SYSTEMS INSURANCE CLAIMS
Eliminating human error Words by: Anne Hardie
A
ntibiotic contamination is the main reason for insurance claims for milk in the country and it’s usually due to human error. Speaking at the Once-A-Day (OAD) and Flexible Milking Conference in Nelson, FMG manager advice services, Stephen Cantwell, said just under 1500 claims are received each season for milk-related problems that total about $4.5 million, with antibiotic contamination towering above other claims. He said farmers can’t change weather-related claims, but they can work on reducing human error claims and less claims can trickle back to lower premiums. The words employee and staff often come up in claims and he said it highlights the importance of running through procedures in the dairy and reminding staff about even simple things, including turning on the vat. Beyond the dairy, human error leads to more claims and he said there are some Stephen Cantwell . simple procedures to set in place on the farm that can help reduce accidents and damage. For instance, checking the tyre pressure on the quad bike to reduce risk of rolling and checking the tractor for birds’ nests during the nesting period. The latter point led to the company’s Stop and Pop campaign to encourage farmers to pop the hood and check for bird’s nests, which saved $2.64 million in three years. “If we can give better advice, we can lower claims and stabilise premiums.” Farming has its risks and as more farms operate as companies, he said they need to be aware that every director takes on responsibility. Many farming companies are family based and sit around the dining room table for their meetings and he said it is very easy to forget they each have the legal responsibilities of a company director. His final message to farmers was about the risks associated with connectivity. While technology needs to be embraced, it increasingly has risks. In one case, a dairy farmer was basically locked out of their dairy and ransomed after their system was hacked. In another, a farmer paid an invoice and was then asked to pay it again a month later after it was intercepted and they were given a different account number. “People don’t like to talk about this. If people get hit they don’t want anyone to know they’ve been scammed.” He advised farmers to get tips for cyber security from Cert NZ at https://www.cert.govt.nz/ and if they followed those tips they could at least ensure their business was 80% secure. Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | June 2021
It saves me a lot of time not having to mix up teat spray. It’s fresh and it’s mixed daily – straight out of the drum and straight onto the cow. – Craig & Tracey Fisher, Stratford. Craig and Tracey Fisher are 50/50 sharemilkers, milking 210 cows on 86 hectares at the base of Mount Taranaki. They use Iodoshield Active with Active Teat Conditioner because it’s the right option for wet and muddy conditions typical to a mountainside environment. The teat spray and emollient is automatically mixed and delivered to the spray nozzle with FIL’s automatic teat spray system, eliminating guesswork while being a huge timesaver. With the combination of FIL teat care products, teat spray automation and on-farm support from their local Area Manager, they’re proud to have achieved a somatic cell count of 60,000 and treating less than 8% of the herd for mastitis. For straight-up advice on udder health and mastitis prevention, get in touch with your local FIL Area Manager on 0508 434 569.
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