Coronavirus could dent dairy prices. PAGE 3
MOBILE GAME OVER? SPREADER Rules around N losses PAGE 10
Sulky’s good-natured app PAGE 23
FEBRUARY 18, 2020 ISSUE 440 // www.dairynews.co.nz
CRUNCH TIME?
There is plenty of supplementary feed following a good spring but crunch time is near. - Neil Bateup, Rural Support Trust chairman PAGE 4
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
NEWS // 3
Coronavirus could dent dairy prices PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
Farmy Army’s mercy mission. PG.05
Diamonds are forever. PG.14
IF ANYTHING close to the impact of coronavirus we are seeing now extends to the end of March it will impact pricing for New Zealand dairy, says RaboResearch dairy general manager Tim Hunt. There is still time for this to be resolved quickly and to have a minimal impact, he told Dairy News. The primary problems we face now are Chinese consumers not eating out and logistical disruption, he says. “Both of those are very prominent. You might have seen that brands like KFC and Pizza Hut have closed 30% of their stores and sales at the rest of the stores are down 50%,” he says. “We are seeing similar things across the food service industry. There is a huge cut in foot traffic and sales of products in the Chi-
Tim Hunt, Rabobank.
nese market. “Chinese consumers are still not eating out and secondly we have logistical disruptions that are significant.” Particularly for dairy there are port slowdowns in China with shortages of labour restraining their ability to dock refrigerated containers. There is a significant slowdown in internal logistics within China with
the domestic trucking industry. These two issues have made it very difficult to get product to the consumer since mid-January. “That could all resolve in the coming months if we see the number of infections starting to reduce, a relaxation in restrictions on transportation and travel within China and consumers regaining confidence to prices meet in large
groups. The last week hasn’t seen a lot of progress in any of those regards.” Hunt says the good news for New Zealand is that most of what is shipped to China is in the form of infant formulas and powder. “That all has a good shelf life, it is sold for consumption at home rather than through food service and is more likely to hold up well through this crisis. The pressure will more come on the cheese side of the industry which is highly exposed to food service.” Hunt says in dairy this is not the only thing going on in the world market. “The market is otherwise generally supportive. We are not seeing strong growth in supply from export regions. “We are seeing dryness in the north of the New Zealand, flooding in the south that may take a bit off production that will help offset price pressure.”
Planting with precision. PG.23
NEWS �������������������������������������������������������3-11 OPINION �����������������������������������������������12-13 AGRIBUSINESS ������������������������������ 14-15 MANAGEMENT �������������������������������� 16-17 ANIMAL HEALTH ����������������������������������18 MILK COOLING �������������������������������� 19-21 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS ���������������������������������������22-23
IMPACT WILL BE SHORT-LIVED – OCD THE COUNTRY’S second largest milk processor says any negative impact of coronavirus should be short lived. Open Country Dairy chief executive Stever Koekemoer has told milk suppliers that how long it takes to contain the virus is key. “The latest general view is that
any negative impact should be short lived,” he says. “The fundamentals around supply/demand have not changed but the timing of containment of the virus will be key.” OCD will review the situation this month but says at this stage it sees no reason to adjust the fore-
cast payout. “If the outbreak is controlled in the short term, then we should see higher demand resume and pricing recover.” OCD has strategically diversified its markets over the last few years to ensure exposure in China is limited. “I am confident that in a general
tightening global market, we will have no issues selling our product. No doubt pricing in the short term may be impacted, however, we are getting to the tail end of the season and will just need to ride it out,” Koekemoer said. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
4 // NEWS
Silage still in stock but rain needed SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
DRY WEATHER
is spreading through Waikato but farmers are coping, says Waikato Primary Industry Adverse Event Cluster chairman Neil Bateup. Good pasture growth in spring means farmers still have grass silage on hand. However, rain is sorely needed to get grass growing again. Bateup, who is also Rural Support Trust chairman, says the Waikato group, made up of MPI, DairyNZ, Fonterra, Dairy Women’s Network and Federated Farmers, has been meeting every fortnight for updates. Milk production is now behind last season in the region. He told Dairy News
there was no plan at the moment to approach the Government for a declaration of an adverse event. “If the situation doesn’t improve then we will approach the Minister of Agriculture for a declaration,” he says. “We won’t cry wolf yet; we’ll assess the situation around Waikato in our meetings and then decide.” Bateup says summers tend to get dry in the Waikato and farmers are prepared to deal with the situation. “Drought-like conditions have been a feature of Waikato farming in recent summers, so it’s good to see farmers are generally well-prepared. “There is plenty of supplementary feed about for stock at present following a good
spring and farmers generally are reported to be coping. The crunch time for many is towards the end of this month.” South Auckland and northern Waikato remain the driest parts, ground conditions getting drier as one moves south. “It’s progressively getting worse from this angle. The Coromandel and Hauraki Plains are also pretty dry. “In Tokoroa, 10 days ago they still had some feed but every day it goes without raining, the dry is spreading further south.” Bateup is urging young farmers, particularly those going through their first dry spell on the farm, to seek assistance. “Talk to the Rural Support Trust or an older farm. Talk to someone, reach out.”
A good spring means many Waikato farmers still have silage to feed for the next few weeks.
60 COWS CULLED ON NEIL Bateup’s farm in Ohinewai, he has got rid of 60 cows as part of his drought management plan. The farm normally milks 650 Jersey cows once-a-day all year round. Milk production is behind last year. Bateup says the area gets dry every summer. “We are used to the dry. Our strategy is to look after our animals, our farm and our people.” His feed strategy is mostly giving cows grass silage and topping it with maize and palm kernel expeller if needed.
Bateup says while farmers have summer management tools to deal with drought, the situation is adding pressure on farming. “Around dryness, farmers are holding up well
Good grass growth last spring allowed double the silage he normally makes. “We started feeding out silage just before Christmas. There was no plan to buy PKE this season, however, the early onset of dry weather means we have had to put a few kilos of PKE into the mix to extend the grass silage out.” Bateup says many farmers are well prepared for dry summers after the 2008 drought. Bateup’s farm produces 170,000kgMS and supplies Fonterra.
but there are a lot of other pressures: financial pressure from banks and concerns around fresh water and climate change initiatives.” The dry weather is also putting a strain on
FEED SYSTEMS SINCE 1962
water supply on farms. Tank water levels are running low. Some farmers are reporting long delays in getting water carted to their farm houses. Federated Farmers Waikato president
Andrew McGiven says farmers are well prepared for the dry weather. “It’s starting to look very dry now throughout the province with NIWA soil moisture levels looking very low,” he told Dairy News. “Most farmers that I have spoken with have planned for a dry spell sometime and have good supplementation reserves at present due to a good winter and spring. “We are hoping that since the dry weather is a little earlier than normal that it will also break earlier. If it doesn’t then farmers will have some real issues in about a month’s time. “Our farm is very dry, but we still have good feed reserves to draw on.”
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COWPATS CAUSING a fire – sounds bizarre, but in actual fact it is a real possibility With tinder dry pastures Federated Farmers is urging all rural folk to take precautions to try to ensure work activities don’t spark a vegetation blaze. Feds Hawke’s Bay president Jim Galloway says one risk that may be overlooked is clumps of cowpat or similar material sticking to the exhausts of quad bikes and other vehicles. He says the cowpats stick to the exhaust of the quad where it dries, heats and starts smouldering. “If that falls into dry grass it can set off flames, he says.” The region has already experienced rural fires, including at Tikokino, Clarkson’s Hill and off Moteo Pa Rd. It’s thought two of the fires were caused by the blades of a mower striking stone, wire or something else hard and causing a spark. In the current conditions, farmers and others should think very carefully about whether it’s safe to do mowing or topping or any other activity that could cause sparks “Another risk to look out for is that power lines are sagging in the heat and may touch tree tops underneath. The wind causing powerline “clapping” (touching) is another factor. We’re just asking farmers and others in the community to be vigilant and to take a precautionary approach,” he says.
DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
NEWS // 5
Floods leave behind massive bill NIGEL MALTHUS
THE FINANCIAL
impact of the flooding which ripped through Southland in the first week of February is huge, says Southland Federated Farmers vice-president Bernadette Hunt. “I was talking to an arable farmer who’s lost a lot of arable crops and the cost to them is about a quarter of a million dollars. “That’s just one landowner,” said Hunt. “A lot of people are on a much smaller scale than that but the number of affected farms that will be incurring costs are high.” Hunt said the feed situation in the province would be very challenging because other parts of the country are in drought with little feed to spare. In the very short term
Federated Farmers executives led by president Katie Milne (left) help clean up affected farms.
there had been a lot of feed moving around the province over the last few days but longer term would be a challenge because a lot of winter crop and baleage has been lost. “We were already short in Southland with the challenging season we’ve
had so there’s going to be some people getting their heads together to try and come up with a solution to that over the coming days.” Hunt, who was coordinating Farmy Army volunteers to go into farms to help the clean up, said clearing debris
that had ripped through farm fences was the main work of the volunteers. “Most of them don’t have specialist farming skills so if they can go along and clear the fencelines then the farmers themselves can go along or get contractors to come and actually do
the repair work. But all that rubbish has got to be gone first.” Hunt said the damage was incredibly wide ranging. Fence damage was very widespread but there had also been a lot of damage to lanes, tracks and even tanker tracks and farm entrances. “A lot of that work involves heavy machinery and carting of stone and sand and all sorts. “There’s a lot of that repair work needing to be done.” In some cases underground water systems and underground cabling for electric fences had been ruined. A lot of gravel had been deposited on pasture and would have to be removed, while baleage and “all sorts of rubbish” has been strewn across the land, Hunt says.
Feds leaders help out A GROUP of senior Federated Farmers officials donned overalls and gumboots to help out with the cleanup following the big Southland floods in the Mataura River catchment. Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Chris Lewis said the group was in the province for a meeting on winter grazing practices – and attend the Southern Field Days – when they were roped in to helping a young sharemilker. “[Provincial vice-president] Bernadette Hunt told me and Katie Milne and Andrew Hoggard and a few others ‘Your plans are changed for the afternoon, you’re helping with the fencing’.” Lewis said he knew what it was like for farmers having to deal with a flood. “The first three or four days you’re going hard out getting the work done but it gets to the stage where you’re physically and mentally worn out so that’s where additional crews coming in to give a hand is just bit of help to break the back of it and give you the motivation to keep going.” Lewis said they had seen farms where the water had wiped out a lot of fences, troughs, water lines and races but left other parts untouched, depending on how close they were to the Mataura River.
School lends helping hand DARREN JACK, deputy principal of Gore’s co-ed Catholic secondary school, St Peter’s College, was mucking in with a vanload of about a dozen of his students, clearing debris from fences on a dairy farm bordering the Mataura River a few kilometres south of Gore. Jack says it’s important for the school “to put into action what you what you say you’re all about, which is community and compassion and caring.” The flood had swept through the farm’s lower paddocks. Even where it didn’t break the wire the
debris was wrapped around them and needed to be removed before the electric fencing would work again. “The cows will go through it so we need to get it up and running,” said Jack. “It’s a slow laborious job but it’s got to be done.” Wednesday was the first day for the St Peter’s students to get out on the job, because the school first had to get parents’ consent. “Now that we’ve got that start we’ll be able to carry that on for a few days at least, depending on
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need really. If we’re needed, then we’ll do our best to be available,” said Jack. Farm manager Kyrie Romero said the fences were broken by silage bales swept down from another farm upstream. Romero said his herd of 420 cows was “fine” and able to graze on the untouched front paddocks bordering the Gore to Invercargill rail line. However, production had dropped from 8000 litres to 6000 litres because of the disruption. The animals were stressed and didn’t like eating silt-covered grass, he said. – Nigel Malthus
Darren Jack, St Peter’s College deputy principal and his students help in the clean-up.
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
6 // NEWS
Climate change focus at FLRC workshop PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
GREENHOUSE GAS emissions, nutrient management, water quality and dealing with carbon was the focus on this year’s FLRC workshop at Massey University. Around 230 people – scientists, rural professionals, policy makers from central and local government and number of international speakers attended the three day workshop. The sessions were by and large highly technical and showcased some of the projects being undertaken both here and overseas to address the multiplicity of challenges being faced by the agricultural sector to prevent damage to the environment. They also drew attention to new government policies and the targets that are being set for
farmers to reduce greenhouse that we are looking at supportgases and other new policy ing farmers on farm. We are a keen believer that the solutions directives. While the centre has kept to some of the pressure we face for primary producits acronym, FLRC tion in NZ are at a which used to landscape level so stand for the Ferwe have got to look tiliser and Lime at an integrated Research Centre, solution to some of the Director of the the big challenges centre, Professor such as greenhouse Chris Anderson gas emissions and says there has been water quality,” he a change and it’s Chris Anderson says. now known as the Anderson says these are Farmed Landscapes Research challenging issues but says sciCentre. “The new name is the evo- ence is about responding to lution of what we need in NZ. those challenges and informWe have moved away from ing the discussion on them. He production and the old Fertil- says science continues to evolve iser Lime Research Centre was and respond to challenges and very much production focused. says there is a need for educatNow we are looking at the bal- ing those in the primary sector ance between production and about the new regulations and the environment and so the some of the solutions on offer. “The FLRC workshop has new name focuses on the fact
turned into a forum where we can share new ideas and experiences and get an international perspective from our overseas speakers. It is very exciting because we are attracting a lot more people from overseas and as well the event is acting as a catalyst to putting on other events either side of it. For example Landcare Research ran a workshop the day before this event and there was a seminar on water quality the day after,” he says. Anderson says this concept makes it a very attractive week for people interested in environmental issues. He says while only a small number of farmers attend the workshop, all those who attend the event have regular contact with farmers so that the information imparted at the conference will be passed on to the wider farming community.
PUBLIC-DRIVEN POLICY PUBLIC ATTITUDES are very strong on environmental issues such as clean water and that is driving policy according to the Director of the Farmed Landscapes Research Centre (FLRC) at Massey University. Professor Chris Anderson told Dairy News at the 33rd FLRC annual workshop in Palmerston North last week, that clearly the public wants clean water. He says calls for action on this and other environmental issues are coming from a broad cross section of society and they are being motivated to do so based on the situation in NZ but also other climate related events overseas – such as the Australian bush fires. But he says not everyone in society understands the issues. “We deal a lot with schools and even there you have got some people there who are really environmentally strong
and focused, but some that haven’t got there yet and haven’t made that change. It is the same when we talk to public bodies - there is a difference of opinion there as well,” he says. Anderson says the science to deal with such issues has always been there and that a lot of good science has been done over a long period. He says the FLRC has been heavily involved in this work and says the great thing is that they have been given the independence to do the science without any interference from other organisations or groups. He says while some countries such as Ireland have similar environmental issues, their regulatory system is more complex because it not only has to take account of local issues, but has to do this within the wider European Union rules. – Peter Burke
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MAIZE SILAGE
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
NEWS // 7
Another good rain needed for clean-up NIGEL MALTHUS
SOUTHLAND DAIRY
farmers ironically need some good rain to wash the silt off their pastures and help recover from the early February flooding, says Open Country Dairy regional milk supply manager Myles Herdman. “The majority of farmers are okay, it’s the ones that were close to the rivers that ended up with silt on the pastures are going to have problems,” said Herdman. “We really need another good rain to clean the pastures up.” About 10 of the company’s supplying farmers had to shift stock to other farms. “A lot of them along the rivers have lost their fences. So that’s a major cleanup and it’s a timeconsuming clean up because you’ve got to pull all the wires out of the mud and in a lot of cases you’re just better to cut them.” Herdman praised the way farmers turned out to help each other. One Open Country supplier
had 30 people turn up on Sunday unexpectedly to spend the day picking debris out of his fences. “It’s amazing just how much they do for each other when the chips are down.” However, those who lost baleage, or whose winter crops went under “might not recover very well,” he said. The company, whose sole South Island processing plant is at Awarua, near Bluff, picked up milk early from some farms when they knew the water was coming. “We knew we wouldn’t be able to get back with the rivers rising so quickly,” said Herdman. “So it was just just a big coordination job, with the transport and communicating with the farmers, knowing what milk was there and what wasn’t there.” Herdman couldn’t give a precise figure but said “quite a bit” of milk had to be dumped but farmers’ milk losses would be covered by dairy company insurance. “Anything outside spec... so if it goes 48
PLANT UP AND RUNNING MATAURA VALLEY Milk General Manager Ber-
nard May said the company’s nutrition plant near Gore was undamaged and fully operational again after briefly shutting down at the height of the flooding emergency. “All of our farms are supplying milk so there doesn’t appear to be any of our farmers that have been largely affected by the flooding, which is good.” The plant produces nutritional products including baby and toddler food and has been in operation only since August 2018. May said it was closed for about a day and a half at the height of the emergency due to road access, because some staff could not get to work, and also so people could be released to look after their own families and property. “Some of our farms were isolated for a period of time and we worked with them and are now back up and running and fully operational.” May said he was unaware of any significant volumes of milk having to be dumped. Other companies stepped in to pick up milk from a few suppliers which MVM tankers couldn’t reach, in accordance with their usual contingency agreements.
hours we have to dump it.” Farmy Army members fixing fencing on a flood-ravaged farm.
DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
8 // NEWS
Developing leaders for the future Victoria Trayner
LAST WEEK, 21 developing dairy industry leaders started Fonterra’s year-long Governance Development Programme, with two days of presen-
tations and discussions at Fonterra’s head office in Auckland. Now into its 15th year, the programme is an intensive year-long com-
mitment built around a series of workshops, distance learning modules and coaching. It exists to help identify and develop gover-
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nance acumen in future rural leaders. Being custom designed in conjunction with Massey Business School to be specific to the cooperative context, it is unique in New Zealand. Attended predominantly by Fonterra farmer shareholders and herdowning sharemilkers it is also open to members of other New Zealand cooperatives such as LIC, Silver Fern Farms and Foodstuffs. Competition was stiff for the two scholarships offered for the first time this year. Here we meet Canterbury-based educator and sharemilker Victoria Trayner, recipient of the Ian Elliott Memorial Scholarship provided by Trinity Lands. The other scholarship recipient, Southland sharemilker Jono Bavin, who received the Campbell Shearer Scholarship provided by Fonterra will feature in the next issue of Dairy News. VICTORIA TRAYNER Ngāi Tahu dairy farmer Victoria Trayner is a busy woman. As well as sharemilking with her husband Glen on a family farm in Oxford, North Canterbury, she also works as a tutor for the agriculture industry training body AgITO, is a director of the Waimakariri Irrigation Company, Waimakariri Next Generation Farmers Trust and Canterbury Primary Sector Plan Change 7 Working Group, and is mum to three girls, including a three-month old. Victoria is a descendant of Waitaha and Ngāti Māmoe, both of which are represented by the Ngāi Tahu iwi. She is also the eldest daughter of an established farming family with dairy, pig and arable farms, and a beef stud. Victoria studied fine arts at university, then taught agriculture and art at Christchurch Boys’ High School, while working part-time on farms and holding various leadership roles in organisations such as Young Farm-
ers. She and Glen started sharemilking in 2015. “We’re working hard to build our business and move towards farm ownership but, because this is my family farm, I’m also constantly driving for perfection,” she says. “I feel like my tūpuna [ancestors] are looking down and saying: ‘Good luck’!” She is equally keen to learn more about governance and use that knowledge to gain seats on both the New Zealand Pork Industry Board and the Fonterra Shareholders Council. She dreams of one day being elected to the Fonterra Board: “I feel like I have quite a long way to go to get there!” Trinity Lands chief executive and Fonterra board member Peter McBride helped assess the scholarship applicants and said it was clear Victoria could handle everything a demanding governance role would throw at her. “It was clear from Victoria’s application that she was a hard-working and determined woman with an impressive depth of experience in farming, education, and advocacy – and big farming dreams,” he says. Trinity Lands was established in the 1950s and 1960s by Christian businessmen from the South Waikato, with the aim of helping young people build careers on the land. Their portfolio of farms and orchards supports young people into farming careers and enables the distribution of hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to community groups every year. The scholarship, offered in the memory of Ian Elliott, the late chairman of Trinity Lands, provides the chance for a person of Māori heritage to participate in the Fonterra Governance Development Programme. Ian had personally mentored countless young New Zealanders working on Trinity Lands’ farms and his own properties, and Victoria shares his passion for developing future farmers.
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
10 // NEWS
‘Game could soon be over for some farmers’ NIGEL MALTHUS
PROPOSED NEW environmental rules for the Waimakariri District will drive some farmers off their land, say farmers and their support groups. The district is facing new rules under the proposed Plan Change 7 to
the Canterbury Land & Water Regional Plan (CLWRP), which calls for staged cuts to Nitrogen losses over coming decades – up to 90% reductions in some specified zones. One dairy farmer in the most-affected “purple zone” near Oxford said he had a consultant run
the figures for his farm and it showed that at 30% reduction he might as well “give the keys to the bank” and walk away. The man, who asked not to be identified, is a fourth-generation dairy farmer who came to the district six years ago with his parents and young family.
Waimakariri Irrigation’s Paul Reese (left) with Eyrewell farmer Scott Evans.
DESIRE TO GET IT RIGHT PAUL REESE says there is a real willingness and desire among landowners to get things right. Farmers were actively engaged with the Farm Environment Plan (FEP) process and were taking action to improve their environmental performance, he said. On the most recent figures, 89% of WIL shareholders achieved an A or B FEP audit during the 2018/19 season, an increase of 21 percentage points from 2016/17. C audit grades decreased from 28% to 9%, while just one farm received a D grade. Reese said the sole D grade came about when a new farm owner installed a feed pad near his shed, which had the effect of concentrating urine rather than diluting it across the pasture. That farmer has since changed his practices and Reese expected the D grade to disappear on re-
auditing. When the process to reduce N losses started five years ago it seemed a big mountain to climb but Reese had seen a huge change in mindset. “In terms of the audits and in terms of the land-use improvements and on-farm practises it’s been really encouraging to see it.” Irrigation management had been a very big focus for WIL, and the company also brought in groundbreaking measures including requiring its farmers to put in soil moisture monitors and use the REGEN irrigation and effluent management software system. Reese said all schemes across Canterbury were doing similar things. “It’s a significant change from where we were. Schemes have changed from delivery of water to managers of water.”
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“I’m 36 years old and to hear that you’ve got no future it’s pretty hard. I’ve just worked my guts out to get to the position I’m in.” Submissions on the Plan Change, which will also bring in new rules for the Orari Temuka Opihi Pareora (OTOP) sub-region in South Canterbury, have now closed and are expected to go to hearings in May. Under the plan, the Waimakariri sub-region is divided into a nitrate priority area, where nitrate levels are the main concern, and a runoff priority area where phosphorus, sediment and EColi are the main issues. Within the nitrate area are different zones according to catchment, with differing schedules of N-loss mitigation required, staged over 20 to 30 years. Eyrewell farmer Scott
Evans, chairman of the Waimakariri Next Generation Farmers Trust, which was formed last year to help influence environmental policy, said it could be “game over” for some farmers. He said farmers wanted common-sense changes rather than a broad-brush approach imposed by “a guy in an office” who doesn’t understand the long-term feasibility. Evans said within the nitrate area were different zones according to catchment. “There’s a first stage reduction, then a second stage reduction, then some zones just keep reducing until literally they’ll be gone from farming.” “There’s a floor in there which will see you able to do maybe sheep farming if you’re lucky but these guys have got a lot
invested in their land and the land’s valued so high that it’s just going to take the rug out from underneath them.” Evans said his group was “really clear” that it was unfair to treat it as a dairy farm problem and treat people differently within a catchment, so that a dairy farmer miles from any other dairy farm is the one who’s losing his farm. Farmers wanted to do the right thing but needed to be able to do it. “If they bring these changes in, straight away the mechanisms of finance kick in. The land value plummets therefore you’ve got no equity. You can’t invest, you can’t do these things and it’s going to have a negative impact on the environment.” Environmental consultant Paul Reese, who heads Waimakariri Irrigation Ltd’s environmental
management, said ECan had looked at issues in the district’s lowland streams and realised that to make any sort of difference there were things that had to happen further up the catchment. “And what they proposed is pretty substantive.” “If the Plan Change goes ahead and these people have to make a 90% reduction in N loss, it’s game over for them. It really is.” It would bring N-losses down to levels characteristic of dryland tussock country. “And there’s already farm investment, there’s family investment, there’s social investment, there’s lots of lots of capital involved and you cannot change your dairy farming system to a dryland tussock-based system and hope to pay back the loans you’ve already got.” Reese said that as a scheme, WIL recognised there were issues to be addressed, and that irrigation has had an impact. But he queried whether focussing on N loss and land use of individual farms was the only course of action. WIL was looking to other mechanisms to provide extra water to dilute and improve flow in lowland streams, including stream augmentation, managed aquifer recharge and in-stream ecological improvements. It also wanted better measurements in aquifers and waterways to better understand the problem, he said.
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
WORLD // 11
Fonterra butter stars in Oz
Saputo eyes plant-based investments GLOBAL DAIRY company, Saputo is on the look-
Fonterra’s award-winning team from Cobden site in Victoria.
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out for plant-based food processing. The Canadian company says it’s committed to diversifying its product portfolio by pursuing more plant-based opportunities. Releasing its third-quarter results this month, Saputo says there’s growing consumer demand for plant-based products. Saputo is one of the top 10 dairy processors in the world and the largest milk processor in Australia. “Saputo will look to increase its presence in this category through a series of investments in manufacturing, sales and distribution,” it says. The company has appointed a senior vice-president, business development, plant-based food. For the three-month ended December 31, 2019, Saputo’s total revenues reached $4.5 billion, almost 9% up on the same period last financial year. In Australia, Saputo owns Warrnambool Cheese and Butter, Murray Goulburn and bought the speciality cheese business of Lion Dairy in 2019. In its third-quarter results, Saputo alluded to the drop in Australian milk production and increased competition for raw milk. “As a result of the decrease in milk production in Australia, the Dairy Division (Australia) expects increased competition in the sourcing of raw milk to persist and to continue to put pressure on margins,” it says. – Sudesh Kissun
Oak Blue. Victorian producers claimed the highest number of Champion titles, taking out seven of the nineteen categories: Western Australia followed with four, New South Wales with three, South Australia and Queensland with two and Tasmania with one.
A
FONTERRA IS enjoying a golden run in the Australian butter market. The co-op’s Western Star salted butter scooped the Champion Butter title for the 10th time at the Australian Grand Dairy Awards this month. It also picked up the Grand Dairy Champion award. Western Star is manufactured at the co-op’s Cobden site in western Victoria. Fonterra Cobden production manager Samir Suri says the team is thrilled with the wins. The win coincides with the launch of a national television advertising campaign for Western Star. Suri says there has been a lot of celebration at the Cobden site. “It’s been a really great week for our people, not only is our hard work showcased on national television, it’s again been recognised as the best butter in Australia,” he says. “Winning these awards are a testament to the
to their craft inspires some of the highest quality dairy products in the world,” said Dairy Australia’s Alexandra Kury, convener of the awards. The 2020 Australian Grand Cheese Champion title went to Victorian producer, Berry’s Creek Gourmet Cheese for its
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consistency of the butter we produce – it’s the simple ingredients, the expert craft of our team, and of course, the quality of our south west farmers’ milk, which makes it so great,” says Suri. Western Star is an iconic Aussie favourite, with judges describing it as a classic, pure, creamy butter with a rich satisfying, five-star taste. Celebrating its 21st year, the Australian Grand Dairy Awards are the premier dairy awards within the Australian dairy industry. Organised by Dairy Australia, these awards recognise the ‘best of the best’ - each of the 400 products entered this year are already gold awards winners in State level competitions. Australia’s top cheeses, ice creams, milks, butter, gelato are judged by a 12-strong panel of top dairy judges. “Winning at The Australian Grand Dairy Awards is the highest accolade in the dairy industry and is testament to our farmers and producers, whose hard work and dedication
S PE
SUDESH KISSUN
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
12 // OPINION RUMINATING
EDITORIAL
Let’s hope coronavirus dies soon
MILKING IT... It must be an election year! GREENPEACE IS again engaging in its favourite pastime….highlighting the state of NZ rivers and how fertiliser used on dairy farms are turning the rivers into hell holes. Last week’s publicity stunt saw Greenpeace put up three billboards in Selwyn River, Waikirikiri – Canterbury. Greenpeace says lakes and rivers once enjoyed by Kiwi families have become too polluted for our kids to swim in without fear of getting sick: it wants reduction in synthetic fertiliser use. Now will be a good time to remind Greenpeace that almost 40 beaches in Auckland were deemed unsafe for swimming late last year due to human waste contamination. Wonder if any billboards are going up there?
Spare us! GOOD ON Taika Waititi for winning an Oscar, especially for his brief acceptance speech during which he lectured us all on… nothing. Unlike actor Joaquin Phoenix who used his mad soapbox rant to share his opinion on the ‘evils’ of artificial bovine insemination. God spare us from any more high-handed lectures from the elite who fly in on private jets and tell the rest of us how to be better people. Golden Globe host Ricky Gervais had it right when he told the actors, “If you win, come up, accept your little award, thank your agent, thank your God and f*ck off, OK?”
Revolving doors
Moody cows
AUSSIE FARMERS could be forgiven for recalling the name of their current Minister for Agriculture. The Federal Ag Ministry has become a revolving door in recent years; since 2017 the Coalition Government across the ditch has had four ministers, and that’s not including short stints by the PM and deputy PM in between change of ministers. David Littleproud was named Ag Minister this month to replace Bridget McKenzie who resigned after a sports grant scandal. This is Littleproud’s second stint: he first stepped into the role in 2018 after Barnaby Joyce resigned following an affair with a staffer.
MOOD SWINGS are a wellknown part of puberty, and it seems that’s it is not just humans. Canadian research suggests dairy cows can be moody teenagers too. A team from the University of British Columbia investigated personality traits in dairy cows from birth to adulthood and found that while they are pretty stable during the earlier and later stages of development, during puberty their behaviour becomes a little less predictable. Researchers said their findings were relevant for the management of commercial dairy cattle, given that the personality of domesticated farm animals has been linked with productivity, health, and welfare. The study found that calm cows consumed more feed, produced more milk, and had improved growth, compared to more reactive cows. Personality traits were highly consistent during the earlier and later rearing periods, but not across the puberty period.
ALL EYES are on China as the country grapples with the deadly coronavirus. The good news is that the number of new cases confirmed inside the country declined for two days in a row last week. The bad news is that global health officials have warned the coronavirus outbreak that has killed at least 1,100 people and sickened more than 45,500 could get worse before it gets better. For New Zealand exporters, China is a key market: with a two-way trade between NZ and its biggest trading partner was worth $28 billion in 2018 and growing. For Fonterra, which has a $4 billion business in China, the longer the coronavirus lingers, the bigger the impact on earnings. Fonterra sells milk powder, butter and cheese to Chinese customers. Infant formula and milk powders have a longer shelf life, so they can endure a longer wait in warehouses. The story is different when it comes to supplying cheese and ingredients to major food service customers. With movement restricted within China, the food service sector has taken a hit; what impact it would have on Fonterra’s bottom line remains to be seen. Not all NZ exporters are as fortunate as Fonterra. This month log exports from Gisborne port were put on a sixday hold as the coronavirus spooked exporters, as the Chinese economy was brought to a standstill. While life is almost at a standstill in some major Chinese cities, people are still eating; food is still being delivered to millions of homes. And people are communicating and chatting on social media platforms. NZ businesswoman Jane Li says the Chinese Government’s decision to extend Lunar New Year holiday by a week hammered many small businesses. Her business, which sells NZ dairy products, is operating. Customers are communicating via popular Chinese social media site, WeChat. Li says things will get back to normal fairly quickly once people are allowed out of quarantine. Most people are more afraid of being stuck at home for too long than from catching the coronavirus. In the meantime NZ exporters can watch and hope that we will soon see the back of coronavirus. The longer it lingers around, the worse it could be for the country’s lucrative Chinese business.
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
OPINION // 13
Co-op doing its bit for sustainability CAROLYN MORTLAND
WHETHER IT’S tackling climate change, cleaning up our waterways or reducing the use of plastic packaging, the New Zealand dairy industry, and food producers in general, are grappling with huge challenges around sustainability. Globally, food production systems are facing a transformational challenge. New Zealand dairy
upon a stable global climate and is particularly impacted by environmental effects. Our farmers are close to the land and will feel climate change hard. That’s why we’ve put sustainability at the heart of our co-op’s new strategy. This means doing what’s right and doing what’s expected of us for the long-term. It means producing dairy nutrition in a way
well positioned to lead change. We must find ways to achieve food and agriculture sustainability for New Zealand and our export markets.
Fonterra doesn’t pretend to have all the answers and we’ve got a long way to go on our own sustainability journey but believe we can make positive change.
that cares for people, animals and the land, and brings value to our communities. This is not only the right thing to do but has become increasingly important as more consumers choose environmentally-friendly products. As a country, New Zealand has got a head start. We are known world over for producing some of the best food in the world, and balancing this production with our green, clean reputation. We’ve got innovative people working to reduce our environmental impacts, from cutting water use through to researching world-leading science to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But no one can do this alone. Tackling complex issues like climate change, improving biodiversity and freshwater, and addressing plastic waste will take a collective effort by government, local and regional councils, the business community, scientists, iwi, community groups and consumers. But by working together and focusing on ambitious common goals, the power of collaboration can find solutions. With New Zealand’s natural environment and some of the world’s most efficient farmers, we’re
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As a country, New Zealand has got a head start. We are known world over for producing some of the best food in the world, and balancing this production with our green, clean reputation. farmers feed around 40 million people globally today. But as the world grows, food producers around the world will need to find new ways to feed 10 billion people by 2050. And we need to meet these demands while protecting and restoring the environment. This is being driven by consumers becoming increasingly discerning when it comes to the products they buy and the food they eat. Recent market research has found that 75% of millennials – those aged 20-35 – are altering their buying habits with the environment in mind and 34% of baby boomers are willing to change what they buy if it means purchasing more sustainable products. These present unique challenges for New Zealand food producers: and Fonterra is no different. There’s no easy or quick fix. As a cooperative, we’re deeply invested in New Zealand’s success and take a long-term view. We’re a business built from farms passed down from one generation to the next, and that means ensuring the land and natural bounty of our country are preserved for generations to come. Agriculture depends
We’ve committed to doing our bit. • Carolyn Mortland is Fonterra Director of Sustainability
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
14 // AGRIBUSINESS
Just like diamonds, farmers are forever AUCKLAND
JEWELLERS
Mark and Pamela Beckett appreciate and support the work dairy farmers do all-year round. And what better way to show their love than by giving away a two-carat diamond valued at $12,000. It’s not just any old diamond – it is a rare green diamond, and quite possibly the only one in New Zealand. “Our lives over the past 40-plus years have revolved around precious gems and we believe Kiwi dairy farmers are gems too,” says Mark Beckett, who is Londontrained. “We reckon this rare green diamond is the perfect way to celebrate our dairy farmers who are committed to caring for our land and environment, and, we believe, just like diamonds, that they are here forever.” The diamond is the prize in a promotion organised by DairyNZ. Until March 10, when the promotion closes, anyone can nominate a dairy farmer they feel is worthy of receiving the diamond. The winner will be announced between March 16 and 18. DairyNZ’s general manager farm performance, Vanessa Winning, says she is touched by the Becketts’ appreciation for dairy farmers. “This is such a thoughtful gift
Auckland jewellers Mark and Pamela Beckett.
– a true surprise and delight for farmers. While we receive praise and recognition for the work our farmers and their teams are doing onfarm and in their surrounding communities, this is the first time anyone has expressed their admiration and thanks in this way.” The Becketts both hail from dairy farming families. Mark was raised on a dairy farm in Matamata in the dairy heartland of the Waikato, while a child Pamela often visited her grandparents’ dairy farm – land that is now part
of Auckland Airport. “Even back then, our farming families had a long-term view of environmental stewardship – everything my father did on the farm was to care for the land and his animals,” says Mark. “It’s my opinion that dairy farmers more environmentally green than most – certainly greener than many non-farming people because of the work they do to protect the environment. “We see some dairy farmers getting bad press for allegedly stuffing up the streams and their
cows get the blame for global warming. “We saw the opportunity to give away this appropriately green coloured diamond to thank the good farmers for their hard work, both as stewards of the land and also in bringing us milk. “It feels like the natural thing for us to do.” In his decades as a jeweller, Mark has only once before had a green diamond, although he has had plenty of yellow and pink diamonds, and some blues. He came across the one he is giving away in a collection of estate jewellery in Australia where it had been part of a family collection for several generations. He says the most famous green diamond is the Dresden green diamond, which was found in India two centuries ago and is named after the German city where it is mostly on display except when it is being loaned to other museums and galleries. Along with appreciating dairy farmers, the Becketts have a love for collecting the unusual with various conversation pieces on display in their jewellery shop in Newmarket, Auckland. To nominate a gem of a dairy farmer go to dairynz.co.nz/diamonds @dairy_news
NEW REGIONAL LEADER AWARD A NEW Regional Leader of the Year Award has
been established by Dairy Women’s Network. Chief executive Jules Benton says more than 70 volunteer regional leaders provide an important point of contact for farmers and play key role in their communities through to organising, hosting and promoting regional events. They are the face of the network while also in some cases are running million dollar businesses. They find time to support the Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) and often have to balance family life as well. It is vital they are recognised. Benton says regional leaders work as part of a team to deliver events that aligned with the DWN values of making it happen, being inclusive, being one of a kind, and standing tall together. Becoming a regional leader is an opportunity for leadership experience and to contribute insights and feedback into the dairy industry. It is a step along a path that may lead into governance, employment or other forms of leadership in the industry or beyond. “Regional leaders help us grow vibrant and prosperous communities,” she says. “We already have the Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year Award which celebrates the outstanding leadership of women in the business of dairy, but we also really needed to acknowledge and thank our regional leaders for all the efforts they make, as so much of it can go under the radar.” Benton was happy to welcome insurance brokers Crombie Lockwood as a sponsor to support the awards. “They are one of the largest insurance broking companies in the country and are really committed to supporting the rural sector so it’s a great fit.”
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LOW COST SYSTEM WITH PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT The desire to retain the purity of his family swimming and fishing holes drove Lindsay Lewis to develop a method of protecting the natural waters of the Mataura river not just for himself, but for his children and future generations. This protection was also a high priority for his client. During the process of developing an ultra-low distribution system, the concept of environmentally friendly dairy effluent management was born. The Clean Green Effluent System came to fruition initially at an ex neighbour’s farm at Gorge Road in Southland. From that first prototype the system has successfully been employed on dairy farms around New Zealand for 12 years. This unique ultra-low application depth and ultra-low rate application system is based on applying farm dairy effluent at levels that fall well below pasture uptake. The system starts with a unique patented weeping wall encased in a concrete lined
bunker. The weeping wall removes the solids and allows the liquid to flow into a pump chamber. Green water is then pumped to a tank for recycling. External yarding can then be automatically cleaned with greenwater via floodwash or backing gate nozzles, effectively cleaning yards without the use of fresh water. This reduces the water take from the standard 50 to 70lt/cow to 20 to 25lt/cow. The Clean Green Effluent System’s patented automated distribution system allows liquid to be dispersed over large areas at a super low rate of 1/4mm application depth, and effluent can be safely dispersed nearly every day of the year meaning there is no nitrogen leaching and the pasture retains all nutrients provided, thus increasing pasture growth by up to 35%. Recent independent scientific tests have indicated that with this system a lower level of nitrate leaching can be achieved even in the winter; better than most other systems can achieve during
the summer months. Due to the 1/4mm application depth and being able to distribute all year round, no mega ponds need to be constructed and therefore minimal storage is now required. The Clean Green Effluent System utilises as little as two 30,000 litre water tanks to provide storage for greenwash and effluent dispersed. The advantage of the water tanks is they are guaranteed not to leak and have no rainwater catchment. Rainwater catchment in mega ponds equates to doubling the amount of effluent being stored and having to be dispersed by pump to land. Given the current amount of focus on New Zealand’s primary industry needing to improve its reputation, the Clean Green Effluent System is the obvious option for farmers and industry to adopt, to ensure our diary industry continues to thrive; we can remove dairying as an easy scapegoat for the state of our waterways.
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
AGRIBUSINESS // 15
Quality of animal feed vital MICHAEL BROOKS
FOR EVERYONE
involved in food production today, traceability and transparency are ever present considerations. Consumers increasingly want to know where the foods they eat come from, what are its ingredients, how the food was produced, and to what standards. What is less recognised though is that traceability and quality are equally as important in the ingredients that are fed to the ruminant species (dairy cows and calves in particular) that produce our milk, meat and other food products. There is a direct link between the quality of what goes into animal feed and the health and safety benefits of the foods that people enjoy. Recognition of this vital connection saw the launch, in July 2015, of the FeedSafeNZ production quality accreditation programme operated by the New Zealand Feed Manufacturers (NZFMA). An emphasis on quality Comprising 38 manufacturing companies producing over 1.126 million metric tonnes of bulk and bagged feed in 2018, NZFMA-member feed mills process a healthy chunk of New Zealand’s annual tonnages of domestic wheat, barley, oats, maize and other grains, making them a valuable and important customer for the arable sector. The main type of feed produced is known as compound feed, i.e. grains that have been subjected to heat treatment and formed into pellets together with the addition of non-grain ingredients such as vitamins, amino acids and minerals. Blended grains, which are not heat-treated but have added non-grain ingredients, are also an important provider to the ruminant and other animal feed sectors. The NZFMA places a huge emphasis on feed quality and in ensuring that animal feeds manu-
factured in New Zealand are not only made to the highest possible standards but are also packed and stored correctly. The FeedSafeNZ accreditation programme requires feed manufacturers and blenders to undergo a stringent testing regime that involves a thorough on-site annual audit of their operations. The audits are carried out by AsureQuality, a company that provides food safety and biosecurity services to the food and primary production sectors worldwide. Only NZFMA members who pass the independent, audited standards on their manufacturing processes are permitted to use the FeedSafeNZ logo on their packaging and other materials. The Executive Committee of the NZFMA has also ruled that FeedSafeNZ accreditation will become mandatory for all NZFMA manufacturing and blender members from 1 January 2021. Increased diversity means increased risk As a dynamic organisation that responds swiftly to changes in the industry, the NZFMA is aware that New Zealand feed manufacturers are increasingly sourcing non-grain ingredients such as vitamins, minerals and premixes from diverse places around the world. This has brought some uncertainty about the accuracy of labelling and the quality of the raw materials that are added to feed. Non-grain ingredients can provide the greatest risk if they do not meet the required standards. In response to this challenge, the NZFMA recently introduced an additional testing regime for non-grain ingredients, alongside the AsureQuality audits, to verify that any additives in feed are what they claim to be. The regime includes a Risk Analysis Calculator developed by the NZFMA. This enables companies to demonstrate to their auditor that they have developed a company-internal risk audit programme for
non-grain materials that determines the levels of risks by country of origin, supplier and raw material. Anyone who feeds ruminant and other animals should be looking for the FeedSafeNZ logo.
You will find it on some of the brands of bagged feed you buy at retailers like PGG Wrightson, Farmlands and RD1 – and if you buy bulk feed, ask your supplier about their auditing processes.
There is direct link between feed quality and food produced by animals.
Buying FeedSafeNZaccredited product gives New Zealand farmers and consumers confidence that every ingredient that has gone into that animal
feed has been checked and independently audited to the highest possible standards. Don’t take a chance. For more information
visit the NZFMA website at www.nzfma.org.nz • Michael Brooks is executive director, New Zealand Feed Manufacturers Association
DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
16 // MANAGEMENT
DWN trustee to step down A BOARD position with the Dairy Women’s Network has opened up as Waikato dairy farmer Tracy Brown steps down from her role as a trustee. Brown, who farms with her husband Wynn at Tiroroa Farms near Matamata, says the time was right to move on after over four years on the trust board. “I joined in November 2015 with a vision to provide support to women in the dairy industry to better reach their potential and to help Dairy Women’s Network (DWN) become an organisation which could help drive transformational change for our industry,” Brown says. “I feel I have had a big input into both of these areas.” Brown has been awarded a Nuffield Schol-
arship for 2020 which will involve significant international travel over the next 12 months. A DWN member since 2000 she has been leading environmental change for dairy through her roles as chair of the DairyNZ Dairy Environment Leaders Programme, chair of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards Alumni, and as farmer representative on the Dairy Environment Leadership Group (DELG) which oversees the Water Accord. She was also elected onto the DairyNZ board in late October last year. An Agri-Women’s Development Trust ‘Escalator’ Alumni and winner of the ‘Sustainability Superstar’ in the 2018 Sustainable Business Network Awards, Brown was also a finalist in the 2017
Tracy Brown
Westpac Women of Influence Awards. A former economist at the NZ Meat and Wool Boards Economic Service (now Beef + Lamb NZ) she was also involved with setting the future direction for dairy as farmer
rep on the ‘Dairy Tomorrow’ Working Group. Most recently Brown was appointed by Cabinet to the Essential Freshwater Independent Advisory Panel to advise the government on the proposed NPS, NES and proposed
stock exclusion regulations. The Brown’s 700 cow, 310ha (240ha milking platform) system 3 farm ‘Tiroroa’ won the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment ‘Supreme Award’ in 2010 and the Fonterra
Farm Source ‘Responsible Dairying’ Award in 2018. DWN trust board chair Karen Forlong who started at board table at the same time as Brown says she remembers her hitting the ground running with a wealth of knowledge that enabled her to contribute valuably from the onset. “Her industry roles especially within the environmental space have given her insights that she shared with the board adding depth and understanding around the changes, challenges and opportunities confronting the dairy industry and the people who passionately go about the daily business of producing food,” Forlong says. “The board wish her well on her new journey with DairyNZ and as a Nuffield scholar. DWN
will still be her tribe and I am sure we will all no doubt see much more of Tracy in the future.” “What Tracy’s move does do is open up the opportunity for someone else, in fact two others, to find themselves around the DWN Board table delivering insights and diversity of conversation that will allow us to be real and relevant to our members. This is exciting and testament to DWN’s mantra of leadership by doing.” Brown says she believes in the work that DWN does and the role they play. “I want to ‘leave the ladder down’ to help other women into leadership and governance roles within dairy and would very much like to stay involved with DWN to help mentor the new Trustees.”
SPECIAL REPORTS
FARM BIKES & ATVs Reliable transport is essential for the efficient operation of any dairy farm and the March 3 issue of Dairy News will take a special look at the latest technology in farm bikes and ATVs. To be in this special report contact your advertising representative now to promote your products and/or service to all NZ dairy farmers and sharemilkers. Contact your closest Sales Representative
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
MANAGEMENT // 17
Ian McCormack(inset) is selling his stud.
End of an era for Taranaki stud A TARANAKI farmer’s 40-year commitment to breeding Holstein Friesians is set to come to an emotional end. Ian McCormack, who’s battling a terminal illness, has decided to sell his herd at a complete dispersal sale in April. About 180 head of mixed aged cows, in-calf heifers and calves will go under the hammer on his Stratford dairy farm. “It’s quite emotional,” said Ian. “But the time has come for me to move on.” “Holsteins Friesians have been my life. My herd can be traced back to the original animals imported into New Zealand.” “It’s been my passion to maintain the purity of the breed. You won’t find too many herds left like that,” he said. Ian milks about 120 cows on his rolling 54-hectare (effective) farm on Opunake Road. The herd produced 68,000 kgMS in 2018-19. It was one of the highest producing fat herds, of registered Holstein Friesians, in the country. His top cow, Bushview Braxton Hazel VG89, produced 12,525 litres or 828kgMS last season. Bushview Holsteins was founded in 1980, when Ian and his brother Gerald were herd-owning sharemilkers on their parents’ Rowan Road farm. “The stud really kicked off in 1988 with the purchase of a heifer named Snowline
Poppy,” he said. “She was from the well-known Snowline ‘P’ family, which traces back to the cow Egmontdowns OG Peggy.” Poppy had six daughters, five were reared as replacement heifers. “A number of her descendants are still in the herd and have all classified as very good (VG) or excellent (EX) for traits other than production,” he said. Bushview Windbrok Picture VG89, who’s a six-year-old, produced 712 kgMS last season. Bushview Braxton Petal VG88, a five-year-old, produced 701 kgMS. Ian bought his current farm in 2005. A major focus of his breeding has been cow families, production and type. He strives for a well-balanced cow with longevity. Ian’s used mainly North American genetics from World Wide Sires, Semex and Genetic Enterprises. “You’ll see I have a few old cows in the herd that don’t look their age. They look young. I don’t think I’ve done too badly,” he said. Bushview Holsteins currently has 17 cows classified as excellent. “I bought my first cows from that family when Nouveau Holsteins in Dargaville and Chrislerae Holsteins in Palmerston North held dispersal sales,” he said.
SHOW STOPPERS IAN McCORMACK’S had his own successes in the show ring. Bushview Bolton Hottie VG88 was named the senior champion cow and took out the Burkitt Family Trophy at the Stratford A&P Show in 2015. Bushview Bolton Sassy VG87 won champion cow at the Egmont A&P Show in 2013 as a four-yearold. In recent years Ian has used several Italian sires, such as Heavenly Golden Dreams-ET, to help reduce the stature of some of his cows. One of the bull’s daughters, Bushview Heavenly Heidi EX, produced 761kgMS last season as a four-year-old. She has a two-yearold daughter Bushview Solomon
Hayley in the herd. Bushview Shottle Heidi VG87, who produced 680kgMS in 2018-19 as an 11-year-old, will have several descendants in the sale. One of her daughters, Bushview Danilo Heidi VG89, sold to Waipiri Holsteins in the Waikato in 2013 for $3,700. Two full sisters to the 2019 North Island supreme champion Holstein Friesian cow Makuri Gold Amber-ET EX2 are also for sale. The herd’s diet consists of pasture, grass silage and a palm kernel blend fed through the feed system in the rotary milking shed. Bushview Holsteins complete dispersal sale is being handled by Carrfields Livestock and will be held on April 24.
DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
18 // ANIMAL HEALTH
Improved animal evaluation to allow better breeding decisions MORE ACCURATE
genetic evaluations, drawing on ten years of New Zealand and international research, will be available to dairy farmers from this month. New Zealand Animal Evaluation Limited (NZAEL) manager Dr Brian Wickham says dairy farmers are set to benefit from an enhanced genetic evaluations system that underpins the national breeding objective and evaluations farmers use to make breeding decisions. “It will enable farmers to breed cows that are more efficient at converting feed into milk and profit. This has benefits for our environment and economy,” says Wickham. Breeding companies LIC and CRV are collab-
orating with NZAEL, a DairyNZ subsidiary, on this project which will replace genetic evaluation software with a nationally consistent, independent genetic evaluation system for dairy cattle. Wickham says there will be multiple improvements as part of the new software release, called NZAEL 2.0. Two of the most significant changes are better recognition of trait differences between breeds, in particular for fertility, and the removal of the effect of inbreeding on breeding values: work has been funded by levy investment from DairyNZ, and by LIC. “While inbreeding depression can negatively affect an animal’s per-
formance, this effect is not passed on to the next generation of animals,” explains Wickham. “These changes support our national breeding objective and, when completed in 2021, will represent the great-
est improvement to the animal evaluation system since the introduction of breeding worth (BW) in 1996,” he adds. Wickham says the reports farmers will receive from their breeding companies from this
month will look very similar. The main difference will be that some farmers may see their animals reranking on BW as genetic evaluations become more accurate. The previous genetic evaluation model, NZAEL
1.0, was developed by LIC in 2006, and adopted by NZAEL for the wider industry. The new system incorporates LIC’s latest software and models, and NZAEL research and development. It has been extensively tested and scrutinised by internationally renowned geneticists. A scientific advisory committee, with animal genetics experts from New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and the Netherlands has also peer reviewed and endorsed the upgraded system, which has been rigorously tested. Anna Kempthorne, a Te Anau farmer and NZAEL director, is the chair of the 12-member farmer advisory panel that
reviewed and tested the changes to the system. “The new system contains a number of enhancements which will result in more accurate and timely information,” says Kempthorne. “This will enable improved breeding decisions to be made which benefit farmers and the dairy industry.” “We now have new software available that can compute larger quantities of data and give us greater insights into animal performance which enables farmers to improve the performance of their herds overall by breeding more productive and efficient cows,” says Malcolm Ellis, general manager NZ Markets at LIC.
‘COWS CAN HELP REVERSE GLOBAL WARMING’ NIGEL MALTHUS
COWS AND pasture are not the villains in climate change, but could instead be our saviours, says Hawke’s Bay farmer, soil scientist and consultant Phyllis Tichinin. An executive member of the Organic Dairy and Pastoral Group (ODPG) and on the organising committee of the group’s upcoming national conference, Tichinin says with regenerative farming methods, the grazing sector alone could make New Zealand carbonnegative. “Cows are not bad. They’re actually a very important part of reversing global warming and CO2 levels quickly and productively.” Tichinin said that over the last 30 years New Zealand farmers have assumed that what we see in terms of rooting depth and fibrousness is normal and assume that the soil is going to deteriorate as we till and graze. “It doesn’t have to be that way. That’s not the way it would happen on a fully-functioning ecosystem.” Tichinin says pasture can be restored to health by mimicking nature. Grasslands such as the Serengeti and North American Great Plains grew tall in between intensive but brief grazing by passing herds. The ODPG is a mainly North Island-based group with around
Phyllis Tichinin
120 members, mostly organic beef and dairy farmers. With a focus on farmer-to-farmer education and resource-sharing, it is about to hold its first South Island conference, at Lincoln University over the weekend of March 7 and 8. It is encouraging South Island farmers to attend. The main speaker will be Dr Walter Jehne, former CSIRO climate scientist and microbiologist and founder of Healthy Soils Australia. Other speakers include Tichinin and freshwater ecologist Dr Mike Joy. She said the focus of the conference will be soil carbon sequestration – grazing in a way that increases organic matter in the soil.
“We’re focussing not just on farming without the chemicals, but actually actively consciously farming to grow specifically the soil carbon sponge because that’s a primary indicator of soil health.” Tichinin, a self-described “contrarian”, ran Jerseys because of their higher fat content, both in their milk and in their bodies. She said that leaving Jersey bull calves with their mothers allowed them to lay down crucial early fat cells, then put down lots of fat to be harvested at slaughter at four to five years instead of the usual two. Overseas there was “huge” awareness of the importance of fat soluble vitamins like A and D and K2 and conjugated linoleic acids, said Tichinin.
DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
MILK COOLING // 19
Meeting new milk chilling rules NEW MILK cooling reg-
ulations took full effect from June 1 2018. The changes, implemented by Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), have been driven by international trading partners’ desire for greater food safety. The new rules require raw milk to be: • cooled to 10ºC or below within four hours of the start of milking; • cooled to 6ºC or below within six hours of the start of milking or two hours from the comple-
tion of milking (whichever occurs first). • Raw milk must also be held at or below 6ºC without freezing until collection or the next milking, and the temperature must not exceed 10ºC during subsequent milkings. • Where there is continuous or extended milking, such as with robotic systems, the milk must enter the bulk milk tank at 6°C or below. Continuous or extended milking is defined as milking for six hours or longer from the
time milk first enters any bulk milk-tank. While many farmers have upgraded their milk cooling systems, DairyNZ is urging other farmers to check milk cooling perfor-
mances on their farms. “Consult with your milk company to determine if your current system will meet the new milk chilling requirements,” DairyNZ says.
“Levno’s great customer service sets them apart. They’ve always been quick to let me know when an issue needs escalating on farm.” Michael Withers, Southland Farmer
COST-EFFECTIVE WAYS TO COOL DAIRYNZ SAYS plate heat exchangers (PHE) are one of the cost-effective way to cool milk. A PHE consists of a series of very thin stainless steel plates. Water flows along one side of each plate while milk flows along the other. Heat is transferred from the milk to the water via the plate. The capacity of a plate cooler is adjusted by adding or subtracting plates. “The easiest way to check the effectiveness of your plate cooler is to compare the temperature difference between the incoming temperature of the cooling water and the outgoing temperature of the milk leaving the plate cooler. “An efficient PHE should cool milk to within 2°C of the water before it enters the PHE. For example, if the temperature of the incoming cooling water is 14°C, the temperature of the milk exiting the plate cooler should be about 16°C.”
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
20 // MILK COOLING
New milk vat FONTERRA IS beginning to install new milk vat monitoring systems over the next couple of years to support their farmers’ production of high-quality milk and make the co-op’s milk collection more efficient. Richard Allen, group director of Farm Source, says the new milk vat monitoring systems are part of Fonterra’s commitment to help make farming easier. “We’re always looking for the latest technology and tools that can help our farmers, and through The Cooperative Difference we are committed to supporting them in producing high-quality milk in a sustainable way.
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best suits their farm. The co-op will cover the cost of the base model and farmers can choose to upgrade and pay their chosen solution provider directly for any extra features. HALO, Levno, and DTS have been approved as milk vat monitoring system providers. Fonterra is also working with other providers to understand whether their solutions are compatible. The new milk vat monitoring systems will be rolled out on farms region by region, with installations already well underway in Canterbury, Tasman and Marlborough, and installations soon to begin in Otago and Southland. Taranaki will be final region to get the systems, currently scheduled for
the Waikato and Canterbury. The feedback received helped to validate assumptions about the benefits that could be realised by both farmers and the co-op. Farmers who participated in the pilot say it helped them make more informed decisions and address issues quickly. “I have been farming for 34 years and this makes life easier for both workers and relief milkers. Especially the notifications when the vat chiller has been left off,” says Tirau farmer Adam Wainman. Winton farmer Peter Hancox says he’d definitely recommend the system to others and Geoff Stevenson, who farms just outside of Christchurch, says the
DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
MILK COOLING // 21
monitoring systems technology was easy to use. “Really good system, good for watching temps. I’m not a computer buff but easy enough to access,” Geoff says. Richard says there will be benefits for both farmers and the wider co-op. “The technology will help farmers make more informed decisions and address issues, quickly helping them to avoid lost milk or grades. By avoiding grades, farmers will also be a step closer to achieving recognition, including Farm Source Reward Dollars, under The Cooperative Difference. “For Fonterra, the milk vat monitoring systems will help improve collection efficiency as it will provide more precise information about available volume and milking time. This will also save farmers time as they will no longer need to manually update their milking time window throughout the season.” One month after installation on-farm, milking time windows will begin to be calculated using a rolling monthly average determined by the milk vat monitoring system. Farmers will no longer have to manually
update their milking times and Fonterra’s collections will be more efficient. Fonterra needs a certain level of volume accuracy in order to deliver the collection efficiencies. Many existing systems do not have volume or at the level of accuracy needed. On-going collection efficiencies will result in savings that will fully cover the cost of this new technology. There will also be benefits of improved milk quality and flexibility in consistently being able to make products that meet customer specifications. Richard says this kind of support and innovation is another benefit of supplying the cooperative. “Our co-op sets out to deliver the highest sustainable return to our farmers every day. If we can help our farmerowners produce the best quality milk, and then transport and process it in the most efficient way, it all adds up to the return we deliver to our farmers and their co-op at the end of the day.” In addition to the volume and milking time information, Fonterra will also receive a Milk Quality Indicator (farms will also receive this). The Milk Quality Indicator is
an estimate of the bacterial level in a vat based on the milking time and temperature data. The Milk Quality Indicator (MQI) is determined by a theoretical model using the volume, agitation, and temperature profile. Fonterra says
the MQI will inform their discussions with farmers to improve milk cooling systems and milk quality where necessary. Starting September 2021, once all farms have a base model installed and have had time to review their MQI, Fonterra will
use the MQI to inform testing. At first this could lead to more grading and demerits as farmers adjust and improve their systems to meet the standard Terms of Supply. The application of milk cooling grades will continue to be based
on the tanker temperature at time of collection but will be based on the more precise milking times. For example, if the tanker arrives to collect the milk and the temperature as assessed by the tanker is not at the appropriate temperature, the
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
22 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
FX4 rejoins Ranger line-up MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
THE LATEST addition
to the long running Ford Ranger line-up, is the return of the FX4. The FX4 now comes with the Bi-Turbo powertrain as standard, bringing customers a unique Ranger that combines upgrades with a more striking, instantly identifiable special edition model The 2020 Ranger FX4 Bi-Turbo features include a unique Ebony Black finish mesh grille, darkened Bi-LED High Performance Lighting System, exclusive 18-inch mesh alloy wheels and FX4-specific extended
sports bar for greater visual presence. Specific FX4 leatheraccented seating sees Race Red stitching that’s also carried over to the FX4’s steering wheel, gear selector and padded, premium softtouch instrument panel, providing an impactful contrast with the cabin’s darker interior finishes. The Ranger FX4 Bi-Turbo sits between the Ranger XLT and highly equipped Ranger Wildtrak models, featuring FX4specific 18-inch alloy wheels, an inch larger than the Ranger XLT’s 17-inch alloys, continuing the black detailing, with black DLO, door handles and front guard fender
feature contrasting the striking red ‘FX4’ lower front door and tailgate decals, all with a 3D effect. Completing the look, the FX4’s tray hosts a protective bed liner and
an extended black-finish sports bar, adding a standout visual attribute to the Ranger FX4’s load area. The extensive black treatment applied to the outside is designed
to impress with the five exterior colour choices for Ranger FX4 Bi-Turbo, which consist of Shadow Black, Arctic White, True Red, Meteor Grey and Aluminium Metallic.
In addition to the FX4specifics, standard cabin features include SYNC 3 with voice-activated sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto1[i] smartphone compatibility, a full-colour reversing camera and digital instrumentation. Driver assist technology includes autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane keeping aid (LKA) with lane departure warning and driver alert, traffic sign recognition and automatic high-beam headlights. The current Ford Ranger line-up has been rated at five-stars by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP).
For the first time, Ranger FX4 Bi-Turbo is offered with the latest generation 2.0 litre BiTurbo, 10-speed powertrain as standard on either the 4WD or 2WD. With 157kW/500Nm, first seen on the Ranger Raptor, the FX4 and is fitted with the new generation 10-speed paddle shift automatic, that includes a lock-out feature to hold specific gears when towing. Towing capacity is rated at 3500Kg braked, while the backing of Ford’s five-year or 150,000-kilometre factory warranty should give peace of mind. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
AMASELECT TURNS THE CORNER AMAZONE HAS raised the bar in the area of partial width spraying technology with the addition of new band spraying and turning functions to its AmaSelect electronic nozzle selection system, available on all AMAZONE UX trailed sprayers and Pantera self-propelled sprayers. AmaSelect is an electronic multinozzle control system that automatically selects and activates the best nozzle according to the desired application rate and forward speed. Positioned at 50 cm intervals along the boom, each ‘pod’ comprises four individually controlled nozzles. In use, the operator enters the optimum pressure range for each nozzle into the ISOBUS operator terminal. Once the optimum pressure range of a nozzle is reached, AmaSelect automatically switches over to a smaller or bigger nozzle or adds a second nozzle to the spray circuit. Standard fittings include LED light-
ing on each nozzle and the DUS Pro high- pressure recirculation system. An optional GPS-Switch function switches off individual nozzles in
50 cm part-width sections as the unit approaches headlines and other obstacles. Alternatively, an optional intermediate kit enables nozzles to
be fitted at 25 cm intervals for high volume application or if target heights are less than 50 cm. CLAAS Harvest Centre product manager for AMAZONE, Steve Gorman, says the technology can significantly reduce spraying costs. “By itself, the automatic control of individual nozzles can reduce chemical costs by up to five percent ten percent when used in combination with AMAZONE GPS-Switch section control.” The new band spraying function enables any sprayer equipped with AmaSelect to be converted from whole-boom application to row-specific band spraying at the press of a button. In operation, the AmaSelect Row function utilises special SpotFan 40-03 nozzles that deliver 100% of the crop protection agent across a 50 cm wide spray cone, with a 40-degree spray angle eliminating overlap. An extension kit is also offered to shift
the positions of two nozzles in each pod to cater for 25 cm and 75 cm row spacing. Also new is the AmaSelect CurveControl function, which ensures constant application across the boom width during turning. “Increasing boom widths means over-application on the inside of the turn and underapplication on the outside is becoming a major issue,” says Gorman. “Over-application may damage crops, while under-application may result in incomplete weed, insect or disease control. Either way, both can lead to loss of yield, which is counterproductive to spraying in the first instance.” CurveControl uses sensors to determine the curve radius, from where the AmaSelect system then automatically determines the correct nozzle and the application rate for each section across the boom. – Mark Daniel
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DAIRY NEWS FEBRUARY 18, 2020
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 23
Monosem brings precision to Southland MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
A MONOSEM Monoshox NG Plus M pneumatic planter, with double discs and individual seeding units, has proved to be the perfect choice for Murray and Nick Johns whose main criteria are precision and robustness. Father and son team Murray and Nick, own 400ha and lease a further 150ha in Dipton, Southland. Alongside their sheep and beef farming operation, they also provide contracting services in cultivation, planting, hay and balage. Originally supplied on 500-mm spacings, the eight-row, rigid Monosem has been narrowed sown to a 475-mm spacing, making it 3.5m wide, so easier to get through gateways. narrowed down to make it easier to get through gateways. Used for fodder beet and swedes, Nick says pel-
SULKY FERTILISER SPREADERS OFFER MOBILE APP FOR THE past decade, European fer-
letised swede seeds is a growing trend in Southland. “Traditionally farmers took under-performing grass paddocks and drilled them in swedes. Then they wondered why the crop was light. Fodder beet has taught us the importance of spacing and soil fertility.” Alongside planting, the drill also allows the addition of fertiliser, carrying a tonne, that is usually applied at a rate 200-250 kg/ha.
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Planting into cultivated ground, the Johns’ note that a fine and firm seedbed is particularly important for even germination. In operation, clod removers create a clear pathway, double discs open the furrow, while a V-tip finishes the base of the furrow, before coulters place the seed precisely. The Monoshox patented shock absorber system on each seeding unit, ensures a precise planting depth and greater consistency, lead-
ing to more regular emergence and final harvest Mounted on the threepoint linkage of a 150hp tractor, horsepower is not an issue, but the weight of the tractor improves stability when carrying seed and fertiliser. The versatility of the planter, with regards to row width and sowing depth, has resulted in a home trial that saw swedes and fodder beet planted in alternate rows, that proved a hit with stock.
tiliser spreader manufacturer Sulky has been offering Fertitest, a service designed to assist with the configuration and effective use of the brand’s spreaders. Currently, the system offers more than 1500 listed fertilizers with the indicative settings for Sulky fertilizer spreaders. A new “My Fertitest” platform makes the most of current interactive technologies to enable farmers to create and administer an on-line user account, to personalise and record his machine settings. Using the platform, a farmer can build a unique database, that can be re-used as a reference point for future fertiliser applications. As part of the package, a notepad makes it possible
to add notes for each fertilizer and a preferred setting, while also creating a record to provide traceability of the operations. My Fertitest avoids re-entries and makes it possible to simplify the procedure of searching for settings by ensuring individual or multiple machines are recorded in their real configurations. In practice, a user connects to My Fertitest using his account, to find previous settings used with an individual fertilizer, without the need to choose fertilizer and machine configuration. From January 2020, Fertitest has evolved to offer a new mobile application version, available and usable in offline mode, either by downloading e-application via www.fertitest.sulkyburel.com or mobile app stores.
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The interest rate for the loan is 3.79% and is based on a schedule of 36 monthly payments. To suit seasonal cash flow, there are no payments required through * Te r m s , c o n d i t i o n s & l e n d i n g c r i t e r i a a p p l y. June, July, August and September so customers can take a winter payment holiday, and maybe go on holiday instead! Preapproval is now a lot easier with online tools that can give a definitive answer within a few minutes. Preapproval can also be granted by answering a few simple questions over the phone, which makes the process simple and straightforward. These Krone finance offers apply to all new imported products so be in quick to ensure your order is made by the end of the second quarter and take advantage of these great offers. This loan also consists of a $375 documentation fee and $20 Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR). Any documentation relating to either package needs to be preapproved and supplied prior to the end of the second quarter to ensure the order is met. Lending and credit criteria apply.
Christchurch Kaye Sutherland ...... Ph 03-337 3828 ■ BREAKING NEWS
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