Plan 365 October 2017 by Farmlands

OCTOBER 2017

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

Diet, exercise critical for yearlings’ sales success Preparing a yearling for sale is an important event in the stud calendar for both thoroughbreds and standardbreds and involves a carefully tailored balance between correct nutrition, conditioning, growth and fitness. Properly prepared yearlings will be fit, sound and well grown, with shiny coats and little body fat. When preparing a yearling for sale it is important to understand the nutrient requirements of the horse and the critical balance between feed intake and exercise as they affect condition and soundness. Forage should always be the first consideration in any horse’s diet, and some amount of pasture along with a high quality/high energy hay is important for yearlings. Higher energy hays such as lucerne and clover blends will contribute to energy requirements and work to decrease the amount of starch in the yearling’s diet. Also, using a high quality, early cut hay minimises the appearance of gut-fill that is often associated with a mature hay of high lignin content. Including additional fibre sources through chaff, ensiled forages and super fibres such as beet pulp and soy hulls is often highly beneficial for reducing the amount of hard feed or grain the horse requires, which can in turn reduce symptoms of starch overload including diarrhea, colic, laminitis and behaviour problems. Yearlings do best on a 14-17 percent protein ration balanced for macro and micro-minerals, and fat and watersoluble vitamins. Feeding rates of

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| Including a fat source in your yearling’s diet is one of the best ways to get that sale ring shine. Image courtesy Haunui Farms.

hard feeds for yearlings are extremely variable depending on choice of feed, growth history, skeletal size, individual metabolism, actual age and quantity and quality of forage. It is essential that all yearlings are fed as individuals, paying careful attention to body weight, weekly weight gain and body condition score, with feed intake adjusted appropriately.

intestine, thus reducing the risk of

Selecting a muesli-style textured hard feed is often beneficial as the high palatability encourages consistent intake of feed through stressful times of increased workload, travel to sales complexes and new surroundings.

including a fat source is always one

To avoid hindgut disturbances and digestive conditions in yearlings it is also important to consider feeds that contain grains that have been processed to enhance digestion. Heat-processed feeds such as pelleted or feeds containing steamflaked grains ensure most of the digestion takes place in the small

a high fat/low starch conditioning

unprocessed starch entering the hindgut and causing acidosis. NRM Assett or NRM Prepare are great options of well-balanced textured feeds containing steam-flaked grains that are ideal for sales preparation. While there is an overwhelming array of supplements that claim to enhance coat quality and condition, of the best ways to achieve that sale ring shine. Suitable fat sources include vegetable oils, sunflower seeds, or a stabilised rice bran such as KER Equi-Jewel. Equi-Jewel is supplement that is highly beneficial for improving topline and coat quality. For more information and diet advice on preparing a yearling for sale, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article by Luisa Wood, Equine Nutrition Technical Advisor.

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NUTRITION

Minerals review prudent step in pre-mating period If feeding dairy cows to support mating performance is constrained by budgets, it might be worth starting with the little things and working up the food chain rather than doing nothing because the big cost items are beyond reach.

review at this time – especially when heifers have been wintered on fodder beet and fed maize silage in early lactation. Lameness and poor udder health could affect a cow’s inclination to express oestrous so zinc methionine could be considered as a nutritional remedy in these areas.

Essential trace minerals are reactive

It is widely accepted that reduced mating performance occurs if cows are underfed at mating time. While a short period of underfeeding over mating may have little negative effects on reproduction for mature cows in good condition, it is always difficult to know how long underfeeding will last, and thinner cows and heifers are more vulnerable to under-nutrition. Mating of spring calving cows can coincide with grass getting into reproductive mode, resulting in rising fibre and falling metabolisable energy and protein levels. If compounded by poor weather and lower sugar levels,

elements required in tiny amounts that get involved in many enzyme and hormonal systems throughout the body. Their effects are often quite subtle and deficiencies hard to detect because they can be associated with symptoms that could be related to a host of other things. As indicated in Table 1, some are particularly associated with reproduction so it could be prudent to check the herd’s status or supplementation levels in the critical pre-mating period. I would include the major minerals phosphorus and sodium in a mineral

Table 1: Fertility issues associated with essential minerals and trace elements. TRACE MINERAL

SYMPTOMS IF DEFICIENT

Copper

Poor fertility – delayed or depressed oestrus, abortion, poor semen quality

Iodine

Abnormal oestrus (irregular or suppressed). Resorption of fetus (early embryonic death).

Manganese Selenium Zinc

Low fertility in adults Infertility affecting oestrus, ovulation, embryo fertilisation and development Poor testicular development

Major mineral Phosphorus Sodium

Irregular oestrus, silent heat, delayed/low conception Reduced reproduction efficiency through poor fertility in males

energy intake drops and cows that were comfortably holding their own can enter a negative energy balance, with milk production falling off peak faster than it would normally. In this situation, feeding supplements to fill a feed deficit seems sensible if only to maintain milk flow, irrespective of what logic would suggest it do for reproduction. Preferentially feeding younger and thinner cows to improve energy status and body condition should increase the potential for successful reproduction. If a grain-based supplement is already being fed the rate can be increased if needed. Including some rumen-friendly fat or even protein to help close a negative energy gap should be considered, particularly if the total protein content of the diet is sub-optimal. Trying to stem the global fall in dairy cow fertility is difficult partly because statistically it is a lot harder to prove that a treatment significantly affects fertility – either positively or negatively – than it is with, say, milk yield. Cows are either pregnant or not, they can’t be half pregnant, whereas milk yield can be continuously variable, and many other variables with nothing to do with the imposed treatment can affect the fertility outcome. Unfortunately huge budgets are required to deliver enough replication in fertility trials to ensure the results can be trusted so scientists may not provide the answers soon. For more information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article by Dr Rob Derrick, Nutritionist, Farmlands.

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NUTRITION

Setting targets essential for successful weaning Weaning is the process of transferring a calf from a liquid milk diet to a completely “solid” diet. Successful weaning depends on ensuring that a calf’s digestive system is well set up for processing bulky high fibre pasture, and pre-weaning decisions can have a significant impact on how well calves flourish once their milk is taken away.

Top tips for weaning • Do not wean calves during periods of additional stress – e.g. illness, dehorning or extreme weather. • Weigh calves regularly. • Gradually wean calves rather than abruptly taking them off milk (gradually reduce volume per feed and/or number of feeds a day to smooth the change). • Be prepared to hold calves back from weaning if they are not eating enough hard feed – they are telling you their rumens are not ready yet. • Assess the level of milk in your system if intake of hard feed is low (overfeeding of milk can reduce intake of hard feed).

Rumen development during calf rearing can be achieved by offering a high quality hard feed to calves from an early age and ensuring systems are set up to achieve good calf intake of a hard feed by weaning. A good quality hard calf feed will include starch, which encourages papillae development in the rumen and the establishment of a microflora population essential for the fermentation of high fibre feeds. Weaning can be stressful for calves, particularly if done prematurely. If the rumen is not properly prepared for digesting pasture, calves can go backwards very quickly and lose condition fast as they are not able to get sufficient energy and protein out of the grass.

• Continue with hard feed after weaning. This helps to support growth rates. Some farmers find it beneficial to continue with hard feed for several weeks or months post weaning, particularly if pasture quality/quantity is poor. Postweaning calves at pasture have been found to grow faster on 16 percent crude protein calf pellets rather than barley – however, continuing to feed 20 percent crude protein pellets may be advantageous. • Coccidia challenge is likely to be highest in the 8 weeks following weaning. Calves take time to build up resistance to coccidiosis and may benefit from being fed a coccidiostat in pellets for some weeks post-weaning.

Deciding when to wean can be made

target specific to a farm. As a rule of

easier by setting targets. Age or weight

thumb, when a calf is eating 1-1.5kg

alone are not the best parameters as

(depending on breed) of hard feed for

they do not assess rumen development. A better parameter is hard feed intake in combination with having a weight

Rumen development stages

Reticulum 5%

Rumen 70%

Rumen 30%

Rumen 80%

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the rumen is sufficiently developed. Grass quality and quantity can affect calf growth through the summer back on hard feed too early in the spring when there is an opportunity to keep growth on-track.

Omasum 7–8%

Calf

be weaned – the calf is telling us that

so it can be a false economy to cut

Rumen 70%

Abomasum Abomasum 30% 70% 10 – 12 weeks

three consecutive days, it is ready to

Abomasum 20%

4 months

For more information, contact Abomasum 8%

Fully developed

your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, Nutritionist.

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NUTRITION

Rapid diet switch can put ruminants at risk Acidosis is a metabolic disorder caused by a lowered pH in the rumen, which is caused by acids being produced at a faster rate than they can be neutralised, used by other microorganisms or absorbed through the rumen wall. Ruminant animals digest feed predominantly in the rumen, where carbohydrates (sugar, starch, and fibre) are fermented by the billions of resident microorganisms. The by-products of this fermentation process – volatile fatty acids – are then absorbed by the ruminant animal and used as an energy source. Sugar, starch and fibre are all carbohydrates but they get degraded and used by the rumen microorganisms at different rates, with sugar being used the fastest, followed by starch and then fibre. If ruminant animals consume feed in which the carbohydrates are rapidly degraded without allowing time for the rumen to adjust to the new diet, acidosis can develop. The rumen microorganisms that digest fibre prefer a rumen pH of around 6, and when the

fatty acid profile that’s produced can reduce the fat content of milk).

pH of the rumen drops significantly below this, their activity drops. In less serious cases of acidosis, the reduced pH can cause reduced microbial activity and sub-optimal digestion. In more serious cases it can cause rumen microorganisms to cease functioning and reproducing altogether, and the acid can cause significant damage to the lining of the rumen and rumen stasis. Risk factors for acidosis • A diet high in rapidly fermentable carbohydrates and low in fibre. • A diet low in physically effective long fibre that stimulates rumination. Saliva produced when animals are ruminating helps to buffer the acids in the rumen. • Feeding out high starch and/or sugar feeds inconsistently and/ or without controlling individual animal intake, with the risk of dominant animals gorging. • Not sufficiently transitioning animals to high sugar/starch feeds.

Symptoms/signs to look for • Liquid faeces that contain undigested particles of feed and/ or bubbles (this indicates feed is not getting digested properly in the rumen). Faeces may be inconsistent across a herd, with some more liquid than others. • Animals not ruminating sufficiently – rumination recirculates sodium bicarbonate, which helps buffer rumen acidity. • A drop in milk fat for dairy cows (as the rumen pH drops, the volatile

• Uncomfortable animals, restless with indigestion. • Reduced feed intake, low gut fill in animals, ketosis and condition loss. • Laminitis (acidosis is linked to laminitis). • In acute cases, animals can become severely dehydrated, toxaemic, may bleed from the mouth and nose, the rumen ceases to function , bloat-like symptoms may occur due to reduced rumen motility and animals can die rapidly. Prevention Acidosis can be prevented by ensuring any new feeds containing rapidly fermentable carbohydrates (sugar and starch) are introduced slowly to animals, starting with a small amount and building up gradually. Ensuring animals have adequate total fibre and effective fibre in the diet is also important and can help to reduce gorging when introducing new feeds. Offering some hay, straw or mature baleage can help, and rumen buffers can be included to help elevate rumen pH levels. When transitioning ruminants to a diet high in sugar and/or starch, monitor animal health closely and look out for some of those classic acidosis signs. The earlier you pick up on issues the better the animal outcome if acidosis is the issue. For more information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, Nutritionist.

| If ruminant animals are not given enough time to transition to a new diet, acidosis may occur.

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Environmental concerns prompt stockwater plan The quality of our natural water sources has been in the news. Stricter regional council water plans and tighter controls are among the reasons father and son John and Tom Latta are looking to install a reticulated stockwater system on their property in Owaka Valley, South Otago.

that sediment causes through stock

systems specialist, Ken Stewart. “John

pugging the banks and beds of creeks,

and Tom’s property is rolling to hilly

causing slumping and erosion, siltation

country, currently carrying 5,000 sheep

and water turbidity (muddy looking).

and 500 cattle, with future-proofing

Sediment not only contains nutrients,

plans to allow a dairy support operation

pathogens and bacteria, it also

or to carry up to 2,500 cattle,” Ken says.

adversely affects the habitat for in-

“A natural spring at height delivering

“A reticulated stockwater system

salmon and their ability to see prey.

provides surety of supply and

While pugging-induced sedimentation

quality of water delivered and can

can be mitigated by adequate

be designed to accommodate any

riparian buffer zones, leaving

potential future changes in livestock

margins uncultivated and planting

farming practice,” John says.

unstable banks, excluding stock

Stock excreting in rivers and creeks,

from waterways is the best option.

causing nutrient and pathogen issues

With these thoughts in mind, John

downstream, is well understood.

contacted Invercargill-based Farmlands

Perhaps less understood is the harm

Technical Field Officer and water

stream invertebrates and native fish, reducing feed availability for trout and

enough flow allowed the design of a gravity system, with negligible on-going running costs. This development will see the use of 22 kilometres of high-flow metric Greenline pipe, with 13 breakpressure tanks managing the water pressure to 100 troughs,” he says. Paul McDonald, owner of Blue Sky Excavation, has been contracted for the development. “Paul is a great fan of the new Plasson Series 1 push-fit compression fittings and will be using them on this job,” Ken says, “as he values their quick and positive jointing system.” In Ken’s 9 years as a designer he’s heard many favourable comments about his systems, with many focusing on the increased efficiency and short pay-back time. “It’s rewarding to hear things like that in regard to productivity”, Ken says, “and even more satisfying to know for John and Tom it’s an environmentally sustainable solution as well.” For more information on stockwater reticulation, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Iplex.

| John Latta and Paul McDonald, owner of Blue Sky Excavation, inspect the plans for a reticulated stockwater system.

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Innovative activator puts safety first at farm gates Electric fencing is a popular option for containing livestock but safety for the operator and animals as well as ease of use can be problematic, especially where the electric fence meets the gate. Traditional activator systems used widely in the dairy industry tend to have common issues as they all use a wood-post pinlock insulator with an attached steel activator plate. To accept the gate handle hook, the activators are fixed to a gate post on the gateway side. When cattle pass through, they often make contact with the activators and frequently break the insulator. The protruding steel activator plate also creates an injury hazard as the animals pass its sharp edge. A new and innovative gate break activator developed by Strainrite Fencing Systems, the Activator Strap, won this year’s prestigious Mystery Creek National Fieldays’ International Innovation Award. Market feedback had highlighted issues with traditional activator systems, made worse by the increased use of gate break systems as opposed to traditional gates. Farmers and fencing contractors were asking for solutions to problems with broken wood-post pinlock insulators. Strainrite’s development team reviewed current systems, identifying issues and the opportunities for improvements. Its field team solicited feedback directly from farmers and fencing contractors, along with coordinating field trials to assess performance of potential solutions.

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| Dave Crooks of Strainrite Fencing Systems with the Activator Strap at this year’s Mystery Creek National Fieldays.

“Working with our farm and fencing customers we were able to ensure we were producing something that would really solve the on-farm issues,” Strainrite Director Maurice Wooster says. The Activator Strap offers significant advantages over traditional products. It is a lower-cost, single-component, multi-function post insulator that eliminates auxiliary components such as the egg insulator, pinlock insulator, activator plate and separate electrical lead. It’s easy to install and there is no wiring necessary. With multiple hook points, it is also

steel plates. This means there is nothing for the stock to damage. It also reduces injury to animals. “This new Activator Strap means there’s a good cost saving for the farmer, whilst gaining a hugely improved product for their electric fencing system,” Maurice says. The Activator Strap offers farmers good time efficiency too. Time is saved on installation, with only the Activator Strap needing to be installed, plus it is less likely to be broken by stock. The high performance eliminates breakages and non-functioning gateways.

stabilised polymer, the Activator

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

Strap has no protruding parts or

Article supplied by Strainrite Fencing Systems.

easy to use, even in the dark. Manufactured from high quality UV

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RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Holes found in argument for cheap silage covers Plastics or polymers are one of the main materials used to make crop packaging products. Different types of polymers give very different physical characteristics to the finished product, so these characteristics can be tailored to the end use. Silage covers are such a product. The film is extruded from polyethylene but the type of polyethylene used makes a big difference to the final physical properties. The most common types of polyethylene used

in crop packaging are High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE).

forms an incomplete matrix, meaning there are some weak spots, whereas the LLDPE molecular chains form a complete matrix, with no weak spots.

HDPE is used in some products, usually for its stretch characteristics rather than for strength. LDPE and LLDPE are used in plastic film production due to their ability to provide tear strength and puncture resistance. LLDPE is more expensive than LDPE but gives better mechanical properties due to its different molecular structure. At a molecular level, when chains of LDPE are placed side by side, this

When covering a stack or pit of silage, the more resistant the cover is to tearing or puncturing the better. To reduce cost, some cover manufacturers use recycled polyethylene (which has lower physical properties than virgin material) and also LDPE with as little LLDPE as possible. This results in a cover with much lower tear and puncture resistance than one produced with virgin polyethylene and a sufficient content of LLDPE.

% of Donaghys Heavy

Puncture Strength 100 80 60 40 20 0

Distance to Puncture Donaghys Heavy

Force to Puncture Brand A 150um

Brand B 150um

% of Donaghys Heavy

Tear Strength 100 80 60 40 20 0

Machine Direction Donaghys Heavy

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Transverse Direction Brand A 150um

Brand B 150um

A simple test for the tear and puncture resistance of a silage cover is to grab a stubbie of beer and with the bottle on a flat surface, hold the cover with both hands and pull it down over the top of the bottle. The degree of ease with which the cover fails in this process is a good indicator of the quality of materials used in its manufacture. When choosing a cover for protecting your or your customers’ valuable silage, make sure it’s the best you can buy. Given the dollar value of silage that the cover is protecting, why put that at risk by using a lesser quality cover that may save a few cents per metre? For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Donaghys.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

What you take off the paddock must go back Attention to a few nutrient management points will reduce the impact of hay and silage on your soil fertility and fertiliser budget. Taking advantage of spring and summer growth to conserve feed as hay or silage is an effective way to meet a feed gap and/or supplement forage crops later in the season, provided you manage paddock nutrient needs. Improving hay/silage yield If no other nutrient is limiting production and conditions for growth are right, then applying nitrogen before you close hay/silage paddocks can increase yield. A response of 15-20kg of dry matter per kilo of applied nitrogen is feasible in late spring. SustaiN is a good option if 5-10ml of rain is unlikely to fall within 8 hours of application, as it will help to reduce nitrogen losses from ammonia volatilisation. A post-harvest application of nitrogen will improve yields from a second cut or reduce the time the paddock is out of rotation. SustaiN K is

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recommended for this purpose â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as well as supplying nitrogen it replaces some of the potassium that hay/silage removes in large amounts, ensuring this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limit new growth. The size of the pasture response will depend on growth conditions, moisture often being the critical factor during summer.

if winter leaching is a risk, or if large

Maintaining pasture quality

or re-growing pasture, which may

After the final harvest it is important to replace the nutrients used by your hay/ silage crop. Every tonne of dry matter removes around 5kg of phosphate, 3kg of sulphur, 2kg of magnesium and a massive 15 or 20kg of potassium for hay and silage, respectively. If hay or silage is fed out on the paddock from which it was cut, some of the nutrient content will be returned to the soil in dung or urine. However, if it is fed out elsewhere on the farm, its nutrient value goes with it. Either way, if the nutrients are not replaced, pasture quality will eventually suffer. Replacing potassium after the final harvest is advisable. Split applications

amounts of potassium are required to achieve the desired soil test range. Growing plants will take up excess potassium without converting it into extra growth. This luxury consumption can elevate potassium levels in your conserved feed and/ contribute to metabolic issues in stock if not taken into account. Post-harvest fertiliser does not replace normal maintenance fertiliser. It is an extra application that takes care of the nutrients removed by the harvest alone. You can either apply replacement fertiliser separately after harvest or combine it with maintenance fertiliser, ensuring a heavier rate goes on your hay and silage paddocks. For more 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

Vulnerable brassicas get targeted tool against pests Forage brassica crops can be attacked by a wide range of insect pests, which for many years have been controlled using broad spectrum, non-selective insecticides such as organophosphates. A major downside of organophosphates is the impact they have on beneficial insects. This can lead to flare-ups of other insect pests in the crop by interfering with the delicate balance between pests and their natural enemies. Organophosphates are also unpleasant to apply due to their toxicity and strong odour. Farmers are increasingly looking for softer chemistry that has less impact on the wider environment.

A new broad spectrum insecticide available from Farmlands, Minecto Star™, is designed to control the main pests of forage brassicas without harming key beneficial insects in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme.

effectively controlled without causing

Minecto Star contains two insecticides, cyantraniliprole (as in Exirel®) plus pymetrozine (as in Chess®), in a granular formulation. Cyantraniliprole’s efficacy against caterpillars and leaf miner and its IPM compatibility are well known. Pymetrozine is a highly selective and systemic insecticide with outstanding activity against aphids. It stops aphids from feeding almost immediately, and they are

and nysius wheat bug. Also, with

further damage to the crop. This combination of insecticides offers a broad spectrum of pest control, including diamondback moth, leaf miner, soybean looper, white butterfly, cabbage grey aphid pymetrozine belonging to Group 9, a different chemical class to all other insecticides used in forage brassicas, Minecto Star offers an effective tool to manage resistance in aphids. Minecto Star is recommended where both aphids and caterpillars are present, which is usually mid to late season as temperatures rise. Its systemic movement helps to control aphids in parts of the plant that are difficult to reach, such as the underside of leaves, and it also helps to protect new growth. For early season pest control, when IPM is not such an issue, Ampligo® insecticide offers an effective alternative to organophosphates for the control of cutworm, leaf miner and nysius, with excellent crop safety in mixture with herbicides. The addition of an organophosphate is only necessary if springtails are present or nysius numbers are high. Ampligo can also be applied by air, which can be useful later in the season on tall crops, or where ground application is not practical. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Syngenta.

| Controlling the main pests of forage brassicas without harming key beneficial insects is the aim of a new insecticide.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Higher yields the payoff for weed control plan In the annual arms race between weeds and newly sown crop seedlings, weeds have an unfair advantage – they are almost always faster and more aggressive. They can also thrive in tougher conditions. So regardless of whether you’re planning to sow fodder beet or forage brassica this spring, it’s time to make sure you have a good plan to keep weeds in their place from day one. Other factors – such as the weather and insect pests – will also affect your ultimate crop yield but weed seeds are already present in the soil, waiting to germinate and undo all your hard work up to this point. If the likes of shepherd’s purse, wireweed, chickweed and cleavers have a chance to take hold before the crop is properly established, they are strong enough to permanently suppress final DM yield, simply because they are so efficient at stealing essential light, water and nutrients from emerging plant seedlings. Fodder beet and forage brassica seedlings are slow starters by comparison – they need your help to grow to their full potential. In exchange, you’ll achieve a better return on your cropping investment, because the higher your yield, the cheaper that feed will be. With Director® CS from Nufarm you can get on top of broadleaf and grass weeds in both forage brassicas and fodder beet at the critical post plant, pre-emergence stage. Director CS is highly effective against difficult to kill species such as shepherd’s

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| Weed competition in fodder beet crops reduces yields and increases control costs.

purse, wireweed, chickweed and cleavers so your crop can get a great start. This herbicide contains the active ingredient clomazone in a special capsule suspension (CS) formulation. Clomazone is by nature a highly volatile active ingredient, but Director’s CS formulation significantly reduces this volatility without affecting clomazone’s power to kill weeds.

into the roots and emerging shoots

The formulation also improves crop safety, because particles of clomazone are surrounded by a carrier coating that remains dormant until it is activated by moisture. As a result, it can remain effective in the root zone and activate four to six weeks after application depending on moisture availability. Director CS works by being absorbed

ground, pre-plant incorporation into

of germinating weeds and stopping photosynthesis. Susceptible weeds may still emerge from the soil but are bleached white, and soon die. It can be tank mixed with other pre-emergence herbicides to widen the spectrum of weeds controlled and it suits a range of sowing techniques, including direct drilling, drilling into cultivated the soil, ridged seed beds and surface seeding of forage and oilseed rape. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. ®

Director is a trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited.

Article supplied by Nufarm.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Conditions perfect for broadleaf weed invasion Spraying spring-germinating weeds in established pastures could make all the difference this season on farms affected by prolonged, unusually wet conditions through autumn, winter and early spring. Pugging and treading damage has been unavoidable and many pastures missed their routine autumn broadleaf spray because soils were just too wet to get the job done. The result is open pastures with plenty of space for weeds to become well established. When pasture plant populations drop, weeds are quick to take advantage. Spring-germinating weeds such as pennyroyal, willow weed, storksbill, dandelion, hedge mustard, buttercup, dock, nettles and wild turnip are fast growing and can colonise bare patches of ground surprisingly quickly. If these weeds are not removed fast, they will significantly reduce the amount of quality pasture that can be grown this season. They also cause problems in the future, because many are highly invasive. A further consideration is that

these spring-germinating weeds can only be effectively controlled in spring, when they are newly emerged from the ground and are most vulnerable to application of an appropriate broadleaf herbicide such as Baton® or Sprinter® 700DS.

It’s easy to use, delivers excellent

Baton is a phenoxy herbicide that provides an ideal means of control for spring-germinating weeds, because

Pastures should be grazed prior to

it is effective against a wide spectrum of seedling weed species. It is an advanced formulation, containing 800g/kg 2,4-D as the dimethylamine salt. This means it can be formulated as water-soluble granules, has low odour, is non-volatile and causes less damage to valuable clovers. Applied in spring, it will have some effect on clover growth but clover normally recovers well and any suppression is more than balanced by the

damage. Depending on the weed

benefits of less weed competition.

aim is to kill the bulk of the weed

Sprinter 700DS is a modern dual-salt formulation of 2,4-D amine, which is recommended for getting rid of established weeds such as storksbill, dandelion, dock, thistle and ragwort.

population without letting early-

translocation of active ingredient through plant tissue and gives good weed control. Sprinter 700DS is less damaging on clover than older, 2,4-D ester phenoxy herbicides, so it is more flexible in terms of application timing. herbicide application to expose weeds and minimise any potential clover species present, Valdo® 800WG may be tank mixed with either Baton or Sprinter 700DS. This clover-friendly flumetsulam herbicide is particularly useful for improving control of buttercups and brassica weeds such as hedge mustard and wild turnip. Regardless of which herbicide(s) you use, correct timing is essential – because weed germination can be staggered throughout spring, the

germinating weeds get too big for effective control. Optimum timing is typically after the main germination but before any flower stalk development. Most spring-germinating weeds flower by late December – this is too late for consistent control. For more advice, including help identifying which weeds could be a problem in your established pastures this season, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Baton is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited. Valdo and Sprinter are registered trademarks of Nufarm Limited.

Article supplied by Nufarm. | Spring-germinating weeds such as this buttercup can colonise bare patches of ground surprisingly quickly.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Maize the first option for high-yield cropping Before buying a neighbouring drystock block, Sam Williams had already decided to plant a high-yielding crop with a good return – maize.

Otorohanga, Sam has grown maize on

altitude and subject to westerly winds,

contract for dairy farmers for the past

Sam chose Pioneer maize right from

nine seasons on a 134ha support block

the start. “With the challenges on the

adjacent to the main farm. Last season

site, Pioneer was the only company

he planted 34ha of maize and hopes to

that had a wide enough selection

Sam, who works primarily as a dairy consultant, needed a crop that required little labour while complementing the Williams family’s 232ha dairy, ewe and Simmental breeding cow farm.

increase that to about 40ha this spring.

of hybrids to meet our criteria,” he

“We have planted up to 70ha in the past

says. “We were impressed with

but decided to be more conservative

Pioneer’s large breeding programme

during lower pay-out years, just growing

and therefore had more confidence

what we know we can sell,” Sam says.

in the reliability of the hybrids.”

Based at Tihiroa, between Pirongia and

He chose maize as he saw several

Sam says the farm has also

benefits over other crop options. “Maize

experienced challenges with

works in nicely with the farm workload

northern leaf blight, which led them

as it only has some seasonal labour

to grow Pioneer Hybrid 35A30 for

requirements,” he says. “I manage the

the past 3 or 4 years. “Now 35A30

maize operation and we do the spraying

is being phased out, we are moving

and fertilising ourselves. We use John

toward P0640 this spring.”

Austin Contracting for the groundwork

Sam’s maize has also adapted well

and planting, and more recently in

to the low-fertility soil on the block.

the selling of the maize as well.”

“In our best years, we have grown

Sam says maize is high-yielding with a

21t/ha but the yield is usually in

good return – even in average years –

the 18.5-19t/ha range,” he says.

and has a reasonably transparent price.

there is an established market for it.”

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

With the support block sitting at

Article supplied by Pioneer brand products.

“It is commonly traded in our area,” he says. “It’s easy enough to move – | Sam Williams and his son Moss inspect the family farm at Tihiroa.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Improved genetics give red clover better finish When Southland farmers Keith and Vickie Clark sought help to improve their lamb finishing ability over the summer, they turned to Farmlands Technical Field Officer Allan Carlene. On his advice they decided to try Relish red clover on their Opio property and this has allowed them to increase their finishing capacity.

Percentage of red clover plants surviving after 3½ years under cattle grazing in the Manawatu

Plant survival %

Red clover is becoming a valuable tool for many farmers across the country and Relish is a step change in its genetics. Relish red clover shows major improvements in persistence, carrying high yield potential over time. It has several years of proven outcomes as a high-powered, specialised feed for lamb finishing, as well as being part of a mix. In the past, red clover has been viewed as a short-term option but Relish red clover is a major advancement in persistence and can be considered a 2 or 3 year pure stand option.

40 20 0

Keith and Vickie have adopted Relish as the primary lamb finishing

| The Clarks have switched to Relish red clover as the primary lamb finishing forage on their Southland property.

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Sensation

Colenso

Relish

Pawera

Tuscan

forage on their 268ha property. As fattening farmers, the spring and summer are key to driving profitability. “We put Relish in to improve what we’re doing – and we are putting in another 10ha this year,” Keith says.

In the past, red clover has been part

The strong spring growth impressed Keith. “I was able to run 400 lambs over an 8ha block as well as 170 dry hoggets but it still got away on them,” he says.

benefits, including high-quality summer

Other summer feed options often require a transition period in which the stock will only maintain liveweight or have minimal gains but with the Relish stand Keith has not seen a single lamb take a step back. He was pleased with the ease of fattening lambs on Relish, knowing they would do well while staying clean.

persistence of Relish red clover,

Red clover’s lack of persistence has deterred farmers in the past but the new genetics of Relish have solved this issue for many. Relish offers a significant advance in red clover persistence, with longevity of the crop a key benefit. This benefit comes with industry-low levels of formononetin (oestrogen).

quality. As growth slows ahead of

Relish can be used in several ways.

Article supplied by Agricom.

of pasture mixes often sown at low rates. This meant the true potential was not realised until higher rates were used, along with pure stands. Pure stands of Relish have several lamb finishing and increasing ewe hogget weights before tupping. To maximise the production and best management practices suggest rotational grazing, with pre-grazing heights of 20-25cm leaving a residual 4-5cm. Relish’s spring growth is very rapid, and being well prepared to use this growth is key – an increased stocking rate is required through November to maintain the autumn, it is important to graze any residual growth before winter to minimise disease presence through the cooler and wetter months. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Yield, insect resistance drive ryegrass choice South Canterbury dairy farmer John Wright endures cold conditions and long winters on his dairy platform and run-off properties just outside Fairlie. For the past 10 years he has been growing ONE50 AR37, which has enabled him to consistently achieve good yields, with 11-12 tonnes DM/ha being consumed (down the throat) annually. Over the years John has tried a large number of other perennial ryegrass varieties but always comes back to ONE50. “It is very persistent for a ryegrass and is hard to beat for outright yield versus other grasses on the platform,” John says. ONE50 diploid perennial ryegrass has been a solid performer across New Zealand since its release 7 years ago. Being a medium-leaved, late-heading ryegrass (+20 days relative to Nui), ONE50 is an ideal fit for a dairy farming system as it has excellent spring quality, with its flush coming during mid to late spring. This is followed by outstanding summer, autumn and winter growth,

particularly with the AR37 endophyte.

demand of 65kgDM/ha/day.

John emphasises the importance of choice in endophyte as well as cultivar as he needed an option that can stand up to the significant insect pressure in the area. Initially, John tried ONE50 AR1, which controlled Argentine stem weevil. However, he soon realised he needed the increased insect protection of the AR37 endophyte. The combination impressed and John’s conclusion was simple – “it just grows more grass than AR1.”

John isn’t the only one seeing the

AR37 endophyte is highly resistant to many pasture insects. It is effective against Argentine stem weevil, porina, black beetle adult, pasture mealy bug and root aphid. ONE50 perennial ryegrass combined with the AR37 endophyte results in very good insect control, allowing ONE50 to reach its genetic potential without the additional pressures of insects, resulting in high on-farm yields. This has ensured that John can confidently use ONE50 AR37 to achieve consistently good yields and achieve his spring

benefits of growing ONE50 AR37. It has been extensively trialled with multiple endophytes throughout New Zealand as part of the National Forage Variety Trials. The data from these trials contributes to the DairyNZ Forage Value Index (FVI), rating cultivars from 1 to 5 stars. In the national summary of the trials, ONE50 AR37 is now significantly outperforming ONE50 AR1 for total yield. The FVI uses this data and puts an economic value on the different pasture production achieved between different trial entries. Both products have been in a large number of trials (confidence rating 10+) and the difference in seasonal dry matter production between them has led to a difference in star rating. ONE50 AR37 has 5 stars while AR1 ONE50 has 3. This reflects a predicted economic difference per hectare per year depending on region for using AR37 over AR1. According to DairyNZ, farmers should ideally use cultivars that are a minimum of 3 stars in the FVI to maximise farm profit. ONE50 AR37 has proven to be an attractive investment option that can be used to increase on-farm production and increase overall robustness of the forage base of the farm. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agricom.

| Fairlie farmer John Wright (left) with Farmlands Technical Field Officer Luke Brice.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Yield, insect resistance drive ryegrass choice Michael and Shannon McMillan have been modifying their farming system on the Ngatea Hauraki Plains to capture more profit and make some significant agronomic advancements. Milking 230 cows through a traditional herringbone shed, they know the importance during bad weather of home-grown feed, and do everything to maximise it. Following advice from their Farmlands Technical Field Officer, Brian McMillan, Michael decided to begin using ONE50 AR37 perennial ryegrass as the main component of his pasture mixes. “Other grass cultivars on the market can look impressive for yield in their first year but can disappoint as a long-term pasture option due to the

high insect pressures observed on the Hauraki clay soil types,” he says. The most important determinants of a perennial ryegrass-based pasture on Waikato dairy platforms are production and persistence and ONE50 AR37 continues to go the distance for the McMillans. Over the past year Michael and Shannon have taken their business from strength to strength by incorporating ONE50 AR37 perennial ryegrass into their system. “Its autumn and winter production is a real winner for us, as when we spray out our summer crops in the autumn, it’s paramount that grass on-farm is performing,” Michael says. This ensures that the McMillans grow as much feed at home as possible throughout the calendar year, reducing

their reliance on volatile summer and autumn supplement markets. Recent droughts and more frequent dry summers have made many farmers in the Waikato question their perennial ryegrass cultivar choice. However for Michael and Shannon and their dairy system, ONE50 AR37 perennial ryegrass currently sets the benchmark. The partnership is relatively new to the farm and it understands the importance of choosing a perennial ryegrass cultivar that fits the farming system. ONE50 AR37, with its late flowering and high levels of autumn and winter production, ensures the McMillans have the most feed when they need it. By combining ONE50 with AR37, an endophyte well known for strong insect control, Michael finds he is able to capture invaluable summer production. “ONE50 AR37 perennial ryegrass is the first thing to bounce back after a dry summer and always manages to stay green, due to its rust tolerance genetics,” he says. The choice of perennial ryegrass is integral to any dairy farming business as it is the precursor to farm profitability. Dairy farms are driven by the ability to turn homegrown pasture into saleable milk as efficiently as possible. The McMillans are driving the productivity and longevity of their system using ONE50 AR37 perennial ryegrass. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agricom.

| Shannon and Michael McMillan are confident in their choice of perennial ryegrass.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Automation puts farmers in control of weight data In today’s increasingly competitive agricultural landscape, farmers are looking to drive continuous improvement in their operation. A regular weighing programme helps to maximise the performance of livestock. Solutions that replace guesswork with accurate, reliable information are becoming increasingly popular. This is the case for wholesale customers requiring target weights, contract graziers reporting progress weights and weight gain and anyone seeking to achieve industry target condition levels for maximum reproductive success or to comply with breed society/traceability and other industrystandard reporting systems. Critical performance measures captured include stock growth rates and condition scores, breeding performance (AI dates, pregnancy results, birthing ease/ complications etc.), growth rates versus crop and forage feed regimes, health treatments (drench dosage levels, dates and intervals) and stock inventory information. This raw data can then be crossreferenced with influencing factors, making operating decisions clearer and more time efficient. Influencing factors include animal growth rates analysis (for example, against feeding regime/feed source or by genetic source), crop and forage performance and profitability (feed to target weight conversion goals), animal breeding performance (pedigree tree tracking, pregnancy results versus weight and AI, herd or flock culling

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| Automated data systems make on-farm decisions simpler and faster.

decisions) and animal health treatments (efficacy of treatment programmes, managing withholding periods). One of the main challenges to a recording, monitoring and analysis strategy is time and efficiency. Traditional paper-based systems are notoriously inaccurate and timeconsuming. Error rates in manual tag reading due to mud and poor visibility are inevitable. Then there’s the time involved in retyping that information to review it at a later stage, let alone the time involved in analysis. With the vast array of automated systems now available, the endto-end process from initial data capture through to reviewing the information in order to make decisions is far simpler and faster. The systems also add significant value in increasing accuracy and dramatically reducing on-farm labour requirements. Automation options include automatic identification of mob

or individual IDs, automatic or semiautomatic weighing and automatic or semi-automatic drafting of animals into specific treatment groups. With 20 years developing weighing and electronic identification products that are as rugged as the environments they are designed for, Gallagher’s range provides a solution to suit every farming need – such as the TSi 2 Livestock Manager, which provides comprehensive animal data and analysis anywhere, anytime, or the newly released TW Weigh Scale range, which has daylight readable touch screen, or the award-winning HR5 Hand Held EID Tag Reader, which has an on-board keypad and large colour screen for instant data entry and in-yard decision-making. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Gallagher.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Lamb trials prove worth of effective first drench Ensuring lambs get the most appropriate first drench is one of the most significant decisions to affect their future growth, production and the level of pasture contamination on your farm. It is well documented that productivity for new-season lambs is where a farmer can be short-changed without even realising it. Once lambs hit the ground, the same debate starts as to when to drench and should tapeworm products be included. The mainstream advice is that tailing drenches are of little benefit in most situations. The question then is should lambs be drenched pre-wean or wait until weaning? Through a sheep’s life cycle, it is as a lamb that it faces one of its most significant internal parasite challenges. Pasture will have a high level of worm egg contamination,

initially from ewes as their immunity is weakened. Lambs then become the most significant source of worm eggs infecting pasture and this is why it is so important to ensure they get the best possible anthelmintic treatment right from the start.

Lambs treated with the triple drench

Weaning places a lot of stress on lambs – the combination of separation from the ewe, removal of milk and changing to a pasture-based diet weakens their immune system, all at a time when they are already at their most susceptible to parasites. How to manage this was the subject of three trials by Beef + Lamb in the spring of 2010 in the Manawatu. Lambs were grouped into untreated (control), triple drench and triple drench plus praziquantel (specific tape drench) and monitored over 28 days. Across all farms, the triple drench group grew faster than control by 392g total and the triple plus praziquantel grew by 672g.

tapeworm product to remove 100

plus praziquantel grew 1.02kg heavier in 28 days than the untreated controls. Southwell et al. had a similar result in 1996 of 2kg liveweight gain over 2 months. Southwell also demonstrated that praziquantel was the only percent of heads and segments. Not only did the triple plus praziquantel give liveweight gain, it also reduced dag score by increasing faecal consistency over both the other groups. Several drenches can control roundworms – the level of worm resistance on your farm will dictate either a double or triple combination. To control tapeworms, praziquantel is the only active ingredient that will kill both the head and segments. As a good standard of practice, the first few lamb drenches should be an effective combination with an additional specific tape active. To follow, an effective combination is recommended. Whether this is a double or triple will depend on your management practice and the resistance levels on your farm. Do not get short-changed this spring. There is good evidence that a pre-wean drench has production advantages in many situations and that tapeworms can reduce liveweight gain and have the potential to increase flystrike through creating more dags. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Donaghys Animal Health.

| Lambs face internal parasite challenges that can significantly reduce production.

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HORTICULTURE

Assist flowering and fruit set for high-yielding crops As flowering is one of the most important stages of crop production, it is essential that products supply specific nutrition to ensure success during this important and critical stage of plant development.

agrichemicals, which reduces

During flowering and fruit set, high amounts of energy, proteins, sugars, nucleic acids and phytohormones are required to sustain cell division, which is why plants need a boost at this time.

• Folic acid – active in function

Italian-based company Biolchim has designed two products, Folicist™ and Kriss™, specifically to assist these stages of flowering and fruit set, and to lessen the stresses that come at those stages of crop development.

time on the orchard sprayer. The key ingredients in Folicist have individual functions: • ACTA – an osmoprotectant and critical to production of plant energy. of and synthesis of proteins. • Glycine betaine – supplies nutrition to enable plants to recover from intense metabolic stresses. Once your crop has set and pollination is complete, it is time to apply Kriss to enhance fruit enlargement. Kriss contains natural plant extracts with no synthetic hormones – this is important

Folicist can assist during the flowering stage, when there can be an internal physiological competition for hormones and nutritional reserves. Folicist was designed specifically to help optimise flowering and fruit set and can be used for crops such as apples, kiwifruit and avocados.

in the cell multiplication stage when

Folicist works both as a growth promoter and anti-stress agent. It can also be mixed with most

horticulturists with their crops during

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fruit quality parameters can be defined. Kriss can also help increase fruit size while reducing the number of rejects in your pack-outs, thus increasing the profitability of your crop.

Grower testimonials “When I used Folicist on our kiwifruit crop this year I definitely observed a more compressed flowering and hence a very uniform and optimally sized crop with excellent pack-out results.” – Graham Philp, Kiwifruit Manager, Aongatete Coolstores “Last season I applied a fruit-sizing product from Italian company Biolchim called Kriss and was extremely pleased with the results I achieved on my Hort 16A Gold kiwifruit.” – Paul Currie, Kiwifruit Orchardist, Whangarei “Last season I performed trials on a fruit-sizing product from Italian company Biolchim called Kriss and it certainly performed to our expectations and as well as other industry-standard products we have used in the past.” – Denis Barker, Kiwifruit Manager, Turners and Growers Kerikeri

the critical yet temperamental early

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

spring stages of crop production.

Article supplied by Biolchim.

These key products from Biolchim have been helping New Zealand