Getting the Basics Right 2018 by Rural News Group

2018

Innovation for Future Profit PUBLISHED BY RURAL NEWS GROUP

ISSN: 1176-2012

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FOREWORD

Dairy sector continues to reward, inspire JIM VAN DER POEL DAIRYNZ CHAIR

AS WE HEAD toward the

end of the 2017-18 dairy season, we are reminded of how rewarding the dairy sector is to be a part of. Being in a sector which continues to grow, inspire, face up to change and meet its commitments is motivating. Dairy farmers are currently in the midst of one of our greatest challenges – ensuring New Zealand dairy farming has a sound future by looking after the land and continuing to build competitive and resilient businesses. That’s no easy task. But, like any task, it’s rewarding to plan toward a goal and take steps to actively achieve it. Just like milking, feeding out or a pasture walk, nutrient management plans, effluent management and riparian planting are now our day-to-day business. We’ve made great strides toward becoming a more sustainable industry and it shows. This year’s Sustainable Dairying: Water Accord showed farmers have made great progress in farming within environmental limits – 97% of waterways on dairy farms are excluded from cattle and 9500 nutrient budgets

were processed for farmers in 2015-16. Managing and reducing our impacts is part of being a responsible industry, but it starts with the action of farmers. Farm system Sustainability is evolving and is ultimately part of a wider farm system. Having a robust farm system across a number of facets is vital. Yes, we need to be sustainable, but we also need to be world leaders in animal welfare, excellent pasture managers, and have businesses which endure volatility and produce quality milk for the world. Every aspect of farming is important and our farm managers, staff and sharemilkers now have to manage it all. Volatility here to stay If there’s one constant that’s here to stay, it’s volatility. That’s not going to change. Building a business that will survive the fluctuating highs and lows of milk prices is now a permanent part of the dairy game. Farm managers, sharemilkers and owners must now establish businesses which will be financially fit in bad times and good. Fundamentally, it’s about

managing pasture well, growing it and turning it into milk. But we all know it’s not that simple. Just like this publication’s name, this can be the hardest thing to do. Learning and improving comes from who we work with, our mentors and where we seek out more information. Seek out knowledge DairyNZ’s discussion groups are a great place for information – from other farmers and our consulting officers. Group discussion on seasonal issues, new industry requirements or regional topics can provide invaluable direction to a farm’s performance. And it gets you off the farm for a bit. Learning and tapping into knowledge can put a farm leaps ahead and sometimes it’s the smallest comment that resonates. Just as people aren’t perfect, each farm has its own unique set of challenges.

Highlighting what areas could improve, what issues crop up year after year and how to endure volatility of climate or finances are questions every farm manager, sharemilker or owner should ask himself regularly. Looking ahead The dairy sector has proven itself to be the leader in milk production: we punch well above our weight. We have reason to be proud. As we head forward, it will be our ability to flex with the demands of change on our sector which will take us through. Tap into the people around you, utilise knowledge, stay in touch with what’s happening in the sector, gain new skills and plan ahead.

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CONTENTS 08 Pasture 18

Pasture grown, pasture eaten

Maize

More than just a supplementary feed

Soil

Stop the slide

25 Feed

Farming with PKE

30 Effluent & Water Management 46 EDITOR Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

Remember the 4% days?

46 Calf Rearing

PUBLISHER Brian Hight

The pain of disbudding

49 Milk Quality

ADVERTISING MANAGER Stephen Pollard

â€˜Grading white gold

62 Mastitis

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN David Ferguson PRINTED BY PMP

Natural assets need protection

40 Mating Management

PUBLISHED BY Rural News Group Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622

Infection control on farm

Animal Health

Cool cows

Agribusiness

Keeping a tab on costs

84 Employment / People

PO Box 331100, Takapuna Auckland 0740

Attracting top talent

92 Technology

Phone 09.307.0399 Fax 09.307.0122

Future farming scenario

95 Machinery

Safe and sure

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

8 // PASTURE

Pasture utilisation and quality go hand in hand.

Profit comes from pasture grown, pasture consumed BRIDGET RAY FARMWISE CONSULTANT, WAIKATO/BAY OF PLENTY

ONE OF THE biggest factors

that affects farm profitability is pasture grown and pasture eaten. It doesnâ€™t matter if you are a system 5 or system 1 farmer, the most profitable farmers are those who grow the most grass and then use all the grass they grow. Pasture quality also has an impact on production and more than likely mating performance. Pasture quality (MJME) has two effects. The higher the ME the better the milksolid response, but also the more easily the grass is degraded in the rumen. The higher the

pasture quality the less time the grass spends in the rumen, the less full the cow will feel and the more she will eat. Pasture utilisation and quality The two go hand in hand. There is not much difference in MJME between ryegrass

cultivars but what is in the rest of your paddock? Clovers, weeds, other grass species, chicory and plantain? There are big variations in pasture utilisation from farm to farm. As we have seen this wet winter and spring, it was impossible to achieve good utilisation but generally utili-

CURRENT FARM SYSTEM

sation is under your control. Every farmer should do a pasture-eaten calculator to see where they sit as many people are probably not aware what their utilisation rate is. There is a good tool on the DairyNZ website which is easy to use. Not utilising grass you are paying to grow is wasting

PASTURE UTILISATION DOWN 5% PASTURE QUALITY DOWN 0.5 MJME

Price per kg MS

$6.00

Total milk solids

97,961

80,203

Milk solids per cow

400

330

Milk solids per ha

980

802

Cow numbers (in milk)

245

243

Percentage cull cows

17%

$25,729

$25,534

Total value of cull cows Other income Gross Farm Income

$613,492

$506,754

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

10 // PASTURE

money. It costs nothing to improve utilisation other than time and planning. Poor utilisation leads to poor pasture quality so you get a double hit on profit. Using the FarmWise system optimiser tool, the effect of dropping pasture utilisation by 5% and pasture quality throughout the year by 0.5 MJME on a 100ha farm will be a drop in milk production of 17,758kgMS over the whole year. As costs under both systems will be the same at $6 payout, your farm operating profit will drop by about 20% with poor pasture management. If you have used supplements to get yourself in a pasture surplus situation and you are not getting residuals right, the loss will be even higher (see table pg 8). The effect on gross farm income of dropping pasture utilisation and pasture quality as calculated by the FarmWise system optimiser tool. To become a better pasture manager you need to measure pasture regularly and record the information to create a feed

LIC is investigating satellites to measure pasture.

Graph showing pasture growth rates (kgDM/ha) vs leaf stage of plant.

wedge. This will give you a view of what is happening ahead and highlight deficits or surpluses coming up. Then you can decide how to manage these, being a proactive farmer rather than reactive. The most common ways to measure pasture is walking the farm with a plate meter or towing instruments behind a vehicle. However, measuring pasture is about to become much easier for farmers as

LIC is investigating satellites which do just that. When the satellites take a clear image of your farm, it is analysed and a detailed pasture data report is sent to you. The report will include an image of your farm which presents pasture cover by colour variation, a detailed feed wedge and the latest paddock ranking and estimated dry matter per hectare for each. This technology will provide consistent, frequent data for

farmers. There will be no excuses not to be a good pasture manager. Pasture grown The best farmers make sure they grow a lot of grass. Soil fertility and N use are important. It is no good applying nitrogen if it is not the factor limiting pasture growth, so get your soil fertility right for all plant nutrients. Nitrogen is an important and

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

12 // PASTURE

efficient tool to use to grow more grass but use it smartly. Don’t use it if you are going to grow more grass than you can eat. Use it when you will get a good response to the N. You will only get a response of 5kgDM/ kgN at pasture growth rates of 10kgDM/ha/day. At pasture growth rates of 50 - 70 kgDM/ ha/day the response is three times greater. Grazing management also has an impact on how much grass you grow. I am sure many farmers have seen the pasture growth curve shown below. Basically a ryegrass plant will grow slowly after grazing as it grows more leaf and accumulates reserves. The growth increases rapidly as the plant grows its second and third leaf. Then growth slows as the first leaf dies and the fourth leaf grows. If you want to grow the most grass possible you must graze at

An easy, low cost way to increase farm profitability is to become a first rate grazing manager. Grow as much grass as you can and make sure you use all you grow at the highest pasture quality possible. Monitor your pastures with your chosen pasture measurement system, use software to provide a feed wedge and be vigilant about getting your residuals right and you will make more money.

the 2.5 - 3 leaf stage (not above 3200 kgDM/ha) not below 1500kgDM/ha. This keeps the grass in the steepest part of the curve where it is growing the fastest. Then all you need to do is make sure you are using it all. It is also important that pastures persist. A pasture renewal programme is necessary. You don’t meet too

many farmers who are not impressed with how their new grass paddocks are growing, but when you have put in the effort and expense of establishing a new pasture you need to make sure they last. Insect damage is a big challenge in many parts of New Zealand so use grasses with the right endophyte to protect the

plant. You should use the same endophyte if undersowing into existing pastures. Most farmers are well aware of avoiding pasture damage through pugging but overgrazing in the summer when the plant is stressed is just as detrimental. Use supplements to achieve the right grazing level or stand cows off during the summer. Use a crop paddock or one earmarked for renewal and take the cows off once the desired residual is hit. An easy, low cost way to increase farm profitability is to become a first rate grazing manager. Grow as much grass as you can and make sure you use all you grow at the highest pasture quality possible. Monitor your pastures with your chosen pasture measurement system, use software to provide a feed wedge and be vigilant about getting your residuals right and you will make more money.◗

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

PASTURE // 15

Out with the old...

AND IN WITH THE NEW

Replacing ineffective grass lifts returns significantly SIMILAR TO A high breeding

worth cow, a high genetic merit ryegrass cultivar wonâ€™t fulfil its potential if itâ€™s not managed properly. The choice of plant species and cultivar play a major role in maximising the life of pasture, the amount of feed available for cows and ultimately the amount of profit from every hectare of pasture. Why does pasture renewal matter? Pasture renewal is important for increasing pasture productivity and long-term farm profitability. Replacing poorproducing pasture is one of the simplest ways to invest onfarm

for a significant and relatively predictable rate of return. Pastures can grow indefinitely but, over time, factors such as drought, pests and pugging will cause pasture to deteriorate with these adverse effects: Total dry matter production drops kk Desirable species decline kk Weeds increase kk Feed value reduces. kk Benefits of pasture renewal kk New pasture is significantly more productive. kk Control over seasonality of production. Higher metabolisable energy.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

16 // PASTURE

Access to new endophytes developed to solve regional problems, such as resistance to pests and diseases, and greater tolerance of drought. Cows on new pasture graze more grass, resulting in more milksolids production and/or faster liveweight gains. Identify poorest paddocks Your poorest-producing paddocks are the best ones to renew. That’s because they have the greatest potential for improvement, as long as underlying negative factors such as drainage problems and pests are addressed. Use grazing and yield records to identify your best and worst paddocks. The more measures and assessments you have for comparison, the better and easier it will be to make decisions. Farmers without accurate records may want to use the Pasture Condition Score Tool. Developed by a DairyNZled industry group, this tool outlines a plan for assessing and ranking paddocks based on the extent of damage from pests and pugging. Check it out at dairynz.co.nz/pasturetool. Get establishment right If you want high quality pasture, you’ll need to spend time planning ahead and preparing soil before you start sowing. There are several key steps to consider. 1. Early sowing date The first step in your preparation is to think about when to sow seed. In most districts, it pays to have seed in the ground by March 31, provided you’ve given attention to moisture retention in the seed bed. Sowing later means you’ll face a greater risk of pasture damage in winter and spring, reduced yield and small, less densely tillered plants coming out of winter. 2. Seed bed preparation A fine, firm weed-free seedbed is ideal for plants to become established. Many farmers overlook the important step of rolling their seedbed to achieve consolidation prior to sowing. A consolidated seedbed

conserves moisture and makes it possible to achieve the correct sowing depth, especially with a seed drill. Without consolidation, you may end up with a soft seedbed where wheel tracks are pushed down and coulter depths vary, leading to uneven seed depth and establishment. 3. Seed sowing rate You also need to decide how much seed to spread. There is no ‘correct’ ryegrass seed sowing rate for NZ farms; the appropriate sowing rate will depend on your sowing method. Both a standard and lower perennial ryegrass sowing rate can work well but lower rates need to be well managed. 4. First grazing Pastures grow slowly until they are ‘nipped off’ at first grazing, which accelerates both their growth rate and tillering. To decide if a pasture is ready for its first grazing, make sure it passes the ‘pluck test’. This is where you check the plants are firmly rooted in the soil. If you can’t pluck them out by hand, they’re ready for grazing. Careful summer management Follow these tips for managing pasture through its ‘yearling’ establishment phase. Graze for the first time only when new seedlings cannot be pulled out by hand plucking. This is usually six-eight weeks after sowing. Graze consistently to the same residual through the first winter and spring, leaving 4.5-5.5cm in height. This encourages growth and tillering of new ryegrass plants and helps avoid shading and suppression of white clover seedlings (as well as maintaining pasture quality). Graze consistently at the same pre-grazing mass (28003200 kilograms of dry matter/ hectare depending on type of pasture). Letting a pasture get too long, particularly in late spring, reduces its density by shading out daughter tillers. Do not make hay or heavy crops of silage from new pastures in their first year as

this damages plants (reduces tillering and root growth). New pasture responds well to nitrogen so make two small applications of about 25-30kg of nitrogen/hectare over the first six months when conditions allow (i.e. not water-logged and soil temperature is above 7°C).

To be considered successfully established, a pasture must be dense, well-tillered and have survived a summer. Pasture management through summer has a major impact on future performance. For further information visit dairynz.co.nz/pasturerenewal.◗

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

18 // MAIZE

Maize silage can be more than just a supplementary feed.

Maize silage â€“ potential solutions in a changing business environment IAN WILLIAMS PIONEER FORAGE SPECIALIST

OVER THE LAST three years, pressure has increased on dairy farmers to produce food with a low environmental footprint. Consumers want to eat food that is ethically produced and manufacturers want products they can use to make products they can sell. And, farmers still need to make a profit and have enough time to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

The key issues farmers will face this year are: 1. Feeding cows in a Fat Evaluation Index (FEI) constrained environment. 2. Reducing N and P loss on farm (and potentially greenhouse gas losses). 3. Making money and paying off debt to increase comfort levels when the next downturn occurs. Choosing the right supplement to enable farmers to deal with each of these challenges is a complex decision. As well as balancing

feed price and nutrient composition with cow nutritional requirements and likely financial benefits, farmers must also consider how the supplement fits into their dairy farm system, and its impact on the environment. They also now need to consider what the impact of the supplement will be on their FEI. While maize silage provides an excellent nutritional profile and can be grown or purchased at a cost-effective price, it is more than just a supplementary feed. Thatâ€™s because growing

and feeding maize silage delivers a number of unequalled farm systems and environmental benefits. These include: 1. Feeding maize to prevent the FEI from getting in the C and D regions. Many farmers have been watching the FEI quite closely this season as it is likely to become an issue for next season. While it appears that certain feed types cause the FEI to rise, others seem to have no effect. Feeds that appear to lift the FEI into the

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MAIZE // 21

danger zone are PKE when fed above 3kgDM/cow/day, some brassicas and some beet. Maize silage, on the other hand, seems to be having no impact on raising the FEI, so many farmers are now feeding maize silage and maize grain in place of PKE. It also appears that cows which lose weight rapidly also are in danger of driving up the milk FEI. This was the case on some South Island dairy farms this spring post-calving, when cows lost a lot of weight coming off their winter fodder beet paddocks. Farmers who used maize silage as part of their transition diet didn’t seem to experience the same problem as

those who transitioned straight from beet to grass. 2. Growing maize on effluent paddocks to increase environmental benefits and produce low-cost feed Farmers in many areas across New Zealand are now being required to reduce their N and P loss. Maize silage is set to become a key tool in this process. Maize is a deep-rooted crop that can extract water and nutrients from depths two-three times greater than typical pasture species including ryegrass and clover. Because it has a high demand for nitrogen (12kgN and 10kgK

for every 1tDM removed), it can be used to remove excess N and K from effluent blocks. This reduces the risk of nutrient leaching and lowers the chance of milk fever caused by feeding high potassium pasture to springers. A two-year on farm study showed that maize silage crops grown on effluent paddocks with no additional fertiliser (no base, starter or sidedressing) yielded an average of 26.1tDM/ ha. Without the need for additional fertiliser, silage drymatter costs are significantly reduced (Table 1). 3. Feeding maize silage to reduce cow urinary nitrogen

Table 1: Typical cost of maize silage DM1

MAIZE SILAGE YIELD (†DM/HA IN THE STACK) Cost with full fertiliser input (c/kgDM) Cost in effluent paddock (c/kgDM)

23.6

21.0

18.9

17.2

15.8

14.5

13.5

–

16.3

14.7

13.3

12.2

11.3

10.5

9.8

levels Pasture frequently contains excess crude protein (nitrogen) relative to animal requirements. A high proportion (typically 60 - 70%) of the excess nitrogen intake is excreted in the urine. Urinary nitrates can be relatively quickly leached beyond the reach of shallowrooted pasture plants. Feeding maize silage (a low protein feedstuff) dilutes dietary protein content and reduces nitrogen loss from the cow. 4. Feeding maize on stand-off/feedpads can help grow more pasture While most forage crops must be fed out when mature, a key benefit of maize silage is that it can be stored long-term and fed when needed. Last winter proved to many farmers the benefit of having a feed pad on pasture production. The combination of maize silage and a well-designed stand-off

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

22 // MAIZE

pad with feeding facilities allowed farmers to keep cows off wet pastures, decreasing pugging without compromising production or animal welfare. Maize silage fed on a feed pad also prevents cows from overgrazing pastures, ensuring they persist. This was clearly the case three years ago during a very dry summer. Farmers who had a feed pad and were able to stand cows off paddock and feed them reported that their farms came back very quickly

Maize silage fed on a feed pad prevents cows from over-grazing pastures.

per hectare, had higher return on asset and equity and have had a similar risk profile (see table 2) to low input farms. This extra cash enabled the farmers to either invest more capital (in shares, cows, infrastructure) or pay off debt.

Table 2: High medium and low input systems (2005-2011)

INPUT SYSTEM

LOW

MEDIUM

HIGH

Profit/ha (S)

1669

1812

1978

ROA * (%)

5.42

5.36

5.95

Equity growth (%)

5.18

4.98

6.89

Closing term liabilities ($/kgMS)

19.73

19.18

18.93

once the rains came, simply because they hadnâ€™t overgrazed their pastures. 5. Maize silage allows farmers to fill feed gaps profitably, meaning more profit to pay

down more debt While there has been much discussion over the previous two seasons on de-intensification of systems, over the last 11 years, on average, high input farms have made more profit

Pioneer Maize Silage 2017-201 page

33. The value of pasture lost during the maize growing season has not been considered in the calculation of the maize silage drymatter cost. Assumes no base, starter or

sidedress fertiliser is required.â——

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

SOIL // 23

Soil is a farmer’s most precious resource.

We need to stop it going down the waterways BALA TIKKISETTY SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE ADVISOR, WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL

WE’RE LOSING IT, soil that is.

And we need to do more to stop the slide of this precious asset into waterways and ultimately the ocean. It makes economic sense to do so and also helps better protect our waterways and aquatic life from the effects of

sedimentation. The scale of this loss of a farmer’s most precious resource is huge in New Zealand. We lose it to the ocean about 10 times faster than the rest of the world: 200 million to 300 million tonnes slide into the sea every year. That equates to an astonishing 1.1% to 1.7% of total global soil loss to the ocean despite us having only 0.1 per cent of total land area.

It’s a reflection of the erosion that results from our mountainous and hilly landscape, adverse weather events and land use practices. The resulting sedimentation of our waterways contributes to poor water quality and interferes with aquatic flora and fauna, as well as productive capacity of our land. Therefore, preventing or at least minimising current and potential erosion is a key to the

economic and environmental sustainability of our farming. To effectively tackle erosion it’s important for farmers and others to look at the various types such as splash, sheet, rill, gully, tunnel, channel and mass movement erosion. The latter is common – the erosion of soil or rock by gravity-induced collapse. It’s usually triggered by groundwater pressure after heavy rain. But it can also have other

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

24 // SOIL

causes, notably streams undercutting the base of a slope or earthworks. Movement can be either rapid and near instantaneous (landslides, avalanches, debris flows) or slow and intermittent (earth flows and slumps). Earth and soil slip movement are also often noted after the removal of vegetation from critical slopes associated with soil disturbing activities. These sorts of slopes need to be identified before development starts and should be avoided wherever practicable. Tackling the source of the problem like this is generally most effective in preventing sedimentation of waterways. The main emphasis should be on erosion control itself rather than controls to prevent eroded sediment from entering waterways. A gram of prevention is worth many kilos of cure in this instance.

To effectively tackle erosion it’s important for farmers and others to look at the various types such as splash, sheet, rill, gully, tunnel, channel and mass movement erosion.

The two main approaches to erosion control are mechanical and biological. Mechanical methods such as terracing, debris dams, detention dams, retaining walls and other engineering structures can have immediate benefit by removing excess water and artificially strengthening slopes or by capturing sediment. Biological methods – the use of live vegetation – are the more economic means of rehabilitation of eroded land. Planting helps ‘hold’ soil and provides ground cover so that

the elements don’t wear away directly on the soil. Also, planting poplar and willow poles and stakes is a good way to restore physical strength to slopes and minimise slipping and slumping. Hefty 3m poles should be planted at least 600mm deep. Lighter 2m poles in sheep-only situations and retired areas should be planted 500mm deep. Also, 1m stakes at 400mm deep can be effective, depending on the dryness of the site, but can only be used where stock have no access. Ensuring suitable plant

species are used and lower stocking rates on steep land are other practices that can reduce erosion. In cases where severe erosion is present it may be best to retire land from grazing and, if possible, change land use to plantation forestry. Waikato Regional Council staff can advise on best practice at individual sites. The council also has funding (up to 70% of costs) available to help farmers in priority, susceptible west coast and Waipa catchments to do erosion control and other land management activities. Funding covers: kk tree planting, including pole planting and native plant species kk fencing off marginal land or bush from active use kk riparian management (fencing, planting and stock water reticulation) kk farm plans to identify soils, land use capability and environmental projects.◗

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FEED // 25

Farming into the future with PKE PHIL FLEMING FARMWISE CONSULTANT, TARANAKI

PALM KERNEL EXTRACT

(PKE) is a by-product of the palm oil industry in South East Asia. It is derived from the nut of the palm fruit after the oil is either mechanically or solvent extracted. The possible benefits of feeding PKE include increased milk production and revenue, improved health and reproduction including body condition at calving, and reduced overgrazing during a

feed deficit. Farmers have adopted the product because it’s easy to use, requiring minimal infrastructure, and without the animal health problems that can occur with grain, brassicas and fodder beet. From a farmer perspective, it is a great feed for dealing with feed deficits in the shoulder seasons, when stock demands exceed pasture growth. And its popularity has been driven in particular by its value as a flexible drought feed. However, the disadvantage of PKE use is the effect on milk composition, and Fonterra

has now announced the introduction of a Fat Evaluation Index (FEI) grading system to come into force from September 2018 (earlier in 2017, the company started informing farmers of their FEI results on milk dockets). This index is designed to indicate the suitability of the milk fat composition for processing into a variety of products and to meet consumer requirements and, although FEI is impacted by many factors, the key driver is the amount of PKE fed and its oil content. Oil content of PKE varies across the season, by region or origin,

by supplier and by shipment. PKE – whatever its oil content – has a much more significant effect on FEI than any other supplementary feed. Per kg dry matter fed through the PKE proportion of the total diet will clearly affect the FEI: the greater the proportion of the total diet represented by PKE, the higher the FEI. For many farmers PKE has become the most costeffective, safe and convenient supplement so things are going to get very interesting and not necessarily in a good way. The days of being able to increase PKE feed levels when necessary

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

26 // FEED

may be coming to an end with significant penalties for FEI grades expected. Unless it’s part of an overall balanced diet, feeding higher levels of PKE may become out of the question financially and, unfortunately, it is in seasons like this one of poor grass growth and limited availability of other supplements that many farmers rely on PKE more than ever. For farmers who use PKE as a significant supplement, never has it been more important to re-evaluate their system. Farmers need to speak to their farm consultant, feed suppliers or other advisor to get advice on other supplements, crops, changing stocking rate, calving date, etc. It is important for farm owners, contract milkers or sharemilkers to be all involved in this process together. Cow numbers and contracts may need to be adjusted and an open mind and mutual understanding will be required. ◗

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FEED // 27

Managing pests to help eradicate global hunger MARK ROSS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF AGCARM

FAMERS AND GROWERS

contribute to the quest of eradicating global hunger by providing nutritious food. Their approach to managing pests helps maximise production with finite resources. Between 26 and 40% of the world’s potential crop production is lost annually because of weeds, pests and diseases, and these losses could double without the use

of crop protection practices. This powerful statement was released earlier in 2017 in a report by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. In New Zealand, the economic damage caused by pastoral weeds is conservatively estimated at $1.2 billion per annum in lost animal production and control costs, reports the Royal Society of New Zealand. The Society also states that more than 300 weeds are endangering up to one-third

of our threatened plant species. These weeds could degrade seven percent of the conservation estate within a decade, corresponding to a loss of native biodiversity equivalent to $1.3 billion. Invertebrate plant pests in productive ecosystems incur similar costs. Such a compelling case for the use of crop protection practices, including agrichemicals, is pertinent as the global community develops a strategy to meet the United Nation’s goal to eradicate hunger by 2030. But that does not mean peddling more pesticides -

their role to play is part of an integrated pest management (IPM) approach. To grow a healthy crop, the FAO recommends the careful consideration of all available pest control techniques telling farmers to ‘integrate appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations and that keep pesticides and other interventions to levels that are economically justified and reduce or minimise risks to human health and the environment’. The international crop protection industry supports this.

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The industry also supports the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management that states that all stakeholders — including farmers, agronomists, the food industry, manufacturers of biological and chemical pesticides, environmentalists and consumer groups — ‘should play a proactive role in the development and promotion of IPM’. The global CropLife network – which represents crop science companies - embraces a proactive approach to training, communication and implementation of IPM. Agcarm, as a member of this network, also supports the safe and responsible use of crop protection products. Ensuring farmers are trained on the most environmentally sound and responsible methods for protecting crops

from pests is a priority for the crop protection industry. Our members work with trainers, regulators and growers to achieve the best pest control practices. This ensures we meet the global shared goals of health and safety to people, the environment and the food chain. Agcarm is a trustee of the non-profit organisation, Growsafe, which promotes the safe, responsible and effective use of agrichemicals. New Zealand primary producer groups formed the organisation in 1992 to develop and maintain good practice standards of agrichemical use. The Trust’s mission statement is ‘to facilitate the approved and safe use of agrichemicals in New Zealand consistent with effective sustainable land management

and environmental protection through advocacy and education’. In a further commitment to the FAO’s call to promote the responsible use of agrichemicals, the CropLife network recently launched a 12-month communications campaign called The Crop Protectors. The campaign features men and women that keep crops healthy by making integrated pest management happen — from a farmer on the front line to a computer programmer developing a phone app, and everyone in between. The campaign explains and promotes all aspects of responsible agrichemical usage, including the importance of preventing pests, monitoring for pests and, if needed, the appropriate method of intervention — be it cultural,

biological or chemical. Today’s global food challenge is unprecedented, with demand expected to increase by 59 to 98 percent by 2050. Given the lack of available arable land to expand, the FAO believes 80 percent of the increased demand must be realised through productivity gains. As almost a half of food is lost to pests, diseases and weeds every year, effective IPM — where farmers can access all crop protection tools — is essential to improve productivity and meet the challenge of feeding the world and eradicating global hunger. • Mark Ross is chief executive of Agcarm, the industry association for companies which manufacture and distribute crop protection and animal health products.◗

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Integrated systems an answer for challenges JOE McGRATH SOLLUS NZ ANIMAL NUTRITIONIST

SUSTAINABLE CLEAN RIVERS, welfare, FEI, environ-

mental footprint, carbon footprint, dirty dairying, factory farming, pasture only... the list goes on and on. These are the buzzwords driving changes to legislation and the way dairy farmers will have to operate in the future. But are these changes going to be a benefit or a negative? That depends on how they are legislated and then interpreted. My fear is that many of these sustainability factors

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conflict with each other, and without proper guidance and integration of the rules into farm systems the outcome will be hamstrung farmers with a less vigorous industry. This will likely happen when people with agendas are brought into the decisionmaking process; they may be companies with advertising and marketing in mind, special interest groups or even simple misguided public perception. So here is one scenario that could be called a nightmare. Due to leaching of nitrogen and other elements into rivers the amount of effluent (urine) spread on farms must be reduced or at least controlled.

But under a grandfather (sunset) clause it would mean that a young farmer or new conversion is unfairly penalised and an existing business can continue to pollute. One way around this for the young farmer would be to use off-pasture management of their animals – a practice common in every other country – where they could collect the effluent and use it effectively. This off-pasture management may be highly technical, using barns with free-stalls or compost bedding or simply collecting effluent via slatted floors or a bunded feed pad. This young farmer will almost certainly be increasing

the productivity of the cows. In general this means the cows will be eating more and he will be feeding purchased concentrates as a part of a well-balanced diet. Let’s hope he does not trigger the FEI index in his milk; this is hard to formulate around for nutritionists because there are no scientific guidelines published for FEI. Also, if methane taxation in the future is not handled correctly this young farmer will be handicapped further by the fact that his cows eat more and so produce more methane, regardless of the fact that they produce more milk. The one last hurdle for

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

32 // EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT

the already-struggling young farmer is that MPI has recently flagged changes to rules on the management of dairy cattle ‘under a roof’. But perhaps even more concerning is that this style of farming our young farmer is embarking on – in his attempt to be more sustainable – is not considered farming in the ‘New Zealand’ way, i.e. the clean green pasture-only systems that led to the mess in the first place. This leaves one last practical option: reduce carrying capacity markedly and rely on clover for nitrogen. Which is great until the bank finds out. So what is a farmer to do? The reality is that a dairy cow producing the NZ average quantity of milk solids (or worse) on a grass-only diet driven by urea with a high stocking rate is the cause of leaching nutrients into waterways, a high level of methane production per unit of

MS and is likely to trigger FEI levels in milk when PKE is used during droughts or floods. On the other hand, the adoption of efficient housing systems that use recycled effluent as the fertiliser nutrient source, maintain cow welfare, eliminate nutrient pollution and optimise milk production per unit of methane are frowned on and will perhaps be subject to further legislation. Believe it or not the future is bright for NZ dairy. The integration of systems that allow for the control of nutrients, efficient production of MS per unit of feed and methane production, optimum welfare and high levels of productivity to keep the factories full are all quite possible. It all depends on healthy fertile cows, a healthy environment and government legislation that is clear, logical and cooperative.◗

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BOGS, SWAMPS AND seeps: these permanent or seasonally wet areas can all be classed as wetlands. Historically, farmers have drained these wet areas to make their farms more productive but we now know that wetlands can play an important part in reducing our environmental footprint. In short, the benefits of protecting wetlands can outweigh those of gaining extra grazing space.

How wetlands work Throughout New Zealand, wetlands support the greatest concentration of plants of any natural habitat. They help reduce flooding by acting as a sponge and improve water quality by trapping, filtering

SCIENCE EXPLAINED Constructed or engineered wetlands can extract up to 75% of the nitrate load from runoff, as well as trap sediment and phosphorus. Creating a constructed wetland can therefore be a great way to maximise the treatment of contaminant runoff but this requires careful planning and design. Getting it wrong can mean considerable cost for limited benefit. So it’s important to seek good advice beforehand.

and removing contaminants, especially sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus. Protecting, restoring and creating these wetland ecosystems onfarm helps improve downstream

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water quality. What is a wetland? The three most common wetland types on dairy farms are seeps, wet or boggy places in paddocks, and wet areas beside riparian margins. You can recognise them by their location; they are easy to spot when you know what to look for. Seeps occur at the bottom of hill slopes where groundwater comes to the surface. Seeps can be permanent or seasonal and exist on all soil types. Wet areas in paddocks are swampy or boggy places where drainage is poor, such as hollows or valley bottoms. These areas could be fed by rainfall or a high water table, and tend to be on heavier soils. Riparian wetlands are wet or boggy places bordering a waterway. Whichever kind of wetlands you’re dealing with, managing them more effectively can offer

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animal welfare benefits and reduce the risk of stock getting stuck. Many farmers find the most satisfying part of managing wetlands is the resulting natural beauty and increase in biodiversity onfarm, particularly birdlife but also native fish and aquatic insects. How to manage a wetland In looking after wetlands, your aim should be to get them to a stage where they can look after themselves with little

input from you. The steps to achieve this are the same for all three wetland types: kk Make a plan by using DairyNZ’s Riparian Planner at dairynz.co.nz/riparianplanner. kk Keep stock out by fencing. kk Don’t drain wetlands; instead ensure their natural hydrology is maintained. kk Identify weed and animal pests and control as appropriate.

weeds and to increase biodiversity. Take advice and keep it legal If you want to restore or protect a wetland and it involves moving dirt or damming water, you may need consent. Always contact your local regional council or rural professional for advice and assistance. They can help you prepare a wetland management plan, identify potential funding and ensure your plans comply with the regional plan. Several years of weed and pest control may be required, so having a good maintenance plan is essential. Find out more For help creating a riparian management plan to fence, plant and protect your waterways, go to dairynz.co.nz/ riparian-planner. To learn more about wetlands in general, visit dairynz.co.nz/ wetlands.◗

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Ten steps to reduce your impact on the environment Want to earn or save a dollar while also reducing your impact on the environment? DairyNZ’s sustainability team shares 10 steps (see graphics on p36) that will cost you little or nothing.

1. Benchmark with Overseer Find out how much nitrogen and phosphate you’re losing from your farm system by using Overseer, a free software application which helps farmers and growers make informed decisions about their

nutrient use on-farm. After completing an up-to-date Overseer, you’ll be able to start putting actions in place to reduce losses and your annual fertiliser spending. Your fertiliser representative and/ or consultant can help you use Overseer.

2. Keep records Maintain accurate records of your annual farm inputs, outputs and management practices. Why? Because having good information at your fingertips allows you to make smart, informed decisions. For example, your nutrient budget will be more accurate so you can work out exactly which nutrient applications are required, potentially reducing your fertiliser cost.

3.Improve nitrogen fertiliser responses Manage the timing of nitrogen fertiliser inputs by monitoring soil temperature and only applying when above 7 degrees Celsius and rising. Pasture growth response rates will be higher at warmer soil temperatures, so you’ll get more dry matter production for your nitrogen spend. 4.Measure water use at the shed Measuring water usage at

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

36 // EFFLUENT & WATER MANAGEMENT

the farm dairy can help you determine where changes to your current system can be made (e.g. wash-down process, milk cooling efficiency). Making changes to improve efficiency at washdown means less water going into your effluent systems, less pumping and lower storage costs. Go to dairynz.co.nz/water-use to complete a DairyNZ ‘Smart Water Use on Dairy Farms’ action plan.

container, fill it with clean sawdust from the calf shed and place it by your fuel tank. In the event of a fuel spill, you’ll have an absorbent material nearby to soak it up.

5. Graze from top to bottom When grazing a crop paddock, always graze from the top to the bottom of the paddock. Why? Because the ungrazed area of paddock acts as a filter strip which reduces the risk of sediment entering waterways.

9. Complete an effluent depth test Calibrate your effluent irrigator/spreading equipment by completing an effluent depth test. This provides information on your spreader accuracy, provides you with good records, and allows you to make changes to application if inaccuracies are found. For help managing farm dairy effluent, visit dairynz.co.nz/effluentmanagement.

6. Manage water flow on races On a wet day, look at the water flows on your races and create cut-outs with a spade to allow water to flow back into the paddock. The paddock filters sediment from the overland flow before it reaches a watercourse. 7. Keep sawdust nearby Find a large sealable

washdown times and water usage. You can make a difference Remember, the actions you take onfarm will influence

8. Contain spills Put an old concrete trough in your lockable chemical store and use it for storing chemical containers. This acts as a containment bund in case of spills.

10. Add a ‘dung buster’ Create a dung buster on your backing gate to break up dung during milking. This could be as simple as hanging an old wash-down pipe (filled with sand) to your backing gate. As the gate moves, it breaks up the dung. This can help reduce

An effluent depth test provides information on spreader accuracy.

downstream water quality. Every improvement you make increases the sustainability of your farm and the industry. To learn more visit dairynz. co.nz/environment.◗

WE MAKE NUTRIENT APPLICATION THIS SIMPLE Growsmart® Precision VRI with FieldNET® now enables you to use your irrigation system to apply nutrients exactly where they are required, all while continuing to control the irrigation of your crops and pastures. Individual, specific irrigation plans can be created for effluent, fertigation or chemigation. The innovative technology will automatically switch to the appropriate plan when the ingredient is injected into the irrigation water line. Proof-ofplacement application reports will ensure you meet regulatory requirements and help with future decision-making. This amount of control makes improving the sustainability of your operation effortless, so you can spend less time in the field, giving you more time for what matters.

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Using water efficiently WATER SUPPLY IS a vital

component of a farm and making sure systems are working efficiently can save water, time and money.Â The following tips from DairyNZ will help identify opportunities to reduce water use and improve efficiency. Older poor quality water lines and connections are more likely to split and leak so identify problem areas and mark locations of weak spots on a farm map. Gradually upgrade older sections to help prevent water loss and replace ill-fitting connections to decrease the risk of leaks. Water lines that are near the surface, run under races or over drains are at particular risk of damage. Mark the locations of these weak spots on a map. Bury the lines deeper to protect them and if renewing or replacing lines, bury them alongside a fence to give added protection. To prevent problems where

water lines must go under races, place them inside a larger rigid pipe for protection. Where lines cross drains, strap them securely to the bottom side of a pipe or post; bring these water lines to the attention of everyone working on the farm. Having a check and maintenance system for water troughs that staff are familiar with is an important preventative measure for leaks. Use time bringing in the cows to look out for anything on the farm that might need attention, such as overflowing or empty water troughs. Tilting troughs slightly toward the race will make it easier to spot water loss on the drive by. Carrying spare parts and tools on the farm bike allows for the immediate repair of simple problems. Schedule in regular trough maintenance; include replacing troublesome ballcocks and checking balls, strings, arms and pins. Have a system to

WATER LEAKS ON FARM It is estimated that 26% of stock drinking water is lost as leakage. This wastes valuable water, causes areas of mud and flooding and incurs extra pumping costs. Having leak detection systems in place and a process to deal with leaks helps to manage them and reduce these effects. Leaks can vary in the rate of water loss. Fast leaks are often noticed immediately and fixed quickly while small leaks can often go undetected for a long time.

record and sign off these checks. A farm map can be used to outline details of the water system, highlight areas prone to leaks and losses, identify where improvements could be made and where meters should be/ are installed. Farm water maps are useful for relief milkers and staff so

problems can be solved when you are off the farm. Details should include: kk Water supply kk Main source of supply kk Other sources of water e.g. roof rainwater tank kk Any water treatment systems kk Number of water meters (if any) and location kk Reticulation and storage kk Type of water lines (alkathene, PVC, galvanized, etc.) kk Locations of any isolation valves kk Water lines buried, on the surface, or both kk Storage tank(s) and capacity kk Alert system (e.g. pilot light, pressure gauge) to detect possible water loss kk Farm dairy kk Water cylinder/CIP drum filling automated or manual kk Plate cooler water recycled or once through kk Automated yard cleaning system or hosing kk Where equipment is kept to fix leaks or replace.â——

dairy

BETTER WATER, BETTER MILK Do you know that cows will drink less water if it smells or tastes bad? If the water is unpalatable cows will drink less water, which can mean lower milk production. One of the most common causes of unpalatable drinking water for cows is the presence of bacteria. Poor water quality has also been associated with increased risks to animal health. “Abundant, high quality drinking water is the most important essential nutrient for dairy cows” – David K. Beede PhD, Michigan State University, March 2009 “Water quality is an important issue in the production and health of dairy cattle” – Waldner & Looper, Oklahoma State University, 2002 Low quality water can be expensive!

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Scale build up can have a negative impact on the efficiency of your dairy shed and milking equipment. High calcium and iron content in the water can also block up pipes and nozzles, shorten the life of your equipment and increase your maintenance costs.

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Richard van Ras and his son Johan, milk around 220 cows on their 77-hectare family farm in Morrinsville, in New Zealand’s Waikato region. This is their eighth season and, until now, the farm’s water quality hasn’t been up to scratch. With high levels of iron and manganese which, although common in the area, can be detrimental to both equipment and animal health. They decided to invest in change by becoming a test farm for Davey’s new Microlene for Dairy unit – a complete self-contained water treatment solution. And so far, the results have been positive. Since installation of the new system, Richard says the water is such a quality that when the cows go to the trough they don’t lick or sniff, they just drink. “We dispense magnesium and iodine for animal health, and I’m refilling it more often than in previous years, which tells me they are drinking more. We farm the same as we did last year, the area’s milk production is down 3.5% from this time last year, yet ours is up 7.5%. We partly put that down to the fact that our cows are drinking more.” There has also been a significant reduction in the milk’s somatic cell count (SCC) which is an indicator of the quality of milk. The number of somatic cells increases in response to pathogenic bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, a cause of mastitis. The van Ras’ SCC average to November 2017 is 87,000, compared to November 2016 where it was 140,000.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

40 // MATING MANAGEMENT

Production worth (PW) is more than just kgMS RACHEL BLOXHAM ANIMAL EVALUATION MANAGER, LIC

I SPEND A lot of time out

onfarm in my job, talking to farmers about their cows, breeding plans and how the economic indices assist in decisionmaking. I often get asked about production worth (PW), in particular: how can a cow producing 500kgMS have a low PW? The simple answer is there is more to PW than milk solids. LIC in 1996 added PW to breeding worth (BW) and lactation worth (LW) -- our three pillars of animal evaluation. The PW economic index provides an estimate of the lifetime producing ability of a cow and the efficiency at which she can convert feed into profit. A number of factors can influence how much a cow will produce -- how well she has

A cow's production worth is more than just the milksolids it produces.

been reared, her age, what she is being fed, and environmental conditions, to name a few. PW is designed to provide an accurate, objective calculation, to aid farmers’ decisions relating to the culling and purchasing of dairy cows. It includes components associated with genetic merit and permanent environmental factors which will affect a cow’s performance throughout her life, e.g. hybrid vigour (heterosis). It considers the age of a cow and how she ranks against her peers of the same age. It also weighs up the balance between milk volume, protein and fat data from herd tests. Liveweight, from an efficiency point of view, is also incorporated. Herdmate comparisons PW takes an animal’s recorded herd test results for milkfat, protein and volume and compares these to how the rest of her herdmates of the same

age and season performed. This practice of comparing ‘like’ animals within a herd means that only your animals on your farm are compared against each other, within their identified contemporary groups. This is what makes PW about the production of your cows on your farm. The differences between records for animals in the same contemporary group provide a better indication of an animal’s relative genetic merit than the actual records themselves, and thus removes the effects associated with temporary environmental factors and management. Milk volume vs protein vs milkfat Just because an animal appears to be producing well doesn’t necessarily mean she is doing so efficiently or profitably. PW does more than review production data; it also considers how much volume

is produced and the ratio of milkfat to protein. The animal evaluation system balances the income and costs associated with these three factors. Two cows could be producing the same amount of milksolids, but under the current economic weightings the animal that is producing more protein will be the more profitable animal and have a higher PW (everything else being equal). If one of those cows was to produce less volume but the same milk solids she would also have a higher PW as she is more efficient. The cow that produced more volume but the same milk solids will incur more costs to the farmer -- in feed to generate the extra volume and cost at the factory to remove the liquid component. Currently, the industry’s economic value for protein breeding value is $6.63 and milk fat breeding value is $1.90. Emphasis on first three lactations Finally, in calculating the potential performance of an individual animal, more emphasis is placed on the animal’s first three lactations, which is how age comes into the equation. This is because we are trying to predict the lifetime performance of an animal as early on in her life as possible, so that farmers can make decisions on whether they should retain that animal in their herd or not. Once an animal reaches eight years of age, herd test information stops feeding into the PW calculation. Realistically, if she’s still in the herd at this stage then generally she must still be producing well and have proven her right to be in the herd.◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MATING MANAGEMENT // 41

Remember the good old days of 4% empty rates? BRENT BOYCE FARMWISE CONSULTANT, NELSON & MARLBOROUGH

THINKING BACK OVER the

last 15 seasons or so, the average dairy herd in New Zealand had a targeted empty rate about the 4% mark. Over the last few years, weather notwithstanding, these empty rates have risen so that 10% empties is considered a pretty good result; and last year 15% was average. There have been quite a few herds with 20%+ empties this last season; if you typically keep 25% replacements, you have little room for culling and

your herd deteriorates. The herd’s profile quickly ages if you try to maintain numbers from inside the herd. There can only be limited culling for production or faults, and the herd’s productive improvement and BW/PW will remain static at best. This will have serious short and long term effects on farm profitability. Apart from all the usual suspects and reasons for high empty rates, these possibilities for empty cows can also be added to the list: kk Facial eczema, theileria, BVD, etc kk Foetal re-absorption or the egg not implanting success-

fully, where cows are vetted in-calf in February but turn up empty later on kk Is excessive N limiting oxygen transfer to the foetus through the amniotic fluid? kk Sub-clinical stress: are our cows now producing so well that they have no more energy left to buffer a new pregnancy? kk When you have a few extra empties than the previous season, these are the go-to things most farmers use to try to minimise them in the coming year. kk Look after the cows especially well, don’t push them too hard (use the topper

to clean paddocks out) and continually offer high ME feed. kk Feed the cows well, with a rising plane of nutrition; even add in some high energy feed – and you had a CS 5.0+ at calving as well. kk Get enough bulls. kk Put any poor breeders to beef bulls, and use high fertility bull genetics. kk Staff are well trained, and use top husbandry and animal health practices. kk Get the cows macro and micro-mineral requirements just right. kk Metri-check/cure all the at-risk cows.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

42 // MATING MANAGEMENT kk Use heat detection aids, e.g.

patches or other technology. kk Put extra effort into allocating pasture properly including feed budgets. But what do you do when you’ve done all that and things are still not improving? More and more I believe the cows are ‘maxing out’. We have bred such superb lactating athletes on our pastoral system that they often have nothing left to give. Any extra stress or challenge will simply encourage anoestrus. There has been a groundswell of change over recent seasons. Farmers are doing all those things above, but are adding back something that has been given insufficient credence over the years – good old-fashioned stockmanship. Far too much has been done to the cows, and not nearly enough has been done for the cows. For the last 15+ years, I ask most of my farmers to identify their non-cycling and at risk cows (e.g. skinny/late calving/young) before the start of mating. These cows are separated from the main herd, and are put onto once-a-day

Every single farmer has recorded a reduction in empty rates from this OAD group compared to previous seasons – every single one. Those who ran them with the bull achieved the best results. Often this group of animals – the ‘worst of the worst’, had better mating results than the main herd – typically getting from 2-10% empties in this group.

milking at the start of mating. These cows were either run with the bull, artificially inseminated or a mixture of both. Most of this mob is kept on OAD until the end of the main herd’s AI programme, and then go back into the herd on twicea-day (2AD) at the end of AI. If a cow is in good condition and mated, then she can re-join the 2AD herd when mated. If she is still light, she stays on OAD until the end of AI so that she stays in-calf. Every single farmer has recorded a reduction in empty rates from this OAD group

There have been quite a few herds with 20%+ empties this season.

compared to previous seasons – every single one. Those who ran them with the bull achieved the best results. Often this group of animals – the ‘worst of the worst’, had better mating results than the main herd – typically getting from 2-10% empties in this group. I have some farmers putting their at-risk cows onto OAD before the PSM, whilst others are waiting until two-three weeks into mating to do this. The important point is that something is being done. For a light cow, or a cow that has been sick or lame or that had a

tough calving, the best thing a farmer can do is give that cow time on OAD. Some observations from the farmers concerned: These at-risk cows held their condition, they went back onto 2AD well, and lasted to the end of the season. These cows had numerous quick returns – every 5-10 days, and they often got AI’d. The bull was having a strong teaser effect. The main herd also appeared to cycle better when they saw the bull with this herd of OAD cows. These are strictly farmer observations, and have no scientific data to back them up, just a lot of farmers realising they are onto something. All these farmers told me emphatically that they will do the same again this coming year -- and they do. It is far too important for our profitability to go quietly into the night on this empty cow issue. But if you do what you have always done, you’ll get what you’ve always got; be prepared to do something about the problem.◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MATING MANAGEMENT // 43

Genetics help give cows good udders, nice rumps MATHEW KARL LEFT his job as a bricklayer to become a dairy farmer seven years ago, and it was one of the best decisions he’s ever made. The 38-year-old currently milks 300 mixed-breed cows on 100ha at Ryburn Road, in the Ohaupo area, between Hamilton and Te Awamutu. Karl, his wife Kate and two young children love the farming life. As a fifth-generation farmer, he’s working the farm he grew up on. “It’s fair to say my father [Ross Karl] had a big influence on me coming back into farming. I wanted to be working in an industry that was part of something bigger, and

He is proud of his new crop of two-yearold cows, and justifiably so. The 75 Friesian heifers are excellent, healthy milking cows, delivering good results.

could see a positive future in farming.” He is proud of his new crop of two-year-old cows, and justifiably so. The 75 Friesian heifers are excellent, healthy milking cows, delivering good results. “Last year’s heifers produced an average of 1.7 kg MS/day, but

this crop of heifers is at 1.8 kg MS/day and the top heifer is at 2.3 kg MS/day,” say Karl. “They are doing really well.” Karl was looking to improve his herd, and has used genetics to do it. Good udders were at the top of the list, along with small, compact framed animals with nice rumps and good

hooves. He is particularly pleased with the excellent traits coming through. “The big thing is the udder composition,” says Karl. “I think using CRV Ambreed genetics have worked, as the two-yearolds have got fabulous udders. I also like all the hooves on these girls, they sit right.” With extra care and attention, including a diet of meal through to March, the heifers were 460kg, on average, when they went out grazing in April. “They are big, healthy cows. And 90 per cent calved in the first three weeks, which is a massive statistic,” says Karl.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

44 // MATING MANAGEMENT

The first group of cows were inseminated in 2014, calved in 2015 and now milking and having calves themselves in 2017. Karl understands that genetic gain is a long-term strategy, but is delighted that he is already seeing positive results with his heifers. “It’s exciting times. The udder formation, if it continues to improve, which it feels like it has – and the heifers getting

back in calf again so easily – I look forward to what the next generation brings,” says Karl. “That takes us towards the CRV message of ‘better cows, better life’ right there. Over time we can make gains [with the herd] and that’s exciting.” Karl also benefits from Herd Testing, Estrotect Heat Detectors, Sire Match, AI Services and Eartags. Estrotect heat detectors have been a successful product, says

Karl, and this season is the fourth time he has used them. The business card-sized patch sits on a cow’s rump, and with each bull mount, the surface gradually changes from silver to a bright colour to alert the farmer that a cow is on heat and ready to mate. “I use them for pre-mating and I find they help us more accurately predict the best time [for artificial insemination] so we don’t go ahead too early with AI.

They are really easy to put on, and my staff find them easy to use. I prefer them to tail painting because you don’t have to touch it up all the time. Estrotect lasts three weeks.” He is also a fan of herd testing, which is a valuable way for farmers to identify the high and low performers in a herd. “Herd testing is great,” says Karl, who says he values it for its accurate and up-to-date information.◗

Mathew Karl says good genetics has paid off.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

46 // CALF REARING

The pain of disbudding THERE HAS BEEN a

noticeable increase in the use of pain relief when disbudding calves. This trend is backed up by research which shows that using pain relief not only reduces pain and recovery time, but also avoids a growth check. Research by Massey University in 2015 and 2016 found calves that received pain relief prior to disbudding went on to achieve higher growth rates. They gained an average of 0.09kg more per day for the next month, meaning they

reached weaning weight about five days earlier than calves that didn’t receive pain relief. Calves that grow faster can be weaned earlier, meaning less milk is fed, less labour is required and they are moved onto grass and meal more quickly. The reduced costs and the benefits of heavier calves easily offset the small cost for pain relief. Calves experience pain for four-six hours after disbudding and some lower level pain or discomfort for up to 40 hours.

Calves are good at hiding pain, but there are indicators of when they’re in pain, such as high cortisol levels in the blood. We can also look at behaviour indicators such as restlessness, feed intake, ear twitching and tail flicking. When local anaesthetic is provided, the signs of pain are reduced until the local wears off at about four hours. When calves are given a long-acting

anti-inflammatory as well as local anaesthetic, they show fewer indicators of pain for a lot longer. Farmers can incorporate pain relief with little hassle by using a vet or husbandry service provider, who will provide the restraint (crates or sedation), administer the local in groups, and check for extra teats or vaccinate.◗ • Article – DairyNZ

MYTH BUSTING MYTH: Injections of local anaesthetic are more stressful than disbudding. TRUTH: The local anaesthetic injection causes the calf very little stress and is much less stressful than being disbudded without pain relief. MYTH: Hot iron cautery destroys the nerves so it doesn’t hurt. TRUTH: Although the nerves are destroyed where the iron touches the tissue, the nerves around the area are still sensitive and the calf experiences pain from inflammation in the surrounding tissue.

MYTH: They drink straight afterward, so it’s obviously not painful. TRUTH: Willingness to drink milk does not mean calves are pain-free; suckling is soothing for the calf. MYTH: Young calves don’t need pain relief. TRUTH: There is no evidence that young calves feel less pain than older calves. However, young calves recover more quickly and have fewer complications than older calves. They should be disbudded before they’re eight weeks old.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

48 // CALF REARING

More heifers on scales SARAH DIRKS DAIRYNZ ANIMAL PRODUCTIVITY DEVELOPER

THE NUMBER OF heifers

weighed by farmers each year has increased 25% over the last five years, according to data from LIC. That’s a jump from 436,000 to 545,000 heifers now weighed each year. This is great news for the industry, showing that farmers now truly understand the value of weighing heifers. Achieving heifer liveweight targets has been shown to improve milk production and increase lifetime productivity. So take the time to make weighing a priority, as it’s a real investment in your herd. I hope dairy farmers and graziers will continue to build on this great progress, mostly made over the last three years. Data from LIC’s Minda Weights programme also shows that farmers are weighing their heifers more often. Farmers are now, on average, weighing heifers 3.4 times in

More farmers are now weighing heifers.

the first two years of their life -up from 3.2 times. This is great, but again we’d like to see this improve even more. It’s good

fall behind target weights. A drop of 200g in growth per day may seem small, but it can have a huge impact on the growth of

Weighing and reviewing the data can pick up low growth early on and alert dairy farmers or graziers to alter their mob management or intervene for underweight animals. practice to weigh heifers every four-eight weeks, at a minimum every 12 weeks. If heifers are being grazed off-farm, then weighing is important for when stock move from one farm to another, to be clear on what their current weights are and inform the grazier if any animals might not meet their minimum weightfor-age requirements. Weighing heifers is more important when they are young because it is easier for them to

a young animal. Skeletal growth is influenced by pre-puberty nutrition and management, and can never be made up if missed. Weighing and reviewing the data can pick up low growth early on and alert dairy farmers or graziers to alter their mob management or intervene for underweight animals. A study published in the journal of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production found that NZ farmers have significantly improved their

pre-mating management, with the average heifer in the study achieving the pre-mating liveweight target. However, pre-calving targets are still being missed. The time of year that seems most difficult for farmers to grow heifers is in their second autumn. This could be due to a range of factors, such as a shortage of autumn feed, poor pasture conditions or animal health issues. There are four key times to weigh a heifer: at weaning, at 12-13 months to ensure they’re on track to achieve puberty, at 15 months to assess pre-puberty animal management, and at 22 months to ensure they have met their pre-calving liveweight targets. Regardless of an animal’s age or the time of year, make heifer weighing a priority to help them meet liveweight targets and set them up to have the most productive-possible life in the herd. www.dairynz.co.nz/heifers

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MILK QUALITY // 49

Grading the white gold and adapt. The key point is that we are in the business of providing

CRAIG PURCELL FARMWISE BAY OF PLENTY

high quality food to people around the world. If we cannot provide a high quality product

then our respective dairy companies cannot provide one either.

WE HAVE ALL had to deal

with milk quality issues onfarm at some stage in our farming careers – whether it be a freezing point grade or high bulk somatics on the first pick-up or perhaps an antibiotic scare during the season. These three issues are some of many we are tested on and any one of them could result in demerits or a grade, thereby lowering our income. We also need to be aware of regulation changes on feeding (FEI) and milk cooling for next season. What we have always done is often not the way of the future. We need to understand

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MILK QUALITY // 51

Reputation in food safety and quality is paramount when securing the best possible prices for our milk. Below are some key short points on providing some of the highest milk quality standards in the world. Note that some of the values below are specific to Fonterra as I am more familiar with their requirements. These values may be different depending on your milk processor. Milk chilling The new MPI requirements come into effect on June 1, 2018. Under the new standards, milk must: kk Be cooled to 10˚C or below within four hours of the start of milking kk Be cooled to 6˚C or below either within six hours from the start of milking or two hours from the end of milking kk Not exceed 10˚C during subsequent milkings. A simple check of your system should identify the area you need to focus on to meet the new standards.

Summary of new standards:

MILKING TIME DURATION (HOURS)

MILK TEMPERATURE AT COMPLETION OF MILKING

TIME YOU HAVE AFTER COMPLETION OF MILKING TO REACH 6˚C TIME

HOURS

N/A

2.0

4.0

2.0

4.5

1.5

5.0

10.0

5.5

0.5

6.0

1.0 to 4

kk Start with your water temper-

ature into the plate cooler kk Temperature tabs can be sourced from your milk processor kk What is your plate size, what is the temperature of milk out of the cooler? kk Is your plate size sufficient? kk Is your chiller size sufficient? kk If so, water chilling may be your best option kk If not, a larger chiller may be your best option kk Is your power transformer large enough? Research these options and discuss them with many providers who will be able to

provide quotes. I have seen costs range from $5000 to $70,000 onfarm. Some time spent researching information to obtain the correct advice and installation can be a high $/ hour rate saving to you. Most dairy companies have more information on this topic to aid your research. Use a trusted installer. Milk quality Most milk quality issues onfarm are management or people issues. Plant issues do occur but often we identify issues too late then react once the grade

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is already incurred; whereas proactive management will avoid most issues. Key points: kk Training – even if we think we know it all; revise at least annually kk Regularly inspect milking plants kk Use correct wash cycles every day kk Check and ensure wash cycles are working properly. Too often I hear “the purge wash was playing up and didn’t clean properly”; that is not the purge system’s fault; we can monitor these things at a glance on a daily basis kk Ensure all staff are familiar with plant systems kk Check milk sanitary traps (if applicable) kk Open pulsation line daily; are there milk deposits? It is up to us to complete our plant checks and determine whether our cowshed is operating optimally. Most dairy companies provide you an early warning system, and some of the tests take time to confirm; we cannot control that. What we can

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

52 // MILK QUALITY

control is our monitoring via alerts, dockets and internet. There is lots of information and prevention methods available from your dairy processor; spend some time training yourself and your staff. Take nothing for granted; “this has never happened to me before” will still incur penalty for the grade. Fat Evaluation Index (FEI) FEI has been a talking point in the last 12 months. Our first reaction is generally scepticism followed by anger at a perhaps ‘nanny state’ and what a lack of PKE inputs at certain times of the year may have on our profitability, production and

Farmers must ensure their cowshed is operating optimally.

overall performance. Once we square all of that away and focus on the outcome, we can then determine how FEI grading might affect our farm’s strategy. FEI is not a PKE test, although PKE has a far greater impact on fatty acid profile than any other feed source. We have now had quite some time – if we are feeding high fatty acid feeds – to determine where our farm system sits on the grading profile. A and B grades will not require any changes. C and D grading will certainly require some planning and thought on future management.

Key points: kk Cow breed will affect FEI outcome. For any given input, Jerseys will have higher FEI reading than crossbreeds followed by Friesians kk FEI will be higher for any given input the lower the LWT is kk A higher proportion of fatty acid input as a percentage of total intake will increase FEI kk As milk volumes decrease FEI will increase eg 3kg PKE in late autumn will increase FEI higher than 3kg PKE in spring kk There are no other feeds that reverse the effect of PKE I have seen large variations in grade outcome between

farms: 3kg PKE to a Jersey herd equated to C grading; 4kg PKE to a high LWT Friesian herd equated to B grading. Also a combination of feeds, e.g. 2kg PKE combined with 5kg of summer turnips will have an effect on FEI. Monitor your graphs regularly. It is important to know how your farm may react. I understand the criteria for grading are due to be released very shortly. Ensure you are informed if your farm system might be affected. All the topics above are manageable. We need to spend the time required to understand and adapt to those changes. ◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MILK QUALITY // 53

Correct teat cup liners will keep cows healthy and happy THE TEAT CUP liner is the

only component of the milking machine that comes into contact with the cow’s teat. It has a large influence on milking performance, udder and teat health. Benefits of the right selection and maintenance of teat cup liners include: kk Improved animal health - ensures teats are not damaged leading to issues with mastitis. kk Increased milking efficiency - the right liners will help to ensure clusters stay on and cows are not slow to milk. kk Reduced stress on animals - ensure the liners are not causing pain which will lead

to cow discomfort and animal handling issues. A good teat cup liner will: kk Provide an airtight seal at both ends of the shell; kk Provide a mouthpiece and barrel of a size that will fit a range of teat shapes and sizes, minimising liner slips and cluster falls and damage which can lead to mastitis; kk Milk out as quickly and completely as possible, minimising teat congestion, discomfort, and injury; kk Be easily cleaned. How do I choose the right teat cup liner? Choosing a liner is a compromise. One must

consider the milking machine, its settings and very importantly, the cows. Ultimately, if the proposed liner fits the milking equipment, it can be compared in the milking performance of your

cows alongside other liners aiming for fast, efficient milking without any ‘ill’ effects. Even then, a better performing liner may warrant some change in equipment. The performance of cup

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MILK QUALITY // 55

liners is heavily influenced by the design and management of the whole dairy. Liner slip in particular is often not due to a problem with the liner itself. To optimise the milking process, milking machinery should be assessed in its entirety. Liners need to be carefully selected to suit the herd and machinery, and changed regularly. Liners are commonly classified by their barrel size and shape, and by the material and/or method of their construction. There are many liners available in New Zealand, the diameter of their mouthpiece lip ranges from 20-25 mm, the mid-bore of the liner barrel from 20-28 mm, and the effective length of the liner from about 120-170 mm (depending on shell length). The majority of liners available in New Zealand are made from Food Grade Synthetic rubber. How do I maintain my teat cup liners? A good cleaning system with regular hot alkaline washes is necessary to maintain liner

performance. Poor cleaning can result in faster surface deterioration and bacterial growth. Liners should be removed from jetter wash systems after cleaning. Leaving liners on any type of jetter between milkings will not allow the system to dry and can increase bacteria growth. Liners left hanging on button style jetters can distort the mouth-piece, increasing slip and reducing liner life. Liners should not be re-tensioned by pulling them up to a second tension ring after half of their life, they should be replaced as they are worn out. Re-tensioning will only improve milking for a short time. Overtensioned liners may lead to teat end damage.

IMPORTANT MAINTENANCE CHECKS ON MY TEAT CUP LINER Visual kk Do monthly checks of liners and short milk tubes for cracks

and splits. Early detection of split liners can be improved by fitting clear (normally PVC) Liners should have no cracks in the short milk tube connecting to the claw and no swelling on the mouthpiece or inner barrel. kk Check liners for twisting in the shell. kk Feel inside the barrel, it should be smooth and have no black

residue. kk Check the liner for perishing, cracks and splits.

Performance checks Regular occurrence of any of the following may highlight an issue with teat liners or milking machinery: kk cluster slips or falls (should not exceed 5 slips per 100 cows); kk poor teat condition in the herd. There should also be no rings at the

top of the teats, no teat discoloration after milking and no teats should appear swollen; kk irritable cow behaviour during milking; kk incomplete milking out of cows;

Replacing old liners The expectation that liners should last a full season does not take into account the growth in farm sizes in recent years. Liner life expectancy must be calculated for each individual farm based on herd size / number of clusters and milking frequency. As a general rule of thumb, if you notice a distinct

kk slow milking times for cows.

improvement in milking performance after replacing the old liners, you have probably used the old ones too long. Old liners can also cause plant hygiene problems as the internal surfaces of older liners are more likely to become cracked and harbour bacteria. With older liners there is also

an increased risk of the liner splitting. If this occurs milk will be able to flow between milk side and air side of the milking machine, potentially resulting in milk quality downgrades. Liners should be replaced after 2500 cow milkings. • Article – DairyNZ

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

56 // MILK QUALITY

Abigail and Brad Silvester with daughter Harriet with the super lightweight milking cluster.

Soft plastic liners the way ahead at Puriri SHAREMILKERS ABIGAIL AND Brad Silvester say they are

always looking to improve their farming processes with new technology; so the addition of soft plastic milking liners and shells to their shed has already provided many benefits. The Silvesters are 50/50 sharemilkers on a 108ha dairy farm at Puriri, between Thames and Paeroa, running a herd of 320 animals through a 32-a-side herringbone cowshed. They learned of the plastic products a year ago when they read about another farmer who had converted to soft plastics in the cowshed. “We checked it out on their website and compared them to similar rubber products and the costs were on a par, but it was only after we started using them that we immediately noticed other benefits,” Abby says. Within a week they had decided to convert their entire milking shed and clusters to soft plastic liners, shells and

tubing, saying the products are far superior to the competitors’ rubber items; they have since reaped benefits in a number of ways. “We knew pretty much right away this was going to be a winner. It doesn’t even have to be a new cowshed they fit into; they can fit into any older cowshed and milking system.” Their shed conversion from rubber to plastic was easy and there was no time lost because “the plastic product was even easier to install than those of its competitors”. None have cracked, perished, broken or slipped in use. “The cups are a bit more rigid and are really good when cupping cows; they don’t slip and fall into the muck,” Abby says. “It’s nice and sturdy too; cups get kicked every now and then and we have noticed no damage to them. Also, with the really bad weather we had this year we were hit with poor teat

condition; cups wouldn’t stay on and we wasted a lot of time walking up and down cleaning and greasing teats, putting cups back on and holding them onto some of our heifers.” The soft plastic liners and tubing, the result of a 10-year collaboration between DairyFlo and global company Covestro, are 20% lighter than rubber; they minimise the strain from repetitive lifting and last at least twice as long as rubber liners, saving time and money spent on replacement. The soft plastic doesn’t deteriorate from chemical washing or milk fat absorption, so there are no cavities where bacteria can accumulate. “There’s always a risk with new products, but you don’t get anywhere without taking a few risks and we’ll never look back. Another huge benefit is it’s all environmentally friendly and recyclable, which helps with our clean green image. “It’s a faster, more productive

way of milking, and is good for our cows: the low weight in the cluster puts less downward strain on their udders.” The liners will last one complete season, in some cases two seasons, depending on herd size to shed capacity; annual savings are reckoned at $750. “The plastic is also see-through and helps reduce over-milking; and you can tell straight away if there’s any teat damage during milking as you can see any redness coming through the cluster and get onto that and treat them right away. “It really is an all-rounder, it does the job perfectly and has brought our shed up to a more modern standard without having to spend lots of money on upgrades,” Abby says. “It’s versatile: you can cut the tubing yourself and customise it to your needs and it is less labour intensive, and I am less fatigued after milking due to the plastic’s light weight and ease of use”. ◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MILK QUALITY // 57

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Fonterra has released the final details of the new Fat Evaluation Index (FEI) Grading System that will help farmers optimise their farming system and continue to provide world class milk and milk products for customers around the world. Farmers will have until September 2018, to make any necessary adjustments before demerits are applied. The co-op explains how farmers can manage their FEI. FONTERRA HAS ISSUED a

guide to help farmers manage their Fat Evaluation Index (FEI). It takes into account that there is no “one size fits all” solution and farmers incorporate PKE in their system according to individual circumstances, facilities and locations. FEI is influenced by a range of factors, but reducing use of PKE or making it a lower per cent of the diet is the easiest way to lower results. It is

important to understand the amount of PKE being allocated per cow and its per cent of the diet. PKE use considerations kk Consider weighing feed when loading. Using visual volume can be inaccurate as the density of PKE in a stack can vary due to compression during loading. kk Monitor your FEI when a Turn to page 60

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

58 // MILK QUALITY

The FEI Grading System has been developed with the objective of helping farmers deliver suitable milk to the Co-op that can be manufactured to meet customer specifications, while at the same time retaining farmersâ€™ ability to use PKE as an effective and affordable feed option. Testing The FEI Grading System includes two different tests. The first is a rapid, low cost screen that provides a daily result reported as a 6 day average. The second is a precise, more expensive confirmatory test approved for applying demerits. Both the screen and the confirmatory tests are managed by MilkTestNZ. kk Results are reported as a letter grade of A, B, C, D with a correlation to a 1-16 scale. kk If three consecutive FEI results (shown as a 6 day average) indicate a C or D grade, a sample will be retested through a more precise confirmatory test.

GRADE

FEI RESULT

DEMERITS (AS OF 1 SEP, 2018)

PAYMENT REDUCTION

<7.50

7.50-9.00

Alert

9.01-11

2 demerits

10% per collection day

>11

4 demerits

20% per collection day

kk MilkTestNZ will test the

sample using a Gas Chromatography method, with results being available 4 to 5 days after collection. kk Confirmatory test results will be available on the tanker docket, On-Farm app, Farm Source online, and on Farmer Monthly Statements. kk Where multiple collections occur on a single day, a sample from a single consignment will be selected for retesting. An analysis of multiple collections indicates there is no pattern which identifies if a day or night collection has a higher or lower FEI result. kk Confirmatory tests will continue daily until a sample result of less than 9.01 (A or B Grade) is achieved. kk Similar to the Thermoduric Test, there will be a delay between sample selection and obtaining a confirmatory result.

As long as confirmatory test results are above 9.01 (C grade), then confirmatory testing will continue. Further confirmatory test results will be released even after a result of <9.01 is achieved. Demerits kk All demerit system rules apply as per the Farmer Handbook. kk Demerits will be applied when confirmation tests determine a result as per the table above. kk When a demerit is received, the cost of the confirmatory test will be recovered from the farm. kk Farmers will be charged $160 for each confirmatory test that incurs a demerit. This includes MilkTestNZ costs as well as Fonterra processing costs. kk This will appear as a service charge on the farmerâ€™s Monthly Statement.

kk Where an owner/share-

milker situation exists, deductions will be made as per the sharemilker agreement. kk Any demerit will affect a grade free status. As per all demerit system rules as noted in the Farmer Handbook: - Farmers do not incur a payment deduction for the first two grades in each month that result in two demerit points or less. This means a farmer may have two C grades in a month, receive demerits but will not receive a deduction. - 1 demerit is equal to a 5% deduction kk Note: C & D Thresholds have changed since initial FEI on farm results released. kk New thresholds will be retrospectively applied to all test results from Jan 2017. kk Demerits will be applied beginning September 2018.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

60 // MILK QUALITY From page 57

new load of PKE is being introduced to the herd to understand whether there are fat content variations between loads. kk Work with your feed provider to get more information on fat content Assessing alternatives kk Price, ease of use and protecting future season’s performance are key considerations in managing feed alternatives. All changes should be considered in line with your farm goals. kk We recommend that you consult your farm advisor and/or feed consultant to understand the options for alternatives to PKE. kk DairyNZ has information on alternative such as DDG, Tapioca, Soya bean hulls, Canola, Maize grain/kibble maize. kk They have also assessed the relative cost of crops such

as Maize silage (purchased and home grown), Chicory, Turnip, Surplus pasture silage, Nitrogen driven pasture silage, PKE driven pasture and maize silage. kk Our initial research shows that while fodder beet, turnips and other high sugar/ starch feeds don’t have significant levels of fat, they can drive FEI levels higher. At high levels (4-6KgDM/ cow/day) feeds that are high in sugar and/or starch appear to change the rumen environment, depressing milk fat and increasing the FEI. Sustained feeding of fodder beet led to an FEI half a unit higher than pasture alone. We will be running further trials in Autumn to assess the impact of feeding a combination of PKE and fodder beet on the FEI. We recommend that you monitor your FEI when PKE is fed at the same time as high starch feeds.◗

QUALITY DAIRY HOT WATER CYLINDERS FROM

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SHORT TERM IMMEDIATE STRATEGY TO LOWER YOUR FEI Spring/Winter

Summer

kk Use an alternative

supplementary feed or PKE blends. kk Feed dry stock PKE allocating

additional pasture to lactating cows. kk Feeding PKE close to calving

can increase the risk of metabolic complications.

supplementary feed or PKE blends. kk Dry off light capital stock

and feed them with elevated PKE, leaving more alternative feeds available for remaining lactating animals. kk Consider culling poor

performing animals.

LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLANNING TO AVOID RESULTS ABOVE GRADING LIMITS kk Seek advice from consultants,

kk Contract alternative feeds/

nutritionists or feed suppliers.

blends or consider cropping options.

kk Review feed budget to identify

kk Review strategic use of urea

deficits and develop plan to manage them without excessive reliance on PKE.

and gibberellic acid. kk Evaluate changes such as

kk Consider whether lower

amounts of PKE can be used over an extended period by blending with other feeds already in use, and as a result extending their use e.g. maize/ grass silage.

stocking rate, calving dates and windows, and wintering practices. kk Use a farm modelling tool

to model your farm system to assist in optimising farm performance.

Superheat Popular Sizes (measurements in mm) STANDARD RANGE AVAILABLE WITH COPPER BARREL, GALVANISED OR STAINLESS CASE 180 ltr 610 dia x 1330 high 3kW 200 ltr 600 dia x 1295 high 3kW 225 ltr 610 dia x 1550 high 3kW 270 ltr 610 dia x 1750 high 3kW 270 ltr 710 dia x 1350 high 3kW 270 ltr 810 dia x 1050 high 3kW 300 ltr 710 dia x 1330 high 3kW 350 ltr 710 dia x 1660 high 2 x 3kW 350 ltr 810 dia x 1400 high 2 x 3kW 400 ltr 710 dia x 1820 high 2 x 3kW 450 ltr 710 dia x 2010 high 2 x 3kW 450 ltr 810 dia x 1600 high 2 x 3kW

CODE

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500 ltr 915 dia x 1400 high 2 x 3kW 600 ltr 810 da x 1900 high 3 x 3kW 600 ltr 915 dia x 1500 high 3 x 3kW 700 ltr 810 dia x 2200 high 3 x 3kW 700 ltr 915 dia x 1700 high 3 x 3kW 800 ltr 915 dia x 1900 high 3 x 3kW 800 ltr 1160 dia x 1400 high 3 x 3kW 1000 ltr 915 dia x 2400 high 3 x 3kW 1000 ltr 1160 dia x 1650 high 3 x 3kW SUPERHEAT STAINLESS SIZES WITH PLASTIC CASE 600 ltr 920 dia x 1650 high 3 x 3kW 1000 ltr 1170 dia x 1640 high 3 x 5kW 1200 ltr 1170 dia x 1865 high 3 x 5kW 1500 ltr 1170 dia x 2180 high 3 x 5kW

NEW SIZES AVAILABLE Now with stainless steel inner barrel and stainless outer case 350 ltr 400 ltr 450 ltr 500 ltr 600 ltr 700 ltr

710 dia x 1670 710 dia x 1860 710 dia x 2010 810 dia x 1690 810 dia x 2100 810 dia x 2370

2 x3 kW 2 x 3kW 2 x 3kW 2 x 3kW 3 x 3kW 3 x 3kW

Special sizes available on request. Superheat cylinders include elements, thermostats, valve pack, vacuum break and sight tube.

LITRES

DIAMETER

HEIGHT

DC180610

180

610

1350

1x3

DC200610

200

610

1350

1x3

DC225610

225

610

1560

1x3

DC270610

270

610

1790

1x3

DC270710

270

710

1400

1x3

DC270810

270

810

1050

1x3

DC300710

300

710

1400

1x3

DC300810

300

810

1300

1x3

DC350610

350

610

2190

2x3

DC350710

350

710

1660

2x3

DC350810

350

810

1400

2x3

DC400710

400

710

1820

2x3

DC450710

450

710

2090

2x3

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

62 // MASTITIS

Systematic approach to keep mastitis at bay MIKE BAILEY FARMWISE CONSULTANT, WAIKATO/SOUTH AUCKLAND

MASTITIS. WE’VE ALL seen it and our cows continue to get it. It is undoubtedly the biggest animal health issue we face onfarm and costs the industry millions of dollars. But what exactly is mastitis? Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder and teat in lactating cows, usually caused by an immune system reaction to a bacterial infection. This will cause a decrease in milk production and quality of milk. In extreme cases, mastitis can result in one or more quarters of the udder drying up, and can cause the cow to get very sick and die.

With clinical mastitis, a good operator will generally pick up cases as they present.

There are two types of mastitis, sub-clinical and clinical. With sub-clinical you will have animals getting a mild infection which can be difficult to detect and can present as mild inflammation of the udder or teat and slimy quality of milk. There may be no noticeable symptoms other than an elevated bulk SCC and it can be hard to isolate. Clinical mastitis is a serious infection which will present itself initially with hard or glutinous globules or clots in the milk and easily detected when stripped. The udder may be swollen and hot and she will not generally milk out fully. With both clinical and sub-clinical you will see

elevated SCC in the bulk milk testing and this indicates that the cow’s immune system is working away at something not quite right. With clinical mastitis, a good operator will generally pick up cases as they present, but as herds and sheds get bigger and more automated it’s less likely there will always be an experienced person at cups-off where hard quarters and cows not fully milked out would be identified. In this instance the filter sock will be the first place where a problem is picked up. Sub-clinical is more likely to be picked up by a spike or gradual increase in the BSCC reading as shown on the daily docket. In both cases the next step is to strip the herd and look

for the low hanging fruit, i.e. the obvious clinical cases. Stripping can be done in stages over a couple of milkings, with back quarters stripped in the morning and front quarters in the evening. In my experience you seem to get more cases in the back quarters so start there. If it’s sub-clinical you may need to CMT paddle test but also go back to the most recent herd test and look at any serial offenders with high cell counts. Once identified, treat as per vet recommendation. So we know what to look for, but what is causing mastitis? Disease causing bacteria are called pathogens. The most common mastitis pathogens are found in the udder tissues and spread from cow to cow

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MASTITIS // 63

(contagious pathogens) or in the herd’s surroundings (environmental pathogens). Contagious pathogens that cause mastitis tend to live on the cow’s udder and teat skin and transfer from affected cow or quarter to unaffected cow or quarter during milking. These pathogens can colonise and grow and end up in the teat canal where the infection occurs. Environmental mastitis pathogens are present in the environment as their name suggests. They will be affected to a greater or lesser degree by the conditions prevailing. The pathogen can enter the teat canal by force during milking, during the pre- and postcalving period and when conditions are muddy in paddocks and on tracks, yards or feed pads. The environmental pathogens do not possess the same ability as contagious pathogens to adhere to and colonise the teat.

MASTITIS-CAUSING BACTERIA

% OCCURANCE

Staph. Aureus

Strep. Uberis

Step.dysgalactiae

Strep.Agalactiae

Others

The major pathogens are Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus uberis accounting for 86% of all cases.

BULK MILK COUNT

ESTIMATED % OF HERD INFECTED

100,000

500,000

900,000

The bulk somatic cell count numbers give a very good indication as to the estimated infection status of your herd. Source: Massey University

Therefore dry cow therapy (DCT) has little value in their control as these kinds of infections do not carry from one lactation to the next. Minimising the incidence of mastitis in your herd starts with a systematic approach across the season. Calving kk Calve on clean pasture or a

clean dry calving pad

kk Milk cows as soon as possible

and check for mastitis; CMT paddle test before cows enter the herd kk Focus on hygiene at this sensitive stage in the lactation Lactation kk Provide a stress-free environment for the cows; stressed cows will exhibit elevated cell counts kk Maintain high levels of

hygiene, wear gloves, be aware of splashing too much water around and potentially contaminating teats kk Cups-on needs to be a calm and consistent routine kk Check vacuum kk Cups-off should be checking for obvious signs of mastitis -- teat end damage, and alert management to cup slip and monitor or execute teat spray system kk Maintain and use correct liners kk Teat spray entire season kk Herd test kk Monitor BSCC and react by identifying and treating offenders Drying off kk Decide on rules for drying cows off, whole herd or partial, condition score, yield, etc. kk What treatments will you use (Teatseal, short or long acting DCT or both Teatseal and DCT)?

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

64 // MASTITIS kk Who will deliver these treat-

ments and training required? kk What cows are to be culled based on mastitis and cell count history? kk Maintain good records and be aware of withholding periods for early calvers. It has been widely flagged that blanket DCT will cease to be an option in future and this will mean either Teatseal for lower SCC cows – if any

treatment is to be used – and DCT for cows above a certain threshold. Special care needs to be taken when administering anything into a cow’s teat canal and especially so with Teatseal. Use gloves and wipes supplied and follow the instructions set out with the product chosen. Dry period kk Cows are susceptible to new

cases of mastitis immediately following dry-off kk Observe cows in the paddock for swollen quarters kk Run cows through the shed every 14 days once you are satisfied cows are fully dry over the dry period kk Use a lactation antibiotic on any clinical cases. Mastitis is a complex issue and every situation is slightly different. There are plenty of

resources available to help you get on top of a particular problem or maintain a satisfactory status. Start with maintaining good animal husbandry and hygiene, teat spray all season and monitor your cow’s individual status by regularly herd testing. Train your staff well by using the resources available such as SmartSAMM from DairyNZ and your vet and consultant. ◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MASTITIS // 65

Mineral Deciencies Solved the Easy Way With a PETA Multi-Purpose Dispenser

Healthy udders produce quality milk.

Clean udders will keep disease away COWS WITH HEALTHY

udders have less mastitis, produce more and are easier to milk. Keeping teat ends healthy, using milking equipment that is operating well, and disinfecting teats after milking helps minimise the spread of contagious mastitis bacteria. Contagious mastitis is usually spread during milking. Milk from an infected quarter can be spread to the teat skin of other quarters and cows by dirty hands or gloves, teat cup liners, and cross flow of milk between teat cups. Hygienic practices at milking time help reduce this type of mastitis. Regular, systematic checks

of equipment will also help maximise milking efficiency and prevent mastitis. Milking machine equipment is designed to harvest milk efficiently and maintain healthy teats. Machines that are not functioning correctly can contribute to new mastitis infections by damaging teat ends, forcing bacteria-laden droplets into the teat canal, and reducing full udder milk-out. Problems are often due to inadequate maintenance of mechanical components and rubberware. Milking machine equipment has been designed to harvest milk efficiently and maintain healthy teats.

A PETA dispenser is the simplest way to dispense magnesium, trace elements and salts to treat grass staggers or trace element deciencies. Developed by agricultural scientists at Ruakura Research Centre, the correct amount of treatment is dispensed per-animal per-day. Available in 24 hr and 48 hr models. Simply place in the trough and the job is done.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

66 // MASTITIS

Teats are attached to milking machines for 50-100 hours per lactation. Machines that are not functioning correctly can contribute to new mastitis infections by: kk Spreading bacteria from teat to teat and from cow to cow kk Damaging the teat ends and natural defence mechanisms of the teat canal kk Causing impact of bacterialaden droplets into the teat canal, especially towards the end of milking kk Reducing the degree or frequency of full udder milk-out. The most common reason for milking machine problems is inadequate routine maintenance of mechanical components and rubberware. A series of regular, systematic checks gives a simple method of finding problems and guiding preventative maintenance. If more than one person milks in your dairy, it is important to assign these checks to particular people, and ensure that the right person is Cows with healthy udders have less mastitis.

alerted to any problems that are found or suspected. Daily and weekly checks should be conducted by milking staff as part of their regular list of responsibilities. Monthly checks should be done by the herd owner

COWS WITH A HEALTHY UDDER kk produce more milk kk are easier to milk kk have less mastitis kk suffer less pain are more likely

to get in calf kk have a longer productive

lifetime and kk provide more profit.

or manager or other skilled observer. Recording the results of monthly checks enables subtle changes due to wear and age to be detected more easily. Teat disinfection is the most effective mastitis control measure, but only works if done properly.

Failure to cover the whole teat of every cow at every milking or using incorrectly diluted teat sprays are the most common errors. Bacteria in milk from infected quarters can contaminate the skin of many other teats during milking. After milking, these bacteria multiply on the teat skin and may enter the teat canal. Disinfecting the teat surface immediately after milking helps minimise the spread of bacteria. Bacteria in milk from infected quarters may contaminate the skin of many other teats during milking. For example, after a liner has milked an infected quarter, bacteria may be transferred to the next 5-6 cows milked with that cup. After milking, bacteria multiply on the teat skin and may extend into the teat canal. If the whole surface of each teat is disinfected immediately after milking, this spread can be minimised. Teat disinfection also helps to keep teat skin supple and healthy. Teat disinfection after

milking reduces new infections due to cow associated bacteria such as Staph. aureus by 50% and is also important in reducing Strep. uberis infections. It is one of the most effective cell count and mastitis control measures available, but it only works if it is done thoroughly. Teat disinfectants must be diluted to the correct concentration for use. The active ingredients often lose their disinfectant ability with time after mixing, and if you include additives to improve skin condition (emollients) these may reduce disinfectant activity. Any contamination with milk and other organic material also reduces activity. Correct mixing each day is best to get maximum performance. Some emollients are not suitable for use with particular disinfectants. Failure to cover the whole teat of every cow at every milking and poorly diluted teat sprays are the most common errors in teat disinfection.â—— Article- DairyNZ

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

68 // MASTITIS

Contagious mastitis 101: farm biosecurity and infection control NATASHA MAGUIRE

PUBLICITY ON RECENT

outbreaks of exotic Mycoplasma bovis could teach New Zealand farmers plenty about onfarm biosecurity and contagious mastitis. Most farmers are too trusting about access and movements on their farms, especially given

that milk production is their livelihood. Contagious mastitis can be caused by several different bacteria, some uncommon in NZ, but none should be tolerated here. Vigilance, education and knowledge of contagious mastitis are increasingly important. The key to identifying contagious mastitis is bacterial

culture. Without identification it is impossible to guess which cases are contagious and which are not. Treatments with antibiotics are often not successful, so prevention of new cases should be a focus. Elevated somatic cell count (SCC) in individual cows does not always reliably indicate the presence of contagious mastitis. Often suspicion is only raised

because milk quality has been negatively impacted, routine treatments are unsuccessful or large numbers of cows are affected. If the problem remains unchecked, economic losses may be substantial and solving the problems can be more difficult. Bacterial culture can easily be done on farm, and your veterinarian can also assist. Strategic

Bacterial culture can easily be done on farm.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MASTITIS // 69

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Infected cows shed literally millions of bacteria in just a few drops.

herd management, getting on top of issues and improving milk quality can be done only with the information gained from such testing. Farmers worried about contagious mastitis, an escalating SCC or grading, must get advice sooner rather than later to rein in costs. Testing the bulk milk can provide a snapshot of current issues and where best to spend time and effort. Interestingly, some contagious mastitis bacteria can be recovered from specific sites in people. Once in cows the bacteria will spread very quickly from clusters cow to cow, but there will be clues to how these bugs turned up in the cows in the first place. 1. Streptococcus agalactiae (Strep. ag.) found in the human gut and genital region in 30% of people. There’s a reason to include pre-milking hand washing and wearing gloves in the shed. Once in the cows, actions such as stripping cows can promote new infections. Whilst treatment can be successful, this usually involves ‘blitz treatment’, i.e. all or large

numbers of cows. 2. Staphylococcus aureus (Staph. aureus) found in the nose of 50% of people. (I’ve never seen anyone with gloves on picking their nose.) Treatments can be largely unsuccessful. 3. Corynebacterium bovis is spread from cow to cow but is easy to control with effective post milk teat spraying. Normally resolves in the dry period. 4. Mycoplasma bovis is spread between cows by contact, milking routines, contaminated equipment, movement of affected cows and calf milk. It does not respond to treatment, spreads rapidly and affects multiple quarters of cows. This is an exotic disease with affected farms controlled by MPI. Contagious mastitis is often difficult to control since cow-to-cow transfer during milking is an effective means of transmission. A study by Ruakura in the 1980s* showed that with the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, an infective level of bacteria could be recovered from liners

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

70 // MASTITIS

six cows after milking a single infected cow. *Reference Phillips DSM. Reduction of pathogen transfer within the milking cluster. Proc Conf Dairy Production from Pasture, New Zealand and Australian Societies of Animal Production, Ruakura, New Zealand, 1982: 81-82. COW FACTORS Cows infected with contagious mastitis carry large quantities of bacteria in their milk, shedding literally millions of bacteria in just a few drops. With an infected cow giving many litres of milk from an affected quarter, potential cautions include: kk New cows on farm for any reason: lease cows; carry over cows; cows from staff run with owner’s herds must be quarantined and ideally tested for contagious

Post-milk teat spraying is effective.

pathogens. kk Sharing clusters of infected

cows with non-infected cows. Isolation of contagious mastitis infected cows from other cows including your hospital mob is a must. kk Feeding milk from contagious mastitis-infected cows to heifer calves means calves are exposed to billions of contagious bacteria. If you are trying to avoid these bacteria near cows on your farm, this source is concerning. Since our farming model means calves are not housed separately, calves suckling each other means even first lactation heifers can be a reservoir for contagious mastitis. Herd screen testing of first-lactation heifers on farms affected by contagious mastitis has confirmed many cases of Staph. aureus carrier cows. (Note: bobby calves should not be fed mastitis

milk either due to antibiotic residues). MILKING ROUTINE AND NON-COW FACTORS Getting the basics of your milking routine right is worthwhile, since almost all contagious mastitis risks can be reduced by: kk Optimised and stable vacuum and pulsation, ensuring equipment is running correctly. ‘Small’ details such as air admission holes matter. Machine checks should be done frequently by experienced people. kk Rubberware (liners and jetters) must be in good condition and within the recommended number of hours usage. Ensure liners and shells are compatible. kk Promote a ‘culture of clean’ in your shed and among your staff. Keeping the shed clean helps everyone and makes

the environment safer for your cows and staff. Ensure staff wear milking gloves as cracked hands can be an effective hiding place for pathogens from milk. kk Ensure cows are milked out and not overmilked. kk Ensure your post-milk teat spraying is effective. Most farmers believe they are already doing this well, but are often overlooking it. Be super fussy; it’s a key aspect of the infection control on your farm. The ratio of teat spray and emollient dilution is important, as is the way the mixture is formulated, stored and applied. We recommend getting professional advice from your chemical rep regularly. Sub-optimal teat condition greatly increases the risk of contagious mastitis spread. • Natasha Maguire is a director of Farm Medix Ltd.◗

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

72 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Herd lameness rates are still unacceptably high GREG JARRATT VET & DIRECTOR OF MATAMATA VETERINARY SERVICES

WHEN IT COMES to the topic of dairy cow lameness, you don’t need to look too far to uncover a series of good articles and industry information designed to assist farmers plagued with lame cows. Based on this volume of material and the ability of farming systems to embrace

information and adapt accordingly, the natural expectation would be that lameness should not be an issue. But unfortunately in some herds lameness rates are still unacceptably high and in a few cases rising annually. Often with these ‘problem’ cases the causes are readily identified and easily explained. They are generally associated with environmental factors such as wet periods (e.g. NZ’s recent spring when rainfall

was higher than usual). But it is not uncommon for farms to experience rising lameness problems seemingly without ‘rhyme or reason’. The obvious question for these farmers is why is this so? The answer is not simple and due to many factors capable of increasing the risk of lameness in commercial dairy operations (Figure 1). These risks may be further compounded by an increase in farm scale as seen during the past several decades

requiring that managers of larger herds better understand cows’ natural requirements (such as adequate time to rest). Finally, there is an ongoing ‘uncoupling’ of the relationship between the individual in contact with the cow on a daily basis and the financial stakeholder in the farming operation; this has brought about a change in the motivational drivers of key individuals in the business. Lameness has profound negative implications on cow

Figure 1. Causal factors - Lameness

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS • Climate/Weather • Race/Yard/Shed design

INHERITED FACTORS • Poor conformation • Weight • Stance

STOCK HANDLING • Pushing cows with motorbikes/ dogs • Use of backing gates • Time budget

INFECTIOUS CAUSES • Bacteria • Viruses

NUTRITIONAL FACTORS • Diets causing acidosis • Micronutrients Zinc/Copper/ Biotin • Mycotoxins in feed (spoiled silage)

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

ANIMAL HEALTH // 73

welfare, cow production, farm resources (time and money), milk production and reproductive performance (Figure 2). Aside from the dollars, it is important to remember that lameness is a very painful condition, where an untrained eye can easily witness the plight of a lame cow. As we have seen in recent years, industry image and market perception are key drivers of future market sustainability. On a financial basis, using DairyNZ figures, the estimated cost of lameness per case is $250 and an average incidence rate (percentage of cows treated by trained staff over 1 season) is 14%. This translates to the cost per 100 cows on an average NZ farm being $3500 and these losses are set to dramatically increase as we continue to strive for higher cow production; losses of at least twice this amount have

TYPE OF LAMENESS*

REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE

IMPACT OF LAMENESS IN AN INDIVIDUAL COW

Mild lameness – little interference with cow movement as defined by farmer

6 week in calf rate (6wICR)

2-7% decrease

Mid Lameness

Not in calf rate (NICR)

3-12% increase

Severe lameness – little weight carried or cow movement severly affected

6wICR

6-17% decrease

Severe

NICR

11-12% decrease

Figure 2. Reproductive losses associated with lameness

been quoted in international literature. Frustrations arise when attempting to tackle a lameness issue onfarm, as one of the first problems encountered is locating meaningful records and data which aren’t always representative of the actual picture. This is largely because onfarm there is often no standardised definition of lameness, and you cannot manage what you cannot measure. The first step to tackling an issue is agreeing on and setting lameness criteria, then ensuring

somebody is willing and able to record information. Fortunately, good work was done in the late 1990s whereby lameness can be easily categorised and cows allocated an individual ‘lameness score’ based on gait and back posture as set out below. Note: Most farmers would consider a cow lame once it reached a score of 3 or greater. The benefit of this type of scoring system is that it is relatively easy to train motivated staff members to observe a herd of cows at any time to objectively assess the

prevalence of lameness within the herd. The natural progression of this rationale is the setting of targets and trigger points throughout the dairy calendar. This will provide clear guidance of the expectation and when to seek assistance. For example, these have been suggested as targets by one reference source. Lameness has many causes. Taking time to enhance the knowledge and understanding of this condition with all farm staff is the key step to having your finger on the pulse and

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

74 // ANIMAL HEALTH

providing an opportunity to intervene when required. Farms with such systems are more successful in managing lameness problems satisfactorily. Discuss the options with your veterinarian.◗ References 1. Preventing and managing mastitis. A farmer’s guide to lameness on New Zealand dairy farms. DairyNZ, online resource 2. Transition cow management. A review for professionals, veterinarians and farm advisers. Dairy Australia. Lean and DeGaris 3. A lameness scoring system that uses posture and gait to predict dairy cattle reproductive performance. Spreecher et al. Theriogenology 47; 1179 – 1187, 1997

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Lameness can have profound negative implications on cow welfare and production.

Lameness score system

LAMENESS SCORE

CLINICAL DESCRIPTION

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Normal

The cow stands and walks with a level-back pasture. Her gait is normal.

Midly lame

The cow stands with a level-back posture but develops an archedback posture while walking. Her gain remains normal.

Moderately lame

An arched-back posture is evident both while standing and walking. Her gait is affected step at a time. The cow favours one or more limbs/feet.

Lame

An arched-back posture is always evident and gait is best described as one deliberate step at a time. The cow favours one or more limbs/feet.

Severely lame

The cow additionally demonstrates an inability or extreme reluctance to bear weight on one or more of her limbs/feet.

PARAMETER Locomotion Score within 14d of calving

TARGET Less than 20% of cows over Score 2

TRIGGER POINT More tan 4% of cows over Score 2

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

76 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Reducing heat stress as temperatures rise WITH SUMMER BRINGING

hot conditions to many parts of the country, it’s important to ensure cows avoid heat stress and their health is closely monitored. As temperature and humidity levels rise this summer, farmers should take steps to ensure stock stay cool and, where necessary, have a plan to prevent facial eczema. “Hot, humid conditions also encourage facial eczema, so remember to monitor spore levels in your area, talk to your vet and put a prevention plan in place to suit your farm situation,” says DairyNZ animal welfare developer Jacqueline McGowan. “In high temperatures this summer, a cool cow is a happy cow. When cows get too hot and if they can’t cool down by shade or other means, their appetite and feed intake decrease and milk production is likely to suffer.” Prevention better than cure Studies indicate that NZ cows can suffer heat stress and milk production starts to decline when temperatures go above 21°C and at more than 75% humidity, especially with little or no wind. Proactive prevention of heat stress is also shown to be more cost-effective than trying to manage the consequences once cows become heat stressed. Normal respiration rates vary from 15-25 breaths per minute. A rate of more than 30 breaths per minute indicates that cows are heat stressed. Really hot cows will start to pant and breathe through an open mouth, with the tongue hanging out. “All activity such as walking to the water trough, walking to and from the dairy – and even just grazing as normal – will contribute to increasing the risk

HOW TO GET COOL COWS When hot conditions are forecast, some short-term solutions to reduce heat stress for cows and minimise milk production losses are: kk Graze cows close to the dairy to reduce walking distance for

milking and let them move at their own pace kk Milk cows later in the afternoon/early evening when the

temperature has dropped kk Use paddocks with shade or provide cows with access to

well-ventilated, shaded housing kk Provide supplementary feed at night, so the extra heat generated

by digestion occurs at the coolest time of day kk As always, make sure cows have good clean drinking water. Milking

cows can drink over 100L of water per day in summer kk Provide shade or use a sprinkler system in the dairy yard, while the

cows wait to be milked.

of heat stress,” says McGowan. “Digesting food and producing milk also generates heat in dairy cows and on hot days this can overload their system. High-producing animals tend to eat more and are therefore more susceptible to heat stress.” If night-time temperatures are also very warm, it can be even more difficult for cows to cool down, without extra help. Ways to get cool Moving to once-a-day milking

can help and, while heat stress is not usually the main reason for changing milking strategy, it is worth considering. Alternatively, ensure morning milking is completed before the day warms up, and delay letting the cows go for evening milking until as late as possible. Milking during a cool evening is more enjoyable for people too. Make sure troughs never run low during the day. If the system can’t supply water quick enough, consider providing

additional temporary troughs during hot periods. Another way to cool cows is providing shade or using a sprinkler system in the dairy yard, while the cows wait to be milked. Wetting the skin is one of the most effective ways to cool a cow, however high humidity can make sprinklers less effective on a hot concrete surface. So turn the water on half an hour before milking to cool the yard, using sprinklers that give a large droplet size and, if possible, use fans to create air movement when there is little or no wind. Periodically wetting the roof to reduce radiated heat from hot steel roofing can also improve the milking environment for cows and milkers. “Although installing sprinklers or shade structures can be costly, they will reduce the impact of high heat on cow comfort and milk production, especially in hotter parts of the country,” says McGowan.◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

ANIMAL HEALTH // 77

An unhealthy cow won’t perform to its potential JAMES THOMAS FARMWISE CONSULTANT, WAIKATO

ANIMAL HEALTH IS a vital aspect of farm management to get right, and it starts right from birth. A proactive approach is vital as preventative measures are far more profitable than ‘ambulance at the bottom of the cliff’ type regimes. There is no point having the newest grasses, best genetics or a top farm manager if the basics of animal health are not being adhered to. An unhealthy cow will not

perform to its potential and in the worst scenario may have poor quality of life. Starting with the newborn calf, it is vital that the calf receives colostrum milk within the first hours to give it natural antibodies and protect it from scours. Calves need to be put into warm and dry shelter and have their navels sprayed with iodine spray. It is important to feed the correct amount of milk per day and give access to meal and water to enhance rumen development. These animals also need to be observed regularly and any sick ones isolated. Regular weighing will ensure

that growth rate targets are being met. This is also the time when regular worm drenching and using 7 in 1 vaccines will protect the calf from many different diseases. Weaning at the correct time will also mean that target liveweights will likely be met which will help in reproduction and production in the first year of milking. There will be less chance of wastage in their first season enabling good genetic gain for the herd. Vaccinations against leptospirosis will not only protect the cow but also all people who come in contact with the herd

and should be done on yearly. Trace element profiles from blood test and liver biopsies will mean that a treatment profile for your herd can be produced that will allow the right amounts of magnesium, calcium, selenium, copper and cobalt to be introduced to the cows. These can take many different forms and the most practical way of doing this can be discussed onfarm depending on facilities and level of deficit. Remember every farm and herd will have different requirements and these may change on a yearly basis. It is important to monitor this at least annually.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

78 // ANIMAL HEALTH

Facial eczema is another debilitating disease that can cause high wastage. This is controlled with the use of zinc, as well as farm management techniques such as avoiding the high spore count areas and feeding out of supplements to dilute the impact of the pasture. Mastitis can be a very expensive disease and can lead to grading as well as the potential loss of some milking quarters (and death in the most severe cases). The correct treatment here is important and milk samples will help determine the best choice. Teat spraying and the correct cup liners/vacuum in the shed will also contribute to controlling mastitis, as will good farm management techniques to avoid mud and Calves must be fed well daily to enhance rumen development.

Mastitis can be a very expensive disease and can lead to grading as well as the potential loss of some milking quarters (and death in the most severe cases). The correct treatment here is important and milk samples will help determine the best choice.

the spreading of environment type ‘bugs’. Good race maintenance and not ‘pushing’ cows will reduce the number of lame cows. Early intervention and treatment will mean that the chance of recovery increases. It is important that these cows do the minimum of walking

necessary to reduce the stress on them. In summary, there are numerous animal health issues that farmers need to be aware of and the timing of many of the preventative treatments becomes incredibly important. Observation is key to finding sick cows and the earlier that

treatment is applied the more the chance of success. Farm management, farm facilities and farm staff all play a part in ensuring that our animals get the care they deserve and this will help reduce wastage and increase profitability. Remember to get a tailormade scenario for your farm and update this annually. There are many potential health issues for our stock and I have only touched on the main ones. Be proactive and if help is needed seek this quickly as early intervention increases the success of any treatment. Our animals rely on our skill as farmers to protect them from injury and disease and in return they will give many years of productive return.◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

ANIMAL HEALTH // 79

Determining the right levels of selenium for livestock ANTS ROBERTS RAVENSDOWN CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER

THE NUTRITIONAL IMPORTANCE of adequate levels

of selenium in dairy cows is well documented. However, confusion often occurs with recommendations of up to 10 times higher not being uncommon. This is due in part to scepticism that the low minimum recommended intakes do not reflect the needs of the modern dairy cow. To address the confusion, Ravensdown commissioned Stacey Hendricks and Associate Professor Richard Laven from the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences to review all available national and international scientific literature to determine whether current reference ranges for selenium are still relevant today. But first, more about selenium.

Symptoms of deficiency Selenium deficiency is known to cause a variety of syndromes in cattle, sheep, goats and horses on grazing diets. In cattle, the principal clinical problem associated with selenium deficiency is white muscle disease (Nutritional Muscular Dystrophy), which causes cardiac muscle degeneration, but it is also associated with a range of sub-clinical conditions such as ill-thrift, production losses and reduced fertility. Selenium supplementation has been shown to cause subtle improvements in animal performance, for instance enhanced immunity, although unambiguous methods to measure such benefits have yet to be determined.

estimated that 30% of New Zealand grassland provides insufficient selenium for grazing livestock. Granite rock formed by extreme temperatures, and rhyolite ash from volcanoes are low in trace elements and weather slowly, giving rise to soils low in selenium (and cobalt). The selenium content of NZ pastures ranges from 0.005 to 0.070 mg/kg DM and those concentrations tend to be lowest in spring when pasture growth is greatest. Selenium concentration in brown top is greater than that of ryegrass or white clover grown on the same soil, and deep rooted plants such as dock and lucerne accumulate greater amounts of selenium than shallow rooted plants.

How selenium deficiency occurs Contrary to most trace elements, selenium shows a good soil to plant to animal relationship. However, it is

What is the right level for NZ? NZ-specific reference ranges for Se in pasture and animal tissues have been established for nearly 20 years based on

supplementation trials and quantative modelling. These studies resulted in a dietary recommendation of 0.03 mg Se/ kg DM for dairy cows grazing NZ pastures. The confusion over higher recommendations is partly driven by the belief that the intensive dairy systems of today require a higher level of supplementation of selenium. The research commissioned by Ravensdown draws from 57 publications written between 1960 and 2015. The review found that minimum dietary recommendations differ between countries, being 0.03; 0.04; 0.1; and 0.3mg Se/kg DM in NZ, Australia, UK and US, respectively. The difference between the NZ and US recommendations are in part due to the high intake of vitamin E from grazed pasture (in NZ) versus total mixed ration (TMR) housed dairy systems . Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant, which acts to spare selenoproteins. The review showed that most of the data reviewed is consistent with the current NZ recommendations of 0.03mg Se/kg DM. Several studies in herds with marginal or inadequate selenium status â€“ based on NZ recommended levels â€“ showed no effect on either productivity or health after selenium supplementation. One cautionary finding from the review was that while selenium has been the best researched trace mineral, there is still uncertainty about a definitive upper threshold of the marginal range. While it is possible that the upper threshold of the marginal serum selenium range is too

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

80 // ANIMAL HEALTH

low, this is not justification to match the US recommendation of >890 nmol/L. Based on the outcome of the review there is no evidence to support changing the current dietary recommendation of 0.03mg /Se/kg DM for dairy cows grazing NZ pastures. Research findings 1. The nutritional importance of adequate levels of Se in dairy cows is well established. 2. In cattle, the principal clinical problem associated with Se deficiency is white muscle disease but it is also associated with a range of sub-clinical conditions. 3. Only milk production and reproductive losses have been reported in grazing dairy cows in NZ. 4. Minimum dietary recommendations differ between countries, being 0.03; 0.04; 0.1 and 0.3 mg Se/kg DM in NZ, Australia, UK and US, respectively.

5. It has been suggested that the difference between the NZ and US recommendations are in part due to the high intake of vitamin E from grazed pasture versus total mixed rations. Vitamin E is a strong antioxidant which acts to spare selenoproteins. 6. Reference ranges for animal tissue samples for diagnosing Se deficiency differ markedly between countries (see table above extracted from review). 7. Most of the published data reviewed are consistent with the current NZ recom-

The Rabobank difference

mendations rather than the US ones. Several studies in herds with marginal or inadequate Se status, based on the NZ recommendations but severely deficient based on US recommendations, showed no effect on either productivity or health after Se supplementation. 8. One cautionary aspect of the review was that while Se has been the best researched mineral, we still lack a definitive upper threshold of the marginal range as one study in the 1990s showed an increase in milkfat production with Se supplementation in cattle

Our one and only focus is agribusiness

with whole blood Se greater than 400 nmol/L (serum >220 nmol/L). While it is possible that the upper threshold of the marginal serum Se range is too low, this is not justification for matching the US recommendation of >890 nmol/L. Supplementation If selenium supplementation is required, methods include an addition of selenium prills to fertiliser, oral drenching, selenium addition to supplementary feed and drinking water, or direct treatment to the animal via controlled release boluses, injection and pour-on.â——

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

AGRIBUSINESS // 81

Even a basic grasp of FWE can be very useful PETER MOFFITT FARMWISE CONSULTANT & DAIRY FARMER, TARANAKI

MOST DAIRY FARMERS who

run an agribusiness will assess their profit. Profit is a function of income and costs. On the income side, most is derived from the sale of milk solids to a milk company, who will accept all of their product at a set price. No need to consider a marketing or sales strategy. The milk company purchase as much milk as the farmer chooses to supply. This income is supplemented

by cattle sales, mostly as a side effect from the milk production process through the sale of unwanted animals. The amount of milk produced and sold will vary due to the farmer’s general approach to management, his goals and objectives or the farm and its resources and limitations. On the flip side, the farmer has a fair degree of control over costs. These costs of production are many and varied. As such, the levels of spending (where, how and how much) attract greater levels of interest and scrutiny. Some farmers do this in

an extremely detailed way, and rightly so. Some farming operations are very large and complex. They often employ a high degree of management expertise. Business expenditure is highly scrutinised, with detailed monthly cashflow forecasting and reviews of actuals. However many New Zealand dairy farms are smaller businesses. NZ Dairy Statistics 2016-17 show 18% of herds have fewer than 200 cows and just under 25% of herds have 200 to 300 cows. So that’s nearly 43% of herds with cow numbers below 300.

Often farm owners in these smaller businesses are farm operators who provide their own labour. They may work incredibly hard physically for many hours. Just how hard many farmers work is often not fully appreciated by many folk who either don’t or haven’t for years put cups on cows. Even the fact these people get up very early in the morning every morning is not fully appreciated. No sleep-ins even at the weekends. Sitting down to concentrate on a page of complicated budgets is a difficult challenge. Many of these farmers have 12119

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

82 // AGRIBUSINESS

built significant businesses amassing impressive equity without adopting formalised budgeting processes or by giving close scrutiny to benchmarking of financial performance. Often these operators have succeeded by following strict disciplines backed up with high levels of commitment and hard work. Formalised financial analysis often is not their forte. However, this approach should not prevent a change to a slightly more formal review. Most dairy farmers can tell you their milk company milk price forecast per kilogram of milk solids but may baulk when asked for their honest cost of production. Even a basic level of benchmarking is better than none and gives a degree of perspective or highlights areas of inefficiency. Even a basic grasp on your level of farm working expense can be very useful and relatively quick and simple to extract. This can be done by taking your farm working expense schedule from your annual accounts. Exclude any capital items that may have found their way into your working expenses and exclude financial costs like leases or interest. I find it best to order each cost into categories. These headings include: kk Wages kk Animal health kk Breeding and herd improvement kk Farm dairy kk Electricity

Compare your operation with other farms and see how you perform.

kk Repairs and maintenance

cropped kk Stock grazing kk Support block lease kk Fertiliser (includes Nitrogen) kk Regrassing kk Weed and pest

kk Freight and general kk Administration kk Insurance kk ACC kk Rates kk Irrigation

Divide the dollar figure by

your total milksolids to give a dollar and cents value for each category. Add them all up and you have your cost of production $/per kgms. This process is simple, quick and basic and if you do this yourself you will understand your own information better. In effect you will be more likely to be comfortable with your own information. This will help you understand your own information and take full ownership of it. Compare your operation with other farms and know where you perform well or alternatively operate below par and could give more attention to. Make use of the annual DairyNZ economic survey to compare costs. You have paid for this survey through your Dairy Insight levy, it represents an excellent resource for benchmarking.◗

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

AGRIBUSINESS // 83

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THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP OF PASTURE MANAGEMENT.

A NORTHLAND DAIRY farmer

says using farm management software is helping him drive profitability. Jared Going took over the family farm at Maromaku, 30 minutes north of Whangarei, in 2004 and runs it with two staff. He’s using an app to record “everything that happens on the farm” to give him insights to make informed decisions. “And it’s easy to meet legal requirements. For example, we use it for timesheets for the boys. They are responsible for putting the information in and then I approve it. It’s all there; it’s easy. It just adds the information into the whole farming system.” It doesn’t make sense to record on paper any more, he says. “The app’s simple and easy to use. You enter information straight in and you can view it straight away. You can look at it at the click of a button. “The more you record, the more information you have available for whatever you need. It just depends on what you are doing on the farm. For example, during calving I am looking at the feed wedge all the time and making decisions such as where the cows are going to go.” Recording what’s happening on the land is part of their routine now. “We record when we spray out a paddock and what urea or fertiliser we use. One staff member does the farm walk for pasture covers every two weeks. Then I can get the feed wedge and know where to put the cows for the next 10 days or so. The software tells you which paddocks have the most grass and where it’s growing the fastest. I use it to see which are

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my best- and worst-performing paddocks.” You need to ensure you’re recording the right information, he points out. “If you put crap information in, it will give you crap out. And, you’ve got to use the information or there’s no point…” The tools are available and it’s up to farmers how they make the most of them, Jared says. It’s taking farming to a new level. “Everything gets worked out to the last cent – or even part of a cent sometimes, if you want it. It’s all there. For example, for spray you can put in how much you used and the cost of it and the software will tell you how much the paddock cost to do. If you want to go that far it’s there; it gives it to you immediately.” Cellphone coverage is no barrier, he reports. “The app we’re using records even out of cellphone range and then syncs when we come back into range.” Jared Going is using the FarmIQ software, which first became available in August 2014. In October 2017 FarmIQ released the Dairy+ Pack, which gives dairy farmers complete farm management software to manage their land, feed, cows and staff.◗

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

84 // EMPLOYMENT / PEOPLE

Attracting the best staff GETTING GOOD STAFF is a big challenge faced by dairy farming businesses. But are we doing enough as employers to create environments where good people want to work? DairyNZ’s people team leader Jane Muir says to compete with other industries for great staff, we must make it a priority to offer world-class work environments on our farms. Farmers who invest in their businesses to attract and retain the right people benefit from lower staff turnover. In turn, this reduces recruitment costs, stress and downtime while new staff get up-to-speed with their role. Also, when you provide good leadership for your people – looking after, rewarding and supporting them – they’ll do their jobs well and act on opportunities that benefit your business. That could mean they wash down efficiently to save water, manage pasture to maximise feed, or implement an improved irrigation model. Recognising the key role people play in successful and resilient dairy farm

BECOME A FRIEND OF THE WORKPLACE ACTION PLAN Sign up and you’ll be among the first to hear about new initiatives and resources, and how we’re progressing towards targets. Visit dairynz.co.nz/wap.

Support for employees

businesses, Federated Farmers and DairyNZ launched the Sustainable Dairying: Workplace Action Plan in October 2015. This supports farmers with tips, tools and resources to go from being good employers to great employers. It also sets out guidelines, expectations and aspirational targets under five pillars of good people management: kk balanced and productive work time kk fair and competitive remuneration

A healthy and safe workplace is one of the five pillars of good people management.

kk wellness, wellbeing, health

and safety kk effective team culture kk rewarding careers.

As world-class milk producers, we should be aiming to provide a safe, rewarding and productive workplace, with a motivated team that’s working towards achieving shared business goals. If each of us achieved that, we’d have no problems getting good staff. Wouldn’t that be something that made our lives easier and be worth celebrating in 2018?◗

DairyNZ has online resources for farm employees. These cover practical skills and tips such as preparing a CV, finding the right job and preparing for interviews. They also offer useful information including what to expect as an employee on a New Zealand dairy farm, rights and entitlements, how to progress, setting goals and training. Visit dairynz.co.nz/employee.

Quick and easy farm rosters At least 2000 farmers have signed up to DairyNZ’s online Roster Builder since its release in 2015. It lets you set up a simple roster in under five minutes and, with a bit more time, it becomes a powerful business tool for exploring different roster options and cost implications. For more info and to sign up, visit dairynz. co.nz/rosters

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

86 // EMPLOYMENT / PEOPLE

Regulation for onfarm hazardous substances The management of hazardous substances onfarm has come a long way in the last few decades. We are now taking a closer look at what substances go into our environment, and what goes into our bodies when we are working with them. The new hazardous substances regulations introduced on December 1, 2017 protect the health and safety of employers, workers and the people in a workplace. WorkSafe’s sector lead for agriculture, Al McCone, explains more about what the new regulations mean for farmers and why, two months in, if you haven’t already thought about it you need to check that you are doing things right. THE HEALTH AND Safety at

Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 took over from the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1992. Our knowledge over the 25 years since HSNO was introduced has significantly increased and we now understand more about how working with hazardous substances can have detrimental and even fatal effects on a worker’s health. Each year there are 600-900 deaths and 30,000 serious health conditions diagnosed that stem from work-related health risks. Many of these numbers relate to the one

in three businesses in New Zealand that works with hazardous substances, which includes farming. The new regulations target a reduction in harm through safer management of hazardous substances at work. As a farmer, working with hazardous products like sprays and fertilisers frequently might not have an immediate effect on your health. The harm from these substances can take 25 to 30 years to show, which is usually too late to prevent the serious consequences that may arise. It is knowing how to handle

them now, and making sure they don’t get into the hands of someone inexperienced, that will make the difference to health outcomes. That difference might just keep you around for your spouse or partner, your children or your grandchildren. The new regulations aren’t especially complicated for those working on farm and if you were already compliant under HSNO, there won’t be much to do. But if you haven’t really thought about your handling of hazardous substances, here are 10 steps farmers can take to

help meet the new regulations. 1. Keep an inventory. Create an inventory of the hazardous substances used, handled and stored in your workplace. Inventories are mandatory under the new regulations. • To make it easier, WorkSafe’s Hazardous Substances Toolbox website includes a workbook with tips, checklists and a downloadable inventory form. You can also use the toolkit’s calculator to create and edit an online inventory. 2. Use and share safety data sheets. These record key information about hazardous substances, e.g. its properties, how to store it, what personal protective equipment is needed, and first aid information. The sheets must be easily available to workers, emergency services or anyone else likely to be exposed to a substance. • You can get safety data sheets from your supplier

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

EMPLOYMENT / PEOPLE // 87

Each year there are 600-900 deaths and 30,000 serious health conditions diagnosed that stem from work-related health risks.

for each hazardous substance in your workplace. 3. Do a risk assessment. Think about the hazardous substances you work with: can you do without any or substitute them for a safer product? For any hazardous substances that remain after this assessment, you must put in place the controls set out in the regulations. • If you no longer need the product, then dispose of it sensibly through AgRecovery and the problem is gone. 4. Inform and train your workers. You must give every worker likely to handle a hazardous substance the appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision to safely do their work. • You wouldn’t let a worker use a chainsaw without knowing they were competent and using the correct protection. The same rule applies for using hazardous substances. 5. Prepare for emergencies. As well as doing all you can to eliminate or, if not possible, minimise risks for most substances the new law requires you to create a plan outlining how you will deal with a hazardous substance emergency at your workplace. • Think about what you and your workers will do if something goes wrong, e.g. someone is poisoned or burnt, a fire breaks out or there’s a leak; then make a plan. 6. Correctly label containers of hazardous substances, including hazardous waste. Labels tell people what’s inside a container and what steps to take to stay safe. Manufacturers and suppliers must correctly label

their products. And anyone using it must make sure the label stays fixed to the container and can be read. • If you put a substance into another container, make sure it’s labelled correctly. 7. Install warning signs. Place signs where hazardous substances are used and stored at your workplace, e.g. at entrances to the property, the building and the rooms where hazardous substances are located. These let your workers and visitors know they must take care or steer clear, and they alert emergency services to the type of substances on-site if there’s an incident. • You can get these signs from hardware stores, farm supply stores and online safety gear distributors. 8. Make sure storage areas and containers are safe. Store only what you need, make sure incompatible substances are kept separate, use containers appropriate for the substance and label everything clearly. 9. Take care with hazardous waste. Dispose of hazardous substances safely and appropriately. Read the safety data sheet and contact the local council for disposal advice. • Agrecovery (www. agrecovery.co.nz) provides a service for the disposal of agrichemicals. 10. Provide protective gear. You must ensure workers handling hazardous substances have suitable protective clothing and equipment. • Don’t just give your workers an allowance to buy their own. Make sure it is the right level of protection, it fits properly and they know how to correctly use and maintain it. WorkSafe’s website has information and its online Toolbox has tools to help www. hazardoussubstances.govt.nz.◗

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

88 // EMPLOYMENT / PEOPLE

We will not succeed without our people BRIDGET RAY FARMWISE CONSULTANT, CANTERBURY

He aha te mea nui? He tangata He tangata He tangata. What is the greatest thing? It is people It is people It is people. THIS MAORI SAYING is

important to us all in the dairy industry: we will not succeed without our people. Do you know or understand the costs to your business when people donâ€™t perform as you need them to? We know it costs time, money, energy and effort, and results in frustration and

A great team sets up a business for success.

stress. Think about the potential financial and environmental effects of the following: An effluent irrigator not operating correctly Animal health issues like lameness or mastitis not identified or treated in a timely manner, resulting in increased treatments and longer recovery times Feed budgeting or allocation not monitored, resulting in greater need for imported supplement usage Onfarm maintenance not done regularly or at all, resulting in continuous breakdowns on farm. The consequences of poor planning and execution are reflected in a farmâ€™s physical performance and directly

impact the financial performance of the business. Employers and mangers are often spending large amounts of time on a daily, weekly and monthly basis seeking to mitigate the actions of others onfarm. Fixing mistakes, solving problems and stepping in to do jobs others have not performed are part of the daily routine on most farms where staff are employed. But why is this situation so common and repeated again and again on many farms on a daily basis? Nationally the average herd size has almost tripled in the last 30 seasons, and has increased by almost 200 cows in the last 20 seasons, while milk solids production in 2016-17 was 41% higher than

in 2006-07. The increase in the scale of farms has been accompanied by the need for extra staff. Traditionally smaller farms of under 300 cows were familyrun or sole-operator farms. The most important decisions on budgets, cows and feed were made to ensure milk is produced as economically as possible. Issues were addressed as they arose with little or no requirement for consultation. As the farm size and cow numbers increase, the business can no longer be operated by one person, and extra staff are required, to ensure the farm can function long-term at a sustainable level, and it is at this stage that staff management and people become as important as budgets, cows and grass.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

90 // EMPLOYMENT / PEOPLE

Good staff management involves setting up a quality work environment.

As the number of staff you employ increases, your ability to lead, delegate, coach and mentor becomes increasingly important. So how do we set ourselves, our farms and our teams up for success? Boosting productivity, finding more time to focus on the business and removing the activities onfarm that don’t add value to the business enable us to focus on the things we can control and establish how to best support each team member to perform to their potential every day. Establishing and understanding the difference between ‘can’t do’ and ‘won’t do’ is a game-changer in people management. Often when there is a problem we blame the person for not following instructions, for lack of common sense or assuming they should know how to complete a task. However before concluding the individual is at fault it is critical to ask the following five

questions: Did the person have the: kk knowledge to do the job? kk skill to do the job? kk correct method to do the job? kk right tools to do the job? kk enough resources to do the job? If the answer is ‘no’ then it is a ‘can’t do’ situation. If it is ‘can’t do’, the solution requires creating and continually improving our processes to help our teams succeed. The farm manager needs to provide training, have an agreed standard operating procedure, provide the right tools and have enough manpower or resources to make the workload doable. We are focused on improving the skills, attitudes and knowledge of our team. The more skills they have the more they can contribute and increase our value-adding activity. However if the answer is ‘yes’ to the above questions then it is a ‘won’t do’ situation. It is now about employee behaviour,

accountability and increasing awareness of consequences. When looking for the root cause of a behaviour it is critical to establish if it’s a ‘can’t do’ or a ‘won’t do’. Often onfarm it is presumed 90% of the time it is a ‘won’t do’; in fact it is more likely to be a ‘can’t do’. We can’t hold people accountable to our standards if we haven’t set them up for success. So when things go wrong we need to review what happened and why and establish the root cause of the problem. If the outcome is a ‘won’t do’, this needs to be addressed by holding people accountable and increasing awareness. Often when people don’t do what we want them to onfarm we say nothing. We think, “they’ll know they did it wrong. They know how I want it. They’ll know next time”. But actually sometimes people might have all the resources for ‘can do’ but they don’t understand why things

are important. If we don’t give them feedback when they get it wrong, what are we saying? It isn’t important? It is ok not to do it? We shift the boundaries of expectation. If we give feedback we raise awareness of what is acceptable, what we expect. HR is no longer about just meeting legal requirements such as ACC, and ensuring hourly minimum wage rates and holiday pay are calculated correctly. Good, basic staff management involves setting up a quality work environment, from recruiting the right people to establishing simple repeatable procedures onfarm that are easy to implement where a team understands the business’s long-term vision and everyone is working towards the same outcome. The most productive, profitable farm businesses don’t just have a great leader; they have a great team which is set up for success.◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

92 // TECHNOLOGY / AUTOMATION

More precision farming is coming.

What could the future of farming look like? GRANT LEIGH FARMWISE CONSULTANT, TARANAKI

YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE growing up surrounded

by technology and the advancement of these technologies is ferocious. Along with being frightening and daunting to most of us, it is also exciting, challenging and now more than ever necessary. The biggest hurdle will not be the appetite for young farmers and supporting industries to do the job, it will be capital and viability. As the world population continues to increase, so does the demand for food. The issue is that 80% of available land is

already being cultivated and due to water shortage, crop diseases, labour shortage and climate change, productivity is falling worldwide. The only way forward is more technology -- more precision farming and more precision planning. Robotics Right now in this country you can install a fully automated rotary cow shed capable of milking 800 cows per day. While the robotic arms milk your cows they also gather screeds of data to help with accurate and informed planning. The future is here and being adopted already. Robotics and automation advancements are huge

worldwide. Fully automated and driverless fleets of tractors are in use, and robots armed with highly advanced lasers are able to select and pick fruit, spray crops precisely and measure nutrients and yields. It would be great to see more innovation and/or adaptation of these advancements used in New Zealand. Look at robotics and agriculture on YouTube and you will be shocked and inspired. What an exciting opportunity for our aspiring robotic engineers. Effluent and nutrients What if the problem of nutrient loss was turned into an opportunity? At least in part this is being done in various countries and is now being

developed and attempted in NZ. Digesters are being used in the US and Europe on dairy farms, among other industries and, connected to an effluent system they can provide fertilisers and power. In NZ they sit alongside a newer technology -- a bio-reactor growing algae. This is potentially capable of producing stock feed, fuel and pharmaceuticals, and it finishes the process by releasing clean water. Using this could quickly turn around a dairy farmâ€™s environmental impact while producing useable resources for a farm. Crops Letâ€™s say a farm is growing 15t DM/ha/year now; how can this get to 30t DM/ha/year by 2050?

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

94 // TECHNOLOGY / AUTOMATION

Technology like LIC’s heat detection Protrack helps farmers.

New grasses are impressive, but I doubt grass alone will get us there; I suggest part of the solution is to be found in cropping. Already many farms have come a long way and farmers, consultants and scientists are figuring out how to adapt these crops and practices for more profitable farming. It’s not as straightforward or as easy as traditional grass farming but many farmers already understand the benefits of cropping and a lot of work is underway to produce more from the land for a profitable outcome. The newly unified research farms under Dairy Trust Taranaki are researching a control system alongside a research system in a commercial environment. Lincoln’s research on beet is bringing an opportunity to

lift DM production on farms significantly, as maize has done and continues to do. Along with advancements in other crops we have a pool of highly talented and motivated young agronomists supporting these new crops. The more this is done the better we’ll get at doing it; as long as it is based on profit the future of cropping is bright. Feed budgeting and farm modelling Many feed budgeting tools are available now and are widely used; if regularly referred to and updated these are a powerful tool on a farm. A feed budget is critical to working out profitability onfarm and although it is only a budget it gives guidance and a reference point for farmers to work from.

There are also new programs brilliantly written to model farms and compare changes in systems and payout. These programs are accurate enough to base big decisions on. FarmWise has this tool developed over many years called Optimiser, and with accurate information entered into it this creates a clear view of what is profitable or at least what it would take to be profitable. For example, if you wanted to know how going OAD early in a low-payout season would compare with your current system, instead of guessing you can model it to see if it will actually work. All the variables -- labour, power, feed cost and cow condition -- are taken into account to give clear direction. Every farm is different and these tools can help you plan

to get what you want from your farm while helping relieve the stress of the unknown. Record keeping In NZ we have for decades been keeping records on our herds. This practice alone is a huge asset to farmers and should not be taken for granted. At our fingertips we can access screeds of current and historical data on our cows and their production. Generation after generation has built on the work of the previous generation. Now with the power of apps you can record most data inputs on your phone. Minda Live is a powerful web based tool that helps you make informed decisions and communicate this information among all involved in your business in real time if necessary.◗

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MACHINERY // 95

She’ll be right is not an option on the farm MARK DANIEL MACHINERY EDITOR, RURAL NEWS

ATV’S AND LUV’S are

certainly a part of New Zealand’s farming culture, but all too often we read about accidents or fatalities that have massive impacts on the individuals or families involved. While the move to LUV’s appears to offer more safety with roll over protection, care is still needed, as accidents will happen, and complacency in the belief that they are “bombproof” can lead to devastating consequences.

Looking at the basics, an ATV or LUV are looked at as the same taxation class, and if their gross weight is under 1000kgs, are allowed on the road. While not requiring a WOF, they must be roadworthy always, and the driver/rider must hold the minimum of a Class 1 driving licence. It might be important to understand the way the transmissions operate on these type of machines, as their operation can have a marked effect in situations where the terrain becomes extreme. Broadly split into three types we have variable hydrostatic units as fitted to the Kubota RTV, multi-

stage torque convertors, and CVT’s which are widespread in the market. The former uses a hydraulic pump/motor layout, making it very controllable when the foot is taken off the throttle, bringing the vehicle to a halt, and holding on a slope in a way not dissimilar to a car’s automatic transmission. CVT’s rely on friction between a drive belt and a drive disc/pulley which behaves in a totally different manner, as drive is lost as the throttle is released effectively allowing the vehicle to freewheel. To counter this effect, it is necessary to keep some throttle

applied and control speed with the brakes, although many machines now use some clever engineering to create downhill braking effect. Before undertaking any rising on this type of machine it is vital to look at daily checks, as inevitably this machine is the one that everyone uses, but nobody loves. Look at the machine closelyare there any parts that are loose or damaged? If so, repair or replace them. Does it sit level on the yard? Is any load positioned well, and importantly is it secure? - shifting loads can result in overturns particularly on sloping ground.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

96 // MACHINERY

Look at basics like wheel nuts- are they all there, and are they tight? Next look at the tyres, which are your point of contact between the machine and the terrain. Unlike automobile tyres, there are no radial ply’s in the construction to help them keep their shape, so correct inflation pressures are vital. Over-inflation causes the tyre to increase its circumference, and in doing so reduce the contact patch with the ground. Correct inflation pressures allow the tyres to flex, and “mould” itself to the contours it is travelling over. Remember this is not a Rep’s car- you need to check the fuel, oil and water, and simple basics in the yard, before you move out onto difficult terrain. Is the vehicle pulling to the left or right- do the brakes feel

firm- and importantly, do they stop the vehicle? Likewise, the throttle-does it operated smoothly, and when released, does the vehicle return to tick over? Now it’s probably time to give yourself or the rider the once over with regards to clothing, footwear and head gear. It must be common sense to realise that tee shirts shorts and thongs are not appropriate clothing? A good quality helmet must be a pre-requisite, but sadly, is not always the case. Using a $30 Ag hat might be a step in the right direction, but really isn’t, as they are only rated to 30kph and only offer limited protection if you and the machine part company. It’s hard to believe that motorcyclists and pedal cyclists won’t ride their machines without the appropriate

headgear, but rural folk claim that its too hard or too hot for them. Quite frankly, that’s a cop out, because modern helmets are light, have great ventilation, and importantly won’t break the bank. So now to the task at hand, and a few questions that need to be considered. Is the vehicle the right one for the task, am I travelling alone or are there passengers, is there a load to be carried, and if so, is it within the vehicles capabilities? Next, can I get to where I want to go- is there good access, and what is the best route, and what are the risks? Importantly, ask yourself the question, “if it goes pear-shaped- what’s my escape plan?” Another point to consider, is just because you went there last week it’s safe to go there this- weather conditions might have affected

terrain, and now it’s just not possible. Once you’re out on the trip, particularly is carrying loads or encountering difficult terrain stick to the proven mantra “as fast as necessary and as slow as possible”. This is particularly applicable to climbing slopes, use momentum to climb, but don’t encourage wheel spin that breaks the surface and reduces traction. Indeed, for ascents engage Low Range, travel straight up the slope, and if you do start getting wheel spin, reduce the throttle setting to regain traction. IF you can’t make it up an incline- stay calm- apply the brakes, select reverse, and retrace your steps to the bottom, and then re-plan your route. Likewise, downhill sections need approaching with caution, and it would be wise to identify

Care is needed while operating ATVs and LUVs on the farm.

GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

MACHINERY // 97

a run-off area if possible. Again, drive perpendicular to the slope and use brakes to control your travel speed, while using the handlebars or steering wheels to set your weight rearward on the seat. If you start to slide, don’t be afraid to apply a little throttle. Traversing slopes should only be undertaken with care, and only after looking for hidden holes, bumps or obstacles that might create an overturn. When crossing a slope, steer to where you want to go- don’t steer into the slope, as this tends to lead to a higher throttle setting. Taking a few seconds to ensure that the machine is safe, you are protected, and most of all you understand the capabilities of yourself and the machine, will hopefully increase the likelihood of you returning safely after your journey, and save your loved ones remembering you as the person who always said, “she’ll be right”.◗

Check your machine daily to minimise the risk of accidents.

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GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT 2018

98 // MACHINERY

Planned maintenance key to workplace safety A PROGRAM OF planned

maintenance is essential to achieving and sustaining health and safety at your workplace, says WorkSafe New Zealand. It says routine checks prevent harm to people and plant. Repairs are more likely to be permanent rather than temporary patch-ups, which may not be reliable and often end up as the ‘permanent’ solution until the next breakdown. Personnel are less likely to be exposed to risks when machinery malfunctions demand manual intervention. Down time is planned and results in less disruption of personnel and production. Maintenance costs are controlled which allows for the best use of resources. Health and safety legis-

Health and safety rules require farms to maintain machinery in safe operating conditions.

lation places a general duty on businesses to maintain machinery and equipment in a safe operating condition. Controls, emergency stops, access and guarding systems shall be maintained in full functional order. Priority for this should be no less than for maintaining any other part of a machine. Machines that are designed to function automatically should be maintained in this condition to avoid the need for operators to intervene manually and place themselves at risk. Modifications and repairs shall be conducted by an appropriate person (in some cases, a Certified Practicing Engineer – CPEng) and documented. Equipment that is solely or mainly H&S equipment shall have a high priority for mainte-

CHECKLIST

on mobile machines; kk windows; and kk dust seals.

kk Maintenance records

have been established for each piece of equipment kk Maintenance has been

completed and certified on all equipment kk Repairs are completed

promptly by a competent person, and certified where appropriate or needed kk All maintenance

documentation, including service manuals, is kept up to date

nance. These include: kk all personal protective

equipment; kk air filters and air conditioners

in dusty or hot work environments; kk seats, seat-belts and controls

Checklists should be prepared and used to check and confirm condition mechanical integrity, and correct operation. These should include all tasks and be based on machinery and equipment manufacturer recommendations and your own experience. The use of these checklists will provide information for operators, supervisors and managers. Safe work procedures shall be observed while carrying out the above maintenance tasks. Suggested aids in planning maintenance include manufacturers’ handbooks and maintenance schedules and records of maintenance work performed on major plant items.◗

Choosing the Right Trough Valve There’s a reason farmers are turning to Hansen as their preferred trough valve. With up to 30% faster fills and a host of lower maintenance features, they’re fast becoming the choice of a new generation of users. Follow these steps to choose a suitable valve from the table below. Hint: Grab a pen and circle the items relevant to your trough

Step 1 - Kn ow yo ur tr ou gh ’s en tr y style

9L/min @ 29 psi

he ck S te p 2 - C ’s in le t gh ou tr yo ur . e z th re ad si

S te p 3 - C ho os th e ar m le ng e th th at su it s yo ur tr ou gh .

34L/min @ 29 psi

• Suits confined spaces

• Compact design

• Hansen Ezi-Clamp arm makes level adjustment a breeze

• Reliable in low and high pressure applications

• Ability to attach a diffuser hose

• Durable long life valve seat

C h o o se S te p 4 b a ll f lo a t st th e la rg e our f it in to y th a t w ill tr o u g h .

188L/min @ 29 psi

S te p 5 - T he n w ith st oc k nu m be rs in m in d, ch oo se a Ha ns en V al ve th at su its .

570L/min @ 29 psi

• High performance cost effective trough valve

• Delivers high volumes of water quickly with unrestricted full flow

• Patented slipper fit piston helps eliminate stuck valves

• Stock proof bendable arm • Self Cleaning for clean/dirty water

Pressure Range 0 to 12 Bar / 0 to 174 psi

Pressure Range 0.2 to 12 Bar / 2.9 to 174 psi

Top only

Top or Side

Top, Side or Bottom

Trough Entry Style

Trough Inlet Adapters

Arm Options

Included

Float

Included

Stock Type & Total Volume

Calves, Horses, Pigs, Goats, Chickens

15mm, 20mm, 25mm

20mm, 25mm, 32mm

Note: 15-50mm standard & long tail adapters also available separately

Short or Long

Long or Short

Standard & Extension Arms Included

115mm or 140mm

140mm or 115mm

(sold separately)

Dairy - Fewer than 150 Sheep - Fewer than 2,500 Beef - Fewer than 175 Calves

Dairy - Fewer than 500 Sheep - Fewer than 6,000 Beef - Fewer than 600

Stock volumes based on each valve’s flow rate at 29 psi (2bar). Flow rates will vary from farm to farm due to pipe size and system design. More information is available from Hansen Products’ website (www.hansenproducts.co.nz) or by contacting a Hansen Products Water System Specialist, phone 0800 420 349

Included Dairy - More than 400 Sheep - More than 6,000 Beef - More than 600

Milking Robots they work for us.

Brian, Cathy and David Yates, Karaka, 170 cows

Our farm had been in the family for six generations, but when my kids decided on careers in the city, it was nearly ‘6 and out’. Having seen the reality of modern dairy farming after we put the robots to work, the kids and grandkids now see dairy farming as an exciting career opportunity. It’s an approach that works for me, it works for my family, and there’s no reason it wouldn’t work for you. Visit DeLaval.co.nz/robot to find out how robots brought my son back to work on the family farm.

B&DEL0266

delaval.com | Grant Vickers 021 704 691