Plan 365 February 2019 by Farmlands

FEBRUARY 2019

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

NUTRITION

FORAGE AND ARABLE

HORTICULTURE

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Plan 365 is a technical guide aimed at helping shareholders learn about best practice and the latest advancements in rural technology.

NUTRITION

Vitamin E in the equine diet Vitamin E is an essential and highly powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in muscle, immune and neurological support in horses.

A deficiency of vitamin E may cause

It is mainly supplied in the equine diet through green pasture. Horses are not very efficient at storing this fat-soluble vitamin and when access to green pasture is limited through management such as stabling, or due to environmental reasons such as hot and dry summers, the risk of vitamin E deficiency increases and supplementation is important to consider.

diseases (recurrent cold and cough)

a variety of different symptoms and pathological changes, which may include poor immunity to and muscle stiffness, soreness or damage. If vitamin E levels in muscle tissue are inadequate in working horses, the risk of exercise induced muscle damage is increased. Research in horses has mainly revolved around the role of vitamin E in maintaining normal function of the immune and reproductive systems, in optimising athletic performance and in studying diseases associated with vitamin E deficiencies. One of the many highly qualified veterinarians and equine nutritionists that presented at the Kentucky Equine Research 30th anniversary conference in October 2018, was Stephanie Valberg, D.V.M., Ph.D., a professor at Michigan State University and director of its Neuromuscular Diagnostic Laboratory. Dr Valberg provided information about the value of vitamin E as adjunct therapy for several neurological diseases, including equine neuroaxonal dystrophy/degenerative myeloencephalopathy (eNAD/EDM), equine motor neuron disease (EMND) and vitamin E deficient myopathy. The goal of supplementation in horses susceptible to these

“The impact of vitamin E deficiencies causing subtle but significant muscle atrophy and a decline in performance are under-recognised by many performance horse veterinarians,” Dr Valberg says. “It should be on everyone’s radar because it’s easy to diagnose with blood samples for vitamin E and can be readily treated with liquid vitamin E supplements.” Vitamin E supplementation will vary according to the individual case and the amount of green pasture available to the horse, however Dr Valberg suggests a powdered, natural vitamin E supplement to maintain status in healthy horses. Horses suffering from EMND or vitamin E deficient myopathy should be supplemented with a natural liquid form at 5,000 IU/day until all clinical signs are gone, before transitioning to powder over a series of weeks once the horse returns to normal. Expect it to take several months for the horse’s signs to disappear. Because horses’ responses to vitamin E supplementation vary, Dr Valberg urges veterinarians and/or nutritionists to measure vitamin E levels before and 4 weeks after supplementation and to adjust the dose accordingly. NRM equine products all contain natural vitamin E formulated at the correct levels to meet requirements for horses in New Zealand, if fed according to directions.

of vitamin E in the central nervous

For further assistance and advice on vitamin E supplementation, consult a qualified equine nutritionist.

system and muscle tissue.

Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Equine Nutritionist.

diseases, according to Dr Valberg, is to increase the concentration

| A deficiency of vitamin E may cause a variety of different symptoms and pathological changes in a horse.

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NUTRITION

More choices for the good shepherd Until recently, sheep farmers may have felt their supplementary choices were limited by comparison to the vast ranges of Equine feeds. Supplementary feeds are available to suit the different classes of horses according to their stage of life, level of work and even physiological

for more targeted solutions for this

feel the degree of fat cover. Even when

currently profitable livestock sector.

flock numbers increase, it is possible

Feed supply and animal requirements

to manage by exception – put the

vary through the year, so mammals

overweight ram on some tight keep

have evolved to lay down some fat

and give the thin ewes with triplets

reserves when they can, which they can

and weaned lambs the best grazing

mobilise when required. Extremes of

available. By and large, sheep are good

body condition – either poor condition

convertors of New Zealand pasture

or excess obesity – are inefficient and

but supplementary feed offers a buffer

Fortunately, the NRM sheep range

potentially dangerous, so having a

against unpredictable weather and

has evolved and has been extended

feel for the body condition score of

another level of nutrition, which can be

to reflect the different needs of sheep

stock and being able to manage body

targeted at those that need it the most.

according to their stage of life, pasture

condition is an important husbandry

During the summer, a lack of water

supply and level of production. Whilst

skill. Don’t rely on the nutritional

and high ambient temperatures limit

the NRM Multifeed and Multifeed

wisdom of stock – they will become

pasture growth as survival becomes

plus Zinc are great, versatile go-

morbidly obese given the chance and

the plant’s primary objective. If body

to products, the nutritional spread

can’t hop the fence in search of greener

condition is slipping or if some weight

offered by the NRM sheep range will

pastures when feed gets tight. A fleece

gain is required, NRM Sheep Nuts are

hopefully appeal to those lifestyle

can hide a bony back or well covered

a useful, high grain based feed, which

and commercial farmers looking

rump, so it pays to handle stock and

are typically fed at up to 150g/head/

wellbeing and taste preferences.

| A fleece can hide a bony back or well covered rump, so it pays to handle stock and feel the degree of fat cover.

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NUTRITION

day. If a drought really takes hold, NRM Summer Dry Nuts can be fed at higher rates and deliver more protein to help balance more mature conserved forages, which may have to be fed alongside limited grazing. As a 10mm nut, they are well suited to being fed on the ground with minimal waste. If you have the advantage of sheltered paddocks or even sheds, earlier lambing can have some benefits, provided the risk of perinatal losses associated with an extreme weather event can be mitigated. In many regions, the demand for pet lambs for rearing is so strong that maximising the size of the live lamb crop makes economic sense even if some lambs need to be sold or are kept and raised on the bottle. Flushing ewes – raising their level of nutrition before and through mating – has long been recognised as a way of stimulating fertility, both in terms of the number of eggs released and conception rates. NRM Sheep PreTup Nuts are – as the name suggests – designed for feeding to ewes and rams 4 to 6 weeks before and during tupping (mating). If the weather or irrigation obliges by providing good quality pasture before mating, they may not be necessary but if pasture quality or supply is sub-optimal, or if ewes need an extra lift after a hard period, they are well worth considering. As catalysts that speed up reactions, trace minerals are involved in many bodily processes and hormones. NRM Sheep Pre-Tup Nuts contain elevated trace mineral and vitamin

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NRM sheep range specifications Product

MJ ME/ kg DM

Crude Protein %

Designed use

Sheep Nuts

12.2

Whenever quality or quantity of forages available is insufficient for the class of sheep being fed.

Summer Dry Nuts

11.5

Primarily to fill a feed pinch during a dry or hot spell.

Pre-Tup Nuts

12.2

15.5

To supplement the flock prior to and through mating.

Triplet Nuts

12.8

High energy and protein supplement for ewes that are carrying or feeding triplets.

Lamb Start Mix

Muesli style starter feed for newborn lambs.

Lamb Performance Pellets

12.8

Pellets for bottle-reared lambs from day one or after Lamb Start Mix, or for lambs on ewes that need a creep feed.

levels to help minimise the risk of deficiencies that might impact on health and fertility at this important time. NRM Sheep Nuts are a useful supplement as lambing draws closer. Energy demand from the developing fetuses increases just as their size restricts rumen volume and dry matter intake at a time of year that pasture quality could be falling. NRM Sheep Triplet Nuts take nutrition to the next level with elevated levels of both energy and protein. They are best directed at triplet bearing ewes, so are great for flocks that have been scanned. Improved nutrition can help the survivability of lambs by improving fat stores, lessening the risk of sleepy sickness (ketosis/acetonaemia) and improving the quality of the colostrum and the milkiness of ewes. In 2018, NRM Lamb Start Mix and Lamb Performance Pellets were

launched and proved popular throughout New Zealand. With the coccidiostat Deccox, they are a good option for the commercial lamb rearing operation where this parasite can accumulate over the years but also the occasional lamb rearer who wants the added reassurance of this aid in the prevention of a potentially deadly protozoa. The 10kg NRM Lamb Start Mix option proved an attractive proposition for people with just a single lamb or as starter option for people with more lambs that wished to progress to Performance Pellets as lambs got older. Designed for bottle reared lambs, NRM Lamb Performance Pellets make a good creep feed for lambs on ewes that need some help – especially through weaning. For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Lead Nutritionist.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Protecting valuable new pasture from hungry mouths Grass grub larvae may be small but they often cause a big problem. Even at relatively low numbers, they can make a meal of your new grass paddocks in the weeks ahead, leading to major losses if not controlled. These larvae are C-shaped and creamy white in colour with a brown head. They start at about 6mm long and finish up about 20mm long when mature. Typically, they are found in the top few centimetres of the soil, where they attack the roots of ryegrass and clover, causing yellow patches, loss of clover, stunted growth and plant death. Damaged areas can spread outwards year by year, leaving plenty of room for weeds to take hold. The economic threshold for control of grass grub in newly sown pasture is as little as three larvae per spade square, or 75 per square metre.

| Grass grub larvae are found in the top few centimetres of the soil, where they attack the roots of ryegrass and clover.

very good to handle,” she says.

for Nufarm, says grass grub may be

First launched more than 20 years ago,

one of New Zealand’s most common

the tiny green polymer granule remains

and costly pasture pests but that

the only grass grub control product of

does not make them easy to control.

its type in the New Zealand market.

“You’re dealing with a pest that lives

Drilled down the spout with new

underground and is far from predictable

pasture seed at a recommended rate

in terms of timing,” she says.

of 15kg/ha, it will protect pastures

“We’ve had seasons in Canterbury,

from grass grub for up to 3 years

for example, when there were no

and also provides up to 2 years’

larvae present in autumn, the time

protection from manuka beetle.

we normally expect them but by

Farmlands Grain and Seed Agronomist Rachael Robinson, who is based in Canterbury, says a key feature of this product is its formulation.

The suSCon Green granules are

June, populations had exploded

each impregnated with chlorpyrifos

and they were everywhere.”

insecticide. Soil moisture progressively

“The beauty of suSCon Green is that it is so easy to use. There’s no smell, there’s no dust, and it’s

additives that determine the release rate are dispersed throughout the granule.

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

Cynthia Christie, Technical Specialist

Article supplied by Nufarm.

Few novel endophytes provide grass grub protection and those that do are vulnerable until seedlings are well established. Seed treatment will protect newlygerminated seedlings over the establishment period. However, for effective population control beyond a few weeks, there is another, wellproven option – controlled release suSCon Green® granules.

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releases the chlorpyrifos and special

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Plan for cereal success Autumn-sown cereal crops provide significant benefits and planning ahead means you will get the best from your crop.

“One important factor to consider is

in spring, once the leaching period

your yield potential. The higher the

is over. Products such as SustaiN

yield potential, the more nutrients

Ammo or Nrich SOA contain both

required. For example, you need 3kg

nitrogen and plant-available sulphur.

Autumn-sown cereal crops deliver significantly higher yields and require less irrigation than their spring-sown equivalents. But to get the crop off to a good start and keep your soil in good shape, it is best to keep soil nutrient levels within optimum ranges.

of phosphorus per tonne of grain

Nitrogen applications in spring are

Get ready, get set

more potassium,” Aimee explains.

“If you plan well ahead, you’ll have time to sort out any issues. A soil test well before the crop goes in will reveal if nutrients are below optimum levels and if the pH is okay,” Ballance Agri-Nutrients Science Extension Officer, Aimee Dawson says.

Sowing with phosphorus, using

Soil pH should be between 5.8 and 6.2 – wheat can handle a slightly lower pH but barley is more sensitive. Early testing of soil is important to allow time to increase soil nutrient levels and especially pH, as lime can take 6 to 12 months to break down.

DAP can also be used. If you require

A range of factors need to be taken into account when determining which nutrients to apply.

winter conditions. In wet, cold soils

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produced, so for a 12 tonne grain crop, 36kg of phosphorus per hectare will be required. You should also consider the previous crop residue, as removing straw rather than incorporating it into the soil means you need to replace

products such as Superten, will ensure good establishment of autumn-sown crops. Serpentine Super 7K is useful if you need both magnesium and potassium as well as phosphorus – and if you have low soil nitrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur, YaraMila Actyva S is a

important during stem elongation to promote canopy development and maintain green leaf. A rule of thumb is 25kg of nitrogen per tonne of grain. Mineral N or Deep N testing will allow you to establish how much nitrogen is in the soil, so you can determine how much you require from nitrogen fertiliser. “Maintaining high soil fertility may not be economical or practical for some farmers. But you can stop current levels of soil fertility from declining by applying fertiliser to replace what the crops remove. Soil testing early and understanding potential yield

compound fertiliser giving an even

can ensure that you get the best from

distribution of these nutrients, as they

your cereal crop,” Aimee says.

are all contained in one granule.

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

It is also important to think ahead for when plant uptake is low, sulphur can leach. Sulphur is best remedied

Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Reliable, productive and persistent ryegrassing When it comes to regrassing, several options need to be considered to achieve persistence, production and animal performance.

property, which is currently milking

Every region and every farm has different requirements therefore to match expectations the correct endophyte must first be chosen, considering which endophyte provides the best protection to insects which are likely to be an issue in a particular region or farm. Once the endophyte has been selected attributes such as flowering date, ploidy and palatability can be considered.

and utilise as much pasture on farm

There are now several novel endophytes available and each can provide different levels of insect protection and effects on grazing animals. The differences between endophytes are mostly due to their feeding of more than one insect at any given time, particularly over summer and autumn months. All endophytes have different effectiveness at controlling insect impacts on the perennial ryegrass. For example, Argentine stem weevil (larvae), root aphid and black beetle (adult) feeding can be found in a pasture at the same time and their combined effect can be significantly more damaging than the impact of drought on ryegrass plants alone.

use products with AR37 endophyte.

Te Awamutu dairy farmer, Noldy Rust has been utilising the advantages of ONE50 perennial ryegrass with AR37 endophyte on his dairy farm for its production and persistence.

ONE50 perennial ryegrass with AR37

Noldy is the owner and overseer of his 51ha effective dairy farming

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200 cows under a high-input system five operation. “We are running a high stocking rate but also trying to grow as possible,” Noldy says. Noldy and the farm manager realise that pasture production and utilisation is key, as it is the cheapest form of feed. Noldy’s farm is vulnerable to attacks from pasture pests such as black beetle and Argentine stem weevil, therefore choosing an endophyte that will provide market-leading insect protection is the reason he prefers to “It is clear to see that the paddocks of ONE50 AR37 perennial ryegrass are yielding really well and have strong disease and pest resistance,” he says. Noldy says he has confidence in ONE50 AR37, with it being classed as a 5-star product on the DairyNZ Forage Value Index for the Upper North Island and following advice from his local Farmlands Technical Field Officer, Steve Picard. Noldy is aware

| Noldy Rust with Farmlands Technical Field Officer, Steve Picard.

the 5-star rating is a good indicator but the product still needs to prove itself in this harsh environment and show its value in a farming system – and ONE50 AR37 perennial ryegrass has been proving this to New Zealand farmers since its release in 2009. endophyte has become the “go-

backed up with the DairyNZ Forage Value Index and Agricom’s national trialling programme. ONE50 perennial ryegrass is a high yielding, persistent cultivar with great palatability and when matched with AR37 endophyte provides market-leading insect protection for perennial ryegrass.

confidence shown from farmers

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

towards production has been

Article supplied by Agricom.

to” perennial ryegrass cultivar for both production and persistence for New Zealand farmers. The

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Producing quality home grown feed With three clear drivers: water use efficiency during summer, increasing nitrogen efficiency, and boosting feed quality, Ben Allomes (Equity Owner) and Nick Bailey (Manager) of Hopelands Dairies in the Tararua region are focused on improving their already high performing property. Ben, Nicky and their four children are focused on improvement and sustainability of their farm system, their people and the environment. They also enjoy helping others around them do the same through their involvement as a monitor farm in the SFF Tararua plantain rollout project. Day to day operation and management of the 300ha dairy property is the responsibility of Nick Bailey who is focused on producing quality home grown feed to keep the system as closed as possible. Based in the Tararua region, Hopelands Dairies is currently milking 700 cows over the peak of the season. To increase nitrogen use efficiency Ben makes strategic nutrient applications and uses pastoral species, such as Ecotain® environmental plantain, to drive up feed quality. Ecotain is also proven to significantly reduce nitrogen leaching, with a Lincoln University Lysimeter Study showing a reduction in nitrogen leaching by as much as 89 percent from the urine patch.* Finding Ecotain a flexible forage option, Ben uses it both as a special purpose crop during the summer dry, or in a pasture mix on the dairy platform. A special purpose crop of Ecotain, like

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| Equity Owner of Hopelands Dairy, Ben Allomes with Farm Manager, Nick Bailey.

Ben implements, provides high and consistent levels of Ecotain content and fits very well as a short rotation pasture or as a break crop in a pasture renovation programme (similar in use to Italian or hybrid pastures). Ben includes 2kg of Mainstay and 2kg of Tribute white clovers in with 8kg Ecotain when using it as a crop. “The herb can be used to maintain feed quality, as perennial pastures start to turn reproductive in late spring” Ben explains. This ensures milk production does not dip when pasture quality starts to decline. In addition, because Ecotain continues to grow into summer due to its larger root system, it also means less supplementary feed is used during the early summer period. Ben has eliminated the herbicide challenges some farmers can face with plantain by following a specific cropping rotation. He identifies his Ecotain paddocks 2 years in advance, and those paddocks go through a fodder beet and winter oat rotation

prior to going into Ecotain crops in the spring. He finds this rotation, and the Ecotain in particular, effective at breaking the brown top grass cycle on-farm. In addition, he has also had very good results with direct drilling Ecotain on Hopelands Dairies. Regular pasture assessments over the past few years have seen Ecotain produce 1.3 t/ha/year more than the next closest ryegrass. “It’s ability to capitalise on summer production combined with the winter activity make it a standout for this dairy platform,” Ben says. “Ecotain fits well on the farm and it’s now clear we are getting the environmental benefits too which is extremely important for the longevity of this farming system,” explains Ben. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. *Lincoln University Lysimeter Study (Woods. 2017) Article supplied by Agricom.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Persistent, easy care pasture suits Turangi red meat system Maximising sustainable red meat production per hectare on the pumice soils of the Central Plateau, with a short growing season, can be a balancing act. However, Turangi farmer John Haywood uses several different pastures and forages to successfully breed and finish well-grown lambs and cattle within the Lake Taupo catchment nitrogen limitations. John has leased the 525ha (effective) property from local iwi for many years. Altitude ranges from 400-600 metres above sea level, backing onto Mt Pihanga. Rolling to steeper hill country predominates, with limited flats. Currently John runs 5,500 stock units, comprising Romney ewes and

Angus cows, plus replacements. All surplus lambs are finished, most drafted at 20+kg carcase weight in summer and early autumn.

But not just any grass. Farmlands Technical Field Officer Brian Richards and John have picked different cultivars for different parts of the farm.

Pure Angus steers and heifers are grown out to strict specification for a premium local trade contract, averaging 320kg (steers) and 275kg (heifers) as 2-year-olds. Up to 80 R2 cattle are bought in for finishing.

“The aim is to feed more sheep on the flats through summer, so the hills can grow more for cattle in autumn and winter,” Brian explains. “We want to increase productivity overall by matching the pasture to the different classes of stock and classes of land, as well as the climate.”

“The grass stops growing here from about May and doesn’t really get away again until the end of September or start of October,” John says. Swedes, kale, greenfeed oats, hay and baleage are used for winter feed – chicory and plantain help maintain liveweight gain in summer. Otherwise all animals are grass fed.

That’s where Rohan spreading perennial ryegrass with NEA2 endophyte comes in. Bred for persistent, easy care pasture, it was sown 2 years ago, with Safin cocksfoot. As with all ryegrass, a minimum of 5kg/ha white clover seed was added to improve nitrogen fixation. Rohan was chosen in this case because the paddock was close to the yards, so new pasture needed to be both robust and high quality. The farm can dry out very fast because of the pumice soils, so the new pasture also needed to be able to cope with this. John has since used the Rohan for both ewes and lambs, as well as cows and calves – and is impressed at both its yield and quality, as well as its ability to spread out and cover the ground, which helps it persist. Other cultivars used on the farm include Shogun hybrid ryegrass and Tyson perennial ryegrass. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Barenbrug Agriseeds.

| Turangi farmer, John Haywood in his paddock of Rohan perennial ryegrass.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

New red clover makes its mark in Manawatu Red clover has several benefits in today’s farm systems. Valued for its nutrition, this tap rooted legume supports high stocking rates, gives excellent liveweight gain, improves nitrogen fixation and is usually more tolerant of clover root weevil than white clover. Historically, its biggest limitation has been lack of persistence under grazing. Red clovers generally tend to last better under less intensive stocking rates, or long grazing rotations over summer, which for many farmers is impractical. Now a new, multi-stemmed cultivar is available, which is better adapted to grazing and produces high yields, particularly in spring and summer. Morrow comes from Barenbrug Agriseeds and was bred from parent plants that survived drought and years of intensive rotational grazing on light, summer dry North Island soils. “Over time, those plants had adapted themselves to local conditions. Then we selected them again for the specific attributes we wanted,” Barenbrug Agriseeds Area Manager for Taranaki and Manawatu, Bruce Paterson says. “Improved grazing tolerance has always been one of our main breeding goals for red clover, especially as we look towards farm systems of the future,

| Morrow and Shogun on Ross Linklater’s Manawatu finishing farm, April 2018, 3 years after it was sown.

hybrid ryegrass in autumn 2015. The mix went into a 60ha block near Palmerston North where he grows crop, finishes lambs and grows out Wagyu cattle. Ross has grown red clover in his pastures for years, so he is no stranger to its benefits. Morrow has performed very well under his normal management regime, providing multiple grazings for both lambs and young beef cattle.

which will probably depend more on

The Wagyu are bought in as

keeping legumes in their pastures.”

weaned calves through First

One farmer who has already seen

Light, then grass fed through to

certain degree – they always go onto it with full bellies and if we are concerned that the risk is very high, we put bloat oil in their troughs.” This particular paddock has now been sprayed out for squash but Morrow’s performance and productivity over 3-and-a-half years has impressed Ross and he will sow it again for finishing pasture on the same block. Morrow can be mixed with other cultivars, including Shogun hybrid ryegrass and Captain cool season plantain. It can also be planted as a straight sward.

what Morrow can do is Manawatu

sale as prime 2-year-olds.

Farmlands shareholder Ross Linklater,

“We’re always aware of the possibility

who works closely with the team at

of bloat but we’ve seldom had

Farmlands Feilding. He sowed the

any problems,” Ross says. “We’re

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

new cultivar as a trial with Shogun

careful to transition them to a

Article supplied by Barenbrug Agriseeds.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Annual ryegrass delivers profit Annual ryegrass is a profitable crop for many farms and large areas will be planted this autumn. This grass species is very productive, with fast establishment and much higher pasture production than from perennial pastures over winter and spring. In many cases, farmers will be sowing annual ryegrass into paddocks that have been in crop over summer (e.g. maize or chicory). In other situations, farmers will spray out old pastures and drill annual ryegrass to both generate extra feed and also prepare the paddock for crops in spring. Annual ryegrass provides extra grazing over winter and is also used to generate high yields of silage in spring. With costs as low as $200 per hectare and feed production worth over $2,000, it is obvious why this is such a popular way to make money on farms. It is simple to use – just use high seeding rates (e.g. 30 kilograms per hectare, as the seed size is large and yield will be reduced at low rates), some nitrogen fertiliser in winter and early spring, then graze and/or harvest as silage.

| Contract Milker, Shaun Brighouse, Cropping Manager, Richard Beaver and Technical Field Officer, Brett Turner.

Jivet is one of the most popular

been very pleased with results from

annual ryegrasses, as it has rapid

Jivet after having it recommended by

winter growth, combined with

his Farmlands Technical Field Officer,

extended production in spring and

Brett Turner. “When we tested our

very high feed value for silage.

Jivet silage, it was the best feed quality

As well as the abundance of winter

we have ever seen for late harvest of

grazing, another feature that impresses

annual ryegrass,” Richard says. “High

farmers is the superior quality of silage

quality grass silage is so important to

from Jivet. It has late heading date,

us, we really rely on it in the summer

meaning more leaf and less stem at

months while we are milking.”

harvest and therefore more energy. This also allows for more flexibility when harvesting silage in spring. If harvest is delayed due to rainy weather, Jivet will continue to hold quality even at high crop yields. Farmers are impressed that even when the crop might be a metre tall, there is an abundance of leaf down to ground level and

The high quality of feed that Jivet produces has been proven to result in improved animal performance. A trial conducted at the Penfield Research Station near Adelaide found that cattle grew quickly, with daily weight gain of 1.6 kilograms per head, 15 percent faster than some

stems remain green and soft. This

other cultivars compared in the trial.

ensures reliable results every year,

For further information, contact

both in terms of grazing and silage

your Farmlands Technical Field

yield but also feed quality of silage.

Officer or the friendly team at

Richard Beaver, the Cropping Manager

your local Farmlands store.

for a farm owned by Emaline Trust, has

Article supplied by DLF Seeds.

| Annual ryegrass provides extra grazing over winter and is also used to generate high yields of silage in spring.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Planning for facial eczema this season Planning ahead and having a robust facial eczema preventative plan in place is key to protecting livestock from the insidious disease that is facial eczema (FE). The most favourable conditions for the growth of spores that cause facial eczema are moisture (rain) and night temperatures above 13°C for at least 3 nights in a row. Dead pasture material at the base of the sward is where the Pithomyces fungus grows, producing millions of spores. Facial eczema presents as a sudden drop in milk production, skin irritation of the white areas, swelling of the ears and muzzle and seeking shade or restlessness. This is caused by the liver being unable to detoxify chlorophyll, leading to levels in the blood rising dangerously high and causing a “secondary” photosensitisation. This damage occurs quite soon after the spores are ingested, though it may take a few weeks to see the clinical signs. Waiting for animals to be affected before taking action will cost you a lot of lost production. Spore counts can rise earlier in the season than traditionally expected, dependant on weather conditions. If the spring is warmer than usual then you need to be alert prior to Christmas. The facial eczema challenge can be monitored using pasture and faecal spore counts. Regional pasture spore counts are monitored over the summer and these are a guide to what may be happening on your farm. It is important that you know the location of your regional monitoring sites, so

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| Having a robust preventative plan in place is key to protecting livestock from facial eczema.

you can relate this to your farm. Once these regional counts are trending towards 20,000, begin monitoring at least four paddocks on your own farm. When the counts on your farm are trending towards 30,000, prepare for zinc supplementation of your livestock. The Time Capsule® was developed by AgResearch as a convenient manner of administering a consistent dose of zinc for long periods. The bolus is coated in beeswax, which leaves no residue in the rumen and provides effective protection within days of administration. Once administered orally, the bolus sits in the rumen and the zinc is dissolved, providing sufficient zinc to protect cattle for 4 weeks and sheep for 6 weeks. After this period, a further bolus can be administered. To ensure the correct dose is

delivered, the Time Capsule comes in convenient sizes to match the bodyweight of your sheep and cattle. The Time Capsule is an effective and proven method for preventing facial eczema and has been reliably protecting sheep and cattle in New Zealand from the effects of facial eczema for more than 20 years. Prevention is not just better than a cure, it is the cure. Once facial eczema has affected livestock, nothing can be done to repair all the damage to the liver. Don’t leave it to chance this season, prevent facial eczema before it impacts your farm. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agritrade.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Are you holding more lambs on your farm than usual? Last November and December the country had a good soaking of rain, which was a blessing for additional pasture production, especially in the traditionally dry East Coast region. As a result, you may have held on to more lambs than usual since weaning. It is good to have such options but how does this decision impact your farm from a parasite perspective? After weaning, ewe immunity will improve as they put condition back on, with a subsequent reduction in faecal egg count. The lambs however, are a different story. Lambs are like worm factories as, unlike the ewes, they have an immature immune

| The more lambs you carry on your property, the greater the number of worm larvae there will be.

system and worms are able to breed freely within them. Consequently,

a mob they may be slow, lethargic

there may be millions of infective L3

and reluctant to move very far. They

larvae on pastures. Pastures with

may also have very pale gums and

high larval burdens can cause big

conjunctiva (tissue around the eyeball).

problems for young stock, especially

Less severe infections may cause

in autumn. The more lambs you carry

loss of appetite, reduced weight gain

on your property, the greater the

or weight loss. Preventing the build-

number of worm larvae there will be.

up of Barber’s pole on pasture is key

The worm to watch out for in summer

to its control. Cydectin® Oral Drench

and autumn is the Barber’s pole

for Sheep is an ideal choice, as it

worm (Haemonchus contortus),

continues to kill incoming Barber’s pole

which is slightly different to other

larvae for 35 days after a single dose.

worms. This parasite sucks blood

It also kills Teladorsagia (Ostertagia)

from the host rather than feeding on

circumcincta larvae for at least 21 days.

the gut lining. The female is a prolific

This persistent activity prevents a larval

breeder, producing up to 10,000

build up on pasture and allows animals

eggs per day. The infective stage

to grow faster. Trial work has shown

can develop rapidly on pasture in

Cydectin treated animals grew 60-87

as little as 7 days under the right

grams a day faster than those that

conditions (i.e. humid and moist).

received a short acting drench1 –

2. McKenna, P. (2018). Update on anthelmintic resistance 2016-2017. Vetscript, June.

What might you notice if this worm

a big weight difference over a month.

Cydectin® is a registered trade mark of Zoetis. ACVM No A6204.

is causing problems? When shifting

Fortunately, there have been no

Article supplied by Zoetis.

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reported cases of Barber’s pole worm being resistant to moxidectin, the active ingredient in Cydectin2. To reduce the risk of drench resistance when using Cydectin, ensure your last autumn lamb drench is short acting, contains actives different to the “mectin” family and is fully effective. If you are not aware of your drench resistance status, your “exit” drench should ideally be a triple, or one containing a new active ingredient. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. 1. Murphy, A. W. and McDonald, R. (1994). A comparison of production responses in lambs drenched with moxidectin or ivermectin. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 38, 221-224.

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HORTICULTURE

A few vintages under his belt As Farmlands has grown its presence in the New Zealand viticulture sector, we have also been broadening our shareholder offering of winery-specific products.

(Roseworthy Campus) in Australia, Chris then moved to Marlborough where for 24 years he worked as a consultant winemaker and wine educator.

from good grapes”. An important

While our product offering commenced over three years ago, our ability to offer significant experience and advice was greatly enhanced when Chris Young, a vastly experienced winemaker, joined our Blenheimbased team as a Technical Advisor (Winery) prior to vintage 2018.

Although reluctant to raise this himself, a little homework reveals he has had some recognition at national and international wine shows over the years. During this time, Chris was also involved in Oenology and Viticulture education, both at NMIT and as a lecturer for Lincoln University (based in Marlborough).

material to get the best result. This

Chris is passionate about the art of winemaking and with 28 years of experience in viticulture and wine production under his belt, he has the knowledge and understanding required to service the wine industry to a high level. Starting initially with two vintages in Martinborough, Chris found the art of winemaking to be his passion. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology from the University of Adelaide

Chris believes a good winemaker must have an intimate knowledge of viticulture, and as such he has spent much time in vineyards over the years. He believes the winemaker’s challenge is to attempt to capture the full potential of the grape through to the bottle. “Less is often more where winemaking is concerned.” Chris has an adage “you can’t make great wine from poor grapes, but you can certainly make poor wine

component of a great vintage is an intimate knowledge of the crop through the growing season, before setting to work with the raw coupled with strong wine technical knowledge and experience provide the key to a great finished product. While Chris is based at the Farmlands Blenheim branch, he has a national oversight for Farmlands winery products. Chris is therefore available to discuss requirements for other grape-growing regions. He is working closely with Farmlands Technical Advisors in other key grape-growing regions to provide appropriate technical support, ensuring a high level of service is provided. Supporting Chris in his Blenheim base is Technical Advisor, John McGinlay. While John’s prime focus is on viticulture in Marlborough, his experience in winemaking provides excellent back up support (both local and nationally). John has excellent winery product knowledge. In addition to the standard array of winery products, Chris will be very happy to discuss some of the innovative cleaning products Farmlands has brought to the New Zealand market, which are manufactured by EasyClean Chemicals (Melbourne) and gaining a strong following nationally. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

| Chris Young, Farmlands Technical Advisor.

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Maximising production through animal health insights It can be hard for farmers to focus on production gains in amongst the day-to-day running of the farm. Taking into account time pressures, there is a constant need to bring farmers technological solutions that maximise time, boost productivity and leads to more enjoyable, simpler farming. Farmlands and Allflex have teamed up to offer shareholders an innovative Animal Monitoring solution. It offers farmers actionable information on the health, reproductive, nutritional and wellbeing status of individual cows and groups. Both Farmlands and Allflex know that for many farmers, new technology can seem quite daunting. Many assume the set up and learning curve will take too much of their time. However, technology is the forefront of innovation and to grow and maximise production in less time,

farmers need to embrace technology. Shareholders James and Rosie Pelham of Acer Properties have done just that. Milking 600 Friesian X cows as part of a Putaruru-based equity partnership, they started using the Allflex Animal Monitoring system in August 2018. The Pelhams say the main reason for purchase was mating, with a goal to limit the time commitment by using the reliability and constant monitoring of the collars to identify cows that are on. “We chose Allflex over competitors because it was proven technology and we preferred the software,” James says. “It also needed to work with Protrack drafting gates and we knew this system was working well with the gates on other farms.” This year, the Pelhams decided to use short-gestation semen and make the move to full artificial breeding. The system allowed them to sell their bulls

(now not required), with the proceeds helping to pay off a part of the system. “Our submission rates are on par and the system works with the automatic gates to draft out the cows that are on heat each morning for us. Before the collars we simply used tail paint,” James says. “We check it in the morning before milking to see how many cows are on and then check on mobile phone throughout the day and keep an eye on health alerts and rumination patterns.” The Pelhams were proactive in teaching themselves about interpreting the data and the support available with the system. While they are still learning, the system has detected health issues before they become visible and has been a great back up for fresh cows. “We use the data to check if some cows should stay in the colostrum herd longer,” James says. “We can see when the grass changes and there are visible changes on the rumination graph. This enables us to make adjustments with the ration to help with that.” They recommend the Allflex system to anyone looking at improving their production and are looking to upgrade to the group monitoring plan, to get even more information. “The system does everything it says it can do and with the savings around mating by using short-gestation semen and selling bulls, it will easily pay for itself.” For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Allflex.

| Farmlands and Allflex have teamed up to offer shareholders an innovative Animal Monitoring solution.

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Project aims to make Capital a pest-free kiwi sanctuary An ambitious project aiming to introduce wild kiwi into the backyard of Wellington is taking communityled conservation to the next level. The Capital Kiwi project has a clear vision – create a landscape in the backyard of our capital city where kiwi can be re-introduced. This will primarily be achieved by removing the kiwi’s mustelid predators (stoats, ferrets and weasels) from 23,000ha of the lower North Island, spanning farmland, forestry and the Meridian wind farms. It is a bold initiative that is being driven and managed by dedicated community conservationists. The large-scale conservation project will use 4,400 pest traps in its defence line to catch predators. One third of these traps are the DOC-250s, a larger trap that targets ferrets, while the remaining two thirds of traps are Goodnature A24s, which will target stoats. Kiwi weighing more than one kilogram (typically more than six months of age) can fend off predators such as stoats and possums, but not dogs and ferrets. In unprotected areas only four or five kiwi chicks out of every 100 make it to that fighting weight, with stoats the main culprit. Constant predator control is crucial to the future of endangered native species. Capital Kiwi project founder Paul Ward says “Capital Kiwi is a bold initiative for Wellington and New Zealand as a whole. The vast majority of our project area is private land – the project can’t exist without landowner support. It’s about farmers, iwi and locals doing their bit to be kaitiaki of their backyard.”

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Stage one is well underway – 850 traps have been set across 6,000ha of private land including Terawhiti Station, Kinnoull Station and the Makara Farm in Wellington’s southwest. Traps are already having an effect, having snared dozens of stoats – among other pests – in the first month of active trapping. The stoat traps are humane and aside from setup, require minimal labour. They work by: • Self-resetting up to 24 times before they need to be reloaded (a world-first) • Killing pests humanely (both stoats and rats) • Providing constant control • Killing more targets than traditional traps • Reducing trap checking • Logging all trap kills and sending an alert via smartphone technology.

| The large-scale conservation project will use 4,400 pest traps in its defence line to catch predators.

“The traps are a tool to enable landowners to get onboard with this project,” says Mr Ward.

to remove the pests that predate them and specifically to eradicate the area’s stoat population.”

Capital Kiwi is a charitable trust and works in close partnership with Predator Free Wellington, a collaboration between the NEXT Foundation, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Wellington City Council. With the conservation tech company Goodnature based in Wellington also, this is truly a community-led project.

Capital Kiwi is just one of a range of regional projects helping to make New Zealand Predator Free so native species can flourish – it is one of five landscape-scale projects partially funded by Predator Free 2050 Limited. From farms to cities to untouched bush reserves, anywhere can be transformed into a sanctuary for native species with the right mix of tools, traps and community spirit.

Goodnature Co-founder and Design Director Robbie van Dam says, “We’re excited and honoured that our A24s are being used in Capital Kiwi’s mission to bring our national icon back to Wellington, by helping

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