$6-plus payout looking likely. PAGE 3 ONCE-A-DAY MILKING Interest is rising PAGE 18
JANUARY 22, 2019 ISSUE 415 // www.dairynews.co.nz
BRING ON 2019 “We need to push the positives because we have a very good story to tell.” – Tim Mackle, DairyNZ PAGE 8
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
NEWS // 3
$6-plus payout looking likely PAM TIPA Denitrification wall. PG.12
pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
A FARMGATE milk price at the
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NEWS ������������������������������������������������������3-13 OPINION ���������������������������������������������� 14-15 AGRIBUSINESS ������������������������������������16 MANAGEMENT ��������������������������������18-19 ANIMAL HEALTH ��������������������������� 20-21 FARM DAIRIES ��������������������������������22-24 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS ���������������������������������������25-27
upper end of Fonterra’s forecast is now on the cards. A milk price over $6/kgMS looks likely, several bank economists say. After the 4.2% jump in the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) overall index last week Westpac led the charge last week, upgrading by 20c to $6.30/ kgMS. Fonterra’s current farmgate forecast is $6-$6.30/kgMS. No other banks are revising upwards at this stage but say at least they won’t be going down. Rabobank is forecasting $6.25/ kgMS for the 2018-19 season and says last week’s GDT result underpins that. ANZ says while it has yet to revise the result, at least it removes the downside risk to its $6.10/kgMS forecast. BNZ says a milk price over $6/ kgMS for 2018-19 is now more likely. ASB is holding at $6/kgMS for now. Westpac’s Anne Boniface says GDT dairy prices have now risen 7% over the last month and are up 11% from their November lows. Last week’s result was led by a 10.3% jump in skim milk powder (SMP) prices, while whole milk powder (WMP) prices were also up a solid 3% to US$2777/t, Boniface
says. The recent lift in SMP prices is particularly notable given the 14.5% increase in the volume of SMP sold in the most recent auction. Usually the volume of SMP sold gradually falls at this time of year. ANZ’s Susan Kilsby says the latest auction and the upward run in prices over the last three months have removed most downside risks to their $6.10/kgMS forecast. “I am quite confident now that we will see a milk price over $6/ kgMS this season but we haven’t done an official revision yet,” she told Dairy News. Last week’s GDT rise was a little stronger than expected by the market, particularly the lift in skim milk powder pricing. “Market sentiment has changed and we are starting to see buyers jumping back in because prices are looking like they are moving back up.” Milk production growth across the globe has slowed down, she says. Buyers are becoming active before prices go higher. BNZ’s Doug Steel told Dairy News GDT dairy prices last week posted the biggest gain in nearly a year and the fourth consecutive rise. Even in the context of a circa 2% lift in the NZ dollar since the previous auction, it generates a net
upward influence on NZ milk price calculations. A milk price over $6/kgMS for 2018-19 is now more likely, he says. Noting the jump in SMP prices, he says there is even more upside potential here, if the
average spread to WMP before the big stock build in 2016 were to reassert itself. “There were certainly no hints of fading demand on account of recent equity market wobbles or slowing growth in China. Indeed, unsatisfied bidder numbers rose. WMP prices remain below the RBNZ’s $US3000/t medium term projection, but a bit less so than before.” The quantity sold at this event was nearly 20% higher than a year ago, he says. “More volume at higher prices; it’s all good for income.”
Susan Kilsby, ANZ
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
4 // NEWS
Milk powder sell-off behind price hike PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
A BIG reduction in Euro-
pean stocks of skim milk powder (SMP) was behind its whopping 10.3% rise in
price at last week’s auction, economists concur. Westpac’s Anne Boniface says the EU Commission has all but removed SMP stocks sitting in warehouses – at least on paper. Buyers are look-
ing to procure SMP while prices are still affordable. BNZ’s Doug Steel says New Zealand may be having a very strong milk season “but make no mistake, Europe is in the driving seat of internaPrice for skim milk powder rose 10% on GDT last week.
on
tional dairy prices at the moment”. “Flat EU milk production and a rapid unwind of the EU’s previously massive stockpile of skim milk powder (SMP) is boosting prices.” ANZ’s Susan Kilsby says stocks in Europe have overhung the market for a couple of years but they are now moving through the market quickly – a positive sign the market is absorbing more product than is currently being produced. That is adding to the positive sentiment in the market. ASB’s Nathan Penny says EU has come to the
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aid of the dairy party. “And it’s about time too! Over the last few years, the spectre of large EU intervention stocks has cast a shadow over SMP prices. “Global dairy prices have also been impacted more generally, albeit to a lesser degree. “Now though, the EU has sold down a significant portion of these stocks, which looks to be enough to convince the dairy market to release the shackles on skim milk prices.” Kilsby says another factor in last week’s GDT results is that China
THE NUMBER of dairy cattle has
dipped for the second year, while beef cattle numbers increased strongly in 2018, Stats NZ said last week. Provisional figures from the 2018 agricultural production census showed dairy cattle numbers fell 1% to 6.4 million in June 2018.
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a result of those higher tariffs. It is costing more to produce milk in China and creating a greater incentive to import dairy product which is cheaper.” Boniface says North Asia buyers dominated by China gobbled up at least 60% of the product on offer this month – well above average levels for this time of year. It may be in part be due to poor domestic milk production growth in China, but she notes it comes when data is showing a slowing of growth in China. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
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demand has moved back up to levels of a year ago but the economic signals coming out of China are not as positive. “There are a lot of negative economic indicators in that market. But we are reasonably confident in the short term that this won’t flow through to demand for dairy products…. There will be a bit of resilience there.” China’s own dairy farmers are facing higher costs as a consequence of the US-China trade war. “They import a lot of feed from the US…. those costs have risen as
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“This followed a similar small dip in 2017, though overall dairy cattle numbers have been relatively steady since 2012,” agricultural production statistics manager Stuart Pitts said. Total dairy cattle were at their highest level in 2014 at 6.7 million. “Dairy products are a huge
export for New Zealand. The value of milk powder, butter and cheese exports for the year ended June 2018 was 14.1 billion,” Pitts said. Beef cattle numbers rose for the second year in a row, up 5% to 3.8 million in 2018. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
NEWS // 5
Brexit chaos no surprise PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
NO SURPRISE really:
What’s on the horizon? British PM Theresa May still hopes to finalise a Brexit deal.
“I am not surprised at what’s happened and I have always said this was going to go down to the wire and that’s exactly what’s happened.” all that does is delay the inevitable and if anything makes things harder. The divisiveness that would occur in the UK would just cause more pain, so at this stage I believe they will stick with March 29.” During the Brexit debate last week there
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was more talk about holding another referendum, but Petersen believes this is unlikely. “It would be crippling for the UK and would tear it apart and so I think another referendum is unlikely,” he says. While UK politicians try to sort out the Brexit mess there is nothing NZ can do except sit and watch. Petersen says the matter is in the hands of the decisionmakers in Brussels and London. The good news is that the kerfuffle over Brexit does not affect NZ’s negotiations for an FTA with the EU.
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that’s the reaction of NZ’s agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen to the rejection last week by the British Parliament of Theresa May’s proposal for Britain to leave the EU. He says it was well signalled that the vote was not going to go through but few predicted the scale by which it was rejected. Petersen told Dairy News that he’s always believed the vote wouldn’t pass its first reading and would force the UK and Europe to seek other concessions to get a deal across the line “This sends a big message to Brussels and London that they need to do more, in particular try to address the Irish backstop issue which seems to be the big sticking point. I don’t have any answers for that, but they need to provide some assurance on it. “I am not surprised at what’s happened and I have always said this was going to go down to the wire and that’s exactly what’s happened,” he says. Petersen says that with no deal in sight as the March 29 exit deadline looms, there is a chance the process could be delayed. But both the
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
6 // NEWS
All signs point to M.bovis eradication NIGEL MALTHUS
A REPORT due to be officially released in a few weeks from MPI’s Mycoplasma bovis technical advisory group (TAG) is expected to confirm the TAG’s optimism that the disease can be eradicated. An interim verbal report from the TAG has already been presented to the Government in December, when it was welcomed by Prime Minister Jacinda Adern, Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor, DairyNZ and others. MPI M.bovis incident controller Catherine Duthie said the TAG, made up of local and overseas experts, met late last year to look at how the phased eradication approach was working and to form an opinion on whether eradication was still considered technically feasible. Duthie said their report was being finalised and would be released in the coming weeks.
A BiosecurityNZ map showing properties under M.bovis controls as at January 11, 2019.
251 FARMS UNDER CONTROL A RECENT MPI report says 251 properties are now under some form of control because of the disease. As at January 11, 62 farms were listed as restricted places (RPs), of which 36 were active infected properties (IPs). Those 36 – nine in the North Island and 27 in the South – were made up of 16 dairy farms, 18 beef and two “other”. 51 farms previously logged as IPs have now been destocked, cleaned and cleared to resume farming. In addition to the 62, another 189 properties are listed as under
“Late last year the TAG chair gave a verbal briefing, reporting that the TAG members feel substantial progress has been made towards eradication so far and that they are more optimistic than they were six months ago that eradication is feasible,” she said. “They have drawn confidence from the recent national spring bulk milk testing programme and calf rearing survey and from the genetic analysis showing that we are
a notice of direction (NOD), which imposes some restrictions on stock movements from the property, and is usually imposed when test results are pending. MPI says 70-80% of NODs are lifted following negative test results. An MPI Biosecurity map of the affected properties, also dated January 11, shows only Bay of Plenty and the South Island West Coast are free of affected farms. NODs have previously been in force on the West Coast but have since been lifted.
dealing with a single and recently introduced strain of M.bovis. “While the hard work is underway right now and expected to continue over the next two years or so, surveillance and testing will be ongoing for a few years yet before we can say New Zealand is free from M.bovis. We have a long way to go yet but it’s reassuring to have this endorsement that we’re on track,” said Duthie. She said MPI will keep
farmers and their families at the centre of all its efforts as the eradication proceeds. “I am always conscious that farmers whose properties are connected to the trace network -- especially those who are put under movement controls -- are experiencing a challenging time and many are still dealing with the effects of these controls. While these farmers can take heart that their efforts have not been in vain, we know a number
relatively recent incursion from late 2015-early 2016. “The response started nearly 18 months ago and as the coalition Government and the farming industry learns more about the disease, processes may change, but at this stage I have confidence the approach we are taking to eradicate is the right one and we remain committed to this,” she said. Two testing programmes aimed at gauging the spread of the disease have returned no
undetected clusters. The spring bulk milk testing on all 11,300 dairy farms has identified only three infected properties that were already known trace properties, and to date there have been no positive test results in the beef calf rearing survey. “Based on all the evidence presented to us, we are confident that eradication is possible and that we are on track to preserve the value of our national herd and economic base,” said Damien O’Connor.
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of people are still doing the hard yards and this news may be of little consolation to them.” Duthie said people could expect to see the momentum continuing throughout 2019. Following the December interim report, Prime Minister Adern said the eradication response was making substantial progress. “The TAG is more optimistic than six months ago, having confirmed that evidence shows we are currently dealing with a single and
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
NEWS // 7
Bumper crops boost feeding PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
MANY FARMERS in
the lower North Island and Taranaki are a bit embarrassed by the oversupply of feed they have on their farms. DairyNZ’s Rob Brazendale, the head of extension for that region, says huge amounts of supplements and pasture are being produced and it’s a great season. Maize crops in particular are doing very well. “The early sown crops have done fantastically well and are flowering, but the later sown ones have a suffered from being a little too wet and are patchy. But overall we can expect good yields providing we get some heat from now on and that is key,” he says. Normally at this time of year, the winds are from the north, but this season the winds have been mostly southerly, they have not been cold, he says. Not only are maize crops doing well, but this season has seen great crops of turnips, and farmers are having to feed
FE WORRY WHILE THE wet warm weather has produced exceptional pasture growth, there is a bit of a sting in the tail in the form of facial eczema (FE). Rob Brazendale says he’s been looking at the monitoring sites and while spore counts are low, the suggestion is that FE may arrive earlier than it normally would. “I think the risks of FE are relatively high now especially with the amount of dead grass in pastures
these out earlier than normal. Brazendale says the sight of extra bailage and silage on farms is really good. But this bumper supply of feeds hasn’t necessarily translated into milk. “The cows have continued to milk well but just prior to Christmas there was a bit of a drop off in milk production probably due to pasture quality which went off a bit. It has been quite hard to maintain pasture quality and this is a reason for the earlier slight drop in per cow production. But now this has picked up and the cows are holding well,” he says.
and if we get more moist warm weather we could get a lift in spore counts. Farmers need to be vigilant about that and put in place their prevention measures to be ready for an outbreak.” Brazendale says farmers should be monitoring paddocks themselves and watching vet monitoring sites. Any signs of an outbreak should trigger preventative measures.
FARMER MORALE LOW DESPITE A relatively good milk price and ideal weather, Rob Brazendale says he and his staff are puzzled by low morale among dairy farmers in many regions -- his in particular. He says given all the positives the low morale comes as something of a surprise. “Ongoing public pressure on dairying, the impacts of environmental and compliance issues and the sluggish land market all seem to be factors,” he says. Brazendale says a lot of farms are on the market but there are not many sales. These factors seem to be weighing on farmers’ minds and he and his team are concerned about the wellbeing of dairy farmers. To that end DairyNZ has organised a meeting of rural professionals to be held in Palmerston North on January 29 to canvas ideas on how to lift farmer morale and create better outcomes for them.
Maize crops are doing well in the North Island.
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
8 // NEWS
Farmers face ‘ongoing challenges’ PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
DAIRYNZ’S CHIEF executive
Dr Tim Mackle says the dairy industry faces ongoing challenges this year. Mackle told Dairy News that while the milk price is holding up at present, no one can predict what it might be in the future. He says the big issues are water quality, how the Government’s plans may impact on the sector, climate change and zero carbon proposals. “There is also the issue of immigration and we are working with the Government on how we can make that work in a more sensible way for migrant workers and for farmers. Naturally M.bovis is also a major ongoing issue for us,” he says. The rising popularity of alternative foods are another issue which Mackle says affects the dairy industry. But he says he’s a firm believer that there will always be a place for pure natural food and it’s up to the sector to farm
in a way that puts industry at the top. Mackle says farmer confidence isn’t overly high despite a good growing season and reasonable milk price. He says some of this is due to the heavy debt burden some farmers are carrying from past bad seasons and their fears about some of the effects new Government initiatives may have on farming businesses. “We need to push the positives because we have a very good story to tell,” he says. Mackle rates last season as about eight out of ten, despite the issues farmers had to confront. He again points to labour problems in the sector and the ongoing criticism of the dairy industry by the news media. “Some of the criticism is simply incorrect and this affects farmers,” he says. To counter this DairyNZ is running a campaign with the news company NZME to help the public to understand that while dairying is partly to blame for water quality
issues, many of the problems also occur in urban areas with no cows. The ‘Vision is Clear’ campaign is described by Mackle as a “call to arms” to all NZers to tackle the problem of water quality. In recent weeks, full page advertisements highlighting what dairy farmers are doing for the environment have appeared in NZ Herald. He says the campaign is not finger-pointing or blaming. Other material is being made available on the issue. “We have long recognised that the support of NZers is critical for our future and farmers themselves know this better than anyone. They live in the community so it has always been important to engage and tell the story about the progress that has been made,” he says. DairyNZ has a very large water quality science team and is a key part of the solution, Mackle says. “It is obvious to us that dairy cannot do it alone and we need to have a collective effort in NZ to solve our water quality challenges where they exist,” he says.
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DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle believes water quality remains a major issue for the industry.
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
NEWS // 9
Dairy’s value to heartland New Zealand MANY REGIONS in New Zealand depend heavily on the dairy industry for their economic wellbeing according to a recent report commissioned by the Dairy Companies Association of NZ (DCANZ). The purpose of the report was to highlight to government the value of dairying as an export earner and to show the economic impact of the sector to the regions. The report was prepared by the NZ Institute of Economic Research. DCANZ executive director Kimberly Crewther says while many people will already know that dairy is NZ’s largest export sector, the report shows how $17 billion of revenue is shared across the economy as income and a driver of economic activity. She says it shows how important dairy is to many regions where there are few economic options. She says almost 80% of dairy sector wages are earned in rural areas. “Dairy is the top income generator, delivering more than 10% of GDP, in Waikato, Southland, West Coast and Taranaki. It is also the second-largest contributor to economic activity in Northland and Manawatu, and the third largest in Canterbury and Bay of Plenty,” she says. Crewther says the
dairy sector accounts for $8.2b of NZ’s GDP with dairy farming earning $6.2b and dairy processing $1.9b. She says dairy farming is the fifth-largest industry in NZ behind finance, construction, real estate and health. Dairy directly employs 38,000 people – 26,000 on farms and 12,200 in processing plants. And it creates many jobs in supporting industries, has the highest average salary amongst agricultural industries and the highest average salary level of NZ’s food manufacturing industries. Crewther says dairy manufacturing has the fifth-highest average female salary level of 138 NZ industries. She says dairy manufacturers have invested at least $3.1b in processing facilities in recent years and this will maintain the trend for adding value to NZ milk and the resulting economic revenue generation. “For example, infant formula has grown to being a billion dollar export industry, and within more traditional product categories like cheese, butter and milk powders, NZ dairy exporters have shifted from standard products to speciality ingredients, including for supply to growing food service and bakery industries in key markets.”
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
10 // NEWS
New Overseer easier to use, tells you more NIGEL MALTHUS
A NEW version of Over-
seer now being rolled out will cost farmers a $200 a year subscription. Previous versions of Overseer have all been free. However, the new OverseerFM, is “much more a product worthy of being charged for,” says Overseer Ltd chief executive Caroline Read.
The charge will generate income so the company can do more development more quickly and bring more mitigations into the model, she said. OverseerFM has been available on free trial since June and has seen a steady uptake, with at least 1000 farmers already using it. A series of roadshow presentations introducing the
Caroline Read
software to users is now underway, and the $200 subscription will apply from mid-February.
“It’s going to save a lot of money on data entry and there’s a lot of efficiency gains in actually using a central system.” “We’ve completely rebuilt the software now
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so it’s a very different user experience, much more user-friendly, and it also provides much better information about what the model is actually producing for your farm,” said Read. Read explained that in previous versions, a user – often a consultant rather than a farmer – would run an analysis which only they could see. They would have to download the results if they wanted to share it with anyone else, and couldn’t run a trend analysis to see how it changed over time. OverseerFM works on a central database in which each farm’s data is held in its own account. The account owner – the farmer – can decide who else can log in and see and analyse it. It is a much more collaborative system, said Read. Different consultants with different specialities could come in and use the same data which the farmer had to provide
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COME ALONG AND SEE OVERSEER LTD is partnering with the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industry Management (NZIPIM) in a series of meetings introducing OverseerFM to users. Meetings were held in Hamilton and Christchurch before Christmas. Between January 29 and February 8 another seven roadshow events are scheduled in centres from Whangarei to Invercargill. Full details are on the NZIPIM website.
only once, to model different scenarios. “It’s going to save a lot of money on data entry and there’s a lot of efficiency gains in actually using a central system,” said Read. “It’s really going to enable farmers to engage much more closely with nutrient modelling analysis of their farm whereas before they just left it up to the consultants to come back and tell them something. Now they can be much more involved in it.” Federated Farmers environment spokesperson Chris Allen said OverseerFM looked like a big step up but still used the same models in the background. Much more investment was needed particularly if Overseer was to be used for regulation. “Is it Overseer [the company] that needs to invest in that stuff or is it the Government or the regional councils who want to use Overseer in regulation? That’s why we’ve said the Government needs to step up and invest in this stuff.” Feds were “really clear” that farmers did not want input controls imposed, said Allen. “We also don’t want to spend ten grand every time you do an Overseer budget because you need all these experts to interpret the information, and tell you that basically what you’re doing is pretty much the same as
what you did last year.” Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton, has called for major changes to Overseer if it is to be used for regulatory purposes. In a 136-page report released in December, Upton said Overseer should be independently peer reviewed and analysed for sensitivity and uncertainty. He said regional councils needed to be aware of Overseer’s limitations and called on the Government to provide official guidance on how they should use it. Read welcomed his report. “What he’s come out with, which we’re really pleased with, is a set of clear recommendations that if you use Overseer in regulation then you need to do a few things differently,” she said. “The report had a critical tone to it but the critical tone was more about the fact that the science model and decision support tool was being applied to regulatory processes without appropriate support. “I think it’s important that we have much clearer guidance on how you would use Overseer information in a regulatory context so that modelled estimates are not being treated as absolute values.” Read noted that last year’s Budget allocated $5 million over four years to support Overseer development.
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
NEWS // 11
Study on wider effects of M.bovis THE EMOTIONAL,
social and psychological impacts of Mycoplasma bovis on southern farmers and farming communities will be studied by the University of Otago. Rural health senior research fellow Dr Fiona Doolan-Noble says the two-year study will look at the impact of the eradication on farmers directly, and the wider community more generally. “For the farmers themselves, one day their herd is there and the next morning they wake up and they’ve all gone,” she says. “That’s a huge loss on many levels: it’s an emotional loss, a sensory loss and a financial loss until compensation is received and they can start building up their herd again.” Others within rural communities are also affected, including agricultural suppliers, small rural businesses and community groups. Doolan-Noble says studies from the 2001 foot and mouth outbreak in the UK show the outbreak was “not just an animal tragedy but also a human one”.
UK research identified feelings of distress and bereavement, concerns of a new disaster, loss of faith in authority and control systems and annoyance at the undermining of local knowledge. The foot and mouth outbreak was contained within seven months but M.bovis is more difficult to control and may take years to eradicate. “The fact that it could drag on for a long time introduces another complexity,” Doolan-Noble says. “Farming is at the core of many rural communities and when it takes a hit the whole community gets hit.” The study in Otago and Southland is due to start in April and is funded by a $120,000 lotteries grant. It will be co-ordinated by Doolan-Noble, a veterinarian and director of VetSouth in Winton, Mark Bryan, and a medical anthropologist in the Department of General Practice and Rural Health, Associate Professor Chrys Jaye. The researchers will be working with many
IN BRIEF Synlait’s China rego SYNLAIT HAS succeeded in renewing the registration of its Dunsandel plant to continue supplying canned infant formula to the Chinese market. The registration was issued by the General Administration of Customs of the Peoples’ Republic of China (GACC), which took over from the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the Peoples’ Republic of China (CNCA) after a government restructure in March last year. Synlait first obtained certification for canned infant formula from the Dunsandel site in September 2014 and re-registration is required every four years. Re-registration required a three-day onsite audit by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on behalf of GACC. It included an in-depth assessment where Synlait was asked to prove it has robust systems for change management, pathogen management and food incident management. It also included a full traceability exercise from raw materials through to export, and an assessment of Synlait’s capability to meet China’s rigorous regulatory requirements. “GACC has strict criteria which overseas manufacturers must meet to maintain registration, and I’m pleased to say Synlait Dunsandel continues to meet these high standards,” said Synlait chief executive Leon Clement.
groups in the community and information will be collected via interviews, logs kept by participants, and analysis of media coverage and social media sites. It is hoped results
from the study will help to inform the government’s management of the current outbreak and add to the limited body of research, aiding future decision making in exotic disease responses.
Dr Fiona Doolan-Noble, University of Otago.
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
12 // NEWS
Denitrification wall deliver results NITRATE LEVELS in groundwater have been reduced from 7.1mg/L to 0.5mg/L at the site of an Institute of Environmental and Scientific Research (ESR)-led denitrification wall trial at Silverstream Reserve in Canterbury. The 25m-long wall, installed eight weeks ago, is a world-first as denitrification walls haven’t been tested in fast-flowing gravel aquifer systems like those found in Silverstream. ESR senior scientist Lee Burbery says he’s delighted the wall is working as anticipated. “The wall itself is effectively removing all of the nitrate in the groundwater that passes through it. We are seeing a plume of treated groundwater extend down-gradient from the wall.” The denitrification wall filters groundwater via woodchips mixed with gravel that removes nitrate from the water passing through the wall. Carbon from the woodchips become food for bacteria in the ground to convert nitrate in groundwater to a harmless di-nitrogen gas (N2), which makes up 80% of the air we breathe. The wall is split into two 12.5m sections, each filled with a 50:50 mix of woodchips and gravel. The wall is 3m
Denitrification walls installed aat Silverstream Reserve, Waimakariri, Canterbury.
deep x 5m wide, the width being determined by groundwater velocity and nitrate concentration. Burbery says two different mixes are being tested within the wall to determine which type of material is the most cost effective and efficient at removing nitrates. “One is premium quality; it has 20-40mm gravel rounds mixed with chipped wood. The other is material dug out of the site, screened and mixed with hogged wood. The second option could work better for landowners as it’s
more cost effective.” The test site was selected because of its shallow water table and high nitrate levels and it is far enough from Silverstream to ensure that the operation of the wall will not adversely impact on the waterway. “We have 34 monitoring wells on the site which will be increased to about 50. It’s important to ensure that there won’t be any adverse effects with pollution swapping from the woodchips, but we haven’t seen any evidence of this so far.”
North Canterbury zone manager Andrew Arps says the project is an excellent example of the practical, joint approach by the Waimakariri zone committee and partner organisations to deal with high nitrate levels in local waterways. “We’re pleased with the positive results to date and this ties in with other projects in the Silverstream catchment including the joint ECanWIL infiltration trial and monitoring sites set up along the waterway. “This year we’re focusing on ‘Clean
and Green Silverstream’ which is a holistic and hands-on approach to cleaning up the stream and greening the banks. The only way forward is for everyone to work side-by-side and to cover the entire catchment from the springheads right through to the Kaiapoi and Waimakariri rivers.” The trial will run for two years, and the wall is expected to have an operational lifespan of about 30 years. ESR lead scientist Murray Close expects the site to function as a demonstration model to show landowners how the concept works. “We’re trying to establish guidelines on how denitrification walls work, and this site provides a practical example.” Due to the expense of sheet piling when constructing the wall, Close says denitrification wells could be a more cost-effective option for landowners. “One possibility is offset lines of wells. You could drill 1m diameter wells and fill these with a mix of gravel and woodchips. “The casings would then be removed, and this would work in a similar way to denitrification walls, but without the cost of sheet piling.”
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
WORLD // 13
Farming outdoors brings reward SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
DUTCH COOPERATIVE FrieslandCampina
says more farmers are grazing their cows outdoors. And it says the Dutch dairy sector has achieved its aim of 81.2% outdoor grazing two years earlier than agreed. Despite an extremely dry summer, 303 co-op members started outdoor grazing last year, an achievement the dairy
grazed cows. To qualify, cows must graze in paddocks at least 120 days per year for a minimum of six hours per day. Milk from grazed cows carries the co-op’s paddock milk logo. FreislandCampina farmers are also involved in other sustainable dairying projects. It’s PlanetProof programme involves dairy farms, farmers and dairy companies working together to improve nature, climate and animal welfare.
“The willingness of the consumer to pay extra for it gives an extra stimulus.” sector can be proud of, says FreislandCampina chairman Frans Keurentjes. “As sector we can be proud that we again succeeded in growing the number of cows in the meadows and reaching our target of the sector for 2020. “This all the more because the exceptionally hot and dry summer of 2018 greatly complicated outdoor grazing and grassland management. “We succeeded in this thanks to the skills of the Dutch dairy farmer. Moreover, they are happy to contribute to the visibility of the cow in the Dutch landscape. The willingness of the consumer to pay extra for it gives an extra stimulus.” FrieslandCampina encourages farmer shareholders to have their cows and young cattle graze in paddocks. Outdoor grazing is rewarded financially: farmers are paid $2.52 for 100kgMS from
They use sustainable energy, emit less carbon dioxide and use less pesticide. For cows, farms have massage brushes, sunbeds and outdoor grazing. The high standards the farmers have to meet are regularly reviewed and, where necessary, made more stringent, FrieslandCampina says. Co-op chief executive Hein Schumacher says it wants to be a frontrunner in sustainable dairy products. “Together with our member dairy farmers, we have been working for years on a more sustainable dairy farm. Thanks to the ‘On the way to Planet Proof’ label, we show how we take the next step and continue to move forward. “By buying dairy products with the ‘On the way to Planet Proof’ label, consumers can directly reward dairy farmers who are committed to animal welfare and improv-
ABOUT FRIESLAND CAMPINA FRIESLANDCAMPINA is among the world’s largest dairy companies with annual revenues of at leastr $20 billion. It sells products in 100 countries, has branches in 34 countries and employs 23,675 people. The co-op is owned by 18,645 member dairy farmers in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium and is one of the world’s largest dairy cooperatives.
ing nature and the environment. It is also an encouragement for other dairy farmers to make their farm more sustainable. That is good for the sector and for all of us.” The first milk cartons
with the ‘On the way to PlanetProof’ label went into Dutch stores last month. The PlanetProof project is backed by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
More Dutch farmers are grazing cows outdoors.
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
14 // OPINION RUMINATING
EDITORIAL
The Brexit breakfast
MILKING IT... Blame game THE BLAME game over the collapse of agri training provider Taratahi rages on. Opposition National says the Government has turned its back on Taratahi. But Agriculture Minster Damien O’Connor isn’t buying it. Responding to a Rural News article on Twitter, he described National’s claim as “BS”. “In trouble since 2014. Nats buried heads in sand. We will fix it! O’Connor tweeted. The future of Taratahi remains in limbo after it went into interim liquidation just before Christmas at the request of its board of trustees.
Trout can get stuffed FARMERS ARE letting their fly-fishing rods do the talking this summer. Many refuse to buy trout fishing licences in protest against Fish & Game’s political attack on the dairy industry. Recently Southland Fish & Game ranger Cohen Stewart blamed bad weather for a decrease in licence sales in the region this season. However, farmers quickly disagreed online, many saying they had not bought a licence in protest against the organisation’s anti-dairying stance. A dismal start to summer in the south wasn’t a factor in farmers’ decisions not to buy licences; F&G’s unfair assault on dairy farmers and then turning a blind eye to poor urban water quality are the reasons.
Shocking
Burp it up
IN AUSTRALIA, animal activists are taking exception to electric shock collars for use on cattle, calling it the equivalent of farmers torturing cows. Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association chief executive Ashley Manicaros said the collars are a useful tool in stopping cattle wandering onto unfenced roads where they endanger people and themselves. Their use has also become legal in the state. However, PETA calls the technology ‘torture devices’ and said “some people” had compared them to the pain equivalent of being stabbed in the neck. The website for the product, however, says that it is much safer than existing technology.
SO, COWS are a major source of methane but how do you measure how much gas a cow burps? Researchers at the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory in Bushland, Texas set out to use a number of different methane assessment methods—including a “breathaliser for cows”— to determine the methane emissions of free-range cattle on Oklahoma grasslands. Their research, combined with data on how well the soil traps methane, can help create more accurate models of how much greenhouse gas emissions Americans can chalk up to their fondness for cheese and hamburgers.
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AS I sat eating my bacon and eggs and watching the debate in the House of Commons leading up to the massive defeat of the Brexit deal as proposed by Theresa May, I wondered what this was all about. Was it the parliamentary version of the Rocky Horror Show with a multitude of cameos by strange creatures? Or was it, more likely, a 21st century version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Iolanthe? In this, a song says the House of Lords (here the House of Commons) “did nothing in particular but did it very well”. It was a pageant of sorts played out by people who seemingly were trying to do what is best for Britain – to make it great again, to somehow reinvent the empire and to retreat into a self-styled splendid isolation and be ‘British again’ . Outside the House of Commons the supporters and opponents of Brexit waved flags and chanted and tried to be noticed – again doing nothing in particular but doing it very well. It had almost a garden party atmosphere except it was freezing cold and late at night. Then there were the journalists who also set up camp outside Westminster and interviewed themselves and anyone who could offer even the teensiest insight into what was happening and what might happen. And let’s not forget the media junkies, glued to the telly and taking all this in and gorging on a feast of history in the making. It all had a touch of irony, raising the thought that in the 1970s journalists were covering Britain’s marriage to the then EEC but now we’re covering the divorce. Like many divorces it is messy, hamstrung and legally entangled. On the sideline, friends and relations of those in this political divorce, such as New Zealand and Ireland, can do little but watch and hope that somehow a palatable solution can be found and that this turns out be a ‘friendly’ divorce with no significant harm to others. We still don’t know what will happen and to have confidence in British politicians is a big leap of faith given their so far muddled and intractable ramblings. There will always be an England, but will it ever be great again? That’s the 64 pound question. -- Peter Burke
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
OPINION // 15
Lessons well learned from M.bovis Federated Farmers last month issued an advisory on Mycloplasma bovis to all members. Here are excerpts: WHILE THERE is an increasing degree of confidence that the Mycoplasma bovis response is going to be successful, Federated Farmers is acutely aware of the human cost of seeking to contain and eradicate M. bovis. We recognise that at least 1100 farmers have been directly affected by the response, whether as an infected property (IP), restricted place (RP), under movement control (a notice of direction NOD) or active surveillance (onfarm testing). We all -- industry and MPI -- agree things could have been handled better as we all learned how to manage the significant challenges of New Zealand’s largest biosecurity response in living memory. The following is some of the work Feds has done to date: ■■ Contacted M. bovis experts at the very beginning; set up an industry phone call with Australian experts ■■ Gained a commitment that farmers would be compensated for culled cattle at full market rates (as though they were not infected) ■■ Ensured that contract milkers (and herd owning and lower order sharemilkers) would be compensated and that compensation for lost income would go straight to all these business partners ■■ Ensured that the Government accepted the industry offer of 32% (share of response costs) when MPI was talking of a 40 - 50% contribution from industry ■■ Advocated strongly for equitable compensation including: – compensation for loss of grazing income when animals are unable to be brought onto properties that are under movement control, – compensation for loss of income for
direct losses incurred by those under active surveillance (recognising that some will incur costs because of the inability to sell store stock); this is a work in progress we are continuing to push ■■ Formally requested that the minister initiate an independent review of the M. bovis and other biosecurity responses to ensure the lessons learned are not lost and all players (industry and government) are better prepared in the future. This M. bovis response has been the first significant test of the compensation provisions of the Biosecurity Act regarding an animal response and the first animal disease response under the GIA (Government Industry Agreement) framework. Federated Farmers has taken an active role, recognising our limited resources, in the response from day one. Federated Farmers continues to work closely with the response partners, assisting where appropriate and playing an important advocacy role on behalf of all affected farmers – be they dairy or beef farmers or grazers caught in the cross-fire. Compensation The key principle for compensation as contained in the Biosecurity Act is that affected farmers, including sharemilkers, should not be any worse or better off because of the use of the Act powers during a biosecurity response. Of importance, losses must be verifiable (clearly good quality information makes the process easier and quicker). As compensation principles and processes have been established for the M. bovis response it has been clear that the Act has some limitations. Feds will be seeking changes to the Act when it is reviewed.
While all those involved in the response will agree that providing compensation has been slow, significant progress has been made by all to speed up the process including the development of stan-
dardised tools and increasing the number of people working in the compensation team. This now exceeds 45 and the average time to process a compensation claim is now about 20 working days.
Federated Farmers says at least 1100 farmes have been directly affected by the M.bovis response.
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
16 // AGRIBUSINESS
Day out connects teachers with agri BRAD MARKHAM
SHAUN MURRAY is at the coalface of New Zealand’s $1 billion export infant formula industry. He manages the Oete
Aorere College teacher Ella Fafita at the Oete Goat Farm.
Goat Farm nestled in rolling hills west of Pukekohe and has about 2500 milking does. The goats are housed in an airy purpose-built barn and fed lush grass harvested from surrounding paddocks.
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“We’re one of the biggest dairy goat farms in the country,” said Murray, with the business for five years. “We have eight fulltime staff and a similar number of part-time and casual employees.” The farm, owned by Matt and Sarah Bolton, sells its milk to New Image Group Nutritionals, which has a processing plant nearby in Paerata. The milk is turned into milk powder and high-value infant formula and sold in NZ and
career opportunities in the primary industries. Kerry Allen teaches agribusiness, agriculture and horticulture at St Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton; she attended the Auckland and Waikato events. “I came away feeling refreshed and excited about the growing number of opportunities out there, especially in agritech,” she said. “My teaching benefits from my better understanding of a subject and that passion flows
“Most of the teachers were from Auckland and it was their first time visiting a dairy goat farm. They were blown away by the level of skill and technology required to produce such high quality milk.” exported to countries including China and Vietnam. The farm recently hosted 80 secondary school teachers as part of an event called Teachers’ Day Out. These are now run for teachers NZ-wide and are said to be helping change teachers’ perceptions and producers to connect with educators. “Most of the teachers were from Auckland and it was their first time visiting a dairy goat farm,” said Trevor McIntyre from NZ Young Farmers, which organised the trip. “They were blown away by the level of skill and technology required to produce such high quality milk.” Infant formula is big business in NZ. Since 2014 its export value has climbed from $401 million to at least $1.2 billion in 2018. “Visiting our business was an eye-opener for many of the teachers. I believe it helped change their perceptions of the agri-food sector,” said Murray. Teachers’ Days Out get teachers of all subjects out of classrooms and immerse them in the paddock-to-plate food story. It was one of six held NZ-wide to show
through to students.” Teachers also toured the sprawling glasshouses of T&G Global in Pukekohe. The business owns almost 30ha of glasshouses, most producing tomatoes. “We don’t have those in Waikato, so it was fantastic to be able to ask questions about the business,” said Kerry. “It’s been a while since I’ve been inside a glasshouse, so it was great to see the new technology they’re using. I’m going to be talking about that back in the classroom.” Bronwyn Dyer is a teacher at Hauraki Plains College, which has just planted 2000 trees – half of them blueberries – on a small farmlet used by students. “I use everything I learn on the teachers’ day out. It’s important that students are not taught out-of-date information about the sector,” she said. “It was fantastic to visit Aeronavics in Raglan which manufactures drones. The business is a great example of how a student with an interest in robotics and agriculture can be involved in the industry,” said Dyer. • Brad Markham is communications manager for NZ Young Farmers.
Q. How can we find out if she's in-calf... without her knowing?
There's always room for improvement.
A.
More and more farmers are adopting simple milk pregnancy testing using their herd test samples. It’s non-invasive and convenient for the animal and you. Tests can be carried out from 28 days after mating, so why not combine a pregnancy test with your next herd test and save you and your herd time and stress?
KingSt_732_LIC_DN_A
Talk to your LIC Agri Manager about booking a milk pregnancy test with your next herd test.
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
18 // MANAGEMENT
Once-a-day milking clicks PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
DairyNZ senior scientist Dr Paul Edwards.
INTEREST IN oncea-day (OAD) milking is rising, says DairyNZ senior scientist Dr Paul Edwards. For example, a video on OAD on the DairyNZ web site has been getting lots of hits, Edwards says. Despite its 14-minute length, about 23,000 people have watched it, making it the fourthmost-watched DairyNZ video on YouTube. “This shows the interest in OAD or variations on twice-a-day (TAD)
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milking. People seem to be looking for something a bit different,” he says. Edwards says the latest data shows that about 9% of dairy farmers are doing OAD for the full season, about 52% are full-time TAD and the remainder are doing variations on OAD, including using it tactically towards the end of the milking season or for part of the herd. He says interest in OAD has been building, with the low milk price some years ago prompting some farmers to go OAD because they felt they had nothing to lose. “We have seen OAD tracking from 5% up to 9%. You have many more conversations starting to happen and people are starting to ask questions
and that interest level increases. We have gone from historically running three OAD discussion groups NZ-wide to seven in the 2016-17 year, so there was enough interest that every region was able to run its own OAD discussion group,” he says. Farmers are converting to OAD for many and varied reasons. For most it’s lifestyle – a chance to spend more time with the family but still make a good living and perhaps run the farm better. It may also be the nature of the farm itself where OAD better suits the soil or contour of the land and the physical location of the property. Edwards said, at the Australasian Dairy Science Symposium, that farm-
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A TREND clearly emerging in dairy farming is reducing the number of milkings at various times and in various ways from about the start of the new calendar year. Paul Edwards says, for example, farmers with two dairy herds may put one on OAD after Christmas and keep the other on TAD. Others are opting for three-and-two milking which is effectively milking cows on average every 16 hours, though in practice intervals range up to 18 hours. “Milking exactly every 16 hours has the disadvantage that you end up with a midnight milking. Some people like this because they can go home and spend the evening with the kids and then go out and milk but probably for most people that is not very appealing.” Other options need to be explored more, but hard data is lacking. There are only two published studies on three-and-two milking and DairyNZ is seeking funding to do more research in this area. Edwards says in Canterbury about 30% of dairy farmers are using three milkings over two days already in the latter months of lactation. “There is certainly the appetite for this here but the question is how early can we go to that system without compromising production?”
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
MANAGEMENT // 19
with farmers ers whose cows are producing under 300kgMS/ cow would be likely, on OAD, to incur relatively
producing more than 300kgMS, the production loss could be about 15%, which may be harder to
“Farmers are converting to OAD for many and varied reasons.” small production losses -- normally under 10% -which can be offset by a decrease in running costs. But where cows are
justify in some circumstances (e.g. farms with large fixed costs such as irrigation). “For me as a
researcher it gets hard to value some of the benefits because it becomes very subjective. “I can’t get up there and say ‘by saving X amount of hours a day or getting this flexibility, then that should be worth X dollars to you’. “Putting a dollar figure
on lifestyle is challenging. Although it is useful to look at it backwards and add up all the likely savings and change in production to get a balance of X if you go OAD and then the individual can judge whether the intangible benefits are worth that much to them.”
Interest in once-a-day milking is building.
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ONE BENEFIT often discussed in OAD groups is whether farm working expenses can be reduced by milking once a day. Paul Edwards says some obvious cost savings can be made at the milking shed, but these are only a small percentage of overall costs. “By digging into the data on the animal health side of the business there was a bit of a difference with fewer animals, health and breeding expenses under OAD. And repairs and maintenance (R&M) should in theory be less if you are walking your cows less on the tracks and running the bikes less. “My gut feeling is that after going OAD people have more time available and have a chance to fix all those things that have been broken for years and they now have time to spray weeds in the back paddock. So as a result of this, R&M doesn’t decrease in the short term.” Farmers may over time get their farms in order, but there is no long term data to back this up yet. The big expense category that OAD clearly can affect is labour. Analysis of DairyBase data indicates those that were in the lowest quartile for labour efficiency increased profitability by 23% after going OAD. The next quartile maintained profit, while surprisingly some herds decreased labour efficiency after adopting OAD, resulting in a decrease in profitability.
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
20 // ANIMAL HEALTH / PASTURE
Split calvers PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
Te Arai Farms field day.
THE BONUS of split calving is that you can match feed supply with feed demand throughout the year, says Neville Porteous of Te Arai Farms in lower Northland. “We have cows onfarm
when we are growing grass; when we are not growing grass we have flexibility,” he told a Northland Dairy Development Trust field day on ‘Farm Systems for Profit’. Neville and Ainsley bought Te Arai Farms 11 years ago as part of an equity partnership but bought out the equity partners in June 2017 and have been operating the farm themselves for the last 19 months. The milking platform is 135ha and they grow 10.5ha of maize on that platform. They are milking 430 cows this year in a split calving system with 50% in autumn. They decided to carry on with the split calving when they took over the farm. Neville says it was going well but they haven’t got the system
nailed to best efficiency yet; they are still tweaking and there’s still plenty of potential. The farm’s 2017-18 production was 160,178kgMS, up from 123,794kgMS the previous year and their target and long term goal is 170,000kgMS. They milked 250 over winter; only 50 were carry-overs this year. The first year they had to bring a lot of feed in and used all their maize, says Neville. This year they have used far less imported feed and yet production was up 30% through winter. Neville says a good autumn helped but they realised they had to stretch the round out and fill that feed wedge up especially with split calving. They went on a 40 day round on May 1, by
SET ROTATION IN PASTURE management, Te Arai Farm’s key focus is leaving the right residuals to ensure quality feed next rotation. The aim is to make the cows graze to target residuals. They will put them back in the paddock to reach the right residuals but are prepared to top if necessary or be proactive in making baleage. Silage is cut while the grass is relatively short to improve re-growth. They use reels and standards all year to get the allocation right, often cutting off one quarter of the paddock to use the following day then move cows on. Taking the maize silage area out increases the spring stocking rate to 3.3 cows/ha (feed demand of 55-60kgDM/ha/da) and helps prevent surplus pasture. No plate metering is carried out. The cows graze the farm in a rotation and each herd grazes half the farm; sometimes the herds will switch over. Having all the pre-grazing and post-grazing paddocks in the same part of the farm helps to see how much grass is in front of the cows and keeps an eye on residuals/regrowth. The hectares offered to the cows and supplement use can be fine-tuned each day. Neville says they use nitrogen in April, May, June and July through to December when the response is huge as long as you can use the grass. That enables them to grow maize because when the grass is taking off you don’t notice 12ha out of your system. With split calving “when things start drying out in January-February half your herd is going. It is easier to grow a crop of maize and it doesn’t have a big effect on the system. If you are all spring calving and you take all that area out you really notice it in January and February.” Reproduction is an area that Neville is working on. Empty rates have been in the mid-20s but were 15% for the autumn 2018 mating. Neville’s current focus is doing a great job on young stock. Calves remain on the milking platform until they are above Minda weight targets. Autumn born calves averaged 140kgLW in mid-August. Nothing is weaned below 100kg LW (probably average 108kgLW at weaning) and calves get a mixture of meal, maize silage and PKE. 1673 NAIT Advert Jan19_280x187_FA.indd 1
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
ANIMAL HEALTH / PASTURE // 21
match feed supply, demand “You’ve got to get a good feed wedge ahead of you so when your spring cows start calving you’ve got grass to feed them.”
Te Arai Farm’s Neville Porteous (right) and Gareth Baynham at the field day.
June 1 they went to 50 day round and July 1up to 60 days. “You’ve got to get a good feed wedge ahead of you so when your spring cows start calving you’ve got grass to feed them.” AgFirst Northland consultant Gareth Baynham says split calvers especially need to think about
how to build cover and spring rotation. Neville says with split calving they can supply milk when it is worth more. They get a winter premium: for 15 days in May it is $2.85/kgMS, in June $3.50/kgMS more and in July for another 15 days they get a $2.85/ kgMS premium. There is
a 7.5c/kgMS transport cost on that. He says in the months of September, October, November and December you get paid 61c/kgMS less for supplying milk to the factory. So the system works out to a positive 30c/kgMS for them over the bulk of the season. “The other thing about
split calving is it is a lot easier to manage FEI (fat evaluation index). If we have a dry summer we can choose to feed or else we can dry cows off. The other thing is we can use supplements when they are cheaper.” A disadvantage of split calving is milking every day of the year but they employ three fulltime staff. Some may say that is overkill, he says, but that way everyone gets adequate time off and the system keeps running. Gone are the days when you can work your staff for “hours and hours and hours”. There’s less risk of over-grazing in a dry summer with split calving. “If it gets really dry cows
can put a lot of pressure on your pastures and pull it out. They can do as
much damage as pugging through winter.” Also, he says, people can spend a lot on cooling their milk in summer but their milk curve is so flat that they don’t have any problems with milk temperature. “The aim is to put every blade of grass in the
bank when it is most profitable. The system is very flexible in different situations.” Baynham says using split calving is a way of shifting feed demand and a good compromise when juggling things like FEI and using alternative feeds to PKE.
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
22 // FARM DAIRIES
Reduce costs, lift yield with one simple change WHAT IF you could
make one change to your dairy system that would reduce costs, shorten milk-out time, prevent cup slip, lower somatic cell counts (SCC) and boost milk yield? It may sound unlikely, but with a simple decision, you can. All you have to do is replace your milking liners once they reach their use-by date of 2500 milkings. This can have an immediate, positive effect on two of the most important components of any dairy business, because fast, efficient milk harvesting puts less stress on cows and staff (not to mention milking plant). Replacing worn-out liners at the right time is also a financial win, because it helps improve overall milk quality. That in turn is a key indicator for several critical areas of farm business performance, including animal health and labour. As a rule, the lower
your somatic cell count (SCC) and the fewer grades you incur during lactation, the better your milking systems. Farmers who have replaced liners during the season, instead of milking through with the same set from start to finish of the lactation, say they didn’t realise what they were missing out on until they made the change. They report immediate reduction in teat end damage as well as better SCC results and faster milk-out. In some large herd operations, liners reach the end of their 2500 milking lifespan and are changed as often as every two months as normal practice to protect milk quality. That might seem excessive, but when you look at the statistics you see those properties are simply following best practice based on average liner changes. In general, many New Zealand dairy farmers expect their liners to last
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for about 4900 milkings -- nearly twice their effective lifetime. That’s like expecting the average cow to milk well for 20 years. Changing milking liners once they reach their use-by date not only shortens milk-out time, reduces cup slip and lowers somatic cell counts, it also helps save power, labour and animal health costs and can increase milk solids yield while minimising the risk of costly grades. Now is an ideal time to review and if necessary fine-tune your milking system by asking three questions: 1. When were the milking liners last changed? 2. What is the correct milking liner for your
shells, and are you using the best liner? 3. Do you have milking problems in the plant (cup slip, etc.)? Milking liners are the single part of your dairy plant that comes into direct contact with the cow. Every lactation she typically spends 50-100 hours attached to the machine – via those liners – so it’s no wonder they play such an important role in milk harvesting. Most dairy rubberware is designed to take a lot of punishment. As soon as it is installed in your plant, its surface strength and integrity comes under daily attack from a wide range of environmental challenges, including
Replacing worn out liners at the right time is a financial win.
milk, detergents, sanitisers, milkstone removers, ozone, UV light and variable temperatures. And on top of that, the average liner expands and contracts over two million times during its working life. Perry Davis, Skellerup national manager, says cows are the first to know when milking liners need changing, and they have their own ways of letting farmers know. “Liners are hidden inside the cups, so you can’t see what happens
HOW IT WORKS HERE’S AN example of how to work out how many days remain until milking liners should be changed for maximum benefit: Step one: multiply the number of cows being milked by the number of milkings per day. Step two: divide the number in ‘step one’ by the number of milking clusters in the milking plant. Step three: divide 2500 by the
number in ‘step two’. This is the number of days between optimum liner changes. For 750 cows, milked twice a day in a 60-bail rotary plant, each cluster is milking 25 cows per day. Divide 2500 by 25 and the answer is 100 days. This farm should change liners every 100 days (see www.2500change.co.nz for the easy-to-use online calculator)
to them when they wear out. The first thing you might see instead is a cow kicking the cluster off, damaged teat ends or a surprisingly high BMSCC on the milk docket. Another very common sign is when cups start falling off cows during milking.” A good liner, well-fitted, will completely milk out a cow quickly and efficiently. It doesn’t slip and it leaves the teats looking very similar in size and colour to how they looked before milking. “A badly fitting overused liner is just the opposite,” Davis says. “It could leave milk in the udder, slip off the teat and/or leave noticeable rings at the top of the teat. Permanent teat damage is not only possible but common.” After 2500 milkings, the rubber that makes up the milking liner begins to lose its natural qualities and can become
become cracked, swollen or caked with mineral build-up. It’s uncomfortable for the cow and creates an ideal environment for bacteria. Davis says the old myth that replacement heifers should be trained on old milking liners at the start of the season is also past its use-by date. “The reasoning behind it is that they are supposedly softer than new ones, and if the heifers kick them off they won’t damage new equipment. But in fact the opposite is true: old liners are not softer at all, they have a rougher inner surface. ” Any cow or heifer kicking off liners old or new usually has a good reason, such as discomfort, stray voltage in the dairy or inexperienced or rough operators.” • This article first appeared in Getting the Basics Right 2019 issue. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
FARM DAIRIES // 23
Lightweight liners help milking, udder health MANWATU FARMER
KEVIN Buckman was experiencing ongoing cup slip issues before experimenting with lightweight milking liners in his three herringbone sheds. As he explains, “selecting the correct milking liner for your herd is a challenge for all dairy farmers. It is the only component of the milking machine that comes into
to meet the farmer’s requirements. Traditional rubber liners in steel shells could be as heavy as 2500 grams including the collection bowl. A DairyFlo lightweight bowl and claw set starts at 1300 grams. Buckman’s combination of plastic in the front and steel in the back weighs 1600 grams. “The good thing about it is you can see through
thing takes a while to get used to but after a few days they would never go back”.
“It’s a no-brainer because the weight of them is much easier on staff.”
Manawatu farmer Kevin Buckman.
“The good thing about it is you can see through them and it can tell you a story about what’s happening – whether it’s a split liner or health issues, you can see everything.” them and it can tell you a story about what’s happening -- whether it’s a split liner or health issues, you can see everything.” He also said they can minimise teat spray because the teat condition and cell count are excellent. The farmer can notice inconsistencies in the milk much quicker and remove that cluster before it contaminates the milk vat. Lightweight shells are popular with the staff, says Buckman. “We have left one set in the shed that has all steel shells to demonstrate how heavy and awkward the gear was previously. It also saves wear and tear on your back, wrists, arms and shoulders, keeps staff happy and helps to make it a better place to work in.” The liners are guaranteed to last a full season or 5000 milkings, in some cases two seasons depending on herd size to shed capacity. “You save money because the liners won’t ever crack, perish or deteriorate from chemical washings or milk fat absorption and you also save time by not having to replace the liners because they last twice as long.” Buckman’s staff have never struck the soft plastic before and said “any-
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contact with the cow’s teat and so has a large influence on milking performance, udder and teat health”. Buckman runs a herd of 700 season-supply cross-breds on 240ha on the Apiti River terraces, 46km north of Feilding. He first learned about the plastic liners at the start of the 2017 season and realised the advantages. “We tried them on all cups and they just didn’t work because the shutoff valve wouldn’t cut the air on all cups simultaneously because the product was so light. We then placed stainless shells on the back quarters and the lightweight shells on the front teats and it’s made a big difference.” He experimented with this for one month and soon noticed the benefits, notably that cup slip had drastically reduced. “The biggest advantage for me and my staff is no cup slip; its virtually nil these days, and they’re good with heifers because the cups stay on them compared with how it was before, where staff used to hold them on with their hand or a couple of minutes later and they would have have fallen off.” DairyFlo equipment accommodates different combinations of weights
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
24 // FARM DAIRIES
Clean parlour helps maintain milk quality standards
Bacteria can build in the milk plant and affect milk quality.
THE CLEANLINESS
of the milking system and the dairy is critical. The New Zealand Food Safety Authority has strict guidelines for cleaning to maintain milk quality standards. The benefits of having the correct cleaning process include: ■■ Maintaining milk quality. Put in place a process to ensure cleaning is done properly, so that all residues are removed and bacteria are destroyed. ■■ Ensuring safety issues are considered. Cleaning must be done properly as bacteria can build up in the plant and contaminate milk. The bacteria affect milk quality by breaking down the components in milk. This reduces the shelf life of milk and milk products and produces off flavours in cheeses and milk powders. Bacteria can enter the
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plant from cows (teat skin and infected udders) and the environment (drawn into the cluster). The milking environment is ideal for bacterial growth. Effective machine cleaning will control the presence of bacteria in the plant. The quality of the water used is very important in achieving a successful clean. There are four key elements of the cleaning process. Thermal Water too cool leads to re-depositing of the milk residues removed, and water too hot denatures protein, breaks down detergents and damages seals and rubberware. Aim for a temperature of 80-85°C as water exits the hot water storage cylinder. Hot water washes should be dumped when wash water temperature falls below 55°C. Time
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The quality of water used for cleaning is also very important.
Hot water must contact the surface for a minimum of four minutes; this should be extended to seven minutes by re-circulating during an alkali wash. Pre-heating the plant will help achieve at least five minutes of contact time at the recommended temperature. For the milking plant, 10L of hot water per cluster is recommended to achieve sufficient contact time. For the bulk milk tank, hot water should be a minimum of 2% of the bulk milk capacity or 120L for 5700L tanks or smaller. Kinetic energy Air injectors and a reservoir of water at the end of the milk line can create a slug formation for cleaning the top of the milk line. Small flushing pulsators used to induce turbulence are largely ineffective and regular brushing or use of a large flushing pulsator/air injector may be required. Milk lines generally
require turbulence created via an effective flushing pulsator to fill the line and clean the milk line or some alternate effective cleaning system. Chemical energy Acid detergents remove mineral deposits. They can be used in hot or cold water but are more effective in hot water. Acid sanitisers commonly incorporate chemicals which also kill bacteria. These sanitisers are intended to stay in the plant after washing to provide extended protection. Acid sanitisers should always be added to the final wash. Alkaline detergents remove fat and protein. If left in the plant, they can cause damage to rubberware so they must be followed with an acid wash to neutralise the alkali and leave the plant sanitised. The alkaline detergent is almost always chlorinated, or chlorine added. • Article sourced from DairyNZ @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 25
Reliable, basic farm quad MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
AS THE old saying goes, it’s sometimes hard to see the wood for the trees, and this might be so for the would-be buyer of a reliable, humble farm quad. Manufacturers may spend lots of time and money promoting their ‘hero’ models, but many potential customers are just looking for a basic hack. If that’s you, the X400 EPS-Le from CF Moto might be worth a closer look, given that the ride-away price is $6990+gst, and the distributor will throw in $1000 of accessories. Dairy News rode one during the holidays. Based on a 400cc single cylinder, 4-stroke/4-valve motor pushing out a moderate 30hp or so, the lively, fuel-injected motor is coupled with a heavy-duty, Canadian CV Tech transmission that offers low, high, neutral, reverse and park choices. The latter position also combines with a neat mechanical transmission lock, operated by a separate key; this should deter opportunist thieves and keep insurance companies happy.
With its double A-arm suspension at the front and rear, the 400 offers a comfortable ride with a wide, wellupholstered seat combining with rising handlebars, with guards and widegrippy footplates to create a stable triangle. Traction is maintained with the choice of 2WD, 4WD and a diff-lock on the front axle to ensure onfarm terrain of all sorts is tackled easily, and the bonus of a factory fitted front winch means you shouldn’t have to phone a
CF Moto ■■
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At least 3000 dealerships worldwide
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top speed of 80km/h quickly, helped by the modest dry weight of only 345kg. ■■ 10% of revenue spent on R&D. Electric power steering allows easy control particularly in tight conditions, and the system still gives good feedback friend or walk home. Progress is nimble in all condi- even at higher speeds. Stopping is by front and rear disc tions, with the machine reaching its ■■
Annually produce 800,000 engines and 600,000 vehicles
brakes, fed by braided brake lines, while the heavy-duty transmission also imparts a good degree of engine braking when the throttle is released down-hill. At the rear a handy storage locker sits above the standard 50mm receiver, offering a towing capacity of 350kg, and front and rear carrying racks hold 35 and 70kg respectively.
The accessory package includes a heavy-duty front-end protection/ bull-bar fitment that should protect against grumpy animals or immoveable objects. The standard alloy wheels are fitted with 6-ply mud tyres with an aggressive tread pattern designed to tackle the conditions typically found on livestock farms, particularly in winter.
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Farmers are growing more grass and utilising supplementary feeds far more efficiently when fully using a HerdHomes Shelter—this is leading to higher productivity and profit.
Autumn / Winter HerdHomes® shelters users throughout New Zealand continue to talk to us about the benefits they get throughout the autumn and winter. It allows for users to manage pasture residuals and round lengths with ease. Drying off is based on calving date as all stock are wintered at home where putting on a condition score is simple
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DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
26 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
Finnish finesse a fine fit with dairy goats MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
IN A region better known
for dairy cows, Riemer Loonstra’s immaculate farm Tirau Dairy Goats, on the eastern side of Lake Karapiro, carries 560 milkers on 30ha. They produce about 80,000kgMS annually. Originally from Holland, the cheerful Dutchman first worked with cows in Australia then in 2006 settled in New Zealand and began farming goats.
As with most dairy goat farms, a key aspect of Loonstra’s operation is delivering high value, fresh feed from paddock to barn where the animals eat when they want to. In Loonstra’s case, the recent arrival of a new Valtra N134 tractor has made that job a lot easier and more efficient, combining power and technology and saving up to three hours each day. The N134 is part of Valtra’s four-cylinder range with horsepower ratings from 115 to 201hp; it has a good power-to weight,
agility and ease of movement around the farm buildings by virtue of its shorter wheelbase; importantly it has plenty of PTO power for the cutand-cart work. The N134’s rated output is 135hp, electronically boosted to 145hp when required, and peak torque of up to 629 Nm at 1500rpm. The TDG tractor is equipped with a factory fitted frontloader and a unique LH-Link front linkage and PTO system that can be autonomously steered proportional to the tractor’s front wheels
or manually steered as required. Up front, the tractor carries a Lely 300FS, 7-disc, 3m cut mower with a drive layout in which the outer discs turn inwards to deliver a compact swath between the tractor’s front wheels. At the rear, a Strautmann 2901 loader wagon, fitted with a rear beater and cross-conveyor system, picks up the freshly cut crop for hauling to the housing barn for feeding the milking herd. The Valtra’s arrival
has radically changed the cut-and-cart process: the crop was previously cut in one operation then harvested separately. Now those tasks are combined, and Riemer says “we are saving about three hours each day compared to the previous system in fieldwork alone; more importantly, we are delivering high value, palatable fodder to the goats moments after it has been cut”. “Contrary to popular
belief, goats can be very fussy about what they eat, so our girls only get the freshest material each day,” he says. Loonstra discovered that Valtra’s extensive range of models, and accessories within those model ranges, enabled him to specify a machine tailor-made for his business, with an eye on present needs and the future. “We specified 50km/h, front suspension, the Versu transmission with
5-stage powershift and the Smart Touch armrest and display screen. The cream on the cake was the swivelling front linkage and PTO system, especially useful in our small paddocks. It allows us to steer the mower into tight corners and position the cut swath for easy pick-up by the loader wagon.” Typically getting across the farm on a 17-18 round, the Valtra has been found to have excellent visibility and manoeuvrability.
Novacat mower and (below) Novacat cross flow schematic.
MERGING SWATHS THE AUSTRIAN
manufacturer Pottinger has developed a mowing set-up that for the first time enables swaths to be merged without incorporating a conditioner. The CrossFlow auger merges the swath immediately after mowing using suitably equipped Novacat 352 and Novacat A10 machines. The development was prompted by feedback from professional farmers looking for a simple and reliable system to combine swaths from rear mounted machines. The enclosed design prevents forage losses, works without a conditioner and adds minimal weight to the base machines. Compared to typical cross conveyor belt
systems, the CrossFlow auger needs 20% less power, helping to save fuel, and causes much less ground compaction, particularly in difficult conditions. As there is no conditioner required, the forage is handled very carefully, while the crop’s placement in a single swath allows it to be collected and taken away directly after mowing, usefully pre-
venting over-wilting on hot summer days. It suits grass or whole-crop mowing. By combining the Novacat 352 or Novacat A10 cross flow-equipped machines with a 3m wide front mower, users can mow a width of 12m or 19m in two passes with swaths delivered within a width of about 6m or 12m. A two-rotor centre delivery rake is then sufficient as the
next machine, so reducing the number of passes to prepare the final offering for the harvester or baler. For field boundaries, the cross-flow auger can transport the crop inwards by closing the rear flap on the smaller 352 C or closing the rear flap on one side of the larger A10 CF machine, ensuring forage remains within the boundary for tedding.
DAIRY NEWS JANUARY 22, 2019
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 27
Raptor for fun, not work ADAM FRICKER
FIRST THINGS first, the Ford Ranger Raptor is not the truck you buy for heavy work; payload and towing capacity are significantly less than a standard Ranger or any other working-clothes ute. Secondly, that’s not the point. The Raptor is built for fun. Point it down the worst track or gravel road you like, put it in Baja mode to keep the bi-turbo diesel and 10-speed box keyed for speed, and let it rip. The Fox suspension set-up with extra track and travel is designed for extreme punishment and will put a smile on your dial every single time. This is not just an
This new engine produces more power and torque than the 5-cylinder Ranger donk (still available in lesser Rangers, by the way) and revs faster and longer. after-market dress up. The guys at Ford USA who designed the bigger F-150 Raptor were heavily involved in the Ranger Raptor’s development and have produced something special. The talents of the chassis –- strengthened and equipped with race-developed Fox coilover shocks that Ford says cost more than the engine – will be hard to fully exploit in New Zealand. We don’t have fast
desert trails like the ones the famous Baja 1000 in Mexico is raced over. We do have lots of gravel roads though. The nice balance of the chassis, the compliance of the softer suspension and the extra 150mm track width also make the Raptor an excellent drive back on the black-top. Even with the massive 33-inch BF Goodrich off-road rubber, this Ranger handles and rides better than any ute
Ranger Raptor
we’ve driven, bar none. You may have read some reviews bemoaning the “lack of power on the open road” from the 2.0L bi-turbo diesel, but most of those wallys missed the point. One, why are you on the motorway pretending this thing should drive like a Porsche? Two,
in the rough where this belongs, 157kW of power and 500Nm of torque via a 10-speed transmission is more than enough grunt. This new engine produces more power and torque than the 5-cylinder Ranger donk (still available in lesser Rangers, by the way) and
revs faster and longer. For a daily driver or as a weekend weapon, this power-train is fit for purpose, especially with a range of drive modes at your fingertips. Sports mode is ideal if you’re hustling in twowheel drive, Baja in fourwheel drive, normal for
everything else. As mentioned, payload is lower than on the normal Ranger at 758kg and so is towing capacity at 2500kg, but this is due to the softer suspension, not the smaller engine, which in a Wildtrak tows and carries the same as the 3.2L versions. Price may be the kicker. At $84,990 it isn’t cheap, putting it head-tohead with other premium utes that are unlikely to work too hard. The VW Amarok V6 Aventura and the HSV Sportscat+ spring to mind, both impressive in their own way, but expensive and more likely to be towing a jet ski than a stock trailer. And why not? All work and no play, and all that.
CONTRACTOR LOVES TEMPO PLANTER MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
RK FLINT Contracting,
at Ngatea, Hauraki Plains, has been running a Vaderstad Tempo F8 precision planter since September. “I wanted accuracy and speed to get through the work,” said Richard Flint. “I’ve been very impressed, and the farmers are saying the maize crops are coming up well with no overlap; and they are happy about saving money on seed.” The eight-row Tempo is a trailed model with four support wheels, said to give optimum depth control and avoid tilting on hills while also allowing excellent following of contours. “We have humps and hollows in marine clays and it always plants at a consistent depth,” Flint says. The machine has a 6m working width, is configured for 30-inch spacings and has a 1700L fertiliser bin; at the front of each planting unit is a fertiliser coulter to position fertiliser close to the seed. Although RK Flint Contracting currently only uses the planter for maize, it can be fitted with a small seeds kit to increase cropping options. Some of Flint’s cli-
ents prepare their own ground, so the paddocks can range from a fine seedbed to cloddy, which in the latter case sees row cleaners flick clods out of the way for a finer seedbed in poorer conditions. In fully cultivated ground, the cleaners are manually lifted out of the way, allowing the Tempo to work efficiently whatever the ground conditions. Behind the cleaners, the seed coulters have a pressurised seed chamber causing seed to be blown down the delivery tube. This Powershoot system ensures each seed travels at identical speed from the hopper to the soil where it’s caught by the following soft press wheels. The press wheel keeps the seed in the right place and ensures accurate depth control, with both facets combining to ensure exact seed spacing to achieve maximum yield. Using GPS on the ISOBUS-equipped tractor allows the use of the Tempo’s auto shut-off feature, and it allows variable rate application to automatically change fertiliser and seed rates according to a pre-set field map. Using the iPad monitor allows Flint to change rates on-the-fly and it makes calibration easy between jobs.
Flint pulls the Tempo with a 250hp New Holland T7.250 tractor, in good conditions drilling at about 14km/h and planting at about 25mm depth, although in rougher conditions this might drop to 8-9km/h. Each seeding unit holds 1.5 bags of seed and Flint usually does 8-9ha of maize on a full load.
P - B OX S T I T h e P - B OX S T I p n e u m a t i c a i r s e e d e r i s h i g h l y a c c u r a t e f o r broadcasting seeds like grass or brassicas. Plug and play using the Info plug on your tractor (for radar speed and linkage position). Easy adjustment from 1 kg to 300 kg / ha.
Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a c t
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