Dairy News 4 April 2023

Scope 3 emissions ‘causing unease’

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews co nz

THERE IS some unease among Fonterra’s shareholder base as the co-operative sets out to tackle Scope 3 emissions generated by the business.

With Fonterra farmers already under the pump due to weatherrelated events, cost pressures, cash flow and labour shortages, how the Scope 3 emissions story will play out is currently unknown and causing uneasiness.

The co-operative has been meeting with farmers and will soon announce what the Scope 3 target will look like.

Scope 3 emissions include carbon emissions not produced by the company itself, but by those that it’s indirectly responsible for, like farmers.

Fonterra says that 91% of its group emissions are from behind the farm gate.

Farmers are being told that the co-operative is under increasing pressure from both customers and consumers, regulators, and more and more from the finance sector, to put out a scope 3 emissions target.

Fonterra Co-operative Council chair John Stevenson told Dairy News that Scope 3 emissions “is generating some apprehension among the shareholder base”.

There is uncertainty around what steps farmers can take on farm to reduce their emissions intensity,

and for some there may currently be a gap between “what farmers can deliver compared to what customers want”.

“As a council we are here to bring some balance to the conversation through representing the views of our farmers.”

Stevenson notes that the situation on farm is already challenging.

“Combine this with the pace of change required from regulators and changing customer demands, it is having an impact on how we farm.

“Regarding changing customer demands, our farmers are looking hard to Fonterra for evidence that changed practices on farm will deliver value into their pockets.”

Stevenson points out that Fon-

terra is well placed to help farmers overcome some of the sustainability challenges ahead.

“There is no doubt we will see further pressure from Government, customers and banks. The key will be to make sure Fonterra takes its farmers on the journey, provides support and does not set requirements that are too difficult to achieve.”

Fonterra farmers are telling the council that the pace of change within the last 18 months is causing pressure.

And Stevenson points out that the pressure is not just from a financial standpoint, it comes at a time when many farms have been understaffed due to workforce shortages.

“Our members are doing more on the farm and more off the farm,” he says.

Uncertainty also affects investment in the future.

Stevenson says there’s lot of technology out there to help with productivity, but farmers need certainty in the future to commit to these investments.

He says the forecast farm gate milk price is still under pressure.

“Farmers margins and balance sheets are as squeezed as they have been for a long time.

“There is uncertainty and volatility in the global market. Farmers will look to what they can control and consider their budgets carefully.”

Plantain – a game changer. PG.13

Fonterra Co-operative Council chair John Stevenson says Scope 3 emissions target is generating some apprehension among the shareholder base.

New strategy, culture help WMP hit $1b in revenue

pany implemented a lot of things to turn several years of losses into a $39m profit last year.

A STRATEGY focusing on high value products and a culture shift among the workforce has guided Chinese-owned Westland Milk Products to hit $1 billion in annual revenue for the first time.

The milestone is a feather in the cap for chief executive Richard Wyeth, who joined the Hokitika-based company two years ago. The company’s revenue was around $821 million back then.

Wyeth told Dairy News that as part of its strategy refresh, the com-

It moved away from infant formula manufacturing and focused on high value products.

Wyeth says a culture shift gave staff freedom to work within the strategy.

“For us this culture shift has been as important as the strategy,” he says.

Owned by Yili Group since 2019, Westland Milk’s total revenue for 12 months ending December 2022 topped $1.04b.

Farmers who supply the West Coast processor received a record $9.40/ kgMS for their milk in

2022. Westland pays farmers a 10c premium above the forecast Fonterra milk price.

The company’s milk payout contributed $535 million into the West Coast and Canterbury

economies.

Wyeth says the company’s strategy of focusing on high-value product

CHAIR ENJOYING NEW ROLE

JOHN STEVENSON took over as Fonterra Co-operative Council chair in November last year.

He studied at Otago University for four years and achieved his Bachelor of Commerce in Management (Honours).

He then worked in employment and industrial relations at Police national headquarters for four years before returning to the family farms in 2011.

Stevenson milks 1500 cows across two farms: a home farm at Kokotau milking 1000 cows, another one at Rangitumau milking 500 cows.

The business employs nine full time and two part time staff. His father Richard looks after dry-

sales, leveraging off the West Coast’s reputation as a source of premium dairy products and ingredients, is now paying dividends.

“This is the first time in our company’s 85-year history that we have surpassed the $1 billion dollar revenue mark,’’ Wyeth says.

“Having the support of Yili has enabled us to invest in our people and the infrastructure needed to increase production and sales of value-added products.” Wyeth says the turnaround in performance is also a result of a well-planned, wholeof-business approach to improve quality, reduce

stock and cultivation/maintenance, with three other staff.

Stevenson is enjoying his stint as council chair.

“I have really enjoyed it. I am energised by the privilege of being able to represent the views of our farmers,” he says.

“Our farmers have strong opinions on the strategy and performance of their co-operative, and they are not always aligned, so that keeps it interesting.”

Stevenson believes representation is critical within a co-operative, especially “when you consider the current environment where customer

waste, increase sales, improve opportunities for staff and reduce costs of production.

“The biggest contributor to increasing revenue has been our high-value product strategy and to some extent high global commodity prices but right across the business we have focused on doing everything well.

“Customers willing to pay a premium for highvalue products have high standards. We’re working with our entire supply chain to ensure we can demonstrate these standards so that our customers can see for themselves the value of our ingredients and products.’’

demands are challenging us to change what we do behind the farm gate”.

He says there’s a great team of representatives around the council table.

“And, we are well supported by an excellent executive team.

“Council’s role is now well established following the 2020 review of council and our work streams are very settled.

“Our vision is that, through effective representation, Fonterra farmers feel heard, valued and connected to their co-operative and have confidence in its enduring success.”

Stevenson has been on the council since 2017. Before becoming chair, he chaired the council’s accountability and then connection committees.

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews co nz

Westland Milk chief executive Richard Wyeth.

John Stevenson

Wide-ranging milk price forecast for new season

ing a whopping $10/kgMS and is banking on prices to rise in the coming months.

ANALYSTS

REMAIN

divided on the forecast farmgate milk price for the new season, starting in less than two months.

Current forecast price ranges from $7/kgMS to a bumper $10/kgMS, reflecting volatility around both supply and demand around the world.

Fonterra will announce its opening forecast milk price next month. The country’s second largest milk processor, Open Country Dairy is telling suppliers to expect $8.30 to $8.70/kgMS for milk supplied between June and November this year.

Westpac is forecast-

The bank’s senior agri economist Nathan Penny says the lift will come too late for this season.

“But it does set up 2023/24 for a bumper milk price,” says Penny.

He notes that the 2023/24 season will also receive a boost from the relatively low New Zealand dollar.

ANZ isn’t so optimistic, lowering its 2023-24 season forecast price by 25c to $8.50/kgMS, 25c lower than previously forecast.

ANZ agricultural economist Susan Kilsby says this is aligned with the price of next season’s

milk price futures contract.

Kilsby also expects the NZ dollar to impact next season’s price.

“The NZD has been volatile lately in response to the uncertainty brought

about by the recent instability in global finance markets, following the collapse of several overseas banks,” she says.

“Dairy company foreign exchange requirements for the current

season will be largely hedged now, therefore movements in the NZD will have a greater impact on next season’s milk price.”

Kilsby doesn’t expect prices to rebound in the coming months.

“We were hoping the recent lift in demand from China would pull prices higher, but this has been offset by softer demand from other regions and increased availability of dairy products.”

Global demand for dairy products was particularly weak in late 2022, when China was largely locked down to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

This resulted in

demand for dairy products falling sharply at both the consumer and wholesale level within China.

China dairy import volumes fell 16% in 2022, and 2023 imports have dropped further.

Kilsby notes that when demand from China fell, more dairy products were exported into other regions such as South East Asia.

“We are now seeing a little less demand from these regions due to a build-up in their stock positions.”

ASB economist Nathaniel Keall agrees that improving Chinese demand will continue to be offset by weaker dairy consumption elsewhere.

“What’s more, with local production strong and dairy stocks still healthy, there’s a limit to what Chinese processors will be prepared to pay for now,” he says.

On the supply side, the latest data out of the EU shows milk production continuing to make tentative year-on-year improvements.

The bank is retaining its $7/kgMS milk price forecast for 2023/24.

“Not much has changed in terms of the fundamentals since our last update – with global dairy supply past its lows and softer global growth set to weigh on demand, we don’t see prices mounting a dramatic comeback,” says Keall.

WESTGOLD STILL BRINGING HOME GOLD

WESTLAND MILK Products

(WMP) butter range is continuing to win awards. Its Westgold’s salted and unsalted butters won gold medals at the Outstanding NZ Food Producer Awards recently.

The wins follow a winning streak for the company’s salted butter. Last year saw it win its fourth gold medal at the New Zealand Champions of Cheese awards which have not included a butter section for 2023.

Westgold’s Garlic & Parsley Infused Butter was also a winner, taking home bronze.

Hamish Yates, WMP’s general manager sales and marketing, says the company always knew that its butter was special. The three butters winning awards simply reinforce that.

“The awards demonstrate the excellence of our product, right from our farmer suppliers providing creamy delicious milk to our master butter

makers who carefully craft Westgold,” Yates says.

He says he is proud of what Westgold is achieving as a producer of high-quality butter.

“Our Westgold story is a great story to tell. It centres around milk sourced from cows grazed on grass on a small number of farms below the majestic Southern Alps,” Yates says.

“The fresh cream is traditionally churned and crafted by our master

butter makers, using the traditional Fritz Churn method. Some of them have been doing that craft for many years and the results of their skills are very tangible.”

Judges praised the two gold medal winning butters, entered in the dairy category of the awards, describing Westgold Salted Butter as good quality and “creamy and tasty with a nice spreadable texture and gloss”.

They said Westgold Unsalted

butter had a “clean, fresh flavour”. It was not too dense and spread nicely, while its aroma was “true and creamy”.

“The 2023 entries of this, the seventh year of our awards, was one of the most satisfying arrays to judge to date,” said Lauraine Jacobs who led the team of 25 experienced food judges that assessed the 290 locally harvested, grown, and made food and drink award entries over two days.

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews co nz

ANZ agricultural economist Susan Kilsby doesn’t expect dairy prices to rebound in the coming months.

Let’s make jobs more attractive

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews co nz

WITH CONTINUING levels of low unemployment, recruiting workers

to any sector is a continuous challenge for any employer.

Indeed, in the dairy sector alone, it is suggested that there are currently around 1000

Fully Escorted Tours 2023

Rarotonga Relaxer - 17 May*

8 days tropical Cook Islands, beachfront

Vivid Sydney - 25 May

5 days Vivid Festival ,Tina The Musical

Sunshine Coast - 13 Jun*

8 day Winter Sun, Coast & Mountains

Cairns & Port Douglas - 6 Aug

12 days Barrier Reef, Fitzroy Island

Canada & Alaska - 13 Sep

21 days Rocky Mountaineer & Cruise

Southern Africa - 17 Sep

20 days Wildlife, Victoria Falls, Botswana

Perth Wildflowers - 12 Oct

11 days Spectacular Wildflower Festival

Tasmania Spring - 2 Nov

11 days Wild Beauty of Tasmania

vacancies being advertised, but industry experts suggest that recruitment might have fallen in the “too hard” basket, with the real number likely to be 2500 to 4000 people. Those workplace challenges and opportunities facing dairy farmers have been highlighted at several ‘People Expos’ throughout the country during March, run by DairyNZ and the Dairy Women’s Network Lead advisor of people at DairyNZ, Jane Muir, suggested the overarching theme of the expo was to empower on farm decision makers to work towards attracting and keeping motivated staff, while Jules Benton, DWN chief executive commented that “our focus is on people and the need to get it right, because business is tight”.

The guest speaker at the expos was Shamubeel Eaqub, a well-known economist from Sense Partners, who offered an overview of the current economic climate, before going on to focus on the long-term workforce trends influencing the sector, and the changes that need to occur to support future success.

IMMIGRATION NOT THE ANSWER

SHAMUBEEL EAQUB is urging business owners to become a leader first and a farmer second.

Using metrics to explain that dairying saw massive growth between 1975 and 2015, he suggested it was now a mature industry that had maybe peaked and was even likely to decline slightly.

Nonetheless, it currently employed around 40,000 people, but had a “churn” in the workforce of about 10%, with people leaving or moving to other sectors.

Typically, workers were moving on after 2 or 3 years, with Equab suggesting it was not always the

workers’ fault, but usually that of the employer. He finished by noting that it has been suggested that there will be a net labour shortage of around 300,000 people by 2045. “We must make it a compelling proposition for young people to be a part of this fabulous industry.

“Locking people into the industry might be achieved by training, involving people in operational issues, flexible rostering and incentives that might even progress to part ownership of businesses.

“Immigration cannot be part of your strategy, as it’s not in your control.”

training, and career progression opportunities to encourage them to join and stay in dairy.”

Countering the argument from many business owners that wages were rising too quickly, as well as taking a shot at his own profession – claiming that economists usually get it wrong – he noted that over recent years wages had not kept pace with inflation and indeed, wage inflation was only really a minor concern.

not combinable).

In the short term, Eaqub identified issues such as a recession, climbing interest rates and open borders allowing youngster to explore overseas opportunities. Over the longer term it was a case of strong demand for NZ-sourced outputs, the labour market issues intensifying and the need

n Highly palatable

n Population control in 7 days

n Readily metabolised and not persistent in the environment

Find out more at pest-control.basf.co.nz

for succession planning in an ageing rural workforce.

Equab also pointed out that the rural industry in general needed to take their message to the 92% of the population that were not employed in the primary sector, provide opportunities for young people to stay in NZ, work in the sector and thrive and stop coming

out with the strap line about “that’s how we did it in the old days”.

“The world is shifting, and it is shifting for everyone,” says Eaqub. “It has never been harder to find labour, and it isn’t just dairy experiencing this.

“Other sectors are doing anything they can do to attract labour, and these long-term issues

have been around for decades. It’s on us to consider how we can step up and support the people that are working in your teams and businesses.

“Let’s reframe the conversation to think about how we can make the jobs more attractive, to keep people in the sector. We need to give them a compelling proposition,

“The truth is the birth rate has lowered, there is no way that immigrant workers can replace retirees, particularly when some dick in Wellington is making decisions on the number of immigrants allowed to enter and changing their minds on an almost daily basis.

“We have to attract home grown youngsters to the industry and ensure that they stay for the long term.”

From left, economist Shamubeel Equab, Jules Benton DWN, Jane Muir-DairyNZ and Aaron Jay, Hortus at the Peoples Expo in Waikato.

* $250 per person off Rarotonga & Sunshine Coast until sold out. (Offer is

Synlait half-year profit tumbles

DESPITE A big drop in its half year profit Synlait Milk says there are a number of bright spots as reduced demand sees it extend out its recovery from two to three years.

The results for the six months to January 31 this year show net profit after tax (NPAT) for the Canterbury-based milk processor of just $4.8 million,

returned to more normal levels by the end of the second quarter and a deal signed with a major Chinese customer would lift volumes shipped.

Watson says he was very encouraged by strong performance of the company’s ingredients and consumer businesses and the growth of foodservice opportunities, which showed momentum was building to diversify channels, categories and geog-

Re-registration for access to the Chinese market was progressing with audit completion expected in the third quarter and production expected to start in the

fourth quarter. Its forecast base milk price remains at $8.50/ kgMS and a further update on performance will be given at an investor day on May 8.

an 83% drop from $27.9m for the same period last year. Reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (ebitda) was $51.5m, down 25% and net debt up 325 to $518.6m.

Chief executive, Grant Watson, says a challenging trading environment continued, with less milk being processed, raw material supply challenges, carbon dioxide shortages and a tight labour market.

“This is on top of high inflationary cost pressures across every part of our business,” he says.

“There are no signs of these challenges abating.”

The company updated shareholders on its expected full year performance in mid-March, giving a NPAT guidance range of from $15-25m after its largest customer, A2 Milk, lowered advanced nutrition demand forecasts. Other customers followed suit. And in December last year problems were signaled in implementing its SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP), running core processes in a single system. This caused delays in releasing and shipping ingredients products and flow on effects meant higher inventory levels and costs, which included interest costs. But run rates had

raphies.

Dairyworks turned in a solid half year performance with its market share in cheese growing as consumers bought more affordable products. Cost savings came from not operating its Temuka cheese plant, where manufacturing was costly and Dairyworks’ new warehouse and distribution centre was responsible for around $1m in annual savings.

In the foodservice sector limited sales of JOYHANA branded UHT cream started in the first quarter, with volumes expected to ramp up in the second quarter after positive feedback. The brand is a partnership between Synlait and SAVENCIA Group, the world’s twelfth largest dairy company. Synlait estimates its UHT line will be 70% used next year as it works with several multinationals to manufacture added value creams and beverages for the New Zealand, Australian and Chinese markets.

Commercial production of advanced nutrition products at its Pokeno plant, south of Auckland, is expected to start in the last quarter of the year after delays in its yet to be announced multinational customer’s change from its present source to Synlait.

last – ends June

GLENYS CHRISTIAN

A challenging trading environment continued, with less milk being processed, raw material supply challenges, carbon dioxide shortages and a tight labour market.

Synlait chief executive, Grant Watson says the company continues to face a challenging trading environment.

Fish returns to farm streams

ENVIRONMENTAL WORK on-farm helps native fish return to streams, that’s what Aparima dairy farmer Ewen Mathieson is discovering.

Mathieson, who runs his farm with his wife Diane, two sons, and daughter, told Dairy News they were “quite delighted” to find native populations of fish had been found in the stream. He says the return of native populations to the stream was due to fish passage remediation work, a process through which streams and culverts can be made more ‘fish-friendly’.

In 2020, Environment Southland (ES) was awarded $385,000 from

the Government’s Jobs for Nature programme to undertake the work, with ES contributing a further $115,000 over the course of five years.

Mathieson says he and his family contacted ES to get the work done after a letter was circulated to farmers.

“As a result of that remediation work, Environment Southland contracted the University of Otago just in the last few months to do some work around identifying what populations of fish species were below the points of remediation and above,” he says.

He says there were no introduced species found.

“We had in one stretch, and it’s not a very big stream, it’s only… about 1m wide at times and at times halfway up to your knees… a 150m

section of that stream had 340 different fish in it,” he says.

Mathieson says that among the species found were banded kokopu, whitebait, long-fin eels, kura and redfin bullys.

“So, it was really exciting to see that.”

He says that on-farm, the family has undertaken numerous different types of environmental work, including fencing, planting and footprint reduction.

“So, there’s been some work around N and phosphorus loss and lower-

ing our carbon footprint as well.”

Mathieson says the family have also done system changes as well, moving away from cropping and instead doing grass wintering, “more extensive grass wintering than intensive

grass wintering”.

“We’re only starting to scratch the surface around what we can do with respect to our environment and understanding our landscape.”

Mathieson is a Dairy Environment Leader –a network created by

DairyNZ around 10 years ago to support farmers in reducing footprint.

DairyNZ has provided lots of support to farmers in the Aparima catchment, including involvement in the very successful Aparima Catchment Environment project (ACE), which Mathieson is also involved in.

In the project, 600 dairy, sheep and beef farmers work together with land managers, advisors and scientists to implement and track environmental actions across a range of farms and land uses.

The project is led by farmers and supported by DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Environment Southland, Thriving Southland, Fonterra and Open Country Dairy.

@dairy_news

facebook

JESSICA MARSHALL jessica@ruralnews

Dairy farmers are helping protect Aparima waterways in Southland.

PHOTO: EDWIN MABONGA

Small wetland, big difference

TARANAKI FARMERS

Donna and Philip Cram are helping DairyNZ demonstrate how constructed wetlands can improve water quality.

A wetland built three years ago on Donna and husband Philip’s Awatuna, South Taranaki, farm is a collaboration between DairyNZ, the National Institute of Water and Atmosphere (NIWA) and Taranaki Regional Council (TRC). It is part of DairyNZ’s ongoing work to encourage farmers to understand the environmental benefits of wetlands.

grew because, it turned out, NIWA was collaborating with DairyNZ to produce guidance on constructed wetland design and performance, to give the rural sector tools and resources to help improve environmental outcomes.

The Cram wetland has become one of six constructed wetland demonstration sites being studied until June 2024 as part of a collaborative, NIWA-led initiative funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

“NIWA staff looked at our farm and where the slopes and run off were, and came up with the site, which was an old, adjusted stream.”

Wetlands can significantly reduce nutrient and sediment losses on farms and improve water quality. They also boost biodiversity and can provide habitat for birds and fish.

DairyNZ general manager sustainable dairy, Dr David Burger, says there’s growing interest among dairy farmers in re-establishing and constructing wetlands, and this project helps improve understanding of how well they work.

“Partnering with dairy farmers and sector organisations helps us improve practical guidance around the use of constructed wetlands and how they can support the drive towards water quality improvements,” he says.

NIWA and TRC are monitoring the performance of Donna and Philip’s wetland to remove nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, and E. coli. DairyNZ funded the installation of monitoring systems, which enable real-time measurements of flow and water quality at the wetland inlet and outlet.

The project started after initial discussions between Donna, Philip and TRC, which then approached NIWA for advice and assistance with design. The project

“NIWA staff looked at our farm and where the slopes and run off were, and came up with the site, which was an old, adjusted stream,” Donna says.

The wetland comprises two percent (0.45ha) of Donna and Philip’s 117ha farm and receives surface and shallow groundwater from 184ha of land. “It’s a nice place to be, with amazing views of Mt Taranaki,” Donna says.

“We have a path round half of it and it and later on we’ll do it all the way around. We have a bit of regenerating bush at the bottom of the wetland that was inaccessible for animals, so there is quite a lot of change happening in that area of the farm.”

Dairy farmers around New Zealand are focused on continuing to reduce their environmental impact. Dr Burger says DairyNZ continues to work closely with dairy farmers and other science organisations to increase understanding of wetland performance.

“We are committed to improving water quality and have an extensive range of work underway to achieve this goal, in line with the sector’s Dairy Tomorrow goal of protecting and nurturing the environment for future generations.”

Eprinex is not only the 1 and only drench to have worldwide NIL milk withholding when treating lactating cows - it is also the No.1 drench for return on investment by far. For example, based on an average herd size of 500 cows and a $9.00 payout, farmers can expect a return of $67.44 per cow. Eprinex makes a lot of sense… and cents.

For more info go to futureproducers.co.nz

Taranaki farmers Donna and Philip Cram.

Nash and slash

STUART NASH, stripped of his portfolios for big-noting to donors, among other things, will be kept on life support by the PM to avoid a by-election, and, according to one commentator, so he can take the fall when an inquiry on forestry slash goes public

The damage done by forestry slash during recent storms has made it a redhot topic Left-wing commentator Martyn Bradbury reckons former Forestry Minister, ‘The Nashy’, prone to bragging and over-sharing, could yet have more to answer for about slash:

“Just imagine the s#*t he’s told his forestry mates… It will all come out during the slash inquiry and Chippy has to keep The Nashy on until that happens, then cast him out of the Party” Watch this space!

Tik Tok

WHILE TIK Tok may be in the bad books of western Governments over security fears, the social media app is proving a boon for some Kiwi companies who are using it to market their products in Asia

Stuff reports that Fonterra has used TikTok to sell more butter in South East Asia as cooking on the platform gained popularity during the pandemic

In the Philippines, Fonterra launched an #AnchorButterDaysAhead challenge, inviting TikTokers to use the company’s Anchor butter in a wide range of dishes beyond special occasions like Christmas or Ramadan, to showcase its versatility, create content around their cooking experience and tag friends to win prizes

In just three days, the campaign garnered 20 8 million video views, and has since grown to more than 40 million views, with Anchor butter achieving a 95% uplift in brand awareness on TikTok and an 11% increase in sales

Self-sufficiency

ONE OF Fonterra’s key markets could soon become self-sufficient in milk

Malaysia aims to become fully self-sufficient by 2025

Currently, less than half of the country’s annual consumption of milk is produced locally, while the rest is imported

Targeting Scope 3 emissions

THERE IS unease among Fonterra’s 9000 farming families on what the looming Scope 3 emissions target may look like. The apprehension is around what farmers can deliver compared to what global customers and consumers want.

Most of Fonterra’s major customers now have their own Scope 3 emissions targets and they are looking at the co-op, as a supplier to them, to put a target in place.

The co-op is telling farmers that it’s under increasing pressure from customers and consumers, regulators, and more and more from the finance sector, to put out a Scope 3 emissions target.

Fonterra is giving away very little publicly around the target, however, many farmer shareholders are worried about changes that may be forced on them behind the farmgate.

Hogwash

GREENPEACE IS continuing its crusade against Fonterra, this time over its ‘Simply Milk’ product line

The lobby now claims Fonterra’s ‘Carbon Zero’ claim is “based entirely on ineffective carbon offsetting”, despite carbon offsetting being a major part of the Labour-Greens backed policy for NZ

The co-operative and its farmer shareholders are in a bind; they cannot be seen to do nothing on Scope 3 emissions – that encompasses carbon emissions that are not produced by the company itself, but by those that it’s indirectly responsible for, including farmers.

The Fonterra Co-operative Council, which represents the interest of farmer shareholders, says it’s trying to bring some balance to the conversation by representing the views of farmers.

The key will be to make sure Fonterra takes its farmers on the journey, provides support and does not set requirements that are too difficult to achieve.

Malaysians consume about 80 million litres of milk each year, with the rate averaging an 8% growth since 2010

The country needs at least another 30,000 cows to meet growing demand, as children are encouraged to drink fresh milk in schools

Fonterra began operating in Malaysia in 1975 and brands such as Anlene, Anmum and Fernleaf are household names

It also has a manufacturing facility in Kuala Lumpur

Greenpeace claims that this is an embarrassment for Fonterra, and for New Zealand, which prides itself on being a ‘clean green’ producer It claims this is cynical greenwash Change the record What’s embarrassing is Greenpeace bagging New Zealand farmers, who are already among the most efficient in the world, with an on-farm carbon footprint approximately one third of the global average Head

The pace of change within the last 18 months is already putting pressure on farmers. Add to this the challenges around labour, rising input costs and soaring interest rates, Fonterra will be careful not to pile more pressure on its farmers.

But not doing anything is also risky. Fonterra doesn’t want to be in a position where, if it cannot come up with a target, then customers start looking at alternatives.

Those alternatives may be other sources of dairy: globally there are other dairy companies that have set themselves Scope 3 emissions target.

But more importantly, they could turn to alternatives that do not include dairy.

That’s an even bigger risk, warns Fonterra.

Fonterra bosses believe setting a Scope 3 target will help the co-op maintain competitive access to some of its key international markets.

Scope 3 emissions target is here to stay. In the coming weeks and months, Fonterra farmers will find out what it really means for their farming operations.

Doing nothing may not be an option. But Fonterra farmers will be looking hard to their co-op for evidence that changed practices on farm will deliver value into their pockets.

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

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

‘Broad support’ for RMA reform

Environment Minister David Parker spoke about RMA reform last week at the Environmental Defence Society (EDS) conference in Auckland. Here’s an excerpt from his speech…

I WANT to turn to the Spatial Planning Bill (SP Bill) and Natural and Built Environment Bill (NBE Bill) and the development of the National Planning Framework (NPF).

The resource management reforms are on track.

There is broad support for them.

There is overwhelming support for reducing the number of RMA plans from over 100 to 15, which will be more consistent and of better quality. This necessitates regional planning committees. These allow council and other groups in each region to pool resources, with provisions embedded to ensure that local voices are heard.

Fewer, better plans will enable better outcomes and cost savings. More powers in respect of permitted activities will also reduce the number of resource consents required.

We intend to pass both Bills before the election.

MfE is well resourced to assist the select committee (the Environment Committee) to land the legislation in a good place.

Many years of work preceded the launch of the reforms, including the extensive efforts of EDS with the Property Council, Infrastructure NZ, and the Northern EMA. Others like the Waitangi Tribunal and LGNZ did their own reports. Then we had the recommen-

dations of the Randerson Panel, which consulted widely. Then a select committee inquiry on core provisions. And an efficiency review by independent experts, plus the current select committee process.

It’s time to finish the job and drive it through.

Everyone is now working hard to further improve the Bills based on the very detailed and thorough submissions we have received.

We continue to put a lot of time into Part 1 of the NBE Bill and the many submissions received on this. We remain focused on ensuring a sustainable natural environment is put first, but along-

side that an efficient and effective planning and consenting system for development enabled within limits and targets.

The current money wasted on consenting infrastructure is unconscionable and undermines public support for much needed environmental protection. The New Zea-

land Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga is also developing standards for common development activities, to reduce the need for bespoke consent conditions.

The purpose clause works with limits and targets, given expression via the NPF.

The NBE Bill acknowl-

edges that the economy is essential to wellbeing, but that it must operate within clearly established environmental limits and mandatory targets that ensure its sustainability.

Submitters understand that limits and targets are at the heart of the new system, and we have received many helpful submissions to improve these provisions.

Once those limits and targets are met, councils and planners are required to look at all the outcomes that communities are seeking to achieve, including those relating to the built environment.

Communities can then set priorities within these limits and targets, and businesses can have confidence that the development they seek will be enabled.

The SP Bill requires long-term spatial planning in each region – a key step in building climate resilience and the right infrastructure in the right place.

The NBE Bill requires the Minister to notify an NPF within six months of the Bill becoming law. The first iteration of the NPF is one of the first steps in transitioning to the new system.

There is overwhelming support for reducing the number of RMA plans from over 100 to 15, which will be more consistent and of better quality.

David Parker

Change of guard at National Fieldays

Farm awards

WESTMORLAND ESTATE Ltd, which runs three dairy farms in Waikato with a multinational team of workers, recently held its annual performance awards.

This event is to celebrate the team and how their hard work contributes to the success of and the wider dairy industry.

The whole Westmorland team gathered in Matamata for the event; industry stakeholders were also present.

Owned by David and Sue Fish, the three farms –Somerset Farm, Westmorland Farm and Sandhurst Farm supply milk to two co-ops, Fonterra and Tatua.

The Best Cows Award 2023 went to the Sandhurst team; Dries Verrycken, Levge-

nii Dushkevych, Ken Ragasajo and Brian Garcia.

The Lowest SCC Award 2023 went to Somerset team; Dries Verrycken, Fredrico Lopez, Declan Tully and Barbara Hinton.

The Best Calves Award 2023 went to Sandhurst: Dries Verrycken, Paola Verrycken, Levgenii Dushkevych, Ken Ragasajo and Brian Garcia.

The Farm Pride Award was also won by Sandhurst team; Dries Verrycken, Paola Verrycken, Levgenii Dushkevych, Ken Ragasajo and Brian Garcia.

The Empty rate Award 2023 was won by Westmorland team; Dries Verrycken, David Fish, Aubrey Fish and Yurii Kokhanevych.

THE NEW Zealand National Fieldays Society has elected Waikato farmer and businesswoman Jenni Vernon at their recent annual general meeting-their first female president/board chair in the organisation’s 55-year history.

While having been on the board for the past 10 years and having held the position of vice president for the past 3 years, Vernon also farms a dry stock unit in partnership with her husband Gordon and son Simon, at Te Akatea, in northwest Waikato.

Having initially trained as a teacher, she has spent more than four decades in farming and governance, became the first female Nuffield Scholar and the first

woman chair of Environment Vernon takes over the reins from outgoing President James Allen, who following the rules of the Society has completed his third

and final year as president. Vernon acknowledged the contribution that James made to the Society, providing leadership during the uncertain times of Covid-19,

while also running his own business.”

She is looking forward to working with the new board alongside the Fieldays management team to deliver on a strong strategic direction and plan for growth.

“With just over 80 days to us delivering Fieldays 2023, some new events coming to Mystery Creek and some exciting plans for the future, we have plenty of work to do,” she says.

The new board also comprises, vice president – Tim Hale, immediate past president – James Allen, Lynette Pearks, Graeme Austin, Margaret Cameron, Clint Gulliver, Jo Finer, Mike Chapman and Barry Quayle.

It all starts with healthy

Staff of Westmorland Estate at the awards function.

A game changer

WOODVILLE DAIRY

farmer Ben Allomes says the adoption of plantain has been a game changer for his farm system and business.

The former DairyNZ board member is one of several farmers in his district to take part in a fiveyear study into plantain use, overseen by DairyNZ.

He says the study, launched at a time when farmers were facing the introduction of thenunknown environmental regulations, was initially aimed at showing how plantain could help in nitrate management in maintaining farmers’ consent to farm.

“That benefit in itself is good enough to put up for plantain but what we actually proved is it provides serious feed quality and quantity at various times of the year,” he said.

Allomes milks about 600 cows on 290ha – a 200ha milking platform with the rest as support. He has previously milked up to 850 but has become more self-contained over the last three years. He says the farm is a mixture of flat land, good rolling milking country and steeper country. That gives him multiple options in how to use plantain.

He told Dairy News that one of the most successful methods was to follow a crop of fodder beet or turnips with either plantain or a plantain and

clover mix. In that trial, the plantain and clover mix grew up to 19t/ha, about 50% more than a control paddock of ryegrass.

But he said the “amazing thing” was that the ryegrass paddock needed 130kg of nitrogen over the two years but the plantain and clover mix had no nitrogen, except for some capital fertiliser on establishment.

“So it grew 50% more with basically no nitrogen.”

Allomes also grows fodder beet for breakfeeding the milkers in autumn – rather than using it for wintering, because he says his soils “aren’t good for that”.

“So in a three-year period we grew 25 tonne of fodder beet then we put in an annual ryegrass to mop up the extra nutrient. That grew another 7 tonne.

“Then, we had two years of plantain and clover at 19 tonne, which means we grew about 70 tonne in three years versus 36 if it was just in ryegrass.”

Allomes recently hosted an open day on his farm where the results of the study were presented.

He now intends to take part in the follow-up study.

“The next step we now have to work out is what are the GHG emissions implications, what are the nitrogen leaching implications of the clover with the plantain and what will that actually look like in a

five-year cycle.

“The main plantain project is finished. Now they want us to pick up some of the [lessons] and carry it on.”

DairyNZ’s Tararua Plantain project manager Adam Duker said the open day on Allomes’ farm was a special occasion, marking five years since the project began. It was also where the project was first discussed with local farmers.

“The project has been hugely successful, with 88 of the catchment’s 263 dairy farms planting plantain on their properties. Water quality monitoring by Tararua farmers has increased the local understanding of where to focus their environmental efforts,” he said.

DairyNZ presented project data showing plantain is an effective tool to help farmers meet their productivity goals, while achieving environmental success.

Farmers at the open day discussed their options for integrating plantain into pasture as well as potential barriers to adoption, primarily weed control options, and achieving longer term persistence of plantain in the pasture sward.

The Tararua Plantain Project was led by DairyNZ, with partners Agricom, MPI, Fonterra and Nestlé, with delivery partners including AgResearch, Horizons and Massey University.

Duker said the project ends this year but the

partnership approach continues with the national DairyNZ-led Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Plantain and Potency Practice (PPP) programme underway.

Woodville farmer Ben Allomes (left) shares his Tararua Plantain project experience at the field

Make sure your feed is FeedSafe NZ accredited

Youth team get a real taste of International Dairy Week

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

that Julie get a team together and compete at IDW.

AFTER AN absence of two years due to Covid and international travel restrictions, the New Zealand Dairy Youth Team returned to Northern Victoria, Australia recently to compete at International Dairy Week (IDW) at Tatura Park.

IDW is the largest annual dairy cattle sale, show and expo in the southern hemisphere comprising of seven National Breed Shows and a National Youth Show with 1000 head of cattle competing for recognition and the chance to be Australia’s Grand Champion.

It all started back in 2017 at the NZ Dairy Event held at Manfield Park, Feilding, when NZ Jersey president, Julie Pirie had a conversation with Victorian dairy farmer Anthea Day who

The IDW Holstein National Youth Challenge is a Competition involving all aspects of the show ring (clipping, parading/ handling and judging).

Each team must have three youths under the age of 15 and no more than three over the age of 18. Jersey NZ provided some sponsorship through their youth committee and advertised for expressions of interest from youths throughout New Zealand.

“In 2018 we took our team of 12 youths to compete at their first IDW event,” says Pirie.

“This proved to be quite a learning experience and having to borrow animals to lead and parade.”

In 2019 the Youth Team ventured back to IDW with a lot more knowledge and had a lot more practices leading up to the event. However, the team were only intro-

duced to their animals a day before the show so giving them little time to prepare. They competed against 11 other teams, impressing the judges

ship support from Jersey NZ and Rabobank. A lot of the youths got indihad not had many shows over the 2020/2021 period

of their animals, stayed in caravans on site so they actually got the real expetotally employable in the future.”

SHARON CAIN

NZ Jersey president, Julie Pirie has been taking youths to the International Dairy Week since 2017.

The XCEL 1250 rear discharge spreader provides precision manure spreading management. Unique technology of the shredding rotor and spinning discs provides a precise application of manure.

Global recognition for genetics stalwart

THE LARGEST genetics co-operative in the world, Select Sires, has officially recognised the contribution of Waikato farmer and World Wide Sires (WWS) breeding consultant, Dyanne Osborne.

Osborne joined World Wide Sires more than 33 years ago, in 1989, World Wide Sires Area director of marketing Brian Albertoni, acknowledging that “it is simply not possible to record the positive impact her knowledge and passion for genetics has had on the New Zealand dairy industry”.

World Wide Sires’ pride in her achievement has been formally recognised on a brick which has been laid at the entrance of the Kellgren Heritage Center at Select Sires’ headquarters in Plain City, Ohio. Her name joins those of other industry leaders and legends whose dedication has delivered enduring value to the global dairy industry.

Albertoni says in today’s world, staying with one company for more than 30 years is now uncommon.

“Building such a relationship with a company takes loyalty, dedication, hard work and most importantly a passion for the industry and the people you encounter on a daily basis.

“At WWS, we treasure our long-time team members and recognise them as the heart and

soul of our company. Our younger team members look up to the veterans they are surrounded by, as they provide irreplaceable experience and knowledge that can only be built over time,” he says.

Osborne grew up on her parent’s dairy farm initially training as a school dental nurse before joining her husband Wayne in a 150 cow dairy farm.

The breeding side of things always fascinated her, Dyanne recalling that she and Wayne took over a predominantly Jersey herd and gradually moved across to high producing, North American, Holstein Friesians.

“We discussed each cows’ faults and good qualities and what bulls we could use to improve the herd,” she says.

“I never went for the standard and always looked outside the square. I have always been an early adopter; I always look at what’s best for my needs, to see if there is a better way.”

And this – what worked best – was the approach she applied to her clients when she joined WWS.

Craig Robertson, WWS New Zealand general manager, says Osborne has always been regarded as a trailblazer.

“Her belief in the benefits to be gained from accessing the largest genetic database in the

world never dimmed –even during the late 1990s when research comparing the fertility and production of North American Friesians with New Zealand and Irish cows revealed a concerning level of infertility.

“Hindsight confirms that this was largely a result of milking yearround without the breeding pressure associated with seasonal dairying but, at the time, Dyanne stood firm in a wellrounded belief that strategic selection of sires suited to New Zealand, would deliver superior results for her clients.

“And time has proven her to be correct – WWS’ bulls have some of the best fertility statistics combined with health and production records, available in the world today.”

Receiving the award, Osborne says “when you are doing something you love, it really doesn’t feel like work at all”.

“It’s nice to be recognized for 30+ years of dedication to WWS, but the bigger reward is knowing through WWS, I have impacted farmers’ livelihoods around the world through our genetics.   It’s a small role I play in a farmer focused organisation driven by a mission to impact sustainable food production, animal welfare and farmer profitability.”

@dairy_news facebook com/dairynews

Waikato farmer and World Wide Sires breeding consultant, Dyanne Osborne has been recognised for her 33-year service to the company.

More milk from less feed

AS DRY summers persist in the South Island, genetics could hold the answer to helping dairy farmers breed healthy cows that produce more milk from less feed.

New CRV sales consultant for West Otago, Northern And Eastern Southland, Carol Booth, is encouraging dairy farmers in her region to use strategic breeding to safeguard milk production, preserve their bottom lines and ease the effect of heat stress on their animals.

Born and bred in the UK, Booth, 29, grew up on a dairy farm in Yorkshire, England, and bred pedigree Holsteins with her father. She has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Scotland’s Rural University College (SRUC) and almost a

farming experience in Otago.

“With the likelihood of more dry summers in the south, dairy farmers are facing unprecedented challenges,” she says.

“Sustained periods of heat will not only reduce the quality and quantity of grass, but also cause heat stress in the herd, which can affect cow condition, production and incalf rate.”

Booth says the key is strategically breeding healthy cows, and animals that are efficient producers by milking more on less feed.

“That could involve a combination of traits. For example, when conditions get dry, farmers often move to milking once a day. To do that well, you need animals that have strong udders to carry

Another desirable trait would be cows with a lower somatic cell count (SCC).

Milking once a day can increase the risk of mastitis. Animals with genetically lower SCC are likely to be healthier and handle variable milkings better, she says.

“Better health traits combined with an animal that will last longer in the herd, and produce more from less, will inevitably save time and money. I enjoy helping farmers build a herd they love to milk, that will ultimately help them achieve their goals.”

Cows are Booth’s passion.

“I love cows, I really do. Growing up, there was nothing better than developing the herd with Dad, then entering A & P

a Young Farmer’s stock judging competition.

“It’s so satisfying

your breeding decisions.

“That’s why I went on to study agricultural sci-

obvious next step for me, a way of adding deeper understanding to my practical knowledge.”

In 2014, Booth arrived in New Zealand for her OE. She’d organised to work on a farm in West Otago. Although she’d planned a six-month stint, an opportunity opened to stay longer.

For the next eight years, she worked a second West Otago dairy farm, the last four managing the entire operation.

With her breeding experience and science background, she managed the farm’s breeding, which involved calving three times a year.

“Because we had a wintering barn, we were able to control the conditions. This allowed us to bring heifers through into milking at 21-22 months

could milk through the winter.

“It was profitable because winter milk prices are typically higher and you’re not grazing them on winter crops. As long as they are well grown, they get less pressure in the herd while spring calvers are dry and they then get a longer time to recover before spring mating starts.

“The key was herd testing, which gave us objective numbers on our animals and helped us identify the best cows to put into a targeted sexed semen programme. Strategic breeding takes a bit of time, but the gains you get are worth the effort. As a starting point for me I will look at production, liveweights, cows that get in calf, any health issues and compare that to our

New CRV sales consultant, Carol Booth.

Hitting the sweet spot

INCREASING INPUT

costs on farm are topical, but it’s well-accepted that reproduction really is a key moment in the farming calendar.

Time, effort and money must be invested to set up future production. We all want to reduce cost where we can, yet we also want to hit the `sweet spot’ and capture the highest returns at the lowest effort and cost.

Coming straight out of calving there is so much on the plate. As pre-mating looms, farmers can be forgiven for not wanting to think too hard about reproduction or make any changes. But the time to think about this is right now, before you get your head down again.

Detection of heat is often considered the

major limiting factor in the success of reproductive programmes. According to DairyNZ, every accurately detected heat can gain a farmer an average 25 kgMS, as well as avoiding late-calving which can impact the following season.

The primary sign of heat is where a cow stands to be mounted by another cow. This is the gold standard for heat detection.  Secondary signs such as increased walking are those that can also be caused by events other than heat and are more loosely associated with the timing of ovulation.  It is primary standing behaviour that is hard-linked to ovulation occurring around 25-32 hours from the onset of standing.

Decades of excellent studies have established the timing for when the

farmer should submit the cow for breeding, because waiting for standing more than doubles the conception rate compared to a cow that is still coming into heat and is yet to stand. It is a common misconception with New Zealand farmers, that because sperm can survive 24 hours or more, breeding early doesn’t

have an impact on conception rate. The effect is profound. Breeding too early can cost you 25 kgMS due to the lower chance of success and creates high odds you’ll have to wait for her next cycle.

The goal is to use tools that accurately call both the heat and the optimal timing for insemination to maximise success.

The decision of whether to breed `today or tomorrow’ in a once-per-day insemination regime is critical. Getting this right can yield significant improvement in conception rates.

Farmers need to take the time to ask if an option they are evaluating truly addresses their real needs and if it does

that job well. That means reviewing hard evidence and performance data that is specific and relevant to you, and not getting distracted with features that are not so important for your operation.

Being profit-based, return on costs must stack.

This means looking beyond what is simply cheapest if the performance of that option costs you lost production. Opportunity-cost in any given reproduction programme can be huge, so it really is worth asking hard questions and getting firm evidence for your chosen approach.

The range of heat detection approaches come with different cost and performance parameters to best fit your goals. Money needs to be spent wisely and you need to

consider any `hassle-factors’ of change, the value of staff time and training requirements, technical support, resilience, and flexibility as well as any other upfront or ongoing costs to strike a balance for your system. We all want to put our money where the returns are greatest.

Add up your reproduction-related costs and divide that number by the total number of pregnancies, or perhaps even go a step further to look at the cost of reproduction per calf.

You can quickly model out where you think valuable gains can be made at little additional cost and effort in the first instance. This can help you find your `sweet spot’ for your operation and help focus on extra return that can be gained for little additional cost.

Detection of heat is often considered the major limiting factor in the success of reproductive programmes.

Give one of our team members a call today and see how we can increase your farm’s profitability through our genetics, products and related services.

OUR PASSIONATE TEAM SERVICES NEW ZEALAND FROM KAITAIA TO BLUFF.

Product of the USA

Young breeders head to Belgium

FIVE YOUNG breeders will be heading to Belgium in August to attend the European Young Breeders School (EYBS), making their mark on the future of the industry.

The EYBS, to be held in Battice from August 30 – September 3, is the international reference point for training and show preparation, with almost 200 competitors from around the world expected to take part.

New Zealand is looking to send a team of five skilled young people who are passionate about the dairy industry. Organised by Holstein Friesian NZ but open to youth from all dairy cattle breeds, the trip is three years in the making due to Covid disruptions.

New Zealand team

facilitator Rachel Stewart says attending EYBS – which includes workshops, skills demonstrations, talks and showmanship training –will enable participants

Better

to further develop their leadership skills and forge friendships that will last a lifetime.

“This trip will play a pivotal role in developing and broadening the hori-

zons of emerging leaders in New Zealand’s dairy industry,” she says.

“You can’t beat overseas travel and experience to achieve that goal.”

To be considered, participants must be aged 18-25 as at July 31, 2023. A panel of representatives from across the industry have been appointed and will review all applications, and short list no less than five applicants to be interviewed, prior to the final team selection taking place.

“The people chosen to go will already be very skilled young people –essentially future leaders within the dairy industry – which will stand them in good stead as the school is very competitive,” Stewart says.

She says the trip has been a long time coming, but one they are determined to complete.

“Organisation to send a team from New Zealand started back in 2019, but Covid put paid to any plans coming to fruition,” Stewart says.

“This trip will really give participants an international perspective and passion for agriculture in general.

“It is an incredible opportunity to further their career in the dairy sector.

“It also has direct benefits for our breeders out there who no longer have the time to fit and show their best cattle anymore. The skills these young people will bring back will help keep those breeders

in the game.”

The trip is a worthwhile but costly exercise, with participants expected to be overseas for 10 days. Sponsorship is vital to help cover the costs of the school, flights, food and some accommodation; participants will be billeted with local farmers for the duration of the school.

Sponsorship packages have been created for simplify the process for the generous sponsors of the trip. These can be viewed at www.nzholstein.org. nz/blackandwhiteyouth/ european-young-breedersschool-trip/.

Alternatively, Holstein Friesian NZ is

asking farmers from all breeds to donate the value of a culled cow to the trip. This can be done directly to HFNZ or via the HFNZ PGG Wrightson Account.

“This trip will provide a great opportunity for young people to develop their leadership skills and bring the knowledge learnt back to New Zealand to share with young breeders across the industry,” HFNZ general manager Cherilyn Watson says.

Applications for the trip are open until March 31, 2023 and young people representing all dairy breeds are encouraged to apply.

Every farmer strives for greater production. But for AJ and Kristy Keller of Dorie, Mid Canterbury it goes beyond that. Working alongside CRV is enabling AJ ‘to ensure the cows are in the best place genetically going forward’. For AJ this means more profitable cows with the temperament that makes them a pleasure to milk. We asked AJ why having better cows leads to a better life with CRV. To watch the video follow the link below.

Holstein Friesian NZ general manager Cherilyn Watson (right) says the trip will provide a great opportunity for young people to develop their leadership skills.

cows, better life.

‘Temperament is a big one - it makes it easier for staff. It makes dairy farming a lot more enjoyable.’

AJ Keller, Sharemilker, Dorie, Mid Canterbury.

Fast-tracking genetic gain

NORTH OTAGO farmer

Francois Tillard is among farmers who have signed up for LIC’s female genotyping service to identify their best heifer calves long before they step up to the milking platform.

When selecting the right bulls for its Sire Proving Scheme, LIC has, for the past decade or so, used DNA information to complement ancestry information – making for more accurate decisions on which young bull progeny should best-serve the industry in future.

But now the same leading-edge genomic technology is being offered to farmers who are interested in knowing who their best heifer calves are likely to be, long before the young stock steps up to the milking platform.

Knowing the DNA make-up of young progeny, including how key traits are shaping up, provides improved reliability of the young animals’ breeding values, together with an opportunity to breed from the best animals earlier (to breed the next generation of replacements at a younger age).

Farmers using the technology can utilise the same tissue sample sent to LIC for DNA parentage testing.

“For years it’s been all very well to access the best bulls through genetics suppliers like LIC, and they produce very good outcomes,” Tillard says.

“But what we as farmers control are the cows, and we just want to look after that side of the genetic equation. I want to create the very best cow I can on farm, and I’ll do that through the breeding choices I make… I’ll do that by looking at the traits I want my cows to express the most.”

Tillard is a system 5 farmer whose crossbred cows weigh between 500-520kg and produce an average of 650kg milksolids a year. He

wants to breed a better cow, taking that average up to 700kg milksolids a year, without adding to the average liveweight of the cows.

“We started by getting rid of our bottom cows,” he says.

“Our next step has been nominating a bull for every cow, using Customate Plus. Once we’ve done that, we go in with genotyping and embryo transfer, and when you’re down that path there’s a fair bit of money involved, so you want to put all chance on your side to only get your above-average performers.”

He exclusively uses AB replacement semen to mate the top-50% of his 800-strong, split-calving, herd.

The new genotyping service helps him to make more secure decisions about what cows and yearlings should be used for breeding.

To form an overall picture for final decisions, Tillard says he still relies on cow-family information, which he rates as highly as the genotype information.

“I have a great daughter of a cow, 1066… all her daughters have been really good, she’s been amazing.

“She’s had a heifer and the genotyping is looking really good; that heifer has gone straight away into our ET programme before she has even been mated, because I know she’s going to be fine… there’s no way her progeny will be under performers.

“There are about 400 cows we don’t keep progeny from. In the autumn and spring, we produce 100 embryos from ET activity, so usually 40-50 of those cows will be carrying embryos. Remaining nonreplacement stock are mated to beef or short gestation dairy (final 10 days of AB).”

In terms of what he wants from his replacements, Tillard says he’s ruthless: “I want a

cow that looks perfect, if there’s any suspicion about cows that are under two years old, they get culled in the autumn.”

Tillard says he chases

strong udders, strong capacity, and high fat and protein breeding values.

• This article first appeared in Getting the Basics Right 2023 edition.

•

•

•

•

•

•

North Otago farmer Francois Tillard has signed up for LIC’s female genotyping service to identify his best heifer calves long before they step up to the milking platform.

Making better breeding decisions

A FERTILITY trait change by New Zealand Animal Evaluation Ltd (NZAEL) will provide more accurate information to dairy farmers and artificial breeding companies ahead of the next mating season.

The fertility trait change separates gestation length from fertility and creates a tenth trait to Breeding Worth (BW) – the index used to rank cows and bulls on their ability to efficiently convert feed into profit.

Released by NZAEL –the independent animal evaluation entity for dairy animals – the change makes gestation length (GL) a stand-alone trait, so it does not influence fertility estimated breeding value (EBV). It will also ensure farmers have more accurate information to make confident breeding decisions ahead

of the next mating season.

“Part of NZAEL’s role is reflecting the fertility of animals as accurately as possible for farmers,” NZAEL manager Andrew Fear says.

“Fertility is an important trait for New Zealand dairy herds, given our seasonal pasture-based farm systems. The change is important to farmers, as it means we aren’t unintentionally selecting for gestation length.”

The change separat-

ing gestation length from fertility is expected to be permanent.

“This is an example of the continuous improve-

ments NZAEL is making,” Fear says.

“It’s important for farmers to make use of this change now, so they

can confidently make good breeding decisions.”

The next fertility trait change is being developed. This will see

NZAEL move to a conception-based fertility trait, which means GL won’t influence conception dates to the same

degree as the current fertility trait, which is based on calving dates.

“Shorter GL is economically beneficial for farmers,” Andrew says. “For example, it allows more days-in-milk and more time to recover between calving and the start of mating, but its value is lower than that of early conception date. Therefore, both traits should be valued independently when considering an animal’s breeding worth (BW).”

The change in overall BW will be minimal off the back of the current fertility trait change, but farmers may see a decrease of around 10 BW in bulls on the Ranking of Active Sires (RAS) list..

The NZAEL team and partner experts are working towards releasing the new trait in December 2023.

Sarah Woodley likes to run her shed with just one person all year-round. The farm manager is in her third season on the 118Ha Clandeboye farm in South Canterbury where she milks 420 predominantly Friesian cows through a 50-bail Rotary with two other full-time staff.

It’s a tightly run ship on the small dairy property that has been in the Woodley family for four generations. And, with good staff in short supply it’s also about building an enjoyable place to work day-to-day and sustaining that over the long term.

Sarah says her basic aim is to have two people working on farm and one person on a day off.

“In the mornings, one person will be up early to start at 4:30 a.m., and the next person will have a sleep in and be up at seven. No one is up for days on end at 4 o’clock in the morning.

“Obviously collars make that possible over mating.”

Four seasons ago, Mark Woodley, Sarah’s father and the farm owner, invested in collars when his long-term farm manager retired. Sarah was still finishing up on another contract. She returned to the home farm, and last season they changed to Datamars Livestock’s Tru-Test Active Collars.

“Dad and I do all the AI for 12 weeks.

We are doing AI twice a day. In the morning, we manually draft the cows we want to AI and leave those early ones for the afternoon. The system is identifying cows on heat, and picking silent heats that staff would miss because the cows are not bulling or showing any other signs. The collars are definitely doing their job.”

Sarah says the Active Collars make it easier for staff as well. The data gateway reads out to 1000m, or more in some instances, so data from the collars is uploaded for paddocks in range and as animals approach the shed. Even though the Woodley farm has high shelter belts on much of the property for shade and wind protection, this doesn’t compromise the upload speed and the data is available instantly when the Woodley’s herd comes in for milking.

“Everyone on the farm has instant access to a whole scope of heat and health information from the Datamars app...”

sarah woodley

With the previous brand of collars, it wasn’t quite as simple.

“In the past, we had to get the cows in half an hour early in the morning just to get them to stand in the yard and wait for the data to download– which is not ideal for staff or cows.”

Now the focus is on milking. There’s no waiting and there’s no one needed up in the shed picking cows every day for 12 weeks. Everyone on the farm has instant access to a whole scope of heat and health information from the Datamars app, and if there’s any questions, Sarah says the back up support from the Datamars team is “awesome”.

“Dad is not overly computer-minded but he has the app on his phone and he is always on it to see what’s happening and who is on heat.”

“Our main find is early detection of calving issues, and when we have the vet out to look at a sick animal, they will view the health data to check rumination and all sorts. It has been very helpful.”

“We are generally very good at picking up mastitis. We strip a quarter a milking, so we are picking up anything early before an animal gets sick – but for farms that don’t do that, the collars would signal mastitis and lameness too.”

Over mating, Sarah is adamant that the Active Collars have saved the Woodleys a lot of time and money.

“We haven’t had to bring relief staff into the shed over mating. We don’t use tail paint, we rely solely on the collars, and we don’t scan either. This year, we will be using the collars to tell us who is pregnant and who is not. That may only be a small cost saving – but why spend

it if you don’t have to? On top of that, pregnancy scanning is fairly invasive for the cows.”

Bulls are also off the shopping list. “We are not buying bulls. We used to get quite expensive short-gestation Hereford bulls and they were getting up to $40005000 each, and for staff it is a lot safer not having to deal with bulls in the herd.”

Overall, the Active Collars have given Mark and Sarah a sense of freedom knowing a critical job is being done well and consistently and they can focus on running a smooth operation.

“Cows are getting in calf for sure,” says Sarah. “We are trusting the collars and know they are not going to miss something, and that’s taking the stress off me and Dad as well. It has been very good.”

NZAEL manager Andrew Fear (left) says it’s important for farmers to make use of the fertility trait change.

Active collars support a smooth and steady hand on farm operations in Clandeboye.

Remove the toss up when matching your herd

Could mismatched calves be making things a bit hit and miss? Get the success you need with Genemark, LIC’s DNA parentage testing service, to make sure the right animals are in your herd. With whole herd testing, you can confirm you’ve matched the right calves, so you know you are investing in the right animals. Or stack up your testing options and add an animal’s own DNA information into the mix with the Genomic Evaluation service. This robust analysis provides a more reliable prediction of an animal’s performance so you can try to identify your top performers at a younger age and drive your genetic gain, without chancing your arm. Talk to your Agri Manager about making sure you’re landing the gains you want with our GeneMark® and Genomic Evaluation services.

There's always room for improvement

Two decades of tractors at Le Mans

UP UNTIL the new millennium, Claas had a been a harvest specialist, best known for its combines, self-propelled forage harvesters and an extensive range of mowers, tedders, rakes and both round and square balers.

In contrast, Renault had been the market leader in France during the 1980s with a near 20% share, but by the 1990s its share was declining to the point where it reached out to establish joint ventures with the likes of John Deere, Massey Ferguson and JCB.

In February 2003, the German head-quartered company signalled

its aspirations of being a “long-liner” when it acquired a 51% stake in Renault Agriculture, the tractor division of the Renault Group, on the eve of the Paris SIMA Show.

At that time, the latest models were the Renault Ares range, introduced at SIMA in 1997, that started to appear in Claas’ seedgreen livery within a few months and by the end of the year the traditional Renault orange colour scheme colours was phased out.

With the product range now complete, Claas was able to display a “full line-up of products” at Agritechnica 2003 that included tractors, the Lexion 500 series combines, the Cougar selfpropelled mower and the

latest generation Xerion.

Having acquired the majority stake, a complete acquisition of the Le Mans factory was completed in 2008, so Class moved from being a harvesting equipment specialist to full-line provider, along the way adding

standard and specialist tractors to its range to complement the flagship Xerion systems tractor built in Harsewinkel.

Fast forward to 2013, the company produced the Axion 950, which in 2017 morphed into the Axion 900 Series Terra

Trac Variants, the same year that a €40m factory revamp was completed to take production to over 13,000 units per annum.

By 2019, the 150,000th Claas tractor left the production line at Le Mans, with 2023 tipped to be the year that that total will hit

200,000 units.

Today, the facilities staff of around 1000 employees and operate state-of-the-art assembly lines, which produce more than 60 different models from 75 to 445 hp, sold to more than 80 countries, from simple trac-

tors for with less stringent emissions standards for markets such as Turkmenistan or Africa. By contrast, tractors meeting the latest emission standards, such as the highvolume Arion 400 series, are sold throughout the European and the rest of the globe.

Le Mans is now a far cry from the glory days of Renault, which had been nationalised in a political move by Charles de Gaulle in 1944, to become a world-beating production facility owned by a German family business. Interestingly, the Renault Group still produces chassis components in the 103-year old factory for cars and light commercials, so not all ties with the past have been lost.

NORWOOD REALIGNS FOR 2023 AND BEYOND

FURTHER TO the dealership agreement between CNH Industrial and Norwood ending on 12 January 2023, Norwood has announced that it will close four of its locations, reduce the size of one dealership and lose 36 staff in a realignment of its retail network and business strategy.

Prior to this announcement Norwood had a network of 25 sites and employed 470 staff nationwide.

“We needed to revisit our business strategy when our dealer agreement with CNH ended earlier this year,” says Tim Myers, Norwood chief executive officer.

“We’ve had to look critically at our

network size to make sure it reflects our current situation, and there is no doubt we’ve made some hard decisions.”

Sites at Dargaville, Stratford, Westport, and Cromwell will close, and customers will be transitioned to the nearest alternative Norwood dealership. Meanwhile, Norwood Masterton will scale down and become a spoke of the Manawatū hub, with a team of five staff and support from Norwood Manawatū, then eventually move to a smaller location.

Sites set to close were selected on criteria that included the company’s ability to service customers either

remotely or from the nearest alternative dealership.

Dargaville customers will be serviced by Norwood Whangārei, Stratford customers will be transitioned to Norwood Hawera. Westport customers will be serviced by Norwood Greymouth-Dobson, and Cromwell customers by Norwood Mosgiel. Customers whose sites are closing are a priority, with affected customers being contacted with details of changes to their dealership.

“We know that field service is key for many of our customers – that will not change. We are confident we can continue to provide best-in-class ser-

vice to transitioning customers and we have the confidence of our supply partners as well,” says Myers.

Any concerned customers are being encouraged to have a discussion with the dealership manager, who will be aiming to get in touch with them over the coming weeks.

Many staff across Norwood’s network will be affected, with a decrease of 28 roles in dealerships and eight at the National Support Office. These reductions have occurred in the sales, service, warehouse and logistics, procurement, people and capability, and finance teams due to fewer retail sites and less need for support from the

National Support Office.

“We want to be clear that this reduction in roles is entirely due to Norwood’s changed situation and not through the fault of the people who have been affected.

“Our priority is to support staff through this process, so people who are leaving do so with their mana intact,” says Tim.

Moving forwards, Norwood continues to sell and supply a range of agricultural, horticultural, and construction equipment from brands that include Kubota, Breviglieri, Horsch, KUHN, Pichon, Väderstad, and Vredo. –

Mark Daniel

Claas is tipped to hit 200,000 units at its production line at Le Mans this year.

Folding silage fork revamp

CARLOW-BASED, IRISH manufacturer

ProDig Attachments has launched a new offering of folding silage forks ahead of the 2023/24 harvesting season.

After listening to the demands of farmers and silage contractors, redevelopment of its existing models, saw a focus on strength, performance and weight, with the arrival of the new Mammoth and Taurus folding forks, available in width from 3.6m up to 5.5m (12 to 18 feet) and tare weights from 1.5 to 2.2 tonnes.

At the heart of the machines, the main bottom frame is 12mm folded steel, protected by a 12mm Hardox wear plate, carrying 50mm thick Hardox tines which

have been increased to 1.8m in length.

There is an option of 2.1m long tines, for those looking to move more material in one pass.

Twin, high-tensile sidetines are bolted, rather than welded, for ease of replacement in the event of damage.

An angled plate is now fitted to the top of the entire beam both front and rear to prevent material retention, while also helping material flow through the fork. For safety, when folded in the transport position, the maximum width is kept to only 2.9 metres, with a further option of tines guards to protect other road users.

The Taurus Folding Fork Range can be speci-

App to help harvesting

AUSTRIAN GRASSLAND specialist Pottinger has launched Harvest Assist, a new, innovative app that helps to simplify and optimise logistics while harvesting forage.

It optimises forage harvesting by taking into account harvesting volumes, the distance from the paddock to the stack (or clamp, in Europe), alongside optimising compaction performance in the stack to achieve the best quality forage. In addition, the app enables real-time communication using existing hardware.

It is available for iOS and Android, in English, German, French, Polish and Czech, so every member of the harvest team can install the app on their smart device free of charge to provide an intuitive overview for control of all the grassland harvesting machines.

The app allows farmers, managers or contractors to add paddocks and assign them to each of the machines.

This provides a clear overview of the paddocks to be harvested and their current status, for example whether they have been tedded, raked or the crop collected.

The integral algorithm calculates the optimal harvest sequence, displaying volumes, distance to the stack and the compaction performance, providing the drivers with information so they can deliver crop to the stack at regular intervals and avoid delivery peaks. In addition, it is also making it easier for those unfamiliar with the farm to find each paddock and the directions to the stack, using the integrated navigation system.

In the app, a machinery portfolio consists of loader wagons, rakes, mowers, tedders, mergers and round balers. Each member of the harvest team gets an overview of the work progress in the field. As soon as each stage of the process is finished, the tractor driver can change the field status.

fied with increased tine spacing if desired along with an optional bolton maize blade. Both the Mammoth and Taurus range can be specified

with customer logos or branding in the wing sections as well as custom colour schemes.

www.prodigattachments.com

DROPSIDE TIP TRAILERS

• 12 & 15 Tonne payloads

• Sprung drawbar

• Large 550/45 x 22.5" tyres

• 4 wheel braking

• Rugged Herron construction

LEASE FROM 1080$ + GST PER MONTH*

“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

SINGLE ATV TRAILER

• Deck size 1.5mtr x 1.2mtr

• 5mm galvanised woven mesh floor

• Galvanised box section chassis

• Aluminium tread plate body

• Back door slides as well as drops down to make a ramp

• Back of crate is easily removed

• Tapered trailer wheel bearings.

• Extras available - centre gate, trays, mesh drawbar step, crook holder.

• Custom options available.

Email: info@hecton.co.nz

• 5-40 tonne

• 10 year warranty

• Available assembled and installed or kitset

• Book in now for winter

We supply, install and service new and existing meal and molasses feed systems and also roller mill systems.

PHONE: 03 215 8558

Alloy Storage or Lamb Box’s available in two sizes:

• 600 long x 400 wide x 430 high.

• 1200 long x 320 wide x 300 high.

TANDEM AXLE ATV TRAILER

• Deck size: 2.2m x 1.2m

• 5mm galvanised woven mesh floor

• Galvanised box section chassis

• Aluminium tread plate body

• Back door slides and drops down to make a ramp

• Back of crate is easily removed – Rotate the rocker system to adjust height of floor.

• Extras available - centre gate, trays, mesh drawbar step, crook holder.

• Custom options available.

FULL GALVANISED SILO’S NOW AVAILABLE