Issuu

2014

Innovation for Future Profit

PUBLISHED BY RURAL NEWS GROUP

ISSN: 1176-2012

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

FOREWORD // 3

Competitive, responsible dairying starts onfarm DR TIM MACKLE CHIEF EXECUTIVE, DAIRY NZ IT’S AN EASY phrase to say, and

we talk about it a lot in farming circles. And each year we come back to that same grassroots motto: getting the basics right on your farm. That is where it all starts in competitive and responsible dairy farming. While DairyNZ is always looking to support farmers to innovate and improve, and to do things better each year, we also never stray far from that main message of ensuring a farm’s essential key tasks are done well. This year’s Getting the Basics Right covers those areas: calving, mating, feeding, milk quality, pasture management. And as our industry grows and develops, there are now other areas entering that arena of basic skills: nutrient management, farm finance, effluent and water

Dairy farming needs the brightest and best.

management, staff management and machinery maintenance. The bar has been lifted in the past 10 years. This reflects the complexity of the compliance regimes farming faces, along with the need to manage our environ-

need to master can seem like a daunting hill to climb. How can one person be good at all those different tasks? Often it’s not up to a single employee, but sometimes it can be – depending on the size of the farm. That’s the

“Dairy farming needs the brightest and the best, and we need you to want to stay in our industry.” mental impact as well as our efficiency as profitable farmers. Technology is also growing in its use and application. DairyNZ has just produced its first app – for effluent management. We know smartphones are now an important part of many people’s work and home lives. The total mix of skills you

variety and the challenge and the nature of what draws people to farming, but what also stresses and fatigues farmers. Increasingly, DairyNZ is working with others in the industry to ensure farmers also care for themselves, and learn how to manage stress and stay healthy. Too many farmers feel isolated at times and unable to cope with managing these multiple roles, as well as things outside your control like severe weather events. Social media may be the latest way to deliver that support to far-flung young farmers; whatever works for you is my motto. There is a lot of support, training and advice available to those working in our industry. DairyNZ’s training workshops, discussion groups, website and app resources, primary industry training organisation courses, local farming networks and your workmates and employers. We are all responsible for our own career development to a large extent. Make the most of opportunities that come your way

– onfarm and off-farm. Don’t be afraid to seek support, ask for advice and learn from those around you. Dairy farming needs the brightest and the best, and we need you to want to stay in our industry. Farming is of vital importance to this country, economically, socially and environmentally. It can’t thrive without good people. Many of you reading this publication will be part of that new generation of farmers leading us into the future. Starting with the basics, mastering those skills and building on that strong foundation is a good approach. Your confidence with technology will also be a great asset. Best of luck, and remember that all those who work with you in this industry want you to be successful. We’ll do all we can to support you to reach your goals.

DAIRYNZ DELIVERING VALUE DairyNZ is the industry organisation representing New Zealand’s dairy farmers. It is funded by farmers through a levy on milksolids. DairyNZ delivers value to farmers through leadership, influencing, investing and partnering with other organisations. Its work includes research and development to create practical on-farm tools, farmer support and training, promoting careers in dairying and advocating for farmers with central and regional government. www.dairynz.co.nz

Comfortable beddings for calves.

CONTENTS 06 Pasture 20

Choice of endophyte first and most important basic to get right

20 Feed

Cows now more efficient at using feed to make milk

26 Maize

More than just a supplementary feed

34 Effluent

Good systems pay dividends

38 Sustainability EDITOR Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

Don’t wait for cows to say it’s time for a change

52 Mating Management

ADVERTISING MANAGER Ted Darley

Better beef genetics for dairy beef

68 Calving

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN Dave Ferguson Becky Williams

PUBLISHED BY Rural News Group

Riparians are ‘kidneys’ of farm waterways

45 Milk Quality

PUBLISHER Brian Hight

PRINTED BY PMP

Get BCS as close as possible to 5.0

Animal Health

Unhealthy animals can ruin farmer’s day

80 Animal Welfare

Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 PO Box 3855, Shortland Street, Auckland 1140

Tail docking illegal in New Zealand

Finance Key principles of farm finances

90 Employment

Phone 09.307.0399 Fax 09.307.0122

Coming to grips with employment agreements

Farm Machinery Safety first with machinery

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

6 // PASTURE

Endophyte pick comes first ROB BRAZENDALE DAIRYNZ PRODUCTIVITY TEAM LEADER

WHEN IT COMES to renewing perennial ryegrass pasture, the choice of endophyte is the first and most important basic to get right. The presence or absence of endophyte in the ryegrass chosen will have a major influence on its longevity (persistence) and the performance of animals grazing that pasture.

Key findings kk Selecting the right endophyte for your situation is most important when deciding which ryegrass to sow. kk When it comes to selecting the most appropriate endophyte there is a trade-off between insect protection and animal performance. kk Research has found that

NEA2 and AR37 endophytes offer the most comprehensive insect protection without compromising animal performance significantly. They are reccomended in areas north of Taupo where black beetle is a problem. kk AR1 is suitable in areas where black beetle is not a problem. Waikato farm system trials found that AR1 ryegrass produced 9% more milk than standard endophyte. kk The use of standard endophyte will cause ryegrass staggers and heat stress in cows, markedly affecting milk production and profitability. The use of ryegrasses with wild or standard endophyte is not recommended.

Scott Farm in 2008: AR37 endophyte pasture (left) compared with nil endophyte pasture (right).

What is endophyte? Perennial ryegrasses have a mutually beneficial arrangement with an endophyte fungus. â€˜Endoâ€™ means inside, implying that the endophyte lives entirely within the plant (in fact it can only be detected by microscopic examination of leaf sheath tissue or seeds that have been specially stained). The fungus obtains nutrients from the plant, and in return the plant gets protection from insect and animal feeding by the fungus producing chemical deterrents or toxins. The fungal strands, or mycelium, are concentrated in the leaf sheath of vegetative tillers at the base of the plant. However, the fungus grows seed heads in spring infecting the newly formed seeds,

transferring itself to the next ryegrass generation as the seeds germinate. This elevation of the endophyte in seed heads causes some management issues as it becomes more accessible to grazing animals. Perennial ryegrass in old dairy pastures will be infected with the standard (wild-type) endophyte. This endophyte produces three main chemicals, two of which are toxic to animals. Other endophyte strains have different chemical deterrents. Chemicals or toxins found in endophyte Peramine protects the plant from attack by Argentine stem weevil. Adult Argentine stem weevil will not lay eggs on plants where they detect peramine, but

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

PASTURE // 7 Chemical or toxin impact on animals and protection to insects.

PARAMINE Impact on grazing animals

No affect

Protects against insect attack Argentine stem weevil & from: pasture mealy bug

their larvae are less sensitive to the chemical. Mixing annuals (no peramine) with perennials allows the adult to target the annuals and may provide the larvae with the opportunity to damage tillers of annuals and perennials. Peramine is not toxic to animals (see table). Ergovaline protects the plant from black beetle feeding. It was thought that ergovaline may occasionally interact with the weather conditions, triggering heat stress in cows, but this has not been proven to occur in New Zealand. Research by DairyNZ on a Waikato farm during the early 2000s concluded that endophyte had no effects on heat stress in cows grazing Bronsyn ryegrass infected with standard

ERGOVALINE

EPOXYJANTHITREMS

LOLITRM B

May cause heat stress

Ryegrass staggers

Mild ryegrass staggers in sheep

Black Beetle

Argentine stem weevil larvae

Black beetle, root aphid, pasture mealy bug, porina, Argentine stem weevil

endophyte. Lolitrem B acts on the nervous system and is known as ‘ryegrass staggers’. Affected animals appear drunk and uncoordinated. Effects of lolitrem B on livestock is most pronounced in summer and autumn as chemical concentration is highest in warm, moist climatic conditions. Seed head production also occurs in late spring to early summer when lolitrem B concentrations at the top of the plant are four times that of the base. Animals grazing wild-type endophyte in summer are most at risk if they eat seed head or if they graze very low into the grass. Lolitrem B is also toxic to Argentine stem weevil larvae.

Epoxy-janthitrems are thought to be responsible for the broad insect protection offered by the AR37 endophyte. AR37 endophyte protects against attack from black beetle, root aphid, pasture mealy bug, porina and Argentine stem weevil. Although mild ryegrass staggers have been observed in sheep eating AR37 ryegrass, no signs of staggers or any other health issues have been observed in cattle consuming this endophyte. Commercially available endophytes in New Zealand Plant breeding and endophyte selection programmes have found novel endophytes that offer protection against insects

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without the undesirable effects on animal performance. These novel endophytes have been commercialised and are available with various cultivars of ryegrass. Standard or wild type endophyte This is the naturally occurring endophyte in old ryegrass pastures. It is still available in some ryegrass cultivars. This endophyte causes ryegrass staggers but protects against Argentine stem weevil, black beetle and pasture mealy bug. Low or without endophyte Perennial ryegrasses without endophyte are susceptible to insect attack but are free from the chemicals peramine,

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

8 // PASTURE

ergovaline, lolitrem B and epoxyjanthitrems described above. Endophyte-free cultivars can be used in cooler areas where Argentine stem weevil is not a problem, such as Southland. NEA2, Endo5 These are selected endophyte strains (sometimes called novel endophytes) that produce peramine and small quantities of ergovaline. They do not cause ryegrass staggers, but with low levels of ergovaline, they offer some protection against black beetle. AR1 AR1 is a selected endophyte strain that produces only peramine. It was found in perennial ryegrass in France by AgResearch (the AR portion of the name). Plants are protected from Argentine stem weevil and pasture mealy bug with only weak protection against black beetle and no protection against root aphid. AR1 has been planted where there has been an invasion by black beetle, destroying all the ryegrass. There are no harmful effects on stock. A Waikato trial by DairyNZ showed cows grazing AR1

Ryegrass tiller density (tillers/m2) in autumn

PERIOD

AR37

AR1

NIL

SIGNIFICANCE OVERALL

AR1 vs AR37

May 07

6040

4570

5250

4190

March 08

3420

1680

1930

810

***

May 081

5580

2430

3300

100

% Area Undersown

nd = no data, treatment eliminated April 2008; 1 includes pastures undersown in late April 2008; NS = not significant; ** P<0.01; ***P<0.01 Total milksolids production (kg/cow)

AR37

AR1

NIL

SIGNIFICANCE

Jul 06 - May 07

PERIOD

397

432

408

423

Jul 07 - Mar 081

365

362

361

358

Summer drought

ryegrass produced 9% more milksolids than those grazing ryegrass with standard endophyte. AR37 AR37 is another novel endophyte found by AgResearch in France that became commercially available in autumn 2007. AR37 produces none of the chemicals other endophyte strains do; it produces epoxyjanthitrems. This endophyte increases grass persistence relative to other endophyte strains by deterring a broad range of insect pests as described above.

Selecting the right endophyte for your situation is most important when decided which ryegrass to sow.

DairyNZ trials DairyNZ research compared different endophyte types for persistence and pasture yield and effects on cow health and milk production. This research found AR37 ryegrass is more persistent, expressed as increased tiller density, than AR1 ryegrass. The lower tiller density in AR1 pastures was associated with higher clover content and possibly increased tiller size compared with AR37. These interactions may have contributed to the lack of treatment differences in pasture yield over the last three years. Higher dry matter yields

of AR37 ryegrass in some AgResearch trials are not inconsistent with this result, as these trials used pure ryegrass, with no possibility for compensation from clover or other species to balance lower ryegrass yields in AR1 or standard endophyte ryegrass. There have been no signs of ryegrass staggers or any other animal health issues in cows grazing AR37 pastures. It was concluded from the trial that AR37 pastures were more persistent and did not adversely affect animal performance compared to other endophyte ryegrass pastures (see tables).

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

10 // PASTURE Diploid ryegrasses (Table 1)

AR1

NEA2

AR37

Argentine Stem Weevil

++++

+++

++++ 1

++++

–

Pasture Mealy Bug

++++

(++++)

++++

–

Black Beetle

+++

–

Root Aphid

–2

++++

–

Porina3

–

Not tested

+++

–

AR1

NEA2

AR37

ENDO5

WITHOUT ENDOPHYTE

(+++)

(+++)1

+++

–

(++++)

–

Black Beetle

+++

–

Root Aphid

–

(+)

++++

(++)

–

Porina3

–

Not tested

(+++)

(+)

–

INSECT

WITHOUT ENDOPHYTE

KEY TO TABLES 1 AND 2

STANDARD ENDOPHYTE

– +

+++

Tetraploid ryegrasses (Table 2)

INSECT Argentine Stem Weevil Pasture Mealy Bug

Choosing a ryegrass endophyte Summary of endophyte on insect control for perennial and long rotation ryegrass These ratings are indicative and may vary slightly between cultivars. If Argentine stem weevil or black beetle are present at sowing, an appropriate seed treatment is recommended, to improve insect resistance during establishment. The ratings in this table are based in part on glasshouse studies where test plants are 100% infected with endophyte, whereas commercial seed must meet minimum standards of 70% of seeds infected. These tables were compiled by AgResearch, Agricom, Agriseeds, Grasslanz and PGG Wrightson Seeds.

++++

()

NOTES TO TABLES 1 AND 2 1

2 3 4

AR37 endophyte controls Argentine stem weevil larvae, but not adults. While larvae cause most damage to pastures, adults can damage emerging grass seedlings. In Argentina stem weevil prone areas it is recommended to use treated seed for all cultivars without novel endophyte. AR1 plants are more susceptible to root aphid than plants without endophyte. Control of porina in pastures only applies to the ryegrass component. Other species that are palatable to porina (such as white clover) will still be damaged. There is much less information on the effect of endophyte in tetraploid ryegrasses on insects than for diploids. Tetraploids are generally more susceptible to Argentine stem weevil and the insect resistance provided by endophyte may not be as strong, although this may vary between cultivars. These ratings are based on available data but require further confirmation.

Dairy cow performance (Table 3)

AR1

NEA2

AR37

ENDO5

STANDARD ENDOPHYTE

WITHOUT ENDOPHYTE

Freedom from ryegrass staggers

++++

++++ 2

++++

++ 1

++++

Animal production

++++

Not tested

++++ 3

Not tested

+++ 1

++++

NOTES ON TABLE 3 1 2 3

Standard endophyte can cause ryegrass staggers, and has been shown to depress milksolids (MS) production through summer and autumn. While ryegrass staggers has not been observed on cattle and dairy cows, it could occur on rare occasions. In dairy trials overall MS production from ryegrass containing AR37 endophyte is not significantly different from that with AR1. A small reduction in MS was observed over summer on ryegrass containing AR37. A contributing factor to this was the lower clover content in AR37 pastures.

KEY TO TABLE 3 ++ +++ ++++

No control Low level control: Endophyte may provide a measurable effect, but is unlikely to give any practical control. Moderate control: Endophyte may provide some pratical protection, with a low to moderate reduction in insect population. Good control: Endophyte markedly reduces insect damage under low to moderate insect pressures. Damage may still occur when insect pressure is high. Very good control: Endophyte consistently reduces insect populations and keeps pasture damage to low levels, even under high insect pressure. Provisional rating: Further date are needed to support the rating. Testing is ongoing.

Moderate animal production and health: This endophyte is known to regularly cause significant problems. Good animal protection and health: This endophyte can cause problems from time to time. Very good animal production and health

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

12 // PASTURE

How to improve pasture performance year-round GRAHAM KERR PASTURE SYSTEMS MANAGER, AGRISEEDS

GETTING THE BEST out of

your pastures can make a big difference to your profit, but this can be easier said than done. We know the amount of pasture consumed is a key driver of profit on New Zealand dairy farms; it’s the most cost effective source of feed you’ll ever buy and it comes ready to eat. We also know, however, that pasture eaten varies widely between farms, as can DM yield, quality and persistence. So, what key steps can you take to make sure your pastures deliver to their potential, year-round? Some factors, such as the weather, are beyond your control, but management is not, and even small changes can be very effective. In fact, one of the main reasons so many pastures bounced back well after the 2012-13 drought was the good way they were managed by many through and immediately after the dry. Every season poses its challenges to getting the best out of pastures; we’ve covered the most important of these below. Your first step, however, is committing to a year-round pasture plan that suits your farm system and requirements. As the old adage goes, failing to plan is planning to fail, and pasture management is no exception.

Summer The major problem for pastures during summer is extended dry periods, and your management aim during this time is simple: to maintain strong pastures which will persist, and re-grow once rains come, so you can get production back on track quickly (and avoid resowing costs). Avoid over-grazing, and be especially protective of your best paddocks. Grass plant reserves are above the ground, in the base of the plant, and repeated hard grazing below 7 units (clicks) on the rising plate meter (40-50mm height) can kill plants. Maintain consistent post-grazing residuals. Graze down to 7 RPM units, no further. On-off grazing is a key strategy. Remove cows from a paddock when the correct residual has been achieved. Have an area of the farm that can be used to hold cows and feed supplement if necessary to limit the damage caused by over-grazing, e.g. feed pads, crop stubble, lower value pastures or paddocks earmarked for autumn renewal. Paddocks with shade trees or handy to the shed are ideal. Autumn If summer is dry and challenging, once rains arrive pastures need time to recover in autumn if they are to return to good performance. The most common management mistake in this season is not waiting

long enough for recovery to take place. The other key management priority is promptly repairing any damage caused by a dry summer. Be patient. Don’t graze at the first sign of growth. Grazing too early, when there is just one new leaf on each ryegrass tiller, can kill pasture because the plant has not yet replenished the energy reserves it requires for regrowth. Wait until tillers have two to three new leaves each before grazing. By then pasture plants have replenished reserves and will regrow again quickly. If some pastures have thinned out over summer act quickly to fill these bare areas with new seed before weeds take over. Winter Pugging or treading damage in wet weather can have a lasting effect on pasture performance. One bad event can severely damage DM yield potential, and affected pasture will probably need to be renewed in coming years. Always aim to get through winter and early spring with zero pugging damage to newly sown pastures. These are your most valuable areas; they are most at risk because they are not yet fully established, soil is often soft and they must be protected. Minimise damage to other pastures in wet conditions where possible, e.g. spread stock out at lower density for shorter periods of time; use on-off

grazing. Repair pugged areas as quickly as possible to ensure growth is restored in time for spring, and to keep weeds out. Spring The key to getting the best out of your pastures in spring is keeping consistent post-grazing residuals and maintaining pasture quality. In late spring this translates to controlling growth so you don’t end up with long, rank and/or stalky pastures. Maintain consistent post-grazing residuals through early spring. If pasture growth is short, use supplements. Remember at this time of year grass grows grass – maintaining pasture cover is critical. In late spring excess growth is the main challenge. If pastures get too long, clovers are shaded, and dead and dying plant material builds up in the base of the sward. This decreases cow intake, MS production and also weakens pasture persistence. Aim to graze when ryegrass plants have between two and three leaves per tiller. Monitor pastures and identify pasture surpluses early. For best pasture regrowth, harvest surplus spring growth for silage, making sure you don’t leave paddocks too long (e.g. cut at 3500kg DM/ha to produce a crop of 1.5 - 2 t DM/ha) For more on managing your pastures for optimum performance, year-round, visit www.agriseeds.co.nz

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

14 // PASTURE

Combating summer pests AGRESEARCH SCIENTISTS SAY warm, dry summers are

the perfect conditions for many pests and weeds affecting dairy pastures. Populations can quickly increase, and farmers should monitor their pastures and take action early. Assessing the probability and possible extent of damage will assist in choosing a control option. Yellow bristle grass Yellow bristle grass was identified as a significant problem on farms in the wet, warm climate around Mt Pirongia in Waikato some 10 years ago. Since then it has continued to spread fast through dairying regions. It is now found throughout South Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Taranaki and is rapidly making inroads into Manawatu. Also of concern are known infestations in Tasman, Marlborough and Canterbury. Yellow bristle grass has a lower feed value than ryegrass in late summer/autumn and may also suppress ryegrass growth. On many dairy farms the cows avoid eating it which leads to massive under-utilisation of pastures. Managing yellow bristle grass Yellow bristle grass can enter a property in many ways but is frequently first observed on the roadside or around a maize silage stack. Be vigilant and take action against new infestations before they get out of control. Avoid seed being spread further afield by fencing off, mowing and collecting seed or spraying. Yellow bristle grass establishment is suppressed in a vigorous, competitive sward. Adjust grazing interval and pressure to maintain good grass cover at all times. Yellow bristle grass frequently emerges from under old dung pats so harrow paddocks in late spring/early

summer to break these up. Fenoxaprop (Puma S) is now registered for killing yellow bristle grass in pasture, with a shortened withholding period of 28 days. Note, however, that pasture must be left to freshen up for seven days before it is sprayed and it has no residual activity so be aware that subsequent germi-

calendar on the DairyNZ website to find the event closest to you. Giant buttercup Careful management is the key to protecting dairy farmer incomes from the effects of the giant buttercup weed. Dairy farmers can lose $1040/ha/ year in profit from just a 12%

Yellow bristle grass

nations of yellow bristle grass may occur. Fenoxaprop should be applied just before the first seed heads appear. This may be as early as mid-December or as late as mid-January. If yellow bristle grass becomes established then use fenoxaprop before seed heads appear; if seed heads are present top 24 hours after spraying. Reduce seed production by topping before or after grazing and shorten grazing interval to reduce the number of seed heads produced between grazings. Find out more Visit the yellow bristle grass page at www.pestweb.co.nz The Yellow Bristle Grass Ute Guide (3rd edition) helps farmers identify and manage infestations of this aggressive weed. Get a copy from your local DairyNZ consultant Field days on the management of yellow bristle grass are held during summer in infested areas. Check the DairyNZ events

average cover of giant buttercup (on all paddocks on the farm) in November. The loss in revenue results from the combined costs of the lost grazing area and avoidance by the cows of the pasture surrounding the buttercup plants. Giant buttercup is established in Tasman/Golden Bay, West Coast, Horowhenua, Hawkeâ€™s Bay, Taranaki and South Auckland and has been in New Zealand for well over 100 years. It has recently been discovered in dairy pastures and on roadsides in Southland. A CLIMEX model, developed to understand the potential further spread, revealed that all of New Zealand is climatically suitable for this weed and that irrigation in the drier eastern parts of the country increases the suitability of these areas. Managing giant buttercup AgResearch scientists have good evidence to show that

giant buttercup has developed a genetically based resistance to all classes of herbicide used to control it in dairy pastures. The plant spreads by seed and rhizome fragments, which further complicates matters. Even when they are effective, herbicides can only ever be one of the tools needed for successful management of giant buttercup. It is good practice not to bring cows, hay or other materials onto your farm from a farm infected with giant buttercup. Farmers in all dairy areas must be careful about their own biosecurity measures to ensure they donâ€™t introduce the giant buttercup inadvertently. For farms with an infestation, management options include a good pasture renewal or cropping strategy, careful pasture management to avoid the winter pugging that promotes the establishment and spread of the weed, and avoidance of resistance building in the weed by rotating between the phenoxy herbicides (MCPA and MCPB) and the ALS-inhibitor (flumetsulam) in pastures. Pasture renovation through several forage crops enables extra herbicides to be added to the rotation, helping further to slow the development of resistance. Black beetle The African black beetle, which arrived from South Africa via Australia early last century, is causing increasing damage to northern North Island pastures. Warm summers contribute to higher black beetle numbers especially on lighter soil types such as ash and peat. Both beetles and larvae damage pasture, other agricultural and some horticultural crops. Larvae cause damage to pasture in summer and adult beetles cause damage in autumn and spring. Farmers should consider their control options if they find more than 20 black beetles/m2 on their pasture.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

PASTURE // 15

Managing black beetle The best way for farmers to manage black beetle infestations is by using a combination of pasture management, coated seed and ryegrass cultivars containing the novel endophytes AR37, Endo 5 or NEA2. Insecticidecoated seed can protect at a critical time; the grass is germinating at a time when the black beetle adults have just emerged from the soil. Novel endophytes have been shown to give protection against other pests such as Argentine stem weevil. These endophyte fungi produce toxins that deter the adult black beetles from feeding and if the beetles cannot find alternative plants to feed on they will die before they can lay their eggs. The endophytes do not directly affect the larvae. AR1 infected ryegrasses are not protected from black beetle feeding. Find out more Farmers can find the latest control advice on the black beetle page at www.pestweb.co.nz

For endophyte selection, see www.dairynzfvi.co.nz Argentine stem weevil Argentine stem weevil is common throughout New Zealand. Adults are small (2-3 mm long) and difficult to see. The black elongated eggs are laid singularly or in groups of 2-4 in the leaf sheath of grasses. On hatching the white legless larvae tunnel into the grass stem where they usually remain until ready to pupate. Larvae pass through five stages, increasing in size as they do. Larvae in the fifth stage may live outside the plant, particularly if the grass tillers are small. Pupation and emergence of the adult weevil occurs in the litter layer. A small wasp, Microctonus hyperodae, was introduced to New Zealand in 1990 as a biological control agent and was released throughout the country. It is now well established in most areas and in combination with

endophyte infected ryegrasses has reduced the impact this weevil formerly had on New Zealand pastures. This wasp is a parasite and lays its eggs inside the adult weevil. This sterilises and eventually kills the weevil. Managing argentine stem weevil Argentine stem weevil is difficult to control with insecticides. Several products are available that will kill adult weevils but pastures can be rapidly re-infested from others nearby. The larvae generally live within the plants on which they feed and are therefore protected from most insecticides. Argentine stem weevil is now primarily a pest of establishing grasses and can cause significant damage soon after sowing. Even endophyte infected grasses are vulnerable in the seedling stage as it takes several weeks for the endophyte to confer resistance to the plant. There are some options that can mitigate damage from this pest

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during pasture establishment. Cultivation can destroy larval weevil populations and allow re-establishment of grasses into a clean pasture. This, however, will not protect against adults which may survive cultivation or re-invade the paddock. An insecticide can be used if necessary in this situation. Foliar sprays, prills drilled with the seed and seed coatings are available. If very high numbers of adults are present insecticide seed coating may not offer sufficient protection to avoid loss of seedlings. If direct drilling is used in grass-to-grass pasture establishment, larvae are able to survive in dying vegetation and migrate to new plants after sowing and can be a significant threat. Find out more Farmers can find the latest control advice on the argentine stem weevil page at www. pestweb.co.nz and on endophyte selection to combat this pest at www.dairynzfvi.co.nz.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

PASTURE // 17

The grassland farmer’s hats KEN BARTLETT LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT

FOR A GRASSLAND business

to be profitable, farmers need to be skilful in four businesses: the land production, cost control and young stock. The land business In this area you have to take control of the factors under your control such as soil fertility, drainage, effluent management and pasture species. The production business This area is often seen as the easy one, and the one most dairy farmers talk about (milksolids per cow and the farm’s total milksolids). The cost control business Cost control is one of the most important parts of a profitable

WHEN

LIVEWEIGHT FOR TYPICAL HEIFERS (KG)

Mature cow liveweight

400

450

Liveweight breeding value (Lwt BV)

-100 70

3 months (fully weaned)

500

550

600

-50

+50

+100

100

110

6 months (30% of mature liveweight)

120

135

150

165

180

9 months

160

180

200

220

240

12 months

200

225

250

275

300

15 months (60% of mature liveweight)

240

270

300

330

360

18 months

290

330

365

400

440

22 months (90% of mature liveweight)

360

405

450

495

540

Source: The InCalf book, p43, DairyNZ

grassland business and it is here you need to benchmark your farming business with other farmers in your area that run a similar grassland system to yours. It is important that you know the cost to produce a kilogram of milksolids, as there are only four costs you have control over – labour, feed (bought-in feed and feed grown and/or made on

the farm), fertiliser, and animal health. If your feed costs are high compared to other farms, do a budget to reduce them and then track your feed costs and production monthly. The young stock business This is one of the businesses often forgotten until the heifers come into the herd. To ensure

heifers are excellent milk producers and get back in calf quickly, it is critical they reach weight targets during rearing (see table). In summary, to have a profitable grassland farming system you have to ensure you have the expertise in the four farming businesses. With only one, you are not running the farm as a ‘full’ business.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

18 // PASTURE

Knowing mowing pasture BRENT BOYCE LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT

THIS WINTER AND spring has

been a cracker – the best for pasture growth since 2001 in the top of the South Island. But as the old heads amongst us like to remind – it’s easier to farm with a wee deficit than a big surplus. These feed explosions do happen regularly, but thankfully in more easily managed quantities. So what lessons have we learnt, and what new tricks can we add to the toolbox? There are the usual strategies – quoted by all and sundry – speed up the round, bring other stock home to graze, take it out for silage/baleage, etc. Unfortunately farming is a biological business, and nature

sometimes reads from a different book. The strategies outlined above work pretty well most of the time, but are sometimes impractical (you’re already on a fast round, you have no suitable stock to bring home to graze and it’s too wet for the contractors, etc.). What has been heartening has been the quick uptake from our early adapter farmers to use strategic mowing as another tool to help with lumpy spring growth. It is worth remembering that in 2013 even the most heavily stocked farms couldn’t keep up no matter what responsive strategies were put in place. So, if you are going to update your toolkit and use mowing should we be presented with similar challenges in the years

ahead, here are some tips: Mowing in front of the cows can lift cow intakes if there is an excess of good quality feed for the full height of the sward. If there is excess feed in the paddock, with a lower quality base, let the cows pick the best out of it, and top behind the herd. Use the mower pre-grazing to maintain and stop the decline in feed quality going into October and November, but only when growth rates are exceeding demand (ie you need to have a feed surplus to allow mowing). And it’s important to start sooner vs later. When you commence mowing, apply 25-40kgN/ha behind the mower. When mowing in front of the cows, it is critical to target covers 200-300kgDM/ha higher than

would be used if grazing standing grass, to counter potential losses and allow for increased cow intakes. However, if you know that the post graze residual will still be too high (eg 1800) if the cows are left to graze the paddock, it may be advisable to still mow in front of the cows or, conversely, top behind them. On non-irrigated properties, only mow 50% of what is to be grazed on any one day and mow the night feed ahead of the milkers. Mowing too much area in one round, or when growth rates are below demand, will result in reduced covers and a magnified reduction in growth rates if it gets dry. Under pivot irrigation, mowing all feeds in front of or behind the cows is possible whilst growth rates exceed demand, and nitrogen is Strategic mowing is another tool to deal with pasture explosion like the one experienced in 2013.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

PASTURE // 19

continually being applied. Once pre-grazing covers are too long for the milkers to clean up the feed mown in front of them on the allocated area (the targeted round length), this suggests you have a genuine surplus of feed. Leading into summer, using the mower allows pasture quality to be maintained – at the same time as aiming to carry an average cover in excess of 2300kgDM/ha and pre-grazing covers exceeding 3000kgDM/ha. Mowing is usually done at too high a height so mow or top down to the desired ‘postgrazing residual’ height – this is typically 5-6 cm. This is critical as grass stems below mowing height harden and lose quality, so you will lose MS production if you have to push cows to eat below mowing height. Use the right mower – some makes/models don’t mow low enough. Buy one that does. Roll paddocks to achieve the desired mowing height without damaging the mower; heavy

rolling of paddocks may be needed. Keep mower blades sharp – sharpen blades every day. This means a cleaner cut, less leaf damage, and faster pasture regrowth. Mow straight before grazing in warmer months – have the mower leaving the paddock just as cows are about to enter. Wilted pasture can dry quickly and lose palatability. A simple method to assess pasture quality and whether you need to mow is to ‘be the cow’. Try to pluck the grass with your fingers down to the desired grazing residual; if you are unable to break the grass off, the cows won’t either. They will leave clumps and a higher than ideal residual. And remember, if pasture growth and covers fall below cow demand – stop mowing! So, in the future, when you get a feed burst, add some constructive mowing practices to your box of pasture management tricks.

A simple method to know when to mow is to ‘be the cow’.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

20 // FEED

Measure so you can manage GEORGE REVELEY LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT

I OFTEN HEAR farmers talk

about more cows meaning more milk production, but although true sometimes, more commonly, a few less cows will make a farm more efficient and profitable. The farm system will dictate the correct stocking rate, with it possible to have high and low profitability in all production systems. But ultimately profitability is determined by the operator’s

ability to achieve the planned combined result from efficient use of cows, feed and other farm resources. Over the years, cows have become more efficient at using feed to make milk, to the extent where farmers actually need fewer cows every year for the existing feed resource. This has been well demonstrated in a number of trials and in the demonstration at the Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF). It runs a pasture system with pasture baleage being the only supplement, where a significant drop in the herd size by 40 cows helped to facilitate an increase in milk

production from 420kgms up to 485kgms/cow. It also resulted in cash savings, as a smaller herd means fewer replacements and reduced costs for things like wintering, health and mating. Clearly there are physical and biological limits to potential efficiency gains but every year farmers are making gains in the levels of production of

14,000 2,500 16,500 11.5

both harvested pasture and production per cow. Calculated example of fewer cows which are more efficient Let’s take a farm with 14,000kg pasture DM, reliably able to be eaten by the herd, and they purchase a further 2,500kgDM/ha as wintering and silage:

kgDM Pasture eaten/ha kgDM Supplement eaten/ha total eaten MJME/kgDM average

Table 1

kg ms/cow cows/ha ms/ha

360 3.53 1270

380 3.43 1302

400 3.33 1332

420 3.24 1360

440 3.15 1387

360 3.68 1325

380 3.57 1358

400 3.47 1390

420 3.38 1419

440 3.29 1447

Table 2

kg ms/cow cows/ha ms/ha

Using the feed source above Table 1 shows how feed is much more profitably used at 3.15cows/ ha than 3.53cows/ha assuming management is skilled enough and the overall environment is such that the production per cow can be achieved. Table 2 represents the same total feed but with an average of 12.0MJME/kgDM, showing the other key driver of stocking rate and profitability – feed quality. Knowing how much feed is produced and consumed in a farm system and being able to manipulate the numbers around that are key to resetting and maintaining profitable farm systems as the costs of inputs and milk price change. Using simple recording using tools, like MINDA Land and Feed, and benchmarking tools like in Dairybase, provides farmers with the tools and background numbers needed to analyse and therefore predict with a greater degree of accuracy what will happen when changes are made to a farm feed supply or stocking rate. As with anything in farming, the general rule is always to measure, so you can manage.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

22 // FEED

The best routes to profit WHAT ARE THE routes to profit

for dairy farmers? A report, prepared by SealesWinslow science extension manager James Hague, has shown that fundamental to long term business success is the dilution of fixed costs through greater output. Using a base milk payout of $5.60/kgMS as a value that the business should still be able to make a desired profit at, the report titled ‘Routes to Profit’ maps out key elements that affect profitability. Accountancy and business advice provider Crowe Horwath, undertook an analysis of the fixed and variable costs on a sample of their clients. Hague says this data clearly shows that at a base milk price of $5.60 the truly profitable businesses (>10% profit) are the ones that have diluted their fixed costs to less than 50% of the income at a $5.60 payout. He says setting the goal of diluting fixed costs down can really help the business establish its direction. This also has to be future proofed for inflation and for regulatory and other challenges coming along and for some this means doing more production than ever before.” ‘Routes to Profit’ goes on to highlight where production losses are occurring. Using data from Ballance’s AgHub farm mapping and monitoring system Hague shows that the highest producing quarter of the farm could be yielding twice as much dry matter per hectare as the lowest yielding quarter. Changes in fertiliser use and management could result in significant increases in dry matter available for use. Data is also presented showing that the average farm on the Tracker system could produce 27% more milk by addressing nutritional shortfalls throughout the season. This could be worth over $250,000 in a payout year like this But Hague warns that achieving the cows’ potential is not just about managing short-

SealesWinslow science extension manager James Hague.

falls on a day to day basis. “Planning balanced nutrition means managing the diet across the season, sometimes you have to feed today for a future return.” Using the Tracker system, Hague explains the implications around early lactation weight

difference between a sunny day and a cloudy day can drop the milk by 2 litres and with milk worth around 70c per litre, that’s a $1.40 loss unless the diet is compensated. The importance of feed analysis is also examined and

“Planning balanced nutrition means managing the diet across the season, sometimes you have to feed today for a future return.” loss and its effect on the liver which can lead to real issues for the cow processing glucose. “The Tracker system also highlights what is happening nutritionally within the cow and can highlight shortfalls in the diet. Relating the actual milk fat and protein percent’s to the Trackers prediction can show where energy or protein are limiting the die,” he says. The report also looks at the effect of the weather is also scrutinised and data presented to show the effect on the diet and therefore on production. The

data from Hills Laboratories shows the large range of nutritional variance between grass samples. Hague encourages farmers to get grass analysed so that the diet can be effectively balanced. “The value of the lost milk in many systems far outweighs the costs of the solution,” he says. Data on Nitrogen use efficiency highlight that some farms can be capturing only 25% of the nitrogen used in the farm system, whereas the best are capturing 55%. To achieve high levels of efficiency farmers

are encouraged to look at better balanced diets and strategic targeting of inputs. ‘Routes to Profit’ also takes a good look at the structure of the herd and highlights the large variation in performance. For a typical herd the top quarter on production will be achieving a third of the milk output, the bottom quarter less than half this. These data are based on achieving a 305 day yield, yet for the average herd in New Zealand we are only achieving 274 days in milk per cow. Hague encourages farmers to choose the right cow for the right job to progress the herd genetically and profitably. Also highlighted in the failure of the heifers brought into the herd and data is presented showing how heifers are coming into the herd under-grown and under-performing. Better nutrition in the rearing years is needed to ensure that heifers reach the herd ready to work. Hague says ‘Routes to Profit’ shows that there are many routes to profitability and following one system can limit the business.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

24 // FEED

Benefits of forage brassicas NICHOLAS KOCH MARKETING MANAGER DOW AGROSCIENCES

FORAGE BRASSICAS CAN

provide quick and abundant feed, with high digestibility, energy and protein. The crude protein content of brassica leaves ranges from 15 25% and that of swede and turnip bulbs from 9 -16%. The metabolisable energy content ranges from 11-14 MJ ME/kgDM. Forage brassicas

can produce excellent livestock weight gains, for example 150-250g/head/day for lambs and 0.8-1.2kg/head/day for growing cattle are common. Forage brassicas are an attractive option for quick, costeffective feed, especially when you consider that cereal grain feeding can cost as much as three times more. Forage brassicas can also form a useful part of a pasture renewal programme. A pasture rotation including forage brassicas can

help to reduce weeds, pests and diseases. Also, deep tap roots and the release of natural bio-fumigants help to improve soil health and structure, leaving the paddock in the best possible condition for pasture or crop sowing. Pest problems While producers have long been aware of the benefits of forage brassicas, the major downside has been the potential for large scale crop damage

Forage brassicas can also form part of a pasture renewal programme.

• • • •

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

26 // MAIZE

Cows feeding on maize silage.

Maize silage – more than just a supplementary feed IAN WILLIAMS PIONEER FORAGE SPECIALIST

IN THE PAST 20 years New Zealand dairy farm systems have intensified with farmers milking more cows per hectare and producing more milk per cow. Pasture yield has not kept pace with the growing demand for

feed and farmers have become increasingly reliant on supplementary feed. Choosing the right supplement is a complex decision. As well as balancing feed price and nutrient composition with cow nutritional requirements and likely financial benefits, farmers must also consider how the supplement fits into their dairy farm system and its impact on the environment.

While maize silage provides an excellent nutritional profile and can be grown or purchased at a cost-effective price, it is more than just a supplementary feed. That’s because growing and feeding maize silage delivers a number of unequalled farm systems and environmental benefits. These include: Growing maize on effluent paddocks delivers environ-

Table 1: Typical cost of maize silate DM1

MAIZE SILAGE YIELD (†DM/HA IN THE STACK) Cost with full fertiliser input (c/kgDM) Cost in effluent paddock (c/kgDM)2

23.8

21.1

19.0

17.3

15.8

14.6

13.6

–

15.5

13.9

12.7

11.6

10.7

10.0

9.3

mental benefits and low cost feed. Maize is a deep-rooted crop that can extract water and nutrients from depths two-three times greater than typical pasture species including ryegrass and clover. It can be used to remove excess nutrients, especially nitrogen and potassium from effluent blocks. This reduces the risk of nutrient leaching and lowers the chance of milk fever caused by feeding high potassium pasture to springers. A two year on-farm study showed that maize silage crops grown on effluent paddocks with no additional fertiliser (no base, starter or sidedress) yielded an average of 26.1 tDM/ha. Without

Maize makes my cows look good as well as my profit

HAYDEN LAWRENCE, TARANAKI DAIRY FARMER Growing & feeding Pioneer® brand maize silage

SEE HAYDEN’S STORY AT

pioneer.co.nz 0800 PIONEER 0800 746 633 Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase, which are part of the labelling and purchase documents. ®, TM, SM, Trademarks and service marks of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

28 // MAIZE

Table 2: Comparison between the amount of drymatter harvested from a traditional run-off and one partially cropped with maize3.

TRADITIONAL RUN-OFF 30HA

PARTIALLY CROPPED RUN-OFF 30HA

Heifer grazing 75 calves 75 yearlings

Heifer grazing 87 yearlings

Winter grazing 100 cows for 4 weeks

Winter grazing 120 cows for 4 weeks

Standing grass for hay 20 †DM

Maize silage 10 ha or 235 †DM Winter triticale crop 10ha or 80 DM

Total Feed Harvested 300 †DM pr 10 †DM/ha

Total Feed Harvested 558 †DM or 18.6 †DM/ha

86% more drymatter from the partially cropped run-off

the need for additional fertiliser, silage drymatter costs are significantly reduced (Table 1). Feeding maize silage reduces cow urinary nitrogen levels. Pasture frequently contains excess crude protein (nitrogen) relative to animal requirements. A high proportion (typically 60-70%) of the excess nitrogen intake is excreted in the urine. Urinary nitrates can be relatively quickly leached beyond the reach of shallow-rooted pasture plants. Feeding maize silage (a low protein feedstuff) dilutes dietary protein content and reduces

nitrogen excretion by the cow. Growing and feeding maize can help improve pasture persistence. Maize is an ideal break crop in a pasture renewal process. The cultivation process allows farmers to apply fertiliser, incorporate lime and address drainage issues that may have been negatively impacting pasture persistence. Cropping removes the normal feed source for pasture pests such as black beetle, Argentine stem weevil and pasture nematodes. This interrupts their breeding cycle and reduces insect pressure on seedling plants during the pasture renewal process. While most forage crops must be fed out when mature, a key benefit of maize silage is that it can be stored long-term and fed whenever pasture supply does not meet animal demand. This reduces overgrazing which in turn helps improve ryegrass persistence. The combination of maize silage and a well-designed stand-off pad with feeding facilities allows farmers to keep cows off wet pastures, decreasing pugging without compromising production or animal welfare. Maize silage allows farmers to increase run-off efficiency. Many dairy farm run-offs are not farmed to their full potential. In a paper presented at the Dairy3 conference, Scott Ridsdale (DairyNZ) provided an example which showed a partially cropped run-off could harvest 86% more drymatter than a traditional run-off. The partially cropped run-off provided an 83% higher return on assets for the farmer who owned it. For more information on how maize silage can fit into your farm system call 0800 PIONEER (0800 746 633) to arrange a free, no obligation visit from your local Pioneer area manager. 1 Pioneer Maize Silage 2013-2014 page 38. The value of pasture lost during the maize growing season has not been considered in the calculation of the maize silage drymatter cost. 2 Assumes no base, starter or side-dress fertiliser is required. 3 Ridsdale, S. 2007. ‘Are you getting the best out of your run-off?’ Dairy3 Conference.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

30 // SOIL

Pugging can damage soil structure and reduce productivity.

Treat soils as valuable environmental assets BALA TIKKISETTY WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE COORDINATOR

SOILS ARE AS basic as it gets:

they provide critical ‘ecosystem services’ for the whole planet, especially farmers and growers. They are a basis for New Zealand’s ‘agri-eco’ systems that produce fibre and food, and support other agricultural activity. Healthy soil is essential to any profitable farming or growing operation and their long-term sustainability. For those working the land, there are core considerations to keep in mind.

The physical structure of soil controls the movement of air and water through the soil, the ability of roots to penetrate into the soil, and provides a habitat for beneficial organisms, including earthworms. Soil with good structure has many pores that provide aerobic conditions, good drainage and high water-holding capacity. If soil is physically healthy and fertile, the pasture or crop production will be high: it’s that simple. In general, the main negative soil quality issues are compaction, excessive phosphorus and nitrogen on dairy and cropping land, and declining carbon on cropping land.

On pastoral soils, pugging and compaction can damage the soil structure and reduce productivity. Pugging is caused by animals’ hooves sinking into the soil surface (sometimes as deep as 150mm) when they tread in very wet soils. This leaves a puddle effect and can create a compacted layer of soil. Compaction occurs when the soil is compressed or squeezed. Animal treading is the main cause but heavy vehicles or farm machinery can also contribute to this problem, a particular concern on dairy and drystock sites. Compaction reduces the number and size of pores available for water and gas

movement in soil. It reduces aeration, nutrient uptake, root growth and distribution, and may decrease infiltration and increase runoff. The most sensitive indicator of compaction is macroporosity. Research reveals that macroporosity below 10% will inhibit pasture growth. Soil scientists have found that aerating compacted soil to the correct depth and time can increase the amount of dry matter by about 30% within six months. Other problems caused by pugging and compaction include more frequent and persistent surface ponding and increased sediment, and nutrient and effluent losses through surface

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

SOIL // 31

run-off. It also takes longer for pasture to recover after grazing and weed invasion often occurs in the bare sites caused by pugging and compaction. Problems like these can be minimised by: kk Reducing stock density, especially on sensitive land such as wet paddocks kk Not feeding out on sensitive paddocks kk Constantly monitoring pugging and compaction during at-risk times and moving stock off before damage occurs kk Having multiple exits from paddocks if possible. On cropping land the breakdown of soil lumps (aggregates) and soil compaction from excessive cultivation are the most common threats to soil health. The result is increased soil losses through water run-off and reduced soil organic matter. With so many cultivation techniques now available, think carefully about the options. For example, two-pass cultivation is often all that is needed to prepare a seedbed. This avoids the need to make repeated passes to get a good tilth and shortens the risk period for erosion between initial vegetation clearance and ground cover by the growing crop. Also consider a no-tillage approach. It is important to cultivate soil at the right time, when the moisture content isn’t too high or too low. To assess soil’s moisture content, take a piece of soil (half the volume of an index finger), press it firmly and roll it into a ‘worm’ on the palm of the other

hand until it is about 50mm long and 4mm thick. The time is right to cultivate if the soil cracks before the worm is made. If a worm can be made the soil is too wet. Clods too dry won’t break down when cultivated and don’t produce a good seedbed. As soil health is so vital to production, it is strongly recommended that farmers take time to learn about the condition of their soils. An easy way to assess soils is by a visual soil assessment (VSA) once a year. More information on how to do this is available at www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/community/ your-community/for-farmers/ soil-management/ Meanwhile, New Zealand’s pastoral farming systems are generally very productive but they can lead to nutrient discharge – nitrogen and phosphorus – degrading surface and groundwater quality. Wise use of fertiliser in these systems can increase agricultural yields and maintain nutrient balance. Farmers can reduce the amount of nutrients running off pasture by ensuring they prepare a nutrient budget using Overseer-like nutrient models. Farmers should also: Follow the NZ Fertiliser Manufacturers’ Research Association Code of Practice for Nutrient Management, including

Spreadmark and Fertmark (Fertiliser Quality Control) codes of practice kk Apply fertiliser when the grass is in an active growing phase kk Make sure fertiliser isn’t applied near waterways kk Leave a grassed buffer strip between paddock and waterway: the strip filters the nutrients before the run-off reaches the water kk Control run-off from tracks, races, feed and stand-off pads. Another issue for farmers, particularly in dairying, is recent research showing some dairy soils are losing more carbon and nitrogen than dry stock and hill country areas. Dairy farms on certain soils have lost an average of one tonne of soil carbon per hectare a year in some parts of the country. Soil carbon is found primarily in organic forms, which make up soil organic matter (SOM). Soil organic matter helps to maintain soil structure, retain soil moisture, prevent erosion and can act as a reservoir for nutrients and as a source or sink for carbon. Increasing levels of SOM is likely to enhance soil biological processes and soil sustainability. Good cultivation practices, avoiding grazing that leads to compaction and the right use of fertiliser all help protect soils and increase SOM. Sensible pesticide and other chemical use,

maintaining complete pasture cover and care with effluent applications are also wise. Nitrogen deficiencies can be addressed through nutrient budgeting. Looking beyond the summer, wintering of animals is another issue that can affect soil health. Several studies indicate degradation of soil and most of the nitrogen losses to water from grazed winter forage crops occur in a nitrate-N form and are transported via leaching rather than overland flow. Losses appear to be exacerbated by the high density of urine patches deposited at times of the year when plant growth rates are low and drainage is high. Consequently, soil physical structure is degraded and, on a per hectare basis, N leaching losses from grazed winter forage crops are high relative to losses measured under pasture. So farmers should consider how stock wintering practices can reduce these sorts of risks. To summarise, minimising human and animal-induced erosion and other problems, and maintaining good soil quality, are essential for supporting soil ecosystem services. Especially the key ones are nutrient and water buffering, the productive capacity of soil and the benefits of good water quality. The reality is that soil is one of the most valuable environmental assets a farmer has. Using soils without damaging them or any other part of the environment helps protect those assets, now and for future generations.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

32 // WATER

Secure and reliable access to water essential onfarm ELECTRA KALAUGHER ENVIRONMENTAL FARMING SYSTEMS ADVISOR AMY KING LEADER FARM WATER CONSENTS, WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL

GETTING THE BASICS right on water use requires each farm to manage water resources legally and efficiently, to make best possible use of this valuable and precious resource. For dairy farmers, secure and reliable access to water is an essential to operating a milking shed. In Waikato, home to 4000 dairy farmers, many also need a consent to legally take this water. The Waikato Regional Council rule framework under which farmers need this consent was confirmed in the well-publicised ‘Variation 6’ process. Setting these rules involved public and stakeholder participation, and ultimately the Environment Court. Out of this came ‘the rules’ aimed at striking a balance between managing the adverse effects of too much groundand surface-water use, and enabling people to use water in an environmentally sustainable way. Variation 6 ultimately acknowledged that many dairy farmers were using water in the shed but did not have the required resource consent from the council, and that they needed consent to use more than 15m3 per day for this purpose. Consents will also be needed for lower takes in particular circumstances. Special rules were included which guaranteed that a water consent would be granted to any dairy farmer for the amount they were taking prior to October 15, 2008. These are generally referred to as ‘grandparented’ water takes.

About 3500 consent applications are expected. To take advantage of this grandparented allowance, farmers must apply for consent by January 1, 2015, or risk missing out if they miss the deadline. They must also remember that if they don’t have the necessary consents for their water take they face a follow-up

consent granted will be based on water volume not cow numbers, there is an opportunity for smart operators, whenever they started their business, to make more profit by being more efficient. For example, a farmer with a consent for 21m3 could milk up to 300 cows on 70L/cow/day. If he improves water use efficiency to 60L/cow, he could milk 350 cows with the same volume of water. But if cow numbers have increased since 2008, or conversions to dairying have happened since then, the water

One bonus of using less water for shed washdown is that this requires less storage capacity in ponds, reducing capital and operating costs for storage and irrigation. from the council. To help avoid such risks, the council is making the consenting process as easy as possible through a ‘catchment group processing’ approach to receiving and processing the thousands of applications expected. This is designed to streamline things and keep costs down for farmers. More detail on this grouped catchment process is available at www.waikatoregion.govt. nz/watertakes or on Waikato Regional Council’s freephone 0800 800 402. A key detail is that, in the absence of widespread water use records, assessments of entitlement will be based on herd size prior to October 2008 and a figure of 70L/cow/day. Meanwhile, as the actual

needed to maintain current operations may not be available. If farmers anticipate any problems, they must start thinking outside the square now and talk to the likes of DairyNZ, their milk company or the regional council. Many farmers are taking the opportunity under Variation 6 to think about managing their water use more efficiently, to benefit their pockets and the environment. Potential exists for farms to share water resources under Variation 6. Transfers of allocation rights are possible, though they need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis for potential environmental effects. It may also be possible to store water not needed immediately, for use at a time of

maximum advantage, or it may be transferred to another user. These options can be discussed with the council or DairyNZ. Another efficiency tool is water metering which can, for example, help detect leaks and save energy. Other simple and efficient ways to reduce water use include: kk Making

sure the flow rate on the milk cooler is right, and recycling cooler water for shed wash down kk Using a scraper or a chain to scrape the yard before washdown kk Making sure hoses have efficient nozzles and/or reducing the number of hoses kk Putting a timer on the yard washdown pump kk Regularly checking pump pressure, line restrictions and possible leaks kk Keeping cows calm and happy to ensure they ‘mess less’. One bonus of using less water for shed washdown is that this requires less storage capacity in ponds, reducing capital and operating costs for storage and irrigation. That incurs less risk of applying effluent to land at inappropriate times, such as when soils are saturated, making it more likely the contaminants in effluent will end up in waterways or groundwater. This ‘systems approach’ to efficiently managing the movement of water and effluent around a farm will be discussed at the council’s next Effluent Expo, at Mystery Creek on March 25. Council staff will be on hand to answer questions about Variation 6, water use efficiency and effluent management. www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/ watertakes

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

34 // EFFLUENT

Effluent is good when kept onfarm, in the root zone to grow grass STUART REID MANAGING DIRECTOR, SPITFIRE IRRIGATION

DARE I SAY it? If you are aged

29 or over you can stop reading this message (about effluent) right now, because you’ll either know it all, or have made up your mind about it and be inflexible in your thinking. Younger minds when reading this will get an inkling of the underlying message and start to see the light. Here’s the message: dilute, well-mixed dung, urine and wash water applied to pasture at the right time (and in the right quantity) is very good for the farm. It grows grass. Grass produces milk. Pasture becomes more fertile and soil condition improves. The effluent stays in

A good effluent system will have a value well beyond payback.

the root zone on your farm and if it’s on your farm it’s not causing trouble elsewhere. The “water effect” itself (from collected rainwater and wash water) has a payback effect and the added nutrient reduces up the payback period. These are the essential reasons for you ‘do effluent’ properly. Another important factor is to design a way to apply the good stuff with least labour, with no (or few) solids spreading chores and of course low capital cost. (Although if spending capital is going to make the job easier and more foolproof, then go that extra distance to create a

simpler, more reliable and safer system.) So here’s the challenge: You are going to store effluent, so that you do not waste it by trying to apply it in the wet season when the pasture doesn’t need it and when irrigating effluent in the wet means it will simply get washed into streams and drains. You are going to thoroughly mix the wash water, manure and collected rainwater that falls on the yards and the pond before you send it to the irrigator. This prevents your irrigating a ‘thin’ mixture initially which ‘thickens up’ as the pond level falls. You

want the pasture to receive the same concentration of nutrient and water over all the irrigated paddocks. You are going to spread the effluent evenly – to get the best value -- at the right time and in amounts appropriate to the soil moisture levels, while grass is growing. You are going to put in place controls that allow monitoring which prevents the waste of water and nutrients; which protects pumps, pipelines and hydrants from damage, and which prevents ponding and unwanted discharges in the paddock.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

EFFLUENT // 35

This is a broad outline of what your effluent irrigation system should achieve. The next section gets down and dirty. Forgive me for having to drive the message home, but I want you to understand it. It would not surprise me to find that you’ve bought the effluent pump first and now you’ll create your effluent scheme around that. Right? I hope not. You’re starting at the wrong end of the process, and yes, there is a process. The starting point of the design process is reviewing your point of view. Do you want to keep this effluent on your land (for your advantage) or are you happy enough to see it slide off your property (to your disadvantage and loss)? Furthermore, do you want it to grow grass, or do you just want to dispose of it on your paddocks and hope the applied concentration doesn’t smother pasture and choke essential soil organisms? As you find answers to these questions you will see that you have already begun the decision-making design process. Let’s assume you’re a reasonably able farmer who acknowledges that plants need water and nutrient and like it dished up to them as a dilute consistent mixture at the right time in their growth cycle. You’ll also acknowledge you want the benefits of the proper use of effluent but you don’t want the application process to be fiddly and laborious. You might be prepared to invest capital to reduce the continuous annual chore factor. Finally, let’s assume you realise

that if effluent stays on your property doing ‘good’, then it’s not going somewhere else doing ‘bad’. These decisions lay the foundation for the new system or an upgrade of the old one. The next step is choose the area of the farm where you irrigate this stuff. You’ll need to decide on the required area, the soil type, when in the season the soil is ready for liquid and nutrient, the potential for irrigated liquid to run off the land, and the style of irrigator that best fits the soil and your operations. And you should even consider neighbours and the houses of farm staff. Notice that we haven’t yet got to even deciding on effluent storage or pump size. To sum up this section, let’s just say we are focused on the irrigation zones and the irrigation means. Notice that we should not apply effluent when the soil is wet and has no capacity to soak up and retain it. There is a wet and busy season at the time of calving, and if you irrigate effluent at this time it is bound to run off your land taking the nutrients with it. So if you shouldn’t irrigate in the wet, then you will have to store the stuff until the day arrives when the soil can happily hold the effluent. This is where we have another review of your view. A small storage pond will usually mean that irrigation will have to be fitted in more frequently and carried out onto soils with smaller moisture deficits. You will probably have to apply small amounts of effluent over larger areas whenever there is a small soil

water deficit. Of course this may also be at a cold time of the year, so that while you park the effluent in the soil satisfactorily to retain it, it may not be the best time to assist plant growth. Your irrigation equipment must also be able to apply these small amounts of liquid. If storage capacity is larger, you can usually wait until soil water deficits are greater; the grass is more actively growing and the effluent can be applied in larger quantities. In this case irrigation takes place at a “cruisier” time of the year, and the growth benefits are more obvious. So when we summarise this part we conclude that smaller storage means applying smaller amounts more frequently earlier in the season. Larger storage means you can apply larger amounts later during the growing phase of the season. By now we are ready to ascertain the size of your storage pond and the pumping plant and we can also begin to size pipelines and draw the irrigation plan. From now on it is just straightforward engineering design where we go through all the steps. However, there is still a lot of blindness out there: don’t close your eyes to the problems that arise from solids, sludges, solids spreading and unnecessary chores. You may forget that sludges and solids in the effluent have to be dealt with either by separating them from the mix in separators which can be active (mechanical) or passive (weeping walls, wedgewire screens). Separation is really only needed if irrigation nozzles

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are small. Larger nozzles on the irrigator mean you can apply all the liquids and solids together via the irrigator. This avoids having to spread solids later. While we are on the subject, I have to mention what I perceive to be ‘the attitude’ problem. You members of the older generation want to carry on farming as you always did and often resent change. You have probably forgotten that change has sneaked into your methods without you noticing. Look at the electronics in your car (engine management, stability control, automatic braking systems, transverse engines, turbochargers) and also in your farm operations (instant tanker printouts of milk receipts, automatic vacuum pump control, electronic cup remover, electronic herd testing and mastitis detection, temperature control, vat washing, your farm computer.) So why, when you deal with 50,000L of yard wash water each day, do you wince when someone suggests automatic control to remove the chore of distributing this stuff? Or when they suggest that the electronics will protect equipment from glitches and protect you from fines? There is good value in these devices but I often see farmers trying to save money at the wrong end of the process for the wrong reasons. So here’s the message again: dilute farm dairy effluent is good when it is kept on your farm, in the root zone, to grow grass. A good system will have a financial payback period, and the peace of mind factors of a good system will have a value well beyond payback.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

36 // EFFLUENT

Future proof your system for high returns Getting back to basics Let’s get back to basics and briefly overview the effluent management system.

MURRAY McEWAN HOULE SOLUTIONS AND FIELD SERVICES TECHNICIAN FOR GEA FARM TECHNOLOGIES

Catchment NEW ZEALAND FARMERS face

constant pressure to minimise their impact on the environment and to reuse, recycle and take responsibility for their farming ‘footprint’. This is an area of farm management increasingly in the compliance spotlight. Sustainable management practices play a key role; particularly maximising the return from effluent. Three key components are: kk reducing fresh water use in the dairy shed kk keeping appropriate amounts of nutrients within the root zone of pasture kk keeping nutrients away from waterways and water tables. kk But there’s a bunch of considerations when it comes to the

performance of your effluent management system. Making sure it’s designed for the best outcome for your farm now and in future is one of the most important. For example, not all dairy farmers separate effluent solids and liquids. This can have a significant impact on how you then store, distribute and apply effluent on your farm. Separating has the potential to reduce fresh water use by recycling liquid for yard or pad wash down. It can also provide another source of organic matter and nutrients, beyond the designated effluent application area, that has already been paid for, and is highly valuable to your farm.

Catchment is the where and how much part of your effluent equation - in the cow shed, on the dairy yard, feed pad and silage stacks. The quantity of effluent from each catchment will depend on factors such as rainfall, water diversion, stock numbers and time spent in the area. Processing

This is where the separation of liquids and solids occurs before the effluent enters your pond. Waste is made up of water, manure and grass fibre (organic matter) and inorganic matter such as light and heavy contaminants, including animal hair, silage, palm kernel, sand, stones and rubbish etc. Storage and distribution

All the contaminants of effluent should be removed before large volume storage. Your pond sizing and type, and pump size, type and performance fall into this category. These are basically determined by: kk the size of your farm kk herd size and farm management kk the region and its environment kk whether solids and liquids have been separated kk the area to which effluent is applied kk effluent application method. Application

This is the method of applying effluent to the farm such as travelling irrigators, pump and carry methods or low application methods. Written in a list like this, it’s easy to assume effluent management is a linear process – and that catchment, first on the list, must also be the most important factor. But that’s not the case at all. How you apply effluent determines many of the other decisions about the design of your effluent system, and each part of the system impacts on the performance of the others. Effluent system design

Flush valve working in the milking shed.

Effluent management is increasingly under the compliance spotlight. Regulations from regional councils vary and in some areas district councils also have rules that need to be checked. Irrigation NZ, NZ Milking and Pumping Trade Association and DairyNZ recently launched an Effluent System Design Accreditation programme to make sure service companies are working to a code of practices and standards. The goal is to ensure all New Zealand dairy farmers have systems that can achieve dairy industry and wider

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

EFFLUENT // 37

community expectations for the land application of dairy effluent. It is concerned with keeping all untreated effluent out of surface and groundwater; keeping land applied effluent nutrients in the root zone to capture their nutrient and economic value; and ensuring all systems are compliant 365 days a year. Only 14 companies in New Zealand have achieved accreditation, including GEA Farm Technologies. This programme signals the direction in which the industry is moving and the importance of viewing your effluent management system as one rather than separate processes. It is increasingly important to ensure you get the best advice from an accredited company that understands the industry’s standards and how to meet them when developing or changing your effluent system. Accredited companies have been put through their paces, and will consider a broad range

surface crusting.

of factors when assessing and designing effluent management requirements including land typography, soil types, nutrient status, farming systems and water use.

per cow per day to <30 litres per cow per day.

Reducing fresh water use

Separation creates a source of recycled water, reducing dairy shed fresh water use by at least 50%. In some regions this can keep fresh water usage below levels where consents might otherwise be required. For example, the liquid from some separators can be recycled and used to wash down the yard, particularly if your separator has been tested for the small particulate size left in the resulting liquid (the amount and size of solids left after the separation process). The Houle slope screen separator has been used and tested for more than 30 years. It is proven to leave only miniscule particles in the liquid effluent – making it a great substitute for fresh water when washing yards. Results achieved from some farms using this practice have been impressive – with one large farm we know of reducing its fresh water use from 70 litres

Separation

There are valuable benefits from separating solids from liquids in effluent, such as improving effluent application and storage in a number of ways. The liquid component contains only miniscule particles which can improve the efficiency of your pumps. This means you can pump the liquid further to extend your coverage area and there’s less risk of pumps, pipes and irrigators becoming blocked. You can extend nutrients beyond the existing pump area by carrying solid organic matter to other parts of the farm that your pump doesn’t reach. You can create cost efficiencies by using the solid matter on areas where you would otherwise apply a purchased fertiliser. Pond management is improved with less solid settling and

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There are two types of separators: mechanical and passive. Farmers need to be aware of all the pitfalls and benefits of any separation system. Some are expensive to maintain in dollars and time. Some are complicated, require power and need servicing by tradespeople. Passive separators don’t require a power supply, have a relatively low maintenance cost and are easy to maintain considering the high rates of effluent they process. No ‘moving parts’ also means minimal wear and tear. Today, simply selling a pump and burying a pipeline is no longer servicing the farmer or industry to an acceptable level let alone into the future. There is no such thing as an acceptable short cut. Most importantly, consider any compliance the minimum standard and exceed it.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

38 // SUSTAINABILITY

Keep ‘kidneys’ healthy TOM STEPHENS DAIRYNZ WATER QUALITY SPECIALIST

RIPARIAN MARGINS ARE

integral to sustainable dairying and a proven, cost-effective way to help protect water quality. You might be aware that the industry’s Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord (2013) assures communities that farmers will manage their riparian margins sustainably for water quality with key commitment deadlines in 2016 and 2020 (see sidebar p40). What are ‘riparian margins’?

The strips of land alongside a waterway are riparian margins. By acting as a buffer between farmed paddocks and running water they’re excellent at

regulating water quality. Think of them as the kidneys of your farm waterways, filtering sediment, phosphorus and bacteria from runoff before it can enter a drain or stream. So it’s important they’re in good health to ensure the health of your waterway. Riparian margins offer other water quality benefits too. When planted, they provide shade which benefits water temperature and helps prevent aquatic weeds growing to nuisance levels. By stabilising banks with their roots, planted riparian margins also limit erosion and loss of your land to floods. Riparian plants themselves provide valuable habitat to insects and fish. Healthy riparian margins are therefore highly valued for benefits to biodi-

versity as well as water quality. Sustainable management of riparian margins

Waterway characteristics vary widely in New Zealand. The type of soil, the slope of your land, risk of frosts or droughts, and frequency of ‘freshes’ (peak flows) will determine the best way to manage your riparian margins. That said all riparian margins can be managed sustainably by following three steps: Animals out kk Exclude livestock; kk Plant up – grass strips are ideal

on drains, wider channels benefit most from varied plants; kk Maintain – keep an eye out for pests and weeds (for at least 3-5 years).

Knowledge of typical flow over a year in a waterway is the key to riparian management. This should guide the placement of fencelines or deciding what plants will grow best and provide the benefits you want most. Different plants are better at filtering soil or providing shade. Others are hardier and better withstand flooding. To put this knowledge to use, it’s important to have a ‘riparian plan’. Having a plan lets you decide what work is best suited and how to stagger this instead of tackling it all in one go. A plan could be as simple as an outline of the farm, waterways and where fences or types of planting will go, when. Your regional council has staff who can tailor a riparian plan

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

40 // SUSTAINABILITY

Riparian margins act as a buffer between farmed paddocks and running water.

to your farm and wishes. Land management officers, DairyNZ and your regional council are developing a resource to tackle how to manage riparian margins but this too will emphasise that it’s always best to talk through your particular circumstances with a riparian or land management specialist. First things first: animals out

Livestock trample banks, accelerating erosion, and graze plants needed to filter sediment, nutrients or bacteria from farm runoff. So to keep animals out, where is the best place for your fence? A good rule of thumb is to take in as many seeps, springs and eroding banks as you can because these are ‘critical source areas’, ie they are local hotspots for water quality (they’re easy to spot after rain when water pools or flows from them). In some cases, a fence can sit behind the lip of a bank and in others it’ll be worth setting it further back to prevent the loss of valuable land to erosion or loss of fencing to freshes. Then, plant up

Once fenced, you’ll face a few decisions on planting: what, where, how and when. Doing this well means choosing the right plants for your soils and climate at the right density to manage for pests and weeds. The choice of planting might be as simple as a grass filter strip (a 1m grass strip should always be grown alongside a fence to prevent

plants from tripping electric wires and protect higher value plants behind from being grazed). Or, if you’ve fenced a seep, spring or other wet area, you could plant behind your grass filter. Here’s the key: to get the right choice of plants, you’ll need to consider the frequency of frosts, droughts, floods and risk of salt spray on your farm (if you’re near the coast). The best place to get answers to all your planting questions is your regional council, DairyNZ, DOC or local plant nurseries. They’ll also help identify how to keep costs down. Normally this is a case of good technique and timing. As to when to plant, bear in mind if your stream or river rises above its banks in winter, or you experience frosts, early spring is the best time for planting. If floods and frosts are rare, you can plant in autumn (choose your plants carefully to ensure they are hardy enough to survive your winter frosts and summer droughts, as well as any likelihood of flooding). Last but not least, maintain riparian margins

It’s often overlooked but once you’ve fenced and planted your waterway, keeping an eye out for weeds and pests is crucial, (for at least 3-5 years). Managing weeds can be as simple as a spray or brush cut once or twice a year, to laying down some old wool carpet (or even better, EcoCover)

for a longer-term low-maintenance solution (weeds will compete with many plantings unless sprayed or brush-cleared, while pests can graze new plantings). If choosing to spray, use a glyphosate-based herbicide and be careful to avoid spraying any plantings or the waterway (most native plants are extremely sensitive to herbicides). Staking out any plantings as they go in the ground will help find them each year, if you choose to brush-cut or spray. A rule of thumb for success is to expect to replace 20-30% of what goes in the ground; the sooner you replace any losses, the fewer weeds become established and the lower your maintenance costs will be in the longrun. Planting tips and hints kk Check your waterways are not

part of a managed drainage catchment – regional councils have very specific and stringent rules governing how to manage these waterways. kk Buy eco-sourced plants – these are grown from local varieties best suited to your farm’s climate, soils and any local pests. kk Buy PB2 or PB3 plants – these better compete with weeds and are hardy enough to survive the odd frost or drought (the PB stands for ‘plastic bag’ size). kk Cluster plantings into triangles rather than rows – this helps

plantings fend off weeds and adds more to biodiversity value. kk Allow 2-3 minutes per plant for planting – expect to plant 20-30 an hour. kk Source your plants at bulk – many regional councils offer a plant-purchase scheme at discounted rates. kk Ensure you own any land you fence or plant.

THE SUSTAINABLE DAIRYING: WATER ACCORD The Water Accord is supported by NZ dairy companies (Fonterra, Open Country, Miraka, Synlait, Tatua and Westland Milk Products). Permanent exclusion of stock from 90% of qualifying waterways on the above companies’ supplying dairy farms by May 2014, and total livestock exclusion by May 2017. A qualifying waterway is wider than a stride (>100 cm) and deeper than a ‘gumboot’ (>30 cm), including any drains, streams or rivers, and regionally significant wetlands. Milk companies have agreed to half of all dairy farms having a riparian plan in place by May 2016 (all by 2020). Half of all dairy farms must have fully implemented their riparian planting plan by May 2020 (all by 2030). A riparian plan should include actions and targeted timeframes for completion of fencing and planting for all qualifying

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

42 // SUSTAINABILITY

Closer scrutiny on farmers DARREN SUTTON LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT, WAIKATO

IN ECOLOGY, THE word sustainability describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time; it requires the reconciliation of environmental, social equity and economic demands, also referred to as the three ‘pillars’ of sustainability, or the three ‘Es’. In other words, it means the capacity to endure, and that’s relevant for all New Zealand dairy farmers, as we all have a responsibility to ensure milk production is sustainable.

As the world’s population continues to rise, as does the demand for agriculture and safe food, sustainability has never been more important. There is now much closer scrutiny on farmers to show that the use of resources (land and water) is done in a sustainable way, as communities around the country watch and question whether we are doing everything we can to protect the environment for future generations. Most farmers see themselves as custodians of the land, but are also well aware of the need to maintain profitability at the same time; so a careful balance is required, particularly when it comes to nutrient management and water use.

Water quality issues are being tackled by regional councils throughout the country.

Water The National Water Policy statement (2011) directs all regional councils to ensure water quality is maintained or improved and to manage catchments that are currently overallocated in water use. Different regional councils are tackling this in different ways, but previously water that was often taken as being a ‘right’ is now being measured to ensure that over-allocation does not continue and processes are in place to decide who gets the water within a catchment and how much. This is being worked out by: kk Consent and application processes for new dairy conversions kk Re-assessment of current dairy farms water use in over allocated catchments kk Requirement for water plans and metering of water use on-farm. Water quality within the dairy sector is set out in the ‘Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord’ 2013 which aims to “enhance the overall performance of dairy farming as it affects freshwater by committing to good management practices of all dairy farmers in NZ.” This is worked out through: kk Fencing of all waterways and protection of significant wetlands kk Riparian planting along water ways to catch nutrient run-off kk Better application of effluent and fertilisers kk Research into best management practices of winter grazing and crop management. Nutrient management Nutrient management is directly related to water quality as it is the escaping of key nutrients such as nitrogen (N)

and phosphorus (P) that leads to reduced water quality. N and P attributes to the growth of algae and other water living plants that can affect drinking water quality and safety for recreational use. Nitrate in drinking water is also a major health hazard, and the Ministry of Health drinking water standards (1998) set the maximum acceptable level of nitrate in drinking water as 11.3ppm. The ‘Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord’ has also set targets to better manage nutrients on dairy farms. Dairy companies have signed up to this accord and will start working with farmers by: kk Modelling N loss and N conversion efficiency kk Provide N loss and N conversion efficiency performance information back to farmers kk Engage with regional councils to reduce nutrient losses where losses are deemed to be too high kk Engage in catchment programs that improve good management practises on farm kk Manage P loss risks by meeting set stock exclusion and riparian management commitment targets kk Ensuring that all races and stock crossing points over water ways have bridges or culverts by agreed dates kk Promoting good practice in the on-farm management of tracks, races and winter cropping practices. Most farmers should not feel threatened by these changes. If we can show that through combined action we can show a continued reduction in the size of impact that dairying has on the environment, then we can help protect and shape the future of farming in New Zealand.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

44 // SUSTAINABILITY

More nitrogen use onfarm boosts pasture yields but raises leaching, emissions PHIL FLEMING LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT

ON MOST FARMS fertiliser is

the single biggest item of farm working expense (15%) and is second only to debt servicing for total expenditure. This reinforces the importance of having a good knowledge and sound decision making processes when it comes to soil fertility, to get the most ‘bang for your buck’. Nitrogen (N) is the nutrient required in greatest quantities by pastoral systems, because it drives the growth of high quality forage for animal production. Clover is an important source of N, as the bacteria in its roots ‘fix’ atmospheric N and make it available to plants. On most New Zealand dairy farms, this is what supplies a large part of the N requirement – 50-250kgN/ha/yr, with the precise amount depending on soil fertility, soil moisture, temperature, the proportion of clover in the sward, shading of the clover, and presence of clover pests. Nitrogen fixed by clover is returned to the soil after grazing (in dung and urine) or as the clover dies and decays. This N boosts the grasses in the pasture and activates microbial activity in the soil. While nitrogen fixation by clover is an important basis for soil fertility, N fertiliser can be used strategically to boost feed production directly in anticipation of a future deficit. However, as applied N increases, clover content and N fixation declines. Increased nitrogen fertiliser use has given increased pasture

yields, but also increased nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emission from farms, which in turn has led to research on wintering pads, diet modification and nitrification inhibitors to reduce N losses to the environment. Nitrogen losses should be minimised as they represent inefficient use of resources, and can have environmental impacts. Emphasis is being placed on nitrogen management by regulatory bodies and the dairy and fertiliser industries as a key to responsible farming. Nutrient budgeting as part of a nutrient management plan provides a means of comparing nitrogen inputs and outputs from the farm system and thereby achieving the correct

Emphasis is being placed on nitrogen management by regulatory bodies.

level of fertiliser and selecting management techniques for best nutrient use. An overall nutrient management plan will help bring together all information and plan appropriate actions for the farm, based on an analysis of property goals and risks. This will include: kk Core property details (area,

stocking, etc) kk Targets for production and

nutrient management objectives kk Specific industry and regional requirements (e.g. nitrogen loading for effluent areas) kk Farm resource factors (e.g. soil types, mole and tile drains) kk Farm nutrient status and fertiliser history

kk Nutrient budget and analysis kk Recommended fertiliser

programme kk Management practices

These steps are best described in the DairyNZ publication Making Dollars and Sense Out of Nutrient Management which is a useful guide as it provides detailed information on all aspects of nutrient management planning. As your system evolves and/ or new technology becomes available, you need to revisit the plan and make changes to the nutrient management plan where appropriate. But it is important to remember any changes you may make to your plan must meet the criteria of any rules and regulations set by your regional council.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

MILK QUALITY // 45

Don’t wait for the cows to say it’s time for change WHEN WAS THE last time you

changed your milking liners? If you’re like many New Zealand dairy farmers, you probably change them only once a year between milking seasons. So what’s wrong with that? Modern dairy rubberware has come a long way since the first milking liners were produced in 1939. But no piece of rubber lasts forever, especially working as hard as these. The average liner expands and contracts two million times in its lifetime. After that, not surprisingly, the properties of the liner begin to break down. Once that point is reached – at

2500 milkings – liner deterioration can and does have a big effect on milk harvesting efficiency, cow comfort and udder health and milk quality. On average, New Zealand dairy farmers expect their liners to last for about 4900 milkings – nearly twice their effective lifetime. That’s like expecting the average cow to milk well for 20 years. Farmers who have tried replacing 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.

Liner deterioration can have a big impact on milk harvesting efficiency.

On some large herd operations, liners reach the end of their 2500 milking lifespan and are changed

as often as every two months as part of standard farm protocols to protect milk quality.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

46 // MILK QUALITY

Old or worn liners can waste energy and damage cow teats.

Old, worn or ill-fitting liners can waste energy, cause grades and damage cow teats. They are one of the single biggest factors influencing milk production. They are also one of the cheapest things to replace. Proven gains from replacing liners after 2500 milkings include shorter milk-out times, reduced cup slip, lower somatic cell counts (SCC) and increased milksolids (MS) yield. It’s all to do with fast, efficient milk harvesting, putting less stress on the cows and leaving more time for grazing. Savings include power, labour, animal health and milk quality. Farmers who continue milking with over-used liners often don’t realise they’re missing out, says Skellerup national manager Perry Davis.

“The nature and role of have been done, either because of milking liners means they are wasted energy, milk hygiene, cow likely to have more impact on health or all three, Perry says. milking efficiency, hygiene and A good liner, well-fitted, cow comfort than any other will completely milk a cow out component quickly and of a milking efficiently. It machine. Liners doesn’t slip, and are the one part it leaves the teats “A good liner, of the machine looking similar in well-fitted, will that comes into size and colour to constant physical completely milk how they looked contact with the a cow out quickly before milking. cow. But because “A badly and efficiently.” they’re mostly fitting over-used hidden inside the liner is just the shell, it’s easy to opposite. It could assume they’re leave milk in working properly even when the udder, slip off the teat and/ they’re not.” or leave noticeable rings at the By the time cups start falling top of the teat. Permanent teat off cows during milking – the damage is not only possible, but first major sign liners are worn common. On top of that, any out – the damage could already cracks in the rubber are likely to

harbour bacteria.” How do you know when it’s time to change? There is a simple formula to calculate how many milkings your existing liners have already done this season. If the answer is more than 2500, the sooner you change, the better, for you and your cows. Here’s how to do the sums: divide 2500 by the number of milkings each set of cups is doing every day, i.e. 2500/the number of cows in the herd x the number of milkings (once, 1.5 or twice a day)/number of clusters. For 300 cows, milked twice a day in a 24-aside herringbone, 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. www.dairybestpractice.co.nz

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

48 // MILK QUALITY

Keep teats in good health GOOD MASTITIS MANAGEMENT begins with

healthy teats that minimise the opportunity for bacteria to infect the udder, creating mastitis problems that can last for the whole season. Signs of teat health problems are often directly related to the milking plant, teat spraying, milking methods and vacuum fluctuations caused by liner slips. They can go undetected for some time, and may not be noticed until teat damage becomes apparent. Properly functioning equipment is important to help prevent new infections. Add in the environmental challenges that go with pastoral farming in New Zealand, including cold, wet muddy conditions and problems in the dairy can be increased. These conditions experienced during early

lactation will induce hardening and thickening of teat skin and cause the drying and chapping of the teat itself. Combined, these factors can all contribute to mastitis and a $200 million a year headache for the dairy industry. The cost to individual farmers can be considerable, due to lost days in milk, milk quality penalties and the culling of repeat clinical cases. The rate of new udder infections is related to the number of mastitis-causing pathogens on teat ends. Disinfecting teats immediately after milking kills most of the pathogens on teats. This in turn reduces the chance of those pathogens getting into the udder. More than 50% of new udder infections can be prevented by disinfecting teats with an effective product immediately

after every milking. Teat disinfection does not affect existing infections. Existing infections are best eliminated by dry cow treatment and culling chronically infected cows. Prevention of new infec-

tions by teat disinfection and elimination of existing mastitis cases reduces the level of mastitis in a dairy herd year by year. Improvements, such as decreased cases of clinical mastitis and/or lowered herd Teat sprays are essential for healthy teats.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

MILK QUALITY // 49

somatic cell counts, generally can be observed within a few months. As with any stage of lactation, effective teat spraying requires the correct concentration of a reputable approved teat spray to be used and that the teat spray covers the barrel of all four teats. While teat sprays should be used at a high concentration rate during the high risk spring period and prior to drying off, it’s important that the standard concentration is used throughout mid-lactation too. While better weather conditions and improved teat health may be of less concern, continuing teat spraying throughout the full lactation will reduce the incidence of clinical mastitis during that period and help in the following season by helping to reduce mastitis and lowering the bulk somatic cell count. There is a range of teat disinfectants on the market – iodine and chlorhexidine based. Different products have various levels of iodine or chlorhexidine

SKP0746 2500 change advert resize.indd 1

According to recent research only 12% of farmers teat spray correctly.

as the main ‘bug killing’ ingredient; they also vary in their emollient levels (used to help heal the teat and to adhere the active ingredient to the teat). One product range even includes manuka honey; the benefit of honey comes with its antibacterial and healing properties, which help to repair chapped and cracked teats. In New Zealand, iodine is by far the most popular choice with

67% of dairy farmers preferring this type of disinfectant. Modern, advanced iodine complexing technologies use mild cosmetic grade surfactants and conditioners, which are skin friendly, and when used at manufacturers’ recommendations will provide excellent control of mastitis and ensure superior teat health. Cheaper, less effective teat sprays will require substantial

quantities of additional emollient, especially during early lactation to ensure adequate teat condition, which is a significant extra cost. The main methods for application are manual teat spraying or automatic teat sprayer units. Both have relative pros and cons. While automatic spray units may reduce the labour cost and remove operator error, most automatic teat sprayers tend to provide variable coverage. This compares to the time consuming manual process only needing relatively inexpensive handheld pressurised teat spraying units, but may require an extra labour unit and coverage of all four teats is often dependent on how conscientious the operator is. For a teat sprayer to be effective, it is necessary to ensure the correct concentration of a reputable approved teat spray is used and that the teat spray covers the barrel of all four teats. According to recent research only 12% of farmers teat spray correctly.

2/10/13 10:59 AM

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

50 // MASTITIS

Rising cell counts spell loss of profits ADRIAN JOE VETERINARIAN AND MASTITIS CONSULTANT

ARE YOUR CELL counts increasing and above 100,000 and is your clinical mastitis above 10% of the herd for the whole year? If so, it will be costing you money. The first step in managing mastitis is to assess what you are doing and critically examine control measures on your farm. The most common form of transfer of bacteria from cow to cow is in the dairy shed when cups are put on a cow, because the cups will contain bacteria from milking a previous cow that had clinical or subclinical mastitis. Bacteria do not enter the teat straight away as it takes time to migrate from the sides of the teat down to the bottom and normally enters the teat canal between milkings. Teat spraying has been shown to prevent this form of transfer and will reduce cell counts and clinical mastitis by 50%. Yet poor teat spraying effectiveness would be the most common problem I see when investigating mastitis problems. In a survey of 200 mastitis

problems, 35% of farmers were achieving good coverage and 35% were using the correct dilution rate, but only 12% of the farmers had both the coverage and dilution rate correct. This is despite all the communication and education on the importance of teat disinfection as being probably the most important single step in a mastitis control programme. The next most common issue is teat end damage. Bacteria that cause mastitis have to enter the udder through the teat canal and the cow is very reliant on the integrity of the teat end. A beef cow rarely gets mastitis because her teat end is smooth and supple from suckling by calves. A dairy cow is susceptible to mastitis and a major reason

for this is teat end damage from machine milking. Look at the teat ends of 50 cows and if more than 80% of the teats are not smooth and supple, and the teat opening undamaged, then you have a problem. There are many reasons for teat end damage. The machine settings or liner type may not be suitable for your herd or there may be overmilking causing excessive wear on the teat opening. If there is teat damage then it would pay to have an assessment done as to possible causes, otherwise you will continue to get new clinical infections and your cell counts will continue to rise. Another important issue is cup slip. If a cup slips, air rushes in and blasts any infection in

Rough teat.

Normal teat.

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the cluster against and into the canals of the other teats. This results in transfer of bacteria into the teat during milking and teat spraying has no effect against this form of transfer. Common causes of cup slip include poor cluster alignment, unsuitable liners and vacuum too low. The next thing to assess is how well cows are milked out. There should be wrinkles visible on the udder and you should not be able to strip more than 500ml of milk from the udder. There are multiple causes of poor milk-out, but the most common is cow discomfort due to teat damage. Mastitis happens for a reason. Critically examining your situation is the first step in achieving 100,000 cell count and less than 10% clinical mastitis.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

52 // MATING MANAGEMENT

Mating using better beef genetics may be a win-win DR VICKI BURGGRAAF AGRESEARCH SCIENTIST

EARLY RESULTS FROM

research are showing a clear advantage in the use of better beef genetics for dairy beef. About 70% of New Zealandâ€™s beef production originates from the dairy industry, yet despite this few dairy farms use beef bulls of known genetics. The five year Beef + Lamb New Zealand dairy beef integration programme is looking at the impact of using good beef genetics in a dairy beef supply chain, which can be a win-win opportunity for dairy and beef farmers.

The use of beef sires with high estimated breeding values for calving ease, growth and carcase characteristics on dairy farms is not commonplace, but will produce surplus calves of higher value to dairy farmers, beef finishers and beef processors. The aim of this AgResearchmanaged research is to confirm the impact this strategy may have for dairy farmers and others within the supply chain. Funded by B + LNZ and AgResearch and supported by LIC and Ezicalve, the programme evaluates the use of superior beef genetics in a dairy herd plus the subsequent rearing and finishing of the dairy-beef

progeny. Practical management and operational advice has been supplied to the project by members of the Mid Northern B+LNZ Farmer Council. For the last two seasons at AgResearchâ€™s Tokanui farm in Waikato, Ezicalve Hereford semen, a lower cost alternative to dairy semen, was artificially inseminated (AI) into a portion of the dairy herd. This was followed by natural mating with a mixture of unrecorded and Ezicalve Hereford bulls. Cows of lower breeding worth were pre-selected for insemination with beef semen which ensured dairy replacements were still bred from the best cows in the

herd. Calving ease and birth weight was recorded for each calf and parentage testing was undertaken by LIC to determine all sires and dams. Calves sired by Hereford Ezicalve bulls via AI or natural mating calved with no problems, whereas assistance was required for 4% of calves sired by unrecorded Hereford bulls. While the Ezicalve sired calves had slightly lower average birth weights, the time taken to reach 100kg liveweight was similar across sire types. As AI sired calves were born earlier, they reached 100kg earlier, presenting a more valuable prospect for beef finishers. Despite Ezicalve sired B+LNZ dairy beef integration programme calves sired by Hereford bulls.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

MATING MANAGEMENT // 53

Beef farmers are after better calves from the dairy industry.

calves being produced from the lower breeding-worth cows this had no impact on their performance during rearing. Further monitoring will determine the performance of animals through to finishing. Researchers foresee large gains can be made across a wellmanaged supply chain through the use of superior beef semen or bulls. For dairy farmers benefits include reduced mating costs through the use of cheaper semen, less stress on staff at calving and a potentially higher value surplus calf. Finishers are supplied with potentially faster growing and more valuable cattle - processors can benefit from higher meat yields and better quality beef. The value for calf rearers is currently being examined. Use of high merit beef bulls for natural mating can be achieved on any dairy farm, reducing calving problems and producing a better calf for the beef industry.

The use of beef semen can be integrated relatively easily into the mating plan of dairy farms and at a reduced cost to normal mating. However there are many things to consider; careful assessment and pre-planning are important first steps. Using better beef genetics this mating season. How it may benefit you and how to achieve it. Review your mating strategy: kk Did you have to assist with

any calvings last spring? Could changing what bull you use reduce this? kk How much did you get for your surplus calves? Could you get more if you used a better bull? kk Did you have surplus heifer AI calves? If you used some beef semen during AI on your cows from which you donâ€™t want replacements, would this improve identification of surplus calves and improve financial returns?

Assess the opportunity Beef farmers are after better calves from the dairy industry and there is a higher demand for calves sired by beef bulls, usually attracting a premium over Friesian bull calves. Choose the right sire so that it adds value to the dairy farmer (calving ease) and the beef farmer â€“ good genetics for growth and carcass traits. Beef semen is cheaper than dairy semen. AI sired beef calves are easily identified during calving as not being dairy replacements, so replacements are only kept from the best cows in the herd. This could improve your herdâ€™s rate of genetic gain. Establish relationships with calf rearers and/or beef farmers to get the best return for using better genetics. Ensure they know what value they are being offered. This strategy can be particularly valuable for farms that combine dairy and beef opera-

tions, as there is an established market for your high value beefcross calves. Using high merit bulls for natural mating There is large variability in bull performance within breeds. Understand what you are getting. Ask bull breeders about the breeding values for calving ease and growth. It is more accurate than just looking at the bull. Using beef semen Tailor mating requires pre-planning to determine which cows to nominate for beef semen. Determine how many cows you can safely inseminate with beef semen without compromising dairy replacements. Assess six-week in-calf rates from the past few years and what calf losses you may have. Determine what cows you do not want to breed dairy replacements from and select these for beef semen. Discuss options with your semen supplier.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

54 // MATING MANAGEMENT

Why the fuss about 6 week in-calf rate? BRIDGET RAY LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT

YOU PROBABLY KEEP hearing about the industry target of achieving a 78% 6 week in-calf rate but do you know what this is? Do you know what it means to you and your business if you can achieve it? The 6 week in-calf rate refers to performance during the mating period. It is the percentage of your herd that get in-calf in the first 6 weeks of mating and it will result in a more compact calving the following year. There are three key benefits from a quicker calving: kk More days in milk kk More high quality AB replacement calves kk Fewer empty cows. I often hear the comments, ‘I don’t want to calve more quickly because I might not be able to feed them if we have a bad spring’ or ‘it’s too much work,’ but have you thought of the financial benefits? Herds with a 6 week in-calf rate above 70% achieved

about seven more days at peak production than the average farm on 66%. The table on page 56 shows the income generated from extra milksolids produced at this year’s predicted payout of $8.30/ kgMS, which works out to be, on average, an extra $116 from each cow. A tighter calving pattern does generate a higher feed demand so the next thing to do is work out what that will cost. On a 400 cow farm you will have 40 extra cows (10%) needing to be fed on average extra feed above maintenance to do 1.5/kgMS for 21 days. That is 120 MJME and or 10.4/kgDM at 11.5 MJME feed. If you have planned ahead, you should be able to purchase feed at 30c/kgDM and that would be a cost of $65.52, which is an extra $50.48/cow or $20,192 in a 400 cow herd. This year’s predicted payout is $8.30, so farmers stand to gain even more but even at $6.50, which is what farmers should

A tighter calving pattern generates a higher feed demand.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

56 // MATING MANAGEMENT

budget on, you are still making an extra $25.48 per cow profit and therefore, the argument of ‘I don’t want to calve faster because I can’t feed them’ doesn’t stack up. And there are even more benefits than extra days in milk, including: kk More AB calves: If you mate with AB for 6 weeks and improve your 6 week in-calf rate by 10% you will get 5% more AB heifer calves. This provides more choice around the calves you keep, so faster genetic gain can be made in the herd, or you can sell surplus AB calves kk Fewer service bulls required: Getting more cows in-calf from AB reduces service bull demand and may allow you to use fewer bulls for natural mating. kk Sustainable reproduction: The benefits of a higher 6 Good mating performance depends on making the right management decisions year round.

HERD SIZE (COW NUMBERS)

PEAK PRODUCTION (KGMS) 1.8

2.2

2.4

250

$26,145

$29,050

$31,955

$34,860

350

$36,603

$40,670

$44,737

$48,804

450

$47,061

$52,290

$57,519

$62,748

550

$57,519

$63,901

$70,301

$76,692

600

$62,748

$69,720

$76,692

$83,664

700

$73,206

$81,340

$89,474

$97,608

800

$83,664

$92,960

$102,256

$111,552

$94,122

$104,580

$115,038

$125,496

$104,580

$116,200

$127,820

$139,440

900 1000

week in-calf rate will carry through to the next season, with a tighter calving pattern providing the cows with more days between calving and mating the following season. This allows the cows more recovery time after calving and helps reduce the number of non-cycling cows. If you

use hormonal intervention the number of cows needing to be treated should be fewer so there are also cost savings there. Managing a tighter calving pattern does need to be planned for. A feed budget needs to be done, extra supplement bought if

required, and selecting the right calving start date and sticking to your spring rotation planner is critical as there will be less room for error. Overall, the financial rewards far outweigh the effort required to achieve an improved 6 week in-calf rate. Make a start this season by assessing your performance with reproductive analysis and calving rate reports on MINDA. These will highlight areas which are letting you down and give you a focus on where to make the most gains. Good mating performance depends on making the right management decisions year round, not on the first day of AB – and although you may not be able to hit the 78% target in one year, you can get started now and set yourself small improvements each year until you do.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

58 // MATING MANAGEMENT

Getting more cows in calf in the first six weeks can help profitability.

The benefits of getting cows in-calf quickly MARK BLACKWELL DAIRYNZ INCALF NZ DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

DAIRY FARMERS KNOW

what they want from better herd reproductive performance: more cows in calf early, more replacement AB heifers and streamlined calf rearing. This is the basis of genetic gain and herd improvement. Calving pattern is very important, with fewer late calving cows. And most farmers prefer not to depend on induction to tidy up that calving pattern. But all these benefits depend

on very good herd reproductive performance – getting more cows in calf quickly, during the early weeks of mating. Measuring herd reproduction Getting an accurate picture of your herd’s reproductive performance is an important first step in understanding the opportunities for improvement. DairyNZ’s InCalf Fertility Focus report provides a good starting point for dairy farmers looking to improve their herd’s reproductive performance. It is a one page report that will answer: kk Where is my herd now? kk What improvements are realis-

CHANGES TO INCALF FERTILITY FOCUS A NEW VERSION of Fertility Focus is being released in 2014. The key changes to the Fertility Focus report include: The ‘% of herd in calf’ table has been replaced with a line graph. Farmers with detailed reports can now track their herd’s reproductive performance over a 12-week mating period on the ‘% of herd in-calf’ graph, which is cumulative by week of mating. The term ‘not-in-calf rate’ replaces the term

‘empty rate’. Using the term not-in-calf rate aims to remove confusion on the empty rate. Look for clarity about the not-in-calf rate on page two, in the table ‘records available for not-in-calf rate’. The not-in-calf rate is the residual percentage of cows not confirmed pregnant by pregnancy testing. Duration of mating and of the AB period is reported in days, not weeks. For more information visit www.dairynz.co.nz/ fertilityfocus

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

60 // MATING MANAGEMENT

tically achievable? kk What areas should I focus on? kk The Fertility Focus report

provides an assessment of your herd using the best measure of overall herd reproductive performance – the industry standard six-week in-calf rate. Getting more cows in calf in the first six weeks can have a big impact on your bottomline through increased milk production and having fewer cows not in calf and sold as empties. 6-week in-calf rate

The six-week in-calf rate is a measure of how quickly cows become pregnant during the mating period, typically October to December. This measure should not be confused with the percentage ‘calved by week six’ which is a measure of how quickly cows calve, typically July to September. Key drivers of 6-week incalf rate Key drivers of the 6-week in-calf rate are the submission rate and the conception rate. Each 10% increase in the three-week submission rate translates into a 2-7% increase

Key drivers of 6 week in-calf rate are the submission rate and the conception rate.

in the 6-week in-calf rate. Key factors in improving the submission rate are heat detection and the level of non-cycling in the herd. A good conception rate is also required to give a high 6-week in-calf rate. Key factors in improving conception rate are increasing the percentage of cows in the herd cycling pre-mating, and improving heat detection. Significant gains in 6-week in-calf rate are achieved when improvements in both submission rate and conception rate occur at the same time. Fertility Focus report

The benefits of good reproductive performance are seen in the graph of the new version of

the InCalf Fertility Focus report. Your Fertility Focus report will have this graph if you have early aged pregnancy diagnosis records from about 11 to 14 weeks after mating start date. The graph shows your performance against industry targets after 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks of mating. kk After three weeks, a top result is when over 50% of cows are early in calf to AB, offering plenty of early born heifer calves. kk After six weeks, a top result is 78% already in calf. This means lots of early days in milk next season and plenty of time for a high percentage of cows to resume cycling before the next mating.

kk After nine weeks, a top result

is almost 90% of cows in calf with little or no induced calving expected next season. kk After 12 weeks, a top result is 95% of cows in calf, with very few cows not in calf and more choices in culling. The rate cows become pregnant in the first 6 weeks strongly influences the likely percentage of cows pregnant and/or not pregnant after 12 weeks. If your herd falls behind by week three and week six, there is little chance of catching up. The space between the actual and target curves in the graph (below) represents the performance gap or opportunity for improvement.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

62 // MATING MANAGEMENT

Fuel to match cows’ engines DR JEREMY BRYANT DAIRYNZ, NZAEL MANAGER

EVERY YEAR YOU may

consider changing your car and upgrading to a newer model, but usually it’s still the same car in the garage at the start of the season. With dairy cows, you don’t make this conscious choice; it just happens. Every new injection of higher genetic-merit heifers is a set of more advanced models on your farm. Getting

Modern cows are bred to perform.

rid of older, poorer performing animals is offloading outdated models. Collectively, the genetic merit of your herd has improved. It is important to recognise this is happening and adjust your system accordingly. Better but more feed required

The ‘strain trial’ in the early 2000s by Dexcel (now DairyNZ) is probably the best practical example of the impact of genetic improvement. Some key findings from this study are worth revisiting. Cows in the 1990s were more efficient at converting feed into milk and more profitable (+$539/

ha) than cows in the 1970s. These gains were consistent with the expected difference based on breeding worth (BW). But, most importantly, “at low feed allowances the productive advantages from genetic gain may not be realised fully”. Another key finding was that profit was maximised at lower stocking rates in New Zealand in the 1990s compared to the 1970s. Clearly modern cows are bred

to perform, but still need system adjustments to allow them to express their genetic merit in efficiency, milk production and profit.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

64 // MATING MANAGEMENT

Based on tracking outputs from NZAEL, we know that genetic merit moves on by +$11 BW per year, or about +2.2kgMS. Liveweight only increases slightly. Of this +$11 BW, +$9 is attributable to the production components, namely genetic improvement for milkfat, protein and volume. In ten years, each cow will need an additional 0.16 tonne dry matter (t DM), and for that extra feed she will produce an extra 22kgMS. So, if your herd is producing 400kgMS/ cow now, then in 2024 it should be producing 422kgMS/cow. She will need 5.14 t DM/cow to achieve her current level of production and 5.30 t DM/cow to achieve her production in 2024. Not accounting for genetic improvement

So, what happens if you don’t account for genetic improvement over 10 years? Let’s say you offer the same amount of feed per cow every year. Due to the modern cow’s greater drive to eat, you will get a little more

Realising genetic gains

milksolids (say 1.5kg more) but this will come at the expense of body condition. The ‘strain trial’ illustrated this as well. Thinner cows lead to poorer reproduction performance and animal health. The greater drive to eat can create issues with over grazing, leading to poorer pasture persistence. Using Farmax Dairy Pro to simulate a typical system, the net benefit

might be $25/ha, or roughly $10/cow before accounting for the potential impacts of poorer pasture persistence, fertility and animal health. This is equivalent to 10% of the expected gain from genetic improvement for milk production. Not a great return on investment. Accounting for genetic gain

Accepting this is not up to scratch, you have two options

– lower your stocking rate or supply more feed. As a general rule to account for genetic improvement you need to reduce stocking rates by 1 cow/300/year, or increase feed supply by 5 t DM/300 cows/year. If you reduce stocking rate as recommended above, you can expect extra revenue from milk, savings in cow related costs from fewer cows carried, and an overall increase in profit of $260/ ha. If you supply more feed, you can expect more revenue from milk, but with extra cow and supplement related costs and an overall increase in profit of $280/ ha. Both these are equivalent to a change in profit of $9/cow/year, or 100% of the expected gain from genetic improvement. Small changes, big impact

These changes might seem small but clearly they can have a big impact on the return from your investment in genetic improvement. Treat your cows as high performance machines: adjust your system accordingly and they will respond.

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Keep your NAIT records up to date The NAIT scheme is mandatory for cattle and deer. In the event of a disease outbreak or food safety concern, NAIT can help provide vital information on which animals may have been affected. It’s important that you tag and register your animals and keep your NAIT records up to date.

Tag your animals

Record and confirm movements

Tag cattle and deer with a NAIT approved RFID tag before they are six months old, or before they move off farm – whichever is soonest.

Register your animals in the NAIT system within one week of being tagged. Registration links individual animals to tags in the NAIT system so they can be traced.

If you’re sending cattle or deer off farm, you must record the movement within 48 hours. If you receive them on to your property, you must confirm you received them within 48 hours.

If you send animals to a NAIT accredited sale yard or meat processor, they will record the sending movement for you. You don’t need to record this yourself. However, if you receive animals from a NAIT accredited sale yard, you must confirm you have received them.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

66 // MATING MANAGEMENT

When mounting occurs, the cow is on full heat and ready to be artificially inseminated.

Accurate heat detection – getting it right THE ABILITY FOR a cow to be submitted for insemination and conception is the key to the successful conversion of pasture to milk, and the earlier it happens in the mating season the more its days in milk and the greater the returns. Observing the behaviour of your herd during the mating season and choosing the right oestrus detection aids to suit your herd’s requirements are essential, as are the necessary skills, and tools to help you through this process.

What is heat detection (oestrus)? The outward signs of oestrus (in heat), duration and intensity can vary markedly in individual cows as can in-oestrus behaviour. Some cows become aggressive and restless while others may become withdrawn and stand quietly alone. Heifers come into oestrus once they reach puberty and, like cows, again three to four weeks after calving. Technically, this is when they stand to be mounted. Cows cycle every 21 days, until in calf. The time on heat can last 13 to 15 hours or as short as 2 to 3 hours or a maximum of 30 hours determined by: kk The age of the cow – if it is a heifer in its first calving this can take longer kk The cow’s condition – if in good condition the cow will

cycle sooner, if not, it will take longer kk If the cow has experienced a difficult calving their cycle takes longer – ensure you take note of this and prepare for it. kk Signs to look for? kk In the field – observe their movements: kk Cows become restless, they tend to move around a lot in groups and follow each otherSniffing each other’s tail area, bunting and standing ‘head to tail’ should be noted kk Mounting occurs. There are two stages: when she doesn’t stand it’s too early. When she stands ready this means she is on full heat and ready to be artificially inseminated (AI’d) kk When this is observed in the morning, draft out and inseminate kk In the evening, take a note of her number and draft out the following morning to inseminate kk In the shed – observe their condition: kk Vulva is swollen with visible signs of mucus – check this when you are putting the cups on kk Withholds milk – reduction in milk flow needs to be noted kk Tail hair shows the appearance of having been rubbed or the pin bones have hair loss due to frequent mounting Try to make these observations first thing in the morning and

again at the end of the day, to pick up any changes in behaviour and record these changes. Forms of Heat Detection Tail painting is the most cost effective method of heat detection, and is the most widely used in New Zealand. For best application, ensure the area is clean and dry, and remove any loose hair. Apply the paint forward along the spine from the tail head in a strip 15cm long by 5cm wide. It will take about five minutes for the paint to dry, depending on the ambient temperature. kk Paint all cows with RED tail paint about three weeks after calving. Then observe the painted area for signs of the paint being rubbed. When it has, the cow has started her cycle (in cases where it is not rubbed, remedial action is required). kk Paint all cows with GREEN tail paint immediately prior to commencing your artificial insemination programme. This identifies cows coming into heat on a daily basis. kk Paint each cow with BLUE tail paint at the milking following insemination. This will tell you if she has held to the service in around 3-4 weeks’ time. kk Paint all cows with YELLOW tail paint when pregnancy is confirmed. While sticking with tail paint

might be the most cost effective solution, some farmers might want to try a high-tech option such as collars, to boost in-calf rates. Heat detection collars monitor the activity of cows and alert when a cow’s activity has increased which is a sign she is in heat. Some collar systems also measure rumination for identifying health issues and also adding data to confirm the activity monitoring for heat detection. Rumination is a critical sign of a cow’s well-being. Changes in rumination are the earliest signs that provide a warning about potential health problems. The collars are fitted with advanced sensors, accurately recording body movements and their intensity, as well as the cow’s internal state. Data is transferred to a PC, and once a cow is detected to be in heat or potentially sick, the system provides alerts. Depending on the system installed, the cow can be automatically drafted out for veterinary inspection or AI treatment. The collars assist in ensuring accurate heat detection, which will lead to improved submission rates and increased conception rates. Time observing oestrus cows is also reduced, allowing you more time on farm for other jobs.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

MATING MANAGEMENT // 67

Breeding cows for keep PETER BERNEY MARKETING MANAGER, CRV AMBREED

EVEN IN HARDER years, the best farmers recognise that breeding the next generation of money-makers is not a good place to save a few dollars. That doesn’t mean doing the same things you’ve always done; it means continuing your commitment to your future herd by looking at how you’re making mating decisions and whether you can make it easier and more profitable for the same money. Your cows are the ones converting pasture into milk, so it makes sense to invest in raising the productivity of your herd – whether you are aiming for production, efficiency or other targets.

Often raising on-farm productivity means balancing goals of increasing production against fertility or efficiency, and no two farms or Peter Berney farmers will follow the same path to meet their profitability targets. Planning strategies for breeding great cows start, like all plans, with the end in mind. Once you have decided what cows will suit your business and farming model, the next step is

to work out where your herd is now. SireMatch, the mating advice tool from CRV Ambreed, makes this task simple and accurate, from setting breeding goals and actions for this year and in allowing breeding decisions in following years to be clearer and more consistent. Using Sirematch is doing to breeding what soil tests did to the fertiliser industry in the 1980s – stops waste of cash while optimising gains and returns.

Giving the same attention to the milk producing part of your operation makes good financial sense. Another area to focus on is heat detection. The need to utilise seasonal pasture growth more effectively, coupled with the desire for concentrated calving patterns that suit cows, replacement calves and staff, mean that this is one of the best areas to start. Estrotect heat detectors are proven more effective for detecting standing heats than tailpaint. Late season mating strategies also will pay dividends. Short gestation sires will bring later calvers forward. For cows facing fertility challenges through stress or hard calvings, Fertabull is effective.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

68 // CALVING

Get BCS right at calving DEAN EDWARDS LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT

AT THE START of calving it is essential that cow body condition score (BCS) is as close as possible to minimum condition score 5.0. This is because the cow cannot eat enough to maintain body condition and produce milk at the required level immediately after calving. Heifers should be at minimum BCS 5.5 which allows a buffer against condition score loss which, if achieved, will have a larger positive effect on reproductive capabilities as heifers typically have a longer anoestrous period (days to first cycle) than cows. If heifers are at a lower BCS, this will further exasperate the situation. To ensure the farm has sufficient pasture cover at the first and second rounds, farmers must have a good pasture wedge where all pasture on farm is at different growth stages. The type of feed on the farm ranges from the area just grazed through to the area next to be grazed, resulting in a range of pasture cover over the whole farm. Wedge effect of farm cover

Farms must have sufficient pasture cover for cows after calving.

Understanding the growth phases of a ryegrass plant The first phase is a slow regrowth period particularly after a severe grazing. There is little leaf area available to capture sunlight for photosynthesis. The second phase is the period of most rapid growth after leaf area has increased when the most sunlight is being captured.

The third phase is when pasture height increases and growth slows as the pasture reaches ceiling herbage mass. At this stage there is some shading of leaf area as pasture loss in the form of decay is common. At ceiling herbage mass, pasture growth and loss are similar, therefore net pasture accumulation stops. It is essential to plan your farm

management events for the first rotation, identify springer cow grazing and first milking pasture areas. These need to be in suitable areas of the farm with reasonable access to the dairy and sheds for calf rearing with the springer area somewhere that freshly calved cows won’t be walking past every day. These areas need to be closed from grazing to ensure pasture covers are in the right places on the farm at the start of calving. The first round grazing planner should be completed as a guide because it is essential not to speed up the rotation too fast after the start of calving. In the spring it is critical that the first grazing round is slow – often 42-56 days from the start of calving – so that pasture is conserved and carried through until balance date. Aim to be geared up for a faster rotation when pasture growth exceeds the herd requirements. To make sure pasture growth is at the required level in early spring it is necessary to ensure the farm cover does not get too low; having a very low pasture cover in late winter/early spring

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

70 // CALVING

means it will stay low. Most farms at moderate stocking rate (2.8-3.3 cows/ha) require an average farm pasture cover of 2200-2400kgDM/ha at the start of calving. Also if you are on a fast rotation immediately after calving it will ensure that, in this early period, the cows are well fed, but they may be fed less over the whole spring. Typically rotations, which are too fast immediately after calving, result in large September feed deficits, which usually persists through early October resulting in cows being poorly fed at mating time. During the second round, emphasis needs to be placed on ensuring high quality pasture is provided to the herd. Once the stem-to-leaf ratio increases and seed heads appear, the digestibility and metabolisable energy (ME) content of the feed decreases quickly. Rotation lengths of 18-24 days are generally ideal, although each individual farm and its circumstances will be different. In the spring, emphasis needs to be placed on trying to preserve the pasture cover you have on hand until pasture growth exceeds cow demand/ha; this happens in the second round. It is critical that the minimum pasture cover you reach in the spring is not below 1900kgDM/ ha (ideally this should not drop below 2000 kgDM/ha). At covers below 1900kgDM/ha the leaf area is such that pasture growth rates are lower than what they would otherwise be had the cover been 2000kgDM/ha, hence it takes much longer for the spring growth to come away (growth could be decreased as much as 30 to 50%). For the period when pasture growth exceeds herd demand it will be necessary to remove pasture not required by the herd to ensure pasture quality is maintained. Management decisions on how much and when to remove areas for conservation must be proactive rather than reactive. If not enough is removed, the cows will undergraze the pasture and quality will decline; if too much is removed then the herd will be underfed.

Example If the farm is stocked at 3 cows/ha the herd requires 54kgDM/day (3 x 18kg DM/ cow/day). When pasture growth is 70-80kgDM/ ha/day surplus pasture can accumulate quickly and decisions have to be made quickly. At this time a 240-cow herd on a 20-day round will be grazing 4ha/day. This means that at a growth rate of 72kgDM/ ha/day, about 25% of the farm should be closed for silage: 54/72 = 75% of the farm required for grazing. This is a large area to close at one time. Being proactive means watching and noticing a surplus early and taking small areas out at one time. The decision to conserve must be made as soon as a surplus is noticed; waiting may be too late. Silage paddocks should be out of the rotation for as little time as possible, as regrowth after cutting is much better for paddocks only shut up for 35-40 days as compared to 60 days (regrowth on the paddocks shut for longer periods). The shorter time to harvest is also producing higher quality silage as the pasture is less mature (the â€˜idealâ€™ being that the grass being cut for silage could in fact be grazed by the cows). A rough rule of thumb from mid October until early February is that you should only be able to see 4-6 days grazing in front of you. Less than this, your pasture cover runs the risk of decreasing; more than this, a surplus is likely to occur and pre-grazing pasture covers will become too high. Timing is critical in all spring management decisions; monitor and make sure all the basics are being achieved. In todayâ€™s economy it is critical that we invest more time to better monitor pasture covers, focusing on fully utilising pasture, making the cost to produce milksolids more profitable through making informed decisions. At the start of calving, cows BCS should be as close as possible to 5.0.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

CALVING // 71

Make sure the new generation of cows on your farm are properly recorded.

Overcome the silly season HENK HUURNINK PRODUCT MANAGER INFORMATION PRODUCTS, CRV AMBREED

CALVING IS CRAZY at the best of times, and even with the best planning in the world, it will always throw you the odd curve ball. There are a number of strategies that farmers can put in place to best manage the chaos, many of which are as simple as stocking the shed fridge with energy bars and drinks, but let’s look at a couple of herd related plans you can make. Take extra care of your heifer calvings

More farmers are improving their herd’s genetic gain by putting their heifers up to AI. This is an excellent investment in your herd’s genetic future, and there are many ways to manage

this, but one of the key compocalvings. A calving difficulty of nents is to ensure you select the 2% represents 2 out of 100 firstright bulls as part of this process. calving heifers will require assisApart from the other issues of tance. When selecting mating dead calves, paralysed heifers sires for heifers, make sure you and fertility issues if you use select those with a calving diffisires that throw calves that are culty below the breed average. Easy recording in the middle of too big, you will just create more calving season work and headaches It might look like at calving time if you “Recording a hassle, recording have to help every calvings is all calving events and heifer to calve. easy and your new offspring As well as making in the middle of sure that you select hassle-free.’ a calving season. bulls with low to There is however a true value in moderate stature and liveweight, making sure the new generation one of the traits you can select of cows on your farm is properly mating sires on is called ‘calving recorded. Recording your difficulty’. A sire’s calving offspring gives you peace of mind difficulty breeding value (BV) that you have the right inforpredicts the percentage of mation at your hands and that assisted calvings expected when these cows have been registered he is mated to yearling heifers. The higher the BV, the higher the correctly. CRV is continuously develexpected percentage of assisted

oping tools to make it easier to record your herd information. CRV Insight-Web is a web-based herd recording program which gives you full control over your herd and its records. It is userfriendly and you do not need to install or update software. CRV Insight has been specifically designed for farmers to enter events quickly at busy times such as calving and mating. Recording calvings is easy and hassle-free. Sometimes it is hard to decipher a ‘6’ from a ‘5’ when you’re scribbling the details on paper, so for extra help in the field CRV offers Insight-Mobile, an app for cellphone or tablet allowing you to enter events on the spot. The App can work offline, meaning you don’t need to be within coverage for information to be entered or viewed when you’re in the paddock.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

72 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Most health issues facing herds can be monitored and improved DANYEL HOSTO PRODUCT MANAGER HERD SERVICES CRV AMBREED

UNHEALTHY ANIMALS RUIN

any farmerâ€™s day. The extra time and out-of-pocket costs for treatment add up, especially as your herd grows. Most health issues your herd faces can be managed, monitored and improved through management

and recording processes. There is also a genetic percentage, about 25%, that needs watching to improve the baseline performance of your herd. Fertility, mastitis and lameness are the top reasons a cow will leave a herd in New Zealand.

Fertility, mastitis and lameness are the top reasons a cow will leave a herd in New Zealand.

Each of these animal events attracts an array of treatment costs, opportunity costs, and labour costs. DairyNZ estimates an empty cow costs the herd $500-700 in lost milk production and replacement costs to maintain the size of the herd.

Likewise with mastitis, DairyNZ estimates each season this illness costs the industry up to $280 million. If you think about your herd and the number of cases of mastitis you treat, this figure may seem too large. But a study in the US by Philpot and

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

74 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Improving herd health comes down to recording, managing and monitoring progress.

Nickerson shows 70-80% of the costs associated with mastitis are tied to subclinical mastitis, ie, the cases you never notice. Finally, it comes down to simple common sense that a cow with any degree of lameness isn’t going to graze as much, limiting what she can produce due to her limited feed intake. Each case of lameness is estimated to cost the farm $300 to $1200 based on the severity. Add up all these costs and see there is a big opportunity to gain more income from your herd performance, outside of what your BW looks like on paper. Where do you start with this challenge? Starting with your herd will ensure you have the foundation in place to capitalise on improved animal health. Breeding for health

Depending on the part of the herd you want to improve, there are breeding values that can be selected for, to make the most improvement in your herd. Based on the largest opportunity for your herd, you should select a goal to breed for. Examples of goals include, but are not limited to, more milk solids production, more fertile herd and improved milk quality. Once you establish a goal for your herd, you can most effectively use the genetic information

available, in the form of breeding values, to select mating sires that will best help you to reach your herd’s goal. To tackle the main issues we see in the New Zealand dairy herd – fertility, mastitis and lameness – selecting for specific breeding values will help you make the most genetic gain. In New Zealand, farmers have accessibility to a fertility and somatic cell breeding value.

This can be a lot of detail and information to sort through, whereas it would be easier just to select from one overall index. However, resources are available to help you achieve your herd breeding goal. Field consultants, like the ones available from CRV Ambreed, are well-equipped to sort through all the information out there to help you achieve your goals, and select the right bulls to meet your herd needs.

To identify what you need to improve with your herd to be more profitable, you need to know what your baseline performance is; which is exactly what herd recording programmes can do. Selecting the best bulls for these specific traits will help your herd improve most rapidly for cow fertility and mastitis, respectively. In other countries, for example the Netherlands, there is a breeding value available on bulls called Hoof Health. Information collected by hoof trimmers is used to measure the number of hoof problems that cause lameness in the dairy herd. Selecting for the Hoof Health breeding value minimises the number of hoof problems in your herd.

Facial Eczema

In many parts of the North Island, facial eczema (FE) is a challenge farmers face, especially at calving time. Caused by fungal spores that are ingested, the liver becomes damaged. An infected animal typically will have a drop in milk production, sensitivity to light, and peeling of skin, and could eventually lead to death. Research by herd improvement companies like CRV Ambreed has led to new genetic tools for the farmer to deal with FE. Genomic research has identified a group of animals

(FE+) tolerant of FE. Breeding your cows to FE+ bulls will result in offspring that can resist the impact of the spores, maintaining their profitability in your herd. Record and manage

The genetic foundation of your herd accounts for about 25% of your overall herd performance. The other 75% is the day to day management in your farm operations. Improving your herd management and animal health comes down to recording, managing and monitoring the progress. Participating in herd recording programs like CRV InSight provides the essential platform to properly record what happens in your herd, everything from calving and mating, to treatment of a sore foot on a cow. At busy times of the year, recording might seem like more of a hassle than a help to your herd performance. To identify what you need to improve with your herd to be more profitable, you need to know what your baseline performance is; which is exactly what herd recording programmes can do. Incorporating herd recording with management tools like metrichecking, pregnancy diagnosis and herd testing provide a slew of information for you to make the best herd decisions.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

76 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Magnesium deficiency can be a production thief just before calving JO WRIGLEY MANAGING DIRECTOR DOMINION HEALTH

STAGGERS, GRASS TETANY,

hypomagnesaemia, magnesium downer cow: whatever you want to call it, if you don’t have the right programme in place, some of your cows will die. Magnesium deficiency is a common problem in New Zealand because the soils are deficient, and by default the pastures will also be lacking. Coupled with cows calving in winter/spring, which is when the weather is cold and wet, the magnesium dietary deficiency is amplified because we can’t adequately get magnesium into our cows through some methods when climatic conditions turn sour. The critical time for

magnesium deficiency to be a production thief is just prior to calving, and then the fortnight after calving while the cow is in negative energy balance. If she becomes a downer cow or is an induced cow, she can go down again any number of times while she still can’t physically eat enough to sustain her production. At calving, there is a huge demand for dietary magnesium because not only is magnesium diverted to milk, but it’s required by muscles during birth, and it’s also required to aid in mobilising calcium stores from bones. There is no denying that downer cows cost money. It takes time to tend to them, it’s a cost to treat them in product and in time, and if they survive their potential peak production will likely be compromised. If they

die, then kiss goodbye to further improving herd genetics through that cow in subsequent seasons, and her production this year will be lost despite you having fed her through the winter. Additionally, she will take up a place on the cull or a sale list when you may have other cows that were far more suitable candidates to exit the herd. Best practice for supplementing magnesium is to alter your strategy to cater for your herd’s needs in accordance with the weather, and within your budget. Therefore, well before your calves are due, talk to your veterinarian, farm consultant and magnesium supplier to devise a plan most likely to reduce the risk of downer cows on your property. There are a number of methods that you can use, and it’s likely

that achieving the least number of downer cows in a season will need to combine a few of the available methods. Identifying your at-risk cows in the herd is a good place to start. These are older cows and heifers, anything in light body condition, and any cow that has been a downer cow. These ones you need to watch, and they may well be among your top producers. The susceptibility of your property to magnesium deficiency, the size of your herd, and the percentage of cows on your at-risk list, will guide you as to what supplementation methods will work best on your farm. Improving your magnesium supplementation may reduce the risk of calcium deficiency (milk fever), but the two conditions are different. If cows are going down with Magnesium in molasses is good and effective for cows.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

ANIMAL HEALTH // 77

milk fever, post-calving calcium supplementation will be required as well. The common options for supplementing magnesium are: kk Dusting magnesium oxide is good and effective in fine weather, but can be hard on equipment and people kk Dosatron/Water system is good and effective in fine weather, though cows already magnesium-deficient tend to reduce the fluid intake, and may not drink enough to get appropriate supplementation kk Lick blocks are good and effective if the block is hard and can withstand rain, and you need to have enough of them near feed bins or water troughs so that all cows have access to them. Often they contain other minerals like copper and selenium, which support the immune system and good health at calving kk Magnesium in molasses is good and effective. Molasses encourages consumption, and

molasses is also a complement feed as it provides energy for rumen microbes to support their efficiency in feed utilisation. Using with a lick wheel to prevent gorging, or adding to supplement can be helpful kk Organic-farming magnesium recipes that also contain herbal remedies may help, but check the withholding periods of ingredients before use kk Feeding supplements that have high levels of magnesium, such as magnesium oxide that is either spread on, or mixed through silage kk Short acting drench – either a daily drench of oxide, perhaps mixed with other things, or a starter drench that contains magnesium and other useful nutrients kk Long-acting drench – using a magnesium pidolate drench (More-mag) that has a form of magnesium that can be stored, gives up to 10 days protection from magnesium deficiency. This means they can be used

Supplementing magnesium in the water system can have mixed results.

either prior to calving, or as cows come into the colostrum mob. kk Injectables are an effective treatment for downer cows, but be careful not to overdose when using lots of bags, and follow the instructions for use. If the cow does not get up within the hour, call your veterinarian Planning your magnesium strategy prior to calving can significantly reduce the pain that

downer cows cause. The best plan will be one that sees you get through calving with the least number of downer cows from magnesium deficiency. Often we will see chelated minerals used in fertilisers and specialty feeds. Chelated magnesium (Mg EDTA) is usually more bio-available than using traditional salts, but may not be cost effective for some administrative methods.

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78 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Calves must be weaned at the appropriate liveweights so that growth rates are not compromised.

Good health starts at birth JAMES THOMAS LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT

ANIMAL HEALTH IS an important part of any farming operation, as it can have a serious impact on profit – and it all starts at birth. To start with, it’s as simple as ensuring calves are kept warm and dry, and that they receive adequate colostrum, which provides natural immunity. Iodine navel spray will also prevent disease such as navel ill. The calves then need to be weaned at the appropriate liveweights so that growth rates are not compromised and adequate worm prevention and

vaccinations will also protect using more energy than she is against clostridia diseases and replacing. leptospirosis. Optimum levels of copper, If calves go to grazing, make selenium and cobalt - blood sure they are regularly checked tests will establish trace element and weighed. status of the ‘Remember nothing is cow. Once they join the Mastitis better than observing herd, other – especially your stock regularly’. issues come early in into play such as metabolic lactation, teat spray to help diseases like milk fever (lack prevent this, and herd test to of calcium), and grass staggers identify the ‘problem’ animals. (lack of magnesium) which can Facial eczema from early be controlled by the addition summer – mainly in the more of magnesium to the cows humid parts of the country diet either through drenching, and zinc is used to prevent and dusting or water treatment. minimise the effects of this. Other areas to incorporate in TB and BVD – can be your programme include: controlled through a combiKetosis – mainly evident nation of culling and good in spring time with a cow management practices.

Lameness – keep races in good order and don’t push the cows too hard. Health problems can also result from feed sources, eg mould in hay or silage or not changing the cows’ diet too rapidly which can lead to acidosis. In summary, there are many issues to face onfarm in relation to animal health. Most of the areas touched on can be controlled with preventative measures. Remember nothing is better than observing your stock regularly and making sure that their feeding levels are being met and that they have access to adequate amounts of clean water.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

80 // ANIMAL WELFARE

What to do with tails? NITA HARDING DAIRYNZ DEVELOPMENT TEAM LEADER FOR ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND WELFARE

ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUES

get close attention in New Zealand and overseas. Our international customers, and the consumers they supply, look for reassurances that the products they buy are produced using responsible animal welfare practices. Tail docking of dairy cows is deemed the permanent removal (surgically or by other means) of most of the tail. Tail docking is illegal in New Zealand and the continued practice has the potential to undermine public perception of the New Zealand dairy industry’s animal welfare standards. It’s also illegal in many other countries, including some of New Zealand’s dairy trade partners and competitors. The requirements for management of tails are covered in the Animal Welfare (Painful Husbandry Procedures) Code of Welfare 2005.

Removal of most of the tail is not permitted except for veterinary reasons, for example, to treat a paralysed tail. Tail shortening or switch removal is permitted, but is restricted to the removal of the last two-three vertebrae, and should only be done when alternative solutions such as regular trimming of switch hair have been attempted but failed to manage the perceived problem.

providing an anchor for some of the muscles regulating the proper function of the rectum. Tails are richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels so their removal is significant and painful for the animal. Why dock tails? Tail docking in the dairy industry is based largely on habits, attitudes and tradition, rather than good science or real

Increasingly farmers are leaving their cows with full tails and discovering that cows with tails are just as easy to manage as those without.

Why are tails so important? Tails serve a number of functions. The behavioural functions include deterring biting insects, and communicating motives and moods to other animals and handlers. The structural functions of the tail include

need. Increasingly farmers are leaving their cows with full tails and discovering that cows with tails are just as easy to manage as those without. Farmers give many reasons for tail docking, most commonly based on the perception that tail docking:

Animal Welfare (Painful Husbandry Procedures) Code of Welfare 2005 Minimum Standard No.1 – Justification for Painful Procedures Painful husbandry procedures must only be performed where there are no other practical, economically viable, effective, less noxious alternatives to the procedure, and they (i) result in an overall enhancement of the animals’ welfare through reduced susceptibility to ill-health, injury or compromised welfare; or (ii) facilitate advantageous farm management systems; or (iii) result in an enhanced animal product; or (iv) result in reduced safety risk to humans. Minimum Standard No.4 – Tail docking Cattle (d) If tail shortening is undertaken it must be limited only to the removal of the last (terminal) two to three vertebrae of the tail, using a rubber ring applied between the joints, and either - be left to drop off of its own accord, or - not less than seven days after the application of the rubber ring, be severed by the use of a sharp instrument at a point below where the rubber ring has been applied and in such a manner as not to cause discomfort to the animal.

kk Improves comfort for milking

personnel and assists with personnel safety kk Enhances udder cleanliness, giving lower cell counts, reducing the incidence of mastitis, and improving milk quality and milk hygiene kk Results in better milking performance. However, scientific evidence does not support these views. There is now good evidence that tail docking compromises animal welfare as it can: kk Cause short-term (and possibly long-term) pain and discomfort for cows kk Increase irritation from biting flies kk Potentially result in long-lasting nerve damage. Myth busters Myth 1: Tail docking creates a more comfortable, safer and healthier operator working environment Operator comfort and safety is cited by farmers as the most important reason they continue to dock cows’ tails. However, dairy farmers who do not dock tails have simple strategies to provide a comfortable working environment, as well as protect the welfare of the cow, such as switch trimming. There is also a belief that there is a reduced risk of contracting leptospirosis when tails are docked. The most effective strategy to reduce this risk is to vaccinate the herd against leptospirosis. Myth 2: Tail docking improves udder health and milk quality. Some farmers think tail docking reduces mastitis, lowers somatic cell counts and improves the health of cows. Research in New Zealand and overseas has compared udder health in docked and undocked cows, with no evidence that tail docking improved the udder health of dairy cows.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

82 // ANIMAL WELFARE

Tail length is only one factor affecting cleanliness and udder health. Researchers identified factors such as persistent scouring, muddy paddocks and raceways, confinement, enforced movement, and milking shed design and installation to be the dominant influences on udder and teat cleanliness. Myth 3: Tail docking improves milking performance.

Tail trimming is an effective way to manage tails.

Another proposed justification for tail docking is faster milking and greater comfort for milking personnel. The extent of this depends on the type of milking shed, but studies of milkersâ€™ behaviour suggest switch trimming is equally effective for milker comfort. Good dairy design can usually remove the need for the operator to spend any time managing tails. The

additional time required to handle a few problem tails is small. What are the alternatives to tail docking? Many dairy farmers already use effective alternatives to tail docking. Switch trimming, dairy design, fly control schemes and practices that enhance cow and operator comfort effectively

eliminate the hassle tails cause in the dairy. Encouraging farmers to adopt alternatives to tail docking is a key priority for the New Zealand dairy industry. Compliance with the requirements in the Code of Welfare is essential to promote the image of New Zealand dairy farmers being among the best in the world.

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84 // ANIMAL WELFARE

Research technician Gemma Worth studying calf bedding preferences in an AgResearch core funded trial.

Bedding materials that make life comfortable and healthy for calves DR MHAIRI SUTHERLAND AGRESEARCH SCIENTIST GEMMA WORTH AGRESEARCH RESEARCH TECHNICIAN

GOOD HOUSING AND

management of calves is essential for animal welfare, performance in later life and to reduce the risk of disease. Bedding material in the calf barn is an important aspect of calf management. Traditional substrates, such as sawdust and wood shavings, are becoming difficult and/ or expensive for farmers to

obtain in New Zealand so alternative options are needed that are economically viable, readily available, environmentally sustainable and achieve acceptable standards of welfare. River stones are an alternative bedding material that are already in use by some New Zealand dairy farmers because of cost, availability and perceived improved calf health. Studies by scientists at AgResearch over the last three years have investigated the welfare implications of rearing calves on sawdust (the most traditional bedding material used

by New Zealand dairy farmers) and alternative materials. In these studies we recorded the body weights, dirtiness, health, skin surface temperature and behaviour of calves during the first six weeks of life. The bedding materials studied included river stones sourced from a river in the South Island, quarried stones (20 – 40 mm in diameter), pea metal (3 – 5 mm in diameter) sourced from a quarry in the North Island, rubber chips created from recycled car tires (4 – 7 mm) and washed river sand. The type of bedding material had no effect on calf body

weights. Calves remained clean on all bedding materials throughout the six-week study period. However, all bedding materials were maintained using best management practices and were topped up with fresh bedding if needed. Bedding material had no effect on clinical disease or leg health of calves. However, at six weeks of age, calves reared on the quarried stones had areas of hair loss on their knees and hocks. When calves were kept on the stones for an additional two weeks, the hair loss increased but did not result in the formation

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

ANIMAL WELFARE // 85

of lesions. Hair loss was likely caused by the rubbing of the calves’ legs against the hard surface of the stones when they were lying down. No hair loss was observed on the legs of calves reared on river stones. Therefore, it appears stones can differ greatly in suitability as bedding material depending on their source / qualities (size and shape) and this needs to be taken in to consideration if using stones for calf bedding. Calves reared on stones, pea metal and sand had lower skin surface temperatures than calves reared on sawdust or rubber chips, likely due to the greater insulation properties of sawdust and rubber. This could be a very important consideration if rearing calves in colder conditions. Finally, calves spent less time playing (running, kicking, bucking) when reared on river stones compared with calves reared on sawdust. Furthermore, calves spent less time lying

down when reared on stones, pea metal or sand compared with sawdust, with the lowest lying times found for calves reared on stones. Lying times were similar for sawdust and rubber chip. Calves spend about 70% of their time lying, therefore it is important to provide a comfortable lying surface, especially for young animals. Lower skin surface temperatures in combination with reduced lying times and play by calves reared on stones may suggest these calves have reduced comfort compared River stones are used by some farmers in with calves reared on New Zealand. sawdust. Good management of bedding material in the calf barn is Further analysis of the data, essential to reduce the risk of now underway, will reveal more disease and enhance calf welfare. benefits/limitations of the alter-

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86 // FINANCE

The key is to invest in wealth growing assets.

Key principles of farm finance fundamental to business success Key Principle No 1: Trust

NEIL SMITH AND ERIC JACOMB LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANTS

THE KEY INDICATOR of business success is ‘governance’, or more simply being in control of the business, so make sure you

understand the key principles of farm finance because it’s fundamental to your success in dairying.

Finance relies on trust because it enhances the personal factor in a lending decision. Financiers support businesses they have confidence in; once they lose confidence the ability to fund the business becomes difficult and costly. This highlights the need to be in control of both your personal and business equity

early to establish a track record which leads to trust. Demonstrating control and understanding of the business finances is critical. There are three questions to test a lending decision: first, is there adequate security? second, is there sufficient cashflow to meet all commitments? third, is there trust?

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

88 // FINANCE Key Principle No 2: Cash is king

Ensure you set up a farm plan so you have a positive cashflow for the season: plan for a level of free cash on the status quo budget. This may be a fixed dollar amount, or c/kg milksolids produced of free cash. In some cases prepare a ‘backwards budget’, starting from the level of free cash required and working backwards. This can result in significant changes to how a business is operated. When professionals analyse a business, a key ratio is the interest cover ratio, which is calculated by dividing a business’s earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) by businesses interest expenses for the same period. In farming businesses we take this a step further by including drawings to get an indication of free cash. Monitor and forecasting cash position is integral to this, the requirement to provide regular GST reports means that it is little more work to extract useful information which assists in making cash flow management decisions. Key Principle No 3: Invest in wealth growing assets

Before undertaking any investment, be confident that it

will it make the business more robust. Take into account depreciation: are you comfortable with the strength of the balance sheet if the investment proceeds?

Financial terms explained It’s important to understand the financial terms which will be used on the financial side of your farming business.

Key Principle No 4: Responsibility

Transaction accounts

The borrower is in control of the decision to make the investment, therefore take and accept responsibility for the consequences. Banks lend money with the expectation that a percentage of loans will fail, therefore do your own due diligence which may well involve engaging independent professional advice – like your local FarmWise Consultant. Other tips for establishing a successful banking relationship include: kk Keep your bank informed and deliver to budget. No surprises! kk Budget conservatively so you are likely to over-deliver. kk Defer capital investment decisions, which are not in the budget, until after Christmas when more accurate income forecasts can be made for the season. kk Benchmark your business against other businesses (Dairybase is a useful benchmarking tool).

These accounts provide working capital for day-to-day transactions. Generally you will have an overdraft facility that has been set based on peak seasonal requirements and which can be easily accessed by telephone and internet banking as well as ATM, debit card and cheque book. Loans Floating rate

Reducing loan where payments of interest and principal reduce over time, but can be initially higher than a table loan. Interest-only loan which is generally for a period of short term borrowing, until principal payments can begin. Arrangements can be made for loan top-ups and progressive drawdowns. Revolving credit

These facilities have a set credit limit and can be used for all transaction and overdraft requirements, as well as short and long term lending. Interest is calculated daily at a variable interest rate

Interest rates are variable and can go up or down depending on the market. Generally loans can be paid back in part or full at any time without penalties

Suitable for farmers and contractors buying big items of plant and equipment. Interest rates can be fixed or floating.

Fixed rate

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Interest rates are fixed from 6 months to 5 years and can be locked in advance of a loan been required.

For large purchases of plant and equipment, the financier purchases the asset and leases it to the business.

Payment options for floating and fixed rate

Interest rate hedging

Both floating and fixed rate loans can have flexible interest and principal payments: Table loan where regular payments are made of interest and principal.

Asset finance

Commonly called ‘swaps’, these provide hedging against future changes in interest rates. There are a range of strategies available based on a set amount of principal, expiry date and range in interest rates. Benchmark your business against other businesses.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

EMPLOYMENT // 89

Get lucky and become a great employer MARK BAILEY FARMWISE

EMPLOYERS WITH A great

track record are often seen by their peers as being lucky, however the success of your own employment policy should hinge on careful planning and good management. Understanding and being able to fully describe the role you are trying to fill along with skills required to fill the position are essential to getting the calibre of candidate you require. Start by writing a detailed description of your farm system and then ascertain where your

needs lie within that system, and then write an advertisement with enough detail about your requirements to capture the suitable candidates. Much can be gleamed from an initial phone conversation, and although taking phone calls can be time consuming, first impressions are important even over the phone so be prepared to spend some time doing this and make sure you have a check list of initial general questions. Ask for a CV and itâ€™s useful to insist on a handwritten covering letter to go with a CV. Having selected your new employee, you are still only part way to achieving your employment goals.

Make sure your legal obligations are met in regard to the employment contract; make a formal offer of employment. Go through the contract clause by clause and ensure that if you intend to use a 90-day trial period you have discussed this with the candidate. Give your selected candidate the time to take the contract away and get independent advice. At this stage it is vitally important to ensure the farming system and how you choose to operate is clearly described, again so there are no surprises as to role expectations and responsibilities. Make sure the contract is signed before the new employee starts work.

Start the employment properly by having an orientation period, outline how things are being done and where everything is. Good staff management will include regular meetings to discuss short term operational objectives, roles and responsibilities for the week, work that needs doing and rosters of whoâ€™s on or off over the next week or so. Be sure to have formal reviews of performance and give honest, constructive feedback. A little praise now and then goes a long way. Be generous with your time off and be sure to treat all your staff commensurate with their position. Put all this in place and you might just get lucky as well.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

90 // EMPLOYMENT

Getting to grips with employment agreements WHERE DO I GO TO GET HELP WITH EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS?

JANE MUIR DAIRYNZ PEOPLE TEAM LEADER

AN EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT is a written

record of the working relationship agreed between the employer and the employee. It is a legal requirement for all new employees under the Employment Relations Act 2000. An employment agreement clarifies the employee’s rights and responsibilities, and outlines what the employer expects of the employee in return. Who needs one? All permanent and casual employees, including relief milkers, should have an employment agreement. Independent contractors such as variable order and 50/50 sharemilkers, or agricultural service contractors, do not have employment agreements, instead they need written contracts. These should outline the key aspects of the relationship including responsibilitie. Why are they important? An employment agreement

clearly explains to new employees (or employees changing responsibilities) the type of work they will be doing, where they will be doing it, and when. It also explains what they can expect in return for doing that work, i.e. their terms and conditions. The employment agreement provides a legal safeguard for both parties, but just as importantly, ensures that both parties have discussed how they will work together and have agreed upon this by signing the contract.

How do I put one together? For small and medium sized dairy farms, it’s usually best to use a standard template agreement and ‘fill in the gaps’ to make it specific to your situation. Employment agreement templates are available from Primary ITO, Federated Farmers, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (formerly Department of Labour) and rural professionals. Larger employers may want to write their own employment

For some businesses, drafting your own employment agreement might be appropriate. However, care must be taken to ensure it fulfils any legal requirements. For most dairy farmers it will be best to take an existing template agreement and amend it to make it specific to your situation. Templates are available from the following sources: kk Primary ITO: call your local training advisors (0800 691 111) kk Federated Farmers: members can also receive advice from their employment experts (0800 FARMING) kk Employment relations info-line: 0800 20 90 20 kk Rural professionals including lawyers, accountants and farm consultants kk The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has an online employment agreement builder available at www.dol.govt.nz

What information needs to be in an employment agreement? Below is a list of the legal minimums that an employment agreement must contain.

The names of the employer and the employee

The name of the employer must be the name of the person or entity that pays the employee, not the name of the supervising manager - unless it is the same person.

A description of the work to be performed

As a minimum this should be a broad description of the type of work to be carried out on the farm, however detail is preferable. This description should also include any special or different tasks that will be performed by the employee on the farm.

An indication of where the work is to be performed

This should include the locality and road address of the property. Also list any other properties that the employee may be required to work on, such as runoffs.

An indication of the hours of work

The hours of work should be as accurate as possible, ideally split by season and indicating expected start and finish times for each season.

Remuneration

This should include the wage/salary, how wage payments will be worked out, how often the payments will be made, when they will be paid and how they will be paid. Any other allowances should also be detailed, including non-taxable allowances, such as wet weather gear and meat, and taxable allowances, such as accommodation.

A plain language explanation of how employment problems will be resolved

This should outline the employee’s right to raise a grievance up to 90 days after becoming aware of the issue causing the grievance. It should also include the steps the employer will take to ensure that any employment problems are dealt with in a timely and efficient manner. Employment problems may include, but are not limited to, personal grievances. It should also explain what options are available to both parties should internal procedures fail to deliver a satisfactory solution.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

92 // EMPLOYMENT

agreements. It’s generally easier to start with a basic template, then add and change clauses as appropriate. It’s best to seek advice from an expert on the wording and content. Other potential items to include in an employment

agreement The following you might choose to include in the employment agreement, or as an attached policy manual that more clearly defines expectations. Remember that discussing, and agreeing upon, the employment agreement is a great chance to start communicating clearly with

your new employee. kk Leave entitlements – highly

recommended for inclusion kk Roster system kk Accommodation provisions

and how rent will be deducted

to leaving kk Performance review policies kk Security and confidentiality

agreement kk Processes for dealing with

termination of employment

kk Health and safety obligations

kk Processes for dealing with

kk Timing and frequency of pay

misconduct and serious misconduct kk Harassment policy.

reviews kk Length of notice required prior

BUSTING A COMMON MYTH ABOUT EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS The myth: “I don’t have to renew my employee’s contract at the end of the season if he/ she is not working out for my farm”. Busted The answer depends on the type of employment agreement or contract you have with your employee. But in most cases on dairy farms the employment is permanent and therefore will continue until either your employee decides to leave voluntarily or you terminate their employment (which requires appropriate and accurate use of the disciplinary process). There are three types of employment contracts you may have with your employee. Permanent contract This is the most common type

All staff should have an employment agreement.

of employment contract onfarm and means the employment is ongoing and there is no end date. Permanent contracts include: kk Full time employment with regular hours kk Part time employment with regular hours kk Seasonal or set rosters. Fixed term contract This situation applies where an employee is employed for a specific period of time for a genuine reason, for example, to assist during the busy calving period or to cover another staff member on parental leave. The dairy season June 1 to May 31 measures a financial and production year. It does not mean dairy work is seasonal and using this as a reason for a fixed term agreement is not appropriate

or lawful. In this case since the reason for the fixed term is not genuine you would be unable to enforce the end date specified. By default the employment becomes permanent and the employee can reasonably expect to work next season. Sharemilkers who are on a fixed term contract themselves are entitled to employ people on the same length fixed term agreements (or for shorter periods where another employee has left for example). The key is that the end date for the fixed term employment contract is the same as the end date for the sharemilking contract. If the reason for the fixed term agreement is genuine, then you don’t have to renew the employee’s contract, even if the original reason for the fixed term

has changed. For example, if you employed a fixed term employee to cover a staff member away on parental leave, and the original employee decides not to return to work, then you do not have to automatically offer the fixed term employee the permanent role. Casual Contract The employee works from time-to-time, on an ‘as required’ basis. The employment should be genuinely casual. If a regular pattern of work develops, a new employment agreement should be issued which better reflects the real nature of the employment relationship. To get answers to your questions about people management on farm visit www. peoplesmart.co.nz

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

EMPLOYMENT // 93

Getting the right person for the farm role JANE MUIR DAIRYNZ PEOPLE TEAM LEADER

HIRING GOOD EMPLOYEES is one of the most valuable things you can do to make your farm business successful. It’s worth taking the time to get it right. Once you have decided on what you need and advertised the role, interviewing and reference-checking are key steps in deciding between applicants. Getting the basics right with these steps boosts your chances of getting the right person for the role.

Deciding who to interview Hopefully a lot of people have responded to your advert, so now you need to decide who you want to interview - usually between three and four people. Sort out a system for dealing with applications, especially if you are taking applications over the phone, as you will need to have a list of questions. A template can be useful to make sure you get the same information from all applicants (see example below). When selecting candidates: kk Compare the skills and

experience a person has with

the skills and experience that are required to complete the job successfully. This can be done by listing the skills/ experience you need and then ticking which of these each applicant has. kk Be objective and realistic about what you really want or need and comparing this to what the applicant is looking for. For example, are progression opportunities available in your business? Again give a tick if you feel these are in alignment. kk Remember that attitude is critical and in some cases (especially where a person is new to the industry or

has shown rapid career progression) this might prompt you to single them out for the interview short list. Template example (see page 94):

The applicants with the most ticks are the ones you should interview. If you need more information, or there are a number of similar applications and you can’t make a decision, either call the applicant/s directly for more details or call their referees. This might help you decide if you want to meet them. Remember, under the Privacy Act, you can only contact nominated referees.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

94 // EMPLOYMENT Template example:

ATTITUDE Initial character impression

Likelihood of career progression

Does my job opportunity match their goals?

Health and safety

ALIGNMENT Team experience

Environmental management

Stock sense – animal health

Milk production – quality

Milk production – harvesting

Milk production – feeding

Applicant

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Applicant A Notes Applicant B Notes Applicant C Notes

Notifying applicants:

The applicants you have selected for an interview should be phoned to ensure they are still interested in the job and then offered an interview. Ideally this phone call will be followed up in writing, or by email, to confirm the time, place, expected duration, and activities that will be carried out during the interview. This allows the person to plan their day. Once a shortlist has been made, it is polite to let other applicants know they have not been selected for an interview. What if there are no suitable applicants?

Remember you want to employ the right person for the job. If your screening has not found any suitable applicants who are suitable to progress then maybe you need to review your advertising campaign, make improvements, and try again. The interview The interview is typically the first time the applicant will meet you face–to-face and therefore is a great opportunity to showcase your skills and attitude as a manager. Remember the best applicants will often have other job options, so being organised, and communicating well, is essential if you want to make your job look attractive and keep an applicant interested. Preparing for the interview: Who, when and where

Think about whether you will conduct just one interview with each candidate or whether you will use a two-stage process. If a second interview is to be used, the initial interview will not need to be as comprehensive, as its objective is just to identify two or three people to move through to the second stage. If you want to make a decision from just one interview then you must allow enough time to get all the information you require, and also allow time to give the applicant a full tour of the farm and accommodation. A tour of the accommodation and the farm dairy should always be included in the first interview as they are often critical deciding points for the applicant. Also decide if you will interview alone or if there will be an interview team. Using two or more people to conduct the interview can be a good idea as both people will take different points from it and can take different roles. For example, one person can concentrate on taking notes and one person listening, or alternatively one person can conduct the formal interview whilst another gives the farm tour. Where possible, the direct manager of the job applicant should be involved, and the same people used for all interviews to ensure consistency. Preparing questions You should have a list of prepared questions to ask your

applicants. These questions should relate to how the applicant can fulfil the requirements of the job description and the skills and experience required for the job. Being prepared will ensure you gather the information needed and remain focussed so all the areas you need to discuss are covered. Of course you always have the ability to add extra ad-lib questions during the interview, to expand on a specific topic. There are two common methods of interview questioning – behavioural and situational. Behavioural questioning

Behavioural questioning assumes that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. Candidates could be asked to provide an example from their past where they have demonstrated a particular competency. For example: kk Describe a situation where you were concerned about a milk quality grade. Why were you concerned? What did you do about it? Situational questioning

Situational questioning assumes that future job performance can be predicted from the stated intentions and goals of the applicant. In this case you give the candidate a theoretical situation and ask them how they would proceed. The risk with this type of questioning is that applicants may know their theory, but be poor at putting it

into practice. For example: kk You have been asked to

identify which cows are in heat. How would you know if they are? How would you record it? For many roles on farm it is also a great idea to do a practical skill assessment. This involves the applicant physically performing tasks so you can observe their competence, whether that be reading, writing, maths, setting up fences, determining pasture cover etc. Carrying out the interview Introduction

Start out by using general conversation to make the applicant feel comfortable. During this time you may find out personal facts that are not relevant to the person’s performance in a job, for example marital status, hobbies, number of children etc. This information must not be used in making a decision as it may be regarded as discrimination. During the interview

Let the applicant know that you will be taking notes and then do it – don’t rely on your memory. Alternatively you could record the interview. Voice recorders are cheap and easy to use. They also allow you to concentrate on the interview rather than the note taking process. Try to stick to the prepared questions, this will help ensure you get all the information you

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

96 // EMPLOYMENT

need from each applicant, and also that you can compare applicants against the same criteria. Above all, let the candidate do most of the talking, this includes allowing them time to ask questions. Remember they are also interviewing you and trying to determine if they would like to work with and for you and your business. At the end of the interview

Let the applicant know what the process is from here, for example, that you will be completing interviews over the next two days, then checking references and that you hope to get back to them within a week. Check that the person is genuinely interested in the job, but do not offer them the job at this point – even if you think you have found the right person. Once the applicant has left, discuss their performance, skills, attitude and experience with the rest of the interview team and summarise this by scoring each key criterion with both a number and a comment. Tips for interviewing The interview process can be stressful for both you and the applicant. Where possible, minimise distractions, such as noise from the farm and overly hot or cold rooms. Also make sure your phone is switched off and team members are aware of the importance of not interrupting. Remember, your behaviour and preparation will influence the mood of the interview, and Interview and reference-checking are key steps to getting the right person for the job.

possibly your future employment relationship. Being professional, and communicating effectively from the beginning, shows you have high standards, which your new employee will then be more likely to deliver themselves. It is worth making the effort! Checking references Reference checking aims to confirm what the applicant has told you in the interview and to identify any potential hiring risks. It is best to make up a standard set of questions to ask each applicant’s referees. Then you should add any questions that are unique to an applicant, such as specific concerns, areas where you require more detail or points to clarify from the interview. Remember that legally you can only contact referees that the applicant has nominated. Why is it important to check references?

During an interview all parties are usually on their best behaviour – this can sometimes lead to false impressions. Reference checking is absolutely critical to ensure that the information you were given in the interview is correct and also to understand how the applicant has performed and behaved in the past. Past behaviour is usually the best indicator of future performance. Questions you could ask

Below is a list of questions which might be appropriate to ask an applicant’s referees. These questions are a guide only, some

questions will not be applicable or appropriate, but they provide a good starting point. Of course, additional and/or specific questions can and should be added. kk Confirm the time period that your applicant worked for the referee. kk Confirm what their job title was. kk Confirm who they reported to. kk Confirm/ask what their general duties were. kk What were their strong points on the job? kk What characteristics does the referee most admire about him/her? kk Did they supervise other people? kk How many? kk How effectively? kk Was a team environment created? Did they have any areas of weakness? kk How did they manage these? kk How did they try to improve in

these areas? kk How well do they relate to

other people? kk Are they a team player? kk Do you think they are in the

right career? kk How far do you think they can

go? kk How did they handle conflict? kk What changes did you observe

in their behaviour whilst they worked with you? kk What was their major accomplishment whilst working with you? kk What training do you think they require or would

benefit from? kk What is the best way to work

with them? kk Do you have any suggestions

for maximising their talent and effectiveness? kk How would you rate their overall job performance on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being high)? kk Would you employ them again? How to identify false references Remember that both written and verbal references can be falsified and therefore it is important to get more than one reference for each applicant. A written reference in particular is easy to falsify and so should never be taken at face value – it should be verified with a phone call to the person who wrote it. Asking detailed questions about the person’s role should help to identify if you are being lied to during a verbal reference. Being prepared with a list of questions can help with this. For more information

For more tips, tools and templates to help recruiting the right people for your farming business, visit www. peoplesmart.co.nz.

DairyNZ’s QuickStart recruitment kits for farm assistant, herd manager, farm manager and assistant farm manager roles are available online or as hard copies. Order online at www.dairynz. co.nz or phone 0800 4 DAIRYNZ (0800 4 324 7969).

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

FARM MACHINERY // 97

Finding your way around the ‘technology minefield’ LINDA YATES LIC FARMWISE MANAGER

TECHNOLOGY CAN MAKE

a farmer’s job easier, more enjoyable and the farm more profitable, but first you need to decide what is right for you, your business goals and your system. A farm conversion is a natural opportunity to take another look at the technology being used, but how it fits and works together is really important, as you have the chance to plan out the system you want to run, and identify what technology will help you achieve your goals. You can

also make allowances for any technology or system you intend adding in the future. When trying to retrofit technology into your system, be sure to take it one step at a time: Give yourself, your staff, and your cows time to get used to each system. This will also mean that as you add technology you can ensure it is going to complement your system rather than making things harder. Technology has many levels, and the system with all the bells and whistles is not for everyone. Remember that once the installation technician has left the building you are on your own. You don’t want this to be the last time you know how you are

supposed to use it; you’ve paid for it, so make sure you know how to use it. Get the most out of your system. Ask for refresher training and tutorials. These will help you and your staff, especially anyone new coming on board, to make sure you have the system running right. Use it with your staff. Be sure to use the information the technology gives you to back up why decisions are being made onfarm and involving staff in that analysis and decision making; it’s a great way to help them develop in their career. Remember, technology is an investment – it needs to fit with your system and where you are looking to take your farm in the future.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2014

98 // FARM MACHINERY

Safety first with machinery CRAIG PURCELL LIC FARMWISE CONSULTANT

STATISTICS SAY THAT about 20 people who work in New Zealand’s agriculture sector will be killed during the year – that’s one every 18 days. Farms can be dangerous places, if the right care and precautions aren’t taken, and when it comes to machinery, there are two key points for every farmer to consider – safety and maintenance.

Farms can be dangerous places if right care and precautions aren’t taken with machinery.

Safety comes first, as it always should, and that largely means making the right choices, providing good training, forward thinking and planning. The machinery on farms today is very different from 20 years ago – more powerful, larger and faster. Combine that with the old ‘she’ll be right’ attitude, or heavy reliance on luck, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster that could end in injury or possibly death. As an ex-dairy farmer I have had my fair share of near misses; accidents happen, but in my experience, most can be avoided and all farm owners,

sharemilkers and employers have a responsibility and an obligation to ensure all people in the business are well informed of potential issues. In this day and age of information it is a simple task to ‘Google’ the relevant safety booklets and take time each week to discuss with the team. Can you afford not to? After safety, comes maintenance, to ensure it remains safe, efficient and reliable. My advice is to set a simple roster, eg tractors greased every Tuesday, motorbikes washed too, and have an area for these tasks to be written up to show which

staff member completed the task. Another good idea is to set a rule that prior to putting away seasonal machinery everything is cleaned and sprayed with oil or diesel; and during bird nesting season, leave the bonnet of tractors raised while not in use. Birds won’t nest on the engine, and if by chance they do it is immediately apparent, and that will prevent fires. Machinery is a big ticket item on many farms, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to the business, and safety and maintenance only require a small amount of planning, but can pay dividends in the long term.

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