Rural News 19 November 2013 by Rural News Group

NZ GRASSLANDS

MACHINERY

Lack of pasture persistance a recurring theme at conference. PAGE 32

Case-IH Axial-Flow combines ‘set the industry benchmark.' PAGE 41

RURALNEWS

AGRICULTURE More has to be done to encourage young people to a make a career in agribusiness.

PAGE 15

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

NOVEMBER 19, 2013: ISSUE 550

www.ruralnews.co.nz

Made in China! SUD ES H K I SSU N sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA IS comfortable with putting all its eggs in one basket when it comes to trade with China. Chairman John Wilson says he’s “very comfortable’ that 1 in every 5kgMS produced on New Zealand farms end up in the Chinese market. Speaking last week at the BNZ Northland Dairy Development Trust Conference in Whangarei, Wilson was questioned whether it was safe to rely so heavily on one market. Wilson pointed out that Fonterra was also sending a lot of dairy products into the Middle East and North Africa. But he was comfortable with export numbers into China. “So we have no concern around the numbers we are sitting at the moment,” he told the conference. He says Fonterra has “a very genuine exposure” in China. “The supply/demand figures (in China) are real, the growth figures are real,” he says. “What you are seeing is a dramatic

transformation of an economy of 1.3 billion people.” Fonterra’s business in China includes ingredients, food service, consumer business and milk production. Last year the co-op exported 400,000 tonnes of milkpowder. Over 50% of pizzas in China are topped with Fonterra cheese supplied by its ingredients business. Wilson says the ingredients business is growing by 28% annually. Recently Fonterra launched its Anchor UHT milk and Anmum infant formula brands in China. Fonterra also has dairy farms in various parts of the country.

Wilson says authorities in China expect Fonterra to invest across the dairy industry. ‘When we are in China talking to ministers, at both national and state council levels and regulators, they expect Fonterra to invest across the dairy sector in China. “And importantly around what we are doing around farms to improve milk quality, animal husbandry, growing crops and providing scholarships for rural students “So we are seeing that our investment across China, in the first instance to promote ingredients out of New Zealand, is highly valued.”

Wilson said milk production in China, this year, is down about 20% - mainly due to foot and mouth and other diseases. Some smaller farmers have also moved out of farming. Fonterra’s information is based on discussions it has had with China’s two main dairy processors – Yili and Mengniu. Wilson says the drop in Chinese milk production means greater demand for products from New Zealand. Fonterra is also continuing to work in China to improve its branding after the false botulism scare. Recently it hosted a group of Chinese journalists who visited the co-op’s factories and its product testing facilities at Te Rapa.

Manawatu-based agricultural contractor Paul Linklater is currently flat out — like many other farmers and rural contractors around the country – cultivating paddocks. However, he is doing something a little different to others using an invention that adds new meaning to the concept of ‘precision agriculture’. Find out more about Linklater’s machine and growing business on page 24.

Ag’s future under threat? A N D R EW SWA L LOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz

THE PIPELINE of graduates and doctorates feeding farming and – arguably more importantly – farm research in New Zealand has nearly run dry, judging by figures presented at the recent New Zealand Grassland Association conference in Tauranga. Of 2280 university graduates in New Zealand in 2011 – only 68 were in agriculture, NZGA retiring president Jacqueline Rowarth told the conference during a broad-ranging address. Most of those agricultural graduates went straight into good jobs rather than research, lured by $50,000/year or more jobs, often with a vehicle supplied on top. Within five years many would be knocking on the door of $100,000, whereas if they’d done a doctorate they might be offered $65,000 for a post-doctorate position in a similar timespan, without nearly the same job security. “These are bright kids. They’re doing the opportunity cost.” Rowarth’s presentation followed a similarly concerning statistic relayed by keynote speaker John Hay. Between 2002 and 2010 just 74 of 6227 doctorates completed in New Zealand were in agriculture,

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

NEWS 3 ISSUE 550

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NEWS �� 1-20 WORLD �� 21 MARKETS �� 22-23 AGRIBUSINESS �� 24-27 HOUND, EDNA �� 28 CONTACTS �� 28 OPINION �� 28-31 MANAGEMENT �� 32-35 ANIMAL HEALTH �� 36-40 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS �� 41-45 RURAL TRADER �� 46-47

HEAD OFFICE Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone: 09-307 0399 Fax: 09-307 0122 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 3855, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140 Published by: Rural News Group Printed by: PMP Print CONTACTS Editorial: editor@ruralnews.co.nz Advertising material: davef@ruralnews.co.nz Rural News online: www.ruralnews.co.nz Subscriptions: subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz ABC audited circulation 81,232 as at 30.06.2013

It’s like herding cats A N DREW SWA LLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz

TURN OUT for 22 meetings starting this week will be a barometer of the mood for change in the meat industry, claim organisers. “It will be our first chance since the autumn meetings to be out among the rank and file and test that support base for what we’re doing,” says Otago farmer Mark Patterson, of the Meat Industry Excellence Group’s establishment committee. At the meetings, Patterson will present the resolution he’s tabled with Alliance Group calling for Fonterra director John Monaghan to be appointed as an independent director. Meanwhile, MIEbacked meat co-operative board candidates Richard Young, Dan Jex-Blake, Don Morrison and Monaghan will all speak. “Then we’ll have a question and answer session, followed by a brief closing comment by an MIE representative,” MIE chairman John McCarthy told Rural News. The meetings will be chaired, in most cases by a local, he adds. Incumbent directors seeking re-election, Murray Taggart, Jason Miller (both Alliance) and David Shaw (Silver Fern Farms) may attend, but have not specifically been invited, Patterson says. “They’re public meetings so they’re more than welcome to turn up if they wish.” McCarthy says the meetings aren’t just for MIE supporters. “People who don’t agree with us are welcome to come along and attack us for all they’re worth.” He’s confident from the analysis MIE’s commissioned – admittedly on a financial shoestring and information gleaned – that a merger of the two cooperatives is the way forward.

“These candidates “With this model we are standing on a will be able to build all very specific platparts of the pie.” form and it will McCarthy says send a clear MIE doesn’t expect message to those not supplythe rest of ing cooperative’s to the board suddenly drop longabout the standing successful relationships with competitors. But if a merger happens, he’s calling for them to consider committing at least for a small proportion to the co-ops. While there are some very good supply chain models working in the non co-op sector, in the current industry structure they are not deliverMIE chair John McCarthy says whatever the outcome ing the value of director elections his group is not going away. to the farmer, or indeed the wishes of shareholders.” company, they could be, he adds. Previous arguments by directors “There are so many of them they… that while a merger might be for the leak value.” Similarly, there are too many indi- greater good of the industry, it wouldn’t be for that particular company therevidual companies, he believes. “Competitive tension doesn’t work fore they could not support it, do not wash with him either. when you’ve got this many players.” Whatever the outcome of these The number of processors is also the reason previous efforts at indus- director elections, “MIE isn’t going to try reform, particularly those aimed go away,” he says. “We’re already targeting possible at bringing more than two companies directors for next year’s elections and together. “It’s like herding cats, trying to get considering putting forward candidates for other industry bodies.” 20 exporters to agree a way forward.” Silver Fern Farms’ annual meeting McCarthy says if the candidates MIE is backing get onto the cooper- is December 18, in Dunedin, Alliance’s atives’ boards, and he believes they December 13 in Invercargill. Voting will, it will be different to when MIAG papers go out late this month. Details of MIE’s meetings, which (Meat Industry Action Group) candidates Mark Crawford, Jason Miller kicked off in Masterton on Monday 18 (both Alliance) and Herstell Ulrich November, are on: www.mienz.com . (Silver Fern Farms) became directors @rural_news and little changed. facebook.com/ruralnews

Filipinos rally INSTEAD OF A Christmas party, Filipino dairy workers in the lower South Island will hold a benefit concert in Ashburton for victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. It will showcase Filipino talent and all proceeds will go to victims, says Maria Cristina Tawatao, Migrante coordinator, Ashburton. A number of Filipino migrant or temporary dairy workers are worried about family and friends at home, sources have told Rural News. In one instance an Invercargill dairy worker is desperately trying to do what they can to help get family members evacuated to a safer area in the Philippines, because they have run out of food and water. On Saturday, November 24, Filipino Dairy Workers in NZ (FDWNZ) and Migrante Ashburton, an organisation that helps Filipino migrants, will hold a ‘Bayaninhan’, a talent showcase. Sponsored by Morrison Car Company, it starts at 7pm at the Ashburton Event Centre, 211 Willis St. Tickets are sold at the event centre, Filipino Dairy Store, Tindahang Pinoy sa Rakaia, FDWNZ and from Migrante workers. Meanwhile, Federated Farmers is asking the farming community of New Zealand to put their hands in their pockets to help those affected by Typhoon Haiyan. They need the international community to back them “just as they backed us during the Canterbury earthquakes”, it has told members. “Many in our farming community have close links with the Philippines, with their migrant Filipino workers playing a big role in the success of their farming business. Many also helped out during our own disaster when earthquakes played havoc in Canterbury,” the Feds say in an advisory. They suggest donating money through the Red Cross. Visit www. redcross.org.nz – Pam Tipa

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

4 NEWS

Dairy digs deeper to keep water clean P E TE R BU R K E peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

AS CENTRAL and local government start to implement new and higher water quality standards, DairyNZ is set to almost double the amount of money it spends on helping farmers deal with the new regimes.

This year DairyNZ will spend $11 million – up from $6.7 million last year – on range of new initiatives to help farmers meet the new environmental standards – including ‘boutique solutions’ for individual farms. Dr Rick Pridmore of DairyNZ says this extra money will go to helping

farmers meet their commitments to both the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management and the new Sustainable Water Accord, which replaced the former ‘clean streams accord’. One of the extra items of spending relates to economic analysis of proposed regional councils

plans – ‘section 32s’. Many councils came under fire from central government for their poor performance in this area and changes are being made to the Resource Management Act to force the councils to do better. DairyNZ has also been working behind the scenes to improve the quality of

some regional councils’ ‘section 32’s’ “We have done a big project with Horizons and another with Environment Waikato and we are doing stuff with Southland shortly and also a lot of work in Canterbury,” Pridmore told Rural News. “What we have done is tried to bolster the national capability to improve section 32 analysis and do better assessments of the economic impacts these decisions have on agriculture.” Pridmore says the organisation’s investigative work in the Horizons

region has revealed that it’s quite possible to have a region as a whole not be dramatically affected, but to have certain rural communities decimated. DairyNZ has hired more staff in the water quality, economic and policy areas so they can interface better with regional councils. While Pridmore accepts that each council will have to do some things differently, because of the nature of their regions, it would be “nice if there was more consistency”. He’d like to see a lot more uniformity in the

Rick Pridmore

paperwork and can see no reason why it should vary so much from region to region. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

Merger not only answer FONTERRA DIRECTOR and MIE-based candidate John Monaghan is keen to join Alliance Group’s board because he believes he’ll bring fresh thinking to the table that might help “turn things around” for sheep and beef farmers, and the red meat sector. “That is certainly my only motivation,” he told Rural News ahead of this week’s meetings. “The agriculture sector in NZ and the NZ economy have huge opportunities and we need to improve the lot of sheep and beef farmers. When that happens, just like dairy, the benefits will flow through to the rest of the economy. The thought of that excites me. “Fifteen years ago as a dairy industry we could have stuck our heads in the sand. But fortunately there were a few leaders who were prepared to start talking to others in a constructive way. And they made sure they had the support of the Government.” Monaghan says he’s not standing on a merger ticket, though he doesn’t believe the possibility has been as fully investigated as it might be. “I was asked by a group of farmers, not just MIE, to provide my experience. The leap in logic is that my only solution is a merger.” For example, the full benefits of an integrated supply chain and further integration and consolidation within the industry

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haven’t been adequately quantified and/or shown to farmers so that they can make informed decisions on its future. Nor has the likelihood of other players joining a merged entity been thoroughly examined or indeed canvassed, he suggests. “I think it is misleading to tell farmers that the benefits of a consolidated industry would be wiped out by the loss of supply.” Government has made it very clear it is open to solutions brought forward by the sector for reform, he adds. “All of the points that are thrown at farmers as to why merger won’t work could be addressed by special legislation. But I am not as black and white about merger as is being suggested…. If I am elected to the board, I look forward to sharing my thinking and finding the solution, whatever that might be.” Monaghan’s candidacy as a farmer director was rejected by Alliance’s board (excluding incumbent directors seeking re-election) on the grounds he didn’t meet constitutional shareholding requirements. MIE committee member and Alliance shareholder Mark Patterson has since tabled a resolution for the annual meeting that Monaghan be appointed as an independent. Alliance has said it will include the resolution in the meeting, but constitutionally it is non-binding. – Andrew Swallow

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

NEWS 5 Food forum Weather watch for East Coast strengthens ‘Brand NZ’ THE GLOBAL Food Safety Forum held in Dunedin last week has helped strengthen the New Zealand ‘brand’ and how it’s perceived, say forum executive director Dr Helen Darling. The forum was attended by 120 delegates including from China, the US and Australia. It was opened by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy. Normally the forum meets in Beijing, but Dr Darling, a food integrity consultant, persuaded the US based not-for-profit organisation, to hold it in New Zealand for the first time. “My take on key themes is the fact New Zealand is open for business, we are looking for collaboration and there’s also a genuine desire for openness and consistency around our food safety systems and the way we produce food,” Darling told Rural News midway through the conference last week. “I think overseas visitors came with genuine curiosity; we are being picked up by media in China, the Chinese are interested in our response. But they see our response as being incredibly positive – the fact that we do see food safety issues, we react to them and tell people about them is actually a positive thing.

“There has been a strengthening of the brand and perception; our openness and transparency and our willingness to talk about issues we’ve had and how we’ve resolved them breeds a lot of confidence in consumers.” “It is not positive that we have the issue in the first place but it is positive we take action. “There is going to be opportunity for collaboration out of this. There has been a strengthening of the brand and perception; our openness and transparency and our willingness to talk about issues we’ve had and how we’ve resolved them breeds a lot of confidence in consumers.” Darling believed the forum has been extremely positive in showing “we are not hiding, we have very good systems here and we are willing to talk them”. Darling presented a model to the forum that ensures the integrity of food safety products leaving New Zealand. Other keynote speeches were given by Professor Xiaoming Huang, the director of the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Centre, Conor English, chief executive of Federated Farmers and representatives from Fonterra.

eight years. “Having been through droughts myself I believe the key is to get good information out so farmers see exactly where they stand,” Harris told Rural News. “I am, personally, big on soil moisture because you can have as much rain as you like, but it’s what’s

in the soil that’ll make the plant grow that’s important. It’s also important that farmers understand how the situation is trending.” He says there are tools such as the ‘pasture growth forecast’ on the B + LNZ website, which can helpful.

Light pumice soils need care IN THE Central Plateau and Rotorua regions, with light pumice soils, farmers have also been advised to watch the weather and especially the soil moisture levels. AgFirst consultant Darren McNae says soil moisture levels are still lower than ideal at this time of the year. Despite some recent rain there is still a 50% soil moisture deficit in some parts

of the region. “Some soils are very light and require rain about every two weeks so some of those light soil areas are starting to show signs of moisture stress,” he told Rural News. “There is no need to panic at the moment, but farmers need to start thinking about the implications if the current weather continues.”

through the summer.” Harris says there is no need to panic, but it is time to collect good information on which to base decisions. This may include obtaining information from a meteorologist to see what they are predicting for the next eight to ten weeks. “I can remember back in the late 1990s we got very dry early in October and it carried on through and then it broke at the beginning of December and we ended up having a very good summer.” No need for panic; just make good decisions with good information, Harris says. Farmers should also set a date for making these key decisions. – Peter Burke

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FARMERS IN northern Hawkes Bay and the East Coast of the North Island are on weather watch as some districts report below average rainfall for October and lower than normal soil moisture levels. Farmers in parts of the central North Island are also hoping for more rain Beef + Lamb NZ’s Mark Harris says data from the Hawkes Bay Regional Council and the Gisborne District Council show that while rainfall in spring was above normal, it’s taken a dive in the last month. He says while it’s not uncommon for soil moisture levels to drop at this time of the year, in some places they are the lowest for past

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

6 NEWS

Intellectual capital wearing thin FROM PAGE 1

horticulture or environmental studies. “So 71% of New Zealand’s overseas export receipts, excluding tourism, rest upon 1.18% of our intellectual capital creation,” he warned. What’s more, some of those 74 doctorates were gained by students from overseas who did not stay in New Zealand on graduation. In two of the years there wasn’t a single New Zealander among them. Crown Research Institute recruitment figures are further evidence of the mismatch between scientist supply and demand, says Hay. CRIs employ two-thirds of the nation’s publically-funded scientific researchers and 57% of those with doctorates

now come from offshore. “Only a few of them are returning Kiwis…. I flag that as another scandal,” he told the NZGA audience of farmers, scientists, consultants and tradespeople. Hay stressed his presentation was his personal opinion and not that of the Minister or Ministry –given his role as chairman of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Science Board. The impact of such a shortage of intellectual capital, and indeed problems with agricultural research funding, likely won’t be felt until decades later it seems. Both Rowarth and incoming Association president Warwick Lissamann presented Alston et

Off to Alexandra in 2014 Next year’s NZGA conference venue is Alexandra, Otago, with the theme farming in a land of extremes. Chair of the local organising committee, Vanessa Hore, says it’s been 30 years since the conference was held in the area and delegates can look forward to seeing some “real high country”. Lifting productivity of mid altitude land will also feature strongly in the programme, which will likely run Wednesday to Friday in the first week of November, allowing delegates to stay on for the weekend and enjoy the area’s attractions.

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Presidents past and new: Waikato Agribusiness professor Jacqueline Rowarth stood down after two years as president of the New Zealand Grassland Association, with Marlborough sheep and beef farmer Warwick Lissamann stepping up from vice president. AgResearch’s David Stevens was elected vice president.

al’s finding that peak benefit on farm from agricultural R&D is typically 24-years after the research was conducted. Lissamann also sought to torpedo some common misconceptions about farming, presenting data that showing the industry has the highest rate of productivity gain of any in New Zealand, and that an aging farming community is a barrier to innovation. “We have to stop focussing on succession for farmers in their 50s and 60s and encourage them to innovate because this is the time they should be doing it,” he said. Older farmers are generally more financially secure, have larger businesses, and are better educated in the widest sense, hence, as overseas research has shown, are best placed to innovate, he explained. • More from the conference in Management, p33-34

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

NEWS 7

Dairy debt ok – banker P E TE R BU R K E peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THE ANZ Bank’s head of agri and commercial, Graham Turley, says farmers appear to be concentrating on profitability, which will help mitigate some of the Reserve Bank’s concern about the high level of debt in the dairy sector. Reserve Bank deputy governor Grant Spencer says high debt in the dairy sector is a risk to New Zealand’s financial stability, as is the high level of external indebtedness. He says that while the dairy sector is currently enjoying record prices, its high level of indebtedness makes it vulnerable to a fall in commodity prices or an increase in interest rates. In recent years dairy farmers have taken a more cautious approach to investment and this will need to continue to help mitigate any risk, he says. MPI made a similar point in June when it noted that about half of the $30 billion debt in the sector was held by just 10% of farmers. Turley says in the last couple of

years dairy farmers have become more focused on and better at financial management. Until recently, few farmers would have been able to produce spread sheets with data on cashflows, financials, milk solids per cow and hectares and other data. But the financial skills of progressive farmers have increased significantly, he says. “Certainly, we

ANZ says farmers’ growing focus on profitability means debt is being managed well.

can expect to see continued volatility in commodity prices, but every review of the rural sector shows improvements in farm business management and efficiency,” he told Rural News. “Reinvestment by farmers is driving farm profitability, rather than solely commodity prices. Last year, for example, the dairy industry invested $1.2 billion in driving farm productivity.”

Turley says the ANZ Privately Owned Business Barometer survey shows an emerging focus on profitability is driving the decisionmaking of leaders in all sectors of agribusiness. “This signals a move from farming for capital gain, based on land acquisition, to decision-making focused more on investment. This new model is more concerned with

cash flow and sustainable growth, and careful consideration of return on investment. More farmers in all agri sectors are now talking about profit performance, where before they talked about hectares, stock numbers and production numbers.” According to Turley, debt is a reflection of confidence by the farming sector in the opportunities available to New Zealand primary exporters and recognition of the need to invest and expand to take advantage of those opportunities. “The recent Greener Pastures report by ANZ found that New Zealand has the potential to capture $1.3 trillion more in agricultural exports between now and 2050. However, it is a conditional opportunity. Constraints on capital, skills, R&D and extension services, land access, supply chain costs and market access will need to be overcome.” Turley says if farmers don’t invest in this capability, New Zealand will become less competitive against other primary producing nations who will challenge our position in the decades ahead.

Arable event back to its roots THE FOUNDATION of Arable Research’s annual field day will be a largely in-house affair this year without the external sponsor speakers and demonstrations of the past couple of years, says the levy body. The new format caries a new name, ARIA – Arable Research in Action – as opposed to the Crops monika of the past two seasons. FAR director of research and extension Nick Poole says a couple of talks will be especially visual, such as the glyphosate resistance session with different headland management strategies, and a stubble management demonstration. While most of the 12 presenters will be FAR staff, Danish crop disease specialist Lise Nistrup Jørgenson will speak on fungicide use in the face of resistance, and Plant and Food’s Craig Tregurtha will talk about effluent use on cropping farms. ARIA runs 11am-4pm at the Chertsey trials site, with eight speaker sessions so visitors will have to pick and choose which of the 12 topics they want to cover. ARIA is preceded by tomorrow’s (November 20) South Canterbury and North Otago trials hub day, kicking off near Makikihi at 9.30am, moving north to St Andrews at 11.20am and Temuka at 1pm.

12/11/13 9:26 AM

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

8 NEWS

Aussie dairy battle heats up SUD ES H K I SSU N sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

AUSTRALIA’S BIGGEST dairy co-op Murray Goulburn says it’s serious about buying the rival processor at the centre of an escalating takeover battle. Last week MG offered A$9 cash for shares in Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, trumping an earlier offer of A$8 by Canadian dairy giant Saputo and A$1.50 more than its first offer of A$7.50/share. MG managing director Gary Helou says it remains “firmly committed” to acquiring WCB. A combined MG and WCB would create a globally competitive dairy food company capable of delivering many opportunities for Australian dairy farmers and their communities, he says. “WCB suppliers joining the enlarged cooperative will benefit from cooperative ownership focused on maximising farmgate milk prices, including being able to participate in any future changes to MG’s capital structure that may arise as a result of the review

recently announced to MG suppliers,” Helou says. MG’s latest offer adds a new twist to the takeover battle for the listed processor that began with a takeover bid by Bega Cheese in September. WCB’s shareholding is fragmented: MG and Bega each holds about 18% shares. Another major Australian dairy processor, Lion, recently bought a 9.99% stake in WCB. Saputo’s conditional offer includes acquiring at least 50.1% of WCB’s stock – a tough task considering Bega, MG and Lion’s Japanese owner Kirin combined own about 44% of the company. There is also growing sentiment among farmer shareholders to keep WCB in Australian hands. But last week Saputo received a boost when Treasurer Joe Hockey approved its foreign investment application for WCB. “No conditions have been placed on this approval. The future ownership of WCB is ultimately a matter for the shareholders but this decision provides certainty in relation to Saputo’s bid,” Hockey says.

MG managing director Gary Helou.

“Australia is open for business and we welcome foreign investment when it is not contrary to the national interest.” MG’s offer is subject to approval from the competition tribunal. Chairman Philip Tracy says MG, when combined with WCB, would be uniquely positioned with scale and capacity to capture the unfolding long-term opportunity in international dairy markets. “The combined company will keep profits in Australia and return them to local farmers under the cooperative’s objectives of maximising farmgate returns. This means

farming communities, including those in south west Victoria and South Australia, will stand to benefit directly.” WCB’s board, which is backing Saputo’s offer, has asked its shareholders not to act on MG’s latest offer. The WCB board is considering the offer and will make a formal recommendation to shareholders, it says. Australian media commentators expect Bega to revise its offer. The listed processor licences its Bega cheese brand to Fonterra. Last month Fonterra surprised the markets by buying a 6% stake in Bega. Bega executive chairman Barry Irvin says Fonterra’s stake in his company is friendly. “They have said to me their investment in us is friendly,” he says. “They are our biggest customer.” Irvin says he is on friendly terms with Lion executives, who report to their parent, the Japanese beverage giant Kirin Holdings Inc. Lion and Bega also have a liquid milk joint venture in Canberra. @rural_news

Fonterra scoops yoghurt maker FONTERRA HAS bought an award-winning Tasmanian dairy manufacturer, which was put into administration two months ago. The co-op has paid an undisclosed amount for Tamar Valley Dairy, Launceston. The family-owned company has made cheeses, yoghurt and milk drinks since 1996. Tamar Valley yoghurts have won Dairy Industry Association of Australia awards. The Tamar Valley website shows the firm makes at least 23 products under the Tamar Valley Dairy label range including no fat, lite, natural, Greek style and no added-sugar products. The sale will be finalised later this month. Under the agreement, Fonterra will acquire the processing equipment, related services and intellectual property and trademark for the Tamar Valley Dairy brand. The plant will be fully integrated into Fonterra’s Tasmanian and Australian manufacturing, creating greater efficiencies and scale, while ensuring Tamar Valley Dairy’s innovation and its Tasmanian origin continue. “Fonterra is a long-standing partner of Tamar Valley Dairy, and has supported and worked closely with the administrators of the family-owned business during what has recently been a difficult period for the Tasmanian business and its founders,” says Fonterra Australia managing director Judith Swales. Fonterra plans to invest further in the business and capability for further innovation in the yoghurt category.

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

NEWS 9

Safety proposals recommended for quads PA M TI PA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

ROLLOVER PROTECTION (ROPS) could improve the safety of quads, but it depends how farmers use them, says the Motor Trade Association (MTA). If a farmer attaches heavy loads to the ROPS, the machine will end up more unstable than without it, says MTA advocacy and training general manager Dougal Morrison. MTA supports most of the recommendations on quad safety from Whangarei coroner Brandt Shortland who has just released reports on five deaths. He suggested a taskforce be established to research and advise on ROPS, a proposal the MTA supports. But Morrison, from a farming background, says there is also an educa-

tion issue because farmers tend to load stuff against frames on quads. “You don’t pile it up with 20 posts or whatever which farmers can be prone to do.” MTA has also looked into, but does not have a definitive answer on, whether fitting ROPS would void warranties. “Having said that, if heavy loads were attached to the ROPS, resulting in damage to the frame, the warranty may be voided,” it warns. Further coroner recommendations fully supported by MTA include: • use of helmets on quads • training on safe use of quads • no one under 16 riding adult quads • regular maintenance, particularly of tyres and brakes • an end to calling quads ‘all-terrain vehicles’.

Morrison says farmers should remember to check brakes and tyres. “Farmers tend to wear them until the tread is rounded and they get very little grip. The cost of replacing them before the tread gets rounded is pretty minimal, but there’s a tendency to push them to the limits, so there’s a real false economy.” MTA motorcycle dealer members use a delivery checklist and they are encouraged to supply a copy of ‘Guidelines for the Safe Use of Quadbikes’. MTA has a voluntary quad safety check which is available to our members. For safety checklist see: http://www.business. govt.nz/healthandsafetygroup/information-guidance/all-guidance-items/ guidelines-for-the-safe-useof-quad-bikes/safe-use-inagriculture.pdf

Killers or vital machines? A ‘MEXICAN STANDOFF’ exists between competing factions over whether rollover protection (ROPS) could assist quad safety on farms, says a coroner. Coroner Brandt Shortland, who has just released reports on five deaths on farm bikes, says there’s competing science over the issue. His recommendations include setting up a taskforce to research ROPS safety. He says in one report that the debate has raged for years . “There is a clash of scientific evidence followed by polarised views as to whether ROPS provide safety or undermine safety on a quad bike.” He says manufacturers argue that ROPS or CPDs (crush protection devices) can undermine the stability of a quad. The counter argument by academics, independent engi-

MTA’s Dougal Morrison says rollover protection won’t work if farmers attach heavy loads.

neers, farmers and agricultural technology innovators is that a farmer would be safer with an appropriate ROPS. Countless injuries and fatalities support that view.” Shortland says there’s a transTasman group which looks at ROPS and design issues but even it has entrenched opposing view-

points. “Therefore a dedicatory group of professionals within the New Zealand government regulator setup is worth considering.” But we should still work closely with the Australians on ROPS research findings. “Kiwi farmer are known to be stoic in their approach, self-assured in their own opinions and stalwart on how their farms should be run,” Shortland adds. “They often don’t take change very well.” But he praises the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment for its commitment to lift the bar on safe use of quads on farms. The ministry says in the new year it will call together all the parties involved with quads, from manufacturers to farm leaders, to work through how the coroner’s recommendations could be implemented. – Pam Tipa

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

10 NEWS

Water returns likely to please farmers Government proposals to reform fresh water management is likely to find favour with the

P E TE R BU R K E peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

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have been made with insufficient information. The proposed reforms provide that some core key scientific data be supplied to councils to help avoid prolonged legal battles. “In a country of 4.5 million people it makes no sense to be battling over the limited number of experts we have in this area. All we see is

“This package is to give communities a collaborative approach whereby they get in and sort the stuff up-front rather than at the end.” water and economic and community development. It sets out national minimum standards for water bodies. Maori values also assume a high priority. And it requires councils to use a collaborative model when producing their plans. The Government proposes regional councils be required to do ‘water accounting’, i.e. account for all water takes and sources of contamination to ensure better local decision making. Adams says in the past New Zealand has lacked sophistication in its use and management of fresh water. Decisions

the same battles over the same issues of science and economics fought time and time again, plan by plan, consent by consent across the country – which to most of us seems an enormous waste of resources. “This framework is to get consistency on the numerics, the framework and the application. This package is to give communities a collaborative approach whereby they get in and sort the stuff up-front rather than at the end.” The intention is a collaborative, rather than an adversarial, approach. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

NEWS 11 Not bed-time reading THE 76-PAGE consultation document is semi-technical and will require fine tooth-comb review by people interested in freshwater management. From the Government’s point of view the reforms are intended to find a ‘middle ground’ to appease farmers, who have long felt economic considerations were not given sufficient weight in council plans. At the same time, the Government has sought to give weight to Maori values and this document certainly does that. It also seeks somewhat to placate the environmental lobby and others, such as Fish and Game, which tends to blame farmers for all the problems in waterways. It also gives strong direction to regional councils that adversarial in-fighting over water quality and management might be resolved.

Predictable response to report from critics REACTION TO the proposed reforms is predictable: farming groups are generally in favour and environmentalists not too happy. HortNZ’s Chris Keenan likes the development of a ‘national objectives framework’ intended for use by councils and regulators to guide setting rules on the use of freshwater and land. “HortNZ can see major benefits for the industry, particularly in consistent regulation being set across the country. That alone will make business much easier for growers and will keep costs down. We are also delighted to see the inclusion of broader food production values including cultivation and food security.”

Guy talks up farmer progress PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Minister Nathan Guy, launching the proposals, says the recent drought focused attention on the importance of water to the national economy. Economic and environmental issues are interlinked, he says. “We can’t lose sight of one without the other. Most farmers are environmentalists and understand the need to improve our water quality. They want to leave the environment in a better state than they found it. Farmers recognise the importance of fresh water resources, they understand there will be costs and they have shown that and proven they want to work constructively.” Guy says farmers have

“Farmers are environmentalists and understand the need to improve our water quality,” says Nathan Guy.

fenced waterways and voluntarily signed the sustainable dairy accord. The task of improving water

quality rests with everyone, he says. “What the primary sector needs is reasonable timeframes to adjust, good science

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

NEWS 13

Lobby group urges return to co-ops P E TE R BU R K E peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

MEAT INDUSTRY Excellence (MIE) chairman John McCarthy says his group wants sheep and beef farmers to return to supplying their meat to the co-operatives MIE is encouraging support for the co-operative model. McCarthy says this includes urging sheep and beef farmers who don’t supply their co-op to become involved again and consider supplying – even just a small percentage of their kill.

“The most important thing is for farmers to become more active in their co-ops because of the cornerstone role they will play in achieving a sound industry strategy for the future. One critical aspect of farmers getting more involved with their co-ops was voting in elections for farmer-elected directors on the boards, and participating in annual meetings.” McCarthy says the candidates MIE has endorsed for this rotation of director elections are all staunchly pro co-op.

They are committed to strengthening their cooperatives to lead industry recovery, he says. “Farmers are more than merely suppliers to these co-ops. They are also shareholders and owners and they need to exercise their rights and responsibilities to ensure the viability of farming in the

“It makes no sense, when we are on the cusp of the biggest protein opportunity in our farming lifetimes, to do nothing and watch our sector shrink its way to success.” future. “Fears about risk of loss of supply were no reason

to hold back a proper debate about consolidation and integration. The

key to a successful transition lies with us, the farmer suppliers. It is up to us because we can control and participate in the whole value chain or we can be price takers in perpetuity.” McCarthy claims farmers have a choice. “We can continue to support the status quo or we can vote

for change. We can vote for a model that captures and retains value for farmers as opposed to leaking it. “It makes no sense, when we are on the cusp of the biggest protein opportunity in our farming lifetimes, to do nothing and watch our sector shrink its way to success.”

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

14 NEWS

Northland’s potential to be optimised PA M TI PA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

WORKING WITH MAORI trusts to optimise land use in Northland could be worth $715 million in gross

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Maori own. “The other important thing is if we can lift those farmers that are in the bottom 50% up to the average, that is worth $50m per annum. That’s

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where projects like PGP (Primary Growth Partnership) or the Sustainable Farming Fund come in,” he told Rural News. “Northland is sitting on a massive productive land base that has pretty good soil fertility and also favourable growing conditions. It is one of the regions that has an amazing amount of potential. The other one is the East Coast of the North Island.” Guy recently visited Northland to launch a programme to help unlock this potential. “This is the start of a wider programme by MPI to work in partnership with regions to help them further develop industries like agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and aquaculture.” MPI is already working with two Maori-owned farms in Northland. One involves the conversion of 270ha of Maori land to a dairy farm. The other involves providing technical support for a 2480ha dairy and beef farm to increase productivity, with the support of key partners including Landcorp, Dairy NZ and Te Tumu Paeroa. Guy visited both farms. The smaller one told him they wouldn’t have made the important step to dairy conversion without the leadership shown by MPI. “I drove through that farm, it is a beautiful farm with a lot of totara, it

is in a great location – they will have it up and going in March next year.” The farm is close to Northland College in Kaihohe, which also has its own farm, and is developing as a training hub in conjunction with Maori agribusiness. The farm had 56% increase in milk solids this season after some management changes. Lincoln is involved and several students told him they will study at Telford after leaving school. The other farm he visited, the 2480ha Sweetwaters, has been transferred from Crown to iwi ownership. Landcorp is basically the share milker and MPI, DairyNZ and Te Tumu Paeroa (the Maori trustee) are involved, all looking to lift the productivity. “You are going to end up having two very good projects that will showcase what future dairy has.” He also visited two smaller farms run by Omapere Rangihamama Trust near Kaikohe: Omapere is the beef farm and Rangihamama is the dairy farm. The next step in the MPI programme will involve formalising the Government’s partnership with the Northland Economic Advisory Group and holding a primary sector hui with partners including iwi, businesses, training and research institutes and local government.

GET SOCIAL facebook.com/ruralnews twitter.com/Rural_News ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rss www.ruralnews.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

NEWS 15

Maori farming myth needs hosing down P E TE R BU R K E peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A LEADING Maori agribusinesswoman says there’s a myth going around about the so-called ‘potential’ of Maori farming. Traci Houpapa, chair of the Federation of Maori Authorities and deputy chair of Landcorp, says people are saying Maori landholders and farmers need to lift their performance and productivity. But she says the same can also be said of non-Maori farming enterprises. Houpapa says because Maori are overrepresented in a number of negative statistics, there is an expectation that some of that might come from Maori landholders or Maori asset holders. “We are only one part of the story and it’s going to take a collective will and might across the full range of industries to turn that around. Perception is certainly a problem,” she told Rural News. “We know there are exemplary Maori-

owned farming enterprises and land-based enterprises in this country that can easily and quickly foot it with mainstream or non-Maori farming enterprises. “We don’t hear about that, so the efforts of the media – like you – to raise the consciousness of Maori achievement in Maori agribusiness is critical. Maori need to start patting themselves on the back and saying we are actually doing quite well.” Houpapa says there is no doubt dairying is offering the greatest returns at present, but she believes this means there are opportunities in sheep and beef to lift returns. “Some of that’s around industry aggregation, some of that’s also around starting to look at market and value chain plays and those discussions are ongoing. They are not going to happen overnight and it does take a collective mind and will to make those changes.”

Traci Houpapa, chair of the Federation of Maori Authorities says it is time to debunk the myth about Maori farming potential.

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Time to re-package farming as an exciting career TRACI HOUPAPA says more has to be done to encourage young people – especially young Maori – to make a career in agribusiness. Several initiatives are underway to do this. “The idea of getting up at 4 o’clock in the morning for six days a week doesn’t always inspire everyone, so what we need to do is re-package agribusiness for our young generation. That’s more looking at agribusiness in terms of the tech opportunities and the science and innovation,” she told Rural News. “It’s being able to see that careers are not necessarily just in farming or laboring, but in the wider agribusiness professions.” Schools and the universities have roles to play, Houpapa says, in putting agribusiness in all its many shapes and faces in front of students so they can make a career choice at the point of university or polytechnic. “Our research shows that for boys, decisions are made subconsciously about the age of 10 or 11 or 12 and in [girls] it’s between 10 and 12. So we need to start intercepting and influ-

encing career decisions at that early point,” she explains. “There are some good fun things that DairyNZ and Beef and Lamb are doing, as well as some of the farminga community. “The school system [must understand] that agribusiness is a career or choice alongside other professions like lawyers accountants. “Regardless of people watching films about hobbits and other activities – whether we think New Zealand has talent or not – 60% of our GDP comes from land-based activity so we need to put agribusiness up front.” Houpapa says employment is a major issue for Maori people, but typically they will default to dairying, labouring or shepherding positions. She says Maori need to be made aware of the science and technology positions that agriculture offers. Houpapa believes this will have spin-offs for Maori farming enterprises and will lift the returns to the individual shareholders in these trust and incorporations.

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NEWS 17 While the sun shines...

Harvesting of grass silage is in full swing near Opiki, in the Horowhenua region, last week. The mild winter and good spring has resulted in great grass growth and farmers are taking advantage of this to make extra supplementary feeds – in case the weather changes for the worse. Last year’s stocks of supplementary feed ran low in many parts of the country, earlier in the year, as farmers did their best to feed animals through the drought.

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Great start, but early days yet SUD ES H K I SSU N sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA HAS reported a great start to milk production, but it may be too early to talk about a record season. With only 35% of the season’s milk collected, enough rain and good pasture growth in summer will be crucial to keep production up. Fonterra says milk solids volume is 4.7% higher in the first five months of the 201314 season than in the last season: 531 million kgMS was collected during the five months, compared to 508m kgMS last season. The co-op was heading for a record production last season until drought hit parts of the North Island. Last season Fonterra produced 1463m kgMS, 2% lower than the 2011-12 record of 1493million kgMS. This season, Fonterra says spring conditions – strong winds and heavy rain – challenged farmers. But “despite these challenges daily milk volumes reached a record 87 million litres collected across New Zealand at peak on October 23 and volumes for October were up 3.7% com-

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pared to October last year.” DairyNZ’s regional team manager Craig McBeth says at the end of October about a third of milk for the season had been collected. Milk production in the South Island is up 6% and North Island 4% compared to the same period last year. McBeth says more dairy conversions and aggressive dairying in Canterbury, South Otago and Southland are lifting milk supply in these regions. In Waikato and Bay of Plenty pasture growth was good and some farmers were still making silage. “Two weeks ago, there was some good rain in parts of the North Island and this is giving farmers the confidence to continue grazing,” he told Rural News. But he recommends farmers maintain pasture cover at 1500kgDM/ha so there is good re-growth. McBeth is urging farmers to keep a close eye on the farm and be prepared for all eventualities. “Farmers must have prepared to respond if it rains or if it doesn’t rain over the coming months. It’s still early days in the season so weather depending we may have a great year or just a good year.”

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

18 NEWS

Hort seeks collaboration with wider Ag sector PA M TI PA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

HORTICULTURE NZ’S new president Julian Raine wants to do things differently to get better value for growers. He is talking with other farming groups like DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb and Federated Farmers to look for possible collaborative

approaches to their similar challenges. President since the end of July, Raine grows apples, boysenberries, kiwifruit, hops and blackcurrants on several Nelson properties. “I still have a lot of learn. I have been a [HortNZ] director for over two years, but I‘m always thirsty for more knowledge,” he told Rural News.

He is not a vegetable grower so is keen to learn more in that field, and in the first 12 months he plans to get around most growing areas. But he says New Zealand horticulture is in a “good space” with the two big export crops, kiwifruit and apples, doing well. “We are coming out of the dark days of Psa –Zespri

and Kiwifruit Vine Health have worked hard to get on top of the Psa. We are not going to eliminate it but everyone is working hard to learn to live with it. “We have come from a pretty dark era and a lot of growers can now see light at the end of the tunnel.” Apples are also in a good space. “Despite the high dollar, we asking for a reasonable return and by and large we are getting it.” As a grower he has confidence in Pipfruit NZ’s direction. The HortNZ board is

Julian Raine

due to sign a new five-year strategic plan next month and to hold discussions with 18 affiliated product groups. “We are talk-

ing with industry because we are trying to be more transparent with them than we have in the past. “We are spending

growers’ money, so we are trying to be inclusive and show people what we want to do and how the individual growers or group sectors fit into the overarching plan.” Previous plans did not have as much detail. “We don’t have a sufficient resource to do everything so we are trying to target things where we need more depth and forget about things that weren’t important. “It’s about doing things in a better way than in the past.”

Attracting people key to success HORTNZ PLANS more work to attract skilled people to the industry, says its new president, Julian Raine. Labour skills are one of four key areas HortNZ has pinpointed in its five-year strategic plan. “We are talking about enough people to be orchard managers, in the science and marketing world, advisors and technical advisors,” Raines told Rural News. The industry body’s work with Careers NZ, schools and its leadership programmes are being stepped up to show the opportunities available. From tractor drivers to administration people, they are all skilled positions, he says. “People want to work outdoors; we are showing there are plenty of opportunities to be part of a growing industry.” Skilled labour has been lost to Australia and mining, to retirement, and to scientists moving

on when they are not well funded. Horticulture has about 5500 commercial growers but needs a further 95,000 workers in the industry. About half are casual employees, but HortNZ’s focus is on the other 50,000 permanent employees needed. But it won’t be ignoring the need to also bring in about 8000 workers a year from other countries for seasonal work, mainly in kiwifruit, apples, wine and some vegetables. It will work with growers’ sectors to keep track of their seasonal needs. Biosecurity is also one of the four key aspects of the five-year plan. HortNZ is working at a high level to make sure the Government is getting the framework right for the Government Industry Agreements (GIA). The 22 individual product groups under HortNZ will then sign individual GIAs. HortNZ also plans to keep talking with Government

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over border maintenance. Another focus is natural resources. HortNZ spends about a third of its budget on dealing with government and local bodies at the policy level. “We are getting the framework right on maintaining the right to farm.” HortNZ also submits to regional and district councils on policies and plan changes. They are now dealing with 50 of the 70 councils and that’s an ongoing process. The fourth key focus is compliance. “We need to be sure there are sensible rules on a broad range from the Food Act to transport acts.” HortNZ sits on about 20 committees to enable growers to farm with sensible rules. “We don’t want to see silly rules. We are lawful and sensible and farming for the next generations, but we don’t want to be completely disconnected from the regulators.

Growth is in the air. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ANZ Privately-Owned Business Barometer shares the three rules of thumb for farmers wanting to prime their businesses for growth. Contact your ANZ Agri Manager for a complimentary copy or download it from anzbarometer.co.nz

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15835

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

20 NEWS Right people on right roles vital THE EVOLVING focus on profitability means having the right people in the right roles is more important than ever. ANZ managing director commercial and agri Graham Turley sees a move to more formal structures in larger businesses – a separation of operational, management and governance roles.

“This allows a clear focus on addressing the big people issues, such as family succession and finding and keeping experienced staff. “Smaller firms may struggle to gain access to the expertise and resources they need to up-skill. A solution for many lies in collaboration with like-minded busi-

“In the coming year farmers will continue to invest in improving efficiency and lifting production.” nesses or through sector groups or other structures which help to integrate the supply chain.” The ANZ Barometer also found many farmers are interested in buying more land. And the

emergence of profit as an overriding objective means there is also an increased willingness to improve farm infrastructure. “In the coming year farmers will continue to

invest in improving efficiency and lifting production in areas such as pasture and animal genetics. But we’re also seeing more farmers wanting to invest in improving water security, environmental compliance, infrastructure and land use change such as cow housing and standoff facilities,” Turley says. – Sudesh Kissun

Teachers taken on the road to see farming first-hand A SCHEME to get more young people to make a career in agribusiness starts in Wellington later this month. Thirty four careers advisors and science teachers from 14 Wellington-region secondary schools will take a daylong tour of a top-class sheep and beef and cropping farm near Bulls, then Peter Burke visit Massey University to look at food technology and the dairy industry. Several farming experts will give commentary on the bus trip, and recent young graduates from Massey and Lincoln universities will speak about their new-found careers in agribusiness. The scheme is the initiative of Rural News senior reporter Peter Burke. It arises from his offer to his former college, St Pats Town (Wellington), to “take a few students” on a farm visit. The careers advisor at St Pats suggested other colleges might be interested. “In the end it was agreed we should take teachers rather than students. When I made a presentation to them about some of the opportunities I see every day in my job they were very enthusiastic,” Burke says. “They were also ‘blown away’ when I started to roll off some of the statistics about the agriculture sector.”

“I’m out on farms most weeks and see such wonderful innovation taking place. I also think city kids need to understand there is a huge range of well-paid and exciting jobs on and off-farm.” Burke says Massey and Lincoln Universities, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ have helped pay for the trip and put up people to speak on the bus tour. “Hew Dalrymple has also been supportive by allowing us to visit his farm,” he added. “I think the teachers will be impressed by what they see at his place and at Massey.” Burke says he keeps hearing conference speakers say something has to be done to show young people that agriculture is more than getting up at 4am to milk cows or that it is a career for ‘dummies’. His small initiative beats doing nothing, he says, and should support other schemes by the universities and industry-good organisations. “City folk, especially young people, never get to see the incredibly fancy technology used in the agribusiness sector,” Burke explains. “I’m out on farms most weeks and see such wonderful innovation taking place. I also think city kids need to understand there is a huge range of wellpaid and exciting jobs on and off-farm.” The Minister for Primary Industries will host the group at Parliament at the end of the trip. He is very supportive of the initiative, Burke says. If the day goes well he may seek money for more such events out of Wellington and in other regions. Rural News Group – publisher of Rural News – is giving Burke time to work on the project.

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

WORLD 21

Lactose-free milk tastes success SUD ES H K I SSU N sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FINNISH DAIRY processor Valio’s experiment with lactose-free milk 12 years ago had sceptics, even within the farmerowned cooperative. Some employees asked whether it was the right thing to do, said Valio export manager Maritta Timonen, at the recent World Dairy Summit in Yokohama. But speaking on the use of technology and innovation to communicate the benefits of dairy to consumers, Timonen said the ‘Eila (shortened version of ‘No Lactose’ in Finnish)’ brand of lactose-free milk drink – twice as expensive as conventional milk – defied all expectations. Valio launched the world’s first lactose-free milk drink for test marketing in Finland in 2001, targeting first year sales of one million L, which was reached within the first two months. Sales hit 12 million L in 2002 and topped 70 million L in 2010. Today Valio’s Eila lactose-free milk drink is one of its most popular domestic products with net sales for the lactose-free range amounting over 150 euros in 2012. Containing less than 0.01% lactose, Eila is the

world’s first dairy product to give people who cannot tolerate lactose the chance to enjoy the taste of fresh milk again, and reap the nutritional benefits that come with it. In Finland, the Eila product cannot be sold as milk but as a milk drink because one part of the lactose is removed and rest is hydrolysed using a lactase enzyme. Timonen says this makes the milk drink lactose-free while allowing it to retain the “milk taste”. Valio had low-lactose milk in the market prior to Eila’s launch but consumers complained it was too sweet. “But lactose intolerant consumers liked the no-lactose milk drink and we’re happy to get milk back into their diets in Finland,” she says. Marketing has been a key to Eila’s success. In Finland, Timonen says, consumers were told what is lactose-free milk. The first targets were lactose intolerant individuals and their families. Then the company moved into the food service sector promoting the use of lactose-free ingredients in cooking. “We explained that all good nutrients are present in lactose-free dairy products and taste all the same.” Today, Eila products

Valio’s lactose-free products, which are made under license outside Finland.

are sold in 12 markets – Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine. Valio’s technology licensees sell their brands in Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, South Korea and Norway. Valio supplies 40 different lactose-free products including for example milks, yoghurts, creams, quarks, cheeses, butter and milkpowders. Timonen says with social media, marketing has become much easier compared to the launch

12 years ago. “Today it’s much easier to spread your message in a more efficient way.’ Timonen says like other countries, Finland is also experiencing a declining trend in milk consumption. “However, the lactose-free milk drink has helped to get new milk consumers and helped buck the trend,” she says. • Sudesh Kissun attended the 2013 World Dairy Summit in Yokohama, Japan with the assistance of the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

About Valio • Owned by co-operatives with 7900 farmers • Processes 1.9b L of milk every year with net sales of 2 billion euros • Has 18 processing plants and employs 4600 employees • Has subsidiaries in Sweden, Baltics, Russia, the US and China.

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

BEEF MARKET TRENDS

MARKET SNAPSHOT 







 

 

BEEF PRICES

 









































LAMB PRICES Change

c/kgCWT

P2 Steer - 300kg







 



 

  







4.65

4.25

6.10

6.20

5.70

-10

6.11

6.21

5.71

MX1 - 21kg

n/c

3.50

3.20

YM - 13.5kg

n/c

5.98

5.31

PM - 16.0kg

n/c

5.98

5.33

3.15

PX - 19.0kg

n/c

5.98

5.35

2.95

3.00

PH - 22.0kg

n/c

5.98

5.36

4.32

4.15

n/c

3.43

2.95

Last Year

5yr Ave

n/c

4.50

4.25

Mutton

P2 Steer - 300kg

n/c

4.35

4.10

SI Lamb

M2 Bull - 300kg

n/c

4.15

3.98

P2 Cow - 230kg

n/c

3.10

M Cow - 200kg

n/c

2.95

Local Trade - 230kg

n/c

4.32

+16%

Cattle NZ

+17%

Bull NI

+28%

Bull SI

+40%

Str NI

+20%

Str SI

+5%

Cows NI

+7%

Cows SI

+47%

20,905 85,572 5,766

55,610

62,317

64,684

17,554

21,477

21,080

73,164

83,794

85,763

4,503

4,970

4,961

629

687

1,135

16,202

15,570

17,111

879 19,428 8,438 18,561 4,987

Mutton

1000s

604

524

469

529

326

223

564

282

Lamb NZ

+24%

930

748

733

809

Mutton NZ

-58%

106

 

8,065

10,260

9,552

20,543

20,666



3,386

3,265

3,358

 

 

           

Export Market Demand

 

        

 

  

Export Market Demand Change

















2.05

2.17

1.73

NZ$/kg

-2

5.45

5.47

5.87

5.18



Change











3 Wks Ago

Last Year

5yr Ave

% Returned NI

+0%

82.6%

82.3%

73.22%

76.8%

% Returned SI

-1%

76.1%

76.8%

67.8%

70.3%

   







 



Procurement Indicator







Change

2Wks Ago

3 Wks Ago

% Returned NI

+0%

81.3%

81.0%

103.5%

71.6%

% Returned SI

-0%

77.4%

77.8%

97.5%

69.2%

Last Year 5yr Ave



2Wks Ago









 



Procurement Indicator



 

8.80



2.06





1.83

5.80



 





1.34

7.78







1.82

7.75







1.82

-3

5yr Ave



 

n/c

Last Year





Last Year 5yr Ave

NZ$/kg 2 Wks Ago





2 Wks Ago

UK Leg £/lb

Last Week

95CL US$/lb



Last Week

Change



  

Last Year 5yr Ave

+46%







Aug

+15%





Sep

Lamb NI





Total Monthly Kill Change

Lamb SI

17,420

 

MX1 - 21kg

NZ Slaughter

Total Monthly Kill

+19%

5.66

-10

Local Trade - 230kg

Cattle SI

5.68

6.16

PX - 19.0kg

3.50

Cattle NI

6.18

6.06

PH - 22.0kg

3.50

64,667

6.08

3.40

3.50

n/c

Aug

Last Year

3.50

n/c

M Cow - 200kg

Sep

2 Wks Ago

-10

P2 Cow - 230kg

Change

-10

YM - 13.5kg

Last Week

PM - 16.0kg





NI Lamb

4.25

1000s



4.65

Change

c/kgCWT

4.50

NZ Slaughter



Last Year

4.50



 

2 Wks Ago

n/c



  

n/c

Last Week

M2 Bull - 300kg



LAMB MARKET TRENDS

       

 











 







 





 









 



        

 











 

  





Venison Prices











 





Change



 Beef  & venison prices are reported as gross (before normal levies & charges are deducted). Lamb & mutton prices are reported nett (after levies & charges are deducted).

Last Week

2 Wks Ago

Last Year 5yr Ave

NI Stag - 60kg

-10

6.95

7.05

7.35

8.20

SI Stag - 60kg

-15

7.35

7.50

8.00

8.61



Stock as security who would have thought

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

NEWS

PRICE WATCH



WOOL PRICE WATCH

BEEF

Change

07-Nov

31-Oct

Coarse Xbred Indic.

5.85

5.82

3.93

Fine Xbred Indicator

-12

5.91

6.03

4.68

Lamb Indicator

Mid Micron Indic.

7.68

8.58

Beef export prices remain firm

Indicators in NZ$

While cattle slaughter is on the rise in both islands, it is still below historical levels, and there is some good competition occurring to procure stock. Export prices have subsequently remained high last week, and are picked to stay the same into next week. In the North export steer was at $4.65/kg with bull at $4.50/kg. In the South Island steer was at $4.35/kg and bull at $4.15/kg. Prices in both islands are 20-30c/kg above this time last time and are resulting in higher than average procurement rates and lower than average processing margins for companies. With slaughter on the increase, companies would like to see some downwards movement in FOPs, however the numbers of killable cattle do not appear to be there this year, so it is likely the high prices will hang around for a bit longer.



Bull market struggling



        



As is expected, with the last boat for the Christmas trade already gone, lamb prices began their downwards slide last week. Not all companies brought schedules back; a sign of the increased competition this years tighter supplies have wrought, but the majority did. The aforementioned procurement competition is likely to prevent prices from moving down too quickly. $6.20/kg gross was where the North Island market was at last week and the South was $6.00/kg gross.

Numbers of new seasons lambs offered on store increased significantly last week in the North Island, enough to begin to provide a good indication of where this season’s market is at. Only limited numbers have made it to auction in the South Island. Prices at the very beginning of the season were high, with most sales at auction recording around $3.50/kg. Last week prices settled down a bit and the range was more like $2.80-$3.20/kg or between $80$90/head.

Whole Milk Powder Cheddar

Prev. 2 Wks

Last Year

-160

4802

4962

3990

+155

5582

5428

4112

-207

5957

6164

4143

+170

5462

5292

4849



 









 













 







  







 



 











Overseas Price Indicators Indicators in US$/kg

Change

Coarse Xbred Indicator

07-Nov

31-Oct

4.90

4.80

-3

4.95

4.98

3.83

6.43

7.01

Mid Micron Indicator

 

3.22

Indicators in US$/T









Last 2 Wks

Prev. 2 Wks

Last Year

+138

4650

4513

3350

-163

4963

5125

3375

+150

4550

4400

3950

Change

Butter

-125

Skim Milk Powder Whole Milk Powder Cheddar







Overseas Price Indicators Last Year

4000

4125

3250

 

 



 







 













 





NI new season store market springs to life

Skim Milk Powder

Last 2 Wks



Lamb Indicator

Downwards pressure appears on lamb prices

Butter





Change



Fine Xbred Indicator

LAMB



Indicators in NZ$/T





The bull market appears to be struggling at present. Reports indicate there are large numbers of 250-300kg 1 year bulls around, and they are proving hard to move. There is a large range in price; between $2.30-$2.60/kg in the North Island and $2.00-$2.30/kg in the South. Some believe this market will pick up once the killable bulls come out, others think changing land use to dairy support and company liveweight gain contracts are dampening demand. Weaner bulls are proving equally as hard to move and prices range from $330-$400/hd in both islands. These prices may prove a barrier to rearers when considering the economics of rearing calves next year; which is not good news for the bull beef industry.

DAIRY PRICE WATCH Last Year

 

   







 











 

  









 











 











2012/13 lamb exports 17% up on last year Final export stats for the 2012/13 year show NZ lamb exports reached 328,000 tonnes, 17% up on the previous year and the highest exported volume since the 2007/08 season. China has replaced the UK as our leading lamb export destination, taking 27% of our lamb. This market has experienced 72% growth compared with last year. While the UK market lost some market share to China, it still represents 23% of exported volume, which is similar to historical levels. Lamb exports for the 2013/14 are expected to reduce again following the smaller 2013 lamb crop.

CURRENCY WATCH vs. NZ Dollar



0.833

0.826

0.830

0.815

Euro

0.621

0.610

0.613

0.639

UK pound

0.518

0.515

0.519

0.510



Aus dollar

0.880

0.872

0.876

0.783

Japan yen

81.82

81.10

81.74

64.76

 

Euro

US Dollar



US dollar



DAIRY

Last Week 2 Wks Ago 4 Wks Ago Last Year





 









UK Pound 











Whole milk powder prices fall



Increasing supply from both NZ and the US has had downwards pressure on whole milk powder prices with a 3.7% decrease reported at the GlobalDairyTrade auction at the beginning of Nov. NZ’s production is reportedly 5% ahead of last year, and additional milk volumes are still being channelled to WMP manufacturers.

 Aug

 

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

  













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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

24 AGRIBUSINESS

New slant on precision farming grows business P E TE R BU R K E peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

ON THE outskirts of Palmerston North, agricultural contractor Paul Linklater is busy, apparently like hundreds of other farmers, cultivating a paddock. But closer inspection shows something different – an invention that adds new meaning to the concept of ‘precision agriculture’. Linklater specialises in ‘strip tillage’, but has gone one stage further than most by designing and building his own machine – one that attracted interest from farmers nationwide when he demonstrated it at a Beef + Lamb field day earlier this year. Linklater has a passion for the land, not so much

the hands-on farming, but the machinery side of the business. He did a year at Lincoln University, but was also driving harvesters for Watties and was offered a job driving pea harvesters in the UK. “So I did a couple of seasons going back and forth between England and New Zealand driving pea harvesters and other farm machinery. Then I got offered a job in Australia, initially running harvest crews for a company called Cedenco with tomatoes,” he told Rural News. “I then moved into the farming side and ended up managing some of the company’s farming operation, where we had 1000ha under drip irrigation in Victoria. I worked for them for five years and then transferred back to

Gisborne with Cedenco.” When Cedenco went into receivership Linklater decided to shift back to Manawatu and establish his own agricultural contracting business. An added motive was that his father and brother were looking at growing fodder beet and Paul, with his knowledge of strip tillage, felt he could make a difference to that trial. “With my agricultural contracting business it was a case of trying to create a point of difference, to a degree, by developing a niche market. There were many contractors out there planting crops, but it was case of offering a service no one else was offering.” Strip tillage is a system whereby only strips of a paddock are worked where a crop is later planted.

These are sprayed out, but it means 50-60% of the paddock is still available for grazing for up to six weeks before the crop is planted. The other advantage is that the area not worked is hard and makes it easier for tractors to work on if the paddock is wet. While the concept of strip tillage is not new, the machine Linklater has developed is unique. “After a lot of trial and error we have designed a strip sprayer that burns out strips in the paddock. As the tractor is running on GPS [the strips are recorded],” he explains. “The machine I have designed goes back in and works that band that’s been sprayed and plants and fertilises it in one pass. “Other people are running

Paul Linklater has taken precision agriculture to a new level with his specialist strip tillage machine.

strip tillage machines, but I don’t know of anyone doing everything in one pass,” he adds. Linklater designed and built his first machine in 2011 and admits it was as much error as trial. “We have tried all sorts of systems to get the soil to be pliable so it’s great for

planting into,” he told Rural News. “We now have a package doing a good job. The advantage over direct drilling is that you get better plant establishment because you are getting worked soil around a seed – versus dropping a seed into a hard slot which is

hit-and-miss.” A ripping tine on the machine goes reasonably deep and allows a root structure to punch through, which gets more moisture, he says. “Because you are doing everything in one pass you are conserving moisture.” TO PAGE 25

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

AGRIBUSINESS 25 Mark III machine on its way after Christmas FROM PAGE 24

Graham Turley

Meat co-ops must build bridges – banker SUD ES H K I SSU N sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

THE TWO major meat cooperatives must build more bridges with farmer owners, says ANZ managing director commercial and agri Graham Turley. He points out that farmer lobby MIE is made up of owners of both co-ops – Alliance and Silver Fern Farms. Yet the co-ops’ management and MIE are “acting like two different organisations,” he says. “So, fundamentally there is a collaboration or communication issue there,” he told Rural News last week at the launch of the ANZ Privately Owned Business Barometer in Auckland. “For those businesses to actually have a step change and be more successful offshore, they need to be successful onshore – in their own marketplace first. A number of bridges need to be built and there must be a lot more collaboration and more transparency. There are models out there which work so farmers and the meat co-ops need to work together.” Profitability and scale is one focus of the ANZ Privately Owned Business Barometer for farmers in building a sustainable platform for long-term growth. The other two are people and planning, and investment. Turley says it’s not being the biggest player that matters, but being the most profitable. “It’s not about having the most cows but making the most money from those cows.” For the meat sector, forming a mega meat co-op may not be the answer. It doesn’t matter whether you have a big or small co-op, Turley says. “Neither is right, neither is wrong….the key issue is to understand what you are. It’s about knowing what your consumer and your market is, where your supply comes from, having a good supply chain and making sure they are all working together.” For small businesses, it’s about getting the resources of the bigger entity without being big, he adds. Turley says an emerging focus on profitability represents a shift in thinking that’s driving the decision-making of leaders in all sectors of agribusiness. This signals a move from farming for capital gain based on land acquisition, to decision-making focused more on investment. This new model is more concerned with cashflow and sustainable growth, and has a strong focus on returns. “More farmers across all agri sectors are now talking about profit performance, where before they talked about hectares, stock numbers and production numbers,” he says. However, scale and productivity still have a role. Turley says lack of scale in red meat, wool, vegetable and some horticultural sectors is restraining growth, partly because smaller businesses have less opportunity to introduce broader skills. “Greater collaboration and learning from the success of others can help unlock potential.” Turley says exporters should not be trying to beat each other offshore, but help each other offshore. “We have to harness scale, become the Team NZ in the business sense.”

PAUL LINKLATER says his new machine works well for fodder beet and maize in particular, and he believes it would work on a crop such as squash. In his first season he worked mostly on the family farm. But the ‘bush telegraph’ is generating increasing demand for his service. The machine can plant 85,000 seeds/ha at an accuracy as fine as 2cm.

new design taking concepts from what I have learned about how the machine works. The biggest thing to try to achieve is to get soil flow through the machine – especially when it’s got moisture in it; but I think I have come up with the right solution for that.” Linklater is looking to secure patents on his invention and has an eye on its future.

Linklater is looking to secure patents on his invention and has an eye on its future. Like most scientists and inventors, Linklater is not completely satisfied with his machine. “After Christmas we’ll be building Mark III, a completely

Paul Linklater

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

26 AGRIBUSINESS

FRANCIS WOLFGRAM FINANCE MATTERS

New Zealand Market Three months ended

Twelve months ended

September 2013

Commodity 2012

2013

$(million)

% Change

2012

2013

$(million)

% Change

Milk powder, butter, and cheese

2,245

2,398

6.8

11,828

11,473

-3.0

Meat and edible offal

999

986

-1.3

5,131

5,237

2.1

Logs, wood, and wood articles

788

1,085

37.7

3,061

3,671

19.9

Fruit

504

425

-15.7

1,614

1,472

-8.8

Fish, crustaceans, and molluscs

343

348

1.6

1,378

1,350

-2.0

Wine

347

372

7.1

1,205

1,234

2.4

Wool

139

175

26.1

749

715

-4.6

Other animal originated products

6.4

434

448

3.2

Vegetables

0.8

407

406

-0.4

Live animals

-19.8

242

231

-4.3

Eggs, honey, and other edible animal products

40.5

136

170

25.5

Totals

5,606

6,036

8.2

26,184

26,406

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RECENT EXPORT data from Statistics New Zealand shows the value of our agricultural exports, for the most part, posted decent gains in the three-month and oneyear time frame during the September 2013 quarter. Big movers of note were logs, wood and wood articles, wool, eggs, honey and other edible animal products. Fruit and live animal exports went against the trend posting steep declines, which brought down the overall average. Moving into 2014 the demand outlook for New Zealand’s commodity exports remains optimistic as does the longer-term outlook for global food prices, which would underpin our overall export returns. The rapid growth in Asian demand, with its changing appetites and consumption patterns and increasing incomes, all favour New Zealand’s position as a net food

exporter. There are headwinds for the rural economy however, because volatility in the demand for global commodities will persist as worldwide supplies of agricultural products – particularity dairy – begin to increase. Strong export prospects mean the New Zealand dollar should remain relatively high against the US dollar. Interest rates are also expected to rise in 2014, as the Canterbury rebuild, rising house prices and stronger export revenues will have the New Zealand economy firing on all cylinders – causing the reserve bank to raise interest rates to prevent the economy from overheating. Despite these possible headwinds confidence amongst those in the rural economy is firm, as pointed out in the latest quarterly Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey completed in late October 2013. Buoyed by strong

dairy prices and an improving outlook in the red meat sector, 54% of farmers surveyed expect conditions to improve over the next 12 months and only 6% expect them to worsen – down from 8% last survey. New Zealand farmers’ investment intentions remain strong: 94% of those surveyed expect to increase or maintain the level of investment in their farm businesses compared with 92% in the previous survey. Farmers’ expectations of their own businesses have also climbed: 57% expect their farm business performance to improve over the coming year, up from 55% previously; only 5% expect it to deteriorate compared with 10% last survey. In line with the overall high confidence levels, farm viability was also up: 68% of farmers consider their business viable or easily viable, up from 60% in the previous survey.

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

AGRIBUSINESS 27

Fonterra chair gets an extra $1k SUD ES H K I SSU N sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA CHAIRMAN John Wilson is set to get a $1000 pay rise this month. The co-op’s director remuneration committee is recommending the chairman’s fee increases to $405,000, a rise of 0.25%. The committee of six shareholders also recommends directors’ fees rise from $161,000 to $165,000, an increase of 2.1%. The recommendations will be voted on at the co-op’s annual meeting in Invercargill on November 27. In meeting notes sent to shareholders this month, the director remuneration committee says in July it looked at the market expectations and trends for director fees in New Zealand and overseas. The committee says it’s important to set realistic fee levels, having particular regard to the broader market, to ensure skilled directors are attracted and retained on the board. “The committee also had regard for market trends, as well as the path

previously identified, to adjust both the absolute and relative fees for directors to align to market realities.” In 2010 the committee decided director fees in Fonterra were modest in comparison to other major New Zealand companies. Over the next two years, Fonterra directors’ fees increased substantially. The committee says the fees are now at “a level of equivalence with the market consistent with the fees at the time of Fonterra’s establishment” and “fee levels are now at a generally appropriate level”. Fee levels will now be managed “to avoid as far as possible the need for substantial adjustments year to year.” Also recommended is that the chair of each permanent board committee may be paid an additional $31,000. Such payments are now capped at $30,300. While there is a token increase in allowance for directors, Fonterra Shareholders Council members will get a hefty increase, from $25,250 to $30,000

– an 18.8% increase. However, the council chairman and deputy chairman’s fee remains at $90,900 and $55,500 respectively. The remuneration committee notes the priorities and expectations on councillors in the TAF environment and the governance and representation review.

It says the role of councillors is an important one and “a more significant increase in the honoraria is justified to attract and recognise shareholders of a high calibre serving in that capacity”. The annual meeting, at Fonterra’s Edendale site, will also pass the council’s annual budget.

Apart from electing three farmer-appointed directors, the meeting will ratify appointment of two directors: David Jackson and Simon Israel. Jackson is chairman of the co-op’s audit, finance and risk committee. Israel, who joined the board this year, is the first Asia-based appointee.

Fonterra chair John Wilson’s annual fee will lift by 0.25% to $405,000.

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MULTI-TALENTED AGRI student Cameron Black has won Massey University’s 2013 prize for the top agriculture student. This goes to the student contributing most to the wellbeing and reputation of fellow students in agriculture and horticulture. Institute of agriculture and environment head professor Peter Kemp says Black is a fitting recipient “involved in many activities that make him the ideal candidate.” He has helped organise a sheep shearing demonstration, various Massey agriculture professional development seminars and heavy traffic licence training for students. “He has held several roles in the Young Farmers Club… at Massey, including sheriff, vice president and most recently as professional development officer…. He has performed well at a national level in speechmaking and been a valuable member of the Massey agriculture debating team.”

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

28 OPINION EDITORIAL

EDNA

Vote! THE CYNICAL suggestion “Vote early, and vote often” is attributed to infamous gangster Al Capone and his attempts to rig elections in his general favour. While there is no suggestion of any such unsavoury behaviour in the upcoming meat co-operative elections, the call for red meat producers to participate has gone out loud and clear – vote! Sheep and beef producers are being extolled to participate in both the Alliance Group and Silver Fern Farm director elections and help change the outlook for the struggling red meat sector. These calls are led by the farmer lobby group and agent for sector change, the Meat Industry Excellence group (MIE), which believes new blood on both the boards of Silver Fern Farms and Alliance Group will see the start of its proposed industry revolution. MIE chairman John McCarthy claims the upcoming meat co-op elections “offered a clear choice between the status quo, which was unsustainable, and a chance to take control of the value chain and force the much-needed change….” Lofty claims, but are they realistic? Are these assertions simplistic and naïve? Former MIE members Richard Young and Dan Jex-Blake are both standing for election to the Silver Fern Farms board. And fellow ex-MIE member Don Morrison has tossed his hat into the ring for the Alliance board. However, a move by MIE to get Fonterra director John Monaghan also onto Alliance’s board hit a technical glitch. Monaghan was ruled out as a farmer candidate for Alliance’s board when it deemed he did not meet the company’s constitutional criteria for farmer-elected directors. Now there’s an effort to get him appointed as an independent. Alliance chairman Murray Taggart told Rural News (Nov 5) that Monaghan’s background doesn’t appear to fit the criteria the board are looking for in an independent to replace Owen Poole. While not questioning Monaghan’s ability, Taggart said Alliance needs diversity at its board table and already had strong representation from farming and dairying. All fair points. No one would argue that current red meat returns are sustainable or desirable. Nor does anyone not think better returns for all parts of the meat sector are necessary. Who knows if MIE-backed candidates are the right or wrong answer to the industry’s serious problems? That is for meat co-op shareholders to ultimately decide. However, what red meat producers cannot afford do is allow apathy to rein. They need to get abreast of the industry issues, ask questions, do their homework then cast an informed vote.

RURAL NEWS HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 3855, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140 PUBLISHER: Brian Hight .............................................. Ph 09 307 0399 GENERAL MANAGER: Adam Fricker ........................................... Ph 09 913 9632 CONSULTING EDITOR: David Anderson .......................................Ph 09 307 0399 davida@ruralnews.co.nz

“Safest quad bike I’ve ever had – I could never start it!”

THE HOUND

Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound? Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz

On the outer?

Ego clash

Green envy

THE HOUND wonders if Labour’s primary industries spokesman Damien O’Connor’s increasingly shrill digs at targets in the sector including Fonterra, Zespri, MPI and the TPP trade negotiations, to name a few, have more to do with internal frustrations than anything else. It is understood O’Connor was close to former leader David Shearer, but not so with current boss David Cunliffe. Talk around the traps is that in any future Labour/Green coalition, Labour may offer the primary industries portfolio to the Greens as one of their cabinet positions, rather than give up labour or education which are closer to its base.

SPEAKING OF David Cunliffe, your old mate understands the new Leader of the Opposition turned down an offer to speak on the radio with Farming Show host Jamie ‘Don’t-you-knowwho-I-am?’ McKay. Typically, McKay has taken Cunliffe’s rejection to heart and whinged like a spoilt child at Christmas. The Hound suggests – seeing both men have a messiah complex – that any discussion would have fallen foul of their huge egos anyway. Farmers wanting less ego-tripping and more information do better to change stations and listen to Richard Loe’s On the Field radio show instead.

YOUR CANINE crusader reckons farmers had better get used to the idea of bearing a backlash from any new Labour/ Green government if they win power next year. Labour is, at best, ambivalent towards the rural sector; the Greens are openly hostile. For proof of this, note the Green’s co-leader Russel Norman’s latest crusade questioning the benefits of Government investment in irrigation schemes: he claims it is money wasted. This old mutt reckons if you think farming is tough now, just wait until Norman and co get into government.

TECHNICAL EDITOR: Andrew Swallow ................... Ph 03 688 2080 PRODUCTION: Dave Ferguson ........................Ph 09 913 9633 Becky Williams ........................Ph 09 913 9634 REPORTERS: Sudesh Kissun ....................... Ph 09 913 9627 Pamela Tipa ............................ Ph 09 913 9630 Peter Burke .............................Ph 06 362 6319 SUB-EDITOR: Neil Keating ............................Ph 09 913 9628 WEBSITE PRODUCER: James Anderson .................... Ph 09 913 9621

50 pieces of silver! THE HOUND sees Dr Mike Joy(less) has been awarded a gong from his union mates. The good ‘doctor’ was honoured for “his promotion of academic freedom and contribution to public education” at the Tertiary Educators Union’s (TEU) second annual awards recently. Your old mate reckons Joy – or Dr Doom as he’s better known in agricultural circles – who supposedly teaches at Massey University, in fact spends more time pontificating about how evil farming and dairy farming are for our environment.

Why? ACCORDING TO Sir Ralph Norris, chair of Fonterra’s internal board investigation into the botulism botch up, “No single event or action of one individual can be held entirely responsible for what occurred.” Fair enough, then. So the Hound and many others are now asking why Gary Romano, former manufacturing boss and company frontman during the early part of the crisis, was allowed to resign? Should he not have been put on gardening leave until the outcome of this inquiry? Or was Fonterra so keen to appear to be doing something that Romano was allowed to walk the plank without getting a fair hearing?

NATIONAL SALES MANAGER: Ted Darley .......... Ph 07 854 6292/021 832 505 ted@ruralnews.co.nz

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AUCKLAND SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Stephen Pollard ....Ph 09 913 9637/021 963 166 stephenp@ruralnews.co.nz

SOUTH ISLAND SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Kaye Sutherland Ph 03 337 3828/021 221 1994 kayes@ruralnews.co.nz

TAURANGA SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Tony Hopkinson .. Ph 07 579 1010/021 949 226 hoppy1@clear.net.nz

ABC audited circulation 81,232 as at 30.06.2013

Rural News is published by Rural News Group Ltd. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of staff, management or directors of Rural News Group Ltd.

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

OPINION 29

Do you want uranium with that? CONCERNS ABOUT ‘peak phosphate’ are raised every few years. Does the world have enough for food production? Should we be using it more sparingly? Could we recover phosphorus from waste? The answer is almost certainly ‘yes’ to all questions – but how much are we prepared to pay? New Zealand uses about one million tonnes of phosphate each year to meet plant growth demands. In September this year, the proposal to mine rock phosphate from the Chatham Rise received media coverage, with a debate on environment versus economics.

The arguments are based on what might happen to the ecology of the sea floor if mining is allowed to proceed. The Chatham rise is under protection from bottom dredging (it is a Benthic protection area) but not from mining. Mining could affect a very wide area by increasing sediment which could then affect corals and sponges that act as nurseries for fish. The contra argument is estimates of 15 years mining, delivering $900 million benefit to the New Zealand economy and offsetting the need to import phosphate rock. Of further importance, explained by

New Zealand uses about one million tonnes of phosphate each year to meet plant growth demands.

the developers, is that the Chatham Rise phosphate has lower cadmium concentrations than overseas sources. As nobody wants cadmium concentration to increase in New Zealand soils, the low cadmium concentration could be attractive. What hasn’t been mentioned in the debate is uranium.

Chatham Rise phosphate rock has relatively high uranium concentration and relatively low phosphorus concentration. This was shown in a paper from the Fertilizer and Lime Research Centre, Massey University, published in 1986. Of the ten sources of rock phosphate analysed from around the world, Chatham Rise phosphate rock had the worst ratio – the most uranium per unit of the required phosphorus. The researchers concluded that “higher concentrations of arsenic, cadmium and uranium in a number of phosphate rock materials highlight the need for a more thorough understanding of the significance of the amounts of these elements in assessing the potential of a phosphate rock for direct application”. The research indicated that Chatham Rise phosphate rock had low concentration of cadmium – but that Moroccan phosphate rock, the source of New Zealand’s phosphate rock imports, was also low. Arsenic was not determined in Chatham Rise rock and was low in Moroccan rock. Cadmium and uranium in soils has been analysed under long-term superphosphate trials by a team lead by Professor Louis Schipper at the University of Waikato. The researchers concluded that the small amounts of uranium present in New Zealand soils were tightly bound in the organic matter. They

also concluded that at the “moderate and realistic” quantities of superphosphate used in hill country, cadmium is unlikely to become a concern. Naturally this prediction presupposes no major increases in the source material. Using Chatham Rise phosphate rock would constitute a major change. New Zealand fertiliser companies take great care and, indeed, pride

concentration is as high as reported in the 1980s would save a lot of time in the environment versus economics debate, and prevent a considerable amount of money being wasted in investment. Certainly the developers have said “it will come down to the science”, but the right science is vital. It always is. • Jacqueline Rowarth is professor of agribusiness, The University of Waikato.

to ensure the phosphate rock they source for New Zealand farms meets high quality standards. They are aware of the importance of analysing source material and of considering the effects once the superphosphate is applied at common rates. This step doesn’t seem to have been done in the current proposal for mining Chatham Rise phosphate rock. Confirmation that the uranium

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

30 OPINION

Farmers need to do sums on water scheme D E N IS H A M ES

FARMERS FACING decisions on the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme (RWSS) in Central Hawke’s Bay should not base them on a few figures jotted on a napkin from a bar. This could be their biggest decision since they

bought their farms, so the need for the right analysis of financial viability and farming systems is paramount. The timeframe is short, with expressions of interests (EOIs) hopefully being converted on March 31, 2014 into water user agreements, allowing only about six months to do

this critical analysis. I’ve been working closely on this project, from a financial point of view, and have already done detailed marginal analysis work for some clients. I’ve also been researching, working with the HB Regional Investment Company and forging relationships with

farm advisors and water specialists, as some farming operations will require more extensive investigations. The decision whether to proceed or not rests on the final price of the water (23c/m3 is a current approximation) and the extent of extra infrastructure/development

required on each farm. At the time of writing, the final water price has not been determined, and will not be until the successful tenderer has been appointed (about midOctober). Analysis from the South Island indicates farm values increase proportionately at a far

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greater rate once infrastructure has been installed, when compared with inflation and general demand for land. Each farmer’s circumstances are different: some already have large investment in irrigators and bores, some have relatively low debt servicing, while others want to change their whole farming operation around the ability to use a guaranteed water supply. This is why taking a team approach and involving a range of key specialists is vital to the decision making process. It also demonstrates

the need to bring younger family members to the fore to help in the analysis and longer term decisions. Many important dates and timeframes must be considered. First, ensure you compile production data to use in an analysis – say, the last three years. Then think about options to diversify or change the farming operation and tie this with your long term strategic direction. • Denis Hames is a principal and RWSS specialist for Crowe Horwath at the firm’s Waipukurau office, Central Hawke’s Bay. Email denis. hames@crowehorwath.co.nz

WHERE’S THE BENEFIT IN FOREIGN OWNERSHIP? IN THE mid-1800s Maori believed they were getting the good end of the deal when, first, European settlers, then the Crown, brought to New Zealand another idea of land ownership and backed it up with what at the time Maori thought was a fair price. Hindsight would prove different. Over 150 years later land claims are still bitterly contested in the courts. Are we to learn nothing from our own history? The 2012 sale of the Crafar empire to Chinese company Shanghai Pengxin – although not the first large-scale farm purchase by foreign investors – brought the topic to the surface of the New Zealand conscience. Sir Michael Fay’s bid of $171.5M was turned down in favour of Shanghai Pengxin’s offer of $210M – a difference of $38.5M (18%). Is that how much the government values New Zealand land? That says it’s in New Zealand’s long term interest to have its greatest asset, farmland, sold off to foreigners if the sale will yield just 18% more than a sale to a Kiwi? Alarming. Perhaps more alarming to many Kiwis is that a precedent has been set where now there are many farmers wanting to cash in on Chinese gold with Federated Farmers condoning it. This sale, of course, is dwarfed by the recent purchase of 27,000ha in Canterbury by the US company Lees Valley which, interestingly, has caused far less media frenzy, though I fail to see why, it being another 27,000ha never to be seen in the hands of Kiwis again. One must surely ask that if it is a better option to sell the land instead of seeing the next generation of Kiwi farmers on it, then why are foreign investors so keen to get in there? Feds president Bruce Wills remarked, when asked of the subject, that Kiwis have a love affair with debt and that foreign land ownership is beneficial. Really? Beneficial to whom? The next generation of Kiwi farmers have a dim-looking future when the Federated Farmers president openly supports foreign ownership of New Zealand farms, citing a rural debt of $51b. Whose debt is this? It’s not mine, it’s not my mates or the shepherd’s down the road. It’s not my son’s debt. However, in line with the increasing trend in New Zealand agriculture, the current generation of farmers have clocked up unsupportable debt and expect my generation, and the next, to pay for it, one way or the other. Brad Woodford Hawke’s Bay

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

OPINION 31 WHO IS REALLY TO BLAME?

QUESTIONS ABOUT TB FREE NZ CONGRATULATIONS TO ecological adviser John Veysey for his excellent article (Rural News Nov 5) on stock movement monitoring relative to TB transmission. TB Free’s lax attitude and controls are typified by its spokesman Kevin Crews, who admitted impotence in monitoring dairy cow movements. One might suppose TB Free doesn’t want to eradicate TB because if it achieved that there would no reason for its existence. And one might suppose taking

on animal identification has given them future reason to exist, as their ballyhoo over possums and TB is looking to lack credibility and is shaky. Taking that a stage further, the continued use of a skin test only 80% reliable in its accuracy while there are more accurate tests (e.g. blood test) makes one wonder about bureaucrats’ motives. Landcare Research scientists have calculated even if there were 70 million possums (an absurd

figure), they would consume only one seventh of the daily foliage growth of the country’s forests. This type of spin, based on fiction not fact, DOC and TB Free NZ keep spewing out. As John Veysey says, farmers “have every right to be angry at the amount of TB levies they have had to pay being squandered in such an unhelpful direction as possums.” In fact, farmers are paying twice, i.e. again through taxes. Lewis Hore Oamaru RD

IPCC NOT SO PURE I ENJOYED Don Nicolson’s commentary (Rural News, October 22). It seems clear that politicians are surrounded by pseudoscientists pushing the politically correct version of climate science. My letters to newspapers explaining that CO2 is not a pollutant and may have only very minor effects on climate at its present level, frequently draw replies from these scientists and ‘environmental advisors’. Some, to

prove their worthy status, even claim to have worked with or for the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change). They are clearly of the view that we should hold the IPCC in high esteem. Nothing could be further from the truth. Journalist Donna Laframboise spent two years studying the IPCC’s mode of operation. Her book The Delinquent Teenager* is a shocking revelation of how this one organisa-

tion has used every trick in the book to pervert the truth and instead comes out with the most frightening scenarios. Its disciples, such as Sir Peter Gluckman, then advise our politicians to divert billions of dollars into wealth redistribution schemes that will destroy our economy. Dr Martin Manning, Wellington, is probably revered as much as Sir Peter Gluckman by our politicians. If our politicians read Laframboi-

se’s book they will see he worked for the IPCC. He is mentioned in the book for withholding information from peer reviewer Dr Steve McIntyre. Any person who reads the book may still think climate change may or may not be natural, but they will certainly no longer believe anything that comes from the IPCC, the world’s top climate ‘guru’. William Partridge, BSc Hunterville (Abridged)

PROFESSOR KEITH Woodford may think his comments (Rural News, November 5) and recommendations on Fonterra appropriate, but one would doubt a company the size of Fonterra wouldn’t have all that in place in the first place. So the question arises, did the wrong person resign? Should it not have been the chief executive? Having said that, you had AgResearch with-

holding such indispensable information… at what price? This was far too important to have waited while Fonterra sorted out payment. Instead they should have said “here`s the information, we`ll worry about [the money] later” and avoided a lot of what is being bandied around the press, to the detriment of the New Zealand economy. You can lament as much as you like,

but two wrongs don’t make a right. Fonterra did it right but would’ve had more time up its sleeve to rectify the situation without all the bad press, but praiseworthy publicity. Fonterra is fortunate to have Sir Ralph Norris, a man of distinction and a true knight of the realm, to do things right. Robert Patterson. RD 2 Banks Peninsula (abridged. Ed.)

IMPRACTICAL TO TEST ALL CALVES IN RESPONSE to ‘Calf blood test tip gets tick’ (Rural News, 5 November): the recommendation by vet Bas Schouten that all rearer calves have blood tests prior to sale as proof of adequate colostrum levels is impractical. Blood testing all rearer calves would increase the already overwhelming workload of dairy farmers at calving, their busiest time of the year. And the cost of multiple vet visits to the farm to take bloods and the accompanying lab costs would undoubtedly be passed on to the rearer. This would ensure a good income

for vets, but shrink the rearers’ already small profit margin and possibly make calf rearing uneconomic. As calves without adequate colostrum have no immunity to disease and are not suitable for rearing, it is the responsibility of the seller to ensure the calf has had adequate colostrum. Rearers who purchase calves then prove through blood tests that they have not had adequate colostrum should be reimbursed their costs including the cost of dead calves and vet costs. Patricia Hosking Rotorua

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

32 MANAGEMENT

Lack of pasture persistence a Pasture persistence, or rather lack of it, was a recurring theme earlier this month in Tauranga at the New Zealand Grassland Association’s 75th annual conference. Andrew Swallow reports. IN THE 2007/08 drought Wayne Reynolds’ cows chewed covers down to four clicks and average cover across his 154ha effective farm was just 1190kgDM/ha. Production that season dropped from 1200kgMS/ ha to 1000kgMS/ha and despite immediately

reseeding nearly half the farm, and a quarter of the farm annually after that, it didn’t recover. “Milksolids were static despite our best efforts, bringing feed in and renewing the pasture of the farm,” he told the New Zealand Grassland Association’s conference in Tau-

ranga earlier this month. Many others in the area were suffering similarly poor results and were at the point of despair. It was only after a change in endophyte, and perhaps more importantly a rethink of grazing policy, that production started to recover.

Results of Reynolds’ 2010-11 management changes

Year

Summer rain (mm)

Pasture grown (tDM/ha/hear)

Production (kgMS/ha/year)

2007/8

103

12.2

1010

2008-9

341

12.2

1022

2009-10

275

11.5

959

2010-11

334

12.1

990

2011-12

279

18.3

1379

2012-13

151

14.7

1271

“The poor performance of standard endophyte pastures was an issue that was being lost in all the noise around performance of the new [AR1] endophyte varieties,” he recalls. In 2010 they switched from seed with AR1 endophyte to AR37 or NEA2 endophyte lines, and, having become a Dairy NZ pasture improvement focus farm, made a strategic change to their pasture management. Peak stocking rate was cut from 3.6 cows/ha to 3 (at 430kg liveweight equivalent) and a minimum residue limit of seven clicks on the platemeter set. Reynolds credits Agriseeds’ Graham Kerr with persuading him to make pasture the priority in the management system, though he admits even after “robust” debate he still didn’t like the mes-

Field day suggestions: Agriseeds’ Graham Kerr speaks during a conference field day at Andrew Siemelink’s farm.

sage. “It added complexity to our systems.” Previously, pasture and stock had been the tool to buffer climatic volatility, allowing cow intake, performance, and pasture residuals to drop if necessary. The rule had been six clicks on the platemeter before supplementing for fear of substitution and to maximise response

to feed. His pasture problems were compounded by welldrained peat soils providing the perfect habitat for black beetle. “We felt powerless to prevent the black beetle damage we were seeing,” he recalled at the conference. But with the changes in place, and a wet summer, production soared 39% in

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2011/12 to 1379kgMS/ha, albeit with an increase in supplement use from just over 2tDM/ha to nearly 3.5tDM/ha – over 1t/cow. Production slipped a little in 2012/13, but it was in the face of a onein-seventy-year drought and supplement was also pared back to 3.3tDM/ha. At 1271kg/ha it was still their second-highest pro-

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

MANAGEMENT 33

recurring theme Summer sacrifice paddock BETTER TO trash and renew one paddock than ruin the whole farm by overgrazing in a drought, was the tip Agriseed’s Graham Kerr relayed during a field day at this year’s conference. “This is a major tool farmers can use to improve pasture persistence,” he later told Rural News, reiterating the headline message from a paper he presented at Gore last year (Rural News, Oct 2, 2012). Kerr notes there’s been plenty of advice on managing lucerne or brassica but there’s been a shortfall when it comes to ryegrass. “We need to improve this, and it’s not a complex message. Basically keep post-grazing residuals up through extended dry

duction ever (see table) and pasture bounced back like never before. “There was a spectacular recovery after the drought broke, in contrast to previous droughts when the recovery was slow and painful.”

periods through using on-off grazing as a simple tool.” On a dairy farm that means a minimum residual of seven on the platemeter. He said he was pleased conference field day host Andrew Siemelink seemed to have picked up the point. “It will greatly improve his pasture growth and recovery after rains come and he was well set up with paddocks with good shade trees close to the shed, which would be ideal as sacrifice paddocks. “While the idea of sacrifice paddocks doesn’t sound good, it is the way to look after the residuals across [most of] the farm,” he stressed.

Previously they’d blamed the potential for very dry peat soil to be hydrophobic – ie repel water – for the slow recovery. Following last summer’s drought only 3-4% of the farm’s pasture needed

renewing, so not only was recovery faster, there was a substantial cost saving on previous recovery efforts too. While Reynolds credits the Dairy NZ focus farm initiative for helping him find solutions, he’s criti-

cal of the time it took the levy body to respond to his and other producers’ concerns in the area during the years after the 2007/08 drought. “For a while we were on our own. There was very little research for our environment. It took a while for it to be recognised that North Waikato was suffering…. We had at least two seasons of lost opportunity. Other areas had recovered from the drought; we hadn’t.” While that had a big impact financially, the biggest hit was emotional. “Now, with the coming summer predicted to be dryer than average, I can face that much more confidently and know that I have options up my sleeve.” *See www.grassland.org. nz for all papers from this year’s, and previous years’ conferences.

La Nina, pH and black beetle WHAT HAVE La Nina seasons, low pH, and pasture pest black beetle got in common? Quite a lot, judging by research Pip Gerard, Agresearch, presented at the Grassland Association conference. She and colleagues working in Waikato and Bay of Plenty found a trend across 12 pasture renewal sites suggesting lower pH favours higher black beetle incidence. “We did not expect this!” Gerard noted the trend could be due to a different weed spectrum in the lower Pip Gerard pH, often peat, soils. Further investigation is underway. Pasture renewal did not affect incidence. Analysis of historic outbreaks of the pest and records of the Southern Oscillation Index, the ocean temperature phenomenon which gives rise to El Nino or La Nina climatic phases, gives another pointer to what drives black beetle epidemics.

“When there’s a strong La Nina, especially for several years in a row, that’s when we see our strongest black beetle outbreaks. So if we see a strong La Nina coming, get ready for a black beetle outbreak,” she told delegates. La Nina’s are associated with warmer weather in Waikato and Bay of Plenty, speeding black beetle population growth, she explained. Gerard also noted the La Nina and El Nino cycles are expected to intensify if the climate warms as predicted, so in the absence of other controls, black beetle epidemics could also intensify. If regionally more pasture is resistant to attack, such as that carrying the AR37 endophyte, that will help slow population build up. “If we want permanent pastures, then we need them to be black beetle proof.”

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

34 MANAGEMENT

Manuka option for steep hills? A N D REW SWA LLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz

HOW DO you fancy earning several hundred dollars per hectare off hill country that under pasture is probably losing you money and endangering the environment? That’s the possibility specialist honey company Comvita is investigating with Massey University and PGP

funded trials of manuka around the country, delegates at the New Zealand Grassland Association conference in Tauranga heard earlier this month. The thinking is the native tea tree, leptospermum scoparium, will anchor slip-prone hillsides and when it flowers, bees will harvest the nectar and process it into high value manuka honey. The catch is that not all manuka nectar is equal when it comes to produc-

50,000ha needed PRESENTING A paper to the Agronomy Society Conference (run in parallel with the Grassland Association conference), Massey University post-graduate student Georgina Hamilton said 50,000ha of manuka is needed to meet global demand for the premium health-market honey. Currently, the industry brings in about $75m but it could be $1 billion if that demand is met, she added. New Zealand isn’t alone in being able to produce honey high in the non-peroxide antioxidants unique to bees working teatree: South East Australia has the same Georgina Hamilton native teatree yielding honeys with similar properties, but they’re not allowed to call it manuka. “The way it has been marketed is to our advantage because manuka is the name for this honey that is known around the world,” noted Hamilton.

ing honey high in unique manuka factor (UMF), conference delegates heard. “You can’t just plant any manuka,” warned Comvita research manager Jonathan Stephens. “There are real differences between the different types of manuka you find in New Zealand.” Part of the project is identifying stands of manuka which do yield high UMF honey, and seeing if they still do so when grown in new locations, including the South Island which isn’t known as a high UMF area. However, the biggest trial is 150ha near Lake Tutira in northern Hawkes Bay, planted with 1000 trees/ha at 3m x 3m spacing. “We got 85% survival in a dry summer so we’re pretty confident about planting,” noted Stephens’ colleague John Burke, general manager of Comvita’s beekeeping subsidiary, Kiwi Bee Apiaries. From 235ha on seven sites this summer, the aim is to have 803ha in 23 locations by 2015. In natural manuka scrub, one hive/ ha is the norm, typically producing 30kg of honey per hive, though the variation in that is huge, as in the UMF,

says Burke. The hope is selected lines of manuka with high floral density and known high UMF content will remove that variability and consistently yield more honey of higher value. Currently landowners might get 10-15% of, say, a $400/ha revenue from hives in natural manuka scrub but Burke says in a plantation situation that could be raised to a 30% revenue share, given the landowners’ investment in trees, and it should be 30% of a much higher revenue, perhaps as much as $1100/ha. That’s a 6-14% marginal return on land that would otherwise have been a cost to the farm and quite possibly a threat to the environment, he calculates. “So it’s well worth looking at.” The seven-year project is in its third year.

Planting trials have been positive so far, John Burke of Kiwi Bee Apiaries told Grassland Conference delegates.

Manuka plantation margin projection

Use of steep land:

Pastoral

Plantation manuka

$40,000

$200,000

Capital deployed on 100ha (land value excluded) Economic farm surplus/ha

-$95.60

$255

Investment return

negative

6.7-14.5%

As presented by Comvita to NZGA field day

TAKE THE HEAT OUT OF SUMMER FEED NEEDS Sue Wylie

Central Hawkes Bay

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

MANAGEMENT 35

Resilience the dish of the day GA RE T H G I LLAT T

PLANNING AND flexibility are the key to succeeding despite severe weather and economic disasters, attendees at a Northland Beef and Lamb field day were told recently. Beef and Lamb New Zealand held a resilience, risk management and flexibility field day on Philip and Julia Leaf’s sheep and beef farm 40 minutes south west of Dargaville. AgFirst Northland consultant and key speaker Bob Thomson says recent droughts and ongoing price pressures have increased calls for this type of discussion, especially in Northland where there’s been a major drought at some point every year for four years running. To make matters worse, last year’s dry coincided with a massive price drop. At the field day an Agresearch social science study of Northland Farmers was presented. It found most farmers were concerned about drought and storms, but falling prices were a bigger concern. Responses included comments such as: ‘Don’t talk to me about prices’ and ‘Fix up the prices if you want to do something useful.’ An option to mitigate price risk is to diversify stock classes and land uses. Farm forestry is an avenue particularly worth exploring, suggests Thomson, especially on steeper

land which may not generate the same level of production as gentle or moderate terrain. A 201112 study of three farms in Northland found steep hill only carrying 6 stock units/ ha and yielding 150kg/cwt/ ha, less than half the productivity off the rest of the farms, he noted. In contrast to that study, a 22ha section of the Leaf’s property should bring in $443,796 over 25 years, or $807/ha/year, without nearly the same input and management costs as raising cattle. However, poor access could severely limit profitability of forestry so blocks of at least 10ha close to roads are preferable. Another way of reducing risk from price volatility is to carry a range stock types and classes, cutting the impact of a price drop in any one class. It’s another strategy the Leafs have deployed with great success, says Thomson. The farm’s 500ha of pasture carries 580 cattle and 3083 sheep. Of the cattle, 125 are spring born bulls and 454 autumn born bulls. The shift to autumn born bulls last season was so a more animals would be finished in time for the Christmas kill with its typically better prices. Spring bulls are stocked on a cell system, complementing the whole farm grass policy, says Leaf. The range of stock classes means “there’s always something ready to go,” if drought or price move-

ments indicate a tweak to the plans would be beneficial. Thomson says planning is as important an element of resilience as having flexibility in the system.

Forestry and mixed stock classes a couple of the risk spreading measures Northland farmer Philip Leaf’s deployed.

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Short pain for long gain ACTIONS DIRECTLY after a drought can have more of impact on a business than the drought itself and it is better to take some short-term pain for a longterm gain, says Thomspon. For example, first instinct when a drought breaks may be to speed up the round, cut supplement and feed any remaining store/finishing stock in the hope of putting condition on for an early sale. But “grass grows grass,” and too fast a round will mean pasture takes longer to recover and what grass is available isn’t as high energy. Field day host farmers the Leafs used palm kernel even after last year’s drought broke to ensure pastures recovered. Thomson says it is also important to ensure breeding stock aren’t ignored. Ewes, for example, typically drop 15% scanning for every 10kg lost. “That’s a hell of a drop for a high performance animal.”

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

36 ANIMAL HEALTH

Flystrike.

It’ll ruin everyone’s day.

Now its payback time. Cyrex is a new combination of two powerful active ingredients acting together to combat flystrike for up to 12 weeks, with rapid kill of maggots and lice. Cyrex Liquid is an ideal flystrike treatment product that will treat existing strike and provide lasting protection for both whole flock use, or treatment of individually struck sheep. With two of the safest lice and fly compounds available, Cyrex is easy on animals and operator. Cyrex dipwash has no smell and is gentle on wounds. Available in 5 or 10 litre packs to treat the whole flock, or pull out the convenient 250ml Flystrike Dressing pack for situations that demand immediate attention, and ask those maggots the question… do you feel lucky? For more details talk to your animal health stockist, call Elanco on 0800 ELANCO (0800 352 626) or visit us at www.elanco.co.nz

Fly, Maggot and Lice Eliminator Spinosad is the same active ingredient found in Extinosad® Liquid. Cyromazine is the same active found in Vetrazin®. The 5L pack of Cyrex makes 2500 litres of dipwash; 10L makes 5000 litres and 250ml bottle makes 125 litres of dressing fluid. Extinosad and Cyrex are registered trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company Ltd. Vetrazin is a registered trademark of Novartis. Cyrex is registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No. A09917.

Would you like your young Heading dog trained? Visit www.annaholland. co.nz for details.

Tips to bring barks on command A READER of my columns contacted me regarding a problem with his young Huntaway Heading dog x. It will happily bark in the kennel; it readily barks at cattle on the other side of a fence, but it won’t bark at cattle it is supposed to be shifting. “I could probably get it really excited so that it would bark but then it would take off and I’d have cattle going in all directions,” he said, asking my advice. What would I do with this dog in this situation? Firstly, decide on a command to bark: ‘speak’ or a whistle. If it’s a whistle it needs to be a quick fun sound: ‘whit-whur’, or ‘whewhur-whewhur’, not a hard and sharp sound which is better suited to a stop command. ‘Sh-sh sh-sh’ is a sound I use to encourage young dogs: to bark, to run, to look – ‘shu-sh speeeak, sh-sh speeeak’. The next thing to do is set the dog up in the perfect situation for success. Don’t ask him, or expect him to speak in situations that you know he won’t – you will achieve nothing and the dog will ignore you once again. It is a non work situation, a training lesson, nothing more. Personally, I’d do a couple of these lessons a day, for as many days as it takes for the dog to learn that ‘sh-sh speak’ means to bark.

I wouldn’t be taking him out to shift cattle after only one lesson if he doesn’t really understand the new command; if you do chances are he won’t perform; you’ll get frustrated, he’ll sense that and clam up even more. Young dogs can be very sensitive and are easily put off. If he loves to run at the fence barking at cattle on the other side, use that to your advantage. Find that situation or set it up with a few cattle in a yard or small paddock where they are confined and won’t run off at the first bark. If you think he will jump or slip through the fence to get to them attach a long light cord to his collar. Hang onto the end, but allow him several meters so he can run around and get excited. It is important to have control of young dogs, especially with cattle – you don’t want broken fences or vet bills. The split second he barks at them

‘good boy – sh-sh speeeak’. ‘Good boy’ should be said in a happy voice, in a higher octave – you are praising him and trying to excite and encourage more noise. Look at the cattle, not your dog – dogs copy. Don’t say his name as that may distract him, turning his attention from the cattle to you. If a dog is reluctant to bark, I praise even the slightest squeak. My voice goes pathetically high, ‘good girl .....’ and I give a happy quick ruffle rub over the dog’s body as I’m saying ‘good girl’. She sure knows she has done the right thing and I’m very happy with her. In no time at all she’s barking eagerly to ‘sh-sh speak’. I know it is really hard for men to do the above, but trust me, it works . Give it a go, but you might want to make sure no one’s around. Remember, breeding plays an important part with working dogs. If you want a Heading dog buy a Heading dog, if you want a Huntaway buy a Huntaway. A Heading Huntaway x won’t necessarily be a dog that heads quietly and works stock with noise there is no telling how the pup will develop. • Anna Holland is teaching people dog training. For more information www. annaholland.co.nz or Ph 07) 217 0101 or annaholland@xtra.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

ANIMAL HEALTH 37

Early scans can ID fat sheep SELECTION OF breeding stock could be fine-tuned with fat and muscle scans as early as post weaning, new Australian research shows. “There is a very strong correlation between young and older animals for fat, and this is the same for muscle and weight,” says University of Adelaide researcher Sam Walkom. “For producers, this means that selection for improved condition score in the young breeding ewe can be useful.” Walkom’s work was supported by Australia’s Sheep CRC and investigated the potential to breed lines better able to maintain condition in tough times through adaption of fat reserves. He found superior genetics could indeed be an “insurance policy”, especially when managing pregnant ewes. “Having sheep with superior genetics for fat storage gives producers

more flexibility in their management, for example being able to delay supplementary feeding because individuals will have more condition when entering tough times,” he suggests. Management of feed is still paramount to maintaining condition of ewes, but Walkom says genetics may be used to provide an “edge” in many breeds and environments. “Across all breeds and sites our results were very similar with differences in the genetics for weight, fat, muscle and condition remaining constant; meaning that ewes will maintain their genetic superiority for body composition traits during tough times providing the potential to hold off supplementary feeding for longer. “This is gives producers a better chance of getting more lambs on the ground in good condition and maintaining or improving their weaning rates.”

However, the benefit of breeding sheep for increased fatness may be of limited value in areas that have high certainty of good feed conditions, he adds. “In production systems where there is reliable pasture production, breeding programs can focus on

traits that will have more impact on profit such as growth and reproductive performance – it is therefore important that every producer should be selecting for fat that matches their particular management and production systems.”

Post weaning scan results could fine-tune flock replacement choices, Australian research suggests.

YOU CAN DO MORE WITH A COOPERS DRENCH

YOU MIGHT think a wagging tail is just that, but for dogs there is more to it, researchers in Italy have found. Dogs recognise and respond differently when their fellow canines wag to the right than they do when they wag to the left, the team from University of Trento found . Earlier work had already found dogs wag to the right when they feel positive emotions – upon seeing their owners, for instance – and to the left when they feel negative emotions such as when seeing an unfriendly dog. Now, the researchers report in the journal Current Biology that when they showed dogs videos of other dogs with either left- or right-asymmetric tail wagging there was an obvious response. When they saw another dog wagging to the left, their heart rates picked up and they began to look anxious. When dogs saw another dog wagging to the right, they stayed perfectly relaxed. “The direction of tail wagging does in fact matter, and it matters in a way that matches [brain] hemispheric activation,” says researcher Giorgio Vallortigara of the university’s Centre for Mind/Brain Sciences. He doesn’t think dogs are necessarily intending to communicate emotions to other dogs with their wags, rather, the bias in tail wagging is likely the automatic byproduct of differential activation of the left versus the right side of the brain. But that’s not to say it might not have practical use for veterinarians and dog owners, he adds. “It could be that left/right directions of approach could be effectively used by vets during visits of the animals or that dummies could be used to exploit asymmetries of emotional responses.” – Alan Harman

ELE-00906-RN

Tail wag direction shows dog mood

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

2013 External Parasite Treatment Survey – Sheep SATURATION DIPPING METHODS Company

Active ingredient

Concentration

Dilution Rate Constant Replenishment Shower

Part Per Million in Active Ingredient Wash

Withholding Period

MEAT SERAPHOS 1250

Bayer NZ Ltd

Propetamphos

360g/L

1:1250

14 days

MAGGO

Bayer NZ Ltd

Propetamphos, Paradichlorobenzene

16g/L 400g/L

1:40

14 days

SWAT LIQUID

Bayer NZ Ltd

Cyromazine

500g/L

2:10001 1:10002

1000 500

7 Days

ZAPP JETTING LIQUID

Bayer NZ Ltd

Triflumuron

480g/L

1:1000L

480

42 days

ZENITH® CONCENTRATE

COOPERS

Diflubenzuron

250g/L

1.5L/1000 2.5L/1000

375 625

Nil

EXTINOSAD® LIQUID

Elanco

Spinosad

25g/L

1:1250

20ppm spinosad

Nil

CYREX ™

Elanco

Cyromazine plus Spinosad

500g/L cyromazine and 12.5/L spinosad

1:500

1000ppm cyromazine and 25ppm spinosad

7 days

CYRAZIN LIQUID

Merial Ancare

Cyromazine

500g/L

2:10001 1:10002

1000 500

7 Days

FLEECEMASTER

Merial Ancare

Diflubenzuron

250g/L

1.5/1000l 2.5/1000l

375 625

Nil

BANISH LIQUID

Norbrook New Zealand Ltd

Cyromazine

500g/L

2:10001 1:10002

1000 500

7 days

LUCIFY LIQUID

Norbrook New Zealand Ltd

Cyromazine

500g/L

2:10001 1:10002

1000 500

VETRAZIN LIQUID

Novartis

Cyromazine

500g/L

2:10001 1:10002

1000 500

7 days

SATURATE CLASSIC

Ravensdown

Diflubenzuron 250g/L

600mL/1000L for off-shears (<35 day’s wool) 1.5L/1000L for longer wool (>35 day’s wool)

150 (off shears) 375 (longer wool)

7 days

SATURATE GOLD

Ravensdown

Diflubenzuron 100g/L & Cyromazine 250g/L

4L/1000L for flystrike prevention & 2L/1000L for lice control

400 diflubenzuron & 10 days 1000 cyromazine for flystrike prevention 200 diflubenzuron & 500 cyromazine for lice control

FLYSAFE LIQUID

Ravensdown

Cyromazine

2:10001 1:10002

1000 500

500g/L

7 days

7 Days

Claims

COMMENTS – asterisk (*) indicates not for treatment of existing strike

WOOL

LICE

KEDS

FLY

ITCH MITE

TICK

RECOMMENDED: • FINE WOOL 180 DAYS • MID MICRON 90 DAYS • STRONG WOOL 60 DAYS • AT LEAST 2 MONTHS

Product

Yes

Mid term fly protection.

Yes

For treatment of flystrike in sheep and protection against restrike and as a docking medication.

Yes*

1. For longer term protection against flystrike. 2. For medium term protection against flystrike. Swat Liquid should not be used to treat active flystrike.

Yes

Yes*

Specialised jetting formulation. Long term control of flystrike and lice.

Yes

–

Yes*

1.5L/1000L for shower/plunge dips, 2.5L/1000L for jetting controls both fly and lice. Non-stripping formulation. Water-based.

Yes

Fast knockdown lice control with no meat or wool withholding. 20 week lice control guarantee on coarse wool breeds. Short term flystrike prevention and treatment.

Yes

New combination dip for long term flystrike protection plus fast knockdown of maggots and lice. Treats active flystrike.

Yes*

1. For long term protection against flystrike. 2. For medium term protection against flystrike. Cyrazin will not treat active strike.

Yes

–

Yes*

1. For dipping and jetting of all adult sheep and for medium term fly protection in lambs. 2. 2.5/1000 For long term fly protection in lambs. 3. Fleecemaster is an insect growth regulator therefore: (i) lice control is achieved only when adult lice die naturally which may take 8 weeks or more (ii) Fleecemaster should not be used to treat active flystrike.

Yes*

1. For up to 12 week protection against flystrike. 2. For up to 6 week protection against flystrike.

Yes*

1. For up to 12 week protection against flystrike. 2. For up to 6 week protection against flystrike.

Yes*

1. For long term protection against flystrike. 2. For medium term protection against fly strike. Vetrazin should not be used to treat active flystrike.

Yes

Unique cost-effective low dilution rate of 600mL/1000L controls lice off-shears. For longer wool use 1.5L/1000L. Nonstripping formulation. Water-based.

Yes

Yes*

Unique combination IGR for fly and lice control. Non-stripping formulation. Water-based.

Yes*

1. For long term protection against flystrike. 2. For medium term protection against flystrike. Flysafe Liquid should not be used to treat active flystrike.

NOTE: The Rural News External Parasite Treatments Guide for Sheep is compiled from information supplied by animal health companies. Although the information has been checked by our independent animal health advisor, Rural News accepts no responsibility or liability for inaccuracies. Asterisk (*) indicates not for treatment of existing strike. NOTE: – = Not supplied. N/A= Not allowed. A = Not allowed on animals producing milk for humans

HIT FLY STRIKE BEFORE IT STARTS THIS SEASON. The tried and trusted cyromazine liquid dip for sheep. Available from your local veterinary clinic.

CYRAZIN LIQUID FOR THE PREVENTION OF FLY STRIKE IN LAMBS AND SHEEP.

Merial is a Sanofi company. MERIAL NZ, LEVEL 3, MERIAL BUILDING, OSTERLEY WAY, MANUKAU CITY, NEW ZEALAND | WWW.MERIAL.CO.NZ | CYRAZIN® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF MERIAL LTD. REGISTERED PURSUANT TO THE ACVM ACT 1997 | NO. A7509. SEE WWW.FOODSAFETY.GOVT.NZ FOR REGISTRATION CONDITIONS. ©COPYRIGHT 2013 MERIAL LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

MAL_Cyrazin-Liquid_14x7_advert.indd 1

13/11/13 11:24 AM

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

2013 External Parasite Treatment Survey – Sheep POUR-ON OR SPRAY-ON METHODS

See label

21 days

35 days

ZAPP ENCORE

Bayer NZ Ltd

Pour-on

Triflumuron, Imidacloprid

25g/L 30g/L

See label

56 days

35 days

Machine shorn off shears and lambs up to 6 months – lice only

Flystrike and lice control off shears up to 6 months

Yes

Double combination pour on for knockdown and long term control of flystrike and lice. Can be applied to wet sheep. Easy to apply, fast spreading formulation.

ZAPP POUR-ON

Bayer NZ Ltd

Pour-on

Triflumuron

25g/L

See label

49 days

35 days

Machine shorn off shears and lambs up to 6 months – lice only

Flystrike and lice control off shears up to 6 months

Yes

Yes*

Can be applied to wet sheep. Easy to apply, fast spreading formulation.

MAGNUM® COOPERS

Pour-on

Diflubenzuron

25g/L

Refer to label Nil

35 days

10x

Fly: Any length Lice: Off-shears

Fly: Any length. Lice: Up to 3 months

Yes1

Yes*

Magnum® is water-based and rainfast. 1 Recommended off-shears treatment for lice.

VANQUISH® COOPERS

Pour-on

Alpha 50g/L Cypermethrin

Refer to label 7 days

35 days

Lice: Up to 10 months

Yes*1

Yes

Yes*2

Rainfast. 1 Vanquish is recommended off-shears but can be used as an emergency long-wool lice treatment. 2 Up to 6 weeks protection against flystrike.

WIPE-OUT® COOPERS

Pour-on

Deltamethrin

10g/L

Refer to label 3 days

35 days

Lice: Up to 3 months

Lice: Up to 6 months

Yes

Yes1

Yes. Excludes No goats

Rainfast. 1 Recommed off-shears treatment for lice.

EXPO

Elanco

Spray-on Spinosad

20g/L

See label

Nil

>25x

Off-shears

up to 3 months

Yes

New lice pour-on for sheep with no meat or wool witholding. Rainfast.

EPIC EZY

Jurox NZ Ltd

Pour-on

Triflumuron

25g/L

See label

63 days

35 days

Up to 6 Adult sheep off shears. Lambs up months to 6 months.

Yes

Rainfast: 20mm of rain within half an hour either before or after treatment does not reduce efficacy. Epic Ezy is a suspo-emulsion which spreads rapidly on the animal, even in wet conditions and contains a blue scourable dye to identify treated sheep.

CYPERCARE

Merial Ancare

Backline Pour-on

Cypermethrin

25g/L

1m/5kg LW 2ml/5kg LW

14 days

35 days 10x

Off shears

Up to 3 mths 3-6 mths

Yes

Yes Yes*

Yes

*Lice on goats. Contains scourable marker Pour-on 2ml/5kg LW 3-6mths wool.

EXIT

Merial Ancare

Pour-on

Triflumuron

25g/L

Refer to label 49 days

35 days

Off shears2

Off shears or with up to 6 mths wool1

Yes2

Yes1*

1. Fly: up to 3 mths following. Shearing lice - up to 6 mths wool growth. 2. Fine wool lice only - off shears.

EXIT EXTREME

Merial Ancare

Pour-on

Cypermethrin 30g/L Triflumuron 25g/L

Refer to label 49 days

35 days

Off shears2

Off shears or with up to 6 mths wool1

Yes2

Yes1

1. Fly: up to 3 mths following. Shearing lice - up to 6 mths wool growth. 2. Fine wool lice only - off shears.

FLYPEL

Merial Ancare

Spray-on Cypermethrin 100g/L Chlorpyrifos 10gL

Refer to label 14 days

35 days

10x

Any length-fly, off shear lice

Yes

Blowfly treatment - apply directly to affected area. Sheep blowfly suppressant and off shear louse.

Merial Ancare CYRAZIN SPRAY-ON

Spray-on Cyromazine

60g/L

Read label for dose rate

35 days

4-12 weeks

Yes*

Apply with a coarse spray nozzle. Cyrazin Spray-on will not treat active flystrike. Do not use on sheep producing milk for human consumption.

Norbrook New BANISH SPRAY-ON Zealand Ltd

Spray-on Cyromazine

60g/L

Refer to label 7 days

35 days

N/A

4 to 12 weeks off shears

Yes*

Apply with a coarse spray nozzle. Additional Point: Wool Withhold, 60 days.

Norbrook New LUCIFLY SPRAY-ON Zealand Ltd

Spray-on Cyromazine

60g/L

Refer to label 7 days

35 days

N/A

4 to 12 weeks off shears

Yes*

Apply with a coarse spray nozzle. Additional Point: Wool Withhold, 60 days.

CLIK

Novartis

Spray-on Dicyclanil

50g/L

Read label for 1. 2 dose rate

35 days

>10X

Any length wool

Yes

1. Meat WHP - Merino 56 days. All other breeds 35 days. 2. Do not use on sheep producing milk for human consumption.

CLIKZIN

Novartis

Low volume spray-on

12.5g/L

Refer to label 7 days

35 days

>10x

Any wool length, including lambs at docking

Any wool No length, including lambs at docking

Yes

Spray-on Cyromazine

60g/L

Read label for 7 days dose rates

35 days

N/A

Up to 5 mths wool

Up to 3 mths No wool

Yes*

A water-based spray-on which will give protection against flystrike.

Spray-on Cyromazine

60g/L

Refer to label 7 days

35 days

N/A

4 to 12 weeks

Yes

Apply with a coarse spray nozzle. Flysafe Spray-On will not treat active flystrike.

Diflubenzuron 20g/L Deltamethrin 10g/L

Refer to label 7 days

35 days

Off-shears and up Off-shears and No to 6 weeks wool up to 6 weeks growth wool growth

Yes

Unique double combination pour on for knockdown and long term control of lice. Easy to apply with a standard applicator and T-bar nozzle.

Pour-on

SAFETY MARGIN

Product

VETRAZIN Novartis SPRAY-ON Ravensdown FLYSAFE SPRAY-ON Ravensdown FLEECEGUARD

Dicyclanil

14 days

MILK

Treatment Times

FINE WOOL

COARSE WOOL

4-12 weeks Off-shears

REGISTERED FOR GOATS

Formulated Dose Rate

60g/L

Active Ingredient

Spray-on Cyromazine

Method of Application

Bayer NZ Ltd SWAT SPRAY-ON

Company

Concentration

Comments — Asterisk (*) indicates not for treatment of existing strike.

MEAT

Withholding Period

LICE

KEDS

FLY

Yes*

Apply with a coarse spray nozzle. Swat Spray-on will not treat active flystrike.

Claims

SHOW FLY AND LICE THE DOOR!

EXIT® is a highly effective, easy-to-use IGR Pour-On that controls fly and lice on sheep. l

EXIT Pour-On for sheep contains triflumuron, an extremely effective insect growth regulator (IGR). IGRs provide longer acting control of fly and lice, as well as being more user-friendly than traditional OP dips and SP Pour-Ons. EXIT Pour-On, with its no-mix formulation means it is extremely easy to use anywhere on the farm for effective fly and lice control. Merial is a Sanofi company. MERIAL NZ, LEVEL 3, MERIAL BUILDING, OSTERLEY WAY, MANUKAU CITY, NEW ZEALAND | WWW.MERIAL.CO.NZ | EXIT® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF MERIAL LTD. REGISTERED PURSUANT TO THE ACVM ACT 1997 | NO. A9415. SEE WWW.FOODSAFETY.GOVT.NZ FOR REGISTRATION CONDITIONS. ©COPYRIGHT 2013 MERIAL LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

MAL_Exit_14x7_advert_2013.indd 1

13/11/13 10:59 AM

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

40 ANIMAL HEALTH

ELE-00915-RN

Think cultural and chemical on flystrike

On high performance sheep farms, stock become more vulnerable to clostridial disease, especially sudden death syndrome. If you’re seeing unexplained deaths, especially in young stock or sending replacements away to achieve high growth rates, then it’s time to upgrade to the advanced clostridial protection of Covexin®10. Today is a good time to talk to your vet

about upgrading to Covexin 10. Developed and made in New Zealand for our sheep farmers.

AVAILABLE ONLY UNDER VETERINARY AUTHORISATION. ®Registered trademark MSD Animal Health. Phone 0800 800 543 www.msd-animal-health.co.nz COV-289-2013

PREVENTION IS key to maintain productivity and minimise welfare problems in the face of flystrike, says Ravensdown. And the cooperative’s in-house veterinarian, Gavin Goble, says preventative measures should not rely solely on chemical treatments. “Flies must be attracted to lay their eggs on sheep,” he explains. “So factors like faecal and urine stains, fleece rot, footrot and wounds make sheep more predisposed to flystrike. It is important to have an effective Integrated Pest Management programme that includes animal husbandry interventions such as strategic shearing, crutching or dagging and drenching, plus good management of footrot, wounds and skin conditions.” Grazing management is also important. “Well-fed sheep that are rotationally grazed on pasture previously grazed by cattle or deer, are less susceptible to flystrike. Keeping sheep away from warm and sheltered areas that have a particularly high fly rate, such as scrub filled gullies, bush margins and in the lee of shelterbelts, will also help to prevent the condition.” Goble advises minimising potential fly breeding grounds by burying dead animals, covering offal pits and avoiding dung heaps or composting vegetation. But while such management controls are important, so is strategic application, and correct application, of chemicals for flystrike prevention, he adds. “Just as important as the product is the application method,” he stresses. “Ensure a good coverage of the chemical to skin level over the areas of the sheep most prone to strike, including the shoulders and back, rump and

Consider combination products if resistance is an issue, says Ravensdown vet Gavin Goble (inset).

pizzle on rams. “The gold-standard is saturation dipping, but jetting can be very effective if a sufficient volume of dipwash is applied.” Pour-on and spray-on products are also widely used, he notes. “The most commonly used chemicals are insect growth regulators (IGRs), namely diflubenzuron, cyromazine, triflumuron and dicyclanil, as these will generally ensure flystrike prevention for up to 12 weeks or more.” Other chemicals include the synthetic pyrethroids or “SPs”, spinosad, imidacloprid and organophosphates (OPs). Many flystrike chemicals also control lice and it is becoming more common to use combination products. “Most combination products include an IGR with another IGR, an SP, spinosad, imidacloprid or an OP. IGR-resistant fly strains do exist, so using combinations will control these and delay the development of resistance in susceptible strains. “If in doubt, seek expert advice on the appropriate dip chemicals to use, along with the correct application

method and timing.” Ravensdown says flystrike is the most significant ectoparasitic disease of sheep in New Zealand, causing severe pain and suffering in animals and significant economic loss. The main flystrike season usually begins October-November and affects millions of sheep every year. Hundreds of thousands die, but even those that don’t suffer a severe setback. “A struck animal may take six weeks to regain lost weight after treatment and up to eight months for its fleece to recover,” says Goble. Flystrike is caused by blowflies, mainly Australian and New Zealand Green Flies (Lucilia cuprina and Lucilia sericata), laying eggs on sheep. When the eggs hatch the maggots invade the skin. Sheep that are flystruck should, as soon as possible, have all wool removed from affected areas plus a surrounding margin of at least 10cm, before being treated. “It’s important to remember that many preventative products do not kill live maggots, so farmers must select a product designed specifically for treatment.”

Drones to spot possum hot-spots UNMANNED AERIAL vehicles (UAVs) equipped with thermal imaging (TI) cameras could soon help pin-point possum populations and target controls, says TBfree. Research into the idea is relayed in the Animal Health Board’s annual and research reports released earlier this month and while high resolution TI is still too heavy for affordable UAVs, it won’t be long before the size and price of the technology becomes viable, the research report suggests. AHB and NAIT’s merger to form OSPRI New Zealand earlier this year means these are AHB’s last reports but OSPRI chief executive William McCook says it will be business as usual with the focus remaining on eradicating TB from wild animals in the TBfree New Zealand programme.

“We guarantee farmers that TBfree New Zealand will continue toward its goal of ridding the country of bovine TB. The core aim of the current national TB control plan is on eradicating the disease from at least one quarter of the country’s 10 million hectares of TB risk area. “This will build on the some 500,000 hectares of TB risk area in which the disease has already been eliminated from wild animals since the current plan started in mid2011.” McCook says during 2012/13 TBFree’s “proven three-pronged approach” of disease management, wild animal control and herd movement restrictions extended the area free of TB by over 400,000ha. Meanwhile TBFree is again warning of the threat wild pig releases

and offal dumping pose following further reports of such illegal activity in Waikato. “People need to consider the possible consequences of dumping wild pig remains that could be infected with TB,” says local farmer and Waikato TBfree committee chairman John Bubb. “Dairy, beef and deer farmers have too much to lose if their herd becomes infected with the disease. We need to keep TB out of wild animal populations, preventing them from spreading the disease to farmed cattle and deer and threatening farmers’ livelihoods.” Transport and release of pigs is an offence under the Wild Animal Control Act. Pig heads and offal should be buried deep to prevent scavenging by wild animals or pets.

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 41

Redesigned cab for AxialFlow combines NEW FEATURES on Case-IH Axial-Flow combines include a redesigned cab and a folding auger with an industry-exclusive pivoting spout option. “Case IH Axial-Flow combines continue to set the industry benchmark for uptime, grain quality and grain savings, regardless of the crop or field size,” says Tim Fanning, operations manager for Case IH. “[They] help producers simplify harvest [with] operator environment, added innovation and harvest control.”

the long hours producers spend in the combine.” All models use the AFS Pro 700 display for yield monitoring and machine and guidance control in the cab. This is compatible with all Case IH equipment, so it can easily be transferred to tractor cabs for use with other jobs. On-the-move unloading is facilitated by new options available with the augers. Standard offerings are two fixedaugers that extend to 8.75m. Now two folding auger options are available: an 8.75m auger

New features Case IH Axial-Flow combines for 2013 include a redesigned cab and a folding auger with a pivoting spout option.

Amazing Performance. Even Better Value.

“Case IH Axial-Flow combines continue to set the industry benchmark for uptime, grain quality and grain savings, regardless of the crop or field size.” – Tim Fanning

Says Fanning, “Our new, redesigned cab has advanced even further the industry standard in convenience, comfort and operator ergonomics. This cab will be part of all models of Axial-Flow combines.” Cab features include: a multifunction propulsion handle with controls within a finger’s reach; convenient storage areas; iPod plug-in; a training seat that opens to a portable electric refrigerator; and more leg and foot room. An optional leather luxury cab seat gives greater comfort, says Fanning: “We understand

that folds to 90o and a 10.3m auger that folds to 135o. Operators can now control a pivoting grain spout with the multifunction propulsion handle, adjusting the flow of grain up to 90cm without changing the speed of the grain cart or combine. Fanning says this, with the independent cross-auger control launched last year, will give more flexibility during filling. The optional powered grain tank covers are also controlled from the cab. Tel (0800) CASE IH www.caseih.co.nz

CAMBRIDGE FARM ROLLERS

NEW 10ft Roller with Extension Drawbar & Screw Jack $6700 Vee Ring Roller Seeder Drill with Vee bottom seed box, hydraulic clutch, ext. drawbar, ...................... $18,500 Special rollers made to order, • All prices ex-Factory, Excl GST • Spare parts, Rings and Bearings. Competitive freight rates to the North Island 26"dia rings ................... $85.00 24"dia rings ................... $80.00 Ph: 0800-838 963 AUSTINS FOUNDRY LTD 131 King Street, Timaru www.austinsfoundry.co.nz

When it comes to value for money there’s nothing better than BKT, New Zealand’s most popular replacement tractor tyre brand. BKT’s worldwide reputation is built on providing a competitively priced, quality tyre that is manufactured to meet exacting international standards. With NZ’s largest range of agricultural tyres TRS can provide farmers with the right BKT tyre to fit most applications. So for expert advice, talk to someone who knows the territory.

0800 336 334 www.trstyreandwheel.co.nz or see your local reseller

10529

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

42 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS Boast to crop protection A BILLION Euro increase in development spending, announced recently by Bayer CropScience, will benefit New Zealand farmers, says Bayer New Zealand managing director Holger Detje. “As a result… the production volume of key active ingredients for crop protection products is expected to increase significantly,” he said after last month’s announcement. The extra billion takes Bayer’s capital spending budget for 2013-2016 to 2.4bn Euro, or NZ$3.9 billion. Detje says the company expects to launch four to six products/year in New Zealand over the next few years. “Our aim locally is not only to deliver

new solutions to New Zealand farmers, but to work with them directly on increasing yields and improving quality of crops.” Bayer is planning a new plant in the US to make herbicide glufosinateammonium, sold as Liberty, which, at €380m, will be the biggest single construction project in the company’s history. It will help double the supply of glufosinate-ammonium. Liberty is said to be the only nonselective herbicide that kills weeds resistant to glyphosate. About 50% of US farmers have herbicide resistant weeds and the situation is worsening around the world, Bayer says.

Mini-mixer widens farmers feed options GARE TH GIL L ATT

A NEW 1.4m3 capacity mixer will make supplement mixing available to a wider range of farmers, says farm equipment importer Power Farming. The company has introduced the Jay-Lor A50 feed mixer to its line-up as a small-volume machine. New Zealand Merlo and

Jay-Lor sales manager Ken Bill says it provides feed mixing capabilities for jobs and users not previously able to access them. First introduced globally in January 2013, the mini-feed mixer was designed for the Asian market, where the aver-

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Pig farmers have also shown interest. The mixer can handle as much as 1.4m3 or as little as 50kg in one batch; the average mixing time is 3-5 minutes depending on the ingredients. Power comes from a 13hp Briggs and Stratton Vanguard engine. Transportation options include trailer or ute mounting, or the machine can be stationary, including with hydrostatic transmission. The mixer’s ability to handle most organic matter makes it suitable for grains and dried forage crops, so it is useful as a compost mixer as well. A larger 2.6m3 capacity unit is also available. www.powerfarming.co.nz

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age dairy herd size varies from 5-15 and where farmers usually feed only small volumes of supplements. The machine thus suits farmers raising horses, sheep, beef and other animals, where the numbers may not justify a full-sized mixer but whose stock still benefit from palletised feed. “With the A50 you are able to mix a special blend with inoculants and minerals.” This suits dairy farmers needing to mix special blends for nursery herds of cows. Horse feed is another good use for the mixer, says Bill, as many supplements for horses need to be pre-processed before feeding.

Prices include GST. Offer available between 1 October and 15 December 2013 and applies to Mist Green, Heritage Green and Karaka colours only. For all products delivered within 60 days of order. Free delivery on 30,000L and 25,000L tanks. Offer correct at time of printing.

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 43

Kiwi dairyman give mixer/maker front ranking NEW ZEALAND has become the fastest growing export market for Canadian-made Jaylor International dairy feed mixers, reports distributor Power Farming. Jaylor products are sold in 42 countries and the company holds 25 worldwide patents on its technology. Dairy farmers use the mixers to produce ‘mixed rations’ – blends of nutritional supplements with conventional grassbased feeds. By this means they boost milk solids production. Power Farming’s Jaylor product manager, Ken Bill, is just back from Canada where he collected the Jaylor ‘Market Leadership Award’ for achieving record sales in New Zealand. Bill is seeing a big increase in sales of Jaylor PMR (partial mixed ration) feed mixers as New Zealand dairy farmers seek increased production. “Farmers looking to increase their production can increase their land mass, which is getting harder to do, or they can look to the cheaper and more cost effective alternative of feeding their herds better,” he says. Feed mixers first began arriving here in numbers about ten years ago. Bill

says early sceptics gave way as pioneer users, ahead of their time, proved the value of the PMR mixers. “In a hot summer like we had last year, many farmers who were on supplementary feed mixes were able to maintain the status quo, and in some cases to improve their performance…. When you’re running an intensive farming operation with a high debt loading, you need to do everything you can to maximise production.” Bill says since last November the growth in Jaylor sales has been phenomenal, brought about by the effects of the drought. Jaylor vertical feed mixers are said to be well known for quality, durability and efficiency, and for innovative and patented design features. They cut the feed, and lift and aerate it to produce a light, fluffy, palatable blend. Bill says Jaylor mixers are simple and low maintenance – probably one of the lowest maintenance on the market. “But recognising they are an essential piece of machinery… Power Farming supports its machines through its nationwide dealer-

mixers, and if there’s a breakdown it will supply a substitute.

ship chain.” It offers regular maintenance of the

THE

PERFECT MATCH VICON 632T & 632FT Front and Rear Mower Conditioner THE PERFECT MATCH WHEN USED TOGETHER AT A WORKING WIDTH OF 6.2M

STEELPOST TREADIN ➥ 5 position angled insulator clips, now with tapered lead in ➥ New insulated handle prevents accidental shocks ➥ Galvanised spring steel shaft ➥ Hot dipped galvanised foot

How to fencing guides on you tube “strainrite fencing guides” www.strainrite.co.nz Contact your local rural supplies merchant or phone 0800 266 258

• 2 speed gearbox for conditioner speeds of 900 or 600rpm

• Folds into a vertical transport system for safer travel

• Free Float Suspension = super close cutting

INCLUD

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Serious about Fencing!

Ken Bill with the Jaylor Market Leadership Award.

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RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

44 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS Tractor specialist lands in Feilding LANDPOWER HAS appointed Paul Holdaway sales manager for its Claas Harvest Centre dealership in Feilding. He will be responsible for growing sales of Claas, Amazone, JCB, Gregoire-Besson, Trioliet and other brands in the lower North Island.

“I’m biased but I think Claas tractors are brilliant – the engineering quality and performance is second to none,” Holdaway (40) has spent nearly 18 years with Landpower, in the past eight years as a tractor product specialist in New Zealand and Australia. Before that, he was a sales representative at Claas Harvest Centre, Rotorua. “Paul has an outstanding record in retail sales within the Landpower group,” says Richard Wilson, chief executive of Landpower. “This year he spearheaded the successful launch of the new Axion 900 and Arion 600/500 series and leaves his former role well-positioned to continue to grow sales in Australia.” Holdaway was originally a mechanic with a BMW dealership. “I’m biased but I think Claas tractors are brilliant – the engineering quality and performance is second to none,” he says.

More transport rule changes for agricultural machines has to comply with rules and regulations which apply to other road legal vehicles and require the new simplified annual warrant of fitness for tractors.” Previously some heavier tractors needed a certificate of fitness, whereas now they need only a simplified WoF tailored for tractors. And a new licence endorsement now allows for a greater range of agricultural vehicles to be driven by the holder of a class 1 (car) licence with the necessary skills. “Drivers will need a wheels endorsement on their driver’s licence if driving a tractor over 40km/h or any other powered agricultural vehicle under 40km/h,” Levet says Other changes have improved and simplified the rules on pilot vehicles, work time variation schemes, hazard identification and vehicle visibility. From November 11 agricultural motor vehicles, regardless of age,

RURAL CONTRACTORS are being urged to keep abreast of changes to transport regulations on the use of agricultural machinery. New rules applied from June 1 and more come into force this month. “However, not all the proposed changes will be in place until late 2014,” explains Rural Contractors NZ president Steve Levet. “It can be quite confusing at the moment with some of the old regulations still applying; so there is a mix of old and new at present.” One important change now in force is to how tractors are registered. A two-tier system applies, based on a 40km/h operating speed. Vehicles operating below this speed need comply only by being roadworthy. “Tractor owners have to decide if they want to register their tractors as being able to travel at over 40km/h on public roads or not,” Levet explains. “If you opt for the former, then in effect your vehicle

L A R RU P U D N U O R

that travel faster than 40km/h will undergo an annual WoF inspection, rather than six monthly. Changes to the registration classes for agricultural vehicles, exemptions for special vehicles and the application of RUC are matters to be finalised in mid-2014. Levet says despite some confusion, rural contractors welcome the changes and the thinking behind them. Greater flexibility over work

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580676

$24ea

$13ea

Extreme Smoke

Edge - Clear

541176

550143

$32ea

$15ea

SAFEMATE

50mm x 100m 503969

260L

$228ea

Mist Green

1800L

$683ea

Thermal Fleece Thru Blue Top Sock

Mist Green

450L

$294ea

Mist Green

2000L

$754ea

Mist Green

900L

$449ea

Mist Green

2700L

$921ea

588999, 589000, 589001

Mist Green

1000L

$490ea

Mist Green

2700L

$950ea

Mist Green

1100L

$511ea

Mist Green

5000L

$1449ea

Mist Green 616385 514410 514412 514413

514414

514415

514416

514417(TS)

514418(TT) 514419

$7ea

$0.96/m $1.78/m $2.23/m $2.79/m $3.46/m $4.49/m

40mm x 100m 503965

$557ea

Size L - 949746 Size XL - 949745

15mm x 100m 503949

32mm x 100m 503961

1200L

Premium Cow Grain Glove

PRICE

25mm x 100m 503957

592707

RIGGER

NOMINAL DIAMETER X LENGTH

20mm x 100m 503953

Mist Green

www.ruralcontractors.org.nz

AY! GIVEAW

H7A 290 Earmuff Class 5

BAILEYS TANKS

hours is particularly welcome. “Contractors and farmers will no longer face the situation of a contractor having to stop work because they have exceeded their work hours for the day, when perhaps the job could be completed in another hour. The contractor will no longer have to come back the next day or the next day when the weather is suitable.”

$22ea

2 Bata Black Gumboot 649298, 649299, 649301, 649302

$46ea

T: 0800 101 999 F: 0800 101 777 W: www.mico.co.nz For full address details please see our website www.mico.co.nz or phone us for your nearest store. All major credit cards plus CRT Card and Farmlands Card accepted. Special prices valid from October 7th until November 29th 2013. Discounts are off our normal Mico retail price. Actual product supplied may be different to that pictured but identical in quality and price. Promotional items are strictly while stocks last. All prices include GST unless otherwise stated. Mico reserves the right to change prices or deals without prior notice. Gifts/prizes are not transferrable and cannot be exchanged for cash, credit or products. * Subject to size & nature of order - see in store for details.** Purchase any advertised Baileys tank and receive a free Mico chilly bin. Limit is three per customer for the period of the promotion and is strictly while stocks last.

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 45

Petrol power stacks up A DA M F R I C K E R

RUNNING AGAINST the diesel-power trend in the SUV market, the new Nissan Pathfinder has a petrol 3.5L V6 producing maximum power and torque of 190KW and 325Nm respectively. The claimed fuel statistics for the combined urban/highway cycle is 9.9L/100km, a claim made more achievable by the efficient continuously variable transmission (CVT), but one Rural News was not able to match. The CVT does make a difference to fuel consumption though, and SUV buyers need to do their sums before assuming diesel is going to be the best option. Diesel SUVs usually cost more up front, have higher maintenance costs, and once RUCs are added to the pump price, diesel might not be your best option, especially if you do lots of highway miles. This V6 engine can be found in other Nissan models such as the Maxima and 370Z; it is a strong engine with proven durability. Tow rating is acceptable: CVT gearboxes often have a low tow rating but many new CVTs are stronger and, in this case, capable of towing 2700kg (braked). If your only experi-

ence of a CVT has been in a small four cylinder car, you may be biased against them. In a vehicle with a torquey V6, the CVT works well, keeping the engine in the creamy part of the torque curve, enhancing the feeling of smooth, effortless progress. No whining gearbox noise, jerkiness off the line and screaming engines like in older, small CVT cars. The top-of-the-range Pathfinder Ti we drove was suitably well equipped with leather seats and more electronic gadgetry than we can list here. The 7-seat configuration is well thought-out and easy to use, making it a great school bus. Nissan is being more honest about that last point, conceding that few Pathfinders go off-road. The new model does away with the heavy, traditional off-road engineering and swaps the separate ladder frame for a monocoque platform and a drive train designed for efficiency, not bush-bashing. It will handle light off-road duties, but if you want to take all the family for some serious off-roading, get a Holden Colorado 7. Value for money? The 2WD Pathfinder ST costs

a very reasonable $54,990, the ST 4WD costs $59,990 and the 4WD Ti with all the trimmings costs $65,990. If you’re in

LATEST STORIES EVERY DAY Get upto date news at www.ruralnews.co.nz

ROUND BALEAGE TIPPER Transports and stands wrapped round bales on end for storage

IT’S QUICK, IT’S CONVENIENT, IT’S EFFICIENT H NOW AVAILABLE AS A SINGLE OR DUAL UNIT H

the market for a large SUV in this price range, think Territory/Captiva/Santa

Fe/Sorento/CX9; the Pathfinder is a convincing contender in this category.

• Thick layers of plastic on bale ends provide superior protection against ground moisture and weather while stored. • No flat sided bales (simplifies feeding out). • Less storage area required. • Suitable for medium HP tractors. • 3PL mounted (no front axle stress). • Bale tipped in one easy movement. • No need to reposition bale before tipping. • Simply trip and flip.

The petrol-powered Nissan Pathfinder runs against the trend of diesel-power in the SUV market.

Maitland - RD5 - Gore Phone/Fax 03-207 1837 or 027-628 5695 www.james-engineering.co.nz

CDC TURBOFARMER SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR60º THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR 50º

70º

80º

The 102Hp to 140Hp Merlo Turbofarmer range offers even more solutions to all 40º your handling needs.

W NE ODEL M

• NEW CDC Dynamic stability control system constantly monitors the load position and weight 30º with a safe ‘load index’ • CDC monitor - standard reverse camera with capability for optional cameras 20º

• Popular 34.7 Plus and 40.7 models offer 7-10m lift height & 3.4 - 4 tonne capacity.

10º 0º -10º CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MERLO DEALER www.powerfarming.co.nz Advertisement

American made Cooper Tires guaranteed to last.

emember when washing machines and refrigerators lasted a generation? And tyres used to last for years too? Things were made to last back then. Now it seems things are made to wear out. The reason for this is original tyres fitted to new vehicles are made to the vehicle manufacturer’s price. The result may compromise on the tyres’ performance and life. Cooper Tires are better value. Tyre companies making aftermarket tyres exclusively for vehicle owners like you are still providing performance and longer life. Drivers choosing quality American made aftermarket tyres are finding they are getting a lot more mileage

*Conditions Apply.

Comparison of Tread Depths. Dunlop AT22 (9.0mm), Cooper A/T3 (12.7mm)

1920

2012

Cooper tyres are only available at selected Cooper Tires dealers.

Cooper Tires - making tyres that last since 1920. While other 4WD tyres are being made lighter and cheaper, Cooper Tires are still being made strong with deeper tread. This means peace of mind, whilst giving more mileage and saving you money.

Cooper’s A/T3 utilises a balanced combination of technology, design and compounding to produce a tyre that will perform in nearly all types of terrain.

“When compared to the original tyres (Dunlop AT22) fitted to the Ford Ranger, the Cooper A/T3 has 12.7mm of tread depth - that’s over 29% more than Dunlop’s 9.0mm tread depth.”

That’s why Cooper are the only 4WD tyres in New Zealand with a mileage guarantee in writing that ranges from 50,000 to 80,000 km, depending on size and tread pattern.

and better value for money than original tyres. Guaranteed to last up to 80,000km* For example, Terry Smith of Exclusive Tyre Distributors explains,

For your FREE Info Pack visit

www.coopertires.co.nz or call

0800 MILEAGE (645 3243)

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

BUFFALO BOOTS!!!

Flexiskin Rainwear SALE!

‘New’ Improved Fabric! Very Popular, will sell out fast!

$80

$70 valued at

valued at $200

$60

valued at $120

$140

$100! Please add $10 Freight per order

FLY OR LICE PROBLEM?

Rubber Safety Matting • ATV Carrier Mats • Exit/Entry Areas • Calf Trailers • Horse Floats & Trucks • Weigh Platforms • Bale Mats • Comfort Mats for Wet & Dry Areas • Utility Deck Matting

Phone: 0800 80 8570 www.burgessmatting.co.nz

www.machinetech.co.nz

112A Mays Rd, Penrose, Auckland. Email: info@machinetech.co.nz Phone 09-633 0071, Fax 09-633 0072

DOLOMITE

NZ’s finest BioGro certified Mg fertiliser For a delivered price call... 0800 436 566

ALL PRODUCTS HAVE 3YR WARRANTY

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FROM

NEW GREAT VALUE

SD-1825 with 1 collar ................$640.00 SD-800 with 1 collar .................. $470.00 Extra collars unchanged at $245.00 22HP 42” / 26HP 48” USA MADE / LOW NZ PRICE FULL RANGE AVAILABLE

Fantastic Penetration

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NO ONE BEATS OUR PRICE

MOWERS

Phone 07 573 8512 • www.electrodip.com

FLYSTRIKE AND LICE

ZERO TURN 90 $6,5 US GST

• The magic eye sheepjetter since 1989 Unique • Quality construction and options self adjusting • Get the contractors choice sides • Direct from the manufacturer • Efficient application and unequalled cost savings

• Make a big job quick and easy • Retire the shower and plunge dip • Quicker and much more effective than a hand wand! • Deep penetration, total body coverage, 2.5 litres/sheep • No re-cycling – always fresh clean dip prolonging residual effect of your dipping product

PPP Super Jetter

PRICES INCLUDE GST

Manufacturing Jetters since 1980. 1000’s sold in NZ & overseas.

Freephone 0800 901 902 email: sales@pppindustries.co.nz or www.pppindustries.co.nz

0800 38 44 50

MOBILE FEED TROUGHS 4.5M (3 Wheel) Jumbo Culvert PK Feeder $3499.00 inc

6M Culvert (mobile) $1299.00 inc

4M - 800L Budget Drawbar $1945.00 inc

6.0M (6 Wheel) Jumbo Culvert PK Feeder $4999.00 inc

1700 Litres

2400 Litres

McKee Plastics, Mahinui Street, Feilding | Phone 06 323 4181 | Fax 06 323 4183 McKee Plastics, 231 Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton | Phone 07 847 7788 sales@mckeeplastics.co.nz | www.mckeeplastics.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // NOVEMBER 19, 2013

Culvert Pipes

Phone

0800 625 826

for your nearest stockist

New Zealand’s CHEAPEST Culvert Pipes! FREE joiners supplied on request.

ONE STOP WATER SHOP 300mm x 6 metre ................................ $410 400mm x 6 metre ................................ $515 500mm x 6 metre ................................ $690 600mm x 6 metre ................................ $925 800mm x 6 metre .............................. $1399 1000mm x 6 metre ............................ $2175 1200mm x 6 metre ............................ $3475 ALL PRICES INCLUDE G.S.T.

Joiners supplied FREE with culvert pipes

• Lightweight, easy to install • Made from polyethylene

McKee Plastics, Mahinui Street, Feilding Phone 06 323 4181 Fax 06 323 4183 McKee Plastics, 231 Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton. Ph 07 847 7788 sales@mckeeplastics.co.nz www.mckeeplastics.co.nz

CRAIGCO SENSOR JET