Waikato Farming Lifestyles, December 2017

Waikato

FARMING Lifestyles

December 2017 Edition

29,458 copies DELIVERED FREE to every rural delivery address in Waikato and King Country

Farming with a vision

Helping others advance

P4

Has your grass got the guts to give your herd what they need?

Shearing for a cause

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P8

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December 2017

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Booming sector ready for new challenges

The Waikato Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by NorthSouth Multi Media Ltd, a privately owned NZ company.

Phone: 0800 466 793 Email: info@nsmm.co.nz

The growth in New Zealand’s primary industry exports are providing the sector a strong base to deal with the challenges ahead.

General Manager: Deb Wright | debw@nsmm.co.nz | 021 639 696 Production Manager: Jessica Wright Editorial: Denise Gunn Paul Campbell Andy Bryenton Ann Morgan

Graphic Design: Dylan Hansen Callum McDonald Advertising: Ra Toia Fiona Tohu Betty Willetts Peter Mansfield

Production: Viv Webb Teela Korau

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Accounts: accounts@nsmm.co.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz

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The latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries report shows the sector’s exports will grow by 8.5 per cent in 2018, to $41.4 billion.

“This would be the largest annual increase since 2014 when dairy prices rose to very high levels,” says Mr O’Connor.

“Growth this year is spread across all sectors and these gains are expected to be built on a more sustainable foundation.”

Dairy exports are leading the way, with a forecast increase of 15 per cent to $16.8b despite the wet spring affecting production.

“Despite a decline in cow numbers, there has been some better value for exporters. Meat and wool exports are forecast to grow 4.2 per cent to $8.7b, with lamb, beef, mutton, and venison doing very well.

“The forestry sector is on pace for a third consecutive year of strong export growth with exceptional demand from China. Forestry exports are forecast to reach nearly $5.7b. Our horticulture sectors are leading the charge in BAYLYS BEACH HOLIDAY PARK

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producing high-value products tailored to target markets overseas. This is true for kiwifruit, wine, and apples — there are also opportunities for cherries, avocados, and berries.

“We are a primary producing nation and it is very encouraging that the prospects for the primary industries look so bright. However, New Zealand and other primary producing nations face the global challenge of sustainability — we need to provide good quality, nutritious food for a rapidly rising global population, in a way that is sustainable.

“This means placing an even greater focus on high-value production, sustainable resource use, managing the risks posed to our primary sector by harmful pests and diseases, and meeting ever changing consumer demands.”

Horticulture exports are forecast to grow 5.2 per cent. Wine, kiwifruit, and pipfruit are contributing to this growth story.

Wild capture fisheries products and aquaculture volumes are expected to contribute to a 4.4 per cent increase in seafood exports and honey export volumes are forecast to resume growth

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES December 2017

Look after your trout catch

3

With the summer fishing season underway, Fish & Game has launched an initiative to educate anglers on how to properly look after trout they catch.

Fish & Game has produced videos, along with a new brochure and pages on its website to inform anglers on the best way to handle fish they catch.

“Proper handling of trout is a good way to ensure it is fit for the table and for anglers to ‘play their part’ in sustaining fish stocks,” says Fish & Game communications manager Don Rood.

“All anglers need to be aware that how they handle any trout they catch is critical while they decide to keep them for dinner or release the prime breeding stock — you want them to be in the best possible condition.”

He says some practices to avoid are fighting a trout for too long, using too light gear, dragging trout onto the rocks or boat deck and not taking enough care removing hooks.

“If you are keeping them for the table, make the decision and kill them quickly and humanely. They are a great source of wild food and for many anglers, hunting and gathering for their families is a key part of the fishing experience.

Our publicity material advises on the most humane way to dispatch a trout.”

“Use the heaviest line you can get away with. Too light a line means you will have to fight the fish for longer and that takes a toll — a tired fish has much less chance of surviving.

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December 2017

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

FARMING WITH

A

fter a spending over 30 years in adventure tourism, Dave was disturbed by the amount of pollution showing up on the land and in the waterways. Anne, a dancer and theatre actress, has always had a keen interest in health, nutrition and the environment. So with this in mind they wanted to find something that would serve Earth’s growing environmental problems.

They had not heard of hemp until Dave’s brother briefly mentioned it one day in 1985. “As soon as I looked into it, I thought, wow this is amazing,” said Dave.

It was in 2008 that Dave and Anne grew their first one acre trial and ‘Hemp Farm New Zealand Limited’ was

established. The Jordan’s saved the seeds from that crop and used it to grow two acres the next year. In their third year they grew 32 acres. “From that point on we really started to learn some lessons. This was not just an ordinary crop — especially when it comes to harvesting — it’s very tricky.”

There’s two main types of hemp. The shorter varieties grown for the seeds, are mostly used to make food. The taller varieties are grown for their stalk and can be made into things like fabric and building materials.

Hemp is generally planted in September-October. Dave said that it must be planted into good, fertile soil.

“You can use organic fertiliser, but it’s important to get it right. But once you

Photo credit: plantculture.nz

With a passion for health and well-being, Dave and Anne Jordan started their hemp farm with a dream to create a whole new industry in New Zealand.

Anne and Dave Jordan from Hemp Farm New Zealand Limited

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES December 2017

‘state of the art’ world class, there’s nothing like it anywhere in the world yet.” said Dave.

“We will be able to make anything that can be produced from oil, protein or cellulose with hemp. Using hemp to make plastic means no oil spills, no drilling and affordable biodegradable plastics. Growing hemp also reduces greenhouse gases, so hemp plastic has a very low environmental footprint.

Cellulose is used in 3D printers, so hemp cellulose can be used to make almost anything — every product that’s around you can be made of hemp.” said Dave.

N RUSL LI

G IN

in New Zealand — it’s pretty exciting.

Processing hemp stalks after harvest is something that Dave and Anne have had a breakthrough in however. After almost 20 years of development, last season they processed their hemp stalks with the Clarke D8 decorticator, named after its late inventor Adrian Clarke.

Traditionally processing the stalks can take up to six months, as they are left outside to break down. Then they would have to go through a hammer mill facility to separate the fibre from the hurd.

In contrast the Clarke D8 separates the hemp straight after harvest. “It’s

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Dave Jordan separating the seeds from mulched hemp during last year’s harvest, in April 2017

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Photo credit: plantculture.nz

WE

actually put the seed in the ground, you don’t do anything, there’s no pesticides or herbicides required.”

It generally takes four months to grow and it is harvested just before going to seed. So far, the Jordan’s have harvested mostly by hand and trialled a few machines with no success.

Even places like Canada and Europe, harvesting hemp for fibre is an issue.

Dave said most farmers overseas use a grain harvester to take the seeds off the top, wasting the rest of the plant.

“But we’ve chosen to go to the extreme and work with tall crops, three-and-a-half metres, that produce lots of fibre, hurd and seeds.”

Most of the hemp they have grown has been used to build up their seed stocks, and by universities and manufacturing companies for research and development projects.

With the lack of processing infrastructure in New Zealand, there is not a lot of local hemp products. The Jordan’s have their own line of hemp food products which they get from Canada. “It’s three times the price to process in New Zealand than it is to get from countries that have been growing and making lots for years. And there is no certified organic here, so until we are growing enough of our own certified organic, we’ll keep on bringing it from Canada.”

“We want to make sure that when these researching companies are ready to go, we can actually supply — and we can. It all boils down to our harvesting method. Give it ten years, there’ll be thousands of acres grown

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December 2017

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Helping others advance

by Ann Morgan

The establishment of Te Whangai Trust by Gary and Adrienne Dalton in 2007 to run native plant nurseries and planting operations originating from the family dairy farm as a community driven life and work skills centre resulted in opportunities for others to learn and advance in their lives.

T

he Trust focuses on resourcing environmental obligations while providing skills and experience to people whom are struggling to find employment, or a sense of belonging to overcome adversity or lack of employment opportunities.

“We help people develop their skills, experience working within a business environment and at the same time create an environmental legacy for the community that is supporting them.

It breaks down social, cultural and economic barriers,” says Adrienne.

“We now employ 28 people across four ‘training platforms’ spread across north Waikato, South Auckland and Auckland. Our projected 2017

production is 600,000 plants, and we hope to increase production to exceed one million in 2019.

The couple were finalists in this year’s Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards and won the region’s Hill Laboratories Harvest Award.

“Our farm is in the Hauraki/Waikato region, but the three nurseries in the award complimented the farming and growing theme and build rural urban landcare partnerships.

“We were so happy for our work to be recognised. Life is about combining our two passions, people and the environment. We took the Maori Whangai philosophy because people are the environment and the environment

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is the people. People are an integral part of our ecosystem and the two are interdependent — at times we forget we are a part of nature.

“Looking at our climate you realise you can’t beat mother nature, so you have to work with her. As farmers we see the pressure put on the farming sector as unsustainable.

“New Zealand as a whole has benefitted from farming and we must realise there is no such thing as cheap food which ultimately equates to environmental damage. To remain viable farms have been forced to use urea and high fertiliser rates alongside brought in supplementary feed like PKE. As a consequence we have environmental degradation.”

Adrienne says thirty percent of food produced on farm is wasted after leaving the farm gate. By reducing this wastage, in theory, it would be affordable and eliminate the need for high per ha outputs to remain viable.

“Restoring our environment is everyone’s responsibility and we will only achieve this by working better together.

“Te Whangai creates a safe platform for people who are trapped in the cycle to build their skill strengths as they support each other and their families through the employment process, ultimately providing a better life whilst contributing to environmental restoration creating a legacy for future generations.

“We may have started the trust but employees and participants create the opportunities. We set up a model to create an environmental, social and

economic legacy from every dollar invested. If New Zealand is a true ‘clean green’ country our products will have a premium attached to them which will benefit everyone.”

Adrienne and Gary believe those struggling can create a positive future if they are given the tools, knowledge and opportunity.

“It’s not just about horticulture or agriculture, it is about creating a business hub, where the people come in and run the business and build a sense of belonging and community. By nurturing our people, they build and nurture the business because it is their legacy.

“We adopted a Kaupapa Maori approach with multi generations coming in to develop the trust. For youth issues we have to facilitate change for the whole family.”

The age range is 15-65 years with kuia, kaumatua and others volunteering with training.

“The quality of our products, what we do and the awards Te Whangai has speaks volumes that unemployed people can achieve anything, It is not the lack of skills of the unemployed or their disabilities preventing them from working, but communities inability to harness their skills allowing everyone to contribute to the economy.” says Gary.

“We decided to help through our farming and life experiences because if you are not prepared to do something about it, and pilot an alternative then you have no right to criticise and demand action from others.

Adrienne and Gary Dalton established the trust to create opportunities for people in the local community

“The model has proven that together we can work better and achieve quadruple returns for each dollar spent.

Today is very much about taking charge of the things that are within our power

to change. It is focusing on achieving our purpose in new and creative ways by combining the multiple sector community skillsets, creating a melting pot of innovation and systemic change.”

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December 2017

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Shearing for

a cause

by Ann Morgan With the help of the Te Puna Speed Shear Competition, master shearer Digger Balme and his wife Cheryl are in the process of acquiring an assistance dog to help their autistic son Kyle who also has epilepsy, along with developmental delays.

T

he family live on a 200 hectare sheep and beef farm and Kyle enjoys watching the shearing, helping his dad and being amongst the animals.

“We have seen an assistance dog in action with a girl at the Lake Karapiro rowing regatta. They certainly change the lives of families with a child with disabilities. They keep an eye on their ‘person’, and we know how well Kyle interacts with animals and are excited for the opportunity,” says Cheryl.

“We class him as non verbal but he has his own language and signs to communicate what he needs. Unless we are at a shearing show we are constantly mindful of where he is. Going to the

beach, we constantly panic because he doesn’t have a concept of danger and water is one of his major passions.”

A diabetic assistant dog will wake a person up and fetch their medication if need be, whilst an autism dog will stop a child wandering off. For Kyle this means the family will have the freedom to go out in public knowing the dog will keep Kyle calm and contained.

“Going to a shearing show is a different story. He is secure and would go everyday if he could. At shearing shows he is intensely immersed and not wanting to move and it is familiar to him. He likes helping Digger in the shearing shed and putting the wool in the wool press.

Julie Hancox founded the Assistance Dogs NZ Trust to help people with disabilities in a practical way

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES December 2017

“He knows exactly who the different shearers are including Roland Smith and John Kirkpatrick, they interact very well with him. Kyle also knows that you must have moccasins on and dress a certain way to shear and will point it out.

Cowsheds, helicopters and shearing shows are his favourite things.”

Organisers of the Te Puna Speed Shear, Maree and Craig Morton met Kyle recently and the committee decided the funds raised at the upcoming event will go toward getting his dog.

“We helped a young local girl get a dog in the past and her life has totally changed. We are looking forward to seeing the positive outcomes a dog will give Kyle.

“The event is very much the city meets the country as people come to see sheep being shorn. Last year we had a lamb shorn in 15.94 seconds — you daren’t look away because you might miss it.

“We never know who is coming until the night before but there will be some impressive shearers to be seen.

Registrations open at 4.30pm and we normally have 35-45 shearers of all different levels.”

Julie and Rick Hancox founded the Assistance Dogs NZ Trust in 2008.

“There was nowhere for people with disabilities including autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, cerebral palsy and diabetes to find a dog with legal public access rights,” says Julie.

“After being introduced to families importing dogs from the United States we took on the challenge to cater for the gap. Having dogs available for those in the farming community is very important as well because often people live more isolated and don’t have easy

1.5M please NO MORE BUGS! Kyle Balme helps on the family farm and at present his family are fundraising for Kyle to have his own assistance dog access to support networks.” Julie and Rick formulated their own dog training programme and now service 37 clients across the country with the help of seven staff.

“We interview and assess each applicant and train each dog specifically.

It can cost more than $20k per dog and there is an eight year waiting list. Once placed we stay in the area for 10 days and ensure the client and dog bond and that they know how to handle it,” says Julie.

“Each dog is trained for the environment it will live in and needs to

Kyle interacts with animals well and having a dog will give his family support go on farm and to town, on planes and trains, and to work or school to care for their ‘person’s’ needs — adults also use assistance dogs. We are funded by puppy sponsors as well as the fundraising our clients do.”

The Te Puna Speed Shear is on Saturday, January 13 starting at 5.30pm at the Top Shot Bar, Minden Rd, Te Puna.

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December 2017

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

GIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING

by Ann Morgan Agribusiness owner Lisa Kendall was the fourth female to ever make it to the grand final of the Young Farmer of the Year competition and she encourages others to enter future competitions.

“I

studied a Diploma in Agriculture and Farm Management at Lincoln university and now manage my own farming business — Nurture Farming Ltd, and I hope to one day develop my own sheep milk brand,” says Lisa.

“The Young Farmers competition was really fun and exhausting. There was a bit of pressure and hype because I was a female competitor but the guys were great to compete against, however I did struggle to keep up strength wise.

“I had a fantastic week at the final competition and I was stoked for Nigel Woodhead winning the trophy. He is a deserving and inspiring young man.”

She had no connection to primary

industry whilst she was growing up and decided in her final year of high school that agriculture was her passion.

“I grew up on a lifestyle block and had a couple of horses and a few Ag day pet lambs. I started farming when I left high school and I worked on sheep and beef farms, and in the kiwifruit industry.

I then had time overseas and started my business when I came home,” she says.

“I love being outdoors and being a part of the biggest industry we have in the country and I enjoy the challenges.

“I joined Young Farmers because I saw it as an amazing opportunity to network and further my career options and development. Lisa says her peers encouraged her ‘to have

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES December 2017

Pay attention!

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Lisa and fellow competitor Daniel Morgan during the fencing competition at the Young Farmer of the Year competition

around at the options, ask questions and talk to other farmers it can be quite easy to decide which area you may like to develop in.

“Starting my own business was really challenging but it has opened up a lot of new ideas and pathways for me.

“I would like to work my way into farm ownership and develop my own sheep

milk business. One of my lecturers at university started a sheep milk brand producing milk, cheese and ice cream.

“I like the idea as it has environmental benefits compared to other types of farming and that helps it be more positive.”

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a go’ at the competition and the results proved any fears she had to be completely unfounded.

New Zealand Young Farmers CEO Terry Copeland described Lisa as ‘a real role model’ and he hopes that her success will encourage other young women to participate in the FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

“I farmed in South Canterbury for a while and enjoyed the wide open spaces, the animals and being able to be by myself. I was a shepherd general and we had sheep, dairy grazing beef, bull beef and a little bit of cash crop. It was a great mixture of everything and full of experiences. I was responsible for day-to-day jobs and managed the property when the owners were away.

“I also worked in Waikato dairy farming and calf rearing. I love the industry and believe that if you are a female, you are only limited by your imagination with where you can go.”

She says one challenges she faces on the farm is physical strength but with modern technology it isn’t really a problem.

“You just have to think harder and smarter and choose the correct tools, rather than just sweat it out. The guys help you if they are around, but the help goes both ways — it is real team effort.

At times the guys may need my help — such as when they get a tractor stuck — it is definitely a two way street.

“Farming is a great career option, there are so many pathways in the industry. You don’t have to be milking cows at 5am in the morning, there are so many other opportunities. If you look

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December 2017

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

WATER MATTERS Dairy sector needs shakeup Dairy NZ’s strategic vision for the dairy sector has been criticised by Fish & Game, saying it is a decade late and the industry must act sooner to protect the environment and regain public support.

The unveiled strategy’s number one pledge is to protect and nurture the environment for future generations, and to lead efforts to improve the health and swim-ability of rivers and streams.

“Public patience has finally run right out and the corporate dairy industry is now trying to catch up and rescue its credibility,” says Fish & Game chief executive Martin Taylor.

“Dairy NZ is promising to develop a 50 year blueprint for sustainable land use

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by 2025 but it doesn’t go far enough.

This is all too little, too late. The dairy industry has had a decade to come up with a blueprint for sustainable farming and land use and now the strategy is to wait another eight years to develop one.

“The reality is the present dairying model is unsustainable. Kiwis need action now and aren’t prepared to wait until 2025.

“Dairy NZ’s plan highlights the fact the industry is now acutely aware it is losing public trust and its social licence to operate.”

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“Dairy NZ needs to be much braver with its strategy and provide better leadership. A good place to start is by accepting a future based on fewer cows, less water use, less nutrient loading, and producing less milk but with more added value.

“If they don’t do that, dairy will continue to be unsustainable. Cow numbers have grown astronomically over the last 20 years. Regions like Canterbury and Southland which weren’t traditional dairy areas are now among the biggest, with a combined herd size of over two million animals.

“This explosion in intensive farming has had a huge impact on the environment. It takes a thousand litres of water to make one litre of milk and to meet that sort of demand, more and more water is being taken from our waterways and aquifers.

“Canterbury is now using two thirds of all New Zealand’s irrigation take. On its own, a single big corporate farm can use the same amount of water as a town does in a year.”

The volume of sewage each cow produces also has an impact.

“Every day, New Zealand’s more than six million dairy cattle produce the same amount of waste as 90 million people. It is untreated, so that is

Martin Taylor, Fish & Game chief executive

another body blow for the environment.

“If corporate dairying is to regain public support, it needs to admit its present operating model is unsustainable. The sector has to stop resisting the need to reduce environmental impacts and commit to hard, measurable targets in the next year.

“Corporate dairying can only achieve this by working with environment groups, communities and the government to put these in place.”

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES December 2017

13

W AT E R M AT T E R S

Monitoring water usage The best way to monitor the amount of water you use on your property is with a water meter. They can detect small leaks and losses and are an effective way to track seasonal and annual consumption.

Installing a water meter allows you to record actual water use and identify areas where water can be used more efficiently.

There are two main types of water meter available to monitor shed water use; mechanical and electromagnetic.

The cost and accuracy varies between these meters. In general mechanical water meters are the cheapest up front however need earlier replacement and have poorer accuracy than the electromagnetic.

A basic water meter is a valuable feature of any farm striving for sustainable water use and will help detect where water can be saved and identify water efficiency options.

Meters can have an alert system that informs you if water is flowing when it shouldn’t be — allowing quick detection of leaks and speedy repairs.

It is good to assign a specific person to monitor the alert devices. These systems can be set up using various methods including a pressure gauge on a line feeding water to the farm.

Registering lower than normal is a likely sign water is being lost somewhere in the system.

A storage tank and pump provide water down the farm and a pilot light on the pump can serve as a visual alert that the pump is on. If the pump

is running when it shouldn’t it is likely there is a leak and you should look for the cause.

A standard spotlight works, but an LED type — visible from a distance and even in daylight — is worth the small extra cost.

The ‘click, click’ sound of an in-line dispensing system can alert you that water is running whilst unexpected fluctuations or records that never return to zero on meter readings may also indicate leaks.

The right number and placement of isolation valves can ease the task of finding and fixing leaks and shutting off water in an area to assist repair. They can also be used to turn off water to areas not always in use such as the calf shed.

Mark isolation valves on your farm map so they can be found if the system needs to be modified.

Place the meter in a spot that is convenient to read or attach a data logger, or telemetry unit, which will send the data straight to a computer system and consider how the meter’s location will affect the data collected. Read meters at the same time and day on a regular schedule, and at least once a month read the meter late in the evening and again early the next morning to check for small or unnoticed leaks.

Readings can be recorded on DairyNZ’s Tracking Water Use form.

Check with your regional council or

meter supplier if you have any questions about which meter to choose and how to correctly install it.

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December 2017

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

LIVESTOCK

Record lambing percentages A record lambing percentage underpins a lift in lamb numbers, according to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Lamb Crop 2017 report.

Research by B+LNZ’s Economic Service estimates the number of lambs tailed in spring 2017 was 23.7 million head, up 1.9 per cent (436,000 head) on the previous spring.

The average ewe lambing percentage for 2017 was 127.2, up 4.4 percentage points on last year and up 6.4 percentage points on the 10-year average (2008-09 to 2017-18) of 120.8 per cent.

This means 127 lambs were born per hundred ewes compared with an average of 121 over the last 10 years.

For spring 2017, a one percentage point change in the New Zealand ewe lambing percentage is equivalent to 178,000 lambs.

Andrew Burtt, chief economist of B+LNZ’s Economic Service, says the record lambing percentage and more lambs from hoggets offset fewer breeding ewes.

“The report provides further evidence of sheep and beef farmers doing more with less.

“North Island lamb numbers were a major factor behind the overall lift in the New Zealand lamb crop with growth of 4.9 per cent (551,000 head) to 11.7 million head. The average ewe lambing percentage for 2017 was 128.0, up 8.6 percentage points on last year.

“This was a record high, and was due to good climatic conditions and ewe condition at both mating and lambing for most regions.

“After autumn and winter, conditions were generally good but wet, lamb growth rates were lower than normal due to a lack of sunshine, cool damp weather and more lambs.

“This has had a negative impact on lamb growth. On a positive note, there were no adverse weather events during

Andrew Burtt, chief economist of B+LNZ’s Economic Service

lambing.” In the East Coast and TaranakiManawatu, bearings and subsequent losses negatively impacted the lambing result. According to the survey, the number of breeding ewes declined 1.9 per cent to 17.8 million at July 1, 2017.

“The most significant decrease was in Taranaki-Manawatu (-3.6 per cent) in response to strong mutton prices and culling of old ewes to take advantage of strong prices.”

The number of lambs available for export processing in 2017-18 at 19.27

million head is similar to last season’s 19.25 million head (+0.1 per cent).

The tonnage of lamb produced is expected to decrease slightly (-0.2 per cent) to a lower average carcass weight, which offsets an increase in total number processed.

B+LNZ Economic Service’s Lamb Crop survey is drawn from its Sheep and Beef Farm Survey, which covers a statistically representative sample of over 500 commercial sheep and beef farms.

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DAIRY

Prompting quad bike ban Recent quad bike accidents causing serious injuries and expensive helicopter evacuations have reinforced the need for a prohibition on the use of quad bikes by primary industries services company OSPRI. From the first day of 2018, OSPRI contractors engaged in TBfree programme pest control and animal health testing work will be encouraged to opt for less dangerous forms of transport, as they will not be permitted to operate or ride on a quad bike.

“We want our workers to go home safely every day, and our focus is on reducing the potential for death or serious injury,” says OSPRI chief executive Michelle Edge.

“Quad bikes were involved in more than a quarter of all work-related farm deaths in recent years, with five quad deaths in 2016.

“Earlier this year an OSPRI worker was killed in a quad bike accident while working on a farm. For us, that’s one too many.

“We had a long-term harmreduction strategy in place that was recognised as industry-leading, and our measures indicated that quad-bike incidents and fleet had been steadily decreasing. Yet we were not able to change the fundamental design of the quad, monitor its use, or provide adequate protection for our workers following an accidental loss of control.”

In its work to eradicate TB from New Zealand’s wildlife and farmed animals,

OSPRI manages possum control and pest management work over 5.5 million hectares of New Zealand each year, undertakes almost 3.5 million TB tests and has eradicated TB from possums across 1.83 million hectares since 2011.

“Each year our people spend more than 300,000 hours in the field, often in remote and difficult terrain.

Getting that work done safely and efficiently is important to us, so providing for an informed decision was a major undertaking,” says OSPRI Health and Safety lead James Knapp.

“We recognise the usefulness of quad bikes, and understand the risk involved in change with any vehicle, but opting for safer alternatives to quad bikes was the only way to minimise this risk.”

OSPRI engaged service providers, reviewed all available research and worked in a consultative process to introduce these changes and enable time for those affected to adapt.

The company helps protect and enhance the reputation of New Zealand’s primary industries. It manages the NAIT and TBfree programmes.

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December 2017 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

ADVERTORIAL

The truth about plants and nitrogen

by John K Morris — CEO of Agrissentials

University of Oregon, Dr J. Fox has found that communication links between plants and nitrogen fixing bacteria are damaged when synthetic nitrogen is used. This leads to less nitrogen fixed naturally, increasing reliance on artificial synthetic urea. The more you use synthetic nitrogen, the more you will need to use synthetic nitrogen.

In essence, agro-chemicals are cutting the communication lines between the ‘host plant’ and the ‘soil biology’ — not a good idea; it is essential that plants and biology communicate with each other, that is how the natural system works.

Artificial nitrogen sales are increasing every year, but also increasing is the erosion of topsoil and pollution of both farm and environment with synthetic nutrient leaching. It’s amazing that the farmers accept carbon dioxide straight out of the atmosphere for free, hydrogen for free, and oxygen for free, but line up to purchase

artificial nitrogen for big money. It doesn’t make sense.

Over every hectare on the planet it is estimated that there is approximately 30,000 tonnes of atmospheric nitrogen, completely natural, environmentally sustainable, which is fixed by both plants and micro-organisms and stored within the organic matter of the soil, ready for plant uptake on request. Why wouldn’t you use this ultimate, free serving system? It’s a money saver.

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space and that the solidity we experience around us is an illusion. When two objects come together — like billiard balls — they don’t actually strike each other, rather the negatively charged fields of the two balls repel each other.

When you sit in a chair, you are not actually sitting there, but levitating above it at one angstrom (100 millionth of a centimetre) — your electrons and the chair’s electrons are implacably opposed to any closer intimacy.

All living matter is cellular — life cannot arise spontaneously, but must come from existing cells (at Agrissentials we see the future of fertilisers being targeted at the cellular level of plant life, then passing on through to the cellular level of animals and people). Feed the cells the right frequency and they will do the rest of the job.

To make a ‘human being’, the first cell splits to become two, and then two becomes four and after 47 doublings, you have 10,000 trillion cells in your body and are ready to spring forth as a human being.

Every one of those cells knows exactly what to do to preserve and nurture you.

Each cell carries a copy of the complete genetic code — the instruction manual code for your body — so, it knows how to do not only its job, but every other job in the body too.

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Even the simplest cells are far beyond the limits of human ingenuity. When you eat, they extract the nutrients, distribute the energy and carry off the waste — when you drink alcohol, they all get pissed as parrots and fall over.

A cell is like a refinery in that it is devoted to natural mineral activity on a grand scale filled with interactions that appear confused and random, but clearly have some system to them. There is activity everywhere and a ceaseless thrum of electricity. You may not feel electrical, but you are. The food we eat and the oxygen we breathe are combined in the cells into electricity.

Compare your genes with any other human beings and on average they will all be about 99.9% the same. That makes us a species. The tiny difference in that remaining 0.1% is what endows us with our own individuality.

Here at Agrissentials we are working as close as possible to Mother Nature, focussing fully on the soil, with our multimineral, microbial rich fertilisers, bringing health and vitality to the soil, the plants, the animals and the people.

Through the micro-organisms and the worms we are recycling and regenerating topsoil, keeping all productive units in top health and pumping. As the health of the productive unit increases, so will the health of the surrounding environment.

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES December 2017

17

RURAL WHEELS

Return of the lion

by Andy Bryenton

There are few icons of the antipodean roads as easily recognized as the Holden Commodore. Successive generations have been branded in to the Kiwi and Aussie psyche — well, if you’re not a Ford fan — and have carried most of us to everything from workdays to holidays, weddings to funerals.

Now the icon faces a step change that’s critical to the success of the re-positioned Holden brand. From a downunder manufacturer to an integrated sales brand, Holden still represents the whole formidable global reach and might of the General Motors corporation.

But it’s important psychologically that the next generation Commodore carries the torch, and the badge, like its ancestors. That’s why, while the latest offering from Holden is in fact largely an Opel Insignia, made by GM’s German engineers, it has also been put through 100,000 kilometers and more of tests and trials in the big red land over the ditch.

Packed with technology and promising a smooth, refined ride, the 2018 Commodore will inevitably be seen by some as a watering down of the brash, V8 powered brute which Kiwis have

Pay attention!

come to love. But talk emissions, fuel prices, economy and a quieter, more relaxing drive, and the scales tip into balance. Holden may have ruled out an eight-pot mill or even a turbo-charged six for the 2018 Commodore, but a top of the range model has been thrown into the mix, with a V6 delivering 230 kilowatts — that’s 308 horsepower.

This same model will boast all wheel drive and a nine speed automatic box for smooth power delivery. Interestingly, the ‘Twinster’ all wheel drive system has been featured here before — under Ford’s spicy Focus RS. Spy photos have broken cover of a station wagon in the range, which will please those who are not swayed by the SUV argument.

Overall, the 2018 Commodore looks the business, with sleek lines and an aggressive stance — all the more reason, opine the octane-heads, that it

deserves a little love from, say, GM’s Corvette engine works in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Many models also switch to a front-drive platform, anathema to those greedy for tyresmoke. Still, it’s

a sign of changing times. A refined Holden Commodore, crafted in Europe and garnished with technology and silky silence rather than hellfire and brimstone, may be a far better thing than the die-hards can imagine.

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December 2017

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL WHEELS

Oi!

DON’T TXT & DRIVE

BATTERY ADDITIVE

Battery Revitalizer & Conditioner A lot of people in our Recharge Conditioning Program are getting 8 to 10 years out of their batteries. Just dose them when you buy them, treat them every two years and give them an overnight charge twice a year between treatments and eliminate the sulphation problem, A car battery can be treated for around $5.

Yes you can treat sealed batteries, simply drill into each cell, top up with water, treat, charge and reseal with silicone, sika-flex or a plastic bung.

0800 36 33 36 – www.recharge.net.nz

Transformation games

by Andy Bryenton

When they first said perhaps a decade ago, that the era of the four door sedan was drawing to a close, people laughed. As the hot hatch began to be slowly replaced with the micro-crossover SUV, disbelief was the order of the day.

As in fashion and art, the auto world carries a sea-anchor of memories and pre-suppositions. But the hour is at hand. Proof that the landscape has definitely shifted. No, we don’t mean the end of production for the Commodore and Falcon. Take a look at the current range from Nissan.

The people who brought us the Maxima, that consummate big sedan, the Pulsar, available as a hot hatch with a bonnet scoop that could swallow medium sized animals, and ancestrally machines like the Sunny and the 120Y have a very different offering on the forecourt for 2017. It breaks down like this. Perhaps the single best value for money supercar-thrashing sports machine on four wheels — the GT-R. Under that, a coupe which builds on a history stretching back to the Fairlady Z, and which would make some folks second-guess a Porsche. And afterwards — it’s sports utilities all the way through.

There’s some very good ones, at that.

The Juke may not be everyone’s stylistic

cup of tea, but the crossover market is all about pop art style. Then we have the best-selling Qashqai, the X-Trail, the Pathfinder and the big Patrol as daddy of the family.

The Navara ute finishes off a lineup that has no hot hatch, no sedan — and feels like there’s really nothing missing.

The shift has happened, we’re in the 21st century, and the car DNA has split.

Understanding this has allowed Nissan to create a range that caters to modern tastes with a spectrum of closely gradated SUVs for every niche, and left their car division free to fly into new realms of lateral Gs and tyre

smoke wizardry. Yes, the 370Z is good fun. In New Zealand it comes in only one option, but that’s because you don’t put tomato sauce on a perfectly crafted slice of sushi.

But the GT-R is better than good.

It’s transcended the hooligan past of the Skyline which went before it, in the same way Dodge’s Viper transcended their range of huge pickup trucks. If a clean split between the SUVs the public desire and the car as kinetic art and science is needed to make this happen, let it happen. In this case, the results have certainly justified the means and the method.

D-MAX LS MANUAL 2WD

$29,990 + GST + ORC

DRIVE AWAY

Conditions Apply

GC1705 Tractor 22.5 hp

KMF6

21

Compact Tractor, Big Performance 3-Cylinder Diesel Engine Hydrostatic 2 Range Transmission Picture includes optional loader Options Include: Mower Deck , Backhoe and Loader

$

12,900

+GST

John Metcalfe 07 843 7953 Ben Peters 027 243 1750

Neil Lawrence 027 654 0913 Keith Stewart 07 854 4048

www.waikatotractors.co.nz Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton Phone 07 843 7237 Prices available while stocks last. 3.99% Finance available on specific models, to approved AGCO Finance customers with 30% minimum deposit. GST paid in 3rd month, and balance paid over 36 months. Subject to normal lending criteria. Conditions Apply. OFFER ENDS 31 DECEMBER 2017.

1 The Boulevard, Te Rapa, Hamilton WWW.WINGER.CO.NZ (07) 838 1249

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES December 2017

19

QUAD BIKE SAFETY

The Carpenters Daughter

Wear a helmet.

OPEN 7 DAYS, 10am–5pm 17 Main Road, TIRAU | PH: 07 883 1472 www.tcd.co.nz

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

Waikato CLASSIFIEDS

Waikato

FARMING Lifestyles

The team at Waikato Farming Lifestyles would like to thank everyone for their continued support and wish you all a safe & happy holidays.

Best wishes.

Reach 30,000 Rural Homes • Phone 0800 466 793 For Sale

Work Wanted

CONCRETE POST specialist, Posts, Angles, Strainers, Stays, Foot, Buy Direct. Phone 0800 876 844 (0800 TROUGH).

CONCRETE TANK Specialist. Water, effluent, septic tanks. Price quoted, delivered to site. Buy Direct.

Phone 0800 876 844 (0800 TROUGH).

Financial BANK SAID NO? We specialise in Farm Finance, working capital and debt consolidation. Also welcome applications from property developers, builder’s and first home buyers. Call 0800 888 449 or email bill@gfbl.co.nz.

Animal Health Products HIGH CELL Count? Apple Cider Vinegar, Garlic & Manuka Honey 20L $49.95, 200L $450 or 1000L $2,000 +GST with free delivery. Black Type Minerals Ltd. Phone 021 185 1501. blacktypeminerals.co.nz.

STANDING GRASS WANTED Top $$$ paid Phone 021 074 7055 HAVE A SAFE & MERRY XMAS

Waikato Rural Marketplace Farm Watch Services

Central Motors

8272  07 883

29 EMPIRE STREET, Phone : 07 827 0004 CAMBRIDGE Email : tattoo@cambridgebodyart.co.nz /CAMBRIDGEBODYARTNZ

@CAMBRIDGEBODYARTNZ

Waikato’s Gas Guys QUICK TURN AROUND! Fill and Test Welding Bottles Oxygen • Argon • Argon Mixes • CO

2

Fill and Test LPG Cylinders 134 Grey St, Hamilton East • 07 856 7022

WE SPECIALISE IN SANDBLASTING Farm Machinery, Truck Chassis & Much, Much More!

34 Kohunui St, Ngatea 3503 • Phone: 07 867 7561 Email: ngateapanelbeaters@gmail.com www.ngateapanelbeaters.co.nz

Deer farms, lifestyle & drystock blocks, orchards.

Garden & lawn maintenance, livestock management.

• GENERAL REPAIRS • WOF SERVICE • TUNE-UPS • EFI REPAIRS • LUBES SCAN TOOL DIAGNOSIS • AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE & REPAIRS Manager Peter Cranch: 027 442 0219 Phone: (07) 883 8272 Fax: (07) 883 8165 Email: putarurutowing@xtra.co.nz

Security for your home, farm, pets, livestock & assests.

Labour unit, harvest time etc.

Long & short term, North Island wide.

Self-contained motorhome (7m).

ROSS EADE 027 471 9492 ross.eade@kinect.co.nz

7-9 Neal St, Putaruru

GORDYS FLYTRAP FITTING®

Anything… Anywhere… Anytime!

$20 plus p&p

• Long and wide loads • Machinery movers • On site work • Water tank shifts

Available from PGG Wrightson & Farmlands.

UV Protected Polycarbonate.

Fits on any container with a flat surface.

Instructions supplied with the fitting.

GORDYS FLYTRAP FITTING 21 LITCHFIELD ST, BLENHEIM

Email: elaine.gordon@xtra.co.nz www.gordys-flytrap-fitting.com Patented in New Zealand/Australia

• Container and shed lifts • Semi, flatdecks, trailers • Pallet Deliveries

For a FREE QUOTE phone us on 07 847 2074

WAIKATO TRACTORS LTD • John Metcalfe 07 843 7953 • Ted Murphy 07 889 1505 • Keith Stewart 07 854 4048 • Glenn Greay 027 243 1750 • Neil Lawrence 027 654 0913 www.waikatotractors.co.nz Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton

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December 2017 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

YOUR LOCAL HELICOPTER SERVICE

AERIAL WORK UREA ON MAIZE, GORSE AND SCRUB SPRAYING, FERTILSER APPLICATION both solid & liquid

Our customers come first

0508 435 424