Dairy News 05 May 2020

Green light for Gypsy Day. PAGE 5

RECORD KEEPING Tab on grazing movements PAGE 6

MAY 5, 2020 ISSUE 445 // www.dairynews.co.nz

TIME’S UP A group of Fonterra farmers want the Shareholders Council scrapped. PAGE 3

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

NEWS  // 3

Call to scrap co-op shareholders body SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

A GROUP of Fonterra farmers want the ShareAg Tech’s helping hand. PG.08

One robot does the trick. PG.16

Feeding out. PG.19

NEWS �������������������������������������������������������3-9 AGRIBUSINESS �������������������������������10-11 OPINION ���������������������������������������������� 14-15 MANAGEMENT ��������������������������������������16 ANIMAL HEALTH �����������������������������������17 FEEDING OUT ���������������������������������� 19-23

holders Council scrapped. The farmers say the council has failed in its fundamental role to keep Fonterra’s board accountable and keep shareholders fully informed of the co-op’s performance and is now not required. The group, headed by Waikato farmers Trevor Simpson, Jim Cotman, Malcolm Lumsden and Mike Peters, is urging other shareholders to make their views known to a steering committee set up to review the council. Simpson says shareholders should ask what the council has achieved for them in the last 20 years. “What have we got for our investment? Bugger…I can’t think of anything,” he told Dairy News. “There has to be a better, more efficient way of monitoring Fonterra’s performance and keeping the board and management in line rather than having a 25-member toothless tiger.” The council has an annual operating budget of $3 million. Simpson says farmers have poured around $50 million into the council over the past 20 years with little to show in return. “We believe the council has done its dash and it’s time for it to be disbanded,” he says. Lumsden believes the Shareholders Council is viewed as being more aligned with the board’s perspective rather than the shareholders’ views. “A significant ‘red flag’ has been raised through the election process where many shareholders have chosen to ignore Shareholders Council recommendations and instead elected independent candidates on to the Fonterra board,” said Lumsden. The group feels the council has shielded Fonterra directors from fronting up to shareholders

Fonterra farmers, from left, Jim Cotman, Trevor Simpson and Malcolm Lumsden want the Shareholders Council scrapped.

more frequently. Peters says the link between directors and shareholders has been lost. “The directors show up during the election process promising to save the world: once they get on the board, we don’t hear from them again.” Peters says other co-ops like Ballance and LIC have their chief executive making farm visits to meet shareholders. “The board needs to get out and make us feel part of the co-op,” he says. “Shareholders feel a disconnect between them and the board and management.” Simpson says the council review is providing Fonterra shareholders the opportunity to start afresh. “The Shareholders Council’s lifespan is over; it’s time to move on and time to start fresh,” says Simpson. “We don’t need a big council costing us $3m a year to tell us how Fonterra is performing. “We believe that shareholders are looking for timely reports from an independent source. “We’re after a critique of the board’s performance against its stated strategy and KPI’s. Perhaps a small three to five-member shareholders

committee could make this appointment.” Simpson and his group filed a remit at the last Fonterra annual meeting, calling for an independent review of the council. The remit received 24% support, failing to meet the 50.1% threshold to pass. A similar remit by Southland farmer Tony Patterson received 44% support at the same meeting. At the same meeting the council announced a review of its operations. Simpson wants farmers to make their views known to the steering committee, which has at least four Fonterra farmer shareholders. Steering committee member and Federated Farmers vice president Andrew Hoggard tweeted that the review process was going well. “Looking forward to some good farmer engagement,” he says. The committee is chaired by former senior government official James Buwalda. Other members are Judy Garshaw, Paul Quinn, John Small, Emma Hammond, Mike Montgomerie and two Fonterra directors John Nicholls and Donna Smit. • Council responds, p4

DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

4 //  NEWS

Have your say

FONTERRA’S NEW DIRECTOR

FONTERRA SHAREHOLDERS Council

AUSTRALIAN BUSINESSWOMAN,

chairman James Barron says it’s important for all shareholders to participate in the review process. He says the Fonterra farmer base will have a wide range of views on the future shape of the council. “I would encourage all shareholders to take part in the review process governed by the steering group.” The nine-member steering group is made up of two shareholders councillors, two Fonterra directors and four farmer shareholders chosen by Barron. “I was very aware of the importance of having the right people leading this review,” he says. “I reviewed all the applicants against a comprehensive set of skills and attributes including their understanding

Holly Kramer has been appointed to Fonterra board as an independent director. Kramer, New South Wales, has extensive governance, multinational and retail business experience. She is deputy chair of the Australian Post board and a director of supermarket operator Woolworths. Her previous governance roles include the boards of Nine Entertainment Corporation, AMP Limited, and Telstra Clear (NZ). During her management career, Kramer held sales, marketing or senior leadership roles at the Ford Motor Company, Telstra Corporation and Pacific Brands. She was chief executive of major Australian retailer, Best & Less. Fonterra chairman John Monaghan says the co-op is pleased to welcome Kramer with her wealth of governance experience across a broad range of industries. “Holly’s experience in customer-centred leadership, transformation, e-commerce, technology and multinational organisations will complement the existing collective skill set of our board. “She has a strong record of creating shareholder value across a broad range of industries and shares our commitment

James Barron

of governance and representation, experience of consultation processes, integrity, honesty, leadership, sound judgement, communication and listening skills, and ability to challenge and critique constructively. “Together, the group combines a strong level of knowledge and understanding of how governance, representation and management work in our co-op, balanced with an

appropriate level of objectivity.” The Steering Group has appointed James Buwalda as its independent chair. Buwalda is chair of the Ospri Stakeholders Council and has a lot of experience consulting for industry sector groups, government agencies and research and academic institutions. The group says it chose Buwalda “after con-

sidering a wide range of candidates, because of his independence, chair experience, reputation, experience in collaborating with stakeholder groups and his sound grasp of the methodology which should underpin a review such as this.” The steering group is meeting regularly via conference call, developing the process for consultation with Fonterra shareholders and sharemilkers.

Holly Kramer

to the highest standards of governance. “Holly’s experience, energy and international perspective will be assets for our cooperative.” Kramer fills the vacancy left by Simon Israel when he retired from the Fonterra Board in November last year. Farmers will be asked to ratify her appointment as part of voting at this year’s annual meeting.

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value through knowledge to dairy farmers and staff,” McDonald said. “We are moving from manual milking systems to farms now managing their herds by data. We need to make sure that we transfer knowledge and give them the best possibility to optimise their systems from the time they purchase them. Customer satisfaction was really a significant driver.” Company-X worked on the e-learning programme in small iterations, allowing the DeLaval subject matter experts to provide frequent feedback on the solution as it was built. The DelPro Interactive E-Learning solution Company-X built offers 64 e-learning modules that take about four hours to complete: comprising nine separate courses

including milking, feeding, health, reproduction, performance and body condition scoring. Modules are animated and narrated by an automated voice. Users can turn text prompts on or off. Teaching resources are offered for download for future use as the user progresses. Users can choose to use either the imperial or metric measurement system. One challenge was keeping all of the stakeholders around the world fully informed and engaged. Company-X used project management tool TeamWork to collaborate and define a multi-stage review process. Reviewers and approvers were chosen for each region and a new role called DeLaval Voice to ensure content was consistent with DeLaval style.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

NEWS  // 5

Green light for Gypsy Day peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

AGRICULTURE MINISTER Damien O’Connor

is hailing “great cooperation” right across the agriculture sector that led to a successful outcome for Gypsy Day or Moving Day on June 1. O’Connor told Dairy News that it’s good to provide clarity to farmers and sharemilkers, worried about the important event in the dairy farming calendar. “We have been working on this for some time and were aware of its importance, but also mindful that the restrictions under level 4 are quite tough. Level 3 is different and if we are at level 2 by June 1 that will just be sensible requirement by all those sharemilkers that travel around the country,” he says O’Connor says if we are still at level 3, then people will have to be a lot more careful with everything and lot stricter on how they interact with their transport options and the movement of everything required on that day. After weeks of talks between stakeholders, Gypsy day or Moving Day will go ahead on June 1 but with strict protocols in place because of the Covid-19 pandemic. This day marks the first day of the dairy season: a large number of dairy farming families, sharemilkers, contract milkers and employees move to new farms to

start new employment and milking contracts. This year it’s estimated that between 1500 and 2000 farm businesses will be involved: with staff and family members included, around 20,000 people will be on the move. With Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s Gypsy Day will be different. Moving stock and households to new farms must be done in accordance with strict procedures to adhere to health and safety regulations relating to Covid-19. It’s not known what alert level NZ may be in on that day, but O’Connor says regardless of that, Moving Day will go ahead. O’Connor says if the country was in alert level 4, the dairy sector should limit activities to only those that cannot be deferred. Other protocols include people remaining in their bubbles, limiting face-to-face contact and maintaining up-to-date NAIT and other animal movement records. O’Connor says this annual movement is a critical part of the dairy industry – an industry that contributes over $18 billion a year in exports to the economy and provides jobs for around 46,000 people. “It’s also an industry that will play a critical role in New Zealand’s economic recovery after Covid-19, so it was vital that Moving Day went ahead. Since the Alert Level 4 lockdown was announced, and dairy farming was deemed an

essential service, the Government has been committed to finding a way to enable it to proceed,” he says. O’Connor says the

Government has been working with leaders from organisations including DairyNZ, Fonterra, Federated Farmers and FMG to find solu-

tions that work for those in the sector and pro-

tect the economy, without jeopardising anyone’s

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HAPPY FARMERS A GOOD common sense solution to what could have been a very big problem. That’s how the chairman of Federated Farmers Sharemilkers section, Richard McIntyre describes the outcome. McIntyre says he was part of the industry group dubbed ‘team ag approach’, which worked through all the scenarios and then put forward a proposal to Ministry of Primary Industries for approval. “We discussed all the possibilities, including if it didn’t go ahead, what if it was delayed by one to three months, and how it might work on 1 June as planned,” he says. McIntyre praised MPI and the other organisations for working positively to find a solution.

Chart adapted from Kimura K, Reinhardt TA, Goff JP. Parturition and hypocalcemia blunts calcium signals in immune cells of dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 2006;89:2588–95

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

6 //  NEWS

MEATING THE NEEDS OF KIWIS NIGEL MALTHUS

THE FIRST delivery of minced

meat went to the Christchurch City Mission in late April as New Zealand’s farmers launched a new initiative to support food banks around the country. Two dairy farmers, Siobhan O’Malley and Wayne Langford, have founded a charity that connects donated produce from farmers with processors and ultimately food banks. “It has always felt not quite right that we farmers feed so many millions overseas, but there are still people hungry in New Zealand,” says O’Malley, a mid-Canterbury dairy farmer. A year in the planning, Meat the Need has been launched at the perfect time, enabling farmers to support New Zealanders hit by the economic fallout from the Covid19 lockdown. Meat the Need aims to smooth out supply for food banks so they get quality food, in regular amounts that they can plan around, and also to allow farmers to give at seasonal times when they are able. “We are all about kiwi farmers feeding kiwi families,” says Langford, a Takaka dairy farmer and the Feds’ Golden Bay provincial president. Langford said there were a lot of

Pete Blackmore

Takaka farmer Wayne Langford.

strings to pull to get the initiative underway, particularly around food security. At one point they considered a home-kill system, with meat packaged up by young farmer volunteers. But with Silver Fern Farms onboard as one of the founding partners, Meat the Need can run a model where the nominally donated animal won’t necessarily provide the meat that actually gets to a food bank. Silver Fern also gives the scheme a nationwide reach. Donated animals would just be collected as normal, alongside others being sent to the works, said Langford. Farmers are encouraged to donate via the Meat the Need website (meattheneed.org) or via Silver Fern Farms stock agents.

“Thanks to partnering with Silver Fern Farms, we are able to accept sheep, deer and cattle, and turn them into mince for kiwi families that need a hand,” said Langford. Support has also come from DairyNZ, Federated Farmers and Beef + Lamb. “A number of individual farmers and groups like AgProudNZ have also been in touch to see how they can help, so we are really excited to see how farmers can have an impact,” said O’Malley. The charity is being run by a board consisting of Langford and O’Malley, with Ruralco chair-elect Jessie Chan, NZX’s Julia Jones, Tatua director Richard Luxton, and Young Maori farmer Cheyenne Wilson.

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Record grazing movements SOUTHLAND DAIRY

farmers Pete and Olivia Blackmore will soon be drying off their herd in preparation for winter grazing. While their milking cows only move one kilometre to a neighbouring property, they still manage their NAIT obligations diligently. The Blackmores milk 650 cows on 225ha effective milking platform, including 20ha of winter crop. The run-off is 3km away: a 72ha block for cutting silage and beef fattening. The farm and

TB TESTING THE BLACKMORES test stock for Tb bi-annually. “Fortunately, we’ve not had an issue with TB but are aware of the significant risk it poses to the wider industry,” says Pete Blackmore. “AsureQuality did testing and scanned every NAIT tag, which was a great way to capture any untagged animals. “We drafted them out and replaced them. It is straightforward to assign NAIT tags to these animals.”

block are registered under one NAIT number. Pete Blackmore says they usually dry-off at the end of May, weather and feed permitting. The herd grazes at the property next door. Young stock are sent to graziers at Wyndham and Ranfurly. To record grazing movements, the Blackmores use LIC MINDA. “We arrange our cows into four date-scanned calving mobs and walk them down the road once they are ready to go on crop. “The selected group is transferred as a NAIT task within the MINDA Pro app. It automatically registers the grazing movements into the NAIT system. “We use the same system to transfer in-calf heifers when they return precalving.” The mobs usually come back early August. Pete says they update the NAIT location of each group concurrently with the physical movement of returning them to the platform. “Because the MINDA software allows the stock to remain within the herd,

we can transfer the stock back as whole groups or individual animals, if there is an early calf or death. “This allows us to carry out NAIT requirements and update herd records ourselves.” An animal status declaration (ASD) is a key document when moving stock. Pete says the ASD can be generated automatically. Sometimes they use a paper ASD. “I wouldn’t know of any transporters willing to move stock without a completed ASD. It acts as a traceable tool for early detection of threats such as Mycoplasma bovis or TB.” The Blackmores have a good relationship with their graziers. Pete says they are all NAIT compliant and motivated progressive farmers. “This makes recording of stock movements easy.” OSPRI is also supportive. It can sort records over the phone and talk through transfers. “It isn’t time consuming and puts you in control of your online stock locations.”

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

8 //  NEWS

Ag tech lends a helping hand MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

THE SAYING goes

‘when things get tough, the tough get going’ and this is happening here in New Zealand and further afield. In Dannevirke, man-

ufacturer Metalform, probably best known for products such as its Tow and Fert system, has stood down much of its workforce, but retained 30 employees to make face shields. Aimed to protect frontline staff in hospitals, emergency services, phar-

macies and supermarkets in the fight against Covid-19, the company is currently manufacturing around 7,000 face shields each day. Metalform sales and marketing manager Tim Henman says it already had a small division within the factory making

Class 2 medical devices like oxygen bottle holders for hospitals and emergency centres. “It made sense to us to use our in-house skills to produce the face shields and remove some of the reliance on imported products,” he told Dairy News.

“We presented the product to the Government’s procurement arm last month, but have not received a reply. In the meanwhile, we are making the units available to anyone with a need.” The face shields, made from 0.25mm thick PET plastic, are mounted with

TO ALL FARMERS. FOR ALL FARMERS. www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz an adjustable strap and foam band against the forehead in a one-size format, protecting the eyes against droplets. Manufactured to meet multiple standards including Reach, USFDA and ISO, the units also meet WHO standards for PPE used in infection and prevention control. Designed for multiple uses, the face shields can be easily cleaned with an antibacterial solution. Further afield in the UK, JCB – best known for its bright yellow tractors, excavators and telehandlers – has ceased general production, but turned over part of its facilities to help with the urgent need for ventilators. Responding to a direct

appeal from UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to help plug the national ventilator shortage, JCB will produce steel housings for a new ventilator design from tech company Dyson. A minimum of 10,000 items will be manufactured at the company’s cab factory in Uttoxeter, bringing 50 workers back to work following the recent shutdown. Commenting on the initiative, chairman Lord Bamford said, “we have driven the project from design to production in just a matter of days and recognising this is a global crisis, will produce more housings to meet the needs of other countries if required.”

IN BRIEF Awards judging

RURAL NEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

HORTNEWS

NATIONALS JUDGING for the 2020 NZ Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) will continue this month, within the guidelines of Covid-19 restrictions. “After consulting our finalists, national sponsors and stakeholders, we have carefully designed a robust judging process that will enable a fair and level playing field, minimise stress to entrants and focus on finding the best farmers,” says NZDIA general manager, Robin Congdon. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, finalists will be asked to submit their presentations for judging digitally and speak with the judges online rather than face-to-face. “In the current environment, more than ever, it is important that success within the dairy industry is celebrated and the sector’s contribution to the nation as an essential service is acknowledged,” says Congdon. All presentations, information and material from finalists must be submitted to NZDIA management by the May 15, with judging to commence on the May 20. Congdon says it is hoped 2020 National award winners can be brought together at an event when restrictions are lifted so that their efforts and success can be celebrated appropriately.

DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

NEWS  // 9

Water quality – not just farming’s problem PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A REPORT by the Government is offering further evidence that New Zealand’s freshwater is being impacted not just by farming but equally by urban development, forestry and other human activities. Our Freshwater 2020, by the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) and the Department of Statistics (DoS), highlights how climate change is set to make the issues faced by our freshwater environments even worse. The report’s authors say it builds on the information presented in previous reports but goes deeper on the issues affecting freshwater in NZ. This includes new insights on the health of freshwater ecosystems, heavy metals in urban streams, consented

water takes and expected changes due to climate change. The aim, say MfE and DoS, is to provide the evidence to enable an open and honest conversation about available options and to tell a national story, while recognising that significant regional variations exist. It notes that the data and science

presented in the report is up-to-date and the best available, but that there is much more work needed to be done. It does conclude that most rivers in farming areas are polluted, quoting studies at national, regional, and catchment scales showing that show the concentrations of nitrogen, phos-

MIRAKA SUPPLIERS SHOW GRATITUDE ilar milk yield to last season. He says in terms of marketing their dairy company, near Taupo, are sending videos to staff thanking them for products, Miraka is doing pretty well being at work and processing their although they have been impacted by Covid-19. milk. “We were fortunate that we shifted Miraka chief executive Richard a lot of products in JanuWyeth told Dairy News ary to China, then Covidthat farmers have sent in 19 came through and the some great videos, much market went quiet through to the delight of the staff. February and March. We Miraka suppliers were had a few orders for UHT badly hit by drought cancelled and the phone during the first three stopped ringing for milk months of this year. powder, which is generally Recent rain has boosted what happens on the comgrass growth and lifted Richard Wyeth modity side - it just goes farmer morale. “I think farmers are also happy very quiet,” he says. But Wyeth says they are now startbecause they know they are getting a $7 payout for the current season and ing to see the market pick up with that is some comfort, but there is some good orders coming through for their nervousness around next season,” branded Taupo Pure consumer packs. UHT sales are also picking up. Wyeth says. Wyeth says some futurists are “We have come out and said for a budgeting perspective, next sea- saying the China market is running at son’s payout could be between $6.25 about “7.5 out of 10 now”. “So that’s good given that eight and $6.50/kgMS. That is a reasonable number, but it is too early to be too weeks ago you didn’t want to be in definitive on that and there is a real China. You were looking at Europe spread in terms of predictions,” he and the US, but they have now really turned on their heads and Europe is says. Wyeth says the drought has hit milk more challenging now than China,” production and Miraka forecasts a sim- he says.

phorus, sediment, and E. coli in rivers all increase as the area of farmland upstream increases. It says farm animals are a source of freshwater pol-

FARMER REACTION

lutants such as dissolved nitrogen, phosphorus, and pathogens and that fertiliser and animal dung and urine are important sources of phosphorus. It notes that dairy cattle numbers have increased by 70% in NZ since 1994 and that farming has intensified with higher stock numbers per hectare in many regions. But the report also notes that most of the rivers in catchments in the urban land-cover class are polluted with nutrients and suspended sediment, and many are polluted with pathogens and heavy metals. And it points to a problem with aging infrastructure in urban areas, which is leading to pollution.

DAIRYNZ SAYS the report highlights NZ’s environmental challenges and where everyone can play a part. Strategy and investment leader for environment, Dr David Burger, says dairy farmers are committed to protecting the environment and taking action on-farm to support that. “Our dairy sector is on the journey to improve and protect water quality outcomes and our farmers have been working toward this for over a decade. We are continuing to do more every year. The Freshwater 2020 report does draw some key themes together for urban, farming and forestry, and shows us that all land use has an impact on our freshwater,” he says. But Burger says the report’s approach compares current water quality with native forest waterway condition and DairyNZ believes it is therefore somewhat misleading. “We know that all development has an impact on water quality but it is unrealistic to compare this to native forest state. An estimated 95% of total river length in pastoral catchments exceeded one or more guideline values, simply because they are being compared to a very high native forest standard. “Interestingly, more than 50% of native waterways also failed to meet this criteria. This sets the benchmark very high for catchments with modified land use,” he says. Federated Farmers says the data and findings in the report provide powerful backing for the case for greater investment in water storage.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

10 //  AGRIBUSINESS

Breeder joins HFNZA board NIGEL MALTHUS

THE COVID-19 PAN-

DEMIC has effectively brought forward the appointment of Southland dairy farmer Helen Cummings to the national board of the Holstein Friesian NZ Association. Nominated unopposed to represent Ward 8 (Otago/Southland) in the recent director elections, Cummings’ appointment would normally have taken effect at the annual general meeting during the annual conference in Whangarei in June, but both the AGM and the conference have been cancelled. Instead, she and the other board members are already getting into their work over Skype. It’s an opportunity the passionate Holstein Frie-

Helen Cummings on her farm.

sian breeder is relishing. “I was asked to be nominated as the board member for the Otago/ Southland region, so I thought I’d give it a go,” she said. Helen lives on a 106ha dairy farm at Wyndham,

milking a herd of 235 predominately Holstein Friesian cows with a full-time employee, Cherie McMullan, while her husband Jock works in town. Helen and Jock have been members of Holstein Friesian NZ for almost 20

years. “I became secretary of the Southland branch two months after we joined. I took over as president about six or seven years ago,” she said. “Joining the national board will be an opportunity for me to grow my own skills and learn more about key aspects of the association.” The couple breed pedigree animals under the stud name Mayalan Holsteins - a mash-up of Rowalan, the name of Helen’s parents’ farm, with May, the month Helen and Jock bought their first Holstein. Helen believes there are significant advantages to the breed. “There are big production benefits with using Holstein Friesian bulls over your herd,” she said. “The top-ranking Holstein Friesian sires pro-

duce almost 40% more milksolids than their Jersey counterparts from the same feed.” Helen said there’s also a strong market for Frie-

sian bull calves and surplus heifers. Meanwhile the cancellation of the Holstein Friesian NZ conference and AGM for this year

puts back the association’s annual conference rotation by 12 months, so Northland will now host it in 2021 and Manawatu in 2022.

FLOOD RECOVERY HELEN CUMMINGS’ appointment caps off a busy time on the farm, which borders the Mataura River and was badly affected by the big floods of early February. “We’ve been here 12 years and I’ve never seen a flood that bad. Almost 80% of the farm went under water,” recalls Helen. Floodwaters swept away 150 grass silage bales, damaged fences and lanes, wrecked crops and left paddocks strewn with debris. Helen and McMullan spent five to six hours a day since the flood cleaning up paddocks. “We have 42 paddocks. We’ve had to pick up sticks, rubbish and clear massive branches and entire trees from 36 of them,” she said. About 300 new posts, 50 strainer

posts and 7.5km of new wire have been needed to repair fences and ensure they are stock-proof again. Helen called it a hard two-month slog which only finished in mid-April. But she praised the way neighbours and the Southland community worked together in the days following the disaster. “We had 23 friends and family turn up on the Saturday following the flood to help with the clean-up and 26 people on the Sunday. It was truly humbling. It’s likely the effects of the flood will be felt into next season,” she said. “Plus, there were several members of the Farmy Army – a volunteer group organised by Federated Farmers – and a team from the Gore A&P Society, where Jock is president.”

DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

AGRIBUSINESS  // 11

Fueling the global dairy industry A TEAM of bulls in the

US has achieved ‘global essential worker’ status for its role in helping fuel the world’s dairy industry. Each year, around 1300 elite dairy sires stationed at Select Sires’ 303 hectare Ohio bull farm and 212 hectare Wisconsin bull farm are charged with providing semen to sire the next generation of global dairy cows. Achieving this in the Covid-19 environment, however,

around the world recognise that improved production and efficiencies are important for their selection processes - now more than ever.” He says in some countries, on-farm visits simply aren’t possible right now. WWS is working to understand what form of contact works best for each farmer within the relevant restrictions. “It’s at times like this

land which could be one of the first places in the world to show upward demand and prices for milk prices. “The sooner we are

able to get back to a more normal situation, the sooner we can see the milk market turn back to something more normal. “Around the world,

in all the markets we’re involved in, we are getting a strong sense of appreciation for the strength and value of farming in helping economies recover.

John Schouten

“It’s at times like this that you see the resilience of farmers and we are very privileged to see this on a global stage.” calls for another layer of complexity. John Schouten heads World Wide Sires, the marketing arm for Select Sires, which is one of the world’s largest dairyfarmer owned cooperatives. Right now he leads a team charged with understanding the movement controls that apply in each of more than 100 countries the company provides genetics to. Like the rest of the World Wide Sires’ global team, Schouten is working from his home in Visalia, California. “Most of the countries we are working in have some sort of restriction or lockdown due to the Covid-19. Our challenge is to understand those restrictions and ensure they get the right genetics – appropriate to what their farmers need – delivered at the right time and in the right way,” he says. The situation varies by country, the region of the world and local conditions. It also depends a bit on how much impact farmers are experiencing due to Covid-19. “As we know, breeding cows is essential to the sustainability of the herd for years to come. In some countries, prior to Covid-19, we experienced tremendous interest in improving genetics of herds due to the increasing requirements concerning nitrates and phosphorus. Dairymen

that you see the resilience of farmers and we are very privileged to see this on a global stage. They are the masters of adaptation, pragmatically adjusting their businesses so they can continue to provide much needed food to the world.” Due to Covid-19, WWS is seeing a change in buying behavior; farmers are tending to order their semen a little earlier and there’s a trend for larger orders. The company says this pattern suggests farmers want the reassurance of having their genetic supplies on-farm well in advance of the breeding season. Demand to date suggests this year will set a new sales record, says Schouten. He says optimism among WWS customers is high. “Dairymen around the world all face similar issues and market situations. Presently milk prices are lower in Europe and North America due to Covid-19 and the challenges to the supply chain for milk and milk products. The closure of restaurants and diminished tourism market is having a significant impact on milk consumption. “However, the good news is that China appears to be coming out of this situation. This should be good news for producers particularly for countries like New Zea-

We’ve got the country covered Covering the country from Cape Reinga to Bluff, our team of Area Managers are here to support you as an essential business service. We‘re on the ground, actively helping dairy farmers do things right on farm - from achieving healthy teats and training your staff, to troubleshooting mastitis issues. Brian Salvigny Northland, Helensville m. 027 472 1501

Tom Laurent South Auckland, Hauraki, Paeroa, Waihi, Te Aroha m. 027 549 4692

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

14 //  OPINION RUMINATING

EDITORIAL

Co-op dilemma

MILKING IT... Payout signal? ANOTHER SIGNAL from Fonterra that next season’s milk payout will drop. The co-op has announced a raft of measures to boost farmer cash flow in the new season, bringing forward milk payments from June. Monthly payments will be made on the 15th of the month from June, compared to the 20th currently. Final settlement (wash up payment) will be no later than five working days after its annual results announcement. Advance rate guideline from July will start at 65% of the mid-range for the payout forecast. After enjoying $6-plus payouts for the past four years, Fonterra farmers are being told to brace for a drop in milk payout next season.

Ask before you enter

Farmers see red over Brown

Donkey milk demand

A WORD of caution for hunters from farmers: please get permission to access private land. Under Level 3 recreational hunting for big and small game will be allowed under Level 3 on private land only. But, as has always been the case, hunters must gain the landowner’s permission. Farmers, who have been able to continue vital pest control under Level 4, will welcome the return of responsible hunters from Tuesday next week to boost their own efforts to keep numbers of rabbit, deer, wallabies, wild pigs and goats under control. But farmers point out that there is no obligation on the farm business to let hunters on the land – it must work for the ‘bubble’ of the farm and within the rules, such as no use of motorised vehicles by recreational hunters while on private land.

DAIRY AUSTRALIA’S decision to sign on an Aussie rules legend and media personality as its new ambassador is causing a backlash. Farmer lobby Farmer Power wants to know how much Jonathan Brown will be paid for his new role. Dairy Australia says Brown is not comfortable with disclosing confidential information around his salary. But Farmer Power chief executive Garry Kerr farmers wanted full disclosure. “What’s the value for money in Jonathan Brown? In Victoria alone, a lot of people don’t know who Jonathan Brown is and definitely interstate, people don’t know who Jonathan Brown is.” Brown’s grandfather owned a dairy farm, and his uncle farms near Warrnambool.

ONE DAIRY company has been doing well during the Covid-19 outbreak in Italy. Donkey milk producer Eurolactis Italia Srl is seeing a growing demand for bulk donkey milk powder for the nutrition industry as well as for a raw cosmetic ingredient, mainly from soap manufacturers. Donkey milk is rich in vitamin E, amino acids, vitamins A, B1, B6, C, D, E, and well balanced in omega 3 and 6, the company says. It is reputed to contain a natural antimicrobial enzyme. The company has been manufacturing and selling donkey milk freeze-dried powder since 2010 and is now expanding its milk collection network in Italy.

TENSION’S BEEN simmering among Fonterra shareholders for some time: some unhappy with the co-op’s financial performance over the past two years, others frustrated with lack of information coming from the board of directors. A group of shareholders are also venting their anger at the Fonterra Shareholders Council, a 25-member elected body tasked with the role of “representing the views of all shareholders as suppliers, owners and investors”. It also meets regularly with Fonterra’s board and management to discuss the co-op’s performance. Two years ago Fonterra shareholders were stunned to learn that their co-op had recorded its first ever net loss after tax of $196 million for the 2017-18 year. What didn’t help either was confirmation that former chief executive Theo Spierings left with a final year’s salary of $8 million the same year. Then things got worse. The following financial year, Fonterra posted a net loss of $605 million on the back of asset writedowns worth $826m, mainly on its offshore businesses. Shareholders like Trevor Simpson, Jim Cotman, Mark Lumsden and Mike Peters of Waikato have had enough. For them there must be a better and more efficient way for shareholders to keep a tab on their co-op’s performance. The nasty surprises delivered by the board and management in 2018 and 2019 financial year must end. Simpson and his group want the council to step up. That’s why the review of the council is crucial for the co-op and its 10,000 shareholders. They want the council scrapped. Others may not be keen to go that far. But what’s certain is that things must change. Right now the council has no say in how the co-op is run and the investments it makes both here and overseas. The council reviews the performance of Fonterra’s investments years after millions of dollars have been poured into dud projects, like China Farms and Beingmate. Therefore, it’s unfair to blame the council for Fonterra’s investment failures: accountability rests with the board and management. But Fonterra directors’ hands are tired when it comes to talking directly to shareholders. NZX disclosure requirements means the co-op must deal carefully with market-sensitive information. This is the dilemma facing Fonterra. Trading Among Farmers (TAF) has broken the open and free-flowing communication link between shareholders and directors. How can this link be restored? Will scrapping the council be enough? These are the questions shareholders will ponder as they mull the future make-up of the council in the coming months.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

OPINION  // 15

Levy an investment in dairy’s future JIM VAN DER POEL

THIS MONTH we are

asking all levy paying dairy farmer to cast their vote on the milksolids levy which funds industry good work and an independent body (DairyNZ) that represents all dairy farmers. It’s a tricky time to ask farmers to vote on the levy and we understand the demands on-farm right now. COVID-19 has challenged us as essential workers, which has flowed into feed shortages, Moving Day concerns and setting up for the new dairy season, among other things. Farmers have had to make rapid changes to their farm businesses during the lockdown and will continue to respond to events as they unfold. Farmers, as is their way, have got on with the job to be done while making sure they respect the rules in place for the lockdown. With dairy being such a core sector for our economy, we all have an interest in it continuing to underpin our national wellbeing, now more than ever. Historically, New Zealand’s economy has been driven by agriculture – dairy is our biggest ag sector with dairy exports increasing from $13.3b in 2016 to $18.1b in 2019. Dairy’s large contribution to New Zealanders’ economic wellbeing comes with a greater focus on our sector and its sustainability. Challenges on the horizon include staff shortages, regulatory changes and the commitment to nurture the environment. Research, advocacy and expertise never more vital How we respond and

find solutions to these issues is vital. We as dairy farmers have long been at the forefront of an everevolving industry and pioneering global research to continue improving how we farm and become more efficient. There are always challenges ahead of us but dairy has a strong future. DairyNZ invests significant levy dollars into research and development for better farm systems, environmental management, animal care and workplaces. That research has driven changes to how we look at farming – using plantain to absorb excess nutrients from soils, is a good example. Now it has the potential to be a leading option for pasturebased farming systems. Likewise, investment into the national dairy herd has driven changes to our national dairy herd. $43m of your levy money went into animal projects such as NZAEL, the core database and genetics between 2015-2019. This investment has delivered an estimated $445m of value for New Zealand’s dairy sector (according to independent analysis). Our policy and advocacy teams successfully engaged with Government to limit restraints and proposed costs for farmers with significant wins, such as keeping agriculture out of the Emissions Trading Scheme and He Waka Eke Noa. This is estimated to save farmers over $5 billion during the next 30 years. Every levy paying farmer invests 3.6c/kgMS, which contributes to research, development, advocacy and industry good activities. For every $1 dairy farmers invest in DairyNZ

‘YES’ OR ‘NO VOTE ALL LEVY-paying dairy farmers should have their vote packs now. It’s a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote. Don’t forget to remind your neighbours too – we want as many dairy farmers to vote as possible, by May 30. Visit dairynz.co.nz/vote for more information.

the Government and other organisations coinvest a further $1.80. The milksolids levy has been part of New Zealand dairy farming for 17

years. For me, being part of DairyNZ is rewarding – working for the future of dairy and helping build great communities across New Zealand.

I encourage levy paying farmers to make your vote now. This is your levy, your vote and your future. • Jim van der Poel is chairman of DairyNZ

Jim van der Poel

DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

16 //  MANAGEMENT

One robot makes the difference SUDESH KISSUN

COWS UNDER CONTROL

sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

THINK ROBOTIC farm-

ing and a large barn with hundreds of cows moving in and out of automatic milking machines comes to mind. However, in Waikato a small dairy farm with one Lely Astronaut A4 robot has proven that robotic milking is also effective with a small herd. Ian and Carmen Comins milk 85 cows on a 29ha farm in Kihikihi, Waikato. They converted a 29ha maize growing block, back into dairying nine years ago, milking 100 cows in an old 10-a-side herringbone shed. Robotic milking was always on the mind of Ian Comins, who is also a contractor and spends a lot of time off the farm.

THE ROBOT also controls supplement feed: cows are fed between three to five kg of meal during milking, depending on their daily production and grass and silage made on farm. Every eight hours they are automatically sent to a new paddock, with three raceways - A, B and C. “So any time you know which race the cows are on,” says Carmen Comins. Carmen says the Lely Astronaut A4 has served them well. They calve twice a year so the robot is in use all year round. The Comins supply Open Country Dairy.

“We had been thinking about going the robotic way for a number of years, but milking 100 cows, we were always told that we needed to have two robots, as ideally, one robot could milk up to 70 cows,” he told Dairy News. “With the cost of having to buy two robots, we couldn’t justify it.” However, during a visit

to the National Fieldays in 2017, they were told by another robotic milking machine supplier that if they dropped their cows numbers to 80, one robot could do the job. “And that one robot would be able to cope with that amount easily and do the same production as 100 cows,” says Ian.

Ian and Carmen Comins.

“That was all we needed to hear, so the ball started to roll.” After shopping around, the Comins settled for Lely Astronaut A4 because “it came down to the best price”. In April 2018, after the cows were dried off, the herringbone shed was demolished. Within three months, the Lely Astronaut A4 was installed. Carmen says the robot has had a positive impact on their lives. “There is less manual labour on farm and has freed up a lot of time, so Ian can spend more of that on his contracting business. “And we are not the only ones who are happy with this way of farming: the cows are happier, friendlier and relaxed doing their own thing at their own pace, so we have more production. “It’s a win-win situation.” Milking the cows

Cows waiting to be milked by the Lely robot on the Comins farm.

requires little labour input. Carmen says the cows have a transponder on a collar around their neck, which tells the gate system and robot when they are ready to be milked. “The cows will leisurely walk down to the shed at their own pace, when they are ready to be milked and move to a new paddock.” It takes the Comins

about one hour in the morning to clear the previous night’s paddock of cows, put another fence up, hose down shed and yard, change milk filter, check computer for any cows that might be sick or late, clean robot and feed out. In the afternoon, it takes Carmen about the same to clear the day’s paddock of cows, put up fences, hose down, change the milk filter and check

the computer. With the herringbone system, Carmen was spending up to six hours per day on the farm, four of those hours milking. With the automatic milking system, dairy tasks now take around two hours to complete each day, giving Ian and Carmen more time for themselves. The Cormins are glad they opted for robotic milking.

Check out our websites www.ruralnews.co.nz www.dairynews.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

ANIMAL HEALTH  // 17

Making right calls never been harder DECISION MAKING

around dry off in spring calving herds has just got a whole lot tougher. On top of yet another prolonged drought, farmers now face unprecedented potential disruption to the supply of stock feed and their ability to remove surplus stock and culls from farms as local carriers and abattoirs grapple with diminished capacity due to Covid-19. At the same time, the very attractive current milk payout relative to next season’s unknown figure understandably enhances the desire to extract as many milksol-

Some farmers could be heading into winter with low pasture cover, thinner cows and less supplements.

35-40 tonnes of feed will be required over and above what is needed to maintain the herd to get these cows anywhere near the target BCS. If this level of extra feed is unavailable and culls are not moving off the property as planned due to disrupted logistics, there will be an inevitable knock-on effect with

So while it is certainly understandable to maximise production this season, make sure you are also considering next season. ids as possible out of the cows this season. This scenario seems to be creating the perfect storm, where some farmers are now heading into winter with lower covers, thinner cows, less supplements and higher stocking rates than what is typical. Over the last few weeks, herds that I have been asked to body condition score (BCS) appear to have both a large variation in cow condition and more cows than usual at a lower BCS of 3.5-4.0. But unique to this season there is greater motivation to keep production going for longer than normal, to the detriment of the cow herself. So one can only conclude there are more cows at risk of falling into this 3.5 -4.0 BCS category over the next few weeks. Unfortunately, the cows’ biology hasn’t suddenly changed with these unprecedented global events and the more Peter is robbed to pay Paul the greater next season’s headaches will become. Doing the maths for a typical 400 cow herd where 50% of cows are 3.5 and 4.0 BCS, an additional

greater animal health issues around calving, suboptimal production and subsequent impaired reproductive performance. So while it is certainly understandable to maximise production this season, make sure you are also considering next season. Failing to plan is the same as planning to fail. Last autumn, here in the Waikato we were granted a get out of jail pass with pasture growth phenomenal through April and May. Banking on the same happening this year could land you in the cactus. If in doubt, get a second opinion, either through a farm advisor, nutritionist or your veterinarian. This season, more than any other, having foresight, feed budgeting and sticking to a plan will pay dividends. • Greg Jarratt is a vet and director of Matamata veterinary services. This article is brought to you by

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

FEEDING OUT  // 19

More options with clever multifeeder MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WELL KNOWN for an extensive range of side and centre-delivery feed wagons, Giltrap Engineering says its Multi-Feeder Plus offers users a wider range of feeding options. Numbered 4B, 5B and 6B, the model numbers indicate the capacity in six-foot diameter rounds or seven-foot long square bales, with overall capacities of 13, 15.5 and 18 cubic metres, or 8700, 10,400 or 12,000 kg. Described as a multipurpose machine, offering the ability to handle chopped silage, square bales, roto-cut bales and beet, the MP should be interesting to farmers that have diverse feed sources or might wish to diversify in the future. Featuring a one-piece tub built from Hardox steel, offering strength with reduced weight, the tub sides are one-metre high, allowing square

bales to be stacked twodeep, without the need for “greedy boards”, so reducing the number of trips/loads per day. In the base of the machine, the larger units are fitted with four tentonne-capacity floor chains (two on the 4B model) operating in a recessed channel, allowing the RHS, bolted slats to sit flat on the floor and resist bending. The rear tailgate is fitted with an auto-release system, allowing it to open if a load is reversed too far. Up front, the feed-out chamber takes material from the main tub, then moves the material to the unloading elevator using RHS bars carried on a 3-inch pitch chain, with a 15,000lb load rating, said to be the heaviest in the industry. A load-sensing valve automates feed-rate control to the hydraulically adjustable, tilting elevator on the right side of the machine, with a design layout seeing it extend-

ing under the floor to minimise spillage. On the left side of the feed-out chamber, a deflector plate allows feeding to the left for forage or beet, with the option of a shredder unit. The driveline of the feeder uses hydraulics throughout, with the need for three double acting remotes, which in turn power the main bin floor, the feed chamber conveyor and the unloading elevator. The drive to the motors is direct, removing the need for more typical intermediate chain drives, a potential wear point. At the front of the unit, a perforated bulkhead allows the operator to have good visibility of the load, while a drawbar-mounted bin is an ideal receptacle for waste

twine, net and bale wrap. Ease of access sees full length handrails and tread plates on each side of the machine, while daily maintenance is helped with the grouping of grease nipples into easily accessed banks. Keeping things mobile falls to an oscillatingbeam tandem axle layout that uses up to 90mm section steel dependent on models, in turn carrying 8-stud wheel equipment fitted with wide flotation tyres. Standard equipment includes LED lighting, while an extensive list of options includes hydraulic braking, a multipoint electronic weighing system with digital display, joystick controls and a remote axle greasing system.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

20 //  FEEDING OUT

Times, they are a-changin’ I WROTE this article at

the beginning of Week 3 of lockdown. Unlike most of you farmers who have been out there working to provide food to keep the world fed, I have been

at home, in front of my computer, reading, thinking, listening to experts and talking with farmers and colleagues. One thing that seems to be coming through

loud and clear is that the world has fundamentally changed since before the Covid-19 pandemic began. To use the words of one of my favorite musicians, Bob Dylan, “The times,

they are a changin…” There are however, many things that won’t change for agriculture. Four key things which remain the same are: ■■ The world still needs

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and will pay for, safe food. ■■ I have always considered it an honour to be involved in an industry that feeds others. New Zealand, has long been regarded as one of the cleanest, safest, most sustainable producers of food in the world. That is why we have strong demand for our products and why people are prepared to pay a premium for them. ■■ The market demands full traceability of food. ■■ Fonterra has a rigorous traceability programme as do other companies like Zespri and Silver Fern Farms. At Pioneer we can trace every seed you plant to the paddock in Poverty Bay where it was grown and even to the breeding station where it was first crossed. The demands for clean waterways will not go away. There has been a call from some parts of the farming community for the Government to relax its legislative initiatives aimed at improving the quality of our waterways. This makes sense, given the potential economic recession the world is headed toward. However, as the economy begins to improve, the pressure on farming to reduce its environmental footprint will return. The need to produce more from the same or the same from less will become the catch cry. Reducing the amount of nitrogen (N) lost through leaching or the amount of phosphorus, sediment and E. coli entering our waterways via overland flow will continue to part of this. There will be more focus on standing animals off paddocks when the risk of loss of the key contaminants is high. Feed-

ing low protein forages like maize silage which reduce urinary N will also become more prevalent. Maize has the added advantage of being able to uptake excess levels of N and potassium (K) from the soil. Climate won’t stop changing Another one of my favorite bands, Crowded House, sings “Everywhere you go, you always take the weather with you”. When it comes to the weather farmers are probably one of the most aware groups in the country. Most of us, me included, were negatively impacted by this summer’s dry. However even after almost 20 years of growing maize, I continue to be surprised with just how much it grew with how little rain it received. Our maize yields were down but in our area pasture growth after Christmas was virtually non-existent. If heat and dry are to be our future, then farming systems will need to adapt to meet these challenges. Perennial ryegrass has served the industry well but its relatively poor water use efficiency and shallow rooting system means its growth is limited when the rain doesn’t come. Warm climate plants that have high drought tolerance and/or deep rooting systems (e.g. maize, sorghum, lucerne and maybe even kikuyu) will become an important part of the future farm systems. • Ian Williams is a Pioneer forage specialist. Email him at iwilliams@genetic.co.nz

DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

FEEDING OUT  // 21

Bale feeder for tough conditions MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

YOU DON’T have to travel very far to find a farm using McIntosh feeding equipment, and those doing so report a robust construction, clever engineering and a long working life. The Double Bale Feeder builds on this reputation and offering the ability to deal with round or square bales. The chassis consists of two box sections running through the bale cradle to increase overall strength, while the layout also lowers the overall loading height and centre of gravity, to promote safe use on hillsides or sloping ground. A 315mm overhang on the discharge elevator, combined with tyres kept close to the chassis means that delivered feed is not “run over” and contaminated, while a choice of wheel settings allows safer operation on difficult terrain or the option of fitting larger tyres. As standard, machines are supplied with 11.5 x 15.3 tyres, a detail that helps to reduce rolling resistance, making towing easier in poor conditions. An over-dimensioned lifting arm

Drawbar mounted rubbish bin.

can deal with the heaviest bales, while also being able to carry a second bale to the feeding area. The design features twin lift rams which gently lower the

bale onto the unrolling cradle and helps prevent damage to the feeder bars. The unrolling cradle uses a zinc-plated, 12,000 lb rated chain, with slow run-

WORKING ON KIWI FARMS SINCE 1982

ning shafts utilising bronze bushes for resistance to silage juice, and a greater service life. Unloading slats are manufactured from 8mm steel with inte-

gral teeth to promote bale rotation by increasing the contact area, while in the cradle aggression pins restrict bale movement to encourage the teeth to pull the bale apart. From a practical point of view the machine includes a rubbish bin, and a chequer-plated platform on the drawbar a-frame to allow the user to safely remove the film and net wrap. Since its introduction, the manufacturer has introduced several options and redesigns to make using the feeders easier. On the rear lifting forks, these include a third, central tine, set lower and said to be useful for dealing with soft or mis-shaped bales. For those handling square bales, lateral extensions, each carrying an extra tine, ensure positive lifting onto the cradle, while those dealing with chop bales can specify front and rear infill panels to stop material being lost before it heads up the discharge conveyor. In addition to the lateral extensions, those feeding squares might also option the machine with optional side­ rails for the bale cradle. All machines now include a larger, waste box.

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DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

22 //  FEEDING OUT

Planning your winter feed KIRSTY DICKINS

IT’S BEEN a challenging few months on many farms. Drought affected

several regions, including Waikato where I work as a consulting officer. In Southland, flooding also affected winter crops. There’s been uncertainty

about access to feed supplies and meat processors have had reduced capacity due to Covid-19. Farming has a really important role to play in

our economy today, but these challenges mean it’s not business as usual. With winter looming, it’s important to consider your options to feed stock

and many farmers are planning this now. Create a winter feed budget Having a feed budget is critical to help you quan-

MULTIPLUS FEEDER An aerial view of drought in Waikato. Inset: Kirsty Dickins

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tify any feed shortages between now and calving. A simple feed budget template is online at www. dairynz.co.nz/feed/feedmanagement-tools. Your local DairyNZ consulting officer can help you complete this – phone 0800 4 DAIRYNZ. Having a budget allows you to consider your options and create a tailored action plan. Assess your herd and plan your strategy A whole herd body condition score (BCS) assessment will help you allocate the right amount of feed in your budget. With this information, you can create separate herds based on condition and implement different feeding strategies. Dry cows need feed and time to gain condition. Cows fed autumn pasture will typically need 100 days to increase a BCS unit. When a highquality supplement is added, this BCS increase can occur in 80 days. If cows are still in milk, consider their calving dates and body condition score to make drying off decisions, with particular attention to heifers on their first lactation. DairyNZ’s online calculator (www.dairynz.co.nz/ bcs-strategies) can help you decide which cows to dry off to recover BCS, based on calving dates, and if any can be milked on. R2 heifer replacements coming back from graz-

ing may need additional feed, so build this into your plan. Pasture management and supplement use Consider using nitrogen (N) in late autumn to boost pasture growth into winter. N fertiliser should be applied before soils become too wet and before soil temperature drops below 7°C to get the best response and minimise leaching. Using a longer grazing rotation of 60 to 80 days, and feeding supplements, will encourage pasture regrowth when covers are low. Check your annual cash budget A number of farmers I’ve spoken to have felt more confident about drying off after doing a budget and finding their financial position was better than they believed. Although production may be lower, payout is higher than last year. If you’re on track to achieving calving BCS and average pasture cover targets, milking on is an option if you have a plan identifying which cows can keep milking, and for how long. DairyNZ consulting officers are here to help – you can contact us on 0800 DAIRYNZ (0800 4 324 7969). The Rural Support Trust can also offer drought assistance on 0800 Rural Help. • Kirsty Dickins is consulting officer, Waikato, DairyNZ

DAIRY NEWS MAY 5, 2020

FEEDING OUT  // 23

Farming out of the drought THE DROUGHT can be considered “broken” only when there has been enough rain to take the soil to within about 15% of field capacity. That generally means more than 50mm, according to DairyNZ. This will allow the grass to get away and develop some root mass. Up to half the grass available is lost after rain because it is dead and decays quickly, so cows will require the major part of their intake from supplement. A farm will need around 100kg DM per cow (up to 160kg on very dry farms) to feed the herd for about three weeks after rain. The DM content of new grass is low (below 15%) because of its rapid growth, so supplement will still be needed even

when there is plenty of fresh feed available. Nitrogen applications can be delayed for several weeks after rain as the soil will have good N reserves. The response to autumn applied N takes place over three months, so take this into account when making the final drying off decision. Soil nitrogen levels usually rise during a drought, and when rain arrives the new growth combined with cool, cloudy weather can cause nitrates to accumulate in leaves. This can lead to nitrate poisoning. Permanent pastures are generally safe in warm, sunny conditions but there is some risk in cool, cloudy weather. Any new grass and annuals sown after a drought could be toxic, and applying fertiliser N

will increase the risk. Reduce risk by: Testing suspect pastures with a nitrate kit from your vet Using long rotations

Feeding cows other forages first - don’t put hungry cows onto high risk pasture. The burnt-off patches in pastures will inevita-

bly be filled by hardy but low feed-value grasses, and weeds. Availability of finance may limit the amount of renovation you can afford, so plan care-

fully. Paddock by paddock, assess how badly your pastures are affected and how likely they are to recover. How dense and strong are the grasses that are left? Have weeds taken over? Can they be repaired or renovated, or must they be replaced? After the drought breaks use the 50% rule test the pasture by doing a minimum of 20 observations in front of where you place your right boot. Are there live ryegrass tillers present at the front of your boot? If the answer is no in more than 50% of cases, the paddock definitely requires renovation. What types of ryegrass and which endophytes have survived best? Taking into account the degree of damage and the productive poten-

tial of each paddock, rank them in order of priority (e.g. badly damaged pasture on productive flats will have a high priority). For partially damaged pasture (or where repair is not possible), make sure they have enough N for grasses and P, K and S for clovers. Consider extra fertiliser in early spring to boost growth. Use rotational grazing to allow plants to spread and replace root reserves For the rest, decide what crop or pasture species and varieties to sow in them and when, what fertiliser is needed, and the costs involved Use treated seeds to limit insect attack and enhance germination Undersowing or direct drilling with short-term ryegrass may boost feed supply early • Source - DairyNZ.

NEED ASSISTANCE? FIND OUT what feed planning assistance is available to you. Feed availability is currently a key concern for many farmers. Drought is having a significant impact on the amount of feed being grown across the country. Covid-19 and related measures are also having an impact, restricting transport and import options. MPI have worked with us at DairyNZ, along with other sector partners, and have established a way to provide remote feed planning support to farmers. This service is based on level of need and operates on three levels: 1. In the first instance, we’ll work out how much feed you need. A call to an industry or levy body will get you a free stock take assessment of

STANDARD FEEDER (C6 Pinned) • 1 x 6 foot bale • 2m diameter • 15 feed positions • 15 - 30 animals

your feed planning needs. 2. In the second instance, where it’s required, we can offer more advice and practical support. An advisor will help you understand what needs to be done and how you can go about it. 3. Finally, we can also refer you to an NZIPIM certified person who can offer more in-depth support. We can refer you to a farm systems consultant, who can provide help over the phone or visit if it is a serious animal welfare issue. Please note this level 3 support is not free. Please call this toll-free number – DairyNZ 0800 4 DAIRYNZ (0800 4 324 7969) This service will be available until June 30, at which point a review will be done on the need to extend.

BALE FEEDERS STRENGTH / QUALITY / PERFORMANCE

Designed to an uncompromising strength standard. You expect strength, quality and performance from your farm machinery, and McIntosh Bale Feeders deliver all three. The McIntosh Bale Feeder is not designed to be the lightest on the market, because with today’s larger bales, faster tractors and less time for maintenance, the need for additional strength has never been more important.

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BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM PUBLISHING MAY 26, 2020 Sadly, field days are out of the question while Covid-19 remains a threat. No tyres to kick, no bargains to bag! No hot dogs and chips! Fear not, we’re bringing the field days to your farm. Dairy News will bring you all the innovative new products and services coming on to the market and, of course, the great deals - direct to your letterbox on May 26. Bringing Field Days to the Farm will run in print and online. Keep an eye out for this great feature; you’ll have to provide the hot dogs and chips, but we will give you the chance to WIN a brand new Hustler Bale Feeder worth $10,000!

Read DAIRY NEWS on May 26 and

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