RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE NUTRITION FORAGE AND ARABLE HORTICULTURE ANIMAL MANAGEMENT DAIRY MANAGEMENT
Plan 365 is a technical guide aimed at helping shareholders learn about best practice and the latest advancements in rural technology.
Treating active flystrike
It’s difficult to anticipate when the fly pressure will start and often when sheep are bought in, some may already be struck. In this situation, you need to use a product indicated for the treatment of active flystrike. Bayer provides two distinctive and trusted brands for this, Zapp Encore and Maggo.
Zapp Encore is a unique pour-on for both lice and flystrike treatment and prevention, combining two actives, triflumuron with imidacloprid. Imidacloprid is a critical component of Zapp Encore and is the key to the rapid knockdown of both maggots and lice. It also offers a rainfast formula with a fast spreading solvent base for rapid penetration into the fleece, with low toxicity for both sheep and humans. Its scourable blue dye also allows for easy identification of treated animals. The 1L, 5L and 20L pack sizes make it convenient to manage all flock sizes.
Maggo is another tried and trusted brand from Bayer. It is a definite must have for
flystrike treatment this summer. Maggo is recommended for treating cases of active strike and contains propetamphos as well as paradichlorobenzene, with a relatively short 14 day meat withholding period. The 1 litre concentrate pack may seem small but it packs a punch, making up to 40 litres of solution.
Having great products to treat flystrike is important but products are only as good as the care and method of application. This is where early detection is vital, as a small area of dark stain on the rump or wither can be treated easily with a topical treatment over the stain and surrounding wool. If not detected early, the wool can hide a much larger area damaged by maggots. In these cases, removal of wool from the affected area will expose maggots and allow application of insecticides to the traumatised skin and underlying tissue. Treating surrounding areas is vitally important, especially to prevent new strike on non-struck areas, as the odour from
MAGGO 1L
• For the treatment of flystrike in sheep.
• Offers protection from re-strike on treated area.
damaged tissue will attract more flies. Zapp Encore and Maggo deliver rapid control of active strike. Make sure you have one of these products on-hand this summer to deliver rapid relief for struck sheep.
For more information, please talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store
Article supplied by Bayer Animal Health.
ZAPP ENCORE 20L
• Combination pour-on for the control of flystrike and lice.
• Knockdown of maggots and long-term control of flystrike.
Facial eczema could be costing your farm money
You may be unaware that some (or all) animals are affected. Skin peeling is the symptom most farmers associate with facial eczema (FE) but that is only half the story.
If a small proportion of the animals develop skin lesions (which appear about 4-6 weeks after the ingestion of spores), there will be a higher number of animals suffering liver damage that have not yet exhibited skin damage.
The cost of facial eczema to the agricultural industry is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions/year*. National economy is one thing – how about the physical cost to your sheep or cattle and your business?
Challenges for farms unaware of facial eczema
Distressing as it is to the cow and to us, the skin damage is the least of its problems.
• Irreparable liver damage is of greater concern.
• Cattle need a functional liver for a whole range of reasons.
Some examples of the liver functions that are challenged during FE season:
Glucose manufacture from propionate amino acids
Fatty acid manufacture and export Storage of copper, iron, vitamins, glycogen
Detox centre
e.g. ammonia, sporidesmin Protein breakdown and manufacture from amino acids
Sporidesmin, the toxin that causes facial eczema, eventually compromises liver function
• Liver concentrates sporidesmin into bile (ready for excretion).
• Sporidesmin causes localised damage to the bile ducts (“the drainage system”).
• The bile ducts fill with debris and block.
• Bile excretion slows/stops within 14 days.
• Reduced/no bile leaving liver means the liver is damaged. It loses functional ability, including getting rid of breakdown products of chlorophyll = PHOTOSENSITISATION.
Prevention is not just better than a cure
– prevention is the cure
Once facial eczema has affected livestock, there is nothing a farmer can do to repair the damage. Farmers who are serious
about preventing facial eczema must first monitor facial eczema spore numbers on the farm and then implement a robust prevention plan – and check it is working and understood by all staff!
The effect of zinc is instantaneous but it is only effective if used before and during danger periods. It cannot be used (to treat) after the danger period, when stock have already been affected.
There are many factors associated with a sound facial eczema management programme:
• Measure the spore challenge on your own farm, either by pasture spore count (PSC) or faecal spore count (FSC).
• Plan for effective prevention by learning about the many preventative options available and adopt one or more that will suit the farm operation.
• Check the accuracy of measuring equipment and the zinc dose rate for the required number of animals to be protected.
• Check the chosen prevention option is working by collecting blood samples from a representative number of cows (or sheep) and check the GGT levels for signs of liver damage.
The cost of FE is too huge a risk to leave to chance.
Article supplied by Andrew Oakley, Technical Manager, NZ Agritrade Ltd.
*Bruce Faull; Facial Eczema: Disease Prediction and Surveillance; Proc 3rd Annual Seminar, Society of Dairy Cattle Veterinarians NZVA, 1986 © VetLearn® Foundation (NZ) 2003.
A=Normal liver; B=FE damaged liver. Spores release toxin into rumen Animal ingests spores
Spores
And here is where the problem starts...
Eliminate vat cleaning risks
New portable Vat Recirculation Units eliminate the need for someone to get inside the milk silo to manually clean it.
“Designed in-house, these machines will revolutionise an age-old practice that has effectively been a health and safety issue for the dairy industry,” GEA National Sales Manager Colin May says.
“For years, we’ve had people going into the vat, a very confined space, with dangerous chemicals because there simply wasn’t another way to get it clean. These people were exposed to dangerous amounts of chlorine fumes. The alkaline wash also made it very slippery. There have been cases of people being overcome by fumes
or burned by chemicals.
“We recognised the need to find another way to help farmers clean their vat to protect milk quality. Hence our very simple – but effective – new Vat Recirculation Units.”
The introduction of four of these machines is timely moving into summer, when milk quality issues become more prevalent. Using the units, GEA/FIL Area Managers can have the vat silo clean in 30 minutes, without the need for someone to enter the confined space.
“The Vat Recirculation Unit is basically a portable pump that attaches to the vat outlet,” Colin explains. “A length of hose returns the water to the CIP tube and then allows us to recirculate
25KG FOR THE PRICE OF 20KG
chemical in the milk silo.”
In fact, the Vat Recirculation Units are more effective than a person –it’s just a matter of having the right strength chemicals and ensuring the spray ball in the top of the silo is clear.
“We’ve been using the units for 4 to 5 months now,” Colin adds. “And we haven’t had a situation yet where they have not been effective.
“We’re pretty happy to be adding the Vat Recirculation Units to our toolkits –another simple and super effective tool we can use to help farmers fix milk quality issues, at the same time enhancing health and safety on-farm.”
GEA/FIL is looking to roll out one Vat Recirculation Unit to every Area Manager by the end of the dairy season. For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Offiver or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by FIL.
QUANTUM POWDER 25KG
| Northland GEA/FIL Area Manager Brian Salvigny using the Vat Recirculation Unit.
Take the nuisance out of nuisance f ly
The nuisance fly (Stomoxys calcitrans), also commonly called the stable fly, is an aggressive, biting fly of cattle, horses and to a lesser degree, pigs and humans. They are very common on dairy farms in the North Island and when present in sufficient numbers can cause severe irritation and potential production losses.
Nuisance flies are well named – they have a painful bite caused by their mouthparts piercing the skin to suck blood. They have a very large proboscis, as shown in the photo below. Both cows and humans alike can become irritable when being chased around by these nasty flies!
Adult nuisance flies feed on blood once or twice daily. Flies feed for 3-4 minutes per meal. They may ingest three times their body weight in blood – from cows, or even humans. The flies prefer the legs and belly of cattle, or the arms of farm staff. Especially when you have your hands full, putting on or removing cups!
Signs seen with nuisance fly irritation:
• Restless cows and kicking during milking.
• More cups kicked off.
• Increased defecation during milking.
• Slower milking time.
• Irritation and less time spent grazing.
• Irritated dairy shed staff!
Overseas studies indicate nuisance flies can account for up to 9 percent reduction in milk yield1 and decrease growth rates of growing stock2.
The key to minimising nuisance fly irritation is to get in early:
• Start fly prevention as soon as flies are noticed in the shed – don’t wait until the population has exploded.
• Minimise fly breeding grounds around the shed – clean up effluent and milk spills.
• Use a fly product with persistent activity on cows that discourages flies from landing, as well as killing on contact.
COOPERS BLAZE is ideal for nuisance fly prevention on dairy cows and control of biting and suckling lice. BLAZE binds to fats and oils on skin and hair and moves around the skin. As it is not absorbed, it has a nil milk withholding period, providing up to 4 weeks’ protection. BLAZE has a secondary benefit of controlling both biting and suckling lice.
BLAZE is a deltamethrin product registered for use in preventing flies and controlling lice in New Zealand. BLAZE is a water-based product, easy to use and is a highly effective repellent.
In a season that has been challenging so far, make milking a more enjoyable experience for all by using BLAZE for nuisance fly prevention.
Article supplied by Coopers Animal Health.
1. Bruce, W. N., and G. C. Decker. 1958. The relationship of stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans) abundance to milk production in dairy cattle. J. Econ. Entomology. 51: 269 -274.
2. Catangui, M A. et.al. Average daily gains of Brahmancrossbred and English x exotic feeder heifers exposed to low, medium, and high levels of stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 86(4):1144-50
RECEIVE 1/2 A LEG OF HAM ON THE BONE WHENYOUPURCHASE$600 OF SELECTED ANIMAL HEALTH PRODUCTS TERMSANDCONDITIONSAPPLY
Positive signs in first year of IPM brassica trial
A trial of integrated pest management (IPM) strategies in forage brassica crops has shown positive signs in the first year of a 3 year evaluation conducted by Plant and Food Research, as part of a Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Farming Fund (SFF) project titled ‘IPM strategy development and demonstration for forage and seed brassicas’.
An IPM approach to pest control utilises beneficial insects (such as natural predators and parasitoids), cultural controls (such as management methods) and, when necessary, selective insecticides to control pests in target crops. IPM has been used successfully in the New Zealand horticultural industry for many seasons.
The study aims to look at the benefits of an IPM programme in brassica crops, in comparison to the traditional broad spectrum insecticide approach.
Broad spectrum insecticides will have an effect on both target pests and beneficial insects and this approach can lead to spikes in populations of unwanted insects at various parts of the season.
An IPM programme utilises chemistry such as DuPont™ Exirel® insecticide, which selectively targets pests such as cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae), diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), soybean looper (Thysanoplusia orichalcea), European leaf miner (Scaptomyza flava) and grey cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae).
It also leaves key beneficial insects in the crop, which are then able to continue to work and help control pests that reappear in the brassica crops.
In trials conducted in the Canterbury region in forage and seed brassica crops, the farmer’s standard programme was compared alongside an IPM strategy.
In all sites predators such as lacewings and ladybirds were active, although it was the parasitic wasps that seemed to have the biggest impact on reducing both aphid and diamondback moth pressure. Results of the first year highlighted the importance of relying on predators and parasitoids in conjunction with selective products from chemical companies for an overall IPM strategy.
Feedback from farmers that had participated in the first year was generally positive, with a greater understanding of
the role beneficial insects can play in the brassica production system.
Results from the year demonstrated an IPM approach could provide as effective control of pests as the conventional approach, whilst using fewer insecticides. It was noted that the arrival of pests such as diamondback moth into a crop was generally followed by parasitic wasps and the use of an insecticide such as Exirel could assist in controlling the pests while beneficial numbers were increasing. The project will continue through to June 2017 and examine yield results and gross margins as part of that process.
It is hoped the expansion of IPM systems could significantly improve the financial and environmental performance of these crops. There is growing interest from farmers wanting to adopt new pest management practices and agronomists wanting to offer a wider range of services to their clients.
The Forage Brassica IPM Development Project is funded through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Farming Fund, DairyNZ, Forage Innovations Ltd, DuPont (New Zealand) Ltd and the Foundation for Arable Research, with support from farmers and industry advisors.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by DuPont.
New technology for control of stored grain pests
A new range of technologies provides cereal growers with better tools to manage stored grain pests.
From the makers of Actellic® Smoke Generators, the new GrainMaster ® SuperSmoke® is a world first dual active ingredient smoke generator product, which has been proven to provide superior control of key stored grain pests such as grain weevil.
GrainMaster SuperSmoke combines two of the world’s leading stored grain active ingredients into one easy to use product.
Pirimiphos methyl is already well known as the ingredient in the Actellic range.
Deltamethrin is a highly active second generation pyrethroid that has provided
excellent control of stored grain pests in the UK and many other countries. Test results in the UK have demonstrated that the twin active ingredient combination in GrainMaster SuperSmoke provided superior control of grain weevil and saw-toothed grain beetle, compared to the single active ingredient competitor (containing permethrin).
“It is always exciting to bring new products to market,” Orion AgriScience General Manager Murray Hern says.
“The great news with GrainMaster SuperSmoke is that the twin active ingredient combination provides levels of control that are clearly superior
to other products. This is a real step forward for the industry.”
GrainMaster SuperSmoke is available in a 60g generator that will treat silos and grain stores with capacity up to 250MT of wheat, 200MT of barley or 150MT of oats.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Orion.
Is it possible to control Californian thistles long-term?
Californian thistle displays only 10 percent of its biomass above the ground as thistles, while the remaining 90 percent is a huge underground root system. Above ground, “calis” have a huge impact on farm productivity, making pastures difficult to graze as well as impacting on grass growth by shading and depleting moisture and nutrients.
Californian thistle facts
• A perennial plant that produces thistles from underground growing points every season. Thistles die off as winter approaches. Roots remain in the paddock.
• Main method of spread is root growth. Up to 100m of root can be produced from each stem every year, to produce a total of up to 4,000km of roots per hectare.
• Extensive patches are normally a single plant.
• Half of the root mass grows in the top 30cm of soil.
• Root chips of 1mm in diameter will grow into new plants that are easily moved by stock or machinery.
• Male and female plants growing closely together are required to produce viable seed.
• Very low numbers of seeds germinate. Viable seed will only grow in bare, undisturbed, non-shaded soil.
• Prefers moist, light loam soils, grows on pumice or sands with good nutrient levels.
A. Thistles above the ground seriously limit pasture production and therefore stock productivity.
B. There are growing points every few centimetres along horizontal roots, which may produce a thistle.
C. As for the roots below ground, vertical root are for food storage, while horizontal roots invade more ground.
The breakthrough for long-term, effective control of Californian thistle came when Dow AgroSciences discovered a new active ingredient, aminopyralid, a key component of Tordon PastureBoss™. Aminopyralid is a new generation herbicide, which is particularly effective at controlling weeds with large root systems, such as Californian thistle. Thistles (above ground) and roots (below ground) are killed.
Aminopyralid is a highly effective herbicide that accumulates in the
growing points, preventing the production of further thistles.
Independent studies demonstrate greater levels of herbicidal activity at lower dose rates than current market standards. This is because aminopyralid translocates into the root system where it destroys the growing points. This is critical for long-term control of Californian thistles.
Californian thistle control 8 months after application
Trials conducted near Te Awamutu demonstrated superior knockdown, brownout and extended control of new aerial stems (thistles) following spraying. Tordon PastureBoss provided 92 percent control of Californian thistle 8 months after application. Tordon PastureBoss does not damage grasses or impact DM production and when sprayed onto flowering plants, before full seed set, any developing seeds will be sterilised.
Article supplied by Dow AgroSciences.
Tordon Gold Full Dose
Tordon PastureBoss Full Dose
Outstanding new chemistry for grapes
Powdery mildew has become an increasingly problematic disease for grape growers recently. A new product from Bayer CropScience gives growers a powerful new fungicide to incorporate into their powdery mildew spray programmes for this season.
Luna Sensation is a co-formulation containing the new generation SDHI active ingredient fluopyram, in combination with trifloxystrobin.
Luna Sensation provides protectant, systemic and translaminar properties that provide outstanding control of powdery mildew.
The directions for use on the label allow for two applications of Luna Sensation from immediately prior to flowering through to 80 percent capfall at a use rate of 150ml/ha. The withholding period is 80 percent capfall, so do not apply Luna Sensation after 80 percent capfall. When used according to the label directions, Luna Sensation will leave no detectable residues. It is therefore suitable for use in nil-detectable spray programmes.
Achieving thorough spray coverage is critical for powdery mildew control, so when applying Luna Sensation ensure that the water rate used will provide
complete canopy coverage without run-off. Luna Sensation is compatible with key insecticides and fungicides and they can therefore be tank mixed at Luna Sensation’s recommended application timings. However Luna Sensation should not be tank mixed with copper or sulphur formulations.
Following recent best practice industry resistance management guidelines, consecutive applications of Luna Sensation should not be made. If two applications of Luna Sensation are used, they must be alternated with a fungicide from a different chemical group, with a different mode of action. In addition, Luna Sensation should be a component in a season long powdery mildew spray programme.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Bayer Crop Protection.
Weeds don’t stand a chance
Pulsar is an easy to use selective, postemergent herbicide that controls a wide range of broadleaf weeds including phenoxy-resistant thistles in cereals, clover, new pasture and peas.
Pulsar’s formulation of 200g/L of bentazone + 200g/L of MCPB is active on young, actively growing broadleaf weeds such as fathen, storksbill, cleavers, chickweed, mayweed, spurrey, willow weed, shepherd’s purse, nettle, thistles and more.
Pulsar is the key tool at providing early control of problematic broadleaf weeds that plague newly established pastures. Weeds will compete for valuable nutrients, moisture and space, thus causing a reduction in effective grazing management, lost pasture
production due to weed competition and a reduction in animal weight gain over time. Pulsar gets pastures up and running faster and earlier, thus maximising production.
Application:
• Apply to actively growing young weeds (2-4 leaf).
• Use Hasten® adjuvant, except in peas.
• Apply during periods of warmer, humid weather for best results.
• Do not apply in very cold conditions, in times of drought or immediately after a frost.
• Use the water rates as specified –water helps coverage.
• Complete and thorough coverage of target weeds is essential.
Pulsar strengths:
• Two different but complementary modes of action (bentazone and MCPB).
• Provides a very wide broad leaf broad spectrum.
• Ability to increase rates for control of bigger weeds.
• No effect on grasses and clovers.
• Registered on a wide range of crops – new pasture, peas, cereals and white clover.
• Will control phenoxy-resistant weeds like thistles.
With the combined power of two active ingredients, Pulsar is the first choice of herbicide in your new pasture this season.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by BASF.
Supporting you is our core role
Farmlands offers a complete service to its shareholders and their diverse operations. A number of shareholders operate in the horticulture sector, where Farmlands offers a wide range of products and services.
To ensure shareholders can see all the options available to them, this month Farmlands is releasing the Farmlands Horticulture Post Harvest Guide.
The Post Harvest Guide is designed to introduce new inputs available to shareholders, while profiling the
respected traditional product lines. With the input of some of the most prominent suppliers in the industry, the Farmlands Horticulture Post Harvest Guide aims to provide shareholders with an understanding of how Farmlands can maximise their productivity.
Everything shareholders need for the harvest period is included in this easy to understand, categorised guide. The range of products fulfils all the packhouse needs of shareholders, from sanitisation to waxing, packaging and everything in between.
To complement the Post Harvest Guide, Farmlands Horticulture will be providing shareholders with ongoing technical support, to ensure the guide becomes the perfect snapshot for all your harvest requirements.
The Post Harvest Guide is one more way Farmlands will remain at the forefront of New Zealand horticulture, through both service and supplies.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Post Harvest Guide
Efficient waste management
Biological waste management is an international problem and Connell Brothers – Enzyme Solutions have worked closely with commercial operators to develop a specific blend of microbes and enzymes that will assist in the breakdown of organic matter, reduce harmful effects on the environment and reduce mal-odours.
The degradation of organic matter in septic tanks and industrial ponds traditionally relies on the activity of the inherent microbes present in the input feed. This biological activity is easily thrown out of balance when excessive or changing organic loads and harmful chemicals enter the system. The imbalance in the microbial system results in sub optimal break down of organic contents, producing unpleasant odours, high sludge and scum levels, frequent clogging and cleaning difficulties.
Sanizyme Dose Rates
Activity
Sanizyme is a specially designed combination of concentrated enzymes with billions of microbial spores, to help restore this natural microbial balance and promote a more efficient system operation in a chemical free, eco-friendly and natural way.
The high activity, multi-enzyme system in Sanizyme quickly breaks down the organic material such as fats, proteins, starch and cellulosic material into nutrients that help the billions of spores to rapidly germinate into active bacteria. The increased bacterial activity further results in the continual production of additional enzymes, which go on to liquefy and digest the sewage contents.
Results
The end result is an increase in liquefaction and reduction of solids, reduction of odour, easier disposal of
waste and a safe and easy maintenance system. Regular use of Sanizyme thus rejuvenates tired systems and maintains efficient operation of septic tanks and waste pond water systems.
• Bacteriological and enzyme waste treatment compound.
• Formulated to contain billions of organisms that are necessary for the digestion of waste found in septic tanks and commercial waste systems.
• Contains enzymes that break down and solubilise waste materials, providing the food necessary for ongoing and rapid bacterial growth and multiplication. The enzymes include lipase for fats, cellulase for cellulose, protease for protein and amylase for starch.
• Accelerates the natural biological decay of organic wastes in home septic systems.
• Available in 500g, 10kg, 200kg.
added during compost rotation
to compost in solution with seaweed fertiliser/molasses and tepid water solution for best results. Repeat every time you re-wet the compost and turn solution for best results.
Thinking about safety this summer
With plenty of work to be done on the orchards, vineyards and farms this summer, it’s a good time now to pause and consider keeping yourself and your workers safe during the busy time ahead.
Many businesses employ seasonal labour during the summer period, particularly for the harvesting of fruit crops and field crops. It is very important that your new team members are inducted and welcomed into your business. Your permanent staff will likely all know where those hazards are around the property but your new seasonal staff won’t!
A clear and robust induction plan is necessary for people commencing employment. In addition to information about wages, hours of work and required duties, there must be clear expectations about health and safety.
It is vital that the workforce come kitted out to work outdoors and can comfortably cope with whatever weather conditions come their way.
Workers must be made aware of the hazards of working out in the New Zealand sun, day in and day out. The New Zealand sun can be very different to what many seasonal staff, such as overseas backpackers, may be used to in their home country.
Workers should be drinking at least 2 to 3 litres of water per day. Mild dehydration can negatively affect physical performance and aspects of brain function, leading to reduced endurance. Workers operating in such a state also become much more prone to accident and injury.
Employers and supervisors must ensure that clean, fresh drinking water is readily available and that their teams
are encouraged to stay well hydrated. While energy drinks and coffee might give workers a boost, fresh water is required to maintain hydration.
The New Zealand sun is intense and sunburn times are considerably lower than in other parts of the world. It goes without saying that sunscreen and hats are essential for outdoor workers. It is critical that sunscreen be applied to all exposed skin. Most importantly though, to be effective it must be regularly re-applied.
Baseball caps don’t provide good sun cover, so a wide brimmed hat is much better at preventing sunburn around the face, ears and neck. Don’t forget that bright sunlight can also damage eyes, so wearing sunglasses will reduce the glare and intensity of the sun’s rays, as well as providing physical protection to the eyes. It is important to dress to the conditions with loose fitting, lightweight clothes, including collared shirts. Light coloured clothing is preferable, as it won’t absorb as much heat as dark clothing.
Your local Farmlands store stocks all of your requirements to remain sun safe this summer, whether it’s hats, clothing, sunglasses or sunscreen.
Article supplied by Gaz Ingram, Biological and Organics Manager, Farmlands Horticulture.
Act early to control facial eczema
With summer well underway as we head towards the new year, facial eczema prevention will once again be front of mind for many farmers in the North Island. With the warm, moist conditions required for rapid growth of toxin producing fungus common during the months of January to May, the levels of toxin present in pasture can increase rapidly over these months.
While many animals affected by facial eczema do not show obvious signs, they will inevitably suffer liver damage and reduced wellbeing. At the same time productivity is affected, with dairy cows subjected to a challenge showing reduced milk production. Similarly, productivity in beef and sheep animals is also reduced, with Beef + Lamb New Zealand estimating a reduction in lifetime performance of up to 25 percent, even when no symptoms are visible.
Planning ahead with the early implementation of strategies to minimise the risk of facial eczema is essential if liver damage and the subsequent production losses are to be minimised, as significant damage to the liver occurs prior to the observation
of typical skin. New Zealand research has shown that as many as one third of farms surveyed during the 2014 facial eczema season had cows affected by sub-clinical facial eczema, although the vast majority of farms had not seen any clinical cases (DairyNZ / Sustainable Farming Fund, 2014). Meanwhile other work suggests that as many as 50 percent of animals may be affected when as few as 3 percent show skin lesions.
Planning your control strategies –whether this is pasture spraying with fungicide, zinc sulphate treatment of water, zinc oxide addition to feed or a combination of any of these – and identifying any potential gaps early on is key to ensuring that cows are fully protected. Regardless of the method of supplementation used, knowing the liveweight of the herd when calculating
the expected dose rate is vital, as the recommended daily intake of elemental zinc is 2g per 100kg of liveweight. When done well, supplementing stock with zinc added to feed can be both easy and effective, as the intake of supplementary feed is often more consistent and easier to manage than water intake. NRM offers a range of solutions for producers looking to supplement zinc through the feed. MultiFeed + Zinc is a versatile feed, ideally suited for feeding to sheep and beef animals in the paddock and is designed to provide 2g of zinc per 200g of feed. Zinc oxide can also be included as an additive in any of the NRM ProForm Dairy Feeds or custom blends.
For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Advisor or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store.
Article supplied by Stacey Cosnett, Assistant Nutritionist, Farmlands Nutrition.
Training the next generation
Farmlands Nutrition values industry accreditation to confirm the standard of new entrants to the feed industry.
A series of widespread droughts and a growing appreciation of the profitability of feeding livestock to support increased levels of production has stimulated demand for supplementary feeds in recent years in New Zealand. Changing commercial farming practices highlighted a deficit of experienced home-grown nutritionists in a country previously dominated by pasture-only systems. Simultaneously, the electronic age has reduced the need for people to work in cities.
A growing interest in producing your own food has enabled and encouraged more and more people to reverse the trend of urbanisation, by moving back to the land to become part-time lifestyle farmers on small blocks. Increased demand for feeds from both increasingly intensive commercial farms and information hungry lifestyle farms stimulated an increase in advice, compliance and assurance requirements. Phil Bracefield, General Manager Nutrition, appreciated the need 3 years ago to establish a programme aimed at producing new nutritionists to support Farmlands shareholders. Farmlands has a strong commitment to helping the next generation of farmers and industry professionals. A Kiwi girl – Stacey
Cosnett – possessed the skills and attributes required to become a Technical Product Manager, as a development role to becoming a nutritionist. Stacey is a regular contributor to the Farmlander and normally writes about feeds, rather than being the subject of an article. But her story is a good example of Farmlands’ commitment to meeting the needs of shareholders whilst developing new talent. Raised in Auckland and a science graduate from Massey University, Stacey had been working for Fonterra before joining Farmlands in 2013 as a Technical Product Manager, based at the Rolleston Feed Mill. Learning the feed industry from the inside out, Stacey has been trained and mentored with a view to becoming one of the new generation of Kiwi nutritionists who can help fuse pastoral and intensive systems of production, to help profitable and sustainable production.
Developing products and giving nutritional advice increasingly carries responsibility and potential risk and requires some degree of accreditation that confirms the qualification of the prescriber.
Post graduate papers at Lincoln University and attendance at an industry recognised training course helped prepare Stacey for the Australian Association of Ruminant Nutrition (AARN) written and oral members’ examinations.
In addition to the continuing education that AARN provides to its 140 members through regular seminars and its web resources, AARN also runs a Further Learning Programme, which culminates in examinations that are favoured by Australian rural professionals looking to further develop their skills in ruminant nutrition. Stacey has become one of 18 professionals working in the feed industry (and one of only three New Zealanders) who to date have become AARN
Members by Examination, demonstrating a high degree of competency in the scientific principles and practice of ruminant nutrition and feeding.
As Stacey grows into a new role of Assistant Nutritionist, the search is on to find a replacement Technical Product Manager.
Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Nutritionist, Farmlands Nutrition.
| Stacey Cosnett receiving her AARN Member by Examination certificate from Dr. Charles Schwab, October 2015.
Feed options designed for deer
A long established Reliance range has benefitted from raw material and specification changes, which have allowed a price reduction.
Developed over a number of years by working closely with shareholders, the Reliance Deer range has been revised and is receiving increased demand. Whilst some feed manufacturers only offer a single specialist feed for deer or recommend using a multi-species product, the Reliance deer range contains three products that offer specialist products within a specialist range. A spread of energy and protein levels, allied to increasing levels and complexity of trace minerals and vitamins, gives deer farmers the choice to deliver supplements relative to the needs of their animals and the quality and quantity of pasture available.
kernel expeller, Deer Conditioner Nuts are useful for helping keep condition on hinds and non-velvetting stags. They are suitable for helping weaners achieve weight targets through their growth spurt in late winter and early spring, in time for premium schedule prices.
animals to eat supplements and also deliver them with the minerals and trace elements they require. The real benefit of this is that the early born fawns can be shifted onto good quality pastures earlier. Not only will you increase liveweight of the fawns, you will also condition hinds for the weaning and subsequent mating period.
Deer Conditioner Nuts are an economical, go-to product to fill a feed pinch or help stock thrive during a hard season. They are easy to feed out, with good palatability and acceptability.
Deer Conditioner Nuts have recently become more economical by the inclusion of soy hulls, which have been proven to offer a safe, digestible and palatable fibre source. With 12 MJ ME/kg DM and 13 percent crude protein and up to 30 percent palm
Strong velvet prices in recent years have encouraged farmers to feed the premium Performance and Deer Elite Nuts for longer and at higher feeding rates. The trace mineral levels were adjusted to strike a balance between supporting high performance without risking toxicity.
The most critical time of the year for breeding hinds is November, through the lactation period to weaning.
In January and February, benefits can be gained by introducing Deer Performance Nuts to the fawns at foot. This is a great way to educate young
Deer Elite Nuts are specifically designed for velvetting and trophy stags to support antler growth. They require good quality and high protein feeds at button drop and through to the harvesting of their velvet or antlers. Despite the highest mineral loading of any of our ruminant feeds, Deer Elite Nuts deliver 13 MJ ME/kg DM and 19 percent crude protein. Once the velvet is cut from these stags, they will put on an amazing amount of body condition (up to an extra third of their winter body weight), so it is still very important to keep as much condition on through to the end of February, so that they have body reserves through the Roar or mating season.
Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Nutritionist, Farmlands Nutrition.
Commodity market update
Whilst seeing a small rebound in October, global commodity prices remain close to the lows. Chinese demand remains subdued and domestic supply is able to satisfy local requirements across a number of commodities, from coal to corn. The Australian grain harvest is underway – a dry spring has reduced yields, however production will still be in the top 10 in terms of tonnage. The El Nino threat still applies to New Zealand grain production, planted barley area will be down on last season and wheat and maize is expected to be similar. South Island carryover stocks of grain from 2015 is expected to remain high.
PKE prices have rallied since the lows in September where prices saw strong
demand into the EU, New Zealand and Asia. Since then, the impact of El Nino has adversely affected production and supply in South East Asia has tightened up through until the end of the year. As we close out the year and head into another potentially dry summer, managing contracts becomes even more critical. Contracts are legally binding and protect the buyer from price and volume uncertainty by ensuring the tonnage will be available against the spread (collection month) you contract. The spread is key for the management and timing of inbound vessels and forecasting usage through contract spread allocation is therefore critical.
Across the spring, Farmlands has been flexible in enabling farmers to draw forward on contracts. Over the coming months we will be proactive in re-spreading unused tonnage across the summer into autumn. The spreads are there to guarantee supply in the allocated month, which will ensure supply across a drought period. Farmlands does not charge carries (for storage and interest costs) until the end of the contract, so being proactive and reallocating usage is prudent contract management. We encourage you to talk to your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or your local store to look at options.
Article supplied by Glencore.
