Farmlander July 2016 North Island by Farmlands

SPECIAL OFFERS AND INFORMATION FOR FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS

JULY 2016 Valid from 1-31 July 2016

The FARMLANDER TOM CRANSWICK SCHOLARSHIP OPEN

FARMLANDS CHAIRMAN INTERVIEW

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FARMER FIELD TRIP THE MYSTERY CREEK VACATION PAGES 14-18

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Great Card Partner Deals inside! pages ???

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CONTENTS

THE FARMLANDER

SHAREHOLDER OFFERS

FROM THE CEO Hi all, Welcome to the July edition of Farmlander magazine. I have been in place over 6 months and I thought I would give some observations on the most important part of our organisation – our people. A key learning to me is our people are our greatest asset. Their knowledge of our shareholders, quest to build their own capability, passion for the business and desire to see Farmlands do well is something you cannot help be impressed with as an outsider coming into the organisation. I know a lot of companies would say something similar but when you actually get out amongst it and see the length of time and effort that goes into farm visits, interactions in-store and customer Account enquiries, to name a few, we really do have a great dependency on our people and they are a critical element of what we do. Harnessing these people, building their capability, rewarding them for achievement and bringing them along the change journey with us is critical to our ongoing success and the success of our shareholders. In the context of change and underperformance, how do we do this? We are making some tough calls at the moment. We have less people working for us today than we had 6 months ago. We have reorganised to make it clear what people are specifically responsible for, which involves substantial change. We have taken away some privileges, we are priding ourselves on being “frugal” and we are on a change journey that will require us all to do things differently with the objective of making us more effective and more efficient. This is a process not too different to what I know a large number of you are doing on your own land. Our challenge is how do we keep our people with us – positive, participative, active, passionate – while we are going through this change. Leadership is critical. Painting the picture of where we are going is a must do. Involving our people in decisions that affect them and doing the base level “shoe leather”, getting out amongst the people where the work really happens. This is what the Farmlands Leadership Team and I will be focused on over the coming months. I honestly believe we can build a better, stronger Farmlands that will be integral to our shareholders’ success and I believe we have great people in our organisation that will want to be part of this. Having said that, a consequence of change is it makes some uncomfortable and they move on. Rest assured Farmlands has, needs and wants the people who have the passion, capability, knowledge and attitude to add value to your business. These people are our future.

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Plan365 Animal Management Plan365 Nutrition Plan365 Rural Infrastructure Plan365 Dairy Management Plan365 Forage and Arable Plan365 Horticulture Real Estate Listings

INTEREST 2 2 3 6-7 8 9 12-13 14-18 20-21 22 24-25 26 49 52 54-55 57 59 61

From the CEO Save the date Meet the team Field day for environmental focus farm Fencing partnership no strained relationship 5 minutes with Ahuwhenua Young Maori Dairy Farmer of the Year An interview with Lachie Johnstone Special Feature - A farmer’s field trip Tom Cranswick Memorial Award Buying Power Promise Century Farm families acknowledged “Lucy’s Rose” raises funds for Ranui House Choices Rewards Providing safety solutions for the benefit of Farmlands shareholders and staff Farmlands Finance Maintaining a healthy and safe operation Farmlands Fuel Get the grease on Gulf

ON YOUR FARMLANDS CARD 4-5 What’s hot? 10-11 The Card that gives back 19 Genesis Energy 23 Beaurepaires 50-51 Bunnings 53 FMG 56 Harvey Norman 58 Ford 60 DuncanAg / Black Duck / TradeZone 64 PlaceMakers

I hope this note finds you, your family and work colleagues well.

Peter Reidie Chief Executive Officer Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited

SAVE THE DATE

WHAT’S COMING UP WITH FARMLANDS

7-8

JULY

8-9

JULY

Napier In-store Day

Whakatane Clothing Clearance

National Horticultural Field Day, A&P Showgrounds, Hastings

Visit the Napier team for great offers.

See in-store for more details.

Come and visit us on-site!

JULY – Young Grower Events

For a full list of the Young Grower events, visit our events page: www.farmlands.co.nz/newsandevents. We look forward to seeing you there to help support the industry’s next generation.

Special prices and offers apply from the 1st to the 31st of July 2016. Only while stocks last. Check your Farmlands store for product availability. All prices include GST unless otherwise stated. Savings based on Farmlands normal retail price. Note: The “Your Price” advertised in The Farmlander magazine is the price that a Farmlands shareholder will be charged if the advertised products are purchased during the promotional period. Farmlands stores also use a “net” price (discounted price without a rebate) to attract cash sale customers and potential shareholders. *Savings based on Farmlands normal retail price. Accounts are payable at Farmlands Head Office or any store by the 20th of each month. Failure to pay an Account by Due Date is a Default Event under the Terms and Conditions and Farmlands is then at its discretion entitled to: suspend or terminate the Account; charge interest at 2% per month; reverse

2 | THE FARMLANDER

discounts or credit rebates; debit other Shareholder Accounts; make demand on a Card Signatory; debit any default administration costs incurred; register a mortgage over land; terminate shareholding. Farmlands shareholders have the option to pay their Accounts either in part or in full by MasterCard or Visa Credit Card. Payment by any credit card will not entitle the shareholder to receive Bonus Rebates for the month paid or part paid. Neither Farmlands nor any other person involved in the preparation of this document accepts any liability for any opinion or information (including the accuracy or completeness thereof) or for any consequences flowing from its use. The information contained in this document is given in good faith, has been derived from sources perceived to be reliable and accurate and is subject to Farmlands Terms and Conditions. Not all products are available at all Farmlands stores. Offers valid at Farmlands North Island stores only.

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James Abbiss Q: What is your current role at Farmlands? A: TFO (Technical Field Officer) Rangitikei – Marton store. Q: What do you enjoy about your job? A: Working on-farm with farmers and dealing with a range of farming systems. Q: You just won $100,000 on an Instant Kiwi! What are you going to do with it? A: More overseas travel and building a jet boat would be at the top of the list. Q: What is your favourite New Zealand getaway? A: Lake Taupo on a good day. Q: What is the most interesting trip you have ever taken? A: Traveling around Europe last year was a blast, followed by a cruisy trip to Thailand this year. Q: What is your signature karaoke song? A: Can’t sing, so don’t sing but Bruce Springsteen goes down well.

Venison casserole CALL IN AND SEE US! Tap into the huge amount of knowledge and experience at your local Farmlands store. Drop in, call 0800 200 600 or visit

Ingredients Cooking oil spray 800g diced venison 1/4 cup flour 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 medium onions (chopped) 200g button mushrooms 1 cup red wine

www.farmlands.co.nz 2 medium carrots (cut in 2-3cm chunks) 2 sprigs rosemary 4 sprigs thyme Salt and pepper to taste Fresh parsley to garnish

Method 1. Set slow cooker to high. Coat inside with cooking oil spray. 2. Place venison in a large bowl and add flour to coat. 3. Heat half of the vegetable oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add floured venison (it is best to do this in two batches unless you have a very large pan). Lightly brown all sides. Transfer browned meat to slow cooker.

Farmlands store. Horticultural Advisory Service available.

4. Add remaining oil to frying pan then stir in onions and mushrooms (leave small mushrooms whole or halve larger ones). Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens and begins to brown. Pour in wine. Transfer pan contents to slow cooker. 5. Add carrots and herbs to slow cooker. Cover, turn to low and cook for 7-9 hours or until venison is tender. 6. Season to taste and garnish with parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes.

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Check out our Facebook page to see what’s happening at Farmlands www.fb.com/farmlandsnz

THE FARMLANDER | 3

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SHAREHOLDER FOCUS

Field day for environmental focus farm Hope Hill Farm, situated in the heart of the Waikato, lies to the east of Cambridge in the hills of Te Miro. This picturesque farm, comprising 265 effective hectares of mixed soil type (Otorohanga silt loam on the flats and rolling country and PeriaKakepuku hill soils), has been under the current ownership structure for the past 3 years. It is managed by Luke and Tracey Campion, who have an excellent working relationship with the Farmlands Hautapu store. Luke explains that their mission statement involves “increasing profit, whilst being environmentally conscious in a continuous, sustainable way”.

on age and size, are finished by December or May.

Currently, Hope Hill runs 400 R2 dairy grazers and 350 bull-beef through winter, with 290 R1 dairy heifers arriving at the beginning of December. The aim is to have bulls finished by the end of December and off the property to make room for the dairy weaners. The beef steers, depending

“We used turnips followed by forage rape this past summer. I favour rape as it yielded well and gave more flexibility and although we implemented a full insecticide programme on both turnips and rape, the rape held its quality better with production costs at 14 cents per kg dry matter.

Weed control, increased soil fertility and pasture species are under review and Luke says they have identified some user friendly contour land to plant 15ha of a summer crop to finish off the R2 dairy grazers, which also assists with eczema management. “Stock are break-fed on this from 1st February through until 1st April. Annual rye is planted on this same cropping area to give winter production. We are still evaluating what crops will work best for us, having used chicory in the summer of 2015 and brassicas in 2016,” he says.

“The insecticides used on the brassicas were insect species specific, lending themselves towards an Integrated Pest Monitoring (IPM) programme, which supports the green and friendly approach. Going forward, we are considering introducing fodder beet and sudan/sorghum as complementary to our cropping mix. Brett Turner, our Farmlands Technical Advisor, plays an important role in advising cropping and re-grassing options.” The beef and bull cattle are fattened on grass. The back boundary of 2.6km, being the highest elevation of the farm, borders the Mangakawa Bush Native Reserve, which acts as headwaters to the multitude of small waterways running through the farm, capturing the average rainfall of approximately 1,500mm per annum. There are also small pockets of bush within the property. Luke and the current owners realise the uniqueness of their property and had identified areas that they could

The yards and sheds at Hope Hill Farm.

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SHAREHOLDER FOCUS

modify to not only bring them some productivity gains but also help enhance and preserve this pristine property environmentally. When Beef + Lamb New Zealand called for nominations of properties to be involved as Environmental Focus Farms, Luke enthusiastically agreed because the project complemented what they had in mind, while offering some support through a formulated and programmed approach. This guidance is a co-ordinated input of a steering group comprising Beef + Lamb, Regional Council, rural industry professionals and fellow like-minded farmer colleagues. The catalyst for actions under this project is incorporating the use of a “Beef + Lamb New Zealand Land Environmental Plan (LEP)” into the farming system, to demonstrate that a win for the environment can also result in a win for production and profit. The phrase, “From Green To Gold Through

| Leaf quality difference – turnips foreground, rape behind.

| Stock grazing back boundary paddock next to the Native Reserve.

Innovation”, has been adopted to support the programme. Regional Councils are currently working to put rules and regulations in place around different catchments and feedback from farmers is that they do not understand what this will mean to their business. These Focus Farms are examples to all farmers that as regulatory authorities tighten their rules around farming operations, it’s imperative that individuals take a proactive, holistic approach and are aware of their environmental obligations to not only satisfy councils but the whole community. This programme is a starting point to encourage farmers’ “buy in”, giving an understanding of the benefit having a LEP in place can bring. This will help farmers benchmark where they are at by looking at such things as kg dry matter per ha of feed produced, liveweight per ha, kg of nitrogen used per ha and EBITR (Earnings Before Interest, Tax and Rent). This will provide opportunities to think about what will decrease their environmental footprint and increase their profitability. For Hope Hill Farm, the completion of soil and topographical maps together with a nutrient overseer model and a LEP has identified some initial tasks of spraying willows in and around waterways. This will be followed by fencing off and replanting these areas in native trees, to be completed over a 6 year plan. “Being at the source of water catchment, it is important that the water exiting our property is of no less quality than how it starts at our back boundary,” Luke says. The use of riparian plantings will help in catchment of nutrient and sediment run-off and water quality will be monitored, testing for macro invertebrates, E. coli and nitrate. Andrew Jolly is the Mid-Northern North Island Extension Manager for Beef + Lamb New Zealand and is

| Luke scouting for insects in forage rape (Spitfire) 30th December, 2015.

the facilitator for the steering group. “Open-Farm Field Days are an integral part of the programme, where farmers can become more aware of the opportunities that being environmentally friendly can bring and as such will be more receptive, proactive and positive to new regulations,” Andrew says. “The programme demonstrates production and profitability can go hand in hand by optimising your land use capability.” The first of these Field Days at Hope Hill is planned for 2nd August 2016 and will be replicated on other participating farms. Farmers are urged to attend, as for many, knowing where to start is the biggest hurdle and it is as easy as formulating a LEP for their own farm, which will be explained in detail at the Field Day. For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Brett Turner, Farmlands Technical Advisor.

| Stock grazing winter annual rye planted on summer cropping paddocks.

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THE FARMLANDER | 7

SHAREHOLDER FOCUS

Fencing partnership no strained relationship New Zealand’s next generation of fencing experts is getting a helping hand through New Zealand Young Farmers and Farmlands. The Farmlands Fencing Competition, both the regional competitions and the national final this month, runs in conjunction with the FMG Young Farmer of the Year Contest. The event is administered and judged by the Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ), who provide technical guidance and expert opinion on not only the national final but also the seven regional competitions. Held between October and March, the regional competitions give competitors the chance to stake their claim, with only one team from each region making the national final. Before each regional competition, a skills day is run by FCANZ, in conjunction with New Zealand Young Farmers. The opportunity to upskill the fencers in preparation for the competition is an ideal time to ensure the next generation is improving their knowledge base and workmanship. With up to 10 teams of two people appearing in each regional and seven teams competing in the national final, individual skill is only part of the equation. New Zealand Young Farmers Sponsorship Manager Carolyn Bennett says New Zealand’s rising rural stars must learn to work as a team if they are to take home the Farmlands Fencing Shield. “Basically, they have to create a whole fence line themselves, with rules that

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have been put in place by FCANZ – and it is all to the highest level of specifications following best practice,” she says. “The fencing competition is run alongside our other New Zealand Young Farmer competitions, which include stock judging, clay target shooting, photography and debating.” Carolyn describes previous winners of the competition as “someone who can work well in a team, someone who can show real skill under pressure and who is a good advocate for young farmers”. A feature of the event series has been the collaboration between FCANZ, New Zealand Young Farmers and Farmlands. Local Young Farmers members liaise with their local Farmlands stores to organise the equipment and materials needed for each competition.

clients and staff of the fencing industry, so the skills day and competition helps them to improve their fencing knowledge and workmanship. “Showing them how to build a new fence is a skill that they will have for the rest of their lives.” Farmlands Business Development Manager Wayne May says Farmlands is proud to support the next generation of farmers and fencers. “We are happy to be supporting these events, because a number of the competitors are also Farmlands shareholders,” he says. “They are the future of our industry, so for us it is a win-win.”

FCANZ President Simon Fuller says Young Farmers members are the future

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FARMLANDS 5 MINUTES

5 minutes with... Ahuwhenua Young Maori Dairy Farmer of the Year Where are you currently working? I am currently at the tail end of my first year as Farm Manager working on a Landcorp property on the West Coast of the South Island, 10 minutes south of Westport in Cape Foulwind. This farm is 578ha and 450ha effective calving down 1,100 cows and peak milking 1,070 Kiwi Cross cows. Farm performance has increased under my management in not just production but presentation, health and safety, cow condition, young stock reared, staff development, costs and also reducing nitrogen loss to water. We have fenced off 35km of drains and waterways this season and redesigned the farm map, as this was a big project. A joint partnership was formed with conservation volunteers and all 35km was planted with flax, manuka and cabbage trees. What does winning the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Dairy Farmer of the Year Award mean to you professionally? Winning was a huge honour. Professionally this has opened up many doors for myself and my whanau. We have met so many good people that can help us get to where we want to be in the future and winning this award – and being able to put this on my CV – means a lot to me. This also helps me with my passion to up-skill my peers. Being able to tell my story from being a troubled youth to running one of Landcorp’s top 10 farms in the country in just 5 years helps attract other young Maori to dairy farming.

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What were the criteria this award was judged on? Being between the ages of 16 and 25, currently employed on a dairy farm, of Maori descent and being currently enrolled or have completed a National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 3 or higher) qualification within the last year. We were assessed on dairy industry knowledge, knowledge and commitment to Maoritanga, our goals and plans for the future, learning and development, awareness of health and safety practices, understanding of animal health practices, understanding of farm management practices and goals and also knowledge of environmental factors that impact our farm, land and community. How did you get into dairy farming? Well, I got into dairy farming when I was about 14-15. I had chosen the wrong path in life and had surrounded myself with the wrong people. I had never done very well at school, so my parents pulled me out and I went and worked on my father’s friend’s farm (which funnily enough is the same farm I now manage). I just did it as a day to day job then about 3 years in I thought “bugger it, I’m going to give this a really good go”, so I started studying with Primary ITO. I now have Level 3, 4 and 5 in Agriculture and have won Trainee of the Year for all three in my region, with many other achievements such as Milk Quality 1 and 2 and Essentials of Management through NZIM.

Jack Raharuhi – Ahuwhenua Yo ung Maori Dairy Farmer of the Year

What are your plans on-farm for the next 12 months? My plans for the next 12 months are to definitely make the most of the exposure from winning this award and to get my story out there to attract the youth to dairy farming. I also want to start on my Diploma in Agriculture, so I can complete this and go into an operations management role, while continuing to save up and grow my own equity, train my peers up and continue to run a smooth, profitable dairy farm.

THE FARMLANDER | 9

Card savings that hit our bottom line â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that works for us. James and Nigel Fraser, North Canterbury.

The Card that gives back Works for you

Saves you money ⊲ Rebates or discounts at 7,000+ Card Partner locations. ⊲ Interest free when your Account is paid on time. ⊲ From energy to insurance, farm equipment and appliances, we negotiate the savings for you.

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⊲ One consolidated tax invoice to manage all your farm and personal spending.

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⊲ Card spend contributes to your end of year Bonus Rebate*.

Find out more about how Farmlands Card works for you. 0800 200 600 | ask@farmlands.co.nz | www.farmlands.co.nz/card

*The Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited Bonus Rebate is subject to the Directors’ discretion.

CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

An interview with Lachie Johnstone, Farmlands Co-operative Chairman Farmlands has announced it will not be returning a Bonus Rebate this year. What do you think are the key reasons behind this? We all know about the current market conditions, which have played their part for us and others in the industry. But we have the added cost of affecting change. We’re not changing for the sake of it – it’s to create the most benefits for shareholders in the long-term. This means investment, which is not the cheap and easy option but the option we are going with regardless. The costs have only started to bite in the past few years and the change associated with them is hard. We’re so lucky to have our team of staff on-board – despite the changes, they continue to work hard and are passionate about supporting our shareholder base. In terms of the overall result, we’re a cyclical business, just like our shareholders. We’re dependent upon their wellbeing and our customers’ success drives our own success. When things are tight, we’ve got to cut the cloth to fit. And that can be challenging.

What is Farmlands doing to ensure a return to profitability next year? Costs have already decreased. We now have consolidated administration functions that were once on three sites and the benefits of that will start

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to accrue straight away. The other decreasing costs come from reviewing everything – no stone unturned, no sacred cows etc. It is important to emphasise everyone is experiencing these conditions – all the support and rural services businesses are experiencing reduced volumes and greater pressure on margin. We don’t use these as excuses, we merely view them as perspective as we move forward. We make money when shareholders are making money and when we profit, we redistribute it to our shareholders. One bad year doesn’t break our co-operative, it actually makes us stronger overall as we evolve into a leaner business.

A number of benefits were touted to shareholders following the merger between Farmlands and CRT in 2013. Do you feel Farmlands has lived up to expectations on these? In terms of the quality of our offer, yes, we have. Shareholders have a wider range of services and offers than ever before. Take your Farmlands Card in to a Ford dealership and see how much you can save on a Ford Ranger. Just ask one of our team about the offers through Nutrition, Fuel and the Buying Power Promise. It all adds up. But in terms of the change management process, it has been slower than anticipated. We have to acknowledge

that – but that doesn’t mean that we’re not going to get there. While it has taken us longer and cost us a bit more, that shouldn’t undermine the rationale for why we did it in the first place – the reasoning is still valid. The resilience of the business created on the back of the merger should not be underestimated. It is now geographically diverse and sector diverse and when you have a change in market conditions or climate, the narrower you are, the more likely it is to impact. We will continue to grow based on our wide reach across the industry. This reach is driven by the dedication of our staff. In certain sectors it’s bloody tough right now but it’s also bloody tough for our people – they are dealing with the challenges in the dairy industry but only a few years ago they had to deal with the emerging issues

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CO-OPERATIVE NEWS

associated with Psa. While it was more localised, it put our people under a whole lot of pressure but they have been through it all and know how to overcome industry adversity.

Depending on the industry or the geography, shareholders are either business as usual or facing tough decisions. How does Farmlands accommodate such a broad spectrum of shareholder needs? We know our shareholders, have good relationships with them and a sense of what they require. Because we have great people, they tailor their solutions accordingly. We pride ourselves on providing options that cater for all.

Despite the current market conditions, Farmlands has had some successes this year. What do you think are the most notable of these? We have had plenty of successes. Our biggest success remains saving

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shareholders money on their bottom line. The nationwide Buying Power Promise deals have proven we are a market leader. Farmlands Taieri became our 83rd store, to give the large number of shareholders in the area the support and service they need, when they need it. Just last month, members of the Farmlands team helped raise $4,080 for Jonty’s Journey through their fundraiser – $1 from every bag of McMillan Protein Plus feed went to the charity. The team presented the cheque to Jonty’s Journey at an event for the Motukarara Trotting Club. We’re always trying to come up with ways to give back to those that created us.

grassroots home quite literally, playing a Super Rugby pre-season game in a shareholder’s paddock.

What can shareholders expect from Farmlands in the year to come? To continue to provide shareholders with what they need – but we can always do better. Nothing has changed in the fact that our intent has to be providing shareholders with what they want, when they want it, how they want it and at a competitive price. We just have to keep driving that.

You only need to look at the team at Inglewood to see that in action. They held a quiz night to spread a bit of cheer in their community – they organised a night out for local shareholders and used their own social club to provide prizes for them. When you talk about successes, it’s also hard to go past the Farmlands Cup – we brought rugby back to its

THE FARMLANDER | 13

SPECIAL FEATURE

A farmer’s field trip The rural sector bands together to help those in need. | These rams are the only sheep left on Nick Hamilton’s farm due to having such patchy pasture.

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| Nick Hamilton and Dan Hodgen secured close to $85,000 in sponsorship in just 3 weeks.

By the time a “medium-scale” drought was officially declared for North Canterbury in early 2015, it was the worst kept secret in the rural sector. The big dry had already started taking its toll on a number of properties along the eastern South Island and the announcement covered an area from Marlborough to Otago. Coming up 18 months later, the dry remains. Sporadic rain helps but even now there has been nowhere near enough to turn the tide. For some areas, budding painters wanting to document landscapes would only use their greens sparingly, with brown ordered in bulk.

Nick and Dan wanted to find a new way to help, so started thinking outside the box. Wanting to help their fellow farmers recharge their batteries and get away from the farm, in just 3 weeks they created the perfect getaway for those that have needed it for nearly 3 years. With the support of sponsors from throughout the industry, Nick and Dan organised for 100 farmers from within the North Canterbury triangle (Kaikoura-Hanmer-Amberley) to attend Fieldays at Mystery Creek. Because of the financial struggles faced by farmers in the area (and the travel involved), attending Fieldays for most was just a pipe dream.

Meanwhile, after years of toil, the local farmers continue. To the outsider, they have done admirably in untenable circumstances. To them, there has been little choice. One would almost want to call them resilient – but not Nick Hamilton. He says, bluntly, the farmers of North Canterbury are tired of that word. Nick and his mate Dan Hodgen are a part of North Canterbury’s Drought Response Committee. The group was formed in the wake of the government’s declaration, which according to Nick “seems like a long time ago”. Included on the committee are local farmers and vets, representatives from the Ministry of Primary Industries, Hurunui Mayor Winton Dalley and Doug Archibald from Rural Support Trust and Federated Farmers. “It’s just people from each district keeping everyone informed. The people from MPI feed the information back to the minister – they’re just making sure no stock are too hard done by and they’re keeping an ear to the ground.”

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| This rape plant was meant to be 2ft tall and it never took.

THE FARMLANDER | 15

when I was thinking about Fieldays - it’s full of innovation and “ That’s there’s a lot of people here who can’t go because it was expensive.

“

| Nick Hamilton and friends on his North Canterbury farm.

That was before Nick and Dan raised close to $85,000 in just 3 weeks. “It was just an idea we came up with ourselves. Being on the Drought Response Committee, we decided to try and do something to cheer people up and just made some enquiries from there,” Nick says. “I had just actually had TV3 come and do an interview here and after they left, I thought about them talking about how despondent everyone was and I thought we could do something about it. I’d had a couple of businesses say they wanted to help out but weren’t sure of the best way. “That’s when I was thinking about Fieldays – it’s full of innovation and there’s a lot of people here who can’t go because it was expensive.” With a tight turnaround (having only come up with the idea in May), Nick needed support for the idea to gain traction quickly. Fortunately, there were plenty of organisations wanting to help out. BNZ and Ravensdown were first on board, followed soon after by Farmlands. Then a procession of organisations and companies chipped in their support – Perpetual Guardian Trust, New Zealand Merino Company, Swanndri, Federated Farmers, North Canterbury Charitable Trust.

16 | THE FARMLANDER

Air New Zealand gave the group discounted airfares. Auckland’s Langham Hotel and Rotorua’s Distinction Hotel gave discounted room rates and function sponsorship. The overwhelming support made it possible to pull off quite the logistical feat. Having flown to Auckland, the 100 farmers stepped onto a bus that contained goodie bags with gifts from the sponsors. The bus drove them directly from Auckland Airport to Fieldays, where they were treated to lunch at the Farmlands Hospitality Area. After spending the rest of the day looking around Mystery Creek they travelled on to Rotorua, where they enjoyed a private function at the Distinction Hotel, with meals, drinks and even a guest speaker (Sportscafe and The Crowd Goes Wild personality Ric Salizzo) all taken care of. The following day, the group returned to Fieldays for more sightseeing, before returning to Auckland for dinner (courtesy of some “$20 off” vouchers from Lone Star Newmarket) and a night at the Langham. “It’s a free night out in Auckland for people who haven’t been to the big smoke,” Nick says. “There were early morning flights for those wanting to get back in time for kids’ sport – but some had a sleep in.”

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Nick describes the vibe of those participating simply as “appreciative” and says they were pleased to get away for a break without dipping too far into the bank balance. “It’s been great for me and Dan personally, to be able to help with what we’ve done. All the sponsors have been so forthcoming with their time,” he says.

It’s been great for me and “Dan personally, to be able to

help with what we’ve done. All the sponsors have been so forthcoming with their time.

“

The trip was a unique way to release the pressure valve on those feeling the slow-burning brunt of Mother Nature. A number of initiatives have already been run by Rural

| Nick picked up a second job for some extra money as without sheep on the farm there is less for him to do.

Support Trust to help share the load. Last year this included a momentous drive to bring excess feed into the area, with donations of hay and baleage. Nick says the amount of work that went into distributing the feed around the district was truly impressive. But this year, people have opted to send stock away for grazing, which Nick believes makes more financial sense. “There’s also been Drought Shouts organised – that’s been going on ever since it started at various points around the district. There’s barbecues and drinks, so people can get together and chew the fat,” he says. “We heard through our committee call that there’s an event being held, a dance or something similar, to be held in July. And (Hurunui Mayor) Winton Dalley has been organising a mystery bus trip – 100 people will be picked up for a mystery day out, off the farm.” So there seems to be plenty happening in North Canterbury to provide respite from the drought – albeit temporarily. Nick says he has only been on the committee for the past 12 | Nick Hamilton.

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THE FARMLANDER | 17

| Nick believes it could take 5 years of income to recover from the drought.

months but the consensus is clear – this is the worst drought ever seen by anyone in the area. “(During late May) we had about 20mm of rain, which is a good start but the soil is too cold to make a difference now – we’re battening down the hatches,” he says. “But we do need some moisture in the winter to give the ground a chance to recover in time for spring. “You couldn’t dig a posthole here – it’s so hard once you get below the first couple of inches.” It’s reasons like that why when the term “resilient” comes up, Nick prefers to look at the bigger picture.

“

It has galvanised people and helped them in that sense of community spirit, which was always strong but has now reinforced it.

Days off the farm help. So too does the support of the increasingly tight-knit communities that share the same situation. “It has galvanised people and helped them in that sense of community spirit, which was always strong but has now reinforced it,” Nick says. “My advice would be to keep your head up and if things are getting on top of you, there are plenty of people to talk to. “Rural Support Trust do a wonderful job but talk to your neighbours, go and see something different and get away from the farm a bit. Get your head out of the business to recharge your batteries – it wears you down pretty quickly. “It (the drought) is costing people an arm and a leg – but hopefully not a farm and a leg.”

“

“We’ve sort of got sick of that ‘resilience’ word – we’re over it,” he says. “People are being resilient but it’s become more and more of a complete battle. “I guess we’ll get through the other side of it but it’s going to take a lot of years – it might take 5 years of income to get back what we’ve lost over the last 2 years.”

18 | THE FARMLANDER

| Rams keep a watchful eye on the weather.

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Works for you

TOM CRANSWICK

ORIAL AWARD M E M PROUD TO SUPPORT tomorrow’s rural leaders

– 20 1 6 –

THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO APPLY FOR A $2,000 STUDY GRANT Are you a Farmlands shareholder, or the child of a Farmlands shareholder or staff member? Are you currently studying in disciplines related to the primary sector? You have the opportunity to apply for a Tom Cranswick Memorial Award – a $2,000 grant to help you during your primary sector study. ABOUT THE AWARD The Memorial Award is in honour of Tom Cranswick, a founding Farmlands Director who served on the Board until 1985, including 20 years as Chairman. His passion and dedication was a major influence in the establishment of Farmlands. The Cranswick family has been hugely supportive of Farmlands and it is an honour to offer this Award in his memory. WHAT ARE THE AWARDS FOR? There are FIVE Awards, valued at $2,000 each, to enable students to further their knowledge and experience through study to achieve in their chosen careers, thus allowing them to contribute to the New Zealand primary sector. WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY? Selection is contingent that as at 30 June 2016: • The applicant is under the age of 25. • The shareholding has been continuous for 2 years or more – or for the children of Farmlands employees, their parent has completed 2 years of permanent, continuous service.

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Award applications open 1st July and close 31st August 2016. For more information and to register, visit www.farmlands.co.nz/tomcranswick

20 | THE FARMLANDER

AWARD WINNERS 2015

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Brenna Coleman, Tim Craig, Melissa Gooseman, Mitchel Hoare and Chris Lowe.

HERE’S WHAT THE 2015 AWARD WINNERS HAVE TO SAY... IN REGARDS TO YOUR STUDIES, HOW HAS RECEIVING THE TOM CRANSWICK MEMORIAL AWARD HELPED YOU? Brenna Coleman: The scholarship helped me pay for my Young Farmers membership and attend the Young Farmers Tasman Regional Conference, getting to meet like-minded people and industry professionals that have a great impact on the agricultural sector.

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Melissa Gooseman: The study grant has enabled me to concentrate on my studies rather than worrying about getting into financial difficulty and allowed me to purchase the more expensive resources to help with my studies. Mitchel Hoare: Winning the scholarship has enabled me to reduce my student loan. University is expensive and it can be very daunting to know you have significant debt at such a young age without any steady source of income. Tim Craig: This scholarship has helped me to cover the ongoing costs of flatting in Christchurch, such as helping me to pay for my rent and food. Chris Lowe: Receiving the scholarship has allowed me to focus more on my studies and not need to worry about my financial situation. Having peace of mind about my bank account balance and being able to have a few luxury items throughout the year has allowed me to focus completely on my studies and receive better grades. WHAT ACHIEVEMENTS HAVE YOU REACHED (PERSONAL AND STUDYWISE) AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS GOING FORWARD? Brenna: One personal area I wanted to improve on was be more involved in Young Farmers, especially helping younger people get involved in agriculture. I have also been elected onto the Ellesmere A&P Show Committee as a Christchurch district Young Farmer liaison and will be helping with events relating to this. Melissa: In early November, I was fortunate enough to receive a job offer at Midlands Seeds working as a Field Support person within their Research and Development Division. This year I have also got further involved with Massey Young Farmers, gaining a role as Publicity Officer on the committee. Mitchel: I have received very good academic results in all of my papers thus far. Exams are just around the corner and my goal is to get the best marks I can while still enjoying my time at university.

Chris: Achieving a better average grade has been my goal for my second year of studies and so far I am on track to do this. Going forward I wish to continue receiving higher grades that can lead to potentially receiving a few more scholarships. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO IS CONSIDERING FOLLOWING YOUR COURSE OF STUDY? Brenna: Get involved in clubs and groups like Young Farmers and Red Meat Network. They are a great learning tool and give you the opportunity to make contacts and pick the brains of other students and industry professionals. Melissa: Agricultural Science is such a broad degree, so don’t worry if you are not 100 percent sure of what sector you plan to go to. Find jobs in every sector, build relationships with professionals in the field and start to create your web of connections to help set up your future. The more experience you have, the better your understanding of which exact direction you wish to head, whether it be arable, dairy, or sheep and beef. Mitchel: Do a year or two of practical experience before you begin studying at Lincoln. All of the theory work is much easier to understand when you can relate it to your own personal experiences. Get involved with as much as you can around the uni and play sport to meet more people. Tim: Firstly, apply for any scholarships like the Tom Cranwick Scholarship who are willing to help out and assist you in completing your course. Take full advantage of the diverse range of information and experience that is presented to you through the degree and people you’ll interact with. Chris: Just do it! The horticultural and agricultural industry has so many opportunities in it and there are so many potential jobs you could end up with. There is such a high demand for graduates in the industry, you will be guaranteed a quality job when you graduate.

Tim: I am enjoying the range of great people I am having more and more to do with within Lincoln University and the agricultural industry. This year I am the president of the Lincoln University Soils Society and have been enjoying planning events for the year and interacting with other people who are enthusiastic about soils science.

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THE FARMLANDER | 21

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Works for you

Keep safe and reduce costs with these top tyre tips With the wintery conditions affecting our roads, now is an important time to stop and check your tyres. These simple tips from Beaurepaires will increase your tyre life, ensuring that your tyres remain in a safe and operational condition and reduce your long-term costs.

Tyre sizing explained

1. Maintaining the correct tyre pressure will help you use less fuel and be safer on the road – and your tyres will last longer. Always keep tyre pressures at the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer and published in your handbook or on the vehicle placard that is affixed to your car: •

• •

Normally on the driver’s door or door pillar (Japanese vehicles) Some will have it under the bonnet (Holden) Some even have it on the back of the fuel filler door (European vehicles)

2. Tyre pressures should be checked at least once a fortnight, when your tyres are cold. If you note the pressure is down by more than 35kPa (5 psi) have the tyre checked by a tyre specialist. Your local Beaurepaires store will happily check this for free. 3. Never check the tyres’ pressures when they are hot, as air expands and can give a reading increase of up to 35kPa (5 psi). 4. Don’t forget to check the spare wheel. 5. If your car develops a “shake” through the steering wheel as you increase speed, there is a problem and it requires correction. This may only be a wheel balance (normally you will drive into the shake and then you will drive out of it as your speed increases). This can be carried out at your local Beaurepaires store within half an hour and saves damage to the vehicle suspension and steering components.

Width

Profile

Diameter

Load

Width: This is the section width (in millimetres) of the tyre (front view). Profile: This represents the tyre sidewall height as a percentage of the section width i.e. 45 percent. Diameter: This is the tyre’s inner rim diameter (in inches). Load: This is the load to indicate the load capacity of the tyre.

6. Regular wheel alignments will improve fuel economy and are essential for even tyre wear, which will give your tyres a longer life. Wheel alignments should be done once a year or every 12,000km and will help to ensure that your tyres are not presented to the road on the wrong angle. 7. Regularly check your tyres to make sure there is plenty of tread. The minimum legal depth is 1.5mm but the more tread you have the better grip and the safer you will be. Beaurepaires recommends that you replace your tyres when the tread depth reaches 3mm. Tyres below the 3mm recommendation are worn by up to 78 percent and will greatly affect the overall braking and cornering performance of your vehicle. Checking your tread depth is easy and only takes a few minutes. You can use a tyre tread depth checker/gauge yourself or go to your local Beaurepaires and get them to check it for you. Your local Beaurepaires store do free tyre checks and offer a discount of up to 17.5%* on all Beaurepaires leading brands when use your Farmlands Card. Plus, earn 10 Choices Rewards Bonus Points with every $50 you spend at Beaurepaires. For more information, call 0800 4 TYRES or visit www.beaurepaires.co.nz

7. Check your tyre tread. *Terms and Conditions apply. Visit www.beaurepaires.co.nz/Farmlands-Terms-Conditions/6697/

2 | THE FARMLANDER

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SHAREHOLDER FOCUS

Century Farm families acknowledged Lawrence once again rolled out the red carpet to honour 33 families who have farmed their land for 100 years or more at the New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards dinner, held in May. Farming families from all over New Zealand gathered to commemorate those who had gone before them, share stories and celebrate each other’s dedication, perseverance and success over 100 plus years of farming. Associate Minister for Primary Industries, Jo Goodhew, honoured their significant achievements by formally presenting the families with a distinctive bronze plaque and certificate to display on their properties. At the event the Minister acknowledged that to reach this milestone, families had faced many challenges along the way, which meant commitment, perseverance and sacrifice. “To continuously farm a property for multiple generations demonstrates a passion for farming and shows resilience and an ability to innovate. The success

and resilience on display here reflects the ability of New Zealand’s rural sector to face and respond to change.” Century Farm Awards Chairman, Symon Howard, acknowledged the initiator of the New Zealand awards, Russell Brown, who was present at the dinner. “Without Russell’s hard work and commitment to the programme in the early stages, 370 families would not

have been honoured in this way and we wouldn’t be here tonight.” Russell had heard of the initiative through some North American visitors to Lawrence and launched the programme in 2005. Initially recipients were mainly from Otago/Southland but word has continued to spread throughout the country, with around 60 percent of this year’s recipients coming from the North Island. Now in its 11th year, the awards claim 370 families from throughout New Zealand as part of its exclusive group of centenarians and sesquicentenarians but the committee believe there are plenty more to come. Foundation sponsor Farmlands Co-operative is passionate about the event and is heavily involved in the organisation and practical support on the night. CEO Peter Reidie sees sponsorship of the awards as a natural fit.

24 | THE FARMLANDER

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SHAREHOLDER FOCUS

“Farmlands has a proud heritage in the rural sector since starting in the early 1960s. It is very appropriate for our co-operative to support the Century Farm Awards initiative, which recognises the pioneering families of rural heritage.” The purpose of the Century Farm Awards is to capture and preserve family history that might otherwise be lost through the generations. Families submit narratives of their farm history, together with copies of related photographs and supporting documents, which are then archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, ensuring all records are kept in perpetuity. Applications are now open for the 2016 year and any families that are eligible are encouraged to apply. For further information or an application form, visit www.centuryfarms.co.nz Congratulations to all of the families honoured at this year’s New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards.

Congratulations to all of the families honoured at this year’s New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards. Evans, 1858 – Masterton, Wairarapa

Wilson, 1891 – Owaka, Otago

Burgess, 1907 – Owaka, Otago

Gordon Glassford, 1864 – Drybread, Otago

Miller, 1893 – Motukarara, Canterbury

Sinnamon, 1907 – Poolburn, Otago

McNie, 1895 – Raetihi, Ruapehu

Wells, 1908 – Whitianga, Coromandel

Hunt, 1899 – Palmerston North, Manawatu

Faithfull, 1909 – Okaihau, Northland

Paewai, 1865 – Dannevirke, Tararua Morrish, 1867 – Lincoln, Canterbury Sprott, 1876 – Ashburton, Canterbury Russ, 1878 – Richmond, Nelson

Jermyn, 1899 – Awatere Valley, Marlborough

Rickard, 1878 – Ashburton, Canterbury

Schnell, 1900 – Eketahuna, Wairarapa

Sutherland, 1886 – Makowhai, Manawatu

Yeates, 1901 – Pirongia, Waikato

Kidd, 1886 – Tatarariki, Northland

Powell, 1902 – Fabians Valley, Marlborough

Maclean, 1890 – Omakau, Otago

Cameron, 1903 – Morrinsville, Waikato

Pease, 1890 – Eltham, Taranaki

Lowry, 1905 – Glen Murray, Waikato

Murphy, 1891 – Colyton, Manawatu

McDonald, 1906 – Waiuku, Auckland

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Putt, 1910 – Otakeho, Taranaki Lourie, 1911 – Taihape, Rangitikei Salmond, 1914 – Upper Moutere, Nelson Andrew, 1915 – Maheno, Otago Morton, 1915 – Rangiwahia, Manawatu Palmer, 1915 – Havelock North, Hawke's Bay

THE FARMLANDER | 25

SHAREHOLDER FOCUS

“Lucy’s Rose” raises funds for Ranui House Sales of a rose have so far raised more than $8,000 for the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust’s Ranui House in Christchurch. John and Mary Falconer’s daughter Lucy was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2012 when she was 4 years old. The family spent a lot of time at Christchurch Hospital (5 hours’ drive away from their farm in Maniototo, near Ranfurly) and stayed at Ranui House while Lucy was undergoing treatment. Ranui House is operated by the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust and provides a home away from home for families whose loved ones are undergoing treatment at Christchurch Hospital. Now 8 years old, Lucy’s leukaemia is in remission – and the Falconer family wanted to give back to Ranui House and the people who supported them. John’s mother Jane, a passionate gardener, thought that selling a special rose would be a great way to raise funds, so she enlisted the help of Tasman Bay Roses in Nelson. A rose originating from Germany that is perfectly suited to South Island weather was chosen and Tasman Bay Roses began to propagate it. Known as “Baronesse” in Germany, Tasman Bay Roses sought permission to change the name of the rose in New Zealand and it was aptly named “Lucy’s Rose”. In association with the Maniototo Lions Club, the Falconer family began selling the rose in 2015 and have sold 600 so far, raising more than $8,000 for Ranui House. “We hope to be able to progressively sell the rose through Lions Clubs in the South Island for at least another 3 years,” Jane says.

26 | THE FARMLANDER

| Lucy Falconer amongst the first Lucy’s Roses that arrived in Maniototo in 2015.

“Then Tasman Bay Roses will continue to sell them throughout New Zealand, with a portion of those sales also going to Ranui House.”

The potted rose sells for $32.00 and $12.00 from each sale goes to Ranui House. To order Lucy’s Rose, email emillar@xtra.co.nz

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Gains you can’t afford to miss out on A new season of calving is just around the corner for dairy farmers. Selecting the right probiotic to promote growth, development and health in calves is important in order to raise superior calves without breaking the bank. A premium probiotic such as Donaghys ProCalf® supports the early development of a calf’s rumen and establishes beneficial microbe populations for digestion of hard feed, pasture and calf milk. An initial 5ml dose followed by a daily 2ml dose will promote faster growth, weight gain and increased uptake of feed in your calves. ProCalf has been scientifically trialled and proven – a South Canterbury field trial showed an average daily gain of 696g per day (29kg after 42 days) for ProCalf treated calves versus an average daily gain of 571g per day (24kg after 42 days) for untreated calves. This equalled a 22 percent weight increase for calves on ProCalf

over the untreated calves. The treated calves were also weaned 1 week earlier than untreated. ProCalf is available in 1, 5, 10 and 20 litre packs, as well as the more convenient 5 litre backpack, meaning you can administer to your calves with ease. A limited edition promotional pack, the Premium Calf Starter Pack, with a 5 litre ProCalf backpack, a 1 litre Concur® Cattle backpack and a free drench gun will be available exclusively through Farmlands this season. For farmers looking to enhance feed conversion and increase milk production, a probiotic such as Donaghys ProDairy® is important. ProDairy is a probiotic extract designed to enhance feed conversion and digestion while increasing milk production. While classic probiotics attempt to populate the digestive system with bacteria or yeast, ProDairy more potently stimulates the beneficial bacteria already present in the rumen. ProDairy can be easily applied through inline dispensers, trough dispensers or by direct oral drenching. New Zealand trials showed that ProDairy treated cows produced an average of 65.3g more milksolids per cow per day than untreated cows – with no loss of body condition.

herd doing 276 days milking – with the cost of ProDairy for the season at the average volume used in these trials being around $8,000 or 7.6c per cow per day. Independent scientific trials have also been conducted on Total Mixed Ration (TMR) fed dairy cows in the USA’s big milk producing states of Georgia and California. Both independent trials showed similar increases in milk production with ProDairy treated cows of around 6 percent higher than the untreated cows, with no loss of body weight or Body Condition Score. ProDairy is available in 20, 200 and 1,000 litre packs. For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Donaghys.

The value of increased production from these trials (at a $4.00 pay-out and average milksolid gain of 65.3g/cow/ day), extrapolated over the season, could yield extra milksolid income of more than $33,000 for a 386 cow

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THE FARMLANDER | 27

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

What products should I use pre-lamb to drench my ewes? Deciding which product to drench your ewes with at pre-lamb can be quite a challenge. Fortunately, a number of trials have been reported recently that directly compare the different products and may help with this decision. Several trials were conducted in the Wairarapa in 2011 and 2012, comparing long acting anthelmintic treatments (i.e. controlled release capsules (CRC) and Cydectin® Long Acting Injection for Sheep) and short acting treatments (i.e. Startect®) given at either pre-lamb or docking1. The trial results demonstrated no significant difference in the production gains between the long acting treatments. The ewe weight gain advantage at weaning, compared to untreated ewes, for each of the treatments was: Bionic® Hi Mineral Combination Sheep Capsules 3.0kg Extender® SeCo capsules 2.8kg Cydectin® Long Acting Injection for Sheep 3.2kg A short acting drench given at either docking or pre-lamb resulted in a small and non-significant increase in ewe weight at weaning (1.5kg and 1.4kg respectively).

Another trial, conducted in the King Country in 2014-15, compared the treatment of poor conditioned twin bearing ewes with either CRC or Cydectin Long Acting (LA) treatment pre-lamb2. Both treatment groups produced equivalent gains for both ewe and lamb weaning weights and were significantly heavier than the untreated ewes (i.e. ewe weaning weight advantage over untreated group for CRC = 3.7kg and Cydectin LA = 3.3kg – lamb weaning weight over untreated group for CRC = 2.6kg and Cydectin LA = 2.6kg). When the production gains from any of the long acting treatments are the same, choosing which product to use will depend largely on practical factors, such as the ease of administration and price. Cydectin Long Acting Injection for Sheep is easier to administer than capsules and cheaper per ewe, resulting in a better return on investment. The use of long acting products pre-lamb has the potential to increase drench resistance. Therefore, these products should be used with care and not all ewes within a flock should be treated. Leaving some ewes untreated will help slow the

development of drench resistance. The logical treatment choice for twin bearing ewes that are in poor body condition is a long acting product, e.g. Cydectin Long Acting Injection. Medium acting products such as Eweguard® can be used on single ewes that are in poor condition. Good conditioned ewes should not need drenching if feed levels are adequate. However, where feed levels are poor, good conditioned twin ewes may benefit from a medium acting treatment. For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Zoetis. Zoetis New Zealand Limited. Tel: 0800 963 847; www.zoetis.co.nz. CYDECTIN, EWEGUARD and STARTECT are registered trademarks of Zoetis Inc. or its subsidiaries. ACVM No’s A7302, A9926 and A10353. All other trademarks referenced are trademarks of their respective owners.

References: 1. C.M. Miller, S Ganesh, C.B. Garland and D.M. Leathwick. Production benefits from pre and post-lambing anthelmintic treatment of ewes on commercial farms in the southern North Island of New Zealand, New Zealand Veterinary Journal 63, 211-219, 2015. 2. C Bingham. Comparison of the production effects of two different long acting pre-lamb treatments in twin bearing ewes. Proceedings of the Society of Sheep and Beef Veterinarians of the NZVA 2016.

This is a guideline only. For further advice please consult your animal health advisor.

28 | THE FARMLANDER

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Pre-lamb - more antibodies when you need them! Why is pre-lamb vaccination important? Lambs are born without antibodies and rely on antibodies in the ewe’s colostrum for protection against clostridial diseases including Pulpy Kidney and tetanus. Clostridial vaccination of the ewe just prior to lambing is utilised on most New Zealand farms to maximise the level of antibodies lambs receive in colostrum. Lambs cannot get any antibodies from their mother via the placenta (compared to other animals, including humans, who can), so they are reliant on suckling good amounts of quality colostrum soon after birth. The gut of the newborn lamb is best at absorbing these antibodies within the first 6-12 hours of life, so it’s crucial this colostrum is the best quality and volume possible. The duration of protection gained by the suckling lamb is determined by the amount of antibody absorbed from colostrum. Inadequate levels of antibody intake by lambs can be seen with: • Poor mothering ability

and produce poorer quality colostrum – so you want the highest potency and longest lasting vaccine available. The vaccine you choose at pre-lamb is one of the factors that determines the level of antibodies available for suckling lambs. Nilvax is a high potency, longer acting 5-in-1 vaccine that also contains levamisole, which can be used as part of a combination treatment to help protect against worm burden. Importantly, the levamisole also acts as an immune stimulant, meaning a much better response to vaccination and higher antibody levels than other 5-in-1 vaccines. In a trial comparing the immune response of twin-bearing ewes to different pre-lamb vaccines, significant differences were seen between vaccines. Not all vaccines are created equal as seen below in Figure 1: “Pre-lamb Ewe Vaccination – Comparing Apples with Apples”. Dr. John Moffat – Proceedings of Society of Sheep and Beef Vets Annual Seminar 2004. Figure 1:

• Inadequate milk production • Weak sucklers • Multiples – who share colostrum • Low antibody production in the ewe Pre-lamb clostridial vaccination aims to negate this last point – by boosting the ewe’s antibody levels just prior to colostrum production. Younger ewes, those heavily pregnant with multiple lambs and those in lower condition or under nutritional stress may be less able to respond well to vaccination

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conditions seen this summer in some districts, ewes may be lighter than ideal and as a result, may be less likely to respond well to vaccination. When ewes are vaccinated pre-lamb with Nilvax, this results in more clostridial antibodies in their colostrum. What does more antibodies mean for your farm? • Ewes can be vaccinated earlier – up to 6 weeks before lambing. This decreases the risk of sleepy sickness caused by mustering and yarding close to lambing. • Ewes are more likely to respond to vaccination. • More antibodies are available to suckling lambs – important as multiple lambs. • Share colostrum. • Lambs are protected for longer – up to 16 weeks of age. Nilvax can be used with more flexible timing than other 5-in-1 vaccines, allowing you to choose the length of protection you need for your lambs and helping with time management. If used with similar timing to other 5-in-1 vaccines, you will get protection longer towards weaning time. Alternatively, you can use it earlier. The choice is yours. For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Coopers Animal Health.

Eweguard and Ultravac are registered brands of Zoetis New Zealand Limited.

ACVM No: A0934 ®Registered trademark.

Given the dry season and tight feed

THE FARMLANDER | 29

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Farm trial demonstrates compelling results Clostridial vaccination (e.g. “5-in-1”) of sheep and cattle is common on New Zealand farms to provide protection from the likes of Pulpy Kidney, tetanus and black leg.

colostrum) and 14 days after weaning (to see how they responded to the course of vaccines they received, first shot at tailing and second booster

MSD / Coopers Animal Health has recently completed a New Zealand study looking at the transfer of clostridial protection from ewes vaccinated pre-lamb to their lambs and the effect these Maternally Derived Antibodies (MDA) have on the lamb’s protective antibody levels at tailing and weaning.

The trial was held on a Wairarapa farm using twin-bearing Romney two-tooth ewes. Ewes were given Multine or an alternate pre-lamb vaccine at the recommended time of 2-4 weeks pre-lambing. Their twin lambs were then randomly allocated to receive either Multine or an alternative product at tailing and a booster of the same product at weaning. The trial delivered some compelling results.

Each lamb is born without antibodies, and they depend entirely on the amount and quality of colostrum they drink to obtain disease protection. In the case of multiple lamb bearing ewes, the amount of colostrum in the milk is divided between 2 or 3 lambs. So, the higher the concentration of protective antibodies in the colostrum the lambs drink, the better. In this trial, the lambs were blood tested at tailing (before the first shot, to give an indication of protective MDA levels received from their mother’s

30 | THE FARMLANDER

shot at weaning).

protective antibodies transferred to their lambs. As a result, the Multine vaccinated lambs have high protection levels, which may enhance their survival over the risky tailing-weaning period. For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Coopers Animal Health. ACVM No: A0934 ®Registered trademark.

The level of Pulpy Kidney protective antibodies present in the lambs at tailing (before their first vaccine dose, indicating the amount of protection passed on from the ewe) was more than double when vaccinated with Multine, compared with the alternate product. Similarly, the tetanus antitoxin was also approximately 30 percent higher. It is clear that ewes pre-lamb vaccinated with Multine have

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

New portable data collection for farmers The next generation in EID stick readers makes set-up, connection, recording and transferring information easy. The XRS2 and SRS2 from Tru-Test build on the success of New Zealand farmers’ favourite EID reader, the XRS, which is widely regarded as having set the standard for measurement accuracy and ease of use in EID stick readers. Tru-Test Product Manager Steven Whitaker says the changes reflect the rapid advances in the ‘intuitiveness’ of information technology more generally. “The XRS was conceived almost 8 years ago and launched in 2011. The changes we have made since then are evolutionary, built on a particularly strong foundation.” The main advances are in ease of capturing, editing and viewing information, thanks to a bigger daylight viewable screen with larger fonts and simpler navigation with quick access keys. The XRS2 has an alphanumeric keypad for fast entry of information such as condition scores or breed and can

capture up to 15 fields of information for each individual animal. Entering and/or editing visual tags, typing in notes, editing session information and reopening a session to add more animals is easy. Craig Foote, from Breedtech Hawke’s Bay, notes that “the XRS2 has all the great attributes of the old stick reader. It’s still rugged and reliable and reads EID tags at a speed second to none but now I can add a whole bunch of customisable data as well, on the go”. Steven says one of the most important attributes of the XRS2 and SRS2 is durability. “This technology needs to have the sophistication of a mobile phone yet be rugged for the harsh farming environment. It also needs

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to allow the user to be durable – to operate for long hours without stress or fatigue.” The XRS2 is designed to help famers capture and manage individual animal data, while the SRS2 is for farmers who want to read tags but not necessarily capture other data beyond EID tags on the stick reader. The XRS2 and SRS2 are part of the integrated range of Tru-Test solutions for tracking, weighing and measuring animal performance. For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Tru-Test.

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NUTRITION

Bottle rearing lambs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; fun and financially rewarding Rearing orphan and surplus lambs can be both a profitable and rewarding process. It can give you peace of mind that you are capturing all of the production potential of your prolific flock and have the ability to respond to sudden ewe deaths. Sheep fertility has increased significantly in recent years, with the New Zealand average lambing percentage jumping from 100 percent in the 1980s to more than 130 percent these days, with top performing sheep farmers attaining in excess of 150 percent. More twins invariably means more triplets, which some ewes may struggle to rear. Rearing lambs is also not just restricted to the commercial farmer and lamb rearing is a task enjoyed by many come spring, especially as school pet day rolls around! Colostrum is the initial key to orphan lamb survivability and it is crucial to feed lambs 10 percent of their body weight in good quality colostrum with high levels of immunoglobulins within

the first 12 hours of life, with the first feed given as quickly as possible after birth. A nutritionally balanced and highly digestible milk powder is then essential for supporting good lamb growth rates. Reliance Feed Milk is a great choice, as it is specially formulated to meet the requirements of growing young animals. Abomasal bloat can be a common issue when rearing lambs and this is because as a species, they are designed to have lots of little milk feeds over a day rather than a few larger ones. When the abomasum (the compartment of the gastrointestinal system that digests milk) is overloaded during a single feed problems can occur â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the right-hand side of the animal may start to bloat out and the animal can die fairly quickly if the built up gas is not released. Of course we can feed lambs smaller volumes of milk more regularly during the day to avoid overwhelming the abomasum, however we can also take the extra step of adding yoghurt into the milk to help prevent abomasal bloat. Meat and Wool

New Zealand has a great factsheet on how to use yoghurt to prevent abomasal bloat, which is available online or you can talk to your local Farmlands store for more information. Profitable lamb rearing is also reliant on good rumen development that can support early weaning and minimise post-weaning growth checks. Hard feed stimulates papillae development in the rumen and should be offered to lambs ad-lib from day 1, in order to prepare them for digesting high fibre pasture. Farmlands has a few options to choose from that are specifically designed for lambs (who have quite different requirements compared to calves). Reliance Lamb Start Mix is a muesli style feed that is perfect for younger lambs, as its molassed nature makes it highly attractive to animals new to hard feed. Reliance Lamb Performance Pellets are another great option. Both Reliance products contain Gutboosta, which is a unique blend of essential oils and prebiotics to stimulate feed intake and improve gut health. Both products also contain 19 percent protein that helps to support good frame and muscle growth, which is important when the goal is healthy, well-grown lambs. Reliance lamb feeds can also be used to promote fast growing lambs on ewes, or where there is a large number of twins and triplets and the quantity of milk is limiting growth rates. Visit your local Farmlands store for all the information and tools that you will need for successful lamb rearing this season. Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, Assistant Nutritionist, Farmlands Nutrition.

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NUTRITION

Farmlands Lifestyle Guide â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something a little bit different The idea of being more self-sufficient and knowing where your food has come from and how it has been produced appeals to a growing number of people. For commercial farmers who have land or those fortunate enough to be able to live on or buy a lifestyle block, opportunities abound in New Zealand for a lifestyle dream to become a reality. Getting the right advice and support can help prevent a dream turning into a nightmare. Collectively, the staff at Farmlands have a vast wealth of knowledge about how to farm livestock for health and productivity. Hoping to stimulate dialogue and counter the misconception that a lifestyle block is a life sentence, Farmlands Nutrition has created the Lifestyle Guide. Written by commercial nutritionists to help newcomers gain confidence and increase the rewards from their lifestyle activities, it explains the basics of nutrition and introduces people to different stock they may not have considered. Packed with interesting information, this beautifully presented publication is available free at your local Farmlands store. Would you rather be eating eggs your own chooks laid yesterday and have a surplus you can sell or give away to family and friends? Would you like your pork or bacon to have been preserved in the old fashioned way, knowing that it came from pigs you raised in a stressfree environment? Would you like to help preserve heritage breeds whose genetic diversity could one day prove to be as valuable as their beauty? Have

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GET YOUR COPY INSTORE SOON! WH ILE STOC

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you seen alpacas and llamas at shows and wondered what these exotic South American camelids require to keep healthy, having been transported to New Zealand from the Andes? Do you want to enjoy the pleasure of owning a pony, horse or donkey without the pressure of competition? Are you tired of selling standing grass or maize at the mercy of prices set by local supply and demand and wish you could be finishing beef for your freezer and selling surplus to the meat works? Does your family enjoy drinking some of the expensive bottled milk that is available nowadays but wish it was coming from your own cow? Do you want to be enjoying lamb shanks from your own sheep or making cheese from you own goats? If your block is deer fenced and has appropriate yards, are deer an option? If space is really limited, would rabbits fill a hole in your life? Trying new ventures on a small

scale is a good way to find out if they suit your farm and provide the rewards you desire, without many of the risks and challenges associated with large scale commercial farming. Farmlands is a co-operative that values all its shareholders, regardless of their size or activity and will continue to strive to support everyone who rewards us with their patronage. Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Nutritionist, Farmlands Nutrition.

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NUTRITION

Getting it right by Karen Fraser

I’ve learned from experience that if you work harder at it, apply more energy and time to it and more consistency, you get a better result. It comes from work ethic.

and again after travel. Our trailers are cleaned DAILY and sprayed with disinfectant.

Diarrhoea leads to:

With bedding in the trailer, it becomes easier on the calf and easy to clean out.

Loss of ENERGY

Organising is what I do before I do something, so that when you do it, it’s not all mixed up.

You have reduced stress and exposure of the calves and it has made the first feeding of “Colostrum Gold” so much easier. Your calf rearing has begun smoothly but watch for calf scours – your reactions must be fast or dehydration ruins the calves’ chance of survival.

Spring calving is knocking at the door and your planning is about to pay off. The hard work is going to hit you like a freight train – are you physically ready for it? You have a plan for your calves but did you implement a plan for you or your potential calf rearers, to be fit and full of energy? Being fit and ready to lift cold, wet calves from trailers? Being able to bend over the calf to start them, able to carry bags of feed, buckets of milk, energy needed to keep you positive for the busy months ahead? Getting all the little things right keeps you proactive. Transporting your precious cargo even short distances on an overcrowded or dirty trailer can have a devastating effect on joints and navel cord, leading to joint ill, navel infection or septic arthritis. The damage done can be significant and often irreversible. The incidence of navel infection can be as high as 25 percent! The future of this calf is in serious doubt. Remember this is the damage that YOU can do within the first hour of handling that valuable calf. Take care of the calves, drive slowly, cover to stop wind chill. Go back to the paddock for another load – do not overload the trailer as this is how they get injured. Spray navels with a good iodine before travelling

34 | THE FARMLANDER

• Nutritional factors – cold milk feeding, changes in volume, overfeeding or diet and environment (i.e. wet, cold weather). • Infectious agents – rotovirus, cryptosporidium, corona virus, salmonella, bovine viral (BVD) and coccidiosis. Identifying the cause by colour, consistency or odour of the faeces is not ideal. Our team uses clinical thermometers for the best diagnoses. Also lab testing, if you want to put a name to it. Rule of thumb: nutritional scour has a normal temperature (38oC-39.5oC), while calves affected with a viral infection will usually show a fever (39.5oC-42oC). The thermometer is also useful at monitoring the success of your treatment.

Loss of body WATER Loss of body SALTS (electrolytes) Most calf losses are due to dehydration, loss of electrolytes and energy and NOT to the direct effect of the infectious agent. • Use a high quality electrolyte – not all are created equal. •

Learn to use a tube-drencher – they save calves and save considerable time for calf rearers.

Aim to increase fluid intake to replace fluid loss – this means at least 6L into the calf per day. We do not take the milk feeds away as no electrolyte or supplement supplies more energy than milk. Withdrawing milk can mean nutritional scours when it is restarted. I can’t stress enough that successful calf rearing begins at birth and your contribution makes all the difference. Article supplied by Karen Fraser, Young Stock Manager.

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NUTRITION

Understanding ‘DCAD’ for milk fever prevention Milk is a product that is packed full of calcium to help support the skeletal growth of the young animals it is designed for. However, due to this feature of milk, hypocalcaemia is a common condition observed in cows in early lactation due to the huge increase in milk production post-calving. Over time we have genetically selected cows for exceptional milk production, which is great for filling up the vat but it can put pressure on cows in early lactation as the metabolic system and appetite lags behind milk production. Although there are large calcium reserves found in the bones of animals, this calcium is essentially ‘locked up’ and it is not available to rapidly pull into the blood stream for partitioning into milk at the onset of lactation. This is why we see cows go down with milk fever, the classic sign of hypocalcaemia, however we cannot forget the effect subclinical milk fever has on production and fertility either. One effective way to prevent milk fever is to manipulate the ‘dietary cation anion difference’ (DCAD) value of the diet in the 2-4 weeks immediately prior to calving, which effectively ‘tricks’ cows into mobilising calcium from their bones. We can do this by adding anionic salts into the diet, which decreases the DCAD value of the diet and slightly acidifies the blood. In order to counter the increasing acidification of the blood the body switches on bone calcium mobilisation pathways and increases calcium absorption from the diet in an attempt to buffer the blood. This state of mild

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metabolic acidosis pre-calving ensures that when a cow calves, it already has all the right metabolic pathways switched on and it will be better set up to direct large quantities of calcium into milk. It’s essentially giving cows a head-start on lactating. What are anionic salts? Anionic salts are compounds that are classed as dietary anions – they are acidic and cause a small decrease in blood pH when included in the diet. Common anionic salts include ammonium chloride/sulphate and magnesium chloride/sulphate. They are perfectly safe to add into the diet at the levels typically recommended as they produce only a mild state of metabolic acidosis. It’s best to use a mix of at least two different anionic salts when putting together a pre-calving feed. The DCAD balance of a diet There are a multitude of equations used to work out the DCAD balance of the diet but the most commonly used is: DCAD balance of diet = (Sodium (Na) + Potassium (K)) – (Chloride (Cl) + Sulphur (S)). In New Zealand however, the calculated DCAD value of the diet is less important, as our cows are on pasture and are exposed to higher DCAD value diets than overseas cows. A better aim is to lower the DCAD value of the diet as much as possible by using anionic salts and avoiding feeding animals pasture that has had effluent applied (as this has a high potassium level). The change in DCAD is more important than the actual level achieved.

Adding anionic salts to the diet Adding anionic salts to the diet can be as easy as feeding a pre-calving pellet that has the appropriate level of anionic salts included. When fed at the recommended rate in the 2-4 weeks before calving, these feeds can be saviours when it comes to reducing milk fever in a herd. Unfortunately, feeds containing anionic salt do not tend to be the most palatable feeds due to the presence of aromatic compounds, so a little more perseverance is required when initially offering the feed to cows. The benefits that pre-calf feeding of anionic salts offers outweighs the extra effort required to get the cows onto the feed however, with a significant reduction in clinical cases of milk fever and subclinical milk fever. Anionic salts should only be fed in the 2-4 week period directly prior to calving. If fed for a longer period of time the body adapts to the state of mild acidosis and the benefits seen post-calving will not be as significant. The feeding of anionic salts should cease the day an animal calves. For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, Assistant Nutritionist, Farmlands Nutrition.

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NUTRITION

Dog food, it’s all the same, right? Wrong! Working dogs in New Zealand are athletes, the long distance runners on-farm, covering up to 100 kilometres a day, much of it at 20-30km/h. Like any athlete, working dogs are very susceptible to muscle injuries – even the best dogs will inevitably experience injuries. The result is that your dog, a key resource on your farm, will not be performing to its potential. Imagine if another machine on your farm was only working at 50 percent efficiency. Ultimately, reduced efficiency equals reduced profit for farmers. Like any high performance athlete (or you), working dogs need protein to rebuild and repair their muscles after a hard day’s work in the field. As with humans, high protein diets reduce muscle injuries in working dogs. In 1996, a study (Reynolds et al 1996) was carried out that compared protein levels in dog food. One had 18 percent metabolisable protein, the other had 24 percent metabolisable protein. The dogs that were fed the lower protein diet sustained significantly more muscle injuries compared to the dogs that were fed the higher protein food. For the higher protein food the dogs were sustaining fewer injuries. It is important to note that AFFCO recommends a minimum protein level of 18 percent for a dog food to be complete and balanced. Ingredients on pack are listed in order, with the ingredient making up the biggest proportion of the product listed first and the smallest last. If the first ingredient is ‘cereals and cereal by-products’, this means that

36 | THE FARMLANDER

cereals make up the biggest proportion of the food. It’s important to think about the percentage of protein in your dog’s food but it’s not the only consideration. The digestibility of the protein also plays an important role. Protein comes from different sources, including animals (meat) and plants. Although proteins sourced from meat and plants are both classed as proteins, they are digested differently by your dog. One way to measure the digestibility is by looking at the amount to feed each day – feeding guidelines can be found on pack. The less ‘grams per’ usually means a higher digestibility. It also ensures your dog is getting the right amount of nutrition and energy to work longer and harder. This is where dog food pricing differs greatly. Next time you consider buying dog food, look at the feeding guides on pack. The less you have to feed, the

longer the bag will last, saving you time and money. The cheapest bag is not always the cheapest option. So not only does Pedigree® Working Dog Formula have a higher percent of protein than other mainstream dog foods (formulated to market leading quality guidelines) but the protein comes from real meat, to assist in muscle recovery and to deliver peak performance from working dogs. Pedigree may also deliver on your bottom line, with a cost of less than a $1.00 per day.* For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Pedigree. References: Reynolds, A. J., Taylor, C. R., Hoppeler, H., Weibel, E. R., Weyand, P. R. T. and Reinhart, G. A. (1996). The effect of diet on sled dog performance, oxidative capacity, skeletal muscle microstructure, and muscle glycogen metabolism. *Based on recommended promotional pricing for 20kg pack size.

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NUTRITION

Feeding to support the horse’s immune system The foundation of a horse’s nutrition management should be a diet based on high quality forage, supplemented with additional energy sources such as grain, to provide extra calories for whatever exercise the horse is asked to perform. It is also important to provide a balanced diet that meets all requirements for essential vitamins and trace minerals. In idle and lightly exercised horses, forage and low levels of a well formulated feed or balancer pellet is likely to provide enough nutrients to keep the immune system healthy. However for many horses, the demands of training, performance, travel, weather, parasites or even herd dynamics raise the stress level of everyday routines, putting the immune system under pressure. Feeding with an eye to immune system support can help prevent illness for atrisk horses. Nutrients such as protein, selenium and vitamins A, C, and E are particularly important in helping the horse avoid illness. Protein is needed to maintain and repair body tissues and also to produce enzymes and antibodies that fight infection. High quality protein supplies amino acids that the horse is unable to synthesise, so they are particularly important for young horses that are producing rather than simply maintaining muscle and connective tissue, in addition to disease-fighting components. Selenium and vitamin E work together to neutralise free radicals and support the production of antibodies. Naturalsource vitamin E is absorbed more

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easily than synthetic forms. While selenium and vitamin E are both important in boosting immune function, each can be detrimental if levels are too high. Over-supplementation with vitamin E can interfere with the body’s absorption of vitamin A and extreme amounts of selenium are highly toxic. Vitamin A plays an important role in enhancing the function of white blood cells that are on the front line of immune response. Green plants supply beta carotene, which is used in the horse’s body to produce vitamin A, so simply turning a horse out to graze in a fertile, well-managed pasture with a variety of grasses and legumes is a good start towards maintaining overall health and immunity. Turn-out allows horses to exercise freely and interact with their pasture buddies. For animals designed to move around, eat more or less continuously and live in a herd, this is the most natural management pattern and as such it prevents immune-depressing stress caused by hunger, social isolation and confinement.

Grasses and legumes provide a significant portion of a horse’s requirements for vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, fibre and fluid. However, because of season or lack of pasture space, many horses may spend little or no time grazing. Pasture is often replaced with hay, which provides plenty of fibre but can be lower in important immune boosting nutrients, as levels of these can drop quickly after hay is baled. Owners can be sure they are providing everything necessary to support immune function in their horses by maximising turn-out, feeding the freshest hay possible and supplementing with a fortified concentrate. For horses that don’t need the calories a balancer pellet is a great choice, as this supplies protein, vitamins and minerals in a concentrated, low-energy form. For further information on providing your horse with a balanced diet to assist with improving immunity, contact a reputable nutrition advisor. Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Equine Nutrition Technical Advisor, Farmlands Nutrition.

THE FARMLANDER | 37

Support the Cause! Purchase any bag of Milligans ExcelPlus Calf Milk Replacer and $2 PER BAG will go towards The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation*. Check out the great range of Milligans products in-store. Calf Milk Replacers | Multi-Milk Replacer | ExcelPlus Colostrum | ExcelPlus Electrolyte

FAR_05022

*Terms and Conditions apply. See www.farmlands.co.nz/milligans for details.

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Winter stock water system maintenance The approach of winter is an ideal time to assess the risk factors and maintenance requirements for your stock water system. Good management of the water resource on-farm delivers cost saving in terms minimising water wastage in metered systems and/or power costs in pumped systems. Regular maintenance ensures continuity of water supply and the production benefits that this delivers, minimises the chance of major failures and the subsequent down time and fix up costs. A good place to start when considering regular water reticulation system maintenance is to understand the system parts and where the risks lie. Have a map that shows the system components and display it prominently, so you and your staff can easily access the information. Reticulation system components include the water source, pump, water storage, pipelines, valves and troughs. Starting with the natural water sources, such as springs, dams or streams, check the intake pipe is not blocked or damaged and floats, filters and foot-valves are in place and in serviceable condition. Issues here can lead to dirty water in the line, delivering less palatable water to stock and causing performance issues at the trough ballcock. For systems relying on a pump, a regular maintenance programme is essential. Have your pump’s make and model and service provider’s contact number readily available – in the pump shed is good. Seek their advice on what you can do in regard to routine maintenance and what they suggest in terms of a regular professional check-up.

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Assess your reservoirs in regard to structural integrity, plumbing connections, water level indicators and cleanliness. Replace or repair weeping fitting joints, repair cracks in concrete tanks with an epoxy filler such as Humebond and clean the tank out if it has significant internal sediment or organic matter build up.

Manufacturer’s recommendation in regard to maintenance should be adhered to and service kits are readily available off the shelf. Straighten bent ballcock arms, reapply thread tape on leaking joints, if required empty and clean the trough and reapply metal surrounding the trough to stop it becoming a boggy mess over winter.

Map your pipeline route and identify the system components – pipe diameters, pressure ratings, valves and lateral takeoffs. GPS captured data digitally overlaid on your farm map is a great way to do this. Monitor water use – excessive use and or wet patches along the pipeline may indicate a leak. A 2mm hole in a pipe can lose 14 cubic metres a day! This comes with a usage cost in community systems and additional power costs in pumped networks.

Planned water system maintenance is both an environmental and financially sound proposition. For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article suplied by Iplex.

Unburied plastic pipelines are areas of additional risk, as they are more prone to mechanical damage from machinery and/or stock, can degrade by continuous exposure to UV light and may become pressure compromised at elevated temperatures. Bury your pipelines when practical – it’s the best protection you can give them. If you can’t, locate pipes at the base of fencelines and allow pasture cover to limit UV exposure and elevated temperature. Trough valves do require regular maintenance. They are affected by indifferent water quality, frost and the general wear and tear of moving parts.

THE FARMLANDER | 39

METRIC COMPRESSION FITTINGS

SERIES

PUSH FIT • • • •

Low insertion pressure No nut to tighten Tools not required Easy connection in tight spaces - in trench - bottom entry troughs

COMPACT DESIGN • • • • •

Smaller fitting More streamlined design than traditional fitting Fits through chute of mole-plough Above ground connection Fast installation

AESTHETICALLY PLEASING • Professional finish to exposed pipework

QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Complies to AS/NZ 4129 fittings for polyethylene (PE) pipes for pressure applications • 50 year minimum design life

COMPATIBILITY

• Metric pipe 20mm to 63mm OD • 6.3-bar to 16-bar pipe • 20mm and 25mm Alkathene LDPE

TAMPER RESISTANT

• Tool required for disassembly • Ideal for pump shed, head-works tank connections and wingbacks

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



Available on request from your local Farmlands store.

DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Calf rearing now easier with new mobile feeder range The annual toil of calf rearing just got a whole lot easier with the timely launch of a premium new mobile calf feeder range designed to save farmers time, money and effort. The new 2020 MG and OT mobile feeder range has been created in response to what farmers have said they need most to make back-bending, time-consuming calf rearing work easier, says New Zealand’s calf feeder specialist Stallion Plastics’ CEO and dairy farmer Grant Allen.

designed, developed and trialled – and launched a range that’s proven to make calf rearing easier, cleaner, quicker, safer and more efficient than ever before.

• Enhanced stability with lower point of gravity

“I know first-hand the pressures the low milk pay-out is placing on farmers’ budgets and we’re confident this range takes mobile feeders to the next level of innovation in providing a top quality, usertailored product for excellent value for money. Farmers who’ve trialled the range have given excellent feedback.”

• Easy ‘click and clean’ washing system

“We’ve spent a lot of time talking to seasoned dairy farmers and I look at what works – and what doesn’t – on my own farm. In particular, we get feedback from time-challenged farming women heavily involved in calf rearing and cleaning feeding equipment,” Grant says.

Key features of the new range, which consists of eight different models to suit a variety of needs and preferences, include:

“They’ve told us they want mobile feeders with increased stability and strength, a greater tank capacity, more accessibility and easier cleaning. So we’ve researched,

• New larger tank lids with three-way locking system (more accessible and built to withstand high wind)

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• New larger 500 and 1,000 litre tanks • Newly designed tanks (easier to clean) • Lower inspection visibility with repositioned side access

• Stronger frame with heavier gauge galvanised steel • New easy to turn Hansen taps (great for cold, tired hands) • New outer plastic coating that repels dirt and is easy to clean The range was launched, along with other new products (including a new larger 2.5 litre feeder bottle and a new goat feeder range), at National Fieldays. All products are listed in Stallion’s new 2016 product brochure and on the website www.stallion.co.nz (where a handy mobile feeder demonstration video can also be viewed). For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Stallion Plastics.

THE FARMLANDER | 41

DAIRY MANAGEMENT

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PRODUCT

PRICE

8,999.00

103.00

12.12

132.00

16.97

29.00

Milk Tanker Mixer 60 Teat 800L

156804

Poly Drinker 8L

117450

Hay Feeder Pen 60L

156906

Calfateria Drencher 2.5L

192457

Head into your local Farmlands store today and check out the Stallion range.

SAVE

999.00

13.50

FORAGE AND ARABLE

Forage options following winter brassica The ability to produce high quality feed quickly and efficiently onfarm is becoming more and more important. As the feeding of winter brassicas comes to an end, decisions need to be made now on what to follow these crops with. Manawatu farmer Stephen Barr chooses Monty forage barley to provide him with a flexible option for whole crop cereal silage. On his dairy farm at Colyton near Feilding, Stephen has been challenged by autumn sowings of cereals in the past, due to having clay based soils. After discussions with his Farmlands Technical Field Officer Lyle Cuming, Stephen decided to try a spring sowing of Monty forage barley. First sown 3 years ago in spring, Stephen has been impressed by its efficiency and the flexibility it allows him. Forage cereals tolerate cold soils and can be sown from very early spring, to generate a large amount of whole crop cereal silage by early/mid summer. Farmers like Stephen, who are wanting maximum yields of high carbohydrate silage, should take a crop of either Crackerjack triticale or Monty forage barley through to the whole crop stage. Triticale is a high yielding option if planted early spring (July to September), providing there is minimal risk of running out of moisture. Barley becomes a better option when sowing later (October – November), as it is a faster maturing option, meaning it avoids potential drought stress before harvest. Being faster to maturity than triticale, Stephen sows his Monty forage

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barley in mid-November and harvests approximately 90 days later in midFebruary. The rapid growth of the crop allows him plenty of time to follow the Monty with new pasture and get it established early. Best fit for whole crop cereal silage, Stephen uses his crop as a carbohydrate source in a mixed ration for his cows in-milk. “Monty provides a cost efficient carbohydrate source to be a component in the mixed ration.” Monty’s most differentiating feature is its reduced awns. Conventional barley has hard, spiky awns that can remain quite sharp in the stack. Monty is unique in this respect, having reduced awns that minimise the damage conventional awns can

do to soft, sensitive mouths, reducing animal stress and maintaining animal performance. As a medium-maturity spring barley, Monty has high grain and silage yields and the feed quality is very good due to the high grain content. Achieving yields of 10-12t DM/ha Stephen is pleased with what Monty has been able to deliver. Taking 90 days until harvest, Stephen is provided with extra flexibility when making his pasture renewal decisions. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agricom.

THE FARMLANDER | 43

FORAGE AND ARABLE

Flexibility the key for cereal growers A new release herbicide with a long application window means problem weeds in cereal crops can be dealt with in a timely way, even during severe winter cold. Methven arable farmer Ron Hydes was advised to try the herbicide Paradigm, after a large early infestation of the problem weed fumitory in an April-sown wheat crop. “About a week after application, several inches of snow fell and it was extremely cold and I believe the previous chemical I have used would have been struggling to do the job. “It was a different mode of action and it took a while to kill the weeds, which turned skeletal and then suddenly were gone. “Having a wide application window from three leaf stage to full flag leaf emergence (growth stage 13 to 39) gives us great flexibility and means it can be applied at the optimum time for weed control. It was also used late, at growth stage 39, on extremely large fumitory, when there were virtually no other chemical options available.” The short 7 day withholding period also opens options for silage and more flexibility with grazing. Cereals are a good opportunity to clean up weeds before following with a specialist seed crop, Ron says. He farms 145 hectares as well as land leased from a family trust, with the property entirely cropped. About 30

44 | THE FARMLANDER

to 50 percent of the farm is normally planted in cereals, with the remainder in small seed production, mainly ryegrass, white clover, cocksfoot and brassica for seed. Paradigm’s compatibility with other agrichemicals means it can be mixed in the tank with a range of other herbicides as well as fungicides, insecticides and plant growth regulators, reducing the number of crop passes and saving time and money.

“We have a limited tool box, so I am extremely supportive of new chemistry.” Trialled in Canterbury, Paradigm contains the new active ingredient Arylex and is suitable for barley, wheat and triticale, with no loss of yield. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Dow AgroSciences.

When planting wheat, Paradigm is the ideal follow-up to pre-emergence applications of Firebird herbicide, as Paradigm controls the key weeds (fumitory and cornbind) not controlled by Firebird. “The two complement each other very well," Ron says.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Bringing best practice to your paddocks Health and safety has become a cornerstone of the modern farming operation. As legislation evolves, so too must the practices used to ensure your business cannot be held liable for any incident.

initiative that improves reporting of chemical use between contractor, property owner and staff.

Whether a farmer, orchardist, grower or contractor, there is a responsibility to inform and educate your staff, neighbours and visitors about any risk faced when entering your property.

of a sprayed paddock were limited.

To help keep everyone informed of the practices and programmes being undertaken on your property, Farmlands and Rural Contractors New Zealand have teamed up to create a paddock spray tag – an easy to use

to fill a void in the market – products

– but simple can often be the most effective. The Farmlands and Rural Contractors New Zealand paddock spray tag has a number of features, including:

that ensured stock were kept out

• High visibility, bright orange

The paddock spray tag was created

By working with Rural Contractors New Zealand – and working with shareholders to ensure the practical applications of the paddock spray

colour. • Waterproof, so it lasts longer. • Areas to write essential information, such as “Sprayed

tag were on point – Farmlands has found another way to provide the resources and tools that comply with safe farm practices. It may seem like such a simple premise

with”, “Withholding period” and contact details of the contractor who has sprayed the paddock. The paddock spray tag comes in rolls of 250, which when folded in half creates 125 unique tags for your property. The tags work in the same way as a baggage tag at the airport – simply remove two of the tags from the roll and fold in half, to create an adhesive seal on a fence wire. Boost your best practice – the paddock spray tag is available now. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Farmlands.

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THE FARMLANDER | 45

FORAGE AND ARABLE

Increasing lucerne yields with effective weed control Grass and broadleaf weeds are a serious threat to the quality and viability of a lucerne stand. Weeds can reduce the nutritional value of the crop and cause significant reduction in yield, as they compete aggressively for water, nutrients, sunlight and space. The grazing/cutting of lucerne encourages weed growth. Failing to control weeds will result in poor crop performance and shorten the productive life of a lucerne stand. Gramoxone 250 (plus atrazine) provides excellent knockdown and residual control of a wide range of grass and broadleaf weeds. Applied to lucerne annually during winter when the crop is dormant, Gramoxone 250 can increase lucerne yields by

up to 30 percent and extend the productive life of a stand by many years. Why use Gramoxone 250 for weed control in lucerne • Controls wide spectrum of grass and broadleaf weeds – one treatment covers most situations. • Activated by light – works well in cold winter conditions. • Tolerated by established (dormant) lucerne – removes weeds with minimal damage to lucerne. • Increases lucerne yield and nutritional value – premium payment for better quality feed. • Prolongs productive life of lucerne stands – good return on investment. • Rainfast within 20 minutes – less dependent on weather conditions. • 25 percent more concentrated than some paraquat formulations – more hectares treated per pack and less packaging.

recover quickly. It is inactivated on contact with the soil. Gramoxone 250 contains a blue dye for identification and a stenching agent to reduce the risk of accidental ingestion. Best use advice for Gramoxone 250 in lucerne • Remove all lucerne growth by hard grazing or close cutting before use. • Allow weeds to freshen up before application. • Apply 2.4 litres/ha of Gramoxone 250 during lucerne dormancy. • Add 1kg/ha atrazine (90 percent WG) on stands older than 12 months. • Apply only to clean, healthy weed foliage. • Avoid spraying when frost is on foliage.

What is Gramoxone 250

• Ensure total coverage of weeds.

Gramoxone 250 is a non-residual, fast acting, contact herbicide containing 250g/litre paraquat in the form of a soluble concentrate. Most grasses and broadleaf weeds are controlled by Gramoxone 250, although clovers

• Use only clean water. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Syngenta.

| Lucerne and weeds.

46 | THE FARMLANDER

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HORTICULTURE

Best practice for powdery mildew The grapevine powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) life cycle has changed in recent years, increasing disease pressure. Issues around resistance have led to revaluation of the chemistry we once relied on and the use of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP), to ensure integrated chemical use.

THIOVIT 5kg/ha + PROTECTOR 0.5% (250L/ha WATER RATE)

THIOVIT 5kg/ha (250L/ha WATER RATE)

Recent Farmlands Horticulture trial work supports sulphur playing a key role in a powdery mildew integrated fungicide programme. Wettable Powder (WP) formulations of sulphur can have particle sizes up to 25 microns and consequently performance issues from poor coverage, poor adhesion, low residual activity and low vapour activity. WPs can be dusty and difficult to mix in water. Suspension Concentrate (SC) liquid sulphur formulations can contain small particles of less than 3.5 microns, which can give good coverage and vapour action but pose higher risk of phytotoxicity from penetration of leaf stomata. Given this importance of sulphur in grapes, it pays to use the best quality sulphur. Thiovit Jet is the world’s biggest selling sulphur, due to its superior micro-granule formulation and optimum particle size. It’s a Water Dispersible Granule (WDG) containing 800g/kg of sulphur. An average particle size of 4.6 microns gives the ideal balance between contact action, vapour activity, persistence and no direct leaf penetration, providing excellent crop safety. Independent analysis of five different sulphur products shows Thiovit Jet

| Black light showing up fluorescent dye placed into the spray mixture. Thiovit + Protector mixture, showing superior coverage and movement on both the leaf and bunches.

having the best particle size distribution, with 83 percent of particles in the ideal 1-8 micron range. Thiovit Jet is easy to measure, with 1kg equalling 1L in volume. It mixes easily in water, dispersing instantaneously. Thiovit Jet is now available in a new 15kg pack size, from your local Farmlands store. Coverage is king Trials conducted by Farmlands Horticulture highlighted that the addition of a good surfactant gave superior disease control compared to sulphur alone, primarily as the majority of sulphur activity is contact. Products that improve the spray cover will improve disease control. Protector has unique properties that make it a fantastic mixing partner with sulphur. Protectorhml is a pure potassium based liquid soap complex, manufactured from fractions of hml

vegetable oils – it is not and does not contain oil. Ingredients are food grade, organically approved and plant safe. Protectorhml is registered as a fungicide, with extensive research for the control of botrytis on grapes (2L/100L). However, its main viticultural use is as an adjuvant in combination with sulphur for the control of powdery mildew at 0.5 percent (500ml/100/t). Once dry, Protectorhml is not immediately soluble again – it goes through a gel state, so acting as a sticker. Sulphur and Protectorhml independent trials show this to be a robust backbone of a powdery mildew protective programme. For more information, contact your local Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Syngenta and Henry Manufacturing Limited.

Head along to your Farmlands Horticulture store on Tuesday 5th July to get a great deal on sulphur and Protector, plus expert technical advice.

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THE FARMLANDER | 47

HORTICULTURE

Giving organic growers adjuvant horsepower Following the outstanding result achieved with the adjuvant WETCIT, Farmlands Horticulture is now excited to bring OROBOOST® adjuvant to New Zealand. To put it simply, OROBOOST from Oro Agri Inc., is the “organic cousin” of WETCIT and recently received BioGro organic certification in New Zealand. OROBOOST, with patent-pending TransPhloem™ technology, gives organic growers a new tool to improve spray applications and should be in the tank of every foliar spray you make. The product contains a blend of natural plant derived extracts with bio-degradable wetting agents. This combination of components, collectively known as OROWET® technology, is patented in countries worldwide. This technology is unique and differentiates Oro Agri foliar adjuvants from other adjuvants, giving the products a new mode of action and highly effective spreading properties. At lower rates, OROBOOST is a top

performing wetter and spreader for use with contact agrichemicals. It provides uniform droplet size for even distribution of the spray solution over the leaf surface. This uniform droplet size results in more uniform coverage and therefore better agrichemical performance. It also reduces leaf run-off that can occur when droplets are too large. In addition, the excellent surface tension reducing properties of OROBOOST will carry agrichemicals into hard-to-reach areas of the plant, where insects and diseases often hide. It boosts control of tough insects like mealy bugs in grapes, thrips in onions and scale in citrus. As good as OROBOOST is as a spreader, it is its penetrating properties with systemic agrichemicals and nutrients that really sets it apart from other adjuvants. Independent university studies have shown the OROWET technology used in the formulation of OROBOOST penetrates waxy leaf surfaces and starts

48 | THE FARMLANDER

movement of the spray solution down the petiole in as little as 15 minutes. From there, the TransPhloem technology contained in OROBOOST translocates the spray materials throughout a plant’s vascular system more rapidly and in higher concentrations than other types of adjuvants like crop oils, non-ionic surfactants and methylated seed oils. This rapid movement improves agrichemical control and nutrient response. Now, with the BioGro certification of OROBOOST, organic growers have a way to maximise the performance of organic agrichemicals that is easy to use and incorporate into their pest management programmes. For more information, contact your local Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Oro Agri Inc.

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Tips and savings to get your home ready for winter! As it gets cooler, it’s a good idea to get your home ready for winter. It doesn’t take much to keep your home warm and dry and you’ll save on your energy bills. INSULATION Insulation can help cut heat loss by up to 60 percent. There are lots of different types and the higher the R rating, the more energy efficient. Here’s some tips to get the most from your insulation: •

Don’t squash or flatten insulation when installing it.

•

The corners of ceilings, walls and floors must be properly covered – that’s where most heat leaks through.

•

Don’t leave any gaps – even if you leave only 5 percent uncovered, up to 50% of the benefit goes.

•

Check all the seals on skylights, pipes and ductwork.

•

Look for gaps between floorboards.

•

Check your doors and flooring for draughts by holding a lit candle near the edges.

When installing insulation, remember your safety comes first: •

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Get your wiring inspected by a licensed electrician to make

•

Check your windows. If they rattle or you can see daylight around the edges, you’ve got air leaks.

sure it can be covered with insulation.

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downlight covers. DRAUGHT PROOFING Fixing draughts doesn’t cost much and is easy to do yourself.

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Special shareholder pricing on the above products when you shop using Farmlands Card! 3 | THE FARMLANDER

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WHAT'S NEW?

Providing safety solutions for the benefit of Farmlands shareholders and staff Farmlands takes the safety of its people very seriously and recently, the co-operative selected a new preferred supplier for the majority of its health and safety training needs Our requirement was a dependable, flexible, quality assured, specialist training organisation that would be able to support our needs using simple processes and experienced trainers. The firm needed to be able to provide high quality training solutions across a broad range of health and safety subjects and after an extensive selection process, New Zealand owned and operated firm Vertical Horizonz was selected as a preferred supplier. Vertical Horizonz was able to provide evidence they could meet all of the key factors including nationwide coverage, solid New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) audit reports and a willingness to adjust their training solutions, in order to meet the future needs of our co-operative.

With locations throughout the country, Vertical Horizonz is a Private Training Establishment (PTE) whose mission is “To Deliver Real Training That Saves Lives”. They are able to provide a wide range of training solutions with coverage across rural and farm subjects. These include:

• Driver Licensing (including quad skills) • Forklift and Crane Operations • Chainsaw Operations • Workplace First Aid and Refresher • Light Utility Vehicle and Tractor Operations • Hazard Control and Injury Prevention in a Rural Workplace • Health and Safety Representative • Drug Hazard Management

• Workplace Health and Safety Their client list includes well known New

Zealand organisations including Fonterra, Fletcher Building, Vodafone, Carter Holt Harvey, Affco and now Farmlands. Farmlands is pleased to advise shareholders that Vertical Horizonz is now a Farmlands Card Partner and shareholders are able to use their Farmlands Card in order to access any of their scheduled courses. Shareholders can view and book public courses via the Vertical Horizonz website (www.verticalhorizonz.com) or contact them via phone 0800 723 3848. We are always looking for smarter ways of doing things and Farmlands is excited to offer shareholders access to training courses alongside Farmlands staff. This initiative will enable staff and shareholders to access quality training within their local community wherever possible. Shareholders will be able to use their. Card to gain a 7.5% rebate and at the same time, accumulate Choices Rewards Points. Look out for more details of Vertical Horizonz training courses as they appear in your regions. Article supplied by Farmlands Learning and Development team.

52 | THE FARMLANDER

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Works for you

GET FARM BUILDINGS AND CONTENTS INSURANCE. BECAUSE FIRE WILL HELP ITSELF TO EVERYTHING.

Living in rural areas can increase the damage a fire can cause to your property, as it takes longer for emergency services to reach you. Which means good insurance is absolutely essential, especially for your farm buildings and their valuable contents. With FMG, you’ll also receive a 2% Farmlands shareholder rebate when you pay your FMG bill directly through your Farmlands Account. If that sounds like the kind of insurance you should have, ask around about us. Or better still, call 0800 366 466.

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We’re here for the good of the country.

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THE FARMLANDER | 53

LIM ITE D

Farmlands Finance

•

EN DS TIM 31 st E O JU NL LY Y

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IR •H

•

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Call 0800 200 600 or email loan@farmlands.co.nz Terms, Conditions and eligibility criteria apply for Farmlands Finance Limited products. Hire Purchase loans attract a one-off $150 setup fee. Minimum loan $5,000 - maximum loan $500,000. Maximum term 36 months. Applies to applications made and approved by 31st July 2016. Rate available for Hire Purchase loans only. The 7.45% interest rate is fixed for the term of the Hire Purchase loan term. No deposit offer applies to new equipment only. *Source: www.interest.co.nz

FROM

9.45%*

p.a.

Farmlands Finance

RENEW Renew is the key to unlocking your equity to help you through those tough farming times.

Your co-operative understands that farming is a roller coaster of highs and lows. When times are tough and cash flow is tight, sometimes a cash injection is whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed to get you through. A Renew Loan is a short-term financial helping hand to restore productivity. Whether you need to re-stock, renew your pasture or maintain your infrastructure, Renew is there to aid in faster recovery and continued growth. Talk to us today about how Renew can help you fight back from adverse conditions.

Contact the Farmlands Finance team now to find out more.

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www.farmlands.co.nz/renew | loan@farmlands.co.nz | 0800 200 600 Terms, conditions and eligibility criteria apply for Farmlands Finance Limited products.

Works for you

56 | THE FARMLANDER

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Maintaining a healthy and safe operation Good maintenance of property and equipment plays a vital role in farm health and safety. This includes ensuring your fencing – and therefore stock – are secure, checking the tyre pressure on the quad bike before you tackle rough terrain, making sure the brakes on the tractor are working or keeping the lanes or tracks in good shape. “As with any business, maintenance or repair tasks can involve some level of risk,” WorkSafe’s Agriculture Programme Manager, Al McCone says. “If you or your workers are carrying out the maintenance then you should plan ahead. If a contractor is doing the work for you, you need to take their health and safety requirements into account.” Different types of agricultural plant will have different maintenance requirements. However, it’s a good idea to follow the servicing and maintenance instructions provided in the operating manual. “Check machinery and vehicles before use and don’t use them if you find serious faults,” Al says. “Make sure all machinery and equipment is turned off before maintenance – even the smallest job. It may seem like common sense but an awful lot of accidents are caused by people neglecting to do that.” Under the Health and Safety at Work Act, various people with safety responsibilities share duties. These will overlap between people with responsibilities. The person in charge of the workplace has a duty to the contractor, the contractor has a duty to their employees and a self-employed contractor to themselves and others. If you have a contractor coming onto your farm to carry out maintenance

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or repairs then the person in charge of the workplace – usually the farmer, manager or land owner – must do what is reasonably practicable to make sure they are safe from workplace hazards. “That doesn’t need to be onerous. It’s as simple as giving the contractor, be they a carpenter, sparky or roofer, a call or dropping them an email to let them know about anything they need to be aware of that they wouldn’t normally expect – like other contractors, logging trucks, particularly aggressive animals or hidden ruts and ditches,” Al says. “Ask what aspects of their work you need to be aware of. And let everyone who needs to know that there will be extra vehicles on the farm, ladders or scaffolding in use, or if power or water needs to be turned off.” Maintenance and repairs may involve working at heights – such as repairing shed roofs, inspecting silos or clearing guttering. For quick jobs, you may want to use a ladder but you need to use it safely. There have been a number of incidents of farm workers being killed or seriously injured falling from ladders, often due to using unsuitable or unstable ladders or using ladders unsafely – like overreaching or carrying loads up and down.

Correct positioning is very important. Position the ladder as close as possible to the work and stand ladders on a level, firm base. If using a ladder to get to a working platform, extend the ladder one metre above the working platform. Place the ladder feet for single or extension ladders one quarter of the ladder’s working length away from the base structure. After placing the ladder, tie the top and bottom of the ladder to secure it. If placing a ladder on soft ground, use stakes or get someone to hold the ladder while you use it. Keep three points of contact when climbing up or down ladders, such as two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand. Carry out work at least three steps down from the top of the ladder and don’t hang tools or other items from the steps or rungs. For further information, see the guide to preventing trips, slips and falls on farms at saferfarms.org.nz Article supplied by WorkSafe.

Wherever possible, try to avoid working at height – by using long-handled tools like paint rollers or window brushes with extending handles. If a ladder has to be used, training on safe use should be provided. Ladders should be inspected regularly and kept in good order and the most suitable ladder should be chosen for the job. Stepladders should have a lockable spreader.

THE FARMLANDER | 57

Works for you

EVEREST TREND• 3,000kg towing capacity

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L FORD DEALER CONTACT YOUR LOCA DAY! FOR A TEST DRIVE TO 1. Farmlands special pricing is available to Farmlands Co-operative shareholders at participating Ford New Zealand dealerships. Special pricing on Focus Trend EcoBoost Hatch, Kuga Trend EcoBoost AWD and Everest Trend includes GST and is available from 1st July 2016 until 31st August 2016, or while stocks last, at participating Ford New Zealand dealerships. The special price excludes on road costs, options and accessories and is not available in conjunction with any other special offers. 2. For phone and media player compatibility, please visit www.ford.co.nz/sync

58 | THE FARMLANDER

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FARMLANDS FUEL

Is the diesel in your tank free from contamination? Modern diesel engines will not tolerate any contamination and costly repair bills are now very common. Over time, water (through condensation) and dirt (through venting) builds up in the diesel storage tank. Dirt also gets into your equipment from dirty hoses and nozzles. To ensure you diesel is free from contamination (diesel bug) when dispensing from your tank, implement the steps below. 1. Ensure your have a quality and correct filtration system installed as soon as possible, which will manage water and dirt contamination to a minimum of 10 microns.

2. Ensure hoses and nozzles are hung up out of dirt, with the nozzle covered to ensure rain water cannot flow into it. 3. Check your tank for contamination (water finding paste). 4. Change the filter when flow reduces, as this indicates filters are clogged. 5. Make sure you refuel your tank, so as to reduce condensation build up, particularly if the tank is left partially full for long periods of time. To find out how your local Territory Manager can help you improve efficiency, call the Farmlands Fuel team on 0800 666 626.

ice Proof

for diesel

Ice Proof for Diesel has been developed to stop diesel from freezing at extremely low temperatures • • • • • • •

Higher dilution rate 1: 1,000 Stronger dosage Saves you money Environmentally friendly Brand new formulation CFPP -30°C 5 Litres

For more information on how Farmlands Fuel can work for you, talk to us today: Freephone: 0800 666 626

Email: info@farmlands.co.nz

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www.farmlandsfuel.co.nz/fuel

THE FARMLANDER | 59

Works for you

we know our gear best After all, we make it. So if your seed drill is in need of a tune-up, trust it to the experts to get it sorted. Bring it in and we’ll get it running like new – plus, you can put the whole refurbishment on your Farmlands Card and receive a 10% discount on parts... easy. 0800 150 190 | www.duncanag.com

JETFIRE HEATERS

Exclusive Farmlands shareholder offers apply. Ask in-store for more details.

From

$855.31 GST Incl. DARGAVILLE WHANGAREI AUCKLAND PUKEKOHE HAMILTON TE AWAMUTU MORRINSVILLE MT MAUNGANUI

60 | THE FARMLANDER

TOKOROA ROTORUA TAUPO GISBORNE NAPIER NEW PLYMOUTH HAWERA WANGANUI

PALMERSTON NORTH WELLINGTON TAKAKA NELSON BLENHEIM WESTPORT RANGIORA CHRISTCHURCH

ASHBURTON TIMARU OAMARU DUNEDIN ALEXANDRA CROMWELL GORE INVERCARGILL

36 STORES NATIONWIDE WWW.TRADEZONE.CO.NZ FOR YOUR LOCAL STORE

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

Quality Endurance Passion

Get the grease on Gulf Buy a carton of Gulf grease and get a

FREE GROZ Grease Gun worth $70.00

FAR_03904

*Terms and Conditions apply. One carton is 12x 400g grease cartridges. While stocks last.

Gulf lubricants are exclusively distributed in New Zealand by Farmlands Co-operative. Every purchase benefits Farmlands and you, our shareholders.

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Update I am a member of the Real Estate Agents Authority Rural Industry Advisory Group. The group provides independent advice to the Authority on real estate issues and proposals. At our most recent meeting, discussion centred on minimum standards required by the Authority in terms of agency agreements. The general consensus was that members of the public are unaware of the salesperson’s minimum legal requirements upon listing your property for sale. Therefore, here are a few pointers to be aware of. 1. Before a prospective buyer inspects your property, you must sign a listing agreement with the company you wish to engage. This legal document sets out the terms of agency, length, commission payable and your rights while your property is listed. Gone are the days when a salesperson calls and says “I’ve got a buyer for your property, can I bring them to look tomorrow?”, without protecting your interest and complying with the Real Estate Agents Act 2008. Legally, you are entitled to a much more professional service and that’s what is agreed to on the listing form.

2. Also to protect your interest, a salesperson must provide a Current Market Appraisal before you sign the listing agreement. The appraisal compares your property with similar properties, the result being an estimation of market value, that is, price range. You can get different agencies to provide Current Market Appraisals should you wish to compare, as this is a free service. If you are happy with the price range, you can sign a listing form at the agreed price for your property. When it comes to offer time, you have the necessary information on price, so you can make an informed decision on the value of the offer. I am always available if you require advice or have questions surrounding the above or any real estate matter.

Calvin Leen General Manager Real Estate 027 453 0950 calvin.leen@farmlands.co.nz

Gotta go!

Property ID: TU10778 www.farmlandsrealestate.co.nz

This 501 hectare dairy unit located 45 minutes north of Westport at Corbyvale has to go. Milking and running all young stock on approximately 170 hectares. 11 sheds plus renovated 24 aside herringbone with a 250 cow yard. Modernised, three bedroom home with sleep-out and a two bedroom cottage. Consistently milking 210-215 cows, producing a 5 year average of 79,898kgMS. Come and make us an offer. Stock to be sold with farm and plant available if desired. $2,850,000 plus GST on land, buildings and shares.

60 62 | THE FARMLANDER

Shari McLaughlin Rural - West Coast 027 266 6850 shari.mclaughlin@farmlands.co.nz

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

REAL ESTATE

Hunters or nature lovers dream

Property ID: MT1007 www.farmlandsrealestate.co.nz

This 52 hectare Matamata property is contiguous with the Kaimai Mamaku Forest Park and is a regenerated grazing block boasting significant native forest species. There are two water tributaries and a wetland area on the property. Housing consists of a two bedroom home, which is supported by a 2-bay half round barn and a utility shed. A fantastic property with deer and pigs often seen near the house or just enjoy the natural fauna present as it is very special. Tender closing 2pm, Wednesday 27 July 2016.

Reliable and well resourced

Property ID: MT1001

Ian Morgan Rural/Lifestyle - Matamata 027 492 5878 ian.morgan@farmlands.co.nz

Slick, one man operation

Property ID: MT1002

Located in the reliable Rotorua District, this 155 hectare property milks around 360 cows with production up to 140,000kgMS. Buildings include three homes, a 42 aside herringbone dairy shed with a 650 cow yard, NuPulse plant and automatic cup removers. There is a 7-bay implement shed, 2-bay half round barn, fertiliser bin, calf shed and a 250 tonne concrete floor silage bunker. Price by negotiation.

109 hectare dairy unit located in the Rotorua District. This very efficient, one couple dairy unit milks 260 cows with production up to 112,000kgMS. Good races, fences and water supply. Near new 36 aside herringbone dairy shed with a NuPulse plant and automatic cup removers, two 5-bay implement sheds, two hay barns and a calf shed. Can be purchased on a walk in, walk out basis. Price by negotiation.

Ian Morgan 027 492 5878

WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ

Farmlands Farmlands Co-operative Co-operative Society Society Limited Limited || ÂŠ ÂŠ July July 2016. 2016. All All rights rights reserved. reserved.

THE FARMLANDER | 61 63

KITCHENS.PLACEMAKERS.CO.NZ

KITCHENS - READY FOR LIFE Are you thinking of upgrading or building a new kitchen? PlaceMakers offer affordable high quality kitchens with soft close drawers and cupboards plus New Zealand made moisture resistant board as standard. Our kitchens are ready for life and designed with the demands of our unique conditions in mind. Get inspired by our range online and bring your dream kitchen to life today with our 3D virtual kitchen planner. Then come in-store to meet our team of kitchen consultants who will work with you every step of the way to make sure that your new kitchen suits your lifestyle and your budget. We can even assist you with installation. Your new kitchen couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easier with PlaceMakers.

SPEND $3,500 OR MORE ON A KITCHEN IN JULY & GET A

FREE

SINK BOWL & TAP WORTH OVER $400

EXCLUSIVE TO FARMLANDS SHAREHOLDERS ONLY

*Free Aquatica sink and Klenssa Plus sink mixer offer exclusive to Farmlands shareholders only. Order your PlaceMakers Kitchen of $3,500 including gst or more before Sunday 31st July 2016 to qualify. Invoice must be paid in full by Monday 31st October 2016. Sink mixer and sink bowl giveaway is available while stocks last, one per customer. Giveaway is not redeemable for cash or any other product or service. Free sink is an Aquatica compact single bowl sink insert (Silk) (sku 3620401) and free mixer is an Klenssa Plus Sink Mixer (sku 3640468). Not valid in conjunction with any other promotion or Know How Card. Value may vary and is subject to change. PM1749/FARMLANDS/FP