12
APRIL 2016
MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES
LIVESTOCK ADVERTORIAL
ADVERTORIAL
Training a working dog
Effluent management solution There are many challenges confronting the management on dairy farms, particularly inside the farm gate. One such problem is effluent. This was a concern for local Rongotea farmer, Chris Russell.
Working dogs are a necessity on most farms that carry livestock and if a dog doesn’t understand basic commands, disasters invariably happen; valuable time is lost, along with profits due to injured stock and broken fences.
Chris, with his sons Andrew and Daniel, run a farm which milks approximately 600 cows with a two pond effluent system. The farm also has a feed pad, and any spilt feed along with dung are scraped directly from the pad to the first pond. The problem the Russells had was the ever-present thick crusted pond, which was even a challenge to the purpose built stirrer agitating the effluent, preparing it for its journey through to the irrigator then onto the farm. The normal course of action would be to haul the solids out with the farm digger or go to the expense of putting in a weeping wall or a solids separator. Both of these solutions would have worked well, but the cost was a stumbling block. After an advertisement seen in a local farming magazine, a different, and perhaps unconventional approach was investigated by the Russell family.
Anna Holland devoted 25 years to shepherding, developing a passion for breeding and training farm dogs in that time, now she is a regular columnist writing about the care and training of these dogs. “Training a working farm dog is completely different to training every other dog. Farm dogs are responsible for large numbers of valuable animals and they are required to be energetic, working unconstrained and running free; small flat paddocks and big steep hill country require dogs of different calibres,” she says. Since her first day clinic in the Manawatu for a group from Rural Women, Anna has Anna Holland has 25 years experience in training working dogs held 40 Teaching People Dog Training clinics throughout New Zealand. your needs.” Anna’s clinics start at 9am “A wide range of people come, men and finish at 4pm. “It’s really full on, and women of all ages. The youngest we have lots to cover, there is so much attendee was a nine year old boy to show people. They don’t bring dogs; and occasionally people who are in they watch, they learn and then train their seventies.” their dogs at home.” When asked what commands a For more information about Anna’s working dog should have, Anna is two upcoming clinics — Masterton adamant “perfect recall, a good stop, 6th May and Feilding 15th May see a go slow, a right and a left, and walk the advertisement this page and visit towards stock; add others depending on www.annaholland.co.nz
We Connect the Dots Forward Farming in conjunction with
Kiwi Fertiliser
This approach looks at effluent as a big picture and maintains that heavily crusted ponds are a symptom of management, and the conventional approach of separating the solids is not needed if the causes are investigated and addressed. After 10 months of working this new system, which is all about understanding what effluent is and why problems occur, then treating them accordingly, has proved itself to be cost effective and superior to conventional methods. The Russell family are now enjoying a liquid pond digesting all of their effluent problems with a lot less use of even the stirrer or the farm digger. A field day will be held on the Russell Farm on Saunders Road to discuss and share the results of this effluent management system on Thursday May 5.
Ace offal cookers for dog and pig food, also available as grain cookers for horses Available in 63Litre and 94Litre, stainless steel bin on a tipping frame.
Presents
A fresh approach to an old problem Effluent, Soil, Fertiliser, Animal Health, Biology
Te Kawau Rec Centre, Wye Street, Rongotea followed by a visit to the Russell Farm
5th May 2016, 10am-2pm Enquiries: Call Bernard 0800 367 337 All Welcome - Complimentary Lunch
Plugs into standard 230v socket. Fitted with 2 hour timer and neon. Have been in the market for over 30 years.
Farm Working Dogs - Training
293 Palmerston Rd, Gisborne M 027 294 6190 | F (06) 867 2774 E mike@aceproducts.co.nz W www.aceproducts.co.nz
Anna Holland is Teaching People Dog Training The method is simple and easy to understand transforming unruly pups into valuable dogs
Masterton 6th May, Feilding 15th May
DRIVE SAFE
9am – 4pm $100 pp - includes free booklet
On Rural Roads
Ph Anna 06) 212 4848 annaholland@xtra.co.nz
Places limited - 35 only - booking essential
www.annaholland.co.nz
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JML0316-1
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