Dairy News 28 May 2013

Tackling suicides in rural areas. Page 14

building on the green brand Oz expert’s advice Pages 3-4

no bull

CRV claims market share growth Page 26 may 28, 2013 Issue 291 // www.dairynews.co.nz

Consumers see the light “Anything we do with our big brands gets a lot of scrutiny. That’s understandable but Kiwis are getting on with buying Anchor milk in the new bottles.”

- Craig Irwin, Fonterra Brands. PAGE 5

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

news // 3

Co-op farmers urged to embrace sustainability PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

Question councils on environment regulations. PG.10-11

Should Fonterra take a lead in banning PKE?. PG.18

Building resilient dairy form systems.

PG.49

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THE NEW ZEALAND dairy industry is “defensive” on environmental issues because it perceives itself as being attacked, says Australian climate change activist and business advisor Paul Gilding.

But sustainability is now being driven by major global businesses and Fonterra farmers should get on board. New Zealand has major advantages, he told Fonterra Shareholders’ Council seminars last week. Fonterra should embrace the issue because it would be good for business. And pushing its cooperative structure as a marketing tool overseas should be part of that, he says.

“My argument is, it is good for you – you have natural advantages in sustainability as an industry which means the stronger the market demand, the better off you will be.

“Being pasture fed as the base of the industry is a plus. You’ve also got the co-op structure, a really under-utilised advantage. The world is deeply cynical about corporate generally. There is scepticism about corporates, corporate agriculture and corporate food supply and therefore being a co-op is a huge advantage in marketing. It is used, but it could be used a lot more outside New Zealand.”

Another advantage was simply being from New Zealand. Although there was criticism of our dairy practices, and some of them legitimate, on a global scale New Zealand is cleaner. ”You have to build and protect that reputation. The basic idea that you are a pasture-fed, co-op-owned New Zealand company is a powerful idea. The idea doesn’t only apply to production within New Zealand but also Fonterra globally.”

Gilding says while he sees NZ’s opportunity he also sees “a very defensive industry”, perceived as resistant to change. But it is no longer about whether the industry deserves to be attacked or should be defensive. “We have moved to a new phase. It is now a business opportunity and I would argue you need to change the way you think about the issue and have a more positive way of engag-

ing it. To embrace it means to drive that process.”

With global trends, the most important thing was to “do something”. There were good examples of corporates aggressively going after environmental enhancement and driving business success.

Underpinning the basis of the global economy is land, water and resources. It has now reached the point where all those resources are constrained. “If resources are constrained, it will be seen in the behaviour of business and investors. We are seeing significant shifts in corporate strategy … I have worked 20 years in this space with these companies and I have seen a significant shift in the last three or four years.”

Before that most companies worked with sustainability to make them feel good, or for reputation.

“Now because of the constraints on resources many companies are pick- Australian environmental ing this up as a central idea to their advisor to business, Paul Gilding, says business business.” attitudes to sustainability An example is Unilever which have shifted markedly in the includes sustainability in most past three or four years. aspects of business. “They are not doing it because is important to the world or repu- The government has been slow to act on some tation but because it’s important to their business.” issues, which are affecting business today.”

A group of large companies led by Unilever DuPont, General Electric and Walmart are other companies “now actively managing this issue as are lobbying for tightening of the European legcore to their business, including driving it back to islation on the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) their supply chain”. They know governments will – they are actually arguing for higher costs, Gildeventually act and are trying to get ahead of the ing said. Their view is governments will sooner or later act on greenhouse gases, price incentives will field.

Until recently environmentalists, community be offered for reduced emissions, and these comconcern or scientific reports raised environmen- panies are already ahead of their competitors in tal problems, business resisted change and govern- this field. Regulation sooner rather than later will ments were umpires, eventually enforcing change be to their advantage. “They recognise it is a business issue,” he said. with regulation.

“That’s shifted because companies have rec@dairy_news ognised they have to act before government does. facebook.com/dairynews

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

4 // news

Huge value in remaining 100% farmer-owned PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

WILL FONTERRA

shareholders eventually have to “do a Mighty River and sell 49%” to meet the capital gap needed for industry growth?

That question was put to business journalist and commentator Rod Oram at the Fonterra Shareholders’ Council ‘Grow Your Minds’ seminar in Hamiton. He was asked if the 10,500 shareholder dairy farmers who own Fonterra need to change their mindset about being 100% owned and controlled by those farmers.

Oram said he found the whole discussion over the last 3-4 years about the structure of Fonterra “extremely encouraging and interesting, even if it got pretty rocky there at some points”.

“But I think it got to a very sensible place. There is huge value in Fonterra remaining a co-op and 100% farmer owned.

“I know with trading among farmers (TAF) and the Fonterra units bring-

the milk payment system so they could take a bigger share of the profits.

“These are all very big issues to deal with but I believe with TAF and the Fonterra units you got a system which will

“I believe with TAF and the Fonterra units you have a system which will improve, develop and help with some of those capital needs.” ing in some capital you are trying to do a difficult thing. This is to balance out and meet the expectations of growth from farmers who want a very good return on their milk and those outside investors whom you could say – and this was the argument against this – just want the lowest possible prices for

improve, develop and help with some of those capital needs.

“There will be outside sources as well. An interesting test is to be able to, say, see whether Synlait can get its second attempt at a share market float going this time. I think it sounds very chancy.”

Oram said by retain-

ing 100% farmer ownership they could keep good control of their destiny but good investment could come in elsewhere across the primary sector.

“The very biggest benefit to the industry would be to achieve higher profitability so you could meet more of the capital needs internally.”

Oram said shareholders should be ositive about the Fonterra strategy refresh which came out last year as it was “the right way forward”.

But in years ahead “we have a difficult choice to make about the extent to which we become more intensive dairy farmers. I am all for that as long we can do it in a way which is true to the economics and ethos of pastoral dairy farming.

“How do we manage to have a higher stocking rate and manage those envi-

Business commentator Rod Oram says Fonterra shareholders should be happy with TAF and the Strategy Refresh released last year.

ronmental impacts? Can that help us farm more profitably and in an environmentally more sustainable way. But crucially, how will the markets respond?”

A key example was the response to the dicyandiamide (DCD) issue.

We did not as a country

explain it well to the markets and we did not grasp that “it was an amazing challenge to those Chinese consumers. They were thinking in their minds ‘pure New Zealand dairy product’ without realising there is already quite a level of industrial process in that.”

The industry needs to consider how to bring in more useful tools and “how do we achieve greater intensity that delivers on that economic and environmental commitment but still sits well with consumers”.

“The industry will grow if it is successful in being absolutely its best in terms of environmental performance. Its performance is criticised a lot and sometimes for good reason. But it is in front of the world – though it won’t stay there

the industry to be world class in this area.”

The ex-boss of Greenpeace International was asked by Dairy News if he was surprised to be asked to speak at NZ dairy industry seminars.

Gilding said it is “a good

@dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

‘Market on huge sustainability roll’ paul GILDING’S key message to New Zealand dairy farmers is “the market pressure for sus-

tainability is now unstoppable”.

“New Zealand dairy is in front in terms of reputa-

tion in the world, but it has to maintain that position,” he told Dairy News. “The issue is moving so fast

everyone is catching up. So New Zealand dairy has got to keep pushing itself out front and be stronger envi-

ronmentally and strong on farm and recognise that is a good thing for the business.

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“It’s not just compliance or the expectation of the public, it is also recognising an opportunity for the industry to be world class in this area.” – Paul Gliding unless it keeps pushing itself.”

Gilding says even China is “moving from red China to green China – it really is shifting very heavily”. “Brazil is improving its environmental performance across the board and is a real competitor for New Zealand dairy now, and for Fonterra. So maintaining that cutting edge position, improving on past mistakes but keeping on going ahead, is crucial.

“It’s a business opportunity. It’s not just compliance or the expectation of the public, it is also recognising an opportunity for

sign of where Fonterra and the industry are at – they want to hear from outside views. Once upon a time having someone who was formerly with Greenpeace would be incomprehensible. Now it is – ‘oh well, that’s a different point of view’.”

“Obviously I am not just from Greenpeace, that was a long time ago. I do have that background and very proudly so. But I also have a lot of experience of working in corporates, for the last 20 years with companies trying interpret these issues in a business context.”

Dairy News may 28, 2013

news // 5

Lightproof milk bottles winning over consumers sudesh kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

CONSUMER RESISTANCE to

this. Fonterra looked at putting a seethrough strip on the bottles’ sides.

But even that much light would have affected the milk.

Fonterra identified light as the ‘enemy’ of milk – breaking down its fresh taste and natural goodness.

Light damage can’t be reversed; once

Fonterra’s new lightproof plastic milk bottles is waning, says the co-op.

Anchor milk went on sale in the bottles on April 8; sales have since risen 10% and store trials with 40,000 people are said to have shown 80% like the flavour of milk.

Fonterra Brands group marketing manager New Zealand Craig Irwin says he can understand the “initial noise”.

“Anything we do with our big brands gets a lot of scrutiny,” he told Dairy News.

“That’s understandable but Kiwis are quickly getting on with buying Anchor milk in the new bottles. We’re happy with the way things are progressing.”

Irwin rules out a return to plastic see-through bottles.

Consumers’ biggest gripe Sales of Anchor milk in new lightproof bottle is they cannot see how much have jumped 10%. milk is left. Irwin acknowledges

New farms committee LINCOLN UNIVERSITY is forming a new farms com-

mittee to oversee development of its 3900ha farmlands.

Its role will be to improve the performance of the university’s farms and farming partnerships, and to expand them, says assistant vice-chancellor Stefanie Rixecker.

“The farms committee has been established to help Lincoln University make the most of its farms for better student experience, more and better scientific research of productivity and the environment and, most importantly, for [better contact] between the university and New Zealand’s farmers.”

Eight farmers have been appointed to the committeee, chaired by Waikato businessman Ross Hyland. Professors Bruce McKenzie, Ken Hughey, Grant Edwards and Keith Woodford will join, as will South Island Dairying Development Centre director Ron Pellow and the university farms manager Andrew Lingard.

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started it does not stop impacting flavour.

Writing in the New Zealand Herald this month, Fonterra Brands New Zealand managing director Peter McClure said people ask him “why we solved a problem that didn’t exist”.

“The answer is easy. If you’ve ever opened the milk bottle and taken a sniff to decide whether it’s fresh or not, one of the things you’re checking for is light damage.

“You just didn’t know it.

Light damage is what produces that ‘off’ smell, which happens when it interacts with vitamins A and B2 and breaks them down.

That process also degrades the nutrient content of your milk, not just the smell and taste.

“Once your milk makes it to the fridge, it is fairly well protected from milk’s two main enemies – heat and light. But the damage by light has been done long before your milk makes it home, and the darkness of your fridge cannot undo it.”

Anchor milk powder sold in Sri Lanka.

NZ milkpowder safe – WHO THE WORLD Health Organisation has assured Sri Lanka that New Zealand milk is safe, news website Ceylon Today reports.

This follows fears Sri Lanka may move to ban New Zealand milk powders after the Sri Lanka Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena speaking in Parliament urged consumers to shun imported powdered milk.

MPI is working with the Sri Lankan Government to clarify its position on the chemical dicyandiamide (DCD). DCD was last detected in minute quantities in New Zealand milk in November 2012.

In the latest development the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health announced in a media conference WHO has provided

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SDF set to beat budget ANDREW SWALLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz

DESPITE A three month

‘green drought’ the Southland Demonstration Farm is set to beat budget, thanks to better than predicted production exceeding a slight overrun in costs.

The 295ha, 800-cow unit last week hosted its final field day this season and is 6% ahead of budget on milksolids.

“I’m quite excited by it,” consultant and management team member Howard de Klerk said.

“The farm is 50,000kgMS up over the last three years and farm working expenses are at $3.99/ kgMS.” Local accountant data, admittedly for the 2011-12 season, shows average FWE in the area to be $4.58/kgMS, he added. “So $3.99 is a good

achievement,” he says.

Production per hectare and per cow tracked above all previous seasons every month until April, when the effect of a 12-week dry started to hit home, despite extra feeding. The dry followed floods in January. “So it wasn’t just an easy season that’s making the figures look good.”

Grass growth through February, March and April tracked around 25kgDM/ ha, when the average for the farm through those months is more like 60kgDM/ha.

To compensate, up to 6.4kgDM/cow/day of supplement, mostly silage with a little PKE, was fed.

De Klerk told Dairy News barley was dropped out of the ration at the beginning of February as the budgeted amount for the year had been used.

Averaged across the 12-week dry, 4.3kgDM/ cow of supplement was

used, with 13kgDM of pasture. The pasture alone in theory should have kept cows milking at 1kgMS/ day but they actually averaged 1.4kgMS/day, so the margin over supplement at $1.5/extra kgMS produced was $1.1/kgMS. “Was it worth it? Definitely.”

For the latter part of that period the supplement wasn’t so much for production, as for maintaining body condition and protecting pasture, he added. “If we didn’t put in that extra feed they would have decked it completely.”

As it was pasture growth bounced back to over 50kgDM/ha following a good rain at the end of April, but has since dropped back below 25kgDM/ha as winter sets in.

Cow condition has suffered a little, but with the independently scored

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average at BCS 4.3, and only 4% below 4.0, De Klerk and farm manager Barry Bethune are confident they can still get to BCS 5.0 at calving and have split the herd three ways into light, medium and fat mobs. “Last year we averaged one BCS put on over winter.”

The Southland Demonstration Farm is 6% ahead of budget on milksolids despite dry conditions.

@dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Spot nitrate readings warning SPOT READINGS of water nitrate content could lead to misleading conclusions about the environmental footprint of your farm, visitors to the SDF focus day were warned (see main story).

Monitoring of Tomoporakau Creek which runs through the centre of SDF last year found nitrate content ranged from 0.1mgN/L in February to a couple of spikes of nearly 13mgN/L in June.

“It goes up and down a lot,” Lincoln University’s Prof Keith Cameron told the crowd. “Most of the nitrate leaching loss occurred between June 1 and July 31…. At that

time of year the stream will be cold so the biological impact of leaching occurring here is probably less than if it was in summer,” he added.

Drains from 138ha of the 295ha farm discharge into the stream. N content gradually declined from those winter peaks to about 4mgN/L by the beginning of December, the latest data presented. Cumulative loss over the year equated to 43kgN/ ha.

Ravensdown’s Steve Dixon contrasted that with Overseer calculations for N leached from the farm, which average 48kgN/ha.

“The modelled number and actual

measured number are in the same ballpark.”

He and Cameron stressed the stream data is only this year’s data, so far. “Next year will be different, and the year after that will be different again. It all depends on the rainfall we have and how we manage the farm,” said Cameron.

“When it comes to things as complex as farm systems, soil properties, water dynamics and the potential differences between losses from the root zone and what actually reaches the stream, the more data we can get over a longer period the better,” echoed Dixon.

in brief New Feds Rotorua/Taupo head REPOROA DAIRY farmer Alan Wills is the new president of Federated Farmers RotoruaTaupo province. He replaces Neil Heather who has retired.

“What Neil has done over the past few years will be a hard act to follow but I shall give it my best,” says Wills.

“The positive contribution made by Federated Farmers and Neil is exemplified by the Lake Rotorua Primary Producers Collective. Known as the Otorua Accord, this was signed in February between Federated Farmers, DairyNZ, Te Arawa

and our councils.

“All farmers in and around Lake Rotorua have shown that working with the community generates results.

“What we have done with Lake Rotorua frankly shows the way forward; not only for this area, but as an example for other areas. There is too much of a blame-game that sees extreme views attracting headlines over genuine achievement.”

Wills is a second generation Reporoa dairy farmer who, with his wife Alison, farms two

properties close to the Reporoa village: one is 104ha running 300 dairy cattle and the other is 180ha running 500 dairy cattle.

He says the focus of Federated Farmers RotoruaTaupo will be on sensible council and governmental regulations to ensure farming viability.

“Agriculture is a major employer in our area and is an underrated part of tourism too.

You could say we provide the backdrop people come for. We all need to work together and I look forward to Federated Farmers playing our part.”

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news // 9

Farmers flocking to the cloud (GPS) system for storing and mapping data on spreading and spraying jobs has 7000 registered users one year after launching, says the developer, TracMap. The Dunedin company developed the TracLink GPS guidance system for farmers, fertiliser and chemical spreaders and other farm contractors.

Demand is exceeding the company’s forecast, says managing director Colin Brown. “We have been astounded at the take-up.”

An indication of the system’s popularity is the doubling of map numbers through the TracMap system in the last year. A total of 42,000 maps went through TracMap system in 2011, but with the launch of TracLink that

grew to just over 80,000 in 2012, and continues to grow each month. “We have already had to double our server capacity,” says Brown.

“More and more, farmers need to manage and report data about their farm’s performance. Profitable farming needs smart decisions based on past results, but farmers and their contractors can easily get overwhelmed by information. TracLink solves that problem.”

Dave Hislop from the 500ha Medbury Dairy Farm in North Canterbury was one of the first users of TracLink. “I used to use the old Tracmap software, when it was just reporting; this new system is a marked improvement. I’m using it a lot more.”

“I find it good for sending maps to the fert

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spreader, it makes things much easier. But by far the biggest advantage is proof of placement: I know what I’ve put on, when and exactly where.”

Hislop suspects proof of placement is likely to be required of all farms, rather than simply being good management

practice.

The TracLink system is on trial in other sectors, including grape harvesters in New Zealand, cropdusting planes in the US, and water tankers fighting bushfires in Victoria, Australia. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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DAIRYNZ IS creating a new associate director posi-

tion as a contribution to building governance and leadership skills in the industry.

DairyNZ chairman John Luxton says the new position will be an important addition to the eight member board and give aspiring directors a rare stepping-stone and development opportunity.

“When we had a greater number of smaller dairy companies and other cooperatives in the industry, it was easier for people to find learning opportunities that put them alongside experienced directors. Those kinds of positions aren’t so easy to find now,” he says.

“This new associate director position is to give someone the chance to build experience so they have the confidence to apply for governance roles. As an industry we need to think of new ways of ensuring we have a pipeline of great people who can step up to be on boards.

“We’d like to see other organisations also do their bit. We think this associate director role will fill a real yawning gap in the industry for development opportunities.”

The DairyNZ associate director role will be nonvoting, appointed for a four-meeting term. It will be filled on a rolling basis and DairyNZ will advertise in June for applicants.

“It’s going to be an open process. We will be looking for people who have shown some commitment to developing governance skills already and who have the potential to do great things for our industry. We’ll also be advertising some other industry governance opportunities at the same time as we go out seeking interest in this role.”

Luxton says two farmer-elected voting director positions on DairyNZ’s board are also up for re-election this year. The positions will be elected at the body’s annual meeting on October 17. Nominations will open in August.

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10 // news

Question councils before ANDREW SWALLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz

BEFORE YOU make costly changes to meet environmental regulations ask your regional council some key questions, delegates at an ATS Federated Farmers nutrient seminar in Ashburton last week were told.

“You are in the box seat,” Doug Edmeades of AgKnowledge told the audience of a hundred or more farmers.

“I don’t want you to get angry; I want you to get informed.”

Edmeades armed the audience with nine questions to fire at their regional council. “I’ve run these questions past a number of regional councils and they say they’re quite prepared to answer them.”

But Edmeades later told Dairy News that, where he’s received answers to the questions, they’ve often not been in farmer-friendly terms: even as a highly qualified and experienced soil scientist he’s struggled to understand some responses, he admitted. “The information should be offered in a

form and context that can be readily understood by a layman.”

The Land and Water Forum’s third report says regional councils should identify which contaminants limit water quality, and determine the total load of those nutrients in a watercourse and where they’re coming from, he pointed out.

Waikato Regional Council supplied him the data for the Hauraki River. It shows about a quarter of the nitrogen in the river is natural background loading, but most is draining from paddocks.

“You see information like that… and you start to understand why we have to do this.”

The Hauraki data also showed the contribution of dairy effluent to be minimal, which prompts the question why there’s so much focus on that, when the problem is in the paddock, he added.

Bringing the issue home to the Canterbury audience, he relayed his analysis of a dairy farm client’s situation near Lake Ellesmere. Overseer estimated nitrate loss to be 121kgN/ha/ year averaged across his four farms:

Doug Edmeades

three milking, one run-off.

Management changes and infrastructure investment including cutting stocking rate and installing a herd home could bring that down to 36kgN/ha/year but profit would be cut 30-40%. “The next question, is what impact would it have on the lake if we did that?”

The scientific advice Edmeades had received was that it would do nothing

to improve the water quality because the problem with the lake is the lack of macrophyte (aquatic plant) beds.

Both Edmeades, and fellow speaker Ian Mackenzie, Federated Farmers’ national board member with responsibility for water issues, questioned why many regional councils are so focussed on nitrate, when there are three other contaminants – phosphate, sediment, and pathogens – that in many catchments are equally if not more important.

“I’m bemused why they’re so besotted with just one of these [four contaminants]…. Horizons’ One Plan is all about nitrogen: God knows why because the Manawatu river basically has a sediment problem,” said Edmeades.

Mackenzie described the focus on nitrates as “the dumbing down of how we address water quality” and suggested, by his own admission “facetiously”, that it’s a ploy by “the Greens” and other non-governmental groups to attack dairying and farming in general. “Nitrate myopia is an anti-farming strategy, not a water

Ian Mackenzie

quality strategy.”

He’s concerned at the limit setting approach to nutrient management and says Feds is advocating a good management practice, holistic approach. Some “more enlightened” regional councils are moving that way, he notes.

“A holistic approach to environmental stewardship; not just about numbers, not just about nitrates.”

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news // 11

committing cash He cited Taranaki as an example where regional council work with farmers to encourage riparian planting has raised river water quality to a point

where there are only five sites not fit for swimming and “something like” three of those are due to waterfowl contamination.

“They’ve pretty much got to where the Government wants them to be without a single rule or regulation, which is pretty exciting.”

questions for councils ■■

What does the community want from local water bodies, eg drinking, swimming, native fauna, fishing?

■■

Given answers 1-6, what’s the probability that farm management and infrastructure changes will improve water quality?

■■

Is there agreement on which are the contaminants of major concern?

■■

■■

What is current water quality in terms of nitrogen, phosphorus, pathogens and sediment?

What cost/benefit analysis has the council done on its plans, as required by the RMA, and where can that analysis be found?

■■

Farmers have been urged to quiz their regional councils on environmental regulations.

■■

Which contaminant is most important as a limit on water quality in the catchment?

How accurate is Overseer with regards to nitrate and P run-off, and should the council be using it as a regulatory tool?

■■

What is farming’s contribution to water quality relative to background and other sources?

(Abridged from Doug Edmeades’ presentation to ATS Federated Farmers nutrient seminar, Ashburton, May 21.)

■■

How closely linked is what happens on farm to what happens to water quality (attenuation)?

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12 // news

Banker takes top prize on second try DAVID MCDONALD

2013

12-15 June

AFTER COMING so close in 2011, Waikato farmer Tim Van de Molen, an ANZ agri-manager and farm owner, has now won the 2013 ANZ Young Farmer Contest in Auckland.

Van de Molen was understandably thrilled with the result. “It’s an absolute honour and a privilege. I’m just delighted with the outcome; it has been a long road to get here.”

Van de Molen walks away with nearly $70,000 in prizes including $10,000 cash from ANZ, entrance to Kellogg’s Rural Programme from Lincoln University valued at $5000, Ravensdown and C-Dax products, an AGMARDT scholarship ($2000), a gourmet BBQ and farm technology package from Silver Fern Farms and FarmIQ ($10,000), a Honda TRX500FRM

ATV and EU20 Inverter generator ($19,700), Husqvarna power equipment ($8,000) and $7,000 of Vodafone products and services.

The contest was tough, and rain poured down during the practical day at Kumeu Showgrounds. Challenges included cooking a gourmet meal, fence building, constructing a miniature farm and sheep shearing. Business skills and physicality were also closely examined.

Van de Molen had to show fortitude and composure to win, coming from behind after the practical testing to go on to shine and dominate during the evening show and question rounds.

The 30-year-old farm owner was a deserving winner – well rounded and motivated.

“It’s been a wonderful journey

He offered sound advice for aspiring Young Farmer competitors: “Once something is done, it’s done. If you weren’t happy with it, just put it behind you and continue.”

The entry lineup sparked interest: of the seven regional entrants, four were dairy farmers, plus Dean Rabbidge from the Otago/Southland region who looks after a dairy farm plus beef and sheep. That is a strong number from the dairy sector.

NZ Young Farmers chief executive Richard Fitzgerald told Dairy News before the contest, “It would be unusual to have that proportion of dairy finalists.”

Tim Van de Molen

but for me there is certainly more.

It’s not the end, just the beginning.

I’m passionate about agriculture and I hope this will be a springboard to continue that involvement long-term,” Van de Molen says.

Stronger watch on borders TWELVE NEW

frontline border staff, recently graduated, will help strengthen biosecurity arrangements, says MPI They bolster the 43 new inspectors warranted last December, and 30 more quarantine inspectors will be recruited this year, says the Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy,.

“The new inspectors and recruitment programme will ensure the biosecurity frontline remains fully staffed and isn’t affected by normal resignations and retirement,” says Steve Gilbert, MPI director, border clearance services.

The warranting ceremony follows three months of intensive training for the new recruits. The warrants will allow them to exercise a range of powers under the Biosecurity Act 1993 to check passengers and goods for biosecurity risk items.

Two of the new inspectors will be based in Wellington, one in Queenstown and remainder in Christchurch. Two of the twelve will undergo further training as detector dog handlers. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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14 // news

Rural mental health watch PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A DOCTOR at Raglan has trained

people to identify and help neighbours showing signs of stress that could lead to suicide.

Suicides in rural areas number 15.9 per 100,000 people compared with 10.8 in urban areas.

Dr Fiona Bolden, a Raglan GP, is also primary care leader for mental health for Midlands Health Network in parts of the Waikato, Northern Taranaki and across to Gisborne. She has worked as a rural GP in the UK. People living in rural areas lack

bringing men forward access to good mental with mental health health services, she problems…. Somebody says. And they often like him becoming a find it difficult to get figurehead has made away from the farm a difference in [bringbecause of work coming] men forward to mitments.

Mental talk about it.” health issues in New Bolden says the suiZealand are worse Dr Fiona Bolden cide statistics for rural than she encountered Maori aged under 24 is high, then in Devon and Yorkshire.

“I think there are probably there is gap, then there is a nonbetter systems in the UK for deal- Maori grouping aged 45 and older ing with mental health issues. Bra- who are at risk of suicide.

“That older group tends to be vado persists over mental health issues in New Zealand. Interest- particularly high risk because they ingly the advertisements with Sir are very isolated trying to run the John Kirwan talking about depres- farm, especially when financial sion have been hugely beneficial in stresses are caused by things such

as droughts and falling commodity prices.”

Suicide in rural areas can only be addressed via the community taking ownership of the problem, as seen in Raglan, Bolden says.

“We have set up a suicide prevention group following a year when we had an increased number of suicides. We have done training within the community so there are lots of ‘gatekeepers’ who know how to discuss mental health and suicide issues and where to go for help.”

Gatekeepers look for people showing signs of depression and mental illness. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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Dr Jenny Jago, DairyNZ says data shows 20% of dairy farmers show signs of stress and fatigue.

No single cause of stress DATA COLLECTED by the Rural Institute of Rural Health and AgResearch as part of a DairyNZ funded Farmer Health and Wellbeing programme shows that up to 20% of dairy farmers show signs of stress and fatigue.

The industry needs to put the same effort into looking after its people as its cows, says Dr Jenny Jago, from DairyNZ, who’s responsible for a programme led by the Dairy Women’s Network to collect data and help dairy farmers.

Jago says the 20% statistic comes from data collected at health ‘pit stops’ where dairy farmers can get basic health checks, e.g. blood pressure. Farmers themselves are encouraged to supply information on physical ailments and/or stress.

DairyNZ is supporting research in Canterbury and Waikato to study underlying causes of stress and fatigue among dairy farmers. “We are concerned because people are the most important asset on a dairy farm and are productive and successful when they are fit and healthy. The initial work was to [see] how they were looking. The data [shows] it’s not good in some cases – both physical and mental wellbeing.

There’s a perception that farmers are fit and healthy because they work outside but when we actually look at the data there are some issues.”

Jago says there is no single cause of stress. Causes can include relationship issues, long hours, financial pressure and regulatory issues.

“There is not one fix… The industry must recognize it can do better…. The wellbeing of the team on farms is the first priority – the recognition that the people are important and their health is critical to a strong industry. It’s … a priority.”

The research at Canterbury involves talking to groups of farmers to try to understand the root cause of some health and wellbeing issues and to help farmers recognise these themselves. A lot of system design work is being done to improve the way farmers work: “Things which can take pressure off people such as… once a day milking and some of the automation opportunities…. We’re putting a lot of resources into helping people manage staff.”

Also stressing farmers is the negative public perception of dairying, Jago says. “Some people feel a bit picked on and are not getting feedback on the all the good things the industry is doing for the country.”

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16 // news

Bacteria can hide in a million places. this is not one of them.

Ann Thompson

Sharemilkers gear up for gypsy day

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From May 31 to June 1, Gypsy Day is the time of the year when sharemilkers move to another farm with their stock.

Some stock travel by truck, others walk.

It’s important for sharemilkers to cover the terms of their contract, such as leaving the house available for inspection and ensuring adequate feed is left on-farm.

These things should already have been negotiated in good faith with the farm owner.

Stock will need to be fit for travel, able to bear weight on all four limbs and be in good condition to withstand the rigours of transport. They also need to be prepared for travel; magnesium can help.

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By now, sharemilkers should have organised the transport for their cows. Finding out what time the truck will arrive for pick-up and letting staff know this as well, will allow stock to be taken off green feed for at least four hours. This will enable the cows to empty in the paddock and not on the roads or in the truck. These cows need not go hungry; hay, straw and baleage with free access to water is recommended during this period.

Communication is the key to getting everything right, from the transport operator, the sharemilker and staff and on to the grazier.

Transporting cows is a risky business. The risk can be minimised by loading cows sensibly. As cows are valuable, some sharemilkers might consider insuring their cows for this period. The Carriage of Goods Act limits the liability of the carrier to $1500 per head of stock.

Some councils require a permit to allow cows to walk down the road. A tip for those walking is to check what other farmers are doing in the area so that stock does not get mixed up with other herds.

Federated Farmers is also interested in the travels of sharemilkers and contractors who are members. We remind them to update their details with us by ringing 0800 327 646.

• Ann Thompson is dairy policy advisor with Federated Farmers.

Dairy News may 28, 2013

news // 17

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Stock and staff will be on the move on gypsy day.

A day to remember PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

WITH GYPSY day fast

approaching, DairyNZ is reminding farmers to ensure new staff are treated well when they arrive.

At a recent discussion group in Otaki, DairyNZ consultant Margo Robertson asked attendees to describe issues farmers need to address.

Ensure new farm staff feel welcome in their first few days, she urges. And the farm owner or manager must ensure the house their new staff are going into is ready and doesn’t need repairs.

“They also need to make sure the partner and

family have everything they need to settle – all those things that will make them feel they are part of your farm. Once you’ve got them settled, begin thinking about the things on farm, including a good induction and orientation programme.”

Orientation is important and staff need a farm map showing boundaries.

“They should also be made aware of the hazards and be given details of where to go for help. They must also have all your contact details so they can get hold of you if they need to.”

On many farms a policy manual is common; a health and safety plan should be a part of this, Robertson says. Environmental compliance

requires that staff upskill to comply with council rules.

Managing staff is complex and involves meeting legalities. DairyNZ and the Ag ITO offer training programmes and resources to help farmers deal with staff issues.

Dr Jenny Jago, DairyNZ, says a lot of effort has gone into developing these resources and extension programmes.

When new staff come on a farm it’s a big transition and it’s important to get them settled, she says.

“Go to the DairyNZ website and look under the People Smart area or talk to their local consulting officer or call the DairyNZ 0800 number.

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resources to help people in transition. It’s an important time… heading into a most stressful times – the spring period.”

Many dairy farmers are good employers but there are others who could do better, Jago says.

The dairy industry’s people management culture needs looking at.

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This season they produced 130,000kgMS – 4000 more than last year’s record, and they are targeting 150,000kgMS for 2013-14.

Nature has been especially kind to dairy farmers in Horowhenua this past season – no drought, it’s been green in this region. The odd problem has arisen but farmers at the

Tim Wilson

discussion group were unanimous in saying the positives had far outweighed the negatives. Some were having record years.

Wilson demonstrated a device that’s helped him hugely

in the past year – a pasture meter. It’s taken the guesswork out of feed budgeting and has help reduce feed wastage. The data from the pasture meter has been enhanced by some smart work by his wife.

“She’s developed a software programme that helps me calculate how much supplement I can feed out or whether I need to or not. That’s been beneficial in making sure I am economical with the feed I have.”

The Wilson’s would ideally like to move to being 50/50 sharemilkers provided there is no negative impact on Tim’s parents who own the farm.

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18 // news

PKE ball in farmers’ court? andrew swallow andrews@ruralnews.co.nz

MANAGEMENT OF

the biosecurity risk posed by palm kernel expeller meal is a matter for all farmers: dairy, drystock, and cropping, says one of the authors of a damning report on the feed’s production in Malaysia.

“As far as I’m concerned the decision about risk to our industry now lies with all New Zealand farmers,” says Feds Grain and Seed vice president, David Clark.

Clark was one of two Feds’ representatives who visited Malaysia last Sep-

tember and while they saw a well managed, clean mill on an official tour, their own investigation found a very different situation at the first plant they visited.

Clark and his colleague on the trip, Colin McKinnon, filed a report detailing their findings and concerns with the Ministry for Primary Industries in November. MPI has now reviewed all documentation for PKE shipments from Malaysia since 2011, met Malaysian officials to ensure full understanding of New Zealand’s concerns, and sent two officials to Malaysia and Indonesia to audit the

supply chains (Rural News, May 21).

However, Clark says farmers shouldn’t rely on the ministry to assess the risk because its officials cannot make the same sort of investigation he and McKinnon did. He draws the parallel with pollen imports and PSA. “It’s up to us as the New Zealand livestock industry to decide whether we’re all happy with the risk PKE poses.”

Having read Clark’s concerns in Rural News, Waikato dairy farmer Trevor Simpson called Dairy News to say he believes Fonterra needs

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to take a lead on the issue.

“All that [MPI] will get is a piece of paper from some Asian fellow saying everything is OK.” Fonterra, on the other hand, could take a stand and say, for example, “you’ve got to stop using PKE by 2015 or we won’t pick up your milk,” he suggests.

Continued use of PKE doesn’t fit well with the sustainability and product integrity messages Fonterra is presenting, including in the booklet, ‘Our Industry Our Future’, which it recently sent suppliers, says Simpson.

“Sustainability is not about bringing in the

Fonterra supplier Trevor Simpson believes the co-op should take a lead on PKE usage in the industry.

cheapest product we can from overseas to feed our cows. It’s not as if there aren’t alternatives…. Why do we always have to learn from our mistakes?”

Given the risks exposed

by Feds, continued use of PKE is playing “Russian roulette” with diseases such as foot and mouth which could be imported on contaminated material, he believes. “We know there’s a risk and we’re ignoring it.”

Simpson, who farms 1250 cows near Huntly, says he’s writing to Fonterra’s board urging them to act on the issue.

Fonterra’s director global sustainability Bruce Donnison says it has no plans to ban the importation or use of PKE. Biosecurity is the responsibility of the Government, with MPI and Customs inspecting and clearing PKE imports at the border and we will

continue to work closely with them on such issues, he says.

“Our RD1 business sources PKE from one supplier.

“We know that supplier well, have visited and inspected their operations. We will always continue to evaluate inputs into our supply chain to ensure it meets our strict quality standard.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

New twist to PKE polemic ANOTHER WORRYING, previously unreported aspect of Clark and McKinnon’s findings is the Malaysian’s presentation of PKE as typically containing substantial soil contamination.

Data presented to them and other delegates on the official tour – verbally and written – showed PKE has a mean “shell and dirt” content of 11.9%, with the range being 3.6-17.8%.

While the data was from 1989, Clark says it was presented as if it is still the norm. “The question is, does it have dirt in it or not?”

New Zealand’s Import Health Standard under which PKE is imported specifies zero soil inclusion. Clark wants to

know how that is verified. “We don’t know whether it [the IHS] is being audited at all.”

A visual inspection of soil isn’t going to cut it for PKE because the meal looks like dirt anyway, he adds. “I can’t see how you can visually determine whether there are soil particles in it or not.”

MPI told Dairy News no tests for soil contamination are conducted, other than visual inspection at the port, or in the case of containers, at the approved transitional facility.

A 5kg sample from every hold of a bulk import vessel must be taken, and another every eight hours if discharge

from the vessel takes longer than that.

MPI info MPI has posted a question and answer style document on PKE and its import processes on its website at http://www.biosecurity. govt.nz/files/regs/imports/ plants/q-and-a-palm-kernelimports.pdf In it, it says it is quite common for PKE to be shipped in bulk or in consignments of up to 25 containers, and over 1.5mt was imported January 2012 to March 2013.

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news // 19

Farm prices firm, says REINZ andrew swallow andrews@ruralnews.co.nz

DAIRY FARM prices are holding firm despite TAF and regulatory issues creating uncertainty, says the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand.

Speaking to Dairy News after the release of sales data to the end of April, rural spokesman Brian Peacocke said the market for farms with good infrastructure and land is “particularly strong and steady… right across the country.”

Waikato, Canterbury and Southland have had most activity and there are a number of emerging trends in the market, he explained. “There’s been a bit of a re-emergence of the first farm buyers looking for smaller or less expensive properties. That’s a trend in most areas.”

Another feature of the market recently has been equity partners pulling some or all of their investment out of larger farms, typically in the South Island, and reinvesting it in a smaller farm and herd, often back in the North Island, as a sole owner.

“Sometimes it’s where they’ve had labour or management issues on the bigger farms.”

The drought has driven renewed interest in support properties, particularly from farms that have had heifers sent home by graziers when feed ran

out. “[The buyers] are looking to insulate themselves against such risks in future and be a bit more independent.”

And while the dry wasn’t nearly as bad in the South Island, except for the West Coast, there’s a similar trend there with dairy farmers in Southland and Canterbury looking for support blocks again.

In Canterbury, competition for properties is particularly strong with livestock finishing and arable farmers in some cases able to compete with dairy when the costs of conversion are factored in, notes Peacock.

A reduction in the number of sharemilker positions, the high value of cows, and banks’ willingness to lend are factors in the re-emergence of the first farm buyers, says Peacocke. Some will also be coming from large-scale equity partnerships.

Peacocke suggests if the drought is to have an impact on farm sales, it will be seen next season as overdrafts are stretched, particularly by sharemilkers. However there’s been a good recovery of pasture in most dairy areas this autumn and some farms were better prepared than others for the dry, so it’s too soon to say for sure if there will be an impact.

“We are seeing the good operators coming out of the drought and buying land.”

A trend to farms being sold without supply

REINZ dairy farm price index

Time Period

% Change

One month ago

+0.9

Three months ago

+0.7

One year ago

-6.1

*Five years ago

-5

*Ten years ago

4.8

* Compound annual rate of change

shares, typically in Fonterra, is adding complexity to the market as buyers are having to factor in those requirements. Similarly, looming environmental legislation by regional

authorities, particularly on effluent disposal, mean infrastructure is being more carefully assessed.

For the three months to the end of April median sales price for the 87 dairy

farms sold was $34,819/ ha compared to $35,487/ ha for the 83 sales in the three months ended March. In the three months to April 30 last year 68 dairy farms sold for a median of $33,132/ha.

Included in sales for the month of April were 29 dairy farms at a median sale value of $27,616/ha with a median farm size of 129ha, ranging from a 47ha farm in Waikato to a 409ha operation in Canterbury.

Median production/ha across all dairy farms sold in April was 928kgMS.

The market for farms with good infrastructure and land is strong across the country.

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

20 // news

Polluters too late to avoid big fines UPGRADING SYSTEMS after council inves-

tigations began could not avert fines for two North Island dairy farms judged guilty of effluent spills.

Two more dairy farms have been convicted of effluent mismanagement.

Two separate cases were prosecuted this month.

A company that owns farms in South Waikato was fined $30,000 for overflows on a Mangakino

farm; an Opotiki company was ordered to pay $37,000 on a farm it has owned for 20 years.

The Waikato Regional Council in February 2012

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by Fernaig Farms (2006) Ltd after effluent issues were identified. Council staff found the storage pond overflowing into a nearby gully. An effluent irrigator was also operating at such a slow speed that it caused ponding on land, causing a contamination risk to ground water.

After the council began investigating, the company spent $250,000 upgrading the effluent system. In the Hamilton District Court, it pleaded guilty to two charges under the RMA and was convicted and fined $30,037.

Judge Melanie Harland acknowledged the improvements but said “the court is always mindful not to allow the rectification of an inadequate system to count as a mitigating matter”, however, “the defendant has gone well beyond what would be required”.

Judge Harland also said “the court has on many occasions referred to the need for sufficient capacity within effluent systems”.

The company had previously been issued infringement notices for unlawful discharges of effluent into the environment but suggested in court that these were “administrative” in nature.

In the other case before

the Rotorua District Court the Opotiki dairy farm company and its director were fined $37,000 for discharging effluent from a pond where it entered a roadside drain.

The farm’s director has also been ordered to complete an effluent management course within 12 months. Riverlock Farms, Opotiki, and farm manager Geoffrey Thomas Brown were sentenced on offences related to effluent overflowing from an underpass effluent pond at the farm in July 2012.

The farm has been there 20 years, milking about 1450 cows. In December last year Riverlock Farms, Geoffrey Brown and his brother Ian were fined a total of $74,000 plus costs for discharging contaminated underpass liquid to waterways in October 2011. They were also convicted and discharged on a charge of breaching an enforcement order imposed as part of a 2010 offence.

While preparing evidence for last year’s defended hearing, a council officer found the farm’s underpass pond overflowing into the roadside drain.

The most recent offence occurred because the farmer was not adequately monitoring the underpass pond.

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will be held at Eketahuna on June 11.

Running the day is Professor Colin Holmes, regarded as expert on OAD. The speakers also include Leo Hendrikse and Claire Phyn from DairyNZ and Dave Clark, recently retired from DairyNZ. Holmes says the forum will be held at the Capes Farm, a winner of a Dairy Business Award, and planning in the coming season to switch to OAD. Attendees will hear why the owners are changing to OAD, how they are preparing and their expectations of the coming season.

“There’ll also be four current but new OAD farmers explaining why they made the change, their system achievements, how they have done this and their views on the potential for OAD.” DairyNZ people will talk about the potential per cow performance on OAD as well as sustainable and profitable OAD systems.

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

22 // news

Oz dairy farmer confidence dips WEATHER CONDITIONS are

dampening dairy farmer confidence in Australia, according to a national annual survey by Dairy Australia.

The 2013 National Dairy Farmer Survey (NDFS) survey found Tasmanian dairy farmers the nation’s most positive. However, Tasmanian farmer confidence levels fell from the previous year, from 91% positive to 50%.

Flood, fires and drought have curbed the confidence of Gippsland dairy farmers over the past 12 months.

The survey found 44% of respondents in Gippsland were positive compared to 71% in 2012.

Confidence among western Victorian dairy farmers has slipped by about one-quarter. In Queensland, farmer confidence fell from 45% to 31%.

Dairy Australia says the dip in farmer confidence has been driven by floods, fire, drought and

shortage of feed.

Senior analyst Norm Repacholi says in Tasmania the 2012 result was buoyed by news of plans to spend more of processing and the 2013

Norm Repacholi

survey came just after an uncharacteristically dry season in Tasmania.

All affected farmer confidence.

Milk production data to the end of March shows a decrease of 3.1% compared with 2011-12.

“The state is now seeing additional processing capacity coming on-line.

This requires strong growth in milk supply and will see competition for milk supply increase,” Repacholi says.

In Gippsland, a wet winter and spring resulted in more use of fodder reserves and a much smaller fodder harvest. After these wet conditions in winter and early spring, there was a step-change to a dry summer, and bushfires affecting some farms.

Despite the challenges of the weather, land values for Gippsland dairies had risen, he says. “Analysis of land valuation data compiled by the Victorian DPI as part of the farm monitor project suggests that values in Gippsland have increased by 4%.”

A moderate increase in farm business liabilities of $330,000 over the last six years has increased the cost structure and cash flow pressure on many businesses.

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Robotic milking world record A US farm has set a

world record in milk production. The JTP Farms, Wisconsin, using DeLaval voluntary milking systems, (VMS), harvested an average of 2933kg of milk per voluntary milking system from their 247cow herd in seven days.

These results are the DeLaval’s voluntary milking system. best yet for any VMS customer, and possibly any producer milk- barn to a new, cross-ventilation facility, swinging cow brushes and automatic ing robotically, says DeLaval.

“This is the result of a team effort – manure scrapers. This requires less impossible without our cows, our fam- labour, giving the Peissigs more time to ilies, our facility, and the support we care for cows and manage the operation.

JTP Farms’ accomplishment shows received from our suppliers,” says Jake their good farm management and their Peissig, one of the owners of the farm.

“A big factor in this success is the cows, says Mark Futcher, marketing planning and design of our new facility. manager of automatic milking systems, We put a premium on cow comfort and DeLaval North America.

“Dairy producers like the Peissigs animal welfare, and it’s clearly proving make it impossible for DeLaval to state to be the right decision.”

The farm started milking their cows the maximum milk production of VMS. I with the robots in January 2012. They think we’ve yet to reach the limit, as our moved their herd from a stanchion VMS customers are proving every day.”

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Average daily milk production for all four VMS units over a seven-day period was 2,927 kg (6,453 lbs), equalling 47 kg (104.5 lbs) of milk per cow per day

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Dairy News May 28, 8, 2013 2013

24 // OPINION Ruminating

EDITORIAL

Getting used to change

milking it...

Can’t buy a win

Why have the urban (mainly Auckland-based) daily media got it in for Fonterra?

When the payout is good, the reports are ‘Milk prices too high’ and when the payout is down, the reports are ‘Billions lost from economy’.

Now it’s the light-proof milk bottle. Without a shred of empirical evidence, the NZ Herald recently said the bottles were a commercial flop!

Will they report the fact that sales are actually up since the bottle was launched?

Milk lifts IQ

HERE’S EVIDENCE of a benefit of conventional milk. Women who are pregnant or planning to have children should consume correct levels of iodine, which is found in milk and other foods, or risk having a child with low IQ and/or reading ability, say UK researchers. This results from a study of 1000 pregnant women.

Previous research has shown conventional milk to be better for pregnant women than organic milk, the latter containing 42% less iodine than conventional milk, according to the British Journal of Nutrition.

Eagle eye

THE WORD ‘drone’ conjures images of planes that kill terrorists or of creepy surveillance tools.

But tiny drone aircraft made of foam could serve rural environments, a US researcher says. There, the machines could help reduce the need for pesticides and improve crop production. Because drones can fly cheaply at a low altitude, they can get detailed images of cropland. Such close-ups could help farmers tailor pesticide use and identify subtle differences in soil productivity.

Convenient timing

LIC’s LAUNCH of a new Jersey bull team last week was a bit too convenient for our liking.

Bull acquisition manager Malcolm Ellis waxed about the breed’s merits, and why there should be a resurgence in numbers for the greater good of the New Zealand dairy industry. That may be so, but LIC announcing measures to ramp up Jersey breeding less than a month after it said it had identified a HolsteinFriesian gene causing thousands of dwarf calves every year seems too coincidental for there not to be a link.

MILK is affected by light, so blocking out light will impact the taste of milk.

Fonterra’s new light-proof Anchor milk bottle is designed to deliver Kiwis the best tasting milk. Unfortunately, people don’t embrace change kindly. Sure, routine has changed for some consumers: they now can’t see how much milk is left in the bottle, but they are getting tastier and fresher milk than before.

The recent negative focus on the new milk bottles in the mainstream media is unfair. To label the new bottles a flop, after only eight weeks, is over the top.

Milk a rich source of calcium, also contains protein and essential nutrients integral to health. Says the co-op, “As leaders in dairy nutrition Fonterra and its farmers have a role in providing the best milk possible.”

Science has proved protecting milk from light maintains its fresh taste and protects key nutrients against being degraded by light – such as vitamins A and B2.

The greatest nutrition benefit of light-proof may be that people drink more of it because it retains its flavour on the shelf, so enhancing the nutritional intake of New Zealanders of all ages.

A lot of consumers habitually ‘sniff test’ their milk before pouring glass, coffee cup or cereal bowl. Research shows 7% of fresh milk is thrown out because it smells ‘off’. But the smell is typically the result of light damage, even a small amount of which can trigger milk’s decay.

Tetra cartons and white opaque bottles admit 7-25% of light, enough to kick off the process of light damage, and flavour change, within two days, ensuring a ‘fail’ during the sniff test.

Fonterra’s new light-proof milk bottle is a great innovation.

What critics fail to notice is Kiwis’ acceptance of Anchor milk in the new bottle: they’re voting yes with their wallets and their palates.

Sales are up 8% year-on-year and 10% on the immediate prelaunch period, noteworthy growth given the slide in milk consumption for some years.

And, side-by-side in-store comparisons by Fonterra with 40,000 people show at least 80% prefer the taste of Anchor.

It takes time to get used to change; this change is good for consumers.

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

opinion // 25

Budget does little to excite primary sector report from the auditor-general the Future Fund as seed capion biosecurity preparedness tal for irrigation schemes. The we are surprised to see a real budget contained no new spedecrease in spending on this NATIONAL’S FIFTH budget was cific initiatives for the primary critical area in the budget. possibly its most political offering to sector despite the GovernA key component of the date, with little to excite the business ment’s desire to have exports budget is the $400 million community in general and the primary lead the economy’s recovery. export focused growth packPolitically, the budget was a Ian Proudfoot sector specifically. age. This provides new fundFrom an economic perspective, the humdinger in which National Government has essentially served up ‘borrowed’ from Labour and the Greens ing for research and simplifies various more of the same for the coming year: policy ideas on poverty and housing that programmes into two targeted schemes, tight limits on spending, continued would appeal to ‘swing’ electors. It depending on the scale of a company’s investment to support Christchurch’s also showed National’s non-interven- investment, which should somewhat recovery, more mixed ownership IPOs tionist approach to government even benefit the primary sector. The export and modest spending to support the when intervention opportunities pres- package also increases funding for proGovernment’s business growth agenda. ent themselves, compared to the direct moting tourism and education, particuAt face value there is little in the intervention policies proposed by the larly in Asian markets.

We have argued in recent years, that budget for the primary sector in gen- Labour/ Green opposition.

Looking through the funding plans the most significant contribution the eral, or the dairy sector specifically.

This is best demonstrated by there set out in Vote Primary Industries, other government could make to developing having been only one budget media than an allowance of $65 million for primary sector export markets would release from the Minister for Primary aquaculture settlements with iwi, the be to fund companies to employ local Industries. This related to the budget’s most notable feature is a $3.5 million people in Asia to grow market knowlconfirmation of the Government’s pre- reduction in funding for domestic and edge and assist in developing prodexisting pledge to pay $80 million from border biosecurity. In light of the recent ucts that meet the needs of consumers.

IAN PROUDFOOT

At face value there is little in the budget for the primary sector.

A fraction of the $200 million being spent on tourism and education could be transformational to many developing agri-food exporters growing their market positions in Asia.

The industry should be grateful that in general the Government is comfortable allowing it the freedom to take responsibility for its own future without

loading it up with additional regulations and cost. The Government has indicated its desire to continue to work to reduce obstacles to investment and efficient business operation. This could be the greatest long term benefit of Budget 2013 for the industry.

• Ian Proudfoot is global sector leader for agribusiness, KPMG in New Zealand.

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

26 // agribusiness

TPP could resurrect Japan’s agri sector FONTERRA FUNDED research by the New Zealand Asia Institute says Japan joining the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) could trigger a revitalisation of its agriculture sector.

The independent research was

by Professors Hugh Whittaker and Rob Scollay from The University of Auckland. They investigated the implications of the TPP on the Japanese agricultural sector, which is a proposed free trade agreement under negotiation between 12 countries including New Zealand. Japan only joined earlier this year.

Professor Scollay said: “The Japanese agricultural sector faces a number of challenges. Many small-scale farms are uneconomic while the average age of Japanese farmers and the area of abandoned farmland are both increasing alarmingly.”

Meanwhile falling per capita consumption of Japanese farm

products combined with large projected falls in Japan’s population underline the need to transform Japan’s agriculture into a more competitive sector with export potential.

“Our Sarah Paterson research found that participation in TPP could actually be the trigger needed to revitalise and transform Japan’s agriculture into a more vibrant and productive sector with long-term growth potential.”

Economic modelling indicated that increased exposure to competition through participation in the TPP, and increases in the productivity of Japanese agriculture through reform, could play complementary roles in sustaining agriculture and

the food processing industries in Japan.

Fonterra’s director policy and advocacy, Sarah Paterson, said Fonterra funded the research because it wanted to ascertain from an independent source the potential impacts the TPP might have on the Japanese agriculture industry after previous opposition coming from the sector.

“Importantly, the study highlights that Japan’s agricultural sector could be better off as a result of TPP. We also believe that reducing trade barriers not only benefits their agricultural sector but will have flow-on effects to the end consumer as well, where they’ll be able to enjoy greater choice and more competitively priced food,” says Paterson.

Gaining in the semen market ARTIFICIAL BREEDING company CRV says it is gaining weight in the New Zealand dairy bull semen market. The latest RAS list is said to show it influencing the industry.

From about a 25% market share it is now approaching 30%, via CRV Ambreed, for herd products and services, the biggest part of this in semen sales from its dairy sires.

The company is now joined under the CRV umbrella by Liberty Genetics.

In the latest ranking of active sires (RAS) list for breeding worth (BW), CRV sires are said to be heavily represented in Holstein-Friesian and Jersey – far more than the company’s market share would suggest, says the genetics product manager Toni Trusler.

In the May animal evaluation, 19 CRV sires appear in the top 50 Holstein-Friesian

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RAS list (38%) including four new entrants.

Top ranked CRV/Holstein Friesian NZ sire Dumpling holds the number 3 place, and Maelstrom is up four places to number 6.

Further, says Trusler, “seven of the current top 10 Holstein-Friesian sires are either CRV bulls or a son of a CRV bull while 54% of the top 50 are either ours or by one of our bulls.”

On the Jersey RAS list, CRV sires Manzello, Murmur, Degree and Iceberg have held the top 4 places since the February run earlier in the year, albeit a slight reshuffling in the rankings between them. A total of 13 CRV (43%) sires help make up the top 30 Jersey sires by BW, and 60% of the top 30 are either a CRV bull or son of. This increases to 80% in the top 10.

“We are pleased with the performance of our bulls, particularly as the May bull run is a significant one on the dairying calendar,” says Trusler.

The May run represents the last major BW calculation for the season as the majority of bull daughters complete their lactations around the country.

It is also a key run as it includes several important trait updates outside of the usual production traits, these being breeding values for somatic cell, calving difficulty, fertility, longevity, liveweight and top scores.

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

agribusiness // 27

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uted to PGG Wrightson forecasting that earnings will fall as much as 27% for the year ending June 2013.

Earnings before interest, tax and depreciation for the financial year ending June 30, 2013 is forecast to be in the range of $40-$48 million as compared with $55 million for the same period last year.

The three main causes are weather in Australia and New Zealand, lower livestock values and when compared to the last financial year, less earnings from agri-feeds after disposing of the 4Seasons Feeds Ltd joint venture.

Drought has affected the whole North Island and much of the South Island.

Weather extremes in Australia, with two record wet years followed by record-breaking high temperatures this year, have also frustrated the company’s efforts to raise turnover. Consequently, the Australian seed business, though important to the group, is not forecast to add much to group earnings this year.

Managing director George Gould says livestock values have been in decline since the beginning of the financial year. This started with sheep, then dairy, beef and deer.

“While volumes and market share remain solid, prices are back approximately 30% compared with last year and this has had a material impact on group earnings,” Gould says.

“The business of PGG Wrightson reflects to a great degree the fortune of our farmer clients and this has been an extremely difficult trading year, which is forecast to impact on PGG Wrightson’s final result.”

empowers us to work together. Both co-ops are 100 percent owned by their shareholders, who are dairy farmers.”

A minnow swallowed by a shark? Most definitely not.

• Ramsey Margolis is executive director of Cooperative Business New Zealand.

Canada. It also allows our members to focus their efforts on marketing their milk through a major Canadian cooperative. That is the true spirit of cooperation.

“We do recognise that being a member of a co-op is important,’ said Jeannie van Dyk, ‘because it

+gst

taken place among New Zealand’s cooperatives while a third remains under discussion. In the Bay of Plenty, kiwifruit and avocado packhouse cooperatives Satara and Eastpack have merged, and the members of the two North Island Foodstuffs cooperatives are talking about coming together.

When the North Island farm supply co-op Farmlands merged with South Island’s CRT the result was a cooperative with 54,000 members which has a name that clearly states what it is: Farmlands Cooperative.

In the Canadian dairy industry, Agropur and Farmers recently announced that they had successfully finalised the steps which will lead to the merger of the two cooperatives.

‘The new Agropur cooperative allows us to continue to produce and process our milk locally while benefiting from the advantages of being part

a success and a learning experience, but a very positive one,” said Agropour spokesman Mac Labelle.

Agropour chair Serge Riendeau, a dairy farmer in Coaticook, Quebec, said, “this merger puts us in an excellent position to ensure the longevity of the dairy industry across

+gst

TWO MERGERS have

of a larger national cooperative,’ said Jeannie van Dyk, chair of Farmers who milks 90 cows on her farm in Noel Shore, Nova Scotia.

She told Atlantic Cooperator magazine, “We have worked with Agropur for 25 to 30 years. We’ve done business together, we attend each other’s annual meetings, and we’ve worked on governance and communications together.

We’re both co-ops, and over the years we’ve both have the vision of a larger, or national co-op.’

The new cooperative has 3404 dairy farmer members and 6000 employees who process 3.3 billion litres of milk a year in 28 plants in Canada and the USA. C$10 million has been committed to modernising the three former Farmers processing plants in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland over the next five years.

Following the merger, the newly enlarged Agropour now has a presence in markets all the way across Canada. “Its a real pooling of strength and activities, so it’s been quite

+gst

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

28 // agribusiness

Stress management and wellbeing I HAVE recently been

tified some disturbing statistics regarding the incidence of depression and suicides in our rural communities.

Presentations highlighted the need to better recognise and manage

involved in an industry forum on safety and well-being in the primary sector. This was prompted by recent reviews of mental health in rural communities which iden-

Stress can arise for various reasons in modern farming operations.

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mental well-being issues in rural businesses. While many situations reflect the make-up of the individuals affected, there remain some important strategies that can mitigate these risks to the well-being in any business.

Stress can arise for various reasons in modern farming operations.

It is obvious that every business will occasionally face external risks from climate, biosecurity incursions, fluctuating markets or other economic factors such as interest rates, exchange rates and commodity prices.

These external events can be indiscriminate in their timing, location and impact on production and profitability. While their causes are difficult to control it is still possible to proactively manage the response to them. The key ingredient for this is ensuring realistic perspective and proactive strategies for a positive mindset.

Internal risks tend to result more from strategic choices which are more controllable. The most common are either financial pressures arising from unsustainable debt levels or the negative impact of breakdowns in relationships with staff or family.

Effective management of these depends heavily on the capabilities of business leaders and their commitment to best practice.

Farmer responses can magnify the impact of stress. Some respond with an unrelenting determination to overcome adversity by increasing their effort and workload. This can lead to unsustainable work / life balance and a consequent pessimistic mindset from lack of perspective.

I have seen this contribute to relationship breakdown between couples or families as the resulting tension causes inability to separate work from family time.

Stress and its negative impact on mental health is often heightened by the “do-it-yourself” approach of many in the rural sector.

The staunch, self-reliant style of many farmers can be made worse by isolation as partners increas-

ingly work off farm. It is also impacted by farmers’ reluctance to discuss how they are coping or to ask for help.

There is considerable work to do at an industry level to encourage rural males to better manage this area. In my view, a key message must be that it’s OK for farmers to ask for help when they are not OK. The work I do with my clients to help them and their staff understand how they are “wired” offers me a valuable entry point to engage in such discussions. Team and individual discussions about personality styles and their impact on leadership style, work style and general outlook offer fertile ground for a wider discussion about mental health and well-being.

Like any aspect of staff performance and relationship management, a review of wellbeing should be adopted as a routine discussion rather than something that is only considered when a problem emerges. Like fertiliser on pastures or machinery maintenance, regular “check ins” on mental health will ensure reviews are even more meaningful and rewarding.

Most importantly they will enable early intervention and engagement of specialist help if required.

A key learning in this area for me has been that we all need to acknowledge and accept our weaknesses if we are to achieve our potential. Breaking down barriers and promoting conversations that remove the stigma of mental health must be a priority task if New Zealand farmers wish to remain world leaders in sustainable farming.

• Kerry Ryan is a Tauranga based agribusiness consultant. Contact him at www. kerryryan.co.nz

D Fie Com airy lda pl Ne ys ® ime ws lift nta ou ry tm ap

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National Fieldays

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

32 // nz national fieldays Mystery Creek, Hamilton, 13-16 June 2013

Global focus for National Fieldays NEXT MONTH’S

National Fieldays will do more than just connect farmers with suppliers: the organisers are focused on the global economy and how farming can tap into opportunities offshore.

The theme is ‘Getting down to Business in the Global Economy’.

National Fieldays chief executive Jon Calder expects record numbers.

Delegations will come from India, China, Russia, Afghanistan, Ireland, Chile and Colombia, and more. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise is bringing trade delegations from several countries.

Calder says New Zealand agriculture is squarely placed to feed the growing

global population.

“The world’s population is projected to increase from 7 billion to

premier feature. MPI will have a hub in the main pavilion. It will also hold seminars open to all visi-

“New Zealand’s agribusiness section is squarely placed to help improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness on the global stage.”

– Jon Calder 9b by 2050 and New Zealand’s agribusiness sector is squarely placed to [help] improve productivity, efficiency and effectiveness on the global stage,” he told Dairy News.

He points out MPI is working on doubling agricultural exports by 2025 and is a sponsor of the

tors.

“The National Agricultural Fieldays will be a showcase for New Zealand’s primary industries and an excellent venue for talking about how to ensure future growth,” says outgoing MPI director-general Wayne McNee. “It’s an event where rural

people of every kind come together and we’re excited to be part of it.

“MPI views its role as partnering with and enabling the primary industries, with a particular focus on supporting growth in the value of exports.

This will be built on an understanding of industry participants’ challenges

and opportunities.

Calder says many countries are banking on New Zealand’s intellectual know-how, systems and technology to meet the increasing global demand for high quality, safe and sustainable agricultural products.

Last year, Calder visited China and India with them Primary Industries

Jon Calder

Minister David Carter.

This month Calder was in Canada and Russia promoting the Fieldays.

“This year’s international attendees will exceed past Fieldays,” he says.

exhibitors move in EXHIBITORS HAVE started work on their National Fieldays sites.

Fieldays general manager Jon Calder says gates were opened to exhibitors on May

I can’t take risks here..

21. About 1000 exhibitors have registered for the event.

Calder expects at least 130,000 visitors during the four-day event.

He says a number of as-

pects have been overhauled including a redesign of the innovation centre. A support programme has been developed enabling innovators to develop and market their inventions.

Our pump sets come standard with the following features and benefits, for our farming clients: • Stainless Steel Baseplate - gives long-term protection against corrosion, unlike galvanised baseplates.

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• Pump Life Expectancy based on our 35+ years of Progressing Cavity (PC) pump engineering by the only PC pump manufacturer directly serving New Zealand farmers - gives us the unique ability to ensure our pumps operate at the most effective speeds for pumping animal effluent, which impacts directly on the maximum pump life expectancy.

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

nz national fieldays // 33

NZ agri sector vital to global economy GRAHAM TURLEY

FOR 40 YEARS, we at ANZ have been pulling on our gumboots and getting in among it at National Fieldays.

We’ve seen a lot of change during that time, and one of the biggest changes we’ve noticed is the growing awareness among farmers of where their products will be sold.

It was only a few decades ago that the thing most farmers were focused on was production – how to get the most of their farms. This is still true. In fact, more efficient and sustainable farming is more important than ever.

Less of a consideration was the other end of the supply chain. For decades Britain was our biggest market. We produced meat, dairy and horticultural products, put them on the ship and that was where the involvement of most producers ended.

Today, it’s a very different story. Britain is no longer our biggest market, and the world has become one globalised marketplace. Companies, cooperatives and producers can now sell to dozens of markets.

Some of the most important will be the growth markets of Asia.

Global demand for agri-

cultural products will increase by 60% by 2050 compared to 2005-07.

This highlights the significant increase in demand for basic materials to support urbanisation. Rising incomes have also led to increased calorie consumption and higher protein diets.

The opportunity for New Zealand is huge.

ANZ’s recent ‘Greener Pastures’ report found that New Zealand has the potential to capture $1.3 trillion more in agricultural exports between now and 2050.

This is why the theme of this year’s Fieldays, ‘Getting down to business in the global economy’ is so important for every producer in New Zealand.

Realising the opportunity identified in ‘Greener Pastures’ won’t just happen. The key will be to gain a deep understanding of these markets and build strong relationships.

Regardless of where you are in the globalised world, getting these right is the foundation of success in a new market.

We also know that to take full advantage of New Zealand’s place in the global economy, we will need around $340 billion in additional capital over the next four decades to drive production growth and support farm turnC

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‘Groundbreaking’ research on display UNIVERSITY OF Waikato, a principal partner of National Fieldays, will promote “groundbreaking” agricultural research at the Mystery Creek event.

From using microbes to remove excess nitrogen from land to transforming agricultural waste into a valuable commodity, University of Waikato researchers are at the leading edge of agricultural research, a spokesman says.

Vice-chancellor professor Roy Crawford says it is no surprise the university is committed to ag R&D. “We are located in the heart of the most important agricultural region in the country.

“The University of Waikato has developed enduring partnerships and research collaborations with leading agricultural organisations. Our students undertake internships with these organisations and many go on to have very successful and rewarding careers with them.”

Among the organisations the university works closely with are Fonterra, AgResearch, GNS Science, Landcare Research, Dairy NZ, Waikato and Bay of Plenty regional councils and government departments.

gest rural lender, but we’re of these opportunities. In over. also the only local bank recent years this has been The challenges for a big topic of discussion in that has an on-the-ground the sector will be to presence in 32 markets the ANZ tent at Fieldays, find innovative ways to globally. and we’re expecting the attract domestic and forOver the past 18 same to be true this year. eign investments such as months we’ve taken Already we’ve helped attracting skilled labour, groups of customers to many of our customenhancing agri education China, Vietnam and – ers establish themselves and intensifying the focus Graham Turley most recently – India in new markets around on national R&D. where several customers Asia-Pacific. We’re not ANZ is in a great posiLevucell SC_Grass_Advert_w210xh297_FIELDAYS_Curves_WithBleed.pdf 22/05/2013 p.m. with firm export only New1Zealand’s big- 3:36:30returned tion to help producers and exporters take advantage

orders.

Nothing beats local knowledge, and our staff in those markets have drawn on that knowledge to pave the way for Kiwi exporters to enter new markets and drive the growth of their businesses.

• Graham Turley is ANZ managing director commercial and agri.

Dairy News May 28, 2013

34 // nz national fieldays

Menus offer options on water quality COMPREHENSIVE NEW menus of farming practices to help protect water quality are the result of close collaboration between Waikato Regional Council and the Upper Waikato Primary Sector Partnership.

The menus for the dairying, drystock and cropping sectors, to feature at the council’s site PF19 in Fieldays’ main pavilion, start with detailed onfarm analysis of 60 Upper Waikato catchment farms.

“That work was enhanced by the establishment of the Upper Waikato Primary Sector Partnership, which brought together experts from the main agricultural sectors to assess a wide range of potential solutions for the whole region,” says the council’s environmental farming systems programme manager Alan Campbell.

This collective approach had created a robust and objective assessment of the likely environmental benefits of each practice identified in the menus and the farm business implications, positives and negatives, he says

“The environmental benefits are dependent on the situation, including slopes, soils, rainfall and farm system.

“Also, the individual farm business costs and benefits are dependent on the farm system, available labour, skills, debt levels and farm goals.

“No two farms are the same and the menu allows farmers to pick a spread that meets their needs and budget,” says Campbell.

Examples from the menus include effluent-related tips for dairy farmers and also dung and urine-related tips for the drystock sector.

Some of the menu items specific to management of dairy shed effluent include switching to land application from a two pond discharge system, increasing land application areas and minimising effluent volumes by limiting wash water use.

Growing maize on effluent blocks, low rate effluent irrigation, and boosting storage capacity to help ensure irrigation can be done at the right time are other options.

“The menus individually rate the likely water quality benefits of these practices and the potential costs and financial benefits involved in implementing them,” said Campbell. “They also outline the factors that need to be considered before making a decision on those options.”

The drystock menu looks at nutrient management options such as developing whole farm nutrient budgets, using phosphorus applications economically and reducing large urine spots by cutting the number of older cattle and increasing sheep-to-cattle ratios.

“Soil conservation measures such as pasture management, tree planting and riparian management are included as ways that drystock farmers can keep soil on the land and reduce sediment, nutrient and bacteria runoff into water,” said Campbell.

To view or order a copy of the menus, come to site PF19 at Fieldays, visit www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/menus or call freephone 0800 800 401.

Teat Spraying Perfection

Coffees on the house BLUE WING Honda says it will be “getting down to business in the global economy” at National Fieldays.

Coffees are on the house while visitors talk to one of the company’s team about business on-farm, with a new Honda farm bike or ATV. All the favourite Hondas will be on display: the hard working Honda Big Red (side x side MUV), the full range of quads, farm bikes and power equipment.

The fully automatic TRX 680 or the TRX500 model range has manual, auto and power steering options to suit. The workhorse of the Honda family is the TRX420 range which comes in auto and manual power steering options.

Honda Big Red

The Big Red MUV will be in full demonstration mode, on challenging terrain.

Also on display will be the full Honda farm bike range including the new dual purpose CRF250L, the farm designed CTX200, the CRF230, the CRF150, our kids bikes and the popular and versatile XR125 Duster.

Honda Power

Equipment will mount an interactive display of Inverter and framed generators, water pumps, garden care equipment and stationary engines for power equipment conversion.

Honda is offering no deposit and interest free finance terms until 2014 on selected quads, farm bikes and power equipment.

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

nz national fieldays // 35

Self-cleaning mobile feeder arrives STALLION PLASTICS’ new feeder range, to be

launched at National Fieldays, is a world first, the company says.

The mobile tanker feeder (MTF) is the only self-cleaning mobile feeder on the market, it says.

“The innovative new product offers all the advantages of Stallion Plastic’s focus on leading-edge technology and practice, and its long heritage of developing easy-to-use, fit-for-purpose products.”

The groundbreaking MTF feeders incorporate a range of features that save hours of valuable time and backbreaking work in the field. The multi-use MTF can be used to mix milk powder, milk replacement products or colostrum.

Available in 50, 60 and 80 teat unit options, the pumpdriven MTF ensures quick and efficient feeding of calves.

The new easy-clean manifold design ensures milk stays clean, keeping it free from dirt and other contaminants, the company says.

“With a carrying capacity of up to 800 litres, the MTF is ideal for use in the pen or the paddock and its retractable draw bar ensures both hassle-free transport and easy storage.

“Supplied with a nozzle and hose attachment, the MTF makes mixing and distributing liquid feed into separate troughs and fence hung feeders fast and trouble-free.”

The feeder features Stallion Plastics latest innovation,

the ‘click-and-clean’ self-washing system which does away with time consuming manual cleaning.

“Simply quarter fill the tank with water, switch on the pump and the feeder self cleans – in just three minutes. No fuss, no effort.”

www.stallion.co.nz

Stallion Plastic’s new mobile tanker feeder.

Visit us at Mystery Creek, Site PE20

• Daily control of supplements and quantities fed • Hopper can blend up to one tonne of Liquid Feed at a time • Works in line with the Dairy Sheds’ existing feed system • Eliminates waste • Conedose can add non soluble supplements in suspension using air agitation e.g Mag Oxide, Lime Flour etc • Replaces Dusting

Shotgun wedding: 2nd in designer traditional category last year.

Fashion flair on show THIS YEAR’S Ag Art Wear competition will be a spec-

tacle of creative fashion flair mixed with design innovation, organisers say.

Distinctive and contemporary creations from designers will be showcased at the Fieldays ‘Rural to Runway’ gala dinner on June 14.

Designers will be vying for a share of $12,000 in prizes.

Competing in three categories – avant garde, designer traditional and the newly created classroom couture category – designers are limited to creating artistic garments using materials sourced from the farm, rural industries or the natural environment.

With entrants from New Zealand and Australia, there will be a real battle on the runway, which will be judged by a panel of local design elite, organisers say.

“Watch the theatrical runway show unfold while viewing from the best seats in the house. Fabulous VIP tickets are available where guests will be seated at a round table; enjoy a three course gourmet dinner and fine wine and watch as the spectacle is revealed.”

Tickets are now on sale.

www.agartwear.co.nz

Incorporate minerals and supplements into Liquid Feeds

To learn more phone

0800 MOLASSES Supreme Winner 2013

Lincoln Field Days Agriculture Innovation Award

OR OFFICE: 03-236 6089

www.wintonstockfeed.co.nz/conedose

TM

*Design copyright Winton Stock Feed Ltd 2010. **Terms and conditions apply

Dairy News May 28, 2013

36 // nz national fieldays

Get a better ride POLARIS INDUSTRIES is offering “fantastic” Fieldays specials on Sportsman quad and Ranger side-by-side models.

The best-value 4x4 quad Polaris Sportsman 400 HO, and the best-selling automatic 4x4 quad Polaris Sportsman 500 HO, are now available for $7822 ex GST (save $1500) and $8691 ex GST (save $2000) respectively.

Says Polaris, “With their legendary smooth Sportsman ride and a long list of distinctive Polaris features including Polaris variable transmission, independent rear suspension, on demand true all-wheel drive, four wheel disk brakes and sealed front storage, the Sportsman 400 HO and 500 HO represent great value.”

And the Sportsman 550 lineup, including the 550 XP, 550 EPS and 550 X2, is now available with $1100 cash back.

The Sportsman 550 range includes features such as independent rear suspension, on demand true all-wheel drive, anti-kick-

back steering for smooth handling, 12 inches ground clearance and active descent control with an engine braking system.

The 550 EPS model adds power steering and the 550 X2 adds turf mode and a rear dump box which in less than 10 seconds can be switched to a passenger place.

Effluent pump specialists on hand for advice

Polaris Sportsman series.

TWO Mono Pumps New Zealand area managers will be at the National Fieldays to answer queries about progressing cavity (PC) pumps.

The company’s current PC effluent pumps range have been sold in New Zealand for about five years.

Mike Jackson (mobile 0275 551 374) and Naim Alsaeksaek (mobile 0272 216 276) will be found assisting the floor staff at the sites of Mono effluent pump dealers: Hi-Tech Enviro Solutions, Qubik, Williams Irrigation and AgFirst Consultants NZ. Mono general manager Shazad Ibnul says both area managers will give useful advice on PC pumping issues.

“They will assist our effluent pump dealers to address pump specific queries.”

NOV Mono, a prominent global manufacturer of PC pumps, has supplied water and effluent pumps to New Zealand farmers for almost 40 years.

Mono is the only PC pump manufacturer directly serving New Zealand farmers. It has a network of dealers providing service and support.

Its dairy effluent pumps offer substantial cost savings, the company says.

With a 13L/s capacity and discharge pressure up to 120m from their standard range, Mono eliminates the need for a series of pumps when irrigating paddocks further away from the pond.

The pumps are surface mounted, easier to clean and less hazardous to maintain. They also have the ability to produce PC pump sets capable of pumping performance beyond their standard duty range mentioned above.

Tel. 0800 659 012 www.mono-pumps.com

WORLD WIDE SIRES NEW ZEALAND,

invite you to visit us at Mystery Creek Fieldays - Site PC11 - Main Pavilion.

Visit our team of friendly faces and take the opportunity to chat with our staff about the strong sire line-up we have to offer you this season.

Have a look at our website for up to date information on the bulls we are marketing plus several more that are not listed in our current catalogue.

There will be a hot cup of coffee waiting for you.

Fill in the entry form on site to enter our draw for $250 of free product.

WORLD WIDE SIRES – New Zealand | www.wwsiresnz.co.nz | Email wwsiresnz@clear.net.nz | Free Phone 0800 60 70 70

Dairy News may 28, 2013

nz national fieldays // 37

Standoff pad shelter makes life easier

Tel. 07 889 7769

SPECIALIST ADVICE

SUPPORT & SERVICE

Our comprehensive range of FIL Hygiene & Health products all come with specialised advice and training for your staff.

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We have the most comprehensive nationwide support network for your farm dairy operation. This includes 34 Service Partners, 17 Hygiene & Health Specialists, 11 Capital Equipment Managers and 7 Field NT Technicians.

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have been in business over 50 years and believe they are New Zealand’s biggest supplier of pipe work for dairy sheds working from North Cape to the Bluff, as well as installing dairy sheds overseas.

On their site they will have a small working yard showing railings and gates, pendulum gates that can be operated from anywhere in the pit, cam-lock head bails and water booms.

They can-do all the construction from planning and can visit sites to give advice on location and building. As well as the total job Leask’s can supply kitsets.

If anyone is planning a new dairy shed or a major upgrade expert staff will be on hand to discuss and give advice.

www.herdhomes.co.nz

The Herd Homes standoff pad makes life easier during winter and spring, says Tim Douglas.

Milfos Milking Machines are made in New Zealand and are designed specifically for New Zealand farms.

M S IL Y ST KIN EM G S

LEASK ENGINEERING Tatuanui near Morrinsville

$200 cow maintenance each year, probably much of a muchness regardless of which standoff pad you chose, but the Herd Homes system is a good way of getting storage.”

CENTRED AROUND YOUR FARM NOW & INTO THE FUTURE

QUALITY RANGE

Piping sheds for 50 years

One thing Douglas has learnt is the need to take account of the cost of dealing with effluent left on pads.

“When you put in x amount per cow you need to also think that it’s also

E & CTS EN DU GI RO HYTH P L EA

off pad makes life easier during winter and spring, says Northland sharemilker/equity farmer of the year Tim Douglas.

He and his brother Ian manage a 300ha, 960 cow farm owned in an equity partnership between the brothers and their parents.

The property, 20 minutes from Whangarei, is in an area known for high rainfall.

Douglas says the equity partnership built both pads when they bought an adjoining farm in 2007 and as part of a new 54 bail rotary complex, to avoid pugging during times when the farm was under pressure. “We can use them any time of year because we are on a flood plane, but we use it intensively in winter and early spring when the area is wet.”

The 60m, two row pads can feed 200 cows at a time or “stand off 230 at a push”. The brothers bring stock onto the pads before milking to give them supplements, and when con-

make the waste liquid enough and it is then pumped out by a slurry cart and spread over the farm. “The slat system reduces the workload of cleaning during the spring.”

MILK S & CO TORAG OLIN E G

A HERD Homes stand-

ditions underfoot are excessively wet.

Douglas has noticed pastures responding to the extra protection offered by the feed pads. “As far as looking after the pastures and soils go, the pads can definitely reduce pugging damage if they are used effectively. They are a management tool. It depends on the way which you manage them.”

The decision to go with Herd Homes over other standoff pads was driven by the slat system which allows effluent to fall into silos below, reducing cleanup, says Douglas.

“It was almost trendy at the time to get a Herd Home but the extra effluent storage was beneficial.

While it was slightly more expensive per cow we decided it would work well in our system.”

Effluent is pumped out from underneath the pads in late spring/early summer with a slurry tanker when it is possible to spread effluent onto pastures and Douglas says getting effluent out often requires work.

Liquor from the sheds ponds is pumped in to

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

38 // nz national fieldays

Heads up on head bail HOW DO you improve a winning formula? asks The

Wrangler, announcing that its Wrangler cow handler will be available at Fieldays with the option of a walk -through head bail.

The head bail is closed by a rope from behind the cow and upon releasing a lever, both yokes open allowing the cow to step through the head bail. This makes for a slightly quicker operation than the gate head bail which comes standard on the Wrangler.

The kiwi dairy cattle handler has treated thousands of cows since it won the Innovation Award at Fieldays in 1995. It allows cows’ hooves to be examined and treated safely and easily with several ropes and winches to hold the cow and the hoof, preventing her from going down or kicking during treatment. At just over $4000 + GST, a Race Wrangler will pay for itself very quickly, the maker says.

The Wrangler also makes the 2011 Fieldays Innovation winner, the ride-over gate which allows bikes or irrigators through a gateway without stock walking through.

Tel. 0800 HOOVES

The Wrangler cow handler allows cows’ hooves to be treated safely and now comes with the option of a walk-through head bail.

Watch the men from the ministry THE MPI site will catch visitors’ eyes with two stacked containers right at the main entrance to the pavilion.

The four site themes, drawn from the MPI ‘Strategy 2030’, will explain how New Zealand can: ■■ Maximise export opportunities through market access and assurance; ■■ Increase sustainable resource use, highlightNathan Guy ing the freshwater work; ■■ Improve sector productivity, highlighting the work with Maori agribusiness; ■■ Protect from biological risk, with a multi-layered biosecurity system, including the quarantine dogs that work at the border. These will be on-site for visitors on Friday.

MPI is also running seminars : ■■ Wednesday 12 June, ‘Meet the Minister’: MPI Minister Nathan Guy will outline his vision for the sector and take questions.

■■ Situation and Outlook ■■ What impacts has the drought had on primary industry production and trade? An airing of the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report, hot off the press for the Fieldays.

■■ Thursday 13 June, ‘Are we facing a skills shortage?’

■■ What skills will the primary industries need in 2025? We need to focus on this now. Hear a panel’s views and take part in discussion.

■■ Growing New Zealand – doubling primary industry exports by 2025: Hear how MPI is working with the primary sector to find innovative ways to double the value of our primary exports. Learn about work underway and discuss how this ambitious target can be met.

■■ Friday 14 June, ‘Lifting the performance of Maori agribusiness’. How can we work better to grow the value of Maori agribusiness? Hear how MPI is working with Maori agribusiness.

Delivering to international markets. Where are markets going and how can we meet them? A discussion about global consumer trends and how the Government is helping New Zealand primary industries to deliver.

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

40 // nz national fieldays

Suspended fert spreader made even easier GARETH GILLATT

TWO NEW models of the

popular suspended-fertiliser Tow and Fert will be launched at Fieldays.

Launched in late 2011, the mixing and spraying Tow and Fert Multi 1000 applicator has been a popular seller here and in Australia where Metalform struck it out on its own on the back of the 1000 litre mixing and spreading activation tools.

They are extending that range with a 1200 litre 3PL model and 4000 litre trailed model made for tractors 90hp and higher.

Marketing manager Tim Henman says the Multi 1200 was developed to offer an affordable nimble sprayer. “It’s made

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for every farmer wanting to apply fine particle fertiliser or mix and dissolve urea. No other spray unit on the market can do this except for models in our range.”

15ha before it needs refilling.

Scales and a hydraulic lifting arm are optional extras with the lifting arm capable of lifting 1 tonne.

While the 1200 was

“It’s made for every farmer wanting to apply fine particle fertiliser or mix and dissolve urea.”

The pumping, mixing and spraying is powered by the hydraulics, eliminating the need for an external motor and Henman says this makes it a lighter unit than the Multi 1000, even though it is able to contain 200 more litres of solution and weighs 350kg without the optional crane arm.

The solution is sprayed via a single nozzle which has a 14m spread and the 1200 can be used to cover

designed for small to medium-sized farming operations the Tow and Fert Multi 4000 is meant for large operations and contractors.

With a 24m spray width and a 4000 litre capacity the tandem axle trailed unit is able to spread fertiliser over 40-50ha before being refilled.

While the unit can weigh as much 10 tonnes when full, Henman says

it weighs just 2.6 t empty.

Weight on the unit is kept down by using a PTOdriven mixing mechanism.

“A PTO system is used for the mixing mechanism and hydraulics is used for the spraying.”

A hydraulic lifting arm is available as an optional extra and the 4000 can be operated behind tractors with ratings of 120hp or more.

Henman says the two new models have been developed to provide the unique mixing capabilities of the Tow and Fert system to a wider range of users.”

We developed these units to continue our family of products in the Tow and Fert range and have something to suit every farmer.”

Tel. 0508 747 040 www.towandfert.com

Dairy News may 28, 2013

nz national fieldays // 41

R&D spend pays off ABOUT 6% of Lely’s

annual global turnover goes into product R&D, and this investment will be reflected in products on show at Fieldays. They will include Lely Splendimo PC series and 300 FS; the Hibiscus 815 CD Vario; the Welger RP 545; and the Tigo 40SD Profi.

The new Lely Splendimo PC Series embodies ten big improvements including maximum room for crop throughput, and minimising the mowers’ power requirement and running costs. Other updates are a new cutter bar, quick switch obstacle safety and improved balance to ensure stability.

The Lely Splendimo 300FS front mower is ideal for cut and carry. The all new Lely Splendimo 300FS is ideal for zero grazing, due to low power requirements and narrow

swaths, and working on slopes, due to its low centre of gravity.

The Lely Hibiscus 815 CD Vario offers many possibilities to the farmers as it features a hydraulic working width adjustment.

During the raking operation, the tractor driver can adjust the working width and the swath width by means of a double acting spool valve.

The Lely Welger RP 545 offers a wide range of possibilities to meet the demands of farmers and contractors. The Lely Welger RP 545 has new 50mm double roller Profi bearings in the tensioning system making the baler more durable. The new E-link Pro is more user-friendly as the touch

Side-by-side ride gaining ground mike wilkins

KAWASAKI’S GLOBAL reputation

Lely’s Tigo 40SD Profi

screen display is clear and offers more space for useful information.

The Lely Tigo 40 SD Profi has the perfect gentle loading system and can be fitted with an optional hydraulically driven side discharge conveyor. The Lely Tigo 40 SD Profi is a versatile wagon with 26m3 capacity that is ideal for goat farmers. The range consists of wagons with many options up to 60m3 and a tridem self-lev-

Mark Williams, Burnham

k F ee AD Cr e ry 22 Se ste PE y d M stan

twice as easy. It’s brilliant.

Installing it is the best thing I’ve done.”

a steering wheel. Options of a roof and front windscreen are great in wet or cold weather and strong safety cages plus seat belts provide improved driver and passenger protection.

From the single 450cc model offered

by Kawasaki in 1988, the range of Kawasaki Mules, Trans Mules and Teryx now extends to twelve different variations from 400cc petrol to 950cc diesel as well as two and four seat options.

There will always be a use for quads on New Zealand farms; they are as essential as the horse once was. But in more and more situations, the side-by-side UTV is doing the job the quad once did.

• Mike Wilkins is the managing director of Kawasaki New Zealand.

at

“ADF has made milking

elling pneumatic suspension.

For dairy solutions, many new developments will be shown on the Lely Astronaut A4 milking robots, including a comprehensive management system with standard fat and protein measurement, mastitis control and heat detection systems.

The latest robots suit farms from 30 to ,000 cows in grazing systems or housed in barns.

has been built on innovation and being first to bring exciting new products to the market. Those of you showing some grey hair will remember the triple cylinder, two stroke road bikes of the early 1970s and of course Kawasaki’s development of the jet ski in 1972.

Another Kawasaki first was the introduction of the four wheel model named Mule in 1988. Yes, Kawasaki has been producing side-by-sides, or UTVs, for 25 years.

Wind the clock forward to 2013 and we find ten or more reputable brands offering side-by-sides as an alternative to the farm quad bike.

The popularity of the side-by-side is growing. Industry sales figures for the first four months of 2013 show that sideby-sides represent at least 20% of total farm four wheeler sales.

There‘s a variety of reasons for their growing popularity, not least the simple, easy-to-use, car-type controls including

It’s not just Mark that loves ADF - his staff love it too.

They say they’ll never milk again in a shed without it!

Installing ADF was a ‘no-brainer’ to Mark and he’s enjoying lower cell counts and has less mastitis to contend with. The ADF milking system dips teats and flushes cups automatically so he can be assured that mastitis is targeted at the right time, every time.

For a no-obligation visit to your farm call 0800 233 645 or visit ADFmilking.com

Healthy cows, healthy profit ™

Dairy News May 28, 2013

42 // nz national fieldays

Rotary or herringbone – it’s all about numbers ROTARY AND herringbone milking

systems get equal notice at Waikato Milking Systems, depending on the size of would-be or actual customers’ herds.

The 100% New Zealand-owned company’s products are sought after at home and abroad for the innovation and quality inherent in the designs and manufacturing. Its Fieldays display will include rotary and herringbone systems, smart technology and new developments to save farmers time and money.

One example of larger-herd farmers’ preference for rotary platforms is Peter Risi, who milks 760 cows in the Tui Glen Farms Partnership at Whitehall, near Cambridge.

Last year, his farm produced 210,000kgMS from 700 cows, and he now aims to achieve 300,000kgMS in 5-10 years.

Risi says putting in a 60-bail Orbit rotary platform from Waikato Milking Systems is one of the best things he has done to increase his efficiency. Going to a rotary means he is milking twice as many cows now.

“For large numbers of cows you need

a rotary and you need a good plant or you can’t get through the cows quickly enough. And you need good technology with larger herds.”

The machine has just finished its second season and is working as good as new, Risi says. “Waikato Milking Systems make a good plant. You turn them on and they go. It’s really user-friendly.

We’ve had no breakdowns.”

Risi uses Smart technology designed and built by Waikato Milking Systems to combat mastitis, make milking faster and improve milk quality. The products he uses include Smart D-Tect for automatic mastitis alerts, Smart electronic cup removers, Smart Spray and Smart Wash.

“Everything talks to each other and works with the Protrack drafting system. Even with all this technology, you don’t need a degree to work it,” he says. The technology has pretty much saved another whole staff unit because you don’t need a person looking for mastitis.”

Risi says he went with Waikato Milking Systems because it was the best allround package.

“This wasn’t a short-term decision.

We’d been planning the shed for a long, long time. We did all our research, collected a lot of information and talked to other farmers. We went to other people’s cow sheds.

“We told Waikato Milking Systems what we wanted done and they came back with a package and a price. We knew exactly what we were getting for that price and we didn’t have to get out a calculator. It was easy to understand and transparent.

Meanwhile, Michael Hammonds, of Black Creek Farm, says his Waikato Milking Systems’ Supa4 herringbone is awesome to work in – two years old and still going like new.”

“It’s fast. It throws cows out like you wouldn’t believe. The boys row the cows up and start cupping and the shed does the rest. It saves me a whole labour unit.”

Milking 660 cows on 211 ha in Orini in the Waikato region, north of Hamilton, he has a Swing Over with 44-a-side swing arms and SmartPuls digital pulsation technology, both also from Waikato Milking Systems.

While Hammonds doesn’t milk fulltime himself any more, leaving it to his two staff, he says that when he does milk he finds it really enjoyable in the new shed. The wide pit of the Waikato Milking Systems Supa4 herringbone has made all the difference and was a big part of his buying decision.

“Most old sheds are narrow – our old shed was so narrow, you couldn’t get around people – it was just a nightmare.

“Now we have a nice wide pit. We can get two vet trolleys in. When we’re herd testing, we can get six people in the pit.

It’s awesome having room to move.”

Hammonds is a third-generation dairy farmer, and proud his son will follow him into dairy farming.

Peter Risi with his 60-bail Orbit rotary platform (above) and Michael Hammonds with his Supa4 herringbone (below).

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

nz national fieldays // 43

Dairy shed power saving – it’s official tony hopkinson

A 19 Farm trial run by

Corkill Systems and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) has shown average vacuum pump power savings of 52% through using a Varivac vacuum pump controller.

This trial started in July 2012 and ended recently – 19 farmers who had bought a Varivac control system at the 2012 National Fieldays.

As part of the trial they agreed to make information about their energy costs available and keep

specific information for ECCA. The incentive negotiated with Corkill Systems was that if the claims made by them were proved correct each farmer would get a 33% refund on their purchase price of the Varivac from EECA. The trial was run and supervised by EECA industrial project manager Kirk Archibald. The farms were in Taranaki, Waikato, Canterbury, Southland and Nelson. Information supplied from each farm to keep comparisons equitable were three years power accounts, cow numbers and production.

With the historical information and readings from the inbuilt meters in the Varivac the advantages quickly became obvious.

“Often we have to rely solely on billing data to calculate energy savings, however with the Varivac’s inbuilt meters we could

access robust savings data that we will publish in the coming months” said Archibald.

One farmer in the trial saved 73% of his vacuum pump electricity costs after installing the Varivac vacuum pump controller meaning he is only using

27% of the electricity for his vacuum pump that he was previously using.

Corkill Systems will be showing their Varivac vacuum pump systems, lobe pumps and milk pump controller at the National Fieldays.

Farmer Brian Symes, Leeston, Canterbury took part in the trial.

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New Karaka jacket.

New ways to keep warm, dry ORINGI HAS been selling it’s Belgium-made gear

in New Zealand for 20 years. All garments are made of Flexothane, a knit fabric and polyurethane which are bonded to give 100% waterproofing, yet comfortable. Also excellent wind and cold properties.

The garment fit is very generous in length and in width, the company says.

Oringi manufactures for all types of farming and outdoor needs specialising in dairy, sheep and beef protective clothing.

“We recommend Oringi garments are aired inside out after use, never to be left sitting on gumboots and washed regularly in the washing machine to ensure longer life,” the company says.

New garment lines recently released are Flexothane mittens, lined and unlined, Karaka jacket and white overtrousers for hunting and competition riding. We also have coming a Flexothane short sleeved, quilt lined vest for extreme comfort that stops the wind and keeps your body warm.

“Our tough super lightweight highly breathable jackets, leggings, and bib overtrousers are designed so that you are warm, comfortable and dry in all conditions you will work in.”

It also makes a wide range of New Zealand made socks and a wide range of gloves as well.

Tel. 0800 469 423 www.oringi.co.nz

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

44 // nz national fieldays

Magical answer to effluent woes A BIOLOGICAL product that reduces sludge, crusting and odour in effluent ponds is the answer to farmer frustration, says maker BioMagic Ltd. Called Impact, it is reckoned safe and easy to use.

“Biologicals have been around a while, but this is a huge step up in efficacy, affordability and practicality,” the company says.

It is said to eliminate

most of the sludge, crusting and odour in effluent ponds.

Simply add it to wash down water once a month.

Galatea farmer Scotty Muir says his farm always had a 45-60cm thick crust on the top of the effluent pond and a lot of bottom sludge.

“After only 3 months of using Impact I noticed a significant improvement,” he says. “I can now push a piece of pipe

to the bottom of the pond and hear it scrape on the pumice.

I could never do that before I started with Impact.”

Waikato farmer Mark Bon says, “I now get a clear stream of water rather than green slushy stuff. There is no smell and the cows will eat the grass a few days after application and they enjoy it.”

Tel. 09 424 4476 www.biomagic.co.nz

Impact at work in Mark Bon’s effluent pond.

The new double bale feeder.

Feeding hay and silage into troughs MCINTOSH BROS Engineering will release at Fieldays

a specially designed double bale feeder for feeding hay and silage bales into troughs.

The company has made its new-version single bale feeder for two years, and it launched a double bale feeder earlier this year. Both machines can feed out round and square bales.

A single bale feeder able to feed to troughs was released last August.

“Most hay and silage bales are fed in the paddocks where our machines are ideal but we have been getting enquires from an increasing number of farmers who have built feed pads and want a machine that can feed directly into troughs,” said McIntosh Bros engineering manager Brett McIntosh.

It has an extension arm that extends 2050mm from the centre of the draw bar and will be hydraulically raised for transport and lowered for feeding.

The end of the arm will be 850mm from the ground so all material can be placed in the trough with some room for movement.

There is only one set of chains travelling under the bale in the cradle and out and over the extension. Roller chains are used with angle irons between with spikes welded to them. With steel trays under both sections wastage is minimal.

Three hydraulic outlets are needed for the chain drive, the lifting forks and the lift for the extension, but if only one or two outlets are available a diverter valve can be fitted.

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6/05/13 11:13 AM

Dairy News may 28, 2013

nz national fieldays // 45

German machines eases farmers’ workloads FEED MIXER and sheargrab marketer Webbline continues buoyant over farmsers’ interest in the BvL German-made range of machines.

They will be displayed on the company’s site.

Webbline has now been selling the “German champion” brand for two years, says sales manager Glen Malcolm. “We are getting a lot of enquiry from our farmer clients about BvL , which is a result of BvL’s excellent reputation in Europe and now here.”

Also on the site will be the BvL specialist Claus Mecklenberg from Germany.

Says Malcolm, “Claus has been with BvL for over 20 years and has a very good knowledge of the industry and what works and what doesn’t.

This is important , as we are seeing in this country, being relatively new to mixer wagons , there are a lot of farmers getting the wrong machine for their situation. With BvL having a huge range of configurations, this allows us to tailor the right machine to suit the job.”

Dairy farmers Keith & Adrian Park have like many Southland dairy farmers recently built a wintering barn for the 440 cow herd.

The 120 x 35m barn can house 560 cows. At this stage they are only using it for a wintering shed with the cows being inside for about 100 days per year. Due to specifying a larger shed than needed right now, they have set up one end of the barn to use as a calving pen.

As part of their strategy to maximise their operation, they bought a BvL mixer wagon. This has paid dividends to their operation, with cow condition having noticeably improved, the farmers say.

Parks’ decision to take on the BvL mixer was a straightforward one, “We liked what we saw with the BvL, it had all the credentials of a well-designed machine and Webbline’s

advice on what machine would suit our needs helped us as well.

Dodd made similar comment. He bought a BvL Topstar block cutter, a

“Now we are into our second year with BvL, we have confirmed to ourselves and our clients that the BvL is the machine that suits our diverse dairy farm systems.”

– Glen Malcolm “The BvL mixer is easy to operate; any staff member could be easily trained to operate it, which is important to us.

The machine is very low maintenance, with greasing being the only main thing we have to do. The 20m3 mixer can mix a load in the time it takes to load the machine and drive to the shed; its ready to feed out, it does a consistent mixing job and is easy to drive and manoeuvre.”

tool that has the potential to save him thousands of dollars each year, he reckons.

Dodd makes about 2500 tonnes of silage – grass and whole crop – and feeds silage about 210 days of the year in a barn.

“The BvL Topstar is a lot easier on the tractor and loader and removes the wear and tear that was being caused by the silage grab.

Southland dairy farmer Maurice Dodd with his ‘Topstar’ cut silage stack.

“We used to have to ‘tease’ the silage out of the stack with the loader, moving the loader back and forth to get a decent grab full. Now we simply drive into the stack, press the third service button on the loader and it effortlessly cuts 1000kg of silage while the tractor sits there at an idle.”

Some farmers have wondered whether the Topstar would be too heavy for the smaller tractors, however due to its design Dodd has found his New Holland TS100 4-cylinder tractor handles the Topstar effortlessly.

“There is a lot less wastage on the ground especially with the whole crop and maize and there is no metabolic energy loss on the face of the stack as was previously caused by my tined silage grab,” Dodd says.

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A BvL Vix 20 feeding silage in Parks’ wintering barn.

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Said Malcolm,“With size options ranging from 3.5 – 46m3 capacity, and BvL’s patented EDS mixing and conveyerless discharge technology, these mixers are at the top of their game.

“Now we are into our second year with BvL, we have confirmed to ourselves and our clients that the BvL is the machine that suits our diverse dairy farm systems.”

Central Southland dairy farmer Maurice

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To find out more go to www.nait.co.nz or call NAIT on 0800 624 843

Dairy News May 28, 2013

46 // nz national fieldays

Automated pasture meter user friendly C-Dax managing director Greig Shearer (left) and Dr Robert Murray with the new pasture meter.

A NEW pasture meter launching at Fieldays

by C-Dax is automated, coming with a control console. It can be used on the company’s spreaders and sprayers.

It is notable for its

computing power and the range of data held in the console, says C-Dax managing director Greig Shearer.

“This takes it from just a device that tells you pasture cover to a device that

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has integrated information connected to software. The technology is more user friendly and will enable more farmers to come into this technology because it’s easier to operate… and doesn’t demand they be completely computer literate.”

Using GPS the farmer is able to follow the same path around a paddock every time they take a measurement. “When you enter a paddock, the previous trail comes up automatically and you can follow this.”

Using the console, farmers are able to access a map of their farm from C-Dax SmartMaps and then draw in their paddocks which in the past was a major and costly exercise usually done by a consultant.

The new pasture meter complete with console will cost $12,425 but C-Dax has other less expensive pas-

ture meters which start at $5685.

About 24% of dairy farmers measure pasture and Shearer hopes to see this rise soon to 60%.

The new high tech console can be used on C-Dax spreaders and sprayers.

Shearer says farmers can set the application rate they wish to spread or spray at in the console and the unit will automatically control this using GPS. If an area of the farm has been previously spread or sprayed in a given operation, the machine will automatically cut out when it passes over this spot.

Shearer says the new technology will help dairy farmers comply with new environmental rules being set by councils. He says whenever a spreading or spraying operation is undertaken this is recorded and provides accurate traceability.

The pasture meter will be launched at the Fieldays.

Tractor re-launch

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CASE IH plans to re-launch the Farmall, the time-honoured name from the International Harvester family, at National Fieldays.

Farmall was mass-produced in the 1920s in the US

by McCormick-Deering (later rebadged International Harvester). It was rugged, versatile and cheap. At least 5 million sold worldwide.

The original Farmall tractors – remember the angled-in front wheels, close together? – were popular in New Zealand in the 1950s as utility tractors and for vegetable cultivation and harvest.

The idea behind the Farmall hasn’t changed, Case IH says. The tractor is still versatile, performs well and is a good all-rounder.

Farmall JX series will be aimed at small to mediumsized land owners for light ground cultivation, frontend loader operations, baler operation and transport.

The new models will come with larger engine capacity, suited to more general farm usage.

The 8000 series will have Tier 3, 4-cylinder turbo charged intercooler, fuel efficient engines from 56-81kW (1kW = 1.34hp).

Tel. 0800 CASE IH www.caseih.co.nz

Dairy News may 28, 2013

nz national fieldays // 47

Making milking easy INSTALLING ADF in his new herringbone dairy shed was a “no brainer” according to dairy farmer Mark Williams when he converted his sheep farm to dairy in July 2012.

Mark and wife Kelsey own a 100ha, 600 Friesian cow dairy farm and a 80ha cropping farm, in Burnham, Canterbury.

The ADF (automatic dipping and flushing) system aims to reduce mastitis and its spread amongst the herd by automatically spraying the teats while the cups are still on the udder, directly after milking, while the teat canal is still open.

After removal every liner is automatically rinsed.

Within 20 seconds from the end of milking, the cluster is ready for the next cow.

It was over the breakfast table that Williams

first learned about ADF when a friend handed him an ADF brochure. He then called ADF who took him to see a farm with the system installed just down the road.

“The farmer spoke highly of his ADF system so I took the bank manager for a look. He said ‘why don’t all dairy farmers have this?’ so from that point it was let’s do it, let’s go.

From installation in July 2012 Williams hasn’t looked back. “Our cell counts average around 120,000 and we’re only having to deal with one case of mastitis a week. I attribute this success to ADF. “Our staff love ADF too, so much that they’ve said they wouldn’t milk again in a shed without ADF. “That’s because it makes their life so much

LIC’s date with farmers LIC WILL have a bit of everything on its Fieldays site this year, but what they’re looking forward to most of all is getting out and talking with farmers.

The co-op will be showcasing some new innovations, but more importantly, it’s about the conversations they get to have with farmers, says marketing manager Blair Hoad.

“For us, the Fieldays is about getting our staff together from all over the country, under one roof, and being available to chat with farmers about the challenges they’re currently facing.

“We’ve got a number of products that have been developed on the principle of improving farm profitability, but there is no one size fits all, so it’s these events and the conversations we have that allow us to provide farmers with solutions that best suit their needs and farming system.”

Hoad says Fieldays is an event that staff look forward to every year.

easier. Manual teat spraying would be a problem where we are; it’s windy a lot of the time so it would blow in all directions risking the teat being missed and you’d end up using more chemicals. The automatic dipping after milk-

ing ensures the teat is fully coated.

Tel. 0800 233 645

Mark Williams in his ADFinstalled milking shed.

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

48 // management

Supreme winner at first attempt sue edmonds

RUNNING A profitable farm is always a ‘work in progress’, says Grant Wills, co-winner with partner Karen Preston of the Supreme Award for

the Waikato region of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

A field day, held recently on their Walton dairy farm ‘Tremeer’, was attended by many farmers and rural professionals keen to see the detail of a

profitable and sustainable operation.

Originally purchased

by Wills’ grandfather in 1931, running sheep and beef, the 215ha property has been, over time, divided into two, both parts converted to dairy

Cages are used to monitor pasture growth.

and finally rejoined in 2003. Now run as Preston Wills Ltd it runs 650 cows through two dairy sheds, with an extra 54ha leased runoff.

Wills is an avid recorder of everything measurable on the farm, and is proud of the results of his ‘assess, analyse, activate’ process which is used for every decision relating to change or improvement to ensure each is going to be profitable as well as beneficial to cows, people and the environment.

A farm with a contour of rolling pasture, this has led to large areas of fenced riparian planting, plus shelter and shade planting, and the building of three herd homes. These

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maximise any supplement usage, prevent pugging in winter and provide shade for the cows in summer.

They are also used as calving platforms, making pickup of calves a simple one person operation each morning.

In order to get the maximum pasture growth over the whole farm, Wills has been using cages in three places on the farm to monitor growth and ME levels of pasture once a month.

And he’s been doing this for 18 years. This year they did soil tests on every one of the 120 or so paddocks, and used Wealleans’ computer calculated spreading system to apply only what was needed for each. The process had a cost, but the savings in fertiliser amounted to about $20,000.

The farm effluent system at present consists of two anaerobic ponds (4.5m deep, emp-

tied by contractor twice a year) and two shallower large aerobic ones, with a discharge consent to a stream. There was much talk on the day as to the nitrogen value of irrigating effluent on this type of country, compared to the losses incurred through the discharge. They are currently investigating new options, bearing in mind that their consent to discharge runs out in another year.

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

management // 49

Building resilient dairy farm systems THE ONLY certainty about farming is that no two seasons are ever the same. While the 2011-12 season produced a record New Zealand milk harvest, this year widespread drought conditions hit many North Island and West Coast farms hard, decreasing production and profit. Climate experts predict the seasons will become hotter and drier in the years ahead. Weather is not the only challenge facing today’s farmer; recent global uncertainty has created large fluctuations in milksolids payout and there is an

increasing focus on the environmental impact of dairying.

The industry’s challenge is to build resilient dairy farm systems which can effectively manage variations (in climate, milk price, environmental regulations etc.) and deliver profit each season. They must also be sustainable

for people, cows and the environment.

In the past 20 years, New Zealand dairy farm systems have intensified with more cows per hectare producing more milk per cow. Pasture yield potential has not kept pace with the growing demand for feed, and as a consequence farmers have become increasingly reliant on supplementary feed. In 2000-01 41% of New Zealand dairy farms were System 1 (low input, grass based) and 12% were System 4 and 5 (20% or greater supplementary feed inputs). In 2009-10

Maize silage stack.

Table 1: Owner-operated systems (DairyNZ Economic Survey data)2

only 10% of New Zealand dairy farms were System 1 and the number of System 4 and 5 farms had risen to 22%1.

The DairyNZ Economic Survey2 holds a wealth of data about New Zealand dairy farm systems.

The 2009-10 and 201011 owner-operator data shows high input (System 4 and 5) farms produced more milk, gave a higher per hectare operating profit and a better return on equity than low input (System 1) farms.

While the data shows high input systems were on average more profitable than low input systems in the last two seasons, a key question being asked by

2009-2010 System 1 System 4 & 5 Low Input High Input PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Effective area (ha) Peak cows milked kg milksolids per cow kg milksolids per ha Milksolids per full time labour equivalent PROFITABILITY Gross farm revenue/ha Operating expenses/ha Operating profit/ha Total return on equity % WEALTH CREATION Grow in equity (%)

2010-2011 System 1 System 4 & 5 Low Input High Input

118.3 296 315 787

147.0 461 386 1,210

124.4 319 329 845

150.7 451 397 1,190

43,669

60,162

43,794

56,034

5,163 3,578 1,585 5.2%

7,894 5,321 2,573 7.2%

6,523 3,970 2,553 8.0%

9,406 5,954 3,452 10.6%

7.4%

9.6%

7.3%

8.9%

For the full version of this table see www.dairynz.co.nz

the dairy industry is “Are higher input systems more or less risky than low input systems?” I will address this question and

discuss farming risk further in my next article.

1 Greig, B. 2012. Changing NZ Dairy Farm Systems, SIDE

2 DairyNZ Economic Survey 2009-10 and 2010-11 • Ian Williams is Pioneer forage specialist. iwilliams@ genetic.co.nz

in brief

Record and confirm •

Sending cattle or deer off farm? Record the movement within 48 hours

Feed budget essential

•

Receiving cattle or deer? Confirm the movement within 48 hours

AS THE season draws to a close, DairyNZ is reminding farmers to do a stock take of their supplements and to do a feed budget to them safely through to spring.

Craig McBeth says there has been a lot less feed grown this season, especially in the North Island because of the drought and farmers need to be monitoring their individual situation.

He says while the drought was severe in many places its impacts were also quite varied.

•

Sending animals to a NAIT accredited sale yard or meat processor?

They will record the sending movement for you

• Receiving animals from a NAIT accredited sale yard?

Confirm the movement

To find out more go to www.nait.co.nz or call NAIT on 0800 624 843

Dairy News May 28, 2013

50 // animal health

Bobby calf study triggers MPI call for probe ANDREW SWALLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz

UNDER AGE and mal-

Some bobby calves arriving at slaughter houses are under aged and malnourished, a study has found.

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nourished bobby calves arriving at slaughter plants have prompted Ministry of Primary Industries veterinary inspectors to call for further investigation of pre-transport management.

Their call, made in the May edition of the New Zealand Veterinary Journal, follows a study of calves that died or were condemned as unfit for processing at a Southland plant in 2011.

Report author Gareth Thomas told Dairy News that while it is disappointing any calves arrive in such a condition, the positive in the study is that

the numbers were low.

“It was only one premises and overall less than 1% died so the sample was a small number of a small number.”

However, of that sample, “a reasonable proportion” showed signs their handling hadn’t met best practice guidelines, he adds.

Of all calves delivered, 0.7% died pre-slaughter and 0.4% were condemned post slaughter, giving a total of 247 or 1.1%lost from production.

Analysis of those found digestive tract disorders were the biggest killer, accounting for 41% of deaths (see table), followed by unknown and omphalitis (navel infections).

The authors note the

Primary Diagnosis

Number (%)

Digestive tract disorder

101 (41)

No cause of death identified Omphalitis

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digestive tract disorders, particularly those resulting in severe diarrhoea, are one of the most common causes of death in other studies, ranging 14-58%.

Of the calves that died pre-slaughter at the Southland plant (as opposed to those that were condemned post slaughter due to, for example, omphalitis and septicaemia), 25% did not have curd in the abomasums.

“The absence of curd in this many calves prompts questions about the feeding practices used,” the report states.

“Further evaluation of pre-transportation feeding practices is indicated to fully determine compliance with the welfare codes and the suitability of non-clotting milk replacements for bobby veal calves.”

Thomas points out calves should be fed no more than two hours prior to collection, except where explicit approval to do otherwise is gained, such as where it can be shown the calves will be delivered to the processing plant within an hour or two of leaving the farm.

The fact some calves

born in the South Island are killed in the North Island indicates some of the transport distances involved, and with trucks sometimes collecting from 30-40 farms before delivery to a processor, the first calves loaded can be in transit for a long time, he adds.

“There should be no more than 28 hours from the last feed to being killed, and we like the transport component of that to be less than eight hours.”

Despite that time in transit, a quarter of the calves that died preslaughter were deemed immature, ie probably less than the required four days old, as they still had wet umbilical cords. However, there’s some uncertainty about the time the cord takes to dry in New Zealand conditions, the report notes.

Thomas’s message to dairy farmers likely to be selling bobby calves in a few months is simple: treat them as you would your replacement heifer calves, and don’t put them on the truck until they are at least four days old, and fit and healthy.

findings confirmed A follow-up to the 2011 work last spring (ie 2012) confirmed most findings of the NZVJ report, says Thomas, but a move to processing calves on the day of delivery, rather than the day after delivery, saw improvements in some areas. The findings of the 2012 study will be released at the New Zealand Veterinary Association conference in July.

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

breeding/animal health // 51

Malcolm Ellis with Hillstar Lot Jester.

Pendulum to swing back to Jerseys?

THE JERSEY breed was one of the

foundation stones of the New Zealand dairy industry; not so today with the number and popularity of these brown cows diminishing initially in favour of the larger-framed Friesians but more latterly for crossbreds.

But the pendulum could be about to swing back.

Until the late 1960s, the Jersey breed accounted for 70% of the national herd, today it’s at 12.1% and that, according to LIC jersey bull acquisition manager Malcolm Ellis, “is a dilemma not just for the breed but for the whole industry.

“The industry is better with Jerseys, it is one hell of a breed that’s worth fighting for and there’s a lot to be excited about now and in the future with the work we’re doing,” says Ellis.

“Based on the amount of milk solids they can produce for each kg of liveweight, Jerseys have a tremendous reputation for being a highly efficient breed, and I’ve seen farmers make this breed work across all systems.

“A system 5 Jersey farm I visited recently, for example, has a top cow just short of 500kg liveweight and it’s going to hit a tonne of milk solids this season. Their two-year-olds consistently exceed 600kg milk solids in their first lactation which is 1.18 times their liveweight.

“That’s massive, and it doesn’t stop there: in system 3 and 4 farms I’ve seen 400kg Jerseys nailing up to 460kg milk solids each, while system

1 and 2 rockets are also cracking the magical 1kg of milk solids for every 1kg of liveweight.

“These farmers are making the breed work for them, but the biggest problem facing Jerseys right now is they’re currently running fourth in a three-horse race when it comes to farmer’s mating choices, and their gene pool is getting lower each season.”

New Zealand dairy farmers understand breeding worth (BW) as a basis for bull selection and a goal for their herd but, Ellis says, declining numbers mean the Jersey teams haven’t been up there in recent years so some have understandably made the switch to the Kiwicross.

“The Jerseys have got to regain BW respect because I know in this game, if you don’t rock on the wall chart then you don’t perform because that is what farmers base their decisions on. They’re in a race against time to recapture genetic gain, but we’ve got to balance that with diversity in the genes too.”

The Kiwicross cow is the most popular in New Zealand, but Ellis says its continuity is enhanced with strong parent breeds, Jersey and Holstein Friesian, which allows the blend of traits that farmers want. \ “Dairy genetics is about understanding and predicting market signals so we can then apply scientific logic to the selection of young bulls which will sire the cows which will

produce the milk solid componentry required in the future.

“The Jersey cow is known for her high fat production and efficiency, so her inclusion either as a purebred or contributor to KiwiCross sires is of huge benefit for the industry.”

Ellis left behind 22 years of dairy farming Jerseys for the LIC job, 18 months ago, and his goal is clear.

“My number one responsibility at LIC is to produce two Jersey bull teams (daughter proven and forward pack) that Jersey farmers are proud of, and that KiwiCross and Holstein Friesian farmers can’t resist.

“We’re always going to have the Jersey demand for that first mating because it gets farmers to a crossbred, but my challenge is to get that farmer to want to go Jersey again, and for that to happen Jerseys have got to become more competitive against those other breeds.”

Embryo transfers will play a big part in that, allowing multiple bulls to be sourced from the country’s top Jersey cows and a lifetime of progeny to screen in just one year.

As part a new programme this year, 45 of the top Jersey yearlings from across the country will be farmed in the Waikato and undergo embryo transfers in addition to standard AB mating to create what Ellis describes as an “explosion of elite genetics,” with up to 440 high quality Jersey offspring for the national herd from just one season.

‘massive step in the right direction’ FOR NOW and for the upcoming spring mating, Malcolm Ellis describes this year’s LIC Jersey teams as a “massive step in the right direction” with a combination of high BW, solid ancestry and strength in liveweight and udders.

The newly formatted forward pack is made up of

the highest BW ranked Jersey daughter proven bulls, and supported by a number of genomically selected bulls.

“The forward pack is new this year, but it simply offers farmers the best of the best in their breed of choice.

“But no matter what your breed, I’d encourage you to take

a good look at what we’ve got this year in Jersey.

“And keep watching this space too, because with a combination of science, rock solid ancestry and extreme depth of pedigree, the future for Jerseys is looking much brighter from where I’m sitting.”

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Dairy News May 28, 2013

52 // animal health Tineke Verkade with the new natural teat conditioner.

Green light for natural teat conditioner SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

HOMEOPATHIC FARM Support Ltd,

Hamilton, which recently gained approval to sell a homeopathic natural teat conditioner, will be at the Fieldays next month.

Farmers visiting the HFSL site will find out the benefits of its new natural teat conditioner. Registered by MPI under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997, the teat spray is a first for New Zealand. It is on sale via the company’s website.

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Dutch nurse Tineke Verkade, who set up HFS 16 years ago, says getting the certificate of registration is another feather in the cap for her company.

HFS has a range of sprays to deal with animal health issues on farm.

After spending “lots of money” and dealing with MPI for nearly three years, Verkade says having the teat conditioner on the market is a great feeling.

“It’s very pleasing and now farmers want me to write a book,” says Verkade, who already has three books on homeopathy and farming to her name.

HFS Natural Teat Conditioner is a teat spray that can be used after every milking to maintain teat health, Verkade says. It treats cracked teats, blemishes, sores/pox and sore teats.

Available in a 10L concentrate container, it makes up to 100L of spray.

Price $124 incl. GST. Verkade started looking into a natural teat conditioner after interest from farmers.

“Farmers have been complaining to us about cracked teats and how the conventional sprays haven’t worked,” she told Dairy News. “One farmer complained he used sev-

As the dry flow granules poured into the dispenser, I relaxed, knowing the herd was being looked after.

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eral spurges but the teats were still cracked. During our on-farm trial, the natural teat conditioner showed results within three days.

“Also, the farm workers like the smell of the spray and cell count is also down.”

HFS trialed the new product over a month in 2011 on six farms between South Auckland and Southland, covering 1278 cows.

At the opening of HFS’ second plant in Hamilton recently, homeopathy was backed by several farmers and organic industry stakeholders.

Organics consultant Bill Quinn, Paeroa, says the teat conditioner is a great achievement for the dairy industry.

“The fact that a small company has negotiated the complexities of the compliance requirements of the ACVM Act is a significant achievement in these times of fiscal restraint and increasing bureacractic compliance.”

Desrae Scown, who milks cows with partner Clinton in South Taranaki, has been using homeopathy on her farm for 15 years. She claims at least 25% of Fonterra farmers are using some form of homoeopathy.

NEW Y TECHNOLOG DEVELOPED IN NZ

Dairy News may 28, 2013

animal health // 53

BOVATEC BIG GIRLS ARE MORE DESIRABLE.

Mastitis found in New Zealand herds is different to that found in US and EU cows.

Mastitis treatment vindicates maker’s choices and control measures, mastitis doggedly remains the single most costly animal health issue on New Zealand dairy farms today, says animal health company Virbac Stockguard.

It is perhaps surprising that there have been no major recent breakthroughs in the treatment of clinical mastitis and the use of intramammary antibiotics during lactation continues to be the mainstay of treatment options as it has been for the last 50 years, the company says.

One of the less commented upon aspects of intramammary mastitis treatment in New Zealand has been the widespread adoption of products developed by major pharmaceutical companies in Europe and the US. It was therefore long overdue to take a step back and review this situation, especially now with the growing global call for more responsible use of antibiotics in livestock, the company says.

“The question has to be asked ‘are

the bacterial causes of mastitis in New Zealand sufficiently similar to those in the US and Europe that we can justify the treatment options currently available to us?’

“This is exactly what we did and the resounding answer they found was in many cases, No! “In fact we should not be surprised at this when we consider that in Europe and the US dairy cows are housed for a significant part of the year and this exposes them to mastitis organisms not commonly seen in New Zealand. Fortunately for New Zealand pasture based dairy cows, the majority of the mastitis causing bacteria are sensitive to penicillin, in fact even today penicillin continues to be the most potent antibiotic for many of these organisms.”

Virbac Stockguard began developing a penicillin based intramammary, designed from the ground up to be a treatment for cases of mastitis in New Zealand dairy cows.

One important issue that needed

addressing was that a number of bacteria recovered from cases of mastitis are resistant to penicillin: the betalactamase producing Staphylococci.

The answer on paper seemed straightforward enough; combine penicillin with cloxacillin, a type of penicillin that overcomes the resistant strains of Staphylococci. Virbac Stockguard would then have the basis for an intramammary treatment tailor-made for New Zealand.

After much effort, (6 years and 20 different formulations) PenClox 1200 was produced, a patented dual combination of penicillin and cloxacillin in a single intramammary syringe, developed specifically to meet the treatment needs of the majority of New Zealand mastitis cases.

The results of a recently completed New Zealand clinical field trial in which PenClox 1200 was compared with the leading New Zealand intramammary treatment is said to have vindicated the choices which Virbac Stockguard made.

New sales manager for animal health GEA FARM Technologies New Zealand has appointed Colin May national sales manager, animal health and hygiene brand FIL. May, with 30 years’ experience in agricultural sales and business development, previously spent eight years at Gallagher Group, in international business including sales in Chile and South Africa.

He worked 17 years at EcoLab, winning Asia Pacific Sales Manager of the Year and International Sales Manager of the Year company awards.

May says he likes FIL’s reputation for innovation, and the opportuni-

ties arising from its 2010 takeover by development and animal and plant hygiene was a valuable addition.

GEA Farm Technologies.

“FIL is now part of a total He knows how the industry solution for has evolved over the past 25 years. farmers as part “Farmers have gone from owner of GEA Farm operator lifestyles to being major Technologies, employers of multi-million dollar which includes businesses with all the challenges that go with being an entrepreneur.” milking machine equipment FIL has 16 area managers intent and effluent on raising farmer knowledge and management understanding of animal health and products.” hygiene, the company says.

GEA Farm Technologies New Zealand managing director Jamie Colin May Mikkelson says May’s experience in sales, management, business

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ACVM Registration No’s A6956, A9679, A10829. 1. Data on file. 2. Nussio et al. 2002. Scientia Agricola, 59, 3: 421-426. 3. Erickson PS et al. Ionophore taste test preferences of dairy heifers J Anim Sci. 2004;82:3314-3320.

ZOE 1017

DESPITE DECADES of research

Dairy News May 28, 2013

54 // machinery & products

Auto milking, calf feeding give farmers a break GARETH GILLATT

AUTOMATED milking machines and calf

feeders are letting four Waikato dairy farmers take farming easier while retaining healthy businesses.

Gavin Weal, of Te Awamutu, David and Glenys McConnell, of Hamilton, and Simon and Joanne Belton, of Matamata, have turned to automated systems for best use of labour on their 200-300 cow farms.

McConnell bought three Lely Astronaut automatic milking machines after moving from a 600 cow, 200ha property near Gore to a 71ha property 6km from the centre of Hamilton. “I wanted a change. I wanted a warmer climate and though I still

matic milking; the longest was ten days. McConnell found it hardest to adapt himself. “The first month was a trial getting my head around how the system

enjoy farming I’m tired of milking twice a day.”

McConnell says setup was not difficult and he was able to start using the automatic milking system

“I don’t go out till 7.30-8am. I could get all the farmwork done in 90 minutes a day with a one person unit.” – David McConnell worked and the cowflow. I had to reeducate myself.”

McConnell’s shed management now consists of a 20 minute hose down and equipment check twice a day. “I don’t go out till 7.30-8am. I could get all the farmwork done in 90 minutes a day with a one person unit.”

Somatic cell counts averaged between 20,00070,000 and got up to 130,000 with autumn calvers.

in August after the deal was finalised in June. “I just filled in the herringbone pit and retrofitted the existing herringbone shed.”

Some 240 of his spring and autumn calvers were bought from Southland and McConnell culled two cows even though he didn’t select stock specifically for the robotic milker.

Most stock adapted in one-five days to the auto-

While somatic cell counts are higher than normal now for Te Awamutu farmer Gavin Weal he expects it to be a temporary measure.

Weal in early May installed three Lely Astronaut milking units in a new dairy plant and is now training cows how to use the machines. Some did hold their milk when the process started which did put stress on the SCC but now they’re relaxed and milking right out. That’s bringing the SCC down pretty quick.”

Weal installed the automatic milkers to allow him to continue farming while stepping back to leave day to day running of the farm to his son Stuart.

He has downsized from a 110ha, 300 cow farm to a 71ha, 230 cow farm and will reduce his labour pool

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Lely automised system on David and Glenys McConnell farm in Hamilton.

from three to one and a half.

“I’m slowing up a bit now. I’ve been milking cows for 35 years and my son works on the farm so this will be something he can take over.”

With a washdown time of 10 minutes twice a day compared to a two -2.5 hour milking through their 28 bale herringbone, Weal is already seeing the benefits. “And that will get better as cows get more used to the system and produce less effluent.”

Simon and Joanne Belton, at Matamata, moved to automated stock management after a rapid expansion. They run a

97ha, 330 cow operation and had recently changed from spring calving to split calving.

Calf rearing occupies Joanne one-two hours daily, too long to do without the automated calf feeder, especially because she works off the farm three days a week.

“I do the bulk of the work with the calves in the morning before I go to work; and I can now call into the sheds in my office clothes at the end of the day and check everything is okay, and if so, go home for the evening.

“This isn’t to say that I don’t spend time with the calves. I still have contact

with them when putting other supplements out to them, and they are just as friendly as they were on the more manual system.”

She says she has noticed a more even growth rate of calves now they have moved to an automated system. “With the automatic calf feeder every calf will get their entitlement of milk, and those calves that gorge will not benefit from another calf’s entitlement of milk.

The system also warms the milk.

“There is a more even growth this year and we have more time to put into other things.” www.lely.com

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

machinery & products // 55

BOVATEC BIG GIRLS PERFORM BETTER IN THE SHED.

The Minda calving app records calving as it happens.

New smartphone app to help at calving approve back in the office before herd records are updated.

It is now on trial on autumn calving farms.

Colin Grainger-Allen (pictured) is one triallist. The 50/50 sharemilker near Rotorua, with 550 cows on 220ha, says he is never without his smartphone and although he also has Minda Mobile, he will be downloading the Calving app for him and his staff to use this spring.

“Calving is an intense time of year, and you’re never quite prepared enough, but this will help with the records because nobody ever leaves home without their phone….

“I used to carry so much around with me in the back of the yellow notebook, calculator and farm maps, but now it’s all in my phone.

“It’s amazing how much I use it, at home and down the farm. In the past we’ve used a waterproof notebook to record calving details but last year I found myself putting the

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electronic notes into my phone too.

“I don’t use the computer much anymore, I like to do everything on my phone; it saves time and it’s something I always have with me.”

His staff are the same, with mobiles being their way of keeping in touch across the farm. “It’ll be good to have the option of

getting them recording, and more involved with the app on their phones too.

“It’s really simple and it also provides a set way for everyone to record the information. All the data then feeds back into one place so we can check it back home and approve before it’s updated in our full records.”

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Tel: 0800 650 277, Fax: 0800 628 629. BOVATEC is a registered trade mark of Zoetis Inc. or its subsidiaries.

ACVM Registration No’s A6956, A9679, A10829. 1. Data on file. 2. Nussio et al. 2002. Scientia Agricola, 59, 3: 421-426. 3. Erickson PS et al. Ionophore taste test preferences of dairy heifers J Anim Sci. 2004;82:3314-3320.

ZOE 1020

AN APP from LIC for Android and Apple smartphones will soon allow farmers to add calving information to their herd records – from anywhere.

The Minda Calving app can take farmers’ records out of the office – view and update details from down the farm.

It will be ready for spring calving, says Rob Ford, LIC’s general manager of farm systems. “It’s got to be one of the most requested products we’ve ever had.”

“Many farmers have already identified how this technology can assist them and their business, whether it’s for keeping in touch with staff, taking notes, photos or voice memos. But with applications that are specifically designed for their common tasks they will be able to do so much more.”

Ford says the app can be installed on multiple devices, so staff can share and enter data from their own phones, for the manager or record-keeper to

Dairy News May 28, 2013

56 // machinery & products

No compromise on safety WITH 50 years of man-

ufacturing the German made Nevada electric effluent pond stirrers, the company reckons it has something to be proud of.

Utilising the well proven high performance three bladed propeller,

and durable long-lasting slide bearings, Nevada’s new electric series stirrers generate enormous thrust and vigorous horizontal flow to ensure thorough mixing of all the valuable nutrients. This is achieved even in the biggest effluent ponds, the company says.

“And Nevada will not compromise on safety.

Every Nevada machine is designed with safety in mind, that’s why the EL series are shoremounted.”

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The sturdy easily adjustable pivot provides a 360o pivot control and total depth angle adjustment. Safe and simple to set up and service, the EL series are unparalleled for operator convenience.

The galvanised steel construction, greasable slide bearings, and a protected cast iron electric motor add to the durable quality.

Nevada electric series come in a range of sizes and configurations for small to large lined or unlined effluent ponds: lengths 7m or 9m; motor sizes 10-30hp.

Nevada machines are designed with safety in mind and are shore mounted.

Tel. 0800 464 393 www.nevadanz.co.nz

Proven Designs, Proven Profits

Waikato Dairy Builders are specialists in the design and construction of herringbone dairy sheds.

A Waikato Dairy Builders shed is designed to maximise milking efficiency and provide better profitability.

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introduced a new range of headlamp conversion kits to allow owners to upgrade the lighting on their work vehicles, or for use in new applications.

Free-Form technology uses a special reflector to precisely control the light.

It works with the globe filament to maximise the

light output and pattern of light on the road.

The headlamp conversion kits cover all popular round and rectangular sizes used in many vehicles including farm utes.

The smaller round and rectangular lamps are each fitted with a glass

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lens with no optic function itself. Larger rectangular units such as the 200 x 142mm and the 7” round headlamp inserts each have virtually unbreakable polycarbonate lenses, which reduce the weight and add to the durability and active life of the lamp.

The full range includes high and high/low beam functions and incorporates the 7” (178mm) and 5 ¾” (146mm) round, plus the all new 165 x100mm and 200 x 142mm rectangular units.

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Jet Effect – The forward coupling of the rotors provides a smooth ’touchdown’, thus avoiding soil contamination of the forage when going into work.

This extensive range of side delivery rakes covers work widths from 3.5m to 19m to meet all farming requirements.

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Dairy News may 28, 2013

machinery & products // 57

First plastic milking liner A SPECIAL PLASTIC

developed by chemical giant Bayer is the basis of a new milking liner reckoned to raise milking hygiene.

Polymer Systems International Ltd (PSI), of Napier, says it has worked ten years with Bayer to develop the DairyFlo liner, a world-first that “marks

Bayer New Zealand business development manager Justin Gleeson with the DairyFlo liner.

Getting feed regime right pre-calving

can build up.”

DairyFlo liners are said to last at least three times longer than the average 2500-milking lifespan of a rubber liner, saving costs.

The thermoplastic used in DairyFlo is as soft and flexible as rubber “where it counts”, in the middle inflation section of the liner, and is more durable in the areas most susceptible to hoof damage, the company says.

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and degrade. Over time it breaks down and cracks, creating cavities in which bacteria can hide. Even with regular cleaning, these bacteria can be impossible to dislodge.

“Minimising somatic cell count in milk is a daily challenge,” says Waikato dairy consultant Mel Eden.

“DairyFlo liners remove some of the risk because they don’t perish and crack. Assuming that cleaning systems are working properly, this means there is nowhere bacteria

A N E W A P P R OAC H T O F U E L EC O N O M Y

IF YOUR feeding management isn’t right in the

transition to calving you are likely to get animal health problems, says Animal Health Direct.

Often these problems are associated with complex processes of the animal’s metabolism, it adds.

“Common conditions include grass staggers due to low concentrations of magnesium in the blood, milk fever when the concentration of calcium in the blood is too low and Ketosis when the cow is expending more energy than is being taken in.”

Once a cow is down it may be difficult to determine which of the above conditions caused the initial problem. Therefore, a good nutritional transition leading into calving is highly important. Preventing a metabolic disorder is always a better option than curing one.

The AHD metabolic range includes Minject/ Vetmin 4 in 1 ,Calject/Vetcal, Magsulph and Dextron, which are provide as pillow packs supported by Caljet and Calvet oral; this is administered orally to give an extended length of protection to aid in the prevention of a relapse. Also included in our metabolic range is Acedex, a quickly absorbed energy supplement.

Calject or Vetcal is the correct product to use when the cow has clinical milk fever. Milk fever usually occurs in the 48 hours pre or post calving. Milk fever occurs when the blood calcium levels drop below the normal blood calcium level of eight to ten milligrams per 100 millilitres.

Minject or Vetmin 4 in 1 is to be used when the cow has milk fever with complications. This usually happens 24 hours or more after calving. The complications are caused by imbalances of minerals such as Magnesium that are contained in Minject and Vetmin 4 in 1.

Cal- Jet or Calvet oral is an oral calcium or Minject/Vetmin 4 in 1. When used in this way it will increase the length of protection from two to four hours up to 12- 24 hours.

A better strategy is the preventative approach using one of the AHD energy drenches Rite –Start, Resolute, Cow Boost + Protexin and Over the Moon + Protexin which are used as preventatives for metabolic disorders, it says.

“These energy drenches have a high content of soya bean oil along with calcium and magnesium; they are free flowing under any weather conditions and highly palatable.”

Another oral application is the AHD Oral –Mag. Often under rated or over looked Oral –Mag which contains 25% magnesium pidolate is easily metabolized with a high degree of bioavailability. Oral –Mag remains in the body for up to 10 days and can be used in conjunction with other forms of magnesium supplements that offer a limited magnesium uptake.

the end of a 30-year race to produce a plastic liner that is hygienically safe.”

“The properties of this thermoplastic make it the perfect solution to the bacterial problems that occur with rubber liners in dairy sheds,” says Bayer New Zealand business development manager Justin Gleeson.

DairyFlo liners are impervious to milk fat and chemical cleaning agents, which cause rubber to swell

Dairy News May 28, 2013

58 // machinery & products

Kia eyes grand slam KIA MOTORS plans to

The soon-to-arrive Kia Carens.

launch five new models – perhaps even seven – this year.

“It’s shaping up to be a stellar year for us – we’ve never had to launch so many brand new products in such a short time,” says Todd McDonald, general manager of Kia Motors New Zealand.

First will be the all-new

Kia Cerato sedan, much like the award-winning four-door Optima. The new Cerato sedan is larger than the outgoing model and has new, more fuelefficient and cleaner engines.

Then will come an allnew Kia Carens 7-seater people mover with a new European styled exterior body style and a roomier

cabin. New engines also.

Later in the year will come an all-new 2-seater sports model; performance engine options, including a turbocharged 200hp unit, are being considered for this vehicle.

“There’s a real youthful appeal to the new models that are joining the Kia range this year, which will

be seen in their distinctive design and the choice of powertrains,” says McDonald.

Last year Kia stated it would be reducing the time it takes to develop new models and bring them to market, and declared that it would be launching an unprecedented 51 vehicles by 2017.

More grass, less cost A PRODUCT shown to reduce nitrate leaching and boost pasture growth costs less than conventional sources of nitrogen, the supplier says.

Farm-Aid, a ready-to-use enzymefortified formula, is applied to farm effluent ponds. It is distributed in New Zealand by Environmental Bio Solutions, a franchise of Environ- Mike Cooper mental Biotech, US. Local franchisee Mike Cooper says Farm-Aid has been shown to achieve a 25% increase in pasture growth without urea and to reduce nitrogen leaching into a water table. Trial results are posted online at the firm’s website.

“There’s no risk of nitrate poisoning and it is more cost effective than nitrification inhibitors,” he told Dairy News.

Effluent systems must be compliant 365 days a year, not just seasonally, he adds.

With Farm-Aid, the costs are lower and it delivers maximum benefits from effluent collected in ponds.

“It’s all about turning water to profit.”

During trials in Waikato, Farm-Aid was applied to effluent paddocks. Tests by WaterCare Services, Auckland, showed “significant enhancement of the potassium and sulphur fractions in the treated effluent compared with the untreated control,” Cooper reports.

“Physical observation of the treated and control ponds by the farm staff showed a reduction of odour from the treated pond.”

Soil sampling of paddocks before and after effluent application on both farms was by Stuart Lumley, Altum. Soil testing of the sam­ples was by Hill Laboratories Ltd. Hamilton.

Effluent, treated and untreated, was applied to designated paddocks on the same day at the same rate of application (13 mls) well within the local body allowable application rate.

Grass growth after seven and fourteen days was measured on both paddocks by using a calibrated plate meter, Cooper says. “It was observed that the treated effluent paddock achieved an average growth rate of 95kgDM/day, www.farm-aid.co.nz

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Degradation also consumes nitrogen and phosphorous, converting it to biomass. Proprietary ingredients including enzymes and growth accelerators speed this microbial process to maximise the rate of treatment and throughput of manure.

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