Dairy News 21 March 2023

Cheese, protein power co-op’s half-year result

DEMAND FOR protein and cheese has helped Fonterra overcome inflationary pressures to post a solid halfyear result.

For the six months ending January 31, the co-operative’s reported profit after tax rose 50% to $546 million.

This is despite a challenging global operating environment with market volatility, inflationary pressures and higher interest rates.

Like its farmer shareholders, Fonterra is also facing a sharp rise in operating costs. Total operating costs rose 30% over last year to $1.3 billion.

Chief executive Miles Hurrell says while it was hard to put a number on inflation, it was felt across the supply chain. He gave an example of fuel costs for the co-op. Rolling contracts meant the co-op was signing contracts with higher prices.

“Inflationary pressures have been felt across the business in the majority of the operating expense categories,” he says.

Operating expenses weren’t helped either by consumer brand impairments, with write-downs totalling $162 million: $92 million in Fonterra Brands New Zealand consumer business and $70m in Asia brands Anmum, Anlene and Chesdale.

Chief financial officer Neil Beaumont says a weaker currency and a declining economic environment in some Southeast Asian markets

forced the write-down.

In NZ, Fonterra Brands is also struggling with higher costs and a depressed consumer market.

Hurrell says the solid result reflected favourable margins in its Ingredients channel driven mainly by demand for protein and cheese products across multiple markets at a time of constrained supply.

“Our Foodservice channel earnings have also improved as our inmarket product prices adjust to reflect the higher cost of milk.

“However, our Consumer channel earnings are down due to challenging market conditions and recognising impairments of our New Zealand consumer business and our Asia brands.”

He says the global operating

environment remains challenging with heightened market volatility, inflationary pressures, higher interest rates, as well as weather events impacting the global supply chain.

But Fonterra’s cash free cashflow for the first six months is more favourable relative to the same time last year, reflecting increased earnings and the sell down of additional inventory held at the end of the 2022 financial year.

“Our increased earnings combined with the strength of our balance sheet has enabled us to pay an interim dividend of 10 cents per share,” says Hurrell.

Fonterra retained a forecast farmgate milk price range of $8.20 - $8.80/kgMS.

Hurrell says the co-op will con-

tinue to watch changes in the market closely.

“The outlook for dairy remains positive with high demand for New Zealand’s quality, sustainable dairy nutrition, and global milk supply likely to continue to be constrained.”

Fonterra will release its opening forecast for the next season in May.

“There are a number of risks we continue to watch, including the impact of recent weather events in New Zealand on supply chain and milk production.

“Our co-op’s scale, diversity and strong balance sheet positions us well to manage these challenges and we will continue to prioritise higher value products and channels to deliver sustainable returns for farmer owners and unit holders.”

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Fonterra chief executive says the co-op is facing inflationary pressures right across the business.

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews co nz

Tax free $800m for farmers

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews

AN $800 MILLION tax-free capital return announced by Fonterra will be “very welcomed” by farmers, says Federated Farmers dairy section chair Richard McIntyre.

He says the capital return, planned for October, will help farm budgets under pressure from a drop in the forecast milk price and rising input costs.

“We started the year

with a forecast price of $9.50/kgMS and it has dropped to $8.50,” McIntyre told Dairy News

“This left bit of a hole in the budget. For many farmers this season will be break even.

“Therefore, this extra money will be very welcome.”

Fonterra had previously indicated an intention to return $1 billion to shareholders and unit holders.

However, this was linked to the sale of its

Chilean Soprole business and a review of its Australian business.

In November last year, Fonterra announced that it had sold its Soprole business for $1.055 billion.

However, the co-op also decided to retain its Australian assets.

Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says following completion of the sale of Soprole, it intends to reduce debt and return around 50 cents per share and unit.

“We are aiming for a record date for the

proposed tax free capital return in late September 2023, with cash to be received by our farmer owners and unit holders the following month.

“Implementation of the capital return will require a Scheme of Arrangement to be voted on by shareholders, and approval by the High Court, which is a common process for this type of transaction.

“More information on this process will be provided to our farmer owners and unit holders

in due course.”

Fonterra remains committed to a strong balance sheet as well as an “A” band credit rating, he adds.

He also noted that the sale of Soprole remains subject to satisfaction of conditions previously announced, including commencement of an irrevocable public tender offer process in Chile for the outstanding shares in Soprole not already owned by Fonterra.

SECURING CAPITAL LINKED TO EMISSIONS PROFILE

FONTERRA SAYS securing capital for future growth will depend on how its farmers manage emissions on farm.

The co-operative plans to start discussions with farmer shareholders “about what a target will look like and how we’ll get there”.

Chief executive Miles Hurrell says having a target will help secure high value customers, enable the co-op and farmer owners to meet ongoing regulations as well as secure future finance.

Hurrell says there is “a strong pull” coming from customers, consumers and the capital market.

“Our access to the capital will be linked to how we are dealing with emissions on farm,” he says.

Fonterra acknowledges making change onfarm changes is not easy.

Hurrell points out that the co-op currently has 18 methane-reduction projects underway and 30 active trials of potential solutions.

“These activities support us in building a stronger co-op for the future, and we’ll be out talking about these topics over the coming months.

“As we’ve said earlier, we’re well positioned

to navigate the challenges we’re currently seeing, while also looking out to the needs of our customers and consumers in the years ahead.

“This long-term view determines the steps we need to take today to ensure we continue to be a dairy provider of choice and strong co-op for generations to come.”

The co-op is also investing in R&D and new technologies to help reduce emissions on-farm.

Projects underway include a new private-public partnership joint venture announced in November, through which Government and partners from across the food and fibre sectors will work together to reduce methane emissions.

Hurrell says the co-op is also making progress in work to transition its manufacturing sites out of coal by 2037.

“At our Waitoa site we’re converting one of our boilers to wood biomass.

“Scheduled to be operating later this year, the new boiler will reduce the site’s annual emissions by 48,000 tonnes of CO2e, the equivalent of taking 20,000 cars off New Zealand’s roads.”

– Sudesh Kissun

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Federated Farmers dairy section chair Richard McIntyre says the extra money will be welcomed by farmers.

Fonterra is making progress in work to transition its manufacturing sites out of coal by 2037.

Arifin milks his way to success

DAIRY MANAGER

Mohammad Arifin has come a long way from milking 20 cows by hand, twice a day back home in Indonesia.

Earlier this month, he was crowned the 2023 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year, winning $9,047 in prizes and three merit awards.

Arifin works on the Wairarapa Moana Incorporation’s Mangakino 289ha property, milking 1055 cows.

He arrived in New Zealand 15 years ago having worked on an Indonesian dairy farm for about five years.

“In my farming background in Indonesia I only looked after small numbers of cows, between 10 and 20 cows,” he told Dairy News

“Things are done a bit differently over there: I milked the cows twice a day by hand.

“The cows stayed in the barn, grass/feed harvested from the field was brought to the barn.”

Arifin credits Wairarapa Moana Incorporation for his success in NZ.

He started there in 2008 as assistant herd

manager and worked his way up to become farm manager.

The new farming system was a challenge, he says.

“It has many more cows but is more efficient compared to farms back in Indonesia but that made me really interested in it.”

He says Wairarapa Moana has provided support, training and opportunities over the years.

He is proud of his achievements in the Wairarapa Moana Awards over the past few years, including: Dairy Unit of the Year, Nga Tangata (Developing People), Financial, Values and Farm Pride

and winner of Whakamaru School biggest bull calves competition for three consecutive years.

“I began at the bottom of my career in New Zealand and have had good support and progression opportunities from my employer,” he says.

“I’m proud of where I am in my current role.”

Arifin says he entered the awards for the first time this year as he wants to be more involved in the dairy industry and gain new experiences.

“Farming is my passion, and I love being onfarm and seeing my cows healthy and happy.”

His goal is to own a dairy farm.

WHAT BEGAN as a work experience while at university changed Bay of Plenty farm manager Chihiro Hanyuda’s life.

The 27-year old Japanese-born is in her third season farming and is now farm manager for Peter Overdevest and Tania Akehurst on their 148ha Galatea farm, milking 379 cows.

Earlier this month, she was rewarded for her great start in dairying when she scooped the 2023 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year title. The win came with $7,975 in prizes plus three merit awards.

Hanyuda says she didn’t know anything about the industry until work experience on a dairy farm while studying for a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Animal Science, minor in Ecology.

“I got hooked on it – the lifestyle, the job and the cows. Every morning I wake up feeling excited to go to work.”

She told Dairy News that her motivation to grow as a dairy farmer is helping her advance.

“I kept asking myself if I could keep learning where I was. When the answer was no, I looked for another job to expand my opportunities for the future,” she says.

Future farming goals include farm ownership and showcasing New Zealand farming to Japan.

“I want to show how great the farming life here is to Japanese people.

“I’m proud of myself for climbing the ladder relatively fast for someone who came to New Zealand alone just a few years ago and didn’t know anything about farming.

“There have been obstacles for me to overcome and I’m sure there will be many more, but I’m glad I’ve never given up and kept trying and holding on to every opportunity.”

Hanyuda is passionate about new technologies and innovative ways of farming.

“I always think about how to farm more easily and improve production at the same time.

“While regulations and the climate are changing, our farming system needs to be adaptable to all sorts of possible scenarios.”

She would love to be involved in decision-making for environmental regulations and laws.

“I would love to assist farmers and government officials to understand each other’s point of view.”

Uneducated comments on social media frustrate Hanyuda, who would like to see farmers educate themselves more on the environment.

“I see these comments and I get a feeling that most haven’t even read the regulations or understand

them properly.

“Instead of blindly disagreeing, we should broaden our knowledge and think how we can individually improve the situation.”

She also believes farmers need to admit that they affect the environment in one way or another.

“Then, each one of us needs to think about how we can minimise the risk of altering the environment for the future.

“For example, some farmers focus on reducing their herd sizes but improve the genetics in their herd to maintain their productions.

“Some people may try different pastures, like plantain, to reduce nitrate oxide release into the atmosphere.

“Some may build compost barns to reduce nitrate leaching into the ground and to the waterway.”

– Sudesh Kissun

2023 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year, Mohammad Arifin.

2023 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year Chihiro Hanyuda.

Forum celebrates farmer network

JESSICA MARSHALL jessica@ruralnews co nz

THE DAIRY Environment Leaders (DEL) forum taking place in Wellington later this week is set to be an event filled with good information and future thinking, says DEL chair Melissa Slattery.

Slattery, a Te Aroha dairy farmer, says she joined the DEL forum after being invited to attend a gathering in Wellington a few years ago.

“I really enjoyed it, got a lot from it and increased my network of farmers and also met different stakeholders and speakers and got exposed to different information which is always cool,” she told Dairy News

This year’s forum has a whole host of speakers with a range of insights, from former All Black Sir Buck Shelford who is

set to discuss leadership and getting the most out of teams, to KPMG NZ global head of agribusiness Ian Proudfoot talking about the concept of the ‘conscious consumer’.

“We’ve got information on methane technology, all sorts of science and policy, and a political panel,” Slattery says.

“So, there are lots happening at the forum this

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year and lots of exciting information and people attending.”

She says there are multiple benefits to attending the forum, including “networking with like-minded

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farmers, learning more about markets and what’s

happening worldwide”. Slattery says that, with

300 dairy environment leaders throughout New Zealand, the network of farmers aim to influence farmers on-farm and in their community, but they also try to advocate for farmers at a policy level.

“We do that by showcasing leadership on-farm for environmental stewardship, helping make practical solutions from a regulatory side of things and supporting communities and other farmers on the journey,” she says.

She says that in 2023 the network is aiming to grow its group of farmers and the impact it can create in the community.

The DEL forum will take place 22-23 March 2023 in Wellington, with more than 60 leaders expected to attend.

People Expo on

THIS WEEK’S People Expo events in Waikato and Taranaki will provide dairy farmers with an opportunity to hear from experts on economic and workforce trends, technology adoption, and how to find and keep great people.

DairyNZ and Dairy Women’s Network have partnered to deliver the events. Similar ones took place in Canterbury and Southland earlier this month.

DairyNZ lead advisor for people, Jane Muir, encourages farmers to come along.

“People on-farm is a hot topic right now, with many farms finding it challenging to find and keep the staff they want,” says Muir.

“These events provide the chance for farmers to connect with each other and gather new ideas to improve their

workplaces and businesses.”

There are a range of guest speakers to inspire and entertain farmers, including Sense Partners economist Shamubeel Eaqub who will discuss global and regional workforce trends, and people specialist Lee Astridge on what it takes to be a competitive workplace, to attract and retain staff.

Guest speaker, Taranaki dairy farmer Hayden Lawrence, is embracing new processes and technology with his farm team. This includes having 18-month lactations and using a web-based platform to communicate, record events, and provide a database of important farm information in a single digital location.

The People Expo events are free for dairy farmers, and lunch is provided. Visit dairynz.co.nz/peopleexpo

Dairy Environment Leaders (DEL) forum chair Melissa Slattery says this week’s event will be filled with good information and future thinking.

SOUTH ISLAND Alastair Robertson 027 435 2642 www.cochranes.co.nz

NORTH ISLAND Product Specialist 027 203 5022 www.gaz.co.nz

Anchor brand stars at world’s biggest food, beverage show

FONTERRA SAYS its presence at the world’s largest food and beverage event last month allowed it to showcase what made New Zealand dairy unique – sustainability.

The week-long Gulfood in Dubai had around 500 exhibitors representing 20,000 brands with tens of thousands of visitors each day.

Fonterra sustainability solutions team member, Jenna Grieve, says with that many people involved, it was important for the co-operative to stand out from the crowd.

“We certainly didn’t leave anyone wondering why New Zealand dairy products are so great, clearly illustrating that our ingredients are both grass-fed and, of course, sustainably produced,” says Grieve.

Sustainability was at the core of Fonterra’s strategy and also what customers demanded from the co-op, so it was important to share that with the world, Grieve adds.

The co-op has two main focuses when talking to customers: Fonterra’s low-carbon dairy advantage and New Zealand’s grass-fed difference.

With the low-carbon dairy advantage, Fonterra illustrated how its products could help reduce the customer’s own carbon footprint so they could

secure future investment, while New Zealand’s grass-fed difference was about consumer trends around wanting more natural food options.

Fonterra products on display at Gulfoods included its innovative NutriWhite milk powder, the potential of proteins in a range of appli-

cations – like spoonable and drinkable yoghurt and Anchor Food Professionals (AFP) products, like cream cheese and whipping cream.

AFP expert pastry chef, Ronny Keyrouz, was on hand to prepare delicacies using Fonterra products.

He used Anchor cream, cream cheese and butter

sheets to prepare brownies, cheese cakes, cookies and pasta for visitors to taste.

For NZMP, the team focused on showing how they can creatively help customers fortify different products with extra protein.

Fonterra’s global customers also heard about

the many extra services Fonterra offers to make their life easier – like price risk management solutions and myNZMP for quick online ingredients sales.

Fonterra says Gulfood is a place that’s invaluable for gathering market insights on the latest trends.

The co-op’s regional sales manager for Middle East and Africa (MEA), Adam Lyall, noticed that health and wellness and protein fortification continues to be top of mind for consumers.

“And our ingredients play right into that,” says Lyall.

Fonterra representatives also spoke at the event.

Grieve and Mark Casey, Fonterra trade strategy manager for Europe and MEA, took the stage to participate in discussions revolving around sustainability.

Grieve shared a presentation on how Fonterra is working to make the dairy industry less carbon intensive, and shared many of the gamechanging methane innovations the co-op is testing.

Casey participated in a panel discussing the future of animal-based food.

Grieve says the co-op’s presence at Gulfood takes many months of planning and preparation by the MEA team, as well as teams from across the business.

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SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews co nz

Fonterra sustainability solutions team member, Jenna Grieve at Gulfoods last month.

Better cows, better life.

‘With CRV we’re building a herd with longevity.’

Robbie Sherriff, Huirimu Farms, Arohena.

Low-N genetics, plantain deliver healthier milk

duce milk with a chemical profile beneficial to human health.

MILK FROM cows bred for low milk urea nitrogen and fed on plantain pastures may have human health benefits as well as environmental advantages, according to research by the Lincoln University Pastoral Livestock Production Lab.

A four-year study by Dr Cameron Marshall and Professor Pablo Gregorini’s team assessed milk from cows that were fed either plantain or ryegrass, and selected for either low or high milk urea breeding values.

The results suggest that both the diet and the low-N genetics help pro-

Milk produced by cows eating plantain contained a better ratio of omega 3 to 6 fatty acids, as well as a metabolomic profile that has been related to the reduction of stress, inflammation and the growth of cancerous tumours in humans.

The cows selected for low milk urea breeding values also produced milk containing healthier fats, as well as a special metabolite potentially related to lowering anxiety.

Gregorini says those cows urinate more frequently and have a lower concentration of nitrogen in their urine, potentially reducing

N loading on Canterbury farms by 30%.

He calls it a “win-win situation: good for the environment and potentially good for human beings”.

It means farmers have two tools “available right now” that can not only

dramatically reduce environmental loading but also arguably add value to their product.

“If I offer you a glass of milk and you know that glass came from this cow as compared to any other one, and this cow eats plantain but not the other

BRINGING NEW ENERGY TO OUR RANGE.

ral Livestock Production

Lab has also been evaluating how beef, lamb, and venison from different pastures and grazing managements can similarly affect human health.

funding, similar human trials of the milk from high-plantain/low-N genetics cows could begin later this year.

one, which one are you going to pick?”

At this stage the research has only looked at the composition of the milk, and has not yet extended to studies on its effects in human consumers.

However, the Pasto-

Gregorini says those studies involved feeding human subjects meat patties from animals raised on either high- or lowdiversity pastures, then monitoring blood levels of glucose, cholesterol and certain inflammatory hormones over the next few hours.

Results that are likely to confirm a beneficial effect of beef fed on diverse pasture are expected shortly.

Gregorini says that depending on suitable

Meanwhile, Gregorini has established a small research farm known as the Integral Health Dairy Farm, which aims to take a multi-disciplinary approach towards a more ethical and sustainable way of dairying.

The farmlet, at the university’s Ashley Dene Research and Development Station at Springston, will hold an open day later this month.

It aims to “lead the way through healthier dairy products and removing the negative connotations”.

Milk produced by cows eating plantain contained a better ratio of omega 3 to 6 fatty acids.

Golfers chip in for farmers

are facing stress at the moment were the ultimate winners.

FARMERS AND their families from cyclone ravaged Hawke’s Bay may get the chance for some rest and relaxation (R&R), thanks to a group of golfers and the Rural Support Trust.

This month a charity golf tournament was arranged by the organisers of the Rural Games in Palmerston North and about $13,000 was raised for the local Rural Support Trust.

Manawatu/Rangitikei

Rural Support Trust chair and Tararua dairy farmer, Murray Holdaway, says the tournament was a success.

He says farmers who

Some farmers and their families in Hawke’s Bay remain cut off with bridges on local roads still down, along with bridges and tracks on properties.

“Not too far from Palmerston North is the Pohangina Valley, which has been badly affected as well, so we have been helping a number of farmers up there,” Holdaway told Dairy News

“We have real issue out on the coast in the Tararura district, so we have been helping them also. These are mainly sheep and beef farmers and they are in a situation where there are something like 14 roads still not open and families have

got no access in or out,” he says.

Holdaway says the fact that roads are closed is a big worry because stock can’t be taken off farm. He says while there are

good pasture covers now, this will soon become scarce and getting in supplementary feed will be almost impossible.

He says it’s clear people are currently run-

ning on adrenalin, getting up every day and shovelling away silt or repairing fences, yards and other infrastructure.

“But that can only go on for so long and then the enormity of the problem will really start to impact,” he says.

Holdaway says the Rural Support Trust is looking at the best way to use the money raised from the golf tournament.

He says one suggestion is using the money to provide accommodation for farmers and their families to have a weekend away from the pressure and trials of their damaged properties.

He says the idea of a weekend away somewhere nice in the Manawatu/ Rangitikei region is an

ARE REGULATIONS THE ANSWER?

SETTING A regulation in place often disengages certain people rather than appealing to their motivation to act.

That’s the view of Olivia Berry, head of strategy and sustainability at Yili/Westland Milk Products, who recently attended the Agricultural Climate Change conference. She says one of the lessons from the conference was to find the best way to incentivise farmers to deal with agricultural emissions and other environment-related matters.

She says the message came through that farmers should be allowed to do what was necessary, with support through tools and new information.

She says Westland Milk

recently did a carbon footprint assessment of their plant in Hokitika whichs shows emissions have reduced since the last report in 2017-18.

“The draft version of that report is showing a 19% reduction in our carbon dioxide emissions, which is pretty exciting.”

Westland also reduced coal use by 20% in the past season compared with the previous season – equivalent to 11,000 tonnes of coal not burned, she says.

Berry says Westland also reduced energy consumption by 22% “across the board”, a lot of which was done in conjunction with the Government Investment in Decarbonising Industry

(GIDI) Fund.

She says they have done process heat reduction programmes and changed the way the company moves milk around the country.

“That’s been about working with transport companies on improving efficiency on moving product from our Hokitika plant across to Christchurch and then overseas,” she says.

Up until now it has focused mainly on reducing emissions at its factory but it has done some limited work with its farmers.

Berry says all their supplier farmers now have their greenhouse gas emissions reports and Westland’s own farm excellence programme talks

about reducing emissions.

She says their company is now developing focus farms and keeping a watching brief on the likes of what Fonterra and the other dairy companies are doing in regenerative agricultural. She says key to this is looking at what we mean by regenerative agriculture from an NZ perspective.

“We talk about improving biodiversity on farm and the question often asked is, what does this mean to a farm that already has a very high level of biodiver sity and is there a need to keep continuing increasing that?”

Berry says farmers who are already doing a good job in this area need to be rewarded.

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option, but no final decision has been made in this regard.

“We want to get direct feedback from farmers in the worst hit areas

and see what they would like us to do. If there is demand for it, we could do it,” he says.

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Manawatu/Rangitikei Rural Support Trust chair Murray Holdaway says they are looking at the best way to use the money raised from the golf tournament.

Award winning farming

MARTIN BENNETT

has been a dairy farmer for nearly half a century, so he’s seen his fair share of change in the industry over that time.

“I’ve been a dairy farmer since I left school.

I was always going to be a dairy farmer. It was something that I decided when I was very young, all of four years old,” the Puta-

ruru farmer says.

But Bennett isn’t your typical run of the mill dairy farmer.

Described as a “national champion for social and environmental sustainability on farms”, he was recognised in the New Year Honours list, becoming an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to

the environment and the community.

“I received the letter in mid-November and had to keep it a secret, although I told my wife of course. We told the kids on New Year’s Eve and they were surprised but very proud at the same time.”

Fonterra says it is proud of Bennett, a Fonterra supplier: not just for

RISING TO A CHALLENGE

AN ADDED hurdle to Martin Bennett’s farming and environmental work is Parkinson’s Disease, a degenerative disorder that impacts the central nervous system, which he was diagnosed with in 2015.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, and with exercise key to slowing down the disease, Bennett became involved with multisport events. He founded the Parkinson’s Waikato Tinman Club in 2017 competing in, amongst other events, three Tinman Triathlons and raising $30,000 for Parkinson’s New

his award but also for his unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability.

That commitment started when Bennett and his wife Judith were sharemilking and accelerated when they bought their own farm – 136ha near Putaruru where they milk 400 cows.

“When we first bought the farm, we had a beautiful 1.6-kilometre stream

Zealand.

As well as that fund raising, Bennett says he sees his honour as an acknowledgement for all the hard work thousands of farmers have put in to improve life on the land.

“We have an industry that is a far better operation than it used to be.

“There are some pretty good people out there, and to be singled out as one of them is very nice. I’m very grateful for that but sustainability is a moving target and always has been, so let’s get on and chase it.”

but none of it was fenced. That was the first thing we did, then through some local contacts we got some plants and away we went.”

He became a founding member of the Dairy Environment Leaders group, which is funded by DairyNZ and initially organised by the NZ Farm Environment Trust, and he was its chair between 2009 and 2016.

can to minimise our footprint.

“Through the forums we created a small army of like-minded farmers to get things going: people with the environment front of mind who realised that our licence to operate was at risk. They certainly had positive impacts on their local catchments especially.

“I have to say that people like Dr Rick Pridmore were instrumental in that project and he provided a lot of momentum. He’s a very inspirational leader and knew that a large and effective network of farmers learning from farmers was the only way to effect change in the dairy industry.

“Also as the former boss of NIWA he had vast knowledge of the environment and what factors can impact it both positively and negatively.”

But it’s fair to say that the Dairy Environment Leaders group was not that popular at first.

“That was a time of extreme growth. Farmers were all about growing the industry and their businesses. Environmental sustainability wasn’t really on the radar at all.

“I knew I wasn’t the only guy paddling this canoe and we had annual forums where we would invite a group of 50 farmers or so to discuss ways they could farm more sustainably and drive sustainable environmental change in their own communities.

“We have an obligation to do the right thing and be good stewards of the land by doing what we

“We got some pushback, but we persevered and the key thing was that we were building a big network of farmers who had the understanding and foresight to work with these concepts as a group.

“We have an obligation to do the right thing and be good stewards of the land by doing what we can to minimise our footprint. Most farmers are on board with that and there’s a new generation of dairy farmers who are really running with it and doing a fantastic job.”

Putaruru farmer Martin Bennett is described as a national champion for social and environmental sustainability on farms.

Best butter maker in Oz

WHEN IT comes to making the best butter in Australia, it seems there’s no one better than Fonterra Brands.

The co-op’s Duck River Premium Butter –made at its Spreyton site in northern Tasmania –was crowned Champion Butter at this month’s Australian Grand Dairy Awards.

The recognition follows another win last month at the 2023 Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Produce Show, where Duck River also claimed the Champion Butter title.

For years, Fonterra’s Western Star salted butter has been the best butter

Cobden site in western Victoria, Western Star took out the Champion Butter title for the 10th time at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards.

Fonterra says Duck River butter is a true reflection of the quality milk it sources from farmers in Tasmania, as well as the hardworking team at Spreyton.

Fonterra Spreyton site manager Douglas Overdijk says the team at Spreyton is proud of the recognition.

“We are incredibly proud that our Duck River has been recognised by industry experts and named Champion Butter at this year’s Australian Grand Dairy Awards,” he told Dairy News

“This recognition is a testament to the

hardworking farmers in Tasmania, and the expert craftsmanship of our skilled butter makers who transform this milk into greattasting butter.”

The Australian Grand Dairy Awards are widely recognised as the ultimate dairy competition in Australia, showcasing and rewarding the finest quality dairy produce from across the country.

The pathway to be eligible for these awards requires winning at a Royal Show or at the Dairy Industry Association Australia Awards.

This year, more than 300 of Australia’s top dairy products were put through a rigorous judging process, assessed by a panel of judges on flavour, aroma, texture, body, and appearance.

Fonterra says it is honoured that Duck River was selected as the top choice in the butter category.

The Grand Champion Cheese prize at this year’s awards went to Woombye Cheese Company in the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland for its Woombye Blackall Gold cheese.

The company’s website describes the wining cheese as “surprisingly mild while young but develops a more robust flavour as it ripens”.

“It’s perfect for something different on your cheeseboard with its orange appearance and is as good as any European cheese.”

Woombye says creating beautiful cheese is its passion.

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SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews co

“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.”

Swappa Bottle canned

THE GOVERNMENT isn’t the only one consigning sustainability-led initiatives to the rubbish bin

Canterbury milk processor Synlait has canned production of reusable stainless-steel bottles for its Synlait branded fresh milk

The listed milk processor launched Synlait Swappa Bottle one year ago in a trial involving two supermarkets in Christchurch

The pilot was allegedly “very successful” but Synlait says it has made the difficult decision to cease production of the bottle A significant investment was needed to take Swappa Bottle from a pilot product to a nationwide proposition, and the economics to do this did not stack up, says Synlait

Full fat milk returns

FULL FAT milk is back in public favour across the ditch

According to Dairy Australia, Australians are switching from lower fat options thanks to research suggesting higher fat content dairy products are no worse for heart health

Full cream milk is now dominating sales at 71% of the Australian milk market – a 10% jump in popularity over 10 years, according to the industry body’s latest supermarket sales data

“What is driving that is a realisation that full fat dairy milk is not bad for you,” says Dairy Australia

A decade ago, full fat dairy products were associated with weight gain, heart disease, high cholesterol and chronic illnesses

But these misconceptions around full fat dairy products have been debunked

Farmer politics

DUTCH FARMERS are taking their fight against the Government’s campaign against dairying into parliament

A new party, led by farmers fighting cuts to nitrogen emissions, looked set to be the big winner in key Dutch regional elections last week

Analysts predict the result could severely weaken the Dutch Government and, analysts suggest, herald a Europe-wide backlash against the green transition

The BoerBurgerBeweging (Farmer-Citizen Movement, or BBB) was launched in 2019 and has just one MP, but its peopleagainst-the-elites platform has struck a chord with disaffected voters, and polls suggested it could finish as the secondlargest or even the largest party

The elections matter not only because under the Dutch system they determine who sits in the senate – without whose backing bills cannot become law – but because it is provincial governments that put national government goals into action

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

RMA plea

FARMERS ARE asking why councils aren’t bypassing the Resource Management Act (RMA) to get farmers up and running following Cyclone Gabrielle

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council website is advising everyone to apply for resource consent, either proactively or retrospectively, to clean up cyclone damage

Farmers point out that this shows how impractical the council rules are

Their plea for the Government to grant farmers and growers an amnesty from RMA consents has also fallen on deaf ears

The Government provided this to farmers following the HurunuiKaikoura earthquakes

What’s different now?

EDITORIAL

Live export ban needs a u-turn

IT’S THE season of Government u-turns on key policies and farmers are hoping it will extend to the ban on live cattle exports.

They will be happy should Prime Minister Chris Hipkins kick the live export ban into touch, like he has done with a merger of public media entities, a social insurance scheme, hate speech reforms, a biofuels mandate and a cash-for-clunkers rebate to get Kiwis driving electric vehicles.

Hipkins says he is doing all this in the name of helping the country recover from a cost of living crisis.

This is where ACT MP Mark Cameron’s Bill makes much sense. The Ruawai farmer points out that latest forecasts show that live animal exports are expected to generate $500 million for the New Zealand economy this year.

He rightly questions whether New Zealand is wealthy enough to just flush away a half a billion dollar industry – especially amid a cost of living crisis and a natural disaster recovery.

When the Government announced the ban on livestock exports by sea in 2021, it granted the sector a two-year transition period, allowing exports to continue under tightened rules which were introduced after the sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1. Nearly 6000 cattle and 43 crew, including two New Zealanders, were on board the Gulf Livestock 1 when it capsized in the East China Sea in 2020.

Back then, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said the trade posed an unacceptable risk to New Zealand’s reputation in a world where animal welfare was under increasing scrutiny. But the Government was advised not to proceed with the ban because it would hammer rural New Zealand.

Cameron refers to the regulatory impact statement that stated “live animal exports provide a boost to New Zealand’s economy, rural communities... any move to prohibit the export of livestock would cause an economic loss to these groups and make recovery from Covid-19 more difficult”.

Federated Farmers says New Zealand has an international reputation for strong animal welfare. It warns the global live cattle trade will continue but from countries and by exporters with lower animal standards filling the gap.

If we were still involved, our high standards would push others into lifting their game.

Cameron will hope that his Bill is picked in the ballot and tabled before MPs.

But he also suggests that if the Labour Government doesn’t want to wave goodbye to a crucial source of revenue for a recovering rural sector, they should not wait for his Bill and just repeal it immediately.

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NZ must fix economic woes

Deputy National leader Nicola Willis spoke at the University of Waikato 2023 Economic Forum this month Here’s a condensed version of her speech…

I LEARNT about what economics means for households through juggling my first mortgage and the childcare costs of our four kids and by being invited into the lives of New Zealanders from all walks of life who have had the generosity to share their stories and hopes with me.

I learnt what matters for our exporters by talking with the team at a factory in Colombo turning New Zealand milk into branded consumer products; by watching closely as my senior managers negotiated deals with global food producers in Shanghai and by listening to farmers while gazing out over muddy paddocks here in the Waikato.

The cost of living

is higher than it’s ever been. Inflation has now been out of the Reserve Bank target range for 21 months and isn’t forecast to come back down to target for another year.

With the thief of inflation comes rising interest rates. Not in the history of the Official Cash Rate have New Zealanders experienced such a fast and dramatic lift in interest rates as has occurred since October 2021. The result is that many homeowners will be left scrambling this year when their mortgage switches from a rate with a 2 or 3 in front of it to something with a 6 in front of it.

The average hourly wage may be nominally higher, but for many people it hasn’t kept up

with rising prices, meaning each fortnight’s pay gets stretched thinner than the last.

Worker shortages are persisting and slowing activity down – from the wait for your coffee, to the building of new roads to the filling of exporters’ order books.

Inflation and fiscal drag have pushed New Zealand workers into higher tax brackets, meaning typical income-earners are paying more tax.

Government spending has crept up to 35 per cent of GDP, higher than it’s been in 17 years, yet it’s difficult to find solid evidence that the performance of key public services have actually improved.

New Zealand must fix

these problems and simultaneously rise to global challenges – decarbonising our economy, adapting to the more frequent severe, weather events climate change is bringing and maintaining a secure footing in a world of less stable foreign affairs, of deglobalisation and growing protectionism.

The growing cost of living is the number one economic issue for New Zealand today. People are really hurting. Debt arrears are up, queues for food banks are up, anxiety about household finances is rising.

National maintains the orthodox view that the Reserve Bank must play a leading role. We will return the bank to a single mandate of delivering price stability, with a 1-3 per cent inflation target band.

We will commission

an independent review of the bank’s performance over the period 20202022, when extraordinary monetary policy decisions were taken, including a volume of quantitative easing that, proportionate to the size of our economy, put us amongst the top handful of Covid money-printers in the world.

Second, we will unblock major supply-side constraints to productive growth, starting with

worker shortages. We will cut through the hold-ups in the immigration system so businesses and hospitals can get the workers they need.

Third, we will stop the tidal wave of new costs and regulations that have added more price pressure to everything from food to rent.

Fourth, National will restore discipline to Government spending. This will help ease the pressure on inflation and interest rates that has been exacerbated by loose fiscal policy; it will increase the focus on results for money spent; and it will allow our government to reduce the tax burden on New Zealanders.

I remain fundamentally optimistic about New Zealand’s prospects. It’s because the strengths we have as an economy are almost exactly the

strengths countries will need to succeed in the changing world of coming decades.

In a world of growing food insecurity, we feed 40 million people and have huge opportunity to get more value for the sustainable, carbon-efficient, nutritious food we produce.

In a world desperately seeking to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy we already depend on largely renewable energy and, with the right approach to consenting, we have the ability to produce much more abundant renewable energy for the future.

We remain a country of the best people in the world; hard-working, community-minded, innovative and entrepreneurial. New Zealanders are this economy’s magic ingredient.

SPECIAL REPORTS FEEDING OUT

There’s more to feeding out these days than throwing a couple of small hay bales on the ute. Depending on their farm set up, farmers need to consider feed-out wagons, trailers, bale feeders, mobile feed troughs, cow housing, feedpads, loaders and grabs, plus the supplements and mineral additives available. Dairy News’ special report on Feeding Out will cover the hardware available as well as the best practices for maximising animal nutrition and minimising feed wastage.

To be in this special report contact your advertising representative now to promote your products and/or service to all NZ dairy farmers and sharemilkers.

Contact

FEATURE: 18 April 2023

BOOKING DEADLINE: 5 April 2023

MATERIAL REQUIRED: 11 April 2023

National deputy leader Nicola Willis.

The question is whether to dry off or milk on

AT THIS time of year, I regularly get asked a version of the same question: Should I dry off or keep milking my cows? I often see farmers tempted to milk on when the milk price is high.

This decision is based on the notion that you might as well make the most of a good payout this season as you can’t be sure what the next season might bring.

Research over the years has shown that it is well worth producing late lactation milk, IF:

■ The milk price is right

■ You don’t compromise pasture cover

■ You don’t erode body condition score

■ You and your team have the energy to do so.

It’s a real balancing act between all the abovementioned factors. Dry off too early and you miss out on potential income this season.

Milk on too long and you run the risk of a skinny herd, a burnt-out team and a whole host of issues at calving.

What do we know?

Turning a dry day into a milking day can be extremely profitable.

Trials conducted at Waimate West Demonstration Farm (Taranaki)

over 25 years ago showed cows fed maize silage to extend lactation in spring and autumn had very high milksolids response and Economic Farm Surplus (EFS) per hectare when compared to an all-grass control (Table 1).

There is a strong relationship between cow condition score (CS) at calving and milk production during the subsequent lactation.

Simply put, cows that calve at CS 5 produce 10 -15kg more milksolids and cycle 7-10 days sooner

than cows that calve at CS 4 (Table 2)

Having cows in CS 5 (and heifers in CS 5.5) at calving makes good economic sense. Based on DairyNZ’s Facts and Figures booklet, at a $7.00 payout, the value of an extra condition score will be around $156. A farmer feeding maize silage to a cross bred cow to put on that extra condition score, would use 145 kgDM (Table 2). At 50 c/kgDM eaten, the extra feed would cost about $72. That is a $2.15 return for every $1 invested.

Feeding maize silage in the autumn results in substitution of pasture. This can be as high as 1 kgDM pasture left behind for every 1 kgDM maize silage eaten.

Using this principle, feeding maize silage enables farmers to extend the pasture grazing rotation and build cover very

quickly.

While low pasture cover may not be an issue in the northern North Island this year, it will be problematic in regions which have experienced a drier than normal autumn.

Other factors

While the science behind milking into the autumn is robust, there are other factors the need to be considered. Do you have:

■ Sufficient staff

■ The motivation to keep milking or does your team need a break

■ Cashflow limitations

In the case of sharemilkers leaving the farm, there may be a provision in the sharemilking contract which says the outgoing sharemilker must leave a specified pasture cover and supplementary feed volume for the incoming sharemilker. Do I milk on?

Should I keep milking or dry off? The answer is… it depends.

On many farms, if pasture cover is good, cows are on track to meet condition score targets, there is plenty of maize silage to fill any shortterm late lactation gaps and the team are not too exhausted, it is likely to be highly profitable.

However, if this isn’t the case, it is important to run the numbers and get advice from you farm consultant or trusted advisor.

If you want more information on this topic, listen to the next podcast in our podcast series “Feed for Thought”.  You can find it on the major podcast sites, at pioneer. co.nz/podcast.

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

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Table 1: Waimate West Demonstration Farm trial: productivity outcomes for the 1997-98 season.

Table 2: Feed required to put on one body condition score over winter.

Feeding maize silage in the autumn results in substitution of pasture.

Probiotics help keep mastitis away

Do you know if your feed Find

PROBIOTICS CAN be used to help with mastitis and lameness issues facing floodravaged farms, claims Chris Collier, Probiotics Revolution.

He says floods and power disruptions resulting from Cyclone Gabrielle has caused considerable problems to cows with lameness, mastitis and high somatic cell counts.

For most affected farmers it was too early to dry off cows and Probiotic Revolution has received enquiries as to whether probiotics can help, he says.

“We have seen excellent results with our products in treating lame cows and clinical cases of mastitis,” says Collier.

Farmers John and Donna McCarty at Kaponga are in their fourth season of not using

antibiotics in their herd for mastitis control and prevention.

In the first two years on this program, from a 350-cow herd they treated 25 cows a year with a potent probiotic for five days – with one or two taking an extra day or two to come right.

Collier says in both years, 24 out of 25 cows were cured.

“It works by boosting a cow’s immune system

to fight an infection. With a high somatic cell count it seems we need to treat them for a longer period of time so we use a different product, Rumicell, that is designed to help nutrition and feed conversion as well as boosting immunity,” he says.

“When we are dealing with lameness there are multiple possible causes, but Rumicell is again the product we recommend because it will greatly reduce acidosis which is highly correlated to footrot.”

Collier points out that research with

probiotics is focused on mastitis prevention – not treatment, so Probiotic Revolution also focuses on prevention and the setting up of cows for both pre and post calving to avoid issues in the next season.

“However blood samples taken from this research show the products they are using reduce inflammation, stress and weight loss after calving and support what we are seeing when dealing with current problems,” he says.

“We have seen excellent results with our products in treating lame cows and clinical cases of mastitis.”

Probiotics work by boosting a cow’s immune system to fight an infection.

There’s more than one way to blaze a trail

BOSWELL FAVOURITE BREED

ANNE

A TARANAKI couple that took an unconventional route into dairy farming is proving there is more than one way to blaze a trail.

Stratford couple Blair and Nicola Childs bought their first farm in 2019 –which also coincided with the start of their dairy farming careers.

They weren’t all green, though. Nicola grew up on a local dairy farm at Mangatoki. Blair also grew up in Taranaki but was a cabinet maker by trade for six years, before building for another nine years.

Nicola worked as a veterinary nurse and rural

WHEN IT comes to explaining why Blair and Nicola Childs love the Holstein Friesian breed so much, it’s a sentiment that’s hard to put into words.

“We love the uniformity of having a black and white herd,” Blair says. “We also love the sheer strength of the breed.”

The Childs’ want to continue to make production a focus.

“Although we’ve set a target of 525 kgMS, we’d like to push past 550 kgMS at least,” Blair says. “We’d love to see what our herd can do. It will take some time to get our breeding through and see some capacious, highproducing cows. Looking at the heifers that will join the herd this season, it is really the first line of our own breeding. There are daughters of Maire IG Gauntlet-ET, Maire FI Golddigger and Woodcote FI Mastermind – eight to ten of each – and they really look the part.”

They currently have seven contract cows in the herd, but only one is Holstein Friesian.

“We’d like to have some more Holstein Friesian contract cows in the herd and have a Holstein Friesian bull in a breeding company team,” Blair says.

animal technician. In 2013 they bought 20ha, on which they grazed heifers. They then decided to sell the 20ha

and buy their first farm in 2019, on which they milked 105 cows.

“A lot of people questioned how we could

possibly do it, as it’s definitely not the traditional route to dairy farming,” Blair says.

“We had built and sold

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a few homes which provided us with the ability to purchase a small farm. It might not be traditional, but it has been beneficial for us.”

For the two seasons they were at that farm, Blair continued to work off-farm as a builder, and Nicola worked part time on the farm, until she went on maternity leave with their son Oakley. They enjoyed farming so much that they decided to go bigger, and farm fulltime.

They are now in their second season on a farm nestled at the base of Mount Taranaki. They started with 170 cows, but in a stroke of luck, the neighbouring farm came up for sale and they have been able to increase cow numbers to 280 cows.

They bought a herd locally to make up numbers, which they are progressively breeding to Holstein Friesian.

Production-wise, two seasons ago they did 515 kgMS. Last season was tough and they did 475 kgMS. They are targeting 525 kgMS out of their medium-stature cows.

“We set targets realistically so we can meet them, and build on that,” Blair says. “We feed 3.54kg of a standard palm kernel blend in the shed,

and, other than a little maize at the end of last season, the system is predominantly pasturebased.”

Of the 280 cows, around 40 are registered Holstein Friesian. There will be that many again coming through from the new side of the herd, Blair says, to make an overall total of around 40% Holstein Friesian.

“You have to start somewhere,” he says.

“Everything is going to Friesian or Friesian cross. We have a high component-producing cow with high milksolid percentage, and we don’t want to lose that; we would like to go as far black and white as possible without compromising on components, as we are commercial farmers after all.”

Calving started July 25 this season, from which they will rear 60-65 replacements.

“This season we had the luxury of having 180 cows in-calf to AB,” Blair says.

“Previously we’ve really had to scrape and buy in heifers.

“In the weeks leading up to calving we went through the herd identifying the good cows and the calves we were going to keep, and we’ll sell the surplus heifers. This is the

first season that we have been in the position to pick and choose.”

With mating this season, they pushed the calving date back to around August 3. They only brought calving forward last season because they had excess maize to feed and were able to get some more days in milk.

They followed the following mating plan last season and will do so again this season: four weeks of AB, followed by bulls for three weeks, then back to short gestation AB for three weeks –10 weeks all up.

When the Childs choose bulls, they select sires based on capacity, udders, temperament and fertility traits.

Blair says he would love to get his hands on some Maire Mint Fire-Up semen, which is proving difficult.

“We have two daughters in the herd and we’d like more, but I think our timing was such that when we were on our way in, he was on his way out,” he says.

“Going forward, we are using Meander SB Alias-ET S2F, and Meander Shot Alibi-ET S3F. We used a lot of Alias this season, and you can’t really beat Alibi for fertility and udders.”

Stratford couple Blair and Nicola Childs, pictured with son Oakley, bought their first farm in 2019.

Tractor powered by methane

as a diesel tractor, but importantly without the need for any extra fuel tanks.

WHILE WE continue to search for sustainable fuel alternatives to power agriculture’s prime movers, a glimpse into the not so distant future was given by CNH Industrial at its Tech Days held in Arizona at the end of 2022.

For a country like New Zealand, with a major reliance on dairy, the New Holland T7 Methane Power LNG Prototype Tractor makes a great deal of sense.

With an eye firmly set on sustainability, CNHI have worked in conjunction with UK-based Bennamann, who are industry leaders in the capture and repurpose of fugitive methane emissions for energy use. This means this T7 prototype tractor comes equipped with cutting edge technology, but also with a tried and tested solution to create full energy independence on the farm and bring sustainable benefits to customers.

Bennamann has been researching and developing biomethane production for over a decade, leading to an investment is late 2020, where the local authority invested £1.58m (NZ$3m) into a multi-farm pilot project spearheaded by Bennamann to trial the production, aggregation and sale

of biomethane fuels made from cow manure slurry.

The first pilot farm located near Saltash, the gateway to rural Cornwall, saw the T7 Methane Power LNG Pre-Production Prototype put through its paces and had its functionality proven within a sustainable, energy independent farm.

The initiative is centered around installing Bennamann’s proprietary sealed slurry lagoon-based biogas capture technology on the farm. Captured gas at the lagoon is temporarily stored above its surface until processed using a newly developed, highly innovative, mobile version of Bennamann’s novel BioCycle unit. Patented non-venting cryogenic storage tanks keep the methane as a liquid at -162°C, with the technology enabling LNG to be

transported, like diesel, enabling flexible in-field refueling during intense operational windows.

The resulting biomethane produced can then be used in several ways, including powering low emission vehicles in the local authority’s transport fleet, while also being converted into electricity to power the farms. Additionally, the process results in a 100% natural fertilizer as a by-product for use on farm. The pilot is said to be of significant benefit to the environment, with the typical CO2 reduction for a 120-cow farm could be equivalent to around 100 western households, helping the County of Cornwall to become carbon neutral by 2030.

On the ground at Trenance Farm, which spans 134 acres of grass-

land, with 110 Friesiancross dairy cows, a new slurry lagoon and on-site plant room containing the biogas filtration system and slurry handling pumps was commissioned in late 2021. Shortly after, it began producing vehicle grade fugitive methane through Bennamann’s mobile BioCycle unit.

Crucially the methane has

been used to support field testing of the T7 Methane Power LNG Pre-Production Prototype.

Already champions of alternative fuels, establishing its Clean Energy Leader Strategy in 2006, CNHI has already developed, prototyped and released the first ever commercialized natural gas tractor: The New Hol-

land T6 Methane Power.

The arrival of the T7 Methane Power LNG will more than double the autonomy compared to a CNG design whilst boosting overall farm sustainability and delivering is a fourfold increase in fuel capacity. The pre-production prototype offers 270hp, delivering the same power and torque

Other points of note, include making it is possible for an operation’s overall carbon footprint to be ‘better than zero, while the tractor’s surrounding environment also benefits from a significant reduction in driveby noise levels to only 66dBA, making it ideal for tasks near livestock or in urban areas.

Looking at the tractor layout, a patented active temperature-controlled fuel system incorporates a stainless-steel cryogenic tank, moulded to match its diesel counterparts, effectively storing the LNG within the standard dimensions of a conventional tractor, while offering 8 hours running time, even at maximum operational loading.

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Giant tankers for carting effluent

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews co nz

WITH EFFLUENT becoming a more important part of farm management, particularly as an alternative to “bagged” fertiliser, the Fliegl range of tankers from the Power Farming

Group looks to fit the bill in most situations.

Offering a range of sizes up to 27,500 litres, the German -built machines offer tandem and triple-axle layouts in the Maxx Line Plus and Alpha Line models. The former is equipped with tandem axles in 12,000, 14,000, 16,000,

18,000 and 20,000 litre capacities, while the larger triple-axled Alpha Line is offered in 23,000, 25,000 and 27,500 litre sizes, meaning that the two ranges can be towed with tractors from 100 to 250hp.

As the tankers are expected to carry heavy weights, suspension

systems are an important consideration, so 12,000 and 14,000 litre Maxx Line Plus units are fitted with Fliegl’s Giant assembly, utilising springs and HD bearings to offer individual wheel guidance. The Giant Plus format, used on 16,000 to 20,00 litre machines, is maintenance-free, using rubber mounts and designed specifically for high axle loadings, using trailing arms for high speed and cornering stability.

On larger tankers of 23,000 litres and above, the Jumbo Giant Plus assembly features parabolic springs that help lower the centre of gravity by around 20cm, making them particularly suitable for hilly areas.

As an option, customers can specify air or hydraulic suspension that allows lift axles and helps reduce ground compaction.

Forced steering options can be specified to help manoeuvrability, particularly when reversing as well as helping to reduce tyre wear. At the heart of the system, K50 ball joints

are connected to link arms situated on each side of the drawbar and connected to the tractor’s hydraulic system. The pressurised system forces the oil displaced to turn the steering axles in opposing directions, meaning the machine track closely follows that of the tractor.

With a move away from traditional splashplate applicators for distribution, configurations start with a unique screw type delivery manifold that removes foreign objects

into traps at the end of a distribution trough, with reduced wear compared to bladed macerators and a uniform flow of material to the discharge outlets.

Final application is taken care of by dribble bar, trailing shoe or disc injection set ups, with operating widths from 6 to 18m, using 24 to 72 outlets, folding to a compact 2.6m for transport. The Skate trailing shoe features spring loaded injection shoes, mechanical or hydraulic section control and outlets spaced at

250mm. Offered in working widths of 9 to 21m, with 36 to 84 outlets, booms fold to less than 3m for transport.

The Vario Disc injection system is said to offer ideal placing effluent between 5 and 10cm below ground level, using 530mm diameter angled discs to offer operating widths of 3 to 7.5m with 11 to 28 discs respectively. A range of options includes foam separators, suction nozzles with docking stations, turbo fillers and discharge accelerators.

Final application is taken care of by dribble bar, trailing shoe or disc injection set ups.

Effluent – an alternative source of nutrients

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews co nz

WITH LAST year’s spike in the cost of artificial nitrogenous fertilisers, there has been a renewed interest in using dairy effluent as a nutrient source, with additional benefits gained by increasing soil organic matter, leading to improved water holding, aeration and drainage.

Research suggests that 100 cows, milked over a 270-day season will produce a volume of effluent equivalent to 590kg of nitrogen, 70kg of phosphorous and 540kg of potassium, meaning that well utilised material can help reduce the dependence on bought-in products.

Otorohanga-based Giltrap Engineering offers a range of slurry tankers with capacities from 5000 to 20,000 litres, running on tandem or triple axle layouts depending on size, with corresponding axles sized from 60 to 130mm and, dependent on specification, utilising 10-stud commercial wheel equipment.

Tank diameters vary depending on capacity, but all feature high-grade rolled steel of 6mm wall

thickness, or 8mm in the case of the largest unit, with domed end panels to create integrity.

The vessel is carried on an integrated heavyduty chassis and drawbar assembly, with a large range of options to suit individual situations.

These include braking systems, various tyres, sprung/steering axles, suspended drawbars or mudguards. For those looking for proof of placement information, options include flow pumps and GPS coverage maps accessed through an easy to use touch-screen system.

The heart of the machine centres around a high-end Battioni-Pagani rotary vane vacuum pump with capacities of 6500 to 12,000 litres per minute, depending on model.

The vacuum/pressure system is protected by a double moisture trap, with relief valves in each circuit, with a sight glass to monitor filing, while the use of brass and galvanised fittings throughout gives effective corrosion protection.

Separate filling points allow the machines to operate in situations where there might be access issues, with the option of an Auto-Fill set

up allows users to fill the tank without leaving the tractor seat, helping to promote cleanliness and more importantly, safety.

Detail design sees inspection hatches on the side and top of the tank for easy access for maintenance or cleaning, while up to three integral tank baffles prevents “surge” as the tank empties or

fills. Machines are supplied with 150 or 200mm lightweight, sectional filling hoses, in lengths of up to 8 metres. A high-quality paint finish externally, with an epoxy paint coating inside the tank, should help the machine look good over an extended working life. Effluent as a nutrient source brings the additional benefit of increasing soil organic matter.

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EFFLUENT PONDS

• Environmentally friendly

• Superior airtightness

• Self-extinguishing

• Rolls up to 15m wide, therefore fewer joins which means less risk, faster installation and shorter good weather window required.

• Design assistance and volume calculations available.

nearest installation contractor call 0800 109 093 or 021 280 7266

Email: vaughan@cosio.co.nz www.cosio.co.nz

• Material warranty from global company - Firestone Building Products.

For your nearest installation contractor call 0800 109 093 or 021 280 7266

Email: vaughan@cosio.co.nz www.cosio.co.nz

Authorised importer and distributor of Firestone Building Products

• Reusable: guaranteed for 10 years, GeoSmart EPDM greatly reduces the production of plastic waste

• Nationwide Firestone trained and accredited installation contractors.

• Future proof - dependable performance, 50 year life expectancy even when exposed, 20 year Firestone material warranty

• Over 120 million square meters installed worldwide.

• 30 years in the NZ lining business.

Authorised importer and distributor of Firestone Building Products

Large droplets spread far and wide

TRADITIONAL SPREADING via tankers or umbilical systems have typically discharged effluent onto splash-plates, resulting in small droplet sizes, which in turn lead to odours, but probably more importantly, the loss of nitrogen by volatilisation.

The Nevada RainWave, originally developed by a German farmer in response to the banning of conventional splashplates in Europe, is said to result in a larger droplet size and the ability to spread wide, despite running low pressures and high flow rates.

The oscillating spreading head, not unlike the design of a traditional garden sprinkler, moves left to right as effluent hits the plate, creating large droplets that fall gently to the ground, in what is described as a

“rain-like” manner. The action is said to reduce wind-drift and evapora-

tion, so is particularly useful near watercourses or urban developments.

Spreading width can be adjusted from 6 to 18 metres, with a range of

spreader heads, and the ability to deals with outputs of up to 200 cubic

metres per hour. The benefits of a wide spread allows application depths

to be cut to as low as 1mm, for rapid absorption and reduced ponding, while also allowing operators to reduce speeds to less than 7km/h.

The option, said to deliver more than double the output of a conventional splash plate, is “driven” by the flow of effluent, has minimal maintenance requirements other than a regular greasing and is said to create very little contamination to the grass sward, allowing re-grazing over a shorter cycle.

The RainWave is available for use with most makes of tankers or umbilical systems and able to deal with solids content up to 20%. The use of stainless steel throughout is said to offer low maintenance and an extended service life. www.nevadagroup. co.nz

The oscillating spreading head moves left to right as effluent hits the plate, creating large droplets that fall gently to the ground.

A class of their own

OFFERING MODELS

from 3600 to 20,000 litres, all HiSpec slurry tankers use a unique low-profile spreading system that increases controllability, while also decreasing air pollution, particularly offensive odours.

Featuring a welded construction to ensure

fort and an extended service life.

All HiSpec tankers are manufactured using 6mm high-grade British steel and incorporating internal implosion rings for added strength.

The chassis extends the full length of the tank to reduce the number of stress points and spread

An extensive range of spreading options include dribble bars, trailing shoes, and disc injector systems, all fitted with industry leading Vogelsang macerator equipment.

strength and durability, metalwork is shot-blasted prior to painting with a durable two-pack paint finish in standard HiSpec red, or alternatively specified in a range of custom colours.

SA-S models with a single axle configuration and capacities of up to 9000 litres are the most popular models in the North Island, while the tandem-axle TD-S slurry models are ideal for South Island contractors and farmers, offering capacities up to 18,000 litres, meaning fewer trips between the effluent store and the paddock.

TD-S tankers are standard with a sprung drawbar, swivel hitch and commercial-grade, tandem bogies for improved travel dynamics, increased operator com-

the weight of the tank and its load. All machines use Jurop vacuum pumps, known for being fast, powerful and durable, with many examples having clocked up more than 20 years of continuous use.

An extensive range of spreading options include dribble bars, trailing shoes, and disc injector systems, all fitted with industry leading Vogelsang macerator equipment.

Other options include Auto-fill, meaning the driver can load without leaving the seat, alternative fill points including a gravity top fill hatch and customisation choices for hose set-ups, lighting kits, centrifugal pumps with agitators and electric controls.

www.gaz.co.nz

MEASURE MONITOR AND MANAGE

YOUR FARM WATER DATA WITH:

❱❱ Tailored presentation

❱❱ 15 minute data

❱❱ Action alerts

❱❱ Mobile friendly

TO GIVE A “BETTER USE OF WATER”

We connect your water meter data with climate, and soil moisture to give a real basis to irrigate or use water with:

• The right amount

• At the right time

CLIENTS USE US BECAUSE

✓ Good Value …cost effective data

✓ Easy setup and easy to use

✓ Uncomplicated presentation giving simple farm management decisions

✓ We have nationwide service and backup

✓ Simple to use, saves staff time

✓ We are well established being the leading, provider of water measuring systems

✓ Reliable leading global equipment

✓ Industry expertise designed for and by agri people

✓ Irrigation NZ Blue Tick Accreditation

✓ We support you in your audit and environmental reporting

TALK TO US ABOUT

➧ Water meters

➧ Soil moisture

➧ Rainfall and climate

➧ Tank and pond level

WATERMETRICS

0800 493 7626

www.watermetrics.co.nz

sales@watermetrics.co.nz

WE HAVE EXTENDED OUR SERVICE TO OUR HAMILTON BASE

All HiSpec slurry tankers use a unique low-profile spreading system that increases controllability, while also decreasing air pollution.

An extensive range of spreading options include dribble bars, trailing shoes, and disc injector systems.

Projecta adds spark to lithium battery market

AFTER A comprehensive three-year development and testing period, Projecta has launched a new 12V lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄) battery range, suitable for agriculture and off-road applications.

While this is a new product category for Projecta, the company has extensive lithium iron phosphate know-how through products such as jump starters and work lights, where similar technology is applied.

The range’s LiFePO₄ chemistry is the safest lithium technology avail-

able and makes the new Projecta batteries inher ently much safer than lithium cobalt competi tors, a performance mea sure that was proven during in-house testing.

Said to be inherently safer than other lithium cobalt configurations, Projecta’s lithium batter ies also feature a builtin battery management system, which offers pro tection in the event of under/overvoltage and over/underheating, along side monitoring individual cell voltages and balanc ing when required.

Another key benefit of

Projecta has launched a new 12V lithium iron phosphate battery range.

ers a true 100amp discharge current, capable of powering 1000W inverters as well as a fridge and is equivalent to a 160Ah lead acid battery.

Users needing greater power can select the high discharge LB100-BT,

IRRIGATION BOOST FOR FRENCH FARMERS

THE NEW Zealand Government looks set to vest the control of water to four regional authorities under its Three Waters policy, having already spent $34m on developing the concept and committing to office space in Auckland to house its 350+ staff and consultants that will cost at least $2.1m annually.

Meanwhile the French government has taken a more practical approach by setting aside €40 million ($68.5m) to implement an aid programme

which aims to encourage farmers to protect themselves against drought, via subsidies to purchase equipment and monitoring systems.

The scheme deals specifically with irrigation equipment but goes far beyond supporting the purchase of new gantries or pivot systems, with an emphasis on the better use of irrigation water right from the source to final application, both on a field scale or in dedicated horticultural situations.

The list of technologies eligible for subsidy includes aerators, measurement probes and control devices to improve water use but also to make better use of fertiliser inputs, especially under glass or nets.

Rainwater collection, purification and storage is also covered, alongside systems and equipment that offer the ability to recover drainage water from open spaces and store it for future use.

In addition to the hardware, the

role of digital technology is being recognised and encouraged by the French government, with the initiative also supporting the purchase of computers and software for controlling and regulating the water supply included. The respective department went on to describe such investment as indispensable.

In a consultative document, the scheme also focuses on all aspects of water collection, storage and distribution, with the emphasis on low-

which delivers an impressive 150-amp discharge current, capable of powering 2000W inverters.

The LB100-BT allows owners to monitor the battery status via smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth, with information including voltage, current, state of charge and any alarms that may have occurred.

Both batteries are housed within traditional N70 casings allowing easy fitment within engine bays, with the benefit of only weighing around one third the weight of equivalent lead acid batteries.

pressure field systems that will help avoid excessive evaporation of any water being applied.

The recognition by the French government that digital technology is essential to deliver efficient use of resources should be a clear indicator to our own government that a closer look and more support for our biggest generator of export revenue would be a better investment than creating more desk space in an already overcrowded Auckland. – Mark Daniel

Partnership for better rural health

THE FENCING Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) is partnering with rural mental health and wellbeing advocate Craig “Wiggy” Wiggins to help the rural sector.

Wiggins has become a patron for the association in a move expected to bring greater support to those living and working in rural communities.

The “Whatever With Wiggy” founder is well known for his rural mental health initiatives, including “Lean on a gate, talk to a mate” and his Facebook group.

Established in response to the 2020 Covid lockdown, the Whatever With Wiggy Charitable Trust seeks to maintain and build connections within the rural community.

Initially, “Whatever With Wiggy” consisted of a Zoom meeting every Thursday night, with up to 80 attendees, discussing topics from Covid, to politics, to mental health and all issues affecting rural communities.

Now, Wiggy’s work

also includes nationwide Rural Health and Wellbeing checks with the Carr Family Foundation, checking farmers’ overall health and wellbeing at rural events, and Agriconnect, that provides mental health seminars for the rural service industry and rural professionals.

“Being invited to be a patron for FCANZ is an exciting time. It allows us another way to connect with another important part of the rural community – and means that we can continue supporting those who need it,” says Wiggins.

“We’re already hearing about the stresses that rural fencing contractors are under trying to support their existing clients, while servicing all of the insurance assessments coming through – not to mention dealing with the impact that the cyclone has had on their own personal and business lives.”

FCANZ has always had a connection with Wiggy, in its members raising $15,000 for the “Whatever With Wiggy” charitable trust in an impromptu charity auction at their annual conference.

Phil Cornelius, FCANZ president, says, “As an

Making workplaces safer

A KIWI company claims that its wearable robotic solutions and technology could save Kiwi businesses from losing money to workplace injuries while future-proofing workforces worldwide.

Exxovantage combines exoskeletons and exosuits, workplace wearables, AI, data analytics and cutting-edge risk management tools to increase operational efficiencies for many sectors including dairy farming and horticulture.

In the current climate of stark skill shortages, lost time to injuries, and a focus on the mental health of the nation’s workforce, supporting manual labour tasks with robotics and data analytics may reduce the cost of staff turnover and close the skills gap — while boosting staff engagement and productivity.

Arnaud Daurat, global chief executive of Exxovantage, says that supportive structures worn on the body to relieve strain on the musculoskeletal system are the way of the future.

association we represent the whole of the fencing industry, but our roots are very rural, and many of our members are still strongly connected with

the rural sector.

“Rural mental health has always been a challenge, but even more so now in light of the unprecedented destruc-

tion caused by the extreme weather events of the first two months of 2023.”

www.facebook.com/ whateverwithwiggy

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“The versatility of the Herron Tip Trailers is great. The big flotation tyres mean we can drag it around the paddock and hardly see where we’ve been. It is very solidly built and would take a lot to bend it.”

Harley Churstain, Dairy Farmer, Southland

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews co nz

The Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand (FCANZ) is partnering with rural mental health and wellbeing advocate Craig “Wiggy” Wiggins.