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JERSEY’S GLOBAL REVAMP
World Jersey president Alison Gibb, Waikato, wants to change the perception of the global organisation.
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Hitting the sweet spot
SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
DAIRY FARMERS and scientists are backing the Government’s decision to introduce legislation overturning a long-term ban on gene technology.
However, they warn that pockets of resistance remain, and about the need hit the sweet spot and the need to allow for all types of farming.
DairyNZ chief science advisor Dr Bruce Thorrold says dairy farmers want choice.
While welcoming last week’s government announcement, Thorrold suggests a regulated approach where everyone can work together.
“It is time to revisit the regulations governing genetic technologies in New Zealand as the science has advanced rapidly in recent years,” he says.
“As farmers and growers look for solutions to sector-wide issues, we should explore all promising avenues that could help with the challenges we face. However, we need to tread carefully and ensure a regulated approach that considers the wide range of views, opportunities, and risks, and provides appropriately for coexistence.”
DairyNZ has been engaging with farmers and Thorrold says that while there are a wide range of views, a clear theme that is emerging is choice, and the need to allow for all types of farming.
“While many are in support of changes for environmental and productivity gains, some oppose change to protect tikanga and markets.
“As a science-led industry-good body, being able to test these types of technologies within our unique
weigh them up against any risks, and decide how we want to move forward together as a country.”
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says Feds have been advocating for a national conversation about the use of technologies like gene editing for a long time now.
Langford notes that the last time New Zealand took a serious look at the potential use of these technologies was in the early 2000s, but the science has continued to develop at breakneck speed since then.
“Our collective understanding of some of the big global challenges we’re all facing, like climate change and biodiversity loss, has also continued to quickly develop over that time.
“This announcement from the Government opens the door for us to consider all the potential benefits,
The science community is also backing lifting the ban on gene technology but warns that divisions within the population will remain.
Genetics expert Professor Michael Bunce, University of Otago, says that asking if gene editing is ‘good or bad’ is like asking if the internet is ‘good or bad’.
“We need to step past this binary state. It requires us to zoom in on a given application to make the ‘call’ as to what benefits society, environment and the economy, and what might be damaging or an unacceptable risk.
“This is a technical and nuanced conversation for New Zealand to have. It requires us to pick up our DNA ‘game’ a little, and park debates from last century when gene tech-
nologies were still in their infancy. We may also have to accept that the country may remain divided on this topic – some New Zealanders will remain opposed to gene editing.”
AgResearch science team leader Richard Scott notes that in NZ there has been decades of inaction on regulations for genetic modification and gene editing.
“Much of the rest of the world has already made changes, or is in the process of making changes, to accommodate gene technologies that are now more precise and safer than they have ever been. In some cases, these technologies have been safely used overseas for decades now.”
He points out that the approach proposed for New Zealand, which excludes “low-risk and well-understood gene technologies” from regulation, is sensible.
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New Zealand pastoral farm systems is important in terms of assessing both opportunity and risk.”
Under current rules, gene editing in New Zealand is only allowed in the lab.
Kiwi spearheads global Jersey strategy revamp
THE GLOBAL organisation for Jersey breeders has undergone a strategy refresh – spearheaded by new president and the first New Zealander to hold the post, Alison Gibb.
The World Jersey Cattle Bureau will now trade as World Jerseys and has adopted a new vision: Jerseys feeding the world and sustaining the planet.
Gibb, only the second woman to hold the post, wants to change the perception of World Jersey from just “a travel agency for retired farmers” to the “go to” organisation for all things Jersey, to assist member associations to advocate and promote the breed. A seven-member international group was set up and met via Zoom regularly to develop the new strategy.
“The strategy has a strong emphasis on communication with members and member associations,” she told Dairy News.
It covers four focus areas: communication, youth/succession, scientific, and financial.
“With social media and Zoom we have greater ability to reach out and communicate the key messages, of the Jersey breed, amongst our members and beyond.”
Gibb believes that connection with the young Jersey farmers of today will ensure that the knowledge, advocacy and appreciation of the breed will continue to grow.
“They are our future. To do that we need to provide them with the opportunities to connect with other young Jersey farmers globally, to share and learn from each other.”
Science plays a vital role in the promotion of
the breed and there is plenty out there, she says. To that end it is hoped that that the organisation will be able provide the science translated into several languages for members across the globe.
Naturally these ideas come at a cost and World Jersey will need to be financially viable to succeed in the delivery of the
strategy and are currently researching avenues for that financial security, Gibb says.
Gibb believes that Jerseys are the answer to feeding the world whilst sustaining the planet.
“Because they are lighter animal, they are an extremely efficient animal,” she says.
“Jerseys regularly produce milksolids equiva-
lent to their body weight, for example a 450kg Jersey can easily produce 450 kgMS, and do it on less feed than other breeds.
“She is more heat tolerant, has less calving issues and greater fertility. Science proves that Jersey is the sustainable breed.”
Gibb is no stranger to governance roles in NZ.
She served on the Jersey NZ board from 2016 to 2023, including as president from 2016 to 2021.
She has been attending World Jersey conferences and trips since 2008, serving as treasurer and most recently as Oceania vice-president. Gibb was recently awarded the Cyril Dermer Cup in recognition of outstanding service to the breed and the association at the Jersey NZ annual conference.
Gibb with husband Russell and daughter Natalie Dyson farm at Taupiri in the Waikato. She has been trustee of Dairy Women’s Network, a mentor with Primary ITO, president of Friends of Waikato Museum and president of Arts Waikato.
Gibb says she’s a firm believer that every organisation must have a sound governance structure and policies in place.
Gibb says unfortunately there can be a lot
SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR BANKING INQUIRY
FARMERS ARE welcoming the broad scope of a parliamentary inquiry into banking competition.
of emotion in the decision-making process which often clouds the issue.
“Policies and procedures strip the emotion away, allowing you to debate the facts, not the person.”
She loves recalling her mother’s words when she served at the chair of local board of governors at the secondary school Gibb attended.
“There was a green manual for providing the policies and procedures which was consulted often. From that, the phrase – it’s not who’s right but what’s right – was developed. This phrase has always resonated well with me.”
For the last eight years, Gibb has run a Governance Development Programme to teach young people the intricacies of governance. “They are our future industry leaders and it is an absolute pleasure to work with them,” she says.
The terms of reference announced last week include looking at the price of banking services, with a particular focus on business and rural lending products and the return on capital from business, rural and residential mortgage lending.
ing inquiry that will leave the banks with nowhere to hide,” McIntyre says.
Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Richard McIntyre says the broad scope of the inquiry will hit the mark for farmers and rural communities. “We’re pleased to see the Government announce a wide-rang-
“Farmers have been asking serious questions about the levels of competition, profitability and transparency in rural lending for a long time now – and it looks like they’re about to get answers.
“This inquiry is well placed to shine a bright light on parts of our rural banking system that, until now, have been allowed to operate in the shadows.”
The chair of primary production select committee, Mark Cameron, is urging the rural sector to make their voices heard. “Anyone on the back of a rural loan, whether you are a horticulture, sheep and beef, arable or dairy farmer, should make sure their voices are heard – be part of the process,” he told Dairy News
The public submission period runs for six weeks.
SUDESH KISSUN
Alison Gibb is changing the perception of World Jersey from just “a travel agency for retired farmers” to the “go to” organisation for all things Jersey.
Gloves off over Gore district plan
Māori’, rather than just identifying specific sites as is the case with the present plan.
PROVISIONS IN the
Gore District Council’s proposed district plan could have a “chilling effect” on everyday farming activities.
That’s the view of Southland Federated Farmers president, Jason Herrick, who says a section in the plan designates the whole district as a ‘Site and Area of Significance (SAMS) to
Herrick says the implication of such a blanket approach will mean that no farming activity, however mundane, can take place without a cultural report being prepared. He says this is a highly unusual approach to handling iwi interests
“This is a cop-out on the part of the council. It means we won’t be able to put up new fences,
install a water tank, build a new shed, a silage pit, a rubbish pit and even repairing lane ways. For example, if we had an adverse event and a landslip came over a laneway, a farmer wouldn’t be able to clear that laneway until they had an assessment done. It’s weird,” he says.
Jason Herrick says farmers want to be respectful of genuine sites of significance for local iwi and to ensure proper protections are in place, but to declare the
THREE-WAY BATTLE FOR TWO SEATS
JESSICA
DAIRY FARMERS are set to vote next month on three candidates for two board seats.
In September, dairy farmer levy payers will receive a vote pack including profiles of the candidates and can vote online or by post. They will have until 12pm Thursday, October 17 to cast their votes. Here are the three candidates:
JACQUELINE
ROWARTH
With a background in agricultural science, Jacqueline Rowarth has sat on the DairyNZ board as a farmer-elected director since 2018.
Rowarth has a Bachelors in Agricultural Science and obtained a PhD in Soil Science from Massey University in 1987. She went on to become the first chief scientist of the Environmental Protection Authority in 2016 before resigning from the role in 2018.
She is a past president of the New Zealand Agricultural and Horticultural Science, and of the New Zealand Grassland Association.
In 2008, Rowarth was awarded the Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Agricultural Science.
Earlier this year, Rowarth was named the board’s deputy chair, a new role created as part of the strategic review of DairyNZ’s governance practices.
In June, it was announced that Rowarth would not stand for re-election. However, in July, she announced she would be running for the board again following calls from farmers, expressing regret that she would not continue with the board.
RICHARD MCINTYRE
A Horowhenua dairy farmer for 24 years, Richard McIntyre says he is passionate about farming.
McIntyre started out as a farm assistant, working his way up to becoming a herd-owning sharemilker.
He also has a calf rearing business and a 180ha drystock farm.
McIntyre has been a part of Federated Farmers for 11 years and is currently a Federated Farmers board member and dairy section chair.
Prior to that, he was the industrygood body’s dairy vice chair between 2020 and 2022 and its sharemilker chair between 2016 and 2020.
He has also served as deputy chair of Fish & Game New Zealand between 2021 and 2022 and has served as chair of the NZ Dairy Industry Awards Trust. He currently still sits on the board of the Fish & Game Wellington council.
KYLIE LEONARD
Taupo-based dairy farmer Kylie Leonard was elected to the Fonterra Cooperative Council in 2020.
Leonard comes from a long history of farming in and around the Central Plateau.
Initially training as a teacher, in 2011 she and her husband Rick entered into a farm equity partnership with her parents.
Leonard has also served as a director of Vetora Bay of Plenty and is currently a councillor on the Taupo District Council.
In 2018, she received the Dairy Community Leadership Award from Dairy Women’s Network. The award celebrated unsung heroes of rural communities.
In 2023, she was named a Nuffield Scholar, going on to produce a report named ‘Transitioning agriculture towards sustainability together’, which sought to focus on giving farmers a seat at the table of change in order to steer agriculture towards greater sustainability outcomes.
entire district as a site of significance is a massive overreach that is really going to put farmers’ noses out of joint and divide the community.
“Already we’ve got sites of significance to
Māori identified on farm that are being protected and we are working with local rūnanga, and it confuses me as to why this has come about the way it has,” he says. He says people will
also need a cultural assessment for things like cycling and walking tracks, small-scale wind and hydro turbines, subdivisions and installing a septic tank. He says the proposed SAMS rules capture far more than is necessary.
“We’re incredibly concerned they will just add cost, delay and paperwork – for absolutely no gain.”
Herrick says Southland Federated Farmers and some of its individual members have made submissions to the council proposal and make the point that they acknowledge the Māori view of guardianship over land, areas of interest and landscapes. But they point out that the rights of landowners are paramount and must be prioritised.
Commenting on their submission, the council
says: “The Gore District Plan manages the impacts of high-risk activities on Ngāi Tahu cultural values, as opposed to restricting a wide range of activities at specific locations. This allows decisions and, where relevant, controls to be meaningful and tailored to the relevant Ngāi Tahu cultural values that are being impacted.”
Herrick says the GDC hasn’t done due diligence on the SAMS proposal and should have pressed iwi harder to define sites of significance.
The consultation period for the plan runs until March 2025 and no final decision is due until then. But Jason Herrick says they have gone public to warn farmers around the country that other councils might try to do the same thing.
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Jason Herrick, Feds Southand president.
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New brand identity for feed company
RECOGNISING HOW
nutrition can limit or optimise the productivity of livestock is crucial to the future of the dairy industry, according to SealesWinslow general manager Grant Jackson. His message comes as the company reinforces its long-term commitment to New Zealand dairy farmers, including launching a new brand identity after it was acquired by Farmlands
“Our dairy
targeted nutrition at critical periods.
“SealesWinslow has been working on the science behind this for more than 50 years, and we will keep working with our farmers as their trusted partners to grow their knowledge and support them to make real gains.”
Delivering affordable, quality solutions remains a top priority for the company, especially in light of current economic
industry needs to approach herd nutrition much like we do the nutrition and health of our soils.”
Co-operative from Ballance Agri-Nutrients in May.
Jackson believes the dairy industry is at a pivotal point where nutrition will be crucial to how farmers manage their herds to drive production efficiency and look after the environment. He believes farmers need to shift the way they think about nutrition to remain competitive.
“Our dairy industry needs to approach herd nutrition much like we do the nutrition and health of our soils. We need to understand how improved nutritional strategies can markedly impact the productivity of our crops and pastures. Similarly, we must recognise the significant impact nutrition has on the productivity of our livestock.
“Farmers need to be able to bank on their herd’s lactation and reproductive performance, and have confidence they’ll produce top-quality milk more efficiently, season after season. Nutrition is a key lever they can pull to achieve these performance gains by optimising the rumen function of their animals.
“It’s not about replacing grass, but rather complementing it. Rearing the best calves requires a diet that is high in quality protein and starch. Keeping cows in the herd for longer means giving them
committed to delivering the same reliable service and high-quality products they have come to trust.
“It’s business as usual, and farmers can continue to buy SealesWinslow’s products through all
conditions, he adds.
“Despite some fluctuations in the prices of grains and minerals, overall feed prices have remained stable for about 12 months. We don’t expect too much volatility in feed prices in the short term, which is reassuring when farmers are trying to keep production costs down,” says Jackson.
“But affordability is not necessarily about simply looking at the lowest cost. More important for farmers is being confident about return on investment and making sure their herd achieves the best production response from supplementary feed.
“Achieving that requires some robust science. That’s why we developed our Ruminix decision-making tool –released earlier this year – which helps farmers predict the effects of different feed choices on milk production before purchasing. It’s been well received by farmers.
“These types of science-based solutions will help our industry reduce its nitrogen and carbon footprints, lower our emissions, and lift on-farm production efficiency. SealesWinslow is proud to be leading the way in that space, and we look forward to more exciting things to come in the near future.”
Jackson reassures farmers that despite a new look, the company is
existing merchant channels. We are proud to be here for the long haul.”
KAITAIA
SealesWinslow general manager Grant Jackson
Freshwater plan changes ‘causing farmer angst’
FRESHWATER PLAN
changes are an urgent issue for farmers, says Federated Farmers’ “Advocate of the Year,” North Canterbury provincial president Karl Dean.
Dean was given the title at the Feds’ annual awards night, held as part of the Primary Industry New Zealand Summit in early July.
It is a recognition of the work Dean has put in as a public face of farming, putting farmers’ concerns out to the wider populace.
“I was probably in the media too much, to be
honest,” he quipped.
Speaking from his dairy farm near Leeston and the shores of Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, Dean said that being close to Christchurch meant he fielded a lot of media calls, film crews and so on.
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It was a matter of always putting the brand out, fighting for, and being a voice for, farmers.
Previously the dairy chair for the province, he has been North Canterbury president for about 18 months.
Dean says his predecessors all told him the job would be about 10 hours a week but it could take an entire week at a time.
“In this province, we have five district councils and one regional council. So, we’ve got quite a lot of territorial authorities that we’ve got to communicate with.
POOR RETURNS A MAJOR WORRY
THE RETURN on investment is another major issue, according to Karl Dean.
“The dairy price is okay but it’s not flash. It’s not great in the lamb sector now. And obviously arable and beef all follow the same trend.
“Our costs have all gone up the last few years, but the price hasn’t really gone up by the same amount.”
Dean and his wife Amie are 50:50 sharemilkers on the property, where they have been for the past five years.
They have 400 cows on 200ha, fully self-contained, with all wintering on the platform and “pretty much nothing” leaving for wintering or grazing.
Another 130ha leased nearby is used for sheep, cropping and some beef.
The Deans employ one full-time herd
the provincial presidents and the other members of the exec still have to be there to be the farmers’ voice.”
manager with primary responsibility for the dairy side while they focus on the sheep and beef and cropping operations. A second hire comes onboard for the peak season, October to March.
One big recent innovation is Halter collars on the dairy herd which allows break feeding without manually shifting electric fences.
Dean says farm area rather than herd size is an important factor, so on a farm of about 300ha, the Halter system takes the place of about one and a half extra labour units.
He says the cows – a mixture of Friesian, Ayrshire and Jersey crossbreeds –are well trained to understand the cues.
“It takes about a week. Each year they seem to learn a little bit faster.”
delivering results.
“We don’t really need to change it, we just need to modify it slightly.”
Unfortunately, councils were still having to work towards unrealistic targets mandated by the previous government. Farmers at the bottom of catchments shouldn’t be required to aim for better quality water than was going in at the top, he said.
Farmers should be supported to innovate instead of bogging them down with costly rules, regulations and reporting.
“If you spend a hundred thousand dollars on doing farm environment plans and resource consents to farm, that’s a lot of money that you can’t be spending on mitigating factors and plantings etc to actually improve the environment,” he said.
Dean says that over the last 40 years, farmers have improved efficiency about 1% a year, so in theory should reduce emissions intensity by another 10% over the next 10 years.
However, New Zealand cannot sacrifice food production just to meet emissions targets.
“When they did the long-term plans, we all had to review them and put in submissions.
“It’s the Federation staff that do the majority of the work on that, but
For Canterbury famers, Dean sees regional council freshwater plan changes as an urgent issue, since ECan is currently required by law to be developing a new regional policy statement for freshwater when the new Government has told them new guidelines are on the way.
“That’s going to be the biggest headache for farmers in the next 12 months, trying to get the councils just to slow down.
“Just wait to get some more clarification on what the change is going to be by central government, so that we don’t end up with rules that aren’t fit for purpose.
“It’s a hard thing, because the regional councils are mandated to do what they’re cur-
rently doing and central government hasn’t said to them, ‘here is something new to work on’. So until there’s something new to replace what they’re currently doing, they can’t legally stop.
“But hopefully we can slow them down enough until the central government comes up with a new solution.”
Dean says Canterbury’s existing water plan has been in place for about a decade and is
“I think the biggest hurdles going forward are going to be that emissions discussion and just how we, hopefully, will move from looking at pricing emissions to look at how we’re going to adapt to a changing climate.
“What things do farmers need to do to be more efficient, more profitable and how can the science back that up?
“We need to act on the whole global scale and say, we’re helping produce good low emissions food for everyone in the world – versus countries that aren’t.”
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Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Karl Dean sees regional council freshwater plan changes as an urgent issue.
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Making sure the farm is a happy place for staff
“WE COULDN’T do this without our team. They are integral to everything.” That’s the first thing that Te Awamutu farmers Jayson and Stacey Thompson have to say about their team.
“Everyone brings different ideas, knowledge and perspective to set us up for success, and are a key part of the story we are generating. That’s why it’s important to us that we support our staff, making sure the farm is a happy place to be, and they come to work because they want to.”
August 6 was Farm Worker Appreciation Day, which is a chance to showcase the great work of our dairy farmers, both
employers and employees. Jayson and Stacey share how they care for their team, and how they are supported themselves on farm.
“We have a budget for personal development for every team member to progress their growth –whether that be attending a work-related course, getting a licence, or signing up to a gym.
“This is important because we know that if they care for their wellbeing, that brings better outcomes for the farm and animals,” explains Jayson.
Outside of this, everyone is encouraged to have hobbies and interests off the farm, including
joining the local Young Farmers club and getting involved in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in the next year.
“Getting off the farm gives you a break, takes your mind off work, and provides something to work towards. I have an
interest in motorbikes, which helps put me in a different mindset as it must have my whole attention and focus,” says Jayson.
“But it also includes catching up with friends and family, going to the zoo with our boy, and
just enjoying life.”
They do regular oneon-one catch ups with the team, celebrate birthdays, and have nights off the farm as a whole team, including with the farm owners, to help build team morale. Different roster options were
also available depending on what suited the team, with some prioritising extra income, and others wanting more work/life balance.
“While we are trying to be the best managers we can, we couldn’t achieve that without
the support of our farm owners, Sarah and Andy Storey. They are a big part of the farm, always available to bounce ideas off, and are willing to share their expertise, to support our success, and the success of our team,” says Jayson.
“At the end of the day, they acknowledge that we are part of the same community, and they want both us and our team to have the opportunity to achieve our goals.”
Jayson and Stacey have a team of six fulltime staff, along with casual staff, and are contract milkers on 500ha of land across three blocks, with around 1200 cows.
Jayson and Stacey Thompson, along with farm owners Andy and Sarah Storey, and their farm team.
RST chair to step down
NATIONAL RURAL Support Trust chair Neil Bateup is stepping down next month, after seven years in the role. He will be replaced by Michelle Ruddell, the chair of the Northland Rural Support Trust. Josh Dondertman, chair of the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust, will become deputy chair.
Bateup has chaired the National Trust since its inception in 2017 and been instrumental in leading its growth and development.
Ruddell says it’s a privilege to be taking the reins from Neil.
“Neil has contributed an enormous amount of time, energy and passion to Rural Support both in his local Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Trust, which he helped set up in 2004 and at a national level.
“He advocated for the nationwide net work of Trusts and then the set-up of the national entity to pro vide a national voice for Regional Trusts.
“He has so much enthusiasm for support ing farmers and I look forward to building on what he achieved and taking the National Trust forward.”
Ruddell is a dairy farmer near Whanga rei where she runs a split calving operation with her husband Troy and three children. She has been involved in the Northland Rural Support Trust since 2021.
Dondertman runs a dairy farming business in Mid Canterbury with his wife and three young boys, and says he is proud to be appointed to this national role.
information flowing.”
Bateup says while the time is right to step down as national chair he will remain as trustee on the national trust and continue as trustee and chair of the Waikato Hauraki Coromandel Trust.
“I’m pleased to be handing over to Michelle. It is great to see the skill set of our new trustees with Michelle and Josh able to lead Rural Support to a strong and sus-
“I have been a passionate farmer all my life and having been through many ups and downs I recognise that it is important to have someone to look to for support in tough times.
That is still the ethos of Rural Support and I look forward to seeing that continue.
“We have a great
How Conviso Smart is getting precious family time back.
Just north of Burnham, Canterbury is Grange Road where grower Patrick Bell farms 250 hectares. Their investment into centre pivot irrigation has changed their farming efficiency and they can now grow a greater range of crops with better yields.
“In Dad’s day, he was dry land farming. He eventually got to put Rota Rainers on, but in the last four years, we’ve put pivots on and that’s really upped our efficiency,” explains Patrick.
Of course, with more irrigation come more challenges with weed control, so when KWS approached Patrick in 2020 about trialling their new Conviso® Smart system, (herbicide tolerant beet system) they were all ears.
The fewer weeds, the better the yield. What attracted Patrick to the Conviso Smart
team of enthusiastic, empathetic and dedicated people across the country, and it has been and will continue to be a pleasure to work with them. That said, I’m looking forward to having more spare time for fishing.”
Ruddell says she is delighted the Trust is retaining Bateup’s experience and knowledge and grateful he will support her and Josh in their new roles.
“I am excited to be working alongside Josh and leading Rural Support as we look to the future and work out how to be fit for purpose for our primary industry communities and remain relevant, independent and sought out in our regions.”
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system was the ability to put in a crop of sugarbeet and knock broadleaves, thistles and grasses in one go.
“The fewer the weeds, the better the yield –there’s less competition for your crop. So, with Conviso, there’s less spray applications. You’re not paying a spraying contractor and there’s less chemicals going on the paddock. It’s got to be good, doesn’t it?” says Patrick.
Patrick also likes the fact that he can get the Conviso crop in the ground earlier. The sooner the crop can come off, the sooner Patrick can get back into wheat.
“Conviso is saving us a lot of time, which means more time for other stuff – like spending time with the family, which is important to me.”
Michelle Ruddell
Patrick Bell, Grower - Burnham, Canterbury
SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PATRICK'S STORY
Owned!
ONE OF the country’s biggest remaining newspapers, NZME’s NZ Herald has been hung by the exact same woke, bullying campaigns it has been guilty of running. And in the face of the pile-on that followed their publication of an advertisement for Hobson’s Pledge about foreshore and seabed ownership, the management at the Herald have caved in. Last week they were fine taking paid ads from the ginger group, this week they’re not. Hobson’s Pledge hasn’t changed their stance, and claim their critics “appear not to be angry because we said anything false”. What has changed is that a concerted campaign of bullying and claims of ‘racism’, led by Te Pati Maori, has seen the gutless wonders at NZME cave in and let the bullies own them.
Ice cream saga
THE ANNUAL New Zealand Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2024 is underway. But missing from the prestigious competition this year is Tip Top Ice Cream. Formerly owned by Fonterra and now owned by Froneri –a joint venture between PAI Partners and Nestle – Tip Top has been prominent on the winners’ list of past years. With Tip Top not entering the awards this year, Milking It wonders if relationships in the NZ ice cream sector have either gone cold or frozen. Meanwhile, an esteemed panel of 20 food judges, led by new chief judge Geoff Scott, had the arduous task of evaluating, aka tasting, 233 entries with meticulous attention to detail in late July. After careful deliberation, 169 medals were awarded. Among these, an impressive 60 Gold Medals, 66 Silver Medals, and 44 Bronze Medals were awarded.
Out of touch
LAST WEEK’S announcement by the Government to remove a decades-long ban on genetically engineered crops was generally well-received by farming and science communities.
Even the Greens and Labour are not ruling out supporting the legislation when it’s likely to be tabled in Parliament sometime next year.
But there’s one organisation, that’s still not budging –Greenpeace. The environment lobby claims that unproven genetically engineered methane inhibitors will not solve New Zealand dairy’s climate pollution problem.
NZ farmers are always looking for new technologies to help them improve their production, increase their profit, or reduce their environmental footprint, including emissions – ‘the climate crisis’. Removing the ban will help them immensely. Sadly, Greenpeace continues to see red over gene technology.
Spineless
WAS NZ Herald wrong to reject good money on ideological grounds? The Free Speech Union thinks so. The advocacy group has ripped into NZ’s largest newspaper claiming it lacks backbone and further threatens trust in the media and public debate.
“Spineless leadership at the helm of our largest media outfit makes all Kiwis poorer, not least NZME shareholders,” says Jonathan Ayling, chief executive of the FSU. NZME, the Herald’s owner, offered an advertising package to Hobson’s Pledge, signed off on the ads, and submitted their invoice for payment. FSU says, a few would-be-censors bang their intolerance drum, and the board and management get spooked.
NZME is a publicly-listed private company. They ultimately have the right to reject advertising. But some shareholders are questioning as to why good money is being rejected on ideological grounds.
EDITORIAL
Starting the GM conversation
LAST YEAR, Federated Farmers wrote to all political parties seeking support for reforming genetically modified technology rules.
Last week, it was evident that many stakeholders are warming to the idea of revisiting the regulations governing genetic technologies in New Zealand, as the science has advanced rapidly in recent years.
The Government’s roadmap includes legislation ending New Zealand’s nearly 30-year ban on gene technology outside the lab and setting up a dedicated regulator to oversee applications to use gene technology. Both should be in place by the end of next year. Opposition parties, the Greens and Labour, aren’t ruling out supporting the legislation.
The science community isn’t surprised with the Government announcement. It’s pointed out that a legislation review was signalled during the election, but it has also been widely called for over the past six or seven years. There’s not a lot of detail in what was announced last week but the overall message is that greater use of genetic technology will be permitted, whether in medicine, agriculture or the environment. Farmers are always looking for new technologies to help them improve their production, increase their profit, or reduce their environmental footprint. Also to help them reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve drought resilience, or increase farm production.
They are real possibilities, however, there will always be risks and trade-offs that need to be carefully considered too, like how international consumers would feel about such a change.
Therefore, the Feds rightly point out that any legislation needs to be fit for purpose and adequately address any possible risks.
The potential opportunities here are too great to just leave them sitting on the table without even looking at them. The Government has launched the conversation and that’s a great start.
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Not a fund for wish lists
Regional Development Minister Shane Jones delivered a speech this month at the inaugural Regional Growth Summit where he spoke about the Regional Infrastructure Fund, or RIF. Here’s part of his speech...
THE RIF is a capital fund with the primary purpose of accelerating infrastructure projects that will make a material difference in our regions.
The RIF drives productivity, prosperity, and resilience by focusing on two key investment categories: Resilience infrastructure and Enabling infrastructure.
Resilience infrastructure is infrastructure that improves a region’s ability to absorb, adapt and respond to stresses and shocks caused by things like weather events, energy and water security issues or connectivity challenges.
Resilience infrastructure is deeply interlinked with enabling economic growth and development. It’s the foundation of your whare, if your economy was a house.
Infrastructure done well protects your existing assets, improves investment confidence and enables people, goods, and information to keep flowing during and after an event.
Through Budget 2024, an initial $200 million of the RIF was dedicated for flood resilience infrastructure with up to $101.1m committed to 42 flood resilience projects. These are priority projects, most of which were identified by local governments in their ‘Before the Deluge 2.0’ report on flood management. I am delighted to confirm, after assessing each of the 42 projects, that RIF coinvestment is being made available so this important work can begin. All projects are consented, and are ready for a 2024/25 summer season start.
Together, these projects are estimated to improve flood protection to farmland, industrial and residential areas across Te Tauihu. For example, Spring Creek will be further protected alongside SH1 and the Picton-Christchurch main rail line, and in Motueka approximately 1400 hectares of fertile and productive land will be protected by the Lower Motueka
River Stopbank Refurbishment.
I mentioned the second focus of the RIF is supporting ‘Enabling infrastructure’, infrastructure that enables growth by ensuring regions are well-connected and productive.
We are seeking to coinvest in regional assets that are or will be used by, and generate benefits for, multiple businesses or many parts of a community. This could be a shared service such as an innovation park or facility, or a supply chain and transport solution.
A great example of an enabling infrastructure project in your backyard is the New Zealand Wine Centre –Te Pokapū Wāina o Aotearoa, which Government granted a co-investment loan of $3.79m towards. The Centre is an integrated innovation, research and education centre for viticulture at the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology in Blenheim.
The centre includes the newly opened Experimental Future Vineyard, a state-of-the-art facility enabling research to future proof the next generation of wine, ensuring the sector continues to thrive and diversify through innovation.
Another example of an enabling infrastructure project is the upgrade of Golden Bay’s Port Tarakohe. The Government invested $6m, alongside Tasman District Council’s $6.7m investment, to update and expand port infrastructure to enable access to commercial marine berths while creating more safe working wharf space, a new foodgrade wharf area and a
harbour master building.
It’s great to see this work now underway.
These projects are tangible examples of why enabling infrastructure is important. Co-funding unlocks and expedites the
growth potential in the regions.
The RIF is different to previous government regional development funds. Our focus is on how the Crown can better deliver in the regions by accelerating major regional infrastructure projects through larger transformational
capital investment.
$1.2b is a substantial amount, but it will only go so far to reducing the infrastructure deficit.
We are looking to you to identify what’s most important for your region in terms of future growth and development. The question you need to be asking is, in what ways
are the projects you are putting forward increasing the resilience in your area of New Zealand?
My message to you all is that we are seeking opportunities for strategic, enduring partnerships and we want to see considered proposals that reflect that and will help transform our regions,
not just now but for the future. I’m telling you now, this is not a fund for wish lists. Remember, we are investing for cumulative impact. Keep working together with each other, and with us to align your priorities and the projects that you put forward for consideration for RIF funding.
Shane Jones
‘Buy the best, breed them better’ strategy delivers
their strategy.
WHEN YOU talk to Newlands Whytock about his Holstein Friesian herd, he’s like a kid at Christmas. Finally living his dream of owning his own dairy farm, the joy, excitement and gratitude in his voice is unmistakeable.
“We are just loving it,” he says. “It’s beautiful.” Newlands, with wife Lee Morris and 14-yearold son Toby, milk 50 registered pedigree Holstein Friesian cows on 40ha at Puahue, in the Waikato, under the name Glenidol.
Despite the Whytocks owning the property and milking cows to rear calves since 2005, it has only been supplying factory milk for the last 18 months.
The family have undertaken extensive renovations of the farm infrastructure, while building a small but incredibly high quality herd of cows – with “buy the best, breed them better” at the heart of
“We are starting later in life, so we have to start up the scale a bit,” Newlands says. “We’re a small business, so we want good, beautiful cows.”
Today, Newlands runs the farm, while Lee – an equine veterinarian – runs her company EquiBreed ART, the centre for equine advanced reproductive technologies in New Zealand.
Having grown up in NSW, Australia, Lee always wanted to be a vet and started out as a beef cattle vet in northern NSW; she also spent time on her grandfather’s merino sheep farm, Glenidol, and enjoyed riding horses.
Newlands grew up locally, near Cambridge, on a 25 acre farm where his job was to milk their house cow daily. He spent a lot of time with his neighbour, Mr Rye, who milked 30-40 Holstein Friesian cows.
As a 15-year-old Newlands worked for Bill
Montgomery (Ngapuka Holstein Friesians) on the town milk supply, as a farm cadet.
“Bill had great cows,” he says. “That’s probably where my love of Holstein Friesians began. I love their colour, I love their patterns. Black and white cows are hardy. They’re just beautiful cows.”
Newlands later moved to another farm to fulfil his cadetship requirements but long working hours for little pay
saw the end of his farming career. At 18 he sat his heavy vehicle license and started driving trucks.
“I wasn’t your typical truck driver – I saved all my money,” Newlands says. “It was always my intention to work and save for my farm. When we bought this place in 2005 I had the deposit and Lee had the salary to back it up.”
In 2008 the couple looked at converting the Puahue farm to dairy, but the opportunity came
up for Lee to purchase Equibreed from Matamata Vets and bring the business home.
“We couldn’t do both, so we bought Equibreed
FARM FACTS
OWNERS: Lee Morris & Newlands Whytock
LOCATION: Puahue, Waikato
FARM SIZE: 40 hectares
COWS: 50 registered Holstein Friesians
PRODUCTION: 30,000 kgMS
STUD NAME: Glenidol
and we worked on that together while I reared calves, which I loved, and fenced,” Newlands says.
In 2022, they were able to sell the successful business back to Matamata Vets, with Lee keeping the embryo lab side of the business.
“It was time to live the dairy farming dream.
I called Doug Courtman (Carse-O-Fern) and said, I’ve finally grown up and
REAPING THE REWARDS
THE FARM had an existing 10-a-side herringbone cowshed that was renovated and upgraded to a 12-a-side shed.
While the new shed was being built, the cows were trucked to Waipiri Holsteins (David and Pip Fullerton), Carse-O-Fern, and the Whytocks’ bank manager’s farm, who kindly milked their cows for them.
The first milk pick-up from the new shed was in December 2022.
Originally the cows were transitioned to autumn calving to co-ordinate with the horses living on farm, but since Equibreed has moved off farm this decision may be revisited in the future.
The Whytocks’ show cows are spring calving, so they have ended up milking year-round.
The family is starting to reap the rewards of last year’s sire selection.
“We are seeing some great Silverridge V Einstein, Novum Mercy and Farnear Delta Lambda-ET calves coming through,” Newlands says. “It is so exciting. I can’t wait until they are two-yearolds.”
Mating is a flexible process. This year, the Whytocks started their embryo programme in April, a little earlier than usual due to Toby being away at school in May. And, heifers were due to be synced on May 19, and cows June 1.
Toby selected all bulls for this mating.
“I let him go for it this time but next year, he is going to have to tone it down a bit,” Newlands laughs. “He’s got bulls from World Wide Sires, Semex, STgenetics… including Beyond Overdo HardinET and Ocd Trooper Sheepster-ET.”
He says Toby’s interest in the farm has been wonderful to see.
“He’s so excited about it,” he says.
“He used to come out on the farm, but he’s gone to the next level. He’s milking, learning to drive the tractor – I’m so proud of him.”
I’m going dairy farming – I need some advice.”
Doug encouraged Newlands to attend the Okawa (Tim and Jo Barclay) sale, where he ended up purchasing 14 cows, including Okawa Doorman Rosa VG85 and Okawa Platnum Tara GP84.
“I wish I’d bought more; they are beautiful cows,” Newlands says.
Newlands says for him, production traits comes first, then type.
“Being so small we’ve got to pick on production,” he says. “We are targeting 600 kgMS. We’ve got some amazing cows that are doing over that, but that’s what we’re targeting with what they’re being fed – 6kg/cow/day of grain in the shed, ad lib grass during the day, and maize silage and baleage when they’re in the barn overnight.”
Low BW sires are avoided unless they are used over the Whytocks’ show cows.
Earlier this year, the family showed Glenidol Lambda Cookie, out of Tahora Octane Cookie VG88, at the NZ Dairy Event and won the titles of Holstein Friesian Junior Champion and Supreme Junior Champion.
“We didn’t go to NZDE with any expectations,” Newlands says. “What a sensational feeling it was to win. Now, we’ve got to back it up; we’ve got great cows, now we need to breed them.”
The Whytocks are not short on supportive, encouraging breeders to help them along their journey, citing Dean Geddes, Tim Barclay, Jo Dorn, Warren Ferguson and David Fullerton as being particularly influential.
“Dean, Tim and Jo are kept updated on our cows regularly, and they are happy to give us advice,” Newlands says. “They are really inspiring people. The Fergusons and the Fullertons have also been a fantastic support.”
Newlands says their plan going forward is somewhat fluid.
“Who knows where to from here? We looked at buying a bigger farm, but we are freehold now so why would we put ourselves under pressure at this age?
“This place is mint. We will potentially look at increasing herd numbers to around 70 cows and expanding the composting barn, with the help of our environmental planner.”
ANNE BOSWELL
Newlands Whytock, Lee Morris and Toby Whytock with Glenidol Lambda Cookie.
Tackling subclinical ketosis
SUBCLINICAL KETO-
SIS (SCK) is a significant health challenge in our dairy herds, primarily occurring in early lactation when cows can experience a severe negative energy balance.
Characterised by elevated ketone in the blood and without overt clinical signs, SCK can negatively impact milk production and reproductive performance, while at the same time increasing the risk of other metabolic disorders.
Metabolic process and contributing factors
Subclinical ketosis is a metabolic condition that occurs when a cow’s energy intake is insufficient to meet its energy demands, leading to excessive mobilisation of body fat reserves. Although often considered a disease, ketosis is more accurately described as a finelytuned metabolic process that becomes detrimental when it is allowed to get out of control.
The body’s energy storage system is designed to store energy during periods of abundance and release it during times of need. However, this system can falter under conditions that require the cow to expend high levels of energy within a very short space of time, i.e. disease pressure, calving, and peak milk production.
These stress events can place high pressure on available energy reserves. When cows are provided with a properly formulated diet during early lactation, they can be expected to shed some of the condition gained during the previous season. This fat is mobilised as ketones in order to fuel production.
If a cow is under extreme stress and her diet lacks sufficient energy, the body can begin breaking down fat reserves at an excessive rate. This rapid conversion puts strain on the liver to process the excess ketones.
If unchecked, subclinical ketosis can quickly become clinical, putting the liver under excessive strain while also exhausting the cow’s available energy reserves. The resulting clinical ketosis if left untreated can quickly lead to collapse and death. Do cows show symptoms of SCK?
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Subclinical ketosis lacks these clinical signs, but several subtle symptoms may indicate its presence, including decreased dry matter intake, lethargy and reduced activity, mild to moderate weight loss or failure to regain lost body weight post-calving, and a distinctive fruity odour on the breath due to acetone accumulation.
Minerals in prevention
Proper nutrition is essential in preventing SCK, with balanced diets rich in essential macro minerals and trace elements playing an important role. Phosphorous is needed for energy production, while calcium and magnesium are required for maintaining normal metabolic function and preventing ketosis. Ensuring adequate levels of these minerals in pre- and post-calving diets is a must.
Adequate levels of bypass protein are also essential to maintaining
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maximum liver performance, hence it is very important to maintain good rumen performance in order to ensure a good flow through into the gastrointestinal tract.
Potassium supplementation is seldom necessary under New Zealand conditions, as pasture typically provides adequate potassium. Excess potassium, however, can be problematic as getting rid of the excess requires energy.
Sodium is important for stabilising the rumen and maintaining energy flows from the rumen. Making careful calculation of salt supplementation based on the diet and total intake is important.
Trace elements such as chromium, selenium, iodine, and cobalt play key roles in glucose metabolism and antioxidant defence mechanisms. Selenium and iodine also key to liver health and performance.
Regular monitoring of blood ketone levels and regular dietary adjustments based on nutritional analysis can help in early detection and management of subclinical ketosis.
The key role of the liver
Maintaining liver health and capacity is essential in effectively addressing ketosis. Farmers can reduce the severity or incidence of ketosis by increasing the liver’s capacity to process adipose tissue.
While good condition is vital for cows coming into late gestation, timing of weight gain is key. Healthy condition is gained during late lactation when the cow is
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still expending energy during milk production. Unhealthy weight is often gained from overfeeding during the dry period when little energy is being expended. The weight gain during this period is often fat around the organs.
Correctly managing the transition diet (correct NDF, energy, protein, and diet volume), and completing the full 21-day transition length can minimise this risk of ketosis by guaranteeing healthier energy conversion.
Feed, energy, and minerals will only remediate ketosis once they reach the liver and are converted to usable energy at
the cell level. Trace elements are fundamental in producing hormones that drive optimal liver function and regenerate and replace liver cells. The liver has the highest cell turnover rate of any organ, underscoring its capacity for renewal and its central role in managing ketosis.
By focusing on these preventative measures and understanding the metabolic processes involved, dairy farmers can effectively manage subclinical ketosis in their herds, ensuring better health and productivity for their cows.
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CHRIS BALEMI
Calving places heavy pressure on the cow’s energy reserves.
Proper nutrition is essential in preventing SCK.
BVD losses mounting
BOVINE VIRAL
diarrhoea (BVD) is one of the most infectious diseases in cattle, causing major economic losses worldwide.
Annual losses for dairy
farmers are estimated at around $127 million, according to DairyNZ. With the diagnostic tests and vaccines currently available, it should be easy to break
the BVD cycle in infected herds. However, at the current level of disease infection in the cattle population, and poor biosecurity practices on farm, it is estimated that
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at least 5% of herds are experiencing new BVD outbreaks each year (BVDFree.org.nz).
The ability to determine Persistently Infected (PI) animals through testing provides a compelling opportunity to control and potentially eradicate BVD within New Zealand. Increasing the proportion of the national herd tested will likely reduce prevalence of persistently infected animals and hence the incidence of BVD.
In addition to testing for BVD, recording a lifetime status based on this testing would simplify the identification of PI animals in the case of a BVD incursion and should increase the resale value of stock. As more animals have a lifetime status recorded, it will reduce the risk of new introductions into naïve herds, help with stock purchasing decisions, and lead to better BVD management throughout NZ.
According to DairyNZ approximately 80% of NZ dairy and beef herds have been exposed to BVD.
For many years LIC has devoted an extensive amount of time to the development of BVD test options, as well as building awareness of BVD within the New Zealand dairy industry.
The Bulk Milk Monitor pack continues to service approximately
50% of dairy herds in New Zealand. Since the development of the Bulk Milk Monitor pack, LIC has enhanced this test, now known as the BVD Status Pack, and this provides individual testing for all animals in the milking herd using herd test milk samples.
The BVD Status pack, has been designed to enable easy, convenient, and cost-effective testing of individual animals in the milking herd whose lifetime BVD Status can be uploaded to LIC’s MINDA software.
This testing will detect both positive and negative animals within the herd. Allowing herds with a BVD infection to find the PI animal/s quickly and efficiently, and negative herds to benefit from additional animal information in MINDA.
In addition to milk testing, LIC can process tissue and blood samples for BVD. A significant number of calf samples are processed for BVD using the same tissue samples that are submitted for parentage testing.
The graph shows the proportion of individual BVD tests completed at LIC since 2018 on tissue, milk and blood, totalling almost 950,000 samples. Most of these results will have been uploaded to MINDA.
Supplied by LIC
It is estimated that at least 5% of herds are experiencing new BVD outbreaks each year.
New board resurrects show
and book a stand,” Carter says.
THE NEW chair the Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) board, Sir David Carter, is pleading for public support for this year’s Christchurch Show.
The former Parliament Speaker, Agriculture Minister and long-time MP was elected CAPA board chair this month.
Others new board members are independents Peter Engel, operations manager for Hazletts and Ethan Hill, senior manager – audit at BDO. They will be joined by Bryce Murray and Brent Chamberlain from the General Committee.
“We’re asking the public to purchase early tickets, sponsors to sign up and our trade exhibitors to get on board early
“To be a long-term success the show needs to return to a strong financial position, but we can’t do this alone.
“We need a lot of support.”
In April, organisers announced that the 2024 show was cancelled. They agreed to hold a smaller version of the longestrunning agricultural show in the South Island, featuring only livestock judging and competitions. The organisers also signalled a review of the operating model.
However, the new board says a threeday show is still on with many attractions retained. Carter says that when he heard there was talk of not having a show this year he was absolutely dismayed.
“The show is a fundamental part of Christchurch’s history – it has been running in some form since 1862,” he says.
“While it is called the Christchurch Show this year, we want to return to the New Zealand Agricultural show in 2025. The show is literally the country coming to town. I wanted to get involved at a board level to ensure that the show goes on, not only this year, but for another 100 years,” he says.
Carter has been a member of CAPA for 50 years and has a long history of serving the rural community, including serving as agriculture minister for primary industries.
He says that the backing already received from local businesses committed to supporting this his-
COMPOSTABLE NET WRAP FOR BALES
THROUGH ITS investment arm, CNH Ventures, CNH is supporting the development of the first viable compostable net wrap for bales in agriculture.
The investment in the Canadian start-up Nature’s Net Wrap aims to accelerate their mission to eliminate waste from the process of collecting and storing baled crops.
During harvesting operations based around large round bales, once a bale is formed it is generally held with a coating of net wrap and an outer layer of stretched plastic, which at the point of use is removed and eventually ends up getting burnt or placed in landfills. Farmers and contractors are limited in the reuse or recycling of plastic wraps or nets, negatively impacting their environmental footprint.
Shifting to compostable net wraps has the potential to significantly ben-
toric Canterbury event is extremely positive.
“Our event partners Event Hire are underwriting parts of the Christchurch Show, and we can’t thank them enough. They have stepped up and said the show must go on.”
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger says he was
very happy the show was going on and that there were solid plans in place to ensure its longevity.
“This is part of our history, and it is important that it continues for our city. So, I hope that everyone will get behind it and get to the show rain, hail or shine. As a community we need
to support this iconic event.”
Co-owner of Event Hire Phil Anderson said that as a proud Canterbury event company they were shocked when they heard that the show wasn’t going to run.
“We said we think we can make it work, so we asked for an opportunity to make it happen.”
Anderson said that while the 2024 show will be scaled back slightly all the things people love about the show will still take place.
“People coming to the show will still get to see a unique combination of livestock displays, stock judging, trade sites, competition events and entertainment. We are also making some slight changes to this year’s show.
“One big but wel-
come change for many will be that it’s cheaper for adults to come to the show. We’ve halved the price to $20 for adults and we are hoping to attract a sponsor to subsidise the cost of kids’ tickets.
“We are also going to run the show on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, rather than Wednesday to Friday. This will significantly reduce the queues and parking pressure that have previously been experienced on the Friday, which has traditionally been the last day.
“We’re also introducing some new events this year such as drone racing and the return of tractor pulling.”
Anderson said there will be more announcements about new experiences and events right up to Show Day.
efit farmers and the environment. It will help reduce landfill use, haulage and disposal costs, eliminate soil contamination, improve animal safety, and reduce the risk of water contamination, likely resulting in a reduction of around 2.5 million tons of plastic waste each year.
With high growth in this market is propelled by the general demand for chemical, and plastic-free solutions, the innovation uses biopolymer material made from renewable resources. It is said to hold up structurally and can naturally break down in the soil or be composted. CNH’s investment is supporting the testing and validation of the solution, with one of the company’s New Holland balers being used to produce all the bales in the testing phase. An initial product launch is expected later in the year.– Mark Daniel
Sir David Carter
Box Blade carves precise grading
DANIEL
KUBOTA NZ is continuing to improve its equipment attachment range
with the BB30 Box Blade, said to be ideal for landscaping grading operations, using a skid steer or tracked compact loader.
Built at Kubota’s
Kansas manufacturing hub in the US, this dualplane grader can accommodate third party laser and GPS systems to automatically lift and tilt as it moves across the ground,
making the BB30 series ideal for precision levelling and grading.
Kubota product manager John Moloney said the attachment is the ultimate tool for con-
tractors and landscapers looking to level and grade in a fraction of the time.
“Basic grading work can be done manually, without the need for a third-party grade control system. This will suit applications requiring a rough grade such as landscaping and initial surface prep,” Moloney said.
Precision grading is delivered through an additional third-party system which takes over control of the attachment for automated and high accuracy grade control.
Fitting the optional laser/2D or GPS/3D attachment control system provides a level grade in minimal time, helping to minimise operator fatigue, while saving time and money. Operators can control grading operations from the cab with precision and accuracy.
The Kubota BB30 Box Blade is available in 2.1m or 2.4m working widths, with either model attachment-control ready and fitted with a 14-pin harness for seamless integra-
tion into Kubota SSV & SVL series loaders, and masts included as standard to accommodate third-party grade control hardware.
End in-fill panels allow greater volumes of material to be carried during more aggressive grading operations. The end panels are protected against high wear, with reversible and adjustable side cutters made from abrasion resistant AR400 steel that also ensures maximum durability in tough conditions. Hinged forward and reverse facing cutting edges allow the operator to grade while travelling forwards or backwards, while a floating front axle allows both gauge wheels to remain in contact with the ground, so keeping the load evenly distributed.
Foam-filled turf tires ensure excellent floatation and contouring. A low-profile design allows improved visibility for the operator to observe material cut and fill during use.
The Box Blade is ideal for landscaping grading operations.
