Simon Wakefield, Tom Coster and Hannah Bennett milk deer on Peel Forest Estate, at the foot of the Southern Alps.
PLAN365
Plan365 Nutrition
35 Changes in weather require shift in feed
36 Failing to plan means you’re on plan to fail
39 Time to weigh up risks of milk fever
Plan365 Animla Management
43 Family deer farm makes most of better ear tags
Plan365 Forage and Arable 39 Feeding for performance
Plan365 Rural Infrastructure
53 Quick, clean kill key to effective rodent trap
57 New tools put power in hands of pruners
To keep shareholders, suppliers, friends and family in the loop as we deal with COVID-19, Farmlands has set up an Advice Hub. The site’s opening page has a prominent link to the hub. Please bookmark the page and check back often. The page contains regularly updated links to the most vital COVID-19 information and specifically caters for the primary sector. Please share.
Farmlands will make every effort to keep you farming while we follow COVID-19 protocols. Our website’s Store Locator pages will advise if your local store has been specifically affected by the outbreak. Please note the Farmlands Online Shop is always available for home delivery at shop.farmlands.co.nz and we encourage you to order now to meet your needs. www.farmlands.co.nz.
Anthony Spence Provincial Manager, Taranaki Farmlands Feilding
Q: Tell us about your role?
A: In my role I get to spend time in many aspects of what we do here at Farmlands. Everything however comes back to the core purpose of helping make farming easier for our shareholders and customers. As a provincial manager our people are a key focus for me. Ensuring we have the right people in the right place with the right skills/knowledge and the right tools to do their roles well. And really importantly, ensuring that our people are happy in what they are doing and are linked to our purpose.
Q: What do you enjoy most about it?
A: Personally, I love that I am able to be part of the career development and pathways for our staff. Seeing our people come into the cooperative, work their way through various roles in our business and being part of their development along the way really is satisfying.
Q: As Provincial Manager for Taranaki, what are your key goals?
A: To lead a team that are known across our shareholders, customers and internal stakeholders as being the best at what we do.
Q: Tell us about a time you made your mum proud?
A: I know she is proud of the career I have carved in the rural supplies industry. From starting as a sales assistant at Farmlands in Dannevirke to now helping coach and mentor other Farmlanders on their careers.
Q: What makes for a good day at the office?
A: For me it’s when I see members of our team coming together and supporting our shareholders well through whatever seasons or challenges we are facing.
Q: And what makes for a good day off?
A: Hey, like most Kiwis I guess it’s simply spending time with my family and friends that I love the most. Although a great day off would also be watching the Warriors win the NRL Grand Final in October. It’s our year!
Interested in a job like Anthony’s?
Head to careers.farmlands.co.nz for our latest vacancies.
Ingredients
• 1 stubby of beer (make up to 400ml with part of a second beer)
• 3 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp sugar
Beer Bread
Method
1. Mix all ingredients (don’t over-mix) and put into a loaf tin.
2. Cook at 180deg C for 45 minutes or until cooked.
3. Try different flavours of beer or add ingredients like sultanas or cheese topping to personalise your bread.
Tēna koutou katoa
I look forward to an issue of The Farmlander where I don’t need to cover COVID-19. At least developments are now more positive than in recent months. Restrictions are beginning to ease nationwide and we hope this can continue. Where it is safe to do so, we are also relaxing our approach in stores.
The pandemic’s hangovers of supply chain challenges and higher inflation will remain for at least the medium term. In some categories the war in Ukraine has exacerbated supply and price.
Price pressures are most noticeable for fertiliser, feed and fuel. Wherever we can, we are using our buying power to keep price increases and delays to a minimum – although unfortunately both are inevitable. Your Farmlands Card continues to provide discounts on a range of products including on fuel.
Long-term planning is the new just-in-time ordering – at least for the next few years. This means we are ordering up to 12 months ahead – and it means we encourage you to continue to plan ahead. Please contact one of our team to provide planning support where you need this.
The theme for our May issue is ‘Taking Stock’ – a time to reflect on what we do and how we do it. It’s important for us all to cast an eye over our life choices occasionally. For some that may result in taking the leap into a new type of farming operation; for others it may re-affirm their original choice and point to how they can improve their operation’s sustainability and efficiency.
With winter just around the corner, it’s also time to check that your farm and whānau are ready. Our panel of experts (‘Winter Thinking’, page 24) will help with that.
Finally, Farmlands is proud to have partnered with Women’s Refuge in its Shielded Site initiative. A discreet icon on our website with the social media icons provides access to a tool for victims of abuse to ask for help without fear of it showing up in their browser’s history. Domestic violence is a blight on all communities, rural and urban, and Farmlands stands ready to help in any way it can.
Ngā manaakitanga (with best wishes)
Tanya Houghton Chief Executive Officer Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited ceo@farmlands.co.nz
5 minutes with Claire Nicholson
New Farmlands board member Claire Nicholson talks about her background and how her Māori heritage informs her vision for sustainable agriculture.
Tell us about your experience and how you believe this will help Farmlands?
I come from dairy farming families with long histories in the Horowhenua and Taranaki and more recently Southland. This farming background inspired me – along with the James Herriot ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ books – to become a veterinarian. My 30-year career has taken me along paths I would never have considered as I was working my way towards a vet degree at Massey University. My clinical career started with dairy practice in Morrinsville and then my OE started in North Wales followed by a move to small animal practice in London before returning to Tauranga. This was
followed by a shift to Auckland which saw me join a pharmaceutical company where I looked after the national dairy portfolio and latterly became the country manager. This role gave me a much deeper understanding of the animal health issues facing farmers and through research, enabled the development of solutions that were both practical and improved profitability. This role also gave me insight into supplier companies – such as Farmlands – and the need to identify quality products, ensure supply chain reliability and provide technical support so their customers get the best possible solutions and service. With the establishment of my own company,
I have continued along the path of solutions-driven product development working closely with sheep, beef and dairy farmers in the research phases. In addition to my operational expertise, I also have experience on a range of boards in the agri sector including research and development, Māori agribusiness and environmental entities. This gives me a diverse, strategic view of both the current and future challenges farming faces and insight into the technologies and services being developed to help farmers maintain a profitable, sustainable business that meets the requirements of regulations and compliance that are constantly being thrown at them.
You are of Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāruahine and Ngāti Kahungunu descent – how do you think Te Ao Māori (The Māori world view) can help shape the future sustainability of agri-business?
Māori-owned agribusinesses are intergenerational businesses that are increasingly using Te Ao Māori as the lens from which to look through to guide their long-term vision. Te Ao Māori brings holistic, integrated and pragmatic perspectives to agribusinesses that seek meaningful and impactful outcomes. It looks at the world of farming as the synergistic functioning of many parts. Maanakitangi and whanaungatanga are foundational values of Māori culture that emphasise the importance of relationships, togetherness and a sense of family connection. Our farming strategies include how we can care for our people – past, present and future – keeping them safe, healthy and connected to their whenua (land) and community, with the preservation of tikanga (culture). It also considers partnerships and collaboration with entities that have similar values and which will have synergistic benefits.
Kaitiakitanga (guardianship for people, place and planet) is a responsibility to look after resources and the environment for future generations. It considers the health of:
• Our land – soil quality and waste management.
• Our water – management of effluent and nutrients, protection with riparian planting and fencing, regular monitoring of streams and runoffs into the moana (sea) all leading to the restoration of the original biodiversity.
• Our animals – ensuring their welfare is a paramount consideration in all activities and interventions.
• Our air – putting a strong focus on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the implementation of technologies and management practices.
• Economics – ensuring the financial success of the business with astute investments in systems and inputs that align with Te Ao Māori values.
Sustainability will come from the careful consideration of the impact that any single action or decision will have on all these factors.
What advice would you give to help farmers who want to be more sustainable but also increase productivity and lift their bottom line?
Begin with a strong Farm Environment Plan. Look at your farm as if it were a blank canvas, understand the capability and determine what would be the best way to optimise it in the future then think about the steps required to get there. Bite the steps off in manageable chunks and allow yourself time – Rome wasn’t built in a day. Assess your baseline – it is important to know where you are starting with measurables such as water quality, nutrient run-off, soil health and greenhouse gas emissions. Set points in your plan where you re-measure these variables. We all need to see positive improvements to keep us motivated at times. It also allows you to make modifications to your plan if things are not quite working.
Plant trees! Not only can they help provide a carbon offset and reduce net emissions across the farm, they provide shelter and shade for animals, improving their welfare while allowing more energy to go into production. Trees improve soil stability especially in low-producing land areas, encourage the return of a greater diversity of birds and insects, and where natives are used as riparian planting, improve water quality through a natural filtration system.
Be open to diversity and change –what used to work may no longer be the best option. With the drive to reduce stocking rates, a move towards feeds that have lower greenhouse gas emissions, changes to soil inputs, a worldwide focus on animal welfare and the reduction of chemical inputs into the food chain, a more discerning approach is required to select inputs that generate the same profitability when compared with previous management choices. Keep talking! We are all learning in this space and the value of talking to neighbors and advisors to unravel the mysteries and learn from their experiences as well as sharing your own is vital.
| Claire Nicholson takes a look at riparian planting in Matakana.
OUTSIDE THE HERD
How do cow-loving farmers find themselves milking other animals?
Here are two former dairy farmers in Canterbury and the Waikato who have taken the leap and found success with other stock.
Canterbury-based deer milker Simon Wakefield is accustomed to disbelieving looks from strangers who ask about his job. The north Tipperary accent and mischievous sense of humour don’t help his case.
“A lot of people think it’s an Irish joke,” the 29-year-old says of his unquestionably serious role managing a 300-head deer milking operation.
His workplace forms part of Peel Forest Estate, one of the world’s largest velvet-producing deer farms. The 750ha property stands at the foot of the Southern Alps, between the Ashburton and Hinds rivers, facing the Canterbury Plains and the West Coast. It’s a far cry from the small dairy farm – 23 cows on less than 20ha – where he was raised, southwest of Dublin.
The Irishman arrived in New Zealand 9 years ago seeking science and agribusiness work experience, with a plan to milk cows for 6 months before returning home to finish his studies.
A stint driving tractors led Simon to the deer farm and he soon found himself helping out in the shed “for a few days” during a quiet patch. That was 7 years ago.
“It’s endlessly fascinating to me. I think it’s quite a cool thing to be part of and it’s definitely worth the challenge. No-one thought you could milk a deer.”
In the early days, the dairy farmer’s son did find it difficult to spend up to 5 hours in the shed only to check the vat and find a mere 100 litres of milk in the bottom.
“That’s versus milking 800 or 900 cows and having 20,000 litres of milk in there. It was definitely a mental struggle thinking, what are we doing this for? Surely there’s an easier way?
“I wasn’t there at the very start but I was here the second year in. The deer were very skittery then, like milking a dairy heifer every day. We were trying to domesticate deer to a whole new level.”
However, Simon relishes the unknown. He likes the mental and physical challenge involved and has relished being able to create systems and efficiencies that aid the fledgling industry. These days things look different in the modified 14 aside herringbone shed where each animal has to be milked twice,
| Dairy infrastructure was repurposed for the pioneering deer milking operation. The hinds are milked twice, two teats at a time.
two teats at a time. Milking now takes about 3 hours, as the herd is split in two.
Initially, milking hinds were selected for their good temperament. Over the last 4 years, focus has increasingly turned to production volumes, which have roughly doubled to a litre per hind.
Simon says this approach has had an unforeseen benefit beyond the shed. “In the deer industry, people don’t select hinds on the basis of milk production but by doing that, you end up with bigger fawns. Increasing the output of the hind is increasing the input for the fawns, which has an effect on deer farming as a whole.
“The thing I’ve always liked about the dairy industry is you could see the result of your work every day in the vat. If you get it wrong, production tells you.”
It’s definitely worth the challenge. No-one thought you could milk a deer.”
Simon Wakefield
This particular form of milk is naturally high in protein and milk solids and low in lactose. Of all commercially produced milk, it is the one that most closely resembles human milk.
“Now that we have great hinds and they’re giving a great result in terms of milk quality, I’m starting to learn lots from the data collection around it. It’s the pioneering aspect I like, stumbling on information no-one else has seen in the deer industry in the world.
“With Farmlands, I feel as though there’s genuine interest in what we’re doing. Our struggle was that if we had a problem, we couldn’t look up the solution on the internet. Or ask someone. You have to sort of try different things to see what works and doesn’t work. The great thing about our Farmlands rep is he’s happy to experiment alongside us.”
Although Simon still has a soft spot for the dairy herd of his youth, the farmer admits his current venture involves “less kicking, less shit”. He finds the deer surprisingly calm in and around the shed, although certainly trickier creatures to fetch from a paddock.
“They are very different from cows. Very sensitive. They sense stress, anger, hurry. If you’re in a hurry don’t even bother going near them.”
Whatever animal he farms in future, the New Zealand resident has no plans to return home.
“There are a lot more opportunities here if you’re willing to work and surround yourself with the right people. I can see I have an exciting future in farming here in New Zealand.”
| Production volumes have doubled to a litre per hind.
In the north
Satisfied sheep milker Kate Walls is accustomed to people doubting her career choices.
She recalls plenty of pessimistic responses when she gave up primary school teaching to work alongside her partner, Barry Taylor. “Barry was milking cows while I was teaching but I wanted to do what he was doing,” Kate says. “I remember people saying ‘Oh, she won’t last’. People think it’s a hard life, that you work all day, no holidays. These are people from the city who haven’t ever been on a farm.”
She loves the autonomy and flexibility, the ability to down tools and watch her son at a sports game or school event. There were plenty more doubters when the couple sold their cows and switched to sheep dairying. The sharemilkers had purchased their 69ha Maramarua dairy farm, in north-east Waikato, in 2016 and leased 70ha next door to milk 280 cows. But those first few years were tough. “It’s heavy clay soil that pugs in winter and is bone dry in summer. Winter was awful. I could smell palm kernel mixed with clay soil all throughout the house, the dogs were covered. You couldn’t get away from this mud. One day, I lost it. I burst into tears and said, you’re flogging a dead horse.”
When a friend suggested milking sheep, she was as sceptical as anyone. “I just laughed and said, what else are you going to consider? Cats?”
| Sheep milkers Kate Walls and Barry Taylor with their dog, Sweep.
| Fresh from milking, the ewes make the most of a bail of maize silage.
It turned out the area was ideal for sheep farming, perfect for early lambing, with far less fertiliser required. And the lighter animals meant no pugging in wet weather.
“We bought our first ewes in December 2018. I went and YouTubed a lot of stuff on sheep, the sheep milking process. The first sheep milk tanker arrived on 1 September, 2020.”
They modified the existing shed themselves, with the help of a local engineering business, to milk up to 720 ewes, 36 aside. Only two teats on each. And they made additional adjustments to the pit to suit Kate and their other farm workers, although Barry has to hunch his 1.98m frame over the smaller animals.
“We did wonder what the hell we were doing lots of the time,” Barry admits. “But it wasn’t working with dairy. We weren’t making a lot of money, we weren’t making the farm better. We were just working all the time and never really got very far ahead. For me, the excitement is seeing the potential in what the better producing ewes can do.”
He still loves cows and has kept 30 ‘old favourites’ on the property, including one 17-year-old. However, he does enjoy sheep milk in his morning coffee. Milk solid percentages are higher than both goats and cows and a good ewe will produce more than 2 litres a day.
The farmers find their flock easy to train – “they’ll do anything for food” – and physically much easier to move and manage than bovines. The farm itself is in better shape than it has been for years and contractors no longer drop them to the bottom of the list, unwilling to run their machines over rutted land.
“I just laughed and said, what else are you going to consider? Cats?”
Sheep milker Kate Walls
Kate says she has received excellent help and support from staff at their local Ngatea Farmlands store, including referral to a Farmlands animal nutritionist who offered practical solutions to a bloat issue.
“They see me every day – it’s where I get our farm supplies and they’ve all been great. But what I’ve really enjoyed is that they don’t laugh at me when I go in there with unusual ideas.
“The industry is still learning. The other day we met with one of the other suppliers and I think 15 new ideas just came from that. I like that collaborative aspect.”
Currently, most of their milk is processed into infant milk formula for export. It fetches a premium thanks to its digestibility, low lactose content and creamy, slightly sweet taste.
Greenridge Sheep Dairy staff have also experimented with cheesemaking, creating haloumi and feta for their own consumption.
“And oh yes, our lifestyle has improved. We only milk 7 or 8 months of the year. We’re also going on holiday. We’re going to do the things we could never do.”
| Hand-reared Alice knows how to get into the shed to steal maize meant for the ewes.
Doubling down on dairy
While turbulence in the dairy market has led some farmers to look elsewhere, others are confident about the industry’s future and are doubling down on their investment.
For Steve Mathis, being born into the dairy industry has given him a long-term view – and for him, that view is rosy.
Steve grew up on the family dairy farm in Tirau and then headed to the Dairy Board as a management cadet when he left school. Like many before and since, he went farming then 50/50 sharemilking then bought his own farm. Now he’s got two dairy farms under managers, takes possession of a third on 1 June and has a new career selling real estate for Property Brokers’ rural team. Yes, specialising in dairy. Steve’s confidence is shared by industry analysts, market commentators and sector heavyweights such as Fonterra.
There has been a lot of ‘taking stock’ in the dairy industry over the last decade. For some, that has led to a decision to take the leap into something new; for others though, casting an eye over their operation has led them to see potential and to double down on their dairy investment.
You can see it around the country. Dairy farmers are rising to the challenge of higher environmental and sustainability expectations. Farmers committed to improving animal welfare are spending big money on cow barns for wintering and also to protect fragile soil structures when the spring rains come.
Steve’s boss at Property Brokers, Conrad Wilkshire, sees it in the sales data. For him, there’s no greater sign of confidence
in the dairy industry than the strength in the dairy real estate market.
An industry standard measure, the national dairy rolling 12-month median price, was $40,300/ha at February 2022. This is the strongest result in a decade. Value of total sales is heading towards $1.5 billion, not far shy of an all-time high.
“Our view for autumn and spring 2022 is to see a continued strengthening of the dairy real estate market,” Conrad says in his Rural Market Update for May (page 60). “We still hold the view that investing in dairy assets offers very strong value upside even at current levels.”
He sees yet another solid dairy season to come “even while absorbing some of the most significant international market shocks of the 21st century”.
Investing in dairy assets offers very strong value upside even at current levels.”
Conrad Wilkshire, Property Brokers
Underpinning that confidence is Fonterra’s forecast pay-out to suppliers for their milk. In February, the dairy cooperative raised its 2021/22 farmgate milk price to between $9.30 and $9.90 per kilogram of milk solid (kg/MS) from $8.90 to $9.50 per kg/MS. It increased the midpoint by 40 cents to $9.60 per kg/MS. Fonterra said high feed costs in the United States and the European Union had affected milk production and these conditions were expected to continue in the coming months.
"Global demand for dairy remains firm, while global milk supply growth continues to track below average levels. These demand and supply dynamics are supporting the increase in prices," Chief Executive Miles Hurrell said.
Weather challenges and slow grass growth have led Fonterra to cut by
3.8 percent projections for New Zealand milk collection in the period. When that happens in the “Saudi Arabia of milk”, the global market notices. Add bad weather in Australia and the US along with COVID-19 disruptions to supply chains and it is no surprise that global dairy prices are rising as combined milk production in the big five producers –New Zealand, the EU, Australia, the US and Argentina – falls.
War in Europe is having its own affect. “The conflict in Ukraine has added to an already complex COVID-19 operating environment, impacting global supply chains, the oil price and global supply of grains,” Miles Hurrell said in February.
As a third-generation farmer, Steve knows better than to put much faith in short-term price blips or be too concerned about inevitable sector dips. He figures he’s on the right side of the ledger when it comes to industry up and downs.
As for the lifestyle, he has no complaints. He’s home for meals with the family and “hard work suits some people”. He knows that one day he will be in a rest home “and I want to talk about what I have done, not the dreams I had”. He says he’s happy to accept the new compliance challenges facing the industry. “Plant more wetlands” is on his farm plan. “Enjoy life more” is on his own plan. That and bringing his own family to the dairy life when they are ready. It’s in his blood.
| Projections for New Zealand's milk collection are down, along with those of other big producers.
| Strength in the rural real estate market is a clear sign of confidence.
Website project offers refuge to abuse victims
When Ruth Knewstubb saw a social media post from Canterbury Police about Women’s Refuge’s Shielded Site initiative, she was on board immediately. A firm believer that “one small act can create good”, Ruth saw the potential and after consulting with colleagues, Farmlands signed up.
“It was really straightforward for us to do as an organisation,” Ruth says. “I was blown away by the simplicity of it and also how much good it can create.”
The Shielded Site is an online tool for victims of abuse to ask for help, without fear of it showing up in their browser’s history or an abusive partner ever seeing it. The simple, discreet, green and white icon can sit on any webpage and is a powerful portal to refuge.
The symbol opens a secure, nontraceable tab that allows the user to access a direct 24/7 web chat with specialists in family violence. This provides immediate advice and assistance while maintaining absolute confidentiality and leaving no digital footprint. “It’s 100 percent anonymous,” Ruth says. Other resources included in the pop-up are how to plan, online safety and answers about what comes next.
Women’s Refuge's Shielded Site was created in 2016 and as well as the Farmlands site it can be found across many major New Zealand websites such as Trade Me, The Warehouse, ANZ, Countdown, Inland Revenue and Ministry of Social Development.
The Shielded Site is simple to add to any company website, is free and is designed
Even if we only help one person, it’s worth it.”
Ruth Knewstubb
to work on desktop, tablet and mobile.
Not that Ruth sees domestic violence as more of a rural issue. “Our shareholder base is both urban and rural,” she says. Having the icon on the Farmlands website puts it in front of Farmlands’ 75,000 shareholders. “Even if we only help one person, it’s worth it.” Farmlands’ enthusiasm for the initiative also reflects how the co-op sees its role as a leader in the agriculture sector. The challenge now is to encourage others in the rural sector to do the same.
Dr Ang Jury, Chief Executive of Women’s Refuge, says it has become clear that for many women experiencing family violence, reaching out through traditional methods is not an option. Especially during lockdown periods.
“If they are in the same bubble as their abuser, it can be extremely dangerous to try and reach out if the abuser becomes aware of what is happening,” she says.
Women’s Refuge hopes the initiative will provide an avenue for women to reach out, confident they will not have to jeopardise their safety in order to do so and can receive immediate help.
The Shielded Site icon can be found among the social media icons at the bottom of the front page of farmlands.co.nz
Sacrifices paying off in fight against disease
Since detection in July 2017, government agencies, industry and farmers have worked hard to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) from New Zealand. That work appears to be paying off and due in large part to the efforts and sacrifices made by farmers and the wider agricultural sector, the country is on track to be the first to eradicate M. bovis.
“We are at a crucial point in eradicating this disease where we are aiming to move from delimiting – controlling the last known pockets of the disease – to provisional absence,” M. bovis Eradication Programme Director Simon Andrew says.
“We are now looking harder to find less through our background and network surveillance. We also need farmers and those working in the industry to stay focused on good biosecurity practices to keep M. bovis out.”
Martin and Theo Sneek are problemsolvers by nature. Originally from a dairy farming family in the Netherlands, Theo came to New Zealand on an exchange programme back in 2003. Martin followed soon after. The brothers are sharemilkers on two farms in North Canterbury, where they have 1,700 dairy cows, 500 replacements and raise 500 beef cattle.
In March 2018, their problem-solving abilities were tested when they learned that M. bovis was detected on the property they farm. “It was hard but we had to be practical and figure out a way to get through,” Martin says.
Both say their MPI Farm Systems Manager, Duncan Trotter, helped them with practical guidance. “We drank a lot of coffee with Duncan,” Theo says.
The compensation from the M. bovis Eradication Programme meant they could think about rebuilding their business. “Essentially we looked at every aspect of our business and considered both biosecurity and sustainability,” Martin says.
“We plan to be doing this for a long time,” Theo says. “So it needs to be profitable but it also needs to be satisfying – we want to feel proud about what we have accomplished.”
Marty and Jo Ashby have been dairy farming in Canterbury for decades. They have about 650 dairy cows with a 180ha milking platform and 150ha run-off block. Through the years they have worked hard to create a thriving business. When they got the call in 2019 that M. bovis was detected on their property, it was a kick in the guts.
“The first thing that was important to us was to get as much information as possible in terms of test results and what that meant for our farm,” Marty says.
Both Marty and Jo say they were fortunate to have AsureQuality points of contact, including Loris McLeod, who
| Martin and Theo Sneek with their dog Blits.
has since become MPI Acting Team Manager for the Farm Systems Managers in the Upper South Island. Other support has come from Cara Gregan with the DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Compensation Assistance Team (DBCAT) and solid relationships with people such as their stock agent and veterinarians.
“We were in shock the first couple of days. We were looking at losing 30 years of breeding,” Marty says. “But then Jo and I looked at each other and thought ‘OK, how are we going to take on this challenge?’”
Their advice after this experience?
“Once it’s proven, try to work with the people who are at least for the most part trying to help you. You’ve got to be a little bit philosophical,” Marty says.
“For those who are on the other side, it’s important to remember that in most cases we are businesspeople and have a vast amount of knowledge. If that’s recognised and valued, it’s a lot easier to work together to solve a difficult problem.”
The M. bovis Eradication Programme is a partnership between the Ministry for Primary Industries, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and DairyNZ.
BEST PRACTICE
We were in shock the first couple of days.”
Marty
and Jo Ashby.
Talk with your veterinarians, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand about ways to reduce the risk of M. bovis and build those into your biosecurity plans and animal health plans.
• Run cattle in management units that don’t mix. Minimise introductions and keep any introductions low-risk (eg, keep mobs separate for their duration on grazing blocks).
• Secure boundaries through fencing. Make sure nose-to-nose contact is not possible between neighbouring properties.
• NAIT is a legal requirement and key to good biosecurity as it makes it easier and faster to trace animals. Ensure any equipment or biological products you bring on-farm are M. bovis free. Make sure equipment (such as borrowed milk feeding equipment) is clean and disinfected before use on your property.
These good on-farm biosecurity practices will help limit the spread of other diseases as well.
Need some new stuff but just can’t get time away from the farm? Introducing Shopsmiths – our new service for online shoppers.
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The weather’s cooling down and the offers are heating up in-store and online at Farmlands.
Shop now on all your farm essentials and put yourself in the running for some amazing prizes from Gallagher, Stallion and Summit NZ. *
Mark it in the calendar, Friday May 20 th will be worth the visit in-store or online.
Awards night on track to celebrate in style
Farmlands and Beef + Lamb NZ are partnering in a new industry awards event, with winners to be announced in September. Meet Fiona Bowe, the woman working behind the scenes to make it all happen.
The last 2 years have been challenging for event organisers such as B+LNZ's Fiona Bowe. The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated lockdowns and restrictions have tested her mettle when it comes to making events happen. There have been disappointments with cancellations and postponements but the Event and Sponsorship Manager is looking forward to one event more than any other.
The inaugural Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards Dinner will go ahead at the Napier War Memorial on September 29. Fiona is cautiously optimistic that it will be able to be held as a face-to-face event with people from across the country coming together, without restrictions, to celebrate the finalists, overall winners and the red meat industry.
For Fiona personally, who is known for her love of good food and wine, it is an industry worth celebrating. It was Fiona’s fondness for New Zealand’s top quality grass-fed red meat that secured her a role as an events coordinator at B+LNZ 7 years ago. She just happened to mention to a friend that she wouldn’t mind working
in either the wine or meat industries or back within the rural sector. That friend knew someone in B+LNZ’s HR department who was looking for a events coordinator for a short-term contract.
That short-term contract has turned into a permanent role and Fiona, who has 18 years’ experience in the events and sponsorship industry, is now charged with organising events both externally and internally for the levyfunded organisation and looking after its sponsorship programme.
Her responsibilities start at the conception of an event and go through every aspect of the activation and execution process. “It’s like project management but what we deliver is an event or experience.”
With the B+LNZ Awards, it started with the “why”. Fiona and her team worked in consultation with farmers to ensure it fitted with what they wanted while aligning with B+LNZ’s strategy and values.
“We thought about what it would look like and if it would help fuel farmer pride in their industry while providing a platform of the highest quality from which they could tell their story to the wider public.”
| Fiona Bowe, Event and Sponsorship Manager at Beef + Lamb New Zealand, with her dog Kelani.
Fiona also has to work within budget constraints and engage with stakeholders and sponsors to ensure objectives and milestones are met throughout the process.
The B+LNZ Awards, which were launched in March last year, build on the highly successful Sheep Industry Awards, which were an initiative of the B+LNZ’s Southern South Island Farmer Council. These awards ran from 2012 to 2017. Fiona first became involved with them in 2015.
She says she enjoyed that the awards brought farmers and industry professionals together to celebrate the sheep industry and share their knowledge. “But what really struck me was how humble everyone was about their achievements.”
The B+LNZ Awards now incorporate beef, including dairy beef, as well as sheep and talented individuals working within the sector. They will be a national event with different regions hosting the annual dinner.
Entries for the awards opened last June and Fiona says she was really encouraged by both the number and calibre of entries, which did make it challenging for the team of judges.
“I really want to acknowledge the people who took the time to nominate individuals who contribute so much to our industry, as well as those who entered themselves. I did not envy the judges having to select the finalists and winners from such strong entries.”
As well as acknowledging some of the sector’s best and brightest, Fiona says the awards provide B+LNZ and sponsors with an opportunity to showcase the finalists and the winners to the public.
“It would be great to make people understand just how important the red meat sector is to the NZ economy. I think it is often overlooked and the
wider public just don’t realise how this is one of the few sectors that has kept the economy going over the past 2 years.”
Despite delays, Fiona’s enthusiasm for these awards has not waned. “I’m looking forward to us all coming together and celebrating how awesome our industry is, but the best part will be seeing the pride farmers have in these awards.
“We will ensure we do them justice and get their stories out there. We need to show just how good and how resilient our industry is.”
I did not envy the judges having to select the finalists and winners from such strong entries.”
AND THE FINALISTS ARE…
AgResearch Emerging Achiever Award
• Cara Doggett, Wellsford
• Estee Brown, Cambridge
• Luke Foster, Morrinsville
Rabobank People Development Award
• Agri-Women’s Development Trust, Masterton
• Coadette Lowe, Masterton
• Rural Leadership Team, Lincoln
Alliance Significant Contribution Award
• Bob Thomson, farm consultant, Te Awamutu
• Dr David Stevens, farm systems scientist, Mosgiel
• Prof. Derrick Moot, plant scientist, Lincoln
FMG Rural Champion Award
• Daniel Eb, Open Farms, Auckland
• Meat the Need, Takaka
• Sandra Matthews, Farming Women Tairawhiti, Gisborne
Ballance Agri-Nutrients Science and Research Award
• AgResearch Palmerston North, Parasitology Team, Palmerston North
• Lincoln University, Dryland Pastures Research Group, Lincoln
• Strategic Winter Grazing Research Team, Mosgiel
Datamars Livestock Technology Award
• Farmax Ltd, Hamilton
• Knode (Richard Wildman), Hamilton
• Silver Fern Farms’ Calf Booking app, Dunedin
Gallagher Innovative Farming Award
• Maatua Hou Ltd, Canterbury
• Mt Linton Station, IMF Sheep Genetics, Southland
• Sam and Sarah Johnston, Wairarapa
Silver Fern Farms Market Leader Award
• Richard Redmayne, Coastal Lamb, Whanganui
• Matt and Lynley Wyeth, Spring Valley Enterprises, Masterton
• Sophie and Lucy MacDonald, Middlehurst Delivered, Blenheim
Woman behind the words
Carly Thomas is a journalist and in-house writer for Shepherdess magazine. A keen storyteller, she treks across Aotearoa for her interviews – even conducting some from the back of a horse. Here she shares a bit about her career, behind the scenes working for the magazine and what makes a good story.
Where were you born/raised and where are you living now?
I was born in Christchurch but I have lived mostly in the North Island. I have moved around a lot, both during my childhood and in later life, too. I lived in England for 10 years and have done stints in Scotland and France. I now live in rural Manawatū, in Kiwitea. Our house is a big old villa built in 1884 and it has a gorgeous acre of garden which I love and am ridiculously obsessed with. We are a whānau of five. My husband and I have three teenagers – a 16-year-old and twins who are almost 13 – and life is the usual wonderful rural chaos of kids, horses, too many pets, mud in winter and dust in summer.
Walk us through your career in journalism and storytelling.
My pathway into journalism started off traditionally. I studied with the legendary Jim Tucker – I loved it. We are talking pre-internet, so I learnt the old-school way, which has forever shaped my values as a writer. If I step back into why I love storytelling, I have to mention my mum. She taught me how to listen and be interested. In my early teens, she had a bookshop where I worked after school. My mum knew everyone and they would all come in for a chat and a giggle. That’s another thing I learnt from my mum: always find the humour, it’s a leveller.
All I ever want to do is to tell a person’s story in an authentic way.”
How do you balance writing (and your sanity) with raising a family?
That was a tricky one when I worked in a newsroom. It is an all-encompassing environment, highly stressful and hard to switch off from. Being freelance now means that I can work my way, which makes for a healthier balance. I am much nicer when I can wear my track pants to work. And my kids are pretty great. They know that Fridays are mum’s writing till 3am nights and that dinner is whatever they want it to be. Let’s just say my kids are very independent and they learnt how to open a can from a very early age.
When do you feel most connected to the land? What gives you a sense of place?
Oh, I love being outside. It’s a bit ironic that I am a writer and therefore have to spend time inside. I think that’s why I write so fast. I have always been a runner, hiker, horse rider, explorer. If there is a track, I want to follow it. A hill, I want to climb it. Being out there amongst it all makes me feel connected.
What makes a compelling story?
Down-to-earth grit. Realness, rawness and passion. I love to learn
about people’s day-to-day lives. The connections, the humanness and the humanity. It doesn’t have to be groundbreaking, it just has to be honest.
What has been your most memorable interview experience for the magazine?
Shannon Ataera on Rēkohu – Chatham Islands – now she is an epic wahine. She has a huge amount of mana and it makes her shine. Sometimes you walk away from an interview and you know you have personally learnt something that you will carry from then on. Shannon was one of those.
Which piece have you been most proud of writing for the magazine and why?
I could say the bigger pieces that are more intricately written but honestly I feel proud of the piece I wrote about Bex Scragg, Jo Waugh and Sam Shaw – three women training and trialling dogs in an often male-dominated environment. That story sums up what I try really hard to do – capture the feel of who I am writing about. That takes time and I spent time on that story. And also walked up a very big hill.
How would you describe your writing style?
I hope it holds the feel of what I see, hear and experience. All I ever want to do is to tell a person’s story in an authentic way. I hope it is never pretentious, inaccessible or too academic. If it makes me cringe, then it gets deleted and I start again.
Any behind-the-scenes “bloopers” you can share?
I am a walking blooper, but here’s one: I did an Instagram live for the magazine when I had no clue what I was doing and so it turned into the Carly comedy hour.
Do you have tips for kicking off a conversation with a stranger?
My mum needs to step in here again, because she is a ninja at this. I was brought up by a woman who talks to everyone and anyone and I am the same. Together we are a riot. I think you just have to be interested – questions are always good. And I try to give back, too. I think there has to be a lot of giving when you talk to people.
Shepherdess Autumn Edition out now at your local Farmlands store.
Farmlands has experts in every field, within its own people and through its Partners. Here, three of them share advice on how best to use that winter ‘thinking time’ and how to ensure everyone stays safe.
LAND USE OPTIONS
Gaz Ingram Farmlands Technical Leader, Organics
Winter is the time when we reflect on the year gone and probably give ourselves a congratulatory pat on the back. Could things have been done differently though and what lessons can we take from the past growing season?
Some of the things to take note of are changes to what’s going on locally as well as changes in industry thinking and the crops that are in demand. Another aspect to look at is how they are being grown. Is a particular system or choice of inputs being used?
There are options to change your footprint on the planet, either through new crop choices or different choices about how we produce them.
• Should we decrease production to lower inputs and cost?
• Could I try a different fertiliser programme, with different testing methods?
• Look over the fence now and then – what did your neighbours grow in their back paddock? Did it work for them? Can you do that too?
Diversification need not mean a total overhaul of your farming system. It could be as simple as a change in variety of your current crop, different arable crops, vegetables or maybe a new variety of pipfruit.
If your farm has been in cropping and livestock for generations, how about a few hectares of horticulture? Or maybe your local restaurant has commented that they always need fresh local produce? There are geographical and climatic reasons why everything doesn’t grow everywhere but be curious, ask why.
Diversification can also mean expanding your own skillset or taking the leap and trying something new, which can be daunting yet exhilarating at the same time.
We all have the power to dream about the what-ifs but the magic happens when you take the plunge and consider the possibilities. Involve others in your thinking – they will challenge you into getting the most from the opportunity and growing the business.
Fast-forward to the same conversation that future generations may have about the property and be proud to share the tale of change that you made happen.
Talk to your local Farmlands team. Our size and diversity means we have the power of collective knowledge for you to tap into and harness.
COLD WEATHER KIT
India Clark Farmlands Retail
Winter days on-farm can be miserable when you aren't properly kitted out. Just remember, knowing how to layer is key to staying warm. Here are five clothing items no farmer should be without:
1. LEATHER WORK BOOTS
Because you spend most of your working day on your feet, it makes sense to invest in high-quality footwear. In addition to protecting your feet from the elements, a rugged work boot like the John Bull Raptor can offer protection against smashed toes caused by heavy equipment or livestock.
2. WET WEATHERS
From rain and snow to windchill, a quality pair of insulated bib overtrousers and a parka can protect you from the most unforgiving conditions. Some of the best options such as the ISO940 range from Betacraft offer freedom of movement, a breathable lining and ripstop nylon fabric for extreme durability.
3. BASE AND MID LAYERS
To survive for long periods in the cold, you have to know how to layer. Base layers from the Thermatech Merino range will help to trap heat and wick away sweat. A mid layer will provide additional insulation and draw heat to the next layer for greater warmth. The Betacraft Drover Fleecepacks will give you this added warmth in a 280gsm, anti-pill fabric.
4. INSULATED VESTS
An insulated vest offers greater core protection and can be worn over any shirt or sweatshirt. When your torso is warm, your heart can pump more blood to your limbs and extremities. The Thermotough vest from Stoney Creek is perfect for this and features fleece-lined pockets for even greater warmth.
5. NATURAL FIBRES
You can’t beat New Zealand wool but you can’t turn away from technology either. Mixing merino with possum and polyester, the Backroad Windstopper will do what it says on the tin and then some. Mix with a good base layer to keep warm and working, even when the temperature drops. 2 1 4 3 5
FIRE SAFETY
Angela Hogg FMG Advice Manager
As the months get colder and the sheds fill with firewood, now’s the time to begin your pre-winter checks on fireplaces in the homes around the farm.
Over the past 3 years, house-fire claims are expected to cost FMG almost $49.5 million, affecting more than 470 families. What isn’t reflected in those numbers is the emotional stress of an event like that, or treasured items being lost.
We’ve all heard about the delays in securing building supplies and these challenges mean restoration can be a more lengthy and difficult process. A house fire can be an emotionally stressful issue to deal with at the best of times but there are things you can do to lessen the risk.
Pre-winter checks play a critical role in reducing the risk of house fires.”
Rural properties are likely to use wood fires and there are simple steps you can take to prevent things going wrong. Pre-winter checks play a critical role in reducing the risk of house fires when it comes time to heat the house up. Your pre-winter house checks should include:
• Inspecting fireplaces and chimneys for deterioration. If damage is found, get a professional in to fix it before the first fire of the season.
• Getting your chimney flue swept. This can reveal and clear any blockages such as bird nests that have built up over summer.
• Installing a fireguard. These prevent embers, sparks and logs rolling onto the floor and causing significant damage.
• Checking and installing smoke alarms. These really do save lives, so ensure yours are in good working condition each season.
We can replace a house but we can’t replace a home; take the time now to prepare yours for winter.
The Warehouse Group shows its commitment
SUSTAINABLE SOURCING FOR BETTER PRODUCTS AND A BETTER FUTURE
Sustainable sourcing is nothing new and in today’s world, it’s impacting the consumer mindset and nearly every area of corporate business. Consumers are more aware and conscious of the brands they purchase and therefore the companies they engage with.
The Warehouse Group, a Farmlands Card Partner, is the largest importer of consumer goods in New Zealand — and sourcing is at the heart of what we do. So it’s important that we have a team dedicated to sustainable and ethically sourced products. Our experts understand the science behind sustainability and they help us shape what is possible.
We define sustainable sourcing as the environmental attributes of a product’s design, raw materials, manufacturing, end-use and disposal – including its packaging. We have measures in place to address the social dimension of our sourcing activity through our Ethical Sourcing Workstream.
Over the years, our programme has evolved from a focus on supply chain workers to include various aspects of responsible sourcing – whether it’s joining global initiatives such as the Better Cotton Initiative, to have a wider-reaching voice, increasing use of
sustainable materials in our products, or removing unnecessary packaging from our products, so we can save natural resources and reduce waste going to landfills.
We are only just beginning our journey in this area of sustainability but through our team of advisors our goal is to become the country’s most sustainable organisation.
PERIOD POVERTY
Tackling Period Poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand
One in 12 girls in New Zealand is missing school every month because of period poverty. It might seem strange that this is even an issue to begin with but it’s a harsh reality for women and girls right here in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Period poverty is a lack of access to menstrual products, which affects girls’ education and gender equality. The accessibility of these products is predominantly due to financial reasons but in some instances cultural and social situations may also be a cause.
Not only does it lead to missing school but also missing out on work, school sports and social activities. It can lead to physical health problems such as infections caused by using items and products which are unsafe or unsanitary, as well as embarrassment and feelings of shame.
The Warehouse Group is helping to tackle period poverty and has introduced a more affordable period product range at $1 to help Kiwis struggling with the cost of menstrual products each month. For every 10 of those products sold, The Warehouse Group will also donate a pack to our partners The Period Place and Women’s Refuge to pass on to women and girls who need them.
The packs donated to The Period Place are passed on to local community groups who support those experiencing barriers to access. Alongside these products is educational material from The Period Place about period cycles and the types of period products available. Since 2019, we have already donated close to 65,000 period products to women and girls in need. That figure will grow as we continue to donate.
Of course our work is of no value if we don’t look after our own employees on this matter. In April 2021, The Warehouse Group started providing free pads in team member bathrooms across our network of stores, distribution centres and support office locations.
The Warehouse Group and its brands (Noel Leeming, The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery and Torpedo7) are Card Partners of Farmlands.
Simple checks help keep ladders safe
Winter is almost upon us and that piece of corrugated iron on the shed roof needs fixing before the weather gets worse. It’s the kind of scenario that plays out on many a farm – but every year thousands of farmers and farm workers are injured in falls from heights.
On average, ACC receives around 3,500 claims annually for injuries suffered in falls from heights on farms, with the highest monthly numbers in the autumn/ early winter. More than 1,000 such claims are usually made through March to May. That is 10 injuries a day.
“Farm workers use ladders when working at height,” Angela Mansell, Director Engagement and Implementation for WorkSafe New Zealand, says. “But a major problem is that the ladders are often unstable. Many people falling off ladders have
been killed and seriously injured. Accidents often happen when workers use unsuitable or unstable ladders, or use ladders unsafely, like overreaching or carrying loads up or down.”
Anyone who is going to be using a ladder around the farm should learn some key principles to use them in a way that keeps them safe. Ladders need to be suitable for the job – for instance, able to handle the loads put on them. They need to have a lockable spreader and should be inspected before every use. Things to check for include:
• Any bent or twisted stiles (uprights).
• Worn or split rungs or steps.
• Loose, bent or disconnected braces.
• Damaged or missing locking bars, rivets or non-slip feet.
• If the ladder is clean.
If a ladder is defective, it should be tagged so it isn’t used until it is repaired or disposed of. Ladders should also be stored carefully so they don’t sag. Ladders must be positioned correctly on a level, firm base as close as possible to the work – if this isn’t possible, then you need to look at a safer alternative. The feet for single or extension ladders should be placed one-quarter of the ladder’s working length away from the base structure. After placing, the ladder should be tied securely at the top and bottom to prevent it slipping sideways or outwards.
“Check the safe working load stated on the ladder and don’t exceed that. It is critical to keep three points of contact on the ladder at all times – two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand while climbing and two feet and one hand when working. Tools should be carried on a toolbelt.”
Also it is important to remember:
• Don’t over-reach – keep the line of the belt (navel) inside the stiles and both feet on the same rung while working.
• Don’t rest tools or other items on the steps or hanging from the rungs
• Stop at the third step from the top of a straight ladder
• If using a ladder to get to a working platform, extend the ladder 1 metre above the working platform.
For further resources for working safely at height, see worksafe.govt.nz.
Article supplied by Worksafe
| Ladders should be inspected before every use to ensure they are fit for purpose.
More reasons to keep smiling with the
RANGE OF RAINWEAR
Dairy farmers sure know how to push gear to its limits and that’s why we developed the Tempest range of wet weather gear. Designed tougher than most, thanks to its advanced Dual Tough construction, which boasts an unprecedented double Ripstop outer fabric and two waterproof breathable layers.
BUY ANY STONEY CREEK TEMPEST RAINWEAR PRODUCT DURING MAY AND RECEIVE A BONUS DROP POINT FOLDING KNIFE WORTH $39.99 RRP VIA REDEMPTION.
DUAL TOUGH FABRIC
Constructed from a double Ripstop outer fabric and two waterproof breathable layers.
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.
Changes in weather require shift in feed
While it may be difficult to admit that the shorter days and colder temperatures have arrived, adjusting your horse’s feeding and management according to the change in weather is essential.
Although New Zealand winters are generally mild compared with the northern hemisphere, temperatures can still drop considerably. Now is the time to start thinking about how your horse’s daily nutritional requirements will change in the winter and how you can be sure that he or she stays in tip-top condition right through until spring. Cold weather puts extra demands on a horse’s metabolism. More energy is required for daily activities in the cold compared with the same activities performed in a milder climate. Therefore while ‘good doers’ that hold their weight well may not require any changes in management, many horses and ponies will need extra feed for maintenance, conditioning and work. The most effective way to establish if a horse requires more or less calories in
their diet is to monitor their weight with scales or a weigh tape and assess body condition regularly. While weigh tapes are often inaccurate, if used correctly they can still be valuable for identifying changes. Body condition scoring is also essential to ensure even small changes are noticed before they start to become a problem and should be used in conjunction with weight assessment. Forage should be the basis of all horses’ diets and each horse should consume at least 1.5 percent of their body weight in pasture and/or hay daily. Consistent consumption of quality fibre ensures optimum digestive tract health and helps to keep the horse warm. If pastures are low, then supplementary hay will be required, with the type of hay selected very important. For good doers that maintain their weight well, a mature grass hay with lower sugar content is recommended. Because legume hays contain more calories than grass hay, they’re perfect for horses requiring more calories. Legume blends such as grass combined with clover or lucerne are ideal.
Chaff varieties and ensiled forages are ideal to increase fibre, however the majority of the forage a horse consumes is best to come from long stemmed sources such as pasture and hay. Working horses or particularly poor doers will be unable to maintain condition on forage alone at this time of the year and will require calories from hard feed. Complete feeds such as the range of high-quality feeds in the NRM and McMillan ranges are a convenient option, as they provide all required protein and nutrients, as well as extra calories. Feeds containing high quality fat sources such as KER Equi-Jewel®, NRM Low GI, Ultimate Sport and McMillan Muscle Relieve are a real advantage for preventing weight loss. KER Equi-Jewel® is a high fat low starch supplement that is one of the most effective and safest ways to achieve weight gain.
For assistance with feeding plans for all types of horses, consult an experienced equine nutritionist.
Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Equine Nutritionist
Failing to plan means you’re on plan to fail
Karen Fraser and Stacey Cosnett are on a mission to help farmers grow the best calves possible by delivering accurate and easy-to-understand advice. Check out ‘The Calf Experts’ on Facebook and follow their articles in The Farmlander.
An important part of calf rearing is reflecting on how the season has gone. It doesn’t take much to forget the bad times, especially towards season’s end.
As the calves become stronger and their immune defence develops, we forget about the hours of electrolyting scouring calves, the frustrations of calves with no suck reflex, transitioning issues and sheds failing with high ammonia and dampness.
5 Cs FOR A NEWBORN CALF
Set up your own plan at the start of the season and focus on doing the basics well for a better outcome.
There are some common denominators that open the door to increased calf illness:
• Failing sheds that become damp and smelly.
• Poor day 1 colostrum management. Not harvesting and isolating first milking colostrum from cows and getting it into day 1 calves quickly.
Ticking all the boxes of calf rearing, you should achieve a death rate under 3 percent. If death rates start to creep up, sometimes that is out of our control, such as buying from unknown sources at the saleyard. Otherwise, we can avoid big losses by following the 5 Cs.
1. Colostrum: This in turn has the 5 Qs – Quality, Quantity, Quickly, Quietly and sQueaky clean. Don’t know what we mean by some of these? Check out the latest video on our Facebook page.
2. Calories: Is enough energy coming from milk intake and starter calf feed? Fortifying milk with calf milk replacer or mixing the replacer to a higher concentration may be a good option rather than just feeding more litres.
3. Cleanliness: Limit exposure to disease-causing organisms.
4. Comfort: Dry and draught-free at calf level, with good ventilation.
5. Consistency: Calves require consistency in feeding and handling.
| Compartment feeders are useful in early rearing to ensure each calf is getting enough milk. The photo shows the difference in sucking speed between these calves.
• Poor nutrition. Underfeeding calves weakens the immune system. You need to make sure you are covering calves’ requirements if you want them to thrive.
• Poor hygiene practices.
• Slow response to illness. You must use your calf-rearing intuition and jump on illness quickly to reduce the impact.
• Poor choice of hard calf feed; going for something too cheap and cheerful.
• Not encouraging early intake of hard feed.
• Not having plenty of clean running water that is reachable by the calves from day 1.
• Rough handling of newborn calves – treating them carefully pays dividends.
Calf rearing does not start the minute the calf is born. The last month of pregnancy is a critical time as this is when the calf is growing rapidly and colostrum generation starts in the cow's mammary glands. If the pregnant cow is on an unbalanced diet that is low in protein, energy or vitamins and minerals, this can affect the calf and her colostrum quality, in turn affecting the rearing season. Iodine is a good example. A lot of our brassica crops are low in iodine. This can result in a cow having a deficiency, producing a calf with poor development, poor growth, poor coat and a poorer suck reflex.
Take stock and look at how you can alter the outcomes. Even if we can’t always have the perfect system in terms of set-up, changing one thing that will help change outcomes each year and putting effort into doing the basics well will bring steady improvement.
BUYING HARD CALF FEED
• Go for a product high in starch. This is key for rumen development.
• Avoid feeds high in fat or oil as they are no good for developing the rumen. A good calf feed should be under 4% fat.
• Protein is important. Ideally go for a 20% protein option and keep on until at least a month after weaning off milk – longer if you are weaning calves onto average quality pasture.
• Avoid anything with byproduct material in it such as lollies and chocolate. Although that sounds yummy, it’s not good for the calves’ development.
• For unweaned calves, avoid anything with palm kernel.
• Go for something with a coccidiostat and check that the rates consumed are sufficient for the challenges your calves may face.
• Avoid dusty feeds. They can cause respiratory irritation.
• Go for something with a good vitamin and mineral pre-mix. B vitamins are critical and are sometimes missing from cheaper feeds.
• Some have additives such as prebiotics and essential oils to help with calf health. These can be a great boost in the fight against illness.
• NRM and Reliance calf feeds sold at Farmlands have The Calf Experts’ seal of approval.
| Good quality hard feed is a worthwhile investment in your young stock.
Time to weigh up risks of milk fever
If you are a dairy farmer with a spring calving herd, now might be a good time to reflect on how many downer cows you’ve had to treat for milk fever (periparturient hypocalcaemia) last spring.
Treating downer cows is not only stressful, it’s expensive in terms of treatment costs, time, energy and the impact on future production, even when cows are treated quickly and look to have made a speedy recovery. In terms of cow and calf health, peace of mind and profitability, the fewer downer cows the better — even at 2-3 percent downer cows, up to half the herd may have subclinical milk fever.
Risk factors for milk fever include:
• High sodium or potassium intakes pre-calving. These positively charged ions (cations) reduce the mobilisation of calcium from the bones which increases the risk of low blood calcium after calving.
• Inadequate magnesium intakes coming up to and through calving. Magnesium sulphate and magnesium chloride have the advantage that they deliver magnesium and negatively charged ions (anions) that improve the mobilisation of calcium from bones.
• Channel Island breeds including Jerseys are about two times more likely to get milk fever than Friesians.
• Older cows, especially aged 7 years and above, appear to have a decreased capacity to mobilise calcium from bones and possibly decreased ability to absorb calcium
| Ironically, cows with milk fever normally have a lower than normal body temperature.
from the intestines in response to the increased demand for colostrum production.
• High phosphorous intakes in the last 2 to 3 weeks before calving. Avoid feeding too much high P feeds such as PKE and DDGS.
• Over-conditioned cows that come into milk faster may be at risk but also under-conditioned cows may be at more risk of getting milk fever, perhaps because of compromised immunity to diseases.
Simply feeding some maize silage, grass silage or a lot of magnesium oxide (over 40g elemental magnesium/ cow/day) doesn’t seem to eliminate sub-clinical milk fever. In an observational study of 76 spring calving herds in the Waikato, Roberts and McDougall (2019) found the prevalence of sub-clinical milk fever was greater in herds feeding grass silage or maize silage pre-calving than those that did not. They suggested that grass silage in the region could be high in potassium.
Maize silage is normally considered to lower the risk of milk fever because it lowers the DCAD (dietary cation
anion difference) compared with pasture. However it was suggested that management factors associated with feeding of maize silage could also increase the risk of milk fever. It could be that historically high rates of milk fever have encouraged farmers to feed silage and high rates of magnesium oxide and while this has taken farmers in the right direction, they have not reached the end-point of eliminating milk fever and need to look at a Plan B. Ironically, cows with milk fever normally have a lower than normal body temperature. If you want to avoid getting hot under the collar next spring, explore the products now available that can help reduce the risks.
For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick Head of Product Development (Nutrition)
KI Roberts & S McDougall (2019) Risk Factors for subclinical hypocalcaemia, and associations between subclinical hypocalcaemia and reproductive performance, in pasture-based dairy herds in New Zealand, New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 67:1, 12-19, DOI: 10.1080/00480169.2018.1527732
Family deer farm makes most of better ear tags
The Rentoul family have been farming in the Wye Hills, Wairau Valley for over 100 years. Jason Rentoul share-farms with his brother and father running 1200 deer, 1200 merino ewes, 800 cross bred sheep and 100 Angus cattle on their 1400ha property.
Over 20 years ago, the family were expanding into deer.
“Because deer move so quickly, other deer farmers recommended we get hold of a good tagger to avoid ripped ears or misfires.”
This is when they discovered the Z2 No Tear Tagger by Z Tags.
“Other deer farmers had already figured out that the Z2 tagger was the best tagging tool. Once we tried it, we could see it was too!”
“The tagger is spring loaded. Instead of releasing your hand quickly to open the tagger again, it does it by itself and is much quicker. The retractable pin doesn’t get bent if an animal moves away quickly as it’s on a hinge. Altogether, it’s a superior design. Other taggers, you squeeze and then you need to physically let it go again and get it out while the animal is tossing its head. This tagger automatically returns to the start position. You are way less likely to tear.”
Very few applicators are specifically designed to eliminate wounds. The Z2 tagger is the exception. The tool incorporates a snapback arm and a tag pin which automatically flicks out. No matter how stroppy an animal, there’s no ear ripping when applying tags, mitigating the risk of injury to people and animals.
“It doesn’t matter who is using it – you can’t really get it wrong. You are in and out and gone. It’s the best two-piece tagging tool on the market,” Jason says.
“After finding how successful this tagger was with the deer, we moved on to our other stock. We now do our cattle and have started to tag the stud sheep. We have never used anything else because they have been so good.”
The Z2 No Tear Tagger is ideal for applying NAIT-approved RFID tags, two-piece tags and pedigree tags.
“In more than 20 years I have never had a Z Tag break with age. Occasionally, you will pick one up in the paddock where they have hooked it on something. The two pieces will still be joined together —so the tag hasn’t failed. That’s impressive really.”
The wide selection of colours is another big plus that flows through to planning and practicalities on the Wairau Valley farm.
“Every year, every animal of that age gets assigned a colour. It doesn’t matter what species. From a distance we can tell the age of an animal, we don’t need to have a chart. We start rotating colours after 9 years when the older animals are gone,” Jason says.
“Colour coding is ideal when we are velveting stags. We can tell how old they are at a glance and can see from across the pen which are the old ones that need to be sold.”
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Datamars
| A wide selection of tag colours is a big plus for herd management.
Feeding for performance
Pre-lamb and early lactation feeding has a major impact on lamb survival, lamb growth rates and the profitability of sheep breeding enterprise. However, having enough feed to support ewe demand increases dramatically at lambing, especially for twin-bearing ewes, which can be a critical period and often a recurring challenge.
Planning and monitoring pasture covers is key. A target of >1400kg DM/ha (4-5cm pasture height) is a good rule of thumb to provide adequate nutrition at set stocking. Reviewing the feed budget 6 weeks out to identify any shortfall will provide sufficient lead-in time to boost pasture growth with a nitrogen (N) fertiliser if needed.
The earlier in the season you apply nitrogen the slower and lower the response, which increases the cost of grass grown. In late winter for example, you might expect only a moderate response of around 10kg DM per kgN applied. While higher response rates can be expected later in the season and seem more economic, the early season feed will have greater value if it fills a feed gap. Table 1 provides a guide to typical pasture responses and the cost of N-grown pasture.
If grass is the cheapest form of feed, N-grown pasture remains the cheapest form of additional feed. To put costs in perspective, balage can easily reach 40-60c/kgDM at this time of year and is typically lower quality than spring pasture (8-10 MJME rather than 11-12 MJME) and may not meet animal
Table 1 *Assumes cost of N is $2.58/kg N
requirements. Quality is particularly important pre-lamb, when feed intake can be restricted due to compression of the rumen by the growing lamb(s). Concentrates such as barley have a higher energy content (12 MJME) but are not always practical.
Show me the grass…….
When using nitrogen pre-lamb, the extra feed grown is grazed as fast as it grows, so you often don’t see a big flush. This extra feed shows up in the growth rates of lambs and the condition of ewes at weaning. With animals that grow faster, they’re heavier at weaning and achieve target weights earlier. For many farmers this can mean more kilograms away earlier and at better prices — a real advantage in summer-dry regions/climates. There are also positive flow-on effects for the next production cycle when ewes are weaned in better condition.
Right product, right place, right time….
To protect your investment and the environment, follow Good Management Practice (GMP); this includes applying
nitrogen fertiliser when the soil temperature is above 6°C at 9am and avoiding application to waterlogged or severely compacted soils.
Eight to 10 millimetres of rain within 8 hours of application is needed to reduce the risk of nitrogen loss from volatilisation, which still occurs in the cooler months. Greater flexibility around the timing of application can be achieved by using SustaiN, which can reduce your volatilisation losses by up to 50 percent. Having this flexibility with SustaiN can also be particularly useful when booking ground spreaders or aerial contractors.
If sulphur is a limiting factor, such as for spring clover growth, a product combining SustaiN with sulphur will be beneficial. PhaSedN Quick Start or SustaiN Ammo are available depending on your needs and application conditions.
For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients
introduce the SoloNet family. Let Us
Every fencing job, like every farm, presents its own unique challenges. There’s not only the terrain to deal with but also the increasing cost of labour and a shortage of skilled workers.
Little wonder then that the SoloNet family of payout netting systems has become an essential tool for
A family with connections.
With three mounting options to choose from, SoloNet’s equipment has mounting selections for tractors and diggers, using 3-point linkage, front loader, or a 360-digger mounted option. You can simply hook into your existing three-point linkage for stable operation from the front or rear of the tractor or for a more nimble approach, attach a self-loading unit into a digger to make short work of hard-to-reach fence lines, rugged terrain and heavy vegetation, from either side.
"The SoloNet machine saves us a lot of time and money unrolling and straining netting. As the saying goes, time is money and this is a classic example. SoloNet is worth its weight in gold".
Nick Terry - Custom Fencing Ltd
SoloNet takes the hard slog out of fencing. To find the right model for your fencing needs, contact the Summit team today at sales@summitsteel.co.nz or call us on 09 271 1627 and discover the difference family makes. Available from Farmlands stores nationwide.
Kiwi farmers and contractors. With the ability to dispense up to 500m of sheep netting from either side and hydraulically clamp and strain from the driver’s seat, SoloNet allows you to fix more metres of professional quality fencing in less time and with fewer hands required.
Well armed for every job.
SoloNet machines can be fitted with 1.4m or 2.1m removable external clamps to strain into corners and does not require pulling past the strainer. The telescopic arms can be set to match the width of the tractor and folded away for easy stowing. There's also an optional arm available for dispensing rabbit netting.
"The SoloNet has made our job a lot easier in a number of ways, from straining up to 800m in one pull and using the 500m rolls with no joining, it’s saved us time and money".
Bevan
Jamieson – Western Fencing
Quick, clean kill key to effective rodent trap
Part of the national drive for Predator Free 2050 is the control of rodents. Every land manager and owner has a role to play. If enough of the population take up the challenge and participate, we can expect numbers to fall.
Rodents including the Norway rat, the roof rat and house mice are pests when they infest properties and threaten public health. They can damage or destroy critical habitats, native plants and animals, crops, property and food supplies.
Estimates of rat populations vary but because rats reach sexual maturity after 9 weeks, a population can swell from two rats to around 1,250 in one year. An estimated 25 million native birds are lost to predators every year. The challenge is to save our birds and native fauna so future generations will hear the song of our native birds.
Rodents are not restricted to rural areas and many of our towns and cities have high populations of rats and mice.
Community groups are having success in reducing numbers, the proof being the proliferation of native bird species in their controlled areas.
Trapping in an urban setting can be effective with just one trap per property, if enough of the community is involved. In a rural setting it is important to have traps in lines with 50m between traps and 100m between lines. In difficult terrain it is best to set lines down ridges and spurs and along contours to achieve the necessary spacing. Traps are best placed in a tunnel to both protect the trap and to direct the rodent into it.
Traps have been used for generations but some are not fit for purpose. While they are cheap to buy, the chances of them killing a rodent quickly and effectively are slim. Large rats can become both bait-shy and trap-shy if they eat a sub-lethal dose or escape from traps they set off. Large Norway rats can exceed half a kilogram in weight and for this reason, traps need to be robust and have enough killing power to achieve a high degree of success.
Traps can be assessed by their level of humaneness and capability. The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) tests traps to rigorous criteria and will give them a pass or fail. One trap that has passed is the Tom Cat Rat Trap, which is available through Farmlands. The rigorous testing helps to inform consumers if traps can kill humanely and that a caught rodent will not escape and become trap-shy. One tunnel option is the Tomcat trap tunnel, which holds two traps and can be placed vertically or horizontally and easily held in place with a cable tie.
Tomcat traps are easy to use and can be deployed in both rural and urban environments. Setting the traps can be done with your foot or hand and the removable bait cup allows easy filling and replacement of bait before setting. Being relatively inexpensive, a number can be placed as a protective barrier to protect buildings or susceptible areas from rodent entry. Use of traps can assist a baiting programme if rodents have started to become bait-shy or if baits are not a considered option.
Always set traps in places where rats are frequenting and is in their pathway. This will often be against a wall, on a pipe or rafter or on a pathway. Checking for rodent sign will be helpful in determining where to set the traps for best results.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Key Industries
| Traps can help a baiting programme if rodents have started to become bait-shy.
Skellerup Pink Band gumboots are back
After a very successful launch in 2021, Skellerup are once again supporting Breast Cancer Foundation NZ (BCFNZ) by donating $5 to the foundation for every pair of Pink Bands sold. Made in exactly the same way as traditional Red Bands, the gumboots feature a pink trim and the BCFNZ logo on the side.
Nine New Zealanders are diagnosed with breast cancer each day, a third of whom live outside the main centres. The impact of breast screening being paused during Covid-19 lockdowns means rural women may find it hard to access life-saving mammograms. And for rural patients, the realities of farm life mean it’s not always possible to take weeks (or months) off to receive treatment.
BCFNZ’s vision is to see zero deaths from breast cancer in NZ. They run education and awareness campaigns in person, over the phone, in the media and online. They also provide free support services to New Zealanders going through breast cancer, and fund ground-breaking research to improve treatments and save lives.
Nurse educators attend the NZ Rural GP Conference and visit GP clinics around the country and breast nurses travel around the country in BCFNZ’s iconic Pink Caravan to get out to rural areas without specialist services.
The Pink Bands were a stroke of genius last year.
“We were blown away by the support for Pink Bands last year, it really helped get conversations started around rural NZ on breast cancer awareness. We’re very proud to be able to support them once again in 2022, and appreciate the enthusiasm of Farmlands stores getting behind the campaign with us.”
“The Pink Bands were a stroke of genius last year. They sold like hotcakes, so it’s great to see them back just in time for Pink Ribbon Breakfast month this May.
“Every pair of gumboots sold will help our work in breast cancer education, research and patient support. And the benefits aren’t just financial –they’ve also helped to spark important conversations about breast health, and the importance of early detection, in rural communities.”
Ah-Leen Rayner, Chief Executive Breast Cancer Foundation NZ
Pink Band gumboots and Pink Band socks are available while stocks last at your local Farmlands store. Visit shop.farmlands.co.nz for more information.
Designed. Sealed. Delivered.
End-to-end stock water solutions. We design, source and deliver.
Our expert design team will visit your farm, assess your needs, complete a working design for the entire project and provide a full quote. We can then take it as far as you wish, right through to delivery. Get in touch with us today.
We are New Zealand’s leader in stock water solutions, working in partnership with iPLEX. Together we will
New tools put power in hands of pruners
To meet New Zealand’s requirements in vineyards, orchards, arboriculture, landscaping and forestry, FELCO has developed a completely new range dedicated to meeting the needs of demanding professional users in these industries.
Through a process of continual research and development FELCO has evolved a range of four models of electric pruning shears with a cut capacity of up to 45mm.
The models in the FELCO Power Blade Series® range are as follows:
• FELCO 802 and FELCO 802G (lefthanded model) - Fast and precise, ideal for pruning in viticulture and orchards, with a weight of 750g and a cut capacity of up to 30mm.
• FELCO 812, versatile and ergonomic with a weight of 810gIdeally suited for work in viticulture, orchards, arboriculture and landscaping. Its superior power compared with the FELCO 802 allows it to easily prune and cut branches up to 35mm in diameter.
• FELCO 822, powerful and robust - Ideal for heavy duty work in orchards, arboriculture, forestry and landscaping. It has a cut capacity of up to 45mm to execute large powerful cuts without sacrificing speed.
The FELCO Power Blade Series® features the latest cutting-edge innovation. A revolution in pruning, these new blades have been designed and manufactured by FELCO specially for this new range to provide consistent pruning and cutting excellence. FELCO XPRO blades are made of top quality, high speed steel (HSS). They have a new design and ensure superior cutting edge performance and longer blade life compared with blades made from conventional steel. The FELCO blades prune with precision and efficiency to ensure a clean cut and longer plant life.
The FELCO Power Blade Series connects by Bluetooth to your mobile device using our new FELCO application. This application allows you to adapt your tool to the needs of your property. The application provides tool performance
data such as the number of cuts in your forestry block, time of usage in your vineyard and cut size statistics for your orchard. It also gives you information on the next required service at our service departments in both the North and South Islands.
Time in any industry is essential and the FELCO range is the top in its class for cutting speed and portable precision pruning for all demanding pruning jobs. Heiniger New Zealand is the exclusive FELCO distributor and authorised service centre.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Heiniger
GEAR UP TO GET DIRTY
Tailored Fit Seat Covers
Pre-made vehicle specific front and rear seat covers available for popular makes and models. Order today.
Manufactured by the highly respected Seat Cover World, True Fit o er a wide range of pre-made, vehicle-specific and tailored-fit seat covers to suit most makes and models of 4WD, SUV, sedans and vans. Designed with durability in mind, True Fit seat covers are subtly styled to complement the interior of your car without interrupting the factory aesthetics of your car's interior.
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.
Prosperity built on sheep
Meat and wool gave Bridesdale its start as a prosperous family farm.
In 1919, John and Catherine Dillon purchased 253 hectares at RiversdaleArdlussa Road, Southland. They named the property Bridesdale and moved there with their family of five from Waimea Valley. There they had been farming with two of John’s brothers. They continued to work together for a number of years, as they all became established. Sheep were the primary income source, producing meat and wool. Horse teams were used to complete agricultural work, so oats were grown to make into chaff to feed them. Grain crops of wheat and oats were threshed for sale, as was timothy and dogstail. Crops of turnips and rape were grown as a winter supplement. Potatoes were grown for the consumption of the family and employees.
The current homestead was built in 1932. Catherine and the children milked cows and sold milk and cream to save the money required to replace the deteriorating home that they initially lived in.
Mechanisation of agricultural work began in 1937 when a Lanz Bulldog was purchased along with spade lugs, discs, a plough and cultivator.
With each generation to farm the property, improvements have been made and intensification has seen stock numbers increase, along with greater areas of arable crops being sown.
After the death of John in 1963, the farm traded for many years as Est J Dillon with Desmond (Dick), his youngest son, at the helm. Dick was succeeded by his son Richard, who along with wife Judy, bought the farm in 2001. While they have retained a portion, their son James is now farming Bridesdale.
| Bridesdale, at Riversdale-Ardlussa Road, Southland.
| Mechanisation arrived in 1937 in the form of a Lanz Bulldog.
| John and Catherine Dillon.
Rural market update
Outlook for NZ dairy continues to be positive.
Confidence in the dairy industry continues, even with all the current global uncertainty. Typically, high international dairy commodity prices are a precursor for increased international milk supply; however, the significant forward pricing for grain and associated inputs appears to be dampening most global milk supply forecasts.
Our low-cost, low-carbon footprint associated with NZ dairy exports positions us well to navigate the international uncertainty. Many NZ dairy farmers would be coughing on the notion of ‘low cost’ as they look to absorb this month’s 20th invoices. Nothing about these challenging times in Ukraine looks short-term, and the impact of COVID-disrupted supply chains continues to worry many. Given the knock-on effects of global inflation and rising interest rates, our $9-$10 milk pay-out undoubtedly remains our best forward hedge.
Our dairy real estate market continues to strengthen year on year up 26%
The national dairy rolling 12-month median price to February 2022 is sitting at $40,300/ha, the strongest result in a decade, with the value of total sales tracking towards $1.5b, which again, is not far off an all-time high. Our view for autumn and spring 2022 is to see a continued strengthening of the dairy real estate market, even with Bank rural credit criteria, maintained on a very conservative forecast pay-out. Underlying profitability will see a record level of dairy debt retired in 2022, and regional towns and service providers are likely to welcome the additional local spend.
We still hold the view that investing in dairy assets offers very strong value upside even at current levels, noting; staff shortages, the ETS and environmental compliance remain significant considerations but so too does weather and everything else it takes to run a profitable farming business. Outside of the big four dairy regions of the Waikato, Taranaki, Canterbury and Southland, we are regularly seeing productive dairy farms de-converted back to beef on margins well below dairy returns. At some point, the highest and best use of land wins out, particularly on the current dairy outlook, even if beef producers can pay dairy prices for land.
The 2022/2023 forecast is for yet another solid dairy season, whilst absorbing some of the most significant international market shocks of the 21st century.
This season, there can be no question that our Farmlands strategic partnership has really found another gear this last 12 months, and we genuinely value the shareholder support.
Our purpose remains steadfast in making a difference for rural New Zealand. We have a great offering with our current Autumn Outlook, literally from the Far North to the Deep South; we sincerely thank our vendors for their support and look forward to achieving their sale objectives off the back of this campaign.
It’s often said sales make sales, and we’ve seen clear evidence of that this season, so if you want to back a national team with momentum, give Property Brokers a call 0800 367 5263 or visit pb.co.nz/rural
Conrad Wilkshire, GM Rural for Property Brokers Ltd conrad@pb.co.nz
$1,600,000,000 $1,800,000,000 $2,000,000,000
$1
$600,000,000 $800,000,000 $1,000,000,000 $1
DUELERGIVEAWAY $25,000
For every $100 spent on Bridgestone branded car, van, 4x4 or tractor tyres, Farmlands shareholders will receive an entry into the draw to win a set of four Dueler 4x4 tyres. There are 12 sets of tyres to be won with a range of options to fit your vehicle.
0800 80 20 80 bridgestonetyres.co.nz/farmlands
Dueler Giveaway: For every $100 spent between 1st May – 31st July 2022 you will receive one entry into the draw to win one set of four Dueler tyres. Tyres must be redeemed by 31st January 2023. All tyres must be fitted in-store. Winners will be notified by phone and email and will be sent a voucher for redemption. If Dueler tyres are not suitable for the winner's vehicle, an alternative tyre from the Bridgestone car/SUV/van range can be selected.
Fix your power rates for five years
When you sign up with Meridian, exclusive energy partner of Farmlands. That includes your network charges too – sound good?
You’ll also get:
A great welcome credit per connection*
Competitive pricing with seasonal plans that align to your calendar
Direct billing through your Farmlands Account
2 % Farmlands shareholder rebate + a 2% Meridian Energy partnership discount.
Request a quote now and put some certainty into your plans for the next five years. Visit farmlands.co.nz/meridian
