Dairy News 10 March 2015

Fonterra’s milk supply strategy under fire. PAGE 4 SETTING THE BAR HIGH Small Kiwi company’s success in China PAGES 6-7

THE RACE IS ON

Hopes pinned on UTVs PAGE 50 MARCH 10, 2015 ISSUE 330 // www.dairynews.co.nz

CLEAN UP YOUR ACT

One in five Fonterra suppliers on notice to improve quality of water in milking shed. PAGE 3

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS // 3

Farmers on notice over water quality SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

NZ milk bars flourish in China. PG.06-07

Kiwi genetics thrive in Oz. PG.26-27

Mustang roars in. PG.48

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ONE IN five Fonterra suppliers is on notice to improve the quality of their milking shed water.

The co-op says it is working with 2100 farmer suppliers who are on ‘temporary water exclusion’; on these farms mandatory management plans ensure raw water does not contact milk.

Milking shed water is assessed by Fonterra for E. coli, colour and clarity/sediment; farms with non-compliant water are moved into temporary water exclusion status.

Fonterra’s general manager milk supply technical and assurance, Dianne Schumacher, told Dairy News the co-op is working with farmers on this issue, “assisting with the development and implementation of solutions to help our farmers move off temporary water exclusion”. The solutions include water treatment and filtration options.

Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard is surprised at the high number of farmers on temporary water exclusion, but comments that not many farmers think about draining and cleaning-out water tanks. “Farmers need to think about this more.”

Hoggard’s farm was last year put into temporary water exclusion; after cleaning out the milking shed water tank his farm got an all-clear.

On his Manawatu farm, water is pumped from bore holes to the tank and then piped to the milking shed. On some farms water is piped

Leon Spurrell, Farm Medix, with a Farm Chlor water disinfection system installed on a dairy farm.

directly to the shed from bore holes or rivers. Hoggard insists clean water for rinsing and washdown is essential for producing high quality milk.

Schumacher says Fonterra’s proactive efforts to maintain high milk quality are “in keeping with the direction of Ministry for Primary Industries standards in this area, [and] while temporary water exclusion does not pose additional risk to milk quality it does involve additional testing.”

Fonterra is not requiring all affected farmers to move out of temporary water exclusion by the end of this season but the co-op says the number of its suppliers operating on temporary water exclusion has fallen

by 36% this season.

The co-op refused to say whether it would stop collecting milk from farms on temporary water exclusion.

“Fonterra will continue to work with these farmers but some may not be able to move from temporary water exclusion. In such situations they will be managed in accordance with relevant regulatory requirements,” Schumacher says.

On the cost involved in achieving water-compliant status, Schumacher says this will vary widely according to the individual farmer’s situation.

Farm Medix, a supplier of water quality plant for dairy farms, sells a water disinfection system called Farm Chlor which dispenses and

doses chlorine and monitors chlorine levels.

Director Natasha Maguire knows Fonterra wants farmers to measure chlorine to avoid residue issues in milk. But she points out that throwing a pool chlorine tablet into a water tank would be “a crude way” to address water quality issues onfarm; this is not an approved chemical and would put the milk supply chain at risk, she says.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

4 // NEWS

Short-term milk supply gain, long-term pain?

PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA IS taking “desperate” and “idiotic” steps to maintain milk supply, says Labour primary industries spokesman Damien O’Connor.

He argues while the measures may bring initial supply gain, it puts at risk the long term supply by encouraging shortterm opportunism, while jeopardising the loyalty of committed farmers.

“If the farmers lose the understanding and commitment to the cooperative that has built

the dairy industry, they will be a meat industry before you know it,” he told the AgCarm conference in Auckland recently.

However, Fonterra has defended its strategy to grow its local milk pool.

Fonterra’s group director cooperative affairs, Miles Hurrell, says Fonterra launched mymilk to grow its New Zealand milk pool, increase market share and provide a new pathway to membership in the cooperative.

“We’ve taken this step because it is good for the cooperative and the country for Fonterra to be the first name on the list for

farmers considering their supply options,” he told Dairy News.

“Our farmers support the cooperative model and the financial returns coming back into New Zealand.”

But O’Connor says investment in the dairy industry by Vietnam, China and other players is chipping away at the supply. “Fonterra has very efficient, well utilised plants – some of the biggest plants in the world – but if the efficiency is reduced because they can’t get the guaranteed supply, then we are losing out as an economy, not just one

company.

“Fonterra has been implementing some desperate measures to try to retain supply. Idiotic in my view and there are a whole lot of weird and wonderful ideas. Investment – they are going out to get international investment to come into Fonterra, they are going out offering some farmers better deals to keep their milk supply in the short term… kind of.”

He says he is a dairy farmer who is passionate about the cooperative and supportive of Fonterra. But as an Opposition spokesman it is his job to

Damien O’Connor

promote some “good lateral thinking” on issues.

O’Connor later explained to Dairy News that Fonterra has brought in measures such as fixed contracts, an extended time frame for sharing up and mymilk.

“In my view these are a

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fairly desperate set of provisions to try to maintain supply to the cooperative.

This was the inevitable outcome of the capital restructure.

“Until the core philosophy of the cooperative is understood and promoted

by Fonterra they will continue to lose those farmers who are simply there for the short term gains without understanding the long term value.

“I’m a staunch supporter of Fonterra, of its importance and value to the New Zealand economy and more particularly to the dairy industry.”

He does not believe all the solutions were properly debated before the capital restructure. “It’s no good crying over spilt milk, I understand that, but if the farmers supplying Fonterra do so without the underlying understanding of the cooperative’s value then that short term supply will put at risk the loyalty of the other farmers who understand that.

“Just as the meat cooperatives have been destroyed from within by short term opportunism of the farmer suppliers,

so too could that sad outcome face Fonterra.”

More desperate measures to retain milk supply won’t work until there is more commitment to the co-op and its philosophy by the people supplying it, he says. “The risk is you have a growing divide between the farmers who are loyal to the coop and will continue to supply because they understand that long-term intergenerational obligation, and the short-term opportunists who are coming in and sometimes negotiating a better price for their milk.”

He says it is a serious issue when a state-owned agency such as Landcorp is the beneficiary of greater market knowledge and size at the expense of loyal suppliers. They are getting $7/kgMS for a proportion of their supply this season.

He says he has concerns about the growing number of independent Fonterra directors. “The directors of a co-op need to understand and believe in the philosophy of a co-op so it’s long term intergenerational responsibilities are paramount in their thinking.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS // 5

‘Localised drought’ declared A ‘LOCALISED drought’ has been declared in Wairarapa as the southern and eastern parts of the region start to feel the impact of the dry conditions.

Greater Wellington Regional Council general manager, catchment management group, Wayne O’Donnell, says a local drought committee met recently, comprising local authorities, banks, accountants, farmers and rural consultants; MPI was also represented.

“The main concern was the length of time the conditions have been in this

state in Wairarapa, back to October when the spring was cold and dry; then quite quickly in November it developed as very hot and windy,” O’Donnell says.

“Rainfall has been patchy so we have a situation in South Wairarapa and the north eastern coastal areas where the moisture deficits are sitting at 120mm to 130mm.

That’s getting into really severe conditions considering 150 is permanent wilting.”

O’Donnell says data from two NIWA sites in

the region has been given to MPI. The drought committee will meet again this week, update the data and pass it to MPI. “Farmers are feeding

Leo Hendricks, DairyNZ

Drying off early THE DROUGHT is forcing dairy

farmers in South Canterbury and Marlborough to consider drying off their herds in the coming weeks.

Feed concerns are also on the minds of many farmers, given the shortage or cost of supplementary feed and the likely shortfall of winter grazing for young stock.

Wairarapa is the latest region hit by the dry: a ‘localised drought’ has been declared.

Wade Bell, DairyNZ, told Dairy News there is extreme pressure on farmers in parts of South Canterbury, especially because of irrigation restrictions. Some farmers in the Fairlie area are especially badly hit and are likely to have to dry off their herds.

“The other thing is the flow-on effect of the dry on winter grazing.

Dairy farmers rely on getting stock off in winter but a lot of dryland grazing is

we’re going to head into winter without any pasture cover and depleted winter feed supplies. It’s serious.”

He says if conditions deteriorate much more the committee will consider asking the Minister for Primary Industries to declare a medium scale drought.

But while this will bring help from Rural Support Trust, banks, IRD, etc it won’t solve the real problem – lack of feed.

“Wairarapa evenings and mornings are now getting a lot cooler, with heavy dews. So it won’t take long for the temperature to

out their winter feed and they don’t have any pasture cover. The concern is that unless we get significant rain – say 50mm plus as a minimum – in March

affected as well, creating a lot of stress down there.”

Bell says Bay of Plenty and Waikato farmers have been similarly affected for a couple of summers at least, though they are pretty well placed for summer crops and supplements. Even so they are feeding out high levels of supplements – 5-12kg/cow/day, to try to protect pasture covers and cow condition.

“They’ve had patchy rain over the last few weeks but nothing significant to break the drought. As a result, pastures covers in those regions are quite low –1600-1800. But farmers seem to be in good spirits, having feed available from spring and maize crops coming off now.”

Bell says Southland has had rain and covers are lifting. In Taranaki rain has fallen on farms near the mountain, while those in the north of the province and along the coast have tended to miss out.

– Peter Burke

drop and potentially disaster will be heading our way for winter.”

Meanwhile DairyNZ Wairarapa consulting officer Leo Hendricks says dairy production has fallen 10% in the past few weeks and farmers have sent their cull cows to the works.

And there may be a shortage of run-offs for young stock in winter.

“Most run-offs are not irrigated so they look brown. Once-a-day milking is being used a fair bit and generally there is not a lot of room to move; farmers are starting to dry off

lighter and early-calving cows to take pressure off the [herds] and off the feed supply. There is some feed around; you can still buy PKE and there’s a bit of baleage around but it’s getting more expensive. It’s a matter of trying to bridge the gap until it rains, but the rain keeps on being delayed.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

6 // NEWS

Small company makes big m PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A KIWI company special-

ising in selling milk products to China is planning a major expansion and is planning to raise $10 million to do this.

Biopure exports milk products including infant

formula to China, selling through its own network of 25 stores called the New Zealand Milk Bar, in 23 cities and six provinces. It hopes to have 1000 stores by the end of 2017.

Biopure recently gained Chinese registration for its Infapure infant formula brand, a “game changer”, says managing direc-

tor Simon Page. He and his wife Jane Li opened their first stores in 2012 in Chengdu City, Sichuan province, in southwest China.

They first imported clothing from China, but after the Sanlu melamine scare Chinese contacts asked them to sell New Zealand dairy products.

The new business has grown and taken on a life of its own, Page says.

“In our stores we sell a range of our niche dairy products. Our instant whole milk powder is a top-selling product, sold in 1kg bags. We also sell skim milk powder and infant formula and we have Fonterra Anchor Simon Page

CAN WE HELP? SIMON PAGE and his wife Jane Li are widely recognised as highly successful marketers to China.

It helps that Jane was born in Chengdu and raised and educated largely in New Zealand.

They have been helping Fonterra with its branded products in China and have offered to help other exporters, Page says.

“We want to help companies to sell to the consumers.

Our expertise is in creating shelf space and knowing what Chinese consumers want and being able to sell the product.

New Zealand has struggled over the years to get brands out there and turn them into large brands.”

He says Chengdu city is a good launching place for New Zealand exporters aiming into

the China market. With 14 million people it is smaller and less expensive to operate in than Shanghai.

“It’s the gateway to the whole western part of China and a very important city.

That’s why New Zealand has appointed a new consul-general there in the last six months.

There is also a big push by the Chinese government to develop that region.”

Jane Li

UHT milk which we get directly from them in China. We have also tried other specialty powders such as goat milk in 400g tins and we’ve sold Whittaker’s chocolate, getting a good response.”

Page says they have resisted the temptation to sell other New Zealand products such as wine and manuka honey, instead sticking with dairy products – what they are known for. Cheese is a

possibility, he says.

While the idea of a niche specialty store like the Milk Bar may seem unusual to New Zealanders, Page says there is now a proliferation of direct import stores like theirs in China. “Foreign products are increasingly popular with the Chinese middle class.”

Page says of all New Zealand’s offerings, milk is what the country is most famous for so they decided

to compete in that market and tap into the popularity of foreign products. “For us milk is the point of difference,” he says.

Milk Bar’s success has given Page and Li the confidence to go one step further in their expansion programme – hence the need to raise more capital, he says.

“We’re moving into a different phase now that we have certainty of product supply; we’re work-

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS // 7

moves in China

Chinese consumers buying dairy products in the New Zealand Milk Bar.

ing on a ‘store in store’ strategy. We have six well resourced Chinese partners and they have a huge reach into traditional channels.

“This new strategy will see us have our Milk Bar stores in large supermarkets or baby store chains but still under our banner and brand. We’ll keep the

integrity of that supply chain so it’s really exciting for us. But we will continue to open standalone stores which get the volume up.”

The new strategy may see opportunities for other value added dairy products in their inventory.

Cheese and sheep milk products are possible.

China-bound products to be tested locally NEW ZEALAND infant formula exports to China have been given a boost with the launch last week of a new pilot project to test products here instead of there.

In a world-wide first for dairy products, Chinese Government-owned China Certification and Inspection Group (CCIC) has selected NuZtri to take part in the test trial.

NuZtri says the trial will allow its dairy products to be tested in New Zealand by an accredited laboratory so that they get automatic entry across the Chinese border without any further testing.

“This will allow shipments of NuZtri dairy products to China in the certain knowledge that the products will move quickly through the Chinese border,” the company says.

“All dairy exporters currently face substantial risks with testing at the Chinese border. Often the same tests car-

ried out in China result in a different outcome from tests done in New Zealand laboratories. “ Over time the hope is that all New Zealand dairy companies meeting these requirements will be awarded this special privilege of testing products here.

Last week the agreement signing ceremony between Nuztri (Best Health Products Ltd) and CICC was held in Christchurch.

NuZtri says the New Zealand infant formula sector has suffered much in the last few years due to the Fonterra whey protein issue and the new regulations for entering the Chinese market.

“With only nine factories now having been approved to export infant formula to China, the production volume has dropped significantly.

Meanwhile, Ireland has successfully boosted its share of the Chinese infant formula market to 9% from 0% in just a few years,” it says.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS // 9

Small price rise good enough DESPITE A smaller rise in the

Farm Chlor dispenses chlorine and monitors levels in water.

Farmers on notice FROM PAGE 3

Our system tests the levels of chlorine in the water. “Chlorine will be dispensed into water and you will be able to control the concentration; you don’t want very strong chlorine for the first week and none in the weeks after, which is [what happens if you throw] a tablet into the tank.”

She believes not all farmers are taking the temporary water exclusion issue seriously. “We think a lot of farmers don’t realise water exclusion was only supposed to be temporary; you’re actually supposed to do something about

FONTERRA’S ADVICE FONTERRA WANTS farmers to: ■■

Find out the specific nature of the water problem

■■

Establish the cause(s) of the problem

■■

Identify options for solution

■■

Talk to a Fonterra farm dairy assessor or a Fonterra regional food safety manager.

it. The writing is on the wall that Fonterra is going to be stricter about this.”

Fonterra farmers on temporary water exclusion are paying $100/month from their milk cheques for extra water tests. Maguire says her company has heard that the monthly test payments could rise if water quality does not comply with the standard. Compliance before the end of the season could result in penalties being refunded.

“On the bright side, farmers can also get good gains from water chlorination, which also inhibits algal bloom in bore, creek or dam water for stock water troughs,” Maguire explains. This keeps the water palatable for stock and helps deal with the bacteria carried by birds.

Meanwhile, Fonterra farmers on temporary water exclusion cannot use raw water for rinsing plant after cleaning-in-place (CIP).

Raw water also may not be used for flushing plant at the start of milking, flushing milk from the plant to the vat at the end of milking, or for any other purpose where it may contact raw milk intended for supply.

A farmer on a temporary water exclusion policy will: ■■ Have a lower trigger level for demerits for the freezing point test. This means suppliers on water exclusion have more chance of freezing point demerits ■■ Incur a monthly charge of $100+GST deducted from milk payments to cover the cost of the extra testing and monitoring ■■ Need to run milk to waste at the start of milking and/ or treat final rinse water ■■ Need to treat all rinse water in wash tubs before it enters the plant or vat. A dose of approved liquid chlorine at a minimum of 5ml/100L of water must be added to make water suitable for rinsing detergent residues ■■ Have a written document outlining the farm’s detergent rinsing procedure.

global dairy price index last week, farmers will be happy, says Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard. He says farmers were hoping for another big rise, similar to the previous two auctions but this did not eventuate. “At least the price index is rising,” he told Dairy News.

The most recent auction

saw prices rise while volumes dropped; Fonterra’s GDT price index climbed 1.1%, with an average selling price of US$3374/ tonne.

A total of 22,094 tonnes was sold at the latest auction, falling 3.8% from the previous one.

However, the price rise for Fonterra’s flagship product, whole milk powder (WMP), was

down 1% to US$3241/tonne.

Fonterra last month held the 2014-15 milk payout at $4.70/ kgMS. And the co-op says WMP prices must reach US$3500/t by April to sustain the $4.70/kgMS payout forecast.

After tumbling late last year, milk powder prices are now rising; GDT prices for whole milk powder have risen 45% and skim

milk powder prices 13%.

Fonterra chairman John Wilson says the increase was not sufficient to raise the forecast milk price now.

On the coming season, Wilson says it’s difficult to predict prices so far ahead. “There is so much volatility, we are finding to difficult to forecast on a week-to-week basis, let alone 18 months.”

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

10 // NEWS

Consumers want nutrition ‘security’ PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

NUTRIONAL UNDERSTANDING

and food testing will become an increasingly important part of the dairy industry, says Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand executive director, Kimberly Crewther.

But she warns that testing for contaminants that was once done in parts per million, has now advanced to parts per billion and is heading for parts per trillion.

Crewther told the AgCarm conference the dairy industry globally is thinking that its role in meeting that worldwide rising demand for food would not only be in food security but also nutrition security.

“Nutritional understanding is an important factor in what the opportunity for dairy products will look like,” she says. She referred to a Time article last year which said the hypothesis they published in 1961 saying butter would cause heart disease could not now be scientifically maintained as a hypothesis. Scientists said they got it wrong.

“A more sophisticated understand-

ing of nutrition is needed if we are going to support global nutritional security,” she says. “Otherwise we will have naïve policies or scientifically yet-to-beproved hypotheses having a significant impact on food production and where we invest our productive resources.”

Food safety confidence is a must for any producer. “It is increasingly literally under the microscope with the advancement of food testing technology in recent years,” she says.

“Foods which were previously tested at parts per million have advanced to parts per billion and there is a drive towards parts per trillion. It means people are more aware of things in their food…. The automatic question is, is this safe or not, is it a risk, yes or no?

“We saw this with DCD very clearly: where there is detection of something not expected there is potential for significant disruptions in markets and to consumers.

“It is a challenge the International Dairy Federation has taken up in terms of how we communicate risk to consumers more clearly. How do we make sure we have the common evidence-based [science] and common international standards which provide consumers

Kimberly Crewther

with a framework of confidence, rather than varying understanding or information without context causing significant disruption and chaos in markets.

“That will take some time to achieve and in the meantime the industry is managing the situation where we have that disconnect between testing capability and understanding.

“There’s hypersensitivity in markets because of the gap in consumer understanding for things being found that are unexpected.”

She says that has relevance for veterinary medicines and agrichemicals, pesticides and sprays.

Earlier Crewther said globally dairy demand is growing at an equivalent to

New Zealand’s total annual production every year. The increase in demand from India in the next 10 months is predicted to be more than New Zealand’s forecast increase in dairy production for the next 10 years.

However volatility is part of the “new normal” for the dairy industry globally. Prior to 2007 high volatility in dairy markets was being suppressed by supply management policies run by the Europeans, the North Americans and others.

“We live in a world where we’ve got increasing demand for dairy products. That is leading to higher average prices, but alongside those higher average prices comes a bumpier ride. So a key challenge for the industry is how we bounce without breaking with volatility.”

One solution to alleviate volatility would be greater liquidity in the market through auctions for trading.

The liquidity in the dairy market is constrained by tariff barriers and other protections globally. The dairy industry sees the TPP as a significant opportunity for dairy tariff liberalisation. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

FMD WOULD KNOCK OUT OUR PROPS FOOT AND mouth outbreak modelling has shown the disease would hit the New Zealand economy twice as hard as the global financial crisis, says Crewther.

“Biosecurity has the potential to significantly change the fortunes of the industry and of New Zealand as a whole,” Crewther says.

New Zealand’s trade and travel patterns are changing significantly and that means the risk pathways into New Zealand are changing significantly.”

We should not have the mindset that the border is impervious, and need to be prepared for the risk of something coming in.

Various dairy and animal sector participants have been working with MPI over the last 18 months to develop a foot and mouth preparednesss programme and strategy.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

12 // NEWS

Pitch your thinking higher SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

AUSTRALIAN DAIRY

farmers are being urged to boost their business credentials to meet the growing challenges of farming.

The days of “just setting the buttons on the dairy farms and letting them run themselves” are over, says

Nerida Sweetapple, Robobank.

Rabobank business programme manager Nerida Sweetapple.

Speaking at the recent Australian Dairy Conference in Tasmania, she urged farmers to look at themselves as managers of rural enterprises.

As demand for food rises with the growth of the middle class and a booming global popula-

tion, farmers are in a great position take advantage, she says. But farmers must lift productivity and efficiency to reap the benefits; they must become better entrepreneurs.

“We have to navigate through the complex role of the farmer; we should be looking at ourselves as business managers of rural enterprises. It

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often goes unnoticed that we are business managers and that’s how we should start to look at ourselves and educate ourselves. To lift productivity we need to behave more like businesses and corporate organisations.”

Rabobank sees today’s farmer wearing many hats; the role is no longer as easy and straightforward as in generations gone by.

Sweetapple says farmers must be better educated, able to negotiate prices and contracts and play a more active role in the supply chain.

“Farmers have to look more globally, not just in their local farming area, to see and know what is going on; you must learn to manage risk and strive for long term sustainability of your businesses.”

In addition to the many demands of farming there are complex global issues that affect the industry, many of which farmers can’t control.

But with planning and good strategy farmers can reduce the effects of these factors on their businesses.

Rabobank talks regularly to many farmers worldwide, finding everyone is facing the same challenges. “It doesn’t matter who you speak to or what situation they are in, no matter where you farm or what you farm, we find the feedback is the same. We ask them what their key challenges are daily; it’s growing their businesses in a sustainable way.”

While there are some top skilled farmers, Rabobank says, many skills gaps exist in the industry, so the bank’s farm manager programme exists to help turn good farmers into good business managers.

“We try to fill the skills gaps; the programme looks at other successful farmers and businessmen and draws on their experiences; we teach our farmers to manage risk better, find efficiencies and keep ahead of changes.”

This is the tenth year of the Rabobank Farm Managers Program, from which 300 young farmers from New Zealand and Australia have graduated since 2006.

Applications are now open for Australian farmers wanting to take part in the 2015 programme.

Rabobank group executive for country banking Australia, Peter Knoblanche, says the Farm Managers Program is now considered a ‘must’ for young farmers looking to take over the reins of a family property or manage a commercial farming entity.

“The program offers a unique opportunity for farmers from Australia and New Zealand to get together, share best practice and discuss and workshop ideas.

“And we see those relationships continuing well after the program has finished, with participants often drawing on their network of like-minded farmers.”

IDEAL LOCATION AUSTRALIA’S CLOSE proximity to Asia puts its farmers in the box seat to take advantage of the demand for dairy.

Rabobank’s Nerida Sweetapple says there will be more demand for animal-based products, and the demand for dairy products in Asia will exceed the region’s own supplies.

“This will drive import growth and Australia is in close proximity to this growth region,” she says.

With Australia recently signing a free trade deal with China, Sweetapple says Australian dairy farmers are now on a level playing field with competitors such as New Zealand.

“We are even ahead of other global competitors when it comes to access into markets like China, the world’s largest dairy importer.” This means competition for milk supply within Australia.

Sweetapple says Australian processors need to ensure that milk production in Australia can meet the growing demands.

“This means for farmers more support, more options and better security in our dairy industry. Producers who can grow their business by improvements and greater productivity can reap benefits.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

14 // NEWS

Career boost from entering awards BAY OF Plenty’s 2015 Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Grant and Karley Thomson, see their entry in the region’s dairy awards as having helped them into a new position beginning in June.

The couple were the major winners at the 2015 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards held in Whakatane last Tuesday. The other big winners were Jodie Mexted, the Bay of Plenty Farm Manager of the Year, and Jeff White,

Grant and Karley Thomson.

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the region’s Dairy Trainee of the Year.

The Thomsons, who won $10,100 in prizes, are 50% sharemilking (with a silent partner) 420 cows for Tom and Tony Trafford at Opotiki.

This was their second entry. “We have developed a lot of new skills from the feedback we received last year to improve our farming business. We also gained a lot more self-confidence and are sure it helped us get a good job.”

The couple are buying out the silent partner and begin a 400-cow 50% position at Kiwitahi, near Morrinsville, in June.

Aged 30 and 27, they have been in the industry since Grant gained a Dairy Certificate and Farm Management Certificate from Telford Rural Polytechnic. “One of our strengths is that we run a low-cost system which helps us to repay debt quickly so that we can make the next move.”

Their long-term goal is farm ownership in 10 years.

Te Puke 50% sharemilkers Jeff Jodie Mexted and Ryn Going were second and third place went to Whakatane lower order sharemilkers Bevan and Lyndell Jones.

The 2015 Bay of Plenty Farm Manager of the Year, Jodie Mexted (29), never thought she would be a dairy farmer despite growing up on Jeff White a dairy farm. “I didn’t realise what an awesome industry it was until I gave it a go and got involved.”

She was runner-up in the region’s 2014 trainee competition and has won $5800 in prizes.

Mexted graduated Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourist Management at Otago University and travelled before returning to work for her parents, Michael and Linda Mexted, on their Whakatane farm.

In three years she has progressed to managing the 530cow farm. She says the farm is well set-up, with good infrastructure and comforts that make it pleasant to work on.

“We also seek support from rural professionals, attend field days and undertake courses to help further develop us and the business.”

Mexted aims to improve her business skills through courses to prepare for sharemilking.

Second in the farm manager contest were Te Puke contract milkers Luther and Jessica Siemelink. Whakatane contract milkers Glen and Donna Sparrow won third.

The 2015 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year, Jeff White, left his own landscaping business in Auckland in 2013 to start afresh in the dairy industry.

It was a risky move, as White (29), who has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, had only ever set foot on a dairy farm once during a high school geography trip. But now he is on the industry’s career fast-track after winning the trainee title and $4550 in prizes.

His goal is to go 50% sharemilking 320 cows in the region. “One of my strengths is my innovation; I’m always looking to use the newest and best technologies available.”

Te Puke assistant manager Andrew Cameron won second in the trainee competition and Whakatane 2IC Adam Barkla was third.

Bay of Plenty Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Grant and Karley Thomson, will host a field day on March 25, while Farm Manager of the Year, Jodie Mexted, will host a field day on the Whakatane farm she manages on March 18. www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

LATEST STORIES EVERY DAY Get upto date news at www.ruralnews.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS // 15

2-WHEEL

FARM From left, Nathan and Elri Levin, Johan and Theona Blom and Gerard van der Mark.

South African trifecta SOUTH AFRICAN-BORN dairy

farmers dominated the 2015 Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards last Monday.

The 2015 Central Plateau Sharemilker/Equity Farmers of the Year, Johan and Theona Blom, 2015 Central Plateau Farm Managers of the Year, Nathan and Elri Levin, and 2015 Central Plateau Dairy Trainee of the Year, Gerard van der Mark, were all born in South Africa.

“It’s an exciting result that will travel far as the news spreads to friends and family in their homeland,” Central Plateau Dairy Industry Awards regional manager John Butterworth says.

“Tonight’s results also prove there are fantastic opportunities available in the New Zealand dairy industry for people with the right attitude to enter and progress quickly.”

The three winners were announced at the region’s awards dinner at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua last Monday night.

The Bloms immigrated to New Zealand in 2008 and have quickly progressed up the industry. Johan (47) began as an assistant herd manager and the couple now 50% share milk 270 cows for Ron and Jan Hall at Ngakuru.

Johan, BSc.Ag, had been working as a drystock agricultural extension

officer in South Africa. Theona was an accountant.

“We entered the Waikato Farm Manager of the Year competition in 2011 and Central Plateau Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year in 2013, and think the benefits of entering the awards are in fine-tuning our business and not getting complacent.

“Our teamwork and attention to detail in capturing data through measuring and monitoring are our strengths. Having good information helps to make proactive decisions and we work well when we put our individual strengths together.”

The Bloms, who won $15,300 in prizes, plan to buy a drystock or heifer grazing block.

Runner-up in the region’s sharemilker/equity farmer contest was Reporoa 20% equity farm managers Ross and Karla Shaw who won $5500 in prizes.

A change of career has proved a winning move for 2015 Central Plateau Farm Managers of the Year, Nathan and Elri Levin. They won $7400 in prizes.

The couple left the adventure sport and wine industries in South Africa eight years ago to become dairy farm assistants in New Zealand and now contract milk 650 cows at Tokoroa for Ian and Margaret Elliot and John and Erica Trebilco.

Aged in their 40s, the Levins entered the awards for the first time last year, gaining second, and said the experience was valuable. “We got advice from leaders in the industry and were able to surround ourselves with positive people.”

Their qualifications are in econonics and office administration, and they say their strengths are commitment, drive and organisation. They plan to go 50% sharemilking 400 cows in 2016.

Reporoa contract milkers Reece Williams and Jessica Berry won second in the farm manager contest, winning $5000 in prizes. Third went to Reporoa contract milkers Matt and Chloe Walker, who won $1800.

The 2015 Central Plateau Dairy Trainee of the Year, Gerard van der Mark, was in a hurry to start his dairy farming career, packing his bags and moving to his first position after finishing his last school exam.

Van der Mark (22) is 2IC on a 900cow Mangakino farm owned by the Sargent Family Trust. He and wife Marcelle have two young children and are progressing to a 600-cow contract milking position in June.

The couple have registered a company, Maziwa Pride (‘dairy’ in Swahili), and plan to further their dairy education and business management. www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

16 // NEWS

Dry dominates tactics meeting ANDREW SWALLOW

DEALING WITH the

drought added another

level to the first South Canterbury event in DairyNZ’s low payout inspired Tactics for Tight Times (TTT) campaign.

“There is no silver bullet out there,” local consulting officer Caleb Strowger said. “It’s more about following a decision pro-

Caleb Strowger, DairyNZ.

cess on how best to get through the next 12-18 months.”

Highlighting the volatility in payouts, and step

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change in operating costs in 2007-08, he stressed the need for resilient systems, but while the 2008-09 TTT programme focus was systems, now it’s “more about cashflow and getting through”.

Analysis of operating expenses since that step change shows feed is the main inflator, with repairs and maintenance also up a little, but labour, fertiliser, animal health, breeding and general overheads little changed.

Event hosts sharemilkers Cole and Virginia Groves outlined

the limitations in their 900-cow business, notably a 42-aside herringbone shed and long 264ha milking platform with two road crossings.

“We spend nine hours a day in the shed without counting shifting the K-line and everything else,” Cole told the field day.

“We’re understocked for the farm at 3.4 cows/ ha but overstocked for the cowshed.”

Installing grain feeders has helped keep cows fed while off pasture for milkings and saved “two hours a day shifting PKE

troughs”. They also ensure each cow gets the intended amount. “With PKE in trailers it’s the same cows round the trailer all the time.”

But with the bulk of the farm’s irrigation going off with the Opuha shutdown on February 25 Groves had been out buying baleage and PKE. “[PKE] is a hell of a lot cheaper than baleage or grain,” he noted.

At the February 24 field day, average pasture cover had “just dropped under 2000” with the herd on a 28-day round.

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A DEPRESSION spinning up the Tasman had central South Island dairy farmers hoping the region’s drought was about to break as Dairy News went to press.

However, the rain would be too late for a handful of farms that have already pulled the pin on the season with whole herd dryoffs, said Federated Farmers South Canterbury Dairy chairman Ryan O’Sullivan.

Late last week O’Sullivan was hopeful that rain was coming, with a low pressure system promising to cross the South Island for the first time in months.

“It feels like the weather pattern is changing a bit and if it does rain and stays warm there’s the potential to get grass cover back.”

While parts of Mid Canterbury and the south of South Canterbury picked up

useful rain last week, he said most of those on the Opuha irrigation scheme, which was shut down for all Wednesday February 25, and for a few much earlier, got very little.

“Through Fairlie, Albury and Cave most people agree now this is as dry as it’s ever been.”

Ironically the areas that got the rain probably needed it least as they get their water from the Alpine-fed Waitaki and Rangitata rivers respectively.

Niwa’s seasonal climate outlook for March to May suggests respite from the drought is more likely than not in the South Island but the North Island’s prospects are not so good.

There’s a 35-40% chance rain will be near normal or above normal in the east of the South Island. – Andrew Swallow

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

NEWS // 17

Keep an eye on the sky JOHN DROPPERT

AFTER AN uninspiring

ten months, the start of 2015 has understandably created a great deal more optimism on the sellers’ side of global dairy markets.

The long-awaited floor appears to have been reached, and prices are rising. A string of increasingly positive GlobalDairyTrade (GDT) auction results has seen the market narrative change to one of recovery. The weighted average GDT index has increased almost 30% since the start of January – hardly the gradual recovery expected.

So, how excited should we get? Is this a faster recovery, one that will go further?

the current recov(the largest ery has been dairy state) almost entirely remains in supply driven. drought; The emergence of margins may a drought across remain posiparts of New Zeative for farmland’s South ers in other Island has proparts of John Droppert vided the biggest the counboost to the market, with try, but lower farmgate Fonterra’s dramatic cuts to its milk intake forecast and GDT offer volumes helping stoke supply concerns amongst buyers.

Although the mooted 3% decline in full season intakes was greeted with some scepticism when it was released at the end of January, ongoing dry conditions and the official adverse event declaration in mid-February suggest a material impact. Uncommitted dairy products are already hard to find in

With demand in a ‘steady as she goes’ phase, the current recovery has been almost entirely supply driven.

International dairy demand has been robust for months, with lower prices providing much greater scope for pricesensitive buyers who were sidelined during 2013.

However, two of the biggest dairy import markets, China and Russia, are key exceptions. Chinese imports remain well below year-ago levels as local production maintains its recovery, and enormous inventories accumulated in late 2013/early 2014 are worked through. In the case of Russia, the import embargo remains in force, and though some product is trickling in via alternative suppliers, volumes have collapsed by as much as 75%.

On one hand, signs of direct negotiations with certain EU member states suggest a potential weakening of the ban, whereas on the other, the lack of a resolution to the conflict in Ukraine indicates it will likely outlive its initial 12 month timeframe in some form. Sluggish buying by these two key markets remains a hefty drag on overall dairy demand, and its ability to soak up rapid growth in supply.

With demand in a ‘steady as she goes’ phase,

Oceania, with a number of Australian manufacturers seeing milk flows fall short of aggressive pre-season budgets.

The situation is less clear with regard to northern hemisphere supplies.

Some traders are reporting that in Europe prompt supply is becoming more difficult to source – and recent increases in key benchmark prices support this – but the outlook through the coming spring suggests this phenomenon may be short-lived.

The earlier than anticipated market recovery may take the margin pressure off European farmers just in time for the season peak, while recent moves to allow payment of superlevy fines over three years (interest free) will reduce the immediate cashflow implications of producing over quota. A sluggish domestic EU market is likely to encourage exports, while a weaker Euro will allow traders to price competitively in US dollar terms.

Renewed strength (or a more modest slowdown) in US milk production also threatens to derail further supply-driven price gains, however there are exceptions. California

prices reduce the scope for Californian producers to deal with the added burden of high-priced bought-in feed. Local analysts also indicate that harsh winter weather in the Upper Midwest and eastern states is impacting production, however the overall impact is likely

to be diluted by the huge increases of late 2014.

The bottom line is that the modest recovery forecast for 2015 has been brought forward by the short term supply pressures associated with drought in New Zealand, quota measures in Europe, and varying degrees of

margin pressure in most exporting regions, particularly Europe and New Zealand.

While the fundamentals appear much more encouraging as we head towards a new season and the formulation of opening prices, keep a weather eye on the horizon, as the

recovery remains supplydriven. Until China and/ or Russia return to the market in force, any unexpected strength in production during the next few months could easily upset the apple cart and threaten further gains.

• John Droppert is industry analyst at Dairy Australia.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

18 // OPINION RUMINATING

EDITORIAL

Milk bars set the bar high

MILKING IT...

Tough choices ahead

DO WE or don’t we? is the big question on the minds of Victorian dairy farmers as they debate the pros and cons of genetically modified (GM) ryegrass while their representative group, United Dairyfarmers of Victoria, seeks to formulate a policy on adopting new GM pastures.

A high energy ryegrass with greater sugar content, which would allow cows to produce more milk, is being developed by the Dairy Futures Cooperative Research Centre and Dairy Australia and is getting close to commercial trial stage.

Modelling suggests the genetically modified high energy ryegrass could increase milk production by 10-15%/ha but some dairy farmers have expressed concern about development of the GM ryegrass; and organic farmers – who shout ‘no’ to GM – claim that the risk of crosscontamination with non-GM pastures is high and could destroy their organic farming businesses.

Changing for no reason

TB breakthrough?

Cheese and beer

BOWING TO consumer preference, McDonald’s in the US will remove an artificial growth hormone from its milk.

Its restaurants later this year will offer jugs of lowfat white milk and fat-free chocolate milk from cows not treated with rbST, an artificial growth hormone.

The milk jugs are popular choices in Happy Meals.

The chain pointed out that no significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rbST-treated and nonrbST-treated cows.

WHEN FARMERS hear TB, they think cows. Last week, scientists in China reported they have bred genetically modified cattle capable of resisting bovine tuberculosis. The scientists introduced into the cows’ genetics a ‘mouse’ gene; this protects mice from TB, and seems also to have worked in the cows, which showed far fewer symptoms than conventional cattle when infected with TB. Bovine tuberculosis is caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium bovis which can cause illness in humans. In cattle, the disease can spread quickly, in severe cases causing cattle to lose weight, cough and run a fever. But in many cases, cattle afflicted with the disease are asymptomatic; they live with TB as a chronic condition.

BELGIANS LOVE cheese and beer, so they have begun making bierkaas, literally translated ‘beer cheese’ – cheese made with beer.

It’s a style typically made in Belgian creameries in partnership with the hundreds of breweries for which the country is renowned. The cheese is a mix of two fermentations, made like a Gouda, but the fresh curds are soaked in beer for an hour, absorbing the flavours, and are then drained and pressed for several hours to form classic Gouda wheels.

Then comes painting with cheese coating to protect the rind and ageing for several weeks, months or years.

NOT EVERY day do you hear of Fonterra working with smaller players in the competitive global market.

A case in point – China. The co-op has been pumping millions into China since launching its infant formula and nutritional milk powder brands; in a market where Fonterra is rubbing shoulders with the world’s largest dairy players this is understandable.

New Zealand companies have a dubious reputation for savagely competing with each other in global markets; the meat industry is an obvious example.

What is astoundingly different is the offer by young entrepreneurs Simon Page and his wife Jane Li to help exporters break into the notoriously difficult Chinese market.

The couple own Biopure and have established 25 specialty New Zealand Milk Bar stores in China. Biopure exports milk products including infant formula to China, selling through its stores in 23 cities and six provinces. It hopes to have 1000 stores by the end of 2017.

Biopure recently gained Chinese registration for its Infapure infant formula brand, which Page has described as a “game changer”. Page and Li are highly regarded for their efforts. Even Fonterra has sought their advice on the sale of branded products.

Their company, like many, started small and has grown quickly, drawn along by the astonishing pace of the Chinese market where the rising middle class is seeking western consumer products – notably milk.

Page and Li clearly understand the psyche of the Chinese consumer and have tailored their products accordingly. But what’s really special about them is that they ‘own’ the retail space and interface with the consumer by virtue of their stores. Owning the value chain is a big prize and that says a lot about their expertise.

While New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and other trade related agencies offer great help to exporters, hearing the news from someone who is there and doing it is pure gold. New Zealand has always been highly regarded as a producer of high quality food.

Its farming systems have been widely copied, which is flattering.

But too often we have come up short on the marketing side, and lagged in developing higher value products from our base products – namely milk and meat.

Surely, Page and Li must be doing something right. If they can do it, so can others? Their success offers an attractive case study.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

OPINION // 19

Making the boat go faster AALT DIJKHUIZEN

NEW ZEALAND and the Netherlands

are world leaders in dairying. New Zealand has developed a unique system with a low cost price. The Netherlands has developed highly productive and efficient dairy farming using the latest technologies.

Can the two countries develop systems that will satisfy growing demand while being more environmentally sustainable?

The global context of agriculture and food is changing dramatically. Demand from fast growing economies in Asia is expected to double over the next few decades and there will be increasing scarcity of raw materials and land. To be leaders in green dairying New Zealand and the Netherlands should work together and learn from each other – make the boat go much faster!

The Dutch can learn from New Zealand’s efficient pasture management methods. Kiwi farmers manage to keep their costs low by making maximum use of the pastures. More grazing, particularly over summer months, appeals to

Dutch customers, and farmers are paid a premium if their cows graze in the field.

New Zealand has a strong global brand – beautiful, green and friendly.

That image is a major asset; maintaining a green image is easier than rebuilding it, as we experienced in the Netherlands.

New Zealand and the Netherlands are increasing total production which may lead to more pollution. Dutch farmers already have been forced by government regulations to dramatically reduce pollution which has made farming economically more difficult.

New Zealand has not yet implemented such drastic regulations, but the sector’s impact on the environment suggests regulations will become much stricter. The current New Zealand measures (such as fencing) can only be a first step in the right direction considering the ever-increasing number of dairy cows.

New Zealand farmers should take the initiative and lead the way towards green dairying rather than wait and see, and be at the mercy of regulators. Some farmers are already doing this and run-

Aalt Dijkhuizen

ning highly productive farms. Right now New Zealand dairy farmers – like their colleagues in the Netherlands and elsewhere - are going through tough times and prefer to keep their costs low and limit investments. But investing now in new methods will make the sector more competitive.

So what exactly can the Netherlands

and New Zealand learn from each other to make dairying greener and more efficient?

Notably, Dutch barns can increase production and efficiency and reduce pollution. Research shows that housing cows in sheds for a part of the year improves the wellbeing of the animals, particularly in cold winters. Milking, feeding and treating cows can be done most efficiently in barns. Cows in the Netherlands are constantly monitored for health and stress levels and score well. This setup is the key to the high milk production of the Dutch cows, double that of cows in New Zealand.

Most importantly, barns dramatically reduce pollution. The effluent now polluting New Zealand ground water and seriously affecting some waterways can be caught and distributed evenly when needed. If the dairy sector wants New Zealand to stay green, barns are the way ahead.

If worldwide production per cow increased to the levels of Dutch cows, the world would need 20% fewer cows (66 million cows) to meet the predicted

doubling in demand. That would result in a reduction of 750 million tonnes of feed consumed, which would free up 155 million hectares and save 165 million litres of water. It’s not easy to double production per cow but a substantial increase over time is possible, and necessary from an economic and an environmental perspective.

I’m not arguing that New Zealand should completely abandon its unique dairy system. I argue for a hybrid system, combining the best elements of the Kiwi and Dutch systems. New Zealand and Dutch research institutions and enterprises can work closer together to achieve that objective. Both countries have extensive experience and brilliant scientists who can team up to create a system of dairy farming that is both green and competitive.

Together we can secure a bright future where farmers, consumers and the environment will all be winners.

• Aalt Dijkhuizen is president of Topsector Agri & Food, the Netherlands, a network of government, private industry and universities/research institutes. He is a former chair and president of Wageningen University.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

20 // AGRIBUSINESS

Don’t take Asian market for granted A NEW report cautions taking the lucrative Asian infant formula and liquid milk market for granted.

In a recently released report ‘Magnetic milk – the lure of dairy investment down under’, Rabobank says a specific focus for overseas investors in New Zealand dairy has been on securing access to liquid milk and ingredients for infant formula.

In 2014 there was a flurry of inbound investment activity by Asian dairy companies, mostly from China, into the New Zealand and Australian dairy sectors.

However Rabobank warns that ongoing growth in import requirements by

Chinese and other Asian dairy companies shouldn’t be taken for granted.

The report co-author, Rabobank’s director of dairy research, New Zealand and Asia, Hayley Moynihan, says a quest to secure access to a highquality, safe milk pool is driving international investment in dairy down under.

“Between 2014 and 2020 we expect China and South East Asia combined to account for almost one third of the increase in global dairy imports,” Moynihan says.

“For the New Zealand and Australian dairy sectors – collectively known as Oceania – preferential

market access, reputation for quality and geographical proximity are the magnetic forces supporting the investment flows into this region, and they will continue to do so.”

With demand growth in Asia expected to outstrip local supply growth capabilities, and hence drive global trade over the medium-term, many New Zealand and Australian dairy exporters are positioning themselves towards Asia, the Rabobank report says.

“Many company strategies are heavily focused on capitalising on the growing opportunity presented by dairy demand in Asia.

“For Oceania processors, the strategic desire is often about building links to extensive distribution networks and local knowledge to tap into key growth export markets. Strategic partnerships can help smooth market access and thwart the impost of regulatory trade barriers.”

However, for all dairy exporters looking to engineer export strategies towards dairy markets in China, a level of caution is now required particularly over nutritional powders and liquid milk markets, Rabobank warns.

Moynihan says that spectacular rates in recent years growth have

fuelled investment within Oceania and further afield as companies recognise the opportunity.

“Import volume growth is expected to expand, but the rate of growth will be slower over the medium-term as the dairy market matures and retail price points challenge consumers who are facing lower rates of income growth.

“At the same time, there is significant investment in capacity in many parts of the world generating intense competition and the risk of oversupply.

Complicating matters, regulation has been tightened, particularly

Hayley Moynihan

in the Chinese infant formula category, and is still proving challenging.”

Looking forward, Moynihan notes

companies inside and outside the Asian region will further deepen market relationships and boost cooperation.

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“It’s incredibly encouraging to see such driven and capable students wanting to further their talents to support the primary sector and we feel privileged to be able to be part of that journey and help them succeed.”

The FMG Agriculture Scholarship programme was set up in 2005, and each year grants 2-3 students $4,000 towards their tuition fees per academic year of their agriculture-based degree at Massey, Lincoln or Waikato Universities.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

22 // AGRIBUSINESS

Off to a flying start New Zealand country manager Trina Parker says although BEC has a sound base in Australia in beef, pigs and poultry, the dairy side of the company is almost unique to New Zealand.

In fact Parker and NZ technical services officer Jen McCarty are taking

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rienced in ingredients procurement in the poultry industry, has led the company since its inception last year.

BEC was prompted to set up in New Zealand as a standalone because of our thriving dairy industry and our growing preference for supplementary feeding over a solely pasture based system. BEC saw this as a platform from which to sell its animal pre-mix nutritional products. Previously it had supplied some key NZ manufacturers, but saw potential to grow and extend that business by setting up here.

Parker says in Australia BEC is big in beef, poultry and pigs. In New Zealand the dairy operation is more prominent, supplying premixes, feed additives, supplements and feed commodities.

Business growth has been steady in New Zealand, each product growing in its own right. The Bolifor magnesium range has been particularly popular.

While traditional magnesium products are pasture dusted or dosed in water, Bolifor products are consumed directly. BEC claims they are more palatable than traditional, bitter-tasting magnesium products.

“With the Bolifor we identified a gap in the market and in this first year it has been well received – the gap being in

the operational efficiencies and the nutritional benefits of good uptake of magnesium by dairy cattle,” says Parker.

“The Fieldays was when we kicked off the Bolifor range and the highlight was people bringing the Dairy News article along and asking about this product. They were actively seeking out a new product at our launch, so that obviously met a need in the marketplace.”

Parker says BEC offers premix ingredients; the full range of minerals and functional fibres for calving through the Opticell range will be launched officially this year.

“We have the ability to make premix minerals and add them into feeds via feed blends and also go through feed mills. So all the ingredients that are used, like sodium bicarb, DCP, phosphorus, lime, etc, we have the ability to supply. We deal business to business primarily, working with feed mills, feed blenders and integrators and large dairy farms. We can access all dairy products apart from grains.

“We also work with consultants, vets and nutritionists, depending what their needs are.”

Among trends she has noticed is increased awareness of the availability and the need for phosphorus pre-calving. “That is an area we will focus on this

Trina Parker says it is a good industry to be in.

season and use our learnings from Australia where phosphorus is a vital element in beef and dairy production; but it is not as well recognised in New Zealand.

“It is one of the essential macro minerals. Every litre of milk that leaves a farm has phosphorus in it so you need to replace that on farm. That is where we are using our learnings from Australia and our nutritionists in Australia to concentrate on and provide solutions in New Zealand.”

Another trend is most farmers using supplementary feeds throughout the year, so pasture dusting with magnesium is no longer needed because nutritional ingredients can be added to the feed. “No farmer is sad to stop pasture dusting, we’ve been told.” says Parker.

Parker is based south of Auckland and says the

growth in business can be seen in BEC’s six distribution points throughout New Zealand.

Parker agrees she and technical service officer McCarty are working in a 95% male dominated industry, but says as BEC NZ we offer a complete perspective to the use of our product range. “We work a lot with the delivery of products and formulating and calculating dose rates and making it easy for our customers to use our products. It is a good industry with good people.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the industry to another woman.”

As country manager she deals with the general running of the business and a diverse range of people from farmers to graphic designers to warehouse management and trucking.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

AGRIBUSINESS // 23

Is drought enough for market turnaround?

JOANNE BILLS

IN THE last couple of

weeks we have seen a welcome recovery in the Global Dairy Trade price index, albeit on reduced volumes for this time of year. Certainly across the Tasman, bank and other industry analysts have rushed to revise up forecasts to about $5kgMS for the current season.

Fonterra has said it now expects its milk collections for the full year 2014-15 to fall 3.3%, due to the early herd drying-off by producers hit by lack of grazing and stored feed, made worse by the prevailing low milk price. However, in its latest review the Fonterra board stayed put on its $4.70kgMS payout. So who’s right?

Firstly, it’s debatable whether the New Zealand production downturn will be too bad for the industry as a whole. A fall of that order in the full year output would mean a huge decline in milk output over the late-season months – in the order of 18% for February-May. In our latest Global Dairy Directions analysis, we are less bearish on the production decline than Fonterra for the wider New Zealand industry; we think it’s more likely that output ends 2014-15 in line with the previous year after the first half of the season saw 5.4% more milksolids collected. Even in a normal season, at least 62% of New Zealand output is collected before January, so a high proportion of this season’s production is already in the vat and sold.

Nevertheless, many analysts and commentators have credited the drought effect as the primary reason we’ve seen a lift in GDT auction prices at recent events. The deliberate reduction in product availability for the GDT auction probably has a bit to do with that trend as well. In a supply chain sector that has limited transparency in stocks either side of trading, a sentiment of ‘fear of missing out’ has been stoked by the considerable talking up of the drought

effect. (Interestingly Fonterra has now added to the volumes on offer for the remaining three GDT auctions of the season.)

But let’s put the range of possible outcomes for milk availability into perspective.

When you add up the late season milk effect of the slower New Zealand output – either resulting in a flat full season outcome or even a 3% decline result across the industry for 2014-15 – the volume impact is still smaller than the estimated increased availability in milk from northern hemisphere giants EU and the US. Milk output growth is expected to slow in the EU and US, largely thanks to lower farmgate milk prices, and will continue to do so in the first half of 2015. However, there are also weaknesses in internal demand for dairy products – for cheese in the case of EU and fluid milk in the case of US. Even small changes in consumption and production within these major dairy producing and consuming regions can release a significant amount of milk into exportable products that may in turn hit global trade. Based on our Global Dairy Directions analysis, the net effect of the interplay between production and consumption within these two dairy juggernauts is – by our reckoning – higher milk availability compared to last year. As this chart shows, the increase in milk availability from the US and EU outweighs even the more pessimistic scenario for New Zealand production loss over the first half of 2015.

So the global dairy market’s supply-side issues won’t be completely resolved by the drought conditions in New Zealand. At least, not while EU and US are heading into a seasonal production peak with domestic consumption not keeping pace with milk output. So it’s not surprising that at their review meeting last month, Fonterra’s board decided to stick with their payout forecast, despite the recent improvements

in GDT index results.

Based on our analysis, a sustained recovery in international prices is still some way off, and will require either a further slowdown in northern hemisphere

Fonterra is predicting a 3.3% decline in milk volumes due to dry weather.

milk production and/or improved demand – either from importing countries or from the US and EU. • Joanne Bills is a director of Freshagenda, a food market analyst in Victoria.

Working in partnership:

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

24 // MANAGEMENT

University farm hits the wall ANDREW SWALLOW

THE HOT dry summer

and a strategic move to use less nitrogen is taking its toll on the Lincoln University Dairy Farm.

The feed wedge is looking flatter than normal

with an average cover of 2346kgDM/ha at a February 19 focus day and despite having ample irrigation average pasture growth has tumbled to 48kgDM/ha.

Speaking to Dairy News after the event LUDF farm manager, Peter Hancox

Iceberg disease HAS YOUR herd got Johne’s?

Whether you’re talking dairy or beef, chances are it has, and if you run sheep there’s a good chance some of them will be carrying the disease too, albeit probably a different strain.

“Most are infected as very young calves and most infection has happened by the time the animals are 12 months old,” Dr Eric Hillerton of the Johne’s Disease Research Consortium told a recent Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) focus day.

“But we don’t see the disease in young stock: only in older cattle. That’s why we call it an ‘iceberg’ disease.”

summed it up as “a shit season”. “The biggest driver for that has been the quality of the grass.

We’re not sure how much of that has to do with using less nitrogen but it’s very much been the season: hot and dry through December and January… The pasture kept trying to go reproductive.”

That reduced pasture quality and December’s production was down 11% on November’s, and in turn January it was was down 9% on December.

That compares to monthly declines of about 4% and 7% in those months for the previous two seasons.

Pasture growth appeared to be keeping up until the end of January but that too has now “dropped off the cliff,” as

one focus day speaker put it. Hancox says not using any nitrogen fertiliser in January, in line with the farm’s self-imposed limit of applying 150kgN/ha in the 2014-15 season, is probably to blame. “We’re saving it for later.”

With that reduced nitrogen pastures have become increasingly uneven with urine patches plating at 4000kgDM/ ha at start of grazing, but the bits in between 2500kgDM/ha. Round length was 21 days leading up to the February 19 focus day and average body condition of mixed aged cows had dropped from 4.3 to 4.1 in the fortnight prior. A decision to cull 75 had just been made.

PGW’s Charlotte Westwood, a member of the

PGW’s Charlotte Westwood addresses farmers at the LUDF focus day.

farm’s management team, urged focus day visitors “to do a partial budget” when making cull decisions, and if supplement is being used, cost culls as if they were being fed 100% supplement – 18.5kgDM/ head/day at 43c/kgDM in LUDF’s case – as the pasture they’re eating is grass that could replace supplement.

“At best they’re cost neutral and at worst they’re going to be losing

you money by keeping them in milk,” she said.

LUDF’s culls comprise 65 empties and 10 selected on PW, from 549 cows in milk.

Westwood said fertility would be “an important discussion” for LUDF’s next focus day, May 7, as six-week in-calf rate had fallen from 78% to 72% despite a “pretty damn good” submission rate of 89% at three weeks. “It tells us conception was an

issue, as opposed to submission.”

However, obvious factors had been ruled out, hence the decision to delay the discussion to allow for more analysis.

Having set out to achieve 500kgMS/cow this season, Hancox says he now expects 460kgMS/ cow will be the end result, which in a herd of 560 means the farm will finish about 20,000kgMS below budget.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

MANAGEMENT // 25

Make a plan now to beat the dry DARREN SUTTON

AT LAST some much needed rain has fallen.

But some farms have had less 30 mm, so pastures are still declining quickly and I am seeing large differences in average pasture cover (APC) between farms.

NIWA is still predicting a drier than normal autumn. Here’s how to get through the next two months if the weather stays drier than average.

Set a plan The goal is to keep as many cows in milk for as long as possible through into March/April and then reassess the situation – as long as this does not affect the businesses performance next season.

Have a plan in place but revise it every two weeks as dry conditions continue and variables change.

If this dry spell turns into a full-on drought, then by mid-March some major decisions will needed on the numbers of cows that can be kept milking and how often.

Supplements Ring fence any supplements you know you will need for winter first. Then think about what you have on hand and how this will be best fed out.

The cheapest and most readily available feed is currently palm kernel, and the economics of this in a feed deficit stack up with it costing (landed) about 30 cents/kgDM. When cows are grazing to a 1500 residual or less, we can expect 80-100g MS response per kgDM eaten. So there is a satisfactory margin that should allow your marginal feeding costs to be covered when working on a $4.70 milk price.

Later in the season, all the farm variable costs of continuing milking will need to be added onto the additional supplements being fed to keep cows milking, as these costs would cease if milking was stopped.

Currently, cows need only energy, but soon the crude protein (CP) levels in the pasture will be dropping away, and may be below 16% CP. At this level we can start to see some milk responses to feeding a supplement that has higher CP.

Palm kernel is about 14-16% CP, so it only holds its own. Maize silage is 8-9% CP, so this drops the total CP in the diet, but is still worth feeding when cows are at risk of being underfed. You can look to add dried distiller grains (DDG) or cottonseed to your PKE mixes to help lift the total CP levels in the cows’ diet, but these products quickly lift the cost.

Seek good advice when designing these mixes.

With pastures being so dry now, when it does rain (50mm plus) a lot of the pasture will soften quickly and will reduce cow intakes further for the next three-four weeks while the pastures get growing again.

Stocking rate Stocking rates need to be reduced where possible, as soon as possible.

This can be done by culling empty cows now. Start to create lists of possible culls from the surplus incalf cows you won’t want to keep for next season.

These will be cows that are older and have had mastitis and are currently helping hold the SCC higher.

Also cull any cows obviously drying themselves off now and gaining excessive condition.

Rotation length Hopefully you are on at least a 30-day round length now. The drier the drought, the longer the round length maxim holds true. A slower round length allows for higher average pasture covers, which reduces the amount of evapotranspiration. It also helps when droughtbreaking rains arrive to maximise re-growth rates.

OAD or three-in-two milkings Milking OAD or three times in two days will help keep cows milking longer into the autumn before drying off decisions have to be made. Most cows will naturally tend to partition energy away from milk production and will hold or gain some BCS. Ideally the best time to move to OAD is before a feeding pinch because cows can drop further than the typical 10% when done in December or early January.

Feeding levels should not be dropped when going onto OAD, but should instead be lifted for

the first week to reduce the production drop.

Having culled your high SCC cows already will help keep SCC manageable. SCC will typically double and then settle about 1.5x what the SCC was on TAD. Sacrifice paddock Supposing drought, reducing overgrazing of

Darren Sutton

pastures will become very important. The best way to do this is to milk the cows into their allocation of 12 or 24 hours of pasture and then once a 1500kgDM/ha residual has been achieved the cows are removed onto a sacrifice paddock where their supplements are fed to them. They can remain

there until the next milking.

By doing this, you will reduce the area of the farm that will need under-sowing once the rains arrive.

Replacements Have you checked your replacements at grazing in the past 30 days?

If your farm is drying out, there is a chance your

Save time tomorrow.

grazier’s is also. Out of sight should not mean out of mind.

The next three months are often when good calves turn into below target R1s. Don’t assume – go and check and work out a plan if needed to protect them through the dry.

• Darren Sutton is LIC FarmWise consultant.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

26 // MANAGEMENT

Small cows, more milk from K SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

DO BIGGER cows mean

more milk in the vat? No, says Australian farmer Sue Walton.

Sue and husband David proved this when they switched to buying genetics from LIC 10 years ago, chiefly for easier calving.

“Most Australian genetics produce big

bodied cows and we didn’t want big bodied cows; we were after smaller cows,” she told Dairy News.

“Then a couple of years ago I thought about swapping back because I thought our cows were getting too small. But when I looked at the milk production figures, our cows were way above the average, so there was no need to change back.”

The Waltons milk

210 cows on their Twobrook farm in Meander, Tasmania on a 69ha milking platform; last season’s production topped 99,000kgMS or about 492kgMS/cow. It’s a low input farm with cows getting no more than a tonne of grain – crushed wheat or pellets – every year.

They grow silage on a runoff block and cows are fed a lot of it. About 90% of the farm is irrigated and

David and Sue Walton on their farm in Tasmania.

The Waltons use LIC genetics.

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planted with perennial ryegrass.

Cows are milked on a 15-a-side herringbone machine, with the farm employing a fulltime employee and a relief milker to supplement the Waltons.

Milking is seasonal and

calving is done in early August, running for six weeks; artificial insemination is done on farm

by David. They also synchronise their heifers with sexed semen to calve two weeks earlier than their main herd so they can be trained into the milking

routine early. This also gives a bigger choice of replacements, and the surplus are sold to the Chinese and locally.

Sue says when the farm was using Australian genetics they were pulling 60-70% of heifers during calving. “This last season

(last August) we pulled about four calves, we have almost eliminated the problem.”

The Waltons’ link to New Zealand dairy is not confined to LIC; they supply milk to Fonterra.

Milk is picked up daily

by Fonterra tankers and

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

MANAGEMENT // 27

m Kiwi genetics DRY SUMMER, COLD WINTER WATER IS an issue for most farmers in Tasmania.

For Sue and David Walton, summers are dry and irrigation is needed to grow grass.

To irrigate 90% of the farm they built a 100 megalitre dam on the property; two bores feed

into the dam.

To manage effluent the Waltons have a holding pond and effluent is pumped back onto pastures.

Australian farmers don’t constantly feel the wrath of regional councils over water and

effluent management issues.

But Sue believes tighter controls are coming.

“Dairy Australia is trying to get to the councils before the councils wake up to it.”

The Waltons have fenced off their farm waterways.

Cows produced, on average, 492 kgMS last year.

About 90% of the Twobrook farm is irrigated.

carted to the Spreyton plant for processing into milk powders and cheese.

When they began dairying 22 years ago, the Waltons were supplying a small Tasmania processor which went bust and was taken over by Bonlac Foods.

In 2005 Fonterra took over Bonlac and merged it into its Australian operation. Bonlac’s 1200 farmer suppliers have formed the

Bonlac Supply Company and collectively negotiate an agreement to supply Fonterra.

Sue has no complaints about Fonterra, which has “given us parity with the Victoria milk price.”

Last season’s milk payout was “very close” to $7/kgMS; this season it’s much lower and Sue hopes for a price rise.

As Fonterra suppliers in Australia, Bonlac mem-

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bers have a special allocation of the co-op share units sold under TAF. Sue has bought Fonterra units and has redeemed all her farm’s Bonlac shares.

She has no qualms about not having voting rights in Fonterra.

“We don’t have the say or voting rights but owning the units makes you feel you have some sort of ownership in your company.”

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

28 // MANAGEMENT

Analysis key to pasture renewal ANDREW SWALLOW

PICK YOUR paddock

well and renewing pasture will pay handsomely. Get it wrong and you spend a lot of money for no gain.

Graham Kerr, Agriseeds is urging farmers to pick the right paddock for pasture renewal.

That was the headline message Agriseeds’ Graham Kerr and colleague Matt Smith had for the recent Lincoln University Dairy Farm focus day.

Kerr said he often finds

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Canterbury - North Otago 021 863 345

there’s no data to support pasture renewal decisions which is probably why an Agresearch study of returns from renewals showed, on average, no gain.

“Quite a lot of paddocks are chosen because they are ugly, not because they are not productive,” he told the focus day crowd.

When pasture monitoring and/or grazing data is analysed some ugly paddocks will be found to be as productive as those that look great, and some that look good will not be producing.

For farms using pasture monitoring software “all the data is in there. You just need to press the button and analyse it,” he stressed.

Having picked the right paddocks to renew from data, rather than perception, investigating why they’re performing poorly and putting any inherent problems right, such as fertility or drainage, as part of the renewal process is essential.

“It’s like a chain. The renewal process is only as strong as its weakest link.

You’ve got to get all these things (see panel) right.”

Kerr says the checklist should be put on the wall and worked through systematically.

There’s still time to renew pasture this autumn and with a low payout the opportunity cost of

production foregone while the paddock is out of the round is lower than in a high payout year, he points out.

There’s also at least one bank, ANZ, offering special low interest loans for pasture renewal, he adds.

During the focus day Kerr was asked if tall fescue or lucerne might have helped LUDF with its pasture quality problems during the summer heat.

While it was “a good question” he warned tall fescue must be grazed at lower covers to retain quality than ryegrass, which in practice means unless a large block of the farm is put into that pasture, it is hard to integrate it in a grazing round. “If you only sow one or two paddocks with it you tend to let the management slide.”

Fescue’s greater root mass than ryegrass could help it mop up more nitrogen which might be an environmental positive, he added, but Lincoln University’s professor Grant Edwards pointed out the problem is it only does that in warm weather. “It lacks cool season growth when uptake [of nitrogen] is very important.”

As for lucerne, Edwards said it has lasted well for three years in a diverse ryegrass pasture mix managed with 100200kg/ha/year of nitrogen fertiliser.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PADDOCK

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Identify under-performing paddocks and rectify reasons for poor performance.

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Soil test 6-12 months prior to reseed and address fertility issues.

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Check for pests and plan controls: seed treatment, insecticides, endophytes?

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Spray out prior to cultivation or direct drilling.

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Prepare fine, firm, level seed-bed if cultivating.

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Match cultivar and seed mix to farm system.

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Control weeds in early establishment.

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Light, early graze once it passes pluck test to promote tillering.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

30 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Healthy, fat cows don’t need C PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

NORTHLAND FARM

consultant Kim Robinson believes dairy farmers can achieve high fertility targets without CIDRs (controlled intra-uterine drug release), but they must have a plan.

She says it may be one way of cutting costs in a low payout/drought year, but warns often they can’t be cut out straight away; there needs to be a strategy to move towards no CIDRs. Robinson thinks CIDRs were one of the dairy industry’s most costly mistakes. Used during the 1990s and early 2000s to get anoestrus cows cycling for mating and synchronised mating, they quickly become

Research Farm) which Development Trust at a tool to make up for decided to eliminate its annual conference. the negative effects CIDR use from their herd “The question is, can we of low cow condition after regularly treating 25 achieve them without and underfeeding after - 35% of their herd each CIDRs? Absolutely, but calving. She says it led to year. you must have a plan.” years of declining herd “They’ve had no Robinson, who says fertility and a fall in the change in their sixgenetic week in-calf rate and ability of no change in their cows to get “The goal is fat, healthy, back in calf. wealthy cows that can get empty rate. They just pregnancy Cows that pregnant without getting have tested and have about were poor a CIDR stuck in them.” a 77% 6 wk in-calf breeders rate and 8% MTs. were kept They have 5% of their in the herd – and those poor breeding she gets negative feedback first calving heifers empty. on her opinions from vets They are always the ones traits were passed on to who used to get ‘CIDRed’. who sell CIDRs, wants replacement heifers and That was a good result.” to free Northland from bulls bred from those Another was a typical CIDRS over the next 10 cows. southern Northland years. “It will be easier “We all know the farm. The farm bought a this year because farmers industry fertility target herd with a widely spread will want to save money.” rates: six week in-calf calving and they needed She gave examples of rate 78% and empty to use CIDRs for the first three farmers who have rate of under 10%,” said couple of years to get gone CIDR free.

Robinson, a Fonterrathem back on track. Then The first is NARF appointed trustee on they looked for another (Northland Agricultural the Northland Dairy

way. They have gone from using 30% CIDRs seven years ago to none in the last three years. “They have averaged 8% MT and 83% in-calf in 6 weeks.”

Another example is a farm near Whangarei which was following the “recommended plan” from the vets and using 30-50% CIDRs three years ago. They now do not use CIDRs and the empty rate has gone down to 9% and the six-week in-calf rate hasn’t changed at about 75%.

“You can’t just pull the pin, you’ve got to set yourself up for it. There are a number of factors to get right and you have to tick the box on every one of them. But when you do get them right you will succeed.

“All the three farms have focused on big

Kim Robinson

heifers and I would say that’s number one on the list in Northland to achieving CIDR free life,” says Robinson.

“Fat cows at calving: everybody knows about this but we don’t always achieve it.

“The NARF farm focused heavily on the young stock management.

They have nice big heifers which cycle well and get in calf when they are in the herd,” says Robinson.

“Just like your calves you need to treat cows as

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

ANIMAL HEALTH // 31

d CIDRs – consultant individuals. If one quarter aren’t there, separate out the skinny ones and get them there. Tick the box.

“Nutrition: some of the three farms found they had fat cows at calving but because of wet springs and genetics in the herd the cows lose too much weight after they calve.

They milk too well and lose too much weight.

This is more of a problem in Friesians. Some of them use once-a-day as a strategy on young animals and they feed high quality supplements.

“Weigh your heifers.

With crossbred cows these days, if a cow looks like a Friesian it’s probably half Jersey; if it looks like a Jersey it’s probably half Friesian.

“Use genetics weights, it is simple with Minda.

Weigh the animals, put the numbers in and the graph tells you which animals are under weight.

Separate them out and feed them. If you can’t weigh them, pay someone else to.

“Cow health: lame cows don’t cycle. If they do they don’t show oestrus so you can’t see them. Fix the causes of lameness and also mastitis. Blood test and treat mineral deficiencies.; there are no excuses these days for poor animal health, most things can be treated fairly easily.

“Calving problems: if you have these, sort out your mating, sort out your bull selection and get your heifers big.

“Bull numbers… this drives me crazy. You need one bull per 30 cows not in calf, plus spares.

I don’t know how often

I go to a farm and there are two bulls in a herd and six cows cycling. Do you realise half of those cows are not going to get pregnant today?’ Bulls can only get one to two cows pregnant a day.

“Count up how many cows are cycling, divide that by 1.5 and that’s how many bulls you should have in there. For 300 cows after five weeks of AB you probably need 7-8 bulls on the farm because you need some spares, you need them resting and rotating. Don’t let them go into the yard if you can help it; they are trainable to stay in the race when you bring the cows in.

“Have them on the farm a month before you need them and all together so they don’t fight when they go into the herd.

“It’s all common sense but so often I don’t see it. Most of this costs no more money but can improve your in-calf rate to the bull by 10%.

“Heat detection: be on farm during mating and do the heat detection yourself or have a well trained staff member.

Even with all those aids we have, it is such an important, difficult job; you just have to be there.

“If you have healthy, fat, well-fed cows with everything going for them and they still don’t get in calf – there are whole herds of these out there – then you probably have a genetics problems. A high BW cow that milks well and can’t get in calf is not profitable. So you need to think about not keeping replacements from your poorer breeding cows.

LIFE WITHOUT DRUGS NEEDS:

Maybe even talk to your breeding company about selecting bulls based on fertility as well. Use well trained AB technicians and have good facilities for them.”

Robinson says she has a 400 cow farm client saving $15,000 a year by

not using CIDRs. “He didn’t do anything the rest of you can’t do. It is simple; you’ve just got to tick the boxes and do it.

“The goal is fat, healthy, wealthy cows that can get pregnant without getting a CIDR stuck in them.”

Healthy heifers will achieve CIDR-free life.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

32 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Watching calf on dangerous journey ARGUABLY THE most dangerous

journey a dairy calf will ever make is from the uterus of its mother, down the birth canal to the outside world.

Perinatal mortality can be defined as the death of a calf within the first two days of life, irrespective of the cause of death or circumstances at calving.

This does not include calves born prematurely (prior to 37 weeks).

Research from the US suggests perinatal mortality averages 8%, a welfare concern and a big impact on a farm’s subsequent production and profitability. Most perinatal deaths occur in calves that were alive at the beginning of calving, suggesting many of them are preventable. Part one of this series discusses how to reduce perinatal mortality from the beginning of the hazardous journey that is birth.

The stages of labour Calves that suffer a prolonged or difficult birth (dystocia) are at increased risk of perinatal death and calfhood disease. There can also be a lasting negative effect on subsequent milk production.

be done if abdominal To help avoid this, it is contractions (stage important to recognise 2, see below) have when cows and heifers not begun after six are in the various stages hours, although this of labour and to know first stage of labour how long these should may be prolonged be in a ‘normal’ calving. in heifers (up to 12 Stage 1 (3-6 hours) hours).

The first stage of Stage 2 (30 minutes labour can vary greatly - 4 hours) amongst individual ani- Gemma Chuck As a cow or heifer mals and the changes happening within the body are not enters the second stage of labour her clearly visible from the outside. During cervix should be fully dilated and there this stage the muscles within the walls should be visible abdominal contracof the uterus are beginning to contract tions (‘straining’). During this stage, and the cervix is progressively dilating the ‘water bag’ breaks and the calf with each contraction. The contractions enters the birth canal. In a normal may initially be 15 minutes apart but by delivery the calf should be positioned the end of stage 1 should be about three head-first along with both front legs (a minutes apart. The mucoid plug, which ‘diving’ position).

The cow or heifer may lie down has existed in the cervix during pregnancy, is expelled and the vaginal dis- during stage 2 due to increasing prescharge becomes more liquid. From the sure in the birth canal and pain from outside, stage 1 labour can be observed contractions. As the calf is expelled as separation from the rest of the herd, the membranes over the head of the tail lifting and swishing, mild kicking of calf should rupture, allowing the calf to the belly, increased frequency of lying breathe for the first time. Although the down and getting up and the presence duration of stage 2 labour is variable it of a ‘water bag’. An examination should is advised that animals are examined

Most perinatal deaths of calves can be avoided.

after two hours if there has been no visible progress.

Stage 3 (2-12 hours post-calving) In this final stage of labour, the foetal membranes or placenta are completely expelled.

Knowledge of these various stages

of labour allows early intervention and assistance if necessary. Consequently, this will help in the more rapid and safe delivery of the calf and improve survival of both calf and cow.

• Dr Gemma Chuck is a dairy vet at The Vet Group, south west Victoria.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

34 // EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT

Ways to limit water use TONY HOPKINSON

DAIRYNZ HAS begun running dairy farm field days nationwide to highlight water usage – the quantities used and simple measures to minimise volumes and costs.

The first was held recently on the farm of Robin Barkla near the Kawerau town boundary, run by DairyNZ consulting

officer Christine Southam and Nicola McHaffie, a development and sustainability specialist.

“With the growing importance of water usage and sustainability, and increasing government and regional council regulations it was opportune to remind farmers of changing rules and the need to look at their water usage,” said Southam. Efficient use of

water can control power use and reduce costs, manage effluent better and improve staff time usage.

Turnout was good at two forums, one discussing irrigation, the other farm and dairy shed water usage. Farmers were reminded that water meters are expected to be compulsory by 2020, and “you can’t manage what you don’t measure”.

DairyNZ sustainability specialist Nicola McHaffie.

With the increasing use of ‘green’ water for yard washing/flushing, regulations prohibit its use under pressure or within 15m of a farm dairy.

“If farmers took away one thing after today’s forum, it was to make a greater effort to control water leaks and overflowing water troughs,” said McHaffie.

She emphasised that a 100mm nail-sized leak

in a pipe can spill at least 14000L/day. A helpful hint was to connect to the water pump an external LED light that glows when the pump is going, alerting to excessive running.

The forum concluded with a ‘Smart water plan – steps to success’:

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Assess opportunities for improvement starting with a comprehensive farm plan and a map showing troughs, pumps and storage points.

Prepare a plan listing the changes that are going to be made,

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highlighting those that need to be done now or within a set time.

Get everyone involved – easier on smaller farms, and important when more staff are employed.

Review progress periodically.

NOVEL WASHDOWN ROBIN BARKLA’S farm is a flat 300ha where he has been “forever”. From the Kawerau River on one boundary he has a permit for an annual water uptake for irrigation year round. The usage is metered and he supplies monthly figures to Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

The farm is a seasonal supplier to Fonterra and milks 1110 cross-bred cows through a 44-aside herringbone dairy. He employs a contract milker who in turns employs five staff.

The water is spray irrigated to 280ha through travelling irrigators. The farm also has permission to spray irrigate dairy shed effluent to 36ha.

The area is prone to dry spells from November onwards.

The farm has a novel way to flood irrigate its rectangular dairy yard: a half-round stainless steel tank raised above the yard which cows walk under as they enter the milking area. After each milking it is filled with fresh water from the milk cooler.

“I was with a friend when were we looking at ideas to improve our milking methods and stock movement; he said he would build one for me,” says Barkla.

They use a scraper to push effluent to the bottom of the yard, then the tank rolls forward and washes the stuff away. Because it is fresh water there are no worries about splashing or its use near the farm dairy. Barkla says the system works well.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT // 35

Using poo to raise soil fertility DAIRY FARMERS are

using slurry tankers to spread effluent, boosting soil fertility, says C B Norwood Distributors Ltd, distributor of Pichon tankers made in France.

Rather than seeing effluent as something to be disposed of at least cost, farmers are looking to make best use of it, the company says. Tankers efficiently transport effluent to where it will be most effective, and efficiently apply it, either by spraying or by dribbling it directly onto pasture or injecting it into the soil.

Pichon has made slurry management equipment for 40 years.

The tankers have an integrated frame, the tank forming part of the chassis. This means a lighter machine with a lower centre of gravity. The tank is galvanised inside and out, and can be specified with an internal agitation system.

A range of auto-fill sys-

tems is offered, but most common for New Zealand is the BP2 arm which can go either side of the machine, connecting the tanker suction line to a filling cone positioned adjacent to either a pit or tank.

One of three discharge systems can be fitted to the tankers, each with options that tailor the machine to the specific task: A simple, traditional spreader plate and nozzle is the most common and cheapest option, though it is arguably the most inefficient at retaining the nutrient value of slurry due to losses in atomisation. And it will not suit a farm close to residential areas where smell may be a problem.

A spreader bar, mounted on a hydraulic linkage at the rear of the tanker, delivers the effluent to either trailing shoe applicators or a dribble bar for direct soil application (spreading width up to 28m).

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The Pichon tanker range covers capacities 2600 to 30,000L, plus a big range of filling and discharge options.

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Just irrigate when the grass needs water and nutrient. Nothing else.

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This integrated system takes wash water from yards and feed pads. It collects and stores the rainwater that’s so useful in summer. It mixes the circular storage pond (or tank) completely by using big jets. The mixing pump supplies either the mixing jets on the Radial Arm Mixer or the yard flood wash system. The built-in pond cutter supplies the irrigation pumps which are monitored for stoppages, hose disconnects, open hydrants, irrigators that have finished their run, over and under pressure situations. Your cell phone starts things from home or in the paddock. The irrigator applies measured, uniform amounts and needs half the shifting because of its 50 metre wetted width.

All the components of the system—the pond, its mixer, the pumps and the irrigators, work together as a team. It’s just like having an extra supervisor on the farm dedicated to making water and effluent grow grass. You have only to do the irrigation . Wow!

It’s a Spitfire revolution.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

36 // EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT

Nitrogen in effluent: fresher is better THE FRESHER the better, according to new research which shows available nitrogen from farm dairy effluent diminishes the longer the effluent is stored.

The study was done in Waikato by AgResearch for Ballance Agri-Nutrients as part of the fertiliser company’s Clearview Innovations Primary Growth Partnership participation.

It shows that timing and technique can increase the amount of nitrogen available to support plant growth when farm dairy effluent and manure are used as nutrient sources. This is said to have confirmed earlier findings that the longer effluent is stored, the greater the nitrogen loss that can occur in storage.

Ballance science manager Aaron Stafford says that in one trial, farm dairy effluent stored for 81 days lost 61% of its nitrogen content, primarily via ammonia volatilisation.

“Ammonia losses following application of effluent tend to be relatively low, typically less than 3%, because the liquid nature of the product enables the

nitrogen to move quickly into the soil which offers protection from ammonia loss. This suggests that for effluent, preventing nitrogen loss in storage is more important than losses on application to the land,” says Stafford.

“However, losses from surfaceapplied fresh manure were much higher, in a range of 11-19% with the highest losses in spring and lowest in summer, due to the nitrogen being retained near the soil surface for longer. Farmers can work around this by cultivating the manure into the soil as part of annual cropping fertility management. This will reduce these losses and ensure more nitrogen can be taken up by plants.”

Stafford says animal waste like manure and farm dairy effluent is a valuable source of nutrients, and farmers should be looking to maximise the value from this resource.

“It also makes sense to get the effluent out of storage and onto the ground as soon as possible. Apart from the higher nitrogen benefit delivered by

fresher effluent, there is the added advantage of bringing pond levels down, especially closer to winter when irrigation to land can be stalled by wet conditions. The lower the pond level coming into winter, the better the safety net is for farmers [seeking to stay] within resource consent requirements.”

Stafford says all effluent is a valuable resource for delivering nutrients cheaply, although older effluent may mean different response rates.

“In total, plants respond similarly to nitrogen regardless of whether it is applied in fertiliser or effluent, although response patterns may be different due to differences in immediate availability. Minimising the loss of nitrogen from effluent and manure enables the full nutrient value of these resources to be realised.”

But Stafford says as dairy farms shift to bigger effluent storage ponds and with the increased use of herd shelters and standoff pads to protect the environment, finding ways to minimise

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Nitrogen from effluent diminishes the longer the effluent is stored.

ammonia loss from effluent, in storage and upon application, will bring more benefits to farmers by retaining more of the nutrient value of the effluent.

“For example, our study showed there is some promise in reducing ammonia losses from farm dairy effluent in storage by making the naturally alkaline effluent slightly acidic. This is worth further research to determine how practically this can be done. Our

own work shows a single dose of acid is not sufficient and that light regular dosing may be the answer.”

Stafford says improving recycling and utilisation of nutrients within farms should be a long term focus for the industry. In an effort to help improve domestic nutrient recycling, Ballance has also previously investigated stripping nutrients out of waste products using certain clays.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT // 37

Dairy effluent solutions!

Expo turns five THE WAIKATO Efflu-

ent Expo is turning five this year and organisers say the event will be bigger than ever.

At least 50 exhibitors are due at the March 17 event at Mystery Creek.

Last year 650 farmers attended.

The expo, organised by Waikato Regional Council and sponsored by DairyNZ, is designed as a one-stop shop for farmers wanting to upgrade effluent systems or get advice.

It is the only effluent-specific event in New Zealand.

“Good systems help protect waterways and help farmers maximise profits by making efficient use of nutrients,” says expo organiser Electra Kalaugher.

About half the expo’s visitors last year were farm owners who decide on spending on effluent systems.

The council has had a good response to the expo from farmers, industry organisations and private sector suppliers over the years, says Kalaugher, “It shows the commitment we all have to… protecting the environment and improving farm profitability.”

Exhibits will include machinery and equipment, infrastructure, and design and consultation services for effluent management.

Seminars in the exhibition hall will cover effluent

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SEMINAR TOPICS

Irrigation systems on display at last year’s Effluent Expo.

storage and nutrients by DairyNZ, a seminar from Waikato Regional Council on effluent system monitoring, and an interactive discussion with Fonterra and DairyNZ on system upgrades in tight times.

A small outdoor grandstand will allow people to watch demonstrations of irrigation systems during outdoor seminars from AgVice. And there will be the usual food, picnic

tables, Fritz Wiener hotdogs and a coffee cart.

DairyNZ, Federated Farmers and milk companies are sponsoring the event.

Most attendees last year were from Waikato, and some came from Northland, Taranaki and Wairarapa. Bay of Plenty and Taranaki regional councils will this year promote the expo. www.waikatoregion.govt.nz

● 9.30am and 1.30pm: Effluent storage options: ponds and tanks, tricky installations, and leak detection with case studies. Theresa Wilson, DairyNZ ● 10.15am and 12.45pm: System upgrades in tight times: principles, Q&A session.

Nuala Platts, Fonterra & Nick Tait, DairyNZ ● 10.15am: Getting the most out of your effluent application: irrigators in action.

Debbie Care, AgVice ● 11.15am: Dairy effluent monitoring: what is the council looking for? Ben Franks, Waikato Regional Council ● 12.00: Nutrient management on your dairy farm. Adrian Brocksopp & Logan Bowler, DairyNZ.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

38 // EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT

More time to nurse rivers back to health A PROJECT intended to protect

the Waikato and Waipa rivers has gained a time extension.

The Healthy Rivers Wai Ora committee says it has endorsed a regional plan change for the rivers going to the council early next year – with public notification soon after – instead of the first suggested date of November this year.

The extension is designed to

help the group running the scheme – Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/ Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai – to get the information it needs to make it all work.

The committee heard that the group members were concerned that under the original timeline they would not have enough time to assess all relevant information and consult with their people.

And the technical people said they

needed more time to complete the science. This included information on the amount of nitrogen due to come into the rivers from groundwater, and the time that it takes the nitrogen to travel.

Notification early next year “provides a more realistic timeframe for the group to talk with their sectors on the opportunities and constraints of the limit and target scenarios”.

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Assessors look at a farm’s effluent system before issuing a WoF.

Get a WoF There are no laws or assess all catchment areas, DAIRY FARMERS can particularly stand-offs and rules that require a farmer get a ‘warrant of fitness’ to obtain a dairy effluent feedpads. issued for their farm WoF; it is voluntary, much Application depth and effluent and irrigation like a building inspection. rate test of the farm’s systems and be confident The assessor checks irrigation system will also the WoF is ‘on the level’, the entire farm, looking be examined. The farmer says DairyNZ. at where effluent collects gets a full report detailing This is the intended and the corresponding areas of concern, why and outcome of the industry’s infrastructure, e.g. feedsuggested actions. certification of dairy There are good reasons pads, underpasses, storage effluent assessors. It ponds and the irrigation why a farmer should get enables dairy farmers to network. confidently “There are good reasons DairyNZ says choose why a farmer should get a the WoF is differsuitably ent from council trained, certified WoF.” inspections and competent Fonterra checks: it is more a certified WoF, says professionals to assess thorough than either of DairyNZ. their farms’ systems. these, and is practical and Many farmers have These assessors will diagnostic. upgraded their effluent spend three-four hours For instance, the assessystems themselves and looking at a farm system sor will insert a flow meter a thorough check will following a consistent and pressure gauge into methodology, then issue a determine whether they the main line to see if now comply.

WoF if all is well. there is a problem with the In the event of a farm The assessors will pump. They also inspect a sale or purchase, best examine a farm’s effluent farm’s irrigator, test appliconsent or permitted rules to get an independent cation depth and averreport to determine what to ensure it is complying age rate, and calculate the upgrading is needed. with all requirements. amount of storage for the For a sharemilker They will also look at the moving onto a farm, being farm’s effluent managefarm’s nutrient budget, ment system. A list of cerable to see a WoF report run the dairy effluent tified assessors is available means he will know what storage calculator to kind of system he is taking online. www.effluentwof. estimate if there is co.nz. on. sufficient storage, and

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT // 39

Lateral irrigator pays dividends GORDON COLLIE

INSTALLING A lateralmove irrigator was one of the best investments Australian farmer Peter Smith has ever made.

The 285m precision watering system is at the heart of the least-cost dairy enterprise Peter and his wife Debbie operate in

“When we came up here there was plenty of dairying in this area but a lot of farms are now growing vegetables,” says Smith.

Access to good irrigation has allowed them to grow summer and winter feed with the only boughtin feed being about 1kg of grain pellets fed in the bails at each milking.

“We are lucky with our water supply, something which is essential on our good selfmulching block soils.” the Nobby district, Darling Downs, Queensland.

The low pressure, low maintenance irrigator and a travelling gun allow them to make full use of a reliable water supply from two 13m bores and they grow virtually all their own feed.

“We are lucky with our water supply, something which is essential on our good self-mulching black soils. You just couldn’t dairy here without it,” Smith says. “Plenty of water and urea equals plenty of feed.”

The couple have been dairying for 18 years, having moved to the Downs from a coastal property on the Albert River near Beenleigh.

“Six tonnes of pellets lasts us about a month,” he says.

“We’ve reduced our inputs as much as we can, but with dry weather, our electricity bills for irrigation have been a killer, averaging $5000-$8000 a quarter on the cheapest night tariff.”

In response to bleak dairy prospects, the couple have reduced their cow numbers to allow a diversification into commercial lucerne production. Their 66ha property is under intensive cropping year round to feed about 70 milkers and supply a ready local horse market with lucerne hay.

Their milking herd has a strong infusion of Brown

Access to good irrigation has allowed Australian farmer Peter Smith to grow summer and winter feed.

Swiss bloodlines. “They have a brilliant temperament and longevity. We’ve got one cow still going at 18 years with the herd averaging about 10 lactations,” Smith says.

“They are also hardy cattle which tolerate hot and cold conditions well.

They have low cell counts and good milk composition which provides us with the bonus payments we need to stay in business.”

Some of his best performers are about a quarter Jersey, a quarter Friesian and half Brown Swiss. An Angus bull is used to provide calves with a higher commercial value.

The Smiths grow crops of rye and clover and oats in a couple of plantings for winter forage.

The oats provides quick, early season feed with the annual rye providing grazing through until about the end of November.

The winter months are their best production period and Smith says their year-round calving was skewed to take advantage of the good body of feed at that time of year.

The herd averages about 22L/day through winter months with about 4.5% butterfat and 3.5% protein.

During the summer months, the feed mainstay is forage sorghum, with a fresh strip fed after each milking. The sorghum provides fast growing feed and is ready for grazing when 600-700mm high.

With careful grazing management and regular water and urea the crop

can recover in six weeks for feeding up to five times during the season.

The cattle are moved off when they have finished feeding to a couple of kikuyu ‘camping’ paddocks.

During the summer months, the feed mainstay is forage sorghum, which provides fast growing feed and is ready for grazing when 600-700mm high, says Australian farmer Peter Smith.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

40 // EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT

Bigger pond means lower risk STUART REID

ON THE need for water:

don’t you wish you had a bit more water to keep pasture alive?

Were you one of those farmers who strove to build an effluent pond of minimum size, and so missed out on having extra water in this year’s dry season?

Remember, half the rainwater that falls on your property runs off in winter. Think about ways to retain it so that you can at least keep grass even just alive in summer. If you have to re-sow dead pas-

ture, it will be two years before the grass is producing at full bore.

On the other hand, dormant grass kept alive with even small amounts of moisture will burst into life again when the rains come. So it could be false economy to skimp on pond size. A bigger pond implies a better level of insurance by lowering risk.

On the need for plenty of water: a second factor in effluent spreading is dilution.

Any good gardener will tell you that animal manure is far better for plants and soil organisms when it is applied in a diluted form. It won’t

kill the worms at least, and they are just the organisms you can see. Still scared of storing rainwater which dilutes your yard washings and helps grow pasture? Don’t be, there are benefits.

On the uniformity of spreading: stir a pond with a tractor or floating mixer and you get odd effects.

Effluent concentrates in the least active zones of the mixed pond. In the tractor-created vortex, the sludge builds up like a volcano in the centre of the pond. For the floating mixer, the buildup is in any quiet zone of the tank or pond. You can’t see this effect, but it is hap-

The pond mixer and irrigator must work together to spread effluent evenly.

Inset: Stuart Reid

pening under the water.

Now, when you pump the pond out, the irrigator gets a thin mixture followed later by a concentrated mixture. Thus one paddock gets weak manure and the other gets stronger manure. Few farmers think about this, and your system designer probably overlooks it too. It’s pointless sending inconsistently mixed effluent to your super-duper evenly spreading irrigator. Your pond mixer and irrigator should be working together to spread this

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stuff uniformly over the pasture.

On centrifugal pumps versus progressing cavity pumps: if you want the same irrigator performance (within a few percent) from each hydrant on your farm, you’ll be hard pressed to achieve it with a centrifugal effluent pump – even the higher pressure versions. Chances are they’ll give plenty of flow at the hydrants near the pump, but then the flow will diminish at more distant hydrants and those up the

hill. It’s just a characteristic of the pump. The progressive cavity pump will deliver almost the same flow to every hydrant – near and far. This will mean irrigator performance will be the same at each hydrant. Isn’t that what you want?

On irrigator speeds: “Our irrigator has seven speeds,” says the manufacturer. “Yes, I know,” you reply, “but what amounts of liquid are actually delivered at these differing speeds?” The response will probably be evasive. The

speeds will change as the rope winds onto the drum, or as pressure varies, or as hose load changes. It’s time manufacturers were required to have their machines evaluated comparatively. If your fertiliser spreader spread fert as variably as most irrigators do, you’d fire him. Why is your standard lower for irrigators or solids spreaders? So much for scientific farming.

Tel. 04 586 3411 www.spitfire.net.nz

• Stuart Reid is principal of Spitfire Revolution.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT // 41

Heavyweights line up to help river survive A COLLABORATION between DairyNZ, the Waikato River Authority and Waikato Regional Council is seeking to better protect and restore the Waikato River.

Their Waikato River Restoration Strategy project, launched last month by Environment Minister Nick Smith, will run until 2017.

The authority and DairyNZ will each pay $200,000 and the regional council $75,000 towards costs. DairyNZ and the council will also donate staff time.

All three organisations have in recent years helped to protect and restore the river.

The Waikato River Authority has completed four funding rounds for river cleanups, allocating $22 million to 140 projects.

DairyNZ has recently led a $2.3 million project to develop 600 sustainable milk plans in the upper Waikato River catchment around Karapiro, resulting in 4700 on-farm actions. And a further $1.3 million of dairy farmers’ levy funds are being spent on 850 sustainable milk plans for the Waipa area, a wetlands project and this new river restoration.

Waikato Regional Council has since 2002 provided almost $3.3 million towards riparian fencing and planting, and land retirement, in the Waikato and Waipa rivers catchments.

It has also been involved in river protection work including the Healthy Rivers:

Plan for Change project.

The new Waikato River Restoration Strategy will help guide spending to improve the Waikato River for up to 15 years. And it will guide the work of other stakeholders.

A key initiative is the Waikato River Restoration Forum, involving the three strategy partners and all Waikato River iwi, DOC, Fonterra, Genesis Energy and Mighty River Power and local councils.

“Our aim is… a healthy Waikato River that sustains abundant life and prosperous communities,” says authority co-chair Tukoroirangi Morgan. “Those communities, in turn, are all responsible for… the Waikato River, and all it embraces, for generations.”

DairyNZ chairman John Luxton, the other co-chair of the authority, says the dairy sector is committed to improving river health. “The… strategy will help guide all forum members [in] the best approach to restoration. Farmers have been stepping up to do their bit and DairyNZ is supporting them.”

Waikato Regional Council chairperson Paula Southgate says the new strategy “is taking the spirit of collaboration over river health to new heights in the Waikato. It’s only by working closely together that we’ll truly protect the rivers in a way that supports the economy, our communities and our environment.”

Environment Minister Nick Smith (right) and DairyNZ chairman John Luxton at the launch.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

42 // EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT

Measuring the Irish environment PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

IRISH DAIRY farmers

are responding positively to a research programme designed to measure nitrogen and phosphorous leaching on their farms.

Professor Phil Jordan, a specialist in catchment science who recently visited New Zealand, is running a scheme measuring N and P loss on Irish farms nationwide to

ensure farmers stick to European Union environment rules. The EU sets the basic regulations and then each country overlays these with its own special requirements.

The research, by the Irish agricultural research organisation Teagasc, covers a range of different catchments.

“There are two catchments in Country Wexford – one arable and one grassland – the latter on an impermeable soil type.

There is a catchment in Country Cork which is a permeable soil type – that’s the main dairy catchment. Others are in County Louth, County Mayo and one near Drumlin with unique soils.

Each catchment is about 10km2.”

Professor Jordan says the regulations are working, as shown by results on a dairy farm in County Cork, monitored for five years. Its high phosphorous index has fallen in

farmers, depending on their compliance. For example, farmers who fail to meet their targets could lose their ‘single farm payment’ subsidy.

“So if a farmer has a high P test in his soil above a certain concentration then he is not allowed, under the regulations, to apply a chemical fertiliser. So he can actually incur a soil deficit on those soils because he is only allowed to use his own organic nutrients.

So what we are seeing is a decrease in the soil nutrient test in those high P fields down towards an

Phil Jordan

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optimum and it’s the optimum that’s required in the regulations. The intensive farmer is required to farm at an optimum P concentration. It’s a big and complex continuum of soils right down to the streams system and we think that’s going to take a bit longer for the phosphorous changes to emerge.”

Jordan says while the regulations are designed to improve water quality, there is also a provision in them that it should not have a negative financial impact on the farmer. He has seen a slight increase in stock numbers which

he hints means farmers are managing their environmental footprint successfully. But as in New Zealand the new regulations require farmers to do a lot more data collection to meet the requirements.

Department of Agriculture inspectors visit farms in the catchments and look how the farm is being managed, e.g. slurry holding tanks are noted and soil tests done.

Jordan prefers a ‘top-down bottom-up’ approach to measuring environmental standards.

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The Hawera company specialises in farm dairy effluent equipment and is an accredited effluent designer through the DairyNZ approval process.

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effluent mixture can be applied to pasture, the company points out.

And pond stirring has become even more critical with the advent of synthetic lined ponds and above ground tanks. But watch out for “inferior” stirrers that can damage a pond liner, the company warns.

Its shore-mounted stirrer, with a pond liner protection kit, averts liner damage. “Nevada shoremounted electric stirrers are rigidly mounted on a substantial foundation, eliminating the risk of harm to a pond.”

All the sediment in a lined pond must be mixed into the effluent to allow pumping out. The Nevada Typhoon propellor, “which quickly creates a strong horizontal flow across the pond, brings all solids into suspension”.

The stirrer’s depth and angle can be adjusted to ensure no areas are

missed. A rack-and-pinion hand winch provides stepless adjustment onshore.

“Many farmers have installed elaborate and expensive separation systems, only to find they still need a stirrer to mix the sludge accumulating in their pond,” says Midwest Machinery.

“The best time to install a stirrer is when the pond is built. It is easier and better to avoid sludge accumulating than to try to remove a build-up. In many instances farmers would have been more prudent to install a stirrer and not a separator. With Nevada pond stirrers it is acceptable to leave the solids in the effluent stream.”

Safety and reliability are a standout with the Nevada gear, Midwest Machinery says.

Tel. 0800 464 393 www. midwestmachinery.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT // 43

Spreader handles everything thrown at it HAMILTON AGRICULTURAL contractor Greg

Langman says his Abbey AP900 multi spreader has handled “everything we have thrown it” in three years of operation, says the supplier, Farmgard.

“We’ve done a lot of work with the spreader which is strong, tough and spreads evenly. The proof is [most of] the clients we work for ring up and say what a great machine it is and what an excellent job it has done.”

Greg and his son John

run Langman Agricultural Contracting from Te Pahu, west of Hamilton, offering many services including harvesting, hay and silage, and cartage.

“John added some youthful enthusiasm to the business when he joined me about eight years ago,” Greg says. “Since then we’ve expanded into a whole lot of new areas, including effluent spreading.”

They looked at several spreader makes and models before deciding on

the Abbey AP900. “At the time the AP900 was a new concept and there was nothing quite like it on the market. It has proved an excellent machine, giving us full control over the effluent spread.”

The Abbey multispreader has a large diameter heavy-duty auger designed to create an even flow of material without clogging. Its drum improves the flow of material, the base of which is fitted with a double skin for chassis strength and

durability.

Although dairy effluent is the main by-product spread by the Langmans, they have also used the Abbey for spreading bedding matter from cow stand-off pads, chicken manure prior to maize planting, cleanings from goat and calf sheds, and drain cleanings.

“If it’s spreadable, this machine will handle it.”

They like the spreader’s side delivery, throwing material away from drains and waterways, and down

Abbey multi spreader.

sidelings, with ease.

“The application is precise, eliminating the possibility of effluent leaching into waterways. It is more accurate than a rear discharging spreader, on which the operator has to judge for himself the distance to the water.”

Conversely, the spreader can spread effluent up to 50-60m “when you open it up”, says Greg.

Overall, he finds the AP900 “user friendly”

Farmers quizzed on spending DAIRYNZ AND Federated Farmers are

researching how much money dairy farmers have spent onfarm in environmental projects.

Feds first did this research last year in the Horizons region and found the information invaluable, it says. A survey of 900 farmers showed 166 had spent a total of $18.5 million on environmental projects.

DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle says the two groups have now set out to survey farmers in the rest of the country.

“It’s been difficult for the industry to quantify all the investment across the 12,000 dairy farms in New Zealand in areas like effluent

systems, stock exclusion from waterways and riparian planting.

“All these individual businesses are doing what they need to do and getting on with the job but nobody knows how much money that’s involving. There are obviously costs to all this investment in responsible dairy farming and environmental stewardship and we want to put some numbers to it.

“If we want the public and the regulators to understand what is already happening out there, we need to know the facts and figures.

We can only get those from farmers.”

Federated Farmers Dairy chair Andrew

with good visibility during operation.

“It is well suited to New Zealand conditions with large tyres for flotation on softer ground and no hindrance when the machine is working on hills.”

The machine is easy to service, is watertight and

can spread effluent with high water content without it draining out of the machine.

The firm also has an Abbey tanker which works in tandem with the spreader.

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Hoggard says this will give the industry something to be proud of and show the public that farmers are serious about the environment.

“The more facts we have, the easier it is to tell how the industry has stepped up to play its part and, more importantly, the significant amount farmers are investing to do that.

“Meeting our commitments under the Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord and industry strategy is a huge undertaking, in national resources and farmers’ time and money.

“We can’t tell the public or others what we don’t know, so we’re trying to understand that commitment to the environment.”

❱❱ Pond desludging and stirring ❱❱ Irrigation of nutrient rich effluent on to pastures ❱❱ Compliance to Regional Council requirements Contact Gregg Young on 027 483 5052 for experienced and professional effluent spreading services.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

44 // EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT

Irrigation gains in updated Overseer IRRIGATING FARMERS and growers

will soon be able to place greater confidence in the outputs generated

by Overseer Nutrient Budgets (Overseer), with the release of a new, comprehensive irrigation module for the nutrient

budgeting tool.

From late April, Overseer 6.2 will better model a range of irrigation systems and practices, and will be much better at calculating N-loss for irrigated properties.

Overseer general manager Dr Caroline Read says

A new version of Overseer, out next month, will focus on a wide range of irrigation systems.

incorporating the breadth of irrigation systems and management in use today will allow Overseer to address a known shortfall.

“Our current irrigation module doesn’t reflect the diversity of irrigation systems and the influ-

ence irrigation practice can have on nitrate leaching. This limitation means gains that can be made through changing irrigation systems and practices are not fairly reflected through to N-loss,” says Read.

The new 6.2 version of Overseer will address this by focusing on a wide range of irrigation systems – centre and linear pivots, long laterals, spray lines, solid set, drip-micro and border dyke. It will also account for how they are then used by accounting for how much water goes on and when.

Read says being able to estimate nitrogen and phosphorus losses to the environment has increasingly seen Overseer become an important tool for regional councils as part of their role in managing water quality.

“The demand for Overseer has grown significantly in the past five years, particularly since the introduction of the National Policy Statement for Fresh Water Management, as this requires regional councils to set water quality limits,” says Read.

IrrigationNZ chief executive Andrew Curtis says irrigators will benefit from the new version, but need to plan ahead to

Andrew Curtis

ensure they are collecting the relevant information.

“Irrigating farmers and growers need to be thinking now about their data inputs and familiarising themselves with what is required.

“One of the valuable things about Overseer 6.2 is that it includes backward compatibility which means older files can be read, but they will need to be updated to better reflect management practices. Full technical notes will be released with the module which will make it easy for growers and farmers to update files to fit your specific irrigation system.”

But Curtis sounds a warning about a probable

change in N-loss results due to actual management practices being reflected in the results.

“With more specific, accurate information being inputted, it’s likely some irrigators will see increased N-loss estimates for their properties. IrrigationNZ is aware this will cause some alarm but we are working with regional councils to ensure this does not become problematic for compliance. It is important we move to a more transparent and robust system as irrigators generally will benefit from having a more accurate Overseer assessment so they can then be rewarded for investing in performance improvements.”

An Overseer 6.2 roadshow will run mid March-mid April to raise awareness and support uptake of the new irrigation module. Workshops are being organised with the regional councils in major irrigation areas to get early feedback from users ahead of the online release of Overseer 6.2

IF ANYONE CAN MAKE IT RAIN, RAINER CAN

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visit www.rainer.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 45

New field days site adds to excitement A NEW location for the 2015 South Island Agricultural Field Days (SIAFD) has the organisers excited.

After 32 years on the former site near Lincoln University – a less-than-ideal triangle shape – the event has its own large place in Courtenay Road, Kirwee. The site’s rectangle shape is better to work in – none of the overlooked sites some exhibitors had to occupy, say the organisers.

The event will run March 25-27, 8am to 5pm. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy will do opening honours on the Wednesday.

Usually about 25,000 visitors attend, but the organisers hope the larger site and new location will draw more.

‘Live’ machinery is, of course, the main attraction, notably a ‘Tractor Shoot Out’ – 120-150hp machines doing tests and practical tasks such as hooking up equipment. Kiwi and Australian

EASIER TO GET ON, OFF SITE TRAFFIC FROM the south will turn into Telegraph Road before Burnham and then into Courtenay Road.

Traffic coming from Christchurch and Darfield will head towards Kirwee and follow the signs to the site on Courtenay Road.

There are two vehicle entry-exit points onto the site. The layout minimises walking from the carpark to each of the four entrance gates. There is no separate exhibitors’ carpark; no vehicles will be allowed on site during the event.

judges will officiate and assess cab comfort and layout.

A world-first is the ‘Battle of the Bangers’, featuring New Zealandmade postdrivers thumping in posts – a grand spectacle.

Rural News Group will sponsor a $250 prize for the best large site, and the SIAFD committee will donate a $250 prize for the best small site.

A $1000 prize will be awarded

for the best-run demonstration and commentary, and the AgriInnovation awards are expected to attract high calibre entries.

Tickets cost $15 per adult per day, youngsters under 15 free. No dogs except guide dogs.

Mag-rich feed blend aimed at beef lots A NEW magnesium-rich feed blend will help

beef farmers defeat hypomagnesaemia (magnesium deficiency) and milk fever (calcium deficiency), says the supplier, BEC Feed Solutions.

Difficult to detect and treat, hypomagnesaemia can be a major cause of cow death and complications at calving, with losses of up to 20% reported on properties prone to the problem, the company says.

“Often, the first sign of magnesium deficiency is death, meaning loss of capital stock… loss of calf, and loss of breeding potential in the herd.”

BEC Feed Solutions and animal feed maker and blender James & Son (NZ) Pty Ltd have jointly developed Optimiser MAG – BEEF, a magnesium-rich concentrated feed blend containing BEC’s Bolifor MAG33 product, specifically for beef breeding cow operations.

Trina Parker, BEC country manager, says awareness is growing about the need for adequate magnesium in beef breeding cows leading up to calving and for the month postcalving. The product is said to be meeting a known demand.

“On the back of our success with the Bolifor range in dairying, we’ve had numerous requests from beef farmers for a low-risk feed blend incorporating high levels of Magnesium,” Parker

says.

“Our Bolifor MAG33 is extremely palatable; a concentrated mineral blend such as this will be readily accepted by a herd.”

Optimiser MAG – BEEF comprises vegetable and grain by-products, Bolifor MAG33, sweeteners and extra flavours. It is delivered as 500g/day doses. The product is supplied nationwide in 250kg and 500kg bags.

Parker says that, traditionally, beef breeding farmers have not supplemented their stock precalving because they have had “no effective means of delivery to the herd”.

“The only real options until now have been magnesium oxide, which is often a feed deterrent, or magnesium salts via water, which is not often achievable at the back of a farm water supply.”

James & Son’s commercial manager, Darren Edwards, says ease of delivery has been central in the company’s development of Optimiser MAG – BEEF. The product is designed to be delivered to paddocks in bulk sling bags. Depending on herd size, cows can be fed directly, or feed can be administered over a few days via a feed trough.

Optimiser MAG – BEEF will be launched at the Central District Fieldays this week. www.becfeedsolutions.co.nz.

March Field Day’s Deals

Mule Diesel EPS 4x4 $17,381 + GST

BRUTE FORCE 650 4X4 $11,295 + GST

3-Cylinder diesel, power steering, dual-mode rear differential. V-Twin power, 2WD/4WD,Tractor style wet rear brake.

BRUTE FORCE 300 2X4 $5,995 + GST

Liquid-cooled single, CVT transmission, triple disc brakes

We have limited stock of these models at prices less than last year’s Field Day deals.

New stock arriving will have price increases due to the $NZ decline.

BUY NOW!

250 STOCKMAN $5,643 + GST

The Boss’s Bike. Developed especially for the farm.

FARM 150 $3,995 + GST

Electric start, quality suspension, road legal.

Read about all the features at www.kawasaki.co.nz.

Phone 0800 452 9272 for a dealer near you.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

46 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Fine weather pulls crowds, wallets THREE FINE, clear days

led to healthy enquiries and sales at the 2015 Northland Field Days between February 26 and 28, say the organisers and exhibitors.

Unlike most other regions, the Kaipara and Whangarei regions had good rainfall in November-December and good soil moisture levels in December, placing farmers well for strong production as the season advances. This contrasts starkly with the previous three years when most of Northland was gripped by severe drought.

Field days visitor numbers rallied as a result, despite poor Fonterra payout predictions. Many farmers came to the event with specific goals in

mind.

Well over 20,000 visitors and a record 550 exhibitors enjoyed three days of deal making, or at least lining up deals, says Northland Field Days President, Lew Duggan.

“People often came up to me and told me how good this year was.”

Sales were good for cattle handling equipment maker Farmquip, its lower North Island territory manager Brendon Carr calling the field days “the best so far”. He puts this down to the strong beef schedule giving his key customers, drystock farmers, the money they need to order gear they have put off buying.

“We tripled sales on the previous years and got lots of very good

inquiries,” Carr says.

At least 20,000 people visited over the three days, Saturday being the busiest. “They knew what they wanted the previous times they spoke to us, so this year it just happened.”

Isuzu, the winner of the best new site award, did well, says Stephen Moore, dealer principal of Moore Cars, the Whangarei dealership for Isuzu and Kia. He sold a truck just as the event closed and saw his staff making sales on all three days.

“The feeling was generally positive and visitors were more comfortable about spending money and making a decision on the day in contrast to previous years.

“Even though the payout was down the production was way up on last year. I talked to one guy who was well ahead of the previous season.”

Lew Duggan says the sun had taken a toll of organisers and exhibitors but they were excited

about such a positive event.

“It was thrilling and we’re looking forward to 2016. We have huge plans to make the event and the grounds even better than this year.” www.northlandfielddays. co.nz

TOP SITES ❱❱ Best new exhibitor site: Isuzu Utes NZ ❱❱ Best indoor site: Bupa Care Services ❱❱ Best outdoor site: Gas & Tyre Services.

About 20,000 people visited the Northland Field Days.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 47

Rollers float independently of the discs, then close the slot to ensure good soil-to-seed contact.

Vredo’s double discs handle all soil types and conditions.

Overseeder suits pasture renovation AN OVERSEEDER range now sold

in New Zealand by CB Norwood Distributors Ltd has features ideal for rejuvenating pasture at minimal cost, the company says.

Inquiries from Wairarapa farmers and contractors wanting pasture renovation gear led to CB Norwood taking on the Vredo brand.

“Overseeders available in New Zealand to date have been more suitable for the arable market, with the closest coulter spacing of 125mm suitable for cropping but limited for pasture renovation,” says agriculture equipment operations manager Paul Collins.

Vredo’s double discs, spaced at 75mm, handle all soil types and conditions, dropping the seed into a vee shaped slot, with each disc’s individual spring controlling the depth of seed placement. Fluted following rollers which float independently of

the discs then close the slot to ensure good soil-to-seed contact and subsequent dense and healthy sward rejuvenation.

“Whilst impressive germination rates of up to 96% have been confirmed by German trials, the Vredo system is not limited to pasture renovation and all small seeds can be sown, into existing pastures or sprayed pastures and cropping applications,” says Collins.

The range includes models from 2.5m to 5.8m working width, with gravity feed and air delivery.

C B Norwood sees three likely common scenarios.

“For farmers on reasonably flat land, the gravity feed Agri series” single unit of either 2.5m or 2.9m working width would be ideal.

Agri Air air-delivery models are more suitable for farmers on undulating terrain. For contractors, the Agri

”

Twin, with air delivery and cover to 5.8m would fit the bill well,” says Collins.

Vredo is a Dutch company which started in 1947 in agricultural contracting. The founder, Ben de Vree, modified and improved his own machinery, giving birth to a manufacturing business. Its first Vredo overseeder was launched in 1976 as a means of producing a healthy pasture sward from a tired one, at minimal cost.

Having been an agricultural contractor, de Vree realised the importance of quality and reliability, both hallmarks of the Vredo overseeders, CB Norwood says.

Vredo also makes turf renovation machines with 35mm row spacing suitable for sports grounds and similar applications.

Call the team today or see us at Site 093 to discuss your Central Districts Field Days requirements

Tel. 0800 NORWOOD www.equipnz.co.nz

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

48 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

A fusion of value, power and heritage FORD’S NEW Mustang arrives later this year and will offer style and “value,” the company says.

Priced at $56,990, the fastback model will have an automatic transmission and a high performance 2.3L EcoBoost engine.

But wait – the range topper is the six-speed automatic V8 GT 5.0L convertible (price $76,990), while the manual V8 GT is available in fastback only and has an RRP of $71,990.

“The new Mustang will appeal to those who value style, technology, performance and the heritage the Mustang name brings,” says Corey Holter, managing director Ford New Zealand.

“It’s a technologically advanced car with the heritage that has inspired Ford customers for generations.”

The design of both cars evokes the essential character of the vehicle, Ford says. It retains key design elements of the classic Mustangs recognisable to car fans everywhere, including

the long sculpted hood and short rear deck.

Key design features are a low roof height and wide stance; sleek profile from a steeply sloped windscreen and rear glass; three-dimensional, tri-bar tail-lamps; and an update of the car’s signature trapezoidal grille and shark-

bite front fascia.

Convertible drivers may like the top’s sleek profile when folded.

Large, clear instrumentation is part of the aviation-inspired cockpit; ergonomic and tactile switches and knobs provide control.

The vehicle’s width and new rear

MUSTANG HIGHLIGHTS ❱❱ 233 kW / 432 Nm 2.3-litre GTDi EcoBoost engine ❱❱ Aluminium block and heads with integrated exhaust manifold ❱❱ DOHC, four valves per cylinder, twin independent variable camshaft timing ❱❱ Twin scroll turbocharger ❱❱ 6-speed SelectShift automatic transmission with

The new Mustang is coming to New Zealand later this year.

paddle shifters ❱❱ 19” ebony black painted alloy wheels (255/40 R19 tyres front, rear) ❱❱ Remote keyless entry ❱❱ Dual zone climate control ❱❱ Satellite navigation ❱❱ Driver and passenger climate controlled premium leather (heated and cooled).

suspension contribute to improved shoulder and hip room for passengers and a usefully shaped bootspace that can accommodate two golf bags.

It has all-new front and rear suspensions: at the front, a new perimeter sub-frame helps to stiffen the front structure while reducing mass, giving more predictable wheel control for better handling, steering and ride.

The front MacPherson strut system enables the use of large, powerful brakes. Both 2.3L EcoBoost and V8 GT Mustang models will have

performance brakes behind standard 19‑inch wheels.

At the rear is a new integral-link independent rear suspension. The geometry, springs, dampers and bushings all have been specifically modified and tuned. New aluminium rear knuckles help reduce unsprung mass.

And you’re well connected via Ford’s SYNC2 system with a highresolution, 8-inch colour touch screen and advanced voice control for easier audio, navigation, climate control and compatible mobile phones.

CONTROLLED. SUSTAINABLE. COST EFFECTIVE. A Mono™ HSE dairy effluent pump can offer considerable cost savings by eliminating the need for a series of pumps when pumping over a long distance or high head. In some situations it can also mean not having to go to the expense of upgrading the existing power supply, with the potential to save you thousands.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 49

Skid loaders ideal for digging Gehl R190

MANITOU AUSTRALIA is launching its Gehl R

series radial-lift skid loaders ‘down under’, and they are expected to be popular with farmers.

The line-up is all new, the company says. The models R190, R220 and R260 offer a better operator station with an integrated digital display, improved visibility, pressurised cabs, Tier IV engines and a high-powered hydraulic system.

These machines are rated large-frame and bring “unparalleled performance to the jobsite,” says Manitou.

When equipped with optional counterweights, the rated operating capacities range from 957kg on the R190 to 1260kg on the R260. Lift heights reach up to 3060mm on the R190

and 3124mm on the R220 and R260.

Their emissions compliant Tier IV Yanmar engines have DPF (diesel particulate filter) technology – environmentally sound and needing no fuel after-treatments, such as urea. With maximum torque ratings from 235 Nm on the R190 to 279.3 Nm on the R260, power is ample, says the company.

The R Series skid loaders come with high-powered auxiliary hydraulics that achieve flow rates from 119L/min on the R190 to 32.5L/min on the R220 and R260 with the highflow configuration.

High breakout forces are great for digging and faster cycle times further enhance productivity.

The cabs have a new side-folding restraint bar

Get wired for field days

and armrests with multiple adjustments. Joystick and hand/foot control towers are fully adjustable and the mechanical or air-ride suspension seat options gives plenty of comfort.

A cab-forward design and lowered rear towers give good visibility to the bucket edge and rear of the machine. The optional pressurised sealed cab enclosure, with sound reduction material and a rear-mounted air filter, is clean and quiet. www.gehl.com/evolution.

Europe’s NO.1 MIXER WAGONS

ENTRIES HAVE opened for the Fieldays No.8 Wire

National Art Award, culminating in a public exhibition in June in Hamilton.

The award challenges artists to create artworks using mostly wire. Now something of a highlight on the national art calendar, they offer artists opportunity to create something unique while pushing the physical and conceptual boundaries.

Judging this year is by Waikato kinetic sculptor Tony Nicholls.

Waikato Museum and ArtsPost Galleries & Shop are partners in the awards.

Waikato Museum director Cherie Meecham says she welcomes the opportunity to work with Fieldays again.

“The award is challenging and ingenious. While entrants are faced with creating a sculptural artwork with at least 75% No.8 wire, every year we see new ways and forms created.

“The award attracts established and emerging artists from throughout New Zealand and the exhibition extends the annual Fieldays event with a show in ArtsPost’s central Hamilton galleries.”

The winners will be announced on June 5 at the ArtsPost Galleries & Shop, part of the Waikato Museum arts precinct on Victoria Street, Hamilton. A free public exhibition will be held at ArtsPost from June 5 to June 29.

Comp details ❱❱ First prize $8000, second prize $1000, third prize $500, president’s choice $100.

❱❱ For competition criteria and to download an entry form visit fieldays.co.nz/enterno8wire

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 10, 2015

50 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Robotic milker’s world-beating workout IS THIS the world’s hard-

est working robot milker?

The maker, DeLaval, thinks so.

On a farm in the Netherlands, 40km east of Amsterdam, stands that country’s first DeLaval voluntary milking system (VMS). It is among the first commercially running DeLaval VMS robots outside its maker’s home country Sweden.

And for 15 years, averaging daily running of 20-22 hours, it has produced 8.25 million kgMS.

It is still running smoothly, the company says.

It is said to have the same hardware as when installed in 1999; the software, compressor and PC have been updated and the robot has been routinely serviced.

“When we started selling DeLaval VMS we… told farmers a milking parlour can last for 15 years and the DeLaval VMS could maybe do the job for 12 years,” says Johan Ter Weele, business development manager, VMS at

DeLaval.

“This VMS is still going strong at this farm and there’s no reason to believe that will change for at least another five years. The robot can do it and the farmer and his wife are happy to use it.”

To promote the machine’s productivity, DeLaval says it made some fun comparisons between the VMS and a tractor and car. “A tractor usually runs for about 10 years and the busy ones will be used 8 hours a day. If the trac-

De Laval VMS

tor was to be in use for as many hours as the VMS in Holland, it would take 40 years before it would meet the same productivity as a DeLaval VMS. “If you can get your tractor to last for 40 years,

then you’re doing well but my guess is it will not be in the best condition and not very useful anymore,” says Ter Weele.

“We’re saying that four or five tractors would have fallen to pieces by the time

the tractor had put in the same sort of hours as the VMS.” And as for cars, “We calculated that a car driven at 68km/h for the same number of hours as the DeLaval VMS in full oper-

ation, it would need to be driven 8.2 million km to be as competitive.” That’s the equivalent of driving around the world 205 times.

Tel. 07 849 6020 www.delaval.co.nz

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Dyson Delahunty (right) and Ben Thomasen are ready for the racing season.

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Specifically developed for the establishment of small seeds such as grass into existing grassland or sprayed out pastures, Vredo is the ultimate tool in pasture renovation and small seed sowing.

Ask your local dealer how you can reinvigorate your pasture today.

Phone 0800 667 9663 to find your local Vredo dealer

www.equipnz.co.nz

POLARIS INDUSTRIES says it plans to further dominate the UTV (side-by-side) class in 2015.

The company took part last Saturday in the first round of the ORANZ New Zealand Off-Road Racing Championship at Kaukapakapa.

Factory driver Ben Thomasen, who finished the 2014 season as Class U (UTV class) champion and second overall, is back behind the wheel of a new 2015 RZR XP 1000 for the 2015 championships.

Also racing is factory-backed Polaris racer Dyson Delahunty (15), who will also drive a 2015 RZR XP 1000 for the 2015 season. He joins Polaris Racing after starting racing at age 11 in his Kiwi truck.

Last year Delahunty was NZ1 Champion for Class 7 (11th overall), as well as finishing first in class and second overall in Counties Classic Series, and ATR Club Class 7 champion.

He has a string of wins: Hawkeswood Mining Kiwi Truck Endurance Challenge (2011), NZ1 J Class Kiwi Truck champion (2011), NZ2 J Class Kiwi Truck champion (2012), NZ1 J Class Kiwi Truck Winter Series champion (2012), Waikato Club Championship first in class in Class 7 and first overall (2013) and Counties Classic Series first in class and fourth overall.

While Saturday’s race was Delahunty’s first time racing a UTV competitively, Polaris thinks he will acquit himself well under the tutelage of reigning champion Thomasen.

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