Dairy News 22 March 2022

Fonterra ingredients bring success. PAGE 3

PRETTY IN PINK

A tribute to cyclists PAGE 21

METHANE BUSTER Affordable technology PAGE 30-31

MARCH 22, 2022 ISSUE 490

www.dairynews.co.nz

PLANTAIN ANSWERS THE CALL A DairyNZ project helping farmers reduce nitrogen leaching by planting some of their paddocks in plantain is gaining momentum .

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

NEWS // 3

Fonterra’s core advantage!

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

OCD hits $10 payout milestone. PG.07

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MANUFACTURING OPTIONS and scale are allowing Fonterra to maximise returns for farmers’ milk, says chief financial officer Marc Rivers.

Announcing the co-operative’s half-year results last week, Rivers highlighted change in the fortunes of key business units.

This time last year, Fonterra’s foodservice business in China was the star performer.

However, with high milk price eroding margins in food service and consumer businesses, ingredients was the biggest money earner in the first half of the financial year.

For six months ending January 31 2022, earnings soared across all three ingredients business units – Asia Pacific, Americas and the Middle East (AMENA) and Greater China.

Rivers says this highlights a co-op with scale and optionality.

“Our scale allows us to move our farmers’ milk between markets, categories and products where it delivers the most value.

“If we cast our minds back to this time last year, it was foodservice led by strong demand story from China.

“Now fast forward a year later, it’s our performance in ingredients that’s driving by our earnings.”

Rivers says there was strong demand for dairy across multiple markets in a time of constrained supply, led by high value ingredients like caseinates and whey protein concentrates used in high protein snack bars and ready-todrink medical beverages.

“Our sales book is well contracted and revenue up despite impact of lower milk collections.”

Revenue for the six months rose 9% to $10.7 billion however, gross margins dropped to 14.9% from 17.4% due to higher milk price.

Fonterra’s normalised profit dropped 13% to $364m with earnings per share down 3c to 22c.

“Gross margin decreased due to significant increase in cost of goods sold, reflecting higher cost of milk,” says Rivers.

Fonterra also improved its net debt position

through Rivers noted that net debt was down 8% on the same period to $5.6 billion; gearing ratio is now 44.1% versus 47.3% last year.

“As is usual at this time of the year, these figures reflect the seasonal peak and we expect further reductions in debt and gearing by the end of the financial year,” he says.

Fonterra is sticking a forecast farm gate milk price range of $9.30 - $9.90/kgMS and normalised earnings guidance of 25 – 35c/share for this season.

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says that while the milk price is at a record high, pricing in the ingredients business, for both reference and non-reference products, has been supportive of both milk price and earnings.

“We expect this to continue in the second half.

“In the medium term, we expect the supply and demand outlook to go some way towards underpinning a strong milk price next season.”

But there are a number of risks Fonterra is watching closely.

“The conflict in Ukraine has added to an already complex Covid-19 operating environment, impacting global supply chains, oil prices and the global supply of grain,” says Hurrell.

“However, our lower debt levels mean we are in a stronger position to weather the heightened levels of uncertainty and market volatility the world faces right now.

“We will also continue to use our co-op’s scale to ensure we are putting our co-op’s milk into the products and places where we can deliver the most value under the circumstances.”

Fonterra’s ingredients business was the star performer in the first half of this financial year.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

4 // NEWS

Positive vibes from Govt on DIRA changes – co op SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA SAYS it’s getting positive signals from the Government on regulatory changes needed to facilitate its new capital structure.

The co-operative’s chief financial officer Marc Rivers says discussions are ongoing to make sure all interests are protected under any new regulatory framework.

“We are working through with various stakeholders in Government.

“The signals have been pretty positive,” Rivers says.

In December, farmer shareholders gave the cooperative the green light

Marc Rivers

to change its capital structure.

Over 85% of farmers voted for a more flexible shareholding structure, allowing farmers to hold fewer shares and widening the pool to include share-

milkers, contract milkers and farm lessors as associated shareholders.

Fonterra believes it would make the co-operative more competitive with rival processors who don’t require farmers to

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outlay cash for shares to supply milk, and who have been gaining market share.

The changes require the Government to amend the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act which

enabled Fonterra to be set up 20 years ago.

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says the “flexible shareholding” capital structure will be critical in helping the co-op maintain a sustainable New Zealand milk supply in an increasingly competitive environment.

“Following the successful farmer vote, we are continuing to work with the Government on a regulatory framework which supports the structure.

“These discussions are progressing well.

“While we don’t have a firm date for when regulatory changes will be made, we expect to be able to provide a timeline for farmers in the next couple of months.”

$1B PLAN ON TRACK FONTERRA REMAINS on track to return $1 billion to farmer shareholders and unit holders in the 2024 financial year.

Last year the co-operative announced four key value targets, including through planned divestments and earnings, returning about $1b in capital to the shareholder base.

To this end, Fonterra flagged the sale of its Soprole consumer business in Chile and a review of ownership of its Australian business.

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says progress is being made on both fronts.

“Both Soprole and Fonterra Australia are performing well and our priority is to maximise the value of both businesses to the co-op,” says Hurrell.

“We will take our time to ensure the best outcomes from these processes and remain confident on delivering on our intention to return around $1 billion of capital to our shareholders and unit holders by FY24.”

Hurrell says their teams are always looking to drive demand for New Zealand milk by developing new ways of using our products in local cuisine to find the next big food trend.

In Greater China, using the power of social media, the team promoted the idea of mozzarella on dumplings. The dish gained huge attention and sparked a new trend in the lead up to the Lunar New Year, says Hurrell.

“In the Middle East, Fonterra team launched Red Cow – a more affordable range of products we sell direct to customers, such as bakeries, to help us capture a greater share of the foodservice market.”

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

NEWS // 5

Covid spreading to farms “We have seen farmers developing these and we have been running webinars and actively messaging farmers about this issue. We also have a lot of information on our website.” – Sharon Morrell, DairyNZ

PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

SOME DAIRY farmers,

their families and workers have contracted Covid, according to DairyNZ’s general manager for the farm performance team, Sharon Morrell.

She told Dairy News that some DairyNZ events have had to be cancelled because a person on the host farm has contracted the virus. But she says there is no sign of a crisis around Covid on farms at present and it appears that farmers are coping well with the situation.

“The good thing is that we had some months to prepare for that and

Farmers have had months to prepare for the pandemic, says DairyNZ.

BE PREPARED! FEDERATED FARMERS Manawatu/ Rangitikei president Murray Holdaway is warning farmers to be ready for further disruption due to the pandemic.

He says there is a risk that many people – both on farms and in the supply chain – will be off work sick and that disruption and delays will be the order of the day.

Holdaway, who milks cows in Tararua, says farmers have to think differently and be prepared for the day when they cannot go down to their local farm supply store and get an item straight away. He believes farmers need to have a good plan for disposing of their cull cows.

“This could have some long

term implications for the way we think about our businesses as well and a lot will depend on relationships. I have always tried to build relationships with people, not take the cheapest or best price on the day but build some trust and relationships, and I expect some in return. This situation could go on for months,” he says.

Holdaway says there are other issues such as staff shortages and that will add to increased workloads and stress on farm and could affect health and safety.

“My plea to farmers is to think about these issues and to start planning, and do it today,” he says.

DairyNZ has worked hard to get farmers to be proactive… and communicating with neighbours about whatever their contingency plan looks like.

“We have seen farmers developing these and we have been running webinars and actively messaging farmers about this issue. We also have a lot

of information on our website,” she says.

Morrell says the fact that the season is slowly drawing to a close is working to the advantage of dairy farmers.

However, she points out that because of the good payout, farmers are trying to milk for as long as they can and are feeding out in some regions where it’s been dry.

“There are still busy people out there harvesting maize and doing other work so there is definitely activity on farm. But it feels less critical when it is manageable in your

mind, that’s a help,” she says.

According to Morrell there doesn’t appear to be any major supply chain issues, with the exception of the meat processing works, which are operating at reduced capacity.

She says farmers are being urged to book space early and have a good plan for getting rid of cull cows.

“The other thing we are urging farmers to do is to create a robust feed budget. Not just an autumn budget but thinking right through to spring and thinking about the next season,” she says.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

6 // NEWS

GDT dip ‘nothing to worry about’ SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

A SURPRISE dip in global dairy prices last week won’t affect a record

milk price locked in for this season, says ASB economist Nat Keall.

Keall says the 2.1% drop in whole milk powder prices in the latest Global Dairy Trade

(GDT) auction should not be of concern.

He points out that WMP prices have soared 23% this year alone and are up more than 50% on historical averages.

Therefore a wee dip is all, “a bit much of a muchness” – particularly given the 1.6% lift in skim milk powder prices.

Keall says SMP prices, which have underper-

Skim milk powder prices continue to rise despite whole milk powder prices easing slightly.

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formed WMP, show demand for powders is still strong.

“The same is true of butter prices, which had been on a massive bull run over the past dozen auctions,” he says.

“And, of course, it’s a mistake to get too hung up the auction-to-auction swings – pay attention to the broader fundamentals.

“On that note, market fundamentals still support prices holding their ground or advancing further in the near term.

There still isn’t much sign that tight global supply conditions will ease with any alacrity.”

Stretched capacity and rising costs pressures remain constraints on output globally, while in much of the southern hemisphere, milk production is down thanks to unfavourable weather conditions.

Keall notes that in some parts of the Waikato dairy heartland, output is still running about 12% behind year-ago levels.

ASB is retaining its $9.50/kgMS forecast for this season and an opening forecast of $9.20 for the following season.

Keall says there’s a lot of uncertainty out there still, with the impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine still a big question mark.

“The good news for farmers is that a record milk price is already locked-in for the current season, and we’ve got a good starting point in the offing for 2022/23.”

Westpac senior agri

economist Nathan Penny says the latest GDT result partially reduces the upside risks to its farmgate milk price forecasts.

But Westpac is sticking to forecasts of $9.50/kgMS for this season and $8.50 for the next season.

Penny says the latest GDT results showed that “something does go the other way”.

He believes a softening of demand in China is responsible for the price dip.

“An Omicron outbreak and surging Covid case numbers in China has introduced uncertainty around global dairy demand in the world’s largest dairy market.

“Indeed, the fact that WMP and butter posted the largest price falls points to conditions in China as being the key development for dairy markets.

“Recall that New Zealand is the largest exporter of WMP and butter to China, so any factors affecting demand there will soon be reflected in these prices on the auction platform.”

In contrast, SMP and cheddar prices continued to rise.

Penny says NZ is a smaller exporter of these products, with the EU the dominant exporter.

“As a result, the price rises for these products suggests that the UkraineRussia conflict and its impact on grain feed prices is continuing to put the squeeze on EU dairy production.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

NEWS // 7

Open Country hits $10 payout milestone SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

THE COUNTRY’S

second largest milk processor is paying farmer suppliers a record milk price of $10.06/kgMS this month.

Open Country Dairy chief executive Steve

“Predicting the tipping point, where prices will peak and burn off demand, will be key. I expect, we are not too far away from this happening, looking at current market pricing.”

OCD’s product mix continues to deliver record returns, which is flowing through to its

“Predicting the tipping point, where prices will peak and burn off demand, will be key. I expect, we are not too far away from this happening, looking at current market pricing.”

Koekemoer says this signifies unchartered territory: breaking the $10/ kgMS mark and lifting the milk price to new heights.

Open Country is also forecasting a price range of $10.35 to $10.65 for milk supplied between February and May. Owned by Talley’s, Open Country pays its farmer suppliers in full four times during the season.

Koekemoer says dairy prices continue to rise and the company is well positioned to take advantage of the market conditions to deliver strong results.

He notes that globally, milk production volumes in key supply regions are down. OCD expect this to continue to drive prices slightly higher short-term.

“The current high feed prices, due to worldwide feed shortages, make it difficult to increase supply,” says Koekemoer.

financials, he says.

The $10-plus payout “will be a fantastic end to the season for everyone”.

“The business is in a very strong position and our strategy to slow sales while prices were on the rise is providing a good season result,” says Koekemoer.

OCD operates four processing plants around the country.

Koekemoer says the plants have continued production despite challenges posed by Omicron.

“Our factories are managing this new and disruptive phase of the pandemic extremely well and our projects team is keeping all plant upgrades on track.

“We have been able to continue processing by keeping teams in ‘bubbles’ and reassigning staff members whenever we face Covid absenteeism.

“We have robust plans in place to keep staff safe

FREE COVID TEST KITS FOR FARMERS OPEN COUNTRY is distributing free Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) kits to all farmer suppliers.

Milk tankers are dropping off kits on farm on their milk run.

OCD chief executive Steve Koekemoer says all packs should be delivered this month.

“Navigating the Omicron environment can be hard, especially when living remotely.

“Having RA tests available can make a difference to our businesses and we felt it was the right thing to do to keep everyone safe,” he says.

while getting through to the end of the season.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Open Country Dairy chief executive Steve Koekemoer says the new milk price signifies unchartered territory.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

8 // NEWS

Plantain research a game A DAIRYNZ project

helping farmers in the Tararua district, lower North Island, to reduce nitrogen leaching by planting some of their paddocks in plantain is gaining momentum.

Sixty six farmers are directly involved in the project and the push is to

double that number.

Recently a series of field days organised by DairyNZ were held to show farmers the results from the project so far and the potential benefits for them if they become involved.

The project started 2017 partly because of

Horizons Regional Council’s One Plan which showed that unless farmers in Tararua made changes to their farming system, they risked going out of business. As a result of this DairyNZ along with Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), Agricom, Massey Uni-

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DairyNZ’s Adam Duker says 66 farmers are directly involved in the project and the push is to double that number.

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versity, AgResearch, Fonterra and Nestle agreed to sponsor the project.

The idea was to find some way of mitigating nitrogen leaching and potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions without causing a drop in production. The other objective was to demonstrate to the local community that farmers were doing their bit for the environment.

DairyNZ’s Adam Duker is leading the project and says plantain was chosen because it seemed to fit well with the predominantly pasture based, low intensity farming systems

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in the region.

“So we pulled together a working group of rural professionals, scientists and local farmers and worked through all of the farm systems complexities of incorporating plantain. That was over a three year period and we really wanted to have high involvement with those leading farmers who were planting plantain as part of the trial. This enabled us to address some of the challenges and to build a farm systems understanding and a strong research basis,” he says.

Duker says they knew from their own research

farms and previous research programmes that plantain reduces nitrogen leaching but what they didn’t know at that time was how this would fit within a local farm system. He says it was farmers who helped identify the knowledge gaps and together with the working group, solutions were found.

The trials started in 2018 and three years on there is quality data and knowledge available that can now be shared with others – hence the recent field days.

“We are now into the extension phase which is

to encourage more farmers to use plantain. There are 265 dairy farmers in the Tararua district, so the more we get involved the greater the catchment effect in terms of environmental improvement,” he says.

Duker says farmers can be comforted by the fact that the environmental gains can now be quantified in Overseer and that they have a positive story to tell to their local community about the action they are taking to improve the environment.

“Locals that aren’t actively involved with farming don’t realise or

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

NEWS // 9

changer appreciate the level of environmental change that farmers are making in their day-to-day operations,” he says.

Duker says a key objective of the Tararua Plantain Project is to get farmers to a position

where they are ahead of the game and are proactive in dealing with environmental issues right across the Tararua catchment.

He says the aim is to continue their extension programme and drive

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more research and knowledge. There is already interest in the project from other regions and the goal is to share the lessons in Tararua with farmers across the country.

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Farmer Murray Holdaway says one of the reasons that some farmers are doing nothing is there are still no silver bullets available to deal with nitrate leaching and GHG emissions.

A FARMER’S PERSPECTIVE group of farming leaders in the Tararua District selected to be part of the trial. He says they canvassed many options, but it was thenDairyNZ scientist Dr Rick Pridmore who suggested that plantain could be an option, as well as a way of demonstrating to the community they were proactive about the environment.

Since then, Holdaway’s property has become one of the monitor farms where trials have been run and some of the scientific data gathered.

“It’s certainly a benefit but it’s not clear to say that it’s been a profitable project or not. But what it does is, it satisfies my doing something about the environmental footprint without costing me production, so that’s the benefit.

We can put the figures through Overseer and in theory it’s going to show less leaching, and we can also measure the water quality.

“What I can say is that I am doing something to mitigate the footprint we have,” he says.

Holdaway says one of the reasons that some farmers are doing nothing is there are still no silver bullets available to deal with nitrate leaching and GHG emissions.

He says he detects a positive shift in community attitudes towards farmers, but more needs to be done in this project to instil this message.

“I think we are well past the era when farmers were seen as nothing more than environmental laggards.

I am proud to be a dairy farmer and when I go into town I make a point of saying what I do and what I am doing for the rest of the community.

This is part of what the plantain project is about – showing the community the positive side of dairy farming.”

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ONE OF the first farmers in the Tararua district to become involved in the plantain project is Murray Holdaway on whose farm the field day was held.

He is the 5th generation of his family to run the property. Since he took it over in 1979, he’s bought adjacent farms and expanded the original 80 hectare farm to 150 effective hectares, running 445 cows and in 2021 producing 162,988 kgMS. As part of that expansion he built a new dairy shed.

Holdaway is the local president of Federated Farmers and says his interest in the environment began as he started expanding his operation, and with the advent of One Plan. Holdaway says a conversation with a Horizons advisor prompted him think more about the environment.

“This made me aware of the environmental footprint that we as dairy farmers were having and ever since then every decision we have made on the farm has got an environmental component to it. We have done all sorts of things, such as establishing our eco-irrigation system.

“We have closed down one creek crossing and bridged another and fenced all our waterways. With the new shed we reticulate some of the water. There are so many little things we do just on daily basis and it’s now part of our thinking,” he says.

His initial foray into plantain began long before the start of the project he’s now part of. For him it was looking at feed quality and getting greater persistence in the pasture. But he says it wasn’t until later that the environmental benefits of plantain came on the radar.

Holdaway was part of that small

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

10 // DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

Farm ownership lures city dwellers A FORMER Auckland

sales and marketing executive and a former adventure tourism guide and boutique lodge manager have won the 2022 Central Plateau Share Farmer of the Year title.

Todd and Renee Halliday were announced the winners at the annual regional awards dinner held at the Lake Taupō Yacht Club.

The other big winners were Satveer Singh, who was named the 2022 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year, and Zoe Bryson, the 2022 Central Plateau Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Todd was born and bred in Auckland city and had never set foot on a farm until he met Renee, who is a dairy farmer’s daughter. The couple spent five years in the hospitality sector managing boutique lodges

Central Plateau Share Farmers of the Year Todd and Renee Halliday.

together before entering the dairy industry in 2009.

Todd initially spent two years as a farm assistant in Reporoa before progressing to a management role for a further two years. He and Renee then spent seven years in Mid Canterbury

before returning to Reporoa where they now contract milk and are equity partners with Phil and Diane Herdman, on a 153ha Reporoa property, milking 520 cows. They won $17,060 in prizes and eight merit awards.

Todd (40) has entered the Dairy Trainee and

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Dairy Manager categories previously and believes the benefits of the programme include networking with other farmers and rural professionals and career progression.

Coming from a city background, farming wasn’t a career Todd had considered, as it had never been suggested as a career option at school.

Renee (39) hadn’t planned to bring her family up on a farm.

“Ultimately, what drove our desire to get into farming was the lifestyle it could provide for our future family,” says

Renee. “We could see a clear progression path with achievable steps to work our way into farm ownership.”

Todd holds a Bachelor Degree in Business and Diploma in Agribusiness Management and enjoys using his business background and skillset to run their business, as well as the day-to-day physical challenges of farming.

“We love that even in the busiest of times we still get to spend time with our four children, Henry (12), Charlotte (9), Olive (7) and Florence (3),” say the couple.

Their ultimate lowpoint in their career was losing their young stock to Mycoplasma Bovis early in the government’s eradication programme, due to association with an infected herd.

“We experienced the sickening feeling of helplessness and felt it was such a waste of healthy and well-reared animals.”

Todd and Renee became first-time jersey herd owners when they purchased their current farm’s existing herd and consider their cows one of the strengths of their business.

“They’re smart with good temperaments, easy calvers and efficient converters of feed that produce higher milk solids than other breeds,” they say. “They are heat tolerant and because they’re lighter they are less susceptible to lameness – it’s fair to say we are now Jersey lovers! We can’t praise the breed and their traits enough.”

Other strengths of their business include the cost structure, with farm working expenses under $4, giving the Hallidays the resilience to handle fluctuating pay-outs.

WORK ETHIC, DISCIPLINE PAYS OFF FOR SATVEER PLATEAU Dairy Manager of the Year, Satveer Singh, comes from a farming background in India, where his father is an organic farmer with Sahiwal cows.

Satveer gained a Diploma in Agribusiness in 2016 and began work as a farm assistant in Taupō.

He moved to the current farm in 2017 and his career has progressed through the seasons to Farm Manager. He works on Rob Stantiall’s Tokoroa 255ha property, milking 700 cows. He won $8,825 in prizes and three merit awards.

“I entered the Awards last year and gained a good understanding of where I stand in farming,” he says.

“There was a lot of feedback and I could focus on things that needed to be done.”

During challenging times onfarm, Satveer plans the tasks that need to be done that day and remains motivated by focusing on his future farming goals, which include herd ownership and breeding.

CENTRAL

Satveer Singh

“I have the plan chart on my bedroom wall and I see it every morning. I have written what I will achieve in the next coming year.”

Satveer identifies his work ethic and discipline as a strength of the business.

“I am dedicated towards achieving my goals and career progression.”

Mamaku farm manager Marara Singh placed second and won $3,701 in prizes and one merit

award. Marara works on Andrew Myers’ 390ha farm, milking 800 cows.

The 28-year-old began dairy farming in New Zealand in 2012 and has been on the current property since 2015, working his way up to farm manager.

Future farming goals include contract milking and Marara has gained Level 4 and 5 Primary ITO Production Management.

Marara enjoys the variety of work on-farm and the lifestyle that comes with farming and cites people management and his genuine care as a strength.

“There is excitement in learning something new.

“I’m also proud of my stock management and that our cows are so calm and relaxed.”

Third place in the Dairy Manager category went to Gavin Humphrey who is farm manager on the Wairarapa Moana Inc 337ha Mangakino property, milking 1,090 cows. He won $2,020 in prizes.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS // 11

Nothing to lose, much to gain BAY OF Plenty Share Farmer of the Year winners Scott and Becks O’Brien say farmers have nothing to lose and everything to gain in Dairy Industry Awards.

Their advice to potential entrants is to give it a go.

“Whether you come first or last doesn’t really matter, because the networking with so many dif-

from the farm and visit family and friends,” Scott says.

“And do Ironman,” Becks adds.

“I’m semi-retired now, but it has been a big thing for a few years,” Scott says.

Prior to moving to Galatea in 2017, they’d spent nine years in Taupo, with Scott employed as operations manager on a

too far down that track though as we don’t want to lose the frame size. We want large animals, but they have to be efficient.”

The first farm is pro-

ducing 295,000 kgMS off 260ha, and the smaller farm is producing 120,000 kgMS off 100ha. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Bay of Plenty Share Farmer of the Year winners Scott and Becks O’Brien.

“You just have to give it a go. It’s little nerve wracking, but we really enjoyed it, and what you get out of it is so worth it.” ferent people, and the feedback and information and scrutiny you’re getting on your business is as valuable as winning. You just have to give it a go.

It’s little nerve wracking, but we really enjoyed it, and what you get out of it is so worth it.”

The O’Briens are sharemilking 900 cows on two farms about 10 minutes apart in the Galatea district. Since 2017 they have milked 650 cows on Rory and Susan Gordon’s 260-hectare farm, and since 2020 have been milking 250 cows on Cathy and Peter Brown’s 100-hectare property.

Scott has been dairy farming since he left school, just over 20 years ago. He and Becks have been married for 16 years.

The start of their relationship was dramatic, with 21-year-old Becks diagnosed with cancer just after they met. It has permanently affected her voice, but after being at home with their young family – Hunter (12), Summer (10) and Piper (8) – she has become an educational support worker at Galatea School (where Scott is also on the board of trustees).

They say the cancer is part of their story and helps to define the people they are today; recognising family and experiences are more important than money.

“When we get a break, we make sure we get away

Māori trust farm.

“Before that, we’d spent three years variable order sharemilking a smaller farm in the Coromandel,” Scott explains.

“We always wanted to own our own cows and went it happened it just fell into place really.”

They won the 2011 regional Dairy Industry Awards Manager of the Year title when they were in Taupo. Part of that process was talking about their plans for the future, and as a result, they bought a rental property in Tauranga that was on-sold to help them into sharemilking six years later.

The move from managing to sharemilking was a big step, so the O’Briens went into a business partnership with another couple – essentially 50/50 in their 50/50 sharemilking arrangement. The same couple was also part of the second sharemilking arrangement, but the O’Briens have just bought them out and now own the herds outright, about 18 months earlier than planned.

They bought the Friesian herd from the owner and have since been crossbreeding with a goal of building a large-framed crossbred herd (F12).

“We see them as a more efficient animal going forward, especially looking at stocking rates for environmental reasons. We’re not going

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

12 // NEWS

More tech, less tax please!

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FARMERS CLAIM the

Government is dragging its feet in approving a feed additive with potential to slash methane emissions by up to 30%.

Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says farmers are deeply frustrated to see the European Union has approved the methane-reduction feed tool Bovaer for use by its farmers ahead of New Zealand.

“Despite consulting on the issue two years ago, there is still no sign of our government stepping up and getting on with approving this technology for us to use as well, and therefore help to keep our ‘world leading’ title,” says Hoggard.

Bovaer, developed by global science company Royal DSM, is a synthetic chemical compound called 3-NOP. Recently the European Union approved Bovaer for marketing to the bloc’s farmers after the product went through a stringent scientific assessment by the European Food Safety Authority.

Bovaer has already been approved for use in Brazil and Chile. A commercial launch in Australia is also expected this year.

In New Zealand, Fonterra is trialling Bovaer under a joint partnership with DSM. Fonterra wants to know whether it would also work in New Zealand’s pasture-based farming systems.

Hoggard says NZ farmers are world leaders

Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says the Government must start throwing its support behind tools to reduce emissions.

in producing food with low agricultural emissions.

“We won’t be saying that for much longer if the government doesn’t start throwing its support behind tools to reduce emissions.

“The 2020 declaration of a climate emergency should have been

accompanied with regulations for farmers to use tools such as Bovaer.

“While Bovaer is still not quite there for being in a formulation that will provide the gains that will be seen in a barn feeding situation, we need the legislation ready so that the only thing we are waiting on is getting the

product formulation right.

“The rest of the world is embracing technology and we’re busy discussing targets and a tax system to reduce New Zealand’s ag emissions without the tools to back them, likely forcing farmers to cut production and profitability.”

Hoggard says people

are looking to handle the climate change crisis by offsetting emissions overseas or through drastic land-use change via carbon farming.

The problem could be solved by simply cutting the red tape and giving farmers the opportunity to safely invest in science-backed tools that are ready, he points out.

“Consumers want to buy products with low emissions, they don’t care how you get there. Overseas competitors having Bovaer approved could give them a significant leg-up on products from New Zealand, despite the effort farmers go to create high quality products at a lower emissions rate,” he adds.

“Federated Farmers asks government to put some serious priority around agricultural emis-

sions reduction tools now.

We need more ag tech and less ag taxes.”

DSM says the dairy industry has an important role to play as enteric methane from dairy cows is responsible for up to 60% of the global greenhouse gas emissions from milk production.

It claims Bovaer consistently reduces these methane emissions by around 30%.

“EU market authorisation therefore represents a ground-breaking step toward more sustainable milk production, giving farmers, dairy companies and retailers a trusted and safe product with proven efficacy that will substantially lower dairy’s carbon footprint.

“And ultimately it enables the consumer to purchase sustainable dairy.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

NEWS // 13

DAIRYNZ CHAIRMAN Jim van der Poel says over 2,000 farmers have taken part in the He Waka Eke Noa climate consultations via face-to-face meetings and online.

Van der Poel, who attended meetings in the North Island, says there is very little support for an ETS. He says the meetings discussed the pros and cons of the other two options: farm-level levy and processor-level hybrid levy.

“Once people get to know what we are seeking they start to engage,” he says.

Van der Poel says farmers realise that under an ETS, costs will escalate.

“It will become another tax; not too many people think an ETS is the best option.”

The meetings Jim van der Poel normally started with farmers questioning the need for an emissions pricing scheme.

“There’s a lot of noise out there. At the start of meetings, farmers want to know why they are going into this at all when they are most efficient in the world,” he says.

The issue of costs has been a key area of discussion.

Van der Poel says they could only give farmers “best-guess estimates” on costs at this stage.

He says polls carried out at the events show farmers are open to the options, with the majority favouring one or other of the alternative options over the NZ ETS. The Government previously legislated to put agriculture into the NZ ETS but has agreed to listen if the primary sector comes up with a better option.

“As a sector, we have to accept our emissions, reduce and adapt. Otherwise, farming is in ETS and the cost of it will be out of our control,” he says.

The Primary Sector Climate Action Partnership He Waka Eke Noa, which includes DairyNZ and Beef+Lamb NZ, will report its recommendations to Ministers by May 31.

“These options would deliver more positive outcomes for farmers and New Zealand than the NZ ETS,” says van der Poel.

The options (a farm-level levy and processorlevel hybrid levy) are more practical and reward positive change, while still achieving environmental outcomes. Some of the money raised will be invested back into R&D and on-farm work to reduce emissions.

Following initial farmer feedback on the options in December, the partners are also putting forward a two-phased approach, starting with the processorlevel hybrid levy option and transitioning to a farm level system in future.

“Doing nothing is not an option. If we don’t move on this, the Government will put agriculture in the NZ ETS. They have already put this into legislation but have agreed to listen if we come up with a credible alternative,” says van der Poel. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Website to make things easier for farmers BREAKING THE BIAS

THE MANAGING direc-

tors of Farmbase are aiming to solve one of the biggest problems in the relationship between councils and farmers.

Carly Waddleton and Elena Soanes started Farmbase in 2019 with the aim of addressing a problem they often saw working in regional councils in New Zealand.

“We would hear from so many colleagues who were contacted by farmers before starting an activity to check the rules for doing something. There are a lot of rules and policies, and people can’t be expected to know them all, or know exactly who could help them complete the job. We realised then that this was a problem we not only wanted to solve, but could solve,” says Waddleton.

Farmbase is a free platform for farmers, pulling together a national rural directory, with relevant rules, regulations and other useful information allowing farmers to easily find who and what they need to know.

The website registers professional service pro-

Elena Soanes

Carly Waddleton

viders and offers information for those looking to do over 270 farm specific activities, including effluent design and management, soil testing, and land drainage.

Farmers can use the website to search for service providers and rural professionals and contact them directly or through the site.

Waddleton and Soanes had been working on the business for a while when, in 2021, they realised they ought to change their business model to make the website free for rural professionals to use.

“We saw how hard farmers and service providers were hit and the impact that was having on

agribusiness. For us our business is value driven and we honestly felt like this kind of service was important and necessary, and we knew it was hard out there.

“So, we made the site free,” says Soanes.

“Now we are focusing on building the ways it can add value to people, and maybe help them feel like rules and regulations don’t have to be a nightmare,” she adds.

Waddleton says that for rural professionals wanting to trial the website for themselves, there is nothing to lose.

“There are only advantages for them in listing in our directory,” she says.

“And for farmers,

THE THEME of International Women’s Day this year is ‘Break the Bias’, and though both Carly Waddelton and Elena Soanes say they’ve faced very little bias from those in the rural industry, they have faced some businesspeople underestimating them, or what they are trying to achieve.

“That is the minority though thankfully,” says Carly.

“And often that’s turned into curiosity because some people found it a bit unexpected that the two of us were running this kind of business. So really it’s become a positive.”

The pair love being women in the rural industry and feel like they’re in good company, with so many other women in decision-making roles too.

“When we were just starting out in 2019, we did some market research, and found that 65% of respondents (made up of 137 farms from across the country) were women. That was so great to see,” says Elena.

After getting Farmbase to a good place Carly and Elena are focusing their efforts this year on getting even more farmers and rural professionals to use the website, and to show them the difference it can make says Carly.

This International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, Elena and Carly are taking some time to reflect on how proud they are of their business.

“We really do want to do the right thing,” says Carly. “We are proud of the fact we genuinely want to help people and develop solutions.

We’ve been able to articulate a customer problem and then do something to address it.”

I’d say that we really acknowledge the challenges and how tough it is out there. We want them to explore the site and

find new people to help them do the jobs they need to do, because it can be expensive to get it wrong.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

14 // NEWS

DNA technology to help identify superior cows KIWI FARMERS can

now identify their superior cows before they start milking thanks to a new service provided by LIC. The co-operative’s genomic evaluation service screens an animal’s DNA to find out what genes it received from its parents. This provides a more accurate prediction of its expected performance in the milking herd, helping farmers better select their top cows to breed from and increase the rate of genetic gain on farm.

LIC chief scientist Richard Spelman says this cutting-edge technology is another tool to help farmers produce more milk from less cows.

“As New Zealand’s cow population continues to reduce, Kiwi farmers are focused on improving

the quality and efficiency of their herd. Breeding the best quality heifer (female) calves from the highest genetic merit cows plays a critical role in achieving that.”

Spelman says this service allows farmers to get a look into the future and identify their herds’ superior performers when they’re young calves.

“Traditionally, farmers have to wait a few years until their heifers are milking and have had a couple of herd tests to get a reliable understanding of their performance.

“By drawing on information from an animal’s DNA we’re able to fasttrack that process and provide farmers with an early indication of their highest genetic merit animals so they can make a concerted effort to breed

replacements from them.”

Spelman says without genomic evaluation, a parent average is used to predict a calf’s performance.

“A parent average isn’t the most reliable prediction because it’s based on the offspring inheriting an average set of genes from each parent. In reality, they’ll have a random mixture of genes from both parents – some will be better and some will be worse.

“Including a calf’s DNA in its evaluation provides a much clearer understanding of which genes it’s acquired from its mum and dad so we can better predict how well it’s going to perform.

For a dairy cow, performance is measured by how efficient it is at converting feed into profit.”

LIC chief scientist Richard Spelman says this cuttingedge technology is another tool to help farmers produce more milk from less cows.

Using advanced technology LIC can extract DNA information from 93 animals on this one chip – that information provides farmers with a more accurate prediction of their animals’ expected performance.

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LIC uses the same technology to select elite young bulls for its breeding programme.

Spelman says the coop’s 30-year investment to develop and fine-tune genomic science, along with its recent purchase of advanced DNA technology, means it’s now able to offer this service to farmers.

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A milk test can tell you more than herd health.

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Like uncovering some of those unwanted issues like Johne’s disease, identifying which animals may carry the valuable A2/A2 gene or double checking pregnancy status. Plus a milk test is non-invasive, reduces stress and helps you build a more profitable herd, year on year.

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There's always room for improvement

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

16 // OPINION RUMINATING

EDITORIAL

Farmer confidence at all-time low

MILKING IT...

Priorities all wrong The Government approved 74 DJs to enter NZ as critical workers during lockdowns, an Official Information Act request reveals. Of these, 64 arrived, taking up precious MIQ spots.

The OIA shows that, since June 2021, a total of 1,637 NZ residents applied for an emergency spot in MIQ and were declined.

We’ve all heard the stories of NZ citizens being stopped from returning home to see dying relatives, and similar stories of bureaucratic cruelty.

And we also know that the primary industries – deemed ‘Essential’ for good reason, and desperate for drivers, pickers, milkers and vets – were knocked back time and time again when pleading for larger MIQ allocations so they could keep providing much-needed earnings for the country.

So, Kiwi citizens and essential workers, ‘No’, DJs, ‘Yes’. Needless to say, the priorities were all wrong.

One bad poll AMAZING HOW one bad poll can rattle a Government.

First, a 180 on cutting fuel excise, and now we hear that Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is ready to meet with Groundswell leaders, after twice declining the group’s requests for a meeting.

With National leader Chris Luxon taking his party ahead of Labour in the latest 1 NEWS-Kantar poll, there has been some serious re-thinking on the ninth floor of the Beehive.

Groundswell organised protests around the country last year against, among other things, environmental regulations, the ‘ute tax’ and a seasonal worker shortage. At the time the Government spurned the movement, with one of PM Ardern’s senior ministers Stuart Nash accusing the group of being “racist and antivaxers”.

Export ban under pressure NEW ZEALAND’S trade ties with China are facing another test.

Two Chinese stateowned enterprises want the Government to continue live cattle exports, which are due to be banned from April next year.

The Primary Production select committee is currently considering the Animal Welfare Amendment Bill, which amends the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to ban the export of livestock by sea.

China Animal Husbandry Group, which owns an 18% share of infant formula producer Mataura Valley Milk near Gore, and a 68.88% of Bodco near Hamilton, made a submission seeking the continuation of exports of breeding cattle to China.

The Government is signalling that it won’t be budging from the decision to ban live cattle exports but don’t count the Chinese out yet.

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Irish milk cuts?

IRISH FARMERS could be facing a quota on milk production as part of the country’s plan to keep methane emissions in check.

Food Vision Dairy Group, made up of key stakeholders from the Irish dairy sector, was established in January and is tasked with planning how the industry will meet targets for agriculture and land-use emissions reductions set in Ireland’s Climate Action Plan.

However, during a recent meeting it was explained that if the Food Vision Dairy Group was not successful, quotas would need to be set.

The options were, a scheme to cap trade, volumetric limits, or herd number limits.

However, it was made clear this would only be considered should the Food Vision process fail to deliver an alternative.

UNSURPRISINGLY FARMER confidence is the lowest it has been since Federated Farmers began twice-a-year surveys in 2009.

The lobby’s January survey results show farmers – already concerned about a looming avalanche of Labour Governmentsponsored legislation – are dealing with Omicron and rising costs, partly due to a war halfway around the world.

Of responses from nearly 1,000 farmers from around the country, a net 7.8% considered current economic conditions to be good, a 10.1 point decline from the July 2021 Federated Farmers Farm Confidence Survey, when 17.9% considered conditions to be good.

The survey shows farmers don’t expect things to improve anytime soon. Looking forward, a net 64% of farmers believed general economic conditions would worsen over the next 12 months, a 25-point deterioration from the 39% in the July survey. Sentiment about general economic conditions is at the lowest level since the Feds surveys began in July 2009, surpassing the previous low in July 2020.

Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard says the results are even more disturbing when you consider farmers were answering the survey before the surge of Omicron cases in New Zealand and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, both of which will weigh on economic growth.

While a net 61.1% of farmers reported making a profit, a 5.5point increase on July 2021, a net 11.2% expected their profitability would decline in the year ahead, 16 points down on six months earlier when a net 4.4% expected profitability would improve.

Farmers are enjoying strong returns on meat and dairy right now thanks to high global demand and food security concerns, but clearly they expect a lot of that revenue to go back out again with higher fuel and fertiliser prices, rising labour costs, and inflation.

The survey showed a net 52.7% of respondents expected their spending to increase over the next 12 months (up from 32.6% six months ago).

The survey also shows that staff shortage is also playing on the minds of farmers. This vindicates the dairy sector seeking more overseas workers.

Asked to list their greatest concerns, those farmers who completed the January survey chose climate change policy and ETS (18.7% of respondents), followed by regulation and compliance costs (13.1%), and freshwater policy (9.5%). This result is unchanged from the July 2021 survey and shows farmer concerns are deep-rooted and not going away anytime soon.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

OPINION // 17

FARM DEBT MEDIATION WORKING MARK KELLY

NEW ZEALAND’S Farm Debt Mediation Act

2019 has now been in force for 20 months.

There were some who doubted the need for it.

But, since it came into force, the mediations have been coming through at an increasing rate.

Feedback from banks and farmers has been positive. For my part, I have had the privilege of mediating about $250 million worth of farm debt to settlements under the Act so far.

They are a different type of mediation to what we typically see in the commercial disputes world.

For one thing, there usually is no dispute; the money is owed, the debt is in default, the bank is entitled to exercise its remedies.

Mark Kelly But the stakes are still extremely high. There can be very large sums involved. The businesses are complex, and the issues they face are often multi-layered. To many farmers, their farms are at the heart of their identities. In this context, the primary focus of these mediations is, rightly, on workable solutions.

Farm debt mediation settlements take a variety of shapes. They can involve: terms for refinance, agreed sell-downs of some or all land or stock, the institution of business management plans with agreed milestones and third party input, debt reduction, and/or combinations of these options.

In my experience, the participants approach these mediations sensitively, and constructively. The farmers arrive stressed, and usually leave less so. The banks obtain greater certainty, on files that they have often found highly challenging.

These mediations can be tough. But they are immensely satisfying to play a part in. And we are blessed in New Zealand with some highly skilled farm debt mediators who can guide folk through the experience – including my colleagues.

I hope the doubts have now waned. I have already seen a quarter of a billion good reasons for this scheme, and then some.

• Mark Kelly is a barrister and commercial mediator at Bankside Chambers

Are you hitting your target market?

Farmer input vital to shape pricing Emissions pricing is one of the most important issues Kiwi farmers will face in a generation. DairyNZ answers some of the key questions.

Why is split gas so important?

The options developed by HWEN recognise the split gas approach – unique levy prices will be used for short-lived and long-lived gases. The ETS doesn’t recognise split gas – another strong reason to keep agriculture out of the ETS. In 2019, the sector won a hard-fought science-based agreement to have a split gas approach in the Zero Carbon Act. This recognises biogenic methane (from animals and plants) only needs to reduce and stabilise, not go to net-zero like longlived gases.

Because methane plays a key part in most agricultural emissions, the split gas approach enables greater transparency of agriculture’s contribution and progress toward targets.

This is because methane is a short-lived gas which decays in the atmosphere much faster than long-lived gases, like carbon dioxide. So, longlived and short-lived gas emissions have different warming impacts. When agriculture methane emis-

sions are stable, as New Zealand’s have been since 2005, they’re not contributing additional warming.

What will the options cost?

The HWEN options do cost to run, and we have acknowledged that.

We are working hard to manage this aspect and reduce unnecessary operating costs. Unfortunately, the ETS would be much more expensive for farmers.

Under the ETS, the cost would be at least $600m by 2030. On-farm sequestration wouldn’t be recognised unless it met the ETS criteria. This requires specific plantings of a certain shape and size, and the money would go into the Government’s consolidated account, instead of supporting farmers.

Under the HWEN farm level levy option, the cost to farmers will be less than the ETS. In this option, sequestration and emissions reductions by farmers are calculated and reduce the cost.

Under the processor level levy option, between $137 and $590 million could be raised

(through collection). Up to $520 million of that will go back to farmers.

This option acknowledges uptake of new technology and sequestration, and R&D investment in options to further reduce emissions.

Why can’t we get full credit for the carbon being sequestered by pre-2008 trees?

Getting greater recognition for the sequestration happening on your farms was a major priority for us in He Waka Eke Noa. Farmers will get recognition for far more types of vegetation than under the ETS, including

pre-1990 natives, shelterbelts and riparian strips.

The 2008 baseline was chosen for a number of reasons, but mainly to make the process of getting recognition as simple and straight-forward for farmers as possible. Earlier baselines are very difficult to verify, due to limited or poor-quality satellite imagery.

Under the ETS people have really struggled to be able to provide enough information to get their natives trees into the ETS. Which metric should be used to measure methane?

DairyNZ has always advocated for Government to use the latest scientific information to inform targets. We continue to push for the

best metric to underpin targets, which support HWEN. It’s widely recognised global stocktakes required under the Paris Agreement are more accurate under the advanced metric Global Warming Potentials.

It can more accurately quantify New Zealand’s contributions to achieving the Paris Agreement temperature goal. The current metric GWP100 doesn’t do that – it overstates methane’s warming impact by 3-4 times – which is unfair on farmers.

So, we’re pushing Government to adopt a more advanced method of calculating and reporting methane emissions, such as GWP.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

18 // MANAGEMENT

Growing some maize silage on farm makes good sense WE ARE living in some pretty crazy times.

As I write this, the Omicron wave is cresting across the nation, Russia is attacking Ukraine, and inflation is predicted to climb to a 30-year high of more than 7% by the middle of the year. Milk, meat and grain prices are at an all-time high meaning excellent returns for farmers who can increase their production. But on the downside, farm costs are rising. Fuel and fertiliser prices are through the roof. High global prices and shipping challenges, (availability of ships and cost of fuel), have led to dramatic rises in the price of imported feeds. For example, PKE has risen from around $280/t in March 2019 to $470-480/t (53 c/kgDM) in March 2022.

My colleagues and I are regularly hearing from farmers who want to control their feed costs. Many are considering growing more feed on farm to try and dilute the rising cost associated with bought-in feed. We are already being approached by farmers planning to grow more maize on their milking platform or support land.

Others are looking for land they can buy or lease to grow more maize for the coming season.

Do your numbers For many farmers, growing some maize

“There is little extra feed available at the moment but planning now can help you manage feed supply and cost for next season.”

silage on farm makes good sense. If the farm has dropped cow numbers and has surplus spring feed, if there are paddocks that need renewing or if there are excess nutrients to be cropped out, growing maize will usually provide high yields of quality feed at a low price.

However, while growing maize on farm may look cheaper at first glance, it is important to do a full analysis of the numbers. Actual maize yields, therefore accurate costings, need to take into account pasture forgone from that paddock. A 22tDM/ha crop may have cost you only 15c/kgDM to grow and put in the stack.

However, if the paddock would have grown 10tDM/ ha in pasture over the same time it was in maize, your net increase in feed is only 12tDM/ha. The cost of that feed is now 28c/kgDM. This is still cheap feed compared to PKE at 53c/kgDM but not quite as good as it seemed at first glance. It should be noted that lower yielding crops (e.g turnips or

chicory) look even more expensive when pasture foregone is considered.

Plan now The proverb says the early bird catches the worm. Likewise, well planned farmers tend to make more money as they are in the market for land, feed or whatever, well ahead of the rest of the crowd. If payout projections for this coming season eventuate, there is going to be significant pressure on both feed supply and price. While many of us remember the crash in milk price halfway through the 200809 season as a result of the global financial crisis, the reality is that well planned farmers were less affected. Many had secured their feed for the coming season at a reasonable price. They had also paid off a significant amount of debt as a result of the previous season’s high payout.

There is little extra feed available at the moment but planning now can help you manage feed supply and cost for next season. If you plan to buy in maize silage in autumn 2023, talk to your contract grower now and

commit to a volume. You may even be able to come up with a price per kilogram of dry matter that works for you both.

Don’t compromise next season’s production If you have enough maize silage to keep milking to the end of the season and cow condition is good, keep milking.

With the high projected payout, it makes great sense.

However, don’t be tempted to keep milking this autumn because the payout looks great and compromise your ability to meet calving body condition score (BCS) or projected spring pasture cover targets..

Filling short term feed deficits and getting mature cows to body condition score (BCS) 5.0 and first and second calving cows to BCS 5.5 will give you the best return on supplementary feed.

In contrast, starving cows or having to feed a lot of supplements in the spring because you milked on too long in the autumn, is seldom profitable.

• Ian Williams is a Pioneer forage specialist. Contact him at iwilliams@genetic. co.nz

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

MANAGEMENT // 19

A lifelong love for breeding top cows MORRINSVILLE DAIRY farmer Shayne

Caird says he never really grew out of Calf Club.

But in addition to a love for showing Holstein Friesian cattle that has never waned, Shayne has also developed a passion for breeding that is becoming apparent in his fourth year 50/50 sharemilking.

Milking 215 cows on 72ha with partner Scott Duncan, Shayne says around 80% of the Shaydoc Ltd herd is Holstein Friesian, with production averaging 424 kgMS/cow.

With a philosophy of concentrating on breeding strong cow families to achieve consistency, Shayne already has several high-achieving cows in his herd, including 2018born Shaydoc Cinderdoor Daana VG86.

The daughter of KH Cinderdoor, Daana won the title of Maughlin Storm – Two-Year-Old Cow New Zealand Champion in the 2021 HFNZSemex NZ Ltd On-Farm Competition and was also the heifer with which Shayne won first equal in the 2021 Broomfield Senior Youth Heifer Competition, scoring 93 overall points.

She also placed first

Shayne Caird with Rau Roa Solomon Patsy VG88.

FARM FACTS ❱❱ Owners: Mary Hastings trading as Hastings Farm Ltd ❱❱ Sharemilkers: Shayne Caird & Scott Duncan trading as Shaydoc Ltd ❱❱ Location: Morrinsville ❱❱ Farm size: 72 hectares ❱❱ Cows: 215 cows (80% Holstein Friesian) ❱❱ Production: 424 kgMS/cow ❱❱ Stud name: Shaydoc

in the Dairy All Breeds Heifer two-year-old in milk at the 2020 Stratford A&P Show, as well as third in the Holstein Friesian two-year-old in milk category.

“Daana did it all last season,” Shayne says.

Shayne also saw success in the 2020 HFNZ

De Laval All NZ Photo Competition – All NZ Heifer Calf: Shaydoc Twizzle Tamika placed third and Shaydoc VLY Wylani S2F placed fifth.

Shayne was born and bred in Morrinsville, from a long line of dairy farmers. His parents’ pedigree Holstein Friesian stud –

Dandy View Farm Ltd – was the foundation of his love for the breed.

As dairy farmers, Shayne’s family moved around a bit; it was when he met Holstein Friesian champion Sue Pembridge of Uhuru Holsteins that he got “hooked on showing”.

One of Shayne’s Calf Club calves, SRC DandyView Magley Daffy, went on to do particularly well.

A descendent of SRA Dandy-View Donna, born in the 1980s, Daffy placed first in the 2001 Youth Paraders Photo Competition and was the winner of numerous junior championships. She also averaged 500kgMS+ over five lactations.

Shayne attended Lin-

coln University and studied a Bachelor of Commerce and Agriculture, and after his study was complete, the call of the farm returned.

“I went to a sale and bought two cows without telling Mum and Dad – until I had to call them to ask for their NAIT number,” he laughs.

“I went on to buy a couple of cows each year, and when I had 15 cows, I went sharemilking.”

Shayne moved back to Morrinsville this season to milk 215 cows. The farm’s pasture-based system is supplemented with maize and pasture silage made on farm, and in-shed meal feeding. @dairy_news

TALL ANIMALS IN SIGHT WHEN IT comes to breeding, Shayne Caird’s target is taller animals to help offset the shallow milking pits.

“I want a big, capacious-uddered, Canadianstyle cow,” Shayne says. “All of the overseas genetics we use are Canadian and US. “We also aim for corrective mating; we pick bulls that will work well over the herd and will fix any faults that may exist.”

Shayne ABs for 5.5 weeks, before tailing with DNA-profiled bulls. Calving starts on July 5 for heifers, and July 12 for cows; Shayne is looking to push calving forward to around July 1 in order to get more days in milk. He has a 22% replacement rate – which equates to around 50 calves - and the surplus are sold on the local market.

Shayne says he is happy with the way his breeding programme is evolving. He has bought a few descendants of Stookey Elm Park Blackrose and has ‘dabbled’ in the Tahora and Lesdale cow families.

“We will continue to breed for high type and good, productive cows,” Shayne says. “You need to keep the job enjoyable enough to want to get out of bed in the morning.”

He says after herd testing in May 2021, he couldn’t be happier with how the cows performed last season.

“They have pushed past barriers I didn’t think I would be able to achieve so quickly in herd ownership,” he says.

Penistone Lin Rival EX2 was Shayne’s first 10,000-litre cow, with 666 kgMS, and Daana was top two-year-old, producing 7,712L and 600 kgMS. Shayne says his goal is to move to a bigger sharemilking job of around 300 cows and purchase a house and a block of land. He has been working hard to progress through the industry quickly, putting in the groundwork now for a successful future.

“The idea is that later on I will be able to ease up a bit and enjoy what I’ve worked so hard for. I keep it simple but do the basics well.

“Scott is becoming more involved in the farm now, but to date I have done most of the work myself.

“When I make decisions, I listen and talk to older breeders such as Duncan Pipe who has been an important mentor in my life. They have experience you can’t recreate.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

20 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Joint sire scheme is ‘breeders working for breeders’ strong production.

“The Muritai ‘W’ family makes up around 70% of our herd,” Wayne says.

“Good udders are their strongest trait, and one we have tried to maintain and focus on.

We are not driven by indexing so udder traits have become our point of difference.”

Wayne also says they are not afraid to use out-

“BREEDERS WORKING for breeders” is how

Taranaki farmer Wayne Taylor describes a joint sire-proving venture between Holstein Friesian NZ and CRV. Milking 190 Holstein Friesian cows on 68ha effective at Waitara, Wayne and wife Leeanne’s farming business Muritai Holsteins has three bulls included in the 2022 Holstein Friesian NZ Genetic Leaders team, a scheme they have supported since its inception in 1995.

“We have always had loyalty to supply bulls to the association’s breeding scheme because it’s breeders working for breeders,” Wayne says.

“We have been fortunate enough to have had

selves also benefit from the scheme, receiving genomic information for all bull calves selected.

And with breeders who have bull calves accepted into the Genetic Leaders team required to sign into a contract with CRV, they are given the choice of a Royalty Option or Graduate Option as part of the agreement. HFNZ receives royalties under both options.

Rivendell MFU Scotch, who was part of the 2018 Genetic Leaders team, is being marketed by CRV as a daughter-proven sire for the first time in 2022.

several bulls included in Genetic Leaders’ teams over the years.”

Genetic Leaders aims to prove young sires for HFNZ members with the

aim of receiving marketable proofs and adding value to the future of New Zealand farming by increasing efficiency and production.

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At least six bulls are selected to be sire-proven each year. The team is chosen following a rigorous selection process starting with the nomination of high-merit bull calves by HFNZ members, with eligible bulls having a DNA sample taken for genotyping.

Once the team is selected the young bulls are housed at CRV and marketed through both CRV, in its Progeny Test herds, and Holstein Friesian NZ. The Taylor’s latest inclusions into the Genetic Leaders team – Muritai Bless Website S3F, Muritai Hustler WatchmeET and Muritai Dubai Soul-ET-P – have a variety of outstanding traits.

Soul brings polled and red possibilities to the table, in conjunction with

Muritai Holsteins says good udders have become their point of difference.

strong production genetics: Soul’s great-granddam, Waipiri Oman Soul, holds the New Zealand record for top-producing three-year-old Holstein Friesian cow with 1,292kgMS. Watchme combines three extremely strong cow families - Busy Brook’s ‘F’, Maire’s ‘G’ and Muritai’s ‘W’ families – to create an outstanding pedigree animal, and Website’s dam line has consistently achieved Production Worth (PW) in the 700s, reflecting their

cross genetics to achieve diversity.

“It has been a concern of mine that New Zealand bloodlines can become too closely related, so outcross genetics can again give us a point of difference.”

HFNZ general manager Cherilyn Watson says purchasing semen from the Genetic Leaders team means accessing young, genomically-tested sires of pedigree Holstein Friesian lineage at a costeffective price.

Bull breeders them-

“There is a high success rate of sire-proving through this scheme,” Cherilyn says.

“This year, Genetic Leaders’ graduates Meander Shot Alibi-ET S3F and Rivendell Gforce Axel are being marketed by CRV once again, with newly graduated Rivendell MFU Scotch, who was part of the 2018 Genetic Leaders team, being marketed by CRV as a daughter-proven sire for the first time in 2022.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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THIS YEAR, seven young bulls have been chosen for the team.

Muritai Dubai Soul-ET-P brings polled and red genetic possibilities to the table, coupled with strong genetics from the memorable Waipiri Soul cow family. Soul has a fat BV of 57.

Waiokura Bubba Roadshow has distinguished lineage that includes Maire IG GauntletET, Mainstream Manifold and Cogent Supershot BLF BYF CVF, Roadshow supports high production with Udder Support BV of 1.25 and Udder Overall BV of 1.16. His dam, from the Waiokura ‘Ruby’ family, was a good producer with a PW of 509 and excellent production as a twoand-three-year-old.

A son of Busy Brook MG

Hustler S3F, A2A2 bull Muritai Hustler Watchme-ET has an Udder Overall BV of 1.14.

A2A2 bull Buelin Nippon Wynchester combines the renowned Muritai ‘W’ cow family with 2020 Genetic Leaders team member and outcross bull CRV Delta Nippon-P. With Udder Overall BV of 1.06 and Udder Support BV of 1.11, Wynchester offers strong traits to support milk production.

Carse-O-Fern SE Producer looks to live up to his name with a Fat BV of 54, strong Udder Overall BV of 1.30, Dairy Conformation BV of 1.13, and a tremendous Rump Width BV of 1.18.

Producer combines outcross genetics from Silverridge V

Einstein with Carse-O-Fern’s strong ‘Peake’ cow family, with Maire Mint Fire-Up and Tahora Taylormade-ET also featuring in his lineage.

Melarry SSI Ren Filimore offers outcross genetics in combination with Rivendell’s ‘C’ family to produce an A2A2 bull, Rivendell MF Craig-ET, with plenty to offer. Craig’s dam, Rivendell Griff Carren, has a PW of 522 and LW of 548, while grandsire S-S-I PR Renegade-ET needs no introduction, passing his solid traits on to Craig with an outstanding Udder Overall BV of 1.42.

Extreme indexing is a key feature of A2A2 bull Muritai Bless Website S3F, with his dam line having consistently achieved PWs in the 700s.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 21

LDV electric ute breaks cover MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WHILE THERE seems to be a feeding frenzy for hybrid or electric cars of late, there’s no such madness for the humble ute.

That’s probably because, despite the electric powerhouses like Tesla or Rivian making lots of promises, to date they haven’t come to the party.

Now it looks like they’ve both been trumped, with SAIC Motor and subsidiary LDV showing the first electric ute available for purchase in New Zealand.

The LDV EVT60 is based around its sibling bi-turbo diesel T60, first seen in NZ a few years ago. Currently only available in rear wheel drive only, a

LDV has the first electric ute available for purchase in New Zealand.

130kW, single motor set-up delivers 310 Nm torque and a 325km range, using a 88.5kW battery pack located under the

centre of the vehicle.

Scheduled for production in September 2022 in China, the first exam-

ples available to drive away should land by the end of the year or early 2023.

While final pricing and spec is just a

little vague, the company has confirmed that it will be below $80,000 meaning it will attract the clean vehicle subsidy that currently sits at $8,625.

The double-cab format with a conventional rear well-side deck has a load rating of 900kg with a towing capacity of 1,000kg.

The company notes that using the vehicle at its maximum towing capacity will reduce its overall range by around 50%. Charging is AC or DC and safety specifications will include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, rear camera, radar and stability control.

Vehicles can be reserved with a refundable $1,000 deposit at the LDV NZ website: www.ldv.co.nz.

New Holland tractor wears the Leader’s Jersey at the Giro d’Italia.

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Recognisable for its iconic blue colour scheme, the Italian head-quartered company is sponsoring this year’s Giro d’Italia cycle race that kicks off on May 6th in Budapest and finishes off 21 stages and 3,410km later in Verona on May 25.

Stopping off on route in multiple rural communities, a shocking pink T5.140 Dynamic Command tractor will certainly cut a splash on the 105th running of the event. While not immediately considered a must-have colour for agriculture, the heavily customised ‘wrapped’ machine is inspired by the pink jersey (maglia rosa) worn by the race’s general classification leader.

The company says the use of pink, and its association with the sporting excellence of a winner, “denotes the drive, performance and staying power needed to win a Grand Tour – the same qualities undertaken by New Holland tractors in fields around the globe to reach its farming goals”. – Mark Daniel

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

22 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Shorter chops, higher loads MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AVAILABLE FROM

August 2022 in Europe, Pottinger’s new Jumbo 8000 Series loader

wagons are said to chop 30% shorter, with only a minimal increase in horsepower.

So much so that the manufacturer is claiming the machines can deliver daily outputs in excess

of a self-propelled forage harvester on a tonnes per hp basis.

Incorporating a new drive concept, rotor and chopping system with 65 knives, the new layout can deliver a theoretical

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Pottinger jumbo 8000-25mm knife spacing

chop length of only 25mm while only requiring 15% more power, with the company noting that the shorter chop length will allow better consolidation in the stack and a quicker lowering of the pH value.

Each of the 65 knives is individually protected against foreign object ingress, while the automated loading system is now fitted with an additional optical sensor at the rotor scraper carrier.

This is said to result in the combination of four sensors, including rotor torque, hydraulic pressure and material loading sensing to optimise the loading process.

In operation, the new sensor system detects pre-compression of the forage directly above the chopping rotor, then activates the scraper floor before any overload or damage occurs, alongside making optimum use of the available load space.

This results in around 10% greater capacity overall, when compared to the more traditional 34mm chop length in current machines.

Based largely on the current Jumbo 7000 range and designed for tractors with power outputs from 230-500hp, capacities range from 38 cubic metres (8380DB) to 54 cubic metres (8540), with tare weights of 11.6 to 14.4 tonnes.

Key differences compared to the 7000 series include a 850mm diameter rotor and the 65 knives, compared to a 48 knife set up on the former Options carried over include the electronically steered axles, that eliminate the need for steering angle sensors between the tractor and the wagon.

In other Pottinger news, the company has taken out the Farm Machine 2022 Award, in the harvesting category, for its Jumbo 7000 Series.

The jury of 12 international machinery journalists gave the award in recognition of, “the uniqueness of the multipurpose loader wagon, with its new drive concept, optimal power transmission and other innovative core components”.

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BREAKING NEWS ■ MARKETS & TRENDS MACHINERY REVIEWS MANAGEMENT STORIES COMPETITIONS AND MUCH MORE...

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 23

Lighter, less stressful machine HARVESTING SPECIALIST Kuhn has

introduced a new disc mower/conditioner with swath grouper, the FC 9330 RA. Ensuring development focused on limiting the weight and stress on tractor components, engineers achieved these objectives by introducing a new frame and support arm concept for the grouper units.

This resulted in less weight, a more compact layout and a centre of gravity reduced by 15cm.

Much of the weight saving was achieved by manufacturing the conveyor belt frames from aluminium.

The Lift Control suspension, adjustable in the cab, is combined with the non-stop release device for effective machine protection.

Designed to suit

Kuhn has introduced a new disc mower/conditioner with swath grouper.

a variety of pick-up sizes found on various harvesting equipment: to adapt the swath delivery width between 1.80m and 3.60m, from the cab. This allows swath delivery to suit narrower round balers, wider large square

balers and the largest harvesters.

Each of two rear mowing units uses the 8-disc / 3.5 metre Optidisc Elite cutter bar that for optimal overlap, particularly in bends or on slopes, is suited to

combine with a FC 3125 F front mower conditioner, delivering a 42cm overlap.

Conditioning is easily adjusted to suit forage and weather conditions using two lever-controlled speeds, while a transfer plate, placed between

the mowing unit and the belts, prevents any crop loss.

The groupers’ conveyor belts are driven by twin pumps supplied from a hydraulic reservoir tank integrated into the central frame. Other

hydraulic functions, including lifting, lowering, conveyor positioning and folding use a hydraulic connection from the tractor. The design eliminates overheating and increases the responsiveness of

machine functions.

Forage can be delivered in a swath, flat or with a single conveyor belt in use, for example, when mowing the paddocks headland.

Machine functions can be monitored and controlled using a tractor’s ISOBUS terminal or the CCI 800 or 1200 control boxes, with most common actions controlled by the CCI A3 joystick handle. An integrated inclinometer can automatically control the belt speed according to the slopes. LED work lights are part of the basic equipment of the machine, while for increased space and easier access to the rear of the tractor, the machine’s front guards automatically retract rearward when placed in the folded position. www.kuhn.co.nz

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

24 // EFFLUENT & WATER

Precise low-loss slurry spreading MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WHILE WAR in Ukraine

caused a marked increase in the cost of inorganic fertilisers, many manufacturers were already taking steps to increase their product range to make better use of organic manures and effluent.

From March 2022, German cultivation specialists Lemken has announced that its Heliodor compact disc harrow will be available with a preparation set for attaching a Vogelsang DosiMat DMX precision spreader, resulting in a combination that will offer precise lowloss spreading and incorporation of slurry and effluents.

The Heliodor cultivator is compact and low draught, said to place

little demand on the tractor, while the DosiMat DMX offers an even transverse and longitudinal distribution, alongside the ability to achieve a wide range of application rates.

In operation, slurry or effluent is fed into the DosiMat from above, then chopped and blended by a flow-optimised rotor equipped with cutting blades, and then pushed into the individual outlets. Fibre and foreign matter are reliably shredded, enabling precise distribution and helping to avoid blockages. Slurry passes via hoses to the area behind the first row of discs on the cultivator, where it is injected into the soil and immediately incorporated by the second row of discs and the trailing roller without delay, reducing losses or odour.

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APPLICATION

specialists, Vogelsang has partnered with Danish firm BioCover to launch its new SyreN acid-dosing system.

The system acts to treat slurry and digestate with sulphuric acid during application in the paddock, which Vogelsang claims results in higher yields, greater conversion of ammonia to ammonium, and increased nitrogen availability for crops.

Acid is stored in an 850-litre, double-walled IBC tank mounted to the tractor’s front linkage, with two additional secondary tanks situated alongside, for additive and water storage. The layout offers a closed system that is operator-safe, using special couplings and a no-

The system acts to treat slurry and digestate with sulphuric acid during application in the paddock.

spill design to ensure no operator contact is ever made with the acid.

In operation, a pump system feeds the sulphuric acid from the IBC into the mixer, where it is combined with the slurry, while a pH sensor box constantly monitors and adjusts the amount of acid that is added, ensuring that it

stays within an optimum range. The company suggests that the greatest conversion of ammonia to ammonium takes place at a pH level of 6. The full system, including the front tank, pump, mixer and pH sensor can be retrofitted to any tractor, and comes with a price-tag of $165,000.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

EFFLUENT & WATER // 25

What an impact!

WAIKATO FARMER

Mark Bon recalls a visit to his farm by BioWorks founder Clive Breeds over 10 years ago.

He took Breeds out to the paddock and showed him two strips of pasture, one with grass and the other almost bare.

“I asked him to tell me which strip had been irrigated with his product, Impact, and he pointed to the strip with long pasture,” he tells Dairy News.

“He was wrong: it was the other strip because the cows had munched away all the grass irrigated with his product.

“The cows did not touch the strip irrigated with raw effluent, they were put off by smell.

What was interesting is the fact that both strips were spread directly from the cowshed shed yard; Impact was added and spread immediately – it had no time to work in

the pond.”

Mark and his wife Robyn milk 260 cows on their 93ha property in Mercer. They have been using Impact to treat effluent on their farms since 2010.

He says Impact has been a crucial tool in ensuring the farm effluent pond remains crust-free.

There’s also a benefit to pasture.

The aerobically digested liquid waste on the paddocks results in increased pasture growth with the grass being much more palatable for the animals.

Mark applies 5 litres of Impact per month into the farm’s 25m by 30m pond and lets the bacteria do the work.

He says untreated effluent can be awful.

“It stinks and the cows are put off by it for weeks.

Now there’s no stink and cows happily eat pasture

with the liquid effluent directly from the pond without needing a stirrer.

During autumn he uses the stirrer and spreads the mixed silt and liquid effluent on paddocks to boost grass growth.

Mark claims he saves on fertiliser costs, pointing out that he only uses 80 to 90kg of nitrogen fertiliser per hectare annually.

He says there’s also no need to invest in effluent infrastructure like separating systems to take solids out of effluent.

“For me, managing effluent is not complicated. I let the bacteria do the work. In autumn I give the grass a good nutrition boost and it works fine for me.”

Mark recalls the days when the farm irrigators

Farmers Mark and Robyn Bon say managing effluent should not be complciated and expensive.

irrigated by treated effluent, though we still give them two weeks before grazing.”

Mark has built a feed pad adjacent to the effluent pond. With no more than a metre of annual rainfall, he relies on supplementary feed like maize silage, molasses and palm kernel expeller

(PKE).

Effluent from the feed pad is pushed into the pond where Impact does its work.

He says in no time solids are digested and the silt settles at the bottom of the pond leaving “clear water” on top.

For nine months of the year he irrigates paddocks

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The effluent pond on Mark Bon’s farm in Mercer has been free of sludge for nearly 12 years.

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stopped pumping effluent as solids clogged up irrigator nozzles and pipes.

He says before using Impact, his effluent pond had accumulated a 1m-deep crust. He hired an excavator to dig out the muck and load it onto a tipping trailer for spreading over the farm.

Those days are long gone, he says. www.bioworks.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

26 // EFFLUENT & WATER

Treat effluent as fertiliser EFFLUENT IS now

an even more valuable resource, for its nutrient value continues to increase as fertiliser prices rise, says the Waikato Regional Council.

Therefore farmers should treat effluent as a fertiliser.

However, it needs to be managed with care because it is not a

balanced fertiliser, being very high in potassium, it adds.

“This can lead to higher leaching levels of magnesium and subsequent animal health problems if potassium soil test levels are high.

“You can manage this risk by increasing the effluent area or by making silage on the effluent

area and feeding it out on non-effluent areas of the farm.”

Applying shed effluent at light rates will ensure stock feed intakes are not adversely affected.

Managing effluent is also necessary for the health of our waterways and groundwater, so knowing the regional council’s rules for effluent

IS WATER IMPORTANT TO YOU?

Managing effluent is also necessary for the health of waterways and groundwater.

management is important.

Under the Waikato Regional Plan you cannot exceed 25mm per application and 150kg of nitrogen from effluent per hectare per year.

“So you need to know how much your irrigator is applying and how concentrated your effluent is,” it says.

Effluent must not discharge into surface

water or contaminate groundwater. Having the capacity to store effluent before it is applied to land means effluent doesn’t have to be applied during wet periods when the risk

of surface ponding and run off is high.

This substantially reduces the risk of overflows to surface water and plant nutrient uptake is maximised.

Water is an important part of any farming or horticultural operation.

Without quality water you will struggle to produce quality milk, healthy animals or grow quality produce.

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GOOD DESIGN

SAFETY FIRST

The benefits of a well-designed storage system are: ■ Peace of mind

Recommended pond safety features Fencing - All ponds should be fenced off with a netting fence to prevent stock and children from accidentally falling into the pond. Locked gates are essential and electric fences can also be used.

Escape ladders - All ponds should have at least one permanently placed ladder or alternative escape means in case a person falls into the pond. You can have a life buoy available in the area too.

Anchor points - Pontoons should have anchor points to improve stability.

Signage - Warning signs can be used to keep people out of the area but direct communication with people is important too.

Talk with farm staff, contractors and visitors about the effluent pond risks.

■

Increased flexibility around irrigating

■

Effective utilisation of nutrients and water

■

Reduced risk of effluent noncompliance

■

Environmental protection

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

EFFLUENT & WATER // 27

Reliability is the key AS THE pandemic causes disruptions to supply chains

and workforces, reliability of farm equipment to keep operations running as smoothly as possible has become crucial.

Effluent equipment supplier Numedic says reliability is one feature its products are known for, both around New Zealand and overseas.

The company says it continues to add options to its range of effluent pumps to reflect changing conditions and evolving markets, designing gear for long term trouble-free service.

The new Numedic HS and HT series of horizontal self-priming shore mounted pumps have proven to be a popular choice, says the company, due to their ability to pump raw as well as processed effluent.

“These pumps can pump solids up to 35mm in diameter and have a suction lift of up to 8m, making these a core part of a reliable shore mounted effluent system.”

The company has also introduced the new HP series of progressive cavity pumps. It says these pumps are particularly useful when higher flow and pressure is needed, or power supply is limited.

“This is particularly important when you have longer main lines, challenging terrains or if pumping to an irrigator requiring more pressure,” it says.

Numedic NG horizontal pumps are designed for above the ground tanks, and have the features of vertical NG2 pumps.

All NG2 pumps have auto greasers as a standard feature, making sure that the bearings are well looked after and saving valuable servicing time.

With the NG2 vertical floating semi-submersed pumps being a popular choice, Numedic says it has made several changes, improving reliability and ease of servicing. Featuring a large diameter high tensile shaft, industrial grade bearings and precisely machined parts, these pumps minimise the vibration load on bearings.

This makes servicing both less costly and less frequent, it says. “A special impeller design also sees these pumps producing over 25% better performance.”

Ph 0800686334 or email info@numedic.co.nz.

Numedic says its horizontal selfpriming shore mounted pumps have proven to be a popular choice.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

28 // EFFLUENT & WATER

Making good use of slurry MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THE APPLICATION

of slurry or effluent has

long been recognised as an effective method of returning nutrients to grazed or harvested paddocks.

Having already seen

efficient.

We have also come to a realisation that resources of potassium (P) and potash (K) are not infinite, while nitrogen (N),

large price rises and the likelihood that they will climb higher because of the Ukraine conflict, it follows that its ongoing use will need to be more

Effluent is rich in nutrients and its vital to spread material more evenly and at a known application rate.

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although abundant in the atmosphere, takes large amounts of energy to convert it to a usable form, so there are limitations, largely dictated by energy prices.

Dairy effluents are rich in these three basic nutrients, so it will become increasing necessary to spread material more evenly and at a known application rate. This is particularly important as farmers become more reliant on slurries and effluents as a replacement source to replace inorganic fertilisers, rather than treating them as a waste product that is a nuisance to dispose of.

While there are large numbers of slurry tankers in use on New Zealand’s farms, the majority will be fitted with traditional “splash plate” distributors that typically result in a large percentage of the available nitrogen being lost to the atmosphere and the risk of odours causing problems for neighbours.

Over the years, we have seen the increased use of dribble bar or trailing shoe application systems that as the name suggests, deposit the slurry or effluent directly to the ground.

More recently, we have seen the incorporation of flow meters to record the total amount of material applied and its location.

The next step will be the infinite control of application rate – surely a must for any type of fertiliser spreader.

Irish slurry and manure machinery manufacturers, Abbey, has recently supplied University College Dublin (UCD) with a 13,600 litre, tandem-axle vacuum tanker, uniquely fitted with a Grasstec/Muller flowmeter system.

Automatically recording application rates, application date and loca-

tion via a Trimble GPS system, collected data is recorded to a cloud-based farm management software that is available to parties such as the farm manager, tractor driver or university academics who will use it in ongoing research projects.

A further ability of the system is to prevent slurry being spread near sensitive areas such as watercourses, or indeed, to prevent application in any paddock that is not pre-planned, meaning that the valve will not open if the tanker is in the wrong area of the farm. These restrictionscan be easily controlled via a mobile app on a phone or smart device.

More importantly, application rates can be altered in real-time, meaning that flow rates can be used in conjunction with prescription maps, drafted following soil sampling and previous cropping data.

Looking at the UCD machinery in more detail, the Muller flowmeter has no moving parts, relying on measuring conductivity of the slurry against its inner lining, meaning there are no risks of blockages. The flow meter and valve are installed on the suction line which takes the liquid from the centre of vessel rather than rear.

The control unit was placed in a sturdy box, attached to the front of the chassis.

The placement of an infinitely variable valve “downstream” of the flow meter means the amount of material for spreading can be regulated automatically, adjusting itself to any variations in tractor forward speed, maybe because of terrain, delivering just the right amount material to the inline macerator, then onwards to the applicator booms.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

EFFLUENT & WATER // 29

Keep manure spreading simple!

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THERE CAN’T be many

rural people who aren’t familiar with the Howard Rota spreader, which revolutionised manure and slurry handling back in the late 1950s.

An old saying that goes back even further says, “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it”, which is probably the reason that Irish manufacturer Hispec still uses that original concept, with a few additions to bring it bang up to date.

The Hispec Side Spreader is available in two models: the 800 SS and 1000 SS, offering capacities of 8 and 10 cubic yards (5.75 and 7.3 cubic metres), with a power requirement of 80 and 100hp respectively.

By design, the central barrel makes the machine

Irish manufacturer Hispec still uses that original concept, with a few additions to bring the spreader bang up to date.

multi-purpose, offering the ability to deal with liquid slurry, semi-solid or well-rotted manures.

It features a heavyduty chassis that supports the 5mm thick, 1,525mm diameter body that in

turn is capped off with a hydraulically actuated 3mm thick steel lid.

Through the centre

of the body, a 168mm diameter rotor incorporates machined shafts at end, supported by 65mm

diameter rotor bearings mounted externally to remove the risk of effluent contamination.

In turn, the central rotor carries 12mm casehardened chains, each fitted with a single piece flail head for an extended service life.

The driveline features a simple step-down reduction with a twin sprocket layout transmitted by a heavy-duty chain, resulting in a rotor speed of 229 rpm, said to be capable of delivering an even spread over an 8-metre width.

Standard equipment includes large tyre equipment, a drawbar ring hitch and hydraulic brakes, while a central greasing system is fitted to the model 1000 SS. Both models are treated with an anti-corrosion primer and finished with a twin-pack enamel topcoat for an extended service life. www.gaz.co.nz @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

30 // EFFLUENT & WATER

Zero methane emissions RAVENSDOWN AND

Lincoln University scientists have developed an effluent treatment system that can mitigate virtually all methane emissions from effluent ponds, cutting a dairy farm’s overall methane emissions by 4 to 5%.

The Government has set a target of reducing biogenic methane emissions to 10% below 2017 levels by 2030, but until

GEOGARD

now the only real options available have been ones that may reduce milk production.

The EcoPond system uses iron sulphate – the same food safety level treatment additive as Ravensdown’s ClearTech system – but there’s no requirement for tanks.

Rather than mixing the additive with effluent in a tank, EcoPond mixes the iron sulphate additive

“What we found was a very big positive outcome – dramatically reducing methane emissions from the treated effluent.” with the effluent in-line as it moves to the effluent storage pond, allowing it to be retrofitted into any existing effluent system.

While that means it doesn’t provide the clarified, recycled water

ClearTech produces, it does mean it will be priced at about a third to half of the cost while still giving the ClearTech benefits of slashing E. coli (Escherichia coli) in treated effluent, reduc-

Lincoln University’s Professor Keith Cameron explains the new methane mitigation technology at a field day.

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ing ammonia emissions and cutting any phosphate loss to water by up to 90% when applied to effluent areas.

The EcoPond system works to cut methane emissions from effluent by creating an environment that’s not favourable for methanogens, stopping them from getting energy from the organic matter in the effluent and therefore reducing the methane emissions.

For those interested in the chemistry, Lincoln University Emeritus Professor Keith Cameron explains that the addition of the iron sulphate boosts the activity of other naturally occurring bacteria – iron-reducing and sulphate-reducing bacteria – in the effluent pond.

Both inhibit the growth of methanogens.

The iron sulphate also

keeps the redox potential (a measure of the effluent pond’s aeration or oxygen status) at a level where the methanogenesis reaction Cameron says the discovery that methane emissions could be reduced so dramatically from effluent ponds receiving treated effluent came about during investigations that he and Lincoln University Professor Hong Di were undertaking into the ClearTech system.

“We were actually carrying out research during ClearTech’s development phase to make sure there were no unintended consequences of the system – looking for any negative outcomes.

“But what we found was a very big positive outcome – dramatically reducing methane emissions from the treated effluent,” Cameron says.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

EFFLUENT & WATER // 31

from effluent ponds Sampling of gases collected coming off effluent in experimental set ups of the system showed a 95% reduction in methane.

Di says buoyed by the finding, more work was undertaken on the chemistry to understand what was happening in the effluent, followed by an

“We went from a 95% reduction in methane to 99.5% in the first run of the large-scale trial and 99.9% reduction in the second run.” investment at the Lincoln University Research Dairy Farm into farm-scale studies.

Covered 100,000 litre tanks were installed to capture and allow the testing of gases from the

treated effluent.

“Scaling up an experiment like this is often called going into the ‘valley of death’ because so often what works at a controlled laboratory level doesn’t give you the same outcomes at a farm level; but we found the results

actually improved,” Di says. “We went from a 95% reduction in methane to 99.5% in the first run of the large-scale trial and 99.9% reduction in the second run.”

• This article first appeared in Ravensdown publication Ground Effect, autumn issue.

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Carl Ahlfeld

AFFORDABLE, EFFECTIVE SOLUTION CLEARTECH PRODUCT manager Carl Ahlfeld says the EcoPond system has been developed to give farmers an affordable and effective solution to GHG mitigation.

“The ClearTech system gives the same methane mitigations with the added benefit of providing clarified water to use in yard washdown and enable big reductions in water use as well as effectively increasing effluent pond storage capability.

“But for those farmers that aren’t looking for those water savings, a cheaper option is to install the EcoPond system,” Ahfield says.

A programmable logic controller (PLC) will automatically control the system, adding iron sulphate to the effluent as it flows through to the pond.

It will ensure the right amount of additive is added no matter what the pond size or effluent volume is, no matter how wet or dry the season is, or how the effluent’s characteristics might change through the season.

Ahfield says the company’s effluent experience through its work with ClearTech has helped it design the EcoPond system using similar smart technology which remotely monitors and gathers data as well as immediately detects faults.

Two versions of EcoPond will be on offer – one for a typical pumped system and one for a gravity fed system.

Studies have shown the treatments during the milking period remain effective over the winter or seasonal dry-off period while no effluent is being added to the pond.

EcoPond will use similar amounts of the iron sulphate to treat the effluent as the ClearTech system so the annual additive costs will be similar.

A 2,300 litre tank for the iron sulphate storage is supplied as part of the EcoPond system.

The levels of iron sulphate in the tank are monitored using a remote system that alerts the contractor directly that a delivery is required so there’s no need for the farmer to monitor or carry out manual ordering.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

32 // EFFLUENT & WATER

European pump proves its worth on Kiwi farms WAIKATO-BASED AGFIRST Engineering’s

boss Davieth Verheij was bowled over by WANGEN pumps on his visits to Europe several years ago.

So impressed, that he even considered bringing the pumps into New Zealand himself.

“I first saw WANGEN pumps on farms and biogas plants during my 2014 trip to the UK, Italy, Holland and Germany,” Verheij says.

“Then I saw them again in Italy, Holland, Germany and Denmark in 2015. I was quite surprised to see them installed throughout Italy at the biogas plants I visited, given that the Italians manufacture their own progressive cavity pumps and typically proudly use Italian-made products.

“WANGEN really stood out massively on the world stage.”

Then at the Agritechnica show in Hanover in 2015, he bumped into Prime Pump’s Ben Petrie.

“I’d already begun looking into importing the pumps myself. But we had a lot of project work on, and it’s not really our game. I decided to work with Prime Pump instead; after all, that’s what they do best.”

WANGEN pumps are proving their worth on New Zealand farms.

Today, WANGEN pumps account for around 90% of the installs for AgFirst Engineering, a dairy effluent and water management company that is part of AgFirst consultancy.

Verheij has been in the game for almost two decades.

“I started on the tools installing water and effluent systems on dairy farms when I was 17. I’ve come to this from the ground up.”

He says he initially worked for a large company with a lot of clients many of whom, at the

time, were not effluent management compliant.

“Back then, there wasn’t really a lot of information about efficient effluent management. I stepped up to the challenge of sorting effluent systems and focusing on system design and build.”

Verheij studied, and achieved industry accreditation and nine years ago started AgFirst Engineering.

The company provides “whoa to go” solutions for dairy farms throughout NZ but particularly in dairy heartland – Waikato and Taranaki.

“We’re one of the few companies which does the effluent management design, manufactures the equipment, completes installation work, manages the contractors – the whole thing,” Verheij says.

Initially the company worked on mostly new dairy effluent systems in Waikato.

“Over the last five years, it’s been upgrades, extensions or improvements; removing the original pump and replacing it with WANGEN – there’s been a lot of that.”

Most recently, the company has been a part

of the boom in Taranaki.

“It’s been about half of our business,” he says.

Currently there are around 25 systems in production.

Systems are designed

by AgFirst Engineering and manufactured as kit sets before installation in the region by a local company, Coastal Agri Services.

“It’s a classic example of word of mouth with farmers. They all talk to each other and when one does it, so do all the others.” @dairy_news

‘A NO-BRAINER’ PRIOR TO installing WANGEN pumps, AgFirst Engineering had used progressive cavity pumps.

They were fine until reaching the service cycle, Davieth Verheij says.

“We started seeing the wear and tear and problems that were there with the stators and drive shaft. Going back to repair or replace them after about eight years was not good enough for us.

“When you compared them to the lifetime benefits of WANGEN, it was a no brainer.

“We’ve been installing WANGEN for four years and other than minor start-up glitches, we haven’t been back Davieth to one yet.”

Verheij, AgFirst “They’re running as low Engineering as half the speed and everything’s just bigger. And you’ve got the durable Cardan universal joint. They’re indestructible from what I can see, and there’s significantly less maintenance cost.”

A critical design feature, the Cardan’s knuckle-like system is superior to the conventional pin joint. While the pin joint wears, often rapidly, resulting in characteristic ‘sloppiness’ and ultimately the need for replacement, the Cardan joint operates smoothly and seamlessly, lasting the lifetime of the pump. The design, which has the same diameter as the rotor ahead also avoids constraint in the flow, and the problem of settling, which effectively removes the issues related to fibres becoming wrapped around the shaft.

A one-piece cartridge mechanical seal, filled with oil, rather than a two-piece system, is also far easier and quicker to fit while the oil, again, helps extend the life of the pump.

Verheij says the Wangen pumps have also delivered quantifiable performance advantages over other pumps. “You get a constant flow of effluent across a property which makes it easier to calculate how much nutrient is going where.”

The option of 7.5kW to 18.5kW also give clients options that suit their management system, the flow, the size of the farm, and other factors which need to be built in, including the rainfall. “We have also had multiple pumps custom designed to achieve large head pressures – up to 160m.”

The pumps can also handle very heavy solids.

“I’ve never had a blockage with a WANGEN pump. Blockages are just not a problem.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

EFFLUENT & WATER // 33

Lifting irrigation prowess on farm THE ABILITY to manage an irrigation system depends on the percentage of water pumped that becomes available for plants to use, according to Watermetrics.

The company which provides equipment, servicing and data management to ensure best use of water claims no irrigation­system delivers water at 100% efficiency.

“Water may be lost

Easily accessible records of irrigation give a sound base for the next irrigation decision. Looking at the effect of irrigation on the different soil levels gives solid information. Do you get the same result with the same amount of water from different moisture starting points? The answer is probably no, so you need to learn that from experience. Proper easily

“Given varying water supplies and amounts, you design your schedule around those limits.

Winter maintenance checks are important.” through delivery systems or pipelines and some water may remain in the soil, but not be used by the plant. Water may be lost to evaporation in the air, or from the soil and plant surfaces.”

Farmers are urged to think about these issues on farm: ■ Is the system leaking ■ Are you putting on an even application ■ Is the amount you think you are putting on actually happening ■ How do you schedule irrigation ■ Do you keep records of irrigations ■ Is your soil moisture information detailed enough ■ Do you understand the effect of an irrigation on the particular soil ■ Is the moisture available in the root zone ■ Have you identified the best timing and amounts to irrigate your particular soil to best advantage ■ Is your weather information close to what is happening on your farm Watermetrics says most farms have an irrigation system and without further capital expenditure the farmers can do is make it work as well as it was designed to do.

“Given varying water supplies and amounts, you design your schedule around those limits.

Winter maintenance checks are important.”

accessible records is very important to help add facts to the management process.

Understanding the soil moisture holding capacity is important. Soils vary under pivots, so a good average is never quite the same as text book terms for a soil.

There are text book calculations of soils trigger points and field capacities. These were set against the older Aquaflex tapes but newer probes have different calibrations, so the settings need redefining. Newer probes with 100mm level readings give a far better picture of the soil than ones that give averages or just one or two readings.

Differences also occur in the depth of different layers in the soil. For example, a clay pocket around a probe can give different readings and reactions than soil further away, so you have to get to know what the probe is telling you and adjust the irrigations to suit.

Watermetrics says what is required is knowledge of when the soil is near full (capacity), but the question remains, how much water is available to the plant roots.

“The obvious requirement is not to over irrigate and wash nutrients down through the soil.

With some light soils, this cannot be avoided, so care needs taken in irrigating in these circumstances.

“It is good to get an understanding of how much moisture needs to be in the lower profile to get more response to water in the top zone.

“The timing of these

irrigations becomes very important and if you let it slip. Sometimes without rain, it’s not possible to irrigate back up to where you should be for efficient irrigation.”

Watermetrics says most farms have an irrigation system and without further capital expenditure farmers can do is make it work as well as it was designed to do.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 22, 2022

34 // EFFLUENT & WATER

Does ‘energised’ water work?

A company claims electromagnetic radiation eregises water and helps reduce impurities, foster pasture growth and improve stock health, among other benefits.

A NORTH Canterbury company is claiming excellent results from devices which use electromagnetic radiation in the form of low-frequency radio transmitters to “structure” or “energise”

water for a wide range of benefits.

HydroBoost claims the devices, when applied to stock, irrigation or domestic supplies, have been shown to reduce impurities, foster pasture growth

THE BENEFITS OF 100% NATURAL GYPSUM

Gypsum application is a standard practice worldwide for addressing the build up of sodium in soils, including soils receiving waste waters.

Gypsum is one of those rare materials that performs in all categories of soil treatment: an amendment, conditioner and fertiliser.

It is useful in the transition period in dairy cows 2 – 4 weeks pre & post calving, and can be used as an anionic salt to counteract the effects that high potassium & sodium concentrations have on increasing hypocalcemia.

Gypsum, a readily available form of calcium, is 100 times more soluble than lime and is more suitable for the digestive system during this period.

Gypsum in fertilising Soil tests throughout New Zealand shows sulphur deficiency is wide spread. Although often overlooked, sulphur is needed in at least equal quantities to phosphorus. Many responses in crops are sulphur due to the sulphate radical (SO4--).

• Readily dissociates into free calcium ions (Ca++) and sulphate ions (SO4--), major elements in plant nutrition • Has an approximately neutral pH and can be used in heavy applications without causing undue alkalinity in soils

Gypsum in water savings

• Promotes water infiltration, retention and conservation • Allows water to penetrate the soil without forming puddles or water logging • Conserves water by stretching intervals between irrigations • Tests show that farmland treated with gypsum requires up to 33% less water than soils without recent gypsum application

How Does Gypsum Work?

Gypsum is hydrated calcium sulphate. Calcium from gypsum replaces sodium in the soil. The sulphate allows the sodium to be effectively leached out of the soil. The soil then has more ability to flocculate and form stable aggregates to improve drainage and soil quality.

Na+ Na+ Ca++ leached CaSO4 + Soil Cation ➔ Soil Cation + Na2SO4 Exchange Exchange

Gypsum in soil conditioning

• Breaks up soils compacted by sodium and clay, and compounded by farm animals and machinery • Reduces cracking and compaction following irrigation and retards soil crusting • Allows soil to dry more quickly after rain or irrigation so that it may be worked sooner • Decreases energy requirements for tillage • Binds organic matter to soil and checks soil erosion • Enhances friendly bacterial action and discourages plant diseases related to poor soil aeration • Conditioned soil allows for deeper, healthier root development and water penetration

Gypsum in amendment

• Displaces sodium binding clay soils • Reduces high soil aluminium levels • Suppresses the soil acidification effects of growing crops and the prolonged use of acidifying fertilisers

For more about Natural Gypsum and soil stabilisation visit gypsum.co.nz

and improve stock health, among other benefits.

The company says the technology removes iron and manganese from water in an environmentally friendly way and without the need for expensive chemicals.

“On a recent trial, it reduced iron 95%, manganese 92% as well as reducing arsenic, boron, lead and some other harmful chemicals.”

The company was founded by farmer Michael Richards who began looking into energised water many years ago as an alternative to chemical fertiliser. He has recently been joined by Michael Dennis as business development manager, to help expand beyond the 20 or so devices already installed in businesses as varied as dairy farms, a kiwifruit orchard, a North Canterbury polo ground and a Taranaki poultry farm.

Asked for the scientific basis for the devices, they cite the work of Gerald H Pollack, a professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. Pollack maintains that a fourth phase of water exists, apart from the accepted solid, liquid and gas, and that it has important properties particularly in biological systems.

But his work remains controversial. “Most of the mainstream people have pretended that this doesn’t exist,” Pollack said in a recent YouTube interview.

Richards explains that the devices basically increase what he calls the “skin” of water - essentially the same property of water that creates a meniscus in a glass. He believes it’s a quality that rainwater naturally has in abundance but is lost from the ground or bore water used in irrigation.

“We haven’t got as far as peer review, and there’s a very good hard economic reason,” says Richards.

“The universities basically rip you off in the amount of money they need to do the work, and they also keep patents

and IP of it.”

However they say the proof is in the results.

One satisfied customer is Waikuku farmer Barry Tull who says a HydroBoost device has dramatically improved his house water quality.

Tull, 90, who has lived in the district all his life and 30 years on his current block, told Dairy News that over the years his house supply first used a well that “went putrid” apparently from leaching from an old wool scour on the block, then rainwater (although it wasn’t always enough for his needs), and for the last eight or nine years a dip pipe from his main irrigation bore.

However, that water has such high iron content that he battled a serious rust and sediment problem, he says.

“If you haven’t run the bath for a fortnight or three weeks in a row, when you first turn the cold tap on the bottom of the bath would be like a cup of tea without milk in it for about four minutes before it cleared.”

Tull says the problem has cleared since a HydroBoost device was installed in his concrete storage tank.

“There’s no doubt about it, it certainly improved the water.”

Dennis says test results show that the observed iron content dropped 95% while the manganese reduced 92% over a fourmonth period.

“The result was unexpected for the customer but not for HydroBoost, where this type of outcome has been observed at a number of sites with water displaying high iron and manganese concentrations.”

Dennis says high iron or manganese in bore water can cause pivots to rust out, while high iron content spread on paddocks can create a copper deficiency.

And with the Three Waters reforms coming, some farmers face bills up to $20,000 to have clean water put onto their properties from the local council.

Next to Prime Pump, he’s one of WANGEN effluent pumps’ biggest fans. not good enough for us. When you compared them to the lifetime benefits of WANGEN, it was a no brainer.

Davieth Verheij, Managing Director of AgFirst Engineering, Waikato was so impressed by German designed and manufactured WANGEN pumps he considered bringing them into New Zealand himself.

In trips to Europe he says WANGEN “really stood out massively on the world stage.”

“We’ve been installing WANGEN for four years and other than minor start-up glitches, we haven’t been back to one yet.”

Davieth says the WANGEN pumps can also handle very heavy solids. “I’ve never had a blockage with a WANGEN pump.”

Today, WANGEN pumps, supplied by Prime Pump, account for around 90% of installs for AgFirst Engineering which provides “whoa to go” solutions for dairy farms throughout New Zealand but particularly in Waikato and Taranaki.

Bringing the world’s best pumping technology to New Zealand.

AgFirst Engineering had previously used progressive cavity pumps which Davieth said had been “fine”. “But going back to repair or replace them after about eight years was

Call now 0800 482 747

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info@primepump.co.nz

Ask your local effluent management about WANGEN effluent pumps, or call Prime Pump today to find out more.

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www.primepump.co.nz

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