Goat and Sheep Milk April 2022

Q&A: Dave Barrett – Thorvald Sheep Cheese P6

ISSUE

6

APRIL 2022 News, Advice, Breeds, Import/Export, Technology, Farm Focus, Profiles, Science, Facts, Contacts and Much More in this publication dedicated to the Goat & Sheep Industries

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From the editors The past two years of Covid have been extraordinary times and despite of all these enormous challenges, the goat and sheep milk sector has remained resilient, and continues to grow from strength to strength. Certainly from our publication’s perspective, we are extremely happy with the number of key organisations who are now regularly contributing relevant and interesting articles, as well as the increasing number of key stakeholders who are promoting their good services and products.

This April edition contains our best-ever “bumper” number of pages.

Since going digital, our database has already exceeded 2,000 subscribers. Views are many thousands more, and we are at present exploring creative plans to include more sector networks to keep this expansion growing. We remain the only national publication of its kind to service the goat and sheep milk sectors.

In this edition you will continue to read about the sector’s latest research, farm profiles, industry developments and success stories in the cheese manufacturing. We’re delighted that the NZ Dairy Goat Breeders Association has also committed to supply regular articles. In future, we aim to also include more international stories. Conferences and large events like Fieldays have simply not happened – for obvious reasons, but all that is set to change.

We will keep you posted!

Enjoy the read and do give feedback to make our Goat and Sheep Milk NZ publication an even better magazine!

Contents Paramount Farming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Q&A: Thorvald Sheep Cheese . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 New Zealand Cheese Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Nutrition equally important for does and kids . . 9 Housing options for goat welfare . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Give your lambs and goat kids the best head start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Spring Sheep Milk Co. wins Company-X Innovation Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 A guide to selecting the best milk replacer . . . . . 13 NZ artisan cheesemakers facing a squeeze . . . . . 14 Boom in the global demand for goat milk products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Invest in your milk quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Best wishes Romano Manuel and Mike Dwight

Romano Manuel EDITORIAL

PHONE: +64 220 454 892 EMAIL: romano@goatandsheepmilk.nz

Is there a place for miniature milking goats and imported milking genetics in a commercial herd? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Fieldays 2022 postponed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Background, Herd Testing and Milk Production Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Nationwide specialists in the primary industry . 26

Mike Dwight

Farmers Supporting Farmers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

PHONE: +64 272 639 564 EMAIL: mike@goatandsheepmilk.nz

The TuMMI Trial – Does milk processing affect its nutritional quality? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

ADVERTISING

POSTAL: PO Box 9003, Springfield Heights Rotorua 3048 New Zealand

www.goatandsheepmilk.nz

The Whites – From Cows to Sheep . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Maui Milk at International Trade Shows . . . . . . . . 32 We’re milking 600 ewes in just over an hour” - Rhys Darby, Waikato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Disclaimer The views expressed in the articles and advertising are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Goat and Sheep Milk New Zealand.

Goat and Sheep Milk New Zealand reserves the right to accept, edit or reject editorial and advertising material. All endeavours will be made to ensure accuracy at time of publication.

For any queries regarding information that is published in Goat and Sheep Milk New Zealand contact names and information pertaining to that article is usually printed or embedded. Goat and Sheep Milk New Zealand is happy to receive feedback regarding the publication but will not accept abusive or derogatory correspondence to any staff or persons connected.

Cover Image: Quirien Cowie of Ruminate (Image supplied by Kate Grindrod)

New Zealand signs historic free trade deal with the United Kingdom New Zealand and the United Kingdom have signed a historic Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that unlocks unprecedented access to the UK market and accelerates New Zealand’s COVID-19 recovery. It is aimed to come into force towards the end of 2022.

According to our Prime Minister, Jacinda Adern, this is a goldstandard free trade agreement. Virtually all our current trade will be duty free, including duty-free quotas for key products like meat, butter and cheese, helping to accelerate our economic recovery.

“The deal will boost our GDP by up to $1 billion, supporting business and jobs across the economy. This is our first bilateral trade agreement to include a specific article on climate change and includes provisions towards eliminating environmentally harmful subsidies, such as harmful fossil fuel subsidies, and prohibiting fisheries subsidies which lead to overfishing.

The United Kingdom and New Zealand are great friends and close partners with historical connections that run deep.

Our agreement provides a springboard for new engagement and even closer ties.

“This world-leading FTA will serve New Zealand well as we reconnect, rebuild and recover from COVID-19, and look forward into the future,” Jacinda Ardern said.

“By removing tariffs and other barriers that have limited the growth of our goods and services trade, as well as our investment connections, our exporters and businesses can now enter a new era of market access, levelling the playing field with the UK’s other trading partners,” O’Connor said.

The UK was New Zealand’s seventh largest trading partner pre-COVID, with two-way trade worth $6 billion to March 2020.

• UK to eliminate all tariffs on New Zealand exports, with duties removed on 99.5 percent of current trade from entry into force.

The FTA was signed in London by Damien O’Connor and the UK Secretary of State for International Trade Anne-Marie Trevelyan.

• Boost to New Zealand’s GDP estimated between $700 million and $1 billion

“As soon as it enters into force this deal will cut costs for exporters and create opportunities for New Zealand businesses to grow and diversify their trade,” Damien O’Connor said.

• NZ exporters to save approximately $37 million per year on tariff elimination alone from day one.

“It’s estimated New Zealand goods exports to the UK will increase by over 50 percent through the agreement.

• Significant new duty-free quota access for beef, sheep meat, butter and cheese – with all quotas and tariffs removed after 5-15 years.

“Our dairy and red meat sectors will, for the first time since the 1970s, have tariff-free access that will grow through significant quotas until being fully liberalised.

This is a commercially meaningful and excellent deal.

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

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Paramount Farming Dairy farming is in the Blood, The Tappers are proud to be industry leaders in both old and new dairy industries.

Kieryn (featured in the ad on the next page) and Jennifer initially bought the property five years ago on the outskirts of Cambridge as a dry stock block to run beef cattle. After visiting a Maui milk open day and conversations with family they knew that this was the perfect property for sheep dairy farming, giving them both the opportunity to maximise profitability but also including the 4th generation into the farming practise.

Kieryn loves the fact that he can milk with his young sons, 8 and 10, due to the gentle nature and size of the milking ewe. Kieryn commented that milking with his young sons wouldn’t be possible if this was a cow dairy operation, but between himself and one of his sons they can have the 550 milked out and the shed cleaned in 90 minutes. Kieryn and Jennifer are just finishing off their first season of milking sheep, although very testing at the beginning of the season training the ewes through the milking shed and first year lambing large numbers they have loved every minute of it.

Qubik’s Nick Heffer, managed the project closely with Kieryn after many months of design and consultation.

The team worked closely with Don Chapman from Waikato Ltd and electricians Mylcrest Electrical to have the shed ready for the sheep milking operation to begin sending milk in July 2021. Nick suggested using a Qubik designed and manufactured stainless steel rapid exit system that is designed to work efficiently especially if the dairy shed has tight gaps between milking pit to wall.

Once the sheep have finished milking, the whole rapid exit system lifts up allowing the sheep to exit underneath the whole stalling and can exit on an angle, rather than straight out and then having to turn. The Te Awamutu designed and built unit is made from high grade 304 stainless steel to withstand the continual washing down required to meet good hygiene standards.

The milking shed is running a 42 x Waikato Milking Systems plant with “S” Cup removers supplied and installed by Qubik. The cup removers work extremely well with the sheep, they have delicate teats, and this eliminates over milking, as well as reducing the amount of labour required in the milking shed. The sheep milking plant is using the Waikato SmartPULS pulsators which provide gentle, accurate pulsation with rippled timing to ensure a stable milking vacuum. The digital pulsation system opens and closes the sheep liners consistently and reliably every milking – providing optimum milking performance.

The SmartPULS has been designed to work in harmony with the sheep for maximum milk quantity and quality, limiting congestion and oedema in teat tissues during milking, reducing sheep discomfort and new mastitis infection. Qubik also installed a BP200 with 7.5kw motor and Smartdrive. For Kieryn to meet the strict milk cooling regulations, a Stainless Steel 5000-litre double bank plate cooler is installed alongside a Waikato Milking Systems top loading milk filter for ease of use and effective cleaning.

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Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

“We have a 9100-litre stainless steel vat with a new Qubik supplied and installed 10HP vat refrigeration unit to keep the milk below three degrees between our four-day pickups,” says Kieryn.

Qubik also supplied and installed the water system for the shed, including two Rheem dairy hot water cylinders, a heater stand and a Qubik custom made and designed stainless steel wash tub. The new wash down and cooler pumps are linked to the existing dairy shed framework.

“We’ve been really pleased with the Qubik automatic plant wash. It activates after every milking at a push of a button allowing the one who is milking to hose down and the other to concentrate on other farm jobs,” says Kieryn.

The automatic system ensures the correct amounts of acid and alkali, and the correct volumes of hot and cold water are used.

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The smartdrive is a variable speed drive that compensates for vacuum use by increasing or decreasing the vacuum pump speed on demand.

Using a transducer mounted into the main airline the variable speed device will monitor and adjust the vacuum, sensing every minute airflow change and compensating for this by altering the speed of the vacuum pump.

– Waikato Milking System’s Regional Manager: sales and service, Ben Frederickson.

qubik.co.nz

Q&A: Dave Barrett – Thorvald Sheep Cheese 1 What motivated you to start such a venture?

It’s fair to say that serendipity played a very big part in answering that question. In 2015 my wife, Sue and I purchased the old Neudorf Sheep Dairy factory on Neudorf Rd in Upper Moutere, Nelson after it had recently closed down and was put up for tender. We had at the time, a small food production business close by in Motueka but in leased premises. When the Neudorf factory came on the market, we thought it too good a building or opportunity to let it pass. Our original intentions for it’s use are long behind us. About the time we took over the property, Julie, who had been Neudorf Dairy’s shepherd approached me to ask that if she produced sheep milk from the land surrounding us, would we buy it from her.

At around the same time, I was contacted by a young French cheesemaker (Francis) who had heard we’d purchased the factory and “were we looking for a cheesemaker”? My father had been a cheesemaker in Denmark and while cheesemaking had not been our first consideration, something clicked and I remember thinking, why not? There is considerably more to this story as you’d expect, like all the angst and stress new businesses frequently bring with them but more importantly, the learning, experience and successes far outweigh the hard-times and as the saying goes…..’The rest is history’.

2 What is your point of difference to other cheese makers – also your yoghurt products?

I’m a strong believer that a major part of success for any new business (after it has first defined that a community exists for its product or service) is having a clear and desired point of difference.

Thorvald cheese and dairy are made from 100% NZ sheep milk – that’s a very big point of difference right there, as there was very little available on the market 7 years ago.

That POD alone was a big part of me saying ‘Yes’ to my ‘Why Not’ question. I did have some hesitation about it being “desired” by people, so finding enough willing consumers was a concern at the time, especially given the financial outlay required.

But the more I researched and learned about the nutritional benefits of sheep milk, the more I was convinced it would fly.

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Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

We had plenty of ‘sheep milk hesitancy’ early on. Cheese tastings weren’t too bad but getting people to try sheep yoghurt was at times a challenge, with many already deciding they didn’t like it before they’d even tried it.

4 What do you enjoy about the work and/or the lifestyle?

Speaking for myself, I derive the most enjoyment from being able to ‘work on’ the business more than I work in it. I can only do this because we’ve reached a size that allows me that ability and I’m surrounded by amazing people I trust. Our staff are a great source of pride. It wasn’t that long ago, that it was just Francis and I in production and Sue doing paperwork from home.

We now have a total team of near on 20 full and part-time people working with us and they are all gifted and talented in various ways which brings together the whole. There are always challenges in any family and ours is no different but all in all, we work well together. It’s important anyone new joining the team understands this so we can continue the relationship journey.

Francis and Dave

3 What is your favourite product?

I truly love all the cheese and dairy products we make as well as the many we sell in our shop (The Junction in Richmond) from other manufacturers around NZ and the World.

Picking one is near on impossible as cheese changes all the time, in fact consistency is one of our biggest production challenges.

So, I tell all our customers (or anyone who’ll listen) to try before you buy (if you can) and buy cheese that’s ‘on point’.

If you don’t have that option, then mix it up and get to learn more about cheese so you’ll have a greater chance of choosing the right pre-packaged cheese which will hopefully be on point for eating. But if you forced me to pick just one of our cheeses, it would most likely be Thorvald Curado – a semi firm sheep cheese possibly most similar to an Ossau Iraty, although that does depend on age.

5 What is our biggest challenge?

Making enough!!!

Continuous supply of sheep milk has always been a challenge and despite our best endeavours and a lot of heartache and money, we had to stop milking the ewes at Neudorf Rd some three years back. Julie is still working with sheep locally and we sold our milking platform to Matt Jones from NZ Sheep Milk who supplies us now from West Canterbury. It was a really tough time and we seriously considered closing but ironically, we were rescued by cows milk.

We were fortunate enough to be able to source a good supply of whole A2 milk and our Little River brand was born. We now get (in the main) enough sheep milk but don’t have production capacity to keep up.

6 Any future prospects?

We have plans to expand the production capacity of the factory and are completing feasibility research into extending our existing site vs. purpose-building a new facility elsewhere in Nelson. We believe the future for sheep milk cheese and dairy in NZ is still ‘scratching the surface’ and once production issues are sorted, it will grow. Consistency of quality and supply are key to the future success of NZ sheep milk products here and overseas.

We are keen to export at some stage and have had tentative talks around this, but we can’t seriously consider this until we have everything in place to guarantee that consistency.

For the next few months, we will be treading lightly and not making any serious financial commitments as we watch local and global events unfold. I am the eternal optimist at heart and while it won’t ultimately hold us back, it would be unwise to ignore some of the social and economic headwinds our country faces.

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

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PROMOTE A SUCCESSFUL

TRANSITION

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OPTIMATE™ENERGISE FOR GOATS

Strengthen your girls for kidding with an essential mineral and probiotics blend designed for transition.

OPTIKID AND LAMB™

Provide the best start in life - toxin binding properties, billions of good bacteria, oregano oil and B Vitamins.

ZORBIFRESH™ ACTIVE

Absorbs 199% of weight in moisture and ammonia, kills bacteria in bedding.

www.bpmnz.co.nz | 0800 OPTI 44

New Zealand Cheese Recipes Until Britain’s entry in the European economic community in 1973 there was little opportunity to introduce new cheese varieties in New Zealand but the mid 1980’s saw immense industry growth.

In 1986 the Ferndale range of French style cheeses was developed, and Dutch immigrants to New Zealand established Mahoe Farmhouse Cheese, Mercer Cheese, Meyer Cheese and Karikaas Cheese – cheeses from these makers are now highly acclaimed. In 1985 Ross McCallum, opened Kapiti Cheese. He introduced chefs and consumers to a world beyond cheddar which included white mould cheeses, Kikorangi Blue (now regarded as New Zealand’s most awarded cheese) as well as goat and sheep milk cheese.

In 2001 New Zealand’s two largest cooperative dairies merged into one Fonterra Co-operative Dairy Group which produces 300,000 tons of cheese annually.

Fonterra is New Zealand’s biggest company and the largest supplier to the international dairy market.

The New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association has more than 80 members across the country.

The Association aims to encourage excellence in cheesemaking and to promote awareness and appreciation of specialist New Zealand cheese.

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Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

In our previous edition we featured an article on Sue Arthur’s Over the Moon Dairy Company and below is a link to her famous “Over the Moon Dairy Galactic Gold Puff” (courtesy of Cheese Lovers NZ).

Click here to go to the recipe.

The importance of balanced nutrition Nutrient requirements are a key factor to reducing any issues pre and post kidding. Your does requirements increase dramatically during the last six weeks of gestation due to increasing foetal growth, especially with older goats and multiple birth kids.

The does biggest demands are energy levels and the need to mobilise calcium in her body. She also needs to be in optimal health with her trace elements to be able to transfer enough nutrients for the kids to thrive after birth.

Prevention is always better than treatment. One potential issue for high producing goats can be milk fever, a condition where the blood (serum) calcium levels become too low, namely hypocalcaemia. Feeding high amounts of calcium pre kidding can set off a chain reaction, causing calcium to be deposited in the goats’ bones when her body needs to be releasing it from the bones for milk production. The best way to prevent hypocalcaemia is to lower calcium intake during the last 30 days of pregnancy and increase the magnesium. Magnesium is needed to produce hormones that are important for the absorption of calcium from the gut and the mobilisation of calcium from bones.

By using magnesium and calcium salts and feeding them pre-kidding, your goats are more likely to avoid milk fever due to the Dietary Cation Anion Difference (DCAD) effect.

Supplementation should begin four weeks prior to kidding but optimal if you can achieve this over the last trimester.

Your goat will also have an increased need for energy intake. Alternatively, your goat’s body will break down both fat and muscle tissue to use as sources of energy, if you cannot supplement her with enough. Then her own body tissues go into starvation mode and deadly ketones are released as by-products of this process resulting in ketosis. A quick way to diagnose ketosis: a goat doe with sweet-smelling urine is ketotic.

To provide sufficient energy, starches are widely used as the basis of energy in most goat feeds. Feeding starches should be at a controlled level and increased slowly so not to induce acidosis. Bypass fats are a great low input, energy dense feed and around 2.5 times greater energy value per kg than starches. Also adding molasses to water will not only increase water intake but increase her readily available energy. However, be careful not to make your pregnant goat overweight, as this can be worse than being too thin. Getting her nutritional and microbiota balance right is critical.

Trace minerals and vitamins are important nutrients for the goat and the unborn kids. Some key minerals to ensure are at optimal levels pre-kidding, would be; Selenium, Cobalt, Vitamin E and Vitamin B’s. Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, being well documented and trialled in rumen animals as an effective dietary method of reducing clinical and subclinical mastitis.

Stacey Cuthbert – Small Ruminants Product Manager at BPM

Aiming to stabilise her rumen PH and microbiota, buffers and probiotics has shown to improve rumen function. A healthy and efficient rumen microbiome are essential to achieving her production and genetic potential. A healthy, mature goat rumen should be able to make all of the B vitamins that a goat needs. However, these bacteria need certain nutrients, minerals, and pH environments in the rumen in order to provide these. These elements can be less than optimal when fed high grain diets for milk production, therefore supplementation would improve this.

Newly born kids do not produce their own B vitamins, as their rumen is not yet developed. It is important to receive enough from their mothers, if not, this can lead to weak and poorly growing kids, susceptible to disease. Thiamine is especially important for proper brain function as the brain relies on glucose as its major source of energy.

Since the brain controls nearly all bodily functions, adequate thiamine levels in the brain are of critical importance for normal health and well-being. Milkfed lambs and kids should get thiamine supplement to their diet to meet requirements.

Blue Pacific Minerals have a range of nutritional supplements to support goat does and kids through their lifetimes supporting various requirements. Their products are mixed with NZ natural zeolite in the form of Optimate™ which is an ACVM Registered toxin binder. All products are made specifically for goats or kids with their unique nutritional requirements. Stacey Cuthbert has been instrumental in the formation of this range and an upcoming Sheep and Lamb range. With over 12 years of experience in agriculture sector which developed in small ruminant speciality, she has been vital to the success of these ranges.

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

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Housing options for goat welfare

By Dr Gosia Zobel, AgResearch Senior Scientist, Animal Behaviour and Welfare

How goats are housed is an important consideration for their welfare. In recent years, we have asked many research questions around what natural behaviours are important to goats, and then examined housing options that can promote these. These studies have provided some valuable insights.

When we house goats, there are some common trends. First, we usually use soft bedding. In North America, and many parts of Europe, bedding is often straw, and in New Zealand we tend to use wood shavings. Second, while the feed offered differs greatly between regions, the method of delivery is often at ground level, for ease of access with equipment and tractors.

Unsurprisingly, this behaviour resulted in dramatically higher bacteria counts in that bedding compared to the other options. This raised the question of whether we should incorporate a choice of flooring zones into our goat housing? If we give the goats some hard, dry surfaces for lying, and some bedded areas for defecation, this will allow them to choose where they sleep, keeping them cleaner, and maybe even decrease mastitis.

If, however, we look at the natural environment of goats, we know that they favour rugged, rocky mountain terrain, typically with many different vegetation sources. Goats’ hooves are built for such areas, wearing down gradually on hard rocks; in fact, a milking herd I studied in the Swiss Alps had not had their hooves looked at in almost half a year – and they looked perfectly trimmed. Goats’ preference to browse for their food, often stretching above head level, also reflect these mountainous origins. Our research has been testing some of these ideas to see if we can incorporate opportunities for natural behaviours in indoor housing environments.

When it comes to feeders, we drew on our knowledge that goats are mainly browsers and not grazers like sheep and cows. My colleagues and I designed feeders of three different heights. One required a typical floor-level feeding stance, a second presented feed at head level, and a third gave the goats a step up and encouraged them to feed with their muzzle oriented upwards.

In one study, my colleagues and I provided goats with a choice of four different flooring options: wood shavings, plastic slats, metal mesh and rubber mats. While previous research with dairy calves suggested that wood shavings would be the crowd favourite – the goats (as goats typically do) proved this theory wrong. Indeed, goats spent most of their lying time on rubber mats, followed closely by plastic slats. They stayed away from the metal, and the does in our study mainly used the wood shavings to urinate and defecate on. In fact, almost 90 per cent of their urination events were in that area of the pen with wood shavings.

When given the option, goats actually competed for access to the third option – they were quite motivated to eat from an elevated feeder. This was confirmed when we measured intake. The goats consumed twice as much from this feeder as the floor-level one, even though the feed was identical. Although our goats were nonlactating, it is interesting to consider how this increased feed intake could influence milk production in milking does. Some farmers are already exploring these types of feeding designs in their goat housing.

We know that farmers care about the health and welfare of their goats and that is why we are doing this kind of research. By actively exploring and testing alternative housing options, particularly those that give the goats a choice, this presents opportunities to promote the best possible welfare. *AgResearch is a Crown Research Institute focused on agricultural research for New Zealand.

NZ Champions of Cheese Awards Medal Winners Click here to access all the winners.

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Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

Give Your Lambs and Goat Kids the Best Head Start If you are preparing to rear lambs or goat kids in the upcoming season, then look no further than the Milligans Feeds range of high quality milk replacers.

We have you covered with our Multi Milk Replacer (MMR) product, which provides the convenience of having one milk replacer that can feed all animal types, including lambs, goat kids, foals, cria, piglets, puppies, and kittens. We also have our GOwhey range which are specialised whey-based powders for lambs and goat kids.

These can be used as a stand-alone replacer or be fed in a program with other replacers depending on your needs. Our whey products are sourced from a leading European manufacturer where performance and quality are the leading requirements for best animal welfare.

Milligans Feeds also has animal supplement products to assist with the early care and welfare of new-born animals, namely ExcelPlus Colostrum and ExcelPlus Electrolytes. These two supplements are key inputs to successful animal rearing and husbandry. Whether you are a lifestyle farmer or large scale farmer, you will know the importance of being prepared for the times when you have an orphan or sick baby at hand.

Milligans Feeds also have four specialist calf rearing products that are designed to fit any rearing system: from the ultra-premium ExcelPlus Calf Milk Replacer; Classic CMR, the original go-to replacer for over 25 years; GOcalf Boost, a high performing finisher; and GOcalf Whey for the alternative protein option. Whether it be a traditional Twice A Day feeding system, or alternative Once A Day system you prefer, our products give you the flexibility and performance anywhere, every time!

Milligans products are available throughout New Zealand at leading rural supply stockists. To see our range further, go to www.milligansfeeds.co.nz or give us a call on 0800 786 253 to discuss products and what may be right for you.

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Give your lambs and goats more GO with

GOlamb & GOgoat WHEY milk replacers GOlamb WHEY and GOgoat WHEY Milk Replacers are whey-based milk replacers developed by Milligans Feeds in conjunction with our European partner in Holland, specifically for rearing Lambs and Goats in New Zealand conditions. * Bag design may vary from what is shown.

0800 786 253 | feedsales@milligans.co.nz | www.milligansfeeds.co.nz

Spring Sheep Milk Co. wins Company-X Innovation Award “We love working with companies who refuse to be boxed in and who think differently. Spring Sheep Milk Co. is obviously one of those companies and is producing a premium product for a world market right here in the Waikato.”

(Company-X co-founder and director David Hallett) Thomas Macdonald

(COO) and Nick Hammond (CEO).

YOUR REARING ESSENTIALS Launchpad18 Whole colostrum containing 18% IgG and 18% fat provides excellent energy boost Contains bioactive components to support development of the gut, the gastrointestinal tract microbial flora and to stimulate post-natal body growth and organ development

Sprayfo Primo Goat NZ’s leading milk replacer for goat kids Can be fed directly from colostrum Highly digestible

Image source: Barker Photography

The Spring Sheep Milk Co. won the Company-X sponsored Innovation category of the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Award for its Gentle Sheep Toddler Milk Drink. The product previously won the best infant nutrition product at the World Dairy Innovation Awards in 2021.

The Company-X Innovation Award recognises organisations that have enhanced their success through innovation – both in thinking and implementing of an idea. An innovation can be in a product, service, technology or process.

According to the judges “Spring Sheep Milk Co. has demonstrated a relentless pursuit of excellence in innovation at all ends of the supply chain,” said the Company-X Innovation Award judges.

“From the detailed research into the benefits of sheep milks vs other milk products, to understanding the trends and dynamics of end markets, to ensure Spring Sheep’s products excel in a highly competitive marketplace. Spring Sheep delivers on all fronts in growing not only its own business but the overall sheep milk category itself.”

You can read more here.

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Supports rapid rumen development Excellent for automatic feeding machines

Stalosan® F For improving the environment and minimising proliferation of bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, fly larvae, ammonia and moisture to improve bedding quality in animal housing Easy to apply by hand or with an AgriVantage applicator

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO

0800 64 55 76 www.agrivantage.co.nz

A guide to selecting the best milk replacer for your animals How do you choose the most suitable product for your goat kids, to realise their genetic potential and get the best return on investment?

Quite simply, buy the best milk replacer you can afford.

You get what you pay for. You are rearing valuable animals so it’s worth spending a little more for a higher quality, more digestible product. You will see a return on that investment – extra body weight at weaning has proven to result in better lifetime performance.

Remember: • Not all milk replacers are formulated the same, nor made from the same ingredients. In some cases, the same brand will differ from batch to batch.

• High digestibility is key; it ensures the animal gets maximum value from the feed, providing them with the protein and energy they need to grow.

When deciding between milk replacers, consider the following: 1. Choose a milk replacer with balanced amino acids Proteins play an important role in many bodily functions, including formation of muscle and structural tissues and hormones. Each of these proteins are made from a different combination of amino acids.

Having a whole lot of one amino acid is not useful if you do not have enough of the others – the young animal is limited in the amount of protein it can produce and any excess amino acids must be excreted. Not only is this expensive, it contributes to nitrogen loading and can lead to elevated ammonia levels in the shed.

2. Choose a milk replacer that contains highly digestible fat sources The source of ingredients and the manufacturing processes both play significant roles in milk replacer digestibility.

Milk fat, palm fat and coconut oil are all highly digestible while homogenisation of fat also helps to increase fat digestibility, as the very small particles are more easily absorbed from the digestive tract.

3. Ask about vitamins and minerals A good quality milk replacer will contain added vitamins, micro minerals (like selenium, zinc and copper) and macro minerals (like calcium and phosphorus) with any added vitamins and minerals specifically formulated to complement the nutrients provided by the other ingredients in the milk replacer.

4. Ask about manufacturing The source of ingredients used in a milk replacer can dramatically affect digestibility. Some processing methods can damage the proteins in milk powders making these less digestible. Often this means these ingredients cannot be used for human food and are diverted for use in milk replacers. Ask your milk replacer supplier about how they source their ingredients and what manufacturing technologies have been used to help ensure high digestibility.

5. Check ease of use From easy-to-follow instructions on the bag right through to easy mixing and feeding, a milk replacer should be easy to use, no matter what your system.

Find out from other farmers how a product has worked for them.

NOTE: Less is sometimes more It’s tempting to buy a product with a wide range of different additives in the hopes that this will improve the nutritive value of the product. Make sure any additives included in the product are there for a reason, and not to hide the use of poor-quality ingredients.

Article supplied by AgriVantage, suppliers of Sprayfo milk replacers.

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

13

NZ artisan cheesemakers facing a squeeze

By Kevin Jenkins

There are lots of fabulous goat and sheep milk cheeses being made by innovative and hardworking artisans across New Zealand.

Our purpose at The Cheese Wheel, a subscription service for monthly deliveries of artisan cheese across the country, is to help these cheese makers prosper by bringing better cheese to the people. Covid and its aftermath have caused some havoc in the industry though, and it’s not finished yet.

I first wrote about how the NZ economy was starting to face issues with supply chains in the Herald in April 2020 (Read it here). For some goat and sheep cheesemakers the first lockdown was disastrous. We helped one business sell whole rounds of fabulous blue cheese, but much of their production fed some nearby pigs. What a waste and a real-life version of ‘pearls before swine’.

Another, trying hard to lift online sales, had to apologise to a client after some cheese took eight days to be delivered about 120km away.

The lockdown showed the fragility of the artisan cheese model.

Many rely largely on local farmers’ markets and perhaps some on-site sales.

Even when the lockdown was lifted, in some cases much of their European tourist and seasonal worker clientele – desperately seeking some decent cheese – had gone home, or no longer had the necessary disposable income.

Conversely, lockdowns saw a marked increase in subscriptions and other home delivery services for food and all sorts of goods (let’s not talk about the huge bump in wine delivered to your door!).

At The Cheese Wheel we were part of that trend, adding another channel to market for cheesemakers. It’s no surprise that there is unmet demand for artisan cheese in NZ because we are trailing behind a multi-decade, global trend to eat more specialist cheeses. I wrote about this in the Herald in January 2019 (read it here).

Goat and sheep milk cheese is a big part of this trend.

Covid and the response to it bought lots of issues for small cheesemakers to grapple with. The catastrophic drop in revenue some faced drove them to diversify, including taking jobs outside of cheesemaking which in turn led to drops in production.

14

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

On the cost side, inflation has emerged, driving up prices of lots of inputs. Then there is the explosion in property prices. I recently spoke with one cheesemaker in a provincial area who is closing up shop because his landlord has put the rent up, despite him having much lower sales. It’s a huge shame because it’s their passion project, and of course their cheeses make our lives better.

We sometimes have issues with our deliveries – like boxes occasionally being lost in transit – but things started to become more of a problem over summer as warmer temperatures coincided with severe pressure on couriers.

The problems in late 2021 were due to labour shortages (couriers not being able to find enough warehouse staff and drivers) meeting an unprecedented preChristmas surge in demand. Some couriers told their clients they would only be able to meet about 80% of demand. Fast forward to the Omicron outbreak, and we were told in February by our courier – a major player in the industry – that half their Auckland staff were off work. They also told us deliveries could take eight days or longer.

Our customers have the right to expect their cheeses to arrive on time. We have the right to expect our cheese boxes to be respected by couriers, but it’s tough when the problem is a pandemic. Like others delivering perishable goods, we spend a lot of effort on getting our packaging right, and we are going through this again. We also don’t hesitate to put things right if there is a problem, just like the cheesemakers do with us if there is a problem with their supply. But it all adds cost.

On the delivery time issue, there was no point in grumbling to our couriers about them being shortstaffed or many of their staff being sick, but what to do? In February we decided to directly deliver our boxes in Auckland and Wellington ourselves. That’s not a sustainable model but we had to innovate somehow. We also asked our subscribers to leave a chilly bin by their door if they weren’t home.

We lost a small number of subscribers over these challenging times, but we also attracted more, and the personal deliveries had an upside with the opportunity to meet many and get their feedback in person.

Our take-out from the Covid period is that (a) there is lots of demand for quality goat and sheep milk cheese (b) all layers in the industry need to be clever about managing costs and getting product to market, and (c) none of us can ever stop innovating, whether it’s with animal husbandry, manufacturing, new styles of cheese, marketing, or the supply chain.

Best of all, despite their travails, the passion of the cheesemakers has never dimmed.

Boom in the Global Demand for Goat Milk Products The global goat milk products market size is expected to reach $17.95 billion by 2027.

According to Arizton’s recent research report (you can request a sample copy here), the goat milk products market is expected to grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 7.77% during the period 2022−2027. In 2021, goat cheese was the leading segment and contributed the highest revenue.

The US is the fastest-growing market for goat cheese, and new product launches with creative flavours and tastes are the major drivers. Below are some extracts from the report.

Goat Milk Product Market – Segmentation • In 2021, the goat cheese segment accounted for a revenue of nearly 44.50% in the global goat milk products market.

• Goat milk powder is mostly exported from New Zealand, the Netherlands, France, and Germany.

One of the key selling points for goat milk brands is the fortification of milk powder. Almost all goat milk powder in Taiwan is fortified.

The growing need for baby and follow-on formulas in China is driving the demand for goat milk powder-based products in APAC. • With a high rate of digitization and technology adoption across regions, leading goat milk products suppliers are making use of this opportunity as there has been a significant increase in online product sales, which is likely to continue in the next few years owing to increasing digital transformation.

The goat milk products market is highly fragmented, with suppliers competing based on product quality, innovative product development, and competitive price. Companies must dedicate substantial time and resources to develop and launch novel and original goat milk products that meet consumer requirements.

Moreover, consumers are ready to pay a premium for high-quality and genuine goat milk products. Thus, in the upcoming years, players must focus on launching natural and organic goat milk products.

PROBIOTICS USED IN THE NEW GOAT & SHEEP RANGES

0800 OPTI 44

The BENCHMARK in Milk Replacers

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Easy to mix

Delivering maximum growth

Nutrition & health support

At MaxCare, we specialise in infant animal nutrition. Our range of milk replacers are specifically formulated using high quality ingredients to ensure optimum health and nutrition.

We are with you every step of the way; from helping you rear healthy infant animals through to supporting your local rural community. We care about strengthening the New Zealand dairy industry.

For more information: 0800 MAXCMR

sales@maxumanimal.com

maxumanimal.com

maxcareCMR

MC0085

MaxCare will be with you every step of the way MaxCare understands that every operation is different, our aim is to work with producers to help them get the best possible results with the resources they have available. In order to achieve this our customers should expect a quality product and exceptional service. At MaxCare we have a great team on the ground who are keen to understand more about your business to help get these results.

MaxCare is now offering both a casein and a whey-based Milk Replacer for Lambs and Kids all made in New Zealand. After 3 years of development the new MaxCare WHEY LAMB & KID product is available to the New Zealand market in 2022 via PGG Wrightson.

MaxCare pride themselves on being easy to find and quick to respond, “If you do use our products, we will be with you every step of the way.”

For more information on MaxCare you can contact: • Debs Stilgoe-Brooker Sales Manager – South Island Ph: 027 247 4807 debs@maxumanimal.com • Fiona Braddick Sales Manager – North Island Ph: 027 417 9151 fiona@maxumanimal.com

“

Our client base asked us to develop a product that suited a variety of feeding systems, and they also wanted a product that was made locally. We are excited with the end result, and we are eager to get this product out into the market.

– MaxCare’s New Zealand Manager Philip Spies

Postponement of conference

By Sam Peterson

Usually, each year, the New Zealand Society of Animal Production (NZSAP), holds a conference in winter, but due to Covid-19 the 2020 conference has been postponed twice and will now be held in November 2022 (hopefully).

Date: 8.30am Tuesday 15 November until 12.00 noon Thursday 17 November, 2022

Society membership and publications

This conference will be held in conjunction with NZ Grasslands Association and NZ Agronomy Society, so there will be a wide variety of topics covered. Highlights of the conference will include a field tour to the Southern Dairy Hub, a visit to a working flax museum and a social gathering at the Bill Richardson Transport Museum.

• NZSAP publishes the New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production which you can access free, along with proceedings of conferences going back over 80 years, at https://www.nzsap.org/proceedings/browse

To get a copy of the programme go to https://www.grassland.org.nz/events.php

• NZSAP also has a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NZSAP/

• The society also published other books on topics such as animal nutrition, reproduction, and welfare: https://www.nzsap.org/occasional-publications

• To join the NZSAP go to https://www.nzsap.org/

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

17

Silage Quality

By Quirien Cowie (BVSc), Ruminate

For many dairy goat and dairy sheep farms, mating is well underway.

It is also a time of year where ensiled supplements are a major part of your animals' diet. Poorly ensiled forages carry several risks to your livestock from reduced intake, right through to pregnancy losses, sub-optimal production, or even death. So how can we reduce these risks?

Obvious moldy patches should always be removed and discarded. Goats and sheep will often avoid eating spoiled silage that smells bad or is moldy. The resulting reduced feed intake increases wastage and can cause a drop in milk production and bodyweight. During mating any loss of condition can result in low ovulation rates or the loss of early pregnancies.

Testing for mycotoxins is challenging as their presence is often sporadic within the feed and specific tests can be costly or difficult to run. Good ensiling processes, storage, and feed out practices can help reduce the risk of mycotoxins and using a quality mycotoxin binder like Elitox, will help minimize the effects if mycotoxins are present in the feed.

Some fungi (molds) also produce mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are toxic metabolites which can cause illness, primarily when eaten with contaminated feed. There are hundreds of different mycotoxins associated with a variety of fungi species. Livestock consuming feeds containing mycotoxins may experience issues with impaired liver or kidney function, poor rumen fermentation, reproductive failure, and nervous disorders.

Listeria can also be a problem when feeding silages.

Infection with listeria can result in classic Circling Disease, digestive disturbances, or abortion. Goats and Sheep are particularly susceptible to listeria and any strange circling behaviour or pregnancy losses should be investigated by your veterinarian.

You can't see mycotoxins and not all visibly moldy feeds will have associated mycotoxins (though you should always avoid feeding anything visibly spoiled), and conversely, just because you haven't seen mold doesn't mean there aren't mycotoxins.

Listeria are bacterial species that live predominantly in soil and reproduce well in warm moist conditions. Any silage, but particularly those with high legume content (lucerne or clover), can provide the perfect environment for proliferation of listeria. Fortunately, listeria does not like the low pH and minimal oxygen levels of well-made silage, so good silage practices combined with Silo Guard II®, will significantly reduce the risk of high levels of listeria in your silage.

021 808 377 | quirien@ruminate.nz Get no-obligation assistance, chat with Quirien Cowie from Ruminate today.

“

This is the first year making silage I’ve had zero wastage.

Silo Guard II® has saved me thousands.

Ben Absolom | Hawkes Bay, NZ

Get great silage with Ruminate preservative, Silo Guard II® Being a preservative rather than an inoculant, Silo Guard II® gives much more flexibility to harvest crops when they will best meet the nutritional objectives for that feed.

Whether it’s high DM maize silage, earlage or high protein grass or lucerne silage, protect your investment with Silo Guard II®.

Silo Guard II® gets to work from day one by stealing the oxygen and shutting down the aerobic process fast.

The all important anaerobic fermentation starts when all the oxygen is gone from the stack.

By scavenging the oxygen, the silage gets to an anaerobic condition quickly and the good bacteria on the crop begin to grow and produce lactic acid.

Spring Sheep Dairy farm, near Taupo milks 2200 sheep, and farm manager Anthony Sheppard, says high quality lucerne silage is essential to the operation.

He also says using Silo Guard II® preservative has led to a significant improvement in the quality of feed they provide their animals.

“Sheep are not as fussy as goats, but they are certainly fussier than dairy cows. We cannot feed them standard bulk silage,” Anthony says.

“Without sounding like a guy who sells it, using Silo Guard II® has made a real difference to us. We get a better product, less wastage & better utilisation by the animals.”

“We have to cut our lucerne a bit earlier than it is normally harvested, and with this product we produce high quality silage with very little wastage.

Get your inoculant for free, use Silo Guard II®.

021 808 377 | quirien@ruminate.nz Get no-obligation assistance, chat with Quirien Cowie from Ruminate today.

DCS

Dairy Cooling Solutions Tradition meets Technology

You can trust Dairy Cooling Solutions with your valuable milk Dairy Cooling Solutions offer premium milk cooling equipment for your farm to help you comply with the MPI regulations and to ensure you get the most out of every milking.

DCS has supplied over 300 Packo Ice Banks nationwide, with the units living up to their reputation of excellent quality, performance and value.

Packo Horizontal Milk Cooling Tanks

Invest in your milk quality Dairy Cooling Solutions have the milk cooling equipment to help your farm comply with MPI regulations and to ensure you get the most out of every milking.

Dairy Cooling Solutions (DCS) was established to meet the dairy sector’s milk cooling technology challenges, improving efficiency and milk quality on the farm with premium milk cooling solutions from dairy cooling manufacturer Packo Inox. Packo is one of the oldest milk cooling tank manufacturers in the world, and for over 20 years Packo’s presence in Australia has resulted in over 1600 new Packo milk cooling tanks installed on farms – and this technology is now available to New Zealand farmers through Dairy Cooling Solutions. DCS has supplied over 300 Packo Ice Banks nationwide, with the units living up to their reputation of excellent quality, performance and value.

Why a DCS Milk Cooling System is the Best Investment for Your Farm: European Design and Quality Packo have over 50 years of experience in developing milk cooling solutions and are one of Europe’s leading dairy cooling systems producers for the needs of farmers around the world.

Improved Milk Quality with Snap Chilling Protect your product with the right system and benefit from a potentially higher return, adding profits to your farm.

Save Water and Energy with Packo Ice Builders (PIB’s)

The First NZ Packo Milk Cooling Tank installation in Karaka at Milkabit Goat Dairy in September 2015.

A 15,000L horizontal tank and a very happy farmer!

Thanks to the ice energy store build-up during nighttime hours, a smaller refrigeration unit can be installed to assist in energy saving. This is in addition to the potential savings of off-peak power rates. Bore water pre-cooling is not necessary with the correctly sized PIB. This is ideal for drought-prone regions or where water supplies are restricted.

Horizontal Milk Cooling Tanks with Iced Water Cooling

Fully Insulated double skin stainless steel provides excellent thermal storage compared to traditional NZ manufactured vats which are single skin, uninsulated and have minimal cooling capacity.

DCS’s systems are 50% more effective in cooling milk compared to standard direct expansion systems, with no risk of freezing milk at a water temperature of +0.5 > 1.0°C.

A large cooling pad covers the full length of the tank and 50% of the diameter provides significantly faster cooling than traditional NZ manufactured Tanks.

Available in either Ice Water or traditional Direct Expansion Refrigeration configuration. Patented CIP system with automatic dosing and wash cycles.

Highly Suitable for Automatic Milking Systems

Visit www.dairycoolingsolutions.nz and talk to your refrigeration contractor for more information.

0800 122 893

www.dairycoolingsolutions.nz

facebook.com/DairyCoolingSolutions

Our cooling solutions are perfect for AMS (Robotic Farming Systems) with low milk flows. There’s no risk of freezing milk.

Nationwide coverage and After-Sales support Dairy Cooling Solutions have staff in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and a network of trusted refrigeration installers around the country from Invercargill to Whangarei.

For more info visit www.dairycoolingsolutions.nz or give us a call on 0800 122 893 to discuss your milk cooling requirements.

Is there a place for Miniature Milking Goats and Imported Milking Genetics in a Commercial herd?

Contributed by NZ Dairy Goat Breeders Assn Inc

Showing a comparison of Herd Testing results for dairy goats of various breeds that include those with a normal NZ genetic background and those that have had genetics recently imported from overseas. The data supplied comes from two hobby herds, members of the NZ Dairy Goat Breeders Assn milking approx. 18 goats each. The goats are farmed conventionally outdoors.

And both are above average milk producing herds that herd test every year.

Both herds have NOT completed their current lactation.

Herd One in Southland

Herd Two in Auckland

Consisting of 1 and 2 year old does on their 1st and 2nd lactations.

Comprises 2 and 3 year old does on their1st and 2nd lactations. Saanen breed NZ genetics (6 does) and Nigerian Dwarf crosses (miniature breed 12 does).

The French Imported genetic does are slightly larger than the NZ Saanen does and producing 15% more litres on average than the NZ genetic does at a young age.

The fat to protein ratio between the NZ and French genetics is interesting. However, Pictured above 2yr olds: Left Ardee by the time the does Bel Bethany (NZ) 1001lt 184 days turn two years old, the 5.44lt avg sire Ardee Paladin, Right size and production Ardee Paris (French) 1140lt 212 days 5.37lt avg sire Caprigene Vautour gap narrows.

The miniature breed does are less than half the size of the Saanen does and produce a third of the volume but in percentage terms two thirds more solids than the Saanens and nearly double the fat percentage. The miniatures also require minimal foot care.

Pictured left are 3 year old does 3 Saanens and 2 Nigerian Dwarf does

The feet on the imported genetic animals are very good with slower growth and less trimming required, along with a good shape. The skin pigmentation was an unknown, but has turned out to be similar to NZ genetics with no light pink udders. Light pigment animals can be prone to skin cancers in Southland so is an area of concern.

Note that the sample size is very small, more data is required over coming years.

Production data for both herds is shown below: Ave Lits per day

Days in Milk

Ave Fat Ave Prot kgs/day kgs/day

Ave Fat %

Ave Prot%

Ave Solids%

No of goats

Ave doe weight

Herd One (1st and 2nd lactations 1 and 2 years old) Saanen (NZ genetics)

4.23

194

0.18

0.14

4.27%

3.35%

7.62%

3

65kg

Saanen (imported French genetics)

4.81

206

0.17

0.17

3.56%

3.55%

7.11%

3

70kg

Herd Two (1st and 2nd lactations 2 and 3 years old) Saanen (NZ genetics)

4.39

150

0.13

0.13

2.88%

2.99%

5.86%

6

70kg

Dwarf (imported genetics)

1.41

146

0.08

0.06

5.34%

3.91%

9.25%

12

32kg

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

21

PPP Feed Systems Typically, our system comprises of a silo outside the milking parlour and for HB sheds two auger lines out of the silo into the shed. With a rotary as most farmers are only feeding one type of feed or blend then there is just single auger into the shed.

HB Double Auger line

Sheep Dipping

If you are looking at controlling feed concentrate feed intake the best option, we have to offer is our double auger line system where we are able to do feed drops as low as 60g per animal. The control box allows you to have two preset feed rate drops for different flocks.

Watch the videos here

Standard HB Feed System This comprises of one dispenser per two animals and typically the minimum drop is 250g – this is the cheapest option we are able to offer and is very reliable option and it does give you the opportunity to upgrade to a double auger line at a later date.

Watch the video here

PPP started manufacturing sheep dipping machines in the 1980’s. As the leading sheep dipping manufacturer in New Zealand PPP are able to offer the most competitively priced unit in the country. PPP are now exporting into Australia, UK & Ireland, Europe, Middle east & South America.

The Lincoln model is well suited to the New Zealand bred sheep. The unit is manufactured from stainless steel and coupled with an electronic eye for auto on off most farmers can easily Watch the dip 800-1,000 sheep per hour. video here Each unit is complete with a Honda motor & Davey fire fighter pump with hose kit and delivery to nearest main centre.

Rotary PPP import a platform dispenser from Watch the Hanskamp in Holland and this dispenser video here that can drop as low as 50g per animal.

With a rotary you have the added advantage of adding on additional auger lines and dispensers in the shed and blending your own feed or targeting feed or animal health products to individual animals.

SHARE YOUR

All our system come with a 12 month warrantee on equipment and installation. The company has a serviceman who operates 7 days per week 52 weeks of the year.

EVENTS, STORIES, TIPS & RECPIES AND BE HEARD!

“

We aim to be of service to the goat and sheep milk community and stakeholders across New Zealand.

CONTACT US

Fieldays 2022 postponed until later in the year

ABOUT FIELDAYS Fieldays is based on a 114-hectare site at Mystery Creek 10 minutes from Hamilton and is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere.

The New Zealand National Fieldays Society has come to the difficult decision to postpone Fieldays 2022 until Wednesday November 30 to Saturday December 3, 2022.

The popular four-day agricultural event was scheduled to run from Wednesday June 15 to Saturday June 18, 2022.

Fieldays draws people from around the globe – both as exhibitors and visitors. Fieldays Online, launched in 2020 as a world first during COVID-19, attracted 90,455 total visitors and viewership from more than 75 different countries. Fieldays 2021 saw 132,776 people visit the event, becoming the second biggest in the event’s 53-year history.

Fieldays is run by New Zealand National Fieldays Society, a charitable organisation founded in 1968 for the purpose of advancing the primary industries.

“We believe this decision will give all attendees, exhibitors, and stakeholders involved some breathing room and confidence during these uncertain times.”

According to Nation, For more information head to the ongoing www.fieldays.co.nz impact of the global supply chains having an impact on exhibitors, who are struggling to achieve requisite stock levels for their existing sales, let alone display stock or any new innovations.

Many factors contributed to the decision to postpone, such as the resourcing issues that came with the current Omicron outbreak.

Employee absences due to isolation periods and a tight labour market impacted all of the stakeholders involved.

Nation says he hopes the postponement to the end of the year will ensure the best outcome for all involved after a turbulent start to 2022.

Chief Executive of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, Peter Nation, says this decision did not come lightly, but will ensure the Fieldays event can operate to its full potential.

High Energy Feed Licks for Milking Goats and Sheep

Optimise Performance With Crystalyx It is well understood that offering additional supplementation to dairy sheep and goats will bring health and production benefits in terms of colostrum quality, lamb and kid birth weight and subsequent milking performance. The difficulty however lies in the last third of gestation where the rumen is compressed by the uterus making it difficult for the expectant mother to consume enough feed to maintain a healthy energy balance.

Crystalyx Extra High Energy contains 16 ME MJ/kgDM and is proven to expertly balance the energy shortfall that is often seen in late pregnancy, reducing the risk of sleepy sickness and improving offspring survival. Trials conducted in Spain and Sardinia conclusively prove that ewes and goats maintained better body condition in late pregnancy and had an improved milking performance in early and mid lactation.

Offspring were found to grow quicker whilst suckling with high yields being maintained post-weaning.

*Forage Plus not suitable for sheep

Independent research carried out by the Animal Science Department, Bonassai, Sardinia recorded 7% increase in milk yield, 12% increase in fat and 9% increase in solids.

*Organyx Extra not suitable for sheep

www.carrs-supplements.nz

With typical intakes between 20-30g head/day Crystalyx Extra High Energy or Crystalyx Forage Plus offers cost effective supplementation that improves animal health, performance and on farm profitability.

Contact North Island Jamie Taplin +(64) 027 6550 089 Jamie.taplin@crystalyx.co.nz

Contact South Island Brian Ferns (+64) 027 5970 198 Brian.ferns@crystalyx.co.nz

Background, Herd Testing and Milk Production Awards Contributed by NZ Dairy Goat Breeders Assn Inc

The NZ Dairy Goat Breeders Association (NZDGBA) was established sixty years ago to record the pedigrees of the original dairy goat breeds imported into NZ from the UK and Australia and maintains its registration function to this day.

It is likely that that most of the commercial herds of NZ Dairy goats, despite many not being registered themselves, trace their ancestors back to animals registered with the NZDGBA in the last 60 years. The NZDGBA recognises and registers 6 dairy goat breeds in NZ.: Alpine, Anglo Nubian, Nigerian Dwarf, Saanen, Sable, Toggenburg.

The New Zealand Dairy Goat Breeders Association also provides herd production recording as a service for its members. Economical for the smaller breeder, the information herd testing provides is important for improvement in a dairy herd of any species.

Dairy cow farmers are well used to the technology, utilising LIC and CRV commercial herd testing platforms.

Unfortunately these are not cost effective for a smaller breeder as they require a monthly admin fee along with a monthly per animal fee. LIC and CRV herd testing results are recognised by NZDGBA for production awards if you should use these platforms.

The benefit of testing with or lodging the results with NZDGBA are the production records that a doe and her sire can earn. These are recorded on the pedigree, allowing production through a family to be seen at a glance.

Testing can be done for once or twice a day milking herds, and the results for each are recorded in their respective category in the NZDGBA Herd Book. This information is useful for those breeders who are looking for stock that are bred for either once or twice a day milking.

Testing is a simple process, with the total milk sample being weighed on a scale which is required to be calibrated annually.

The test can be for volume only, or the composition and somatic cell count of the sample can be measured by taking a sample. Samples are tested at Milk Test NZ in Hamilton. The percentage of fat, protein, and lactose is given, along with the somatic cell count and freezing point of the milk. A breeder can then select does with the milk composition required for their breeding objective. A cheesemaker will require high solids whereas someone rearing calves could want volume over solids.

Milk Production Awards are in several categories. They are recorded on the pedigree as a Prefix to the name of the doe by the letter of the award, followed by numbers which are litres of the doe’s best lactation in “tens of litres” and kg of fat in brackets, for example: • R178(72) – open age award of 1780lt and 72kg of fat.

• RS64(22) – age related award of 640lt and 22kg of fat, under 2yr old 24hr milk tests are done with two witnesses and earn Q* and * awards.

Q* for volume and a minimum of 3.5% fat, * for volume less than 3.5% fat. This is very simplified, there is a calculation involved to give points, and a minimum number of points are required for the award.

Bucks that have more than 5 daughters can earn Sire of Merit awards. Shown as SM, followed by the number of daughters with awards, then number of herds milking them, for example: • SM10.3 is 10 daughters in 3 herds have earned production awards

For more information or to join the New Zealand Dairy Goat Breeders Association, please visit www.nzdgba.co.nz or email nzdgba@gmail.com, or donnamorton@xtra.co.nz

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

25

Nationwide specialists in the primary industry AgFirst is New Zealand’s largest independent agribusiness consultancy, with over 60 consultants in 13 locations throughout New Zealand. Our focus is improving farm profitability and sustainability. We work alongside farmers, growers and agribusinesses throughout the country.

AgFirst has been involved in both the dairy goat and dairy sheep industries for quite some time. Our involvement ranges from feasibility studies, conversion planning, effluent and water system design and build, nutritional advice, ongoing system advice and environmental compliance. In order to cover such a wide range of skills, and focusing on providing the highest level of service to the client, we utilise a team approach.

While there is always typically one person managing and overseeing the client relationship, various members of the AgFirst team are pulled in to utilise their specific skills, e.g. ruminant nutrition, effluent system design or even greenhouse gas management.

At AgFirst we are confident about the long-term future for both dairy goats and dairy sheep. While all sectors have their ups and downs, particularly in these uncertain times caused by supply chain issues due to Covid, the fundamentals are strong.

Like any successful business one of the key aspects we are very focused on is ensuring a team approach, not only within the farm team but also the wider support teams surrounding the farm business. This can involve working with a wide range of rural professionals to ensure the best possible advice is always provided.

In our opinion providing advice is just the first part of the process, and we like to be involved through to execution of the ideas.

AgFirst Central Ph 07 349 4333 | www.agfirst.co.nz | email rotorua@agfirst.co.nz

Farmers Supporting Farmers Farming can be stressful but Rural Support Trust is here to help.

Rural Support Trust is a nationwide network offering free and confidential support to those who earn their income from the land. Support is available to the business owner(s), as well as full-time and part-time workers.

Each of the 14 Rural Support Regions has a dedicated team with a range of experiences. When someone contacts Rural Support for assistance they will talk with someone who has a good understanding of farming life. If ongoing support is required, a suitable facilitator will be agreed upon. Support can be face to face or over the phone. A facilitator can travel to where they are needed, at a time a that suits.

The RST (Rural Support Trust) team have a good understanding of the primary sector; many are or have had active roles in the sector so they really appreciate how challenging it can be at times.

How do you get in touch?

Asking for help is never easy, but Rural Support wants to make it as easy as possible. Get in touch by calling 0800 787 254 (0800 RURAL HELP) to connect with a rural Co-Ordinator.

Contact can also be made via their social media platforms or the website www.rural-support.org.nz Rural Support will give you a call back at a time that suits.

What can Rural Support do?

RST understands that every situation is different, so Rural Support are available to walk alongside someone and help put an individualised plan together to get the support needed to help with whatever is causing you pressure.

This may be simply by listening, having a cuppa and a chat, or it may involve pulling in extra professional support to help.

Whether it be an on-farm issue or a personal matter, whatever is causing stress, the important thing to remember is that Rural Support are only a phone call away and if they cannot help, they can offer direction to someone who can.

What else does Rural Support do?

Rural Support Trusts also run free wellbeing events across the Country. So, to keep up to date with their news keep an eye on their website or social media pages. These events vary, but often include Rural BBQs, dinners, or other off farm activities.

Rural Support are also well connected with their Rural Advisory Groups, so in times of adversity they play a lead role in supporting all primary producers. This may include help during or following an adverse weather event.

Currently Rural Support are helping farmers who are having to isolate due to Covid. So, if someone gets Covid on farm and wants to chat or needs help with onfarm support or deliveries please get in touch.

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

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The TuMMI Trial – Does milk processing affect its nutritional quality?

By Matthew Barnett (Senior Research Scientist – AgResearch)

Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI for short.

When most people see or hear that term, they will probably think of their favourite medical drama or possibly recall being referred to get a diagnosis for a complex medical condition. While it is true that MRI is used for medical diagnostic imaging, it also has a history of use in food research. That includes looking inside foods to better understand their properties and structures; identifying a perfectly ripe apple based on its water signature, or calculating the optimal brining time for fish, are just two examples. MRI also enables us to look inside people after they’ve eaten food, to see what happens to that food in the gut; that’s the approach that has been used in the TuMMI clinical trial.

TuMMI (which stands for Temperature treatment of Milk impacts on MRI digestion rates and nutrient delivery – quite a mouthful, hence the snappy acronym) is the first human study run as part of the New Zealand Milks Mean More (NZ3M) Research Programme. NZ3M is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and aims to provide scientific evidence that dairy products confer nutritional and well-being benefits to consumers as part of a healthy diet.

An important characteristic of milk from different domesticated ruminant species (e.g., cow, goat, sheep or deer milk) that may influence their nutritional impact is the so-called “structural assemblies” present in them. These are a key focus of the NZ3M programme.

Structural assemblies are combinations of large molecules, with examples being casein micelles and milk fat globule membrane. These two examples result from interactions between proteins and fats in the milk, which influence physical properties like emulsification (i.e., keeping the fat in solution, like for a salad dressing). Structural assemblies can be naturally occurring or arise during milk processing, and they can differ in milks from different ruminant species.

What isn’t yet well understood is how these natural or processing-induced differences affect digestion and absorption, and in turn what the nutritional consequences of these differences are.

Another important factor determining the nutritional impact of structural assemblies is the potential interactions between them.

A better understanding of these is a key focus of the NZ3M programme.

One process widely used in the dairy industry is heat treatment, which ensures microbiological safety and extends shelf life. Standard heat treatments for milk are pasteurization and ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing.

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Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

Figure 1: MRI images of a participant following milk consumption being captured at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Advanced MRI. Milk in the stomach can be seen in white on both screens, and the MRI machine can be seen in the background.

Image courtesy of Matthew Barnett.

Despite their widespread use, the impacts of these treatments on the nutritional quality of milk have not been closely studied.

We recently reviewed the literature in this area and identified only four studies in humans which specifically addressed how heat treatment affects nutrient delivery. Two of these studies investigated digestive and bioavailability differences between pasteurized and UHT-treated milk, particularly focusing on protein and lipid (fat) digestion. The main findings were differences in nutrient appearances following consumption of pasteurised vs. UHT milk, evidence that processing can indeed influence nutritional properties.

These studies were not able to point to a specific reason for this difference, but altered gastric emptying rate (how quickly food leaves the stomach) was one explanation.

It is known that changing dairy food structures (e.g., processing into cheese or butter) can impact gastric emptying rates. How fast the stomach empties can influence postprandial responses such as lipid and protein bioavailability.

There is evidence that pasteurization and UHT treatment can induce changes in structural assemblies (for We’ll finally answer example, casein micelle size). We the key question – selected these two treatments do different heat for further treatments influence investigation in the TuMMI trial. how fast milk leaves

“

The key research the stomach? question of the TuMMI trial was: “What impact do different heat treatments of bovine milk have on its digestion and absorption in vivo?” Gastric emptying rate has been assessed using MRI to address this question. As shown in Figure 1, MRI can provide detailed gastric images of the stomach and its contents. We have used these images to calculate changes in volume over time and so determine how quickly the stomach empties after consuming different types of milk.

MRI isn’t the only high-tech approach being used in the TuMMI trial. For example, we are working with researchers from Alimetry (https://alimetry.com/), who have developed a sensor that can detect electrical impulses from the stomach.

This technology, known as body surface gastric mapping (BSGM), will provide information on how the stomach is behaving in response to consumption of the different milk types. We will compare BSGM data to gastric emptying data from MRI. This research is part of a collaboration that NZ3M has with The University of Otago (as part of the Digestive Health programme of the High-Value Nutrition National Science Challenge), the Riddet Institute and AgResearch.

Dr Amber Milan, from AgResearch and the University of Auckland and co-Principal Investigator of the TuMMI trial, collecting a blood sample from a trial participant (pre-COVID-19). Image courtesy of The Liggins Institute, The University of Auckland.

This collaboration is developing technologies to objectively and reliably measure digestive responses in healthy human adults and those with a sub-optimal gut function.

Within the NZ3M programme, the TuMMI trial sits alongside in vitro and pig models of humans, all using UHT and pasteurised milk.

These will allow the team to investigate the mechanisms (e.g., how does the milk change as it’s digested? What is happening to cells in the gut?) driving differences in digestion kinetics and nutrient bioavailability seen in the TuMMI trial.

So, what does this all mean for the cow, goat and sheep dairy industries? As part of the TuMMI trial we have used new capabilities to analyse in-depth the nutritional implications of consuming bovine milk that has undergone different heat treatments. We will use these capabilities to address other important questions: Do species, milk processing techniques, or specific milk product properties make a difference to nutritional quality for humans? For example, sheep milk has a unique fatty acid content – does this confer specific nutritional benefits?

Finally, what stage is TuMMI at? Well, with COVID-19 lockdowns, it’s been a long road, but a great team effort has seen all of the MRI image and data analysis completed. We’re about to assess the key gastric emptying measures so we’ll finally answer the key question – do different heat treatments influence how fast milk leaves the stomach?

We look forward to updating you soon on what we have learned about heat treatment and nutrient delivery and how this might shape NZ3M research.

The NZ3M TuMMI team is: Dr Amber Milan, Professor Richard Mithen, Dr Matthew Barnett, Professor Nicole Roy and Professor Warren McNabb.

The TuMMI study is part of the MBIE-funded New Zealand Milks Mean More (NZ3M) Endeavour programme. The programme aims to achieve mechanistic insights into the structural characteristics and digestive dynamics of NZ ruminant milks and deliver superior digestive and nutritional outcomes. For more information on the NZ3M programme, please contact Prof Warren McNabb (W.McNabb@massey.ac.nz; +64 6 951 7742).

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

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The Whites – From Cows to Sheep A Waikato family among the first to enter the commercial dairy sheep industry is starting to see the rewards of their hard work as they come to the end of their second season.

Paul (featured in the ad on the next page) and Dianne White are long-time dairy cow farmers but about four years ago became interested in the market growth of dairy sheep.

“We’ve come close to reaching our production target.

We will end up with about 45-46 milk solids per ewe for our second season, for our first season we did about 35.

They set up Green Park Sheep at Kio Kio near Te Awamutu in 2020 for their sons Brad and Kieran who both previously worked in the corporate world.

“As the genetics improve, as we get a younger flock profile, milk production will improve further.”

They began milking 850 sheep on the 81 hectare property through a 40 aside Agili Rapid Exit parlour, which was originally an old herringbone shed for cows.

Its conversion into a sheep milking plant was designed

by Waikato Milking Systems and installed by Qubik.

Green Park Sheep was among the first to supply to Maui Sheep Milk.

“During the first season we had a lot of challenges around lamb rearing, it was labour intensive and the lambs really tested our fences,” Paul said.

“So before we started our second season we installed a custom-designed lamb rearing shed which can take up to 1000 lambs at a time using four auto feeders.”

“We broke in 400 hoggets this year which were lambs from our first season, so we’re growing the flock naturally.”

Paul said the Agili Rapid Exit had performed well.

It had delivered high throughout and it would be able to handle the increase in milking ewe numbers.

“At the moment we are milking about 800 ewes in an hour and 20 minutes. In the peak during full production, we’re taking about 2.5 to 3 hours to milk 1000 just because of the high volume of milk.

“When milk volume drops, milking gets a bit faster.”

They’re now able to take the lambs off their mums after 24 hours.

The family is keen to investigate automation options for the milking system in the future. That could include animal identification capability which would enable milk yield recording.

“The advantage of that is more milk in the vat from our milking ewes and that’s significantly increased production.”

“Ultimately it will provide us with information on how well the ewes are performing and we can use that information to better manage the farm.”

The season ends around mid-April and lambing begins in late July. The dry period will again be used to further tweak management plans. That includes upgrading fences with netting to ensure lambs don’t escape.

Paul and Dianne said the first two seasons had been a steep learning curve but they had enjoyed seeing Green Park progress.

Paul said the farm was on track to record another milk production increase.

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Green Park expected to increase ewe numbers to about 1200 for its third season.

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

“We’ve been able to make a small farm viable and it’s been great to see our boys come back to work on the land.”

Maui Milk at International Trade Shows After two international trade shows, Maui Milk’s CEO Leah Davey says the company has gained an even deeper understanding of consumer needs, and behavioural trends.

Exhibiting at trade shows is a great way to build brand awareness and to raise a business’s profile in new markets. It’s an opportunity to meet face-to-face with potential customers to start building relationships, so after two years behind closed doors so to speak, Maui Milk were looking forward to connecting with the world once again.

In February, the New Zealand Government announced that New Zealanders would be able to return home without having to book a room in Managed Isolation. With this news, Leah Davey hit the play button and the team set off to plan and execute an exhibit at Natural Products Expo West in the US. Natural Products Expo West is a trade show for the natural, organic & healthy products industry and Maui Milk thought it was a suitable place to highlight New Zealand’s finest natural product and superfood – what they believe to be sheep milk.

At about the same time, planning was already underway for Maui Milk to exhibit in Japan at FoodEx, their largest international food and beverage trade show. With Japan’s borders shut to international visitors, Steve Farrelly and Leah Davey had already been in discussion with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise in Japan who referred them to a company on the ground there who would represent them at the show.

Currently offering sheep milk powder and products as an ingredient to product developers in the food and drinks industry, Maui Milk’s offering was well received in both markets, with little to no competition in the categories they were targeting.

“It was great to see and get to know other New Zealand businesses at Natural Products, like Tom & Luke and Taylor Pass Honey”, says Leah. She said she felt extreme pride to be able to represent New Zealand, our agricultural sector, our animals and all the great people that work our land.

Steve and Leah at Expo West, USA

What’s next for Maui Milk?

The team is due to exhibit at Vitafoods Asia 2022 in Singapore in September.

Vitafoods Asia is the premium platform where the nutraceutical, functional food and beverages, and dietary supplement industries come together to source quality products and ingredients and develop solutions which deliver optimal health.

This will be the first time Maui Milk is entering this market, and they plan to take with them their own branded products.

For Steve it was his first time at Expo West and the sheer scale of the event was what blew him away. It is the largest event of its kind with over 3,500 exhibitors and 80,000 attendees. “It’s a super high energy atmosphere throughout the day. From the moment you get there your senses are under attack... from the smells of the great tasting food being sampled, through to the loud bands at the end of day networking events. It was a lot of fun and really worthwhile” says Steve.

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Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

Sheep Milk Market Revenue to Surpass USD 8,095.61 Million by 2027 According to a new research study on “Sheep Milk Market to 2028” the industry is expected to grow from US$ 6,129.64 million in 2021 to US$ 8,095.61 million by 2028; it is expected to register a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 4.1% during 2021–2028.

The COVID-19 pandemic has a diverse impact in different countries, depending on cultural norms, mitigation efforts, and health infrastructure; and each country is battling the pandemic in its own way. The pandemic has massively affected the dairy industries in different countries, including China and the US, owing to decreased farmgate milk prices, worker shortages, disruption and difficulties in moving milk within the supply chains, increased production costs, and the lack of operating capital.

In addition, with the relaxation of restrictions on personnel movement and the lifting of lockdown measures, the global sheep milk market is presumed to witness notable growth in the coming years since people are aware of its nutritious value. Sheep milk contains nearly one-third more energy as compared to cow or goat milk (which makes it a favourite of high-performance athletes). It also has double the protein and much more of the right kinds of fats, vitamins, and minerals – particularly calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and zinc, while being lower in sodium.

In 2020, Asia-Pacific held the largest revenue share of the global sheep milk market. Steady growth in the middle-class population, coupled with a rise in urbanization in the countries, creates lucrative opportunities for the major market players. Due to the ever-increasing disposable income of the middleincome group population, people are willing to pay higher prices for food products such as sheep milk, which is comparatively expensive than cow milk.

Change in consumer preferences for taste, increase in demand for high-protein and high-energy products, rise in requirement for sheep milk from health-conscious consumers, and easy availability of various product variants, are boosting the growth of the sheep milk market in Asia-Pacific.

The key players operating in the Asia-Pacific sheep milk market include Fernglen Farm, Origin Earth Ltd., Sheep Milk Company Ltd., and Spring Sheep Milk Co. The key manufacturers are highly focused on developing highquality and innovative products to meet the consumer’s requirements through research & development, technological advancements, and other strategies.

Denmark misusing ‘feta’ name on cheese exports Denmark has breached European Union law by failing to prevent local companies from making and exporting outside the EU white cheese labelled as “feta”, an adviser to Europe’s top court said in March.

“Feta” has been a registered Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) since 2002 in the EU and can only be produced in Greece according to a set of production specifications.

Greece says feta is its cultural heritage because it has made the sheep and goat milk cheese for 6,000 years.

The court stated that “by failing to stop the use by Danish producers of the registered name ‘Feta’ for cheese intended for export to third countries, Denmark has failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law”.

You can read the full story here.

The CJEU (Court of Justice of the European Union), which will rule in the coming months, follows such non-binding recommendations in four out of five cases.

Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

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We’re milking 600 ewes in just over an hour (Rhys Darby, Waikato) With the support, capability and retrofit solutions provided by GEA, Rhys Darby has successfully and cost-effectively converted a 36-a-side herringbone dairy parlour into a 42-a-side sheep milking parlour.

With clever stalling and cluster solutions, they milk in half the time that other farms do.

Rhys set up his sheep milking operation in June 2020 on the family dairy farm, west of Huntly in the Waikato.

Starting out with 600 ewes, he has plans to expand to a flock of 1,200 and pay back the new installation in just 3 years.

Diversification was the key reason for going into sheep milking, Rhys says. Plus, with increasing environmental pressure on the traditional dairy industry, sheep milking seemed a better option. And he wanted to try something different.

When it came to converting an existing dairy herringbone for sheep, GEA was his first choice.

“We know their product lasts and works well for what we want.” says Rhys. “We’ve built two GEA rotary (iFLOW) platforms in the past.”

The GEA iFLOW rotaries have proven to be reliable, low maintenance and animal friendly. Rhys was also confident GEA would provide the support he needed in a new industry.

“We milk 600 ewes in just 1 hour with this shed.“ Rhys Darby - WAIKATO 42 a-side dairy sheep Rapid Exit Swing-Over Parlour.

Converting an obsolete herringbone 36 a-side shed back in June 2020, Rhys and the Darby family have added another string to their bow, with significantly less capital outlay – hoping to pay back their new install in just 3 years.

Having built 2 dairy cow sheds with GEA in the past, Rhys says “GEA equipment isn’t the cheapest stuff around, but at least we know it lasts and works really well, with what we want”.

Rhys enjoys the quickest and most efficient way of milking sheep, incorporating in-shed feeding and TopFlow S clusters for ultimate cluster alignment and a quick milking-out process. Each milking row is in, and then out in just 5 minutes - with it just taking 30 seconds to exit the stall, thanks to our Rapid Exit Stalling.

Need breaking ground technology like Rhys?

Call us for your free on-farm consult.

0800 GEA FARM

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Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

The sheep milking system was designed for ease of use and maximum milking efficiency and it has delivered exactly that.

“We have very good flow in the shed, which I put down to two really important things” Rhys explains.

“Firstly, the GEA stalling. Because of the retrofit, we didn’t have the room for an animal to walk right out (from a standard stall) away from the shed.

Our (rapid exit) stalling lifts up, enabling the sheep to move out quickly.

“So, instead of taking 2-3 minutes to get the animals out, as you would in a normal herringbone system, the sheep are gone within 30 seconds.”

Ground-breaking milking technology Cost-effectively retrofit an existing shed to dairy sheep milking without even breaking ground.

Our milking systems are specifically engineered right here in New Zealand, with the added advantage of our global GEA expertise. Plus, all systems are customised to suit the NZ milking environment and of course, your farm.

With market-leading solutions for retrofit conversions - either double-up or swing-over, we know how to get you more bang for less buck.

Converting to sheep milking doesn't have to mean breaking dirt on a greenfield. If you have an existing plant, we can help convert it.

0800 GEA FARM Driving dairy efficiencies?

We can help.

The GEA Rapid Exit parlour aligns the animals in the exact position for better milking; the animals self-load into the stalls quickly and correctly.

After milking the breast rail completely lifts up, allowing for a ‘rapid exit’ of all animals. This increases the number of animals milked per hour while reducing labour input and stress on livestock.

“Secondly, the GEA cluster” continues Rhys. “With GEA’s support, we had the benefit of deciding what would work best: the swing-over or the double-up system.” He chose the swing-over.

Rhys utilises the TopFlow S Cluster – the latest generation of sheep cluster. Maximising ease of use and considerable time savings at cups-on, the TopFlow S is practical and gentle for the animal, while providing an uninterrupted, smooth milk flow that comes without the use of a claw.

In-shed feeding and automated plant wash technology further contributes to better efficiency in Rhys’ shed.

“We get excellent throughput, roughly 5 minutes per row. So, we’re milking 600 ewes in just over an hour.”

For groundbreaking milking technology, within a new, exciting and fast-developing industry, get in touch with the leaders in sheep milking technology today. www.gea.com Goat & Sheep Milk NZ - Issue 6 | April 2022

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