Shanghai Pengxin’s plan for Lochinver Station. Page 3
power and comfort
New Navara unveiled Pages 56-57
triple ripple Calving joy in Otaki Page 13 august 12, 2014 Issue 318 // www.dairynews.co.nz
choose wisely “Gone are the days when you voted for someone because he was a nice person or lived down the road.” - Jim van der Poel, retiring Fonterra director. PAGE 5
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
news // 3
A cow or two more at Lochinver PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
A LIMITED amount of land at Lochinver Station would be converted initially to dairying says the chief executive of Shanghai Pengxin International whose proposed purchase of the property is now being considered by the Overseas Investment Office (OIO). While additional land will be analysed for its suitability for dairy, Gary Romano told Dairy News the harsh winters at Lochinver, high on the Napier Taupo Road, don’t make it easy for dairy farming. “It is a challenging environment for dairy and there is no way the whole farm is suitable for dairy.” But one ex-Crafar farm owned by the company backs onto Lochinver and because of that “we can see some parts of it going into dairy,” Romano says. “But at Lochinver there is a short growing season for grass, it gets frosts and there is limited water other than natural rainfall. So when we do convert
Fodder beet boom? PG.15
Tiger worms to the rescue. PG.36
any land, we will have to implement well.” Lochinver Station has been in the hands of the Stevenson family since the 1950s and is seen as an iconic farm. The 13,800ha property is home to 19,000 breeding ewes, 1300 breeding cows, 2000 dairy grazers and it takes up to 14,000 heifers in quarantine before they are shipped to China. Lochinver is adjacent to Rangitaiki Station, a similar size farm owned by Landcorp at about 850m altitude and running a similar number and mix of stock. In the short term it would appear little will change in the mix of businesses at Lochinver should Shanghai Pengxin get to buy the property. Romano says they made it clear in their application to the OIO that the 20 staff at Lochinver Station will be retained. And they will spend more on environmental enhancement, health and safety and productivity improvements to bring the farm up to its potential. What has not yet been decided is the management structure. On the Crafar farms Landcorp took over that role, but this an unknown
Shanghai Pengxin International chief executive Gary Romano.
at Lochinver. More dairying is planned but Romano says the focus will remain on sheep and beef. “I can’t exclude what might happen in the next 10-15 years but the focus at the moment is on the protein side of the business. Shanghai Pengxin has sheep interests in China for example. We do however want to develop products for the Chinese consumer.” Shanghai Pengxin has a track record of developing and looking after farms, Romano says. “I think we are developing our credentials as good custodians of the land.”
opposition to the sale mounting
Warm milk for calves. PG.41
News ����������������������������������������������������� 3-22 Opinion ���������������������������������������������24-27 Agribusiness ���������������������������� 28-35 Management ����������������������������� 36-49 Animal Health ������������������������� 50-54 Machinery & Products �������������������������������������56-60
OPPOSITION TO Shanghai Pengxin’s plan to buy Lochinver Station has come from individuals, interest groups and most political parties except National. Even Federated Farmers, which says it supports “positive investment” into New Zealand, has been cagey about supporting the sale. President William Rolleston says he’s concerned the sale to Shanghai Pengxin “may not provide sufficient benefit to New Zealand”. “New Zealand needs foreign investment but it has to be of benefit to the local and national economy. That is why a ‘substantial and identifiable benefit’ test was incorporated into the overseas investment
decision tree, further bolstered in 2012 by a High Court decision adding a “with and without” counterfactual test. This was to ensure any investment, such as the one being proposed, has benefit over and above just making a farm work better. Since Lochinver Station is highly regarded in farming circles there must be something special and we are keen to know what that is.” Rolleston says that given the proximity of these farms to Shanghai Pengxin’s other landholdings, it will increase speculation that vertical integration by way of processing could be on the cards. But Romano says despite all the opposition, he’s surprised that not one economist has spoken out or been interviewed
on whether foreign investment is positive for New Zealand. He says in his view it is. “Lochinver Station has been in the Stevenson family’s hands for many years and they recognised they could go and improve it but they had other opportunities more valuable to them. They are going to take the cash from this sale and invest it around Drury, Auckland, for a much greater return than they would have got on the farm. That demonstrates the theory in practice. When you sell an asset to offshore interests, the money earned doesn’t disappear. It goes into productive assets in the country.” Romano says he understands the proposed sale land is an important issue. However “the economic benefits are real”.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
4 // news
Produce more milk or less, to cover costs? ANDREW SWALLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz
IF YOU’RE making a
lower margin per input of feed, but have the same fixed or overhead costs, then you need to produce more to maintain profits, logic would suggest. Not necessarily so, say two analysts in the wake of Fonterra’s payout forecast cut to $6/kg. “It’s not just a case of saying the feed costs $4/kg of milksolids produced and the payout’s $6/ kgMS so do it,” DairyNZ senior economist Matthew Newman told Dairy News. “There are a lot of costs associated with supplement feeds which people don’t always think of – waste, extra running costs
of tractors in fuel and labour, etc.” For those with in-shed feeding systems the equation is simpler because waste and marginal feeding costs – the fixed cost of the machinery is already committed and can’t easily be removed – are minimal, he acknowledges. But whatever the means of supplementation – in shed or on a pad or paddock – growing and using as much pasture as possible before reaching for the supplement is paramount, he adds. Lincoln University agriculture management lecturer Bruce Greig echoes that. “The profit maximisation point is at a lower level of production when the milk price is lower.”
Greig and Newman’s comments follow DairyNZ’s response to Fonterra’s forecast cut advising close attention to farm costs with $6/kgMS being the break-even point for many. “While it is unclear where prices could be at the end of the season, volatility requires farmers to be prepared to react to changes quickly,” said DairyNZ chief executive Tim Mackle. “Now is obviously a good time to look at updating or developing a cashflow budget based on a $6/kgMS milk price. Look at where the fat can be trimmed and where efficiency gains can be made, for instance growing and utilising more homegrown feed and looking at where
supplementary feed can be reduced.” Contingency plans for a dry summer, perhaps early culling and/or once-a-day milking, rather than supplementary feed, should also be made, he said. And with large tax bills looming from last year’s record season, talk to the accountant to re-calculate tax, he advised. The reduced payout could cut national income by $1.8 billion this season, DairyNZ predicts – an average per farm loss of about $150,000 based on 2013-14 milk production. As a consequence little capital expenditure or loan principal repayments will be made, it predicts. However, Newman says he doesn’t believe debt is a big issue for the majority,
but it will be for a few, particularly those with high cost structures as well as high debts. Typically $30-35/kgMS of debt is where the current forecast should be starting to ring alarm bells but some deliberately leverage debt to such levels on a farm or farms to make investments elsewhere. “It does get a bit tricky.” He suggests feed, fertiliser and repairs and maintenance will be the main areas where costs will be cut in response to the lower forecast payout. Provided the current dip is just that, and prices recover, one season at $6/ kgMS, or even $5.80/kgMS, as one bank is now forecasting, shouldn’t cause too much trouble. “Hopefully farmers
DairyNZ economist Matthew Newman.
will have put away funds last year to help them get through this year. The way the payout is structured with extra funds from last year still coming in at the start of this year will help too.” However, if prices stayed at or below $6/ kgMS for more than a season about 20% of farms could find it difficult to meet their cash payments of farm working expenses, interest and rent. “And of course we’ve got tax bills from last year but after a couple of seasons at this [$6/kgMS]
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level those will quickly disappear.” As for the market outlook, from the economist’s perspective there’s “always a response to prices” so supply should start to fall in response to reduced world market levels, although typically there is a lag between price falls and a production response. And while Dairy NZ doesn’t look at the demand side of the market, the simple fact prices have dropped so far should start to generate renewed demand, he adds.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
news // 5
Get tougher on board aspirants sudesh kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
OUTGOING FONTERRA director Jim van
der Poel is urging farmers to toughen up in scrutinising would-be co-op directors. The Waikato farmer, who steps down in
November after 12 years, says Fonterra shareholders must better understand what skills they are looking for in directors, and aspirants must get governance experience before standing for directorship. Van der Poel told Dairy News he strongly advocates farmer ownership and control of Fonterra as
TAF the right decision JIM VAN der Poel lists TAF as one of the challenges during his 12-year stint on the board. It was critical to set the co-op on a more stable platform without farmers losing the control and ownership aspect, he says. “It did become a bigger job than was envisaged. It was an interesting exercise. Remember when we went out to farmers with the concept and put it to the first vote, there was 90% participation and 95% support. “Somewhere in the process of putting the detail to the business we lost a lot of the shareholders because when we gave them another vote we were down to two thirds support. That was disappointing because all we were doing was putting a framework around what we had agreed in principle.” Despite that, van der Poel says TAF was “absolutely the right decision”. It’s operating as intended and he has no regrets. Van der Poel reiterates the need to keep ownership and control with farmers. However, “somewhere down the line” the co-op will have to review its capital structure “because at some stage it may no longer be relevant for farmers to own the whole business, but that’s a discussion for down the track, not for today”. “We have a strong commitment to keep the whole business integrated and as long as the whole business remains integrated then it needs to stay in the hands of farmers.”
being “ultimately in the best interest of farmer shareholders and New Zealand”. “But for that to work well, farmers, when they vote for their elected directors, need to understand what skills the board and the business need. Gone are the days when you voted for someone because he was a nice person or you knew him or he lived down the road.” For aspiring directors Fonterra has a governance development programme, and the industry offers other means of people getting governance experience “before they come to Fonterra – upskilling themselves through those development programmes before they put their names forward”. “You can’t just take your milking apron off and walk into the boardroom; those days are gone.” Van der Poel got his
first taste of dairy governance in 1999 when he was elected to the New Zealand Dairy Group board from the Te Awamutu ward. Then in 2002 when Fonterra was formed he was elected a director. Van der Poel says his Fonterra board experience has been demanding and enjoyable. “The cooperative has evolved significantly since its formation, at a business and governance level. The quality of the systems, processes and strategy and the skills of our people mean the co-op is in a strong position to make the most of the opportunities of growing global demand for dairy products. “The depth and breadth of experience on Fonterra’s board and focus on the highest standards of governance have made for a stimulating directorship.”
As an elected director, van der Poel came up for re-election every three years by rotation, “for review and to make sure it was the right thing to continue”. “Everyone has to retire or move on at some stage; this seemed like a good time for me to do it.” Van der Poel owns farms in Waikato and Canterbury; in Missouri, US, he owns three farms, milking 2800 cows. His career in the dairy industry started in 1980; shortly after marrying Sue, they started sharemilking in Te Awamutu. With little equity they worked their way through another sharemilking stint before buying their first farm. “Those farmers gave us a chance and we have adopted a similar philosophy in our business – getting good people and supporting them to grow.”
Retiring Fonterra director Jim van der Poel says choosing the best skilled directors is essential.
Van der Poel’s two sons are also in dairying. Since announcing his decision to retire van der
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
6 // news
Roller coaster ride continues andrew swallow andrews@ruralnews.co.nz
BUGGER! LAST week’s
GDT result was the news nobody needed with calving getting into full swing. Whole milk powder plummeted 11.5% leading the overall index to an 8.4% fall on the previous sale a fortnight earlier. Within hours ASB had cut its forecast for the season to $5.80/kgMS and other
banks were making noises that Fonterra’s recent revision to $6/kgMS couldn’t be maintained if things don’t improve. “If prices stay near their current low levels for an extended period, the risk of a milk price closer to $5/kgMS for 2014-15 season is rising,” said ASB in its August 6 economic update. “However, we still expect dairy prices to lift from current lows by the
end of 2014. Production gains, owing both to better weather and the impetus from previously high prices, will wane, tightening global supply. In addition, [Chinese] dairy stock piles will clear. On this basis we expect the downward pressure on prices to subside.” ASB admitted the continued falls were “a surprise” taking the fall since February to 41% across all commodities, and 46%
for WMP, New Zealand’s highest volume product by far. Having relayed the oft repeated reasons for the fall – a stellar production season in 2013-14 here, and surging supply in the EU and US, coinciding with a crash in demand as Chinese buyers stepped out of the market – ASB suggested prices would rebound by year-end, citing a more normal season here (3% growth
High and low of GDT
GDT Date
Average Winning Price US$/t
US$:NZ*
NZ$/t
2 /7/2008
4395
0.76
5783
1/7/2009
1829
0.65
2814
1/3/2011
4826
0.75
6435
15/5/2012
2618
0.78
3356
4/2/2014
5042
0.81
6225
5/8/2014
3025
0.85
3550
*Reserve Bank mid-rate on day of GDT event.
Commentators are predicting the payout to ease further as global prices continue to fall.
instead of 10%) and a resumption of Chinese demand. With about 80% of the season’s milk still to sell, it’s early days and a lot can and will probably happen between now and the season’s end, it said. Federated Farmers Dairy chair Andrew Hog-
gard played down the size of the drop. “I don’t expect this latest result will affect the payout forecast in the near term. What will be critical is the expected market recovery in the new year.” A positive from the auction was more buyers and more product sold.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
news // 7
Payout leaves little room to manoeuvre andrew swallow andrews@ruralnews.co.nz
AT A $6/kgMS payout and assum-
ing average working expenses, even dairy farmers with average debt levels will have little room to manoeuvre, especially since interest rates are rising, says Lincoln University agriculture management lecturer Bruce Greig. DairyNZ’s economic survey
figures released in May show debt servicing (including rents) averaged $1.34/kgMS in the 201213 season, and farm working expenses $4.13/kgMS. Even if those figures were the same for 2014-15, there’s little margin left for drawings, capital development, principal repayment or tax at a $6/kgMS payout, Greig points out. “It’s not leaving you much margin at all.” But the farms facing the great-
est challenge are those “most extended” at the upper end of the debt range. “The concern with the lower payout and higher interest rates is ‘how are you going to service that debt?’ ” While total farm debt continues to rise, hitting a record $52,961m at the end of June, according to latest Reserve Bank sector credit figures, overall the rate of increase, at 3.7%, isn’t alarming, says Greig.
“Table 1 shows that total dairy debt is increasing but at a lower rate than in previous years. There probably has been a fair bit of debt paid down but investment hasn’t stopped either and the aggregate position is that more debt’s been taken on... “Experienced and innovative dairy farmers will respond to these [economic] changes and seek opportunities for continued investment.”
Table 1: Agricultural debt trends
Year
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Total agricultural debt ($million)
32,413
39,231
45,226
46,397
46,335
47,916
50,559
Total dairy debt ($million)
18,764
24,232
28,896
29.537
28,879
30,845
32,373
58%
62%
64%
64%
62%
64%
64%
29%
19%
2%
-2%
7%
5%
Per cent dairy (%) Dairy annual increase (%) Source: Reserve Bank
Tasmania’s national record TASMANIA IS star
performer in Australia’s dairy, leading growth in Australia’s milk output with a record 5.85% increase in the past year. Milk production there reached a record 804.6 million L in 201314, up from 788 m L, attributed to an “awe- Mark Smith, DairyTas some autumn” and good prices encouraging farmers to reinvest. Even higher production is forecast for this year. Tasmania now produces 8.7% of Australia’s milk. Its growth contrasts with the rest of Australia where production grew by only 0.4%. Fonterra processes milk in Tasmania; at the Spreyton and Wynyard sites. It also owns yoghurt maker Tamar Valley Dairy. DairyTas executive officer Mark Smith says good weather and high milk prices played their part – production rose 15-19% in autumn and in June, giving farmers incentive and opportunity to increase production.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
8 // news
Debt slashed and profit leaps ANDREW SWALLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz
WITHDRAWAL FROM
Australia, better management of inventory and debtors, and a buoyant New Zealand fertiliser market saw Ravensdown report much improved year-end figures last week after a dismal performance in 2012-13. Having paid no rebate from the 2012-13 year – the first nil return in its 35-year history – shareholders will this year get $37.38/t purchased in the year ending May 31, split $15/t as rebate and $22.38/t as share issue. “Thanks to the backing of our customers and our team, [the] result places Ravensdown in a strong position with a strengthening balance sheet and profitability,” according to Ravensdown chairman
John Henderson. Net debt is down from $200m to $49m, with record net cashflow of $185m and profit before tax and rebate from continuing operations double at $73m, up from $28m last year. However, trading profit before rebate and tax was $46m ($6m in 2013) due to costs associated with its withdrawal from Australia. Henderson told Dairy News those costs – a combination of trade losses, impairments on product and drops in book value of assets – add up to “about $20m, maybe $23m” with the sale of a few remaining minor assets in Australia still to be realised. Equity ratio is up from 49% to 65%. Chief executive Greg Campbell says increased farm production and the need to replace soil nutrients lifted fertiliser
demand and confidence. “New Zealand tonnages rose 7%. Services that help farmers with their nutrient stewardship, for example our award-winning Smart Maps tool and new environmental consultancy arm, are also in high demand.” Henderson declined to reveal a sales figure for the year as it was complicated by the withdrawal from Australia and comparisons would be “unhelpful”. “Like-for-like figures will be in the annual report,” he promised. That’s expected to be available next week. The annual meeting is scheduled for September 15 in Marton, ManawatuWanganui. A motion has been submitted that such events should alternate between two central venues, one in each island, to maximise accessibility and minimise cost, but
Henderson defends the policy of rotating around the regions. “If you’re on the board and go to these areas and meet these people you’d be astounded at the benefit it gives you and them. It’s one of Ravensdown’s strengths and I’d be reluctant to do it otherwise.”
Similarly he said he would not be supporting a motion that share redemption be revised to allow a staged withdrawal from the cooperative over three years. “We’re always open to suggestions but it doesn’t take into account the capital structure of cooperatives. You have
to have a time lag for redemption otherwise the banks won’t support you.” The annual meeting will feature details of Ravensdown’s reinvestment in core business which is already underway. “We’ve started a programme of replacing loaders throughout
John Henderson
the stores and investing in more efficient dispatch facilities.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
beaten by ballance RIVAL FERT-TO-FEED cooperative Ballance AgriNutrients released its annual result a week prior to Ravensdown reporting record annual revenue of $921m, up from $878m, and headline profit of $93.5m ($92.6m). One-off restructuring costs of $4m due to decommissioning its Whangarei plant – Ballance now supplies Northland from Tauranga – put the group trading profit at $89.5m and it paid an average rebate of $60.83/t plus 10c/share dividend, equivalent
to another $4.17/t, taking total distribution to shareholders to a record $78.9m ($65m 2012-13). “It’s a nice way to leave the company,” chief executive Larry Bilodeau, who retires in September, told Dairy News’ sister paper Rural News. Fertiliser sales volume was up from 1.33m to 1.55m with pentup demand for capital fertiliser, notably potash, probably a factor as prices eased. “And of course potash is especially important in dairy,” said
Bilodeau, who estimates that dairy accounts for about 55% of the Tauranga-based cooperative’s fertiliser sales. “That’s not changed as much as you might think. It’s probably come up a little bit but it’s almost within the margin of error.” The forecast dairy payout cuts “will impact a bit” on the coming year’s figures, he predicts, but with farmers well aware of the long-term importance of fertiliser it will not be drastic.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
news // 9
Oceania plant up and running CHINA’S DAIRY giant Yili, through its subsidiary Oceania Dairy, has collected its first milk direct from New Zealand farms as commissioning continues at its $214m, 10t/hour capacity plant at Glenavy, South Canterbury. “I’m very pleased,” Oceania chief executive Aidan Johnstone told Dairy News. “To have our first milk delivered August 4 was pretty good.” Johnstone says as calving begins on Oceania’s 48 supplying farms all milk will be collected by Oceania and processed at Glenavy under the control of construction firms Tetrapak and Babbage until commissioning of the powder plant is complete in mid September. “It will be our staff working under their directions.” It’s envisaged all product will be exported to China for further processing and retail, except for cream in the early part of the season. “Our AMF plant won’t be commissioned until November so we’re sending our cream to Synlait until then.” Total intake this season is expected to be 170m L; the original target was 130m L from 40 farms. It will also take 50m L from Fonterra, as permitted under
DIRA , putting total intake at about 220m L – 73% of the plant’s nominal 300m L capacity. “So even if there’s no increase in our production capacity next season we’ll still be able to pick up extra milk from local suppliers.” This season’s supply is within 50km and Johnstone doesn’t envisage needing to go much beyond that to fill the current plant, given the growing number of dairy farms in the Lower Waitaki areas of South Canterbury and North Otago. The Glenavy site has plenty of space for expansion but no plans or consent applications for a second dryer have been made. Seven of this season’s supplying farms are new conversions, a few are former Fonterra suppliers, and “the core” are a block of former Synlait suppliers who moved en masse to Synlait for three seasons from New Zealand Dairies (NZDL). Fonterra acquired Russian-owned NZDL and its plant at Studholme, about 15km north of Oceania, after it went into receivership in May 2012, locking NZDL’s remaining 34 suppliers into supplying Fonterra for seven years in return for picking up NZDL’s
Oceania Dairy chief executive Aidan Johnstone says the first milk was delivered on August 4.
missed milk payments. Johnstone, who was chief executive at NZDL, notes Oceania’s dryer is “twice as large as the one at Studholme” and unlike NZDL, Oceania’s parent Yili provides an integrated supply chain all the way to retail. “We’re not competing with Fonterra in the open market. Effectively it’s a closed supply chain.” As such, the company’s business is “pretty well protected” from falling global dairy prices, though with Ocea-
nia’s farmgate price locked at a 10c/kgMS premium to Fonterra’s milk price, falls in Fonterra’s forecast will be a concern to Oceania’s suppliers, he acknowledges. “Yili is a large corporate, recently ranked tenth-largest dairy company in the world, so compared with past experience in this region the milk cheque is secure.” Johnstone, trained as an accountant and in the dairy industry for 30 years, does not believe companies such as Oceania will erode milk prices for New Zea-
seales winslow 20x14
land farmers in the long run. “Fonterra’s payouts have increased as a result of the competitive tension and Fonterra remains far and away the dominant player so there is room for small and middle-sized competitors. “It would be a sad day if Fonterra wasn’t the dominant player in the New Zealand industry. A little competitive tension around the edges benefits everybody. We offer an alternative to Fonterra with minimal or no risk.” – Andrew Swallow
Dairy News august 12, 2014
10 // news
Maori dairy baby growing up fast The Maori owned dairy company Miraka goes into its fourth season with excellent prospects. Peter Burke reports. IT’S HARD to believe that three years ago (August 1, 2011) the first bag of whole milk powder was produced at Miraka’s $90 million factory northwest of Taupo. The first year was a proving year: the plant didn’t reach full capacity until the 2012-13 season. Since then the word has got around about how good the operation is and the waiting list of suppliers has grown. The plant produces whole milk powder and sells to such markets as Vietnam, China, Middle East and South America. Its rise is due to the leadership of chairman Kingi Smiler who has overseen the project from the start. Smiler was not wanted on the Fonterra board, yet this niche operation is now the talk of the town and seen as a future model for
Maori. In 2013 Federated Farmers name Smiler the Agribusiness Person of the Year and a few weeks ago Miraka won the Emerging Exporter of the Year award in the Bay of Plenty business awards. Miraka is essentially a joint venture between two Maori Trusts – Tuaropaki and Wairarapa Moana. Tuaropaki owns the geothermal power station which powers the plant and the land on which it is built at Mokai. Wairarapa Moana has 10,000 cows on
farms around Mangakino. Other shareholders include the Maori trustee and Vietnam’s largest dairy company Vinamilk which has a 19% stake in the company. As well as Wairarapa Moana, other Maori trusts and individual farmers supply milk to Miraka. In just four years Miraka has gained financial strength and has invested $27 million in a new UHT plant linked to supplying branded products for Shanghai Pengxin for the Chinese market. It also has gained a $1.75 million Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) grant matched by equivalent industry co-funding to develop ways of extracting high value proteins from milk. Miraka and Wairarapa Moana (which Kingi Smiler also chairs) are the first Maori agribusiness recipients of a PGP grant. The success of Miraka is also due to chief executive, Rich-
ard Wyeth and his small team and to the dedication of the ‘whanau staff’. Wyeth says three years down the track the company is very happy with its growth – financially and in provision shareholders and staff. “We are just short of $250 million revenue for this financial year and in
Miraka has invested in a new UHT plant as part of its ambitious expansion programme.
three years that is significant growth. We built the UHT plant probably 12 months ahead of the original plan when we were putting the strategy together and we filled the factory 12 months ahead of time. Getting to capac-
ity on the whole milk plant enabled us to generate the revenue and gave us the confidence to step into the value-added side of the business and invest in the UHT plant.” Having a waiting list of suppliers is nice, Wyeth
says, considering that they started out looking to attract farmers. Many farmers took a ‘leap of faith’ in becoming suppliers. Now Miraka has gained credibility with suppliers and is seen as a good alternative.
just the beginning MIRAKA IS this season offering an initial $6.00 payout. Chief executive Richard Wyeth says these are early days but he notes the whole milk powder market has softened and there is little relief from the high exchange rate. Chairman Kingi Smiler and Wyeth are in Asia this week visiting clients and prospecting for new business, viewed within a three-five year time horizon. “Vietnam has always been an important country for us given our shareholding in Vinamilk, but we have never focused entirely on Vietnam. Last year China was a strong market for us: we sold more product into China than in either of our previous two seasons. However this season we are likely to pull back from China and spread our product further afield.
China was paying well for product last year.” Miraka’s next milestone will be passed in few weeks when the first of the company’s UHT packs are made and sent to China under the Shanghai Pengxin deal. Miraka’s two UHT processing lines can pack 60 million L of milk a year into 250ml Tetrapak cartons. Both lines are expected to be running to capacity by late 2014. And the factory has space for two more lines. Building those looks “an audacious goal,” says Wyeth. But other markets are in view. Miraka is a seen as a model
Miraka chief executive Richard Wyeth.
for other Maori trusts and incorporations. Several other Maori entities in the North Island are known to be weighing their options about adding value to the milk they produce. Wyeth says this is great and will complement their operation. “If we can inspire other Maori entities and whanau based businesses, that is fantastic.”
Kingi Smiler
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
news // 11
Flood survivor hanging out for sunshine PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
THIRD GENERATION
Northland dairy farmer Ambie Beatty just needs a bit more warmth and a little less rain. Two thirds of the pastures on his 120ha Tangiteroria farm were damaged by the recent floods and most need regrassing. Like a number of farmers in the region he last week kept ringing his seed agent hoping to get started. “Everyone wants to get going but he says ‘no, you are just wasting your money, it is too wet and cold; it will just rot’. You’ve got to hang on,” Beatty told Dairy News. Meanwhile he is milking once a day to “try to spread things out” and is thankful for a delivery of hay and silage donated by New Plymouth farmers and organised by the Rural Support Trust. “That is very welcome; I’m glad that turned up. I’ve lived here all my life and it’s the highest flood I’ve ever seen. It came right up into my cowshed,” he says. (The flooded cowshed was pictured on the front of Dairy News, July 22. The caption read Hikurangi but should have read Tangiteroria).
The property, which he farms with his wife Jan and son Graham, is prone to flooding but it usually clears within a couple of days. Beatty says it was also the ‘dirtiest’ flood since the infamous Cyclone Bola in 1988, leaving silt all over the paddocks. In places it has left 70-80mm of silt, smothering the grass. The flood came up on July 10 and lay there for six days. “We’d just started calving; we had condensed the calving, planning for a good season and everything was looking right. Then you get a dirty one like this; it’s really unusual.” With half his 430cow herd now in milk he is coping by once-a-day milking and using any hill country he has got. For all the dry cows “it’s like musical chairs”. He has some maize, a bit of hay and a truckload coming, so the milkers go to the dairy in the morning, stay on the pad until lunchtime then to a paddock until the next morning. “We need some warm drying weather to get the ground temps up a bit and some sunlight so we can get this grass seed in. Even when we do plant it will be at least six weeks to two months before we can use it. It’s frustrating
water invasions getting bigger BEATTY BELIEVES about 15 farms in Tangiteroria alone were affected by the floods, with about 1000ha in that area prone to flooding. Tangiteroria is between Dargaville and Whangarei. Parts of nearby Mangakahia were deluged as well, as were the Hikurangi plains, north of Whangarei. Beatty’s grandfather bought the farm when it was in bush. His father had shown him the high water mark of the biggest flood in memory, in 1936. Even this latest flood did not meet that mark but it was only 200mm away. “It was by far the closest I’ve seen in my life,” says Beatty, who is 55. “The floods do seem to be getting bigger. In winter we used to get one or two small floods at the bottom end of the farm for a couple of days and it would go away again. Now we seem to get a big one or not at all.” The Northern Wairoa river which runs through his property has a huge catchment area and with clay soils and a tidal nature it is known as “the only river that flows upsidedown” – the dirty stuff stays on top and the water never seems to clear.
not being able to get it in straight away. “Everything is behind a break fence at the moment. You spend all day shifting fences just to try to spread things out, to make sure all stock get a couple of mouthfuls each.
“So the load that came from New Plymouth was much appreciated, it really was. I still have quite a lot left – another 10 days.” Beatty also wants a few fine days to tighten things up and not waste so much.
The Beatty farm at Tangiteroria under water last month.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
news // 13
Extra help for Northlanders slogging through the clean-up through MPI, McBeth says. “Our message for farmers is ‘make peterb@ruralnews.co.nz sure you balance the hard physical work with some planning’, for example, feed budgeting, getting feed onfarm DAIRYNZ HAS extra staff on standby and perhaps cows off-farm – balancing to go to Northland to help dairy farmthe equation as well as working on the ers through the aftermath of the recent recovery. floods. “The messages will go out through Craig McBeth, head of DairyNZs our usual channels such as discussion consulting officers, says the floods were groups, publications “catastrophic” and help is avail“Our message for farmers is ‘make and the website.” able if it is needed. Aside from North“A lot of Northland lost sure you balance the hard physical land the weather has power and that was devastatwork with some planning’, for been good, McBeth ing; they are working hard to example, feed budgeting, getting says. Waikato had a get back on track. wet patch in June, and “Rural Support Trust and feed onfarm and perhaps cows offthere were frosts but others are trying hard to get farm – balancing the equation as nothing out of the ordifarmers back on their feet and well as working on the recovery. nary. The good weather dealing with issues impacting has helped calving and their farming. This means getting feed for cows or in some cases to farmers about feed budgets and gen- is a comfort to farmers facing a low payout. getting cows from badly affected farms erally helping them out.” “Cashflow early in the season will Farmers repairing damaged fences to those less badly affected. “The aim is to allow the impacted and races have had help from Task remain ok, with payments from last farm to get feed growing again and to Force Green workers funded by money season coming through. It’ll be this PETER BURKE
re-sow silted pastures.” DairyNZ has sent extra consulting officers to Northland where they are working with others in the community to support farmers. “They’ve been putting on evening meals for farmers… to get them offfarm and communicating with their neighbours… and hearing about their options. Our people have been talking
time next year when the bite comes onand we’re talking to farmers about how best to respond to that. This will include decisions on supplementary feeding, the right time to start drying of cows off and so possibly culling earlier.”
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Triple joy AN OTAKI dairy farmer Ted Cobb got the surprise of his life when one of his Friesian heifers recently produced triplets. He says he understands the odds of a cow producing triplets is about one in eight million, but is possibly higher for a heifer. The heifer was mated to a Hereford bull. Two of the calves are female and the third is male. In the picture Cobb is seen feeding milk to the calves on his farm.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
14 // news
Irrigation tax policy proposal under fire LABOUR’S PROPOSAL to introduce
Farmers don’t believe Labour’s proposed irrigation tax will be fair and affordable.
a charge on large water takes for irrigation has been slammed by farmers. While the party says it
will fairly price the rental, Federated Farmers has its doubts. Spokesman Ian Mackenzie does not believe the price will be fair and affordable.
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all New Zealand’s water lakes and rivers are swimmable, fishable and suitable for food gathering. To clean up the nation’s freshwater within one generation, Labour will introduce a national policy statement based on the principles of the Sheppard report which will enforce standards and deadlines. “Our clean rivers and lakes must not be allowed to get dirty, and our dirty rivers and lakes must be cleaned up,” she says. “As part of our clean-up we will also introduce a fairly priced resource rental on any large water takes for irrigation.
“The concept that farmers are an untapped resource of tax is extraordinary. I don’t think anybody within the Labour caucus understands what they’re doing.” IrrigationNZ chief executive Andrew Curtis says Labour’s policy fails to recognise the complexities of freshwater management in New Zealand. It also ignores billions of dollars farmers have spent on improving waterways, he says. “A ‘fair and affordable’ variable rate water tax will be impossible to implement and will cost a fortune to establish. In no other country in the world
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is irrigated water paid for through a tax. “Much about Labour’s water policy aims to yield economic and recreational benefits of New Zealand’s water for all; this is good, but punishing irrigators by imposing a water tax is not the way to achieve this. “The only robust and long term way to restore waterways is case by case, engaging local communities to find solutions. “It is time the value of irrigation for food production and creating jobs was recognised in New Zealand, as elsewhere in the world. There is considerable public good to be gained from sustainably managed irrigated agriculture.” However, Labour‘s water spokesman Meka Whaitiri says it will ensure
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“The use of water for irrigation is a privilege, not an inalienable right. A resource rental is the best tool for making sure fresh water is used efficiently.” The party will support proposals for water storage and irrigation schemes provided they have a broad consensus from their communities. Labour will use resource rentals to pay for irrigation schemes rather than paying for them out of tax and asset sales. “Dirty water is not just a rural issue and we will ensure our cities and towns carefully monitor industrial and domestic waste. Labour will also seek to resolve iwi and hapu rights and interest in freshwater through direct dialogue.”
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
news // 15
Fodder beet area set to balloon? ANDREW SWALLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz
THE AREA of fodder beet seems likely to leap again this spring prompting questions about seed supply and sowing contractor availability. Anecdotal evidence is that many of those who tried a limited area of the crop this winter plan to increase acreage and, as word of high yields and knowledge on avoiding agronomic and animal health pitfalls spreads, yet more are looking to grow some for the first time.
Also, the crop’s increasingly being used not just for wintering, but as a feed that can be cut and carried to milking platforms to boost shoulder season production. In the north that includes use as “drought insurance” in case of a dry second-half season. Meanwhile beef, deer and to a lesser extent sheep producers are diving into it to improve winter liveweight gains and carry more stock. Recent falls in payout forecasts may cause some to curtail cropping plans but seed suppliers are still urging those planning to
grow to get orders in early to ensure they get their cultivar of choice. “Being proactive is a big help,” Agricom sales and marketing manager Mark Brown told Dairy News. He believes this spring will see “solid growth” in fodder beet area sown and it is likely to be more than was expected 18 months ago when seed companies had to tell orthern hemisphere colleagues or counterparts how much seed they expected to need this spring. “Where we are now is quite different from where we were then,” he told
Dairy News, reflecting on problems with agronomy and animal health two or three seasons ago which saw some first time growers put off. “It is an intensive crop to grow. You have to be focussed on what is going on because timings of inputs, particularly herbicides, are important.” While the crop area didn’t decline, the rate of increase eased, only to rebound as knowledge about the crop and capacity to sow and grow it has improved. “We didn’t have the drills, the contractors, or
Pick your beet: a leap in fodder beat area could see some cultivators run short.
the rep force then. A lot of time is needed to monitor the crop from the rep’s perspective.” Similarly, careful sampling to assess yield and then precise allocation to avoid animal health problems, particularly during the transition phase, is essential. “Many of them were used to feeding swedes and got the calibration wrong because they were feeding a 20t crop, not a 12t one.” There were also problems with diets not being balanced correctly for what are effectively “great
big lollies” for cattle, he adds. However, awareness of those potential pitfalls, and advice on what to do to avoid them, is much better now, hence the resurgent interest. Farmlands’ grain and seed division manager, Mark Elliotte, says about a 30% increase in fodder beet area is likely, based on the feedback he’s had from wholesalers and Farmlands’ field staff. “The $6 payout forecast may change some people’s approach as they may decide to go away from
such a high input crop, though they will get the results from it in the end.” While so far there’s been no indication of restrictions on seed supply from the wholesalers, he too urges growers to “get orders in early to ensure you get the varieties you want.” A new approach with the crop is dairy farmers contracting cropping farmers to grow a certain area, produce of which is to be lifted and delivered to the dairy platform at a certain price per kilogramme of drymatter, he notes.
Dave Twaddle, ANZ Northland Agri Manager. He’s made farming in the region his business.
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region as a finalist in the ANZ Young Farmer Contest. Dave is part of ANZ’s Agri Business Team of ten dedicated to providing expert local advice to Northland. To find your local ANZ Agri Specialist, visit anz.co.nz/rural or call Dave on 09 430 1623.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
16 // news
Scientists work on methane solution peter burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
NEW ZEALAND scien-
tists hope to have technologies that can be implemented on farm to help reduce methane gas emissions from farm animals such as cows, cattle, sheep and deer within about five years. That’s the view of Mark Aspin, manager of the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium ( PGgRc) which along with the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre is working to find a solution to the problem. Much of the science work the two organisations do is based at Palmerston North and the pair
are working on a joint science programme to contribute to the achievement of two government targets is respect of greenhouse gas emissions – lowering our emissions by five percent below the 1990 levels by 2020 and cutting them by 50 percent by 2050. Aspin says the agricultural industry accounts for 46% of New Zealand’s total emissions and with our large ruminant population this is a serious challenge. He says farmers have been doing their bit to reduce methane emissions by becoming more productive, but he says the increase in livestock numbers – especially cow numbers – the efficiency gains are not keeping pace with the quantum increase product output.
“Efficiency gains made by farmers have decreased greenhouse gas intensity by one percent annually. This is through a combination of better genetics and feed but given that livestock production is increasing by two percent annually, this is not enough. So with the financial support of government and the farming industry through the likes of DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb we are looking to find some technologies that can give us an extra one-and-ahalf percent increase in intensity efficiency,” he says. The funding for the science comes from two sources – MPI funds the work the work being done by the Greenhouse Gas
Research Centre and this involves most of CRI’s plus Massey University and DairyNZ. The (PGgRc) gets 50% money from MBIE and the other 50% comes from industry organisations including again DairyNZ, Fonterra, Landcorp and Beef+ Lamb. Some of the research efforts are directed at finding ways to inhibit a tiny microbes using vaccines and chemical inhibitors found in the rumen of cattle, sheep and deer known as methanogens which produce methane in the gut of the animal and which is then expelled into the atmosphere when the animals belch. The solutions being investigated include finding genetic traits in animals that produce less
Mark Aspin beside one of the methane chambers.
methane and seeing if different types of forages can also make a difference. “Firstly we are reliant on the scientists to understand the systems and where methane comes from and what drives it. Also whether there are specific forages that may end up using less methane than ryegrass and while clover which is the mainstay of our pasture. We have found that brassica crops do give us some benefit in that respect, but
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that is just for very limited time of the year. But with this and our genetic programme we know the gains will be small and therefore will have to look at some of the more scientifically challenging and higher impact options such as a methane vaccine and methane inhibitors,” he says. Aspin says even when a solution is found in the case of the methane vaccine and/or inhibitors, it will take time for clini-
cal trials to be conducted and the product to be fully commercialised. He says while excellent progresses is being made by the science teams a solution for farmers could still be five years away. He says right now there is not a lot more that farmers can do but to keep driving on farm efficiency and to continue to support their respective industry good organisations funding of the science programmes.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
18 // news Fonterra chief technology officer Jeremy Hill with the milk shot developed especially for the Asian market.
Taste high on co-op’s innovation agenda PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
FONTERRA HAS developed a ‘shot of milk’ – a concentrated milk product – equivalent to four
glasses but packed in a 100ml pack. A product in Fonterra’s Anlene range, it is made for mid-life/elderly people, especially in Asian markets. Fonterra chief tech-
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nology officer Dr Jeremy Hill says the product is for consumers who are not accustomed to drinking milk each day. “The trick is in the science… a product concentrated and still tasting good. Taste is always a big issue; it has to be high on your agenda [with] convenience and nutritional benefits. If you want to remain in business you must offer superior taste.” The new product rates as ‘advanced nutrition’ and embodies a lot of sophisticated medical science. “We focus on cognition and mobility, looking at formulations we can create to enhance cognition benefits, particularly in infant nutrition. “In mobility we are looking to promote… the health of bones, muscles and joints. That tends to be focused more on middle-to-aging people, whereas the cognition product range is focused on younger people.” A challenge for Fonterra in high-end consumer products for new
and emerging markets is getting the taste right to suit the local palate. Fonterra has a research facility in Shanghai where new products and recipes are devised. Fonterra at its research centre at Palmerston North employs 400 people part-time as tasters. The co-op selects people for its taste panels then trains them to help discern product ‘characteristics’ and express these in words meaningful to scientists and food technologists. “We screen lots of people for their ability to do this…. We have to be able to determine whether their palates are discerning enough… then we train them to pick characteristics and to score them.” Hill says the panel members are at Fonterra for only an hour or two at a time. Taste is the critical factor and seeing a product in a certain ‘good’ light may influence a panellist. To that end a lot of tasting takes place in a red-lit room to ensure the panelists stay focused on taste.
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Hurrell joins management team FONTERRA’S NEW group director co-operative affairs Miles Hurrell starts September 1. Chief executive Theo Spierings says Hurrell’s commercial and relational skills with farmers will help support Fonterra’s milk growth. Miles Hurrell “Our New Zealand milk supply is a number one priority for Fonterra. Ensuring its sustainable growth and market share are key for our business strategy, and a positive commercial approach is required in this role. “Miles’ business knowledge and experience [equip him] for these challenges. As general manager Middle East, Africa and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), he has translated our global business strategy… into volume and value growth.” He oversaw a review of some key markets that grew their value in 18 months. “He has shown agility in working with diverse cultures and customers, leading a large team…. He has developed talented leaders… half of whom have been promoted to roles elsewhere in Fonterra.” He will also deal with central, local and regional governments and will contribute to global sustainability strategy. Hurrell joined the dairy industry in 2000 after working for a large shipping line. By 2008 he was Fonterra sales director Europe. He then led the global sourcing division in North America, dealing with key suppliers.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
world // 19
Solar option saves farmers money TAXPAYER-FUNDED SOLAR water heaters will
save money for dairy farmers in Tasmania. Nine dairy farms at King Island have been paid A$202,000 to install the evacuated tubes and hot water storage systems, expected to cut dairy shed energy bills by as much as 50%. The Tasmanian government’s renewable energy move is coordinated by Dairy Australia. King Island dairy farmer Troy Smith says he and other farmers pay flat-rate electricity prices and rely on diesel power generation despite wind and solar energy being prevalent on the island. “If we can be energy efficient and use renewable
energy it saves us money, less diesel comes onto the island and the environment is better off.” Dairy Australia and the Australian government are helping dairy farmers nationwide to cut energy use. Energy efficiency assessments were done for 900 farmers in a scheme ended June, with most of King Island’s 12 dairy farms taking part. A second round of assessments will go to June 2015. Dairy Australia spokeswoman Rachel Brown says the Australian dairy industry aims to cut energy use by 30% by 2020. “Renewable energy is not for every shed and each site has to be looked at but there are circumstances, like these solar hot water systems on
King Island, where it is the obvious solution.” Reducing energy use for milk cooling, milk harvesting and hot water had shown the greatest improvement in energy efficiency during the assessment process, Brown says. The installation manager for the King Island project, Darren Cooper, says many aspects of dairy shed hot water must be assessed for solar’s suitability. Farmers must look at their water usage patterns,
the capacity of their main cylinder, and whether the farm would need to boost on-peak power or simply heat water at off-peak times. “It depends on the tariff you pay for your energy. On King Island there is no off-peak power but rather a 27-28 cent kW-hour flat rate, so water heating is premium all the time and it’s easier to get a payback [using solar]. “If a farm, for example, had a 1000L/day usage and a 1200-1300L cylinder they might be better to
Tasmanian farmers are getting state help to reduce farm energy bills.
exploit their contract and heat all their water off-peak because the payback on a solar system could be 20 years.” Cooper says the units at King Island suit farms with fewer than 250 cows or using about 500L of hot
water per day. “Data from one of the units showed that for the first 24 days of use there was a 36% offset of power for hot water. This will fluctuate with the seasons but 50% reduction over 12 months is achievable.”
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
20 // world
Flying more flags than any other processor EUROPEAN CO-OP
Arla Foods says it is now the world’s most multinational farmer-owned dairy company. Following its merger last week with Belgian EGM Walhorn, Arla Foods now boasts 13,500 shareholders in seven countries in the EU. Arla chairman Åke Hantoft says it has continuously managed to attract
more farmer owners and to work together across borders, “because we stand united for one thing – securing our future as dairy farmers and expanding our opportunities to develop”. “Being an Arla Foods farmer owner means having the guarantee that, no matter the country in which we are based, our milk will be turned into
high quality products sold all over the world. And the more farmers we are, the more milk we produce, and the stronger we become together.” Arla Foods’ farmerowned heritage dates back 100 years and through the cooperative model farmers have retained the influence over what the company does. For every farmer, owning the com-
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Arla chairman Åke Hantoft
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Arla’s euro footprint ■■
Arla Foods expects the 2014 milk intake from farmer owners to be about 11.4 billion kg, or 92% of the total expected milk intake for this year (12.4b kg)
■■
Arla Foods has farmer owners in seven European countries: Sweden (3356), Denmark (3156), UK (2956), Germany (2763), Belgium (955), Luxembourg (236), Netherlands (52)
■■
EGM Walhorn is a dairy cooperative owned by 795 milk producers in Belgium (426), Germany (317) and the Netherlands (52)
■■
In 2013, Arla Foods’ worldwide sales of dairy products totalled 9.9 billion Euros
■■
Arla Foods’ core markets are the UK, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands.
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pany has meant holding the opportunity to secure the development of their farm, says chief executive Peder Tuborgh. “Our dairy farmers can and want to set the pace, which has been high for many years; they want to ensure that profit is returned to their farms and into the company, as investments into our global dairy business. “We do this together as one big multinational team of dairy farmers and employees. This mindset has created the global Arla of today.” Arla Foods’ cross-bor-
VICTORIA REMAINS Australia’s
biggest milk producing state and has made a steady increase over the past 12 months. Gippsland and northern Victoria were the growth areas with 3.19% and 1.67% respectively, while the western region experienced a slight decline of 0.49% after a disastrous start to the year caused by low prices and a bad 2013 autumn. State leaders believe the steady growth can be maintained during 2014-15, although their optimism is muted by concerns about weather conditions. The state’s three regions are each producing about two billion litres per year. Northern Victoria hasn’t had negative growth period in more than three years.
“We’re building on a solid trend,” Murray Dairy chairman Malcolm Holm says. “Even though it’s a small percentage it’s still solid growth, especially given that it was tough last season in regards to milk prices and conditions. We’ve done pretty well.” Holm says there is capacity on farm and in the milk processing sector to continue that growth. “It’s still pretty early in the season but it would appear with the current weather conditions that we’re set up for a good spring,” he says. The region has a confident outlook pushed by strong on-farm investment. “People are investing fairly heavily into their farms and I think we’ll see that converting into growth,” Holm says. “We had a good price last season. It has come back a bit but it shouldn’t affect us too much. “We’re well placed for people to
get into dairy and we’re still the largest producing region in Australia with good steady growth.” South Gippsland dairy farmer Graeme Nicoll says the season has been reasonably good and he expected the region’s steady growth of more than 3% to continue. “The economics have been good, the optimism has been high and the season has been reasonably good for some and very good for others,” says Nicoll. “Gippsland is a very stable region that often doesn’t express the volatility of other regions, due to the relatively stable climactic conditions and the style of farming with a very strong pasture focus,” he says. “When the economic dials are right for Gippsland, we’re in a position where we can capitalise on our strength in growing grass. Homegrown fodder is the economic driver of the industry.”
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
22 // world
Takeover full of twists and turns – Saputo SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
CANADA’S LARGEST
milk processor has opened up about the protracted battle to acquire Australian company Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, saying it was a battle worth fighting. In its annual report released month, Saputo says it has made 23 acquisitions since becoming a public company in 1997, but Warrnambool was the most public acquisition process so far. In a question and answer segment in the annual report, Saputo chief executive Lino Saputo Junior says the
months, involving three acquisition was filled eager bidders, employwith exciting twists and turns. “It kept everyone on ing dozens of investment bankers, lawyers and other their toes; our team came advisers, it also caused the together and rose to the Warrnambool share price challenge,” he says. Saputo paid A$519 mil- to more than double. While lion for Saputo was 88% of seen as the listed frontrunprocesner because sor, which of its cash makes reserves and cheese and the endorsemilk for ment of the domestic Warrnamand export bool board, markets. success The looked battle for Lino Saputo Junior uncerWCB was tain late last year as rival one of the most hardbidder and Warrnamfought and intriguing the industry has seen in recent bool shareholder Murray Goulburn referred the times. Spanning five
S ENTRIE
beverage giant to the Takeovers Panel after it altered its bid. Only after Bega Cheese – Warrnambool’s largest shareholder and one-time suitor – reluctantly accepted Saputo’s offer did it edge over the 50% mark. Within a week, Murray Goulburn also folded, scrapping its rival offer. Saputo Jnr says he enjoyed getting to know the Warrnambool employees, suppliers and shareholders, and letting them get to know Saputo. “A memorable moment occurred at meetings we held with Warrnambool farmer shareholders.” Saputo has a corporate culture that explicitly values the employee.
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Saputo, Canada’s largest dairy processor, says it will invest in Australia’s dairy industry to boost growth.
and create new opportutrusting our employees Saputo Jnr says Saputo nities for the company, its and providing them with started as a family busiemployees and suppliers. the right training, tools, ness in the dairy products “We see potential to industry where quality was resources and support.” increase manufacturing Saputo Jnr says the the only path to success. capacity, grow milk intake, company will learn from “You soon realise no drive improveone person can “A memorable moment ments in opersafeguard quality, and a high occured at meetings we ating efficiency, and support innolevel of trust must held with Warrnambool vation and new be placed in your farmer shareholders.” product developemployees. As we ment.” grow larger, we He says it has a lot its takeovers in Canada, find this reality does not US and Argentina to guide of confidence in the change. Warrnambool manageits Warrnambool opera“When we acquire a ment team. Former WCB tion. new company, I take part chief executive David Lord “The companies we in the integration by peris now president of its acquire usually find they sonally visiting the facilidairy division in Australia. can manage more effecties. I want to make sure It is a great business management understands tively because they gain with a strong heritage— access to our knowhow, and applies our corporate one that Saputo intends to international experience, culture from the start. preserve, Saputo Jnr adds. financial resources and “Our culture is a key “Moreover, we will retain support. differentiator for us; we and grow current brands “Saputo intends to know we couldn’t expewhile we seek to introduce invest in Warrnambool rience the same success new product lines.” to accelerate its growth, without appreciating and
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
24 // OPINION Ruminating
EDITORIAL
A victim of the race card?
milking it... Wandering cows
Till the cows come home
Fake milk ‘no threat’
Selling short
WITH THE milk price easing, are some farmers taking less care of their cows? The Whangarei District Council has been forced to shoot five escaped cows in Northland in recent months; poor fencing in the area is allowing cows to wander onto roads. The council says the five cows are a handful of the hundreds of cows and horses they’ve had to shoot during the last 22 years because of road safety concerns. But now that this is again on the council’s agenda, it plans a meeting with landowners to discuss how it all might be done better.
A KANSAS farmer, a trombone and Kiwi star Lorde’s song Royals has become a much-viewed item on You Tube. The farmer serenading his cattle has had three million hits. Sitting in a deck chair, Derek Klingenberg piles into the tune, attracting several dozen cows from over a rise. Clearly this devoted audience loves his moosic. Now he has a whole YouTube page of his agricultural tributes to popular music, for example, a cover of Happy and a Thrift Shop parody called Ranching Awesome. “It’s weird,” Klingenberg admitted. “Millions of people all over the world watch my stuff, but I haven’t left the farm. I’m just reading about it on my phone.”
THE COMPANY developing a non-dairy form of milk says it is motivated by animal welfare and environmental concerns, and is not targeting the New Zealand dairy industry. Muufri, California, has received start-up money to develop the milk from yeast, intended to be indistinguishable from cows’ milk. It will contain the same proteins, fats and vitamins as dairy, but less cholesterol. Muufri co-founder Ryan Pandya anticipates a presentation to financial backers by September. It could then take them two-three years to refine and massproduce the milk. It is intended to compete with ‘industrial milk’ produced in North America by factory farmed cows.
THE DAYS of crooks selling adulterated milk in India are numbered. The country’s highest court has suggested adulterating milk should be made punishable with life imprisonment. The Government says it is amending legislation to make adulteration of milk and food items a serious crime attracting harsh penalty. It admits adulterated milk is undermining human health.
EVERY THREE years politicians and their disciples experience a hormonal rush that sends them rushing for influence and ultimately power to govern for three years. Some call this the silly season; this time around – especially given the effects of MMP – it is better called the absurd season. Egos rule over reality, promises are made that will seldom be honoured, perceptions not facts are the order of the day. Against this backdrop Shanghai Pengxin is in line to buy Lochinver Station, owned for decades by the Stevenson family who want to reinvest their money from the sale in a major venture in Auckland. The opposition to Shanghai Pengxin is predictable and, doubtless, race based. How often do the opponents of such dealing object audibly to land sales to Israelis, Germans, Americans or Swiss? This kind of hysteria is reserved for Chinese buyers. Labour says it will prevent the sale if elected. But it had the opportunity years ago to pass such legislation, and didn’t. Why didn’t they take a stand after the Crafar farms sale? It will be their prerogative to tighten up legislation and ban farm sales to all foreigners – not just Chinese – if elected. But to interfere now in such a deal by passing retrospective legislation seems a bit rich. Shanghai Pengxin was acting within the law in bidding for Lochinver; to threaten such a law change to win a few votes smacks of political expediency. The farming sector needs more capital if it’s to play the role it has been handed – to grow the economy. The lack of capital in New Zealand pushes us offshore to borrow. Alternatively we could go back to a peasant economy, slashing the number of politicians and bureaucrats, saving the country big money. But such an outbreak of efficiency would never do.
Got something on your mind? GOT SOMETHING on your mind about the latest issues affecting our dairy industry? Put your pen to paper or your fingers to your keyboard, and let our readers know what you think. Contact us by either post or email. Don’t forget to put your name and address. Note: Letters may be edited. post to: Letter to the Editor PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 or Email: dairynews@ruralnews.co.nz
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
opinion // 25
Labour’s blueprint for the farming sector DAMIEN O’CONNOR
LABOUR GOVERNMENTS have a proud
history of working with dairy industry for success. In the 1930s we guaranteed prices, in the 1950s we delivered a marketing body through the Dairy Board, we removed subsidies in the 1980s and in 2001 we facilitated the formation of Fonterra. We are committed to continue working with the industry to deliver the changes needed and legislation where necessary. The natural advantages of our temperate climate, reliable rainfall and good soils have delivered the advantages to enable us to be one of the best producers of protein in the world. The dairy industry has been an outstanding success by any measure. Even the recent scrutiny of environmental and water impacts are, relative to other countries, moderate and manageable. I am confident the dairy industry can reduce its impacts on our waterways swiftly with better knowledge and guidance. The growing world population and demand for food is well documented. But so too is the everincreasing cost of production for some New Zealand farming systems. The single biggest challenge for the dairy industry is to remain viable in a world of fluctuating commodity prices, with an increasing number of external influences on our economy. The current monetary policy disadvantages exporters and
must change to prevent the escalation of interest rates and the NZ dollar at the ongoing expense of exporters. Speculation using foreign capital that drives up the value of New Zealand farmland further undermines the opportunity for sustainable and profitable farming. Banks that have continued to fund high-cost operations knowing that farmers will work every hour of every day to survive, places undue pressure on committed hard working farming families. The recent messages from DairyNZ to manage and where possible reduce cost of production is too little too late for some farmers who have invested heavily in high cost systems of milk production. The recent payout announcements will be a shock for many of these farmers and it will be those who are focused on their costs who continue to enjoy a fair return on their efforts and investments. A recent admission by a senior Fonterra director that the dairy industry has no strategic plan is a frightening reality for a country so reliant on it for income and prosperity. Fonterra, our singlebiggest and most successful dairy company is still a cooperative but now influenced by expectations of outside investors and a sharemarket desperate to exploit opportunities in New Zealand’s agribusiness sector. We now have multiple processers and marketers with an increasing level of investment and expec-
tation from the supply chain. China has emerged as the dominant influence in the international economy, and the free trade agreement between our countries provides a huge advantage to sell into that market. However, ignoring the relationships with other high value markets in the US and Europe leaves us exposed to huge risks as experienced recently by the forestry sector with the collapse in log prices. The New Zealand dairy industry does have an incredibly bright future if
crucial disciplines are followed. A focus on cost of production, improvement in environmental impacts, adequate research and development and coordinated marketing are all needed to deliver consistently for our international customers. New Zealand farmers are unique and without protection. They rely on a robust processing and marketing system for their raw material to deliver them the returns they need to pay their costs and make a fair profit.
We need to be mindful of that unique and fragile situation or risk farming ourselves out of existence. It has been said, farming is the only industry where success is measured by increasing the cost of production. The fact that too many farmers have relied on capital gain from their land value to justify their hard work over many years is a sobering reality. Labour has a commitment to support agriculture as the core of our economy and build on new and exciting opportunities.
Damien O’Connor says Labour has a ‘proud history’ of working with dairy farmers.
We will ensure a failsafe biosecurity system, a monetary policy that works for exporters, a capital gains tax to discourage land speculation and leadership
in agriculture that will plan for an exciting and sustainable future for our country. • Damien O’Connor is Labour’s primary industry spokesman.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
26 // opinion
No backdown by Parliament’s Taranaki-King Country MP Shane Ardern retires next month as an MP. He is notable for chairing the primary production select committee and for driving a Fergie tractor up the steps of Parliament House. Following is an edited version of his valedictory speech. FOR THE last time in
this Parliament I wish to declare an interest in the dairy industry. I am the son a sharemilker. I worked my way through the indus-
try and bought our first farm at the age of 23. To those who have experienced my determination and unflinching support for the farming community, my late parents Olive
and Noel Ardern and their employer, the late Tom Hargraves, are responsible for who I am. I am a farmer, came in as a farmer, leave as a farmer. I am – though it does not sit
Fonterra is currently the only opportunity for New Zealand exporters to be truly of international scale, says Shane Ardern.
comfortably with many in this place – proud to be a farmer, and I am prouder still to have represented a rural farming electorate. I know that being a working farmer has served me well as an MP, so it will come as no surprise that I am going to talk about agriculture. On my arrival as an MP, one of the most important pieces of legislation was the deregulation of the dairy industry and the debate on what structure should replace the dairy board. This was a contentious issue for Parliament, farmers and the wider financial community. The result was the formation of Fonterra. And despite
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its many critics, to this day no other industry has performed as well for as long. It is currently is the only opportunity for New Zealand exporters to be truly of international scale. As the weeks of prolonged caucus debate went on, with economic commentators claiming the sky would fall if Fonterra was allowed to be formed, I was concerned that the formation would not happen and we would be left with a fragmented industry. You only have to look at other industries that have not taken this step to see how damaging to the sector and the New Zealand economy this would have been. As I was driving to the airport at 5.40 am on a cold Taranaki morning, preparing for another caucus debate on the issue, I came across a young mother driving an old Ferguson tractor with a child in a backpack and another child sitting on her knee, with a transport tray loaded with bobby calves, making her way to the farm gate. I realised I
was fighting for her and it steeled my resolve against those bureaucrats, economic commentators, economists and politicians who thought otherwise, because her efforts could realise their maximum opportunity only with the formation of a focused marketing structure that was internationally competitive so that we could capture the highest world market prices. I told her story to my caucus colleagues because she epitomised 11,000 dairy farmers. Despite adverse conditions and personal demands, what I saw was one gutsy young New Zealander out there making it happen. For her sake, I have no regrets at maintaining a non-negotiable position on the type of industry structure that will give the highest returns possible to the farmgate and to ‘New Zealand Inc’. It has not always been career enhancing, but if I had my time again I would not change my stance. My biggest regret is not being able to see the same structural change in the meat and wool industry. The question is, was I wrong? If Fonterra had not been formed, could members of this Parliament guarantee our economy would be growing as well as it is today? The answer is no, they could not. So stop criticising the primary industries and instead of looking for alternatives that do not exist, celebrate that we are world leaders in agriculture. Why is it that we unite to support our international sporting teams, but when it comes to primary industries, we think that any small provincial structure will succeed? Support the industries that support you. Some in this house today will remember ‘Myrtle the Fergie’ coming
Dairy News august 12, 2014
opinion // 27
notorious Fergie driver most sustainable farming to Parliament: I was happy greeted by a leading trade practices. unionist as “comrade”. to become known as the If members are honThe other good thing ‘tractor man’ when I took estly concerned about the old Fergie up the steps that came out of that, of the environof Parliament in ment, then protest at the pro- I want to say to this work with posal to introduce Parliament that Fonterra the farmers a methane tax, and approach commonly known earns the money that this with an as the ‘fart tax’. sustains our first-class open mind. Some considsocial welfare system. If you really ered this wrong, care about the but nobody and nothing was put at risk, as course, was that it brassed future of New Zealand, I beg you to spend time off Hone (Harawira MP). was subsequently proven He still has not got over it. on farms speaking with in court. The tax did not farmers and observing I want to say to this happen, it has not hapwhat they do. Look at the Parliament that Fonterra pened, and it should not money Fonterra spends earns the money that sushappen. If anyone thinks on research and investtains our first-class social I was dangerous then, ment in environmental welfare system. It allows be warned I will be a lot issues, despite Fonterra worse when I am not con- us the luxury of enorremaining by internamous investment in envistrained by parliamentary tional standards a small ronmental sustainability considerations — and the farmer cooperative. For and conservation. Interold Fergie is still around. example, in the last five nationally, our farmers The only time I years 23,000km of riparian are known as one of the doubted I may have gone margin planting and fenclowest carbon productoo far was when I was ing of waterways has been ers with the highest food once chairing a select completed. That is further safety standards and the committee and I was
Shane Ardern arrives at Parliament with his ‘Fergie’ in 2003.
than from New Zealand to London. It is a long fence. Members have an opportunity to play an important role in keeping
New Zealand’s economy growing, with the triple bottom line of social, environmental and economic benefits. To tax,
restrict and punish farmers while turning your heads away from the pollution of the cities is hypocritical and does nothing
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
28 // agribusiness
Sun shines on boutique cheese maker after battle for approvals PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
CHEESE MADE from raw milk will be the latest venture by Katikati boutique cheese company Mount Eliza Cheese, winners of the Farmers Markets top dairy award. This follows a long battle to get the right approvals. Mount Eliza was named creamiest food producer from the Dairy in the 2014 Farmers Markets awards announced this month. The judges said the company’s cheeses were “great examples of local cheese making processes with great flavours and textures. Simply put, “the best’ – we want more.” Mount Eliza uses
1000L a week of full cream pasteurised Farmhouse New Zealand milk sourced from Goodman Fielder but raw milk will be used soon. “We get a lot of people asking for raw milk
raw milk; I have a farmer in Katikati who will supply me.” The farmer has a mixture of Friesian and Jersey and Whalley is keen to try the Jersey milk. “I’ve never
“We are the only cheese maker in the country with that approval for dairy.” cheese; it is one of the reasons we went down this route,” Chris Whalley told Dairy News. “It has been a long process getting the approvals from MPI – about three years – but we got it at the beginning of the year. We are the only cheese maker in the country with that [approval] for dairy. “I’ve been waiting for the spring to start taking
made cheese with Jersey milk and that’s what getting it directly from the farmer will allow us to do – a bit more experimentation.” Whalley, from the UK, and Jill, a Kiwi, trained in cheesemaking while living in Yorkshire. Initially an industrial chemist, he spent a year retraining, working at various cheesemakers such as Wensley-
dale and Northumberland Cheese Company. They came to New Zealand in 2006 and began making cheese in the hills near Katikati in 2007. All cheeses are handmade – mostly hard cheeses including a double and a farmhouse Cheddar, Red Leicester, Cheshire and two blue cheeses. Many of the cheeses are made the traditional way, bandaged in cloth, but the company also does some coated cheese, as some customers prefer the cleaner rind. All the blues are bandaged. Red Leicester is matured for about six months, the blues for three to four months and the cheddars for at least a year. Whalley says it’s a juggling act to predict
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their sales a year ahead. They sell at farmers’ markets at Tauranga, Tamahere and Katikati and sell online and to restaurants and delicatessens. They work constantly to improve their product. Whalley says he was lucky to have the training in England before he started. “We’ve revised the Cheshire recipe about 15
times. The maturation is particularly difficult with cloth ripened cheeses. It is very different from vacuum packing: with maturing cheese in plastic you only have to worry about keeping it at a constant temperature. With cloth binding you have to worry about humidity and it is a far more complicated process overall. “Things happen very
slowly when maturing cheese but it’s like a supertanker: very difficult to change direction. The cheesemaking is only half the job.” It can either be very satisfying or at times “infuriating”. The Farmers Market win is not their only award: they won a gold and two silvers from Cuisine magazine in 2010.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
30 // agribusiness
Oz exposure to price drop less than Kiwis’ john droppert
DAIRY COMMODITY About 45% of New Zealand dairy exports are in the form of whole milk powder and 16% skim milk powder.
prices have been tracking downwards since midFebruary, when the GDT auction weighted average
price peaked at US$5042/t. As at mid-July, the average was US$3309/t, an average fall of 34% across all products. Such conspicuous numbers, coupled with Fonterra’s reduction in its forecast farmgate
milk price, have worried Australians. While GDT is an important market indicator, and farmgate returns in Australia are ultimately a product of movements on world markets, some caution must be applied in interpreting these events in an Australian context. The differences between Australian and New Zealand exposure to world markets are worth revisiting to illustrate this. The most obvious difference is the share of milk exported. New Zealand exports about 95% of its milk in various forms; for Australia the figure is about 40%. An open market, coupled with pricing agreements linked to international benchmarks, means up to 75% of Australia’s milk is directly influenced by global markets, be it actually exported or simply competing with imports. In years like 2013 when commodity prices are high, the domestic market is regarded by some as a ‘handbrake’ on passthrough of returns, but with typically longer term agreements and relatively ‘sticky’ pricing it provides a useful hedge when prices are falling. Along with greater balance between domestic and export markets, Australia’s dairy industry also produces a different ‘basket’ of products for export. About 45% of New Zealand’s dairy exports by volume are in the form of whole milk powder (WMP), and a further 16% are skim milk powder (SMP), tying nearly 60% of New Zealand’s export returns to milk powder markets. Australia’s largest dairy export by volume – cheese – accounts for only 22% of our total shipments, and SMP is the second-largest at 16%. While cheese pricing tends to track that of powders, it tends more stable from month to month. Australia’s mix of destination markets is also more evenly distributed. As a result of concurrent NZ supply and Chinese demand growth, coupled
with the NZ-China Free Trade Agreement signed in 2009, almost one third of New Zealand dairy exports by volume are now destined for China. China is also Australia’s largest dairy market by volume, but only accounts for 15% of our exports, narrowly ahead of Japan at 14%. These ‘market-level’ differences mean that though both the Australian and New Zealand dairy industries are dependent on and exposed to export markets, the experience varies. While New Zealand’s industry has captured a greater share of the benefits when international growth markets – particularly China – are booming, Australia’s larger domestic market and more even distribution of international destinations and products helps cushion the downside. The differences in exposure are noteworthy in the current market situation, where Chinese demand is low because of large WMP inventories. Indications suggest China’s milk production remains strong, slowing stock drawdown and in some cases leading to import shipments being diverted to third countries. In other words, demand for New Zealand’s dominant product from its largest buyer has fallen back. This has set a bearish tone across global markets in general, and will affect Australian export returns. Booming global milk supplies and a steady ramp-up of forecast GDT volumes mean further price falls are not unlikely before the market eventually recovers. This reinforces the need to approach the current season with caution. However, the 15% reduction in Fonterra’s farmgate milk price will not necessarily translate directly across the Tasman. • John Droppert is an industry analyst with Dairy Australia. His column was written before last week’s GDT auction when prices dropped a further 8.4%.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
agribusiness // 31 Firstlight Wagyu supply chain manager Peter Keeling with two week old Wagyu cross calves.
Beef trader ramps up dairy options this spring STRONG GLOBAL demand for premium Wagyu beef has created an opportunity for dairy farmers to share in the returns this spring. Firstlight Wagyu managing director Gerard Hickey recently returned from markets in US and Europe, buoyed by the positive feedback and strong sales figures his company’s grass-fed Wagyu is enjoying there. This has prompted Firstlight Wagyu to ramp up its supply of bulls and semen for artificial breeding (AB) this spring. The company has 70 beef farmers who grow and finish the cattle, renowned for their marbled, high quality beef. “We want to get more calves on the ground next spring to meet this growth in the market. The dairy sector is an obvious and well suited means to do that quickly,” supply chain manager Peter Keeling says. Wagyu calves typically have a
lighter birth weight and are easier calving than traditional beef breeds, bringing advantages for farmers seeking a low stress, non replacement breed to put over their cows or heifers. Keeling says that appeal translates to the back pocket, given Firstlight Wagyu’s guaranteed premium and contract to buy Kiwi and FriesianWagyu cross calves at four days old. Last year’s premium price averaged $100 a mixed sex calf from AB mating. Indications are this year will be similar. The premium on the calves opened up options for farmers who may want to be selective about what cows they mate to dairy AB this spring. “You get the chance to have your cake and eat it with the Wagyu calves, focussing on your dairy genetics, and still having a non-replacement calf of value for the cows you may not want replacements from. This is some-
thing a Kiwi cow dairy farmer may not have had available before.” Synlait Farms has adopted the breed into its mating policy. This spring it has a herd of 800 lower milk producing cows combined into one herd mated to Firstlight Wagyu AB genetics. Using Wagyu bulls or AB genetics over first mated heifers this spring was another option popular with farmers wanting an alternative to low value ‘bobbied’ calves, and the easy calving attributes added to the bulls’ appeal. “Our experience has shown dairy breeds including the Kiwi cow cross can produce high quality marbled beef, so mating them with Wagyu sires provides an excellent source of highmarbling beef. “It also gives dairy farmers an opportunity to be part of the Wagyu supply chain, and address calf wastage in the sector.”
Dedication brings reward WAIRARAPA DAIRY farm consultant Chris Lewis has won the dairy consultant of the year award. Lewis graduated in ag science from Massey University then worked for MAF/Agriculture New Zealand as a consulting officer in Northland, Rotorua and Waipukurau. Since 1994, he has been a partner and dairy farm consultant at Baker & Associates, Masterton. He received the award last week at the Farmax consultant of the year awards in Hamilton. Farmax general manager Gavin McEwen says Lewis has a unique range of skills and experience. “He is a strong proponent of monitoring and measuring and has spent money on building tools to support this.” Soil nutritionist Hannah Best from Hawke’s Bay was honoured as the emerging rural professional of the year. This year marked the second
Farmax consultant of the year awards, held during the New Zealand Institute of Primary Industries Management (NZIPIM) annual conference at the Hamilton Airport Hotel. “The Farmax awards were developed to recognise the expertise and value agricultural consultants and rural professionals provide to the New Zealand pastoral Chris Lewis farming industry, which often goes unnoticed,” says McEwen. “Without the expertise of the consultants driving our New Zealand-developed software and interpreting the results, it is only software. That’s why working alongside rural professionals is key to the success of our business. Farmax initiated these awards as a
way to give consultants the kudos they deserve.” McEwen says the Farmax team were impressed by the quality and calibre of nominations this year. He thanked those who had nominated consultants and colleagues. “The agricultural industry has got behind the awards this year, and we are excited to have had such a high calibre of sponsors.” Sponsored by DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb NZ, MPI and NZIPIM the awards are open to all agricultural consultants. Lewis impressed the judges with a proposal to research and report on quality tools, identifying the need and potential benefit of having a revised suite of performance indices.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
32 // agribusiness
Contest won’t ping farmers over drought problems ENTRIES FOR the 2015
Ballance Farm Environment Awards are open. A major event on the farming calendar, the annual contest promotes sustainable land management and is facilitated by the New
Simon Saunders
Zealand Farm Environment (NZFE) Trust. NZFE acting chairman Simon Saunders says this year’s awards drew an excellent standard of entries; he is expecting strong interest in the 2015 competition. He encourages farm-
ers and horticulturists to put themselves forward for the awards or to nominate others that might benefit from being involved. The competition is now operating in ten regions throughout the country and past-entrants have
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described their participation as a worthwhile experience, he says. “Most people enter because they want feedback on how their farming or horticultural operation stacks up in environmental sustainability. Entrants also seek ideas from competition judges and other participants on how to improve the sustainability of their businesses.” Saunders says the awards prove that sound environmental practises and good business management go hand in hand. Farmers in the competition are also encouraged to share ideas and innovations with the wider farming community. “You don’t have to have the best looking farm in the district to enter. Regional competitions offer a host of category awards, and you only have to be performing well in one area to
have a chance of picking up an award.” Entry is available online at www.bfea.org.nz. The judging is relaxed and friendly, and the judges take climatic factors into account. “In the past we’ve found that farmers can be reluctant to enter if their farm has been affected by drought. But the judges know that severe climatic events are all part of farming and they will look beyond this at the wider picture.” The ten regional supreme-award winners will be honoured at a national sustainability showcase next year. A national winner will be announced at this event and they will receive the Gordon Stephenson Trophy, named after the founder of the awards. This year’s winners were Mark and Devon Slee of Canterbury. www.bfea.org.nz
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try can lease cows via a project by Devondale Murray Goulburn (DMG). The co-op and a finance company called CowBank are partners in a A$5 m scheme called Next Generation Herd Start that allows farmers to lease-to-buy a herd. Exclusive to MG suppliers, it seeks young dairy farmers with skill and drive – but perhaps not the money – to build a dairy farming operation. DMG spokesman Robert Poole says the co-op “is passionate about supporting Australian farmers to grow their milk production.” “Growth in milk production supports the Australian dairy industry and helps our cooperative to… increase farmgate prices. “We believe in Australian dairy farmers and that’s why we’re looking to support standout performers with this industry pathway.” CowBank managing director Rod Banks says the initiative will benefit young farmers who may not have the capacity to get herd finance due to lack of equity. “CowBank is proud to be partnering with Devondale Murray Goulburn in this Australian first which creates an achievable route to dairy business ownership.” Devondale Murray Goulburn will support 12-15 Herd Start farmers during the next year.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
34 // agribusiness
Technology demand lifts LIC earnings INCREASING DEMAND for farming
technology has helped LIC’s financial result says chairman Murray King. The co-op’s revenue for 2013-14 was $211 million, 6% ahead of the $199m achieved the previous year. However, its net profit of $18m was down $5.6m on 2012-13. King says the result reflects a great season for dairying, with high demand for LIC’s herd testing and artificial breeding services and more farmers investing in technology for efficiency. “Today’s farmers manage more animals and land than ever before, and they are high users of technology that helps their efficiency. [Our solutions help farmers] address the challenges they face, make their daily working lives easier and improve their overall productivity and prosperity.” King says the fall in net profit reflects a large spend on core technology and infrastructure to keep the co-op’s technology upto-date, supported and stable to deliver new products. It also includes the
annual revaluation to fair value of the biological elite bull team which, this year, was a decrease net of tax of $0.57 million compared to an increase of $2.7 million last year. King says the fluctuations of fair value of the elite bull team are excluded for the purposes of dividend for LIC and are not considered a key indicator of trading performance. The growing use of automation onfarm is helping LIC. Its three smartphone apps have been downloaded 11,000 times, showing farmers’ demand for technology. The use of automation also keeps growing, explaining LIC’s purchase in February of Dairy Automation Ltd, Hamilton, which makes sensor technology for real-time analysis of milk on-farm. The co-op is also spending $40 million on its information systems to improve service and speed delivery of new products, hence the lower year-onyear profit resulting from increased depreciation costs and accelerated new
product development. Work to upgrade LIC’s back-end database technology during 2013-14 improved synchronisation times for farmers updating their records and uploading information to the LIC database.
LIC’S R&D costs are reflected in the year-end result: $14.9 million of direct R&D spending and, combined with new product development of $22 million, representing at least 10% of revenue. “Our work in DNA sequencing continues and over the last year it has been responsible for the discovery of two genetic variations in dairy cows, one which causes loss of pregnancy and another which impacts milk composition and the amount of fat a cow produces,” says chairman Murray King. “These findings are now being used in our genomics programme, to improve the accuracy of sire selection and allow for further isolation of negative genes and traits from the national herd.” Two new genetics solutions were launched to farmers this year, after many years of R&D. These are fresh sexed semen with near-normal conception rates and new AB bulls, known as SGL, that will shorten the period of dairy cow gestation by an average 10 days onfarm. “These two new genetics solutions… will have a huge impact on the industry over the coming years,” says King. King says the appointment in July 2013 of LIC’s new chief executive, Wayne McNee, signals a change in step for the co-op. “Wayne brought a wealth of experience to LIC, and [analysed]… the co-operative, developing a new strategy to grow the business and improve service and solutions.”
ELE-01388-DN
R&D spend
LIC is working with DairyNZ to transfer the core database later this year. This four-phase project involves transferring the animal evaluation unit operations to DairyNZ about mid-2015.
LIC chairman Murray King (right) says Wayne McNee’s appointment as chief executive signals a change in step for the co-op.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
agribusiness // 35
Going pink for a good cause AGPAC IS promot-
combe says an Israeli company, Tama, is supplying rolls of pink and black striped netwrap, and a Swedish company, Trioplast, is supplying pink
ing a pink bale wrap and pink/black netwrap to raise awareness of breast cancer. Spokesman Sam South-
Pink bale wrap puts the spotlight on breast cancer.
Manage BVD. Vaccinate with Bovilis®
“The thought that we may have BVD in our herd really bothered us. The potential profit loss would threaten our family’s financial security.” Ciarán Tully
bale wrap. “Women have integral roles in the contracting and farming businesses we work with but they seldom get the attention and recognition they deserve,” Southcombe says. “We also know rural women do not have the same access to healthcare and information that women in towns and cities have. “We wanted to do something to change this, and the pink bale wrap and netwrap are our way of supporting breast cancer awareness. Agpac sales
representatives will each have an allocation of pink bale wrap and pink/black netwrap this season so you can expect to see pink bales dotting the rural landscape.” Agpac will donate a percentage from the sales to the Louise Perkins Foundation, a charitable trust that operates under the name Sweet Louise to improve the lives of New Zealanders living with secondary breast cancer. Sweet Louise provides support, therapy and practical support. Tel. 03 338 2400
Fonterra rejigs Nestlé JV THE FIRST step in ‘realigning’ Fonterra and
At first we were pretty naïve about BVD. We knew
up with some science, because we found our
nothing about it other than having some friends
PI straight away and were able to remove her.
whose herd had been infected. We decided to
Following on from that, we made a decision to
test after seeing what
vaccinate calves with Bovilis every year to build
they were going through
up the herd’s immunity.
with fertility losses and
Vaccinating has given us huge peace of mind.
that sort of thing. And because our young stock “My advice is don’t be on your own with it. Go to your vet, put a plan in place and monitor that plan until you’ve completely finished with it.”
were grazing with other animals, we knew there was a chance they might be compromised.
After the tests, we found out that some of our stock were positive and we were looking for a PI or persistently infected animal. It was really disappointing, but the good thing about farming in New Zealand is that everybody talks to everybody else and soon we knew we weren’t alone. There were a lot of people we could draw on to help us work it through. We put a management plan in place with our vet
We knew we wouldn’t completely remove BVD, but stopping young calves becoming PIs was a big step in increasing our herd’s reproductive efficiency – and also making sure the calves grew up and put weight on properly. If you find you’ve got BVD in your herd, my advice is don’t be on your own with it. Go to your vet, put a plan in place and monitor that plan until
“Stopping
young calves becoming PIs was a big step
you’ve completely finished with it. As long as you don’t give up halfway though, you can definitely get on top of it. Ciarán Tully Dairy Farmer, Thames
”
Nestlé’s Latin American alliance has been made, with the co-op taking a controlling stake in the Brazilian venture. The two have revised their 10-year-old Dairy Partners Americas (DPA) venture to better reflect each partner’s strategies. Fonterra now controls 51% of DPA Brazil, with Nestlé holding the balance. And with a local partner, Fonterra has taken over Nestlé’s share of DPA VenAlex Turnbull ezuela. Fonterra’s managing director of Latin America, Alex Turnbull, says this is an exciting next step for Fonterra and the people in these businesses as they are formally welcomed to the cooperative. “We are looking forward to continuing our strong relationship with Nestlé, while giving us the opportunity to further drive our volume and value growth strategy focusing on everyday nutrition offerings.” Fonterra’s Latin American business produces 900,000t of product per year and $3.5 billion in revenue from its consumer dairy, foodservice and dairy ingredients. The other changes to the DPA alliance including Nestlé taking control of DPA Ecuador and the DPA milk powder manufacturing businesses.
and made a decision to look at that year’s lowest producing heifers. That was a lucky guess backed
Hear how other farmers tackled BVD at bvd.co.nz
Check out our websites www.ruralnews.co.nz www.dairynews.co.nz
AVAILABLE ONLY UNDER VETERINARY AUTHORISATION ®Registered trademark. MSD Animal Health. msd-animal-health.co.nz Phone: 0800 800 543 NZ/BOV/0514/0001
Dairy News august 12, 2014
36 // management
Tiger worms in view as effluent ANDREW SWALLOW andrews@ruralnews.co.nz
ON THE outskirts
of Cromwell there’s a farm with a difference. Stock numbers are in the millions yet it’s barely a hectare in size and the feed is free. What are we talking about? Worms: tiger worms to be precise. Robbie Dick’s been using the wriggly workers to convert waste from local orchards and meatworks into valuable vermicast for 14 years. Now he believes they could offer a solution for dairy effluent. “The dairy trial is the one we’re excited about,” he told Dairy News. “We’ve tried two different products: one from a wintering shed and one from off the yard of a milking shed.”
The wintering shed waste, 30t of it, was delivered last August, made into a 60m windrow, limed and allowed to stand for a month before worms were added. It was then covered, watered and sampled monthly.
separator has been even better. “We had the first load four or five months ago. The dry form is excellent for the worms. We haven’t had to add anything. As far as the worms are concerned it’s the right
“The dairy trial is the one we’re excited about.” “The NPK analysis is very good.” The volume has dropped dramatically and while worm numbers started to fall in the windrow a couple of weeks after introduction, adding a little fruit waste and other materials kept them ticking along. While that was a promising start, a trial with dairy effluent solids extracted by a screw-
texture and water content and we’ve not had to cool it.” Cooling is necessary when heaps start to compost, which, if you’re breeding worms, isn’t a good thing because it kills them. The resulting material from worm digestion, besides more worms, is the friable soil-like product vermicast. Commercially, Dick
is thinking worms could process dairy effluent solids extracted from weeping walls or by screw separators to produce verimicast that could then be applied like a fertiliser by bulk spreader. Waste from wintering barns is the other potential raw material but judging by the results with the first load he received, which was mixed with wood chips and hadn’t been separated,
Worms at work: Robbie Dick with a part processed dairy effluent and veg mix (right). A bag of castings ready for retail (top).
“I made myself busy on the farm 22 hours a day because I didn’t want to be around people.”
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Hamish Farmer, Te Awamutu
Dairy News august 12, 2014
management // 37
processors processing that with worms appears more challenging. Even with the dried effluent solids he says someone will need to be focussed on managing the worms, as you would any other livestock, if the operation is to succeed. “The way we see it working is someone with a passion for this sort of thing would service maybe 10-20 dairy farms in an area. It’s essential you don’t have covers blowing off or people forgetting to water the heaps.” The dairy farmer would
have the option of buying back the processed solids at a discounted rate. Otherwise the vermicast would be marketed elsewhere. “But as all farmers know it’s a valuable fertiliser source so I can’t imagine they’d want to be losing those nutrients, especially as the worms leave them in a stable, non-leachable state.” Besides waste fruit and veg from Central Otago supermarkets, WormWorx’ business is based on clearing unsaleable fruit for local
New delivery: dairy effluent solids from Southland ready for processing.
orchards and processing it all into worms and castings which are sold nationwide. “We send worms to Auckland, and they’ve got them on Stewart Island too,” Dick says. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
Imagine if your herd lived longer and produced more
Covering up: keeping the moisture in is important to keep the worms working.
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WORMWORX HAS had a couple of visits from Environment Southland’s dairy liaison officer Russell Winter to assess the potential of worms as a tool for farmers. “Perhaps it could be viable for half a dozen or more farmers to set up something as a communal resource but it’s early days,” he told Rural News. Marcel van Rooijen, who runs 850 cows at Dunearn in west Southland, is one farmer who has supplied Wormworx, sending two truckloads of effluent solids from a free-stall wintering barn to trial earlier this year, and a third one last month. “I’m looking at it as a way to add value to the solids, instead of putting them straight on the pasture,” he says. Most of the available nutrient is removed in the liquid so the solids the worms work on is virtually pure organic matter, he points out. How much value the worms can add to that he’s not sure, and is keen to see the results of samples of resulting vermicast sent away for analysis. “Everything I’ve read says it’s ten times better than compost and apparently the worms love it. Robbie says it’s like caviar to them.” Van Rooijen’s feeling is Wormworx is well placed in Cromwell where it has fruit as its feedstock in summer and autumn, which could then be supplemented with dairy solids trucked in during winter and spring. Dick says he believes a mix of two thirds effluent solids, one third fruit or veg waste is probably the way to go. Lab tests on the end product by Otago Polytechnic are “looking good” he says, but because they’ve been done at the polytech’s expence he didn’t disclose the figures.
Talk to your local DeLaval dealer today and start imagining more. Call 0800 222 228 or visit www.delaval.co.nz
Dairy News august 12, 2014
38 // management
First-milking colostrum vital for new-born calves ROB BONANNO
Calves are born with no immunity and need colostrum which is rich in antibodies.
EARLIER THIS month I attended the World Buiatrics Congress at Cairns, where 1000 cattle vets and animal scientists were updated on things
related to cattle. Notable were lectures on colostrum and passive immunity transfer in calves and, with spring calving at hand, farmers need to be aware of the importance of colostrum and passive transfer of
immunity. Calves are born with no immunity due to the type of placenta they have which doesn’t allow the movement of antibodies into the bloodstream from the cow’s bloodstream prior to birth. The cow produces colostrum in the final 3-4 weeks of her dry period which is rich in antibodies against diseases she has been exposed to or vaccinated against. The absorption of the undigested antibodies directly into the calf’s bloodstream, providing passive immunity, is a time-limited thing with a window of opportunity of 24 hours or less. As soon as the cow calves, she begins producing milk which dilutes the antibodies in the colostrum, and as soon as the calf is born, and especially after it has fed, the production of stomach acid begins to digest the antibodies rather than allow them to be absorbed whole and unchanged. The first milking colostrum is at least 300% more concentrated in antibodies than subsequent milkings so it is important that only first milking is used when feeding or supplementing calves with the aim of improving the passive transfer of immunity. There are easy methods of measuring the quality of colostrum which should become an important part of your calf induction protocols. There was strong emphasis in the lectures on the importance of the quality of the colostrum. This is broadly discussed in two ways: the level of antibodies and the level of bacterial contamination. Antibody levels can be enhanced by optimum transition nutrition and immune system preparation of the cow using specific vaccinations for things like salmonella, rotavirus, E.coli, etc. Milking the cow as soon as possible after she calves and especially within 12 hours of birth is a critical factor to ensure the highest concentration of antibodies possible in the colostrum. Feeding volume is depen-
dent on antibody concentration and estimation of antibody concentration should be performed using either a colostrometer or a Brix scaled refractometer – are a relatively cheap and robust tool to ensure the best quality colostrum can be fed. The other important quality issue is related to the bacterial contamination of the colostrum. Many colostrum samples are heavily contaminated with bacteria due to a combination of poor pre-milking preparation of the cow, poor cleanliness of the collection buckets and poor storage of the collected colostrum after milking and prior to feeding. It is also important that colostrum with blood contamination or signs of clinical mastitis (clots, flecks etc) is not fed to calves unless there is no alternative. The use of pasteurisation of colostrum to reduce bacterial contamination was discussed, but there is a strong emphasis that pasteurisation cannot make up for poor milking or other hygiene practices. The importance of rapidly chilling and keeping stored colostrum refrigerated at 4C for short term storage (up to 1 week) or frozen at -18C (up to 6 months) looks valuable tool to ensure colostrum quality. Dairy farmers should consider installing a coolroom or some other method of adequately storing chilled colostrum in sufficient quantities. So after the high quality colostrum has been collected and stored and fed quickly in adequate amounts, the only thing left to consider is the monitoring of the success (or otherwise) of your colostrum protocol. Monitoring of the blood protein concentration between 2-7 days after birth can give an estimate of the antibody levels present in the blood. • Rob Bonanno is a former president of Australian Cattle Veterinarians Association and is a director of Shepparton Veterinary Clinic, Victoria. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
Dairy News august 12, 2014
40 // management
Cut-and-carry system complements robots rick bayne
THIRTEEN MONTHS
after becoming Western Australia’s first roboticmilking dairy farmer, Rob Giura is now getting the results he was hoping for. The DeLaval installation had teething problems, and health problems hit some of his cows. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. “It’s been a bit of a hard road,” Giura says. “We’ve had some issues but we’re getting on top of them now.” “It’s just now starting to make things a bit easier. On the weekends I can get into it on my own, though I wouldn’t want to do that
for a long time. It’s good to know that when need be I can manage on my own with this system.” Giura has been on the farm at Keysbrook, an hour south of Perth, for 24 years and is in for the long haul. At 47 he decided it was the right time to buy the robotics to get full value over the next 10-20 years. He hopes for a payback period of 10 years depending on seasonal conditions. The system was chiefly to address labour issues. “I was trying to free-up some of my time. It’s hard to get quality labour and hard to get people to do the job the way you want it done.” And he wanted better hygiene. “Teat prepara-
Rob Giura
tion is much better than what we would normally have under our original system.” The four-robot system was fitted into an existing dairy shed, which Giura says had worked fairly well. But hopes that production would drop off only temporarily before an upswing to higherthan-earlier levels failed to
materialise. Production remains down, though not all related to robots. “That’s been one of the main disappointing aspects,” Giura says. “We were a 9000L herd before we started but we haven’t been able to get back up to those levels as we expected. I expected production to drop for two or three months, but not this long.” Production is now about 6500L and Giura says the fall had been “quite painful”. “There are other external factors relating to herd health that we’re trying to resolve. We’re trying a few things, playing around with feed and taking blood tests
Cows are fed on a feedpad with cut-and-carry pasture.
and other tests to try to pin down the herd health issues.” The 325ha farm has pure-bred Holsteins, chosen for overall production and the wide availability of genetics. The cows are mostly fed on a feedpad with cutand-carry pasture. “The
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cut and carry system was something we decided to do after we got the robots. We thought it would make the herd traffic better and make better use of pasture,” Giura says. “With a voluntary milking system we can’t turn cows out too far. We’ve got to keep them fairly close by otherwise they’re just not going to come back. “By using the cut-andcarry system we can get better use of pasture and take pasture from anywhere off the property and bring it to the cows.” The system is proving successful. “You’ve got to have more bulk than if you were grazing. You need a bit of height in the grass to cut it, which means you’ve got to wait longer this time of year when it’s wet and there’s slow pasture growth. “But it works pretty well. When there’s a surplus of pasture you can make good use of it. “We still don’t have ideal voluntary cow movement. At this time of year when it’s wet and muddy, it’s hard to get cows to move voluntarily, but we do get some.” The farm has mainly ryegrass pastures. “We’ve been through some of the slow growth time of the
year with short days and cold and wet but it’s starting to kick along now,” Giura says. The farm used to have a combination of ryegrass and clover but is now favouring ryegrass for its higher production values. Giura had considered expanding the herd up to 280-300 cows to build production back to previous levels or higher. However, he fears more numbers could have negative impacts. “Our target is to have an average milking frequency of 2.5 times per day. Obviously cow numbers have to be managed to achieve that.” Another robotic system is about to be commissioned 500km from Giura’s farm and he expects the process to be much smoother. “They shouldn’t have as much trouble as we did because the local technicians have learnt a lot here,” he says. Giura remains committed to dairying and improving his farm despite the hiccups. “We still need more money for our milk. It’s all about a return of profit. It’s the same story everywhere – we’re not getting as much for our milk as we should be for the input costs.”
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
management // 41
Warm milk aids calf growth GOOD CALF rearers aim to have their calves gain about 0.6kg/day chiefly by feeding them warm milk says equipment maker Shoof International. As calves are often fed twice-daily and are located in a different sheds around the farm, the easiest way to warm the milk prior to each feed is with a portable milk warming machine. But most milk warmers suffer from a build-up of milk solids on the heating element that prevents the milk from being heated efficiently and can cause the element to break, the company says. Whether using whole milk or milk prepared from calf milk replacers (CMR), calves grow better when fed milk at about 37°C. Calves don’t thrive as well when fed cold milk as this requires more body energy to digest – energy better used for growing. “Most milk warmers will heat 100L of milk from cold (17°C) to the required 37°C in about an hour,” says John Stubbs, group sales manager. “The problem is that while farmers are now commonly heating milk, many are still not cleaning the elements thoroughly which means they’re not getting the efficiency or life span out of their milk warmer.” So Shoof’s stainless
warmer, it eliminates the need for cleaning afterwards and prevents the risk of element failure. You effectively get more life and maintain the
efficiency of your milk warmer.” www.shoof.co.nz
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steel heat exchanger acts like a pot in which the milk warmer sits. This is then filled with 25L of cold or warm water and placed in the drum of milk. “Common sense tells us warm milk will be more appealing for a calf to drink than cold milk. Now, with the heat exchanger, farmers can warm their milk without the hassle of extensive cleaning afterwards.” The milk must be stirred occasionally during the heating process. “Although the heat exchanger does heat more slowly than the direct immersion of the milk
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
42 // management
Dairying women get tips on automation in milking sheds DAIRY Women’s Network (DWN) and its partner Tru-Test continue running their onfarm workshops to educate dairy women on automation and its decisionmaking spin-offs. Tru-Test earlier this year ran three education days for DWN. Attendees learned about Tru-Test’s MilkHub dairy automation and the information available through the MiHub online herd management tool. “It was informative and I was impressed by what Tru-Test had to offer on automation and information,” says Sue Duffy, CRV Ambreed. DWN Invercargill convenor Katrina Thomas helped to organise the education days and was impressed by TruTest presenter Gillian Fullerton-Smith’s knowledge on the product, which “created good discussion about automation in dairy sheds”. Local farmer Scott Hindrup, who uses MilkHub daily, also spoke about how MilkHub dairy automation works for him.
“It was great to hear Scott’s point of view and how this system adds value to their dairy business,” says Thomas. Tru-Test New Zealand marketing manager Shaun Owen says dairy women juggle many demands, often managing all the farm information. “It’s important we share with DWN members how we can better support them as the key decisionmaker. These workshops transfer knowledge, offer options, stimulate new conversations and help make life easier.” The workshops demonstrate the MilkHub modules including MiHub online which captures individual cow information, herd and shed activity to track performance, reduce the risk of error, and increase efficiency and productivity. Fast, accurate information is essential for recognising and managing issues that affect the performance of the dairy herd,” says Owen. “Mastitis monitoring, feed control, heats, treatment management, staff performance, shed maintenance,
Women involved in dairying attend a TruTest demonstration in Invercargill.
cull lists and drafting requirements are [needed], and MilkHub provides an easy way to support these.”
DWN chief executive Zelda de Villiers says the workshops show attendees the value that herd and farm perfor-
mance data can add to profits. Tel. 0800 396 748 www.dwn.co.nz
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
management // 43
Downer cow assessment crucial A LEADING cattle expert discussed the importance of diagnosing both primary causes and secondary damage to determine the best treatment for downer cows at the recent World Buiatric Congress in Cairns. According to Phillip Poulton, when downer cows are first seen by farmers, it’s important that the cause is determined so that they are managed properly. “Most farmers are able to recognise conditions that cause a cow to be down but should seek veterinary assistance when they are unsure and when the cow suffers further injuries. “Farmers need to be aware that the urgency of their initial response to the down cow depends on whether the cow is alert or not. Non-alert cows, described as dull, depressed and nonresponsive are an emergency.” Poulton says that appropriate treatment will depend on the condition so an accurate diagnosis is crucial. “Vets must look carefully for any secondary
damage regardless of how long the cow has been down. If these additional complications are not diagnosed the treatment plan can be wrong and lead to a poor outcome.” According to Poulton, the following secondary damage should be considered: ■■ Pressure damage in the hamstring group of muscles by measuring Creatinine Phosphoinase levels. If the levels are above a critical threshold there is less than a 5% chance of survival and euthanasia should be considered for the welfare of the animal. ■■ Neuropathies, especially to the sciatic nerve and forelimbs ■■ Femoral nerve damage ■■ Dislocated hips ■■ Cows lying in lateral recumbency which can cause pneumonia or death ■■ Cows nursed in paddocks in cold climates ■■ Bed sores and lifting damage. “Secondary complications can occur within a very short time so a down cow should be lifted and moved to a proper nursing
Treat bobby calves well IT IS important that all calves are treated well,
not just the calves that you are planning to keep as replacements, says DairyNZ. Bobby calves need equal care even though their lives are short and their value often small. “It is important that all animals are well cared for so that our industry maintains its reputation for working at the highest standards of animal husbandry and welfare,” it says. Farmers must exercise care when selecting bobby calves for transport. Bobby calves going to slaughter must be at least four days old and healthy; there shouldn’t be any visible disease (eg scours), deformity, injury, blindness or disability. The calves must be strong, able to rise from a lying position unassisted, move freely around the pen and bear weight on all four limbs; they must also have firm hooves on which the soles show wear (indicating that they have been mobile). To make things easy for the truck driver, calves should be individually assessed for fitness to transport; unfit animals must be withheld until fit or humanely destroyed. A raised pen (70-100cm off the ground) should be used to hold calves before transport; where possible assist the truck driver with loading the animals. Calves should be fed as close to transport as possible and no more than two hours before pick-up.
area quickly to improve the chances of recovery. “Proper nursing conditions include shelter from adverse weather conditions, suitable soft bedding, barriers to restrict crawling and minimise further injury, suitable feed and water and constant monitoring. Appropriate drug ther-
apy should also be provided,” he said. A recent Dairy Australia survey showed that on 89% of dairy farms in Australia there had been on average more than two downer cows in the previous 12 months with a survival of only 33%. At the Buiatric Congress, Poulton released the
initial results of research he has undertaken looking at the correlation between nursing conditions and treatment outcomes of downer cows. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews Phillip Poulton with one of his patients on a Gippsland property.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
44 // management
Winter feed management after drought DARREN SUTTON
WELCOME TO the start
of a new season – with hopefully more ‘normal’ rainfall than the last. There’s quite a range in farm situations at the moment, with cow condition, supplements onhand and variation in pasture covers and density. But all farmers can help ensure the effects of the drought do not follow us into this new season. I am seeing a big difference in pasture covers between farms. In many cases this is directly aligned to what soil type the farm is. Heavier soils
such as silt and clay loams bounced back well once the rains arrived. Ash soils have opened up a lot more and have been slower to recover, especially any farms with rolling to steeper topography. A lot of under-sown ryegrass is still getting established but will be performing well by September. If your farm still has weak paddocks with low ryegrass density, then under-sowing now will still germinate, but will be slow to establish. Right now, open paddocks are better considered for under-sowing in September onwards when grass seed will germinate faster
There is a big difference in pasture covers between farms.
Darren Sutton
and poa annua will be just starting to decline allowing the new ryegrass to replace the poa. A fast establishing grass that is more forgiving of quicker grazing rotations is best. A hybrid like Shogun will work well in this situation which will buy you 1-3 years to decide on what the best permanent solution is for that paddock.
If your average pasture cover (APC) is lower than target right now, then the slower the round length the lower the pasture consumed each day. This can only be achieved through either grazing cows off or feeding a higher level of supplements to reduce the pasture demand per hectare per day. Obviously an overall feed budget will predict what these decisions will have on your APC at the key dates of PSC, September
1 and your farm’s balance date. A feed budget is the best tool to show you where your APC is likely to track with all the variables of growth rates, stocking rate, calving rate, feeding rates and available supplements. If your APC is lower than normal now and at planned start of calving (PSC), then a feed budget can show you how big that feed deficit is likely to be. This gives guidance to allow plans and contracts can be set
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in place now to ensure the feed deficit can be filled at the right time and for the right price. When pasture covers are lower than ideal, then the management and allocation of pasture through a spring rotation planner (SRP) becomes important. Creating and monitoring a SRP through calving will provide guidance if you start going faster than you should. If cows start to graze too low, then decisions can be made early about supplement feeding options or OAD milking options. After two droughts in a row, pastures have opened up a lot, allowing a lot more weeds to fill those gaps. I am seeing a lot more chickweed and hedge mustard (often mistakenly thought to be ‘wire weed’) on silt and ash soils. On the wetter soils I am seeing a lot more pennyroyal waiting for the warmer weather. You can spray now with a winter spray with 2,4-D ester sprays such as Pasture-Kleen, but this will slow your pasture growth rates for a time after spraying when you may not be in a position to allow that. The other option is to wait until September and October and spray with a softer 2,4-D amine spray (e.g. Baton). This will not slow your pasture as much and you will get a better kill rate over more weeds still germinating between July
and September. Ground temperatures are still quite warm, currently 10-12C. If you are still tight for pasture cover, then keep following behind the cows with light rates of urea at 60kg/ ha (27kg N/ha). If applied slowly behind cows, you reduce the risk of hitting the whole farm once and potentially losing it in heavy rain. I am seeing a lot of heifer lines that have endured two droughts and are below target liveweight and condition (BCS). Most of these have been made a priority now they are back on the farm and are rapidly improving, but not all will be at target by the PSC. The risk is these animals will be slow to cycle and get back in calf this coming mating time. Empty rates will also be higher in this age group. To reduce the risk of this, consider milking the R2s on OAD either from the start of calving, or certainly by doing early pre-mating heat detection, and if the numbers support the decision, then four weeks out from mating put these in a separate herd and milk OAD through AB mating or longer. So in summary, be sure to update your feed budget now and ensure you have a sound plan in place to set the new season up well. • Darren Sutton is a LIC FarmWise consultant.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
management // 45
Upskill in heat detection DAIRYNZ IS urging
farmers to sharpen up their heat detection skills and gain the rewards of improved reproduction performance. With one missed heat costing about $200, it pays to freshen up your heat detection skills, it says. To that end heat detection workshops will run nationwide in September and October, focusing on skills and processes necessary for successful mating. Three topic areas are in view. ■■ Skills refresher: recognising the signs of heat, using heat detection aids, systems and pro-
One missed heat costs a farmer $200, says DairyNZ.
cedures for recording and observing heats. ■■ Lifting team performance: training team members, plans and procedures that work for your team. ■■ Evaluating heat detection performance: achieving submission rate targets, knowing when assistance is needed. “Whether you’re an experienced farmer looking to refresh your heat detection skills or equip your staff with the required skills, come along to a workshop near you,” DNZ says. www.dairynz.co.nz
Possum kill project achieves good scores WAIKATO REGIONAL Council reports “very solid
results” after a recent possum kill on 18,000ha south of Te Kuiti. The $230,000 operation, on accessible private and public land, used the poison brodifacoum in bait stations, cyanide and trapping. Possum numbers recorded after the kill showed contractors met their targets, says council biosecurity officer Paul Quinn. “It’s a satisfactory result, and this operation will further help protect native bush and the productivity of farmland by keeping on top of possum numbers. It will also help prevent the spread by possums of bovine Tb.” The work was done in the Aria and Pio Pio East areas that form part of a 76,000ha central King Country possum killing region. Both areas include dairying and dairy support. Pio Pio East area is about 12,800ha of rolling to steep country with patches of bush. It has about 175 landowners. Aria area is about 5500ha of similar country, has one Department of Conservation reserve, and is home to about 66 landowners. The council seeks to get possum densities to or below five caught for every 100 traps laid. Average scores were 3.07 in Aria and 1.44 in Pio Pio East. Quinn thanked landowners for their help. “We always aim to work with landowners… and we’ve had great co-operation with this recent work.” The central King Country possum project will continue.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
46 // management
Managing worms in replacement heifers Inappropriate or lack of quarantine drenching ■■ Dosing incorrectly to the average, not the heaviest in the mob ■■ Rotation of drench classes Rotation of drenches has been advocated as a way in which to avoid drench resistance for decades. However, product labels are misleading and many farmers are in fact rotating between products and not classes (i.e. mechanisms of action). The three classes of drenches include: ■■ White drenches (e.g. Panacur, Flukazole, Parafend) – always oral ■■ Clear drenches (e.g. Nilverm, Nilzan) – always oral ■■ ‘Mectins’ (e.g. Cydectin, Dectomax, Ivomec, Virbamec) – injection or pour-on In order to effectively ■■
Stephanie Bullen
MANAGING WORMS
in dairy replacements may seem like a relatively straight forward task… drench, drench, drench! However, in reality it is far from simple. A current research project looking at drench efficacy in the Macalister Irrigation District (MID) has found that four out of five farms now have drench resistance. What is scary is that once it has developed on your farm it is irreversible. The five main actions by a dairy farmer that can inadvertently cause drench resistance are: ■■ Confusing rotation of drench classes with drench products ■■ Moving heifers to a new “clean” paddock after drenching ■■ Using pour-on drenches
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rotate you must rotate between classes. For example, if you usually use Cydectin (mectin) and for the next drench use Nilverm (clear drench) you are effectively rotating. If you use Cydectin then rotate to Dectomax, you are not effectively rotating. If unsure, go armed to your local supplier with a sticky note with ‘white drench, clear drench, mectin’ on it. Ask the retailer or vet what you used last time and they will find you a product in a different class. There are not yet any combination (i.e. combining two or more classes) of worm drenches for dairy cattle on the market that use of multiple classes together (e.g. both Panacur and Nilverm). Using multiple classes together at label dose rates is even better than rotation for preventing resistance. It is anticipated that a combination product will be available later this year. Moving to a ‘clean’ paddock after drenching Historically farmers
were told to move heifers to a clean pasture after drenching to stretch out the interval between treatments and many still do this today. However, what is actually happening is the resistant worms that survive treatment continue producing eggs and create a population of worms that is entirely resistant in the new paddock. So, instead, put your heifers onto a new pasture for a couple of days to two weeks before drenching (depending on the size of your paddock). Allow them to poop out some drench-susceptible worms onto the ground which can go on to breed with those that survive treatment and then drench. It is a new concept and one which is arguably going to be the hardest to penetrate the dairy industry. However, the reality is, sheep farmers stopped moving their lambs to clean paddocks 20 years ago and we are just lagging behind. In fact, in the 1990’s drench resistance appeared after only one
A research project found four out of five farms in Australia now have drench resistance.
treatment in sheep that were put onto a new pasture under very hot, dry conditions in Western Australia. Pour-on drenches Injectable products are more cost-effective than pour-on drenches. What many farmers don’t realise is that pourons are actually absorbed by the animals licking the product off themselves and their herd mates. Therefore, the performance of pour-ons can be highly variable and if only treating a few animals it is likely that their untreated herd mates will lick off a proportion of the product. So the moral of the story is – use injectable products instead of pourons both to save money and to ensure your animals are getting the right amount of drench.
Lack of or ineffective quarantine drenching Even after ensuring you adopt all the right practices on your farm it is easy to buy in drench resistance with introduced stock. Therefore, to safeguard your herd, all introduced animals (including bulls) should be drenched with two different classes on arrival. I recommend administering a ‘mectin’ injection with an oral clear drench (e.g. Nilverm). You will find the clear drenches (e.g. Nilverm and Nilzan) are cheap so having a drum on hand for such occasions will not break the bank. Once new animals have been drenched leave them in a yard for 48 hours to expel any resistant worms then you are safe to put them out onto your paddocks.
Drench to the heaviest in the mob Every drench drum, bottle or pack you read clearly states ‘drench to the heaviest in the mob’ however upon visiting farms I discovered that many farmers drench to the average. This means that the heavier calves in the group are getting under-dosed and therefore may build resistance in 5-10 years. So, this serves as a friendly reminder to read the label and always drench to the heaviest in the mob. • Stephanie Bullen is a vet working at the Maffra Veterinary Centre, Victoria, Australia. This article was first published in the July 2014 edition of How Now Gippy Cow. For further information contact your local vet.
Notice of Election
2014 Board of Director Extraordinary Vacancy Invitation for Candidate Nominations Barbara Kuriger has recently resigned from the Board of DairyNZ Incorporated, effective from the 2014 AGM. The Board therefore invites registered members to nominate candidates to fill this extraordinary vacancy. All members of DairyNZ (farmers paying a levy on milksolids to DairyNZ) are eligible to stand for election. An information pack outlining Director attributes and nomination requirements can be obtained from the Returning Officer. Nominations must be received by the Returning Officer by 12 noon on Friday 29 August 2014.
Elections If more than one nomination is received an election will be carried out by postal, fax and internet voting using the STV (Single Transferable Vote) voting method. Votes will be weighted by annual milksolids production. Voter packs will be posted on 16 September 2014 to all registered levy payers, with voting closing at 12 noon on Wednesday 15 October 2014.
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The DairyNZ Annual Meeting will be held in Timaru on Thursday 16 October 2014. Election results will be announced at the meeting. For further details contact the Returning Officer as below. Anthony Morton Returning Officer – DairyNZ Inc 0508 666 337 elections@electionz.com
Rural News 16x2
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BETTER COWS | BETTER LIFE
Dairy News august 12, 2014
management // 47
Lake nitrogen cuts on target A PROJECT to reduce the amount of nitrogen getting into Lake Taupo will meet its target of 170.3 tonnes this year. A report to Waikato Regional Council says the Lake Taupo Protection Project has reduced nitrogen quantities by at least 150 tonnes a year in various ways, including paying people to cease or change land uses. The council has also agreed to adopt and sign a deed for the long-term monitoring of the project. Nitrogen from surrounding land can leach into the water and stim-
ulate the growth of algae which affects lake health; efforts to reduce nitrogen in the lake have been supported by $80 million from central Government, Taupo District Council (TDC) and WRC. After the 170.3 tonnes target is met land use will be monitored to maintain the reductions, as agreed this month by the regional council, TDC and the Lake Taupo Protection Trust. A report to the council said monitoring of a nitrogen ‘cap’ and adherence to the individual nitrogen discharge allowances
(NDAs) of landowners consented under the cap is a critical elementof the project. WRC is responsible for monitoring the per-
formance of the consents authorising individual NDAs and land use activities permitted under the regional policies to protect the lake, the report says.
Lake Taupo.
Whitianga catchment management officer Elaine Iddon (centre) with locals at a fence erected near Colville to keep stock out of coastal native bush.
22km fencing keep stock in bounds ALMOST 22km of new fencing is preventing erosion and stock damage in Coromandel says Waikato Regional Council. Staff helped erect 13km of stream fencing and, with landowners, planted 20,000 native plants. Hauraki-Coromandel manager Julie Beaufill says the work has helped fence off erosion-prone areas and protect wetlands, native bush and coastal areas from stock grazing. “The council has also advised and assisted with the restoring of natural areas through planting natives or through planting exotic trees designed to help prevent erosion.” $160,000 for the work came from the Peninsula Project budget for catchment new works. Under the project, the council will pay up to 35% of the costs of qualifying environmental protection work by landowners. Beaufill says landowners see the funding as a good motivator for people to get work done. DJ2891_SW_dairy_news_280x187_v2_ol.indd 1
2/07/14 9:05 AM
Dairy News august 12, 2014
48 // management Bruce McLennan has reduced his silage wastage.
Reducing silage waste to near zero TONY HOPKINSON
A SILAGE block cutter is
helping Bruce McLennan reduce his silage waste to almost zero.
“I despair at times about the amount of silage, maize and grass wasted when farmers use front-loaders to remove silage from stacks to load feed-out wagons.”
He comments that the face is left open, often not covered, and air is let in and the crop immediately deteriorates. Farmers must then console themselves saying, “it won’t
“MAKE EVERY INSEMINATION COUNT”
be much and I’ll be back tomorrow”. “With a big stack the total loss during a full feed out season would be huge.” McLennan and his wife Robin, t/a Fernaig Farms Ltd have two farms at Lichfield, between Putaruru and Tokoroa adjacent to the Fonterra factory complex. One of 270ha milks 900 cows, the second farm 3km away is 220ha. They have just bought 60ha adjacent to the first farm and are building a farm dairy to make the combined farms of 270ha and 60ha more even in size.
possible to reduce wastage.” The two bunkers used to store maize silage were built on site. Both are 5m high x 11m across; one is 50m long and the second is 60m. “We laid the floors and then built the side panels and after the concrete had cured we used a crane to lift them to a near vertical position. They both have end walls.” To further reduce any chance of wastage they have a BvL Top Star silage block cutter from importer Webbline. Unlike some silage grabs that dig in and drag feed off, the TopStar start-
“With a big stack the total loss during a full feed out season would be huge.”
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The larger farm is centrally raced and the 900 cows are milked through a 30-aside herringbone. The cows are split into four herds to improve management. On a run-off they grow 80ha of maize for silage, transported to the main farm for storage in two large bunkers. They also harvest 50ha of grass silage, stored in a bunker. McLennan built the bunkers to reduce his wastage hopefully to nil. “Maize and grass silage are vital food supplements for the herds; they cost plenty to grow, harvest and store so watching my bottom line I’m determined to do everything
ing from the top of the stack drives the forks in and has double blade scissor action on the front and two sides. These are started and cut down to the forks and a clean cut block is removed. Depending on the material the cutter can remove over 1000kg each time. “The secret is the face of the stack is airtight and the next day it is still cold, indicating no air has entered and no breakdown of the silage is taking place.” McLennan reports the results on grass silage are even better with the wastage again almost nil. Tel. 0800 932 254 www.webbline.co.nz
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Clear cut: One tonne block being removed from stack face.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
management // 49
Effluent manager a winner for ‘mumtrepreneur’ PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
DEVELOPING A busi-
ness which helps farmers manage effluent irrigation has won Wellington businesswoman Bridget Hawkins the Fly Buys Mumtrepreneur of the Year award. Her company Regen Ltd has developed software that turns soil moisture, temperature and rainfall data into a simple daily recommendation sent to the farmer by text message. The effluent product, launched in 2010, is called Regen Effluent. Another product for N management, Regen Nitrogen, is being launched and the company is working on a water irrigation product. “We developed Regen Effluent with Massey University based on the work they did in deferred effluent irrigation methods, where farmers are encouraged to store their effluent until soil conditions are right rather than irrigate it out every day,” Hawkins told Dairy News. Regen Effluent measures the farm’s soil moisture, temperature and rainfall automatically through telemetry systems, says Hawkins. “We also bring in weather information and we know what the soil type of the farm is – whether it is a high- or low-risk for effluent irrigation, and what type of irrigation system they’ve got – pods or travelling irrigator. “Using best practice for effluent irrigation guidelines we calculate, based on what the soil conditions are and what the farms capability with irrigation is, whether they should irrigate at all on that day and how much they should put on. “So the farm can put that amount on and know it will stay in the roots and not leach. We text the farmer every morning at about 8.15am with a simple text which says ‘today you can irrigate and you can put on 5mm’ or ‘it’s too wet to irrigate’. “Each morning they
can get that simple message; they know irrigation should happen that day or after milking the effluent needs to go into the pond. We can include in the text the rainfall in the past 24 hours and what the current soil temperature is. “That is useful information to have: it comes directly to the farmer and that’s another key to our services. Farmers don’t spend a lot of time in their office but they’ve become converts to smartphones so we provide as much information as we can in an instant. “If they’ve got staff doing irrigation they can forward that text on; it’s a clear yes or no.” Regen has 80-100 customers mostly in Southland because the council is more prescriptive there, but with the push for Waikato and Manawatu farmers to get more storage Regen expects good business growth over the next year. Hawkins says there are plenty of best practice guidelines and science available but there was a gap between those and how the farmer puts that into practice day-today on the farm. In 2010 most farmers had a simple Nokia phone so text information was constrained – there were no apps. Technology and its adaption have changed quickly. Regen’s new service, Regen Nitrogen, has started with a smartphone app because it’s now the most efficient way to get information to farmers. “Nitrogen use is coming more under the spotlight with nitrogen leaching caps in Overseer: farmers need to be sure that the N they put on grows as much grass as possible and leaches as little as possible. “We have built a model based on soil temperature, moisture and application rates; it would calculate the likely response rate to an application of N. You might get a response rate of, say, 7:1 and, given soil conditions, this will cost 45c/kgDM.” The farmer through the smartphone app selects
Bridget Hawkins, Fly Buys Mumtrepreneur of the Year.
the fertiliser and the rate of application he is considering. So two inputs are required from the farmer. “Based on all the science about the relationship between response rates of nitrogen to soil temperatures, moisture and application rate, we are able to give the calculated response rates – so many kgDM and cost of urea. “Farmers can see if they are happy with the cost of the dry matter or whether there’s another way to get the growth response.” Regen is now developing a water irrigation service. It will give information on optimal water irrigation based on rainfall measured at farm level, water irrigation capability and upcoming forecasts. “This is particularly important in the shoulder periods – a pointer to not starting too soon and keeping the soil cold; but neither starting too late when the soil moisture drops and you get into catch-up. “The way weather patterns are changing there is no such thing as an average season. With the tools we’re developing it means farmers can make the best use of water resources, so they potentially irrigate less with savings in power. Overwatering causes lots of leaching; managing that resource will reduce nitrogen leaching as well.” Hawkins graduated MAgSc, Massey University, and worked in several roles in the primary sector including AgResearch before start Regen. She is the mother of two children and won both the Fly Buys Mumtrepreneur of the Year award and the Agri-Business Award. The awards recognise the growing number of women who handle the dual challenges of running a business while raising a family at home. 3599 Metabolizer halfpg vert.ind1 1
9/11/08 9:20:42 AM
Dairy News august 12, 2014
50 // animal health
New mastitis treatment study flags higher conception rates PRELIMINARY RESULTS of a new
European mastitis treatment study have implications for higher cow conception rates says the Waikato veterinary researcher who did the work, Dr Scott McDougall, Cognosco. McDougall and his Belgian co-author Elke Abbeloos, from Boehringer Ingelheim, in late July presented their initial findings at the World Buiatrics Congress in Cairns, attended by 900 cattle veterinarians and scientists.
Their preliminary analysis found that cows treated for postcalving mastitis with a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug in
rate of 35% vs 25% for the treated compared with control cows) from that first service than cows given antibiotics only. Known as the Fertile
“Mastitis is an extremely expensive disease.” – Scott McDougall addition to standard antibiotic intramammary treatment tended to be ready for their first service one week earlier, and were 1.4 times more likely to conceive (i.e. a first service conception
trial, the multi-centre, blinded, randomised controlled study monitored 509 cows diagnosed with mastitis within 120 days of calving on 60 European farms serviced by 10 different
vet clinics. All animals were treated with the same antibiotic intramammary, followed by either the NSAID drug meloxicam or a placebo. Cows were then bred and pregnancy tested normally. McDougall says the preliminary findings are based on conception rate to first service for the 346 cows for which a service date and pregnancy test data were available. The Fertile trial was prompted by 2009 New Zealand farm research
Dr Scott McDougall (right) and his Belgian co-author Elke Abbeloos.
which showed a single dose of the NSAID Metacam20 used with an antibiotic for mild and moderate clinical mastitis significantly reduced culling. In that case, McDougall and fellow veterinary researchers Drs Mark Bryan and Richard Tiddy found that mastitis cows treated with an antibiotic alone had a cull rate of 28.2%. The addition of a single dose of Metacam20 – known as ‘tandem treatment’ – reduced the cull rate to 16.4%. Additionally, Metacam treated cows had a lower somatic cell count in
the weeks following treatment, indicating a faster return to quality milk production. Return on investment for tandem treatment in the 2009 study was four to one, based solely on reduced cull costs, says Boehringer Ingelheim Kiwi brand manager Jonathan Leslie. He says though cull data from the 2009 project was “intriguing and robust,” the study wasn’t designed to explain the underlying mechanisms. Boehringer Ingelheim then commissioned the Fertile trial specifically to learn more about how tandem
treatment protects mastitis cows. “Mastitis is an extremely expensive disease, [because of ] lower milk yields, higher cell counts, reduced reproductive performance and higher risk of culling. “If we can find a way to reduce the impact of the disease on New Zealand herds, especially the economic losses and genetic wastage associated with culling, the industry can only benefit.” Publication of the Fertile trial with the full data set is expected in 2015.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
animal health // 51
Test gives go-ahead for mating WORLDWIDE RELEASE of an accurate
test for oestrus (bulling) in dairy cows is a step forward for dairy farmers breeding programmes says distributor Farmtest Ltd. The new P4 Rapid test has several uses the company says. P4 Rapid can be used before and during the mating period; it can also be used as an early 21-day pregnancy test. The company says the test will “provide information on the number of cows that are/ are not cycling”. “Cows that have started to cycle but not shown a strong heat can be identified. This means decisions can be made on what cows to treat (noncyclers) at the start of mating rather than three weeks in. “For the five weeks prior to planned start of mating, treat this period as you would for the actual mating period to identify that cows are cycling. This is a good opportunity to use this period as a refresher for heat detection and to train new staff.” It says farmers can use visual observations and tail paint to monitor level of activity. Note the date you change tail paint colour: if you are uncertain, use the P4 dipstick to determine if the cow is on heat, the
company recommends. “This will enable you to pick up more cows on heat which will confirm that you and your staff are correctly identifying cows.” A recent Massey University study showed that use of the P4 dipsticks with visual observations and tail paint enabled a further 7% of cows that were cycling, but not showing heat behaviour, to be identified. It allowed easy identification of late calving cows that did not need to be treated and non-cycling cows that needed to vet checked. “If you record premating heats and enter these in Minda/Maestro, this information can be used to check potential mating spread as it will identify the number of cows coming on each day,” Farmtest says. “If this is done by the PSM it means you have time to decide what to do if low numbers are on heat each day.” P4 Rapid can also be used during mating to optimise submission rate. Farmtest says the aim over this period is to inseminate as many cows as possible without compromising conception rate. The dipstick can be used to test cows you are unsure of directly before putting them up for AI. If cows are on heat (with
Low P4) they should be inseminated. Whereas if the dipstick shows P4 is high, these cows are not on heat or if they have been previously mated, they may be already pregnant, so they should not be inseminated. This saves the wastage of a straw or prevents
results can be used to sort cows mated 18-24 days previously. Use this to test and determine the nonreturn rate of the cows mated.” P4 Rapid are sold by veterinary practices. The P4 Rapid test has several uses, says its distributor.
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Five minutes is all it takes P4 RAPID is a simple milk-based test that indicates in five minutes whether a cow is cycling. The test measures the presence or absence of the hormone progesterone. The absence of progesterone indicates that the cow is in oestrus and can be mated. Insemination by AB when a cow is not in oestrus wastes the insemination, can cause infection or in the case of a pregnant animal, abortion. The test entails taking a small sample of milk in a palm of a clean gloved hand; and using the small pipette supplied with the test, to transfer a defined quantity of milk to a small test tube. The dipstick, after being identified with the cow number and date, is inserted into the tube. After five minutes, the dipstick indicates with one line that the test is working. If a second line is present and of the same intensity as the test line, no progesterone is present and the cow is in oestrus and can be mated. Used dipsticks can be kept as a record.
abortion. Records are important to show when individual cows were previously inseminated or were on heat. “Records of previous matings (available from Minda/Maestro if using CRV semen) or dates of previous P4 dipstick low
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
52 // animal health A sensor on a cow’s collar monitors and interprets movement.
CowScout identifies heats remotely THE ABILITY to accurately identify what cows are on heat through remote technology also comes with the added capacity to better understand a herd’s health status, with Westfalia-
Surge’s newly released CowScout Responder, the company says. The CowScout has been launched in New Zealand in time for this year’s mating season, and the remote monitoring
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system does not require WestfaliaSurge milking platforms or herd software to be adopted by farmers in order to operate. At the heart of the CowScout is a ‘G Sensor’ that monitors and interprets the cow’s movement while positioned on a collar around its neck. GEA Farm Technologies herd management solutions manager Jan Winke says the system offers a greater degree of interpretation and accuracy than conventional ‘pedometer’ type heat detectors usually fixed to a cow’s leg. “This sort of sensor is better for the New Zealand dairy situation where cows will typically be walking further than in Europe, meaning straight foot movement will not always be as accurate an indicator for heat activity here.” The sensors also detect eating, indicating an animal’s health status. By recording and comparing individual cow eating activity they can detect any departure from the norm, and may be set to alert operators to draft out cows of concern. By transmitting to a central receiver-processing unit the activity of individual cows is logged for access via PC or tablet through an internet link. The CowScout is capable of providing 24 hour direct alerts on cows presenting heat activity. It is suited to NZ’s batch approach to mating, usually after the morning milking. “Typically the cows on heat in the last 24 hours would be displayed through the PC or tablet before milking starts, and their numbers can be entered into the system for identification and
drafting for AB.” This standalone capacity of the CowScout means it is not reliant on a dairy being exclusively WestfaliaSurge for software and equipment. However, WestfaliaSurge developers are working on an integrated version that would communicate with the company’s DairyPlan software, enabling cows to be identified and drafted seamlessly. At present the first pasture based farm to have the CowScout installed is in Australia. That farm has also had cow health alerts through the monitor, alerting about a cow in poor health and helping the farmer identify she had a difficult-to-diagnose post-calving condition. Winke says following the launch of CowScout at the Waikato field days the company has had strong interest from farmers in New Zealand. “One of the biggest challenges for NZ farmers is getting heat identification right for those critical first three weeks of mating. “The CowScout is 90-95% accurate and it provides some options for the timing of AB.” Farmers who do their own AB may appreciate having a real time update on cows’ heat activity before every milking, and adjust their AB timing accordingly. Winke says the CowScout could also help high value pedigree cattle breeders seeking better timing for insemination. “Because CowScout is not reliant upon the cows coming into the dairy, the potential is there for the likes of beef operators to monitor their animals.” Tel. 0800 GEA FARM
VIR_0408_DN_28x5
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The sensor offers greater accuracy, says WestfaliaSurge.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
animal health // 53
Mastitis control app builds on evidence THE AUSTRALIAN dairy industry
has updated its guidelines for mastitis control to include a newly released app for smartphones. Dairy Australia says the Countdown 2020 Farm Guidelines for Mastitis Control have been updated to include new evidence-based science and to support both the ‘Cups On, Cups Off’ farmer training course and the app. The new guidelines point to the DairyNZ SmartSAMM program and the Animal Health Ireland Cell Check program; both programs used the Countdown resources towards their own development in recent years. Australia’s guidelines were first published in 1998. They embodied all the evidence-based best practice for mastitis control available at the time and have been widely used by farmers and advisors. About 11,000 copies of the original publication have been circulated. Dairy Australia’s animal health and fertility program manager Kathryn Davis says the guidelines have helped farmers improve profits by reducing new mastitis infections and lowering bulk milk cell counts in their herds. This has helped cow welfare. “The updated guidelines work with the Countdown mastitis toolkit app that was released last year,” Davis says. Countdown 2020 is the national udder health program for the Australian dairy industry. It has a defined
Kathryn Davis, Dairy Australia, says the guidelines have helped farmers improve profits. Inset: The guidelines were first published in 1990 and updated regularly.
national goal based on an individual farm’s annual average bulk milk cell count: by 2017 at least 70% of Australian dairy farms supplying milk with an annual average bulk milk cell count (BMCC) of less than 250,000 cells/mL. Australian dairy farmers can make
big gains through improved udder health, Dairy Australia says. Quality payment incentives exist in all states for milk with lower cell counts. “Further, healthier cows produce more milk. They are less likely to be lost through culling or to incur treatment costs. “Fewer clinical cases of mastitis mean less frustration for farmers and a reduced risk of antibiotic contamination of milk products.”
Two routes to mastitis DAIRY AUSTRALIA says the main types of mastitis are cow-associated (contagious) mastitis and environmental mastitis. Bacteria which cause cow-associated mastitis mostly live inside udders or on teat skin. They are spread from infected cows. The main bacteria causing contagious mastitis are Staph aureus and Strep agalactiae. Transmission of these bacteria between cows and quarters usually happens at milking time by contact with infected milk. This spread can occur from splashes or ‘aerosols’ of milk during stripping, by milk on milkers’ hands or teatcup liners, and by cross flow of milk between teatcups.
Staph aureus can invade udder tissue and live inside cells. They often form pockets of infection (microabscesses) that are protected from antibiotics by scar tissue. The Strep agalactiae bacteria tend to locate in duct areas of the udder where antibiotics are effective. Strep agalactiae is very sensitive to penicillin, so there are relatively high cure rates. Bacteria which cause environmental mastitis are widespread in a cow’s surroundings – soil, manure, bedding, calving pads and water, or on body areas of the cow other than the mammary gland. Housed cows are generally at greater risk than grazing cows. The main bacteria are Strep uberis
and E. coli. A number of bacteria like E. coli are often grouped together and called coliforms. These bacteria are not particularly well suited to life in the lactating udder and often the infections do not persist. Most environmental mastitis cases are seen in the period immediately before, to a few weeks after, calving when cows are susceptible to infection because their natural defence mechanisms are low. High numbers of environmental mastitis bacteria may contaminate teats, especially if udders are wet and exposed to mud and manure. This often happens when cows and heifers are on the ground during calving, Dairy Australia says.
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
54 // animal health
Gives calves best possible start trum is 22% or more measured with a Brix refractometer). If the calf is unable to do this, use an oesophageal feeder to tube feed the colostrum.
zoe vogels
HERE ARE some essen-
tials for making sure a newborn calf has the best possible start to life. First thing that usually happens is a check on whether it’s a bull or a heifer. Then the following apply: ■■ Calves showing signs of a prolonged or stressful delivery (such as swollen heads or tongues, or meconium staining) will need extra care. ■■ Clear mucous from the calf’s nostrils and mouth. ■■ Place the calf on its chest, with the back feet pointing towards their ears. This position gives both lungs the best chance to expand. In contrast, holding calves upside down puts pressure on the
■■
Spray or dip the calf’s navel with 5-7% iodine solution to dry it out and minimise the risk of infection. Teat spray from the dairy is only 0.5% iodine – not nearly
■■
strong enough, so don’t use it. Spray the navel while the calf is in the calving area and again when they arrive in the calf shed. Ensure the calf’s bed-
■■
ding is clean and dry and draft free. A calf coat can also help newborns stay warm. Make sure everyone involved in calf rearing knows which calves
have had a difficult delivery and monitors them closely for signs of disease. • Zoe Vogels is a veterinarian with The Vet Group in Australia
Zoe Vogels
■■
■■
■■
diaphragm and lungs and interferes with breathing. Have lots of old towels on hand at the dairy. Use them to dry the calf and rub them for stimulation: brush upwards from tail to neck. Pinching the nose can also help stimulate a calf to breathe. Monitor the calf over the next few hours, and encourage it to drink 2L of good quality first-milking colostrum from a teat feeder (good quality colos-
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
56 // machinery & products
Navara brings Euro-5 engine adam fricker
A COIL sprung rear axle
and an efficient two-stage turbo engine are features of the new Nissan Navara, dubbed the NP-300. Recently revealed to the Australian and New Zealand media in Thailand where it is manufactured, the Navara’s new efficient engine technology and the replacement of leaf springs with coils on the rear axle were points of interest for our market. Some Aussie journalists at the launch got hung up on the fact that the power and torque output of the new YS23 engine remain the same as the current model. Get over it. The fact is 140kW of power and 450Nm of torque, while no longer class leading, are more than adequate for a ute. The real story is how the new engine delivers its power and torque. The engine bound for the New Zealand market is a 2.3L turbodiesel developed as part of the Renault-Nissan alliance. It features a two-stage turbo that widens the maximum torque range so the full 450Nm is available from a low 1500rpm through to 2500rpm. The two turbos are in-
line, the first active from about 1000rpm, handing over to the second at about 2000rpm, producing seamless torque and power delivery. The current singleturbo engine is no slug, but peak torque comes in late and rough compared to the YS23, which delivers a strong progressive surge from just above 1000rpm. The new engine is also noticeably quieter. A lower output singleturbo version of the YS23 producing 118kW and 403Nm will also be available here. The new engine is 10kg lighter, 19% more fuel-efficient and is built to Euro 5 emissions standards so CO2 emissions are down too. The chief engineer on the NP-300 project, Takashi Fukui, told Dairy News the engine will also meet Euro 6 emissions standards when they are imposed. Weight has been cut in other areas, a total reduction of 70kg for the vehicle, which contributes to the efficiency gains. A more slippery body shape with lower roof line that produces 11% less drag also contributes. Nissan NZ managing director John Manly says more Kiwis buy auto-
Tough guy... Navara NP-300 in Thailand. Inset: Comfort levels take a leap forward in the new Navara NP-300.
matic Navaras than manuals. They will get a 7-speed auto in the NP-300, the same gearbox found in the current V6-diesel powered STX-550 (the V6 engine has been dropped from the new model range). A six speed manual is also available.
The current chassis carries over to the new truck, but is still the biggest in its segment, according to Takashi Fukui. For the first time though, Kiwi buyers will get a 5-link coil sprung rear beam axle instead of the more common leaf
springs. Fukui says the carrying capacity and durability of the new rear suspension set-up is equal to the current leaf spring set-up. Tow rating is 3.5 tonnes. The benefits of
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
machinery & products // 57
technology and smooth ride coil springs are in ride and handling. Ride particularly is improved over the current leaf-spring arrangement, removing much of the bounce and jitter when unladen. We’ll have to wait for a longer drive to test how it works with a heavy load, but can confirm it took in its stride the worst tracks Thailand could throw at it. On the tarmac it is still a large vehicle in the corners but quicker rack-andpinion steering makes life at the helm much less demanding. Noise and vibration levels are also much better, as are interior comfort and convenience. The comfy front seats are worthy of mention, and rear passengers get plenty of legroom and more recline in the seatback. The bench is set lower and the floor in the rear seems higher relative to seat height, a product of the lower roofline, but headroom remains the same as in the current model. A purpose-built offroad course demonstrated the electronic traction aids, the excellent
approach (31 degrees) and departure (25.6 degrees) angles and the wheel articulation. The course was concrete under foot. Again, a real-world test in New Zealand conditions will reveal how well the traction aids work when it is slippery. It has ‘brake LSD’ (limited slip differential) which shifts the driving force from left to right according to which side has the most traction by gently applying the brake to the side with least traction, reducing wheel slip. It also has a hill descent function that maintains low speed downhill with no input required from the driver (other than steering), and hill start assist that will
Auto Inline Liquid Dispenser
hold the vehicle stationary on a slope for three seconds, allowing you time to get your foot safely from the brake back onto the accelerator. Globally the ute segment is vital to car manufacturers, as it is in New Zealand, so Nissan has put the NP-300 through the wringer during development. It is the product of 40,000 tests and 1 million km of road testing in various climatic extremes worldwide, including alpine testing in the South Island of New Zealand. The design team has produced a suitably tough looking exterior and the car-like interior, with specification levels to match, that is now expected in the ute category. Nissan NZ
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The styling includes a ‘spoiler’ integrated into the tailgate. Inset: The YS23 engine features a two-stage turbo.
is yet to confirm the full range for our market – the double cab will be the big seller as it is with the current D40 model – and pric-
ing won’t be confirmed until closer to the local release date. The current D40 Navara has been a hit
down-under but has been in the market for seven years, and Ford’s Ranger and the VW Amarok have shifted the goalposts. The
new Navara is an important product for Nissan NZ. Expect it here in the first half, if not first quarter, of 2015.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
58 // machinery & products
Milk replacers suit calves, kids TWO NEW milk
replacer products from NZAgbiz will cut the time and cost of raising calves and kids, the company says. Denkavit Supastart calf milk replacer (CMR) is a new version of the original Denkavit whey product and Denkavit Ankid goat milk replacer (GMR) is a new product. Both are whey-based, an
60 Litre & 100 Litre Teat Sprayer S/Steel pressure tanks
“easy-to-digest protein source for young stock”. “Dutch company Denkavit products were a natural choice,” NZAgbiz says. “Denkavit is a global specialist in young animal nutrition and a leader in the compound feed industry in Europe. They also do R&D… in innovative feed specialties to deliver high grade animal nutrition for the first stages of life.” Denkavit raises 500,000 calves and produces 300,000t of animal nutrition product annually. “Its expertise and ability to customise solutions will suit our local New
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Zealand market and rearing conditions.” Denkavit Supastart contains whey, wheat and soy “which provide a balanced, costeffective alternative to the dairy ingredients currently used in most other CMR products,” the company says. “Whey does not have to curd before being digested, so young calves can assimilate their feed faster. Young calves (and kids) can be fussy eaters: if their feed does not smell right, or is not the correct consistency, they will avoid it.” NZAgbiz says Supastart gets past this problem straight away because it’s highly palatable, has a pleasant smell attractive to the calf, is easy to mix and suits all automatic feeders and, because it’s slightly acidic, it counteracts gut-pathogens. “Most importantly, it encourages early rumen development which will set up young calves for a healthy and
productive future.” Denkavit Ankid suits rearing kids and fattening stock “and because it’s highly soluble it can be used in all automatic feeders”. “Young kids and goats are selective feeders so a product needs to tick all the boxes before they will eat it. Ankid is highly palatable and easily digested, plus it contains natural oregano oil which delivers a protective antimicrobial effect in the gut to further reduce the risk of digestive disorders.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
Bike, quad maker promises compact, easily handled SXS QUAD MAKER Honda
says its latest side-by-side (SXS), the Pioneer 500, will be compact and easy to handle. The New Zealand distributor, Blue Wing Honda, says it is continuing to bring new products to market. General manager Alan Petrie says the Pioneer 500 will join the larger 700 series. “The Pioneer 500 is a compact and affordable addition to the market,” says Petrie. “It can carry two people onfarm or on off-road adventures and at just 1.27m wide it fits on narrow trails and is easy to transport.” Petrie made the announcement earlier this month, at the opening of the company’s new head office in Auckland. The facility at Airport Oaks consolidates the company’s operations and houses Honda Marine and Honda Power Equipment. It was formally opened by Susumu Mitsuishi, the general manager of the
motorcycle sales division at Honda Motor Company Ltd, Tokyo. Petrie says New Zealand is dependent on primary industry, with half of the land used for farming. Having the right means to navigate varying terrain can be a challenging task, he says. “Blue Wing Honda met that challenge in 1972 when it entered the market as New Zealand’s importer and distributor
Susumu Mitsuishi GM, Motorcycle Sales Division, Honda Motor Company, (left) and Alan Petrie GM Blue Wing Honda with the Pioneer 500 soon to launch in New Zealand.
The king of pond stirrers Only from your Nevada NZ distributor. Think your crusted dairy effluent pond is unmixable? Think again. The TurboStir 7000 with Typhoon propeller technology will demolish crust and quickly get the whole pond swirling.
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QUALITY DAIRY HOT WATER CYLINDERS From 180 litres to 1500 litres
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STANDARD RANGE AVAILABLE WITH COPPER BARREL, GALVANISED OR STAINLESS CASE 180 ltr 610 dia x 1330 high 3kW 200 ltr 600 dia x 1295 high 3kW 225 ltr 610 dia x 1550 high 3kW 270 ltr 610 dia x 1750 high 3kW 270 ltr 710 dia x 1350 high 3kW 270 ltr 810 dia x 1050 high 3kW 300 ltr 710 dia x 1330 high 3kW 350 ltr 710 dia x 1660 high 2 x 3kW 350 ltr 810 dia x 1400 high 2 x 3kW 400 ltr 710 dia x 1820 high 2 x 3kW 450 ltr 710 dia x 2010 high 2 x 3kW 450 ltr 810 dia x 1600 high 2 x 3kW
500 ltr 915 dia x 1400 high 2 x 3kW 600 ltr 810 da x 1900 high 3 x 3kW 600 ltr 915 dia x 1500 high 3 x 3kW 700 ltr 810 dia x 2200 high 3 x 3kW 700 ltr 915 dia x 1700 high 3 x 3kW 800 ltr 915 dia x 1900 high 3 x 3kW 800 ltr 1160 dia x 1400 high 3 x 3kW 1000 ltr 915 dia x 2400 high 3 x 3kW 1000 ltr 1160 dia x 1650 high 3 x 3kW SUPERHEAT STAINLESS SIZES WITH PLASTIC CASE 600 ltr 920 dia x 1650 high 3 x 3kW 1000 ltr 1170 dia x 1640 high 3 x 5kW 1200 ltr 1170 dia x 1865 high 3 x 5kW 1500 ltr 1170 dia x 2180 high 3 x 5kW
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of Honda motorcycles and [quads]. That wealth of experience has helped put the company at number one in the New Zealand market.” Petrie says he sees success as a byproduct of great products and satisfied customers. “We believe this new building will allow us to deliver even more of both: our central operation enables us to distribute to our 52 dealer network.”
2 x3 kW 2 x 3kW 2 x 3kW 2 x 3kW 3 x 3kW 3 x 3kW
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
60 // machinery & products
Supplement trial brings benefits TONY HOPKINSON
MARK NEWTON
and Sarah Manders own two adjacent farms at Matarawa Road opposite the Kinleith mill near Tokoroa and when asked by Ballance Agri-Nutrients to trial its feed supplement Crystalyx Dry Cow they
foresaw an ideal set-up. “We could do the trial on one property and on the other have a control and do our normal feeding and get a comparison and an indication of the benefits,” said Mark. The first property is 60ha, run by the couple, and the second is 85ha managed by a contract
milker. They also have a 18ha run-off which provides supplements and winter grazing for both properties. All are flat-to-rolling contour with average rainfall of 1500-1600mm and winter frosts: “we are 400m above sea level”. On the first farm they do split-herd calving.
“We supply Miraka who pay us a good winter milk premium plus as the seasons are changing we get better utilisation of the stock.” Crystalyx Dry Cow is one of four Crystalyx products Ballance imports from UK. They consist of a base of dehydrated molasses
MOLASSES • • • •
that is hard and weatherproof and have nutrients for ad-lib feeding to cows at different seasons. They are said to suit dairy, beef and deer. The product comes in 22.5kg tubs and 40kg containers. In use the product is shifted with each change of break or to a new
Mark Newton (left) and Sarah Manders say Crystalyx Dry Cow has helped their herds.
Marsden Point Mt Maunganui
Palmerston North Nelson Reefton
Boosts herd energy levels Aids digestion of dry summer feeds Encourages higher intakes of silage and wholecrop Stimulates rumen microbes to digest available nutrients
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INDEPENDENT IMPORTER We source our molasses direct from the sugar mills of Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia, and import direct into 8 ports around NZ. NZ WIDE DISTRIBUTION We have most of NZ covered, we deliver direct to farm from 8 depots nationwide.
paddock. During the trial no magnesium supplement or water added minerals were supplied to stock on the 60ha farm; they were given the Crystalyx Dry Cow. The other herd was given grass dusting and mineral supplement. Each herd, as cows calve, are supplementary fed with minerals supplied via in-shed PPP Industries feeding systems. Newton and Manders say Crystalyx has
helped reduce the incidence of milk fever by optimising blood magnesium levels, has increased rumen performance and appetite post calving, and improved transition into lactation. “Once they calve the cows are fired up and ready to go.” The trial ran for two years and the results have encouraged them to use the product for the last two years on both farms. Tel. 07 572 6208 www.crystalyx.co.nz
Sarah Manders competes in the South Island Coast-to-Coast.
Create a custom blend of minerals in molasses for delivery along side the existing in shed feed system.
sports balance work, leisure
Condose is unique in that it can deliver non soluble minerals like Mag Oxide, Limeflour or Dolomite suspended in Molasses. Conedose is more accurate then dusting and water dosing, saves time and wastage, more cost effective than mineral feed pallets and more profitable. Conedose was the supreme winner at Lincoln Field Days in 2013, and is available to lease NZ wide.
0800 MOLASSES 0800 6652 7737 OR 03 236 6089 Email: office@wintonstockfeed.co.nz Website: www.wintonstockfeed.co.nz
TO ORDER: Phone 0800 MOLASSES (0800 6652 7737)
MARK NEWTON and Sarah Manders balance work and recreation, otherwise “you can become very insular,” she says. Sarah “likes her sport” – multi-sport triathlons – and has competed in the South Island Coast-to-Coast, once in a two-person team and once on her own. Both events took two days of cycling, mountain running and kayaking. She has run seven half-marathons during the past year, four in the past four months. She plays squash and rides mountain bikes. She and four others will soon contest a 12hour biking event in the forests near Tokoroa. Newton, with motorcycling “in his blood”, recently returned from a third go at the Red Bull Romaniacs enduro rally in the Carpathian Mountains in Transylvania, Romania. He and a Tokoroa friend came second in the silver class; 13 other New Zealanders competed. The race has been held since 2003; this year 350 riders competed from many countries.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
tractors & machinery // 61
Big dairy goat farm hauls lots of feed TWO LANDINI tractors are good value in their roles of feed loading and hauling at a high-productivity dairy goat farm near Cambridge, reports the distributor, AgTek. A Powermondial DT120 (120hp) tows a combination harvesting and feed out wagon for the animals’ loafing barn, and a Powerfarm DT95 (95hp) does all loader work. Hugh Phillips-Turner, general manager, says the farm was converted from a horse stud during an expansion of the dairy goat industry. He reckons the dairy goat industry is one of the few in agriculture that looked at market demand before figuring out what to supply and in what quantities. There was a clear demand for goats’ milk so a co-operative was set up. It then became apparent they could not meet the demand, hence a decision to expand the co-op. That’s when PhillipsTurner and his team came on board. “That’s the reverse of how farming is traditionally done. Usually farmers provide stuff and then scratch their heads over who’s going to buy it. The group who established the co-op did it the other way around.” Now NZ has 50 co-op dairy goat farms and demand is still increasing. Most of the milk is exported to SE Asia. On the Cambridge farm 1000 goats live inside for economy and because it keeps them worm-free. The farm is free of cap-
A Powermondial DT120 (120hp) tows a combination harvesting and feed out wagon for the animals’ loafing barn.
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rine arthritic encephalitis (CAE), a virus said to be like AIDS in goats. The flock was established by ‘snatching’ the kids. The kids were taken off their mothers 24 hours after birth to ensure they don’t catch this disease. The goats are primarily Saanens but PhillipsTurner wants to build up a mixed breed flock. “A herd with a mix of breeds has better animal health but the main reason is for better production and fertility.” A tanker takes the milk away and it is made into powder for infant formula. “There is a demand for fresh milk and that will be met as time and supply permits.” The 41ha that supports the goats has been specially planted in herbal ley. Phillips-Turner says the farm managers David and Amanda Drake are among the pioneers in biological farming in New Zealand. They soil test regularly
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and fertilise with natural products such as guano and aim for a balanced soil. Used bedding is made into compost and spread back onto the farm. “We keep as green as possible. It’s pure common sense. Making our own compost reduces the cost of fertilisers, which is a major expense. Being green and sustainable and being financially viable are not in opposition. “We got the Landini tractors as they were the best value for money with respect to horsepower dol-
lars,” says Phillips-Turner. The Landini Powermondial DT120 arrived in September 2012. “It’s the second Landini we’ve bought and we’re happy with the work it’s doing. Essentially it came down to price as there’s little difference between most of the European tractors.” The Mondial has a dual power system that boosts up to 120hp. That gives it the power it needs for the wagon when it’s harvesting but on the trip in and out to the barn it doesn’t draw that much power. It
then operates on a lower system of 112hp. This saves fuel and is more efficient. The boost to 120hp occurs during road transport (up to 40km/h), or when the driver uses the PTO at over 1000rpm. Another feature is the engine revs drop at road speed, giving a quieter, more fuel-efficient ride. The Powermondial puts 90L/min through the hydraulics, plenty for the harvest wagon. The transmission has 36 forward gears and 12 reverse. Tel. 07 573 8132 www.agtek.co.nz
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Dairy News august 12, 2014
62 // tractors & machinery
Cultivator leaves mark on the land KUHN SAYS its new
Kuhn’s newest performer.
versatile deep-tine disc cultivator, called Performer, is a “landmark development”. The company says the cultivator can tackle a range of conditions
working in a single pass, and can go disc-only or tine-only as suits the operator. Available in 4m and 5m working widths for tractors up to 500hp, the Performer has twin disc
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arms, have elastomer protection and height adjustable border discs. The HD-Liner roller is notched for better rotation and provides 225kg/m downward pressure. The roller can be lifted out of the ground when not needed, for example during nonconsolidation work. Robust in construction, the Performer is designed for low maintenance in tough conditions.
The cultivator can tackle a range of conditions working in a single pass, and can go disconly or tine-only as suits the operator. Tines are arranged in four rows with 280mm inter-tine spacing and 850mm under-beam clearance. Tines are curved for optimum mixing and operate with non-stop hydraulic safety at 800–1200kg pressure. A choice of shares is available for different work. Levelling discs are mounted on curved
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gangs (10cm working depth), four rows of tines (35cm working depth), levelling discs and the maker’s new 700mm diameter HD-Liner roller. The disc gangs, which function independently of each other, comprise 510mm diameter serrated discs, with 30 in total on the 4m model and 38 on the 5m. Discs are mounted to give 560mm underbeam clearance, allowing free flow of crop residues.
All discs are mounted on maintenance-free hubs and the tines are drop-forged for added strength. The machine is hydraulically adjustable and folds to a transport width of 3m. Kuhn is imported in New Zealand by C B Norwood Distributors Ltd. Tel. 0800 585 007 www.kuhn.co.nz
The Kuhn Performer has twin disc gangs and four rows of tines.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
tractors & machinery // 63 Variable speed belt allows feeding at different speeds.
Richard Westlake says the Abbey mixer is ‘crucial’ to his farm.
Mixer wagon ‘crucial’
A n e w a p p r oac h to productivit y
NORTHLAND DAIRY farmer Richard Westlake sees his Abbey mixer wagon as a “crucial” to his production system reports the supplier Farmgard. He bought the single axle Abbey 18m3 vertical feeder 1850 with two optional side elevators 18 months ago for his family’s Mayflower Farms, a 600-cow town-supply farm at Maungaturoto. “We calve three times a year and supply local fresh milk year-round, so the wagon is in use 365 days a year. It evenly mixes whatever we put in and feeds consistently over the whole bin. “We know the first cow on the feed pad will get exactly the same amount of each material in the feed ration as the heifer at the other end.” Westlake says feeding from the mixer wagon has also raised production. “The small cows produce the same amount as the larger cows. We’ve seen a 60kgMS/cow/ year increase in production”. It was after deciding to feed minerals and molasses to his cows that Westlake started looking at mixer wagons, through machinery firm Te Hana Tractors. “I went for the Abbey because I’d used a lot of the brand’s gear when I was working as a contractor in the UK and had friends over there who recommended it.” He opted for electronic hydraulic controls and side discharge elevators on both sides to get more feeding options. “Variable speed belts allow us to feed out at different speeds on each side of the wagon for different stock, whether they’re on the feed pad or calving pad. Having two elevators also gives security: if we happen to whack one of them off on a fence post we’ve always got the other one.” About 5t of feed is mixed and fed each day – usually a large round hay bale, 3t maize silage, 1.2t palm kernel, 350kg molasses and minerals. “The Digi-Star weighing system on the Abbey is easy to use and works in tandem with the loader scales so we know exactly what is going into the feed ration.” He tows the wagon either with a 115hp tractor or a 95hp one, the latter adequately handling the loaded wagon. “I prefer to tow it with the tractor with the two speed gearbox, just in case I need to drop it into the low gearbox if it stalls with a full load.” In 18 months, the machine has required little servicing, apart from “a bit of oil and grease”.
The new 5 series tractors from Deutz-Fahr deliver unparalleled on-farm productivity with industry leading features like cab suspension, Stop & Go, 4-wheel braking, an ultra-clean tier 4 engine and a super quiet, ergonomically designed cabin. The 5 series provides the benefits of a big tractor in a compact, muscular 100-130Hp tractor ideally suited to New Zealand farming. Call your local Deutz-Fahr dealer for a demonstration today, and prepare to be impressed.
Tel. 09 275 5555 or 03 437 9000 www.farmgard.co.nz
0800 801 888 | powerfarming.co.nz POW0378
Check out the latest news and information at www.dairynews.co.nz
Dairy News august 12, 2014
64 // tractors & machinery
Basic tractor does the job chris dingle
Matt Haitsma, Victoria, with his Mahindra 9200.
AUSTRALIAN FARMER Matt Haitsma
is back on the family farm
after a couple of years at Latrobe University, milking about 130 cows out of their total herd of 210. He works with his father, Jan and mother
MS1502
C B Norwood Distributors Ltd
Jean, on their 80ha property near Rochester, central Victoria, where for 10 years they have milked on a 22-bail herringbone. Last October they bought a 31ha run-off at Bamawm to grow hay and silage and keep young stock. “This property needed knocking into shape in improving the pastures,” says Haitsma. “We have two Kubota 4WDs to handle the work at the Rochester farm – one with a cab and one with ROPS. So we looked around for a tractor to look after the jobs at the new place.” In February they took delivery of a Mahindra 9200 4WD with ROPS and a roof, and fitted with a Mahindra ML480 front loader, through Echuca TM&V dealership. Haitsma says they first saw the Mahindra tractors at the Elmore Field Days. “We didn’t go on any farms to look at them working, but we knew Echuca TM&V handled them. “It does the job we require. There are no fancy electronics, but it has all the bits you need. And the price is competitive. “We looked at other brands and ‘horsepower to price’ was the decisionmaker with the Mahindra.” The Mahindra 9200 is powered by a 3.53L, 4-stroke, direct injection, turbocharged, watercooled diesel. Haitsma says that it is a basic tractor – solid and functional, at a good price. A dedicated left-hand synchronised reverser gives good control
The Mahindra 9200 is powered by a 3.5L diesel engine.
during intensive front loader work. Terry Scurrah looks after tractor sales at Echuca TM&V and enthuses about the Mahindra brand. He researched them when the dealership was looking to sell them. “They were selling like hotcakes in the US because they represented value for money and are robust.” Mahindra has been making tractors and 4WD vehicles in India for 62 years. “The 9200 is an honest tractor with a heavy chassis weight and 12 forward, 12R reverse synchro shuttle transmission. A Dana limited slip differential on the front drive is a major feature in difficult conditions. It comes with tandem hydraulic pumps, delivering 60L/m which means good front loader performance. “Plus the engine has Bosch injection and the electrics are Lucas.” The Mahindra is kept permanently at the Bamawm property. It is used daily for feeding out to the heifers, and for spraying and cultivation. Haitsma’s brother Chris looks after some of the daily work and Matt and Jan do the bulk of the tractor operating. The tractor is comfortable to operate and easy to get on and off with the flat floor, particularly as the operator is in and out of it to open and shut gates and to take wrapping off bales. It works well in all conditions. “We’ll cut oat and lucerne hay off this block this season. It’s been a good year so far,” he says.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
tractors & machinery // 65
Fuel efficient machine A NEW McCormick X7 series tractors to be launched this springis notable for its fuel efficiency, says distributor AgTek. The maker, Argo Tractors, Italy, last year launched its McCormick X7 Pro Drive range to replace the McCormick X70 and the earlier XTX, TTX and MTX machines in the 140-220hp category. The all-new X7 range includes three 4-cyl and three 6-cyl models labelled X7.4 and X7.6 respectively. Agtek general manager Gayne Carroll says the power for the X7s comes from new fuel-efficient FPT industrial Betapower engines. The 4-cyl models have a 4.5L Tier 4i-compliant unit producing 143175hp. The 6-cyl models have FPT 6.7L engines producing 165-212hp. Says Carroll, “The standard gearbox for the tractors is the new Pro Drive by ZF… a 6-range, 4-speed unit with a robotised electro-hydraulic control system that allows the operator to shift through all 24 gears without declutching. “X7 models can be specified with a 40km/h or 50km/h box and a synchronised creeper gear is also available.” The transmission has 10cm more ground
clearance than previous McCormicks in this range, useful for tasks such as baling straw. The larger X7.670 and X7.680 models have a transmission based on the same concept but with specialised differential and axle components to suit the power of the larger engines. “The Pro Drive transmission is extremely versatile. You can use the shift push buttons to operate as a full manual powershift gearbox [plus] skip-shift through Individual gears or entire ranges. Or by pushing a button on the armrest you can shift to fully automatic mode that allows you to control shift points for maximum power or efficiency, depending on the job.” Carroll says an interesting feature in the new McCormicks is a lube flow reduction valve that restricts oil flow through the tractor’s multi-disc brakes when exceeding 30km/h. This reduces oil drag and releases 12hp in transport applications. “All X7 tractors have a PTO system with four speeds and economy settings for 540rpm and 1000rpm speeds. You can select this using levers on the right hand fender console. A switch in the cab console engages the PTO
electronically.” Hydraulic power is from a 3-pump system with individual pumps for steering and lubrication. They provide a combined maximum output of 167L/m and rear power lift of 9300 kg capacity and 3500 kg front lift. New working lights, twin cab beacons and LED tail lights complement
The new McCormick X7 series will be launched this spring.
the tractors design. A new one-piece engine hood lifts high, and a redesigned radiator and fold-out oil cooler pack ease maintenance. Styling and paint are new, as is the maker’s Premiere cab. This is 180mm wider than the previous cab and has a new interior layout. Tel. 07 573 8132 info@agtek.co.nz
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The PNEUMATICSTAR-PRO is the perfect machine for maintaining pasture and for under and overseeding, as well as new seeding. It has been specially designed for harder work than the standard model to deal better with uneven ground including pugging. The PNEUMATICSTAR-PRO can work more aggressively in rough stalky crop and de-thatching.
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*Normal lending criteria applies. Consult your Power Farming dealer to discuss specific terms and rates. Loaders pictured may vary from those provided with tractor.
Dairy News august 12, 2014
66 // tractors & machinery
GPS boost for spreaders
Marcus Grennel with the SAM spreader at the fieldays.
GARETH GILLATT
SAM FERTILISER
Spreaders and Combo Spreaders fitted with a computer controlled spreading system can now be integrated with in-cab TracMap guidance and mapping systems, says Marcus Grennell, operations manager at Coom-
bridge & Alexander. He says the addition of guidance and mapping systems to control the spreaders computer control system is a big boost for the spreaders. Customers can now achieve improved nutrient effectiveness and efficiency gains, generated from variable spreader rate control used in con-
junction with the in-cab TracMap farm map. The twin 600mm spinner discs are driven by electronically controlled hydraulic motors, providing the spreaders operator with extremely accurate application control and proof of placement, says Grennell. The way organic product is applied has also been improved. Combo Spreaders now have an option for a material agitator – a bar fitted with vertical mixing rods – installed at the rear of the floor-belt. The agitator breaks up solid material such as screw-dried effluent before hitting the spinner discs, preventing large chunks from getting through and resulting in more consistent nutrient placement.
Combo Spreaders also have a two-speed floor to ensure effective application of both chemical and organic fertilisers. As a result, the Combo and Fertiliser Spreaders can apply nutrients at rates between 40kg and 2500kg/ha over 15-20m spreading centres. All chassis’s on SAM Spreaders have recently seen an improved painting procedure, firstly being sand-blasted, thermal-arc spray galvanised, followed by a final two-pot epoxy top-coat. This improved paintwork, together with the use of more stainless steel and ‘hot dip’ galvanised plates, helps to provide customers with an extremely corrosion resistant machine. Tel. 07 847 8492 www.sammachinery. co.nz
IF YOU LIKED THIS YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE THESE
Carting milk made easy
THE NEXT GEN IS COMING. Toughness and reliability - that’s what made the iconic MF185 so special. If you appreciated the virtues of that series, you’ll absolutely love what’s coming as part of the Next Gen MF range. A new era of value is coming soon to your nearest Massey Ferguson dealer.
TALK TO YOUR LOCAL DEALER ABOUT THE UPCOMING MASSEY FERGUSON EXPO ON 27 AUGUST IN MELBOURNE. www.masseyferguson.co.nz | Freecall: 0800 825 872
TRANSPORT ARMS added to Stallion Calf Care’s milk tanker-mixers ease the task of carting feeders and milk between milking shed and calf shed, the company says. Mounted on each side of the tanker, the arms can carry two five-teat feeders, enabling users to carry enough feeders to accommodate 20 calves. The unit also features the same 4-stroke, 5hp Honda engine as is used to power the pumping and mixing system in the company’s mixer-tanker-feeder range released at the Waikato field days. Stallion chief executive Grant Allen says the engine enables mixing a full tank of solution in three minutes, and to complete its auto-wash cycle in the same time. Development of the mixer-tanker and mixer-tankerfeeder units is a move to lift sales to farmers who want to feed calves in pens as well as paddocks. “It’s multi-use and not just a mobile for feeding,” Allen says. “It can mix milk powder or [supplements] for a farmer who wants to send every drop of milk to the factory. It can also transport milk/colostrum to calf sheds or to storage tanks for use later.” Allen says the arms allow operators to care for more replacements safely while helping limit staff numbers to those required only during the limited calving season. A calibrated floating level indicator and dispensing gun help measure correct milk quantities into feeders without the need for buckets. A fast-fill Camlock, 25mm drain valve and click-and-clean tank fitting allow fast loading and cleaning. Models come with either a 450L or 800L tanks mounted on strong galvanised steel frames. – Gareth Gillatt Tel. 06 356 8816 www.stallion.co.nz
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Metaboost (previously Minject) 4 in 1 Injection 500 ml Pillow
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Designed for use in pre-weaning, aids in immune function and rumen development and reduces the risk of respiratory disease. Use from birth until weaning. Average intake is 5-25 g/head/day.
Terms and Conditions: Offers and prices valid for dates specified, or while stocks last. Prices include GST and are subject to change. Some products may not be available in all stores but may be ordered on request. Prices do not include delivery, delivery costs are additional. Images are for illustrative purposes only.
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