Dairy News 30 May 2017 by Rural News Group

Boost for rural economies. PAGE 3

LEADING CHANGE TRIBUTE TO SHOWMAN

$1.3m Fieldays revamp PAGE 33

Hall of famer PAGE 12

MAY 30, 2014 ISSUE 379 // www.dairynews.co.nz

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Boost for rural economies. PAGE 3

LEADING CHANGE TRIBUTE TO SHOWMAN

$1.3m Fieldays revamp PAGE 33

Hall of famer PAGE 12

MAY 30, 2017 ISSUE 379 // www.dairynews.co.nz

FAT IS BACK Dairy fat is seen as a valuable part of our diet, as recognised by food experts and consumers are demanding it . – Fonterra chairman John Wilson PAGE 5

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NEWS // 3

$3.5b boost for rural economies – Wilson PAM TIPA

LOAN REPAYMENTS DUE

pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA’S FORECAST cash Ex-Crafar farms restored. PG.6-7

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NEWS �� 3-21

payout for this season will put another $3.5 billion into rural economies, says Fonterra chairman John Wilson. The 2016-17 forecast of about $6.55/kgMS (including dividend) is up more than $2 from last year, he says. “This is good news for our farmers after what has been a very difficult last two years for various reasons. It was also a very difficult spring,” Wilson told Dairy News. “Not only has milk production come up on farm, we have been able to sell that at higher prices and we have been able to lift our (farmgate) milk price to $6.15/ kgMS for this year. “I know will be good news for farmers and pleasingly being we have been able to

OPINION �� 24-25 AGRIBUSINESS �� 26-28 FIELDAYS �� 29-48 MANAGEMENT ��49-53 ANIMAL HEALTH �� 54-56 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS ��57-60

Fonterra chairman John Wilson.

FONTERRA HAS shaped its advance rate so farmers can pay down some of their loan, says Wilson. The cooperative always committed to do this, he says. Farmers will pay down 15% at the October payment. “And the following year on our current schedule – and I encourage our farmers to look to the advance rate schedule which is up on the website – they will be able to pay down the balance next September. “In the meantime we will be charging an interest rate of 2.47% to our farmers from June 1 for the first quarter and then we will update it every quarter.”

hold our earnings range at 45-55c although we will have to have a strong last quarter in the business which is expected, so we are still targeting that 4% dividend.” Looking forward Fonterra sees a balanced market as they have now for some time. Fonterra has forecast a $6.50kg/MS farmgate milk price for

the 2017/18 season which is at the higher end of speculation by rural economists. Wilson says there is always a lot of speculation in the market. Significant analysis goes in to forecast as to what is likely to happen over the next 15 months or so. “Our view is we expect the global supply and demand market to remain balanced. There will be unders and overs but we are seeing good strong demand in our key markets and we don’t see any major supply shocks looming.” But volatility will always remain a risk. “Votality is driven by events that are outside our control and usually, but not always, have not been anticipated,” he says. “For example the Russian trade embargoes, those sorts of things. The $6.50/kgMS (for 2017/18) is based on the markets continuing, as they have been over the last six months or so, back in

balance.” But while they always ask farmers to have caution in their onfarm budgeting, “they certainly can work on a $6.50/kgMS forecast”, he says. “It is has been a very difficult two years for our farmers. Remember we came off a very high milk price, farmers had invested significantly in their businesses particularly in the environmental sustainability area, so the last two years have been very challenging. “We know that it will take a couple of years of these sort of milk prices to be able to get our farm working capital back to where they were to get their balance sheets back in order. But I certainly know farmers have been very prudent. “But another $3.5 billion in the rural economies relative to the year before is certainly great for our farmers and great for the communities we all live in. “It shows the importance of staying on strategy and you are seeing again that we are managing to shift 360-400 million litres of milk into the consumer and food service. At the same time we have been able to achieve higher prices for our milk products over and above commodity prices. “So we are staying very firmly on strategy. Of course we will always fine tune as we move along.” Costs were down 4% at the end of the last quarter over last year while at the same time it has driven more value in consumer food services.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

4 // NEWS

Fonterra revenues rise PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA’S

REVENUE

of $13.9 billion for the first nine months of 2016-17 is up 8% on the same period last year as a result of higher milk prices. “Our volume to value strategy continues to drive our performance in the ingredients and consumer and foodservice businesses,” chief executive officer Theo Spierings says. “Margins in most of our businesses are similar to last year, and we have moved an additional 350 million liquid milk equivalent (LME) into higher value products in the year to date. Consumer and

foodservice volumes in Greater China in particular have grown by 40% in the period. “We are on track to exceed our target of moving an additional 400 million LME into higher value products by year-end,” he says. Theo Spierings “Better than expected autumn weather has resulted in more milk at the end of the season which, combined with higher milk prices, is good news for the cooperative.” Previously signalled challenges, including product stream returns

and pressure on margins, have had a greater impact than expected in the third quarter. “The closing of the relative price gap between reference milk price products and non-reference products has reduced overall profitability in our ingredients business,” Spierings says. “We have continued to manage our costs tightly, with operating expenses for the nine months down 4%. “Efficiencies and improvements

in working capital are ongoing, and capital expenditure is in line with expectations and expected to reduce in the 2017-18 year. Our gearing is forecast to be in the target range of 40-45% at year’s end. All these factors contribute to the continuing strength of the cooperative’s balance sheet,” Spierings says. Chairman John Wilson says the cooperative is well placed to deliver through the rest of the year for its farmers. “While there is work to be done in the final quarter, the outlook for earnings remains achievable, and we are committed to delivering the best outcome for our farmer shareholders and unitholders.”

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Reviving fortunes good for the provinces FONTERRA’S LIFTING of the current season payout to $6.15/kgMS highlights the revival in the fortunes of dairy farms, says Federated Farmers. The favourable forecast wasn’t unexpected and reflects the recent trend of increasing global dairy prices, which has fostered more confidence amongst the markets. “This is great news and comes after a turbulent few years where the industry has been under the pump,” says Andrew Hoggard, Federated Farmers dairy chair. Based on Fonterra’s forecast and current production cycles, about Andrew Hoggard $280 million dollars is expected to flow through the New Zealand dairy sector and provincial communities this season. “If you take on board the amount of milk we are producing at present this means the average dairy farm will be about $23,000 dollars better off. “This will enable farmers to invest in their business and farm infrastructure, which has perhaps not been a priority in the past two years in trying to survive the challenging times. “We’ll also have more money to [spend on achieving] our environmental goals, the focus for many farmers in spite of modest returns from their businesses.” NZ dairying employs at least 40,000 workers and contributes much to regional economic development. “The regional economies and service centres will also be boosted as farmers prepare to spend again, now they are more certaint about their businesses.” Fonterra’s predicted payout of $6.50/kgMS would mean a further $650m going into provincial economies.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NEWS // 5

Milk fat prices soar as love for butter spreads globally SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

PRICES FOR milk fat

are soaring and you can thank consumers worldwide for it. In June last year, butter prices on the Global Dairy Trade auction hovered about US$3000/tonne; the last auction on May 16 saw butter price reach nearly US$5500/t. Anhydrous milk fat fetched US$3500/t in June last year; this month AMF fetched US$6600 on GDT. BNZ economist Doug Steel says the high price of milk fat is due to supply and demand issues: dietary changes mean more consumers are eating butter. “Fat isn’t seen as the bad thing it once was,” Steel told Dairy News. He says the price of fats and protein on GDT drives Fonterra’s forecast payouts. “Fonterra issued a higher opening forecast price last week because butter and AMF prices are so high.”

More and more consumers are seeing butter as a better option than margarine.

MILK PRICE ALWAYS BASED ON FAT, PROTEIN – FONTERRA FONTERRA CHAIRMAN John Wilson says the co-op has always paid for fats and proteins. “The payment for fat will be increasing relative to [prices] over the last couple of years. This is very carefully calculated; the price farmers get for the components of milk – fat and protein – is based on what market prices are, calculated on a three year rolling average. “A lot of statistics go into it to ensure farmers are paid for what their product is worth in the market.” Wilson says the co-op runs its plants efficiently and gets maximum utilisation based on where prices are now. And it has spent a lot on food service and UHT cream plant, all of it helping boost

While whole milk powder is the main driver of the payout, higher AMF and butter prices further lifted the forecast payout. Former Fonterra director Mark Townshend says it is great news for all dairy farmers that milk fat prices are strong. “Currently the net value of fat going into butter is roughly double the value of protein going

food service sales over the last 18 months. “This is a critical part of the story as well,” Wilson says. Strong demand for butter and AMF “reflects the understanding that the medical advice of three decades ago was flawed,” he says. “We’re seeing [recognition of] the quality nutrition provided by dairy products, and strong demand from consumer and food service markets for these products. Butter prices, for example, are up 100% this year. Consumers globally are embracing high quality nutrition.” Dairy fat is “seen to be a valuable part of our diet, as recognised by scientists and food experts globally, and consumers are demanding it”.

into skim milk powder (SMP); this is a bit of an aberration, and fat will come back a bit and protein go up a bit in the future. “The great news for dairy farmers is that good fat and good protein prices equal good incomes. [By contrast] sheepmeat prices are quite good but wool has a very low value; for sheep

farmers to prosper they need good meat and wool prices.” According to Townshend, 1kg of milk solids (MS) is roughly 55% fat and 45% protein; a good MS price needs good fat and protein prices. “It is not worth increasing MS production if either of the two key components does not have value. A com-

bination of strong fat and protein prices -- also considering we produce more fat than protein -means farmers’ incomes will come roughly 70% from fat streams and 30% from protein this current season.” Townshend notes that 20 years ago some industry leaders were suggesting the value of fat would be 10% of protein price, but they were proven wrong. “Butter is now seen as a better option that margarine from a nutritional

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perspective… and sugar, not healthy fats, is seen as the primary villain in the obesity challenge. “While fat is worth twice as much as protein today, what would be a reasonable assumption for the future? Only historians will get this right, but

equal value for both protein and fat sort-of feels right, understanding that at some times there will be volatility in component relativity. “All farmers, irrespective of their farming methods or cow genetics, should be very happy.”

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

6 // NEWS

State farmer hands over r SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

STATE FARMER Landcorp has handed over the running of 16 North Island farms to Chinese owners Shanghai Pengxin

following a four-year management joint venture. The 13 dairy farms and three support blocks make up Tahi Farms, owned by TheLand, a subsidiary of Milk New Zealand, the operating arm of Shanghai Pengxin.

The Tahi farms were previously owned by Crafar Farms, which went into receivership after a spate of environmental and animal welfare breaches in 2009. After buying the farms, Shanghai Pengxin formed

Pengxin NZ Farm Management -- a joint venture with Landcorp to revive the farms. Speaking at the farms’ handover in Hamilton this month, Landcorp chief executive Steve Carden said he would not try to

“sugar coat” the joint venture. “We had difficult beginnings: a complex partnership agreement and 13 very run-down farms in a state of disrepair.” But despite this, by

persistence Landcorp and Shanghai Pengxin managed to “work through a myriad of problems” to get the farms back to a state New Zealanders could be proud of. Carden thanked the staff for running the farms

despite the problems of housing and poor milking and farm facilities. TheLand chief executive agribusiness Justine Kidd says the joint venture was “a real innovation bringing together international equity with

CHINESE GUESTS WELCOMED INTO KIWI HOMES PENGXIN NZ Farm Management joint venture chairman Rick Braddock says when the board took on the responsibility four years ago “no one had any idea how many economic potholes there would be on the road”. The last four years have been among the most challenging for the NZ dairy industry, he says. “We have seen droughts for two years, a record high milk payout followed by two disastrous payout years… and

all time we were undertaking major capital development on all farms.” Now, after $23 million of development work, productivity has increased, costs are down, animal welfare has improved and major environmental work has been done. Improvements to staff welfare and housing have been satisfying, he says. “With pride, and gratitude to Landcorp, we have survived this difficult trading period and flourished as the benefits of the

hard work of Tahi’s team and the large capital spend have come to fruition.” Tahi employees opened their homes to host Pengxin guests, Braddock says. “The cultural exchange and understanding that comes from this type of Kiwi hospitality is something the rest of NZ could observe and embrace.” Braddock says history has been made in ensuring the success of this first major Chinese/ NZ Government pastoral farming joint venture.

Joint venture chairman Rick Braddock (centre) flanked by Justine Kidd, TheLand and Bruce Hunter, Landcorp.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NEWS // 7

r revived ex-Crafar farms Facelift for wrecked farms Improvements to TheLand farms (North Island and South Island): ■■ Four new dairy sheds ■■

Installation of new technology in 11 dairy sheds

■■

Refurbishment of farm housing

■■

Construction of six new homes

■■

Installation of six new effluent systems

■■

1300ha regrassed

■■

300km of fencing, including riparian

■■

900 extra water troughs

■■

300ha irrigation upgrade

■■

Establishing the North Island Dairy Training Academy.

NZ expertise”. “It has been tough: the farm assets needed work and investment, the milk price came tumbling down and the public scrutiny did not let up. “It is a tribute to now

Collins Road Farm manager Jason Colebourn is staying on to work for Shanghai Pengxin in Hamilton.

stand here beside Landcorp and celebrate the achievements of this partnership…. It really is a good news story for agri-

culture in NZ.” TheLand is now looking to build on the work Landcorp has done. The company has an interest-

ing and diverse farm asset in the Tahi Farm Group and this presents both opportunities and challenges, Kidd says.

“Our underlying strategy is to grow our asset value, with the asset being described as our people, our community, our envi-

ronment and our farms. “We are focused on understanding where the opportunities are to improve our productivity, how we can keep producing quality milk for our consumers in NZ and China, while improving our sustainability and enhancing the impact we have in our local communities and environments.” From June 1 the 13 dairy farms will be managed by nine managers, three contract milkers and one 50:50 sharemilker. Terry Lee, Milk New Zealand’s managing director, says the farms have been transformed under Landcorp’s leadership and now have a “a high standard of professionalism, in respect of farm management/productivity, environment

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protection, animal welfare and looking after people”. “The impact of that transformation has been manifest – bolstering and motivating the farm teams, their families and local and wider communities – and this has been widely acknowledged within the dairy industry. “We could not have achieved this without Landcorp – they have done a great job.” TheLand also owns 13 dairy farms (Purata Farms) in the South Island. The company uses milk from the farms to make UHT milk and milk powder for export to China. Shanghai Pengxin expects to ship 1900 containers of value added products to China this year.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

8 // NEWS

Dairy women on task, focussed PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

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pating what comes next for the dairy industry: this was the mood of this year’s Dairy Womens Network conference, says chief executive Zelda De Villiers. The Queenstown event’s general tone was not one of super-excitement, as may be experienced during a boom period in the industry, but neither was it negative, De Villiers told Dairy News. “It was very much the mood we experience in the network generally at the moment -- on task, focused, let’s get things done, let’s talk to others about what we need to know.” Facing challenges such as the environment, delegates looked at what lies ahead to understand what is needed to interact and connect with others in order to learn, says De Villiers. This came with the realisation that more people contributing and thinking together is better than having individuals trying to find solutions. The conference theme ‘Connect’ came from the committee and network volunteers. “I thought they got it right because that is where the industry is at – knowing we need to stand together, be together and learn from each other to move forward.” The keynote speakers – Associate Minister for Primary Industries Louise Upton and entrepreneur Helen Robinson – both emphasised clarity about what you want to do in life. “You have to realise there will be curve-balls coming. You have to authentically decide what you will do about them and stick to it. Then what you do in life needs to light your fire.” All Blacks manager leadership Gilbert Enoka was an excellent closing

speaker, says De Villiers, with the message of setting challenges high. You need to be out of your comfort zone but not completely scared, says De Villiers, recalling his speech. “When you’re in that space, that’s where things happen, where growth and development happen. He talked about the difference between a hunted and a hunting mindset. That was really relevant to the conference. One can go into a hunting mindset -- you are decisive, you connect, you go forward. “Many of the ladies in the room related to that, not only to when the industry is under strain over prices but also because of the perceptions held by the urban community. You need to be in a hunting mindset, to be clear about where you need to go. “Curve-balls can come but [having a hunting mindset] means you stay on course. But you need the right mindset to see it through.” The message was, aim to be neither too positive nor too negative, but clear thinking, says De Villiers. “Gilbert related that to the All Blacks. They don’t want to be in that zone where they think they will win and suddenly they lose. They don’t want to be in a mindset where they lost half-ay through the game because they were negative either. “You want to very clear about what happens next, what is the next thing to do, and then work as a team together.” So that linked into the ‘Connect’ conference theme.

“That really resonated with the ladies because they are in a task mode at the moment – ‘what do we really need to do next?’ “

Zelda de Villiers

Workshops were wide ranging -- energy and vitality, mastitis, the environment and additional income streams on farm, etc. “They are always interesting and wide ranging, reflecting the diversity of our members and what farmers have to do: they have to look after themselves, but also rear calves and do everything else.” Regarding the winner of Dairy Woman of the Year award (Canterbury director and shareholder Jessie Chan-Dorman), and the Dairy Community Leadership Award winner (Invercargill dairy farmer Katrina Thomas), De Villiers says she is always astonished at what these winners fit into their day. “Their generosity in giving and then being surprised when they are acknowledged and win a prize – it is always such a great thing to see.” Looking forward, the network is researching how it can better understand its members and how it could help them more.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NEWS // 9

Hanging out for GM forage NIGEL MALTHUS

FARMERS HEARING

about the potentially huge benefits of genetically modified forage being developed by AgResearch are incredulous that it could be years -- if ever – before they can get their hands on it. AgResearch principal scientist Greg Bryan summarised the development at a workshop at the recent DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum at Lincoln University’s Ashley Dene research farm. His group is developing ‘high metabolisable energy’ (HME) forages based on increasing foliar lipids – fat content in the leaves – of ryegrass and other species. The work in New Zealand has been in the lab and containment glasshouses. But NZ’s GM rules prevent the next stage, field trials, being done here. Bryan said he was just back from the US where plants grown in pots were about to be transplanted into fields. He explained that the research began on increasing lipids in ryegrass. Initially they produced plants which synthesised extra oil but then metabolised it away. They then looked at how plants successfully stored oil in seeds by surrounding lipid bodies in a protective protein. Incorporating that protein produced plants able to accumulate oil bodies in the leaves. “And as we did that work we were surprised to find the plants actually grew faster,” said Bryan. “I don’t just mean a little faster, I mean 50% faster. It was pretty amazing.” Accumulating lipids in the leaves increased the photosynthesis, he said. “We’ve got plants in our containment glasshouses that are threefour years old, and we cut them back every three weeks and they regrow a bit faster every time.” This shows the method is stable and will work in

“pretty much any” plant species using a ‘C3’ photosynthesis type, which includes many common crops. Bryan hopes the work will lead to an informed debate in this country but he warned it may be a minimum eight years “to get it to you guys”. “Why is it taking eight years?” asked a workshop attendee. “This is ridiculous. It can’t be tested here in NZ and it may never even be able to be used in NZ,” remarked another. Asked whether the Americans could “get hold of it in the meantime,” Bryan said they may not get hold of this specific technology but there are competing technologies that could achieve the same thing, already in development overseas. If NZ does nothing we will fall behind, he said. Bryan presented figures suggesting potentially increased farm revenues of $900/ha, a reduction in the total urinary nitrogen load on pasture of 6-7% and a 15-23% reduction in methane emissions. The plants also had a measured 9% increase in water use efficiency, which should improve responses to drought. Even farmers on non-irrigated land could potentially enjoy a more reliable feed supply and reduced reliance on bought-in feed. Although HME forages had yet to be fed to animals and the higher ME has so far only been assessed by calorimeters in the lab, it is expected to lead to improved liveweight gains and milk solid production. Bryan said the methane reductions of 15-23% had also come from invitro measurement and had yet to be confirmed in the field, but fats are known to be toxic to methanogens in the rumen. “The amount of fat in the diet impacts on methane emissions, so the more fat in the diet the less methane.

“What we want to do in the field trial is verify a whole lot of things including the growth rate,” said Bryan. The enzyme producing

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

10 // NEWS

‘Get out and tell your stories’ NIGEL MALTHUS

CANTERBURY DAIRY Oxford dairy farmer Cameron Henderson (left) speaks at the DairyNZ Farmers Forum in Canterbury.

farmers are being urged to get involved in telling positive stories about

their industry. Cameron Henderson, of Oxford, told attendees at a recent DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum held at Lincoln University’s Ashley Dene farm that farmers

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are “a bit p***ed off with how the media is portraying us”. “Yes, we have some changes to make, but the media is blaming us for a whole lot more than that, and I think it’s something we farmers want to do something about.” Henderson chairs DairyCan, a newly formed group of about 15 Canterbury farmers which grew out of their involvement in the national dairy environment leaders forum. He says the group is “trying to get farmers off their arses, basically, and get out and get involved”. It started small but he hopes it will grow and gain momentum. Henderson says the group is working in three ways. Firstly, it is setting a good example onfarm. Farmers should be able to feel proud of what they do, and to explain why they do it and why it’s good industry practice. “I want to feel proud about what I do on the farm, to the point where I can show Joe Averageurbanite around the farm and not feel guilty about anything he’s seeing.” Henderson says farmers need to know the important issues, both from farming and community perspectives. “If we want them to understand our position we need to understand their position. Being up in Oxford in the Waimakariri District, it’s groundwater quality and how that flows into the lowland streams.” Henderson also encourages dairy farmers to understand Overseer, even if they have employed consultants to handle it and do not want anything to do with it themselves. “I can completely understand that. But Overseer is here to stay and it’s the lesser of two evils. If we didn’t have Overseer we might have input limits. So you don’t have to be an expert in it, but it’s best to understand the basics of how it works and how that might impact your business in

future.” Secondly, DairyCan is encouraging farmers to get out “and really tell your stories” through social media and other outlets. “We hear all the time about the rural-urban divide and urbanites’ lack of connection with where their food comes from, and it’s a growing problem. That might be all your friends and family getting involved online, telling a bit about what you do onfarm and why you do it. It might be getting onto your zone committees – that’s really important, getting involved in councils, just getting outside the farm gate and letting people know what you do and why.” Henderson says most of DairyCan’s work this year will focus on a third area – creating good news stories. Its first of two projects underway is producing a video similar to one that won Best Video Award for Dairy Trainee of the Year Clay Paton at the recent New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards. Henderson says Paton’s was a muchviewed video that resonats with farmers and illustrates the same pride and emotional attachment most dairy farmers in Canterbury feel for their families, land and industry. DairyCan hopes this video will be ready before the end of this year. The second project, says group member Tom Mason, of Greenpark, will be a focus on Coes Ford, on the lower Selwyn River, whose poor condition has grabbed the attention of the green movement even at a national level. Mason says DairyCan supports the Selwyn-Waihora zone committee’s goal of having Coes Ford swimmable. “If you’re in the Selwyn catchment you’re part of the Coes Ford issue and wherever you’ve got a chance to contribute to achieving the zone committee’s goal of having a swimmable Coes Ford, I’d ask you to do so.”

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

12 // LIC BREEDERS DAY

Selecting sires to benefit all farmers LIC CHAIRMAN

Murray King says the co-op – owned by dairy farmers and sharemilkers – doesn’t prescribe what is right for individual farmers. He says LIC provides choice so farmers can select the breeding programme best for their herd and farming business and budget. Speaking at the LIC Breeder Day in Hamilton, King noted that this approach works for its farmers. For example, the Sire Proving and Premier Sires team of bulls. “By pooling information from the national herd LIC is able to select potential sires which in turn benefit the full membership.” King says there is huge satisfaction in being part

Murray King

of an organisation which creates value and prosperity not just for today’s farmers, but for future generations. “As a farmer, I can tell the breeders that I stand in awe of what you have achieved; not only are you successful dairy farmers, but you also have the distinction of belonging to a unique group of farmers who breed bulls good enough to bear the Pre-

mier Sires title. “LIC is immensely proud of our partnership with you because of the value it delivers – not just this year, but for years to come, on the average Kiwi dairy farm, to the industry and to the New Zealand economy.” LIC launched the Sire Proving Scheme 56 years ago. LIC has since proven 10,160 bulls; since 1986 it has bought bulls from 1612 farmer breeders. King noted that as farming systems and preferences have changed so have the breed compositions. Total bulls proven to date equate to about 2% Ayrshire, 39% Jersey, 48% Holstein Friesian and now 10% KiwiCross. King says all farmers can use Premier Sires

knowing that future herd replacements will be better than their mothers – more efficient, more fertile, more productive and more profitable. “With this realisation in mind, it’s hard to consider what the farmers of the 1930s and 1940s had to deal with.” King says LIC, because of its size and farmer involvement, has always broken new ground in science and R&D. “In addition to the modern technology there is still no substitute for the fundamental principles of good dairy herd improvement, in particular good record keeping, stockmanship and following superior family lines.” @dairy_news

Nevron Showman

Showman lives up to its name THE LIC Hall of Fame’s latest inductee, Nevron Showman, its 54th member, is backed by impressive statistics, the co-op says. As a three-year-old bull he appeared in LIC’s then DNA Proven team; the following year, based on early season data, he joined the Daughter Proven team and was named in the Premier Sire teams in subsequent years. Over six consecutive seasons as a Premier Sire he made almost 500,000

inseminations. He went to the works last year. LIC livestock selection manager Simon Worth told Breeders Day celebrations that the Hall of Fame gives “special recognition exclusively reserved for animals who have and will continue to profoundly influence NZ dairy farmers’ profits”. “The LIC Hall of Fame occupies a special place in our company culTO PAGE 13

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

LIC BREEDERS DAY // 13

Surprise award for bull testers LIC SIRE Proving

Scheme (SPS) farmers of the year Bryan and Suzanne Jackson have been in the programme for 18 years. Bryan told Dairy News he is proud to be among farmers helping shape the dairy industry of the future. The Jacksons use unproven bulls in the herd on their farm at

Kereone, Morrinsville “We don’t have a choice of bulls; we use different bulls every day for a five week AB programme. “We score the daughters on various traits like temperament and adaptability to milking when they enter the herd two years later.” SPS farmer feedback helps LIC assess the bull

SUITS A STABLE HAND ACCORDING TO LIC, the SPS suits farmers with stable herds who can commit for a minimum of four years. An interest in breeding is essential, as are good organisation and record keeping skills. The data they collect gives each bull a ‘daughter proof’. Bulls with the best proofs are then marketed to the wider dairy industry. The ‘daughter proof’ also helps to validate and refine the accuracy of LIC’s genomic data used to breed and select bull calves coming into the scheme year on year. Information collected as part of the Sire Proving Scheme includes: ■■ Insemination - non return rates ■■

Calving - calf defects, calving assistance

■■

Rearing - health issues, traits, general performance

■■

Milking - herd test information, live weight data, traits other than production.

Neville and Sharon Adams.

Showman lives on FROM PAGE 12

ture. That’s why two years have passed since the last inductee, and five prior to that.” Nevron Showman is only the second KiwiCross bull inducted. Born in 2005 on the Tokoroa farm of Neville and Sharon Adams, it was the first KiwiCross bull they sold to LIC. He was the first bull ever to have participated for seven seasons as a Premier Sire. He has 59,000 herd tested daughters, and more will join via his later born progeny. His daughters are in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, South Africa, Uruguay and the US. “His current BW of 142 is still extremely creditable,” says Worth.

daughters for various production, health and fitness traits. Bryan says one advantage of joining the SPS is having access to genetics well before other farmers. He has seen productiv-

ity rise in his 450-cow herd – from 300kgMS/ cow 20 years ago to about 500kgMS/cow now. He says he is “really stoked’ to have won the SPS farmer of the year award.

From left: Ann Scott (LIC), Bryan and Suzanne Jackson and Murray King (LIC chairman).

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

14 // NEWS

Pledge to make rural waterways s PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THE SUSTAINABLE

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PRIMARY INDUSTRIES Minister Nathan Guy is applauding the efforts of dairy farmers in raising environmental standards on their farms. He says a range of targets have been achieved, including stock exclusion from 26,197km of measured waterways -- equal to the distance from Auckland to Chicago and back. He says dairy farmers deserve credit for the leadership they have shown in recent years. “Pollution entering our lakes and rivers from dairy sheds, factories and town effluent systems has fallen markedly. I am a farmer myself and I want to leave my land in a better state for my children and grandchildren,” he says. Guy warns farmers that with new technology such as smartphones they are in the spotlight and need to meet consumer expectations.

shows that 97% of dairy farms have fenced waterways and that nearly 100% of farms have bridges or culverts over streams where cows cross. It also states that dairy companies have assessed all dairy farms for effluent

systems and that a dairy effluent warrant of fitness scheme is available as a tool for farmers. In respect of new dairy conversions, the target of having new dairy farm conversions complying with environmental stan-

dards has been achieved on time. But a plan to exclude stock from wetlands has not been achieved and a target of having about 50% of dairy farms have in place a riparian management plan is only half

completed. Also not completed on time is a plan to collect nutrient management data from all farms. Mackle says the accord is voluntary, which in itself is a huge challenge. He says on average farmers have spent about

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NEWS // 15

s swimmable $90,000 to protect waterways on their farms. “I am most proud of that; it has been done without pressure from the regulators. Interestingly the government has just announced regulations on swimmable rivers. We have been working at that for a long time and have achieved a lot already. Farmers have this done voluntarily by themselves.” Referring to the unmet targets, Mackle comments that there are always people in society who won’t support a given agenda and others who for personal reasons will struggle to do what’s required of them. “What you’re seeing now is an increasing appetite for farmers to actually use peer pressure to move

people into the right space. That is very positive, but even that won’t get everybody and that’s where the regulators have to come in,” he says. Mackle says he’s in no doubt that long standing opponents of the dairy industry will pick holes in the three year report and use this to support their own political agendas. But he says whatever shape a future accord may take there is a commitment by DairyNZ to see that the targets in the report are met. Meanwhile DairyNZ director Alister Body says the targets in the accord are now business-as-usual for dairy farmers. When these target were originally set they were seen as a stretch, but not now. “Dairy farmers are

expected to do these things on a day-to-day basis. If you look at the way regional councils and planning procedures are going, the movement is for each farm to have an environmental management plan. Those plans are all the things we are talking about such as

fencing, bridges, nutrient management -- all those sorts of things. So we think the future [thanks to] this accord is going to be quite different.” Body says he would like to see more high level, strategic thinking applying not just to dairy farmers but to all farmers.

DairyNZ director Alister Body with the Accord.

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THE CHAIRMAN of Federated Farmers dairy, Andrew Hoggard, says he hopes the general public will recognise from the report just what farmers are voluntarily doing to improve the environment. He hopes they will see it not so much in the context of an industry, but rather that 11,400 dairy farmers are individually doing this work and producing good results. “In Taranaki, as a province, they are 100% behind the accord in fencing waterways, and they are going further doing a lot of riparian planting well ahead of [the agreed] timeframe. They are actually fencing more than what’s required by the accord. “I also hope people in town see what individual farmers are doing and while they can’t deal with the bigger issues, they are fixing the problems on their farms,” he says. Hoggard says a lot of hard work has gone into gathering the data in the report and he notes that this isn’t easy. Often organisations such as regional councils have different standards and reporting systems and getting an accurate picture of just what is happening is challenging. He says many organisations collect data and he has to tell eleven different ones how many cows he has on his farm; every region is different and every catchment is different and getting a handle on that is a challenge.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

16 // NEWS

‘Good result, massive effort sill needed’

Farmer advisory panel for animal evaluation NEW ZEALAND Animal Evaluation (NZAEL), a subsidiary

NIGEL MALTHUS

DAIRYNZ SENIOR scientist

gramme. So far, FRNL research in Canterbury and Waikato has found that: ■■ A winter-sown cereal catch crop can reduce soil mineral N and reduce N leaching by 22-40% ■■ Nitrate leaching losses are 25-35% lower under Italian ryegrass pastures than under other types of pastures, due to cool-season N uptake of Italian ryegrass ■■ Urine-N concentration of cows grazing plantain is 56% lower than those grazing perennial ryegrass/ white clover pastures, and 33% lower for cows grazing 50/50 pasture-plantain. Further research on 10 monitor farms will establish how farmers can capitalise on improved plant and crop N uptake and reduced N-urine concentration, to improve effi-

ciency and reduce leaching, Pinxterhuis said. The potential benefits would vary for individual farms. “Do your sums for your own farm and work with the consultants,” she said. Meanwhile, DairyNZ nutrient and farm management specialist Angela Harvey told the workshop that sediment, phosphorus and E.Coli losses from winter grazed paddocks can be reduced with good management practises. She advocates “strategic grazing,” which includes setting grazing breaks across a slope and advancing downhill, advancing from least risky to more risky areas, and fencing off the most risky critical source areas (CSAs) such as waterways and gullies, so they are not grazed at all. Strategic grazing can reduce sediment losses 70-80%, Harvey said.

of DairyNZ, has set up farmer advisory panel to provide practical, farmer-based feedback on animal evaluation R&D and communication. NZAEL manager Jeremy Bryant says it is important for farmers to be involved in genetic evaluation development. “The perspective and experience of farmers is invaluable in enhancing the animal evaluation system.” The panel will be a forum for discussion between farmers, researchers and the NZAEL team, and to assist NZAEL in identifying Jeremy Bryant practical issues. The panel’s six farmers have businesses that represent a range of NZ farming systems. They are advocates of genetic improvement, and will meet five times a year to give practical views on R&D proposed or underway by NZAEL and DairyNZ researchers. It is now giving feedback on two R&D areas: first, a project to reduce the ‘reproof bias’ in AE enrolled sires; second, a midterm review of the economic models used to generate breeding worth. The review will begin this spring and the panel and other stakeholders will comment.

02059GMJPDN

Ina Pinxterhuis has given farmers a pat on the back for their progress towards meeting the targets of the Sustainable Dairy Water Accord, while warning that a “massive effort” was still required. Speaking at a workshop at the recent DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum at Lincoln University’s Ashley Dene research farm, Pinxterhuis said Environment Canterbury is in the process of setting environmental limits catchment by catchment. The region has some rivers and aquifers with good water quality, but others with water quality that does not meet, or is in danger of not meeting, the national bottom line. It has large areas of free-draining soils susceptible to nitrate leaching.

Presenting ECan figures for groundwater wells monitored by ECan from 2007 to 2016, Pinxterhuis said that while there was no measurable change in groundwater nitrates in 67% of wells, nitrate levels were increasing in 23% -- mostly in the Selwyn and Ashburton zones. Showing a map of the monitored wells, Pinxterhuis pointed out that the wells with rising nitrates corresponded with dairying. “It has increased particularly in areas where there is dairying. If you overlay this map on where the dairy farms are, that really matches.” Pinxterhuis told the workshop that finding solutions to help farmers comply with leaching limits set by regional councils, while remaining profitable, is a core aim of the continuing Forages for Reduced Nitrate Leaching (FRNL) research pro-

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

18 // WORLD

Queensland take A$6m hit from cyclone Debbie TROPICAL CYCLONE

Debbie caused A$6 million damage to the Queensland dairy industry, the Queensland Farmers Federation says. Debbie caused massive flooding in central

and southeast Queensland and northern NSW in late March. About 45 dairy farmers took severe damage in northern NSW, centred on Lismore and Muwillumbah, and about 50 in

Queensland. In some cases, dairy farms were inundated with flood water that killed animals, disrupted herd health, cut milk production and wrecked farm infrastructure.

Recent surveys show $300,000 in lost pumps, tractors and irrigation equipment; 400ha of pasture lost; 121km of fencing destroyed; 10km of internal laneways damaged; 400 round bales of hay

Tropical Cyclone Debbie caused damage to dairy farms in NSW and Queensland.

lost; and 11 animals killed. Floodwaters cut off farms and mains power was down for at least a fortnight after the storm. A QFF spokesman says the cost to the state’s farms will be at least A$6m. About 60% of farms were affected in the flood-hit regions. Also,

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LIVESTOCK SHIPPER Wellard says it has landed its first shipment of 2000 New Zealand dairy heifers in Sri Lanka. The company is contracted to supply 20,000 dairy cattle to Sri Lanka. Discharge of the Friesian Jersey-cross heifers, preg-tested in calf, happened early May; 99.8% of the animals got there. “Sourcing and transporting the dairy heifers is the start of a long process to improve the milk production and genetics of the Sri Lanka dairy herd,” said Wellard breeding and dairy general manager Colin Webb. The cattle are now being delivered to farmers in up-country districts where the climate is cooler and temperate, and better for efficient milk production. “The Friesian Jersey-cross suits the region well,” Webb said. “Sri Lankan farmers will get the benefit of the productive capability of the Friesian combined with the nutritional requirements and durability of the Jersey cross.” Each farmer’s facilities are inspected to ensure they are suitable and safe for the animals. Wellard has three employees on the project. This number will rise to at least 100 when the project is at maximum capacity; they will be employed directly or by subcontractors. Sri Lankan government project staff and veterinarians will also take part. “The health and production of the heifers will be monitored by our veterinarians and technical advisers throughout the project,” Webb said. “Nutrition and technical advice is a key component of the contract. We are improving the country’s milk production capacity and its capability via infrastructure, animal husbandry and nutrition.”

02067PITODDN

Kiwi heifers arrive well in Sri Lanka

02067PITODDN

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

20 // WORLD Kerrygold sales have jumped 20% in the US last year.

Kerrygold’s record sales SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

IRISH DAIRY co-op

Ornua says revenue grew

9% last year. In its 2016 operational review Ornua says turnover rose 9.1% to $2.39 billion and gross profit jumped 18% to $69 mil-

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lion. Ornua closed the year with net cash of $90m versus net debt of $27m in 2015. Its balance sheet shows net assets of $800m, allowing flexibility to fund future growth and help its members with working capital. Ornua chief executive Kevin Lane referred to “excellent performances in established markets such as Germany and the US, and more expansion in the developing markets of Africa, China and the Middle East”. This was despite market volatility and political uncertainty. “We have built a diverse global business by investing in our brands, technology, in-market presence and our people. “[So we] continue to deliver for our members and for the Irish dairy industry, even in more uncertain market conditions.” Irish product purchases rose 7% year-onyear, outstripping the rise in Irish milk supply of 4%. Over the last four years, Irish purchases have grown 33%. A members’ bonus of $23m included some of a windfall from selling DPI Specialty Foods for $8m

Ornua chief executive Kevin Lane.

(in addition to a DPIrelated bonus of $24m previously paid in 2016). In May 2016 Ornua suspended the monthly Ornua milk levy in recognition of the hit Irish dairy farmers had taken from the global dairy downturn. The co-op’s Kerrygold had record annual global retail sales of $1.4b. Ornua aims to move Kerrygold from being a worldclass butter brand to an instantly recognisable $1.6b global dairy brand. In 2016 it launched Kerrygold Yogurts in Germany, Kerrygold Spreadable in UK and continued rolling out its Kerrygold Irish Cream Liqueur in Europe and the US. Ornua trades in 110 countries.

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Record Kerrygold global retail sales of $1.4b including 20% volume growth in the US Kerrygold Yogurts launched in Germany; 10m pots sold in first six months Opening of Kerrygold Park, a 50,000t butter production and packing plant in Co. Cork Commissioning and opening of Al Wazeen, Ornua Saudi Arabia’s cheese plant in Riyadh Integration of Shanghai dairy manufacturer Ambrosia Dairy into Ornua Asia Acquisition and integration of US powder ingredients business CoreFX Ingredients.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

WORLD // 21

Best dairy innovator will win – Arla EUROPEAN DAIRY co-op Arla is

putting innovation at the centre of its growth plans for the next decade. It has launched an innovation center in Aarhus, Denmark, opened May 16 by Crown Princess Mary of Denmark. Arla says trends, technologies and products that will shape future worldwide dairy will be created hand-in-hand with chefs, scientists, consumers and customers at its new facility. “Arla’s innovation center will play a pivotal role in its collaboration with customers and will be central to its strategy Good Growth 2020, by adding more value-added products to Arla’s world markets,” the co-op says. “Arla will also work with scientists and universities to research... dairy farming, prevention of lifestyle diseases, innovative packaging and technologies to more easily transport milk and fresh dairy products across continents.” Arla products are sold in 100 countries; the biggest markets are UK, Germany, Sweden and Denmark. Its plan is by 2020 to be growing branded sales in four emerging markets outside the EU: Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, US, and China and Southeast Asia.

beyond. The best innovator wins.” The new innovation centre sits among food ■■ World’s fourth-largest dairy companies and research company, owned by 12,000 dairy centres in a city aiming farmers in Denmark, Sweden, UK, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands to be the ‘Silicon Valley’ and Luxembourg of food development ■■ Arla has grown by 50% since 2010 and innovation. That by strong brand building in superlocation betters its markets and by mergers and chances of new partneracquisitions ships and alliances, says ■■ Eyeing major value creation in its senior vice president of key European business and in key R&D, Sven Thormahlen. markets outside the EU by 2020. “[The centre] will drive and accelerate the environAlready the world’s biggest organic ment as a beacon to attract even more dairy producer, Arla says those prod- international companies and research institutes. It will be a huge asset for ucts will be growing more by 2020. Chief executive Peder Tuborgh says us and the entire Danish food cluster,” the co-op, founded in the 1880s, “has in he says. Arla’s innovation model has a its DNA collaboration to achieve better strong competitive edge compared to results”. “Our new global innovation center other international food companies, will apply that approach to our R&D Thormahlen says, because of its coopof new products and new ways to con- erative ownership by 12,000 farmers in seven European countries; this enables sume them. “The global food industry, never it to control the entire value chain, more competitive than today, espe- innovating from farm to fork. “Farming and processing are comcially in Europe and the emerging markets, [also has a] booming middle bined every step of the way. All our class of consumers in Asia, Africa and products contain as few and as natu-

Arla researchers at work in the new innovation centre.

Arla facts

ral ingredients as possible and our systematic approach to health is integral to our work with universities and in product innovation.

“Everyone is focused on how we can help people live healthier lives and give as many people as possible access to natural, nourishing dairy products.”

FAST TESTING CRUCIAL FOOD RETAILERS will be able to taste and co-create foods of the future at Arla’s new innovation centre. The co-op says its innovation processes will vastly accelerate because of its advanced in-house dairy test plant for fast testing of new ideas and flavours. A faster route from idea to finished product will give an edge to many Arla food retailers and

foodservice customers in Europe, US, Asia and the Middle East, where innovation is the chief means of driving up market share in any food category. Says Peder Tuborgh, “Arla serves retail and foodservice customers around the world, [offering them]... greater involvement in the innovative process. We believe in open innovation, and our new facility sets the perfect stage for that.”

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

24 // OPINION RUMINATING

EDITORIAL

Back in the black

MILKING IT... Knocked out FARMERS USING drones to monitor their farms may have a new challenge -- eagles. A wedge-tailed eagle has attacked and badly damaged a drone flying over farm machinery in Western Australia. Farmer Leigh Nairn, at Binnu, north of Geraldton, was using a drone to check the set-up of his airseeder when the eagle swooped, grabbed the drone with its talons and knocked it out of the sky. “I had the drone doing a bit of scouting over a paddock, checking the airseeder to see how it was all going in, and then out of nowhere this big wedgie came in and attacked,” he said. “It was probably all but one or two seconds. The next thing I saw was my drone tumbling to earth.” The drone camera was damaged and a propeller was knocked off.

More ‘girls’ on streets

‘We’ll see you right’

Tuck in with impunity

MORE ‘GIRLS’ will be joining the herd on the streets of Morrinsville, including a new mega-cow -- all new arrivals in the town’s Herd of Cows street art project. The huge bovine effigy was trucked to Morrinsville for painting; the unveiling date remains a secret. The ‘girls’ are a big hit, prompting the project committee to proceed to stage three -- a bigger herd. Local businesses and individuals are all in favour. The enlarged herd will be located so as to highlight other places of interest -parks, schools, walkways, etc.

AN AMBULANCE service for cattle has begun in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh state in a bid to protect animals sacred to the country’s majority Hindu community. The state Government announced the Cattle Healing Mobile Van Service and publicised a freephone number to help the authorities rescue cows in distress. Each ambulance, which includes a veterinarian and an animal paramedic, will transport abandoned, ill or injured cattle to special shelters or take them to animal hospitals in the state capital Lucknow and four other nearby cities. The service, expanded to go statewide, will also prosecute people who abandon cows that have dried off.

CHEESE LOVERS can breathe easy. Cheese, milk, and yogurt have been labelled ‘drugs’ of the food world. But are they truly so bad? The European Journal of Epidemiology reports research that concludes dairy products – including good old cheddar – pose no increased risk of death from stroke or heart disease. The large-scale review of 29 previously published studies, by scientists in the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands, found no links between dairy and milk and all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease or the leading cause of death -- cardiovascular disease. The review looked at the diets of 938,465 participants over the last 35 years, 93,158 of whom had died. Their health was unaffected by dairy intake, whether high or low fat.

DAIRY HAS got its mojo back. After two challenging seasons, last week brought two items of great news for Fonterra farmers. The current season’s farmgate milk price jumped 15c to $6.15/ kgMS and, with Fonterra’s forecast dividend of 40c a share, the co-op’s farmers can look forward to a $6.55/kgMS payout for the year to July 31. Fonterra also forecast an opening price of $6.50/kgMS for the 2017-18 season, starting June 1. This is music to farmers’ ears: the improved forecasts follow two very poor seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16, when farmers struggled to break even. At $6.50, most farmers will be set up for a season in the black. Farmers were expecting Fonterra to deliver good news; five consecutive Global Dairy Trade auctions had hoisted the price index and, crucially, the return for whole milk powder, the price setter. The solid payout figures are not only cheering-up farmers and their families; rural towns will also get a much-needed financial boost. Federated Farmers says based on Fonterra’s forecast ($6.15) and current production cycles, an extra $280 million is expected to flow through the New Zealand dairy sector and wider provincial communities this season. Given the amount of milk we are producing at present this means the average dairy farm will be $23,000 better off. This will enable investment in farm businesses and infrastructure, little seen during the last two tough years. And Feds dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard points out that farmers will, importantly, also have more money for pressing on towards their environmental goals, which many have kept in view despite their modest returns. The NZ dairy sector employs at least 40,000 workers and is widely acknowledged as a large and crucial contributor to regional economies. So now the regions and their towns and service centres will again be boosted as encouraged farmers resume spending. All this said, Fonterra and its farmers are wary of the fickleness of the global dairy trade. Farmers will be mindful of the recent downturn and the short-notice volatility of markets. But for now, farmers will have a bit more money to spend and rural NZ will reap the rewards.

Publisher: Brian Hight ...................... Ph 09-307 0399 Head Office: Top Floor, 29 Northcroft St, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone 09-307 0399. Fax 09-307 0122 Postal Address: Published by: Printed by: Contacts: Advertising material: Rural News on-line: Subscriptions:

PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Rural News Group PMP Print Editorial: sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz davef@ruralnews.co.nz www.ruralnews.co.nz subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz

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Dairy News is published by Rural News Group Limited. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of Rural News Group Limited.

WAIKATO: Ted Darley ........................... Ph 07-854 6292, 021-832 505 ted@ruralnews.co.nz WELLINGTON: Ron Mackay ........................ Ph 04-234 6239, 021-453 914 ronm@ruralnews.co.nz SOUTH ISLAND: Kaye Sutherland ..............Ph 03-337 3828, 021-221 1994 kayes@ruralnews.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

OPINION // 25

Water plan myths laid to rest VAUGHAN PAYNE

A COUPLE of myths

need correcting over the proposed plan change for cleaning up the Waikato and Waipa rivers, namely that the proposal seeks to ‘protect’ intensive farming and that this idea is Waikato Regional Council’s fault. The short response is that the proposal, if implemented, wouldn’t lock in ‘grandparented’ nitrogen discharge rights as suggested, and that the plan change was written by a multi-sector group, not the council. If we are to get the final shape of the plan change right it’s important that all parties have a clear-sighted view of what’s proposed and stick to the facts during the necessary community debate on the issues. So, for the record, the following detailed information is important to bear in mind. Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora: Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Change 1 was notified for public submissions by the council in October last year. Though the council notified it, the policy was developed over two-anda-half years by a collaborative stakeholder group (CSG). Effectively council handed the policy-writing pen to our community and the sectors and industries most affected by the goal of improving water quality. This process required much deliberation, consultation, collaboration and finally consensus between all parties, to create ownership and foster behaviour change at a community, sector and industry level. The people most affected need to own both the problems and the solutions: we all take responsibility and we all own the solutions. The resulting plan takes us on just the first decade of an 80-year journey to restore and protect the health of our rivers. We are required to do so collectively under the Government’s national policy statement on freshwater, and Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato, the Vision and

Strategy for the Waikato River introduced under Treaty of Waitangi settlement legislation. In short, to do nothing is not an option; other regions have already implemented plan changes for water quality and our plan change has balanced the environmental, economic and social implications. The plan seeks to address the four contaminants causing problems for the rivers and lakes of the Waikato and Waipā catchments. Nitrogen is one; the others are sediment, bacteria, and phosphorus. Urban communities and manufacturers have been working on solutions to address these contaminants and others from point sources like factories and sewage treatment facilities for at least 40 years. These are already regulated by the existing Waikato Regional Plan; they need resource consent and must be treated to a high standard. Urban ratepayers across the region are now spending at least $60 million dollars a year to achieve this. Rural communities and landowners have done much good work over this time but there has still been major intensification within the catchments and, in the odd case, inappropriate land use. Over the last ten years we have seen an area six times the size of Hamilton city converted from forestry to pasture and this now adds a lot of contaminants to our waterways. Hence the plan focuses on rural land, not just dairy or drystock, and it addresses the impacts of horticulture and forestry on our waterways. The suggestion that Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora: Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Change 1 protects the highest nitrogen dischargers or protects intensive farming long term is not correct. The proposed plan tackles the contaminants through two components: the development of farm environment plans (FEPs) and the provision of a nitrogen reference point. FEPs are property-specific and include time-specific

Vaughan Payne

actions landowners will undertake to reduce the risks of contaminant loss, including nitrogen. Landowners more than anyone

else know how to manage the contaminants within their particular farming system. Every farm will be different, but what the plan change requires is that those discharging the most must do the most to manage their contaminants. We know the use of nitrogen reference points will be robustly debated at hearings next year but let’s understand the facts of how the plan proposes nitrogen be managed. It requires farmers to

calculate their current nitrogen loss. The top 25% of nitrogen emitting farms are then required to reduce their losses. The remaining 75% of farms are not required to reduce their losses and can carry on at existing levels. In short the highest emitters have to make reductions while everyone else can continue to farm as they are. The intention is also to address other discharges in future plan changes. In writing this plan

the CSG was clear: the preference was always to allocate contaminant discharge rights at a property scale, matching land use to land capability. But, in fact, we as a community don’t currently have the data to implement that. This plan change allows us to collectively gather that knowledge so at the next plan change there will be more options available to review allocation. This plan, after all, is just the first step on an

80-year journey for our region to achieve the water quality we all aspire to and through our processes we hope to make it workable for all our landowners. In the meantime, we have to start taking steps to reduce contaminant losses if we want to improve our water quality. The longer we delay the harder and more expensive the task will be. • Vaughan Payne is chief executive of Waikato Regional Council.

Gypsum is one of those rare materials that performs in all categories of soil treatment: an amendment, conditioner and fertiliser. It is useful in the transition period in dairy cows 2 – 4 weeks pre & post calving, and can be used as an anionic salt to counteract the effects that high potassium & sodium concentrations have on increasing hypocalcemia. Gypsum, a readily available form of calcium, is 100 times more soluble than lime and is more suitable for the digestive system during this period. Gypsum in fertilising Soil tests for many areas in New Zealand show that sulphur deficiency is wide spread. Although the importance of this element is often overlooked, sulphur is needed in at least equal quantities to phosphorus. Many responses in crops are sulphur responses arising from the sulphate radical (SO4‑‑), rather than phosphate responses. • Readily dissociates into free calcium ions (Ca++) and sulphate ions (SO4‑‑), major elements in plant nutrition • Has an approximately neutral pH and can be used in heavy applications without causing undue alkalinity in soils

Gypsum in water savings • Promotes water infiltration, retention and conservation • Allows water to penetrate the soil without forming puddles or water logging • Conserves water by stretching intervals between irrigations • Tests show that farmland treated with gypsum requires up to 33% less water than soils without recent gypsum application

Gypsum in soil conditioning • Breaks up soils compacted by sodium and clay, and compounded by farm animals and machinery • Reduces cracking and compaction following irrigation and retards soil crusting • Allows soil to dry more quickly after rain or irrigation so that it may be worked sooner • Decreases energy requirements for tillage • Binds organic matter to soil and checks soil erosion • Enhances friendly bacterial action and discourages plant diseases related to poor soil aeration • Conditioned soil allows for deeper, healthier root development and water penetration

Gypsum in amendment • Displaces sodium binding clay soils • Reduces high soil aluminium levels • Suppresses the soil acidification effects of growing crops and the prolonged use of acidifying fertilisers

For further information please contact your local farm supplier or Telephone: 0800 100 442 Visit our website at www.gypsum.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

26 // AGRIBUSINESS

Ross elected to LIC board NORTH OTAGO farmer

Matt Ross has been elected to the LIC board for a four-year term. Ross will replace retiring long-standing director Alvin Reid on June 1. He was one of two directors recently elected; the chairman, Nelson farmer Murray King, was reelected. Ross and his wife Julie farm 580ha, milking 1800 cows in the Waitaki Valley inland from Oamaru. The couple won the NZ Sharemilker of the Year title in 2007. Ross started with LIC in 1995 as an AB technician. He has a B.App.Sc. (Ag) degree from Massey University. He has been a direc-

Retiring... Alvin Reid

tor of Irrigation NZ and chair of the Maerewenua District Water Resource Co. He is a member of the Dairy Environmental Leaders Forum and a graduate of the Fonterra governance development programme. King, who will continue as chair, says the election result provides a

balance of freshness and continuity for the board. “Matt’s appointment is an acknowledgement of his professional and farming expertise. I am honoured to be re-elected and to finish the work we have started at LIC. “Over a year ago we set out to create a more sustainable future for LIC and we are now in the middle of implementing significant changes to achieve this. “Ultimately everything we do at LIC is for our NZ farmers and that will continue.” King thanked Reid for his contribution to LIC and to the dairy industry. “Alvin has been a hard working and dedicated

Zespri boss to talk PSA at SMASH conferences THE SMALLER Milk and Supply

Elected... Matt Ross

director always acting in the best interests of dairy farmers. He has not been afraid to challenge boundaries and has been instrumental in many technology advancements we now take for granted.” The LIC board has seven farmer-elected directors and three appointed independent directors.

Herds (SMASH) conferences will be held in three North Island venues next month. The conference theme is ‘Sharing Solutions’; events will be held in Taranaki (June 21), Waikato (June 23) and Northland (June 26). Three speakers- Zespri chief executive Lain Jager, vet Neil Chesterton and motivational speaker Kevin Biggar- have been roped in for the day-long event. Jager will talk about how the kiwifruit industry tackled the big challenge of Psa, and how

they rebuilt afterwards to create a solid footing going forward. Chesterton is passionate about finding solutions to reduce lameness. He will talk about the lameness risk factors and show you how important cow flow and low stress handling are as keys to reducing foot injury. Biggar will speak about overcoming your fear of challenges, confronting doubts head-on and creating the momentum to achieve success. Each conference starts at 9am and finish with nibbles and drinks at 5pm. DairyNZ levy payers pay $70 for the event while nonlevy payers will pay $120.

Lain Jager

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

AGRIBUSINESS // 27

Farmer morale ‘improving’ PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

DAIRYNZ DIRECTOR

Ben Allomes says dairy farmer morale has lifted in the last few months to sit now at six or seven out of ten. He says a year ago it was much lower and even six months ago it wasn’t great, but he’s detected a change in the past few months. No doubt the better milk price is a cause, bringing relief after a couple of tough years. “I’m looking forward to the end of May, and being able to strike it off and look to the new season. I supposed even in bad times there are things you have to learn from and take positives from. But it’s been a wet hard season, and though milk prices are recovering there’s a feeling of shell shock or post-traumatic

stress syndrome.” He says farmers should feel happy that milk prices have come up, but he admits they are not as happy and as grateful as they should be. Weather patterns have been bizarre: Northland and the West Coast have been struck in ways abnormal for the times of the year they occurred. And ongoing geopolitical issues continue to make market volatility a cause of stress. Also distressing dairy farmers are the ongoing attacks on farmers in the news media, he says. “When we start hearing more of the negative media stories it impacts more on us and we [become] more critical of ourselves…. When you’re reading and hearing negative media stories it brings you down a bit and you get more sensitive to it. “It’s pretty raw and

real all around the country when farmers get out of bed to do their best for their family and their country and then get cut to pieces. It’s unpleasant especially for kids at school being bullied simply because their parents are dairy farmers.” It was telegraphed a long time ago that in elec-

tion year dairy farmers would be targeted, but he says it’s terrible that young children are being drawn into the debate. The rural/urban divide is a problem, but some of that stems from the way rural people act and behave and treat urban people. Now there’s a need to work with the

urban community, not try to educate them. The mainstream media make it challenging for the rural sector to get its good stories out in the public arena. Allomes believes the public is interested in authentic stories and people, of which rural NZ has plenty.

Beat the seasons!

Miraka exporting to Malaysia A VERY proud moment for our Miraka whanau.

That’s how Kingi Smiler, chairman of the Taupo Maori dairy company, is describing the signing of a deal with its Malaysian distribution partner Storiiu, to sell a milk powder-based smoothie drink in Malaysia. Storiiu is a boutique, premium food distribution business and it will ensure the product is sold in the supermarket chain Jaya Grocer. This is the first international sale of Miraka’s Whai Ora brand. Smiler says the Miraka team have been working on this for three years and now have launched it into the market. “Malaysia is an important consumer export market for Miraka and the signing marks an important occasion in the company’s history, acknowledging its lengthy quest to provide people with a healthy all-natural convenience food. It also helps to fulfil their strategic aim to forge closer relationships with consumers, in New Zealand and abroad,” he says The smoothie, which comes under Miraka’s Whai Ora (in persuit of wellness) brand, is aimed at ‘lifestyle’ consumers, especially women. It consists of milk powder blended with oats, honey, fruits and vegetables which are all sourced locally and are natural products. It will be sold in a 400g can for putting in a blender to mix with water. “Its ingredients are carefully sourced from farmers, who not only grow excellent produce but also share the Miraka values -- to care and act sustainably for the environment,” says Smiler The product will also be sold in Singapore, the Philippines and China; Miraka will also selling it in NZ. – Peter Burke

DairyNZ director Ben Allomes.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

28 // AGRIBUSINESS Fonterra’s mozzarella cheese innovation has been a huge success.

Experts want co-op to stretch science further WORLD DAIRY experts

believe there’s plenty of stretch left in the science that has made mozzarella a New Zealand success story. They are predicting more “ground-breaking

Revolutionary trace mineral delivery for a lifetime of optimal herd health

scientific and technological advances” from dairy co-op Fonterra’s Food Structure programme that will benefit the economy and help grow the country’s “talent pool” in R&D. The panel -- profes-

sors Allen Foegeding, from North Carolina State University; Erich Windhab, from ETH Switzerland; Jason Stokes at the University of Queensland; and Dérick Rousseau from Canada’s Ryerson Uni-

versity – meets every year to review the science and the progress of Fonterra’s food structure programme. In a report released after their latest gathering, the scientists say the approach to the mozzarella cheese innovation had “produced an exceptional amount of success”. The panel is encour-

Optimising health from conception

Christina Coker

Sub-optimal trace mineral status can affect health, fertility and production in beef and dairy cattle. Which minerals? On Australian and New Zealand farms, the most important are copper, selenium and cobalt. The new Rumifert® bolus contains all three! But what really makes Rumifert® unique is its special delivery system. Rumifert® is a completely dissolvable, sustained release bolus utilising revolutionary new soluble glass technology. All three critical trace minerals are delivered at a constant rate for up to six months. The constant and prolonged delivery of copper, selenium and cobalt means Rumifert® treats both primary and secondary deficiencies. So with Rumifert®, you can set up your herd for a lifetime of optimal health… right from conception.

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aging the co-op to stretch the science further in the pursuit of new value-add products. It says the “scientific approach to mozzarella could be used as a model and directly transferred to other applications, including cream cheese and beverages, with expectations of equal success”. The approach would include “attracting top international scientists to NZ academic institutions and Fonterra” and looking “outside the box” for innovation to “help ensure world leadership in dairy science”. Much of the work in the food structure programme is supported by the Transforming the Dairy Value Chain (TDVC) Primary Growth Partnership programme, a seven-year, $170 million project led by commercial partners including DairyNZ and Fonterra and partnered by the Ministry for Primary Industries. The programme aims to enable the creation of new dairy products, increase onfarm productivity, reduce environmental impacts, and improve agricultural education. The panel praised Fonterra for its approach, saying it is “impressive to see a company of this

magnitude believe in the synergistic relationship that couples sound, basic science and superb training of scientists with targeted economic outcomes”. Food Structure design programme manager Christina Coker says the co-op’s material science approach in mozzarella was deliberately aimed at “developing a sound knowledge of the link between mozzarella structure, material and functional properties and the process used to make it”. “Some good work by talented post-grad students, post-docs and Fonterra researchers has made advances that can be applied in future processes.” Food Structure technical manager Steve Taylor says the co-op is heeding the panel’s advice and using the knowledge gained through the mozzarella work to further develop its creams, cream cheese and beverages. “This approach has helped us build an integrated research programme that covers engineering and science aspects of making a product with desired performance, including figuring out what drives the performance.” A strong relationship exists between overseas experts, the co-op’s external research partners and its own scientists. “Rich discussions at the reviews have helped shape the work being done and the interpretation of results,” Taylor said. “This has been particularly important in areas where Fonterra has less internal expertise and has inspired our researchers.” That would not have been possible without the TDVC programme, which has “enabled Fonterra to develop the science and innovation we would not otherwise have had the time and/or expertise to do. This gives us more confidence to invest further in mozzarella technology”. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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F32 F30 F28 F26 S6 F24 S7 RURAL LIVING AREA S9 S8 S11 S10

R42

R43

R44

R45

R46

R47

R48

F20

R49

G28 G26 S9 S11 S10

S12

S8 G24

F18

R50

R R 82 R 81

R39

R41

R42

R40

R43

R44

R45

R65

R64

R66 R67 S15 R68 R69

R63

R62

R61

R60

R59

R58

F16

F14

S14

S13

R20 R19 R18

O1 FOOD HUB

R49

R50

R57

R56

R55

R54

R53

THE BARN

EXCAVATOR AREA

S3A

G9 G7

SEE US AT SITE C16

EAST

LAKE

KIWI’S BEST KITCHEN

SEE US AT SITE F64

NB NA

FOOD HUBS COFFEE

R11 R12

TOILETS

R17 R16 R15 R14

ARTWORK PROOF

R51

S2 S3 S3A

NJ NK NG NH NI

R48

R12

ISLOE THE BLED ONS TI VIP FUNC

R13

R47

S9 S8 S11 S10 111165

F5 R11

O4 LAKE

R10

S12

F12

TOWN & COUNTRY MARQUEE

R46

JOB NO.

N1 NA

R51

78 R

R13

G22

R37 R36 R35 R34 R33 R32 R31

S4 G30G - G30A

R10

N5 NC

R17 R16 R15 R14

RURAL LIVING AREA R38

F13S1 F11A

S3A

R20 R19 R18

77 R

F15

S2 G31 G29 G27 G25 G23 G21R55G19R54G17 R53 G15 G13 G11 R56 S3 R57 R58 R60 R59

R25 R24 R23 R22 R21

F17

TOWN & COUNTRY S2 F11 MARQUEE

R51

R61

85 R 75

F19

S4 S5 F22

R17 R16 R15 R14

R26 R27 R28 R29 R30

84 R

74 R R

R60

R93

86 R 73

F27G26 F25G24F23G22F21 RURAL LIVING AREA G28

LIFESTYLE MARQUEE

87 R 72 R

R20 R19 R18

G30G - G30A

75 R

G39 G37 G35 G33 R65

R66 R67 G36F - G36A G34G - G34A S15 R68 S14 S13 R69

R 71 R 70 R

R61

R62

92 R

R63

G39A

G38

B HU

G34G - G34A

R R

M9A

H25

H27

R10

G22

R41

R66 F42 F40 F38 F36A F36 R67 S15 R68 S14 S13 S12 R38 R39 R69 R40 R41

M9C

M9B

G40

R64

R93

8R8

85 R 7 84 R R897 8 9 90 R 91

R65

R 72 R 71 R

70 R

R40

G42

R39

F41

F44

G41 H UT

R38

G47 G45 G43 B

G24

HEALTH F33 F31 F29 R42 R43 R44 R45 R47R34R48 R49 R31 R50 R33 R32 R37 R46 R36 R35 HUB LIFESTYLE MARQUEE R54 R53 R56 R55

R94

F46

G26

R25 R24 R23 R22 R21

M13 G36F - G36A M13

M11

G28

R93

R 87 R 86 R R 85 R 88 84 R 89 R 83 R 90 91 R 82

71 R

M14 F49 F47 G38 F45 M12 G40

U H25 SO H27 B F54 F52 HU F50 F48 FO

G30G - G30A

E28 E26 E24 E22 E20 E18 E16 E14 R11 E34 E12 E2 R37 R36 R35 R34 R33 R32 R31 TOWN & COUNTRY G9E10 E8 E44 E42 G39 E40 E38 R12 G37 G35 G33 G31 G29 E44 E40 E40 E30 G27 G25 G23 G21 G19 G17 G15 G13 G11 E38 E40 LIFESTYLE MARQUEE MARQUEE E6 BEST E4 M9B KIWI’S G39A G7 E36 R13 R26 R27 R28 R29 R30 M9A KITCHEN F9A F7A M9C

G47 G45 G43 G41 M4 M18 E52 E50 E48 E46 H25 M16 H27

3 F51 4 G42

G34G - G34A

R94

G36F - G36A

G38

G40

SEE US AT SITE PC13

1897 LTD

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Darryn

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SIZE

QUANTITY

SCALE

DATE

Brent Smith Trailers

Black

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25-03-14

This map is indicative and subject to change

MOBILITY SCOOTER FOOD HUBS HIRE CASH OUT FACILITY COFFEE INFORMATION CENTRE TOILETS MISSING PERSONS MOBILITY SCOOTER HIRE POLICE CASH OUT FACILITY

INFORMATION CENTRE This22 map is indicative and subject to change. FOOD HUBS MISSING PERSONS COFFEE POLICE

19 SEE US AT SITE G66, G68

TOILETS

SEE US AT SITE G56, G58

SEE US AT SITE G51, G53, G55

SEE US AT SITE G33, G35, G37

SCOOTER HIRE to change. ThisMOBILITY map is indicative and subject SEE US AT SITE F28 CASH OUT FACILITY

SEE US AT SITE E60, E58, F59, F57

INFORMATION CENTRE MISSING PERSONS POLICE

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS // 33

$1.3m revamp leads change National Fieldays chief executive Peter Nation says changes allow better asset utilisation and will give customers a better experience.

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

NATIONAL FIELDAYS is living up to its theme ‘Leading Change’, having spent $1.3 million to revamp the Mystery Creek site. Chief executive Peter Nation says the infrastructure changes result from feedback from customers and staff, to allow “better utilisation of space and assets and to give customers a better experience,” he told Dairy News. Major changes include better pedestrian lighting, four food courts with seating facilities and upgrading Gate 4 as an agribusiness heavy

machinery area. Nation says customers and exhibitors will be able to see at night

REST YOUR LEGS, RECHARGE YOUR PHONE FOUR NEW foodcourts will allow visitors to eat sitting down, rather than standing around hot dog stands. “We have put in four massive foodcourts instead of having

food stalls all around the site; people can go there and refuel… sit down and rest,” says Peter Nation. Wi-fi and cellphone recharging will be available at the foodcourts.

when arriving or leaving the event. “At Gate 2 hill we have taken out trees, widened the road and lit the pedestrian area with LED lights.” Major drainage work has been done around Gate 4 and heavy machinery is relocated there; ‘rural living’ is relocated from there to the bottom of the hill, next to the ‘town and country’ sites. The Bledisloe Hall, which hosted town and country exhibits, has been set up as the new VIP function centre. Nation says at previous events, VIPS were either entertained on-site or at

restaurants in Hamilton. With its own kitchen and bar facilities, the Bledisloe Hall will now host all VIPs. “Our VIP guests will now have only a short walk to their functions,” Nation says. This Fieldays will have 1587 sites – more than last year; all sites were booked before Christmas 2016. Contractors are now on site, setting up marquees and buildings for exhibitors. To make the construction process easier, the Fieldays society had the whole site GPS mapped below and above ground; all site infrastructure is now on the GPS map. Nation says he was told it was the biggest private civil GPS mapping done

BIGGEST OVERSEAS CONTINGENT NEXT MONTH’S National Fieldays will attract visitors from 20 countries. Fieldays chief executive Peter Nation says it will be the biggest international delegation ever.

Nine countries are exhibiting at the Fieldays; others are sending trade delegations or visitors. An international dinner will held at the Fieldays to promote NZ Inc.

Milking Systems

Animal Health

WE’RE IN FOCUS Herd Management

in New Zealand, with over 10,500 points of interest. Sonar was used to find all power, water and telephone lines underground. The site has a massive underground network of copper and fibre optic cables. “Now we know with pinpoint accuracy where they go and where the joint points lie…. GPS mapping above ground has made all sites symmetrical; and site marking that once took weeks now takes only days.” The Fieldays has integrated the GPS maps with a new software system for event planning. “Our boys sign off 1800 hole approvals for posts and poles; now we know accurately where the cables are; in the past it was in someone’s head.”

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

34 // NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

New look, location for LIC LIC IS this year refreshing its Fieldays presence. In a new location on F street, the co-op and its automation business will be closer together and alongside other dairy agribusinesses. Chief executive Wayne McNee says the adjacent stands (F62 and F63) will allow farmers more easily to look at the co-op’s services and products and how they add value. The LIC café for farmers and their families will remain. Says McNee, “Our main stand, on

one side of the road, will cover general information, genetics, diagnostics, Minda and herd testing, and LIC Automation on the other side will shows integrated shed automation and sensor technology systems.” Fieldays is important for farmers and agribusinesses alike, he says. “As a farmer-owned cooperative this is always a great opportunity for us.” LIC’s theme this year is ‘connection’. “Taking the time to talk with our farmers and answer their questions...

ON SHOW AT LIC AND LIC AUTOMATION SITES LIC ■■ Agrigate, with Fonterra ■ Farm Source ■■ Genetics ■■ Herd testing ■■ Minda herd management ■■ Diagnotics and GeneMark ■■ FarmWise farm ■ consultants.

LIC Automation Protrack automated drafting systems ■■ Protrack in-shed ID system ■■ Protrack body condition scoring ■■ Protrack EZ Heat automated heat detection ■■ In-line milk sensors CellSense and YieldSense.

From left: LIC board chairman Murray King, with Genetics Business Manager Greg Hamill and General Manager NZ Markets Malcolm Ellis at last year’s Fieldays.

■■

and to show our full range of services and solutions.” The co-op’s new Agrigate will be a key display; this online tool, developed with Fonterra Farm Source, combines on one online ‘dashboard’ all the key data needed for faster and smarter decisions. LIC Automation’s site will be

“Designed by a Farmer for Farmers”

Mystery Creek See usDays at Field Site H26 Mystery Creek Site G41

PHONE 0800 4 AGBITS | 0800 4 242 487 WEBSITE www.agbits.co.nz

larger than previously. McNee says the automation site theme is ‘next generation thinking’ because “we believe the technology we offer is suitable for all generations of farmers, with simple applications that add value and deliver measurable returns onfarm”.

A new product to be displayed combines the co-op’s entry-level automated EZ Heat detection system with its automated Protrack Drafter. This automatically identifies cows as on-heat and drafts them. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS // 35

Weigh scales redesign lightens navigation MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

NEW ON the Gallagher site will be its TW series of weigh scales and its insulated line posts. The TW-1 and TW-3 weigh scales replace the W810 and W610 models and embody a complete re-design; they are engineered to match the way farmers interact with tablets and smartphones. The TW series has a touch-screen user interface, ensuring ‘in the field’ weighing can be simply accessed without the use of confusing navigation or menu pathways. The scales have software systems easily connected and compatible with loadbars and readers irrespective of brand, and they connect to Gallagher’s own Animal Performance Software (APS) system to provide easy access to reports on individual animals. All data recorded in the field can be uploaded into the APS software. Links via wi-fi or Bluetooth can connect the user’s cellphone and bring up the Gallagher Dash-

board software, giving a quick view of crucial top line data and removing the need to enter data twice. The company’s new insulated line posts have a polyethylene sheath with a strong flexible inner fibreglass core, enabling them to bend without breaking and so minimising injury to livestock. Available in four different heights, the posts offer a full system for fencing sheep, cattle, horses and deer. Advanced plastics technology and the nifty design of the posts’ ground anchoring foot, plus the flexible solid fibreglass core component, make the system easy to set up and very robust. Meanwhile, battery or solar powered MB Energisers, based on the proven i series Energisers – the new ones are called MB1800i and MB2800i – provide the option of mains or solar battery charging in remote nonpowered locations. The MB1800i delivers 18 joules of stored energy, sufficient power for almost 80ha; the

Spreading, spraying guidance

MB2800i will be effective over 120ha. For small farms, the new S40 and S100 Energisers offer a low cost solar means of powering fence systems. Gallagher says the insulated end strainer is

a likely item for anyone considering a new energiser. These improve on the traditional end strainer; they have an insulated body, a 12 tooth spool for fine adjustment and an integrated joint clamp.

Gallagher’s TW series weigh scales are compatible with tablets and smartphones.

Dairy Cooling Solutions A Division of Eurotec Limited

WHY A DCS MILK COOLING SYSTEM IS THE BEST INVESTMENT IN YOUR FARM European design and quality - Over 50 years experience in developing milk cooling tanks and one of Europe’s leading Dairy Cooling Systems producers for the needs of farmers around the world – from Mexico to Japan, from Russia to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Horizontal Milk Cooling Tanks with Iced Water Cooling – 50% more effective in cooling the milk compared to standard direct expansion systems without any risk of freezing the milk due to the water temperature of +0.5 > 1.0degC. Highly suitable for AMS (Robotic Farming Systems) with low milk flows – no risk of freezing the milk.

Packo Milk Tanks

Energy Saving with Packo Ice Builders (PIB’s) – thanks to the ice energy store build-up during night time hours, a smaller refrigeration unit can be installed plus the potential savings of off-peak power rates.

GRASS-GUIDE, A simple app-based GPS guidance

Water Saving with PIB’s – bore water pre-cooling is not necessary with the

and recording system, helps farmers increase their fert spreading and spraying efficiency while avoiding overapplication, simplifying record keeping and providing proof of placement. So says its local distributor, Cervus Group. The system is a product of Sixty-5 Technologies, an agrisoftware firm in Belfast. Grass-Guide was developed with the grassland/livestock farmer in mind, as a tool for spreading fertiliser, spraying and grassland management. During use, the coverage map on the 7” tablet shows you where you’ve been, and the virtual field markers show where you need to go. Once the application has been completed, GrassGuide produces a treatment map synced to a cloud portal where it can be viewed later for farm management and traceability. Easy to use, the Grass-Guide requires no training or learning; it has a single-button control panel – one push to finish and another to start a new paddock. All jobs are recorded automatically for traceability, and details such as area covered and time taken are easily retrieved from the cloud, using a tablet with a wi-fi connection and a secure login.

correctly sized PIB. This is ideal for drought prone regions or where water supplies are restricted.

Improved Milk quality through Snap Chilling = potentially a higher return adding PROFITS to the farm.

PIB 25-160

For 30yrs Eurotec has been supplying the NZ Refrigeration Industry with leading Global Brands. The only NZ supplier of this technology providing nationwide coverage and After Sales Support with branches in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch with over 30 Approved Refrigeration Installers throughout the country from Invercargill to Whangarei. Check out the DCS website www.dairycoolingsolutions.nz, talk to your refrigeration contractor, and come and see DCS/Packo milk cooling technologies operating at the National Field Days in Mystery Creek, Hamilton.

PIB 230 - 370

National Field Days Site: I29

Find us on Facebook too, www.facebook.com/DairyCoolingSolutions

Dairy Cooling Solutions Tradition meets Technology

www.dairycoolingsolutions.nz

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

36 // NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

GM ryegrass ticks all the boxes A ROCKET-FUEL rye-

grass seen as a gamechanger for dairying will front the AgResearch site at Fieldays. The genetically modified high metabolisable

Dr Greg Bryan, AgResearch.

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energy (HME) ryegrass is seen by AgResearch scientists in a laboratory to grow 50% faster, yield more energy and nutrition for stock, better resist drought and reduce methane from animal rumens by 15-23%. Field trials began recently in the US, with the aim of showing these results can be achieved also on pasture. The project is funded by DairyNZ and the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Endeavour Fund. “This enhanced ryegrass could make a huge difference to farms’ production and profitability, and sustainability in the longer term,” says AgResearch principal scientist Dr Greg Bryan.

“We are now working with a university in the US Midwest to grow the ryegrass in the field and test its benefits, and by year four we will be cutting it to feed to animals to test greenhouse gas emissions and do other measurements. “Safety of the ryegrass for animal consumption – and humans who consume products from those animals – is also central.” Farming more sustainably and preserving the environment can result from this new pasture, Bryan says. The AgResearch Fieldays site will also show its work in the dairy sheep industry – notably the human health benefits of sheep milk, and how dairy sheep productivity

Tougher milk cooling rules are coming MILKING PLANT company DeLaval

LifeGuard RRP: $1450

VISIT Field days innovation centre for details. Valid May 2017 through 30th June 2017.

can be improved. Funding the science is a $6m grant from the MBIE. NZ has 30,000 sheep for milking by 16 different producers. “Sheep milk might still seem a novelty to many in NZ, but it’s qualities are recognised worldwide and it is a sought-after commodity that can grow here,” says AgResearch scientist Linda Samuelsson. “Sheep milk can offer plenty of benefits for human digestion and general health. At Fieldays we will let people have a taste for themselves.” AgResearch’s Fieldays stand will also display meat sensor technology that looks at texture, fat levels, succulence and flavour.

New Zealand is urging farmers to think soon about milk chiller performance as new milk cooling regulations loom into sight. By June 2018 all farmers must comply with new requirements to chill milk to 6oC within six hours of starting milking or two hours of finishing. The new rules, brought in by the Ministry for Primary Industries, are designed to align NZ standards with those of its international trading partners. Despite a long lead-in time to the new regulations, and reasonable awareness among farmers, some appear reluctant to get their gear in order. As the rules deadline approaches, the

risk rises of milk not being up to standard and therefore it won’t be picked up by the tanker, says Justin Thompson, the company’s sales director for Oceania. “There are still farms that are noncompliant despite the new rules being just a season away. Our company has a lead time of a few months to supply and installation our chillers, so the time to make a decision really is now.” It costs money to upgrade, but De Laval says the upside can be significant efficiency gains and energy savings. The payback time on a DeLaval compact glycol chiller is reckoned about two and a half years for an average farm, and annual savings can total $9500 if the farm is ‘bundling’ products smartly.

0800 888 212

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*Rural Wireless broadband not available everywhere. For coverage and what you need to do, go to vodafone.co.nz/4G. $50 managed installation discount is only available to customers who sign up to a 24 month 120GB rural wireless broadband plan before 31 August 2017. 200GB plans are excluded from this installation offer.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

38 // NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Focus on rumination pays off MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

COWSCOUT TAGS

from GEA Farm Technologies are a popular, affordable option for monitoring cows 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system includes accurate heat detection that leads to drafting cows at optimal insemination time. It also monitors eating time, flagging cows with reduced eating times as having a potential health issue. Rumination technol-

ogy, soon to be introduced, will provide more crucial information for proactive health management, GEA says. GEA herd management solutions manager Jan Winke notes that the addition of rumination monitoring will provide more critical insight into cow wellbeing. “Rumination is an indicator of a properly functioning rumen, and a gauge of animal health,” Winke says. “A drop in rumination time frequently precedes drop in milk production and

to accurately anticipate health concerns before the visual signs are there. The earlier these warning signs are in the farmer’s hands, the cheaper it will be to deal with the prob-

CowScout tags fitted around cows’ neck, monitor animals roundthe-clock.

often occurs before any physical health symptoms appear. “With CowScout rumination technology, farmers will be able

lem.” CowScout rumination technology differs slightly from other options on the market, using a G

sensor to detect rumination based on the movements of the animal, whereas alternative technologies rely on a microphone device to listen for rumination. Tested in Australia on pastoral dairy farms, the tags monitor time eating and time ruminating to determine the inactive time of each cow. If the period of inactivity increases significantly, the system will flag an issue with that cow. Says Winke, “Although the system can’t pinpoint exactly what’s wrong, it points the farmer to a cow that needs to be checked and enables early treatment.”

Belly girth helps with lifting cows Site D123

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MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WITH THE likes of Farmwatch and SAFE always on the lookout for a ‘bad news’ farming story, and the new calving season just around the corner, any product seen to improve animal health or husbandry must be worth a closer look. The Wrangler Com-

CSL Chillboost Introduces our new...

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CSL Chillboost is a simple solution to drop the blend temperature of milk in your vat. CSL Chillboost quickly retrofits to your existing cooling system. CSL Chillboost is easy to install and user programmable to fine tune your cooling. Not the answer for everyone but will assist even if other cooling shortcomings exist. Talk to us today about this exciting new product.

NEW PRODUCT!

0800 10 7006 www.corkillsystems.co.nz

Wrangler’s belly girths are used in cattle crushes to provide extra support for cows lifted with hip clamps.

pany, from Whakatane, known primarily for its handling systems, reports that its customers are using the belly girths used in its cattle crushes to provide extra support for cows being lifted with hip clamps. All the more interesting as hip clamps came under fire in 2016 because some farmers were using them outside the realms of best practice. The New Zealand Veterinary Association says hip clamps for lifting and supporting recumbent cows should be used only under certain clinical conditions, and with due consideration for the animal’s welfare. NZVA recommends that clamps should be fitted carefully and firmly with padding between the device and the pelvis, before being raised slowly by a tractor loader or winch. It also recommends that a breast strap under

the brisket should be used to supplement the clamps for good practice, as it helps the cow to get up onto her front legs as her rear is raised. The Wrangler belly girths suit this task; they are made of softfeel webbing, 150mm wide, 1100mm long and of double thickness. The extra-wide straps are said to spread the load while preventing pinching of radial nerves. Each strap comes with a triangular end-keeper and 1m of 6mm lifting chain. Wilco Klein-Ovink of The Wrangler Co, says “we support the NZVA guidelines which says that if the cow is not fully weight bearing within five minutes, then the hip-clamps should be removed, and if she is not standing properly within 48 hours, then veterinary assistance should be sought.” www.thewrangler.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS // 39

Ideal sprayer for small paddocks MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THE HARDI 1200 litre Grassland trailed sprayer suits pasture renovations or smaller crop paddocks, with its low centre of gravity, 48cm crop clearance when fitted with 12.4 X 24 lug tyres and a 1.8m track width. Sitting directly over the axle, the tank profile has good weight distribution and effective agitation; cleaning is by a 120L rinse tank for quick, easy in-field flushing, and the machine has a 15L hand wash tank. A choice of 6, 8, 10 and 12m boom widths with optional air bag suspension and boom inertia trapeze means the machine can be configured for all situations, making it a versatile alternative to traditional linkage sprayers.

Boom folding is manually operated; hydraulic boom height control is available as an option. The optional Hardi HYS 12m spray boom is hydraulic and can be folded individually or together. The company says a boom with the flexibility to vary the width independently, or even half-fold, can be a big advantage. Leaf spring suspension and 10R x 15 tyres fitted as standard offer a smooth ride, or optional 12.4 x 24 lug tyres provide extra ride and flotation. A colour coded SmartValve makes it easy to operate the fluid system, which is driven by a robust greaselubricated, Hardi 1303/540 twin diaphragm pump delivering 114L/m. Electric pressure regulation and boom section valves are operated by remote

control from the cab, with manual over-ride control in the case of an electrical failure.

The Hardi 1200 litre Grassland trailed sprayer.

@dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Meet the team with the knowledge in forage at the New Zealand Agricultural Fieldays.

Volkswagen site at last year’s Fieldays.

Vehicle maker lends a hand MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

Volkswagen New Zealand will display its Amarok V6, 4Motion all-wheel-drive ute, the new Tiguan SUV and the iconic facelifted VW Golf. The company will also continue its promotion of the IHC Calf and Rural Scheme with a sausage sizzle off a barbecue on the Amarok tray, with all proceeds going to the scheme. In support of that scheme it loans two Amarok utes to allow the organisers to travel to calf sales or to visit farmers. VW NZ will offer coffee or soup to all site visitors – welcome if the weather lives up to its reputation of being wet or foggy. Says general manager Tom Ruddenklau, “showing our incredible range at Fieldays is a great opportunity to reach a large number of people in one place”.

When it comes to forage equipment, don’t buy blind! The benefits of having gear that is compatible with your farming operation, are endless. With over 50 years experience selling equipment to New Zealand farmers the team at Webbline understand agricultural harvesting more than most. Modern farming methods demand the most modern technology available to ensure the job gets done under pressure. To get the right equipment for your operation, ‘forage knowledge’ is key. Webbline’s commitment is to advise and supply the right equipment, backed up by highly trained technicians with premium parts and service.

14-17 JUNE 2017, MYSTERY CREEK

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EXHIBITING AT Fieldays for the seventh time,

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

40 // NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Vat manager cools milk, holds it to temperature TruTest vat monitor gives farmers confidence that their milk is safe in the vat.

MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THE TRU-TEST Vat Manager all-in-

one vat monitor and controller is giving dairy farmers confidence that their milk is cooled and held to temperature. That’s a biggie when you hear rural insurer FMG saying that 90% of claims for milk loss are due to human error – farmers forgetting to flick that switch. Developed and made in New Zealand, Vat Manager draws on Tru-Test’s long technical expertise; in operation it sends text alerts for vat too hot, milk too cold, wash temperature too low, hardware fault, too long to cool and mains lost. The unit is highly accurate and its temperature display is easily viewable at a distance – even in poor light. An online memory log allows downloading of a CSV file from the online portal to comply with the mandatory

milk in too warm, vat nearly full and vat full. Tru-Test will also show its ProCool ice bank range, combining quality and attractive price. The unit comes complete with an insulated tank, integrated refrigeration unit, pumping and control system, ready for connection to a plate cooler. All stainless, the ProCool is easy to set up as the tank and chiller are plumbed ready to go and it comes The PreCool ice bank range is easy to set up.

monitoring component of the new milk cooling rules. Vat Manager works on all tanks including side wall refrigeration, and suits any style of farm dairy (herringbone or rotary), single or multiple vats, indoors or out, regardless of how many cows are being milked.

Two options are available: Vat Manager Plus as already outlined, and Vat Manager Auto which also turns on refrigeration when milk is detected, and alerts to slow cool,

See us at National Fieldays, Mystery Creek - site F28

pre-charged with 407f refrigerant. The tank is insulated against heat loss and the plates are efficient in heat transfer and ice build. Servicing is simple; parts supply is good. Utilising plate technology as used in the base of Tru-Test’s milk cooling vats, the company’s pillow plate heat exchangers offer high internal heat transfer compared to tube systems, run more efficiently, and have a greater surface area for ice building – meaning the ice forms at a higher temperature. By contrast, during the melting process, the area of the ice exposed to the water in the tank remains roughly the same throughout the melt. This means the temperature of the water stays roughly the same during the melting process, unlike tube systems; as the ice melts the area exposed to the water decreases, slowing the heat transfer into the incoming water stream. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Same field but different paddock.

LIC and LIC Automation have moved for Fieldays® 2017 If you’re wandering around Fieldays this year and you’re looking for the LIC site, well, we’ve shifted. We’ve been heard to say to our farmers on occasion that you can’t always stay in one place and that’s no less true of us.

02065LICFDDN

So we’ve moved, bringing the LIC and LIC Automation sites closer together. LIC are now based at Fieldays at site F62 and just across the way you’ll find LIC Automation at site F63 & E64.

We’re still doing what we’ve always done, looking for smart ways to improve your productivity and profitability. But now we’re doing it in a different place, these Fieldays. So if you miss us, well, now you know where to find us.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

42 // NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Mulchers made to tackle harsh tasks MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AGRILINE WILL use Fieldays 2017

to show its range of Vigolo mulchers and power harrows built by an Italian family business founded in 1963. Agriline, from Gore, sells direct to end users, enabling them to “deliver high specification machines at competitive pricing”. Built to specifications to suit NZ conditions, the mulchers have large diameter rotors for extra strength and momentum, a triple flail setup for easy driving and fine cut, double row of chains in front for protection, wide skids for a smooth ride and, importantly, a high power rating for a long service life. Likewise, Vigolo power harrows are said to be built with strength in mind to tackle harsh environments. Available from 2.5m to 8m operating widths, the largest machines can take inputs of up to

Daniel Darke, Ecolab demonstrates hands-free chemical dispensing.

Hands-free chemical dispensing system ECOLAB WILL

Vigolo mulchers and harrows are made for NZ conditions.

500hp, are fitted with cam clutches as standard for overload protection, and have rotors protected against damage from stones or trash. The heart of the machines is a

rotor shaft mounted on tapered roller bearings for durability and a long service life; all machines are supplied with packer rollers as standard.

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display its ‘hands free’ chemical concentrate transfer and dispensing system FlexiDose on the Innovation Site. FlexiDose is said to be the world’s first health and safety compliant chemical handling system. It allows concentrated

chemical to be drawn out of drums located in remote storage locations and transported over long distances to the point of use. There the dose is visually ‘checked off’ then dispensed through quick release from a ‘proof of delivery’ flask.

New rules on using hazardous concentrates requires a system capable of putting a ‘safe’ distance between the chemical, the user and the point of use. The resulting physical barriers created engineering challenges that have been solved by FlexiDose.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS // 43

Farm bike passes 20, still going MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THE DR200 Trojan

farm motorcycle appeared 20 years ago when Suzuki New Zealand Ltd’s engineers first conceived a farm bike purpose built for our conditions. Farmers told Suzuki what features were needed to put the Trojan a step ahead of the competition. Starting with its already robust DR200 trail bike, the company custom-built a line-up of accessories then packaged the bike and returned it to Japan for manufacture. The Trojan has since had several colour changes and many minor model changes but

underneath the is still the farm workhorse its predecessors were. A key feature is its large 12V headlight, a bonus for dairy farmer making an early morning start. Another is its aluminium handlebar protectors that protect the controls if the bike is dropped or pushed over by stock; and these have saved many a knuckle from injury. Being built in Japan means quality construction and componentry that ensure a long service life. For instance, the exhaust header pipe is stainless steel, and the four-stoke motor has an oil cooler and oil filter, meaning engine problems are rare. Dual side stands make

Hansen’s rain relief valve springs into action when water levels drop very low.

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allows slow speed riding with ease without continual stalling or heavy clutch use, and the fuel tank holds 13L, enough to last most farmers all week.

the horrors of turning the tap or flushing the loo only to find things have run dry. Besides, there’s the potential for damage to pumps and the expense of repairs. Enter water specialist Hansen, whose Rain Relief Valve deals with ‘dangerously’ low water levels in tanks: the valve automatically opens to allow a feed from an alternative source -- a bore, dam or even a mains system. This clever valve can be set to increase water levels by 50 or 100mm depending on the orientation of the float, so preventing the flow running dry, and minimising reliance on an alternative feed which, in the case of the mains, might be metered and chargeable. It’s available in two formats: the Slo-Flo valve restricts flow to only 2L/minute at 12 bar operating pressure; the Rapid-Flo version is unrestricted, delivering up to 1275L/m at the same pressure. Both valves use the Hansen diaphragm for soft opening and closing, helping eliminate water-hammer and increasing pump and system life expectancy. A lifetime limited warranty applies.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

44 // NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Polaris Ranger SxS all about safety

Polaris 2017 Ranger 1000 boasts an array of safety features.

over protection structures (ROPS) to address safety concerns. The place of quads in the NZ farming is now

POLARIS, A world leader in side x side (SxS) utility vehicles, now offers 18 models in New Zealand with certified roll-

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to carry 261kg and tow 680kg and offering a compact and narrow footprint for extraordinary access and manoeuvrability. ROPS, car-like controls and the compactness of a large quad are the starting point for Polaris safety technologies found in all its SxS machines. The Ranger SxS comes in a big range of models -- typically with two to six seats; petrol, diesel or electric motors; 2-wheeldrive; all-wheel-drive plus unlocking rear diffs on all Ranger models, the latter turf friendly. The company’s allwheel descent control (ADC) is said to have addressed some of the criticisms levelled at other

brands of SxS by farmers working them on hilly terrain. All Polaris ROPSequipped models have seatbelts combined with an interlock device that limits speed when the seat belt is unsecured. In more detail, the Polaris Ranger 500 has features found on full size models – Versa-Trac turf mode, selectable all-wheel drive and includes a gasassisted dump box at the rear. Claimed the most powerful utility SxS in today’s market, the new Polaris Ranger XP 1000 Hunter Edition in camouflage has 80hp powering a workhorse chassis. Power

delivery can be tweaked to suit the job at hand with a flick of switch. Select ‘work’ mode for moderate and easily managed power delivery, for slow work following stock or backing up to a trailer; alternatively, select ‘normal’ mode for everyday use in getting from A to B; or a third option, ‘sport’ mode, delivers the maximum output. To keep over-enthusiastic drivers in check, the XP 1000 can be fitted with a ‘speed key’ that allows the owner control via a keyed speed limiter. For those looking for the ‘one farm, one fuel’ versatility of diesel, the

Ranger Diesel 1000 HD EPS uses primary production’s buy-anywhere fuel. This has a massive 37.6L fuel tank, classleading 907kg towing capacity, 680kg payload capacity and a rear dump box with gas-assisted dumping; it can carry 454kg of materials and a full-sized pallet. Power comes from an all-new 1028cc Kohler diesel engine with three cylinders, overhead cam and liquid-cooling. With a class-leading alternator output of 110A it can power lots of accessories including lighting that turns night into day. www.polaris.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

46 // NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Compact tractor ideal for dairy, livestock tasks MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AIMED AT small-medium dairy and livestock farmers, and building on the strengths of its maker’s previous 5R models, the new John Deere 5R Series tractors offer greater comfort, compactness and performance. With a wheelbase of 2.25 m, the new 5R family combines a one-piece curved frame design with a low centre of gravity for easy frontloader installation, and maintains manoeuvrability with a turning radius of 3.75m. The new 5090R, 5100R, 5115R and 5125R models have Stage IIIB/Interim Tier 4 (iT4) compliant 4.5L John Deere PowerTech PWX engines (90, 100, 115 and 125hp respectively). These diesel-only 4-cylinder engines deliver an extra 10hp for transport work via their Transport Power Management (TPM) system.

The new John Deere 5R series.

Transmission options include the entry level 16/16 CommandQuad manual with four ranges and four PowerShift in each range; and the 16/16 CommandQuad and the 32/16 Command8 with eight PowerShift gears and an eco mode that enables a top speed of 40km/h at only 1759 engine rpm.

All the transmissions have a fully automatic clutch, individual startup gears, individually settable speeds and an electric park lock. The premium level 32/16 Command8 also has an automatic shifting function as standard, also an option on the 16/16 CommandQuad transmission.

The new 5R Series tractors (shipping weight 4.3 tonnes) can lift up to 5.3 tonnes, have an open-centre hydraulic system with 96L/min output as standard, or can be supplied with a higher output PFC set-up delivering 117L/min. For improved operator comfort, the tractors are available with front axle

suspension with independent arms and infinite adjustment of +/-45mm that allows complete shut-off when required. An optional, maintenance-free mechanical cab suspension system uses two adjustable shock absorbers to complement the optional air-suspended seat. The newly designed cab has a tiltable steering column, Primary Display Unit corner post display, panoramic front windshield and an ergonomic control panel. For frontloader operation, John Deere offers a choice of mechanical or new electric joysticks, both linked to the tractor seat. In addition, the new 543R frontloader has automatic mast and implement latch, a 10% increase in lift capacity, higher breakout force and an increased roll-back angle. Depending on the task, both the 543R and 603R loaders are equipped with a choice of levelling options.

SHORE MOUNTED SYSTEM

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“The whole concept of the Multi-stage Pump, with its ability to change rates whenever I wanted, at different times of the season really appealed to me. Then it came down to reliability, Yardmaster have been around for a long time, the service and local support, for me, were biggies.” Rod - Matamata Farmer.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS // 47

Health, safety app makes life easier

NATIONAL FIELDAYS has received 71 entries in its

innovation awards contest, including fencing, irrigation, pasture management and animal health. And there are several app-based innovations and a virtual reality innovation, says innovations event manager Gail Hendricks. The Fieldays Innovations Centre, among other popular sites, shows inventions and new applications with potential to lead change in farming. Fieldays 2017 theme is ‘leading change’ and Hendricks says the awards are at the cutting edge. “Fieldays Innovation Awards once was about widgets and gadgets to improve farming; now we’re more seeing how science and technology is impacting agriculture.” This year, for the first time, entries are in for genetics, animal science and chemical innovations. “So this year we have two new judges who can judge the science behind these innovations,” says Hendricks. The three main categories are Fieldays Prototype Award, Fieldays Launch NZ Award and Fieldays International Award. There is also Fieldays Young Inventor of the Year, Vodafone Innovation in Technology Award, Locus Research Innovation Award, Crowe Horwath Agri Innovation Award, Tompkins Wake IP and Commercialisation Award and the Origin Intellectual Property Award. Judges consider inventiveness, design and originality, the process of innovating, commercial opportunities, intellectual property protection, technical viability and its benefit to New Zealand agriculture. Along with kudos and publicity the winners will get access to expert support and business advice thanks to the companies sponsoring each award. Entrants get exclusive access to business advisors, legal experts and product development consultants at a dedicated space in the Innovations Centre called The LAB – Powered by Locus Research. And they may meet potential investors at an invitation-only evening, Fieldays Innovations Capital sponsored by Enterprise Angels on Thursday June 15.

Farmer and app developer Jason Ham uses it on his farm.

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the production of documented processes and control plans at the touch of a button, and should prove useful in the event of an incident or accident, when processes are scrutinised by officialdom or insurance companies. The system is configured for the person in charge to allow access to users by way of a log-in; such access is revoked if employees leave or when visitors quit the property.

Solids Damage k l i M r e w o L lk Cooling i M e v o r p m I

Safety at Work Act of 2015 places the onus on owners or persons running a business, such as a farm, to identify and manage work risks as far as reasonably practicable. With this in mind, dairy farmers Jason Ham and Megan Owen have developed a farm H&S app – one that also helps the user stay in touch with people coming onto a property. Called Orange Cross, it will be shown at National Fieldays. The developers’ standpoint is that most farmers already act to ensure their staff’s and their own safety, but they may not be good at paperwork or keeping records. The app allows easy sharing of material

THE HEALTH and

property. The app is aimed chiefly at ‘the man in the paddock’ – the guy out on the farm who dislikes using the farm office and PC, but who knows deep down that he must be seen to be managing onfarm risks. This should help improve H&S ‘buyin’ by staff and contribute to structured development of farm safety. The reporting function in the full version allows

markd@ruralnews.co.nz

required when a worker joins a farm team; the system is easily adapted to individual businesses via pre-loaded templates. Once a staff member or visitor is on board, she/ he can access the farm risk register, raise concerns and help fine-tune H&S systems and practices over time. Initial information can be set up by a free version of the app, from where the purchased, full version offers extra functions such as exporting, reporting and information sharing. In use, typically on a smartphone or tablet, users will see a farm map, a risk register that can be searched and a full contact list. The risk register advises what to do to keep safe, and allows users to report issues at their current location and other locations on the

MA DE

MARK DANIEL

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

48 // NZ NATIONAL FIELDAYS

Genius grab good for three jobs in one MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

FOLLOWING PRODUCT

launches in 2016, Giltrap AgriZone will show a range of products from its European suppliers. Manufactured in Ireland, the Prodig Shear Genius grab is said to be extremely versatile around the yard and feedpad by doing three jobs in one. The shear grab has Hardox blades which allow the operator to leave a clean clamp face which helps reduce secondary fermentation; and it is adept at handling bulk quantities of grass or maize silage. Also the machine can be used to split round bales, simultaneously retaining

the film wrap and net wrap beneath for easy disposal. A third element is the bucket-like lower portion of the unit which allows easy feeding of concentrates, minerals or PKE. Althimasse front and rear weights suit front or rear mounting, either on the tractor bolster or the three point linkages. Base weights range from 600 to 1700kg, which can be supplemented by extra drop-in weights of 300 to 700kg. Rear weights can also be optioned with Cat 3 hook ends to allow for carrying implements. Meanwhile, Giltrap’s Hi-Spec range of side spreaders are worth a look, given that manure and effluent use are a necessary and popular means of reducing fertiliser costs and

Giltrap Agrizone will show off a range of European products.

cutting pollution. Available in 5. 75cu.m and 7.3cu.m capacities, the 800 and 1000 model are based around a heavy-duty chassis frame carrying the main spreader body.

Through the body a 170mm rotor shaft, supported by external 65mm rotor bearings, in turn carries 12mm chains with heavy-duty flails, said to give easy start-up and unloading.

All machines are finished with an anti-corrosive base coat and high-grade enamel top coat for durability and a long service life. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

All clear for GoClear THE MAKERS of the New Zealand-

made diesel exhaust fluid GoClear have gained certification from International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) for their manufacturing and testing processes for GoClear production. GoClear has been made to the ISO22241 standard by Ballance AgriNutrient’s Kapuni urea plant in Taranaki since 2009, a replacement for imported product. IANZ, a Crown entity set up in 1972, audits technical competence and quality processes of professional services in NZ. Marcus Butterfield, product specialist at Ixom, the national distributor of GoClear, says the many buyers of expensive SCR-equipped equipment need premium quality diesel exhaust fluid. “Gaining accreditation for GoClear testing assures customers that we have competent staff, properly calibrated equipment, validated testing methods, and internal and external quality control checks.”

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

MANAGEMENT // 49

Stored versus grazed forages One final thing that has impressed me this season is that, despite the difficulties I outlined above, maize silage has still shown its versatility. In my opinion, it has to be one of the best farm

been among the most difficult I have ever experienced. A cold wet spring meant many maize crops were planted late. This has happened in the past but hasn’t really been a problem as the warm summers that often follow a cold spring have allowed the maize to catch up and so be harvested on time. This summer, however, was cooler than normal and it meant that many crops that got planted late, stayed late. Once again, a warm autumn would normally mean that though the crops would be late, they wouldn’t be too late. However, just as harvest had begun we got hit by two cyclones which meant harvest was delayed even further. Some maize has been harvested quite dry. Contractors have done an excellent job chopping it short and ensuring enough tractor weight on the stack to get the necessary compaction given the crops’ dryness. As I write, most crops have now been harvested and are safely in the stack ready to be fed out to dairy cows. Great autumn Fortunately, the late harvest of the maize crops hasn’t been a problem on most dairy farms as the cool summer and then the wet autumn has meant there has been more than enough grass around. On many dairy farms milk production is holding up and cow condition is reasonable. This has meant that many farmers will be able to milk well into late May. Feeding maize in late lactation and during the dry period: given the above scenario, knowing when and how to feed maize is critical. There are a few things you need to remember in order to turn as much of this feed into milk as possible. These are: 1. Only feed your silage if you really need it. If you don’t have a feed deficit, leave the stack unopened until you do. If the maize silage has been harvested

and stacked properly, it will remain as good as the day it was ensiled until you start feeding it. 2. Once you open the stack, ensure that you manage it well. This means keeping the face very tight, no fluffing it up when you are unloading. Try to get across the face at least every second day. Ensure that any loose material in front of the stack is cleaned up after the feeding has been done. Make yourself a stack face cover from wind cloth or bird netting to stop the birds pulling down loose material. 3. Use maize to build pasture cover in preparation for calving. Feeding maize in the late lactation/early dry period is a great way of building pasture cover levels to what you want at calving. Once these levels have been achieved, it is easy to manage them through spring by either speeding up or slowing the round down, depending on what the winter delivers. 4. Use maize silage to achieve your target body condition scores (BCS). These are as follows: mature cows BCS 5.0; and first and second calvers BCS 5.5. There has been some thought in recent years that if your cows gain weight too quickly during the dry period it will have a negative effect on production, reproduction or animal health. A trial done a couple of years ago by DairyNZ looked at the issue and they found that there was no difference in milk production, reproduction or cow health in cows that gained weight at different rates. So, it doesn’t really matter how fast or slow they gain weight, if your cows are below their ideal BCS, maize silage is a wonderful feed for putting weight on them.

systems feed available to farmers. • Ian Williams is a Pioneer forage specialist. Contact him at iwilliams@genetic. co.nz @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

50 // MANAGEMENT

Handling bobby calves: same g PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

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Bruce Eyers, DairyNZ, explains the new rules around bobby calves handling.

play the same game with the new bobby calf rules – farmer, transporter and processor, says DairyNZ animal husbandry specialist Bruce Eyers. Farmers must see to two key things: the calves must be in a warm and

dry place ready for pickup, and they must be able to walk onto the truck, Eyers explained to a Dairy Womens Network calving workshop in Wellsford. “The truck driver or the transporter has to do the same thing: provide shelter for that calf while it is being transported. The same requirement is on the processor: when they reach the yards they must be provided with shelter. “So every group in the chain must now do the same thing.” And there are other

significant changes, he says. The guidelines on feed have historically been that calves should be fed within two hours of pickup. But now they must be killed within 24 hours of their last feed. “You will have to have some form of documentation to prove that.” Obligations are placed on the three parties involved: farmers must feed calves at a set time in consultation with the transporter and processor, and the transporter must get them to the works in

sufficient time for them to be killed within the 24 hours. Eyers says farmers tell him they are busy enough now without having to do more paperwork, but nevertheless it will protect them. Processing companies will provide the documentation, similar to that for culled cows. “The paperwork protects you; you have to demonstrate due process… that you have done everything reasonable to care for this calf before it went on this truck.”

TO WALK UP OR NOT? THE NEW rule that bobby calves must be able to walk onto the truck prompts the most questions, says Eyers. “You can use or convert whatever resource you’ve got as long as they can walk on the truck and they are warm and sheltered,” he says. “Talk to your transporter before the calving season starts. Get them to come and have a look at what you’ve got; see if that is going to work for them. Some say they are fine with walking them up a ramp; others say they are not going to walk them up a ramp.” Eyers says there are lots of ways of keeping calves warm and dry and able to walk onto a truck. He has seen farmers put a pen at the top of an earth ramp, convert existing stock yards for warmth and shelter, and using raised shelters which the trucks can back onto. “You cannot have animals housed within 20m of the point of collection for milk. But if they are just being held there for an hour or two before they get picked up, that is fine. The difference between holding and housing is 24 hours.” You can’t use old bobby calf pens

because it is forbidden to lift calves onto a truck. The average truckie in the past may have picked up one tonne of calves a day; the transport companies now say the health and safety rules forbid this. “If you have a sulking calf that won’t get up you can lift it, but… you must be able to demonstrate you are not doing that as a matter of course.” But he has seen old bobby calf pens raised (the average truck tray height is 1.2m) and roofed and that is ok. Eyers says he is often asked why they are called bobby calves; the answer, in the 1960s when the currency was ‘pounds, shillings and pence’, farmers were paid a ‘bob’ (one shilling) for a calf. (One shilling then bought three popsicle-type iceblocks. Ed.) Last year the NZ dairy industry produced 4.6 million calves, of which 1.9m were bobby calves. A calving challenging for the NZ industry is that the calves are all produced within the same time frame, in contrast to other countries. Many of NZ’s calves are produced within about two months.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

MANAGEMENT // 51

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take effect on August 1. The calves must be fit for transport – four days old, physically fit, ears up, bright and animated, correctly tagged, no scours, firm hooves, standing and walking and be fedEyers suggests farmers post these rules on their calf pen, so that if they are ever audited – there will be random audits – they can show they are doing things right. DairyNZ has a handy fit for transport poster. Reusable plastic-coated posters can be ordered here www.dairynz.co.nz/ fitfortransport He says the hard hoof rule is interesting: MPI vets have told him “the hooves never lie”. The vets normally check whether the hooves are hard and flat; if they are round and soft the calf is definitely under four days old. The person the supply number is registered to is ultimately responsible, but anyone in charge of the calves prior to pick-up has a duty of care. “If things go pearshaped, it will be as much the person who was in charge, as the owner of the farm.” A workshop attendee said farmers may not see bobby calves as worth the extra work. Eyers agreed that farmers may prefer to euthanise them on farm. This is still an option, provided it is done humanely. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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The documentation will be in triplicate for the three parties. “Another change is to the maximum journey for calves – 12 hours.” Truckies must confirm the calves are fit for transport, and if they are not happy they must leave them behind, but they have to state they have done so and the reason. The processor must check them after they come off the truck. If they are dead on arrival, die soon after arrival or have to be euthanised on arrival, all those calves will be autopsied. The vet will be looking for due cause. (The inspecting vets will be employed by the Ministry for Primary Industries.) “If they haven’t been fed for more than 24 hours, the farmer is liable; if they obviously were injured [on the truck] the truckie is liable; if they died from exposure because the processor obviously left them in the wind and the rain, the processor is liable,” Eyers says. A fine system will work much like that for motorists’ speeding tickets. If calves die, whoever is at fault must pay an instant fine of $500 per calf, unless deliberate cruelty can be proven, then stronger action will be taken. Instant fines are much easier to administer than using the court system, Eyers says. The 24-hour feeding rule took effect on February 1 this year. The warm and dry housing rule will

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

52 // MANAGEMENT

The margins of marginal milk SOME FARMERS worldwide don’t focus enough on the metrics that measure financial metrics, but instead tend to focus on the biological side of their business. That was one message from DairyNZ principal scientist Dr John Roche, speaking at a recent dairy farmers’ forum in Manawatu on the subject of marginal milk. Numbers don’t spin many farmers’ wheels, Roche says. Many farmers analysing the true cost of marginal milk often don’t take into account all the associated costs. They often talk about the margin over feed which accounts for the milk production associated with supplementing the cow and the cost of feed, but do not account for other non-feed costs such as fuel, labour and repairs and maintenance. “We consider as base milk the milk we’re producing before we change our system, and the additional milk when we change the system we consider to be marginal milk – so it could be pasture-only to pasture plus supplement. “Or the system may already be doing 1200kgMS with pasture plus supplement (base milk) and the farmer decides to put more sup-

plement in to get to 1500kgMS/ha. ers looking at producing marIn this case, the 300kg is the marginal milk. He notes, for example, ginal milk. Any milk produced with that when stocking rates increase bought-in feed or wintering off or and supplement is used, pasture utilisation cows on crop is often declines. marginal milk.” Depending on Milk prothe supplement duced from they use, farmincreasing ers need to do stocking rates their maths by intensificaproperly to tion is also marmake sure the ginal milk, says marginal milk Roche. Calcuthey are prolating the true ducing does cost of marginal not cost more milk is an exact DairyNZ principal scientist, John than the milk science and not Roche. price; otheralways easy; it wise, while the MS produced may will vary from farm to farm. Using the benchmarking tool look good, the profit line is negaDairyBase is good because it gives tively affected. Roche says they have examples accurate comparisons between of increased stocking rates and years, Roche says. “In working out the cost of the use of supplements pushing marginal milk it is important to the cost of marginal milk to more note that about 50-60% of the than $7.80/kgMS. While Roche stops short of cost onfarm is a per-cow cost. For example 90% of the vet bill is a saying farmers are obsessed with per-cow cost, 95% of the breeding producing more milk -- some of bill is a per-cow cost and electric- which is not profitable -- he says ity and shed costs are almost all measuring milk production is easy and looks good. per-cow costs.” “To be fair, every day the farmer Roche has a warning for farm-

gets a docket which says how much milk he/she produced, so it is easy to focus on that. Not all NZ farmers focus on that but it is an easy figure to know off the top of their head. A person only knows their total cost of production at the end of the year; they are only going to know the cost of their marginal milk if they collect that data over multiple years.” The impact of marginal milk on the environment can be an issue, especially if stocking rates are increased at sensitive times of the year, Roche says. Market volatility over the past few years has been a wake-up call for many farmers and they are now looking more closely at their business and starting to become more tactical in the way they use supplements and control their costs. The vagaries of weather and international markets have hit farmers, some being forced to buy in supplements just to keep their businesses running. By using good data, some farmers have culled poor producing cows and reduced overall cows but not at the expense of production and profit. Some have also turned to once-a-day milking.

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Helping livestock cope in winter chill RESEARCH IS turning up better understanding of how livestock cope with wintry weather, and ways to help manage them in these seasons, says AgResearch. Concern for animal welfare is understandable, says animal welfare science leader Jim Webster. “Our research into dairy cows tells us they can generally cope well in cold weather, as long as they are in good condition, healthy and well fed. While extreme cold can stress animals, they are able to adjust by thickening of their skin and coats, and drawing on their fat reserves. “Cows are typically more affected by heat than by cold because lactation and rumination generate heat which can protect against cold, but can cause overheating in warm weather. “Rain and wind are the threats to New Zealand cows.... They don’t want to lie down in wet or muddy conditions. We know that daily periods of lying down are important for cows, and if they don’t lie down enough, this harms their health and productivity. Farmers can support cows through the coldest and wettest periods by providing shelter where practical, because cows will naturally seek it out in rainy and windy conditions, AgResearch says. Extra feed can be a buffer by generating energy and heat as food is digested -- before bad weather sets in, because cows may tend to reduce their food intake during wet and cold weather. Cows must have good fat reserves to draw on going into the coldest periods, and farmers must keep a close eye on younger and thinner animals that are more sensitive to inclement weather. “Another thing farmers can do is to provide dry, comfortable areas for the cows to lie in during the cold and wet conditions,” Webster says. “Typically they will lie down less during these times, so looking for ways to increase this behaviour will be a real benefit.” DairyNZ’s animal husbandry and welfare specialist Helen Thoday says during a combination of cold, wind and rain farmers should ensure cows can access shelter. “It’s good practice when cows are grazing winter crops to fence them front and back, allowing them to access only a narrow strip of fodder at any one time. This helps to protect the soil and prevent them from stamping over and spoiling fodder,” she says.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

MANAGEMENT // 53

Bugs work magic, eliminates odour SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

AFTER INSTALLING

a new $70,000 effluent pond early last year, farmer Phil Walter was a happy man: he was compliant with Waikato Regional Council’s effluent management rules. However, several months later while working on a neighbouring property he owned across the road, Walter noticed a foul smell coming from his effluent pond. The surface had developed a crust, and his nieghbours, 120m from the pond, were raising the issue with him. Walter sympathised with the neighbours: “I was on my bike across the road; the smell was bad and I was facing a dilemma,” he told Dairy News. He got in touch with his pond installer who put him onto Biomagic, a company that produces Impact, a biological treatment that reduces crust

build-up and removes odour. Three months after he started using Biomagic, Walter noticed the crust had disappeared and the odour was gone. “Biomagic guys came out here, put me onto a product that addresses the smell and also sold me a monthly product. The little bugs work; it took a couple of months but the crust and stench were both gone.” Walter says he spends about $180 a month on Biomagic products. “$2000 a year to keep the bad smell away is not a big price to pay; it gives me peace of mind…. As a farmer I enjoy a good relationship with my neighbours; I don’t intend to cause them discomfort in any way.” The benefits of using Biomagic are not only confined to keeping bad odour away. Walter says effluent treated with Biomagic product is more palatable to cows, allowing better grazing man-

IT’S MAGIC! ACCORDING TO Biomagic, typical effluent ponds are dominated by anaerobic bacteria. The product Impact converts the pond to an aerobic state dominated by aerobic bacteria which digest effluent up to 12 times faster. Once digested, the effluent can increase the plant available nitrogen up to 300% and the solids and odour are substantially reduced The maker says Impact is a liquid made up of organic compounds with over 100 bacterial and fungal species, complete with macro- and micronutrients and trace elements that contribute to the product’s vigor and digestive power. The ingredients are naturally occurring in the environment.

agement. “The stuff we are putting on our paddocks is more watery and I’ve noticed the cows start eating pasture within two or three days. With my old effluent system, the blacker heavier stuff seemed to make the pasture too rich for the cows; they wouldn’t eat it until the next round of grazing 25 days later.” Walter milks 300 cows on two adjoining 150cow units at Otaua, about 100km north of Hamilton. The cows are dried off in May and wintered on one property. His old effluent system consisted of smaller

ponds; to meet WRC regulations he built the new pond, located about 50m from the milking shed next to a stand-off feed pad. A weeping wall system separates effluent solids and liquid. A sump is located on lower ground between the cow shed and the effluent pond; effluent gravitates from both the cow shed and feed pad and is then either pumped out to an irrigator or to the effluent pond depending on weather. “Right now the whole effluent management system is being smashed into us and quite rightly

Farmer Phil Walter says bad odour from the effluent pond is now a thing of the past.

so; the effluent ponds are expensive and farmers are making sure they have an efficient system.” Walter says he could have located his effluent

pond about 600m further down his farm but the cost of setting up pumps to move effluent around would have been greater. He says bad smell from

the pond caught him off guard. “I thought everything was under control until it started to smell but the bugs have worked their magic.”

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

54 // ANIMAL HEALTH / FEED

Changing climate prompts Oz farmers to think new RICK BAYNE

OVER THE past 20 years

the climate has changed at the farm of Karrinjeet Singh-Mahil and Schuler in Crossley, southwest Victoria; and the paddocks have changed with it. When Schuler went on the farm in 1997 ryegrass was the dominant crop, plus some chicory for variety. Today, ryegrass plugs holes rather than being the dominant species and they grow a “fruit salad” of varieties to ensure year-round green feed. “What we’re growing on the ground is totally different from 20 years ago,” Karrinjeet says. Solar panels, a 50% bigger effluent pond and more use of recycled water add to the farm’s recognition that the times are a-changing. They’ve had to change to keep pace with the changing conditions and they expect to keep evolving. Karrinjeet says warmer soils, stronger winds, more ‘bad’ seasons and

longer summers are forcing changes. “We’ve sure noticed it’s different; we used to get one bad season occasionally, now the bad seasons outnumber the good seasons,” she says. “We’ll have to continue adapting; we’re going to be running to keep up with it for a long time.” The farm has one large “fruit salad” paddock with chicory, clovers, lucerne, ryegrass, fescue, phalaris, cocksfoot and plantain. “There’s always something growing in this paddock; if one species isn’t working, another will,” Karrinjeet says. Other paddocks have a double-mix of phalaris and cocksfoot or summeractive lucerne and winteractive plantain, plus tall fescue with chicory. The new mix of crops started about four years ago when Karrinjeet and Brian noticed erosion between plants and changes to how things were growing. “Ryegrass stops growing when it gets too hot, so for five months of the year we don’t get much

value out of it,” Karrinjeet says. “We get a lot of wind here. We think -- and it’s backed up by climate science -- that as the temperature of the earth is warming, the winds are getting stronger and we’re finding because summers are longer, drier and hotter, rather than just going dormant over summer a lot of ryegrass is dying. “We have beautiful free-draining hills so we don’t have an issue with mud and access, but the best quality soil is most prone to erosion.” They have turned to deeper-rooting and summer active species and aim to have yearround cover for their soil. Some of the new seed varieties are more expensive than ryegrass and harder to establish which has required trial and error along the way, but the results have been pleasing. “All year our cows have green feed,” Karrinjeet says. “That’s what we want. If you’re feeding more green there’s less

methane produced by the cow.” They aimed for crops with bumper harvests, with brought-in feed limited to lucerne for the calving season and minimal silage. “Our main milking herd has not had a single thing fed out to it this season – no hay, no silage,” Karrinjeet says. “We deliberately don’t make a huge amount of silage. We had a red

Brian Schuler and Karrinjeet Singh-Mahil on their farm in Victoria.

wheat crop we grazed three times for really good winter feed and then closed it up for silage, but in general we try to keep silage to a minimum which saves on harvesting costs, plastic, diesel and man hours feeding it out.” The farm has an irrigation licence but only uses

it in an emergency. “We don’t want to become dependent on it because it is expensive environmentally and it’s costly to run and it takes time and energy,” she says. Brian says the emphasis is on growing feed that best suits the cows and the land.

“Instead of buying in a whole lot of energy and protein we can actually grow it by changing our crops and our system. We won’t always get it right but if we try something and it works then we’ll keep going with it.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Mind biosecurity during move RECENT FINDS of myrtle rust and the pest plant velvetleaf in the Waikato region underline why it’s crucial for farmers to be careful as they move stock and equipment, says Waikato Regional Council. Moving Day (once called ‘gypsy day’) occurs in the week leading up to and immediately following June 1 each year. Share- and contract-milkers move their cows en masse, and their equipment, relocating in time for the new season. “Biosecurity starts at the farm gate,” says the council’s pest plants team leader Darion Embling. “It’s clear that farmers and con-

tractors have an important role to play in preventing the spread of pest plants through good onfarm biosecurity practices.” He says machinery hygiene is especially important as stock, machines and vehicles move between farms. “To help stop the spread of dangerous weeds and animal pests, and disease, clean vehicles, machinery and equipment before shifting them. Machinery should be cleaned so no visible soil or plant matter remains which might spread pests or weeds. This helps ensure the health of agriculture in our region.”

Last year unclean machinery was known to have helped spread velvetleaf in the region. And to help avoid stock effluent ending up on the road during shifts, farmers should stand their stock off green pasture for a minimum of four hours with water before transporting. Other tips include: confirm stock pick-up times in advance; move stock close to the loading ramp the day before; use dry feed before transport because it results in less effluent; if possible, quarantine stock for 24 hours before moving and on arrival.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

ANIMAL HEALTH // 55

Accurate diagnosis of calf-scour pathogens will allow more effective treatment.

Go straight to diagnosis when calves scour GEMMA CHUCK

WET, WINTERY weather often

coincides with busy calving periods and an abundance of young and vulnerable calves. A change in weather can exacerbate the environmental challenge of many calf-scour pathogens, resulting in an increase in morbidity at this time of the year. Why is diagnosis important? Many pathogens cause calf diarrhoea and these affect calves at different ages. Often multiple pathogens affect an individual calf at the same time. Common bacteria affecting young calves include E.coli and Salmonella and only these bacterial pathogens will respond to antibiotics. Viral pathogens, including rotavirus and coronavirus, and protozoa such as cryptosporidia and coccidia, will not respond to antibiotics. So it is essential to get an accurate and representative diagnosis to avoid unnecessary and inappropriate treatment. Some causes of calf diarrhoea are preventable by vaccination. However, the vaccines are very specific to the pathogen. For example, this means that a vaccine indicated for the prevention of rotavirus will be ineffective against Salmonella and vice versa. Accurate diagnosis of calf-scour pathogens allows more effective and targeted treatment. Remember, calves are usually infected with multiple pathogens at the same time and these may require differing treatments and/or preventative strategies. Removing the guess-work Diagnosis of calf-scour pathogens is usually based on faecal analysis or samples at necropsy. When taking faecal samples, it is important to obtain samples from untreated calves early in the disease process. Calves already treated with anti-

5. Once the sample has been colbiotics should not be sampled as the antibiotic treatment can interfere lected, secure the lid tightly and place with test results. It is essential that in a zip lock bag. This will make you calves are sampled before any treat- popular with your vet. 6. Either drop off the samples to ment and it is useful to keep some sterile sample pots for this purpose. your vet clinic or store in the fridge Despite many calves being for no more than 24 hours. 7. Take care when handling faecal infected with multiple pathogens, not all the causative pathogens will samples as some of the calf-scour be continually present in the faeces pathogens are zoonotic, meaning they can cause disease in humans. of a scouring calf. What happens next? As a result it is pruSamples can be tested dent to take samples in-clinic or sent away to from at least three (preferably six) calves to help an external laboratory. isolate all the causative The in-clinic tests can pathogens and avoid provide a good indicainconclusive results. If tion of which pathogens only one or two calves are involved but their are sampled, then patho- Gemma Chuck major limitation is they gens can be missed and calves may do not test for Salmonella. appear unresponsive to treatment. These tests will help determine Necropsies should be performed viral scour pathogens E.coli and crypby veterinarians as soon as possible tosporidia and can be done immediafter the calf has died to improve ately upon collection of the samples. the chance of obtaining represen- However, if there is an outbreak of tative samples. Necropsies are best calf scours involving the sudden performed early on in the disease death of lots of calves, it is wise to get process and it may be necessary to the samples submitted to an exterperform a sacrificial necropsy to nal laboratory, as Salmonella may be determine the underlying causes. suspected. How to take a faecal sample The turn-around time is slower 1. Pre-label the sterile sample pot with external laboratory analysis with a calf ID, age of calf, your name but all the pathogens are tested for, and the date. including different Salmonella spe2. Adequate restraint of the calf is cies. Various vaccines exist to help required to obtain a sample. An assis- prevent Salmonella and an accurate tant may be necessary. diagnosis is important for future 3. Wearing disposable gloves, stock. External laboratories will also insert your index finger into the test the bacterial pathogens for resisrectum of the calf and hold there. tance to different antibiotics. Patience is a virtue. Don’t be tempted Regardless of the diagnostic tests to wiggle your finger around because used, it is important to record disthis can cause damage to the lining of ease events such numbers of sick and the rectum and blood may appear in dead calves so your veterinarian can the sample as a direct result of this. obtain an accurate history during a 4. With your other gloved hand, disease outbreak. hold the open sample pot below the • Gemma Chuck is a vet with Apiam level of the anus, to catch the liquid Animal Health Ltd in Victoria. @dairy_news faeces as it passes. Careful, it can be facebook.com/dairynews explosive.

“We make better informed decisions” “For example, we used to think we were better off to boost the amount of teat spray we were using during periods of high risk. Since FIL became involved, we don’t do that.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 30, 2017

56 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Needless culling of cows too costly PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

FARMERS COULD

save hundreds of millions annually by reducing the number of cows removed

DairyNZ senior scientist Dr Claire Phyn.

from their herds for involuntary or avoidable reasons. DairyNZ senior scientist Dr Claire Phyn says the average ‘removal’ rate on dairy farms is now 21%, but if farmers

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ing animals that are more robust and healthy.” Getting the BCS correct is very important, says Phyn. She notes recent DairyNZled research that shows cows with lower-thandesired calving BCS have less immunity and are at a greater risk of uterine infections, and cows that are too fat are susceptible to metabolic diseases. Phyn says improving the health of cows during the three-four weeks after calving can have a major long-term impact. The risk of onfarm death is much higher during the first month post-calving, especially for mature cows. Much culling originates in this period. Genetics also plays a part in this exercise; DairyNZ is working with NZAEL who manage the national breeding objective and a Dunedin company, AbacusBio, to get better data on this issue. “They are looking at a better way of calculating survival breeding values. At the moment, in the BW we have a residual survival breeding value and we think we can do a better job by turning that into a functional survival breeding value that will make it easier for farmers to breed cows that are inherently healthier and last longer in the herd,” she says. Scientists are also looking at whether in large intensive dairy farming operations the rate of animal attrition is higher. Research overseas shows this is so, Phyn says. A study with Massey University of national data from 1990 to 2013 suggests that onfarm mortality rates have increased over the past decade, but there are no signs this is associated with greater herd sizes. Phyn says if farmers pay close attention to cow health, especially during the post-calving period, their profits will benefit.