Focus magazine by Kramp 2018 #2 UK by Kramp

Focus CUSTOMER MAGAZINE EDITION 2 | 2018

Wtrysk cieczy - niewykrywalna, ale groÅºna rana

TECHNOLOGY

Blockchain

HIGHLIGHT

Ram mot's

Page

KRA FOCUS 0218 UK

USE OF ANTIBIOTICS

KNOW HOW

Products by season

EDITORIAL

Animal husbandry Mega stables, manure surplus, milk quotas, intensive versus organic. The agricultural sector has always been the perfect stage for heated debates between supporters and opponents. On top of that, the sector is subjected to a number of new laws and regulations on a regular basis. For example, the milk quota was abolished only for a manure quota to be reinstated. In addition, farmers are faced with consumers who are becoming increasingly critical. More and more people

06|TECHNOLOGY Blockchain

are starting to ask where their meat or vegetables come from. Society considers it important that farmers produce their goods through sustainable means, but would prefer not to pay too much money for it. So, is it still fun being a farmer? Fortunately, it still is for a lot of people. They spend their days working the land and caring for their animals, and wouldn't have it any other way. They see their work as a calling and a way of life — a way of life that we at Kramp want to support as well as we possibly can. We do this by working with our dealers to provide farmers with access to the widest assortment of parts in Europe, including a wide selection of livestock supplies. The sector is changing and digitisation is taking an ever more important role, with farmers' demands also changing accordingly. Long gone are the days when farmers waited until their contact visited them once per fortnight to receive their consumables. There is increasing demand for products to be delivered quickly. This is an excellent opportunity for you to expand your business — and with

19|TRENDS

Organic Farming

Kramp as your partner, you'll be in a position to offer your customers an even more convenient service. Our new, extensive range of livestock supplies is just one of the new initiatives that we are developing to help you provide your customers with the best possible support. If you have any suggestions for how we can improve this even further, please let us know! We hope you enjoy reading this edition of Focus.

Eddie Perdok CEO Kramp Groep

22|CUSTOMER PORTRAIT Ernest Doe & Son Ltd

CONTENTS NEWS | Products

TECHNOLOGY | Blockchain

COVER STORY | Use of antibiotics

SAFETY | Protective clothing

HIGHLIGHT | Ram Mot's

ASK THE SPECIALIST | Animal Husbandry range

OPINION | Animal welfare profitable

TRENDS | Organic farming

COLUMN | Udder things to consider

CUSTOMER PORTRAIT | Ernest Doe & Son Ltd

HIGHLIGHT | Rearing piggs for pork

KNOW HOW | Products by season

KRAMP ACADEMY | Seeds of knowledge

CUSTOMER NEWS | Local news

MOSAIC | New breed of sheep

QUIZ | Eye-dentification

08|

COVER STORY

Use of antibiotics

2 | 2018 Focus

NEWS

Electric Fencing from Farma Farma High Conductive guarantees excellent conductibility and longevity for medium to long fences. In contrast to rust-proof wire, the lines, flexes and cables offered by the High Conductive range are equipped with our new High Cond conducting material, boasting 5 x higher conductibility. In other words, you can use 5 x longer fences or 'transport' 5 x more power to areas in contact with animals = 5 x more security. In recent years, HighCond conductive wires were subjected to intensive tests, in which they displayed a long useful life. The low resistance of HighCond wires and the resulting high repellent effect offer an excellent cost-performance ratio. It is worth making a comparison (resistance in Ohm/metre <-> price).

La Buvette top quality drinking bowls La Buvette offers a comprehensive range of drinking solutions for large and small farm animals like cows, calves, pigs, goats or sheep. Besides drinking solutions for all sorts of livestock this quality brand also provides solutions for feeding (e.g. buckets), cleaning & disinfection (e.g. foot basin) and nutritional additives.

Camozzi moves to the agricultural sector With Camozzi, Kramp offers a complete new line of pneumatic components for the agricultural sector. Whether it's cylinders, valves or other pneumatic components, Camozzi stands for robust, reliable and efficient solutions for agricultural applications. Thanks to the partnership Kramp / Camozzi enjoy, quality components and solutions are available on our web shop.

NEWS

Easy identification Colourful and fast drying marking spray providing quick and convenient stock identification in all-weather types. Farma can provide the 500ml sprays in Red, Green or Blue.

DeLaval With DeLaval's innovative automatic milking systems, cows are milked optimally, and the time required for milking is reduced creating the freedom to concentrate on other important tasks. The milking robots are characterised by flexibility, higher milk production, efficient use of labour and the best milk routine. Spare parts can now be ordered from www.kramp.com

Tricoflex Kramp Hosepipes We have introduced two new lines of Kramp garden / water hoses. Kramp Trico medium: available in three dimensions: ½ ", ¾" and 1". Kramp Trico Pro: quality hose suitable for professional use. 4-layer PVC hose, flexible and soft on the outside. Available in dimensions ½ ", ¾", 1", 1¼", 1½ "and 2".

2 | 2018 Focus

TECHNOLOGY

BLOCKCHAIN COULD RADICALLY ALTER THE SECTOR Bitcoin has received considerable coverage in the news recently. The cryptocurrency is mainly known for its high peaks and deep troughs and, for the time being at least, does not seem to offer an alternative to current payment methods. However, while the cryptocurrencies themselves still need time to mature, the technology behind them already offers many possibilities, including for the agricultural sector. Bitcoin and similar digital currencies are based on blockchain

of blockchain technology in the trade due to its efficiency. Such

technology. The idea at the centre of this technology is that different

a transaction would normally take at least two weeks but, in this

parties can make a joint transaction without having to involve an

case, the complete transaction took just a week. This not only

external party, such as a bank. Blockchain is essentially software

means a significant improvement in efficiency but also results in

that keeps track of every party's transactions. These are recorded

less waste, as foodstuffs arrive at their destination much sooner.

in a large network of computers, rather than in a central database. This ensures that the system is well secured against malfunctions

In an era in which consumers are becoming increasingly critical

and hackers, for example. Monitoring is the responsibility of the

of what they buy and eat, the new technology can also play an

users themselves. New transactions are saved in the database by

important role in providing information. Food producers can add

the 'nodes'. To do this, the nodes first have to find a code indicating

value to food because they have a simple and transparent way of

that all information is correct. The nodes must all 'agree' that the

showing where the food has been produced, which methods have

code is correct before the information can be stored in the chain.

been used and so on. At the same time, producers and farmers can obtain a better price for their product, as fewer parties are required

So what is the significance of this technology for our industry?

to get their product to the customer. A separate currency could

It could play a role in the shipping of livestock or harvesting, for

even be created to guarantee a good price.

example. This year, blockchain technology was successfully used for the first time when shipping a cargo of soya beans from America

Blockchain technology appears to offer endless possibilities,

to China. Five parties were involved in the transaction, including

and the possibilities for the agricultural sector are now being

the ING and ABN Amro banks. The Louis Dreyfus Company, a

investigated seriously. Watch this spaceâ&#x20AC;Ś. n

multinational trader in agricultural products, has praised the use

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2 | 2018 Focus

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COVER STORY

USE OF ANTIBIOTICS REMAINS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN The use of antibiotics, particularly in the pig and poultry industry, has been an area of concern for many years. Livestock farmers want to prevent their livestock from becoming ill and so administer preventative means, while opponents say that this is making bacteria resistant to commonly used antibiotics. There is no clear solution, especially given the difference in regulations.

COVER STORY

"With the World Health Organisation warning us that the world risks drifting into a post-antibiotic era, in which antibiotic resistance would cause more deaths each year than cancer, it is high time we took energetic measures and grasped the problem at its roots," said reporter Françoise Grossetête at a meeting on this subject in the European Parliament in 2016. Grossetête also believes that antibiotics should remain available, at least for veterinarians. "However, we need not reduce the therapeutic arsenal available to vets. This law aims to facilitate their work. It is absolutely necessary to encourage research and innovation in this sector." The European Parliament agrees that the prophylactic use of antibiotics (preventative use, even if the animal shows no trace of disease or infection) should only be possible for individual animals, and even then only if a veterinarian agrees.

BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNTRIES And that is the crux of the issue. What is applicable for Europe may not apply in South America. Within Europe alone, there are significant differences in the use of antibiotics. Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands use relatively few antibiotics per kilogram of live weight compared to Belgium, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Spain, for example, now uses 100 times more antibiotics per kilogram of live weight than Norway, 80 times more than Iceland and 35 times more than Sweden. The main reason for this difference is that Spain, like most of Europe, routinely allows mass medication, while the Scandinavian countries do not. There are major concerns about the use of medication in countries where there is a growing middle class, with more demand for food and meat. A few years ago, in the scientific journal PNAS, American researchers wrote that they expect the use of antibiotics worldwide to increase by 70%. In particular, countries such as Brazil, China, Russia and India are responsible for this increase. 

2 | 2018 Focus

COVER STORY

But why is there all this attention on antibiotics in the agricultural sector? This is mainly due to the fact that the frequent use of these medications poses risks to public health. Humans and animals carry bacteria, and by nature there is resistance in all these bacteria. Many bacteria are harmless but some can cause diseases. The use of antibiotics in livestock farming poses potential risks to public health, as frequent and careless use can lead to pathogenic bacteria that have become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. Infections with resistant bacteria are therefore difficult to treat. Resistant bacteria can spread from person to person, but also through animals, food and the environment. A well-known drug-resistant bacterium that occurs in both humans and animals is the MRSA bacterium.

CREATE SUPPORT Measures are now being taken, although this varies from country to country. In the Netherlands, for example, the sale of veterinary antibiotics has been declining for years. The percentage has fallen by over 70% since 2007 and the number of resistant bacteria has also decreased considerably. One of the reasons behind this success is the extensive support for the adoption of measures. Ten years ago, the Netherlands was a major consumer of antibiotics in the animal sectors. Then in 2008, a working group set to work with representatives from the feed industry, veterinarians and the animal sectors, among others. And as the figures show, the work was a success. Whether this is a blueprint for other countries remains to be seen. It may be the case for Europe, but for many emerging regions outside of our continent, this still seems to be a bridge too far. There, halting the further increase in antibiotics would seem to be an initial step. n

COVER STORY

2 | 2018 Focus

SAFETY

THE RIGHT PROTECTION MAKES WORK MUCH SAFER Protective clothing is an essential requirement when working on a farm and with animals. On their own, Overalls are not sufficient, especially when working with chemicals. It is important that the clothing is comfortable and fits well, otherwise there is a considerable chance it will not be worn. And clothing that is not worn cannot offer any protection.

Airways Working with chemicals, gases or other harmful substances and liquids involves considerable risks, including for the airways. It is therefore always important to advise customers to follow the instructions for use and to take the correct precautions, including wearing the appropriate mask.

Hands The hands are at the top of the list when it comes to injuries sustained in the agricultural sector. Choosing the right glove is important. Working with chemicals requires a different type of glove than when working with electricity or sharp objects, for example.

Head A helmet can make the difference between a mild concussion and permanent brain damage.

Feet Protection is also necessary. This too is evident from research conducted by the American University of Wyoming, which concluded that the number of accidents involving personnel in the agricultural sector is no less than 20% higher than in other sectors. Broadly speaking, there are seven categories into which protective clothing can be classified.

Eyes and face Incidents involving the eyes are the main cause of blindness in the agricultural sector. In over 90% of cases, this can be prevented by wearing face protection.

Hearing No less than 75% of livestock farmers will suffer some form of hearing loss. 65% more than the average. Hearing protection is available in all shapes and sizes, from pre-formed earplugs and disposable plugs to ear defenders with ear cups.

The right safety shoes and boots are a daily essential. For work involving liquids and chemicals, the correct rubber or latex boots are required. In many other cases, it is important to wear safety shoes with a steel toe cap or anti-perforation sole.

Clothing The correct work clothing is important when working on and around a farm. When controlling weeds, it may be necessary to wear suitable overalls. When using a chainsaw, safety dungarees must be worn. But it is equally important to think about your 'normal' clothing. Make sure that your old sweater is not too loose and that it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have any drawstrings on the hood that could easily get caught in something. Kramp offers a wide range of protective clothing for working with animals and carrying out other jobs around the farm.

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2 | 2018 Focus

HIGHLIGHT

RAM MOT’S:

BECAUSE PEAK PERFORMANCE IS MORE PROFITABLE Rather than waiting to see how a ram performs at tupping time, giving him an MOT to ensure he is truly ready for the mating season can reduce the risk of an apparently healthy ram experiencing problems and affecting profits. There are 4 physical checks that should be carried out 10 weeks before tupping. This means there will still be time to resolve any issues with body weight or virility.

TEETH The plate and incisors should meet

Lameness can greatly reduce a

evenly with no sharp edges on the molars.

ram’s working ability. Check his feet and

Check for under or over shot teeth, gaps and

trim as required, check his locomotion and

abscesses. A ram needs a healthy mouth to ensure he can eat a well-balanced diet.

TESTICLES

Large firm testicles

ensure there are no issues such as arthritis, especially in older rams.

FORM

It is important not to be too fat or

produce 80% more semen per day than

too thin at tupping. A lean ram will not be

medium-soft testicles and with this greater

fit to service many ewes and a fat ram will

fertilising capacity it is possible for the ram to service up to 100 ewes as opposed to just 40 – great for your profit margins.

Vaccinations can also give sheep a head start by making sure they are protected against clostridial diseases, parasites and other conditions. The ram MOT provides the opportunity to identify rams that will be unable to perform to the level required rather than waiting until scanning to find out if the ram has worked!

FEET

struggle to perform as well. The ideal Body Condition Score (BCS) for the start of the tupping season is 3.5.

RETAIL TIP! A good time for a promotional display on the equipment required to perform a ram MOT, including: tagging, marking and foot care products, feed supplements and feeding equipment.

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2 | 2018 Focus 15 www.nskeurope.com

ASK SPECIALIST

â&#x20AC;Śdiscovers some of the products available in the Kramp Animal Husbandry range.

Do you sell animal husbandr y products? As Graham found out it is a gre at way to offer your customers more products, along with the potential opportunit y to e xpand your customer base and grow your business. Graham took a closer look at some of the products available in the Kramp animal husbandr y range.

Also included in the Kramp assortment are a wide selection of items for the dair y farmer. Replacement milking machine parts from main brands, calf accessories, he alth and hygiene products are all available to order through the web shop.

The Kramp own brand â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Farma, provide colourful and fast dr ying marking spray for quick and convenient stock identification in all-we ather t ypes. Available in red, green or blue.

For poultr y the Kramp animal husbandr y range can provide incubators and he at lamps, drinking and feeding solutions and equipment such as transport boxes and egg testers. A further comprehensi ve list of products suitable for pigs are also available.

ASK SPECIALIST

G K S

R AHA M

Rich in vitamin and minerals these horse tre ats come in four flavours; apple, banana, liquorice and raspberr y. Along with other equestrian items, such as he ad collars and brushes, available from Kramp.

w. fa c

This edition is all about the range of Animal Husbandry products available through Kramp. ebook.com|K

All the farmer needs for lambing is available in the Kramp animal husbandr y range; from te ats and bot tles, gloves and examination gel, needles and syringes to castration bands and their applicator. Further sheep care items such as she ars and foot trimmers are also in the range.

This is just a brief over vie w of the assortment Kramp can provide for animal husbandr y. Do you want to know the opportunities the animal husbandr y marke t has to offer your business? Your account manager can guide you through the full animal husbandr y range and discuss a solution suitable to your business.

2 | 2018 Focus

OPINION

CAN ANIMAL WELFARE

BE PROFITABLE?

Livestock farms are under increasing pressure to become more sustainable, meeting the demands of climate change and feeding the ever growing population. While at the same time, there is increasing public concern over standards of farm animal welfare. With rising production costs putting pressure on already small farm margins is it possible to improve animal welfare and farm efficiency at the same time?

SOME BENEFITS OF ADHERING TO HIGH ANIMAL WELFARE STANDARDS ON FARM PRODUCTIVITY: REDUCED MORTALITY The most obvious way in which welfare

IMPROVED HEALTH/ IMMUNITY

improves efficiency is through reduction

Even when animals do not die, disease

of mortality. For example mortality

and illness can have a significant

in new-born lambs, calves or piglets

economic impact. With increasing

can be caused by factors such as

pressure to reduce antibiotics it is

hypothermia from the cold and wet.

important to identify what environment

Providing these animals with conditions in

can optimise welfare and therefore boost

which they are more likely to stay alive will

natural immunity. Healthy animals cost less

result in improvements to their welfare as

in veterinary treatment, medication and the

well as providing the farm with more livestock

labour needed to care for them.

to sell. Other financial benefits of high animal welfare can include improved product quality, lower risks of zoonoses or animal-borne infections and consumers willing to pay higher prices. Moreover most stockmen take pride in caring for their animals, therefore high welfare farms have the benefit of providing better job satisfaction and as a result retaining good staff.

TRENDS

IS ORGANIC FARMING THE SOLUTION? The organic farming market continues to grow. In 2016, it increased by 11.4% to almost 33.5 billion euro. Almost all countries show double-digit growth, as evident from research conducted by FiBL, the research institute for organic agriculture.

This is a clear indication that this method of production is on the rise

rising sharply. Can an organic way of farming meet the current and

and certainly not just a passing trend. Nevertheless, the total share of

future demand? The very fact that we are asking the question, reveals

organic agriculture is still modest compared to traditional methods

the answer.

of farming. In Europe, 14 million hectares are now used for organic agriculture. Spain is the leader with two million hectares, followed by

The solution seems to be finding a balance between the two. Why

Italy and France.

should intensive agriculture not be organic? There are already examples that show that this is possible. Take vertical farming, for

Despite the fact that Europe is well on the way to farming more

example, where vegetables are grown in large numbers without using

organically, many organic products that end up in the supermarkets

pesticides. This may be a solution for fruit and vegetables, but how do

are imported from other continents, such as from Africa. The motives

we deal with cattle? We are likely to have to wait many years and hold

for many consumers to buy organic produce include food safety (E

many more discussions before a clear answer to this question can be

numbers), care for the environment and animals. But is organic

given.

farming the solution to these concerns?

EUROPE: ORGANIC FARMLAND 2016 Proponents say 'yes'. Working organically is more animal-friendly Million ha

which is healthier for humans and animal species such as insects and bees. It is usually much more labour intensive and the yield is smaller, meaning that more land has to be devoted to agriculture. Opponents

Half of Erupeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s organic farmland is in 4 countries

nature is a better use for this space than organic farming.

Others

Spain Italy France

At the same time, we also need to consider the future demand for food. The world's population continues to grow and, along with it, the demand for food. In addition, the middle class is growing, as a result of which the demand for more luxury products such as meat is also

Germany

The country with the largest area of organic farmland is in Spain, followed by Italy and France.

Liechtenstein

Italy

Austria

France

Estonia

Germany

Sweden

Top 5 countries with the largest areas of organic agricultural land 2016

In 2016, almost 0.85 million hectares more were reported compared with 2015

16 14 12 10

Italy 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 Million hectares

Distribution of organic agricultural land by country 2016

in the decade 2007-2016

9 countries have 10% or more of their agricultural land under organic management.

Spain

Austria

+73%

of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farmland is organic (EU 6,7%)

Million ha

therefore point to research* that proves the opposite. Intensive agriculture leaves space for nature. And allowing a more biodiverse

2,7%

Spain 2,02

Million hectares

Europe 13,5

and better for the environment. No fertilisers or pesticides are used,

0% 20% Percentage

40%

Top 5 countries, where more than 10 percent of the farmland is organic 2016

8 6 4 2 0

1985

1995

2005

2015

Growth of the organic agricultural land 1985-2016

Source: FiBL survey 2018 www.organic-world.net

2 | 2018 Focus

Grow your business Expand your range of animal husbandry products

As your strategic partner we can assure the next day delivery of a wide range of products including most of the items your livestock customers need. This provides a unique opportunity for you to expand into an interesting market that can diversify your revenue stream all year around. Discover our range:

kramp.com/en/animal-husbandry

COLUMN

WHEN IT COMES TO ANIMAL HUSBANDRY THERE’S A LOT OF ‘UDDER’ THINGS TO CONSIDER When you’re pouring mastitis milk down the drain you may as well be pouring out cold, hard cash – and for farmers who are often already struggling to get fair prices

Rachel Martin, - picture by Liam McBurney

for their produce that’s never a good situation to be in. Research in Northern Ireland shows the total direct and indirect costs of mastitis are estimated to weigh in at £177 per case – it doesn’t sound like much but if you have 10 cows infected over a year that’s nearly £2,000 wiped off your bottom line. And when you consider that some cows are chronically infected, the cost per infected cow is likely to be much higher. It’s not just the cost of physically treating the condition but the time it

as the cows step outside of it. As a general principle, the cleaner the

takes to diagnose infection and the effect on your somatic cell count

cows are, the less likely they will be to get mastitis. Scraping down the

and milk bonuses during this time coupled with the milk missing from

cow house properly – investing in an automatic scraper can cut down a

the bulk tank while treatment is going on. The good news is there has

lot of man-hours and also mean the shed gets scraped out more often.

been a lot of research into this area so we know the causes, we know the solutions and we know how it can all fit together on a working farm - and

The five-point plan to tackle mastitis puts focus on disinfection, recording

even better technology has also started to lend a hand.

cases and culling chronic cases but what if you could take action before the symptoms even start to show?

With pressure on farmers to begin selective dry cow therapy maintaining a mastitis-free environment is more important now than ever. Automatic

I was really impressed with new technology by the likes of Saber which

bedding machines not only reduce labour but could also make sure the

facilitates inline somatic cell count testing. Essentially a couple of the

job is done properly and uniformly every time. And it’s not just out in the

units are placed in the parlour and the system will light up either red or

cow house where hygiene matters, I visited a farm recently which had

green – green if everything is ok, and red when you’ve got a problem. The

installed cluster flushers to stop bacteria passing from cow to cow. The

units are designed to be placed at every fourth milking stall so each cow

farmer seemed impressed by them but added that it was only part of

gets tested around three times a week.

the picture. And that’s something important to remember – you could be

I like the efficiency behind the product; there’s no risk of missing the

doing six things to perfection but the one missing step could undermine

subclinical stages of mastitis when there are no symptoms. It eliminates

all the others. Are your cows rushing up a mucky lane or going into

the guessing game element of it – and while I love a bit of detective work

a dirty cubicle house straight after milking? There’s little benefit in

if it’s costing me money it’s something I’d sooner do without it.

cleaning rigorously in the parlour only for the work to be undone as soon

2 | 2018 Focus

CUSTOMER PORTRAIT

Ernest Doe & Sons Ltd Ernest Doe & Sons Ltd is a long established family business, trading in the South East of England since 1898, when Ernest Doe took on the lease of a blacksmithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop at Ulting, near Maldon Essex. 1920 was the start of the tractor business, when the company began supplying Essex with Fordson, David Brown and Case amongst others. In 1956 the company became a Ford tractor main dealer, a franchise that has developed into the New Holland franchise of today. Ernest Doe Power was created in 2001, a division set up to sell Case IH products at separate locations to the New Holland branches. Today Ernest Doe & Sons Ltd have a dealer network of 19 branches, 10 with the New Holland Franchise and 9 for Case IH. Still very much a family firm, Managing Director Colin Doe is the fourth generation, while his son Angus is a Service Director. 22

CUSTOMER PORTRAIT

Focus magazine spoke to Anton Bardell, Parts Manager of Ernest Doe Power – Sudbury, about the development of their parts assortment and changing customer demographics. Ernest Doe Power – Sudbury stands today on the same site it started from in 1947. Covering the area between Cambridge, Ipswich and Clacton from the A14 down to the A120, the Sudbury depot serves a predominantly arable area, along with horticultural and equestrian customers. It is also an affluent part of the country which includes a significant amount of lifestyle farmers. As a large business Ernest Doe & Sons Ltd do have a specific group buyer, with responsibility for ordering stock. This means that a large proportion of the stock in place at Sudbury turns up automatically. Anton explained that ‘for financial and logistical reasons it makes sense to buy the stock in bulk when all depots are stocking the same products, however Sudbury still has the freedom to place individual orders for items considered specific to the site.’ Originally the Ernest Doe Power depot was primarily an agricultural parts store however as the farming demographic has changed with less farm employees available to just pop into store, in recent years there has been a significant move to include more retail with product lines such as clothing and footwear. Interestingly, for such a predominantly arable area, the Sudbury depot also sells a high volume of animal husbandry products such as heat lamps, bulbs and automatic drinking troughs. Anton believes “this is primarily for small holders and sheep farmers, although there has been a rise in heat lamp purchases from the public for puppies.” While nearby Ernest Doe Power at Framlingham sell the same products but on a much larger scale to local pig farms. Although there is not the demand for a large assortment of livestock products to be kept in store, with the animal husbandry range from Kramp if an item is not stocked it can still be sourced and ordered for next day delivery.

“The partnership that Ernest Does and Kramp have dates back to historic business with Jack Ashurst Ltd” Anton explained “the business with Kramp is increasing every year.” Working for a business that prides itself on “offering the best available products and service” makes quality and price important factors when selecting parts. Anton told Focus: “Kramp is always the first place we look when placing parts orders. We find the Kramp webshop easy to use, the order process is simple and the parts turn up the next day. With Kramp there are always very few errors and that gives us confidence that we can ensure a high level of service to our customers.” This conscientious focus on the changing demographic of their customer base, and the effort put in to ensuring that high quality parts are available to meet all requirements, is how Ernest Doe & Sons Ltd are able to excel at servicing their ever growing customer following.

2 | 2018 Focus

HIGHLIGHT

REARING PIGS FOR PORK Katie Anderson is a first generation

farmer who combined her enthusiasm for agriculture with her qualifications in education to open her own â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;farm schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; an educational smallholding with pigs, goats, sheep and poultry in rural East Essex. Katie hopes to inspire others to join the industry, you can follow her progress on twitter @femalefarmeruk or on her blog www.femalerfarmeruk.com.

HIGHLIGHT

Preparation Before you purchase any pigs, you need to have your paperwork in order. You need a County Parish Holding (CPH) number before you can house any livestock and for pigs specifically you will also need a herd number, which is allocated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). Before getting the pigs make sure you have registered with a local farm vet too, just in case! One acre of land will house roughly five pigs and they will need a draught-free shelter with a bed of straw inside. They will need superb fencing because pigs are fantastic escape artists, electric fencing is highly recommended. Finally, each pig will need access to around 15 litres of clean water a day, which can be supplied via a garden hose, buckets, a natural source or automatic water drinkers.

They will need superb fencing because pigs are fantastic escape artists, electric fencing is highly recommended. Buying Now you have prepared yourself for your new arrivals, it is time to go shopping! Weaners will usually be aged 8-10 weeks old and will cost around ÂŁ30-60 a pig, depending on the breed. When approached, the weaners should be very active, noisy and should walk freely without lameness. They should be well covered, not too fat or too thin, and have no raw patches on their skin (which may indicate a skin infection or mites). Look for visible signs of illness such as coughing or a runny nose and walk away from anything that doesn't look healthy. Do not be afraid to fully inspect the weaners before committing, a

good breeder will expect this. Always buy at least two pigs, for company, and stick to a group of the same sex - pigs mature very early and you do not want an unexpected, related litter on your hands! When it comes to moving the pigs onto your land, you will need a movement licence, which is organised electronically via www. eaml2.org.uk.

Rearing Caring for pigs is very simple, they need a warm bed, clean water and feeding twice a day and if you are just keeping them for a few months to fatten up, there is very little else you need to worry about. Remember that pigs are no longer allowed to eat your kitchen scraps, but they will be fine reared on grower pellets/sow nuts.

Abattoir Your pigs should be ready for the abattoir at around six months old, when they weigh around 60kg. You will need to book the pigs in to the abattoir a few weeks before they are ready and they will need another movement licence. The pigs will need to be ear tagged with your herd number, plus their individual number. This is best done in the trailer on drop off day because pigs are notorious for ripping out their tags if you do it too early. Once you have dropped the pigs off, you will be given a collection date for when your meat will be ready, then you can enjoy your first taste of home-grown pork!

The pigs will need to be ear tagged with your herd number, plus their individual number.

2 | 2018 Focus

KNOW HOW

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS BY SEASON The sale of animal care products can be an excellent additional string to the bow for agricultural machinery companies. However, many such companies still do not sell these products, which represents a wasted opportunity, since the potential customer base consists of livestock farmers. Livestock farmers usually buy their products for feeding and breeding, milking, stable equipment and fencing from the people who make their milking machines. These engineers or salespeople visit their farms every few weeks and sell the products directly from their bus or truck.

Changing market But times are changing, and nowadays livestock farmers also want to have their products at their disposal quickly. The agricultural machinery company or dealer, together with Kramp, can play a major part in this. But which products are appropriate for which season?

FEBRUARY

In the last months of winter, farmers begin preparing for the new season ahead. This means they spend time checking that everything, such as fences, batteries and barriers, is in place.

SEPTEMBER

The end of the outdoor season is approaching. Farmers are preparing to bring in their livestock. Appropriate products to have in stock are hygiene products, protective clothing and products for pest control.

APRIL

Spring. The time of year to begin ensilage and letting the cattle outside. Appropriate products for this time of year include incubators, heat lamps, drinking troughs and bottles.

MAY

The season is in full swing. Time to make hay, ensure the barn is in good shape and think about pest control, such as flycatchers.

NOVEMBER

The year is almost over. The cattle are inside and it is important to think about the coming winter. Products that are in high demand include snow ploughs, clothing, heat lamps and frost protection products.

KRAMP ACADEMY

Plant the seeds of knowledge Training can improve business performance, profit and staff morale.

• • •

Training staff can result in better customer service, better work safety practices and productivity improvements. Provide new skills that are targeted to support the needs of your business for now and in the future.

ALL COURS NOW AVAI ES L AS BESPOK ABLE E.

Improve staff loyalty and retention by demonstrating to your workforce that you value them.

But training can be expensive, which is why Kramp offer the Bespoke Academy Courses.

We realise that training can be costly. Many of the costs are hidden - for instance a candidate on training needs travel expenses and you also have to account for the lost time at the parts counter or in the office. By providing courses bespoke to your business needs Kramp Academy training is designed to be both cost effective and practical, aimed at reducing these hidden costs. Bespoke courses also provide the flexibility to tailor content specifically for your business. For more information please contact your Account manager or send an

Bespoke Kramp Academy

How do I sign up? If you would like to attend a Kramp Academy course or would simply like more information on the other courses we offer please contact your Account Manager or send an email to; krampacademy.uk@kramp.com

email to: krampacademy.uk@kramp.com

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CUSTOMER NEWS

LOCAL NEWS KRAMP ACADEMY AT C T HAYTON LTD.

In February C T Hayton Ltd held bespoke Hydraulics training for their staff. Two days of training including thread identification, safety awareness and practical hose assembly. If you are interested in attending one of our academy courses and would like more information please send us a message!

WEBSHOP TRAINING AT CLARKE’S Both Account Manager Chris Cashman and Business Soloutions Specialist Chase Watts met with Parts managers from each depot of Clarke Machinery Ltd at their Ballyjamesduff branch for training on the Kramp webshop and implementing streamlined EDI ordering to save valuable time and resources.

DON'T FORGET WE'RE ON FACEBOOK!! Keep up with the latest news, events and competitions at our Facebook page @ kramp.uk We are always excited to see your photos from shows, open days or customer visits, if there is anything you would like to share on our page then please send to marketing.uk@kramp.com.

RABI CHARITY CLAY SHOOT

FOCUS PRIZE WINNER

Congratulations to Jack Popham from Hawkins Agri! The lucky winner of last issues quiz page, Jack has won himself a Kramp socket set!

On 24th of March the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution held their first Bedfordshire Charity Clay Shoot at Sporting Targets in Riesely. Sponsored by Ben Burgess, Brown & Co. and Kramp the event was a resounding success raising £1322. Congratulations to the winners, Team Pigott and also to Rachel Watling for achieving Lady’s Highest Gun and Ivan Spencer for achieving Men’s Highest Gun.

CUSTOMER NEWS

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FOR KRAMP

As part of our commitment to continuous improvement the Kramp phone system was changed in September. Now instead of sitting in a queue callers come through to a menu system to ensure they get through to the right person the first time. Our statistics showed the new phone system was an improvement however we wanted feedback from our customers. The responses were collected via an online survey. All respondents were entered into a prize draw, the winner selected at random was Dyfrig Jones, choosing overalls from the Kramp workwear range as his prize. We are pleased to announce that the survey results show 78% of respondents felt that their phone call is now answered significantly faster. Moving forward our Continuous Improvement Programme will be looking at the areas we can improve in Logistics.

NEW SHOP FOR CHESHIRE FARM MACHINERY

The beginning of February saw the install of a new retail shop for Cheshire Farm Machinery. SDF supported the plans of CFM to open a retail offering in their new premises under the Deutz-Fahr branding. Kramp Retail Consultant Leo Copping and Account Manager Alwyn Roach supported the installation of racking, helped to select the range, volume and then merchandise the stock.

KRAMP ACADEMY AT ERNEST DOE & SONS LTD

In April Kramp Academy visited Ernest Doe & Sons headquarters in Ulting to provide bespoke Retail, Sales and Merchandising training. Holding the course as bespoke at the Ernest Doe headquarters enabled course participants to take part in a number of practical exercises throughout the shop. Identifying key strengths and weaknesses of their product promotion through the eyes of a customer.

2 | 2018 Focus

MOSAIC

A new breed of sheep for Ireland and the UK

SKF ewes and lambs

Agriculture as an industry is getting bigger; since 2011 the average horsepower of a tractor has risen from 146hp to 162hp, the average farm size has grown by 5 hectares, and the average yield of a dairy cow has increased by 7%. Therefore it is logical that farmers would also seek to breed bigger, more productive sheep.

SKF ewes and lambs

Percy Podger, who grazes his sheep on the Curragh, has been developing his flock of ‘Schwarzkopf Fleischshafe’ from Germany, since 2011. A black headed meat breed established in Saxony during the 1850’s when imported English Suffolk rams were crossed with local breeds. In 1922 the SKF became an official recognised breed in its own right. ‘The SKF are essentially a larger, hardier version of the well-known Suffolk sheep,’ explains Percy, ‘they are a well-muscled, long sheep on average around 15% bigger than the Suffolk.’ An early maturing, prolific breed they are easy lambing and very maternal. Percy said he ‘was looking for a breed of sheep that could cope with the exposed conditions of the Curragh but retain high lambing percentages and the SKF do exactly that.’ With a mature ram weighing close to 160kg the breed’s quiet nature is another highly valuable characteristic. Percy has had fantastic results with the breed, both as a terminal sire on his commercial crossbreed ewes and as a pedigree breed in their own right.

For more information visit skfsheep.ie or fb.me/SKFSheepSociety

Percy with his Champion SKF Ram purchased from the 2017 breed sales in Germany.

QUIZ

EYE-DENTIFICATION Can you identify which animal each of these eyes belong too? Guess the correct answers and you could win a 16 piece Kramp socket set! All you need to do is email marketing.uk@kramp.com with the answers.

6 WIN A 16 PIECE KR A MP S O C K E T SE T !

Terms and Conditions: Closing date will be 31st August, 2018. No purchase is necessary. The winner will be drawn from the correct entries at random. The editor’s choice is final – no correspondence will be entered into or phone calls taken. No cash alternative is offered. Kramp reserves the right to substitute the prize for an alternative prize if necessary. The winner’s company name will be published in the next edition of FOCUS. The competition is open to Kramp customers only.

COLOPHON Editorial Address: Kramp UK Stratton Business Park London Road BiggleswadeBedfordshireSG18 8QB

Photos: Shutterstock [13], Kramp [38] , Adobe stock [4]

Editing: Marketing Kramp E-mail: focus.bnl@kramp.com www.kramp.com

2 | 2018 Focus

Less fixing. More farming. SKF Agri Hub for disc mowers The bearings inside a disc mower hub blade need to stand up to some serious punishment from dirt and knocks. That’s why it makes sense to install a unit that’s been designed for the job. The SKF Agri Hub for disc mowers is the answer. This relubrication-free unit comes with a robust casing and sealing design that protects the bearing and will help you to significantly reduce field contamination from oil leakage. And if the unit ever needs to be replaced, the compact design and simple mounting procedure make it a quick and easy process. Helping you increase machine uptime and productivity as well as reduce maintenance. Contact your local KRAMP distributor for more information.

® SKF is a registered trademark of the SKF Group. | © SKF Group 2017 Certain image(s) used under license from Shutterstock.com.