Plan 365 November 2018 by Farmlands

NOVEMBER 2018

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

Getting ready for the upcoming eventing season Amanda (Muzi) Pottinger is a part time Business Analyst for BEL Group Dairy Farms and a professional Three Day Eventing rider, sponsored by NRM. She is looking forward to the upcoming eventing season, where she will be competing a team of 5-6 eventing horses, including the National Three Day CCI3* Eventing Champion “Just Kidding”, also known as “Ferg”. Amanda and Ferg are currently campaigning to compete in Australia at the Adelaide International Three Day in the CCI4* class. Amanda says she has been lucky enough to grow up in an eventing family and her mother, Tinks was part of the bronze medal winning team at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. “As a team, we have been using NRM feeds to fuel and condition our horses since the early 1980s, which I feel has been a major contributor to our successes,” she says. “With my current horses, the most common used feed is NRM Low GI Sport, as it is a great base feed for most horses to gain or maintain condition while providing slow release energy, which is perfect for eventing.” Amanda says she also likes to include KER Equi-Jewel high fat stabilised rice bran, especially for horses that require more conditioning and weight gain. “This is a common requirement for me as I produce a lot of exracehorses and this combination of feeds makes it easier for these horses to obtain optimum body condition for eventing after their previous

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racing careers,” Amanda says. “My top horse Just Kidding is quite unique for a thoroughbred as he is an extremely good doer and gains weight easily – and also requires a lower starch diet to remain focused in the dressage phase of competition. Feeds like Low GI Sport and Coolade are ideal for this type of work and Ultimate Sport is ideal for before higher intensity competitions.” The Adelaide International Three Day Event is fast approaching and runs from 14-18th November. It is a physically demanding test for both horse and rider, especially the cross country phase on the second day. To ensure Ferg is at peak fitness to tackle not only the event itself but the travel over to Australia, Amanda has adopted a strict fitness plan. “He requires a decent workout every 4-5 days, which consists of gallop intervals either at the beach or on the hills, or a cross country run,” Amanda says. “Feed amounts are altered according to his condition and fitness and he generally gets less hard feed at the beginning of his prep when he’s still holding weight, which then increases as he gets fitter and the work intensity increases.” Moving forward into this season, Amanda says she is confident that her horses’ nutrient and energy requirements are being met by using NRM feeds. “The relationship NRM has with Kentucky Equine Research assures me that all the products are developed based on the latest scientific findings and I know that there is a feed

| Amanda and Ferg are getting ready to compete overseas.

available to suit every type of horse in my team,” she says. “In addition to this, I have access to reliable and knowledgeable nutrition specialists to advise on whole diet plans for each of my horses throughout the season, to give each horse the chance to perform to the best of their ability.” For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Nutrition Technical Advisor.

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NUTRITION NUTRITION

Facial eczema requires early action to prevent liver damage With summer not too far away, facial eczema prevention is once again front of mind for many livestock producers. While facial eczema has traditionally been considered a North Island issue with only small areas of the South Island affected, elevated temperatures across the country have led to a wider distribution of facial eczema cases. New Zealand authors (Di Menna et al., 2011) have illustrated this distribution. In the image below, the map on the left shows the areas susceptible to facial eczema outbreaks in 2011, while the map on the right shows the area potentially affected under a 3oC increase in environmental temperature.

The warm, moist environmental

the liver occurs prior to the observation

conditions generally experienced

of typical skin. Planning your control

from January through to May support

strategies – whether pasture spraying

rapid growth of the toxin producing

with fungicide, zinc sulphate treatment

fungus and consequently the levels

of water or zinc oxide addition to feed

of toxin present in pasture can

(or a combination of any of these) – and

increase rapidly over these months.

identifying any potential gaps early on

While many animals affected by

is key to ensuring that cows are fully

facial eczema do not show obvious

protected. Regardless of the method

signs, they will inevitably suffer liver

of supplementation used, knowing the

damage and reduced wellbeing. In

liveweight of the herd when calculating

a study carried out by DairyNZ and

the expected dose rate is vital, as the

the Sustainable Farming Fund (2014),

recommended daily intake of elemental

researchers showed that as many as

zinc is 2g per 100kg of liveweight.

one third of farms surveyed during the 2014 facial eczema season had cows affected by sub-clinical facial eczema, although the vast majority of farms had not seen any clinical cases. Other New Zealand work suggests that as many as 50 percent of animals may be affected when as few as 3 percent show skin lesions. Dairy cows affected by even a sub-clinical facial eczema challenge show reduced milk production. Productivity in beef

easy and effective, as the intake of supplementary feed is often more consistent and easier to manage than water intake. NRM offers a range of solutions for producers looking to supplement zinc through the feed. These include MultiFeed + Zinc, a versatile feed ideally suited for feeding to sheep and beef animals in the paddock and are designed to

with Beef and Lamb New Zealand

provide 2g of zinc per 200g of feed.

estimating a reduction in lifetime

Zinc oxide can also be included

performance of up to 25 percent,

as an additive in any of the NRM

even when no symptoms are visible.

Dairy Feeds or custom blends.

Planning ahead with the early

Talk to your local Nutrition Specialist or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store for further information about managing facial eczema this season.

minimise the risk of facial eczema is essential if liver damage and the

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with zinc added to feed can be both

and sheep animals is also reduced,

implementation of strategies to

| Areas in New Zealand currently liable to facial eczema outbreaks (left) and areas predicted to be liable to facial eczema under 3°C climate warming (right).

When done well, supplementing stock

subsequent production losses are to be minimised, as significant damage to

Article supplied by Natalie Chrystal, Nutritionist.

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NUTRITION

Preparing for El Niño If the meteorologists are correct, an El Niño weather pattern will bring hot and dry weather to the east coast and wet weather to the west coast in the months ahead. For those affected by hotter and drier than normal conditions, making plans and taking steps early to respond to the opportunities available can make a significant difference to the financial and emotional cost of a hot, dry spell. As both the quantity and quality of pasture available for grazing stock declines, it is important to remember that drought weakens plants. Grasses store energy above the ground, so pasture survival will be better and recovery faster if some pasture cover is maintained. In the long run, confining stock to sacrifice areas and feeding supplements is preferable to overgrazing the entire farm and facing extensive re-seeding. If a drought is expected, it may be worth directing high quality supplementary feed to highly productive stock – good milking cows, prime cattle, calves and lambs – to put milk in the vat or increase growth rates to reach sale weights or as a buffer against harder times ahead. Thin cows and poor performers may need to be dried off or put on OAD. Lambs could be weaned off thin ewes and fed NRM Lamb Performance Pellets to help support their growth whilst taking pressure off the ewes. Destocking before demand for stock falls may be worth considering. Capital stock often reflect a long-term investment in breeding, which best complements the farm and systems adopted, so preserving their condition and numbers should be a priority.

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| Make plans early if hotter and drier than normal conditions are expected.

Dry mature stock are more likely to maintain condition on summer pasture, provided supply is not limiting but even they may need supplementation during an extended drought – especially with tupping in mind. Conserved forages are typically the first thing people turn to as pasture growth slows, to help maintain livestock production and condition whilst simultaneously reducing pasture consumption. Ruminants need some long fibre but think about the true cost of the dry matter you are buying after taking into account the moisture content of the forage, feed out costs and losses and potential deterioration once the bale or stack is opened. Not all metabolisable energy is used with the same efficiency – more metabolisable energy has to be consumed as conserved forages than straights. Hard feed – ranging from straights to blends to fully formulated compound feeds – has grown in popularity during droughts because of its

consistency, ease of use, availability of supply and cost effectiveness compared to purchased forages. Hard feed can range from straights like corn gluten feed to help fill a simple energy and protein deficit, through to fully formulated blends and compound feeds. Specialist feeds are available for a range of grazing animals. NRM Summer Dry Nuts could be a topical, versatile option – available in bulk or bags that are designed for feeding in the paddock as pasture protein levels drop. Lag times in procuring and shipping imported straights means that even their supply can tighten, so it is worth discussing your needs with your local Nutrition Specialist earlier rather than later – especially with local grain supplies tightening. For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Lead Nutritionist.

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NUTRITION

Weaning to weight My experience developing dairy farms and working as a youngstock manager has convinced me that we invest in our future by taking our young-stock through the weaning process well. Replacement heifers and bull producers that are about to wean off milk need to have these calves healthy and growing well before the decision to wean them onto a grass and pellet based diet only. Make sure that you aren’t putting extra stress onto a calf that you may have just de-horned, vaccinated, or recently relocated. The calf’s rumen development and the rearing system that you are using are equally important when choosing to wean. For calves that have already been weaned off milk, consider whether they are thriving. Did they receive a check to their growth?

| Weaning fully off milk should not happen until each calf is eating 1-1.5kg of pellets and 2kg of high quality pasture per day.

milk volume over a 1-2 week period

that get left behind and fail to thrive.

and never water the milk down.

Continue with pellet feeding postweaning. Even though the animal may have reached target weaning weight, it will help during transition times. Keep non-performing calves on pellets well beyond weaning. Weaned calves are at extreme risk during changes of weather, pasture quality, travel and mob group size. A calf that can’t compete in a group will be well off target, as well as becoming time consuming and costly in trying to play “catch up”.

Decreasing the milk over time will help with transitioning issues, as well as seeing that the consumption of grass and pellet intake has

Weaning is transferring from a milk diet to a full forage/pellet diet. Factors to consider are: • Genetic potential

increased. Weaning fully off milk

• Overall animal health

Weaning to weights and age are

• Minerals/regular worm control programme • Age/weight • High volume milk versus low volume milk

should not happen until each calf is eating 1-1.5kg of pellets and 2kg of high quality pasture per day. also key indicators needed to wean successfully. The genetic potential of the individual calf should be taken into the equation. In my experience, a large Holstein Friesian needs to be at 90-100kg before weaning, Crossbreed 80-90kg and a Jersey type 65-80kg

• Rumen development

based on its breed and rearing system.

• Pellet/Grass consumption

Well grown calves are more profitable

• Weather

when not rushed through the stages of weaning. Poorly grown calves

• Pasture quality

that haven’t formed a good rumen

Calves that are on a high volume milk system may have a slower-formed rumen to those that have had a low/ restricted milk system – abruptly weaning off the milk will have a detrimental effect to those high volume calves. Gradually decrease

at the time of weaning will struggle

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to meet targets and potentially open them up to health extremes. Taking time now weighing and paying

Ensure that weaned calves have quality pasture and access to clean water. If a summer drought is likely to hit then be prepared to keep feeding pellets for longer. A monthly weighing, drench/mineral programme will keep the freshly weaned calf in optimum health, as well as keeping an eye on the overall weight gains of your calves – taking away the guess work and a great tool to use to reach targets. Small changes during weaning eventually add up to huge results.

curve in weight gains, as well as

For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist.

decreasing the chances of calves

Article supplied by Karen Fraser, Technical Specialist.

attention to detail will see a steady

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Smart tools for smart farming For farmers facing regulatory constraints or just wanting to get the best results from fertiliser inputs, precision agriculture tools are a way to reduce risk while maintaining productivity. As well as nutrient budgeting and farm environmental plan expertise, Ballance Agri-Nutrients offers a number of innovative tools developed through its Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) research programme, which can help you meet the challenges of modern farming. Here we look at SpreadSmart™ and MitAgator®. SpreadSmart SpreadSmart combines GPS farm mapping with computer tracking systems, so you can apply fertiliser at different rates to different farm areas within the same flight when aerial topdressing. Data from your GPS farm map controls the plane’s hopper unit, releasing fertiliser within pre-set zones on the flight path at the required rate(s). SpreadSmart closes the hopper at the right point to compensate for the plane’s

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movement. As the hopper empties, it adjusts the flow so your application rates stay within specification.

sustainability planning tool. It can

SpreadSmart allows you to topdress fertiliser exactly where it will provide the best return and keep it off areas where it is not wanted or needed. These could include particularly steep, erosion-prone slopes, bush or gullies, waterways and wetlands, tracks, roads and stock camps as well as areas where nutrient levels are already in the optimal range for pasture growth.

and cost effectively reduce nitrogen,

At Tutamoe Station on the East Coast of the North Island, using SpreadSmart reduced the fertiliser needed by 6.5 percent and improved the accuracy of placement by 11 percent. The farmer also observed that the process was quicker than before and the flight paths were safer.

MitAgator generates easy-to-use risk

SpreadSmart is available exclusively through Ballance’s aerial topdressing company Super Air and is currently available throughout the North Island.

target (e.g. a 10 percent reduction in

MitAgator Again developed through Ballance’s PGP research programme, MitAgator is New Zealand’s leading farm

help you develop robust, quantified Farm Environment Plans to confidently phosphorus, sediment and E. coli losses from your property. Like SpreadSmart, MitAgator requires an accurate digital farm map. The map is combined with your Overseer® file, along with soil and elevation data from national databases (or more specific datasets if these are available). maps, highlighting critical source areas for nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment and E. coli loss. You can then use MitAgator to run scenarios comparing the effectiveness and cost of different farm management strategies to reduce losses and/or achieve a specific phosphorus loss). These tools are only available through Ballance or Super Air. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Look out for pest outbreaks in forage brassica Insect pests can cause significant damage that may drastically reduce the potential of your forage brassica crop. These pests can impact yield by reducing plant population or damaging leaf tissue and growing points, which restricts plant development and provides infection sites for disease or transmission of viruses. Forage quality and palatability may also be affected. Forage brassicas are most vulnerable during the establishment phase but continue to be at risk throughout the growing season. Pest populations and subsequent damage can develop rapidly in forage brassicas – the decline from a great crop to a replant can be just 3-4 days. Crops should be walked regularly during establishment to ensure any issues are identified as soon as possible. Key things to observe include any damage to seedlings and the presence of both insect pests and their natural enemies. The key insect pests of brassicas in New Zealand are springtail, diamondback moth, white butterfly and aphids. Other

notable pests include leaf miner,

caterpillars. Translaminar activity

Nysius and cutworm. The AgPest

ensures good control of insects

website (www.agpest.co.nz) is a great

feeding on the underside of leaves.

resource for familiarising yourself

Transform is a systemic insecticide that

with these pests and their impacts.

provides fast knockdown and residual

Ideally, your crop will host a

control of both green peach aphid and

population of beneficial insects such

cabbage grey aphid. Transform can

as ladybirds, hoverfly, lacewings and

be applied as a stand-alone product

parasitic wasps. These are worth

if aphids are the only pest needing

protecting by adopting an integrated

treatment, or included as a tank

pest management (IPM) approach

partner with Sparta if leaf miner and

and using insecticides with minimal

caterpillar pests are also present.

impact on beneficial insects.

No IPM-compatible option is available

Sparta™ and Transform™ from

for forage brassicas exposed

Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture

to high pressure from Nysius or

division of DowDuPont, have excellent

cutworm. Cutworm can be controlled

environmental and toxicology profiles –

using Cobalt™ Advanced, a latex

providing a high level of safety for both

microencapsulated formulation

ground and aerial-based applicators.

that reduces operator exposure

Only minimal protective equipment is

particularly to the odour related to

required when applying. Use of a face

this older chemistry. For reliable

shield or goggles is recommended

control of high populations of

when measuring and mixing.

Nysius, apply Lorsban™ 50EC.

Sparta works by contact and ingestion

springtail, leaf miner, diamondback

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

moth, white butterfly and looper

Article supplied by Corteva Agriscience.

to provide “best in class” control of key pests in forage brassicas including

| Pest populations and subsequent damage can develop rapidly in forage brassicas.

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| Aphids are one of the key insect pests of forage brassicas in New Zealand.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Broadleaf weed control in forage plantain Forage plantain has become a significant crop in both dairy and drystock systems over the past decade. Forage plantain is highly palatable to animals, establishes rapidly, is pest-tolerant and has a high mineral content. Interest has been boosted further with the recent launch of Ecotain™ environmental plantain from Agricom with a focus on mitigating leaching of nitrogen. The increased relevance and demand for this crop has encouraged investment in technologies to

improve performance. This includes developments such as new and improved cultivars and also the registration of herbicide options for use on the crop. To date, registered herbicide options have been very limited. The recent registration of T-Max™ herbicide for use in plantain by Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture division of DowDuPont, has been welcomed by farmers looking for a herbicide that provides highly effective broadleaf weed control. A post-emergence herbicide, T-Max has been used extensively for the control of a wide range of broadleaf weeds in pastures and forage brassicas and as a partner for glyphosate at spray-out. T-Max is particularly effective against docks, giant buttercup, black nightshade, willow weed, fathen, ragwort and thistles, including Californian thistle. The key opportunities for use of T-Max in forage plantain crops include: • Newly sown and established, pure swards of plantain. • Mixes of plantain and grasses or forage brassicas, e.g. Italian ryegrass or forage rape. • As a salvage treatment for plantain mixes with clover and/or other herbs that have become overwhelmed by thistles and other broadleaf weeds. Other broadleaf species will be removed but plantain is retained and can be undersown with grasses. According to Richard BrentonRule, Territory Manager for Corteva Agriscience, plantain is now regularly

sown with clover or other species that are susceptible to T-Max. “However, there are still many puresward summer or perennial crops of plantain where T-Max is now registered for use,” Richard says. “I also see a number of situations where perennial mixed swards are overcome by high weed numbers but there is a sufficient population of plantain worth retaining. The plantain can be salvaged using T-Max to clean up the sward before undersowing or oversowing with a suitable partner like Italian or shortrotation ryegrass to get another season or two from the block.” Corteva Agriscience conducted extensive trials evaluating T-Max over plantain for crop safety and grazing interactions to establish reliable guidelines for use. Trials showed T-Max is best applied to young, actively growing weeds in established plantain, i.e. after grazing. Allow a few days following grazing for weeds to freshen up, then spray. Applying T-Max after a grazing ensures good coverage of target weeds and minimises the impact of the spray on the plantain crop. While some short-term reduction in growth can occur from application of T-Max, this is minimised by spraying after grazing and trials showed that growth recovers fully within a few weeks and long-term yield or plant numbers are not reduced. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Corteva Agriscience.

| Forage plantain has become a significant crop in both dairy and drystock systems over the past decade.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Tank mix to control a broader range of weeds There is no one magic herbicide that can control all possible weeds in a crop and still be safe on the crop. Each herbicide has a specific spectrum of weeds that it will control. These are listed on product labels and reflect the weeds that will have been evaluated in local field trials. The product may be active on other weeds but these may either be not relevant to the crop or were not present in trials during the development phase. The result is that a product has a defined suite of labelled weeds and recommendations on how to control them. Some products will control a number of grasses and broadleaf weeds but actives such as dicamba, clopyralid or bromoxynil will only control broadleaf weeds. This does not mean that those compounds are deficient, they just do not control grass weeds. The same is true for individual weeds that herbicides do not work on â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is not a failure, it is just that the product has a specific spectrum. Herbicides are effective on their own but will benefit from strategic tank mix partners to cover off specific weeds. The upside of mixing herbicides to enhance efficacy is, by default, builtin resistance management. In many cases, the combination will have common weeds that both herbicides are effective on. This is a robust resistance strategy, with two differing modes of action herbicides being used together. This in addition to rotating chemistry in sequence in a season and rotating from season to season forms most of the current philosophies on resistance management. Using the

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| Each herbicide has a specific spectrum of weeds that it will control, which are listed on product labels.

herbicide as early as possible in the weed growth stages, using appropriate adjuvants and rotating the crop are also effective resistance strategies.

With tank mixing, always fully read all

AriettaÂŽ is effective on grasses like yellow bristle grass, barnyard grass, smooth witch grass and summer grasses but not ryegrass or couch. In this instance, nicosulfuron should be added to the spray tank to cover off the extra grass weeds.

weed growth stages line up? The same

Arietta will look after broadleaf weeds like docks, dandelion, fathen and fleabane, however Californian thistles are not controlled. Using additional clopyralid as a tank mix covers that gap off. This mix is also excellent for self-set potato. Weeds from the Polygonaceae family (wireweed and cornbind) and field bindweed are tough targets, so here Arietta needs to be partnered with a dicamba-based product for optimum effectiveness. In this case, pay particular attention to the latest spray growth stage recommended for dicamba.

the products labels and determine the common denominators. For example, do the adjuvant recommendations or goes for application crop stages and harvest/grazing withholding periods. One often overlooked impact of tank mixing is a difference in plant-back restrictions. For example, a mix with clopyralid changes the pea plant back interval for Arietta from 8 weeks to 12-52 weeks depending on the clopyralid rate and degradation. Wetting agents are required with Arietta in all cases. The optimum type is an esterified canola oil such as Hasten. The label also recommends adding atrazine and this remains a requirement with all mixtures. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by BASF.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Crop-safe attributes essential A key tool for early pasture weed control is a herbicide that not only provides broad spectrum weed control but is also clover safe. With a plethora of herbicide options, some key attributes should be looked for when making the critical decision around weed control in newly established pastures.

for New Zealand conditions, unlike

is applied to broadleaf pastural crops

other flumetsulams, Headstart is made

like lucerne and chicory. The ideal

using patented OleoÂŽ technology.

tank mix partner in this situation is

Oleo technology combines the active

any of the clethodim products. Grass

ingredient with all the necessary

weed herbicides such as products

surfactants and oils required for

containing clethodim require the

effective weed control in one product.

addition of adjuvant oils to give

The liquid formulation is easier to

optimal weed control. The fact that

measure and mix compared to

Headstart contains an adjuvant mix

It is not a new concept that early

granular products, which leads to

in the formulation means it will help

weed control in any crop will give

more consistent weed control. The

enhance the activity of these tank mix

the best results. However, often the

improved results achieved in the field

herbicides we employ can only be

has allowed nine extra weeds to be

used once the pasture or crop we

added to the label. The better weed

are growing gets to a certain size or

control is due to the optimal ratio

stage. This also allows the weeds

of active to adjuvant in every spray

to grow, becoming harder to kill and

droplet delivered to their target.

starting to compete with your crop.

Compatibility with other pastural

Look for herbicides that contain

herbicides should also be considered.

crop-safe attributes, such as active

In fact, the adjuvants and oils that are

ingredients like flumetsulam. This

present in the Headstart formulation

active is known to be safe on young

can enhance the herbicidal activity of

pastural species, including ryegrass,

tank mix partners. A good example

clover, lucerne and chicory. Pasture

of a suitable tank mix partner would

conditions, as there could be some

can be sprayed once clover has two

be any of the phynoxy products

effects on crops, especially lucerne

trifoliate leaves and young chicory

containing MCPB and MCPA.

and some clover species/varieties.

can be sprayed when four leaves are

The addition of these to the tank

For further information, contact

present. Lucerne can be sprayed

mix will improve thistle control, as

your Farmlands Technical Field

once the crop has four true leaves.

well as a range of other weeds.

Officer or the friendly team at

Flumetsulam is the active ingrdient in

Headstart is also able to be mixed

your local Farmlands store.

Headstart. Developed in New Zealand

with grass weed herbicides when it

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partners. The rate of clethodim will depend on the type of grass that you are trying to control. This information can be found on the product label. Best results are obtained when weeds are small but also more importantly when they are actively growing with good moisture. Activity will be reduced when weeds are under drought stress, or if conditions are cold and wet. Care should also be taken in hot and dry

Article supplied by Lonza.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Stop the spread of yellow bristle grass For many farmers in several parts of New Zealand, including Taranaki, Waikato, South Auckland and Bay of Plenty, yellow bristle grass is now an unwelcome sight in paddocks every year. This highly aggressive annual-seeding weed spreads rapidly through pasture, reducing feed quality in late summer and autumn. Cows do not willingly eat yellow bristle grass, leading to low pasture utilisation. Grazing avoidance then leads to a massive seed set, rapid re-infestation and an opening for other weeds (researchers have counted up to 20,000 seeds per square metre in severe yellow bristle grass infestations, ranging down to 5-10,000 seeds/m2 under light infestations). Yellow bristle grass seeds survive ingestion and pass through the rumen to spread around the farm in dung. They also spread by water, soil movement, machinery and dairy effluent, as well as contaminated hay and maize. Once the weed is present, it can be very difficult and time-consuming to eradicate, not to mention costly in terms of lost grazing. On farms where yellow bristle grass makes up 13 percent (on average) of dry matter, the cost of supplementary baleage required to maintain milk production is estimated at an annual cost of $343/ha. All of these considerations mean effective yellow bristle grass control in maize crops is good practice for biosecurity. Nufarm Technical Specialist, Paul Addison says it is also reassuring for farmers who may purchase the

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| This highly aggressive annual-seeding weed spreads rapidly through pasture, reducing feed quality in late summer and autumn.

resultant silage. He says research has proven that yellow bristle grass seeds will not survive longer than a week in well-sealed maize silage. However, harvest, transport and handling of these crops at maturity remains a known risk factor for spreading yellow bristle grass seed into roadside verges and pastures. “One new option is to use Latro® WG herbicide to eliminate yellow bristle grass early in the life of maize crops,” Paul says. Latro WG is the only nicosulfuron herbicide available to New Zealand farmers that is specifically registered for control of yellow bristle grass in maize. “This label claim will be of particular interest to any farmers, growers or contractors who repeatedly crop long-term maize ground, particularly in Waikato and Bay of Plenty,” Paul says. Latro WG is well known as an

economic, highly effective postemergence herbicide in maize, with a broad spectrum of control for both grass and broadleaf weeds. Timing of application is important – yellow bristle grass should be sprayed with Latro WG before the canopy of the crop closes over, to ensure that the herbicide hits its target. “Yellow bristle grass itself requires quite high levels of light to thrive, so it tends to be very dominant in the outer rows of the crop,” Paul says. Latro WG can be mixed with Kamba 500 or Primiera to widen the range of broadleaf weeds controlled, if necessary. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Nufarm.

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HORTICULTURE

Long lasting weed control for apples, grapes and kiwifruit Controlling grass and broadleaf weeds in vineyards and orchards has several benefits – and in recent years has typically entailed repeat application of foliar knockdown herbicides, which only control weeds present at the time of application. Glyphosate and glufosinate are good examples of this type of chemistry. Both have been widely used to stop weeds competing with grapes, pipfruit and kiwifruit for essential resources such as light, water and nutrients during the growing season. Eliminating competition helps the crop achieve its full yield potential at harvest time, with the added advantage of removing habitat for potentially costly insect pests, as weeds often harbour mites and passionvine hoppers in particular. A clean, weed-free growing environment is also easier and more efficient to manage physically when it comes to removing vineyard nets pre-harvest, for example. Nets that have large weeds growing through

them take much more time and effort to remove than those that do not.

herbicide resistance management

Since the discovery of glyphosateresistant ryegrass in Marlborough vineyards in 2012, however, many growers have become more focused on recognising the risk of herbicide resistance and implementing appropriate management strategies to slow its development.

extremely wide range of key weeds.”

A new post-emergence herbicide called Chateau is now available, which gives grape, kiwifruit and pipfruit growers economic, longer-lasting weed control using different chemistry from knockdown herbicides.

poorly controlled by some knockdown

Adrian Rigby, Nufarm Territory Manager for Hawke’s Bay, says Chateau has a very wide weed spectrum and 6 years of testing in New Zealand orchards and vineyards has confirmed its crop safety, efficacy and season-long weed control. “This is an important new product for growers,” Adrian says. “The active ingredient in Chateau is 500g/kg flumioxazin, a Group E herbicide, which provides both an extremely effective alternative mode of action for use in

strategies and effective control of an Chateau forms a protective barrier on the soil surface, which effectively prevents the emergence of a wide range of both grass and broadleaf annual and perennial weeds after their seeds germinate. Weeds controlled include many that are herbicides, for example mallows, tall willow herb and stinging nettle. When applied according to label instructions, it controls weeds for 4-8 months and has been proven to be safe on both established and young trees and vines (trees must be 1 year old before first application, vines must be 2 years old). “It stays in place until rainfall or irrigation releases its activity – it does not leach or volatalise,” Adrian adds. “When used as directed, no residues occur in fruit or vine foliage and it poses no threat to soil health, including having no negative effects on earth worms and soil microorganisms.” Safe and effective on a wide range of soil types, Chateau has the further benefit of coming in pre-packaged water soluble bags, so no weighing or handling is required. For best results, this new herbicide requires careful preparation, application and timing. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Nufarm.

| Removing vineyard nets pre-harvest is easier when there is a clean, weed-free growing environment.

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HORTICULTURE

Disease challenges when growing premium grapes Growing a high quality grape crop suitable for premium wine production can be challenging. Intensive management and good weather conditions play a part but keeping the crop disease-free is critical for producing a premium crop. Two diseases in particular, botrytis and powdery mildew can severely impact grape quality and devastate grower profitability. Commonly called grey mould, botrytis develops in grape bunches causing rots, which dramatically affect quality and yields. While being unsightly, powdery mildew can cause significant economic losses. Bunch infections reduce yields through retarding berry growth, delaying maturity and splitting berries. Powdery mildew infected grapes are also problematic in the winery, as they cause off-flavours in wine. Bunches with even minor infections (less than 5 percent) may be rejected or result in a severe financial penalty. Cultural techniques including canopy management, leaf plucking and flag shoot removal can assist in preventing the establishment of botrytis and powdery mildew. However, the use of fungicides in seasonal programmes is required to economically control these diseases. While botrytis usually appears late in the season, it is critical to prevent botrytis infections at flowering. Botrytis infections at flowering can remain latent inside developing berries and appear from veraison onwards as berries ripen. The key botrytis control timings are from late flowering through to

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| Botrytis develops in grape bunches causing rots, which dramatically affect quality and yields.

| Powdery mildew infected grapes are problematic, as they cause off-flavours in wine.

bunch closure and then if weather conditions are favourable for disease development, from veraison through to harvest. For powdery mildew control, it is critical to maintain early season control and continue this through to pre-bunch closure. Late flowering is equally critical for powdery mildew control, as the young developing berries are susceptible to infection for the first 3 weeks after flowering.

surfaces and is rainfast after 1 hour.

For the best control of these two diseases it is important that robust and effective fungicides are used at the 80 percent capfall period. Two fungicides from Bayer CropScience, Teldor® and Luna® Sensation are outstanding options, as they can be tank mixed together at the 80 percent capfall timing to provide premium protection against these diseases at this crucial control timing. When used at 80 percent capfall, Teldor and Luna Sensation are suitable for use in nil-detectable residue programmes.

mildew spray programmes. These

Teldor is a specialist botrytis fungicide that provides long-lasting protective activity. Once applied, Teldor binds onto the waxy surfaces on plant

It forms a stable layer providing longlasting protection of the capfall scars, preventing botrytis infections. Teldor is also an ideal fit in industry botrytis resistance management strategies, as it has a different mode of action to other commonly used botryticides. Luna Sensation has properties that make it the perfect candidate for using at 80 percent capfall in powdery include systemic, translaminar, vapour and protectant activities that give Luna Sensation long-lasting and very effective control. Do not apply Luna Sensation after 80 percent capfall. Although the label allows two Luna Sensation applications per season, Bayer’s recommendation for best industry resistance practice is to only use Luna Sensation once per season. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Teldor ® and Luna® are registered trademarks of the Bayer Group. Article supplied by Bayer CropScience.

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HORTICULTURE

Biofungicides effective for grapes and kiwifruit The challenge of producing high quality export fruit and wine with nil residues – combined with increasing demand for sprays with favourable environmental and safety profiles – is leading to greater interest in natural or biologicalbased products to replace, or complement, conventional crop protection products. In kiwifruit, sclerotinia infection over flowering can cause premature fruit drop and scarring on fruit, making them unsuitable for export. Fungicide applications over the pre-flower and flowering/petal-fall periods are critical if conditions are conducive to the disease (i.e. warm and wet). This is where biofungicides with ingredients such as tea tree oil come in. Tea tree oil has a unique mode of action (FRAC Group 46, Target Site F7) with multi-site activity against a wide range of fungal pathogens. Tea tree oil works by disrupting the cell wall and membrane of fungi, causing the death of fungal cells. It also has some impact on mycelium development and suppression of sporulation. An excellent fit for growers, tea tree oil is exempt from market MRLs because it does not leave any synthetic chemical residues at harvest. Timorex Gold® is a natural plant-based biofungicide containing tea tree oil, an extract of Melaleuca alternifolia plant. Currently sold in more than 30 countries worldwide, Timorex Gold is used successfully by growers overseas to control a wide range of diseases – and in New Zealand, it is

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| Interest in natural or biological-based products to replace conventional crop protection products is growing.

now ACVM approved for the control of powdery mildew in grapes and sclerotinia in kiwifruit. The introduction of Timorex Gold is a good example of the right product at the right time, especially for kiwifruit growers to replace iprodione (Rovral®), which can no longer be used in the spray programme for sclerotinia control. It is also effective for winegrowers looking for disease control with no chemical residues at harvest. It is not toxic to workers or beneficial insects (including honey bees) and, having BioGro certification, it can be used in both conventional and organic production. It can be applied twice over the flowering period (up to petal-fall) in kiwifruit with an application rate of 1.5 litres per hectare. An application on Luna® Privilege is recommended pre-flowering (in conventional orchards), followed by Timorex Gold over the flowering period. Although it is not harmful to bees, best practice bee safety guidelines should always be followed.

Trials in kiwifruit to evaluate the crop safety and compatibility of Timorex Gold applied as a tank mix with commonly used products applied up to petal-fall have shown no negative effects on fruit finish, fresh weight, brix colour or dry matter at harvest. This included the mixture of Timorex Gold plus Proclaim®, which is likely to be a common tank mix applied to kiwifruit at fruit-set timing this season to control both leafroller caterpillars and sclerotinia. In grapes, Timorex Gold can be applied up to four times per season, typically at a rate of 1.5 to 2.0 litres per hectare from growth stage EL-12 until a day before harvest (with no residue issues). The addition of sulphur is not recommended in mixture with Timorex Gold on grapes for powdery mildew control. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Syngenta.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Ensure optimal lamb growth rates in spring A key driver of farm productivity is the weight of lambs at weaning. If lamb growth rates are good and more lambs are at killable weights at weaning, this reduces the number of lambs that a farmer has to keep on into the summer. Gastrointestinal parasites can have a negative effect on these growth rates.

be increased. In situations such as this, a drench pre-weaning should be considered to maximise growth rates. Where drenching is required, all farmers should be using an effective, combination drench. Farmers can find out what drenches are working on their farm by completing a Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT).

The key points of an effective parasite management programme are to manage pastures to reduce challenge, use effective drenches and utilise refugia and combination drenches to reduce the selection for drench resistance for the future. Around lambing, parasite eggs are produced onto often low pasture covers by parasites inside ewes – when the ewe’s immune system is impaired under stress around lambing. In spring, the parasite larvae from these eggs are taken up by lambs and depress growth rates up until weaning. If the spring pasture growth is slow or pasture covers are low, this negative effect can

If a farmer is unsure of their drench resistance status, they should use a triple combination such as Alliance®. Combination drenches also have the benefit of reducing the selection pressure for drench resistance. The chance of a worm being resistant to all active ingredients in a combination is low and the proportion of resistant parasites surviving on-farm compared to sensitive parasites on pasture is less. Cattle and sheep do not share the same parasites and pasture grazed with cattle will have reduced numbers of infective larvae for sheep on it and vice versa. By rotating the grazing of sheep with

cattle in the spring, the growth rates of both classes of stock can be improved. Refugia is another tool that farmers can use to reduce the selection for drench resistance. Basically, refugia is allowing parasites from un-drenched animals to populate pasture diluting any resistant parasites that may have survived drenching. This could be leaving a proportion of the mob un-drenched, putting drenched animals onto pasture that has had un-drenched grazing on it previously or following drenched animals with a mob of un-drenched animals. As it takes most parasites 21 days to start producing eggs once ingested, using a short acting drench at 28 day intervals ensures that some sensitive parasites, not exposed to drench, reproduce before another drench is used. These larvae are also a form of refugia and dilute any resistant parasites that have survived the previous drench. Reducing the numbers of young stock on-farm is one way that farmers can reduce the impact of parasites on production, their reliance on drenching and the potential for developing drench resistance in the future. Ensuring optimal growth rates in spring and more lambs to the works early is one way that farmers can achieve this. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. ACVM No: A10249 ®Registered trademark. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. NZ/ALCE/0918/0010. Article supplied by MSD Animal Health.

| Gastrointestinal parasites can have a negative effect on lamb growth rates.

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DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Lower costs and lift milk yield What if you could make one change to your system that would reduce costs, shorten milk-out time, prevent cup slip, lower somatic cell counts and boost milk yield? It may sound unlikely but you can. All you have to do is replace your milking liners once they reach their use-by date. Filling the vat with the best milk you can produce is a financial win-win. High milk quality is also a key indicator for several critical areas of overall farm business performance, including animal health and labour. As a rule, the lower your somatic cell count and the fewer grades you incur during lactation, the better your milking system, which is good for both staff and cows alike. Now is an ideal time to review and if necessary fine-tune the milking system. Your Farmlands Technical Field Officer can be a helpful sounding board during this process – they can tailor their advice and products to your individual situation. Some of the questions they might ask include: • When were the milking liners last changed? • What is the correct milking liner for your shells and are you using the best liner? • Do you have any milking problems in the plant (cup slip, etc.)?

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Milking liners are the single part of your dairy plant that comes into direct contact with the cow. Every lactation cows typically spend 50-100 hours attached to the machine – via those liners – so it is no wonder they play such an important role in milk harvesting.

the cluster off, damaged teat ends or

Changing milking liners once they reach their use-by date not only shortens milk-out time, reduces cup slip and lowers somatic cell counts, it also helps save power, labour and animal health costs and can increase milksolid yields while minimising the risk of costly grades.

are an ideal environment for bacteria.

Most dairy rubberware is designed to take a lot of punishment. As soon as it is installed in your plant, its surface strength and integrity comes under daily attack from a wide range of environmental challenges – including milk, detergents, sanitisers, milkstone removers, ozone, UV light and variable temperatures. Farmers who change milking liners at the recommended lifespan of 2,500 milkings report immediate reduction in teat end damage as well as a better somatic cell count results, according to Skellerup National Manager, Perry Davis. “Liners are hidden inside the cups, so you can’t see what happens to them when they wear out. The first thing you might see instead is a cow kicking

a surprisingly high bulk somatic cell count on the milk docket,” Perry says. That is because a worn, poor fitting liner can leave milk in the udder, slip off the teat and/or leave permanent rings at the top of the teat. On top of that, any internal cracks in the rubber It is easy to find out if your milking liners are due for replacement. All you have to do is grab a calculator and work out how many times they’ve been used since they were installed. If the answer comes to 2,500 or more, they’ve reached the end of their lifespan and could soon cost you more than you realise. Visit www.2500change.co.nz or follow these steps: • Step 1 – multiply the number of cows being milked by the number of milkings per day. • Step 2 – divide the number in “Step 1” by the number of milking clusters in the milking plant. • Step 3 – divide 2,500 by the number in “Step 2”. This is the number of days between optimum liner changes for your farm. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Skellerup.