Canterbury Farming, April 2017

April 2017 Edition

30,287 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast

Sow to support spinal cord injury

A palace for ducks

P2

A Corriedale adventure Page 4–5

Good things take time

P8

P32

2

April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

Sow to support spinal cord injury The CatWalk Trust and New Zealand Agriseeds have launched a pasture seed mix, formulated for the first time in support of The CatWalk Trust.

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This mix is specifically designed to assist with the high-fibre content required in an equine diet, with the plant breeding company generously donating 200 bags to raise $40,000 for the charity.

Catriona Williams, former international equestrian rider, a C6/C7 tetraplegic founded the CatWalk Trust in 2005 and says the charity is thrilled with Agriseeds substantial donation.

“Through the sale of this pasture mix, we aim to raise $40,000 for spinal cord injury research. We cannot put into words what this type of support means to the trust, and to those living with spinal cord injuries across the country,” said Catriona.

The trust raises funds to support the body of scientific opinion which says a cure for SCI will be found.

“For CatWalk, partnering with Agriseeds was a natural fit. Our charity has strong ties with the equestrian industry, so when Agriseeds presented the idea for a horse specific seed mix, we snapped up the opportunity.”

Laura Akers, agronomist for Agriseeds and competitive dressage rider explains the seed selection for the horse pasture mix. “We designed

the mix to directly reflect horse’s specific dietar y needs. It’s high in fibre, low in sugars and no endophyte, making it the perfect mix for grazing horses.

“Pasture can be a very confusing topic, particularly for horse owners. Most pastures in New Zealand are dominated by perennial ryegrass and white clover, largely sown for sheep and cattle. However, for horses, these pastures are less than ideal.

“As well as having relatively low fibre, ryegrass also tends to be high in sugars, particularly during spring and autumn.

“The outcome of this usually includes exuberant behaviour and spookiness during riding, but can also cause serious problems such as contributing to laminitis.

By providing a quality diet for horses, it makes them safer for their riders,” she said.

“We’re thrilled to be able to support The CatWalk Trust and the important research it funds. We hope this donation will help us get one step closer to finding a cure for spinal cord injuries.”

For more information or to place orders email info@ catwalk.org.nz.

Catriona Williams — former international equestrian rider, a C6/C7 tetraplegic and founder of The CatWalk Trust

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Canterbury Farming prints material contributed by freelance journalists, contributing columnists and letters from readers.

The information and opinions published are not necessarily those of Canterbury Farming or its staff.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

Changes to farmhouse deductibility

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With farmers spending an increasing amount of time in the office, or at the kitchen table as is the case for many farmers across New Zealand, the changes to the deductibility of farmhouse expenses may come as a surprise.

“With changes impacting farmers for the 2017/2018 financial year, it is important they take the time to find out how the changes could affect them,” said Tony Marshall, Agribusiness tax specialist for Crowe Horwath.

Since the 1960s, the IRD has allowed full-time farmers a deduction of 25% of farmhouse expenses without any evidentiary support.

Inland Revenue Group Tax counsel Graham Tubb says that this has allowed some farmers to claim deductions for private spending.

Recently the IRD finalised the proposed Farmhouse Expenditure Interpretation Statement.

A key part of the statement revolves around a distinction being made between farming businesses where the cost of the farmhouse, including curtilage and improvements is 20% or less of the total cost of the farm (Type 1 farms), compared to those where the value is more than 20% of the total cost of the farm (Type 2 farms).

“Where farmers fail the Type 1 test based on cost, they can apply a market valuation to ensure that

they pass the test,” said Mr Marshall.

“This would be relevant when a farm has been owned for a significant period of time, but a new farmhouse has been built recently.”

Mr Marshall has summarised the notable highlights of the statement as follows: 20% default deduction for farmhouse expenditure for Type 1 farms, down from the previous 25% deductibility. Taxpayers remain free to complete their own calculation if the claim exceeds 20%.

100% interest deduction for Type 1 farms.

100% rates deduction for Type 1 farms.

Minimum 50% deduction for telephone rental costs.

Any farmer who is not Type 1 will likely see a large drop in deductions for farmhouse expenses, particularly around interest. This will hit those particularly hard that fall into the Type 2 category, which could be the likes of kiwifruit farms, orchardists and the bloodstock industry where the farming activity is full time but the cost of the farmhouse relative to the total farm is

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Tony Marshall, Agribusiness tax specialist for Crowe Horwath

significant,” Mr Marshall said.

“However, Type 1 farmers will not go unaffected. They will still have a 5% drop in deductions for farmhouse expenditure such as repairs and maintenance, electricity and the likes. The telephone rental deduction could drop to 50% — not huge numbers in the whole scheme of things, but still a drop.

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If they have any questions, they should contact their adviser.”

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April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

BY ANN MORGAN Tom Abbott is in his 81st year and grew up on a heavy soil farm at Coutts Island on the banks of the Waimakariri river and he has been breeding Corriedale sheep for some 65 years.

“T

his was cropping country and we had Romney sheep for fattening lambs, and I remember as a young lad helping to drive the lambs along the Main North Road through Belfast to the Canterbury Frozen Meat Co,” said Tom. “The mob would be met by a group of trained sheep that led them straight up the ramp to the killing room.”

Tom says the soldiers would come from a nearby camp to help with harvest.

When they went to war, Tom, having reached the age of nine years old, would leave school at noon and help his parents cart the sheaves on the horse dray.

“I was the crow on the stack and my mother tossed the sheaf up to me, and I would carefully place the harvest.

“When I was 12 years old, we shifted beyond Hororata to the Glenroy area to a large sheep farm called Brackendale, which ran down to the Rakaia river.”

The larger part of the farm was light second-class boulder country formed by the last ice age. It was termed new soil and had been cultivated once.

“The front country was medium soil with not many stones and had been heavily cropped,” said Tom. “My father was elderly and became unwell so I left

school at 15 years old to help run the farm. This is when my interest in Corriedale sheep took flight.

“The sheep on the farm were wool blind and didn’t have a good constitution.

At times I had to pluck the wool from their eyes so they could see.”

Tom says the soil was lacking in goodness and was hungry for fertiliser and lime.

“This was only applied for winter feed and crops of grain. Harvesting ceased because of the war and most pastures were infested with sorrel — a sign of sour or acid soil.

“My father was new to the value of lime so applied it as it was affordable. The

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CANTERBURY FARMING pasture improved but copper and cobalt deficiency was evident as the sheep were eating the clay from roots of toppled trees and the lamb’s bones were weak and breaking easily.”

Tom says by a stroke of luck the family had access to his brother George’s school correspondence textbook called Hunger Signs in Crops and they decided to try the advice on their farm.

They purchased four tonnes of super with copper added and another four tonnes with cobalt.

“These were spread on different parts of the farm with additional lime. Copper helps absorption of vitamin D and cobalt delivers vitamin B12,” said Tom. “Within a couple of years the bones of the sheep were strong and the footrot problems had improved. To deal with the wool blind issue we used Border Leicester rams over the worst sheep and the rest of the flock was divided into four groups.”

Before the sheep would go to the ram Thomas looked for black spot and fleece rot in the wool.

“Fleece rot is yellowing of the wool at the base against the skin, it looks milky and yellow and damages the wool.

It also attracts the flies and you get fly strike.”

The family then purchased a few Corriedale rams from another farmer, Maurice Broughton of Glentunnel.

“They are tough sheep and can stand up to drought conditions.

“We sold most of the heavier front country on the farm and the back block

Keeping on top of breeding issues, culling was important for Tom to produce a strong flock to breed from

Tom says Corriedales are tough sheep that are able to cope with drought conditions was renamed Boulder Park.

I closed the flock for nine years and kept developing the property.”

After this time the English Leister ‘paper ears’ became a problem and Tom read an article on sheep written

by Edward Orr of North Canterbur y. He phoned Edward and they started buying his rams to improve the footrot resistance and poor ear conditions.

“Edward was at the forefront of footrot resistance and I abandoned my four

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group flock as the new blood line was reliable and I continued to breed rams and culled hard.

“I am very thankful we met the Orrs, Edward did a lot of good work for the breed.”

In his 81st year, Tom is still running a small mob and his daughter and son-in-law are now milking 180 cows on the property.

To read part two of Tom Abbott’s adventure with Corriedales, check out next month’s issue of Canterbury Farming.

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RURAL PROFESSIONALS

CANTERBURY FARMING

Country Law with Ronald W. Angland & Son

Health and safety in the workplace Looking back over a working lifetime is one of the advantages of getting older. The first regime that I recall relating to workers’ rights following an accident at work was under the Workers’ Compensation Act. In those days, if an employee suffered an accident at work, he/she could sue the employer for compensation for injuries suffered or dependants could sue the employer for damages for the death of a worker. It was legislation that was draconian when put into

practice and many claims for compensation failed, which left the worker with large legal bills and nothing else.

It was essentially based on fault, which can be very difficult to prove following an accident. In the early 70s many reports, reviews, investigations and

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submissions were considered, and after an extensive enquiry by a High Court Judge, parliament introduced the accident compensation legislation. This was a huge shift in that everybody who suffers an accident in NZ does not need to prove fault to be entitled to treatment for all injuries caused by the accident. The aims of the early ACC legislation remain in force today and relates to everyone, not just those who are working.

Up until recently we had the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) rules, which applied and imposed obligations on employers and business owners to have a safe and healthy workplace for their employees and others entering the workplace.

Many of those responsible for workplace safety cringed at the thought of an OSH inspection and investigation.

New legislation was enacted in 2015 and came into force in April 2016.

There was time between the passing of the legislation and it coming into force to give those who would be affected by the new regime to ensure that their practices comply

with the stringent new rules which now apply. The new requirements are that those in charge of the workplace must take ‘all reasonably practical steps’ to ensure that their workplace complies with the requirements to provide a safe and healthy workplace.

Compliance with the new requirements is essential but it should be borne in mind that all workplaces should be safe and healthy for everybody who is employed in the business. Help is available for any business owner or person responsible

for the business to assess and remedy anything which may contravene the act if an accident occurs.

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Money Talk Covering the three months ended 28 February 2017 very accommodative levels of interest rates, but higher inflationary pressures caused by proposed fiscal measures are likely to result in higher long-term interest rates.

Global growth still in robust health Even before Trump’s ‘Make America great again’ pledge, United States manufacturing was doing well and manufacturing data globally has also been improving.

In the United States, fiscal policy implementation is now required to reinforce the positive sentiment and drive further gains.

In Europe, accommodative monetary policy remains the main economic driver and is at last delivering.

Manufacturing growth in January was the best monthly gain since April 2011. This was accompanied by the best employment gains in nine years, as hiring accelerated

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April 2017

in both the manufacturing and services sectors, driven by a sustained growth in new orders.

Japan’s manufacturing sector also grew in January at its sharpest rate in three years. Both production and new orders expanded at a robust pace, with a large part of new orders driven by foreign demand.

Equity markets are forward looking Improving global growth has been reflected in very healthy returns from equities over the last quarter, with the implications of President Trump’s fiscal expansionary policies further emboldening investors. Forward earnings expectations have lifted, with some of the benefits of tax cuts and a reduced regulatory burden being key drivers. Sectors that have benefitted have included financials, industrials and the

energy sector. In Australasia, Australian equities outperformed New Zealand during the last quarter.

Australia has benefitted from the rebound in the resources and financials sectors, while New Zealand’s market is still regarded as dominated by companies that are considered to be interest rate proxies. These companies are less attractive in a rising interest rate environment.

The reporting season in New Zealand also disappointed as cyclicals dominated downgrades at the operating earnings line.

New Zealand inflation picks up but RBNZ expected to remain on hold While it is now likely that the United States Federal Reserve could raise rates as early as this month, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand is still expected to keep interest rates on hold.

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This is reinforced by the current governor (stepping aside in September 2017) and the Bank consistently reiterating that no move is expected before 2019. In addition, while New Zealand’s core inflation rate has picked up, it is not expected to reach its 2% target until late 2018.

New Zealand’s longerterm interest rates however, are 90% correlated to United States interest rates. These are therefore likely to be driven by the United States outlook. Accordingly, the change in interest rates during the last three months is expected to reflect a pause, rather than indicate a change in the outlook for higher longer-term interest

rates in a year’s time.

If you’re new to investing please see Forsyth Barr’s Introduction to Investing guide available at forsythbarr. co.nz/investing-with-us/newto-investing or to discuss your investment options please contact Andrew Wyllie, an Authorised Financial Adviser with Forsyth Barr in Christchurch. He can be contacted regarding portfolio management, fixed interest, or share investments on 0800 367 227 or andrew. wyllie@forsythbarr.co.nz.

This column is general in nature and should not be regarded as personalised investment advice. Disclosure statements are available on request and free of charge.

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with Andrew Wyllie

Investment markets update European elections but still plenty to watch in the United States As we move into March, political attention is likely to shift from the United States to Europe. Economically however, the United States should remain a focus.

The potential passage of legislation lowering United States corporate taxes and proposed broader adjustment taxes, is far more important than any border wall and is at the heart of kick-starting investment activity in the United States. It also has implications for inflation and the United States dollar.

The United States Federal Reserve is also now picked to raise the Federal Funds rate, with the market now pricing in a 90% probability of this occurring following President Trump’s recent speech to the United States Congress. We are still talking

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April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

BY ANN MORGAN Duckingham Palace is the home to many white Indian Runner ducks including Lucky, Plucky, Jemima, Showduck, Gronway, Colin and Tony. It is also a haven for rescued endangered ducklings such as the Grey Teal, which get hand-reared and released back into the wild.

W

hen Stacey Austin and Larry Tessier (Sunny) moved to their property, there was a flock of Indian runners with 13 ducklings residing on the lake.

“They are a lovely duck with great personalities but they are notoriously terrible parents,” said Stacey.

“There were 13 ducklings and one was abandoned and all by itself on the lake, so I called it over and it amazingly came close enough for us to catch it in a net, and we called it Lucky. A couple of months later another lone duckling was peeping away by

itself so we caught him and called him Plucky.”

The pair happened to be a male and a female and Stacey says nature then took over, and suddenly they had ducklings everywhere.

“We house the babies in their own private enclosure and hand-rear them, they don’t go on the lake. We have 16 ducks in total at present and the number is growing.

“The Indian runners are flightless and are amazing if you have an orchard or garden because their favourite foods are slugs, bugs and snails. As long as you don’t have brand new seedlings in your garden

they will remove the bugs for you and fertilise the garden as they go.

The couple also feed their ducks cracked corn and chook chow with lots of fresh water, and Stacey says ideally people should have three females to a male.

“They are amazing for people with lifestyle blocks and they get on with other birds, but if you want to keep the line pure they need to be kept separate. “They are a very healthy bird, like all ducks they can get worms, but I put apple cider vinegar in their drinking water to avoid this — maybe a quarter of

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9

Indian Runner ducks are a domestic breed that are ideal for lifestyle blocks and keeping vineyards, orchards or gardens bug free

The duck eggs are approximately twice the size of hens

a cup to ten litres of water.

“They aren’t really an eating bird but they are the most prolific egg layer, we get approximately 300 eggs per year per duck. “ Staceys says the eggs are approximately twice the size of hens, are slightly richer and great for eating.

“They make the best sponge and meringues. If your recipe asks for one egg just use a duck egg. I love them.

“The Indian runners make great companions and their lifespan can be 15 years.

They are super friendly with children and they don’t have sharp beaks like other ducks have. Their favourite treat is lettuce, they love it.

“Our line is pure white but you can get fawn or a variety of different colours. They stand very tall and slim which is how you can tell they are a pure Indian runner. If it isn’t tall it could be crossed with a Pekin.

“Indian runners are tall and lean and the female has a loud quack that the male doesn’t.

“The male’s tail has a flick in it, the female’s doesn’t.

“They are real characters and all run in a pack and follow each other and stick together, if one runs they all run. They often don’t know what they are running for.”

Stacey says if you get them young enough they imprint really well. If you feed them in the same spot daily

they will always run to that spot to eat, making locking them away at night easy.

“They are happy to free range and do prefer to sleep outside under a tree in a huddle.

“They are a domestic breed and we highly recommend them for vineyards, orchards or gardens, as they keep everything bug free and they fertilise as they go.” Stacey and Larry also started the New Zealand Endangered Ducks Society. “We run the

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NZEDS and we have dreams to re-establish endangered duck species. We sell Indian runners and these sales help fund the project. “We handrear and release endangered ducks including the grey teal.

If we come across abandoned eggs we incubate, raise and release them back into the wild. We rescued around 45 grey teal in the past year.

We want to help save the different species that have become vulnerable.”

Any information advice or support, contact Stacey or Larry at Duckingham Palace on 022 155 7907 or facebook.com/nzeds.

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April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

NZ shears rare treble Hot favourites Rowland Smith and Joel Henare have kept their places at the top of New Zealand shearing sports and retained their New Zealand Open shearing and woolhandling titles respectively in Te Kuiti.

Each completing a double successful defence of the Golden Shears and New Zealand titles, they had dominated the New Zealand season. Rowland won 24 finals, with an unbroken sequence of 17 in the last two months, and Joel won 13, including regaining the title of World Woolhandling Champion in Invercargill in February.

Completing a cleansweep of the two major open crossbred second-shear titles and the two major multi-breeds series’, it was Rowland’s fifth New Zealand open title, with previous wins in 2011, 2013, 2014 and last year.

It was a fourth NZ Open Woolhandling title for Joel, who’s third successive win in the event followed his first in

2010, and a junior title at the championships in 2005 when he was 12 years old.

It was a particularly special three days in Te Kuiti for Rowland, who added the open title to the New Zealand Shears Circuit title he won earlier in the night, and the North Island Shearer of the Year title he won on the Friday before, becoming the first to win all three at one

World champion woolhandler Joel Henare successfully defended the national woolhandling championship in Te Kuiti

championships since Te Kuiti legend David Fagan won all three in 2002.

Acclaimed a Master Shearer by national body Shearing Spor ts New Zealand last August, a rare disappointment was finishing just third in the New Zealand World Championships team selection trial in November, and missing out on a chance to retain the world title he won in Ireland in 2014.

Eventual world champion, and three-time New Zealand Open champion, John Kirkpatrick, who had also won the North Island title twice and the circuit once, was runner-up in both the

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open and North Island finals, meaning he had been placed second 11 times in Rowland’s winning sequence.

John was also third in the circuit final in which the runner-up was his world champion teammate, Nathan Stratford, of Invercargill.

Rowland and John are now expected to tour the UK as a New Zealand team in July, but 30-year-old Rowland has another assignment, an attempt on the world record of 605 strong wool ewes in eight hours on July 24 in Cornwall, England, where his brother Matthew set the ultimate nine-hour record of 731 last July.

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April 2017

WATER & IRRIGATION

CANTERBURY FARMING

The ‘Know to make it Flow’ Andrew Curtis, Irrigation New Zealand CEO

Pouring water on the OECD Report If it were a report card, the OECD Review would be telling New Zealand it could do better.

While it acknowledged that New Zealanders ‘generally enjoy a healthy environment’, the report

declared the two main things having a detrimental effect on our environment were dairy farming and increasing

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urbanisation. Very little of what I read in the report came as a surprise. We’ve got a problem with environmental management in this country, particularly around freshwater management, and we need to get on top of it. The townies shout at the dairy farmers about unsustainable practices, but the reality is, Auckland isn’t sustainable right now either. The same argument being used against the dairy industry — that the pace of growth has outstripped the environment’s ability to cope, can be applied to the urban environment also — the housing supply

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in Auckland hasn’t kept pace with demand and it’s well documented that the city’s infrastructure can’t cope with it’s current ‘stocking’ level, let alone service any future growth.

The one surprise for me in the report was its reference to irrigation. Specifically, that the government should review its planned $400 million in irrigation schemes because, according to the OECD, this investment ‘lacks systematic consideration of environmental and community costs’.

In making such a statement, I’d have to conclude that the OECD lacks any awareness or understanding of the enormous environmental investment and significant community benefits that these schemes deliver. Their statement is totally at odds with the reality of modern scheme development. Take Hunter Downs Water for example. It has been granted consents with some of the most rigorous environmental outcomes this country has ever seen. Its flow-on benefits go well beyond the farm gate.

It will secure domestic and community water supply for the region and it will deliver tangible environmental and recreational benefits,

including increased flows in surface waterways and in the local Wainono lagoon, protection of mudfish habitats and improved game bird and trout habitats.

IrrigationNZ has dozens of examples of the economic, environmental and social benefits that irrigation schemes have brought to New Zealand communities and yet with the stroke of a pen, the OECD writes all of them off as risky investments that put further pressure on our freshwater resources. I have to argue that this simply could not be further from the truth.

Where the OECD did get it right I think was when they referenced the RMA — which was, in its heyday, a ‘remarkably comprehensive piece of environmental legislation’, and which now, after 20-odd years of amendments and political interference, has become largely incoherent. We’ve been in Wellington this month meeting with ministers and opposition spokespeople and one of the key issues we’ve raised with them is the impact a continually changing regulatory environment is having on the primary sector.

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collaborative governance of freshwater, and I applaud the emergence of consensusdriven processes that have enabled a shift from effectsbased resource management to catchment-wide, integrated management. But what’s still missing is that overarching national direction and leadership, which we need, to establish and deliver a stable legislative and regulatory framework so that we can get on with implementing and supporting good management practices on the ground.

So, my precis of the OECD report? They could have done better. Great that they acknowledged what we already knew — that New Zealand is one of the most dynamic economies in the OECD; we fare well in terms of environmental quality of life and we have abundant water resources — less than 5% of our renewable freshwater resources are allocated for use. Where they needed to do a little bit more work before pushing the ‘publish’ button, was to get a better understanding of the i nv e s t m e n t s being made in irrigation scheme modernisation and new developments, which support incredibly positive environmental and social outcomes.

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Weather Watch

CANTERBURY FARMING

13

by Tony Trewinnard

Another month on and closer to the winter season, and really my ideas on that have not changed from what I wrote back in February. Then I said “the winter season is likely to be long, varied, but statistically ‘near normal’ overall,” and that idea still stands.

There is still some contradiction between different sources of weather intelligence, and despite being a month closer to the winter season, these have not resolved or clarified. Some models suggest a winter of mostly westerly airflow.

Some analogs suggest a winter with more easterly airflow than usual. I feel that this winter is going to be a bit of a ‘battleground’ as several competing atmospheric trends vie for ascendancy in the spring/summer period, and hence this winter may not have a clear pattern or trend and is likely to see a wide variety of weather rather than one consistent pattern.

Part of the reason for this is a major lack of clarity about the Southern Oscillation, and therefore what El Nino will do. As I mentioned a couple times during the last month, the computer models expect an El Nino event of some sort to develop later this year. But at this point in time there is considerable disagreement on a number of points: when the El Nino will start to develop (its near neutral now, and showing no signs of imminent movement, it could start to move next month, it might wait till the spring); how significant it will become — the current range of outcomes in say December is huge, ranging from a significant El Nino event to a weak blip; and what type of El Nino will develop — as mentioned a few weeks ago, there is some suggestion that a Modoki El Nino will eventuate, which would bring a different winter season to a more regular El Nino.

If we look at the current state of the atmosphere and oceans, we are yet to

April 2017

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see any significant coupling of the two, which is needed for an El Nino to develop, despite some isolated signs of El Nino development.

It’s all very confusing, but we need to remember we are in the middle of the socalled ‘predictability barrier’, which really just means that our autumn is the trickiest time of the year to make confident El Nino forecasts.

Confusion at this time of year is not unusual.

I still expect to get some significant cold outbreaks this winter, with low level snow in the South Island, but they won’t be frequent.

We will also see some frosty periods with anticyclones throughout the country and clear skies. I also expect some periods of easterly airflow with a risk of heavy rain in the North Island, but again these should be isolated and not a regular occurrence.

Finally, we should also expect to see periods of the usual westerly airflow bringing rain to the west, and drier weather to the east. In other words, a mixed bag of weather which will make the winter season quite varied, but with a statistical average

near the long-term normal for rainfall, temperatures and sunshine.

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April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

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WATER & IRRIGATION

Irrigation Issues with Dr Tony Davoren

Where are we at Groundwater levels remain critically low and we still need that rainfall recharge like we haven’t seen in the last 40 or so years. March has been a good start but we still have a long way to go.

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While the South Island Agricultural Field Days were initially spoilt by rainfall, especially on Tuesday, March 28 during the main setup day, we are still a long way from being out of the woods. Regardless of this little hiccup, almost without exception bores in the mid to upper plains still have very low water levels not seen before.

Water levels have dropped to the point that pump yields in some places have dropped to less than 20% of normal yield; eg from 85L/s to 15L/s.

At the ECan dryland lysimeter site at the Christchurch Airport, March rainfall has been above average at 77.2mm. Prior to significant rainfall in mid-March of 55mm there, soil moisture measurements in the top 2m of the profile showed: • Soil moisture content of 192mm; and • A deficit of 101.4mm, roughly two months average rainfall.

The 77mm of rainfall for March has reduced the deficit to about 50mm — that is we need at least another 50mm before any water will drain below 2m and make its way to groundwater.

In my last ar ticle I suggested we would need

500mm between beginning to mid-April and September 1. So the clock is ticking for another 70–80mm/month from now.

All of those who attended the South Island field days and called in — thanks.

More importantly we all

need to sincerely thank the Young Farmers and the SIAFD committee for a well presented and run field days.

We only see the end result and they have been toiling long and hard to have the site in the best condition.

Thank you.

Our Demand Response programme allows electricity consumers to reduce their electricity demand for a period of time in exchange for a payment.

Because sometimes we need your help to lighten the load.

Sometimes there are substantial, short-term increases in electricity demand. Changes like these may trigger the need for additional investment in New Zealand’s electricity transmission network – a cost that is passed on to all New Zealanders.

While most of our Demand Response participants are large businesses, we are keen to expand the programme to include smaller agri-businesses and farms – especially those using irrigation. If your business or farm has a peak load of greater than 20kW, and has a time of use meter, Transpower would like to hear from you.

If you’re interested in joining our programme, our current application round is open until 5pm Friday 28 April.

If you’d like to know more, please contact Quintin Tahau through demand.response@transpower.co.nz.

If you’d like more information, visit our website at: www.transpower.co.nz/demandresponse

CANTERBURY FARMING

Initiative celebrates women A drive to promote women living and working in the primary industries in New Zealand and abroad was launched recently. AgWomen Global celebrates all women who help shape the primary industries, no matter the size of the part they play.

AgWomen is a year-long project celebrating and sharing unique stories from 365 different women, all who have contributed in shaping the primary industries. At the end of the 365 days a coffee table book will be produced sharing these stories.

Chelsea Millar, founder and CEO of Grass Roots Media NZ, wants to honour women in the rural sector who she believes can often be under-represented.

“There are many amazing women doing amazing things throughout our industry and they all have a part to play in its success,” said Chelsea.

“We want to showcase a range of primary industry women by telling their stories digitally and bringing the audience on a journey to showcase and explore all parts of the industry.”

The content, which comes directly from women who experience it first hand, will share the successes and hardships of the primary industry as they know it.

Images accompanied with written stories will be posted on the AgWomen Global Instagram and Facebook accounts, as well as an extended story published as a blog on the website agwomenglobal.com.

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Chelsea Millar, AgWomen Global representative

“This allows the audience a real opportunity to engage and share the women’s stories. Those profiled won’t only be from farms or the wives of farmers — they may be within a business that supports the industry; insurance, banking or media for example.”

AgWomen has stories from women in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, USA, Chile and Argentina, and hope to gain more locally and abroad.

“We encourage women to contact us if they are interested or want to

nominate someone to have their story told,” said Chelsea.

“Please don’t think you don’t have a story because you are ‘just a wife or mother who lives on farm’. Every woman who is connected to the industry contributes to its success and we want to share the breadth of impact we have on our industry.

“By engaging with your community, doing the school run, inventing new tools or even working within an agribusiness, you’re all playing a part in making the boat go faster so please share that with us. We’d love

to profile you.” A PledgeMe campaign has started to help support the passion behind AgWomen. The team are excited to announce that Plant & Food Research are supporting the campaign.

Pledges are welcomed and start at $10 as they look to hit the $28,500 target to ensure the initiative can continue its success.

To pledge go to pledgeme. co.nz/projects/4958agwomen-global.

To follow go to agwomenglobal.com, facebook.com/AgWomen or instagram.com/AgWomen.

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April 2017

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April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

Forestry Market Report Allan Laurie MNZIF, Laurie Forestry Ltd The continuing strength of pricing and demand for wood fibre commodities is heartening to say the least. Stability is helping to ensure sustainability of work for suppliers, and projects lined up in advance gives financiers confidence.

In March we have seen continued strengthening in shipping costs. Shipping companies have been signalling for some time they have been unprofitable and the price chickens have now come home to roost.

Shipping rates climbed on average US$2 a cubic metre in March and we are likely to see the same in April. This essentially reflects a 16% increase in 2 months, which is taking the shine off what has otherwise been a bumper

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period for forest owners. On the log export side, the selling prices in China have firmed

by US$2 a cubic metre in March and likely to remain flat in April. We do not see great change through the 2nd quarter as the supply and demand planets come back into alignment after holidays on both sides.

India has hit a ‘difficult’ spot with prices soft, as the market tries to come to terms with new tariff and trading rules. Recent heightened enquiry via our web site and the general speak in the market is that we can expect price and demand recovery in April.

Korea is chugging along and in recent weeks has displayed volume growth, and increases in domestic prices are imminent. However we also expect Korea and India to follow the lead of China and they will end up pitching just above or below, in log price terms, depending on their appetite for volume.

Back in China we are seeing some very good consumption numbers, with

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early March running at about 76,000 cubic metres a day reducing toward month end to 68,000 a day across the eastern seaboard. The early rush will be restocking after the New Year holidays but the general talk is of good sales and buoyancy in the construction sector.

The current consumption is slightly ahead of the same period last year.

Overall log yard inventory is dropping and is expected to be 500,000 cubic metres less by the end of March. This would result in about 4 million cubic metres of inventory, similar to December 2016 levels. This is seen as a good comfort level and will bode well for Q3. We have also seen domestic lumber prices stabilise or increase slightly after pre and post CNY drops. This will help restore trading margin thus adding to overall health and wealth. All of this suggests the market has levelled nicely and now running at or about expectation.

The current only darker spots are the shipping

rates, which are frustratingly creeping too high, and the pruned log segment, which is continuing to display fussiness and resistance to anything other than good quality. It would not take too much to see an oversupply in this segment, so we are recommending forest owners and suppliers take heed and ensure suspect logs or those of lesser quality do not make it to this segment of the market.

On the domestic front, sales, volumes traded and prices, are all in positive territory with sawmill owners happy to ambivalent. The lower exchange rate is helping the exports sector and buoyancy across housing and construction is good.

Some are reporting a slight slow down on domestic demand mid to late March but it is highly likely this will be the consequence of prestocktaking shrinkage, rather than a function of demand.

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pine and Douglas fir. Whilst we still see a lot of socalled sustainably harvested tropical hardwoods (yeah right) sitting in box stores, the demand for NZ grown appearance grade timbers with reasonable durability profile is also increasing.

In this segment the enquiry levels for macrocarpa, as an example, are certainly increasing. Prices are well ahead of other segments hence log prices also much higher.

Log supply constraints cer tainly appear to be hampering growth in this impor tant oppor tunity.

Perhaps it is also time to focus on planting alternative species. In my view totara is a standout plantation species … perhaps more on that later.

So we have another month of very positive and solid trade and it looks like more of the same over the medium term.

This proves once again, the only way forward for climate, country and the planet is to get out there and plant more trees!

CANTERBURY FARMING

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The public debate on how to measure ‘swimmability’ and the timeline for achieving it shows no sign of abating.

The debate was triggered by environment minister Dr Nick Smith on February 23 when he announced the latest version of the government’s National Policy Statement (NPS) for Freshwater Management. This includes rules on the exclusion of stock from waterways, as well as the definition of swimmability, which has proved to be so controversial.

“Deer Industry NZ (DINZ) was consulted on the draft NPS late last year.

“We had no argument with the need for the deer industry to meet society’s expectations in terms of water quality, but we will be considering in detail how the proposed rules will affect individual deer farmers,” said DINZ chief executive Dan Coup.

“Deer farms vary widely in topography, climate, soils, livestock class mix and land management. It is the nature of rigid rules that there will be situations where applying them to some farms will be unreasonable.

So we will be making

April 2017

submissions, seeking more clarity around the rules and suggesting alternative approaches where applying the rules would be unreasonable or where there is no significant environmental benefit.”

He says stock river crossings and West Coast farming conditions are two issues that have already been drawn to DINZ’s attention.

DINZ environmental policy manager Lindsay Fung says that from July 1 2025, deer on the plains must be excluded from all permanent waterways, lakes and wetlands.

“In most circumstances this is reasonable, but there are parts of the West Coast where the rainfall is extremely high and there are small waterways on the flats every 100 metres or so.

Riparian strips along all these waterways would be utterly impractical,” he said.

“Stock are permitted to cross waterways as long as the crossing ‘is not used more than once a week’, otherwise bridges or culverts

are required. This may be an area of concern when moving stock to and from deer sheds for activities such as TB testing or sending stock to slaughter.

“We will be looking very closely at the crossing conditions, to ensure that the costs and restrictions imposed on far mer s result in a significant environmental benefit.”

Fung encourages farmers to read the draft NPS, which can be viewed or downloaded from the Ministry for the Environment website by searching for ‘Clean Water 2017’.

“Make yourself familiar with the livestock exclusion provisions (pages 25–29).

These define where and when riparian fencing will be required and deal with things like stock crossings,” he said.

“Look also at the regional water quality maps at the back of the document. If your farm is on a waterway coloured orange or red, or a tributary flowing into it, it is likely to come under increased regional council scrutiny.

“To meet the government’s swimmability standards, councils will be focussing on E coli levels in waterways and toxic algae levels in lakes. E coli can come from farms, urban areas and wildlife.

Toxic algae feed on nitrogen and phosphate, which can come from urban areas, but largely come from farms and horticulture.”

If you believe there are rules in the proposed NPS that would be impractical to apply to your deer operations, please contact Lindsay Fung, lindsay.fung@ deernz.org or phone 04 471 6115, to ensure your views can be reflected in the DINZ submission. You may also make a submission on your own behalf to the ministry, by following the links on the ‘Clean Water 2017’ page.

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April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

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100 IT’S NOT A TARGET

Having effluent knowledge Farm dairy effluent is a valuable on farm resource, and when managed well, can increase pasture production and reduce fertiliser costs.

Poor management of effluent poses both a business and environmental risk. Detrimental effects on human health and water quality can be caused by raw effluent entering the waterways. This is a breach of the Resource Management Act and can result in regional council enforcement action.

An effluent system must be capable of storing all effluent when conditions are not suitable to irrigate, and then allow the option of getting effluent onto land and emptying the pond when conditions permit.

When choosing a system it is important to know it is correct for your situation. To avoid major problems, seek professional advice, specific for your farm needs, before installing a new system, or making any significant changes in a system you have in place.

A good effluent service provider will offer certainty that their product will perform, will provide guarantees, have after-sales care, service

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Designers and installers should also be involved in the project from start to finish supervising the installation process.

Ensuring you have a welldesigned effluent system means you have good effluent management and processes to make sure waste is collected and the right amount is applied to pasture at the right time.

Other benefits include saving on fer tiliser, improved soil health and a good relationship with the council over rules and resource consents.

A poorly designed system will be expensive and frustrating in the long term, particularly for the farm team.

It may result in problems such as: high risk of noncompliance with regional council requirements, no contingency for adverse weather events, system breakdowns causing a high demand on labour and time,

the need to irrigate on days when ponding and leaching risk could be high.

It is important to think about potential changes to your farm system, especially intensification, including an increase in cow numbers, greater use of stand-off and feed pads or the addition of wintering facilities.

Get the system designed with any future changes in mind as this can be a big saving on expenditure in the future.

Ensure you have adequate storage to manage through wet times and check your

application rate is correct.

It is also good to have an understanding of the different components of an effluent system as well, including storm water diversion, stone traps, the pump station and solids separator, and knowing you have the correct applicator to distribute the effluent to the paddock.

Whether you have a traveller, low rate sprinkler, contract sprinkler, slurry tankers or pivot spreader, correct use and management of all these has the greatest impact on effective effluent management.

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EFFLUENT & WASTE MANAGEMENT

CANTERBURY FARMING

April 2017

19

Dealing with farm waste Taking care of farm waste is now easier with many collection and recycling options available.

Recycling, collection and safe disposal services are a responsible way to deal with waste and help reduce the negative effects on the environment and health risks for both animals and people.

It is important to reassess waste management options or plans on your farm, and reusing or repurposing where possible helps avoid harmful burning, storing or burying.

More than 3,000 commonly used products can be recycled for free, and Agrecovery has more than 70 collection sites nationwide specialising in the safe collection and disposal of unwanted or expired agrichemicals and their containers.

Intermediate bulk containers or more than 300 containers can be picked up on farm. They will be inspected and must be empty and triple rinsed inside and out to ensure they are free from residue and dirt. Labels must be left on to identify the brand.

Many chemicals are also free to dispose. Some may cost but are often subsidised.

Agrichemicals commonly used on farm include herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and veterinary medicines.

Storing agrichemicals correctly avoids leaks and spills and is important to keeping people, animals, the environment and your property safe.

Plastics such as feed bags, silage wrap, baling twine, drums and plastic containers can be reused or recycled.

Liners for silage wrap, feed bags and baling twine can be purchased online through recycling company Plasback. Once full, the liners are collected.

Most petrol stations, garages and automotive shops will accept old batteries and council waste stations also have collection points. It is advisable to put broken or leaking batteries in a sealed bag.

The landfill is the best place to dispose of treated timber where the leachate can be managed and environmental effects mitigated.

Scrap metal can be collected and recycled through scrap metal dealers who will often pay for the

metal. The value will depend on the type of metal and its condition.

Containers with needles and syringes should be labelled as a biohazard waste container. Ideally, the container should be taken to a vet or other service provider who accepts waste sharps and can dispose of them correctly.

Using a collection service is the most common and easiest method for responsible dead stock disposal.

Alternatively people can use a correctly constructed offal pit or compost bins on farm.

Offal pits should be made well away from bores, waterways, property boundaries, wetlands, houses and the farm dairy.

They should also be shallow enough that groundwater will not enter, and if managed well, composting can be low cost and relatively odour free.

Ensuring waste is removed on a regular basis keeps farms tidy and rubbish free meaning a healthier environment for people and animals.

EITHER WAY IT’S 20K MiND YOUr SpEED ArOUND SCHOOl BUSES

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20

Charlies Takeaways A Division of Robsons Canterbury

ALL ANIMAL EFFLUENT EMPTIED AND SPREAD — IF THE POO IS WET OR DRY, WE’LL REMOVE AND MAKE IT FLY

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100% Canterbury family owned & operated • Been in the business for over 40 years Contact us for free advice and quotations Rakaia 0800 372 004 | Christchurch 0800 372 003 robsonenviro@xtra.co.nz | www.robsonenvironmental.co.nz

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Order your Gantry Skip Bin online at www.envirowaste.co.nz or give us a call on 0800 240 120. Conditions may apply.

20

April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

ARE YOU PROPERLY EQUIPPED FOR LIFE IN THE COUNTRY?

Moving to a lifestyle block means quite a few changes to your life in the city. By no means the least of these should be your insurance needs. That’s because there are risks you’ll face in the country that may not be covered with your existing insurance. For instance, being liable for rural fire fighting costs that could be thousands of dollars. At FMG, we’re well aware of risks like these. So if you want to be properly equipped for life in the country, ask around about us.

Or better still, give us a call on 0800 366 466.

We’re here for the good of the country.

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CANTERBURY FARMING ADVERTORIAL

New shoot blossoms in local animal health market

April 2017

21

RIVERFIELDS SPRAYERS LTD Experienced operators Available for low shelterbelt trimming Mulching cutterhead

After a period of intense consolidation in the animal health market there are signs that local enterprise may be witnessing a rebirth.

“The past ten years has seen the New Zealand animal health industry heavily picked over by foreign multinationals,” said Blair Loveridge, General Manager of local company Alleva Animal Health. “Companies such as Ancare, Bomac and Stockguard, who were well known to Kiwi farmers, have been sold and absorbed by foreign owners. That is very unfortunate.”

Founded by ex-Ancare staff, Alleva is a growing force in the veterinary supply channel with drench brands such as Boss, Reflex, Corporal, Nexeprin, Bantix and Icon. “It is a fact that multinationals have product development priorities that aren’t necessarily in tune with what local farmers might like them to be. On a global basis cats, dogs, pigs and poultry are much higher in their priorities than cattle and sheep. That is why products such as combination drenches and sheep capsules tend to be the result of local innovation.”

Alleva cites Boss Pouron and Boss Injection as

Operating in the Selwyn, Rakaia and Ashburton North area.

For prompt service contact Simon Reed: 027 2838572 riverfieldssprayers@gmail.com

Alleva Animal Health General Manager, Blair Loveridge

evidence of the value of local innovation. “The first generation of combination pour-ons was OK,” said Loveridge, “but Boss is a huge leap in performance.

Absorption is significantly better and Boss is also the only rain resistant combination pour-on available anywhere in the world. Boss Injection is another innovation that has given farmers a combination cattle treatment

that is simply unsurpassed in terms of convenience and performance.”

Another innovation is Nexeprin Microject, Alleva’s nil-milk withholding 1ml/100kg injectable parasite control treatment for cattle. This delivers up to three times more eprinomectin into the body when compared to the usual pour-on treatment.

It also delivers a therapeutic dose of vitamin E that can

help prevent deficiency over periods of stress such as calving.

“The feedback we have had from many farmers is that they are pleased to see a local Kiwi alternative offering quality products at a good price. We have also had good support from key veterinary practices, so for us the future is all about reinvesting in new products that will anticipate farmer needs.”

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22

April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARM EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY HEADER

Repairs & Spares • Concaves Manufactured new for all makes and models. Built specially for NZ conditions.

Also repairs and alterations.

• Drums & Bars Manufactured and repaired.

All makes and models. Preseason checks done on farm.

• Sieves & Riddles Repairs, rebuilds and specially designed stepped sieves for small seed applications. Cleaner Sample - Less Loss

• General Engineering Fabrication, steelwork, repairs, sheet metal.

ELLESMERE ENGINEERING LTD

(Formerly D.C. Newburry & Co, Southbridge)

Ph: 03 324 2145 • Mobile: 027 331 9821 www.ellesmereengineering.co.nz 185 Jollies Road Southbridge

Pay attention!

around road works

Breaking new ground in toughness The science of modern farming is a mixture of biology, chemistry and engineering — finding ways to give mother nature a helping hand and boost production from a subsoil level. While it’s now a well-known fact that aeration and turning the soil is a big part of prepping pasture for rapid, healthy growth, there’s another kind of science in the mix as well — economics.

Put simply, farmers want to know that they’ve bought a quality implement which will last the test of time. That’s the strength of Maschio group’s big Italian-based R&D department — a team of top agri engineers who are dedicated to reducing downtime for their customers.

Take for example one of their products which is designed to do some seriously hard work — the Drago DC range of power harrows. Designed for the medium-sized farm, these machines see heavy use when it’s time to renew and replenish the land, across a wide range of environments.

With only a 25cm spacing between rotors, this means the Drago (appropriately, it’s Italian for ‘dragon’) has more ‘teeth’ and more bite than many competitors. Made to operate at 1,000rpm, powering those blades through often thick and resisting soil, Maschio had

to take big steps to ensure durability. They began with installing the heaviest of heavy duty seals to keep contaminants out of the works. A heavy-duty gearbox has been extensively tested to guarantee long working hours.

The rotating blades have been tuned to operate in unison, reducing vibration throughout the entire implement. With small advances like these, big differences are made.

The Drago series not only performs faster with its improved working-surface density of blades, it’s also easier to maintain and easier for a mid-sized tractor to pull.

Cutting through anywhere up to a three-metre swath and drilling down nearly 30 centimetres, this power harrow really breaks up the soil, literally laying the groundwork for better growth. If your operation

More bite — the Maschio Drago power harrow has the blade density and power to tackle even the toughest soil

calls for pasture and field prep on a medium scale, it’s definitely a contender to park

in the equipment shed — engineered for long life and maximum value for money.

WE HAVE A FIELDAYS DEAL THAT’S PERFECT FOR YOU!

RANGER XLT 4X2 DOUBLE CAB MANUAL

42

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TEST DRIVE TODAY. 1. The special pricing is recommended pricing only and available until 30 June 2017 or while stocks last, at participating Ford Dealerships. Price excludes on road costs, options and accessories.

Not available in conjunction with any other special offers (except the Free Weber BBQ offer). Free Weber BBQ pack offer is available with eligible vehicles registered during the promotional period at participating Ford Dealerships until 30 June 2017 or while stocks last. Offer not available on VIP Fleet Sales and cannot be redeemed for cash or exchanged for any other offer. To see what is included in the Free Weber BBQ offer, please visit www.fordhq.co.nz. 2. When fitted with a genuine Ford towbar and trailer wiring kit. 3. Apple™ and Apple Carplay™ are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android™, Android Auto™ and Google Maps™ are registered trademarks of Google Inc. 4. For phone and media player compatibility, please visit www.ford.co.nz/sync.

Avon City Ford

Cnr Main South Rd and Epsom Rd, Sockburn | CHRISTCHURCH | 03 348 4129 or 0800 655 551 | Rangiora Service Centre | 78 Ivory St | 03 313 7059 | avoncityford.co.nz

• 3.5 Tonne Towing2 • 5-Cylinder 3.2L TDCi Diesel Engine • 147kW/470Nm • 240V Power Invertor • Reverse Camera • Apple Carplay™3 & Android Auto™3 integration through SYNC®34

FARM EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY

CANTERBURY FARMING

April 2017

23

Return of a smart investment

by Andy Bryenton

This year’s field days saw a fleet of new options for farmers looking to update or upgrade their utility truck, from the luxurious to the tough and dependable. Amid this surge in popularity for the classic ute as a vehicle that does it all — from the high street to the back paddock — a new offering from Mahindra stands out for utility and value.

The Genio has proven extremely popular in its home market on the Indian subcontinent, where Mahindra is the biggest name in diesel power. In fact, the brand is all but ubiquitous on Indian roads — and on the trails which serve as roads in the hinterland.

With a testbed as tough as this, it’s no surprise that the Genio is built tough, able to handle hard knocks, which the average Kiwi environment rarely serves up. The real surprise is the sheer value for money represented by the upgraded, facelifted second generation of this multipurpose truck — an area in which the Genio punches well above its weight.

Here’s an example: Despite having the requisite modern car-like handling and a turning circle just a touch over 6 metres, the Genio can be fitted with a huge 2.7-metre deck, packing the ability to lug

Water Ballast Rollers Spiral Welded Pipe Grain Augers Range of standard sizes available or made to your required size.

16 Robinson Street, Ashburton 7700 Phone/Fax 03 308 9623 Dave Stockdill more than 1,200 kilograms.

Under the hood there’s no compromise on power, with a thoroughly modern 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine providing 280Nm of torque. With a Bosch common-rail system designed in Germany and a chain drive setup to reduce vibration and noise, this is a power plant that stands proudly among its rivals as quiet and competent.

The biggest news is aesthetic in this new iteration,

though. A bold new design adds visual appeal, while the cabin is well appointed with comfortable seats, handy storage solutions and charging points for all your modern devices.

Once again, the Genio has the hallmarks of sturdy build quality, engineered to handle the demanding environments of the subcontinent, from the tropics to the Himalayas.

What’s best of all, this compact but brawny little

ute with its handy load capacity and smart road handling comes in around the $20,000 mark. That’s pause for thought in a sector where utes can top out at three times this figure.

Those who are looking for economy in both fuel and operations, low maintenance and a price that represents good value for money are sure to want a test drive — putting Mahindra’s tiny but mighty workhorse in perspective.

100 IT’S NOT A TARGET

Whatever the Season

... there’s a Bailey Trailer that meets your needs

WELDING EQUIPMENT HIRE SALES SERVICE CONSUMABLES

• Combine Harvester Spares • Windrower, Fingers, Sections • Elevator Chains made to order • Kverneland Hay-Silage Tynes • Baling Twine (Poly & Sisal) • Bailey Trailers, Bulk, Flatdeck, Removable Sides • Number one in UK • Eight now sold in Malvern area • Tools and lots of other stuff

30 04 17 THE CUSTOM BUILD COUNTDOWN IS ON

Unit A1, 198 Springs Rd Ph: 03 349 9353 E: sales@dcwelding.co.nz Hornby, Christchurch Fax: 03 349 9354 W: www.dcwelding.co.nz

FORWARD ORDER BY 30 APRIL FOR

OUTSTANDING VALUE ON BIG RED TRACTORS Get in early and place your forward order before the 30th April to get the best deal on a new Puma or Optum Series tractor. We’ll build it just the way you want it – and you’ll also get to choose your free bonus factory upgrade package valued at up to $21,970!

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Choose your FREE bonus factory upgrade package 2.29% finance (36 months/30% deposit) 3 years/3000 hours comprehensive RedCover warranty

PUMA SWB (150-165 rated engine hp)

PUMA LWB OPTUM (185-240 rated engine hp) (270-300 rated engine hp)

Promotion ends 30th April 2017 and applies to factory forward orders only, for delivery by 31st December 2017. Excludes Puma Tier 3 models. models Finance offers are subject to normal lending criteria. Some exclusions may apply. For full terms and conditions of this promotion, please contact your local Case IH dealer, or visit www.caseih.co.nz.

Leeston

03 324 3791

Ashburton

03 307 8027

Amberly

03 314 9055

Timaru

03 688 2179

www.cochranes.net.nz

24

April 2017

FARM EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY

CANTERBURY FARMING

Pioneer forges ahead

MEET THE SPARTANS

by Andy Bryenton

For more than four decades, Honda has been a big name in Kiwi farming. Changing times have seen some things remain the same, but others have come and gone.

Remember three-wheeled, balloon-tyred trikes working the land? Well, just as the quad bike put paid to all but the most hardy of that breed, so too has the side-by-side UTV changed the landscape.

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Wear a helmet.

A helmet is a must while riding a quad bike around the farm.

There’s still plenty of life in the quad bike yet — Kiwi farmers’ ‘replacement for the horse’ is going nowhere but up in popularity. But there’s a place beside it for bigger, more powerful machines able to carry more crew and more gear. Honda may have come late to the UTV party, but when they arrived it was with a well-engineered broadside to the competition in the form of the original Pioneer. The brief to Honda’s engineers?

Take everything farming families love about the big red range of quad bikes and add more of it all. Well, perhaps it was a little more detailed — because what we got was clever in more ways than one.

Now a new version of the Pioneer has arrived for 2017, and you can see Honda’s design team stepping back and carefully considering the additions they wish to make to this generation. It’s still lean enough to be carried on a ute — that’s smart. It’s still powered by a peppy 475cc engine which boasts excellent fuel economy. But now the suspension set-up has been upgraded with dual-rate coil

Big red — the new Pioneer is the culmination of 40 years of feedback from Honda customers on farms

springs for a smoother ride, and the gearbox has been given an overhaul, widening the usefulness of first gear, while letting the rest stretch their legs via a new switchable automatic and paddle-shift unit.

Flick a switch for auto, or take command with a click of the paddles — just like in Honda’s other new

offering on four wheels — the NSX supercar.

The pioneer won’t be setting lap records at the Nurburgring or Laguna Seca, but it will be working hard out in all kinds of conditions.

That’s where the feedback from years of building two and four-wheelers for farmers comes in. Call it the hidden ingredient in the engineering

recipe for the Pioneer — a resounding customer call for a machine that can withstand pretty much anything.

That attention to extremely tough construction may be the convincing factor — especially for rural folks who have come to rely on their existing Honda to start first time even on the frostiest of mornings.

50% DEPOSIT 50% 12 MONTHS 0% INTEREST * $79,900+GST

CASE IH 2188 AXIAL FLOW HARVESTOR Complete with 10/20 22.5ft flex grain front & Shelbourne Draper pick up.

2540 mill hours Ref 59884

$26,900+GST

AMAZONE CENTAUR 3001 CULTIVATOR 3 mtr working width, H/D auto reset tines, 2 rows of discs, rear rubber roller, very tidy.

Ref 59765

$29,000+GST

NEW HOLLAND BB960 BALER Rotor Cut, 4 x 3 large square bale size, 100,000 bales, has been well maintained & looked after, auto greasing & oiling.

Ref 67518

$69,000+GST

JOHN DEERE 750A DISC SEED DRILL 6m drilling width, Isobus control, Green Star ready, rear loading auger, tidy condition.

Ref 68296

$39,900+GST

$29,000+GST

CASE LBX 432 ROTOR CUT BALER 4 x 3 bale size, 82,000 bales, Tidy condition, serviced & field ready, runs well & makes a good bale.

Ref 50761

$39,000+GST

LEMKEN JEWEL 8 - 6 FURROW REVERSIBLE PLOUGH (5+1). Hydraulic vari-width, hydraulic auto reset, hydraulic depth / transport wheel, skimmers, high spec plough.

Ref 61324

$75,000+GST

NEW HOLLAND BB940A BALER Rotor Cut, 3 x 3 medium square bale size, 72,000 bales, sold new by us & last of the red "A" series BB940's. Very tidy condition,runs well & makes a nice bale.

Ref 69714

MASSEY FERGUSON 2170 BALER 4 x 3 bale size, non rotor, only 59,000 bales, 2 owner / operators from new.

Very tidy.

Ref 71021

$27,900+GST

HE-VA DISC ROLLER Hydraulic folding, 4 mtr.

Ref 61959

$33,000+GST

FELLA TS4000 4 ROTOR RAKE Up to 12.5m raking width, in very good all round condition.

Ref 71789

James Blackler 027 479 4374 | Rennie Barnes 027 433 7714 | Ray McDonald 027 541 4438

Farm Machinery Centre

SUPER SPECIALS!

726 MAIN SOUTH ROAD, CHIRSTCHURCH • Phone: 03 349 5089 • salesch@norwood.co.nz www.norwood.co.nz/christchurch *TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY

FARM EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY

CANTERBURY FARMING

April 2017

25

Ready to pitch in When there’s so much to do and so little time — as there often is on the farm, especially with the change of seasons — it’s great to have an extra pair of hands around to lighten the load.

For many farmers, this means having a second, smaller utility tractor on call to pick up the smaller chores while the heavy machinery is out in the field.

There’s a fine line to walk when choosing such a machine, however — as many farmers will tell you, it’s a balancing act between selecting something small and nimble enough to handle small turning circles and nipping in and out of barns and sheds, but still big enough to draw implements when time is of the essence.

Enter the Kioti NX5010 — a clever combination of a versatile small tractor with the abilities of a larger machine.

While simplicity of operation and great fuel economy are to the fore with this model, you’ll also find features enabling some seriously heavy work. This all starts with a Korean-built four-cylinder liquid-cooled diesel pumping out 50 horsepower, delivered via a three-range hydrostatic box.

Add in true four-wheel drive with a differential lock and there’s little that can stop the NZ5010 in its tracks.

Down the back you’ll find a classic three-point linkage

able to accommodate some hefty implements such as mower blades, powered by a 540rpm PTO. So far, so easy — this is a tractor taken back to the basics of farm work, with rollover protection bars and an open cockpit for allround visibility.

But it’s the options list which really shows the versatility of the big orange machine. With the ability to install a 4-in-1 bucket, four sizes of backhoe, pallet forks or bale forks, the NX5010 really comes into its own.

This means that while a

bigger machine is needed out there on the field for pasture management or bulk feed-out, this smaller tractor can take care of a whole ‘Swiss army knife’ range of tasks, from loading and carrying to clearing drains or stacking bales.

Kioti has developed a good reputation since landing in New Zealand, creating a big footprint in the small to medium sized tractor market and pushing upward into higher tiers of horsepower. If you feel the need to expand and adopt a versatile second

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SUPPLYING GENERATORS TO THE FARMING COMMUNIT Y FOR 12 YEARS

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Tel. 03 347 4956 • Mob. 027 477 0070 • Email. tractors@lifestyletractors.co.nz

12 LINE ROAD METHVEN PHONE 03 302 8946 WWW.DIXONMACHINERY.CO.NZ

FODDER BEET BUCKETS Rata Root Crop Buckets or also known as root baskets are the ideal and cost effective implement for harvesting root crops like Fodder Beet. By scooping up the beets and leaving the soil behind, the roots can then be washed clean with a hose or loaded straight into your trailer or just fed straight to your stock!

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Dealers NZ wide

26

April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

FARM EQUIPMENT & MACHINERY

Drilling to the heart of the matter Seed drilling may have been invented in ancient China long before the Romans ever turned a chariot wheel, but things have certainly come a long way since that first hollow bamboo tube was used to thrust seed deep into the soil. Today one of the world leaders in no-till cultivation hails from right here in New Zealand.

Green revolution — the Aitchison name comes from New Zealand, but is taking on the world

0800 472 563 0 8 0 0 4 PA L M E R S www.palmeragriparts.co.nz Kverneland • Overum • Kuhn Lemken • Dowdeswell • Vogel & Noot • Gregoire Besson • Clough • Duncan • Terradisc • Maxitill • Yeoman • Vibroflex • Connershea • Goliath • IHC • Sunflower • Topdown • Salford • Kongskilde • Napier • Vaderstad We can also manufacture any point you need!

It all started back in 1972 when Peter Aitchison gave his surname to a company manufacturing innovative farming implements.

The Wanganui inventor and innovator coupled a traditional tine with a T-slotted applicator, creating a better way to get seed where it’s needed. That was just the beginning of a saga that has spanned decades and continents, spurring the development of a wide range of no-till sowing and pasture revitalising machinery.

Two of the current stars of the Aitchison line-up are the backbone of their Grassfarmer series — a tined cultivator and a disc cultivator designed as pick-up-and-work

solutions for any farmer keen to grow better greenery.

Far removed from the more advanced machines at the top of the table, both in sophistication, computerisation and cost, the Grassfarmer duo comprises options for those looking to regenerate pasture or to tame rocky soil — even to bust through matted kikuyu.

The Grassfarmer series comes equipped with a highly accurate sponge seed feed mechanism, offering dispersal rates from 1kg/ha up to 350kg/ha.

Equipped with a choice of either tines, tines and disc coulters, or hard-core 14inch concave disc openers to really deal with rugged

conditions, the Grassfarmer series represents good value for money for those making a first foray into the science of mechanised sowing.

To make things even easier, all models in this range are simple to attach and detach, require only a low horsepower tractor to be effective, and thanks to their robust construction and hard-forged working parts, they are easy to maintain.

As pasture maintenance and the benefits gained from undersowing and precise seed placement become well known, it’s good to know that some of the best products in the field come from research and development undertaken right here in New Zealand.

Spaldings Flatlift SubSoilers • Dale Plough Shares • Plough Conversion Kits • European Plough Parts • Cultivation Points & Tines • Tractor Parts & Equipment • Combine Harvester Croplifters

palmeragriparts@xtra.co.nz | 34 Robinson Street, Riverside Industrial Park, Ashburton Palmer Agri Parts Direct imports and manufactures quality parts that fit machines indicated. These parts are not sold as genuine parts.

M

ID CANTERBURY ACHINERY

We Buy, Sell & Trade Machinery

Ring to Hire Machinery!

Water Ballast Rollers ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� From $3,500 Vibroflex 36 Tyne Trailing Cultivator �����������������������������������������������������������������������������Coming In Hubbard 310 21ft Trailing Maxtill �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������Coming In Rata Log Grab �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� As New $2,250 Dunhill 8 Furrow on land plough ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$3,500 Agrimaster RMU 2000 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Coming In Sulky DPX 28 Fert Spdr 2013 �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$6,900 Alo 1�5 Silage Grabs Shipment Arrived ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������$5,000 Double Sheep Ramp ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� New, Coming In Cambridge Rollers Sizes 8FT to 22FT ������������������������������������������������������������������������ From $1,200 3pt Bale Forks carries 2 bales ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$1,150 Gregoire Besson 5 Mtr�Disc Hyd Fold ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� $16,000 Klough 25 Tyne Trailing grubber� Very Tidy ����������������������������������������������������������������������� $11,250 Celli 2�5Mtrs Roto Hoe���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$6,500 Hay Feeders, 1�4 & 2�4 Mtrs long ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� From $500 Rata Silage Grab 1�5mtrs ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� As New $3,750 QuickHitch as new Heavy �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$750 Gray 10FT Water Ballast Roller ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� New POA Duncan 734 Direct Drill ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$9,750 Agrimaster KA1750 Mulcher Hammer Flails ���������������������������������������������������������������� New $4,950 Duncan 26 Tyne 3PTL Grubber ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$2,500 Duncan 701 Drill C/W Eclipse Box ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$4,250 Case Tractor MX100C C/Wloader ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Sell or Hire Cattle Ramp �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$2,400 Nobili BNG 310 Mulcher �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$8,250 Sam Tandem Fert Spreader �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������Coming In Fiat 250 Tractor �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$2,000 Watson 6�3 Rollers www�walter-watson�co�uk ����������������������������������������������������������������� In Stock Krone AMT283CUMower Conditioner ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������$7,950 Nobili BNG 310 Mulcher �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$8,250 Subsoilers 5 & 7 Leg �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� From $6,750 Auger 4 1/2 Mtre c/w Electric Motor �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������$1,300 Fuel Tanks �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� From $300 UFO 3100 Trailing Mower ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ From $4,000 Tandem Trailer 4�1x2�45 Reg & wof �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$3,500 Trailer 2 Axles Turntable ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� $10,000 Kverneland NG300 H4 Power Harrow ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������$7,900 McHale Soft Hands ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ New $3,150 Fiat 215 Tractor �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$2,500 Pearson Silage Grab Euro Fitting ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$3,700 Vogel & Noot 5 Furrow vari width very tidy ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� POA Snow Ploughs ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ From $2,000 Vogel 1�5Mtr Topper ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� New $2,950 Kverneland 5 Furrow Reversible Ly vari�width ��������������������������������������������������������������Coming In CE Shear Grab ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������$3,750

Just a Small Selection of our Stock • We Buy, Sell & Trade Machinery All Prices + GST • www.midcanterburymachinery.co.nz

172 Wills Street Ashburton • Tel/Fax: 03 308 9889 Mob: 0274 341 040 • E: n.stockdill@xtra.co.nz

CANTERBURY FARMING

Country Matters

Don’t tell me the younger generation of farmers and rural business people aren’t able to foot it, they can.

The South Island Agricultural Field Days at Kirwee have just been and gone and they have to rival anything in the world as far as exhibitors, area, accessibility and organisation are concerned.

Yup there was mud in the aisles but it had rained and farming types are used to a bit of mud, and anyway that dried up and we who wear R M Williams’s boots were more than happy.

The amazing thing is that the whole deal was organised, set up, and put on by a committee of 30 people, all young and all who have their own businesses.

Yup, you were right to double check that number; 30 young people.

They have been able to pull the whole thing together while running their own businesses and for absolutely no financial return to them.

In fact if you were to think of the hours they were not involved with their businesses

and what they paid others to cover for them, plus the cost of transport to and from for however many months, plus time they have sacrificed as far as family time, and then add in use of machinery and goodness knows what else, their dedication to the project has cost the amazing 30 a huge amount.

In fact there are probably accountants, par tner s and farm advisors who are scratching their heads wondering what drives these young business people.

My thought is it’s just that same spirit that drove our forebears. The community spirit that charges people up with the ‘well someone has to do it, so why not me’ attitude.

A&P shows have been run on the same basis for around 150 years or more, and community halls, churches and other community deals have benefitted from the same ‘let’s do it’ attitude.

However what makes the SIAFD Kirwee event so special in my eyes is that there is no highly paid event organiser behind the scenes. These youngsters, and at 67 years old I can call their generation that, swing what others wouldn’t ever consider looking at. I take my hat off to the amazing 30 and congratulate them on an amazing show. Be a proud team and have a few weeks off before you start planning the 2019 event.

27

ADVERTORIAL

with Rob Cope-Williams

The younger generation are amazing

April 2017

by John Arts

Should I take Coenzyme Q10?

Part 1 Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a vitamin-like substance essential for life. While we normally make all the CoQ10 we need, some people because of age, health problems or medications can benefit from taking extra good quality CoQ10.

CoQ10 is essential to make the energy our bodies need. The final stage of making energy needs CoQ10 to shuttle the hydrogen needed to generate energy. If your levels of CoQ10 are low this can be felt as low energy, weak muscles and general fatigue.

CoQ10 is also an exceptional antioxidant protecting cells and fats from free radicals. The most important antioxidant function is to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol as it circulates in the body. This is a critical part in our natural defences against blockages in heart arteries and other blood vessels.

Possibly the most common reason for CoQ10 supplementation is for those

using cholesterol lowering (statin) medication. The side effects of statins are so common that they are a diagnosable disease called statin myopathy. The most common side effects are muscle stiffness, pain and weakness. This can also cause general fatigue, which often feels like a lack of motivation.

Statins effectively inhibit the enzyme needed to make cholesterol. Unfortunately this enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) is also needed to make CoQ10. Blocking this enzyme reduces cholesterol but also CoQ10 by as much as 50%.

Drug companies are well aware of this problem and hold patents for combining CoQ10 with statins. Until such drugs are available

I recommend those on statins supplement with 100–200mg of naturally fermented CoQ10. Adding a good CoQ10 alongside stains will in most cases protect against and often reverse existing statin side effects. My favourite is the well researched and patented US product CoQsol®.

If you are unsure feel free to phone or email your questions.

John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423559 or email john@ abundant.co.nz. Join his full weekly newsletter at abundant.co.nz.

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• CoQ10 is an important antioxidant that can protect ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol.

• CoQ10 is an essential part of our energy conversion – much like spark plugs in your car engine.

• CoQ10 levels decline with age and can be restricted by some medications and health problems.

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• • • • • • •

Supports heart muscle function and normal heart rhythm Promotes good circulation Helps maintain normal blood pressure Promotes normal, healthy energy release Added vitamin E supports cardiovascular health Added lutein and zeaxanthin supports eye health Provides extra CoQ10 for those on statin medication

Cautions: Always read the label and use only as directed. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional.

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Oi!

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28

April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

CULTIVATION Getting good pasture foundation With farming thoughts turning to getting the foundations right for next spring, a winter feed management programme offers an opportunity to reset the residuals’ level for the coming season and ensure leaf growth is promoted in the base of the paddocks.

Pasture management for dairying though June, July and August is about transferring autumn and winter grown pasture into early spring to achieve target average pasture cover at calving and meet the feed requirements of the milking herd.

DaiyNZ advice is that this is achieved by lengthening the rotation in late autumn and winter, beyond the time taken to grow three new leaves.

Moist, cool conditions mean tiller death is low.

Ryegrass is forgiving of stress, such as severe grazing, except where high soil moisture leads to pugging damage.

Good management to improve persistence involves grazing at the threeleaf stage. Use the spring

rotation planner to manage the transition from winter to spring and ensure appropriate covers are reached in spring.

Winter is the time of year where grazing below 7 clicks/1,500kg DM/ha does not appear to damage ryegrass growth.

Poor management that will reduce persistence includes pugging, which reduces tiller density and allows weed ingress and reduces subsequent pasture production. Consider standing cows off on races/feed pads.

Grazing at high stock density on wet soils (reduces subsequent pasture production by up to 45% the following year).

High farm covers in August (leads to shading and loss of tiller density).

It is impor tant to determine the leaf stage of your own pastures. Leaf appearance rates mainly depend on temperature and water availability, with leaves taking longer to appear in colder temperatures or where water is limited.

Italian or short-rotation ryegrasses offer a pasture renewal opportunity which can kick-start the milking season, according to research led by AgResearch senior scientist David Stevens and scientist Andrew Wall.

Key findings are that short rotation ryegrasses have greater cool season growth potential than perennial ryegrass. However, they have shorter lifespans and are less persistent. Using shortrotation ryegrasses as part

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of a pasture renewal strategy can boost spring pasture production, decreasing reliance on supplements.

Researchers used shorter grazing intervals to maintain

pasture quality. Short rotation ryegrasses have a greater cool season growth potential and have superior dry matter production over winter and early spring when compared

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with perennial ryegrass.

Some studies have also indicated that herbage may be of a higher feed value during the winter and early spring period.

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WINTER CULTIVATION

CANTERBURY FARMING

April 2017

29

Better grass better animals Pasture renewal is a vital tool in the advancement of the nation’s greatest industry — the process of replacing older, less productive pastures with new grass and forage species, through crop rotation.

Heading the drive for better growth is the Pasture Renewal Charitable Trust, which advocates that as pasture growth can decline over time, the most successful approach is often complete renewal.

Modern forage cultivars have been bred to suit every farm type and operation.

Designed to improve productivity, they also establish quickly, produce more dry matter (DM) and resist pests and disease better along with many additional benefits including a higher feed value, which in turn benefits stock.

The trust adds that replacing poor-producing paddocks with new pasture is one of the simplest ways to invest on-farm for a significant and relatively predictable return.

The higher your farm’s performance, the more it can gain from intensified pasture renewal. It isn’t only for ‘high input’ farms — any kind of farm or grazing-based business can benefit.

Most pastures deteriorate from a number of causes — weed invasion, particularly low quality grasses like paspalum and Mercer grass, dry conditions, wet/flooding, poor fertility, poor drainage,

diseases, insects, pugging, soil compaction, overgrazing and poor management.

Over time, the population of desirable, productive plants in a pasture declines, while undesirable or unproductive plants increase and pastures become ‘runout’.

Old pastures produce less dry matter, are lower in metabolisable energy (ME) and stock preference, and this decline compounds as the pasture ages.

Successful pasture renewal can increase dry matter for each hectare in a year by around three to six tonnes.

This is true for all farms — the extent to which the extra production can be converted into additional income varies.

Modern pasture cultivars enable farmers to choose when a new pasture will be most productive and when it goes to seed. Cultivars can be chosen to produce more grass in winter, summer and autumn than traditional pastures.

New pasture is more attractive to grazing animals and easier to manage during late spring and early summer.

Because new pastures are grazed more uniformly, it’s easier for farmers to control the quantity of residual

2

#

Reason

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The optimum post-grazing residual means optimum ME regrowth and increased animal performance at the next productive grazing.

New pastures consistently produce an average of half a megajoule more of ME/kg DM — on top of the extra dry matter produced by a new pasture.

New endophytes are continuing to be developed

to maintain good animal health while enhancing pest resistance. As well as Argentine stem weevil, new endophytes provide resistance to pasture mealy bug, black beetle and root aphid, with more pests likely to be added to this list.

DairyNZ carried out a three-year study comparing pastures with the novel AR1 and standard endophyte — the former produced 9% more milk solids than the latter.

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30

April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

LIFESTYLE BLOCK SERVICES

There is help at hand

NEED TO TIDY UP YOUR BLOCK? We do: • Removal of hedges and stumps • Professional Excavation • Drainage • Road Works • Drain Cleaning • Driveways and Carparks • Farm tracks

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To advertise in the Canterbury Farming Please call 03 347 2314 or email sales@canfarm.co.nz

There are always a list of jobs to be done on a lifestyle block, from animal care to gardening and many in between, so a helping hand is a bonus, and that is easily obtained.

Willing Workers on Organic Farms — simply known as woofers — are usually travelling folk who are happy to work for room and board, and live and learn on a variety of properties, organic or otherwise.

They can hail from the four corners of the earth and join in and cooperate with the dayto-day activities.

Woofer s expect to be asked to help with a variety of tasks like sowing seed, making compost, gardening, planting, cutting wood, weeding, harvesting, packing, milking, feeding, fencing, making mud bricks, winemaking, cheesemaking, bread making and a whole lot more!

Volunteers often say ‘we like giving something back to the country we are travelling in.’

The length of your stay is negotiated directly between the host and the woofer, with most stays between one and two weeks, though some may be as short as two or three days or as long as six months.

• All residential, light commercial drainage • Septic Tank systems • Alterations • Excavations • Canterbury Wide • Free Quotes

WWOOF NZ offers its services to facilitate contacts on its website, with hosts taking the opportunity to have willing workers while learning of different cultures by opening up their homes and sharing their lifestyle with others.

Volunteers can provide an extra pair of hands to help with various projects you are busy with. Many hosts practise permaculture or biodynamic growing methods.

Some hosts make a living off their land, others are homesteaders interested in self-sufficiency, some are families, others are individuals. There are also cooperatives, communities and ecovillages, including properties that are not organic, but still have a desire to share their lifestyle.

To make it easier for volunteers to search for a host that best matches the skills/ experiences they have or want to learn, the website offers two categories: WWOOF hosts and Cultural Exchange (CE) hosts.

The former will be organic and biodynamic farmers and growers while the latter hosts offer, but are not limited to, social, humanitarian and conservation experiences that fall outside organic growing practices.

They may also include activities such as building

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For the cost of another meal on the table, the scheme offers benefits for both host and woofer, often turning to firm friendships and enhancing the lifestyle block experience for both.

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LIFESTYLE BLOCK SERVICES

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Water Blasting

April 2017

31

ENVIROTEC

Waterblasting Ltd Servicing Canterbury Commercial & Residential

There are a myriad different ways to utilise a lifestyle block, from niche agriculture to animal husbandry, and for an increasing number of small holdings, beekeeping is becoming profitable and enjoyable.

Not least of course is creating your own supply of honey, and at a time when supermarket prices make the product a definite luxury item, it makes good economic sense.

With bee numbers under threat from the varroa mite, every hive can count and of course the insects play a vital role in much of our food production, pollinating fruits and flowers.

But where to start. In the first instance, a good place to make contact is the Christchurch Hobbyist Beekeepers’ Club website entitled Getting Started with Bees.

It has advice that is vital and says going to a bee club meeting is an obvious first step, and the next logical step is to join a beekeeping club.

‘This will help you to make new contacts and meet lots of other beekeepers. Some of these will be novices and newcomers; others will have many years’ experience. You will also discover which club members sell bees, queens, hives and equipment.

Others are happy to make a swap or pass on captured swarms. Others will be able to help when it is time to harvest honey or if you run into unexpected problems.

‘Before you spend any money on equipment, take some time to read about bees and beekeepers. Our club has a comprehensive library of beekeeping journals and books. Your local library will also have some beekeeping books and the Internet is a fabulous source of beekeeping information.

Check out some of the websites, blogs and howto guides’.

On a wider scale, the state of New Zealand’s honey producing industry is subject to close government attention.

The release of a second survey on beehive losses is helping build a better picture of the state of the nation’s honey bees and the challenges beekeepers are facing. Ministry for Primary Industries department head,

CANTERBURY FARMING

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Scorch Broadband found hive losses were 10.73%.

“It is important to have this evidence in order for MPI to work with beekeepers on initiatives to manage honey bee colony loss over time,” said Mr Hendrickson.

MPI has contracted Landcare Research to annually sur vey New

Oliver Hendrickson, says the 2016 New Zealand Colony Loss and Survival Survey presents a good result for New Zealand’s apiculture industry.

“The survey found hive losses in New Zealand during 2016 to be 9.78%.

This is low to average when compared to international results. The 2015 survey

Zealand’s managed honey bee colonies from 2015 to 2017.

“It’s the beekeepers that make this survey so successful,” said Landcare economist Pike Brown. “Last spring, about 38% of all registered beekeepers, from hobbyists to the industry giants, completed the survey.”

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he couple purchased the company with a desire to convert local products to finished goods at source.

“We were excited by the opportunity to carry on the tradition of using locally produced fresh milk to make cheese at Barrys Bay,” said Mike. Barrys Bay Havarti won the Eurofins NZ Champion

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“Barr ys Bay Cheese produced its first cheddar in 1895, and at that time was one of several dairy cooperatives dotted around Banks Peninsula, then about 30 years ago

the business passed into private ownership.

“It is a special place just outside Akaroa. We are right on the water, once you get over the hill from Christchurch.

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GARETH PATTERSON WIPES DOWN AND TURNS EACH CHEESE DAILY AS IT MATURES doesn’t mature the way you expected.” The company has a large range of products and flavours available with a core of 12 main cheeses.

“We are most known for our traditional English cheddars, Dutch wheel cheeses and Danish havarti.

“All of our staff play an important role in the success of the business. Craig Church is the second cheesemaker and he won the Aspiring Cheesemaker award in 2015.

“Gareth Patterson runs the cutting room and ensures we have product cut and packaged for the various cheesemongers, shops and supermarkets across the country.

“Annette Wilson ensures the labels and cheese packs are well presented, and Kelsey Lovett is in charge

of sales and marketing and loves chatting to customers about delicious cheese and how to use it.”

Each cheese is made by traditional methods with flavours ranging from smooth and creamy, sweet and fruity or those that are crumbly and mature with a bit of a bite.

In the twelve years of ownership, the Careys have won multiple awards.

“To be recognised by international judges shows us that our techniques are working. We are extremely proud that our Maasdam, which is our signature cheese that has won a number of gold medals over the years.

We are particularly pleased because it reflects the effort put in by our staff.”

The company won the champion of champions in

2014 and Mike says that is a huge achievement for a small factory. Last year they won 19 medals — the most from a single factory.

“We cannot underestimate the importance that the quality of the milk has on the finished product and are very thankful to the Mansons.

Without good milk, you can’t make good cheese.

“The consistent high quality milk we receive proves the animals are not stressed and are well cared for.

“Each cheese is handmade, salted (or put in the brine), and aged on white pine shelves where it is left to mature. Every piece has its own history. We see a lot of opportunity and aim to continue to grow in New Zealand by continuing to make good cheese.”

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Making cheese is an exact science and it is important that certain temperatures are maintained for an exact period of time and pH levels must be exact, and Pete is very precise in his work. “ We are always experimenting with different recipes. Sometimes you try something and it may seem like it’s worked for a little while and then the cheese gets older and it

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CANTERBURY FARMING

Ph: 0800 278260 www.aquamonix.co.nz

On farm issues that Aquamonix find a solution for and add value whilst incorporating equipment already installed.

on pivot) This also allows recording of mm applied per day/ week / month / season for the nutrient budget.

Moving forward we will be incorporating the farmers existing infrastructure (flow meters at wells, Soil tapes and rain gauges) to flow into our system for compliance, monitoring and for GMP. The addition of a weather station and EMFLUX magmeters at each pivot base will allow the more precise monitoring of water useage against soil and crop types, greatly improving accountability and visibility of costs and more precise reporting. This is only the first stage in an ongoing approach to measure monitor and master inputs to achieve improved efficiencies onfarm and better use of resources.

The farmer wants to know the position of each of his pivots, are they currently running and in what direction.

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After a site visit , Aquamonix proposed installing our RainMan SCADA control system at each pivot base, and the effluent pump shed. This solution allows us to monitor the pivot position, and its current state. The information will be overlayed onto a Google farm map, with logins for admin and the farmer to view. The great thing about this we can also offer the following

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DAIRY

Uncommon sense What science?

There is a lot of talk about science, how we apply it on our farms and probably to the confusion of who it was supposed to help, the farmer, which science will best suit his or her needs.

I have discussed in previous articles the findings that our team are discovering repeatedly when applying international science and principles to soil. This is proving a superior path ahead for farmers involved in all aspects of farming.

We have travelled to Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States to learn more, expand our thinking and advance our techniques to empower farmers to step into the light towards better ways of farming.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that we are better than the rest of the world, that our cow dung is better or even different from what cows produce in Wales, England or the US. I have even noticed that cows moo the same! It is also a misconception to think that soils are different in any other parts of the world. The differences we find in our own country’s soil from Cape Reinga through to Invercargill would come close

to the variances across the world. The advanced courses we have attended have us working with international tutors teaching fertiliser recommendations on different soils from different countries and a diverse range of crops including avocados, grapes, oranges, walnuts, kiwifruit, trees and all aspects of livestock farmed soils. The principles to balance any soil by adding nutrients that are lacking is simply universal.

Every soil which will grow anything efficiently demands the same approach to give the sufficient nutrients to do the job. During the last five years, many of our team have been to five to seven advanced scientific courses to learn these advanced international techniques which are helping our farmers in NZ become more in control of their destiny.

The more science we apply to our clients’ farms, the more we understand how farmers, without realising, have built

the two large competing cooperatives. They supply 90% of the fertiliser to NZ farmers.

Ballance can trace its origins back to 1954, setting up bases in Southland and Bay of Plenty, whereas Christchurchbased Ravensdown began later in 1978 to provide some healthy competition.

These two giant fertiliser companies are now of similar size turning over approximately $1 billion annually.

Both of these companies over time have adapted a set of policies or parameters, which have been accepted and followed by farmers, generally known as the NPK fertiliser approach, and it works!

Our NZ farmers have grown all aspects of farming based on this approach throughout many years.

CANTERBURY FARMING

April 2017

35

David Law, Managing Director of Forward Farming Consultancy

However some of their policies, I believe, have been very cunningly set up to sell fertiliser rather than follow scientific principles.

The main product produced by both companies is superphosphate, and there would be no surprise to find that this is sold wherever there is an opportunity, even if it isn’t needed. Phosphate is the least leachable nutrient in the soil provided it is not in excess to plant requirements.

During these last few tough years, when we find phosphate is at good levels, then farmers are wasting their money applying more, when other nutrients are lacking.

I have attached the nutrient availability chart, which is accepted science, showing the pH line that gives the best availability of nutrients to plant roots in the soil. Simply, if you move a vertical line from left to right, the availability of each element changes.

Note how the availability of phosphate is twice as available at 6.4 compared to 5.9 pH. We are finding

Pond crust gone for 10th the cost?

that lifting the pH in the soil will naturally increase the availability of phosphate without needing to apply more. We are also finding that in some instances, particularly when calcium or magnesium are low with a correspondingly low pH, the cost to balance your farm and increase grass growth can be less than what you would expect. Even nitrogen

is more effective above 6 pH. I would encourage farmers, especially in these tough financial times, to apply some forward thinking principles. It starts with some independent international soil testing and will guide you into a more scientific, healthier and more productive future.

David Law, Forward Farming Consultancy, forwardfarming. co.nz, 027 490 9896.

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April 2017

DAIRY

CANTERBURY FARMING

Soil Matters with Peter Burton It’s easy to throw stones When everyone in the farming industry is either hurting, or at least feeling like it might be their turn soon, it’s easy to let rip, and at the moment the dairy industry resembles a barn door and therefore an easy target.

What’s impor tant to remember is that the dairy farming industry is made up of individuals, with families, and they are all affected to a greater or lesser degree by continued criticism.

I don’t know of any farmer that is deliberately and wilfully damaging the environment. That’s not in the nature of any of those I work

with, and they’re all aware that short-term damage leads to bigger problems further down the track.

It’s the dairy industry that’s been largely responsible for this country continuing to enjoy a standard of living the envy of our closest neighbour and many other countries, and yet those of us with some influence

have felt the right to find fault. I could argue that the industry has provided plenty of ammunition, and alternative resources have been offered, but that’s missing the point.

The farming sector is just a small group in New Zealand, which by international standards is no more than an extended village. Our

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greatest resource, outside of climate and productive land, is the ability to solve issues through innovation, and in my view it’s time to pool all available resources.

This may mean swallowing pride and being prepared to share with those we’ve butted heads with.

However the resources are available for the things that require sorting, and collectively, plans with positive outcomes can be hatched.

A politically we l l connected client recently acknowledged that the wellcoordinated and concerted campaign, which focussed on the environmental shortcomings of rapid dairy expansion, has started a popularity battle the farming industry will almost certainly lose, and with it the support of many urban folk.

A lengthy and polarising debate could do Functional Fertiliser Ltd have created

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Would it not be better to put our heads together, sort the real from the perceived, fix whatever is required and get on with the next stage of development?

Fur ther fencing of waterways will look good and make a difference, but the really big issue that no one currently wants to address is carbon.

Carbon is the filter in the soil, in its stable form it’s also the sponge that holds nutrients and moisture.

Here’s what is really happening. In a recent phone call with a Landcare Research scientist, he stated that all irrigated land in this country ‘without exception’ is losing carbon.

The work by Louis Schipper and his team at Waikato University shows that intensively farmed dairy land in the Waikato and Bay 0800 843 809 www.esi.org.nz

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of Plenty has been losing carbon for more than thirty years at the average rate of one tonne of carbon for each hectare annually.

It’s not the fault of individual farmers.

The issue lies with the advice they’ve been given by industry leaders, but there is an alternative that looks increasingly promising as more measures are conducted.

Carbon under intensive livestock management can be sequestered, or stored, in the soil reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

With increased storage capacity, soils are more resilient, growing increasingly more feed of higher quality.

We’re prepared to put all the measures compiled during the last 15 years, along with our technology, on the table for those genuinely interested.

If, because of our commercial interest, we personally are unacceptable, the presentation can be done by a group of long-term farmer clients prepared to vouch for the authenticity of the data.

For more information contact Peter on 0800 843 809.

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DAIRY

CANTERBURY FARMING

April 2017

37

Improving to take on the world

by Andy Bryenton

New Zealand’s primary sector is the undisputed powerhouse of our economy, set to generate close to $48 billion of export revenue in 2017. Our produce feeds close to 40 million people, making our output of dairy, beef, lamb and arable crops vital, not just to our own economic survival, but to the day-to-day survival of whole nations.

The dair y industr y especially is poised to surge this year as the global economic environment begins to look more favourable. But playing on the world stage means staying ahead of the game in terms of best practices, and this vital part of the primary sector is working through a raft of farm by farm infrastructure changes to boost the quality of our finished product, and hence its desirability on the open market.

Dairy farmers already face strict environmental restrictions, imposed by local council bodies, with regard to the treatment, storage and usage of effluent. Part of the force driving change toward better practices in this regard is the perception of, and interaction with, the wider public — a public relations

EITHER WAY IT’S 20K

and image push which prioritises cleaner waterways and an understanding that the industry is working hard to decrease its environmental footprint.

Great success in this overhaul of effluent containment and reuse as fertiliser is often under-reported, but with the application of science and an investment in new tech, farms are becoming cleaner and greener than ever.

To keep up with the expectations of the global market, the dairy industry has been extremely pro-active in self regulation.

Measures such as ensuring better, healthier water supplies have come not from without but from within, with initiatives for water purity spearheaded by industry giant Fonterra seeing new standards propagated

and enforced, making diary sheds more hygienic places.

To further ensure the quality of milk at collection, the next phase of the compliance programme to come into effect looks to centre around milk chiller plant and equipment.

New rules set to come into play in 2018 will require a faster cooldown for milk, direct from the cow to the pre-chiller to the vat. This may require an overhaul of some of the nation’s ‘fleet’ of chillers, and the appropriation of new tech such as ice banks, improved heat exchangers and pre-cooling add-ons.

The upshot of all this investment, however, will be a more robust brand image for New Zealand’s dairy products — something which will bring tangible gains and more leverage at the trading table.

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Wool Perspective

From Rob Cochrane GM, Procurement, PGG Wrightson Wool

More returns for your wool.

Otherwise fine!

I had just walked out of the Christchurch wool auction room after a reasonably firm wool sale (compared to the previous one) and fielded a telephone call from a wool rep asking about the market and, in particular, how one of his clients’ lines of wool had sold that morning.

Carrfields Primary Wool (CP Wool) is a 50/50 joint venture between Carrfields and Primary Wool Co-operative (PWC), a 100% wool grower owned co-operative.

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Typically, this call came when the specific line of wool, which was not the best for quality, had been passedin for failing to reach our pre-sale estimate and the grower’s reserve price!

After the rep’s obvious sigh of dismay, due to the wool having not been sold (he was probably standing beside the client at the time!), I consoled him by offering very sound reasoning that there were several other wool grower vendors with similar (to his client) types, who also had their wool passed-in, and then added the words ‘otherwise fine’ meaning that most other wool types sold OK. That’s when I thought of the DD Smash song entitled Otherwise Fine and suddenly

could hear a line saying something about ‘the outlook for Thursday’.

Almost every wool auction in New Zealand is held on a Thursday, which lead me to the next line of the song which says ‘your guess as good as mine!’ Then I began thinking of how confused many growers might be when they have wool ready for sale and seek advice from brokers or others, and receive what may seem a rather blurred answer covering exchange rates, wool quality and quantities, etc.

Over the past few seasons, PGG Wrightson Wool (PGW) and Bloch & Behrens (PGW’s wholly-owned subsidiary and wool exporter) have been developing new relationships

with overseas customers, many of whom manufacture finished products, and part of that business development has been to invite key personnel, from those customers, to New Zealand, to visit wool growers who supply wool to PGW, providing clarity of value to growers, creating brand partnerships and assisting sustainability.

During March two manufacturing companies from Germany and Norway each brought their CEO and Production Manager to New Zealand, and were hosted

by B&B and PGW staff, along with a number of onfarm visits.

A gathering of Marlborough merino wool growers recently attended a presentation at

Blairich Station from the CEO and Production Manager of Norwegian company, Devold, and heard how that company has been producing garments since 1853, how Devold has developed into an extremely well-recognised manufacturer of merino (and other wools) underwear, sports and leisure garments, and how the Devold brand now appears in high-end retail stores across Europe.

Devold is sourcing quality merino wool by contract via PGW from several growers in the South Island for the second year running this year, and is looking forward to further developing longterm relationships with new suppliers of fine wool to PGW. That’s my view.

Ring Kevin and he will turn up with the truck and certified scales.

From mainline to dags see if you can find any wool buyer who will go further or work harder for your wool.

Phone Kevin today and get the best out of your wool.

PH 0274 396 848 or 03 312 9059

NICK’S PET FOOD LTD Valued Marketers of All Wool Types Contact a PGG Wrightson Wool representative today: Doug McKay

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Peter McCusker Rob Lynskey Ph: 027 432 4926

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40

April 2017

RURAL WHEELS

CANTERBURY FARMING

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Pointing the way ahead

April 2017

41

THE FARM TIPPER

by Andy Bryenton

Rather than seeing the end of its Australian manufacturing in the near future as a blow to the brand, Holden is embracing the opportunity to shift its focus and present a totally new selection of vehicles from 2017 onward. With more than 20 fresh models in the pipeline, Holden is determined to bring the best of General Motors’ global catalogue to the antipodes.

The new Astra is a key part of that strategy, shaking off the image of Holden as ‘those Commodore guys’ and igniting interest in a whole new slice of the auto market.

There’s no better way of doing that than sharing the success of what is branded as Vauxhall or Opel in Europe, but which will be all Holden here in Australia and New Zealand.

That level of success is stunning, because the new Astra doesn’t just challenge the likes of BMW, Mercedes and Peugeot — it beat them hands down to become 2016’s European Car of the Year.

Looking at the sleek lines of the 2017 Astra as it will hit Kiwi roads, it’s easy to see how far this badge has come. Far from the utilitarian hatch of previous years, the new Astra is all about style, with special attention paid to the interior cabin and its technological appointments.

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buttons, so Holden has delivered, with an intuitive layout centred around a multipurpose touchscreen.

Power is provided by a choice of either the triedand-true 1.6-litre turbo four already in use by Holden, or a brand new 1.4-litre unit developing 110 kilowatts and 240 Newton-metres of torque.

Both will come mated up with a six-speed transmission, with a choice

of both automatic or stick shift for the driving purist.

Electric power steering and a suite of driver assists such as automatic cruise control make handling the Astra a breeze, complementing its nimble road manners and tight turning circle for urban driving.

With this latest offering, Holden has given us a glimpse of a world beyond the dominance of just the big

Commodore — a Europeanbuilt, world-beating small car which announces the intention of GM to bring the full might of its global operations to bear on the local market.

If this is the way it intends to proceed, the future of the Holden badge looks bright, taking the fight to the competition across the small car, SUV and highly contested light commercial sectors.

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42

April 2017

RURAL WHEELS

CANTERBURY FARMING

Continental contender steps up

by Andy Bryenton

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Zealand, allowing us to actively compete in what is now the largest segment of the Kiwi market.” He goes on to say that “whilst the new 3008 SUV carries the same 3008 model name as its predecessor, it is an entirely different new vehicle from the ground up.”

That’s somewhat of an understatement. Peugeot has indeed revitalised the 3008 badge and rebuilt its new car from the rubber to the roofline, nixing the controversial styling of earlier models in favour of some seriously sharp lines and a more aggressive, road-

dominating look. Inside it’s all futuristic tech cleverly controlled, including a heads up display like that on a fighter jet — or a Chevrolet Corvette.

That doesn’t mean that this is a flat-out bruiser in a straight line — this small crossover compact comes into a new but extremely popular section of the market with options for a variety of engines, but with intelligent, low-emission and low running cost diesel to the fore.

Peugeot has always done diesel well, and this is no exception. But to win the big Euro award took more than this — and more than the

cleverly deployed electric scooter which lurks in the boot to carve up the city commute. The real party piece of this French firecracker is its ability to offer the space and sense of safety which comes from a modern sports utility, alongside handling ripped direct from the good old Peugeot hot hatch playbook.

Remember the 306 GTi 6, the 205 T16 and the more recent 208 GTi? How about a crossover with that spicy DNA in the mix? It was enough to wow the judges, and now it’s here, proving that you can get a whole lot more by adding an extra zero.

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CANTERBURY FARMING

the ‘last’ word

April 2017

43

with Rob Cope-Williams

Subsidies not welcome in Europe It is well acknowledged that European and British farmers are still enjoying being paid to farm, and in some cases, being paid not to farm, but word is drifting down that there are now cracks appearing in the silver lining.

I understand that some dairy farmers, for example, have been told that they have to cull cows to reduce their numbers.

It is literally a case of producing less so the subsidies will be less.

When you consider the fact that we lost our SMP regime decades ago and survived, are the latest moves in the northern hemisphere the start of the subsidy being dropped?

That would certainly be interesting for our marketing folk, and put us on a level playing ground; or perhaps less of an uphill battle.

Personally I don’t think any political party in Europe or Britain would have the courage to do that, but then who would have thought Sir Rob Muldoon would have had the courage.

If the dairy farmers are being told things are bad and that they have to drop numbers by an average of

about 10 per cent, that will, the powers at be believe, drop production by 10 per cent.

We all know that less cows can mean more production if they use the methods New Zealand use, but let’s be honest, New Zealand dairy farmers are a lot more efficient that their European counterparts.

Whatever the reason, cow numbers are being reduced, and over whatever time is yet to be confirmed, but no doubt time will tell, however there is obviously a silver lining in the fact that if Europe and Britain are producing less, we will be able to fill any void.

The prices are still staggering but thankfully on the upward swing again, and the world seems to want cheese and other milk products, so we can smile; well a bit anyway.

Talking at the South Island Agricultural Field Days with people who were

selling and those who were buying, I felt that the confidence is coming back, even though a little slower than hoped. Interesting that

the cultivation gear seems to be getting bigger and bigger suggesting to me that the equipment is being aimed more at contractors rather

single farmers. A sign that the profession is getting to the stage where the farmer is becoming a management role rather than a hands on role.

That is certainly a case with dairy farmers but is catching everyone as more and more regulations and compliance becomes law.

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FINANCE

44

April 2017

CANTERBURY FARMING

INTRODUCING THE

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