Dairy News 24 July 2012

Water quality rules could drive farmers out of business. Page 3

fast flowing milk Miraka to operate at full capacity Page 14

high achiever bags award

Southern bull takes Mahoe Trophy Page 22

july 24, 2012 Issue 273 // www.dairynews.co.nz

strategy refresh New RD1 managing director Jason Minkhorst wants a no-nonsense approach to serving farmers .

PAGE 4

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

news // 3

Water rules could force farmers out of business andrew swallow

WATER QUALITY rules recently ratified in Otago will cost many farmers a small fortune and could force some out of business, says Federated Farmers Dairy regional chair David Wilson.

While it is yet to be revealed how Plan Change 6A will be policed, the standards are set and will be a challenge for most to meet by the implementation date, November 2017, he told Dairy News.

“I think there will be a large number of people who struggle to meet all the requirements... the list goes on and on and you’ve got to meet all of those.”

Limits on waterway and farm drainage content of E.coli, nitrite/nitrate nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, phosphate, and turbidity have been set.

Wilson says a particular worry is the use of nutrient modelling system Overseer as the tool to calculate nitrate losses to groundwater. “It’s a very blunt instrument.

The people that designed it say it’s accurate to within 30% either way. When you’re talking about

Fonterra 4th in dairy rankings. PG.09

Bowing out in style. PG.10

Wintering facilities such as Herd [nitrate loss] limits of 10kg and 30kg Homes will be needed on many farms per hectare it doesn’t give you a lot of to be confident of not breaching water confidence you won’t be pinged for a quality targets, he believes, costing breach you have no control over.” farmers hundreds of thousands, if not His 150-cow farm on the Taieri Plain millions, of dollars, for little if any promet the 30kgN/ha standard on last duction gain. year’s inputs but whether it will every There’ll also be a considerable extra year he’s not sure. A change to baleage David Wilson management burden, with farmers instead of pit silage was needed to avoid the cost of facilities to collect and pump leachate needing to constantly check plans against Overfrom pits to effluent ponds for storage and spread- seer, and regularly take water quality samples for analysis so they don’t get a nasty shock when the ing.

Winter crops will also be too big a risk on his council’s tests are done.

When a water quality problem is found in a farm, he believes, as the land is flat and below sealevel, so no amount of riparian planting will pre- catchment, Wilson says he understands the council will test its way up the catchment, farm by farm, vent run-off from flooding.

But the changes he’s facing are small compared with those found to be responsible footing the bill to what some will have to do to be compliant, he for all the testing, probably as well as facing prosesays. “One example is a 2000-cow farm that will cution. “Those people would be decimated if that were to happen.” have to cut its herd to 500.”

One positive is that ORC’s approach to meetThose in North Otago, some of whom recently invested heavily in irrigation and conversions, will ing the NPS requirements is that it continues the region’s permitted activity approach to farming. be among the hardest hit, he notes.

Co-op faces flak over port decision FINGERS ARE pointing at Fon-

Why succession planning is so important.

PG.30

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terra for the loss of container shipping from PrimePort, Timaru.

The South Canterbury port earlier this month announced Maersk and Hamburg Sud’s decision to drop it from September would cost it $6m in revenue and 50 jobs.

Port chief executive Jeremy Boys and local chamber of commerce president (and farmer) Tony Howey were among those to note Fonterra’s 2009 decision to rail containers 160km from Clandeboye to Lyttelton, rather than 30km to Timaru, precipitated the closure.

Last week local Federated Farmers representatives criticised the dairy cooperative’s move too, and questioned what had driven it.

“I am not going to bash Maersk or Hamburg Sud,” said Ivon Ivon Hurst Hurst, Federated Farmers South Canterbury provincial president. “The shipping lines are simply reacting to what a major client of theirs now wants to do.”

But Fonterra says changes to its port usage back in 2009 were about

improving service to the cooperative’s global customer and reducing costs by moving containerised product away from indirect feeder services to direct export services, as well as giving lower end-toend costs.

This model is not unique to dairy producers or New Zealand, the airline industry uses larger carriers on its main routes like Auckland and Christchurch, says the co-op’s director group supply chain Joe Coote.

“It’s vital for Fonterra to have the most efficient, reliable and flexible links with its markets around the world.”

Fonterra moves its South Island product through Lyttleton and Otago ports, and if services are offered it will use regional ports such as Southland. Hurst says the question is why is KiwiRail handing Fonterra everything it wants on a “publicly subsidised silver platter”?

Local businesses using container shipping estimate using Lyttelton or Port Chalmers will add about 20% to their import or export costs.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

4 // news

A homecoming for new RD1 chief sudesh kissun

FOR newlyappointed RD1 man-

aging director Jason Minkhorst, it feels like a homecoming.

The Fonterra executive has relocated to Hamilton from Auckland to take up his new role from July 1. Having grown up on a dairy farm in Waharoa and studied economics at the Waikato University, Minkhorst is back in familiar territory.

And like the Waikato, RD1 is also not unfamiliar to Minkhorst. As Fon-

terra’s general manager commercial, he served on the board of the rural service provider for six years.

Fonterra owns RD1 having bought its joint venture partner’s 50% stake in July 2011. Minkhorst led the buyback process.

He says RD1 is a great business with great people. But his role is no longer linked to boardlevel governance. Minkhorst now heads an organisation with 64 stores, 700 staff and three business divisions- rural stores, NZAgbiz (calf milk replacers wholesaler) and INL (bulk feed importer).

For Minkhorst, customer service is paramount. Improving the level of service is part of his strategy refresh. The first week in his new role was spent at the RD1Taupiri store where he served farmers, stacked magnesium oxide onto utes and carried chook pellets. He also met farmers over a social event organised at the store.

Farmers had plenty of advice for him. It’s important to listen to them, he says. “From my stint at the Taupiri store, it is clear how important customer service is,” Minkhorst told

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Farmers have a busy life and have little time to waste when it comes to buying rural supplies.

All they want to know is which store is closest to them and whether it has the stock, he says.

“As farmers get busy with calving, they have no time to muck around.

They are in and out of the store and back on farm.

“If we don’t have the product they want and when they want, us being number one in dairying means little to them.”

Minkhorst says RD1 is

Jason Minkhorst is the new managing director of RD1.

keen to improve its store footprint in key dairy areas to save farmers time and money.

His strategy refresh includes “a no nonsense approach”.

“We are busy but farmers are even busier. Our job is to help farmers get things done and they must see us doing things for them.”

Minkhorst says while RD1 has the biggest range of dairy products in the country it also caters for other farmers.

Commenting on the rural service trade, Minkhorst says farmers are cautious as economic volatility continues around the globe. But the outlook is great, he adds.

“We believe we have

a good offer in the dairy space.”

He says competition in the rural services sector is good as it offers farmers choice.

RD1 is part of Fonterra’s ANZ brands business. Minkhorst reports to Fonterra ANZ managing director John Doumani, who is based in Melbourne.

‘Sharpen industry image’ andrew swallow

FARMING NEEDS a sharper

image if it is to attract and retain the best people, which in turn will drive profit. That message was delivered last week by DairyNZ strategy investment leader, people and business, Mark Paine, at the Red Meat Sector conference in Queenstown.

“There is latent profit sitting on most farms in New Zealand and it’s our job to work with farmers to capture that,” he told the audience of several hundred.

Analysis of DairyBase data 2007 to 2010 shows the Farm People Impact on profit is massive, the best achieving over $3000/ha operating profit, while the worst take a thumping loss.

Paine says economics dictates the sector must continue to grow

to retain its edge internationally but stresses it has to do that sustainably, with no increase in environmental footprint. “This challenge is a challenge of people. We need very smart people to manage what is a very complex biological system.”

DairyNZ’s strategy is simple, he says. Past research and extension work has focussed largely on cows and pasture as the drivers of profit. Now there’s a similar focus on people to try to ensure advances are implemented.

“We must continue to increase the profitability of our businesses but to do that we need to attract and retain and grow the brightest and best people in the industry….

We’re not taking our foot off the pedal in terms of cows and grass, but are adding the people bit to it so it’s more balanced.”

The levy body’s 40 consulting

officers reach 4500 farms through discussion group participation but the aim is to raise that to 6000 – over half the 11,000 dairy farms in the country.

In the case of farm owners, developing skills to manage increasingly large numbers of staff is seen as key as farms get bigger. While at least 65% of farms are still traditional “mum and dad” operations, they are below the industry average size and an ever-growing proportion of production comes from large family businesses DairyNZ classes as in “transition” on the road to a corporate structure, or farms that are already corporate structures.

“These are employing five, six or more people. That demands a whole new class of skills.”

DairyNZ believes all farm owners or managers should be educated to diploma or a higher level.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

news // 5

Floods break fences, damage pastures peter burke

in brief NZDL suppliers sign FONTERRA’S OFFER to contract New Zealand Dairies suppliers for the coming season has been accepted by the suppliers group.

Group chairman Robert Borst last week told Dairy News all suppliers remaining with NZDL when it called in receiver BDO on May 17 had committed to the co-operative, though some had “reservations” about doing so.

MANY DAIRY farmers around

the West Coast town of Westport are frantically cleaning up their farms after a heavy rain storm swept the area last this month.

The flooding in the Buller catchment is reported as being the worst in three decades.

The West Coast Regional Council says one of its rain gauges near Inangahua Junction on the Buller River recorded 184mm over three days. Further south in the Paparoa Ranges 387mm were recorded.

Federated Farmers West Coast Dairy chairman Richard Reynolds says the flood was unusual because it lasted so long. Normally he says floods go up and down quite quickly. “In terms of damage, some farmers were badly hit while others got off comparatively lightly. Most farms had fences damaged and some silt on their pastures,” he says.

One of those farmers badly hit was John Milne. He says it was the worst event he’s seen since he converted his farm to dairying in 1993.

He and his wife Joanne farm about 4km from Westport and run 250 cows on their 90ha property on the banks of the Buller River.

“A lot of logs came down in the river so the flood was very very swift. These caused a lot of damage.

We’ve had a lot of damage to our infrastructure with races scoured out and fences which, believe it or not, usually stand up to floods quite well, have been damaged.

Fence posts have been ripped out and tossed across paddocks. Pasture wise it’s fine because the water came up and down quite quickly,” he says.

Other infrastructure on the farm such as his house, the dairy

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shed, feed pads and supplements were not damaged. Because they farm on a floodway, the West Coast Regional Council gave Milne a warning about an impending flood and he was able to move his cows to higher ground.

“The council have a system here for self warning and I am convener of that. So they ring me and I start ringing everyone else to let them know, and then follow the progress of the flood on the internet,” he says.

Milne says he reckons it will take him ten days to get his farm back in order, just in time for calving which

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some minor damage to his farm, but it only took about a day to get things back to normal.

O’Regan says he doubts whether the floods will have any affect on dairy production on the Westland region.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

6 // news

Lawmakers haggle over TAF peter burke

FONTERRA FARMERS may have put TAF

(trading among farmers) behind them but it’s still causing friction in Parliament.

A last-minute dust up flared between National and Labour as the DIRA

Bill passed through its second reading, the second-to-last step before it gets passed into law.

The bill is designed to provide an oversight of how Fonterra sets it farmgate milk price and includes changes to allow TAF. This latter point is the one that has provoked an outcry. While Fonterra

shareholders voted for TAF, the cooperative failed to get the 75% majority required to put a 20% cap on the investment fund where farmer shares could be traded.

The scrap occurred when Labour’s spokesman

to introduce a last minute amendment to the bill even though it had been through the select committee process during which all stakeholders had a chance to make subDavid Carter Damien O’Connor missions. The second reading is where only for primary industries, politicians can propose Damien O’Connor, tried

and vote on amendments to the bill.

O’Connor proposed a 23% cap be put on the size of the investment fund and says he had Fonterra support for this amendment. He was annoyed National voted against his idea.

“The National Government voted this proposal down, which unfortunately leads to the conclusion that they want to remove all legislative protection for farmer shareholders, our single biggest New Zealand-owned company.”

O’Connor says Fonterra itself has said the fund size is critical, and says Labour believes a limit is needed to protect the company from the influence of outside investors who want a greater share of the most successful international dairy cooperative. “ The problem now for the Fonterra Shareholders Council is that the 20% limit, as proposed by Fonterra, will not be in place prior to the issuing of unit securities later this year.”

But Primary Industries

Minister David Carter rubbished the idea, saying it’s been a bit difficult for the Labour caucus trying to back someone who’s never quite understood the DIRA legislation.

“In Parliament [O’Connnor] claimed the legislation is about the destruction of the Fonterra cooperative. It’s not and the farmer shareholders are brighter than that, otherwise they would never have voted to support it.”

Carter says if O’Connor was serious about getting support for his amendment he should have given it to him sooner than just two hours before he raised the issue in Parliament.

“Labour made a foolish decision not to support the legislation and they made that decision because they felt they had to support their spokesperson who made some stupid comments about the demise of this cooperative.

The DIRA Bill is likely to get its third reading this week and could be signed into law by the end of the month.

Overseer 6 on its way pam tipa

A MAJOR upgrade of the nutrient management software Overseer will be released on August 3.

Overseer 6 will include new features in software, and incorporate changes to farming systems and in science.

“It’s a major upgrade and that’s why it has taken so long; it’s been three to four years in the making,” says Mark Shepherd, AgResearch team leader, Overseer development and application.

With a new look and complete rewrite by a software development company, Overseer has moved to webbrowser architecture, so it can be accessed by broadband with the user able to log onto a secure web server. There are still options to download or get the program by disk.

Another new feature is that it can now link to other software.

Among changes in farming systems is the single enterprise model. “We used to have a cropping model, a pastoral model, a fruit model -- all separate,” says Shepherd. “A farm that has a cropping and animal mix can now do it in one model. We also have dairy goats in there.”

Shepherd says the Overseer upgrade needed to represent changes to farming systems which are always evolving.

“Sometimes Overseer hasn’t been able to capture all farms. We have made sure it is now as applicable to as many types of farms as possible. Lots of farms are bringing in or growing more supplements now, so we can now deal with that.”

Two other changes particularly applicable to dairy farms is Overseer’s upgrade of effluent management systems and that it now captures embodied CO2.

NAIT now mandatory for cattle - how to comply The National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme became mandatory for beef and dairy farmers, including lifestylers, on 1 July 2012.

This means if you are in charge of cattle but have not got a NAIT number, you will not be able to move stock off-farm.

To meet your NAIT obligations you need to: • Get a NAIT number • Tag your animals • Register your animals with NAIT Once you’ve done this you’ll be able to record movements of cattle in the NAIT system. This is now legally required if you are moving stock off-farm.

Deer join the NAIT scheme on 1 March next year. Deer farmers can also get ready and are encouraged to check what they need to do on the NAIT website www.nait.co.nz.

Get a NAIT number

Now the NAIT scheme is mandatory for cattle every person in charge of cattle at a given location must register with NAIT and get a NAIT number. A NAIT number is in addition to an Animal Health Board (AHB) number or dairy participant code.

The quickest way to get a NAIT number is via the NAIT website at www.nait.co.nz. It’s a straightforward process and takes less than 10 minutes.

Remember, any properties within 20km of each other where the same person is in charge of animals can be registered under the same NAIT number.

Also, have your AHB herd number or dairy participant code handy, as doing so will mean you can electronically view the tag numbers associated with your NAIT number in the NAIT system.

This makes it easier to register animals and to record animal movements.

Purpose of NAIT scheme

The scheme will provide lifetime traceability of individual cattle and deer, enhancing New Zealand’s ability to respond more quickly if there’s a food safety event or a biosecurity threat such as a disease outbreak. In a situation like this NAIT’s capacity to provide a rapid containment response would enable trade to resume more quickly with less economic impact for farmers and New Zealand.

How the NAIT scheme works

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The NAIT scheme is about who is responsible for stock on a day-today basis rather than who owns the animals. The NAIT scheme will link individual animals to the person responsible for them, and their current location.

This is done via the radio frequency identification device (RFID) ear tag in

Tag your cattle and deer

Now the NAIT scheme is mandatory for cattle, newborn animals must be tagged with NAIT-approved tags within 180 days of birth or before their first movement off-farm.

There is a three-year grace period for existing stock to be tagged with NAITapproved tags unless they are being moved off-farm.

Calves born from 1 July onwards should be tagged with a birth tag. Use a traka tag for all existing animals to make them compliant to move.

The mandatory requirement for an official Animal Health Board bar-coded secondary tag ceased on from 1 July 2012, but you should not remove these tags from existing animals.

You still need to use your AHB herd number or dairy participant code when ordering NAIT tags from your usual rural supplier.

Tagging exemptions

There are two main exemptions for tagging animals.

1. Calves less than 30 days old and going directly to a meat processor do not require NAIT tags as they are considered a low biosecurity risk and are not included in the NAIT scheme. For these calves continue to use the direct-to-slaughter tags currently issued by meat processing companies.

2. Animals which are considered by a farmer to be impractical to tag are also exempt from NAIT tagging requirements. This exemption only applies if the animal is tagged with an official AHB bar-coded primary tag and is being transported directly to a meat processor. For 2012/13 these animals will incur a levy of $13 per head (excluding GST) which will be deducted by the meat processor. each animal’s ear and a central database which links each tagged animal to information about the person registered as responsible for it, and the location where the animal is kept.

NAIT tags can be purchased from your local rural supplies company.

Recording each time an animal moves from one location to another, and/or when the person responsible for it changes is how the NAIT scheme maintains lifetime traceability of animals. It’s necessary for this information to be kept up to date so the NAIT system can quickly provide details of where individual animals are and who is responsible for them.

Benefits of RFID technology

The RFID technology used by the NAIT system is an enabler for on-farm benefits for farmers who make a further investment in RFID systems in

Registering animals

Animals now need to be registered with NAIT within one week of being tagged. Animals born after 1 July 2012 should be tagged within 180 days of birth. The registration process links animals to tags in the NAIT system so they can be traced.

If you’ve got a NAIT number you can register animals online now at www.nait.co.nz.

Recording cattle movements

NAIT legislation requires that when animals are sent to a location which has a different NAIT number linked to it, or the person in charge of the animals changes, this needs to be recorded in the NAIT system. For example, when an animal is bought, sold, sent for grazing or sent to a meat processor or saleyard.

Animal movements to NAIT-accredited meat processors and saleyards are recorded for you. For information about NAITaccredited organisations which carry out some or all NAIT obligations on behalf of people in charge of animals, including animal movement recording, go to www.nait.co.nz. When an animal is received from a NAIT-accredited saleyard a movement still needs to be recorded.

Getting help

NAIT-accredited information providers can handle many of your NAIT obligations for you. For a list of accredited information providers visit the NAIT website www.nait.co.nz. addition to NAIT-approved RFID tags.

Potential benefits include: • automated drafting of animals that meet pre-defined conditions • accurate recording of production details about individual animals so it can be used to support management decisions, for example: regularly weighing animals to sell at optimum individual weight tracking treatments recording breeding information measuring milk production {{

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

news // 9

Fonterra 4th in dairy ranking FONTERRA IS the fourth-largest dairy company globally in Rabobank’s rankings released last week but the bank expects vigorous competition in the coming year as companies ‘jostle’ to position themselves for changing markets.

Although the Global Dairy Top 20 chart was still dominated by OECD companies, the ‘biggest strides’ were made by Chinese giants, says the bank.

Yili, which joined the top 20 only last year, moved up four places into 15th, and Mengniu, moved up two places into 16th.

They were ‘riding the wave of domestic market sales growth’, the bank says.

Mergers and acquisitions have prompted some OECD companies to strengthen their position, and Rabobank expects the trend to continue in the next 12 months.

But as Rabobank reports “increasing urgency” in the fight for market position, Westpac’s latest report says the biggest news in commodity markets is the worsening US drought and skyrocketing grain prices.

“For grain reliant dairy [and meat] producers in the US this will feed through to higher costs, further squeezing margins for dairy producers,” says Westpac senior economist Anne Boniface.

The Black Sea region important for wheat markets, and India, have reported adverse conditions, says Boniface. A possible El Nino weather pattern in New Zealand would also make it difficult to repeat last season’s double digit growth in milk production.

Boniface says there could be further shortterm falls in price but lower growth in supply and improved economic growth in China should see prices improve towards the end of the year.

Last week’s GDT auction recorded a 0.9% drop in dairy prices.

But meanwhile Rabobank is warning that while most top global dairy companies are in the OECD, most growth lies beyond OECD boundaries. “The ability of these companies to respond to changing global market dynamics will determine their prospects for survival and success.”

Although companies have been responding for some time to these trends, “an increased sense of urgency has entered the game of late”. Market trends have accelerated and each new acquisition or merger narrows the remaining field of targets, it says.

There has been a wave of merger and acquisitions over the last 18 months, much of it cross border, with most of the companies in the top 20 having bought other companies or entered joint ventures.

“Rabobank expects to see companies continue to vigorously pursue merger and acquisition targets in the next 12 months as they jostle to position themselves for growth and profit in a changing market environment.”

Significant moves have included: Nestle’s takeover of Pfizer’s nutrition business; Lactalis’s takeover of Parmalat; FrieslandCampina’s

takeover of Alaska Milk in the Philippines; Arla’s planned merger with Milk Link (UK) and Milch-Union Hocheifel (Germany); Saputo’s

(Canada) takeover of US cheese maker DCI. Top placing: Fonterra is the fourth largest dairy company in the world.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

10 // news

West Coast co-op Jim Wafelbakker

Not many men can claim that, at the age of 19, they decided to take up a career in complete contrast to family tradition and move to the other side of the world.

But that’s exactly what Westland Milk Products director Jim Wafelbak-

ker, now 71, did when he decided to be a farmer, something his professional upper-middle-class Dutch family thought was beneath him.

Wafelbakker started out dairying in Otorohanga and ended up fulfilling another one of

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those boys’ own adventure cliches . . . he married Winnie, a good Kiwi lass who just happened to be the boss’s daughter.

After a period of sharemilking on Winnie’s dad’s farm the young couple bought their own place in the scenic Waitaha Valley, a half hour’s drive south of Hokitika on the South Island’s West Coast.

That was in 1974 and Wafelbakker, with his selfconfessed ‘upfront and blunt’ style, must have made a quick impression because, in 1987, his neighbouring farmers had elected him as a director on the cooperative’s board, representing the Waitaha district of about 14 shareholders at the time.

Wafelbakker received the handsome sum of $67.40 for attending each board day, $10 of which he gave to Winnie for doing the milking while he was away.

Coincidentally, 1987 was the year of the company’s 50th anniversary. Now, in the year of Westland Milk Product’s 75th jubilee, Wafelbakker is finally stepping down as a director, an unbroken stint of 25 years service.

There’s been a lot of milk through the pipes in those years.

Wafelbakker has seen the state of farming, the dairy industry, and of Westland, change dramatically.

He has been in the thick of changes which have seen the company evolve from a supplier to the New Zealand Dairy Board – which had a monopoly on all milk product exports – to a fully fledged independent milk products company.

Westland now does its own exporting, marketing, product development and research; and occupies a significant space in the agricultural and West Coast economy as the second biggest dairy cooperative in New Zealand.

Perhaps the biggest change was when the Dairy Board was broken up. West Coast dairy farmers had an opportunity to opt in with the big boys and be part of the giant that became Fon-

terra. But the Coasters have always had a fiercely independent spirit and a deep distrust of the folk ‘over the hill’, especially when it comes to the region’s primary industries.

“Coasters had a long history of doing the dirty work but someone else, not in the region, making the money,” says Wafelbakker.

“When we dug the gold, it was the bankers and dealers in Dunedin and Christchurch who made the money; when we cut the timber, the same, we did the dirty work while the suits over the hill made the real money; same with coal. Then dairying really came into its own and in 2001 we had a chance to do something different; we had a chance not just to be the boys that did the dirty work, but also the boys that made the money!”

Wafelbakker was an ardent campaigner for the Coast to form its own dairy company and he still describes it as one of the best things he’s been part of and of which Coasters can be justly proud.

“It was a bold decision. But it has saved the industry on the Coast. I am convinced that if we had not gone our own way our future would not have been as secure.

“Instead, we invested in the company, we built a new factory, commissioned new plant and put money and time into researching and developing new products.

“We’ve kept the jobs, and the money, here.

When the decision was made, shopkeepers were stopping me in the street to say thank you, people were phoning to say thank you. They knew how much retaining this business as our own meant to the local economy.”

Wafelbakker says that, like any new company, the newly independent Westland Milk Products has had its ups and downs, but the general direction is up, and the long term outlook good.

“Since becoming a director the cooperative has increased production by an average of 16% every year. How many

Dairy News july 24, 2012

news // 11

champion bows out in style companies anywhere in New Zealand can claim that?”

Of course, for directors like Wafelbakker, and the farmer suppliers generally, it’s been a steep learning curve.

“In the old days the directors had a pretty easy job of it really. The Dairy Board looked after all the marketing and exporting and product development, we just had to look after the factory.

“Now we have to worry about marketing and development and cashflow and keeping clients, getting new ones, developing new products – it’s all a very big deal. I know of no other job (being a director) where the decisions we make so directly affect the incomes and lifestyles of our fellow farmers.”

an industrial david and goliath story WESTLAND MILK is rapidly branching into the specialised area of milk-based nutritional products and is growing its market share in China and South East Asia.

Jim Wafelbakker says the cooperative’s story is an echo of his own – a young ‘chap’ that does good and succeeds against the odds – an industrial David and Goliath story.

“When we first became independent there were some pretty disparaging remarks about us being too small to survive but here we are.

“It’s been tough for our shareholder suppliers, we’ve had our ups and downs. But people have to remember we had to invest a lot in getting the factory upgraded, and even more on developing our own products and markets.

“But frankly, even with the recently announced lower than expected payouts for this season, I reckon when you stack Westland shareholders’ fortunes up against

suppliers to Fonterra, we’re more than holding our own. We’re cheaper and easier to get into, and farming generally on the West Coast is easier, and operational costs a little lower.

“But the best bit is that it’s ours, and I haven’t heard a farmer yet who’s said they wished we’d not gone the independent route.

“For me the future of Westland Milk Products is very bright. I can see us growing more still.”

And Wafelbakker won’t be entirely blind to these new developments, his son Gregg is also a shareholder and a senior manager in Westland based at the Rolleston site near Christchurch.

But what about the future for Wafelbakker?

“Well, I don’t have to milk now of course, we have contractors for that.

But you know, farming and Westland Milk Products have been my only hobbies, I don’t know how to do

Westland Milk, Hokitika.

anything else. So, am not sure what I’ll be doing.”

Wafelbakker says he has of recent times taken up golf, after almost a lifetime of disparaging it because he thought only snobby affluent people played it.

He knows better now, and regrets

not getting into the sport sooner – Winnie is a keen player.

“But, you know, it’s a bit far away and there’s still a lot to do here anyway so ...”

Which all sounds like Wafelbakker isn’t ready to give up on his ‘hobby’ of farming, just yet.

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12 // news

Infant formula launch A NEW infant formula, made from New Zealand milk,

has been launched in China.

Canterbury-based Carrickmore Nutrition says New Zealand’s strong food safety and consumer demand for quality is the starting point for the new venture.

Launched last week at the Shanghai Children and Baby Maternity Products Expo, the product highlights New Zealand’s food safety laws and clean, green reputation. It is being marketed as formula made from fresh New Zealand milk.

Carrickmore Nutrition managing director Chris Claridge says there are Chinese owned and a few New Zealand owned milk powder companies selling New Zealand orig-

Carrickmore Nutrition managing director, Chris Claridge (left), co-founder Richard Claridge and food safety director Imogen Dear with the new product.

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inated infant formulas.

“However, the fact we’re selling formula made from fresh New Zealand milk to our children as well as those in the rest of the world, shows the confidence we have in our product.

“We are pleased to have a New Zealand product which is safe, nutritious and truthfully labeled. Following a thorough testing process, Carrickmore Infant Formula has met New Zealand and Chinese regulatory requirements.”

Milk for the infant formula is supplied by Fonterra and is packaged in Auckland. Strict quality control enables Carrickmore to guarantee the safety and integrity of our Carrickmore Infant Formula, says Claridge.

Co-founder and former consultant obstetrician Richard Claridge says it is a world-class baby formula developed with a focus on nutrition and child development.

For us this is part of a long commitment, he says. “We have [done] research, developed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Canterbury to research maternal and neonatal nutrition and we have developed a range of complementary products including a cod liver, flax and DHA and ARA oil capsule range .”

Carrickmore executives attended the China launch.

Gentech Food, based in Guangzhou and Shanghai, has been appointed master distributor for China. Gentech distributes infant products to 600 Mother and Baby stores throughout China.

In New Zealand, Trents Wholesale Ltd, a subsidiary of Foodstuffs South Island Ltd has been chosen as the distributor, says Claridge.

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Seeking New Venue THE SOUTH Island Agricultural Field Days (SIAFD) will next year run at the Lincoln University Farm for the last time. Organisers are looking for a bigger venue to host the popular biennial event.

The three-day event will be held from March 20-22 next year. Chairman of the SIAFD organising committee Richard Westaway says although a location for the 2015 event has not yet been secured, 2013 will be the final year the Field Days is held on the Lincoln University Farm site.

“One of the reasons we have to move is we need a larger site to ensure we will always have the capacity for comparative demonstrations as they are a major part of our event.”

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

14 // news

Miraka set to process at full capacity peter burke

Miraka, the Maori

owned dairy processing plant near Taupo, will be operating at full capacity this season and it’s been having a major spring clean to gear up for change.

Chief executive Richard Wyeth says they plan to produce 35,000 tonnes of whole milk powder (WMP) this season - well up on the 25,000 tonnes produced in the past season, which was its first.

The plant started processing on Monday having closed for nearly two months for scheduled maintenance.

“The team here has been through winter main-

tenance and is pretty excited about starting up the second term,” Wyeth says. “It’s just been a matter of making sure all the evaporators are stripped down and the whole plant given a thorough clean. We’ve been using abseilers to clean the insides of the powder bins as well as other parts of the plant.”

Wyeth says while the plant uses some very advanced technology, this is robust and does not require much maintenance.

“It’s essentially the mechanical side that we have been attending to,” he says.

Miraka has a full book of suppliers and this means the new factory

will be operating at full capacity – a year ahead of schedule.

“Last year we stretched the legs on the plant so we ran it at full capacity for a number of days in October to make sure the plant could cope with producing 35,000 tonnes of WMP. I am

comfortable that we’ll be able to do that but it will come with a bit more pressure than our first season,” he says.

Most of the extra production will be taken by existing customers.

Wyeth says the customers liked what the plant produced and want more, so

Miraka will produce an extra 10,000 tonnes of milk powder this season.

there won’t be a significant increase in the customer base in 2012-13.

But the success of the past season has put the focus on future growth to which he will devote a significant amount of his time this year.

“We are certainly keen to grow.”

Darfield plant ready for launch THE NEW 60-strong staff at Fonterra Darfield are into their final weeks of trials before the first milk arrives.

Fonterra Canterbury operations manager Richard Gray says everyone is excited to see their hard work come to fruition.

“Safety and quality are our top pri-

orities and with all the team on board our focus is on testing the new plant’s processes with water.”

New staff have been familiarising themselves with the systems by visiting four of the co-op’s 26 sites around the country, including Te Rapa and Whareroa in the North Island and Clandeboye and

Edendale in the South Island.

Jobs at the new site have been a good option for those affected by the Christchurch earthquake, says Mike O’Dea, one of the new packing operators at the plant. “Earthquake damage meant Canterbury Brewery had to be shut and I was made redundant. But when one

door closes another opens and it’s great to have this opportunity.”

Three quarters of the jobs have gone to Canterbury people. Fifty more positions will be added in 2013 when the site’s second drier comes on line. When both driers are running the site will process up to 6.6 million L of milk.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

news // 17

Ready to take milk PAM TIPA

AS FONTERRA’S Kauri

factory in Northland kicked into gear on July 5, the cooperative was finishing off $100 million of maintenance upgrade nationwide.

The milk season rolls out over about a month from the top of the North Island to Southland.

Fonterra director New Zealand operations Brent Taylor says the maintenance window this year on its 80 individual plants at 26 sites was smaller than usual because of the big season last season.

“Everything gets the once over – everything gets looked and checked so we start out reliable and keep being reliable for the season,” he told Dairy News.

The Kauri site had a new boiler installed and major work on the water chiller.

Fonterra Kauri maintenance

engineering manager Rob Woodgates says the team had about five weeks to get the Northland site humming again.

“We had some pretty ambitious targets to meet but we got there. We’ve done the regular compliance maintenance testing, upgrading parts of our manufacturing equipment, and also done some major work on our drains after the flooding earlier this year.

It’s now all hands on deck to process the milk that is coming in.”

Taylor says the annual once over would be New Zealand’s largest maintenance operation, involving precise planning and heavy engineering.

“It’s no easy feat. We have to get an army of local contractors, as well as our own maintenance and operations teams to replace thousands of bearings, valve kits and flush all of our vats.

Fonterra Kauri tanker operator Elliot Pirihi (left) about to unload his latest milk collection with Kauri maintenance engineering manager Rob Woodgates.

“This year our maintenance spend has included everything from major overhauls of equipment, replacing obsolete parts in plants, to putting in the latest technology to improve overall efficiencies and productivity.”

Taylor says he is as keenly interested as anyone in how big the next season will be but is not making any predictions. But talking to Dairy News from Christchurch where it was 18C and warm like a summer day, he was hopeful.

“We are having a pretty

kind winter. Last season was one out of the box because we had a good autumn followed by a good winter, good spring, summer and autumn.

“If we have a good spring we’ll have a good season but it only takes 10 days of bad weather especially in the spring and you are back to a normal season or a bad season.

“The reality is you can’t really see past the next 10 days – we do our best to get all the forecasts but the reality is, it is largely climate driven,” says Taylor.

New light shed on Tip Top AUCKLAND’S ICONIC ‘Tip Top corner’ on the Southern Motorway at Mt Wellington has a new look following a two-year $40 million makeover.

The Fonterra-owned company last week reopened the plant. after deciding two years ago to upgrade.

Model Rachael Hunter was at the pre-dawn unveiling recalling how a Tip Top Trumpet ice cream commercial filmed at Eden Park launched her international career. “I think I did my own make up that day… and here I am 25 years later.”

Tip Top general manager Brett Charlton told staff that more had changed than the company’s 50-yearold building. “When we think back… there’s been a cultural change in the way we think about our business. We’re a world-class organisation, with world class systems and people.

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Charlton made special mention of employee Dave Faul who worked at the site for 48 years and passed on his knowledge to other staff. The site was paddocks and cows here when he started. “I met some lovely people over the years and I really loved working here,” says Faul.

The upgrade project has enhanced Tip Top’s product development capabilities, improved its working environment including health and safety measures, and made extensive renovations.

Once known for its rainbow stripes, the building now has a fresh new look characterised by 600m2 of glass walls.

Brett said the makeover marked a milestone for the corner. “Tip Top’s new look reinforces our New Zealandness and pride in who we are – a company employing many Kiwis making a product that has been a part of everyone’s lives since 1936.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

world // 19

Asian appetites to drive Oz farming AUSTRALIAN FARMERS are welcoming the

Government’s release last week of a National Food Plan green paper.

NFF president Jock Laurie says the plan has the potential to address many of the farming sector’s concerns about food production and availability.

“The vast majority of Australians have never had to worry about where their next meal comes from, as we are lucky to have a wide availability of healthy, fresh and affordable food.

“But with a growing population at home and abroad, and only limited resources from which our farmers have to grow an ever increasing amount of food, the issues of food availability and supply are real.”

The federation’s submission called for innovation and productivity improvements by farmers.

Talks starting this month in towns and cities across Australia will suggest what should be in the National Food Plan. Laurie says the paper points to R&D and innovation for sustainable food production, plus a need to seize new market

opportunities.

“We particularly welcome the Government’s position… on the need to increase and improve the R&D model in place in Australia and to develop a national strategy for the consistent application of technology, including genetic modification.

“The green paper also identifies the need to examine better ways to manage supplier and supermarket relationships; the need to source information to better understand Australia’s infrastructure requirements; and the importance of trade market access and the liberalisation of markets – all areas the NFF and our members have taken to governments as priorities, and all issues that have emerged as key issues in the development of the Blueprint for Australian Agriculture.”

The Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator Joe Ludwig, says Australia has a diverse food supply and a high level of food security. The National Food Plan green paper provides an opportu-

nity to bring together all of our policies on food for the first time and look at options for building on our strengths, says Ludwig.

“We need to support

Australia’s farmers and processors to produce more food with fewer inputs. We also need to help ensure these goods can move quickly and cost-

effectively to market and make sure overseas market opportunities, such as growing demand in Asia, are open to Australian businesses.”

Jock Laurie

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

20 // OPINION Ruminating

EDITORIAL

Succession planning a must

milking it...

‘Buddy can you spare a sandwich?’

FEDERATED FARMERS insists farming reporters were not bashed (Dairy News, ‘Pass the sandwich please’) at its recent annual conference.

Feds’ PR man David Broome suggests we’re ungracious to thumb our noses at free food offered to journalists (while other attendees were served à la carte).

Said Broome, “Think about it, a table, plates and farmers wanting to talk make it hard to type, write or edit -- in other words to report. Of course, if you want full service in 2013 we will willingly accept payment but I can personally vouch for the quality of what was provided.”

Hills no longer alive

AN AUSTRIAN court has banned the use of cowbells as they are disturbing residents’ sleep.

Judge Erich Kundergraber ordered a farmer in the state of Styria to remove the bells after locals complained they couldn’t sleep because of endless clanging.

Initially the owner refused to remove his cows’ bells, arguing they were an Austrian tradition and helped to calm the animals.

However, Judge Kundergraber visited the field near Stallhofen, in the foothills of the Alps and ruled in favour of the farmer’s neighbours.

The cows were left free to roam the field at night but could be heard clearly throughout the village, especially as the cowbells banged and scraped against their metal feeding trough.

Smoke and mirrors

CLAIMING milk is permeate-free is just a fearmongering marketing gimmick and should be banned, says top Australian dairy scientist Dr Frank Sherkat.

The marketing gimmick is the latest weapon in the supermarket milk wars, a big competition that has “come down to the silliest level”, he says.

Since A Current Affair exposed the milk industry’s “dirty little secret” of using permeate in milk, brands have been falling over themselves to trumpet their permeate-free status.

But Sherkat, a senior lecturer at RMIT University, says it’s just a game of smoke and mirrors, and we’ve been drinking permeate for years.

Celebrities and car crashes

ANY MINOR celebrity dying last week would have rated front-page treatment in such daily newspapers as the New Zealand Herald.

But the deaths last week of two meat industry titans – Hugh Green and Graeme Lowe – barely rated a footnote in some newspapers. The Herald gave much higher prominence to a story about minor celebrity and media-lovey Wendyl Nissen’s chickens being killed by a dog.

EIGHTY PERCENT of dairy farmers are known to regard succession planning as a top priority, but only 10% do anything about it. This telling revelation came to light at a recent Massey University seminar.

It shows that farmers know there is a problem, yet really don’t know how and when to tackle it, and who they can trust to help them through what can be a challenging and testing emotional process.

The days have gone when the oldest son inherited the farm; now new-age farmers are concerned about fairness to all siblings.

“It’s what’s right – not birthright,” argued one expert at Massey and most seem to agree on that point. But there’s more to it than just dividing up the business. There are family dynamics including fears about the role or influence of in-laws.

The possibility of a marriage breakup is another ‘fear flag’.

Succession planning is as much an emotional as a business issue, so it gets bumped off the list of things to do because it’s too hard. Let’s face it, blokes shy away from emotional stuff and don’t like making potentially unpopular decisions.

Succession planning can be a bit like toothache. The longer it’s left, the more painful and costly will be the remedy.

Some experts say discussions on succession planning should start when the children are young so that expectations are clear and ingrained in them from an early age. But formal succession planning requires that farmers get good professional help to negotiate perhaps a difficult family conversation, then to set up a business structure that will stand the test of time.

Maybe two or three professionals need to be involved. A key issue is to find a way to mitigate the emotional aspects, and focus on a business solution that meets everyone’s financial and emotional needs.

The consequences of not having a good, robust and well articulated succession plan can be tragic and financially disastrous. Dairy farmers are good at looking after the welfare of their cows, but they need to pay the same attention to their multi million-dollar businesses. – Peter Burke

Got something on your mind?

GOT SOMETHING on your mind about the latest issues affecting our dairy industry? Put your pen to paper or your fingers to your keyboard, and let our readers know what you think. Contact us by either post or email. Don’t forget to put your name and address. Note: Letters may be edited. post to: Letter to the Editor PO Box 3855, Auckland 1140. or Email: dairynews@ruralnews.co.nz

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

opinion // 21

Stories abound of booming co-ops AS 2012 is the UN Inter-

national Year of Cooperatives, stories of successful farmer-owned co-ops can be found all over the internet, underscoring the fact that successful cooperatives are found not just in New Zealand but all over the world. For the New Zealand story take a look at www.newzealand2012. coop.

In this article I’ll be looking at the USA, where the majority of the country’s two million farmers are members of nearly 3000 farmer owned co-ops, providing 250,000 jobs and paying wages of $8 billion each year.

According to US cooperative bank NCB, the 100-largest US co-ops in 2010 had a combined revenue of $93,703 million.

United Producers, for instance, is a farmerowned and operated co-op that provides livestock marketing, and financial and risk management services, to its 45,000 members. The co-op has 42 facilities handling about three million livestock in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. They aim is to provide services “on a cooperative basis that ultimately improves our members’s net income.”

High in the Top 100 is Ocean Spray whose products are to be found in most New Zealand local supermarkets. Their 600 grower families supply cranberries, grapefruit, pomegranates and blueberries for the co-op to process and sell world-

wide. Formed in 1930 by three cranberry growers, Ocean Spray has a tradition of innovation and resourcefulness which gave them a 2010 turnover of $1589 million.

In 1921, a group of Arkansas rice farmers banded together to market their crops, forming Riceland, which is now the world’s largest ricer miller and rice marketer. Moving beyond rice, the co-op also handles soya beans and wheat for its members.

Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association was established in 1922. “The members of yesterday and today possess the same goal,” the Wisconsin co-op states on its website, which is “to derive an equitable price for the livestock they produce.” As well as running 11 auction sites, they have a subsidiary that finances agribusiness.

In 2011, 859,000 head of livestock were marketed through its various divisions, producing $589 for the co-op’s 36,000 members.

Owned by thousands of California and Arizona citrus growers, Sunkist is a leading international supplier of fresh fruit and the oldest operating citrus co-op in the USA. Why do citrus growers join the co-op? Here is the Sunkist view: “Cooperatives give producers clout. In today’s competitive international market, an independent grower stands alone against the competition.

As a member of a coop-

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erative, each individual grower joins with other growers to gain a mutually larger market share.

‘A cooperative of growers together can do many things a grower alone cannot afford to do: develop a worldwide market, promote a brand name, access a global

Ramsey Margolis

transportation system, develop comprehensive research capabilities and gain governmental access to overseas markets – to name a few.” Sound familiar?

Founded 100 years ago, Blue Diamond is the world’s largest almond processing and marketing

business. It is owned by half of California’s almond growers who produce 80% of the world’s almond supply. The co-op’s intention is to build markets and create new products and new opportunities for global consumers.

With demand for almonds growing by 10% annually,

Blue Diamond has a growing research budget.

Governed by farmer members, these successful cooperatives show clearly they are not merely a service to farmers, but their other business.

• Ramsey Margolis is executive director, New Zealand Cooperatives Association.

Dairy News july 24, 2012

22 // agribusiness

Holstein Friesian cow of the year HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN

breeders Wayne and Leeanne Taylor are humbled that their cow, Muritai Dalton Wattle EX 17*ET is the inaugural 2012 Valden cow of the year.

“Wattle is the cornerstone of our breeding programme,” Taylor says of their Muritai Holstein Friesian stud. Wattle, now 15 years old, has contributed to the New Zealand and Australian AI industries, supplying 23 sons and grandsons to four AI companies to date.

Possibly the most wellknown bull being used currently is Muritai App Whistler S3F marketed by LIC. Whistler, a grandson to Wattle, was marketed in the DNA Proven team for

two years and is now in the Premier Sires team.

One of Wattle’s sons, Muritai Talent WarriorET, is being marketed in Australia as well as New Zealand by the international AI company, Semex, “He is expecting his first daughters to calve this year in Australia,” Mr Taylor said.

She also has three grandsons being marketed in the CRV Ambreed InSire team this year as well as a grandson in Vision Genetics.

It was named the Valden cow of the year at the Holstein Friesian New Zealand Annual Conference last month.

Wattle has completed 11 lactations during her

career to date filling the vat with 77,996 litres of milk in which there was 2,785kg of protein (3.6%) and 3,452kg of fat (4.4%).

For each lactation she has averaged 6,500 litres with 520kgMS (8%) over 232 days.

Wattle’s 17*ET (Star Brood status) was achieved by measuring the performance of her daughters and sons. The ‘ET’ notes that she has had Embryo Transfer daughters and sons contribute to her Star Brood status.

The Valden cow of the year award, presented for the first time at the 2012 Holstein Friesian New Zealand Annual Conference, recognises cows that

Muritai Dalton Wattle: Muritai Dalton Wattle EX 17*ET (inset) Valden Trophy: Wayne & Leeanne Taylor being presented the Valden Trophy by Raeden Jackson.

have made a significant contribution to the Holstein Friesian breed, either within their own herd or nationally.

The award takes into account their longevity within a herd, lifetime lactation (using the Production Worth index as a measure), protein production, daughter production performance, sons and grandsons marketed

by AI companies, show successes, type and conformation and Star Brood status.

“It was nice to see older cows get recognition,” says sponsor, Raeden Jackson, Valden Holstein Friesian Stud. He says that the quality of the finalists was such that there was still plenty of merit for the second and third place getters.

“There is a lot of prestige winning this award,” Taylor says, noting that the top six finalists were all well-known cows.

Top six cows 1st. Muritai Dalton Wattle EX 17*ET; 2nd.

Multiple show winner, Melan Leduc Rowena EX2, owned by Robin & Sheryl Faulkner of Levin; 3rd. A member from the same family as Wattle, Muri-

tai Leader Willow EX3 4* owned by Wayne & Leeanne Taylor; 4th. LIC Hall of Fame cow, Whinlea Kai Ebell VG86 24*ET, owned by John & Jenne Kennedy of Winton; 5th.

Record protein producer Tahora Ohio Perfect EX2, owned by Rodney & Sarah Hudson of Levin; 6th.

Ranui Tiede Fleur EX4 owned by Bryan & Annette Beeston of Ashburton.

High achiever bags award HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN

breeder, Johnny Adamson, Invercargill was stunned when it was announced that his bull, Ros Mhor TEF Shadow S1F, was awarded the Mahoe Trophy at the 2012 Holstein Friesian New Zealand annual conference.

Adamson, unable to attend the conference, later said the award was a total surprise as he did not envisage the first bull he entered into AI would be such a high achiever.

“My ambition was to get a bull in the catalogue - one day. I never expected this.”

Shadow is the result

of a contract mating by CRV Ambreed by wellknown sire Telesis Euon Firenze with one of Adamson’s cows, Ros Mhor HSS Shadow S0F. CRV Ambreed had been looking at mating with members from the same cow family as Shadow, Adamson says, but it was at his suggestion that the sire analysts seriously consider his dam for a contract mating.

One of Shadow’s strengths in his proof is protein. “The first thing I look at for breeding is protein,” Adamson explains.

“This is what we are paid for.”

A daughter by Shadow

Shadow Bull 2012: Ros Mhor TEF Shadow S1F

in Adamson’s Ros Mhor herd is his top 2-year-old for the 2011-12 season.

Despite the summer drought in Southland she

still produced 560kg milksolids.

The Mahoe Trophy is awarded annually to the New Zealand-bred Hol-

stein Friesian sire whose daughter proof earned the most points for daughter production, conformation and management.

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Rumen Comparison 1

The engine room (the rumen) of a calf reared on HNF Fiber®.

2

Why does the Freshstart® programme work?

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3 4 5 6 7 8

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100 % better papillae development Exceptional papillae development of a calf reared on HNF Fiber®

These trial photos are the same scale.

Both calves were seven weeks old and weighed 78kg.

Two-year-olds out perfo

Exceptional milk production from Fiber Fresh hei A

South Waikato farm’s first Fiber Fresh-reared heifers made a dramatic entrance into the herd last season by out-performing the three and four-year-olds and exceeding the herd’s average per cow milk solid production.

Dean and Amanda Benson decided to use Fiber Fresh to rear their calves when they started sharemilking in 2009 and are now seeing some exceptional performance from their heifers.

LIC figures have recently confirmed that the Benson’s Fiber Fresh reared two-year-olds produced a per cow average of 471 kgs of milk solids last season compared to 447 for the herd’s three year olds and 464 for the fouryear-olds. The LIC Herd Lactation

Averages to 12 May 2012 also showed that the two-year-olds’ average milk solid production exceeded the average milk solid production of the rest of the herd by 6%.

Amanda says, “Most people say that heifers don’t pay for themselves in their first lactation but going from what our girls produced last year, I think they

Stage One

Stage Two

“The science supporting the product is really good and the LIC data has provided encouraging evidence” definitely did. From my understanding, 471 milksolids for a two-year-old is pretty exceptional.”

The older cows in the herd were not reared on Fiber Fresh and the Benson’s believe that deciding to use the Fiber Fresh calf rearing system three seasons ago was a key contributor to their heifer’s outstanding production.

Along with the above average milk solid production, 97% of the Benson’s first Fiber Fresh-reared two-year-olds got into calf and 91% of those animals are still in the herd.

Amanda says the LIC data indicated that they made the right choice using Fiber Fresh and they plan to continue using it.

The Benson’s milk 730 cows on a forestry conversion farm, east of Tokoroa, and will be rearing 180 calves this year.

gins with the

programme • Bigger gut capacity and an extensive vascular engine room become the norm as a direct result of this full four stomach development; leading to increased productive capacity later in life.

The rumen of a calf reared on a conventional, meal based system.

1 2 3

5

What do I need?

8

bo PED and TOSHOP e same scale O H P T are NO at exactly th Images re taken a s to pho

Papillae development on a conventional, meal based system

• At seven weeks of age the calf will have a rumen that has up to 50% more surface area.

• The 25% larger rumen has papillae on the inside that are 100% better developed.

7

GUARA

Recent trials provide the proof as to how well the Freshstart® programme works:

4

6

RITY G E T N I PHOTO NTEEDth

• Avoidance of the traditional weaning check where lack of digestive development leads to the costly loss of body weight.

Amazingly enough, you will not spend more money. In fact, it is about the same cost as any meal based system, but that is where the similarity ends. To wean an animal at seven weeks with advanced full stomach development and able to digest grass like a cow you will use per calf approximately one 25kg bag of FiberStart® and half a 25kg bag of FiberGain®. Continue to feed FiberGain® while on pasture to achieve maximum growth and overcome spring grass deficiencies.

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orm rest of herd by 6%

eifers

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arrive at his property, compared to other calves he grazes.”

“The science supporting the product is really good and the LIC data has provided encouraging evidence that we are doing something right.”

Increase in LIC herd lactation averages Whole herd

(excluding FF Heifers)

Fiber Fresh first lactation heifers

5012 (litres)

5348 (litres)

Protein

189 (kg)

205 (kg)

Fat

254 (kg)

267 (kg)

Milksolids

444 (kg)

471 (kg)

Milk

0%

7%

more

9%

more

5%

more

6%

Amanda Benson (South Waikato)

more 5%

10%

Note: First lactation heifers normally produce only 80-85% of the milk solids produced by their adult herd mates (ref: Pickering J 2001)

STAGE TWO

STAGE ONE

Contains Monensin

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

management // 27

Looking to cut winter losses ANDREW SWALLOW

WILL TRADITIONAL

wintering systems on crop be sustainable under nutrient loss limits?

That’s one of the questions part of a major dairy systems trial underway at Lincoln University’s Ashley Dene Farm and Dairy Research Farm, as well as elsewhere, is aiming to answer.

The overall aim of the broad ranging trial, dubbed Pastoral 21, is “more product, more profit, and a lower environmental impact,” Lincoln’s Grant Edwards told a field day at Ashley Dene earlier this month.

Cows grazing winter crops reach stocking densities as high as 500/ha on a fresh break, hence the concern about their environmental impact, particularly on free draining soils such as those at

Ashley Dene and elsewhere in Canterbury.

“It’s like a sieve. When they urinate on that it pretty quickly drains through the profile so our wintering systems are very prone to nitrate leaching.”

Dawn Dalley

Research on Lincoln University Dairy Farm shows losses from the milking platform are consistently 25-30kgN/ha/ year, which is within likely limits, but that excludes wintering losses.

Data on those is lacking, hence the project.

Edwards told the field

About Pastoral 21 Dairy Pastoral 21 is a collaborative venture of ciaAsso anies NZ, Fonterra, Dairy Comp tion of New Zealand (DCANZ), Beef + Lamb ce New Zealand, and the Ministry of Scien and Innovation. It has twin goals: 1) a $110/ y ha/year increasing in average profitabilit tion reduc 30% a with ction from dairy produ r; in nitrogen and phosphate losses to wate ase 2) a 3% annual meat productivity incre with containing or reducing environmental ed footprint. Research organisations involv Uniey Mass NZ, Dairy h, searc AgRe e includ rd, versity, Lincoln University (including Telfo Land arch, Rese Otago), NIWA, Plant & Food More arch.

Rese arm On-F and care Research, in Pastoral 21 wintering trials are underway nd, Waikato, Manawatu, and Otago/Southla ms. the latter including various housed syste

day losses might be 90 to 200kgN/ha/year from winter crops such as kale given a urine patch is a spot loading of 700kgN/ ha.

Applying eco-n to freshly grazed areas within a fortnight of grazing, manipulating the diet with supplements, and sowing a forage cereal as soon as possible post grazing to mop up nitrogen before it is lost are possible ways of limiting losses which the trial is assessing.

“We might get it down to 45 to 100kg [N leached],” Edwards suggested.

Large columns of undisturbed soil from the sites have been taken – Edwards pointed out what a challenge that is on such stony soil – and placed in lysimeters so the field treatments can be simulated and leachate collected to assess losses.

Placing drains under the trial paddocks themselves was ruled out as the soils are so free draining any leachate would simply pass straight

Under investigation: nitrate losses from winter feed crops.

through a drain, and not flow laterally to a point where it could be collected.

Besides monitoring the environmental impact of three crop wintering systems at Ashley Dene, their impact on cow condition score is also being assessed.

The aim is to lift condition half a score over the winter.

Edwards notes the rations are higher than industry standards, but says there’s a need to “redefine maintenance requirements” for today’s

cows as they need 100 to 110MJME/day just to standstill, and at least 30-40MJME/day above that to gain half a condition score over winter.

Consequently allowances in the trial are calculated to provide 150MJME/cow/ day.

Measured residuals of 1.7-1.8t/ha kale indicate 85-90% utilisation. Fodder beet utilisation is 100% but, as the field day heard, extra care is required in transitioning cows onto, and off, the high starch beets.

“For the first couple of

days they were on grass and silage with only 1kg of fodder beet [per head],” Dairy NZ’s Dawn Dalley explained. “We didn’t move them on from that until they started eating them. They cleaned the leaves off pretty quickly but it took them a couple of days for them to get started on the bulbs. We ended up having to go in with a spade and chop some up.”

Cows were also kept off the crop overnight to

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

28 // management

LUDF tightens budget ANDREW SWALLOW

LINCOLN UNIVERSITY Dairy Farm aims to

shave 12c/kgMS off farm working expenses this season to total $3.80/kgMS or $1901/cow.

The main cuts are: breeding; replacement grazing and meal; Eco-N and giberillin; fertiliser (other than nitrogen) and lime; repairs and maintenance.

“We’re going to spend quite a bit less on bulls,” farm manager Peter Hancox told an audience of over 200 at the July 12 field day.

“We’re going to purchase them a lot closer to when we need them. For the previous two years we’ve bought them in July to have more control.”

AB costs will also be reined back, with fewer replacements bred, which is where the grazing saving

comes from. Less giberellic acid will be used in spring and eco-n applications cut from four to three.

Savings in fertiliser reflect a return to maintenance phosphate rates after the high payout forecast last year was taken as an opportunity to apply some capital fertiliser.

“We tested every paddock and where necessary put on extra to get a more even level across the farm,” Dairy NZ’s Steve Lee explained.

The nitrogen budget is up 3%, reflecting a slight increase in price at the time of crunching the numbers rather than any change in use. Since preparing the budget both co-ops have cut urea prices.

“We certainly saw the benefit of more nitrogen and grew more grass last season,” notes Lee. Substantial increases

in spending on staff, bought silage, irrigation and winter grazing are planned.

The staff increase is a return to normal after a $25,000 below budget result last season, largely due to being short-staffed.

“Having cup removers meant we could manage,” Hancox told Dairy News.

The structure was also revised to a manager and three assistants, rather than a manager, a 2IC, and two assistants.

Last year’s wet spring and summer also saw irrigation under budget, so this year’s increase is in anticipation of a more normal year.

Higher silage costs allow for buying in 25t extra to help lift production, while winter grazing was just where the market was at this year, says Hancox.

On the output and

income side the aim is to boost production 5.8% to 1969kgMS/ha, despite last season being a record for the 160ha milking platform.

“Last year was one of the years we actually beat budget so what do they do? They put it up even higher!” Hancox quipped to the field day audience.

The increase makes the milksolids per cow target

500kgs following last season’s herd cut to 630, a stocking rate of 3.93/ha.

For the four previous seasons the mean maximum cows milked was 673, with over 700 wintered in 2007 and 2008. This year 655 will be calved.

Despite the targeted savings and output increases, a 15% fall in operating profit to $4002/ ha is expected owing to

LUDF wintering field day attracted 200 people.

a budgeted milk price of $5.50/kgMS compared to $6.05/kgMS in the 2011/12 analysis, and a $100,000 (-67%) cut in surplus dairy stock sales.

The stock sale reduction partially reflects a

one-off from reducing the herd in last season’s figures, and the change in policy to stop breeding so many surplus heifers.

“We carried 196 R2s last season so we sold quite few,” Hancox says.

dollars and sense Risers ■■ Output: up 6% to 1969kgMS/ha ■■

Labour: up $35,700 (17%) to $383/cow

■■

Irrigation: up $21,600 (44%) to $112/cow

■■

Winter grazing: up $17,800 (14%) to $224/cow

■■

Silage bought: up $17,000 (24%) to 444kg and $138/ cow

■■

Administration: up $5,400 (28%) to $39/cow

■■

Fertiliser & lime: down $14,700 (34%) to $46/cow

■■

Fallers ■■ Surplus stock sales: down $102,000 (67%) to $51,000 total.

Eco-N & Giberellin: down $14,400 (19%) to $96/cow

■■

Repairs & maintenance: down $13,400 (22%) to $77/ cow

■■

Milk price: down 55c/kgMS (9%) to $5.50/kgMS

■■

Breeding: down $12,000 (22%) to $67/cow

■■

Replacement grazing and meal: down $22,500 (13%) to $240/cow

Note: Stocking rate unchanged at 3.93 cows/ha, 630 cows on 160ha.

SealesWinslow

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

30 // management

Ian Blackman

Succession major issue but not top priority A recent survey that showed while 80% of dairy farmers identified farm succession as major issue, less than 10% did anything about it. This statistic was the catalyst for an international summit on this subject at Massey University recently. Peter Burke reports on the two-day event.

THE SUMMIT was organised by One- believes dairy farmers are interested in sucFarm which is the Centre of Farm Excel- cession because they see the need for the lence jointly funded by DairyNZ and farm to be handed down to a succeeding Massey and Lincoln Universities. The child and secondly the physical demands seminar attracted about 80 farm consul- of dairying.

“A father who is between 50 and 55 is tants and a number of experts in the field including some from Canada, US, Austra- physically less able to do the work and is looking for a successor rather than sell the lia and the UK. The issue of succession planning has farm. It’s hard work standing on concrete been highlighted recently with the Scott for 30 years. But most dairy farmers that I know have an Guy murder trial, emotional conbut the organis“Every successful nection with the ers of the summit land and want were quick to succession plan needs to pass the farm point put they to be viable, so if there is on to the next had planned the excessive debt then the he event well in family needs to work hard generation,” says. advance of the to repay debt to ensure the Blackman court case. believes the “It’s what’s succession is going to be ‘conversation’ right – not birth- successful.” about succesright”, “the hardsion planning est role to fill on the farm is the daughter-in-law” and should begin the day a family starts to “blood is thicker than water but not thicker acquire farming assets such as at the sharethan money” were some of the one liners milker stage.

The biggest problem facing dairy farmto surface during the summit.

There was much head shaking about ers is they don’t know how to have an asset what was the most important aspect of worth millions of dollars properly transsuccession planning. There’s the so-called ferred to the succeeding child and at the ‘soft’ stuff – namely the people aspect – and same time being fair to the other children.

Blackman says the answer is in his book the formal ‘structure’ required for succesand in simple terms it’s a company strucsion for successive generations.

Research shows a large number of farms ture.

“In my view all farmland should be in Taranaki are in trusts and many argued this was not a good structure for a success- owned in a company and the shares in the company should be sold to the succeeding ful succession plan.

Rotorua lawyer, Ian Blackman, is one of child over time. It’s a long-term agreement many who have written a book on succes- for sale and purchase. It’s a long-term plan sion planning. He believes it is easier for which meets the needs of the three differdairy farmers than sheep and beef because ent parties – the parents, the succeeding dairy farming is more profitable. He says child and the non succeeding children” he succession relies upon the farm being says.

Blackman says things have changed able to support at least two families – the over the years and the days of oldest son owners and the succeeding children.

“Every successful succession plan getting the farm as of the right and the needs to be viable, so if there is excessive others – mainly the daughters – getting debt then the family needs to work hard nothing are gone. He says the main thing to repay debt to ensure the succession is farmers need advice on is ‘what does fairgoing to be successful,” he says. Blackman ness mean’.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

32 // management

Plant trees for growing gains BALA TIKKISETTY

WINTER IS traditionally a good time for planting trees as soil temperatures are low and the roots can more easily acclimatise to any new environment they’re planted in.

So it’s timely to talk about how using trees to create shelterbelts on farms can provide a range of environmental, economic and animal welfare benefits.

Bad weather is a key cause of animal suffering and providing shelter where none naturally exists is one of the few things farmers can do to help stop it. Planting a shelterbelt of trees is clearly a good longer term option.

It’s common sense that

reducing stress on stock, including dairy cattle, can help keep their productivity and farm balance sheets healthy. And recent research confirms that sheltering and feeding ewes before lambing has a major impact on reducing lamb losses.

Shelterbelts also help to reduce evaporation of soil moisture and transpiration from plants due to wind. Live shelter is particularly helpful in retaining soil moisture in prolonged dry spells, thereby supporting pasture growth for longer periods.

And shelterbelts improve the microclimate of plants and soil by improving plant water relations, conserving heat

and reducing wind damage to grass leaves, which can stunt grass growth.

Bala Tikkisetty

Erosion prevention is another benefit of shelterbelts as they help control the removal of top soil by the wind, especially when used alongside other sustainable land use practices such as minimum tillage.

Other benefits of shelter trees include their pro-

viding a haven for native birds, sheltering homes, buildings and stock yards, improving aesthetics, increasing the tree species in an area, and supporting a range of insect life. Using native plants, particularly those naturally occurring in the locality, helps to preserve local character.

Shelter can also screen noise and reduce odours from livestock operations.

When establishing a shelterbelt, careful consideration needs to be given to site selection and the tree species to be used.

Terrain, local weather conditions and livestock behaviour are factors to take into account. Strategic planting is likely to be more worthwhile than blanket planting.

Shelterbelts on farms can provide a range of benefits.

Shelter is most effective when sited at the correct angles to the eroding wind. If east-west belts are required they should include deciduous species to lessen the winter shading of pastures.

The density of the trees in the shelterbelt helps determine the wind behaviour on the leeward side of the shelterbelt and also, to some extent, on the windward side. Practical experience shows belts of medium density produce a much more even

wind flow over a much wider area. The correct density can be achieved by careful species choice, recommended spacing between the trees and management. If belts are too dense, this can create turbulence either side of the prevailing wind. But also remember if gaps in a shelterbelt are too big this can cause the wind to funnel through at speed.

Generally speaking, the longer the windbreak, the better the protection for stock and pasture. Finally,

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As always, it can pay to get professional advice on shelterbelts to help ensure farms get the maximum benefits from any spend on tree planting.

• Bala Tikkisetty is a sustainable agriculture coordinator at Waikato Regional Council in Hamilton. Telephone 0800 800 401 bala.tikkisetty@ waikatoregion.govt.nz

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

management // 33

Daily data dial-ups help herd control PAM TIPA

WHAT BIGGER herds have taken away, technology may

give back, says Landcorp chief executive Chris Kelly.

“Twenty five years ago the average farm size would be 200 cows,” Kelly told the Federated Farmers annual dairy conference. “And if farm owners didn’t know their cows by name, they would know them by characteristics and when something unusual happened that cow would be taken out and checked.

“Fast forward to today and the average herd size is 900 cows and there’s no way that farm manager can appreciate or understand every cow. So bigger herds have tended to decline in productivity when measured against smaller herds.

“Part of the reason is farmers have lost the ability to pick out these cows…. So what we [at Landcorp] try to do is get back to individual cow measurement in these large herds. Some of our cows in January in these 1000 cow herds were milking at half the volume of their cohorts – that’s half the volume.

“With a 1000 cow herd you would never pick it up, probably with a 400 cow herd you wouldn’t either.”

With the new technology which enables Landcorp farm business managers to dial into a daily dashboard of data including daily individual milk solids and somatic cell counts “you pick it up, you cull it... chop its head off or dry it off, whatever… more feed for the smaller number of cows, so what happens is your milk production goes up.

“Similarly with mastitis cows…. So it gets back to these individual measurements again. “ I think that is the trick... making these larger herds become more efficient. You are able to get this individual measurement back which we have lost over the years.

That’s my theory.”

Kelly says his farm business managers spend a lot of time using this farm dashboard.

“I can be in my office, dial up a farm on a daily basis and measure milk solids, costs, daily, monthly cumulative milk solids, somatic cell count, and different feed being consumed….”

This is among reasons Landcorp plans to have commercial speed broadband on all its farms by the end of the year. “If you can’t measure you can’t manage.”

If they haven’t got line of sight from a telco tower they will have to use a solar repeater, or for more remote sites a more expensive solar repeater to pole with antenna and and underground cable. But the average capital cost per farm is just $2200.

Kelly says Landcorp has 50,000 dairy cows – that will be more if it runs Crafar farms. Its operating revenue in 201011 was $210m split about 50/50 deer and dairy and 50/50 beef and sheep. About eight years ago 85% of that revenue would have been sheep and beef. The state owned enterprise has spent a lot of money since that time converting land to dairy. They did not buy into dairy, but changed land use while retaining sheep and beef numbers.

They run their farms in clusters. “Fonterra is about 55% of our milk, Westland is 20 % and the others a split between Synlait and Open Country,” Kelly says.

On 14,500ha this year Landcorp produced 13.3million kgMS – milk solids per hectare is 921 “which is only average”, he says. Farms were still under development and a lot of land was sub-optimal pumice land so they spent a lot of money on fertiliser and grasses.

“We have about 135 staff in our dairy industry with head office, farm business managers, farm staff – we are not regarded as paying top of the range. We are sitting around the middle so a lot of our people leave Landcorp because we are not paying enough, go to private people and come back in a couple of years.”

The farm business managers manage clusters of farms with about 5000 cows. “Think of those as a single herd milked on five or six platforms. So I regard these people as running small to medium businesses.

“The clusters are a $100m enterprise – 25-30 staff maybe more. Many of these people will be tertiary qualified, certainly with a diploma or a degree. It is all about knowledge, skills and attitude.

“These guys need to be really smart in terms of computer work with emotional IQ, that’s the sort of soft side of farming because, as you well know, a key for farm management is to keep staff working well and motivated.”

Landcorp’s Wairakei pastoral farm.

Dairy News july 24, 2012

34 // management

Farm governance oversees present and future

Trevor Hamilton

peter burke

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Trevor Hamilton has opted to run his vast farming business via governance

model that keeps in view the present interests of his children and their eventual succession.

Speaking last month at a seminar on succession planning at Massey University, Hamilton

explained how and why the model works.

Hamilton and his wife Harriet own seven dairy farms and have a majority shareholding in another.

He came up through the industry the hard way,

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starting as a sharemilker and building the business for 40 years, during which the farms were held in trusts. But his ultimate answer to succession planning is a company structure.

When his business was producing one million kgMS he started to look at a new structure. When it reached two million, the Hamiltons decided the risks of two people owning and controlling the company were too great and it was time to change and he moved to a system of ‘formal governance’.

“The company structure is that we pulled all of the companies out of the trust into individual liability companies and TH Enterprises sits above that as a holding company [because] for succession planning it’s easier to shift shares from a company to a sibling.”

His board comprises himself and his wife Harriet and two independent directors – his accountant Greg Eden and farmer and academic James Lockhart who chairs the board.

“We have quite a good balance with me as the entrepreneur, Harriet the detail person, Greg as the financial solutions person and James the person who brings about the governance experience and knowledge.”

Hamilton says by not chairing the board he has signalled to the siblings and other people that he doesn’t have to control things totally and that he and Harriet take seriously the governance issue.

Hamiltons have five

children all with roles in their farming enterprise.

“We’ve shown the children what we have done in the last 10 years and the children know where we have come from and where we are going and there’s 100% buy-in. It’s great. But let’s face it, a profitable fast growing business excites children.”

One big advantage of the Hamilton’s business structure is that if any sibling has a major concern they are directed to the independent board members.

This helps draw a line between business and family, Hamilton says. “So where there is a tension I don’t have to discuss that tension with that family member. The independent board members do that.”

An issue raised at the summit was the longevity of a succession plan and its ability to deal with an immediate succeeding generation and future ones.

Hamilton says his structure will do that and he and Harriet have looked at how the board might look in the future.

The company constitution is worded so family members cannot dominate the board. One or two of his children may join the board at some stage, but the other siblings and the board will have a say.

Hamilton is passionate about his business and remains committed to growing it.

Structures may change, the basic philosophy of governance and commitment to excellence will not change, he says.

in brief Stopbanks a no go DAIRY FARMERS in the Manawatu/Wanganui Regional Council area are being warned not to graze cows on stopbanks between now and mid September.

Engineer Paul Joseph says stopbanks become wet and soggy and heavy cattle can easily cause significant damage.

Landowners know the rules on stopbanks, but some farmers still persist in allowing stock to graze on them.

“The stopbanks are designed to protect their property and it doesn’t make sense for them to allow cattle on stopbanks when they can damage them,” he says.

Dairy News july 24, 2012

animal health // 35

Immunity first, then developing rumen REARING HEALTHY

calves that adapt easily to grass is an important step in calf rearing.

Successful calf rearing demands time. We can’t get more hours in the day, but we can gain better understanding of calf physiology that will help in planning a successful calf rearing programme.

You should maintain a couple of simple, yet clear objectives: ■■ To rear healthy calves with strong immune function and robust appetite.

■■ To facilitate rumen development that enables target weight for age outcomes.

Immune function The first and most important step begins with guaranteed intakes of colostrum within the first 12 hours following birth.

The first colostrum produced is a rich nutrient source, carrying high levels of immunoglobulin (IgG) essential to the establishment of new born calf ’s immune function.

The digestion sites in the calf’s intestines, where IgG is absorbed, cease to function by the time a calf is 24 hours old. Therefore the amount of colostrum fed and feed timing are critical to the calf’s immune status, health and survival.

Recent research shows that heat treatment of colostrum (60°C for up to 60 minutes) improves intestinal absorption of IgG – an option worth considerating if calf mor-

bidity is high.

As a rule of thumb, calves should ingest a minimum 10% of their birth weight as first colostrum within 12 hours of hitting the ground, preferably over two feeds. If a calf is not able to suckle from its mother, bottle or tube feeding should be a high priority; these liquid feeds should continue to be offered at 10-12% of bodyweight daily for optimum growth and health outcomes.

Rumen development While we can rear good calves on milk, if we fail to develop the rumen appropriately, calves will have a massive ‘check’ in growth post-weaning. Ingested milk does not go into the rumen, it is directed into the omasum. Therefore we need to offer ‘hard feeds’ such as hay and cereal grains to develop the rumen. Optimum rumen development requires a balance of effective fibre, fermentable carbohydrates and high quality protein.

High cereal grain content contains plenty of fermentable carbohydrates which aids rumen development by altering the ‘bug’ population. This changes the ratio of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) produced, which stimulate rumen papillae development and vascularisation.

In combination with robust epithelial development from an early age, these VFAs drive milk production when the calf reaches the herd.

Effective fibre aids

Successful calf rearing demands time.

physical capacity and muscularity of the rumen, while protein is essential for growing calves. It

is made from chains of amino acids which form the building blocks of tissue and promote muscle

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

36 // animal health

Effects of familiarising heifers to milking shed suzanne dowling & Mhairi sutherland

AN ARTICLE in Dairy

Positive handling of calves at an early age may impact animal welfare.

News July 10 (‘Heifer training raises questions’) contains some incorrect details about the study and its conclusions, which

we would like to clarify.

Animals that constantly kick off cups, move around, and display other undesirable behaviours during milk-

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ing may require more attention, distract from the efficiency of the overall milking operation and have a higher potential to cause injuries to farm staff and themselves. If these behaviours could be minimised it could benefit stock people and the well-being of the animals.

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect

that had either the most or the least familiarisation with human handling prior to calving were less likely to move or kick during the first week of lactation. It has been suggested that as animals become familiarized with people and the milking process, behavioural reactivity (e.g.

FSK) initially increases until they become tamer

Animals that constantly kick off cups, move around, and display other undesirable behaviours during milking may require more attention. of training to the milking shed on the behaviour and milk productivity of heifers on two commercial dairy farms in the Waikato.

Half the heifers on each farm were trained to the milking shed and the other half were left undisturbed in the paddock.

Heifers were trained about one month before calving. The trained heifers had a total of three days training in one week (not three weeks of training as stated in the previous article). Training involved gradually introducing the heifers to normal shed operations. Each training day consisted of the heifers walking onto the rotary platform and exiting after one rotation, three times.

The heifers were introduced to the shed noises, water and gentle touching of the udder while being fed their usual supplements.

Heifer behaviour during milking was recorded using the flinch, step, kick score (FSK).

Behaviour was only recorded while the heifers were in the colostrum herd. Trained heifers stepped more and the severity of the stepping and kicking behaviours were greater compared with the untrained heifers.

Other studies found that heifers positively handled before or at the time of calving displayed less FSK behaviours in response to milking and that heifers

(or habituated) and then reactivity consequently decreases.

In our study, it took longer to attach the cups to trained compared with untrained heifers during the first five days of lactation (18.3 sec vs. 12 sec).

The percentage of heifers requiring their cups to be reattached was greater for trained than untrained heifers (22.5 % vs. 14.2 %) during the first week of lactation, but no difference was found during weeks two to six of lactation. The increased time taken to attach the cups and the increased number of times the cups needed reattaching is likely directly associated with the greater number of FSK behaviours displayed by trained heifers.

Milk yields and milking durations did not differ between untrained and trained heifers irrespective of week of lactation.

The results from this research suggest that the training protocol used in this study was not adequate to reduce the behavioural response of heifers to the milking process, however results from other studies suggest that positive human handling of heifers before calving can reduce heifer restlessness during milking.

• Suzanne Dowling is AgResearch research technician and Mhairi Sutherland is AgResearch scientist.

Check out the latest news and information at www.dairynews.co.nz

Dairy News july 24, 2012

animal health // 37

The best preparation you can do eric hillerton

WHEN TO dry off is usually a decision based on estimated calving date, cow’s body condition and availability of feed. Dryoff is the best opportunity to clear up mastitis problems hanging over from the whole lactation and reduce risk for the coming lactation.

Dry period – part 1 Much has been written in recent years about short versus long dry periods. Overall, the evidence suggests that short and extra-long dry periods affect milk yield and udder health adversely. So aim for a dry period of about 60 days. This gives the cow a rest, allows optimum regeneration of mammary tissue and still leaves the 21 days necessary for the gland to initiate the full secretion processes.

The first four weeks of the dry period are when body condition can be added. Cows will respond to good quality feed and supplements to reach BCS 5.0 (5.5 for heifers)3.

This is also the ideal time to treat and prepare feet.

Resting cows, with minimal walking to do, are good subjects for treating foot problems, especially of the sole, and getting the hooves in ‘shape’ for trekking on races and concrete.

Shape is important, this includes length of the toe, the angle of the hoof wall, the thickness of the sole and the height of the heel.

Proper trimming is a skill so engaging a pro-

fessional trimmer or undergoing good training yourself are the better options. While you’re buying your boots for the coming season get your cows properly shod too.

The DairyNZ Healthy Hoof Programme is your starting point. At this time, cows are often out of sight, but don’t let them be out of mind. Daily or at least five inspections a week are necessary to spot the early claviers; a predicted calving date is only that – a prediction.

Early dry period is when your vet still has time to think, plan and prepare. Revise your herd health plan: get vaccinations done, sort out treatment protocols for the coming lactation and appropriately train existing and new staff. Do not forget the milking machine. It needs to be serviced by replacing consumable parts, especially oils and rubbers, and it needs to be tested to demonstrate all parts function properly.

Any deficiencies need to be remedied now!

Replace all liners. It is nonsense to milk for the first few weeks with old liners as they are ‘softer’. They may be softer because they are old (maximum 2500 milkings) but they do not operate properly, especially when unused for several weeks over the dry period.

‘Breaking in’ liners -- if such a thing is possible -occurs with one hot plant wash and that is essential anyway before the first milking of the season.

Dry period – part 2 This time is four weeks to calving and with the heifers home, stocking rate is at its highest.

The weather is at its wettest so stock are standing off as much as possible; good job the feet are at their best standing in wet mud, on a sodden feed pad or on a hard surface for

a long period. Feet kept wet for a long period have softer hooves so care is needed. If they also stand in faeces -contaminated materials then hoof deterioration may become an issue. The highest prevalence of digital and interdigital infections occur in the northern hemisphere when cows stand

in wet and faecal material for long periods. Standoff and feed pads may increase risk in New Zealand, so feet should be managed to be as clean and dry as possible.

Cows know their way around a farm but everything is strange to the heifers. Start running the heifers through gates,

SHELTER

milk. Complete and regular milking helps remove any mastitis-causing bacteria that may invade the udder immediately post-calving when the cow’s immune system is compromised.

Mastitis is most common just after calving; anything to reduce the risk has major benefits.

If necessary, clean the cow of mud and faeces, washing without chilling her. This benefits milk quality and cow health, improving hygiene, the environment and you because of cleaner conditions. You know how much better you feel when spruced up.

You now have a cow that is clean, healthy and producing quality milk with minimal stress. Enjoy the benefits of a little investment made during the dry period.

• Eric Hillerton is DairyNZ’s chief scientist. This article first appeared in DairyNZ Technical Series July issue.

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calved and their pelvic ligaments will be soft and pliant so acute turning in a fearful situation is less than desirable.

Teat spraying the heifers during the training period gets them used to the process and can have benefits in reducing mastitis at calving.

When you’re serious about

She’s calved CONTRADICTORY ADVICE and lots of folklore exist on dealing with the newly calved cow. First, aim to get the calf feeding on the dam’s colostrum well within six hours of calving, then milk the cow, targeting within 12 hours, not 24 hours.

This is to get the mammary gland to produce milk and not colostrum.

Before calving, the cow is in the colostrogenesis phase, she must have completed lactogenesis, making proper milk, before day five so that you can avoid grading.

This requires milking the cow out completely at least twice a day.

Never take off the cluster when only part of the milk has been removed.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

38 // calving CALF REARING CONCEPTS

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Keep a tight BCS spread at calving RANGE IN body con-

dition score (BCS) is as important as average BCS at calving on New Zealand dairy farms.

The ideal BCS of 5.0 for mixed age cows and 5.5 for first and second calvers is a target for each individual animal, as well as a herd target.

The cows at greatest risk of poor reproductive performance are the first and second calvers.

We all know that within a herd there is always going

to be a range of BCS, as each animal will have a slightly different metabolism, intake, milk production, etc. The challenge is to get the spread in BCS at calving as small as possible around the targets. Aim for at least 90% of mixed age cows being BCS 4.5-5.5 at calving.

There are a number of strategies managers can use to get every cow close to her ideal BCS at calving, such as: Drying-off low produc-

ing, fat cows early These cows put fat on their back instead of milk in your vat.

When feed is short, herd milk production commonly increases by drying off the low-producing fat cows as the other more productive cows are fed better. In addition there is often an area of low quality feed on the farm where these cows can be put to maintain themselves, such as steep sidelings or gullies.

Ensure heifers are

on track for weight and BCS Check every four-six weeks that replacements are gaining enough weight and remedy any shortcomings (see DairyNZ Technical Series, Heifer Rearing pg 11). Aim to have these at BCS 5.5 when they return from grazing, as they will put little weight on (and often lose weight) while they adapt to being in the herd. Well grown heifers introduced to the mixed age cows during the dry period will compete well

as milkers.

Give the first calvers more time dry than older cows Young cows are still growing to reach their mature weight and often have lower intakes. Therefore, they are only able to put weight on slowly, and require more time to get to target condition.

Split dry herds on BCS and time until calving If you dry-off all at once then it is necessary to split the dry cows into herds based on condition and expected

calving date. This allows for preferential feeding to get all cows to target BCS. Even if not enough feed is available to put on extra condition, creating herds is still a good idea, as it protects the younger cows from competition from the older more dominant cows. If supplement is going to be fed then feed it to the herd you want to gain the most condition or that needs to put it on fastest.

Staggered dry-off based on BCS and time to calving The principle here is that every dry cow can be fed the same, but the difference is how long she is dry for. In low-input systems, the dry-off decision rules (DairyNZ Facts and Figures Book, pg 38) work well. In higher-input systems, where dry cows are well fed on a mixture of pasture and supplement, cows at BCS 4.5 or better only require 50-60 days dry; cows at BCS 4.0 or worse need about 80-90

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days dry.

Part season once-aday (OAD) milking for all or part of the herd Cows milked OAD are less likely to milk off their back than cows milked twice-a-day and when well fed will put more weight on during lactation. Groups of cows that are particularly vulnerable to not reaching BCS targets, such as first calvers and early calving cows, are ideal candidates for part-season OAD milking.

The key is to go on OAD early enough to have an impact on BCS, as milking OAD for a couple of weeks or a month before drying-off has little impact. The reduction in daily milksolids production can largely be made up by milking on for longer, as cows do not have to be dried off as early due to BCS. OAD milking is unwise where the herd already has a high SCC, as it will increase when starting OAD.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

calving // 39

Good season time to build reserves SHAUN CONNOR,

farming near Shannon, Horowhenua, will later this week start the onerous task of calving. It’ll be a busy time for the 50/50 sharemilker calving the 240 cows on the 80ha farm.

He’s just had a record season producing 96,000kgMS but Connor and his wife Liza, beginning their 4th season on this particular farm have taken the unusually good season in their stride and directed much of their attention to planning for new season.

Connor hails from Pahiatua and spent time in Canterbury managing a 1300-cow herd. But because the herd size in Canterbury is 400-500 and therefore costly, he and Liza decided to come north and take on a small herd to build up their equity.

While Connor aims to get the best milk solids production out of his herd, he’s equally conscious of not pushing the herd too hard even in a good season. “I’ve probably been a bit more conservative in the past year.

We had a great season and we could have probably had an even better season.

But I pushed some of that resource forward into the new season in the form of feed and body condi-

tion... to make sure I have another good year, rather than have one fantastic year and, when the next one turns out a bit tough, a really bad year.”

His strategy is based on cows calving with a high body condition score (BCS). To this end he reverts to once-a-day milking from March 1. “The aim is for my cows to have a BCS of 5.0 and certainly nothing under a 4.5. Right now all my cows have BCS 5.0 and certainly no cows would be under 4.5 which is important. Averages are fine, but to me the actual number at the bottom end is what’s important.”

Connor likes to try to look at the wider picture and not just one season in totality. “It’s easy to rob production from the next season over the previous season and have a good year. I could run my cows down to be skinny, use up all my grass and reserves and have nothing left for next year and say ‘oh look what a great farmer I am this year.’ But the next year we won’t talk about that.”

To maintain his cows at a high BCS, Connor has been focusing on the myriad of tasks needed to achieve this. “The cows are about to go through one of the hardest times of their lives in the next 12 months. So as well as feeding them well I’ve been ensuring their mineral levels are right.

I’ve done blood tests to check for copper, cobalt and selenium and dosed accordingly as well as supplementing with magnesium now. We began dusting three weeks before calving. It’s important to realise cows can’t store magnesium, not like selenium and cooper so we have to dust every day.”

It will be a compressed calving period for Connor.

He’s adopted a ‘why wait’ maxim to get his cows and heifers to cycle a week earlier so he’ll effectively calve three weeks of cows in two weeks. This means the first of the heifers will calve before the first of the older calvers.

Already Connor has feed budgeting at the top of his agenda. He starts with a 100-day rotation plan which will reduce to a 25-day rotation by late September. He’ll be plotting throughout the year to make sure his cows’ needs are met. Bail-

age and silage are grown on the farm’s 34ha runoff block which Connor says is a huge advantage because they are able to harvest it when they want to. Because of the wet summer/autumn they have tended to harvest mainly bailage. From now on the cows will be fed the silage, bailage and some hay.

They’ll also get 2kgPKE/ day from now until about November.

This season’s lower payout does have an effect on how Connor runs his business. “You’d like to think the things you’re doing need to be done and you’re not wasting money.

But whenever a pinch happens financially you look a bit harder and ask, ‘Am I getting the return on the money I’m spending?’ ” Connor recognises this past season has been “awesome” but has still set his sights high for the coming season. “I’d hope to do [96,000kgMS] again.”

Shaun Connor says cows must calve with a good BCS.

‘Focus on feeding them well’ DAIRYNZ ‘S CONSULTING officer in the Manawatu/ Horowhenua, Abby Hull says in the days leading up to calving farmers should focus on meeting cow feed requirements.

Hull says two weeks out from calving a cow’s ME requirements is about 20% of its liveweight.

She says getting magnesium into cows three weeks before calving is important. “It’s important you follow the instructions on the bag and feed extra when it’s wet.”

Hull says farmers should pay close attention to their spring rotations, especially the first round. “If

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Pasture growth rates in Horowhenua have been slow due to severe frosts, she says.

Pasture covers in the region vary between 2100 and 2400 and some farmers would like a bit more feed before calving. But all have plentiful supplies of supplementary feed on hand, she says.

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40 // calving All claves must receive adequate fresh colostrum within the first 48 hours of life.

Set up cows to pay long dividends TO SET up a dairy cow for a long, productive life you must give her the best possible start. Extra effort now will pay dividends throughout her milking life.

Well grown heifers make much more successful milking cows, and growing them well starts from the day they are born.Best practice in calf rearing: All calves, including bobbies must receive adequate

fresh colostrum within the first 24 hours of life and should be fed colostrum, or a colostrum substitute, for at least the first four days of life.

■■ Always handle calves gently and with care. Do not allow anyone to throw, hit or drag a calf at any time.

Electric prodders must not be used on calves.

■■ Calves not with their dams must have shelter to stay warm and dry.

■■ Calf pens must be fit for purpose and well maintained. Bedding areas must be comfortable, clean and dry, with adequate ventilation to ensure ammonia gas does not build up. Exposed concrete, bare earth and mud are not acceptable.

■■ Calves should be fed at the same times each day to minimise stress.

■■ Always ensure your calves have access to large quantities of clean water.

■■ Feed calves well to rapidly achieve weaning weight with a well developed rumen.

Colostrum ■■ The calf should drink at least 2-3L of fresh colostrum during the first six hours of life to get a supply of immunoglobulins, which act as antibodies. To achieve this, pick up calves twice a day and give them first day colostrum regardless of whether they have had a feed.

■■ First-day colostrum is valuable (even if it has blood or clotty mastitis milk). It should be fed fresh.

■■ To store colostrum (other than first-day colostrum) store in multiple drums (to reduce risk of loss) in a cool place and stir it twice a day.

■■ A colostrum keeper can be added to maintain the sterility of the product, or add a sachet of Ezy-yo to each drum.

■■ Colostrum can be frozen for up to six months. Thaw in hot water, do not microwave.

Ensure good routine hygiene and health practices: ■■ Scrub all feeding equipment well with hot water and detergent.

■■ Frequently clean and disinfect pens where sick calves are treated.

■■ Spray pens weekly with a broad-spectrum disinfectant.

■■ Remove sick calves promptly to a sick bay.

Make regular health checks Calves must be checked twice daily for signs of illhealth and treatment given if any fall ill.

Check that: ■■ Noses are clear of discharges and are moist and cool.

■■ Calves are alert and have responsive ears with no infection around the ear tag.

■■ Navels are clear of infection.

■■ Mouths are clear of ulcers.

■■ Calves have shiny, supple coats. Note that if a calf’s pinched skin is slow to return to normal it may be dehydrated and need electrolytes.

■■ You vaccinate, treat for parasites and provide access to shelter.

■■ You control the spread of disease. Calves of the same age should stay in the same pen. However, small or unthrifty calves may be better off with a younger group.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

42 // machinery & products

Control spraying from the tractor cab A NEW 3-point linkage sprayer from Hardi allows the operator to stay in the tractor cab during spraying, and to expect less of the downtime sometimes suffered by booms during travel.

So said Hardi New Zealand and Australia operations manager Linden Forbes, launching the NK1000 12m, 1000L sprayer at National Fieldays.

Faster spraying and more control is the company’s offer. More farmers are moving towards spray units controllable from the tractor cab, Forbes says.

The NK1000 is a 200L expansion of the company’s1 popular NK800 model, added to the line-up on customers’ promptings about a unit

with a bigger tank.

The machine’s 12m individually folding hydraulic boom “gives farmers control over what they spray and what they don’t spray,” Forbes says.

“If you’ve got a tree you can just fold up one side of the boom and keep on spraying. Or if you’re in a smaller paddock you can just partially fold out the booms and spray the smaller area.”

While the NK1000 has been available several months in Australia, Forbes said Hardi wanted to make sure it was ready for the New Zealand market before launching it here. “We’ve just got them out of the container for Fieldays.”

The New Zealand model – unlike the Australian – is designed to avert

Linden Forbes.

boom damage that happens typically here during road travel, Forbes says.

“Most damage gets done when the spray unit gets transported from one job to another. It’s too easy for booms folded down to be damaged by the sideways rocking of the vehicle on the road.”

Rubber bushes on the hydraulics hold the boom

snug on the road.

At 900kg the unit robust enough to handle New Zealand’s rugged conditions, Forbes says.

Dimensions are 1.53m × 2.53m × 0.270m. The NK1000 sits close to the tractor and has a low center of gravity. The deep sump allows emptying on steep slopes.

Valves easy to maintain THE NEW Apex Xcess valve can do more than fill troughs and doesn’t require tools to maintain, say makers of the valve.

The valve outlet is compatible with a Camlock fitting, allowing the water from a trough to fill break-feed troughs, run irrigation systems, fill spray tanks or wash farm equipment, says marketing manager Craig Pearson.

The company designed the valve to a high standard to meet stated needs of New Zealand farmers, says Pearson. “We talked to them, got a wish list of everything they wanted a valve to do, then sat down to work out what was practical.

“It came out of our desire to manufacture something different from all the other valves on the market.”

The valve’s water outlet is on a cap that can be easily loosened by hand. This lets operators clean out sediment without a toolbox, says spokesman David

Salisbury, technical sales. “You don’t need to remove the arm to service the valve, so there’s no chance of losing the arm pin in the trough when you’re trying to fix things.”

With a pressure range of 0-1200kPa the Xcess valve has the highest flow rate of any available, says Pearson.

It fits top-entry troughs, or troughs with at least 150mm space between the outlet and the bottom of the trough, and it uses a 150mm float.

A 25/20mm reducer and cord-and-nipple attachment makes it compatible with a wider range of water systems.

The Xcess Camlock kit includes a 20mm Camlock, 20mm Anka male elbow, 20mm Anka straight coupling and 3m of UV-resistant flexible hose. The Xcess Camlock kit is sold separate from the valve.

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

machinery & products // 43

The problem of the long white cloud NEW ZEALAND is often

referred to as the land of the long white cloud.

But this cloud cover is preventing us from taking advantage of new technologies designed to measure pasture growth on the dairy farm.

Ruakura scientist Warren King is a specialist in technologies designed to measure pastures. He’s worked in Australia and was involved in a programme called Pastures from Space, originally developed by CSIRO and rolled out to most temperate parts of that country.

He says Pastures from Space works nicely for the Aussies with images taken from spot satellites and sent at regular intervals to farmers’ computers.

These images contain data on pasture covers, pasture

growth rate and pasture quality.

“This is information that is hugely important for the day to day and month to month management of farms. Some of the case studies out of Australia point to gross margin increases of say between $20 and $60 per hectare per year so there is a significant value proposition for those guys,” he says. In the last five years much work was done in New Zealand to see if the system could operate here – particularly for dairy farms in Canterbury and Waikato.

“It works very well – when it works. Unfortunately the amount of cloud cover we experience in New Zealand means the information is not entirely reliable in terms of when

that information comes through.

“So without a continuous set of images from the satellite it’s very difficult to produce reliable produce data, particularly at paddock scale,” he says.

Some areas in Australia with a temperate climate have more than 3000 sunshine hours in a year which is a long way ahead of much of New Zealand.

But it’s not all bad news with new technologies coming into play, such as radar satellites where cloud cover is irrelevant.

“But there are issues around the resolution of the images, the present cost of the technology and the frequency at which radar satellites pass overhead. These are the sort of things that we are starting to think about now. The

The quadcopter takes high quality pictures of pasture to help farmers address feed budgets.

Inset: Ruakura scientist Warren King.

radar technology is developing all the time and there are new satellites that we hadn’t thought about,” he says.

King says the technology on farm that can link with satellites is in place.

It’s just a matter of solving the issue of taking quality images through the cloud cover. Until this technology is right, sensors that are lower altitude than satellites are being investigated.

“So these can be mounted on aircraft or on some model helicopter platforms. There are all sorts of off-the-shelf sensors that are available for that sort of application .

We are now looking at how

Go with the flow A NEW recyclable milk liner has notable extra advantages, says the marketer, Hydroflow.

The product, Dairyflo, is claimed a “new type of milk liner”. It is made of thermoplastic elastomer polymer, making it impact resistant, lighter than rubber liners, non-absorbsent of fats or foreign substances, and able to last at least 3500 milkings, the company says.

Hydroflow principal Ken Breckon expects the liners to last “for the entire season..., averting the need for replacing milk liners half way through a season.”

Breckon says farmers prompted his company towards more environmentally sustainable milk liners able to be used longer without risk of attracting bacteria.

“Farmers don’t want to put liners into

landfills. But there’s little you can do with rubber milk liners once they’ve been used.”

The plastic behaves much like rubber, Breckon says. It will flex to handle almost any teat after two or three uses and, because it doesn’t absorb fats, is unlikely to lead to the plant cleaning requirements incurred by rubber milk liners.

With four different sizes to choose from, the DairyFlo liners are compatible with a number of cup and claw types from manufacturers including Bullseye, Dairymaster, Delaval, Milfos, Skellerup, Westfalia and Waikato.

The liners have been trialled on-farm at least three years here and overseas. Hydroflow says. They are sold at RD1 stores.

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we might make that information useful, relevant and valuable for farmers,” he says.

King says it’s not science for science’s sake. It’s applied science of direct benefit to farmers.

Dairy News july 24, 2012

44 // machinery & products

100-teat feeder nice and nimble LARGE-SCALE CALF

rearing operations won’t require so many trips to the shed by farmers using a new 100-teat opentrough feeder from Milk Bar.

Farmers have been asking for a 100-teat calf feeder, says Rob McInnes.

Managing director Rob McInnes says the feeder’s 1200L capacity and ‘empty’ weight of 400kg makes this the largest commercial trialed milk feeder on the New Zealand

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market. It measures 7m long x 1.8m wide.

Farmers had asked the company for a 100-teat calf feeder, despite the issues of size, McInnes says. “Normally with our products we take an idea and produce it for the market. But this was something people asked for.”

Milk runs to the troughs from one of three 400L tanks made of UVresistant polyethylene.

Milk Bar says while the trailer was a little difficult to engineer due to its size, they had some help from previous projects.

“The [galvanised steel] chassis is exactly the same as on the 6m long feed trains,” says McInnes.

“But we built the feed trains with this feeder in mind.”

Troughs and tanks used on previous models are fitted to the new model.

McInnes says having three tanks allows farmers to get the correct amount of milk for three individual mobs of calves at one time instead of heading back to the shed between

feedings.

“It also gives farmers the option of turning one side off if they’ve only got 40 or 50 calves at the end of a season.”

Many of the feed train’s features can also be found on the 100-teat feeder, says McInnes. These include a brake independent of the drawbar and an all-wheel-steer system.

This gives the unit a manoeuvrability not seen in trailed calf feeders half the size, McInnes says.

“A long trailer like that does cut in a lot if it doesn’t have all-wheelsteer. This makes life difficult if you have a narrow raceway or when you’re trying to manoeuvre around yards.”

A towbar at the back of the calf feeder means large-scale farmers with many replacements can attach more than one feeder to their vehicle.

McInnes says the size of the calf feeder is likely to rule out quads for towing; utes or 4WD farm utilities are preferable.

Tel. 0800 104 119 www.milkbar.co.nz

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says simplify the transfer of animal data to NAIT. Available on its website, Gallagher NAIT Exchange software enables farmers to easily transfer animal data collected on Gallagher weigh scales and tag readers to the NAIT database.

Gallagher product manager for weighing and electronic identification systems, Dan Loughnane, says the free software has been designed so that even users with minimal computer skills can use it effectively. Information can be transferred from a computer to NAIT in three simple steps, he says.

“You locate the required animal tag details in your files downloaded from your weigh scale or reader, specify the information you want to send and then hit ‘go’. The software handles the rest.”

A second software product, Gallagher animal data transfer for Android, interfaces with the Gallagher handheld electronic tag reader HR3 with Android-compliant mobile phones.

This application enables the user to extract animal tag details from the tag reader and attach them to an email on their phone via Bluetooth. The email can then be sent to a computer where NAIT Exchange software is used to send the animal information to NAIT. Loughnane says this simple transaction means the reader doesn’t need to be connected directly to the computer for data to be transferred.

Dairy News july 24, 2012

machinery & products // 45

New telehandler offers more MANITOU’S NEW

rough-terrain telehandler, model MLT 840-137 (replacing the MLT 741120) turns in 3.98m, carries 4000kg, and will tip 3 tonnes into a 4.5m-high trailer.

Its boom allows carrying loads up to 7.55m in height with 800mm of offset.

Distributor Manitou Agriculture (AB Equipment) says the MLT 840137’s capabilities “ideally

suit New Zealand farm conditions.”

Power comes from a 137hp John Deere 4.5L engine (Tier 4-stage 3B) and a 180L/min. variable flow hydraulic pump. The cooling system controls fan speed automatically according to engine temperature, saving fuel and the environment.

Manitou’s JSM hydraulic controls speed the hydraulic operation by

diverting oil to all functions simultaneously to provide a quicker and more responsive hydraulic operation, the company says.

The JSM allows forward or reverse movement while doing multiple tasks in unison – safely and efficiently.

The machine’s new 5-speed M-Shift gearbox is smooth-changing in all situations. Power shift

Averting pugging PUGGING DAMAGE to paddocks can

be averted during feeding from mobile troughs by the use of the new Eco Matt ‘mobile floor’, says Tokoroa Engineering owner John Waldon.

It comprises 2m x 8m thermoplastic Elastomer mats on a reel mounted behind a tractor, truck or quad. Stock walk on the mats and not the pasture, so pugging is averted.

There are two transport options: a 3-point linkage mounted reel unrolled and rolled up hydraulically, and a trailed manual-winch model.

The 44kg mats can be mounted on the reels in sets of two. Up to eight mats can go on one reel to service four troughs.

Operators can set up, take down and clean the mats in “minutes,” Waldon says.

“It takes two-three minutes to set up and

just four minutes to roll up.”

When packing up, the farmer simply flips the mats over and drags them down the paddock to scrape off effluent and mud before rolling them onto the reel.

The system has been enthusiastically received Waldon says. “As soon as anybody sees it they get it. Environment Waikato representatives say this is the first time they’ve seen something solve this problem.”

Tokoroa Engineering has also developed a towbar-mounting to shorten set-up and pack-down times for tractor operators.

The connection uses a sliding towbar and spring top-clip to disengage feed trailers quickly, allowing them to stay on securely during the drive to stock.

The new MLT 840-137 looks good internally and externally.

auto is standard.

Cab comfort is superb, Manitou says: “a machine that not only looks good internally and externally, but is intended for maximum operator well-being.

The driving area [maximizes] productivity and comes with a pneumatic cloth seat, air conditioning, rear view mirror and a CD/ MP3 player.

Other features include

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Dairy News july 24, 2012

46 // machinery & products

Range extended to working utes NISSAN IS extending its D40 Navara range with eight new RX badged models for tradesmen, farmers and foresters.

“These are working utes for people with heavy, dirty gear they need to get to job sites and the wide variety of places our primary industries operate in,” says Nissan New Zealand managing director John Manley.

“And we have reintroduced a king cab well-side model to the Navara RX range for those people who need cab storage space, but prefer the longer tray.”

The Navara RX is available as a king cab chassis, allowing buyers to personalise the rear of the ute to their needs, as well as a king cab well-side and double cab.

The Navara RX models have gone on sale from $39,900 for the 2WD double cab and from $46,490 for the 4WD king cab chassis. There are eight RX models available, as all four variants come with either a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 5-speed

automatic transmission.

The two rear wheel drive models have the 106 kW and 356 Nm of torque version of Nissan’s 2.5L 4-cylinder turbo diesel motor, while the six 4WD models get 126 kWs and 403 Nm. And while the RX is easy to keep clean with its vinyl floor covering and heavy duty upholstery it has not totally scrimped on features. There is air conditioning, cruise control, power win-

dows, keyless entry and a four speaker sound system.

For utes expected to earn their keep, there is a rear limited slip differential, anti lock brakes and an electronic safety programme also known as vehicle dynamics control.

The RX models can be distinguished by their steel wheels – all other Navara D40s have alloys -no rear bumper and manually operated door mirrors.

“We’ve obviously had to leave out some equipment to make the RX more attractive to farmers, rural

and forestry contractors,” says Manley. “But all the important technical features are still there that a working ute needs to perform to expectations.”

The 2WD RX models have a towing capacity of 2000kg and the 4WDs, three tonnes.

Above the RX models,

Nissan offers four different mid range ST double cab models with 2WD and 4WD. They add carpeted cabins, 16 inch alloy wheels, side steps and a chromed rear bumper among other features and have the same engine and transmission options as the RX.

Pasture spray lifts milk yield, reduces emissions sue edmonds

THE GOVERNMENT’S deferment

Nisssan says its new Navara range is ideal for farmers.

Krone Comprima High Density Balers SIZE MATTERS

The higher specification STX models – again all double cabs – have 120 kWs 2WD and 140 kWs 4WD power trains, with 17 inch alloys, an active brake limited slip differential, dual zone climate control, and Nissan’s tie-down system at the rear.

of agriculture entering the emissions trading scheme (ETS) will not only ease pocketbooks, but provide more time for research into ways to reduce how much methane and nitrous oxide our ruminant export earners produce individually.

While some publicly funded research has been looking at changing how the rumen works in the animal, some private research has focused on the pasture that goes in, and not just the gases coming out.

Indigo Ltd, which has produced Agrizest for orchardists since 2005, has turned its focus to pasture, and recently launched Biozest, a patented New Zealand spray for pasture which is already certified as an organic agricultural compound.

So how does Biozest work?

Indigo has taken the learning from a variety of published and peer reviewed scientific papers on what plants can do when stimulated, and what effects this has on what goes on in the animal rumen.

Repeated trials on different farm types around the country have con-

firmed some remarkable results, not only in pasture growth rates, but also increases in milk and meat production.

This is due to the protein in the pasture eaten being used by the animal, and not just quickly excreted, as generally happens now.

Profitability per hectare increased markedly on the trial areas.

Plants contain receptors which react to a variety of stresses (such as cold, salinity and light) and also defend against pathogens and pests.

Biozest triggers these receptors, resulting in production of essential oils by the plant. Essential oils not only trigger more pasture plant growth (between 89% and 127% more after 19 days), but also assist the plant to more efficiently use the elements in the soil around it.

The plant grows faster, produces higher levels of sugars, with some of the essential oils being flavour compounds, making the pasture more palatable to ruminants. Trials showed animal preference for treated pasture, and higher Brix levels in it.

These higher levels of essential oils have resulted in combined benefits of increased milk production (up to 33% for goats), higher levels of protein in milk, and animal weight gain.

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