Fonterra debt reduction impresses farmers. PAGE 10
GLOBAL AMBASSADORS Lending help to Sri Lanka PAGE 11
MARCH 31, 2020 ISSUE 443 // www.dairynews.co.nz
Together, reducing phosphate loss by up to 75%*
An effective and sustainable phosphate that is better for the environment. *Relative to superphosphate products.
ballance.co.nz | 0800 222 090
Together, Creating the Best Soil and Feed on Earth
Reducing phosphate loss * by up to 75% is big news “Phosphorus is needed for plants to grow in New Zealand’s naturally deficient soils, but too much of it in waterways can cause excessive growth of unwanted aquatic plants and algal blooms”, says Ballance Innovation Leader, Dr Jamie Blennerhassett. “Most farm systems lose phosphate, mainly via runoff. The actual amounts of phosphate lost to waterways in runoff are relatively low, typically 0.1 to 1.7 kg P/ha/year. But even low amounts can have a significant negative impact on water quality”, says Jamie. A soluble fertiliser, such as superphosphate or di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), spread too close to waterways or applied less than two weeks before irrigation or heavy rainfall, can contribute up to 90% of total phosphate losses from pasture, via runoff. If this lost phosphate enters waterways, it will be available to aquatic plants and algae. The good news is that SurePhos can reduce phosphate loss by up to 75%*, so it’s better for business, better for waterways, and better for the future of farming in this country.
An effective and sustainable phosphate fertiliser that is better for the environment. A reduction in phosphate loss of up to 75%* is significant. But like any new innovation, success didn’t come straight away. The efficacy of SurePhos comes down to years of trial and error to perfect the ideal formulation of slow-release fertiliser in a robust, less water-soluble formulation. SurePhos was developed with the support of the Primary Growth Partnership. *Relative to superphosphate products.
Fonterra debt reduction impresses farmers. PAGE 10
GLOBAL AMBASSADORS Lending help to Sri Lanka PAGE 11
MARCH 31, 2020 ISSUE 443 // www.dairynews.co.nz
FEEDING THE WORLD New Zealand has shut down but agriculture sector keeping food supply line open to everyone. COVID-19 PAGES 3-7
If you’re looking at your options for a new milking system, the first step is deciding which of the many options will deliver the best results for you. We honestly believe that the best place to start that conversation is with us, after all – we are the only company who manufacture all the different systems as well as the recording, reporting and farm management solutions that make them work harder. That means we will recommend the system that is right for you, not the system that is right for us.
B&DEL0342
To find out more, either talk to your trusted DeLaval representative or for more information, visit us at www.delaval.com
delaval.com | 0800 222 228
RAV-31MAR-DN
Mix and spread to save Endure® slug bait
Check your paddocks before and after sowing. Endure slug bait is the ideal solution where needed and can be mixed and spread with fertiliser. It’s also non-toxic to earthworms and slug predators. Save your new crops and pastures from slugs, and save on application costs. The customer centre and our agri managers are ready for your call.
Smarter farming for a better New Zealand® AVAILABLE IN A MINI BAIT FOR DRILLING WITH SEED
0800 100 123 ravensdown.co.nz
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
COVID-19 // 3
Our only chance to get it right PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
Raw milk sellers plough on. PG.08
Energy farm to find solutions. PG.14-15
Spreader with bells & whistles. PG.17
NEWS ����������������������������������������������������� 3-10 AGRIBUSINESS ������������������������������������� 11 OPINION �����������������������������������������������12-13 MANAGEMENT �������������������������������� 14-15 ANIMAL HEALTH ����������������������������������16 TRACTORS & MACHINERY ��������������������������������������17-20
AGRICULTURE
MINISTER
Damien O’Connor says if NZ doesn’t get this four-week Covid-19 shutdown right, the chances are this will go on for a long time. As the level four alert came into force last Thursday, O’Connor spoke to Dairy News, adding that there has been a huge amount of responsible planning right through the farming and horticultural sector. “We have to realise that the few who may not think this is necessary could put us all at risk……the stakes are very high if we don’t do this properly,” he says. O’Connor says the rural and framing sector has a huge opportunity and privilege through this crisis to operate and run their businesses. But he says like what’s happening across the whole economy, things have to be done differently in the farming sector over the next four weeks. Rural Service providers have closed stores and are taking orders from farmers on telephone and online. Deliveries and pick-ups are done without interaction between the farmers and salesmen. The focus for the next four weeks is about reducing travel and contact with people and between people so that NZ can get ahead of this virus.. “If that does not happen in the
next four weeks the ongoing challenge for every industry is huge,” he says. O’Connor says the government has ensured that in designating essential services status to the whole of the primary sector, issues such as animal welfare and seasonal harvesting can addressed in the normal way. He says the pressure on the meat processing plants has been there for some time and will continue as they manager their internal risk and staff placement which will inevitably affect their levels of productivity. “We have ensured that the supply chain for essential items in farming is maintained but there are some items that are less essential and they will be hard to get. Thousands of businesses are badly affected and they have to do their bit which will probably mean reduced turnover and reduced profitability at some point,” he says. In terms of the dairy industry, O’Connor says many dairy farmers have been winding back their production because of drought or moving close to the end of the season. He says some may choose to move forward with that, but says clearly the opportunity is there for them to continue to produce milk and have it processed and then allow the companies to shift that into market. “There are uncertainties at every level of the production and supply
chain. We have done our best to offer security to the primary sector but these are challenging times for everyone and there are many unknowns,” he says. O’Connor says he is in lockdown and “very busy” working from
home. But he says like many New Zealanders he is able to do most of my work from home. He says he has one final key message for farmers: “The privileged of being able to carry on a sort of normal way should not insulate farmers and growers from the reality of the fact that the world has changed and that unless we can control this virus, every part of our sector, our economy and community will change,” he says. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
Damien O’Connor: “The stakes are very high if we don’t do this properly.”
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
4 // COVID-19
Respect the privilege PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz
BEING CLASSED an
essential business is a privilege – do not abuse that privilege, says Chris Lewis, Federated Farmers national dairy spokesman. “It is always a massive responsibility being an employer and a privilege to have people working for you but during this time there is extra responsibility,” he told Dairy News. “This is especially around the two metre isolation rule.” Dairy NZ and Federated Farmers are meeting each morning including their immigration and employment teams to discuss the challenges and what can be done to support farmers. There is a lot of work getting underway to help farmers around policies, guidelines and Q&As and those sorts of things. The Federated Farmers website is being constantly updated.
Chris Lewis
The main challenge for a dairy farmer at this time is around keeping people safe. “For myself I employ a team of seven. And they have family so I have to keep them all safe. They all have self-isolation and I have to make them all safe,” Lewis told Dairy News. “We are enforcing that around milking and have a bit different ways of doing things. “Everyone has got to
ride their own motorbike, if they use a commonly used tractor or tool they must wear gloves. I have hand wash sanitiser down at the cow shed, brushes to keep you clean and am encouraging guys every day to have clean clothes on, clean overalls. “When they see contractors come on farm – like this morning I had to have an electrician smile and wave at them or have the conversation from afar.
“I have sent a photograph of the broken equipment or a video of the issue so before they come out they know exactly what the issue is so they can bring the right part and be efficient. “Some of those things I have practiced for a long time before Covid-19. “There are lots of things we can do and at the moment, all of us, we are learning.” He encourages farmers to share their learn-
ing with the likes of Federated Farmers and DairyNZ. “Tag us into social media posts because there will be a lot smarter farmers out there than just us industry people. We want to hear all our farmers’ great ideas, their great insights. So please email me, message me your videos, tag me in. We all need to be working as a massive community looking after each other. “Not just on policies, on social communication, Facetime, messaging – I’d love to hear from you.” Initial labour shortages or workers not turning up could happen. “But in my local community there are a lot of kids that have come home from overseas, from university or different places. They all have no money. So there will be a lot of people putting their hand up for jobs in the next few months.” Those returning from overseas will need to be in quarantine-type isolation for two weeks.
NOT THE ONLY CRISIS ON TOP of Covid-19 Level 4 requirements, some areas have massive drought issues, says Lewis. He can hear the tone of stress in farmers’ voices in some areas. “Some areas have massive, massive issues. In past years we’ve had drought. Waikato has sent feed to other areas, other areas have sent feed to Waikato, Wairarapa has sent feed to Waikato and vice versa. But at the moment it is pretty North Island wide. It is really tough out there and we are trying to get our heads around what we can do to help our farmers. “We urgently need 1500mls of rain over the next week and be able to apply fertiliser and grow grass. That would be the simplest way to get ourselves out of a massive hole. But sadly when you look at the weather forecast this morning, it isn’t going to happen.” Industry collaboration is huge. “We have got Beef+Lamb, all the industry organisations working on this stuff with commitment.” The message to farmers is “we don’t have all the answers today or tomorrow but trust me we are all working hard to try and get answers to you”. “Please use farmer to farmer advice, you may not be able to see your farm consultant or do things like you did in the past, but do a feed budget, maybe do one with video conferencing with your farm consultants. Plan how big your hole is. First step is to see how big your hole is between now and calving time. “Then have some discussions around that. We’ve got to all work out how big the hole is and ways we can strategise to mitigate that hole.”
DROUGHT ASSISTANCE EXTENDED THE GOVERNMENT is extending
support for drought-stricken farmers. Access to Rural Assistance Payments (RAPS) is now available throughout the North Island, parts of the South Island and the Chatham Islands The Minister of Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni says the challenging conditions have
spread across multiple regions and are impacting our farming families and there is a need to ensure their resilience going forward. “People affected by drought in Northland and parts of Auckland were provided with access to RAPs on 2 March and we are now extending this assistance, she says” RAPs are payments equal to job-
seeker support, but tax relief measures are also available and people are encouraged to apply for other kinds of assistance, for example hardship grants to refill water tanks or cover other unexpected costs. The drought was recently classified as a large-scale adverse event by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Communities Damien O’Connor. It
covers the entire North Island along with the top of the South Island (Tasman, Marlborough, Kaikoura), North Canterbury and the Chatham Islands. O’Connor said the extreme and prolonged nature of this dry spell is taking its toll on farmers and growers and additional support is needed. “The pressure on our rural com-
munities right now is extreme, and this Government is committed to helping them get through. We’re continuing to keep a close eye on conditions around the country, in case more help is required. The Government is committed to doing all we can to support farmers and growers at what is a very challenging time.” he says
Buy now or INDENT order for tailored specifications | Buy now or INDENT order for tailored specifications | Buy now or INDENT
LOADER WAGONS SLURRY TANKER European design and superior build quality put the HiSpec range of Vacuum Tankers in a class of their own.
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 www.cochranes.co.nz Call Alastair Robertson | 027 435 2642 AMBERLEY | LEESTON | ASHBURTON | TIMARU | OAMARU | WEST COAST
NORTH ISLAND www.gaz.co.nz Call Jarred L’Amie | 027 203 5022 CAMBRIDGE | OTOROHANGA | ROTORUA
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
COVID-19 // 5
Forced self-isolation after Hereford event NIGEL MALTHUS
“TEN DAYS ago we were having such fun and now we’re all in bloody lockdown.” That’s the reaction of one man who attended the World Hereford Conference in Queenstown in early March – an event which now is at the centre of one of two known clusters of Covid19 transmission. More than 300 people attended the conference from across North and South America, Europe, Scandinavia, UK and Ireland, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. It involved meetings in Queenstown (March 9-12), and bus trips to two Central Otago stations (March 11) and the Wanaka Show (March 13), as well as organised tours before and after the event. But attendees were all asked to go into self-isolation after an Australian delegate went home early and subsequently tested positive for the virus. John and Liz McKerchar, who run the Shrimpton’s Hill Herefords stud at Cave in South Canterbury, are among those who have been in isolation at home since their post-conference tour was cut short. McKerchar spoke to Dairy News when there was still a few days left of their fortnight in isolation
KEEPING GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAINS OPEN KEEPING GLOBAL supply chains open is as
Hereford breeders from all over the world attended the conference in Queenstown. PHOTO: AUSTRALIA HEREFORD FACEBOOK PAGE.
– but on the day when the entire country was effectively joining them by going into Level Four lockdown. He said they had been getting checked on every day, but were “absolutely” still well. McKerchar was unaware of having any close contact with anyone who had tested positive, but remarked that there had been 400 people all together on a boat to Walter Peak Station, and had a meal there. “The conference was such a brilliant conference. It’s just so overshadowed by this outbreak – who would have thought? “Ten days ago we were having such fun and now we’re all in bloody lockdown.” By Tuesday last week there were six confirmed Covid-19 cases related to the conference, then on Wednesday the overall national tally jumped
‘WE FOLLOWED ADVICE’ NZ HEREFFORDS president Colin Corney said it fully understood the seriousness of the situation and fully supported the Ministry of Health’s efforts to curb the spread of the disease. “NZ Herefords, the World Hereford Conference 2020 committee, conference event managers and the conference travel agent followed all Ministry of Health guidelines and advice at every stage. “New Zealand had no travel warnings or restrictions in place before the conference. The situa-
another 50 to 205. It was not clear whether the 50 included further cases linked to the conference but Ministry of Health Director-General Ashley Bloomfield referred to the conference as one of two known clusters, the other being an Auckland secondary school. The Ministry added in a statement that the first case health authorities were informed about wasn’t exhibiting typical symptoms at the time of
• Ideal for Cattle Troughs • High Flow • Side/Bottom Mount • Detatch to Clean • Compact/Robust
tion did escalate globally during the event, but NZ restrictions were not put in place until after the conference closed,” he said. The post-conference South Island tour was attended by 153 people. They were on the later stages of that tour when advised of the first positive test, which at the time, was deemed low risk. “Again, organisers were in constant contact with the Ministry of Health and followed all instructions,” said Comey.
the conference but tested positive in Australia. “When alerted to this person having tested positive, organisers contacted public health officials at Southern and Canterbury District Health Boards ... and an initial message was sent to attendees on 18th March alerting them to possible contact with a confirmed case. “Since then, public health units - along with Healthline and the Ministry’s newly-established
contact tracing unit - have been working to contact trace and follow up on cases and contacts. “Figures through to today (March 25) have identified 840 close contacts, 583 of whom have been tracked. “The World Hereford Conference is a clear example of the very real need for action by all of us to help stamp out clusters of COVID-19.” @dairy_news
an essential tool in combatting the effects of the Covid-19 virus, says the New Zealand International Business Forum (NZIBF). “Trade has a role to play in the fight against Covid-19” says NZIBF chair Malcolm Bailey. “Too many economies are already limiting access to the essential tools to fight the pandemic, imposing export restrictions on medical equipment and drugs. “Many more are maintaining tariffs on even the most basic protective items such as soap and disinfectant. It is vital that even if passenger movements are restricted supply chains for medical equipment and essential supplies such as food are allowed to function.” Bailey welcomed the New Zealand and Singapore Governments’ announcement on March 21 that they would continue to maintain open and connected supply chains and would work closely to identify and address trade disruptions with ramifications on the flow of necessities. “This is a time for leadership on the part of all economies not to resort to even more mindless protectionism, but to ensure all economies work co-operatively together to address the challenge facing the global economy,” says Bailey. NZIBF’s Stephen Jacobi and Stephanie Honey say at least 16 export bans have been imposed since the beginning of this month alone. Trade and open markets are crucial to getting through this global challenge, helping life-saving medical supplies to get to where they are needed most. “We need a lifting of export bans and a standstill on new tariffs and elimination on these products as soon as possible.” Markets for other goods and services also must stay open. Asia-Pacific should show global leadership and New Zealand has an important role to play here as chair of the WTO General Council and chair of APEC in 2021. “We need to get back to the habit of mutually beneficial international co-operation.” – Pam Tipa
facebook.com/dairynews
• Ideal for Small/Low Demand Troughs • Low Flow • Above/Below Water Mount • Built in Check-Valve
0800 JOBE VALVES jobevalves.com
• Ideal for Compartment Troughs/Tanks • High Flow • Top Mount • Detach to Clean • Compact/Robust
T O G E V ’ E W K C A B R U YO DAIRYNZ: SHAPING A BETTER FUTURE FOR THE DAIRY SECTOR providing a voice on your behalf educating the next generation telling your stories to the public positioning dairy as a career of choice supporting local communities
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 vote is an important one for the whole industry. For more information about how we support the dairy sector and everything else your levy covers, visit dairynz.co.nz/vote
YOUR LEVY, YOUR FUTURE
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
COVID-19 // 7
Double whammy for some farmers PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
WE CAN’T shut our
doors and just walk away, says Woodville farmer and industry leader Ben Allomes. Like many farmers in the North Island, Allomes says the drought is having a greater impact than Covid-19. Allomes who farms near Woodville in the Tararua District says the effects of the drought are being exacerbated by the virus. There has been an inability to source feed and the price of PKE has spiked and all this has created uncertainty for beef prices. He’s been trying to get cull cows to the works but a combination of Covid-19 and drought has seen him forced to retain at least 40 animals that he would like be rid of. Allomes says he’s also had to take back young stock from grazing properties who have run out of feed. “That’s an awful lot of mouths to feed,” he says. Allomes his family and his staff have been preparing for the possibility of a lockdown long before the government announcement last week. He and
wife Nicky took their children out of school early to as protect the health of the family. He has talked to staff about the situation and have been self-isolating on the farm. He says there has been a huge focus on hygiene with hand wipes on tractors, staff wearing gloves and keeping a safe distance from each other. He says the good news is that the staff have still got jobs and they can still operate as business. He says he and other farmers have been engaged in what he calls
‘cautious stocking up’. “We are making sure we have got some beer, we stocked up in fence posts because we can do some fencing while we locked down. Others have stocked up on gorse spray or rubber wearer and paint to get a few things done during the lockdown. “We are busy enough feeding cows right now but if we don’t get rain we will be drying off in the next two weeks because of the feed shortage. There is a lot of stress around the drought,” he
IT’S BACK...
LYPOR
®
POUR-ON CATTLE LICE INSECTICIDE
• Controls mature and immature forms of biting louse (Damilinia (Bovicola) bovis), long-nosed sucking louse (Linognathus vituli) and shortnosed sucking louse (Haematopinus eurysternus) following a single treatment.
says. Allomes says one of the fears for farmers is the sensitive supply chain on which they rely. He says if a truck driver or somebody in the freezing works gets sick there is a problem for farmers. “The big thing for me is the realisation is that no matter what, we have got to get up every single day and we still have to go out and milk the cows and keep our animals alive. “There is lot of talk around about the fact as food producers we have
NEW
PRODUC
T
got to produce. But I am not even thinking about making milk, I am concerned about keeping my animals alive because I have got to get through the next spring and the drought and making milk is actually secondary for me,” he says. Allomes says his heart goes out to those businesses such as tourism which are affected by the consequences of Covid-19. They will suffer immediately, but for the farming sector the consequences could take longer to materialise.
MISERY ON UK FARMS WAKE UP, New Zealand: that’s the message from
a New Zealander trying to manage a large dairy farm in the UK amid the Covid-19 outbreak. A friend of the man who wishes to remain anonymous called Dairy News in a bid to make farmers in NZ aware of the situation in the UK which he describes as horrific. The person whom we will call ‘Brian’ manages a large intensive dairy farm and has a staff of twelve says he’s not sure that farmers in NZ realise the problems they are about to face. He is belatedly having to put in place a pandemic plan, but says his staff are stressed and falling ill – not to Covid-19, but colds and other forms of the flu. He says they are working long hours and with staff off sick, Brian is finding it difficult to get replacement staff. “The virus hasn’t hit the cowshed yet, but people aren’t sleeping, are very stressed and this is having an impact on the whole operation,” he says. Brian says he has developed a plan with a strong focus on social distancing and ensuring that staff are healthy. He says particular care is being taken on preventing farm accidents because he is not sure the health system can deal such serious accidents when the pressure goes on to deal with people who have Covid-19. Brian says another problem that has arisen is theft. He says with panic buying in the UK, some shops have run out of milk and they have had instances of people coming at night and stealing milk from the vats. He says they are now having to put padlocks on these and increase their security on the property. The person who rang Dairy News says people should look to history to prepare for the consequences of Covid-19. She points to a noted Irish historian, Dr Ida Milne who has written extensively on the effects of the Spanish flu in Ireland. Dr Milne, an academic at Carlow College, she wrote a book called Stacking the Coffins – Influenza in Ireland in 1918-19 and is a recognised expert on disease research. She says one of the consequences was that the men got sick and many died and it was left to rural woman to run the farms, and the creameries. – Peter Burke
Buy a 5L pack and we’ll give you a hooded sweatshirt*
• Controls lice without selecting for drench resistance when compared with macrocyclic lactone pour-on lice treatments
AVAILABLE
FROM YOUR
LOCAL
• Short 10 day meat and 14 day milk with-holding periods
VETERINARY Alleva Animal Health Limited, 1/116a Harris Road, East Tamaki, Auckland. LYPOR® is a registered trademark of Alleva Animal Health Ltd. Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No. A011686. See www.foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions. Promotional item received may differ from the advertised image. * While stocks last.
PRACTICE
www.alleva.co.nz
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
8 // NEWS
Raw milk supplier ploughs on NIGEL MALTHUS
IT IS business as usual
for Timaru raw milk suppliers Stuart and Andrea Weir as the country is in total Covid-19 lockdown. The couple run their business Real Milk Timaru from their thirdgeneration dairy farm right on the edge of the city. They sell raw unpasteurised milk and refillable glass bottles from automatic dispensers in their roadside shop, as well as delivering three days a week to regular customers in Timaru, Waimate and Fairlie. As the Level Four Covid-19 lockdown took effect last week, their Facebook page assured customers that sanitisers and wipes were provided for shop customers using the vending machines, and home deliveries would continue. They are also expecting an uptick in interest in home deliveries, but are reliant on Facebook and word-of-mouth to get the message out. Stuart Weir explains that while their raw milk meets all the safety requirements and they
Stuart and Andrea Weir provide three home delivery runs a week to Timaru and surrounding towns, from their Glenwillow Farm on the outskirts of the city.
Andrea and Stuart Weir with their raw milk herd on their Glenwillow Farm on the outskirts of the Timaru.
believe it is a healthy product, they don’t advertise because any formal advertising cannot include explicit health claims, and must include an MPI raw milk health warning wordfor-word. “To me that’s that’s contradicting what you’re trying to do... it’s a full food and it’s safe because we meet the regulations.” Their 104ha Glenwillow Farm, in the family since 1944, nestles in a valley overlooked by houses on the Southwest edge of Timaru. “Because we’ve always been town supply it suited us to to set up the retail milk for the public because of our locality being close to Timaru city,” says Stuart.
They milk year-round with both autumn and spring calving. They run about 270 cows all up including 15 in the raw milk herd, which is milked once a day. The main herd is milked twice a day, providing winter supply to Fonterra. The raw milk is tested weekly for pathogens, in line with MPI regulations. “We have cows in the main herd that are tested for the real milk herd as well, so when I need to swap some cows around or dry some cows off from the shop herd, I bring some of the girls from the main herd into that mob,” says Andrea. “So it’s a rotational system and it’s year round, of course. We
supply the shop 24/7.” Andrea says they choose mid-range cows, producing about 18l a day, for the raw milk herd because big producers cannot go on once a day. “So the big girls have to stay in the main herd and get milked twice a day and the mid-range girls that have got a low cell count and that nice sort of quantity of milk come into this herd. “They are generally rolled over from one year to the next so it’s the same cows. They know the system well.” The Weirs started producing raw milk six years ago as franchisees of raw milk pioneers, Takaka’s Village Milk. They rebranded as Real Milk
Experto Feeder
Patented Intelligent feed & management ow n P P system Call P
# Mixes different feeds and minerals # Add in molasses or liquids # Upgradeable to EID cows – with many more features Why spend millions on a rotary shed... – install a PPP Experto in to a HB
Timaru in 2016 when MPI regulated the industry and required all raw milk suppliers to register individually, and the franchise system had to stop. Stuart says it was Village Milk who originally drew up the processes and safety procedures which MPI largely adopted in 2016. “Village Milk still run a consultancy service, which I strongly recommend people to go to them if they’re looking at setting up. There is a lot involved in the testing procedures and getting the quality of the milk right before it goes public.” The 2016 regulations still don’t allow supply via third parties such as
corner stores, but allows home deliveries. The Weirs bought their delivery truck at that time and now deliver about 150l a week to subscribers, as well as about 150l a day through the shop. Stuart says they’ve had a good uptake for the deliveries.
“We’ve got a lot of families with young kids and/or older people, that can’t get out.” Andrea says the raw milk business is great extra income. “If you’re a small farm you have to diversify and think of ways of creating an income.”
CLEAN TEATS ANDREA WEIR says a key to a successful unpasteurised milk business is the cleaning of the cows’ teats before they are cupped. “It’s the only part of the whole process that you potentially could risk a high test. “The milk in the cow is absolutely perfect, so it’s getting the milk from the cow through and into your tank; that’s where you’ve got to have your systems in place.” Their refrigeration system meets new cooling rules applicable to both regular and raw milk protocols, cooling the milk quickly to about 4 degrees. The only extra machinery needed for the raw milk side is a single changeover valve that feeds milk to a small tank which in turn is used to load the shop dispenser. “As the milk pump starts up, it’s through the snap chiller and into that tank in probably less than a minute and a half,” says Stuart. The couple also swear by their new de Laval 2100 Parallel Parlour milking shed, installed six months ago as only the third in the country and first in the South Island. Superficially like a herringbone, the 12-a-side shed differs mainly in having the cows stand square-on. They walk in and then turn while little dividers swivel to give each her own stall. When milking is finished, head barriers are lifted by air ram to allow them to walk straight out, making for a fast turnaround. “We trained them to put their heads down and turn the little gate so the stall divider swivels to give each cow her own stall, more of her own space,” says Andrea. “We trained them for about two weeks, which was a battle, but then they got it and after that they’ve been great ever since.” Importantly, the square-on design also means the cows are backed up against a “butt tray” which catches and washes away any effluent. “It means you’re quite removed from any splatter,” she says. Stuart says they chose the system after de Laval flew them to Cambridge to see the only two Parallel Parlours already installed. “We talked to the guys working them; both come out of rotary sheds and said they’re never going back, so they’re that good,” says Stuart. “You don’t even need an apron on to milk.”
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
NEWS // 9
Riding the A2 wave to farm ownership A LUCRATIVE contract supplying sought-after A2 milk to Synlait has helped Daniel and Amanda Schat buy their first dairy farm. The Canterbury couple is in their second season milking 385 mainly Holstein Friesian cows on 103-hectares (effective) at Darfield. Prior to purchasing the irrigated property in June 2018, they were 50:50 sharemilkers on an 800cow farm owned by Daniel’s parents at Te Pirita. The previous owners supplied A2/A2 milk to Dunsandel-based milk processor Synlait, but there was no guarantee the Schat’s would get a contract. “We knew we had to supply Synlait here. A2 milk is taking off, so we took an intelligent gamble,” said Daniel. “We had our 800-cow herd tested to find out which cows had the A2/ A2 gene. We sold any that didn’t, which was about half the herd. We were 50 cows short of what we needed.” “We had to sell some amazing, high-producing cows. But it got us into a great financial position to buy our first farm,” he said. The couple were fortunate to secure a contract to supply A2 milk to Synlait just before the start of the 2018-19 season. The Schat’s are paid a premium of 20 cents/ kgMS. They’re on target
to produce 180,000kgMS this season, meaning their special milk is worth an extra $36,000. “That extra money has been greatly appreciated, especially in our first year of farm ownership,” he said. The Schat’s are one of about 80 Synlait farms providing milk free from the A1 protein in the South Island. The milk is said to have health benefits for people who have trouble drinking regular milk. Going all A2 meant the Schat’s were limited in which cows they could cull when they downsized their herd. “We couldn’t cull latecalving cows, older animals, low producers or cows with a high somatic cell count (SCC), which was frustrating,” he said. “It will take time to get the herd back to the standard we’d like.” During mating the couple only uses semen from A2/A2 bulls, which are increasing in availability. “We used a lot of sires from CRV Ambreed’s progeny testing team last spring. It helped bring down our semen costs. We also use overseas sires from Holland, Denmark, Canada and the United States,” he said. A key goal has been to boost the milksolids components in the herd’s milk. “Our history of using
overseas genetics means the percentage of milksolids in our milk is too low,” said Daniel. “We’re working hard to lift that. I’ve gone through catalogues and found the best Holstein Friesian
bulls with the highest fat percentages.” “We mate our pedigree cows with the lowest fat tests to those bulls, with the aim of improving their offspring,” he said.
Daniel and Amanda Schat are paid a premium of 20 cents per kgMS for their milk.
® NEW ZEALAND’S ONLY RAIN READY COMBINATION POUR-ON When you are the BOSS, you need to be on top of your game. You need to know a trick or two that the rest can’t match.
And unlike other combination pour-on’s rain falling shortly before or after treatment won’t affect efficacy(1).
That is why BOSS Pour-On is designed using our unique “liquid-gel” formulation to stop run-off and improve absorption. It really works.
Ask for the BOSS advantage now. Only at leading veterinary practices. For more information see www.alleva.co.nz
SIMPLE SYSTEM CALVING STARTS on August 1 and the herd is dried off in late May. “The property is about 250 metres above sea level, so we don’t really have the option of milking into winter,” Daniel Schat said. The Schat’s winter 400 cows and keep 100 replacement heifer calves. The number was slightly higher at 122 last spring. The Schat’s milk through a 40-aside herringbone with an in-shed feed system: the property doesn’t have a feed pad. “We try to run a simple system. Cows are fed pasture, grass silage, maize silage and grain,” he said. “Maize silage is grown where we graze our young stock and it’s fed out in the paddock during the autumn and spring.” “It’s used to help extend our lactation and put weight on the cows prior to dry-off. In the spring, it’s fed to cows just before they calve,” he said
BUY 7.5Ls Of BOSS POUR-ON & RECEIvE A 38.9CC OLEO-MAC GSH400 CHAINSAW* *While stocks last.
AVAILABLE
FrOM YOUr
LOcAL
VETErInArY
Alleva Animal Health Limited, 1/116a Harris Road, East Tamaki, Auckland. BOSS® is a registered trademark of Alleva Animal Health Ltd. Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No. A010817. See www.foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions. (1) BOSS label claim. Oleo-Mac® is a registered trademark of Emak S.P.A. The chainsaw supplied may differ from the advertised image.
PrAcTIcE
www.alleva.co.nz
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
10 // NEWS
Debt reduction pleases co-op farmers SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
WAIKATO FEDERATED Farmers president
Andrew McGiven says he is impressed with Fonterra’s debt reduction. Commenting on the co-op’s half-year results released this month,
McGiven says the results look very encouraging. Fonterra announced normalised earnings before tax of $584 million, up from $312m the previous year. Net profit rose to $501m, up from $72m last year. Net debt was reduced from $7.4 billion last year to $5.8 billion. Despite the strong
earnings performance, Fonterra board decided not to declare an interim dividend. Chairman John Monaghan says after considering the current uncertainty of the impact COVID-19 could have on earnings in the second half of the year, the board has elected to not pay an
TO ALL FARMERS FOR ALL FARMERS
RURAL NEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS
HORTNEWS
www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz
Andrew McGiven
interim dividend. “At the end of the financial year the board will reassess the co-op’s financial position and review the decision to pay a dividend,” he says. McGiven told Dairy News that at first glance the results look very encouraging. “As well as posting a much improved EBIT, what I was most impressed with was the debt reduction.” “As a shareholder I would have liked a dividend, but certainly never expected it and would prefer that these retained earnings are better used in stabilising the co-op for future long term strength. “Much credit must go the Miles Hurrell and his senior management team for making some tough calls and now seeing the results as we hopefully come out from the other end.”
CHINA FARMS ON SALE FONTERRA IS selling its troubled China Farms business. The farms, carrying 31,000 milking cows housed in a feedlot system, are now worth $500 million. Over the past 10 years the co-op has invested over $1 billion in the farms with very little returns. In its interim results announced last week, the co-op wrote down another $61m from the farms’ value. Last year it wrote down $200m. Fonterra chief financial officer Marc Rivers says “new information” led to the latest writedown. “Clearly as you go through a sales process, you get new infor-
However, McGiven had a word of caution too. “Nothing is certain in the business world, especially with a pandemic on the loose,” he says. Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurell says the co-op has delivered the strong results through stable underlying earn-
mation: this has to be considered as you look at value of assets on your book. “The writedown reflects that, as we closed out the half year.” Fonterra is also reviewing its joint China farming venture with Abbotts. Rivers says it is continuing to look for opportunities to improve the performance of the business: the joint venture suffered a $65 million impairment to align with China Farms’ sale process and ongoing animal management costs. Fonterra is also selling its joint venture stake in DPA Brazil: the coop wrote down $31m in DPA’s value.
ings from Ingredients business, improving gross margins in Foodservice and reducing operating expenses. “Our Foodservice business has definitely been our stand-out performer in the first half as we’ve grown our sales to bakeries and coffee and tea
houses across Greater China and Asia.” The co-op is continuing its strategy of reducing debt by selling non-core assets. The sale of DFE Pharma and foodspring brought in $624 million. Hurrell says this helped reduce net debt by 22% or $1.6 billion.
Happy Birthday To mark a birthday, retirement or any milestone, give that special someone, something special - a personal cartoon portrait by Edna cartoonist Malcolm Evans - $200 plus GST Send no money - just email a few up-to-date photos of subject, with a note of details you’d like included, to; malcolm@evanscartoons.com
Orpost postyour yourinquiries inquiriesto;to:M. M.Evans, 17 Vista Auckland 1071, Or Evans, 39J Cape Crescent, Horn Road,Glendowie, Hillsborough, Auckland 1041 . and return address. anddon’t don’tforget forgettotoinclude includeyour your return address.
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
AGRIBUSINESS // 11
Kiwi co-op and cows helping rebuild war-torn communities SIXTH-GENERATION WAIKATO dairy farmer
Ross Wallis never planned to go into the family business. Today he farms family land at Raglan, is a Fonterra Shareholders Councillor, and is making a difference to thousands of people in Sri Lanka by sharing his dairying knowledge. Wallis recently returned from his fourth trip to that country, where he has been helping progress a Tearfund social enterprise which uses dairying as a way to help rebuild communities and get people back on their feet after 25 years of civil war. Many families had one or two cows for their personal use, but never as a reliable source for income. With help from the Tearfund programme, farmers are provided with support and knowledge to increase milk production and make a living out of dairying. Eight years ago just eight farmers in one district produced 150 litres of milk a month. Now, 1,400 farmers are producing 500,000 litres a month, and 4,500 farmers are signed up into farmer co-operative groups. As a Fonterra supplier, Wallis’ milk goes to the Te Rapa processing plant where it becomes Anchor milk powder that is shipped to Sri Lanka. “I’m just a Kiwi dairy farmer, sharing what I know,” he says. “My milk’s been going to Sri Lanka for over 40 years from the Waikato. I think we owe it to them. This is a huge opportunity for dairy farmers to give back.” The advice New Zealand farmers like Wallis can offer is “really simple stuff about feeding cows the right way and keeping them watered.” He mentions simple changes like providing shelter, giving them access to water all day rather than just in the evening, letting them roam freely rather than being tied up, and separating the calves. As an example “they
Raglan farmer Ross Wallis on a Sri Lanken farm. Below: A typical dairy farm in Sri Lanka. A Sri Lankan farmer milking cows.
confidence and voice, other changes start to occur. “Youth clubs are forming, there are rallies about
A COSTLY WAR THE SRI Lankan civil war killed around 90,000 and internally displaced about 280,000 between 1983 and 2009. In the north east dry zone rural region, where the Tearfund dairy project is located, people are very traditional, so working in the rice fields is a man’s job and milking the cows is a woman’s job. More than 30% of households had lost a man in the war, and the women didn’t know how to work in the rice fields. This left few ways for some women to earn an income for their families. Through Tearfund’s dairy project, farmers living below the poverty line in Sri Lanka are now earning a much-improved monthly income.
might use hay, or gather one armload of long, dry elephant grass for the day’s feed - we teach them about how quantity and better quality of feed will help increase their production. “It’s generally small, manageable changes that are easy to implement and make all the difference.” The learning is pitched at a locally relevant level, that takes into account local conditions – such as how to manage insemination when semen has to be transported long distances, to multiple farm-
ers with one or two cows each, in a hot climate with unreliable temperature controls. One of the main objectives of the programme is to help rebuild communities after the devastation of war. It is designed to create self-managing cooperatives – Tearfund provides residential training at a demonstration farm for ‘model farmers’ who then return to their communities, implement the changes and pass on their learning. Organised into groups of 60-100 farmers in an area,
the farmers support each other and pool their milk at collective chilling centres for transportation to one of seven processing plants. They are also paid collectively, and the group fund provides low interest loans to the group members – at 6% rather than the 50% government loans that would add to the crippling debt many of them already carry. Community mobilisers, usually women, keep an eye on what’s happening in their group and coordinate with each other: “They run a tight ship!” says Wallis. Going beyond aid, the programme partners with New Zealand and local organisations to develop a self-sustaining social enterprise that can pay for the aid it delivers. Wallis’ latest trip to Sri Lanka was as a recently elected member of Tearfund NZ’s Board and focused on providing guidance on getting the right structure in place to support self-sufficiency. And the effects of the collaboration go beyond that – as the communities work together and regain their
social issues such as violence towards women and children - the impact it is having on people’s lives goes far beyond just nutri-
tion and making a living,” he explains. “For me, getting involved was a no brainer,” says Wallis.
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
12 // OPINION RUMINATING
EDITORIAL
Ag’s chance to shine
MILKING IT... Silver lining to Covid-19
Frozen milk, anyone?
No needFonterra
Cruelty to cows
THE COVID-19 outbreak in New Zealand has created a sharp increase in demand for farm workers. Newshub reports that Agstaff, Canstaff and New Zealand Dairy Careers managing director Matt Jones is calling out to New Zealanders facing job losses to fill the “hundreds” of jobs it has in its system. “The work does not stop - it’s ramped up as some of our clients in the primary production sector increase production to meet New Zealand’s needs. The cows still need [to be] milked and the crops must be picked,” he says.
THE PANIC buying witnessed in supermarkets all over the world has seen essentials such as milk, bread and eggs flying off the shelves. With nations across the globe struggling and the number of coronavirus deaths approaching 20,000, people will be keen to know whether they can freeze some of their fresh produce like mlk. UK’s The Sun says you can. It says milk can be frozen ahead of its expiry date for later consumption - there are a few guidelines to follow. Before freezing, make sure the container is tightly sealed. When milk is frozen, it expands so you need to make sure there is enough room in the container so it does not burst. Before using your milk, make sure you fully defrost it in the refrigerator.
STILL ON milk supply….. New Zealanders may not need to freeze milk. Fonterra says its operations have been deemed an essential service under Alert Level 4, meaning processing and collection of farmers’ milk will be prioritised over the next four weeks. The co-op says there’s no need to panic buy – and milk won’t be running out. Fonterra staff are working from home but dairy farmers and their staff are milking cows and keeping food lines open to the world.
THE NEW Zealand AntiVivisection Society, a lobby defending animals used in science has turned its attention to Lincoln University. They claim for decades, researchers have artificially created fistulas (also known as cannulas) in ruminant animals such as cows, sheep and deer. These are essentially window-like holes in the side of an animal’s body. They claim there is evidence of fistulated cows on Lincoln’s campus. The ODT quotes a Lincoln University spokesperson as saying fistulated cows were used for research into rumen digestibility. The research is approved by the Lincoln University Animal Ethics Committee.
BY THE time you read this, the national lockdown over Covid19 will be well underway. For the next three-and-a-half weeks, things will continue to be far from business as usual. As most New Zealanders stay home with their loved ones to ride out the Covid-19 storm, a lot will depend on the agriculture sector to get New Zealand through the crisis. Together with farming, tourism has been the main income earners for our country. But with flights grounded, borders closed and movement severely restricted tourism is in the fight of its life. In these difficult times the onus is on farmers and rural New Zealand to carry the can. Last week, after some initial confusion, the Government began declaring various branches of the farming sector as essential service. Fonterra and its farmers, milk processors, vets, rural service providers, contractors have all been declared essential services. Fonterra employees in the food supply chain, such as farmers, tanker drivers, manufacturing and distribution centre employees, are working, ensuring milk is processed and exported, providing food for the world and money flowing into the country. While granting farming essential services status, the Government is asking everyone to follow strict guidelines to avoid the spread of the virus if they continue operating. The Government recognises the farming sector has a vital role to play in supporting New Zealand during the crisis. It has shown a lot of trust in farmers and the ag sector to keep operating under a level 4 alert. These are strict times and only work can be done. Federated Farmers president Katie Milne rghtly says; “No gallivanting off socially - we are expected to observe lockdown rules after work just like the rest of our communities. None of us has the right to flaunt this as it could put the health of others at risk.” This is a big responsibility. Fonterra, other milk processors, farmers and their staff deserve kudos for continuing to keep dairy in production for everyone’s health and nutrition during this difficult time. What’s more challenging is that most people, including Agriculture Minister Damien O‘Connor and Federated Farmers leaders are working from home. These are unprecedented times and an opportunity for the ag sector shine. A quote from Milne, sums it up nicely; “Our food lines have to be kept open and the food supply for the whole nation to get through this comfortably and also to help get the nation back on its feet economically as we pull out of this at the other end.”
Publisher: Brian Hight ...................... Ph 09-307 0399 Head Office: Top Floor, 29 Northcroft St, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone 09-307 0399. Fax 09-307 0122 Postal Address: Published by: Printed by: Contacts: Advertising material: Rural News on-line: Subscriptions:
PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Rural News Group Ovato Print Editorial: sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz davef@ruralnews.co.nz www.ruralnews.co.nz subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz
ABC audited circulation 26,510 as at 31/3/2019
ISSN 1175-463X
General Manager: Adam Fricker ................... Ph 09-913 9632 Editor: Sudesh Kissun ................ Ph 09-913 9627
AUCKLAND SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Stephen Pollard............................................. Ph 021-963 166 stephenp@ruralnews.co.nz
Machinery Editor: Mark Daniel...................... Ph 021-906 723 Reporters: Peter Burke....................... Ph 06-362 6319 Pamela Tipa ..................... Ph 021-842 220 Nigel Malthus .............. Ph 021-164 4258 Subscriptions: Julie Beech ...................... Ph 09-307 0399 Production: Dave Ferguson ............... Ph 09-913 9633 Becky Williams ................ Ph 09-913 9634 Digital Strategist: Jessica Wilson ................. Ph 09-913 9621
Dairy News is published by Rural News Group Limited. All editorial copy and photographs are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions or comments expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the staff, management or directors of Rural News Group Limited.
WAIKATO SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Ted Darley ...................................................... Ph 021-832 505 ted@ruralnews.co.nz WELLINGTON SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Ron Mackay ................................................... Ph 021-453 914 ronm@ruralnews.co.nz SOUTH ISLAND SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Kaye Sutherland .........................................Ph 021-221 1994 kayes@ruralnews.co.nz
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
OPINION // 13
Getting our act together BRENDAN HOARE
THE GOVERNMENT’S Organic Bill
passed its first reading last week and public consultation has begun. Organic standards for producers and consumers The need to protect the use of the term organic started internationally nearly 40 years ago. Standards were initially created to guide the producer and protect the consumer. These standards were made up of an understanding of the whole system or total environment that included soil, water, biodiversity, animal welfare, and specific production practices for horticulture, apiculture and agriculture, right through to retail. As the global popularity of organics grew to now being the fastest growing multi-food sector in the world, so too did government recognition for the need to protect, promote and regulate it. Country by country, this has taken place using legislation, regulation and the creation of single national standards and trademarks. Assisting the growth are supporting policies like pesticide reduction, procurement, education and research. Where countries have moved to regulate organics, substantial growth has followed, doubling or even trebling within a few years. Regulation provides assurance to farmers, entrepreneurs and consumers of a recognised legitimate system and a safe place to invest. Why an Act? We knew we needed a national regulation and standard two decades ago, but it was not till 2013 that it became a focus for our national organisation Organics Aotearoa New Zealand (OANZ, www. oanz.org). By 2013, all the top 25 organic trading countries had regulation, but New Zealand, Australia, India and several others did not. OANZ lobbied officials and demonstrated that the misuse and deliberate fraud of the term organic was creating confusion
NZ organic butter on US supermarket shelf. Inset: Brendan Hoare
for consumers, missed economic opportunity and affecting the organic brand. Simultaneously, as more international markets moved to regulate and ‘get with the organic picture’, our trading partners were also increasingly looking for government-level systems that reflected their own. In New Zealand, while MPI’s Official Organic Assurance Programme (OOAP) facilitates exports to markets requiring government assurance, we had no domestic protection. It was becoming increasingly difficult for us to develop futureproofed trade relationships, because we didn’t have a fully regulated system that protected the domestic market for our trading markets to trade into. Four-point plan Through persistence and uniting strategies, OANZ came up with a clear four-point plan: Develop a single national standard. Adopt MPI’s OOAP Technical Rules as the National Standard. The National Standard will cover export, domestic and imported certified organic product. Regulate the use of the term organic. By the time OANZ had convinced government to regulate we had met with four Ministers of Agriculture and Food Safety, the Primary Production Select Committee several times, had field visits for MPs, held national hui, undertaken extensive consulta-
tion with our members, international experts and government officials, and launched our 2014, 2016 and 2018 Market Report in Parliament. Most importantly we had ensured that this was a ‘good for New Zealand’ opportunity and the whole of Parliament agreed. The Act will increase consumer confidence, increase business certainty to invest in organic products, and facilitate international trade of organic products. This will then allow the development and introduction of the National Organic Standard and enable regulations for checking that these requirements have been met. Once the draft Bill is approved, and we expect this to be shortly, it will be considered by the Primary Production Select Committee. The Government ultimately will own the Act and regulation and dictate the timing and process of the consultation that will unfold. Best organic outcomes for all in Aotearoa NZ It will also be an opportunity to consider how to integrate the Organic Act with other major regulations in New Zealand to do with climate, water, carbon, waste management and biodiversity. Why? Because all those parts are what make up an organic systems approach. Not only would it link-up our means of achieving measurable goals, but it also aligns with global and domestic interest, engagement and demand. We need to consider how will the Treaty part-
nership be operationalised in the new Act and within the organic sector and the need to ensure the Organic Act recog-
nises different cultural approaches to practising organics. Leading international agencies who have already
established a national regulation framework for organics in their countries have been quick to suggest to me that while we must focus on the prize – securing an Organic Act – we are right to simultaneously make it the best it can possibly be. Strategies for scaling up organics are not just about production and trade, but also include things like education, research, extension, marketing and communications – all integrated, fully budgeted and enabled across national and regional governments and private enterprises. It will for example need to be digital. This all requires excel-
lent co-ordination and a ‘team New Zealand’ approach, in taking organics in New Zealand to scale. So, with our prize now in view, remaining united, focused and strategic with an attitude of working together with officials will ensure our Organic Act achieves what we envisaged it to do – protect and grow the opportunity for organics in Aotearoa New Zealand. • Brendan Hoare is a managing director of Buy Pure New Zealand. His involvement in organics has included holding positions with Soil & Health (president), BioGro (director), OANZ (founder, executive chair and CEO) and IFOAM (board member).
For a special gift for a special person...
HOW ABOUT A PERSONAL CARICATURE? Contact
Malcolm Evans
email: malcolm@evanscartoons.com
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
14 // MANAGEMENT
Energy farm to trial zero NIGEL MALTHUS
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY has unveiled plans
for what is expected to be a globally-unique Energy Demonstration Farm to help the primary sector meet its future zero-carbon obligations. The farm is designed to be fossil fuel-free and feature solar and wind power, bio-fuel, and energy storage solutions while showcasing the range of technology available and how it can be applied, as well as providing data for research and innovation. Project leaders Dr Wim de Koning and Dr Jeff Heyl say the farm would allow the University and their research partners to make mistakes, so farmers won’t have to.
“Transitioning to sustainable energy in the agri-food sector is a necessity,” de Koning said. “The Government’s zero carbon legislation has provided a timeframe of 30 years for completion of this transition. “To meet the Government goal of 100% renewable energy by 2035, we need to start making the first major steps with urgency. De Koning said the farm would show the diverse range of sustainable energy production technology currently available, from fossil fuel to circular food production systems. “The small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the primary industries need a preinvestment proof of con-
Dr Jeff Heyl, left, and Dr Wim de Koning say the Lincoln University Energy Demonstration Farm they are setting up will be unique in its set-up and a world-first in scale and scope.
cept. They don’t have the capacity to make mistakes by investing in the wrong technology. At the Energy Demonstration Farm we
can explore alternatives, not all of which may be successful. We can provide that proof so the right choices are made.”
Heyl said the farm could investigate “every kind of energy that we can think of” - not just the obvious wind and
solar. Algae ponds might be used to create biofuels, ground-source heat pumps might manage a
greenhouse, providing a controlled temperature year round at virtually no cost, while secondary solar might be used to heat water rather than generate electricity. It would all be in the context of crops, with animals, in a rural environment, he said. The 6ha chosen site for the farm is on good cropping soil and shares a boundary with the University’s Research Dairy Farm. “We’re gonna be interacting with the research dairy farm, not in the very least because they’ve got effluent and it’s a terrific source of energy for biofuels and stuff like that,” said Heyl. Another possibility was a recent innovation into biodiesel production reported overseas which is said to produce much
SPECIAL REPORTS
MATING High technology is now employed to assist dairy farmers through cow mating. Make sure your products and services are included in this special feature. 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
Auckland
Stephen Pollard .......... Ph 021-963 166
Waikato
Ted Darley .................. Ph 021-832 505
Wellington
Ron Mackay ............... Ph 021-453 914
Christchurch
Kaye Sutherland ....... Ph 021-221 1994
FEATURE: BOOKING DEADLINE: MATERIAL REQUIRED:
14 August 2020 1 August 2020 7 August 2020
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
MANAGEMENT // 15
carbon solutions higher yield and quality. “If there were someone in New Zealand who wanted to to demonstrate that in a way that made it viable for the average person to go out and put that on their farm, well this is an opportunity for them to do that.” A mock-up concept model of the farm includes solar panels elevated above crops. Heyl said there was nothing new in that, but people could run into problems, such as the US growers who recently found that solar panels installed above their cranberries was cutting too much sunlight and the crop was not maturing properly. “That’s the type of things that we can test here, we can demonstrate here and say listen, this is what you need to know
“At the moment there’s nowhere they can actually go that actually shows them, this is a combination of wind, solar or whatever that is applicable to my farm, and a battery solution, because if I want to shear at 8 o’clock at night, I still need to have electricity.” to be able to make a decision about what’s right for you.” De Koning said another example would be a farmer with a 40-yearold shearing shed looking at replacement but wondering whether to put in new poles and power lines for something that may only be used a few days a year – or to try to take the shed off the grid. “At the moment there’s nowhere they can
actually go that actually shows them, this is a combination of wind, solar or whatever that is applicable to my farm, and a battery solution, because if I want to shear at 8 o’clock at night, I still need to have electricity.” Heyl and de Koning hope to have “something physical” on the ground this year and were seeking partners with ideas to test. “We’re gonna demon-
Lincoln University’s new Energy Demonstration Farm will be established on a 6ha site fronting Shands Road and with shared boundaries with the University’s Research Dairy and Crop farms.
strate that it works then we’re gonna make sure that it’s sustainable it’s feasible and it’s bankable,” said de Koning. “A couple of banks that we’re talking to are very very excited to be part of this.”
One thing that isn’t a pain in the arse to move. We’ll have you powered up before the cows come home. We power more than 11,000 farms and businesses just like yours, so we know you can’t afford to wait this Moving Day. And because we’ve got your back, we’ll throw in a $400 moving credit for your dairy shed. Don’t have one? We’ll sweeten the deal for you too*. Call our Agribusiness Team on 0800 496 444 or visit meridian.co.nz/movefarm *Terms and conditions apply. Visit meridian.co.nz/movefarm
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is also a partner in the project. MPI acting director investment portfolio, Cheyne Gillooly, said the Energy Demonstration Farm has the poten-
tial for farmers to explore the technology and test it before they make an investment. “Farming is a high tech, high capital business and New Zealand farmers have always been at the forefront of innova-
tive farming techniques. We’re excited to support the Energy Demonstration Farm and help give farmers an opportunity to test the technology beforehand.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
16 // ANIMAL HEALTH
Treat milk area like a kitchen STRICT HYGIENE standards on dairy farms will be an important part of long-term export market protection, say awardwinning Waikato farmers Adrian and Pauline Ball. The couple farm a
300 cow milking herd on Dennley Farms near Tīrau, and last year won the national supreme title in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. They say it’s important that they view them-
selves as food producers rather than just farmers, as hygiene and health and safety standards become increasingly important to the long-term protection of dairy export markets. “We put in a new milk
filter sleeve after every single milking,” says Adrian. “We had a visit from a Korean food safety authority and that was the main thing they were interested in. We also do
Adrian and Pauline Ball.
Sending unsafe to tag animals to the works? AND
Before sending
Mark the animal
Declare the animal is unsafe to tag (UTT) in your NAIT account
Ensure the unsafe to tag animal has a marking so it can be identified at the works
a hot wash after every milking. We think that we have to treat our milking area like a commercial kitchen, not a farm shed.” As part of a farm overhaul that has seen them take out several farming excellence and environmental awards, the Balls put in place a DeLaval All-Inclusive performance plan for the supply of their aftermarket consumables, including detergents, liners, and filters. They say having an agreement in place to anticipate on-farm requirements means they can welcome unexpected customer or food authority visits without hesitation. “We’re able to bring a customer or an authority in here for an inspection, unannounced, any day of the week and we’re ready,” says Adrfian. “If we all see ourselves as food producers, that’s the way we will give the market credibility to pay us more.” It’s change in approach for the couple, who had previously just purchased whatever detergents or other aftermarket consumables were on special. “There are a lot of guys out there running really lean, but the last thing
you want is a grade and you end up with less in your pocket. It takes a lot of time to find a problem behind a grade, it’s better to just have it sorted in the first place,” says Pauline Ball. DeLaval says although farmers are increasingly aware that strict health and safety and hygiene standards have wide benefits, many still don’t put it at the top of the priority list. “We’re looking to take the risk off the property for them,” DeLaval says. “Farmers face multiple layers of regulation and legislation, so we’re trying to bundle up an answer for them so they’re compliant, and protecting the eventual consumer, without it being a burden.” The 194ha Dennley Farms includes a beef finishing operation as part of the Balls’ zero bobby calf policy. The Balls have also won the Ballance AgriNutrients Soil Management Award, the Dairy NZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award, the Massey University Innovation Award, the Waikato Regional Council Water Protection Award, and a Westpac Dairying Excellence Award.
Need help Call the OSPRI Contact Centre 0800 482 463 Note: unsafe to tag animals moved to a meat processor will be subject to a $13 UTT levy (excl. GST) per head. Failure to comply with the conditions of the UTT exemption may result in a $400 fine per animal or prosecution.
NAIT is an OSPRI programme
J1376 NAIT Unsafe to tag exemption FA4.indd 1
ospri.co.nz
17/02/2020 10:54:09 AM
Adrian changing milk filter sleeve.
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
TRACTORS & MACHINERY // 17
Spreaders deliver enviro solutions MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
BOGBALLE FOCUSSES on one product line, building fertiliser spreaders every day, with a history that dates back over 70 years and sees the blue spreaders made in Denmark exported to over 100 countries around the globe. With farmers being required to meet ever toughening environmental standards nitrogen soil levels and water quality, the Bogballe machines incorporate several features to assist in reducing excess nitrogen application on fields and into waterways. All spreaders are fitted standard with a border control mechanism which, when activated, changes the spread pattern to place the fertiliser only up to the border, thereby eliminating the problem of fertiliser exiting the field boundary or getting into waterways. Bogballe also offers a full range of electronic controllers with section control and GPS integration. This helps control the placement of the fertiliser in the field by adjusting the amount or shutting the spreader off automatically when driving over previously spread
areas. Automated Off/On functions when driving into and out of the headlands ensures there is no overspreading, alongside also offering proof of placement The company was the first to integrate a weighing system more than 30 years ago and claim to have perfected the technique. Weigh scales continuously measure the actual fertiliser in the spreader hopper and adjusts the flow rate leaving the hopper in relation to any change in ground speed or the flow of the fertiliser to maintain the target quantity (kg/ha). In operation, Bogballe spreaders use the “In-Centre” spreading principle whereby the spreading discs are turning into the centre. Each disc spreads fertiliser over a full 180 degrees overlapping each other, to create a double overlap on one pass. This results in a highly accurate and precision spreading pattern and placement of fertiliser on the ground. Compared to most other fertiliser spreader systems, with “Off-Centre” spreading formats, whose discs turn outwards, so each disc is only spreading 90-110 degrees, with no overlap on one pass.
Bogballe spreader offers full range of electronic controllers.
READY FOR THE ALL NEW FENDT 900 VARIO 296 – 415hp
Ready for more? The new Fendt 900 Vario is impressive on every level – efficiency, grip, versatility, safety, comfort and intelligence. Featuring new, groundbreaking solutions that give you a smarter partner in the field, the Fendt 900 Vario gets you ready for the everyday challenges, now, and into the future. Experience the features that make all the difference.
Contact your local Fendt dealer today.
The new Fendt 900 Vario is superior in every way - more grip, versatility, intelligence, safety, greater efficiency and impressive handling. Visit your local Fendt dealer today and experience the difference for yourself.
Fendt is a worldwide brand of AGCO Corporation.
Visit fendt.com.au
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
18 // TRACTORS & MACHINERY
Strong. Simple. Smart. www.sammachinery.co.nz
Mega reliable Built to last
SAM SPREADERS - New computer control Simple to use and maintain
Smart design Smart technology
Cab with a view MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
SELF-PROPELLED SAM TRAILERS - Drop-down sides, strong steel deck
SAM FEED WAGONS - More stainless
SAM QUICK HITCH Stands un-supported
CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITES BREAKING NEWS MANAGEMENT STORIES
STAY SAFE
MARKETS & TRENDS
Proudly NZ-made Since forever. To buy contact your local dealer or phone 07 847 8492
MIXER
wagons offer the advantages of being able to load, cut, mix and feed livestock rations, all with the same machine. As a result, the extended use of such machines means users are expecting increased comfort, ergonomics and visibility. Since early 2019, KUHN has been installing the new generation VISIOSPACE cabs on all self-propelled SPV and SPW single and twin vertical
MACHINERY REVIEWS COMPETITIONS AND MUCH MORE...
RURAL NEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS
www.ruralnews.co.nz
auger mixers. The VISIOSPACE cab satisfies several expectations: cab offers the largest window surface area and best field of vision on the market. From right to left, the driver has a 360° panoramic view, making it particularly suitable for users who operate livestock buildings or tight confines. Featuring a layout that has no visual obstacles at the foot of the cab, the driver is allowed a clear view of the milling head at the bottom of the silage clamp or when loading fibre bales. Downtime is reduced as the driver can easily assess the dis-
DRAINAGE AND SOIL AERATION PAY BIG DIVIDENDS Don’t put good fertiliser on compacted soil which can’t absorb it. If your soil can’t support 15cm root growth and good worm population check for compaction. You could need aeration. In dollar terms, what would 20% production increase mean to your yearly turnover?
tances and see clumps of fodder that may cause a potential blockage issue for the machine. With feeding typically carried out at the beginning or end of the day, the ventilation and heating system capacities have been increased by 50% and 30% respectively same generous dimensions of the first generation, are retained for spaciousness, and accessibility. To service a wide range of users, the VISIOSPACE cab is available in Standard, Edition and Attractive specifications. www.kuhn.co.nz
AERATORS
HEAVY DUTY AUTO RESET
NOW AVAILABLE, 5 OR 6 LEG MODELS
MOLEPLOUGH
YOUR GREATEST ASSET IS THE SOIL YOU FARM. DON’T DESTROY IT!
• SOIL AERATION SPECIALISTS •
PRE RIPPERS
MAITLAND RD5, GORE. PH/FAX 03-207 1837 OR 027-628 5695 www.james-engineering.co.nz
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
TRACTORS & MACHINERY // 19
Heavy rollers moved with ease MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
MOVING LARGE diameter or heavy rollers between different properties has always been a logistical nightmare. The arrival of Pluck’s Roller Bogie trailer bypasses the problem by using a rubber wheeled, Bogie Trailer that also offers the advantage of allowing the heavy roller to stay connected to the towing tractor. This removes the issue of uncoupling/recoupling when transporting rollers on a low loader type trailer. Designed to suit all sizes, types and makes of NZ made Heavy Rollers without modification, the process uses the tractor’s hydraulic system to lower the bogie, the roller
is simply backed on, tied down and driven between sites. The Bogie is designed so its wheels fit under your roller frame, keeping the overall transport width to not much wider that the roller frame itself. Depending on the overall roller width, the Bogie has around 80mm of clearance at each end, to make it very easy to load the roller. At the rear of the unit, two safety rails across the frame to ensures the roller can’t be backed over the frame accidentally, while 3 marker pylons, at each and the centre, allow operators to get the roller centred as it backed on. Transported rollers are secured by four safety straps. Maintenance free, the Bogie features 70mm
square axles and hubs rated to 4000kgs each at 30kph, while military grade 14-ply tyres are rated to 2000kgs at 30kph. The manufacturer suggests that besides
making the job safe and easy, it also saves wear and tear on axles, roller bearings and the roller casing that are invariably inflicted, when towing roller along the road.
FOR GREAT PASTURE AND CROP YIELD. CHOOSE DUNCAN DISC OR TINE DRILLS. Enviro DD30 A double disc drill, ideal for rock conditions and for cutting through trash to place the seed at an even depth.
Tine/disc: Disc
Operation Size: 100Ha-300Ha
• Dual 700 litre hoppers • Narrow 125mm row spacing • Rigid heavy duty chassis
VERSATILE MACHINE
Eco Seeder Designed to sow a variety of seeds from clover, rape and swedes right up to oats, wheat and peas.
SAID TO be a versatile machine, whether incorpo-
rating cover crops in spring, stubble cultivation in summer and seedbed preparation in autumn, the Pöttinger Terradisc compact disc harrow lends itself to a wide range of applications throughout the arable season. Available with working widths between 3 and 10 metres, the key design feature is a twin arm system that has twin disc carriers and a wide clamping bracket. This has the effect of holding the 580mm discs at a precise, stable angle, that in turn means the soil profile is moved effectively. The set up also prevents lateral movement making the machine very effective in heavy soils or dry conditions. The disc carriers are manufactured from high strength cast iron, creating resistance to stress and a long service life, while rubber elements act as overload protection and allow an upward movement is hidden objects are encountered. Said to be able to deal with high volumes of organic matter thanks to a large under- frame clearance and the aggressive angle of the discs, Terradisc creates an homogeneous mixing of soil and plant residues at working depths of 5 to 15 cm, regulated by springs clips at the front of the machine.
Renovator Classic The ideal farmers drill. Whether you want to sow winter feed, ryegrass or cereals the Classic will handle it all.
Tine/disc: Tine
Operation Size: Up to 100Ha
• Entry level drill - 3 point linkage or trailed option • 25mm coil tine and Duncan inverted “T’’ boot • Peg tooth roller distribution system • Disc openers optional
Tine/disc: Tine
Operation Size: 100Ha-300Ha
• 3m sowing width • 25mm coil tine and Duncan inverted “T’’ boot • Peg tooth roller distribution system • Disc openers optional
A division of Giltrap Engineering Limited
03 688 2029 • DUNCANAG.CO.NZ
TRACTA_62696_DN
• Optional press wheels
DAIRY NEWS MARCH 31, 2020
20 // TRACTORS & MACHINERY
Get ready to say hello to Kia’s Halo EV MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
KIA IS to introduce a
halo Electric Vehicle (EV) next year as part of its plans to ramp up electrification and to become a greener and more sustainable vehicle maker. The new vehicle will be the first to be built on a new, dedicated EV platform. Designed to be a “super-high performance” model, the new EV is expected to deliver much greater distance than the company’s current Niro EV, which is among the market leaders with a 455-kilometre range. A production-ready version of the Imagine
concept will go on sale by the end of next year and will ride on a completely new, independent electric platform, unrelated to any other models in the Kia
line-up. The new model will spearhead plans by Kia to offer a total of 11 fully electric vehicles by the end of 2025 that will be produced in volumes
to take 6.6% of the worldwide EV market. By that stage, the shortage of batteries that is currently limiting the supply of EV vehicles across the market
will have abated, allowing Kia to boost production of electric cars to deliver more than 330,000 annually by 2025. The credentials for the
new EV have already been recognised even before it is launched, having recently been awarded a prestigious 2020 iF Design Awards in Europe.
PERFORMANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE.
The Imagine by Kia concept is a visual embodiment of Kia’s desire to champion and popularise exciting electric cars, offering a pure electric four-door vehicle that draws together elements of a sleek and athletic family sedan, a muscular sports utility vehicle and a versatile, spacious crossover. Intentionally designed not to sit within the car industry’s predefined vehicle categories. It’s next-generation, zero-emissions powertrain includes a low-mounted, inductioncharged battery pack that powers electric motors on each axle, delievering at least 500km range on a single charge.
Sam Whitelock, Massey Ferguson ambassador.
MF 7600 SERIES 140 – 150 HP The MF 7614 and MF 7615 are proven high performing tractors with straightforward technology and easy-to-use controls, perfect for getting the job done. • Electronic Power Management with additional power available for those demanding jobs • Dyna-4 (16x16) or Dyna-6 (24x24) transmission options • Left-hand power control, exclusive to Massey Ferguson
• Integrated factory loader joystick with shuttle button and transmission controls • Improved operator comfort with cab suspension as standard
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MASSEY FERGUSON DEALER TODAY MASSEYFERGUSON.CO.NZ | FREECALL 0800 825 872
A world of experience. Working with you.
Together, Creating the Best Soil and Feed on Earth
A new chapter in sustainable farming It’s better for the environment
It’s compatible to blend with other fertilisers
With the spotlight on phosphate loss and its impact on the environment, it’s immensely rewarding for us to know we can help farmers and growers reduce phosphate loss by up to 75%.
You love products that work well together. That’s why we designed SurePhos to be compatible with the other fertilisers you use on your farm, so you can add phosphate when you need it.
Greater weather flexiblity
It’s granular, so it’s easy to spread evenly and accurately
It rains a lot here in New Zealand. That’s why we designed SurePhos, a stabilised phosphate to suit our conditions. You can apply SurePhos in a greater range of weather conditions, without the risk that rain will wash the nutrients away.
SurePhos is a granular product so it’s easy to spread evenly and accurately to apply phosphate exactly where you need it.
It’s less water soluble, so it lasts longer
It has been independently tested by AgResearch
Our soils need phosphate. The trick is getting it to stay in the soil and not wash away. SurePhos is less water soluble, so it stays in the soil for longer.
SurePhos has been independently tested by AgResearch.
Reduce your phosphate loss by up to 75% with SurePhos It’s a fact that New Zealand soils are deficient in phosphate and sulphate. To find out how you can reduce your phosphate loss by up to 75% by applying SurePhos, speak to your local Nutrient Specialist or contact our Customer Services team.
For the love of the land
ballance.co.nz | 0800 222 090