Dairy Exporter September 2021

September 2021

Learn, grow, excel

ON-FARM TECH EVOLUTION

There’s an app for that

Working with multicultural teams $12

SEPTEMBER 2021

$12 incl GST

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

150 years of NZ dairy co-operation

Cashing in on the carbon boom 1

RAVSEP21-DX

Expertise yields results

kg DM/ha

Nutrient Management

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Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

24 YOUTUBER: DAIRY FARM IN THE SPOTLIGHT

CONTENTS MILKING PLATFORM 10 George Moss contemplates the benefits of

intergenerational links 11 Southlander Suzanne Hanning gets a brew going to

introduce herself 12 Frances Coles has survivor guilt after the South

Canterbury floods 13 It’s head down, bum up on John and Jo Milne’s West

Coast farm

UPFRONT 14 Time for farmers to up their game on long-term land use 28 MULTI-CULTURAL TEAMS MAKING THE MIX WORK

20 Market View: Wait and watch on world dairy 22 Global Dairy: Ireland - Darker skies despite price wave

BUSINESS 24 Youtuber: Dairy farm in the spotlight 28 Multi-cultural teams - Making the mix work 31 Multi-cultural teams - Cultural understanding 32 150 years of dairy co-operation 34 Merger expands tech growth 35 Sheep milking: Straight from the ewe

SYSTEMS 36 Facing up to increased climate variability 40 68 SETTING AN EXAMPLE IN THE SOUNDS Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Putting fleximilking to the test

42 Winter catch crops a must for maize growers 44 Low-protein diet problematic 3

s e m i t e m So IT TAKES

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Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

SPECIAL REPORT

TECH EVOLUTION

SPECIAL REPORT: TECH EVOLUTION 48 Agrismart: Tailor-made for farming 49 Staff retention: Tech to reduce stress 50 Not making the connection 52 Starlink: Skyhigh DIY broadband 54 Green signals for nitrogen

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49

57

58 Checking in on the App

RIGHT TO REPAIR GETS HEAVYWEIGHT BACKING

60 Safety: Tech can avert human factors

TAILOR-MADE FOR FARMING

Stephen

Jeff

56 Halter use liberating

48

TECH TO REDUCE STRESS

57 Right to repair gets heavyweight backing

HALTER USE LIBERATING

CHECKING IN ON THE APP

58

62 Apps: Keeping an eye on the farm

NOT MAKING THE CONNECTION

52

60

ENVIRONMENT

54

62

64 Water quality: Acid test for water testing

50

SKY-HIGH DIY BROADBAND

GREEN SIGNALS FOR NITROGEN

TECH CAN AVERT HUMAN FACTORS

68 Water quality: Setting an example in the Sounds

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE FARM

47

71 Beetles to the rescue

STOCK 72 Taking a stand for Jerseys 74 Opportunity with bobbies 78 Vet Voice: Twinning and Freemartins

YOUNG COUNTRY 80 Sowing the seeds of farming life

RESEARCH WRAP 82 Pasture: NARF responding to climate change

74 OPPORTUNITY WITH BOBBIES

WELLNESS 84 Lockdown: One day at a time 85 Delta virus: Lessons for living through a lockdown

DAIRY 101 86 Wintering: No more making mud

SOLUTIONS 88 Controlling weeds in mixed pastures 88 Simple weighing made easier 89 The cost of lameness 89 Teatseal Tube recycling scheme a success

OUR STORY 80 SOWING THE SEEDS OF FARMING LIFE Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

90 The Dairy Exporter in 1971 5

DAIRY DIARY Please check websites to see if events are going ahead at changing Covid Alert Levels.

September 15 – Now an online Facebook Live event – Owl Farm holds its spring focus day on the Cambridge demonstration farm.

Visit https://www.owlfarm.nz/.

September 22 – Now 2 part online course – The Agri-Women’s Development Trust is running a Know your Mindset, Grow your Influence course. The two-part personal development programme is aimed at helping you respond to pressure and uncertainty with positive, meaningful action.

Responding to challenges such as regulation and market changes. The course begins with a 90-minute online workshop and then a 2.5-hour face-to-face workshop. Courses are being run in Pahiatua, Invercargill and Lake Karapiro. To find out more visit https:// www.awdt.org.nz/programmes/know-yourmindset-grow-your-influence/.

September 23 – Smaller Herds of New Zealand (SMASH) is holding a field day at Towai in Northland between 10.30am and 1pm. Visit https://www.smallerherds.co.nz/ .

September 28 – Northland’s Extension 350 Project is holding 10 public field days across the region. The project is a long-term farmerto-farmer extension programme designed to help Northland farmers succeed financially, environmentally and as a community.

Farmers involved in the programme talk about their goals and plans for achieving them and it is a chance to join their journey and learn from their experience. This field day is at Stuart Thomson’s farm on the Kaipara Flats between 10.30am and 1pm.

Visit https://www.dairynz.co.nz/events/ northland/extension-350-public-field-daythomsons/.

September 29 – Generation Change is a one-day workshop being held in Christchurch for young women in tertiary study or training who are interested in making a positive impact in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector. The Agri-Women’s Development Trust is running the workshop which costs $50 and will be held 10am and 7pm. The workshop will lead on to online networks, one-to-one mentoring, social media connection and future events.

Register by September 15 by visiting https://www.awdt.org.nz/programmes/ generation-change-2/.

October 1 – Entries open for the 2022 Dairy Industry Awards of New Zealand. Early bird entries close on October 22 and all entries close on December 1. Categories include New Zealand Share Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Dairy Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year. For further information and to enter visit https://www. dairyindustryawards.co.nz/.

October 7-8 – Postponed until 9/10 March 2022 – The 2021 Farmax Conference is being held in Hamilton. It will be used as a platform for thought and discussion around advancing New Zealand’s pastoral

system into the future, with well-known speakers, a scientist panel and half a day of Farmax training and accreditation. For more information and tickets visit https:// www.farmax.co.nz/story/advancing-the-newzealand-farm-system-of-the-future:-farmaxconference-2021.

October 15 – Entries close for the 20212022 Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

The awards celebrate farmer and grower achievement and showcase good practice.

Everything from business health to biodiversity. To enter the awards visit https:// nzfeawards.org.nz/.

October 19 – Voting closes for DairyNZ elections if more than one candidate is nominated. Two elections will take place including one for a farmer-elected director for the board and a second election for one member of DairyNZ’s Directors Remuneration Committee. For details about the election visit https://www.dairynz.co.nz/ about-us/how-we-operate/dairynz-directorselection/.

October 20 – DairyNZ annual general meeting is planned to be held in Hawera.

Election results will be announced at the meeting. Visit https://www.dairynz.co.nz/.

October – Lincoln University Dairy Farm holds its spring focus day on the farm. The date is yet to be confirmed. Visit http://www. siddc.org.nz/lu-dairy-farm/focus-days-andevents/.

TALK TO THE EXPERTS FOR FARMING SUPPORT 07 858 4233 farmservices.nz info@farmservices.nz /HomeopathicFarmServices

Homeopathic products for pre-mating/mating 6

HOMEOPATHIC /HomeopathicFarmServices FARM SERVICES Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Editor’s note Editor’s note

WE ARE ALL

TECH STRONGER

EVOLUTION

TOGETHER

M S

ore than 100 years ago my grandmother and her taying strong onfarm portrays an innovative siblings used to round up the family’s 20 cows programme run by Reporoa dairy farmer and from the burnt-over bush and scrub paddocks in cancer survivor Sarah Martelli, who helps other eastern Taranaki and milk five cows each by hand women find their balance and build strength and before cleaning up and walking to school. wellbeing to be the best they can be.

The milk was separated, and cream taken to the Makahu Strong Woman is an online community for women Co-operative Dairy Company where it was made into butter to work on their fitness with a workout to do at home, from 1904 until 1915 when the factory converted to cheese find quick and easy healthy recipes, goal planners and to production. connect with other women on the same journey.

The local co-op ran until the early 30s when the suppliers Her philosophy is to help women create healthy, transferred to the Stratford Farmers Co-op Dairy Co. My great sustainable habits around moving and feeding their grandfather’s name is on the founding documents and minutes bodies and their families. now kept in New Plymouth’s Puke Ariki Museum. And he If women can prioritise their own health and fitness, probably features in the photo, dropping off the cream and they can inspire their partners, their children and their catching up with the neighbours. community around them, Sarah says (p82).

Scratch anyone in Taranaki and the chances are you find a She is an inspirational woman creating a moment of link to an early dairy co-op last century - every small district lift for many women. had one, and many old repurposed dairy factories are still In this issue we take a look at the regenerative agri going strong - housing panelbeaters, farm machinery and journey some NZ farmers are already on, and that the mechanics businesses, a lavender farm and accommodation, government has signalled they want others to join in on, and even the Taranaki Regional Council, in Stratford. in our Special Report.

The Makahu factory materials were recycled to build the The regen debate has divided the farming community community hall. in a big way - many scientists are affronted that NZ would New Zealand has a proud history of dairy co-operatives, with need regenerative methods from overseas countries with the first established on the Otago Peninsula in September 1871. highly degraded soils - would that then infer that our Karen Trebilcock uncovers the story on page 32. conventional methods were degenerative?

My grandmother bush-bashed to find the cows and then They say the methods won't work, and that research milked them by hand - she would have been amazed by the has already shown that, and also our farmers are already technology now available onfarm to monitor and measure, following regenerative practices. Others say that the shift and milk today’s dairy cows. methods are not prescribed and each farmer can take Our Special report looks at all the digital technologies, many out of it what they want. It has been called a social available as apps on the cell phone, to shift fences, build movement rather than a science and the claimed benefits rosters, track cow movements and mating cycles, steps and of improved soil and stock health and building soil ruminations, track milk chilling and log work shifts and pay carbon through diverse species, use of biological fertilisers staff. and laxer and less frequent grazing practices along with The majority of apps are making farmers’ lives easier less nitrogen is something that resounds emotionally - identifying cycling cows cuts down on spotters on the with many. platform, other apps free up time for those running the payroll We have taken a snapshot of thinking by scientists in and others add to the health and safety of the team (pg 60).

MPI and DairyNZ (p46) and portrayed what farmers using Of course connectivity is still a major problem, but Elon the practices are finding, including ongoing coverage of Musk is about to come thundering over the horizon with his the comparative trial work by Align Group in Canterbury satellite trains that will bring much cheaper satellite broadband to even the most remote valley (pg 52).

With the tech part of the puzzle solved, Lincoln Uni research

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | June 2021

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Makahu Co-operative Dairy Factory.

farm are investigating flexible milking - adopting a 7-in-10 regime for the whole season which they model as reducing milk production by 5%, but not reducing profitability. The real bonus is to the welfare of the cows and the lift to team wellbeing. The Dairy Exporter will be following the trials in detail (pg 40).

Megan Bates lives in Southland on a multicultural farm and has completed a Kellogg research project looking at how to (p42). We also cover the Heald family of Norsewood best integrate a diverse team into a workplace, (pg 28). (p52) who have transitioned to organics, OAD and regen DairyNZ researchers surveyed the younger generation and philosophies and are enjoying the less intensive and found out what they would like future farms to look like - it’s more resilient system they have moved to, along with interesting reading - they highlighted they would be attracted improved profitability. by: lower cow/employee ratios, smaller farms/herds, more There is more research to be done in the NZ farm automation, greater use of smartphone technologies, more system context, says MPI’s chief scientist John Roche, to diversity in the workplace, more flexible rosters, a greater sense figure out what will and won’t work, but he encourages of purpose and more attractive workplaces. farmers to engage and learn more, and to embrace How does your farm rate on regenerative as a verb - saying all farmers could work to this scorecard? be more regenerative, more resilient, lowering carbon loss and building carbon storage.

If you are interested in getting into farm ownership or getting out but retaining an interest, read about George Moss’ innovative idea for a speed-dating weekend for potential partners (p11). We think it could be a winner!

NZ NZDairy DairyExporter Exporter @YoungDairyED @YoungDairyED

@DairyExporterNZ @DairyExporterNZ @nzdairyexporter @nzdairyexporter

Sneak peek JULY 2021 ISSUE

In the next issue: October 2021 •• Special investment portfolio SpecialReport: report:Farming/business The health of cows - checking up on all the – if you are starting out or bowing out. acronyms: TB, BVD, MB, JD, and the changes in biosecurity • Wildlife onfarm protocols on farms. and quarantine What is thermogenetics?

We check out cows bred to •• Ahuwhenua winners withstand higher temperatures.

• Sheep milking conference coverage • The potential to get soil carbon credits and is biochar ever going to be a commercial reality?

• Future Farms: how to attract the next generation.

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NEW ZEALAND NEW ZEALAND

ONLINE

NZ Dairy Exporter is published

by NZ Farm Life Media PO Box 218, Feilding 4740, Toll free 0800 224 782, www.nzfarmlife.co.nz

New Zealand Dairy Exporter’s online presence is an added dimension to your magazine. Through digital media, we share a selection of stories and photographs from the magazine. Here we share a selection of just some of what you can enjoy.

Read more at www.nzfarmlife.co.nz PODCASTS: STAYING STRONG ONFARM Sheryl Haitana chats to Sarah Martelli about her Strong Woman programme.

Emma Taylor Interview with Emma Taylor, general manager of Vineyard Plants in the Hawke’s Bay about viticulture. The company supplies vines, predominantly sauvignon blanc, to the New Zealand wine industry.

Fiona Bush Interview with North Canterbury sheep and beef farmer, Fiona Bush. Fiona is giving her perspective on MPI’s Primary Industry Advisory Services available to the rural sector as well as the key issues farmers face today such as the environment and the rural/urban divide.

Find these episodes and more at: buzzsprout.com/956197 8

Sub-editor: Andy Maciver, P: 06 280 3166 andy.maciver@nzfarmlife.co.nz Reporters Anne Hardie, P: 027 540 3635 verbatim@xtra.co.nz Anne Lee, P: 021 413 346 anne.lee@nzfarmlife.co.nz

MAATUA HOU

Karen Trebilcock, P: 03 489 8083 ak.trebilcock@xtra.co.nz Delwyn Dickey, P: 022 572 5270 delwyn.d@xtra.co.nz

Maatua Hou. A bobby calf rearing venture with a twist - four young couples have set up an equity partnership, bought a 34ha block and created a venture where the farmers supplying the calves also pay. The farmers a guaranteed to get their money back when the calf is sold along with a share in any profit. Could this be a way to help reduce bobbies? Is there another way we could be rearing beef in this country?

Phil Edmonds phil.edmonds@gmail.com Elaine Fisher, P: 021 061 0847 elainefisher@xtra.co.nz Design and production: Lead designer: Jo Hannam P: 06 280 3168 jo.hannam@nzfarmlife.co.nz Emily Rees emily.rees@nzfarmlife.co.nz

Take a look at our story: ww.youtube.com/ watch?v=yLxdY5mkH8Y

MILK PAYOUT TRACKER:

Average $7.94/kg MS

2021/2022 Fonterra forecast price 9

8.75

8.75 8

7.70

$/kg MS

Marina Shearer Interview with Marina Shearer of Profile Coaching and a farmer at Waiau, North Canterbury, She talks about the challenges of transitioning from a highprofile job in Christchurch to life on the farm when she married.

Deputy Editor Sheryl Haitana M: 021 239 1633 sheryl.haitana@nzfarmlife.co.nz

DO YOU HAVE A NEW TEAM? Take a look at this insight into the quiet power of an introvert. The neuroscience might give you that aha moment. Take a look... www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/ the-quiet-power-of-introverts/ p080fdnp Story page 22

nzfarmlife. co.nz/stayingstrong-onfarm

Factum Agri is dedicated to New Zealand’s primary industry, working with the Rural Support Trust. Each week Angus Kebbell talks with farmers, industry professionals and policy makers to hear their stories and expert opinions on matters relevant to both our rural and urban communities.

Editor Jackie Harrigan P: 06 280 3165, M: 027 359 7781 jackie.harrigan@nzfarmlife.co.nz

7.90

7.80

7

8.00 7.66

Mid 7.99

7.75

7.25

Partnerships Managers: Janine Aish Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty P: 027 890 0015 janine.aish@nzfarmlife.co.nz Tony Leggett, International P: 027 474 6093 tony.leggett@nzfarmlife.co.nz Angus Kebbell, South Island, Lower North Island, Livestock P: 022 052 3268 angus.kebbell@nzfarmlife.co.nz Subscriptions: www.nzfarmlife.co.nz subs@nzfarmlife.co.nz P: 0800 2AG SUB (224 782)

6 5 4

Fonterra forecast

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE:

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9

MILKING PLATFORM Tokoroa

Making the link Many farming businesses can become stronger with intergenerational combinations, George Moss writes.

W

e had a good response to my last article seeking expressions of interest from some very promising young farmers looking to match up with “older” retiring farmers, which is very heartening for our industry.

I have received positive feedback from both those aspiring and those who have recently been able to make the jump to farm ownership, comments being that we need to create a succession process as we had with 50% sharemilking. Sharemilking being an increasingly challenged model in this new world.

Regrettably we have not had the same level of interest from existing farm owners (looking to retire or step back), which I find surprising given the level of angst many have about grappling with the pace and quantum of changes happening. While many of my generation are seeing things in a negative light - many young people see the opportunities.

I see the possibilities of many farming businesses becoming stronger, more resilient and potentially more bankable by combining the skills, energy and passion of the young with the investment of the “retiring”.

Interestingly, the banks are seeing intergenerational plans as part of their pricing models along with viability, security, environmental and social sustainability. This is the new paradigm.

Onfarm, the season has got off to a great start with June providing growth rates more than double that of “normal”. July has been subdued but still good. As I write it is very cold.

Both farms pulled their calving forward, one by seven days and the other by 15 days. Fifteen days is showing to have been a little optimistic.

Sharon’s herd’s first collection started at 2.2kg milksolids per cow per day and now is just short of 2.5kg 10

The twowheeler wheelbarrow: ideal for carting those slippery heavy new born calves from assisted cows.

MS /day, with each farm significantly up on last season, but we are mindful it is early days yet.

The other herd has an abnormally high proportion of heifers this season which is holding our per cow production to about 2.2kg MS /day. The extra heifers are part of preparing the herd to meet the challenges of greenhouse gases going forward, but will exacerbate the problem in the short term. All the DairyBase figures and Overseer figures have been completed and are available for Tokoroa Pastoral on the DairyBase website. There’s some good and not so good in them – but you judge.

Being mindful that there will be a charge on GHGs, we are working to have ourselves as well positioned as possible for 2025 when the pricing will kick in. We are glad to be on the DairyNZ Climate Change Ambassador team where with Snapchat we canvass and discuss all the possibilities and challenges of how to reduce our GHG footprints, while maintaining or reducing GHG intensity per milk solid and ideally keeping productivity the same.

Their enthusiasm and positivity, I find infectious.

The whole farm soil test showed that

Interestingly, the banks are seeing intergenerational plans as part of their pricing models along with viability, security, environmental and social sustainability. This is the new paradigm. despite theoretical sub maintenance of fertiliser for the last three years, the nutrient levels have for the most part been maintained or improved. A small area needs some extra P and as per usual on the pumice more S is required.

Through Tracmap we will look to extend the exclusion areas, mitigating some of the price increases that have occurred for fertilisers.

Best Investment, so far, was the $148 two-wheeled barrow for carting those slippery heavy new born calves from assisted cows – much more stable with squirmy calves than the single wheel.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

MILKING PLATFORM Southland

THAT

cup of tea Southlander Suzanne Hanning gets a brew going to introduce herself to Dairy Exporter readers.

H

ello there. It is really lovely to meet you.

Come in. The jug is hot, would you like a cup of tea?

This time-honoured ritual happens not just when visitors come to our family’s door. We meet, greet, sort out, decide, congratulate and console each other over what is really, quite a humble beverage.

To be fair, some people prefer coffee or something stronger, but the principle is the same. A good old cup of tea can be consumed by everyone from a five-yearold to your great aunt Mabel. It is simply a conduit to share a social experience.

So I feel, as I’m meeting you for the first time through this column, that we take a couple minutes, pop the kettle on and make ourselves a nice hot drink - if you want of course. Then you can sit down, relax and we can have a bit of a yarn.

I understand most of you live in this beautiful place called New Zealand? My husband and I live down here just north of Invercargill, in Southland. No, we don’t have penguins on the main street, although locals like to kid North Islanders that we do.

On cold winter nights, you can hear the polar bears roaring… apparently, although I have yet to hear them.

If we can see Stewart Island from our cowshed, it’s going to rain. If we can’t, it is raining.

We have been fortunate enough to be the fifth generation on this farm and our three daughters are the sixth. Our oldest has come home, after completing a Bachelor of Agriculture and Commerce at Lincoln and working for a couple years as an agronomist, to be her dad’s 2IC. Our middle daughter is at Lincoln, studying a Bachelor of Science and our youngest is doing NCEA level 1.

We farm in partnership with my husband’s parents milking 650 little crossbred cows. We try to keep things pretty simple, but we’re closet control freaks.

We are fully self-contained, with the exception of 150 tonnes of silage and just enough crushed barley and DDG to entice our girls on to the platform, maxing Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

We have been fortunate enough to be the fifth generation on this farm and our three daughters are the sixth. out at about 1kg/cow/day. We’re not highly stocked, 2.8cows/ha on the platform, due to our heavy soils and the desire to try to find that magic balance of stocking rate, grass growth and not wanting to buy in too much supplement.

We winter our cows on crop (yes, we’re one of those farms) but do so with as careful management as we can, because really, without spending a couple million dollars on a wintering barn, there are no other economic options for our farm at this point.

So, now we’ve got to know each other, I hope you don’t mind if I keep you updated of a few topical things that crop up in Southland now and again. I’m by no means a journalist, but I do tend to talk… a lot.

Feel free to jump on Facebook and check out our farm page https://www.facebook.com/bristolgrovedairies for photos and the odd 2am brain fart. Thanks for the chat, I look forward to seeing you all again soon.

11

MILKING PLATFORM South Canterbury

AFTER THE FLOOD,

survivor guilt The farm had just been sold when record-level floods hit South Canterbury, Frances Coles writes.

I

’m not sure I can describe farming in Canterbury since my last column as anything less than an emotional rollercoaster.

We were heading out of the autumn in a drought… which brings enough stresses by itself.

Struggling to juggle declining feed availability, scarce supplements, irrigation restrictions and maintaining cow condition, while still seeking to finish the season strongly and capitalise on a historically high payout.

For ourselves, there was a farm sale in the mix this season too, with contracted residuals to leave behind and cows to sort for sale and transfer. May was a fairly hectic finale to the 2020-21 season as it was. Then we had a weekend quite like no other…

Gathered with friends for a farewell dinner to see off a couple making the move with their family across the ditch, we were feasting on fine food, sipping espresso martinis, sharing plenty of laughs and blissfully unaware of just how heavily it was starting to rain outdoors. When the heavens opened on May 29, Canterbury was in for record rainfalls of between 200-500mm+ over the next 48 hours.

Rivers throughout the region burst their banks, taking over farmland, depositing tonnes of

Rivers throughout the region burst their banks, taking over farmland, depositing tonnes of gravel throughout paddocks and washing away entire lines of wrapped silage bales as though they were marshmallows bobbing down a stormwater drain.

gravel throughout paddocks and washing away entire lines of wrapped silage bales as though they were marshmallows bobbing down a stormwater drain.

I was unable to even get to our farm to go through the houses with the purchaser on possession day, as nearby Cooper’s Creek became a torrent, sweeping across paddocks, 12

The heavens opened on May 29 and Canterbury was in for record rainfalls of between 200-500mm+ over the next 48 hours.

through houses and toward the dairy factory at Clandeboye, forcing it’s evacuation. Thankfully the purchaser also bought our herd, so we didn’t have to try and move animals anywhere amongst all of this!

However, over the next day or so, as we touched base with friends, followed updates on social media and saw the news, I began to feel a kind of survivor guilt – we had been very lucky compared to many, many others. It was heartening to see the usual groups jump to the rescue; assessing where there was need and finding people who could help, delivering supplies, food and baking, generally reaching out to help people feel a little less isolated.

Meanwhile, the Government’s response at the time and since can only be described as appalling. They displayed a complete inability to ‘read the room’ by announcing a paltry amount of funding to assist with vital repairs to the Ashburton River bridge (which only links the entire upper and lower South Island for goodness sake!) then promptly announcing funding of nearly $700 million for a flippin’ cycleway for recreational cyclists in Auckland!

This was followed up with entirely insufficient funds offered to assist landowners with flood damage which would not otherwise be covered by their regular insurers, then another round of compliance legislation (this time relating to water schemes which apparently all of us with more than one house on our farm will be tangled up in). I think farmers made it pretty clear what they thought of the ute tax amongst all this too.

And now we head back into lockdown…

I wonder if this means the rollercoaster will swing back towards the dizzying heights of us all being lauded as essential worker heroes and saviours of the economy? Does anybody else just want to get off this ride and go back to something more sedate like drafting cows in the paddock with their spouse, untangling the wire on electric fence reels and trying to find a tiedown for the trailer when you need one?

Let’s all raise a cup together to a season ahead of small challenges, big wins, kind weather gods and enlightened legislators. (Surely three out of four isn’t too much to hope for?)

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

MILKING PLATFORM West Coast

HEAD DOWN, bum

up

Warm colostrum awaits the newborn calves on John and Jo Milne’s West Coast dairy farm.

H

ead down, bum up’, that’s how the spring rush can be described. It can become very easy to overlook how important the whole calving period is for the day, and into the

future.

Concentrating on the pregnant animals is deemed the most important, but ensuring as much effort goes into the future of replacements counts for just as much.

We have a ‘down pack’ system here. Everyone has their roles and sticks to it.

Our newborn Jersey calves take a bit of looking after.

They are whipped into the calf shed pretty much as soon as their mums have cleaned them and sometimes fed them. There is always warm colostrum waiting at the shed to give them if mum hasn’t, so they get the best start.

Mother nature gives us the beauty of being able to replenish our herd or asset whichever way you choose to look at it, and on the other hand a challenging day on the weather front and she can deprive us of that opportunity.

We run a simple system for rearing. We aim for 25-27% replacements, now that seems a lot and I will explain why this is so high further on.

Twice-a-day feeding for 10-14 days, then gradually moving to a once-a-day feed. We started this when our kids were infants and carried on with it ever since.

Calves are indoors normally until the weather settles or the sheds become overcrowded, with the usual access to hay and grains, fresh water and TLC. So that starts the ball rolling for the future.

Next trick is not to forget about them as they grow.

We have a runoff about 8km away, quite handy as it’s on the way to town. It’s set up like a dairy farm, plenty of paddocks with good fencing and infrastructure. It’s in the public eye as well, which all of us are farming in these days. They flourish there and return to the milking platform two weeks before they are due to calve as heifers. This is the most rewarding part, of course, when they make it to the cowshed for their first Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Cute Jersey calves are whipped off to the calf shed for warm colostrum and the best start.

Calves are indoors normally until the weather settles or the sheds become overcrowded, with the usual access to hay and grains, fresh water and TLC. So that starts the ball rolling for the future.

milking. Our high replacement rate is because a couple of seasons ago we had Cryptosporidia go through our calf shed, with devastating results as quite a number of calves had to be put down and many more had to be nursed back to health.

We could never clearly identify where it came from, but suspected birds.

And more recently Coccidiosis, which we had never seen before but with the help of our local vets we got on top of, but it is a recurring problem to deal with every season now.

Also for the last five seasons we have been facing facial eczema in our herd. A few cows here and there and before you know there are five-10 cows that don’t make it to next season.

We are so lucky to be in an industry that just keeps replacing itself season on season.

13

INSIGHT

UPFRONT CARBON FARMING

Cashing in on the edge As “carbon farmers’ buy up New Zealand farm land, it’s time for existing operators to up their game on long-term land use. Phil Edmonds reports.

I

f you’re not sizing up your ridges, verges and margins, you’re probably thinking about it.

All the market signals are pointing to not much short of a free money bonanza to anyone holding tracts of land outside that which is in reliably productive pasture.

Despite elevated fears among rural communities of irreversible land use change as a result, the Government has so far been reluctant to intervene. But what looks like the inevitable may not yet come to pass if farmers are handed responsibility for offsetting their own agricultural emissions, and if younger farmers start thinking

14

about optimising their land use for the longerterm future.

The basis of the emerging bonanza should now be familiar – that being the rising price of carbon emission units, as determined by the Government given its ultimate control of supply. Those who are in the position to sell units (such as owners of sequestered carbon) are winning, and given the Government’s desire to see tangible behaviour change from emitters, are predicted to continue winning as the price is orchestrated upwards.

The current price is sitting at $49 per NZU (tonne of emissions). This has almost doubled

‘If for example a farmer wanted to put in a block of firewood eucalyptus and had to get a resource consent to do so, they are unlikely to be happy.’

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Phil Journeaux: With a carbon price at $25, trees planted and entered into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) would be making 14% return on capital, and at $50 per tonne of emissions, a 25% return on capital.

since the market changed in 2020 from being determined by a fixed price to a price floor and ceiling. To illustrate the influence of this price change on those in a position to supply stored carbon (foresters) via the secondary market, AgFirst economist Phil Journeaux has modelled comparative returns on capital for sheep and beef farms (about 4%) with that of farmed forests. He says with a carbon price at $25, trees planted and entered into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) would be making 14% return on capital, and at $50 per tonne of emissions, a 25% return on capital.

But the extent of those returns may yet be eclipsed as the Government considers advice from the Climate Change Commission, which has recommended a price floor of $30/tonne and price ceiling at $70/t + 10% per annum. At this stage there is a good chance the price will in due course exceed even this, as the Government is forced to become even more instructive to meet its Paris Agreement obligations and reduce New Zealand’s overall emissions.

In its latest rural property market update for forestry, Colliers noted “land for forestry purposes continues to be in high demand… supported by upward pressure on carbon prices… we expect the market will continue to strengthen with comparable carbon markets in Europe at a level commensurate of NZ$90 per NZU.” With this in mind it’s no wonder that interest in tree planting, and land use change for this purpose has been piqued – to put it mildly. What, however,

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is the realistic chance of NZ being covered in pine, to the extent that those who believe the market incentives will dictate all behaviour?

Opinion on this is widely drawn, not helped by patchy, contestable data.

Beef & Lamb NZ released a commissioned report in August which estimated about 34% of the 77,800 hectares of whole farms sold since 2017 were to carbon-only entities due to the escalated carbon price. The accuracy of this claim has since been questioned by the Government, which has suggested a significant exaggeration in the accounting, as well as failing to acknowledge the wider context – that there had been net deforestation between 2005 and 2018 and this has only recently been counteracted.

The Forest Owners Association also challenged the evidence provided, saying the forestry planting rates proposed in the report are not robust or detailed enough to draw any conclusion that should encourage the Government to express concern. Furthermore, Journeaux notes that most of the land identified as sold in the BakerAg report has yet to be planted, so it is too soon to determine the impact.

For those calling for a halt to the tree planting race, it is increasingly difficult to see the Government intervening, despite sticking to the well-worn message that it wants to see the “right tree in the right place”.

Before the last election, Labour indicated it would amend the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry, enabling councils

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John-Paul Praat: Exotics like cypress, eucalyptus and redwood should be explored more carefully.

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to determine the type of land deemed suitable for plantation forestry and required resource consent.

In July this year however, Forestry Minister Stuart Nash stated the policy change is now on ice while it does more work to respond to the Climate Change Commission advice on how to meet NZ’s emissions commitments.

The reality is many farmers who would support some imposed restriction, might also be conflicted by their own self-interest, and a principled entitlement to pursue economic opportunities as they see fit. Waikato-based land management consultant John-Paul Praat says there are always unintended consequences from knee jerk prescriptive legislation.

“If for example a farmer wanted to put in a block of firewood eucalyptus and had to get a resource consent to do so, they are unlikely to be happy.”

Journeaux says it would be difficult trying to tell farmers who own hill country farmland, which may have seen its value increase, they are effectively no longer able to realise that value with new restrictions placed on the land use.

Beyond a ban on tree planting across land classes 1-5, B+LNZ has called for the Government to look at limiting large carbon emitters in the ETS scheme from being able to offset their entire liability through the purchase of units. This view has been supported by Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton, who had said industrial emitters should be made to focus on changing their behaviour rather than buying credits from trees planted on farmland.

But any movement here would potentially be as economically challenging as making farmers pay the full cost of their emissions. The Government

will certainly want to see behaviour change from energy providers, but presumably, in a way that incrementally lifts the real cost of producing energy rather than shocks it into an unaffordable sphere.

There have also been pleas for the Government to do more to encourage the planting of native tree species for carbon sequestration rather than exotics.

This would slow the speed at which planting was undertaken, and also likely diminish the incentive to use class 1-5 land for forestry. B+LNZ indicated this could be enabled by more focus on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

“Farmers say they would prefer to plant natives than pine. But the cost of establishment is horrendous by comparison. The only option to shift the balance would be to subsidise the planting, and that was tried under the billion trees programme, and it still wasn’t enough,” Journeaux says.

Praat agrees natives can not compete in any economic decision-making on forest planting but suggests other exotics like cypress, eucalyptus and redwood should be explored more carefully. “They are a halfway house. The carbon returns will be slightly lower, but offer higher value returns from selective logging in the future. They present a better long-term option.”

If there is going to be a near-term disruptor to the compelling incentives farmers have to convert farmland into forestry, it may come towards the end of the year when the Government is likely to indicate how agricultural emissions will be accounted for and ultimately priced.

Some farmers keen on converting land for carbon farming have reportedly been holding back from commencing a planting programme to capture ETS credits to see whether the Government will allow farmers to offset their own emissions liability with sequestered carbon onfarm. If it does so, it is possible selective tree planting may be more beneficial, and this might stall the wholesale farm conversions to forestry.

In a recent presentation to investors on forestry and carbon, MyFarm general manager of investments Con Williams suggested “planting

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“At the moment, you don’t know what the rules will be. Once we know the rules and the price farmers will be in a much better position to make decisions.”

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trees could be seen as a hedge against agricultural emissions being priced at a farm level. But if you are thinking of carbon as a revenue stream, you’d be inclined to think about how you view the future price of carbon.”

At the moment, that price appears to be only going in one direction.

In terms of forecasting how the Government might move on agricultural emissions, much still hinges on the progress made by He Waka Eke Noa on developing an alternative GHG emissions pricing mechanism for agriculture outside the ETS. Under the Climate Change Response Act, implementation of farm-level accounting and reporting of emissions as well as farm management plans must be ready by 2025. By early 2022, recommendations of the core design features of an alternative pricing system are required.

Several months ago, He Waka Eke Noa programme director Kelly Foster indicated they had their work cut out.

“Having 100% of farms knowing their emissions by the end of 2022 is an ambitious target.”

Without the known prospect of any technology breakthrough that will curtail methane emissions from livestock, as has been hoped for, pressure will be placed on the Government to make a difficult decision on how to pursue this.

It is worth remembering that if after receiving the advice the Government considers the progress has not been sufficient, it is still possible for the agricultural sector to be rolled into the NZ ETS prior to 2025. In which case, doubts about the current conundrum over where to plant trees for what purpose would be effectively ended.

Praat is confident the Government will persevere

with developing a mechanism to measure emissions at the farmgate but doubts it will be in place by the signposted 2025.

“This should not, however, present an excuse to stall on planting trees, because even if the Government does not bring emissions accounting on at the farm level, there will always be the opportunity to sell credits on the open market, which can then offset any obligations. The best option is to start understanding best land use now and where carbon sequestration might work on their own farm.”

Journeaux understands the logic of farmers’ hesitation. Like Praat, he says farmers need to plan, but acknowledges, “At the moment, you don’t know what the rules will be. Once we know the rules and the price farmers will be in a much better position to make decisions.”

While the uncertainty prevails, one action farmers can take now that will leave a more assured outcome is more focus placed on succession planning. Praat suggests the sale of farms for carbon planting has come about partly due to farmers reaching retirement and having nothing in place to pass on a sustainable going concern.

For farmers without the next generation showing interest, they’re going to take the money because they have no one else to think of.

“Farmers need to be thinking about a succession plan. My experience is farmers are not great at long-term succession planning, and still follow a ‘she’ll be right, we’ll sort it out in the end’ approach.”

At this (still) early stage, there is clearly an imbalance in favour of the market over regulation in the motivational forces driving farm forestry. In the near term the muchanticipated future agricultural emissions policy could tilt that balance, or at least challenge current thinking. Beyond that, the farming community’s best defence looks like more astute attention paid by individual farmers to long-term land use planning.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Pasture & Forage News

September 2021

Mixing it up Mixing diploid with tetraploid ryegrass never used to be common practice, because it was always thought the tetraploid would be grazed out.

New cow-friendly tetraploid means a change for the better Farming is changing fast, but 4front, our new tetraploid perennial ryegrass, will help you stay one step ahead, and your cows will love you for it, too.

Palatable, dense and high yielding, 4front grazes well; encourages cows to eat more for higher per head production, and equally important, can improve environmental outcomes.

Tetraploids are fantastic nutrition for grazing animals, because they are so palatable and easy to eat, with more ME per mouthful than diploid ryegrass.

The average lactating dairy cow takes about 25,000 bites of pasture each day – that’s a lot of work! 4front’s softer, making it easier for them to take each bite, keeping them wellnourished for less effort, improving their daily lives.

As well as being more palatable than diploid perennial ryegrass, tetraploids are very valuable for producing milk from fewer cows.

Lincoln University Dairy Farm is a dramatic example of what can be achieved here.

It has reduced cow numbers, cut N fertiliser applications, and sharply

limited N leaching and GHG. It’s done this by becoming more efficient, growing more pasture for the same N, and producing more milk per cow, coupled with significant cost savings.

One of the keys to LUDF’s successful change is use of tetraploid ryegrass, which has now been sown in all but one paddock, because it remains palatable at higher covers.

This doesn’t sound much, but it means more photosynthesis, so the farm is growing over 1.2 t DM/ha/ year more - with just this one change!

4front has the highest DM yield of any tetraploid we’ve bred, and its cool season growth also has the advantage of utilising soil N at the riskiest time of the year for N leaching.

It also has more tillers than other tetraploids, for improved persistence.

To learn more about how 4front can help change the way you farm, either on its own or mixed with Maxsyn, download your free copy of The 4front System from our website.

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But tetraploid 4front and diploid Maxsyn combine well. Together they give a great pasture – denser and more robust that a straight tetraploid, with much better palatability than a straight diploid.

This 50:50 mix is easy to manage during periods of fast growth, because it remains palatable even at relatively high covers.

For farmers who want the easy grazing and improved animal performance of a tetraploidbased pasture, but who have struggled getting straight tetraploids to persist, this is now a very successful and popular option.

Sow 10 kg/ha Maxsyn (half of the recommended 20 kg/ha) with 15 kg/ha 4front (half of the recommended 30 kg/ha).

With Kotuku and Weka white clovers, this mix gives the balance of palatability and persistence to improve profitability across many situations.

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INSIGHT

UPFRONT MARKET VIEW

Watch and wait on world dairy Words by: Stuart Davison

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EU-27 milk production ('000t)

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ew season milk is flowing in New Zealand, calving is almost 2019 2020 done and before you know it, 13,650 mating will be top of the order.

While farmers are flat out getting 13,150 milk flowing, the rest of the global dairy industry spends the time from August 12,650 through September trying to determine what global milk production is likely to be.

12,150 It is a tough time to get a gauge on which way the balance is leaning.

11,650 There’s not enough data on milk production out of New Zealand, on the 11,150 way towards peak production, to lodge a safe bet.

10,650 This at the same time that the European Union comes down from its peak, with hard data slow to appear, shaping the other side of the supply story. In the current market, the United States and Argentina must also be looked into.

US farmers have lifted milk production This year, EU milk production at the same time as US demand fell will not grow to the scale of substantially, so US processors earlier estimates, with hot and have been forced to explore dry weather impacting milk new export avenues over flows, especially in France and the last year. This has been Germany. mostly SMP in greater Milk production is expected quantities into SouthEast Asia, to run behind last year’s figures among others, and whey into Stuart Davison China. on the way to Christmas, which is already being felt in skim milk Fortunately for NZ, Mexico’s powder (SMP) prices. demand for SMP has returned from the Even with the larger EU milk-producing doldrums of the Covid-impacted demand countries seeing production slowing, other lows, which managed to return US SMP EU countries are going hell for leather, and exports to their normal destination, pushing as much milk into the market as Mexico, allowing NZ to keep SouthEast possible.

Asian customers.

Ireland, Poland and Italy continue to China’s demand for protein has also kept post positive milk production figures.

US whey in check, helping to balance out However, most likely not enough to make some of their production. up for the lag coming from French and US milk production continues to grow, German dairies. now with two years of consistent growth.

US milk production has typically tended July’s figure was one of the slowest at 2% to be consumed internally, or pushed over growth, year on year. As with the rest of their northern and southern borders into the world, the US dairy industry seems to Canada and Mexico, rather than further be in a holding pattern, waiting for some afield. Covid upset this to a point. indication of the direction of milk prices

and thus production for the rest of the year.

Argentina’s seasons are the same as NZ, pasture-based, and heavily impacted by weather and costs, but more importantly, world prices.

Argentina’s exports have exploded over the last two years. Whole milk powder exports out of Argentina continue to grow, seemingly finding milk in every nook and crevice of the country. The question that poses itself this season is, can Argentina find more milk to process into whole milk powder? So, we wait and watch weather and export figures from Argentina.

Once the market starts to get a feel for expected milk production out of these key milk producing regions, prices begin to stabilise.

It usually ends up in calm continuation knowing that supply will meet demand, or hectic buying. The point that the market makes its mind up is generally at the end of September. It will be exciting as always.

• Stuart Davison is an NZX Dairy Analyst.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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GLOBAL DAIRY IRELAND

Darker skies despite price wave Words by: Chris McCullough

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rish dairy farmers on both sides of the border are riding the crest of a decent price wave for once but it’s not all rosy down on the farm.

Feed and other input costs have risen too, which takes the shine off the milk price, but there are bigger issues involving the climate ahead that have got Irish dairy farmers worried.

For the first five months of this year milk prices in Northern Ireland have averaged £0.30p (NZ$0.60) per litre, which is 5p per litre higher than the average for the same period in 2020.

Across the border in the Republic of Ireland the latest prices released by the main processors are hovering around 36 euro cents (NZ$0.61) per litre for the standard 3.3% protein and 3.6% butterfat, inclusive of bonuses and VAT. Feed prices have been relatively high this year, especially in Northern Ireland, which has put pressure on milk margins.

While post-Brexit trade issues are easing as time goes on there are some logistical challenges remaining for Northern Ireland farmers who buy inputs on the United Kingdom mainland.

This is down to the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol, a system devised by the European Union and 22

‘Through the potential for carbon leakage, the world will be heavy if we cannot begin to differentiate between emissions from cars and emissions from cows.’

UK to prevent checks along the land border between Northern Ireland in the UK and the Republic of Ireland in the EU, post-Brexit.

However, milk trading in the UK has recovered more towards levels witnessed pre-Covid-19 which is good news for Northern Ireland dairy farmers too.

Domestic demand balance between retail and foodservice is expected to gradually shift in the direction of pre-pandemic levels, but retail demand will remain elevated this year.

Dairy outlooks suggest global markets might face some downward pressure, due to growing supplies from key exporters and a potential softening of China’s strong demand.

UK trade has been improving since the initial shock of exiting the EU, but continues to be challenged by rules of origin and logistical issues.

Dark times ahead Irish farmers might say the clouds that hang over them for most of the year are dark enough being laden with rain, but darker days lie ahead if current climate regulations get official seals of approval.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

In Northern Ireland the government is trying to push through its own versions of how to save the planet, but the devil in the detail will have a huge detrimental effect on agriculture.

In short, there are two Climate Bills trying to get approval in the NI Parliament; a Private Member’s Bill and a less-severe one introduced by NI Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots. Both call for the country to have net zero emissions but the Private Member’s one insists targets are met as early as 2045.

This has got farmers tetchy to say the least, and in response the Ulster Farmers Union, together with other industry stakeholders, commissioned a report into what net zero by 2045 actually meant.

It will not only be the ruination of the agriculture industry, says the report, but will result in loss of 13,000 jobs on farms

leakage with no benefit to greenhouse gas emissions or global warming, and increase levels of food poverty.”

It’s a similar situation across the border in the Republic although the government there has already passed its Climate Action Bill into law calling for a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.

Zoe Kavanagh, chief executive of the National Dairy Council in the Republic, said: “We understand that every sector has its role to play, and our industry has already pledged to cut its emissions and to continue to work to reduce its impacts.

“Ireland’s dairy industry is inextricably linked with Ireland’s economy and its society and the cost to our country; and, through the potential for carbon leakage, the world will be heavy if we cannot begin to differentiate between emissions from cars and emissions from cows.”

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and cause a reduction of £11 billion in economic output with no guarantees the bill will actually reduce emissions.

The report also predicted an 86% reduction in cattle and sheep numbers is needed to hit the 2045 target which would hit the dairy industry hard and wipe out traditional grass-based family farming systems.

Dairy Council for Northern Ireland chief executive Dr Mike Johnston said: “It would reduce our highly successful dairy sector to a cottage industry creating widespread job losses across farms, processing and ancillary industries, taking us back to levels of milk production last seen in 1946.

“Unless consumers’ eating patterns change, dairy and meat produced to lower standards will be imported from other countries to replace high-quality local produce. It would cause carbon

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23

BUSINESS YOUTUBER

e h t n i m

t h g i l t o sp

r a f y r i a D

Milking OAD year round gives Andrew more time up his sleeve to shoot and edit videos for his YouTube channel ‘The Once A Day Farmer’.

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Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Paterangi farmer Andrew Macky has created a YouTube channel, providing content of everyday life on a New Zealand dairy farm and subscriber numbers are growing from around the world. He talked to Sheryl Haitana about why he is getting in front of the camera.

A

tour of Andrew Macky’s dairy farm is the most viewed video on his YouTube Channel, ‘The Once A Day Farmer’.

More than 51,000 people have viewed his video, ‘Farm Tour - My New Zealand dairy farm’, which starts out with Andrew in the paddock with his cows, pointing out the farm’s boundaries, then walking through the herringbone dairy shed, viewing the effluent setup, the vat and farm dairy machinery and the chicory and maize crops.

In the video he talks through what he is doing onfarm, why they do it, how machinery works, what the crops are and how they are used in their system,

and explains that he milks the cows once a day (OAD) and why.

‘A day in the life of a NZ dairy farmer (winter)’ is another one of Andrew’s popular videos, where he takes a camera around with him and talks his audience through the jobs he is doing on the farm for that day.

For example, at the start of the video he explains that the cows are dry and the first calves are due in a week, he videos himself moving the first mob of cows into the next break and finds an overflowing water trough and shows how he jimmys up a temporary fix until he can get back and re-attach the ballcock.

Since turning the spotlight on himself and the farm

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Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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Andrew is diversifying his income by showing people around the world what the daily tasks are on his Waikato dairy farm.

in December 2020, Andrew has made more than 60 videos.

His channel is resonating with people around the world, from young children who now want to be dairy farmers, to Irish dairy farmers interested in the NZ system and even people living in cities who love seeing where their dairy products come from and what life is like on a farm.

“I get comments and emails from mums saying their five-year-old kids love watching the videos and they want to be farmers when they grow up. I have tanker drivers commenting that they like seeing what goes on onfarm.

“Even some of our friends from Auckland love watching it.”

There are requests from people wanting to work on his farm through to questions as to why he does certain things on his farm.

It’s great having that connection with people from around the world, Andrew says.

There aren’t a lot of Jersey cows on YouTube, so along with milking OAD, and the NZ pastoral system, he has a couple of unique elements to his farming operation that people are interested in seeing.

Andrew never set out to promote dairy farming or 26

NZ, but he realises he is providing a platform that shows NZ dairy farming in a positive light.

“I started in December. I had seen other farmers from other countries doing it and I thought that nobody in NZ was big into it. Our NZ system is so unique so I thought people would want to see it.

“It’s pretty honest really. I go into detail and I have nothing to hide.”

Andrew did a couple of years working as a shepherd in NZ, before travelling and working on farms in the north of England, and driving combine harvesters and trucks on the harvest run in the American MidWest.

He always had the plan to return to the family dairy farm and has been back for the last four seasons.

He lives onfarm with his wife Holly, and their two children, Willy, 2.5 years, and Frankie, 1.

Andrew works alongside his dad, William Macky, on their rolling Waikato farm just outside of Te Awamutu, milking 320 Jerseys. Andrew is the fourth generation to work on the family farm. William went OAD about seven years ago and has never looked back, and Andrew said the lifestyle is hard to beat.

“I love it. Cow condition wise, the cows have converted to it really well, family wise, I get to spend time with my young family.”

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

ecember. I had ‘“I started in D rs from other e seen other farm and I thought g it countries doin Z was big into N that nobody in m is so unique e it. Our NZ syst le would want p o so I thought pe e it.’ to se

The morning milking can take up to five hours during the peak, but William and Andrew milk one herd each so it’s only a couple of hours in the shed.

Andrew is in negotiations with his dad about extending the cowshed and installing automatic cup removers.

The OAD system is what allows Andrew the time to video and edit the content for his YouTube channel. The videos average between 10 and 20 minutes, but there are hours of work that go into each one.

Andrew spends an average of a couple of hours a day either videoing or editing content to post. It takes time to set up the camera, to talk through the jobs on camera, edit the videos, plus the admin of replying to the comments on the videos.

He aims to post two videos every week. One of the biggest challenges will be keep coming up with unique content, he says.

It’s a big commitment, but there is monetary reward through the advertising on YouTube. The income he has made so far has helped with his camera equipment. He uses a GoPro camera with an external microphone and a drone to get footage.

“It’s not as easy as you think and it’s really time consuming. It makes every job on farm longer. I’ve had Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

to learn a heap, including how to edit videos, which takes me two-three hours.

“If I wasn’t OAD, I wouldn’t have time, we are probably 1.5 labour units during most of the year, so Dad doesn’t mind me taking the time out.”

Andrew is slowly building a regular income from increasing his subscriber numbers to over 5000, and getting more views of his videos.

“It’s hard though. It’s hard to get into it, I’m just scratching the surface. It’s so hard to go viral, if I could get a video to go viral I’d be sorted.”

Andrew would like to pick up more subscribers in the US where there is such a huge population to target.

His audience is made up of about 20% Kiwis, 45% from the UK and Ireland, 10% from Australia and 10% from the US, and the rest from other countries such as Morocco, Turkey and Thailand.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ANDREW?

To stay tuned to his channel and subscribe, visit

www.youtube.com/c/TheOnceADayFarmer 27

EMPLOYER TOOLKIT

BUSINESS MULTI-CULTURAL TEAMS

Things workers from different cultures say about the way they work What would you say about how you work?

How I like to work

Making the mix work Words by: Anne Lee

I

t’s been a tough couple of years for managing teams on dairy farms around the country with major staff shortages increasing stress levels and stealing away the time that could have been spent inducting new staff and helping the team get to know each other.

But it’s never too late and for those with multi-cultural teams there’s a whole other dimension of complexity to setting up a harmonious workplace.

Megan Bates is Beef + Lamb Southern South Island extension manager and has just completed a Kellogg Leadership study into managing multi-cultural teams in the agriculture sector. She’s had first hand experience, living on the dairy farm her partner manages in Southland where European New Zealanders, Māori, Filipino, Irish and Chilean cultures are all represented. Her partner is Irish and she says there have been times where it’s been easy to misread situations because of cultural differences or interpret comments in completely the wrong way.

That can create some interesting moments but put that into a work situation and throw in the stress of having to get lots of jobs done quickly, especially at this time of the year, along with being physically tired, possibly separated from loved ones and the whole dynamic can get tense at best or even explosive.

Megan says her study – which included an online survey of 48 respondents and semi-structured interviews with 10 farmers – found that 85% of agricultural teams were multicultural with the average number of cultures at three.

Of those 56% could think of a time when there had been cultural challenges and of those 48% were related to language barriers.

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I show respect by not looking my boss in the eye.

I think it is rude to ask the boss questions.

I like to know exactly what I have to do and that my job is secure. I will work hard and stick by my employer.

I often ask direct questions as I like to get things right.

I like to know exactly what the rules are and will stick to them and get the job done. I do not like surprises.

I am usually quiet in meetings until I am asked to speak.

I like to call everyone by their first name.

I expect to be consulted and want things to be fair.

I like to know who is in charge and who the big boss is. I do not usually address people older or more senior than me by their first name.

I do not like being told what to do all the time.

I use quite a bit of slang and often make suggestions without being asked.

Source: Employer toolkit www.immigration.govt.nz/employ-migrants/guides/ inz2-guides-employer-toolkit.pdf

Her study reiterated findings of others that multi-cultural teams rely heavily on those in leadership positions to set them up for success.

She says 88% of survey participants touched on effective management as being a factor in creating strong multi-cultural teams. Megan says those who manage workplaces with a number of cultures need a clear understanding of how to be inclusive of all their members, taking into account their cultural backgrounds and how they prefer to work.

Effective management included clear expectations, organisation, communication, support and education as well as relationship building by creating social activities.

“Cultural diversity within a team can bring a number of strengths along with some challenges that need empathy, problem-solving and patience to resolve them.

3

Managing multi-cultural teams survey, 2021

• “Fair rosters and workload, good communication, flexibility, clear rules, calling out casual racism quickly (even if it’s friendly), casual and frequent meetings so everyone is comfortable asking questions and discussing problems.”

• “We make sure we use multiple methods of communication.”

• “We have a wealth of experience from all over the world and the team is more productive.”

“Learn how to have culturally revealing conversations with your team members and really listen to what they’re saying,” she says.

Culturally revealing conversations

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29

can start out by you sharing a bit about yourself and your background, how you like to work.

By opening up, the other party may feel more confident about sharing their views or past experiences at work that were good and what they found difficult.

Making some time for the team to gather outside of work – particularly where you can share food – is a great way to learn more about how people interact, their cultural background and experiences.

She says 27% of people she questioned said they did this regularly.

Getting over the language barrier can mean thinking a bit creatively using visual aids such as diagrams or even videos.

Having a white board in the office where tasks, instructions or messages are written up clearly gives people a chance to process them at their pace and gives them something to go back to and check without having to ask for it to be repeated.

However, she says creating an environment where people feel comfortable with double-checking and asking to have something repeated should be the goal too.

Phone apps such as WhatsApp, Messenger and Snapchat are used to help overcome difficulties in understanding each other.

Megan found 60% of those with multicultural teams thought their teams were richer in experience and knowledge when they were diverse.

It’s a common finding that multicultural, diverse teams have a wide range of skills with the whole team benefiting from an increased ability to problem solve and ability to innovate but it does depend on how comfortable migrant team members feel to put forward their ideas.

Five cultures are represented on the farm where Megan Bates lives -getting together out of work to socialise and eat together is a great way to learn more about each other: Megan Bates, third left with, from left Elysia Hepi, Juan Oliveros, Keith Manton, Gem Calos, Sherwin Calos and Kamal Sarad.

MIGRANT EXPLOITATION

farmers know only too well NZ’s primary sector and dairying in particular needs large numbers of migrant staff to operate.

“Migrant and immigrant staff have been an integral part of enabling New Zealand agriculture to grow to where it is now and we all need to recognise how important their role is,” she says.

As well as recommending that data and information should continue to be gathered on a range of issues relating to multi-cultural teams Megan is keen to see farm plans expanded to include a people section to help inform and educate farmers about best practices for managing their teams.

• More information is available for migrant staff on www.employment.govt.nz/resolvingproblems/types-of-problems/migrantexploitation.

• Immigration New Zealand’s website also contains advice for employers on settling, supporting and communicating with migrant staff: www.immigration.govt.nz/employmigrants/settle-migrant-staff/supportingmigrant-staff

Disturbingly Megan says she’d found recent studies – one completed in 2019 on Temporary Migrant Exploitation in New Zealand - said more than half of those participating in that study reported they had worked excessive hours.

All of those interviewed in the 2019 report who worked in the dairy sector stated they had been asked to do extra hours but were not paid. The majority of participants in that study felt trapped and had to accept their conditions and exploitation because they had no other option.

They felt they needed the employer to retain a working visa and worried that if the employer gave them a bad reference it would impact their chances of getting another job and their reputation.

The Government responded by announcing it would set up a visa that will support exploited staff to leave their workplace. Holding visa requirements over team members to deal with an issue is threatening behaviour and isn’t likely to bring any positive outcomes. As most

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Culturing understanding

WHO WE ARE

WHERE WE WORK

WHO WE ARE

Words by: Anne Lee

Creating successful, happy multi-cultural teams will mean being more open, challenging some of your pre-conceptions and putting in some effort to get to know a bit more about your teammates.

Shireen Chua is the director of Third Culture Solutions, a company that specialises in coaching leaders and teams in inter-cultural intelligence. Born in Malaysia to Chinese parents she’s a Kiwi who has lived in New Zealand for more than 30 years.

“I get the difficulties people have – for me going to visit family in Asia can be a fascinating culture shock for me as some of my behaviours are completely foreign to them,” she says.

Yet in NZ people can make all kinds of assumptions about her because she looks Asian. Inter-Cultural intelligence or CQ – the abbreviation is akin to EQ for emotional intelligence – is described as the ability to create new cultural spaces that facilitate win:win solutions for people by anticipating, correctly interpreting and adjusting to the culturally defined behaviours of others.

Curiosity and cultural agility are some of the keys to being able to anticipate and correctly interpret culturally defined behaviours.

“As a leader but also as a team member, be curious – adopt a curious mindset and be open to differences.

“Be curious enough to observe how people interact, how they react but also be curious enough to try opening up conversations about what they’ve done, where they’ve lived, what it’s like there, their families – all in a respectful way,” she says.

Everyone has a world view influenced by their culture (the learned behaviours and values of their group of people) but also by their experiences.

Shireen uses the cultural iceberg to explain that above the water’s surface is the observable culture (behaviours) but hidden

below are your individual experiences, family situations, age, values, beliefs that drive behaviours - all which impact how we relate to and interact with each other.

As well as understanding more about the cultural aspects of team mates it’s important to understand more about yourself from the cultural point of view too.

“We don’t often see things as they are – we see things as we are. We have lenses through which we see the world.

“We’ve put our own spin on things – we make assumptions and our brain goes straight to interpretation rather than seeing the data, the plain facts.”

To help explain how people from different cultures can view things differently, Shireen says there is a three colour (3C) or lens theory. They’re the lenses people look at the world through and use to form their world views, she says.

• Innocence versus guilt (IG) – wanting to do what’s right, issues can be seen as black and white, agreements are formally noted, contracts are used.

• Honour versus shame (HS) – respect is important, our actions are to honour and respect the relationships and the community. (This is the main worldview in collective cultures).

• Power versus fear (PF) – refers to status and hierarchy, where behaviour is driven by aligning with the right people as important to success.

Shireen says every culture will have a mix of all three but often one or two will dominate.

“There’s a lot of depth to this too, though – it’s not just ethnically diversified, it can be generational too.

“The ‘boomer’ generation may be more inclined to have a IG lens of doing what’s right but the younger generation who often seek respect (HS) wants to be empowered.”

Someone may not look at you while speaking for instance and you interpret

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

that as disrespectful when in fact in their culture it’s the complete opposite.

“As a manager of people, work on creating an environment where each culture can feel safe and happy.

“You may need to be more flexible in how you operate to accommodate those with other world views.

“It’s the art of compromise and negotiation. If people of a red culture have to work with people of a blue culture you have to work in a purple space,” she says.

“That doesn’t mean you have to become purple – you need to retain who you are but all of you learn to operate in a way that accommodates each other.”

LANGUAGE • Overcoming language barriers can be a big hurdle so speak slowly, ask people to reframe what you have said or if you’re the one who doesn’t quite understand, reframe the question or statement back to them.

• Avoid using jargon but if you’re going to use it, teach it first.

• Use visual cues. Most people have better reading than listening skills when it comes to picking up what’s being said in your second language so use txts or chat apps such as Messenger or WhatsApp so instructions are in a written form.

• Overall, Shireen says aim to look for the common ground rather than focusing on the differences. “Look at what brings us together.”

• Also be wary of stereotyping people.

People are people no matter where they’re from or what their culture is and there will be different personality types within ethnic groups.

In today’s culturally diverse farms and communities, it’s now no longer optional to work in culturally diverse teams.

Developing intercultural teams can be hard and frustrating, but it’s also rich and rewarding in the long term if you see it as a learning journey.

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BUSINESS CO-OP ANNIVERSARY

150 years of dairy co-operation

The Springfield steading on the Otago Peninsula today.

‘(Co-ops’) popularity was growing following the English Chartists movement between 1838 and 1848 which aimed to bring political rights to the working classes.’

The first page of the Otago Co-operative Cheese Company minute book now kept at the Hocken Library in Dunedin.

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Words and photos by: Karen Trebilcock

A

drop in the price of butter and the lack of good roading led to the origins of New Zealand’s first dairy co-operative.

In 1871, about a third of the Otago Peninsula, had been divided into farms, many too steep and too small to profitably grow crops or farm sheep.

Instead, the mostly Scottish settlers had dairy cows, with a stocking rate of about one per hectare. Of mixed breeding, known as “colonial cows” but mostly Ayrshire the breed was believed tough enough to forage the hill country.

Fresh milk was sold in Dunedin for four pence per quart in the summer and five pence per quart in winter but for many the roads between their farm and the town were too bad for a horse and cart. Butter kept for longer and was easier to transport.

But on August 22, 1871, when the price of butter fell, eight farmers gathered at John Mathieson’s Springfield farm and formed the Otago Co-operative Cheese Company.

Each farmer bought shares based on the amount of milk to be supplied, with each share having a value of £1 and representing the supply of 10 quarts of morning milk. Mathieson was the majority shareholder with 20 shares.

In September, 150 years ago, the cooperative started making Dunlop cheese.

Still made in Scotland, it uses Ayrshire milk, hard pressed from whole milk. It’s ready in six months but can mature up to 14 months.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Saves A Labour Unit In The Shed.

In the first year the co-operative made 4.5 tons of cheese, all sold in Dunedin, but in following years the cheese was sent as far away as Australia.

University of Otago Emeritus Professor of History Tom Brooking says co-ops were well known in Scotland when Mathieson left at the age of 40 in 1858.

“Their popularity was growing following the English Chartists movement between 1838 and 1848 which aimed to bring political rights to the working classes,” he says.

“Co-ops made it easier to raise capital and run any operation.”

Another co-operative on the peninsula was started a few years later by local investors – the Hoopers Inlet Gold Mining Company – but was short-lived due to the elusiveness of the gold seam.

“Dairy co-ops soon caught on in the Manawatu, Banks Peninsula and North Auckland but not Taranaki where private companies dominated,” Tom says.

By 1900, there were 111 dairy cooperatives in the country.

Mathieson and his wife Catherine had learnt how to make cheese in Scotland.

They won Springfield through a ballot, building their bluestone house there in 1865.

Their stonewalled barn and loft was converted to cheesemaking by the cooperative plus the homestead’s kitchen was used for heating the milk in cast-iron and enamelled tubs.

One of the shareholders, John Laidlaw McGregor, learnt from the Mathiesons how to make the cheese and agreed not to share his knowledge with anyone outside the co-operative.

For four years the Otago Co-operative Cheese Company struggled with low cheese prices and insufficient resources including money for firewood.

On June 16, 1875, there was a meeting of the co-operative not at Springfield but at McGregor’s house “for the purpose of selling shares” and Mathieson’s name is not in the minutes.

We’re empowering farmers with the one thing they need most, time. Staffing issues are an ongoing issue in the dairy industry, the auto drafting integration between CowManager and DTS is actively able to reduce a labour unit in the shed over mating.

The sign on Highcliff Road on the Otago Peninsula marking the site of New Zealand’s first co-operative dairy company.

It was renamed the Peninsula Cheese Making Company which in 1879 became the Peninsula Pioneer Cheese Making Company and in 1883 the Pioneer Cheese Making Company.

In 1884, after surviving the ups and downs of cheese prices, an invasion of mice in the storeroom and having to take milk from shareholders which had soured or had water added, it became the Taieri and Peninsula Company.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

“CowManager picks up the cows and DTS drafts them out, nobody needs to think about anything really.”

- Ruurd Dijkstra.

07 280 5798 | www.senztag.co.nz 33

BUSINESS ANIMAL MONITORING

Left: Cows coming through the Protrack.

Merger expands tech growth Words by: Tony Leggett

A

llflex New Zealand is expanding its support and onfarm training teams to meet expected growth following the mid-year merger with Livestock Improvement Corporation Automation (LICA).

The merger followed the acquisition of LICA by Allflex’s parent company, MSD Animal Health.

Allflex was acquired by MSD Animal Health in 2019 and had already begun building its own animal monitoring and management business, primarily in the dairy sector, with cow collars, pulsators, cup removers, milk meters, auto-drafting and weighing kits.

But the more than 2500 customers using LICA’s Protrack in-shed systems provides a massive boost to business for Allflex.

Protrack systems integrate directly with Allflex’s monitoring technologies.

Allflex general manager Jared Briggs says there are 70 staff already supporting the company’s onfarm identification and monitoring clients in New Zealand, and another 40 working on product development globally.

34

“When you add in our local sales teams across our key portfolios of monitoring, animal health and identification on top of that, it’s clear that we mean business when we say we’re here to help,” Briggs says.

LICA’s team of engineers, developers, field and support staff have already spent time together with the Allflex teams since the acquisition.

“We do have NZ’s largest training and technical support team. We’re recruiting now, and what’s been exciting is that we can take staff on so we’re front-footing growth so we can always meet our customers’ expectations.”

The immediate goal is to make the customer service experience better for farmers and the farm.

“Pulling together the best technology, support, advice, and service from both teams to build one specialist farm intelligence provider is our aim,” he says.

Existing Protrack customers have been assured their technologies will continue to integrate directly with the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) MINDA animal management software package.

Allflex is also committed to supporting existing in-shed installations, regardless of cow collar brand, for their working life

and says pricing is unchanged for Protrack software, products and servicing.

Briggs says the need for farmers to upgrade to the latest generation of Protrack software remains. Migrations from the first generation products (Vector and Vantage) will continue through to June 2022.

Allflex is also committed to further development of products and packages, Briggs says.

Fresh to the Protrack offering is an exit count indicator on the milking overview panel for rotary ID users and available now is a group colour column, again for rotary ID users. A heat correction button and a feature to link unknown cows are also expected soon.

“We are taking on all the upgrade work that LIC had previously promised including any connections to MINDA Live and we will be making other improvements where we can on the journey.”

Briggs says Allflex will continue to work closely with LIC to improve the customer experience across its range of products.

“Our agreement with LIC ensures the ongoing flow of data between MINDA, Protrack and our monitoring solutions,” he says.

Briggs says the company has already provided a complete package for several newly built sheds, but adding components over time is a popular option for many dairy farmers.

“They can buy an auto-drafting gate, then next year buy our collars, then milk sensors and then automatic cup removers.

It’s a modular solution that can be upgraded depending on the need and they can do it over time, but know it will all talk to each other,” he says.

A push into new markets is also in the future plan for the merged businesses.

“This is about building a system here, proving it here and then taking it to the rest of the world.”

He is confident that with further research and development, combined with the network strengths of a global company the size of MSD Animal Health, the new entity can become a global player in the future.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

BUSINESS SHEEP MILKING

Straight from the ewe Words by: Sheryl Haitana

M

aui Milk chief executive Leah Davey signed her contract with Maui Milk before even tasting sheep’s milk, that’s how confident she is in the future of the industry.

“I went out after I had signed the contract and thought I better try the stuff - and it’s delicious.”

The nutritional benefits of sheep milk along with the reduced environmental impact and diversity for agriculture in New Zealand were opportunities that jumped off the page.

“For me it ticks a lot of boxes right across the value chain, I don’t see a box that it doesn’t tick.”

Nutrition, flavour, profitability, sustainability, as well as from a land use perspective and diversity in agriculture in NZ, milking sheep in NZ is an exciting venture to be involved with, she says.

Leah has been meeting banks and agri suppliers to educate them on the opportunities in milking sheep. That education will hopefully further support those willing to enter the industry, she says.

“The objective is to educate the banks’ wider agri teams about Maui Milk, what our strategy is, why we are confident and why therefore they should be confident.”

Maui Milk took on eight new suppliers who lambed this season - taking their total supplier numbers to 13.

Within two years Maui Milk predicts it will outgrow the current processing drying facility at Waikato Innovation Park.

One of Leah’s key focuses is looking for a potential processing partner capable of drying sheep milk.

The company wants to stay local.

There are 3800 dairy farms in the Waikato, which is a big enough pool to look for ideal conversions to sheep milking, and the sheep are thriving in the region, she says.

“In the first year they (the sheep) outperformed our expectations.

Maui Milk’s Leah Davey is looking to add even more premium to New Zealand sheep milk products.

“We are pretty firm that we want to stay true to the Waikato.”

Maui Milk’s focus has been on supplying milk for its contract with Danone, which has a sheep milk formula range under its Nutricia brand. It is now meeting supply for that contract and can start exploring other product mix options, Leah says.

‘The objective is to educate the banks’ wider agri teams about Maui Milk, what our strategy is, why we are confident and why therefore they should be confident.’

Aside from infant nutrition, she says there are opportunities in aged nutrition, sports and pet nutrition.

The focus remains with offshore markets, partly due to the short season and limitations on product format and the fact that the New Zealand market will take time to develop as the industry educates

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

consumers on the advantages of sheep milk.

Leah came into the role two weeks before Covid 19 hit the world and she is chomping at the bit to get offshore to network and connect with markets.

“Every day you think you understand the impact of Covid and something else pops up.

“We are constantly learning and changing and that’s great.”

NZ currently receives a 15-20% premium on its products, but there is the possibility to increase that significantly with science, she says.

“We have lived off this ‘brand NZ’ for a long time, but there needs to be more done.”

NZ is asking a lot more for sheep milk prices globally, simply because the products are made in NZ. However, Leah believes the nutritional benefits, at the milk composition level, as well as their unique Southern Cross Dairy Sheep genetics milked on a NZ pastoral system, has potential to add even more value.

She is focused on investing further in science to show the true value of NZ-made sheep milk products.

“We know some of this science already but intuitively there is much more to discover.”

35

SYSTEMS CHANGING CLIMATE

Facing up to increased climate variability As the north warms researchers are looking across the Tasman for suitable alternative forage species.

Delwyn Dickey reports.

N

orthland, New Zealand and New South Wales in Australia, don’t look that much alike.

Red earth and a bunch of bouncing marsupials are certainly missing from the Kiwi scene.

But we have more in common than you might think.

As the climate warms, farmers from other parts of the country can look to other districts to see what their future climatic conditions might look like and adapt their farming operations accordingly.

But farmers in the north are heading into uncharted territory.

Northland already experiences about 55 days a year, between November and April, when soil moisture is too low to maintain plant growth without irrigation, according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

With an extra 20 to 30 days a year with 36

temperatures over 25 Celsius likely by 2040 and a whooping 40 days a year possible in 70 years, the Northland climate is moving into a league of its own, with no comparable area we can look to for climatic conditions.

Unless we look across the Tasman.

“Northern New Zealand’s climate is becoming more similar to central and southern Victoria’s,” Professor Yani Garcia with the University of Sydney told delegates at the Resilient Pastures Symposium recently. “In the future it may be more similar to current central and northern New South Wales (NSW).”

The modelling systems used showed that while the climatic suitability for dairy of the mid and north coast of NSW and South East Queensland clearly decreases by 2050, it improves markedly for Tasmania and the Manawatu, and even more so for Canterbury and parts of Southland.

Professor Yani Garcia from the University of Sydney.

By 2050 these models show Northland with a similar climate to the Sydney Basin today, Garcia says, and to the NSW coastline areas more generally, with Waikato’s climate similar to Northland today.

Rainfall is becoming more irregular and unpredictable, with Victoria, NSW and Queensland particularly, being hit hard by two unprecedented extreme droughts in

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Dry vs. drier: the climate is changing in Northland , so that it is more resembling parts of Australia. Alternative pasture species help to maintain growth and pasture resilience.

‘Northern New Zealand’s climate is becoming more similar to central and southern Victoria’s.’

the last 20 years, he says.

Northland experienced its worst drought in 100 years recently.

These types of drought see little to no pasture growth for months or entire seasons, which, for dairy systems, typically mean a big increase in feed costs and a reduction in farm profitability.

But just moving intermittently in and out of times of soil moisture stress, also puts added pressure on pasture persistence and quality, as well as creating weed and pest issues - all of which affect profitability.

Scientists are now seeing the likelihood of increased variability with rainfall and soil moisture content as more problematic for farming than the long-term effects of an increased average global temperature, Garcia says.

This is seen in the most recent modelling research for South East Australia which points to extreme variability as the biggest challenge to resilience.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

So where does this leave Northland farmers?

Finding alternative pasture species to shallow rooted ryegrass, which is increasingly struggling in the dry northern summer and autumn, has been the biggest issue for northern farmers Murray Jagger and Stuart Thomson (see the July issue of Dairy Exporter). They see tall fescue, cocksfoot and clover as a more resilient alternative.

Garcia agrees. Deep rooted perennial species are potentially a key strategy in adapting our dairy farm systems to increased climate variability.

Plant breeding for heat tolerance, or more lenient grazing management, may not be as effective as breeding plants for increased soil moisture resilience - with larger and deeper root systems - as seen with fescue, cocksfoot and phalaris.

But Jagger and Thomson are among a small percentage of farmers actively moving away from ryegrass pastures.

37

“Ryegrass is by far the most common pasture sown, and for good reason,” NZ Grassland Association president and senior scientist with AgResearch Dr Warren King says.

“It’s easy to get really good seed, easy to establish and easy to graze. If you look at DairyNZ Forage Value Index – they’re all ryegrass cultivars: perennials, Italians and annuals.

“We understand it really, really well. So, if it’s not performing as well as it used to then we have an issue.”

He too sees a need to research beyond ryegrass for increasingly drier Northland, and as the Waikato’s climate heads in that direction.

“Northland is 30 years ahead of the rest of the country – always has been,” he says.

“Waikato already has much in common with Northland with regards to ryegrass pastures.”

King points to the trialling of a dozen or more subtropical grass species in Northland in the 1970s, in Kaikohe and Kerikeri.

“None of them were really hugely successful and, as you can imagine, many were a bit cold sensitive.”

But, with the northern climate having warmed up in the 40 plus years since, it may be time to take a look at them again, he says. In addition, King is part of an initiative that will cast the net more widely to Australia as well as North and South America and also Japan to look at some of the subtropical grass and legume species that have been in development there.

Ultimately, the aim is to trial promising candidates in Northland.

But that may be easier said than done.

“Bringing pasture species that have never been brought into the country will be a big issue and a big hurdle to jump through with the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).”

With species that have already been grown here in the past there shouldn’t be such an issue.

“However, more plant development work will have also been done in the last 40 years on some of those trial species

38

offshore, so it’s a conversation we’ll have to have with MPI, see what their thinking might be on it - where they might draw the line.”

But getting the major seed suppliers interested in significant Warren King. research and development on new pasture species may not be easy.

At a recent field day at the Northland Agricultural Research Farm (NARF) near Dargaville, run by the Northland Dairy Development Trust (NDDT) under coordinator Kim Robinson, delegates were given a run down on the next four-year future farming trial. The trial will look at alternative pastures, and reducing emissions on a traditional ryegrass-based farm. (More on page 82: Research Wrap) Several farmers gave talks on their experiences of using alternative pasture species.

Cropmark Seeds, a smaller NZ-owned Canterbury company, was the only seed company to send representatives.

Robinson feels the big growers aren’t really interested in research and development for new cultivars, for the northern area, as Northland farmers make up a small percentage of their business.

King sees this as a valid point, with research and development costs likely behind this.

“It can take a 10 or 15-year development cycle for new cultivars to be developed and to arrive for sale in the rural retail stores, so a single ryegrass cultivar that can be planted up and down the country is a much easier business case to make.

“Looking at the seed volumes you might sell in Northland - it’s a much harder business prospect.

“But they are not ignoring Northland completely – they are testing all their new [ryegrass] cultivars in the Northland

environment before they release them.

“Outside of ryegrass – with some of these cocksfoot varieties having not been extensively trialled – farmers are really at the forefront of some of this work.”

Tech manager at Cropmark Seeds, Dr Matthew Deighton, was at the field day.

Much of the research and development trialling work they do is on host farms, Deighton says, which extends as far north as Waikato. They wanted to make contact with farmers at the field day who would be interested in hosting trials for alternative pastures. With autumn the time to start trials they have some time up their sleeve, but were pleased with the farming contacts they made.

“It’s clear there’s a different environment being experienced in the upper north now, so that’s where we need to increase our trialling effort. It’s clear issues with climate change are pushing ryegrass beyond its capabilities.” He says, “But we see huge potential with cocksfoot.”

“There comes a point when the economic value of some of these alternatives supersedes ryegrass.”

But it may not be all plain sailing with new pasture species.

Ryegrass endophytes give some protection against insect predation, and while cocksfoot is highly persistent it doesn’t host an endophyte, Deighton says.

“That creates a challenge on some soil types like lighter peat soils where black beetle are becoming a problem, with larvae being especially damaging to grass roots. This is where multi-species pastures may hold greater potential to provide improved persistence despite increasing climate and insect pest pressures.”

The unknowns highlight the need for serious research as Northland farmers, and ultimately all farmers in the upper North Island, face new challenges in a changing climate.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

“STALOSAN F® GIVES ME CONTROL OVER THE ENVIRONMENT THAT MY CALVES ARE IN.” Calving Manager Nicole Woodford is a strong advocate for AgriVantage’s Stalosan F. She has used it as the main biosecurity aid in rearing pens for the last 6 years.

Nicole works at Ardno Farms Limited in Mossburn, Southland. She rears 500 replacement heifers, 100 Herefords to 100kg and 20 Friesian Bulls to 100kg.

She also runs the bobby calves and 4-day-old Hereford sales.

In a previous calf rearing job, Nicole started using Stalosan F. “At the time, we had rotavirus through the farm” she explains. “It made no sense to me to add more liquid (disinfectant) to pens that were already wet.

So, I got onto Google and came across Stalosan F. Everything I read about using a drying agent with antibacterial properties made perfect sense. We ordered it in, and I have never had disease in my sheds (since).”

Nicole is passionate about growing happy, healthy animals and is detailed in her biosecurity programme.

With the help of one full-time worker and a few casuals through the rearing season, she runs three calf sheds. One is an old, converted wool shed with a drive down the middle and pens on either side. There’s also an old, converted implement shed and a newer 8-bay shed.

It’s not easy to keep disease under control in the old wool shed. “There’s lots to combat, like pigeons” says Nicole. “We also have two to three rounds of calves come through in a season, so the sheds don’t get a rest.”

The pens are cleaned and disinfected before the first round of calves, then lined with hydrated lime and a layer of Stalosan F before the wood chip bedding goes down. They dust once weekly with Stalosan F. Between calf rounds, the pens are dusted with Stalosan F and re-chipped.

“If new chip is damp from being outside, we will ‘Stalosan it’ too” she adds.

Nicole’s mantra is that it is better to prevent an outbreak than deal with it.

“Stalosan F gives me control over the environment that my calves are in. I have dry pens, happy calves and a nice smell.”

In the past, Nicole found nutritional scours would often turn infectious. Not anymore, she says. “We simply shovel the scours out and sprinkle Stalosan F over any areas where there’s evidence of scours, especially the corners (of the calf pens). As a result, we simply don’t get infectious scours.

A powerful drying agent, Stalosan F stabilises the microflora and chemical balance in animal bedding. It will absorb up to 400% of its weight in moisture.

“Stalosan F is not overly expensive for what it does” she concludes. “If you get an outbreak, you’re looking at $70-80 in vet bills per calf. Stalosan F is our insurance and, at about $1 per calf*, is highly cost-effective.

“I constantly recommend Stalosan F as a rearing essential. A good dusting will keep the pens dry and bacteria under control.”

Use Stalosan F in conjunction with a strong liquid disinfectant for a total hygiene solution. Stalosan F is available from rural retailers nationwide.

Learn about Stalosan F

“Last season we had rotavirus outside too, but the calf sheds were fine.

*$56.25 per bag is the bulk RRP (pallet price) for Stalosan F.

0800 64 55 76 www.agrivantage.co.nz

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

39

SYSTEMS LINCOLN UNIVERSITY DEMONSTRATION FARM

Putting fleximilking to the test Words by: Anne Lee

L

incoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) is making some big changes this season, moving to a 10-in-seven milking regime and starting a pasture renewal programme that will ultimately see 30% of its grazed area as whole swards of plantain.

The high performing farm sits among the top 2% of performers in the country in terms of both profitability and productivity and hasn’t been shy about putting new science into practice over the nearly two decades it’s been operating.

The 160-hectare milking platform, 555cow farm is part of the South Island Dairy Demonstration Centre (SIDDC).

SIDDC’s purpose is “to demonstrate tomorrow’s dairy farming today.”

LUDF’s farm consultant Jeremy Savage from MacFarlane Rural Business says with SIDDC’s purpose in mind the farm’s current strategies have been set to focus on three key areas where farmers are facing challenges – people, animals and environment, but still maintain its high performance.

The variable milking programme – milking cows 10 times over seven days instead of the typical 14 times with a twice-a-day milking programme – aims to improve both animal welfare outcomes and lift staff wellbeing.

LUDF cows, along with team members, will get Saturday and Sunday sleep-ins under the new 10-in-7 milking regime.

The plantain plan – renewing 10% of pastures each year and sowing whole paddocks of plantain and white clover until at least 30% plantain is achieved across the farm – aims to reduce nitrate leaching from 35kg N/ha/year to 26kg N/ ha/year.

Jeremy says the first paddocks will start to be sown in plantain from mid-October once daily pasture supply has exceeded demand but the 10-in-seven milking frequency has already been implemented for this season.

The aim of the variable milking plan is to create a workplace where staff have improved rosters, fewer early starts and more condensed workloads allowing for

more personal and family time.

“We want to create a workplace that’s attractive to prospective employees, where the work loads and hours help make it a great work environment,” he says.

The milking regime also means fewer walks to milking for the cows which should help reduce lameness.

More time grazing and less time walking should also help boost cow condition and the overall vigour of the cows, he says.

A 10 milkings in seven days frequency works in practice by having a three-intwo-day milking frequency from Monday to Friday and then once-a-day (OAD) on Saturday and Sunday.

Milking times and milking intervals

MON

TUE

AM

9.5 hours between

40

AM

AM

PM

18 hours

THU

WED

AM

PM

21 hours

9 hours

18 hours

21 hours

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Farmax modelling inputs

‘We want to create a workplace that’s attractive to prospective employees, where the work loads and hours help make it a great work environment.’

THE TIMETABLE

It has already been successfully implemented by other farmers around the country and interest in it is growing, especially with the shortage of labour the sector is experiencing.

Research carried out by DairyNZ scientist Dr Paul Edwards at the Lincoln University Research Dairy Farm (LURDF) found there is a milk production cost to the change that can impact income but on the other side of the ledger there are cost savings.

His study found variable milking led to a 5% drop in milk production from the time the variable milking started.

Of that 5% drop 3% came from a drop in milk fat and 8% from a fall in protein. But he also found that by the end of a full season of three-in-two milking body condition score (BCS) had improved by 0.25 BCS. The research looked at the effect of varying the time between milkings on production and found no significant difference between intervals of 8-20-20 hours, 10-19-19 hours or 12-18-18 hours.

Jeremy has used Farmax modelling to analyse the effect on the LUDF of a 10-in-seven milking frequency based on Paul’s findings and factors such as lower electricity usage and wash down costs thanks to fewer milkings along with decreased petrol and motorbike repairs and maintenance.

Lower winter feed requirements and the ability to reduce staffing cost.

EXECUTING THE PLAN

While some metrics can be easily recorded to understand how the change in milking frequency is affecting issues such as lameness, understanding the effect on staff, their workloads and their wellbeing will mean keeping new records and asking them how they are faring.

Keeping records of start and finish times, the amount of time spent in the farm dairy and the amount of time spent on other jobs through the day along with the amount of time off during the day will all help paint a picture of how the system is working in reality. Health and safety records will also be compared.

Allocating feed when the time between milkings varies is not as simple as it is for regular milking intervals and the team has developed a spreadsheet plan based on allowing feed on a square metre per hour rate.

Explanation of the plan, how the team has found it, how they’ve dealt with other issues such as timing of calf feeding using milk from the vat, colostrum feeding and milking of colostrum cows and dealing with any mastitis cases will all be discussed in more detail at the LUDF focus day due to be held on October 6.

FRI

SAT PM

AM

AM

21 hours

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Impact on Inputs, resources and finances • Decreased petrol and motorbike R&M by 25%.

• Decreased power consumption by 13% with less running time of shed.

• Cost of cleaning the shed and plant dropped by 25%.

• Winter feed requirements dropped by $1.80/week as cows 0.23 BCS fatter at the close of the season. This is based on $0.29/kg drymatter (DM). This will even up/negate the impact on BCS on the following mating.

• Lameness, TAD 12%. 10-in-7 milking regime 0%. Per cow production will increase due to no lameness. If $40/ cow for treatment (excluding milk), no lameness decreases animal health spend by $4.80/per cow.

SUN

AM

9 hours

Farmax Dairy modelling inputs for LUDF milking frequency change from twice-aday to 10-in-seven.

• Cow numbers to stay the same.

• Variable milking to commence from day one of season.

• Lactation curve projected a 5% drop.

Production was dropped from 494kg MS/cow to 471kg MS/cow.

• Culled as per current policy to keep N leaching low.

• Maintained nitrogen fertiliser at 160kg/ ha/yr nitrogen.

• Cut silage in spring/early summer to maintain quality, fed silage back in autumn.

• Total production dropped by 11,800kg MS

21 hours

Changes in Human Resource • 3.5 full time equivalents (FTE) on farm.

50% of workload in milking. 19% less time in milking.

• 0.33 FTE Drop in workload. Including house, @ $65,000 per annum - $19,500.

The modelling resulted in a $19,000 drop in income but the savings were $21,700 and ultimately the farm’s profit before tax was almost the same with a $17/ha advantage to the 10-in-seven regime.

20.5 hours to Monday

41

SYSTEMS MAIZE N LEACHING

Winter catch crops a must for maize growers 26-Sep 30-Sep 3-Oct 7-Oct 14-Oct 21-Oct

Words by: Raewyn Densley

C

ontroversy over an appropriate rooting depth to use when calculating nitrogen (N) losses under maize, led to the birth of a significant environmental research programme for Pioneer® brand seeds.

Three years down the track, the recently released results show there is opportunity for maize to be used as a mitigation strategy to help decrease on-farm nitrogen losses, but only if it is paired with a winter catch crop and a good nitrogen management system.

“The most commonly used on-farm leaching loss model assumed maize had a rooting depth of 60 cm,” says Jamie Millar, Research Associate for Pioneer. “We knew that maize roots grew deeper but there was little information about the effective rooting depth of maize or nitrogen loss beneath it in New Zealand”.

In an attempt to quantify N loss from maize and forage crop systems Jamie and her research team colleagues established an array of suction cups and barrel lysimeters on a long-term maize cropping block near Te Awamutu.

The plots had maize growing on them during the summer months. This was harvested as silage in the autumn and three winter catch crop options (oats, annual ryegrass or oats plus annual ryegrass) were established alongside a fallow plot.

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129 138 143 143 143 143

28 28 30 31 31 31

Winter catch crop plots.

FIGURE 1: NITROGEN LEACHING UNDER MAIZE AND WINTER FALLOW (70 VS 120CM)

70cm

120cm

Throughout the season nitrogen leaching was measured using an extensive array of ceramic sampling cups and barrel lysimeters placed below the plots at 70 and 120cm depth.

“The suction cups allowed us to measure the nitrogen concentration while the lysimeters measured the total volume of water draining through the soil,” Jamie says. “There was a large amount of machine and hand digging to get everything in place.”

To ensure the system had surplus nitrogen, synthetic nitrogen was applied to allow a total soil N level of 500 kg N/ ha during the maize growing cycle. Most of the synthetic nitrogen was applied as sidedress when the maize plants were “gumboot” high.

Despite the excessive fertiliser input, there was virtually no nitrogen leached during the maize growing season. Areas established in a catch crop leached very low levels of nitrogen over winter, resulting in a small annual leaching loss of 6-7 kg N/ ha while plots which were fallow over the winter lost significantly more – about 64 kg N/ha.

There were two reasons why winter catch crops reduced nitrogen leaching.

Winter plant growth required nitrogen and growing plants transpired, using soil water.

The combination of less water running through the soil and less free nitrogen in the soil provided a 10-fold drop in the amount of N leached.

“It was really noticeable when we took our measurements after a rain event,”

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Jamie Millar collects drainage water from the lysimeter.

Regardless as to whether you are a maize grain or silage grower, the results are very clear. If you want to reap the full environmental benefits of maize, you have to get a catch crop in as soon as the maize comes off.

Jamie says. “There would be a lot of water under the fallow plot lysimeters and none or very little under the catch crops”.

Overseas research and farmer practice has also shown that maize is an effective option for mitigating nitrogen leaching and this local research shows that even when planted in a high nitrogen environment, the losses from under maize can be very low.

“It’s exciting because farmers and councils can have confidence that maize paddocks are not losing nitrogen and perhaps in the future, we can incorporate maize into farm systems to mop up surplus nitrogen in effluent or winter cropping paddocks,” Jamie says.

Another interesting result from the research was the difference between N-leaching losses at 70 vs 120cm measurement depth (Figure 1).

“Compared to other crops or plants, maize has a very deep effective rooting depth and leaching measurements taken at shallow depths can significantly overestimate N losses under maize,” Jamie says. “In our research the nitrogen loss at 70 cm was at least three times greater than that measured at 120cm”.

These results highlight the importance of getting the depth correct when measuring or modelling nitrogen leaching losses under maize.

Regardless as to whether you are a maize grain or silage grower, the results are very clear. If you want to reap the full environmental benefits of maize, you have to get a catch crop in as soon as the maize comes off.

“Winter catch crops reduce nitrogen and sediment losses and they improve soil water holding capacity,” says Jamie. “They can be harvested to provide additional income, or, in some cases, left in the paddock to provide nutrients for the next crop reducing the need for additional fertiliser.”

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Gets the job done, down to the last detail.

Detail®water-based tail paint is gentler on your cows, safer for you and better for the environment.

Designed for simple and cost-effective heat detection, Detail® is part of FIL‘s fluorescent tail paint range. And to reduce plastic waste on-farm, our water-based tail paints are available in 10L and our new 4L pails.

Proudly made in New Zealand, Detail® is a tried and tested formulation trusted by farmers for decades.

43

SYSTEMS FODDER BEET WINTERING

Low-protein diet problematic Words and photos by: Karen Trebilcock

W

e offer feed to our cows in kilograms of drymatter (kg DM) but not all DM is the same, especially when it really counts before calving.

PGG Wrightson Seeds’ veterinary nutritionist Charlotte Westwood says dairy cows in New Zealand, fed on high rates of bulb crops (fodder beet, swedes or turnips) during late winter, potentially come into milk production following a late pregnancy diet lacking in dietary protein.

“Protein levels in winter feeds can be variable, especially later in winter,” Charlotte says.

44

Winter feeds high in protein include autumn-saved pasture containing between 18% and 25% crude protein, and leafy kales and forage rape that contain moderate levels of protein.

However, lower levels of protein are found in giant-type kales, and in swedes and fodder beet crops especially if crops lose much of their tops/leaves later in winter.

Fodder beet crops with few leaves left in late winter might contain whole plant protein levels of only 9%.

Low-protein supplementary feeds compound the risk of dietary protein deficiency in late winter - barley straw contains only 5% crude protein.

And the results are showing in herds throughout the country, especially with the increasing use of fodder beet wintering.

“The demand for metabolisable protein (MP) increases through gestation and although there is some compensation via urea recycling in the rumen, it is apparent it’s not enough,” she says.

Cows increasingly need more protein as winter progresses to grow a foetus and develop mammary tissue, at the same time bulb crops are losing protein-rich leaves and kale is hardening off.

“Typically, the ratio of fodder beet leaf to bulb changes from 25% leaf and 75% bulb in early winter to worst case less than 10%

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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Cows consuming a diet of 10kg DM fodder beet and 1.8kg DM of barley straw (after allowing for feed wastage) would be getting about 1,031g MP/day eight weeks before calving but because of crop leaf loss that would drop to 943g MP/day just before calving.

“A Friesian cow needs between 1000 to 1200g MP/day in late gestation so she is potentially in negative MP territory on low-protein bulb-dominant diets especially during the last 10-14 days of pregnancy.

“And it gets worse because while cows will be offered that much feed in the days before calving they don’t eat as much so their protein intake will be even less.”

Although there has been research on the effects of a fodder beet and low-protein hay diets in sheep, research on the effect on dairy cows is only just beginning, she says.

“In sheep, research has been done in New Zealand by AgResearch comparing ewes wintered on ryegrass with ewes on fodder beet with ryegrass hay. During and following lambing all the ewes were on grass.

“The ewes that were on fodder beet and

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hay during late pregnancy were lighter and gave birth to smaller lambs and the ĞƐŝŐŶĞĚ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĨĂƌŵĞƌ ǁ ŚŽ ĐĂŶŶŽƚ ďĞ ŽŶͲƐ lambs were still smaller at weaning. ĞŶƐƵƌĞ Ɛ ƵƉƉůĞŵĞŶƚƐ Ă ƌĞ ďĞŝŶŐ Ő ŝǀĞŶ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ “There was also a higher death rate both Pump and sucƟon Ňow-rates can be monitored by text m at lambing and in the weeks between The unit will send an alert noƟĮcaƟon to your mobile if: lambing and weaning in lambs born to the ● Pump is running but not sucking ewes wintered on fodder beet.” ● Drum is about to run dry At the Southern Dairy Hub, research led ● Pump is running when it shouldn’t, indicaƟ

by DairyNZ senior scientist Dawn Dalley is showing replacement heifer calves born from cows wintered on a diet of 75% fodder beet are, on average, 2.5kg lighter and have a smaller stature than those from cows wintered on kale.

“At birth they are 10% lighter than the calves from cows wintered on kale which is statistically significant,” Dalley says.

The height, length and girth of the calves were also measured and again the

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

amir@mixrite.co.nz 027 472 1043 www.mixrite.co.nz45

fodder beet calves proved smaller.

At nine months of age, the gap in liveweight is still an 8% difference, despite being managed in mixed mobs from three days of age.

The trial work started in 2018 and the calves born from cows wintered on fodder beet have also been wintered on beet. Data from their first lactation is being compared against heifers born from cows wintered on kale and since wintered on kale.

LATER SPRINGER DRAFTING MISSES CALVERS

Charlotte says farmers know that heavily in-calf dairy cows on bulbdominant fodder beet crops bagged up closer to calving than cows on grass or kale. This increases the risk of cows calving on crop, before they make it into the springer mob.

“When drafting cows off fodder beet crops for calving, they know it’s easy to make mistakes simply because the udders of heavily pregnant cows on bulb-cropdominant diets are not developing the same as cows on higher-protein feeds.”

Data from three springs at the Southern Dairy Hub, where springer drafting protocols are the same for cows wintered on kale and fodder beet, show a higher incidence of calf births on fodder beet paddocks compared with those on kale.

LOWER IMMUNE STATUS FOR CALVES

Dawn also suspects colostrum quality and/ or quantity may be less from cows on fodder beet.

The fodder beet and kale calves at the Southern Dairy Hub receive first and second milking colostrum only from their respective dams until 48 hours of age and then they received milk pooled from all the cows on the farm. Blood samples from the calves are taken when they are brought into the calf shed and again at 48 hours and plasma-total protein is tested as an indicator of immunity status.

46

Cows wintering on fodder beet at the Southern Dairy Hub in July.

“The IGG level of the calf’s blood at 48 hours of age should be a good indicator of how good the colostrum intake was and the level of immunity the calf has received from it,” Dawn said.

“While the total protein levels in the bloods taken at birth were statistically similar in both groups, it was lower in the fodder beet calves at 48 hours which suggest that their immune status may not have been as good as the kale born calves.”

Data from bone density, health incidences and growth rates are still being analysed.

The hub work is the first time a comprehensive study investigating the lifetime performance of young stock from fodder beet and kale systems has been done as NZ is one of the few countries in the world where pregnant cows are wintered with fodder beet as a large proportion of their diet.

Charlotte says the reasoning behind the hub’s results could be the low-protein diet during late pregnancy is affecting cows’ uteroplacental blood flow while pregnant which would impact negatively

on the unborn calves’ growth and development.

“There could also be a lasting effect on fertility with the onset of puberty seen later. We have found this in ewe lambs and the antral follicle count was also reduced for lambs born to ewes fed a negative MP diet during pregnancy.”

She says farmers need to be aware of risks of low-protein issues particularly when leaves have disappeared from bulb crops and if low protein supplementary feeds are being offered during late pregnancy.

“Ideally, heavily pregnant cows should be off low-protein diets at least 14 days before due calving date or offered a protein-rich supplement such as highquality pasture or lucerne baleage to mitigate the effects.

“Feed testing bulb crops and supplementary feeds to check levels of protein was another important way to identify risk of protein deficiency in late pregnancy.

“We could be seeing life-long effects on calves born to cows fed very low protein diets in late gestation, but we’ll know more as the research continues.”

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

SPECIAL REPORT

TECH EVOLUTION

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TAILOR-MADE FOR FARMING

Stephen

Jeff

TECH TO REDUCE STRESS

NOT MAKING THE CONNECTION

SKY-HIGH DIY BROADBAND

GREEN SIGNALS FOR NITROGEN

HALTER USE LIBERATING

RIGHT TO REPAIR GETS HEAVYWEIGHT BACKING

CHECKING IN ON THE APP

TECH CAN AVERT HUMAN FACTORS

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE FARM

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Special report - Staff management

TAILOR-MADE FOR FARMING

Words by: Sheryl Haitana

A

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savvy people or staff with English as their second language, Emily says.

Staff members have the app on their phones and log their own hours and can apply for annual leave. Emily and Gerard can see every time they log in how much annual leave each staff member has pending.

There is also a Tasks icon, where Emily and Gerard can assign tasks each day to individual staff members. Staff can click on the Team page and see everyone else’s tasks as well.

“On a farm this size, you can waste a lot of fuel and time going around the farm looking for people or explaining tasks.

“Instead of having to ring a staff member on their weekend off on a Sunday night to tell them what they’re doing the next day, it’s all on their phone for them to check.”

If a team member calls in sick while you’re out for dinner one night, you don’t have to ring around all the other staff, you can easily make adjustments on their Tasks for the next day.

“You get so time deficient, but this does everything for you - I love it,” Emily says.

“

Emily and Gerard Eder say AgriSmart is a transparent tool for employers and employees.

Farm Facts:

• Sharemilkers: Emily and Gerard Eder • Location: Mangatainoka • Area: 900ha • Cows: 1000 Friesian/Friesian cross • Farm dairy: 60-bale rotary, no automation or auto cup removers • Staff: 5 fulltime + Emily and Gerard

“

griSmart is technology that can help bring about positive changes to the employment story in the dairy industry, Manawatu sharemilkers Emily and Gerard Eder say.

The couple milk 1000 cows at Mangatainoka employing five staff and have used AgriSmart in their business for the last six years.

“It’s been more than a game changer. AgriSmart is tailor-made for farming and the uniqueness that comes with our industry,” Emily says.

“It keeps tabs on everything for me, I don’t have to worry if the staff do too many hours, it lets me know, if they fall below minimum wage, it lets me know.”

With the dairy industry facing labour shortages and challenges to attract staff, this sort of technology can help make change, she says.

“I think this app helps bring about positive changes because it makes us accountable as an employer.

“I think it works more for our staff than it works for us. There is a record of everything and it’s transparent for both the employer and the employee.”

Sometimes, as an employer, the stress of paperwork and keeping accurate records of staff hours can be daunting. AgriSmart keeps tabs on everything, Emily says.

Emily and Gerard employ quite a few migrant workers, and it makes it easy to work out their salaries and keep perfect records for immigration paperwork.

They have staff on different rosters, and varying at different times in the season, which is easy to create and manage using AgriSmart, along with different pay rates.

It is an all-in-one solution, with offline timesheet capability, inbuilt rosters, payroll, task management, through to health and safety.

The technology is easy to use for non-tech

Instead of having to ring a staff member on their weekend off on a Sunday night to tell them what they’re doing the next day, it’s all on their phone for them to check.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Special report - Staff retention

TECH TO

REDUCE STRESS

T

Words by: Tony Leggett he challenges of recruiting new dairy farm staff are well documented, so forward-thinking owners are investing in labour saving or stress reducing technologies to help keep existing staff on board.

That’s the view of Allflex New Zealand general manager Jared Briggs who oversees the new Allflex business unit formed from the recent acquisition of Livestock Improvement Corporation Automation.

Allflex now offers a wide suite of individual animal monitoring and management technologies, including the Protrack range of auto-drafting and milk sensing products already installed on nearly 2500 dairy farms in New Zealand.

Briggs says aside from comments his field and support staff hear about the extra profitability that farmers are achieving from better mating performance results and early detection of health issues, an increasing number of dairy farm owners are recognising these technologies are helping them retain staff as well.

“One of the real benefits from installing monitoring technologies is there’s no need to spend 10-12 weeks on a platform looking at tail paint. Our technology is able to very accurately select the cycling cows and send that message to the autodrafting system so they are waiting for the AI technician after milking.”

“That’s huge when dairy farmers are struggling to find staff to help with running their farms. We know that a lot of owner-operators have no choice but to get

Wairarapa dairy farmer Jason Christensen is convinced investing in clever technologies to reduce stress on his team is paying big dividends in terms of staff retention.

back in the shed milking themselves, such is the labour shortage at present.”

“Of course, one thing with technology is it should bring excellent reliability – it’s working 24-7 and there are no sick days,” Briggs says.

Farm owners are also more considerate when it comes to work-life balance for their staff, Briggs says, so technologies that save time and reduce stress are also gaining popularity.

“When a young, keen dairy farm worker is considering job offers, it would be no surprise if they went for the role on a farm that had some of this type of technology installed over one that didn’t.”

“Nobody could dispute the younger generation of farm staff are more used to dealing with smartphone-connected technologies. They are comfortable with it already.”

Briggs says several of the company’s clients are already partnering with their farm veterinarian, giving them access to text alerts on any health issues the technology signals so they intervene early, before a more significant challenge occurs.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

“So, the technologies now available to dairy farmers and herd owners should ease concerns around people welfare, animal welfare and industry welfare. That’s got to be a win for the sector,” he says.

Wairarapa dairy farmer Jason Christensen is convinced that investing in the cow monitoring technology is helping with staff retention.

“In many ways, we’re trying to futureproof ourselves. My father was leading edge when he built the first rotary in Wairarapa and we know the next generation is more IT savvy than my generation.”

He’s confident that once staff experience the benefits of working on a property where monitoring technology is available, they won’t want to work on one that doesn’t have it. “Why would they want to go back?” he asks.

Briggs says Kiwi farmers have a “real thirst” for information and data.

He sees big opportunities for farmers to use this individual animal data to focus on their best performing cows and, if need be, reduce numbers to meet their farm’s emission targets in the future, but still achieve acceptable profitability.

The current confidence in strong payout forecasts will also help farmers decide if installing animal monitoring technologies is the right choice for them.

Allflex does offer a range of purchase options which make its product range attractive to owner-operators, sharemilkers and contract milkers.

• LIC Automation acquisition beds in, page 34.

49

Special report - Rural connectivity

NOT MAKING

THE CONNECTION

ew Zealand’s primary industries are among the most innovative in the world, yet many farming families don’t have access to technology because of poor or non-existent internet coverage, says Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) board member Claire Williamson of Cambridge.

Lack of connectivity affects every aspect of their business and personal lives and in some cases, its absence can be fatal.

“I personally know of two fairly recent cases where someone has died following a farm accident they may have survived if they had been able to use a cellphone to call for help and that’s heartbreaking.”

Angela McLeod, RWNZ Manager, Policy and Leadership Development, says the people who live, work and play in those parts of the country without internet, or with poor cellular coverage, are disadvantaged. “Around 50% of New Zealand’s geography doesn’t have adequate cellular connection,” she says.

In its manifesto RWNZ says: “The lack of highspeed quality and affordable telecommunication services in rural New Zealand creates inequity between urban and rural communities. This inequity hinders rural businesses by leaving them unable to undertake basic tasks online and delayed access to resources and information making them less efficient and competitive.

“Unstable connectivity is also a critical safety issue in the event of an emergency, accident, crime or adverse event. Large areas of rural New Zealand still do not have mobile phone coverage and are especially vulnerable in a crisis situation.

Lack of internet connectivity impedes educational opportunities for rural students.”

A recent “Quality of life” research report highlighted rural connectivity as the number one concern for RWNZ members. In fact, says

50

Angela, advocating for better connectivity in rural communities has been among the organisation’s goals since it was founded in 1925. “Back then of course it wasn’t about the internet, but about installing phone lines to every home.”

While technology has changed dramatically from party-lines and wall phones, the connectivity issues for rural residents remain the same and many are still being left behind.

“Connectivity is an issue we raise every opportunity we get,” Angela says. “We recently met with the Minister for Digital Economy and Communications, David Clark, where we raised the issue again, and he listened. We believe the Government has got to commit to ensuring rural people are connected digitally.

“Internet providers and decision makers, including Government, need to understand rural New Zealand in order to rural-proof their policies and plans and ensure digital inclusion for everyone.”

One way of doing that is to engage with organisations like RWNZ which know the issues rural families and businesses face, however, Angela and Claire acknowledge there are barriers for internet providers to overcome too.

“The telcos say big cellphone towers are really expensive to install and run because they need power to the towers and getting that to them in rural locations can be very expensive,” Angela says. “Someone has to pay for that cost and I think there may be an aversion to the thought that urban cellphone users might have to subsidise rural users so that the cost can be similar.”

“If the Government’s goal is digital inclusion for all, then the Government may have to cover the extra expense of delivering connectivity to rural areas so that urban and rural customers pay a similar amount for the service,” Claire says.

Angela McLeod, RWNZ Manager, Policy and Leadership Development.

“

While technology has changed dramatically from party-lines and wall phones, the connectivity issues for rural residents remain the same and many are still being left behind.

“

N

Words by: Elaine Fisher

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

The cost of internet connection is a barrier for many rural families, who often pay a third more to double the monthly fees of urban residents.

Claire says even at the extra cost, those users may receive less data and coverage can be poor or patchy.

There are options offered through providers other than the big telcos including through independent companies, collectively known as WISPs – or Wireless Internet Service Providers.

They provide internet connectivity by fixed wireless, mostly in regional or rural areas where mainstream telecommunications companies don’t go. WISPs connect to a fibre optic link at a central point (this is known as “backhaul”), install a series of fixed wireless receivers and transmitters on hilltops or high buildings, and bounce the wireless signal across a series of these sites to a cluster of end users in a rural area.

Claire says this service only operates in ‘line of sight’.

“However, where these services work, those companies are excellent. They really understand the customers they are serving, and the challenges they have to meet.”

And then there is another disrupter on the scene – Starlink, from SpaceX which is building rockets and spacecraft to deploy what it claims is the world’s most advanced broadband internet system which is now available to some consumers in NZ. “One of our RWNZ board members in the South Island says sometimes Starlink is amazing and sometimes it’s so bad she can’t use it,” says Claire.

As technology advances, including from

providers like Starlink, fewer resources will be invested into maintaining the up to 50-year-old phone systems and lines which still account for the only connection some rural residents have.

Angela and Claire say in some places there’s so much interference on phone lines it’s almost impossible to hold a conversation and there are only a handful of technicians left who know how to maintain and repair the systems.

Farmers who can’t reliably access the internet are unable to enhance their business and production by incorporating smart technology into their livestock and pasture management, and now many are concerned they won’t be able to pay their bills, because banks are doing away with cheques.

“Rural residents don’t want to retain cheques, (until there is a better alternative), because they are technology dinosaurs – it’s because so many people in rural areas don’t have internet connection and simply can’t use on-line banking,” Angela says.

A recent RWNZ’s survey of members showed the main use of cheques was for paying monthly bills, purchasing farm supplies, and paying tax.

More than 70% of respondents voiced concern over the phasing out of cheques; 42.5% of respondents said they still wrote out cheques for purchases and expenses.

Of those who did use cheques, 75.2% said they posted them to make their payments.

Connectivity is no longer “nice to have”. It is vital to ensure farming and rural families and businesses aren’t left behind in the brave new world of smart farming, on-line banking and the Internet of Things.

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) board member Claire Williamson of Cambridge.

Rural Connectivity:

Recommended actions: • Provision of nationwide access to affordable, quality connectivity by future proofing our communications networks; • Share information on ways to increase rural connectivity and regular, informative progress reports by government on the rural connectivity roll-out; • Support research into new and innovative ways to provide quality, affordable connectivity to rural and remote areas.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

51

Special report - Satellite coverage

SKYHIGH

DIY BROADBAND Costs:

F

Words by: Delwyn Dickey armers living in some of the remotest spots in the South Island could have some of the fastest broadband speeds in the country now satellite internet provider Starlink is servicing the entire island.

With the satellites capable of providing 150 megabit per second downloads, and 30-50 Mbps uploads, and just 20-40 milliseconds lag that’s fast enough for Netflix, gaming and online conferencing, although subscribers have been advised there will also be brief periods of no connectivity at all as the network expands.

A subsidiary of the United States-based SpaceX rocket launch and space craft manufacturing company founded by billionaire Elon Musk, Starlink is able to use its connection to SpaceX to launch thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit.

These orbit about 550km above the Earth’s surface, much closer than other satellite service providers.

Starlink plans to have a global satellite megaconstellation of about 12,000 providing high speed internet access from almost anywhere on the planet.

Earlier this year Starlink advised it was aiming at 10Gbps internet speeds with Musk touting the idea of an eventual 42,000 satellites.

The service has been available in a small way in the south since March, as part of the Setup: “Dishy” can be set up on the roof or out in the garden on a tripod.

52

• $799 plus $114 shipping.

• $159 per month service charge for uncapped broadband access.

• Apply at: starlink.com www. starlink.com/?mtm_campaign=NZ-South-Island

Starlink satellite: The South Island now has enough satellites orbiting overhead for Internet access.

company’s “beta” or testing stage, making New Zealand one of the first countries to try out the service.

The company also needs ground-based satellite stations to operate and, with little information coming from the company, there had been some serious ‘joining-the-dots’ going on earlier this year by tech pundits as to where and how many of these ground-based stations there would be.

Sites have been confirmed at Puwera, Te Hana, and Clevedon in the North Island and Hinds, Cromwell and Awarua in the South Island.

Initially at least, installation is going to be a DIY job as the customer needs to set up the satellite dish named ‘dishy’ themselves.

The set up package comes with the dish, a tripod mount, 30 metres of cable and a wi-fi router.

A free app which seems only available to mobile phones helps sort out positioning.

Given how poor cell phone coverage is in many rural areas some people may end up winging this one.

This may not appeal to some people but it seems likely installers for other dishes like Sky will soon be including it in their services.

For anyone wanting to keep track of the coverage globally as more satellites get launched you can follow here: • Reddit’s Starlink tracker list. https://www.reddit.com/r/ Starlink/comments/ml2i9q/ starlink_availability_current_ and_new_beta_test • The Starlink coverage trackerhttps://starlink.sx • Cell-based Starlink coverage tracker: https://n6udp.github. io/starlink-coverage The service has not been without its detractors, however.

Sunlight reflecting off the satellites after they are first released at launch forming “trains” of bright dots in a row across the night sky has annoyed astronomers since they first appeared, interfering with observations and readings from both optical and radio astronomers. They have even been referred to as “celestial vermin.”

Attempts to dampen the reflective satellites by making them darker have not been successful enough astronomers say. They have now approached the United Nations with their concerns.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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DairyMarket Exporter www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021 *Baron Data| Q2 2020.

53

GREEN SIGNALS FOR NITROGEN

Sensors detecting the colour of pasture can determine pasture nitrogen requirements. Anne Lee reports.

O

nfarm testing of technology that enables the fertiliser spreader to “see” how much nitrogen the pasture ahead of it needs and then adjust the application rate as it goes is showing some promising results.

But it’s also got researchers and farmers thinking about how the information it provides could be used to identify underlying agronomic issues and become a powerful precision farming tool to improve nitrogen use efficiency.

Lincoln Agritech group manager of precision agriculture Dr Armin Werner, project manager Chavi Ekanayake and a team of farmers, consultants and researchers are running onfarm trials on dairy farms in Canterbury and say the sensors work by measuring the light reflected back to them in the visible and in the invisible near infra-red spectrum.

Armin explains that at a basic level the less visible red colour the sensor picks up, the more green there is in the pasture and that can be correlated back to the amount of nitrogen in the plants. If the plant has plenty of nitrogen it will have high levels of chlorophyll and be a deeper green. But if it’s in need of nitrogen it will begin to break down the chlorophyll to get to its components – one of which is nitrogen, resulting in a less green up to yellowish plant colour.

“It’s a survival strategy for the plant. It degrades the chlorophyll into its constituent molecules, sacrificing it so it can get at the nitrogen which is necessary for protein and growth.”

The sensor can also determine the amount of biomass or yield in the pasture through the amount of light reflected in the near infra-red spectrum due to a correlation with the water content in the plant. A high vigour canopy reflects more near infrared radiation. Armin says detailed, scientific studies carried out on plot experiments by Lincoln Agritech and others in

54

the scientific literature showed the optical sensing technology could accurately be used to assess differences in nitrogen and biomass levels of pastures and that varying the amount of nitrogen applied according to those assessments could lead to improved nitrogen use efficiency and reduced nitrogen leaching.

“We ran a scientific project which was able to show we could use up to 30% less nitrogen but still get the same grass growth and cut nitrogen leaching by 13%.”

Farmers had shown strong interest in the technology but were looking for proof of concept under realistic farming conditions, he says.

Initially an onfarm study was set up on one farm using six paddocks sited under one pivot irrigator thanks to funding from the Ministry of Primary Industry’s (MPI) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF) fund.

Three of the six paddocks were receiving variable rate nitrogen applications based on the sensor readings while the other three received a typical blanket rate across the whole area.

Two seasons’ worth of data from that one farm showed promising results and commercial fertiliser spreading companies in Canterbury began installing optical sensors on their vehicles.

Last season five more farms joined the SFF funded Lincoln Agritech study.

“We now work with six farms in total, each with six to eight paddocks in the study and one half of them receiving either the variable rate based on the sensor or blanket applications of nitrogen.

“That’s helping to give us more information and we’re seeing good trends in the data but it’s still not statistically robust enough from a science perspective and we’re preparing for what is now the fourth year of study so we have two

Optical sensor on the truck.

“

That large scientific project was able to show we could use up to 30% less nitrogen but still get the same grass growth and cut nitrogen leaching by 13%

“

Special report - Technology

N N N

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

seasons of data from the larger group of farms.”

Pasture yield gains of about 500kg to 1.2 tonnes drymatter (DM)/ha have been found in these limited onfarm trials and a reduction in nitrogen leaching has been found based on modelling although its less than 8%.

Map showing variability Although these results are not statistically proven differences, the trend is encouraging, he says.

The system is typically set up to apply more nitrogen to areas showing poorer growth or less “greenness” and less nitrogen to those areas where pasture already has high cover levels and more “greenness.”

But farmers and researchers have been considering how the maps and data being provided by the optical sensors could be used in other ways. The sensors may be picking up areas where there are underlying issues causing the poorer growth and, in those areas, additional nitrogen might not be the answer to increasing yields.

“In these situations, how the system is applied is a strategic decision based on the farmer’s understanding of the farm.

“It may be that applying less to the poorer performing area is actually the best response but the information we can get from the sensors can help the farmer identify those areas in the first place – they may know there’s variability across their paddocks but this maps it out precisely.”

Other fertility issues such as low sulphur can cause pastures to yellow so it is important other fertility factors are kept to standards of good farming practice for all paddocks too, he says.

Canterbury dairy farmer Garth Janson has joined the trial and says it is showing positive trends in terms of better pasture production. Four contractors have spreaders fitted with the optical sensors including Ellesmere Transport - Garth’s contractors.

“The benefits we’re getting from using the sensors more than covers the extra that Ellesmere is charging for the service,“ Garth says. The optical sensors pick up the areas where cows congregate, such as towards the front of paddocks, and deposit urinary nitrogen, he says.

“The variable rate application can then very accurately alter application rates accordingly.”

The 190kg N/ha/year cap for every paddock will make technologies such as the optical sensing variable rate another tool in farmers’ tool boxes. Garth says they’ve already been able to use the detailed maps that show the variation across the whole paddock to identify and correct other issues such as areas where older grasses like browntop had come back.

“It’s technology very much worth persisting with,” he says.

BETTER WAY...

d e t a m o ng t i u x i A M y a r Sp t a e T Contact your Ecolab area manager for more information

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Regional Headquarters Daniel Place, Te Rapa, Hamilton

0508.732.733

55

Special report - Cow collars

HALTER USE

‘LIBERATING’

T

Words by: Sheryl Haitana he capability of Halter’s virtual fencing technology is only restricted by a farmers’ own limitations on how to use it, Pokoru dairy farmer Pete Morgan

56

feed breaks at any time to meet the cows’ intake needs. The staff can also communicate in a chat group in the App. A staff member can be in the paddock with the cows at 11am and make a decision to increase the cows’ grass allocation, and if they want to run their decision by Pete, they quickly can, with Pete having full view of what is happening in the paddock.

“It enables staff to learn so fast, they are getting to be an effective part of the team.”

Staff are learning the fundamentals of how important the right grass allocation is for cows, which they can take to any future job, he says.

“

It enables staff to learn so fast, they are getting to be an effective part of the team

“

says.

“The main paradigm shift is how we think. We become the limiting factor.”

He now thinks first of the outcome he is after, from pasture eaten, to how people work onfarm, to environmental goals, and then works out how he uses the technology to achieve it.

“To do that you have to let go of just about everything, and it’s quite liberating.”

Pete and his wife Ann Bouma milk 630 cows and have always been staunch on a low-cost, simple system and have resisted investing in expensive products or technology.

They’ve always used industry Apps that were available, but they have always put investment decisions through a rigorous decision process.

They saw Halter as a game changer, especially as they want to step back from the daily hands on work in the near future while remaining closely connected to the management.

They calculated significant payback on the investment from increased pasture utilisation, through to meeting environmental goals, improved animal health, easier logistics onfarm and improvement of people’s work/life balance.

The first big win Pete says is being on track to increase pasture eaten by 1.5 tonnes/hectare this season, from better allocation which results in less wastage and reliably hitting residuals to help grow more grass.

Another win is Pete and his team of five staff have been getting up at a leisurely 6am throughout calving, instead of the 4am starts of old.

All staff have the Halter app on their phones, where they can see every animal live and adjust

Pete Morgan.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

DAIRY & CALF

‘RIGHT TO REPAIR’

GETS HEAVYWEIGHT BACKING

F

Words by: Delwyn Dickey armers have good cause for optimism after United States President Joe Biden recently signed an executive order calling consumers ‘right to repair’ to be prioritised, and specifically included tractors and other farming equipment.

When you need to get the hay in before it rains but the tractor’s computer is throwing a fit, getting it repaired quickly can not only be frustrating, but expensive and stressful.

Most tractors these days are internetconnected, and special diagnostic tools are often needed to repair them. But only authorized dealers have access to these or are allowed to use them.

So you often can’t fix software issues yourself, or get an independent mechanic to look at your pride and joy.

Though it’s been an ongoing concern for well over 10 years now the ‘right to repair’, especially for farming equipment, has been gaining traction.

In the US the movement has been particularly strong and often focused on their home-grown brand John Deere, after farmers baulked at not being able to fix their new machines themselves, as they had done in the past. Instead they were having to go the significantly more expensive and time consuming route through authorised repairers.

For many this is a simple case of big business impacting their rights as a consumer. After having spent a fortune buying this equipment, how they fix it should be up to them.

This has seen interest in pre-software

second-hand tractors in good condition with low hours – often from the 1970s and 1980s - fetching a premium.

It’s also seen the rise of black market pirated tractor firmware often coming out of Eastern Europe.

Under pressure, agricultural equipment trade associations promised in 2018 to create, and sell or lease tools which would allow farmers to repair their own equipment. Those tools were meant to be available for equipment sold after January 2021, but that hasn’t happened.

Following Biden’s order The Federal Trade Commission in the US has now voted unanimously to prioritise the issue.

This also follows on from 27 states that are also considering some form of repair rights.

While nothing is set in concrete, this interest at a federal level is unprecedented and could well see big changes for consumer rights, both in the US and here, and not just for farmers and rural contractors.

The order was also aimed at other companies’ products like tech giant Apple, and other equipment manufacturers.

This as more and more products include software as part of their operating systems.

Covid-19 has also highlighted the problem. Along with the obvious computers and smartphones, or that fancy new fridge, it has also impacted on medical equipment like ventilators in US hospitals. A long time concern for medical professionals, the issues of staff being unable to do software repairs, came to the fore as the pandemic raged, when time really was critical with delays having life and death consequences.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

SHELTERS FF O NDEDS A ST SH

NG I ER DS T IN E W SH

LF ERS A C LT E SH

www.redpath.co.nz Free Ph 0508 733 72857 sales@redpath.co.nz

Special report - Health and safety

T

ON THE APP

CHECKING IN,

Words by: Elaine Fisher

Stephen

Jeff

58

he logistical challenges of recording the movements of staff and contractors working across Synlait’s Canterbury farms was the catalyst for the development of an app now used by farmers and growers across New Zealand; in parts of the United Kingdom in Australia.

“We had 13 farms, 13000 cows, 100 staff and a large number of contractors coming and going every day. It was difficult to know who was on the property and where they were,” says Ryan Higgs, chief executive and cofounder of Onside, the company behind the digital check-in app of the same name.

Ryan, former operations manager for Synlait Farms says checking in using paper records just didn’t work.

“There are lots of entrances to the properties and paper records get dirty, wet, lost or just not filled in. It was important to come up with a check-in system that worked through mobile phones and not based around a PC system.”

Engineers to help build the app were initially outsourced but five years on, Onside has an in-house team of 10 full-time engineers based in Christchurch, more than $1million in revenue and nearly 800,000 user check-ins.

“Our app is the only system of its kind which focuses solely on rural users.” It’s a digital check-in tool which records who is entering a property, when and for how long as well as having functionality to manage operations, communications, health and safety and biosecurity.

App users now not only know who is on their farm, orchard or vineyard, they can also communicate with them. Health and safety is covered with a full suite of information from the identification of risks to incident reporting and emergency planning.

“Providing critical information in real time is another plus. There was a case in a Marlborough vineyard where power lines came down. The owners were able to use the

For many farmers, the Onside app is part of everyday business operations.

app to advise people not to visit the site and to do that instantly, so everyone was aware of what had happened.”

The tool can also be used to manage and assign tasks on the property. Contractors and property owners have a dashboard function which informs them of where team members are. There’s a lone-worker function through which a worker records how long they expect to be on site. “If that person is overdue a cascade of events is triggered to check on the worker and ensure they are ok.”

Biosecurity is a new area of development which has come as a direct result of customer requests.

“This has the capability to provide information about who is arriving on site, the biosecurity protocols to be followed and also to ask relevant questions. For instance, in the poultry sector, it is necessary to know when people last visited another poultry farm.

“The horticulture sector is also upping its game around biosecurity, such as the movement of plant material.”

Further developments are planned including automatic check-in when someone arrives on site and more functionality around biosecurity.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Ryan says adding functions to the app which have enabled it to become an easy to use, essential part of everyday business operations is key to its success as a check-in system.

“The app has got to have more value than just health and safety. The operational value is really important, and we are seeing people treat it as part of running their business and that way we get good engagement.

“Customers in the dairy sector are using Onside to help achieve their Lead with Pride (Synlait) and Cooperative Difference (Fonterra) accreditation to get a premium per kg of milksolids.”

Onside offers a free version of its app to users, with the full version operated through a paid subscription. The app is continually evolving to meet customers’ needs because, says Ryan; “if you don’t meet customers’ needs, you don’t have a product and without a product you are not in business”.

Onside has received funding from investors including Icehouse Ventures, the government’s NZ Growth Capital Partners (NZGCP), K1W1 Ltd (an investment company owned by Sir Stephen Tindall) and other private investors.

To find out more go to: getonside.com

The Onside sign, reminding visitors to check in.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Identifying onfarm hazards

A

n app enabling staff to instantly identify onfarm hazards as well as record the time contractors spend on site has found favour with Waitonui Milltrust Agricultural Holdings Farm Management Limited Partnership.

The company has 40 staff and a number of contractors working across 14 farms comprising three dairy farms in Taupo and four in Oamaru, with the balance being run support blocks.

“For the last 12 months or so we have been using the Onside app which we find very useful in the day to day running of the business,” says office assistant Katrina Hudson who is based in Te Awamutu.

“I work 24 hours a week for Waitonui but because it’s easy and quick to use, check in with the app each day, or send staff messages to ensure all is okay.”

Farm managers use the app to monitor staff who have left the farm to work on support blocks and staff regularly use it to record hazards.

“For instance, if someone finds a new sink hole which has opened up, they will fence and flag it, take a photo and add it with a notification to the app so everyone working on or coming on to the farm is aware of the hazard.”

The check-in and check-out times recorded by contractors, including fencers, are used to prepare time sheets and costings for work carried out.

“If we receive an invoice we weren’t expecting I can go to the app and check the date the work was said to be done. If there is no record I go back to ask why they didn’t check in – there are big signs at every gate – and ask for proof the work was done.

“Onside is definitely an app we will continue to use. I speak to Guy Davidson and Jimmy Mason of Onside quite often with suggestions about how the app could work better for us, and changes have been made.”

59

Special report - Health and Safety

TECH CAN AVERT

HUMAN FACTORS

I

Words by: Elaine Fisher f farmers continue to handle increasing workloads with fewer staff, they are going to have to get a hell of a lot smarter about how they utilise their personal and employee resources, and technology could be part of the solution, says Al McCone, WorkSafe Engagement Lead for Agriculture.

“The rate of harm in the dairy industry is not significantly different now than it was four to five years ago. What worries me currently is that as it gets harder to find staff, that figure may actually go up again.

“One of the pieces of information we have about agriculture in general is that the less people are employed, the higher the rate of harm.”

Al says current and emerging technology can help reduce harm if it takes human frailty out of the equation.

“When you ask farmers what things can kill you onfarm, they know exactly what they are and how to avoid them. Most of that avoidance relies on being perfect and following procedures every time but that can be very ineffective in preventing serious harm as no one can be perfect all the time.

“One of the things we can do to prevent serious harm is to take human frailty out of the loop which is where tech can come in to put something in the way so people won’t get as damaged when things go wrong.”

Crush protection on quad bikes is one “low-tech” example.

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Crush protection on quad bikes is a “low-tech” system which is saving lives.

“Humans make mistakes, quads are easy to roll. If you make a mistake, you might still get damaged, but the protection will stop you getting crushed to death. So far out of all the New Zealand and Australian examples we know of where crush protection has been on a quad that has rolled, no one has been crushed to death.

Plenty of people say the crush protection has saved their life.”

Seat belts are another “low tech” safety device. “A lot of fatalities occur in farm vehicles and in probably half of those fatalities people were not wearing seat belts.”

A big issue, especially at this time of year, is fatigue.

“Maybe the kind of tech athletes wear to monitor their heart rate, blood pressure and blood sugar levels could in future be used to warn farmers when they need to take a break, have a meal or get some sleep.”

Spring is also the time when new employees, unfamiliar with the farm, are taken on and everyone is trying to get a whole lot of work done in the short hours of daylight.

“It’s when you are tired, racing around on the bike or quad to get jobs done in failing light, that you might not see the tape across the track - tape you may have put there but forgotten about.” A low-tech answer such as reflective tape or a string of solar powered flashing Christmas lights could save an accident.

Technology such as apps, says Al, is a good way of moving people up the hierarchy of control and not relying on them to do everything perfectly to protect themselves.

Phone apps linking all staff, which enable risks to be recorded when they are first identified, rather than forgotten in the humdrum of everyday life, are valuable.

Those which include graphics, photos and maps are useful for staff who struggle with literacy or English as they can access information without having to read long printed notices.

“These apps are especially useful for people coming on to the farm such as stock drivers and fert spreaders who won’t be as familiar with the farm as everyone else. They are absolutely no replacement for face-toface or over-the-phone conversations which enable hazards to be outlined and explained.

Those are the sorts of conversations which save lives.”

Apps can be used to track people working on the farm, but Al says, with limited or non-existent cellphone coverage in many rural locations, cellphones should not be relied upon as the only means of contact.

“If someone is working by themselves, there is an obligation for the PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) to make sure there is a mechanism by which they can be contacted if something goes wrong.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

“There are mechanisms such as a simple handheld device, which if it is not moving for a certain period of time, sends out a signal and if that’s not responded to, sends out a distress signal. I’ve seen this kind of system used successfully on farms in rugged territory.”

Al is aware of one cellphone provider looking at different, lower frequency signals to be used in places without good cellphone cover, to turn on and off irrigation equipment but which may also be used to send out emergency calls.

While technology can help keep people safe, Al also warns that it can be a hazard in itself, particularly if workers are turning to social media and the internet to meet their social needs.

“Some staff, perhaps young people who have not grown up in an isolated rural environment, can find it hard to work 12 to 14-hour days in a location kilometres from town.

“Some will resort to playing on-line games or engaging in chat rooms with their mates late into the night so when they get up early the next day they are already fatigued. Finding better ways to meet their social needs must also be considered”.

Even though drones for checking on or moving stock, autonomous vehicles and other hi-tech systems may one day be commonplace onfarm, people will always be part of the picture and the more farm safety savvy staff there are to spread the workload, the safer everyone should be.

Five people have died on New Zealand farms in workplace incidents up to early August this year.

“

“

One of the things we can do to prevent serious harm is to take human frailty out of the loop which is where tech can come in to put something in the way so people won’t get as damaged when things go wrong.

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Words by: Anne Lee

W

hile endless scrolling through social media feeds isn’t great for the brain, the ability to scroll through status reports for key sites on the farm any time, anywhere is doing the exact opposite for farmers.

South Taranaki dairy farmer Chris Amon admits he can frequently be caught taking a quick glance through his report screens on his Levno monitoring.

He has the telemetry enabled monitoring systems for his milk vat, his fuel tanks and his water tanks on both of his farms – one milking 310 cows and the other 400 cows.

Chris says it’s giving him peace of mind.

“I do look at it all the time – at a quick glance I can see everything’s running as it should be.

“It’s amazing really – it’s a good feeling when you see the water tanks are sitting at 80-90% full, the milk in the vat is at the right temperature, the vat wash was done, the stirrer’s on and the refrigeration is working.”

He doesn’t have to be checking his phone or computer screen to get that “everything’s ok” kind of feeling though, unless he wants to, because he and his managers will get txt alerts for a range of issues such as the vat temperature going outside set parameters, if the stirrer stops or the power goes out, if his water tanks suddenly drop or his fuel tank levels fall.

“We’ve got them all set at levels where you’ve got time to get on to it and deal with it before it becomes a bigger problem.

“The water tank alert is at 50% so if we react when we get an alert we’ve got more chance of dealing with a leak or pump issue before we run out of water in that tank completely.”

While it won’t stop the problems occurring it means disasters can be averted and a huge amount of time saved.

“We’re not having to physically go over to tanks and check them so that’s saving time too.”

Fuel tank alerts let him know when someone’s taking fuel and can help combat theft.

The monitoring system alerts the fuel company once the tanks drop below a preset level sparking

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an automatic order so there’s no “ugh oh” moment running out of fuel.

Chris says a lot of the data can be used in other ways too.

“I can use the information from the milk monitoring for instance to help with decision making around feed allocations because I can see what the cows are doing well before the tanker comes.

“It’s another tool really to help with your decision making.

“There are a lot of good reports you can look back on so you can see how you’re comparing month-to-month – you could do a lot with the data but the good thing is it’s all set up so it’s easy to interpret and read.

“The graphs and everything really tell you a lot, but all at a glance.”

The water monitoring systems can be set up on pumps with flow rates telemetered to meet regulations and alerts and reports set so annual water volume takes can be managed.

The Levno systems can be set up for feed silos too to monitor feed levels and for effluent systems to monitor storage levels and irrigator activity.

Chris Amon – peace of mind at a glance. Levno fuel monitoring .

“

It’s a good feeling when you see the water tanks are sitting at 80-90% full, the milk in the vat is at the right temperature, the vat wash was done, the stirrer’s on and the refrigeration is working.

“

Special report - Monitoring

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE FARM

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

63

ENVIRONMENT WATER QUALITY

Acid test for water testing A Winton farm has conducted tests on water leaving the farm as part of a slew of environmental initiatives on a farm surrounding a lime quarry. Story and photos by Karen Trebilcock.

W

hen Steve Smith, general manager of AB Lime near Winton in Southland, makes a mistake on the company’s dairy farm he wants to tell everyone about it.

“Someone has to try things and it might as well be me. When it goes wrong, I have to suck it up, but I also want other farmers to know so they don’t do it too.”

With catchment groups, dairy discussion groups and schools visiting the farm he gets to show the good and the bad.

“We’ve been testing the water leaving the farm ever since we started dairying eight years ago and all it’s done for us is show the results of Environment Southland’s water testing is correct.

“It’s cost us $60,000 so far to do it.

“Farmers tell me they’re thinking about water testing and I say don’t bother, spend the money on something else, something that will actually improve water quality.”

He became general manager of the lime 64

works in 2008 and, with lifestyle blocks beginning to encroach on the quarry, the company started buying land.

Then there was the $8-plus payout year and by August, in five months, Steve had an 80-bale rotary up and running with 930 crossbred cows milking on 374 hectares.

“We never got the $8.65 payout. We got the $4.30 payout.”

For the first two years they had a lower order sharemilker then Jaime McCrostie came onboard and won the Southland-Otago Dairy Industry Farm Manager award in 2018 on the farm. Mitchell Smith is now manager with five other staff running the 950 peakcows.

Steve never set out to be a dairy farmer and is still to put a set of cups on. From a sheep and beef farm at Waikaka in Southland, he graduated from the University of Otago with an accounting degree and started work at Ravensdown in both IT and accountancy.

From there he worked in project management, implementing computer

‘We’ve got State Highway 96 running right through the centre of the farm and I’ll get random texts from people driving past saying the farm is looking good or not so good. We’re in a real fishbowl here.’

Above: AB Lime’s crossbred herd keeping their feet dry on the feed pad by the dairy.

Right: AB Lime general manager Steve Smith.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

systems here and across the Tasman but got sick of the travel.

“I was on a plane back home one day and I opened up my passport and counted 40 stamps – it was the days when they still stamped your passport.

The job at AB Lime came up and I applied.

“I don’t like to say they got a two-forone deal but my wife Fiona had been lecturing at Lincoln University and she got the job here as health, safety and environment manager. She’s now chair of Environment Southland’s Regional Forum on freshwater too.”

As well as the lime works and the dairy farm, Steve also runs the landfill in the old quarry. A Class 1 landfill, it takes all of Southland’s household waste as well as specialised industrial waste.

It’s engineered with impermeable layers making sure any leachate is collected and taken to the Invercargill wastewater plant for treatment. Methane Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

is captured and used in the lime kilns, reducing the lime works’ need for coal by 20%.

Although excellent environmental practices for a lime works and landfill are well known and researched throughout the world, how to dairy farm on wet, clay Southland soils is not and Steve is trying whatever he can think of to leave as small a footprint as possible.

“We’ve got State Highway 96 running right through the centre of the farm and I’ll get random texts from people driving past saying the farm is looking good or not so good. We’re in a real fishbowl here.

“I come to work every day to protect the environment.”

One of his projects this past winter has been a composting wintering barn.

In possibly one of the best examples of upcycling onfarm, where limestone rock was once kept after it was quarried, 115 65

Left: The first of this year’s calves.

Above: AB Lime have their own native plant nursery using ecosourced seed.

cows were wintered for 10 weeks on metre-deep wood shavings and fed silage.

On three sides of the pad are the walls of the former quarry and the roof came from the Clyde Dam project decades ago.

“Our cows go to Tarras in Central Otago on grass and silage for the winter which costs us $40 each way per cow just for transport. That’s a lot of low hanging fruit.

“We were thinking about putting a roof on our feed pad by the dairy so I was doing lots of research about barns and started reading about composting ones. We decided on 115 cows because in Southland you need a consent to house 120 cows or more.”

The shavings were raked using an aerator on the back of a tractor every day during the winter, a 15-minute job, and the heat coming off the composting action kept the cows warm.

“They really loved it, were really happy on it. As long as you keep it aerated it’s

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aerobic, so there is very little methane or ammonia. There’s no smell at all.”

Now the cows are off it, aeration is done every second day and Steve reckons the shavings will still be good for next winter.

Wintering cows on crop on the farm he considers not an option. With heavy clay soils and rolling hill country, the potential losses of nutrients and sediment are too great.

“We’re okay with nitrogen but sediment, phosphorus and E.coli in high rainfall events are something we need to keep an eye on.”

They’ve identified 25ha of steep pasture to plant in native bush as well as riparian buffer zones. At the top of the farm, 63ha of native bush which has limestone outcrops has been fenced off and a 10year, $1 million-management plan has been underway for three years.

“We ecosource the seeds and grow the plants at our own nursery. Just doing the pest control in the bush has had amazing results. The neighbours have got on

board as well and we’re going to develop walkways for the public through it.”

A sediment trap at a natural pinch point has also been built, reducing sediment losses by 60% and phosphorus losses by 40%.

“We’re at the head of two catchments.

The Tussock Creek and an arm of the Winton Stream catchments and we’re involved in the Mid-Oreti Catchment Group so we’re doing everything we can to look after it.”

Planned start of calving is August 1 for the cows and a day earlier for the heifers. Cows are crossbred, with their smaller stature suiting the hill climbs but inseminations were with Friesian straws last season to get the black and white genetics back up.

“You can’t get a F12 herd of cows and keep it,” he said.

With no irrigation and only 110kg N/ha used, the stocking rate is 2.5/ha but last season wasn’t the best with production at only 430kg MS/cow.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Dynamo ®

Ready for another winter – the composting barn.

“On the first of December we had so much grass I decided to stop all supplement going through the in-shed feeders.

Production dropped 13% overnight and we never made it back up. I lost my nerve in February and started putting concentrates back in but it was just too late.

“We were using palm kernel, corn gluten and DDG and I was just trying to reduce our costs and footprint by stopping it. I’d read that feeding concentrates gave you more milk but didn’t make you any more money.

“I’ve now realised that cows can only eat 18kg drymatter of grass a day, even if you give them more, but they can eat another 2kg of concentrates and that’s what keeps production up.

“Now I want to see where we can get to and then pull back on the concentrates somehow but still try to maintain production.

“We’ve got milk meters in the dairy so we know the best cows and the worst cows.

In February, our top 50 cows had done

season-to-date 25,000kg our bottom 50 had done 11,000kg MS. “If we could get rid of that bottom 50 cows and replace them with 25 cows the same as our top ones, then that is 25 less cows we need to have.”

Being a lime supplier, although the farm still has to pay for it, soil pH is up at 6.2, higher than fertiliser companies recommend but Steve thinks it works.

“We soil test every two years and put on what’s needed. We’ve got our effluent going on 137ha through a pulse system with k-lines. Last year we didn’t need to apply any super on a large part of the farm.”

A DairyNZ climate change ambassador, he’s urging all farmers to know their greenhouse gas emissions.

“Know your number and have a plan in place to reduce it. It’s not about reducing milk production, it’s about being more efficient in how you get it, and reducing your environmental footprint.”

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

67

ENVIRONMENT WATER QUALITY

F Setting an example in the Sounds Mapping and measuring water flows means farmers in a Marlborough river catchment know what’s flowing, where. By Anne Hardie.

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armers in the Pelorus catchment will know the water quality entering their property and any changes when it leaves their property following stream mapping and in-depth water quality testing.

It is part of the Te Hoiere/Pelorus Catchment Restoration Project that has been mapping everything that carries flowing water, whether it flows just one day of the year or 365 days. Anything that has the potential to carry E.coli, nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment downhill into the rivers and out into the Marlborough Sounds. The Pelorus River is the largest river catchment feeding into the Marlborough Sounds; gathering water from smaller rivers and streams on its downward path to the Havelock Estuary. Tiny streams beginning at the top of the surrounding hills travel through bush, forestry, farms, lifestyle blocks, the Havelock township and past baches in the Marlborough Sounds. It all makes up part of a catchment that has now been mapped and measured.

The project which involves the Marlborough District Council, Department of Conservation, Ngati Kuia and the wider community has been chosen as an exemplar catchment by the Government, with more funding directed toward measuring and improving problems identified.

Measurements are more detailed to measure clarity, nutrients, sediment and E.coli at more than 100-plus sites spread through the catchment.

Project manager, Heli Wade, says water quality measurements during the past 12 months have established a baseline. That is now being used to create an effective monitoring and evaluation programme that can be used to make improvements where it is needed.

She says it is a 10-year project to do the work and start to see some Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Dynamo ®

Left: Pelorus River is the largest river catchment feeding into the Marlborough Sounds.

Above: Fascinated by dung beetles on Karen Morrison’s family farm at Linkwater.

results, though realistically the benefits will be over a multi-generational time frame.

To make it work, the project has involved the entire community which encompasses rural, urban, industry, agencies and anyone who has an interest in the catchment. She says it is about using the skills and support of agencies to help the community make necessary improvements.

“It’s important to recognise the mahi is done out in the community.”

Much has already been done. Farmers near the Rai River were some of the first in the country to work on water quality nearly 20 years ago. Then Fonterra farm environment plans set standards for riparian fencing, crossings and effluent systems, so all that is largely completed.

This is the next step and Marlborough District Council’s environmental scientist, Matt Oliver, says farmers are generally on board and have been asking for in-depth water quality testing so they have better information.

“They wanted to know exactly what the water is like when it enters their property and when it leaves their property. And we

couldn’t answer that. What happens to water when it flows through say a forestry block or a dairy block? You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

To get that information, about 400 landowners which includes dairy farmers throughout the catchment, have been mapping streams on their property using the geospatial analysis of local company, Geoinsight. Matt says the only way to be transformative in an environmentally, culturally and economically safe manner, is to know all the details. That means mapping and measuring all those potential waterways, no matter how tiny.

He admits there is some nervousness among landowners about what that may mean for them, but at the same time they are prepared to do what is needed.

Plus, he says mapping, measuring and finding critical points that need attention doesn’t mean farmers have to fence all those waterways. The point of mapping and monitoring is to find out what is happening in the catchment and allocate funding to deal with anything that is identified as a problem.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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Water quality measurements during the past 12 months have established a baseline.

That is now being used to create an effective monitoring and evaluation programme that can be used to make improvements where it is needed.

“There may be tiny little streams contributing well above their size to water quality,” he says. “It doesn’t mean a farmer has to put a fence on it, but we want to know where they are, and we can measure the effect of it.”

He says the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater “changed the game pretty massively” and the Government recognises it needs to fund projects such as The Te Hoiere/Pelorus Catchment project to achieve its goals.

Making the project an exemplar has its benefits for landowners as it comes with more funding from both the Government and council to help landowners do their part, including more fencing, more planting, help with maintenance after planting and dung beetles.

From the beginning, Matt says they wanted to involve all stake holders and with that in mind, numerous community meetings were held last year before the project kicked off.

“We didn’t want to turn up and start dictating to people,” he says. “A lot of what we’re trying to do is tailor the work we’re doing towards water quality and other goals to suit the way people work and make it easier for them.”

BEETLING INTO DUNG BEETLES

To date, 10 dung beetle packs have already been purchased by farmers in the catchment and will be placed around 70

Holes in the dung show where beetles have burrowed down to bury the dung.

their properties this summer. More properties are likely to use dung beetles as more packs become available. One pack of dung beetles – which is suggested for every 300 dairy cows - usually costs $6,000 and deliveries have different species to suit different country. The project is able to get bulk orders for $5,000 per pack and then offers a subsidy of $2,000 per pack to landowners which in effect enables farmers to get the packs for half price.

Matt says the dung beetles offer several benefits from the obvious one of getting rid of manure so that it doesn’t runoff into waterways, to reduced worm burden in the paddock, increased pasture, reduced fertiliser bills and aerated soil for grass roots to go deeper. It can take up to nine years for a colony of beetles to get really established, but he says there’s anecdotal evidence the beetles have beneficial effects much sooner.

“Putting the dung beetles in is just one of the tools we can use and that is why we subsidise them.”

FENCING AND WETLANDS

For fencing, the project funds up to $6/m for materials as well as selling the plants at cost price, with the landowner doing the fencing and planting.

“We pay for the maintenance for two years because they have told us that it is

easy to put the plants in, but very, very hard to maintain them and get them to grow. So we will pay a contractor to do that work.”

He says farmers are coming up with ideas as well. A couple of farmers are planning on planting decommissioned effluent ponds as artificial wetlands to filter the runoff from farm tracks.

Another is looking at redesigning their paddocks so that instead of a stream dissecting several paddocks, the fences run in the same direction of the stream and therefore reduce the amount of fencing and culverts.

“Farmers are can-do people who are willing to do stuff and we are doing our best to keep up with them.”

The council also has its part to play in improving water quality and is spending money on developing a land disposal system from its sewerage ponds at Havelock.

A second phase of the catchment project begins next year to encompass the wider Pelorus Sound out to the Chedwode Islands. Matt says the goal is for the Te Hoiere/ Pelorus Catchment to become a focal point for scientists throughout the country who will find practical solutions to problems in waterways.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Dynamo ® BEETLES TO THE RESCUE Karen Morrison has bought a pack of dung beetles for her 240-cow family dairy farm at Linkwater, with the first of the four-season pack arriving this summer.

She is part of the Linkwater Catchment Group that is now part of the wider Te Hoiere/Pelorus Catchment Project and says it is a group that wants to get ahead of the rules. Six dairy farms are involved with the Linkwater group who work together on ideas and resolving problems. All have either bought packs of dung beetles or plan to buy packs as they become available because they view them as another tool to use for the environment. Karen has a few dung beetles already burrowing their way into dung after hosting a field day where they were released to show farmers.

Most farmers have been positive about the project which she says will provide the information and support going forward, such as funding. It can be hard for farmers to know what funding is available, whereas one of the benefits of the project will be the easy access to information and making that funding readily accessible.

On her family farm, 15 sites have been mapped and measured and will now be monitored. In Karen’s view, the sooner they have the information, the sooner they can make improvements.

She is third generation on the farm and the family has been proactive with fencing and plantings over the years, including planting a wet area on the farm with 2,500 native trees. Since the farm has been mapped and measured, another wet area has been identified for similar planting, with advice provided about planting. She says there have been a few areas on the farm highlighted by the project, with suggestions for change, but

Karen Morrison wants to be environmentally proactive.

it hasn’t felt pressured.

Not far away in Canvastown, Michael Shearer says the best part about the project is getting more information about the water coming onto a property and then when it leaves the property.

“You need to know what is there beforehand and what impact you are having. Then once you know, you can find ways to fix it.”

He and his wife, Cheryl, bought their first farm three years ago and milk 180 cows, plus sharemilk with an equity partner on a nearby farm. They have all the main waterways fenced and he knows there will be more to do.

The catchment project is a lot more detailed than Fonterra’s environmental plans and more targeted because it has more information on a large number of sites. He says farmers are generally keen to get things done where it is needed and the way it has been done is creating good healthy relationships with council.

He says it is great to get the financial help for fencing and planting but finding the time to do the work is always hard and the reality is that farmers will do the work.

Getting paid contractors to maintain any plantings will be a huge help because that work usually needs to be done at the busiest time on the dairy farm calendar.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

71

STOCK JERSEY COWS

Taking a stand for

Jerseys

Words by: Karen Trebilcock

A

dairy farm in Southland will soon stand out from the rest because of the colour of its cows.

While most of the country, especially the South, is dominated by Friesian and crossbred cows, a 215-hectare, 600-cow farm at Makarewa near Invercargill is looking forward to showcasing the Jersey breed.

Once the favoured cow in New Zealand, it has been overtaken by Friesian in recent decades.

However, New Zealand Dairy Statistics records half of all cows in NZ as now crossbred and LIC figures show 80% of calves born this season from LIC mated cows will be a cross of the two breeds.

Of the 4 million dairy inseminations carried out by LIC last year, 13.6% were of Jersey semen and only a third of these were inseminated into the same parent breed.

It’s something Julie Pirie, chair of the joint venture, wants to change.

The Southland farm has been bought by farmer advocacy group Jersey Advantage and breed society Jersey NZ, which each have a 25% share. Five private investors, either retired or retiring farmers, hold a 10% share each.

“Jerseyland Farms will be run as a commercial operation, providing a sustainable funding source for both organisations,” Julie says. She is also a 72

director of Jersey NZ and a member of Jersey Advantage.

“Revenue from the joint venture will be used to enable increased breed promotion and industry representation across key farmer issues.

“The funding will allow us to deliver commercial advantages for the Jersey breed – ensuring a fair payment for Jersey milk, ensuring BW and PW accurately reflect the advantages of Jersey cattle, ensuring emissions modelling captures Jersey efficiency, and supporting industry planning around bobby calf management and pathways for Jersey beef.”

‘Revenue from the joint venture will be used to enable increased breed promotion and industry representation across key farmer issues.’

The governance board will include members from both organisations and the five private investors with Dairy Direct supporting the day-to-day operations.

Jersey NZ had wanted to buy a farm for some time to showcase the breed but this

year everything had come together quickly, she says.

“We found the right farm at the right price and available at the right time and it was in Southland. It presented us with the perfect opportunity.”

However, with the rush of getting the legal documents signed, the farm takeover was delayed until June 15 and most of the Friesian and crossbred herd which was part of the sale have been unable to be sold on.

“There was demand for R2s in Southland and we have replaced them with Jersey cows from Waikato, Northland and Canterbury and the Friesians we’re left with, about two-thirds of the herd, will be sold when we can.

“Until the farm is only Jersey cows, the Friesians will give us a good comparison on the efficiencies of the Jerseys.”

Julie, who farms 900 mostly Jersey cows at Ngatea in the North Waikato, says Southland Jersey breeder Rodney

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Dobson has been invaluable with the farm purchase.

“He knows the area and gave us the confidence to go ahead. The farm is very wet so having Jerseys on it, with their smaller frame, will work well.”

Corporate farmer, former Fonterra director and Jersey Advantage chair Mark Townshend was also instrumental in getting the farm up and running.

He says the venture has the potential to generate a strong return on equity.

“The intention is this investment is part of a 10 to 15-year plan to build a farm portfolio delivering 500,000kg MS plus,” he says.

Jersey Advantage and Jersey NZ members are keen to visit the farm soon and it is hoped public field days will be run the following season, Julie says.

“We really want to show how efficiently Jerseys produce high fat and protein milk.

The breed has been shown in research to

Above: The 215ha dairy farm at Makarewa in Southland. Left: Julie Pirie with her Jersey cows at Ngatea in the North Waikato.

produce around 8% more milksolids per kilogram of drymatter eaten – 1 to 2% more protein and 11 to 13% more fat – than Holstein Friesians.

“Because Jerseys produce more concentrated milk there is also less energy required to cart and process the milk which helps with their environmental footprint.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

“We’re halfway through calving on our own farm and I know I would be rather moving a Jersey calf around than a Friesian. They are so much lighter which also helps to reduce pugging on wetter soils.”

On the Southland farm, cows will be wintered off and the aim is for a grass-only, low-cost milking operation.

“They tell me in Southland you grow grass all season long.”

The farm has a herringbone dairy and started out as a town-supply farm last century. Under the venture it will supply Fonterra.

“We’re lucky also the contract milkers from before the sale have stayed on.

They really know the farm and how it works.”

73

STOCK BOBBY CALVES

Opportunity with bobbies

Sunshine bliss.

A Canterbury equity partnership is making the most of bobby calves. By Anne Lee.

M

aatua Hou means new parents and it couldn’t be a better name for the venture four young couples with young children have embarked on to grow equity and find a solution for another group of youngsters – bobby calves.

They’ve formed an equity partnership, bought a block of land and have found a group of dairy farms prepared to supply them with calves otherwise bound for the bobby truck, entering into a profit share arrangement.

The farms supply four-day-old calves together with $215/calf, paying up front to partner with Maatua Hou. Maatua Hou rears the calves to weaning at which point they’re sold.

Maatua Hou keeps the money from the sale, the farms are guaranteed to get their $215/calf back as a minimum once the sale has occurred and will share in any price over $215 at a split of 15% to them and 85% to Maatua Hou. (See table one.)

David Williams is Maatua Hou’s operations manager and the instigator of the idea that brought the young couples 74

Lachie Williams – a calf venture with a twist, saving bobbies and helping grow a partnership

together in the equity partnership.

He’s worked for corporate farming entities as an analyst and last year became a self-described stay-at-home Dad while partner Phoebe Davies, a partner in law firm Wynn Williams, returned to work after the birth of their son Lachlan.

The pair and their equity partners shared their story at SIDE earlier this year.

About the time Phoebe returned to work David saw a property that ticked a lot of boxes when it came to land that could help them grow equity.

“I think there was just over a month from spotting the property on TradeMe, becoming a stay-at-home Dad, flicking texts out to people asking if they wanted to be involved in this plan - and did they have any money to put in - and then buying it,” David says.

The equity partnership and buying the land is at the core of the venture in that it’s brought the couples together, giving them a way to pool their resources and take on an investment none of them would have managed alone.

It’s also allowed them to pool their skills – which in this instance are diverse.

“We have real farmers, corporate managers, a lawyer, an accountant and a florist with the small business skills as well as farming skills.”

Ben and Jo Jagger contract milk 950 cows near Rangiora and both have a farming background.

“We were looking for opportunities

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Maatua Hou calf rearing – Kim Knaggs, David and Lachie Williams and Hayley Bykerk.

outside of the farm job where we could invest.

“We wanted to be involved in an equity partnership and surround ourselves with like-minded people. It also came with the bobby calf business model.

“Humans are creatures of habit and don’t like change, but there are opportunities that come with change and that is exciting for us,” he says.

Brendan and Ella Kelly also joined the equity partnership.

They contract milk 1400 cows near Ashburton and also say the venture gives

them the ability to invest contract milking returns into a land asset in a good location.

“It gave us a chance to get involved with a smaller scale equity partnership so we could learn some of the do’s and don’ts of running a business with a group of investors,” Brendan says.

“The other factor that appealed to us was a bit more of an emotive one in the business model and the alignment that had with our core values to make the system better,” he says.

The alignment of each party, their values and what they want out of the venture is

important, David says.

“We’re all in the same stage of life and we want to use the equity partnership to grow our wealth – it’s definitely a growth strategy over the longer term.

“The aim as a group is for this to give us a greater ability to achieve future investments.

“We’re all gunning for herd ownership or land ownership and that could happen through this or it could be the staging post for other equity partnerships,” David says.

He’s the first to admit though that the first year of operation didn’t go as planned and honestly reveals that a range of issues meant the operational side of the venture made a loss.

The property ticked a lot of boxes: – it’s 34 hectares partially irrigated, it has calf rearing infrastructure and calf housing along with sheds; it has quality housing and is well located at Burnham near Christchurch which should lift in value as urban areas spread.

But – because they didn’t get take-over of the property till September 1, they had little time to get the farm set up.

Sealing a deal on the supply of calves took time so when calves arrived, they were already the later ones coming off farm and they arrived en masse.

David says he got a lot more No’s than Yes’s when he put the concept to multiple farmers to supply but in the end, he found farmers who saw the value in the venture from an ESG – environmental, social and governance - perspective and were happy to supply the animals and the upfront costs because of a genuine desire to give the calves a better outcome.

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TABLE 1: PAYMENT SCHEDULE BETWEEN FARMER SUPPLIERS AND MAATUA HOU $215 paid up front by farmer supplier and returned post sale. Any price above $215 split 15:85 (farmer:Maatua Hou)

From small beginnings – rearing bobbies, partnering with farmers and growing an equity partnership.

Getting a calf rearer at that late stage proved difficult and then to top it off they had a salmonella outbreak.

“Overall, death rates and milk powder costs were higher than budget, as we rallied to get on top of the disease setbacks because it significantly knocked growth rates. We learnt a lot in that process.

“We did get the earlier ones away and sold them for above budget, which was a positive because it showed us there was a market for broken-faced heifers and the type of calves we had.”

The irrigation restrictions and drought in Canterbury meant they had declining feed quality and quantity later in summer and coupled with a declining market meant they not only had higher costs they got squeezed on price too.

“So what did we learn? You can’t have a balance sheet strong enough.

“The business was set up with a conservative level of debt, which we thought was responsible given the higher risk model.

“Fortunately, we bought (the land) at a good time and demand for small farm blocks seems to have increased in the past 12 months, so this helps after a difficult first season, as we’ve likely had some uplift in land valuation.

“We’ve done a lot to prove the concept though in terms of a market for the calves and farmers to supply us.

“Straight out of the gate we’ve had a lot of first year blues but we’ve proven we can work together and a lot of the strengths we have in the group have shown through.”

Now in their second season the flow of calves has been a lot more manageable with an expected total of 750 calves reared.

They have one full-time staff member, Kim Knaggs and two part-time people, Julie Hazlehurst and Hayley Bykerk, who 76

Sale price of calf ($)

150

215

250 300

390

415

440

465

490

Calf owner's expense ($)

215

215

215 215

215

215

215

215

215

Farmer income (15%) ($)

65

-

5

13

26

30

34

38

41

Maatua Hou profit share (85%) ($)

-65

-

30

72

149

170

191

213

234

Maatua Hou advance payment ($)

215

215

215 215

215

215

215

215

215

Maatua Hou income ($/calf)

150

215

245 287

364

385

406

428

449

will step up their hours as Kim gets closer to having her first baby due in early November. They’ve developed protocols for biosecurity to reduce the potential for disease given the number of farms calves are coming from.

They’ve set up “calfie jails” or quarantine pens in the corners of the large pens where any suspicious calves are put.

“Anything that looks a bit sleepy, hasn’t fed properly or we’re just not sure about goes in the quarantine pen so we can keep a really close eye on them.

“It gives the team a chance to watch them easily without having to find them in the group and it means they’re that little bit removed.

“If anything develops they’re quickly taken away and go into the sick bay at the other shed away from any other calves.”

They have close contact with their vet and can communicate via WhatsApp to send videos and photos along with questions. Part time staff member Hayley is studying to be a vet technician and works with the vet who comes once-a-week once numbers get up and disbudding is taking place. The large pens and feeding regime means calves remain in the pens for about 50 days with the aim to hasten rumen development because they’re eating more grain than they would if out on grass.

That in turn should allow earlier weaning and reduce the amount of milk powder required.

The calves are fed two litres twice-aday for the first 10 days and then go on to 3.5litres once a day with that slowly increasing.

David works on 40-50kg of grain per calf till weaning.

“We’re working closely with the vet on our feeding plan and we’re monitoring calves really closely.”

EXERCISING THE MIND

David and the equity partners have been exercising their minds on the wider sector issue of bobby calves too.

The issue presents risks to the sector but it could also present numerous opportunities including increasing returns through marketing based on welfare and sustainability.

The big issue is finding the farmed area for the increase in beef numbers if large numbers of bobbies are reared.

One solution is to reduce the number of traditional beef cows and the subsequent calves carried on drystock farms, and have supply agreements to fill these properties with dairy-beef reared animals.

There would be greenhouse (GHG) benefits to such a move.

An option could also be for finishers to carry dairy cross animals through to 10-12 months rather than 22 months allowing more animals to be carried by the finishers and cope with the large number of animals that would be available if bobby calf numbers were significantly reduced.

“We have to apply some different thinking to the issue but it does start opening up exciting opportunities.”

MAATUA HOU Maatua Hou. A bobby calf rearing venture with a twist - four young couples have set up an equity partnership, bought a 34ha block and created a venture where the farmers supplying the calves also pay. The farmers are guaranteed to get their money back when the calf is sold along with a share in any profit. Could this be a way to help reduce bobbies? Is there another way we could be rearing beef in this country?

Take a look at our story: ww.youtube.com/ watch?v=yLxdY5mkH8Y

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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77

-

STOCK VET VOICE

-

internal pelvis, and a prominent pubic symp They may have a body shape more like a ste If you are synchronising your heifers, you ar progesterone-releasing device in very far, c At pregnancy scanning, it is typically hard to small and underdeveloped

Image 1: Twin heifer calves may be retained as repl

Twinning and Freemartins Words by: Lisa Whitfield

H

aving just come in from calving tangled twins on a local dairy farm, it became clear that twins are generally considered problematic for many dairy farmers.

While some farms love them, and will keep live twin heifers as a novelty in the herd, others don’t keep any twins, to try and reduce the incidence of twinning in the herd.

Twinning is not all that common in dairy cattle – and it seems to vary widely by farm. I have heard reports of up to 10% of a herd having twin calvings. Anecdotally, from farms I have worked with, it seems that the number would probably sit between 1 and 2% of calvings each year.

There is no readily available data on twinning rates for the New Zealand dairy herd. I have seen the amount of extra work it can create in springtime when there are more calves born than cows which have obviously calved.

Did you know that with the right timing and the right ultrasound machine, twins can be identified relatively easily at scanning?

Going through the springer mob with a fine tooth comb to Twin heifer calves may be retained as replacements. make sure a cow isn’t missed adds a lot of time to days which are already full. If you are lucky, you have enough breed variations and good records, which allow you to narrow down the pool of cows a mystery calf could or two if you know which cows definitely have twins have come from. I don’t envy people with purebred when it comes around to calving time. The ideal time herds having to figure out which cow had twins. to identify twins is when a pregnancy is less than 90 Twins also makes the dam more likely to have days old. The use of a curvilinear scanner by the person calving trouble, and reproductive problems postscanning also improves the likelihood, as this gives a calving. deeper and wider field of view into the uterus (22cm), Lisa Whitfield The most common problem calving presentations I see compared to the traditional linear scanners used (12-15cm). when twins are involved is the first calf being in Freemartins are one of the big headaches associated with twins breech position so needing assistance, or the calves being tangled it seems. A freemartin refers to the female twin which is born to up with each other. Did you know that with the right timing and the same pregnancy as a male calf. In over 90% of cases these the right ultrasound machine, twins can be identified relatively female calves are infertile. easily at scanning? It does take a few extra seconds per cow to Shared blood supply between the calves results in abnormal check at scanning, but even if not all twins are identified, it is development of the reproductive organs, primarily of the female useful to know of as many as possible and may save a headache calf. Many people keep freemartins for the freezer, however, 78

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Image 2: The blood tube test

The blood tube test.

Abnormally large clitoris in a freemartin calf.

Image 3: Abnormally large clitoris in a freemartin calf when freemartins are unknowingly reared, you can end up with more empty heifers than you expect after breeding. With the discontinuation of genetic freemartin testing by LIC, the alternative is based on physical examination, which is less reliable, but at the same time good to be aware of.

FOR YOUNG FEMALE CALVES WHICH YOU SUSPECT MAY BE TWIN CALVES TO A MALE, YOU CAN EXAMINE THE EXTERNAL GENITALIA.

• The blood tube test (this test has many names). A 10ml blood tube is lubricated and passed through the vulva. If the tube does not pass more than 7cm in, the calf is likely to be a freemartin.

• Freemartins usually have an abnormally large clitoris compared to normal heifers.

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• On rectal examination, freemartin heifers have a characteristically triangular shape to the internal pelvis, and a prominent pubic symphysis, similar to a steer • They may have a body shape more like a steer • If you are synchronising your heifers, you will not be able to pass the intravaginal progesterone-releasing device in very far, compared to normal heifers • At pregnancy scanning, it is typically hard to find the uterus and ovaries as they will be very small and underdeveloped.

• Lisa Whitfield is a Manawatu veterinarian with Lisa Whitfield Farm Vet Services, Palmerston North.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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Sowing the seeds of farming life A shared passion for motorbikes led to a Massey University student finding a job in the seed industry. Tony Leggett reports.

Photos: Natasha Chadwick.

G

ore might be a long way from the leafy seaside suburb of Birkenhead on Auckland’s North Shore, but Fred Milford-Cottam feels right at home.

He’s now five months into a new role with H & T Agronomics as South Island manager. He jokes it’s manager of one as he is the sole company employee in the South Island. But it mirrors H & T’s steady North Island expansion over the past decade.

H & T Agronomics provides farmers with agronomic advice and retails seed and seed treatment services direct to farmers and a small number of other retailing companies. MilfordCottam got his first insight into farm life as a youngster, while holidaying at his family’s bach at Port Jackson on the Coromandel Peninsula. He started working some of his holidays for local farmer, Alexander Ward, on his 2000+hectare farm which surrounded much of the Port Jackson inlet.

‘It was my first taste of farming, but it also meant riding motorbikes which I really enjoyed doing. I then started working for him in my Christmas holidays and when I got my driver’s licence at 15, he employed me as junior shepherd every school holiday,” Milford-Cottam says.

The seed was sown in his mind to get into a career that connected with farming. Not having a family farm, a visit to his careers advisor at Westlake Boys High produced the suggestion that he should head to Lincoln or Massey University to pursue a degree in agriculture.

“Out of about 500 boys in my final year 13 at school, I was the only one who went to Massey or Lincoln.”

He chose Massey because he was racing motorbikes at the time in a national enduro/cross country team backed by motorcycle brand KTM, and most of the competing was in the North Island events at that time. He signed up for a double degree, choosing a Bachelor of Science majoring in agriculture.

In his final year of study, he was also running coaching clinics for young motorcycle riders as part of his contract with KTM. At one he ran in Wairarapa, he met a director of H & T Agronomics, Paul Oliver, who had two boys in the clinic.

Left: Fred still gets to ride his bike.

80

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Above: Fred Milford-Cottam checks a soil sample. Right: Fred is five months into a new role with H & T Agronomics as South Island manager.

“When the training was finished, I started talking to Paul and found out what he did.

Kind of off the cuff, I asked him for a job.”

“He said send me an email on Monday and two weeks later I had a job at H & T Agronomics. It was half way through my final year, at about the same time as the banks and companies like Fonterra were presenting to students about careers with them.”

He admits he didn’t know much about what H & T did, but he has never regretted his eagerness.

Before starting at the company’s Feilding office, he worked on a bull finishing farm in Hawke’s Bay where one of the team mentioned he had been closely involved with H & T’s predecessor, Hodder and Tolley over several years.

“He spoke highly of the company, it’s proud tradition and good people. That sealed the deal for me and Paul was great over that period from signing the contract to starting in my role,” Milford-Cottam says.

He was originally hired to take over some of the company’s Rangitikei clients and spent time with now-retired local legend, Ken Smith, visiting his customers, building his knowledge and getting to know how the company operated.

“I originally started in Feilding, covering the Rangitikei region. It coincided with another field representative, Duncan Thomas, taking on the business manager role, so I picked up some of his clients and added my own.”

Milford-Cottam says he joined the company just at the peak of the plantainclover boom and his first two years were

largely spent helping farmers successfully establish and manage plantain and clover for lamb and cattle finishing.

After working for H & T for four-anda-half years, he resigned and headed to Romania to join the track management team behind epic enduro event, Red Bull Romaniacs.

“They paid for me to get over there, gave me a motorbike, and set me up, and I helped run one of the big races. It was a massive event, really chaotic but a lot of fun.”

Although he’d left the company, Oliver and Thomas were keen to keep him involved. When H & T added seed treatment to its services, they got in touch with Milford-Cottam in 2017 and he joined them at a global seed treatment conference in Budapest.

He arrived back in NZ in November 2018 into a dual role based at Masterton, covering some of the company’s farmer clients but working mostly on seed treatment technology development, including the company’s proprietary Optitech system.

The new role included developing the company’s international business relationships so it remained a leader in the technology of seed treatment and products.

H & T had been looking at growing into the South Island so offered Milford-Cottam the chance to lead the development.

“Moving to Gore is an opportunity for me to have a go at starting H & T in the South Island. I’ve got a role similar to Duncan (Thomas) in business development, but in the South Island and there’s only me!”

“At the moment, I’m still getting a feel

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

for the area, but I’m keen to try to replicate what has been achieved in the North Island.”

Gore was deliberately chosen by the company because of its similarity to the rural service town of Feilding where H & T’s head office and seed treatment business is based. His move south also coincided with some staff movement within the wider agronomy sector, so the timing was good to establish himself and the H & T Agronomics brand in the region.

Milford-Cottam says H & T prides itself on being nimble and progressive, traits reflected in its industry leading seed treatment services and farm systems advice.

“Our aim is always to do the basics well but focus more on outcomes and how that impacts a farm system, more so than say what ryegrass cultivar you’re going to sow today,” he says.

He feels lucky to have been employed initially and given the opportunities to work in the seed treatment side of the business.

“You know when you’re in the industry you wouldn’t want to work for anyone else.

I’ve got a really good relationship with Paul particularly, he is my mentor and I talk to him most days about anything that needs covering,” he says.

When time permits, Milford-Cottam says he’s still enjoying riding his motorbike.

He’s found there are plenty of trail rides and enduro or cross-country events in the Southland region. He’s competed nationally in the past and won a national title several years ago, but is happy to enjoy his time riding bikes these days without the team expectations and pressure to win.

81

RESEARCH WRAP NORTHLAND AG RESEARCH FARM

NARF responding to climate change NARF farm manager Kelvin Horton, NDDT coordinator Kim Robertson, and NDDT science manager Chris Boom ponder the damaged ryegrass pasture in April.

Picture by Kim Robinson.

Words and photos: Delwyn Dickey

T

he rolling Northland countryside is a rich green patchwork of ryegrass and kikuyu in early summer. But come autumn, much of the ryegrass is struggling as the hot dry weather sucks moisture out of the soil, often leaving the shallow rooted grass in trouble.

Northland is warming up and is at the forefront of the effects of climate change in New Zealand farming. By 2040 there are likely to be between 20 – 30 more days annually with temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius, with increasing droughts.

The warming climate is already putting pressure on farming systems using traditional ryegrass-based pasture, and is seeing more farmers looking to alternatives. On top of this the Government is also giving farmers a clear message to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

With this in mind the Northland Dairy Development Trust (NDDT) is running a four-year trial at NARF at Dargaville. The farm is split into three 28 ha farmlets.

Three different farming systems will look at performance using alternative pastures, 82

reducing emissions on a traditional ryegrass-based farm, and the farming system recently highlighted in their previous trial as being the most profitable, being used as the control. (See the July issue of Dairy Exporter).

The current/control farm uses ryegrass and kikuyu pasture, and only palm kernel expeller (PKE) to fill feed deficits before milk fat evaluation index (FEI) limits are reached, with a stocking rate of three cows per hectare, with up to 190kg of applied nitrogen per hectare.

The alternative pastures farm will have at least 75 percent of fescue, cocksfoot, legumes and herbs pasture, and also use PKE to make up feed deficits.

Stocking rates will also be three cows per hectare and up to 190kg of applied nitrogen per hectare. Fonterra has provided funding to monitor if there is a difference in milk quality and composition from the alternative pastures, NDDT coordinator Kim Robinson says.

The low emissions farm will use existing ryegrass and kikuyu farm pasture and targets a 25% reduction in methane emissions and a 50% reduction in nitrous oxide emissions (compared to the current farm). The stocking rate will drop to 2.1 cows per hectare, with no nitrogen application. There will be imported supplement but little or no imported feed.

While the farming industry will have until 2050 to reduce their emissions by about this level, there is no reason to wait, Robinson says.

“Let’s try this now and see what happens.”

To get the alternative pastures farm up and running by the trial start in June, 9ha was sown in May 2020 with combinations of fescue - or fescue and cocksfoot, with white, red and Persian clover.

Another 11 ha has been sown in March, with fescue - or fescue and cocksfoot, with white clover, red clover and a small amount of chicory. Pasture quality monitoring so far, has already shown the fescue/cocksfoot pastures out performing kikuyu and ryegrass during summer and autumn, while on par during winter and spring.

Animal health effects including things like heat stress, will also be measured, Robinson says, with a rumen bolus on each cow to record temperature and activity, to help indicate if the animal is sick or unwell after eating on the different pastures. Farmax and Overseer computer modelling suggests milk production will be higher under all climatic conditions on the alternative pasture farm, while the low emissions farm is predicted to have significantly lower production.

The full trial parameters, modelling, and early results can be found on nddt.nz website.

The project is funded by DairyNZ, MPI (Sustainable Farming Fund) and Hine Rangi Trust.

‘The warming climate is already putting pressure on farming systems using traditional ryegrass-based pasture, and is seeing more farmers looking to alternatives.’

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

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WELLBEING MENTAL HEALTH

One day at a time Words by: Anne Hardie

W

hen the country went into its August lockdown, Sir John Kirwan’s anxiety levels shot up. Then he realised he couldn’t do much about controlling lockdown, so he focused on what he could control in his life.

It is just one of the strategies the mental wellbeing coach employs to manage anxiety – and anxiety in uncertain times such as Covid and lockdowns is quite normal. Covid cases and the subsequent lockdown is good reason for anxiety and the former All Black, who has been through his own mental health journey, outlined his reaction and strategies on a recent webinar.

“There’s this feeling of having no control and how do you take control back?

Sometimes you get into that spiral, so what can I control and what can I look forward to?”

For Kirwan, it was setting goals like increasing time learning the guitar, getting fitter, connecting with family, listening to podcasts and only listening to the news once a day. All things he could control through the day – and dealing with one day at a time instead of worrying about how long lockdown might go on or those things beyond his control.

His strategies are all on the Mentemia

phone app which has a variety of tools including the worry map, breath training, being kind, a mood tracker and a personality quiz – as well as videos, articles and audios. The worry map enables you to describe your worry, create a plan of action and let go of the worry. Breath training improves the body’s stress response, while being kind is an interactive feature where you spin a wheel of kindness, select an action and commit to doing it. A mood tracker tracks your mood and the reasons you feel that way and a personality quiz helps you find out a bit more about yourself.

Health psychology specialist Dr Fiona Crichton joined Kirwan on the webinar and pointed out that it is normal to have moments of anxiety because the body is wired that way to keep us safe. At times like Covid and lockdown, she says the information can be overwhelming and can push people more toward negative anxiety and that’s when they need to do something about it.

“What we know about anxiety is it’s important to take one day at a time and be present in the moment,” she says.

“Listening to a podcast can be a circuit breaker just to give your brain a break.”

‘What we know about anxiety is it’s important to take one day at a time and be present in the moment,’

12 Ways for Mental Wellbeing in the age of coronavirus • • • • • • • • • • • •

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She says it is also good to have routine through the day because that reassures our brain. It helps us remember things when we are anxious and the brain is becoming foggy.

Kirwan agrees with routine and says the tools on Mentemia have saved his life. He uses breathing techniques to breathe his way through those times of heightened anxiety and uses the worry map to get a plan of action to quit the worry.

He says it is also important to be kind to yourself and accept it is okay to feel the way you do. A turning point for him was when he stopped asking himself why it was happening to him and accepted that it “just is”.

“That was really healthy for me. ‘It just is’ brought me back to the present so I could work on the solution.”

The pair pointed to the six pillars that Mentemia uses as the path to wellbeing: connect, do, chill, move, celebrate and enjoy. Taking small, daily actions around each of the pillars helps reduce stress levels and also increases resilience and happiness.

The term ‘connect’ is about being with family and people who are uplifting in your life. ‘Do’ is engaging your brain for brain health such as learning something or listening to podcasts. ‘Chill’ is reducing stress and includes the things you do to calm your mind, relax the body and switch off the fight or flight response. ‘Move’ is keeping physically active in a way that feels good. ‘Celebrate’ is recognising and building on strengths – being kind to yourself and looking after your values.

While ‘enjoy’ is having things to look forward to - those things you do for pleasure and fun.

Focus on the things you can control Be in the now Take breaks Go easy on yourself Have things to look forward to Acknowledge your feelings Look after your body Stay connected Take time out from the news Appreciate the small things Keep to a routine Find the funny

• The mentemia app can be downloaded www.healthnavigator.org.nz/apps/m/ mentemia-app/.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

WELLBEING DELTA VIRUS

Lessons for living through a lockdown Confined to home base by the Delta version of the Covid-19 virus invasion? Harriet Bremner offers her advice.

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FOCUS ON THE THINGS YOU CAN CONTROL

We cannot control the situation of the world around us, but we can control what is happening day-to-day in our own lives with regard to things like; keeping a routine, eating well, exercising and being grateful for being able to work outside in the fresh air.

We cannot let ourselves be controlled by the Covid-19 environment we are forced into and have to try and keep what we can as normal as possible.

We can also control being vaccinated or not.

Now this, I know, involves deeply personal and individual views but in a global pandemic it makes me think that it’s

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KEEP YOUR MORNING ROUTINE

You may have children home from school or be working from home as well as on the farm, but I suggest keeping a routine as close to normal is key.

When I bang out my to-do list in the morning by a certain time before work, I feel more able to tackle things during the day that crop up.

a bit of a ‘take one for the team’ situation.

Through being vaccinated we are not only trying to protect ourselves and our families but also others around us and in our communities.

A doctor friend of mine talks of the preventable deaths that could be stopped had those people just been vaccinated.

They talk about the fact that ‘the virus will find you’ and not everyone is lucky enough to get a bed in ICU, let alone survive to tell their story.

The choices we make now will affect and influence you and your family’s future.

I was nervous about my first vaccine, because I hate needles and also because it felt like stepping into the unknown. I am asthmatic and at the end of the day I thought I would rather be safe than sorry.

It didn’t hurt and I have felt good as gold since.

In terms of your children, they are more able to concentrate in the morning so get the work and chores done and have time outside in the afternoon or take regular outside breaks once each school item or job has been completed.

I find that if you stay in bed longer and disrupt that routine you feel sluggish and lethargic all day, and everything can seem too daunting to tackle. It also makes the transition of going back to work or school a lot smoother for everyone involved – reducing anxiety.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Harriet Bremner and Poppy.

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MAKE THE MOST OF THE FAMILY BEING HOME

Make the most of the family being home and do some jobs on the farm in the afternoons or between milkings that can include everyone so that you are all out of the house and doing something productive together.

You will all feel satisfied that you have achieved something and doing it together is an added bonus. It will be a nice feeling to have company while you are at work, as feeling isolated during these unusual times just adds to feeling anxious.

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CHAT TO PEOPLE DAILY

Remember to chat to the people closest to you daily, whether it’s over facetime or in your bubble. Tell them how you really are – none of that ‘I’m fine’ business and have a look at what things you can do in your life to prepare for the unexpected.

If all else fails, be like me today and take a breath, do a workout, go outside, stop, appreciate the right-now and if all else fails… eat the damn chocolate because sometimes it just does make you feel that bit better!

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DAIRY 101 WINTERING ALTERNATIVES

No more making mud Story and photos by: Karen Trebilcock

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bout now you will be thinking about wintering for next year.

Yes, it’s about 10 months away but that’s how long it takes to grow a crop of fodder beet.

With proposed government regulations not kicking in now until May, which means it will be another winter before they take effect, it’s business as usual but that doesn’t mean that making mud should be what you want for your farm and your cows once again.

Besides the fact that no one looks forward to shifting cows on crop in mud, or seeing their animals covered in the stuff, or that it can be hellish trying to get that paddock back into grass some time before Christmas, there are a few other reasons why mud should be avoided.

Of course the main one is cows in mud lose more body condition than if they

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Making mud: something to be avoided, but something that takes planning and strategy to avoid, especially in the more southern provinces.

Below: Stand off pads can be used with on/off grazing.

aren’t in mud. And studies overseas show the more mud they’re in (dew claw to belly deep), the more body condition they will lose.

Which means you have to feed them more for them to regain that body condition.

However, cows in mud don’t eat as much. They have depressed intakes. Maybe because they are depressed so it is hard to get that body condition back in time for calving.

They also have more cases of lameness, making them sore and depressed.

And they don’t like lying down in mud, so they don’t sleep, so that makes them tired, sore and depressed.

And stressed because that mud clinging to them is cold.

And any animal (including us) which is stressed, tired, sore and depressed has a lower white blood cell count (which studies have proven cows on mud have), so they are more likely to get sick from bugs like mastitis.

Knowing all of that, do we really need government regulations to stop us having our cows in mud?

But we still need to feed them and when the grass doesn’t grow for 120 days, and the rain doesn’t let up and cows still haven’t grown wings, there have to be alternatives to pasture feeding which is why feeding cows on crop during winter is how many of us spend the off season.

By growing crop – kale, swedes or fodder beet – we can grow large tonnages per hectare of high-carbohydrate feed and supplement it with balage, hay or straw. It leaves the rest of the farm green and in grass ready for the milking season to start once more. But it means cows in mud and that’s what we all want to avoid.

A few smart people have been trialling alternatives and Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Any animal (including us) which is stressed, tired, sore and depressed has a lower white blood cell count (which studies have proven cows on mud have), so they are more likely to get sick from bugs like mastitis.

although they might not have the perfect systems yet, they might be on to something. Instead of a single brassica, try a mix of oats, vetch, different clovers, plantain and winter ryegrasses planted in late summer/autumn. Their long root structures hold cattle up better and some of these plants will keep growing after grazing, sucking up water and nitrates.

Use a backing fence and you could be making balage off them in late spring.

Or try bale feeding on high grass covers. Place hay bales out late autumn throughout the paddocks to be wintered on.

If stored on their side, the bales don’t absorb so much moisture although it does mean shoving them around a bit to cut the netting off. If you don’t use a feeder, it’s less work plus the cows can lie or stand on the hay out of the wet.

The uneaten hay, as it composts in spring, adds to the paddock’s organic matter increasing worm numbers and giving you lots of nitrogen that can’t be included in the government’s 190kg/ha cap.

Or use on/off grazing. Give the cattle their break and then when it’s eaten a few hours later get them off that wet ground somewhere they can rest and generally laze around.

It requires good tracks, a pad of some sort and some straw for them to chew while they discuss the weather with each other but it’s better than paddocks being turned into mud.

If you are worried about gateways becoming bogs, cut the fences to make new gateways and clean the cobwebs off your fencing gear. But make sure that fertility (the cows’ urine and dung) can be collected from the pad and spread back on to paddocks where it belongs.

Concrete pads should have rubber matting or bark on them to cushion cows’ feet.

Or try a composting pad out of the weather. Aerating the wood chips daily keeps them aerobic and free of ammonia and methane. The composting action creates heat keeping your cows toasty warm.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Above: Cows wintered on a mix of oats, vetch and winter ryegrasses which are already greening up again after grazing in Southland.

However, if you are going to do nothing different to last winter, at least start using a backing fence with a portable water trough. Yes, the smaller pipes freeze over in a good frost but the ice can be shaken out.

It’s not that hard.

If you put a hydrant system in, shorter pipes can feed the portable trough and that’s less ice to get rid of.

Having cows walk from the crop face to a permanent water trough half a paddock away, or even allowed to take a tour of the mud from one fence line to the others causes more mud.

Feet on wet ground reduces the macropores (the holes between the soil particles) which means water can’t get down as it should.

Studies in South Otago show macropores are reduced by about half in eaten crop paddocks compared to uneaten crop or pasture, even to a depth of 10cm.

So keep that backing fence up as tight as possible behind the cattle – the driest part of the paddock is always the crop face.

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SOLUTIONS What’s NEW? WEIGHING

Controlling weeds in mixed pastures

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roadleaf weeds can lead to significant reductions in yield within pastures, due to reduced palatability for stock and lower dry matter percentages of desirable species such as ryegrass and clover, from increased weed competition.

With the recent addition of plantain species to pastoral mixes, New Plymouthbased crop protection company Lonza set about formulating a herbicide solution that could be applied to pastures containing plantain, clover and ryegrass.

Until recently, farmers would have to reach for a herbicide that would either be injurious to clover species or the plantain.

This typically meant one or other of these species would need to be introduced following a herbicide application to prevent plant mortality. After extensive trial screening, Lonza settled on a combination of active ingredients - when formulated

together and used correctly, can be safely applied over pastures containing plantain, ryegrass and clover to deliver robust weed control.

Dynamo® was developed using Oleo® technology where the precise amount of adjuvant is formulated with the active to get the most out of the molecule.

Dynamo contains flumetsulam + bentazone in one convenient formulation, which when applied at the correct weed growth stage delivers synergistic broad spectrum activity on a range of hardto-kill broadleaf weeds. The combination of these two active ingredients makes Dynamo the most effective herbicide solution for use

over pastures containing plantain. This is backed by several years of replicated trials, resulting in ACVM registration and label claims.

“Weed size is a very important factor in terms of timing for a Dynamo application,” Lonza technical service and development manager Stephen McKennie says.

“To achieve the broadest spectrum of control, Dynamo needs to be applied to weeds prior to the four-leaf stage. This not only aids in better weed control but also improves crop establishment.”

Dynamo is available through all rural merchants.

For more information contact your local rural supplies merchant or your local Lonza territory manager.

Simple weighing made easier

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or Ella and Matt King, weighing is all about running an efficient and profitable business.

The Kings are lower order sharemilkers on a 700-cow dairy operation in Clydevale, South Otago. For the past seven years, Ella has also been a hands-on calf rearer. This season, the couple swapped out their trusted EziWeigh 7 indicator to trial its successor, the JR5000 (pictured).

The JR5000 is a new entry-level weigh scale indicator from Datamars, with improved functionality including a large colour screen, auto transfer from EID readers and a large, durable keypad for data entry. It is an ideal tool to help small to medium farming operations achieve their growth targets, sell animals at the right weight for the best price and ensure herd traceability for NAIT. 88

Even when working with calves every day, Ella doesn’t rely on the eye-o-meter to assess their progress.

“I am regular with the weighing. Every seven to ten days, I weigh my calves to see their growth rate and figure out how much they are gaining.”

Ella rears 170 for heifer replacements

and the regular weigh sessions provide useful information to better manage farm resources, keep money in their pocket, and improve the overall health of their future herd.

“While weighing, I have a look over each animal for health issues as they come over the scales. Spot them then and there and take whatever action I need before anything becomes an expensive vet problem.”

The JR5000 has made it easier for Ella to record and manage groups in the yard.

“I don’t want to have calves that are 120kgs in the same mob as the ones that are 85kgs so I’m sending calves over to the run-off in groups. With the JR5000 we can label groups. I can see the average weight, the number of calves I’ve run through.”

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

SOLUTIONS What’s NEW? HOOF CARE

The cost of lameness

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hen there’s lameness in a dairy herd the wider impact it has on animal welfare, productivity and economic return can be crippling. Studies in New Zealand suggest an average of 26% of cows in large herds have some form of lameness over the course of a year.

The cost of a lame cow is estimated at $400-$500 per cow per season, which can really add up. A 400 cow NZ dairy farm with 10% of cows lame in a season would cost the farm $20K. On a larger 1000-cow farm (at average lameness rates) lameness costs could be more than $100K in direct and indirect costs. Visit the DairyNZ lameness calculator to work out the cost to your business.

Proactive management of hoofcare,

namely prevention, early identification and treatment, can not only improve animal health and well-being but greatly benefit your business by reducing the cost of lameness comparatively.

Spring and mating are the periods when most lameness occurs in NZ dairy herds so now is the right time to be thinking about your hoof care management programme.

Prevention • Herd management – distances walked (cows should be walking at their own pace) • Race quality and design • Hoof health from nutrition • Hoof mats or footbaths to apply minerals at entrance to dairy shed • Proactive trimming of hoof claws Don’t let lameness hit you in the pocket

this spring. Proactive management is key in reducing financial impact on your farming business and enhancing the well-being of your animals. Remove pressure from the affected claw by applying a block or shoe to the healthy claw.

Visit your local farm supply store or vet to enquire about Shoof hoofcare systems and familiarise yourself on best practice for optimum success.

Teatseal Tube recycling scheme a success Zoetis announces 1.5 million tubes were recycled in nation-wide scheme.

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n inaugural scheme run by Zoetis to recycle Teatseal Tubes around New Zealand has led to 1.5 million tubes, weighing 12,544kg, recycled.

The scheme involved farmers, and vet staff, collecting the tubes and taking these back to vet clinics for collection. It ended in July.

“There is clearly a desire within the industry from vets and farmers for this type of scheme,” says Zoetis sustainability lead, Kristen Baxter. She is in the process of sending out a survey to vet clinics to get feedback on what worked and what didn’t.

“One of the questions I am going to ask is, can they give an indication of how many tubes were returned by farmers versus how many vet staff brought back? I would like to know what the uptake was from farmers.”

She says 7 tonnes of tubes were recycled in the South Island while 5.5 tonnes were recycled in the North Island. Baxter explained that down south, there tended to be large clinics with lots of vets looking after large-scale dairy farms.

Zoetis plans to continue the Teatseal Tube recycling scheme next year, with the possibility of recycling other items such as plastic bottles.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

A bag of Teatseal tubes ready for collection by vet technicians.

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OUR STORY 50 YEARS AGO IN NZ DAIRY EXPORTER

50 years ago in the Dairy Exporter September As NZ Dairy Exporter counts down to its centenary in 2025, we look back at the issues of earlier decades. 50 Years Ago – September 1971.

CENTURY OF ACHIEVEMENT 1871 – 1971

One hundred years ago this month, New Zealand’s co-operative dairy industry was brought into being by the enterprise and courage of seven forward-looking settlers on the Otago Peninsula. The founders of the Otago Peninsula Co-operative Cheese Factory Co. Ltd, in establishing their infant company on co-operative lines, laid down principles of operation and policy which set the pattern for our dairy industry today.

History indicates that the outlook of the promoters of New Zealand’s first cooperative dairy company was fair minded and generous and, above all, they were united in their determination to control their own destiny. The work of those pioneers was well and truly done. The spirit in which they established their enterprise has lived on and provided the central pulse of this industry up through the years.

There is every justification for the claim that the dairy industry is a cornerstone of the New Zealand economy. In the trading year ended March 31, 1971 our export earnings from milk products set a new record of $250 million. With the value of dairy meat exports added, the total was $320 million, or close to 30 per cent of New Zealand’s total overseas exchange receipts in the past financial year.

DISCUSSION GROUP

More than 3000 NZ farmers refined their techniques and blended ideas in discussion groups where Dairy Board consulting officers were involved last year. The 90

number of groups topped 300 for the first time in 20 years after the system of regular discussions for dairy farmers was devised.

The value of the scheme cannot be measured precisely but clearly it has been a vital factor in developing modern efficient farm practices. And it has a bountiful return in human terms as well in encouraging a “help your neighbour” attitude. The Board’s Director of Farm Production, Mr J. W. Stichbury, who was associated with the first discussion group at Runciman, south of Auckland, in 1951, believes that at least one third of New Zealand dairy farmers are now benefiting from the system. This is either from direct involvement as members of groups or from a “rippling effect” through the farming community.

SEX RESEARCH MAY BOOST FARMERS’ INCOMES

If scientists should ever realise a long-held dream of pre-determining sex, there is no doubt that in the human context it might raise serious ethical, not to say emotional, problems, but the possibility of such developments in the livestock world opens up vast new opportunities.

The internationally known Cytogenetics Unit at the Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, may soon be publishing some work on the study of chromosomes, which determine sex as well as other physical and mental characteristics, which could mark a major advance in animal production.

There are still some serious hurdles to be overcome but the field of possibilities is wide. The first advance recorded by

Cover photo: “Springfield” the Otago Peninsula farm homestead where New Zealand’s first co-operative dairy company made cheese 100 years ago. Just left of centre is the kitchen wing where the tubs of whey were heated, and the stone building which served as the original “factory” is at the rear. Built in 1865 from local stone, the homestead is roofed with Welsh slates.

the unit, directed by Professor H. John Evans, is that by using atabrine, a malarial drug, as a dye, a distinction can be made between male-determining and femaledetermining sperm. In the past, electrical, gravitational and chemical techniques have been tried – always without success.

When it is achieved, the farmer will ring up his artificial insemination centre and include in the order a specification of the sex of the semen. A breeder with a herd of Ayrshire cows would put female semen from the best bulls into his best milkers, using perhaps only one-third of his herd for this and would order (for example) Charolais male semen for the lowest milkers for the production of bull calves.

By this means his income from sale of calves could perhaps be doubled.

BRUCELLOSIS

Brucellosis eradication is with us, although for most of us the initial test is still around the corner. Compensation payments have been announced for factory supply herds but a decision has yet to be made on compensation to be paid on town milk reactors. Because reactors must be slaughtered within a month of test, it is obvious that those whose herds are tested early in the season will suffer a greater production loss than those whose herds are tested later.

• Thanks to the Hocken Library, Dunedin.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

BRAIN

FOOD Nourish your brain with our fat-free, zero-carb, fact-packed podcast.

Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021

Go to dairynz.co.nz/podcast or your favourite podcast platforms.

Talking dairy

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Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | September 2021