Dairy News 26 March 2019

Happy to see Fonterra back in the black. PAGE 4 NEW CROP OF TALENT

ID TAG

Sorting Angus cross breeds PAGE 20

Building farming careers PAGE 16

MARCH 26, 2019 ISSUE 419 // www.dairynews.co.nz

OFFER TOO GOOD TO REFUSE

“Compared to the historic performances of Westland Milk Products over the last five years, this is a good offer.”

– Richard Reynolds, Westland supplier

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

NEWS // 3

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SELLING WESTLAND Milk

Products to the Chinese dairy giant Yili may be the right thing but will be the sad end of the cooperative, says Barrytown farmer Richard Reynolds.

“It may be the right decision but it’s a bit of a sad moment, isn’t it? It’s like shooting your old dog that you know needs shooting. It doesn’t mean you enjoy it.”

Along with Waikato’s Tatua, Westland was one of only two co-ops which opted to stay independent in the industry restructuring that created Fonterra.

Now, members are being asked to approve a deal that would see Westland sold to Yili for $588 million, or $3.41 a share versus their current value of about $1.50.

The average Westland farmer would get about $480,000 from the deal.

“Compared to the historic performances of Westland Milk Products over the last five years, this is a good offer,” said Reynolds. “That does not mean this is an enjoyable position to be in.”

He said the figure also must be put into perspective against farmers’ annual milk cheques.

“It is less than a bad annual cheque,” he said. “Is that attractive?

Let’s not say this is amazing.”

Like many Westland farmers,

Westland’s Hokitika plant on the West Coast.

“It’s like shooting your old dog that you know needs shooting. It doesn’t mean you enjoy it.”

Reynolds planned to Richard Reynolds attend one of a series of meetings with company officials to discuss the offer, which were continuing as Dairy News went to print.

But he wanted to hear alternatives to selling. “What is plan B? Let’s have a discussion about plan B as well as Plan A.” Reynolds, who has stood unsuccessfully for places on the co-op’s board, also called for discussion of the reasons Westland got into this sad position.

He said that although Westland was run by well-meaning people, a problem common to all co-ops was underinvestment in the company due to overpaying the shareholders.

He believed there had been a failure to hold poor performance to account and the “acceptance of average” by management and governance.

Other shareholders did not want to comment before attending a meeting to hear the board’s reasoning, but spoke of the proposed price being disappointing compared with some of the numbers circulating.

One of Westland’s larger and

more recent shareholders, Southern Pastures, had no immediate comment.

“We haven’t had time to analyse the offer and as such have no position on the announcement,” said Southern Pastures executive chairman Prem Maan.

Described as the largest institutional dairy fund in New Zealand, Southern Pastures had announced a big investment in Westland little more than a year ago.

The two also formed a 50:50 joint venture, New Zealand Grass Fed Milk Products, to produce a range of premium niche products.

Southern Pastures’ nine Canterbury farms produce 4 million kgMS/ year and have supplied Westland since the start of this season.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

4 // FONTERRA HALF-YEAR RESULTS

Hard calls need to be made on assets SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA FARMERS are emotional but

realistic about losing some iconic business units -- notably Tip Top, says Fonterra Shareholders Council chairman Duncan Coull.

“No denying there are some emotions out there although deep down there is realisation that hard calls need to be made,” Coull told Dairy News.

He says Fonterra needs to change fundamentally, not just around the edges.

The co-op last week confirmed it was talking to several potential buyers for its ice cream business

Fonterra chairman John Monaghan flanked by chief executive Miles Hurrell (right) and CFO Marc Rivers.

Tip Top. Taranaki dairy farmer Matthew Herbert started an online petition three months ago to block the sale of Tip Top; it has garnered over 15,000 signatures so far.

Herbert says Tip Top ice cream is an important link between fresh milk from Fonterra farmers

and the city dwellers consuming the products.

Chief executive Miles Hurrell says the co-op must sell some assets to reduce its debt by $800 million by the end of this financial year. Tip Top is one of three assets up for immediate sale; a final decision on its sale will be made before July 31.

Fonterra has already bought back the 51% stake in its Darnum plant in Victoria that it had sold to the Chinese company Beingmate.

The co-op is mulling the sale of its 19% stake in Beingmate, bought in 2014 for $750 million but since written down by $405m due to the compa-

ny’s poor performance.

And the co-op last week said its portfolio review had also raised questions about DFE Pharma, a 50/50 joint venture set up in 2006 with the Dutch co-op FrieslandCampina.

Hurrell says Fonterra has told FrieslandCampina that it has started a process to sell its 50% share of DFE Pharma.

“Together with our partner, we have grown DFE Pharma from relatively small beginnings into a significant and successful business. While DFE continues to perform well, our ownership of it is not core to our strategy.”

Global supply/demand favours co-op FONTERRA SAYS its improved milk price reflects strong global demand relative to supply.

The co-op is forecasting a farmgate milk price of $6.30-$6.60/ kgMS. Chief executive Miles Hurrell told a media briefing last week that good demand for ingredients was coming from Asia, including Greater China.

On the supply front, milk growth has slowed due to trying weather in some large milk producing regions.

Australia’s milk production is forecast to be down 7-9% on last season due to drought; in the EU, growth has slowed and is forecast

to be less than 1% on last year.

Hurrell says for Fonterra farmers, the strong dry weather has also impacted milk production.

The co-op two weeks ago downgraded its milk forecast for the season from 1530 million kgMS to 1510 million kgMS for 2018-19.

This is slightly above last season’s collections of 1505 million kgMS, a season also impacted by poor onfarm conditions.

Hurrell notes that milk price is an important metric for the co-op.

“We are owned by 10,000 farming families and their livelihood depends on the milk price.”

Fonterra is promising farmers more accurate forecasting --

a tough task given volatility in weather and geopolitics. “This makes forecasting difficult; that’s why we have resorted to ranges in our forecast,” Hurrell says.

Hurrell last week outlined the priorities for the co-op for the second half of the 2018-19 financial year: to meet the earnings guidance, deliver on the three-point plan and fundamentally reset the business so it can achieve sustainable earnings.

“We have a forecast farmgate milk price of $6.30-$6.60/kgMS but we also have to meet our earnings guidance range of 15-25 cents per share,” says Hurrell.

Fonterra’s three-point plan

involves taking stock of the business and reviewing its business portfolio, getting the basics right and improving its forecasting.

“We’ve made good progress so far and we will continue to take these steps in the second half to firm up our foundations and strengthen our balance sheet,” says Hurrell.

“The second half will also see us continuing the work on developing a new strategy to support a much-needed change in direction.

We are doing the right things but it’s clear more is needed to lift our performance. We need to simplify and improve the co-op so we can grow value.”

‘GREEN SHOOTS’ GIVE HOPE WAIKATO FEDERATED farmers president Andrew McGiven is happy to see Fonterra back in the black.

He hopes that changes heralded by the new management team signal the start of “some green shoots” for the co-op.

“As a Fonterra farmer I am happy to see that they have posted a net profit and I am happy with some of the rhetoric from board and management about the consolidation of the business,” he told Dairy News.

“While we are a long way away from a satisfactory financial position with dividends needed to be retained, it’s positive to see a solid milk price and I am hoping that this is the start of some green shoots for the Fonterra business.”

The co-op last week posted a net profit of $80 million for the half year ending January 31, 2019.

While the co-op’s normalised earnings before tax are down 29% on last year to $323m, the return to profitability provides some good news for Fonterra’s 10,000 farmer shareholders.

Last year, the co-op posted an annual loss of $196m, the first such result in its 17-year history.

However, Fonterra farmers are making it clear that more work is needed to improve the co-op’s performance.

Fonterra Shareholders Council chairman Duncan Coull made no mention of the $80m net profit in his media statement.

Instead, he said the council acknowledges management’s view that fundamental change is needed to improve Fonterra’s performance.

“Fonterra’s farmer shareholders will agree that the results announced are not where they should be,” says Coull.

The council is backing board and management’s initiative to thoroughly review strategy.

“A well defined and executed strategy focused on our farmers’ milk is critical to maintaining sustainable returns and an enduring cooperative for generations to come.”

He noted that solid progress has been made on reducing operating and capital expenditure, and on the asset sales required to meet the debt reduction target.

“Our co-op has challenges ahead of it in parts of our business in Australia, South America and China, where we need to see significantly improved margins to meet the earnings guidance,” says Coull.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

NEWS // 5

Yili promises 'Co-op solution happy days was discussed' ra’s farmgate price for the next 10 seasons.

A supplier commitTHE WESTLAND Board tee of five representatives from existing Westland announced last week a suppliers and five of the conditional agreement new ownership would to sell the company to also be formed to mainHongkong Jingang Trade tain communications and Holding Co, a wholly owned subsidiary of Inner transparency between suppliers and the comMongolia Yili Industrial pany.

Group.

It had engaged with at Yili is China’s largleast 25 parties in a comest dairy producer with petitive process to seek an estimated 22% market indications of interest in share. a cornerstone investment Westland chairman in Westland, a full acquiPete Morrison said the sition or a merger. The board believed the deal board then shortlisted “a represented the best small number of parties” available outcome for for further due diligence shareholders and had their unanimous support. and negotiations.

Morrison was unavailIt includes a commitment able for interview. He to at least match Fonteralso declined, on the grounds of the confidentiality of the process, to answer a series of written questions on matters includ➤ Founded in 1937 ing the number ➤ NZ’s second-largest and nationality dairy co-op; 429 farms of the compasupplying 735 million nies shortlisted litres of milk and whether ➤ One of West Coast’s the board had largest employer tried to keep ➤ Contributes 14.35% of the cooperative structure the region’s GDP by merging with ➤ Makes butter, Tatua or Fonterra. dairy powders and Yili has been specialist nutrition in NZ since 2013, products. when it acquired NIGEL MALTHUS

Westland Milk

Oceania, the South Canterbury dairy company.

It has since invested about $650 million on milk powder, infant formula and UHT production lines, and says it has in recent years paid a milk price higher than the industry average.

Yili said in a statement that Westland members would also benefit under its ownership.

Group chief executive Jianqiu Zhang said the deal would result in an immediate cash windfall to farmer shareholders, as well as a competitive milk payout.

Westland and Yili would also be able to share the expertise each entity has developed over many years in the industry, leading to increased innovation.

“The Yili Group sees our offer to Westland farmer shareholders as very much a partnership arrangement,” he said.

“We believe we are offering farmer shareholders a stronger financial future and greater access to international markets. In return, we are asking to become the custodians of one of NZ’s most trusted brands – Westland Milk – with all the knowledge, history and expertise that comes along with that.”

SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FONTERRA HAS confirmed that talks were held with Westland Milk during the initial stage of its sale process.

“We had a very early discussion with Westland about finding a co-op solution to the position they found themselves in,” said Fonterra chairman John Monaghan last week during the half-year results announcement.

“We weren’t able to progress and they went into another process.”

Monaghan expressed sadness at the “demise of another co-op” and said Fonterra would welcome any Westland suppliers willing to continue supplying milk to a co-op.

He noted that a condition of the deal between Westland and the Chi-

“Our remit, I guess, as a co-op, nese dairy giant Yili would be that existing suppliers would be guaran- is to bring our profits back to NZ, where nearly 50 teed a price compacents in every dollar rable to Fonterra’s is spent in regional minimum rate for NZ and has bene10 seasons. fits to the NZ econMonaghan quesomy.” tioned the value of Fonterra Sharethat 10-year pledge holders Council and appeared to chairman Duncan regret the sale of Coull says the Westland entirely. announcement “I note with about the potential interest, you know, sale of Westland there’s a benchmark Milk Products has of ten years to the highlighted to the Fonterra milk price; John Monaghan council how critical 10 years goes very quickly in an intergenerational busi- a strong Fonterra is for all NZ farmness and it’s what happens beyond ers as it underpins the milk price for the entire industry, which in turn that that becomes important.”

Monaghan also lamented the flows through to regional NZ. @dairy_news destination of profits when a New facebook.com/dairynews Zealand company is owned offshore.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

6 // NEWS

Support for biosecurity levy A BIG majority of 1794

DairyNZ chairman Jim van der Poel.

submissions received by DairyNZ on the biosecurity response levy were supportive.

Sixty-one percent of submissions from farmers backed DairyNZ managing the levy on their behalf and raising the maximum cap to 3.9 cents/kgMS. That totalled 1088 supportive submissions and 706 against.

“We appreciated the candid conversations and the opportunity to discuss not just the proposed levy, but also DairyNZ more widely,” DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel says in a letter to farmers.

He says the next step will be a recommendation to the Ministry for Primary Industries and he will communicate with farmers again this Friday (March 29) to confirm the approach they will take.

The strongest themes, by far, during the consultation were general support for the levy and wanting DairyNZ to have a seat at the table instead of a mandated biosecurity levy under the Biosecurity Act, DairyNZ says. Also discussed was whether farmers were already paying too much and other queries about the levy.

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“There was some confusion about the maximum amount versus what would be implemented, and for how long that was to be applied,” says DairyNZ. “The cap sets the maximum levy rate. The rationale is to pay back what we currently owe, and then to match the levy with the same timeframe as costs are being incurred.”

By setting the maximum, farmers are not agreeing to an ongoing levy at that rate. The rate will be notified annually prior to implementation.

Another theme was parity with other sectors and who should and should not have to pay.

“The beef and dairy split was raised a number of times at the farmer

meetings. The 94% / 6% was recommended by an independent panel, as dairy is most impacted by the clinical impacts of the disease and therefore the reduction in income from the disease.

“Beef + Lamb NZ has promised that the beef levy will only be levied on the beef sector, not on dairy cull cows.

“The dairy biosecurity response levy will be set at milksolids, so the split between sharemilkers and owners will be the same as the milk cheque split; this is the fairest way to apportion the levy as this is a production/incomebased disease.

“The bigger the herd, the bigger the impact on production and therefore income if a herd is found positive.”

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A NUMBER of the negative responses were due to the belief that eradication, and the way it is tracking, is not worth pursuing.

“There is a lot of misinformation about the eradication process and the success to date,” says DairyNZ. “While it is extremely difficult for anyone involved, and systems and process can be and are being improved, the actual results achieved by the programme are more positive than even the technical advisory group was expecting.

“The spring bulk milk testing, for example, confirmed that the disease is not endemic and wide-spread throughout New Zealand, and led to only three new properties being identified as positive for M. bovis, and a small number of lowrisk farms being put on further surveillance.

“This could have been much more widespread; we were expecting more properties to be identified by the testing programme. The testing is complex, but the layering of tests gives a strong level of comfort that eradication is still possible.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

NEWS // 7

Higher sales boosts results NIGEL MALTHUS

CANTERBURY MILK

processor Synlait reports “a solid result” in its halfyear profit announcement, albeit down 9.6% on the same period last year.

Net profit after tax for the first half of the financial year (HY19) was $37.3 million, down from $41.3m in HY18.

“This remains a solid result for the first half of the year, with increased sales volumes in our pow-

growth is expected for the second half of the year.

“We remain on track for our full year canned infant formula volume guidance at between 41,000 – 45,000t, with significantly higher volumes forecast to be delivered in the second half of FY19 compared to the second half of FY18, which saw only an 11% uplift on the first half,” said Clement.

“The volume growth in the second half of FY19 is driven by strong growth in The a2 Milk Company’s Platinum brand of infant

“The higher sales volumes were due to our ability to increase production volumes off the same asset base.” ders and cream and lactoferrin businesses,” Synlait told the NZX. “The higher sales volumes were due to our ability to increase production volumes off the same asset base, a very pleasing result and representative of the efficiencies we are developing in manufacturing through our integrated work systems programme.

“While our sales volumes of fully finished infant formula were slightly ahead of HY18, these were delivered at lower margins. This is a result of the new pricing agreement entered into with The a2 Milk Company last July, as well as not having the benefit of the higher-margin sales to our China customers that we enjoyed in HY18.

These brands are awaiting state administration for market regulation (SAMR) registration.”

The result also benefited from increased efficiencies at its manufacturing plant. Synlait processed 12.4% more milk, producing 90,466 tonnes of product, up 10.5%. It recorded higher sales volumes of powder and cream products (56,116t, up from 46,111t) and a higher closing finished goods inventory (44,344t vs 35,040t).

Chief executive Leon Clement said strong

formula. We maintain our outlook that full year profitability is expected to increase in FY19, but not at the same rate as FY18.”

The company said the first half-year was characterised by significant investments into its manufacturing base across all key categories.

“The build of our new infant-capable manufacturing facility in Pokeno continues to be on track for commissioning for the 2019-2020 milk season.

This is a $280m investment which will allow us to meet customer demand, whilst also eliminating our single-site risk.

“At the same time, we are recruiting new milk suppliers in the area. We remain on track for the start of the 2019-20 milk season and are encouraged by the warm welcome we’ve received from Waikato dairy farmers.”

A key focus was meeting its commitments to Foodstuffs South Island (New World, Pak’n’Save, Four Square) to provide private-label fresh milk and cream through its new advanced liquid dairy packaging facility in Dunsandel. That remained on track to deliver the first fresh white milk in April.

Clement said the $18m expansion of the Dunsandel lactoferrin facility had been completed, doubling

the production capacity for the high-value protein, which is recognised for its anti-bacterial and antiinflammatory properties and in demand for infant

formula.

Clement said it is producing very high quality lactoferrin. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

Leon Clement, Synlait chief executive.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

8 // NEWS

Dairy exports tipped to rise REFORMS MUST BENEFIT INDUSTRY

PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

WHILE IT’S always good to hear pos-

itive news stories, the latest Situation and Outlook report for dairy may be a tad rosy, says Feds national dairy spokesman Chris Lewis.

The Outlook report is forecasting that dairy exports will be up 5.5% to June 2019 but Lewis says the dry weather may pull that back a little.

“We need to heed caution because a lot of [regions] in the last couple of months have been very dry,” says Lewis. “We haven’t finished the season yet, so while it will still be a positive story, at the end production may not be as high as predicted.

“So the 5% (the report says production was up 5.6% at end of January) could come back a little bit. But we are getting paid a bit more than last year so that is positive.

“As farmers we look forward to more of these positive stories and how we help contribute to the country’s growth and GDP. But we are very much a pasture based country and we have been dry the last few months, the grass stops growing, we produce less milk and that’s just what happens.

“It is still going to be a positive story but not as positive as that 5%. But I see

DAIRYNZ IS contributing to a wide-ranging reform of the vocational education system proposed by Education Minister Chris Hipkins.

Tim Mackle says: “We will ensure the dairy sector voice is heard, as we need a system that is responsive to dairy’s needs. We want to ensure that education -on and off the job -- is delivered in a way that supports farmers and their staff to get the skills they need to run effective and

efficient businesses and to have rewarding careers”.

The dairy sector needs about 5000 new people each year. The sector must have access to migrant employees because there are not enough New Zealanders to fill vacancies, Mackle said.

“Migrant employees are valued members of our farm teams. We want to work with the Government to ensure that businesses can plan knowing they have certainty of labour supply.”

Chris Lewis

the milk price is increasing so it all balances out.”

DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says the dairy sector is thrilled to see that its significant contribution to the New Zealand economy is affirmed in the latest Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries 2019 report.

“It is great to see this acknowledgement of the huge part the dairy sector plays in the economy,” he says.

The Ministry for Primary Industries March 2019 report says dairy export revenue is forecast to rise 5.5% to $17.6 billion for the year ending June 2019, up from 13.3b in 2016, $14.6b in 2017

and $16.7b in 2018.

Increased milksolids production translated into higher export volumes, and a reversal of declines in key dairy commodity prices at the end of 2018 continued into 2019.

Total dairy exports for the six months ended December 2018 grew 3.8% to $8.7b vs the previous year.

Strong international demand continues for dairy, including from China. Dairy exports to China, as our largest trading partner, are up 16.6% to $3.2b for the six months ended December 2018 vs the previous year.

“For NZ’s dairy farmers, the strong production, a recovery of export com-

modity prices and a weaker NZD should help ease downward pressure on farm level profitability for the current season. We have accordingly adjusted our all-company average farmgate milksolids payout forecast for the 2018-19 season upwards to $6.41/kgMS (including dividend),” the MPI report says.

Mackle says the dairy sector contributes to national and regional economic development, supports NZ’s wellbeing and employs 46,000 workers nationwide. The latest dairy achievements align with the dairy sector’s strategy, Dairy Tomorrow, which aspires to improve the lives of NZers with every

drop of milk, Mackle says.

“The continuing success of the dairy sector shows that farmers are working hard to provide a better standard of living for all Kiwis, while running profitable businesses and looking after their animals, people and the environment.

“To continue to achieve stellar results like this and to farm well, we need to have sufficient skilled and passionate people in the dairy sector.

“At present, we have skills shortages and need more people with the necessary skills and education to help us continue to drive the sector forward and deliver benefits for NZrs and the economy.”

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

NEWS // 9

Tight supply, solid demand PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

WHOLE MILK powder,

butter and cheese prices were the big drivers of the eighth bounce in a row for the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) last week, says Emma Higgins, Rabobank dairy analyst.

The overall price index was up 1.9%.

Positive results for farmgate milk price purposes included butter pushing past the US$5000/tonne mark in a 9.3% lift to US$5089/t, a price not seen since mid 2018, says Higgins.

Whole milk powder (WMP) nudged up a healthy 4% to US$3317/t.

“Underpinning price increases lies the risk to milk collections over the tail of the season,” she told Dairy News.

“Fonterra has pulled back its forecast milk collections for the 2018-19 season for the second time in recent weeks as dry conditions take hold, particularly in pockets of the north.

“Buyers will be looking to procure volumes before

production tails off and the seasonal hiatus takes place until next season.”

Skim milk powder (SMP) was down 2.4% to US$2405/t.

“The market is now digesting EU intervention stocks, sold on paper and now moving physically through the supply chain.”

While favourable weather in Europe has been reported in the first few weeks of spring, Higgins says buyer focus will remain on New Zealand over the next couple of GDT events, before attention turns sharply to the northern hemisphere spring peak.

BNZ senior economist Doug Steel says the GDT has made a cumulative 26.2% gain since November last year.

“To us, the overall price increase reflects generally tight global milk supply and solid demand (the number of unsatisfied bidders remains elevated),” Steel says.

“This result will again have forecasters discussing upside [prospects for] milk price forecasts. On our calculations, if current

conditions persist a milk price in the top half of Fonterra’s $6.30/kgMS to $6.60/kgMS range is likely.

“Current global prices also set up a better milk

price for next season, although we would be a little wary of extrapolating current product price strength right across next season as a whole.”

Emma Higgins, Rabobank.

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IN BRIEF $1m grant FARMERS ARE welcoming a $1 million state grant to help fire-ravaged residents of Tasman region.

Federated Farmers board member and fire spokeswoman Karen Williams said the fire has been devastating for many and anything constructive the Government can do to help Tasman should be encouraged.

“We had staff and volunteers in the area soon after the fire broke out,” Williams said. “Our people were doing what was in their power to help farmers and distribute feed to at risk farm animals.

“They were hearing stories from people who felt they had lost everything; people were crying and confiding their fears.

“People are in need and I hope the money can alleviate some of the emotional and financial pain many must be feeling. The rebuild will be long.”

Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin said this month that the Lottery Grants Board had agreed to allocate up to $1million to the Tasman Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

10 // NZ DAIRY AWARDS

Regional winners lining up The regional winners of the 2019 NZ Dairy Awards are will be finalised this week. The focus then turns to the national finals to be held in Wellington on May 11. We profile some of the recent winners.

AUCKLAND/HAURAKI THE 2019 Auckland/

Hauraki Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners have

2019 Auckland Hauraki SFOTY Ethan & Sarah Koch.

succeeded by effective team work, increasing their skills and knowledge and challenging themselves.

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THE WINNER of the 2019 Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Manager of the Year competition is Kyle Brennan (25), who entered the awards for the second time to network, develop his career and challenge himself again. He won $7825 in prizes and four merit awards.

Kyle grew up around dairy farms and has progressed through the industry since he began working as a farm assistant in 2014. He is now farm manager on Balle Bro’s 950-cow, 316ha property at Mercer.

The winner of the 2019 Auckland/Hauraki Dairy Trainee of the Year competition, Rebecca Casidy (24), acknowledges it can be difficult being a woman in a male-dominated industry.

She works on Landcorp Farming Ltd’s 161ha, 400-cow farm in Ngatea. She won $6825 in prizes and two merit awards.

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sionals and others who support our business.”

The couple are 50/50 sharemilkers on Laurie and Ingrid Bylsma’s 82ha Onewhero farm, milking 200 cows.

They are proud of the record production by the farm in their first year of 50/50 sharemilking and increasing the genetic merit and value of their herd.

Ethan and Sarah chose to leave their respective careers and move into the dairy industry for a lifestyle they knew required hard work, but with many rewards.

“There’s variety and flexibility in work, and we both have a passion for animals and farming,” they say.

They see strength in working as an effective team.

• More winners on page 12

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Ethan and Sarah Koch won $12,900 in prizes and five merit awards.

The other major winners were the 2019 Auckland/ Hauraki Dairy Manager of the Year Kyle Brennan, and the 2019 Auckland/ Hauraki Dairy Trainee of the Year, Rebecca Casidy.

Ethan and Sarah (both 28), have backgrounds in building and teaching, respectively, and were runners-up in the category in 2018.

“By entering the awards, both in the dairy trainee and sharefarmer categories, we have gained confidence to step outside our comfort zone and challenge ourselves,” they say.

“We better understand our sharemilking business and have increased skills and knowledge. Our support network has grown by our developing contacts with rural profes-

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The Connollys are aiming for 100% accuracy.

But 96% is a good start.

LIC has worked with the Connollys for over 5 years to improve herd recording accuracy and make faster genetic gains.

When Deb and Reuben Connolly started sharemilking on the 110ha dairy farm in Otorohanga, there were a few unknowns. Literally.

The 300-odd herd had big gaps in the recorded ancestry. The only way to make improvements was to breed out the half-recorded cows and ensure replacements were fully recorded with no uncertain sires.

By using MINDA® they built up all the herd detail with ancestry, herd testing, health and production, weights and SCC. And by installing Protrack®, they can now log every cow movement and event, and drafting is so much easier.

Deb and Reuben now have all the information needed to make better herd decisions.

We think 100% RA accuracy is very achievable. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

At LIC results like this just raise the bar, because there’s always room for improvement.

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There’s always room for improvement

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

12 // NZ DAIRY AWARDS

Winners list taking shape BAY OF PLENTY

WAIKATO

THE MAJOR winners

THE MAJOR winners in

in the 2019 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards, Matt Barr and Genna Maxwell, see strength in their being fourthgeneration custodians of a family legacy, with opportunities for diversification. They won $9050 in prizes and three merit awards.

The other big winners were Janamjot Singh Ghuman, who was named the 2019 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager of the Year, and Alex Sainty, the 2019 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Matt and Genna are lease farmers for Viv Barr, on her 110ha, 410cow Awakeri property.

“Viv is an actively supportive land owner,” they say.

The couple count one of their greatest challenges as one of their biggest achievements also.

“Losing Dad in 2014 was one of the tough-

the 2019 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards, firsttime entrants Marc and Nia Jones, set their hearts on the awards in 2012 when they read about the national winners while living in Wales.

They won $13,750 in prizes and three merit awards.

The other big winners were Joe Kehely, who became the 2019 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year, and Matt Dawson, the 2019 Waikato Dairy Trainee of the Year.

“This is the first year we have been eligible to enter as we are now residents,” Nia said.

They are in their first year contract milking for Margaret and the late Ian

2019 BOP SFOTY winners Genna Maxwell and Matt Barr.

est things we’ve had to live through,” says Matt.

“Mum and I were thrown in the deep end to fill Dad’s boots and steer the farming operation.”

Matt holds a Diploma of Farm Management from Lincoln University and Genna a Bachelor of Law from University of Otago.

“Genna works offfarm as a lawyer and works onfarm in her spare time. Entering as a couple made sense as it was another great way

for Genna to integrate her skills into the business and gain a wider understanding of the farm business operation,” said Matt.

Runners-up in the Bay of Plenty Share Farmer of the Year competition were Jeremy and Melissa Shove, who won $4387 in prizes and four merit awards.

They are contract milkers on Kay and Michael Watkins 116ha Whakatane farm, milking 385 cows.

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region and nation.”

Marc fell in love with the dairy industry on his OE in 2010, when he worked for Ian and Margaret. “Ian has been a mentor to me since then,” he says.

Returning to the UK, the couple worked in dairy in Scotland and Wales.

“We both had a burning desire to come back to New Zealand, so in 2016 we decided to return,” said Nia. Farming goals include sharemilking on a 450cow farm and investing in an off-farm business.

Waitoa 50/50 sharemilkers Aidan and Sarah Stevenson (both 30) are runners-up in the share farmer competition, winning $5675 in prizes. They work on Sue Williams 100ha, 340-cow farm.

The former builder and chartered accountant entered the dairy industry in 2011; they love working outdoors with animals and the lifestyle.

Isabella. “They are always there to help us if and when we need it.”

The Beazleys are 50/50 Sharemilkers for Neil Jones and Wendy CrowJones milking 330 cows

on a 163ha Wellsford property.

They take pride in having overcome challenges in their career to date, but are most proud of raising their children Erin (7) and Dayton (2) in the rural lifestyle.

“They absolutely love it and they don’t miss out on time with us.”

Runners-up in the Northland Share Farmer of the Year competition are first-time entrants Charlie and Emma Adair.

The Whangarei contract milkers work on Dean Adams’ 275ha property, milking 850 cows; they entered the awards to analyse their business and find opportunities for improvement.

2019 Waikato SFOTY Marc & Nia Jones.

Elliott, on their 270ha, 970-cow Tokoroa property. “We thought this was the right time to explore, learn and understand our business better, to see how we benchmark against the rest of the

NORTHLAND THE 2019 Northland

Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners realised while studying at university that the office life wasn’t for them. Instead they decided to chase the New Zealand rural life dream.

Colin and Isabella Beazley (both 31) were named the 2019 Northland Share Farmers of the Year and won $7,927 in prizes plus four merit awards. The other major NZ were the 2019 winners MADE Northland Dairy Manager of the Year Lorraine Ferreira, and the 2019 Northland Dairy Trainee of the Year, Daniel Waterhouse.

The Beazleys see strength in the flexibility

Northland SFOTY Colin and Isabella Beazley.

of a split-calving system.

“This allows us to keep more control of our costs and ensure workload stability,” said Colin.

“Another strength is our family support,” says

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

NZ DAIRY AWARDS // 13 HAWKES BAY WAIRARAPA THE 2019 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards Share Farmer of the Year winners, now in their second season contract milking, have found a challenge in their transition from university studies to full-time farming.

Hamish Hammond (28) and Rachel Gardner (24) won $7320 in prizes and won four merit awards.

The other major winners were Nicholas Verhoek, the 2019 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year, and Matthew McDougall, the 2019 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Hamish and Rachel entered the dairy industry as contract milkers in

BEEN HERE BEFORE THE 2019 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Manager of the Year, Nicholas Verhoek (33) is no stranger to the dairy awards He was 2013 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year and runner-up in the 2018 Dairy Manager category. He is farm manager for Selwyn and Jenny McLachlan on their 210ha, 920-cow Masterton property.

The 2019 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year is Matthew McDougall (22), a farm assistant on Stuart Cordell’s 165ha, 530-cow farm at Dannevirke.

The Hawkes Bay Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards field day will be held on April 11 at 10.30am at 120 Papwai Road, Greytown.

June 2017, after five years study at Massey University.

“The transition into full-time farming was a challenge: the change in hours, and the physical and mental strain.”

The couple con-

tract milk 630 cows for Stephen and Marie Hammond and Irene Hammond, on their 173ha property at Greytown.

They say their strengths are the structure of their business and their team. “We contract milk with one of the farm owners which provides us more opportunity and scope to grow in the future.”

Farming goals for Hamish and Rachel include equity partner-

ship in the farm business or being 50/50 sharemilkers. “We will either continue working on the farm, or work in off-farm roles and oversee the farming business.”

Runners-up in the share farmer competition were Nick and Rose Bertram who are 50/50 sharemilkers on Barry and Carol McNeil’s 150ha, 440-cow Woodville property. They won $4820 in prizes and two merit awards.

2019 Hawkes Bay Wairarapa SFOTY Rachel Gardner & Hamish Hammond.

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the environment and animals has won the 2019 Central Plateau Share Farmer of the Year.

Tom Bridgens won $15,480 in prizes and four merit awards. The other big winners were Laurence Walden, who was named the 2019 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year, and Harry Phipps, the 2019 Central Plateau Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Bridgens (22) is contract milking 300 cows on Rex and Loris Bates’ Tokoroa 80ha property.

Tom grew up in a dairy farming family. He spent his spare time on the farm and began relief milking at age 13.

Leaving school at 16, he began work as a farm assistant before travelling in Europe, Asia and Australia; he return to New Zealand in 2018 to contract milk.

Tom’s farming goals include sharemilking by 2020 and farm ownership within 10 years.

Runners-up in the Central Plateau Share Farmer of the Year competition were Anthony and Danelle Kiff, who won $6880 in prizes and two merit awards.

The couple are contract milkers on the Tauhara North No 2 Trust 230ha property at Tokoroa, milking 600 cows.

Anthony has entered the awards five times and was the 2017 Central Plateau Dairy Manager of the Year.

The couple see strengths in the people in their team and being able to break down big problems into little pieces. “Our support network is high calibre and we are able to bounce ideas off them and talk about any issues that arise.”

Their goals include opening a dairy academy on their farm for the trust, to train 18-25 year-olds.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

14 // NEWS

Crunch time as the big dry bites into milk production DAIRY FARMERS are now reaching crunch time for deciding on feed planning, milking frequency and drying off.

Most regions are affected by dry weather, each having its own hotspots impacting farmers, says DairyNZ farm performance general manager Vanessa Winning.

“A few areas in both the North and South Islands had rain recently, but most areas need a really good soaking coupled with follow-up rain to get soil moisture levels up to support grass growth,” says Winning.

“We know some farmers have reduced their milking frequency as a way of managing through

the still very dry conditions. Others have sought to reduce feed demand by selling empty cows and other known cull cows, and drying off young light condition cows.”

The lower North Island, central Manawatu and Rangitikei are badly affected and farmers should act now if they haven’t already, Winning says. The rest of the lower North Island is varied, with some dry pockets and others that have had good rain. North Waikato and some parts of Northland are drier than usual.

The top of the South Island is particularly affected by dry conditions, with drought declared in Tasman and support

available to farmers from DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, the Rural Support Trust and others.

Winning says pasture growth rates are a key measure of how dairy farms are managing the dry.

Farms involved in DairyNZ’s Tiller Talk project have recorded pasture growth rates far lower than this time last year. On average in February, the Waikato farms grew 33kg DM/ ha/day less grass, while the Marton and Masterton farms were 37kg DM/ha/ day lower.

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Drought beginning to bite in Golden Bay, Tasman. Inset: Vanessa Winning, DairyNZ.

“Although it does vary, especially across the South Island, we know that in dry summers March 20 is the date by which we need substantial rain before farmers consider drying off most of their cows to secure pasture and ensure

cow condition targets are met for the next season,” says Winning.

“The key thing when managing through the dry is to have some cows in milk when it does rain, although there will be exceptions to this where the dry conditions have been a lot more extreme

NEED HELP? RAISE YOUR HAND WAIKATO AND South Auckland farmers are encouraged to put their hands up promptly if they need advice in the ongoing very dry conditions.

Soil moisture levels are low, which means the ability of pasture to grow is reduced, although there is plenty of supplementary feed available because of the good spring.

Farmers generally are reported to be coping.

River and stream levels are getting low, so water users are also reminded by Waikato Regional Council to keep an eye

on flow gauges. Flows are published on the council website and will enable users to reduce takes, as required by some consents when rivers reach certain low flow thresholds.

Federated Farmers Waikato president and group spokesman Andrew McGiven says the dry conditions will make for a long and lean winter for some farmers.

“Budgets are going to be stretched as cashflows dwindle and the next real cheque may not roll in until September. So let’s be proactive.

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“Keep the communication flowing with your bank manager, accountant and farm advisor and get some strategies to address the problems. The same applies to government departments like IRD and ACC.” Later this month, the Waikato Primary Industry Adverse Event core group will meet again with its partner agencies to consider the outlook for April and whether any other collective response to ongoing dry weather is required.

Farmers are managing but those not coping should seek advice, the council says.

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and farmers have had to dry off their cows early.”

Meanwhile, farms which have received rain or have irrigation will be making the most of it. “Up to half the grass available is lost after rain because dry material begins to rot and decay quickly, so cows will

require the major part of their intake from supplement.

“A slow rotation is also needed; this will allow pasture cover to build and pasture growth to be maximised. In March, nitrogen applications should be delayed for three weeks after significant rain (more than 50mm) to allow surplus nitrogen in the ground to be utilised first. If no significant rain falls until April, nitrogen should be applied as soon as possible after the rain.

“If irrigation has been used and parts of the farm have been under-watered the above would also apply to dry areas.”

DairyNZ advice and guidance on feed planning and summer management is available on www. dairynz.co.nz/summer.

NORTH ISLAND Call Jarred L’Amie 027 203 5022 www.gaz.co.nz

SOUTH ISLAND Call Alastair Robertson 027 435 2642 www.cochranes.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

NEWS // 15

Let’s talk relationships NIGEL MALTHUS

A COLLINGWOOD

dairying couple is calling for formal recognition of healthy human relationships and wellbeing as quantifiable benchmarks in dairy farming.

Tim and Deborah Rhodes say the industry acknowledges the need for healthy environments and healthy animals, but not healthy humans.

They have asked Fonterra, via the Shareholders’ Council, to adopt a code of practice they call ‘responsible relationships.’

Tim Rhodes said Fonterra’s ‘Trusted Goodness’ trademark tells customers that farmers take audited measures to show they look after the environment and their animals.

“So we are trying to design an additional, third cornerstone to Trusted Goodness, which we call ‘responsible relationships’, to show that we look after people as well.”

The Rhodes say it should be simple to add quantifiable and auditable measures to a farm’s dairy diary – even something as simple as a checkbox where staff could draw a happy face at the end of the day.

Essential components of the concept would include: 1. Actual staff working hours recorded and reconciled with hours stated in the employment contract, ensuring the minimum wage is paid.

2. A suitably qualified and experienced person nominated to counsel staff or mediate disputes.

3. Personal wellness described and recorded daily in the diary.

4. A plan stated in the dairy diary for dealing with workplace bullying and sexual harassment.

5. Asure Quality could audit information disclosed in the responsible relationships part of the dairy diary, to give proof of the system’s effectiveness.

The couple say they have put hours of thought and discussion into the idea.

Deborah Rhodes is a registered nurse with a background in international pharmaceuticals

and Tim is a Lincoln horticultural science graduate and arborist. They have been in dairying for nine years and have owned their farm for five. They supply Fonterra from 133 cows.

Tim Rhodes learned dairying while working for others but observed a bullying culture “that was a lot more apparent to me than any level of environment damage by cows or dirty rivers”.

He said dairy farming relationships can be very complex. An owner may want to step back and let his manager do his job but the manager may have hijacked the business and be bullying his staff, abusing his cows and wrecking his gear.

“This sort of situation often requires the clarity of an independent expert to evaluate the relationships and mediate the situation.”

Mental health and wellness are strongly influenced by the relationships between people, he said.

“And where these were not functioning well, where there wasn’t a lot of respect, what tended to happen was the animals weren’t cared for very well either.”

The Rhodes point out that Fonterra farmers all work under the same risk management plan (RMP) which describes all aspects of animal treatment, environment guardianship and milk quality standards.

“Not covered in our RMP is the way we relate to other people, hence the need to include responsible relationships in our RMP as expressed and audited in the dairy diary.

We all dislike the escalation of compliance in the workplace but the way people relate to each other is a huge driver of performance and wellbeing.”

The Rhodes have also coined the concept of ‘conscience farming’ as “a decision-making process which prevents outcomes that could weigh heavily on a person’s conscience such as animal welfare, pollution, exploitation or human suffering”.

“This sits at the top of a pyramid, as an encom-

passing vision of being well. Achieving a clear conscience is the result of ensuring and measuring outcomes of staff/family and others’ wellbeing, wellness and morale.”

Tim said conscience farming issues might include using palm kernel or Saharan phosphate.

These are difficult issues because farmers must also consider their animals’ wellbeing.

Acknowledging ‘conscience farming’ would help build empathy between farmers and the public and between Fonterra and its customers, he said.

“We famers like to have a clear conscience about what we do and if we can demonstrate that we’re doing our best and we understand all of the conscience issues associated with farming, then it helps our wellbeing and it helps us give an answer to people who criticise us.”

Deborah and Tim Rhodes.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

16 // AGRIBUSINESS

Interesting path to farming careers FERTILISER CO-OP Ravensdown says it is helping a new crop of talented university graduates to build careers in New Zealand agriculture.

The initiative, now in its fifth year, has supported 39 university graduates in agriculture-related, environmental and related disciplines into fulltime careers in the sector.

“Especially interesting is the variety of backgrounds of those who have completed the programme,” says Ravensdown training manager and mentor Gordon McCormick.

“They’re not just from rural backgrounds; an increasing number are urban people looking to take part, who see big opportunities in the dynamic agriculture industry.”

This year the programme is supporting seven graduates into work, including Laura Cockroft, of Timaru.

“I’m not from a farming background but from a young age I had an interest in agriculture and spent my holidays working on farms in South Canterbury,” she says.

“Now that I’ve finished my bachelor of agriculture at Lincoln University I’m excited to join the programme and hopefully will secure an agri manager position with Ravensdown.”

Claire Verhaegh, who worked on her par- Taylor Bailey ents’ dairy farm in Riverton, is also in this year’s intake.

“I applied for the programme because I believe every person at Ravensdown has a similar belief towards agriculture as me. If New Zealand is to continue farming successfully, we have to embrace smarter farming as more important now than ever.”

Early each year Ravensdown gives a group of graduates opportunities to gain experience in different fields of

the co-operative before taking fulltime jobs.

Having grown up on a dairy farm in Taranaki, Taylor Bailey did the programme in 2015 and is now a Ravensdown agri manager in Waikato.

“I love my job and helping farmers make smarter decisions, which is easier today with all the technology we have out our disposal.”

The programme is offered to recent graduates or people who have worked a few years since studying. All graduates must be in the programme for a minimum of six months before taking fulltime jobs with Ravensdown. @dairy_news

Gumboot maker backs mental health DAIRY RUBBERWARE supplier Skellerup is giving its support to I Am Hope, a community group.

It will donate $20,000 to the group and for every pair of Red Band gumboots it sells between March 25 and Gumboot Friday on April 5, it will donate $2.

Gumboot Friday is a new project of I Am Hope, run by The Key to Life Charitable Trust founded by Mike King.

For the past three years, Key to Life has campaigned to change the language about and attitudes to mental problems while raising funds for Kiwi children who need mental health counselling.

“For generations, New Zealanders have trusted our company and products.

As a Kiwi icon, it’s important for Skel-

lerup to support Kiwis enduring tough times,” says David Mair, Skellerup’s chief executive.

Skellerup, a NZX-listed company, employs 800 people, about half of them in NZ. Its Red Bands have been part of the farming scene for 60 years.

“Many of us have family, friends or colleagues who have battled or continue to battle mental health issues.

“To start the conversation that ‘it’s OK to not be OK’ and to seek help about it is an excellent initiative by I Am Hope and one we are proud to support,” says Mair.

Mike King applauded so many businesses mucking in to support Gumboot Friday.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

18 // OPINION RUMINATING

EDITORIAL

Will the Coast’s co-op be history?

MILKING IT...

Neutered?

Rare defeat

WHEN IN Opposition, ‘Winston First’ used to enjoy standing on the sidelines criticising the sale of New Zealand companies to Chinese interests.

However, now that Peters’ party is in government it is forced to curb its ‘look-atus’ xenophobia.

As political commentator Richard Harman says on his website politik.co.nz, “NZ First looks powerless to stop the takeover by Chinese dairy company Yili of the troubled Westland Co-op Dairy Company.

They will have to stand back and let the independent Overseas Investment Office decide whether to approve the purchase [of Westland by Yili].”

When Shanghai Maling bought 50% of Silver Fern Farms in 2016 Peters kicked up merry hell, frothing at the mouth about foreign ownership, inciting the usual chorus of antiChinese sentiment from certain quarters.

Harman notes Peters’ response to the Westland deal is more... muted: “Peters said Westland shareholders were entitled to sell their assets to ‘who they might’.”

WESTLAND MILK’S impending sale to the Chinese dairy giant Yili signals a rare defeat for the Canadian dairy company Saputo: it was believed to have been on the shortlist but the Westland board went with Yili.

Saputo has been throwing its chequebook at dairy plants all over world in recent years: Australia’s Murray Goulburn and UK’s Dairy Crest are recent major acquisitions.

Reports from Australia suggest the Canadian player will now concentrate on its bid for Lion Dairy, a large dairy company put up for sale by its Japanese owners.

Done for its $1 deal

Oat milk maker up, punching

HOW DO you buy something for $1, sell it for $16 million and end up losing $126m on the deal? Just ask Fonterra.

The co-op last week announced it had sold its interest in its Venezuelan consumer joint venture, Corporacion Inlaca, to Mirona, an international food business Fonterra received $16m cash for the Inlaca sale.

The co-op says like any multi-national business, Fonterra is exposed to currency risk on its overseas operations and the impact of changes is held in a foreign currency translation reserve (FCTR).

“When a business is sold there is a non-cash accounting adjustment that releases the accumulated FCTR to the profit and loss statement. The full impact of this transaction, including the devaluation of the Venezuelan currency which has resulted in a negative FCTR balance of approximately $126m, will be reflected in the profit and loss statement.”

Fonterra bought the business for $1 during a ‘business realignment’ deal with Nestle in 2014.

SWEDISH OAT drink specialist Oatly has unveiled a straight-talking ‘Ditch Milk’ poster campaign designed to encourage the public and baristas to think twice when ordering lattes at the London Coffee Festival.

Winning converts via its sustainability argument, Oatly says the production of oat-based milk results in 73% fewer CO2 emissions than cow milk.

Last year Oatly antagonised the entire UK dairy industry with a controversial campaign stating cow milk is not intended for humans.

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WITH MOST of New Zealand gripped by recent events in Christchurch, a huge week in our dairy industry passed with little media coverage.

Fonterra farmers celebrated, albeit without popping champagne corks, their co-op returning to profitability as announced in its half-year results. However, Fonterra bosses and shareholders are under no illusion that the co-op is out of the woods.

Over at South Canterbury processor Synlait (and in China), champagne would have been the order of the day: the listed company had just announced another outstanding half-year result.

But it was the small dairy co-op on the West Coast that last week stunned everyone.

In the preceding weekend, Westland chairman Peter Morrison and directors Katie Milne, Andrew MacPherson and Brent Taylor had flown to China. And last Monday night, Morrison signed a deal signalling the likely beginning of the end of NZ’s second-largest dairy co-op.

A photo doing the rounds on social media shows Morrison ready to sign while his grinning directors stand in the background, arms folded. Surprisingly, no signing ceremony photograph was released by Westland.

No one was surprised that Westland is being sold; its 350odd shareholders are tired and frustrated with the low milk payouts and had been on the market, via the board, looking for buyers.

The sale process started with 25 possible suitors, dwindling to a shortlist before Yili, China’s largest dairy processor, was declared the victor.

Westland hasn’t been sold yet; that decision will be made by shareholders at a special general meeting on July 4.

It will also require High Court approval under section 236 of the New Zealand Companies Act, consent under the Overseas Investment Act and completion of other customary conditions.

Westland’s board met last week with farmer shareholders to explain and ‘sell’ the Yili deal. Some farmers were keen to know if there is a Plan B. Yili has agreed to match Fonterra’s milk price for the next 10 years. But what happens after that? Will Westland suppliers too far from Fonterra for it to collect their milk be at the mercy of Yili and its dictated milk price?

Over the next three months Westland shareholders will have to mull this and other questions before they consign their co-op to history.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

OPINION // 19

No longer so sure about BW HANK LINA

BREEDING WORTH

(BW) was introduced decades ago and has served farmers well as a breeding guide – or has it?

The national herd is a good representation of its legacy: small cows which produce, on average, 380kgMS. Times and demands have changed however: now farmers are faced with radical change because to maintain viability while protecting the environment they need to reduce the size of their herds and maintain or improve profitability.

And that requires a new approach: fertile cows which consistently produce more than 550kgMS over a long time.

The New Zealand Animal Evaluation Unit recently conducted a weightings change to the BW index which saw kg of fat increase – favourably impacting Jerseys and some crossbred cows with a consequent increase in Jersey and crossbred sire rankings.

Turning the tide in favour of Jerseys was welcomed by farmers who flooded social media with endorsing comments. It’s good to see the breed come back into the spotlight as it’s been the foundation of many highly productive Kiwi herds.

But that breed endorsement was drowned out by a clamour of confusion from farmers who, in the main, say BW doesn’t necessarily mean a profitable cow.

We all know farmers who will point out their top cows: sometimes they have high BW but more often than not they don’t.

Often they have low BWs because they are the offspring of an overseas sire or dam which doesn’t have a NZ ranking.

It’s a dilemma AEU has grappled with – how to provide a fair ranking which accurately guides farmers on which sires

to use and which cows to bring into the herd.

The changing dynamic of dairy farming is, however, increasing the ‘weighting’ on providing farmers with information which helps them transition from high num-

Hank Lina

bers of low or moderately producing cows to fewer highly fertile, productive animals which last in the herd.

We need to consider how quickly a farmer receives a return on his or her investment in a cow.

I frequently talk with farmers who rear high BW heifers only to find that when they enter the herd they are weak and have poor udders and have to be culled within the first lactation; many more last no more than two lactations.

Farmers – and the country – can’t afford that wastage. Farmers need moderately sized, robust animals bred to produce and last in the herd from day one.

Over the past few decades, focus has been on numbers but nitrate leaching and increased environmental awareness is sending a very strong message that the tide is turning with the focus turning from numbers, to productive life.

The absence of an evaluation tool which suits all farmers is seeing a shift to a growing appreciation that it’s what’s in the vat (and the back pocket) that counts.

• Hank Lina is general manager of World Wide Sires NZ and a former dairy farmer. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

20 // MANAGEMENT

Tags to identify true Angus breed NEW EAR tags for dairy stock will sort out genuine Angus dairy cross cattle from all the rest, say its promoters.

A new Angus X Dairy tag, launched in partnership by Angus New Zealand, CRV Ambreed and Allflex, allows farmers to tag and identify dairy calves which are 50% Angus, having been sired by a registered Angus or Performance Recorded Angus Cattle (PRAC) bull.

Angus breed representative Guy Sargent says the ultimate goal with the

new tag is to ensure dairy farmers get the premiums they deserve for higher value offspring. It also gives the buyer of a calf certainty about what their purchase.

“It’s to improve the integrity of the offspring,” says Sargent.

“Angus cattle are highly sought after and the tags verify that a verified Angus sire has been used over the dairy cow.”

Using registered or PRAC recorded Angus bulls allows farmers to tag their progeny with

TRUE TO IRELAND

TRUE TO IRELAND Éire’s ‘conscientious objectors’ in New Zealand in World War II

Angus X Dairy tags. These bright green tags identify the premium quality of the offspring, enabling the dairy farmer to attract higher premiums at the point of the sale and further down the supply chain.

Beef semen has become a more attractive option for dairy farmers wanting to on-sell calves to the beef industry, adding greater value to their business and making sure every mating results in a saleable calf.

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year for beef semen sales for CRV Ambreed with an 8% jump in beef straw sales. This trend is expected to continue.

And the return is good: a straw of beef semen costs about $20 and quality dairy/beef bull calves sell at $150 to $300.

Grazing product manager Peter van Elzakker says dairy farmers in the past may have chosen other beef breeds over Angus because

their off-

spring can be harder to identify

among other black calves.

The return may not be as good if a calf cannot be verified as Angus, he says.

Only dairy farmers using registered or PRAC Angus bulls with their herd, either via AB or natural mating, may use the tags on their progeny.

The Angus X Dairy Allflex tags are fully compliant with NAIT regulations. They are compatible with all dairy and beef operations and are endorsed by Angus New Zealand.

Calf with Angus dairy cross tags.

GENE MAPPING SERVICE DNA PARENTAGE testing is

now more accessible to dairy farmers with the launch of CRV Ambreed’s revitalised DNA parentage testing service.

The gene mapping service identifies the ancestry of individual stock.

DNA samples are collected by taking a small piece of tissue from an animal’s ear.

Allflex tissue sampling ear tags are either applied to calves at birth or as buttons on mature animals.

Tissue samples are then sent to CRV’s approved affiliated DNA genotyping laboratory, GenomNZ, where DNA is extracted for parentage and single gene analysis.

CRV Ambreed product development team leader Erin OConnor says DNA verification is inherently free of error when deciding on the best direction for a herd.

Herd records will show exactly

who the animal’s sire and dam are through specific genetic markers.

“The farmer will then understand which cows in the herd are the best and which sires they can be mated to,” she says.

Samples analysed also identify the A2/A2 beta casein status of the individual animal and other defect genes.

CRV Ambreed last year trialled DNA testing on 4991 animals on nine farms.

Only 41% of the animals tested as having been recorded with the correct sire.

“The animals with incorrect parentage information also had inaccurate BW, PW and BV information,” OConnor said.

“This information is vital when making onfarm decisions and it would have resulted in misguided mating and culling decisions.

“We updated the sire information for 46% of the animals tested,

which completely changed the rankings for BW and PW across the herd. Those farmers can now use that information when making decisions on mating and culling.”

Parentage results are sent by CRV Ambreed to NZ Animal Evaluation which uses the data to identify NZ’s most efficient feed convertors to milk.

“Inaccurate parental data is not only an issue dealt with onfarm; it impacts the wider industry too because accurate ancestry information substantiates breeding values and breeding indexes,” OConnor said.

“Future animal evaluation runs which estimate genetic breeding values and indices used in NZ will be a lot more accurate.”

OConnor says DNA verified animals could fetch higher premiums in saleyards and could influence farmers’ buying and selling decisions.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

MANAGEMENT // 21

Will maize cover for grass?

THE SUMMER dry has resulted this autumn in less-than-ideal quantities of grass being available to cows.

And, typically, at this time of year we get a lot of questions about feeding maize in autumn when there often isn’t much grass in cows’ diets.

Let me cover some typical questions.

I have just harvested my maize; how long do I need to wait before feeding it?

You can begin feeding maize as soon as you have harvested it. We recommend you wait for 4-20 days because this gives the maize time to become oxygen-free and therefore ensile. If you have used a proven inoculant (e.g.

Pioneer 1132), the maize will have reached pH 3.64.0 in four days. If you haven’t used a proven inoculant, it can take up to 20 days to ensile. If you have used an inoculant with L. buchneri in it, ideally you should wait 20 days before opening the stack, as it simply takes longer for the bacteria to do their job.

How much maize silage can I feed?

This is a ‘how long is a piece of string’ type question because many factors go into the answer.

The amount you can feed depends on the class of stock you are feeding and what you want to achieve.

When I visited France, some farmers were feeding 90% of the cows’ diet in maize silage; the other 10% was a very high protein-and-mineral pellet. If you are feeding late lactation cows, you will require an average of 14% crude protein in the diet. Maize is only about 7% crude protein (CP). If you need a total of, say, 14kgDM to achieve the milk production you are aiming for and you only have maize and grass, then if the grass is 18% and maize is 7% you will need to feed about 9 kgDM pasture and 5kgDM maize silage.

This calculation will be different for each farm so if you feel uncomfortable about calculating this yourself, give your farm

ever, a rough rule of thumb is that as maize silage is low in Ca, Na, Mg and P, if you are feeding more than one third of the cow’s diet as maize silage, you will likely need

consultant or vet a call.

What is the most profitable use of maize silage in late lactation?

This is one of those ‘it depends’ questions.

The data shows that very high milk response rates to maize silage -- and therefore returns -- can be achieved by bridging a feed gap and, instead of drying off, you would able to keep cows milking. Likewise, if your cows are thin (i.e. below BCS 4.0 at calving), using maize silage to put weight on cows to achieve BCS 5.5 for first and second calvers and BCS 5.0 for mixed age cows can also result in high milk response rates.

Should I save my maize silage and only feed it to dry cows?

I sometimes hear “maize silage is no good for milking off therefore I should only feed it to my drys”. Nothing is further from the truth. While it is true that dry cows fed maize silage put on weight very efficiently, it is not true that cows will not milk on maize silage.

As long as the cow’s total diet is adequate in protein, at 11 mjme/kgDM maize silage is a great milking feed. It is often better than grass silage (average energy content 9.5 mjme/kgDM) and in some regions with pastures plagued by summer grass (10-10.5mjme/ kgDM) it can be higher energy than pasture. So, if you need energy to keep your cows milking, and there is enough protein in the diet, feed maize to milkers.

Do I need to add minerals to my maize and if so, how much?

The best person to answer this question for your farm is your vet or animal nutritionist. How-

to add these to the diet.

A good guide is the DairyNZ website https:// www.dairynz.co.nz/feed/ supplements/maize-silage.

• Ian Williams is a Pioneer genetics specialist.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

22 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Aim for tight body condition score spread in your herd SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

GETTING AN aver-

age body condition score (BCS) of 5.0 across a herd before mating isn’t all that useful, says vet Danielle Hawkins, Vetora.

She says farmers should aim for a “nice tight spread” of BCS in the herd.

Speaking at a Smaller Milk and Supply Herds (SMASH) field day at Te Awamutu this month, Hawkins said a good average BCS can still be a problem.

“Because you may have an average score of 5.0 [you may feel] like a hero, but if there’s a whole group of cows [about] BCS 3.0 it is still a disaster.

“What you want is a nice tight spread, and a better target is to have no more than 15% of the cows being too light. This would be better than

that an average score of 5.0; on average that’s the middle cow score so you would have half the mob below the score and the other half above and it’s not all that flash.

“So, no more than 15% under BCS 5.0 is a better thing to work on.”

About 70 farmers turned up at the SMASH field day at the Rogers Charitable Trust Farm.

The 52ha-effective farm milks 190 cows and hopes to produce 74,000kgMS this season.

MS/cow this season is expected to top 389kg.

Feed includes silage, palm kernel expeller and some home-grown chicory.

Farmers at the field day got a chance to assess the BCS of a group of cows from the herd.

Hawkins told farmers they must look at the whole cow carefully to work out its BCS. “Don’t just look at the ribs or the bums but scan the top of the cow and get

Vet Danielle Hawkins explains how to body score cows.

a better average score,” she said.

She emphasised that the BCS among first or second calvers should be 5.5 as they are “low in the

WHAT TO LOOK FOR ■■

Backbone: is it flat or is there a ridge? Can you see or easily feel notches?

■■

Long ribs: can you see or easily feel the ribs? If visible how many can you see?

■■

Short ribs: can you see the short ribs? What do they feel like? Are the rib ends sharp or rounded?

■■

Hip bones: are the hip bones rounded or angular?

■■

Rump: is the area between the pins and hip bones flat, sunken or hollow?

■■

Pin bones: are they pointed, ‘tap-like’ or rounded?

■■

Tailhead: is there a hollow between the tail head and pin bones? Is it a deep V or shallow U shape?

■■

Thigh: is the area indented, flat or rounded? Is the muscle structure defined?

pecking order and most vulnerable”.

“Pretty much every

dairy cow in this country will lose a condition score between calving and

mating, no matter what you do,” she said.

“Even if you feed them

more, you won’t stop that body condition score loss.”

SCORE 5.0 TO 5.5 CALVING COWS and heifers with a body condition score (BCS) of 5.00 - 5.5 is important to optimise production and reproduction.

Animals calving with too high a BCS are prone to excessive loss of score after calving, with negative effects on health.

Conversely those too light are likely to have an extended noncycling period and not achieve optimal production.

It is hard to measure the BCS of cows in the last month before calving, so animals should be set up in optimal BCS well before calving.

Most animals will lose some body condition after calving; the aim is to manage this loss to less than one unit.

Feed budgets should be set up and animals monitored regularly to ensure BCS losses are not excessive.

Excessive BCS loss results in mobilisation of excessive amounts of body fat, with potential negative effects on health and fertility.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 23

Jimny, the pocket rocket MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

ANYONE WITH an interest in offroaders or small SUVs will know the Suzuki Jimny.

No surprise there, given it’s been around for 50 years, has evolved through three generations and has piled up sales of 2.85 million in 194 countries.

The latest, fourth-generation model “takes the best of the three previous generations and brings it bang up-todate,” Suzuki says.

It retains the square body, original wheelbase and functional interior, but also has several driver support systems and the ‘must haves’ of modern motoring.

Tweaks to the body see it being 30mm shorter, 50mm taller and 45mm wider. The exterior profile has a more upright design at the A-pillars and a clamshell engine hood, both said to aid visibility; and a similar message is seen in the cut-away design at the front of the driver and passenger windows.

Inside the cabin, the dashboard is

Suzuki’s latest Jimny.

split into three levels, with simple yet informative instruments; the centre console is dominated by a 7-inch infrared touch screen display. As you would expect, this display presents audio and navigation functions and, of course, the must-haves -- Apple Car Play and Android Auto.

The seats are 55mm taller, and are wider, with more cushioned and supportive frames; in the rear the split seats fold to a useful 1300mm wide x 980mm long load area, the seat rears covered with a plasticised material for easy cleaning.

The engine is a 4-cylinder unit of

1500cc that delivers 75kW (100hp) and 130Nm torque -- an increase on the old model; and while this may appear a moderate output, it proved to be remarkably capable during a brief offroad adventure at the media launch.

Transmission options are a 5-speed manual unit or a 4-speed auto, with

a transfer case giving a genuine low range, selected by a stubby lever between the front seats.

The ladder frame chassis has two extra cross members and a robust X-member at the centre to increase torsional rigidity, and the body sits on eight rubber mounts said to enhance ride quality and comfort.

Three-link axle suspension with coil springs act on the solid axle which is upgraded to higher tensile steels.

The All-Grip Pro Drive system offers a choice of 2WD, 4WD and 4WD-Low that combines with a clever brake LSD/traction control function; this makes sure work of tricky terrain by using electronic brake control to prevent spinning wheels and redistribute torque to the wheels still on the ground. A hill hold/hill descent function prevents the vehicle from rolling back on climbs and restricts downhill speeds to 5 or 10km/h when 4WD or 4WD-low is selected.

As part of the standard package, a host of driver aids are right up there with the mainstream market: lane departure, weave alert, autonomous braking, auto headlights and six airbags.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

24 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Wider swath with moderate tractor MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AGCO’S GREEN Har-

vest range has evolved as tedders, rakes, loader wagons and baler/wrapper combinations.

Now for 2019 comes a new range of disc mowers – the DM-TL-V series made at the Feucht factory in Germany, of interest to operators wanting greater mowing widths but powered by tractors of ‘reasonable’ size.

Available in three models, the DM 265, 316 and 367 TL-V offer work-

ing widths of 2.6m, 3.1m and 3.6m, respectively, in 5-, 6- and 7-disc configurations, each carrying two quick-attach blades. (A KC-designation indicates a rear conditioning element for rapidly increasing dry matter content.)

The designation TL-V shows that the mower is equipped with the Turbo Lift hydro-pneumatic lift system -- with vertical folding for transport -that allows the mower to fold to 30 degrees past the vertical, centring its mass over the three-point linkage and the centre line of the tractor.

This is said to allow safe, comfortable transport between jobs, and it minimises overhang beyond the rear fenders of the tractor.

The layout sees a heavy-duty headstock, with the cutter mounted at a centralised pivot position, allowing ground adaptation up to 28 degrees above horizontal and 20 degrees below.

A hydro-pneumatic circuit can be steplessly adjusted to ground pressure, depending on terrain and forward speed and to minimise damage to the turf.

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A heavy-duty driveline takes power to the first disc assembly, with protection from overload and a free-wheeling clutch for controlled wind down after the PTO is disengaged. A separate, protected drive-line is used for powering the conditioner.

In the paddock, the integral Safety Swing function allows the mower bed to move up and over obstacles, making use of a patented pivoting gearbox to prevent damage to the drive-

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lines. Reset is achieved by gravity, without the operator having to leave the tractor seat.

Set-up is said to be particularly easy, only needing setting of the tractor’s lower links, from where the TL system is used for lifting and lowering via a single-acting hydraulic connection.

The operating position is set by centralising two marker arrows on the mower frames; a compensation cylinder sets up the machine for contours of +/- 13 degrees and locks out the cutter-bar for headland turns.

Standard equipment includes quick attach blades, a rear-mounted toolbox, safety lock and integral parking stand.

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Leading row of adjustable individually suspended discs allow minimum disturbance on the pasture surface.

Hydraulic Subsoiler legs with working depths from 100-350mm to suit all types of compaction layer depths with quick change points.

Rear flat packer roller with scrapers to leave an aerated consolidated level finish across the full working width.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

TRACTORS & MACHINERY // 25

Better performing, more economical

yard-friendly dimensions and excellent manoeuvrability.

The T7.165S has the power to drive highcapacity mixer wagons, and is good for such tasks as mowing, baling, loading and transport. The tractor is loader-ready from the factory, has a wheelbase of 2.7m and is fitted with

NH’s Horizon high roof cab with a visibility panel.

The 2.88m wheelbase T7.195S and T7.215S models are designed for more intensive use, using an 18 x 6 40km/hr Power Command full-powershift transmission; they suit multi-operator applications and in hire or contract fleets. The lon-

THE NEW 4 CYLINDER

ger-wheelbase models have rear lift capacity of up to 10,463kg with optional 110mm rear lift rams.

The T7.165S comes with high hydraulic flow, an electronic loader joystick, automatic fourwheel drive and the option of CustomSteer, the latter making for optimum loader cycle times and fewer steering wheel rotations for best manoeuvrability.

Both the Range Command and Power Command transmissions can be specified with creep speeds and IntelliSteer RTK guidance to 1.5cm accuracy; a comprehensive telematics package is available for all models. @dairy_news

European sales chart for 2018.

SALES DOWN 12% EUROPE HAS retained its place as the world’s fourth-largest tractor market after India, China and the US, says the trade association CEMA. Total 2018 sales were 177,000, a drop of 12% on 2017.

CEMA says 39,784 tractors of below 50hp were sold and 137,503 above.

About 147,000 were ‘real’ tractors and the remainder telehandlers, sprayers and self-propelled harvesters.

Germany, France and Italy remained big markets with sales of 16%, 14% and 10% respectively. The UK had 8%, Spain and Poland 6% each and the remaining 40% went to 22 other European states.

Germany and France saw market declines of 18.3% and 9.3% respectively. UK tractor registrations were up slightly, although predictions for 2019 fall in the ‘unknown’ category, subject to Brexit.

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NEW HOLLAND has expanded its T7 tractor range to meet the demand for performance and economy in a lowercost package; the threemodel T7-S range is said to be an economic alternative to pre-owned machines in the same power class.

The T7.165S, T7.195S and T7.215S have maximum power outputs of 165, 190 and 210hp, respectively, powered by FTP Industrial’s proven Stage IV-compliant 6-cylinder FPT Engine with ECOBlue HI-eSCR technology.

The T7.165S is fitted with a 18 x 6 40km/hr Range Command semipowershift transmission, suited to livestock and mixed applications, with

• All new heavy-duty four cylinder tractor range • Industry leading 120 L/min CCLS hydraulic system • Front and cab suspension provides a premium driving experience • 60x60 transmission with 17 core gears across key working speeds ensures you’re always in the right gear for the application • Long wheel base and true 4WD braking gives excellent stability and traction • Electronic remotes – flow and time control for ease of use when working Be the first to see this innovative new tractor at your local field days or call your local Power Farming dealership today to book your demo.

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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

26 // TRACTORS & MACHINERY

DRAINAGE AND SOIL AERATION PAY BIG DIVIDENDS Don’t put good fertiliser on compacted soil which can’t absorb it. If your soil can’t support 15cm root growth and good worm population check for compaction.

You could need aeration. In dollar terms, what would 20% production increase mean to your yearly turnover?

AERATORS

HEAVY DUTY AUTO RESET

NOW AVAILABLE, 5 OR 6 LEG MODELS

Muck spreader in action.

MOLEPLOUGH

YOUR GREATEST ASSET IS THE SOIL YOU FARM. DON’T DESTROY IT!

Muck spreaders do what maker claims MARK DANIEL

• SOIL AERATION SPECIALISTS •

PRE RIPPERS

MAITLAND RD5, GORE. PH/FAX 03-207 1837 OR 027-628 5695 www.james-engineering.co.nz

markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THE BUCKTON website dates the company

back to 1963, but it can be traced back to 1950 when Victor Buckton went into business refurbishing old trucks for farming.

Sons Eric and Morris

Reliable. Simple. Smart.

Why go for a SAM? •

Mega-reliable. Built to last.

•

Simple to use and maintain.

•

Smart design features.

•

Fast spare parts, servicing and technical support.

•

Great value and resale.

SAM HYDRAULIC TRAILERS

+64 7 847 8492 SAM FERTILISER SPREADERS

Organic material options, load weigh scales and computer control systems are available.

SAM FEED WAGONS

SAM QUICK HITCH

y udl Pro ade . r M NZ foreve e c Sin

Chat to your local dealership or Visit www.sammachinery.co.nz

joined in the early 1960s and they made a range of farm equipment that developed a good reputation at home and in Australia, Chile, the US and South Africa.

Now the brand sits under the umbrella of Giltrap Engineering, still a broad, durable range for pastoral farmers and contractors.

The MS muck spreader range is a case in point.

It may not win a prize for good looks, but the machines appear well put together and capable of doing what the maker claims.

There are four models with nominal capacities of 9, 12, 15 and 20cu.m.

At their heart is a chassis made from highgrade RHS, hot rolled for strength -- a method used for truck frames.

Heavy-duty oscillating tandem axles have replaceable pivot bushes for extended life, while the body -- in effect a semi-sealed bin -- uses heavy section, closespaced steel vertical bracing for rigidity and to deal with heavy loads.

At each end of the body, heavy-duty rubber base seals allow the units to hold semi-liquid manures plus typical solid materials, and a clear front panel gives operators a view of the load.

The drive line has a 1000rpm input (with shear bolt protection) that is transferred to the rear of machine where the drive is split to twin vertical discharge beaters.

The floor drive is con-

trolled hydraulically, allowing precise speed control to alter application rates when used with the hydraulically operated rear door.

Attention to detail sees the floor conveyor chains recessed into the floor of the body, a detail that reduces loads on the chains and drive sprockets and ensures the body is emptied cleanly. Four bed chains carry welded conveyor slats running in pairs with split drives to reduce peak loadings.

Maintenance on the bed is by heavy-duty spring-loaded chain adjusters to keep tracking true; sight glasses are fitted to gearbox drives and grease nipples are fitted at appropriate points.

In operation, spreading width and application rates are influenced by several factors, including the type of material, floor conveyor speed, rear guillotine door position and rotation speed of the rear beaters.

Spreading width is typically 10 to 20m, dependent on the material being applied.

Standard equipment includes a braking system fitted to the front axle, and tyre equipment depends on the model -22.5-inch diameter flotation units ranging from 400/70 to 550/60 sections.

Optional equipment includes LED lighting kits, a quick-hitch skid and hydraulic parking jacks. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

TRACTORS & MACHINERY // 27

Compact fours with plenty of grunt POWER FARMING

will bolster its popular 6 Series tractors (140 - 226hp in six cylinders) with two four-cylinder workhorses.

With maximum outputs of 126hp and 136hp, respectively, the 6130 and 6140DT tractors take their styling from the larger machines, but have a longer wheelbase and greater unladen weight than outgoing 5130 models.

Popular in the northern hemisphere, the smaller machines have good power-to-weight ratios making them ideal for mixed farming and, more importantly, nimble, tight-turning geometry, suiting work in smaller paddocks, yards, buildings or anywhere access is tight.

SDF’s own in-house engine is fitted: a FARMotion model – 4-cylinder, 3.8L and complying with Tier 3 emission rules without any after-treatment. The unit is said to have low fuel consump-

tion and low engine noise.

Transmission options include a 30F/30R semipowershift or TTV for the 6130, or a 60F/60R or the TTV for the larger 6140. The semi-powershift option has speed-matching, auto-powershifting and 5 -stage shuttle modulation.

Also, as part of the standard package the clever Stop and GO function, when selected, allows the operator to disconnect the drive by applying the brake pedal.

This should be useful in loader work, particularly when combined with the QuickSteer system that reduces the number of turns required at the steering wheel.

The TTV stepless speed-control transmission -- via a new joystick layout taken from the larger tractors – will suit baling during harvesting or planting on horticultural plots.

Greater hydraulic flow and lift capacity are benefits: the 6130 and 6140 are

fitted with a closed-centre/ load-sensing hydraulic pump set-up with a capacity of 120L/minute. This is configured with four sets of rear remote valves with electronic control of flow rates and time, plus lift

capacity of 7000kg.

Options include front suspension and 50km/h for the 6140, and integrated GPS, LED lighting, cab suspension and front linkage and PTO for both models.

Deutz Fahr 6140

FOR GREAT PASTURE AND CROP YIELD. CHOOSE DUNCAN DISC OR TINE DRILLS.

Renovator AS3500 Air delivery version of the Renovator MK4 for improved seed placement and accuracy particularly on hills.

Tine/disc: Tine

Distribution: Air

Operation: Medium, Large

• Large capacity seed and fertiliser bins • Large loading platform • Superior trash flow

TIER V COMING?

Enviro DD30

Eco Seeder

A versatile machine designed to handle trash and deliver seed evenly on all terrain.

Designed to sow a variety of seeds from clover, rape and swedes right up to oats, wheat and peas.

Tine/disc: Disc

Distribution: Air

Operation: Medium, Large

Tine/disc: Tine

Distribution: Gravity

Operation: Small

WHILE KIWIS were just coming to terms with Tier

4 emission regulations for tractors delivered in New Zealand, the northern hemisphere saw Tier V regulations take effect in January 2019.

And we’ll see Tier V here before long, because the bulk of tractors being landed – especially sub200hp -- are generally sourced from European factories, and NZ’s relatively low sales volumes mean will discourage many manufacturers from doing small runs of Tier 4 equipped machines.

European Stage V-non road vehicle standards will broaden the units affected: they will covering power outputs of 25 to 750hp, meaning builders of lower horsepower tractors will need to find more room under the hood to house emission gear.

A key part of the regulations will require fitting diesel particulate filters to many more tractors.

And a big change will occur in January 2020, when each of the 28 European states will be banned from interpreting regulations individually; one umbrella regulation will cover the lot. – Mark Daniel

• Unique scalloped disc leads a plain disc which opens up the seeding slot

• Entry level drill - 3 point linkage or trailed option

• Large capacity split hopper

• 25mm coil tine and Duncan inverted “T’’ boot

• Proven air distribution system

• Peg tooth roller distribution system

• Press wheels optional

• Disc openers optional

A division of Giltrap Engineering Limited

0800 177 171 • DUNCANAG.COM

TRACTA_GIL61828_DN

• Butterfly valve for controlling different air rates between bins

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

28 // TRACTORS & MACHINERY

As simple as Easy-on-board markd@ruralnews.co.nz

CLAAS HAS made its Easy on-board app easier to use thanks to ISOBUS Task Controller documentation that allows it to seamlessly connect with most farm management software.

This tablet-based app will control any of the German manufacturer’s

A class act: Claas on-board app makes connections easy.

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• 4.5 metre Hydraulic Hinge Mast • Post Puller • Hydraulic auger Kit • Double Linkages to mount left or right side • Foot roller

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mowers, rakes, balers and loader wagons from any make of tractor.

The app won a gold medal at SIMA 2015.

Claas Harvest Centre product manager (Jaguar and Greenline) Luke

interface. The driver can control selected functions of the implement directly from the machine using the tablet, and the ISOBUS function buttons in the tractor or on the joystick can also be con-

“Job data can be imported as an ISO-XML file directly to the tablet via the internet.”

Wheeler says this further improves the functionality of the Easy system.

“Job data can be imported as an ISO-XML file directly to the tablet via the internet, eliminating the need to send email attachments; likewise completed tasks can be exported directly to farm management software for further processing.”

The Task Controller function is compatible with any AEF-certified farm management software, such as in 365FarmNet. Operators can create jobs via their chosen platform and then access and process them in the app, or alternatively they can create, process and save new jobs in the app and then view them back in the office.

In effect, the app can turn any tablet into which it is loaded into an ISOBUS terminal, using the Claas wireless

figured using the ISOBUS auxiliary function in the cab.

In other news, Claas has introduced two new satellite correction signals (Satcor 5 and Satcor 15) for use in its steering guidance systems. Transmitted by geostationary satellites and available worldwide, the signal supports GPS and GLONASS and is compatible with the European Galileo system.

Satcor 5 is accurate to 5cm, making it suitable for precision drilling; Satcor 15 has 15cm accuracy, suitable for cultivating, fertilising, crop spraying and harvesting.

No extra receiver hardware is needed to access the signals; all Claas S10 or S7 terminals less than two years old can receive Satcor signals on condition of an annual licence from a Claas Harvest Centre.

TRACTA61829-DN

MARK DANIEL

Hard working engineering.

Buckton engineers equipment for grass roots farming. It’s solid machinery, to help convert your blood, sweat and tears into a thriving business.

Talk to your local Buckton dealer today, or call us on 07 533 1259.

bucktonag.co.nz

TOUGH, DEPENDABLE AND ABLE TO TACKLE ANYTHING.

Just like Kiwi rugby legend Sam Whitelock, Massey Ferguson has the right qualities to get it done on any field. No matter if you’re ploughing, sowing, baling or mowing, utilise a brand that is both world-class and a proven performer.

Put it to the test yourself at your local dealer today and make Massey Ferguson part of your team.

Sam Whitelock, Massey Ferguson ambassador.

MASSEYFERGUSON.CO.NZ

| FREECALL 0800 825 872

A world of experience. Working with you.

DAIRY NEWS MARCH 26, 2019

30 // TRACTORS & MACHINERY

Rugby star turns brand ambassador MASSEY FERGUSON

Sam Whitelock

says the rugby union icon Sam Whitelock will be its brand ambassador for New Zealand.

The All Blacks and Crusaders lock shares the same values and passion for agri-

culture as the iconic farm machinery brand, says MF, and he will be their face of 2019, featuring year-long in media advertising and promotional events.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Sam who

WHEN OUR WAGONS LAST AS LONG AS THEY DO, THEY NEED A THICK COAT OF PAINT.

is a bona-fide champion on the field,” says AGCO NZ manager Peter Scott.

“He has an impressive track record and is highly regarded off the playing field for his strong interest in farming and the rural community.”

Whitelock last year led the Crusaders to titles in the Super Rugby competition and on the world stage he has played at least 100 tests for the All Blacks since his debut in 2010.

He is the youngest Kiwi ever to have played in 100 tests and is the fastest player ever to reach 100 international appearances; he played in the winning 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cup teams and was the NZ Rugby Player of the Year in 2017.

A third-generation dairy farmer from Manawatu, Whitelock has farming in his blood, Scott says.

“This connection Whitelock has with the land and his lead-by-example mentality makes him a perfect ambassador for Massey Ferguson.”

Whitelock is involved in Farm Strong, the notfor-profit group helping farmers with skills and resources needed to live well and keep well.

“We find Sam’s work with Farm Strong particularly admirable,” says Scott. “At Massey Ferguson and at AGCO more broadly, we believe in integrity, respect and team spirit -- something we see Sam display on and off the field.”

3D COMES TO FARM CNH INDUSTRIAL has made its first 3-D printed

OUR FORAGE WAGONS ARE AS TOUGH AS THEY ARE CLEVER. With precise feed control, remote weighing and a solid design, our Forage Wagons are engineered to help you precisely deliver on your feed programmes over the long haul.

It can handle all feed types, from grass, maize, whole crop cereal, silage, long and precision cut and both round or square bales.

Stainless steel sides eliminates rusting.

3 year warranty

Ladder, mudguards & LED lights are standard on all models.

Heavy duty feedout bars release feed as it travels towards the cross conveyor.

Large 1200mm opening with your choice of belt or chain and slat conveyor.

Double chassis is standard. You can fit wireless scales now or in the future.

TRACTA61830_FW_DN

For more information visit giltrapag.co.nz or call us on 0800 804 458.

spare parts, showing the farm machinery industry to be right up with emerging new technologies.

The company, whose brands include Case IH, New Holland and Steyr, says the process is “part of a continual drive to streamline manufacturing processes, increase productivity and find more sustainable ways of working”.

3-D printing makes components from a digital file to build up layers of material under control; each completed part is subject to stringent testing to ensure it meets the CNH Industrial specification.

Each ‘printed’ part is created in 24 - 36 hours with optimal use of raw materials -- in contrast to traditional manufacturing processes. 3-D printing causes less waste or surplus material and minimises machine downtime.

Plastic is the manufacturing medium of the moment, but metallic parts are expected to emerge from testing.

A key benefit of 3-D is local, on-demand manufacturing of spare parts, leading to better stock management, particularly if small volumes of uncommon parts are required urgently. – Mark Daniel

THE BENEFITS OF 100% NATURAL GYPSUM

Gypsum application is a standard practice worldwide for addressing the build up of sodium in soils, including soils receiving waste waters.

Gypsum is one of those rare materials that performs in all categories of soil treatment: an amendment, conditioner and fertiliser.

How Does Gypsum Work?

It is useful in the transition period in dairy cows 2 – 4 weeks pre & post calving, and can be used as an anionic salt to counteract the effects that high potassium & sodium concentrations have on increasing hypocalcemia.

Gypsum is hydrated calcium sulphate. Calcium from gypsum replaces sodium in the soil. The sulphate allows the sodium to be effectively leached out of the soil. The soil then has more ability to flocculate and form stable aggregates to improve drainage and soil quality.

Gypsum, a readily available form of calcium, is 100 times more soluble than lime and is more suitable for the digestive system during this period.

Gypsum in fertilising Soil tests throughout New Zealand shows sulphur deficiency is wide spread.

Although often overlooked, sulphur is needed in at least equal quantities to phosphorus. Many responses in crops are sulphur due to the sulphate radical (SO4‑‑).

• Readily dissociates into free calcium ions (Ca++) and sulphate ions (SO4‑‑), major elements in plant nutrition • Has an approximately neutral pH and can be used in heavy applications without causing undue alkalinity in soils

Gypsum in water savings • Promotes water infiltration, retention and conservation • Allows water to penetrate the soil without forming puddles or water logging • Conserves water by stretching intervals between irrigations • Tests show that farmland treated with gypsum requires up to 33% less water than soils without recent gypsum application

Na+ Na+ Ca++ leached + + Soil Cation Exchange  Soil Cation Exchange Na2SO4 CaSO4

Gypsum in soil conditioning • Breaks up soils compacted by sodium and clay, and compounded by farm animals and machinery • Reduces cracking and compaction following irrigation and retards soil crusting • Allows soil to dry more quickly after rain or irrigation so that it may be worked sooner • Decreases energy requirements for tillage • Binds organic matter to soil and checks soil erosion • Enhances friendly bacterial action and discourages plant diseases related to poor soil aeration • Conditioned soil allows for deeper, healthier root development and water penetration

Gypsum in amendment • Displaces sodium binding clay soils • Reduces high soil aluminium levels • Suppresses the soil acidification effects of growing crops and the prolonged use of acidifying fertilisers

For more about Natural Gypsum and soil stabilisation visit gypsum.co.nz 00527 - Gyspum - DairyNews June 02.indd 1

20/06/18 6:21 PM

RAV-26MAR-DN2

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No need to wait for a rainy day to apply. Talk to your agri manager or the Customer Centre today about N-Protect.

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