Rural News 2nd June 2015

MANAGEMENT

MACHINERY

Ahuriri: A station under the pump! PAGE 25

From gold standard to the gold card. PAGE 62

RURALNEWS

NATIONAL FIELDAYS CEO says its time to look beyond the dairy sector.

PAGE 37

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

JUNE 2, 2015: ISSUE 585

www.ruralnews.co.nz

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MANAGEMENT

MACHINERY

Ahuriri: A station under the pump! PAGE 25

From gold standard to the gold card. PAGE 62

RURALNEWS

NATIONAL FIELDAYS CEO says it’s time to look beyond the dairy sector.

PAGE 37

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

JUNE 2, 2015: ISSUE 585

www.ruralnews.co.nz

Too little, too late SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

RED MEAT farmer lobby MIE will unveil “a cunning plan” next month to push for the merger of the two major meat co-ops and block foreign investors taking a stake in the businesses.

However, the plan may be too little, too late. The country’s largest meat co-op Silver Ferns Farm (SFF) is talking to a number of parties on capital raising and says it is expected to make an announcement this month.

Rural News understands that the South Island meat processor is well down the track with its capital raising plans.

In fact, this week key SFF staff and board members will meet in Auckland to present to an interested foreign

investor – understood to be Chinabased.

Meanwhile, MIE’s proposal includes a ‘bad bank/good bank’ plan and involves dividing the assets of Silver Fern Farms and Alliance into two entities.

MIE chair John McCarthy last week outlined the plan at the New Zealand Primary Industry Summit in Wellington. He told Rural News the plan would

be unveiled within two weeks, providing farmers an alternative to SFF’s capital raising plan, which he claims would open the door for foreign investment in the co-op.

McCarthy suspects SFF is planning to raise $100 million. “I am not privy to the minutiae of the details, but it seems to be for approximately $100 million and given the parlous state of our sector it seems likely that the inter-

est will be from foreign interests. If this is successful the face of this sector will be changed forever,” he told the conference.

“We know from our Cinta survey that over 90% of farmers are not in favour of foreign control of our value chain. We also know that if a foreign flag is hoisted over all or part of our biggest meat company that in all probability TO PAGE 4

THE MAN AT THE MET As winter set in, the importance of accurate weather forecasts becomes even more important. For MetService chief executive Peter Lennox, getting early and accurate warnings to farmers of major adverse events is a very high priority. Every day, his staff analyse massive amounts of data and then use their well-honed local knowledge to interpret this information and make a forecast. Lennox and his team are constantly looking at new ways to improve their service to rural New Zealand.

See pages 6-7 for more details

BAD TASTE! PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

WHEN TOLD about the Fonterra Milk in Schools programme, Californian dairyman Noel Rosa, speaking to visiting New Zealand farmers and journalists, said “That’s no good, don’t do that”.

If you give away milk it gets devalued, he said. “The kids will think there is no value to it.”

Rosa Brothers holds tours bringing in hundreds of schoolkids and they charge them – $5 for children and adults. He is not getting rich on the deal, he says, but by charging the visitors they realise there is some value to the tour. They pay to go to the zoo, or the museum, so they can pay for farm tours.

“If we give everything away on a farm level people are going to say ‘it’s not worth anything because you are giving it away’.

“Don’t give milk away,” he urges Kiwis. “They don’t give water away.”

He said school milk tastes terrible and will put children off.

When one of his visiting Kiwi dairy farmers told Rosa our farmers put millions of dollars into shares in stainless steel in NZ and all over the world, and were not getting adequate returns out of their cooperative, Rosa said: “You know who makes money out of cooperatives? The people you hire to manage your cooperative.”

• See story page 18

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Helping grow the country

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NEWS 3 ISSUE 585

www.ruralnews.co.nz

A season to forget!

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

NEWS ������������������������������������ 1-17 AGRIBUSINESS ��������������� 18-19 MARKETS ������������������������ 20-21 HOUND, EDNA ����������������������� 22 CONTACTS ������������������������������ 22 OPINION �����������������������������22-24 MANAGEMENT �������������� 25-29 ANIMAL HEALTH ���������� 30-32 FIELDAYS PREVIEW ���� 33-60 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS �����������������������61-65 RURAL TRADER ������������ 66-67

DAIRY FARMERS are moving from a season to forget to one of hope. But Federated Farmers dairy president Andrew Hoggard is urging them not to set their hopes too high.

Hoggard says while Fonterra’s opening forecast of $5.25/kgMS for the 201516 season is encouraging, anything can happen.

“Seven months ago people were talking about a rebound in prices about this time; this did not eventuate,” Hoggard told Rural News.

“But there is nothing any of us in New Zealand can do to change geopolitical events around the world. We can’t make Russia be nice again to Ukraine or get the Chinese to dump their stocks and start buying again.”

Hoggard wants farmers to focus on the current situation, dealing with the low advance rates and tight cashflows in the coming months.

Fonterra has also lowered its 2014-

HEAD OFFICE Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622

15 farmgate milk payout by 10c to $4.40/ kgMS; with a forecast dividend range of 20-30 cents per share, a fully shared-up farmer will get $4.60 - $4.70/kgMS. ASB is predicting the 2015-16 payout will top $5.70/kgMS, but its economist Nathan Penny acknowledges there is a downward risk. “It can go either way; we are predicting $5.70/kgMS as the final payout but there is a risk we won’t get there.”

ASB expects prices to rebound and the GDT price index to reach US$3000/ tonne.

Penny believes less milk in the coming months will lead to a price rise.

“New Zealand farmers have culled cows heavily in the last month so there will be fewer cows to milk,” he says. “In the EU and China the low milk price means not many farmers are making money so production has been pulled back.”

Fonterra chairman John Wilson says the opening forecast was based on Fonterra’s best view of long-term global dairy supply and demand.

“We can expect prices to recover

going forward, and to see a rebalancing of supply and demand over the season.

However it is more difficult this early in the season to determine exactly when this recovery will lead to a sustained price improvement,” says Wilson.

However, the long-term fundamentals of global dairy demand are strong.

Fonterra Shareholders Council chairman Ian Brown says farmers will be cautiously optimistic.

“Farmers will view next season’s forecast as a positive given the situation we have experienced this past season.”

The 10c drop in milk price for 2014-15 is disappointing, he says.

“The number remains a disappointing one and farmers are keen to put this season behind them and move on to the next.”

Six weeks to sort out muddle

Phone: 09-307 0399 Fax: 09-307 0122 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740

PETER BURKE

Published by: Rural News Group

peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

Printed by: PMP Print

THE CONTROVERSIAL Health and Safety Reform Bill has been sent back to a parliamentary select committee for another six weeks in an effort to break a deadlock on some of the proposed reforms.

Farmers have been highly critical of some aspects of the bill, especially plans to ban passengers from quads and also the red tape with which the bill is laced. And there are other facets of the bill, such as the law as

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 81,188 as at 30.06.2014

it might apply to volunteers working for organisations such as DOC, which are viewed as highly prescriptive and impractical.

The bill was due to be reported back to parliament last Thursday, but on Tuesday (May 26), the transport and industrial relations committee sought and was granted permission to delay this for a further six weeks.

It was widely known that many National Party MP’s were unhappy with what the select committee was going to report back to parliament, so the delay was sought in the hope that

some sort of compromise could be reached over time.

The bill has generated much angst in rural New Zealand and Federated Farmers has noted it’s one of the hottest topics at Feds annual meetings now being held around the country.

Michael Woodhouse, the Minister of Workplace Safety and the person responsible for the bill, says it’s the biggest shake-up of health and safety laws in NZ for 20 years. Recently he told Rural News the present laws were fragmented and complicated and in his words – “a bugger’s muddle”.

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He says the transport and industrial relations select committee has made excellent progress, and is confident the Bill is in good shape.

“But it is important that we get this right and I make no apologies for ensuring we take the time we need to land this reform in the right place. The six week extension on the report-back date will enable us to kick the tyres and make sure the proposals are sensible, workable and will make a real difference to improve New Zealand’s unacceptable safety record.”

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

4 NEWS

Is it too little, too late?

FROM PAGE 1

it will be the thin end of a wedge. One only has to talk to Australian farmers to get a take on our probable future under foreign and/or corporate dominance.”

Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dean Hamilton was unavailable for comment. However, in a recent newsletter to shareholders, Hamilton says it is “working through a process to consider options for raising new capital in the co-op in order to accelerate our move to a sustainable capital structure”.

“While commercially you would understand it makes sense to maintain confidentiality during the process, we can say there has been interest expressed by a number of parties, which we are progressing, and we expect to make an announcement in the middle of the year.”

McCarthy says MIE’s cunning plan is still at the conceptual stage.

The new company would be a blend of the best and the worst bits of the two coops: a good bank/bad bank scenario, he says.

The bad bank scenario would include writing off 10 plants, costing $104 million oneoff; the good bank scenario would include the remaining assets of the two co-ops. McCarthy expects the new company to be exporting 95% of its products and turning over $4 billion within four years.

He hinted that the plan had “the support of one of the country’s leading banks,” and with its support the group’s financial modelling “shows Newco is not just viable, but would be the catalyst to reinvigorate the entire sector”.

clean | safe | secure

MIE HITTING BRICK WALLS SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

MIE’s John McCarthy and GHD’s Robert Sinclair at last week’s Primary Industry Summit.

“Such a company would turn over $4 billion plus within three-four years and export 95% of this under new, reinvigorated customer focused branding strategies.

“Most importantly, it would see a significant lift in processor margins,

EBIT and NPAT along with substantial increases at the farm gate.”

McCarthy says the new company would have at its core a commitment to what should be the cooperative principles of transparency in pricing, loyalty to its members and scale

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“Its existence would be predicated on committed/ contracted supply probably for three to five years. It would include store farmers within its bubble; it would be open to all farmers to join.

“Members would have various payment options, ranging from transfer of shares to writing out a cheque or to a modest levy spread over the period of the contracted supply.”

McCarthy warned that doing nothing was no longer an option. “Tinkering with a solution will simply postpone the inevitable.”

FARMERS PUSHING for change in the red meat sector claim industry leaders are shutting them out of industry events and funding.

MIE chairman John McCarthy says the organisation has been dubbed “too political” to qualify for funding from Agmardt, a state-owned entity funding innovation in the agriculture sector.

“For the members of MIE and for that considerable horsepower on the bench it has been unpaid: we are all volunteers,” he told the NZ Primary Industry Summit in Wellington last week.

“Worse still no one seems to want to pay us: for example we were turned down by Agmardt on the grounds we were too political, a sentiment echoed to me by the Beef + Lamb chairman. It beggars belief really; what is political about trying to revitalise the second biggest export earner? How can that be a bad thing?”

MIE claims it has also been excluded from the farmer funded Red Meat Sector Conference.

McCarthy described this as not only “a slap in the face for the MIE group, but more significantly a slap for our levy payers”.

“It is fair to say that in terms of the public face of reform MIE has been at the forefront for the last two years, and to be shut out by our own representative body smacks of something less than reassuring.”

But BLNZ chairman James Parsons says this isn’t true. “MIE has never been excluded from the Red Meat Sector Conference; in fact they are encouraged to attend as are all farmers and industry participants,” he told Rural News.

According to Parsons, in April McCarthy requested a speaking opportunity for MIE; this was “seriously considered”. “Unfortunately at the time all the conference speakers had already been confirmed and I explained this to John McCarthy,” says Parsons.

“The notion that BLNZ is trying to insult MIE or farmers is completely false, we have always operated respectfully and fairly with MIE in all our dealings.”

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NEWS 5

Minimum farm standards set ANDREW SWALLOW

MINIMUM MANAGEMENT standards expected of Canterbury’s farmers by June 2017 are defined in a newly released booklet, albeit without a single number on associated nutrient losses.

Those numbers will come in August, prior to notification of a variation to the Land and Water Regional Plan in September, Environment Canterbury commissioner Tom Lambie told a stakeholder meeting in South Canterbury last week.

The 20-page A5 booklet, Industry-agreed Good Management Practices relating to water quality, is the result of the Matrix of Good Management (MGM) project which Environment Canterbury, AgResearch, Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research, and six farmer-

funded levy bodies have been working on since 2013.

Despite that timeframe, opening the meeting Lambie said it was “just the start of the conversation we want to have with the community” and apologised for a glitch in invites which meant some farmers and other stakeholders may have missed the meeting.

His introductory comments were followed by presentations by five ECan representatives, one from AgResearch, and two of three farmers from the policy working group – cropping farmer Colin Hurst, Waimate, and sheep and beef farmer Colin Smith, Hurunui.

“I’d like to say 80 to 90% of what farms do is good management practice but we don’t know that,” Smith said, adding that the only work done to assess where the indus-

try is up to is in dairy and there the range was found to be from 90% GMP on the best farms to 40% on the worst.

However, Hurst played down the GMP requirement. “GMP is something quite achievable by farmers and not too difficult. It’s not ‘best management practice’.”

Environment Canterbury plans to monitor compliance with GMP through an online “Farm Portal”. While that’s still “a work in progress” it will require farmers to map their properties online, and state whether they have over 50ha of irrigation or 20ha of winter forage intended for cattle.

Under the region-wide default rules – catchment zone committees can and are tabling variations – those are the triggers for making farming a consented activity and annual uploads of the latest

Overseer model of the farm system will be required.

The exception is if the farm’s irrigation is part of a scheme, in which case ECan is expecting the irri-

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No questions were permitted during the course of the presentations but they flowed thick and fast once the meeting was opened to the floor.

“If the farm’s leased out, who’s responsible?” asked one farmer. Answer: always the property owner, even if they’re overseas.

Would all the modelling and monitoring actually make any difference

on the ground? “A very good question,” answered commissioner David Caygill.

How would ECan gain farmer engagement?

Reconfigure its teams and work with the farming community, answered Lambie. “We cannot do this ourselves.”

How would ECan handle the avalanche of consent applications, asked a sheep and beef farmer who noted he would need one so there would be hundreds of others who did too.

“That’s why we’re trying

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to stage the [catchment] zones. We don’t want all the consents to rush in at once.”

What prospect is there of a farm management package compatible with ECan’s Farm Portal so data would auto-upload?

“We’ve got that as one of the items in phase 2.”

Others noted the workload of preparing applications for what could well be only a three year consent and queried the justification for the 50ha irrigated or 20ha cattle wintering triggers for consents.

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Helping grow the country

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

6 NEWS

Getting it right counts Weather is a huge influence on New Zealand farms’ profitability. Knowing exactly what the weather might do, and when, will determine farmers’ and contractors’ work. Peter Burke tuned into it all during a recent visit to MetService headquarters in Wellington.

IT HAS arguably the best view in Wellington in the leafy suburb of Kelburn overlooking the harbour and beyond to the Tararua Ranges and the farming areas north of the capital.

Nearby stands the Carter Observatory, another landmark. Both look down on the botanical gardens, another beauty spot.

The multi-story MetService building could be mistaken for the GCSB, its roof crammed with satellite dishes and other antennae which each day help download vast amounts of weather data from all around the world.

This data, processed and reprocessed, with data gathered in New Zealand,

helps to produce the daily and long range forecasts on which farmers and others rely.

MetService’s chief executive is Peter Lennox, a biochemist who originally hails from Belfast and who before joining the service was the biotechnology director for NZ Trade and Enterprise.

MetService for many years had its 12.30pm long range forecast – compulsory listening – on Radio NZ National before the rural news. Today the 12.30pm tune-in remains an option, but other receiving technology options are growing by the day.

Lennox points to the growing expectations

of farmers and others that they will get better weather information faster: see what mobile phones can do now versus what they did just three years ago.

Lennox says while speed is important, accuracy and quality of the information is far more important.

“It’s very, very important that we don’t just get caught up in the race to get information out, because it’s the quality of the information we supply that makes us stand out from our competitors,” he tells Rural News.

“We receive information from many hundreds of

different sources. We embellish it with our own observations and then add a layer of expertise that is second to none in the world through our trained and experienced meteorologists. So it’s a case of working with farmers in a much more localised way than we have in the past – providing intelligence that can help improve their bottom line.”

Lennox says NZ is a notoriously difficult country in which to predict weather and that is a challenge. But the challenge works in MetService’s favour by attracting some of the best and brightest meteorologists from

around the world who are keen to experience the country’s unique conditions.

“We train our own people who go out to other meteorology organisations throughout the world as their careers develop. At the same time, we’re able to attract the cream of the crop to NZ as well as our own meteorologists so it’s a nice blend. The World Meteorology Organization rates us as one of the best met services in the world.

That’s because we adhere to their standards and do a lot of training here, but also the exposure to different weather patterns and the experience our

MetService chief executive Peter Lennox pictured near a weather radar.

meteorologists build up is second to none.”

As a member of the World Meteorology Organization in Geneva, under the auspices of the United Nations, NZ shares the vast pool of data and expertise of

the 191 member states and territories. This sharing enhances the organisation’s knowledge, helping create wealth and improving safety –two key goals of MetService. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NEWS 7

Correct more often than not PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THE BIG open-plan office where many MetService forecasters work is dominated by a huge screen showing weather conditions affecting New Zealand.

Manager of forecasting operations Ramon Oosterkamp says the room is divided into three sections: public, marine and aviation. In charge of this area is a senior forecaster who assesses all the data – gigabytes on gigabytes – from overseas including the US, UK, Japan and Australia, plus local information. He/she then forms a view on what the weather is going to do. Other forecasters contribute to this conversation.

But in the ‘good old days’ it was different. Then the senior forecasters were regarded as almost God-like; when he/she gave their interpretation the others just listened and nodded in agreement. This ‘nod’ term has

stuck and the morning synopsis by the senior forecaster is still known as the ‘nodding session’.

New technology, and the vast amount of data coming in hourly, poses a challenge for MetService.

Data storage requires very powerful computing and in that regard the organisation’s IT system is not far away from Peter Jackson’s system just across the harbour.

The MetService has always had a positive relationship with farmers and those on the hill in Wellington understand the needs of farmers to get quality, timely, well-presented data that helps in their decisionmaking. Forecasts are available on the MetService website, as is the rain radar.

Oosterkamp says his organisation has a big focus on special weather alerts such as snow storms.

“We have been pretty good at providing those warnings in the last few years and we have had some great feed-

back from farmers who have been able to move their stock,” he says. “This usually happens around August and September, when they are lambing and need that extra bit of warning. Now we are able to give them two-three days warning.

“Our snow forecast in the last few years has improved vastly on what it was 15 years ago. Realistically we don’t get it right every day, because weather forecasting is an inexact science. We know that somewhere in the country a farmer is affected by that.”

Oosterkamp says MetService tries to work for farmers in tailoring the information they send them so that it is valuable and meaningful. Rather than supplying a whole lot of numbers, they try to package the information in such a way that it’s instantly usable.

“For example, a farmer may want to know the best time to spray effluent. We can provide information that will help in their decisionmaking pro-

Ramon Oosterkamp with tablet displaying MetService’s weather app.

cess and ensure they meet the requirements of the RMA,” he explains.

The other benefit arising from new technology is the ability of forecasters to narrow down the locations where weather events may occur. It’s quite common, says Oosterkamp, for one farm to get rain and a nearby property to get none.

In addition to general forecasts for farmers, MetService provides special services to clients such as FMG and MPI. It has a TV studio where special videos can be recorded to replay on social media. MPI also calls to get data on adverse events such as droughts.

The ongoing challenge for MetService is to meet farmers’ expectations, for which long-range forecasting is

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

8 NZ PRIMARY INDUSTRY SUMMIT

Wool seeks equal footing with dairy SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

A WOOL industry leader is urging the Government to offer other agricultural sectors the same level of support it gives to dairy.

Clifford Heath, who recently retired as Wool Equities Ltd (WEL) chairman, says this will help lift struggling sectors out their doldrums and build a diversified national economy.

Speaking at the NZ Primary Industry Summit in Wellington, last week, he urged primary sector leaders to see local carpet

makers like Cavalier Bremworth and Godfrey Hirst as part of the agricultural sector.

“Godfrey Hirst and Cavalier Bremworth are no different from the Te Rapa dairy factory,” he told the 60 participants. “They are critical components of the New Zealand wool industry, because their almost total feed stock is wool off the farm.”

WEL’s applications for funding from PGP were knocked back because wool, when used in the textile sector, is not seen as part of agriculture.

Heath says this is sad and requires a change in attitude, particularly by the Government. The wool and sheep industry must be given the support dairy had in carrying its products around the world.

“Everyone talks all about the dairy industry as the prime, key driver of the New Zealand economy; we accept that but let’s ask ourselves ‘how did it get there?’ It got there because the Government actively decided that the dairy industry was a winner and it was helped to go places and get better

access.

“If we did the same for other industries like wool and timber in particular, then we would have a strong and more diverse economy.”

Heath says the speech was his last speaking engagement as a wool industry leader.

He hopes the “little barb” about the lack of government support for the wool industry is carried to the halls of power.

“In the halls of power, where I once strolled, they listened to us; they don’t appear to listen anymore.”

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Dust off old research THE WOOL sector should not waste more resources on research, says former Wool Equities Ltd chairman Clifford Heath.

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Heath told the NZ Primary Industry Summit that the wool industry has 2500 documents of past research, funded by farmers through wool levies and the Government; these are held by research organisations, WRONZ, Canesis and AgResearch.

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acute waste of funding in the past; we need to pull some of the documents and see if we can use them.”

Heath says the need is to produce unique yarns and take them to garment makers throughout the world. “There are garment makers out there who are looking for a competitive edge; if we can present them a right yarn that works for them then we have a real future.”

Heath believes there is a need for a small onshore processing facility, similar to Icebreaker, the successful Merino wool clothing company.

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NZ PRIMARY INDUSTRY SUMMIT 9

Call for more transparency on TPP SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

A TRADE analyst is calling for greater transparency in the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations.

New Zealand International Business Forum executive director Stephen Jacobi wants the Government to make available more background information on the TPP “such as plain language descriptions of what are under negotiation and the processes involved. I can’t help thinking this would help inform a more productive public debate,” he says.

However, Jacobi told the NZ Primary Industry Summit that a trade deal would not be signed without public consultation.

He noted that like any international treaty the TPP negotiations are conducted behind closed doors “because there are sensitive economic and commercial issues under negotiation and a more open process would inevitably lead to sector interests seeking to undermine the negotiation”.

“This also makes it difficult to release the text prior to the conclusion of the negotiations. In New Zealand the established practice for all treaties is

that the text is concluded and signed by the Government.”

The ratification process includes the publication of the text and a national interest analysis, scrutiny of the text by Parliament, a select committee process including public submissions and implementing legislation where this is required. Only after this process is complete does the Government complete the ratification, he says.

“So, TPP will not be thrust upon us in secret or without prior discussion.”

The TPP negotiations, running for five years, involve Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the US and Vietnam.

Major stumbling blocks are Japan, the US and Canada’s strong stance on agricultural tariffs. New Zealand dairy and meat products face substantial tariffs in Canada, Japan and the US. TPP talks have been on hold while the US Congress decides whether it will authorise President Obama to conclude the negotiations. Any deal without the fast track approval means the Congress could then unpick any agreement.

Jacobi is hesitant to

IN BRIEF R&D HANGOVER NEW ZEALAND agriculture is suffering from a hangover caused by restructures and funding changes in the R&D sector, says Federated Farmers vice president Anders Crofoot.

He told the NZ Primary Industry Summit that the country ranked poorly in OECD; our R&D investment stands at 1.27% of GDP – half the OECD average of 2.4%.

“To date the competitive and very political nature of R&D has detracted from the value the investment is meant to be producing,” he says.

“Unfortunately R&D in New Zealand has been through the wringer with a steady stream of structural reorganisations and changes in funding and we’re suffering from its hangover.”

Sadly, the government departments’ track record of spending inefficiency’s and a desire for researchers to produce a profit meant that the old Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has been chopped and changed into multiple organisations including Crown Research Institutes (CRIs), he adds.

“Commercial companies are often criticised for too much focus on quarterly results and missing the big picture and we have been heading down the same track with R&D.”

predict where TPP might head in coming months.

And the uncertainty is already forcing some of the countries to depart from consensus, he says.

“Australia and Japan,

for example, concluded a bilateral FTA that sets a low benchmark for liberalisation and the US and Japan may well have agreed, although we don’t know for sure, that some

tariffs will continue to remain.

“A TPP has been around for some time; even the so-called ‘end game’ has been with us for quite a while.”

Stephen Jacobi believes making more information available would help inform a more productive public debate on the TPP.

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

10 NEWS

US going nuts about milk prices PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

FROM KENTUCKY family farms to Californian ‘mega dairies’, there is one thing on the mind of US dairy farmers – milk

price.

In California this is driving many to nuts.

The dairy farmers are not making money right now. The Californian price is $13-$16/cwt (cwt = 0.045 tonne), about $2/

cwt below cost – and well below the $20/cwt they were getting last year.

Kentucky is on a similar price: one farmer told Rural News they were getting $27/cwt last year.

Although US milk

Dry California is going nuts.

prices are based on various calculations and California has its own system, there’s general acknowledgement that ultimately the Fonterra Global Dairy Trade index has a strong influence.

Are you prepared to take a hit?

But despite the low prices this year, the family farms visited by Rural News last month – a 200cow farm in Kentucky through to a 5500-cow mega dairy in California – are in for the long haul.

They won’t be getting out; they will wait for the milk price to come up.

But less-committed farmers are getting out: the whole Central Valley of California is going nuts – almond, pistachio and walnuts.

It is fuelled by Chinese demand and the reported prospect of $10,000/acre (0.4ha) profit (based on almonds). There’s now a three year wait for walnut trees which take five-six years to reach full production. Almonds take three years and pistachio six years.

In a state as dry as a

bone after four years of drought, water-hungry nut trees make big demand, reportedly its takes 151L (40 US gallons) of water to grow one almond.

The almond husks make good feed for cows and are shipped around the state.

Meanwhile, dairy farmers – known as dairymen – no long feel welcome in the state: the state government no longer allows consents for new dairy operations.

Nevertheless visiting New Zealand farmers found much of interest in the Californian system of dairying; it reportedly pumps out twice as much milk (42 billion pounds 19b kg in 2014) from half the number of cows (1.8m). @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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“Farmstrong’s focus on wellbeing aims to provide farmers and their families with access to resources and information through its website, which will help them to live well and farm well,” says FMG spokesman Colin Wright.

It will also encourage rural communities and farmers to connect with each other via social media, regional farmer ambassadors and regionally focused programmes and events to be announced at the launch.

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12 NEWS

Health and safety tops Feds’ concerns PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

HEALTH AND safety, along with water, are the two hottest topics with farmers, according to Federated Farmers’ chief executive Graham Smith.

He and a Feds team have been out in the provinces talking to members as part of a ‘refresh’ of the federation.

Smith says health and safety is a huge issue now, coming at a time when Feds is trying to work with WorkSafe New Zealand to find practical solutions to safety on farms.

His views are echoed by the federation’s vice president, Anders Crofoot, also on the roadshow.

“I have gone around to Feds annual meetings and found health and safety is always right up there on the list,” he told Rural News. “Either they have

had guest speakers talking about it or it’s being raised during general discussions. Everyone is keen on making farms safer workplaces and no one faults that.

“The issue is how should a bureaucratic system that seems to be aimed at ‘ticking’ going to achieve a good outcome. I’ve heard it said that farmers are interested in outcomes, that they’re not so concerned about process, whereas WorkSafe seems to be really hung up on the process and that’s probably not going to produce the outcomes they’re hoping for.”

Crofoot says the flashpoint is obviously quad safety and WorkSafe’s view that no passengers should be carried on these vehicles. But he says NZ farmers don’t believe that US manufacturers’ guidelines – designed for Americans using quads as recreational vehicles – should apply in

Feds chief executive Graham Smith.

NZ. He says the least risky way of taking a fertiliser rep or bank manager around a farm is as a passenger on a quad driven by an experienced rider.

Crofoot also has concerns about WorkSafe’s approach to dealing with visitors on farms, such as hunters. He says the paperwork required is a turnoff

for farmers.

“If they try to clutter the system with too much record keeping – even simple record keeping – this will annoy farmers who in the end will find it easier to say ‘no’ than do the paperwork,” he says. @rural_news

RE-ENGAGING WITH THE PROVINCES FEDERATED FARMERS plans to employ a fulltime person to strengthen its dialogue and communication with its members in the provinces.

Feds chief executive Graham Smith says as a result of their roadshow around the country – where they were seeking ways to improve services to members – a major concern voiced was the need for better engagement with the regions.

“We had a lot of feedback from provincial presidents saying they’d like to have someone who lives and breathes what they do,” Smith told Rural News. “As a result of this feedback, we’re creating a new role and recruiting for it now.”

Smith says the new role – ‘general manager of provincial engagement’ – will help build Feds’ capacity to meet the changing demands being put on farmers. Also as part

of the ‘refresh’, Feds plans to set up national water and science teams.

As well as recruiting an extra staff member Feds will refocus staff in specific areas.

Farmers have pointed out that the federation, with its membership of 14,000, could do more given its strong representation in the provinces and a reputation for good engagement with politicians and industry leaders.

“There are big issues in the primary sector, now and in the future. We could help shape the thinking for forming coalitions and help find solutions to some of the issues – water, health and safety and new technology.”

Smith says as a result of this feedback, the federation will direct much of its efforts towards environment, health and safety and science and innovation.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NEWS 15

Beef outlook bright, lamb less so ANDREW SWALLOW

NEWS THAT China is to allow Brazilian beef back into its markets shouldn’t derail the bull run the New Zealand industry is enjoying, says leading exporter Silver Fern Farms.

However, the outlook for sheep producers isn’t so bright.

Brazilian beef was shut out of China and several other major markets, including the US, after a case of BSE in 2012, but last month Chinese officials re-approved eight Brazilian processing plants for export and another nine are expected to follow.

SFF’s general manager sales, Grant Howie, told Rural News it will have an influence in the international market but that shouldn’t affect New Zealand’s trade too much.

Despite the ban,

rally, he predicts.

“The domestic US beef prices have held up and the gap with imported beef prices is as wide as it’s ever been.

That’s not sustainable.”

He believes the gap will be closed more by a lift in import prices than a fall in the US domestic market.

“There could be a US50c/lb lift in price.”

With the NZ$ at about US74c last week that equates to an extra NZ$1.50/kg.

Howie says US beef producers are rebuilding herds apace after several years of drought, spurred by the positive market outlook and low feed (corn) prices. Brazil can’t sell there at present and even if “murmurings” that the US market may reopen to Brazil become reality, all it will mean is Brazilian beef is redirected from other markets which could create opportunities for

further before it comes back up again. Whether it’s cleared before next season remains to be seen.”

However, he stresses SFF’s not among those with stocks to clear this

time, unlike a few years ago. “We are selling as we process so there’s no risk of the situation we had two or three years ago.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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The outlook for lamb isn’t so bright with the global economy sluggish and a dip in import demand from China. “quite a lot” of Brazilian beef had been finding its way into China through “grey channels” and Brazilian beef, with widespread use of Brahman genetics, is generally lower quality than New Zealand’s so is in a different sector.

New Zealand’s FTA with China also means we have a 10.7% duty advantage over Brazil, which is set to become a 12% edge when NZ-China beef tariffs drop to zero next year.

“The steak cut market – tender loins, rib-eyes, etc – is really strong. We’re getting record prices despite the Australian kill running red hot.”

That drought-driven Australian supply, plus New Zealand’s cull cow peak, has seen international grinding beef prices go off the boil but over winter they’ll

New Zealand elsewhere.

El Nino hasn’t yet influenced the beef market, though there’s plenty of talk and everyone is “wary of it,” he adds. “Typically it hits the Aussie industry pretty hard.”

Unfortunately for New Zealand’s sheep producers, the outlook for lamb isn’t so bright with the global economy sluggish and a dip in import demand from China due to diseaseinduced culls in the domestic flock.

“We’ve not formulated an official view on lamb for next season yet but there are a lot of dark clouds and I don’t believe we’ve seen the bottom yet unfortunately,” Howie told Rural News. “There’s product still to hit the market from Australia and New Zealand which could cause it to fall

Silver Fern Farms’ Grant Howie says now that China is allowing Brazillian beef back into its market it shouldn’t impact on the current strong prices for NZ producers.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

16 NEWS

Horsing around in Mongolia Starting with pony clubs when he was just eight years old and a lifelong association with horses will culminate in 24-year-old Ben Wilks starting in the Mongol Derby in early August. Tony Hopkinson spoke with Wilks about his ambitions.

BELIEVED TO be the toughest horse race in the world, starting near Ullan Bator, the capital of Mongolia, the Mongol Derby travels 1000km across the country to an as yet-undisclosed destination. The race has to be completed within seven days and has a tenday time limit.

“I had read about it and a friend from Hamilton and I filled in the large application form, were interviewed and were both accepted,” Wilks told Rural News.

He believes there are two other entrants from New Zealand and about 40 starters in total.

The event is organised by Adventurist (www.theadventurists.com), a UK organisation running extreme adventures.

The Mongol Derby has been run for the past six years. The entrants will assemble on August 2 for three days of training and orientation before the August 5 start.

Checkpoints are at 40km stations along the way. The horses are supplied and are checked at each station for heart

rate, cuts and scratches and lameness by a vet. Time points are deducted for any faults. At each stop, riders are given GPS coordinates for the next stop and supplied with food and a new horse.

“There will be 40 horses lined up with a local Mongolian herder,” Wilks says. “It will then be up to me to choose a horse and negotiate with him any details about the horse – as to whether they are slow/ fast, quiet, liable to buck, kick and so on.

It will be in broken English, as I cannot speak Mongolian.”

Most of the horses will have been ridden and he believes each changeover will take 30-40 minutes.

Eating will be another challenge for Wilks: there will only be two options – goat stew and fermented mare’s milk.

He is a vegetarian, so has started eating some meat to prepare his stomach for the change. He will also be taking plenty of snack and energy bars to feed him between stops. They can sleep at each station, but if daylight is available they will ride on and sleep under the stars or

Ben Wilks will start in the Mongol Derby – believed to be the toughest horse race in the world – on August 5.

with a local Mongolian family in their homes (yirts).

Day temperatures are 30-40 deg C and down at night about zero.

Wilks will have his own saddle, saddle bags and bridle, plus a backpack for his camera, GPS, drink bottles a collection of zip ties and duct tape for running repairs and snack food. “These are my basics; if I lose the horse I can survive

for a while.”

His saddle bags will include wet weather gear and a bed roll. He will also have riding pants, chaps, riding boots and a helmet.

Wilks is not expecting to have a change of clothes till the end of the race.

He will ride weighing 74kg – well below the maximum weight allowed of 85kg.

Wilks has a certificate in large animal

technology and has worked as a vet assistant, ridden track work, worked on a dairy farm and was a riding instructor for two years. He has just quit his job of 15 months working for Asure Quality doing TB testing in the Hauraki Plains.

“I am now concentrating on getting riding fit by assisting a local racehorse trainer doing up to four hours of track work daily and another 3-4 hours a day exercising local horses.

He has lived most of his life on his parents’ dairy farm at Katikati, near Tauranga.

His entry fee is $14,000 and he needs more for personal costs to get to the start line. He will raise $2000 for charity: $1000 for Adventurist’s charity Cool Earth and $1000 to his charity of choice.

See www.kiwicareteam.co.nz to donate.

“It is going to be gruelling, long and tedious and will be the hardest thing I will do in my life,” he tells Rural News.

“But I am a competitive person and it will give me a great sense of achievement.”

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NEWS 17

A couple of nice surprises for Ag PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THE WIDER agribusiness sector has nailed its share of loot in the recent Budget – with extra money for R&D, training, irrigation, animal welfare and biosecurity.

In a Budget which gave away little, there were some surprises – most notably the $25 million over five years to fund ‘regional research institutes’.

possibly biosecurity in Auckland, dryland farming on the East Coast and just maybe something for Northland where jobs and votes are scarce.

In the science area Callaghan Innovation gets more cash, which spills into the agritech area, and there’s more for science in society with the aim of lifting New Zealanders’ engagement with science.

Biosecurity is a big

Irrigation projects will also get $25 million over five years from 2016-17.This will pay for investigating and

developing regional irrigation schemes, says the Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy. He says the Irrigation

Accelerator Fund has the potential to develop irrigation schemes which will boost exports and create jobs in the regions.

Feds vice president Anders Crofoot was pleased to see extra funding for R&D, biosecruity and agtraining in the Budget.

In a Budget which gave away little, there were some surprises – most notably the $25 million over five years to fund ‘regional research institutes’.

According to the Minister for Science and Innovation, Steven Joyce, the Government will work with regional stakeholders to identify where the new institutes will be located and what they will do. Joyce quotes the example of the Cawthron Institute in Nelson, which has a focus on aquaculture, marine biosecurity and coastal and freshwater ecology.

It’s assumed that horticulture, including kiwifruit in the Bay of Plenty, may get the nod,

winner: an extra $24.9 million for biosecurity over four years and an extra $2 million to pay for security at the border.

Also, a levy of $16 per person entering the country and $6 departing imposes a user-pays onus on travellers – a move welcomed by the agri sector. HortNZ, BLNZ and the Meat Industry Association say the new levy is fair and sensible and sheets home the cost to the people who pose a risk to the nation’s biosecurity.

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GOOD, CONSERVATIVE BUDGET – FEDS FEDS VICE-PRESIDENT Anders Crofoot says, from a farmer’s perspective, it was a good, conservative Budget.

He was pleased to see extra dollars assigned to R&D, but was surprised at the plan to set up research institutes in the regions.

The details and the eventual outcomes will be interesting, he says, but he’d be concerned if research was spread too thinly. He notes R&D money is now in ‘lots of buckets’ and he’s not sure this is a good idea.

Crofoot was also pleased with the extra money for agricultural training. “That push into more funding for higher education in agriculture is going to stand us in good stead,” he told Rural News.

“And the levy on air travel is a good way of sheeting home some of the costs to where the risks actually occur. As more people fly by air this levy will, in effect, make biosecurity self-funding, as opposed to NZ taxpayers having to pay for the increasing demand for biosecurity.”

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

18 AGRIBUSINESS

Californian farmer shows how to add value to milk PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

A CALIFORNIAN mega dairy farmer who has opened his own plant in the nearby town to process and sell fresh, glassbottled milk and make ice cream says he can add $100 to the basic milk price with his premium products.

That’s $100/cwt (1cwt = 0.0508 tonne) – the basic milk price currently is $13-14/cwt. Noel Rosa of Rosa Brothers Milk Com-

pany says his glass-bottled whole milk adds $50 more but with flavoured milk and premium smaller volume product he can get up to $100 more.

About five-six years ago he says they were looking at building another free stall barn – adding about 700 cows to his 5000-cow operation.

They decided instead to open their own processing and manufacturing plant with shop attached in the nearby town of Tulare.

“We thought it was less of

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a risk.”

At the farm Rosa Brothers milks 5000 cows and has planted about 242ha of feed crops. The family has had the farm for 60 years but started the manufacturing operation two and a half years ago. They use about 20% of their own milk for their glass-bottled milk and ice cream products and they are bottling the milk from about 200 cows. He would use all his milk if the operation grew large enough.

They offer whole milk,

non-fat milk and lactose free. They also have flavours such as chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, root beer, and orange and they put whole milk and chocolate milk into smaller containers to sell at donut shops and bakeries and similar. The bigger sellers are chocolate and whole milk which are “neck and neck” followed by strawberry.

“A lot of people liked the chocolate but they said they were lactose intolerant and could not

Californian dairy farmer Noel Rosa says he can add $100 to the basic milk price by producing premium products.

digest the milk so we started making that in lactose free. In the United States lactose free is a growing segment in milk.

Overall in the US fluid milk has been on a 30 year decline but there are certain growth sectors in fluid milk: glass bottle, lactose-free and organic are growing.”

They do recyclable glass bottles and only to sell to outlets prepared to collect the bottles for Rosa to recycle.

With the leftover cream from the non-fat milk they started making ice cream. Flavours include vanilla, chocolate, rocky road, cookies and cream, coconut, chocolate and almonds, chocolate chip and honey nut – they get local almonds and honey directly from someone who has the bees – pistachio, French cream, coffee and chips, strawberry and banana. The flavours are all natural using real

fruit, no artificial colours.

Eggnog ice cream has not been a big mover but may be around Christmas.

Other dairy farms make artisan cheeses so they sell those also and some other local food products.

They sell at their own shop, deliver in the local area up to two hours away and have a trailer they take to events.

They are not organic but try to do a few things a bit more naturally so they can claim they have more natural milk. “Our thing is more being fresh and natural.” They do not sell raw milk. “California has a lot of attorneys and lawsuits so we’re not interested in raw milk,” he joked. There is a huge demand for raw milk in the state but he is not interested in the risk.

They process about one tanker load of milk a day. They sell to young people who are single or just have one child and want something more

natural and better tasting or older people who don’t buy much milk but when they do they buy for the quality. They buy it for their grandkids. And they have people who are worried about the environment who like the use of glass bottles. Buyers are not the blue collar workers who have four kids.

“I have a hard time making money on that farm with those cows,” says Rosa, despite the size of his dairy operation. “Last year was easy but that’s one out of five years. I have a hard time making money on milk by the tanker load in California. The money this plant has the potential to make is the equivalent to thousands and thousands of cows.”

• Pam Tipa travelled to Californian dairy farms with a group of New Zealand dairy farmers courtesy of Alltech New Zealand.

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

AGRIBUSINESS 19

Has world beef consumption peaked?

PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

GLOBAL BEEF consumption will not increase markedly in the next few years, but on the plus side it has been reaching record prices, as have all meats, says Aidan Connolly, chief innovation officer for animal nutrition company Alltech.

Food has moved from being quietly talked about within the industry into something seen on the

half the increase of meat consumption in the next 10 years.

Beef consumption is stable: over the last three years it has only gone from 56.4m tonnes to 56.8m tonnes per annum.

However China’s consumption has increased about 8% a year. Asia represents about half the global beef trade and there’s been a four-fold increase in imports into China in the last four years. In the United States

increases in the price of steers and the prices on the shelves. Not just beef producers are gaining – many cuts and meats have hit all-time highs, creating profitable opportunities for all types of meat. With beef in particular this is a global phenomenon.

European, US, Australian and Brazilian prices have

Alltech’s Aidan Connolly

been strong for a good period of time.

But the long term trend is not for a significant increase in beef consumption, Connolly said.

“In fact, beef trends in US and Europe, based on current trends, look stableto-declining. Export side opportunities will be in Asia, China and to a lesser

degree Africa.

“We will also see increasing competition for land use and the high cost structures in rumen production will need to be addressed.”

• Rural News reporter Pam Tipa travelled to Alltech’s REBELation Symposium in Kentucky courtesy of Alltech NZ.

“The world population is growing but we need to be extremely careful in judging or interpreting the future base of world population expansion because food consumption is not driven by population growth.” consumption is on the decline – some say it has dropped to the levels of the 1950s. Middle East and Africa represent a proportion of import growth but are extremely price sensitive.

Uruguay will have limited expectations of growth in beef demand and in Argentina the drop in production has been even more extreme, dropping 55,000t since last year and almost 500,00t since 2009. There may be some modest growth in demand in Europe.

The outlook for beef is that any increased production will be offset by increased exports including from India, Europe and Paraguay. India is the number-one exporter of beef – not just dairy cows but also buffalo – followed

by Brazil, Australia and the US, in that order.

“Clearly, in terms of business, in whatever business we [look at] in agriculture, we’ve seen the numbers of herds and the numbers of animals declining and that’s equally true in all parts of the world. You can see long term declines in India, United States Brazil, China; you see declines in the overall number of people producing beef.”

But Connolly says beef prices have reached an alltime high, particularly in the United States, with

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front pages of the press, Connolly told the Alltech REBELation Symposium in Kentucky. On his frequent trips to China he reads stories about food, food safety, food security and sustainability.

“The world population is growing but we need to be extremely careful in judging or interpreting the future base of world population expansion because food consumption is not driven by population growth,” he said.

“It is driven by income growth, so it is much more important for us to look at where income growth is than to look at where the population is growing.”

Asked for advice on the global markets for food producers he tells people to learn what BRIC means, Brazil, Russia, India, and China. “Then buy yourself a passport and go there.”

A new acronym, MINT, represents Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey, he said. Producers need to have a sense of what is happening and what might happen in these markets.

Global consumption of all meat is projected to increase about a 1.6% a year to 2023. Beef consumption represents only about 15% of those total projected increases. Not just for China but for the world, poultry consumption will grow more rapidly and represents about

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

20 MARKETS & TRENDS MARKET SNAPSHOT  

BEEF MARKET TRENDS





 

 

 

 









































LAMB MARKET TRENDS LAMB PRICES

BEEF PRICES NI

Change

c/kgCWT

P2 Steer - 300kg

n/c

M2 Bull - 300kg

5.40

5.40

4.45

5.40

5.40

4.60

n/c

4.40

4.40

3.80

Local Trade - 230kg

n/c

5.40

5.40

4.65

n/c

P2 Steer - 300kg

4.30

n/c

M2 Bull - 300kg

3.80

3.70

n/c

4.10

5.00

3.80

n/c

3.70

5.10

5.00

n/c

Local Trade - 230kg

4.30

5.10

n/c

M Cow - 200kg



Last Year

P2 Cow - 230kg

P2 Cow - 230kg



2 Wks Ago

n/c

M Cow - 200kg

SI

Last Week

5.20

       

  

















 

YM - 13.5kg

5.20

Mutton

SI Lamb

YM - 13.5kg



 















   

  























 



















Last Week

-5

2.35

-6

2 Wks Ago

Last Year

5yr Ave

7.08

2.20 5.66

1.99

2.40

7.02

5.59

 







Change +1%

% Returned NI

+1%

% Returned SI 

























 



7.95

8.05

Last Year 5yr Ave

1.80

2.16

2Wks Ago 76.9% 71.2%

3 Wks Ago

76.3% 70.6%

8.05



 





Procurement Indicator +1%

Last Year

5yr Ave

78.64%

75.4%

67.9%



2Wks Ago

3 Wks Ago

61.6%

60.9%

66.0%

+1%

% Returned SI

70.7%

1.98

7.74



% Returned NI

65.2%





Last Year 5yr Ave 77.5% 73.0%



71.6%

65.9%

  









 













 









  





2 Wks Ago













Last Week 1.80

Change







-10

NZ$/kg









n/c



 





Procurement Indicator   















UK Leg £/lb

 



Export Market Demand



 

3.20



 





5.61

2.58







2.58





5.60

4.88







4.83

n/c

5.58

4.88







-5

5.56

4.88







4.83

  

 





NZ$/kg





4.83

3.60

4.88





95CL US$/lb



-5

5.91

3.15



Change



3.15

4.83

5.90

5.16





Change



5.16

-5

5.86

5.15



Export Market Demand



5.88

5.15

-5

MX1 - 21kg





5.13

5.11

Slaughter 



        

5.13

5.11

n/c

PX - 19.0kg

Mutton

Last Year

n/c

MX1 - 21kg

PH - 22.0kg

2 Wks Ago

n/c

PH - 22.0kg

2.85

Last Week

n/c

PX - 19.0kg

PM - 16.0kg

4.20

n/c

PM - 16.0kg

4.00

Slaughter



NI Lamb

2.90

3.70

Change

c/kgCWT

    

 















 











Venison Prices

  

Change











  

NI Stag - 60kg SI Stag - 60kg

n/c

n/c

Last Week

2 Wks Ago

6.25

6.25

6.50

6.50

Last Year 5yr Ave 6.15

6.20

6.78

6.96

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

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

MARKETS & TRENDS 21 NEWS

PRICE WATCH

BEEF: Cattle slaughter has been breaking weekly records in recent weeks, as cows in both islands continue to pour into the works.

Reports suggest that the beginning of June will see significant gaps appear in slaughter numbers across the country as the run of cows finally comes to an end. Slaughter prices have remained relatively stable in both islands, even as processors battle falling US imported beef prices. A weakening currency has helped take some of the edge off, but reports suggest at current operating prices, processor margins are taking a hit. It is likely that processors will start reducing capacity through June. Given deteriorating market conditions, most will try to prevent procurement competition kicking in too early.

BEEF INTERNATIONAL: Record kills are not the best remedy for the US market at present as prices continue to be driven down. There is limited end user interest and also ample inventories. It is the latter point that is potentially the more worrying.

Last year prices were driven sharply up from June as end users were caught short. This year reports suggest that high inventories will enable buyers to sit out of the market

for several months before buying again. It is therefore unlikely we will see a repeat of last year’s sharp market acceleration, so be prepared for FOP’s to remain below last year’s record levels.

SHEEP:

In the North Island (NI) lamb schedules continue to hold between $5.20-$5.30/kg gross, whereas in the South Island, prices have seen a downwards turn.

Slaughter numbers have held up in the NI better than anticipated; Southland slaughter is driving SI kill numbers. There is plenty of uncertainty surrounding which direction prices will go from here, with market conditions indicating there may be downside risk. China remains out of the lamb market, and a large lamb crop from the UK this season is soaking up demand from the EU and UK markets. NZ exporters are faced with very little interest from end-users and little sign of improvement as long as competitor supply remains high.

Overseas Wool Price Indicators

WOOL PRICE WATCH Change

21-May

14-May

Last Year

Coarse Xbred

+16

5.59

5.43

5.09

Fine Xbred

+12

6.31

6.19

5.35

Lamb

+13

6.91

6.78

5.26

-

-

-

-

Indicators in NZ$

Mid Micron









Indicators in US$/kg Coarse Xbred Fine Xbred Lamb Mid Micron





















 

 











+1

4.08

4.07

4.37

-4

4.61

4.64

4.60

-4

5.04

5.09

4.52

-

-

-

-























 





  

Last Year

21-May 14-May







Change

 











  

  











DAIRY: Dairy prices fell a further 2.2% at the last GDT auction, with all prices recording decline. WMP prices are showing signs of stabilising, with only a fall of 0.5% from the previous event, however SMP and AMF fell 3.6% and 4.8% respectively. NZ sourced product is now priced below

both US and EU sourced product, which is unusual when seasonal supply is low. While it appears WMP may be close to a bottom point, SMP and butter prices have now increased their discount relative to US and EU product, suprising some given supply from these parts is still large. Milk supply is at peak levels in the EU, implying that growth from here on in should be more moderate.

Rabobank are picking it to slow to levels well below those seen in early 2014. This, combined with a slow recovery in import demand, is expected to aid price recovey, but it will be a slow process. More positively, Rabobank’s 3-5 year outlook reports growing import demand and WMP prices likely to average more than US$3500/tonne over this period; 40% up on current prices.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

22 OPINION EDITORIAL

EDNA

Unbuggering the muddle WORKPLACE RELATIONS Minister Michael Woodhouse recently described the existing workplace safety legislation a ‘bugger’s muddle’.

It seems the proposed new legislation isn’t much better, given that it’s been sent back to the transport and industrial relations select committee for “further consideration” – code for “it’s still a bugger’s muddle”.

Everywhere farmers are revolting at the prospect of some of the items in the proposed legislation – especially the ‘threat’ to ban passengers from quads and the prospect of farmers being overwhelmed by paperwork in having to conform to so-called safety plans. At the best of times bureaucrats are tolerated but seldom loved by farmers or even politicians, who see them as a hindrance rather than a help.

In this particular case, WorkSafe NZ has got itself off-side with many in the farming community – including some of its highly respected leaders. Even Woodhouse conceded to Rural News recently that WorkSafe has a “perception problem” with farmers.

Farmers are not against the intent of the legislation and they want to reduce accidents on farms, but they feel that the bureaucrats are not listening to them but are instead proposing impractical solutions, and that are driven by ‘process’, rather than outcomes. Farmers also see WorkSafe as being out there to get them and prosecute them for what they (farmers) see as minor infringements.

Farmers’ vocal opposition has not unnaturally been directed at local MP’s, mostly National Party ones, many of whom are themselves farmers, therefore openly sympathetic and very sensitive to the rural revolt.

To support the new legislation, as it stands, would be ‘courageous’ on the politicians’ part but it’s well-known that ‘courageous decisions’ can be politically suicidal and career ending. (A bit like Andrew Little’s idea of means-testing workers over 65). So faced with a rural revolt the Government has sent the bill back to the same select committee that produced the outcome that is still deemed politically unacceptable.

Will they do better this time as they mull over the legislation, fortified by a cup of tea – or something stronger? Will WorkSafe NZ back down and modify some of the more contentious proposals?

Or will some sort of deal be done by WorkSafe NZ and farmers to sort this out quietly behind closed doors and present a solution to the committee that lets the politicians off the hook?

The rural jury is out.

RURAL NEWS HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 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

“I know what the bank manager said, but there might be some really good deals at Fieldays!”

THE HOUND

Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound?

Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz

Losers!

Green gripe?

Strange bulge?

YOUR OLD mate notes that for the last few weeks the Australianowned, controlled and managed so-called NZ Farmer rag has been touting the fact on its front page that it was a finalist in the ‘community newspaper’ category at the recent Canon media awards.

The Hound is confused that the Aussies see themselves as a ‘community’ and not a ‘farming’ publication and meaning their real competition is the likes of Kapiti Mana News, the Upper Hutt Leader, the Manukau Courier and the Whakatane Beacon – rather than the serious, dedicated farming publications. Meanwhile, this old mutt shed a tear for the poor, little Aussie battlers who were beaten by Mountain Scene – the Queenstown-based community newspaper – making them losers all around!

THE HOUND knows that the Greens hate farming about as much as they hate cars. So your old mutt was intrigued to see that the tree-huggers’ latest wunderkind – and possible replacement for co-leader – James Shaw has lodged numerous written parliamentary questions about Hawkes Bay agribusiness consultancy Brownrigg Agriculture Ltd. Shaw has written to the ministers for trade, economic development, foreign affairs and primary industries demanding to know what deals and contracts have been awarded to Brownrigg Agriculture and questioning the relationship between said government departments and the Hawkes Bay firm.

The question has to be asked, why are Shaw and the Greens so interested in Brownrigg’s business?

Watch this space.

YOUR OLD mate reckons the border security team at MPI will have a new take on the old saying “Is that a lump in your pants or are you just pleased to see me?” after detecting a Polish gardener trying to smuggle plants in his underpants through Auckland airport recently. MPI staff intercepted plant cuttings, a bulb, a tuber and seeds in the air passenger’s underwear, found during a search. MPI strip-searched the passenger after a biosecurity detector dog sniffed out the plants near the man’s groin. A Customs drug dog had also indicated the man was carrying something in his pants. According to MPI, the man – a New Zealand resident – was wearing two pairs of underpants and the itchy concealment included ivy from a castle in Poland.

Whose side are they on?

LABOUR IS now also putting the putting the boot into the NZ dairy sector. Its trade spokesman David Parker has accused Trade Minister Tim Groser of insulting Canadian diplomats by comparing that country’s dairy industry to the Soviet Union. But given that the Canadians limit the amount of domestic dairy production, impose huge tariffs on imports and cause a single dairy cow quota to be valued at about $30,000 you can’t blame Groser for his Soviet comparison. Parker, said Groser’s comments had the Canadian Embassy in Washington “bristling at the minister’s counter-productive, undiplomatic sledging.” So is Labour now supportive of the Canadian Government’s dairy policy which locks out competing countries like NZ?

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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 // JUNE 2, 2015

OPINION 23

Budget 2015 good for rural NZ this, through the Primary Growth Partnership.

We have 17 programmes underway, co-funded with industry, to come up with new products and techniques.

As a government we have a plan to open up new markets to help our exporters, we’ve recently

NATHAN GUY

time. Dairy farmers have fenced at least 23,000km of waterways and greatly improved how they manage nutrients.

Budget 2015 also provides $16.8 million to help regional councils implement freshwater standards, and a fit-forpurpose Overseer model

respect and understanding’.

Environmental performance in farming is no longer a ‘nice to have’; it’s a necessity for the New Zealand public and our global consumers. Farmers and growers have come a long way in a relatively short

will have an important role to play. But we need to keep doing more. The country is demanding greater environmental sustainability of us, and so are our markets. I’m confident we’re up to the challenge.

• Nathan Guy is the Minister for Primary Industries.

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy

ra’s revised payout. The world now has more milk than normal and China’s stockpile is being used slowly. The removal of the European milk quotas is expected to cause a slight increase in the world’s supply of milk, and the impact of drought is still felt in the South Island.

But we all know farming is a cyclical business; prices and returns fluctuate every year.

Last year’s huge record payout ($8.40) means farmers still have a strong cashflow. The average payout over the last 15 years is $5.25, so we need to keep this year’s payout in context. In fact, in 2002-2006 the average total payout was just $4.20.

Farmers have come through drought, earthquakes, snowstorms and all kinds of challenges; they are used to volatility and are very resilient.

Other industries are looking to have strong years. The red meat sector is enjoying good prices and solid growth, increasing by $480m on last year – a 43% increase driven mainly by from beef exports.

Horticulture has had a record year, earnings for 2014 topping $7.5 billion for the first time. Kiwifruit in particular has bounced back strongly from Psa with over $1 billion in exports; wine is having a good year.

Looking further ahead, some forecast global food demand to increase by 40-45% by 2025, driven by a rising global population and the emerging middle classes of Asia.

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BUDGET 2015 is, I believe, one of the best for the primary sector since National has been in government.

I’ve always said biosecurity is my number one priority as minister and the budget backs it up. An extra $27 million will mean more dogs, more x-ray machines and improved auditing of systems in other countries.

A new levy on overseas travellers will help protect our border: the $22 per return trip will have travellers paying for customs and biosecurity services, rather than the taxpayer.

This is a fairer, more transparent and flexible way to fund the system and deal with the pressure of increasing passenger volumes.

We are also spending $7.5 million on boosting skills and systems in the primary sector, some on Overseer, technology transfer and some on the education system to encourage more young people into primary sector careers.

On that note, it’s pleasing to see a 20% increase in funding for agriculture at tertiary level in budget, on top of $25 million over three years to develop three new privately led regional research Institutes.

A further $25 million will go to the Irrigation Acceleration Fund to kickstart regional water storage projects. The need for this is obvious given droughts throughout the country over the last few years.

And an extra $10 million will go towards animal welfare, to help implement the recently passed Animal Welfare Amendment Act regulations, support the SPCA and improve education and enforcement.

All this will help achieve our goal of doubling the value of exports by 2025 – an ambitious target but achievable because the primary sector has a strong outlook in the medium-longer term.

We all know the dairy sector is facing a tight year, as reflected in the GDT prices and Fonter-

signed an FTA with Korea and the TPP is making progress.

A big challenge in growing and protecting value is our ‘social licence’ to operate, which I define as ‘the ability to produce our products sustainably, bringing the community with us, and earning their

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

24 OPINION FACTS PLEASE, WORKSAFE ALL THIS talk about quad safety and WorkSafe NZ’s approach to the issue is starting to frustrate me for several reasons. I have some questions for WorkSafe.

WorkSafe has talked about the cold, hard facts, so show us them.

How many accidents or injuries have been caused by people carrying passengers?

How many injuries would have been preventable had a helmet been worn? How many deaths are caused by people having accidents, say, backing over a

bank, as opposed to stupidly racing around a paddock or a laneway? What is the farmer suicide rate compared to the workplace death rate?

Let’s look at this a different way: I have asked a local cop how many injuries would have been prevented by a helmet being worn.

He said, “Of the five deaths locally, three would have been avoided if a reverse buzzer had been fitted to the bike.”

So are we taking the wrong approach to this issue? Why don’t

we try to prevent injury-causing accidents, rather than just trying to prevent injuries?

Once a week, on average, I start my quad in gear, thinking it’s in a forward gear then discovering it’s in reverse. Yes, I should take more care and shift it out of reverse before switching it off; but we are human and humans make errors.

Solution: a compulsory reversing buzzer on all quads, or prevent quads being started in reverse. For hunters, fit an over-

ride button that cancels the buzzer, but not a switch.

WorkSafe should cold, hard facts to prove that not carrying passengers or wearing a helmet will avert crashes.

And quads are not meant to carry more than a set load, according to the manufacturers.

But sometimes it is safer to take an overloaded quad than a ute or tractor.

James Jarden Address TBA (Shortened. Ed.)

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NOT CHEEKY! AN ARTICLE appeared in Rural News 19 May in The Hound section of the paper headed ‘Cheeky buggers’.

Although no names have been stated it will be obvious to all readers who this article is directed to.

Information contained in this article has been misconstrued and twisted and we would like to advise that the contents are damaging and we are extremely unhappy about this.

We will have you know that, yes, we put out an email to a small number of our suppliers with whom we have a great reputation, to keep them in the loop with regards to payment. The drop in payout obviously altered our budgeting situation and because of the size and scale of the business we were already working through this with our bankers.

We will remind you that whether your business is large or small, almost every dairy farmer will be in the same position and we take offence at having been singled out by an untruthful article being published in the way it was and which has the ability to be very damaging to our reputation.

Obviously someone has ‘tall poppy syndrome’ out there to go distributing private information to a national newspaper.

As for the article saying “that suppliers and creditors would not be paid any time soon”, this is a lie, and the statement “that it went down like a cup of sour milk with them” is also untrue, as suppliers were paid within 20 days of the email as soon as credit approval came from the bank – as long as there were no account queries in any of them, which is normal practice.

I will have you know that several of the suppliers concerned phoned personally to “thank us” for advising them and keeping them informed which we felt was best practice under the circumstances at the time. We have the highest regard for our suppliers, which was why the email was distributed to them in the first place.

With regards to “Dutch courage” we will have you know that we have worked extremely hard with huge investment and development that we carry out in the region and industry, i.e. introducing indoor robotic milking to this country. Also we have been heavily involved in the setting up of two independent dairy companies, which will soon have a combined value in excess of a billion dollars.

If you want to talk about courage again, well we think we have displayed more courage than most would ever attempt in a lifetime. This courage has not only created jobs, but growth and work for suppliers in the region. Our creditors and suppliers understand that this is a difficult time for all dairy farmers.

We don’t see The Hound singling out the 200 cow dairy farmer who has had a small blip because of the reduction in payout and drought conditions.

We believe the ‘Cheeky buggers’ in this situation are The Hound and the person who leaked the private information and not the farmers the article was directed to. As farmers we have acted responsibly.

We suggest that in future The Hound researches his information more carefully so as to obtain and print only true facts or alternatively be locked away indefinitely in his dogbox so that no more damage can be done.

Aad and Wilma van Leeuwen RD 9 Waimate Editor’s note: Rural News accepts The Hound item on May 19 headed: ‘Cheeky buggers’ did not contain, or ask for, any response from the van Leeuwens before it was published. Rural News apologises for any offence the said item may have caused and/or any imbalance created by not getting the van Leeuwens’ input before it was printed.

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

MANAGEMENT 25

A station constantly under the pump!

PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THE EXISTENCE of Landcorp’s Ahuriri Station near Napier, one the country’s newest farms, came at a huge cost to the local community. The station is sited on some of the 40 square kilometres of land uplifted 2.7m out of the sea in the 1931 earthquake which devastated Napier and killed 256 people.

The 1326ha (1100ha effective) property is located right next to Napier Airport, another facility which owes its existence to the earthquake. While the land looks perfectly normal from a distance, albeit low lying, mother nature requires men and machines to allow it to remain farmable.

Not obvious on Ahuriri Station from your plane approaching Napier are two large pumping Ahuriri Station manager John stations, with four pumps, which Ferguson (left) with son Kent suck some 17,000L of seawater who also works on the station. every minute – yes, minute – out the gratings that clear the seawater of the network of drains on the property back into the Napier estuary. during its passage from a vast network Even more bizarre is that while the sea- of drains all over the property to the water is being removed from the farm, main pumping station. That’s what freshwater – at the rate of 84,000L per happens on a normal day, but as manminute – is being pumped back onto the ager John Ferguson points out, it gets farm from a site about 5km from the much worse in a flood. He says during farm office to provide drinking water one particularly bad storm it took 15 days to pump the water off the farm. for stock.

Every day a digger is used to clear But despite all the water Ahuriri, like

all Hawkes Bay farms, still gets hit by drought.

“We farm predominantly in the usual Hawkes Bay summer dry environment and we are proactive in getting the lambs off the property in December and at the same time having the ewes in ready for when the ram goes out on February 20. In November and December we also cull the ewes. We need to do

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this because this year we got worse than a Hawkes Bay summer dry. We went from the Hawkes Bay summer dry to a severe Hawkes Bay summer dry and if cyclone Pam hadn’t have come along we would have been in trouble.”

Today Ahuriri runs 9000 sheep, of which 5600 are breeding ewes and the remainder replacements or lambs still being finished. It also runs about 200

Angus steers and 500 heifers brought on from other Landcorp farms as yearlings and taken through to twoyear-olds.

“When I first came here to work in 1984 there was a lot of deer. There were over 1000 hinds which had been captured in the wild. Les Turfrey was the manager then. He was a very knowledgeable man who knew a lot about deer. There was of course sheep and cattle too. In those days the lambing percentage was 105% whereas today it is 150%.

“In the early days there was a Coopworth stud on the property and we bred our own replacements. We used a Suffolk ram across the others. The Coopworths performed well and looked good, but it was decided to change to a Romney flock and use a Landcorp Supreme ram across these as a terminal sire.”

Today there are more changes afoot.

In addition to the mixed age ewes on Ahuriri, five-year-old ewes from other Landcorp farms are being sent here to get a “couple more years” out of them.

John Ferguson says these older ewes are good animals and it’s been decided TO PAGE 26

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

26 MANAGEMENT

The challenges of Ahuriri FROM PAGE 25

not to waste them by culling them at five years of age.

While nature freely gave up the land, it also provided many challenges for Ferguson and others who have farmed Ahuriri.

Soil is the issue. A lot of it is heavy blue marine clay.

Some of the soil is sandy and there is just 38ha on two prominent hills in the middle of the farm that could loosely be classed ‘normal’ pasture. The nature of the soils has limited the type of grasses that can cope.

“In terms of pasture we’ve tried all sorts but now stick to traditional ryes and clover and a bit of plantain mix. There

This photo shows how bad it can flood at Ahuriri Station.

is no chicory because it doesn’t like the salinity in the soil. We have had lucerne here and in theory it should have lasted six or seven years but once its tap roots got to salt it failed to persist. We have also tried brassicas and have had the same problems. As part of our re-

grassing programme we are looking at maize in the future.”

Some of the land is shingle and Ferguson uses this as a sort of feed pad for wintering the cattle.

They are fed a mixture of baleage which is made on the farm, and other roughage.

The location and nature of the farm is most unusual with challenges that would be seen on few New Zealand farms.

Yet common sense and simple technology have been combined to find a solution to make a profit from a very new piece of the country.

BETTER LIVE ANIMALS THAN DEAD ONES! JOHN FERGUSON has spent all his life in Hawkes Bay and almost all his working life in the farming sector. After he left school he did an apprenticeship as a butcher, but then decided he wanted to work with live rather than dead animals.

“In the early days there was a place in Hastings called the Hawkes Bay Farm Centre run by Miss Williams. I told her I wanted to move on in life and she put me here across the estuary at the Dave Holder Estate on Seafield Road. The farm manager there was John Gannon and I used to look across the hills and down onto the flats here at Ahuriri and thought that I couldn’t work over there,” he says.

He later worked at Marist Society’s sheep and beef farm at Awatoto. The society is best known for its Mission Wines; they also had a large farm which they still own but lease out. On a Saturday John would butcher the meat for the Marist seminary at Greenmeadows. He worked at other stations before coming to Ahuriri in 1985. He has been here ever since and was appointed farm manager six years later.

John Ferguson points to water going out to estuary.

Ferguson is a highly regarded and dedicated manager known for his excellent stockmanship and ability to run a farm recognised as difficult to manage.

He is also very much in the public eye, having to manage relationships with the adjacent airport, port and industrial area.

In his time at Ahuriri he has overseen many improvements to both the infrastructure of the farm and the stock.

Upgrading the water supply and pasture renovation are two major projects.

Today he remains as keen and dedicated as ever, working with the four staff on the farm, one of whom is his son, and looking at ways to improve this gift from mother nature.

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28 MANAGEMENT

Making cropping systems sustainable The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) has teamed up with the Future Farming Centre at Lincoln’s biological husbandry unit to run a series of sustainable agriculture and horticulture workshops. Andrew Swallow reports DO YOU know how docks, thistles and dandelions differ in their ability to regrow? Or from how deep particular weed species germinate? Or what are the alternative

hosts for the pests that try to demolish your crops?

Finding answers to questions like these, before deciding how to tackle a problem, will make farm systems

sustainable long-term, growers and agronomists attending a series of Foundation for Arable Research workshops are hearing.

Leading the workshops

is Charles Merfield of Lincoln University’s biological husbandry unit (BHU). He says there’s been a “u-turn” in agricultural science and global agricultural

policy since the 1980s, exemplified by 2015 being declared the Year of Soil by the United Nations.

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Physical barriers such as mesh may be an alternative to pesticides, but beware unintended consequences, says Charles Merfield of Lincoln’s BHU.

would have asked ‘What are you on?’ ” he told the first of the FAR workshops.

The declaration reflects a “realisation at the top level” that healthy soil is essential to feed the world and important “for a whole lot of other issues”.

Driving that realisation is a “considerable decline in soil health and quality around the world.”

Merfield says farmers’ interest in soil has always been greater than academics’ due to lack of funding for soil science, but economics have forced farmers to adopt practices detrimental to their dirt. “The huge problem here is nobody wants to pay you to [look after soil],” he points out.

However, that is starting to change in some parts of the world.

“In the EU, most of what farmers get paid for now [in subsidies] is environmental protection, including looking after the soil.”

Here, regional council legislation increasingly requires soil protection onfarm to protect the wider environment but, legislation aside, it’s in farmers’ interest because soil is a property’s most valuable asset, says Merfield. Looked after, it improves productivity and reduces nutrient loss, he points out.

Organic matter is a driver of soil health and a “continuous, regular supply of freshly dead plant material and animal residues” should be the aim.

“Diversity is the spice of life,” adds Merfield, pointing out wheat straw year after year won’t work wonders, but a range of residues, weeds, composts and manures will.

The organic matter promotes biological activity which in turn makes nutrients available

to plants. There’s little justification for inoculants. “Good quality research in this area is struggling to find any benefits.”

Typically soil biomass is about 10t/ha, in a “pretty stable ecosystem”, consequently inoculant quantities are minute by comparison and unlikely to have noticeable effect, he explains.

Relative quantity is also the key with foliar fertilisers. Applied in the right form, in the right way, to meet a correctly diagnosed need, they do work but they are “really, really expensive per kilogramme” of nutrient so should be used as an urgent fix rather than a long-term solution.

Moving onto the nutrients themselves, Merfield questions the concept of cation balance, often referred to as the Albrecht system, noting flaws in the original experiments and “very few” supportive field trials since. “Even the ones done by proponents of the system have often not found a result,” he points out.

He acknowledges many farmers adopting the system get positive results but suggests other causes, such as micronutrients in organic fertilisers used, or greater biological activity releasing already present nutrients, may be the reason why.

“Inadvertently you may be correcting a deficiency.”

After nutrients, or lack of them, compaction is “the second biggest cause of yield loss” and it doesn’t require a big tractor to cause it, he warns. Even a Ferguson 35 squeezes soil pores below the plough layer, and “it’s the stuff at depth that is the hardest to see and to deal with,” he points out.

While there will be occasions where remedial TO PAGE 29

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

MANAGEMENT 29

The noble art of pest and disease management ANDREW SWALLOW

LIKE A martial art, sustainable and smart pest and disease management relies on understanding opponents’ strengths and weaknesses and using these against them, says Charles Merfield of Lincoln University’s biological husbandry unit (BHU).

That means putting much more emphasis on biological and ecological control, and reducing reliance on physical and chemical attacks.

“You need to understand how these things are working and start developing the strategies,” he told one of a series of FAR workshops

on sustainable agriculture and horticulture (see main story).

For every pest or disease, consider host range, dispersal method, conditions conducive to development and reproductive rate. A similar thought process can be applied to promoting “beneficial” bugs which predate on insect pests or weeds.

“There’s a lot of free pest control going on out there. Let’s try to improve that.”

Similarly, with smart cultural techniques, near-complete weed control can be achieved without herbicides so even open canopy crops such as beet face little competition.

“It’s very, very simple. Grow the

weeds, then grow the crop.”

If herbicides are used to remove what does come through after sowing, there’s a reduced risk of selecting for resistance simply because there are fewer weeds.

Huge advances in hi-tech autoguided mechanical weeding machines have been made but in some cases the combination of simple old-school techniques like inter-row hoeing with GPS guidance can allow faster and longer operation, achieving just as good results for relatively little cost.

Soil flicked up by the hoes buries the most difficult weeds to reach – those by the crop plant stems – hopefully killing them, he explains.

Making cropping systems sustainable action is required to give soil biology a helping hand to rectify compaction, avoiding compaction in the first place by controlling and minimising traffic should

be the aim. Despite “huge” uptake already, there should be greater use of GPS and auto-steer technology.

Where fine seedbeds are required, such as for carrots or onions, reverse action tillers that create

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RURAL INSURANCE company Farmers Mutual Group will have a wider presence at stock auctions and stud sales, according to FMG business development manager Hayden Dunne.

The insurer is offering non-renewing, short term insurance for bulls, rams, stags and other high value livestock.

Buying breeding animals is a big cost to farmers, especially when trying to build up strong genetics, says Dunne. The dangers of mishaps are often costly.

“Farmers can easily pay up to $10,000 for some animals. If you pay good money it’s important to have them protected; cover also includes transit to get them home safely.”

Dunne says this is especially important if a farmer only has one or two bulls as mishaps are likely to have an increased negative effect at mating time.

FMG has a range of cover options available from transit + 30 days, right through to 12 months to protect farmers’ outlay should an animal die as a result of accident, disease or illness.

Dunne says cover for intentional slaughter when infertility results from an accident disease or illness is also included.

“We’d need to get a vet to examine the animal, but if it is proved to be not capable of reproduction we will compensate farmers for the amount insured less the slaughter value at the works.”

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to remove already growing weeds shouldn’t go below that depth if triggering a fresh flush of weeds is to be avoided.

But for all the merits of false and stale seed-bed preparation – Merfield defines the latter as created postsowing with chemical or thermal control rather than cultivation – at the top of his hierarchy of non-chemical weed controls is rotation, with a mix of autumn and spring sown crops and pasture phases included.

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a tilth in one pass have merit. “Stuff like this has huge potential to reduce the number of passes and ‘oomph’ you put into the soil.”

But traditional rotary hoes or rotovators, particularly those with L-shaped blades, should be avoided. “If the devil invented a piece of tillage equipment, it would be the rotovator.”

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Whether such a technique works, again comes back to knowing your enemy. “To kill a plant you’ve got to kill the meristem.”

Some weeds, such as dock, won’t regenerate from roots, only the crowns, so decapitating them is all that’s needed. Others, such as dandelion, will push up new crowns even if the root is severed well below ground, but an annual thistle take-off at the hypocotyl (where stem meets root) is “toast”, hence why a grubber works.

Another key point is that cultivation triggers weed germination, and most weed seeds won’t germinate from deeper than one inch so cultivation

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

30 ANIMAL HEALTH

Clues to in-calf conundrum ANDREW SWALLOW

DESPITE GREAT cow and pasture condition in spring, Lincoln University dairy farm’s six-week in-calf rate slumped from 78% last year to 72% this year.

And judging by comments made by LIC’s Amy

Frampton to a focus day on the farm last month, it’s a common conundrum.

“Why have we got this 6% drop in in-calf rate?

I’ve been on lots of other farms trying to answer that question too,” she told the focus day crowd, urging them to work

through the eight slices of a fertility “cake” to identify possible causes (see box).

In LUDF’s case, body condition was “fantastic at calving” and at mating only 4.6% of the herd was below body condition score (BCS) 4.0. Breaking down in-calf rates by

BCS showed 76% of those at 4.5 in-calf at six weeks, 73% of those at 4.0 in-calf, and 60% of those at 3.5 or 5.0 in-calf.

“Girls in that 4.0 to 4.5 condition score range do very well reproductively,” Frampton stressed.

Looking at production didn’t reveal a link either.

“The high producing cows got in-calf well and were actually the best. They had a 77% six week in-calf rate at Lincoln compared to the average of 72%.”

Frampton admitted that with nothing “jumping out” as a cause from condition and production, they were starting to get

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frustrated but an “a-ha!” moment came when they analysed in-calf rates against calving date.

The medium calvers – those calving at threesix weeks from planned start of calving – were only 61% in-calf at six weeks, compared to 78% of the early calvers. That drop of 17 percentage points was well over the industry target of 10 points, and Lincoln’s 2013 eight-point drop.

“Also the conception rate was 13 [percentage points] lower than the early calvers’,” noted Frampton.

However, again there was no obvious reason why this group of cows were below par: they were in good condition, the weather was mild and they had plenty of high quality pasture.

Protein to fat ratio of milk didn’t show any abnormalities and retained membranes or still births were few in the group too. But when it came to dirty cows, a red flag went up. There was a 7.5% incidence compared to 1.5% the previous year.

“We’ve calculated those dirty cows pulled the whole herd conception rate back 2%.”

So why so many dirty cows? Frampton suggested a slight deficiency

in selenium or calcium, both important in uterus cleansing, as possible causes.

One thing it certainly wasn’t, she added, was heat detection, as cows were bulling “long and strong” and the LUDF team did a “fantastic job” with submission rate being similar to 2013.

Summing up, Frampton said the analysis shows body condition at calving is critical and preserving body condition in late lactation is vital. “Try not to be too greedy. Don’t keep milking into June.”

That’s particularly important with some “scary looking” winter crops in Canterbury due to the drought. “You’ve got to know where you stand, what you’ve got available to feed.”

Feeding well during calving to keep appetite going is important and “health events” should be recorded for future reference. If in-calf rates are over 70% then analysing performance by groups of cows, as they had at LUDF, could keep pushing reproductive performance.

“The challenge is to work out who let you down.”

Tools such as LIC’s online Minda software could help. “Do use it, it does a lot of the work for you.”

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

ANIMAL HEALTH 31

New technologies need to pump up protection PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

CAN WE get 32,000kg of milk out of a cow per annum? Could we achieve 200kg of beef gain in 100 days?

Those questions were asked by Alltech chief innovation officer Aidan Connolly at the company’s REBELation Symposium in Kentucky.

Alltech is a biotechnology and leading animal nutrition company.

Its core business is improving animal health and performance by adding nutritional value with innovative use of yeast fermentation, enzyme technology, algae and nutrigenomics which studies the impact of nutrition at genetic level.

Connolly told the symposium, attended by the Rural News, that clearly there is an efficiency issue with ruminant animals versus other animals. Ruminants appear to be not as efficient at converting food to production albeit different types of feedstuffs are being consumed.

The genetic variation of ruminant animals is much greater than with other species such as chickens, he says. “The digestibility factor of evaluating how ruminant forages are digested is very variable as well and we need to be introducing new technologies.”

He says ruminant producers should embrace new technologies and be faster and more adaptable in their businesses than anyone else.

Steps which can be taken include: Feed efficiency: Alltech is involved in a system called vitro fermentation model (IFM). This allows real time analysis of what cows are consuming.

It tracks digestion to show how those forages and feeds are digested in the rumen. Issues relating to rumen efficiency can be addressed immediately.

A sample showed a ‘before’ diet which was inefficiently digested.

The diet was rebalanced by replacing blood meal with soya bean meal and Optigen (an Alltech product which is a non-protein nitrogen (NPN) source for ruminants) and using the IFM technique they increased milk production by 2.8kg/cow and intake by 0.45kg on a daily basis.

“This shows how we need to recreate what is happening in the rumen and predict and therefore change the diets to make it work,” says Connolly.

Carbon footprint: “Rather than looking at carbon footprint as being a problem for ruminant animals, we need to look at it as an opportunity,” he says. “If we can make that rumen work more efficiently, if we have less nutrient waste in the urine, we can make that ruminant animal more efficient and therefore make milk or

Research has found that ruminants appear not to be as efficient as other animals at converting food into production.

meat more efficiently produced. So this leads to a carbon calculator. The most exciting thing from this is we can make more money by addressing this issue.”

Seed to beat: Covap is an ambitious and innovative (agricultural products) cooperative in Spain looking at feeding animals by controlling forages to guarantee the quality of the product. Alltech has developed a partnership with them and has seen improvements in the quality of food they are selling and also efficiency.

Technologies: “We see so many areas of the cow that should be monitored,” says Connolly. We should look at intake, body temperatures, fatness, locomotion, rumination and fertility. “Many technologies are coming out – ear ties that can measure body temperature, rumen probes that can detect what is going on directly in the rumen feeding real-time information; we’ve seen monitors like cow bells round the neck of the cow allowing you to detect changes in daily temperature and therefore predict when ovulation is occurring and be much more accurate in insemination.

“That can feed into applications on the smartphone, again making us smarter as farmers and that efficiency is extremely important because of the [feed efficiency] gap we have.”

Connolly says we should start to imagine a world where we connect all these things together – genetic selections, feed efficiency, productivity and sustainability.

But, he asks, will we drown in that data? Certainly the data will be too large to process by traditional means. But technologies are developing which can look at visually recognising the cow.

A smartphone can be held up

inside a barn, survey 50 cows, identify the cows individually, and look for behaviour, locomotion and health issues. It will identify such things as lameness, acidosis or body temperature.

“Consumers consistently tell us beef is too variable,” says Connolly.

“They want something that is juicy and tasty, they want it to be healthy, but most of all they want it to be consistent. They are starting to throw in other words as well – they want it antibiotic free, they want improved shelf life and they want all that without compromising the cost of production.

“Is that too much to ask? Perhaps.

I know Alltech has plenty of ideas for enriching that with selenium, DHA (an Omega 3 fatty acid) and algae.”

And there are other issues, such as the McDonalds’ move to antibiotics free, says Connolly. The industry is trying to understand what antibiotics free means. It is increasingly affecting the industry and he named several American companies in a process of redefining what meat is and what they want to buy.

In conclusion, Connolly says perhaps ruminants are not the most efficient species. Perhaps we need to address more uniformity in terms of consistency of genetics and to understand better forages.

But by embracing new technologies, the producer can improve and differentiate themselves from competitors.

“By leading the production of forages and the understanding of data involved with forages you can make yourself more efficient – the most efficient producers in your industry, and gain greater confidence and loyalty from your customers.”

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

32 ANIMAL HEALTH

New TB test shows encouraging signs A NEW test for bovine TB developed by AgResearch is said to be attracting international attention.

Principal scientist Professor Bryce Buddle says it is early days yet, but they have encouraging prelim-

inary results from a trial which shows the potential for a more accurate and cost-effective diagnostic test in the battle against bovine TB. “The current test used on New Zealand farms

often gives false positives, and a blood test is needed to confirm infection. We have developed a new skin test that has a similar sensitivity to the existing reagent bovine tuberculin, and fewer false positive

reactions in non-infected animals,” he says.

Buddle and colleagues at the Hopkirk Research Institute in Palmerston North have shown that by displaying three or four specific M. bovis proteins

Bryce Buddle undertaking a skin test.

on the surface of polyester beads (bionanoparticles) — a cost-effective and more reliable skin test reagent for bovine TB can be produced.

The original beads technology, known as Biobeads, was developed by Professor Bernd Rehm at Massey University. Professor Rehm is the chief science officer at the NZ biotechnology company PolyBatics Ltd, the company that now owns the technology and is developing products.

Buddle says the advantage of this approach is that the proteins have stronger immune responses when displayed on very small particles and can be used in a very low concentration; in addition, the Biobeads can be produced at low cost using fermentation technology.

“This new reagent has the potential to be used in a TB diagnostic blood test as well as the human skin test for tuberculosis,”

THE LONG.

NILVAX® protects your lambs for 16 weeks against the 5 key clostridial diseases, 4 weeks longer than conventional 5-in-1s.

THE SHORT.

The short-acting levamisole drench not only controls gastrointestinal roundworms and lungworms in the ewe, it also helps boost immunity and increases antibodies.

AND THE POINT.

SCOURGE OF ANIMALS, HUMANS BOVINE TB is a chronic disease of animals caused by bacterium called Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), which is closely related to the bacteria that cause human and avian tuberculosis. Bovine TB can affect most mammals, causing illness, coughing and eventual death.

The disease is contagious and spread by contact with infected domestic and wild animals.

While the incidence of bovine TB has been greatly reduced in the developed world, significant pockets of infection remain in wildlife in NZ, UK and to a lesser extent the US and Canada, putting at risk livestock there.

Nilvax is the best thing to get your lambs off to a good healthy start and through to weaning.

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01715_MSD Nilvax 280x187_RN.indd 1

he says.

A large field trial is now underway to estimate the sensitivity and specificity of the test compared with the existing bovine tuberculin.

Already at least 30,000 cattle and 3000 deer have been tested, yielding encouraging results for specificity and significantly fewer false positives than for bovine tuberculin; the test is on track to deliver equivalent sensitivity.

Buddle says the new skin test reagent has attracted international attention and material has been supplied to the US Department of Agriculture and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for testing of the reagent for TB diagnosis in cattle.

This work is funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as part of a five-year contract and PolyBatics Ltd is commercialising the new reagent.

26/05/15 11:02 am

Check out our websites www.ruralnews.co.nz www.dairynews.co.nz

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

SITE F38 - F42

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SEE US AT THE ANZ BUILDING

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 37

Fieldays looking beyond dairy SUDESH KISSUN sudesh@ruralnews.co.nz

THE NATIONAL Fieldays wants greater engagement with agriculture sectors not associated with dairy.

Chief executive Jon Calder says the event has “a strong dairy bias” and moves are underway to connect more with the red meat, horticulture and arable sectors.

Nearly half (42%) of the visitors to the annual four-day event are related to dairy, according to a survey by the National Fieldays; about 32% of visitors are either sheep or beef-related or both.

Calder says while the dairy and sheep/beef balance is “not massively out of kilter, there is a strong dairy bias, partly because of our history and geographical location,” he told Rural News.

“So we’re looking to connect a lot more with horticulture and red meat sectors, and with the arable sector.”

Meat Industry Association chairman Bill Falconer is now on the National Fieldays Society board.

Calder says there are no plans to have a separate event for the red meat sector; it will start as an extension of

Fieldays.

The 2015 National Fieldays starts June 10 and Calder expects “business as usual” despite the downturn in milk payouts.

“Hopefully we can bring the customers; with the current economic climate and low dairy payout perhaps there could be a reduction in spending. But the three regional field days leading up to the National Fieldays [have shown] some positive signs.

“Our farmers are running Fieldays chief large businesses and there’s a lot executive John Calder of forward planning. Look at the admits the event had advancement in technology and a strong dairy bias and is looking to move it systems over the last five years: away from this. our farmers are keeping up with that, so if they are not here to buy they are certainly here to learn points out that visitor numbers fluctuand look at products they are looking ate; weather has a greater impact on turnout. to procure over the next 12 months.”

Calder says visitor numbers is just A lot of sales leads are generated at Fieldays, Calder points out. Sales are one matrix, “certainly not the most made in the weeks and months follow- important one”.

“We have 980 companies exhibiting.

He is hoping for 130,000 visitors but ing with us and we make sure we design

and build the best event for them to be successful. That’s our main focus, plus a great experience for the people who visit us during the Fieldays.

“Getting 130,000 people would be nice; it means we would have a whole lot in the kitty.”

All exhibitor sites were sold out by

January; the challenge now is to bring people to the exhibitors.

Last year the National Fieldays Society put at least $200,000 back into the agricultural sector via scholarships, grants and donations.

The board wants to grow that amount, Calder says. “The financial success of Fieldays isn’t just for turning a surplus, it’s to give us more for good work.”

This year the society has spent $1.6 million on improvements to Mystery Creek including, notably, filling in the lake beside the main pavilion, taking nearly 90,000m3 of earth. This has added 34 sites t0 that area.

Another 70 sites have been created in the tractor and machinery area.

Calder believes the event will look and feel different. “Our physical footprint has expanded.

“Traditionally about 94% of the event’s footprint has been agricultural and 6% rural living; but the new TO PAGE 38

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

38 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

On track for more power

Beyond dairy FROM PAGE 37

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

BUILDING ON 18 years experience of independent track technology gained from its Quadtrac tractors, Case IH recently launched the Magnum Rowtrac models in New Zealand.

The Rowtrac differs from the typical tractor

configuration by using proven Case IH oscillating rear track systems, combined with a conventional row-crop tyre on the front of the machine.

This layout delivers power to the ground in the tightest turns, and ensures good manoeuvrability and control.

Rowtrac tractors are available with a wide vari-

ety of row spacing and belt options to suit all situations, says the product manager for high horsepower tractors, Pete McCann.

“Reports from the US suggest that they offer a better ride than typical twin track-only systems, while the flotation provided by the rear tracks allows users to get onto

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS KEEN TO COME VISITORS FROM at least 30 countries are registered to attend the Fieldays.

Fieldays chief executive Jon Calder says 17 Irish companies are exhibiting products as part of an Enterprise Ireland contingent. And 80 farmers and agribusiness leaders are coming from Australia.

“We’ve got interest from countries

as far away as Pakistan, Romania and Poland,” he says.

Calder says the Fieldays is giving New Zealand farming global exposure.

“New Zealand agriculture is on display in one place at one time. Agriculture has been a success story for us so we take a lot of pride in showing it off to the rest of the world.”

the ground sooner in the season without creating ruts or causing compaction.”

Power comes from a 6-cylinder FPT engine of 8.7L coupled to a CVT transmission in the 380hp model, or a full powershift system in the 340hp, with CVT as an indent option.

The rear end is different and there is a choice of standard or suspended axles at the front and the option of standard or new universal wide front axles. The UW axle adapts fully to all row spacings and adjusts for all tyre widths.

Says McCann, “The Magnum Rowtrac offers

key advantages over its competitors, such as minimal soil disturbance, four points of contact with the ground for increased flotation, less compaction and maximum traction, which combine to offer better timeliness in achieving optimal planting dates.” www.caseih.com/anz/en

layout has shifted agriculture up to 95% and 5% is for rural living. This is an important step; we are conscious that while lifestyle products appeal to everybody, we are an agricultural event.”

The Fieldays will also have new seminar rooms.

National Fieldays Society and Federated Farmers are teaming up to hold seminars there on topics “exciting and relevant to what’s going on in the agriculture sector now,” Calder says.

Prime Minister John Key is expected to be the chief guest at the official opening on June 10.

Calder refuses to confirm this but says support from the Government has been “fantastic”.

“Last year we had seven or eight cabinet ministers in addition to the PM, he says.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 39

Fieldays a major economic player A REPORT on the economic impact of Fieldays 2014 shows the importance of the event to New Zealand’s primary sector, says Mystery Creek events centre chief executive Jon Calder.

Prepared by the University of Waikato, the report says Fieldays has evolved into a major player in assuring New Zealand’s economic future, and is a platform unrivalled for showcasing New Zealand agricultural expertise and world leadership.

Fieldays’ mission is to advance agriculture and the growing success of the 46-year-old event is something Calder is incredibly proud of.

“Fieldays measure of success is more than just numbers of visitors through the gate, or the number of sites we sell,” says Calder.

“Having quantifiable data that demonstrates how the event creates value for our customers exhibiting, for the region, and New Zealand as a nation is how we truly measure our success.

“In addition to the sales made by our customers exhibiting at Fieldays,

the flow on effects to the region through accommodation, hospitality, transport and employment are significant.”

Calder says the organisation is focused on growing Fieldays and leveraging New Zealand’s position as a world leader in agribusiness to make the event a ‘go-to’ agribusiness event on the global stage.

He also highlights the importance of Fieldays international strategy and how it complements the organisation’s strategic direction.

“The growth we are seeing in international visitors, delegations and companies wanting to exhibit at Fieldays reinforces our growing status as a global agribusiness event.

“International visitors create new opportunities for our customers and through the international relationships and networks we are building we can now start to create reciprocal opportunities for our export customers to exhibit and participate in agri events offshore.”

But Fieldays’ international focus is secondary; it has created new exhi-

National Fieldays is a major player in assuring New Zealand’s economic future.

bition space to allow new exhibitors and expansion by existing customers this year. Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy says he’s a regular visitor to Fieldays and highlights its importance in the New Zealand agriculture landscape.

“I’ve been coming [to Fieldays] for a number of years and I’m always blown away by the technology and innovation

on display. Fieldays also plays a big part in helping connect rural and urban

Kiwis, showing off what’s best about the primary industries,” he says.

“The primary industries make up around 73% of our merchandise

exports, helping pay for things like schools, hospitals and roads.”

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

40 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Fastest fencer to hang up his pliers ONE OF competitive fencing’s living legends will step down from singles competition at this year’s Wiremark Golden Pliers at the National Fieldays.

Former national and international champion Nick Liefting plans to retire from competitive singles fencing after this year’s competition to focus on helping young competitors.

After 40 years of competing – and two weeks after his 60th birthday – Liefting will contest his last event almost certain in the knowledge that he will be the first competitor to finish.

“I told the guys after I won my second Wiremark Golden Pliers in 1997 that if anybody could beat me to the end of the line then I’d retire. Last year, I think I was 40 minutes faster than the next competitor so I should be able to go out with a bang.”

Liefting first entered the competition in 1975, at the suggestion of another contractor, qualifying for the Silver Spades doubles finals and for the Golden Pliers singles finals.

He has watched the sport grow from

one competition at the National Fieldays to a range of events all across the country filled with highly competitive fencers of all ages.

“There’s a good turnout at all the regionals,” Liefting says. “The quality is high; it’s getting to the point where the only way to tell the difference is a spirit level and a tape measure.”

And while there are speedsters coming up through the ranks of younger competitors, some are saying it may be difficult to keep up with Liefting’s pace.

The South Auckland fencer has been first in 28 of the 40 years he has competed, beating competitors half his age. He once finished in the finals 90 minutes ahead of his nearest competitor.

Hawkes Bay fencing contractor and 14-time Wiremark Golden Pliers winner Paul Van Beers says Liefting brings a big element of excitement to the competition. “He keeps the element of speed in the competition.”

Liefting has had more than his fair share of wins, taking home the Wiremark Golden Pliers award in 1986 and 1997, win-

Nick Liefting plans to retire from competitive fencing after this year’s Fieldays competition.

ning the double Silver Spades competition four times and being named world champion in 2008, at age 53.

Taking part in the Wiremark Golden Pliers has opened up opportunities in New Zealand and around the world, he says.

And gym training and half marathons keep him in shape for competitions.

Liefting admits the sport has taken its toll on joints and muscles. “I got a titanium knee 18 months ago and had a shoulder reconstruction one year ago. It’s not getting any easier.”

But he’s not quitting fencing. He plans to spend his free time running workshops and entering regional competitions in twoman teams with young fencers looking to get into the sport.

Competition heats at this year’s Fieldays will be held on the Monday June 8 .The Bill Schuler Novice Round final will be held on Wednesday June 10, the Wiremark Golden Pliers Championship finals on Thursday June 11 and Fieldays Silver Spades Championship finals on Friday June 12. @rural_news

facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 41

Plug ‘n’ play effluent treatment for launch at Fieldays

DIRTY IN, CLEAR OUT

TONY HOPKINSON

EFFLUENT TREATMENT in a 40ft shipping container is out there now, from Forsi Innovations, Matamata, and will be publicly unveiled at National Fieldays.

A prototype has been running on a dairy farm at Te Poi. The system enables dairy farmers to comply with all dairy effluent and water consent regulations well into the future, says managing director Terry Hawes.

“We’ve been working on this for some years and now have a system we believe will be fully compliant and need no expensive ponds and irrigation systems. Our checks show that the water is close to New Zealand drinking water standards so it can be irrigated with no permits needed,” says Forsi operations manager Craig Hawes.

Central to the system’s effectiveness is a screen separator of Forsi’s own design.

“We were not happy with the commercial

Terry Hawes and the prototype effluent treatment system.

screens available and the results they delivered.

Our screens extract more solids and are self-cleaning either automatically or manually.”

The system takes effluent from the cowshed, through separation screens and the containerised processing plant, producing clean, clear, pathogen-free water ideal for yard washing or irrigating to pasture, the company says.

Solids extracted during primary screening are bunkered for later

spreading. And the solids extracted during secondary (fine) screening inside the container – referred to as ‘chocolate mousse’ because of its texture – may either be added to the primary-screened solids or further treated separately and kept apart for other uses. It has higher nutrient concentration than the primaryscreened material.

In operation, effluent from shed and yard first passes through a sand trap, then through a Forsidesigned primary screen

separator outside the container, then through

screen separation (Forsi’s own design) inside the customised container, then through final processing – ozone tanks and a UV treatment that renders the water potable quality, Forsi says.

Only one day of work is needed to connect the container to external piping and electricity.

“Processing will consume only 8kW power.

Cost benefits are obvious when you compare that with the 20kW and bigger motors to run stirrers and pumping motors, plus the labour needs; then there’s the elimination of landwasting effluent ponds.”

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ALAN HITCHCOCK’S farm at Te Poi, on the Matamata—Tauranga road, is the site of the Forsi Innovations prototype effluent system.

Hitchcock had previously dealt with Forsi Innovations, which also runs a water filtration business.

His farm, 155ha (eff.) of flat land, is about to start its third season in his ownership, wintering 480 cows.

“When we arrived we knew our effluent disposal was marginal and we had to do something about it,” he says.

The flat farm has a high water table and had many paddocks humped and hollowed. Because these drain to a waterway, spreading more liquid effluent was not an option.

The Forsi containerised effluent system was running for a short time before the herd was dried off.

Says Hitchcock, “When you see [dirty] material going in and crystal clear water coming out you are seeing a major breakthrough in treating dairy effluent.”

Tel 021 685 411 www.forsi.co.nz

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

42 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS All-in-one dairy vat controller, monitor DAIRY AUTOMATION and refrigeration systems will be prominent on the Tru-Test site, as will livestock electronic ID and weighing equipment, says Verne Atmore, New Zealand sales and marketing manager.

The dairy gear will include the recently released VatManager all-in-one vat controller and monitor.

Tru-Test Group, after 50 years of farming innovation and manufacture, “has innovation deeply embedded in its philosophy, and strives

to seek out and encourage creative thinking, drive innovation internally and commercialise great ideas from farmers,” Atmore says.

“The company looks constantly at better ways to help farmers optimise their assets.

Grassroots innovation has been [our foundation] since

Waikato dairy farmer John Hartstone came up with his idea in 1963 on how to sample milk.”

Atmore suggests farmers “come and talk to us about what can make a difference to productivity onfarm. We can help with NAIT requirements and managing data integration.

“We can clarify what’s happening with MPI’s new cooling regulations for raw milk and how to invest wisely in dairy refrigeration to minimise the risk of having

milk rejected.

“And we can show you options for identifying best producers, managing mating, drying off and culling to get the best out of a dairy herd, and growing out young stock well to optimise genetic input. The advice is free and can save money.”

The company is again sponsoring the Grassroots Innovation Award, an award seen as a ‘launch pad’ for many Kiwi inventions and ideas. www.trutest.co.nz

CALF FEEDER TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY THE ANNUAL toil of calf rearing just got easier with the launch of a ‘premium’ mobile calf feeder range designed to save time, money and effort, says the developer, Stallion Plastics.

The new ‘2020 MG and OT mobile feeder range’ has been created to make easier the back-bending, time-consuming work of calf rearing, says chief executive Grant Allen – himself a dairy farmer.

“We’ve spent a lot of time talking to seasoned dairy farmers and I look at what works – and what doesn’t – on my own farm. In particular, we get feedback from time-challenged farming women heavily involved in calf rearing and cleaning feeding equipment,” says Allen.

Key features of the new range of eight different models includes: new larger 500 and 1000L tanks, redesign of

tanks for easier cleaning, lower inspection visibility with repositioned side access and new larger tank lids with three-way locking system (more accessible and built to withstand high wind).

The trailer units have greater stability from their lower centre of gravity and their frames are stronger, heavier gauge galvanised steel.

The washing systems are ‘click and

clean’ and new easy-to-turn Hansen taps are great for cold, tired hands.

New outer plastic coatings repel dirt and are easy to clean.

All are in stores nationwide from June 1. Launching at Fieldays will be a new larger 2.5L feeder bottle and a new goat feeder range.

Tel. 0508 688 688 www.stallion.co.nz

WIRED FOR FUN ENTRIES HAVE closed for the Fieldays No.8 Wire National Art Award.

National Fieldays and Waikato Museum are looking to the arts community for No.8 wire innovation, offering a first prize of $8000.

Fieldays head of events Lee Picken says the award draws on an iconic farm product and translates this through talent and ingenuity into an art form.

“Entries must be 75% No.8 wire which leaves scope for other materials to be combined with wire to create a winning artwork. This award promotes ingenuity and takes everyday practical agricultural products into the art gallery.”

Last year Fieldays doubled the first prize money to $8000 and the award was won by Te Awamutu mother and son Nick and Dagmar Elliot with Rustic Hinaki.

The contest is longstanding at Fieldays and culminates in a month-long exhibition: the finalists’ work will be on show June 5-29 at ArtsPost Galleries & Shop, Hamilton.

LOVE IT OR

MONEY BACK

*

*Conditions apply. Offer period May 11, 2015 – June 20, 2015. Must be returned within 30 days with reasonable ‘wear & tear.’

Finance and repair costs may apply. See the ‘Love it’ Terms and Conditions at a participating Polaris dealer.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

Better performance promised NEW FEATURES on 2015-16 Krone Swardro swathers will enhance their reputation for good performance, low running costs and long working life, says local distributor Tulloch Farm Machines.

Their maintenance free rotors and rotor gearboxes have Duramax cam tracks backed by a three-year manufacturer’s warranty.

The new features will ensure even better performance on New Zealand paddocks, Tulloch says.

A new tine design has a profile progressively curved from the tip and along its full length, to lift crop gently and minimise losses, and to eliminate soil contamination thereby improving crop quality. It also causes minimal damage to the sward, resulting in faster re-growth and potential for higher forward speeds to boost daily outputs.

An upgrade to the chassis uses 5mm framing, and a re-designed axle transmits less load onto the main frame, helping reduce transport or storage height to 4m maximum. An

Tulloch says the new Krone Swadro swathers will perform better on New Zealand paddocks.

optional tine folding kit reduces this height even further.

The fully pivoting rotors use the maker’s Jet Effect rotor which combines with the Tridem undercarriage to cause the rear bogies to ‘touch down’ first, followed by the front wheels when lowering and the reverse

when lifting. This averts contamination from tines hitting the ground, particularly on headland turns.

The swathers are available in either TS (side delivery) or TC (centre delivery) formats, in operating widths 6.2 to 8.8m.

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 43 NEW TAKE ON OLD DESIGN FENCING SYSTEMS manufacturer Strainrite has used clever design and modern manufacturing technology to refine an old concept, and introduce the Tangle Free electric fence standard.

The standard has a specially moulded pigtail loop insulator with no internal wire, thereby eliminating the risk of electrical shorts that ocurr when insulators wear through.

Made from UV stabilised, wear resistant polymer to withstand harsh New Zealand conditions, the standard’s poly-wire/tape makes them easy to install and reduces the risk of wire/ tape ‘falling out’ a fence line is being moved.

The moulded profile of the loop has no sharp edges, so minimises any chafing, and the narrow tape opening prevents the annoyance of heads ‘interlocking’ – common with standard designs, the company says.

Available in 6mm light, 6mm long and 7mm heavy-duty sizes, all the standards have galvanised spring steel shafts and a galvanised pressed steel foot, said to be stronger than mild steel or plastic.

Strainrite general manager Brian Collins says “the concept of a loop

Tangle free electric fence.

top pigtail has been around for many years.

“We’ve listened to users around the country to come up with this new design and we see the Tangle Free offering giving more choice to farmers.” www.robeng.co.nz

www.tulloch.co.nz

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT TO LOSE? *Conditions apply. Offer period May 11, 2015 – June 20, 2015. Must be returned within 30 days with reasonable ‘wear & tear.’

Finance and repair costs may apply. See the ‘Love it’ Terms and Conditions at a participating Polaris dealer.

0800 440 290 | www.polaris.co.nz |

/PolarisNZ

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

44 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Don’t fence me in FOR THE second time, Taragate Ltd will be the principle sponsor of the fencing demonstration area.

This site is a must if you’re interested in fencing. It will be the place to go to get free advice and to have a chance to win “exciting” prizes.

For the first time, a selection of tractor driven postdrivers will show what these machines can do at the all new ‘driving range’.

Three professional fencers will be available each day from 9am to 4pm to answer questions, and to demonstrate how to approach any fencing job.

Demonstrations will include post footing, stays, fence repairs and more. Each day a programme of the day’s activities will be displayed at the front of the site.

A full range of fences – organic, electric, post and batten, netting, post and rail, and more – will be on display.

Small competitions will be staged and visitors may enter a draw to win a 200cc go-kart.

The fencing demonstration area is hosted by Taragate with support from Eurocorp, Permapine and Farmlands.

No need to stop for this gate A GOLIATH version of the Ride Over Gate (ROG) will show on the Innovations site and at the Wrangler site.

The ROG, launched 2011, can be driven over by a quad, ute or even a tractor, without letting stock through.

Now comes the maker’s new Goliath Gate.

The gate opens with just a nudge from a bike or fourwheeler, closing when the vehicle has passed. And it suits mobile feeding troughs and mobile calf feeders.

It’s ideal for high-traffic areas and beside houses and sheds, as a

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backup to a road gate or for getting in and out of paddocks.

But ‘full-size’ vehicles – utes, tractors, even farm trailers – posed a challenge, hence the new model.

The Goliath Gate is wider (4, 4.3 or 4.6m options) and much taller so that a vehicle’s front wheels remain on the gate, holding it down, as the rear wheels drive onto it.

Instead of a large steel structure, long, flexi fibreglass rods are used so as not to damage the vehicle that is crossing. A small steel section on one side allows 4-wheelers to cross. The Goli-

ath can withstand heavy loads because the gate lies supported on the ground while the vehicle crosses.

Thomas Chatfield, Otakiri, drives a tractor and feedout wagon over a Goliath Gate several times a day at his wintering barn – driving straight in without having to get off to open the gate. And because the cows will not try to cross, he doesn’t have to thread his way through them.

Robert Cleland, Paroa Stud, has installed a Goliath on his main tractor thoroughfare, and drives his ute over the gate without having to consider stock.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

46 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

All locked into place A NEW roll-up tonneau cover – called Advantage – from Best Bars uses a ‘clever’ alloy frame fixed to the top of the well-side tray with specially designed brackets to lock it into place; it doesn’t require holes drilled into the sides of the vehicle.

Removable ribs inside the cover keep it taut, providing a smart and attractive appearance, and keeping the weather at bay, says John Frear, the company’s sales and marketing

is a heavy-duty vinyl, which manager. still retains its soft feel, even The cover though it is simply rolls tough. up when “The the ribs are new cover removed and combines stored behind the flexithe cab for loadAdvantage roll-up bility of tradiing or transporttonneau cover. tional fabric covers, ing tall or bulky items. but without the need to Elastic straps keep the rolled up cover tightly in place drill unsightly holes in the side while driving. The material used of the vehicle to install hooks for

The MF 561 unloading hay bales.

bungy cords,” Frear says.

“The frame holds the cover firmly in place and it’s easy to unclip and roll back to allow access to the full cargo space, while the supporting frame prevents stretching or wear.

“Installation is a breeze for ‘under rail’ liners and only minor modifications needing to be made to the liner if they are the ‘over rail’ type.” www.bestbars.co.nz

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FIVE NEW, 3- and 4-cylinder MF 5600 series models from Massey Ferguson are purpose built to deliver exactly the right specification for the 85-120hp sector.

The new MF 5600 series are built ‘loader ready’: models come with a factory-fitted sub-frame and a wide range of novel features and controls to ease and enhance operation.

Available in three power sizes (85-100hp), the 3-cylinder 5600 models are powered by AGCO Power engines and are based on the current 2.4m wheelbase chassis. Available with the maker’s Essential specification cabs, these models all have the simple, reliable Dyna-4 16x16 transmission.

The larger 110hp and 120hp models again use AGCO Power engines, but in a 4-cylinder configuration with a new larger 2.55m chassis. These two models are available in Essential cab specification with a Dyna-4 transmission, while the Efficient specification upgrade comes with the Dyna-6 24x24 transmission. Both the Essential and Efficient models have the completely new front axle suspension option designed and manufactured by Massey Ferguson.

With maximum (ISO) power of 85, 95, 105, 110 and 120hp, the MF 5600 series offers a choice to meet all customers’ specific requirements in this important market sector which appears to be expanding rapidly.

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AGCO Power 3-cylinder 3.3L and 4-cylinder 4.4L engines ■■ 4-cylinder engine has selective catalytic reduction (SCR) ■■ Efficient, compact cooling package contained in the steep-nose single piece hood to maintain unrivalled visibility ■■ Dyna-4 16x16 transmission on all models with brake pedal-activated transmission to neutral ■■ ‘Efficient’ 4-cylinder models have the Dyna-6 transmission with 24 forward and 24 reverse gears.

■■ Front-axle suspension option on 4-cylinder models ■■ Optional cab suspension available on all models ■■ Visio or standard roof choice to suit a wide range of tasks ■■ Hydraulic systems with a choice of 57L/min or high flow 100L/min – open centre on Essential models and CCLS option on Efficient.

■■ Loader-ready-from-factory option includes a huge range of features to enhance ease of fitting, use and control. www.masseyferguson.com.au

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 47

Improvement focus for farmer co-operative HELPING FARMERS raise productivity and prosperity will be the focus of LIC’s two sites.

In addition to its main site the co-op will have another for its newly formed subsidiary business LIC Automation.

Chief executive Wayne McNee says both will focus on farm improvement, the LIC Automation site displaying automation and sensor technology systems from Protrack and DAL. The co-op will show everything it has to offer “that can help our farmers improve their prosperity and productivity,” McNee says.

“And it will celebrate some of the industry’s success, and how much improvement our shareholders have achieved.

“The rapid growth of the dairy industry for 100 years is a great success story. Farmers have… made the most of new technologies from LIC that help them farm more efficiently.

We think Fieldays is a great opportu-

LIC chief Wayne McNee.

nity to recognise that.”

LIC will have knowledgeable staff on both sites, ready to discuss the coop’s services and solutions, and talk about the challenges they are currently facing.

“These conversations give us the insights to understand what our farmers need from us, so we can develop and deliver the right solu-

tions,” McNee says.

New gear on display will include an automated heat detection system for herringbone dairy sheds and a new smartphone app to record and review health treatments, plus tentative bull teams for the 2015-16 season, online tools to improve herd reproduction and developments in short gestation genetics.

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SPANISH FLAIR ADDED ORIGIN AGROUP Ltd, the recently appointed New Zealand distributor of Gascon International products, will have them on show at Fieldays.

Gascon, founded in 1870, is located in Huesca, Spain, where it makes a range of cultivation machinery. It is said to be regarded as among the most reliable companies in the sector and as one of the largest

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makers of disc harrows in Europe.

All Gascon machines are designed for reliability and low operating costs, and meet ISO 9001 certification for manufacture.

Products include disc harrows with V-shape offsets and X-shape tandems with working widths from 3m fixed frames up to 6m hydraulic folding versions. They also make

specialised disc harrows for vineyards and orchards.

Besides disc harrows, Gascon also makes for deep sub-soilers – V-shape subsoilers, straight line subsoilers in three rows, subsoiling ploughs, cultivators, vibro cultivators, tine harrows, and chisel cultivators.

Tel. 07 823 7582 www.originagroup.co.nz

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

48 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

‘Handypiece’ cuts the mustard HANDYPIECE HAS introduced a portable shearing handpiece useful for farms and lifestyle properties.

At 100g lighter than a standard handpiece and with power to burn, it also has variable speed from 2400-3500rpm.

Powerful, brushless motor technology means there is no more heat build-up than you would get from a traditional wall powered plant. Users are reported as saying it has as much power power as a mains-powered unit.

During trials on all types of sheep, Golden Shears finalists Arron Haynes and Murray Henderson were down to one minute per sheep.

In practice, when used for dagging, crutching and cows’ tails, the unit runs well at about a mid-speed of 2700rpm. And in shearing it achieves a nice cut when wound up to its maximum 3500rpm.

David Fagan knocked out a fleece in 24 seconds using the Handypiece-Pro.

Alpaca shearers will welcome a traditional handpiece slim to hold and speed reducible to that of a clipper.

The unit comes with a lithium battery, battery charger, belt,

holster and pouch all made from heavy duty leather, a 5m extension cord and a purpose designed carry bag.

Visit Innovations area or see: www.handypiece.co.nz

FIELDAYS AT FINGERTIPS AN APP downloadable free to Android and iOS devices will put Fieldays navigation and news at visitors’ fingertips.

The app, using iBeacon technology, comes in English, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish.

Marketing manager Rebecca Wylie says it is a “huge advance that will enhance visitors’ experience, putting their fingers on the pulse”.

“They can create their own schedule for visiting favourite suppliers or viewing favourite events, receive notifications via the iBeacons on site, pin to the map where their car is parked, find their friends and check the weather.

“The news section lets users choose to receive the latest Fieldays news direct to their phone, and there’s a social media function. With this, visitors, exhibitors and media have access to Fieldays Instagram, Twitter and Facebook feeds, tap into the

‘FieldaysNZ’ hashtag and capture and share their own moments with the Fieldays camera.

“We’re proud to be able to

roll out something so userfriendly and innovative out to our customers.”

Fieldays App features Point of interest: find the closest food vendors, first aid, and other essentials.

View event information such as gate opening times, and ticket prices.

Proximity-based messaging: relevant to the location of users, the app delivers content, offers and information that visitors want.

Fieldays weather Fieldays map: allows users to see their location relative to points of interest represented by pins. Keep track of where their car is by dropping a pin on their map in the app.

Friend-finder: users can share their location with Facebook friends who have the app on their phone.

Fieldays schedule: lets users see what’s happening – seminars, demonstrations, Rural Bachelor heats, etc. Users can create an itinerary for their time at Fieldays.

Fieldays exhibitors’s tag: users can view all 900 exhibits and get a rundown of what each offers and where to find them.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 49 5 reasons the Shelbourne Reynolds Power Spread Pro was voted BEST imported machine at the 2015 South Island Fieldays

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

The Fendt 700 Vario (145-240hp) has undergone major upgrades, the distributor reports.

These include a new, improved engine that can drive implements at lower engine speed for unrivalled efficiency, new wipers with a 300 degree wiping field for greater visibility, and LED headlights with levelling.

models, which offers high maneuverability, is still available as an option.

The 700 Series also offers a larger hydraulic pump as an option to meet extra demand for high oil flows.

The driver is not forgotten either, with a new front wiper with a large wipe angle of 300 degrees, a new steering column switch and a spray nozzle integrated into the wiper arm. These

New optional LED lights ensure good visibility.

The 6.06L 6-cylinder engine with common rail and SCR technology results in fuel efficient tractors that comply with the Tier 4 Final emissions standards using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and a coated soot filter (CSF).

A new 4-speed (540/540E/1000/1000E) PTO system also gives the operator a wider choice to ensure economical operation.

Further upgrades to the 700 series include a dual-circuit braking system whereby drivers only need operate one brake pedal which is 100% compressed airbased. The single-wheel brake found in previous

improvements offer a wide, unobstructed view to the wheel arches and the front mounting area.

New optional LED lights ensure good visibility dipped and main beams have the latest Bi-LED lamps with headlamp leveling; the work lights and corner lights are also LED. Other features: a new Varioterminal 10.4-B with a new terminal holder, new touch technology and an LCD display with LED backlight; VarioGuide automatic steering, VarioDoc documentation, Isobus implement control, camera functions and a greater Bluetooth range. www.fendt.com.au.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

50 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Dairy barn will have milking and handling equipment on display screen shape and design that has no moving parts, keeping maintenance simple and minimal.

GEA’s high compression XScrew press will be displayed for the first time, intended for dairy effluent output with higher than average solids content.

The company’s dairy hygiene division FIL will present its ‘Quality Milk’ programme – a simple, two step formula where a clean dairy + healthy cows = quality milk.

The programme links FIL’s new dairy detergents with udder health treatments including Teatshield and Iodoshield teat sprays.

A display of Milfos iCORE milking technology will show how the system can be upgraded and futureproofed for matching to the level of data capture that best suits a farmer, “safe in the knowledge that if they wish to move up another level they do not have to install a completely new system to do so”.

INNOVATION IN dairy technology from the GEA equipment range will include WestfaliaSurge and Milfos milking equipment, Houle effluent handling equipment and Norbco barn systems.

GEA is working with Calder Stewart Rural Buildings to build Norbco barns and its Fieldays site will have a partial section of a Norbco barn.

GEA capital equipment North Island sales manager Adam Franklin says the barn structure is aimed at giving site visitors a sense of scale and dimension, incorporating bails and a Houle scraper system.

“With interest increasing in barn housing systems, we want to give farmers a better sense of the barn ‘experience’ and what sort of dimensions cows enjoy, and the type of equipment that integrates into a barn environment specifically designed for cow comfort.”

The company is also exhibiting its Houle slope screen separator, with a

Milfos rotary display will show the iCORE technology featured in this dairy, including iPUD display units with heads-down display.

Although the MIOne robotic milker may not physically be on site, a video feed from a farm installa-

tion will show the level of innovative technology in the MIOne system. The latest robotic arm will also be on dis-

play, showing how simply it operates and its focus on udder health. www.gea-farmtechnologies.com

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 51

Gallagher promises more zap!

GALLAGHER WILL unveil its most powerfulever energiser, a robust “supremely portable” strip grazing unit and a clever little dual purpose insulated handle.

The M10,000i Energizer packs a whopping 100 joules of stored energy to provide plenty of power over longer distances, says national sales manager Peter Nation.

“Combining sheer brute force with incredible intelligence, the unit delivers advanced monitoring capabilities to give farmers peace of mind their animals are where they should be.

“A controller unit monitors performance and highlight any faults in the fencing system, and can be positioned up to 50m from the main Energizer in a conveniently accessed and highly visible location.”

Optional accessories include a remote controller that enables the farmer to quickly locate faults within a monitored zone, turn the Energizer on or off remotely, and test a fence once a repair is completed.

Also new to the Gallagher fencing range is the S10 Solar Energizer.

Perfect for strip grazing, this robust and highly portable unit makes a great alternative to battery-powered systems, says Nation.

“We’ve put it through its paces in testing. The super tough casing is drop resistant and waterproof.

And it’s effective even for areas of lower sunshine as it will continue to operate for up to three weeks without sun.”

The company has also extended their range of ring top posts by adding a new 728mm version that’s ideal for farmers who prefer a slightly lower fence height. Made from heavy duty glass-fibre nylon, the head eliminates the risk of shorting and makes it easier to handle and erect standards.

Also on the site will be two portable fencing handles – insulated and dual purpose.

The connection hook of both these products has a ring top design to ensure the handle will not bounce off the fence wire.

These handles can be attached to poly wire or poly tape using a simple loop.

the risk of shock to the user.

The dual purpose handle has extra connection points,

A streamlined design makes it easy to wind the handle in through pasture, and a large moulded hand grip avoids

We’re a

allowing farmers to safely liven the fence from either the reel or handle end. www.gallagher.co.nz

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You can check out our range of world leading brands this year at Fieldays®. This includes the New Zealand launch of the new Kawasaki Z7 wheel loader range.

We’ll also have a selection of Kobelco products on display. Kobelco is a world leader in fuelefficient and emissions-efficient excavators that meet the toughest environmental standards.

The Kobelco range features compact and heavy excavator models, plus models designed to increase productivity by working long hours without refuelling.

Visit us at sites I12 & I14 at Fieldays® for the New Zealand launch of the new Kawasaki Z7 wheel loader range. www.mimico.co.nz Freephone 0800 806 464 | E-mail enquiries@mimico.co.nz | Auckland, Matamata, Christchurch Our brands

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

52 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Classy range of gear on show OFFERINGS FROM some of Europe’s leading farm machinery manufacturers, including Claas, Amazone, JCB and Fliegl, will be on display at the Claas Harvest Centre display.

General manager retail, Roger Nehoff, says the introduction of the Axion 800 Cmatic series means the German manufacturer now offers CVT technology on 15 models from 145hp to 410hp.

“The new Axion 900, Axion 800 and Arion 600/500 series have been well received by local producers and the availability of the optional Cmatic transmission will increase their popularity,” Nehoff says.

“With four-point cab suspension, smart onboard technology and a range of options that allow customers to configure their tractor exactly

as they want it, these are comfortable and versatile machines.”

Making its NZ debut is the Claas Cargos 8000 series of ‘compact’ dualpurpose forage loader/ transport wagons.

“With a loading volume of 30-41 cubic meters, these three new models have about 20% less capacity than the 9000 series and are just the right size for local conditions,” Nehoff says.

“Importantly, all three models can be converted from a high performance loader wagon to a forage transport wagon in 15 minutes. Removing the loader unit allows the wagon to be used for transporting other materials throughout the year, and it increases the wagon’s capacity by three tonnes.”

The new Claas Disco

mowers and mower-conditioners come in 28 new models with operating widths from 2.6 to 9.1m. These include the Disco 9200 front-and-rear mower-conditioner combination, which won a Machine of the Year award at the SIMA agricultural expo in Paris.

All models have the new Max Cut cutter-bar, whose one-piece, waveshaped bar support allows the cutting disc modules to be set much further forward than before. In combination with the specially formed wear inserts, this creates an enlarged cutting area and ensures optimal cutting quality, efficiency and durability under all conditions.

New at Fieldays will be the Fliegl ADS120 pushoff spreader wagon, which enables fast and efficient

Claas Cargos 8000 series will debut at the Fieldays.

spreading of manure. It holds 14 cubic metres (12 tonnes), and has a low centre of gravity for optimum stability. Features include a hydraulically adjustable drawbar and an optional tailgate which enables it to be used as a push-off trailer.

The site will also display the latest spreading technology from Ama-

zone, “ZA-TS mounted and super capacity ZG-TS trailed models that set industry benchmarks for precision, efficiency and operational ease,” Nehoff says.

The latest models have integrated weigh-cell and tilt sensor technology, electronically controlled hydraulics, GPS automated part-width sec-

tion control and headland systems and easy-to-use ISOBUS-compatible terminals.

“They’re easy to operate – you simply enter the desired spreading rate and drive off,” Nehoff says. “The two weighing cells detect any deviation between the desired application rate and the amount being discharged.

Also, the on-board tilt sensor measures any deviation in the centre of gravity, front to back and left to right. The processor then automatically adjusts the electric metering shutter slides to ensure an even spreading pattern.” www.claasharvestcentre.co.nz @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 53

Big tech secrets to be revealed TWO BIG secrets in “breakthrough, revolutionary” dairy platforms and technology are being tightly held by Waikato Milking Systems (WMS), says chief executive Dean Bell.

And there’s another new product too, but farmers must wait for Fieldays to hear about them all, Bell says.

“For 30 years WMS has designed and manufactured game-changing dairy technology…. The three new products we have in the wings, to be launched on the first day of Fieldays, are world-firsts and revolutionary.

“One of them is the new Centrus 84-bail rotary platform but the other two are under wraps. We want farmers to be the first people to see them, hence no advance promotion.

“But one marks the biggest breakthrough in the design of rotary dairies in 20 years. We’re very excited about all three products…. Suffice to say all three will have a material impact on the efficiency of the farm dairy and on herd management.”

The WMS site this year is about ‘Changing the face of dairy technology’. All the new products embody that, as do the other products now market leaders.

Says Bell, “Until now many farmers have only heard about our products and this is an opportunity for them to see and talk about the technology so they can better understand how it will complement their farming system.

“Our Centrus composite platform display always attracts a high level of farmer interest because its construction is so different from anything else on the market.”

The Centrus rotary, 80% lighter and stronger than concrete platforms, is multi-layered, including Kevlar used to make aircraft and bullet-proof vests. “Its lightness means less electricity is required to rotate it and there is less wear and tear, saving on maintenance,” Bell says.

“Centrus platforms are in demand for large herds and farms milking more often than twice a day; they have particular appeal for farmers in countries where 24 hour milking is not uncommon.”

Also on the WMS site will be products that improve efficiency and/or reduce the cost of milking. “Operational costs of milking machines can be significant, and our variable speed

drive delivers significant power savings.”

Two products are aimed at minimising mastitis, the company says.

The WMS swing arm system “perfectly aligns the cluster during milking in herringbone sheds, ensuring every quarter is milked, promoting good udder health and minimising mastitis,” Bell says.

“Our SmartD-Tect automatically tests each quarter at every milking identifying [any risk of ] mastitis at every milking, enabling early intervention.”

The company’s electronic milk meter, introduced in 2014, “tests every cow at every milking so the farmer can see what each cow is producing, the flow rate and milking duration”.

And addressing the issue of farm labour, the company says its SmartECR automatic cup remover can be customised to suit farmer and herd preferences.

Bell points to his company’s record of innovation, performance and durability, “with oversight of every aspect of every product – from design through to the finished prod-

uct. We engineer complexity out of our milking solutions and build in a robustness which few can match, and we back that up with superb service”.

“Innovations aside, one of the most important aspects of our product and service offering is that all elements of the Waikato Milking System range are futureproofed.

“We understand farmers don’t want to [buy] large capital items which become outdated so futureproofing is factored into everything we do so enhancements can simply be retrofitted.” www.waikatomilking .co.nz

Waikato Milking System chief Dean Bell is promising ‘breakthrough’ products at this year’s Fieldays.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

54 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Kuhn to unveil new gear KUHN FARM Machinery NZ will

showcase a number of new machines from this renowned manufacturer.

The Performer trailed cultivator is a multi-purpose unit that can work in stubble or previously cultivated ground. Based on a central spine frame of 300 x 300mm, the cultivator comprises four elements which allow individual configuration of each to suit the job in hand.

Two rows of 510mm discs cut all residue across the full width of the frame, and are followed by four rows of tines with a 280mm spacing and a non-stop coil spring protection rated to 800kg for mixing or deeper loosening. The third element comprises a set of smaller diameter levelling discs for a tidy finish, and the rear element a 700mm diameter, ‘V’ profile roller with a weight of 225kg/m for final consolidation and moisture retention By adjusting or removing individual sections, the cultivator can be used for trash incorporation and mixing with all units in place, deep loosening with the front disc set lifted, or fast stubble cultivation for ‘chitting’ with just the discs lowered. Discs can be operated as shal-

The win rotor rake.

low as 7cm, and tines have a range of 5-35cm. With operating widths of 4-5m, power requirement is from 60hp/m, with a maximum permitted of 500hp.

The FC 3160 trailer mower conditioner (cutting width 3.1m) has the maker’s Optidisc cutterbar suspended under the main frame, following ground conditions closely to minimise damage to crop and ground.

Each cutting disc has two quickly attached blades, and a protection system called Protectadrive which shears the main drive to the disc around a preformed stress groove. Cutting

height is adjustable up to 90mm with optional skids. This ensures minimal damage if any obstructions are hit at speed and 15 minute repair times.

Following up the cutting unit is a rotor conditioner with the choice of swinging steel flails or crimping rollers for more delicate crops. Both systems are protected by shear-bolt to the main rotor. Completing the package is the Gyrodine power hitch headstock at the front which allows turns over 90 degrees without damaging the drive line, and oversize tyres at the rear which help carry the machine and pro-

The E-Twin bale-wrapper.

tect the ground in all conditions.

The GA 9531 is a twin rotor central delivery swather with a raking width of 8.40-9.3m. Suspended off a central spine, each rotor has 15 arms with four tines per arm, to ensure clean raking in all conditions. One of the main features of the swather is its rotor drive gearboxes with a two-stage reduction drive to ensure trouble free, extended life. Each rotor is carried on a six-wheel undercarriage to ensure good ground following and clean raking, and has hydraulically adjustable swath width to produce a neat row for different types

of harvest unit.

The RW 1610 E-Twin is a trailed table wrapper with a heavy-duty low chassis that enables it to handle silage bales to a 1200kg capacity. Bales are lifted onto the four belt wrapping table, while a second bale can be carried by the lifting arm as the unit is travelling for the next bale. Film is applied by a pair of reels that pre-stretch and apply film with a 66% overlap, so reducing wrapping times by 50%. In-cab controls allow automatic or manual operation. www.kuhn.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 55

New seeder American technology in European package MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WITH ITS manufacturing base in the corn belt of the US Midwest, Great Plains has a reputation for building strong and highly accurate planters.

It has recently developed an eight row planter for the European and Australasian markets with a working width of 6.0m, but folding down to 3.0m for transport.

The new Yield Pro YPE-825A planter has Great Plains’ Series 25 opener, Air-Pro meters and Clear-Shot seed tube to deliver accurate seed placement at faster speeds, and it can plant a whole host of crops from maize to canola with precision.

“This planter is ideal for contractors or large farming operations that grow big areas of maize,” says NZ distributor Power Farming’s seeding and cultivation equipment specialist John Chapman.

“Anyone familiar with American maize planters will appreciate this is a strong machine and well built.

“It has a more refined design to suit the European market and comes with the option of a large, centrally placed fertiliser box.”

The Yield Pro YPE825A can plant a range of crops in eight or 16 rows depending on whether it

has conventional configuration or uses the Great Plains’ Twin-Row system.

In GP Twin-Row setup, two rows of seed are placed seven inches apart on both sides of a centreline. This increases

“The pressure system requires less air to operate and is more reliable than vacuum systems. Singulation is achieved with four brushes and the pressure holding the seed in place releases as the seed

Great Plains’ 8-row planter has been developed for the Australasian market.

With harvest operations unaffected by the Twin Row system, and

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field utilisation from 14.4% to 44.8% and allows more space per plant, increasing light utilisation from 30% to 90% @ V7. It also allows roots the maximum area in which to form while not being squeezed by neighbouring plants. This increases grain yields and green leaf yield as the plants produce a bigger stalk and more leaf, so there is a double benefit in maize silage.

Yield Pro planters can be configured with four different row spacings when working in conventional format: 70cm, 75cm, 76.2cm (30 in), and

per unit, and depth control from 0-9cm, allowing the drill to operate in cultivated and direct drilling situations. Pneumatic power feeds the seed from each row’s 53L tank and moves fertiliser from the 1700L tank, while application rates are controlled via ground-driven wheels.

The pneumatic system in Great Plains Series 25 openers uses air pressure rather than a vacuum to place the seed on the plate, Chapman says.

enters a bank of antistatic brushes just before it reaches the top of the ‘clearshot’ tube.

“Once the seed is in the tube it falls by gravity down the ‘clearshot’ tube that is shaped to the working speed. At this point a seed firmer immediately presses it into the seedbed. The result is a very accurate system with no moving parts, maintaining [at least] 99% accuracy at working speeds of 8-10km/h.”

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yield benefits in the range 10-15%, the system should find favour with Kiwi

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80cm, and the three wider spacings in Twin-Row format.

At the business end of the drill, Great Plains’ Series 25 openers run on a parallelogram system with 57-227kg pressure

at Fieldays 2015-Stand D21

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

56 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS New generation tractors designed with the operator in mind THE FOURTH generation of the Valtra T Series offers models with 155-

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– Versu and Direct.

The Versu models have the maker’s AutoTraction automatic clutch function for its powershift transmission, which allows shifts automatically by monitoring travel speeds, unlike competitor systems that look at engine speed. Additional features such as hill-hold and hydraulic assistant aid the driver with transport and frontloader operation.

The Powershift operates with five steps in four gear ranges, plus 10 speeds in the creeper ranges, giving a total of 30 forward and 30 reverse speeds.

The Direct transmission, built in-house by Valtra, offers three driving modes. The default is pedal mode (automatic): the driver sets the target speed with the drive pedal. In lever mode (automatic) the driver sets the target speed by the drive lever. In manual mode the driver can set separately the engine revs and manage the driving speed independently with the drive lever.

T Series models are powered by 6.6L or 7.4L AGCO Power engines.

Exhaust emissions are minimised by a Tier 4 Final SCR system. The SCR system and optimised turbo and engine package results in excellent fuel efficiency and eliminates the need for an exhaust gas recirculation system or diesel particulate filter.

The T174 model comes standard with Valtra’s

EcoPower feature. When the driver presses the eco button the nominal engine speed drops to 1800rpm while torque increases.

This reduces fuel consumption by about 10%, lowers the noise level and extends engine life. In addition, the Sigma Power feature, standard on all models, increases engine output by 15hp when the PTO is under sufficient load. The transport boost function in turn raises an extra 15hp in the C and D ranges.

The most striking feature of the fourth generation T Series is its new cab – stylish, spacious and quiet. Pillars that curve outwards maximise interior space for the driver and keep the external dimensions compact. The cab is now 20cm wider by the driver’s seat than the previous generation, for plenty of room.

Electrically heated front and rear screens, a front windscreen wiper sweeping 270 degrees, factory-fitted parking cameras, LED working and rear lights, and six square metres of glass combine to offer unsurpassed visibility if optioned. Also, the optional roof window helps when operating a frontloader.

Other features include stereo with subwoofer, cool box, TwinTrac reverse-drive system that can be adjusted laterally and a factory-fitted, fuelpowered, phone-operated auxiliary heater. www.valtra.com.au

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

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 57

Eyes in the skies MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AERONAVICS DESIGNS and manufactures industrial drones for application in four primary industries including agriculture.

Typical uses include eye-in-the-sky for monitoring stock and checking fences or waterways, carrying sensors for precision agriculture or carrying sound devices for mustering stock or scaring

him that 80% of time is spent travelling a the farm looking for potential problems, in 20% of that time a real problem is found, and a drone saves 45% of the commuting time around the farm.

“We are using our drone supplied by Aeronavics for general farm use providing ‘eyes in the sky’ to monitor stock.

Our main use is checking for cast stock, monitoring sheep at lambing time and some mustering.

“Fifty per cent of the

our quad commuting by 2000km last year. We’ve saved $8000 and lowered our accident risk.

“We also use the drone to check weeds and pests around the farm in hardto-access areas.”

Gardyne says they have used the drone for farm and drain mapping and

Typical uses on farm for drones is eyein-the-sky checks on stock water and fences.

photography “For drainage mapping you could be paying $1600 for a half day with a helicopter, whereas a drone can do it in minutes.”

Visit at the Innovation Accelerator area near the Innovation tent. www.aeronavics.com

Meet the team with the knowledge in forage at the New Zealand Agricultural Fieldays.

“The drone reduced our quad commuting by 2000km last year.” birds away from orchards.

The domestic drone industry is the largest technology growth market and agriculture is singled out as by far the largest user group. The advantages are enormous and will only increase as the technology is further developed.

The simplest offering is an eye-in-the-sky for monitoring and inspection, says Southland farmer Hugh Gardyne.

Two years spent using the technology has shown

cast sheep flown over by the drone could right themselves, if got to early enough. We saved about 40 ewes x $300 = $12K per year,” he explains.

“Another use is monitoring water infrastructure to make sure stock have access to water and checking waterways for stock in trouble. A 1.25hr trip on a quad around all the troughs takes the drone just 15 minutes – finding two-three leaks a year.

“The drone reduced

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

58 NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Origin Agroup broadens range NEW PRODUCT and new models across Origin Agroup’s range will be of special interest to Fieldays visitors.

A new name in disc harrows and chisel plows

has arrived here with the release of Gascon International. Products include disc harrows with V-shape offsets to X-shape tandems in working widths from

3.0m fixed frame up to 6.0m hydraulic folding versions.

Pottinger Novacat rear mounted disc mowers from 2.62m up to 4.3m cutting widths will be

on display.

New features will include hydro-pneumatic suspension and an optional hydraulic ram fitted to the left hand

A new name in disc harrows and chisel ploughs will now be available in NZ with the release of the Gascon range.

lower link for easy attachment and removal from the tractor.

The new X8-ED double rear mowerconditioner with new ‘vortex’ conditioners will interest operators looking for high capacity, along with Pottinger’s popular Alpha Motion front mounted mowers.

New twin rotor rakes from 6.9m to 7.6m working widths will be released along with a 1252C four rotor swather rake.

A new range of mounted and fully trailing tedders from 7.81m to 13.2m working widths have a unique headland lifting system, and newly designed tine arms which produce an

improve reliability and service life.

A three year warranty underscores this improvement.

Rollers from 5.3m up to 8.3m widths, with hydraulic folding frames down to 2.5m transport width, are available.

Two Hatzenbichler model seeders will be on display with from 8 to 16 outlets to suit 2.5m to 12m working widths, and suitable for fitting to any power harrow, cultivator or roller. They offer a versatile and cost effective way to quickly sow forage crops, turnips and grass.

Hatzenbichler seeders use a positive cog belt and pulley seed drive system, and come in manual or

Its castings are stronger to improve reliability and service life. A three year warranty underscores this improvement.

Small, regular supplementation reduces daily feed consumption, increases growth rates and reduces pasture quantity required to run cows and finish stock.

On-farm trials prove that Advantage Feeders make this happen.

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even spread pattern to maximise productivity and increase forage quality.

Also on display will be Pottinger loader wagons with automatic knife sharpening said to save up to 5L fuel per hour.

Alpego power harrows are available in working widths from 2.5 up to 7.0m with 400hp rated transmissions. And this maker’s Roto-Pick one pass rotary cultivator, with automatic leveling board, leaves a smooth no-ridge seedbed.

This machine is reckoned ideal for one pass cultivation direct into existing pasture or after crops, to save time and cost.

A new Cambridge ring design (Plus Ring) has extra weight added to the roller for improved soil consolidation. Its castings are stronger to

electric variable drive options. They seed as low as 1.0kg/ha at speeds of 2km/h.

Bogballe GPS controlled twin disc fertiliser spreaders suit dairy, cropping and drystock farming; Bogballe’s noted 4x overlap accuracy is renowned.

Bogballe uses environment-friendly border spreading controls that are simple to calibrate and adjust with optional variable rate controllers with or without weigh scales.

Manip tractor front loaders will be on site, showing new designs and features. Models and sizes are available to suit all tractor makes and models.

Tel. 07 823 7582 www.originagroup.co.nz @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS 59

Massey to launch new compact tractors MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

MASSEY FERGUSON is strengthening its position in the specialist tractor sector with the launch of two models, which make up the MF 3600 Series.

This compact tractor range boasts excellent agility, power and stability, and they are ideal for nursery work, vegetable harvesting, and orchard and vineyard applications.

With power outputs 84hp (MF3640) and 102hp (MF3660), these nimble tractors have respon-

sive common rail engines and industry leading fuel economy, Agco says.

The common rail engines perfect suit specialist tractor users’ main tasks of spraying and transport, plus cultivation and lighter duties. Maximum power is developed at just 2000rpm – more power at the PTO and lower fuel consumption and noise.

Constant power at 1800-2200rpm enables operators to throttle back and work at lower revs, saving fuel and the need to change gear.

A further benefit of the

Massey Ferguson is aiming to strengthen its position in the specialist tactor market with the launch of the 3600 series.

tractors’ electronic engine management is greater convenience and control with a new electronic hand throttle, plus engine speed memory.

Further boosting output and convenience,

both MF3600 model tractors are available with a new 24/12 power shuttle transmission compatible with the SpeedShift two-speed PowerShift unit. Together these features maximise control

and convenience for the operator.

The 24/24 mechanical shuttle transmission is optional on both models.

A new declutch button, fitted to the top of the gearlever, allows opera-

tors to change a mechanical gear, stop and pull away without having to use the clutch foot pedal.

The SpeedShift button, alongside the de-clutch control on the gear knob, ‘splits’ each of the four gears, under load. This provides a total of 24 forward speeds and 12 reverse, from the four gears in three ranges.

PowerShift operation is easy and simply involves pressing the SpeedShift button to change up or down.

A new interior for cabs, available on all V, S and F versions, offers better

comfort and control.

Externally, a new vertical exhaust pipe improves visibility by ‘disappearing’ behind the cab post.

Inside there are new switches and layout along with new levers to control the three point linkage and hydraulic valves.

Operators will appreciate the new Grammer pneumatic suspension seat and noticeably quieter environment.

The MF3640 is available in vineyard, special and fruit versions; the MF3660 in fruit version. www.masseyferguson. com.au

SWADRO TC • New durable heavy duty frame • New LIFT tine has superior raking performance • New Improved 3D rotor oscillation • New Improved rear axle construction • Standard Duramax cam-track with 3 year warranty • Standard cam-track profile offers sharp lift out and ideal windrows

INNOVATION IN ELECTRIC FENCE HANDLING CARRY-MATE electric fencing gear is made from rotationally molded high density polyethylene, giving it enough strength and flexibility to handle everyday farm use.

It is designed to transport, deploy and retrieve electric fence standards while interfacing with electric fence reels. It improves organisation and safety and provides a systematic approach to portable fencing.

It can easily be stored and safely and easily transported by means of its attachment system that can be mounted on most farm vehicles. It will also carry reels.

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 61

The enduring Kiwi love affair THERE’S NO doubt about Kiwis’ love affair with the Toyota Hi-Lux: 104,469 units sold since its launch in the late 1970s.

But traditional buyers feeling the ‘itch’ in the last two years have tended to stray into a ‘tryst’ with other brands, perhaps because Toyota had extended the sales period of the current generation VII models to 11 years, rather than the more conventional seven years.

But things are about to change!

Utes, big players in New Zealand, account for about 20% of total sales.

In the year 2014, Hi-Lux held the No.1 spot in the 4x4 sector with a market share of 27%, but fell to No.3 in the highly competitive 4x2 arena with a share of only 16%, and saw the Ford Ranger pip them

by 556 units to taken the overall first place.

Toyota NZ general manager sales, Steve Prangnell, comments that “the loss to the blue oval in the last two years could squarely be put down to a gap in the current product range that did not include an automatic transmission in the 4x2 sector, which accounted for around 40% of sales”.

At a recent media event at Toyota NZ in Palmerston North, Prangnell said the Toyota

Hi-Lux “had held the position of NZ’s favourite ute for 32 years since its launch, and the Generation VIII would win that crown back with the most extensive Hi-Lux line-up yet”.

And so it should, with a range boosted to 21 variants from the current 12, with nine all-new models – five with automatic transmissions and three with 2WD. Those 2WD machines will be offered with the cab of the 4WD for better visibility and a “tougher” look, and are aimed at users who don’t need 4WD, but want to look the part. The 21 variants will be spread over four ranges: S, R, SR5 and SR5 Limited and will see a host of changes.

Hi-Lux will be longer (+75mm), wider (+95mm) and have greater ground

clearance (+64mm). The chassis frame, rails and cross-members will be bigger by up to 30mm, and overall there will be an additional 120 weld points. This increase in dimensions will incurr a weight penalty of 270kg, but will raise payload capacity by 11% and towing capacity by 25% to a whopping 3500kg.

The fit and finish of the new Hi-Lux has a greater attention to detail as demanded by today’s buyers, so there is more chrome, more alloys and terrain specific tyres, and better lighting at the front end. Neither is the rear end left out: a longer, wider tray will take a standard 1m Euro pallet, and will have modern pre-requisites such as a rear view camera, privacy glass and black running boards.

Two engine variants

will be on offer: an all-new 1GD, 2.8L diesel delivering 130kW and up to 450 Nm torque, and the current 1GRFE petrol

engine with 4.0L, V6 configuration developing 175kW power and 376 Nm torque. Interestingly, the new diesel will appear first in the new Prado SUV sometime soon.

Engines will be coupled to all-new 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions, the former using the IMT (intelligent manual transmission)

that prevents ‘shift shock’ and ensures smooth gear changes.

As expected with any new vehicle launch, safety is always a long way up the agenda and the new Hi-Lux will have seven airbags and rear view cameras along with ABS, traction control and an

extremely useful function called trailer sway reduction.

The vehicles for the NZ and Australian markets will be built in Thailand, and will be on offer with confirmed specifications and prices during the last quarter of the year. They should set the scene for Toyota to recover its crown in 2016 www.toyota.co.nz @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

62 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

From gold standard to the If you’ve made the trip south on SH1 from Christchurch, and passed through Hinds, you can’t have failed to notice the busy factory making bright red farm machinery. Hinds, named after the river, named after Reverend Hinds, a founder of the Canterbury region, is better known for Robertson Manufacturing. Machinery editor Mark Daniel reports.

FOUNDED IN 1977, on the eastern side of the road, Robertson Engineering had a staff of Don and one other and produced grain trailers, sheep ramps and mothering pens.

In 1981, the company became the South Island’s first manufacturer of feed wagons; business boomed

as farmers took to using silage as a supplementary feed, and staff numbers ballooned to eight.

Back then design usually started with a sketch of a machine in chalk on the workshop floor and started from the ground up.

Seeking a change of

direction, Don and wife Delma sold the business and moved to the West Coast where they started farming, until 1989, when they heard the business had folded – so they sold up and headed back east across the pass.

At this time they also bought the old Wright-

son/Dalgety building that stood on the west side of SH1, and a whole lot more space. This led to a major expansion in production of the feed and tip trailers that were the roots of the Robertson business in 1977.

Over the years, the company introduced fer-

tiliser spreaders, silage grabs, muck forks and a range of quick hitches.

Throughout the years, Don Robertson has had a philosophy epitomised by one of his many sayings: “build it right, build it once”. He believes the time should be taken to

get the design right, and use quality materials to ensure a trouble free life.

He also sees the need to keep in regular contact with the end users, who suggest improvements that have been incorporated into the designs over the years.

With the growing success of Robertson Engineering products in New Zealand, the word hit the streets and doors opened for exports which, to this day, took the Robertson brand to Australia, Chile, South Africa and even Denmark and Wales.

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Phone Grant on 027 434 7325 for more details PAUL WILKINS TRACTORS LTD 70 Racecourse Road, Washdyke • 03 688 2031 • www.paulwilkinstractors.co.nz

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 63

gold card!

Don Robertson

Mega XL feeder.

the recent South Island Agricultural Fieldays and added another great choice for New Zealand’s farmers.

Today the business employs 22 people, Throughout this time Don has been involved in all aspects of the business, from design to manufacturing, attending demos and field days and spending many hours behind the wheel of the delivery truck. This has kept him in touch with the business, but more importantly with the customers.

So fast forward to 2015, and what’s changed? Don has become one of Winston’s warriors and hit the age of 65. But he doesn’t show much sign of slowing down too much. He is still involved actively in the business, but taking a particular interest in the design of new products and the evolution of exist-

ing products.

Nowadays design is done using a CAD tool that can create a ‘virtual’ machine on the computer screen, and potential problems can be identified before a single piece of steel is cut. Indeed, the newly launched Little Ripper bale feeder took innovation honours at

including 14 in production, and turn out twothree units per week The same principles hold firm today as back when Robertson Engineering started – good

design, using the best materials and attention to detail. This includes regular contact with end users and 24/7 parts and service back-up.

They say that with age

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comes wisdom and when recently asked “what’s changed?” Don commented “we use a hell of a lot less chalk nowadays!”

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RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

64 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS Attachment range added to product list MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

HAVING RECENTLY taken the Manitou telehandler franchise in Waikato to service their mostly dairy focused customer base, Giltrap Agrizone saw a need for high capacity attachments to exploit the high capacities of these machines.

The company says the Prodig range of attachments offers buckets, forks, grabs and handling

equipment that meet the needs. Design and build quality, using high grade steels, ensures a trouble free and long life.

One standout machine in the range is the Shear Genius, which combines the attributes of a re-handling bucket with those of a shear grab and should prove extremely useful in silage clamps or around feed-pads for loading mixer wagons or feed trailers.

Available in 1500, 1800

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and 2200mm sizes with respective capacities of 1.0, 1.3 and 1.6m3, the conventional style bucket has a shear grab with hardened and tempered blades to cut a clean face at the silage clamp, and so reduce secondary fermentation. Double acting rams (nickel chromium plated) power the unit.

The outer corners of the shear have extensions that stop the main

blade hitting the ground.

Its geometry enables it to open far enough to slice silage bales in half, for dumping into wagons, while retaining the plastic wrap and bale netting with a retainer built into the upper edge of the bucket.

In essence, the design might allow users to look at replacing a bucket, shear grab, silage grab and bale fork with one multipurpose unit.

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Our feed out equipment helps you cram more into every day. The stable includes forage wagons, bale feeders and mixer wagons. The right tool saves you time, so you can make every minute count.

Call 0800 804 458 to find your local dealer. Or visit our website, www.giltrapag.co.nz

ROUND BALEAGE TIPPER ROUND BALEAGE tippers are used extensively, particularly in the South Island for bale placement in break crops for winter feeding out.

The new James double tipper, developed from the company’s existing model, has a mechanically activated single or double trip system for easy bale placement.

Close-coupled on the three point linkage, it

removes the potential for front axle overload when this task is carried out by a front end loader.

Priced from $3300. www.james-engineering. co.nz – Mark Daniel

Handy bike carrier SMITH ATTACHMENTS has recently released a carrier for motorcycles and quads.

Light enough to be bolted to the rear carrier of a two wheeler and not affect stability or access to the rear portion of the seat, the unit has a neat clamp that allows up to 20 standards and two rolls of wire to be carried safely.

A handy tray stores tools or lunch if you’re out for a long day.

Contact your Farmlands Store or motorcycle dealer

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 65

Why it pays to be part of the solution IT WAS good to see many of our members take the opportunity to attend recent roadshows held

by Rural Contractors NZ nationwide last month.

These events provided an excellent chance for contractors to get an update and all the latest information on important topics that impact on our sector and businesses, a benefit of belonging to RCNZ. In all, 12 roadshows were held in May – six in the North Island and six in the South Island.

The events held at Gore, Ashburton, Palmerston North and Cambridge doubled as the regional zones’ annual meetings and I want to especially thank all who came and participated.

Also before each of these four events, the agrichemical applicators’ division of RCNZ held a workshop led by industry spray guru Noel Blackwell, at which all registered chemical applicators attending

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earned three professional development points towards renewing their certification.

This year’s roadshow presentation covered proposed new health and safety legislation and regulations, the Safer Farms programme, codes of practice for using tractors and other selfpropelled agricultural vehicles and the meaning of these changes for agricultural contractors.

As I pointed out in my column last month, it is important we all fully understand what the new health and safety legislation means for individual contractors and, just as importantly, how it will affect

directors of companies, sole traders, employees, volunteers and anyone who ‘works’ in and for our businesses.

A highlight for me was the attendance at our Cambridge roadshow of Ross Grieg from Immigration NZ. Ross is the Immigration NZ area manager for the North Island and was keen to attend our meeting and hear rural contractors’ concerns and issues in employing overseas staff – especially getting people back for a second and third year.

I am pleased to report this was a very positive meeting. Ross took away plenty of feedback from the gathering, including how we all try our damnedest to employ Kiwis first and foremost, but that trained, experienced operators from overseas fill a vital gap in our industry.

Ross is teeing up a meeting with me and Immigration NZ officials in Wellington to discuss

your business and using the latest technology.

I can’t overemphasise the fantastic opportunity this provides to meet up with contractors from all around the country, learn new stuff and have a bit of fun. Registration forms and information on the annual conference is on the RCNZ website or email: office@ ruralcontractors.org.nz for all the details.

I hope to see many of you in Blenheim in June.

I can assure you it is well worth the trip.

• Wellsford agricultural contractor Steve Levet is the president of Rural Contractors New Zealand (RCNZ).

board, which can tackle contracting sector. our concerns further, these issues on a national Equally important and all going well I will level and hopefully get is how these events be able to report back on results that benefit all also provide a chance this meeting in my next members. for RCNZ members column.

Meanwhile, as and other interested They say you can mentioned judge the earlier, this strength of an year’s RCNZ organisation by annual the way it keeps It is important we all fully conference its membership understand what the will be in informed. new health and safety Blenheim from That’s why I June 22-25. believe Rural legislation means for If you have Contractors individual contractors. never attended New Zealand a national (RCNZ) is conference, I an important highly recommend you parties to get along and body that all contractors do. The theme this year is tell us what the issues, should to be a part of – ‘Doing it Smarter’ – with challenges and concerns because events like our an agenda chock-full of are for them. We can roadshows are tailored presentations on how to then take this feedback specifically for those of get smarter in running back up the chain to the us working in the rural

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WEST COAST EXPLORER Five days from the dry tussock lands of North Canterbury to the beech forest of Buller and the West Coast. Explore the heritate of ghost towns like Big River and Denniston. Follow historic trails and drive through the thrilling underground river and miner’s tunnels of Napoleon Hill.

SUPPLIERS OF:

• Nest boxes - manual or automated • Feed & Drinking • Plastic egg trays

ALL SAFARIS ARE • SELF DRIVE • PROFESSIONALLY GUIDED WITH RADIO COMMUNICATION TO EACH VEHICLE • QUALITY ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS INCLUDED • ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE OFF ROAD TRAVEL See our web site; www.nzadventures.co.nz or email; info@nzadventures.co.nz.

Clip the coupon or Phone/Fax: 03 448 9582 or 027 550 6727

✂

QUALITY PRODUCTS MADE IN EUROPE OR BY PPP

Please send me more information.

Post to NZ Adventures, 110 Hillview Road RD1, Alexandra 9391

MACHINERY REVIEWS

Free Range & Barn Eggs

❖

A trusted name in Poultry Industry for over 50 years ❖

Name: ...................................................................................................

Address:..............................................................................................

Ph: ...............................Email: ............................................................

Vehicle Type: .................................................................................

STOP RATS NESTING IN HOMES, BUILDINGS, MACHINERY

• Pest Free puts 50Hz pulse along power cables • Rats and mice stress, dehydrate, exit • No harm to humans, pets, computers, etc.

• Models to suit buildings/plant 200sq.m to 1000sq.m • Australian developed, patented, science proven • Used in ten countries • Two-year warranty • 100% 60-DAY MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE STOP RATS with Pest Free Buy with confidence from authorised rural sales agent

N+J Keating, 70 Rimu Street, New Lynn, Auckland 0600.

Tel. 09 833 1931, cell 021 230 1863; email keating@orcon.net.nz

TWO WAYS TO ORDER/PAY:

1) POST: cheque to N. Keating telling us the product(s) you want, plus your name, address and telephone number.

2) INTERNET: direct credit ASB 12 3039 0893559 00 (your surname as reference) PLUS telephone or email us, saying which product(s) you want.

COMPETITIONS on Duals for more traction, stability, flotation, towing power, versatility.

Clic Wheel Systems Ltd, ROTORUA

www.clicdualwhee AND MUCH MORE...

Phone/Fax 07 347 2292

www.clicdualwheels.co.nz

LATEST STORIES EVERY DAY

Pest Free Domestic for homes, garages, etc to 200sq,m – $159.90 incl.

GST & post.

Get upto date news at www.ruralnews.co.nz

Pest Free PRO for large homes, small offices & factories, etc to 400sq.m – $299.95 incl.

GST & post.

Pest Free Commercial New, improved, for dairy sheds, grain mills, etc. $1250 incl.

GST & post.

SINGLE DOG BOX $525

www.ruralnews.co.nz

TOP DOG BOX Accommodates up to 4 dogs 6 individual air vents Removable centre board 2 lockable galvanised gates In-house drainage Tie down lugs on each side Fits all wellside & flatdeck utes (2 models) ❱❱ Raised floor for insulation ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱ ❱❱

$745

incl GST

incl GST

Phone 0800 625 826 www.mckeeplastics.co.nz

NEW! QUALITY 3 LAYER VAPOR RAINWEAR! BREATHABLE 10,000 WATERPROOF 20,000+ , STRONG - HIGH ABRASION RESISTANCE! mvp

mm

$200 valued at $600

Please add $12 Freight per order

$150 valued at $400

$140 valued at $350

RURAL NEWS // JUNE 2, 2015

RURAL TRADER 67 CRAIGCO SENSOR JET

Rubber Safety Matting

DEAL TO FLY AND LICE

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

• Cost Effective • Complete Package • Unbeatable pricing • Performance Guaranteed

Just order your Dual Axle or Tandem Trailer NOW to avoid disappointment for June / July / August Delivery

~~Specialists in ATV Trailers ~~

Phone: 0800 80 8570

NEW! 3600 x 1800 Dual Axle Calf Trailer Also 3000 x 1500 Available

www.burgessmatting.co.nz

P 06 835 6863 - www.craigcojetters.com

LIFEGUARD ANOTHER MAN SAVED BY Guy Scullin attributes his lucky escape to getting a Lifeguard.

“Without it” he says “it was potentially a life ending accident.”

DON’T BE TOLD QUADS DON’T NEED CRUSH PROTECTION! It’s the unxpected that causes rollovers.

Lifeguard is proving it saves lives.

It is the only flexible CPD and the safest in the world. You can buy one today for $1,200 +GST Contact us on 0800 782 3763

lifeguard@ag-tech.co.nz

How much is a life worth - it’s a small price to pay

FOOTWEAR LTD

DOLOMITE

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

0800 436 566

NEW! “Fence Mate” Fence Standard & Reel Carrier

ZETOR DIRECT Genuine Parts

Ph 0061 35482 3277 Fax 0061 35482 3288

or email

parts@zetor.com.au

see Farmlands or ph 0508 805 801

working with farmers for 40 years

SOLAR PACKAGES Grid Tied and Off Grid

DIESEL HEATER Starting from as little as

$6750

NZ MADE BOOTS

Visit www.lastrite.co.nz for more quality products

HUNTER BOOTS Comfortable, durable and stylish.

The heavy duty sole construction makes this a robust boot designed for climbing over rugged ground. This boot has a soft toe and is made from a thick Mad Dog Nubuck Leather, stitched and screwed construction with a rubber, replaceable sole, that is glued and screwed. Soft padding for ankle support and D-Rings for your laces are an added advantage. Great fitting boots full of comfort, ideal for those long hunting and tramping trips.

TUSSOCK SOFT TOE TRIPLE/SINGLE HOB NAIL, HEAVY DUTY LEATHER This boot is designed for heavy duty use on high country farms and over alpine terrain.

This boot will handle tough environments. With an upper constructed from heavy duty leather, a tough heel counter for better ankle support and a full bellows tongue for greater water tightness. A leather insole and triple bend leather runners, with a stitched and screwed construction and heel and toe plates. Triple or single Hob nails. Tricounis available with tungsten tipped teeth.

Tussock made to order only. Sizes 4-15 including half sizes.

10 HALL ROAD, RD5, WHANGAREI Phone 09 438 8907

0800 379 247 see it now

www.avonheating.co.nz

CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITES

@rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

New Zealand’s CHEAPEST Culvert Pipes!

FREE joiners supplied on request.

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.

INDUSTRIAL 8-700 KVA

powered by John Deere®

RESIDENTIAL 10.5-16 KVA

powered by Kohler

www.ruralnews.co.nz www.dairynews.co.nz

Culvert Pipes

ONE STOP WATER SHOP

+ GST

• Lightweight, easy to install • Made from polyethylene

McKee Plastics Mahinui Street, Feilding Ph 06 323 4181 Fax 06 323 4183

sales@mckeeplastics.co.nz | www.mckeeplastics.co.nz

Call us today on 0800 229 669 www.abwelectric.co.nz

Phone

0800 625 826

for your nearest stockist

Joiners supplied FREE with culvert pipes

THE SHARPEST PASTURE BURNDOWN SOLUTION SHARPEN® IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL HERBICIDE LAUNCHED WORLDWIDE IN THE PAST 20 YEARS.

Mixed with glyphosate, SHARPEN® is a proven solution for rapid pasture burndown and glyphosate resistant weeds.

Now with a label extension, SHARPEN® also provides the benet of nil milk residue, short withholding periods for grazing (2 days) and slaughter (14 days).

SHARPEN® is the only herbicide in New Zealand to contain KIXOR®, a unique and powerful active ingredient from entirely new chemistry. It’s powerful enough to provide increased broad spectrum control of previously hard-to-control broadleaf weeds.

A reminder for maize growers!

Sharpen®, when used with acetochlor, is also registered for pre-emergent weed control in maize. Details on our website

www.agro.basf.co.nz SHARPEN®, Kixor® and the X® logo are registered trademarks of BASF SHARPEN® is registered pursuant to the ACVM Act, 1997 No. P8391

Available from your local rural supplier or call BASF on 0800 93 2273

BSF0079 02/15 P

S R E K R O W M R ALL FA

FREE BULLBARS ON THE FIRST 20 FARM WORKERS SOLD

5 9 .

4 3 1 ⁄ 3 1 ⁄ 3 1⁄ IN 24 MONTHS

IN 12 MONTHS

DEPOSIT

%

** INTEREST

FARM WORKER

$

• • • •

Fuel-injected 1,300cc Hi/Lo ratio 4WD/2WD 500kg payload 1,550 x 1,600mm galvanised steel and ply deck • Fibreglass rear cab and roof • Work bar and tow bar • Optional Maxxis tyres and bullbar shown No helmet required

20,590

DEPOSIT* INCLUDES GST

$7,492

* Deposit $7,492, first payment $7,492, second payment $7,492. Total amount borrowed $14,984.

$

FLATDECK

16,990

DEPOSIT INCLUDES GST

$6,090*

THE SIDE-BY-SIDE FOR ALL SEASONS FARM WORKER WELLSIDE • • • • • • •

Fuel-injected 1,300cc Hi/Lo ratio 4WD/2WD 500kg payload Fibreglass roof & bulkhead Wellside tray Optional stock crate Optional tow bar, Maxxis tyres and bullbar shown No helmet required * Deposit $6,090, first payment $6,090, second payment $6,090. Total amount borrowed $12,180.

$

13,990

DEPOSIT* INCLUDES GST

$5,039 $

15,990

DEPOSIT* INCLUDES GST

$5,739

FARM WORKER VERSATILE • • • • • • • •

Fuel-Injected 1,300cc Hi/Lo ratio 4WD/2WD 500kg payload Full canvas cover Folding rear bench seats Folding windscreen Special entry level model Optional Maxxis tyres and bullbar shown No helmet required

* Deposit $5,038.20, first payment $5,039, second payment $5,039. Total amount borrowed $10,078.

FARM WORKER MULTI PURPOSE • • • • •

Rugged all-terrain capability Hi/Lo ratio 4WD/2WD All-weather protection Fuel-Injected 1,300cc Optional tow bar, Maxxis tyres and bullbar shown • 500kg payload • Folding windscreen • Optional stock crate available No helmet required * Deposit $5,739, first payment $5,739, second payment $5,739. Total amount borrowed $11,478.

GRAB THESE DEALS AT FIELDAYS OR SEE YOUR SUZUKI DEALER TODAY: ®

SUZUKI AUTOMOTIVE DEALERS:

WHANGAREI PacifIc Motor Group ................................... 09 430 4390 NORTH SHORE Winger Suzuki North Shore .................. 09 441 4750 AUCKLAND Winger Suzuki Greenlane ............................ 09 524 6030 MT WELLINGTON Moyes Panmure .................................. 09 570 7840 PUKEKOHE Winger Suzuki ................................................. 09 239 2389 HAMILTON Winger Suzuki.................................................. 07 838 1249 MORRINSVILLE Nicholson Suzuki ................................... 07 889 7042 MATAMATA Nicholson Suzuki .......................................... 07 888 7059 PAEROA Whyteline Limited ............................................... 07 862 8783 WHAKATANE Nicholson Suzuki ........................................ 07 308 6334 ROTORUA Grant Johnstone Suzuki ................................. 07 349 2221 TAURANGA Tauranga Motor Company ........................... 07 578 1378 TAUPO Taupo Motor Company ......................................... 07 378 2946 GISBORNE Gary Bates Limited ......................................... 06 867 9438 NAPIER Bayswater Suzuki ................................................. 06 833 5718 HASTINGS Hawkes Bay Suzuki ........................................ 06 876 3142 NEW PLYMOUTH Autocity Suzuki .................................... 06 769 5371 PALMERSTON NORTH Eurocar Suzuki ........................... 06 356 6363 WANGANUI David Jones Motors ...................................... 06 345 5115

LEVIN Horowhenua Motor Company .............................. 06 368 7169 PARAPARAUMU HMC Kapiti .............................................. 04 298 8089 TAWA Mexted Motors ......................................................... 04 232 8144 LOWER HUTT Brendan Foot Motors ................................ 04 587 0005 BLENHEIM Wadsco Motor World ...................................... 03 578 5199 NELSON Nelson Bays Suzuki ............................................ 03 548 2235 CHRISTCHURCH Hollands Suzuki .................................... 03 366 5261 TIMARU Hollands Suzuki ................................................... 03 688 8297 DUNEDIN Gilmour Suzuki .................................................. 03 474 1670 QUEENSTOWN Winger Suzuki........................................... 03 442 8989 INVERCARGILL Southern Automobiles........................... 03 211 2233

SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE DEALERS:

KAITAIA Kaitaia Motorcycles ............................................ 09 408 1950 KAIKOHE Renton Motors (1976)...................................... 09 401 0313 WHANGAREI Pacific Motor Group.................................... 09 430 4390 DARGAVILLE Randells Suzuki ........................................... 09 439 6952 WARKWORTH Warkworth Motorcycles........................... 09 425 8535 AUCKLAND Holeshot Motorcycles .................................. 09 486 5187 AUCKLAND Colemans Suzuki ........................................... 09 303 1786

*See IMPORTANT INFORMATION on back page for full terms and conditions of these offers.

PUKEKOHE MR Motorcycles .............................................. 09 237 3095 PAEROA Whyteline............................................................... 07 862 8783 MT MAUNGANUI Moto City ............................................... 07 927 1340 HAMILTON Boyd Motorcycles........................................... 07 838 1209 MATAMATA Phil’s M/C Centre........................................... 07 888 7604 MORRINSVILLE Phil’s M/C Centre ................................... 07 889 7686 TE AWAMUTU Wilks Penny Motorcycles ........................ 07 871 3069 PUTARURU Phil’s M/C Centre ........................................... 07 883 7602 WHAKATANE Underwood & Wilkins M/C........................ 07 308 6166 ROTORUA Bike Force .......................................................... 07 348 9171 TAUPO Darryl August Motorcycles .................................. 07 378 8342 TAUMARUNUI Bike Torque ................................................ 07 895 7994 NEW PLYMOUTH New Plymouth M/C Centre ................ 06 758 4449 GISBORNE Gisborne Motors ............................................. 06 867 6759 HASTINGS Bay Motorcycles .............................................. 06 878 3289 HAWERA Action Moto Suzuki ........................................... 06 278 4160 WANGANUI Whitelock Suzuki ........................................... 06 345 3462 WAIPUKURAU Central Bikes ............................................. 06 858 8983 DANNEVIRKE Dannevirke Suzuki ..................................... 06 374 2925 FEILDING Gary Worsley Motorcycles............................... 06 323 6256

PALMERSTON NORTH Courtesy Motorcycles............... 06 356 2195 PAHIATUA Motorcycle HQ ................................................. 06 376 7163 MASTERTON Fagan Suzuki ................................................ 06 378 6159 LOWER HUTT TSS Red Baron ............................................ 04 569 3989 MOTUEKA Murray Thorn Motorcycles ............................ 03 528 9992 NELSON Nelson Motorcycle Centre ................................ 03 548 3786 BLENHEIM Wadsco Motorworld ....................................... 03 578 5199 AMBERLEY Arthur Burke .................................................... 03 314 0127 CHRISTCHURCH Avon City Suzuki ................................... 03 341 3490 ASHBURTON Jeff Marshall Motorcycles ......................... 03 308 2055 TIMARU Mike Gould Suzuki............................................... 03 688 4802 OAMARU Young Motors ..................................................... 03 434 5354 DUNEDIN McIver & Veitch ................................................. 03 477 0236 BALCLUTHA PowerZone Suzuki ....................................... 03 418 4672 GORE Hokonui Suzuki......................................................... 03 208 5271 WINTON Winton Motorcycles ........................................... 03 236 7231 INVERCARGILL Southern Suzuki...................................... 03 214 4467

NEW CARS FROM JUST

$76 PER WEEK*

NO DEPOSIT FINANCE ACROSS THE * AUTOS RANGE

$89 FROM JUST

PER WEEK

FREE $2K OFF ADVENTURE

SAVE $2000 ON EVERY S-CROSS MODEL

PLUS NO DEPOSIT FINANCE FROM JUST

$120

PACK

• SATELLITE NAVIGATION • BLUETOOTH • REVERSE CAMERA • NUDGE BAR • ROOF RACKS

PER WEEK

COMING SOON

SEE IT AT FIELDAYS

PLUS NO DEPOSIT FINANCE FROM JUST

$138

PER WEEK

*See IMPORTANT INFORMATION below for full terms and conditions of these offers.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THIS PROMOTION: Offers are available from participating Suzuki dealers until 30 June 2015 or while current stocks last. Excludes fleet purchases and all other promotions. Product availability: At the time of printing the number of units and colour options were correct. SNZ Ltd reserves the right to change specifications, appearances, models, colours and other items shown in this catalogue at any time without notice.

Colours and specifications may differ slightly from those shown within this catalogue. MOTORCYCLE: Some prices are recommended retail excluding GST, motorcycle savings shown include GST. AUTOMOBILE: Full details of Zero Dollars Down, S-Cross Save $2,000, Grand Vitara Free Adventure Pack and Jimny Free Accessory offers are available at www.suzuki.co.nz. Zero Down weekly payments based on nil deposit, 5.9% interest rate and a 5 year term. Payments include on-road costs, a $395 documentation fee and a $13 PPSR fee. Normal lending credit criteria apply. FARMWORKER: Farm Worker interest rate of 4.95% applies on the amount borrowed. Documentation fee of $395 applies plus a PPSR fee of $13.00. Finance to approved purchasers, normal lending criteria apply. Farm Worker finance and Bullbars offers are not provided in conjunction with any other promotional activity. ACCESSORIES: Accessories are covered by their own manufacturer’s warranty conditions.

SUZUKI NEW ZEALAND LIMITED 1 HEADS ROAD, WANGANUI.

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