Dairy Farmer November 5 2018

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November 2018

Striking the right balance Waikato couple juggle family and farm

Corporate formula a winner DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Challenge of breeding the perfect cow

Calves put their best hooves forward 1

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Inside November 2018 Editor

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THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME $8.95 THEMEBreeding THEME THEME & THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME genetics and THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME supplementary THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME feeding THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME THEME

November 2018

Waikato farmers Olin and Anna Greenan know the importance of having a good balance between farm and family life.

Striking the right balance Waikato couple juggle family and farm

Corporate formula a winner DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Challenge of breeding the perfect cow

Calves put their best hooves forward

www.farmersweekly.co.nz ISSN 2624-0939 (Print) ISSN 2624-0947 (Online) 2

1

Incl GST

6 NEWS

15 18 28

Market outlook

Commodity futures market has been up but is predicted to fall.

All go

Building begins on new AgResearch and Lincoln University hub

Judging underway

Judges head out on farms to check out the top calves

ON FARM STORY

6 20

Balancing act

Waikato farmers Olin and Anna Greenan aim for a good work-life balance

A winning business

Theland Purata’s Delaborin farm named Canterbury Dairy Business of the Year

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

20 THEME

47 52

Supplementary feeding Breeding and genetics

REGULAR FEATURES

FARMING CHAMPIONS

30 34

Dairy champion Wayne McNee

Fast Five – James Martin

16 36 38 40 42 46

At the Grassroots

Farmer opinion – Greg Maughan

Industry Good

News from DairyNZ

International news Research Science Technology

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GUEST COLUMN

Get in behind Fonterra

I

Fonterra boss Miles Hurrell believes the co-op has a lot of potential to add more value to the New Zealand economy but it is a work in progress.

TOOK the job of chief executive of Fonterra because I believe in the co-op’s potential and the positive difference it makes to New Zealand and consumers around the world.

It’s clear the challenge is big and we don’t always get everything right.

I’ve been open about that with our farmers, unit holders, employees and the NZ public.

Now our focus has shifted to rolling up our sleeves and getting on with the job.

We are well under way with our business review, which will deliver a balanced portfolio of high-performing investments aligned to strategy and delivering returns across the short, medium and longer terms.

We are also doing a critical review of our forecasting capability so farmers and investors will know more clearly what to expect from us.

As with any big task we have to start somewhere and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

It hasn’t stopped people commissioning their own reports and there’s no shortage of vested interests and opinions on where we should go from here.

I understand Kiwis will have an opinion about us. I’m totally okay with that. It’s to be expected when you’re NZ’s largest company and so many people are relying on you to get things right.

I have a team of 22,000 passionate and committed people around the world who come to work every day to do our farmers and NZ proud – taking our milk to the world and competing against the really big players on the international stage.

As a proud Kiwi I do hope NZ will get in behind us and be part of something positive.

We’ve never asked for a handout from the public but we do need a level playing field to shore up the longer-term contribution of the dairy industry to the country and give NZ-owned dairy companies a fair go on the international stage.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

After posting its first ever net loss after tax of $196 million it is time for Fonterra to roll up its sleeves and get on with it, acting chief executive Miles Hurrell says.

New Zealand needs to back Kiwi businesses, big and small, so we can get the most from our dairy industry.

NZ needs to back Kiwi businesses, big and small, so we can get the most from our dairy industry.

It’s already delivered a lot for the country and Fonterra has been an important part of that.

Last year alone we injected more than $10 billion into the NZ economy and we provide jobs here in NZ for about 12,000

Kiwis – from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South.

The price our farmers earn for their milk is now comparable with their peers in Europe and the United States. Before Fonterra our farmers got less than half.

That’s good for farmers but it is also good for the country because for every dollar farmers earn they spend up to 50 cents in their local community.

Our value-add business, which didn’t exist in any great scale in 2001, is now bigger than the rest of the NZ dairy industry combined and makes up close to half of our volumes. Our food service business is now a $2 billion a year operation.

More needs to be done to lift our performance. That’s my priority. And I hope NZ can and will back us in building Fonterra into the national champion we all want it to be. n • This originally appeared on the NZHerald site 5

ON FARM STORY

Olin Greenan tries to spend as much time with the children as possible so takes them out on farm Photos: Fritha TaggDAIRY FARMER

6 when he can. Noah, 2, and Jack, 4, help Olin hose down.

November 2018

Seeking a place to call home Making time for family and friends is important to a Waikato farming family. Fritha Tagg reports.

H

AVING a young family has changed a Waikato farming couple’s entire outlook on life.

Olin and Anna Greenan who are 50-50 sharemilkers on a 650-cow farm at Morrinsville say achieving a good work-life balance has become even more important to them now they have sons Jack, 4, and Noah, 2.

“People talk about getting the worklife balance right. I have found it is never truer than when you have children,” Olin says.

“Having the two boys has completely changed my outlook on life. I never knew it would be like this. It has been a bit like a light-bulb moment. As a parent you see things through a different set of eyes” Anna says after the birth of each child Olin was reluctant to go back to work on the farm.

“The first time I had ever heard Olin say he didn’t want to go to work was after Jack was born. I guess you could say he was smitten with Jack and then later Noah.

“Having children does change your perception of things and you come to

realise just how important family is and how important it is to strike a balance between the two.”

Juggling the demands of two small children, Anna’s job off the farm as well as the farm itself and everything that goes with it is no easy feat but the couple have a simple strategy to get that balance right – making the time for family time.

“I realise that six months of the year through calving and mating Olin is really busy on-farm and taking time off is difficult” Anna says.

“But even during those times we try to get away for a long weekend between calving and AI and Olin takes an afternoon off here and there when he can.

We make a plan and go with it but always keeping in mind that the best laid plans might not always work out.”

They admit life on the farm can be hectic at times but it is still a great lifestyle and environment to raise a family.

“If we can’t get away off farm we do have other options that enable us to spend time together,” Anna says.

“Even when he is really busy the boys can see Olin when he comes home for breakfast or lunch, even if it is just a few

minutes. Then during the day the boys and I can go over to the shed or out on the farm and see him.”

Anna says that even though life on the farm is 24/7, farming children probably get to spend more time with their parents than most.

“Taking the boys out on the farm they get to experience first-hand what dad does for a job.”

Continued page 8

FARM FACTS n Owner: Piako Middle Farm n Sharemilkers: Olin and Anna Greenan n Location: Morrinsville, Waikato n Farm size: 214ha, two dairy sheds n Cows: 650 Friesian and crossbred n Production: Target 1100kg MS/ha n Farm working expenses: $1.90

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Jack likes to help his dad on the farm. Olin shows Jack how to fix the milking machine.

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ON FARM STORY

Striking a good work-life balance can be difficult during the busy times on-farm but the Greenan family, from left, Anna, Noah, Jack and Olin simply make the time.

At the heart of striking that good work-life balance is having reliable and trustworthy staff and relief milkers.

Without them time away would be all but impossible because cows still need to be milked and fed and there is always work that needs to be done.

“Without good staff, achieving a good work-life balance is just not possible. We are really fortunate to have a fantastic team on-farm,” Olin says.

“At times it can be difficult to get reliable and trustworthy staff or relief milkers but it is important that you have people that you know will look after things while you are away.”

The scale of their sharemilking job has given them the chance to have permanent staff.

“When I was just sole charge it was sometimes hard to see the wood from the trees.”

Now, on the larger operation, it is about organisation, allocation and ensuring everyone has time off. Because I started at the bottom and worked my way up through the industry I understand what having reliable staff means and how important teamwork is to striking that balance for everyone.”

He grew up on his family’s 40-cow farm at Monaghan, Ireland, and would often be out and about helping his dad Eugene Greenan.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Leaving school he studied at Writtle University College, Essex, in Britain. He graduated with an honours degree in agriculture before coming to New Zealand in 2001 for a 12-month working holiday.

It’s great having a strong connection to nature, being a custodian of the land and producing sustainable food.

Olin Greenan

He went to work as a farm assistant for the Bird family on their 550-cow farm at Gordonton in Waikato where he learnt to farm the Kiwi way.

A sole-charge manager’s job followed before he returned to the Gordonton farm to do contract milking.

It was during that year-long working holiday he realised the opportunities in the dairy industry in NZ were far

greater compared to those in Ireland.

His dad was still running the family farm in Ireland and combined with the EU milk quotas that capped the amount of milk a farmer could sell every year without paying a levy, he struggled to see a way forward to progress with their small holding in Ireland.

So he stayed.

While he still holds Ireland close to his heart, NZ is his home away from home.

They try to return every couple of years to catch up with family and occasionally his parents visit.

“I am fairly well settled here but being so far from home and family does pull at the heartstrings at times, usually when something special is happening at home,” he says.

“But at the end of the day it was really a question of whether I could achieve the same things in Ireland that I could here and the answer was no.”

Not long after arriving he found himself struggling to meet people so joined the local Ngarua Young Farmers club.

“I met some great people, many of whom are still friends today. I even held several positions in the club over the years.”

He competed in the Young Farmer of the Year regional contest, which helped

Continued page 10 9

At the heart of balancing the farm and family is their staff, farm assistant Padraig Duff, farm manager Paddy Raftice, 2IC Kushalith Maduranga and Olin Greenan.

Photo: Supplied

him pave the way forward. As part of the contest contestants had to set goals and put future plans in place.

“Having gone through that process I realised that we could raise young stock and through smart saving we could begin on our path to sharemilking and ultimately farm ownership.”

Anna, a qualified dietician, comes from a non-farming background so got her first real taste of dairying when she met Olin in 2006.

“You could say it was a bit of a culture shock – certainly a change in lifestyle but a good one.

Anna worked full time off-farm as a dietician before the children were born.

She now has a small private practice, Dietitian At Your Table. That, looking after the kids and helping with the human resources and health and safety on-farm keep her busy.

In 2007 they decided to take the next step and go 50-50 sharemilking but while doing their due diligence and planning their investment in a herd they were advised to hold off by Ag First strategic adviser James Allen.

The price being paid for cows was very high at $2000 and more. The payout was

also good but Allen thought the risk was too high.

“We took his advice and when we were offered a 350-cow sharemilking job we turned it down,” Olin says.

“And lo and behold, 12 months later cow prices dropped to $1500. I guess the message there is professional advice is always worth listening to and we are grateful for his help and that we held off.”

In 2008 Olin took part in the NZ Dairy Industry Awards and won the national title of Farm Manager of the Year.

“This definitely helped give our bank the confidence to back us, approving

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November 2018

ON FARM STORY finances for the cows during the beginning of the Global Financial Crisis and we never looked back.”

In 2009, with cow prices at a reasonable level, they realised their goal and went 50-50 on the Van de Pas farm at Eureka, milking 300 cows.

They moved to another sharemilking role in Clevedon near Auckland in June 2013 but when that farm was sold they had to move on.

They moved to the Morrinsville farm in June and Olin says they had a good start to the season.

The farm is a System 2 so pasture feed is important. Having a simple farming system also plays a role in ease of getting off farm.

They are reluctant to have a high input system highly dependent on bought-in feed. Olin says more supplementary feed not only means more work but it is also more difficult to manage and control costs.

“We are fortunate that through the good management of the previous sharemilker we started with above-target pasture cover,” Olin says.

“The herd was in good condition going into calving and with the spring we are having production is tracking really well.”

They are targeting 1100 kilograms of milksolids a hectare and though they are ahead, they are conscious the peat soils get dry in summer and production could slow down.

Olin uses the spring rotation planner which he says is an important tool in feed budgeting.

“We are focused on pasture and aware of the economies of good pasture management so we are staying on top of monitoring.”

They try to do a pasture walk every 10 days and data is entered into Agrinet, an Irish cloud-based programme.

They keep supplements to a minimum and make silage only if there is a genuine surplus. Palm kernel will be fed only if absolutely necessary.

This season 14ha of maize has been planted and past results show they can expect a yield of about 20-25 tonnes of drymatter a ha. It will be used in autumn to replenish body condition score and build pasture cover heading into winter.

Calving began on July 12 and about 140 replacements were reared. They will be weaned at 90kg then sent to a grazier on December 1.

Mating began on October 5 and they

DAIRY FARMER

Continued page 12 November 2018

The farm is a System 2 so pasture is important. Olin does a farm walk every 10 days.

Photo: Supplied

11

ON FARM STORY

Noah, 2, and Jack, 4, watch the herd come in for afternoon milking.

did five weeks of AB then ran Jersey bulls with the herd for a further five weeks. Low index cows are put to Herefords so they get some value from the calves.

“We try and keep mating reasonably tight so at the other end calving is finished by mid-September.”

The threat of Mycoplasma bovis created some concern because they lease bulls to put over the herd.

“We were a bit worried about bringing unknown bulls in but at the same time we were reluctant to do 10 weeks of AB,” he says.

Photo: Supplied

They are a tight-knit team who work well together. Olin is responsible for the day-to-day running of the farm and Anna is responsible for human resources and health and safety – something she is vigilant about.

Her experience working at Waikato Hospital means she has seen the unfortunate results of farm accidents so is keen to ensure everyone adheres to safe farming practices.

Olin says as much as they enjoy taking Jack and Noah out on the farm with him they are very careful when they do.

Second in charge Kushalith Maduranga talks to Olin Greenan about the cows’ feeding regime.

12

“We always make sure there is an adult with them at all times – we don’t leave them even for a second,” he says.

“Some may say we are over-cautious but accidents can happen so quickly.”

Though he can’t always take the boys with him he says it quite a special thing to see Jack with the same passion for farming he had when he was young.

“Jack loves living on the farm surrounded by animals and machinery.

He helps me herd the cows and check on the calves,” Olin says.

“He mimics what I do. He is very informed about farming because he sees it every day. He asks a thousand questions a day so is a mini encyclopaedia on farming. He loves putting on his Redbands to come with me to the store to get supplies.”

Looking ahead they have set a few more goals to achieve but ultimately the goal is farm ownership.

“As sharemilkers there is always an element of uncertainty. We experienced that in out last job,” Anna says.

“Having our own farm would give us stability, a place we can put down roots and call home but that is long term.”

Olin believes the land price is out of kilter so they are happy to stay put and take the time to consolidate their equity so they are in a good position to look at all options when it is time for their next move.

“Yes, we are looking for equity growth but it’s also important to have a place we can call home,” Olin says.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

A farmer in the making OLIN and Anna Greenan are very safety conscious, which has rubbed off on their children.

Son Jack has become very knowledgeable about farm safety. Here is what he told us when asked about the dangers on farm.

Question: Are there dangerous places on the farm Jack?

Jack: The drains cause they’re full of water, trucks on the lanes when drivers can’t see.

Question: Is there anything else Jack?

Jack: Big poo pit – not allowed to go there cause it’s full of cow poo. Motorbikes. You should wear a helmet and not go fast.

Question: What about the animals, are they dangerous?

Jack: Bulls can kick you and stuff. No kids should go in there.

Don’t go out by yourself with no adult. If you are in a paddock with the cows be careful.

Question: Is there anything else Jack?

Jack “Machinery [contractors], don’t go out there when you’re by yourself cause no one can see kids in the lanes.”

Question: What are the good things about living on a farm, what do you really love doing?

Jack: I like washing the yard with Daddy. Feeding the calves.

I like tagging with Daddy too.

I even know how to write the numbers down of the cows calved.

“It’s great having a strong connection to nature, being a custodian of the land and producing sustainable food.

“It’s awesome having interesting and varied work and being able to see my children during the day.” n

>> Video link: bit.ly/OFSgreenan

Jack Greenan is well aware of the dangers on the farm.

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NEWS

No stress for buyers STEPHEN BELL

A

GLOBAL DAIRY PRICES, 2014-18

S IF New Zealand dairy farmers aren’t under enough scrutiny from critics at home the eyes of the world are now on them to see how much milk they produce this spring.

Most commentators around the world expect the supply flush to further ease the need for buyers to rush in and thus allow commodity prices to keep sliding.

However, there are still many uncertainties contributing to volatility, the weather and exchange rates not being the least of them.

Politics are also adding to the mix with America’s sudden moves in trade wars and the effect of the Canada-United States agreement on the former’s milk rules that result in Canadian farmers adding to the glut of skim milk powder on global markets.

Looking through the NZX crystal ball at the longer-term shows the farmgate milk price contracts for September 2019 at $6.20/kg MS, September 2020 at $5.96 and September 2021 at $7.

That shows those trading futures contracts less optimistic than Fonterra’s $6.25 to $6.50 prediction and Rabobank’s $6.65 for this season. Most market commentators, however, agreed broadly with the futures market. At its last revision the NZX took 15 cents off its milk price prediction for this season. It now sits at $6.18.

The commodities futures market has been trading up slightly overall recently but it indicates a slip is expected going into November before heading up.

However, for NZ’s key whole milk powder market the futures do indicate a steady but unhurried climb from the $2620 a tonne settlement price on October 26 to $2855 a year from now.

Skim milk powder traders are looking for a slow rise from $2025 to $2225 about August next year before the price slips below $2000. Anhydrous milk fat and butter prices are expected to follow a similar pattern.

The people at NIWA reading the weather’s tea leaves expect average or above average temperatures this month, making the rain a decisive factor in grass DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Source: USDA, Rabobank 2018

There are still many uncertainties contributing to volatility. growth and therefore milk production.

They say most of the country can expect roughly normal rain totals with a chance of slightly lower rain totals, especially in the east.

And should an El Nino develop this summer it will not be in the strong category so is not expected to be of similar intensity to those experienced in 2015-16, 1997-98 and 1982-83.

Milk production in NZ is running 5% above last season for the first three months of the season but Rabobank expects that to even out to a 2% rise over the whole season.

It says the buoyant NZ milk flows continue to provide buyers on the commodity markets with no urgency to secure supply.

“However, NZ milk supply is bucking the global trend of slower output.”

RaboResearch expects global milk supply to grow only modestly over the next 12 months.

“While this will provide some upside to commodity prices, NZ’s peak milk flows need to be worked through first.”

And stocks of SMP around the world remain burdensome.

“European intervention stocks still need to be worked through, India has tagged a stockpile of SMP for export and US non-fat dry milk stocks are higher than the prior year.

“But there is some potential good news for SMP. “As part of the USMCA trade agreement Canada has committed to limiting surplus SMP onto global markets.

“This could prove helpful in a market overloaded with aging SMP,” it said.

Most currency values have softened against the US dollar this year.

Rabobank expects the USD to remain well supported going into next year so expensive inputs for farm costs look set to continue.

“Should commodity prices lift as well, emerging markets could face a double whammy with weaker buying power in key regions and more expensive goods.” n 15

AT THE GRASSROOTS

Dairy still attractive Manawatu dairy farmer Greg Maughan has seen many changes in the dairy industry over the past 40 years but says the challenge is to get more young people involved.

H

OW do we attract and retain young people in dairy farming?

That has been the ongoing question in all my years of dairy farming and as the industry has expanded so has the problem.

To look forward I have to look back and reflect on what I saw as a young town boy who wanted to own my own farm one day.

Two things led me to the industry. The first was moving from town at age 12 to a lifestyle block surrounded by dairy farms.

I was given the chore of feeding the pigs on said lifestyle block and hated every bloody minute of it.

Every morning I was up early so I would see the lights on in a cowshed across the paddock and one day decided to investigate. From then on I spent more time over there and at friends’ dairy farms than at home, eventually getting out of feeding the pigs.

You could say I saw the light.

The second was what the industry had to offer if you could get past the perception back then and still entrenched today of you only go farming if you’re a dumb bugger.

There were hundreds of people starting with nothing and working their way through the 50:50 sharemilking system and owning their own farms by age 30.

There was a programme called the Farm Cadet Scheme where young people were supported and mentored through their career, there were institutions like Flock House in Bulls where young people could learn practical farming skills, Massey and Lincoln were flat out delivering agriculture degrees and, of course, before 1984 farming was given a lot of government support.

In short, there was a pathway to success.

Sure you had to work hard and be focused but it was there and, without a doubt, everyone who wanted to take that pathway had the goal of owning their own farm.

16

Greg Maughan is a dairy farmer from Marton and is passionate about attracting and retaining young people to the dairy industry.

Where are we today?

Institutions that were instrumental in the success of the industry have been shut down or reduced.

Flock House closed in 1988, leaving amazing facilities in wrack and ruin. The Farm Cadet Scheme was dismantled in favour of unit-based training and Massey and Lincoln are but shadows of their former selves in their agriculture degree output.

The desire to own your own farm has decreased drastically.

Young people don’t want to work as hard physically as they used to.

To my biggest dismay, we have let the 50:50 sharemilking system decline to where the death rites are about to be administered.

Despite all this there is still the opportunity to make the dairy industry sexy in an effort to attract and retain young people.

We can ensure there are clear pathways

to success at whatever level a person aspires to but we also must have a clear pathway to farm ownership for those who want it or else we will end up with a whole lot of dairy farms that nobody wants.

The naysayers of the dairy industry might be happy with that but it will not be good for Fonterra or New Zealand’s finances.

To achieve this we should reinvigorate the 50:50 sharemilking system or those in equity partnerships must change their mission statements to include a goal of allowing the junior partner to eventually own the farm or allow easy exit clauses so they can go and buy their own farm.

I challenge farmers to be part of the solution not the problem.

We have used the systems of the past to get to where we have and we need to give others the opportunity too.

Highlighting the successes of our young people in the industry is so important to motivate those considering it as a DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

career. You only have to go to a regional or national Dairy Industry Awards dinner to see the amount of success out there.

Yet, none of this success is reported outside the rural media.

After his negative journalism on the dairy industry two years ago I invited Cameron Bennett to a Dairy Awards national dinner at Sky City, right next to the TVNZ building in Auckland. I did not even get the courtesy of a reply.

I challenge mainstream media to come to a NZ Dairy Awards evening and report on the successes of the industry instead of being negative about the industry all of the time.

I come back to my first statement of looking through the perception of the industry and what it has to offer.

The physical nature of the work has been negated by technology and will become more so over the years.

Farmers are at the leading edge of technology on environmental issues and have probably done more collectively than any other part of society yet still bear the brunt of the blame for water quality.

The wheel is starting to turn on farm training with a new version of the Farm Cadet Scheme implemented. Wages and conditions in general are in line H STAFF CREDITS ACHIEVED with mainstream careers. Older farmers want to exit the industry and, hopefully, their thoughts will turn back to the PROGRAMMES system COMPLETED sharemilking to help younger people to progress.

If I was a young person now and with the same ambitions and drive I had 40 years ago I would be happy. There is so much opportunity to progress in y Age the industry and I don’t believe farm & Under 51% 24ownership 28% is impossible.

25-34 33% Land prices have dropped, there is a 35-44 large selection 19% of farms to choose from, 45+ 20%industry without you can enter the the need to buy shares if you supply an independent, if you want to supply 2017 2016 2015 016 2015 Fonterra the share price is low and there 24 & Under 28% 35% 33% 51% 54% are more flexible options, 25 - 34 33% 31% 31% interest rates 6% 18% are low and with the right 35 - 44 19% 18% 18% debt levels 2% 9% 45+ 20%made.

16% 18% profits to be 21% 19% In conclusion, the way to attract and retain young people to dairy farming is to highlight and promote the benefits of the industry and the pathways that are within it and once they are attracted to it ensure there is plenty of encouragement TARGET:and 80% support to keep them engaged going forward PROGRAMME – nothing different from what we haveRATE been talking about for the past 40 OMPLETION or more years but just practising what we have been preaching. n

4

565,547 13,272

70%

DAIRY FARMER

Greg Maughan has been working as a mentor to young people in the industry for several years.

Industry Statistics PRIMARY ITO TRAINING STATISTICS Industry Partnership Group

People training with us 2017

2016

2015

2017

2016

2015

2017

2016

2015

Amenity Horticulture

2,201

1,990

1,635

33,247

49,903

43,864

979

1,057

1,249

551

741

414

14,456

22,122

18,306

310

449

358

7,734

8,368

9,079

140,041

194,726

303,214

3,970

4,054

5,552

Dairy Processing

846

688

843

13,706

16,921

15,592

218

348

525

Meat & Leather Processing

5,850

5,468

6,897

123,400

122,714

163,938

2,698

4,170

4,960

255

264

277

4,969

10,175

9,389

132

181

191

Other Industries (no IPG)

3,912

3,255

2,958

96,171

50,772

60,179

1,606

1,332

1,511

Pipfruit

1,411

1,717

1,101

42,092

47,311

22,182

1,096

897

452

Racing & Equine

502

500

511

8,105

11,046

11,990

200

200

202

Seafood

1,367

1,292

1,440

32,166

35,319

31,759

806

703

858

Sheep, Beef & Deer

1,094

1,215

1,089

13,157

24,444

29,551

373

561

482

Sports Turf

425

462

492

7,437

10,638

11,475

126

218

190

Vegetable & Other Fruit Production

795

854

1,038

17,399

20,104

30,890

377

418

620

Viticulture

547

687

773

7,428

22,421

21,734

201

476

491

Wool Harvesting

715

876

968

11,773

11,778

7,715

180

187

163

28,205

28,377

29,515

565,547

650,394

781,778

13,272

15,251

17,804

Avocado & Kiwifruit Dairy Farming

Nursery Production

Total

Credits achieved

Programmes completed*

*Industry training programmes completed includes: Limited Credit Programmes, Supplementary Credit Programmes, New Zealand Certificates and New Zealand Diplomas.

November 2018

17 ANNUAL REPORT 2017

7

NEWS

Lincoln hub all go TIM FULTON

B

UILDING has finally begun and staff are on the move at Lincoln as part of a $200m plan for agricultural education, science and industry.

In 2013 the Government, AgResearch and Lincoln University announced plans to build a research hub for both public and private sector use.

Lincoln and AgResearch are in a joint-venture to create a world-class environment for agricultural research and education based on shared use of laboratories, teaching spaces and offices.

In July AgResearch moved its corporate headquarters from Ruakura in Waikato to its existing premises opposite Lincoln University.

Construction also started recently on PGW Seeds’ new facility on AgResearch’s Springs Road frontage.

It’s a forerunner to a bigger shared campus project in which AgResearch and Lincoln own, lease and occupy a new facility and share space with DairyNZ as a tenant.

Five buildings in the new complex at Lincoln are set to house 700 scientists, academics and students.

Most of the 27,000 square metres will be shared laboratory and workspace and the key word is shared, AgResearch chief executive Tom Richardson said.

“There’s no AgResearch science wing.

Clusters are based around the work being done at the hub including biosecurity, microbiology and soils.

“The AgResearch and Lincoln teams have designed that facility jointly and both those teams will be located in that area.”

AgResearch and Lincoln will pay rent based on their proportionate use of the space and that figure will be adjustable over time, Richardson said.

The latest estimate is for the first buildings to be open by late 2020 but the project has been subject to ongoing delays, mainly related to confirmation of Government funding for the financiallyembattled Lincoln University.

Separate to the hub concept and the new facility, Lincoln and Canterbury Universities are considering a closer

18

An artist’s impression shows how the $200 million agricultural research and education, on which work has now started, at Lincoln will look when it is finished.

There’s been months and months without a lot of progress but no-one’s lost sight of the prize.

relationship. Word on that plan is expected within weeks.

Richardson said co-locating took longer than expected but there is tangible evidence of boots on the ground.

“It’s been a long time between drinks as we worked through the options with the co-developer, the university. There’s been months and months without a lot of progress but no-one’s lost sight of the prize.”

Richardson said the main change to the hub concept since 2013 is the amount of Crown help for Lincoln.

“The Crown is providing roughly $85m for Lincoln University – a portion of their contribution towards the new facility.”

He expects the Crown will be able to finally approve its funding in November, based partly on final estimated construction costs.

AgResearch is spending $115m on

co-locating facilities, including $45m for a new building at Massey University.

AgResearch is funding its reorganisation by selling surplus assets, using retained earnings and borrowing. It will negotiate all of those arrangements over the next three years, Richardson said.

The broad aim of the hub concept is to create an ecosystem for undergraduate and graduate education and applied research, he said.

Since 2013 AgResearch has relocated staff and facilities to Lincoln from Invermay in Otago and Ruakura in Waikato and sold non-core commercial property in Wellington.

“That asset sales programme has been under way for a number of years and we have a few more this financial year and a few more in subsequent years as we move out of existing facilities.”

AgResearch Ruakura will keep about 100 scientists and some support staff, focusing on environmental and biosecurity issues and maintaining partnerships with nearby industry organisations like Innovation Waikato.

“It will still be a centre focused around dairy, farm systems and environment in Waikato, Bay of Plenty catchment issues.”

Invermay will keep 20-30 jobs, focused mainly on environmental and farm systems issues facing Otago and Southland farmers. The centre will also service the new Southland dairy hub, which AgResearch partly funded. n DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

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ON FARM STORY

20

Paul Clement is the contract milker on the Theland Purata Farm Group property, Delaborin, which is the 2018 Canterbury Dairy Business of the Year. Abby with baby Izzy and Paul with Maize, 21 months.

Photos: Redbox Photography Ltd DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Farming to a company plan

I

A corporate formula is the bedrock for a Canterbury farm’s industry award. Tim Fulton reports.

RRIGATED dairy conversions usually go like the clappers in Canterbury but at Delaborin it was a virtual age before most of the farm was connected to pipes and centre pivots.

Just a few years after converting fully to dairy the owner’s patience has been rewarded and earlier this year the farm was named the Canterbury winner at the 2018 Dairy Business of the Year awards.

Managed by contract milker Paul Clement, the 1200-cow Delaborin unit also recently won a Ballance AgriNutrients Farm Environment Award for integrated management.

Judges said it was tightly contested but first-time entrant Delaborin stood out.

“In the end it came down to cost control that decided the difference. They have a very good pasture harvest at 15.5 tonnes DM/ha from a medium input system,” the judges said.

The awards used farm data from the 2016-17 season.

“Winning was unexpected as it is not really something we set out to achieve,” Clement says.

“But it is nice to be recognised and even though the team involved that year is no longer together it is still good recognition for them.”

Clement says though the award was for two season ago it is great to be able to take the time and reflect on the good.

“As farmers we don’t often take the time to think about what has happened on the farm and the good aspects of the season.

We become focused on what’s next and what needs to be done.”

He says the Dairy Business of the Year Awards are a great concept and well structured.

“They are a good fit for our business as they judge on what we are doing on

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

a daily basis. Our goal is to be profitable and the business analysis we got from entering has been hugely valuable and informative in our business planning.”

Planning is done annually using inhouse feed and cash budgets linked to confirm system concepts and highlight opportunities to improve profit.

Delaborin, near Hororata, about 50km west of Christchurch, is part of Theland Farm Group. The 29 farms belong to Chinese-owned NZ Milk.

The group’s 29 farms include Theland Tahi Farm Group, with 16 farms in the North Island, and Theland Purata Farm Group, which has 13 farms in Canterbury.

The Tahi properties consist of 13 dairy farms and three dairy support farms between Hamilton and Bulls, of which nine dairy are in the greater Taupo area. A number of the properties were once part of Crafar Farms.

Purata comprises 12 irrigated dairy farms and one irrigated dairy support farm. Delaborin is certified as a Gold Elite supplier for Synlait Milk.

Delaborin converted to dairy under Synlait Farms in 2005-06 but 60% of it remained in dryland cropping for the next 10 seasons. The clincher for completing the irrigation was switching from groundwater to piped flow from the Central Plains Water scheme.

In 2015-16 about 220ha of Delaborin’s dryland was turned over to irrigated

dairy. A 60-bail rotary shed replaced the existing herringbone shed and other development included regrassing of 220ha, reconfiguring and adding pivot irrigation infrastructure, upgrading the effluent systems and fencing.

The 355ha Delaborin unit originally milked 450 cows using water from two unreliable bores to irrigate just a third of the land. The rest of the farm was used as winter grazing for upwards of 2000 cows in the off-season.

Now, with Central Plains Water applied through 10 pivots and 20 sets of fixed grid sprinklers over the whole farm, cow numbers have grown to 1200 and the entire farm has become a dairy platform.

There is no longer winter grazing and nitrogen losses have been cut.

Clement had the formidable job managing the farm during the conversion but took plenty of lessons from the experience as well as other opportunities that have been given to him by the business.

Continued page 22

FARM FACTS n Owners: NZ Milk, Theland Purata Group n Contract milker: Paul Clement n Location: Horarata, central Canterbury n Farm size: 355ha n Cows: 1200 Kiwicross A2 n Budgeted production: 2018-2019 526,001kg MS n Farm working expenses: (Budgeted cost of production) $3.72/ kg MS

21

ON FARM STORY

Delaborin milks 1200 cows and rears 350-400 replacement calves each year. Paul feeding the young calves.

He was originally looking for a 2IC role at Delaborin but ended up going straight into the farm manager’s job.

“Thinking about it now, it was probably a bit over my head but I have no regrets

about taking it on and it was a good experience. I am glad that I did it,” Clement says.

“I am far from perfect as a farm manager but the company has been really

Paul comes from a sheep background but went dairying because he could see there were more opportunities for progression.

22

supportive and recognised that while I didn’t have a long history in the industry, I did have parallel skills.”

His biggest work-on was managing staff. Cows, grass, irrigation and business systems were easy compared to getting the people side right and building the culture, he says.

Originally from Darfield, Clement comes from a sheep background.

He graduated from Lincoln University in 2007 with an ag commerce degree in farm management and rural valuation and went to work in banking.

“I found myself dealing with farmers and I really enjoyed that aspect of my job,” he says.

“I had a thought in the back of my mind that if the opportunity ever came up to go farming I would.

In 2010 he did a six-month stint in Canada working on an extensive cattle ranch in the Saskatchewan region. Those six months sealed the deal.

“That job is where I developed a passion for working with cattle.

“When I returned home I looked at sheep farming but there were few jobs around and, from what I could tell, not a lot of opportunity to progress. On the flip DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

side dairy had plenty of jobs available and opportunities to progress.”

His first dairying job was on Kynan and Nicola Thomsen’s dairy farm at Patoka at the foot of the Kaweka Ranges, about 50km northwest of Napier.

After two years of learning the ropes he went travelling through Europe for six months with his partner Abby, a newlyqualified doctor.

He has known Abby since they were teenagers. The couple married in 2014.

They have two daughters, Maize, 21 months and Izzy was born in September.

After the couple returned to New Zealand late in 2012 Clement found a job at Delaborin, then part of a corporate farming group run by Synlait Farms.

“During the first season of total dairying following the conversion we did have some teething problems,” he says.

“But it was a great way to learn about project management and grow my people skills,” he says.

Last season he joined Purata’s operations team. It provides support and mentoring to the farm managers and staff as well as overseeing the farming operation and ensures budgets and targets are met.

Continued page 24

While Paul oversees the farm Abby, a local GP, is busy with their newborn baby. Abby with baby Izzy and Paul with Maize, 21 months, check out the herd.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

23

ON FARM STORY

Paul and his dog Harley check the moisture levels in the soil.

“Our employees can call on the corporate team for help preparing budgets, profit-loss accounts and invoices or dial up agronomists for advice on feeding cows, environmental rules, fertiliser applications, effluent control and vet treatments.”

In the broader management he continues to learn more about the business and himself. That process has continued this season, where he’s back in a hands-on job at Delaborin as a contract milker.

Clement has four full-time staff and during the busy calving and mating

periods an extra pair of hands is brought in to help.

Theland has a system for running its farm teams based on cornerstones such as the InSynC lean management programme.

Delaborin runs a System 2 to 3 that includes about 400kg DM of supplementary feed.

Theland group manager Andy Millar says systems are a big part of Delaborin’s success and integral to the team’s efficiency and innovation.

“A priority is to maximise the use of irrigated pasture grown and matching

feed supply to demand.

“The underlying goals are sustainable development, profitable systems and following best practice. This means continuing attention to robust procedures and a focus on continuous improvement.”

The core of the corporate’s farm plan and budget is a feed plan, forecasting feed use, pasture management and harvest and milk production. An annual budget is drafted in January or February then refined and signed off in April. A set plan for key farm activities includes fertiliser application, cropping and regrassing.

“The company pays a lot of attention to

Proven Product. Best Spread.

visibility of all components that make up costs and revenue within the farm plan.

Just as importantly, information is shared widely with the team,” Millar says.

Theland Purata also has a specific goal of maximising the value of milk, using its Synlait Milk Lead With Pride accreditation to Gold Elite level, A2 premium.

Cumulatively, that potentially adds 45c/ kg MS. To control costs Theland and Delaborin managers do a monthly review of physical data, livestock, production, pasture and bought-in feed.

The analysis includes reforecasting to year end and replanning to address any projected variations. The farm uses Greentree accounting software with Webview, which provides an in-house feed planner and farm plan spreadsheet linked to a farm budget.

Millar says the company pays particular attention to staff training based on clear guidelines to empower staff to make decisions within those guidelines.

The company uses advisers from Theland’s operations and people and culture team as well Number 8 HR for management training, performance review, systems, management and recruitment.

As an employer a priority is a happy team knowing what they are supposed to do. Strategically, from a farm management perspective, pasture comes first and supplements are used strategically to fill pasture deficits.

Pasture is measured weekly and recorded on Pasture Coach, generating key reports for daily grazing decisions.

“Pasture cover is updated into the annual feed budget weekly to forecast feed requirement changes and any increases in feed requirements outside of

the annual budget have to be approved,” Clement says.

Purata accesses internal and external agronomy advice and has a long-standing relationship with Ballance Agri-Nutrients, which provides fertiliser budgeting and planning. All supplements made on farm are harvested by local contractors.

“We used grain, grass silage made on the platform, bought-in maize silage and palm kernel for the first time this season,” Clement says.

The palm kernel is being used to decrease the average of cost of concentrates being fed in the cowshed.

“Maize silage is the cheapest form of silage available. Grain is a high-quality

concentrate grown in Canterbury. The stocking rate used allows for grass silage to be made on the platform, generally each season,” Millar says.

Fodder beet was grown on the farm until last season, mostly in autumn.

“Fodder beet will not be grown this season due to economic reasons based upon yield we achieve per hectare against the amount of pasture we could grow per hectare,” Millar says.

A mineral mix is delivered by Dosatron for the whole of lactation to help in metabolic issues.

Cows are allocated enough winter

Continued page 26

Paul does a pasture walk, which is measured weekly and recorded on Pasture Coach.

Theland Purata Farm Group - Delaborin Dairy Business of the Year KPIs • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Location: Hororata, Canterbury Cows: 1195 effective area: 352.8ha Milk prod: 460kg MS/cow, 1560kg MS/ha Return on capital: 5.3% Operating profit margin: 32.4% Operating profit per ha: $3118 Cost of production per kg MS: $ 4.21 Operating expenses per kgMS: $4.18 Pasture harvest tDM/ha: 15.5 Pasture % of feed: 81.8% Core per cow costs: $662 Labour efficiency cows /FTE: 230 Environ Score out of 15: 9 HR Score out of 15: 10.6

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

25

ON FARM STORY

Paul is part of the Theland Purata’s operations team and the contract milker on Delaborin.

grazing, kale and straw to increase of half a body condition score. The quality of summer pasture is managed by making grass silage on the platform to control the average pasture cover.

Clement says a key focus and opportunity is body condition management and reproductive performance because so much rests on getting cows in-calf including impacting on the days in milk, cost or income from replacements, ability for voluntary culls

and subsequent quality of the herd.

Limiting livestock losses and involuntary culls, good milk quality management and accurate recording are also important.

“We aim for a condition score 5 at calving for mixed age cows, 5.5 for first and second calvers,” Clement says.

“At the end of May we aim to have August calving cows at 0.5 BCS or less away from these targets.”

Calving begins on August 8 and they

Paul has a team of four and they hold regular meetings. From left, farm assistant Pedro Mayea, Paul Clement and 2IC Ryan Dickey talk about health and safety.

26

rear 350-400 replacements.

“It can get pretty hectic during calving and on a busy day we can have more than 50 cows calve so it is good to have that extra pair of hands,” Clement says.

Calves are gathered up from the paddock twice a day and the team ensures they get a good feed of colostrum within six to 12 hours of birth.

The target weaning weight is 90kg in 90 days and, once weaned, all replacement calves are sold to the wider business for the group. Calves are off the farm by December.

Theland runs two heifer-only businesses so once they have been milked for a season they are sent to the other farms.

“We don’t necessarily get back the calves that were born on this farm but the system works well,” Clement says.

The herd on Delaborin this season is now A2/A2. It was previously a crossbred herd.

Mating begins on October 30 and they do AI for five weeks then run a crossbred bull for a further six weeks.

In previous years, they have mated low breeding worth cows to Wagyu or Hereford.

Their culling regime includes empty cows, multiple mastitis cases in more than one quarter, chronically lame cows and poor udder confirmation.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

A priority is to maximise the use of irrigated pasture grown and matching feed supply to demand.

For the past 18 months Paul has been a volunteer firefighter for the Hororata Fire Brigade, which gives him a focus away from the farm.

Andy Millar

Theland Farm Group

Looking ahead, Millar says the focus is on sustainable profit to deliver choice and adaptability.

“We are also looking to reduce our reliance on brought-in feed and we intend to adopt a strategy and technologies to mitigate water quality and climate change.”

For Clement life continues to be busy at home with a young family and on the farm. Abby is on maternity leave from her job as a general practitioner in Darfield.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Outside of farming, he is a regular for the Darfield division two rugby side playing lock and for the past 18 months has been a volunteer firefighter for the Hororata brigade.

“Working for the brigade is a good way to focus on something different and a way to become involved in the community,” he says.

“Often when I took a day off I would spend 80% of the time thinking about what is happening on-farm.”

The couple have a number of life goals they want to achieve. Career-wise, they want to ensure they are in a position to take any opportunities that might arise.

“Even though Abby is a townie and loves the beach I think I have converted her to the rural lifestyle,” he says.

“She would probably love a farm next to the beach and farm ownership is quite possibly on the cards but what type of farm is still up for discussion.” n

27

CALF CLUB

Hard work pays off Public votes are now in and the top 10 children and their calves in each region have been selected. Formal Calf Club NZ judging is under way. Samantha Tennent caught up with the Templeman family of Picton after the judge’s visit.

C

ONTINUING the calf club tradition despite heightened biosecurity is a welcome initiative in the Templeman household.

Jason and Amber Templeman who farm at Linkwater near Picton were involved in calf clubs and pet days when they were young and have passed on their love of animals, especially calves, to their four children.

Issac, 8, Katie, 7, and twins Matty and Max, 6, entered two calves each in the Calf Club NZ online competition.

All four children and their calves were selected in the top 10 for their region and were recently visited by judge Kerry Robbins from Holstein Friesian New Zealand.

Issac and Katie say they were nervous but twins Matty and Max say they weren’t worried at all, it was fun.

Cuddles with their calves is one of their favourite things.

Issac says the most difficult thing about caring for his calf Nya was getting her to lead and drink from a bucket.

“She is really lovely and friendly,” he says.

“I led her around the ring and told the judge all about her and that was fun.”

28

Katie says the hardest thing for her was getting her calf Milly to walk alongside her.

“That was pretty hard as she kept wanting to go in all directions,” she says “But when the judge visited us Milly behaved herself and led properly.

“I love my calf as she is very cuddly and smoochy.”

Matty and Max also enjoy cuddles with their calves and Matty says he really enjoys having his calf Sky suck on his fingers.

“Sky is really neat,” Matty says.

“I fed her every morning and night. I hugged her lots and taught her to lead.

She was really good at leading.”

Max says his calf Tulip lets them ride him and he also enjoyed feeding and brushing his calf.

“She behaved herself when the judge was watching and was good in the ring.

“I had a lots of fun.”

Amber says the children selected their calves in August and have put in a lot of time and effort training and caring for them.

The children did all the hard work with their calves themselves.

Amber looked after them for the first four days to ensure they got adequate colostrum and once the children chose

their calves they moved them over to the house paddock.

“All four children put a lot of hard work into their animals.

“At previous calf club days they’ve earned ribbons and sometimes won cups which makes it all worth it, they really love it,” Amber says.

Each morning before school Amber haltered and tied the calves to the fence to help make the mornings more organised.

“Otherwise, it’s just chaos for the kids feeding lambs and calves and getting ready for school.”

“I give them the milk, they feed their calves, take their covers off, wash the buckets and get ready for school.

“After school they feed them again, brush them and lead them every day.”

Though judging is done the children continue to care for their calves, which will soon be returned to run with the others.

The Templeman children have all raised and trained calves since they were fiveyears-old.

Each of them rears two calves, a dairy heifer that goes into the herd and a beef calf that is raised and sold at 18 months with the proceeds going back to the kids.

“Issac just sold two of his beef calves DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Calf Club is an annual tradition in the Templeman household. Issac, 8, Matty, 6, Katie, 7, and Max, 6, each reared, trained and showed two calves.

Katie Templeman found it difficult to teach her calf Milly to walk alongside her.

I love my calf as she is very cuddly and smoochy.

Katie Templeman

and used the money to buy a motorbike.

“It gives them a chance to learn about working hard to earn your reward,” Amber says.

Entering Calf Club NZ was a big job because they’d left it till the last day and had to take the kids out of school to wash and prep the calves and complete the 100 words to accompany their entries but it was worthwhile.

Amber is pleased the organisers found a way to hold calf club days to get around the threat of Mycoplasma bovis.

“I’m sure the kids would’ve wanted to do calves regardless. We are so proud of all the effort they put in with all their animals.

“I think it’s a great concept and we should keep it going.

“It’s a great idea to have a national competition which puts them against the rest of NZ so they can see how they’re going.”

“They are looking forward to future calf clubs no matter what form they are in.” n DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

29

DAIRY CHAMPION

LIC chief executive Wayne McNee says the role appealed to him because science is at the core of the business.

30

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Science and complexity a great challenge

T

Creating the perfect cow for New Zealand herds is at the heart of LIC’s work. Barbara Gilham reports.

HERE are three things Wayne McNee looks for in a job – complexity, challenges and science.

As the chief executive of Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) he is in charge of overseeing the nation’s herds and their reproductive performance so deals with all three daily.

Add to that about 700 staff throughout New Zealand, increasing to 2500 during the peak dairy breeding season and LIC’s offices in Britain, Ireland, Australia and the United States and agents in South America and South Africa and he has plenty to keep him occupied.

He describes LIC as a really important business for the NZ dairy industry.

The company develops 80% of the genetics for dairy in the country as well as providing software to over 90% of farmers.

“Coming from a science background, the role at LIC appealed to me because science is at its core,” he says.

“We supply hardware, we’ve got data scientists and its dairy, which I believe is the heart of the NZ primary industries and therefore the heart of the NZ economy. The role and the company were a perfect fit for me.”

At LIC’s annual meeting he spoke about the future of genetics and what is happening in the field.

“The main area of focus we have been investing in is genomics.

“We have invested about $40 million into genomics over the past 15 years and we’re still investing a lot.

“Genomics is a core way of speeding up genetic gains and identifying particular traits from the gene of animals and breeding from those rather than using traditional sire proving, which we do as well.”

LIC is working with research partners to use a technology called CRISPR – clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats – that enables

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

scientists to go in and get at a gene to remove harmful traits.

There are two aspects to the work.

One is to try to reduce negative health traits and illnesses. The other is to look at things like methane and nitrate production in dairy cows.

“We need to see if there are things we could do here to reduce the impact of dairy on the environment long term and there is a potential genetic opportunity in that.

“It’s clearly something that is important to the industry and to the wider public.

We are continuing to grow our business in a market where cow numbers are not growing.

Wayne McNee

“We are doing a lot of work in making cows more efficient but clearly we need to be doing more.”

Though there’s a range of other systems that can do the same thing the technology is not legal beyond the laboratory in NZ. “It’s legal in the United States and other countries so we can do the initial research here but the main research will have to be done offshore.”

He admits he is passionate about the work and passionate about the industry in general.

“I just like working with the range of people we have, the scientists and software developers and the operational team. It’s a really good, diverse business.”

His interest in the primary sector also has a lot to do with his background, growing up on his parent’s farm near Oamaru.

“My father had a small sheep and beef farm and owned a couple of sawmills.

The farm was sold several years ago.

“I was definitely brought up in a farming environment although I never milked cows until much later. And I was also a member of Young Farmers so that’s really where my passion for farming originally came from.”

Despite growing up on a sheep and beef unit he knows cows and admits his favourite breed is the Kiwicross. He learnt to milk cows in his father-in-law’s rotary shed at Miranda on the Firth of Thames and at one stage he and his wife Natalie were part owners in the farm, which has since been sold.

He graduated from Otago University with a pharmacy degree then did a diploma in clinical pharmacy.

He went on to hold a number of interesting and challenging roles including being chief executive at the Ministry of Fisheries and director-general of the Ministry for Primary Industries before taking up his LIC job in 2013.

Leaving the government sector was not difficult and is not a move he regrets.

At the time he was working for MPI where he had led the merger between the Ministry of Fisheries and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry as well as the Food Safety Authority.

“While it was a hugely challenging role and very complex in the combination of biosecurity and food safety and all the agricultural policy at work plus forestry and fisheries, it was still a very interesting role.

“But having done a long stint in government I wanted to do something else.

“It was then I decided I’d prefer to work

Continued page 32 31

DAIRY CHAMPION

Wayne McNee is also the chairman of Agrigate GP, a joint venture between Fonterra Farm Source and LIC. Wayne with Gordon Findlay of Agrigate. in the private sector. The complexity of the LIC business and the science aspect appealed to me.”

He, Natalie and their two young daughters live in Auckland. He also has a 25-year-old son from his first marriage.

“They actually help me with my worklife balance because I enjoy spending time with them and I certainly try not to work any more on the weekends, which I used to do.

“But it would be nice to spend more time with them and I am working on that.”

He commutes between Auckland and the LIC office in Hamilton, usually leaving home on Monday morning and returning on Thursday evening.

Under his leadership LIC has implemented many new strategies including SPACE in 2017. SPACE uses satellite images to measure pasture, sending detailed reports directly to farmers by email.

“The project is part of LIC’s ongoing commitment to developing products and 32

It’s about being able to analyse the effect of changes on individual cows and also on population.

Wayne McNee

services that improve productivity and decision-making for farmers.”

McNee is also the chairman of Agrigate GP, a joint venture between Fonterra Farm Source and LIC. Agrigate has the sole purpose of providing value to farmers by bringing dairy industry data together in one place.

He says the great thing about LIC is it’s looking at dairy and bringing together the

information systems and genetics, the hardware and the whole package for the dairy farmer.

“It’s about being able to analyse the effect of changes on individual cows and also on population.

“We’re really focused on improving our science work and investing in that and we’re starting to think about and working on where the opportunities in the new gene-editing technology are. We need to be looking at it and understanding it.”

He says gene editing is also being looked at as a pest management strategy.

McNee believes when people see the potential benefits and how it could be used in NZ, they will understand how it can be applied.

“We are talking five or maybe 10 years but you’ve got to do the work to understand it first.”

He says he is proud of the work LIC is doing and to have led LIC to transform its business over the last couple of years since the dairy downturn “We are continuing to grow our DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

DAIRY CHAMPION business in a market where cow numbers are not growing as well as growing our international business in genetics and technology.

“The LIC team in NZ and across the world are great. I am proud of our research and development and product development teams and the work they do. And the fact that we are growing”

On his to-do list is to continue to deliver the company’s transformation, which, as well as growing the revenue and profit of LIC, will speed up its product development and speed to market of new technology.

“I also want to continue to grow our international business, which helps make LIC more aware of development

of technology internationally and the opportunities and risks for our business.”

And what of the perfect cow?

“The perfect cow depends on the type of dairy system.

“If you want a dairy cow that will produce high-quality, high-solids milk efficiently in a grass-based system, LIC has the best cows in the world.” n

Wayne McNee spoke at the LIC annual meeting about the future of bovine genetics.

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FAST FIVE The Dairy Farmer team is always out and about and looking for dairy industry workers going about their business. Keep an eye out, you just never know when one of our team might tap you on the shoulder.

1. What drives and motivates you?

Passion and determination drive me, I’m aiming to achieve my goals and I’ve got the best of both worlds farming and driving trucks around the country.

2. What annoys you about farming and what do you enjoy the most and why?

What annoys me the most is the rural and urban divide and that there is so much misconception about the rural industry. What I enjoy most about farming is being able to work with stock outside, being able to get in a tractor and help transform a farm to help it achieve production targets and that’s why I chose stock truck driving as I get to work with stock and drive a truck around NZ seeing some pretty impressive farming set-ups.

3. How do you see the state of the industry and future of dairying?

I feel the industry is sitting in a stopped position at the moment and not going forward. I get to talk to a lot of farmers through my job and with the recent health issues affecting the dairy industry most farmers have the same perception of the industry and feeling a bit let down and worried about the future of progression in the industry.

4. What are some of the challenges you face this season?

Stock movements have slowed down this season compared to previous just due to Mycoplasma bovis, which means a little less work for us at times. It’s just a matter of waiting for the health issues to settle or be resolved.

5. Future goals?

My future goal is to work up to being an owner/driver as well as buying a small beef and dairy grazing unit that Renae and I can run alongside the trucking side of the business.

James Martin This month we catch up with truck driver James Martin who had the honour of picking up the last calf of the season on the Manawatu farm where his partner Renae Flett is the contract milker.

Martin grew up in on his parents’ 1100-cow dairy farm at Balcultha in south Otago. The farm was sold when he was 15 and the family bought a small beef unit.

Though he grew up on the dairy farm Martin preferred to drive the trucks, tractor and other vehicles on the farm rather than milking.

After leaving school he went overseas to drive trucks and has been involved with harvesting and building cowsheds.

His full-time job is driving stock trucks all over New Zealand for Ranfurly Contracting.

Martin describes himself as a part-time farmer because he helps Flett as well as his parents on their beef unit in his free time.

Though he enjoys helping on the dairy farm, picking up and feeding calves, fencing, moving stock and feeding his passion is driving trucks and working with all different types of stock around the country.

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Thank you to all our farmers who took the time to enter our Mycoplasma bovis eradication debate. Congratulations to farm owner Charles Fletcher from Waikato and fertiliser rep Sam Leijen from Whangarei.

M Bovis - to eradicate or manage?

Charles Fletcher – Eradicate However we perceive the challenge, in the global economy New Zealand stands out in not having many of the problems our counterparts in Europe, North and South America have.

I think the Government is doing the right thing in trying to get rid of it. We have one shot at it – it’s now or never. Let’s keep NZ clean and protect our clean, green image and get rid of M bovis.

We are at the height of the crisis and I think that if in six months’ time there are only a few farms with it then we will succeed.

We need to succeed because the long-term effect of this disease, if left unchecked, will far outweigh the short-term costs involved. On farm, it will cost farmers around 10% in lost production and the associated costs of trying to contain and control it on-farm will be prohibitive – it will certainly hit profitability hard.

Sam Leijen – Manage Management of M bovis is the way forward. Look at all the other countries in the world with control measures in place. There is only one country that doesn’t have it and the others manage it fine.

We need to start putting viable solutions in place rather than hoping we can eradicate.

Ultimately, the way forward in managing this disease is to have healthy soil. Healthy soils grow nutrient-dense pastures. If you feed cows poor pasture and low-quality stock food they become sick and susceptible to diseases.

In my job we have seen the results of soil testing on the farms where it was first found. There is a strong correlation between M bovis and poor soil mineralisation.

M bovis is a sneaky little bugger that will survive in anaerobic environments such as the floors in herd homes and in effluent ponds. I think we will end up having to manage it – just like we do with so many other diseases.

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INDUSTRY GOOD

News from DairyNZ

Weighing heifers has huge gains Sarah Dirks

DairyNZ’s Taranaki leader

A

NYONE who has had children knows how important regular weigh-ins are in the early stages and the same goes for our

young stock.

Regular weighing and monitoring can help ensure heifers are on track to meeting their live weight targets and has been shown to improve milk production and lifetime productivity.

There are four key times to weigh.

The first is at weaning then at 1213 months to ensure they’re on track to achieve puberty then again at 15 months to assess pre-puberty animal management. The final weigh-in should be at 22 months to make sure they have met their pre-calving live weight targets.

Weighing heifers is more important when they are young because it is easier for them to fall behind target weights.

A drop of 200g in growth a day might seem small but it can have a huge impact on the growth of a young animal. Skeletal growth is influenced by pre-puberty nutrition and management and can never be made up if missed.

HEIFER LIVEWEIGHT TARGETS • 30% of mature weight at six months • 60% of mature weight at 15 months (mating) • 90% of mature weight at 22 months (pre-calving)

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Weighing heifers regularly is important because it can help farmers identify slow-growing animals early.

Weighing then reviewing the data can pick up low growth early on and alert farmers and graziers that changes need to be made to mob management or intervention in needed for underweight animals.

The importance of weighing young stock was realised in the 1940s by Dr Campbell McMeekan, one the most influential ag leaders at the time in New Zealand.

While uptake in weighing practices was initially quite slow I’ve noticed that over the last couple of years more and more farmers are seeing the value in weighing their heifers.

In fact, the number of heifers weighed by farmers each year has increased 25% over the last five years, according to LIC data. That’s an increase from 436,000 to 545,000 heifers now weighed each year.

Weighing heifers is more important when they are young because it is easier for them to fall behind target weights.

This is great and something I hope we continue to build on. n

MORE:

Visit dairynz.co.nz/animal DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

2017 Supreme Winners Andrew & Sibylle Sulzberger – Urenui, Taranaki

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The detailed physical and financial analysis and report from DBOY consultants provided us with a better understanding of key performance indicators in our business. The reports reinforced our low cost structure and identified areas that we could tweak to gain even greater efficiencies. The environmental report we received through the DBOY business analysis report highlighted a few things we could fine-tune such as increasing the effluent spreading area and trying to grow more grass with more regrassing, which we have since done. Winning the Regional and Supreme has put us in good stead with our bank, and they have greater confidence in us and see us as a low risk which is really important, especially for any future developments or opportunities that we may want to pursue.

To find out more about DBOY and our comprehensive Farm Business Performance Report, please visit our website www.dboy.co.nz, call 0800 73 55 88 or email team@dboy.co.nz

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

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INTERNATIONAL

Farmers want risk shared

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AIRY industry chiefs are working with the Government in Britain to seek new measures to help businesses ride out volatility.

National Farmers Union dairy board chairman Michael Oakes told this year’s Farmers Guardian and Dairy Farmer Speaker’s Corner session at The Dairy Show the union has been in talks with Farming Minister George Eustice.

Mandatory contracts, which would pave the way for buyers to have to specify a price for an agreed period of time, along with futures schemes to help producers manage risk, will all have roles to play in the future, the event heard.

Oakes said the union believes the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs can use the Common Market Organisation regulation in a flexible and non-prescriptive way to benefit the whole sector.

“We need to share the risks on volume and they need to share the risks on prices.

“It is not a case of fixing prices but sharing margins more fairly and equitably.”

Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board senior dairy analyst

National Farmers Union dairy board chairman Michael Oakes speaking at The Dairy Show says risks need to be shared by farmers and processors.

Patty Clayton, spoke about the potential role of futures in the sector in the light of the twin challenges of price volatility and market transparency.

Clayton suggested dairy farmers should consider hedging milk prices, saying that might be useful for producers putting in a large investment or carrying out detailed forward planning.

While accepting it is not accessible to all and taking into account brokerage costs, she said it had been successfully used by co-operatives in Ireland and a limited number of processors, which had a better ability to use the futures market to lock in margins.

“The tool is not geared to getting the highest prices but to ensure you have the adequate margins necessary.”

Nuffield scholar and Somerset mixed farmer Richard Counsell also used the event to launch the Stable index insurance platform, which he said will help milk producers protect businesses from price volatility.

Working in 15 countries, it protects commodities that are not traded on an exchange.

He said the dairy insurance will be based around Defra’s farmgate milk price and is open to all farmers producing any quantity. n UK Farmers Guardian

Milk prices hold up in Britain MULLER, Dairy Crest and Barber’s Cheesemakers in Britain have confirmed price holds for November with Dairy Crest guaranteeing farmers a price floor for December and January.

All the processors cited markets weakening with production across the United Kingdom and European Union continuing to rise despite the recent heatwave and butter entering the EU markets from the southern hemisphere.

Dairy Crest’s price to Davidstow farmers will remain at 30.9 pence per litre, including a 0.5ppl supplementary payment, and this price will also act as a price floor during December and January as it looks to give some certainty to farmers through winter.

For Muller, the price hold means the 38

Muller Direct standard litre price will be 29.5ppl for the third successive month.

The processor said it is confident its offering is competitive in the current market and farmers also have the option to lock in a portion of supply to protect against volatility.

Barber’s Cheesemakers also confirmed an unchanged milk price with the Barber’s Assured standard litre price remaining at 29.8ppl for the third successive month.

Meanwhile, Muller announced an operating loss of £132.9 million in 2017, with the costs from the acquisition of Dairy Crest dairies hitting profits.

The processor cited a challenging trading environment in the liquid milk

market because of intense competition and said the business is focused on identifying cost reduction activities in the supply chain and exploiting synergies following the Dairy Crest dairies acquisition.

One-off costs from the Dairy Crest dairies acquisition had been incurred integrating operations, processes and systems.

However, this was also the main reason behind a 6% increase in sales to £2.1 billion.

The processor has also lost volume market share in the chilled yoghurts and potted desserts category, with the value share in yoghurts decreasing because of pricing pressure from retailers. n UK Farmers Guardian DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

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HE Organic Milk Suppliers Co-operative (Omsco) in Britain is targeting a bigger share of the international market for dairy products after Brexit.

Omsco chairman Nicholas Saphir told the annual members’ conference he wants more than 40% of the organisation’s future sales to come from exports and added-value dairy produce.

Saphir reported said United Kingdom market is in balance and member returns have seen an average increase of 1.65p/litre for the year ending March 31.

The organisation is cagey about divulging what it pays its members but in October 2017 it said its average winter milk price would be 41.7p/litre coupled with a 0.25p/litre bonus related to cell counts.

A United States-aligned producer group within its membership received an extra 5p/litre premium on top of that average figure.

About 25% of the milk produced by Omsco is approved by the US Department of Agriculture for export.

Even though the US organic milk market is in oversupply Saphir is confident the US will be an increasing part of the longterm business strategy.

“We also believe there are growing opportunities for Omsco’s award-winning, USDA-certified cheese brand, Organic Kingdom, and organic butter in the US,” he said.

However, he acknowledged there will be risks to the strategy if the government cannot secure continuing recognition of UK standards and a mutually acceptable trade agreement.

The European market also hinges on Brexit negotiations, Saphir said.

“Dairy farming exports to Europe and the continuing use of toll processing will solely depend on whether there is a hard, soft or transitional Brexit,” he said.

Achieving recognition of UK standards in Europe by March 30 is a big challenge.

The UK’s regional trade envoy to the US (and former Department of International Trade minister) Mark Garnier also addressed OMSCo members, warning them to think more globally.

“There is strong demand for high-quality agricultural produce from UK farms but we need to change our culture to one that seeks out global opportunities,” he said.

“With UK exports currently equating to about 27% of GDP – much lower than comparable economies such as Germany – we need to improve our export performance,” he said.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

British exporters need to seek out global opportunities, trade envoy Mark Garnier says.

The Omsco was formed in 1994 and has 270 members making it the largest and longest established UK organic dairy cooperative and the second-largest dedicated organic milk pool in the world.

Its annual turnover is about £100m.

It was the first European Union dairy company under the EUUS Equivalency Agreement to sell USDA-certified organic dairy products. In 2013 Omsco partnered with US organic giant Organic Valley, the world’s largest dedicated organic milk pool. n UK Farmers Weekly

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RESEARCH

Invertebrate pests are causing billions of dollars in damage and lost production. AgResearch scientist Colin Ferguson working in the field.

Pests cost billions

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SONITA CHANDAR

ESTS most commonly targeting New Zealand’s pastures are costing the economy up to $2.3 billion a year, an AgResearch study has found.

The study is the first of its kind to estimate the financial impact of invertebrate pests such as the grass grub, black beetle, nematodes and weevils in terms of lost productivity for pastoral farming.

Of the total estimated annual losses of between $1.7b and $2.3b in average years, up to $1.4b occurs on dairy farms and up to $900 million on sheep and beef farms.

“Our research shows that the impact of the grass grub alone costs dairy farms up to $380 million and sheep and beef farms up to $205n each year,” AgResearch scientist Colin Ferguson says.

40

The native scarab grass grub is the most costly pest causing losses of $140m-$380m on dairy farms.

Losses attributable to these pasture pests are usually determined either on the basis of the amount of foliage they eat or reductions in pasture production.

The costs are for average years and could be much higher in pest outbreak years. They do not take account of supplementary feed bought to replace forage lost in severe infestations, losses incurred if destocking occurs as a consequence of forage loss or the contribution of pests to reduced pasture persistence.

However, AgResearch’s study has used the reduction in pasture production to estimate the impact on milk production revenue for dairy farms and on meat production revenue for sheep and beef farms.

“What this provides us is a good picture

of the challenge we and farmers face with pasture pests and it reinforces the need to invest in new and cost-effective ways to better control these pests,” Ferguson says.

“AgResearch is looking at pest control on a number of fronts including the development of new biopesticides – naturally occurring organisms that can be used to target specific pest species – instead of chemical treatments that can be expensive and have unwanted impacts on the environment.”

Ferguson says NZ’s advantage in livestock production is its ability to feed livestock year-round on pasture and so factors that limit pasture production also impact on the profitability of farmers and the economy as a whole.

“Invertebrate pests must be considered as part of a farm management plan as they can have severe and often unexpected, impacts. Even low pest densities can substantially impact DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

financial returns for farmers.

“Agricultural ecosystems are complex and composed of many interacting parts that should not be considered in isolation.

“For example, the use of restricted grazing systems whereby stock presence in pastures is reduced or increased use of short rotation grass crops may well be very advantageous to farm profitability but such advantage may not be fully realised if insect pests also benefit from such practices.”

The study was initiated as part of Pastoral 21 Next Generation Dairy Systems and funded by DairyNZ, Fonterra, the Dairy Companies Association, Beef + Lamb NZ and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and has been completed with funding from AgResearch. n

MORE:

The full science paper has been published in the NZ Journal of Agricultural Research and can be found at: https://www.tandfonline. com/doi/full/10.1080/00288233.2018.1478 860 DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Grass grub The common grass grub is an endemic species that occurs throughout most of New Zealand though it is uncommon in the subtropical northern North Island.

The soil-dwelling larvae feed on the roots of a wide range of plants and find many introduced agricultural plants palatable and favourable for their growth and development.

Grass grub damage caused by larval feeding on the plant roots appears initially as yellowing patches in a pasture that progress to areas of dead plants when larval numbers are sufficiently high.

The patches increase in size in successive years until the damage phase is passed. If the plants are not killed the damage causes an acute loss in production followed by a slow recovery.

Where plants are killed or severely damaged the resulting bare patches are colonised by plants inferior to the sown species and short-term production loss is compounded by persistently reduced yield and quality.

Early assessment of potential damage can be made by measuring grass grub densities in March. The figures can be used to predict the density in April/May when damage levels peak.

By sampling early in the season potential damage can be identified one or two months before it becomes noticeable, allowing strategies to be put in place to limit or compensate for probable production loss.

Traditionally, that comprises insecticide application but early detection also provides the chance to implement other, often more cost-effective and environmentally acceptable strategies to deal with the impending attack.

Black beetle Black beetle, also known as African black beetle, was first found on Waiheke Island in 1937 and two years later large numbers of adult beetles were reported to be damaging vegetable crops on the North Shore in Auckland.

This insect is now established throughout the northern North Island including much of Waikato and Bay of Plenty and extending along coastal margins to Foxton in the west and Hawke’s Bay in the east.

Sporadic outbreaks of the pest that can persist for several years cause widespread and severe damage across entire regions. Its survival over an extended period is dependent on the availability of food resources. Both ryegrass and tall fescue are favourable hosts.

Apart from the use of endophyte and good grazing management to try to prevent swards from opening up and allowing ingress of grass weeds, there are few options for farmers for managing the pest.

Insecticide aimed at reducing adult numbers in spring before oviposition is ineffective and cultivation is not thought to kill black beetles as it does other pests.

The application of lime to maintain soil pH above 6 appears to be beneficial in reducing larval densities but they might still be high enough to cause damage.

Farmers are advised to not plant endophyte-free Italian ryegrass following a summer crop, as they often do, because that will feed the beetles over winter, There are now Italian ryegrasses available infected with endophytes that will reduce black beetle adult feeding and which are much more persistent than those without.

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SCIENCE

Less plantain may give bigger N-reduction kick TIM FULTON

F

ARMERS might be using too much Ecotain to hit nitrogen-leaching hardest, promoters of the branded plantain cultivar say.

“Don’t think if you’ve got 30% Ecotain in your pasture that you may be better with 50%,” Agricom spokesman Glenn Judson told farmers and advisers in central Canterbury.

“You may be better with 25% and it may even be 20%.”

Judson is science leader for the Greener Pastures Project, a group of universities and research agencies helping Agricom find scientific evidence for Ecotain, a type of plantain cultivar known to reduce nitrogen leaching from urine patches.

It looks like there is an optimal amount of Ecotain relative to pasture and having more Ecotain in pasture might not be the best, Judson told a paddock meeting at Bankside, near Rakaia River.

“If you’re trying to optimise the effect there’s an optimal amount of Ecotain and I don’t think it’s at 40% (cover).”

Judson expects 90% of farmers will use Ecotain alongside common pasture like ryegrass and Italian ryegrass.

Ecotain is known as a grass mop that slows down leaching.

The cultivar is marketed as NSentinel 4 because it reduces nitrogen leaching from urine patches in four different ways.

Agricom, a PGG Wrightson business, says an Ecotain diet reduces the total nitrogen in urine compared to ryegrass diets and can potentially reduce leaching from a patch by up to 89% when used with other forage management strategies.

The optimal amount of Ecotain relative to other plants in a field isn’t clear yet scientific papers on the subject aren’t far away, Judson said.

An April 2018 report by agricultural scientist Anna Carlton studied whether nitrate leaching losses are lower from ryegrass/white clover forages (PRGWC) containing plantain than from ryegrass/

42

Greener Pastures Project science lead Glenn Judson at Ecotain’s field meeting in central Canterbury explaining the properties of Ecotain plantain.

Farmers at the Ecotain’s Bankside field day.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

white clover forages under different irrigation.

The paper published in the Journal of Agricultural Research concluded nitrate leaching losses are lower under the PRGWC plus plantain than in PRGWC forage.

Lower NO3 leaching losses under the PRGWC and plantain forage were attributed to a combination of nitrification inhibition by biological nitrification inhibitors (BNI) released from plantain and a lower drainage under the PRGWC and plantain forage.

The abundance of ammonia oxidising bacteria is lower under the PRGWC and plantain forage than in the PRGWC forage. Consequently, soil ammonium (NH4) -N concentration remains greater under the PRGWC and plantain forage while the soil nitrate (NO3) - N concentration is lower.

Lower soil NO3 - N concentrations under the PRGWC and plantain forage are attributed to the potential release of BNI compounds into the soil by the plantain.

Irrigation type has no effect on herbage DM yield, herbage N uptake and NO3 leaching losses under PRGWC and plantain or PRGWC forage types.

The results demonstrate the potential for PRGWC and plantain forages to mitigate NO3 − leaching losses from cow urine patches.

A 2017 doctoral thesis by Lincoln University’s Roshean Woods examined the effect of alternative forage species and gibberellic acid on nitrate leaching.

Woods asks what proportion of a farm would need to be planted with the proposed alternative forages Italian

ryegrass and Italian ryegrass-plantainwhite clover mixture to significantly reduce whole farm N leaching losses.

A 2014 modelling study led by Edith Khaembah indicated a NZ farm planted with 20% diverse pasture containing a mixture of perennial ryegrass-white clover, chicory, plantain, prairie grass and either lucerne or red clover could reduce whole-farm N excretion by about 3% and for a farm planted with 50% diverse pasture that was a 5-8% reduction.

Ecotain’s performance and establishment guide says a lysimeter study (see graphic) showed a 45% reduction in leaching when animals grazing normal pasture (ryegrass/clover) was applied to an Ecotain mix.

That was described as the Ecotain restrict function at work.

A comparison of N leaching in different combinations of Ecotain and other plants.

Source: Agricom When urine from animals grazing the Ecotain mix was applied to the same sward, a reduction of 89% was recorded.

That showed all four Ecotain mechanisms working together.

“The third lysimeter demonstrated a 74% reduction in leaching when urine from animals grazing normal pasture was applied to a mix containing just 20-30% Ecotain. That suggests moderate rates of Ecotain can be extremely effective at reducing N leaching.”

The Greener Pastures Project draws on information from the Forages for Reduced NItrate Leaching programme to peer-review the science for Ecotain forage. n

If you’re trying to optimise the effect there’s an optimal amount of Ecotain and I don’t think it’s at 40%.

Glenn Judson Agricom

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SCIENCE

DairyNZ Far North consulting officer Denise Knop presented Odyssey Travers and Phyness Heremaia with the Outstanding DairyNZ Award for their Amoozing Weight Gain project.

Phyness Heremaia and Odyssey Travers feed their calves during their experiment looking at how different feeding regimes make a difference to calves’ growth.

Kaitaia girls catch science bug SAMANTHA TENNENT

C

OMBINING science and dairy farming has proved to be a winning formula for two Kaitaia Intermediate School girls.

Odyssey Travers and Phyness Heremaia did a science project for their school fair called Amoozing Weight Gain, which involved looking at two different feeding routines for calves, whether it was worth feeding calves meal and whether there was any difference in their growth.

They received a nice surprise when they placed second, which earned them a spot at the Top Energy 2018 Far North Regional Science and Technology Fair.

They headed into the regional fair without any expectations and were over the moon to take home a top prize, winning the Oustanding DairyNZ Award for the dairy section.

“I didn’t think we would do that well.

I just thought it would be a lot of fun,” Travers said.

“It was really nerve-wracking waiting to hear if our names would be called out when they were doing the placings.

44

She really enjoyed meeting lots of people, particularly the judges and people involved in the fair.

“It was a really cool experience. We definitely want to give it a go again next year.”

The calves came from the Travers family farm, Pahill Ayrshires, at Kaitaia.

They milk about 260 cows and have their own support blocks nearby.

The girls selected four heifer calves produced by embryo transfer, acknowledging they didn’t want any genetic influence on the animals.

They worked on their project for two months leading into their school fair.

The calves were all managed the same but split into groups and fed slightly differently.

Travers’ father helped feed the calves in the morning when the girls were at school but they did most of the work themselves including weighing the animals on Sundays.

Heremaia lives in town but visits the Travers farm regularly and has learnt a lot about farming through the project.

They both really enjoyed the whole experience and mum Bronwyn Travers is very proud of their efforts.

“I think they only entered because they had to. They certainly got more than they bargained for,” she says.

The girls are already excited about entering next year.

“I’d definitely recommend science and technology fairs to other people.

“My advice would be to choose a topic you like and pick a friend to work with, study your topic and choose an idea and stick to it.”

DairyNZ industry education facilitator Susan Stokes said it was great to see young people so passionate about science and the dairy sector.

“We desperately need more young people involved in science in agriculture.

“Young people investing and growing in science are what these events are all about.”

Findings from their project showed little difference and suggest farmers do not need to feed meal for calves to gain weight.

The girls won $500 in prize money.

Travers used her share to help fund her trip to the NZ Aims Games for netball and Heremaia put hers towards a family holiday in Australia. n DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

ADVERTORIAL

In uncertain times, seek diversity Scott McKenzie CEO & Director Property Managers Group

Understanding what the future holds for the local and global economy, and therefore dairy prices, is akin to looking into a crystal ball. However, having some idea is important to preparing for the ebbs and flows of farming income. Earlier in the year there was much speculation about whether the world was heading into a GFC2 (Global Financial Crisis).

It hasn’t. One person who got this right was renowned economist, Cameron Bagrie, of Bagrie Economics.

The former ANZ chief economist predicted ongoing volatility and share market uncertainty but no massive correction. So what does he think will happen to New Zealand’s economy over the next 12 to 18 months? Grumpflation.

In Bagrie’s language that’s the combination of grumpy growth and rising costs.

“Growth across the New Zealand economy has moderated and there is growing wariness that a downturn is around the corner,” says Bagrie.

“But I don’t like the term ‘downturn’. There

For Bay of Plenty dairy farmers, Craig and Phillipa Garrett the answer has been diversifying some of their finances off the farm and they have been doing it successfully since 2006.

“When dairy returns were low in 2006 we wanted exposure to other income which wasn’t dependent on the weather nor as affected by market volatility,” says Garrett.

“We wanted to invest in something, using the equity in the farm to borrow against, and reinvest in an income-producing investment to even out the fluctuations of farming.”

“The bank supported our plans to borrow funds to invest in commercial property rather than the share market because of the volatility, similar to what we are seeing now, but trying to buy a property in a price bracket we could afford, was very competitive. The yields we could buy off were low compared to investing alongside others. We also didn’t want the hassle of managing a property, we are busy enough on the farm, so we invested in a commercial property fund,” he says.

The Garrett’s are now invested in Pacific Property Fund Limited, a diversified, unlisted commercial property fund managed by 26-year old funds and property manager, Property

Source: RBNZ, Bloomberg, Interest.co.nz, Craig’s Investment Partners estimates. Residential cash yields are calculated on the average annual gross return across Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga, March 2018. Pacific Property yield reflects an implied gross dividend yield for an investor with a 30% marginal personal tax rate of the latest traded price on the secondary market for May 2018 of $1.02

are risks, notably offshore and I’m getting increasingly worried about places like China, but the New Zealand economy is in reasonable shape when we eye the bigger picture. Where the world goes we will follow though, and there are a lot of risks.”

“The New Zealand economy does not have severe late-cycle excesses that can warn of a pending correction. The economy does have points of vulnerability, such as extended Auckland property prices and recent volatility in the dairy sector, but not an array of warning signs,” he says So the question is raised, how can dairy farmers prepare for continued uncertainty and volatility forecasted for the dairy industry and the economy?

Managers Group (PMG).

“We’ve been really impressed by the PMG team and the return on our investment in Pacific Property to date,” says Craig.

“The diversified structure of Pacific Property Fund means we are not exposed to a single property or tenant, meaning less risk and sustainable returns over time. By investing alongside others in a portfolio provides improved liquidity if we want to sell our shares,” he says.

“As a manager, we work hard to deliver on our promises. CEO Scott McKenzie - who’s also from a farm – and the PMG team are trustworthy, genuine and approachable. They operate an open-door policy for their investors and you can see how everyone in the PMG team strives to achieve great results.

“The returns from Pacific Property Fund have met or exceed what has been advertised, and we have been really pleased with the results to date. The income we have received from our Pacific Property investment each quarter has been a very welcome supplement and made the uncertain times of farming less concerning,” says Garrett.

CEO of PMG, Scott McKenzie, says they are seeing much more enquiry and investment in their unlisted commercial property funds from traditional residential property investors and the farming community.

“We recently received two AA recommended ratings from FundSource for two of our retail funds Pacific Property and PMG Direct Office Fund, one of the first unlisted funds and property manager in NZ to receive two,” McKenzie says.

“This recognition coupled with the solidly performing commercial property sector are two of the factors driving interest in our funds,” he says.

“Considering the adjacent graph and the strength of the sector now may be a good time to look into the commercial property market.

Compared to other asset classes including residential, bank bonds and listed property vehicles (LPVs) unlisted commercial property is currently paying encouraging yields and providing exposure to diversified and passive property investment opportunities – models which are not easily replicable by individual investors.

“PMG’s business model ensures our debt to equity ratio is managed as conservatively as possible. Our diverse choice of unlisted commercial property investment funds offer the benefits of passive regular cash distribution returns and growth in value over time.”

“While we can’t predict the economic future, PMG’s 26-year proven track record of providing sustainable returns through a variety of challenging economic fluctuations, and our business model, puts us in good stead to weather any pending turbulence,” he says.

About PMG Founded in Tauranga in 1992, PMG are pioneers of New Zealand’s commercial property and funds management industry.

Since then, PMG has launched 29 investment property offerings and four unlisted property funds, totalling $250 million under management.

A new offer for PMG’s AA-rated diversified fund, Pacific Property, is launching soon. For more information please visit our website – www.propertymgr.co.nz

1 https://www.realestate.co.nz/blog/news/commercial-property-good-investment-compared-residential-new-zealand Content of the article is the opinion of Scott McKenzie and not intended as personalised financial advice. You should seek independent financial advice from an authorised financial advisor before making any investment decisions.

TECHNOLOGY

Pamu now connected

W

BARBARA GILLHAM

ITH the recent completion of the Rural Connect Project Vodafone has successfully put fast and reliable internet on 125 Pamu farms.

The second largest connectivity project in the country after the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative has enabled Pamu, New Zealand’s largest pastoral farming company, to run its business more efficiently.

A state-owned enterprise, Pamu owns more than 100,000ha of farmland and manages another 200,000ha.

Many of the farms are in rural regions where farmers have poor or intermittent internet connection.

Pamu innovation, environment and technology general manager Rob Ford says having a good broadband service is critical to successfully running the business.

“We run an information management system across all of our farms called Farm IQ. “It’s where our farmers go on a day-today basis to look at everything regarding their farm operations from their animals and land to health and safety and environment plans.

“It is an integral, cloud-based tool so a good internet connection is really important.”

The business also runs a number of other cloud-based applications including a procurator pay system called Farm Store the farm teams use to help improve ordering of products and services, as well as a reporting services suite where they can look at financials and reports regarding their various operations.

With all the applications they really needed a highway to transport all the data from the systems.

“Prior to implementing the system we had an internet service that was intermittent.

“Some farms would have no service, others had good service initially but then it would drop off.

“We really needed to make sure that we had a good foundational broadband 46

Vodafone has spent three years looking into connectivity on Pamu Farms and has delivered a better service to 125 farms. A new radio tower is installed on one of the properties.

solution so we could run all of these applications efficiently.”

While there was a need to be able run the applications satisfactorily and it was important to ensure the farm teams had the information they needed to make good decisions there was another reason the company needed a solution to its connectivity issues.

“We are now morphing our business into being an integrated foods company where we have brands of products to market.

“One thing that consumers are demanding more and more is endorsement, understanding and efficacy around the production of products –where it was produced, when was it produced, have you used good animal welfare regimes across your animals, do you look after your staff well?

“So one of the other things that is really important with that information system is that it creates a direct link to the consumer.

“It’s really a two-pronged thing, a farm management requirement and a market requirement so having a good broadband service is critical to us.”

Ford says with those two things in mind they began researching the market to see which internet provider could provide them with a solution to sit all the applications on. They chose to go with Vodafone.

Vodafone spent three years delving into the connectivity problems across all areas of Pamu’s business, including regular farm visits and research interviews.

Today every Pamu farm can be connected simultaneously so there are no barriers to use.

Ford says it has changed the business and he believes they are yet to see the full benefits.

Many of the core applications are now being used optimally and the teams are using the applications and getting value from them.

“For years farmers have had issues with internet connectivity. This has made them reserved in using online tools aimed to help productivity, communication and health and safety on the farms.

“But the benefits of the new connection to farms and employees are continuing to grow.

“The new connectivity has helped Pamu farmers feel connected and involved.

“It has been a true partnership with Vodafone and the team has really understood the importance of this project. Vodafone have been exemplary, they’ve been absolutely phenomenal in delivering this project. It hasn’t been easy.

“We worked collectively as a team and produced a wonderful result that is benefiting the farm business as well as the farmers,” Ford said. n DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING

Herbs ideal for summer feed Herb varieties boost animal intake and performance because they have high mineral content.

GARY BOSLEY

I

N LONG, hot, dry summers perennial ryegrass growth either stops or considerably slows down, restricting grazing options at the time when fattening lambs or feeding other livestock is the goal.

Ryegrass has a shallow rooting system that leaves the plants susceptible to drought and damage from pests such as grass grub.

So, what can be sown, either as a standalone or a pasture mix that complements pasture grazing, is tolerant to drought and subterranean pest attacks?

Herbs are an option.

The most common varieties of herbs are plantain and chicory.

They can be sown as pure sward or in

a mix with clover and-or grasses.

Chicory is a high-quality forage with fast growth from spring to autumn and has good drought tolerance because of its tap root system.

Plantain is a variety with improved cool-season growth and also has good drought tolerance because of its large, fibrous root system.

Both of these herbs boost animal intake and performance because they have high mineral content.

However, both varieties are relatively short-lived if you want to get the best production benefit from them.

Commonly, chicory is a six-month to oneyear crop and plantain is an 18-month to three-year crop.

Plantain can be used in deer, beef, sheep and dairy systems and some varieties are better than others in

TIPS • Plantain and chicory require good seedbeds for successful establishment.

• Where possible spray out old pasture and crops with a quality glyphosate, adding a broadleaf spike if needed.

• Be careful of residual herbicidal activity from that spike that might be detrimental to the herb/clover mix.

• Soil fertility requirements are similar to ryegrass but always soil test to see where your fertility is then form a plan.

• Chicory is more responsive to nitrogen fertiliser than plantain. It is also good practice to apply DAP at planting to aid establishment.

• Do not plant herbs and clover deeper than 15mm, a roller drill is best.

• Beware of slugs at establishment and treat with bait as required.

• First graze should be when the crop has reached six to seven true leaves regardless of the partner crop.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

The most common varieties of herbs are plantain and chicory. their resilience and production.

Livestock often perform better with the inclusion of clover because it has the potential to improve live-weight gain, nitrogen fixation and ground cover to reduce weed burden.

Plantain has a dry matter (DM) yield of eight to 14 tonnes DM a hectare and metabolisable energy (ME) of 11 to 12 MJ a kg of DM but the grazing management has to be controlled. Plantain should be placed where longer term and-or cool season production is a goal.

Chicory also suits deer, beef, sheep and dairy systems and should be the crop of choice for reliable production in summer-dry conditions.

With its tap root system it can deliver high DM yields in hot, dry conditions.

Chicory can produce a DM yield of eight to 15t DM a hectare in six to seven months with an ME of 11.5 to 13 MJ/kg DM at a time when unirrigated ryegrass can struggle. n

MORE:

Gary Bosley is a PGG Wrightson retail technical specialist.

47

SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING

Feed options Farmers have a range of supplementary feed options for feeding their cows. We take a look at some of the most common supplement types. the pasture renewal process.

Maize should be fed to fill genuine feed deficits for economic responses and be well managed to reduce feed costs and wastage.

Chicory A short-lived, leafy herb with high feed value, chicory can be incorporated into a rotational grazing system through its active growing months.

Chicory has a good summer yield but limited cool-season growth. A summer active herb, chicory provides high yields of palatable feed from spring to autumn and has a deep tap root that supports growth through dry conditions.

Chicory is a popular summer feed option in the upper North Island but is rarely used as an 18-month option because of poor winter and early spring growth. There are two ways to grow chicory: in a pasture mix or as a special purpose crop. Chicory will last 1-2 years under dairy grazing.

Maize Maize is a vital crop for many New Zealand dairy farmers and represents a significant investment in time and resources.

Maize grown on a dairy farm can add value to the farm’s feed supply, help mitigate climatic risk, extract soil nutrients from high-fertility, effluent paddocks and be used as a break crop in 48

Fodder Beet Fodder beet is a root crop with a high yield potential.

Fodder beet is commonly used for BCS gain and to grow replacements through winter in farming systems with negligible winter pasture growth. Fodder beet is also used as a feed for lactating cows to fill feed gaps in late lactation and for grazing young stock.

Why fodder beet?

Flexibility, fodder beet has a long shelf life, in ground or harvested.

It is a consistent and high-quality feed and has a high yield potential when grown well.

It gives alternative crop rotations and an alternative to brassicas, including winter swedes and kale.

But feeding fodder beet has animal health challenges so requires attention to detail throughout the feeding period.

Environmental challenges exist when grazing forage crops, however, there are many strategies for minimising environmental impacts.

Kale Kale is normally used as a winter feed crop. With a deep root system it has good drought tolerance.

Kale also has good tolerance to most insect pests and can be used as a second brassica crop, especially after swedes, because of its tolerance to club root and

dry rot. It is usually sown in November or December.

The yield will vary depending on soil type, fertility and available moisture. Soil moisture is usually the main cause of yield variation – in some areas it can be the lack of moisture during summer while water-logging can be a problem in wetter areas.

Regardless of cultivar, yields as low as 6-8t DM/ha can result if kale is grown on light, infertile soils or experiences water stress. Kale has no ripening requirements but maximum yield is about 150 to 220 days.

Plantain Plantain is highly palatable to animals, establishes rapidly, is pest-tolerant and has a high mineral content.

It is a herb with a fibrous and coarse root system that grows throughout New Zealand. It has high tolerance of summer heat and in warmer regions can provide valuable summer growth. Plantain is best suited to dairy farm situations where the amount and quality of summer feed limits milk production.

There are two ways to grow plantain: as a pasture mix or as a special purpose DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

crop. Plantain will last 2-3 years under dairy grazing.

Swedes Swedes are normally used as a winter feed crop. As they have a low tolerance to drought swedes perform best in cooler, moist environments, however, they do not like water-logging.

To maximise yield avoid light soils with low water-holding capacity or heavy, poorly drained soils. Swedes are susceptible to soil borne club root and airborne dry rot. These diseases mean they can be only a first-year cropping option. Never establish swedes as a second crop after any other brassica crop.

There are two types of swedes.

Early maturing cultivars have yellow-

fleshed, soft bulbs with low drymatter and less disease tolerance. They are suitable for young stock and table swedes for human consumption.

Late maturing cultivars have both yellow and white-fleshed varieties. Late maturing types have higher drymatter content, are harder and keep better into late winter.

The yield will vary depending on soil type, fertility, disease and available moisture. Yields of 12-16t DM/ha can be achieved under good growing conditions in southern areas.

Swedes are usually grazed from early to late winter with bulbs usually keeping well through the winter unless diseased.

However, swede yield commonly declines during winter because of adverse weather and disease damage.

Turnips Turnips are a brassica root crop commonly used as a fast-maturing singlegraze crop to bridge a summer feed gap and maintain milk production.

Turnips can be sown from spring to late summer, autumn or winter depending on the cultivar.

Turnips are grown on farm to help bridge a feed shortage and provide a highquality feed to maintain or increase milk production, to help establish new pasture by contouring and cleaning the soil of pests, weeds and diseases and to reduce the amount of surplus pasture needing conservation in spring, thereby improving pasture quality and production.

There are two varieties of bulb turnips: the soft white-fleshed bulbs referred to as soft turnips or summer turnips and the hard, yellow-fleshed bulbs referred to as hard turnips or sometimes described as winter turnips. n

MORE:

Go to www.dairynz.co.nz/feed/crops

THE DIFFERENCE? OUR TESTS ARE FOR NZ CONDITIONS. ANIMAL FEED TESTING We strongly believe in the value of providing feed testing that reflects our unique conditions.

That’s why we developed our own NZ Near-Infra-Red Spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration, with an extremely large sample set based on New Zealand forages.

We’ve done the hard work to ensure your results are more accurate and relevant, and give you everything you need to make the best decisions.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

MORE

FREEPHONE 0508 HILL LAB (44 555 22) www.hill-laboratories.com

49

SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING

Tracking Production SAMANTHA TENNENT

H

AVING accurate data is helping a Waikato farmer feed his herd better.

Ryan Burton who milks on the family farm at Paeroa uses Graincorp’s Tracker programme alongside his in-shed feeding system to optimise feed and monitor production.

“It’s a great recording tool. I can track what our production is doing each day.

“As we enter our calving records the info is up to date and I can keep an eye on the feed situation,” Burton says.

“It’s great for identifying optimal cow numbers for the farm.”

The farm spring calves 570 mixedbreed cows.

The Burtons have spent several seasons moving away from straight Friesian and heading toward a Kiwicross to bring more Jersey in.

“The farm gets wet in winter. We want to bring our liveweight down and now we can take advantage of the extra fat in the milk from the Jersey.”

The farm sits between a system 3 and 4, taking a lot of silage off the support block and some off the platform and feeds a bit of chicory.

The in-shed feed system was installed six years ago and Burton uses it to feed special blends from mid-July to Christmas. For the rest of the season he feeds mostly palm kernel blends.

“We work with Graincorp to plan our feeding. They provide great technical advice and are right on their game with blends.

“The support is great, they monitor our production results and check in every 2-3 weeks to provide recommendations.

“They sell meal but they push pasture utilisation first and meal is used as a top-up. It works for us. We do a lot of pregraze mowing to try to increase our cows’ intake. We believe they use less energy that way. They just vacuum it up and sit down.”

Burton enters his calving and pasture information into the Tracker programme and it gives him weekly updates and

50

Equity partner and contract milker Ryan Burton is finding the Graincorp Tracker programme a vital tool in planning.

ideas of what he can do to maximise production.

“It’s not hard to keep the data up to date. I lay on the couch at night transferring from my notebook to the app.

“Having that accurate calving spread is key. I can see if we’re going to run into a feed deficit and do something about it.”

In this system Burton has been able to milk fewer cows and still achieve the same production. The shed is at maximum capacity and fewer cows makes management easier.

He wanted a feeding system to lift

production and keep condition on the cows in the feed deficits.

It had to be a simple system without a feed pad and he didn’t want to buy more machinery or build bunkers. In-shed feeding seemed a great fit.

“I wasn’t really involved when dad was looking at it all but I know he was looking at the cost-benefits with lifting production, not just lifting production alone.”

He also aims to lift the six-week in-calf rate above 75% and knows using the system to help maintain condition will help.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

The farm is a System 3-4 feeding silage and chicory as well as meal blends.

The in-shed feeding system on the Burton Farm is used to feed special blends.

In-shed feeding is one of the cheapest options to set up and it’s easy to maintain.

There are many reasons Burton recommends the system to other farmers.

“Ours is all electronic. It’s simple and doesn’t require extra labour like other feeding options.

“In-shed feeding is one of the cheapest options to set up and it’s easy to maintain.”

“There are lots of options for types of feeds and it’s a good option for people who don’t want to use it all season.”

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Calving and pasture information is entered into the Tracker programme to give weekly updates and ideas of what can be done to maximise production.

He also credits reduced wastage as a bonus.

He found feeding maize in the past frustrating because of the amount of wastage.

Burton is an equity partner in the farm business alongside his father John and brother Alex. He’s also contract milking the farm this season after coming home two years ago. He had been driving tankers for Fonterra for several years and had alternated between travel and different bits of farm work before that.

“I wanted to get out and do a few different things before I settled on the farm.

“Before I came back I completed my levels three and four through Primary ITO, which was really worthwhile.”

Burton says there’s a lot of valuable technical knowledge taught in the training.

His brother is an electrician with his

own business and John does more of the behind the scenes work lately. He used to run the farm with the previous equity partner and Ryan worked with the previous contract milker when he first came home.

He now oversees the day to day running of the farm and his team consists of two full-time and one part-timer.

“My team is keen to know why we are feeding the way we do and what we can achieve by changing. It’s great having them so engaged.”

This is their third season using the feed service from Graincorp and Burton believes he is finally starting to use the system to its full capabilities.

He’s aiming for consistent production across seasons. He is already 12,000kg milksolids up from last year and with some refining he hopes to consistently achieve between 225,000kg and 230,000kg milksolids each season. n 51

BREEDING & GENETICS

Invisible cows

The registered Holstein Friesian Woodcote herd has benefited from years of genetic selection.

P

The Woodcote Stud was born from a fairly good herd and a bit of competition between Holstein-Friesian breeding brothers. Twenty-four years later this well-bred herd has passed to the next generation.

ETER Fullerton registered the Woodcote herd in 1994. Five years later he, his wife Angela and their children moved from their Ngahinapouri farm.

They took 70 head with them and bought the existing herd on the new farm five minutes south of Te Awamutu.

After Peter died in 2000 Angela took a step back and employed contract-milkers to run everything but the breeding.

“A good friend advised me to stay involved with the farm and getting mating right was a sure way of setting the farm up for the following year,” Angela says.

On that advice Angela spent every day 52

during mating loading straws for the AB technician.

In 2004 Angela and Glenn Clarke formed Gateway Partnership, sharemilking for the Fullerton Family Trust and later leasing the farm.

“We wanted the kids to form an interest in some aspect of the farm and calves were always a highlight,” she says.

“Glenn trained to do AB and during calving the AB books would come out.

We’d ask all the kids which bulls they thought we should use.”

The boys took more of a serious interest in the herd than the girls and Gordon especially became hooked on breeding.

“We were incredibly lucky that there

was so much support from other Waipa Club breeders, teaching Gordon about showing, clipping and judging – basically what a good dairy cow is.

“Andrew was more interested in making money from the cows and for a few years before secondary school he would rear a dozen bull calves in an old dairy shed at the back of the farm,” Angela said.

Last season Andrew returned home to manage the farm and in February 2017 Glenn and Angela bought an avocado orchard near Ohaeawai, Northland.

Andrew has bought a 50% share in Gateway Partnership. The farm sits on almost perfect dairying land in south Waikato with Andrew handling the DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

running of the farm and Gordon taking an interest in the breeding side of things.

Most of the new herd was Holstein Friesian bred and Angela and Glenn registered the whole herd about six years ago.

Drama-free milk “We’re now running 460 head on 160 hectares, 145 effective,” Andrew said.

“Ninety percent of those are registered Holstein Friesians.”

The Fullertons milk twice-a-day, 365 days a year through an automated 50-bail Westphalia shed that allows them to have only one milker on. Andrew employs a couple of farm assistants but takes care of the morning milking himself.

“In the 2017-18 season we milked 283,756kg MS, averaging 617kg per cow,” Andrew says.

Classification isn’t high on the list of priorities but over the past five years Woodcote has had its two-year-olds classified as well as a handful of other cows each year.

“We currently have three EX, 40 VG and 150 GP in the herd,” Gordon says.

“I see classifying as adding another string to a cow’s bow, another tick on their resume.”

That is where the brothers’ opinions differ.

“I don’t see the point of classification,” Andrew says.

“All I care about is a cow that lasts through 10 lactations. I’m not worried about whether she’s excellent or not.”

They do, however, agree on the kind of cows they want to breed.

“We breed for trouble-free cows that are capacious with good functional udders,” Gordon sayus.

“We’re after cows that can milk 10 lactations plus, with a focus on protein and fat production.”

“We want to breed the invisible cow,” Andrew says. “She’s the kind of cow that does her job without the drama – she feeds well, milks well and spends 10 years doing it without standing out.”

Best of both worlds The brothers aren’t afraid of putting their faith in genomic testing, trusting genomic sires over their herd here and there.

“By using genomics as well as daughterproven sires we’re able to get the best of both worlds,” Gordon said.

“When they work, you’re a few steps ahead of the rest. When they don’t, you’re a step behind. Luckily, we’ve had success over our elite families.”

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Farm manager Andrew Fullerton gives cow Woodcote Fav Lassie S0F EX a scratch between the ears.

Last season’s bulls included Maire IG Gauntlet-ET, Mourne Grove Hothouse S2F, San Ray FM Beamer-ET S2F, Maire Mint Geronimo, Mainstream Manifold and Bothwell WT Maxima S2F. “We also used our own genomic bulls such as Woodcote H Leyland-ET S2F, marketed by HFNZ and CRV in the Genetic Leaders programme and Woodcote MGH Lexus-ET S2F, marketed

by LIC,” Gordon said.

We’d rather 300+ days in milk with a flat lactation curve as opposed to the spring calving peak and drop.

“Gauntlet is the type of bull that we want to emulate in our animals.”

For the 2018-19 season Gordon plans on using Gauntlet, Beamer, Manifold and Maxima again with Maire FI Golddigger and, from their own bulls, Woodcote FI Mastermind. Mastermind is the topranking pedigree breed bull for fat on the DairyNZ RAS list (AE Run 01-10-18).

“Fat and protein content are very important traits for us when choosing bulls,” Gordon says.

“We will be using Mastermind heavily

this year because of his exceptional fat BV of 54.2kg.”

A handful of Woodcote’s own 2018born genomic bulls out of their most elite cows and cow families include Woodcote Free Milestone, Woodcote G Lookout-ET S2F and Woodcote Lookahead-ET S2F. Milestone with protein and fat BVs of 35.6kg and 37.9kg respectively was sired

by Hazael Dauntless Freedom and out of Woodcote Justice Mel. They will be used alongside other genomic bulls such as Dickson HF Motive S2F and Busybrook HF Lynx-ET S1F, which have been used before on elite cows.

Cows of note A standout cow is Woodcote Fav Lassie S0F EX. An Aurora Donor Favour daughter out of SRC Hibi Secret Skelton, Lassie is 11 years old, in her eighth lactation and regularly does over 800kg of milksolids.

“Favour, Skelton and Mint Edition have been three of the best bulls we’ve ever used and Favour x Skeltons are the best cross we’ve found.”

Their favourite line is the M family, beginning with Woodcote Dave Mel GP84 19 Star Brood. She peaked at her ninth lactation, producing 9010 litres with 3.51% protein and 4.72% fat over 287 days. Six of her sons have been bought by AI companies and seven of her descendants have been in Discovery Project teams.

Continued page 54 53

BREEDING & GENETICS

The Woodcote herd has a number of standout cows including the highly fertile three-year-old Woodcote Freedom IMel-ET GP84.

Another standout in the Woodcote herd is three-year-old Woodcote Freedom IMel-ET GP84. IMel calved her third calf at 43 months earlier this year, switching from spring to autumn calving.

“She got in-calf a month after her first calving, which wasn’t ideal but it speaks to her fertility,” Gordon saud.

IMel is sired by Hazael Dauntless Freedom out of Woodcote Illustris Melly.

Her grandsire is Farside M Illustrious S3F and her great grandsire is Canaan Hails Spicy-ET. Angela and Glenn and now Andrew and Gordon see the value in the HFNZ/ LIC-run Discovery Project, nominating animals into the programme each year.

“We’ve had many Discovery Project successes,” Gordon says.

“Three in 2013, three in 2014, one in 2016, four in 2017 and one in 2018 – and seven of those are in the M family.”

Gordon says it’s a good way to get early daughters out of highly tested genomic animals.

“Due to genomic testing we are able to select ones we think are good and get more daughters from them,” he said.

The Fullertons also make use of the HFNZ/CRV Genetic Leaders male programme with 2016 team member Woodcote H Leyland-ET S2F awaiting his first proof.

“The Holstein Friesian Genetic Leaders programme is a good way to recognise new cows that other breeding companies might not have faith in,” Gordon says.

“Breeding a solid bull puts that cow family on the map.”

This spring the Fullertons have 100 embryos to implant from IVF work done on 10 animals.

54

One is Woodcote FU Laura-ET S3F, 2018 Discovery Project heifer. Four are in the CRV Elite ET Programme (including Woodcote Lara S1F, grand-dam to Laura), four are in the CRV Embryo Programme and one in the LIC Generate Programme.

“This means that pre-mating checks and recording is critical to make sure the embryos get put into the correct cows,” Angela says.

Operation maximum Andrew operates Woodcote as a System 5.

“We feed to full potential,” he says.

“Our cows should never go a day hungry and severe weather conditions, such as drought, have less effect on us.

“We endeavour to buy in feed yearround at a contracted price and stockpile it if necessary. It’s there when we need it and we’re not scrambling to purchase it at that higher price.”

Feed at Woodcote consists of maize, palm kernel, tapioca, DDC, hominy, grass silage, P8 and each cow is fed a calculated diet based on its days-in-milk and production level.

“We have two silos – one holds production-based feed fed on production levels and the other is starch-based feed fed on days-in-milk,” Andrew says.

“We set the parameters and the limits and the computer does the rest.”

All cows are fed through the shed and on the feed pad. Andrew also grows 25 hectares of maize and seven hectares of turnips on farm and is split calving but wants to move to complete autumn calving.

“The lower temperatures through

winter mean we see higher production levels and it doesn’t cost more because feed is readily available.

“We’d rather 300+ days in milk with a flat lactation curve as opposed to the spring calving peak and drop,” he says.

“We’re also able to feed our good cows extra and another incentive is that Fonterra pays extra for winter milk.

This year it paid an extra $3.50 over forecast. Also, I’d rather calve in dust than mud!”

Improvements to the property have included a new cow shed built 10 years ago.

“All of the feeding takes place on concrete,” Andrew says.

“The feeding system has been gleaned so it’s pretty much idiot-proof.”

Don’t bother with the bad Andrew and Gordon agree life’s too short to milk bad cows.

“You need to do whatever increases your kilograms of milksolids and focus on your profits,” Andrew says.

“Don’t be afraid to get rid of cows that don’t perform. Think of meat buyers as your best friends.”

He operates on a strict culling regime, maintaining it’s faster and more economical to cull inferior cows rather than waste time and money breeding them out.

“We’re happy with the majority of our cows. We don’t want bigger ones.

“We’ve reached our equilibrium at the 590kg average,” Andrew said.

“For now, we want to steadily increase the herd’s conversion rate of production per kilogram of live weight and enjoy those invisible cows.” n DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

BREEDING & GENETICS

Breeding smaller footprints

D

AIRY farmers are upping their game and doing more to improve their environmental footprint through their breeding programmes.

CRV Ambreed product manager Peter van Elzakker says more farmers have been asking about CRV Ambreed’s LowN sires this year with the goal of breeding for lower milk urea nitrogen (MUN) concentration.

Cows bred for lower levels of MUN are expected to excrete less nitrogen in their urine, which then reduces the amount of nitrogen leached when cows are grazed on pasture.

This year more than a quarter of all CRV Ambreed’s orders are for bulls from the LowN sires team with 40% of Jersey orders and 26% of Friesian orders for LowN sires.

“We’ve given farmers another tool that can help to manage nitrate leaching with minimal or no disruption to their normal

farm management,” van Elzakker says.

“We take a lot of pride in knowing that overall there will be a reduction in urinary nitrogen concentration from the offspring of nearly half a million cows, meaning even as young calves these animals will potentially have a lower environmental impact.”

Recently, the Government announced its plans to improve the country’s waterways within five years.

Environment Minister David Parker, Minister for Crown-Maori Relations Kelvin Davis and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor presented a working programme that includes new rules to be in place by 2020 to stop the degradation of freshwater quality.

CRV Ambreed research and development head Phil Beatson said its calculations show a reduction of 20% in leaching within 20 years is possible by using genetics to breed cows with lower levels of MUN. n

CRV Ambreed product manager Peter van Elzakker says demand for LowN sires is on the rise.

MORE:

Use the MUN calculator at lownsires.co.nz

AUTUMN MATING? LET’S TALK GENETICS OAD

FE

Once A Day You’ll be looking for traits such as udder support, milking speed and low somatic cell count.

Facial Eczema Guard your herd from FE with increased tolerance.

Healthy Herd Easy to manage herd with fewer health related issues.

Efficient Herd Sustainable cows that last and produce lots of solids per kg feed.

FERT

Fertility Get better results by selecting the right genetics for your farm system.

Call your CRV Ambreed Field Consultant and discuss how to select the right genetics and herd services to meet your herd improvement goals. 0800 262 733

CRV4ALL.CO.NZ

Tayla Hansen is quite possibly New Zealand’s youngest stud owner. Her Speckle Park bull M&M is at the heart of the stud.

Love of cattle FRITHA TAGG

D

ETERMINED 14-yearold Waikato girl Tayla Hansen who is putting her stamp on the Speckle Park beef breed is quite possibly one of the youngest stud owners in the land.

Hansen, who lives with her mum Brenda, dad Andrew and siblings Cooper, 12, Alexis, 9, and Mitchell, 7, on a small lifestyle block at Orini near Huntly is the proud owner of Limited Edition Speckle Park stud.

As a young girl attending a country school she always had a calf for calf club but had to give them back to the farmer.

She wanted a calf of her own that she could keep.

Her loan calves had always been dairy animals so decided to mix things up and go with a beef breed because they can be shown longer than dairy calves.

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She liked the look of Speckle Park animals and spent hours researching the breed. Hansen was blown away by the possibilities of the breed and fell in love with it.

The family set out to buy the best Speckle Park they could and found the perfect animal at Ruawai in Northland, bred by John and Jan Bellamy of Below Sea Level Speckle Park stud.

This animal is now at the heart of Hansen’s small but perfectly formed herd.

He was named Master of Mayhem because his name had to start with M but Hansen is quick to say that was a bit of a joke because he isn’t any trouble at all.

“We call him M&M for short.”

Hansen’s first show with M&M was at Orini Combined School then at the Group Day, Waikato A&P Show and several other northern shows collecting first ribbons along the way. Then came the big one and they won the 2017 Royal Easter Show’s Calf Club supreme calf and supreme Speckle Park trophy with M&M.

After the Easter Show the Bellamys invited her to stay with them during calving and they were impressed with her attitude and talent for rearing and handling calves.

I am also looking to buy another purebred heifer calf that I can also show and breed from.

They had a number of embryo transplant Speckle Park calves being born from their dairy herd so loaned Hansen a heifer calf to help her progress her Speckle Park herd.

Brenda says the family is extremely grateful to the Bellamys.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

BREEDING & GENETICS

Tayla Hansen and her Speckle Park Bull M&M have been winning ribbons ever since she got him as a calf.

Not only did they help make Hansen’s dream of breeding Speckle Park come true but also having the calf has been a real boost for her because she struggles with the need to wear a back brace to help overcome a spinal problem.

“Tayla has scoliosis of the spine, a disorder which causes pain in her arms and back,” Brenda says.

“She has to wear a specially made brace for as many hours in the day as possible but she cannot wear it when she is working with the cattle because it stops her from bending.”

What keeps her going is her love of competing – something she has done since the age of five.

“I have a passion for cattle. I’m not going to stop because of a brace.” Hansen says.

Brenda says the brace has worked well and has decreased her pain levels.

“Her back is straightening up and if things carry on the way they are she may not need surgery.

“Tayla still has a couple more years of growing to do but things are looking positive.”

The brace and her scoliosis condition have not stopped her working with her precious cattle and she has now taken on relief-milking and works at the local fish and chip shop at least once a week to earn money to feed and keep her animals.

Hansen has been to Australia four times in the last year to spend time in both Melbourne and Adelaide at different Speckle Park pedigree studs and to attend the Royal Melbourne Show.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

“Just the knowledge of the Australian group was amazing. They were all keen to help and to talk to me, to help increase my knowledge about the breed and about showing and handling cattle,” Hansen says.

“They took their time to show me things – like their clipping technique and other show tips and animal handling.

Australia is just bigger – more studs, more cattle but great attitude and all willing to help and to share their time and knowledge.”

Now with six Speckle Park-cross calves, a crossbred cow and a purebred yearling

heifer plus M&M, Tayla needs to find a small block of land to lease to grow her stud. Next year she will have her first calf on the ground.

“I am very excited but a bit nervous. I hope the calf comes out safe,” she says.

“I am also looking to buy another purebred heifer calf that I can also show and breed from.”

Brenda thinks Tayla will be living on the front lawn as the birth gets closer to make sure she is right there when the cow has her calf.

Tayla is now also selling semen from M&M to earn money to increase her stud and care for the animals.

Most of her clients are dairy farmers with a few beef breeders, both commercial and some are pedigree users.

“My bull M&M is a lovely natured animal perfect for any dairy operation and his record in the show ring is impressive,” Hansen says.

“He has wins at Hawke’s Bay Royal 2017 Supreme Exhibit, Franklin A&P Junior Meat and Wool, Waikato A&P Supreme Exhibit and won the 2017 Royal Easter Show’s supreme Speckle Park bull trophy so he has all the right attributes and credentials.” n

MORE:

For more information or to buy Master of Mayhem semen contact Tayla Hansen by email limitededitionspecklepark@gmail.com or visit her Facebook page - Limited Edition Speckle Park with Tayla

Having raised him since he was a calf, Tayla and M&M share a special bond.

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BREEDING & GENETICS

Mating made simple

F

ARMERS with a good level of reproductive performance need not scramble for the single best AB bull to mate to their best cows.

Recently published research indicates the greatest strides in genetic gain can be achieved by identifying a herd’s worst, rather than the best, cows.

In other words, the science suggests farmers are far better-off preventing lower-quality stock from producing replacements, focusing instead on using replacement-quality semen from a team of bulls to mate to, say, the best 80 to 90% of the herd.

The science debunks a commonly-held, intuitive belief the best way to maximise genetic gain is to mate a herd’s top cows to the industry’s top AB bull.

METHODOLOGY LIC operations and service general manager David Chin, one of the authors of the peer-reviewed paper published in the Journal of Dairy Science said the research involved surveying a wide representation of New Zealand herds in March 2017.

For each herd a combination of mating parameters was applied, reflecting various mating strategies, for example, mating one top bull to the top 5% of cows exclusively, mating the top 95% of cows to a team of bulls, mating the top 80% of cows to a team of bulls and nominating 10% of the herd to one bull, etc.

Because random chance has a significant bearing on which cow gets in-calf to an AB mating and which of those pregnancies results in a heifer being born, each combination of parameters

was simulated 1000 times to identify how much variation might occur by chance.

A total of 54 million herd matings were therefore simulated, Chin said.

THE UPSHOT The findings told a fairly straightforward story.

“For each 10% of the herd’s poorest cows that get excluded from generating replacements, the average breeding worth (BW) of the all replacements generated increased by 3.8 to 4 BW, regardless of herd structure or bull team,” Chin said.

“For many herds even just excluding the bottom 5% of the cows from producing a replacement is a better strategy than mating the top 20% of your cows to the single-highest BW bull.”

However, good reproductive performance underpins all the findings because the birth of enough replacement heifers remains paramount.

Chin also acknowledged the necessary trade-off between selection and inbreeding that farmers face.

Graph 1 reflects a collection of herds that had the NZ average BW with a relatively narrow spread of BW between the cows.

There are five data sets plotted, each reflecting a different mating strategy: A shows the outcome of a mating strategy that involved mating the entire herd with a bull team. These herds received an average 136BW return.

B shows the outcome of a mating strategy that involved mating the top 20% of cows to one nominated bull. The rest of the herd got replacement-quality semen from a bull team.

GRAPH 2 Percent cows excluded from producing replacements

0

5

10

20

Mean replacements BW

Mean replacements BW

Percent cows excluded from producing replacements

138

145

0

5

10

20

140

135

135

A

58

These herds received an average 137BW return.

C shows the outcome when 5% of the herd is excluded from producing replacements. All other cows were mated to a bull team and there were no nominated bulls involved. These herds received an average 137BW return.

D shows the outcome when 10% of the herd was excluded from producing replacements. All other cows were mated to a bull team and there were no nominated bulls involved. These herds received an average 138BW return.

E shows the outcome when 20% of the herd was excluded from producing replacements. All other cows were mated to a bull team and there were no nominated bulls involved. These herds received an average 140BW return. n

EXAMPLES OF FINDINGS

GRAPH 1

141

LIC operations and service general manager David Chin says great strides in genetic gain can be made by identifying a herd’s worst cows.

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

DAIRY FARMER

E

November 2018

With Protrack® Heat, the Duckmantons have gone without the bull for three seasons.

We might have even detected a smile.

Some might think spending money on technology in the middle of a payout slump is a tad risky. But for Jeremy and Stacey Duckmanton the investment in a Protrack Heat camera has paid off.

They sharemilk close to 1,000 cows inland from Rakaia, Mid Canterbury and are now in their third season of total AI. With the camera’s focused eye, they’ve taken the pressure off their staff and building up trust in the system has enabled them to increase their 6 week in-calf rate and lower their empty rate to 12%. There are other efficiencies, too – like knowing accurate calving dates so they can manage dry off and winter management. Plus having no bulls means they don’t have to worry as much about biosecurity or even the cost of feeding bulls.

At LIC Automation we’re making Protrack work harder for our farmers to make greater on farm gains. Let’s just say it’s a developing story.

KingSt_689_NZDF_A

Learn more at lic.co.nz/automation

There’s always room for improvement DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

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BREEDING & GENETICS

Raising the next top

A

T THE back of Raglan harbour on the west coast peninsula lies one of the country’s most influential farming operations.

The aptly named Peninsula Farm is where herd improvement company CRV Ambreed grazes its young Friesian, Jersey and crossbred bulls that wait to find out if they’re the dairy industry’s next megastars.

Each year about 150 bull calves are carefully selected for CRV Ambreed’s progeny test programme and are shipped from farms across the country to its Bellevue production and logistics centre.

At about 12 months of age their semen is harvested then allocated and distributed to contracted progeny-testing herds nationwide.

It takes four years to measure the performance, milk production and type of a bull’s daughters so for the next three and a half years the young bulls graze in an isolated and controlled environment at Peninsula Farm.

About 250 Friesian, Jersey and crossbred bulls averaging 800kg graze at the farm over winter and up to 310 bulls in spring.

They are put into mobs of 10-20 bulls and each mob is rotated around three or four paddocks.

Annually 800 silage bales are brought in and fed out from March to October.

Farm manager Darryl Parker says Peninsula Farm is paradise seven months of the year and wet and windy the rest.

As part of CRV Ambreed’s focus on environmental sustainability large portions of the farm have been planted with native trees and shrubs to protect against coastal erosion.

With large animals up to 1000kg walking around in winter the paddocks can quickly become soft.

“We spend a lot of time rolling, leveling and regrowing grass where we can,” he says.

“As you’d expect with a bull farm there’s also triple the maintenance of your typical dairy farm but that is part and parcel of what we do.”

The 240-hectare farm is ideal for quarantine because its boundary has only 800m of neighbouring farm.

Three sides of the farm have a coastal boundary and the fourth side is separated from the neighbour by a gravel road.

All sides of the farm are double fenced with a 5m buffer zone

December’s themes

Business Health Succession planning and Education

farmersweekly.co.nz

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2462DF

Summer Management of Water and Irrigation

Farm manager Darryl Parker says working on Peninsula Farm is like working in paradise and a great lifestyle.

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

dairy sires that protects the coastline and removes any chance of nose-tonose contact with other stock.

All precautions possible are taken on-farm to protect the quarantine disease status of the bulls and manage any known biosecurity risk, including diseases such as IBR, BVD and Mycoplasma bovis.

The farm is categorised as a fully isolated, controlled environment managed under strict vet supervision.

It’s also registered and audited bi-annually by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

“We follow strict biosecurity practices around hygiene and equipment disinfection,” Parker says.

“We minimise visitors to the farm as much as possible but when we do have visitors they have to sign in and out and their vehicles and any other equipment are sprayed and washed if they have to come on-farm.”

Along with biosecurity, health and safety is always top of mind for Parker and farm assistant Jordan Ratima.

“I’ve been working for CRV Ambreed for over 20 years and been on this farm for almost five years but I am still wary at all times. It’s all about keeping your eyes open, keeping your distance and getting to know the bulls,” he says.

“About 98% of the animals are fine to handle but for safety we always have two people on-hand to shift and feed the bulls.

“We don’t walk through paddocks. We’re always on bikes. We use dogs.

“And feed is important. We usually use feed to shift the animals when they need to be shifted,” he says.

After the four-year progeny test programme is complete the bulls with potential to provide the highest genetic gain for dairy farmers are selected to graduate by CRV Ambreed’s product management and product development team, which, coincidently, includes Parker’s older brother Aaron.

The brothers have a combined 46 years with the company.

The bulls are once again health tested and put into interim quarantine on Peninsula Farm for 45 days.

Once their blood and TB tests come back clear they return to the CRV production and logistics centre on the outskirts of Cambridge and undergo further quarantine disease testing.

The final step of the bulls’ journey is to enter the semen collection centre where semen is collected for processing as frozen semen for AI for customers worldwide.

While proven bulls follow a long line of megastar bulls that are sought after by dairy farmers for their production and performance traits, each season the next group of bulls in waiting makes its way to Peninsula Farm.

“Seeing the top bulls go off to collection every year and knowing that I was part of that is really satisfying,” Parker says.

“I love working at the farm and I definitely don’t get bored out here.

“There’s the normal farm chores like stock work, repairs and maintenance and farm development but then I get to blood bulls, take bull photos and collect semen from a 1000kg bull.

“And at the end of the working day I can drop a net for a feed of flounder or go whitebaiting so it’s a real privilege to live out here.” n DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Farm manager Darryl Parker and farm assistant Jordan Ratima look after the dairy industry’s next generation sires on Peninsula Farm at Raglan.

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BREEDING GENETICS

BW shifts show fat value

I

N WHAT is the most significant change to global dairy trade in the last 20 years milk fat will earn dairy farmers more than protein in the 2018-19 season.

“Fat has been a low-value milk component but has seen a steady rise in recent seasons due to consumerdriven market value,” DairyNZ strategy and investment leader Dr Bruce Thorrold says. “That’s a welcome change for New Zealand dairy farmers who are set to receive a strong 2018-19 milk price, buoyed by the value of milk fat.”

Milk price and the relative value of fat and protein are the biggest factors in the breeding worth (BW) of dairy cattle.

“The changes in fat price have produced large shifts in BW both between and within breeds. Of the top 200 bulls by BW in 2019, 70% are Jersey, 5% HolsteinFriesian and 25% crossbred (Jersey and Holstein Friesian),” Thorrold said.

“On average Jersey bulls are increasing by $23 BW while Holstein-Friesian decrease by $28 BW. Crossbred and Ayrshire bulls are relatively unchanged (-$4 and -$3 BW). Within breeds individual bulls will shift up or down by as much as $40 BW relative to their breed average shift.”

NZ Animal Evaluation (NZAEL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of DairyNZ, administers a BW index to rank cows and bulls according to their ability to meet the national breeding objective of producing dairy cows that will be the most efficient converters of feed into profit for farmers.

NZAEL has recently finalised the economic factors that will be used to calculate BW from February 2019.

“Due to the sizable shift in fat and protein value BW2019 is being published early for all sires enrolled with NZAEL.

That will give farmers insights into which bulls can add the most value to their breeding programme in a market where fat is a high-value component.

Calves born in spring 2019 will have the BW2019 values,” Thorrold said.

The economic values for fat and protein are calculated by partitioning the milksolids price into values for fat and protein then accounting for the cost of producing each component. The value of fat relative to protein has been increasing for the past three seasons and the trend is forecast to continue.

NZ is uniquely positioned to take full advantage of strong demand for fat-based milk products because of the strong influence of Jersey genes in the national herd. There is high genetic variation in the trait in NZ dairy cattle, which enables farmers to respond quickly to market signals.

Thorrold says the shift in consumer demand for fat and the consequent change in BW are big changes for dairy farmers.

“The milk price values we use in BW lag behind the market price because we look to smooth out short-term changes – for breeding the national herd we need a long-term view. If current fat prices are maintained then the shift in favour of high-fat bulls will continue next year.

“Breeding high BW cows is vital for farm profit so, given these shifts in BW, all farmers need to be thinking about their breed choice as well as individual bulls.

“Farmers can be confident that BW is identifying the most profitable genetics for NZ grazing systems, whether they are looking for the best bull team or best bull within a breed.”

Dairy farmers will need to think about their breeding choices to ensure they have

EFFECTIVE EMPHASIS ON THE INDIVIDUAL TRAITS WITHIN BW

62

BW2019 will give farmers insights into which bulls can add the most value to their breeding programme. a herd capable of producing milk with higher fat content to get the best returns.

Many farmers use semen from bull teams selected by breeding companies to help them breed the next generation of milking cows. The breeding companies are aware of these changes and are using them to help select the bulls they use in their teams.

DairyNZ is encouraging farmers to talk to their breeding company to see if the product they have ordered still meets their needs. n

MORE:

Farmers can log onto the DairyNZ website to check both the current and 2019 BW figures on the DairyNZ bull team builder.

Farmers can use IT to identify the bulls in their team that will have a big shift in their BW figure in February 2019.

Go to dairynz.co.nz/bullteam

SHIFT IN BW FOR AE ENROLLED SIRES

DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Rural idyll near city

A

PICTURESQUE dairy farm for sale just minutes from Palmerston North’s central business district is a rare find in a soughtafter area.

For the past few decades the 114.5ha farm near Linton has been part of a farming and contracting family business and it is in a prime location with three titles.

The farm spreads over flat-to-rolling contour on a mixture of soil types from river silt on the flat to silt loam soils.

Up to 290 cows can be milked on the property with its resource consent and most seasons it has milked between 280 and 290 cows, with production as high as 120,000kg milksolids, which includes rearing up to 240 calves on whole milk

before they are weaned at 100kg to 120kgs.

Les Cain from Sallan Realty says the facilities on the property are not new but are well maintained and work very well.

They include a very good 30-aside dairy equipped with electronic milking plant, third-line cleaning and in-shed feeding.

Good stock handling facilities and a load-out area are beside the dairy.

The farm has been the family’s contracting base so has large machinery and work sheds suitable for numerous activities.

Hay sheds are placed at different parts of the property.

Rounding the farm off are three family homes that are all set in their own grounds and enjoy views overlooking the property.

The farm has flat to gently rolling contour just a few minutes from Palmerston North.

An attractive duck pond surrounded by trees has been a family favourite over the years.

Cain says it is a great place to live and has a lot of character with the added benefit of living close to one of New Zealand’s largest cities.

Tenders close on November 8.

MORE:

Contact Les Cain on 0274 420 582

QUALITY DAIRY FARM • Situated on Millricks Line in Linton, Manawatu is this exceptional 114.5 hectare dairy farm.

• Currently running 280 cows and consented for 290.

• Has produced up to 120,000kgs/ms from 290 cows with the herd wintered off.

• Very good Tokomaru silt loam soils that have been regularly fertilised and are producing well.

• Improvements include three very good family homes along with a very good 30 aside dairy.

• Water is supplied by tank to the home and two bores supply artesian water to stock troughs and dairy.

• Farm is well laid out with good track access and stock troughs to all paddocks.

• Includes a large machinery shed and good storage, two silage bunkers with concrete floor and feed pad.

• For sale by tender closing 2pm on the 8th November 2018 (if not sold prior).

• Call Les on 0274 420 582 to inspect this property.

HUKA VIEW

Situated in the Hukanui District is this very well laid out dairy farm.

Currently running a 300 cow milking herd of Holstein Friesians.

The farm has produced up to 139,000kgs of milk solids.

Bore supplies high pressure water to all stock troughs and dairy.

Top quality 32 aside herringbone dairy with in-bail feeding.

Two very good family homes that look out over the farm Great opportunity to secure one of the best farms in the Hukanui District.

Call Les to inspect.

Sallan Realty DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

• This quality property on the outskirts of Palmerston North is 76 ha in four titles.

• Currently milking cows and would be suited to any agricultural activity.

• Consented for intensive agriculture and has recently upgraded effluent system.

• Facilities include a 16 aside dairy, large machinery shed and good hay shed.

• Very nice stand of native timber that adds character to this farm and appeal.

• With silt loam soils this could be a great chance to add a forage and heifer block to your current dairy business. Call Les to inspect this property.

Google ‘Sallan Realty’ Your Farm Sales Specialist

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• • • • • • • •

KAIRANGA FARM

CALL 0800FARMTEAM Licensed Agent REAA 2008

63

Discover Latin America!

WHY USE SPECKLE PARK SEMEN?

Latin Link have been operating small group escorted tours throughout Latin America since 1992, as well as tailor made individual journeys.

• Hardy calves quick to suckle • Reach target carcass weights quickly • Great temperament

From Mexico to Antarctica, they offer their first hand experience and intimate knowledge of the continent with a unique range of well priced tours that are based on comfortable small hotels.

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Visit their website www.latinlink.co.nz

PH: 0800 528 465

Email: info@latinlink.co.nz

4X4 TAGALONG TOURS Tour 1: Molesworth Station, St James and Rainbow Stations Dates Dec 30-Jan 2, 2019, Feb 22-25, March 3-6, April 4-7, Oct 21-24, Dec 30-Jan 2 2020

Ph: 03 314 7220 Mob: 0274 351 955 Email info@molesworthtours.co.nz www.molesworthtours.co.nz

Brenda and Tayla Hansen Ph 027 380 1204 limitededitionspecklepark@gmail.com

Better Bulls, Better Calves Assist farmers to make the right purchasing decisions for their herd.

farmersweekly.co.nz

■ Ideal for trimming cow tails ■ Variable speed from 2400-3500 rpm ■ Latest brushless motor technology means minimal heat build up ■ 1400gms means 100-200gms lighter than standard handpiece ■ At 2700 rpm the 12-volt lithium battery will crutch up to 400-500 cow tails ■ Tough alloy switch box with auto reset fuse for overload or lockup – clips to belt

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Tour 2: D’Urville Island and Marlborough High Country Other dates available for either tour for groups on request.

LIMITED EDITION SPECKLE PARK

Book now for our May 2019 feature

Bring your own 4x4 on a guided tour to discover more of the South Island.

Dates Dec 2-6, 2018, March 24-28, 2019

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Below Sea Level Master of Mayhem Straws available now • M bovis clear

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Free call 0800 474 327 Email: dave@handypiece.co.nz

HOMEOPATHY

The complementary system of health for all your farming livestock

TALK DIRECTLY TO THE EXPERTS HOMEOPATHIC FARM SUPPORT e info 64

p 07 858 4233

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DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Chch. Agri Show 2018 site G47 14th - 16th Nov 2018

Suppliers of Fuelcon Stainless Steel Farm Tanks

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• Above Ground & On Ground options • Split tank options - incl. DEF • Fitted with both Vent Filter & Product Filter • Meter, hose & nozzle (standard) • Above Ground is fitted with ladder & standing platform • On Ground tanks have a top pump box fully enclosed & lockable

ian@petrotecni.co.nz

0800 383 5266

Effluent Pumping Services

0800 111 690 • 027 217 6779

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Spreading of all Effluent Ponds

SUPPLEMENTARY FEED

0800 278 677

• Palm Kernel & Blends • DDG • Tapioca Barley, Wheat, Maize & Soybean Meal (forward contracts available).

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To join our Palm Kernel Pricing Text Service, please text your name and area to 027 214 9761 Palm Kernel Pricing Text Service

www.cattlestops.co.nz DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Call Susanna at Intergrain NZ 0800 244 744

Intergrain NZ LTD 65

One last word …

I

MPROVING the nation’s dairy herds adds about $300 million to the NZ dairy industry each year but the dairy herd improvement regulatory regime has not been comprehensively reviewed since it was established in 2001.

After 17 years, the regime will benefit from being updated to reflect the changing animal evaluation needs of the industry.

This issue is now up for review and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is calling for submissions to the proposal.

They want to hear from the dairy industry and people with an interest in how the regime can help ensure that New Zealand’s dairy industry remains world leading.

“We want to hear from people about how the regulatory regime can more effectively support the performance of the dairy industry,” MPI’s director of agriculture, marine and plant policy, Emma Taylor says.

“We also want to hear from industry on the effects of changing technology and the future implications on the dairy herd improvement sector.”

Dairy herd improvement adds substantial value to the New Zealand economy, as well as the industry, by breeding more productive dairy animals 66

through herd testing, herd recording, animal evaluation, and artificial breeding. It also has the potential to support better environmental and animal health outcomes.

It’s important the dairy herd improvement regulatory regime reflects the changing needs of the dairy industry.

Emma Taylor

Farmers have been testing samples of milk from their dairy cattle and recording data to inform their herd management decisions for over a century. For industry to achieve optimal rates of genetic gain it needs a comprehensive, accurate and continuous supply of data to enable informed decisions on herd

management and breeding.

The review centres on how to ensure that the regulated dataset remains well aligned with the industry’s current and future animal evaluation needs.

“It’s important the dairy herd improvement regulatory regime reflects the changing needs of the dairy industry.

“It’s timely to look at how the regulatory settings can better support industry both now and into the future,” Taylor says.

This consultation follows on from changes initiated in 2012 and 2014,in relation to the Livestock Improvement Corporation’s (LIC)’s statutory obligations and the process to transfer the New Zealand Dairy Core Database from LIC to DairyNZ. Stakeholder consultation in 2014 indicated industry concerns about the management of herd improvement data.

The full proposal can be viewed on the MPI website so check it out and have your say.

Submissions close at 5.00 pm Monday November 12. n

Sonita

Like us: farmersweekly.co.nz Follow us: @DairyFarmer15 Read us anywhere: farmersweekly.co.nz DAIRY FARMER

November 2018

Dairy Diary

Proudly brought to you by Farmside

November 2018 Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday 1

November 7 Dairy Women’s Network, Tech on Farm What apps are you using on-farm? What works for you and what do you need? Hear from network partners about on-farm technology, Fonterra, Morrinsville Social Club, 360 Thames Street, Morrinsville, 10am-noon. Register by November 5 at www.dwn.co.nz/events 5 November 8 6 7 8 Dairy Women’s Network Pig tits and parsley sauce. Learn how to slash the supermarket bill with Lyn Webster. www.dwn.co.nz/events.

November 8 Systems that work for you SMASH Hosts John and Anne Higgens have their 210 cows on a 16-hour 12milking interval from 13Melbourne Cup Day 14and raise minimal 15 numbers of heifers, instead buying in replacements at two or three years old. At this field day we will look at how their system works for them, 10am-2pm, 555 Hutchinson Rd, Kereone. www.smallerherds.co.nz.

November 14 Systems that work for you SMASH 19Hosts Vern and Theresa 20 Corbet have installed 21 in-shed feeders, 22 cup removers and upgraded their plant. At this day we will look into how their system works for them, 10am-2pm, Puketarata Rd, Otorohanga. www.smallerherds.co.nz.

November 14, 15 and 21 Dairy Women’s Network FarmIQ modules series at various locations. Series of workshops including staff management, heath and safety and pasture 26management. More27info at www.dwn.co.nz/events/farmiq.

28 29 November 19 – 22 Dairy Women’s Network Gain control of infectious diseases on farm at various locations.

Future-proof your farm with improved understanding and control measures for diseases. More info at www.dwn.co.nz/events.

DAIRY FARMER

Friday 2

Saturday 3

4

Wednesday November 21 Owl Farm Focus Day Updates on seasonal performance, research on the farm and plans for the farm’s future. Looking Forward - Westpac economist Anne Boniface, summer set-up, feeding through the next three months.10.15am-1pm, St Peter’s School, 1716 Cambridge Rd, Cambridge. www.owlfarm.nz/owlfarm/events.

9 26-27 10 11 November Pasture Summit Conference North Island and 29-30 South Island The theme of the 2018 Pasture Summit is Growing Dairy’s Future. The events are aimed at the cutting edge of pasturebased dairy farming. We will examine the challenges we face and focus on driving innovation in the future. The conference is geared to be highly interactive, vibrant, positive and constructive.

More info 16at www.pasturesummit.co.nz.

17 18 November 27-28 Effluent Expo, Hamilton If you are looking for a place to start when thinking about effluent and its management or if you are changing or upgrading your effluent system this event is for you, 8.30am-4.30pm , Mystery Creek Events Centre (Gate 2), 125 Ohaupo Rd. November 23 27 and 29 24 25 SMASH Off paddock shelters and lameness Manawatu and Inglewood, www.smallerherds.co.nz.

November 29 SMASH Keeping it simple and water management Kokatahangi, Top of the South Island and Westland. www.smallerherds.co.nz.

November FMG Young Farmer of the Year District Contest 30 and Skills Day East Coast South November 10, Lower North November 17, Aorangi North November 10, Otago November 24, North Waikato November 10, Piako November 24, Bay of Plenty November 17, Waipa/King Country December 1.

Venues and times at www.youngfarmers.co.

We know rural because we are rural www.farmside.co.nz

November 2018

Sunday

67

Are you making the most out of your

land?

If the effective area of your farm is out by just 10% it could be costing you up to $144* per day.

An accurate farm map is the basis of your entire farming operation and greater precision means better decision making. At GPS-it we use the latest technology to map your farm with the highest degree of accuracy possible. Our team know dairy farms, because we’ve been farming them and mapping them for 20 years.

Give us a call today and we’ll make sure you get an accurate map of your farm

0800 247 748 www.gpsit.co.nz

Book your farm map by the End of October, use the code ‘SPRING’ and you’ll receive a free: • A0 synthetic map valued at $220 • A4 map pad 100-sheet valued at $75 A total saving of $295!

GPS-it maps and data can also be used in MINDA, My Ballance and Hawkeye systems. *$144 is the variation between a farm map based off satellite or Google imagery and GPS-it high definition aerial imagery at accuracy of 30cm horizontal and 60cm vertical.