The Farmlander Plan365 April 2020

APRIL FARMLANDER

NUTRITION

FORAGE AND ARABLE

HORTICULTURE

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

DAIRY MANAGEMENT

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

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

NUTRITION

Making the transition As highly developed herbivores, ruminants are generally resilient and adaptable. They have an amazing symbiotic relationship with microbes which allow them to utilise low-nutrient, dense, fibrous forages but they can perform very well on high-grain diets. They are however, vulnerable to rapid dietary or production changes.

For example, ruminants may struggle adapting to a diet rich in readily fermentable energy – from starch or sugar – or coping with the mineral demands of early lactation, when appetite is suppressed.

Unfortunately, every winter we get phone calls or hear about farmers that have lost cows to acidosis on fodder beet, either going onto the crop or in mid-winter because of a break-out. The exact mechanism that causes acidosis is still unclear but if excess sugar or starch is consumed before the rumen is adapted to it, sugar and starch-digesting bacteria produce an excess of acid which overwhelms the normal buffering and acid-removal mechanism of the rumen.

The pH in the rumen drops rapidly to the point where rumen function becomes disturbed (pH 5.5 or below) and appetite drops because the fibre-digesting bacteria function most effectively within a pH range of 6.2–6.8.

The key risks are: over-allocation of fodder beet or sudden under-allocation of supplement during the transition phase.

Accurately assessing the crop yield, the face length and depth of the break – relative to the number of cattle in the mob – is critical but difficult.

Fodder beet is a high-yielding but variable crop which needs to be

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| Ruminants can struggle adapting to a new diet or production change. Unfortunately, every winter farmers lose cows to acidosis on fodder beet.

carefully measured to avoid overallocation. Full rumen adaption may take 2 weeks; the 7th day can be a critical time because beet can gradually accumulate under foot when daily allocation exceeds daily intake and some cows can gorge on fodder beet as forage levels are reduced.

Some cattle may be at risk if they have become accustomed to moving to fodder beet a short time after receiving supplement because they like the fodder beet more and wait for it to come. Feeding supplement at least 4 hours before fodder beet during the transition phase may lessen the risk of acidosis. When fodder beet is fed at restricted levels (e.g. 6–8kg/DM) an increase of as little as 2kg/DM per day is associated with some increased risk. Attention to detail is therefore vital throughout the transition period – and beyond when feeding at restricted levels – because the risk of suddenly eating more fodder beet is ever-present.

Another risk for dairy cows is metabolic conditions related to calcium and magnesium, either when demand suddenly increases (as at the start of lactation) or supply suddenly falls (as when rain washes dusted minerals from pasture or when bulling activity reduces grazing time). Transition feeds before calving can markedly reduce the risk post calving. Downer cows associated with phosphorus deficiency in lactating cows that have been wintered on fodder beet is more of a long-term deficiency which can be corrected by providing supplementary phosphorus throughout the period on crop.

Acidotic and downer cows are normally the tip of the iceberg with many more animals experiencing sub-clinical issues which are less visible but can have long-term consequences.

For further information, contact your local NRM Nutrition Specialist.

Article supplied by Dr Rob Derrick, NRM Lead Nutritionist.

Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

NUTRITION

Transitioning to crops As the winter period approaches, hopefully with a good amount of winter feed in front of your animals, it is time to start thinking about how your animals are going to be transitioned onto your winter crop of choice.

You can help stock (especially young animals) adjust to a different feed more effectively by making sure that they have light parasite burdens going on to crop. This will enable them to graze longer and better utilise the energy and protein that you are offering during winter. To decrease the chance of parasite resistance, it is a good idea to drench a couple of days before the transition begins, as a pure population of resistant parasites in young animals can continually spread resistant larvae through the winter.

If you are yarding stock to provide a drench, a significant benefit can be gained by incorporating a pre or probiotic product with the drench. This provides the rumen with a population of beneficial bacteria, or the substrate for the beneficial bacteria, to develop on.

Trial work has indicated that this can significantly help with the transition to a different diet; one trial of a Donaghys probiotic extract on treated lambs showed approximately 50 percent greater weight gain per lamb per day, compared to control, over the first 10 days of transitioning from grass to brassica. There was no noticeable compensatory growth in the untreated animals for the following month of the trial i.e. the untreated lambs did not catch up with the treated group.

Many of the plants in the brassica family contain goitrogenic compounds, which interfere with the absorption of iodine and therefore the formation of metabolic hormones in the thyroid gland. Lambs and calves born to dams with low iodine levels may present with an enlarged thyroid gland (goiter) or more commonly, may be slow to get up and drink and have an increased risk of hypothermia; more newborn animals could therefore die due to starvation or exposure.

Copper is stored in the liver and generally depletes over the winter period as many of our feeding methods

| Help stock adjust to a different feed by countering the parasite burden, providing the rumen with beneficial bacteria and ensuring mineral levels are up for winter.

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supply minimal copper at this time.

There is also an increased risk of

ingesting compounds which interfere with copper absorption. It is well worth having the liver’s copper levels assessed prior to winter, so you know if supplements may be needed during this time.

A product like Donaghys ProEwe Gold can provide the added iodine, selenium, cobalt, zinc and vitamins required for ewes, as well as providing probiotic extracts to help the beneficial rumen bacteria. ProEwe Gold has no additional copper, as sheep have fewer issues with depletion than cattle and over-supplementation can be detrimental and even toxic.

For cattle, it may be worthwhile offering a trace element supplementation through the winter period and this decision should be made in conjunction with an animal health expert who has significant knowledge of your farm and farming system. Mineral supplementation through water supplies can be variable during winter and is routinely avoided.

Donaghys provide two loose lick products: FodderBeet DMX is formulated for cattle on fodder beet and contains added phosphorus and calcium, while DairyMin DMX is targeted at cattle on other crops or grass, should supplementation be required during winter.

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

Article supplied by Ben Finlayson BVSc, Technical Veterinarian, Donaghys Limited.

Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | Š April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

NUTRITION

Be aware of nitrate poisoning Cloudy days and cooler temperatures are usually welcome in a drought year but if they follow some rain over the autumn-winter period they can be a herald to deadly nitrate poisoning for livestock grazing on rapid-growing green feed.

Nitrate poisoning is probably one of the worst, and most widespread causes of poisoning reported in livestock because affected stock can die quite suddenly, and at times in multiples. Nitrate poisoning affects cattle, sheep, deer, goats, and pigs (which are the most susceptable).

Nitrate itself is naturally present in plants and is not toxic to animals, unless the associated risk factors and the right conditions exist where rumen micro-organisms cannot convert ruminal nitrate fast enough into ammonia from its precursor, nitrite. Consequently, larger quantities of nitrite enter the bloodstream and bind to the oxygen-carrying molecule, haemoglobin. Then, without oxygen supplied to vital organs and body tissues, an affected animal can quickly suffocate, collapse and die anywhere between 1–24 hours after rapidly grazing forage containing high levels of nitrate. Other observed symptoms include: abdominal pain, diarrhoea, muscle weakness/tremors, staggering, salivation and ‘open-mouth’ rapid breathing. In cases of suspected nitrate poisoning, immediately call for the vet (seconds count in saving lives), move stock off affected feed quietly and calmly, and offer hay or a highcarbohydrate feed.

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Risk factors: • Animals rapidily consuming feed high in nitrates is the greatest risk factor.

• Physiologically stressed stock (e.g. hungry, pregnant or sick).

• Grazing ‘at-risk’ forage too hard or low down the sward.

• ‘ Risk’ forage species: maize, fodder beet, turnips, kale, re-growth brassicas, rape, ryegrasses and immature green oats.

• W hen it rains after a drought, rapidly growing plants quickly uptake nitrates from soil to become ‘toxic’.

• S tressed plants (when in dry or low-moisture conditions) with higher nitrate levels.

• L ess sunshine hours, cloudier and colder weather, can induce elevated plant nitrate levels that persist into July/August.

• P lant age (e.g. young, immature plants).

• U se of high rates of nitrogenous fertiliser later in the season. | Nitrate poisoning is one of the most widespread causes of poisoning and can affect cattle, sheep, deer, goats, and pigs.

This year’s weather could increase the risk.

Prevention is key. If you can test for it, you can manage it. Fortunately there are economical test kits available.

Make sure you test all winter feed crops before feeding to livestock and test every break — because poisonings have occurred at the 3rd and 4th break but not prior. High nitrate levels in crops may not come down quickly but can take over 6 weeks to become ‘safe’.

Also, if a plant containing high nitrate levels becomes wilted or is made into baleage/silage, the risk of nitrate poisoning remains unchanged.

When grazing ‘at-risk’ forages, avoid grazing when stock are hungry by feeding hay/silage beforehand. Feed newer pastures later in the afternoon on a sunny day, use wide but not ‘deep’ breaks, limit grazing time to 2 hours, provide plenty of fresh clean water, and closely monitor stock for 1–2 hours after releasing them onto a new break.

For further information, contact your local NRM Nutrition Specialist.

Article supplied by Tiffany Menzies, NRM Technical Product Manager.

Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

NUTRITION

Turning commodities into products For years Farmlands has been helping shareholders to fill the feed gap and maximise their yield by investing in compound feed mills to deliver the best possible solutions in a dynamic environment.

Farmlands’ mills are based at Winton in Southland and Rolleston in Canterbury.

They utilise shareholder-produced grains and legumes combined with the knowledge of our expert nutrition team to develop a wide number of feed solutions. These range from bagged equine and poultry feed to bulk custom dairy blends.

For our shareholders the economies of scale delivered by Farmlands’ network mean our in-field teams can deliver both cost-effective pricing and technical solutions, no matter what the farm objectives may be.

Compound feed mills process and blend commodity inputs together in a way which delivers benefits for the end consumer. Just as farmers are increasingly opening their gates to the public, customers benefit from a mill visit but for those of you that are unable

| Compound feed mills process and blend commodity inputs together in a way which delivers benefits for the end consumer.

to tour a Farmlands mill – here’s a little insight into the attributes of a compound feed mill.

Ingredient storage and processing • They have to store a range of base feed commodities so need lots of silos and/or bunkers.

• Wholegrains have to be processed to maximise their utilisation by ruminants.

• Dry processing can create fines and flour which may limit intake and irritate stock, equipment and people in the dairy shed – pressing the ingredient into a pellet traps the fine material and stops it causing problems.

Producing compound feeds • Mills operate most efficiently with long runs of a single product.

• Each batch is made of multiples of 1–1.5 tonne mixes – depending on the size of the mixer. Like a super-sized food blender, the mixers are very efficient and process times have been fine-tuned to prevent over

or under-mixing. The result is a very accurate distribution of even the smallest ingredient.

• B ecause the mix is pressed into pellets or nuts there is no risk of segregation during subsequent transport or storage.

• The conditioner uses steam and pressure to soften the meal before it is forced through the press and formed into pellets.

• Conditioners gelatinise the starch - softening it up so it helps bind the pellets together and increases digestibility.

• Friction generates heat when the mash is forced through the die which helps to kill many of the bacteria which colonise grains and can cause deterioration during storage.

End consumable • Formulations have been developed to deliver the nutrients required by the target class of animal. Animals cannot select or reject different ingredients within a pelleted feed, so they are better than blends for delivering nutrients evenly each meal.

Plant and raw materials are routinely tested for salmonella to ensure feeds are safe. Pelleted feed typically has a longer shelf life than textured feeds because many microbes have been killed by the heat and pressure and the surface area for spoilage organisms is much smaller.

For further information, contact your local NRM Nutrition Specialist.

Article supplied by Dr Rob Derrick, NRM Lead Nutritionist.

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Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Don’t forget your in-lamb hoggets As we come to the end of autumn and most of the fattening lambs are gone, farmers are getting set up for their winter rotations. One group of young stock still on the farm and requiring special attention are the hogget replacements, whether in-lamb or yet to go to the ram.

The good conditions and pasture growth that we have had in the autumn are ideal for the survival of gastrointestinal parasites and this can cause considerable build-up of infective larvae on pasture. Heading into the winter, grazing heights and pasture allowances are reduced causing higher intakes of these gastrointestinal parasites. In-lamb or soon to be inlamb ewe hoggets are more prone to the effects of this.

Losses from parasites are often underrated and by the time you see the clinical signs, such as scouring, a parasite burden may have already caused a considerable reduction in

growth rates. As cattle and sheep do not share the same parasites, pasture grazed with cattle will have reduced numbers of infective larvae for sheep.

Grazing in-lamb hoggets behind cattle is one option to reduce the parasite challenge that they face.

Where drenching is required all farmers should be using an effective, combination drench. Farmers can find out what drenches are working by completing a Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test or FECRT. 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 for drench-resistant parasites.

Another thing to remember with in-lamb ewe hoggets is what vaccinations they have had for the common clostridial diseases including pulpy kidney (entertoxaemia), tetanus, black disease, malignant oedema and blackleg.

In-lamb hoggets will require vaccination pre-lamb but if they have not been previously vaccinated or the vaccination status of these hoggets is unknown they will require two shots: a sensitiser followed by a booster. A pre-lamb booster vaccination should be 4–6 weeks after the initial sensitiser and at least 2 weeks before lambing starts.

This programme often needs to be planned to start before the mixed-age ewes need their pre-lamb annual booster and is one of the reasons why it is often forgotten. Vaccination of in-lamb hoggets is even more important if they are going to be grazing a crop over winter.

An ideal vaccine for in-lamb hoggets is Multine B12®. Every 2ml dose of Multine B12 contains 2mg of vitamin B12. The period of raised vitamin B12 levels depends on the animal’s liver storage levels and the ongoing dietary intake of cobalt. Injected soluble vitamin B12 can persist for up to 1–3 months in young sheep.1 Between Multine® (which is also available with vitamin B12 or selenium), Nilvax® and Lamb Vaccine, MSD Animal Health provides farmers with the only range of clostridial vaccines researched, developed and manufactured here in New Zealand, for New Zealand farmers.

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

Article supplied by MSD Coopers.

Mulvaney C., Hodgson B., Cuttance W. – data on file.

ACVM Numbers: A010249, A000934, A000935, A011311, A003977, A001009 ®Registered trademark.

Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. Phone: 0800 800 543. www.msd-animal-health.co.nz

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Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Weigh data tech supports decision making Lifestyle farmers Maree and Jason Furniss say they can confidently make decisions on when to keep stock or sell it on because of the technology solution they started using in August, and they expect improved returns as a result.

The Warkworth lifestylers rear a herd of 35 Angus-Friesian cross calves from 5 days old, selling some for processing during the year and taking the remainder through to 18 months, before their second winter.

Maree and Jason say that having never used smart technology for capturing livestock data before, it took a bit of learning in the beginning, but now they love having all the information at their fingertips with the new software.

“It has opened up opportunities and you can definitely make decisions with confidence,” Maree says. Another benefit is being able to identify and bolster struggling calves. ”We can target specific animals; for example just this week we’ve started putting more supplements into some of them – we would not have known that before from simply looking at them.”

“

By the time you get back to the house for a cup of tea all the information is in the Cloud and you can call it up on your PC, tablet or smartphone.”

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“If you can address these issues in the early days they will have good health right through and it will affect what you are going to get at the end,” she says.

The couple are using a Tru-Test by Datamars solution that includes the new S3 weigh scale indicator, which is designed for smaller farms, calf rearers and lifestyle properties. The couple say they would not be without it in the future because of the smart decision-making support the indicator gives them.

They are also using the Tru-Test SRS2 stick reader, Tru-Test 2.2m weigh platform and MP600 loadbars, along with their weigh data being entered into the Datamars Livestock Cloud software via the free Datalink mobile app.

Maree says instead of using visual assessments to select stock for holding or moving on, they can now drill down into the performance of each individual calf.

“We get our calves in batches and so we have different ages across the herd.

We can now monitor each one from each group and see in the Datamars Livestock software how their Average Daily Gain (ADG) is going and how they are tracking. From this, you can make decisions to hold some back and keep them longer to gain more weight.”

The stick reader scans the calf’s EID number, giving a pre-entered Visual Identification (VID) and the farmer enters this VID into the phone. The phone is connected, through Bluetooth, to the S3 scales via the Datalink app. From there the calf’s weight and associated indentification is uploaded to the Datamars Livestock Cloud software.

| Technology allows farmers to drill down into the performance of each individual calf.

“By the time you get back to the house for a cup of tea all the information is in the Cloud and you can call it up on your PC, tablet or smartphone,” Maree says.

The pair have found the technology is bringing certainty to their operation that they never had before; their decisions to offload stock are no longer based just on weather and feed conditions.

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

Article supplied by Datamars.

Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Tag, you’re it Being able to identify individual animals on your property is critical to good farm management.

One of the most common methods of identifying livestock is to apply an ear tag. It is quick and allows for visual or electronic identification of each animal. Ear tags are available for most livestock, including dairy goats.

The first thing to consider is the most appropriate ear tag. This will be governed, in part, by regulations.

For example, all cattle and deer must have an electronic NAIT tag before moving properties.

Identification tags vary in size, colour, material (metal or plastic) and shape.

Application devices also differ across tags so your farm system should be taken into account when choosing a tag.

Before applying an ear tag, make sure it is the appropriate tag for the species and breed. If using a tag you

are unfamiliar with, ask a producer for tips on applying the tag. Manufacturers provide application instructions which are important to follow to ensure tags stay on and problems such as ear infections are avoided.

Pay attention to where the tag should be placed in the ear, what direction it should go through the ear (which part faces the front of the animal) and what disinfectant protocol should be followed between tags.

Some ear tags come as separate male and female parts, while others are single tags that wrap around the edge of the ear. Each requires a slightly different technique: • In most cases a two-part tag is applied through the middle part of the ear to avoid it getting caught on things and torn out.

• One-piece wrap-around tags need to be placed much closer to the edge

of the ear or they will cause damage to the ear by rubbing. This is particularly important if you apply them to young lambs as the ear will keep growing and this can cause problems. Just like the range of Allflex Tags, there are a range of applicators for every job as well.

One-piece tagging The FlexiMatic and RapIDmatic are automatic taggers designed for the sheep and goat one-piece range.

These were designed to enable tagging of large flocks with a quick reload time.

Both the Fleximatic and RapIDmatic benefit from a rinse under the tap every 100 or so animals. A mild detergent and a light scrub is recommended also. Most application environments will cause a dust or grit build-up that can hinder the job at hand. It is surprising how quickly the environment can impact on the condition of the applicator.

Two-piece tagging The Universal and Identiplier applicators are generally used for two-piece tags and both are EID compatible. A littleknown fact about these applicators is that both models contain a spare pin in the handle. Bent pins can cause incorrect application which commonly leads to the loss of a tag; a costly issue in New Zealand farming.

Reassuringly, all Allflex applicators come with a lifetime warranty.

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

Article supplied by Allflex.

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Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Using traps on the path to a Predator Free 2050 The battle for the survival of our wildlife throughout New Zealand is of national importance.

Rodents including the Norway rat, the roof rat and house mice are pests when they infest properties and threaten public health. They can damage or destroy critical habitats, native plants and animals, crops, property and food supplies. Estimates of rat populations vary but because rats reach sexual maturity after 9 weeks, a population can swell from two rats to around 1,250 in one year.

An estimated 25 million native birds are lost to predators every year so it is hoped that we will all take on the challenge to save our birds and native fauna – so that future generations will hear the song of our native birds.

While progress is being made with new technology it is the commitment of many community groups and the dedication of individuals that is making a huge impact when it comes to reducing our predator population. Public pressure for more humane pest control tools is becoming more prevalent and means agencies, resellers and manufacturers wish to be seen to be promoting more humane traps.

The use of traps for rodent control is not new but their role in helping New Zealand achieve a Predator Free status by 2050 is. The campaign only promotes and sells humane traps that meet National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) standards.1 Their guidance informs trapping

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best practice and the choices we make when selecting a product.

Trials using traps have shown that, if used in a grid pattern and monitored often, they can achieve good results and will control most rats present. If rodent numbers are high, then traps should be checked daily until numbers caught are low, then inspections can be reduced to every 2–3 weeks.

Trapping in an urban setting can be effective with just one trap per property – if enough of the community are involved. In a rural setting it is important to have traps in lines with 50m between traps and 100m between lines. In difficult terrain it is best to set lines down ridges and spurs, and along contours to achieve the necessary spacing.

Two traps that meet NAWAC standards are the T Rex and Victor Professional with shroud (which is also good for stoats). These are best placed in a tunnel to both protect the trap and to direct the rodent into the trap. Traps like the above are easy to use and can be employed in both rural and urban environments. Being relatively inexpensive, a larger number of traps can be placed as a protective barrier to protect buildings or susceptible areas from rodent entry. Use of traps can assist a baiting programme if rodents have started to become bait-shy or if baits are not a considered option.

Bait and trap-resistant rats can occasionally become an issue and a good alternative can be a live rat cage. It is important to note that

| The conversation around the selection of traps is changing, with a focus on humane options.

rats can be neophobic and so new traps or bait stations added to their environment can take a period for adjustment and acceptance.

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

Article supplied by Key Industries.

1. In 2000 NAWAC adopted and developed New Zealand-specific guidelines for assessing the welfare and performance of restraining and kill traps.

Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

FORAGE AND ARABLE

New pasture can pay Renewing pastures is costly but can be one of the best farm investments to make.

Putting the paddock through a cropping programme is useful for controlling perennial weed species.

“With planning and care, new pasture

“We recommend one or ideally two autumn Roundup sprays, either via a summer fallow (spray in January and then in March and use the paddock as a standoff paddock to prevent overgrazing other paddocks) or a spring spray followed by a crop and autumn spray.”

establishes well and delivers production gains,” Ballance Agri-Nutrients Forage Specialist Murray Lane says.

“You can expect leafier, more palatable pasture that’s higher in metabolisable energy and grows more on the shoulders of the season. This results in more milk and faster liveweight gains than on old, weedy pasture. Renewing pasture with appropriate endophytes can also reduce pest damage and ryegrass staggers.”

Cultivating to renew pasture damages soil structure and seriously affects the predators of pasture pests. This leads to reduced pasture longevity, as roots struggle to access water, and rapid growth in pest populations such as grass grubs.

“A no-tillage approach to regrassing leaves the predators and soil structure to continue working for you,” Murray says.

Prepare for potential Murray says that prevention is better

Murray’s other top tip is to spend some time choosing grass or clover varieties, particularly focusing on the endophyte (live fungi inside the seed).

“North of Taupo, the African black beetle and Argentine stem weevil require seed with a good animal-safe, insect-toxic endophyte. Only use this season’s fresh seed, unless it has been kept in cool storage, as the endophyte dies in the seed in the bag.”

Seed rate is important too. If it is too high, clovers could be smothered and large numbers of ryegrass plants die as a result of population dynamics. A DairyNZ trial1 showed lower seeding rates result in similar plant numbers to higher seeding rates (using treated seed).

than cure.

A good start

“Often pastures for renewal are

Germinating seeds benefit from phosphorus (for early root and shoot development) and nitrogen (for tillering and leaf expansion). Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) drilled next to the seed at 100–150 kg/ha provides these nutrients, promoting rapid canopy cover and inhibiting weed growth.

Monitoring and addressing weeds and pests are important in the first 8 weeks.

selected because of winter pugging but it’s better to prevent this from happening in the first place. Identify paddocks to renew early and address the reasons for decline, such as drainage, fertility, pasture pests and overgrazing. A soil test about 6 months before sowing enables nutrient issues to be sorted.”

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Up and running Grazing new pastures early on with younger or lighter stock keeps the sward open, letting sunlight in and encouraging clovers.

Clovers take up to 18 months to establish in new pasture. To improve on this, ensure there are no herbicide residues from the (previous) brassica crop, and allow at least 3 months in crop with no clover (for nematode control). Applying nitrogen (SustaiN) at around 65 kg/ha (30 kg N/ha) after each grazing encourages tillering, reduces weed competition and promotes a healthy sward.

“Pasture is the most cost-effective form of feed, so investing in renewal can make a real difference to your bottom line,” Murray says.

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

Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

1 Chapman DF, Lee JM, Rossi L, Thom ER, Waugh D, Wynn KT 2013. Ryegrass seeding rate alters plant morphology

Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Keeping your chainsaw in check Now is the time of year folks ring and split their winter firewood; a high-performing chainsaw that runs smoothly is fundamental to this process. When sourcing a quality lubricant and engine oil, there are several aspects you should consider in order to meet the operational needs of your chainsaw.

Avoid using waste oil The use of waste oil as a lubricant on chainsaws is an old practice which should be avoided. All that makes oil dirty is dirt. Oil is normally transparent, sometimes with a dye added but still able to be seen through. Dirt will act as an abrasive on the chain which can lead to untimely wear and possible failure of the chain. Used clean oil will have lost its lubricating properties, with the same result.

Environmentally this is a disaster.

New chainbar oils have little effect on the environment; however, waste products carry dirt and chemicals.

This is a toxic mix which needs to be disposed of appropriately.

Farmlands recommends using a quality lubricant, such as Gulf Chainbar, which meets the operational needs and warranty of your chainsaw.

Two-stroke notes Equally as important to a chainsaw’s performance is the engine oil it requires.

Most chainsaws are two-stroke, so we predominantly talk about chainsaws as two-stroke. Each saw has an appropriate mix ration between fuel and oil; to ensure minimum smoke it is strongly advised to follow this ratio for the duration of a chainsaw’s life.

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It is important to read and understand your owner’s manual when making your oil selection at Farmlands.

Two-stroke oil is designed to be mixed and used. Mixing a significant batch and letting it sit allows the oil and fuel to separate. This will result in an inconsistent batch of lubricant and fuel leading to a lack of lubrication or an oversupply of oil (which will generate smoke). The manufacturer of your chainsaw has performance in mind when they set mix ratios so where we add or subtract lubricant from the fuel mix, we guarantee ourselves issues.

Farmlands offers two high-quality two-stroke oils – Gulf Pride 2T and Gulf Syntrac 2T. These products are top quality and, when used within the correct mix ratios, provide the best performance for your saw. Gulf Pride 2T and Gulf Syntrac 2T meet the warranty requirements of chainsaw brands.

Performance in the field At a recent Farmlands meeting, an exercise was performed to test the performance of five lubricant brands of varying recognition and quality. The team measured the level of tackifier (the bit which makes it stick to the chain) and the viscosity (how runny the oil is). The Gulf Chainbar placed first in all tests.

Gulf users – commercial, industrial and on-farm – regularly report significant savings on chainbar consumption.

Meeting the warranty demands of topbranded chainsaw manufacturers, as well as ensuring performance standards are reached and exceeded, Gulf Chainbar can provide extended chain life with a reduction in product consumption.

| The lubricant and engine oil you select should meet performance standards and the warranty demands of chainsaw manufacturers, with chain life and consumption benefits.

By following these tips, you can ensure yourself a warm winter and a chainsaw you can use for years to come.

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

Article supplied by Farmlands Fuel and Lubricants.

Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © April 2020. All rights reserved. | www.farmlands.co.nz

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

The real deal in duck hunting With the duck hunting season just around the corner it is time to start gearing up for a successful season. One of the essentials is a quality duck call to make your hunting experience more productive and pleasurable.

tradition is David’s son, Derek. Derek has been working for the company since 2003. He started hand-turning custom calls, specialising in acrylic versions. These custom masterpieces have a very different effect to mass-produced molded calls.

Mallard call and is made from walnut

Consumers can choose between plastic, mass-produced products or handmade and custom ones.

With a range of duck, goose, and deer calls the DJ Illinois River Valley Calls range offers solutions for every hunt – from the traditional classic #66 Duck Call, to the R-25 Sika Deer call and the NZD-22 Paradise Duck Call that was specifically designed for the New Zealand market.

Duck. This call was developed by

David Jackson has been producing homemade calls since 1976 and comes from three generations of duck and goose call makers.

The American spent more than 27 years with the former P.S. Olt company where he earned the prestigious title of “Master Call Maker”. During his tenure, David was instrumental in the design and manufacture of many of the successful Olt waterfowl calls. He has been an avid duck, goose, and deer hunter for all his life, is a judge in calling contests and knows how a quality call should sound.

His business, DJ Illinois River Valley Calls, is a family thing. Carrying on the

THE FARMLANDER

The most popular calls in the range are the #66 Duck Call, and the NZD-22 Paradise Duck call.

Probably the most remembered call ever made is the single reed #66 Duck Call. This call was developed in 1960 by call maker Al Sonderman. To this day it is often referred to as the “Sonderman 66”. It is an easy call to blow as it requires only small amounts of air to produce an excellent raspy tone and volume. This is a great all-purpose

and cedar. David Jackson carries on the tradition by handcrafting this easy-to-operate and iconic call.

The NZD-22 Paradise Duck call effortlessly produces the special high-pitched sound of the Paradise David to meet the requirements of New Zealand hunters. The call body is made of walnut, with the tonal parts made from cedar for great moisture resistance.

Both #66 Duck Call, and the NZD-22 Paradise Duck call are offered to Farmlands customers in an exclusive Realtree Max-4 camo finish that is applied over the walnut body. You get a traditional hand-crafted wooden call with a modern twist.

All DJ Calls carry a limited ifetime guarantee.

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

Article supplied by DJ Calls, LLC.

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