Spring 2018

BULLETIN ISSUE ISSUE 21: 21: Spring Spring 2018 2018

The Minister for Primary Industries, Honourable Damien O’Connor, addresses the crowd at the Maersk Gala Dinner.

Credit: Beef + Lamb NZ Ltd.

By Tony Egan This year’s Red Meat Sector Conference in Napier was interesting for a number of reasons. Gone are the days when meat company representatives tiptoed around each other, jealously guarding some secret or other. These days we are a more upfront bunch, alert to pressing issues and more vocal about what needs to be done. This year I noted that farmers attending are increasingly the same. This is the third year that the MIA and B+LNZ have joined forces, and we are now seeing a much more integrated view of the value chain from pasture to plate.

For instance, several farmers mentioned that they now choose to send their cattle to processors who do more

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than just fill a box with meat. They are now looking for a genuine commitment from their processing partners for initiatives that will take the industry forward.

This year’s conference confirmed that we are right to be anxious about the right sort of leadership. Topics such as trade in troubled waters (more than 400 new tariffs globally since January), exponential change driven by technology, provenance and consumer trust with blockchain, and the need for a better collective vision for our food and fibre industries all featured in the line-up of speakers. It was great to see the Minister of Primary Industries, the Hon Damien O’Connor, admitting the PGP programmes have merit, despite his previous doubts when in opposition. Greenlea got a mention for our leadership role on the Primary Sector Council. All up a good conference that more farmers should attend, so keep it in mind for next year, this time down South.

MUDGEY’S COLUMN

MAKING THE MOST OF DAIRY BEEF

BULLETIN Well, winter is all but over, and a hint of spring is in the air. It has certainly been a case of chalk and cheese on the two sides of the Island with the west getting wet very early in winter and the east looking for a little more moisture. Guess that’s good ole Mother Nature for you! We resilient types can only take what we get and make the most of it.

How’s the M. bovis wake-up call affected your operation? With spring purchasing starting to get into full swing, are you asking the right questions? Where did the cattle come from? How many times have they been traded? Is the NAIT information correct? Are they home bred? If they are dairy/beef cross or Friesian bulls, were they reared on whole milk or powder?

Simple enough questions that take some of the guess work out of the trade.

Now we’re not into sheep meats, but we always keep an interested eye on kill numbers. Yes, the mutton kill is well up, and of course, the beef kill is up as well with the M. bovis required kills. It makes me wonder what’s going to eat all the grass when spring really kicks in. Gets me thinking that a few well reared dairy beef cross weaners could be well worth the money just around the corner. Talk to your Greenlea buyer, and get him to place them direct with a beef finisher.

Many of you will be aware that we have upgraded our computer system in the last month or so. The old one wasn’t broken but was well overdue for a spruce up. It goes without saying these changes are always challenging and some would have experienced the odd hiccup in the system. Thanks for being patient with the team and the changes. All those involved have been working hard to complete the upgrade.

Now looking forward, plenty of competition out there at the moment. Lots of cheap pork and poultry on offer. However, let us remember, spring grass is normally plentiful and the cheapest to grow. Get those cattle on, and feed them well. Weight will always out run cpk with quality well fed cattle on farm.

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A small trial begins …

ISSUE 21: Spring 2018

The first of 150 calves making up a small dairy/ beef integration research project began to hit the ground in late July. These Jersey x Angus calves from a dairy farm in Otorohanga will be reared to 100kg by calf rearer, Mark Bocock. The calves will be finished on a Pamu (Landcorp) farm.

These animals will be monitored throughout their life. Variables to be assessed include ease of calving, gestation length, birth weight, growth rates, yield, carcass characteristics and meat quality. All data will be shared with all participants (dairy farmer, calf rearer, finisher, and processor) in the supply chain. We know that closer connections between farmers and processors will be essential in a changing food world. Customers are demanding more transparency in the supply chain and assurances around welfare, antibiotic usage, exposure to GMOs, environmental stewardship, etc. Verification of these high value attributes require more alignment along the farm supply chain. This project is a small step in understanding how this can best be achieved and provide benefits and share value to all participants in the chain. These calves are also of interest due to their pure Jersey maternal genetics. Can we produce exceptional quality meat from Jersey cows?

NOW OFFERING FIRSTLIGHT

Venison

BULLETIN

ISSUE 21: Spring 2018

Including diced shoulder, stirfry, rump and shortloins.

Orders yours now!

Order online at | www.greenleabutcher.co.nz

THANKS FOR VISITING US AT FIELDAYS, SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

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www.flightforlife.co.nz

RESCUE HELICOPTER MISSION OVERVIEW With over 20 years rock climbing experience, Jono had no reason to expect any trouble when he set out for a great day of rock climbing with friends at Whanganui Bay, west of Taupo. But trouble is what he got.

Opting for the thrill of a challenge, Jono decided on a climb that was not for the faint-hearted, although it was a climb he had completed safely several times before. Eight metres up from the ground, he felt the sudden shock of his equipment releasing from its hold in the rock.

“WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SMALL, SAFE FALL, WAS A PLUMMET TO THE GROUND,” JONO EXPLAINS. The sickening feeling of the fall itself was nothing

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compared to the realisation that Jono was in bad shape.

His pelvis had taken the brunt of the fall and his inability to walk, coupled with his difficult-to-reach location, meant that rescue by helicopter was crucial.

To Jono’s great relief, the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter was quickly dispatched to the scene of his fall. The crew winched Jono out and flew him to Waikato Hospital where he remained for some time with spinal injuries before being discharged home to Wellington.

Jono found the whole experience surreal. He had been in helicopters many times before, but he never thought he would need a rescue helicopter, while facing potentially life-threatening injuries. He is so grateful for the incredible emergency response he received and continues to remind everyone that the Greenlea Rescue Helicopter service is essential - and could be needed by anyone at any time.

TOTAL MISSIONS

47% of funding comes from contracts

53%

OVER $7,800 $1.1m

of funding comes Average cost from community PER mission

annual cost of operation