. amino acids, limestone, vitamins and trace minerals, organic mono or acids and plant extracts and

STORAGE

Ensure product is

stored in a cool, dry

DO NOT FEED TO

and vermin free environment.

ANIMALS OTHER

THAN THOSE STIPULATED

NETT

SUPPORTS SHELL QUALITY

FOR GOLDEN YOLKS

20kg

NETT

CONTAINS ESSENTIAL OILS

MARKETED AND

DISTRIBUTED BY

NRM We guarantee the quality of our products. If you have any queries please contact us.

NETT

20kg

PO Box 271, Christchurch 8053 0800 800 380 | customerservices@ nrm.co.nz |

GIFT CARD

Grab a gift card today from your local Farmlands store. Terms and Conditions apply.

62 | THE FARMLANDER

Pellets

NRM Peck‘n’Lay® is support egg productiona complete balanced feed specifi cally and a balanced supply in laying hens. Peck‘n’Lay® contains formulated to natural pigments of quality eggs with of calcium and phosphorous to support strong shells and rich the production golden yolks.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

www.nrm.co.nz

ON THIS LABEL

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Give your pump a break With water as important as ever, ensuring your tank has the water you need in it and your pump is not being overworked is essential.

The ‘dual level’ valve is installed inside

The pump sits at the heart of most

off as soon as it is refilled again, thus

water systems and therefore needs to

reducing pump ‘cycling’. The Hansen

be protected and preserved so that

Leveller Valve allows the user to set

your system always runs at its best.

the valve to open at the optimum level,

In response to the needs of end users,

to stop the pump cycling or restarting

the tank and operates in such a way that the pump only switches on when the tank level is low, then switches

60 years’ experience in design and manufacturing, the company knows the importance of a good water system. “Over the decades, we have built a reputation for providing highperformance, easy-to-use, innovative and simple products that provide our customers with “Best Installed Value.” “This is because we are continually geared towards listening to the needs of end users.”

Hansen’s Leveller Valve was designed

‘hot’ during high water use.

to reduce wear and tear on pumps

The Hansen Leveller Valve can also be

and water systems as a whole. It not

installed in a Rain Harvesting System

only protects but extends your pump’s

for top up from mains or pump system.

life by reducing its workload, saving

This helps to take full advantage of

ongoing maintenance costs and heavily

nature’s reserves during dry periods.

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

reducing the worry of system failure

Hansen Products Managing Director,

Article supplied by Hansen Products.

from an overworked and cycling pump.

Steve Sharpe says that with over

Protect Your Pump! Valve Closes

at Maximum level

The Hansen Leveller Valve allows you to set a Minimum and Maximum water level in your tank so it only fills when your tank level is low. This reduces the frequency the pump needs to switch on and off (pump cycling) which considerably increases your pumps life and saves power.

Prevent Pump Burnout

Save Power

Valve Opens

at Minimum level

Height Adjustable

Huge Flow 1275 l/min at 12 Bar

HAND TESTED

www.hansenproducts.co.nz

Available from your local Farmlands store

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

THE FARMLANDER | 63

OUR PICKS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SPRING

With a winning combination of people, product and price it’s the perfect time to drop into your local Farmlands store or visit the Farmlands Click and Collect site to get your hands on the stuff that’ll deliver results across the whole of your farm.

BUY 10 COILS AND GET A FREE PROFENCE DARTBOARD VALUED AT $90.00

FROM ONLY

26.00

89.99

SAVE UP TO $31.95

SAVE $ 4.97

1046816, 1046817, 1046818, 1046819, 1046820, 1046821

1000791

Plasson Ball Valve Female with Drain Port Minimise pressure loss and benefit from full-bore flow with this tough reinforced ball valve. The drain port option allows for easier monitoring and sampling and a removable handle assists with tamper resistance.

ProFence High Tensile 2.5mm Wire The wire of choice when building a conventional or electric fence, this New Zealand made product offers tangle free dispensing and delivers a more stock-proof fence than soft wire.

* Terms and Conditions apply. Pricing valid 1st — 30th September 2020. While stocks last. Pricing includes GST.

FAR_09789

Visit www.farmlands.co.nz or head to your local Farmlands store today and get set for spring! 64 | THE FARMLANDER

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

102.00

SAVE $57.95 1009299

Hansen Leveller Valve Threaded Adaptors 32mm, 40mm, 50mm This high-performance tank-valve is suitable for high and low pressures, delivering high volumes of water quickly. Manufactured in New Zealand from strong, non-corrosive materials it’s UV stabilised to keep working in harsh outdoor conditions.

59.95

SAVE $10.09 1004148

PestOff Rodent Block 3kg Delivering a lethal dose in a single feed, PestOff is a highly palatable rodent bait that’s designed for ease of gnawing, guaranteed fresh and made in New Zealand.

59.90

Ask in-store for tonne pricing

SAVE $16.60

1023079

1012477

Sprayfo Primo Lamb Milk Replacer 20kg Safe to feed straight from colostrum, Sprayfo is shown to significantly reduce instances of abomasal bloat and will enhance lamb growth with less risk of scouring. Sprayfo also ensures better suspension – meaning less build-up in automatic feeding tubes.

Purina Tux Energy Peak Performance Working Dog 25kg Made with NZ meat this is the perfect biscuit for hard-working dogs. The triangle shape is easy to feed and the high fat content will give your dogs sustained energy.

79.95

1047549, 1047553

77.95

1024227

Skellerup Red Band Men’s Gumboots Available in a size that’s right for you these mid-calf length boots feature a cleated sole for added grip and will keep you working longer with a rubber foam cushioned innersole.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

MKM Men’s and Women’s Merino Long Sleeve Tee This New Zealand made, 100% Merino mid-layer is warm and breathable. A must have for any spring wardrobe, on and off the farm.

THE FARMLANDER | 65

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.

Making Hinerangi Home Five generations on from Percy Wall’s initial purchase in Waipukurau, the names may have changed but the dedication to the land grows stronger every day.

Percy married Gretchen Kennedy

Dan and Caroline’s son, Sam came

from Gisborne in 1916, whose father

home to take over the management of

was the first manager of Williams

the station in 2000. Sam married Sarah

and Kettle in Gisborne. They had two

Beveridge from the King Country in 2001

daughters, Mary and Judith. In 1919,

and they have three sons – Guy, Jonty

they started a major alteration of their

and Logan. The family partnership won

original home and built a large single

Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year in 2003.

storey homestead of 7,000 square feet.

The family group purchased a 137ha

In 1951 Percy suffered a severe

dairy farm in 2006 and since then a

stroke and Godfray von Dadelszen,

further 530ha has been purchased

Percy’s son in law, took over the

in the surrounding district. They are

management of Percy’s three

hopeful that Sam‘s family will wish

In 1901, at age 23, Percy Frederick

farms, as well as Mangapurakau.

to carry on farming the property as

Wall applied for a ballot block after

Godfray died suddenly in 1970 and his

the fifth generation at Hinerangi.

the government split up the Woburn

eldest son, Daniel was asked to come

Estate of Purvis Russell under the

home and manage the Wall Estate. Dan

Lands for Settlement Act of 1900.

married Caroline Ward of Christchurch

He drew the largest block of 1,511 acres

in 1972 and had one son and two

with a lease in perpetuity. With no road

daughters. Daniel purchased Hinerangi

access to the property, he lived in a

in 1981 from the Wall Estate and at the

tent, then built a two-roomed whare

same time, freeholded the property.

until he built his first home in 1906.

From 1970 to 2000, a large

In 1908, he purchased 3,000 acres

development programme was

from neighbouring “Orua Wharo Station”,

undertaken and a neighbouring

the property of Sidney Johnston.

property was purchased in 1995. | Percy and Gretchen Wall, 1916.

| The von Dadelszen family, 2019.

66 | THE FARMLANDER

| Mary and Godfray von Dadelszen, 1943.

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

So, while primary industry rural property valuations continue to surge, generally speaking, the concentration risk associated with our dairy industry, and the associated level of indebtedness, continues to place operating constraints on the expansion aims of proven dairy businesses.

Rural market update and dairy spotlight

The NZ Rural property market continues to reflect the varying levels of banking confidence in the NZ primary sector, generally. For the 12 months to June 2020, NZ rural sales 20 hectares and over equalled 869 sales for $2.164 billion, 73% of those sales can be attributed to sheep and beef livestock farming. Annual NZ horticultural sales equalled 161 for $418m by value to June 2020 with robust forward-demand and investor appetite for opportunities. The spotlight, however, remains on the low level of dairy farm sales up and down the country, though, there have been some silver linings in key dairying regions, notably the Waikato.

Regional Breakdown

Our NZ dairy industry appears to be stuck; in reality, the value opportunities to buy large scale dairy operations at a fair market price have never been better.

NZ Dairy farm sales 20 hectares and over, equalled 139 sales for $548.5m for the 12 months to June 2020. The prior year was 221 sales for $895m. This data includes recorded private sales.

So perhaps the narrative has to change from the level of indebtedness associated with the sector, to the excellent comparative investment returns. NZ’s reliance on our export dairy produce in a post Covid-19 recovery surely rules a line under the need to support this sector as we meet the challenges of sustainable production head-on.

What is particularly interesting with the NZ dairy market is the lack of activity at the top end. Only six of the 139 dairy sales, sold for $10 million-plus, the highest being $15 million. The prior year was similar, with only ten dairy properties sold in the $10m+ range nationally.

It is our view that the focus has to shift to the underlying returns, and the investment opportunity for new capital available, either on-shore; or from high net worth investors returning home in conjunction with off-shore cornerstone investment.

70% of all dairy sales are less than $5 million by value. Clearly finding banking support for the purchase of larger-scale dairy operations nationally, and particularly in Canterbury, continues to be challenging, as the below-table for the last 12 months illustrates.

A change in government policy to loosen current Overseas Investment Office criteria, looks unlikely at this time.

Sales Frequency

% of Total Dairy Sales July 2019 - June 2020 (139)

Waikato Region

40.3%

Taranaki Region

13.7%

Northland Region

12.2%

Southland Region

10.8%

Bay of Plenty Region

7.2%

Manawatu - Whanganui Region

5.8%

Otago Region

2.9%

Canterbury Region

2.2%

West Coast Region

2.2%

Wellington Region

1.4%

Auckland Region

0.7%

Hawke’s Bay Region

0.7%

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ Property Brokers Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 | 0800 367 5263 | pb.co.nz

The gap then is the quality of the information in support of an investment-led NZ real estate approach. Property Brokers, in partnership with Farmlands, will be looking to take all the steps available with industry, to bridge this gap on behalf of you our Farmlands shareholders.

Conrad Wilkshire

GM Rural for Property Brokers Limited

THE FARMLANDER | 67

ALL YOUR WATER NEEDS IN ONE PLACE. TALK TO US TODAY.

Reticulation, storage, stockwater and more. Every farmer knows that a reliable water supply is vital for the success of both livestock and crops. So, whether you need to fix your fittings, prime your pumps or replace your reticulation system, visit your local Farmlands store for the best products, biggest range and even better service.

FAR_09789

To find out more visit www.farmlands.co.nz