Coast & Country News May 2016

Mobile Packer PAGE 8

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Dairy Awards PAGE 14-17

Calving PAGE 21-23

Fieldays PAGE 26-38

Sheep+Beef PAGE 44-47

Travel PAGE 61

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Page 2

COAST & COUNTRY

Kiwifruit answer to uncomfortable problem It’s expected that effluent will be on the agenda at most dairy industry events but it’s not often that an after-lunch speaker at an international seminar will not only talk about, but also show images of, human stools.

However, that’s just what happened when Professor Richard Geary addressed the First International Symposium on Kiwifruit and Health in Tauranga in April – see page 3.

To illustrate parts of his address, explaining the multi-centre clinical trial on the effects of kiwifruit on digestive and gut health functions, he used images of the Bristol Stool Form Scale. Developed by researchers at the Bristol Royal Infirmary – a hospital in Bristol, England – the scale is a visual guide to the different types of human stools.

Intervention

Not the most comfortable topic or illustration it has to be said, but according to Richard, digestive discomfort, including constipation, affects at least 15 per cent of adults in the western world.

It’s a serious problem, he says, affecting quality of life and general wellbeing. Current interventions for gastrointestinal conditions include lifestyle and dietary modifications as well as pharmacological interventions, which may cause side effects.

However, the ongoing research suggests eating kiwifruit “may be effective for the treatment of constipation or functional bowel disorders as well as an effective strategy to regulate the digestive system and enhance bowel movement satisfaction”.

An excellent result in more ways than one – the challenge now is to impart this information to

Kiwifruit has been shown to have a beneficial effect on gut microbiota as illustrated in this slide presented at the symposium. consumers worldwide, using it, along with other important health findings, to encourage them to eat more kiwifruit – the Zespri-branded ones in particular.Zespri’s science and marketing team says while New Zealanders might be a bit coy about discussing bowel movements, in many other countries, Spain in particular, messages about bowel health are readily accepted. Leading edge research is something NZ’s primary industries often excel at and much of what’s new and what’s hot will once again be on show at the 2016 Fieldays at Mystery Creek – see pages 26 to 38.

The dairy industry’s brightest and best young farmers compete this month for national titles – meet three of the contenders on pages 14 to 16.

APARANGI V i l l a g e

Elaine Fisher

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 3

Scientific proof for kiwifruit’s health benefits Ground-breaking scientific research, which promises real advancements in human health, is normally associated with the latest pharmaceutical developments – not a natural food.

However, kiwifruit is the exception, as demonstrated by the finding of scientists and researchers who took part in the first International Symposium on Kiwifruit and Health in Tauranga in April.

The two-day symposium brought together nearly 200 global health experts and international media to consider the role of fruit, in particular kiwifruit, in a healthy diet.

The event, initiated by the Riddet Institute of New Zealand and sponsored

by Zespri, presented research into the health benefits of kiwifruit in the areas of digestive health, health and vitamin C and metabolic health.

Among key findings presented: Kiwifruit regulates sugar highs and lows in your bloodstream.

For the first time in human clinical trials, Zespri Green kiwifruit has been found to improve digestive health Dr Juliet Ansell, who oversees health and nutrition research for function and comfort. This is through a Zespri, says the findings of the research are exciting for unique combination of actinidin (a kiwihuman health and for Zespri and its growers. fruit enzyme), fibre and other Otago, who has a long career in the study of vitamin components.

C, immune cell function and oxidative stress, told the Kiwifruit boosts your immunity. Eating kiwifruit symposium kiwifruit is an exceptional dietary source daily is very effective at increasing blood levels of vitaof vitamin C. “We have found that plasma and tissue min C as well as levels in other parts of the body. saturation can early be achieved and maintained by the The digestive health studies have involved trials in addition of two kiwifruit per day.” humans, rats, pigs and in what’s known as in vitro studies, in which parts of the human digestive system are replicated artificially in a laboratory.

Whole fruit A key point stressed by many speakers was the beneficial effects of green and gold kiwifruit are achieved Multi-country by eating the whole fruit, not extracting the active The clinical studies demonstrated positive results ingredients of it. in the treatment of constipation in a range of adult Keynote speaker, Professor Jaap Seidell from Vrije Unipopulations, including healthy subjects and elderly and versiteit in Amsterdam, and the Netherlands’ foremost patients with irritable bowel syndrome. obesity specialist, says kiwifruit, together with other Research on the digestive health benefits of kiwifruit low-glycaemic fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy is ongoing with results of a multi-country controlled diet, can be crucial in helping fight the epidemic of clinical intervention study expected to be released chronic non-communicable diseases sweeping the globe. this year.

“The high and increasing intake of ultra-processed The research also found kiwifruit is associated with foods leads to an increase in the intakes of sugar, salts beneficial changes in the gut which can affect the and trans fatty acids. Energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods structure and function of the mucosal barrier in the are the most attractive option to many consumers in colon, preventing water-soluble bacterial products and terms of price, convenience, taste and availability. toxins passing from the colon to the blood.

“This is at the expense of minimally processed or Other research showed Zespri Green and Zespri Sununprocessed basic foods such as fruit and vegetables.

Gold kiwifruit have low glycaemic index of 39 and 38 “Today, there is general consensus that for much of respectively. The fibre in kiwifruit increases in volume the world, nutrient-poor food is a key driver in escalatin the small intestine, causing a delay in carbohydrate ing rates of obesity and related chronic disease. digestion and absorption, resulting in a low glycaemic “Improved health outcomes are associated with diets potency. These properties, make kiwifruit an excellent high in nutrient-rich, low energy-dense fruit – such as option for people with diabetes and assist with the kiwifruit,” says Japp. management of blood sugar levels by Dr Juliet Ansell, who oversees health and nutrition carbohydrate exchanging. research for Zespri, says the findings of the research are Professor Margreet Vissers of the University of

exciting for human health and for Zespri and its growers.

“We know that our investment in scientific research on health can be beneficial for the entire kiwifruit category – and attracting more consumers to kiwifruit as a whole is great news for our industry. Zespri Kiwifruit is furthermore differentiated from the competition through our focus on quality, delivered by the Zespri System,” says Juliet.

Professor Paul Moughan, co-director of the Riddet Institute, says Zespri is to be congratulated for taking the lead in ensuring a well-funded science programme, of the very highest science quality, which is defined by independent,

rigorous science and uncompromised ethical standards.

Grower value

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc chairman Doug Brown also sees value in the research and its findings.

“In some markets it is not possible to make claims for health benefits, unless they are backed by scientific proof.

“The finding of research so far for kiwifruit’s role in nutrition and gut health are exciting and will help with our marketing.”

Doug says proof for growers of the nutritional value of the fruit they grow is also a source of pride. Elaine Fisher

Page 4

COAST & COUNTRY

Historic machine bales hay once again For decades it lay abandoned and rusting on a Kaimai farm but thanks to the skill and hard work of a team of engineers and enthusiasts, the bright blue and yellow Booth & MacDonald stationery hay baler is back in action and looking almost as good as new.

It was Colston Landon of Tauranga who was among those who helped ‘rescue’ the historic machine from the property where it last made hay about 60 years ago.

Cast iron

“It was lying on its side with pieces of tin over it and all the steel had rusted, but the cast iron was virtually untouched,” says Colston, who with friends, rebuilt the baler in his urban backyard.

It’s believed the baler was bought by the Stevenson family, who farmed on Old Kaimai Rd, on land now owned by their neighbours the Roberts. “Don Roberts can remember seeing the baler in action when he was five or six years old. That would be in the late-1950s and probably the last time it was in action,” says Colston.

The baler was manufactured by Christchurch company Booth & MacDonald, well-known for its agricultural machinery.

It was probably made during the World

Larry Williams forks hay into the Booth & MacDonald stationery hay baler.

War II, using whatever materials were available at the time.

Unlike more modern hay balers, it wasn’t towed around the paddock, attached to a tractor. Instead hay is bought to the machine, which is driven by a belt-drive from a tractor or stationary engine. Piles of hay are forked into the machine which has a large arm moving up and down to compress the hay as it moves through the chamber.

Manually tied As the bales feed through, they are manually tied, originally with wire, before being discharged out the end of the machine.

Well-known vintage machinery enthusiast from Tauranga, Larry Williams, re-built the main frame for the old baler and cut down steel piping to replace the rusted-away bottoms of the wheels.

“There was nothing too hard about rebuilding the baler because we just figured out how it would have worked,” says Colston, who is a retired engineer.

While many parts had to be re-made, anything which could be salvaged was repaired and reused.

“Some of the half-inch thick steel parts were rusted almost through and in places where it is safe to do so, we’ve left them like that to show what it was like,” says Colston,

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 5

Bale tying perfected continued...

who can also remember seeing a Booth & MacDonald stationery baler in action near Auckland when he was a young boy.

The baler took about 14 months to restore to working order, and it was finished just in time for the Tauranga Vintage Machinery Club’s Crank Up Festival at Katikati in April.

Crank Up

There it drew crowds of onlookers, fascinated by the workings of the brightly-coloured machine which, with its cogs, wheels and large moving arm, looks a little like an oversized Meccano model.

“People really enjoyed watching it work, and one person has told me there’s another baler on Matakana Island which I’ll check out.”

Larry Williams used his 1916 Mogul tractor to drive the baler and along with son James, kept the baler fed with hay while Colston perfected tying the bales.

“It took a bit to work out how it should be done.

We’ve figured out now that we need to polish the inside of the chamber the hay goes in so it slides through better because the bales were being compressed too tight.

“We started with seven conventional bales of hay which we cut up and put through the machine and it ended up compressing them into about four bales which were far too tight.”

Now it’s had its first successful outing, the baler will be stored away. When it will appear in public again is unclear.

Colston is delighted at how the baler performed and can now tick that project off his long ‘to-do’ list.

Elaine Fisher

Knotty problems – Colston Landon and James Williams tying bales while Larry Williams feeds hay into the machine.

The way it was – the Booth & MacDonald stationery hay baler lay rusting in a Kaimai farm paddock before being ‘rescued’ by vintage machinery enthusiasts.

Less rubbish to landfills is the aim New and improved rubbish collection regimes that will increase recycling and reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill are being considered by Western Bay of Plenty District and Tauranga City councils.

The Waste Minimisation Act of 2008 requires the councils to reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill and to recycle more, but assessments shows the councils haven’t achieved targets set in the previous WMMP in 2010.

There has been little positive change in three main measures since the 2010 plan.

Figuresshow 77,317 tonnes taken to land fill in 2010 and 87,909 tonnes in 2015. The only year the amount decreased was the 2012/2013 year when it dropped to 76,228 tonnes.

By 2026 the sub-region will be send-

ing about 100,000 tonnes of material to landfill, a further 60,000 to cleanfill, while green waste grows to about 10,000 tonnes, other organics to 7000 tonnes, recyclables to 28,000 tonnes and scrap metal to 18,500 tonnes.

Together, Tauranga and Western BOP have a population of a little more than 160,000. Of these, 117,000 live in Tauranga, with another 12,400 living in Te Puke, Katikati or Waihi Beach. A large part of Western BOP is relatively sparsely populated.

By 2031, the region will be home to more than 216,000 people, an increase of 35 per cent in population and 40 per cent in the number of households.

More than 50 per cent of the waste currently disposed of at Class 1 landfills could in theory be diverted from landfill Andrew Campbell disposal.

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Quest to continue ‘whitebait godfather’s research legacy A series of net-covered ponds in a wetland on the fringes of Raglan Harbour could hold solutions to some of New Zealand’s most pressing environmental issues – the degrading of water quality, diminishing wild ďŹ sh stocks and what to do with dairy efuent.

FARMOSH Helping Farmers Reduce OSH Risk

Charlie Young of NirtoEELS believes eel farming may sustainably co-exist with dairying in future, with cow efuent growing food for eels.

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Developed by the late Charles Mitchell, the ponds are a working laboratory now in desperate need of someone with the skills and vision to carry on what Charles began.

Charles died in September 2015 after 18 yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; work on the property near Te Uku owned by him and wife Jan. Using his own money, Charles, a former ďŹ sheries biologist with the then Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, became the ďŹ rst person in the world to breed whitebait in capacity. He also grew eels to market size in ďŹ ve years.

His work to use cow efďŹ&#x201A;uent to grow food for captive and wild ďŹ sh stocks has now been taken up by other agencies, including NIWA, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic in a trial on a dairy farm near Katikati.

Now Jan, together with Charlie Young, a friend and colleague of Charles Mitchell, are working with others to secure funding to ensure his pioneering work, operated under the brand name NitroEELS, continues.

Charlie Young says his friend was â&#x20AC;&#x153;the godfather of whitebait and a truly wonderful mad scientistâ&#x20AC;?.

Hubcap water wheels

â&#x20AC;&#x153;What he achieved is remarkable, and much of his inventiveness was driven by lack of money,â&#x20AC;? says Charlie.

Frustrated at limitations on funding and blue skies research imposed on government scientists, Charles took redundancy from his job with MAF and used his own resources to convert what had been drained swampland back from pasture to wetlands, digging ponds for aquatic experiments.

Old ďŹ shing nets kept the birds out of the six ďŹ sh ponds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but how to ensure the growing aquatic life received a regular supply of food was an issue.

Charles came up with a suitably ingenious solution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He asked all his mates to pick up hubcaps off the side of the road â&#x20AC;&#x201C; seven spoked ones were the best.â&#x20AC;?

To the hubcaps Charles ďŹ tted holders for cups made from cut-down soft drink bottles, turning the hubcaps into water wheels. These wheels operate slow-moving â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;conveyor beltsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on which ďŹ sh food is

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Old ďŹ shing nets keep birds out of the eel and whitebait ďŹ sh ponds. spread, allowing it to fall at a steady pace into the ponds.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Charles said blowďŹ&#x201A;ies only laid their eggs once, and if you could get them to lay them where you wanted, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d leave stock alone.â&#x20AC;?

So he collected road-kill possums and put them in old plastic drums, mounted on the side of the ponds where ďŹ&#x201A;ies would be attracted. The drums are angled and ďŹ tted with a metal shoot so the maggots which emerge from the ďŹ&#x201A;y eggs slide off the carcass and into the water â&#x20AC;&#x201C; feeding the ďŹ sh below.

Insect attractant

Solar-powered LED lights set up in the ponds attract insects, including black beetles and crickets, many of which also fall into the water providing yet more protein for ďŹ sh and reducing the numbers of unwanted farm pests.

Charles also built complex control gates which raise and lower the level of the ponds, enabling him to artiďŹ cially re-create â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;spring tidesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, encouraging whitebait to spawn when he wanted them to. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ďŹ sh food Charles initially fed the whitebait had a speciďŹ c marker which could be traced by examining the ear bones of whitebait under a microscope, so he was able to prove the whitebait local ďŹ shermen were catching had come originally from his farm,â&#x20AC;? says Charlie.

However, imported ďŹ sh food is expensive so Charles looked for an alternative. He successfully grew alae and zooplankton on dairy shed efďŹ&#x201A;uent, creating ďŹ sh food; and at the same time improving water quality by reducing its nitrogen content.

Charles also worked with the Mahurangi...continued Technical

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Page 7

Proving sustainable fisheries and dairy farming can co-exist

The late Charles Mitchell grew eels to market size in just ďŹ ve years in his Te Uku ďŹ sh ponds. proof-of-concept water management system has been to develop sustainable ďŹ sheries while achieving signiďŹ cant nitrogen and e-coli mitigation for farming and urban activities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This goal has been realised by harvesting valuable Whitebait records juvenile ďŹ sh [whitebait, eels and mullet] attracted to Charlie says Charles enjoyed working with local the systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s zoo-plankton-rich discharges and then whitebait ďŹ shermen, particularly those who had been growing them to adulthood under low-intensity whitebaiting for decades. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He found among some aquaculture conditions. Behavioural manipulation and of the old-timers, people who were amateur scientrapping is used to harvest the adult ďŹ sh in peak eating tists who kept detailed records going back years of condition. The system is adaptable for New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weather, tides and their catches. This information was various catchments and farming waterways.â&#x20AC;? invaluable to his research.â&#x20AC;?

It was Charlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; aim that his research would be put to His ability to raise eels to commercial size in three practical use on farms and in urban settlement, both to ďŹ ve years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something which takes around 35 years coastal and inland, to reduce pollution, improve water in the wild â&#x20AC;&#x201C; attracted the attention of the NZ Eel quality and enhance ďŹ sh stocks.

Processing Company and demonstrated eel farming His vision to work hand-in-hand with nature, procould become a real commercial possibility. viding environmentally and ďŹ nancially sustainable Charles Mitchellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision for how eel and dairy farmsolutions to some of this countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most urgent probing could co-exist and beneďŹ t both farmers and the lems, must now pass to other hands. His legacy is too environment, is outlined on the Nitro EELS website. precious and vital not to endure. To ďŹ nd out more, visit: www.raglaneels.com or call NitroEELS Nitro EELS on 07 825 7873.

Elaine Fisher â&#x20AC;&#x153;Few have investigated techniques for recovering and utilising the nutrients inevitably lost into waterways. But if ecological restoration targets for our diminished and degraded lowland NZ waterways are to be realised, collection and management of nutrient-rich farm drainage so that it supports healthy, productive and valuable ďŹ sh life before it leaves the farm will have to become a goal. This is one outcome of installing our Nitro EELS System. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Raglan EELS â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nitro EELSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; system is the only commercial product in development for a solution-based wetland nitrogen management plan that contains a direct return on investment of approx three to ďŹ ve per cent per annum. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The primary goal of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nitro EELSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; original continued...

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COAST & COUNTRY

Mobile couple pack plenty into retirement Basil and Paddy Rosie pack a lot into the autumns months when they are away in their mobile home – a lot of kiwifruit that is.

REE FELLERS BIG OR SMALL - WE DO IT ALL

This is the couple’s 10th season working at Birchwood Packhouse at Katikati, living on-site in their mobile home during the kiwifruit harvest season.

“We love it. Birchwood is such a friendly packhouse and really looks after its staff,” says Paddy.

Paddy and Basil were holidaying in the South Island in the bus called ‘Pok’n Round’ which Basil converted to a mobile home, when they first saw Birchwood’s advertisement for seasonal staff in a motorhome magazine.

Basil and Paddy Rosie took to the road in their motorhome in 2003 “We rang up and they asked and for the last 10 seasons have lived on-site at Birchwood Packhouse when can we start.” That was in where they pack kiwifruit during the harvest season.

2007 and they’ve been coming from around the world. back every year since. Now in their 70s, both Both born and bred in Gisborne, the couple have acknowledge the time will come when they have to seven children and a host of grandchildren, many give up the work – Paddy has had hip replacement operations and Basil’s health wasn’t too good a couple of them overseas. Basil owned a joinery business in Gisborne, where Paddy was an early childhood of years back. supervisor. But when Basil turned 64 they sold the “However, we’re not about to give it up yet. We business, left their jobs and took to the road. enjoy being here,” says Basil. “Being on-site is ideal As well as travelling around New Zealand, they as we virtually have no living expenses while we’re bought a caravan in Australia and for time joined here so can save most of what we earn.” that country’s band of travellers known as the Birchwood office manager Linda Beachen says Grey Nomads. having Basil and Paddy and their motorhome neighbours on-site is a big plus for the packhouse too.

Kawerua home “It means we can call on them at short notice if we Living for weeks on end in the bus is no hardship. need more hands for a shift.

“It has all we need, including a small diesel stove “When it comes to Basil and Rosie, their experience which keeps us warm in winter,” says Paddy. and knowledge is invaluable. They know how every“The most important thing is a comfortable bed thing works, know the staff and take a real interest in and that’s certainly what we have,” says Basil. the fruit they pack.”

“The great thing about living in a mobile home – is that if you don’t like the neighbours, you can just up Home cooking and leave.”

For at least nine hours a day, from April to June, Recently, the couple have bought a house in Paddy and Basil work on the packing lines and Kawerua to provide a base when they aren’t on the sometimes Basil will do a late shift too. Part of the road. “Kawerua is a motorhome-friendly town and attraction is that Birchwood employs a cook who a lot of movanners are now settling there. Property prepares home-made morning and afternoon teas for prices are really reasonable and the town has great all the staff. facilities.

“The food is excellent and you can also order an “It’s also very handy to Rotorua, Tauranga, Whakaevening meal,” says Paddy. tane and the beaches,” says Basil.

They also enjoy the people they work with, catchWhen this kiwifruit packing season is over that’s ing up each year with those who are also regulars, where they will be heading – at least until they feel Elaine Fisher and meeting newcomers, often young backpackers the road calling once more.

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COAST & COUNTRY

Puriri’s story a timeline of Kiwi history

“If you don’t know your history, you don’t know anything.”

Marnie Anstis with her book ‘Taketakerua – The Millennium Tree’ which she based on the real puriri tree of the same name which stands in Opotiki’s Hukutaia Reserve.

Stories within a story; stories for children, teenagers and adults are all to be found in the pages of Marnie Anstis’ book ‘Taketakerua – The Millennium Tree’.

The Opotiki author has skilfully woven the 2000year life of the district’s most famous tree into a tale of New Zealand’s settlement and development, and events around the world, creating a timeline and a history lesson too.

“If you don’t know your history, you don’t know anything. You’re a leaf that doesn’t know it’s part of a tree,” says a quote on the title page. This book is Marnie’s way of making history accessible, enjoyable and interesting.

Her clear, concise and lyrical writing and gift of imagination give the book appeal across a wide age group of readers. Beautiful illustrations by Patricia Howitt accurately reflect and enhance the text.

The book begins with a child and a Grandma listening to story time on the radio. An elderly Maori gentleman, Koro, is narrating the story which begins 2000 years ago. As the child listens, Grandma reads to herself from a well-loved history book.

Marnie’s book is designed so that three “stories” appear on each of the facing pages. On the left are Patricia’s full colour illustrations – on the right, the words of Koro’s story, and in an adjacent panel, briefs which tell of what is happening across the globe at the same time as the puriri tree Taketakerua is growing. Running across the bottom of both pages is a

timeline, illustrating the passage of the centuries.

Taketakerua is a real tree which stands today in the in the Hukutaia Domain, 10 kilometres inland from Opotiki, and close to where Marnie lives.

When Maori first arrived in the district about 1000 years ago, the tree was already ancient and, in recognition of its great age, they placed a tapu upon it and used it as a burial tree.

When the tree was about 1700 years old, Captain James Cook and his crew aboard the sailing vessel Endeavour visited the region, changing forever the course of this country’s future.

Much, much later, in 1913, a settler came across the tree, which had lost a massive branch in a storm, exposing the bones within. Eventually the bones were removed, the tapu lifted and the tree and fine stand of native bush which surrounds it became the public reserve it is today.

At the end of her book Marnie pays tribute to Opotiki solicitor and amateur botanist Norman Potts, who spent 30 years collecting plants and seeds from around the country and introducing them to Hukutaia Domain, making it one of the best public collections anywhere of New Zealand native plants.

‘Taketakerua – The Millennium Tree’ was a nonfiction finalist in the 2013 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, named on NZ Listener’s 50 Best Children’s Books list in 2012 and was highly commended in the 2012 Ashton Whyte book awards. It is available from book stores throughout New Zealand, and can be purchased online at www.themillenniumtree.com RRP: $35

Elaine Fisher

Red Cross training for psychological first aid New Zealand Red Cross is launching a new programme to train people in providing Psychological First Aid. Known as PFA, it enables people to provide practical and emotional short-term support for individuals, reduce distress and foster the ability to adapt following a disaster or emergency situation, such as an earthquake or traumatic event.

New Zealand Red Cross secretary general Tony Paine says PFA is a proven approach to helping people affected by an emergency or traumatic event.

“At its core, PFA is about providing a safe, supportive response to someone who has just been through a sudden disaster and in need of support.

“PFA helps people feel safe, connected to others, calm and hopeful, able to access physical, emotional, cultural and social support, and feel able to help themselves.”

Tony says PFA is a useful skill for everyone to have up their sleeves in every day circumstances. “The reality is we cannot predict the next traumatic event or if it will affect those immediately around us. Just like physical first aid, we recommend PFA as a valuable tool that can make a huge difference to people’s lives.

“It’s especially helpful for people whose work might bring them into contact with people coping with emergencies like first responders and insurance assessors.”

New Zealand Red Cross developed the PFA training into a one-day practical workshop as part of the lessons learned from working in Christchurch after the quakes. Based on an internationally recognised best practice model developed by the World Health Organisation and World Vision, PFA is endorsed by more than 20 international humanitarian agencies. Red Cross disaster response team members now all receive the training.

The Australian Red Cross, New Zealand Psychological Society, Massey University Joint Centre for Disaster Research, Te Piringa o Te Awakairangi and Le Va all contributed to the training materials that have been recognised by the Ministry of Health.

Page 9

Page 10

HORTICULTURE

Horticulture well on track to $10 billion target Every year Plant and Food Research publishes a booklet called ‘Fresh Facts’ which reports on the performance of the wine and production horticulture industries.

In 2010 HortNZ developed a target of being a $10 billion industry by 2020.

This does not include wine.

The authors of ‘Fresh Facts’ say horticulture is “halfway toward the 2020 deadline, horticultural exports are growing strongly and delivering on that

strategy”. Horticulture exports increased 9.5 per cent in 2015 to a record $4.3 billion, including wine at $1.4 billion, and when that is added to domestic sales based on the 2013 Household Economic Survey, the total is $6.1 billion.

The total investment in New Zealand horticulture is estimated by ‘Fresh Facts’ to be $40 billion from an estimated 124,600 hectares of cultivated crops. Interestingly, the largest investments in horticulture by crop type are from kiwifruit, pipfruit and potatoes.

The exporting stars are kiwifruit worth $1.2 billion, pipfruit worth $562 million, avocados worth $115.5 million, potatoes at $112.8 million, peas at $84.4 million, onions at $81.4 million, squash worth $58.7 million and summerfruit at $58.2 million.Then there is the increase in land area under organic certification, according to ‘Fresh Facts’ this has increased by 37 per cent in the three years from 2009 to 2012. Organic exports are now worth $97 million.

Organic growth Organics Aotearoa NZ earlier this month released its market report 2016 with the following highlights: • The New Zealand organic sector has grown by more than 11 per cent per annum since 2012.

• The domestic market for certified organic products is estimated at $217 million.

• Organic grocery sales through supermarkets have increased by 127 per cent since 2012.

• Organic product exports have increased by more than 11 per cent since 2012.

• Fresh fruit and vegetables account for more than 45 per cent of total exports. . Key horticultural crops are grapes, apples and kiwifruit.

• Land area under organic horticulture has grown 128 per cent since 2012, from 11.188 hectares to 25,476 hectares. The message is clear.

Horticulture is in a growth phase, led by exporting our premium produce to our key markets which are in order of greatest volume Australia, the USA, Japan, China, the European Union (centralised distribution), Taiwan, Canada, Netherlands and Spain. The growth in organics across most of the commercial produce grown is also significant.

Supporting growth The predictions are for this growth to continue and for the horticultural industry target of $10 billion by 2020 being reached by 2020, if not before.

At HortNZ, we are concentrating on supporting this growth through our core areas of work: biosecurity protection at the border, resource management advocacy for high value soils plus the access to water to sustain our growth, attracting and retaining permanent workers, ensuring there are enough seasonal workers and encouraging regulatory reform to reduce compliance.

If you want to get up-to-date with what HortNZ is doing in these areas and developments in horticulture, follow us on Twitter @HorticultureNZ and @ MikeChapmanHort.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author.

Citrus ninth industry to join the GIA New Zealand’s citrus orchardists will have more direct involvement in managing biosecurity risks to their industry, now NZ Citrus Growers Inc has signed the Government Industry Agreement Deed for Biosecurity Readiness and Response.

NZCGI has become the ninth signatory to the agreement following a ceremony in Wellington attended by the Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, NZCGI chair Richard Curtis, NZCGI executive manager Nikki Johnson, Ministry for Primary Industries director-general Martyn Dunne, and the GIA secretariat.

“We are pleased to join the GIA partnership which will ultimately help to deliver the best biosecurity outcomes for the New Zealand citrus industry,” says Richard.

“The citrus industry faces a number of serious biosecurity threats that could decimate our industry. From the early discussions around GIA, NZCGI determined GIA provided an opportunity to work more closely with government to understand the risks, undertake

activities to prevent entry, and respond quickly and appropriately if required.

Richard says signing the GIA Deed will give the citrus industry a much stronger voice and working in partnership with MPI provides the best opportunity to manage biosecurity risks, “thereby maximising our industry potential”.

There are more than 350 citrus growers in New Zealand. About $60 million worth of citrus fruit is produced per annum, about 36,000 tonnes, and about $6 million is exported to overseas markets.

In 2014, New Zealand exported about 812 tonnes of navel oranges, 925 tonnes of Satsuma mandarins, and 1678 tonnes of lemons to markets around the world.

Diverse range

GIA secretariat manager Steve Rich welcomes NZCGI to the partnership, saying GIA now has a diverse range of industry groups that is already beginning to deliver improved biosecurity readiness and response activities.

“The creation of the GIA partnership to deliver better biosecurity outcomes was a bold and innovative ...continued

My Name is Neil Woodward.

I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run business, our team consists of three, being myself, my son and my brother.

Our organisation has been established for over 18 years. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966.

We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We have the equipment to spray orchards with our two Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom Formula tractor which is also available for mulching and mowing.

Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this combined with fully automated sprayer controllers and three nozzle rings enhances application efficiency and accuracy.

We also use a quad bike for strip weed spray applications.

We hold all certificates needed to meet Globalgap compliance.

We look at all challenges to help ensure we protect your crop with excellence.

HORTICULTURE

Page 11

Most grower standards exceed new regulations They may appear daunting, but growers should not be worried about the new food regulations, says HortNZ business manager Matt Dolan.

“Horticulture will be among the last sectors to be regulated under the new food regulations that will operate under the Food Act, and in fact most growers are already operating to standards which far exceed those required by the act,” says Matt.

The Food Act came into effect on March 1 this year, and requires any new horticultural business to meet the regulations from that date, but existing horticulture businesses have three years, until March 1, 2019, to comply.

However, an existing business which changes ownership will have to meet the regulations immediately, because, says Matt, it is the owner or owners who are registered along with the business.

of New Zealand growers are already certified under one or more of these standards, which is among the highest rates of certification in the world.”

Compliance can be a source of frustration for growers, but Matt says some growers see the standards as a way to validate and improve their business while others see them as an imposition. Whatever the attitude, business producing food now have to comply.

HortNZ’s interpretation of how the Food Act is likely to be implemented in the horticulture industry is there is a three-year

Food safety

Avoiding duplication

The Food Act and its requirements has been the subject of 10 years’ debate, including successful submissions from HortNZ for the act to recognise industry programmes like NZGAP and GlobalG.A.P, avoiding duplication of audits and costs.

“These programmes have higher standards than those required by the act and are recognised internationally. Ninety-per cent

implementation period for existing business and by 2019 the regulations will apply to all horticultural businesses.

This will require businesses to register with their local council or the Ministry for Primary Industries in Wellington, and pay a registration fee. The fine for not registering could be $500.

Once registered growers will have 12 months to undergo a food safety audit, carried out by an MPI-recognised auditor or local councils.

If the business passes the audit it is unlikely to be audited again. If it fails, more frequent audits will be carried out. Registration will be renewed possibly every two years.

HortNZ business manager Matt Dolan.

Matt says a number of the GAP scheme owners, including NZGAP, may be able to take care of the registration of their members.

“There is an expectation that GAP certified businesses will not have to be reaudited. However, this is not yet clear in the proposed regulations.”

The food safety regulations focus on a number of food safety standards including food handling facilities and equipment, hygiene, training and record keeping.

HortNZ has concerns about the availability of auditors who have the appropriate skillsets to undertake audits of horticultural businesses, says Matt.

Biosecurity preparedness a key to citrus survival

continued... step for primary industries and the New Zealand Government.

“NZCGI joins the growing number of industry groups prepared to take responsibility to manage biosecurity risks within

their sector. The existing GIA partners acknowledge this commitment and welcome NZCGI to the GIA partnership.”

NZCGI’s former executive manager Nikki Johnson is

pleased to see this milestone achieved for the citrus industry. “Biosecurity is the highest investment priority for NZ citrus growers and largest business risk for our growers. Biosecurity preparedness is key to the survival of the industry.

“This partnership-based approach means there is more certainty that high priority citrus pests can be found and responded to in an appropriate timeframe.”

Commercial growers

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy and NZ Citrus Growers Inc chair Richard Curtis at the signing of the GIA agreement between the industry and government.

NZ Citrus Growers Inc joins New Zealand Avocado Growers Association, Kiwifruit Vine Health, Pipfruit New Zealand, New Zealand Pork, New Zealand Equine Health Association, Onions New Zealand and the New Zealand Forestry Owners Association, along with MPI

representing the government as GIA partners.

NZCGI is the national citrus growers' organisation. It represents New Zealand’s commercial citrus industry, including lemon, lime, grapefruit, mandarin, oranges and tangelos. It operates to promote citrus grower interests, and the sustainable growth and profitability of the New Zealand citrus industry.

The GIA for Biosecurity Readiness and Response operates as a partnership between industry and government to manage pests and diseases that could badly affect New Zealand's primary industries, economy, and environment.

It aims to improve biosecurity outcomes and give everyone the confidence that the best decisions are being made.

“The industry is actively seeking recognition of its GAP programmes rather than additional audits from local councils. This recognition is part of the Food Act, but is not clear in the regulations.

“The competency and availability of auditors in the horticultural industry is a concern,” says Matt.

The act covers all business which employ staff and sell produce through a middleman such as a wholesaler or retailer.

However, a small number of businesses in which all produce is grown by an individual and sold directly to the public may be exempt.

Elaine Fisher

AVOCADO

Page 12

Avocados helping fuel Luuka for Rio

Olympian Luuka Jones tries out Just Avocados’ 1955 Dodge Truck, which her sponsorship company uses as an eye-catching promotional vehicle.

Bay of Plenty’s Luuka Jones will become a third-time Olympian when she represents New Zealand in the K1 canoe slalom events at the Rio Olympics this August.

The 26-year-old’s place as one of only two New Zealand competitors in the event was announced in April, much to the delight of Just Avocados, the Katikati-based company which is one of her sponsors.

“It’s wonderful news that Luuka has been selected and quite remarkable to think at just 26, this is will be her third Olympics,” says Just Avocados marketing director Steve Trickett.

Mike Dawson, also of the Bay of Plenty, will be Luuka’s team mate, competing in the men’s canoe slalom.

Avocado ambassador

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Steve says Just Avocados plans to ensure Luuka, Mike and the entire New Zealand Olympic team can receive a nutritional boost to their diets by air freighting trays of avocados to Rio for them to enjoy.

Last year Just Avocados, the Katikati-based avocado post-harvest and export company, formed a sponsorship partnership with Luuka, appointing her its Avocado Ambassador.

As well as ensuring Luuka has a constant supply of her favourite fruit, Just Avocados also provided her with a 2015 VW Polo sign-written with the words “helping power Luuka Jones to the Rio Olympics” and fitted it with a roof rack for her kayak.

Luuka’s role while home in New Zealand involved visiting schools to talk about her sporting career and inspire young people to follow their dreams, whatever they are.

Committed fan

The relationship is an excellent fit because Luuka really does enjoy avocados and they play an important part in her diet.

“I love avocados on toast or in salads. They are a great food during training, before an event, and an avocado smoothie is an ideal recovery drink after competing.”

And, says Steve, Luuka is the ideal “brand ambassador” for the avocado company.

“She epitomises health and vitality and believes in good nutrition. She’s also a committed fan of avocados.”

Shortly before Luuka left for Europe in April to continue her training for the Rio Olympics, the Just Avocados management team caught up with her to wish her well. Just Avocados managing director Andrew Darling hopes to visit Rio to see Luuka in action at the Olympics too.

“She is a remarkable young women and we are proud to be associated with her. While her immediate focus is on the Rio Olympics, Luuka also has plans for the future and the next Olympics.

“As well as being a top athlete she also has a degree in communications and Just Avocados would like to form an ongoing relationship with her,” says Steve.

Luuka’s love of water and kayaking was sparked when her family moved to Bethlehem, close to the Wairoa River. “I used to help out at Waimarino Adventure Park in return for kayaking lessons and went over my first waterfall in a kayak when I was about 14,” says Luuka.

At 18, to get better at her chosen sport, Luuka saved hard to move to Nottingham to train alongside the British kayaking team.

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“Qualifying for Beijing in 2008 was a turning point for me. I was 19 years old, naive to the world of professional sport and totally inspired by the occasion.”

Following Beijing, Luuka joined the Waiariki Academy of sport in Rotorua, receiving sports science input for the first time and immersing herself in a fun and supportive athletic environment.

“This was integral in helping me qualify for and compete in the London Olympics. Following London, I received support from High Performance Sport NZ, enabling me to work with a full-time coach for the first time.

“This has made a huge difference and in two years I have gone from being in the top 30 in the world to finishing in the top 10 at the World Championships in 2014.” To keep up with Luuka’s progress, see www.justavocados.co.nz or Luuka’s website: Elaine Fisher www.luukajones.com

AVOCADO

Page 13

Couple’s winning formula yields results and in a good season will pick twice – around the first week of November and early in the New Year. Roy says harvesting can be a stressful time but the picking gangs on their orchard always arrive with a great work ethic.

A loyal supporter of AVOCO, Roy

and Helen say they’re proud about their AVOCO Grower of the Year and Team Avocado Grower of the Year status.

“We certainly weren’t expecting it.

It’s quite an achievement and a nice reward for all the work we put in.”

Helen and Roy Orlowski are the Team Avocado and AVOCO Growers of the Year for 2014-2015.

The fertile, free-draining soil on the couple’s Prole Rd orchard is well-suited to growing all kinds of crops – avocados especially.

“Like a lot of growers, we had a good fruit set after just one pick last year,” says Roy. “Our production can be up and down but generally the big crops make up for the small ones and we’re very happy with what we’ve got coming on for the season ahead.”

The decision to buy their avocado orchard in 2003 and move from Mount Maunganui to Omokoroa was driven by their desire to retire to the country.

Roy had spent a good part of his life as an electrician while Helen worked for 35 years in the racing

industry. Neither were attracted to the idea of growing kiwifruit, but they both desperately wanted more space.

Despite having little horticultural experience, the couple backed themselves to learn as much as they could, taking on board the advice of consultants and more experienced growers when needed.

What’s best

However, having a much greater understanding now of how their orchard ticks, Roy is cautious about listening to too many people.

“We filter out the information. If you ask 10 different people, you’ll get 10 different answers. We figure out what’s the best for us.”

Roy knows he was late to adopt conventional advice about canopy management, aggressively pruning for the first time only last year.

They’ve recruited a contractor to give them some pointers and their issue now is to manage the re-growth.

Avocados are perfect for mum and baby A healthy diet will give your baby a better start in life by providing the essential nutrients to grow and develop normally.

Avocados can be part of a healthful diet for both pregnant and nursing moms.

These fruit are a treasure trove of vitamins and minerals and in particular folic acid, which is essential during pregnancy.

It has been shown folic acid supplementation prevents neural tube defects in children in 100 per cent of cases. In pregnancy your body’s requirement for folic acid doubles from 400mcg to 800mcg per day.

Folic acid increases the production of nucleic acids required by the body during pregnancy.

Avocados are an excellent source of folate, delivering 27 per cent of the recommended daily intake in just one serve.

The avocado’s smooth, creamy consistency makes it one of the first fresh fruits a baby can enjoy. Sodiumfree and cholesterol-free, avocados contain valuable nutrients including folate.

Per serving, avocados have 3.5 grams of unsaturated fats, which are known to be important for normal growth and development of the central nervous system and brain. (Source: www.nzavocado.co.nz)

“The aim will be to balance the top of each tree with its root structure underground. We’ll endeavour to keep them trimmed and open but it’s always hard to cut out branches when they’ve got fruit on them.”

They enjoy the size and mostly flat contour of their orchard which they say makes it a lot easier to manage. Mother Nature doesn’t always play along however, and one of their biggest threats to production each season is heavy frosts.

Frost risk

Last year, their orchard recorded 32 nights when temperatures dipped below 2.5 degrees Celsius, triggering automatic irrigators.

Never content to risk frost damage to young buds, Roy will get up to check the water irrigators have successfully switched on. “If there’s a fault and we miss it that could be our season gone.”

The couple pack with KauriPak

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A return to the country has proved to be a rewarding decision for Roy and Helen Orlowski, the Team Avocado and AVOCO Growers of the Year for 2014-2015, who are looking forward to a bumper crop next season.

Page 14

DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

Pasture management impresses awards’ judges Making every blade of grass count is the aim for Donna and Glen Sparrow – and their success in doing so is among reasons the couple won the Bay of Plenty Share Farmer of the Year title in the 2016 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards.

The couple are contract milkers for Craig and Marianne Hammond, owners of Island View Farm at Thornton near Whakatane.

The 101.6ha effective property with its Paroa gley soils, which are affected by waterlogging, and Kopeope sandy loam soils, is just one to five metres above sea level and virtually flat.

The 10-year average rainfall is

Glen and Donna Sparrow, winners of the 2016 Bay of Plenty Share Farmer of the Year Award, contract milk for Craig and Marianne Hammond, owners of Island View Farm at Thornton near Whakatane.

1300mm but this summer, like almost every other farmer, Glen was prepared for an El Nino drought, which didn’t eventuate. Faced with a season of higher than usual pasture growth, he proactively managed surpluses and maintained pasture quality, impressing the award judges.

“Operating a system two-farm, Glen recognises the importance of good pasture management. Effluent application and the use of irrigation is well managed, taking account of the soil type,” the judges say.

Weed problem

Management of the pasture has been made more challenging because of the invasion of the weed yellow creeping grass. The Sparrow’s farm consultant Selwyn Beynon says the weed probably arrived on the farm during the significant floods in the Eastern Bay region of 2004-2005.

“The cows don’t like it and won’t eat it unless pushed,” says Glen.

In an effort to control the weed, this season 6.8ha of pasture will be renewed. After spraying out, 3.9ha was planted in Hogan and then chicory for summer with the balance planted in Shogun for two years.

After that the paddocks will go back into a perennial ryegrass-white clover mix.

The farm is divided into 43 paddocks with irrigation on 67 of its hectares, the balance irrigated by dairy shed effluent. The Holstein Friesian herd of 350 cows are milked through a 40-aside dairy and has a six-week in-calf rate of 65 per cent with calving beginning on July 10.

A detailed mating plan is used to clarify any risks among the herd and this season Artificial Insemination was used for 12 weeks, made up of six weeks using Kiwicross Premier sires, two weeks of short gestation Herefords and four weeks, short gestation Kiwicross semen.

The targeted stock rate for the 2015-2016 season

is consistent with previous years at 3.4 and the aim is to raise kgMS from 145352 to 150000 and kgMS per hectare to 1470, up from 1425 last season.

For five weeks 160 cows are grazed off the farm during the winter and while the aim is always to maximise feed grown and utilised, around 90 tonne of PKE is brought in to supplement feed.

Glen, farm owners Craig and Marianne and consultant Selwyn, have regular meetings to discuss pasture and animal management and Glen carries out regular farm walks to assess growth versus demand, making decisions aimed at feeding cows well and maintaining feed quality.

While inspecting the pasture to make grazing rotation decisions is important, Glen also listens to the cows. “They will soon let me know if they are ready for more food or not.”

Before taking up dairy farming, Glen was involved in motorcycle and marine sales and worked as an insurance advisor. For 15 years Donna has worked in office administration, currently for the Whakatane District Council.

Financially free

Together they have been contract milking on Island View Farm for three seasons and their long-term goal is to be 50/50 sharemilking 300 to 400 cows within five years.

Donna says: “We want to create a profitable and sustainable sharemilking business that provides us with a good income to become financially free which ensures financial security for our family going forward”.

Donna, Glen, together with Craig and Marianne, hosted the 2016 Bay of Plenty Diary Industry Awards field day at Island View Farm in April.

In a new format, just one field day was held this year, featuring dairy trainee winner Michael Simpson and dairy manager Thomas Chatfield as well.

DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

Page 15

an extended rotation of 42 days is introduced to push feed forward. Any surplus grass is harvested for silage, made in a stack at a cost of 8.5 cents kg/DM. Based on soil tests, fertiliser input has also been adjusted to ‘mine’ the existing fertility in the soils. Nitrogen leaching is 35kg per hectare and nitrogen efficiency 37 per cent.

All the farm waterways are fenced and effluent is spread by travelling irrigator to 44ha, with about 60 days’ effluent storage in a fully lined fiveyear-old pond.

Careful management has seen a cut in farm working expenses from $3.61

It’s not easy farming in a low milk payout environment, but Ross and Karla Shaw have taken up the challenge to find economies in their management systems which are returning benefits now and into the future.

It may be a family farm, but Sangro is run on professional lines, with regular formal meetings scheduled between the partners. “Decisions must be made for the good of all involved,” says Ross, who also believes in the value of seeking outside advice from the right people who know the farm business.

The couple, who won the Central Plateau Share Farmer of the Year title in the 2016 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, aim to drive production through good grass management and efficient use of resources.

Monitoring excellence

Ross and Karla won the Ravensdown Pasture Performance award and received praise from the judges.

“The Shaws displayed excellence in monitoring, planning, analysis and implementation of grazing and supplement management. They showed extensive knowledge and understanding of N use policies and fertiliser. Their key performance indicators are utilised with benchmarking undertaken constantly to improve production and make systems enhancement,” the judges say.

They also won the Westpac Business Performance Award. “Ross and Karla showed strong financial and analytical skills in monitoring their business. Their financial projects were well thought-out, realistic, The Shaws - Helen holding grandson Oliver, Ross and Karla and obtainable and fitted in with their goals and timelines.

Jim on the family’s Sangro Farm at Reporoa.

“Their projected strategies will Together with Ross’ parents Jim and Helen, they ensure their business grows and strengthens in the farm 491 Friesian-Jersey-cross cows on 188 effective future,” the judges commented. hectares of land at Reporoa, in an equity partnership.

The couple own 20 per cent of the shares, and aim Soil types to lift that to 30 per cent next year as another step Among those strategies has been to reduce the towards eventual farm ownership. volume of brought-in feed, which has resulted in savThey’ve been farming on the property, known as ings in labour, tractor use and diesel now that most Sangro Farm, since 2008 when Ross became farm of the feed is given to cows in the shed. manager. In 2010 they became 10 per cent equity The farm has three types of soil – sandy loan over managers and by 2013, had 20 per cent of the shares. pumice, Mairoa ash over pumice and consolidated The recent low dairy payout has brought every peat. Teraploids are planted on the wet flats, diploids aspect of farm management and expense under on the sandy silt loams and cheap rye clover on the scrutiny; and, in making major decisions, the equity Mairoa ash. partners value the input of their accountant and bank The grazing round length is 24 days with premanager who are members of the farm’s grazing cover at 2800kgDM and cows leaving advisory board. behind a 1500kg/DM residual. From mid-December Authorised Dealers

s Dairy Shed installations and upgrades s Service and parts for all types of milking machines s Drench pumps, teat spray systems, hoses and supplies s Machine Testing s Effluent and Irrigation Supplies s Pumps & Water fittings – Galvanised, PVC and Alkathene s Rubberware s Stainless Steel manufacture and repair s Trenching

per kgMS in the 2014-2015 season to a predicted $2.48 for the current year.

Ross grew up on the farm, helping his parents plant and care for hundreds of trees which not only provide shelter for stock, but also enhance its beauty.

He and Karla plan to continue that tradition with their own young family, some of who they hope will become the third generation of Shaws to farm the land.

The field day at Sangro Farm also included sessions with Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year Leighton Swan and Central Plateau Dairy Trainee of the Year Olivia Wade.

Elaine Fisher

Business Advisors & Accountants Our focus is getting to know you, your aspirations and helping to create your legacy.

E: info@bfa.co.nz

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AIR COMPRESSORS PNEUMATICS AIR TOOLS

DAIRY

Page 16

Pasture-first system growing results Bobby and Jade Millner’s farming practices are proof that with careful management, milk production can increase despite a significant drop in supplements.

The couple, who won the 2016 Waikato Share Farmers of the Year award in the 2016 NZ Dairy Industry Awards, have lifted production in the three years they’ve been sharemilking for Jim and Judy Barrett near Morrinsville.

“Brought-in feed has reduced by 70 per cent while production has increased by six per cent in the three years we have been here,” says Bobby.

During the couple’s first season on the 78 ha effective farm, then milking 246 cows, now 265, brought-in feed was 21 per cent. Last season that reduced to 12 per cent and this season just nine per cent.

Historically, maize and palm kernel were used as supplementary feeds; but maize has been removed from the system during the last three years. The couple pay close attention to pasture management and while the farm didn’t have a yearly re-grassing programme, this season 8.9ha has been planted in summer chicory, with 4.9ha

going back into permanent pasture and 4ha to be undersown with an annual.

Jade and Bobby share a common philosophy with farm owners Jim and Judy of a pasture-first, low-cost system.

“We focus on what we can control and don’t waste energy worrying about the things we can’t control, like the payout and the weather,” says Jade.

“We can only react to those things outside our control by having an established and sustainable system in place.”

Sustainability for the Millners includes financial sustainability; and it is here that Jade’s accounting skills come into play. Not only does she take care of the farm accounts, Jade is also studying towards a Bachelor of Business, majoring in accounting, and works part-time for accountants in Putaruru.

Meticulous records

Her meticulous record-keeping means she knows, down to the last cents, what the farm working and operating expenses are; and it was the couple’s

book-keeping which also won them the Westpac Business Performance Award.

“Jade and Bobby were outstanding in this section, with clarity and detail around where they plan for their business to go. They are realistic in their expectations and have shown brilliant performance in their first two years under varying milk prices, with an aggressive approach to paying down debt, even in low milk price seasons.

Their farm working expenses are a credit to them,” the judges say.

“We were lucky to get the $8.40 payout but it’s what you do with that money that counts,” says Jade. She and Bobby took the opportunity to pay down debt and help towards their goal of moving to a larger 50/50 sharemilking position next season. They also aim to continue to grow their equity to enter into an equity partnership or land ownership within 10 years, at the same time enjoying the lifestyle and family time that dairy farming allows.

“For this season we are tracking at

farm working expenses of less than $1.30, based on the reviewed 93,000 kilograms of milk solids. We’ve been on interest only since April 2015 so there is no reduction in debt. There has also been no increase in debt over the year.”

Below benchmark

At $2.26, the farm’s operating expenses per kg/ms are below the Dairy Base benchmark of $2.91 and farm working expenses of $1.40 are well below the benchmark of $2.16, giving an economic farm surplus of $1620 per hectare compared with the benchmark of $644.

As Jim and Judy live on the farm, the Millners see Jim on a daily basis and appreciate his advice and guidance.

On a more formal basis they meet every three months, together with farm consultant Ken Bartlett, to discuss performance and future plans.

The Jersey and Jersey-cross herd of 265 cows, produced 94,353 kg/ms last season giving a kg/ms per hectare result of 1210 and 370 kg/ms per cow. The target this season is for 93,000 kg/ms production, lifting per cow performance to 370 kg/ms.

The calving date is July 13, with a 75 per cent sixweek in-calf rate. Calving, brought forward from July 20 in 2013-2014, has resulted in a 14 per cent empty rate this season.

All cows are wintered on the farm, but the majority of calves leave the property on December 1 for grazing at Cambridge.

All waterways are fenced and drains sprayed twice a year. Effluent is spread by travelling irrigators on 23ha and effluent and nitrogen spreading is kept away from the drains.

The farm’s Overseer report shows nitrogen leaching in the 2014/2015 season was 22 kg per hectare down from 25kg in 2013-2014. Nitrogen efficiency is 33 per cent in 2013-2014 and 28 per cent last season.

The pre-grazing target for pasture is 2800kg dry matter per hectare and target residuals is 1400kg to 1500kg. Pasture eaten has been calculated by DairyBase as 12.2tDM/ha in 2013-2014, 13.7tDM/ha in the following season and an estimated 14.4tDM/ha for the 2015-2016 season.

Jade and Bobby believe the New Zealand dairy industry has a positive future and they want to be part of it.

In a new format, the field day held at the Barrett’s farm in Tahuna Road near Morrinsville was combined with presentations from 2016 Waikato Dairy Trainee of the year Chris Ferguson, and 2016 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year Leyton Evans.

Elaine Fisher

DAIRY

Page 17

Top speakers at Dairy Farmers’ forum Relief milking Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Fonterra CEO Theo Spierings are among a line-up of leading speakers presenting to dairy farmers at the DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum on May 17-18 in Hamilton.

“Adapting to the changing environment is more important than ever – the industry is going through challenging times, so farmers are looking hard at where they can improve their businesses.”

The two-day DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum at Hamilton’s Mystery Creek Events Centre is expected to attract more than 700 farmers.

On day one Bill English will speak on the Government’s view on dairying’s future, while Theo Spierings will share his thoughts on what the dairy industry needs to excel at to succeed.

Other keynote speakers include Rabobank International head of food and agribusiness research and advisory Tim Hunt, who will share what is happening in global markets and what this means for New Zealand dairy farmers.

The biennial event will give dairy farmers insight into how to adapt their businesses in the current challenging times and how the global environment will shape the future of New Zealand milk production.

“The Farmers’ Forum is about helping farmers understand what is driving the current financial climate and what they can do to help manage it,” says DairyNZ strategy and investment leader for sustainability Rick Pridmore.

Share lessons

Day two keynote speakers include Zespri International chief operating officer Simon Limmer and grower Ian Greaves, who will share the lessons learned by the kiwifruit industry after the Psa-V outbreak.

“The Farmers’ Forum is a great opportunity for dairy farmers. It’s rare to hear from a lineup of speakers of this calibre at a single event; plus in these challenging times it becomes even more important to get off-farm and

interact with other farmers,” says Rick.

Farmers can also choose from 11 workshops during two days.

Overseas consumers

A workshop by Lincoln University’s professor of trade and environmental economics Caroline Saunders will address what overseas customers want from our milk and what they are willing to pay for it.

A panel discussion of dairy company leaders will look at value add, including Tatua CEO Paul McGilvary, Open Country Dairy chairman Laurie Margrain, Miraka CEO Richard Wyeth and Lewis Road Creamery founder Peter Cullinane.

Waikato University agribusiness professor Jacqueline Rowarth will host a workshop discussing genetic modification and whether it should be part of the industry’s future.

Other workshops include living a pasturefirst strategy; exploring whether $3/kg MS farm working expenses is doable; staff roster systems; growing better quality and more persistent pastures; breeding better cows and dealing with environmental constraints.

The DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum is free to levy-paying dairy farmers and their staff.

Registrations are open and essential prior to the event. To view the full programme or register, visit www.dairynz.co.nz/farmersforum

scheme set up

A community relief milker scheme has been established to help stressed and under-pressure dairy farmers in the Waikato. Many farmers around the country are feeling the pinch from one of the lowest milk payouts in years, says Waikato regional councillor Stuart Husband, who is also Federated Farmers’ Morrinsville chair and helped start the scheme.

“There was a real need for farmers to be able to get a break and spend time with their families but tough financial conditions made that difficult.

“Locals formed the idea that qualified milkers could offer their time to give farmers a break, in exchange for things such as a piece of meat or some milk rather than a monetary deal.”

That would mean farmers could take some time off without worrying about having to pay for someone to cover them. It is all about communities helping communities.

“It’ll enable guys that are in huge financial difficulty to get away and have some of that muchneeded time with family and take focus back on their life, and just have a bit of time to themselves to realise what’s important in life.”

Farmers who want help can contact Stuart Husband on 027 233 0030.

Impressive prize pool for national winners

They will line up against 30 other Share Farmer, Dairy Manager and Dairy Trainee competition regional finalists to determine who will take home the prizes, worth more than $165,000 – and the national honours.

New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards general manager Chris Keeping says strong support from the national sponsors has ensured the prize pool is fantastic.

Splendid prizes

“There are some splendid prizes that will be taken home by our national winners – prizes that will set them up in their career as well as provide them with some learning experiences.”

The New Zealand Share Farmer of the Year winner will take home

prizes worth $46,500 while among the Dairy Manager of the Year winner’s prizes is a leadership course.

“Honda is giving each of the winners a fantastic farm bike. It’s incredibly generous and these bikes will also be really useful as the winners go about their farm business. In a low payout year upgrading their farm bike was probably not high on their priority list, so it’s great one of our sponsors will do that for them.”

The prize pool for the 2016 New Zealand Share Farmer of the Year is valued at $101,500. As well as the winner taking home prizes worth $46,500, the runner-up will receive $23,000 in prizes and the third place-getter will take home prizes valued at $12,000. A further $20,000 in cash and prizes will be won by the winners of the nine merit awards.

The New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, DeLaval, Ecolab,

Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown, New Zealand Farm Source, along with industry partner Primary ITO.

National merit

The 11 regional finalists competing in the New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year will compete for a total prize pool of $47,500, with the winner taking home about $21,000 in prizes including a leadership course courtesy of Federated Farmers.

The runner-up will receive prizes worth $8500 and the third placegetter will win $4000 in prizes.

Seven merit awards are worth another $14,000 in cash and prizes to the winners.

A total of $18,500 is on offer to those competing for the New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year title, with the winner collecting prizes worth more than $10,500.

The runner-up receives $3500 and the third place-getter $2500 in prizes. One national merit award

worth $2000 will also be presented to a trainee.

Further information on the prizes and awards, see www.dairyindustryawards. co.nz

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DAIRY

Page 18

Cooperia – a threat even at low levels Cooperia is the small intestinal worm regarded as being the most prevalent roundworm in New Zealand cattle.

They are reddish in colour and quite small, growing up to 10mm in length. Eggs in faeces may hatch in as little as 20 hours, while infective larvae can develop within four days. Like most parasites infective larvae are ingested by the host while grazing.

Drenching

The importance of drenching against Cooperia is well-known in young cattle, as in certain conditions it can cause thin, scouring weaners that can die if not

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treated quickly. While this is one obvious undesirable form of the disease, productivity trial work has also shown that apparently healthy yearling cattle can also be affected.

Weight differences between groups were noted by Dave Leathwick and others at AgResearch in a study published in 2012.

This small study suggests even relatively low levels of Cooperia in healthy nine-month cattle may have a detrimental effect on growth. This challenges the traditional doctrine that Cooperia parasites normally need to be present in high numbers to cause disease.

Defenses weakened

Dry seasons favour all parasites when autumn rain comes. Grazing animals’ natural immune defenses are weakened by drought and they are forced to graze

low where the parasite larvae live. A wave of larval contamination can occur after a long dry spell and young cattle need to be drenched soon after decent rain.

When used on their own the ‘pour on’ drenches (endectocides) are not highly effective at killing Cooperia.

Levamisole, however, continues to have excellent effect against Cooperia so using these drenches in combination makes sense.

The recommended practice of using combination drenches that contain levamisole continues to be the preferred approach, especially in cattle less than 15 months. Of some conciliation to stock is by their second autumn – by 12-15 months of age – the immunity of cattle against Cooperia is normally well established.

Australia-Indonesia dairy accord Australia’s biggest milk processor Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co Limited has secured a long-term nutritionals supply agreement with Indonesia’s leading consumer health and infant nutrition company, Kalbe Nutritionals.

MG’s website says this agreement supports the company’s stated aim to secure offtake agreements with global nutritional customers to underwrite the planned $260-$300 million nutritional powders investment at Koroit.

Kalbe manufactures and distributes premium quality pharmaceuticals, energy drinks and nutritional products for sale in Indonesia and Asia.

It also operates a sophisticated distribution and logistics division which provides the widest distribution coverage for pharmaceutical and nutritional products in Indonesia, covering all 33 Indonesian provinces and reaching about one million outlets throughout the country.

The new nutritional supply agreement between Kalbe and MG builds on the existing strong supply partnership which has seen MG supply dairy powders for use in Kalbe’s range of nutritional products including infant and children nutrition brands.

Under the new long-term supply agreement, MG has committed to supply and Kalbe has committed to purchase significant minimum annual volumes over time.

Commenting on the new supply agreement, MG managing director Gary Helou says: “We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Kalbe, one of Indonesia’s foremost healthcare companies.

“MG and Kalbe have worked closely together in recent years to meet the nutritional powder supply needs of Kalbe’s leading infant and children nutrition brands, and in doing so we have developed a deep understanding of each other’s needs and requirements.

“It is therefore particularly pleasing that Kalbe has turned to MG to secure additional supply of quality, Australian nutritional powders for use in their market-leading brands.”

Gary says it also paves the way for further collaboration between our two companies, particularly as MG looks to grow its high quality dairy foods products in Asian markets, including Indonesia.

“Indonesia is an important Asian growth market for dairy foods. It has one of Asia’s largest paediatric populations, with approximately one in 10 people under the age of 51.”

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DAIRY

Page 19

Lessons from 1987 applicable today As an ‘old fart’ I remember dairying in the 1987 crash – and here’s what I learnt.

What goes down, down, comes up. The turnaround can be really quick as it was then, or this could be slow. As a great dairying friend of mine said he could still see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the tunnel had just got a bit longer. It was absolutely frightening then.

You feel hopeless but the feeling does pass.

To get the bad feeling to pass I talked to my service providers, talked to my bank, and had various meetings with positive people.

Note: the ‘positive people’ – as you need to steer clear of the doomers and gloomers.

In those gloomy days a contracting neighbour of mine said: When times are tough you just have to go harder”.

Bright music can help to drown out our negative thoughts as we are silently milking.

I know I am in the ‘old fart’ age-group but in 1987 we had to peel everything back and get back to basics.

We sold all non-producing animals that were not part of our production team or replacements. We culled all low-producing cows immediately and cut the herd back –

no passengers.

We tidied up the few ‘hospital’ paddocks and turned them into dairy production. We cut out all bought-in supplements and became virtually a self-contained business. We only bought in bulls to finish off after Artificial Breeding.

We did one round of AB only – sorry LIC. We did two herd tests in a year – sorry LIC. We made our cows ‘cut and carry’ all feed – for example, pasture, summer crop and hay, and silage – sorry contractors.

No-brainer

We immediately went to milking three times in two days – less labour – less wear and tear, fatter cows, longer rounds. Yes, I hear it is difficult to get your head around, but it is so simple and so obvious it is a no-brainer!

We put away the quad bike after calving and walked or used push bikes to get the cows. We hardened up and did everything ourselves. Oil changes and new spark plugs will keep most gear running sweetly for years. We became experts on preventative maintenance so gear did not break or fail.

We learned to weld so we could fix all our own plant and cowshed. It is not hard and is actually a lot of fun to do.

We applied ourselves harder to animal

health issues, sorted as much as could before calling in the vet - Sorry vets. Stock health became paramount and anything looking off-colour was reported and looked at immediately – not the next day.

We hunkered down and reduced all personal spending to the absolute minimum.

There was a separate bank account for drawings and once empty that was it.

We refused to use hire purchase for anything that is anything – sorry finance companies.

We cut back on staffing with the three times in two days, but paid our team well and looked after them.

No apology

We planned trips to town with a list of jobs instead of ducking in and out every day.

We kept our races graded up to avoid pot holes and expensive maintenance. We did most of our crop cultivation and tractor work with a cab-less 135 Fergy diesel.

We sowed our own new grass and crop seeds with a three point linkage fertilizer spreader with the seed mixed with reverted super successfully – sorry contractors. We

Fonterra – palm kernel can affect milk composition Increasing use of Palm Kernel Extract as a supplementary feed could affect Fonterra’s ability to process milk to meet customers’ requirements, says group director of co-operative affairs Miles Hurrell.

“Large quantities of any feed can affect the composition of milk and how consumers perceive our products.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in the use of PKE during the last few years, and if this continues it could affect composition to the point where we can’t process our milk to meet customers’ requirements,” says Miles.

He’s responding to questions from Coast & Country News about the use of Palm Kernel Extract, also known as PKE, and its impact on milk quality and the cost of dairying.

Last year Fonterra called for farmers to limit PKE consumption to about 3kg per cow per day. “Our PKE guideline is a voluntary guideline and we are still talking with our farmers to understand how it’s working in practice within a range of different farming systems.

“Anecdotally, it does appear that this summer’s grass growth, together with a low milk price environment, is encouraging farmers to reduce their use of supplementary feeds, including PKE,” says Miles.

“In a low milk price environment, the use of imported supplementary feeds does become uneconomic for many farmers and we would certainly encourage farmers to consider grass as a way of lowering costs.

“In general, we know that in international markets we get a premium for our milk because of our pasture-based

system. “We see reduced PKE use as a positive step toward protecting

that grass-fed reputation and our product integrity.”

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DESIGN – SUPPLY – BUILD

borrowed/hired gear like Cambridge rollers to consolidate our cultivated land.

And the list could go on ... All the rural towns and farm services went into rapid decline as people put their cheque books away (not bank cards like we have today).

So, I make no apology for an old view – 1987 is decades ago. And yes, a lot has changed and frankly a lot has not.

Herds are now bigger too, bringing their own issues and yes I accept a lot of infrastructure has gone into modern dairying.

But as my Wellington son-in-law said, farmers need to go out to the shed and find some No.8 wire.

These are the opinions of Don Fraser of Fraser Farm Finance. Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought. Don Fraser is the principal of Fraser Farm Finance, and a consultant to the farming industry.

Contact him on 0800 777 675 or 021 777 675.

DAIRY

Page 20

Opportunities in adversity - if you look for them In adversity there are can also be opportunities. The current tough times in the dairy industry may be a chance for young farmers to buy the farm they had previously thought was outside their reach.

I know some older farmers have had enough of the volatility in the payout and are ready to sell and quit the industry. That’s tough because for many farming has been their life’s work, but it also may open the way from the next generation of farmers to come through.

I’ve heard of some farms that have been in the family for generations, where the

sons are no longer interested in continuing with the family farm causing quite a bit of controversy with the family. They see dairy being too hard and risky in the current conditions. This should be a major concern to the dairy industry as a lot of farmers want their sons or daughters to take over the family farm. It is possible a number of farms will not remain with inter-generational ownership as has happened in the past Dairy farm prices have held up fairly well until now but I understand some open days on farms for sale haven’t attracted any farmers and maybe there will be a correction in prices, making farm ownership more affordable for younger people.

Young talent

S EAR ICGE TWPEAR HO THER WET ON

What’s tended to happen in the past is neighbours have bought farms, incorporating them into their own property to create economies of scale and meet Fonterra’s demand for increased milk production.

However, this has also excluded young people from farm ownership; and the industry needs to retain the talented young people who have grown up with the latest technology and have the drive, enthusiasm and business savvy to take the industry into the future.

The worry is that the current tight economic times in the industry may also cause these very people to leave for something they see offering more certainty.

It will take courage to commit the significant sums of money required to buy a farm but predictions are the industry will turn around within five years and when it does, those brave enough to buy now will be in a good position; and those who let the chance go by, will again be priced out of the market.

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When you are working in the industry it is sometimes hard to see the opportunities, but now might be a good time to take the blinkers off and take an outside view. Astute businesspeople know that investing, when others are leaving, usually results in long-term rewards.

As I said in an earlier column, sharemilkers and contract milkers should be talking to their farm owners and re-negotiating contracts to enable them to afford to stay farming. Contracts must be fair and work for both parties. If one is doing well and one is not, it won’t last.

The last thing the dairy industry needs now is to lose a whole generation of farmers. We’ve seen what happened in the construction industry when times were tough. Apprenticeship numbers for builders, plumbers, electricians and even mechanics dropped dramatically and now the country is still short of skilled tradesmen.

As predicted, this unseasonal summer has thrown up some issues, including the collapse of some kale crops in the Waikato due to stem rot, probably caused by wet humid conditions. I’ve only heard of one case in the Bay of Plenty but regular inspection of brassica crops is always a good idea.

Keep an eye out for the black beetle as we have had some new grass affected; the army caterpillar has caused a few issues in some new grass paddocks as well.

Taranaki and some Waikato farmers have been hard hit by facial eczema, again due to the warm, mild and humid conditions.

Facial eczema

Facial eczema is a costly animal welfare issue and of major concern for both sheep and dairy farmers. Animals showing obvious symptoms need to be identified and treated, or culled. Farmers need to talk to their vets for the best cause of action, which can include administering zinc bullets and zinc in the water troughs. However, some cows won’t show obvious signs until they calve, when they will collapse because the stress of giving birth puts too much pressure on their liver.

As always, these are my own personal views on the topic and do not reflect the opinions of everybody.

But I’m confident in my views because of my 40-plus years of being part of the overall rural community.

CALVING

Page 21

Calf rearing – consider the logic Don’t forget the economics of calf rearing – that’s the advice of Bill Coates of Ngahiwi Milkpowders, which has been supplying premium calf and lamb milk replacers to New Zealand farmers for more than 20 years.

“The results of recent calf sales have raised a few eyebrows. Lots of people in the industry are in a state of disbelief at the high – as much as $400-plus – paid for four-day-old calves still to be reared,” says Bill.

“There are various reasons why beef animals are in demand from excess grass in lots of areas, to dairy support farmers losing their dairy grazers, and a shortage of beef animals in general.”

Bill says these circumstances and hype in the market seems to have “thrown logic into the oxidation pond”.

“Remember four-day-old rearing economics. Work backwards from your expected or contracted sale price. As a simple example, a 100kg white-faced heifer/Friesian bull cross could equal $500.

“Therefore, with $80 of meal, $65 calf milk replacer and $25 for sundry expenses this leaves a margin of $80 if the cost of the calf is $250.

“Always remember experienced calfrearers say the bottom 15 per cent of their

calves make no margin. They only cover costs.

“Don’t forget capital costs of facilities, cost of money, tags and commission, essential vet expenses such as salmonella vaccine. Also don’t forget the three ‘C’s affecting the profitability of farming: Currency, Commodities and Climate.”

Bill says there are two things which realty upset him – “dead calves and calfrearers making no money”.

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Opticell Plus UF is now more accessible to calf-rearers throughout the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, with set prices for farm delivery, says Trina Parker of BEC Feed Solutions.

CALVING

Opticell Plus UF is a naturally derived prebiotic fibre, developed for inclusion in calf milk replacer or whole milk that nurtures and promotes ‘Eubiosis’ or a ‘good balance’ of microbes within the digestive tract.

It helps to maintain health digestion which is crucial in those first few weeks

BEC Feed Solutions technical services officer Jen McCarty share calf-rearers’ enthusiasm for Opticell Plus UF.

with feeder calves. The cost is nine cents a day, a small price to pay to help keep issues at bay.

“Opticell encourages water absorption in the colon which helps to improve faecal quality and reduce incidence of nutritional scours,” says Trina.

“We use Opticell plus UF at home each year when rearing more than 80 calves, and we wouldn’t be without it.

“The biggest observation is the fibrous and solid faeces, so pen management is noticeably cleaner for longer.”

“Since introducing Opticell to NZ last year, calf-rearers have told us that it’s a staple in diets from day one and they wouldn’t be without it,” says BEC Feed Solutions technical services officer Jen McCarty.

Opticell plus UF is added to milk from day one to help to counteract nutritional scours when transitioning calves onto new feeding regimes. For example, from twice-a-day feeding to once-a-day or changing milk source and/or with feed intake increases.

CALVING

Calves offer income option Firstlight Wagyu supply manager Peter Keeling with Wagyu-cross calves.

Page 23

Drug-resistant genes research The discovery in cattle pens of genes resistant to a powerful antibiotic that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t used in the livestock industry raises questions of how they got there.

A current focus for policymakers is to reduce antibiotic use in livestock to curb the spread of drug-resistant bugs. But a new study published in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;eLifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reveals little chance for resistance to jump from cattle to humans via the food chain because

meat contains no resistance genes.

Instead, researchers discovered genes that confer resistance to a very important and â&#x20AC;&#x153;last resortâ&#x20AC;? class of antibiotics called carbapenems in the soil and faeces of cattle pens.

This provides evidence of a possible jump from humans or companion animals to livestock.The team urges that trafďŹ c from humans to animals, and back to humans via the environment, should be a new focus for research.

Dairy farmers wanting to spread their risk and their income source have been driving strong enquiry for Firstlight Wagyu genetics this season.

Firstlight Wagyu supply manager Peter Keeling says the company is well on track to meet its targets for both straw semen and bulls to supply dairy farmers for winter and spring mating programmes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are ďŹ nding dairy farmers are keen to look at alternative income sources they can earn within their existing dairying business,â&#x20AC;? says Peter. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crossing cows and/or heifers with Wagyu genetics ticks all the right boxes for them. They can lock in a high value four-day-old calf with a guaranteed buyer, at a premium that makes them a lot more appealing than the traditional bobby calf.â&#x20AC;?

Farmers can expect to be paid $200 per mixed sex ArtiďŹ cial Insemination calf, and $150 per naturally mated calf. They also have the option of rearing them to 90kg, and receiving up to $550 a head.

The easy calving characteristics of Wagyu also add to the appeal for farmers wanting an option to traditional breeds when mating their heifers for the ďŹ rst time.

Good match

From a marketing perspective, the union between Firstlight Wagyu and dairy farmers is also a good match.

Firstlight has found both Friesian-cross Jersey and Friesian dairy breeds can produce high quality marbled beef, and mating them with Wagyu sires

provides an excellent source of high-marbling beef for which the breed is renowned.

Firstlight director Gerard Hickey says market demand for Firstlight grass-fed Wagyu is gaining momentum every year as the brand continues to quietly establish itself at the premium end of the world beef market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We now have our own global sales force in place, with staff in the United Arab Emirates, California, Paris and the United Kingdom.â&#x20AC;?

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In the United States, a strong beef market for NZ beef generally, Firstlight has developed its own niche with a loyal following in top end retail chains in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. Shoppers are reaching out for the high quality grass-fed marbled cuts that appeal to high income earning, environmentally conscious consumers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not a week goes by when we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have buyers or consumers tell us this is the best beef they have ever tasted. It is easy to market a product as good as this.â&#x20AC;?

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Page 24

Calcium’s role in disease control and shelf-life Calcium’s role in plant nutrition is so overlooked its costing growers and consumers millions of dollars in fungicide and pesticide use and produce storage problems.

Let alone looking at the human health complications brought about by the consumption of chemical pesticide and fungicide cocktail combinations and further complicated by low mineral intakes.

We should not confuse the role of important soil amendments, such as lime or gypsum, with the overwhelming need for water-soluble calcium by high value crops. They are both critically important but are two separate issues.

Calcium fertilisation of many crops should not be confused with the actual calcium requirements of a crop. For example, potatoes and apples require 90 per cent of their calcium during budding for potatoes and four to six weeks, after full blossom for apples. This cannot be achieved by the application of agricultural lime. It does not release anywhere near the calcium requirements for a plant when it requires it. Most times calcium fertilisation is only considered when a deficiency is evident – you only have to visit the local supermarket to see this this.

Classic deficient symptoms are death of growing tips, abnormal dark foliage, premature shedding of buds and flowers, and weakened stems – quite often confused with a potassium deficiency but the problem is a plant available calcium issue.

Strong structure

Calcium’s number one role is cell wall strength and thickness, which is critical for strong structure rigidity within the pectin polysaccharide matrix. The rapid uptake can only be supplied by the application of watersoluble forms of calcium and timing is everything.

Many bacteria and fungi (pathogenic) infect plant

tissue by producing enzymes that dissolve the middle lamella; two of these enzymes are polyglacturonases and pectolytic enzymes like pectate transeliminase.

Recent trials show the raising of bean leaf Ca levels from 0.4 per cent – where 100 per cent of the plants were infected and decayed within six days – to 3.4 per cent, resulting in the total elimination.

Erwinia bacteria effect a large range of vegetable crops and are responsible for storage rot in potato tubers.

In another trial, calcium bean leaf tissue content of 1.06 per cent was replaced with potassium, and the leaf tissue content for potassium was raised from 1.44 per cent to 4.89 per cent and the calcium content was reduced from 1.06 per cent to 0.18 per cent. The infection rating for botrytis went from slight to severe. This was also evident in lettuces.

Crown rot

In another trial the application of soluble calcium – not agricultural lime, gypsum etc – during fertigation reduced Fusarium oxysporum activity, which is a fungal pathogen that causes crown rot in tomatoes. It also severely reduced pythium blight and root rot in grasses and citrus.

Kansas State University and Tennessee University conducted trials to look at the efficiency of different nitrogen fertilisers. The conclusion was the addition of water-soluble calcium to nitrogen fertilisers like urea substantially reduces the nitrogen loss as ammonia volatilisation – nitrogen lost to the air – by about 33-50 per cent.

So nitrogen fertilisers blended with a water-soluble form of calcium can achieve an optimum economic yield by reducing the total amount of nitrogen applied.

Who wins here? The grower, who is financially rewarded by reduced nitrogen fertiliser costs, and the environment, with a reduction in nitrate leaching into water courses and underground bore water. Who loses?

The chemical companies’ balance sheets.

Remember, the surface application of urea requires impeccable timing with rain. It requires 7-9mm of rain within 36-48 hours of application, or substantial loses of nitrogen occur.

In these trials a threefold increase in yield per kilogram of nitrogen was observed for the nitrogen applied with a soluble calcium source versus a straight nitrogen source like urea, ammonium nitrate and urea ammonium nitrate and Agrotain (urease inhibitor).

How do we identify the water-soluble calcium content in a soil? This is where the Reams Soil Test, developed by the famous Dr Carey Reams from the USA comes into its own. We often see soils containing 6000-10 000kg/ha of soil exchangeable calcium, but when tested by the Reams method we only have 7001000kg/ha of water-soluble calcium.

When growing high yielding crops like maize/sweetcorn we need these test figures at 3000-4000kg Ca/ ha and for lucerne or Alfalfa this needs to be 60008000kgDm/ha of water-soluble calcium. This is why we can grow lucerne on a marine clay when all the so-called professional said: “It can’t be done”.

For further details, contact Environmental Fertilisers Ltd on 0800 867 6737. See www.ef.net.nz or email: info@ef.net.nz

Good farming is about sustainability, in keeping critical nutrients in your soil and out of New Zealand waterways.

“Water and land management remains one of New Zealand’s greatest environmental challenges. In particular, there is potential to look more closely at the relationship between sedimentation of waterways and soil losses from land use. The loss of elite soils is also of particular interest.”

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EFFLUENT

Page 25

Soil scientists challenged to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;take the blinkers off â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s refreshing to see Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy proclaiming innovative farmers hold the key to getting through tough times.

But his announcement stands in stark contrast to a recent article by a leading New Zealand soil scientist, Doug Edmeades, who suggests science had proved any innovation is just wasting taxpayersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; money, particularly when related to soil fertility.

When you study the background of this prominent soil scientist, the reasons for his entrenched views become clear.

His PhD is in chemical soil science and his career has been forged in that synthetic arena.

Given his life-long commitment to chemical science, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost inevitable he regards biological concepts as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pseudo scienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unworthy of consideration.

This perspective is hurting our farms.

How? Because chemical science is dominating the NZ fertiliser industry; a lack of attention is given to the biological life in soil. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very bad mistake, because these organic life forms play an absolutely critical role in determining the productivity levels of our farms. These soil organisms do the following: â&#x20AC;˘ Make nutrients available to plants. â&#x20AC;˘ Retain nutrients in the soil. â&#x20AC;˘ Build beneďŹ cial soil structures. â&#x20AC;˘ Increase root growth and improve root architecture. â&#x20AC;˘ Suppress disease by competing with pathogens.

â&#x20AC;˘ Break down pollutants. â&#x20AC;˘ Soil organisms in the rumen help cows digest food more efďŹ ciently.

Woefully inadequate

Any approach that neglects the role of soil biology is woefully inadequate and, at best, produces only short-term gains.

Having talked in depth with soil scientists, it is clear to me all of the sciences â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chemistry, physics and biology â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are necessary for any soil and fertiliser debate to be balanced. During the last 10 years there have been advances in soil conditioning, precisely because all of the sciences have been incorporated.

This more balanced approach has allowed innovative farmers to produce better soil physiology, better nutrient-dense feed and healthier stock.

Interestingly, most of these advances have come from outside New Zealand, predominantly from the United States. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had the privilege of working with some of these leading edge people; Elaine Ingham (Soil Foodweb); Neal Kinsey (Kinsey/Albrecht); Arden Andersen (he has linked unbalanced soil fertility to the decline of human health).

Biological approach

Is New Zealand catching on? Yes it is. In spite of the chemical emphasis, there has been an increase of businesses and innovative farmers adopting a more biological approach. As a result, many farmers are crying out for New Zealand scientists to give them a better understanding as to biological reasons behind the good results they are

witnessing on other farms. One Canterbury farmer took things even further.

Owning two farms side-by-side, he adopted two distinct approaches to soil fertility. One farm was treated with standard chemical systems, while the other was run on biological principles. He then asked scientists to compare the two.

Should yield interesting data, right? Unfortunately, accurate conclusions will be hard to come by because the scientiďŹ c steering committee that oversees the results does not have any biological representation.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such a shame. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take a rocket scientist to foresee the conclusions wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be factually balanced. Propaganda that favours the current fertiliser politics will prevail, which will only continue to prop up an unbalanced approach to fertiliser science.

It seems that to ask a chemical scientist to discuss the biological matters of the soil would be like asking an atheist to discuss the advantages of praying to God. So hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my challenge to New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soil scientists: Take the blinkers off and widen the scope of your research. Work in partnership with the other sciences and pay more attention to the soil organisms that seem to be hugely beneďŹ cial to farm health.

That can only lead to better farming in our great country.

Doug Edmeades replies

Coast & Country News invited Doug Edmeades to reply to Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s column â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s his response:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your correspondent is rabid in his denunciation of me and support for organic/biological farming. Any one can hop onto my website, click on publications and see the full set of fertiliser reviews which I have been writing for almost 18 years.

Flick through the 35 bulletins and you will see articles on: how to feed the soil bugs, managing soil organic matter, through to soil quality deďŹ ned in terms of soil chemical, biological and physical parameters. My approach embraces biology and scienceâ&#x20AC;?.

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Page 26

Graze your way round Fieldays 2016 It is just about possible to enjoy a complete meal, including – for the health-conscious – one which meets the 5+A Day standards by wandering from generous Fieldays stand to stand, sampling their hand-outs.

Many of the exhibitors offers taste tests and others coffee too. Among those I sampled at the 2015 Mystery Creek event were sheep’s milk yogurt and toffee, kiwifruit smoothies, fresh apples and lemonade. Responsibly, if somewhat reluctantly, I passed on the fine malt whiskey and equally stunning wines.

For those who want something a little

more substantial, and not eaten on the run, Fieldays has 40-plus vendors selling something for every taste from burgers to hotdogs, chips, whitebait fritters to dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal.

And so it should – walking around the grounds of the largest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere requires regular re-fuelling. And, of course, Fieldays is about food.

All that machinery big and small, all the clever technology – and there’s plenty of it, all the clothing, footwear, gadgets, fencing, smart information technology, even the Customs Department beagle dogs are all about food – improving or protecting its production and those who produce it.

Events calendar

This year will be no exception. Dairy prices may be depressed but confidence in its future remains positive – and Fieldays is a major fixture on most farming families’ annual events calendar.

If not in a position to buy, farmers can at least inform themselves of the latest technology waiting when times improve, or enjoy watching the action at the tractor pull and fencing competitions.

Even seeing Rural Bachelor contestants striving to impress through a range of events can be diverting and entertaining.

At every turn there is something to see from the latest in dairy milking technology to treatments for effluent, to water tanks, fencing, fertiliser, animal breeding technology, to tractors, machinery, cars, utes and clothing.

126,063 people attended the 2015 Fieldays. And, as every year, there’s the ‘Fieldays thing’ – the must-have item which every second person seems to be carrying or wearing.

Last year it was cow-ear headbands with personally-engraved ear tags which people wore in their thousands thanks to the team at LIC, who were kept busy stamping names into ear tags for queues of people. It was a great way to make sure you didn’t lose the kids – human ones that is.

Innovation is Fieldays’ strong point and every year there’s a chance for fledgling and established companies to display their latest inventions to the public.

During the 2015 opening ceremony, Prime Minister Key said innovation in the farming and science sector can lift New Zealand’s profitability.

Elaine Fisher

Must have

Despite declining dairy payouts and forecasts of gloom and doom in the rural sector, a total of

Beams & Timber Direct Ltd (BTD)

Anne Smith, of Hawke’s Bay, samples and approves of sheep’s milk yoghurt jointly promoted by Sheep Dairy New Zealand and Massey University School of Management at Fieldays 2015.

FIELDAYS

Site is definitely place to visit Placemaker’s stand at the Mystery Creek Fieldays is a “must visit” site – and not just when it’s raining, says Steve Kinsey, manager of Placemakers on Clarence St in Hamilton.

“We will start building our new shed on-site in mid-May and during Fieldays always get lots of people visiting, keen to see the high standard of our construction and discuss what we can do for them – and, of course, negotiate a deal,” says Steve.

“We’re also pretty popular with people looking for shelter when it rains.”

Mystery Creek Fieldays may be based in the Waikato but Steve says enquiries from throughout the country for Placemakers’ sheds are generated by the company’s presence at the event.

“We’ve even had inquiry from clients as far away as Invercargill and are able to pass that on to the branch in that area.”

The building Placemakers constructs at Fieldays is just one example of the wide range of sheds and barns it can supply.

“We can supply all the materials, and if required, the designs for sheds from something small to house the farm bike to a large implement barn or calf shed.

“We provide the high quality materials that you need to construct buildings in just about any shape, size and colour. We’ve got sheds for every farm, from kitsets for you to build or will design and build to your requirements.”

Placemakers staff know experienced builders throughout the region and can put clients in touch with those able to construct farm buildings and give

advice on gaining permits.

“Our drivers will deliver all building materials onsite, and lift them off carefully with a hi-ab – there’s no dumping of materials off our truck.”

There may currently be a shortage of materials in Auckland for home construction, but Steve says Placemakers has a reliable supply of building components and there are seldom delays in meeting delivery dates.

“Come visit us at Fieldays or check out our website to find out just what we can do for you.”

Collaboration theme for Fieldays 2016 Thousands are expected to attend Fieldays 2016 from June 15-18 at Mystery Creek, Hamilton.

‘Collaborate to Accelerate Innovation’ is the theme for the Southern Hemisphere’s largest ag event, the NZ National Agricultural Fieldays 2016.

The theme highlights and celebrates New Zealand’s culture of working together in the rural sector in order to advance agriculture, both domestically and around the world, says NZ National Fieldays Society CEO Peter Nation.

“Forty-eight years ago there was a group of visionaries in the Waikato that decided to bring urban and country folk together to enable the advancement of agriculture.

“I’m sure they’d be very proud of what Fieldays has become. But we must not rest on our quest to promote agriculture within our communities, within New Zealand and around the world.”

“By bringing all facets of the agricultural industry together in one place over four days, Fieldays is the platform on which everyone can meet and foster collaborative relationships.” Peter says Fieldays prides itself on its focused pedestal to innovation and celebrates what this means to our industry, our country, our many innovative exhibitors, and the inventors that bring their innovations to our event.

“What will be shown to the world on June 15, may well contribute to revolutionise the future of farming.

“We value the strength of our relationships with many rural suppliers, manufacturers and innovators, and we’re proud to enable – through not only our event but 365 days a year – many rural stakeholders to come together to debate, challenge and collaborate on the future of the industry,” says Peter.

“With New Zealand’s dairy sector being hard hit recently, we believes it’s through collaboration that the rural communities with weather this blow.

“In this vein, Fieldays is a place where visitors and exhibitors are welcomed, to celebrate our industry – an industry that New Zealand has been built on and one we are incredibly proud of.”

In 2015, Fieldays contributed $142m to Waikato’s economy, and $396m to the New Zealand economy.

The launch of the 2016 theme in April was attended by guest speakers Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, Stanford University’s Matt Rothe of FEED Collaborative and KPMG’s Global Lead Partner – Agribusiness & Food, Ian Proudfoot.

Nathan says Fieldays presents an opportunity to strengthen the bridge between urban and rural communities, increasing skills development and attracting and retaining young people in the agri sector.

Visit the Placemakers’ site at Fieldays to check out not only the great sheds but the many products and services on offer too.

Page 27

Page 28

FIELDAYS

Golden Gumboot up for grabs in 2016 It takes skill, ambition, passion and charisma to become Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year – and 2016 will see another eight fiercely-competitive, young agri-professionals living the bachelor lifestyle test their wits, strength and charms to take home the muchcoveted Golden Gumboot plus about $20,000 worth of prizes.

Contestants in the 2015 Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year try their hands at smoothie-making.

The Fieldays Rural Bachelor competition aims to find the best of the best rural blokes from New Zealand and Australia by highlighting their passion for and ability in the rural sector, says head of events Lee Picken.

“Fieldays is known for exhibiting and encouraging the greatness of our rural sector and to have eight fantastic examples of young agri-professionals displaying their agricultural skills and love of their field to such a large audience is a fantastic thing,” says Lee. The 2016 Rural Bachelor of the Year competition kicks off with the Rural Bachelor Road Trip on June 13-14, from Auckland to Fieldays at Mystery Creek – with activities along the way to give them a taste of what to expect during the four-day event.

Once at Fieldays, Bachelors will be pushed to their limits and outside their comfort zones in an effort to divide the men from the boys while showcasing the depth of talent offered by the New Zealand and Australian rural sector.

People’s choice

Fieldays’ 2015 Rural Bachelor of the Year and People’s Choice winner Toby How says a friend “sternly suggested” that he enter.

“Initially, I didn’t take the application very seriously

so it was a shock when I got the call saying I’d made it into Rural Bachelor,” says Toby.

“It was a great week – I’m very competitive so the contest was right up my alley. It was my first time to Fieldays, it was well organised and we were so well looked after – it was bloody great fun.

“I’d definitely recommend it to anyone considering entering. It really puts you out there but is great fun, and not only are you fully kept for the week, but there is the opportunity to win up to $20,000 worth of prizes. I think I’d struggle to make that for a week of work.”

Team chaperone In 2016, and for the fourth-year, Glen Hammond is involved in Rural Bachelor – he competed in 2013 and has been the team’s chaperone ever since.

“Competing in Fieldays Rural Bachelor is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I absolutely recommend,” says Glen.

“It’s a fun-filled week surrounded by like-minded people who are passionate about the rural sector. It’s a great a chance to showcase your ag skills and meet some single ladies along the way.

“There’s no better way to spend a week off the farm.”

FIELDAYS

Page 29

Counting the cost – to rats – rewarding Tasman Bay lifestyler Sonya rates her Goodnature A24 automatic self-resetting trap 10 out of 10 – “the ultimate ‘no mess’ rat eradicator!”

49 rodents without a counter, but it gave her that peace of mind that she’d made a smart investment.”

That 10 out of 10 rating meant Sonya was happy to purchase another A24 trap. She’s part of a growing number of Kiwis who own multiple Goodnature humane and toxin-free traps.

For example, Laurence farms near Morrinsville and he hasn’t seen any rats or damage since buying five A24 traps.

Kerry has 10 A12 possum traps on Banks Peninsula and is admiring the growing population of kereru woodpigeon on his farm.

She got her first trap when she moved to a new lifestyle property that had a big rat problem.

Noticing the decreased rat population on her property, Sonya bought a Goodnature Counter to get a more accurate picture of the rat eradication.

“It has been amazing to watch the counter click off the number of kills, and no rats have ever been sighted in the morning when the trap was checked.”

In all, Sonya has had 49 kills counted on her counter and no dead ones sighted beneath the trap.

Pest-free The reason Sonya In each case and many other Goodthey like the traps nature trappers don’t because rather than see the full impact waiting for you to they have with their The Goodnature Counter clear and reset them, they’re A24 trap is because of records the number of instead waiting for the next scavenging. rates dispatched by the pest to come along.

Goodnature director Goodnature A24 automatic “You can call it a pest-free and trap co-inventor self-resetting trap. zone if you like, but in the Robbie van Dam says conservation world they it’s the animal kingdom like to say wildlife sanctuout there “and there are ary. DOC predator experts call Goodnature’s traps plenty of critters happy to dine on the dead rats that the best they’ve ever tested and that’s because they’ve are released by the trap when it resets itself ”. cleared rats from large tracts of forest within months and kept it that way.“ Peace of mind Robbie says with the Goodnature Counter you The counter is such a powerful accessory, that know your impact “and with multiple Goodnature Goodnature last month launched the A24 Trap & traps you grow your impact”. Head to Goodnature’s Counter Kit. website at www.goodnature.co.nz or visit a Farmlands “We surveyed hundreds of our trap users and got or PGG Wrightson store to learn more about this a clear signal that people want counters with their world-leading technology. traps. Sonya’s trap would have still knocked off those

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Agents must act in vendor’s interest A recent decision by the Court of Appeal highlights the importance of agents acting in a vendor’s best interests when an agent is buying a property that is listed with their agency.

“This is an excellent decision that reinforces how critical it is for an agent to meet their obligations under the Real Estate Agents Act 2008 and protect the vendor’s best interests when there is a conflict of interest,” says Real Estate Agents Authority chief executive Kevin Lampen-Smith.

The Court of Appeal decision found Barfoot and Thompson failed to act in the best interests of the vendor when

one of its agents wanted to buy the vendor’s property.

Barfoot and Thompson’s internal policy stated if one of their agents, or a related person, wanted to buy a property listed for sale with the agency then the agent could deal directly with the seller.

As the agency’s policy on commission was linked to involvement in sale negotiations, this meant the purchasing agent was getting an unearned discount on the price.

The Court concluded this policy amounts to unsatisfactory conduct.

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Calves offer win-win for farmers Drystock farmers fully understand times are tough for dairy farmers but it is vital they keep lines of communications open, especially around their intentions over buying supplementary feed or paying for grazing animals, says Federated Farmers Meat and Fibre chairman and Bay of Plenty region president Rick Powdrell.

“What is going on in dairy industry is impacting on our industry too. People are taking stock away from grazing and people are not buying feed off meat and fibre farmers.

“It is important that communication is good. If I have got a winter feed crop I think I have grown for a farmer and he doesn’t want it, I don’t want to find on May 20 that he’s not coming.

“It’s the same with grazing. Farmers don’t want find out late in April that grazers aren’t coming on May 1.”

There are ways dairy and drystock farmers can work together for mutual benefit and that includes the rearing of bobby calves.

“Meat and fibre farms throughout the country are understocked. Some have been through severe drought and in some areas, because of the predicted El Nino summer drought which didn’t happen, a lot

of farms destocked early. Dairy farmers also stocked down too with a lot of cull cows in the last 12 to 15 months.

Well bred

“To me there is a real opportunity with dairy farmers’ bobby calves to fill this gap. However, these calves need to be well bred. If you have got a Jersey herd, drystock farmers are probably not interested.”

However, good crossbred or Friesian herds will probably be of interested especially if Angus, Hereford and Simental bulls have been put over the cows.

“Dairy farmers rear calves every year and most drystock farmers don’t, so dairy farmers are best able to rear them. There are real opportunities to go out and seek meat and fibre farmers who want good stock.

“Rearing is critical so do it well and look at longterm arrangements with farmers who want quality animals.”

Rick says meat and fibre beef farmers are experiencing mixed fortunes and while beef has been strong, lamb prices have been disappointing. “Wool has been the quite achiever, slowly creeping up. The worst thing is to have boom and bust but wool is quietly ticking along plaining upwards which is a real favour all of us.”

The beef price has settled back a bit in the United States since January but the outlook is pretty good.

“It comes back to something we do not do well and that is marketing. There is an opportunity to promote our grass fed, non-antibiotic beef, especially in the US.”

Strong demand

Federated Farmers Dairy Section chairperson Andrew Hoggard says using milk to raise calves can result in a return of $6 per milk solids, significantly better than the current payout. First Light Beef will also pay a guaranteed price for four-day old Wagyu calves or those reared to 90kg, says Andrew.

Rabobank dairy specialist Emma Higgins says supply and demand for beef is still quite strong.

“However, there is a lot of inventory in USA freezers and we have seen softening of imported beef.

“Inventories are full because of cull cows combined with the Australian drought which saw a lot of product shipped to the United States.”

The question mark is what cull numbers will be like this season and what culls will be like in the next couple of months, says Emily. “We understand freezing works are full, which will obviously weigh on price fundamental but there is still strong demand in the US which looks set to continue.”

Rick, Andrew and Emma where among the speakers at at a recent Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers dairy sector seminar at Awakeri called

By Elaine Fisher ‘We are in this together’.

FIELDAYS Yardmaster’s range of dairy effluent systems will be on display at Mystery Creek Fieldays.

Check out effluent options At this year’s Mystery Creek Fieldays, Yardmaster will be focusing on providing the right environment for research on dairy effluent systems’ capabilities and potential.

In the last couple of years Yardmaster has expanded its product range to include the most extensive offering of separators, plus high efficiency pumping with shore-mounted, self-priming pumps.

The wide range of products means Yardmaster can

advise and customise a design which is best for the customer’s needs. Being the designer and manufacturer of the products, Yardmaster gives a back-up service and product knowledge clients can absolutely depend upon.

Adding to this is the recently acquired Environmental Technologies business, which also has the Dairy NZ accreditation for dairy effluent system designs.

In the current economic conditions there is not a lot of cash going around, but it is however a great time to research what is possible for when things improve.

Pasture-sensing robots in development A pasture-sensing robot prototype being developed by staff at Massey University could help farmers generate better information about the pasture and soils on their farms.

Professor Ian Yule and the team in the Centre for Precision Agriculture have been developing the robot to carry sensing equipment around farms, all by itself.

Professor Yule says the concept is being developed “for a number of inspection purposes and tasks around agriculture and horticulture”.

Current sensing technology is typically carried

on planes or drones and uses expensive and complex equipment. A robot is a cheaper option that would also be more reliable as it is less weather dependent than drones. The hope is the robot will be fully automated, reducing time spent by farmers assessing pasture quality.

The robot was originally designed by Transpower and students in Massey’s School of Engineering and Advanced Technology as a tool for assessing equipment at substations to reduce response times at remote locations.

“Initial trials with the prototype have been successful, enabling us to have a virtual presence at remote substations and reduce the time it takes to identify equipment issues,” says Transpower’s general manager grid development Stephen Jay. “We are investigating additional benefits and future enhancements to improve our diagnostic and fault

This robot could help gather information about pasture and soils – remotely.

detection so we can catch issues before they occur.

“We welcome this development. As well as the original inspection capability, a robot with vegetation sensing and weed spraying technology has potential for us to help manage weed growth within substations, which can present a safety risk to our electrical equipment.”

Page 31

The ‘truth about glyphosate’ Congratulations to Coast & Country News for presenting RITE’s article on the latest research which highlights the truth about glyphosate.

Being an endocrine disrupting chemical it is stored in the fat. It is then able to bio-accumulate in the body fat, having the greatest harmful effects at the top of the food chain. Years ago, an amazing book was published based on research undertaken at The Great Lakes called ‘Our Stolen Future’ by Theo Colborn. It was ground-breaking then and is even more relevant now.

Thank you Coast & Country News for your truly informative, well researched and presented newspaper.

M Hodge.

FIELDAYS

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World-leading research pays dividends The Bay of Plenty has recently hosted the first International Symposium on Kiwifruit and Health – and it was a unique opportunity to further explore the nutritional and health benefits of kiwifruit.

The symposium brought together global health influencers including researchers, academics, health professionals and international health media to showcase leading science underway across the industry.

This symposium highlighted the importance of our region as not only the leading producer – providing 80 per cent of the kiwifruit for the country – but also a global base of applied kiwifruit research and development.

One of the industry’s long-standing stand-

out success factors is its relentless focus on the changing needs of consumers.

The industry has gone from strength to strength as a result of its ability to ensure the product the customer gets is of a consistent superior quality.

Such world-leading research focus can only mean good things for our region.

The kiwifruit industry employs 6000 Bay of Plenty locals so it’s great to see we’re looking towards a record breaking harvest for this year.

The turnaround of the industry after the devastating effects of Psa-V is a result of the considerable investment in research and development – and it is a testament to the key players in the industry.

The bold and exciting move by Zespri to release an additional 400 new hectares of SunGold this year will affect the region

positively across our employment and economy.

The industry has not only recovered from Psa but has come through it in a much better position.

In addition, the recently concluded Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement is poised to further reinforce this momentum.

Real additional returns of $15 million per year from reduced tariffs equating to more than $6000 per year for each grower are modelled, which in turn will flow through our communities.

The TPPA will give our industry a large boost after a great recovery and the industry has a bright future in our region and on the world stage.

Halal meat supply agreement made with China Two formal arrangements signed in China mark a significant step forward in the supply of New Zealand halal meat to China and ongoing agricultural cooperation, says Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy. The Ministry for Primary Industries and the China Certification and Accreditation Administration cosigned a new halal arrangement in Beijing, under which China will recognise New Zealand’s halal regulation and certification regime for halal goods exported to China.

“This is a major step forward for New Zealand’s halal meat producers, and it marks the first time China has recognised another county’s halal regulatory and certification systems.

“The arrangement will provide a competitive advantage in China for our red meat producers.”

China is New Zealand’s number one market for

halal certified meat. In the 12 months to September 2015 about 77,672 tonnes of halal certified meat were exported to China, representing 33 per cent of New Zealand’s total halal certified exports.

Nathan also co-signed a formal arrangement with China’s Minister of Agriculture, Han Changfu, for New Zealand and China to develop an agricultural growth partnership.

“This is a public-private partnership that aims to utilise NZ Inc expertise in research and training to work on co-operation activities in areas such as agricultural policy exchange, dairy farmer training, livestock technology, animal health and disease control.

“These signings reinforce the strong and positive relationship we have between the two countries, and are the result of a lot of hard work on both sides.”

FIELDAYS

Page 33

Soil-first transition system research underway Paeroa’s award winning company AgriSea is seeking high-input dairy farms to take part in a three-year research project aimed at establishing ways to change farming practices without loss of production.

“At AgriSea we are committed to product development and research for farmers. The key to healthy water ways begins with healthy soils – the drive from environmentalists and the public for healthy water ways will not go away and farmers need well researched farming alternatives,” says AgriSea marketing manager Tane Bradley.

“This year we are seeking high input conventional farms [three in the North Island and three in the South Island] in order to develop a ‘Soil First Transition System’ for New Zealand farmers considering moving to a more cost-effective and environmentally sound farming system with no loss of production or profit.”

This three-year research project will be led by Dr Christine Jones,

a renowned soil expert who is an international speaker and works with farmers around the world.

“The Dr Jones/AgriSea partnership is the single most important one for 2016. It is brutal to be told you must change your farming practice if you have no well researched alternatives.

“Ring Clare Bradley on 0800 SEAWEED if you may be interested.”

Farmers are familiar with AgriSea New Zealand’s liquid seaweed concentrates that are often referred to as the ‘Roll- Royce’ of seaweed products.

The company has a long history of listening to farmers and has learned that the seaweed delivered in a solid form would suit many large farms much better.

“AgriSea did not wish to compromise efficacy and after considerable research is now happy with, and ready to release its new seaweed solid product [for soil health]; seaweed salt blocks and seaweed pellets for animal health.”

AgriSea needed to find a high quality carrier for its liquid seaweed concentrates and has partnered with Blue Pacific Min-

erals to develop the first seaweed/ zeolite solid product which has been well trialed by farmers,” says Tane.

“Zeolite is a natural, super porous mineral [part of a group of hydrated alumino silicates]. It has a very open framework with a network of pores giving it a large surface area for trapping and exchanging valuable nutrients.

“It also assists water filtration and retention and will hold nutrients in the plant root zone for use when needed. Zeolite holds the vast range of elements in the seaweed to be released as the plant needs – this is the perfect carrier for AgriSea liquid concentrates,” says Tane.

AgriSea has also partnered with Dominion Salt to develop a seaweed salt block. There is a video on AgriSea website clearly showing a dairy herd devouring this in double quick time. “Animals love the seaweed salt blocks and the vast range of elements in the seaweed add to the nutritional value. The blocks took around 18 months to develop and trial and we are pleased to release them this year.”

In addition, AgriSea worked on

its Seaweed Animal Pellets product which are easy to add to feed and as with all AgriSea products are made with the freshest

New Zealand seaweed.

“We looks forward to seeing you at the Mystery Creek Fieldays later in the year.”

The AgriSea team at Blue Pacific Minerals: Kelvin Johansson, Paul O’donnell, Glenn Mead, Lindsay Wehipeihana, Wayne Roberts, Ange Nicholls, Keith Atwood, Nigel Kewish, Mark Powick and Gavin Robertson.

Now available in Liquid & Solid form, talk to one of our team to discuss a programme to suit your Farm & Budget

0800 SEAWEED (732 9333) www.agrisea.co.nz

FIELDAYS

Page 34

Automation steps up in chook house

Own the nectar Plant your Marginal Land and Riparian areas in Manuka

Be sure to plant high-activity varieties for increased profits.

Choice of 20 provenances and various pot sizes.

Bulk order discounts available.

Kauri Park, New Zealand’s largest supplier of Manuka plants, is now taking orders for 2015 delivery.

See us on site M20 at the National Fieldays.

0800 125 287 www.kauriparknurseries.co.nz

nects directly into standard garden hose. Just click it in to the hose connector and turn on the tap and the trough will fill. This is suitable for all sorts of pets.

“We are also launching our automatic chook door opener. This is a system that is The team at Grandpas have thought long battery operand hard about the best way to deliver a ated with a light good supply of fresh clean water to chooks sensor and can for people who have a tap/hose handy to their be set with a timer chook run and those who don’t. to delay opening to “Chooks drink a lot of water and it is vital to whatever time of day suits for have a good supply if you want your hens to be you to let the chooks out. healthy and lay well. So Grandpas are launching “This is perfect for people who like to free range their waterer range,” says Alla Kirkham of Grandpas their chooks during the day but don’t want to let feeders. them out early in the morning before they go “The twin cup drinker is the system we have creto work.” ated for people who do not have a water supply by All of these new products will be available at their chook run. This is made up of two little drinkMystery creek ing cups with a small ballcock in the middle.

Fieldays, where “We have attached these cups to some alkaGrandpas thene pipe and a ‘T’ connector with a feeders will have screw-in end that fits directly specials running on into a 10 or 20 all of its products. litre water “We have everycontainer.”

Grandpas feeders has a range thing you need The water trough of solutions for supplying to make keeping is a small general fresh, clean water to chooks chooks easy and purpose watering and animals too. hassle-free.” system that con-

Grandpas feeders have been around for more than 20 years, supplying hen owners with automatic chook feeders. Now the company is bringing a new range of products out to make it easier to look after chooks.

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FIELDAYS

Page 35

Training centre maximises equipment’s full potential DeLaval has a long history supporting New Zealand dairy farmers and continue to show this leadership through their continued relationship as a sponsor of the National Dairy Awards.

Supporting and developing New Zealand farmers to continue to be the best in the world, is something DeLaval are proud to be a part of.

This year DeLaval is sponsoring the DeLaval Livestock Management award, which resonates closely with its industry goals. This encourages farmers to look at the entire operation of their farm and how it all connects rather than just isolating their focus around milking machinery.

DeLaval has a number of exciting new releases at Fieldays this year and these award winners will be among the first to learn about these products.

With more than 125 years of innovation and experience in the New Zealand dairy industry, the opportunity to support farmers in managing their farms their way is pivotal to the company’s success.

The industry awards are also utilised as a platform to educate entrants about DeLaval solutions and how these can integrate into their current businesses.

As part of the ongoing support and education of New Zealand farmers, DeLaval is pleased to extend the level of training provided by opening a new training centre in its head office premises in Hamilton.

This training centre will be used to train DeLaval staff, the dealer network and also farmers who will be utilising these solutions in the best practice approach to maximise benefits.

Market leadership

DeLaval’s education and training manager Alison Currie and Oceania regional president Andrew Pooch in DeLaval’s new training centre at the company’s head office in Hamilton.

DeLaval’s Oceania regional president Andrew Pooch says farming is becoming more sophisticated. “It necessitates greater degrees of training, especially as equipment becomes more micro-processor involved.

“Providing full training and support for our equipment is part of our demonstration of market leadership. We don’t just want to sell equipment; we want farmers to work the equipment to its full potential for the entire period of its working life.”

The new training centre will enable DeLaval to have the best trained staff, dealers and farmers out in the field. This wealth of knowledge will have many flow on effects, including staff retention through engagement and optimum utilisation of technology.

“Technology is vital to the future of dairy farming. We need farmers to realise that in the old days the selling process used to be about simply selling equipment,” says Andrew.

“Today we start the conversation with farm management and what the best solution is for their farm to achieve their goals.

“We can provide any solution from conventional through to robotic milking systems.”

FIELDAYS

Page 36

Trust mobilises to help rural community It could be five years before the dairy payout significantly improves and there is very real concern about the impacts of the low returns on farmers and the wider rural community, says Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust regional leader Debbie Oakley.

Even though an adverse event hasn’t been officially declared, Debbie says the hardship many farmers, sharemilkers in particular, are facing means the trust has mobilised its resources and is already working with many families.

“We don’t know for certain how low the payout will be and for how long, but it looks like a five-year recovery before farmers catch up and get back to where they were.

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“This is why it is important to take action now while you have some control of your business.

“Some farmers may have to make the really hard decision that they can’t continue to farm.”

Helping work through the options, arranging appointments with banks, accountants, rural consultants and doctors are among the free and confidential services the trust offers.

“It is easier if we are involved early. It’s hard once we are the ambulance at bottom of cliff, as there is so much more to deal with.” The trust wants to position itself as the “go to 0800 number” and the lead group for the industry.

“We are free and confidential.

No one knows who we have been to see or what we talk about,” says Debbie. “We provide a service to those in need, including farmers and rural businesses, to work through issues.

Four facilitators

“It might be a chat on the phone to start with and we will follow up to ask if the caller is still okay or might sit down with people who are badly stressed and refer them to a GP or suicide helpline.”

The trust has four facilitators in the Bay of Plenty. Debbie, who has a banking background and is a kiwifruit orchardist, a former registered nurse and two farm consultants.

“We have all got farming knowledge, have all milked cows and have all been through crisis ourselves.”

Just talking about the issues often helps ease the load, says Debbie. And there are ways to get through, including debt restructuring such as changing overdraft to term loans, or other loans to interest-only payments.

“We can help work through a change in farm systems to reduce farm working expenses. You need to look at what have you got control of. You have not got control of the payout but you have got control of what happens on-farm and how to manage that.

“Please don’t hide down the back of the farm. We need to stick together as a community. You are

not experiencing something different from your neighbour. You are not isolated.” Everyone caught up in the current crisis must look after themselves and their families, but Debbie also urges farm owners to look after their sharemilkers and staff and keep an eye on neighbours and talk to each other.

“Neighbours are the trust’s ears and eyes.”

She advises sharing the load by talking about it. “That is what happened when Psa-V hit the kiwifruit industry. We all started talking about it and a problem shared can be a problem halved.”

Talk about it

Making the first phone call to the trust for help can be the hardest part. “The current situation is really tough on lower order sharemilkers.

They’ve lived through the $8 payout and many have geared themselves up for a high payout but now have not got money in the bank to pay off debt.”

Rural support trust member Derrick Spratt says while looking after staff and neighbours is vital – so too is looking after yourself. “Please keep eye on your neighbours but for God’s sake don’t forget about yourself. You are number one.

You can’t help others if you are in trouble. If you have problems, go see someone straight away. “Don’t put it on the back burner. Face up to the fact you are having an issue.”

Phone Bay of Plenty Rural Support on 0800 787 254.

Elaine Fisher

FIELDAYS

Page 37

First big event for new Fieldays CEO The 2016 NZ National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek this June 15-18 will be the first under the leadership of Peter Nation, the NZ National Fieldays Society’s new chief executive.

“From the masterplan site works to the building of charitable endeavours and the continuing support of the next generation in agribusiness, this is a very special organisation to be part of at a very special time.”

With more than 65 applicants, Warwick says the Fieldays chief executive role was highly sought-after and the quality of candidates was extremely high.

“We looked across a broad section of applicants and were fortunate to have had a high calibre of potential leaders to select from.”

Peter, who has served on the society’s board of directors since 2004, has held the role of vice president of the organisation since 2013.

NZ National Fieldays Society president Warwick Roberts says the board is delighted to have Peter, who is a former national sales manager at Gallagher, taking the pivotal leadership role at the society.

“Peter brings a wealth of experience from his time with Gallagher Group and also his previous leadership roles Board members with the ANZ Banking Group.

“With recent changes at board-level, “Combined with his knowledge of the and several new directors joining agri sector and the breadth of his netthe society’s board, the appointment work, he will provide strong leadership of our new chief executive presents for the society and build on our success NZ National Fieldays another exciting opportunity to with Fieldays, Equidays and Mystery Society’s new chief continue our journey and build on Creek Events Centre.” executive officer the recent changes driven into the Peter says his new role as CEO to the Peter Nation. organisation,” says Warwick. society presents a new challenge in an The New Zealand National Fieldays industry he’s dedicated his life to.

Society welcomed new members to “NZ National Fieldays Society is an its board of directors after its AGM in iconic organisation with nearly 50 years of history December 2015. and a significant presence both on the national and Newly-elected board directors are James Allen, John international stage.

Gallagher and Jenni Vernon, who was a co-opted board director for 2015.

Growth opportunities Co-opted board directors are Bill Falconer, who “The opportunity to lead such an organisation is a returns for a second year, Brent Goldsack and Pam real opportunity. It’s hard to put into words.”

Roa. Lance Enevoldsen and Peter Carr return as Peter says the society presents a lot of opportunity board directors, and Warwick Roberts returns as for growth and future developments, which is excitpresident. ing to be part of.

Innovations and great prices at Fieldays Fieldays is all about special deals and new products on display.

This year the team on the Fencepro stand will be not only showcasing their latest post drivers and new innovations, but they are also keen to do whatever it takes to get you the best post driver for your local conditions.

A couple of new products include the individual lockable toolboxes with sealed lids to protect your gear from the elements and to ensure your tools stay where they are put. A rubber-lined chainsaw holder is another convenient option which goes with the side mount unit.

The Ultra G3 has proven to be an incredibly versatile,

and is able to tackle the most difficult terrain and substrate types with ease.

The rock drill makes short work of all types of rock. The Mule FX is modelled after the legendary Ultra G2 with an incredibly affordable price of only $20,700 + GST during May 2016. This package gives you a 4.5m hydraulic hinged mast, the 900mm side mount unit, a 250mm mast shift four-way movement, a 270kg block and six-bank valve.

The options include the Rock Spike Extractor, which can be mounted on either side of the mast, and a variety of

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FIELDAYS

Page 38

Global experts join forces to improve animal health Animal health and wellbeing requires greater global cooperation than ever before and New Zealand has the rare opportunity to participate in discussions which will contribute to the health of farm animals and pets around the world.

Delays in urgently needed treatments for diseases are often caused by a mismatch in global regulatory regimes.

This increases costs and often leads to

the duplication of studies needed for registering veterinary medicines.

Bringing a new veterinary medicine to market is expensive and timeconsuming. It takes between five to 11 years to complete and costs up to $500 million.

Simplifying things

To be efficient, the process needs internationally-accepted standards among regulators and greater transparency.

One way of doing this is by simplifying the regulatory process to create a universal framework for research-

ers and developers – allowing faster, more efficient approval of beneficial medicines.

New Zealand is a global partner in the regulation of veterinary drugs and for this reason Agcarm has taken an industry observer role on the International Cooperation on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products – known as the VICH – steering committee.

Agcarm’s role on VICH is to represent the views of the NZ animal health industry at the global decision table.

With greater emphasis on the quality, safety and efficacy of veterinary medicines, VICH is becoming more important today than ever before as a coordinated means to facilitate the global registration of

veterinary medicinal products, while establishing and maintaining consumer confidence.

The principal goal of VICH is to harmonise technical data requirements of participating regulatory authorities before granting drug marketing authorisation or registration. The majority of the technical work is completed by expert working groups, who are guided by the steering committee.

Playing our part

Current goals include reducing animal testing and costs of development, while increasing the availability of new veterinary medicines and accelerating the development and review process.

There are few industries in New Zealand that have the opportunity to engage with and influence global regulators, and meet with fellow international industry groups.

With the current strong drive for greater cooperation when it comes to animal health, playing our part is more important than ever.

Way forward

Although complex, the VICH framework is allowing this to happen with global coordination driving the way forward.

With VICH representation, Agcarm will contribute to the health of our farm animals and pets, making for a safer and more vibrant economy.

By Mark Ross, Chief Executive, Agcarm

EQUINE

Page 39

Fund gives equine therapy a ‘giddy-up’ Mini ponies and retired folk are enjoying hanging out together as part of a new Riding for the Disabled Association initiative.

“This highlights one of the benefit our ponies can bring to the community.”

Some of the residents visited told how they had ridden ponies to school in their youth.

Katharine says the RDA was “delighted” when long-time sponsor, Legacy Trust, came on-board in support of the programme.

“Legacy has a wonderful role in our RDA community. Since 2012 they’ve sponsored horses used in equestrian therapy for people

challenged by disability or at risk within the community. Now they are sponsoring our ponies and enabling us to take our equine therapy out into the community.”

Mike Savage from Legacy Funerals says he’s observed equine

therapy in action and describes it as a great thing to enable.

“We are thrilled to be part of this. It is wonderful to journey with RDA in this way. Once again it is the community helping the community.”

Thanks to financial backing from Legacy Trust, the Tauranga RDA has extended its community outreach to include equine therapy targeted at local retirement homes.

The RDA’s mini ponies Ruby and Chippie have begun visits to retirement home residents offering equine therapy, which is based around beneficial interaction between people and horses.

Tauranga Riding for the Disabled’s fundraising and marketing manager Katharine Birks says Ruby and Chippie have been to visit one retirement home already and the plan is to extend that.

“Some of those who work with the residents commented on the enormous response the ponies generated.

“Their arrival created great interaction between the residents, often from individuals who generally keep to themselves but on this occasion became very Tauranga RDA volunteer Pip Kwiecien and Legacy director Mike Savage with the ponies chatty,” says Katherine.

Chippie and Ruby. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Reining in benefits of online shopping Hoofcamp Saddlery, the only saddlery business covering the Eastern Bay, through to Gisborne, Tauranga and Rotorua, is going online.

enhance the wide range of gear, equipment, products and supplements for customers. And, as always, Hoofcamp has a comprehensive range of everything equestrian.”

Their large secondhand corner with saddles and everything else equestrian is very popular. “We “The big news is that we are very shortly launching our online website with shopping cart,” says Kathryn sell on behalf. This service takes all of the hassle out of dealing with buyers for the private person selling Cook. gear. Hoofcamp deal with questions and makes the “Hoofcamp Saddlery is one of the largest saddlery stores in New Zealand and what makes us so popular sale for you. “You just collect your payment after the item is sold. is we carry a wide range “Right now we want of gear for all disciyour secondhand Westplines.” ern and stock saddles Online shopping means to sell,” says Katheven more horse-lovers ryn. can access that extensive And Hoofcamp’s range and expertise. workshop is busier than Hoofcamp is wellever with everything known for Western imaginable coming in and stock saddles and for repairs. Anything also caters for the show that needs a heavy duty jumping rider, dressage, machine, stitching, endurance, the bushrivets, domes, clips, man and hunter and the buckles or zips, they can stockman and shepherd. do. Horse cover repairs “Just in-store now is the are a specialty and they new range of clothing for also launder the rugs and next season. Get in early re-proof them.

– as this seasonal range Hoofcamp’s is limited edition,” says Facebook page is provKathryn. ing very popular and “We are still increasing Kathryn is encouraging our range of products. people to ‘like’ HoofNew suppliers continue Kathryn Cook of Hoofcamp Saddlery, which is camp on Facebook. coming on-board to one of the largest saddlery stores in New Zealand.

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MAIZE

Page 40

Why maize silage works in a low payout year In a low payout year, feeding maize silage makes perfect sense. The strategic use of this supplementary feed will help maintain productivity and reduce costs.

At a cost of 12-23 c/kgDM and an energy yield of 10.8 MJME/kgDM home-grown maize silage is not only the most cost-effective stored feed, it eliminates the need for expensive imports.

Four key areas in which it pays – literally – to feed maize silage are extending lacta-

tion, pasture deficits, cow conditioning, and young stock growth.

Extending lactation

Research shows feeding out maize silage through a dry autumn to keep cows milking can result in a milksolids response of up to 150 gMS/kgDM fed.

Pasture deficits

Maize silage retains its nutritional quality for several years if stored properly so it is ready whenever you need it. Feeding maize silage when pasture cover levels are low

will result in high response rates. In contrast, crops like turnips and chicory must be fed when they are mature, regardless as to whether or not you need the feed.

Home-grown maize cost

Body Condition Score Change 3.0 to 4.0

3.5 to 4.5

4.0 to 5.0

12 c/kgDM

$82.00

$69.00

$59.00

14 c/kgDM

$78.00

$65.00

$54.00

16 c/kgDM

$74.00

$61.00

$50.00

Table 1: Profit ($/cow) from increasing cow condition score levels.

Cow conditioning

Using extra feed to boost body condition will see cows stay healthier, produce more milk and get back in-calf quicker. Table 1

(above) shows how the cost of maize silage translates into profit per cow based on a $4.25 kg/ms payout.

Young stock targets

Underweight heifers produce less milk. For every kilogram under the target weight, a cow will produce 0.14kg less fat and 0.10 less protein per kilogram of milksolids. At the current forecast, that roughly translates to $1 less per kg/ms so if a cow is 50kg underweight that’s $50 lost.

It’s easy to see why home-grown maize silage is the most cost-effective stored feed. If you think it might be the solution to your supplementary needs, contact your local Pioneer representative on 0800 PIONEER (0800 746 633).

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Homegrown maize silage is cost-effective.

MPI’s $6.9 million for new research Deer farming, kiwifruit orcharding and dairying will all benefit from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ $6.9 million investment during three years in to 25 new projects through the Sustainable Farming Fund.

high quality feed without the SIMPLE. high price tag profitable. mike visser, waikato DAIRY FARMER

0800 PIONEER (746 633) www.PIONEER.co.nz Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase, which are part of the labelling and purchase documents. ®, TM, SM, Trademarks and service marks of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

sustainable.

The SFF supports farmers and researchers involved at grassroots level to tackle shared problems or to develop new opportunities, says MPI director general Martyn Dunne.

“Every year we receive a very high calibre of project applications, and this year was no different. This year’s projects cover nine primary sectors including horticulture, forestry, dairy and meat.

“Each project has a number of milestones to reach during the three years. As milestones are reached, information is shared among the community who benefits from the project. “Through the fund, we are able to support industries and communities to help each other carry out applied research and field trials.

“Our investment programmes team supports each project through their milestones and each year we are pleased by the quality of projects, and the results they produce,” says Martyn.

Supported by the SFF, these are some of the problems or opportunities being looked into: • Optimising pollination of Gold3 kiwifruit under hail netting.

• Resource development for new deer farmers.

• Reducing use of antimicrobials when managing mastitis.

• Understanding and managing grain storage pests.

• Increasing the market share for New Zealand olive oil.

MAIZE

Page 41

Remaining vigilant for velvetleaf pest Work to control velvetleaf and find out how the plant pest arrived in New Zealand is ongoing and farmers throughout the country, especially those growing crops, are being asked to check for this unwanted plant.

The Foundation for Arable Research says by early April, velvetleaf had been confirmed at 153 sites from Southland to Waikato.

Two fodderbeet varieties – Bangor and Kyros – have been confirmed as being contaminated with velvetleaf seed, but other varieties, as yet unnamed, are also being investigated. It is essential to check all fodderbeet paddocks for this unwanted weed.

FAR’s advice is to keep checking maize crops too, especially in Waikato. In many areas plants are shedding leaves so don’t expect all plants to be leafy with yellow flowers, they may be brown sticks with poppy like seed pods.

It is possible some Waikato velvetleaf finds may be linked to the use of chicken manure in maize crops. The Ministry for Primary Industries, working in conjunction with FAR and other industry groups, has developed a management plan for properties where velvetleaf has been identified.

Farmers and regional councils on this incursion.

Management plans for farms where velvetleaf has been found are being developed with our input, and should be available shortly.

What does velvetleaf look like?

Velvetleaf is a member of the Mallow family. It is a broad leafed weed that can grow up to 2.5m. It has buttery yellow flowers.

Leaves are heart-shaped and velvety to touch. As the season progresses, many Velvetleaf plants are shedding leaves and flowers plants are starting to lose so they may now be brown sticks with their leaves, so look for brown poppy-like seed pods. stems with few leaves and Velvetleaf has now been found in most poppy-like seed heads. regions of both islands. It is possible some What to do if you see velvetleaf: velvetleaf seed may have been imported Photograph it and phone MPI on and planted in fodder beet crops in the 0800 80 99 66.

2014/2015 season. These plants are likely Do not pull the plant out, MPI will to have seeded and may have established in arrange for that. the following crop or pasture.

Bag it and bend it…if seed heads are Questions remain about whether velpresent you may wish to cover the entire vetleaf will establish in pastures, but it may flower/seed head area of the plant with a well be present in following annual crops fertiliser sack or similar, tie it tightly and such as cereals, maize or fodder beet. bend the plant over so any seed falls FAR is working with MPI, Federated into the bag.

Workshops on giving calves great start Making sure your calves get a good start in life is the focus of a series of workshops being organised by the Dairy Woman’s Network across the country.

The network is partnering with compound ruminant feed manufacturer SealesWinslow and animal health research and manufacturer MSD Animal Health to

run 18 Growing Great Calves workshops for free across the country in May, June and July.

The practical, hands on, workshop looks at all aspects of calf rearing including the biology of calf diseases and the development of immunity, treatment of sick calves, vaccination strategy and calf housing. It will cover colostrum concepts, housing and calf signals and best practice calf rearing.

SealesWinslow Nutrition and Quality

Manager Wendy Morgan will present at the workshops. “We are discussing successful calf rearing, not just to 100 kg but onto the cows coming into milk in the herd,” says Wendy.

Each workshop starts at 9.30am and finishes at 2.30pm. Male farm workers and calf rearers are welcome to join the women and lunch is provided. Top find out more go to www.dwn.co.nz/

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Page 42

IRRIGATION & DRAINAGE

New plans for harbour’s future A refreshed Ohiwa Harbour Strategy has been launched, outlining new actions for the future of the harbour and those involved in its protection.

Phone: 07 362 8433

The original Ohiwa Harbour Strategy, which guides the management of the Ohiwa Harbour, is now almost eight years old. Almost all of the actions set out in the strategy have either been completed or are now part of business as usual. This includes specific actions related to improving signage and facilities, planting and coastal erosion works, and research into bird and fish life in and around the Harbour. The refreshed version brings the document up-to-date.

The Ohiwa Harbour Forum is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the strategy and the forum chairman Tiipene Marr says the implementation of the strategy actions over the years was a credit to the partner organisations and the wider community, particularly those who live in the Ohiwa Harbour and Nukuhou River catchments.

“The Ohiwa Harbour Strategy is action-focused and we have achieved a lot in the last few years that has really made a difference to the health of the harbour.

“It is a great moment to acknowledge that success and in the same breath look ahead to the next things we can do to continue to improve the health of the harbour and catchment area.

“We have spent a lot of time talking to the community about how they see the future for the harbour and what sort of concrete steps we can take to reach that goal and this

Ohiwa Harbour. Photo: Phillip Capper. is reflected in the refreshed strategy.

“This document has a practical focus and gives the partner organisations definitive, achievable actions to complete.

“We have seen the benefits of this approach from the first version of the strategy and I think we are all pretty excited to see where the next set of tasks takes us.”

The Ohiwa Harbour Implementation Forum has members from the three councils – Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Opotiki District Council, Whakatane District Council, representatives of local iwi – Whakatohea, Upokorehe, Ngati Awa and Ngai Tuhoe – and other invited representatives such as from the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Fisheries, Nukuhou Salt Marsh Care Group. The meetings are also open to the public.

OHIF members each carry out agreed actions within their individual areas of responsibility in order to implement the Ohiwa Harbour Strategy.

The strategy identifies issues, key community values and aspirations, and recommends actions on how to take Ohiwa Harbour and its catchment from where it is now, to where people want it to be in the future.

You can read more about Ohiwa Harbour and how it is managed on the BOPRC website at www.boprc.govt.nz/ohiwa

More funds for river clean-up

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The Waikato River Authority’s sixth funding round will have up to $6 million available for river clean-up projects this year with applications for grants opening July 1.

The total available funding was decided by the authority board in April, when it also confirmed funding priorities for the coming year.

These priorities include two main areas. The first is water quality where a greater emphasis on projects that can demonstrate a high level of certainty

around water quality improvement will receive funding priority.

The authority has also reiterated its stance on project collaboration, saying it will continue to give support for projects that involve a range of groups working together on clean-up projects.

Applications for funding open July 1, following the publication of the funding strategy in May. Funding applications will again be managed online through the Waikato River Authority website: www.waikatoriver.org.nz

FARM SECURITY & SAFETY

Page 43

B+LNZ workshops target improved safety on-farm workshops and feedback has been positive. Comment include: “Very informative and worthwhile. Can’t wait to have workshops in my region”; “Professional presentation pitched at the right level”; “Great presenters, good examples and straight forward”; “Exposure to factual info concise and

clear and doable!”; “Gave me a practical solution to have confidence to do a health and safety for our farm, myself ”; “Very informative and great guidelines and template forms to get started.”

For more information, contact Rachel Jukes - rachel.jukes@beeflambnz.com or call her on 07 839 0282.

FARMOSH Helping Farmers Reduce OSH Risk

Beef + Lamb NZ is rolling out its Farm Safety Management System through a series of safety workshops for its member farmers around the country.

On Thursday, May 12 a workshop will be held from 10am-3pm at the Taupo Yacht Club, 9 Ferry Road, Taupo and repeated on Monday, May16 from 10am-3pm at Comvita, 23 Wilson Road South, Paengaroa, Te Puke. Lunch will be provided at both venues.

At each seminar B+LNZ farmers will be given a free copy of a safety management system and taught how to apply it to their farm. This system has been

developed by B+LNZ’s safety partner QSI (NZ) Ltd and is endorsed by Worksafe NZ. Key features: • The system has been designed specifically for New Zealand sheep and beef farmers.

• It is simple, easy to implement and is endorsed by Worksafe NZ. • Worksafe will attend each of the workshops. This will enable attendees to ask Worksafe questions directly and provide confidence that the information you are getting meets the requirements of the regulator.

• The system will be regularly updated, with changes publicised and available to download.

B+LNZ has trailed this programme through pilot

Securing fuel now common Theft of fuel is still an issue but farmers are using security cameras and robust locks on their storage tanks to deter the thieves, says North Fuels’ regional manager for the Upper North Island, Willem Brown.

“About 90 per cent of the tanks we now fill are leased from us, or farmers are purchasing them by paying a little extra each time their tank is filled.

“Our tanks have extra security features, including a lockable cover over the pump and on the cover over the fill point making it harder to gain illegal access to the fuel.”

The modern tanks also meet WorkSafe requirements, including they must have a minimum of four legs on the support structure, and a sound and secure ladder for access to fill the tank.

North Fuels Upper North Island area covers from Raglan to Mount Maunganui, the Coromandel and Northland.

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SHEEP & BEEF

Page 44

New option for facial eczema prevention But farmers scrambling for preventative zinc-based options have a new choice over this difficult period, with the launch of LactiSol Z from Sollus Nutrition. Dr Joe McGrath, ruminant specialist speaking on behalf of, says the company’s release of LactiSol Z in

“Therapeutic doses of Zinc have been proven to reduce mineral availability and even shown to cause hypocalcaemia in extreme cases. HyD increases the active absorption of calcium, helping to maintain adequate calcium intake during the mid to late lactation when cows are replenishing the skeleton,” says Joe. The addition of zinc oxide comes with a history of being proven an effective means of manc e M aging and minimising facial eczema’s o J impact. Work on its effectiveness has st rumina nt speciali its roots back in the 1960s, thanks to work Skeletal health done by dental nurse Gladys Reid in Te Aroha.

HyD is a vitamin D metabolite that’s proven to “Sollus takes the preventative treatment approach increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus a step further by combining the zinc oxide with our from the cow’s diet. “HyD has been well proven in HyD and anti-oxidant formulations,” says Joe. production animals, playing a vital role in skeletal “We believe we have a product that is the highest health, mineral absorption and vitamin health in quality, based on proven science with a formulation several species,” says Joe. that is very relevant to NZ farmers wanting to pro“With the addition of zinc, LactiSol Z also delivers tect their livestock from this debilitating disease.” a valuable level of protection alongside anti-oxidant LactiSol Z is available in NZ through Sollus NZ supplementation, shown to improve the resistance of and sold through SourceNZ and Farmlands. animals to symptoms of facial eczema. .

New choice

New Zealand is very timely, offering farmers a valuable option to manage facial eczema risks this season. LactiSol Z is based on world-leading animal nutrition and health company DSM’s vitamin HyD. LactiSol Z contains HyD in combination with anti-oxidants, trace minerals as well as the recommended level of zinc oxide (TS-99 ACVM RegissN tration No: A10933) for facial u tr itio eczema prevention. n ll u So

Right across the island monitoring sites are reporting record eczema spore counts, with spikes as high as 2.5 million spores per gram reported in the Waikato. Animal health experts regard spore counts of 20,000-plus as reason for going on facial eczema alert.

Indications are with continuing warmer than average conditions right through to June, the problem will remain a headache until well into winter this year.

Gr ath

High humidity and late summer moisture have made this year one of the worst on record for facial eczema in the North Island.

Rangitaiki to host genetic progeny field day The first B+LNZ Genetics Beef Progeny Test field day series will be held on Friday, May 6 at Rangitaiki Station, Taupo, The system is based on weaning and provides an opportunity to see which bulls performed across a variety of traits and environments. The B+LNZ Genetics Beef

Progeny Test has now completed its second round of AI and has its first crop of calves at weaning age. With 2,200 cows inseminated in the recent mating, there is a wealth of information to come for farmers.

This is also a great chance to view one of New Zealand’s iconic, largescale farms. The day will focus on: identifying sire groups by weaning weight (200 day weight trait); body

condition score demo and comparison to weight of calf weaned; potential for synchronisation and AI use on commercial farms and new traits and opportunities from the trial. Progeny test calves will be on display and practical demonstrations will be included. For more information, email Max Tweedie Max.tweedie@blnzgenetics.com or call him on 027 4045 205.

SHEEP & BEEF

Page 45

Genetic tolerance offers insurance against facial eczema Facial Eczema is a devastating disease caused by the ingestion of fungal spore on rye grass paddocks.

The fungus requires heat humidity and moisture to grow; and when conditions are right it multiplies to dangerous levels quickly.

This year, with our exceptional spring and summer, frequent warm showers, high humidity and no real summer dry, FE is having a great run. So 2016 may well be remembered as the hottest FE year NZ has on record.

High spore counts have been reported all over the North Island and the effect, clinical stock, are apparent in many areas that rarely if ever see FE. This may well be the tip of the iceberg as counts are still high and may stay that way for another month. For spore count information, see www.beeflambnz.com An animal impacted by facial eczema suffers liver damage. This damage causes the animal to become jaundiced, photosensitive and they sunburn.

Swollen floppy ears, swollen tissue around the eyes and nose are often the first sign. This will deteriorate to peeling broken skin and a very distressed animal that seeks shade and may rub the affected area and cause bleeding.

Internally, the damaged liver may also cause pain and the animals often adopts a distinctive pose, a way of standing and stretching in response to this discomfort. It is a savage disease and the sight of a badly affected animal in distress is truly awful.

Mildly affected stock will recover.

The liver is a fantastic organ which can, to some degree, regenerate. They require shade, plenty to eat and drink and no stress. Badly affected stock should be put down.

Sub-clinical cost

The true cost of FE is not these sad sunburnt animals; it is the subclinical cases. For every clinical, obvious, case of FE there will be at least 10 sub clinical cases, those that have ingested spores, suffered liver damage but not gone clinical – they have not

shown sunburn them for tolerance to the high natural challenges we and distress. These see in this area. Blood tests to assess liver damage are animals may appear used to cull the subclinical cases and this has resulted outwardly fine but in a flock which shows little if any impact from a very the damage is done hot FE year. and production Clients routinely wean more than 150 per cent from will be negatively mixed age ewes and 100 per cent from hoggets. They impacted. Ewes that are dedicated to breeding a best fit for the challengdo not get in lamb, ing environment: high FE, high spring and autumn more ‘drys’ than parasite loads, and regular summer dry with low feed normal, slow or nil quality. This is a FE-tolerant flock with high fertility, weight gains, poor high growth rates, a reduced requirement for drenchhogget or heifer ing and a strong focus on feet, teeth and structure. growth, rough coats Kate Broadbent is a member of FE GOLD, a breeder group focused on educating about FE. See www.nikaucoopworth.co.nz or wool – these are all symptoms

By Kate Broadbent of Nikau Coopworth of subclinical FE. Young ewes with Breeding tolerant flocks is a tool again facial eczema. sub clinical FE may actually break out achieving increased tolerance will see benefits and become photosensitive at lambing in the first year but it will take several years of when the physiological stress of lambbreeding to achieve levels equivalent to that of ing and milking tips them over and the the top flocks in the country. liver cannot cope.

There is no treatment for clinical FE Tolerant flock and prevention is tricky as the timing Nikau Coopworth, based in Waikaretu, has is important. Slow release zinc bullets been selecting for tolerance for 30 years and or adding zinc to water troughs is a has one of the most tolerant flocks in the useful tool requiring good timing. It is country. Select rams are Ramguard-dosed at a short-term prevention. Summer crops the highest level of 0.6mg/kg sporidesmin to offer some good insurance as FE spores select flock sires. don’t grow on plantain, clover, rape, The young stock are all blood tested to assess lucerne; just rye grass. Grazing kikuyu or feeding silage to reduce the reliance Short Term Treatment Long Term Answer on rye grass is also a tool.

The only real insurance against FE is genetic tolerance. Many ram breeders have been selecting for tolerant stock for more than 30 years. By challenging and testing stud sires, ruthlessly culling and using only the most tolerant sires, a very high level of tolerance has been achieved in many flocks.

Be wary of marketing and ask questions of ram breeders. Dose rates for testing rams vary and there is a big difference between low and high dose rates and the level of tolerance Farmed in a consistently challenging FE area, entire flock exposed to high natural achieved? The FE Gold group was challenge and blood tested. formed in 2012 by a group of conBreeding for Facial Eczema tolerance for 32 Years. cerned breeders aiming to educate the ram buying public. To find out more, All flock sires tested at 0.6 mg/kg see www.fegold.co.nz 09 233 3230 - www.nikaucoopworth.co.nz Facial Eczema tolerance is highly heritable. This means significant gains may be made by using highly tolerant sires. A breeding programme aimed at

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Page 46

SHEEP & BEEF

Temperament and growth a winning combination The temperament of Potawa Simmental bulls and the growth rate of their offspring are among the reasons clients keep buying their bulls, say Andrew and Tracey Neal of Potawa Simmentals of Pio. “This year’s beef cattle sales have finally rewarded the breeders and finishers who have remained committed to beef production, with the recent weaner sales being a highlight,” says Andrew.

The Neals were pleased to be at the Stratford Weaner Fair when the top pen of Simmental cross weaner steers made $1300, the second pen $1290, with all being sired by a Potawa Simmental bull.

The couple receive great fed back from clients, “mostly to ourselves and more pleasingly, to other farmers” says Tracey.

“One client has a herd of dairy-cross nurse cows, mainly Hereford-Friesian, and for four

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years has been using Potawa Simmental bulls as sires.

“She constantly praises the quietness of the Simmental bulls she’s used, and their offspring, and makes frequent mention of the outstanding growth rates of her weaners.

Andrew and Tracey can vouch for the growth rates and yield of Simmental-cross cattle. As commercial farmers on 600 hectares, they had run a large commercial cow herd prior to taking on their Simmental stud 14 years ago.

“In that time we trialled many different beef breeds over our Hereford-Friesian herd and constantly came back to the Simmental as the most productive beef sire we could find.

“Simmental cross cattle outgrew and outyielded every other breed we used.”

Andrew says: “Our local stock agents make no secret of the fact that Simmental cross cattle will fetch a premium across every class in the sale yards”.

Potawa Simmentals is extremely strict on

Potawa Bono- the top priced bull sold by Potawa Simmentals at the 2015 sale. bull selection for sale. Besides testing them individually, Tracey and Andrew employ a qualified BeefClass assessor to give a truly independent judgement on the bulls.

“Bull buyers can be assured that a BeefClass assessed animal has been tested for temperament and structure.

This information should be readily available in the sale catalogue, so you can make a decision based on as much

information as possible.”

“Now is the time to breed cows and the best sire for profitable options and production is a Simmental. Potawa Simmentals has the only auction of fully recorded rising two-year-old Simmental bulls between the Bombay hills and Lake Taupo; visitors are welcome anytime.”

Potawa Simmentals will hold its annual sale on May 31 from 2pm.

Sheep industry celebrates the best This country’s sheep industry will celebrate its best and brightest at Beef +Lamb New Zealand’s fifth annual New Zealand Sheep Industry Awards in the Wairarapa in July.

The awards recognise this country’s top sheep farmers, breeders, scientists and industry innovators.

The categories are: Science Trainer of the Year, Innovation, Significant Contribution to the New Zealand Sheep Industry and the Emerging Talent Award.

South Otago farmer Hamish Bielski won the inaugural Ballance Agri-Nutrients Emerging Talent Award last year.

He hoped by receiving the award he highlighted to other aspiring young

farmers that there is a pathway to farm ownership in the sheep sector.

Hamish and his wife Amy are now equity partners in a 300ha sheep, beef and cropping business, having worked their way through various shepherd and management roles on sheep and beef farms.

Financially disciplined, the couple saved more than they spent and took investment opportunities whenever they arose.

Hamish also found time for industry involvement and is chair of B+LNZ’s Southern South Island Farmer Council.

A great advocate for the sheep industry, Hamish says the Sheep Industry Awards play a crucial role in recognising good people and celebrating success.

SHEEP & BEEF

Page 47

Maximise herd health with a trace element stocktake Autumn is an excellent time to reassess trace element requirements for stock, and if necessary make adjustments for the next milking season.

There are 18 trace elements that are essential for life. Five of these are considered critical for maintaining animal health – and are most likely to be deficient or require supplementation in New Zealand dairy cows – copper, cobalt, selenium, and iodine and zinc.

Trace element deficiencies in stock can arise due to dietary deficiencies, or the presence of other minerals which effect their uptake. An example is when molybdenum binds copper up in the rumen, making it unavailable to the cow. Deficiencies left untreated can lead to animal health and performance issues including reduced milk production, growth rates, poor fertility and so on.

Decades of extensive research specific to New Zealand dairy cows in grass feed systems has led to the development of minimum levels for most trace element requirements. The inclusion of ‘bought-in feeds’ like Palm Kernel Extract, grain, maize and forage crops may require adjustments to these requirements. For example, PKE is about two per cent copper, so long-term supplementation of PKE at high levels can lead to elevated liver copper levels in stock, potentially reducing the need for other forms of copper supplementation.

Mineral status

Testing is key to determining the mineral status of the herd. Primarily, use animal testing –blood and liver – to determine actual mineral levels in your herd. Sec-

ondly, use pasture and feed testing to determine if the diet alone will meet herd requirements.

Pasture and feed testing can also identify levels of other minerals that impact on the uptake of important trace elements by stock; for example, molybdenum.

Other mineral supplements can also affect the uptake of trace elements; for example, zinc and copper.

After a severe season for facial eczema, like we are having this year, high rates of zinc have been used over a long period of time to prevent facial eczema. High zinc intakes will reduce the uptake of copper in the gut, leading to the depletion of liver copper reserves. It is a good idea to assess the copper status of your herd at dry-off to determine copper requirements.

Once the budget has been determined, farmers can supply stock with required

Get in the frame Dancing for joy Visitors were invited to be photographed with this model Brahman bull on the Technipharm stand at Fieldays 2015.

Husband takes the wife to her high school reunion.

After meeting several of her friends and former school mates, they are sitting at a table where he is yawning and overly bored.

The band cranks up and people are beginning to dance.

There’s a guy on the dance floor living it up large, break dancing, moon walking, doing back flips, buying drinks for people, the works.

Wife turns to her husband and says: “See that guy? Well, 25 years ago he proposed to me and I turned him down”.

Husband says: “Looks like he’s still celebrating!”

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Page 48

AUTUMN FERTILISER

Reducing fertiliser N dependency The collapsed dairy milk price and the downturn in sheep meat export prices has caused a sudden flurry of promotion for good management of permanent pasture.

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The advice has emanated from all levels and related organisations, many of which had formerly been passive about the national shift to reliance on chemical nitrogen and supplement-reliant farming regimes, despite the dangers of reduced true profitability.

Our voice – The Dolomite Company NZ – has been one of a small number which have consistently supported permanent pasture as the only management alternative that allows farmers to earn more than they are required to spend each season. And our point of difference has always been concern about the costs and impacts of fertiliser nitrogen.

Most fertiliser nitrogen is applied in the form of urea; an estimated $300 millionper-year industry; with the argument for its existence being that, without it being regularly applied, pasture and total farm production would significantly decline.

Of course nitrogen is an essential element for plant growth. And until the development of the Kapuni-based ammonia urea plant in the late 1980s, the nitrogen in our pastures came largely from the activity of bacteria on the nodules of clover roots. At that time clover/ryegrass pasture was the basis of our primary industries. There is far less clover seen in current pastures.

High yields

For further information call 0800 100 442 or visit www.gypsum.co.nz

Records show production from high quality pasture at that time was often measured at 18,000kgDM/ha annually, whereas now the expectation seems to be about 14,000kgDM/ha.

The explanation given for this change is measurement systems are different these days, and research figures from that time are no longer relevant. However, higher yields are still being achieved by farmers who are no longer applying copious nitrogen during the growing season.

As well as high yields and production, these farmers have substantially reduced costs. Purchasing 100kgN/ha as urea for an 110ha property would cost $12,100 with transport and spreading costs still to be added.

In addition, they are reporting increased pasture production year-on-year, the most important – and appealing – upside of a well-managed clover-based system. This is due to an increase in humus and soil carbon formed from dung, dead grasses and old plant roots when nature operates naturally.

With steadily increasing humus, greater amounts of moisture and nutrient are stored, with an improved spread of growth throughout the year.

Pastures grow longer into a dry spell, recover more quickly when rain arrives, and reduce the requirement for plant renewal.

Natural system

It is true that, for a nitrogendependent fertiliser system, there will be a decline in growth initially, until a more natural system is encouraged through a shorterthan-might-be- expected risk-free transition process which favours establishment of strong vigorous clovers.

Where nitrogen has been regularly applied, plant available calcium levels are likely to be too low for optimum clover growth.

Therefore, autumn is not the best time for a correction with an application of lime, as excess calcium in pasture prior to calving reduces the availability of magnesium, and an increase in costly calcium/magnesium related metabolic disorders can occur.

Instead, an application of Golden Bay Dolomite now at between 200-250kg/ha, at about $50/ha, applying 23-28kg Mg/ha, provides the initial transition step, as well as ensuring animals fully fed on pasture receive sufficient magnesium for robust good health at calving.

The dolomite will increase pasture palatability and allow better utilization – often commented on – and a consequent improvement in physical soil structures will allow excess water to drain, reducing damage from pugging during winter.

A lime application in November, further increasing soil pH, will stimulate beneficial earthworm activity, and provide the calcium necessary for strong clover growth. Thus, reducing or removing the need for fertiliser nitrogen during the next growing season.

For more information, call Peter on 0800 436 566.

AUTUMN FERTILISER

Page 49

Forage systems under scrutiny The Forage Strategy Steering Group aims to lift the productivity and profitability of the pastoral sector.

An initiative to improve the sustainability and profitability of New Zealand’s forage grazing systems has the buy-in of everyone representing the pastoral sector.

The pastoral industry Forage Strategy Steering Group has been set up and its chairman, Richard Green, says one of the key lessons from the previous Forage Review Strategy in 2011 is the power of aligning the sector’s resources by involving all the organisations which support farmers.

the contribution forages make to the underlying productivity and profitability of the pastoral sectors and to achieve these outcomes in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Under-investment

Pastoral farming is a huge earner for New Zealand worth more than $23 billion in export revenues last year; Lean times and the aim is to ensure forage-based “In lean times it is particularly vital grazed farm systems are more to have good forages and good sustainable and profitable in grazing management. “Good the future. times for dairy farming up until recently have “Pastoral farming “However, for many sheep and beef farming diminished the sharp is a huge earner systems, tight economic focus on pasture, and contributed to overall for New Zealand, conditions have been a fact of farming for dechigher production worth more than ades,” says Richard. costs. In the current “For these systems, environment, those $23 billion in there may be chronic higher costs are neither export revenues under-investment in both profitable nor sustainsoils and pastures that could able,” says Richard. last year...” also be proving unsustainable, Industry groups, Beef + and has arguably lead to underLamb New Zealand, DairyNZ, investment from agribusiness as well.

FAR, the Fertiliser Association of New “While the issues might be different Zealand, commercial interests through across the pastoral sector, the underthe New Zealand Plant Breeding and lying theme is that the stakeholders Research Association, and the Government, via AgResearch and the Ministry all need to be better aligned,” says Richard. for Primary Industries, are all working James Morrison, who managed the together on a 20-year vision for New 2011 review, will also manage this Zealand forages. project. The project will develop a fiveThese industry participants conyear action plan by this September. sider there is significant scope to lift

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Page 50

COAST & COUNTRY

FORESTRY

Page 51

Need to put a value on carbon stored in wood Forest owners say the formal adoption of the Paris climate change agreement in New York on April 22 will potentially have great benefits for both plantation and natural forests worldwide.

Climate Change Minister Paula Bennett was in New York

to sign the agreement along with representatives from 130 other countries.

Forest Owners Association president Peter Clark says getting signatures on the agreement is yet another step in a long journey.

The agreement will come into force once it has been ratified by 55 countries – representing at least 55 per cent of global emissions.

“This may take a few years, but in the meantime New Zealand is able to continue with emissions reduction at home. An important part of that is encouraging the planting and replanting of plantation forests, because of their ability to absorb and store carbon from the atmosphere.

“Aside from the environmental benefits, forestry is one of the least costly ways we have for reducing emissions. Also if forest owners could rely on a steady income from carbon credits it would help reduce the impact of volatile international log and lumber markets on their businesses.”

Peter is heartened that the Government has signalled it will make the existing Emissions Trading Scheme, known as the ETS, do its job by putting a meaningful price on carbon.

“Minister Bennett

has said the clock is ticking on the one-for-two subsidy enjoyed by emitters. She’s also reviewing whether emitters should have unfettered access to international units,” says Peter.

The Paris agreement recognises that if the world is to address climate change, it is vital to encourage plantation forestry and to protect and restore natural forests. “As part of this, our ETS rules need to put a value on the carbon stored in wood products.

“This is an important issue for the Wood Council, which points out global rules have recognised carbon in wood products since the 2011 Durban conference.

“At present the NZETS rules assume all the carbon in a log is emitted at the moment of harvest. Clearly that’s not the case. Every wood-framed house in the world is a carbon store.”

Peter says the FOA is a member of the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations.

Its members have achieved an impressive five per cent reduction in their greenhouse gas

Forest owners appoint new president Peter Clark, the chief executive officer of PF Olsen Ltd, has been elected president of the Forest Owners Association.

operations and consulting in New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia, China and the Pacific.

He’s a long-standing member of the FOA board and is on the board of the Wood Council of NZ. He replaces retiring president Paul Peter says he’s keen to see the mulNicholls. George Asher, chief executive tiple economic and environmental officer of the Lake Taupo Forest Trust, benefits of forestry recognised by all has been elected New Zealanders. vice-president.

He holds or has The associarecently held a tion’s members number of posiown the majority tions on forest of New Zeaindustry and govland’s plantation ernment advisory forests. It works boards involving closely with the climate change, Farm Forestry bioenergy and Association and forestry sector is administrator research. He’s for the Forest also a board Levy Trust member of the Board, which NZ International represents the Business Forum interests of all and the NZ forest owners.

China Council.

Peter has 40 Peter served on years’ experiThe Forest Owners Association’s new the steering group ence in forest president Peter Clark. of the Business

Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum from its formation in 2010 until October 2015 and is now a board member of the Forest Industry Safety Council.

He holds an honours degree in forestry science from the University of Canterbury and is a registered forestry consultant and a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry.

emissions intensity since 2010/2011 and 17 per cent since 2004/2005.

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 52

Vintage machinery delights the crowds The Tauranga Vintage Machinery Club’s Crank Up Festival in April once again proved a winner with the public, says club president Eric Green.

“Among the highlights was seeing Michael Cooper use his 1958 D9E Caterpillar bulldozer to push

The steady “chuff chuff ” of a 1916 Mogul tractor, the clunk of a nearby stationery engine and the roar of a 1958 D9E Caterpillar bulldozer were among the sounds on a Katikati property as dozens of vintage tractors and engines “cranked-up” for the delight of the public.

Eric Green and his Farmall tractor attempt the tricky feat of balancing on the tractor see-saw at the Katikati Crank Up Festival.

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over a dead chestnut tree on the property. The bulldozer was just idling, but the tree didn’t stand a chance,” says Eric.

The Booth & MacDonald stationery hay baler, which baled hay for the first time in at least 60 years, was also a crowd-pleaser. The Mogul tractor, owned by Larry Williams, provided the power to drive Colston Landon’s Booth & MacDonald baler – and, after a few minor adjustments, and a couple of reject bales, it and the men feeding it produced very acceptable conventional hay bales.

A number of restored stationery engines, one driving a water pump, were on display, along with a range of tractors, vintage cars and military vehicles. Children enjoyed rides in a buggy, pulled not by horses, but by a 35horsepower tractor.

Eric was among those to attempt to balance his Farmall on the tractor see-saw – a feat not as easy as it first appeared, given the uneven weight dis-

tribution of the machine. “We received a lot of positive comments from those who attended, the day including many from people who had a direct association with the type of machinery and equipment on display,” says Eric.

It wasn’t all machine power though.

Bruce Polly and his two Clydesdale horses were also there.

Members of other vintage machinery clubs, including from the Waikato, Hauraki Plains and Rotorua also took part in the event which will be held again in April 2017.

“This is one of the events at which our members can display and demonstrate their vehicles and machinery,” says Eric. “We also put on displays at A&P Shows and attend rallies held by other clubs Elaine Fisher too.”

Michael Cooper’s massive 1958 D9E Caterpillar bulldozer gives a demonstration of its power at the Crank Up Festival at Katikati.

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 53

Page 54

RURAL DRIVER

The belle of the ball She’s not pretty and she’s buxom.

Yes, heavyset, according to the man who loves her most.

Andy Moreland’s beloved M3 halftrack will be at the BOP Military Vehicle Show and VE Celebration on May 7-8.

But she still turns heads. Oh yes!

At every outing this grand, old lady of 74 years is a showstopper. People stop, people stare and people pore.

Andy Moreland is infatuated.

“I have lavished lots of money on her. Yeah, tens of thousands.” How many tens of thousands? “Oh, I don’t know. But I have got the disease bad.”

Love-struck

He’s infected with love for seven tonnes of wartime truck, or is it a tank? An M3 half-track known officially as the Carrier, Personnel Half-track M3 – one of the most iconic vehicles used by the Allies during World War II and the Cold War. “She’s special to me, but also special to everyone wherever she goes,” says Andy.

And she will be special, a leading lady, a piece de resistance at the BOP Military Vehicle Show and VE Day Celebration on May 7-8 at The Historic Village, Tauranga

from 9.30am-3pm daily.

“She will be running, there’s no show unless she is running,” says Andy. “We like to use her. “That’s what she’s there for. It gives you a bit of a kick.”

Andy’s M3 is a warhorse from another time, a time of global warfare. And she will be a little bit of reality on a day Tauranga can stop to celebrate, remember and be grateful for peace.

VE Day marks the formal acceptance by the Allies of WWII of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender. The deadliest conflict of all time had claimed more than 60 million lives. And it was over.

The M3’s war was in the South Pacific. But when there was no longer conflict there was no need and the half-tracker was abandoned to the corrosive sea air and jungles of Vanuatu. Until Andy’s friend found it.

“This is a truck you need to have,” the friend told Andy. “He sent me three photos of the rust-

ing wreck. No motor, nothing. A proper mess,” says Andy.

He spent a whole lot of money buying and transporting not much really. Why? “Because I was bloody stupid.”

Celebrating VE

When his wife Elbe saw it sitting outside his Tauwhare Military Museum workshop near Cambridge, she described it as a “heap of bloody junk”. She suggested Andy might need his head read.

Even he admits to feeling “a bit shattered” when he first saw it.

Two years of serious and expensive restorative surgery began on the old girl. “We found a new engine in Holland. Brand new. Still in the packing case. It had been sent to the front but never used.”

VE Day will be celebrated at the village on the weekend of May 7-8.

With reflection and respect.

The show is from 9.30am-3pm daily and admission is free.

Hunter Wells

Safer vehicles, across the board

Big or small, luxury or standard the latest release of five-star ANCAP safety ratings show consumer choice for buying a safe vehicle is at an all-time high, according to the New Zealand Automobile Association, known as the AA. The small Holden Spark, Skoda Superb, Jaguar XF and Kia QL Sportage were all released in 2016 and achieved the highest ANCAP safety rating, says the AA. The Spark, Superb and Sportage are all up there with the Jaguar XF in terms of safety technologies offered across each of their ranges, which is good news for middle New Zealand who can now expect many of

the same life-saving technologies at lower price points in the market.

All four models boast a suite of advanced crash avoidance technologies as standard including Electronic Stability Control, commonly referred to as ESC, which helps the driver stay in control of the vehicle in the event of a slide or swerve and Emergency Brake Assist which helps to prevent nose to tail crashes.

The full list of ANCAP’s vehicle safety ratings, other vehicle safety information and the specifications of the rated vehicles are available online at aa.co.nz or rightcar.govt.nz

WINTER WARMTH

Page 55

Keeping Kiwi homes warm - and with style Yunca Heating has been warming the homes of New Zealanders for close to 40 years.

The company’s engineering philosophy of ‘quality first’ has stood the test of time with an uncompromising focus on strength, durability and reliability throughout the Yunca wood burner and multi-fuel range, says managing director Karyna Young.

Yunca is a division of Terry Young Limited and is a Southland-based company with factories in Invercargill, Dunedin and Goa, India. All its units are designed for the harshest winters that New Zealand can throw at Kiwis.

“Yunca prides itself in still supplying every single spare part to every wood burner and multi-fuel it has ever made…even some of the original models that are 39 years old can be found out there today, still keeping homes warm.

“Yunca has a proven record in superior build, now its design team and engineers are placing

Yunca designs clean, fresh, slimline, contemporary units that are in line with global trends.

Get active, eat well Keeping warm is about more than pulling on warm clothes, turning on the heater or stoking up the fire – it’s also about eating well and exercising.

Get active and eat lots of fruit and vegetables to ward off winter colds and flu. Have hot meals and hot drinks to keep your family warm and healthy; and wrap up in layers of warm clothes to stay snug.

It’s important for your family’s health that your house is warm and dry. Cold and damp homes are linked to poor health, especially for babies and small children, people who are ill or elderly. Only heat the room you are in. Try and keep the temperature between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius especially if you have babies, people with illnesses, or older people living in your home.

a huge emphasis on the aesthetic look of their units.

“We want clean, fresh, slim line, contemporary units that are in line with global trends yet won’t date with each season.”

Yunca are still one of the only manufacturers to offer a complete vitreous enamel option which holds its look for years and years to come. “Vitreous enamel is like a baked on glass, so a simple wipe with a damp cloth and you are sparkling again, a real positive for those who get frustrated with ash,” says Karyna.

Procote Industries Ltd does all of Yunca’s enamelling work. This allows Yunca to keep edging forwards with the interior design movements, offering pops of colour on their units to keep options exciting and thought provoking for all customers.

In recognition of how pivotal it is to get it right the first time, Yunca aims to keep replacement parts to an absolute minimum and ensure customer satisfaction for many years to come.

Page 56

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Rotorua represented on Invictus stage Adaptive sports competitions like the Invictus Games aid in holistic healing throughout the recovery and rehabilitation process: mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physically and socially.

“I’m working hard to overcome and conquer the hurdles I’ve found myself facing,” says Heather, who hopes to take part Currently working as an operations administrator in wheelchair basketball, cycling and archery as part of the NZDF Deployed Personnel Service at the games.

Centre, who help prepare personnel to deploy on In 2014, NZDF sent a contingent of 12 operations, and with nine years’ Service with the athletes to compete against more than 400 Royal New Zealand Navy as acting leading writer, athletes from 13 countries in the games – Heather is delighted to be selected as part of the team bringing back six medals for their efforts. for the games.

In the 2016 Games, 18 New Zealand com“Being part of the New Zealand team and attending petitors, including Heather, will take up the the Invictus Games will have a life-long effect on me.

Invictus challenge.

Meeting new people who have overcome challenges, More than 500 competitors from 15 illness or injury will be a constant reminder for me to countries will compete in 10 adaptive sports stay positive.”

– including archery, road cycling, power The physical element of competing in adaptive lifting, indoor rowing, athletics, swimming, sports is a huge challenge for many of the NZDF wheelchair tennis, wheelchair basketball, team – one they are each determined to overcome. wheelchair rugby and sitting volleyball.

The Invictus Games provides an international stage The NZDF Invictus Games team is that unites wounded, ill and injured service men and proudly supported by the Auckland and women from around the world. The games enable Christchurch RSAs, BLK Sports, Fulton both active duty personnel and veterans to learn and Rotorua’s John Paul College old Hogan NZ, the OffLimits Trust, and the share through their common experiences. girl Heather Cook is part of the Fallen Heroes Trust.

2016 New Zealand Defence Follow the team’s progress at facebook.com/ Force’s Invictus Games team.

InvictusGamesNZ

Rotorua’s John Paul College old girl Heather Cook is facing a new challenge as she leaves the admin field and hits the sports arena as part of the 2016 New Zealand Defence Force’s Invictus Games team.

Shine a light on this object’s past This month Coast and Country News is revealing what the ‘mystery item’ is – because the team at the Morrinsville Heritage Centre would like to know more about it.

Museum manager Barbara Dalziel says it is a very solid, attractive lamp stand that once stood outside a doctor’s surgery in Morrinsville.

“This was before the days of electricity so an oil lamp would have been placed inside it. We would appreciate some feedback about the lamp from readers.”

If you know something about the lamp, where it stood, who the doctor was or even information on similar lamps, we’d love to hear from you and you could be in to win a visit for two to the Morrinsville Heritage Centre.

Send your entry to: elaine@thesun. co.nz with ‘Mystery item’ in the subject line, or post to Mystery Item, Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110.

The museum, at 41 Canada St, Morrinsville, is open Tuesdays to Fridays from 12.30pm-4pm, and Saturdays 9am-2pm. To find out more, visit www. morrinsvilleheritagecentre.org.nz or phone 07 889 4190.

No one was able to correctly identify the mystery item from March, which was a gold miner’s lunch box, and is on display at the Te Aroha and District Museum.

This lamp has links to Morrinsville’s early history.

This item from the Te Aroha and District Museum was a gold miner’s lunch box.

EMILIO’S TIMBERS EST1981

LIFESTYLE FARMING

Page 57

Active community among village’s appeal Aparangi Retirement Village is a vibrant, fast-growing community set in the heart of Te Kauwhata where new roading networks make it easy travel to Auckland, Hamilton and the coast.

“Aparangi is more than a retirement village – it is a lifestyle choice that attracts increasing numbers of people many choosing the village as their new home,” says general manager Jackie Long.

“We are selling our sections almost on a weekly basis now and

we have daily enquiries regarding to what is available. So what makes us attractive to those choosing to live with us?”

Jackie believes among the reasons are the many local attractions

Te Kauwhata has to offer as well as Aparangi village itself being a very active community, which sees it very much part of the wider Te Kauwhata township.

“As a village we offer a range of housing options including the ability to build your own home or have a spec house built for you. New properties are being constructed currently.

“Not only that but we are able to support our residents when they need care as we have our own residential care unit set in the large,

Limited rural subdivision now in Western Bay With increased demand for lifestyle building now, the blocks will be increasingly hard to find.

Several years ago, the Western Bay of Plenty District Council had a huge change in direction with subdivision.

The upshot was they introduced the Minden Lifestyle Zone and most people with existing subdivision rights had to transfer them to landowners in the Minden area in order to obtain any benefit.

Most blocks being created in this zone will be about 4000 square metres, somewhat less than the true lifestylers need. Those wanting a few hectares will have to compete for the existing blocks or rely on the comparatively few lots still allowed under other rules.

Some larger lifestyle blocks can still be created in the rural zone in conjunction with protection of ecological features such as “over half a hectare of wetland” or “protection of 250 metres of planted stream bank” – significant cultural sites and view shafts can also comply.

This is a rule that’s found favour, as it is a win-win for the landowner and the general public. Rural subdivision is also available to those who can achieve a minimum productive lot area of six hectares and those with more than 12ha may even qualify for a bonus lifestyle lot.

Productive land

Boundary adjustments between existing titles, or relocation of existing titles, is another popular way of creating rural blocks to meet the market. Generally, these can be adjusted in size along the way to keep the majority of productive land in the farm.

Prior to the changes, WBOPDC had a rather flexible subdivision regime that many would argue allowed too much fragmentation of the productive land.

Unfortunately this went on too long and rather than tweaking the rules, council felt it needed to change abruptly.

However, as a conciliation, council allowed those that hadn’t used their ‘rights’ under the old rules to sell them to landowners in the lifestyle zone.

Many properties with older titles have this ability and those with multiple titles can amalgamate titles in order to free up more for sale. Detailed advice should be sought before doing the latter.

These rights are called Transferable Development Rights or TDRs and sell for up to $20,000 at present. The TDRs can also be created by protecting ecological features. Without purchasing a TDR you cannot subdivide in the lifestyle zone.

Slow progress

Development in the Minden Zone is limited, pending construction of the Tauranga Northern Link. Some parts are now reaching their capacity, due to restricted access on to the State Highway. We believe that progress is slowly being made on plans to upgrade this highway, although it is anyone’s guess when it will finally happen.

If you wish to clarify any subdivision strategies mentioned here, please feel free to give me a call. I’m happy to discuss the situation with you to see if it is worth pursuing.

Brent Trail, managing director of Surveying Services, specialises in resource consent applications for subdivisions across the Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Coromandel. For further information, call 0800 268 632 or email btrail@surveyingservices.co.nz

sprawling village grounds. Aparangi Retirement Village offers resthome, hospital level care, palliative care and day support.

“Aparangi Village is quite unique in terms of retirement villages and we are one of the few not-for-profit community facilities in the country.

“If this sounds like a place that you might enjoy then come and have a visit. Walk around and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Meet current residents and staff.

“You will be surprised at the space we offer and our price structure,” says Jackie.

Page 58

RETIREMENT

FAST action can reduce harm of strokes Do you know the signs of a stroke? Each year about 9000 people have a stroke in New Zealand – and, by learning to recognise the symptoms of a stroke, you could save a life.

“Early identification and treatment is crucial to reduce the likelihood of brain damage and lasting harm,” says Health Minister Jonathan Coleman.

The FAST campaign, which encourages all New Zealanders to learn the key signs of a stroke and to act fast by calling 111, was promoted recently during National Stroke awareness week in April.

The FAST acronym is internationally recognised and stands for Face – Arms – Speech – Time.

• Face: Is their face drooping on one side? Can they smile?

• Arm: Is one arm weak? Can they raise both arms?

• Speech: Is their speech jumbled or slurred? Can they speak at all?

• Time: Time is critical. Call 111.

The Stroke Foundation says prompt action can save lives, improve recovery and reduce ongoing costs from stroke to families, caregivers and the health services.

Since the campaign launched, the Waikato District Health Board has seen a “real increase” in patients and their families/whanau recognising the FAST acronym, says Waikato District Health’s Dr Sarah Fowler.

Owner of the nation’s largest private homecare providers, Miranda Smith Homecare is also a big advocate of the FAST campaign and uses it to ensure her carers and staff are educated on the symptoms that someone they are caring for may be having a stroke.

“Many of the clients we care for have had a stroke, so we see first-hand the impact this can have on a person’s independence and their loved ones who sometimes need to take on a caregiver role,” says Miranda. For further information on the FAST campaign or support, visit www.stroke.org.nz

HOMECARE

Independence is vital to maintaining a quality of life.

The Summers’ 65 years of love They have lived, loved, worked and travelled together all 65 years of their marriage.

Melva and Charles Summers have been They’ve hardly been out of wed for 65 years. each other’s sight.

And here they are – Charles and Melva Summers, he’s 87 and she’s 86, still sitting holding hands and patting and stroking each other. The happy couple recently celebrated 65 years of marriage. It’s one of those stories of enduring love – where reality is bigger than fiction.

“I was keen,” says Charles, of the pretty dark-haired 17-year-old who walked into life 70 years ago. Keen? He was infatuated.

Because on Wednesdays he would often row right across the harbour to see his lovely. No harbour bridge then.

“Took me half an hour – with the tide – a good workout.” Then he would row home in the dark.

“I was bought up on the harbour so I knew all the channels.”

And he knew his heart. Because on the way he would sing: ‘Come back to Sorrento’. “Well I would try to sing it,” says the modest romantic.

“Look at this garden, and the scent of these oranges, such a fine perfume, it goes straight to your hear” – Frank Sinatra sang it, so did Elvis, Placido Domingo and Meat Loaf. And Charles Summers. The song reflected a population’s love and passion for a city.

It also reflected a young Mount Maunganui apprentice baker’s love

and passion for a young woman called Melva Bunker. And some years later Charles would live out that song. He would take Melva to Sorrento, a seaside city in south-west Italy.

“We sat outside under those orange trees,” says Melva. “We had a drink and we thought about it.” All these years later, lovers are rethinking it. “And a promise was kept,” she says. It’s the stuff of movies.

It was 1946 when teenager Melva first walked into a bakery at Mount Maunganui. Christmas was in the air, it was busy and she’d been offered a job in the bakery store. Love was in the air too.

“This young fellow watched me come in and then raced away to comb his hair. I was impressed.”

What was he like? “Gosh I don’t know.

I was only 17.” Was it improper in those days for a young woman to suss out the talent? But he was good-looking apparently. “Well I thought so,” she admits.

Charles isn’t nearly as bashful. “I was impressed straight away. Her good looks, her dark hair. Pretty? Oh yes!!”

“You know, I have never asked him what he first thought,” says Melva.

Well, 70 years later she knows, via a prying reporter. To read this story in full, go to theweekendsun.co.nz; Search for ‘The Summers’ 65 years’.

Hunter Wells

COUNTRY LIVING

Discovering the world through Shu’s eyes Schools and early childhood centre educators and students throughout New Zealand can expect a quirky character coming to their theatres in the next few months Capital E National Theatre for Children’s ‘Shu’s Song’ is a new live show created by Laura Gaudin, Rachel Callinan and Gina Moss for children at early childhood centres and up to Year 3 primary pupils.

Curiosity

During the 45-minute show, audience members follow the journey of Shu learning to adapt to an unfamiliar world, gradually turning curiosity into confidence with each new encounter.

Capital E National Theatre for Children’s creative producer Marianne Taylor says Shu’s exploration of new objects and environments encourages ideas such as exploration, identity, belonging and critical thinking. “We’re very much looking forward to premiering this production for schools and ECCs across the country.”

This live show will delight and inspire young people as Shu discovers the secret life of everyday objects in a home office.

Shu’s imagination brings these

‘Shu’s Song’ is a new live show created by Laura Gaudin, Rachel Callinan and Gina Moss. objects alive in this charming and inventive story about exploring our environments and building relationships.

Secret life

Sound and music are key elements of the show, using tone, volume, and composition to demonstrate emotion, communication and purpose. In fact, sound, movement, puppetry and light replace speech, creating a non-verbal visual theatre experience that provides each audience member

with opportunity to connect and understand the story through their individual perspective.

‘Shu’s Song’ reflects a young person’s world of discovery and imagination. It tells a story we will all recognise – a path to understanding our complex world and the challenges faced along the way.

The show provides a great opportunity for children to explore and discover drama and sound, to understand the concepts of what can be achieved when working together as a group, and to respond to live theatre – another experience that may be new in their lives.

Bookings are open for all Capital E shows with further information on how to book shows and ticket prices at capitale.org.nz

Shows are at: • Hamilton Clarence Street Theatre May 16-18.

• Tauranga Baycourt Community & Arts Centre May 20.

• Rotorua Civic Theatre May 24.

• Gisborne War Memorial Theatre June 20.

• New Plymouth TSB Showplace Theatre Royal June 23.

• Taupo Great Lake Centre July 1.

Take a chance, even if timing’s not great Take the opportunities life presents, even if the timing is not ideal, is among the advice Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy has for members of the Bay of Plenty Future Leaders Group.

When he was first approached become National Party list MP, Nathan says he almost turned the offer down.

“Erica and I had a young family, I was enjoying farming and local politics. I said ‘I’d think about it in 10 years’ time’.”

However, a meeting with Bill English, now Deputy Prime Minister, caused the couple to reconsider and in 2005 Nathan entered Parliament as a list MP, he told the members of the group he joined for lunch at Bruntwood Farms near Tauranga.

While he had strong interests in local politics, the possibility of being able to make a difference at a national level, through government, had significant appeal.

Nathan wasn’t new to politics. Before entering Parliament, he had served eight years on the Horowhenua District Council following in the footsteps of

his father, who had been the district’s mayor.

In parliament Nathan has been Junior and Senior Whip prior to becoming a Minister in 2009. He won the Otaki Electorate seat in 2008 and has continued to grow his majority.

Since 2009 he’s been the Minister of Internal Affairs, Immigration and Veteran Affairs, as well as the Associate Minister of Justice and Transport.

Nathan has been Minister for Primary Industries and Racing for more than three years.

Leadership takes many forms, he told the meeting.

“Get involved, stand for something. If you have children, stand for the school Board of Trustees, or take leadership roles in your industry sector.”

He also encouraged group members to do what they could to inspire young people to enter the industry by outlining the diverse career opportunities horticulture offers.

The aim of the Future Leaders Group is to develop potential future leaders of the horticultural industries by engaging them through regular learning, networking and social activities.

To find out more, see: www.nzkgi.org.nz/careers/ future-leaders.aspx Elaine Fisher

Page 59

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 60

Early treatment aids tennis elbow recovery Tennis elbow refers to pain in the muscular area at the outer portion of the elbow that develops from sudden, increased use or overuse of the elbow.

These muscles control the tendons in the back of the forearm and hand, and are responsible for straightening the fingers and pulling the hand backwards into a ‘stop’ position.

The term ‘tennis elbow’ is used because it commonly occurs in people who play tennis or other racket sports. Other people frequently affected include manual labourers regularly using hand-held tools; however this condition can affect just about anyone in the general population.

Muscle tension

While tennis elbow was originally thought to be inflammation of the muscles or tendons, current research suggests it is more likely to be due to the breakdown of the tissues in the area as a result of increased stress or tension in the muscles.

Tennis elbow can come on either suddenly, or develop gradually over time. The pain may begin with activity and quickly go away following activity in the early stages. As it progresses, it may be painful before and after activity, but ease while in use.

Other symptoms can include pain overnight, stiffness in the elbow or forearm, and progression of pain through the forearm. Occasionally pins and needles and numbness might occur.

A common complaint among tennis elbow sufferers is pain while gripping an object or making a fist. This is because during these activities the affected muscles are working. Because of this, grip strength may gradually weaken over time to a point where gripping objects becomes an impossible task. This can limit normal daily activities such as writing or driving.

Your physio will assess the affected muscle group to

Tennis elbow is likely to be due to the breakdown of the tissues as a result of increased stress or tension in the muscles. determine the extent of the condition. You will experience muscle stretching and strength testing, and likely a grip strength test. Your arm’s sensation and overall joint range of movement in the wrist, elbow and shoulder will be assessed as well.

Physio help

Following assessment, you will be treated with multiple modalities including massage, ultrasound, muscle strengthening and stretching, and joint range of movement exercises.

A fact that some people find surprising is posture can also play a role in the treatment of this condition.

Depending on the cause of your tennis elbow, your physio may suggest a change in the set-up of your desk, workplace, or grip technique of your racket or hand-held tool.

It is normal for tennis elbow to take a few weeks or even months to heal. If conservative management is not having a good effect, your physio can help you speak to your doctor about other management techniques. As tennis elbow is a progressive condition that generally does not resolve on its own, it is recommended to seek treatment sooner rather than later, as recovery is much faster when started early.

Fourteen fruit fly incursions stopped at border

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There has been a flood of overseas visitors this summer, but stronger border biosecurity defences have stopped hitchhiking pests and diseases from entering New Zealand, says the Ministry for Primary Industries.

“It has been a summer of action for MPI biosecurity staff who have faced record numbers of arriving passengers,” says MPI border clearance services director Steve Gilbert.

“Despite the huge numbers, we’ve kept

processing times down “Stopping fruit fly from for passengers. And most entering New Zealand is importantly, our complia big focus for us. So it is ance statistics show good to know that we we are blocking have prevented at “It has the things that least 14 incursions been a pose biosof this destrucecurity risk to tive pest this summer summer.”

New Zealand. of action” Last year MPI “More than 99 per cent of introduced 90 new passengers that frontline officers and 24 went through our border new detector dog teams checks arrived in New to strengthen biosecurity Zealand without any risk at the border. goods.”

“We have also upped Steve says there were 14 our risk assessment levels, interceptions of organic invested heavily in buildmaterial containing ing awareness about New fruit fly.

Zealand’s biosecurity rules

and introduced a mobile x-ray scanner to help clear cruise ship passengers.

“To ensure the biosecurity message gets through, officers have been taking a stricter approach with fining passengers who break the rules. We issued 2288 fines, a rise of 41 per cent from last year.”

Border statistics 2015/2016 summer Arriving airport passengers reached 1.58 million, a nine per cent increase from the previous summer.

MPI issued 2288 infringement notices with a $400 fine, an increase of 41 per cent from the previous summer.

MPI seized 4148 undeclared items from air passengers, an increase of 28 per cent from last year.

Undeclared fresh produce was the most common risk item.

Air passengers showed a 99.2 per cent compliance rate with New Zealand’s biosecurity requirements after passing through MPI’s biosecurity checks.

Average passenger processing time for passengers arriving at New Zealand’s biggest airport, Auckland Airport, was shorter than last year. Cruise vessels visiting New Zealand numbered 374. MPI intercepted 1109 risk items from cruise vessels, an increase of 84 per cent from last year.

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 61

The epitome of luxury river cruising Far from the hustle and bustle of the highway, there lies an intimate, peaceful world where picturesque rivers thread through majestic landscapes and into the very heart of quaint villages and historical cities.

River cruising is one of the most unique ways to see the world, and Avalon Waterways has more than a decade of experience in legendary river cruises.

Avalon has designed a cruise experience that includes all the right things… but still leaves room for your own preferences. Everything you want included already is – from deluxe accommodation with luxurious amenities, shore excursions with local guides, to gourmet cuisine with regional wine and beer with all on-board lunches and dinners, and complimentary tea, coffee and Wi-Fi throughout your journey.

Avalon Waterways’ award-winning fleet is the youngest on the European waterways with an average of just three years. You’ll glide along the rivers on ships designed to maximise space, comfort and views.

Introduced in 2011, their revolutionary Suite Ships

offer two full decks of panorama suites that provides 30 per cent more space than the standard industry cabin. The huge wallto-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows create an open-air balcony, meaning you don’t have to compromise with any unexpected weather patterns during your time on board. Best of all, 12 out of 16 of Avalon’s European fleet are the renowned Suite Ships.

For 2017, Avalon has more than 55 itineraries throughout not just Europe, but also South America, China and Southeast Asia. And 2017 also sees the introduction of the new Active Discovery on the Danube itinerary that includes daily activities like cycling, hiking, and canoeing amongst a range of excursions you can choose from.

Avalon has just released the 2017 river cruising season brochure along with a fantastic flexi air credit offer – allowing guests to receive up to $4000 per couple to put towards an airfare of their choice

when booking any 2017 Europe and/or Southeast Asia river cruise. This deal is valid on bookings made and deposited by May 31, 2016.

(;&(//(1&( ,1 '(50$72/2*<

$4000 AIR CREDIT

UP TO

PER COUPLE

To celebrate the launch of Avalon Waterways’ brand new 2017 river cruise brochure, they’re offering you a fantastic air credit deal. Simply choose your 2017 European and/or Southeast Asia cruise & you’ll receive a credit of between $1,500-$2,000 per person to put towards your airfare.

YOU CHOOSE: Your airline Your class of travel Your travel dates OFFER ENDS 31 MAY 2016

Contact us today for your FREE copy of this beautiful brochure

AIR CREDIT offer is available across ALL Europe & Southeast Asia cruises, in ALL cabin categories & for ALL 2017 departures!

CONDITIONS APPLY

The Travel Directors | Hamilton & Bayfair 07 847 1571 | hamilton@traveldirectors.co.nz | www.worldtravellers.co.nz/traveldirectorshamilton Shop One, The Village Quarter, 34 Lake Road, Frankton, Hamilton 07 574 1150 | bayfair@traveldirectors.co.nz | www.worldtravellers.co.nz/traveldirectorsbayfair 43 Girven Road, Bayfair, Mt Maunganui

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 62

trades & services

%(5 75 7,0 ( 6

17 0( $7

3 (33( 5

To list your rural event please email: julie@thesun.co.nz with Rural Event in the subject heading.

Wednesday 4 May Beef & Lamb NZ Bull Buying Workshop At 196 Coates Rd (off Te Kopia Rd), Waikite Valley, Rotorua 10am – 3pm. Targeted at the

commercial bull buyer & facilitated by B + LNZ Genetics, this workshop is designed to help you make good decisions about bull buying so you can add value to your farming system. The day

for sale

trades & services

includes practical cattle demonstrations & mock helmsman auction. Lunch supplied. Spaces limited.

Registration essential. Ph Andrew Jolly 027 556 8836 or email andrew. jolly@beeflambnz.com

Thursday 5 May

Waihi Drama Society Presents Ken Ludwig’s ‘The Games Afoot’ directed by Carol Hayden May 5-14. Tickets $20.

Matinee 2pm, evening 7.30pm.

Traps with Darren Learn how to get the most out of your DOC series traps with Darren Peters, 7.30pm, sign in on your home computer for a 90-minute ‘webinar’.

For details email: contact@predatorfreenz. org

runon listings curriculum vitae NEED A C.V.? A C.V. For You can provide you with the professional touch. From scratch or alterations.

“Get the interview….Land the job” Contact via www.facebook.com/ acvforyou or 0204 037 6034

for sale PULLETS HY-LINE BROWN, great layers. Phone 07 824 1762 www.eurekapoultryfarm.weebly.com

advertise ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCT or service in the listing every month.

Phone Julie on 07 578 0030 or email julie@thesun.co.nz

real estate

cars wanted WE ALWAYS PAY MORE!

$1000 CASH per week

0800 382 828

for sale

Friday 6 May

Beef & Lamb NZ Genetics Beef Progeny Test Field Day At Rangitaiki Station, Taupo 10am – 3pm. The first B+LNZ Genetics Beef Progeny Test field day series based on weaning & provides the opportunity to see which bulls performed across a variety of traits & environments. Progeny test calves will be on display.

Practical demonstrations included. No quads.

Lunch supplied. Ph Max Tweedie 027 404 5205 Email: Max.tweedie@ blnzgenetics.com

Saturday 7 May

Free Home Composting Workshop From 3pm-4.30pm, Taupo Community Gardens, near the Waipahihi sports ground, Richmond Ave. Spaces limited so please register: tinyurl.com/gqseptb Permaculture Design Course, Module 1 From 9am-5pm, Waikato Environment Centre, Hamilton, $135. Details at www. envirocentre.org.nz

Tuesday 10 May

Easy Gardening A 6-week course, 6.30pm-8.30pm, Fraser High School, Hamilton, $75. Details at www. fraser.school.nz/adulteducation

Thursday 12 May Beef & Lamb NZ Farm Safety Management System Workshop At Taupo Yacht Club, 9 Ferry Rd, Taupo 10am – 3pm. B+LNZ farmers will be given a free copy of safety management system & taught how to apply it to their farm.

This system has been developed by our safety partner QSI (NZ) & is endorsed by Worksafe NZ. For more details ph Rachel Jukes 07 839 0282 or email: rachel. jukes@beeflambnz.com Free Home Composting Workshop From noon-1pm, Gisborne. Take home a free compost bin, one per household. Limited spaces so please register with Tairawhiti Environment Centre.

Ph 06 867 4708

Saturday May 14 Foraging For Edible Weeds & Green Smoothie Workshop 10am-1pm,

Whakamarama (near Tauranga), $40, with Julia Sich. See www.juliasedibleweeds. com Native Plants & their Medicinal Properties From 9am-1pm, Fraser High School, Hamilton, $65. Details at tinyurl. com/hmtn5m7

Monday 16 May

Beef & Lamb NZ Farm Safety Management System Workshop At Comvita, 23 Wilson Rd South, Paengaroa, Te Puke 10am – 3pm.

B+LNZ farmers will be given a free copy of safety management system & taught how to apply it to their farm.

This system has been developed by our safety partner QSI (NZ) & is endorsed by Worksafe NZ. For more details ph Rachel Jukes 07 839 0282 or email: rachel. jukes@beeflambnz.com

Saturday 21 May Native Plants & their Medicinal Properties From 9am-1pm, Fraser High School, Hamilton, $65. Details at tinyurl. com/hmtn5m7

Thursday 26 May

Understanding Your Herd Part 1: Core principles of breeding & helping demystify key industry metrics. Part 2: Get started on assessing your own herd against industry benchmarks to that you can identify a couple of areas of focus & get your planning underway for next season. Distinction Hotel, 390 Fenton Street, Rotorua. 9.30am registration. 10am Part 1 start. 12pm lunch.

12.30pm Part 2 start.

2pm finish. Free event.

Morning tea & lunch provided. Register with www.dwn.co.nz/events Waikato Horticultural Society talk on Rhododendrons At 7.30pm, Wintec classroom, Hamilton Gardens Gate 2. Cost $5 for non-members.

Guest speaker Rodney Wilson from Cross Hills rhododendron garden. Ph Carmel 07 859 0158.

COAST & COUNTRY

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

AUCTION

Tauranga Central Office – 07 578 0879 Cherrywood Office – 07 576 8770 Bethlehem Office – 07 579 2206 Mount Central Office – 07 575 6384 Papamoa Office – 07 542 9012 Te Puke Office – 07 573 4754

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COAST & COUNTRY

Tall tales book prize for best captions

month’s Country Funnies photo.

An innovative, Caption this picture to be in to win a cool solution to copy of ‘The Heading Dog Who Splits In a hot summer’s Half – Legends day was and tall tales from the subject of last month’s New Zealand’ by Country Funnies photo Michael Brown – and, as usual, Coast & and illustrated by Country News readers had Mat Tait, puba number of equally innolished by Potton vative captions to suggest. & Burton.

‘So cool to be cool’ is the This book of tall caption from Raewyn Hall tales is an intriguof Waiuku and ing collection of ‘Girls just wantta stories from the have fun’ from L R earliest days of Crafar of Tauranga. human settlement Elaine Garnett of in Aotearoa and Tauranga suggests is told through ‘You can take the words and drawhorse to water, but ings, much in the you cannot make it tradition of the drink. You can take comic book. the women to water It’s a lightand they will enjoy hearted – and the drink’.

Caption this image to be in to win ‘The sometimes serious ‘Just horsin’ Heading Dog Who Split In Half ’.

– look at our past around’ is Anna and in a special offer, Coast & Country Buys’ suggestion and News has three copies to give away to the Jack Martelli of Rotorua writes: ‘Two three best captions. hot country babes horsing around’.

To be in to win a copy email capFor her caption: ‘You can tions for the pumpkin photo along lead a horse to water with your name and address, with but we beat them to the Country Funnies as the subject, to: drinks’, Judy Crow of elaine@thesun.co.nz Or put these Pukekohe wins a copy details on the back of an envelope of ‘The Mindful Home’ and post to: Country Funnies, PO

by Dr Craig and Deirdre Box 240, Tauranga 3140.

Hassed.

Entries need to arrive by Gardening can have its May 26. Winners will be challenges – especially when announced in the July issue of pumpkins invade the feijoa Coast & Country News. tree, as is shown in this

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS PRIZE UP FOR GRABS!

S

N NIE

Got children, grandchildren or nieces and nephews enjoying our great Kiwi country lifestyle? Send them in!

Ridge carr

ying his fi rst catch.

Send your high resolution jpeg photographs to: kathy@sunmedia.co.nz with ‘Country Camera’ in the subject line or post to Coast & Country News, PO Box 240, Tauranga.

Each valid entry requires the child’s first name, surname, age, plus their postal address and phone number.

Haven enjoys helping mum feed the chooks everyday.

Anna Fallen asleep on the job.