Dairy News 7 March 2023

Fix rural roads

PETER BURKE

MAKE RURAL roads a priority.

That’s the message from Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard in light of massive damage to roads following cyclones Gabrielle and Hale, and other major weather events, especially in the north and east of the North Island.

As Dairy News went to press, some farmers in Hawke’s Bay and the Tairawhiti were still stranded on their properties, without power and communications. Hoggard says this unacceptable.

He says the Government needs to rapidly re-prioritise its road funding policies and ensure that people in rural areas are not left stranded for weeks on end.

“Some of the roads are not fit for purpose. Two years ago I went up to Gisborne what struck me was the number of bridges and tenuous roads that, if they go, whole areas would be cut off, which is exactly what has happened now,” he told Dairy News

Hoggard says if the plan is not to put in alternative route options,

then the main roads need to be bulletproof and able to withstand major weather events.

He says if people in rural areas don’t have options to get to and from their properties, it becomes a very tricky situation. He says lack of access means that stock and other products can’t be taken off, milk not collected and essential supplies cannot be brought in.

“It’s critical because who would want to live somewhere where, if you have a young family and in an emergency you want to get them out of there, you can’t. The thought of being trapped with your family in an event is pretty bloody scary, especially if you have kids or family members with special medical needs,” he says.

Hoggard says the risk of poor

access means that people are going to think twice about living in rural areas and this could lead to more trees being planted in some places, which he adds is not the greatest.

Hoggard points out the sometimes unrecognised strategic importance of places such as Gisborne and its hinterland in terms of food production, noting its contribution of sheep and beef and fresh vegetables.

PROPAGANDA BLOCKING CLIMATE FACTS

MISINFORMATION SPREAD on social media is one of the inhibiting factors in getting across the facts about climate change and agricultural greenhouse emissions.

This was the message from Waikato dairy farmer and DairyNZ climate change ambassador George Moss at last week’s Agricultural Climate Change Conference in Wellington.

He told the nearly 300 attendees that some people rely entirely on social media for their information

rather than relying on the mainstream media. He says many social media posts about climate change are sinister and are laced with “conspiracy theories”.

Moss says this makes it difficult for him as someone who is trying to get evidenced-based science across.

Moss and his wife Sharon run

165 cows on their 70ha farm and have working for many years to lower their environmental footprint.

He told the conference their focus has been on expediting herd improvement by breeding more efficient cows, maintaining existing

making farming easier. PG.21

Collars help breeding plan. PG.17

Federated Farmers says the Government needs to rapidly re-prioritise its road funding policies and ensure that people in rural areas are not left stranded for weeks on end.

PHOTO: NZ TRANSPORT AGENCY

PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews co nz

Community effort keeps milk flowing

AN AMAZING community effort kept Anchor Milk and other dairy products flowing to Hawke’s Bay residents in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle.

With other milk company depots under water it was left to the farmerowned co-operative and the Hawke’s Bay Anchor franchisees to keep deliveries going.

Electricity was out, so fresh milk wasn’t always an option. Enter Anchor franchisees for the region, Vaughan Petzer and Neil Cahill and their team.

Working closely with Fonterra Brands NZ staff, Petzer has been receiving and delivering ultra heat treated (UHT) milk,

grated cheese, yoghurt, flavoured milk, infant formula and even bacon and eggs to the Hawke’s Bay community.

In the days after the floods, Fonterra Brands sourced eight pallets (8 tonnes) of UHT milk for delivery to stricken Hawke’s Bay residents with the help of Civil Defence and Rapid Relief Team (RRT).

It was also a stroke of luck that Fonterra Brands had just delivered four pallets of UHT milk in Hastings, destined to be delivered by Anchor Milk HB to schools under its Milk for Schools programme. They were also diverted to Civil Defence and RRT.

Petzer told Dairy News that the real heroes are his staff who just kept going day and night for

the first week, community volunteers, the New Zealand Civil Defence, RTT and Fonterra Brands NZ, plus the other local and national businesses that donated time, energy and product.

“They are some real heroes out there,” he says.

“Despite everything, the community came

together and pitched in to help us overcome the challenges.

“There was one man who had lost everything; his family was rescued from the rooftop of their house a day earlier.

“He was out the next day making coffee and toasties for everyone, at no charge.

“It was inspiring to see how the community had stepped up.”

Petzer says he woke up on the morning of Tuesday February 14 to find his home and depot in Hastings without power and water.

He managed to “commandeer” a big generator for the depot.

SOCIAL MEDIA MISINFORMATION

production and slowly dropping stocking rates.

“We have dropped our herd from 180 to 165 and milk production has remained virtually the same,” he says.

Moss says the remaining cows are being fed and managed better and that feed that was once going into maintaining some cows is now being used to produce milk.

He says this success is based on achieving best

practice at every step of the way so that little gains suddenly become

bigger gains.

“In terms of the animals, it is about making sure they grow to their potential as fast as possible and produce as much milk in the shortest time possible,” he says

According to Moss, there is a general lack of awareness in the industry about how doing little things very well on the farm can produce significant gains in terms of reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions. He

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ORGANISERS HAPPY

THE ORGANISER of the conference, well-known, leading climate change researcher

Dr Harry Clark says he was exceedingly pleased with the event.

He says there was great range of speakers, including

says buyers of NZ products are demanding that these are of the highest quality and are sustain-

Petzer gave two refrigerated Anchor delivery trucks and a Fonterra delivery van to Civil Defence and joined volunteers at the collection centre.

He says it was all part of a great team effort.

Petzer says Fonterra Brands staff played their role by sourcing milk

and other products from around the North Island for the region.

He also thanked businesses in the region for supporting the effort.

“Because we were busy providing support to civil defence, Aged Care and evacuation centres, we couldn’t deliver milk and products to some retailers who managed to stay open,” he says.

“They were happy to come down to our depot and collect products themselves.

“We had a customer at our depot every six minutes. There were a few supermarket owners who came down to collect milk to service their communities. In my view, such people from our communities and helping organisations are the real heroes.”

some from overseas and says all noted the resources that are being poured in to dealing with this huge global issue.

He says there was strong recognition that dealing with agricultural emissions was not just a government issue

ably produced.

“We have to produce what I call ‘guilt free food’; food that people

and that strong messages are coming from supply chains demanding sustainably produced food.

“We have got to work together because change will come. It may be uncomfortable but it has to come,” he says.

are happy to pay a premium for and are absolutely confident about its quality and its prove-

nance and that its impact on the environment is minimal and positive for the planet,” he says.

Waikato farmer George Moss

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews co nz

Anchor UHT milk being loaded at Fonterra depot in Hastings for delivery by road and air to Hawke’s Bay residents last week.

One day at a time

BE REALISTIC about what you can do in the short term - the recovery is a marathon not a sprint. That’s the sage advice from one of the country’s leading dairy consultants, James Allen, AgFirst.

He says those dairy farmers severely impacted by the cyclones should focus on the basics, such as making sure their fences are secure and that their stock have water.

Allen says he’s aware that some farmers have had to send their stock to other properties because their water supply systems have been so badly damaged.

“They also need to start taking account of their feed supply in the immediate future and also

what it might be like six or eight months out,” he says.

James Allen says there is a lot of good advice available on how to deal with drying off and feed management. He says industry bodies such as DairyNZ are doing a good job getting this information out to farmers. He says farmers who have had to dry off early and who will have lost income need to communicate early with their financial advisors and banks.

“There is a lot of support out there for farmers and they shouldn’t be afraid about asking for help. They need to talk to others because a problem shared is a problem halved,” he says.

Allen says many dairy farmers in Northland have copped a tough year and those near the Hikurangi swamp in particular have been severely affected. Maize yields are down, summer crops have been damaged and there are instances of lameness

and mastitis within herds. Farmers in east coast regions have also been badly knocked around and “my heart goes out to them” he says.

“But there are some regions which have enjoyed good rainfall and the growth conditions aren’t too bad. There are parts of the Waikato, for example, which are going to see a strong end to the season with soil moisture levels good, making the grass grow well,” he says.

Allen says he’s just

‘Far from over’

THE TROUBLES for the 70 or so Hawke’s Bay dairy farmers are far from over with the financial impact of Cyclone Gabrielle set to add to their misery in the coming months.

The Hawke’s Bay president of Federated Farmers, Jim Galloway, says before Cyclone Gabrielle struck, the cows were milking well in the region and there was good chance that they would milk through well into May.

But he says upwards of 30 dairy farmers have had to dry off their cows now because road access to their farms is cut off, milk tankers can’t get through and restoring access could still be weeks away.

completed a feed update for the country which shows that, aside from the areas badly impacted by the cyclones, overall covers are feed reserves are good. The exception he says is Southland and nearby regions that are dry.

“So we have this complete dichotomy where some areas are massively affected by storms and floods and others that are doing fine,” he says.

It all starts with healthy

“The areas especially affected are Tutira and Patoka where as well as road access being cut off they have damage caused by slips to races, fences and pump sheds as well as their homes. In the case of Patoka, the Rissington bridge is down and so is the one at Dartmoor which has completely cut access,” he says.

Galloway says the lack of power has added to their woes and while most had access to generators and were potentially able to milk, there is a shortage of fuel.

He says farmers have decided that the best use of limited supplies of fuel is to get farm infrastructure up and running as soon as possible.

He says for many dairy farmers a large chunk of their income this season will be gone due to the damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. – Peter Burke

Many dairy farmers in Northland have copped a tough year and those near the Hikurangi swamp in particular have been severely affected.

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DairyNZ offering one-on-one help

DON’T FORGET NORTHLAND

DAIRYNZ TEAMS are in the field, doing all they can to assist farmers hit by cyclones Gabrielle and Hale. DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle told Dairy News they have been busy updating all the material they have to help farmers through the coming weeks and months.

He says as well as working one on one with farmers, they also plan to continue to run events and discussion groups if farmers want these. But he says they won’t do any-

A KEY message from Tim Mackle is that while the focus is very much on the Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay regions, it is important to not forget about Northland.

He says the damage along the East Coast is disastrous, especially for orchardist and horticulturalists, and the severity of this cannot be underestimated. But he points out that Northland has also been badly hit.

“Some people say that Northland always gets floods, but this was a big one. They didn’t just get the floods, they got the winds as well, which impacted with trees falling on power lines and a lot of people have been without power because of that. It was a fierce storm,” he says.

Mackle says DairyNZ staff will be offering advice and help to all affected dairy farmers, including assisting them by helping them access government financial support to clean up their properties. He says they will be there waiting to help, but not going down driveways to get in the way of farmers in this time of crisis.

He says DairyNZ is working closely with Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and other groups such as B+LNZ, Fonterra and Federated Farmers to coordinate their response efforts.

“The last thing we want to do is to duplicate our efforts. Rather, we want to play a different and unique role in helping our farmers,” he says.

More information is on the DairyNZ website www.DairyNZ.co.nz/cyclone

thing that farmers don’t want and are very cognisant of the need to let them get on with the job of getting their properties in order first.

He says the worst hit areas for dairy are Northland and Gisborne/ Hawke’s Bay and he says of the 1,000 dairy farms in these regions, at least 200 have suffered moderate to severe damage.

“This includes severely impacted pastures, crops such as maize, broken fences, damaged farm buildings and other infrastructure and even herd homes.”

Mackle says there is no road access to 30 dairy farmers in Hawke’s Bay and they have had to dry off their herds which will have a huge financial impact on these people.

He says in Northland about 15 farms have not been able to supply milk for a variety of reasons, including lack of power and damaged dairy sheds. He says issues relating to animal welfare such as mastitis and lameness are potential problems, especially for farmers in Hawke’s Bay where there has huge damage to laneways and paddocks.

DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle says they are very cognisant of the need to let farmers get on with the job of getting their properties in order first.

Ballance backs recovery effort

FERTILISER CO-OP

Ballance and its farmer shareholders are throwing their support behind the recovery effort in floodravaged regions.

The co-op has donated $1 million to the Rural Support Trust. Shareholders can support the trust through a ‘pay it forward’ donation. Ballance shareholders can pledge a portion or all of their July rebate payment. This pledge will go directly to the Rural Support Trust.

Ballance chief executive Mary Wynne says its comprehensive support package is designed to be pan-sector, a national relief fund to reach the areas of greatest need through-out New Zealand.

“As an organisation we felt compelled to help rural communities recover from the impact that these devastating weather events have had on land,

animals and people,” says Wynne.

“There is no doubt that pastures and crops have been damaged through slips, flooding and drought, and that’s where we can help, with re-grassing, re-planting and re-building. We will work with customers to make sure the right products are available for each specific farm or orchard’s soil health needs.

“Ballance was formed by farmers and growers to maintain a reliable and affordable source of appropriate nutrients. By coming together, we can use the collective strength of the co-operative to support farmers, growers and their families,” says Wynne.

He points out that from cyclones and weather bombs in the North Island to droughts in the South Island, the

rural communities have had a tough start to 2023.

After Cyclone Gabrielle ravaged parts of the North Island, Ballance’s Super Air teams responded immediately checking on farmers and growers and

dropping off supplies.

Wynne says in some cases the Super Air pilot was the first person they had seen or heard from in days.

“We will continue to serve the communities

that are cut off with a focus on food and animal health products for as long as needed.

“As a farmer and grower co-operative we are also looking further ahead to the support that

will be needed over the coming months and possibly years. Recovery from extreme weather events takes time and has an impact on families, livestock, businesses and personal wellbeing.

“That is why we have established a comprehensive weather relief response that includes a $1 million donation to the Rural Support Trust,” says Wynne.

Ballance will work with the Rural Support Trust, a national organisation run by a team of 350 people – rural people supporting rural people. The trust has the reach and services to help with the recovery journey, walking alongside people in need providing mental health and practical support as they go through the clean-up and rebuilding phases.

“We are very grateful for the understanding and

support that has come from our own community, every dollar donated will be used to help the primary sector’s recovery efforts.

“This very generous donation from Ballance will go a long way to help ease the pressure on rural communities,” says Neil Bateup, chair of the Rural Support Trust

“It will be at least a year, if not longer, before farmers and growers fully recover from the impacts of the cyclone, flooding and droughts. The North and South Islands have experienced very different weather events, both very challenging from a wellbeing and business perspective.”

Rural Support Trust has set up a Givealittle page and is encouraging people to donate money, not goods to help farmers and growers.

In some cases the Super Air pilot was the first person farmers had seen or heard from in days.

Rural Support Trusts help recovery

PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews co nz

RURAL SUPPORT

trusts from regions badly hit by the recent disastrous storms and cyclones are getting much needed

assistance from other parts of the country, says the chair of the National Council of Rural Support Trusts, Neil Bateup.

He says it’s a very busy time for trusts, trying to help farmers and horticulturalists deal with the

huge problems they face now and in the future.

He says different regions are in different phases of dealing with problems.

He says in places such as Tairawhiti and Hawke’s Bay, RST people still don’t have access to some farm-

ers because of damage to roads, bridges, power and lack of phone coverage.

He says in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, most farmers still have their heads down trying to sort themselves out as best they can.

Joining a herd is tough for any youngster.

The reality is viruses love crowds with kindergartens and schools being breeding grounds for – well nearly anything!

This is why we vaccinate – to reduce viral transmission, control an outbreak and offer a level of protection over and above any form of herd immunity.

The same can be said for our bovine youngsters whose naive immune systems meet up with all kinds of diseases –PI3, BVD and IBR. Once contracted the IBR virus stays for life, reactivating (and transmitting) at times of stress.

Evidence shows that the IBR virus is present throughout NZ. At Agilis we are wanting to better understand more about this disease and to do so we need your help.

Go to www.schoolofhardknocks.co.nz

If you think there is a possibility of IBR being present in your herd please complete the form so we can get in touch.

HELP BREAK THE CYCLE

Consider vaccinating your calves prior to being put out for grazing and before being introduced into your main herd, also discuss IBR testing with your vet.

SYMPTOMS OF IBR INCLUDE:

COUGH

Often mistaken or confused with lungworm

CONJUNCTIVITIS

Can be mistaken as pink eye

SICK COWS

As a respiratory based disease snotty noses and noisy breathing can all be signs of IBR.

DULLNESS AND INAPPETANCE

Often considered as a symptom of mastitis or ketosis but it is often a sign of IBR.

A DROP IN MILK PRODUCTION

This is often attributed to a myriad of things but because the IBR virus can cause fever, pharyngitis & inappetence the result is often seen in a milk drop (as high as 30%1 ), particularly in heifers.

POOR FERTILITY

The IBR virus targets lung and reproductive tissues (uterus, ovaries, vagina) and has also been associated with increased somatic cell counts. Infection can cause inflammation (metritis, vaginitis and oophoritis) which can result in sub-fertility. A NZ case study2 showed that a bull infected by a reactivated cow went on to infect an entire mob of cows, resulting in 24 of 54 returning empty.

“In these early days a lot of people are running on adrenalin and that sort of thing, but sooner or later they will have to stop and think about their businesses and look at how they will get through the winter and into next season,” Bateup told Dairy News

“Given what’s happening right now, it’s probably too early for the RST people to become very involved,” he says.

But Bateup says once farmers get over the initial phase of dealing with the immediate issues, they will probably need some advice around the next steps, so the RST can work with them and point them in the right direction to get help and support. He says they are there to provide with advice on what funds they can access and support them to deal with stress.

RST staff are helping their counterparts in Northland, Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay to field calls for help.

Bateup says trusts in other unaffected regions are coming to the rescue.

“Calls coming into Northland have been rerouted through to Taranaki, who have some capacity and haven’t been affected and so Taranaki

has been supporting Northland.

“Southland is taking the calls from Gisborne and sending back the urgent requests and dealing with the others and putting a plan in place. North Canterbury is supporting the Hawkes Bay Trust at the moment. Everyone is incredibly busy,” he says.

Bateup says in the case of Northland, the Waikato and the Coromandel, RTS’s are more involved in the recovery stage. He says as a result they are busy organising barbeques and other events to get people together to share their experiences and offer mutual support. In Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, he says the focus is still on response.

He says for RST’s the focus is getting farmers to talk to their accountants and other advisors and start to put together a plan for the future.

“You can’t change what’s happened but sitting down and having a plan going forward often takes some of the weight of the problem away. It’s the unknown that often causes most of the worry, but once you know what it means, then you can start to plan to go forward from there,” he says.

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National Council of Rural Support Trusts chair, Neil Bateup says it’s a very busy time for trusts.

1. Pereira, M.H.C et al. (2012) Anim Reprod Sci

2. Askin, B. (2013) NZVA Conference proc.

Consumers are demanding change, now – Fonterra

DAIRY CONSUMERS

are demanding change, now, according to Charlotte Rutherford, director of sustainability at Fonterra.

She says sustainability was top of mind for every customer she spoke to – Nestlé, MARS, Abbott, Premier – at the recent International Dairy Forum Association (IDFA) in Florida.

“They’re all laser focused on sustainability in their products and supply chain,” says Rutherford.

“Consumers are demanding change, quickly, with the main issue being carbon reductions.

“We should be prepared for these demands to continue to grow, and in turn we need to adapt to maintain and protect our value.

“For these customers sustainability is no longer a nice to have or value add, it’s a must have if we want to continue working together in the future.”

The annual forum attracts over 1,000 dairy leaders to connect with other industry leaders, advance their knowl-

edge and discover new perspectives on issues that are important to our industry.

Many of Fonterra’s strategic customers shared their insights and perspectives on a wide variety of relevant topics to advance dairy’s growth in the US in the years ahead.

Rutherford spoke on a panel discussing how global environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends impact leadership decisions, and showcased Fonterra’s work to become more sustainable.

Better

ers.

Rutherford notes that the US dairy industry is big, bold, and growing. She says ever the optimists, representatives from the US were extremely confident about the adaptability and future of their industry.

“They claim their industry is the most sustainable and believe offsetting is the solution to on-farm emissions, strongly promoting it.

“They believe this, along with the supply, and the ability to grow, means they will meet the sustainability expectations of customers and consum-

“That doesn’t mean they don’t have challenges – carbon measurement and reporting, access to water in some states, and of course individual state laws to contend with, to name a few.

“With our low carbon dairying, we have an advantage. The US, amongst others, is hot on our heels and this is ours to lose.”

Rutherford describes regenerative agriculture as “two words, one big promise”.

She points out that while the concept of

regenerative agriculture is popular with consumers and customers, it remains relatively undefined.

“The good news… we have a very real opportunity to lead and deliver in this space.

“Our pastoral based system is compatible with most regenerative principles and ideas, and, because of our existing reputation, it’s likely to be viewed more favourably by consumers.”

Rutherford says measuring our progress as an industry has never been more important.

And when it comes to the complexities of mea-

suring carbon reduction targets, consistency is key.

“We have world-leading experts in this space to ensure Fonterra’s method for pastoral farming is fairly and transparently represented in any global system.

“However, the difference in geographic farming systems means some methods could disguise other companies’ true footprints.

“These reporting protocols will shortly be reviewed, and we will be working hard to ensure transparency to retain our leading position.”

Rutherford says the

global sustainability space is moving incredibly quickly, and the industry must continue to accelerate our work.

For Fonterra, this is an opportunity, she says.

“We are in a prime position to claim the leading position for most sustainability issues in the industry. Key to this will be partnering with our customers to set achievable roadmaps that represent our farmers current practices, achieving a pace of change appropriate to our unique farming system.”

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What does the cow of the future look like? How efficiently does it produce milk? What kind of life does it live?

How does it behave, and what are the wider implications of interactions with farmers, staff, vets and families?

We asked Mark Carter of Eltham why having better cows leads to a better life with CRV.

To watch the video follow the link below.

Fonterra director of sustainability Charlotte Rutherford says sustainability was top of mind for every customer she spoke to at a recent conference in Florida.

Consumers are demanding change, quickly, with the main issue being carbon reductions, says Fonterra.

cows, better life.

‘To sum it up in one word I’d say happiness. If you’re happy in your work, you’re happy in yourself.’

Mark Carter, Eltham, South Taranaki.

Global workforce working wonders for Waikato farms

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews

AT WESTMOR-

LAND Estate Ltd’s three dairy farm offices in the Waikato hang large world maps.

Map pins show the countries represented among Westmorland’s 12-members strong team. It also acts as a visual prompt to think globally, as this is where their quality milk goes to.

The list is impressive: UK, Germany, Belgium, Chile, Uruguay, Argentina, Philippines, New Zealand and Ukraine.

Owners David and Sue Fish believe that the business is only as good as their team.

Attracting the right people and providing them with a great working environment has been the foundation of the business’ success.

Sue says the busi-

ness focus has been to spend plenty of time at the recruitment stage to find the right people to fit their team.

A focus on people’s well-being and their ‘team first’ mentality, backed by strong social media presence, means there’s no

Westmorland Estate

■ Owned by David and Sue Fish

■ Three farms: Somerset Farm, Westmorland Farm and Sandhurst Farm

shortage of people willing to join their team.

Sue told Dairy News that she believes there is a global pool of skilled and dedicated people waiting to be tapped into coming and working on NZ dairy farms.

“It’s all about trying

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to make our business attractive to everyone,” she says.

“Yes, it has become hard to get people in NZ and from around the world, but there are those who want to come and experience the dairy industry.”

Westmorland has been an Immigration NZ accredited employer for four years.

Sue says for them it’s been looking at what they can do as an employer to attract good people.

“Why should someone opt to work on our dairy farm as opposed to a different industry down the road?”

One of their latest recruits is a German

■ Supplies milk to two co-ops: Fonterra and Tatua

■ Motto: Together WE Succeed

■ Global team of people.

mechanical engineer. He had never milked cows before but loves the job and environment.

Operations manager Dries Verrycken, from Belgium, believes it’s about picking people with the right attitude and also about offering them the right, training, working environment and support.

Verrycken says most employers focus on skills when recruiting.

“But that’s something you can train; it’s always hard to find all things in one person.

“For us, it’s about find-

ing the best fit, personalities that we can work with.

“We can then teach them how to milk cows or drive a tractor,” he adds.

He says some of their team members bring other skills from their previous occupations which come in handy on farm.

The business has people with background in vet nursing, economics, agronomy, animal science, nurse, business production, vet, psychology, payroll, mechanic, agricultural, and more.

Recruitment is done mostly online and on social media platforms.

This is spearheaded by Verrycken’s wife and human resources manager, Paola.

Westmorland Estate is made up of three dairy farms, all situated within Waitoa.

Verrycken says they work as a team.

“We are three separate farms but at the end of the day there’s one big team.

“We work together: if there’s a man down on one farm, then a member from another farm steps in to help.”

The hard work of the team is given due recognition. Every month an employee of the month is announced – going to a team player, with can do attitude, proactive, will go the extra mile and takes pride of his or her work place.

And an annual performance awards event is held. This event is to celebrate the team and how their hard work contributes to the success of Westmorland Estate Ltd and the wider dairy industry.

Last week the whole Westmorland team gathered in Matamata for the event, which is supported by industry stakeholders.

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Westmorland Estate Ltd owners Sue and David Fish with operations manager Dries Verrycken.

Sandhurst Farm, part of the Westmorland Estate Ltd.

Olam attracting ‘strong interest’ from farmers

OWNERS OF a new milk plant under construction in Tokoroa say local farmers are showing a strong interest in supplying milk.

Olam food ingredients

(ofi) has announced that it has started planning the next phase of capacity investment at its Tokoroa dairy plant for the production of specialised and high value protein-based dairy ingredients.

Construction of the stage one investment, which includes a dryer, is progressing well and remains on track for commissioning in the second half of 2023.

“Local farmers have

says Paul Rennie, operations director for ofi New Zealand.

“Our intention when we started our investment in Tokoroa was to add additional facilities over time and we are pleased

“When construction of the current dryer is complete, our aim is to enhance its capability so we can produce specialised protein ingredients with a higher value, in addition to whole milk

fit from higher returns in time,” says Rennie.

When complete, the plant will be able to produce whole milk powder and protein concentrates for ofi’s international customers and to serve the

Rennie says demand for protein-based ingredients is growing and our customers’ response to this new opportunity to secure specialised ingredients from New Zealand’s high quality milk pool has been very positive.

“We have also offered the

customers who will be buying these ingredients the opportunity to partner on sustainability initiatives in New Zealand, which we expect to create further value for our local farmers.”

Naval Sabri, senior vice president, ofi says they are excited to be adding more New Zealandsourced ingredients to its existing product portfolio.

“And helping our customers turn those ingredients into tasty, nutritious, sustainable and convenient dairy products across many categories,” he says.

Protein concentrates are typically used in sports and adult nutrition and a range of food

and beverage applications, such as high-protein beverages and energy snack bars.

Rennie says ofi is on track with its milk supply needs with interest from farmers expected to grow as the investment for next stage progresses.

“We expect this new investment will help us grow the value of our milk, which creates an opportunity to return value back over time to our farmers as well, in line with our global commitment to producing ingredients in a way that’s socially responsible, economically profitable and environmentally sustainable,” Rennie says.

An artists’s impression of the new olam food ingredients (ofi) plant being built at Tokoroa.

“When you get to the sixth or seventh week of mating, you’re starting to get a little over it, which I’m sure contributes to the empty rate. CowManager doesn’t allow you to do that. It just keeps telling you the cows.”

Water levels on farms monitored from space

GALLAGHER GROUP has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Australian company Gasbot to introduce a satellite-based liquid monitoring system to the New Zealand market.

The Gallagher Satellite Water Monitoring system uses Gasbot’s cuttingedge wireless sensor technology to provide timely information on the water levels in tanks, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about water usage and management.

The system uses satellite communications to transmit data from the tanks to the farmer’s mobile phone, providing easy access to tank information even in remote or

hard-to-reach locations.

The system is not limited to water tanks but can also be used for diesel and fuel tanks, liquid fertiliser, dams, and troughs. It also minimises the need for manual tank readings, which can be timeconsuming and prone to errors, by automatically alerting farmers when water levels are low.

The system will be available for purchase through Gallagher’s rural retailer network in New Zealand. The first 12 months of the software service is included with the initial purchase, followed by an annual satellite connectivity subscription fee.

Chris van der Loo,

Gallagher Global general manager product & technology notes that assur-

ance of water availability is becoming increasingly important for farmers in

New Zealand as climate conditions become more unpredictable.

“Being able to monitor the resources available on farm that are needed to care for animals and crops will become more important as we experience the impacts of moving between flood and drought situations very quickly.

“We are very pleased to be working with Gasbot to offer a satellite liquid monitoring solution to provide peace of mind for farmers across New Zealand regardless of how remote they are.”

Gasbot managing director Phil Livingston says his company is committed to helping farmers understand and optimise water use, as well as monitor fuel and liquid fer-

tiliser levels right across their farms, efficiently and cost-effectively.

“These are values which align perfectly with Gallagher’s strategy,” he says.

“We are excited to partner with Gallagher to bring our innovative product to New Zealand. We believe that this product will make a real difference to farmers in the country, providing them with the information they need to manage their liquids and providing alerts when resources are low.”

Both companies are working together to expand the availability the system to other countries.

@dairy_news

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Water deal: from left Scott Goodwin (CFO Gasbot), Chris van der Loo (Gallagher GM global product & technology), Darrell Jones (Gallagher animal management GM NZ & Chile), Sarah Adams (Gallagher global strategy & new ventures manager), Phil Livingston (managing director Gasbot).

Join us at our Interim Results Roadshow!

20–24 March

Come along to one of our informal farmer meetings where we’ll celebrate you and all your hard work plus have a conversation about the Co-op’s performance and outlook.

Your Directors and Management Team will be on the road from 20–24 March to meet with you and discuss our results and strategy, as well as key topics such as emissions and capital structure. And, of course, there’ll be light refreshments on offer, including delicious Kāpiti cheese made with your milk! You can RSVP at nzfarmsource.co.nz/meeting-schedule

Watch out!

DRIVERS ANNOYED by milk tankers on the road will need to control their road rage lest their behaviour ends up on film

The co-operative’s fleet of 500 tankers are being with high-definition, dualfacing dashcams Fonterra and transportation technology services company Eroad are installing hardware that will include in-vehicle driver monitoring hardware, high-definition, dual-facing dashcams and electronic Road User Charges

Through its fleet of milk collection tankers and over 1,600 tanker operators, Fonterra completes an average of one farm collection every 15 seconds and collects around 16 5 billion litres of milk per year Encounters with bad drivers will be on the record!

What’s in a name?

A LONG-RUNNING battle continues between the powerful US dairy industry and the plant-based upstarts that have been changing the way Americans consume cereal and flavour their coffee

And last month, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signalled it was siding with oat, soy and almond milk makers These drinks can keep the word ‘milk’ in their names, the FDA has proposed

Most consumers, the agency noted in its draft proposal, are aware that liquid extracts from plants have no relationship to the udder of a cow

But in a concession to the US dairy industry, plant-based companies will still be asked to create voluntary labels outlining the nutritional differences between the two types of milk

Cows love humans

DAIRY FARMERS are aware of the importance of calves’ welfare and contentment, particularly during the weaning stage Previous investigations have shown a propensity for cows to seek out human interaction, but the results of such contact have thus far been unknown

In a recent study, researchers from the University of Florida sought to identify precisely how human company influences calves’ levels of wellbeing by observing their behaviour under controlled conditions

Following analysis of the video footage, the research team claimed that human contact does indeed impact the behaviour of the animals, as the additional five minutes spent with humans reduced the duration of calves’ sucking behaviours and increased the amount of time they rested after meals

Maybe rural is important

THE IMPORTANCE of rural and provincial roads has suddenly and dramatically come to the fore with the advent of cyclones Hale and Gabrielle and other massive storms that have hit Northland and along the east coast of the North Island.

Surprise, surprise, towns like Wairoa have become islands within an island as have dozens of farms still without power, communications and access to the nearest service town. Milk on many farms can’t be collected and cows have been dried off, wiping thousands of dollars of farm incomes. Other farms and horticultural blocks have been devastated and many people face an uncertain future.

Head Office: Lower Ground Floor, 29 Northcroft St, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone 09-307 0399.

‘Got Milk?’ is back

REMEMBER David Beckham’s famous ‘Got Milk?’ advertising campaign 16 years ago? It was a US campaign to encourage the use of dairy products Featuring celebs with ‘milk moustaches’, it was wildly successful Now, plant-based ‘milk’ brand Silk has joined forces with Beckham’s son Brooklyn Peltz Beckham for a copycat campaign Brooklyn, along with other stars including John Travolta’s daughter Ella Bleu, are the newest faces of Silk Nextmilk Pictures of the celebs sporting plant-based milk moustaches will be shared across social media and on US billboards in New York, Los Angeles and Las Vegas

Silk says its campaign aims to inspire the next generation of “milk drinkers and plant-based enthusiasts”

While the two cyclones were horrendous, for many they came on top of some terrible rain events that again cut access to farms and brought down forestry slash, which was a killer blow to bridges, farmland and orchards. Some are now talking about ‘filthy forestry’ and while that may be true, foresters can argue that they are operating by and large within the rules that the Government set. Ironically, forestry itself has been hit by the slash because, in the case of the East Coast, access to the port of Napier has been cut.

The reality is that successive governments have neglected rural areas and instead prioritised urban areas for transport upgrades where there are simply more votes.

The question one can ask is, why spend $30 billion for light rail in Auckland rather than building a secure highway between Napier and Gisborne and around the East Cape? By neglecting rural roads are they happy to see prices for fruit and vegetables rise to a point where they are unaffordable to many people.

The stocking of supermarket shelves depends on getting produce to market. Should money being spent on city cycleways – which are nice but not a necessity – be diverted to strengthening the rural roading network?

Is there a risk in this election year of all parties taking a deep breath and uniting in common sense instead of political expediency and making rural roads, communications and power the number one priority? Will they have the guts to upset a few urban people in big vote areas and make the powerhouse of the economy, rural NZ, the winner of the money?

This would be a courageous move, but if you watch the TV series Yes Minister you will know that politicians of all hews don’t do courageous.

It’s not a vote winning strategy.

Publisher: Brian Hight Ph 09-307 0399

General Manager: Adam Fricker Ph 021-842 226

Editor: Sudesh Kissun Ph 021-963 177

Machinery Editor: Mark Daniel Ph 021-906 723 markd@ruralnews.co.nz

Reporters: Peter Burke Ph 021-224 2184 peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

Subscriptions: Julie Beech Ph 021-190 3144 Production: Dave Ferguson Ph 027-272 5372

Becky Williams Ph 021-100 4831 Digital Strategist

AUCKLAND SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Stephen Pollard Ph 021-963 166 stephenp@ruralnews.co.nz

WAIKATO SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Lisa Wise Ph 027-369 9218 lisaw@ruralnews.co.nz

WELLINGTON SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Ron Mackay Ph 021-453 914 ronm@ruralnews.co.nz

SOUTH ISLAND SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Kaye Sutherland Ph 021-221 1994 kayes@ruralnews.co.nz

Farm debt mediation

Tension is growing as interest rates rise.

A FARMER rides a quad bike to the back paddock, followed by a dog, happy to be out.

The farmer looks back at all the family has built together. Proud as, then remembers the things that have gone wrong, then remembers the big mortgage.

Then thinks, ‘what the hell am I going to do’?

The local bank manager drives past the farm. Thinks of the cups of tea and chuckles in that farmhouse. Remembers the red figures that cannot be ignored. Then thinks, ‘what the hell am I going to do’?

New Zealand farms carry around $60 billion of debt, according to recent Reserve Bank data.

Beyond the figures, it is personal.

Farm debt is not just a number, for the farmer or the lender. For the farmer, the debt supports a way of family life, a passion, and a commitment to the land. For the lender it represents a personal relationship, and part of a vital connection to New Zealand’s key economic sector.

Farm debts can go awry. Farmers sometimes over-commit. Biohazards and compliance issues can add unexpected costs. Prices are volatile. Natural disasters, like the recent flooding, can be devastating.

The pressure can be immense. But farmers are often the type of selfreliant and indomitable

people who are the last to ask for help. Mental health issues are a significant concern in the sector. Lenders can find it hard to get farmers to have those crucial conversations.

Against this backdrop, the Farm Debt Mediation Act (FMDA) 2019 came into force on 1 July 2020. It provides for farm debt issues (broadly defined) to be mediated.

Mediation is a structured process where a neutral mediator helps parties to resolve issues between them. It is widely used in commercial dispute resolution. Far more High Court commercial matters are resolved by mediation than trial.

FDMA mediations are a circuit-breaker for high pressure farm debt situations. They are a chance

for folk to talk before things go too far.

The FDMA provides that:

■ Farmers can request mediation at any time;

■ Lenders can request mediation if a farmer is in default;

■ Lenders cannot take enforcement action on farm debt unless they have tried to mediate;

■ Mediators must be FDMA accredited;

■ The farmer gets to suggest three accredited mediators, and the lender must pick one of those three;

■ Mediations are to be concluded in good time;

■ The parties must participate in the mediation process in good faith; and

■ There is no requirement for the parties to

settle.

The FDMA is administered by MPI. It can put farmers going through the process in touch with support, including funding assistance for mediation costs.

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) maintains a list of FDMA accredited mediators

(of whom three are also tikanga accredited). All are independent practitioners. There have been over 60 FDMA mediations to date.

There does not need to be a dispute about the debt for there to be a FDMA mediation. Usually, the issues are around what do going forward. What is a good business plan to bring the debt under control? Can something be sold, and, if so, how and when? Can other funders be brought in? Can the terms of the debt be adjusted to allow more breathing space?

Feedback from lenders and farmers about FDMA mediation has been positive. For my part, I have mediated c.$300 million worth of farm debt to settlements under the FDMA so far. It has been a priv-

ilege. In my experience, everyone works hard to find sustainable solutions. Roadmaps to progress are achieved, with parameters and sensible timeframes. The pressure is usually reduced. Folk leave the day with handshakes and a smile.

Weeks later, the farmer and the local bank manager stand on the driveway having a cup of tea. The dog has what he thinks is a discrete wee on the wheel of the bank manager’s ute. Everyone bursts out laughing. • Mark Kelly is a barrister, commercial mediator, and accredited FDMA mediator. He mediates throughout NZ. If you think a farm debt mediation might be of use to you, contact your lawyer, your accountant, or MPI, for further advice/information.

MARK

Mark Kelly

Breeding higher producing cows, cutting stock numbers

Farm facts

■ Owners: Chris & Emma Poole

HE MIGHT have had his fair share of media attention last year for coming runner up in the 2022 FMG Young Farmer of the Year, but Waikato’s Chris Poole has many more strings to his bow.

Farming at the base of Mount Pirongia on 202ha, with wife Emma and son Beau, the couple not only split-calves 720 cows, but runs a successful calfrearing business as well.

They bought a herd of 165 Holstein Friesian cows from breeders Murray and Julie Dickson in May 2022, looking to breed higher-producing cows in order to reduce cow numbers.

“Emma and I are real fans of their animals, having bought bulls from them previously,” Chris says.

“We DNA tested those bulls and ran them with the heifers. We monitored the progeny in the herd from the natural bulls, and they were better than most of the cows in the herd.”

Chris says they were “stoked” when the opportunity came up to buy the herd.

“We know they suit the system well,” he says. “We sold the bottom 165 cows of our own herd to accommodate the new cows.”

■ Location: Pirongia, Waikato

■ Farm size: 202ha

■ Cows: 720 cows (165 registered Holstein Friesian)

■ Production: 550 kgMS/cow

■ Stud name: Poole

The couple is in an equity partnership with Chris’ parents John and Anne. Chris and Emma were both “keen farm kids”, Chris brought up on a Taranaki dairy farm, and Emma a calf rearing farm near Auckland.

Chris was about 10 years old when John and Anne bought the Pirongia farm. He went to boarding school at Sacred Heart College in Auckland City from year nine, a school he loved.

Chris attended Massey University to study Agricultural Science, meeting Emma, a veterinary student, in 2014 through Massey University Young Farmers.

Chris graduated in 2016 and headed back to the family farm, and the couple married just before the country went into lockdown in March 2020.

Today, the couple splitcalves 720 cows in spring and autumn. Chris is full time on farm, in addition to a part time role as Customer Success Man-

ager a few hours a week at Connecterra cow collars. Emma works as a veterinarian for Vetora. The couple has a son, Beau.

The couple also run a successful calf-rearing business, rearing around 1,000 calves each year: 850 are beef calves, and 150 are heifer replacements. They buy in beef calves to top up the numbers.

Mating is undertaken in June for eight weeks, and then in October for eight to nine weeks. All mating is AI, using sexed semen to get “next to no bobbies”. Chris says they aim to breed a mediumsized cow, as there is a long walk to the cowshed.

“We aim to breed 500kg cows that can produce more than their

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liveweight,” Chris says. “Traits we breed for include longevity, efficiency, udders, fertility BV, and fat and protein.”

Having bought the well-bred Dickson herd, they will look to improve herd quality to be able to milk fewer cows with higher production.

“We’re trying to get genetic gain by breeding from our best cows,” Chris says. “We’ve bought a really well bred, top herd so we’ll be able to reduce the total number of cows we’ll be milking.”

Choosing the Holstein Friesian breed has been key for milk production capability.

“We’ve always liked Friesian cattle, although we do still have crossbreeds in the herd,” Chris

says. “With the Dickson cows, we will keep as many straight Holstein Friesian as possible. We can get a lot of value from the calves and do a lot better out of them. Holstein Friesian calves are worth rearing and are so much easier to rear.”

Chris says their system is designed to fully feed the herd, year-round. Once herd numbers are reduced, they will put the same amount of feed into fewer, better-producing cows.

“We are a system 5 farm, growing maize and lucerne on farm,” he says. “Most supplements are grown on farm and fed on the feed pad year-round.”

Chris’ name was on everyone’s lips last year for coming runner up

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in the 2022 FMG Young Farmer Competition. He competed against and came second to his brother-in-law, Tim Dangen. Emma was a 2019 Grand Finalist in the competition.

“I had a lot of fun and met a lot of good people during the contest,” Chris says.

“It is a good opportunity to do something a little bit different. All the on-farm skills you practice every day are put to the test. It’s cool competing for something you do every day.”

With the Dickson cows now settled into the herd, Chris says they’ll rear fewer beef calves and more replacements, with a view to sell the surplus replacements each year.

“Rearing more dairy replacements, we will get to pick the best ones for ourselves and get the farm into a place that’s easier to run, and milk a few less cows,” he says.

“We’d love to be more self-sufficient and rely less on off-farm feed.”

The couple also did some embryo transfer work last year in their beef cattle, as well as in some of their best dairy cattle for themselves and other breeders.

Chris says his lifelong goal is to create a business that’s financially and environmentally stable, to enable a bit of freedom to dabble in some side projects they enjoy – such as breeding, stud animals or some other ‘fun’ animal things.

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ANNE BOSWELL

trading as Cloverlea Farm Ltd

Chris and Emma Poole, with son Beau.

Collars make breeding target easy

Do you know if your feed Find out at the NZFMA Fieldays

our best to ensure as few cows are falling out of the system as possible. Going forward that’s our goal –sustainability.”

All the cow behaviour data, and heat and health insights, are integrated through the Datamars Data Livestock Cloud Software. Flynn sees all this via the phone app.

“Rumination for example, the cow might physi-

energy through that. It is quite easy then to say, that cow is not fully right. Especially over calving time, the data gives you the opportunity to be proactive. Those small things can make a huge difference to the whole impact of your season.”

“The other massive benefit with collars, as it is with every other industry, is staff. It’s a massive thing for us. This year has been hard, but we haven’t required someone on the vet stand. With collars you are saving a

unit because you don’t need a second person in the shed. That makes a huge difference. I am saving two hours of everyday. Instead, I am outside making judgement calls, actually managing the farm which I am paid to do.”

Head of Datamars

Livestock Smart Farming for Australasia Verne Atmore is pleased with the results farmers are seeing with their Active Collar Tag but is quick to point out it’s just the start.

Farm manager Barry Flynn claims the collars have been a great success.

New Outlander comes with a range of updates, features

WHILE ATV’S have lost some of their market share to side by sides or UTV’s, they remain the vehicle of choice for those with difficult terrain on tight tracks.

Canadian manufacturer Can-Am claims to be pushing boundaries with the all-new, medium engine displacement, Can-Am Outlander ATV utility models, offering more performance, comfort, storage and reliability for the category, while remaining competitively priced.

For the New Zealand farmer, the new Can-Am Outlander PRO comes with a range of updates and improvements that began on our shores over 5 years ago when the Can-Am Global ATV product team visited New Zealand to gather insights and local input from farmers, service centres and dealerships – focusing on high quality, reliability, and durability to get the job done day in, day out on farm.

A new tubular steel chassis design derived from the Can-Am Maverick X3 platform is said to be 35% or 18kg lighter, while a front and rear arched A-Arm suspension configuration has given the new Outlander PRO and Outlander PRO

XU class-leading suspension travel and ground clearance. Both models are equipped with 9.75” of front suspension travel with twin tube shocks and 10.25” also featuring twin tube shocks at the rear. PRO models feature stiffer suspension tuning to allow for working conditions and heavier payloads, with chassis and suspension combining to offer up to 13” of ground clearance.

Other detail changes within the chassis geometry help deliver increased knee room and wider, more spacious floorboards that improve handling and increase stability and combine with a thicker, more durable seat for increased rider comfort.

An all-new rear facing 650cc single cylinder,

liquid cooled, fuel injected Rotax engine delivers 40 and 50hp respectively from the PRO HD5 and Pro HD 7 models.

The Outlander PRO HD5 and HD7 machines are

equipped with a new pDrive primary CVT transmission that also features work calibration along with Extra L/H/N/ R/P gearing, with selectable 2WD/4WD with

Visco-Lok†, Visco-Lok† QE or Visco-4Lok with auto-locking front differential drivetrain offered according to the packages.

Controlled descents are taken care of by the

Intelligent Engine Braking function, while the PRO XU versions get an engine management key offering Work, Standard and Sport modes. Things are safely brought to a stop via twin discs up front and a single disc brake assembly at the rear. Both PRO and PRO XU versions feature 26-inch wheel equipment, the former in steel and the latter utilising cast aluminium construction.

At the business end of the machines, the range offers an industry leading 748kg towing capacity, complemented by front and rear racks offering a rating of 54 and 109kg respectively.

The Outlander PRO comes standard with multiple storage capabilities, including new 1-gallon integrated glove box com-

partment and 4.5 inch instrument display, while selected models also feature a magnetic phone mount and USB port to keep riders’ devices charged while they are on the go. Utilising the LinQ attachment system, 125 options are available for the front cargo area, the handlebar and control area and the rear cargo platform. These include the likes of heated grips and windshields, gun or chainsaw racks, winches, lighting options and HD skid plates.

All machines are offered with a 3-year unlimited km warranty on the engine and drivetrain, with a one-year coverage on the remaining areas of the machine.

Visit www.can-am.brp. com/off-road/nz/

Can-Am says the new Outlander PRO comes with a range of

and improvements.

A new tubular steel chassis design derived from the Can-Am Maverick X3 platform is said to be 35% or 18kg lighter.

Built for the tough stuff

FOR THOSE looking for an ATV to take on heavy loads or tough conditions, it would be difficult to come across a more capable machine than the Yamaha Kodiak 700 EPS.

Shod on heavy-duty, 25-inch diameter Maxxis tyres carried on 12-inch steel wheels, and weighing in a 307kg, the 700 is certainly a large machine, but its physical attributes mean it’s good for 600kg at the tow-bar and a useful 140kg spread between the front and rear racks.

Out on the farm, the Kodiak, despite its weight, is easy to point in the required direction thanks to the electronic steering system that keeps effort light and offers good feed-

back over changing surfaces or terrain.

The SOHC/4-valve 686cc single cylinder, fuelinjected engine starts easily and quickly settles

to a steady tick-over.

Hitting the throttle results in smooth, rapid progress, complemented by Yamaha’s Ultramatic CVT system, which fea-

tures a toothed drive belt that is kept under constant tension. This serves to impart excellent downhill retardation, with all wheel braking delivered

by the one-way sprag clutch set up.

Sitting on the machine, a wide, long seat accommodates all sizes of riders, while full length foot-

boards give a sense of safety and stop seasoned bikers from “putting their feet down” before the vehicle comes to a stop.

Countering the turn of speed, disc brakes allround bring things to a controlled stop, with a configuration that sees the right-hand lever control the twin discs at the front and the left lever or the right foot pedal actuating the rear single disc.

On the farm race, the ride quality feels very pliable, edging towards soft, but certainly leads to a very comfortable ride. A double wishbone, A-arm set up utilises specially designed KYB shock absorbers, offering 180mm of travel at the bow and 230mm at the stern.

Pulling an 80 teat calfeteria loaded with 500 litres of milk along

the main farm race and through muddy gateways was certainly taken in its stride, with 4WD only engaged to stop the front tyres “washing out” on turns. The flat contours of the central Waikato meant there was never any need to hit the diff-lock button.

Living with the 700 for a couple of weeks certainly looked to be easy, evidenced by the shaft drive to the rear, a handy access cover at the left heel to get to the engine oil dip stick and a very capable and powerful halogen headlight up front.

Keeping things clean was also easy with smooth panels, especially under the mudguards and plenty of space around the front and rear axle components to let muck fall through, rather than lodge and collect – so no excuses there.

Out on the farm, the Kodiak, despite its weight, is easy to point in the required direction thanks to the electronic steering system.

New quads feature bigger and bolder styling

WHILE CHINESE

motor vehicle brands are becoming more commonplace on the roads of New Zealand, the same couldn’t be said about Chinese quad bike and side by sides on farms, as many have struggled to beat the stranglehold of the big Japanese brands.

CF Moto, based in Hangzhou China with more than 4,500 employees, claims the number one position for sales of UTV and ATV’s in more than 17 countries, including Italy, Spain, Sweden and Germany, generating global revenues in excess of US$1.2bn

Introduced into NZ in 2014, the late entrant has been making steady progress, with a half year result to June 2022, showing a market share of 14% from 30 dealers covering 65% of the country.

The newly released C Force 400 and 520 ATV models had already proved popular in their previous incarnation, selling over 160,000 units globally. Now offered in CF400 Basic, CF400 EPS and 520 EPS variants, the new models will typically

HIGHER USAGE

STUDIES HAVE confirmed that conditions and typical use of ATV’s and UTV’s in New Zealand is much tougher than many other countries.

In the largest market of North America, with total sales of 650,000 units in 2021, usage is typically 100 hours per annum at an average speed of 20km/h.

In Australia, use climbs to 250 hours per annum, with an average speed of 10km/h. By contrast, in NZ usage climbs to 450 hours each year and an average speed of 25km/h, with very little attention paid to servicing.

arrive on-farm at half the price of their Japanese rivals.

Featuring bigger and bolder styling, the machines offer 260mm ground clearance and a turning circle, at 5.2 metres – a reduction of 25% over previous models. Detail changes include a 26% increase in suspension travel for improved

rider comfort, and the air intake is raised by 120mm to a position under the speedo housing.

On the chassis side, specifically “sculpted” A-arm assemblies help avoid impact with rocks or foreign objects, while the brakes and CV joints are protected by dedicated shields. The machines are also said to be more ver-

satile over rough terrain, by virtue of increased approach and departure angles.

Both machines use a single-cylinder, Bosch fuel-injected powerplant, putting out 31 and

34hp, from the 400 and 520 respectively. Much of the re-design is centred around increased airflow in the engine area, achieved via new highlevel intakes on each side of the machine and integral ducting beneath close-fitting side panels.

The revision is said to make the machines more comfortable to operate by eliminating the traditional roasting of a leg next to the underlying exhaust pipe.

Other detail includes a narrower fuel tank with a capacity increase

to 17 litres, 40% more foam padding in the seat squabs and a new durable rubberised outer seat cover. In addition, all key electrical components have been moved to a position high under the front cover.

The transmission is configured to offer High/ Low/Neutral/Reverse and Park positions, with an additional park lock on the brake lever, said to be preferable when the vehicle is parked on slopes, with the Park lever being more difficult to release.

Weighing in at 332 and 351kg, both models offer a 612kg towing capacity, with 30 and 60kg capacities on the front and rear racks.

Wheel equipment sees 24-inch, 6-ply tyres mounted on 12-inch wheels, while changing conditions are taken care of by 2WD/4WD and locking front differential functions.

Standard equipment includes indicators, lights, horn, mirrors and daytime running lights. A trailer plug, power socket, USB plug and front winch are also included, plus hand guards on the 520 model, while both models are covered by a 2-year warranty.

Moto’s new ATVS feature bigger and bolder styling.

ATVs that make farming easier

SUZUKI WAS the first on four wheels right back in 1982, when Suzuki importer of the day Rod Coleman developed the successful LT125.

Today, with around 38 years of engineering improvements and advancement, Suzuki boasts a line-up of ATVs with features that make everyday farming just that little bit more comfortable.

Suzuki’s quad range features models with engine sizes from 400 – 750cc, with features like power steering, independent suspension, fuel-injected engines and automatic transmissions with strong engine braking.

The latest KingQuad 500 and 750 models utilise a new frame design using heavier 2mm tubing, with updated fully independent suspension offering 172mm and 194mm, front and rear wheel travel respectively. This is complemented by uprated shock absorbers with newly tuned damping forces. Further improvements in the rear stabiliser help deliver a safer and more comfortable ride, while towing capacity, delivered through a new square receiver tow hitch, climbs to 600kg.

Bringing things to a stop safely falls to dual front discs, with 190mm rotors, aided by a sealed, oil-bath multidisc rear brake with 106mm discs, while getting things pointing in the right direction is the job of the newly updated power steering system.

Up front, a multi-function instrument panel with service reminder icon keeps the operator informed of all the machine’s key functions, with a handlebar-mounted headlight offering excellent visibility for early starts or late finishes. Meanwhile a flush mounted LED-style rear taillight is well protected from bumps and knocks out on the farm.

Living with the latest KingQuad is also easy given the multitude of storage compartments, including a front waterproof storage and two rear storage compartments that can carry all the tools needed out on the farm. Of course, for those looking to customise their machines even further, Suzuki offers an extensive range of genuine accessories.

www.suzuki.co.nz

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews

Global demand for robotic milkers

MILKING SPECIALIST

DeLaval plans to increase its production capacity of automatic milking machines to meet rising customer demand.

As automatic milking appears to be growing in popularity around the Globe, DeLaval says it has being getting a very positive customer response to its VMS™ V300-series of automatic milking robots.

These two factors have led to the company making a substantial investment, allowing it to increase the production capacity of automatic milking systems by 50%.

Paul Löfgren, president and chief executive at DeLaval, says, “With this investment we will be able to meet growing customer demand and increase our production capacity while also shortening lead times.

“This will also ensure that we can keep our focus on continued product development and quality.”

With a development and operational timeframe to come on stream in 2024, the new facility for VMS production will be built with increased efficiency using optimised and automated manufacturing flows. Indeed, the company says the focus on VMS will be even

higher in the Tumba factory; there are also plans in place to ensure inhouse supporting facto-

ries and the component supply chain will also be updated to meet the increased production tar-

gets.

Automatic milking is growing in popularity due to the need for higher

DeLaval says it has being getting a very positive customer response to its VMS V300-series of automatic milking robots.

“The high demand we’ve seen for the VMS V300-series in recent years and the future expected demand allows us to make this investment,” says Löfgren.

“We have seen improvements and changes in milk production throughout our company´s more than 130 years of history, and the need to produce milk in a more sustainable way is increasingly important,” says Löfgren.

productivity, as well as the increasing problem of recruiting experienced and reliable staff.

“This investment is a fantastic opportunity for us to continue to develop valuable solutions to improve milk production together with our customers – the farmers of the world.”

KRONE BOOSTS 4M OFFERING

GERMAN MANUFACTURER

Krone has developed two new versions of its 4m EasyCut F400 mower.

One, the EC F400 Fold, has no conditioner but a swathing auger, while the second has a rigid cutter-bar and an integrated roller conditioner.

Based on the original EC F400 CV Fold – awarded a silver medal at Agritechnica 2019 – the EC F400 Fold is fitted with the same patented folding system, reducing the transport width of the cutter-bar to 3.0m.

Featuring many years of experience gained with Big M swathing augers and the EasyCut B 950 Collect butterfly combination, the 45cm diameter auger swathes the crop (width is adjustable)

between the tractor wheels.

Increased productivity from the 4.0m working width is said to be ideal for farms cutting fresh grass for cows or goats each day, but also extends the working width for those contractors using butterfly combinations. As an example, combined with the Krone EC B1000, more than 10m of grass can be knocked down with 57cm overlaps on each side.

Aimed at farmers growing alfalfa or other crops prone to leaf shatter, the EC F400 CR (roller conditioner) is equipped with a rigid cutter-bar and a standard conditioning unit consisting of two profiled 25cm-diameter polyurethane rollers. – Mark Daniel

JCB hydrogen engine set for global debut

JCB IS getting ready for the international debut of its super-efficient hydrogen combustion technology with a debut in North America.

JCB’s new hydrogen combustion engine, the company’s zero-carbon emissions solution for construction and agricultural equipment, will be showcased at the Conexpo 2023 show in Las Vegas in March, as part of the International Fluid Power Exposition (IFPE).

The project, driven by JCB chairman Lord Bamford, has seen the JCB engineering team make enormous strides in a relatively short time, to develop a hydrogen internal combustion engine that is already powering prototype versions of a company backhoe loader and a Loadall telescopic handler.

As the first construction equipment company to develop a fully working combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen, the company leads the way in environmental, social and governance (ESG) for the construction equipment sector, while also having been responsible for a series of industry innovations on its ‘Road to Zero’.

JCB developed the world’s first batteryelectric mini excavator and went on to focus on electric technology development to meet customers’ demands for zero-carbon products with its E-TECH range, said to be the largest electric line-up available in the construction industry.

JCB’s commitment to reducing emissions started almost 25 years ago and today its latest diesel engines have already delivered a

97% reduction in NOx emissions since 1999 and a 98% reduction in particulates. JCB’s diesel-powered machines also emit 50% less CO2 compared with those manufactured in 2010.

Other manufacturers are also committed to exploring alternative power sources, with French company Manitou, known for its telescopic handlers and fork trucks, appearing to favour an electrical drive train, with two initiatives being driven to this end.

The first centres around developing a hydrogen-powered telehandler prototype, initially targeted at the construction industry. Unlike JCB, the French company is pursuing hydrogen fuel cell technology, said to be a far more efficient method of releasing the energy than combustion.

This method produces power directly from the fuel cell without the need for generators to convert mechanical energy to electricity, but they are expensive due to the need for a platinum catalyst within the cell. At this point platinum supplies are very limited so carry a high price.

Manitou is also researching the possibility of using batteries to power its electrically driven machines and has invested in a battery fabrication company.

EasyLi, based in Poitiers, Central France, is described as “a specialist in the design and production of mass produced and custom-built lithium-ion batteries”.

By purchasing 87% of the company, Manitou has acquired specific skills in the context of its energy transition strategy, alongside securing the ability to design and build its own batteries rather than relying on third party providers.

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews co nz

A hydrogen internal combustion engine is already powering prototype versions of a Loadall telescopic handler. Inset: JCB chairman Lord Anthony Bamford.

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