Dairy News 19 April 2022

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TURN TO PAGE 1 APRIL 19, 2022 ISSUE 492 // www.dairynews.co.nz

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APRIL 19, 2022 ISSUE 492 // www.dairynews.co.nz

MORE MILK, FEWER COWS Through genetics – the way we operate, the way we feed our cows – we have huge potential to unlock productivity gains.

– David Chin, LIC chief executive PAGE4

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

NEWS // 3

No silver bullet!

PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

FARMERS WELCOME the state

Farmer connection is crucial. PG.07

Collar claims to limit labour woes. PG.12

Still time to sow. PG.26

NEWS �������������������������������������������������������3-8 AGRIBUSINESS ������������������������������������� 9 OPINION �����������������������������������������������10-11 MANAGEMENT �������������������������������������� 12 ANIMAL HEALTH ���������������������������� 13-14 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS ���������������������������������������������� 15 DAIRY GOATS & SHEEP ������������� 16-21 FEEDING OUT ����������������������������������22-26

approval of 500 extra overseas workers but warn that it’s not a silver bullet for the sector’s labour woes.

Federated Farmers immigration spokesman Chris Lewis told Dairy News that he welcomes the government move.

But while it’s good news and will help in the coming season, Lewis warns that getting labour from overseas is not the solution.

He says for farmers, recruiting staff from overseas is not the first cab off the rank. He points to the time and cost of recruiting staff from overseas.

“There is a lot of paperwork back and forth to get staff from overseas and it can take between four and six weeks for Filipinos to get a medical in their country,” he told Dairy News.

“It’s the same in a lot of other countries, including NZ. You may spend between $70k and $80K to get a worker. For many farmers it’s the route of desperation,” he says.

Lewis says the other challenge in recruiting Filipino workers is the attractive options across the ditch in Australia. He points to the fact that many of the wives and partners of Filipino workers are employed in the healthcare sector. He says the Australian healthcare sector offers considerably better pay than NZ and this can influence a worker’s decision about which country to work in. Lewis adds that Australia has also provided more in the way of subsidies to farmers to recruit overseas workers than NZ has.

Australia is providing tough competition for New Zealand farmers recruiting overseas workers, says Federated Farmers.

While the cash may be better in Australia, Lewis points out the actual working conditions on farms in NZ are better. He says the country needs

to do more to highlight this.

“For a start, NZ is recognised as offering better training on farm than Australia. We offer accommodation

on our farms, whereas in Australia if you work on a farm you may have to live in a town and travel to the farm because they don’t provide housing.

The NZ climate and the absence of snakes and spiders is also seen as an advantage,” he says.

Overall, Lewis acknowledges there is problem recruiting staff to work on NZ dairy farms. He points to the example of demand for labour in the construction industry. But he says farmers have made huge strides in making work on dairy farms here more attractive. Cheap rent and better and more reasonable working hours are part of the changes made.

He says one of the barometers for determining the worker shortage is to follow the job adverts for workers on Farm Source and Trade Me. He says two or three years ago there were between 400 to 600 jobs for dairy workers advertised.

“Now it’s around 1,200,” he says.

ADVOCACY HAS HELPED – DAIRYNZ DAIRYNZ SAYS the Government’s decision to allow an extra 500 more international workers to help on dairy farms will help address the present shortage – estimated to be 4,000 workers.

Under the new government arrangement the number of international workers allowed into New Zealand under the 2022 dairy class exception visa will increase from 300 to 800.

This is in addition to the 2021 dairy class exception visa which allowed 200 international workers to enter the country.

DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle says his organisation has been working hard to make sure the Government understands the huge pressure farmers are under, due to workforce shortages.

He says the sustained advocacy from the dairy sector has helped spur the Government actions “DairyNZ has pushed for 1,500 international dairy workers to be allowed into the country in time for the 2022 dairy season on 1 June. We made it clear to Government

that the 300 dairy border class exception workers previously approved was nowhere near enough to meet the demands on-farm and reduce the current high levels of farmer stress,” he says.

Mackle says the Government’s decision to increase the number of international workers by 500 is a step in the right direction to reduce the pressure on farm teams. He says DairyNZ will continue to advocate for more to be allowed into New Zealand to help address the significant staff shortage.

DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

4 // NEWS

More milk with fewer cows WELL PLACED TO SERVE FARMERS

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

MILK FEWER cows but the best cows is herd improvement co-operative LIC’s message to farmers.

New chief executive David Chin believes the farmer-owned co-operative has the genetics and technology to help the New Zealand dairy sector produce more milk with fewer cows.

Chin, who took over the CEO role three months ago, told Dairy News that it was the best time to be a herd improvement company.

With climate change regulations looming and greater scrutiny around sustainability, farmers face pressure to reduce emissions.

Chin believes if the sector is going to meet its

New LIC chief executive David Chin says it was the best time to be a herd improvement company.

climate change targets, then “we need to rethink how we run as an industry”.

He says the industry will need to meet methane targets while maintaining production.

“Through genetics –

the way we operate, the way we feed our cows – we have huge potential to unlock productivity gains.

“We don’t need to produce more milk, but we do need to produce our milk in a more efficient and sustainable way.”

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He points out that LIC recently completed internal analysis of a group of 200,000 Holstein Friesians from all over the country.

The cows were ranked on Breeding Worth (BW) and divided into four groups; the high BW cows in the top quartile produced 73 kgMS more than those in the lower quartile.

And Chin says the top quartile high BW cows were achieving this at a slightly lower liveweight.

“So, they were slightly smaller cows producing significantly more kgMS

per animal and were more fertile.

“And you do the math: there’s a significant improvement in fertility and milk solids and that equates to big improvements in farm performance and productivity.

“And that’s our wheelhouse. In the last five years, herds that consistently use LIC sires have been achieving 19 BW gain each year on average.

That’s almost double the rate of genetic gain than herds who have used little or no LIC bulls.

“We can actually give farmers a more produc-

DAVID CHIN believes labour shortages and climate change are the biggest issues facing New Zealand dairy farmers.

“They are the big ones and other issues are linked to them,” he says.

Chin believes LIC is well placed to serve farmers in these challenging times.

“At the forefront of this will be the ongoing implementation of LIC’s strategy, which is strongly supported by farmers because it puts them at the heart of everything we do.

“Under that strategy we have made clear commitments to our farmers in key areas to deliver value to them on-farm and a key focus for me as chief executive will be making sure we are meeting those commitments.”

Chin joined LIC in 2006 and held various other leadership roles, including general manager operations & service, chief transformation officer, key account manager and marketing manager.

tive cow through the use of our genetics and software and that’s exciting.

“Herd improvement has never been more important to NZ farmers than it has been now.”

Chin says LIC is engaging with farmers on how they can approach the new season.

Farmers are seeing the ability to do things smarter and things like the use of a lot more wearable technology is being discussed.

“Farmers are very much dialed into getting better genetics into their herds – that is really exciting.”

Chin says the NZ dairy sector has hit peak milk.

Dairy herds are declining as dairy farms come under pressure from land use change.

Chin expects the national herd to continue declining in the coming years. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

‘CLEAR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL ON EMISSIONS PRICING’ DAIRYNZ CHAIR Jim Van der Poel says farmer feedback on emissions pricing has given the agriculture sector “a clear direction of travel”.

He told Dairy News that at a recent meeting with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, some sector leaders updated her on the progress made on the climate partnership He Waka Eke Noa. “Over the last few months we have been consulting with farmers on options,” he says. “Almost 3,000 farmers turned out to share their views, and we got some really constructive feedback.

“Farmer feedback has given us a clear direction of travel. The sector meeting with the Prime Minister was about taking what we heard from farmers during that consultation and communicating it directly to the Government.”

Van der Poel says farmers have sent a clear message that they want

HWEN to be working towards farm-level pricing as soon as possible.

“Their preference is for that to be from the outset in 2025 but would accept a transition from a processor-levy if required,” he says.

“Farmers also want to see the sector have governance oversight over how that money is collected and redistributed as we work with farmers to further reduce emissions.

“I’ve taken that message directly to the Prime Minister, who ultimately is the decision maker on this.”

Van der Poel says their job is to ensure farmer views are taken into consideration in the final recommendation.

“We are focused on getting the best outcome we possibly can for dairy farmers and New Zealand.”

HWEN programme director Kelly Forster says the meeting with

Ardern was constructive.

“The meeting was a constructive discussion, covering what partners heard from across the sector during consultation, and the Government’s position that agricultural emissions will be priced by 2025,” she told Dairy News.

The agriculture sector, through the HWEN partnership, has two options for farmers to consider: a farm-level levy and a processorlevel hybrid levy.

The Government has legislated that agricultural emissions will enter the NZ emissions trading scheme (ETS) if an effective, workable alternative is not put forward by the partnership.

The consultation closed last month and HWEN will make a submission to the Government by May 31, after taking farmer feedback into account. – Sudesh Kissun @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

NEWS // 5

‘Tough’ winter looming PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

SOUTHLAND IS in for a tough winter, according to Jason Herrick, head of Federated Farmers sharemilker section in the province.

He was born in Southland and has been dairy farming for 25 years so knows the vagaries of the conditions in his province.

He farms at Mossburn and says although the property he is on is partly irrigated, he’s had to source supplementary feed from Otago. He says he’ll get though the

“In my experience is always better buy your feed early to protect your winter and spring otherwise you get into a situation where you need the feed but have to pay double the price for it and that really hurts.” drought.

“But what I’m seeing is a whole a lot of sharemilkers, especially young ones, who are struggling a fair bit because of their lack of knowledge about droughts, because they have never been through one before,” Herrick told Dairy News.

“It’s a learning curve

for them and, as I see it, farm owners and experienced consultants need to be guiding those guys through these difficult times. I am hearing some decisions being made which could be detrimental to them managing the winter as they are feeding out their spring feed.

“Some have been

Southland Federated Farmers sharemilker section chairman Jason Herrick.

LITTLE RESPITE FOR SOUTHLAND FARMERS THERE HAS been little respite for Southland dairy farmers as the dry weather continues.

DairyNZ’s head consulting officer in the South Island, Tony Finch, says the situation is quite serious.

While there have been droughts in Southland in the past, most have occurred in late summer, whereas this is an autumn drought.

Finch says part of the problem is that droughts are not something that many Southland farmers are familiar with and he says people new to farming in the province need to quickly school up on how to deal with the situation.

“New entrants such as contract milkers and share-

milkers need to think carefully and seek advice if they haven’t already done so, because they can quickly get themselves into a pretty big hole which could really jeopardise next season’s farm performance,” he says.

Finch says while there has been rain in some parts of the province there is still a lot more needed to get the grass growth back to a comfortable level.

He says they face challenges dealing with diminishing feed reserves, both on the platform and supplementary feeds. Some are yielding to the temptation to milk on because of the high payout; they need to make sure they can do that without compromising next season.

“Farmers just need be on top

of their feed budget. They have got to identify the gaps and the holes and it comes down to taking small but numerous actions now, as opposed to one big large one. They need to make sure they have a full understanding of the feed on hand and requirements to feed stock if there is a gap,” he says.

Finch says it is all about making the right decisions for the right reasons, being careful and getting good advice from DairyNZ or other rural professionals.

He says the longer the drought goes on, there is a risk that soil temperatures will drop and it’s possible that farmers won’t get the grass growth they are hoping for.

diving into that spring feed in the hope that the weather will come good and it hasn’t and this is a very risky option,” he says.

Herrick says he believes there will be a feed shortage come spring. At present there is only grain and PKE readily available with all pasture based supplements having to be trucked in from Canterbury and other parts of the South Island.

“My advice is to buy feed now because the cost is going go up by spring time. I know that the cost is horrendous at the moment but it’s only going to get worse as it’s a supply and demand thing.

“In my experience is always better buy your feed early to protect your winter and spring otherwise you get into a situation where you need the feed but have to pay double the price for it and that really hurts,” he says.

Herrick says the winter will put pressure on many herds. From his observations there are cows in the province that are in good condition but there are a lot that are looking pretty average. He says some farmers have handled the situation well by making early management decisions, but there is still a problem getting cull cows into the processing plants because of staff shortages there, in part

caused by Covid.

He says he’s hearing of people drying cows off now, which unless they can get them to the works quickly, is not going to help the cause much because they still have to feed them.

“Personally we did get rid of as many culls early on that we are not going to get any benefit from and then we milked the rest feeding them well.

But I am not going to do this if it affects cow condition or has an impact on next season,” he says.

Herrick says farmers need to meet drying off targets and there is a risk of extending production too long for very little real gain.

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

NEWS // 7

Connection crucial for sector JESSICA MARSHALL jessica@ruralnews.co.nz

THE NEW chair of

Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) says connection is vital for the sector moving out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trish Rankin, a Taranaki dairy farmer and 2019 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year, took over as chair of DWN last month in a planned succession, replacing Karen Forlong.

Rankin says the past two years have been a stressful time for many women in the dairy sector.

“There’s a lot of stuff coming at women for compliance, but it’s not just that. You know, we haven’t been on holiday because we haven’t been able to get off farm because we’ve been short

of staff or we’ve been in Covid lockdowns or two kids have had Covid so you’ve been in lockdown,” Rankin told Dairy News.

“There’s just one thing after the next after the next after the next and I know that that’s what it’s like in most sectors, but in the dairy sector we’re really feeling it and I think that’s going to be the challenge moving forward… just how you bring people back together.”

Rankin, who also serves as a trustee associate trustee for AGMARDT, says one of the most important things will be working “shoulder to shoulder” with people.

“I’ve moved away from that face-to-face thing because that still feels like someone’s lecturing at you and we’re using the words ‘shoulder to shoulder’ because we haven’t done that… we’ve been on

TRUSTED SOURCE OF INFORMATION TRISH RANKIN says one of DWN’s most important roles currently is that of providing information, particularly around compliance.

“We’ve got real challenges with fringe groups, you know the squeaky wheels, doing some pretty loud talking about stuff and we can’t get dragged down into the squeaky wheel,” she says.

“We need the right information from a reputable source and that’s what Dairy Women’s Network prides itself on.”

She says that if there is an important discussion happening, for example the He Waka Eke Noa Climate Action Partnership, DWN aims to communicate the correct information from the correct source, “and we won’t be giving unreliable with that information”.

“Other people may have opinions on it but we will make sure that we are the trusted place for correct information.”

DWN president Trish Rankin says the past two years have been a stressful time for many women in the sector.

a screen, or we’ve been watching a webinar.”

She says that even prior to the pandemic the connection with event attendees could be difficult because of the setting, describing work-

shops where attendees were merely in the audience.

“Now, I want to stand next to somebody and have a cup of coffee and ask how they’re going.”

Rankin says people

don’t want to just be told information, they want to interact with people.

She adds that the lack of connection is a byproduct of the Cov-19 pandemic and the restrictions that came with it.

“We’ve been told to stay home, keep the country safe, watch webinars, reduce how many people go to events. We’ve been doing that for two and a half years and we’re in a

habit now.”

She says that now is the time to encourage people to return to events.

“Let’s get people together,” she says.

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

8 // WORLD NEWS

EU co-op to trial methane reducing feed additive EUROPEAN DAIRY co-operative

FrieslandCampina is trialling a feed additive that is said to reduce methane emissions from cows by 30%.

About 200 farmers will take part in the trial using the DSM product Bovaer later this year; if successful the use of the feed additive will be upscaled among 10,500 Dutch, Belgian and German farmers who own the co-op.

The trial follows the

EU approval in February for the additive’s use.

In New Zealand, Fonterra has been trialling Bovaer on some farms since the beginning of last year. The European trial is a joint undertaking between the Dutch companies FrieslandCampina, DSM, and Agrifirm, which will supply the feed additive.

FrieslandCampina chief executive officer Hein Schumacher says the ultimate goal is for all its

dairy products is to be climate neutral.

“Though we can’t achieve this overnight, we’re working toward it.

In addition to solutions like switching to green energy – preferably generated by our members – reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of our cows is one of the routes towards reaching our climate goal.

“This requires innovation – and now Bovaer, a truly innovative feed additive from DSM that significantly reduces cows’ methane emissions, is part of the solution.

“We know that our members are always open to innovation and improvements in our sustainability performance, and with this pilot we will be the first dairy company in Europe to gain valuable practical experience with Bovaer.”

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

AGRIBUSINESS // 9

Value creation, not capital gains SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

IT’S NOT about the value of land but what you create on the land, according to North Otago farmer John Foley.

He says it is high time people move away from focusing on capital gains.

The award-winning farmer is putting his property up for sale because a severe back injury is forcing him out of farming.

Former cropping

“It’s farming for the future with enterprise value.

“When designing this system, we placed a lot of emphasis on having happy cows.”

The farm is forecast to produce 300,000 kgMS this season and has a supply contract with Oceania Dairy. Some of the milk is used for producing UHT products and Gleniffer also has a premium winter milk contract.

The milking herd is split into spring and

supplements before every milking.

“The herd then returns to the paddock for grazing straight after each milking,” she adds.

“The cows are high producing Friesian Hol-

steins of a larger frame and are part of an industry-leading enterprise that has the potential to shape the future of dairy farming in New Zealand.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

The award-winning Gleniffer farming enterprise in the Waitaki Valley is on the market.

“When we developed the farm, I was aware of the criteria it would be judged on in the future – things like animal welfare, happy cows, environmental standards and returning a strong bottom line.” autumn herds milking year-round. Feed and milk performance is monitored with a focus on feed utilisation.

Limiting the use of synthetic fertilisers keeps fertiliser costs low – another key function of the farm, which is designed to exceed regional and national environmental standards.

The hybrid farm system includes a 54.7ha grazed milking platform and a 45.3ha ungrazed cut and carry area. A 60ha block available for leasing is used to produce mainly silage and wintering the herd.

Foley says he’s sad to let the farm go.

“I really cannot carry on physically; I have a further back operation scheduled in a couple of month’s time,” he says.

The farm is being sold

by Colliers and expressions of interest are being taken until May 5.

Colliers Queenstown director of rural brokers, Ruth Hodges, says the farm operates a high stocking rate and achieves a very high production per cow by maintaining feed quality, minimal walking distance and compact calving.

“The cows are housed in two herd homes to have a two-hour pre-milking feed of high-quality

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farmer Foley switched to dairying nine years ago, owning land and converting it into dairy farms.

With wife Ruby, he developed a 112ha farm, Gleniffer farming enterprise in the Waitaki Valley five years ago, turning the cropping block into a dairy farm miking 435 cows.

Foley says it has been an incredible journey to develop the property, which won the North Otago Irrigation Company environmental award in 2015 and 2019.

“We built it up from scratch,” he told Dairy News.

“When we developed the farm, I was aware of the criteria it would be judged on in the future – things like animal welfare, happy cows, environmental standards and returning a strong bottom line.”

Foley says he runs the farm as an enterprise rather than an extensive farming operation.

“The simplicity of it is it’s measurable, productive, and provides financial rewards,” Foley says.

“The reason we set the farm up as we have is there’s got to be a return on investment and this demonstrates that, rather than just relying on capital gains from the land, this is an investment proposition.

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

10 // OPINION RUMINATING

EDITORIAL

Get the 500 workers in quick!

MILKING IT...

Fourth option WHILE FARMERS clearly want a farm-level levy for emissions, they may be forced into a processorbased hybrid level.

Milking it understands the Government prefers a processor-based levy as some ministers doubt farmers can implement a system by 2025.

The He Waka Eke Noa partnership is expected to push for a farmer-based levy but accept a processor-based hybrid level as a transition in its final report to the Government.

This will not go down well with many farmers.

That’s why Groundswell needs to come out with its ‘fourth option’ now. But is it too little too late?

‘Unshaw’ on cow numbers

Kiwis backs cows

Sugary drinks ban

CLIMATE CHANGE Minister James Shaw seems to be in two minds whether cow numbers should be reduced in New Zealand to cut emissions.

After Greenpeace called for a reduction in cow numbers, Shaw said in question time in Parliament that there was no need to cut cow numbers.

He was asked by ACT MP Mark Cameron if he agreed with a statement that there did not need to be a reduction in the national herd size. Shaw replied “yes”.

Greenpeace blasted Shaw and told him to stop being “an apologist for intensive dairying”.

When quizzed by media later about his stance, he said he wanted to see the herd size reduced.

Just shows how tricky it is to tackle climate change.

ON COW numbers across the country, the majority of Kiwis don’t agree that they need to drop.

In the latest Newshub Reid Research poll respondents were asked, “Do you think New Zealand needs to reduce livestock numbers to combat climate change?”

The results show over half the country, 50.4%, said no, while 37.5% said yes and 12% didn’t know.

That’s what our farmers are saying as well: we don’t need to cull herd sizes but what we do need to do is actually lead the world in finding the technology and the solutions needed to reduce emissions.

THE GOVERNMENT is considering only allowing water, low-fat milk or plant-based milk in schools to reduce the sugar intake of young students.

The proposed law change, laid out in a recently published consultation document, aims to reverse a trend revealed by research showing that dental decay is now the most common disease reported among children in New Zealand.

Students could be offered plain water, reduced or low-fat milk, as well as unsweetened reduced or low-fat plant-based milks – including soy, rice, almond and oat – with added calcium and vitamin B12.

While such a move may help, most schools have dairies outside their gates promoting sugary drinks. Should they also be banned from selling sugary drinks to students?

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THE GOVERNMENT’S decision to allow 500 more overseas dairy workers into the country is a step in the right direction.

While this won’t solve the sector’s labour shortage nationally, many farmers will be breathing a sigh of relief.

However, past experience shows that the Government’s green light for more overseas workers doesn’t quickly result in more workers landing on farms. The immigration process is cumbersome.

The challenge facing farmers is getting the overseas workers before calving starts in three months time.

Spring calving season kicks off in July in the Waikato and a month later down the country.

However, it may take workers from the Philippines up to six weeks to arrive in New Zealand and receive all the necessary medical checks and paperwork.

Federated Farmers is rightly concerned that administrative hold ups and bureaucracy would see some farmers unable to get workers on the ground in time for calving.

Many farmers may already have connections with workers overseas and getting those workers in will be easier. They must be agile and willing to make this happen super quick.

The labour shortage has been stressful for farmers and their staff over the past few years, thanks to border closures caused by the pandemic.

Many farmers have struggled to provide a competitive roster to prospective and current staff, leading to some managers and sharemilkers bailing out. The stress has been just too great to handle.

The Government had previously approved 300 foreign workers in dairying under an exceptions policy. However, DairyNZ pointed out that it was nowhere near enough to meet the demands on-farm and reduce the current high levels of farmer stress.

Last week’s announcement added another 500 to that number.

The workers need to be paid at least $28 an hour. DairyNZ has pushed for 1,500 international dairy workers to arrive in time for the 2022 dairy season on June 1.

The 500 extra workers will help reduce some of the pressure on farm teams. However, the sector will continue to advocate for more to be allowed into New Zealand to help address the significant staff shortage. New Zealand needs overseas workers.

The Government has recognised this but a streamlined and easy immigration process will help farmers get these 500 overseas workers on farms quickly.

Let’s hope Government bureaucracy doesn’t throw a spanner in the works.

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

OPINION // 11

Cost of doing business jumps BARBARA KURIGER

AT A time when farmers should be celebrating higher red meat and dairy prices, they like other New Zealanders are feeling the pinch.

Already facing seasonal challenges, with either too much or no rain, the cost of doing business grows daily under Labour’s watch.

Results from the latest

rural and urban families.

Life is hard for many people making tough decisions about where and how far every dollar they earn will go.

And as the Government’s coffers swell with the ill-gotten gains of inflation, Labour is failing to provide any tax relief.

Agriculture is New Zealand’s biggest income earner.

If it is under strain, the

Even with stronger returns, revenue is quickly going back out the door to cover rocketing fuel costs, up 44%, fertiliser up 28%, stock feed and grazing more than 6%, seeds up 6%, as well as labour costs due to the nationwide overseas worker shortage.

Federated Farmers survey show farmer confidence is the lowest it’s been since the twice yearly surveys began in 2009.

More than half of the 1,000 surveyed in January — before the Omicron surge and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — expected economic conditions to worsen in the next 12 months.

They also believed their spending would increase because of it and their profitability decline.

So far, they’re not wrong.

Even with stronger returns, revenue is quickly going back out the door to cover rocketing fuel costs, up 44%, fertiliser up 28%, stock feed and grazing more than 6%, seeds up 6%, as well as labour costs due to the nationwide overseas worker shortage.

The last one, a problem which could have been relieved by relaxing immigration rules, two years ago.

Meanwhile, New Zealand’s 30-year high inflation rate of 5.9% is set to keep climbing.

Our current cost of living crisis will mean a $150 per week per household increase this year and that is having a colossal impact on both

ripple effects will be felt by all New Zealanders.

The massive rise in fuel costs, especially diesel, is just one example.

All supplier costs, deliveries and services coming on to farms have risen rapidly.

So too has the cost of transportation from rural regions. From export goods to food products in retail outlets, the cost of fuel is reflected in their price.

In recent weeks I’ve already said the Government’s ignorance is making everything so expensive and difficult.

In the four and half years they have been in power they have learnt nothing about the country they run.

That shows in Labour’s Clean Car package — the Ute Tax — which has just become operative.

Buying a new Toyota Hilux will now cost an extra $5,175.

Once again, Kiwis – especially big users like farmers, growers, tradies, construction and forestry – will be paying for an ideological policy that ‘robs Peter to pay Paul’ in an attempt to have us all in electric vehicles.

Yet electric utes in

numbers to meet this country’s demands do not exist and won’t for some years.

As one farmer puts it: “We’re on a knife edge

really. While we have increased returns, there is huge apprehension at what will be coming at us next, in the way of increased costs and

compliance.”

As a member of the Opposition, I can relate.

• Barbara Kuriger is National spokesman on agriculture

National agriculture spokesperson Barbara Kuriger claims the Government’s ignorance is making everything so expensive and difficult.

DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

12 // MANAGEMENT

Collar claims to limit labour woes SOLAR-POWERED SMART cow collar man-

ufacturer Halter claims it will help combat the country’s acute labour shortage when it expands into Taranaki, Southland, Otago and the Central Plateau next month.

The company says its growth is in response to significant demand from the industry, and comes off the back of its successful launch into Canter-

bury late last year.

Despite eased border restrictions and changes to the class exception scheme, demand for workers continues.

In January, the industry predicted it would be short of between 4,000 and 6,000 workers this year alone.

The company says smart solutions like its collar, which it says can save farmers up to 20-40

hours a week, will relieve some of the unrelenting pressure to recruit.

“It means owner-operators can effectively and sustainably run small farms single-handedly, and on bigger stations, it offers farmers the opportunity to operate at a higher level.”

The GPS-enabled collars enable farmers to automate herd movements, reducing on-farm

workload.

Halter business development manager Steve Crowhurst says the collars have been a massive stress reliever, especially during the red setting of the Covid-19 Protection Framework.

Halter claims its collars have been a massive stress reliever, especially during the Covid restrictions.

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“We’ve been able to support farmers to run 750-cow, 3-mob farms with just two people, and still manage to maintain normal output and sustainable hours.”

Jo Sheridan, the demonstration manager at Owl Farm – a 160ha dairy farm, a joint venture between St Peter’s School Cambridge and Lincoln University, says the product has reduced hours, and allowed the entire team to see everything that’s happening on the farm.

“By no longer needing two people milking and getting cows in we have more options to carry out other work on farm and offer flexible, sustainable time off.”

On larger farms like Canterbury’s Craigmore Group, one of the largest corporate farming operations in the country, it means they can offer farmers an improved

work-life balance without compromising on production.

The current industry benchmark states one full-time worker is required for every 173 cows, but Craigmore is now able to manage 260 cows per full-time worker, all with sustainable hours.

Matt Redmond, farm business manager on a 147ha, 520 cow Craigmore farm in the Culverden Basin, North Canterbury, says the company adopted Halter because they’re passionate about sustainability and worker welfare.

“We’ve been able to offer staff a better working life. Rather than spending hours sitting behind cows, our workers can spend more time on high-value management and big picture tasks.”

He says the cows are also calmer without having the noise and pressure of a motorbike and dogs behind them.

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

ANIMAL HEALTH // 13

Have confidence to be selective SAMANTHA TENNENT

BACTERIA DEVELOPING resistance is a poten-

tial risk any time we use antibiotics, so we need to focus on preventing and controlling infections to reduce the need.

On dairy farms, around 85% of the antibiotics used are for mastitis control, including antibiotic dry cow therapy (DCT).

And one area where we are actively reducing antibiotic use is by using DCT selectively.

In most herds, less than 10% of cows are infected with a major pathogen at drying off, so selective DCT is a logical approach for many. But how do we choose which cows should receive DCT at drying off? And if there has been a bad experience in the past, what considerations should we include this time to minimise risks?

Using SCC Herd test somatic cell count (SCC) is currently the most practical tool for selecting which cows need antibiotics. Use a cow’s highest SCC value, but if the farm doesn’t herd test regularly, trials have shown a herd test within the last 80 days of lactation is sufficient, so a random one could be booked specifically.

Generally, infected cows will have a higher SCC but some infected

On dairy farms, around 85% of the antibiotics used are for mastitis control, including antibiotic dry cow therapy (DCT).

cows have a relatively low SCC and some uninfected cows have a higher SCC. So when selecting a SCC cut-point we are trying to minimise the number of infected cows that are missed as well as avoiding giving antibiotics to uninfected cows.

But there is no magical number and you and your veterinarian will need to determine the most appropriate cutpoint for your farm. And if there is no herd testing information available at all, a rapid mastitis test (RMT) performed imme-

diately before drying off is a viable option.

Other risk factors Cows that have been treated for clinical mastitis throughout the season or have been confirmed by bacterial culture should also be included in the DCT treatment group.

And another group of cows that should be considered even if they don’t have clear evidence are older cows producing high volumes.

The latest research has found that animals over four years old who were producing more than ten

litres of milk at the last herd test were twice as likely to develop clinical mastitis during the dry period and may benefit from receiving DCT. The research also highlighted that management of cows around drying off and the level of hygiene during the process needs to be vigilant. Steps need to be taken to reduce milk yield prior to drying off cows as well as their physical management after dry-off. If there are problems in the dry period, it can often be attributed to unfavourable conditions

Steps need to be taken to reduce milk yield prior to drying off cows as well as their physical management after dry-off.

through the processes surrounding drying off.

Many vet teams have technicians drying off large numbers of animals and it can be worth considering utilising the pro-

fessionals to minimise as much risk as possible.

Talk to your vet about training and support to ensure the drying off process runs smoothly.

Further protection

Selective DCT doesn’t mean leaving the rest of the herd exposed. If cows are left unprotected, there is a high chance of developing an infection during the dry period.

Using internal teat sealant (ITS) provides an effective barrier and reduces the new infection rate by about 70% over the dry period.

But if an infected cow was missed from the DCT treatment group, research shows they are likely to still have a good outcome if they have at least been given ITS. They had a high self-cure rate comparable to cows that received DCT. And the data shows there is a lower risk of clinical mastitis in the next lactation if they receive ITS, compared to glands that received no treatment or DCT alone.

So all cows should receive ITS and some cows will receive the combination of DCT and ITS for the best chance of protection.

There are no hard and fast rules or exact ways of determining which cows should and shouldn’t receive DCT. Work with your vet to assess your farm when making the plan for drying off this season and have the confidence to look at options as we move away from a ‘one size fits all’ to a more targeted approach.

• Samantha Tennent is general manager WelFarm Ltd

With Moving Day on the way, we are encouraging Farmers to do their bit to maintain the integrity of our biosecurity system.

If you have followed all of the instructions to update your NAIT details and are still struggling, our Support Centre is geared up to assist you. Call 0800 482 463 For more Moving Day information see

OSPRI.co.nz NAIT is an OSPRI programme

Failure to comply with NAIT obligations may result in fines or prosecution issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries. For more information about your obligations as a PICA, please visit our website ospri.co.nz.

DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

14 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Be a mate and update NAIT, says OSPRI MOVING DAY is the busiest time of the year for livestock movements.

OSPRI says this period presents a risk for poor NAIT compliance as farmers navigate the intense demands a move requires.

“When NAIT compliance is compromised, our traceability system is threatened and we run the risk of having a system that will not perform in the event of another disease outbreak, as was seen in 2017 when M. bovis wreaked havoc on New Zealand farms.”

This year, OSPRI is taking a different approach to how it communicates with farmers.

“We will be creating

targeted, timely and clear messaging that will support farmers to complete their requirements on time and without hassle,” it says.

“We have used insights gathered from research undertaken by UMR (2018) on farmer attitudes towards NAIT compliance to develop our approach.

This research found that 92% of farmers surveyed agreed that ‘Farmers have a duty to their wider farming community to comply with NAIT regulations’.”

Research commissioned by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), DairyNZ and Beef+Lamb NZ in 2021 found that:

NAIT compliance is strengthened when there is relevance ‘to me and my situation & of my actions on others, the community & the country’ ‘Hassle factors’ will turn farmers off complying. Farmers are part of a team of 5 million and understand the NAIT system works if everyone ‘does their bit’ Workarounds will not necessarily make it easier in the long run Farmers need to understand the universal ‘why’ to complying.

OSPRI says it has used these insights to develop a friendly approach to encourage farmers to do their bit for biosecurity

Failure to comply with NAIT obligations may result in fines or prosecution issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

OSPRI is committed to making the task of completing NAIT requirements over the Moving Day period as quick and easy as possible.

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and update their NAIT accounts during Moving Day. With the tagline, ‘Be a mate, update NAIT’.

OSPRI says it’s committed to making the task of completing NAIT requirements over the Moving Day period as quick and easy as possible.

“We encourage farmers to ensure they are completing the following four steps if they are moving farm with their animals, e.g. sharemilkers and contract milkers moving their herds to other farms or sending their herds away for grazing: Farmers should have tagged and registered all their animals and their

NAIT account should reflect accurately what is on the farm.

Create a new NAIT Location at the farm they are moving to and register all grazing blocks they are in charge of (ensure 3rd party software suppliers have this new number and they have assigned them access to their NAIT account as information providers) Record and confirm movements to new NAIT locations. This must be completed within 48 hours of the movement taking place Deregister old NAIT location numbers.

If they are moving farms but the herd is stay-

ing where it is, e.g. farm managers moving to a new farm, they need to: Complete, sign and submit a PICA (Person In Charge of Animals) change form and submit to info@ospri.co.nz When they arrive at the new farm, ensure they register as the new PICA within 48 hours of arriving at the new location.

If they are no longer a PICA, they do not have to be registered in NAIT OSPRI says its support centre has recently been revamped to optimise our services.

“But we ask that farmers consider the extremely busy period and the potential impact Covid

will have on our resourcing when they contact our support centre over the Moving Day period.”

Head of Traceability Kevin Forward says the Moving Day period is extremely busy for farmers.

“And we aim to make NAIT compliance as simple as possible with our messaging this year.

“It is important that farmers understand why keeping their NAIT records up to date is so important.

“This practice is protecting themselves and their farming community from the potentially devastating effects of another disease outbreak.”

DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 15

Webbline joins recycling scheme MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AGRICULTURAL PLASTIC recycler Plas-

back has announced that the nation-wide farm machinery and silage wrap distributor Webbline has joined its on-farm recycling scheme, a move that will see around 85% of the silage film imported to New Zealand being covered by the scheme.

Plasback commercial manager Neal Shaw congratulate Webbline for their commitment in taking a responsible approach toward the environment and their customers, via product stewardship.

“We encourage all New Zealand companies that supply plastic products and packaging to the agriculture industry to be responsible and join the scheme.”

Plasback has 13 collectors around the country who operate nine balers.

Shaw suggests that there is room for expansion and a need to fill in a few blank spots. Currently the only cost to farmers and contractors who use the scheme is a $50 charge for a bag that typically takes the plastic from about 150 round bales and is collected by the local oper-

Farmers and contractors must ensure that trailers are up to spec and fitted with working rear lights and reflectors.

Webbline says it joined Plasback because it supports the industry’s efforts to recycle waste.

ator.

Webbline crop packaging manager Tim Currie says the company joined Plasback because it believes it is important to support the Government’s goal of product stewardship for farm plastics, and Plasback’s collection service offers the best option to do this.

“We joined the scheme because we want to be seen to be supporting the industry’s efforts to recycle its waste, but also because Plasback is accredited by the Government and has developed an efficient model for doing this,” Tim says.

“The Government has said that if we put plastic out there without providing a way for it to be collected, then it will impose a recycling system on us.”

Tim says Webbline has been supplying the agricultural industry since

1963, so has an in-depth understanding of the importance to ensure the industry is sustainable for future generations.

Neal echoes Tim’s words. He says the Ministry for the Environment has made it clear that all farm plastics sold in this country will soon have to be covered by an accredited product stewardship scheme. Eventually everyone in the farm plastics supply chain from manufacturers through to consumers will be responsible for recycling leftover plastic products and packaging.

He also notes that the industry “taking the trouble to clean up its own waste” is a much better solution than government

imposing a recycling levy on such materials, with the proposed costs estimated to be about three times greater than what importers and distributors currently pay to be part of the Plasback initiative.

“We are now looking beyond silage wrap to woven plastic bags and sacks and other plastic products. We believe Plasback’s voluntary, userpays collection service is the best model to recycle a wide range of waste plastic products,” Neal says. “There is plenty of talk in the industry about supporting product stewardship, but it’s time for all suppliers to back that up with action and join a scheme.”

MAKE YOUR TRAILER VISIBLE AT NIGHT WITH THE recent changes to daylight

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

16 // DAIRY GOATS & SHEEP

Rewards of milking sheep starting to flow through A WAIKATO family among the first to enter the commercial dairy sheep industry is starting to see the rewards of their hard work as they come to the end of their second season.

Paul and Dianne White set up Green Park Sheep at Kio Kio near Te Awamutu in 2020 for their sons Brad and Kieran to operate.

They began milking 850 sheep on the 81-hectare property through a 40-aside Agili Rapid Exit parlour, which was originally an old inline shed for cows.

Its conversion into a sheep milking plant was designed by Waikato Milking Systems and installed

by Qubik.

Green Park Sheep was

among the first to supply to Maui Sheep Milk.

“During the first season lamb rearing was very labour intensive and the animals really tested our fences,” Paul said.

“So before we started our second season we installed a customdesigned lamb rearing shed which can take up to 1,000 lambs at a time using four auto feeders.”

They’re now able to take the lambs off their mums after 24 hours, significantly increasing milk production.

The season ends around mid-April and lambing begins in late July.

The dry period will be used to further tweak management plans. That includes upgrading fences

Paul White says the Agilli Rapid Exit milking system has helped the farm move close to its seasonal milk production targets.

with netting to ensure lambs don’t escape.

The farm was on track to record another milk production increase.

“We’ve come close to reaching our production target. We will end up with about 45-46 milk solids per ewe for our second season, for our

first season we did about 35.

“As the genetics improve, as we get a younger flock profile, milk production will improve further.”

Green Park expected to increase ewe numbers to about 1,200 for its third season.

Paul said the Agili Rapid Exit milking systems would be able to handle the increase in milking ewe numbers.

“At the moment we are milking about 800 ewes in an hour and 20 minutes.

In the peak during full production, we’re taking about 2.5 to 3 hours to

milk 1,000 just because of the high volume of milk.

“When milk volume drops, milking gets a bit faster.”

The family is keen to investigate new automation options about to be released by Waikato Milking Systems.

It includes animal ID capability, milk yield recording and automatic sorting for rotary and inline dairy sheep milking systems.

“Ultimately it will provide us with information on how well the ewes are performing and we can use that information to better manage the farm.”

Not far away in Cambridge, Allan and Toni Browne say they’re also keen to see animal ID technology added to their

70-point Ultimo Internal Sheep Rotary Milking System, which was designed by Waikato Milking Systems and installed in 2020.

“Once we get accurate ID readers, we can also add some milk monitoring features.”

The rotary already has electronic cup removers, SmartPulse, In-Bail Feed, SR Cluster Washer and Automatic Headlocks.

Allan and Toni’s Browne Pastoral farm milked 1050 ewes at the peak of their first season and 1,420 at the peak of their second season.

Allan said the internal rotary had performed “faultlessly” and helped the farm outperform initial milk production expectations.

DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

DAIRY GOATS & SHEEP // 17

Exports of New Zealand sheep milk products were valued at $20 million in 2020.

State support for Maori farmers THE GOVERNMENT is throwing its support behind Māori landowners eyeing a piece of the growing sheep milk sector.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says the Government is backing a project to support Māori landowners to invest in the sheep milk sector.

“We are backing the Māori Agribusiness Sheep Milk Collective, which has ambitious goals to have multiple farms milking about 25,000 sheep and potentially employing more than 100 people by 2030,” says O’Connor.

He says global demand for sheep milk and sheep milk products remains strong.

Exports of New Zealand sheep milk products were valued at $20 million in 2020.

The Government is injecting $700,000 into the Collective to help it explore the potential of sustainably producing sheep milk at scale, create jobs and further grow this emerging export market.

The collective is made up of 20 Māori land trusts and incorporations that own more than 24,000 hectares of land stretching from the western shore of Lake Taupō to the Hauraki Plains.

O’Connor says those sheep could initially produce more than 6 million litres of milk, or 1 million kgMS. The collective was set up through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Māori Agribusiness Extension (MABx) programme, which has been allocated $12 million over four years to provide farmerto-farmer support to Māori landowners and trustees.

The investment is part of the Government’s Fit for a Better World roadmap, which aims for food and fibre sector exports to earn an extra $44 billion over 10 years.

The Government is also supporting wider industry research to capitalise on growing demand for sheep milk.

“MPI is funding a $12.56 million sixyear project with the aim of building a high-value and sustainable sheep dairy industry in Aotearoa New Zealand,” says O’Connor.

“Last year construction and development was taking place across several new sheep dairy farms in the greater Waikato and a new infant formula was launched as part of the project.”

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

18 // DAIRY GOATS & SHEEP

Spring Sheep scoops innovation award SHEEP MILK proces-

sor Spring Sheep recently won the Company-X sponsored Innovation category of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Award for its Gentle Sheep Toddler Milk Drink.

The product previously won the best infant nutrition product at the World Dairy Innovation Awards in 2021.

Spring Sheep began in 2015 and now sources sheep milk from 12,700 grass-fed Zealandia sheep, its own breed, from dedicated farms across the Central North Island.

The milk is spraydried into powder at Waikato Innovation Park at Ruakura in Hamilton and is used to create highvalue nutrition products.

Its early life nutrition range, including Gentle Sheep Toddler Milk Drink and nutrition powders are

“Spring Sheep Milk Co. has demonstrated a relentless pursuit of excellence in innovation at all ends of the supply chain.” sold in China, Malaysia and New Zealand.

Sheep milk is regarded as nutritious and helpful for people with stomach or digestion intolerances. Grass-fed New Zealand sheep milk is highly regarded globally.

Spring Sheep is jointly owned by Pāmu, the New Zealand Government, and sales and market development company SLC, with Ministry for Primary Industries support through the Primary Growth Partnership. It is at the forefront of agricultural science, working with geneticists, food technologists and environmental scientists to

improve production.

The number of milking sheep is expected to quadruple in the next four years and the company is also eyeing new markets.

The Company-X Innovation Award recognises organisations that have enhanced their success through innovation – both in thinking and implementing of an idea. An innovation can be in a product, service, technology or process.

“Spring Sheep Milk Co. has demonstrated a relentless pursuit of excellence in innovation at all ends of the supply chain,” said judges.

“From the detailed

Spring Sheep milk CEO Nick Hammond (centre) and COO Thomas Macdonald accept the award from Don Good, Waikato Chamber of Commerce.

research into the benefits of sheep milks versus other milk products, to understanding the trends and dynamics of end markets, to ensure Spring Sheep’s products excel in a highly competitive marketplace.

“Spring Sheep delivers on all fronts in growing not only its own business but the overall sheep milk category itself.”

Spring Sheep chief executive Nick Hammond accepted the award with chief operating officer Thomas Macdonald.

Hammond said the award was a testament to his team’s dedication and passion for the industry.

“It’s fantastic to be recognised in this way by the Waikato Business community,” Hammond said.

“I’m incredibly proud of our team – sheep included – who are all superstars in their own right and continuously bring their A-game every day to contribute to the success of Spring Sheep Milk Co.” Company-X co-founder and director Jeremy Hughes is impressed with the Spring Sheep story.

“I am impressed that

the Spring Sheep Milk Co has 12,700 sheep being milked across the Central North Island to feed an international market,” Hughes said.

“It’s truly innovative.

They have had the courage and tenacity to take an idea with the wow factor and make it a reality.

“It’s exactly the sort of innovative, outside of the square, idea that we love fostering and seeing win the Company-X Innovation Award.”

Company-X co-founder and director David Hallett says it loves working with companies who refuse to be boxed in and who think differently.

“Spring Sheep Milk Co. is obviously one of those companies and is producing a premium product for a world market right here in the Waikato.”

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

DAIRY GOATS & SHEEP // 19

Australia has been free of FMD since 1872 due to stringent pre- and post-border measures.

New goat diseases guide to bolster Oz biosecurity IN AN industry first, a practical guide to help Australian goat producers recognise and manage goat diseases and ultimately boost biosecurity systems is now available.

Supported by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Goat Diseases - The Farmers’ Guide is a comprehensive, easy-to-read guide also likely to be useful to NZ farmers.

The guide was principally developed by Emily Litzow, Nick van den Berg and Barton Loechel as part of a broader co-development team in the Goat Innovation Platform pilot group in South Australia.

The innovation group belonged to the farmer-led surveillance research initiative, part of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Ready Project, which aims to strengthen surveillance and preparedness for an emergency animal disease outbreak, using FMD as a model.

CSIRO research scientist Dr Barton Loechel said supporting producers in improving livestock surveillance on-farm for endemic and emergency animal diseases was the catalyst for the guide.

“We engaged with producers directly about biosecurity surveil-

lance and it was clear they wanted an easy-to-use reference guide specifically about goat diseases and pests,” Loechel said.

“The cause, clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment and prevention for a comprehensive list of diseases is set out clearly and concisely in the guide.

“The pilot group supporting the development of the guide was made up of goat producers, industry representatives and veterinarians experienced with small ruminants and goats, and the guide was reviewed by goat veterinarian, Dr Sandra Baxendell.”

The guide provides tips and tools to help producers establish an onfarm biosecurity plan, what to watch out for, how to manage a biosecurity incursion, and where to get help.

It also includes information relating to general animal health including drenching, vaccination, foot paring, kidding, body condition scoring and fit to load guidelines.

Dr Loechel said by monitoring livestock for diseases that already exist in Australia, particularly notifiable diseases, producers have a critical role in strengthening the nation’s biosecurity system.

“Farmers may not know exactly what the symptoms of FMD or many other exotic diseases would be if they were introduced into Australia, but if they see something unusual, then they have access to resources through the guide to get it checked out,” Loechel said.

“Developing a working relationship with a local vet is also key to biosecurity surveillance for producers.”

Australia has been free of FMD since 1872 due to stringent pre- and post-border measures.

FMD is currently regarded as one of the most economically and socially devastating livestock disease threats to Australia, which could cost the country up to AU$50 billion over 10 years, should a multi-state outbreak occur.

Key points: A new easy-to-read guide is available to help goat producers recognise and manage goat diseases On-farm livestock surveillance is critical to boosting Australia’s biosecurity systems The guide is available as hard copy and digital versions via www. mla.com.au

GIVING KIDS THE BEST START! HIGH QUALITY milk replacers are crucial if you are preparing to rear lambs or goat kids in the upcoming season, according to Milligans Feeds.

The company says its Multi Milk Replacer (MMR) product can feed all animal types, including lambs and goat kids. It has a GOwhey range which are specialised wheybased powders for lambs and goat kids.

These can be used as a standalone replacer or be fed in a

program with other replacers depending on your needs.

It says its whey products are sourced from a leading European manufacturer that prioritises performance, quality and animal welfare.

The company says it also has animal supplement products, ExcelPlus Colostrum and ExcelPlus Electrolytes, to assist with the early care and welfare of new-born animals.

“These two supplements are key

inputs to successful animal rearing and husbandry.

“Whether you are a lifestyle farmer or large scale farmer, you will know the importance of being prepared for the times when you have an orphan or sick baby at hand.”

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

20 // DAIRY GOATS & SHEEP

Niche goat milk cheese SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

WINNING MEDALS at

the annual cheese awards has become a norm for small goat milk cheese company, Belle Chevre Creamery.

Meaning ‘Beautiful Goat’ in French, Belle Chevre is a 16ha property at Waipu, 40km south of Whangarei. Owners David and Jennifer Rodrigue have been crafting goat milk cheeses since 2019, winning many medals in the annual New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA) Champions of Cheese Awards.

This year Belle Chevre scooped a gold medal for its Raspberry Bonbons in the Big Chill Distribution fresh flavour added cheeses category.

The cheese was singled out by Master Cheese Judge Jason Tarrant, who led the 36-member judging panel.

Tarrant says it would be remiss not to mention Belle Chevre Creamery’s Raspberry Bonbons which was awarded a gold medal in the Big Chill Distribution Fresh Flavour Added Cheeses.

“Belle Chevre Creamery’s Raspberry Bonbons were so unexpected: hats off to them for presenting a cheese with the wow

Jennifer Rodrigue with Belle Chevre range of goat cheese produced on their small farm.

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factor,” he said.

“It was the perfect coming together of a cheesemaker and a chef, creating a goat cheese, raspberry and chocolate combo which delivered on flavour, presentation and innovation.”

Jennifer told Dairy News that Belle Chevre was happy to win another gold medal. She says one of their first and favourite products is the soft goat cheese called Chevre.

“Ours is very creamy, but not goaty in any way, due to the delicate handling of the milk and immediate processing.

“Our Chevre is good in any salad or on its own as a spread or on crackers when rolled in herbs, nuts, drizzled with olive oil or honey – it is extremely versatile.”

This cheese also won a gold medal in the NZSCA awards in 2020 and is the basis of the Raspberry Bonbons.

“Raspberry and dark chocolate are our two favourite flavours for any sort of dessert or treat so it was a natural to try and do something along those lines,” she says.

“We integrate fresh as freeze dried raspberry powder into the cheese along with a bit of honey, ball it into 25 gram balls and dip them in Whittaker’s dark chocolate, and garnish with more freeze dried raspberry crumble.

“Our choice of ingredients is simply a desire to deal with local, New Zealand companies as much as possible.

“We are a paddock to plate business so the food

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miles on our products are just from the farm to the local retailer, restaurant or markets where we sell.”

Other cheeses include the pyramid-shaped called Manaia Ma, named after our local iconic Mount Manaia and ashed cheese, Picnic at the Cove, which received a silver medal this year.

In 2020 Belle Chevre’s marinated goat cheese got a silver medal and bagged a gold medal the following year. The Zalloumi – a halloumi style cheese – won gold in 2020 The business was born out by David and Jennifer’s desire to be self sufficient on 16ha.

“We wanted dairy but weren’t prepared to deal to the volume of a cow and all these years later feel better about goats for

our land and environmental issues,” says Jennifer.

The property was bought in 2015. Two in milk Anglo Nubian does were bought and initially hand milked.

Jennifer says they have always liked goats as an animal, goat’s cheese and meat.

“We soon fell in love with them to the point that meat was not going to be a focus of our business and after those first two females had three more doelings between them we figured we had better find something to do with the milk.

“So I learned to make some simple cheeses. I found that the science of cheesemaking and creativity filled both sides of my brain and the physical labour of harvesting

DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

DAIRY GOATS & SHEEP // 21

wows judge

David Rodrigue with two of Belle Chevre milking goats on the farm.

our own milk rounds out the perfect pre-retirement endeavour for our stage of life.

“Since many cheeses

that are traditionally and specifically made with goat milk are French, It wasn’t long before we started calling the place

Belle Chevre.”

The business was registered with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in 2019 and started

trading.

Belle Chevre Creamery will have 25 does on the stand in the new season which begins in July.

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Goats on Belle Chevre farm are adorned with Swiss bells like in most places in Europe.

MELODIOUS SWISS BELLS GOATS MILKED at Belle Chevre are like pets to their owners.

“We care deeply about each and everyone, they have names and are also adorned with Swiss bells like in most places in Europe,” says Jennifer Rodrigue.

“We like the melody it adds to our life and fits in well with our ‘bell’ theme. It is also very helpful if and when they find a gate left open to know where the goats have wandered off to.”

Jennifer says taking care of our goats is their first priority.

“We have reached out to

more experienced goat breeders through the NZ Dairy Goat Breeders Association and really benefited from several mentors that have been ever so generous with their time and expertise.

“We are now buying in new genetics via bucks from elsewhere in New Zealand. Staying on top of hoof maintenance is always an issue as is managing internal parasites.”

The goats at Belle Chevre are dried off after Easter each year, giving the does “a nice maternity break”.

Kidding is done between July and September.

At peak production leading into the Christmas customer demand, about fifty litres of milk is produced on once a day milking.

Jennifer says cheese is made daily.

“Small batch processing with fresh milk is the secret to the taste and quality of our products.

“We keep all practices as close to the traditional methods as possible.”

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

22 // FEEDING OUT

The potential of undersowing forage maize tive to slurry application than bare maize land as it greatly reduced the risk of run-off and potential pollution of water courses.

Looking at the harvest end of the operation, often in “catchy” conditions late in the season, growers reported

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

GIVEN THAT New Zealand farmers are being expected to improve their environmental footprint, some trials in the UK around under-sowing in growing forage maize crops may have some benefits here too, particularly in the south.

On the other side of the world, forage maize is typically planted in March-April then harvested in late September through to November. As the season heads towards winter, there is a small window for establishing re-seeds, so in many cases the ground is left bare

Under-sowing in growing forage maize crops may have some benefits in NZ.

until the following spring.

This means land is out of production, but also prone to harmful erosion and run-off.

Numerous trials have shown the benefits of under-sowing with grass, clover or other catch crops during the

early days of the maize crop, leading to investment in specialised interrow cultivators purposely designed for the job.

The Zocon Greenseeder is one such machine, with a format that sees an extended, high-clearance frame, car-

rying up to 12 cultivator elements at 50 or 75cm spacing, complemented by a seed bin and pneumatic seeding system.

Trials suggest that the ideal time for sowing the grass or catch crops is from one week after any post-emergence herbi-

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cide applications, typically with the new maize plants at the six or seven leaf stage, to prevent the primary crop becoming smothered by the undersown plants.

Researchers suggest that the grass can utilise any residual nutrients left after the maize crop is harvested, while clover blends will help to fix nitrogen and raise protein levels.

In West Wales one 6.5ha trial allowed a farmer to gain 16 days of early grazing for 160 ewes, with the added benefit of reduced soil erosion on a sloping site. It was also noted that the under-sown grass made the ground more recep-

that the land being travelled on was much more stable, supporting in-field traffic better, but most importantly reducing the amount of mud being brought out onto the highway.

Researchers suggest that the only negatives are the need to deliver a clean inter-row seedbed to plant the catch crop into, alongside the level of skill required in driving down the growing rows of maize, with the crop typically being around 18 to 30 inches high, so leaving little margin for error.

In the east of the UK, trials of under-sowing in maize crops is being supported by river and water-

way authorities who can see potential benefits, while also finding favour with those farmers trying to adopt regenerative practices. The latter see benefits around enhancing soil structure and organic matter and reducing soil erosion, with some commenting on the increasing number of surface worm casts, which suggest the soil is in good health.

Jon Myhill, a farmer and agronomist for the Maize Growers Association, says the physical aspects of the process means that there is probably a two week window to get the catch crop sown, before the maize rows “close over” and passage through the crop becomes impracticable because of damage to the maize plants.

Myhill also suggests that the use of the system requires a change in mindset, as the reality is that there are little or no monetary benefits. Rather, it serves to improve soil health, alongside reduced run-off and pollution.

He comments that with a typical cost of around $80/ha, the benefits of capturing nitrogen and increasing organic matter could make a substantial difference to the amount of inorganic fertiliser needing to be applied, with the bonus of some early spring grazing.

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

FEEDING OUT // 23

Supplements filling pasture protein deficit Daniel Calcinai, GrainCorp

A DEFICIT in pas-

ture protein levels last summer, combined with a good payout, has seen dairy farmer demand for quality, cost-effective protein-rich supplements soar. according to a feed importer.

“Protein levels in pasture typically decline during summer months, so supplementing a cow’s diet with a quality protein source can provide significant animal health and economic benefits in terms of lifting milk production and maintaining body condition,” says GrainCorp Feeds general manager Daniel Calcinai.

Recent pasture samples from across the North Island have confirmed that protein levels have been low, which has driven uptake of all protein-dense supplements across the board.

“In particular, we’ve noticed a trend towards farmers adding canola meal to their feeding regime. Since we started offering it to farmers in October last year, interest has far exceeded our expectations,” Calcinai says.

“Farmers are really starting to understand the benefits canola meal can provide, particularly the high levels of both crude and bypass protein, its ME and its unique amino acid profile, which is ideally suited to lactating dairy cows.

“It’s also non-GM so it can used on farms where non-GM feeds are required, and trials¹ have proven its ability to increase milk production.”

Calcinai says canola

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meal being used across a number of feeding systems.

From bulk on a feed pad to blended with other proteins and fed in bins, or added to in-shed customised blends, farmers are tailoring its use to help meet the nutrient levels required to achieve production targets.

Huntly farmers Phil and Sara Bryan have this season been incorporating canola meal into the blends their herds consume every day, either from feed bins or in-shed feeders.

The Bryan’s run two farms at Orini near Huntly, where they live with their three children.

The lease block milks 150 cows. It is run by a farm manager and overseen

by Phil and Sara. On the couple’s home farm, they 50/50 sharemilk 250 cows.

Average production across both herds has reached 500 kgMS per season. Phil says good feed planning means they have managed to protect their business from seasonal challenges.

“We run a really

simple operation at both farms and we have been impressed with how well canola meal has worked for us. We’ve been using it for five years on and off. You can buy in a lot and introduce it to your herd slowly. It’s also really easy to blend it with other products you’re using.”

Phil mixes his canola meal with palm kernel expeller (PKE), tapioca or pellets he is feeding his herd, depending on how grass growth is looking on both farms.

Phil says canola meal has been an economical addition to his feeding regime at a time when feed costs are rising on the back of high commodity prices.

“In the summer months it gets drier, but we have found the canola keeps the cows ticking along and maintaining their production, so it’s definitely worth the investment. Based on our experience, I think it helps to reduce heat stress too, which is not only good for milk production, but also for the health of our herd.”

KEEPING COSTS, AVAILABILITY IN CHECK DUE TO global supply and demand, farmers are facing sky-rocketing costs from feed to fertiliser.

Compared to other high protein feeds, Daniel Calcinai says the price of canola meal has not lifted to the same extent.

“Canola meal on one of the lowest cost protein meals, on a cost per unit of protein basis.

“At the same time, it provides more benefits from the higher levels of bypass protein and favourable amino acid profile.”

Calcinai says that sourcing canola meal from Australia means global events, such as Covid and the war in the Ukraine, haven’t had a serious impact on the availability of the product.

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

24 // FEEDING OUT

Nutrient needs of cows at various stages of lactation DAIRY NUTRITION is

about understanding the nutrient requirements of dairy cows at various stages of lactation and combining various feed alternatives to meet those needs in a cost-effective manner.

The six major components of feed: water, carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals supply the animal with the water and nutrients needed for maintenance, milk production, reproduction, condition gain, activity, and growth.

Nutrition is monitored by body condition score information. Managing body condition score is all about managing your herd’s nutrition and lac-

tation programme. Condition scoring at critical times throughout the year lets you know if you need to consider changing herd nutrition or shortening lactation of some cows.

Effective management of body condition over the whole season improves herd reproductive performance, cow health and milksolids production.

Body condition scoring (BCS) is the assessment of the amount of fat covering the bones of a dairy cow, regardless of her body size. It involves assessing the amount of fat covering specific locations on the cow, such as around the head of the tail and over the back-

Managing body condition score is all about managing your herd’s nutrition and lactation programme.

bone, to determine how thin or fat the animal is.

A cow’s BCS provides a reasonably accurate measure of her energy reserves, and BCS targets at key stages of lactation have been identified to optimise dairy production systems. These targets are

based on research studies undertaken in New Zealand and internationally over the last 30 years.

Achieving target BCS at key critical times of the year is important to optimise milk production, reproduction, cow health and welfare.

Although there are significant physical differences between the common New Zealand dairy breeds, the same guidelines for BCS assessment can be applied to all breeds.

What can we use BCS for?

Managing body condition score is all about managing the herd’s nutrition and lactation programme.

Condition scoring at critical times throughout the year lets farmers know if they need to consider changing herd nutrition or shortening lactation of some cows.

Condition scoring information contributes to key decisions, such as: Determining future feed requirement (and feedback on historical strategy) Determining which cows to dry-off and when Explaining reproductive performance (condition at mating or BCS lost post-calving)

Once there is a system in place to measure body condition, then feed budgets, milking frequency and drying-off plans can be developed to achieve body condition targets while milksolids production targets are also met.

When to BCS the herd Regular condition scoring allows farmers to monitor nutritional trends and provide sufficient warning to take action.

The most important time to body condition score cows is during summer and autumn. This allows individual groups of cows to be managed differently to ensure BCS targets at calving are met.

• Article supplied by WelFarm Ltd

DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

FEEDING OUT // 25

Top marks for reliability BASED AT Waipu Northland, Coastal Contracting offers a broad range of services including cultivation and hedge trimming over a 40km radius, encompassing Mangawhai to the south and Whangarei to the north.

Initially only operating a few months of the year with a single tractor and machine, the business now operates year-round, employing full-time and seasonal part-time staff.

The nature of the business means that owner Matthew Sandford requires well made, reliable and productive tractors and machinery he can rely on.

Having purchased a Kubota M7152 Premium KVT with front linkage and PTO two and half years ago, brought on board to replace an older tractor, he has been delighted with the purchase.

“The one thing I would say about the Kubota M7152 is that it is a very surprising machine and while it doesn’t look like a lot, it has really blown me away,” says Sandford.

“As the business has grown, the Kubota tractor has become a machine that we can always rely on, has never broken down or seen us

forced to wait for parts or service support.”

Equipped with Kubota’s own 6.1-litre, four-cylinder engine, delivering 148hp with up to 20hp extra boost, is mated to a stepless, variable transmission delivering precise control between 0-50km/ h. The cab and front axle suspension offers adaptation over all types of terrain. “We really enjoy driving the Kubota, as it’s quiet and comfortable, while the excellent visibility makes it easier to drive, but is a great safety feature too,” says Matthew.

At the business end of the tractor, a closed centre, load sensing hydraulic system offer up to 110l/min hydraulic flow, lift capacity is over 5.3 tonnes, while the fourspeed PTO system delivers 120hp at the shaft.

Despite being initially purchased to replace one of the businesses smaller tractors, Matthew says the M7 certainly pulls its weight amongst the larger tractors, indeed taking on jobs that other tractors can’t do and completing them in record time.

“The M7152 is extremely versatile and can complete any job that my larger tractor does, whether that be driving double mowers, towing

the round combi-baler, medium square baler, seed drill or roadside mowing,” Sandford says.

“Kubota has done an excellent job in making their tractors economical without compromis-

ing their performance. I honestly can’t fault it – they’ve done it right and I haven’t had to go back to them about anything at all, so we’re now looking to buy another,” he says. www.kubota.co.nz

Matthew Sanford says the M7152 is extremely versatile and can complete any job that his larger tractor does like carrying medium square baler.

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DAIRY NEWS APRIL 19, 2022

26 // FEEDING OUT

Still time to undersow oats, Italian rye SHARON MORTON

CONTEMPLATING WHAT this year’s dry will

mean for your feed supply in late winter and early spring?

Undersow oats and/ or Italian ryegrass now, and you can create a bit of a safety net for calving if the effects of a tough season linger on through winter.

Our window for

sowing is closing fast as temperatures drop. But it’s not too late to quickly stitch in next season’s crop paddocks with oats, Italian ryegrass, or both.

Results will depend on the weather, and this

approach may not suit all farms.

The one thing we do know for certain, however, is that if the seed is not in the ground there’s no way it can grow!

If you don’t find your-

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THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG Visit hustlerequipment.com/loadmax

to see what’s under the surface.

Undersow oats and/or Italian ryegrass now, and you can create a bit of a safety net for calving.

self facing a feed pinch in late winter and early spring, extra cool-season growth from oats and Italian ryegrass will help restore depleted supplements.

If you do run short, that growth could be invaluable for calving.

Hattrick oats and Tabu+ Italian ryegrass both have the potential to deliver a bulk of quality, cool season feed, just when you might really need it.

The beauty of oats in a situation like this is that they will establish and grow at lower temperatures than ryegrass. Likewise, Tabu+ will out-grow perennial ryegrass in cool conditions.

But neither of them

contains anti-freeze! So if you are going to include this in your drought recovery plan, the sooner seed goes in the ground, the better.

Undersowing is fast, cost-effective and relatively easy. You can stitch in as little or as much as you want.

Doing so at this time of the year is not without risk. But leaving paddocks as they are in the hope they recover enough growth to get you through lambing and calving is risky, too.

You can hedge your bets by undersowing just a few paddocks.

• Sharon Morton is a pasture systems agronomist at Barenburg.

FEED AND BCS WHOLE HERD body condition score (BCS)

assessment is a powerful tool to assist proactive feed management during autumn and to sort mobs of cows for differential feeding during winter.

To manage calving BCS targets, the herd must be assessed in early March. There are a number of strategies managers can use to get every cow close to her ideal BCS at calving.

Early calving cows From early March, OAD milking and feeding milkers supplements are not effective ways to gain BCS in early-calving cows. To hit targets, cows need to be dried-off based on their individual BCS, their approximate calving date, and the amount of supplementary feed available for autumn feeding.

Late-calving cows For later-calving cows, OAD milking and supplementary feeds can form a part of the strategy for BCS management. But the time taken to gain the necessary BCS must be considered. Particular attention must be paid to R2s and heifers finishing their first lactation.

Check out our websites www.ruralnews.co.nz www.dairynews.co.nz hustlerequipment.com 0800 487 853