The Farmlander - September 2020

INTEREST

3. Farmlands staff profile

3. From the CEO

4. 5 minutes with Alison Stewart

6. Special Feature - Diverse business provides scope

15. Early prostate screening a priority for rural men

17. Agronomy advice more vital than ever

18. Education ups the enviro-ag game

20. Events round up

22. Buying Power Promise

23. Avoiding injury while handling large animals

24. Power fit for each season? It's a no-brainer.

66. Century Farms - Making Hinerangi Home

67. Rural market update and dairy spotlight

ON THE COVER

Alongside their agricultural contracting service, Southlanders Harold and Helen O’Connor have grown their farming business to rear calves and provide dairy support – while doing fencing, welding and engineering on the side. Their diverse operations allow them to employ skilled local workers all year around. Unsurprisingly, they are fans of robotic machinery to feed their calves too. Find out more about their growth model on page 6.

PLAN365

Plan365 Nutrition

27. Spring – the time for new life and ventures

28. Reading cow signals

Plan365 Animal Management

31. Pre-mating tasks

33. Spring dairy calf drenching

35. Clostridial vaccine now with added minerals

37. Make every mouthful count

39. Making quality grass silage with a little help

40. Drift retardants: what you may not know

41. Dialling up the heat

43. Ensure your calves hit their target weights

45. Spring time means possum time

Plan365 Forage and Arable

47. Fill-a-gap summer crops

49. Reliable weed control is money well spent

51. Weed and pest control in forage brassica

53. Versatile new pest control for pipfruit growers

55. Solutions right now for future cereal challenges

57. Best farmers get beet right

59. Kale cultivar trial results back the decision to change

Plan365 Rural Infastructure

60. What’s the secret to better fencing?

61. The benefits of ball valves

63. Give your pump a break

FARMLANDS STAFF PROFILE FROM THE CEO

Kelvin Oppert Business Manager, Pukekohe

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: The people – colleagues, suppliers and shareholders. From my very first day on the job it became clear that I was going to enjoy working for Farmlands and it was a place where I could see opportunities to achieve and grow. We have always had a top crew in Pukekohe.

Q: Where are you from originally?

A: Not that far away. I was born and bred in the Maramarua part of the Franklin district.

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

A: Spare time is a rare commodity these days! I enjoy a game of golf with my son Kerwyn or a quiet fish from the rocks at a local spot with our trusty labrador Riley.

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

A: I usually love Chinese food – sweet n’ sour pork, fried rice etc – but I couldn’t quite get through chicken feet. It was just one step too far!

Q: What is your favourite sport?

A: Cricket by an absolute country mile! I will always proudly back our Black Caps and love watching my son play.

Q: What is your biggest priority coming into spring?

A: Every year our farming community have their battles and this year is no exception. Being aware of shareholder issues by showing empathy and understanding — and being available with the right solutions at the right time — is a big priority. So is letting shareholders know that as individuals, as a store and as a co-op, we are all there to help and be supportive of each other.

Delicious Meat Loaf

• 500g sausage meat

• 500g steak mince

• 2 onions – chopped

• 1 egg

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

• 1 tsp curry powder

• ½ cup water

• ½ cup milk

• Salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp vinegar

1 tsp instant coffee

½ cup tomato sauce

25g butter

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1. Combine all sauce ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil for 5 minutes.

2. Combine meat, breadcrumbs, onion, curry, seasonings and egg in a bowl. Mix well.

3. Gradually add milk and water, mixing until smooth.

4. Using a roasting dish mould to shape, bake in oven for 30 minutes at 180°C.

5. Remove from oven and pour sauce over, bake for a further 45 minutes, basting frequently.

6. Can be served either hot or cold.

Welcome to the September edition of The Farmlander. We have arrived at the busiest time of year for many of our shareholders. Spring brings with it an extensive task list and our focus is supporting you with technical expertise, advice and fulfilling your food and fibre input requirements. I mentioned in last month’s issue that Farmlands was looking at how our organisation was changing to effectively deliver for our shareholders in the current climate of uncertainty. These changes are now embedded across our organisation and our Leadership Team has adjusted to reflect this.

Andrew Horsbrugh is now our Director - Growth and Innovation. Farming is evolving at a rapid pace and Andrew has been tasked with positioning Farmlands at the front of sector innovation. We want to be one step ahead and to do this, we need to be the business that introduces you to market leading knowledge and expertise, while providing you with the answers to the challenges our sector faces.

John Campbell is our new GM - Sales and Retail. This role is responsible for our store and field teams and includes Nutrition, Agronomy and Energy. We have reorganised this part of our business to deliver services and supplies more effectively at a regional level, given the unique timings and conditions throughout New Zealand. This team is a collective of our frontline teams and will allow us to work more collaboratively for the betterment of our shareholders. Jess Strange has accepted the role of DirectorCustomer Experience. We want everyone to have the best customer experience with Farmlands, whether it is via our Contact Centre, our Choices Rewards programme, or through our Farmlands Card. Jess is responsible for harnessing these touchpoints for our shareholders, customers, suppliers and stakeholders to deliver the best possible interaction with our co-operative.

The role of Director – Category has been accepted by Mal Scrymgeour. Mal’s role is to work with our network of suppliers to bring the best products to our shareholders, at the best price. By having a role in the Leadership Team dedicated to optimising our product range, we are confident we will be able to deliver increased value on innovative products that prepare all of our customers for the rigours of modern farming and growing.

Adjusting our approach in the wake of the past year’s events is imperative to continuing to deliver value to our shareholders. We have a desire to be responsive, adaptable and market-leading. To achieve this, we need to grow shareholder success. I hope the results speak for themselves in the months and years to come.

Kind regards,

Peter Reidie Chief Executive Officer Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited

5 minutes with Alison Stewart

CEO, Foundation for Arable Research (FAR)

What is your background?

I’m originally a city girl from Glasgow, Scotland but when I went to university, I decided I wanted to put myself out of my comfort zone, so I studied Agricultural Science which then got me into Plant Science.

When I finished university, I moved to New Zealand and took up an academic position firstly at the University of Auckland and then Lincoln University where I headed up the BioProtection Research Centre. From there, I headed to California and worked for a biopesticide company.

Throughout my career I have always enjoyed applied research and working with growers, so when I got back to New Zealand the role with FAR really appealed. I’ve always been interested in the development of sustainable plant production systems.

It’s time for the arable sector to stand up and be counted, since arable cropping is an excellent land use and we have a profitable system.”

For those who don’t know, how does FAR support the arable industry?

FAR is a levy agency. We have close to 3,000 growers who pay a levy on what they produce, and that money comes to FAR to invest into a whole range of research and development projects to benefit the arable growers. Our growers cover cereal grains, pulses, maize and specialised seed crops.

FAR has a number of regional grower groups and each year we go out to them with research ideas, they provide feedback with their problems and challenges and from there we work out a programme for that year. Some research is funded for multiple years, such as large environmental projects.

We also work with other sectors to address common challenges so are generally undertaking approximately 60–70 projects per year.

What stories do NZ arable farmers want to be telling about their produce?

The arable industry is different to other sectors in that it is not dominated by exports; we primarily service domestic industries, such as milling wheat and livestock feed. The global price of wheat is a challenge however, as we have to figure out how we can compete with the cheap Australian grain that can be brought over. In light of that, we have learnt to be highly productive and very efficient. We have got very good rainfall, temperatures and soil, and the technical competency of our growers is extremely high. We really know how to grow grain!

What are some environmental challenges that arable farmers are facing currently?

The arable industry has many of the same challenges as the other sectors, primarily trying to maintain profitability within increasingly stringent environmental limits. FAR runs an environmental programme that focusses on improving soil health, reducing soil erosion and investigating the most efficient use of inputs to minimise any nutrient leaching. There is also a big push to reduce the amount of synthetic pesticides that are going onto the crops.

We are just moving into a major piece of work on integrated pest management. We realise that there is always going to be a place for chemicals because if we have a major pest incursion, most other crop protection methods won’t be able to control the problem. We are looking at biological products and cultural practices, as well as reassessing the cultivars we are using to consider those with greater disease resistance. The ultimate goal is that we develop a biologically based management system, and only have to dial in the chemicals when absolutely required. It will take 5–10 years of research to achieve this across the board, although some growers are already managing this very well now.

What makes the arable industry stand out from other primary industries?

We have very unique and diverse farming systems, more so than other countries. Our growers operate

complex farming systems that are highly differentiated across New Zealand. Growers are mixing and matching up to 20 different crop species and are used to constantly changing and making decisions on a daily basis. Some growers choose to grow organic or spray free or have embraced the full regenerative agriculture movement. Others are comfortable using chemical sprays. FAR is there to provide the research to support growers to make their own decisions.

We are looking at biological products and cultural practices, as well as reassessing the cultivars we are using to consider those with greater disease resistance.”

When I first got involved with the arable industry, I was hugely impressed by the technical competency our growers have and their ability to make agile, innovative decisions. I think they’re the exemplar of what a New Zealand farmer should be.

What is the best thing about your job?

I love the diversity involved in this job. We have young researchers learning how to be good applied scientists and we have growers implementing this

research to enhance the efficiency and profitability of their farm businesses.

I like working with other sectors to create synergies or leverage benefit off each other and also working with government agencies to try and come up with a better vision for the future of agriculture in our country. It’s hugely challenging but also hugely satisfying!

Do you have some exciting events or projects coming up?

We’ve got our big bi-annual CROPS event in Chertsey in December. It’s FAR’s 25-year celebration so we are making CROPS a real celebration of our industry and getting as many of our wider stakeholders involved in that as possible, such as seed and chemical companies.

It’s time for the arable sector to stand up and be counted, since arable

cropping is an excellent land use and we have a profitable system. Arable farming meets all the criteria that the New Zealand Government is looking for in that it is diversified, sustainable and resilient. It’s a system that we think the New Zealand public will look favourably towards and we hope that other sectors may want to think about embracing the diversity that we already have in our systems.

For more information on FAR’s CROPS event, visit www.far.org.nz/events

Diverse business provides scope

Year-round farming and contracting operations that prioritise local relationships, including those with their staff, have been the foundation of growth for Southlanders

Harold and Helen O’Connor.

Over the past 20 years the O’Connors have developed their business like a jigsaw, with each piece complementing the next. As well as running an agricultural contracting business, Harold and Helen also provide dairy support and rear calves which they grow to become Jersey service bulls and bull beef.

Harold (his name is actually Mark but his grandfather called him this as a kid and “it just stuck”) and his brother Grant are the third generation of their families to farm in Kapuka, Invercargill. They have followed in their Dad, Murray O’Connor’s footsteps, by expanding the family dairy farm and contracting business. While Grant is the dairy farmer, Harold farms cattle and has

After high school, Harold worked on a couple of sheep farms and at the age of 21 headed to the gold mines in Western Australia where he began as a tradesman’s assistant. He then went on to complete an adult apprenticeship gaining his diesel

It was in Laverton, Western Australia where he met his future wife Helen, who was born and bred on a Taranaki dairy farm. They headed home when Helen was 6 months’ pregnant, wanting their twins to be born as Kiwis.

Harold and Helen returned home to 100 acres of land that they had bought while still in Australia, located on the boundary of

That was 20 years ago; their son Jackson is now part of O’Connor Contracting and Teisha is studying agriculture at

From one tractor and a plough

Harold spent a couple of years working as a truck mechanic in Invercargill but with diesel in his veins the next step was to take over the contracting side of the family business.

“Dad had one tractor doing a bit of baleage to help the farm income. We bought a plough and, with me full-time and Dad semi-retired, we began to grow the business.

“We expanded to provide services in grass harvesting including hay, baleage and silage and agricultural work involving aeration, cultivation, direct drilling, ploughing and precision planting. Along with muck and fert spreading too –we wanted to be a one-stop shop for our clients,” he says.

The business now comprises of a fleet of tractors, a silage harvester, ploughs, a single baler with wrapper and two fusion balepaks; they turn out around 30,000 bales of baleage a year.

The main season runs from the beginning of October through to May, weather depending, with 12 staff employed at the peak. September and October begin with ploughing, working up last season’s crop ground for planting into grass with around 500ha ploughed every spring.

“We have always ploughed to get the fresh ground up after winter damage. We are old school around here, doing what Grandad did.”

Harold also prides himself on running good gear with a proactive replacement programme. This season will see the arrival of a new replacement tractor and plough.

“Each driver starts the season in their own tractor and all machinery is rotated for replacement,” he explains.

Local, skilled staff stick around Utilising the local workforce is a priority, with Harold saying a business is only as good as its staff.

“We do expect high quality from our staff and they are good operators, which is why we have a strong relationship.

“We have had a few overseas workers but mostly we employ locally and our guys stick around.

“This season, with the shortage of agricultural workers due to the pandemic affecting international workers coming to New Zealand, it has certainly been peace of mind to know we have a great team who are already trained and ready to hit the ground running.”

A key to staff longevity is the O’Connors providing year-round work, despite the contracting side being seasonal.

“Our staff drive tractors over the summer and then in the off-season they shift stock, do fencing and welding repairs for local farmers and make round bale hay feeders. Staff weld around 150–200 hay feeders every off season. There is always good demand and we sell them directly to farmers, mainly the ones I’m doing the contracting for. So, the round bales we have baled sit in the hay feeders we have made.

“We employ two engineers, so their skills are utilised over winter and that keeps them in work, meaning they don’t have to worry about the seasonal nature of contracting.

“I also try and place a couple of the staff on other local farms, so they have guaranteed work and some of the boys have their own blocks so they use the off-season to catch up at their own properties,” Harold says.

The O’Connors have added to their original 100 acres, buying an additional 200 acres and leasing another 700. This means that in the winter there is always repairs and maintenance to do and stock to feed.

“The contracting side of the business gives us the scope to be able to make about 3,000 bales for ourselves which are used for winter feeding.

“We do our own fencing and also contract fencing, as well as offer dairy support grazing for 600 dairy cows that need shifting and feeding daily.”

This system is working well, with one of the guys being with Harold since the outset and two others for 10 years.

Calves do better on automated system

Every year Harold and Helen rear 300 bobby calves. They buy in around 150 4-day-old Jersey bull calves and 150 beef cross calves.

Harold says the calf operation came about after a local farmer asked him to raise some service bulls. The concept grew from there, with Harold saying there is good demand and a strong market for well-grown bulls.

The calves are under cover in two sheds and are fed using a robotic calf feeding system that reads their NAIT tags, mixes

the milk powder and gives each calf the right amount of milk based on the information in the tag.

“We try and keep it simple; they get lots of food and once they come off the feeder they are onto grass, hay and grain,” he says.

Helen notes that the automatic calf feeders mean the calves cannot overdrink or drink another calf’s milk.

“With the robotic feeder they get up to 6 litres over 24 hours but the computer spreads the feeds out, so they are not drinking it all at once.”

Once the calves learn to feed the job is a lot easier – it is just about getting them up and drinking, Helen says. “In the early stages that can take all day but after a week or so they are quite self-sufficient.”

“We’ve been using this technology for around 4 years and it works well for us. I love doing the calves – I look forward to the first batch,” she enthuses.

The pair believe the calves do better off the automated system. Little and often seems to work with the calves growing better. This approach seems to particularly suit the temperamental Jersey breed.

“Our calf sheds are built so the calves can wander out into the paddock and then come back in when they want a drink – it’s very relaxed for them. They can then transition onto grass in their own time and they also have cover if it's wet or cold,”

Harold says.

While they would not expand their calf rearing, the robotic system has streamlined the operation for the O’Connors; what they have invested in technology and machinery is about the same as the cost of an extra labour unit that would be needed if their feeding system was not automated.

“We source our calves from the same local suppliers, some from clients who we do contract work for in the summer, and we usually get them in batches of 10. It’s important we know where the calves come from in this Mycoplasma bovis environment.”

The Jersey bulls are weaned at around 12 weeks and are then leased out to dairy farmers as yearlings, before heading back to the O’Connors to be wintered and sold as 2-year-olds for back-up mating.

The 150 beef calves are raised and fattened, then depending on the market are sold as store cattle or grown on. The cattle are usually a Hereford cross.

While the O’Connors are always looking to expand their land holding they are also keen to ensure a work-life balance and with both children already leaning toward contracting and agriculture the family are growing forward together.

It’s about choices and timing, costs versus yields and what the need is at the time.”

From crops to calf feed – co-op supports growth

An important aspect of the O’Connor’s farming programme is stock feed cropping. Traditionally the O’Connors had grown brassicas for 2 years and followed the crop with regrassing, which has enabled stock to be fed over the winter and pasture to be improved.

In 2017 Harold introduced fodder beet which he says improved his farming operation by enabling him to slow down his grass rotation and finish his bull beef earlier than he had with swedes. The brassica wintering system had become costly with a large area of land being taken out each year for winter feed. The fodder beet enables the same dry matter yield in half the land area.

From a contracting perspective he understands the importance of making sure the seed bed preparation was right and precision drilling the seed to maximise yields.

Last year Harold went back to swedes using HT swedes which enables him to spray out any weeds such as wild turnip.

“It’s about choices and timing, costs versus yields and what the need is at the time,” he says.

Farmlands has been in the paddock with the family,

For example, their Farmlands Technical Field Officer, Hayley Holland provides agronomy, calf-rearing and nutrition expertise.

“Farmlands is a major part of our business – we buy all our milk powder and calf rearing products, along with the baleage plastic and our fuel through them.

“Hayley helps us with our agronomy around soil management and the production of field crops as well as calf rearing advice,” Harold explains.

Hayley sat down with Helen to prepare for the upcoming calf season and plan feeding options well in advance. She describes the shareholder’s automated calf feeding operation as “very impressive”.

“As well as sensing how much milk is needed for each calf, it also mixes the milk powder and is pretty much a one-stop shop,” Hayley says.

“Harold and Helen are a great couple – very communityminded and would do anything for anyone.

“I’m heavily involved with the O’Connors and other

DELIVERING A TRUCKLOAD OF KNOWLEDGE

When your TFO pulls up the drive, you’ve got the combined insight of the whole Farmlands network on-farm, right where you need it.

Couple this with New Zealand’s leading fert, chem, seed and feed brands and you’ll see increased efficiency and greater success across every part of your farm.

Get more from Farmlands this spring. Talk to your TFO today.

Every year there are around 3,500 MEN DIAGNOSED with prostate cancer in New Zealand. This September, join Farmlands and the Prostate Cancer Foundation in the fight against the disease. Visit www.farmlands.co.nz to find out how you can help.

Early prostate screening a priority for rural men

During lockdown, Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ (PCF) estimates there were 30 percent fewer diagnoses of all cancers. That includes those men over 50 who were due for a regular doctors’ visit and did not get their prostate checked. As this deadly cancer often has no symptoms, the preliminary check is the crucial first indicator.

In his role as Medical Advisor to PCF, Urologist Jim Duthie aims to reduce the number of men suffering from prostate cancer by expanding good screening throughout the country and encouraging early checks.

“Guys don’t see enough doctors,” Jim says bluntly. “So when they do, it’s important they make the most of that appointment.”

Tackling a cancer that kills 600 Kiwi men each year is no small feat.

According to Health Navigator NZ, men who live in rural areas are at greater risk than those who live in urban areas because they have less access to health services. The research also points to rural men having lower rates of screening than their urban counterparts.1

“This may relate to the nature of their work, geographic location, social isolation or the old ‘battler’ psyche but those excuses need to stop,” Jim says. "Although the risk increases with age, even younger men can be affected and early detection is the key."

Initial screening takes the form of a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The Guidelines for General Practitioners says that a rectal exam can be added. Jim encourages

men to ask in advance if their GP will do a PSA test and if not, “ask around as modern diagnostics have greatly improved our ability to identify life-threatening cancers.”

"I urge people to avoid putting their head in the sand – if they notice a warning sign like blood, they need to get to a doctor.”

With qualifications in psychology and nutrition alongside his clinical training – Jim knows how to challenge blokes to think differently. Last September, he took his health messages on the road, speaking to hundreds of locals at PCF events in Taupo, Whanganui, New Plymouth and Tauranga. Jim’s approach mixes humour and honesty; he is just as comfortable talking about celebrity diets as he is about making end-of-life decisions in advance.

“I try to impress on the audience that doing something is better than nothing,” he says. “That goes for easy lifestyle changes too – as there is good evidence to suggest that small diet and exercise changes can really help.

“Luckily, the younger generations know they need to look after themselves more if they are going to live longer."

and for those with a father or brother who has had the disease, the likelihood of getting it earlier in life is much higher.

Once again this September, Jim will be helping PCF raise awareness of the importance of getting checked.

Farmlands is a proud supporter of Blue September.

Shareholders can donate online at www.farmlands.co.nz

1. Research conducted by Bryant Education Centre, Waikato Hospital, 2014.

Going blue for our loved ones

While PCF Ambassador Jason Gunn has taken a light-hearted approach to the subject in previous years, things got personal for the media personality this year. Sadly, Alan Henderson – the voice behind the much-loved TV puppet Thingee, the Son of a Gunn’s sidekick – lost his battle against prostate cancer.

So, this September we’re going blue for Thingee and all the wha nau in our lives that have been affected by the disease. www.blueseptember.org.nz

THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSET ON FARM IS YOU.

WELL DONE TO FARMLANDS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF BLUE SEPTEMBER.

The on farm and family impacts of things like prostate cancer is a good example of why we recommend you to think about life & health cover. With experienced Personal Risk Advisers right across the country our team are always happy to review your options. If you’d like to talk give us a call on 0800 366 466 or visit our website at fmg.co.nz

Pictured: Blair Shortall, farmer and FMG’s employee.

We’re here for the good of the country.

Agronomy advice more vital than ever

After a dry autumn and winter, shareholders are facing many production challenges. Added to this, southern and northern farmers have met a wet weather burden. All of which means agronomy assistance is more vital than ever.

“Drought and floods have meant that there isn't sufficient feed for early spring requirements in some places,” Farmlands General Manager Grain & Seed, Tim O’Sullivan says. “Many farmers went into winter without the bank of feed they’d usually have.

“In the short-term, affected farmers are potentially facing situations where their pasture swards have been damaged and they have limited ability to maximise dry matter production when it is needed. Our regional Agronomists, along with Technical Field Officers, can help to plan for and plug any feed gaps in early spring.”

Guy Mason pays heed to that. The Farmlands Agronomist for Northland/ Waikato spent time in July observing the damage wrought by a severe flood on drought-stricken properties.

“The drought in my region was the worst I’ve seen. The Northland flood was like that of 2014, which may explain why owners have been pretty philosophical about it – they farm on a flood plain so know it’s in the nature of the beast,” Guy says. “That does come with an economic cost though.”

Guy noted that even after 2 weeks, some paddocks or uneven parts were still underwater, meaning those pastures are unlikely to survive and remedial action will be required.

“I think the biggest challenge for locals has been to remove as much of the silted cover as possible. Getting machines in there to harrow and mow is vital if rye grass is to get away again."

The seasoned expert notes that every case is different but there are always options. For those affected by floods, Guy says they could consider resetting the damaged pasture by dry cow grazing before mowing or chain harrowing, then refreshing the soil with fertiliser. Stitching in short-term seed or over-sowing small seed such as clover, plantain or chicory; or growing something else like maize could also help.

Supporting Guy on his visits was local Technical Field Officer Mark Forsyth, who is based in Kamo. Part of an Agronomist’s job is to support other field staff on all things grain and seed.

“Together, we’ve been revisiting cropping plans that we wrote up last autumn. There’s no point spraying out if the productive grass has gone in places,” Guy says.

Beyond the short-term, Tim says that Agronomists are equipping frontline staff to help shareholders mitigate any seasonal challenges and plan for next year's feed requirements.

“The aim is to understand what each farmer is trying to achieve and work with them to reach those goals by assessing pasture quality and planning to manage seasonal feed surpluses and deficits,” Tim says.

Pre-spring, Farmlands’ field staff discuss a raft of topics with each customer, covering:

• What typically happens at this time of year and how past seasons have affected the region.

• How seasonal changes are influencing on-farm conversations.

• Spring goals and how the team can influence farm profitability.

• Animal condition and any feed deficits.

• Economic or environmental considerations.

Guy often produces a farm map as a result, breaking challenges and opportunities down into “bite-sized solutions” by paddock or area.

“Inherently I am positive about what farmers up here in Northland can do post-drought and flood. Nature is amazing and plants have an ability to bounce back if we help them.”

To get your feed levels to where they need to be, contact a Farmlands Technical Field Officer.

Education ups the enviro-ag game

For the North Otago Sustainable Land Management group (NOSLaM), educating early on positive enviroagriculture practices is key to the upkeep of good pastoral management systems.

Originally founded by North Otago farmers in 1994, NOSLaM now has nearly 200 farmer members, all focussed on improving farm resilience and sustainability. NOSLaM's key role is working with "pods" of farmers to address water quality within their catchment and supporting landowners and community groups as they undertake projects to fence off and plant critical source areas, wetlands and waterways. As each site around the catchment is planted, a local primary school is assigned guardianship of the area.

NOSLaM Engagement Officer and Farmlands shareholder based in Maheno, Bridget McNally emphasises that by getting children on to farms, positive conversations about the environment can be started early.

“We are not a political or regulatory group; our focus is very much about on-farm education, improving the environment and enhancing biodiversity. Planting projects provide an opportunity for students to connect with the land, to do some hard mahi. The students become the guardians of the area and revisit the site to undertake maintenance and observe the growth of plants.

“While planting projects vary in size, the one consistent is that the wider community comes together to undertake them. It’s great to see

conversations between generations and people from all over the community, often over a well-deserved BBQ,” she says.

Education on sustainable land management is also being prioritised at high school level. NOSLaM works with Waitaki Girls High School in Oamaru on two subjects. The first is a year-long Land and Water Management subject under NCEA Level One (Year 11).

NOSLaM co-ordinates and facilitates a field trip at the commencement of the year that allows students the opportunity to see a range of land uses and hear from farmers about their challenges and what they do to uphold good management practices.

The second is a supporting Year 10 EnviroAg subject that explores a range of themes and involves taking

students out on-farm and engaging with a range of farmer and industry speakers. Resources for both courses are sponsored by the Waitaki District Youth Council and DairyNZ. With approximately 22 young women taking the NCEA Level One subject and 30 Year 10 students in the EnviroAg course each year, knowledge of good farm management practices is extended to the next generation.

“At a field trip in February, farmers were impressed with the high-quality questions they received. The students are curious, passionate and not afraid to ask the hard questions,” Bridget says.

Over the COVID-19 lockdown, farmers and industry representatives were more than happy to keep the students engaged in their learning and created knowledge videos for the students. The students valued this immensely and the resulting discussions lead to rich learning experiences.

“The courses bring a more sciencebased aspect to agriculture and the environment. It is our hope that it will help retain young people in the industry while also lifting the academic game.

Students can see the advantages and disadvantages of different farm practices in context and these environmental discussions start very early on,” Bridget notes.

Jessica Wright, Agriculture teacher in charge of the EnviroSchools programme at Waitaki Girls High School, says that the support from NOSLaM has meant agriculture is much more of a “living” subject for the girls.

“The facilitation by NOSLaM of speakers from the wider agricultural community from North Otago has been very positive for the girls and I. The community has been fantastic in offering their time and expertise. The girls are seeing the many potential pathways that ag offers them and are appreciating the access to the many innovative farmers and professionals from our local area,” Jessica says.

Thanks to funding from Curious Minds' Participatory Science Platform with additional funding from the Otago Regional Council’s ECO Fund, a new initiative, “Soil Your Undies” is now underway. The project, which also partners with The East Otago Catchment Group, EnviroSchools,

Beef + Lamb NZ, the University of Otago and AgResearch works with selected schools in the Otago area. Looking into biological indicators of soil health and the role of earthworms and dung beetles within the ecosystem, Soil Your Undies is about burying one's cotton undies in the ground for 2 months and seeing what they look like when they come out. The more threadbare and chewed the undies are, the better the soil health and active biology. The project began in July 2020 and will run until June 2021 with all ages able to get involved.

“It’s a fun, engaging and handson way for students, teachers and the community to learn about the importance of healthy soils. We are here to spread knowledge of good land management practices and those seeds need to be planted at a young age,” Bridget says.

To find out more about NOSLaM, go to www.noslam.nz. For updates on the Soil Your Undies initiative, see www.beeflambnz.com/your-leviesat-work/soil-your-undies

EVENTS ROUND-UP

The Drought Shout

June, Hawke’s Bay

Well-known figures Te Radar, David Kirk and Greg Murphy kept hundreds of farmers entertained over four locations. With support from Farmlands, Property Brokers, Ballance and many more, the events were a light-hearted respite for locals after a very tough year. Farmers were able to have a chat, enjoy refreshments and hear from the speakers.

Ballance Find your Fortune

9 th July via Zoom

The Ballance Find Your Fortune draw was announced and while the big prize eluded the three contestants, they each took home $2,500 cash and a $1,500 Farmlands gift card.

Shareholders Tim and Jen Hewitt (Masterton), Max Turnbull (Tutira) and Brent Moss (Te Poi) qualified into the draw by purchasing fertiliser through Ballance on their Farmlands Account. To win, the contestants had to flip three random tiles (out of 25) with a $1 million sticker on them. Only one winning tile was flipped by each shareholder, awarding them the $2,500 each but it was enough to break out the champagne.

Fieldays Online

13 th – 26 th July via Fieldays TV

When COVID-19 tried to kick Fieldays off the events calendar, Fieldays kicked right back and headed online! Live for 2 weeks, Fieldays Online delivered the total experience (without the muddy gumboots) with access to great deals on innovative products and advice straight from the experts.

As part of the online event, the Farmlands Future Focus series brought a wealth of knowledge from movers and shakers in the agriculture industry through seminar videos. Farmlands CEO Peter Reidie, Ag Consultant Joanne Finer and Vodafone Wholesale and Infrastructure Director Tony Baird were the first to take the Future Focus stage.

Hosted by journalist Sharon Brettkelly, the trio discussed what defines agri-leadership and how to bring young leaders up through the industry. They looked into innovation, start-ups and how to support research and development in the current economic climate.

“The industry has been built around efficiency, we have been great users and utilisers of our land. We now have to do an about-face and build around value. How do we create value and get the most valuable product from our land?” noted Peter during the seminar.

Other industry leaders such as Cameron Bagrie (Managing Director of Bagrie Economics), Ian Proudfoot (Global Head of Agribusiness – KPMG) and Mike Peterson (Farmer, Te Puna Farm) also lent their wisdom to the series, creating thought-provoking viewing for all.

The Future Focus seminar series is available to view on-demand from www.fieldaysonline.co.nz/fieldays-tv/video-on-demand/future-focus

WHAT’S UP NEXT?

Young Winemaker of the Year

4th, 10 th and 16 th September

Events in the Hawke’s Bay, Central Otago and Marlborough will see the brightest young wine producers compete for the Young Winemaker of the Year award, sponsored by Farmlands. Competitors will be tested on the skills and expertise required in the winemaking process, as well as networking and expanding their knowledge. Winners of the regional event will go head-to-head in November’s Grand Final to determine who the top young winemaker in the country is!

Farmlands AgFest

13 – 14th November, Greymouth Aerodrome

The AgFest team are excited to announce that Farmlands AgFest 2020 will be held at the Greymouth Aerodrome on Friday November 13th and Saturday November 14th this year. Come along and you’ll experience every inch of farming in New Zealand; from the latest in dairy sheds to the best gumboots to wear in them. You’ll see the latest in farming vehicles and implements, stock care, health and safety, and much more. Tickets are available from www.agfest.co.nz

Avoiding injury while handling large animals

A major task for spring on many farms is dehorning calves and castrating bull calves. Every year, many people are injured, some fatally, while handling cattle. Most of these are kicking or crushing injuries.

“Anyone working closely with large animals needs suitable training and experience to be able to assess risks and make the best decisions to ensure their safety and that of others,”

Al McCone, Agriculture Lead for WorkSafe NZ, says.

“People are more likely to be injured working with large animals when they don’t have the experience to assess the risks.

“Cattle have minds of their own, a huge weight advantage and move surprisingly fast. Even skilled cattle handlers take knocks or kicks during their careers. Skilled handlers understand how cattle behave and react. They know where to stand and how to move. They work together

and get cattle to do what they want –quietly, smoothly and safely.

“If you have new or inexperienced people working with you, the skilled staff should be providing them with training around handling of large animals. Until you are confident they are suitably experienced, they should be observing and doing supporting tasks rather than working closely with the stock.”

Al says experienced workers should also be involved in planning and discussion around the safest approach to these tasks — and no one should try to move a dangerous bull on foot or alone.

“With any task that involves risk, you should always do some forward planning and discuss what the risks are including: assessing an individual animal’s temperament and how you are going to manage it, each person’s job and how you will deal with any emergencies.”

General approaches should include:

• Before bringing animals into yards, plan an escape route. Ensure the area is tidy and well maintained and remove any sharp objects that could injure or ‘spook’ people or livestock.

• Leave cattle in the yards for about 30 minutes before handling, so they can calm down and become accustomed to their surroundings. Try to limit noises like shouting, barking dogs or revving vehicles.

• Try to stay out of the animal’s ‘personal space’ around its head and never stand in front of a bar used as a slip rail or hock bar, behind the last animal. Instead, stand the end of the bar and keep it at arm’s length in case it jerks upwards.

• Never dehorn large cattle when you are alone in the race. When eartagging, always work from above the animals’ heads never through the rails. For difficult animals and bulls, use a headbail.

• Never get between a calf and its mother, without a barrier or other protection. If you have to catch a calf, keep it between you and the mother and, ideally keep a fence or vehicle between you and the cow.

“Good advance planning and ensuring workers are fully trained and experienced, will go a long way to preventing a potentially life-changing accident happening in your farm business,” Al says.

Article supplied by WorkSafe.

Brian Beardmore’s a traditional kind of guy. The 82-year-old has owned his Taranaki farm for almost 60 years. Although son and daughter-in-law Mark and Sandy manage the farm now, he is still out and about every day, he still pays the bills by cheque, and much prefers talking business – or otherwise – around the kitchen table, rather than over the phone.

So it turns out that when Meridian and Farmlands knocked on the Beardmores’ door 6 years ago to chat power over a cuppa, we were off to a good start.

“But the price had to be right,” Brian says. And in this case it was, in the form of seasonal rates.

With 1,000 cows, 250 replacement young stock, 550 hectares and two properties, this calls for a fair bit of power. So the Beardmores considered it a no-brainer to choose rates that were at their lowest when they were using the most.

“When our consumption is at its peak, that’s when we’re getting the best rates,” Mark says. “It’s such an advantage for our business.”

Mark says the team sat around the table, did the rates and it was clear they would be better off having the power under one roof instead of the multiple suppliers they were dealing with.

“When we put everything together and looked at the benefits, there was certainly money to be saved by going with Meridian and Farmlands.”

Brian and Mark are also impressed with the way their farm is treated like an individual business, with a dedicated account manager who knows their business.

“The key thing for us is that we can text or ring Gina if we need anything with any of our sites. Having one personal contact is a another big reason we’re with Meridian. Working with Gina we get satisfaction with someone knowing our business, and confidence that we’re getting the best rates year in, year out.”

Gina says she keeps tabs on the Beardmores’ account so if she notices any changes in consumption, she will have a conversation about what they might be doing differently.

“Then we’d check that the plans and rates they’re on still suit – it’s just keeping frequent account reviews going.

When our consumption is at its peak, that’s when we’re getting the best rates. It’s such an advantage for our business.”

“We know that things change on farm, and when they do, we’re ready to make sure their power set-up still works well or change it if we need to.”

The Meridian-Farmlands partnership has also been a big advantage, Mark says. By billing through Farmlands, they enjoy an extra discount on their power as well as Choices Rewards Points.

“Having that relationship and business link has been great for us, and in return, paying for our power through Farmlands is our way of showing a bit of loyalty,” he says – and Brian agrees.

“For us loyalty is important. We will stay loyal provided that we’re getting great customer service and the best rates available.”

So do they get that from Meridian?

“Definitely. That’s why we’ve been with Meridian for over 6 years, and unless anything changes, we’ll be sticking around.”

With rates that work with the seasons, an account manager that gets you and your farm, and extra benefits from billing through your rural supplier - Meridian’s a no brainer. Call our dedicated Agribusiness team on 0800 496 444.

Article supplied by Meridian.

FARM BUILDINGS THAT SUIT YOUR NEEDS

• Suitable for very high wind zone areas

• Made from SG8 gauged timber

• Zincalume® & ModnColour® roof and wall cladding options

• Long rung pre-coated metal roofing iron includes head, barge and corner flashings

• Fixings & fasteners included

• Roof/cladding manufactured specifically for use in New Zealand in accordance with standards AS 1397:2011 and NZ/AS 2728:2019

• Roof/cladding high quality repainted steel sheet backed by 15-year minimum durability warranty

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To order or find out more contact Bunnings National Trade Support Team via email sales@bunnings.co.nz or contact us on mobile 021 516 411 or DDI 09 571 6087

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.

Spring – the time for new life and ventures

The COVID-19 lockdown revealed some of the advantages of a small farm or lifestyle block – selfsufficiency being one and beyond that, the possibility of generating some income from a small block. Spring is a great time to increase livestock numbers because young animals and birds are readily available and they can grow with your farming system over time.

Laying hens are not only highly efficient at putting food on the table, they can be hugely engaging. They enjoy foraging but are far less dependent on pasture than grazing livestock – their health and productivity can be assured from bagged feed that has been formulated to meet their needs. Simply select a chick starter, pullet grower or layer feed, depending on the age of the bird. Fattening pigs or even breeding sows can also be considered, provided housing is available. Only those folks that are confident handling larger animals should bring in pigs. For those with the will and energy, adding value to pasture by channelling it through ruminants can be a rewarding venture. To avoid over-stocking, stock numbers can be built up gradually over a few years – especially if pasture renovation is planned.

Initially this will take some paddocks out of production but in the long term this will increase productivity. Size-wise, sheep are well suited to the inexperienced farmer and a flock can be started by hand-rearing surplus or orphan lambs. Handreared ewe lambs are a good option because they become attached to the rearer. Your operation’s size and complexity can build gradually over time. Ram lambs can be reared for the freezer and numbers adjusted according to grass supply.

Calf rearing is another ideal way to build up experience with smaller animals –albeit ones that need a good degree of care and management. The younger the animal, the more care and attention is required, but do not be discouraged – if you have successfully raised children or kept pets you have a good starting point. Weaned calves weighing 100kg or more require less management and are often available for reasonable prices after the commercial growers have taken their pick. Continuing to supply calf feed will help with growth and increase the calve’s confidence around you.

Velvetting stags work on some smaller blocks but more capital investment in fencing and buildings is required.

Merino sheep, alpaca and angora goats offer alternative fibre sources for people with an eye on clothing rather than meat or milk.

Animals that put milk on the table possibly represent the pinnacle of selfsufficiency and production; increasingly these could be sheep or goats, rather than cows. Rearing from a young age increases the opportunity to halter train and handle stock that will require daily milking in the future.

There are lots of products available at Farmlands to help you rear animals, and staff can offer plenty of advice. Care and attention to detail pays dividends and remember that smaller stock numbers and adequate housing make it easier for stock to thrive.

As we are all being encouraged to think local, now is a good time to consider what you can do with your block. Farmlands is packed with people and products that can help your dreams come true.

For further information, contact the friendly team at your local Farmlands store or visit www.farmlands.co.nz/Lifestylers

Reading cow signals

If we take the time to look at our cows, they can tell us a lot about what is going on. With a little bit of practice, you can use cow signals to make tweaks on farm to improve the health and productivity of your herd.

Dung

Looking at the dung of cows can tell you a lot about rumen health and the quality of their diet. Very firm dung indicates a high-fibre diet and looser dung indicates a diet lower in fibre. For high-production dairy cows, dung will always be on the looser side because of the higher-energy, lower-fibre diet required to support milk production but it is important to find the balance between rumen health and productivity. When cows are grazing lush pasture, feeding a little hay or straw can help to improve rumen health by adding effective fibre to their diet. Someone once told me that the perfect cow poo of a high-production dairy cow should sound like a slow clap when it lands on the ground!

Dung containing bubbles can be a sign of ruminal acidosis. The bubbles are produced by fermentation in the lower digestive system, rather than in the rumen, which is indicative of rumen dysfunction. Undigested long fibre particles in the dung can also be a sign that rumen health is sub-optimal as it indicates fibre is not being broken down effectively. The dung of cows across a herd should be consistent if they are eating the same diet – having a variety of dung consistencies within a herd indicates a feed management issue.

Rumination

Rumination or ‘chewing the cud’ is important for cows as it helps to breakdown fibrous material in their diet into smaller particle sizes so that microorganisms in the rumen can ferment it and turn it into energy and protein a cow can then absorb and utilise. When a cow’s rumen is functioning well, feed will not pass on to the lower digestive system until it has reached a certain particle size. Chewing

activity also produces a lot of saliva which helps to buffer the rumen and keep it at the correct pH level.

The more fibre there is in the diet, the more a cow will ruminate, so rumination activity is highly correlated to the quality of the diet on offer. Rumination is also highly correlated to dry matter intake, so the more a cow eats in a day, the more she will ruminate.

Rumination collars are now available that record rumination and this can be used, along with walking activity, to pick when a cow is on heat (as cows will eat less and move more when on heat). This new technology can also be harnessed to help assess the diet on offer to cows and identify feed management issues. Rumination collars are great for recording how many minutes per day cows are ruminating, but if you do not have them there is always the old school way of counting how many times a cow chews a bolus before swallowing, which gives an indication of the fibre level of the diet.

Pick out a couple of cows in the herd and wait until they bring a bolus from their rumen into their mouth then count how many chews they do until they swallow it. As a rough rule of thumb, if the cows are chewing less than 40 or more than 50 times per bolus, the forage may be a little light or heavy on structural fibre respectively.

Condition score

Now this is a sign that all farmers will be familiar with! Condition score is a measure of how much body fat is on an animal. Cow condition scoring is done on a scale of 1–10 in New Zealand. There are some critical condition score targets that must be met throughout the season. One target that will be on your mind now is getting your cows in good condition before mating begins. DairyNZ suggests that cows should not lose more than one condition score from calving through to mating and cows should be in a state of actively putting on weight for best mating results. If you are not that

confident condition scoring your cows then learn how to do it (DairyNZ offers a great course) or get an expert to run their eye over your herd. Now is a great time to identify cows that need some extra help to put on condition before mating kicks off. There are some options for nutritional inputs to help improve energy supply in the lead up to mating such as highenergy compound feed and blends. Chat to your local Nutrition Specialist if you want to explore your options.

Locomotion score

Foot health is extremely important for New Zealand dairy cows as they must graze to harvest grass, and an issue with feet can decrease feed intake and very quickly impact on body condition and productivity. One way we can check in on the foot health of a herd is to locomotion score. Observing back posture, head and limb position, and behaviour when cows are walking can give us insight into their foot health. A lame cow will

tend to have an arched back and carry their head lower and away from their body as they walk. As lameness gets progressively worse, cows will start to show a reluctance to bear weight on a certain limb and will head bob when the affected hoof contacts the ground. Locomotion scoring should be observed when cows are walking on a flat surface that provides good footing. When cows are walking to or from the milking shed it is the perfect time to quietly observe them.

Often, what you see every day becomes normal to you, so having an outsider take a look can help to identify what is off and needs reviewing. NRM’s on-farm team are very experienced with reading cow signals and see lots of cows across all regions.

If you want to get a second opinion on your herd and discuss feed options, contact your local Nutrition Specialist.

Pre-mating tasks

At this time of the year, farmers often feel like they are struggling to keep their heads above water with calving and all the other difficulties that spring weather brings.

There are a couple of tasks that farmers can do in September, which will hopefully help make mating in October a bit easier for everybody. Firstly, replacement heifers are a month away from the start of the mating period. This is a prime opportunity to get them into the yards and give the group a good check over. As the temperature warms up and pasture starts growing again, larval development on pasture can also increase, which may lead to a worm burden impacting on growth rates. Remember, these heifers have an immune system that is likely to be allowing parasites to survive in the intestines. Cooperia is a parasite species that white and mectin drenches have historically been poor at controlling and anecdotally has become more problematic in recent times. The immune system generally starts being able to control Cooperia around 15 months of age, although in some animals this could be as young as 12 months, and in others may be as late as 18 months.

If farmers are contemplating using a drench prior to the start of heifer mating, the drench selected should ideally be effective against Cooperia; this normally means a combination product which contains levamisole.

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A dual or triple active product is recommended because levamisole appears to best control Cooperia but is frequently less effective than white or mectin actives against other parasite species, such as Ostertagia and Trichostrongylus. The choice between pour on/injectable/oral products usually comes down to a trade off between cost and convenience – and there may be some variability in performance between application methods. From the Donaghys range, you could look at Saturn Pour On or Concur Cattle oral. While the heifers are in the yards, it is a good idea to weigh the mob and identify if there are any animals that need some extra attention before mating starts. Blood sampling a subsection of the group to check trace element status is also advised, as this gives farmers a couple of weeks to get any mineral supplementation sorted. Farmers may also be thinking

about vaccinations such as BVD, which needs an annual booster and is frequently given just before mating to provide foetal protection. Secondly, in the dairy herd, it is time to apply tail paint to check for pre-mating heats. In general it is advisable for tail paint to be applied to any calved cows 35 days before planned start of mating. Any cows still to calve could be painted a separate colour. The 35-day period gives farmers 25 days to see what is happening with cycling rates in their herd, then about 10 days prior to mating, enables a discussion with advisors about various options that could be explored. The more information you have, the more options are available.

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

Article supplied by Donaghys.

Spring dairy calf drenching

The future production of your farm is very much reliant on the quality of your replacement heifers. A major target for ensuring their future production in the milking herd is their weight at first mating.

Once we have reared a healthy calf that is well adjusted to a grass diet, we need to optimise growth rates on pasture through to the first mating at 15 months of age. A good parasite control programme is an important part of this. In weaned calves, Scanda® is an ideal choice of oral drench for young calves heavier than 50kg liveweight. Scanda is a double combination containing both oxfendazole and levamisole. Calves still feeding on milk rarely need drenching but if they are to be drenched it should be given with a drench gun and not mixed in with the milk.

Once calves are over 100kg, we can consider other combinations of actives that give better control of the two most important parasites of calves: Cooperia sp. and Ostertagia sp.

Cooperia is of concern particularly in young stock, with significant burdens on pasture building up and supressing appetite and therefore growth. Cooperia resistance to the ML or “mectin” family of drenches is widespread; however levamisole has retained good efficacy against MLresistant Cooperia 1

Ostertagia is the most harmful type of worms in cattle of all ages. The ML drenches are best for the control of Ostertagia – particularly the potent active abamectin.

Converge® is an ideal choice for calves above 100kg liveweight as it contains both levamisole and abamectin. For extra protection from resistance consider Alliance®, a triple combination that contains oxfendazole along with levamisole and abamectin.

Although pour-on drenches are seen as being more convenient, studies have shown that their efficacy can be variable, with many factors limiting the absorption of pour-on drenches. 2 Oral drenches are the most cost-effective way to drench your stock, combat resistance and ensure excellent growth rates in your replacement heifers.

An ideal programme would be to start with Scanda in your smaller calves then move on to either Converge or Alliance drenching every 28 days through the summer and autumn. Talk to your animal health advisor or grazier about planning on your own farm.

Protection against clostridial disease is also an important consideration for your replacement heifers. Clostridial diseases in cattle include malignant oedema, tetanus, pulpy kidney, black disease and blood poisoning. These diseases are caused by bacteria found

everywhere in the environment and often the first you will see of these diseases is the sudden death of even the biggest calves.

Prevention by vaccination is your only option and Multine® 5-in-1, developed and manufactured in New Zealand, is an excellent choice. Full protection with Multine requires an initial sensitiser and then a booster 4–6 weeks later and this programme can be started at any time after weaning in combination with your drench programme. If vitamin B12 supplementation is required in your stock, Multine B12® is an extremely easy and convenient option to supplement B12 in the same single injection as your 5-in-1 vaccination.

For instructions on the use of these products please refer to the product label.

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

ACVM No: A10119, A10249, A000934, A7130, A11311 ®Registered trademark. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. Phone: 0800 800 543. www.coopersonline. co.nz NZ/ALCE/0718/0006.

1 National Drench Resistance Survey 2004–2005, Waghorn, T. S. et al., NZVJ 54 (6), 278-282, 2006.

2 Leathwick, D. M. & Miller, C. M. Vet. Parasitology 191 (2013), 293–300.

Article supplied by MSD Animal Health Ltd.

ECTO PARASITE PROTECTION TAILING GUIDE

LAMBS AT TAILING

Facts on Unlock™ Pour-on & Cyguard Spray-on

• Water-based formulation suitable for use on all sheep breeds and wool types.

• Nil withholding period, when used as a “spot treatment” for tailing.

• The dye used in both formulations is scourable .

• In the event of prolonged heavy rain, the protection period may be reduced

Unlock Pour-on

Dose: 1x11ml arc over the crutch region

Protection Period: Up to 14 weeks

Appearance: Bright yellow opaque liquid

Dose per 20L: 1,818 lambs

Cost effective protection until weaning

Cyguard Spray-on

Dose: 10ml applied as a spray over the crutch region

Protection Period: Up to 6 weeks

Appearance: Red dye

Dose per 20L: 2,000 lambs

Cost effective protection

Clostridial vaccine now with added minerals

Selenium and vitamin B12 are both vital nutrients and deficiencies in sheep can have a significant economic impact. If you farm on selenium and/or cobalt-deficient soils, tailing is an excellent time for selenium and vitamin B12 supplementation to begin.

Selenium is a trace mineral found in soil and pasture; once ingested, it acts as an antioxidant, preventing and repairing cell damage. Selenium-deficient sheep may have low fertility, be ill-thrifty or immune-suppressed. Approximately 30 percent of pastures in New Zealand provide insufficient selenium for grazing stock.1 If you are unsure about the selenium status of your farm, it is best to work with your vet and/ or farm advisor to do some testing prior to supplementing, as overdosing can cause toxicity. Where selenium supplementation is indicated, 2mg is

the optimal dose for lambs 10–20kg in weight, while 5mg is more appropriate for heavier sheep. 2

Vitamin B12 is important for energy metabolism. Young, growing ruminants like lambs (from tailing onwards) have the highest B12 requirements of any class of stock. Lambs with B12 deficiency show signs of illthrift despite grazing good green pasture. Cobalt is the trace element required for vitamin B12 synthesis, but approximately 46 percent of New Zealand pastures provide insufficient cobalt for sheep.3 While you should be careful about oversupplementing selenium, vitamin B12 has a high safety margin and can be used at the same time as other cobalt supplements such as mineralised drenches.4

Supplementation of selenium and/or vitamin B12 from tailing may coincide

with lambs receiving clostridial vaccines such as Multine®, New Zealand’s leading 5-in-1 vaccine. Clostridial vaccination programmes require that lambs receive two doses – a sensitiser at tailing or weaning, followed by a booster dose 4–6 weeks later. Stock should then receive an annual booster of clostridial vaccine every 12 months, with replacement ewes receiving their booster pre-lamb to provide passive protection to their lambs via colostrum.

For convenient selenium and vitamin B12 supplementation from tailing, Multine is now available with B12 (Multine B12), or with B12 and a 2mg dose of selenium in combination (Multine B12 Selenised). For ewes 2–4 weeks pre-lamb, Multine 5-in-1 Selenised (containing 5mg selenium) or Multine B12 are appropriate if you would like to combine clostridial vaccination with injectable selenium or B12 supplementation.

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

1. Beef + Lamb New Zealand, ‘Trace Element Nutrition of Sheep’, March 2020. www.beeflambnz.com

2. West, D., Bruere, N. & Ridler, A. (2009). “The Sheep, Health, Disease and Production”. Massey University Press, p138, 200.

3. Knowles, S.O. & Grace, N.D., ‘Vitamin B12 status and the effects of vitamin B12 supplementation during the first year of life of spring calves from pasture-fed dairy herds.’ NZ Vet Journal, 2014: p274–8.

4. Mulvaney, C., Hodgson, B., Cuttance, W., MSD data on file. DATE? New Zealand or overseas data?

ACVM Nos: A11766, A0934, A0935, A11311. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd.

© 2020 Intervet International B.V. All Rights Reserved. NZ-MUL-200700007.

Article supplied by MSD Animal Health.

Make every mouthful count

The grass your cows are eating now contains the magic that will drive their production and reproduction results. Attached to this grass and clover however, are miniscule biomasses of inefficiency that can devalue that magic! Parasite larvae are a major, often unseen, cost to our production systems.

While adults may be immune and not suffer clinical parasitism as their younger herd mates do, immunity still comes at a cost. Antibodies and inflammatory cells are proteins and associated processes are energy driven. This energy has to come from somewhere in the cow’s system. While the daily effect of parasites can be small, it adds up.

New Zealand studies using drenches that prevent larvae from becoming established have demonstrated increased milk solid production and improved reproduction in heifers.1,2 The same protection is not there with short-acting drenches that are usually much cheaper. They simply remove the parasites in the animal that day, but the next day cows are reinfected and the inefficiency starts again.

Minimising condition loss is key for successful reproduction and as cows reach peak milk production, their protein and fat stores are depleted and body condition will drop. Spring parasite challenges, or those that were carried over from autumn and winter on board the cow, will accelerate that loss. For cows that are younger, have been compromised in some way around calving or are losing more condition than is acceptable, a targeted treatment

with Cydectin® may help slow that down. With the severe drought many have faced in the North Island, cow condition will be variable at best and a parasite infection can make that worse.

Cydectin differs from most of the other cattle pour ons in that it has the longest effect against Ostertagia ostertagi (35 days), the main production-limiting parasite in adult animals. It also has nil withholding times for milk, meat and bobby calves, making it especially convenient to have in the shed. What is more, it is made in New Zealand to strict global quality standards, ensuring it will do the job you expect while supporting New Zealand business at the same time.

When the pressure is on in spring, do not let parasites make mating more difficult. Make every mouthful of grass count, by target treating at-risk cows and heifers with Cydectin Pour On to improve condition.

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

Cydectin is a registered trademark of Zoetis. ACVM No. A6204. Zoetis New Zealand Limited. Tel: 0800 963 847; www.zoetis.co.nz.

Article supplied by Zoetis.

1 Murphy, A. ‘The effect of treatment with moxidectin, a long acting endectocide, on milk production in lactating dairy cows’, Buiatrics World Congress, 1998.

2 McPherson, W.B., ‘The impact of eprinomectin treatment on dairy cattle reproductive performance’, Proc Soci-ety of DCV NZVA, 2000.

South Island Farming

Escorted by Kevin Barrett (Taranaki rugby legend and father of the Barrett rugby boys), this farming and sightseeing experience starts in Christchurch at the New Zealand Trotting Cup Day at Addington, and then travels on our exclusively chartered coach through the South Island’s most beautiful regions, staying in the stunning towns of Kaikoura, Blenheim, Punakaiki, Fox Glacier, Wanaka, Queenstown, and finishing in Invercargill. Limited to 25 guests only, and book no later than 30 September.

Southern South Island Springtime Sightseeing Tour

Not a farming tour, but it’s simply the very best sightseeing experience of Southern New Zealand. Includes 2-night stays in the iconic southern locations of Queenstown, Te Anau, Invercargill, and Stewart Island and along the way takes in a fantastic array of highlights such as a jet boat adventure in the Fiordland National Park, a Milford Sound day trip, journeying through the Southern Scenic Route of Western Southland, a Stewart Island charter boat trip of Ulva Island, hidden coves and pristine beaches, and much more – Limited to 20 people, and book no later than 20 September. ESCORTED BY

Auckland & Waiheke Island Sightseeing and Shows Tour

ESCORTED BY

What a great combination. 3 nights Auckland including sightseeing, a day trip to Waiheke Island, and two fantastic stage shows – the iconic & timeless Mary Poppins, and ‘The Boss’, a full Sky City production bringing alive the fantastic music of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Four years in the making, ‘The Boss’ is a 3-hour world-class show featuring the entire ‘Born In The USA’ album plus more than twenty of The Boss’s greatest hits. Book no later than 20 September.

TONY & TRACEY LAKER FROM HOUSE OF TRAVEL LAKERS DEPARTS 15 OCTOBER 2020 | 4 DAY TOUR

Outback Queensland & Gulf Savannah Farming

ESCORTED BY PAUL ALLISON

This same tour sold out very quickly last year. Sightseeing highlights include the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame, a cruise in the stunning Cobbold Gorge, an excursion on the Gulflander vintage railway, and much more. And along the way we experience a fantastic range of varied farm and huge station visits including sheep, cattle, crops, cotton, a coffee plantation, and more. Limited to 25 people.

DEPARTS 07 JULY 2021 | 13 DAY TOUR

Making quality grass silage with a little help

Silage quality is made up of not just the nutritional quality of the crop when it is cut, but also the fermentation and hygienic quality. Getting the right bugs working for you will give you the best chance of producing high quality silage.

The fermentation can either be fast and efficient, with lactic acid-producing bacteria (good bugs) swiftly bringing the pH level down and preserving the nutrients in the crop, or slow and inefficient with considerable activity of spoilage organisms (bad bugs) and high nutrient losses. The key to successful silage is ensuring the good bugs flourish and the bad ones do not.

Adding good bugs

Using a proven fermentation-enhancing inoculant adds large numbers of lactic acid-producing bacteria to ensure the fermentation is fast and efficient and pH drops quickly. Most spoilage organisms can not grow below a pH of around 5. Not all inoculants are the same so seek advice to make sure you get the right product for your silage and ensure it is supported by sound research along with good technical support. Inoculants must be stored and applied correctly.

Getting rid of the air

The bacteria that efficiently ferment grass into silage grow in the absence of air. Those that need air to grow are spoilage organisms which we do not want. It is therefore important to exclude air from the stack or pit through good compaction. The crop should be wilted enough to avoid silage

liquor leaching out but not so dry that it is hard to compact. For drier crops, a shorter chop length can help with compaction. The crop should be spread in thin layers as the stack is built or the pit filled, and each layer compacted well with a suitable heavy vehicle.

Keeping the air out

Once the stack or pit is finished it needs to be sealed well quickly to keep the air out and starve spoilage organisms of oxygen. If a conventional plastic cover is used (e.g. black and white cover), this should be well sealed along the edges and covered all over with touching tyres. Alternatively, a proven oxygen barrier sheet e.g. Silostop® can be used to greatly reduce the movement of air into the silage. Oxygen barrier sheets need to be covered by either a conventional black and white cover or a green UV cover to protect them from UV light and damage caused by birds and rodents. They need to be

very well sealed around the edges but do not require touching tyres. For pits, sheeting the side walls before filling the pit can also help reduce the growth of spoilage organisms.

Managing the silage face at feed out

The stack face should be kept tight and tidy, with minimum loose spilt material at the base, so spoilage organisms cannot grow, wasting energy and producing heat. Any visible spoilage on the top or sides should be cut out and put in a compost heap. Some of the spoilage organisms and the toxins they produce can be harmful to rumen microbes so it is important to do everything you can to minimise silage spoilage.

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

Article supplied by Nutritech.

Drift retardants: what you may not know

There are so many options and very few regulations, which makes it is very difficult for those in our rural industry to make informed decisions on what is a good or bad drift-retarding adjuvant.

The technology for reducing spray drift (chemical trespass) has been around for a long time. The part that is seldom discussed is how good the driftretarding product is and what its level of efficacy is.

Unlike the United States of America, where a drift-reducing adjuvant must be specifically registered with each chemical it is applied with and go through stringent tests to obtain certification for use, New Zealand has none of these safeguards. Many products are sold as having driftreducing capability without even stating or quantifying their level of efficacy.

It is simply not enough to state that a product “will reduce some off-target spray movement” as many questions remain unanswered with this statement.

How much will it reduce sideways offtarget drift? Will the product increase potential phyto-toxicity of selective herbicides? What is the actual water rate applied and what is the increased level of efficacy to the sprayed swath width if off-target drift is reduced? How is the product achieving the goal of drift reduction? Has the drift

retardant (or its equivalent) received full certification across a wide range of herbicides and application technology in the USA by the EPA? Does it satisfy the new regulations after 1.4 million ha of soya beans were affected by spray drift from herbicides?

The most effective deposition aiddrift retardant is the high-molecularweight polyvinyl polymer. These impart visco-elasticity to the spray solution and function well in getting more of the spray down to the intended deposition surface.

Unlike many drift-reducing adjuvants, the spray movements (fines) are reduced as they are emitted from the spray nozzle as opposed to just adding weight to the droplet.

Polyvinyl polymers (used in the Mist Control product in New Zealand) have been field tested for many years with excellent results. Numerous comparative tests show that a significant increase in the amount of spray deposition is achieved when the polymer is used, (Goering and Butler, 1975). In over 292 aerial tests conducted, the polyvinyl polymer gave an average increase in deposition on-target of 44.8 percent and an average increase in effective swath width of 2.65m. In deposition tests using a copper tracer fungicide, deposition was increased at all

locations within the spray swath by adding a polyvinyl polymer.

Using 180ml polyvinyl polymer per 380 litre spray solution via aerial application, deposition increased from 59.5 percent to 91 percent within the spray swath. Note: test flights were conducted in 8–9 knot crosswinds.

With less fines and reduced evaporation by approximately 30 percent the downwind fall out is reduced by 60–70 percent or even higher if the highest rate is used. No changes to spray tank viscosity will occur and it will not reduce chemical activity/coverage although a slight increase in droplet size will occur when used at the correct label rates. Mist Control has not been known to increase phytotoxicity. Use of the polyvinyl polymer will prove profitable for a very minimal investment in both capital and time. Before use, ensure mixing directions and sequence are followed correctly as per the label.

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

Article supplied by Key Industries.

Goering, C.E., & Butler, B.J. (1975). Aired field studies of herbicide drift. ASAE Paper No. 73-1575.

Dialling up the heat

Taranaki dairy farmer and AI technician Irene Phillips works hard. On a small farm in Okato she is up before 3am, out in the paddocks getting ready for milking.

When it comes to mating, Irene says FlashMate takes all the stress out of the equation. “I highly recommend it, to my artificial breeding clients and other farmers.”

FlashMate gives best bang for buck by staying on the cow to accurately alert multiple heats throughout mating. This lifts submission quality, drives up conception rates and adds profit. The product is earning a reputation for picking silent heats. Detecting just two silent heats per 100 cows covers the investment across the entire herd outright.

“I no longer feel stressed during calving season, which is typically the most stressful time of the year for farmers. Instead we can laugh and joke and focus on other things,” Irene, who has been using FlashMate since 2016, says.

FlashMate uses touch-sensing to measure the most reliable ‘primary signs’ of heat, alerting spikes in bulling and chin-resting (which indicates heat). Objects like fences, trees and hail are ignored.

The product flashes red for 26 hours for optimal insemination, then stops until further heat activity is detected on the next cycle during mating.

Science underpins FlashMate. It is the world’s only heat detector that has clinically proven a 6 percent lift in 6-week in-calf rate (6WICR). In 2019, 10 farms that had not used FlashMate before were selected for an updated herd-level study. The average increase in 6WICR was over 6 percent with a range from 3–14 percent.

“Anyone can easily multiply their herd by six, then multiply that by $4 to see what a 6 percent gain yields in extra profit,” Fraser Smith, one of the creators of FlashMate, says.

He points out that heat detection is just one aspect of reproduction.

Healthy, well-managed cows in good condition are the basis of good reproductive performance.

Irene says FlashMate has increased her in-calf rates significantly.

“For me, FlashMate means peace of mind. When we are out in the paddock at 3am, and it’s pitch back and we are tired, you see that blinking red light and you can easily identify which cows are ready for AI.”

She says FlashMate is easy to apply and use, effective and accurate, and saves farmers time and money in the long run. Fastidious in her approach, Irene advises that preparation is key to successful application.

If you are a good operator and well set up for AB, you should see immediate payback and a good return. FlashMate users are profitoriented farmers who understand that more accurate and efficient heat detection is a sound investment.

An AI technician for more than 15 years, Irene says she has converted more than half of her clients to FlashMate “and they are absolutely stoked”.

“FlashMate on cows takes away the risk factor during the most important time of year for farmers. You can’t make money from empty cows, and FlashMate means you don’t have to worry about that.”

Farmshed Labs can put interested farmers in touch with others who are already using FlashMate.

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

Article supplied by Farmshed Labs Limited.

Ensure your calves hit their target weights

Healthy, well-grown calves are the key to any successful calf rearing operation.

Whether you’re a dairy or drystock farm, one of the simplest options is regular weighing and monitoring throughout the season.

Datamars Livestock has the hardware and software solutions that make life easy for you when it comes to weighing and EID, adding value to your bottom line and ensuring you meet your compliance obligation too.

Tracking growth using a Tru-Test weighing platform, weigh scales, EID stick reader, Z Tags, EID and management tags, (in conjunction with a software package like Datamars Livestock, Minda or FarmIQ,) helps farmers improve productivity and animal management within their farming operation.

Regular weighing allows you to manage animals individually – identifying top performers or those that may need extra attention to bring them up to weight. It enables you to make the decision to sell animals at the optimum time in order to achieve the best price. Using a Datamars Livestock solution also gives total herd traceability and Datamars Livestock cloud software for Livestock Management helps record and track weight growth plus manage herd genetics.

Datamars Livestock is a cloud-based online software system that provides a tool to manage the data you collect. Free when you purchase any Tru-Test product, Datamars Livestock turns weigh session data into an easy-to-

| Gather accurate information using a reader and weigh scales, analyse it using cloud-based software, then use it to make timely decisions on farm.

Regular weighing allows you to manage animals individually…It helps you to make the decision to sell animals at the optimum time in order to achieve the best price.”

understand graphical snapshot of where your animals are at and helps identify trends.

Datamars Livestock is the simple way to monitor animal weight gains and track performance to target weights. You can gather accurate information using your Tru-Test EID reader and weigh scales, analyse it using Datamars Livestock and then use it to make timely decisions on farm.

Datamars Livestock have also recently updated their Data Link App, making it easy for farmers to move EID session data to both Datamars Livestock cloud software and their NAIT account.

The app is free to download from Google Play and the Apple App Store, allowing you to download sessions from your Tru-Test device and upload them directly to Datamars Livestock or share them directly with your NAIT account. As well as their cloud software, Datamars Livestock offers a dedicated support desk, with their friendly team of experts available on the 0800 number to help you.

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

Article supplied by Datamars Livestock.

HOW TO ENTER:

▶ Purchase a minimum of 1 tonne of Calcimate between 1 July and the 31 October 2020

▶ One entry permitted per tonne of eligible product purchased (Calcimate in 25kg bags only)

▶ TXT and your full name to 226 to enter the draw, or enter online at www.onlime.co.nz#

▶ Open to New Zealand residents only

▶ Proof of purchase required

* Spa pool package includes: spa, installation & freight. Model & vendor of spa to be determined at the sole discretion of Graymont (NZ) Ltd.

# Visit website for full Terms and Conditions.

DRIVE PRODUCTION FURTHER WITH

Spring time means possum time

Possums are one of the greatest threats to New Zealand’s natural environment. Here, they have no predators and lots of palatable vegetation. As a result, they have a huge impact on our ecosystems, native land and forests, with the added worry of them spreading bovine tuberculosis to cattle.

Possums eat leaves, flowers, leaf buds, fruit, eggs, birds, insects and snails, as well as pasture, which means less food for farm animals. They can also damage horticultural and garden crops. The damage caused by possums costs New Zealand farmers millions of dollars a year. New growth in early spring means possums start invading our farms – if you have roses you will know you have a problem by the fur left on the thorns as possums dine on the emerging buds.

There are a number of other ways to tell if you have a possum problem:

• Severe defoliation of trees in the bush, especially Northern ra.ta

• Dead trees (especially Northern ra.ta) in the bush canopy – clearly visible from the air.

• Fruit trees in gardens being robbed at nights.

• Possum dung pellets around trees bearing fruit or flowers.

• Rubbish bins being searched for fruit.

• Many possums seen on pastures and in the trees at night.

• TB-infected possums being found (showing cheesy lymph nodes under arms and back legs).

• Possums hissing and squawking at night and running over the roof.

• Clear tracks from the bush into the paddocks or fur on the fence wire.

• Sick (dopey) possums seen out in the paddocks during daytime.

Now is the time to organise your strategy to achieve an effective eradication for the coming spring and PestOff Possum Bait and stations are simple, easy-to-use solutions. The bait combines the effectiveness of the anti-coagulant toxin, brodifacoum, with a highly palatable cereal formulation which eliminates the need for prefeeding. PestOff Possum Bait contains attractive lures – either cinnamon or raspberry. This ensures the possum will consume on average 50g per feed, with the lethal dose being 100g, or roughly two feeds.

If bait supply is maintained to ensure possums can feed freely over 4–5 consecutive nights, they will usually die 5–10 days after eating a full lethal dose. Secure the bait stations about 200mm above ground level or at a similar height above a tree fork where a possum can sit while feeding. Place bait stations 100m apart on shelter belts and bush/ pasture margins, or two per hectare of forest. Keep them out of reach of pets, stock and feral pigs.

• It is important to prevent access to bait by domestic livestock and pets.

• Stock must be kept off the treatment area until the bait has been removed or destroyed.

• Dogs and cats are at risk from scavenging poisoned animal carcasses, pet owners in the immediate vicinity should be notified of this risk.

• Collect animal carcasses where practicable for burning or bury at 600mm below ground, otherwise limit access to the treatment area until poisoned animal carcasses are unlikely to be eaten or to contain residues.

You are not required to hold an Approved Handler Certificate to use PestOff Possum Bait and stations.

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

Article supplied by Bell-Booth.

Fill-a-gap summer crops

Forage crops can fill gaps in the feed budget over summer.

“Summer forage crops such as plantain, chicory and brassicas offer high-quality stock feed, prevent stock from overgrazing stressed pastures and can fill a feed gap over summer,”

Ballance Agri-Nutrients Forage Specialist Murray Lane says.

Selecting and preparing paddocks

The overall approach for selecting and preparing paddocks is much the same for all summer forage crops. Crops such as brassicas are usually planted as part of a pasture renewal cycle, so are often going into poor-performing or low-yielding paddocks. Unless both the physical state and the nutrient status of these paddocks are addressed before crops are sown, yields will be low.

“Test the soil ideally 12 months before sowing, but at least 6 months prior, so you can sort out any issues. If pH needs adjusting, lime takes at least 6 months to have an effect. Soil testing early also allows time to correct the nutrient levels with a suitable base fertiliser.

“Ideally, you’ll decide in autumn where to sow summer forage crops in both the coming and the following spring,” he says.

Murray recommends spraying out in autumn the paddocks you will use the coming spring, and drilling with a winter growing ryegrass variety. Using treated seed will protect against black beetle and Argentine stem weevil. Drill the seed with 100–150 kg DAP/ ha to enhance seedling establishment. Also bait for crickets if present. These pastures can be terminated in spring, and drilled into a summer forage crop.

oLHS 160kg/ha Cropzeal Boron Boost Drilled with seed

Spray out the paddocks you plan to sow with summer forage crops the following spring, and drill treated hybrid ryegrass seed (with live endophyte) with 100–150 kg DAP/ha. These paddocks will grow over winter, survive summer, and then perform the following winter before being terminated and sown into summer crops.

The extra pasture grown through the winter and the superior perennial weed control achieved due to the autumn spray out, justify this start time Murray says. “Why take a runout pasture though another winter?”.

Sowing for success

All summer forage crops do best with starter fertiliser and a side dressing of nitrogen. Drilling with di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) is especially important when ‘no-tillage’ cropping because of a lack of soil mineralisation. It is also useful in cultivated soil, as cultivation

oRHS 160kg/ha Cropzeal Boron Boost Broadcast after sowing

often brings low-fertility subsoil to the surface.

Sowing crops with DAP provides plantavailable nitrogen and phosphorus to support developing roots and shoots and good establishment. Cropzeal Boron Boost contains DAP with the micronutrient boron in every granule, which is useful to prevent brown heart in brassicas.

Brassicas also need a side dressing of nitrogen 4–6 weeks after emergence and approaching canopy closure. Typical rates – depending on time of sowing, yield potential and soil N – are 100–200 kg/ha Cropzeal Boron Boost as a starter, and then 150–200 kg/ha SustaiN as a side dressing.

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

Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

Weeds beware, CRUCIAL® is here

CRUCIAL®, a world first 600g/L high-strength liquid glyphosate formulation powered by triple salt, triple surfactant technology.

• Excellent efficacy

• Outstanding compatibility

• Fast knockdown, quicker turnaround

• Rainfast in 15 minutes with Pulse Penetrant*

• Exceptional viscosity

• Anti-foam technology

Visit your local Farmlands store today and ask about CRUCIAL®.

Reliable weed control is money well spent

From setting up a niche crop like hops, to preparing for a traditional pastoral option like maize, reliable weed control makes all the difference to yield and profitability. This principle applies whether you are working with 3 hectares or 3,000, especially when weather conditions are fickle and you are depending on a good result. One advanced agrichemical formulation has proved this point in two very different situations lately. The only thing that Tasman hop grower Will Prouting and Hawke’s Bay contractor David Fleming have in common is their use of CRUCIAL® herbicide for weed control – and both agree it is money well spent.

For Will, converting old pasture to 21 hectares of new hop garden at Wakefield over recent years has been complicated by a huge weed seed burden in the soil. Clean, bare ground

with no competition is essential for establishing and growing hops.

Working with Farmlands Technical Advisor Alena Griffith, based out of Farmlands Richmond, Will used 5.5 litres/ha of CRUCIAL, plus Pulse® Penetrant, for his first post-harvest spray this year. Scheduled for April, it was delayed a month after unusually warm weather slowed hop dormancy. As a result, weeds were very advanced. But the result was “brilliant”, Will says. He has now followed up with a second spray, this time including broadleaf herbicide, to get rid of the remaining weeds protected by a canopy of dock last time.

Will has no qualms about paying for high-quality, high-strength glyphosate to get results.

In Hawke’s Bay, Dannevirke’s David Fleming says switching to CRUCIAL when it was launched last year was a

logical move for his one-man business, Fleming Ground Spray.

“I know I’m using a product that will work. If it rains 15 minutes after I drive out of a paddock, I still know it’s going to work! Also, there’s less product to cart because it is a high-strength formulation.”

Most of David’s clients are sheep and beef farmers, with some dairy farmers; he sprays out 3,800–4,000ha of pasture a year.

After 10 years in the industry, he says reliability is his number-one requirement for both chemicals and equipment.

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

® CRUCIAL is a registered trademark of Nufarm Australia Limited.

® Pulse is a registered trademark of Nufarm Technologies USA Pty Ltd. Article supplied by Nufarm.

If it rains 15 minutes after I drive out of a paddock, I still know it’s going to work”

Farm Grade Culvert Pipes

■ 2.5m Lengths

■ Steel Reinforced

■ 40mpa Concrete

■ Strong and Durable

Sizes available from 225mm-1200mm Contact your local branch for pricing and bulk deals

BLACK DUCK SEAT COVERS

Weed and pest control in forage brassica

Giving forage brassica crops the best possible start is hugely important if you are going to deliver on expectations of yield and crop quality.

From selecting and preparing the right paddock, to planting and effective crop monitoring during establishment — all these activities play a key role in getting the most out of your forage brassica. When it comes to management of the established crop, two key elements are pest and weed control and a clear strategy for each is needed.

Herbicide selection

Our goals of weed control in a forage brassica crop are to:

1. Reduce weed competition within the crop — protect the crop from emergence to canopy closure, minimising competition for moisture, nutrients and light.

Note: High weed density, plus low crop density, will reduce yield and quality at grazing.

2. Reduce weed competition in subsequent pasture or crop rotation — reduce soil weed seed burden and ensure effective control of perennial and rhizomatous weeds (e.g. cali thistle, yarrow, dock) before planting new pastures or crops.

Key considerations:

• The most effective weed control comes from dense crop canopies — target rapid crop emergence, growth and establishment through pH levels, fertility, seedbed preparation, accurate planting depth and seed-to-soil contact.

Herbicides help bridge the gap leading to canopy closure.

• Forage brassicas are prone to split germination in dry soils or seasons — post-em herbicide timing should be based on stage of weed growth rather than crop stage. Post-em herbicides for forage brassica must be safe over germinating seedlings and cotyledons.

• Targeting weeds and pests at the same time — timing should be based on the earliest relevant need. Do not delay and compromise both objectives e.g. if weeds are ready to be sprayed, do not delay for insects and vice versa.

Two post-em herbicide options in forage brassica are Korvetto™ and Milestone™ from Corteva Agriscience. Korvetto provides short plant-backs which allows greater flexibility with re-cropping options, delivers excellent crop safety, as well as control of common brassica weeds such as fathen and more difficult weeds like shepherd’s purse. Launched in 2019, Milestone provides control of some of the toughest weeds in forage brassica including spurrey and amaranthus, and has improved crop safety characteristics over T-MAX (which it replaces).

IPM pest control in forage brassica Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to pest control utilising biological (e.g. natural predators and parasitoids), chemical (e.g. selective insecticides) and cultural controls in an effective, sustainable way.

New IPM-compatible insecticides in forage brassicas have enabled widespread adoption of IPM. Products such as Sparta™ and Transform™ provide rapid and effective kill of target insects whilst leaving enemies of these pests in the field to provide ongoing natural control of the population. This in turn minimises the risk of subsequent pest flare-ups which can reduce the need for retreatment, with the added benefit of using insecticides with low toxicity to applicators and the environment. With Sparta and Transform in the insecticide toolbox, growers can effectively control most of the key insect pests of forage brassicas including springtails, leaf miner, white butterfly, diamondback moth, soybean looper caterpillar, green peach aphid and cabbage grey aphid.

IPM crop monitoring and spraying

• Walk forage brassica crops regularly from early emergence.

• Identify and monitor both the pests present and their natural enemies.

• Gauge the degree of crop damage against the balance between pests and natural enemies before determining the need to spray.

• For key pests, use an IPMcompatible insecticide such as Sparta and Transform.

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

Article supplied by Corteva Agriscience.

Versatile new pest control for pipfruit growers

A new tool for pipfruit growers helps to control codling moth, leaf roller caterpillar and bronze beetle.

With a brand-new registration, Vayego® 200SC Insecticide from Bayer, containing the active ingredient tetraniliprole, is now available to pipfruit growers.

Tetraniliprole, a Group 28 Diamide insecticide, is newly registered for pipfruit industry use – just in time for growers to incorporate a different solution into their seasonal pest management programme.

Vayego is a liquid formulation that provides excellent efficacy against codling moth, leaf roller caterpillar and bronze beetle, and offers growers versatility and flexibility.

With over 4,000 trials performed globally, as well as a rigorous trial programme in New Zealand,

Vayego has demonstrated excellent efficacy across the lepidoptera and coleoptera species targeted. These trials have shown that Vayego has some attractive properties that contribute to its versatility, safety, strength and performance.

Vayego is active on all three of the life stages of codling moth, from eggs to adults. While the main control comes from larval ingestion, Vayego also provides preventative and curative ovicidal activity on codling moth eggs. Further action comes from disrupting the viability and number of eggs laid by adult female codling moth that come into contact with Vayego.

Rapid feeding cessation is also a feature giving strength to codling moth control. Larvae lose muscle control, become immobile and cease feeding immediately after application, giving the benefit of less damaged fruit.

Vayego is also locally systemic which ensures distribution throughout the leaf, helping to maximise coverage and aid in robust rainfastness.

A further feature pipfruit growers will find beneficial is the label claim for bronze beetle control. As a third string to its bow, this makes Vayego a very versatile option for pest control for pipfruit growers.

Vayego is recommended to be used from post petal fall through to early December. For best practice resistance management, it is important that Vayego is used as part of a seasonal pest control

Larvae lose muscle control, become immobile and cease feeding immediately after application, giving the benefit of less damaged fruit.”

programme that incorporates other chemistries with different modes of action. Vayego should only be applied to one generation of codling moth. By targeting the petal fall to early December period, Vayego will only be applied to generation1, which fits into the recommended guidelines, and will protect insect management for the future.

Over many years of trials, Vayego has also shown a high level of crop safety, both when applied on its own, or when mixed with a wide range of tank mix partners.

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

Solutions right now for future cereal challenges

Global fungicide experts believe resistance to chemistries to be the second-biggest threat to cereal crops. With that risk eclipsed only by catastrophic weather events.

The good news is extensive research is currently happening into resistance variables. These include susceptibility of varieties, sowing times, and naturally, the chemistries themselves.

The solution, researchers are finding, is not larger amounts of chemical but carefully calculated programmes based around multi-sites. This could protect existing single-site chemistries and provide increased disease protection. Multi-site fungicides act on more than one target site in the fungus, which makes it difficult for the fungus to mutate to overcome the fungicide’s activity. In contrast, single-site products such as SDHIs and DMIs have one mode of action and act on individual pathways in the target fungus. If single-sites are used repeatedly, there is an increased risk of fungus developing resistance.

In 2018, New Zealand barley growers received a harsh lesson, with yield losses of up to 30 percent caused by Ramularia resistance to SDHIs.

According to FAR’s Autumn Round Up 2020, Plant & Food Research identified three SdhC mutations that impacted on the performance of SDHIs against Ramularia in barley. In 2019, microplate assays found that 100 percent of the Ramularia isolates collected in the 2018–19 season were insensitive to this chemistry.

In 2017 and 2018, ADAMA UK Technical Specialist, Andy Bailey visited

New Zealand to share his experiences from the UK and Ireland. His message for local growers looking to protect both their yields and existing chemistry was to use a protectant approach. He recommended that “multi-site chemistry should be first in the tank.”

Approved for Ramularia control for the 2019 New Zealand barley season, multisite protectant Phoenix® Fungicide (Phoenix) from ADAMA carried a weight of expectation. However, it was already proven in the UK and Europe, and in New Zealand against Septoria in wheat.

An effective addition to the Ramularia control toolbox, it has become a key part of disease control programmes. There is currently no recorded resistance to Phoenix’s active, folpet, and ADAMA’s testing has confirmed no sensitivity shifts against Septoria. Phoenix does not inhibit DMI uptake, ensuring full availability and speed of activity of the applied dose.

ADAMA NZ recommends using Phoenix with all-rounder fungicide Bolide® or other triazole chemistry. New Zealand trials with Bolide have not only shown outstanding control for a wide range of diseases comparable to industry standard SDHIs and DMIs, but also highly effective Ramularia control.

This is strengthened even more when Bolide is tank-mixed with Phoenix. If only one spray of Phoenix is being applied in barley, then T2 is the optimum timing. This ensures that leaves 2 and 3 are protected. For best results, a programmed approach suggests even higher levels of Ramularia control when using Phoenix at both T1 and at T2. These applications maximise the crop’s green leaf area index to maximise yields by promoting healthy spikelet and ear development. While recent drier seasons may have reduced some Septoria pressure in wheat, there is still a risk to yields, particularly in the high-value and more susceptible varieties. ADAMA NZ says their advice, as for barley, is to ensure Phoenix is first in the tank. Application at T1, with a DMI such as Bolide is strongly recommended and supported by industry bodies.

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

Article supplied by ADAMA.

Best farmers get beet right

Technical Field Officer Peter Smart is coming up to 19 years at Farmlands and he knows a good beet crop when he sees it.

Over the years he has worked at three different Farmlands branches, before spending the last 12 years at Matamata.

Peter’s background in fencing and sheep and beef farming prepared him well for his various roles with the cooperative, but it is cropping that has turned out to be his passion.

“It’s good to see a nice job finished well,” Peter says. “When paddock selection, crop selection and weed control all come together, and you see a really decent crop, that’s satisfying.”

One such crop this past season was Bruce and Jackie Tiddy’s 20 hectares of sugar beet at Matamata.

Peter, who also enjoys the farmer contact, has nothing but praise for the Tiddy’s meticulous approach to their dairy farms, where “everything is done well”.

He acknowledges that beet is a technically demanding crop and “you need to keep an eye on it.”

Peter also believes different farmers and management styles are better suited to different crops, and he enjoys working out the best solutions for every individual.

Bruce and Jackie saw the potential in beet a few seasons ago. They were impressed by their herd’s response to the fodder beet purchase from a local grower and the following season, Bruce planted 28 hectares in fodder beet.

It was part-grazed and part-lifted, siloed, chipped and added to maize silage.

This year, he switched to sugar beet with a view to lifting and storing the entire crop, before chipping and adding to maize silage. Sugar beet stores better than fodder beet, has high bulb dry matter and one third less water than fodder beet.

New Zealand crop protection company ADAMA has been at the forefront of supplying the products that support the sometimes difficult-to-establish crops. ADAMA New Zealand’s Commercial Manager Doug Speers, who was also involved in the Tiddy’s crop, says it is essential to keep on top of weeds until the crop is at canopy closure in order to maximise yields.

“I watched in May as sugar beet was harvested almost as fast as the trucks could transport it – the truck was filled in about 15 minutes,” he says.

The company’s specially designed beet programme is based on a robust preemergence spray, with follow-up that controls any subsequent weeds and provides the best possible start for the valuable, high-yielding crops of sugar, red beet, fodder beet and mangolds.

The ADAMA beet programme, including Goltix® WG Herbicide, Goltix Uno Herbicide, Ethosat® Herbicide, Rifle®, and now low hazard-profile Goltix Gold, has been rigorously tested and refined to complement New Zealand growing conditions and beet varieties. It is also backed by trial results, which show that the programme can significantly improve weed control.

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

Article supplied by ADAMA New Zealand.

Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997. See www. foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions.

Approved pursuant to the HSNO Act 1996. See www. epa.govt.nz for approval controls.

Ethosat, Goltix and Rifle are registered trademarks of an ADAMA Group Company.

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Kale cultivar trial results back the decision to change

In the search for a suitable successor to the popular kale variety Sovereign, extensive trial work must be conducted. This is an intense research and development process but when Mayfield-based dairy farmer Richard Tait was approached by Farmlands regarding the imminent change to SovGold, it was decided a joint pragmatic approach would be used to compare the two varieties.

Richard Tait had long been a user of Sovereign kale within his dairy farming operation. It had consistently been a high-quality performer and an integral part of his winter cropping regime. His question to Farmlands Technical Field Officer Bruce Taylor was, “if the change is happening, can you prove the benefits to me?”

Farmlands then approached Agricom and the decision was made to conduct a side-by-side split demonstration in one of Richard’s paddocks to highlight the new and improved SovGold.

Richard’s support block carries 1,700 dairy cows, of which 450 are R2 heifers, during the winter months. His winter cropping relies on a kale rotation that absorbs 40 percent of the block annually. From an early November planting, Richard’s crops typically yield 14 tonnes of drymatter per hectare in a dryland environment.

Both crops were successful but Richard did observe variances.

“If I were to highlight the differences I’ve seen with SovGold it’s the increase in leaf yield as well as the consistency and quality of the whole stem,” he says.

Lower stem quality within kale varieties has always hindered total utilisation of the grown crop. SovGold produces higher-quality stems when sown at recommended rates and produces a high leaf-to-stem ratio. Across multiple trials, SovGold has consistently shown a 7 percent increase in total yield over Sovereign, with the leaf yield alone showing an increase of 9 percent.

A unique characteristic of SovGold is the increase in ME in the two lower quartiles of the stem – results have shown that there is an increase of one unit of ME in SovGold compared to Sovereign in the lower half of the stem. SovGold is one of the latest flowering varieties on the market and will hold

through August, without compromising on quality.

“I put plenty of effort into my feed budgeting each year. To know that I can have both an increase in ME and total yield can only be a winner. It’s the best of both worlds,” Richard comments. Having seen the varieties side by side, Richard has no hesitation in recommending SovGold as his kale variety of choice. It is out with the old and in with the new.

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

Article supplied by Agricom.

The benefits of ball valves

Isolation and control, a couple of concepts New Zealanders have become very familiar with during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are also the functions that valves fulfil in a stock water system.

Ball valves are a simple on-off function valve with a handle that rotates the ball within the body of the valve to an open or closed position. Plastic ball valves have many beneficial features:

• Full bore flow, no restriction within the valve causing pressure loss

• Minimal working parts

• Reliable, plastic construction

• Tough, corrosion resistant and less prone to damage caused by frost events.

Ball valves can also shut-off flow very quickly, which is not recommended practice. Fast closure causes water hammer – a high-velocity shock wave that rebounds back up the pipeline and may cause damage to system components such as pipes, fittings and valves. Always open and close a ball valve slowly to mitigate this effect. Partial closure of the ball valve can control flow; the more closed it is, the greater the reduction of flow. This is useful when controlling flow from a reservoir or filling a tank at a required rate.

Ball valves are also used when isolating parts of a reticulation system for service, repair or additions.

For example, when isolating pumps for servicing, shutting off lateral lines to clean troughs, replacing or repairing trough valves, and fixing leaks. Other benefits that Plasson ball valves offer include: draining ports for pressure gauge attachment, ease of water sampling or draining the line, and removing handles or locking handles for tamper resistance. An upgrade to a longer handle can also provide the leverage to more easily open and close 40mm and 50mm valves in the system.

For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local store. Article supplied by Iplex Pipelines.

PLASSON BALL VALVE

Full bore flow – Minimise pressure loss

Drain Port option – Allows pressure gauge installation for pressure monitoring, water sampling and line drainage

40mm and 50mm – Easily upgradable to Long Handle version for improved opening and closing operation

Removeable handle – tamper resistance feature

Quality assurance – Tested to AS 5830 and AS 4020 for potable water compliance

www.iplex.co.nz

What’s

the secret to better fencing?

We all want the same thing from our fencing – longer holding and less maintenance. It has got to keep animals where they should be, stay up for as long as possible, and require minimal maintenance and repair. Believe it or not, whether your fencing does the job depends largely on which staples you use.

Some are on the fence when it comes to whether ribbed or barbed staples hold better, while plenty others swear by the barbed variety. The fencing experts at Delfast thought they would settle the matter for good by putting both to the test in the field. To compare the two staples, the Delfast team:

• Bought one ¼ round post and cut it into four 300mm lengths.

• Installed six ribbed staples with wire and six barbed staples with wire using the NNK-P400 Delfast Post stapler.

• Waited two weeks for the staples to properly set.

They then took the four ¼ round post lengths to an accredited testing laboratory and conducted pull out tests under controlled conditions.

The results speak for themselves To get a conclusive result, the lab calculated the average amount of force required to pull out each type of staple. Here is what they found:

• The 4.0mm X 50mm collated barbed post staple pulled out with an average of 132.83 kg of force over six tests.

• The ribbed post staple pulled out with an average of 283.16 kg of force over six tests.

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Whether your fencing does the job depends largely on which staples you use.”

if ribbed or

The results are clear — Delfast’s ribbed staples hold almost twice as strong as collated barbed staples, requiring over a quarter tonne of force to remove them. That was no surprise to Delfast Sales Director James Currie.

“That’s a great result as we spent a long time perfecting that design. Most of the difference is in the details, like the patented diamond coating and the ribbed sides that maximise friction,” he says.

The science behind the staples

Turns out a fair bit of engineering and thought has gone into creating Delfast’s ribbed staples. When entering the post (and/or batten) at high speed through the staple gun, the diamond coating James mentioned heats up rapidly, then sets deep into the fibres of the timber as it cools down.

Along with four ribs on each side of the staple, this diamond coating increases the friction between the post (and/or batten) and the staple – ensuring that it will hold better in the timber.

Some might accuse Delfast of overengineering these staples but James says it is all about making life easier for the end user.

“At Delfast, we create innovative products that enable the end users to get the job done right. This ribbed staple is a result of that innovation and we’re happy to see the results prove that it holds better in the timber, just as it was designed to.”

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

Article supplied by Delfast.

Give your pump a break

With water as important as ever, ensuring your tank has the water you need in it and your pump is not being overworked is essential.

The pump sits at the heart of most water systems and therefore needs to be protected and preserved so that your system always runs at its best.

In response to the needs of end users, Hansen’s Leveller Valve was designed to reduce wear and tear on pumps and water systems as a whole. It not only protects but extends your pump’s life by reducing its workload, saving ongoing maintenance costs and heavily reducing the worry of system failure from an overworked and cycling pump.

The ‘dual level’ valve is installed inside the tank and operates in such a way that the pump only switches on when the tank level is low, then switches off as soon as it is refilled again, thus reducing pump ‘cycling’. The Hansen Leveller Valve allows the user to set the valve to open at the optimum level, to stop the pump cycling or restarting ‘hot’ during high water use.

The Hansen Leveller Valve can also be installed in a Rain Harvesting System for top up from mains or pump system. This helps to take full advantage of nature’s reserves during dry periods. Hansen Products Managing Director, Steve Sharpe says that with over

60 years’ experience in design and manufacturing, the company knows the importance of a good water system.

“Over the decades, we have built a reputation for providing highperformance, easy-to-use, innovative and simple products that provide our customers with “Best Installed Value.”

“This is because we are continually geared towards listening to the needs of end users.”

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

Article supplied by Hansen Products.

Plasson Ball Valve Female with Drain Port Minimise pressure loss and benefit from full-bore flow with this tough reinforced ball valve. The drain port option allows for easier monitoring and sampling and a removable handle assists with tamper resistance.

The wire of choice when building a conventional or electric fence, this New Zealand made product offers tangle free dispensing and delivers a more stock-proof fence than soft wire.

$102.00

SAVE $ 57.95

Hansen Leveller Valve Threaded Adaptors 32mm, 40mm, 50mm

This high-performance tank-valve is suitable for high and low pressures, delivering high volumes of water quickly. Manufactured in New Zealand from strong, non-corrosive materials it’s UV stabilised to keep working in harsh outdoor conditions.

$ 59.95

SAVE $10.09

PestOff Rodent Block 3kg

Delivering a lethal dose in a single feed, PestOff is a highly palatable rodent bait that’s designed for ease of gnawing, guaranteed fresh and made in New Zealand.

59.90

Purina Tux Energy Peak Performance Working Dog 25kg

Made with NZ meat this is the perfect biscuit for hard-working dogs. The triangle shape is easy to feed and the high fat content will give your dogs sustained energy.

Skellerup Red Band Men’s Gumboots

Available in a size that’s right for you these mid-calf length boots feature a cleated sole for added grip and will keep you working longer with a rubber foam cushioned innersole.

Ask in-store for tonne

Sprayfo Primo Lamb Milk Replacer 20kg

Safe to feed straight from colostrum, Sprayfo is shown to significantly reduce instances of abomasal bloat and will enhance lamb growth with less risk of scouring. Sprayfo also ensures better suspension – meaning less build-up in automatic feeding tubes.

MKM Men’s and Women’s Merino Long Sleeve Tee

This New Zealand made, 100% Merino mid-layer is warm and breathable. A must have for any spring wardrobe, on and off the farm.

The New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards aim to capture and preserve the history of our country’s farming families. Each month we will share stories from Farmlands shareholders who have worked their land for 100 years or more.

Making Hinerangi Home

Five generations on from Percy Wall’s initial purchase in Waipukurau, the names may have changed but the dedication to the land grows stronger every day.

In 1901, at age 23, Percy Frederick Wall applied for a ballot block after the government split up the Woburn Estate of Purvis Russell under the Lands for Settlement Act of 1900.

He drew the largest block of 1,511 acres with a lease in perpetuity. With no road access to the property, he lived in a tent, then built a two-roomed whare until he built his first home in 1906. In 1908, he purchased 3,000 acres from neighbouring “Orua Wharo Station”, the property of Sidney Johnston.

Percy married Gretchen Kennedy from Gisborne in 1916, whose father was the first manager of Williams and Kettle in Gisborne. They had two daughters, Mary and Judith. In 1919, they started a major alteration of their original home and built a large single storey homestead of 7,000 square feet.

In 1951 Percy suffered a severe stroke and Godfray von Dadelszen, Percy’s son in law, took over the management of Percy’s three farms, as well as Mangapurakau Godfray died suddenly in 1970 and his eldest son, Daniel was asked to come home and manage the Wall Estate. Dan married Caroline Ward of Christchurch in 1972 and had one son and two daughters. Daniel purchased Hinerangi in 1981 from the Wall Estate and at the same time, freeholded the property.

From 1970 to 2000, a large development programme was undertaken and a neighbouring property was purchased in 1995.

Dan and Caroline’s son, Sam came home to take over the management of the station in 2000. Sam married Sarah Beveridge from the King Country in 2001 and they have three sons – Guy, Jonty and Logan. The family partnership won Hawke’s Bay Farmer of the Year in 2003.

The family group purchased a 137ha dairy farm in 2006 and since then a further 530ha has been purchased in the surrounding district. They are hopeful that Sam‘s family will wish to carry on farming the property as the fifth generation at Hinerangi

Rural market update and dairy spotlight

The NZ Rural property market continues to reflect the varying levels of banking confidence in the NZ primary sector, generally.

For the 12 months to June 2020, NZ rural sales 20 hectares and over equalled 869 sales for $2.164 billion, 73% of those sales can be attributed to sheep and beef livestock farming.

Annual NZ horticultural sales equalled 161 for $418m by value to June 2020 with robust forward-demand and investor appetite for opportunities.

The spotlight, however, remains on the low level of dairy farm sales up and down the country, though, there have been some silver linings in key dairying regions, notably the Waikato.

NZ Dairy farm sales 20 hectares and over, equalled 139 sales for $548.5m for the 12 months to June 2020. The prior year was 221 sales for $895m. This data includes recorded private sales.

What is particularly interesting with the NZ dairy market is the lack of activity at the top end. Only six of the 139 dairy sales, sold for $10 million-plus, the highest being $15 million. The prior year was similar, with only ten dairy properties sold in the $10m+ range nationally.

70% of all dairy sales are less than $5 million by value. Clearly finding banking support for the purchase of larger-scale dairy operations nationally, and particularly in Canterbury, continues to be challenging, as the below-table for the last 12 months illustrates.

So, while primary industry rural property valuations continue to surge, generally speaking, the concentration risk associated with our dairy industry, and the associated level of indebtedness, continues to place operating constraints on the expansion aims of proven dairy businesses.

Our NZ dairy industry appears to be stuck; in reality, the value opportunities to buy large scale dairy operations at a fair market price have never been better.

So perhaps the narrative has to change from the level of indebtedness associated with the sector, to the excellent comparative investment returns. NZ’s reliance on our export dairy produce in a post Covid-19 recovery surely rules a line under the need to support this sector as we meet the challenges of sustainable production head-on.

It is our view that the focus has to shift to the underlying returns, and the investment opportunity for new capital available, either on-shore; or from high net worth investors returning home in conjunction with off-shore cornerstone investment.

A change in government policy to loosen current Overseas Investment Office criteria, looks unlikely at this time.

The gap then is the quality of the information in support of an investment-led NZ real estate approach.

Property Brokers, in partnership with Farmlands, will be looking to take all the steps available with industry, to bridge this gap on behalf of you our Farmlands shareholders.

Conrad Wilkshire