Farmlander July 2019

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

INTEREST

5 Farmlands staff profile

5 From the CEO

6 Farmlands Chairman standing down

8 5 minutes with John Brakenridge

10 Special Feature – International Velvet

19 Inter national players mine for opportunities at Mystery Creek

21 Technical teams supporting global growth areas

23 New machine to help export traceability

24 Tom Cranswick Memorial Award

25 ‘Resilient Dairy’ to inject $25m into sustainable innovation

34 Buying Power Promise

36 Choices Rewards

49 Addressing the ‘work till you drop’ culture in farming

50 Century Farms honoured in Lawrence

52 Out and about with Farmlands

57 Sell smarter

58 Farmlands Real Estate

PLAN365

Plan365 Nutrition

non-GMO

Preventing milk fever via a new anionic salt

Don’t be sheepish about lamb rearing this year 33 Successful lamb rearing advice is easy to digest

Plan365 Forage and Arable

35 Small but vital

Plan365 Dairy Management

37 Well-honed rearing system grows great calves

39 Milk additives for calves – what are the benefits?

41 In-calf statistics improve through nutrition programme

Plan365 Animal Management

43 Selection of pre-lamb treatments

45 Don’t let milk fever get you down

Plan365 Rural Infrastructure

47 Chain strainer gets the thumbs up from fencing champion

ON THE COVER

Waipapa Station switched from a venison to velvet-based herd in the early 2000’s. Since then, Evan and Linda Potter have enjoyed working with niche exporters and a short supply chain to meet global demand. Read more on page 10.

Calving Days From Balclutha to Stratford and 17 other places in between. See www.farmlands.co.nz/events to put your nearest calving event in the diary.

Taking place at Mystery Creek, Hamilton, this year’s theme is ‘Our Food Future’.

FARMLANDS STAFF PROFILE

Craig McKinnon

Q: What is your current role at Farmlands?

A: Technical Field Officer, Eastern.

Q: What do you enjoy about your job?

A: I love meeting people and building trusting relationships – I’m pretty old school like that.

Q: What type of work were you doing before you started at Farmlands?

A: I was a sheep and beef farmer in Wairoa for 20odd years. I’ve also worked for Williams and Kettle and Elders. I have been in this role for about 8 years.

Q: What would you do if you won $100,000?

A: I’d buy a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air – they’re beautiful.

Q: What do you like to do most in your spare time?

A: I love trout fishing and boating. We’ve got a place in Pukawa Bay so go there a bit. I like spending time with the kids and grandchildren. I’m also an armchair rugby fan and dig visiting Aussie when I can!

Q: What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?

A: Well, I don’t think they’re strange – but some might – mountain oysters. There’s nothing like lamb’s testicles cooked in a frypan with butter.

Craig’s Lamb’s Fry, Heart and Kidneys

Ingredients

• 1 lamb liver

• 1 lamb heart

• 2 lamb kidneys

• 2 large onions

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 3 tablespoons plain flour

Method

• 2½ cups of water

• 2 beef stock cubes

• 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce

• ½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce

• Salt and pepper

• Add any herbs to taste

1. Heat oil and add sliced liver, heart and kidneys. Cook until brown then remove from the pan.

2. Add chopped onions, cook until soft.

3. Add flour, stir until brown then remove from the heat.

4. Add water, stir until combined. Return pan to heat, stir until boils and thickens.

5. Add crumbled stock cubes, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper.

6. Reduce heat, add liver etc. Simmer for 30 minutes.

7. Serve with mashed potatoes.

FROM THE CEO

Welcome to the July issue of The Farmlander magazine. This month we discuss export and how it factors into the changing face of our sector.

New Zealand’s economic success has always hinged on our ability to send our produce offshore. The balance between volume and price has always been the biggest question and as a country, we are maturing when it comes to our view on production.

Our small land mass means we will never be able to feed the world – we can only feed a small pocket of it. The numbers say only 0.5 percent of the world’s population. Given this small number, it makes sense to target the ‘fussy’ 0.5 percent – the ones prepared to pay a premium for the wholesome, high-quality, natural and precious food we know we create.

New Zealand already does this remarkably well – but the reality is we need to do it better. Harnessing our positives, eliminating our negatives and becoming the natural provider to that fussy 0.5 percent is an opportunity we can own, build on and prosper from.

We are in a unique position where our country itself is a brand. Think Swiss chocolate or watches – but instead it is an entire primary sector that can tap into the knowledge our produce is not only ‘exotic’ to consumers on the other side of the world but also quality.

It is up to us as a producing nation to streamline how we want to be perceived, how we want to farm and how we want to tell our story. A collective approach will produce collective results – much like a co-operative.

Finally, I would like to finish with a note to acknowledge the decision of Lachie Johnstone to stand down as Chairman of Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited. As a merged entity that united two like-minded co-operatives, Lachie is the only Chairman this business has ever known and, both as a staff member and a shareholder, I am grateful for his guidance and assistance in steering Farmlands through this period of great change.

You can read more about Lachie’s announcement on page 6. On behalf of all Farmlanders – thank you, Lachie.

Kind regards,

Peter Reidie Chief Executive Officer Farmlands

Farmlands Chairman standing down

Farmlands Chairman Lachie

Johnstone has confirmed he will not be standing at this year’s Director Elections, after nearly 19 years on the Board.

Having been Chairman of the rural supplies and services co-operative since November 2003, Lachie announced fellow Director Rob Hewett will take over as Farmlands’ new Chair following the next AGM, scheduled for November.

Lachie, from Waikato, has announced his decision to Farmlands staff,

observing that his nearly two decades in governance with the rural supplies and services co-operative could be seen both as a positive and a negative.

“It has been my privilege to have watched Farmlands grow its footprint nationally. It’s now a nationwide cooperative, providing all the products and services our 68,000 shareholders need to succeed in business,” he says. “We’ve created a business that has an entire value structure built on giving back to those that trust us to help them with their livelihoods.

“At the same time, I’ve been vocal about the need for a stronger pool of candidates in rural governance. My view is 18 years plus is plenty for one person with one organisation and I look forward to continuing to work with Farmlands as a shareholder, rather than a Director.”

“

As

a merged entity that united two likeminded co-operatives, Lachie is the only Chairman this business has ever known and, both as a staff member and a shareholder, I am grateful for his guidance and assistance in steering Farmlands through this period of great change.

Peter Reidie, Farmlands Chief Executive.

Lachie says his decision is based entirely on time served and he looks forward to the new challenges and opportunities ahead.

“Above all, I’m confident that Farmlands is in good heart. Through the ‘To The Core’ programme, Farmlands, in conjunction with Silver Fern Farms,

have made a big effort to foster the next generation of rural governance. This initiative, in tandem with our Braveheart business-wide transformation programme, means our co-operative is positioning dynamically for the future –a future we see being full of promise.”

Lachie joined the Board of North Island-based Farmlands Trading Society Limited in November 2000 and was at the helm when it merged with South Island-based CRT Cooperative in 2013. He became the inaugural Chairman of the newly created Farmlands Co-operative,

which last year announced revenue of $2.39b with a profit of $12.2m.

Incoming Chairman Rob Hewett, who stepped down as Chairman of Silver Fern Farms Co-operative on 1st May, paid tribute to Lachie’s legacy within Farmlands.

“Steering two significant businesses through a merger of this scale in New Zealand is no mean feat and Lachie has been a strong and steady presence at the Board table,” Rob says. “I look forward to the opportunity to build on the progress the organisation has been making, while also reassuring shareholders that we have planned a seamless transition of leadership.”

Farmlands shareholders voted to adopt a new governance structure at last year’s Annual General Meeting at Hokitika, where the previous set-up of eight shareholder-elected and two independent directors was changed to six shareholder directors and three independents.

While the transition in Board structure will be embedded over time, the Society’s Rules state that the Chair of Farmlands must be a shareholder, elected by their peers.

Lachie will remain Chairman of Wellington-based Centreport Limited, alongside other portfolios. He will remain Chairman of Farmlands until the end of the AGM, before stepping down from the Board.

Rob is also Co-Chair of Silver Fern Farms Limited, a subsidiary of Silver Fern Farms Co-operative, of which he remains a Director.

Timeline for Director Elections and Chair transition

July 2019

Farmlands Chairman Lachie Johnstone announces he is standing down. Will remain Chair until the 2019 Farmlands AGM.

August 2019

Nominations will be sought for 2019 Director Elections.

October 2019

Voting papers for Director Elections sent to shareholders (if required).

November 2019

Farmlands 2019 AGM held, results of election announced. Rob Hewett to take over as new Chairman of Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited.

5 minutes with John Brakenridge

Chief Executive of The New Zealand Merino Company

Tell us a little about The New Zealand Merino Company.

The New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) was started in 1995 by Merino growers who wanted to ‘do things differently’ and lift New Zealand’s Merino wool out of the commodity basket through marketing and differentiation. Today, NZM is recognised for its track record of innovation, both in the Merino and mid-micron sector and more recently strong wool, flipping a very traditional, production-led and commodity-based industry on its head to bring about a global marketoriented culture that creates, captures and delivers long-term value.

In 2006, NZM identified that highend consumer preferences were changing and as a response developed ZQ, now recognised as the world’s leading ethical wool fibre.

How has ZQ been a game changer?

ZQ stands for quality, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, social responsibility and connection, from the grower through to the consumer. Direct, long-term ZQ supply contracts are set up by NZM, between progressive growers and a ZQ brand partner. These contracts mean growers can produce ‘fit-for-purpose’ fibre, are recognised for their values and ethical farming systems and have a

stable income, allowing them to invest in their future. The contracts also give brands certainty in quality fibre supply and consistent production standards, traceability and longterm economic sustainability.

Last year, over 75 percent of NZM’s Merino clip was allocated to forward supply contracts.

How does NZM / ZQ position itself in the market?

It’s not what we sell – it’s how we are selling it. Customer intimacy and strong partnerships throughout the entire supply chain are core to NZM and ZQ’s business approach. These strong partnerships allow us to gain insights into the real drivers behind decision making and shape our market interface. The experience a product delivers functionally –the rational reasons for buying a product – are important, but now, more so than ever, it’s about what’s behind the product that influences emotional purchase drivers.

How is the increasing awareness of sustainability driving growth globally?

We are seeing global interest in ethically sourced, sustainable wool fibre at an all-time high.

A key driver for this has been consumers demanding sustainable apparel options, as awareness increases of the footprint that oilbased synthetic products, like polyester, leave on the planet.

A 2018 report by the International

Union for Conservation of Nature revealed that over 35 percent of the projected 1.5 million metric tonnes of microplastics found in the ocean comes from synthetic textiles. The plastic microfibres shed from clothing are so small they can’t be seen by the naked eye and marine life are ingesting them. We are now finding traces of plastic microfibres in our food chain. We are working closely with innovative global brands, who are moving away from these synthetic products and NZM is investing in research and development to highlight the impact of microplastics and showcase the benefits of natural fibres as a solution to the growing problem.

What is NZM doing in the strong wool space?

Following the path set by fine and mid-micron wool growers, NZM’s focus in strong wool has been to establish contracts with premium brand partners across the value chain and develop new uses and markets for strong wool. A Primary Growth Partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries – Wool Unleashed (W3) – is accelerating these efforts. Forward contracts secured with brand partners such as indoor shoe manufacturer Glerups, carpet brands Prestige Carpets and Best Wool, and US wool insulation brand Havelock Wool are unprecedented and have provided a significant advantage to what continue to be historically low market prices. The factors that are influencing

the growth in Merino, such as demand for sustainable and ethical fibres, are beginning to influence traditional markets for strong wool and create new categories.

New uses for wool are emerging such as the wool-composite technology developed for surfboards in partnership with Barron Surfboards and Firewire, a recently launched wool acoustic panel and technologies that address some of the barriers to using strong wool. These give us confidence in the future relevance of the fibre.

How do you stay ahead of the curve?

We recently opened Studio ZQ in central Christchurch, an innovative space inspired by collaborations with brand partners, such as the Woolite surfboard and shoe brand Allbirds, two of the more exciting wool innovations in recent years.

Studio ZQ has been designed as a natural fibre centre of excellence that embraces a systematic approach to innovation and business development and in doing so, improves the chance of building successful breakthroughs.

Innovation in Studio ZQ goes beyond only natural fibre products, it encompasses new ways of doing business and generating value, new systems and services and new interactions and forms of engagement between organisations and customers. Studio ZQ is targeting big, gnarly problems with no easy answer. It’s about solving deep pain-points for our customers and the planet.

How do you think sheep farming is placed for the future?

We’re extremely upbeat about the future for sheep farmers. Sheep farming is a hugely important part of our rural communities and the social fabric of New Zealand and we believe rather than moving from one monoculture to the next, New Zealand needs to take

on an integrated approach to farming. Long-term ZQ wool contracts coupled with contracts for SILERE, NZM’s Merino meat brand jointly owned and operated by Alliance Group Limited, make fine wool sheep farming more profitable than dairy grazing and other sheep farming systems, based on analysis by both NZM and AbacusBio. Shifting New Zealand sheep production to meet these contracts through the production of fit-for-market, multipurpose sheep is a key focus for NZM. Through investment in production science, NZM is aiming to remove long-standing barriers to increase fine wool sheep production and enable its growth in non-traditional areas.

What signals is the market sending?

One of the barriers for growers to transition has been clear market signals. With Smartwool offering 3-5 year contracts over $20 for a 22 micron, Icebreaker instigating 10-year contracts and VF Corp, who owns both brands, keen to support

more fine wool production in New Zealand, the signals are clear. Farmers are smart. If they have confidence in the market and carefully consider both genetics and management systems in a transition then a shift is entirely possible. This is reflected in the record numbers of fine wool rams sold to crossbred wool farmers this past season.

The total value of wool exports for the last year (July 2017 – June 2018) was $550 million. Fine wool accounted for around 6-7 percent of the volume of wool produced in New Zealand for the last year and over 25 percent of the value (B+L Economic Service).

If we can shift half of New Zealand’s strong wool clip into higher value fine wool contracts, while continuing to improve the demand for and value of strong wool contracts, we believe the economic upside for the industry could be around $2 billion.

INTERNATIONAL VELVET

Matching their land use to their land class is a philosophy that has won Central Hawke’s Bay farmers Evan and Linda Potter national accolades and global customers.

The couple turned their deer farming hobby into a prosperous farming enterprise about 15 years ago and are now supplying niche export markets with venison and velvet.

The Potters’ focus is on feeding, breeding and target marketing and they have also picked up a top award for their environmental contribution.

Farm ownership was always a goal and when the couple bought the Elsthorpe property in 1997, their immediate focus was to ensure their farming actions were sustainable and matched the land type and climate.

Trusting their instinct

Heralding from farming families, the Potters found they were competing against forestry purchasers in the area. A lull in forestry at the time allowed them to step in when Waipapa Station came up.

The property was the last of the lease blocks owned by the Williams Trust, which was established at the turn of the century to honour the memory of Henry and William Williams who were early missionaries of the Anglican Church.

The Trust had owned a significant amount of land in the area and the tenant at the time had decided not to renew their lease. Over its lifetime three tenants had farmed the property, with Waipapa the last of the land to be sold – the rest had been dispersed over the previous 100 years.

Evan says the 580ha steep-to-medium hill country farm had a beautiful home and woolshed and lots of scope

and character but needed a great deal of work.

“It certainly was a project and a property that responded to significant capital input.”

The Potters expanded the farm, buying two 80ha neighbouring blocks, which brought their land total to 740ha.

In the early days, they ran a traditional system carrying 2,500 ewes, 150 cows and 30 deer as a hobby herd. Previously there had been a small fallow deer block on the farm with about 35 acres deer fenced.

Evan had grown up on his family’s sheep and beef farm in Weber, near Dannevirke and was introduced to deer through his Dad, who began farming them in the mid-80s.

Evan went on to gain a Bachelor of Agriculture with deer farming a focus of his degree and the properties he subsequently worked on all farmed deer.

“I’d always had an interest in deer, both farming and hunting. In the beginning, there wasn’t a lot of infrastructure on the property and price-wise deer fencing was comparable to conventional fencing, so we put up deer fences.

“For us, the focus right from the start was to match the land use to the land class.

“The physical nature of the farm, which is divided by a gorge system, lent itself to have a 200ha deer block

on one side and sheep and beef on the other.

“There is a cross over with sheep and beef floating in and out of the deer unit.”

Three years on, the deer had grown to a 150head, predominantly venison-fattening herd.

A short supply chain suits us and the demand for velvet has been absolutely off the Richter scale over the last few years. “

Lucrative offshore markets

In the early 2000s it was a question from a friend, around whether deer farming was a hobby or a business, that was the catalyst for change.

“The deer industry was in a bit of boom, so we sold our venison herd and bought in a velvet-based herd, as we saw that as being potentially more lucrative and velvet production interested us.

“It was pretty much a straight swap dollar wise but was

a huge genetic jump and we were fortunate to buy stock from a breeder who was selling up and wanted the hinds to go to a farm where they would be appreciated.

“We now have a predominantly velvet herd of 750 deer – 320 females and the rest are stags.”

The Potters cut 1.2 tonne of velvet a year which is sold to C.K. Import Export, which has a processing factory in Hamilton and exports directly to Korea and China.

“Over the mixed-age herd, including the three-year-olds, we aim to cut an average of 5kg of velvet on the first cut, around October and 1.1kg for the second regrowth cut in December.

“In the last few years there have been a lot of gains in genetics and feed, which increase the wealth of the herd and there are herds out there producing well in excess of my 5kg.

“C.K. Import Export involves a short supply chain which suits us and the demand for velvet has been absolutely off the Richter scale over the last few years.

“The biggest buyer of deer velvet is Korean women aged 23-27. That is the target market. They are buying it to give to their husbands or as gifts.”

Evan says velvet can be dried and sliced for traditional medicine, used in fusion cooking and selected grades can be sprinkled over food.

Research into the benefits of velvet and the western science behind the high-performance claims from Asia is ongoing. It is said that deer velvet boosts strength and endurance, improves the immune system, counters the effects of stress and promotes rapid recovery from illness.

As well as a traditional Chinese medicine, the use of velvet in the US pharmaceutical market is growing rapidly.

Everyone gets a cut

“Velvet is a food product, so there are strict protocols around handling, cold store and documentation,” Evan says.

“From a farm point of view, critical cuts are what the market needs. If the velvet grows too far, the level of goodness is viewed to be diminished, so you get paid less.

“We need to minimise damage by cutting correctly and presenting the product hygienically.”

Waipapa produces about 10,000kg of venison a year which is mainly sold to the United Kingdom, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

Their venison is marketed through innovative Hastings meat company First Light’s subsidiary, Cerco Supplier Group.

First Light was founded in 2003 and has developed as a niche exporter of beef and venison, not a commodity trader.

The Potters have been with Cerco since its inception.

“Our strategy is similar to theirs and we are likeminded individuals. It’s about keeping a very short link in the supply chain to the consumer.

“First Light found a market for a certain type of animal then found a product to match.

“We are rewarded individually and collectively for adhering to quality assurance standards, volumes and commitment.”

Evan says they are part of a supplier group of deer farmers in the lower North Island who have committed to supply a certain amount of venison every month.

“We have a large geographical spread which gives us a mix in variety of venison, finishing and breeding so we can supply animals at all different times of the year.

“Most product goes offshore and we supply to a select consumer base where our cornerstones are sustainability and the ethical treatment of animals.

“At the peak, farmers were being paid $11-12 per kilo which was $3-4 above lamb at its own record prices.

“Even the offal and bones are being exported to the US and developed into high-end pet food.

“Although everybody has been on the bandwagon and the heat is just starting to come off, venison is still

expected to settle at around $10 a kilo this year.”

Evan says while the supplier group’s focus is on highquality venison production, some of the most valuable parts of a deer (per cents/per kilo) is its tail, followed by its pizzle – with both products used in Chinese medicine.

Deer to their hearts

“Deer are my passion. They are a very different animal and they certainly keep life interesting,” Evan enthuses.

“They have a different nature to sheep and beef. They suit our climate and the labour demand fits into our system as the time when they become labour intensive is when we are not so busy with the sheep and beef.

“It’s either a love or hate relationship with deer – there is no inbetween. If you are unsure of yourself, they will sense it and feed off it, they’re like a horse in that regard.

Deer farming was legalised domestically 50 years ago with New Zealand now boasting one of the largest domesticated deer herds in the world.

“That is part of our point of difference. We are consistently supplying taste, flavour and tenderness,

which is an entirely different product to the gamey flavoured wild deer shot in the bush.

“Considering domesticated deer is relatively new to the market, it is doing well to be targeted as a premium food.”

Evan says quality meat is all about the inputs.

“Some people say deer run on the smell of an oily rag – and that is true. But to perform they need to be well fed. Deer are browsers, they pick and naturally raised venison farmers are always working on feeding.”

Deer also suit the Potters’ summer dry/winter wet block with an average annual rainfall of 1,020mm.

The Waipapa livestock operation is split evenly between deer, sheep and beef across 600 productive hectares. The beef side is all herd trading (Friesian/Angus of mixed ages) with no capital stock. The 1,500 Romney ewe flock go to a South Suffolk or Southdown terminal sire.

“We lamb early, at the beginning of August, which enables us to have good saleable or killable lambs for the early market. We aim to supply 33kg lambs by late October/early November so we can cull our surplus ewes, which suits our dry summer climate.”

Sustainability gets stamp of approval

In May the Potters won the premier environmental award at the biennial Deer Industry Environment Awards. They received the Elworthy Environmental Award for their vision of a sustainable farming system, ensuring long-term protection of the environment and sustainable production.

The environmental award was a big pat on the back for the venison supply side of their business.

“Most product goes offshore and we supply to a select consumer base where our cornerstones are sustainability and the ethical treatment of animals.

“Farming in a clean, green, sustainable and ethical way is a point of difference for First Light and helps them get the prices they want for their products.

“We have got to be compliant all the time and it was great also to pick up the NZ Landcare Trust Award for Excellence in sustainable deer farming through action on the ground.”

Judges said Waipapa Station had demonstrated a strong level of leadership through the identification of risk areas on the property, implementation of mitigation tools and adoption of farming systems to ensure long-term sustainability.

First Light

Founded in 2003 by Gerard Hickey, Jason Ross, and Greg Evans, First Light is a New Zealand-based company specialising in grass-fed Wagyu and it is disrupting food industries around the world via its transparent business model and a simple goal of eliminating the layers involved in pasture to plate.

Gerard says, “There’s far too many middle men in this business. If you don’t add any value then we don’t need you.”

Stripping the supply chain has helped give First Light farmers the power to develop closer, more direct relationships with their consumers.

“We even promote our farmers on our website, so they feel like they’re part of a family,” Gerard explains.

“We are doing no more than any other farmer wants to do. We have four daughters and want to leave the farm as a better place for the next generation,” Evan says.

The Potters never set out to win anything and were surprised to have their work enhancing the environmental performance of their property recognised.

The judges were impressed with their vision for the property 22 years ago when they started off by fencing at the back of the property. A bush-clad gully on the farm was recognised as one of the most visible and attractive aspects. It was put into a QEII covenant, which is a partnership between landowners and the National Trust aimed at protecting special places on private land for the benefit of future generations.

Their carefully planned nutrient management, waterway protection and extensive use of willows and poplars to help prevent soil erosion were highlighted.

The 20-year transformation has included retiring some land and matching the rest to its most suitable use.

Waipapa now has 130ha under QEII covenant after retiring a fifth of the original 580ha over a 7-year project.

The Potters were also praised for their excellent long-term protection of and commitment to fencing waterways and other areas with biodiversity values. They aim to create more wetlands in the future.

Having utilised the 1999 Soil Conservation Plan and also a Land Use Capability Soil map, developed in 2005, the judges said these have helped with development and building a thorough knowledge of soils on the property.

They said this had resulted in an excellent fit of stock to land class.

Because First Light is structured as a co-operative, the farmers also serve as part owners – they own 50% of the company. This distributes the risk and the reward.

Grass-fed Wagyu and farm-raised venison are the main products exported. First Light prides itself on the quality and healthiness of their meat. They have a raft of certifications including non-GMO and they were the first New Zealand company to earn the internationally recognised Certified Humane® status. Their sales and distribution offices are based in Hastings, London and Los Angeles.

For more information visit www.firstlight.farm

STAND OUT.

At FMG, we know that almost one-third of our milk claims are due to antibiotic contamination. It’s this kind of specialised rural knowledge that allows us to pass on valuable advice to farmers to help manage risk. Like advising dairy farmers to mark cows that need antibiotic treatment, so they stand out. At the end of the day, if we can help you avoid loss, it reduces stress, lost production and downtime. So why not get in touch with FMG to see how we can help you make some good calls on your farm. Call us on 0800 366 466, or go to fmg.co.nz

We’re here for the good of the country.

NO MORE SINGLE EWES USE

In recognition of the environmental impact of single-use plastic bags, we have phased them out of all our stores.

But don’t worry, you won’t get caught out — our reusable bags are just $2.00!

Thanks for your understanding and for doing your bit for sustainability.

While stocks last.

International players mine for opportunities at Mystery Creek

Over 4 days at National Fieldays, the International Business Centre (IBC) united New Zealand with global agribusinesses, traders and government officials.

The Centre featured 11 exhibitors from around the world including delegates from Australia, Korea, China, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Enterprise Ireland attended with a contingent of more than 30 trade and government representatives, including the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys. The first Irish Minister ever to attend Fieldays, Heather met with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Minister for Agriculture Damien O’Connor and the Minister for Trade and Export Growth David Parker.

The Irish Minister led 11 Enterprise Ireland client companies on the trade mission, which was focused on increasing Irish exports, forming partnerships between the

similar agri-dominant nations and attracting investment from Kiwi companies to the Emerald Isle.

New Zealand is also seen by the EU member as a strategic gateway to the wider Asia-Pacific region.

Heather Humphreys says market diversification has never been more important than it is now, with Brexit on the horizon.

“Ireland and New Zealand have a long and very positive trade history, particularly in the agribusiness sector and our government is determined to build on that. We have similar agricultural markets with a common focus and challenges,” she says.

Niall Casey, Market Adviser –Agribusiness, Equine and Life Sciences for Enterprise Ireland, agreed that the similarities between New Zealand and Ireland are striking.

“Our two small island nations are both heavily into agri-tech, are dairy based, manufacturing-led and

our economic success depends on a strong outward focus.

“We were proud to once again be exhibiting the best of Irish agribusiness at Mystery Creek. It’s the international event we have attended for the longest time. This year we demonstrated a range in capability including slurry spreaders, feeder wagons, dairy parlour equipment, AI technology and grass toppers,” Niall says.

Now in their 13th year attending Fieldays, the team have a strong reciprocal partnership with the National Fieldays Society, which sees the NZNFS leadership team attend Ireland’s National Ploughing Championships in September.

The International Business Centre also allowed exhibitors to promote their products and developments to those from abroad, in particular the 400 registered international visitors.

A range of seminars, organised by Callaghan Innovation with support from New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, enlightened visitors on agri-tech innovations and international trade commentary such as The EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and Geographical Indications.

Jim Grennell, manager of the IBC, says that overseas delegates were impressed to see New Zealand’s political leaders in attendance. The event and its partnerships across agri-business, trade and politics show our primary sector is in good health on the global stage.

Technical teams supporting global growth areas

In a $400 million jump, the New Zealand horticulture industry was valued at $9.2 billion in the year ending 30 th June 2018, with 60 percent of that from exports ($5.5 billion).

The annual Fresh Facts research released by Plant and Research New Zealand shows that horticultural exports remain steady at about 10% of New Zealand’s total merchandise exports.

The main drivers of export revenue success continue to be:

1. Kiwifruit (34 percent) at $1.86 billion, up from $1.66b in 2017

2. Wine (31 percent) at $1.69 billion, up from $1.54b in 2017

3. Apples at $732.9 million, up from $691m in 2017

This international demand correlates with what Farmlands’ General Manager Horticulture, Mark Daniels, has observed in the regions in the three

years since he stepped into the role.

“While we continue to support shareholders in many horticultural sectors, our key focus areas are these three significant crops. We have been channelling more expertise and product into supporting these sectors as they continue to grow each year. While it’s no surprise that kiwifruit, wine and apples continue to be the top performers globally, this research is a useful benchmark for us internally too.

“It validates that our business is on the right track. Namely, Farmlands’ technical support has grown threefold in the last 2 years thanks to the appointment of three specialist Technical Leaders across these three main horticulture sectors,” he explains.

“This on-the-ground expertise has received positive feedback from shareholders. We’ve been able to gauge this at shareholder events such as the field days at our Innovation Vineyard in Blenheim last season.”

This vineyard is a collaboration between Farmlands and the Marlborough Grape Growers Co-operative.

Top export markets

Exports to Asia increased significantly in the 12 months in view – $912 million to $2.07 billion. Of the 128 countries that receive Kiwi horticultural produce, the top five markets are Continental Europe, Australia, USA, China and Japan. Together, they account for more than two thirds of the total exports.

Kiwi sales kick on

The success of the Zespri® SunGold Kiwifruit has been outstanding in key export markets, now accounting for 40 percent of kiwifruit crop being sent overseas.

“On a recent trip to Bay of Plenty I visited large scale developments of SunGold Kiwifruit being undertaken by shareholders, including farms being converted from dairy. We’re talking hundreds of hectares, millions of dollars in development – it’s exciting,” Mark observes.

Zespri’s 2018/19 operating results tell a more recent yet similar story. They sold a total of 167.2 million trays of kiwifruit in that period, a 21 percent increase on the 138.6 million trays sold in the previous season. Revenue generated by global kiwifruit sales and SunGold licence release increased by 26 percent to $3.14 billion. For further information about Farmlands Horticulture, please contact us on 0800 200 600. Other research findings are at www.freshfacts.co.nz

As a Farmlands shareholder, get 25% off your new curtains and blinds. Our team of professionals are available nationwide and are able to visit you at your convenience for a free in-home consultation. So, wherever you’re based, we can bring an incredible range of fabric samples to you.

New machine to help export traceability

AgResearch is developing a method of giving New Zealand exports a “unique fingerprint” that scientifically proves their provenance and could be used to deter supply-chain fraud.

The technology is so accurate that it can differentiate New Zealand, English and Welsh lamb using a measurement that only takes a few seconds. It can also detect what feed – such as grain, grass or chicory – a carcass was reared on, an increasingly important trait driving consumer spending.

Dr Alastair Ross says the new rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometer (REIMS) machine being used at AgResearch’s Lincoln campus detects the “molecular phenotype” of a sample, a unique “fingerprint” made up of molecules resulting from the interaction of genes and the environment. This measurement, which previously took over an hour of lab work, can now be done in seconds on samples of meat, milk, plants and wine.

“Making sure we have the robust data on provenance and quality has the potential to save New Zealand millions of dollars through early detection of quality problems and prevention of false labelling,” Alastair says.

“We’re also finding that we can link the fingerprint to other factors such as consumer liking so in the future it can be possible to ensure that New Zealand agricultural products are not only guaranteed in terms of provenance and quality but also will go to the market which best matches their desired flavour profile.

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“This type of concept is heading toward a future where you could for example scan a glass of milk with your mobile device to not only find out where, when and how it was produced but also whether that milk fits your taste profile. We think this will be a major opportunity for the New Zealand food sector where worldwide supply chains are coming under increasing scrutiny and consumers are increasingly engaged in what they eat.”

The REIMS instrument vaporises products using an electronic surgical knife and measures resulting vapour using a mass spectrometer. The REIMS is expensive and has to be based in a laboratory but advances in technology mean that simpler instruments using similar concepts are becoming more affordable and portable.

Alastair explains: “Genetic improvements have made a major difference to the sector for improved

production and disease resistance. Now we want to enable selection to be based on both genetics and environmental factors, to use a systems approach, to reach the next level of improvements in production, quality and sustainability.

“Ultimately, we’re aiming to develop a tool that we can take to a farm or an abattoir that will detect what sheep is the most adaptable to suit the flavour preference profile of a specific market. In the case of meat for example, with a simple measurement taken on an animal on-farm, we’d be able to get a good estimate of what animals are good for the European market, what are good for the Chinese market and what is good for dog tucker.”

Alastair says the technology could be adapted to many other agricultural applications such as diagnosis of disease. “This technology has huge ramifications for animal welfare too.”

News release supplied by AgResearch.

memorial award Tom Cranswick

PROUD TO SUPPORT TOMORROW’S RURAL LEADERS

YOUR CHANCE TO RECEIVE ONE OF FIVE $2,000 STUDY GRANTS

Are you a Farmlands shareholder or the child of a Farmlands shareholder or staff member, currently studying at tertiary level in a discipline related to the primary sector? If so, you have the opportunity to apply for one of five Tom Cranswick Memorial Awards – each offering a $2,000 grant to help you during your primary sector study.

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN

ABOUT THE AWARD

The Memorial Award is in honour of Tom Cranswick, a founding Farmlands Director who served on the Board until 1985, including 20 years as Chairman. His passion and dedication was a major influence in the establishment of Farmlands. The Cranswick family has been hugely supportive of Farmlands and it is an honour to offer this award in his memory.

WHAT ARE THE AWARDS FOR?

There are FIVE awards, valued at $2,000 each, to enable students through study to further their knowledge and experience and to achieve in their chosen careers, thus allowing them to contribute to the New Zealand primary sector.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

Selection is contingent that as at 30th June 2019:

• The applicant is aged 25 or under.

• The applicant is a Farmlands shareholder or child of a Farmlands shareholder, whose shareholding has been continuous for two years or more; or a child of a current Farmlands employee whose parent has completed at least two years of permanent continuous service.

• The applicant is intending to enrol in a course of study in 2020, having already completed at least one year of tertiary education that is directly associated to the New Zealand rural/ primary sector. (Note: applicants who have not yet commenced their first year of tertiary study are ineligible to apply). Award applications open from 1st July until 31st August 2019.

For more information and to register, visit www.farmlands.co.nz/tomcranswick

‘Resilient

Dairy’ to inject $25m into sustainable innovation

A new $25.7 million innovation programme for New Zealand’s dairy industry will drive improvements in the health and wellbeing of the national dairy herd and be a step-change in sustainable milk production.

The 7-year programme, called Resilient Dairy: Innovative Breeding for a Sustainable Future, launched at National Fieldays, is being led by farmer-owned herd improvement co-operative Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), with investment and support from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and DairyNZ. It will invest in new disease management technologies and advancements in genomic science to improve cow productivity and produce better cows with improved health, wellbeing and environmental resilience. The programme was officially launched on 13th June by the Minister of Agriculture, Damien O’Connor.

Over the life of the programme, LIC is investing $11.2 million, MPI is investing $10.3 million and DairyNZ is investing $4.2 million.

Resilient Dairy is our opportunity to get back in front of the world with genetic gain. “

“At the heart of the new programme is innovation that aims to deliver long-term economic, environmental and animal health benefits for New Zealand,” says Steve Penno, MPI’s Investment Programmes Director.

“For New Zealand to maintain its reputation as a world-leading producer of premium products, we need to further increase the value of our products in a way that improves sustainability,” Steve says.

“MPI is investing in this new programme as it aims to deliver long-term gains in a number of areas, including sustainable production, milk quality and animal wellbeing, while importantly reducing impacts on the environment.”

LIC, the largest supplier of artificial breeding services to New Zealand’s dairy farms, will leverage its existing capabilities in genomic science and diagnostics to develop innovative breeding tools and tests that support more sustainable milk production. Investment from industry-good body DairyNZ will go into rebuilding its national evaluation system for dairy cattle to incorporate genomic information to facilitate faster rates of genetic gain.

“Resilient Dairy is our opportunity to get back in front of the world with genetic gain,” Bruce Thorrold, DairyNZ’s Strategic Investment Leader says.

News release supplied by MPI.

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Articles in the Plan365 section allow Farmlands suppliers to share best practice and the latest advances in rural technology, to help shareholders with their farming needs all year round.

New non-GMO products

New Zealand has a potentially valuable point of difference as a supplier of premium food products to the world in that no genetically modified (GM) crops are grown here.

Some consumers prefer to buy products from animals that have not been fed genetically modified feeds and their needs are increasingly being met by New Zealand entrepreneurs. From 1st January 2019, young deer must be fed only non-GM feeds to be eligible for the Cervena programme and the Dairy Goat Co-operative has long prohibited GM feeding of dairy goats supplying them milk.

Feeding by-products to livestock is an excellent illustration of effective recycling and was undertaken long before the importance of recycling was appreciated. For example, a lot of maize grain is grown in the United States to be distilled into bio-fuel or wet milled to release starch to make food products and sweeteners. The resulting maize distillers or corn gluten feed is widely and effectively used in livestock feed but if it is derived from GM crops it will not be suitable for feeding to deer or goats under the above schemes.

Northern Roller Milling Company – now known as NRM – has been producing animal feed since 1899 and has learnt to change with the times. It has developed four new products to meet the needs of livestock farmers looking for non-GM options.

1. NRM Deer Performance Nuts are a high-energy, 12% crude protein, mineralised supplement for deer on top-quality pasture. Being grain-

based, it will help support body condition which in turn can allow improved performance or fertility.

2. NRM Deer Elite Nuts are a higher protein (typically 16 percent crude protein) version for use when pasture or forage protein levels are not enough to support the genetic potential of the animals.

Note: Both above products have been designed with the nutritional requirements of deer in mind and contain minerals, trace elements and vitamins to minimise the risk of deficiencies that might negatively affect health or performance. Both forms of nut are highly suitable for controlled feeding to some classes of cattle and goats too.

3. NRM Dairy Goat Pellets have been designed for milking goats and are ideal for both commercial and personal supply situations. With 18 percent crude protein, they will help balance conserved forages with a

low-protein value and support milk production when pasture quality drops away. This product is fortified with nutritionally significant quantities of essential major and trace minerals to support sustained milk production.

4. NRM Alpaca Pellets have been designed to meet the very specific needs of alpacas and llamas which should not be fed any of the NRM ruminant products because of their particular sensitivity to ionophores. With a focus on health and bloom, these pellets contain elevated levels of vitamins D3 and B1, which can be deficient in camelids when grazing Aotearoa’s high-quality pastures. Palm Kernel Expeller is not currently GM but offers less benefits in highenergy products, therefore it has been excluded from these four new products. For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist.

Article

Preventing milk fever via a new anionic salt option

Reducing the incidence of both clinical and sub-clinical milk fever – the most common metabolic condition around calving – is beneficial for the short and long-term health of stock and a major stress relief for staff.

For herds with a persistent milk fever challenge, the feeding of anionic salt before calving should be considered to significantly reduce the incidence and severity of milk fever.

The Achilles heel of anionic salts is low palatability however, some combinations of salts work really well and once people try them they keep using them.

Current products available include:

• NutriMin Springer Cow Balancer is a good option for those that prefer to incorporate minerals into other feeds or top dress onto forages themselves.

• NRM Anionic Pre-Calver Nuts are a more complete option with starch to aid in gut flora transition and added protein for those looking to feed 2kg per heifer/per day.

Both products stimulate a metabolic acidosis within the animal to which

they respond by releasing calcium; if that can be triggered before calving the cow is better able to cope with the increased need for calcium in colostrum and then milk. Most users report a large reduction in the incidence of milk fever which results in less stress at calving for both people and cows and a better outcome for calves.

Patented product now available in New Zealand

A product which is widely used in the US – Animate – is now available in New Zealand. Animate is a patented Dark Distillers Grains (DDG) product which has overcome the palatability issues associated with anionic salts and allows higher levels to be consumed. It has an exceptionally low Dietary Cation-Anion Difference (DCAD) which can help acidify the diet, even when springer cows are grazing high-quality pasture. Feeding correctly should result in a reduction in clinical milk fever but also sub-clinical milk fever which should support better feed intakes, greater milk yield and cow health.

Animate should be fed within 14–21 days of calving and feeding rates are very specific to the diet

being consumed. It is important to test the pasture before starting to feed, review the diet with a ration calculator, then check the pH of the cow’s urine after 3–5 days to check the desired acidification has been achieved. The aim is to drop urine pH to 5.5–6 rather than 6–7, which is typically obtained with partial acidification. For the full benefits to be achieved, a higher level of calcium feeding is required which is counter to the normal advice to try to limit calcium intakes pre-calving. Animate is available in bags and can be mixed with blends or forages and could be incorporated into a compound feed if sufficient interest is shown.

Such a powerful tool is most likely to be sought by people with severe and ongoing milk fever problems in their cows. Given the importance of health at calving and appetite for subsequent milk production and fertility, anionic salts should also be relevant to anyone looking to counter sub-clinical problems that are less obvious but can have lingering effects.

For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist.

Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, NRM Lead Nutritionist.

Don’t be sheepish about lamb rearing this year

Check out some of the lamb rearing tips taken from the new NRM Sheep and Lamb Guide.

Pneumonia is very common in artificially reared lambs and is caused primarily by ammonia in the environment. Signs include coughing, runny nose, laboured breathing and fever. Pneumonia can be avoided by setting up and maintaining your rearing sheds well so you minimise ammonia building up. Avoid over-crowding and make sure bedding is always dry and there is adequate ventilation.

Scouring lambs should be given electrolytes as they can quickly succumb to dehydration. Scouring may be caused by the diet (a

nutritional scour) or by an infection (normally accompanied by raised temperature). Use a thermometer to check the temperature of scouring lambs so you know which issue you are dealing with. A lamb with an infection will have an elevated temperature (above approximately 39.4°C). Check a healthy pen mate’s temperature for comparison.

Abomasal bloat is caused by bacteria in the gut producing excess gas and is caused by gorging of milk and is especially common in larger, greedier lambs that steal more than their share of the milk feed. Be prepared to quickly remove lambs that drink fast from milk feeders to prevent them getting too much. Transitioning to cold milk feeds as lambs get older and adding yoghurt to milk has been found to reduce the severity and incidence of bloat so is worth considering if you’re having bloat issues.

Mix up lamb milk replacer according to manufacturer’s instructions and do regular checks to ensure you are mixing up the milk correctly (get some kitchen scales and measuring jugs for accuracy).

Offer a hard feed (e.g. NRM Lamb Start Mix or NRM Lamb Performance Pellets) during the first week of life as it’s important for rumen development of lambs. It takes a while for lambs to get used to the taste of the feed and intakes will be small at first, but will increase as lambs get older – this early period is a training period for getting them used to the hard feed.

Always go for a lamb-specific feed. Calf feeds are too high in copper and can cause copper toxicity in lambs. Keep feed troughs clean and don’t put lots of hard feed out or leave it to go mouldy and get contaminated by vermin/birds. A small amount of fresh feed every day is best and increase the amount offered to match intake. Coccidiosis is a common issue in lambs that destroys the lining of their gut. The worst cases of coccidiosis will have bloody scours, but most lambs won’t have any visible signs and will just have lower growth rates. NRM Lamb Feeds contain Deccox®, which is a coccidiostat that is registered for use in lambs. Deccox® kills the coccidiosis protozoa at several stages of the life cycle which helps to prevent it becoming a significant issue, while still allowing the animal to develop immunity against the disease. Lambs can be weaned off milk when they are about 10–15kg (depending on breed) and when they are consuming at least 200 grams of lamb hard feed per day. The intake of the hard feed is critical as it reflects how well their rumen has developed. Keep feeding a good-quality lamb hard feed for 4 weeks post weaning, or longer if pasture is limited or of a poor quality.

Visit your local Farmlands store to pick up a copy of the new NRM Sheep and Lamb Guide.

Successful lamb rearing advice is easy to digest

There are essential differences in solubility, intake, digestibility and consistency of quality in different lamb milk replacers – which have a major impact on the health and growth potential of young lambs.

“Successful lamb rearing depends on many factors, especially good nutrition,” says Dr Bas Schouten, one of New Zealand’s renowned experts on animal rearing. “The aim is to meet the energy requirements of our animals while they are totally reliant on milk.

“At the same time, we want to encourage the early intake of concentrates and develop the rumen,

so the animals become functional ruminants as soon as possible.”

Bas advises to choose a milk replacer based on quality, not price. A quality whey-based milk replacer, such as AgriVantage’s Sprayfo Primo Lamb milk replacer, is one of the safest and most cost-effective options.

Here’s why whey-based milk replacers are effective:

Digestion

Whey-based formulas move through the lamb in only 2-3 hours, compared to 5-8 hours for traditional curding (casein) formulas.

Sprayfo Primo Lamb is easily digested

due to the key ingredient: hydrolysed wheat protein. This is proven to have better and safer digestive properties than other commonly used protein sources and can assist in the reduction of abomassal bloat.

Traditionally, most whey milk replacers weren’t recommended to be fed before 14-21 days. However, Sprayfo milk replacer can be fed to young lambs directly from colostrum.

The animals seek out concentrates sooner

Because whey moves through an animal’s system in 2-3 hours, they will seek out concentrates (meal) sooner and have the potential for faster rumen development – enhancing growth rates, particularly post-weaning transition.

Health and Safety

Good-quality, whey-based products can help reduce the incidence of nutritional scours.

Manufacturer Trouw Nutrition’s Spray Dry production process ensures that solubility is optimal at 40ºC. Sprayfo mixes without forming any small lumps and is used extensively in automatic feeding machines because it mixes easily, doesn’t drop out of suspension and there’s no blocking of hoses and lines.

Farmers using Sprayfo Primo Lamb report strong early growth and minimal (if any) growth check at weaning.

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

Article supplied by AgriVantage.

Small but vital

Deficiencies in micronutrients (also known as trace elements) can limit pasture and stock production.

“Plants and animals may only need small amounts of micronutrients but they’re vital,” says Ballance Agri-Nutrients Nutrient Dynamics Specialist Jim Risk.

A shortage of any essential nutrient affects plant growth, and in turn, grazing stock. Deficiencies in micronutrients (for example molybdenum) can limit pasture production even if macronutrients (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur) are adequately supplied. Some micronutrients (copper, for example) are required by both plants and stock, while others (such as selenium and cobalt) only affect stock production.

Deficiencies happen

“Some soils’ parent material makes them naturally low in particular micronutrients, such as pumice soils having low cobalt levels. Micronutrients can also be slowly depleted over time,” Jim says.

Any nutrients that are lacking can be identified by herbage testing, and then supplied to the soil in sufficient quantities. For animal requirements this can also be achieved by other means such as injecting or adding to stock water.

“But even with adequate levels of micronutrients in the soil, things like

soil pH can hinder plant uptake. Plants in high pH alkaline soils, which can happen if lime’s overapplied, are prone to induced boron, zinc, iron, copper and manganese deficiencies. An abundant supply of another nutrient can also affect both plant uptake and animal absorption of micronutrients. You see this with high levels of molybdenum in the soil, which can interfere with animals’ absorption of copper.”

Pinpointing deficiencies

“Herbage testing gives the most accurate picture of micronutrients available for pasture. Soil testing isn’t reliable as the issue may lie in plant uptake or animal absorption,” Jim says. For animal health, testing micronutrient levels in blood and tissue samples complement herbage testing.

In pastoral farming, both clover-only and mixed pasture tests are commonly used. Clover shows signs of nutrient deficiency sooner than grasses and a clover-only test reveals macronutrient levels as well as key micronutrients such as boron and molybdenum, both crucial for vigorous clover growth and for improving pasture quality. A mixed pasture test shows what stock are actually eating and can be analysed to measure other feed values such as nitrate-nitrogen levels, as well as monitoring key elements such as cobalt and selenium.

Testing is generally timed to allow application prior to periods of peak animal demand. For example, late

spring is the time to test for cobalt in anticipation of weaning while selenium is usually measured in spring before mating.

Overcoming deficiencies

Correcting deficiencies in pasture via fertiliser is a matter of applying the right amount at the right time to elevate herbage levels within the appropriate range so pasture can access the micronutrient when needed. Stock type may influence approach, with different rates of some elements such as selenium and copper required. A well-planned fertiliser programme can elevate levels of selenium, copper and cobalt in pasture to support sheep, cattle and deer through key times. For example, cobalt could be applied in October/November to spike herbage for weaned lambs. Serious deficiency where symptoms are evident requires direct-to-animal supplementation in conjunction with a long-term strategy to correct micronutrient levels in pasture. Where it is hard to immediately counteract factors affecting a particular micronutrient’s availability (such as high pH), direct-to-animal solutions alone may be more effective and economic. Consult your vet or farm advisor about the best options.

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

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Well-honed rearing system grows great calves

It may be simple, but a tried and tested calf rearing system in South Waikato proves you don’t have to get complicated to get great results year after year.

Recycled 200 litre drums, raw eggs and restricted entry to the calf shed help the Bernhards of Putaruru raise big, healthy heifers and beef cross bulls every spring, with minimal disease and maximum daily growth rates.

Carol and Mark Bernhard have worked hard over the years to build up what was originally his family’s home farm to a business that peak milks 370 cows on 126ha (effective). They simultaneously sharemilked multiple properties, ran a contracting business and watched what they spent.

When Peach Teats came on the market several years ago boss calf rearer Carol started buying them and has never stopped.

“I remember seeing them for the first time, and thinking they were really cool because of the valve.”

Hundreds of calves later, she and Mark still fit pull-through Peach Teats to home-made 200L recycled drum feeders. Carol also uses Peach Teats to bottle-feed warm colostrum to newborn calves where necessary.

“They’re easy to put on and to teach calves with,” she says. “The milk’s right there so young calves don’t have to suck too hard to get a drink.”

She rears 100 calves a year, including Jersey and Friesian-cross herd replacements, bulls for sale at 4 days old and Hereford cross bulls to finish on farm. They are ad-libbed

colostrum milk for the first 3 weeks, then hay is added to their diet. Meal is introduced at 4 weeks.

Hay and water is freely available, once milk is no longer ad-libbed.

“It’s nice and simple – which works for us. We keep everything very clean and we don’t like anybody coming into the shed. We hardly ever get scours or bugs. If we do get a calf scouring a bit we give them a whole raw egg, shell and all,” Carol says.

“That’s an old farming remedy – the membrane in the shell curdles the milk and stops the scour. We also use bentonite if we need to but mostly they’re very healthy. We only had to give electrolytes to three calves last year.”

The results speak for themselves;

Jersey heifer calves wean at 100kg, Friesians at 120kg and Hereford cross 120kg or more.

This was a topic of some discussion at the 2018 Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) conference in Rotorua, which was a good chance to do some informal benchmarking, Carol says. It was her first DWN conference, and comparing weaning weights with other DWN members was far from the only benefit.

“I found it all very useful and learned a lot. It was well worth the experience.”

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

Article supplied by Skellerup.

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Milk additives for calves –what are the benefits?

Calves have a high nutrient requirement as they have significant growth and immune challenges. Milk is highly nutritious and meets most of the energy, protein, calcium and phosphorous requirements to support calf growth.

What are the benefits then of adding extra vitamins, minerals, probiotics, prebiotics and coccidiostats to milk? Prevention of coccidiosis

Most commercial calf meals contain a coccidiostat to prevent coccidiosis. Often however, it takes time before the calf is eating enough meal to meet the required dose to prevent coccidia infection. Therefore including a coccidiostat in milk can help cover this period. Note that milk additives with Bovatec® should not be added to calf milk replacer that already contains an ionophore coccidiostat such as Bovatec® or Rumensin®

Extra vitamins and minerals cover any cow deficiencies

Phosphorous, selenium, copper, vitamin E and vitamin A can be passed from the cow to the calf. Therefore, if any of these nutrients are deficient in the diet of the cow, there is a risk that the calf may also be

born deficient. Adding these minerals and vitamins to milk can help ‘top up’ any limiting nutrients passed from the dam. This is why comprehensive nutrition supplements such as DanCalf ®Gold are recommended for the first 30 days of life. It also shows why it is so important to continue trace mineral supplementation for cows during the dry period.

Calves need supplementation while they can’t make their own vitamins

The calf cannot make its own vitamins (especially the B vitamins) until it has a functioning rumen. The longer it takes to develop the rumen, the longer the risk of B vitamin deficiency. A calf also takes at least 3 weeks to be able to synthesise its own vitamin C. This is why supplementation with both B and C vitamins is especially important in the first 3 weeks.

Vitamins and minerals support calf growth and development

For example, vitamin A helps to prevent issues with sight, vitamin D improves skeletal development, while selenium and vitamin E are vital for normal muscular development and antioxidant status. Also, milk is a poor source of iron, meaning calves can be at risk of anaemia. It is important to supplement

iron, especially for calves that are fed milk-only for an extended period.

Beneficial gut bacteria helps improve calf health

It takes time for the calf to develop their own microbial profile in the intestine. While there is some initial inoculation from amniotic fluid, the birth canal and the cow’s teat, providing large quantities of probiotic bacteria is highly beneficial. These bacteria outnumber any pathogenic bacteria, reducing disease while also helping the calf to digest milk. Prebiotics assist by improving the function of ‘good’ bacteria, while preventing the ‘bad’ bacteria from getting established.

DanCalf ®Gold contains both a prebiotic (AgriMOS®) and probiotic (ImmuBoost®) as well as Levucell®SB live yeast for optimum hind gut health. DanCalf ®Gold also supplies a source of minerals and vitamins to help support the calf in its early stage of life. DanCalf ®Gold comes with a coccidiostat, or noBovatec option (DanCalf ®CMR). Overall, DanCalf ®Gold is a comprehensive milk additive that aids in better growth, health and digestive tract function. For further information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by Nutritech.

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Sarah-lee, Man O’ War Vineyards, Waiheke

In-calf statistics improve through nutrition programme

Stephen and Bronwyn Dudin milk 680 cows on their Southland dairy farm. As an AB (artificial breeding) technician for 20 years, Stephen learned that getting everything right early in the mating process helped save money in the long run.

“Large herds can achieve a low empty rate, season after season,” he says.

“I work hard to ensure my cows get back in-calf. I can achieve it without the use of intervention.” Their production and reproduction figures from the last few years are impressive:

• For the 2016/17 season, production was 470kg/MS, the 6 week in-calf rate 82% and the not in-calf rate was 5.7%

• The 2017 spring-mating results drove the empty rate (not incalf rate) down to 5% within a 10.5-week mating timeframe

“Our 2017 spring mating 6 week in-calf rate was 80%. The results in our young cows were impressive with only 11 empties from 330; that’s a 3% empty-rate in an age group that generally are a challenge to get back in-calf,” Stephen says.

“When you consider that we were in a serious drought at the beginning of the 2017 mating period and even though we tried to eliminate the feed pinch and keep condition on them, it was tough going.

“The technician who scanned our cows was really impressed with the outcome. He confirmed the first round of AB demonstrated a significant number of the cows were in-calf, which meant most of them had held the pregnancy even though they were under stress from the unseasonably dry weather conditions. He said there were very few late-calvers and very few empties.”

Reflecting back over 12 years of using the Nutrimol 4n1 mating program, Stephen is quick to point out the cost benefits.

“I only need a few extra cows in-calf and it’s paid for the product,” he says.

In true farming form, spring 2018 was different weather altogether. Despite very wet conditions over mating, the 6 week in-calf rate improved by two points year-onyear to 82%. The empty rate moved to 7%, in part due to the weather. “We’re feeding Nutrimol 4n1 from

calving till the end of the season. My theory is, if you make your decisions late, you pay the price. So, I put a lot of energy into getting cows in-calf, early, and the choice of using Nutrimol 4n1 is an easy business decision to make.”

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

Article supplied by Bell Booth.

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8

9

Selection of pre-lamb treatments

What is most important to you in the pre-lambing to weaning period? Is it to get ewes away early, get more lambs away before weaning, have ewes wean in mating condition or to just set stock ewes quickly into their lambing paddocks? Whatever your goals, there are pre-lamb treatment options available to help you achieve them.

Here are some factors to consider during this period:

• If your goal is to push production boundaries and maximise ewe and lamb weights at weaning, you will probably want to use long-acting products.

• Where you have a need to wean and quit ewes early, a shorter meat withholding period is ideal. Failing to quit ewes early can be costly due to the extra feed that they eat, particularly when feed levels are tight, and the loss associated with a falling meat schedule.

• There is a lot to be said for getting very pregnant ewes out of the yards quickly and back onto grass. Significant delays in doing this or rough handling can precipitate sleepy sickness or abortions.

• With the loss of the ewe’s immunity due to parasites during lambing, they often develop more dags. Many farmers are motivated to treat ewes pre-lamb, in order to prevent dags, lower the risk of fly strike and reduce the effort required to dag the ewes.

Cydectin® Long Acting Injection for Sheep has the longest period of activity against the production limiting

parasite Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) circumcincta. It has also been shown to significantly increase ewe weight (3.2kg) and lamb weaning weights (2.6kg) compared to untreated light ewes when given at pre-lamb1

The shorter 91-day meat withholding period of Cydectin Long Acting is advantageous compared to mineralised combination sheep capsules and some other long acting injections, which have a 128-day meat withholding.

Both Cydectin Long Acting and Eweguard® are injections which are easy and quick to give. Eweguard also has the advantage of combining both clostridial protection and worm control in a single injection. This saves time and effort when you are in the yards, and gets the ewes back into the paddock faster.

Both Cydectin Long Acting2 and Eweguard3 have been shown to reduce dag score in ewes when given pre-lamb. Irrespective of what treatment you choose for the ewes before lambing, it is important not to drench all ewes for worms. Some ewes need to be left undrenched to provide a source of susceptible parasites to help slow the development of resistance. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

1. Bingham, C., et al. (2017). “Comparison of two long acting pre-lambing anthelmintic treatments on the productivity of ewes in low body condition.” New Zealand Veterinary Journal 65(3): 152-155.

2. Miller, C. M., et al. (2015). “Production benefits from pre and post-lambing anthelmintic treatment of ewes on commercial farms in the southern North Island of New Zealand.” NZ Veterinary Journal 63(4): 211-219.

3. Zoetis data on file.

Article supplied by Zoetis.

Don’t let milk fever get you down

Milk fever is a sudden fall in the amount of calcium available in the blood. It commonly occurs within a few hours of calving due to the demands of milk production. It can occur on its own, or in conjunction with grass staggers and ketosis.

Cows become more susceptible as they age and have a reduced capacity for mobilising calcium from their bones. Because of calcium’s role in muscle function, tell-tale signs of milk fever include trembling, weak, staggery movements and inability to stand (down cow). Digestive, respiratory, circulatory and milk-producing processes are also affected by low calcium. Milk fever can severely reduce milk production and may be life-threatening if not treated quickly.

A quick return to milking is the aim when treating cows that go down with milk fever, or milk fever complicated by grass staggers or ketosis. Initial treatment is typically fast and immediately effective –however the chance of relapse

remains a risk, extending recovery time, increasing labour and reducing milk in the vat. Relapse affects at least 30-35 percent of cows offered only first-line treatment1. We can’t always prevent a cow going down but with the right treatment plan, the risk of relapse can be minimised.

Get them up

Administer injectable calcium or calcium combination metabolic solutions for rapid replacement.

• Intravenous (into the vein) acts quickly and gets the cow up and walking again, often within several minutes.

• Subcutaneous (under the skin) takes comparatively longer to absorb, giving the cow a more sustained release over the next few hours. Using a bag into the vein plus one under the skin, as your first line of treatment will provide rapid and slower release replacement. Bayer’s C.B.G 37.5, Glucalmag, Glucalmax and Glucalphos products are suitable for this type of treatment.

| Milk fever can severely reduce milk production and may be life-threatening if not treated quickly.

Keep them up

Once the cow is up and walking following initial treatment and has regained enough muscle control to swallow normally, orally administered calcium provides a continued level of support (a product such as Bayer’s Oral-Cal or Oral-Max are suitable for this). Studies have shown using oral calcium in this way can prevent relapse by up to 60 percent1.

Bayer metabolic solutions provide the right balance of minerals and energy to bring cows back to health and back to production.

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

1. Thilsing-Hansen, T., Jorgensen, R. J., Ostergaard, S. Milk fever control principles: A review. Acta vet. scand. 2002, 43, 1-19.

C.B.G. 37.5, Glucalmag, Glucalmax, Glucalphos, Oral-Cal and Oral-Max are registered under the ACVM Act 1997. Article supplied by Bayer.

Chain strainer gets the thumbs up from fencing champion

New Zealand prides itself on punching well above its weight in the global agricultural industry, leading the way in product development and best-practice farming methods.

Success on farm is further reinforced by homegrown New Zealand businesses that are committed to supporting industry requirements by developing innovative solutions. At this time of year, maintaining and installing farm fences is an important job on every farm but it’s not always the easiest task so farmers and fencing contractors are often on the lookout for new ways to eliminate some of the strain.

It is well known that chain wire strainers are an effective method to pull up tension on fencing wire. They generally incorporate a simple design which makes them extremely effective. While there are various options available in the market, different product features can yield efficiency and time gains. For instance, the Strainrite RX2

Contractor chain strainer has a removable threaded handle and computer-designed geometry for effective grip on zinc/aluminium fencing wire. This means farmers and contractors alike can quickly and easily strain fence wires

Paul Van Beers is a farmer and 14-time New Zealand Singles Fencing Title Champion who has put this to the test.

“When I’m working on the farm or in competition it’s essential to choose the right tools for the job. I need quality, reliability and performance. My Strainrite chain strainers are bomb-proof and have never slipped. They are perfect for the job, and I wouldn’t use anything else.”

With a focus on product development and innovation, Strainrite listen to farmers and fencing contractors like Paul. They deliver fencing products that withstand tough and demanding farming elements across

New Zealand, Australia, United States and the United Kingdom. The RX2 models also include:

• a swivel grab that has an improved casting design for effective grip on fencing wire

• an optional claw spring kit to assist with single-handed operation.

Strainrite Director Maurice Wooster says, “Coming from a rural background I have a personal connection with the agricultural industry and have been helping on-farm fencers with product engineering since 1974.”

“By understanding user needs we continually refine our Strainrite tools and equipment to ensure they deliver the best results,” Maurice says. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.

Article supplied by Strainrite.

YOUR FUEL TEAM.

Talk to the team today for compliance, tank offers and all your fuel requirements.

Auckland/Northland

Peter Hopman 027 558 3308

South Auckland/Waikato

Eddie Powell 0800 666 626

Taranaki/Wanganui

Grant Stachurski 027 774 4446

Nelson/Blenheim/West Coast

Phil Gavin 027 279 4020

Bay of Plenty/Coromandel

Nigel McFadyen 027 603 0519

East Coast/Hawke’s Bay

Grant Miller 021 246 1010

Wellington/Wairarapa/Manawatu

Darryl Watson 027 545 4563

Canterbury

Nathan Winter 027 644 4435

South Canterbury/North Otago

Garry Ballantyne 027 279 2008

Central Otago/Otago

Mike Casey 027 479 4342

Southland

Scott Ayto 027 705 5931

For more information call us on 0800 666 626 or email fuelaccountmanagement@farmlands.co.nz

Addressing the ‘work till you drop’ culture in farming

Our global customers want to know the produce they are purchasing has been produced to high ethical standards – and that includes looking after workers.

Health and Safety is included in most farm assurance programmes – for instance, the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP) includes a section on ‘getting the job done safely’, including identification and mitigation of risks.

“Agriculture has New Zealand’s highest number of workplace fatalities,” Al McCone, Agricultural Sector Lead for WorkSafe says. “Sixteen people were killed on farms last year. In the same period, 29 people died in agricultural accidents in the UK. However, the UK industry employs 476,000 people, compared to 25,000 in New Zealand.

“Every workplace death should be avoidable and every one is an absolute tragedy. From an international commercial viewpoint, our safety record on farms is not ‘a good look’.”

Analysis of when fatal accidents happen, the times they happen and the people they happen to suggests age and fatigue are major contributors.

“Seasonal farm activities, such as calving, are often accompanied by spikes in injury rates. These are likely linked to factors such as fatigue and time pressure,” Al says.

“Analysis of fatal accidents highlights two peak risk times: 8.00–9.00am and 5.00–6.00pm. This could indicate a link with fatigue after an early start, or towards the end of the day.

“Age is almost certainly a contributory factor. The highest number of workplace accident fatalities in agriculture is in the ‘65 and over’ age group, followed by the ‘55–64’ group.

“While reduced physical ability and reactions likely plays a part, we also have to consider whether older farmers might be less open to making changes around Health and Safety.”

As farmers head into winter, with the added challenges of harsh weather conditions, wet ground, dark evenings and, for many the physically and mentally demanding pressures of calving, Al says it is vital to take fatigue and physical ability into account.

“Calving often means working into the night and rigorous physical labour. You are working up close with large, agitated animals – everyone needs to be mentally and physically alert.

“I recently read a young farmer’s comment that there used to be an

‘unspoken’ culture on his family farm whereby if you didn’t finish the day absolutely exhausted, you felt as if you hadn’t worked hard enough. That changed after his father suffered an injury, in which fatigue was a factor, putting him out of action for weeks.

“Ask yourself honestly, is that the culture on your farm? Fatigue is a risk at any time and at exceptionally busy times like calving, it’s a heightened risk. That risk can be managed through well-planned rosters, making sure people have suitable refreshments, are well hydrated and take adequate breaks. No matter how stubborn you are as an older farmer, or any of your older workers might be, recognise that age is a factor in accidents.

“Managing risk is important for your farm business, for your family and your workers’ families – and for the good name of New Zealand agriculture.”

Article supplied by WorkSafe.

Century Farms honoured in Lawrence

Families who have each owned and farmed the same properties for more than 100 years came together in May to celebrate generations on the land.

The 13th New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards took place in the Central Otago town of Lawrence from 24th to 26th May. The 40 families from around the country were honoured for their grit, determination and dedication to farming their land for more than a century, with each receiving a bronze plaque and certificate of acknowledgement. Collectively, these families had farmed their properties for more than 4,000 years, creating a legacy that would live on for years to come.

Having first been welcomed at a function on the Friday, more than 270 people attended the awards evening at Simpson Park on the Saturday. Each

family’s story was shared with those in attendance, providing a backstory for the presentations that followed. History was a thread that ran through the whole weekend in Lawrence. A farm and town tour was also held so people could explore the area and Otago’s first goldrush town.

What are the Century Farm and Station Awards?

The New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards programme aims to capture and preserve important rural history, which might otherwise be lost through the generations. Families submit narratives of their farm history with copies of related photographs and supporting documents, which are then archived at Wellington’s Alexander Turnbull Library. New Zealand Century Farm and

Station Awards Chairwoman Karen Roughan says it was a great weekend and the town got behind the event making it memorable for the families. “Thirty-nine of our 40 families were present this year so it was wonderful nearly all could come to Lawrence to celebrate this very significant milestone with each other – it’s a special weekend and the families who visit tell us it is very much worth the trip.”

She says there had been a consistent number of sesquicentennial award entries over the last few years for families who had been on their land for more than 150 years. The Matthews family, who received their Century Farms award in 2016, were still the longest serving family who had applied, having farmed their Kaitaia property for 180 years, she says.

Farmlands is proud to be the Foundation Sponsor of the awards, given its own heritage in the rural sector. Chief Executive Peter Reidie says the annual awards were special because they celebrated the pioneering families who built the foundations of New Zealand agriculture’s success.

“A quote I vividly remember is: ‘We do not inherit our land from our parents, we borrow it from our children’,” Peter says. “To me this sums up what great New Zealand farming is all about – leaving our land in a better condition than we received it.

“Century Farms is great to showcase what these families are doing with their land and how their farming practices have changed over the decades because they will continue to change. Each of these farming families have been looking to the future, while learning from the past.”

Congratulations to the families honoured at this year’s New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards.

1854 – Strachan/Taylor –Manawatu-Wanganui

1855 – Riley-Scrimgeour – Nelson 1856 – McKay – Northland

1860 – Jury/Guscott – Wellington

1865 – McNamara – Auckland 1867 – Hannon – Waikato 1868 – Thomson – Southland 1871 – Leask – Otago

1874 – Levet – Auckland 1876 – Young – Southland 1878 – Morrison/Fairbrother – Wellington

1880 – Bishell – Marlborough 1881 – Duncan/Grace –Manawatu-Wanganui

1882 – Pearce – Manawatu-Wanganui

1885 – Higgins – Marlborough

1886 – Kempthorne – Otago

1886 – Taylor – Taranaki

1890 – Oldfield – Canterbury

1893 – Ross – Canterbury

1895 – Collins – Manawatu-Wanganui

1896 – Schmidt – Southland

1897 – Fowle – Southland

1897 – Garton – Northland

1900 – McKendry – Canterbury

1901 – Fannin – Manawatu-Wanganui

1901 – Stephens – Canterbury

1901 – Wall/Von Dadelszen – Hawke’s Bay

1903 – Oakley – Canterbury

1903 – Rose – Marlborough

1909 – Bourke – Manawatu-Wanganui

1909 – Hinton – Taranaki

1909 – Wall/Von Dadelszen – Hawke’s Bay

1911 – Landers – Taranaki

1912 – Hannon – Waikato

1915 – Clark – Otago

1915 – Hayman – Canterbury

1915 – Ross/Matheson – Otago

1915 – Sloan – Southland

1917 – Gallagher – Canterbury

1918 – Shearing – Southland

OUT AND ABOUT with Farmlands

SHEEPDOG TRIALS

Grit and hard work take out the title North Canterbury Stock Manager Steph Tweed won the national sheepdog trial competition for 2019, marking a year when women took out more than one title in the maledominated line-ups. Following on from separate North and South Island finals, competitors from across the country descended on Ohaeawai in Northland to contest the New Zealand Sheepdog Championships from 27th to 31st of May. After winning the Straight Hunt event at the North Island Championships, Waikari’s Steph Tweed (pictured) and her “once in a lifetime dog” Grit locked in the national Straight Huntaway title with a total tally of 192.5 points over the two rounds. This was 3.75 points ahead of 2nd place getter Colin Bolton with Crime from Aria.

History was made at the South Island Sheep Dog Championships at Lochiel Station in Hanmer Springs earlier in May after a woman won one of the main titles for the first time at the event. Matawai shepherd, Jo Waugh, took out the Zig-Zag Huntaway competition title, with her dog Guy, while two other female competitors featured in the top seven in that event. “It’s unusual for women to be right up there and it just goes to show that women are coming through and going well,” Jo says. Each Championship consisted of four events: Long Head and Pull, Short Head and Yard, Zig Zag Huntaway and Straight Huntaway. 200 competitors and 300 dogs competed in the South Island Champs and 250 competitors and 400 dogs competed in the North Island and New Zealand titles. Farmlands sponsored all three trial events.

This two-step competition culminated in an all-expenses paid trip to Mystery Creek and an exciting prize draw for five Farmlands shareholders on 13th June. Hosted by 7 Days comedian Ben Hurley, the game show gave each participant a chance to win $1 million at the Farmlands Fieldays site. While none of the five managed the feat, three shareholders walked away with $5,000 and two scored 10T of Ballance fertiliser. The five lucky shareholders were drawn from those who purchased Ballance fertiliser in March and April.

RURAL CATCH, FIELDAYS® 2019

Eight rural single catches were selected from around the country for this year’s Fieldays Rural Catch and spent the three days competing for impressive prizes and bragging rights.

The finalists undertook daily challenges to test their on and off-farm skills, including fencing, business calculations and rowing at the Farmlands stand! There was also many networking events for them to use their charm, all to prove who was the best catch for any potential love interest and whose rural skills and knowledge of ag-business made them stand out as a talent to work with in the industry.

The winner was Lewis Nichols from Northland, who walked away with a prize pool worth over $25,000 thanks to sponsors – including Farmlands, Suzuki, Swanndri, STIHL and Skellerup – as well as the coveted ‘Golden Gumboot’ trophy.

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2x 1.1kW Serene Electric Panel Heaters

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*Also

Sell smarter

Farmlands Real Estate has a range of benefits to offer sellers – not just the right buyer.

We offer coverage, capability and competitive pricing. There is a lot more involved in selling a house than simply signing on the dotted line.

Our business model is unique, offering a range of benefits – if you’re a shareholder you may be eligible for a preferential rate. “

So, why choose Farmlands Real Estate? We are your provincial real estate experts. Whether residential, lifestyle or rural, our experienced team

of real estate professionals have the expertise to turn your goals into reality. Our business model offers a range of benefits tailored to help you get more from selling your property.

With a unique position in the market, we can provide you with more than just competitive commission rates when you choose to list with us.

This includes:

• a ready-made and engaged audience

• the latest technology and marketing platforms

• if you are a shareholder you can earn points through our rewards scheme and may be eligible for a preferential rate and rebate.

Farmlands is 100% New Zealandowned by Kiwis keen to buy your property, or sell you theirs. Our services are for everyone so they can experience the co-operative difference. Request a free, no-obligation

appraisal and experience our warm and friendly Farmlands service.

Join our team

At Farmlands Real Estate, we have a clear vision to double our size in the next three years by providing outstanding real estate services to our clients throughout provincial New Zealand, including those of our 68,000 shareholders who need to buy, sell or rent their property. We are looking for rural, residential and lifestyle real estate Sales Professionals to join our successful team.

Whether you are a seasoned real estate professional or you are looking for a career change that allows you to reap the rewards of your hard work, we would love to hear from you.

For a confidential chat please contact Jason Wills on 027 619 9784 or visit www.farmlandscareers.co.nz for more information.

This split stone home is settled comfortably into its 1.85 hectare surrounds. The kitchen has been recently renovated and is sleek and modern, leading to a sun-lit conservatory. The lounge is spacious and along with the bedrooms, enjoys established garden and beautiful rural views. A separate workshop and craft room and small avocado orchard complete this special property on the Tauranga city boundary. Price $1,500,000.

Vanessa Charman-Moore

Lifestyle / Rural – Tauranga 027 242 7646

vanessa.charman-moore@farmlands.co.nz

7.67 hectares of flat contour located minutes from Paeroa, Hauraki Rail Trail and a 40-minute drive to our beautiful NZ coastline via the stunning Karangahake Gorge is now for sale. 6 paddocks make up this easy lifestyle, grazing, cropping or dairy support block with water troughs in each paddock. There is a lovely row of specimen trees and power and water connected at the front gate. If you love country life and want to build your dream home whilst grazing a few animals then call Chelly to view. Tender closing 12pm, Thursday 4 July 2019 (unless sold prior).

Chelly Aitchison

Lifestyle / Rural – Matamata 022 697 8779 chelly.aitchison@farmlands.co.nz

You are welcomed by a long driveway leading into the 14 hectares of very gentle rolling contour. To the left is a set of cattle yards with loading ramp and as you continue into the property on the right is a lovely brick homestead built with views overlooking this small, private and peaceful block. 14 paddocks make up this easy farming grazing block with a central raceway, water troughs in each paddock and a good workshop/barn located in the middle of the property. There is excellent farm water sourced via a bore and gravity feed throughout the farm. Price by negotiation.

Douglas Boyde

Lifestyle / Rural – Pukekohe 0274 946 714 douglas.boyde@farmlands.co.nz

Are you looking for an established business predominantly operating in the Ellesmere district? This broadacre spraying business ticks all the boxes with a loyal client base, modern equipment and state-of-the-art, high-tech Tracmap job display system. 2018 Isuzu 800FTS truck with 2017 Amazone UG300 24-metre sprayer and 2008 Hino truck with 2018 Amazone UG300 24-metre sprayer included. Full list of plant and associated chattels available on request. Price $495,000.

A quality property located 23km north of Dunedin. The fertile, rolling land with some steeper faces is divided into five paddocks with a good standard of deer fencing. A set of cattle yards is on site. The approximately 250m2 home has been recently renovated to a high standard. The setting is an elevated, private site that maximizes all day sun and has fantastic rural views. There are sunny decks off the lounge and kitchen/dining. The home offers three double bedrooms plus an office. There is an attached double garage and a 6-bay implement shed. Price by negotiation.

Ron Ferguson

Lifestyle / Rural – Lincoln 027 498 6256 ron.ferguson@farmlands.co.nz

John Davison

Lifestyle / Rural – Lincoln 027 436 4464 john.davison@farmlands.co.nz

Russell Cotton

Lifestyle / Rural – Otago 027 465 7442 russell.cotton@farmlands.co.nz

177 hectare (approximately) dairy farm with a superior range of farm infrastructure including a modern 40 aside dairy, 400 cow feed pad and two 300 tonne concrete storage bunkers. There is a partial Protrack management system, 5-bay calf shed, 5-bay implement shed, 4-bay and 2-bay 1/2 round sheds. There are two comfortable homes being four and three bedroom dwellings. 430 cows produce up to 172,000kgMS with 1,000kg of inputs being split with Palm Kernel Extract and Maize silage. A great opportunity here for the astute investor. Price by negotiation.

• 260 cows.

• 150,000kgMS.

• 5-bay calf shed.

• 30 aside herringbone dairy.

• DeLaval plant with automatic cup removers.

• Subdivided into approximately 48 paddocks.

• Four bedroom, two bathroom home.

• Price by negotiation.

Ian Morgan

Lifestyle / Rural – Matamata 027 492 5878 ian.morgan@farmlands.co.nz

Glen Murray Lifestyle / Rural – Matamata 027 488 6138 glen.murray@farmlands.co.nz

Ian Morgan

Lifestyle / Rural – Matamata 027 492 5878 ian.morgan@farmlands.co.nz

Glen Murray Lifestyle / Rural – Matamata 027 488 6138 glen.murray@farmlands.co.nz