Dairy News 26 July 2022 by Rural News Group

FMD alert! PAGE 3

MILK-E WAY TRAINING TIME

Electric tanker unveiled PAGE 18

Making calving easy PAGE 21

JULY 26, 2022 ISSUE 499

www.dairynews.co.nz

NEW FEDS DAIRY CHAIR “I see my role and the role of the dairy section within Feds to advocate for and to lead change in a way and at a pace that brings everyone with us.”- Richard McIntyre PAGE 4

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

NEWS // 3

FMD alert! PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

Keep an eye on costs. PG.08

Ruralco’s got your back. PG.13

One-pass cultivating, sowing. PG.26

NEWS ��3-15 OPINION �� 16-17 AGRIBUSINESS ��18 MANAGEMENT �� 19-21 ANIMAL HEALTH ��22-23 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS �� 24-26

THE GOVERNMENT is tightening up its biosecurity settings following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Indonesia and also the recent discovery of viral FMD fragments on pork imported into Australia from China. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor says Biosecurity NZ will now use foot mats with disinfecting chemicals for people arriving from Indonesia to ensure their footwear is clean of the virus. O’Connor says it’s important that every New Zealander is vigilant and plays their part to protect New Zealand’s economic security. “I also strongly urge anyone who was in contact with livestock in Indonesia to stay away from farms and animals in NZ for one week. “We also ask if anyone sees their pigs, goats, alpacas, llamas, cattle, sheep or deer with symptoms including high fever, mouth and feet blisters or erosions and lameness, to call their veterinarian or MPI’s exotic pest and disease hotline (0800 80 99 66),” he says. Federated Farmers biosecurity spokesman Wayne Langford says alarm bells will be ringing in Australia following the discovery last week of dead FMD fragments in Melbourne. Langford told Dairy News that NZ farmers were in this with their Australian counterparts. “If Australia gets it, there will be severe consequences for NZ,” he says.

Langford says New Zealand farmers are rightly worried because “they know what effect FMD could have”. He urged farmers to be vigilant and ensure nobody arriving from Indonesia is allowed onto farms until they quarantine for seven to ten days. Meanwhile Biosecurity NZ, which comes under MPI, says it’s been in contact with the Australians about the viral fragments of FMD. MPI Deputy Director General Stuart Anderson says he’s been assured that what was found in the food was not live virus, but a trace viral fragment. He says viral fragments are not infectious and could not transfer live virus Federated Farmers biosecurity to another spokesman Wayne animal. Langford says alarm bells will be ringing He says in Australia. it’s not unusual for non- infectious viral fragments uncooked meat products. “Since FMD was found in Indoto be found in food. “There’s no indication that there nesia recently, we have stepped is a heightened risk to New Zea- up our work at the border to preland. We have among the strictest vent FMD arriving in New Zealand. import health standards and biose- Every passenger arrival card is examcurity settings in the world for pork ined and those from countries that and other meat products coming have FMD (including Indonesia) are directed to a different process into New Zealand,” he says. But Anderson says as an extra of questioning, baggage search and precaution MPI will undertake disinfection. “This means that should passenmarket surveillance to double check product available here is legally gers transit other airports, risks are still addressed,” he says. imported. Anderson says all mail prodHe also points out that travellers to NZ are not allowed to bring in ucts that come into NZ from Indo-

nesia are x-rayed and checked by dogs. He says quarantine officers are also checking all cargo containers coming from Indonesia. He says MPI is committed to constantly reassessing the multi-layered biosecurity settings as it has done in recent weeks with regard to FMD. “Those settings include risk assessments of all arrivals and cargo, 100 per cent screening of

all checked-in and cabin baggage, detector dogs and very strong import health standards,” he says. An outbreak of FMD in NZ would be the worst possible disaster for NZ, threatening all our meat exports worth billions of dollars. In the past there have been several FMD scares, one of the most notable on a pig farm near Temuka in the South Island in 1981. The disease was suspected and later it was found not to be FMD, but as a precaution all the pigs were slaughtered and cremated on the property.

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

4 // NEWS

New Feds dairy section chair backing ‘sensible change’ PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

NEWLY-ELECTED FEDERATED Farmers

dairy section chair Richard McIntyre describes his elevation to this new role as just a continuation of his journey in advocacy. He takes over from Wayne Langford, who was elected as Feds vice president at the farmer lobby’s annual meeting earlier this month. Until he took on the role of chair, McIntyre had been its vice chair and before that the chair of the Feds sharemilker section. McIntyre and his wife Emma are sharemilkers on a dairy farm just

north of the Horowhenua township of Levin. He told Dairy News his journey in the Federated Farmers started nine years ago when he took on the role of chairing the Manawatū/Rangitikei sharemilkers section and says he’s now looking forward to his new role which he says will give him an opportunity to put forward some of his own ideas. McIntyre says there’s a lot of discussion around the changes taking place in the dairy industry and there are many farmers who are uncomfortable about some of what is taking place. But he says change is a feature of the evolution of the dairy

New Feds dairy chair Richard McIntyre believes the form and speed of change must bring everyone along.

industry which has been driven by farmers and largely supported by society. He says the change

has occurred because of the need to feed the global population as well as support the NZ econ-

omy. “But we are now in an era when greater change is being demanded by society. “I see my role and the role of the dairy section within Feds to advocate for and to lead this change in a way and at a pace that brings everyone with us. “So this about selecting the correct direction in the first place, but then ensuring that the form and speed of that change brings everyone along. “I think there is danger at the moment with some

of the policy that is out there and the way it is being implemented is going to make it hard for some farmers to come on the journey. My goal is about advocating for sensible change,” he says. One of the big issues McIntyre says the dairy industry has to solve is attracting more people to work on farm. He says when he was just out of school and looking for a job he was attracted to the dairy industry because he saw it in an altruistic light – the chance to work in a

sector that helped feed the world. He saw working in the dairy industry as an opportunity to make a positive contribution to society. But McIntyre says today some of the narrative around the dairy industry is negative, with claims that it is contributing to climate change and the degradation of waterways. He says such comments can even get the best dairy farmers down. “I was at the Dairy Industry Awards some months ago and a government minister came up to me and said, ‘we don’t say this enough, but thank you so much for what you do’. “That was really nice, but I wish it was said more often.” McIntyre says as well as encouraging more New Zealanders to go farming, there is a need for the Government to change the immigration settings. He says such is the competition for staff, that when you hire someone, you are effectively stealing them from someone in your industry or someone in another sector.

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MOST FEDERATED Farmers board members are established farmers who own their farms but Richard McIntyre is an exception to that. He and his wife Emma are sharemilkers on a 200 hectare property on state highway one, just north of Levin. They milk 450 cows, rear 600 calves and raise beef on a block they lease nearby. Their herd calves twice a year. They have been sharemilking for 14 years and are working towards buying their own farm in the future. They employ three staff and McIntyre says growing the business to the point when they could employ staff was part of a de-risking strategy. “We wanted to add a bit of diversification so if the milk price was low we had other income streams from the calf rearing and beef side of it. It was about having others around so that if I got sick or if a single staff member left, I had cover for such eventualities,” he says McIntyre is a strong advocate of the sharemilking system and

is confident that the system will survive despite the many changes taking place in the dairy industry. He says it offers an excellent pathway to farm ownership and also benefits farm owners who take on sharemilkers. He says, by leasing the farm out, owners are relieved of having to deal with some of the changes taking place that impact on farming operations. With his new role, McIntyre will have to take some time away from the farm. In this regard he says he’s very grateful for the support and understanding of the farm owners, Brian and Wendy Klisby. He says they see the value in the work and advocacy he is doing on behalf of other farmers and have been supportive of his new role. “What I hope to achieve as chair of the dairy section, during this period of rapid change, is advocating for the pace of change to be such that all farmers can effectively manage their way through it and that the industry remains profitable for individual farmers and the country.”

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

NEWS // 5

‘Don’t worry too much about price swings’ SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FOCUS ON market fundamentals and not the fortnightly Global Dairy Trade (GDT) moves, says ASB economist Nat Keall. He says last week’s GDT results, which saw prices drop, was “not a particularly surprising result”. Futures pricing ahead of the auction was pointing towards a bigger drop. “The price decline was actually a little less marked than we had anticipated,” he says. A 5.6% fall in whole milk powder (WMP) and an 8.6% fall in skim milk powder (SMP) drove the overall GDT price index down 5%, with fats falling by a smaller margin. Keall says the New Zealand spring looms as the next key inflection point for the season. “So we are not stressing too much about auction-to-auction swings in pricing,” he says. The bank is retaining its forecast milk price of $10/kgMS for Fonterra farmers. Keall notes that there’s little doubt that dairy prices are under pressure in the near term, with buyers a bit more hesitant than during some of the spicier auctions earlier in the year. “But last season followed a similar trajectory with buyers cautiously on-hold over the winter before normal service resumed when it became clear global production was still stuck in a rut. “That’s no guarantee the same will happen this season, but it’s a good reason to be focusing on the market fundamentals at this point in the

season, and not only the fortnightly auction moves.” He adds that the picture at last week’s auction was also complicated by Fonterra increasing the supply of product on offer. “On that front, we’re still focused on the supply fundamentals, which are extremely tight. “EU milk collections for May – usually the peak milk production month – were exceedingly weak and decelerated further with the ongoing energy crisis, drought, rising input costs and other unfavourable on-farm economic headwinds weighing. “Recent downward pressures on energy and grain prices will offer some relief for dairy farmers in the future, but global dairy production is a large tanker to turn around and the starting point for supply is weak.” Keall points out that the poor first half of the year in the EU means there is 325,000 tonnes less milk floating about from the world’s largest exporter. “We are tentatively optimistic that NZ milk production this season will be better than the last, but it’s unlikely to be sufficient to offer much of an offset, particularly if the weather doesn’t play ball – downpours have been heavy, pasture cover isn’t and farmers have burnt through feed supplies during earlier drought conditions. “Suffice to say we find it hard to see global dairy prices losing too much ground in this sort of environment and expect them to find support as the season progresses.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Skim milk powder prices dropped 8.6% in last week’s Global Dairy Trade auction.

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

6 // NEWS

Unrest in Sri Lanka limits operations SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA IS operat-

ing at a limited capacity in Sri Lanka as that country grapples with unrest and

serious economic challenges. The co-operative’s chief executive officer for Asia-Pacific Judith Swales says the focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of its people and their

families. “We are continuing operations, albeit at limited capacity, and doing our best to make food nutrition available. “Even in difficult times, our Sri Lanka team continues to amaze

and get new products to market. “Just the other week they launched a new innovation – a tea blend 3 in 1 – as an accessible nutrition solution for our consumers and customers.”

Fonterra says it is operating in a limited capacity in the key Sri Lankan market.

TO ALL FARMERS. FOR ALL FARMERS. www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz

Fonterra employs around 600 people in Sri Lanka, a key consumer and foodservice market. Fonterra has a manufacturing facility where it processes milk from Sri Lankan farmers, supplying dairy to Sri Lanka and surrounding countries. Its brands are well recognised with Ratthis and Anchor the number one and two dairy brands in the country. Sri Lanka descended into turmoil after its 22 million population couldn’t access basic food items, fuel and medicines. People took to the streets,

forcing the President to flee the country. Swales believes that as a resilient nation Sri Lanka will come out of its challenges. “In the meantime, we will continue our care for our people and their families and keep the business running so that nutritious dairy is available.” Historically it has been a good performing market for the co-op. It is a dairy consuming nation, whether that be milk powders for tea and dessert or yoghurts and drinking milks.

Bolger to chair DCANZ UNIVERSITY OF Waikato academic Matt Bolger

RURAL NEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

HORTNEWS

(pictured above) has been appointed new chairman of Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ). He takes over next month from Malcolm Bailey, who has served in the role since 2008. DCANZ provides an important mechanism for dairy manufacturing and exporting companies to work together and speak with one voice on pre-competitive matters of importance to the New Zealand dairy industry. DCANZ says Bolger will bring an important independent perspective and deep knowledge of the New Zealand and global dairy industry to the role. He is the current Pro Vice Chancellor of the Waikato Management School at the University of Waikato and held a variety of New Zealand and internationally based roles with Fonterra between 20022020.

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

NEWS // 7

Winter impacts farm sales FARM SALES are dropping but the rural real estate market remains reasonably solid, according to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (REINZ). Data released last week shows there were 81 fewer farm sales (-20.0%) for the three months ended June 2022 than for the three months ended June 2021. Overall, there were 325 farm sales in the three months ended June 2022, compared to 412 farm sales for the three months ended May 2022 (-21.1%), and 406 farm sales for the three months ended June 2021. In the year to June 2022 1,659 farms were sold, 220 fewer than in the year to June 2021, with 9.5% more dairy farms, 32.8% fewer dairy support, 21.7% fewer grazing farms, 10.2% fewer

The onset of winter and the changeover date for dairy farms traditionally impacts total sales volumes.

finishing farms and 12.7% fewer arable farms sold over the same period. The median price/ha for all farms sold in the three months to June 2022 was $28,040 compared to $27,180 recorded for three months ended June 2021 (+3.2%). The median price per hectare

decreased 6% compared to May 2022. The REINZ All Farm Price Index increased 0.1% in the three months to June 2022 compared to the three months to May 2022. Compared to the three months ending June 2021 the REINZ All Farm Price Index increased

28.9%. The REINZ All Farm Price Index adjusts for differences in farm size, location, and farming type, unlike the median price per hectare, which does not adjust for these factors. Four regions recorded an increase in the number of farm sales for the three

months ended June 2022 compared to the three months ended June 2021, with the most notable being Southland (+8 sales) and ManawatuWhanganui (+5 sales). Northland (-19 sales) and Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay (-18 sales) recorded the biggest decreases in sales.

Compared to the three months ended May 2022, one region recorded an increase in sales, the most notable being Auckland (+1 sale). REINZ rural spokesman Brian Peacocke notes that as is the normal pattern for this time of the year, the onset of winter and the changeover date for dairy farms traditionally impacts total sales volumes throughout the country. “Interestingly enough, the result for the threemonth period ending June 2022 (325 sales) reflects a decrease of 17.5% from the three-month period ending June 2021 (406 sales 12 months ago), whereas the most recent result for June 2022 (325 sales) compared to the same period ending June 2020 (255 sales 2 years ago) reflects an increase

of 21.5%, so the current result still reflects a reasonably solid market,” he says. “Dairy farm sales are down 20% from the equivalent period 12 months ago, but double the number achieved for the June quarter in 2020, two years ago. “By comparison, sales numbers of finishing units for the June quarter just finished compared to the June quarter 12 months ago are similar but have actually increased by 62% from the volumes achieved two years ago. That reflects a substantial lift last year which is being maintained this year. “Sales of grazing blocks reflect a 30% decrease for the comparable period 12 months ago, but a gain of 27.5% compared to two years ago.”

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

8 // NEWS

Profit up but keep an eye on costs PAM TIPA

FARM PROFITABILITY should be healthy for

2021-22 and for the current season – but farm-

ers will need to keep a close eye on input costs, says an AgFirst report for Waikato and Bay of Plenty dairy farms. Despite the rapid rise in costs, the higher pay-

outs result in healthy cash surpluses for the season just past, and for the coming year. “While this is positive, the rise in the breakeven payout to over $8/kgMS

does not augur well if the payout starts to drop,” says the report. “The full impact of these increased costs are expected to manifest over the 2022/23 season, along

AgFirst Waikato managing director James Allen says profit has soared due to the high payout and in spite of some cost increases.

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with an expectation of further increases, particularly in interest rates.” The report is based on a financial survey of dairy farms across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions and modelling work carried out by AgFirst through June 2022. AgFirst Waikato managing director James Allen told Dairy News there has been some excellent profitability due to the high payout and that is in spite of some cost increases. “But certainly looking to the year ahead there are more (cost) increases to come. “The warning on the horizon is to make sure the costs are controlled as much as they can be,” Allen says. “We can’t control a lot of the costs but we can control how efficient we are. That means being as efficient as we can in our feed costs and our fertiliser costs and making sure we are getting best bang for buck. “The other thing that is starting to creep in is interest costs. We are starting to see quite a lift in interest rates as well. The full effect of that won’t be felt until this year. “So that’s another warning. “Another is your taxation planning. We have seen a few farmers caught out by some quite hefty tax payments in the last few months. If farmers haven’t really caught up with their accountants to understand their tax requirements it would be quite timely to do so.” The AgFirst report says currently farmers are budgeting for a 2% increase (over the 2021/22 level) in milksolids production for 2022/23. The 2021/22 payout is $9.30/kgMS and the expected 2022/23 payout is $9.50/kgMS. “The positive profitability has seen/will see

increased expenditure on debt reduction, capital expenditure, and personal drawings,” the report says. “Farmer morale is variable. While pleased with the good payout and profitability, there are a range of concerns around costs, interest rates, labour, and environmental issues, that represent dark clouds on the horizon.” While the 2021/22 season started well, a prolonged dry spell over summer and early autumn saw the Waikato declared in drought and overall milk production drop 4%. Heading into the 2022/23 season, most farms are only in an “average” position; pasture covers are 1,650 – 1,800 kgDM/ha whereas the target is 2,000 kgDM/ ha, cow condition is below target levels, and supplementary feed inventories are low. The Waikato/Bay of Plenty Dairy Model represents about 3,900 dairy farms across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions model and is created from information drawn from 25 surveyed dairy farms and a cross section of agribusiness representatives. The model is a seasonal supply farm based on an average property of 133ha, milking 368 cows and producing around 135,000 - 145,000 kgMS in a normal season. Modelling for a typical Waikato/Bay of Plenty farm shows net cash income increases by 21% for 2021/22 compared with 2020/21, largely driven by milksolids returns. The 4% reduction in milksolids is more than offset by the lift in the payout, with the 2021/22 payout improving by 18% compared with 2020/21. Farm working expenses increased in 2021/22 by 16% compared with 2020/21.

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

NEWS // 9

CALF HEALTH KNOW-HOW WORTH KNOWING

Videos, fact-sheets and more, all geared to help farmers to be at the top of their game.

Agrecovery chief executive Tony Wilson (right) and Plasback commercial manager Neal Shaw celebrate the deal.

Agrecovery, Plasback join forces on plastics THE TWO main plastic collection programmes in New Zealand’s primary sector – Agrecovery and Plasback – have agreed to work together. The two organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding, joining forces to provide the most efficient and cost-effective means to collect and recycle used farm plastic. Agrecovery chief executive Tony Wilson says the focus is on finding the best ways to meet the needs of primary producers. “Agrecovery and Plasback have different and complementary strengths and areas of expertise. By working together we will target our future investments to take farm plastic recycling to the next level.” Both companies have been collecting and facilitating the recycling of farm plastic in New Zealand for more than 15 years. Both are accredited voluntary product stewardship schemes under the Waste Minimisation Act. Plasback commercial manager Neal Shaw says his company has developed an on-farm collection service for silage wrap and pit covers, while Agrecovery has established a nation-wide drop-off service to recycle agrichemical containers and large drum. “Now our aim is to develop a service that can collect all agricultural and horticultural plastics for recycling. “Tony and I both get calls every day from farmers and growers who want to do the right thing with their used plastic. Going forward, we will work together to take that problem off their hands,” Shaw says.

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Agrecovery and Plasback have have joined forces to collect and recycle used farm plastic.

The two organisations have made the decision to cooperate at a time when the Government has announced its intention to establish a mandatory, industry-wide product stewardship scheme for farm plastics. The anticipated go-live date for the regulated scheme is July 2024. The proposed product stewardship scheme will include an up-front stewardship fee on designated farm plastic products, including packaging. A wider scheme for consumer goods packaging is also being designed. Agrecovery and Plasback are working with the Ministry to come up with a scheme that costs industry as little as possible but is still comprehensive enough to collect, process and ship all used farm plastic to domestic and overseas recyclers. Currently farmers and growers

must deal with some plastics that they can neither drop off nor have collected. Shaw says this is because the businesses that supply those products are not contributing to the cost of recycling. “Some companies are working with Plasback and Agrecovery to cover the costs of disposing of their waste responsibly, but others are not. The door is open to everyone in the industry to work with us to improve the service we provide primary producers,” he says. “Ultimately it is New Zealand agriculture as a whole that will benefit from responsible product stewardship. If Kiwi farmers and growers are to attract top dollar for their commodities in the global economy, they will have to prove they farm sustainably.”

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

NEWS // 11

Optimising returns LAST MONTH, in

response to some pretty scary price rises, I wrote about the need to control costs. After reading the article a reader pointed out to me that I only addressed one side of the profit equation. And they were right. Profit is income minus costs. By focusing on things we can do to minimise cost, I had neglected to point out ways in which a farmer can optimise their income from feeding maize. While it is essential to keep costs under control, it is equally important to optimise income. In the case of a farmer feeding maize, income is defined as the milk response per kilogram of drymatter fed, multiplied

Milk response can be divided into an immediate response and a system response (long term). The immediate response is selfexplanatory; a cow is offered more feed and produces more milk. The system response is a lot more complicated. by the milk price ($/ kgMS). Milk Price It was once said that farmers have very little control over the price they get for their milk. Fonterra’s Cooperative Difference or Synlait’s “Lead with Pride” schemes incentivise farmers to make changes on their farm to optimise the price they receive per kgMS. Other processors (e.g. Open Country Dairy) incentivise farmers to

produce milk outside the peak milk volumes (e.g. shoulder and winter milk). For all these systems, maize silage is an important part of the farmers’ toolbox as it allows them to fill pasture supply deficits with home grown feed. Milk response Milk response is defined as the amount of milk you get (in grams)

per kilogram of drymatter fed (gMS/kgDM). Milk response can be divided into an immediate response and a system response (long term). The immediate response is self-explanatory; a cow is offered more feed and produces more milk. The system response is a lot more complicated. For example, a cow is offered some maize silage but

in so doing, she leaves some pasture behind. This is called substitution. The pasture left behind can either be wasted or carried forward and eaten later. If it is wasted, negative substitution is said to have occurred. If it is carried forward and eaten later, positive substitution has occurred and generates a system response to the additional maize silage. The type (immediate or system response) and size of the milk response is determined by feed quality, feed quantity and the stage of lactation when the extra feed is offered. A good example of this is feeding maize silage on a feed pad in autumn. Theoretically, an extra 1kgDM of maize silage should produce 124 gMS/kgDM1.. However,

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if the cow leaves behind (substitutes) 0.5kgDM of pasture, then the immediate response rate is effectively halved to 62 gMS/kgDM. If pasture left behind is wasted, then only an immediate response is realised. If, however, the pasture that has been substituted results in the farmer milking longer into autumn, achieving body condition targets at calving and achieving pasture cover targets (and potentially growing more), the total response can be as high as 180 gMS/kgDM. The ways to achieve high responses to feeding maize silage are: ■ Don’t waste pasture that has been substituted ■ Feed high quality maize silage

Use maize silage to fill feed gaps and keep as many cows milking for as long as possible ■ Use maize silage to achieve body condition score targets at calving ■ Use maize to manage winter pasture cover to ensure target pasture covers at calving ■ Grow maize silage on the milking platform to transfer excess drymatter from spring to autumn For further information as to how you can optimise the milk response to your maize silage, feel free to contact one of the team at pioneer.co.nz. • Ian Williams is Pioneer forage specialist. Contact him at iwillliams@genetic. co.nz ■

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

12 // NEWS

$40m butter plant for Westland PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A UNIQUE gold rush started last week with the official opening of the new $40 million butter plant at the Chineseowned Westland Milk Products plant on the West Coast. The plant has already been operating for about eight months, but the official opening by Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor was delayed because of the Covid pandemic. The new plant doubles the capacity of its butter facility enabling it to produce up to 42,000 tonnes a year. O’Connor told those at the opening that the investment in the butter plant represented real value for the future of the dairy industry on the

West Coast. He says it’s great to see this continued investment by Westland Milk Products. Westland chief executive Richard Wyeth says the original butter plant built in 1973 has made way for a purpose-built facility that will double its capacity of small-format butter pats with modern, state-of-the-art machinery that still holds true to tradition. The new butter churns were built by the German food and technology company GER and, according to Wyeth, it is world class equipment which still uses traditional churn methods. Work on installing the new butter plant began at the end of last season, which Wyeth says was challenging. “We had to stop production in the old plant, take it all out and then

The new plant will produce a range of butter packs from 180g up to 1kg blocks.

shoehorn the new plant into the old building. This building required earthquake strengthening and some asbestos to be removed, so it was a really complicated project putting new plant into

old buildings in just four months.” Wyeth says building the new butter plant was a significant capital investment on behalf of Westland owners, Yili, but without it Westland could

not have continued to add the value that it needed to in order to be successful. “Installing the new butter plant was fundamental to us delivering a good result going forward,” he says. And deliver it has, with

the company posting a profit for the first half of the financial year – a $40 million improvement over the same period last year and the company’s strongest first-half-year result in seven years. Wyeth says that’s a $14 million improvement on last year. The new plant incorporates some new technologies, especially in the packing area. It is now producing a range of butter packs from 180g up to 1kg blocks. These are being sold on the NZ market but also being exported to Australia and the US. “We have no intention of taking our foot off the accelerator as we continue to execute our five-year business strategy,” says Wyeth. “The progress we have achieved one year into the plan has been fantastic. It’s a result

that everyone involved with Westland should be extremely proud of.” Wyeth praised the work that Westland’s original staff contributed towards the heritage of the company as well as the efforts of his current team. He also praised suppliers and partners for helping turn around the company’s performance in the first half of the financial year. “The team has really worked hard to deliver not only a great outcome in this facility, but across the business to drive the Westgold brand into new markets. We acknowledge their work, and the work of everyone across the business who has worked with Westland since the butter plant was first built in 1973,” he says. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

BEATING LOGISTICAL ROADBLOCKS OVER THE last three years almost

every industry has faced upheaval. As Covid disrupted lives, a succession of dominos toppled, starting with the global workforce. With workers down, every link of every supply chain was affected. Keith Arnold, national operations manager at GrainCorp Feeds, coordinates the importing and distribution of a range of supplementary feed to New Zealand dairy farmers. Upon arrival, these products must

then be transported to liquid and dry storage facilities dotted around New Zealand, located to service each region. From these storage facilities, Arnold must ensure that some products are dispatched as they are, while others are blended to the requirements of individual farmers. Once blended, these customised feeds must then be transported to farmers. That’s a lot of moving parts. To say that Arnold’s job is now

more difficult is an understatement. Far from perplexed, he’s loving the challenge. “I’m a natural problem-solver, so I’m like a pig in mud when there’s a puzzle to be solved. Not everyone likes handling lots of moving parts, but I actually need it.” Because the company sells products from both locally and around the globe, synchronising the arrival of these ingredients is a supply-chain challenge. There are bulk liquid tank-

ers to manage, bulk dry ships carrying dry feed, and container ships carrying bulk feeds and additives. With so many links, it is inevitable that there will be challenges. With production deadlines here in New Zealand, it is tempting to reach for whatever quick fix will get the job done. But even when a rapid intervention is required, Arnold is always mindful of the future consequences. “I always ask this question: If we

take this logistical action now, how will it affect our ability to supply farmers in the future? I’ve seen quick fixes lead to bad ramifications down the track, and those consequences are often relational. “If you manage to get products supplied today, but do it by burning the relationships you’ll need tomorrow, what have you gained?” “That’s why I tell my team to let me know if there are any issues putting strain on our key supply chains.”

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

NEWS // 13

Ruralco’s got your back! mary sector, both in New Zealand and internationally. “The business of farming has not stopped and the rest of the world has continued looking for protein and food.” Sharkie says that while there have been good commodity prices, there

JESSICA MARSHALL jessica@ruralnews.co.nz

RURAL TRADER

Ruralco has launched a new campaign, recognising and appreciating the farming sector. The co-operative’s chief executive Rob Sharkie says the campaign, launched at Ruralco’s Instore Days earlier this month, will run for at least a year and possibly longer. “Our hope is that by providing awareness and momentum the campaign will grow to have legs of its own in the future,” Sharkie told Dairy News. He says the initial response has been positive so far, with anecdotal feedback showing farmers and suppliers see great value in the campaign. “We have already had both farmers and suppliers asking how they can be involved.” Sharkie says the campaign came about as a response to farmer surveys which showed that farmers wanted a voice of advocacy to share the good news stories and

Ruralco chair Jessie Chan and chief executive Rob Sharkie.

positivity of the farmers sector. “We share these ideals and understand our shareholders expectation of Ruralco as a co-operative is that the business they own, supports them too.” He says the deluge of regulations from the Gov-

ernment is a major concern for farmers. “It is concerning that the designers of regulations are often not farmers or those who have a clear understanding of the practicalities of farming and this is causing some angst for farmers. Often

regulations are not well thought through regarding the implications or the applications of what’s being proposed.” He says we have to be careful not to lose a generation of farmers due to this onslaught of regulations which alienate and

have the potential to push the next generation out of farming. “We don’t want it to be too hard for our farmers’ sons and daughters and see a return to what happened in the 1980s.” He says Covid proved the importance of the pri-

FONTERRA DIRECTOR TO STEP DOWN FONTERRA DIRECTOR Donna Smit is

retiring after serving six years on the board. The Bay of Plenty farmer was first elected to the board in 2016. Smit will also step down from her role as a Fonterra appointed director of FSF Management Company Limited, manager of the Fonterra Shareholders’ Fund. Smit says she has been honoured to serve her fellow farmer shareholders for the past six years and thanked farmers for their support. “I’m proud of the progress we have made as a board over the past six years and my contribution as part of that team. “While there’s always more that can be done, I believe the co-op is in a relative position of strength compared to when I joined the board. “It’s the right time to support another farmer to come through and make a contribution to our great co-op. “We have an incredible pool of diverse leaders within our farmer base, and I’d encourage them to consider putting themselves forward.” Fonterra Chairman Peter McBride thanked Smit for her contribution through a period of significant change for the co-op.

Donna Smit.

“Donna has been a valued member of our board at a critical juncture for the co-op as we have overseen the reset of the co-op’s culture, long-term strategy, governance and risk settings, and our capital structure.”

Another sitting farmer director, Andy Macfarlane’s current three-year term also ends in November; he has decided to stand again. Nominations for Fonterra’s director elections open on 5 August.

have also been price increases which have affected the cost structure. “That’s why it is important farmers are paid at market rates – it’s all about market demand.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

14 // WORLD NEWS

Dutch companies launch pilot to reduce nitrogen emissions THREE MAJOR Dutch agribusinesses are joining forces to reduce nitrogen emissions at dairy farms. Farmer owned dairy co-op, FrieslandCampina, Rabobank and Lely have formed a partnership for the installation of 96 Lely Spheres, spread across all Dutch provinces. The Lely Sphere is an installation that reduces nitrogen emissions by up to 70% in the barn of a dairy farm. The three parties hope that after this pilot project the concept will be applied on a broader scale in the sector. The Lely Sphere is a circular barn system that separates solid manure and urine and converts nitrogen emissions into valuable fertiliser. These

can be reused by the farmer for precision fertilisation on the land. In this way a more closed mineral cycle is achieved, the use of artificial fertiliser decreases and the climate in the barn improves. Recent scientific reports show that with the Lely Sphere, ammonia emissions are reduced by up to 70% in the barn. With this partnership FrieslandCampina, Rabobank and Lely want to make the investment in a Lely Sphere accessible for farmers. FrieslandCampina will provide a financial contribution to the farms, Lely gives a discount on the purchase of the system and Rabobank offers a loan with advantageous conditions.

The parties say they trust that this initiative will also encourage regional and national authorities to take initiatives to stimulate sustainable agriculture through innovation, and to make the necessary financial resources available. FrieslandCampina chief executive Hein Schumacher says the co-op always looks at how it can contribute to making the sector more sustainable through technology. “With the Lely Sphere we achieve an immediate and proven nitrogen reduction,” Schumacher says. “We believe that this is a more sustainable and future-proof solution for the Netherlands

Lely Sphere claims to reduce nitrogen emissions by 70%.

than an expensive buy-out scheme. “With this we want to encourage the government to take on this approach and invest in farmers who want to

make their farm management more sustainable.” Lely chief executive André van Troost says, together with FrieslandCampina and Rabobank, they want to

contribute to alternatives for the current government plans regarding the national nitrogen challenge. “Instead of reducing livestock and compensating dairy farmers for this, we believe in investing in research and technical innovations to stimulate circular livestock farming and make agriculture more sustainable. “With this partnership we make the investment in the Lely Sphere more accessible for farmers, enabling them to work towards a sustainable future for their business.” Rabobank deputy director Food & Agri Martine Boon says that innovation is important for farmers, in order to

become more sustainable and to continue farming. “This initiative is not only a great collaboration but also one of the solutions to the current nitrogen problem. “Rabobank is happy to contribute to this, in this case, by offering an interest rebate and a grace period for the farmer. This gives them more financial space to become more sustainable.” Farmers can now sign up to participate in the programme. The cooperating partners expect to install the first Lely Sphere’s after the European summer. Early next year, the results of the pilot will be evaluated. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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WORLD NEWS // 15

Yili opens ‘Dairy Silicon Valley’ CHINESE DAIRY giant Yili has launched a multibillion dollar industrial park in Hohhot, China. Dubbed the ‘dairy silicon valley’, the Global Smart Manufacturing Industrial Park of Yili Future Intelligence and Health Valley aims to serve as a global dairy hub. With a total investment of over $1.2 billion, the park has four projects underway: a liquid milk production base, a milk powder production base, the Chilechuan Ecological Intelligent Pasture and the Yili Intelligent Manufacturing Experience Center. Yili says the industrial park applies world-class equipment and takes full advantage of leading technologies such as artificial intelligence. It claims the benchmarking production bases for liquid milk, infant formula and cheese at the park represent the world’s largest scale of their kind, employing high levels of automation and digitisation. The park is also home to six national platforms, including the National Center of Technology Innovation for Dairy and the National Metrology and Testing Center for Dairy Products. Yili says the development of this industrial cluster is expected to boost regional economic growth and accelerate the

growth of global health industries. The liquid milk production base covers an area of about 950mu (equivalent to the field of play area of 89 FIFA World Cup stadiums) and employs world-leading digital equipment that can ensure unmanned, transparent, efficient and traceable production processes. It can process 6,500 tons of fresh milk per day, which can meet a megacity’s daily demand. The milk powder production base has an annual production capacity of 60,000 tons, which can feed 1.28 million infants per year. Yili say, as the world’s largest infant formula production base, the park leads the industry in introducing the Intelligent Building Management System (IBMS), the Facility Management and Control System (FMCS) and applies a variety of cutting-edge interactive technologies. Chilechuan Ecological Intelligent Pasture, a supporting farm for the park, occupies an area of 11,250mu and has received a total investment of $169m. The park also houses the world’s first 5D cinema, for industrial tours. “This enables them to learn more about state-ofthe-art dairy production models and the entire lifecycle of milk production.

IN BRIEF Oz farmers study N usage AUSTRALIAN DAIRY farmers are backing a new five-year research project looking into reducing the reliance on nitrogen fertilisers used in pasture production. The High Integrity Grass-fed Herds (HIGH) project identifies positive outcomes for pasturebased dairy farms by reducing synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use and improving milk production efficiency from low-cost grazed pasture systems. Other elements of the project are focused on adding economic value for non-replacement dairy cows, as well as the enhancement and development of people and skills. The project has seen the construction of a purpose-built dairy at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture’s Dairy Research Facility at Elliott in north west Tasmania and the establishment of four new farmlets (or mini farms), to research strategies for reducing reliance on synthetic fertiliser and its impacts under real farm conditions.

“[The park] is expected to create direct and indirect employment opportunities for more than 350,000 people and attract a total of one million people to live in

The Yili industrial park in Hohhot, China includes a milk powder and liquid milk production facilities.

the region.” Yili owns two manufacturing sites in New Zealand – Westland Milk in Hokitika and Oceania Dairy in South Canterbury.

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

16 // OPINION RUMINATING

EDITORIAL

Be daring, ask tough questions

MILKING IT... Crisis move WHEN THREE senior Government ministers issue a media release on a Sunday afternoon extending cost of living support, eyebrows are rightly raised. So, when Grant Robertson (Finance), Megan Woods (Energy) and Michael Wood (Transport) recently announced “significant additional support”, they knew something we didn’t. Sure enough, the next day, Stats NZ released its quarterly Consumer Price Index for the three months to June and it wasn’t happy reading. The cost of living crisis is getting worse as inflation hits 7.3%, the highest increase since 1990. The increase was largely driven by rising rents and construction costs. Let’s hope the next quarterly Consumer Price Index contains less doom and gloom.

Thieves use air power SURGING CRIME in New Zealand isn’t confined to Auckland surburbs, it seems. And thieves targeting farmers are becoming sophisticated and using latest technology to study their targets. A South Canterbury farmer revealed last week that his neighbour had all the gates stolen off a farm fence he just recently replaced. The theft happened on Sunday night, 24 hours after a drone flew over the area. The farmer says thieves are using drones to see what they can steal, observe vehicle and people movement and also keep a lookout while a burglary is in progress.

Heat wave THE HEAT wave that hit Europe last week has forced a rethink among UK dairy farmers who normally graze their cows outdoors in summer. There has been a drive to ensure that as much of the UK dairy herd as possible grazes outdoors in summer. But the industry is slowly waking up to the fact that being out on grass is not always a good thing, says Tom Chamberlain, a vet and farming consultant. Chamberlain is working with farmers who are trialling the practice of bringing their cows indoors during the daytime. He says that cows start to suffer once the temperature goes above 20˚C. “A cow in 25C heat feels like we would in 40˚C,” says Ed Bailey at George Farm Vets in Wiltshire. “They are very sensitive to heat because of the fermentation tank inside their bodies – it constantly produces a lot of heat.” The heatwave also forced French farmers to install huge fans to keep their cows cool as temperatures touched 40 degrees.

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Oat juice, not milk NEW ZEALAND’S best loved brand Whittakers has launched its first ‘plant-based’ chocolate but it hasn’t left a sweet taste in everyone’s mouth. The new ‘Oat Milk’ chocolate uses New Zealand oats. One Southland farmer challenged the chocolate maker to become the first to market the new product as being made from oat juice and not milk. “Oats are squeezed not milked; kind of up there with Champagne, Port and Feta. You guys are trend setters and innovative... go on, be the first!” Another said: “Love you Whittakers. But not interested in this one. It’s dairy milk for a reason.”

IN LESS than three months New Zealanders will vote in the local government election. With sweeping changes facing local government, and the very existence of some councils under threat, farmers are being urged to step up their interest in the election campaign this year. Federated Farmers has released its local government election platform. Unsurprisingly the Three Waters juggernaut features prominently. The rural roading network is also a crucial and often contentious area for farmers and their councils. Roading is by far the most important council activity for the farming community, and poor and deteriorating roads are one of the main concerns farmers have with the performance of their councils. Council rating is another big issue for farmers. Land and capital value rates tend to allocate a major share of the cost of council activities and services to a minor subset of the population – the owners of higher value property. The Feds say that its advocacy on behalf of farmers shows rates regularly above $20,000 for average farming units, many on poor local roads or state highways, and some distance from many rates funded facilities and services. This situation continues to worsen and is the biggest of all the stumbling blocks in terms of a positive relationship between councils and their farming communities. Farmers believe there are, however, effective and positive ways that the system of property value rates can be adjusted locally to balance the contributions made by farmers compared to other ratepayers. On Three Waters, Federated Farmers accepts the need for change to the way Three Waters infrastructure and services are delivered but remain unconvinced that the Government’s compulsory mega model is the way to go. There is too much uncertainty and too many unanswered questions. So, farmers are calling for rural leaders with commitment, practical common sense and energy to consider standing for election. It also wants all rural residents to put searching questions to those who would represent them in local government. The local Government election on October 8 provides rural dwellers a chance to be daring. Talk up core services, talk down wasteful, feel-good expenditure and big rates increases, and support farmers in these challenging times. As the Feds say, fight for the right of local communities, not Wellington, to decide on how their local democracy functions.

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

OPINION // 17

We can all do our bit BARBARA KURIGER

AN ESTIMATED 40%

of food produced globally each year is wasted — totalling 2.5 billion tonnes. New Zealand households account for more than 157,000 tonnes of it. July 8 marked the release of Food Waste: A Global and Local Problem, a report by the Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor. The first in a series of reports the OPMCSA will produce as part of a food waste project, it describes NZ’s wastage as ‘avoidable’ and explains why it’s such a huge problem — environmentally, socially and economically. For example, if food waste had been a country in 2011, it would have been the third biggest emitter behind China and the United States. While more data is needed to know how big the problem is in NZ, a national definition of just what food waste is, is being developed, along with a ‘wholeof-life’ approach to take into account for the environmental impacts from production, processing,

manufacturing, packing, transportation and storage to eventual cooking. The OPMCSA says it will also apply ‘circular-economy thinking’ to guide its project. This means moving away from the current take-makeuse-waste approach to a system where products and materials are kept in use for as long as possible and natural systems are regenerated. Future reports will also look at the diverse range of crucial stakeholders which have a role to play in combating food waste as well as the government

under control in New Zealand is going to be a huge task, but a necessary one, if we are to reduce our greenhouse gases. And we all need to do our bit. • Barbara Kuriger is National’s spokesman on agriculture.

across the spectrum from farmers and growers to processors and consumers about food production and emissions. When food is thrown out, the good environmental work of its producers goes with it. Getting food waste

New Zealand households waste more than 157,000 tonnes of food annually. Inset: Barbara Kuriger

and inter-governmental initiatives already underway. The OPMCSA report follows on the heels of Rabobank’s Kantar NZ Food Waste Survey of 1,502 people conducted in April. It revealed 53% of those surveyed had thrown away unopened food in the past 12 months — up 42% on last year. Eight percent said they do so every week, while 36% threw away unopened food every fortnight or monthly. The three most frequently wasted foods

were vegetables, bread and fruit. Key trends from the survey showed that while Gen Z participants wasted the most food, they were also the most concerned about climate change and dealing with waste. More than half of the respondents (52%) wanted to learn more about reducing waste. That’s good given 60% of food dumped at NZ’s landfills is ‘perfectly edible’. Our national Love Food Hate Waste campaigners will tell you that the 157,389 tonnes of food

Kiwis waste each year is the equivalent of 271 jumbo jets of food, which has to go somewhere to rot. Worth about $1.17 billion annually that amount could feed the population of Dunedin for almost three years. Like many of my generation, I grew up in a ‘waste not, want not’ household and we need to bring that mindset back. Experts believe the average Kiwi household could save $644 a year by eliminating food waste. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in past weeks talking to people

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

18 // AGRIBUSINESS

Milk-E hits the tanker tracks in Waikato 10 FACTS ABOUT MILK-E

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

A HUMBLE yet essential

part of the supply chain; no one who travels the highways of New Zealand could have missed one of Fonterra’s milk tankers. That fleet of 500 truck and trailers covers around 90 million kilometres each year, so you would expect the dairy co-operative to be actively looking at ways to reduce operating costs. Step forward the Milk-E. At the launch of the company’s, and probably the world’s, first electric bulk milk tanker, chief operating officer Fraser Whineray – formerly of Mercury, a 100% renewable electricity company – noted the dramatic shift in transport over time from a 3.5 tonne flat-bed truck to the 46 tonne goliaths we see on the roads today. Stressing the need to find sustainable solutions for Fonterra’s transport division, Whineray praised the co-funding from the Government’s Low Emissions Transport Fund (LEFT), which is administered by EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), in helping to fund the development that will ultimately reduction CO2, with fuels costs of only 30c per litre. Developed at the Mor-

Energy Minister Megan Woods and Fonterra chief operating officer Fraser Whineray inspect Milk-E after the launch.

rinsville Transport site that currently sees 11 staff build around 8 trucks and 30 trailers every year, the Milk-E has the same general dimensions as a classic milk tanker and will operate at the same GVM of 46 tonnes. Said to offer a range of about 140km, the total load will be 28,000 litres, about 2,000 litres less than a classic tanker, to accommodate the weight of the battery. Taking around three hours to recharge, the truck will operate exclusively on the flat land surrounding the Waitoa plant in Waikato, offering flat terrain and shorts trips. The co-op is developing a battery swap system it says will only take 6 min-

Fonterra’s first electric milk tanker Milk-E.

utes, so the truck doesn’t sit idle during recharging. Named by Fonterra farmer Stephen Todd from Murchison, Milk-E is part of Fonterra’s fleet decarbonisation work, one of several programmes helping the co-op towards

becoming a leader in sustainability. The cab and chassis were supplied by XCMG, a Chinese construction machinery group, with the build taking about 36 days, compared to a normal tanker that takes about 27

days to build. In the 1930s, Waitoa was home to the biggest fleet of electric milk trucks, so it is fitting that it now becomes home to the first modern electric milk tanker in New Zealand.

1. Who chose the name? Following a fierce but friendly ‘Name the E-tanker’ competition, which was open to Fonterra employees, farmers and the general public, the co-op settled for Milk-E. 2. How big is it? It’s about the same size as a regular tanker. It will operate at 46 tonne GVM (gross vehicle mass) with the trailer. 3. How far can it go? It has a range of about 140km on a full charge (but this is still being tested). 4. What brand is it? The cab and chassis are from XCMG – a Chinese construction machinery group. The team will fit the tank to it, which will be the same as with Fonterra’s regular tankers. 5. Is this the first of its kind? In New Zealand, yes. As for in the world, Fonterra isn’t sure yet, they are still checking that out. 6. How much milk will it carry? The tank will be the same size as on Fonterra’s regular tanker with the capacity to carry 28,000 litres. However, because the truck part of the tanker is a bit heavier with the battery, it will carry around 2,300 litres of milk less, to keep within its permitted weight. 7. How long does it take to charge? It will take about three hours to charge, and they will be operating it on a battery swap system so the truck isn’t lying idle while charging. The team will be able to swap the battery out in about six minutes. 8. What will the trial measure? A number of factors including how far it can go, how easy it is to charge, milk collection, maintenance, efficiency, cost, and driver comfort and safety. This is very much a trial with the aim of learning more about heavy vehicle E-transport in a rural setting. 9. Where will it be based? At Fonterra’s Waitoa plant, which has lots of close farms on relatively flat land, allowing shorter runs and lower battery consumption. 10. How long will it take to build? The build took about 36 days. A normal tanker takes about 27 days to build, but this took a bit longer due to some of the new tech.

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MANAGEMENT // 19

Focus on wintering well FARMER EWEN

Mathieson is working hard to protect their stock and the environment by wintering well during the coldest months of the year. Traditionally, July brings chilly temperatures, wet weather and an increased risk of snow. To help farmers stay on top of these challenging conditions, Southland dairy farmer Ewen, shares his experiences of managing winter grazing. Speaking on a DairyNZ podcast, Mathieson agreed that planning ahead, developing contingency plans, and carrying out daily checks are key to providing good animal care, protecting the environment and minimising stress for people and animals over winter. “Having a wintering plan helps identify risks

“Daily checks on the weather forecast, paddock conditions and cows are all vital to protect your herd. You can use the gumboot test to check that the ground is suitable for cows to lie on. Planning ahead is also key to ensure that cows don’t calve on mud.”

Southland farmers Ewen and Diane Mathieson have experience in wintering well to protect their stock and the environment.

like slopes, water sources, and different soil types which helps us to plan our winter grazing to reduce the risk of contaminant and sediment runoff,” he says. “Planning allows us to think through the different scenarios that could occur over winter and prepare for them. It helps

reduce stress and allows you to get a better night’s sleep,” adds Ben. Mathieson has developed small sawdust pads on his farm to provide cows with a comfortable space to move to, and lie on, in bad weather. “Cows need to be able to lie down while they are digesting feed,” he says.

“They need to express their natural behaviours and lying is an important part of this.” Mathieson says a particular focus on his farm is checking animals regularly – once or even twice daily. “This helps us catch issues early so that small issues don’t escalate into

bigger problems.” DairyNZ’s head of the South Island, Tony Finch, says during July and August the weather can be very cold and unpredictable, and farmers need to keep up their focus on caring for stock right to the end of winter. “Daily checks on the weather forecast, pad-

dock conditions and cows are all vital to protect your herd. You can use the gumboot test to check that the ground is suitable for cows to lie on. Planning ahead is also key to ensure that cows don’t calve on mud.” Last winter, 89% of farmers developed a contingency plan to protect their animals and the environment in bad weather. Finch says it’s not

too late for farmers to develop a Plan B if adverse weather strikes, using DairyNZ’s template. “If you do have a Plan B, check your team understand when to action it.” To listen to the new podcast, access the gumboot test, and other wintering advice visit www. dairynz.co.nz/wintering, or visit www.beeflambnz. com/wintergrazing for wintering resources.

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

20 // MANAGEMENT

Farmers prioritise AB tech safety, upgrade facilities WITH NEW standards for AB facilities on the horizon, farmers across the country are jumping on board to improve their on-farm facilities well ahead of time. Dave Hale, LIC’s national artificial breeding manager, says he’s impressed with the support farmers are showing for LIC’s improved AB facility standards. These standards will see the end of AB technicians having to work from the pit of herringbone sheds. The new standards provide farmers with a phased timeline to provide a dedicated AB facility, starting with the removal of LIC’s AB technician service from trolleys by May 2023.

Hale says he appreciates it’s a big shift in mindset for a portion of farmers but backs the need for change. “AB technicians have been inseminating cows in herringbone sheds for years, but the reality is those sheds are designed for milking cows, not performing artificial breeding. Health and safety standards and expectations of working environments have evolved considerably and what used to be considered ok, is simply not ok anymore. “The health and safety of AB technicians on-farm is a responsibility shared by LIC and farmers and we need to work together to provide a work environment that’s safe and fit

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sations allow us to discuss any questions a farmer might have, weigh up their options for providing a dedicated AB facility, and ultimately decide on a solution.” After visiting a number of farmers to discuss the standards, Hale says the cost of building a dedicated AB facility is often the first topic of discussion. “For a lot of farmers, the cost is often considerably less than first thought. Coupled with the fact a dedicated AB facility can be used for multiple purposes, a lot of farmers are deciding to simply get on with it and build new facilities now so that they’re in place before spring which is really pleasing to see.” Hale says LIC’s 860strong team of AB technicians are supportive of the change and are looking forward to working in more standardised, fit-forpurpose, safer environment.

Dave Hale, LIC’s national artificial breeding manager.

for purpose so our technicians can focus solely on their job of getting cows in-calf.” Hale says LIC’s AB operations team is working closely with farmers to help them find the most cost-effective solution for their farm. The AB operations team is

aiming to make contact with all 1,070 farmers who provide trolleys in their herringbone sheds for their LIC AB technician. “So far we’ve spoken to 900 farmers and are visiting all farms where farmers are asking for help with design and implementation. These conver-

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MAKING MATING A BREEZE ON HIS Te Puke farm Luther Siemelink milks 400 cows in a 30-aside herringbone. Having previously sharemilked on a South Waikato farm, he’s familiar with the pitfalls of trying to apply heat detection aids, and the difficulties an AB technician can encounter, inside herringbone sheds. “When it came to mating time, we used to do it by trolley, which was only good enough to do half-a-dozen cows, then shift it, then halfTe Puke farm Luther Siemelink milks 400 cows in a 30-aside a-dozen, then herringbone. shift it. “The owners were reluctant to upgrade, so I thought as soon as I own my farm, that’s what I’m going to do, I’ll install dedicated facilities, and I’m not going to muck around.” So when he bought his farm three years ago, Luther estimates he spent $2,000 installing a safe AB facility on the edge of his shed. “We did most of the work ourselves as soon as we bought the farm – so that’s the cost of materials. “The facility makes a big difference. One of the main reasons we wanted it was because we do 100% AB and we had in-shed feeding, so we knew how tedious it was trying to use a trolley for 10 weeks or so. As far as I’m concerned, the more comfortable the cows are the more comfortable the technician is, so the repro results are going to be that little bit better.” Applying and maintaining heat detection aids was also a streamlined process. “We can fit 15-20 cows in at a time, just row them up and comfortably apply them.” As well as a significantly better set-up in terms of health and safety for AB technicians, Luther said other on-site visitors such as vets appreciated the dedicated facility.

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

MANAGEMENT // 21

Getting better with training THIS CALVING season

will be a little different for dairy farmer Jo Forsyth thanks to a recent MINDA LIVE training session that marked somewhat of a ‘turning point’ in her confidence and utilisation of the technology. Forsyth says MINDA LIVE and the associated MINDA App will cut down double-handling and provide her with more-targeted management insights (data, information, reports) where and when it’s needed. “This calving season I’ll look to run reports that split out the herd so that we have a better view of our early-calvers. “We like to pull out the ones that tend to be early, but their udders might not drop until later.” She’ll also use MINDA software to identify cows that have previously had calving difficulty, and any animals that required treatment after birth. “That way we can keep an eye on them so they don’t go down again.” Later in the season, when it came to culling or mating, Forsyth would produce reports that provided key insights about which cows, for example, were best to target for premium semen, or which

Rhys and Jo Forsyth.

KEY MINDA LIVE REPORTS CALVING ■ Expected Calving by Cow

■

Pregnancy Test Work sheet

■

Summary of Matings

■

Bulls Used During Mating

■

Expected Calving by Date

■

Calving Rate

■

Calves Reared

■

Expected Calving Pattern

■

MILKING: Herd Test Results

MATING: ■ Submission Rate Report ■

Cows Without Matings

cows were better to sell or cull. She and husband Rhys often believed they had a good idea of who the top and bottom performers were, but MINDA LIVE’s data on-screen was now enabling them to review some of their assessments, re-thinking who the best and poorest breeders and future-producers would be.

Somatic Cell Count

HERD: ■ Group Profile ■

Herd Summary

“We try to have the best up-and-coming animals coming into the herd, and from there, we also choose our culls. “Having all of the data in the MINDA system makes culling, and even decisions on surplus cows, so much easier because we can see the animals who are better off being sold rather than being sent to the works.”

Jo and Rhys are part of LIC’s Sire Proving Scheme, and this has given them further appreciation of the importance of accurate cow information. “SPS is invaluable for pushing for the best herd you can possibly run; having to choose animals to cull is now really hard. “Our data and strong parentage information

helps... there’s nothing worse than culling a good animal, and down the line learning you’ve held on to one that isn’t performing.” Today Forsyth is one of the approximate 90% of famers who are using MINDA LIVE, many of which have taken the opportunity to up skill during the past few years. Getting to grips with a more-streamlined way of data input and onthe-spot access to key herd information is seen as a crucial part of farm management and herd improvement, and Jo knows she’s no exception. That’s why she didn’t regret taking an hour out of her day in April for one-on-one training session with a specialised LIC trainer. “Joss (the trainer) provided a number of easy tips that were new to me–she was amazing, so helpful and took me through things at my own pace.” Originally set-down for a personalised faceto-face visit, which had to be cancelled, the training session was later conducted online with the use of Zoom; this made for a quick and efficient session in the comfort of

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Forsyth’s home. Two different MINDA training sessions are being run through to July this year: free group beginner classes and private, onehour, one-on-one sessions which cost $65. Further training sessions are likely to be offered by LIC early in

2023. Farmers should get in contact with their agri manager for more information. An extensive MINDA help page is also available on LIC’s website, including step-by-step instructions and simple-to-follow guides to help farmers get more out of MINDA.

FROM

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

22 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Make sure your feed is FeedSafe NZ accredited

Critical weight targets in calves missed by farmers

Do you know if your f Find out at the

NZFMA Fielda

DIANNA MALCOLM

NEW ZEALAND is

missing an important mark to achieve greater potential lifetime production in its dairy herd, claims Probiotic Revolution’s Chris Collier. A farm adviser for two decades with the former Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF), Collier, since 2017, has been a trailblazer for rearing calves using high volumes of milk fed once-a-day (OAD) with the support of high-performance probiotic, Calf Xtreme. In the first 12 months after he founded ProbiChris Collier says most New Zealand farmers have been too otic Revolution, he had focussed on weaning and calving weights. 22,000 calves on the programme. That number has down more tissue in its lack of understanding now swelled to 88,000 developing udder, which and together with his wife among the rank and file means she milks better as regarding the importance Lorraine, and their son a two-year-old, regardless of maximising and mon(a former medical scienof her liveweight,” Chris itoring calf growth at a tist), this family business said. younger age. is having a quantifiable “That science is well “If a calf grows faster impact on calf rearing Do you know the if your feed is FeedSafeinaccredited? documented. the first three to five throughout country. Find out at the NZFMA Fieldays stand “Everybody in New weeks of its life, it lays Collier points to the feedsafe-15x11.pdf

20/04/21

5:09 PM

NZFMA Fieldays stand number AG 7C

Do you know if your feed is FeedSafe NZ accredited?

Zealand has target weights for mating and target weights for calving. But no-one has target weights for calves at three weeks of age. I only discovered how critical it was when I was looking at information from Germany regarding calf feeders. “This isn’t widely known by New Zealand farmers, but it’s well understood in Europe. That window is a critical stage of their development to allow those calves to get in-calf easily and produce to their potential in the future.” Collier took the infor-

mation, combined with his industry experience, and applied it to the probiotic conversation. He realised probiotics would allow them to feed high rates of milk to calves OAD – and to achieve those early growth rates – without getting nutritional scours. Calf Xtreme includes levels of micro-encapsulated probiotics, beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes, and live yeast – promoting immunity, recovery, and digestion. The micro-encapsulation is crucial because it allows the probiotics to bypass stomach acid (which can

kill bacteria) so it can safely reach the lower GI tract which drives up to 80% of a mammal’s immune system. Collier says that traditionally farmers had avoided nutritional scours by feeding lower volumes of milk twice-aday (TAD), but that the probiotics allowed a new school of thought. “The abomasum capacity of a young Friesian calf is only 1.2 litres of milk, so when farmers feed three litres, milk is spilling into the rumen anyway and the rumen is the wrong place for milk digestion.

“That’s why automatic calf feeders do small amounts of milk regularly. But if we could stabilise the rumen pH – and our unique high-strength probiotic formulations will do that – we can feed higher rates without getting nutritional scours. “I think that most nutritional scours start because milk is in the rumen.” Probiotic Revolution’s work in this space has drawn the interest of its Australian counterparts, who are interested in what is happening within New Zealand and how that can be adopted by Australian dairy farmers. He says the strength of their probiotics is in the billions of Colony Forming Units (other brands are still in the millions) – along with the synchronistic teamwork of the bacteria refined by the grandfather of the probiotic conversation – Australian Allan Hain. “There is a difference between feeding fresh milk and colostrum and sometimes you get calves that get scours because they’ve been changed from one milk to another. Or perhaps the milk is inconsistent in temperature, or it sours in the rumen and upsets their whole digestive system.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

ANIMAL HEALTH // 23

OAD feeding works! TOREY AND Reece Williams are contract milking 830 cows (in three herds) on 230 hectares for Mark and Leanne Miers at Reporoa. The couple milk all year around and while it spreads the calf rearing numbers, it also means the calves never completely go away. They rear 200 replacements every year, along with 200 Friesian/Charolais calves (split between the spring and autumn), 15 Jersey bulls, and up to 100 Friesian bulls (reared to 100kg, depending on the season). They have been feeding OAD since 2018. Torey said her two “main drivers” to embrace OAD feeding was that they had two young daughters, and that the calves seemed to drink more aggressively in the morning anyway. “Sometimes you think that people go to OAD just because they don’t want to feed the calves in the afternoon,” Torey says. “I just found on Calf Xtreme they were content, and not particularly

“When our heifers calve down, you struggle to pick them in the herd because they are so big.”

interested in the afternoon feed. “We have quite big Friesian calves and when we were giving them 2.5-3 litres in the morning and afternoon, they were significantly less content than when we changed to feeding six litres in a single feed in the morning.” Torey says she’s also noticed the additional mass in their two-yearolds in the herd since introducing Calf Xtreme, which has given them confidence to compete with their mixed aged cows. “When our heifers calve down, you struggle to pick them in the herd because they are so big,” Torey says. “We watch when we

Torey Williams has been rearing more than 500 calves with probiotics on once-a-day (OAD) feeding at Reporoa since 2018.

are drafting between herds and we often find that all the heifers go in the first herd, and they dominate. They will all be in the first row – they’re the big dogs. I’m sure that early rumen development is the reason why.”

Calves were more content and that they started eating hay and meal much faster.

FOR THOSE WANTING MORE CHRIS COLLIER says probiotics was a system for the inquisitive minds who wanted more. Their clients are now feeding up to eight litres OAD to Friesians and five litres OAD to Jerseys. “We aren’t dealing with the farmers that aren’t questioning. In the first year, many of them tried it as much for its health benefits as they did because they could safely feed more milk. “It wasn’t until the second year

that we started to push the higher rate of milk more actively.” He said that their farmers routinely reported that the calves were more content and that they started eating hay and meal much faster. They also noticed that they started to chew their cud earlier and more aggressively. “Within two weeks these calves were knocking back up to half a kilogram of meal a day. Within a month that was up to 1kg.”

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

24 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Machinery maker expands line-up is also available with the optional Flowtast glide bar that replaces the rotor chassis wheels, allowing the machine to glide over deep ruts, holes or wheel tracks, making it particularly suitable for soft and damp soil conditions. In operation, the required working width is set hydraulically, while the lifting sequence can be set to achieve fast headland turnaround or maximum swath clearance, with

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AUSTRIAN FARM

machinery manufacturer Pöttinger has added the new Top 882C to its range of popular centre-swath rakes. Offering a working width of 7.7m to 8.8m, a longer boom allows swath width adjustment between 1.3m and 2.6m. This flexibility offers the advantages of wider swaths for forage harvesters and narrower swath widths for small loader wagons or balers. From a practical point of view, despite the 3.7m rotor diameter, the transport height without removing the tine arms is

The new Top 882C has been added to the range of popular centre-swath rakes.

still less than 4.0m. Large tyres on the chassis are said to ensure optimum stability, while the Multitast, five-wheel sub-chassis system offers precise ground tracking, resulting in less dirt

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uniform lifting achieved via the standard flow splitter. An individual rotor lifting system, with electrical preselect for raking headlands and field borders, is also available as an option. The Toptech Plus rotor unit has a continuously adjustable cam track with 420mm diameter for producing a neat yet loose swath. Distinctively, the raking tines are positioned

directly below tine carrier, angled forward in a dynamic position. This configuration is said to actively lift the forage away from the ground, much like the typical action of a pitchfork. This is said to ensure that as crop volumes increase, material rides up the tine unhindered, resulting in less dirt ingress dirt ingress and leaf shatter. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

IRRIGATORS WORLD FAMOUS IN NZ NUMEDIC SAYS its Adcam irri-

gators are spreading effluent on pastures all over the world. The popular model is being used in England, the US, South America and South Africa as well as on farms throughout New Zealand. “There are many thousands of our Adcam travelling irrigators all over the world and I would put that down to its great reputation for reliability and performance, it just does the job well for many years – decades actually,” says Numedic’s managing director Andrew Millar. “Our Adcam 750 is by far the most popular model, it can run at low pressure if needed, even down to 20psi pressure at the irrigator. Virtually every part is hot dip galvanised or stainless steel, so durability and long life is second to none,” says Millar. Application depths from 16mm

Numedic says its Adcam irrigators are spreading effluent on pastures all over the world.

down to 4mm are achieved via the Patented Adcam adjustable cam system so the speed of the irrigator can easily be altered to produce any of seven different application rates. Numedic says its Evenspread design is achieved via a combination of the irrigator’s uneven boom

lengths, the different return angles on each boom, and the orientation and design of the nozzles. “Our Evenspread design makes good sense, aside from helping to ensure compliance with regulations, it also means better pasture growth and therefore better productivity,” says Millar.

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DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 25

Kiwi fave goes green MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

A FIRM favourite of rural

families and those seeking to get off the beaten track, Subaru has announced the introduction of its first battery electric vehicle (BEV) with the longawaited Solterra all wheel drive SUV confirmed for here in early 2023. Named by combining the Latin words for sun and earth, Solterra is built on the new, all-electric vehicle architecture e-Subaru Global Platform. Offering the same capability on any terrain as all other Subarus courtesy of the X-Mode AWD control system, a new Grip Control function enables the Solterra to run at a constant speed, while stabilising the vehicle, in tougher conditions. The launch also signals acceleration of Subaru’s future evolution that includes a commitment to apply electrification to all Subaru vehicles (EVs and hybrids) by 2030. Looking further ahead, by 2050 the brand is targeting a reduction of their average C02 emissions by at least 90% compared with 2010. Part of this evolution will include opening new production lines, with a target date for a mixed production line by 2025 and an EV-only production line at a new fac-

tory by 2027, requiring a $3.2 billion financial commitment over the next five years. Utilising Subaru’s vast experience of AWD technology, the “electric journey” uses axle motors at the front and rear, plus power distribution and brake vectoring to maintain grip for each wheel, optimised to road conditions to assure stable traction on wet or slippery surfaces. Size-wise the Solterra sits between the Forester and Outback. The cockpit layout is simple with good visibility and ease-of-use. In the cabin, Solterra has a light and airy feel, plenty of leather and soft-touch materials, a 12.3-inch touch screen, wireless phone charging, and heated seats and steering wheel. High-capacity battery packs are mounted underfloor as part of the structure, delivering a low centre of gravity and high body strength and rigidity. Although the final NZ models are yet to be confirmed, the drivetrain features a 71.4kW battery pack, guaranteed to delivery 90% efficiency after 10 years, to power front and rear axle 80kW synchronous motors, with an estimated driving range of around 460km. Expect to see Subaru’s extensive Safety Suite that

includes a 360-degree surround camera and a new safety exit alert feature, contributing to Subaru’s commitment of zero fatal road deaths by 2030.

Subaru’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV) - the long-awaited Solterra all wheel drive SUV will be here early next year.

The drivetrain features a 71.4kW battery pack.

www.webbline.co.nz

North Island Gerry Clare 021 245 4471 Canterbury/West Coast Jethro Boakes 021 513 368 Otago/Southland Scott Malcolm 021 228 4590

DAIRY NEWS JULY 26, 2022

26 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Amazone’s onepass operation MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AG MACHINERY maker Amazone has paired up its Precea precision air seeder and Combi-

Disc 3000 compact disc harrow to deliver onepass seedbed preparation and sowing, with operating speeds of up to 15km/h. Said to be ideal for use in light to medium

soil structure, product manager-Amazone, Steve Gorman, says the CombiDisc provides passive soil tillage while the Precea’s high pressure separator delivers precise seed placement at high operat-

Amazone’s Precea ComboDisc 300 cultivates and sows all at once.

The CombiDisc provides passive soil tillage: Precea’s high pressure separator delivers precise seed placement.

‘Dieci Does It All’ “We use it for everything; it’s a multiuse machine. And it’s simple to use we looked at other machines, but this was just so simple to use, and userfriendly for staff as well.” - John Whittington, Dairy Farmer, Taranaki

ing speeds, with the seed separated individually into each seed row and introduced into the soil via the propulsion channel. The CombiDisc has a working width of 3 metres, configured with two rows of 410mm diameter serrated discs, mounted in pairs on maintenance-free disc arm assemblies. Offering a working depth of 3 to 8cm, adjustment is mechanical mechanically, or via an optional hydraulic kit that can be controlled from the tractor cab. In operation, the rapidly rotating discs help to provide a very good crumb structure for the

seedbed, while the adjustable disc carriers in the wheel tracks and at the machine ends ensure perfect levelling of the seedbed. An extensive range of rear rollers is available to consolidate the seedbed in a wide range of soil type and operating conditions. From a practical point of view, the CombiDisc 3000 disc harrow is closecoupled to the tractor via Category 2/3 lower link mountings, while the seed drill is quickly and safely attached from the parking stand via the QuickLink coupling, while a hose rail facilitates the easy connection of the hydraulic hoses.

www.dairynews.co.nz/enewsletter

www.webbline.co.nz

Tim Currie 021 221 5016

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NEW FEATURE

Let’s get you sorted for nitrogen reporting

If you’re a dairy farmer, you’re going to need to file a report on your nitrogen fertiliser use by 31 July 2022 The easiest way to report your nitrogen use is through your MyBallance account, using our Nitrogen Limit Management feature. Make sure your farm map and proof of application data are uploaded to your account, specify what the nitrogen was used for, and then your data will be calculated ready to submit to council.

Head to myballance.co.nz to login or register | 0800 222 090