Feds president’s parting shot. PAGE 8 TICK OF APPROVAL OverseerFM PAGE 19
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MAY 26, 2020 ISSUE 447 // www.dairynews.co.nz
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Feds president’s parting shot. PAGE 8 TICK OF APPROVAL OverseerFM PAGE 19
MAY 26, 2020 ISSUE 447 // www.dairynews.co.nz
FONTERRA TIPPED TO SHINE POSTCOVID-19 “Right now customer and supply chain management are very important for global players and that’s something that Fonterra does very well. – Former chair Sir Henry van der Heyden PAGE 3
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Calling all dairy farmers
Moving farm or herd? Call OSPRI first 0800 482 463 | info@ospri.co.nz Make sure you can tick off the following: Before moving: All my animals are NAIT tagged and I have registered them in my NAIT account My new NAIT location number is set up and my TBfree herd records are updated
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
NEWS // 3
Co-op’s big break SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
Have your say. PG.09
Zero bobby calves. PG.16
Turning slurry into profit. PG.30
NEWS ������������������������������������������������������ 3-12 AGRIBUSINESS ������������������������������������ 13 OPINION ���������������������������������������������� 14-15 MANAGEMENT ��������������������������������������16 ANIMAL HEALTH �����������������������������������17 BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM ���������������������������������������������������� 18-32
FORMER FONTERRA chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden believes the co-operative will come out a stronger global player postCOVID-19. He says the co-op is a great global player with solid customer networks and supply chains. “Right now these supply chains are stretched in terms of shipping and containers. “Their relationship with everyone in supply chains – the customer and ultimately the consumer is their strength – I think that’s going to come to the fore.” Van der Heyden, who served as Fonterra chair from 2002 to 2012, was speaking at a webinar organised by the Rural Support Trust. After stepping down from Fonterra, van der Heyden has served on high profile company boards. He is currently chairman of Rabobank Australia. Van der Heyden has dairy farming interests in New Zealand and Chile. So far, Fonterra has come out of the COVID-19 largely unscathed, announcing a $300 million lift in third quarter gross profits. The co-op says it drawing on its global supply chain and diverse product and customer base to minimise disruptions. Van der Heyden says Fonterra will stand out even more post-COVID-19 as a global player. “I think what they stand for will be reinforced. “Right now customer and supply chain management are very impor-
“Right now customer and supply chain management are very important for global players and that’s something that Fonterra does very well,” says Sir Henry van der Heyden
tant for global players and that’s something that Fonterra does very well.” Van der Heyden also spoke about the New Zealand agriculture sector coming out of COVID-19 with wellearned respect. “I think coming out of COVID, the country has realised how important agriculture is from an economic sense.”
He said farmers felt like “lepers” over the last three to four years, even reluctant to tell people that they worked on the land because they were looked down upon. “Post COVID, the country is realising that they need agriculture, they need cash flows and they need exports.” At the same time, farmers must
farm within environmental limits. Van der Heyden says he doesn’t know of any farmer who doesn’t worry about environment and sustainability. But he wants a balance to be found. Farmers need time to change their farming systems and everyone needs to work together to set environmental targets and find solutions.
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
4 // NEWS
Uncertain season looms SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
THE NEXT season will
be a different year when it comes to milk price, says
Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell. He says the unprecedented $1.50 price range announced for 2020-21 opening payout reflects the changing environment
we are in. Fonterra is forecasting a milk price range of $5.40 to $6.90/kgMS for the new season. The advance rate will be worked off the mid-point of $6.15/kgMS.
Hurrell noted that COVID-19 was starting to bite and there were talks of recession in key markets. “We have seen the Global Dairy Trade prices
Miles Hurrell.
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come off its high in January,” he says. It was hard for the co-op to tell farmers what the milk price will be 15 months from now. Apart from economic woes caused by COVID19, other factors at play include milk production in Europe and the US during the northern hemisphere summer and the exchange rate. While Fonterra feels confident of having a milk price above $6, the coop’s wide price range is cautioning farmers that it could also be below $6. Hurrell says it wants farmers to be prudent and
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DESPITE COVID-19 disruptions Fonterra’s third quarter results delivered an improved result. Gross profit for the nine months to 30 April topped $815 million, an increase of $301 million on this time last year. All three of Fonterra’s business units delivered solid results: Ingredients (gross profit up 9%), Food Service (up 54%) and Consumer
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keep a tab on costs going into the new season. “Everything depends on how deep is the softening of prices in the early part of the season and how fast we pick up in the back end,” he says. “It’s a moving feast when it comes to predicting the payout 15 months out, hence the $1.50 spread.” Fonterra chairman John Monaghan says next season a global recession will continue to reduce consumer purchasing power. The impact of government interventions in the EU and US on curbing
their milk supply is still an unknown. “We expect our competitors there to put more of their milk into the product types that determine our milk price, as they chase government support programmes and favour longer-life products,” he says. Monaghan says the $1.50 price range is based on the information that’s available now. “We will regularly update our farmers on changes or events that may impact our milk price as the season progresses.” For the current season Fonterra has narrowed its price range to $7.10 to $7.30/kgMS. This payout equates to the co-op contributing about $11 billion to the New Zealand economy. Monaghan says the co-op has narrowed its price range and reduced the mid-point of the range in response to a softening of demand relative to supply which is pushing down prices. “Softending demand is resulting from closed foodservice business.”
(up 46%). Fonterra chief executive Miles Hurrell says the work done over the last year to strengthen its balance sheet, and the co-op’s ability to respond quickly has helped manage the COVID-19 situation over the last few months. “The global nature of COVID-19 is like nothing we’ve experienced before.”
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
NEWS // 5
Review attracts 1400 submissions SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
A STEERING group
reviewing the Fonterra Shareholders Council has received over 1400 responses from farmers and sharemilkers. Submissions to its survey closed on May 19. Feedback will be now reviewed by the ninemember steering group. Group chairman James Buwalda says the group got feedback from “across the spectrum”. “As the survey has only just closed, I haven’t had a chance to review the feedback received yet,” he
James Buwalda.
told Dairy News last week. “But I am pleased with the responses overall and the time taken by farmers to provide their feedback.
“We got feedback from shareholders and sharemilkers, across all regions, from different sized farms, as well as people
who have been supplying Fonterra for different lengths of time.” The review of the 25-member elected council follows concerns raised by some shareholders at last year’s Fonterra annual meeting. Some shareholders want the council scrapped, suggesting they could have a leaner organisation monitoring the cooperative’s performance on behalf of its 10,000 shareholders. The council costs about $3m a year to run. The steering group has shareholders representatives, two Fonterra directors and two councillors.
$500,000 STATE AID FOR DRY REGION THE GOVERNMENT has given
$500,000 to the Hawke’s Bay Mayoral Drought Relief Fund to help farmers facing one of the worst droughts in living memory. This matches dollar for dollar the money put up by local mayors and the regional council to help farmers obtain feed for their stock. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor visited Hawke’s Bay recently to meet with the local government leaders who had written to him asking government to contribute to their fund. O’Connor says Mayoral Relief Funds help communities to get back on their feet after adverse
events, with local communities and councils directing funding to where it’s needed most. “Access to feed is the biggest acute issue facing drought-affected farmers right now. Feed is in very short supply in the North Island, so most has to be shipped up from the South. This funding will go towards subsidising the transport costs of getting feed up from the South Island,” he says. O’Connor said national feed coordinators put in place a fortnight ago by the Ministry for Primary Industries were working hard to help farmers, alongside other grass-roots initiatives.
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It hopes to deliver a final report to shareholders in August. Buwalda says the group will now review all the feedback in detail. Analysing the scores people gave for the questions posed by the group and the written comments people have provided. “We expect to be able to highlight the issues people are most con-
cerned about and to build a deep understanding of why they hold these concerns,” he says. “Following that analysis, we will identify possible options or changes before going back to farmers to get their feedback on the issues, options and possible changes that can be made.” The steering group has been meeting via video
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“The Rural Advisory Group and Rural Support Trust are closely involved in this work, and other groups and agencies are very willing to add their help. We’re investigating further options to move feed around the country to help farmers,” he says. O’Connor says the Government knows farmers, growers and producers will play a critical role in New Zealand’s economic recovery from COVID-19, so helping reduce pressure on Hawke’s Bay farmers and their families, and drive regional recovery efforts from this drought is a priority for the Government.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
6 // NEWS
Southland on the brink PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
SOUTHLAND IS teetering on
the edge of a bad situation, according to DairyNZ’s lead consulting officer in the South Island, Tony Finch. He says if they can’t get rid of cull cows soon and if the weather doesn’t play its part, current problems will get even worse. Southland is facing a major feed shortage, but not because of the drought – because of too much rain. The problem is that farmers came out of a pretty hard winter and a very wet spring, which delayed any winter crops being put in the spring, says Finch. “A lot of crops failed because of the wet, with the result that
yields have been severely checked for dairy farmers in Southland is as we come into winter, with some getting their cull cows through the down as much as 40 %. On top meat works. This is not a Covid-19 related issue, because on of that there is signifibeef chains the normal cant winter feed chaldistance between worklenge because, during ers is about a metre or the floods, some feed two. The problem is a was lost and farmers huge back-log. just had to keep feed“We have been told ing out to keep their there is a four to six farms going,” he told week delay and that will Dairy News. mean it won’t be until Finch says there has Tony Finch the end of June before been a little bit of good news in that the autumn has been the back-log is cleared. “In the meantime some farmvery good and some pastures have come back, but he adds it’s far ers are carrying in excess of 50% from perfect. He says the prob- more culls than normal – they still lem in Southland is that the ani- have to be fed. What you have is mals are grazed off on winter crops extra animals to feed and less and that’s when the challenge will grass, so all it will take is a bad weather spell, and Southland does come. At the moment, the big issue have these, and it will provide a lot
more anxiety for farmers not being able to exit culls,” he says. Finch says like their counterparts in the North Island, Southland farmers have been looking at reducing their herd sizes, but again the delays in the works is challenging this move. He says many can’t afford feed and those that can, are finding it difficult to source feed. “Silage is simply not available and the option of using PKE or grain is only possible if farmers have indoor facilities to feed this to animals. It is bringing farmer anxiety to a level where they are saying ‘oh shit, what am I going to do here’,” he says. Finch says DairyNZ is working with Beef+LambNZ and other strategic partners to try and help farmers do good feed budgets and get good professional advice.
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farmers Aad and Wilma van Leeuwen have put a number of their farms up for sale. The Van Leeuwen Group runs 13 dairy farms and six dry stock farms in total, but is selling nine of its properties – including 3,509ha of freehold land, irrigation shares and a supply contract to Oceania Dairy. Colliers International has been appointed by the Van Leeuwen Group to market the farms for sale by way of an ‘international expressions of interest’ campaign. The van Leeuwens – well known in the dairy sector for their adoption of large robotic milking barns – says they are selling the farms to ramp up further investment in their high-tech barn farming operations. The couple were also among a number of other farmers around New Zealand who have suffered from the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak, which hit their farms in July 2017. They are currently embroiled in a legal battle with Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) in a dispute about compensation. They have already been paid out $6.3 million by MPI, but are seeking further compensation for professional consultancy fees, bank charges and assorted other costs. In February, the van Leeuwens won a victory in the High Court after Justice Francis Cooke rejected MPI’s bid to strike out the case and ruled they must be awarded costs. The claim is now before arbitration. Colliers says prospective buyers have the option to either own and operate the farms outright or buy the farms as a passive investment, with external operational management via a longterm leaseback. “This is an incredibly rare opportunity to secure a profitable dairy farming operation at scale,” says Ruth Hodges, national director of rural and agribusiness at Colliers. “The portfolio offers strong projected returns that are expected to be particularly appealing to institutional and corporate investors. The van Leeuwens say it is the right time to sell. “We have grown our business substantially over the years and are now looking to pass this legacy on to the next generation. We recently finalised a new vision for the business, which is primarily focused on optimising and growing our robotic barn farming operations.” The nine farms on sale are traditional, pasturebased farms and non-core support farms.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
8 // NEWS
Katie’s parting shot PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
OUTGOING FEDERATED Farmers president
Katie Milne has hit out at Wellington-based government officials for their lack of understanding about farming.
Milne, the first woman to head Feds, says instead of trying to help the farming sector, it feels at times the Wellington bureaucrats are trying to strangle it. She says the one thing that has blown her away in her three years as president of Feds is the lack
of knowledge and understanding of farming by policy makers in Wellington. “There are some officials that get it, there are some that get parts of it, but it seems to me that a lot of assumptions about agriculture are made by people who don’t under-
stand the nuances of food production. “Producing food consistently is actually quite difficult and it is so important to have farming voices in Wellington around these decision makers,” she says. Milne says the decisions that policy makers
come up with dramatically affect farmers’ lives. She says the bad decisions are not deliberate, but come as result of fewer New Zealanders having connections to farms. She says if people Google an issue, quite often the answer they get will have no relevance
Katie Milne
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to NZ whatsoever. Milne says farming is complex and the aspirations and goals of farmers are different. Coming up with a policy solution is not easy, but she says the solution
must be relevant to the NZ situation. “It is said that we need all of NZ’s economic champions to be firing, so why nobble them – especially agriculture,” she says.
Overstayers irk farmers A NEW law preventing the eviction of tenants from rental properties is causing a headache for some dairy farmers. Lawmakers in Wellington came up with a blanket law that failed to take account of what normally happens in the rural sector. The law prevents people being evicted from a house without long notice, but failed to recognise that when a house goes with the job, as it does on many farms, that is known as service tenancy and has a known end point – in this case June 1. The lawmakers lumped the two together and that is causing a problem. Federated Farmers dairy section chairman Chris Lewis says this is causing angst for some dairy farmers and he’s fielded a lot of calls on the subject. He says some people who are in houses on dairy farms are refusing to leave and there is nothing the farmer can do about it. “In the end, new sharemilkers may have to stay in the houses of farmers in the meantime. We have written to various government ministers seeking an amendment to the legislation and are patiently waiting for some action. “There are consequences because a lot of farmers have recruited people laid off in the tourism industry and have promised them accommodation, but it’s hard if the existing employee won’t move,” he says. Lewis says they are encouraging farmers to sit down and try to get the people who are refusing to leave to do so on their own volition. But he says unless there is a law change, farmers may have to wait until the end of the notice period. Meanwhile, Moving Day will still need to operate differently to normal despite the country now in Alert 2. That’s the word from DairyNZ’s Sharon Morrell who says guidelines as to how farmers should operate on that day are on the DairyNZ website. It’s estimated that up to 7,000 households will move on June 1. Counting people in households mean that about 20,000 people will be on the move Morrell says the guidelines up on the DairyNZ web site are there to help people think though what is required. – Peter Burke
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
NEWS // 9
Have your say – Moore SUDESH KISSUN
‘YES’ VOTE VITAL
sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
WAIKATO FARMER
Ben Moore is urging farmers to have their say on the DairyNZ levy vote, which closes this week. Moore, the dairy chairperson for Waikato Federated Farmers, says industry-good organisations put in a huge amount of work on behalf of the dairy industry. “Some farmers may not physically use or think that they benefit from being a financial contributor to these organisations, but that’s a short sighted view,” Moore told Dairy News. “There is a huge amount of work that goes on that may or may not make a difference to you today, but could possibly in the years to come.”
DAIRYNZ CHIEF executive Tim Mackle says it’s more important in a time of crisis to have a strong industry good organisation. DairyNZ is holding a levy vote to see whether farmers are willing to continue funding DairyNZ. At present 3.6 cents/kgMS is levied to fund the organisation and that will continue into next season as well. The vote is held every six years. The milksolids levy vote for DairyNZ is one simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote for each levy payer. The Commodities Levies Act requires a 50% ‘yes’, by number and milksolids of those that participate in the vote.
Having worked in the UK agriculture sector, Moore is able to compare lobby groups that primary producers have at their disposal in New Zealand. “They provide a huge range of support, be it levy based or membership funded – each organisation different in its own special way.”
The DairyNZ levy is held every six years. This year’s vote closes May 30. Farmers are voting whether they should continue paying a milksolidsbased levy to DairyNZ to work on their behalf. Moore says some farmers moan about the levy vote being “only a yes or no vote”.
Ben Moore
He points out farmers had an opportunity to express their views to DairyNZ leaders at a roadshow late last year.
“The mindset of voters always amuses me. Some say, if I vote no then I’m teaching them a lesson, others say they have con-
cerns, but will discuss them with someone after they have voted yes. “In my view, these are short sighted views.”
Moore believes it is vital for NZ agriculture that it has DairyNZ looking into science-based projects. “It is vital they are shaping the future of our farming systems and offering guidance and support to farmers with environmental and animal welfare gains.” But Moore wants a team approach to resolving political issues. “What I’d like to see is a ‘Team Ag’ discussing politics behind closed doors, fighting it out, agreeing to disagree, picking the good bits of each organisation and then one voice delivers the good or bad news to the Government. “That voice should not be a levy funded organisation, it should be Federated Farmers who are broad sector.”
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
10 // NEWS
Feed shortage looming large PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz
PARTS OF the Waikato
are starting to recover from the drought, but the availability of feed remains a concern, says DairyNZ’s Sharon Morrell. She says some farms in Hauraki Plains and Northland with cow condition are below what it would normally be this time of
the year. Morell, head of DairyNZ’s consulting officers in the upper North Island, says it is working with farmers badly affected by the drought. “What we are saying to farmers is you may still grow out of the drought to a certain extent but you need to do a feed budget on a best case and worst case scenario and have a definitive plan,”
Sharon Morrell
she told Dairy News. “The other thing is in terms of plans. We are saying work with what’s in front of you. But you
really need to quantify what this is so that you can respond to what you have and haven’t got and so make sound decisions,” she says. DairyNZ is also encouraging farmers to take advantage of a programme being run by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), which offers farmers up to $5,000 worth of advice from consultants on how to manage their businesses next season. MPI has already received over 100 applications for help through this programme. “This could be a good year to take a look at the
whole picture of your farming operation,” says Morrell. “Is this the year that those niggly cows that haven’t quite made the three black marks yet are culled so that only the best animals are kept? This is a good time to stop and take stock and think about next season and plan. That in itself can relieve some of the worry,” she says. Morrell says when the milk price dropped last time, there was a drop in cow numbers. She wouldn’t be surprised if this happens again given the feed shortages and market uncertainty.
CULL SNAG WAIKATO DAIRY farmer and Federated Farmers Dairy chair Chris Lewis echoes the views of Sharon Morrell about the state of the drought in his region. He says some areas are getting back to normal, but others, such as farmers on the Hauraki Plains are struggling. Lewis, who farms near Te Awamutu, says his biggest problem is the wait to get rid of his cull cows. “I am still waiting and waiting like everybody else - no special treatment. I still have 130 plus animals to go and I have given up stressing. I am taking it as it comes, but it is just frustrating,” he says. Lewis says he’s done a feed budget and recognises that he has next to no supplement left. With no feed and PKE prices high, he says he’s made the decisions to drop back stock numbers rather than try and buy in feed.
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WITH THE drought reaching a crisis level in Central Hawkes Bay with supplementary feed almost non-existent, farmers in the Wairarapa have answered the call for help. Farmers Sophie and Dan Hansen got working on social media and by Monday last week more than 720 bales of baleage had been shipped to Hawkes Bay. One of those who donated feed was Karen Williams who’s the chairperson of Federated Farmers Arable section. She and her husband have a mixed cropping and sheep and beef finishing operation near the town of Gladstone. They gave five bales and also a tonne of grain. She says the social media response was great and people who donated bales wrote messages on them to the farmers who would eventually receive the feed. “It’s just what we do in rural communities. When you see someone struggling you give generously to your country cousins. The combination of Covid and drought has been very tough for people and that’s why we look after each other. It’s about sharing the love,” she says.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
12 // NEWS
None of our business! DAVID ANDERSON
OPEN COUNTRY Dairy
(OCD) chairman Laurie Margrain has refused to be dragged into any debate regarding milk processors taking the Covid-19 wage subsidy. A nasty public spat
erupted last month between Fonterra and small Southland-based milk processor Mataura Valley Milk over the subsidy. The majority Chinese-owned Mataura Valley – and a couple of other dairy processors – copped some flak for taking the subsidy, while
“Not sure a subsidy is justified if they chose not to process all milk available.” still managing to operate during the lockdown. This saw Mataura come out and defend
its stance in an update to farmer suppliers. The company told suppliers it had opted not to pro-
cess Fonterra milk during the lockdown because Fonterra “had lower controls than we have put in place”. Mataura, which makes infant formula, processes milk bought from Fonterra at a regulated price under the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001
OCD chairman Laurie Margrain.
“IT’S WORTH INVESTING IN ANCALF FOR HEALTHIER CALVES.”
(DIRA), as well as from its own farmer-suppliers. The company claimed the consequences of not processing the Fonterra milk “comes at a financial cost that met the Ministry of Social Development criteria for the wage subsidy”. However, when Fonterra boss Miles Hurrell heard about this he responded on social media website Twitter, noting Mataura received “subsidised” milk from Fonterra farmers. Irked about the comment about Fonterra’s lower controls, Hurrell caustically tweeted: “Not sure a subsidy is justified if they chose not to process all milk available.” Like Fonterra, OCD did not take the wage subsidy, but unlike Fonterra, it has steered clear of making any comment on the issue. “You will note that we have stayed out of the controversy regarding some milk processors availing themselves
JULIE WRIGHT PARAHIWI FARM, MORRINSVILLE.
“Better weight gains, fewer health issues.”
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You could say Julie Wright is a bit of a convert to Ancalf. Afterall, it wasn’t so many years ago that she was buying the cheapest milk powder she could find.
The North Island drought has meant an early dry off for their 550 cow milking herd – but that will give the cows a chance to build up their mineral health prior to calving.
Sample bags, floor sweepings from the local milk factory – which often contained nuts and bolts and the odd playing card.
“We need to rear at least 100 replacements for the dairy herd, plus we rear around 150 beef cross heifers and steers that we fatten up for 20 months.” All those calves are going to need the best start they can get, and Julie has already got her Ancalf order in and is keeping a keen eye for any new deals. “It was an easy decision to continue with Ancalf for our calf rearing, we’ve had a tough year with the drought, are shorthanded and are not going to make more hard work for ourselves by creating unnecessary health problems.”
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of taxpayer funded financial assistance,” Margrain told suppliers in a recent newsletter. “We are clear about what we are doing and that does not include seeking such assistance. Only the companies implicated in this can talk to their decisions.” Margrain says OCD has preferred not to make any comment on what others have done, preferring to “look to our own state of play”. Meanwhile, he says the country’s second largest dairy processor is “as confident as ever” that NZ dairy farmers and processors produce the products the world population needs for high quality foods. “There are going to be periods of reduced returns from international marketplaces, but the medium to longer term trends will remain positive and we must work even smarter to take advantage of this.”
OCD CHAIR Laurie Margrain says the recent Budget largely ignored the primary sector – despite it being the key industry to drive our economic recovery post Covid-19. “You would have to say that the sectors being relied upon to trade our economy out of the significant hole it is in were largely ignored in the Budget process,” he told suppliers in a recent newsletter. “Open Country had little expectation of something more visionary and supportive of the rural sector. I guess to that extent we were not, therefore, disappointed.” Margrain told suppliers it was very difficult to give any remotely “intelligent” update on developments in relation to government policy or economic trends. He also had a crack at the incessant and simplistic messaging from government and officials during the Covid-19 process. “If you are like us, you’ll be a little tired of being told to wash your hands, be kind and stay vigilant,” he quipped. “Just how many times do we need these reminders?”
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
AGRIBUSINESS // 13
Quality milk, top craftsmen bring co-op cheese awards SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz
IT WAS a great day for
Fonterra at this year’s virtual 2020 NZ Cheese Awards. The co-operative’s Lichfield-based cheesemaker Sam Pokaitara scooped the Champion Cheesemaker title. And the co-op capped off the awards ceremony, held on Facebook on May 6, by bagging a bunch of top awards, including the champion original cheese for its Kapiti Awa Blue. Fonterra says the awards recognised its farmers’ top-quality milk and the co-op’s cheesemaking expertise. A significant change for 2020 Awards was judging of the Champion Cheesemaker. Now cheesemakers enter three styles of cheese, which are assessed as one entry. The winner is the cheesemaker who receives the highest aggregate score across their three cheeses. Pokaitara, Lichfield’s brine salt cheese process project manager, was surprised to win the top award. Pokaitara thought his colleague, Iain O’Donnell, was pulling a prank on him when he received a message from Iain saying he’d won. “I didn’t believe him since we take the mickey
Sam Pokaitara
all the time. When I found out it was true, I had a big grin on my face. “Everyone on site has been calling me ‘champ’ – I don’t think I’m going to live this down.” Pokaitara has been working for the co-op for 15 years, primarily in cheese, and has developed a strong passion for making it. As a process manager, he is responsible for the cheese manufacturing process from start to finish – from ordering ingredients and getting the milk on-site, to managing the recipes and troubleshooting to streamline the process. “We make specialty cheese on a commodity scale, so every single
block is top quality. “At the brine salt cheese plant, it’s a highly mechanical process with thousands of moving parts. I love that it’s a different challenge every year.” He says the secret to making the best cheese is top quality milk and experienced operators. “Manufacturing world class cheese is only possible with the best quality milk from the mighty Waikato, and good operators who know what they’re doing.” The awards are organised by the New Zealand Specialist Cheesemakers Association (NZSCA), and the cheeses were judged at the end of February in a pre-COVID-19 environ-
ment. NZSCA chair Neil Willman says for the first time the judges were looking for three supreme champions to recognise the scale and diversity of the New Zealand cheese industry from large global players through to medium-sized and boutique cheese producers. Joining Fonterra as other supreme champions were Meyer Goat’s Milk Gouda (medium size producer) and The Drunken Nanny Black Tie (boutique cheese). The Black Tie is a pyramid shaped fresh goat cheese, coated with a sprinkle of black ash, from burnt grape vines imported from France made by The Drunken Nanny Ltd. Willman says it was very pleasing to see that cheesemakers have responded to changes in the awards with increased entries this year. The new Chefs’ Choice award attracted around 30 entries. “Additionally there is much anticipation about the winners of the expanded Champions of Champions awards, this year for the first time we’re thrilled to name three winners from very small, medium and large producers – a true reflection of the diversity of the New Zealand cheesemaking industry,” says Willman.
The award-winning Kapiti Awa Blue.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
14 // OPINION RUMINATING
EDITORIAL
Still not understood
MILKING IT... Calling all nutters You can just about understand the NZ Outdoors Party’s stance on 1080. It’s not a scientific stance, but at least it aligns with the views of a constituency. But getting on board with the 5G conspiracy theories really weakens its credibility. Put simply, 5G is just a new application of radio technology. Existing research on the possible health effects of radiofrequency (RF) fields applies as much to 5G as to any other radio system in use. A lot of research on RF fields has been published, and health and scientific bodies around the world have reviewed such research thoroughly. The Ministry of Health website has links to some recent reviews, if you’re interested in science over scaremongering. Bottom line, it is safe. No need to burn down cell towers just because your dropkick cousin shared misinformation on Facebook. Fringe party policies don’t have to be flaky, but they often are.
Coca Cola milk FONTERRA IS second to none when it comes to supplying safe and quality dairy products to Chinese consumers. But now it has a competitor to contend with Coca Cola. The drinks giant has got the green light to team up with China’s biggest dairy player Mengniu Dairy to make milk products in China. The joint venture hopes to start with selling chilled milk before pushing into other segments. Financial details of the deal and brand names haven’t been announced yet.
What’s in a name? THE MAN who coined the term ‘Gypsy Day’ is slightly miffed that a term he introduced to New Zealand’s farming lexicon is now being called derogatory, and is banned in some circles. Former Northland rural report broadcaster Goldie Wardell recently told the Otago Daily Times that he started the expression after stumbling across a farmer and his wife moving cows and household items back in the 1980s. “I thought of Gypsies, packing up their home and moving to another farm. It was a sight I’ll never forget, but also one you used to see many times,” he told the newspaper. The next day on the wireless, Wardell described the scene and said Moving Day or Sharemilkers’ Day could just as well be called Gypsy Day. It stuck, and it spread. However, today the politically correct prefer to call it Moving Day.
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Effluent power
ISSN 1175-463X
FINNISH DAIRY company Valio is on a mission to reduce milk’s carbon footprint to zero by 2035. It is doing this by producing biogas from effluent on dairy farms. Currently the processor has 20 biogas plants on farms. Energy produced is mostly used to make electricity and heat for the farms. However, soon vehicles can fill up their tanks with biogas produced from effluent. The company says biogas will have an important role in reducing transport emissions because it will be one way to replace diesel and petrol fossil fuels.
IT’S A sad state of affairs when the President of Federated Farmers is forced to take a swipe at policy wonks in Wellington for their failure to understand one of the pillars of the NZ economy - agriculture. Why when a nation is essentially a primary producing economy do we have people in high places who probably don’t know the difference between an orchid and a cryptorchid? They might find this out if they decided to order a cryptorchid to decorate the foyer of their minister’s office. While the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), whose whole focus is agriculture, generally understands the implications of policy and gets it right, it’s departments on the fringes that don’t. Departments whose policy decisions have often serious and probably unintended consequences for the rural sector. There is, I recall, a system of departments consulting each other on policy, but this doesn’t always work, because in most cases there aren’t ag specialists in every department. Katie Milne’s comments reinforce the long-held belief that the closest some policy people get to agriculture is to have trim milk in their latte or go to the supermarket, where the meat looks nothing like the animal that provided this food. Surely the heads of the public service should have some sort of programme to educate policy wonks on the basics of agriculture. It would make sense, save embarrassment and be a win-win situation for everyone. The public service rightly insists that staff should be culturally aware – why not agriculturally aware? As a mere journalist I have seen some policy proposals that would better fit in a science fiction novel than in a statute book of law. I have watched friends who do policy for agricultural industry-good organisations blink in disbelief about a policy proposal that is being planned for their sector. Some of the proposals at times have a certain political flavour which again defies logic. This state of affairs has gone on for too long. I have close connections with Ireland, and by and large their government policy people are still connected in some way to the land. And even if farmers disagree with them, at least the policy is based on fact and not fantasy. Some people in the ag sector are hoping that Covid-19 will sheet home to people the importance of agriculture to NZ and build an interest in people getting to know more about it. It would be great but don’t bet your life savings on this. - Peter Burke
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
OPINION // 15
M.bovis – we’re making headway JOHN ROCHE
I’M DELIGHTED to say
that all of the indicators suggest that we’re doing very well in our fight against Mycoplasma bovis. But how do we know? The M. bovis programme has several measures in place that tell us how we’re going. One key benchmark is the Estimated Dissemination Rate (EDR). The EDR
ing 150,000 cattle (currently 153,546). Because, as the first country to do this, we didn’t have a blueprint we could work from. The original number was the best estimate at the time. It’s also useful to put that number in context. One hundred and fifty thousand animals over three years is approximately 1% of the cattle that would be culled from the national herd as part
If the EDR is greater than one, then the disease is growing. If it’s below one, we’re shrinking the disease. The EDR is well below one at 0.4 – down from over two at the start of the outbreak. is the number of herds that become infected in a three-month period divided by the number of herds that were infected in the three months before that. From this number we get a very strong indication of whether we’re winning the war or not. If the EDR is greater than one, then the disease is growing. If it’s below one, we’re shrinking the disease. The EDR is well below one at 0.4 – down from over two at the start of the outbreak. I know people get concerned that the number of confirmed cases is increasing. However, what’s important is that we’re finding fewer infected herds, despite looking harder. For example, we now check milk samples through Bulk Tank Milk surveillance and we’ve launched a National Beef Survey. What else gives us confidence? We continue to analyse the genetics of M. bovis from confirmed cases. Only one strain has been identified – that tells us we’ve only had one incursion. All infected properties are linked to the single source of the outbreak. The measures give us confidence the disease is not widespread in New Zealand’s cattle population. Another question asked recently is why we’ve gone beyond the original estimate of cull-
of routine dairy culling and meat processing. That is not meant to diminish the trauma and stress that individual farmers go through. As the son of a dairy farmer that built his herd from scratch, I feel for them. However, as someone who’s dealt with this disease overseas, I’ve seen first-hand what happens in an outbreak – incurable mastitis and seemingly healthy calves dying overnight – and I wouldn’t want New Zealand farmers having to deal with that into the future. So what’s next? Launched in 2018, as an industry-government partnership, this is a 10-year phased programme to eradicate M. bovis from New Zealand, reduce the effects on farmers, and to leave a stronger biosecurity system. The current focus is on finding and eliminating the disease. The delimiting phase is expected to end in 2021. After that, background surveillance testing will continue for approximately seven years. International epidemiology experts Ausvet recently analysed our surveillance programme and found that, following delimiting, the surveillance elements we have in place will provide the building blocks to give assurance that M. bovis is absent from our country. The programme’s current ELISA and PCR test-
ing regime is really good for this stage of the eradication, but it will be further strengthened by new diagnostics research that we’ve commissioned. Following a request for proposals that went out around the world, multiple diagnostic research projects are also in the pipeline. These will look
vets, scientists, industry and government. The research includes projects to better understand how the disease spreads under different New Zealand farming systems, and the social and economic impacts of the eradication on farmers and rural communities. Being first isn’t always
to improve our ability to detect M. bovis when the disease is less prevalent. Overall, up to $30 million has been set aside for priority science to help accelerate eradication of M. bovis and prevent another incursion. We’re investing that money in areas identified as priorities by experts, including
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
16 // MANAGEMENT
Zero bobby calves THE VERSATILITY of Holstein Friesians is being credited with allowing a young South Canterbury couple to produce zero bobby calves. Ryan and Billie Moffat milk 460 cows at Waimate. Production on the 145ha irrigated property was 262,000kgMS in 2018-19. The couple bought the farm off Ryan’s parents Mike and Chris Moffat last year, after buying their herd four years’ earlier. “Our business doesn’t produce any bobby calves,” says Billie. “We’ve always had a strong market for our surplus heifer and beef calves. That’s a huge benefit of farming Holstein Friesians.” “There’s limited demand for bull calves out of Crossbred and Jersey cows.”
Six years ago, the Moffat’s started using Samen’s overseas genetics over their herd. “We were quite a high BW (breeding worth) herd, with a big focus on BW. We used a lot of LIC genetics, then switched to using CRV Ambreed sires,” says Ryan. “But the genetic pool was getting too tight and we wanted to breed a higher-producing, medium-sized Holstein Friesian cow.” The Moffat’s are aiming for per cow production of 550kgMS. “We usually rear about 160 replacement heifer calves, selling 40 after weaning. They go to a local buyer or are sold to the export market,” says Billie. “There’s still a big demand for the heifers. People are starting to look for quality over
high BW. We have been really impressed with our Samen calves. Last spring’s calves are probably the best we’ve had.” The couple is in their second season doing all artificial insemination (AI). The main bulls they have been using are Seagull-Bay MVP-ET, ABS Joppolo PP-ET, Co-Op Bosside Massey-ET and DE-SU 11236 Balisto-ET. “We use mainly Holstein Friesian sires. In the final four weeks of mating we mix it up a bit and use Angus, Speckled Park, Belgium Blue and Wagyu semen,” says Ryan. Rising two-year-old heifers, which are at a 185-hectare (effective) runoff owned by Ryan’s parents nearby, are run with Angus bulls. “Our beef calves have always been highly sought-after. Mum and
Dad now buy our beef calves. They take them right through to finishing, where they’re worth around $2,000/head based on current prices,” he says. “Here in the South Island we get between $100 and $150 for fourday-old calves - significantly more than what a bobby calf is worth.” The Moffat’s start calving on August 1 and milk through until the end of June. Tackling the herd’s empty (not in calf) rate, which usually sits between 16-20%, is currently their number one focus. Ryan believes the herd’s high per-cow milk production is a contributing factor, with energy intakes failing to match outputs. “Within weeks of calving our cows are produc-
Ryan and Billie Moffat.
ing well over 2 kgMS/day, and they’re peaking at an average of 2.7-2.8 kgMS. That is at a time when we are trying to get them to cycle and get in calf,” he said. “I think historically they’ve probably been slightly energy deficient.” This season, bypass fat has been added to the herd’s in-shed feed ration to help plug the energy gap. “Bypass fat is high in energy content. It has an ME (metabolisable energy) of 33 per cent. It’s expensive, but so is having empty cows, so we hope it will make a difference to our final in-calf rate,” he says. “It’s already had a pos-
itive impact. The cows had a much higher BCS (body condition score) at mating this year.” The farm has a modern six-year-old 54-bale rotary milking shed with automated drafting. The cows’ in-shed feed mix consists of barley, wheat, distillers’ grain, tapioca and proteins like canola. Minerals such as magnesium and calcium are added to molasses. The farm does not have a feed pad. The next big infrastructure project on the horizon is expanding the irrigation system. “We have one centre pivot that covers 65-hectares. There is a further 13-14ha under k-line irri-
gation. The remainder of the farm is under flood irrigation which will be converted to pivots over the next four years,” said Ryan. “That side of the farm is an odd shape, so we might need several smaller pivots.” The herd will be wintered on just grass and silage for the first time this year. Fodder beet is grown at the runoff for young stock and beef cattle. The Moffat’s have 313 registered pedigree Holstein Friesians, including young stock, and are keen to grow the number. The Moffat’s trade under the name Deltop Dairy Limited.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
ANIMAL HEALTH // 17
Proper nutrition precalving boosts yield NATALIE CHRYSTAL
IF MILK fever is keeping
you or your staff awake at night, you are not alone. Many New Zealand dairy farms grapple with down cows at calving with research showing that on average between 2-4% of all cows across New Zealand exhibit the typical clinical signs of milk fever – so called ‘downer cows’. Most farmers recognise that it is not only these clinical cases that
farms in 2019, with a dramatic reduction in clinical milk fever cases reported. Farmers using the Animate feeding programme have also reported easier calving, fewer retained foetal members and improved cow health and production. These anecdotal reports are backed up by results obtained in comprehensive university research, field trials and commercial application around the world. The objective of the feeding programme is
Proper feeding and management of dry cows is an essential management tool which helps to minimise the risk of metabolic disease . cost time and money, but the estimated 30 to 40% of cows that are sub-clinically hypocalcaemic that really impact your bottom line as a result of significant negative effects on milk production. Impossible to identify without the use of a blood test, these cows will produce approximately 7% less milk during lactation than their normocalcaemic herd mates. In total, lost production as a consequence of low blood calcium levels typically costs around $6000/100 cows at a $6.80/kgMS payout for an average herd producing 381kgMS/ cow/year. Strategies including supplementing magnesium and managing cow condition have formed the mainstay of milk fever management in New Zealand, but despite the implementation of these strategies, many farms still experience clinical milk fever cases each year. Adjusting the dietary cation and anion balance through the use of anionic salts has also been tried on many farms, with varying degrees of success as it is difficult to get cows to eat enough low DCAD feed to overcome the effects of high potassium pastures common in NZ grazing systems. Trialled in New Zealand for the first time in 2018, a new feeding programme was successfully implemented on over 40
to radically increase the amount of negatively charged ions, chloride and sulphate, absorbed by the cow from the digestive tract. These subsequently enter the blood stream resulting in a compensated metabolic acidosis, in which blood pH is slightly reduced and where calcium release from bone and uptake from the gut are increased. This change is also accompanied by a change in urinary pH, making it easy to identify whether the cow has been ‘fully acidified’ or not. When urinary pH is sufficiently decreased this also results in an increased excretion of calcium through the urine, improving the cow’s ability to move calcium in and out her blood. The net effect is that any calcium consumed by the cow when she is ‘fully acidified’ is immediately available to meet the sudden increase in calcium requirements at calving. Due to its unique formulation and patented manufacturing process, Animate, is highly palatable and readily consumed by cows in the last three weeks of gestation while the concentrated formulation makes it possible to fully acidify cows, even on pasture in New Zealand. Proper feeding and management of dry cows
is an essential management tool which helps to minimise the risk of metabolic disease at calving. Given the dramatic impact which both clinical and sub-clinical hypocalcaemia can have on profitability, management
and nutrition of springers in the three weeks prior to calving in particular should be viewed as an investment in the future performance of the herd. • Natalie Chrystal is a nutritionist with Complete Feed Solutions
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Bringing Field Days to the Farm MAY 26, 2020 ISSUE 447 // www.dairynews.co.nz
Top tips for a smooth move AS AN estimated 5,000 dairy farmers prepare to pack up and move to new farms for the June 1 start of the new season, DairyNZ is providing practical assistance to help make the move safe and easier. The industry-good body has worked with sector partners to develop a package of resources to support farmers on Moving Day. “This remarkable move takes place every year incredibly smoothly, given the size and scale of the activity, thanks to the hard work and tenacity of dairy farmers,” DairyNZ people team manager Jane Muir says. “There will be extra challenges this year with Covid-19 and we wanted to help farmers understand what they
About 5000 farmers and their families would be hitting the road this Moving Day.
need to do to meet the health and safety requirements and give advice on planning and working through checklists to successfully move households, animals, people and equipment.” New Moving Day guidelines and templates are now available on
the DairyNZ website, developed by DairyNZ with input from Federated Farmers, Fonterra and FMG. “At this stage, it looks like New Zealand will be at Covid-19 alert level 2 when Moving Week takes place, but we need everyone to consider all scenarios
and we are providing support for this. Being prepared means farmers can proceed with confidence,” says Muir. “The resources have been designed to be userfriendly and save farmers time and stress.” They include guidelines on managing the key elements of the move – covering planning and movement of people, animals and equipment. The guidelines also cover
managing contractors and regulatory requirements in the Covid-19 environment. “We know many farmers love having templates for key activities they have to carry out, so we have made a number available to help with the move.” The templates include a Moving Day Planning Document to help plan ahead, and a Moving Day Participation Record
(to keep track of who is helping with each move in case Covid-19 tracing is required). An easy to read Q&A has also been developed covering such things as who can help with Moving Day, which businesses farmers can use for Moving Day and cleaning requirements for houses, dairy sheds and equipment. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
MOVING? CALL OSPRI FIRST ARE YOU moving on June 1?
Don’t forget to contact OSPRI and ensure your herd records are up to date before the big day. OSPRI, the disease management and traceability entity, says it is supporting farmers changing addresses this Moving Day. It is urging sharemilkers moving farm and herds to call the OSPRI contact centre to ensure their NAIT account and TBfree herd records are up to date before they move. This is essential for on-farm biosecurity and supports current livestock disease management responses. OSPRI says it has been working alongside the dairy industry, Federated Farmers, and MPI to ensure farmers are suitably informed of their NAIT obligations during the Covid-19 national emergency. “We acknowledge this a chal-
lenging time for dairy farmers given the restrictions around social distancing and travel,” says head of NAIT Kevin Forward. To help minimise the load on farmers moving farm or herd, OSPRI has produced a Moving Day guide. This has been circulated to the wider industry and can be downloaded from the OSPRI website. As is the case every year, if moving animals to a new farm or a grazing block, farmers are required to record and confirm all livestock movements in the NAIT online system, says Forward. “This is vital for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the NAIT system. “We’ve made some great progress with farmers now more engaged with their NAIT obligations and recording movements
accurately and in a timely manner. “We expect farmers will want to keep building on this and make animal traceability a priority for their on-farm biosecurity,” says Forward. OSPRI also recommends that farmers complete a livestock transporter declaration if requested by their transporter. This relates to new legislation around the transportation of animals. Farmers should ensure all animals are tagged and registered in NAIT. If animals are unsafe to tag, they can only be moved to a meat processor and not your new farm. “Please remember that unsafe to tag animals [UTT] must be visibly marked and you’ll need to complete an unsafe to tag declaration and provide that to the transporter before the animals are loaded on the truck,” says Forward.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM // 19
Tick of approval for OverseerFM NORTH CANTERBURY farmer Cameron
Henderson says he looks at OverseerFM as an ‘environmental accounting system’. “Many people find a farm accounting system daunting at first but once you have found your way around the software, it is easy to use. “Similarly, you can use an accountant to complete your tax accounts but the real value is to look at it in detail yourself, try some scenarios and see where you can make gains.” Henderson farms 430ha in Oxford, North Canterbury - 230ha is his family farm and the rest is a leased support farm. He previously spent a year working for DairyNZ and is provincial president of Federated Farmers and vice chairman of the Waimakariri Water Zone committee. “I have been involved with the process of setting the path forward for setting nutrient limits and improving water quality in the district. “I started using Overseer because as we came to recognise that a lot of change would be required, I wanted to understand from our own farm perspective where we sat in terms of nutrient leaching.” OverseerFM analyses the flow of nutrients through a farm, based on the management practices applied. This produces annual budgets for seven key farm nutrients, as well as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reports. Henderson built his first model for the farm, working with a certified nutrient management consultant, but now updates that every year, before working with the consultant to take into account any changes in OverseerFM and to sign off the final version. “To use the accounting analogy again, you will get better results from working with your farm business accountant if you dive into the detail yourself and the same goes for
OverseerFM,” he says. “I was very interested in nutrient losses and the impact on the regulatory side and wanted to build scenarios about what our farm system options might be within the ‘consent to farm’ nutrient consenting in Canterbury. “We built the original model using an older version of Overseer, to understand the rules and regulations and what we could model in it. “We ended up four years ago with a very successful Land Use Consent from Environment Canterbury that has been a real asset for us. From there, I have used OverseerFM every year to make sure the farm still falls within the consent limits.” OverseerFM can be used to model the impacts of land-use changes as well as changes in farm management approach. It can help farmers to understand their current situation and assess the changes they can make to achieve compliance and meet environmental standards. “We also use it to model scenarios when we are making changes on farm,” says Henderson. “For instance, we planted 7ha in pine last year, retiring it from dairy. We used OverseerFM to model what effect that would have first. “We winter our own herd and neighbour’s herd on our support farm, and OverseerFM enables us to work out how many cows can go on there and for how long we can graze. We will also be using it as we work to reduce fertiliser rates.” Henderson sees the GHG emissions report function becoming increasingly valuable to farmers. The farm is part of Synlait’s Lead with Pride programme and one of the company’s goals is to achieve a 50% reduction on total GHG per kilo of milk solids by 2028. “As part of that, we will get greenhouse gas targets for the farm,” he
says. “Our farm will be benchmarked against the Canterbury average in OverseerFM and we can start to see how we stack
up against similar operations. Going forward, Synlait is also in the process of developing GHG mitigation tools and Overseer is at the centre of that.”
Cameron Henderson
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
20 // BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM
Practical hoofcare advice goes online MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
WITH THE National Fieldays cancelled for the 2020 season, hoof-care specialists VeeHof are creating their own VeeHof Fieldays Online 2020 Event. Fred Hoekstra from VeeHof says they love to
interact face to face with national customers. “So we and the Dairy Hoofcare Institute (DHI) have created a new dynamic online experience opportunity for our customers via our daily webinars, which will run from the June 15 to June 26, 2020.” The webinars will showcase VeeHof’s exten-
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sive range of hoof care equipment, including the Wopa Hoof Treatment Crush, hoof knives, knife sharpening equipment, claw blocks and how to apply them. Additionally, there will be a live discussion session with Fred, who will answer questions on the practical use of the different hoof care products and services
Fred Hoekstra says daily webinars have been organised for customers next month.
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available. Alternatively, visitors can access a private chat room to talk oneon-one about a specific product with a member of the VeeHof sales team. The webinars will alternate with sessions from the Dairy Hoofcare Institute, outlining the various training course opportunities on offer, again, with an opportunity for live discussion with Fred. As a bonus, anyone
who attends Veehof Field Days Online or the Dairy Hoofcare Institute Webinar will be given the opportunity to attend one of two specialised Lameness Seminars that will be live streamed. Details for these seminars will be provided during the online field days presentations. For more information on the webinars: www. veehof.co.nz and www.dhi. ac.nz .
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM // 21
Colostrum bag gives calves a great start A CAMBRIDGE company has unveiled another innovation that helps farmers set calves up for a lifetime of good health, fertility and production. Antahi Innovations Ltd, founded by veterinarian Ursula Haywood and husband Mark in 2016, has launched Trusti Colostrum bags and the Trusti Pasteur – a colostrum management system that helps maintain colostrum quality and also streamlines the process of feeding it. Haywood says no other supplement has as much impact on a calf’s life as its first colostrum feed. “Calves that receive high quality colostrum are healthier in general and have been shown to have a definite advantage in reproduction and milk production,” she says. The company says in 2015 a New Zealand study found over 95% of farms were feeding substandard
colostrum to their calves, with a low antibody concentration or a high contamination level. Another key issue is feeding calves colostrum within the critical six-hour timeframe after birth. “Spring is a really hectic period in our system, and the correct storage and feeding of colostrum can be pushed to the side,” Haywood says. “It is worth getting it right, though, because the impact is huge. Calves that don’t receive highquality colostrum quickly are 10 times more likely to become sick or die.” Poor quality issues can be largely solved by a quick Brix test, clean harvesting equipment and appropriate refrigeration of colostrum to avoid deterioration. Haywood says pasteurisation is less common in New Zealand than in non-
EASY TO USE TRUSTI COLOSTRUM bags are durable and reusable, with large spouts for easy filling and cleaning. They attach to the award-winning Trusti Tuber drencher, or a high-quality teat, for easy feeding directly from the bag to reduce contamination between equipment. They allow for easy storage, and fast heating and cooling. The Trusti Pasteur has an eight-litre capacity, able to pasteurise two, four-litre Trusti Colostrum bags at once, or thaw those bags from frozen in 20 minutes. You simply select 60 degrees for pasteurisation or 42 degrees for thawing. “In New Zealand the main barrier to purchasing a pasteurising unit in the past has been the cost,” Ursula Haywood says. “The Trusti Pasteur was designed with this issue in mind and is approximately one-fifth the price of the European units on the market. “We hope the lower price point will remove the barrier to New Zealand farmers ensuring calves get high-quality first colostrum.” Haywood recommends farmers buy an inexpensive secondhand fridge for the shed – a ‘colostrum’ fridge – and with the help of the Trusti Colostrum bags, they will find it easier to manage the storage and feeding of colostrum. If the colostrum is fed immediately after clean harvesting there is no need to refrigerate, but often the colostrum is left to sit for too long. “Colostrum will be harvested and placed into Trusti Bags, and into the fridge. You can record the date, quality and other information on the outside of the bag. “Colostrum can be maintained at high quality for three (unpasteurised) to seven (pasteurised) days in the fridge or can be frozen in the Trusti Bags for 12 months.” When it comes time to feed calves, the Trusti Bag’s thin wall means the colostrum can be warmed quickly.
seasonal farming systems overseas, where calves are fed from frozen colostrum banks – an effective way of ensuring calves receive maximum antibody absorption, and minimal disease.
Haywood says together the Trusti Colostrum bags and Trusti Pasteur make it easier for farmers to achieve that first critical feed and give calves the best chance at health.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
22 // BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM
Kiwi inventor on a mission to make dairying more viable TARANAKI BUSINESSMAN Steve Corkill
has been on a mission to make dairying more viable for farmers. Steve, who owns Cork-
ill Systems Ltd, has many inventions up his sleeve. One such invention is Varivac, a Corkill Systems invention, designed by Steve.
“It’s an electronic controller for the vacuum pumps. It saves them around 40% in their dairy shed power usage,” Steve says.
“It was the first in the world of its kind, and that was back in 1996.” He trademarked the Varivac in 1999 but he says many competitors
have gone on to replicate it. “The Varivac name has become like jandals or the chilly bin - a generic name for a vacuum pump con-
troller, and yet we own the name,” Steve says. Born and bred on a dairy farm in Opunake, Taranaki, Steve did his electrical apprenticeship with one path in mind – and it wasn’t dairy. “The only reason I did it was somebody told me that a New Zealand registered electrician can get a job anywhere around the world and my only ambition at the time was to travel,” Steve says.
So he bought a one way ticket to the UK in 1975 and began working on oil rigs firstly in the North Sea and then various Middle Eastern and South Asia countries. After 11 years overseas, his dad fell ill so Steve returned home with his then-girlfriend, now-wife Rosie from Switzerland. He started doing the odd electrical contracting job for old friends, which snowballed into a
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BY INVENTNG the Varivac and Milkflow systems, Steve Corkill stumbled onto another problem facing farmers - existing pumps being used weren’t up to scratch. So he decided to design a pump specifically for milk handling. He owns moulds in China and pumps are manufactured there in a German joint venture factory. These are used for everything from honey to tallow. “It’s a traditional rotary lobe pump design but modified so instead of high speed, high pressure, low volume, they’re high volume, low speed and pressure,” he says. “The fundamental design has been around for 100 years, but not the way we build it.” The big transfer pumps in the pump stations move over five litres per revolution, the smaller ones used in dairy sheds can save a dairy farmer 4-5% by reducing damage to his milk solids. “They move the milk without damaging it. Literally, you could probably pump raw eggs through it and not break them,” he says. “I’m quite chuffed with the design.” Corkill sees that he can fix things, rather than invent them. In recent years Corkill Systems have been building pump stations to move bulk milk for improved efficiency. Tankers picking up milk from farms are limited in size on many council type roads to 44 tonnes maximum weight. The smaller tankers deliver to the pump stations Corkill builds for Dynes’ transport subsidiary Bulk Liquid Solutions. They then move the milk into long haul 57-58 tonne tankers to take the milk to where the processors can get the best end product value. There are currently nine stations strategically placed all around the country – from the bottom of Southland, to the top of Northland, including one in Opunake – they’re currently building number station number ten.
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM // 23
Steve Corkill
business with 17 staff in a decade. Steve sold Corkill Electrical Limited in 2001 to focus on his young family and work on his side interests. “I was developing products for energy efficiency and milk quality for dairy farms,” he says. “They were essentially my hobby, so I retained two staff and we are now twelve including my son who is intent on taking the business to new levels.” Now known as Cork-
ill Systems Ltd, the company has helped drive dairy innovation in New Zealand, which he felt was behind the times in terms of automation. “Dairy farming has taken a lot of flak in the media over the last few years,” Steve says. “Markets have changed, prices are down, what we do is helping the national dairy business improve their margins and therefore making them more viable.” Another of Steve’s
inventions is the Milkflow electronic controller for the milk pumps in dairy sheds that was designed back in the 1980’s. “People were pumping milk dry, aerating it. This is incredibly damaging to milk. “Up to 8% damage to the milk solids, which is 8% off what the farmers are being paid. That’s the cream on the cake really when you’re talking about profit on a dairy farm.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
24 // BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM
Yardmaster making life easier by causing a stir MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
QUITE OFTEN the need to regularly agitate dairy effluent ponds or tanks is overlooked in the initial design stages. This will likely lead to problems later down the track with crusting, sludge and sand build-up, ultimately reducing storage capacity and likely causing pump or irrigator blockages. In all cases of efflu-
ent storage and distribution, the theory is to keep the solids in suspension – meaning pumping – the sludge and sand being constantly removed from the system to the paddock. Yardmaster offers an extensive range of effluent stirrers that are designed to meet specific application requirements and customer feature preference. In recent years, safety and ease of service has seen a move towards
shore mounted solutions. The Yardmaster shore mounted stirrer comes in two lengths and with two power ratings. Features include a winch for prop height adjustment and adjustable slew angle, allowing a wide range of prop placement within the pond, meaning all areas can be agitated and solids incorporated into the effluent. The Yardmaster shore mounted stirrer is ideal for ponds, offering the capability of stirring up
to 9 million litres using 11kW. An in-ground pond might not be a viable option in certain applications such as a highwater table, or difficult topography, in which case, it is likely that an
above ground tank maybe required. Yardmaster can deal with the agitation of such storage solutions. A Yardmaster over the wall stirrer frame and Submersible stirrer can be used, with the stirrer frame able to accom-
modate up to a 4.3 metre wall height tank. The submersible stirrer can be removed using the frame without the need of draining the tank or the use of a Hi-hab. The stirrer is available in 1.5 to 7.5kW options and offers the
ability to agitate up to 2 million litres. Yardmaster stirrers are also available for in ground tanks, floating pontoons and fixed wall installations. @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM // 25
750k and counting THE LATEST produc-
tion milestone in the JCB story recently saw its 750,000th backhoe loader, a 3CX, roll off the production line. The landmark machine was driven off the line at the company’s factory in Rocester, Staffordshire, England – the same location where the first JCB backhoe was manufactured almost 70 years ago. The company notes that it was in 1953 that company founder, Joseph Cyril Bamford, produced the JCB backhoe loader that, for the first time, combined a front shovel
and rear excavator arm on the same machine. In 1954, the first full year of production, just 35 of the machines were produced. It took more than 20 years for the first 50,000 to be made. JCB now manufactures backhoe loaders in the UK, India, Brazil and the US. The first backhoe, cleverly named the JCB Mark I, was followed by the Hyddra-Digga in 1956, both in a blue and red livery. Then in 1960 came the heavier, more powerful JCB 4 – introducing the now familiar yellow branding.
The JCB 3 went into production in 1961, followed by the JCB 3C in 1963 and the JCB 3CII in 1967. The latter stayed in production for 13 years. In 1980, as part of a £24 million investment, the JCB 3CX was launched, which proved to be the real catalyst for growth of backhoe sales
and the JCB company. Fast forward to today, current generation of backhoe loaders include features such as automatic deployment of stabilisers on uneven ground, a Smooth Ride System and the TorqueLock feature that can help reduce on-road fuel consumption by up to 25%.
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DIESEL HEATER AT LOW COST THE TOYOTOMI Laser FF95 burns ordinary diesel and is a suitable replacement for log burners, pellet fires, electric and gas heaters in homes, offices or general areas. You wouldn’t know it was a diesel heater as the fuel injected combustion chamber is completely sealed, so no fumes can enter the area being heated. Ignited at the touch of a switch, the FF95 features simple burner start/stop, self-cleaning fuel injection, and an automatic thermostat controlling 3-stage heating at 9.5kW, 5.49kW and 2.96kW outputs - burning diesel at 1.07, 0.62 & 0.33 liters per hour respectively. A weekly timer allows for fully automatic operation, while a 50-watt continuous demand operates the ultra-quiet three-speed fan and controls. Offered with a three-year general warranty and five years for the stainless-steel combustion chamber, the Laser is 92% efficient and produces huge volumes of real heat, at 30% to 50% less than the cost of conventional electric or gas heating. With current electricity prices averaging 28c/kWh and diesel typically $1/litre, running costs amount to around 11 cents/kWh. The price of diesel would need to rise to $2.48L to equal the current kilowatt hour cost of on demand electricity (in most areas of NZ). While warm air from heat pumps may be 38°C to 45°C, the hot air from the Laser is delivered at about 75°C, so the difference is no cold drafts, warm feet, and very low power consumption. www.avonelectric.co.nz
European design and quality - Over 50 years experience in developing milk cooling tanks and one of Europe’s leading Dairy Cooling Systems producers for the needs of farmers around the world – from Mexico to Japan, from Russia to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Energy Saving with Packo Ice Builders (PIB’s) – thanks to the ice energy store build-up during night time hours, a smaller refrigeration unit can be installed, plus the potential savings of off-peak power rates. Water Saving with PIB’s – bore water pre-cooling is not necessary with the correctly sized PIB. This is ideal for drought prone regions or where water supplies are restricted. Improved Milk quality through Snap Chilling = potentially a higher return adding PROFITS to the farm. For 30yrs Eurotec has been supplying the NZ Refrigeration Industry with leading Global Brands. The only NZ supplier of this technology providing nationwide coverage and After Sales Support with branches in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch with over 30 Approved Refrigeration Installers throughout the country from Invercargill to Whangarei. Check out the DCS website www.dairycoolingsolutions.nz or talk to your refrigeration contractor to find out how you can comply with the new milk cooling regulations.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
26 // BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM
Case offers double-clutch gearbox MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
NOW AVAILABLE in New Zealand,
the new Case IH Maxxum range offers an upgraded continuously variable transmission (CVT) and for the first time includes the ActiveDrive 8 transmission featuring double clutch technology. The two models, AD8 and CVT, offer new styling, revised wheelbase and other enhancements. They join the 16x16 semi-powershift transmission already on offer. A new design aligns the Maxxum with the Optum CVT, featuring an updated roofline and LED work lights in the front grill. Comfort has been improved with a choice of Deluxe seats, enhanced cab features and a singlepiece front screen, while for increased efficiency, the Maxxum series has improved brake to clutch functionality and options for ISOBUS II and ISOBUS III. It won 2019 Tractor of the Year Award, and in so doing, achieved the best rating ever for fuel efficiency by
Case IX Maxxum range now features double-clutch technology.
a four-cylinder model. The range also offers a 6-cylinder engine for Maxxum 150 CVT and Multicontroller for applications, where power counts. The ActiveDrive 8 transmission has three ranges and a total of 24 speeds in both forward and reverse. The double-clutch technology results in less torque interruption, while pedal clutching is not necessary for range changes,
making this transmission ideal for power-hungry tasks where momentum is important. The series also includes options for adaptive steering, for faster turns with fewer steering movements, and Headland Management Control II (HMC II) technology. HMC II automates headland turns with the benefits of reduced driver fatigue and improved productiv-
ity. AFS AccuGuide and new AFS AccuTurn are also available. Farm manager Sam LeCren has been putting his new Maxxum ActiveDrive 8 through its paces for a month at Karapiro in South Waikato, where he manages an Angus bull farm and another property for the Aucklandbased Plaw family. The home farm comprises three
original farms that run along 3km of the Karapiro lakefront, plus a further lease block that runs from the lake to the fence at the Maungatautari Ecological Reserve. As well as the traditional farming operation the area also includes a fully developed equestrian events centre, a horse breeding operation, vineyards and a market garden. Forty per cent of the 320ha total is farmed, with the remainder set aside as parkland and the equestrian areas. “Part of the reason for buying this tractor was that we’d taken over the new lease,” says LeCren. “We effectively tripled our area, so I needed another tractor. I like the simplicity of a CVT, but I also like having the driver control. This AD8 is almost like a crossbetween the two. “You can set it in automatic and away it goes. You don’t feel the gear changes like in a conventional powershift-transmission, as it’s already in the next gear that you want to change into.” www.caseih.co.nz @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews
WWW.SUZUKI.CO.NZ
A��ll day. every day. The definition of reliable – Suzuki’s DR200SE Trojan is a no-nonsense farm bike that’s been designed for hard graft – day in and day out with a minimum of maintenance and downtime. Developed for New Zealand conditions it’s no wonder they’re a firm favourite with Kiwi farmers like Opiki-based Ken Anderson. In service all day, every day since 2012 and over 60,000km later it hasn’t skipped a beat. If you want a rugged farm bike that redefines the word ‘reliable’, the Trojan is ready for work.
DR200SE $4,799+GST
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM // 27
Smart silos a clever choice MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
MADE FROM rotation-
ally moulded polyethylene, the Smart Silo range offers capacities from 280 litres to 30 tonnes. They offer a longer lasting and more hygienic storage solution for all types of contents and operations. New Zealand made and available direct from the manufacturer, Advantage Plastics, Smart Silos have been providing all types of farmers throughout the country with storage
solutions for the likes of grains and feeds for two decades. The one-piece product design means there is no assembly required on-site. More importantly, it eliminates the risk of moisture ingress and the spoiling of the contents. Manufactured from medium density, food grade, UV-stable rated polyethylene, the silos are tough, durable and rustfree, so will retain their value and condition. As part of the customisation package offered by Smart Silo, all framework and plastic moulding is
carried out in-house, so the company is able to meet special requirements such as bespoke framing to accommodate machinery or systems, and colour
matching to complement existing buildings or landscapes. They can also help with obtaining resource consents. www.smartsilo.co.nz
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TOUGH TIMES are ahead for many businesses, but Lastrite Footwear is match fit, having already survived the flood of cheap imports unleashed when import tariffs were dropped. Over its 68 years, the business has endured highs and lows. In 1974, Neville Brunker came into the company started by his father John. “It’s been a long haul,” says Neville, who continues his craft in a Whangarei workshop. The business is focussed these days on a limited range of high quality boots. Before cheap imports changed the retail landscape, Lastrite supplied footwear to a number of large NZ businesses, including steel-cap boots to NZ Window Glass, golf shoes to pro shops throughout NZ, spiked and steel toe boots by the thousands to the forestry industry and jandals to surf shops. Lastrite also got into high end suede dress boots and shoes that were exported. Dress boots are still part of the range, alongside its durable work boots. The range includes top-end leather Farmers, Hunting, Yardmate, Tussock, Higleg Logger, a hi-leg Hunter, Dress Boots and much more. See more at www.Lastrite co.nz.
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
28 // BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM
NAIT top priority WAIKATO SHAREMILKERS Grant and
Karley Thomson are moving farm on Moving Day (June 1) – their first
move in five years. Their top priority is on-farm rand NAIT compliance. Grant Thomson thanks
NAIT and its ability to trace animals for saving their business. “It’s essential. We had a situation with an
Grant and Karley Thomson.
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infected animal traced back to our property,” says Grant “It was born on our farm but had moved four times afterwards and then sold through a saleyard. “Thankfully, it was only a trace and there was no M.bovis detected at our farms. They got on to it quickly and we were able to get back to business, and I doubt that would have been possible without NAIT and the ability to trace animals.” The Thomsons have three NAIT locations: two dairy farms and a run-off block at Cambridge. All properties have separate NAIT numbers. Grant is the person in charge of animals (PICA) for all farms, responsible for the livestock managed there. Their herd consists of 700 animals - a 500strong herd with 140 R1s and 140 R2s. Grant says they are ready for Moving Day. “We’re expecting four or five trucks to roll in on June 1 to move 500 cows. “We’ll also be selling around 100 animals on the day, so we’ve got two helpers coming on-board. “We’ve been in touch with OSPRI and got a new NAIT number for the Tirau farm and the herd is TB tested and ready to move.” All their calves are tagged and registered in NAIT for lifetime traceability. Grant says the heifers will generally have NAIT
and dairy participant code tags and are registered in LIC MINDA. “When we move the heifers their NAIT numbers and movement are synched through to the NAIT system. “We don’t use a livestock reader, so I record the NAIT tag numbers on paper and then go online after to record them in NAIT.” On NAIT compliance, Grant would like to see more emphasis on getting farmers to record animal transfers in NAIT. “There may be some issues with resources and getting bodies on the ground to police it. “I believe stock agents could be more involved working with the buyer and seller to make sure transfers are recorded in NAIT. “I’ve had instances where I’ve received bulls on farm and had to wait for the NAIT number, it should be happening instantly when the agent offloads the animal.” Grant’s advice to farmers on Moving Day is that ensure all your animals are tagged and registered in NAIT and that your NAIT account is up to date, before the animals go on the truck. “It’s important to record all livestock movements in NAIT even if they are going to a grazing block. If you’re a sharemilker moving to a new farm, I recommend you give OSPRI a call first to ensure you’re ready.”
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM // 29
Agritech partnership to improve milk quality TWO NEW Zealand agri-
businesses are partnering up in the name of quality milk. Dairy hygiene and animal health supplier, FIL, and provider of onfarm monitoring and milk vat monitoring systems, Levno, are working together to improve farmers’ visibility and dairy hygiene in their farming operation. Customers will be able to use Levno’s milk vat monitoring system to provide data and analytics to FIL. The partnership will make use of Levno analytics to detect and prevent milk quality issues before they occur, ultimately saving farmers time and money. “As firm believers in the old saying ‘prevention is better than cure’, teaming up with Levno will enable us to detect and diagnose potential issues in our customers’ milking systems before they become problems,” says FIL national sales manager Bede Murphy. “Having access to realtime information about their milk vat, our farming customers will feel empowered to understand what is happening on their farm. And being able
to see this data from a mobile, whether you’re on the farm or not, is key to making timely decisions that will help farmers see better results and maximise milk return.” The partnership will allow Levno and FIL to continue research and development on the milk vat monitoring system to monitor the entirety of the milking system. FIL is encouraging their customers to get Levno’s milk vat monitoring system (MVMS), which is free to all Fonterra suppliers. Fonterra’s MVMS rollout is a national project where the co-op will pay for all its suppliers to have a milk monitoring system. Fonterra will get limited access to some of the data from the MVMS. This will improve transportation and milk quality for Fonterra creating significant savings for the co-op. “Levno’s milk vat monitoring lets farmers know when they have issues with their vats, like power outages and refrigeration problems. These improvements and this partnership with allow FIL to diagnose issues before the
problem even occurs,” says Levno chief executive Larry Ellison.
Levno milk dashboard.
AG TYRE APP TYRE MANUFACTURER Continental has launched its all-new ‘Agriculture TireTech’ app, aimed specifically at the farming sector. Available in the app stores and suitable for iOS and Android systems, a core element is the pressure-load calculator, where users can calculate the recommended pressure for their tyres depending on the load. In doing so, operators can benefit from lower soil compaction, less tyre wear, higher efficiency and lower fuel consumption. In addition to the pressure-load calculator, the app also offers broad technical information on the Continental agricultural tyre portfolio as well as a useful conversion table. Additionally, the lead calculator compares the rolling circumferences of all Continental tyres and delivers a recommendation if the chosen tyres are applicable with the mechanical inter-axle ratio of the tractor.
Solids Damage k l i M r e w o L o o C l i ng k l i M e v o r p Im MILKFLOW The CSL Milkflow Milk Pump Controller improves returns by reducing milk solids damage and optimising primary cooling.
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www.corkillsystems.co.nz
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M135GX *This finance offer from UDC Finance Limited is only available to eligible business applicants on loans with a term of up to 36 months. The 0.9% p.a. interest rate is fixed for the term of the loan and is only available with a minimum 20% deposit and applies to new MGX Series models UDC Finance credit criteria, fees, terms and conditions apply. The finance offer are valid to 30th June 2020.
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
30 // BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM
Turning slurry into profit MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
VIA ITS importer of 10 years, Farmgard, Abbey Machinery offers an extensive range of slurry applicators, including band spreaders, vertical trailing shoes, tri-app trailing shoes, cereal applicators and disc injectors. As an example of the latest technology to deal with a by-product once seen as just a nuisance, you don’t have to look much further than the Abbey Machinery 3500 recess tandem tanker.
Shod with 710/50 R26.5 FL630 BKT flotation tyre equipment to tread lightly and minimise soil damage, the unit also features application rate control. This includes flow meter, sense gate valve, automatically operated electric actuator, offering the key advantage of being able to record, control and monitor the application rate in cubic metres per minute. This system is also fitted with a NIR sensor to identify the quantity of nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium and dry matter
nutrients applied to any given hectare. The 7.5m Tri-App Trailing Shoe on the tanker
is application rate controlled, using ISOBUS compatibility for added convenience for opera-
tors. By using an ISOBUS solution, the distributor head can be sequenced electronically to operate
within a group of functions. The boom arms will lower, the gate valves will open, and the distributor will switch on in a timed sequence. Also, if the distributor senses an over pressure situation, a signal is sent via ISOBUS to instruct the distributor head to reverse over several cycles to free any potential blockage. If the blockage can’t be freed in this way, the operator is warned on the screen in the tractor to stop spreading and seek a remedy. Dependent on specification, tankers can be
fitted with a water-cooled vacuum pump, featuring ballast ports, a complete water jacket around the normal rotor assembly and a filtering system to the traps on the tanker. This allows operation over extended periods of time without over-heating and prolongs the service life of the pump assembly. A long reach bi-directional filling arm at the front of the tanker can operate to the left or right-hand side, offering convenience in differing locations, while also featuring turbo assistance for ease of filling and full loads.
The science of effluent GRASS GROWTH is depen-
STANDARD FEEDER (C6 Pinned) • 1 x 6 foot bale • 2m diameter • 15 feed positions • 15 - 30 animals
OVAL FEEDER (S2 Pinned) • 3 x 4 foot bales • 2 x 6 foot bales • 24 feed positions • 24 - 48 animals • 4m long
dent on nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur, then getting those nutrients into the plants’ root zones to maximise foliar growth – while also minimising environmental losses. For those running operations with access to farm effluent, commonly known as slurry, the quality of those slurries is affected by animal type, their diet and the animal’s feed efficiency, with ruminants typically only utilising 15-20% of what they eat. The application timing of effluent impacts directly how much of the nutrients get to the root zone quickly to enhance crop perfor-
mance. For example, hot conditions at the time of application can result in significant ammonia losses, slurry caking on the ground and poor overall response. In April 2019, the National Environmental Research Centre in Ireland carried out trials on various application technologies and their impact on pasture growth. Grassland was fertilised using Abbey Application Technologies with 33 cubic metres of slurry applied per hectare via inverted Splash Plate, Abbey Vertical Trailing Shoe and Abbey Dribble Bar systems. After seven days, the paddock was analysed and revealed that the splash plate applied area still
had foliar contamination of slurry, whereas the other two application methods had virtually no foliar contamination, with the Abbey Vertical Trailing Shoe performing best. After 30 days, grass yield was measured, indicating that the splash plate treated area yielded 1200kg DM/ha, the Dribble Bar area 2100kg DM/ha and the Vertical Trailing Shoe area offered 2285kg DM/Ha. The trials showed there was 90% retention of nitrogen in the Vertical Trailing Shoe area, resulting in 90% more grass than the Splash Plate area – a win-win situation for the farmer and the environment.
IN UNPRECEDENTED TIMES, THERE ARE STILL SOME THINGS YOU CAN BE SURE OF. Trusted by generations of farmers, our equipment is made right here in New Zealand. Sold and supported by a strong network of local dealers, service is never far away. So if availability and reliability is important to you, you can be sure with Yardmaster®.
REID & HARRISON (1980) Ltd 1 Waihou St, Matamata. Phone: 07 888 8224
EFFLUENT PUMPS & SYSTEMS
www.yardmaster.co.nz
DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM // 31
Krone mower ideal for rocky terrain MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
BASED AT Becks in Otago, on the road that runs from Alexandra to Ranfurly, Bede Ryan Contracting are no strangers to the dry, rocky terrain and the strain it puts on mowing equipment. Having taken delivery of a new Krone EasyCut B950 Collect mower in October, it would be fair to say that Bede is more than pleased with his purchase. “We like the robustness of the Krone, and it has a good stone protection set-up,” he says. “Paddocks around here are cleared and rolled, but the occasional rock remains. “The EasyCut has a good rock protection system. The pins shear off and rotors spin up out of the way to minimise any damage.” The B950 Collect is a double mower on the three-point linkage. It features an auger system in each unit to deliver the crop into central or lateral windrows that is used in conjunction with a front mounted mower to create a triple set-up. The configuration can also be used without the augers to create a straight mower. This suits the
predominantly dry area where there is little need for conditioners, but also makes the rig suitable for mowing lucerne that can be susceptible to leaf shatter. Lighter and more compact than a previous grouper set up, the Krone handles the steep, rocky and rough terrain well, following the ground, with pressure easily adjusted from the cab. With the machine offering the option to deliver centrally or to either side at the flick of a switch, Bede can also opt for one large, or three single rows. Additionally, the collect system offers further options. “With a thin crop we can group it and then pull in two rows with a rake. Putting more in one row delivers savings on chopping,” says Bede. While outwardly a large machine that gives the impression that it would limit options, Bede says it’s just as versatile as a single mower because it’s mounted. “We can back into corners and cut anywhere a single mower can go, as well as having the option to lift either side for very tight areas.” Bede says that in ideal conditions, powered by a 270hp tractor, output can easily touch 12ha/hour,
with an average over the season of around 8ha/ hour. Moving between jobs, transport is a simple touch of a switch on the machine’s in-cab control monitor. Meanwhile, mainte-
nance is minimal and the machine features a quickchange blade system. “This makes it a lot quicker to change blades, with the whole set easily done in half an hour,” said Bede.
Krone EasyCut B950.
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DAIRY NEWS MAY 26, 2020
32 // BRINGING FIELD DAYS TO THE FARM
Hisun now rising in 50 countries MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz
IN ITS early days, Hisun started manufacturing for several iconic farm brands, including Massey
Ferguson, over 30 years ago. It met the high standard those companies demanded and has carried that ethos through to the products it builds today. In the early 2000s, Hisun developed and
launched a range of innovative new machines under its own banner, which by 2018 led the company to become the fastest growing UTV brands in Europe and the US.
WIN
Hisun manufacture petrol ATVs and UTVs, and electric UTV’s, offering dry cell or lithium powered machines. Over the last two years, Hisun has developed a dealer network in
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New Zealand, covering all areas from the Far North to Invercargill. They work in conjunction with the company to deliver service and parts support, backed by a Hisun 2-year warranty. While the extensive range features models intended for general agriculture, horticulture and forestry, further options include simple child-sized ATV’s at 110cc through to UTV’s from 250cc to 1,000cc, with both sideby-side and crew cab layouts. Three electric
variants are currently available, powered by dry cell or lithium, offering excellent range and a recharge time of six to eight hours. Dairy News recently tested the 500cc petrol UTV and the dry cell E1 electric UTV. Our verdict is, Hisun appears to have shrugged off the image of poorly manufactured Chinese machines and offers a credible alternative to the mainstream brands at a very competitive price. www.hisunmotors.co.nz
HISPEC DIET FEEDER HISPEC DIET Feeders are proving a popular choice, not least because of the ability to tailor a machine to the customers’ needs. Ranging in capacity from 7m³ to 35m³, the single auger V-series offers 7m³ to 16m³, while the twin-auger T-series meets the requirements for those looking for 14m³ to 35m³ capacity. The HiSpec diet feeder has a low horsepower requirement and is very simple to maintain. A long service life starts with a reinforced chassis providing a stable base for the mixing tub that features a 20mm floor and 8mm sides. Tandem axles and a choice of tyre options gives the ability to vary the loading and feed-out heights, while a standard teaser roller helps break the mix up and distribute it evenly across the unloading conveyor. Once we’ve fed the stock, more often than not, we’re left with the residue from the other end of the animals. HiSpec rear discharge spreaders are designed to shred and spread a wide range of products. At the top end of the range sits the flagship model Xcel 1250, described as a ‘spread anything’ machine, offering the ability to deal with wastes including burnt lime, chicken and cattle manures, slurries and liquid effluents. www.gaz.co.nz
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