China supply chains unde siege. PAGE 3
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MARCH 3, 2020 ISSUE 441 // www.dairynews.co.nz
BE A GOOD BOSS “A sector of good bosses would make us unstoppable .” – Chris Lewis, Federated Farmers Dairy chair PAGE 5
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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
NEWS // 3
China supply chains could take months to clear Synlait earnings downgrade. PG.08
PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
UNLIKE SOME other exporters,
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NEWS �������������������������������������������������������3-11 OPINION �����������������������������������������������12-13 AGRIBUSINESS ������������������������������������ 14 MANAGEMENT �������������������������������������� 15 ANIMAL HEALTH ����������������������������������16 FARM BIKES & ATVS ��������������������������17 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS ����������������������������������������18-19
Fonterra’s scheduling, logistics and delivery activities to all markets are largely operating as normal, the cooperative says. This is despite the disruption to shipping and supply chains in China caused by the coronavirus update. “We are keeping a close eye on the situation as it develops,” a spokesperson told Dairy News. “At this time of the year, a high percentage of our FY(full year)20 supply is already contracted. Our sales teams are working with our customers to understand how coronavirus is impacting their businesses, which will give us an idea of how it may impact ours. “We remain confident in our forecast farmgate milk price range of $7- $7.60/kgMS, and we have no reason to revise our earnings guidance of 15-25c per share.” Meanwhile former special agricultural trade envoy Mike Petersen says it will probably take months for supply chains to and in China to clear. Dairy products as mainly dried products are not so affected as perishable products such as some horticulture. And the lobster/crayfish
industry has come to a halt. “The supply chains in China are certainly empty. There will be a big sucking sound of people wanting to import product into China once we see a bit of normality resumed,” he says. “But that supply chain disruption is of real concern. The displacement of cargo, the displacement of containers and displacement of ships will mean getting back to normal will take a few months rather than a few weeks.” This is here for a lot longer than many people realise, he says. China is letting food products through, he says, but Mike Petersen many of the problems lie in the distribution getting it off the ships and off the wharves and in through China. “I don’t want to suggest that this is all hell in a handbasket because they are definitely trying to get the supply chains moving. But the amount of displacement that has already happened with ships and containers and product means that is going to be disrupted for a long period of time.
“There is product that isn’t getting to its final destination at this stage. It might still be on route so it could be held up in transit. There are ships that are anchored off China that can’t get onto their normal shipping routes.” He says he doesn’t think any company wants to talk about it too much. “But for a company that is trying to do the best that it can and divert
“It is going to take a few months for us to get back to normality.” He thinks the effects will be felt here much more severely than people realise. A developed country like Italy now has coronavirus so it is no longer only a China problem. “This is affecting a number of world markets. That will add to the difficulties. I would say every product in and out of China is affected in some form.
product out of that area away from the disruption - and by and large they have probably done pretty well - but you are taking that influence of China out from the marketplace which has been a massive boost market prices in the last 12 months in particular for the last three years actually.” We are focused on exports but import from China will also be disrupted, he says.
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
4 // NEWS
Help for debt-stricken farmers Rural Support Trusts will take an application from, or on behalf of, a farmer who might qualify for assistance. The consultant will provide a report, which will be given to the farmer and their bank.
PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
A NEW initiative has been launched to provide up to $6000 worth of independent advice to farmers struggling with farm debt. The support comes as the dry continues to bite with warnings of salt water intrusion into bores in coastal areas of drought-struck Northland and calls for river flows vigilance in the Waikato. The government has allocated $200,000 for the Farm Business Advice Support Fund, to be managed by Rural Support Trusts. For a qualifying farmer the fund will provide up to $6000 to pay for financial or business advice from an independent consultant. The National
Neil Bateup
Council of Rural Support Trusts and New Zealand Bankers’ Association have recently signed the agreement for the fund. The Rural Support Trusts will provide up to $3000, depending on an assessment of need, and the relevant bank
will match that dollar for dollar. Rural Support Trust national council chair Neil Bateup says the fund is for a farmer who is feeling pressure. “This might be because there’s been some change or their bank has indi-
cated they need to discuss their debt situation. The hope is that there may still be options available so that the wishes of all parties can form a solution for going forward.” New Zealand Bankers’ Association chief executive Roger Beaumont says
there is a recognition it’s in everyone’s best interest for a farmer to have up-to-date business and financial plans. “This will inform conversations between the farmer and their bank.” Rural Support Trusts will take an application from, or on behalf of, a farmer who might qualify for assistance. The consultant will provide a report, which will be given to the farmer and their bank. This initiative involves New Zealand’s main
rural lenders, including ASB, ANZ, BNZ, Heartland Bank, Rabobank, SBS Bank, TSB and Westpac. Meanwhile the dry continues to bite. In the Waikato the regional council is reminding all resource consent holders of water takes to carefully check their consent conditions and comply with low flow restrictions. Most rivers and streams in Waikato River catchments are experiencing low flow conditions and flows are expected
to keep dropping under the current dry (drought) conditions. DairyNZ is advising in the Waikato that regardless of rainfall now, there will be a long haul until pasture covers rebuild. It is useful to reassess the situation weekly, including feed budgeting to ensure farmers are on track to meet pasture and condition score targets by May 31. Since there has been some rain, monitoring of facial eczema spore counts is advised and ensuring appropriate treatments are in place. Good financial management for farmers is important with all business partners communicating and focused to keep to budget to achieve goals. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
Northland farmers are being urged to ring fence the drought this season.
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IN NORTHLAND the Adverse Events Team is meeting weekly with four key focuses, planning and intel, extension, welfare and finance. The team advices farmers to focus on what they can control, not what they can’t, and stay connected through farmer events and Facebook including the DairyNZ Northland Events Group, Civil Defence Northland and Northland Rural Support Trust pages, DairyNZ is saying “It’s important to make sure you ring fence the drought to this season”. “Make sure you are protecting next season’s production and reproduction, continue to watch BCS. “Prioritise future milkers calves, heifers and R3yr animals. If possible, have a proportion of the herd still milking for when it
does rain to help maintain cashflow.” The Extension 350 network has three mentor-target farmer pairs who have agreed to share their on-farm, dry management decisions week on week through the drought and out the other side. Links for those will be available shortly. The Adverse Events Team says the NARF farm system trials at Dargaville give a good indication of key farming measures on different systems and decision making during the dry. See updates at www.nddt. nz/page/previous-updates Meanwhile Northland’s small coastal catchments are warned some drawing water from bores may soon begin experiencing issues such as water becoming noticeably salty and other bore behaviour they have not
encountered before. Northland Regional Council water and waste manager Ali McHugh expects the small, shallow coastal groundwater systems will drop to significantly lower levels than would normally be seen during the next two to three months, bringing the real risk of saltwater (or ‘saline’) intrusion into freshwater systems. “There is a real risk that there will be water that’s unsuitable for drinking – or even no water at all – as shallow bores become unable to pump water and deeper bores are impacted by saltwater moving inland.” If too much saltwater intrusion occurs, it could take many months for things to improve. Rivers are now below drought flows at 93% of the council’s flow monitoring stations.
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
GOOD BOSS CAMPAIGN // 5
Be a good boss and unstoppable SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
A DAIRY sector made up
good bosses would make us unstoppable, says Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Chris Lewis. Good bosses would attract workers to dairy farms. “Therefore, the recruitment process would be more competitive and the calibre of those you employed would increase,” he says. “Your staff would solve more problems, find more opportunities therefore you and your farm busi-
ness would be more successful.” Speaking at the launch of the Good Boss campaign in Wellington last month, he urged all farmers to be great bosses. He admitted that in the dairy sector, everyone isn’t a good boss. Some people are letting the side down. “Because when someone has an experience of a bad boss in dairy they talk about it to their mates. And their mates then think twice about working in dairy. “And then they all tell their families it isn’t
a good idea to work in dairy. And so it goes on.” Lewis noted that the opposite is also true. People with good bosses talk about them: their families and mates think that sounds pretty good and are likely to give dairying a try. “If they then experience a good boss then that positive story is reinforced and more people are keen to promote dairy, work in dairy.” Lewis says the Good Boss campaign is about farmers leading farmers: employee farmers telling employer farmers what
Federated Farmers Dairy chair Chris Lewis and farm worker Cheyanne Wilson at the launch.
they want in a boss. “It is about employer farmers remembering what made their best boss a good boss. And it is about us listening to all farmers about why and how that good boss is a good boss and sharing it
with other farmers until we are all good bosses.” Lewis acknowledged that the sector is facing staff shortages. “We are short staffed. Many of you live and feel the impacts of this every day. Without our
4000 odd (highly valued) migrant workers on temporary work visas we would be stuffed, cows would not be being milked. “There are of course a number of reasons we can’t find enough capa-
ble employees – socio ecomomic policy, urban migration, generational expectations etc. Some of these things are outside our control. But the thing that is inside our control that would make a difference? Being a good boss.”
CAMPAIGN TO MAKE FARMERS BETTER BOSSES THE GOOD Boss campaign aims
to get farmers talking about what it takes to be a good boss and how they can be even better bosses. It is a sector-wide initiative by Federated Farmers, DairyNZ, Dairy Women’s Network and NZ Young Farmers, launched last month at a Federated Farmers event in Wellington. DairyNZ people team leader Jane Muir says the campaign has four simple targets to encourage and grow the next generation of exceptional employers. It aims to ensure that dairy farming employers know what a good boss is, what is expected of them, and that they are implementing the changes needed to enhance their workplaces
ARE YOU A GOOD BOSS? FARMERS ARE being encouraged to join the Good Boss campaign and share what being a good boss means to them. Farm teams are encouraged to tell what they value in a good boss by sending in a 15-20 second video explaining what a ‘good boss’ means to them. Every video entry gives a chance to win a barbecue worth $1000, while the winning video in the Young Farmers category will earn their club $1,000 Farm Source voucher. Entries can be emailed to peopleteam@dairynz.co.nz, no later than 5pm, Tuesday, March 31. www.dairynz/goodbosses
where it’s needed. Muir says in dairy there are around 11,500 dairy farming businesses: most employ someone to help run the farm. “So the Good Boss campaign is
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about getting the conversation going – what makes a good boss? How and why is a good boss, a good boss? “We want a dairy sector of good bosses. For some, it’s about assessing their performance against good
employment practice, which includes health and safety, wellbeing and tenancy arrangements. “And for others, it can be about reinforcing a good work-lifestyle balance through flexible Jane Muir roster options or team building activities. “There’s loads of ways to be a good boss and farmers have access to tools, resources and other farming leaders, to help them grow a better workplace and ensure their team is supported and understand their roles and responsibilities.” Federated Farmers Dairy chairman Chris Lewis says good work
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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
6 // NEWS
Average Canterbury farmer ‘just treading water’ DON’T CHASE PRODUCTION IN A PROFITABLE YEAR
NIGEL MALTHUS
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dairy farms aren’t operating profitably, says Ashburton farm consultant Jeremy Savage. “The average Canterbury dairy farmer at the moment is just treading water: that would be the polite way of putting it,” he said. “And that’s the average. If the average is just treading water there’s a number of dairy farmers probably going backward at the moment.” Savage is the acting head of the South Island Dairying Development Centre, the partnership of Lincoln University and other industry bodies running the Lincoln University Demonstration Dairy Farm (LUDF). He presented figures at the recent LUDF Autumn Focus Day showing how
The Lincoln University dairy farm is operating profitably.
the average Canterbury dairy farmer would not be increasing equity (capital gains aside) over the next 10 years. It’s a real concern…. chasing big yields may be compromising their profitability and viability, he said. Many should lower
their expectations of what their cows can do, spend less on supplements, and simplify businesses while introducing simpler systems for staff to follow. Savage presented a paper to the Focus Day in conjunction with North Canterbury dairy farmers James and Belinda
McCone, showing how they tackled change. Savage said it was not necessarily saying what everyone should do, but was a case study of what could be done. “Here’s a process which a farmer went through to analyse his farm.”
THE LUDF focus day was presented with four different Overseer scenarios – the current regime, an early-cull system with no Autumn supplement, delayed culling with high supplement, and a high stocking rate system. The current system gave N losses of 34kg/ha and the others were progressively worse up to 45kg/ha for the high stocking scenario. (For comparison, LUDF’s 2009 – 2013 baseline was 70kg/ha, before the farm was reprioritised around reducing its environmental footprint.) Savage said the key highlight of the Overseer scenarios was that delaying culling and using more supplements would give only marginally improved profitability at best but actually had “quite an environmental footprint”. The lesson for farmers was not to chase milk production in a profitable year, but find out what their best farm system is, and it would be the best both in a high payout year as well as a low-payout year. “The lowest cost structure is
likely to be the most profitable one and we’re also seeing the lowest cost structure farm systems having the lowest environmental footprint as well.” Meanwhile, LUDF has gone back to basics on mating after an unsatisfactory all-AB strategy last season left them with too many empty heifers, despite using SIDRs on the heifers in an attempt at maximising the AB effectiveness. Savage said they used bulls again for the heifers, no SIDRs, and 100% AB in the main herd. The six-week in-calf rate was good, at a “very pleasing” 71% but the final empty rate was 17%. Savage said they had no trouble getting the first lot of cows in calf but the tail end was struggling, with some cows having to be mated four times. In the wider industry, some farmers were getting exemplary results with low empty rates but it was hard to replicate. “It’s something the industry continues to grapple with,” said Savage.
FARMER FINED, BANNED FROM OWNING COWS A WAIKATO FARMER has been disqualified from owning or looking after cows for three years after pleading guilty breaking the tails of 300 animals. Glen Raymond Steiner appeared in the Tokoroa District Court last week for sentencing after the case was brought to court by the Ministry for Primary Industries. Steiner had earlier pleaded guilty
to one charge of ill treatment of animals. Judge Tony Snell took a starting point of six months’ imprisonment and gave discounts for it being Steiner’s first conviction, as well as his personal circumstances and early guilty plea. The 43-year-old contract milker was sentenced to four months’ community deten-
tion and 120 hours’ community work in addition to being disqualified from owning or being in charge of any bovine animal for three years. He was ordered to pay vet bills of $954. Judge Snell commented that Steiner’s actions were in the upper limit of this type of offence and that the type of offending and its effect on the industry was significant.
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It could easily cause reputation harm to the dairy industry and the individual farming operation involved, he said. MPI animal welfare and NAIT compliance manager Gray Harrison said the offending first came to light after a mob of dairy cull cows he sent to the meat works were found to have tail breaks. “A MPI veterinarian reported
the tail breaks, which led us to inspect the remainder of the herd at the dairy farm where Steiner worked.” Of the 313 cows that Steiner physically handled, the majority were found to have been handled in a way that caused tail breaks. More than 150 cows were found to have multiple breakages in their tails and 133 were determined to be recent breakages.
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
NEWS // 7
MPI seeking views on ag inhibitors SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
A GLOBAL animal
health company is welcoming the Government’s discussion paper on the use of agricultural inhibitors. DSM, which is trialling the registered ruminant methane inhibitor Bovaer in Europe, says the public discussion is timely. The company claims that Bovaer trials have shown the feed additive can reduce methane production in cows by 30%. However, the company says it had hit a regulatory roadblock in its efforts to register a methane inhibitor in New Zealand. Last month Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI)
called for public feedback on options to change the way agricultural inhibitors are managed. Inhibitors are compounds that can be applied directly or indirectly to animals or a place to inhibit the production of greenhouse gasses or reduce nutrient leaching in some way. Common types of application include as feed additives, coatings on fertilisers, or vaccines, says MPI director food, skills and science, Fiona Duncan. “There is understandably a growing interest within industry in the use of these tools to reduce nitrate leaching and the effects of climate change. “We think this technology has some exciting potential. However,
THREE OPTIONS MPI IS seeking the public’s views on three options for managing inhibitors used in agriculture: Option 1: Maintain the status quo – no change in how inhibitors are regulated Option 2: Increase industry management of inhibitors Option 3: Change regulation of inhibitors to include them under the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act 1997. MPI director food, skills and science, Fiona Duncan says it also wants to know if people think there are other options to consider to manage inhibitors appropriately, what the impacts of any changes might be to businesses, and how inhibitors should be defined. “We have a reputation for high standards of food safety and these proposals are designed to keep it that way,” Duncan says.
we need to make sure that any use of inhibitors is managed well so that potential risks to food safety, plant and animal health and trade are minimised.” DSM vice president and global program manager for Bovaer, Mark van Nieuwland says the discussion paper is “encouraging and vital”.
He says it is vital to evolve the regulatory environment to fit innovative climate change solutions and enable a net zero future of New Zealand, while doing so at speed. “New Zealand is an innovative place and climate change is the most pressing issue, so regulations must keep pace to
enable the adoption of technology,’ he told Dairy News. “Tools are now becoming commercially available for New Zealand’s farmers to reduce emissions of their animals, but they also require the relevant review by independent bodies to allow for trust and broad adoption. Other coun-
Methane inhibitors could help reduce emissions from cows by 30% says DSM.
tries have commenced the market authorization of products such as methane mitigators. “A swift response by New Zealand, could support exports and allow
New Zealand to maintain the environmental advantage of its agricultural exports.” MPI’s consultation on agricultural inhibitors will run until March 27.
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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
8 // NEWS
Synlait’s earnings downgrade NIGEL MALTHUS
CANTERBURYBASED MILK processor
Synlait has downgraded its earnings expectation for 2020 financial year. The company now expects net profit after tax (NPAT) of between $70 million and $85 million, compared with $82.2 million for 2019. A statement released to the New Zealand Stock Exchange in mid-February said the previously announced earnings guidance was for profits to continue to grow in FY20, with the rate of profitability increasing at least at a similar rate to FY19 over FY18.
Leon Clement
“Current information now indicates this rate of growth will not be achieved.” Synlait’s ordinary shares, which stood at $8.29 on February 12,
dropped sharply on the announcement and have traded since then in the mid-$6 range. They had been trending downwards over the past year, from a high of
$11.29 in March. Synlait said the downward revision was a result of: • significantly lower than anticipated infant base powder sales due
TO ALL FARMERS. FOR ALL FARMERS. www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz
to this growth has not changed. Synlait chairman Graeme Milne says naturally, the Synlait team expected a stronger FY20 financial performance. “We remain confident that the decision to focus on our medium to long-term strategic opportunities will over time improve shareholder value and the sustainability of our business.” Synlait chief executive Leon Clement said new investments had resulted in a higher cost profile,
to China infant nutrition market consolidation causing a reduction in demand from brand owners who are yet to receive brand registration; • lactoferrin prices being more volatile than previously anticipated; • while Synlait still anticipates growth in consumer-packaged infant formula sales volumes over the full year, this growth is not as strong as initially envisaged. The a2 Milk Company’s contribution
which has not yet been absorbed by an offsetting increase in revenue. “The pace and quality at which our teams have delivered on recent growth projects has been impressive, and now we are focused on ensuring we optimise these new facilities. In the meantime, we are moderating our costs while we bring our new investments to life in terms of capacity and capability. We remain confident, and on-track, to deliver on our medium to long term objectives.”
CORONAVIRUS WORRIES THE CORONAVIRUS outbreak contributed to Synlait’s decision to issue a wider earnings guidance range, extending the lower end of the range down to $70 million. The company says the outbreak has had no material short-term impact on its financial performance, but it represents some risk going forward so was considered as part of the broader outlook update. The company says it takes the health and wellbeing of its employees and its food safety responsibilities very seriously. “The spread of Coronavirus and the risk it poses to Synlait’s
business is being carefully monitored. Globally there is uncertainty about Coronavirus’ impact on supply chains and consumer demand.” Leon Clement said Synlait is an export-based business with a reputation built and maintained on putting people, food safety and quality at its heart. “This will continue to inform our response to this situation. We are not currently experiencing any supply chain disruption; however, we are monitoring the situation very closely and felt it prudent to front foot potential impacts.”
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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
NEWS // 9
How to prepare for a changing climate PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
PASTURE PRODUCTION is projected to
increase slightly over the next 80 years, with a shift in production towards spring and away from late summer, says new climate change research, focused on impacts on farm systems. The research findings suggest that pastoral farmers will probably see a small increase in overall pasture production in many regions of the country, due to increased carbon dioxide encouraging plant growth. But this will come with a shift in production towards wetter springs and away from dryer late summers. Higher temperatures will pose a greater risk to livestock production, with more days where heat stress may occur. The research partnership between two National Science Challenges, Our Land and Water and the Deep South Challenge: Changing with our Climate, will help scientists, regional councils and industry bodies understand the potential impacts of climate change on pastoral, arable and horticultural farm systems, and identify appropriate adaptation measures. Analysis with two models both gave consistent results for the slight increase in pasture pro-
duction and shift in seasons for growth. The report also identified for dairy, sheep and beef that heat stress will be an increased risk for animal health, with about two additional weeks of risk for moderate heat stress by the 2090s, and a more pronounced risk of severe heat stress. Provision of more shade and shelter will be needed. “Pastoral farmers, sector bodies and regional councils should prepare for increased frequencies of severe heat and summer drought,” the report says. “Nitrate leaching will be higher and more variable. The most noticeable increase modelled was in the Southland case study, where annual leaching was modelled to increase significantly due to more spring rain and more frequent extreme rainfall events.” More research is needed to confirm the trend. In the Hawke’s Bay case study, year-toyear variability was most extreme in free draining soil. The report says for the arable sector change may have minimal effects on maize yields (except for a slight increase in Hawke’s Bay) if crop management is adapted to reduce risks of yield loss. “For example, maize crops may be sown earlier in spring to minimise negative impacts on yield caused by faster reproductive development that
ADAPT QUICKLY THE RESEARCH will hopefully further encourage long-term strategic adaptation, such as diversifying cultivars, shifting sowing dates and planning additional shade and shelter, says AnneGaelle Ausseil of Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, principle investigator in the research. Rural New Zealanders are first to experience the most challenging effects of climate change. Farmers and growers are already under extreme pressure from flashpoint climatic conditions in 2020, with drought in Northland and extreme flooding in the south. New Zealand food and fibre producers are used to making tactical adjustments to a variable climate, but the new report suggests longterm strategies to adapt to a changing climate must be adopted at a faster pace across all primary sectors.
shortens the crop cycle. “Earlier sowing dates will enable the use of long-cycle maize hybrids for additional growth period, or the earlier establishment of autumnsown crops such as wheat,
forage oats and Italian ryegrass for additional winter production.” The report says pressure on fresh water is likely to increase. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
10 // NEWS
Smashing day to discuss PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
ONCE-A DAY (OAD)
milking was up for discussion at a recent Small Milk and Supply Herds (SMASH) field day at Massey University. The event was held at Massey Number One dairy farm, a OAD facility adjacent to the Manawatu River near Palmerston North. This farm runs 242 cows on a 120 ha platform and was converted to OAD in 2013. The focus of the farm is to explore sustainability through OAD, to meet the environmental requirements of the Horizons Regional Council and to be a teaching and research resource for students at the University. In every sense of the word it is a model farm and a
great example of a successful OAD operation. About 50 people with small herds attended the day, but most milk twice a day and it was their chance to hear about the pros and cons of OAD from Leo Vollebreght – a well established OAD dairy farmer from South Wairarapa who has been milking OAD since 2006. He told the group that before switching to OAD it is important to assess their situation carefully and be satisfied that they can make gains and the system is good for their ambitions. He says they need to be aware that production will drop in the first two or three years when they change to OAD and to make sure their cows cope with such a chance. One of the much
STILL HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ONE PERSON at the field day says he would never consider OAD – but then Simon Lavery is a bit different to most farmers at the event. His 5200 cow farm is about 11,000 kilometres away near Johannesburg in South Africa. Orginally from Christchurch, he did his degree at Massey University, then became a DairyNZ Consulting Officer in Northland before taking up a role with the NZ company Farmwise in South Africa. He then left that company and has established his own farming operation in the republic. “Our operation is just 20 kms out of Johannesburg so it’s one of the closest farms to the city. I have built my farm based on the NZ dairy system so it’s very similar. “The only difference is that we feed more supple-
ment because the price is says he’s not convinced about cheaper there, the milk price the cost savings with OAD. is generally good and grass “I am not really prepared is poorer quality to take the 10% over there so I have drop in produca problem there tion. I know some with ME. It’s just struggle to make like a Canterbury more profit but I irrigated farm with think it’s more the perennial ryegrass. lifestyle choice that We have five sheds drives a lot of these and employ 130 decisions. If I was staff,” he says. small herd person These days, maybe I would Lavery lives in NZ consider it, but I am Simon Lavery and goes to South not sure it’s viable Africa every three months to for farmers with low equity make sure everything there is levels,” he says. in order. His reason for coming Another issue picked up by to the SMASH event was, in Lavery was the idea that many his words, to see a mate. But OAD farmers milk early in the he did have a few words to say morning and he says he’s not about OAD. He says farmers in sure if that suits the cows NZ say they are going OAD be- the best. He pointed out that cause of the labour shortage, famers at the SMASH field but he says this is certainly not day stated that cows were rethe case in South Africa. He silient and will fit in with what
humans want them to. “If we look at the cows in the middle of the day they will all be lying down, so why not bring them in and milk them at that time. I am a hunter and if I go out in the bush at 5 am all the animals are walking around eating, but they are not walking around at 11 or 12 o’clock because it’s too hot and that’s when I’d milk them,” he says. Finally Lavery says while OAD has good points, it comes down to economics and whether a farmer converting to this system can take any financial hit. He says dairy farming is challenging and preserving a good equity to debt ratio is critical. “If you are not in a strong financial situation you may have to continue with TAD. After all the bank is the bank,” he says.
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
NEWS // 11
OAD milking touted advantages about milking OAD is lifestyle, but Vollebreght says if people have too much focus on this, it can be a slippery slope. “It is important to separate lifestyle from good quality management, and so if you want to perform well in any farming system you have got to excel at your trade. Sure, time is flexible, but use it well. Going into OAD is not an excuse for half way retirement,” he says. Vollebreght’s talk drew great attention and numerous questions from the group as he outlined his operation and the lessons he has learned over the years. His day starts at 5am and the cows are milked early in the day. He says is a good time for staff and means that this task
is over early leaving time to focus on other chores around the farm. “Milking takes longer
the day and making sure that staff are occupied all the time and not sitting around drinking endless
“Farmers like exploring options and seeing what other people are doing on their farms. OAD is another tool in the tool box because dairy farming does come with many challenges.” because it takes longer to extract a larger quantity of milk. At the peak we will milk over 20 litres/ cow and it takes time to extract that amount of milk. After milking we have breakfast and there is a two hour lunch break and we finish by 5.00pm,” he says. Although milking is done early in the day, Vollebreght says he puts a lot of effort into planning
cups of coffee. He says he sticks to the 5.00pm finish, except at peak calving when an extra hour is taken in the evening to check the calves. One other issue he covered was his culling policy which is different to farmers who milk twice a day. “For a start we try to limit our replacement rates to 20%. While we are culling less cows
because they are empties, we do cull quite a bit heavier on the udders of cows because the udders head south quicker when the cows have to carry the milk for the whole day,” he says. Vollebreght says he has no regrets about moving to OAD and says it’s been the right decision. “It’s a right decision because we have continued to perform well and because we still enjoy milking OAD, he says. DairyNZ consulting officer, Kate Stewart who facilitated the event says she was pleased with the day. DairyNZ helps fund SMASH and Stewart says one of the advantages of having a small herd is that farmers know their cows almost personally. This was certainly the
Once-a-day milking guru Leo Vollebreght.
case at No 1 Dairy when some of the cows came over and joined the group in the paddock where further discussions on what makes a good OAD cow were held. “Farmers like exploring options and seeing what other people are doing
on their farms. OAD is another tool in the tool box because dairy farming does come with many challenges. People point to the problems of getting staff and OAD is potentially an answer to this,” she says. Stewart says she has
some OAD farmers and also a mix of small herd dairy farmers in her patch which is the southern Manawatu. She says small herd farmers also say that with fewer cows they can better focus on issues such as sustainability.
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
12 // OPINION RUMINATING
EDITORIAL
Being a good boss
MILKING IT... Doie, not hui MILKING IT understands that at a recent Federated Farmers meeting in Wellington, there was robust discussion around farmer levies paid to industrygood organisations. One speaker talked about two adjacent farms he owns; one milking cows, the other raising bulls and beef cattle. He questioned why industry groups he pays tens of thousands of dollars in levies, say different things about the farms with same outcomes? “Too much double up and too much farmers’ dollars spent on Hui, not doie and outcomes.” With DairyNZ’s levy vote looming, farmers may be taking note of such concerns.
Freshwater battle
Don’t take away PETA ad turned our livelihoods down
WAS AGRICULTURE Minister Damien O’Connor warned about the risks posed by the Government’s freshwater proposals? Opposition Ag spokesman Todd Muller thinks so. He claims that documents released under the Official Information Act have shown multiple instances where O’Connor “was warned of the considerable social and economic impacts to farmers of the Freshwater proposals, but the Minister has ignored them”. “Briefings from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) in June 2019 warned the Minister that the proposals could contribute to reduced production for milk and meat processors, an increased burden on the mental health and wellbeing of farmers and lower land values and profitability.” Expect this issue to be at the forefront of Muller’s election campaign this year!
US ACTOR Joaquin Phoenix is being accused of taking away UK farmers’ livelihoods. Phoenix, who has been a vegan since he was three, had a go at farmers in his acceptance speech for the best actor award at the recent Oscars. “I think we’ve become very disconnected from the natural world,” he said. “We go into the natural world and we plunder it for its resources. We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and steal her baby, even though her cries of anguish are unmistakeable. Then we take her milk that’s intended for her calf and we put it in our coffee and our cereal”. National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president, Minette Batters claims he and other celebrity campaigners for veganism had played a part in demonising the UK’s meat producers and doing “enormous damage” to their wellbeing. Batters said farmers fearing the imminent loss of their livelihoods and family holdings were in a state of stress and anxiety.
ANIMAL RIGHTS group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA’s) request to erect a billboard memorialising 21 cows killed in a tractor-trailer crash in North Carolina has been turned down. An advertising company says it likely won’t accept a request from the animal rights group. PETA said in a statement that it was seeking to place a billboard at the site where a truck overturned along Interstate 40 near Winston-Salem “in honor of the cows who were injured and killed.” About half of the 41 cows on board the tractortrailer died when it crashed on the way from Kentucky to a slaughterhouse in Asheboro, North Carolina. The driver told a local TV station a family of deer ran into the roadway and he swerved to avoid them.
IF YOU’RE a dairy farmer reading this, then ask yourself, are you a good boss? Do you value your workers and is their wellbeing your priority? Most farmers are good employers and to celebrate this, industry stakeholders have launched the Good Boss campaign. A sector-wide initiative by Federated Farmers, DairyNZ, Dairy Women’s Network and NZ Young Farmers it was launched last month at a Federated Farmers event in Wellington. The campaign has a simple objective – to celebrate dairy farmers who are good bosses and think about ways to be better bosses. With 11,500 dairy farming businesses and most employing someone to help run the farm, the campaign is timely. However, like every other sector, not everyone in the dairy sector turns out to be a good boss. There are bad employers in the dairy sector; just last week a Twitter user, whose Twitter profile reads ‘English girl experiencing the Kiwi-style dairy systems in New Zealand’ asked fellow Twitter users to clarify what ‘sole charge’ is? “I drove seven hours back from Kerikeri on Friday to look after this farm for three days. The owner got the cows in on Saturday morning and then left. But because he got the cows in, I don’t get paid ‘sole charge’ rates. Instead I got $40.” Most farmers, who responded to the story on Twitter, slammed the farmer. By any imagination, that doesn’t sound like a good boss at all and surely isn’t a reflection on other bosses in NZ dairy farming. Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis says most people can tell you a story about having worked for a bad one. “They are memories that linger. They are stories that get shared about the pub and now sometimes on social media. “As a sector we currently don’t have enough people who want to work on our farms. We are short staffed. Many of us live and feel the impacts of this every day. “Without our 4000 odd (highly valued) migrant workers on temporary work visas we would be stuffed, cows would not be being milked. “There are of course a number of reasons we can’t find enough capable employees – socio economic policy, urban migration, generational expectations etc. Some of these things are outside our control. But the thing that is inside our control that would make a difference – being a good boss.” The Good Boss campaign is a great start: let’s hope it delivers a sector of good bosses.
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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
OPINION // 13
No need to destroy the perfect way of farming LONE SORENSEN
WHY ARE we accus-
ing farming and in particularly dairy farming for being the cause, at least here in NZ, for global warming? Would it by any chance be because it is a lot easier finding a scapegoat to blame everything on than actually cleaning up one’s own back yard first. The atmosphere now contains 409 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide (CO₂), when it is claimed that it can only cope with 350 ppm without a change in climate. The reason for this is that for the last 200 years, or since the industrial revolution, we have overused the earth’s resources of fossil fuels and by industrialising our farming methods also the humus in the soil: basically an overuse of stored carbon in the ground which we have turned in to CO₂, and methane. All this has made our life as humans more comfortable, but it has come at a cost. New American research has found that cows in a grass fed system with holistic grazing, as in NZ, builds up 3.6 tons of carbon/ha/year which equals 11.8 tons of CO₂! They found that beef fed intensively, inside or in feedlots, had a negative effect of 9.6 kg of CO₂/ kg of beef compared to beef fed on a holistic gracing regime which had a positive effect of -6.7 kg CO₂/ kg of beef, meaning that the grass fed beef had a positive effect on the climate by actually binding more CO₂ than they produce! Earlier northern European research didn’t take in to account the relationship between the cows or sheep, the grass, the microbes in the soil and the sun which builds up humus in the soil and that way binds carbon. It works like this. The photo synthesis takes carbon, in the form of gasses, from the atmosphere and turns them in to carbon in the form of sugars in plants. The more photo synthesis the more CO₂ is turned in to
sugars and the more we can harvest or graze. This is great for us as farmers, but we haven’t bound the carbon in the soil yet. The sugars turn in to CO₂ again when we or the animals eat the sugars. What we need is to turn it into a stable carbon compound in the soil like humus. There are two ways to do this. We leave plant matter in the form of roots, plant waste or manure. Some of this becomes humus but 90% turns in to CO₂ again when it breaks down. Like in a pine plantation when the trees are felled. The other way is that the plants exchange sugars with nutrients in a symbiotic relationship with the microorganisms in the soil. This process is very efficient and has very little loss. If at the same time we can “harvest” sunlight, as in a NZ gracing system, we can create a rich micro bacterial life in the soil and create the conditions to change CO₂ to humus. Grass is without comparison the one crop which can create the most photo synthesis. It has a huge leaf matter, is green in NZ all year around and can grow in several different layers so it receives sunlight at several levels. At the same time grass paddocks have a dense and deep network of roots which is ideal in exchanging nutrients and sugars with the microbes in the soil. Grass paddocks which are looked after properly in a holistic grazing system with a rotation of stock every 21 to 60 days, depending of the time of year, can generate top soil and bind many tons of carbon/ha/year. So instead of vilifying the ruminants we should celebrate them. They can help us safe the planet if we let them do what they were meant to do, eat grass in a rotational grazing system as the one we have in NZ. So why on earth do we want to destroy the perfect way of farming and binding carbon to turn the
productive, food producing land in to pine plantation desserts with all the fossil fuel use it takes to harvest and transport the trees not to mention the utter destruction of the microbial soil balance?
The only ones who can maintain the holistic grazing system are ruminants. They are our best bet in helping us binding greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere as humus in the soil. So just continue
to drink milk and eat red meat but make sure it is from our NZ grass fed animals and you will be helping to save the planet! • Lone Sorensen is a dairy and sheep farmer in Marlborough.
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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
14 // AGRIBUSINESS
Developing leaders for tomorrow LAST MONTH, 21 developing dairy industry leaders started Fonterra’s year-long Governance Development Programme, with two days of presentations and discussions at Fonterra’s head office in Auckland. Now into its 15th year, the programme is an intensive year-long commitment built around a series of workshops, distance learning modules and coaching. It exists to help identify and develop governance 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 herd-owning 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, and Southland sharemilker Jono Bavin, who received the Campbell Shearer Scholarship provided by Fonterra. Here we profile Jono Bavin GROWING UP in Wellington city,
farming wasn’t on Jono’s radar at all until he started helping his older stepbrother out with his farm job in the school holidays. But after leaving school at 16, he knew what he wanted to do – he signed up for the one-year Certificate in Agriculture at Telford in South Otago and hasn’t looked back. Over the next 12 years he progressed through farm work, management, and lower order sharemilking roles in Otago and Southland, winning the 2007 Southland Dairy Trainee of the Year along
the way. In 2012, he and his wife Kelly started 50 per cent sharemilking 500 cows, adding a business interest in a second 50/50 sharemilking arrangement of 700 cows in 2018. In 2015 Jono and Kelly scooped the Southland-Otago Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year award and five merit awards for leadership, health and safety, recording and production, farm environment and risk management. By 2015, having got the hang of the hands-on side of dairy farming, Jono was ready to broaden his skill-set and
horizons and make a contribution to his industry. His first role was on the board of the Telford Farm – the working farm attached to the campus where he studied. Jono now chairs that board, and credits his involvement with it for “opening his eyes” to the importance of what goes on in the boardroom. In 2017 he joined the Southern Dairy Development Trust Board, and in 2018 became a board member of the Dairy Industry Awards executive committee. “I think it’s important to have interests beyond your farm gate,” says
Jono Bavin
Jono. “It might sound strange, but governance is like a hobby for me. I get stimulation, learning opportunities, and opportunities to meet new people, and I can make a contribution to enterprises that I believe in.” He has a particular passion for promoting rural education and careers and for tackling some of the many improvement opportunities he sees for the sector. Jono says he brings a perspective to these boards borne from his relative youth and his less conventional entry into farming, as well as real enthusiasm for getting things done.
“Farming is changing and those of us with many years ahead of us need to approach our businesses differently from how the older generations operated,” he says. Part of moving with the times is continual learning, and the Fonterra GDP was a logical next step for him. “So far, I’ve I learned by doing,” Jono says, “so I’m looking forward to consolidating my on-the-job learning with something more formal. I hope it’ll help me figure out my ‘why’ and where I want to go next, as well as continuing to contribute to a sustainable future for our industry.” The Campbell Shearer Scholarship, which Jono has received, was named after respected industry personality Campbell Shearer who died suddenly at age 49 in 2018. Shearer’s industry contribution included his work as a proud Bay of Plenty dairy farmer, engineer, plant manager with Fonterra’s predecessors, and deputy chairman of the Fonterra Shareholders Council. During his time on the council, Shearer chaired the Governance Development Programme. He believed strongly in the governance capabilities of the co-op’s farmer owners.
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Water and effluent can be both a valuable resource and a headache, depending on how they are managed. This special report will examine the latest technology available for efficient water and effluent management. 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 MARCH 3, 2020
MANAGEMENT // 15
Seed deal to help flood-ravaged farms NIGEL MALTHUS
BARENBRUG AGRISEEDS is inviting South-
land farmers to get in quickly on a special rate for hybrid grass seed to help repair flood-damaged pastures. The company has made its premium Shogun grass seed available “at close to cost” and pasture systems manager Blair Cotching says there has already been some uptake from farmers and customers. But he advised them to move quickly. “It’s the end of February now, heading into March. You’d expect it to start cooling down relatively quickly.” More than 1100 farms have been identified by Federated Farmers in priority flood zones, with many having suffered
damage to infrastructure as well as pastures. Heavy deposits of gravel and silt have been left on paddocks, worsening the province’s existing feed supply problems caused by poor winter crop establishment and low summer growth rates. Cotching says Barenbrug has made Shogun available to several Southland retailers “at a significantly reduced price” to help farmers get pastures up and growing again as soon as possible. “In most cases, pastures under water for less than a week, or under 2-3cm of silt will grow through and recover. “The real concern is where more than 5cm of silt has been deposited, because this often kills the pasture underneath. In these situations, farmers will probably need to re-sow.”
Cotching says Shogun is ideal for flood recovery, because it is very fast establishing, can generate high volumes of feed in a relatively short period of time, and lasts in Southland conditions.
“Especially down South it could last four or five years. It’s a peren-
nial crossed with an Italian ryegrass so you’ve got your perenniality, and
your Italians are normally three or four year grasses, so it’s in the middle.” A lot of people were still assessing the damage but his recommendation was to have a look at all paddocks and rank them. “Even at around 15% damage it is actually worthwhile regrassing, in terms of the cost of regrassing and the value gained. You’re basically losing 15% production annually if you’ve got 15% covered in silt so it does add up pretty quickly in terms of impact on farmers’ bottom line.” Cotching says farmers may need to get silt layers soil-tested before sowing new grass. Most flood deposits
have little to no organic matter, are low in N and may be low in P and S. Shogun seed can be direct-drilled if appropriate, or sown after cultivation if paddocks need to be worked and aerated. “These events are highly stressful and disruptive, especially as we head into autumn with many winter feed crops already behind where they should be, and in some cases on-farm supplements waterlogged or lost in the floods. “We’re keen to help wherever we can, and we also encourage farmers to make full use of the resources and information available from DairyNZ and Beef+Lamb New Zealand.”
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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
16 // ANIMAL HEALTH
Why is milk fat content low? RECENTLY, I have had
several calls from different farmers wanting to know why their milk fat percentage is lower than usual. Of further frustra-
tion, in just about every case, the volume of milk produced by these herds has been higher than previous seasons. In most cases where
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milk fat % appears to have dropped relative to other seasons, the cause is nutritional and less frequently changing genetic profile of the herd. To gain a bit of an understanding as to what influences milk fat, it is important to have a basic understanding of where milk fat originates from in a lactating cow. Basically, milk fat comes from three sources, repartitioned body fat reserves (mainly in early lactation), fats from dietary sources (PKE is very high in fat relative to other feeds) and fat synthesised in the udder from building blocks in the blood called Acetate (a 2 – carbon ‘Volatile Fatty Acid (VFA)’). Acetate is produced in the rumen through fermentation of fibre based feeds such as straw, hay, grass silage, PKE & Soy Hull where the rumen environment tends to be less acidic and fibre digesting bacteria are predominating. The relative amount of Acetate drops when sugars and starches are introduced and fermented in the rumen. This changes the bacterial profile which favours the production of Propionate (a 3 – carbon VFA). In this situation, the rumen environment tends to be more acidic. In extreme cases this can lead to Acidosis. Propionate tends to drive milk volume. So very simplistically there are two scenarios playing out in the cows Rumen: A diet composed predominately of fibre which is fermented at a higher pH (more neutral acidity) favouring the production of Acetate, resulting in greater production of milk fat building blocks. A diet composed predominately of sugars & starches which is fermented at a lower pH (more acidic conditions) favouring the production of Propionate, resulting in greater production of milk volume. Pushing this effect further, a more acidic rumen environment slows the
activity of fibre digesting bacteria and produces greater proportions of other compounds which themselves are capable of entering the blood stream in higher concentrations and switching off the mechanism in the udder for producing fat. This is known as dietary induced milk fat suppression. From a cow perspective, the majority of spring calving cows in New Zealand, once summer rolls around, are depleted of body reserves and not at the stage of lactation where they are programmed to sacrifice body reserves. At this stage of lactation, the effect of the diet offered on milk components becomes more exaggerated. The recent industry push to cut back on the feeding of PKE a high fibre high fat feed has resulted in many herds turning to alternatives. These alternatives generally tend to have less fibre, less fat and often more sugar and starch than PKE. This provides some explanation to higher milk volume and lower fat percentage being observed by some farmers. So, if you are experiencing some weird and whacky milk fat percentages, have a run through your inputs and how they have changed over the last few seasons. Pulling the PKE may save your FEI but bomb your milk fat percentage. As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. • Greg Jarratt is a vet and director of Matamata Veterinary Services. This article is brought to you by
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
FARM BIKES & ATV’S // 17
Hisun makes ground in NZ MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
ALTHOUGH IT’S not a well-recognised name in New Zealand ATV or UTV circles, Hisun NZ has been gaining some traction over the last year or so, with a very competent range of machines, particularly for those who might be on a tight budget. With a main factory in Changshou in China, the business has a history that dates back around 25 years and is reported to be the sixth largest supplier of UTV’s in the United States. Dairy News recently got to try a couple of machines from Hisun NZ on a dairy farm in the Waikato, in the shape of a Sector 500 and the Sector E1. With both machines built around the same chassis, the 500 uses Hisun’s own 470cc single-cylinder, fuel-injected engine, while the E1 is an all-electric, 48V with an AC induction motor said to deliver 38hp. On first impression, both models look to be put together well, with no signs of typically Chinese-made machinery of the past, that tends to display poor quality welding and low
Petrol or diesel? Hisun offers both.
quality, rusty fasteners. Well fitting body panels and a well thought out rear tray, give the machines a modern look, combining with oversize tyre equipment housed under extended wheel arches. Looking at the E1 first, four dry cell batteries, located under the bench seat in the middle of the machine, combine to deliver the 48V output and a top speed of around 26kph. While this felt a little slow on the road, it was more than enough out on the farm, ideal for following cows walking the central race
and supremely quiet moving through mobs of “skittish” calves. Said to offer a range of 70kms, the machine proved capable of doing a day’s work before requiring recharging when in the “high” setting of the low-medium-high selection. We suspect that pulling heavy loads in the lower ranges will reduce this range, but the reality is, we never encountered the problem. Charging is easy, with a self-contained unit- just plug into the mains and recharge in around 7 hours. Plus points are the silent operation,
only spoiled by an annoying reversing beeper that is likely to fall foul of a heavy hammer, then exceptionally low running costs. On the minus side of the see-saw, a foot operated parking brake located under the left side of the dashboard needs a double-jointed knee, while anyone with a “sunken” six-pack will find it a tight fit behind the steering wheel. Additionally, those oversized tyres packed into narrow wheel arches, lead to plenty of mud flying around, despite the wheel arch extensions. Taking a closer look at the petrol
500, the same negatives apply, sans the reversing beeper, but the engine started easily, settled to steady tick-over and show plenty of power off the mark and up to cruising speed. Towing an 80-teat calfeteria loaded with 500 litres of milk proved no problem and easily travelled through muddy gateways, with the 4WD on-demand system selected. Both machines offer a towing capacity of around 500kgs, come standard with a 3500lb, front-mounted winch and benefited from a combination of halogen and LED lights. Ground clearance of 30cms coped with muddy areas well, although in extreme conditions, we suspect the heavier all-electric unit would come to grief first. Ride was comfortable, particularly so at higher speeds and over rough areas, no doubt helped by nitrogen over oil dampers at each corner, complimented by discs all round to bring the units to a prompt, controlled stop. In summary, Hisun appears to have shrugged the image of poorly manufactured Chinese machines and offer an alternative to the mainstream brands, especially with starting points of $12,500 (petrol) and $16,500 (electric). www.hisun.co.nz
A tale of two Honda’s for Xmas THE CHRISTMAS and
New Year break meant a chance to recharge the batteries, but also to get to grips with the latest TRX 520 ATV’s, a brace of which were dropped off by the very nice people from importer Blue Wing Honda. While both models featured an increased capacity powerplant, we were able to try both a manual 5-speeder and the 5-speed automatic, with the latter also offering high and low ranges. For the 2020 season, the fuel injected engine gets an extra 43cc to bring it to 518cc, said to offer more low and mis range power and torque- a trait that is very noticeable on both machines- with immediate pick up as the throttle is applied, with speed rising very quickly. For the auto version, a new reverse actuation switch, used in conjunction with the forward/ reverse buttons make directional changes very easy, likewise finding neutral also. From a user perspective, the layout also allows the machine to be stopped in gear, which
pension layout. The tow hitch is mounted directly to the rear axle to give a smoother ride, but sees towing capacity drop to 385kgs. By contrast, the more up-market auto transmission machine has a fully independent suspension layout, that testers decided gave
Although the holidays meant a quiet period on the farm, both vehicles were used daily by up to three different staff, for a range of tasks from transport, to pulling a trailer carrying a few bales or tools for fencing repairs or water leak detection. Feedback from the staff saw the older members preferring the Auto/ Independent suspension machine for ease of use and comfort, the youngest member of the team, a 2-wheeler die-hard preferred the manual shifter. Everyone agreed there was plenty of power, with the Auto machine benefitting from the option
ticularly in the way things fit and work and the general quality of the fastenings. The only choice then, is are you a purist who likes manual shifting and a solid rear axle, or auto changing and fully independent, letting the machine work things out? – Mark Daniel
Email: info@hecton.co.nz Visit our website www.hecton.co.nz for a full list of products
Two Honda TRX 520X ATVs, one with independent rear suspension and auto.
then returns automatically to neutral for restarts. Interestingly, a new shift map in the electronic gearshift system works in real time, making for very smooth upshifts, although downshifts could be a little unpredictable. Other new features include a new front grille and carry rack, the latter designed to accommodate a new range of accessories and a new 1.9 litre storage box at the front of the machines. A right-side handlebar switch, on both models, allows “on the fly” selection of 2WD, 4WD or 4WD with a locked front differential.
a superior ride, alongside a towing capacity of 600kgs. In both situations, wheel bearings, pivot bushings and ball joints were all fully serviceable. In summary, both ATV’s are put together in a way that you would expect from Honda, par-
of high or low ranges for towing. Going back to the comments about rider comfort, power steering got the big tick from all the riders, featuring assistance that became less as speed increased, so great at slower speeds. The same wide comfortable seat and solid footwells are fitted to both machines, but the back ends are significantly different. Although they both feature double -wishbone front ends, the manual machine is fitted with a fully enclosed, solid rear axle, mounted via a swinging arm sus-
Call in & see us at 73 Preston Street, Invercargill Phone: 03 215 8558
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DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
18 // MACHINERY & PRODUCTS
AMAZONE GOES BACK TO THE BASICS AMAZONE HAS released a ‘back to
basics’ mechanical version of its popular Cataya 3000 Special seed drill for its range of industry-leading rotary harrows and cultivators. The three-metre drill is fitted with a large diameter wheel that provides even, uninterrupted metering, that in turn can be lifted and deactivated using the hydraulic top link during turning and headlands. During transport, the wheel is simply removed and stored on the rear of the drill. The Precis metering system is said to be easy to calibrate and adjust, with an easy to follow sticker providing the recommended sprocket transmission ratio and gearbox settings for specific seed rates. A calibration bucket and scales are stowed under the container lid. The Cataya 3000 is equipped with a 650 or 850 litre seed hopper, both featuring a large 255 x 54 cm opening and
sturdy hopper lid, which doubles as an anti-spill aid, allows the unit to be filled using a front loader bucket. Integrated outlet funnels in the seed hopper reduce bridging and residues, while shutter slides can be rapidly changed from normal seed to fine seed and vice versa. All Cataya units are purposed-engineered for mounting to Amazone’s KE 01, KX 01 and KG 01 rotary harrows or cultivators, with the QuickLink system allowing easy mounting and release. CLAAS Harvest Centre product manager, Steve Gorman, says the new model buck’s technology in favour of time-proven simplicity. “While most Cataya units are fitted with state-of-the-art single or doubleside electrically-driven seeding units, some farmers just want a simple and reliable driving mechanism’” he says “The Cataya 3000 Special meets this need perfectly.” – Mark Daniel
LATEST STORIES EVERY DAY www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz
Farmer Lachlan McKenzie (left) with Denis Collins, Pastoral Robotics.
Taking the p*ss out of leaching MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
HAVING SEEN Spikey from Pastoral Robotics at the 2017 National Fieldays, we recently caught up with a unit that had completed two seasons on a dairy farm a short distance from Rotorua. Spikey takes a twopronged approach, to address the problem of nitrate leaching, alongside helping to promote a significant increase in dry matter production. In practice the rear mounted spiked rotor
XCEL 1250 MUCK SPREADER www.hispec.net.nz The XCEL 1250 rear discharge spreader provides precision manure spreading management. Unique technology of the shredding rotor and spinning discs provides a precise application of manure.
SOUTH ISLAND Call Alastair Robertson 027 435 2642 www.cochranes.co.nz
NORTH ISLAND Call Jarred L’Amie 027 203 5022 www.gaz.co.nz
uses electrical conductivity to detect urine patches produced by dairy cows that in turn prompts the machine to apply a liquid solution of NitroStop to the affected areas. This serves to inhibit the usual process of soil bound ammonia in the urine converting into soluble nitrates that typically leach into the soil profile, while also allowing a greater soluble nitrogen uptake by the plants for increased growth. Over the last two years, extensive testing in New Zealand, Australia and Ireland has confirmed that the machine is able to detect 100% of the urine patches in any given paddock. The current, commercially available Spikey system is based around a 2.5m centrally mounted base unit that in turn carries lateral wing assemblies to deliver a working width of 8 metres, said to be suitable for tractors from 85 to 120hp. The format sees 54 spiked rotors carried on spring steel arms that are insulated with a heavy-duty plastic coating. In addition to the base unit, users can also specify an optimised twin disc fertiliser, used to apply urea prills, granules or blended
fertilisers at rates as low as 10kgs/ha, over the same 8m working width. The overall result sees yield increases that could range from 15 to 23% over conventional systems. Dairy News visited Lachlan McKenzie’s operation, who liked what he saw on demo, so bought a machine and now has two seasons use under his belt. McKenzie comments that the machine is easy to use, typically operated at speeds of 10-12kph, ideally within 48 hours of the cows leaving a paddock Discussing the economics of owning a machine that costs $65,000 for the standard unit and $75,000 when fitted with the fertiliser spreader option, McKenzie shares the machine with three other local farms, so has spread the initial capital cost. A trailed, 2.8m machine at $19,000 is also available for towing with an ATV or side by side. Denis Collins, Sales and Marketing Manager for Pastoral Robotics, suggests that over a typical season and eight passes of the machine, costs amount to about $300/ha, which given the response in production that can be up to $1,000/ha makes for
an attractive proposition. Moving forwards, the company will continue to develop Spikey, looking at items like service exchange disc assemblies for machines used in high wearing soils. With regards to the patented NitroStop product, the company is developing blends of inhibitors, growth promotors, enzymes and micro-nutrients that can be “tailored” to suit specific soil types and rainfall profiles. Pastoral Robotics is also actively canvassing regional councils to accept the science and show that the Spikey/ NitroStop regime is a genuine solution for nitrate mitigation, particularly in sensitive areas. Geoff Bates, Managing Director of Pastoral Robotics notes, “Spikey fills a hole left by the withdrawal of the nitrification inhibitor DCD, following detection in milk samples. The problem of nitrate leaching is possibly one of the biggest challenges the dairy industry faces going forwardsan issue that Spikey can address.” www.pastoralrobotics. co.nz @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 3, 2020
MACHINERY & PRODUCTS // 19
A smooth ride for calves MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
A NEW calf trailer, from Mid Canterbury manufacturer Plucks, claims to improve calf welfare during transport, particularly with regards to injury and risk of infection. Designed by Tasmanian dairy farmers with veterinary input and licensed for New Zealand manufacture, the Benic Calf Trailer is available in 10 or 15 calf capacities. The design takes the form of a sling and cradle
system that works with an overhead track, all mounted on a low-level single axle trailer. During collection, calves are fitted quickly with a webbing sling, that is lifted onto a roller track that allows the animal to be easily moved forward. Once on the trailer, calves are supported between a tubular steel cradle and a neck brace. Compared to open cage type trailers, where calves can easily fall over and injure themselves, while trying to stand on unsteady legs, the specialised trailer holds animals
securely in an upright position, where they ae kept clean and comfortable. Additionally, the format reduces the transmission of infection from the navel area, while also helping to reduce windchill by way of a substantial front headboard. With a total mass of 525 and 700kgs respectively, the BCT 10 and BCT 15 units are easily towed by a suitable ATV or side by side vehicle, while the low loading height makes for easy, one-person operation, even for those who are vertically challenged.
www.plucks.nz
Benic calf trailer.
New energiser gets smart A NEW energiser from Dat-
Taragate geared reel for 2020
amars Speedrite range claims to be the first “smart” electric fence unit, alongside an output of 46 joules. The aptly named Speedrite 46R is said to be powerful enough to energise up to 460kms of electric fencing or “securing” a typical 260ha property. The unit gains its smart credentials by offering Wi-fi or Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users out on the farm to switch the unit on or off remotely to deal with
faults, or check status and output at any time via an app on a smart device or phone. In the event of a power outage, the unit has a stored capacity of 68 joules, allowing security until power is restored. If and earthing issue should occur because of objects touching a live wire, output is automatically reduced to lower levels. Expect to pay a 5% premium over typical standard energisers in the range www.speedrite.com
HAVING ESTABLISHED a reputation over the last
ten years, the Taragate geared reel system has proved ideal for setting up portable fences with speed and efficiency. In readiness for the 2020 season, several changes to the design will make the unit even more user friendly. The patented wire guide attached to the front of the reel for extra strength and stability, has seen the fixings beefed up for the latest version, while the unique metal spool lock will not fall forward when reeling out the fence, giving the user total control. The extra-long crank handle and smooth gearbox delivers trouble-free winding when dismantling breaks and the insulated double hook system offers an additional, smaller hook to snap securely on to the fence wires. The tape and poly-wire on the 2020 reels have been upgraded from the typical five strand, light stainless-steel wires to 6 strand heavy-duty wires for higher conductivity, particularly useful when using high powered energisers over longer runs. Meanwhile, a flatter profiled carriage bolt is used to secure the carrying handle to the frame, providing more clear space for the poly-wire on the spool. www.taragate.co.nz
Lely Juno Automatic Feed Pushing Pushing feed yourself is now a thing of the past. Lely Juno can not only increase the feed pushing frequency, but can also stimulate frequent consumption of the feed, improves the animal health and fertility, lessens labour cost and reduces energy cost.
Smart feeding works with Lely Juno Lely Center in Canterbury Ph. :021 223 4805 Lely Center in Waikato Ph.: 021 399 096
www.lely.com
Lely Center in Taranaki Ph.: 022 325 0056 Lely Center in Manawatu Ph.: 027 541 0132
D A E H A Y STA E M A G E H T OF EMBRACING SCIENCE AT A TIME WHEN CHANGE IS COMING FASTER THAN EVER. DAIRYNZ: Creating a cow for the future Taking the N out of Pee Breeding better pastures Improving milking efficiency Independent forage evaluation Influencing sound policy backed by facts
In May, you will be asked to vote on whether you want to continue the levy on milksolids, enabling DairyNZ to continue industry good activities. Your levy vote is an important one for the whole industry. For more information on current science projects and everything else your levy covers, visit dairynz.co.nz/vote
YOUR LEVY, YOUR FUTURE