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MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

AGRIBUSINESS

Pork sector sets the standard. PAGE 14

New Navara ute enhanced for loads. PAGE 27

Sheep milking a serious business. PAGE 19

TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS MARCH 20, 2018: ISSUE 649

www.ruralnews.co.nz

Irrigation adds-up – Jones DAVID ANDERSON davida@ruralnews.co.nz

DESPITE STRONG anti-irrigation rhetoric from certain parts of the new coalition Government, it appears Crown funding of new irrigation schemes is not entirely off the agenda. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says irrigation is essential to the growth of the regions. “It is especially so in the case of climate change and asking rural NZ to do the heavy lifting in regard to changing our carbon emission.” When the $1 billion a year Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) was launched in Gisborne last month, Jones said the Government would no

A-Maizing! Maize planted on October 20, just beating a three-week delay because of rain, was harvested recently on James and Stephanie King’s Oldson Farms at Eureka, near Hamilton. The crop – 22 tonnes/ha and 36% dry matter – will be fed to the Kings’ 550 dairy cows. The difficult season with its persistent rains followed by near drought made conserving grass extremely difficult, so the maize crop will be a valuable resource to help Kings’ mixed-breed herd maintain condition prior to calving. – PHOTO MARK DANIEL

longer support ‘uber mega’ irrigation schemes. However, in an interview with the Rural Exchange (REX) radio show, Jones indicated that irrigation schemes were still an important part of his plans for the fund. “We identified that irrigation is essential to the growth of a lot of our regions,” Jones says. He added that while dropping large irrigation schemes was no longer on the Government’s agenda, “there remains some wiggle room within the fund to pursue better water management and water storage”. Jones concedes that the confidence and supply agreement the Greens have with Labour means a cessation

of government backing for such large irrigation schemes. “The thing we are no longer able to acquiesce to is these things called ‘uber’ schemes,” he told the REX show. “However, in the PGF there remains some wriggle room in the criteria to pursue better water management and storage.” Jones gave as an example the $543,000 allocated in the PGF for the next stage of the Makauri Managed Aquifer Recharge trial in Gisborne. The project is aimed at injecting water from the Waipaoa River into the aquifer for use on 3000ha of irrigated horticultural farm land. Jones claims this will give rural New Zealand confidence that he’s

got their backs. “My party, myself, my leader and the broader Government do accept that you can’t have ongoing productivity out of rural New Zealand in the absence of water,” he said. “That’s just as simple as learning arithmetic as a six-year-old.” Meanwhile, in what could be seen as a slight at some of his coalition partners’ anti-irrigation rhetoric, Jones caustically dismissed these criticisms. “For areas such as the Hawkes Bay and Northland without better water storage and management – I am beggared if I can see what we can do with that land.” @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

EGG PRODUCERS SHELL OUT LAW CHANGES requiring the end of battery and colony cages will cost as much as $1 million for a smaller farmer and up to $60m for larger companies, says the NZ Poultry Industry Association. Executive director Michael Brooks says that under current law, by 2022 a certain percentage of NZ’s cages have to be gone – depending on their age – and by late 2022 all battery cages will have to be gone. “That will make us the only place in the world, after the EU, where this has happened. Australians have just done their review and decided to keep some cages,” Brooks says. However in NZ, after 2022 colonies, barn and free range will be the only systems allowed. Last year, the two NZ supermarket chains said they would no longer take colony eggs and would only accept barn and free range supplies. Brooks says a farmer told him that one week before the supermarket chain he supplied made that decision, he had paid $750,000 to put in a new colony system. Brooks says extremist views propagated by activist groups such as Safe are a big concern for the industry. “They are a big, international organisation. In NZ they have three offices and 25-30 staff these days and a lot of money. Their power on social media with the supermarkets and the general public is huge.” • More on NZ poultry sector page 6

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

NEWS 3 ISSUE 649 www.ruralnews.co.nz

Hard done by? NIGEL MALTHUS

NEWS ��1-15 MARKETS �� 16-17 AGRIBUSINESS ��18-19 HOUND, EDNA �� 20 CONTACTS �� 20 OPINION �� 20-22 MANAGEMENT ��23-24 ANIMAL HEALTH �� 25-26 MACHINERY AND PRODUCTS ��27-30 RURAL TRADER �� 31

HEAD OFFICE Top Floor, 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland 0622 Phone: 09-307 0399 Fax: 09-307 0122 POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 Published by: Rural News Group Printed by: PMP Print CONTACTS Editorial: editor@ruralnews.co.nz Advertising material: davef@ruralnews.co.nz Rural News online: www.ruralnews.co.nz Subscriptions: subsrndn@ruralnews.co.nz ABC audited circulation 80,580 as at 30.09.2017

FARMERS WHO cull animals infected with Mycoplasma bovis without being ordered to by MPI are doing the right thing, says Federated Farmers. Feds’ general manager policy and advocacy, Gavin Forrest, was commenting after a North Otago farmer went public with fears he might not be properly compensated for 400 animals he voluntarily culled after M.bovis was found on his farm. Kerry Dwyer runs a calf-rearing business near Maheno, in North Otago, buying in four-day-old dairy calves and raising them to about 100kg. He was caught up in the M.bovis outbreak after buying calves from nearby farms of the Van Leeuwen Group, where the disease was first identified last year. Dwyer is also acting as an informal spokesman for several ‘downstream’ farmers in the district who had received animals from him but did not want their names public. He declined to be interviewed by Rural News but told the Otago Daily Times his claim of about $180,000 was solely for the animals slaughtered and he believed it was a fair valuation. It did not cover loss of income or

Rangiora Jersey breeders Peter and Claire Hansen have been denied compensation after they were blocked from importing four cows from Australia because of the M.bovis outbreak. MPI says the case did not meet the compensation criteria detailed in the Biosecurity Act.

other costs. “I want a fair deal, but I feel we’re not going to get a fair deal. They are going to knock us and we’re not going to accept that,” he said. Without compensation he could not afford to restock. Forrest says MPI could “technically” argue they weren’t liable to pay compensation if the cull wasn’t done under their direction. However, he believes culling was the right thing to do. “That’s something the industry

TESTING ON TRACK MPI SAYS the national bulk milk survey seeking to determine the overall spread of Mycoplasma bovis remains on track to be completed by the end of March. So far at least 55% of farms have submitted their second test of three and 16% of farms have completed all three rounds. MPI says any positive or suspect samples will be followed up urgently. All farms where the disease is not found will receive a ‘not detected’ report from the dairy company they

supply. This will happen once all three rounds have been completed for that farm, normally about 10 days after the last sample. At March 14 the number of confirmed infected properties stood at 27. The two most recent were a small calf-rearing farm in Southland and a dairy grazing farm in upper Waitaki -- both forward traces from a known infected property. The number of farms under a restricted place notice stood at 47.

should have a view on, and I think our view would be that he did the right thing and should be compensated for what he did.” “In fact he probably saved them a helluva lot of money in the end, because that was probably about the least-cost avenue for those calves.” Dywer’s case became public shortly after Rangiora Jersey breeder Peter Hansen revealed he’d been denied compensation after he was blocked from importing four cows from Australia. MPI said his case did not meet the compensation criteria detailed in the Biosecurity Act. Forrest acknowledged that live animal imports are the highest-risk pathway, but in considering compensation the letter of the law was not the principle at stake. “It was important to incentivise people to speak up and know they won’t be disadvantaged.” He says Federated Farmers is disappointed at how long compensation was taking. “The door is now open for the compensation to be paid and I don’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be,” Forrest says.

BEINGMATE BYPASSES FONTERRA TROUBLED CHINESE infant formula company Beingmate has sold a subsidiary, despite opposition from cornerstone shareholder Fonterra which owns an 18.8% interest. Beingmate Baby & Child Food Company announced last week that the board has given a green light to sell its fully owned subsidiary Hangzhou Beingmate Dou Dou Children Nutrition Food Co. An earlier attempt to sell the company was blocked by the board in January because Beingmate B&C was planning to sell it to founder Sam Xie’s associated company. This time B&C says it will not be sold to related parties. Fonterra opposed the sale because the Dou Dou company owns a manufacturing plant located on valuable land within a China national heritage zone. The value of this land is expected to soar when its heritage status is approved by the UN. Fonterra believes Beingmate is selling the land for less than its true value. The co-op will this week announce its half-year results, expected to contain an update on its $750m investment in Beingmate and another writedown of the value of its 18.8% shareholding. Fonterra paid $750 million for its stake in Beingmate; the Chinese company’s shares have recently been changing hands at about RMB 5.56, versus the RMB 18 Fonterra paid for them. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

4 NEWS

No flunkies, please! PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

PUTTING UP the right people for the job rather than political flunkies on the Climate Change Commission will be the key to cross-party support, says Federated Farmers’ climate change spokesman Andrew Hoggard. Hoggard agrees with Beef + Lamb NZ chairman James Parsons who last week said farmers need to work with the Government on climate change or their voices won’t be heard. “If you’re not at the table you’re on the menu,” he told Rural News. “We’ve had meetings with [Climate Minister] James Shaw on this, talking through the issues; we are definitely engaged on this to make sure we are doing the right thing.” The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment (PCE), Simon Upton, earlier this month outlined nine recommendations in a report, ‘A Zero Carbon Act for New Zealand’. He supports setting up a climate change commission similar to a UK model that has backing across the political

Andrew Hoggard

spectrum. The Feds position is that proposals to tackle climate change can work as long as there is cross-party support backed by a climate change commission informed by science. Asked by Rural News how easy it will be to get that cross-party support, Hoggard says “it could be relatively easy”. “But if the Government tries to put in a whole lot of flunkies and jobs for mates… which governments of all stripes are wont to do, then it will be difficult. “But with this climate commission, [they must look at who are the best people, and pick people on their experience and knowledge

and not on the number of tweets they do, and not just for representation.... It should be ‘we need these skill sets and these are the people we need on board’. “Across the [parliamentary] floor, I hope if the people with the right skill sets are put up they would all agree with them. “Where you’ll have problems is when one party is trying to put their favourite activist on and another party is trying to put their favourite on. Then you’ll struggle with to get consensus quite frankly. “And they need to be actually trying to achieve the goals they are after, not just doing something for the sake of doing it and bringing bugger-all results.” Hoggard says he finds Climate Change Minister James Shaw receptive and keen to work with all parts of farming and all New Zealand industry. “He seems keen on coming up with a long-lasting solution.” However, Hoggard is concerned Environment Minister David Parker may be of a mindset to do just what they tried to do last time they were in government.

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SORTING HEALTH issues will help improve the safety of rural communities, says Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand chief executive Michelle Thompson. RHAANZ represents a range of groups concerned with rural health, e.g. medical professionals, Federated Farmers, Rural Women NZ and local authorities. Thompson says New Zealand as a country tackles the safety aspect of farming, but we don’t understand the bigger picture: safety for rural workers results from healthy working conditions, for example, adequate sleep, a balanced diet and reasonable time off. “RHAANZ’s view is if we concentrate more on the health side, the safety issues will almost certainly sort themselves

out,” Thompson told Rural News. “Healthy living in rural areas means good health services and importantly good broadband so that communities and individuals are well connected. If people have healthy lives they are less likely to have an accident or do risky behaviour. There is also a strong link between good health and wellbeing and productivity.” Rural News has heard of staff on dairy farms, in particular, being asked to work for nearly a month and then only getting three days off. “These are completely unreasonably and unsafe working conditions,” says Thompson. “But it’s no better for rural health workers. Look at the workloads rural doctors and midwives... are now carrying. They are on their own, have huge on-call requirements and no backup.”

Thompson refers to a RHAANZ ‘road map’ that sets out key actions needed for improving rural health. Notably, good cell-phone coverage and internet broadband are essential for the good of people in rural areas often far from help and emergency services. Also lacking is quality mental health service for rural people who suffer from stress. “Mental health outcomes are much poorer for rural communities than urban.” A lack of quality data hampers understanding of the full extent of rural health problems, Thompson says. The current data cannot be analysed in a way that gives an accurate picture of what RHAANZ believes is happening in health outcomes. Without adequate data it will remain difficult to argue a case for change.

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FEDERATED FARMERS says it is gearing up to assist members and farmers as local authorities start revealing their long term plans and budgets. Feds says over the next two months it will make 68 submissions nationwide. It has prepared a policy guide to help its 24 provinces navigate council plans, with particular focus on rates. “Our members and farmers pay a lot of money in rates, which can be among their highest overheads,” says Feds president Katie Milne. She says this year is especially significant as local government faces big challenges on funding infrastructure in response to high population growth, but in some cases decline. “Farmers are already paying big rates for essential items like local road networks, and are wondering what coun-

cils will come up with this time round,” Milne says. “We want to make sure any new projects are both justified and funded appropriately.” Milne says Feds has noticed a “disturbing trend” in council long term plans now out for consultation. “While it’s early days, with a dozen or so long term plans out for consultation, we’re seeing significant rate increases for farmers, such as the 23.5% increase on rural communities proposed by Manawatu District Council and an overall rate increase of 12% for Bay of Plenty Regional Council ratepayers.” She says Feds is also worried about the cost to local authorities of their activities other than core services, such as tourism promotion and economic development.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

NEWS 5

NZ pigs flying – to Aussie PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

FAMILY SHOWS SHEAR GUTS A 24-HOUR ‘shearathon’ to be held in North Canterbury later this week is intended to raise at least $23,000 for suicide prevention charities. The event will be held at Hawke’s woolshed, 33 Quarry Road, Loburn, starting at 10am on Friday March 23 and ending with an auction of donated goods on the Saturday morning. It is the second such event organised by the Herlihy family of Taranaki following the death by suicide of the youngest son, Michael Herlihy (20) in early 2016. The family is prominent in shearing circles with John Herlihy and all six sons in the trade. The sons were just a few days from an attempt on a unique brothers’ shearing record when Michael died. Organiser Mark Herlihy says that with good sponsors lined up it is “more than likely” they would match or exceed the $23,000 raised at their first event in Taranaki a year ago. “But the main thing to us is to make people aware; it’s more about the awareness of suicide prevention,” Herlihy says “Probably the biggest thing we want... is to encourage people to come along, especially on the Saturday, and support the guys in the morning at the finish and then stick around for the auction.” The charities are Lifeline, Christchurch’s He Waka Tapu, the Through the Other Side Trust, and the Taranaki Retreat Trust. Hawke’s woolshed, a local landmark, has six stands. However, Herlihy hopes to have as many as 10 shearers working at once, with four blade shearers alongside the machines. About 40 shearers are expected to take part including Mark and his brother Craig. World record-setting champion shearer Stacey Te Huia will start the event. They hope to shear about 4500 sheep, all provided by local farmers. – Nigel Malthus

very good at protecting their border. Obviously they produce more pig meat than we do… so it’s commercially not easy to get into. “There certainly is some interest from our larger processors.” The Australians haven’t been shy in sending pork to us for many years, Carter points out. Until now pork exported to Australia has had to be processed into bacon or ham or pH treated. NZ product will require some treatment, whether it be cooked or processed into bacon or ham or similar, he says. “We are also aware there are a lot of NZers who live in Australia, which has a countryof-origin labelling requirement;

so there’s an opportunity to get a NZ branded product in. If some loyalties and aspirations cause some NZers in Australia to choose to eat NZ produced pork then there may be the opportunity for them to access it.” He’d like to think that gaining access is a tribute to some of the work NZ Pork has done in animal welfare, such as the PigCare programme. “We all know these things take time and... it is little steps to get the big step,” says Carter. Carter says the NZ industry appreciates the efforts MPI has made to get this agreement across the line with the Australians. – Setting the standard p14.

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The Herlihy family will be shearing in memory of brother Michael (pictured) who passed away in 2016.

GAINING ACCESS for New Zealand pork into Australia is no silver bullet for the industry, but a small step that may lead to further opportunities, says NZ Pork chairman Ian Carter. “We are not sure how this is going to play out commercially,” Carter told Rural News. “This thing has been in gestation for four to five years. To get agreements like that doesn’t happen overnight. “It is hard to gear up from a commercial aspect until you have an agreement and know what the conditions are likely to be. The Australians are pretty good at

protecting their borders as we all know. “There are a few conditions in there…. It needs to be cooked [once in Australia] and it needs to have further processing in some form before it is released into the Australian marketplace. “It is not just a case of sending containerised fresh pork to Australia and it’s out there [in the market]. It all adds complexities to how and when and what the product can end up being.” It is now up to commercial outfits to pick it up and start creating the market and understanding the Australian market to be able to deliver on the agreement reached, he says. “As I say the Australians are

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

6 NEWS

Chook sector cracking along PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

THE NEW Zealand poultry industry is booming in meat and eggs, says Michael Brooks, the Poultry Industry Association executive director. He says the chicken meat industry has grown between 3.8 and 9% each year for the past five years. “Growth has been phenomenal,” Brooks told the Agcarm summer conference. “I have seen recent figures where red meat consumption has dropped in NZ, but for chicken meat we’ve grown

Tegel has slightly consistently for 25 changed its model, but years -- probably 3% previously held a shareor more growth year holding in the importer on year.” of the birds. It owns NZ has 170 meat those birds. The daychicken farms with old birds are sent to 99% of production the farm. from four main comTegel supplies vetpanies Tegel, Ingham, Poultry Industry erinary services, it has Turks and Brinks. Association executive feedmills which send He says in NZ director Michael Brook. feed to the farmers, the chicken industry is vertically integrated, as it is nutritionists and livestock managers, a truck fleet and it does the around the world. “It is the reason why since processing and selling. The comWWII chicken has surged as a pro- pany knows up to a year ahead tein source worldwide,” Brooks approximate numbers needed throughout the process. explains.

Brooks says the industry controls its inputs and outputs in a way other sectors – such as red meat – do not. While NZ has not been a big exporter of chicken it is growing; Tegel’s strategy is to have 25% of production going to export. We have always exported to the Pacific Islands and now, “to the great annoyance of the Australian industry,” NZ is allowed to export chicken to Australia. The United Arab Emirates is another big market and Japan is small but growing. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

CAGE PRODUCTION KEEPS GROWING FREE RANGE in meat chickens started much later as a market than free range in eggs, but is growing fast and is now up to 20% of production, says Brooks. Meat chicken here is barn or free range; it has never been in cages in NZ.

Like the meat industry, the layer chicken industry is in “absolute boom times”. The industry produces at least one billion eggs annually, with 9.5% growth in consumption in the last year, says Brooks. Per person per year that is 246 eggs from 161 layer farmers; 20

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farms produce 85% of the country’s eggs. That industry has a few big players and 100-110 small free range operations with a couple of thousand birds. A commercial farm in this country is defined as 100 birds or more. The systems are cage, a colony

cage (a much bigger cage with 20-60 birds with a nesting area, perches and scratch pads), barn and free range. Free range is now about 20% of the market and cage is 75% and – contrary to what a lot of people understand – the cage market is growing.

RISKY RAW IMPORTS THREATEN NZ RAW POULTRY meat imports could threaten the NZ industry’s unique disease-free status, says Brooks. In the last couple of years, imports of turkey have been allowed into NZ for the first time. The Americans are starting to export turkey to NZ. Imports are a huge issue for us as an industry. NZ is a unique country in respect of the poultry diseases it has. There are three major poultry diseases, avian influenza (bird flu), Newcastle disease and Infectious bursal disease also known as Gumboro disease. Every other country has one or more of those diseases; NZ has none of them. On that basis we have always argued strongly against importing raw product. “With the turkey that is coming in there are a lot of conditions around it, nevertheless it is coming in,” Brooks says. The Government and MPI have talked for years about potentially importing raw chicken. “We would be extremely concerned about the importation of raw chicken into this country – not only for the industry. But when you think about NZ, it is unique in another way: its native fauna is avian; avian diseases could have an impact on our fauna,” Brooks says. He believes NZ’s disease-free status has offered the its industry new opportunities in the breeding and supply of day-old chicks. The main global suppliers have had issues with their base breeding farms in the US or UK being threatened by Avian flu. One of the companies is building a third global base in Huntly to breed millions of day-old chicks to send to Asia.

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

NEWS 7

Fresh NZ milk flies to China SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

FRESH MILK produced in New Zealand is now available for the first time on supermarket shelves in Shanghai. The 1L product is available at 18 Alibaba’s Hema Fresh supermarkets, alongside Fonterra’s fresh milk produced from its China farms. The milk is mostly sourced from Theland’s Tahi Farms – formerly Crafar Farms – and processed by Green Valley Dairy in South Auckland. Theland Farm Fresh Milk business is run by Theland New Cloud, a joint venture between Milk NZ and Alibaba Group of China. Terry Lee, managing director of Milk NZ, says the new company was formed to source and

export quality NZ produced food products to China. “The Hema Fresh supermarkets are an exciting initiative, combining internet and technology powered shopping. “Everything happens through a mobile app – from ordering for home delivery to instore product research, even payments,” Lee says. Theland Farm Fresh Milk is available in 18 Hema Fresh supermarkets in Shanghai, the QR code on the packaging giving consumers insight into where and how the milk is produced. In January this year, Fonterra announced it was selling fresh milk, sourced from its China farms, in Hema’s 14 stores in Shanghai and Suzhou.

Terry Lee

Fonterra’s fresh milk in China comes in 750ml bottles; the product carries unique product labels to match each day of the week so as to emphasise freshness, with stock being replenished overnight ready for each new day. The co-op says initial volumes are now about three tonnes daily, with plans to scale-up over

time and expand with the retailer as it grows its footprint of stores across China. Lee says food quality and safety is of paramount importance to Chinese consumers; New Zealand is recognised as a country with very high food safety standards and natural resources. “Theland Farm Fresh Milk is NZ-made fresh

milk produced from pasture farmed cows which graze on the Theland Tahi Farm Group’s and other farms. It is processed by NZ milk processor Green Valley Dairy, bottled in 1L bottles and airfreighted to China, arriving at Hema Fresh supermarkets 72 hours after it left the farm. “Our milk will be on display alongside milk produced by a Kiwi cooperative from Chinese farms; currently Theland Farm Fresh Milk is the only fresh milk in Alibaba’s Hema Fresh stores which has been produced in New Zealand.” Between 6.5 and 10 tonnes of Theland Farm Fresh Milk is now exported to China each week; 160t has been exported since September 2017.

OPEN SESAME! THE LAUNCH of fresh milk in China follows Milk New Zealand’s collaboration with Alibaba Group’s business-toconsumer Tmall platform in September 2017. The joint venture promotes NZ fresh milk to hundreds of thousands of Chinese consumers via Alibaba’s ‘Super Members’ channel which has 15 million members in the Yangtze River delta. Terry Lee says the new initiative “extends the reach of premium NZ grown and processed fresh milk into the hands of Chinese consumers giving them personal insight into the standards of animal welfare and production behind the product”. “This experience enhances their appreciation of NZ and will, I believe, add to Chinese consumers’ demand for more food products grown and produced in this country. Opening a new online and offline channel which connects millions of Chinese consumers with NZ food growers is a goal of Theland New Cloud and Milk New Zealand Dairy.” Lee says the company is talking with NZ and Australian food producers about the potential to partner and grow their exports to China. “Becoming a part of Alibaba means our growth in NZ and Australia will increase rapidly. We want to foster better collaborations and opportunities with NZ and Australian producers and attract suitably experienced people to join our team.”

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

NEWS 9

Youth will drive sheep milk sector’s growth – US expert PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

YOUNGER PEOPLE’S quest for unique and interesting foods will be a key driver in the growth of the sheep milk industry.

That’s the view of Professor David Thomas, from the US, who spoke at last week’s dairy sheep conference in Palmerston North. Thomas has been researching sheep at the University of Wiscon-

sin for 40 years, spending at least half that time on dairy sheep. In the unique foods category sheep milk products fit perfectly – notably cheese. The last 20 years has seen a marked increase in imports of

sheep cheeses. “The US imports about 50% of world exports of sheep milk cheese and we currently produce a very, very small amount of it. So there is potential for growth in our domestic

CHALLENGES AHEAD A BIG challenge for dairy sheep farmers is getting a market for their raw product, says Professor Thomas. Many people are interested in coming into the industry, but not to process the product; instead they want to produce raw milk. “The challenge is finding

processors who are willing to try sheep milk and develop artisan cheeses out of that sheep milk,” Thomas explains. Another challenge is getting production to levels where they provide a reasonable return on investment. Thomas says there is nothing in the US to provide impetus

to lift production. He’s aware of the recent initiatives in NZ to improve the genetics of the dairy sheep industry, an excellent move that will improve the profitability of the NZ industry, he says. And he is impressed that NZ has developed sheep milk powders, something not done in the US.

Younger people’s quest for unique foods will be a key driver in the growth of the sheep milk industry, says US expert Davie Thomas.

market. The main countries we import from are Italy, Spain, Greece and France.” But the US dairy sheep industry is small and most of the sheep flocks are relatively small, averaging about 150 ewes. New Zealand has more and larger flocks than the US. The US dairy sheep industry is mainly in the Midwest, Wisconsin and

the north-east. “Interestingly, New York would probably be the biggest state for dairy sheep production,” he says. A large sheep dairy industry is developing in Canada, especially southern Ontario and Quebec. However, hard data is lacking: there are no national records on the dairy sheep industry in all North America.

Sluggish growth seen in the US dairy sheep industry is a pity because sheep milk is very ‘efficient’: it has a much higher solids content than either cow or goat milk. “It takes five kilograms of sheep milk to make a kilo of sheep milk cheese, whereas it takes 9-10 kg of cow or goat milk to make a similar amount of cheese.”

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

10 NEWS

Disease puts farm systems in spotlight PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

M.BOVIS IS a good example of where our traditional farm systems and how we operate must be reconsidered, says Carol Barnao, DairyNZ’s general manager policy and advocacy. Normal practices on,

for example, sending stock off farm, bringing stock in and staff awareness, will need to be reconsidered. “So will whether we’ve got a smart farm system framework for something like M.bovis, which is nose-to-nose touching and spreading, and the ability to manage

the process carefully.” It goes back to the livestock and how animal health stages are managed. They need to look at the supply chain traceability system and how to have confidence in it – “something NAIT was supposed to be doing and obviously hasn’t. There is

going to be a load of discussion about that.” In parallel to the M.bovis issue the NAIT system is already under review. DairyNZ took on a leadership role during the huge outcry about bobby calves, when a video by the animal rights group Safe was

made public. “New regulations came in, but as with all regulations it was only the beginning of the challenge of how you implement onfarm. “Our role is to take all the animal-welfare best practice for bobby calves and support farmers as strongly as possible.”

DairyNZ supplied posters to every farm dairy to show what they deemed fit-for-transport bobby calves. And the rules were changed on loading ramps for trucks. “We went out there and found the smartest

way for farmers to find the right sort of product to suit their farming system. We’ve done a lot in this way on caring for calves; it has improved dramatically and [farmers] are continuing to be vigilant about it as well.”

Hayden Allison (left) and Graham Miller prepare the plough they will use in coaching Nigel Woodhead to use at Thornbury.

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YOUNG FARMER WINNER TO CONTEST AT PLOUGHING CHAMPS THE FMG Young Farmer of the Year – Outstanding in his Field, is about to take on the best NZ ploughing competitors in a battle for straight furrows. FMG NZ Young Farmer of the year Nigel Woodhead of Otago will contest the NZ Ploughing Championships at Thornbury, Southland in April. His invite to this came from NZ Ploughing Association (NZPA), the event organiser. NZ Young Farmers Clubs (YFC) and NZPA have for years held local ploughing matches; some members have won NZ championships and represented NZ at the World Championships. The idea of the link-up came as YFC member Hayden Allison -- an agricultural contractor from Milton -- and Graham Miller, a farmer from Mandeville, near Gore, got talking. NZPA were keen and Woodhead got his invite. Woodhead says the challenge will make a change from the 400ha sheep and beef farm he and his wife Leanne run near Milton. Competition runs in his family: his father contested the Young Farmer award and his father-in-law represented Zimbabwe at a World Ploughing Contest held in Outram in 1994. The NZ Ploughing Championships is contested in four classes: vintage (pre-1957), horses, conventional and reversible. The NZPA owns conventional and a reversible ploughs for would-be contestants without access to ploughs. At Thornbury, Woodhead will use the reversible plough with a New Holland tractor supplied by New Holland Agri Centre Southland. Miller and Allison (who is also competing) will use their skills and knowledge to coach Woodhead on the finer points of ploughing. NZPA says competition ploughing has made a comeback especially in Canterbury and Otago/Southland: many young people are taking it up. The championships will be held on April 14 and 15 at Rochaven, owned by the Hall family, and Nathan and Leigh Ronald’s property near the Thornbury township. – Pam Tipa

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

NEWS 13

NAIT boss defends scheme over M. bovis outbreak response

FRUSTRATING TIMES FEDS DAIRY chief Chris Lewis has told fellow farmers of his frustration at spending nine months watching Mycoplasma bovis spread. “We should strive to get back to the situation where at least the North Island is clear. It should then be easy to stop the spread of infection north of Cook Strait and get on with containing it and hopefully in the long run stamping M. bovis out.” Lewis says he’d been frustrated, at times, with the

NIGEL MALTHUS

THE NATIONAL Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) system has provided the MPI investigators dealing with the Mycoplasma bovis outbreak nearly 1000 reports since the disease was identified last July. At a time when noncompliance with NAIT is getting blamed for making the response much harder than it should be, NAIT chief executive Michelle Edge is defendeing the system as “philosophically welldesigned”. “The system has functioned as it needed to where the data was in it and where farmers have kept their accounts up to date. We’ve been able to trace stock.” Edge spoke in a closed session

to a recent Federated Farmers dairy and sharemilkers combined council meeting in Christchurch. Interviewed later, she said provisions for enforcing compliance are available in the scheme. “I think further application of compliance needs to occur, but there’s definitely some need for farmers to be diligent around their requirements.” Two committees steering a review of the system are now finalising their recommendations. Consultation will follow but the timing will be in MPI’s hands, Edge told Rural News. “I can’t give any specifics yet, but I can say that there are recommendations associated with the identification of livestock, how movements need to be recorded,

Fed’s dairy section chair Chris Lewis.

and the roles and responsibilities of various players involved in the system.” The focus is on compliance and what will be applied, Edge says. “Essentially the system of traceability – having to tag an animal, register it, register your premises and register your movements – those philosophical

elements are unlikely to change because that is the basis of any system in the world.” Feds’ dairy section chair Chris Lewis says lots of questions were put to Edge by the council members. It was good to get the questions asked and answered, he said. Lewis says changes must come to make NAIT more user-friendly. “We’re in the 21st century now. We want iPads and apps,” he told Rural News. “At the moment the NAIT software’s quite clunky and that’s why people get frustrated. Do I need to keep two or three software programs for herd records? Or is there one which talks freely with the main provider? “If the system’s easy to use, farmers will comply.”

response of MPI and he wasn’t the only one. “It’s unclear whether an improved NAIT scheme would’ve been better to contain the spread of the disease, but the experts are clear that the movement of infected cattle has been the underlying cause of the spread of M.bovis to other properties.” Encouraging all cattle farmers to get their NAIT records up to date, Lewis says record-keeping “has not been as good as it could be” on the infected properties. “It is clear MPI has had to spent a helluva lot of time and money trying to find out where animals have gone, because NAIT records were not up to scratch. These resources could have been better spent trying to eradicate the disease.” He says the reasons for con-compliance with NAIT were complex and numerous. It was seen by some farmers as a compliance cost. The disease is a wake-up call, Lewis says. “Other countries have learned to live with M.bovis. New Zealand farmers would rather live without it.”

Levy Referendum Consultation 2018 In April-May 2018 commercial potato growers will be able to vote on whether to renew the compulsory levy on potatoes grown in New Zealand. Consultation Meetings Consultation meetings will be held in Whangarei, Pukekohe, Ohakune, New Plymouth, Napier, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Darﬁeld, Ashburton, Timaru, Oamaru & Invercargill. Please see PNZ website for dates, venues and times.

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Key dates: 24 April 2018 – voting opens 25 May 2018 – voting closes 12:00 noon Who is entitled to vote? All active commercial potato growers are entitled to vote. Active commercial potato growers are those persons or businesses that are actively engaged in the commercial production of potatoes. Voting Eligibility To be eligible to vote in the Potatoes New Zealand Inc., Levy Referendum your business must have paid a Commodity Levy to Potatoes New Zealand Inc. for the year to 31 March 2018. Voting Methods You may vote in ONE of two ways: INTERNET VOTE or POSTAL VOTE. More information To ﬁnd out more please visit www.potatoesnz.co.nz/levy

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

14 NEWS

Pork sector sets standard PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

IN RECENT years the pork industry has had to transform itself in the face of public pressure; now it offers the benefit of its experiences to ‘big brother’ sectors. NZ Pork chairman Ian Carter says they often hear from other primary industry people who feel they are under the pump of public and media pressure. “They are contacting us – especially from the dairy industry – saying they are keen to understand ‘what you guys have done, how you have addressed this’,” he told Rural News. Carter says he supports farming in all its forms and sees these approaches as the rural community coming together again. “Farmers are recognising we are all farmers, all producing food and we want to do it in a sustainable manner. How can we understand what other industries are doing in these modern times and the modern challenges of transparency and openness... and the scru-

Ian Carter

tiny we come under? “People can have an opinion and it can be aired to everybody in the world these days in a matter of seconds without it being substantiating much. So we are working under the new pressures of producing food or farming.” Carter says it is a positive that the primary industry is starting to work more collectively in looking at all aspects of the environment, animal welfare and consumers’ needs. “It is good there is some unity coming forward. I have presented to DairyNZ and have some of their

people coming to us now, to meet and understand how we go about biosecurity for our animals. “They hadn’t had any major disease challenges until M.bovis [was identified in] the dairy industry. Now they are realising it is not in their farmers’ psyche to think about biosecurity onfarm,” he adds. “We have lived and breathed it all our life and it is second nature to us. We do things we know are of benefit without costing us any more’ it is just something we have done because we know the cost if we don’t do it.” Another issue is how to deliver

messaging to the New Zealand public. “We’ve modernised our farming systems, but we haven’t taken our consumers always with us,” Carter says of the primary industries in general. The pig industry was possibly the earliest to be challenged, he says. “Pig farming has always been under the microscope a bit more or challenged a bit more than some of our larger primary industries in NZ over some practices. “Farming has become so complex it is hard to necessarily understand all the facets.” But the challenge facing the primary industries is how to win back the NZ public’s trust. Carter says pork has gone about things slightly differently. “The dairy guys have gone about it trying to work out what they want to tell the consumer,” he says. “What we’ve done is gone to the consumer and said ‘what do you want to hear…?’ “It is a subtle difference but we think it is significant.”

THE DON’S STEELY RESOLVE MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

JUST AS US farming appears to be coming out of the doldrums after several depressed years, President Donald Trump has given the industry a hospital pass with the proposed 255 tariff on imported steel. It’s intended to protect American steelworkers and hopefully create jobs. However, for an industry that can’t produce enough raw product to meet demand, the move is likely to hurt home-grown equipment manufacturers, dealers and the nation’s farmers. Any tariff will raise the cost of new machinery, says the US Association of Equipment Manufacturers, and it will happen very soon; as dealers are now holding little inventory, higher prices will be passed on quickly. While the stance is said to be aimed at China in particular, Reuters says only 2% of US imports come from China; the largest supplier is Canada (16%), closely followed by Brazil, South Korea, Mexico and Russia. Hence the hasty re-think on exemption from the tariffs already being negotiated by Canada and Mexico. Commentators say farmers might ultimately feel the brunt of these tariffs if China adopts a tit-for-tat policy on imports, particularly grains and pulses. China is the US’s largest customer for soya beans, taking a third of all production, about $US14 billion worth. So any import tariff will hurt US agriculture and open the door for rival soya bean suppliers Brazil or Argentina.

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• Tandem® – Broadleaf & Thistle seedling weed control. 3-4L/ha, after clover develops two trifoliate leaves. Clover friendly choice, and better suited to earlier application. • Quasar™ (5-7.5L/ha) – Broadleaf & Thistle seedling weed control. After clover develops two trifoliate leaves and weeds are at the 4-6 leaf stage. Wide seedling weed spectrum and clover friendly. Use with Synergy Wetter Sticker at (50mls per 100L). • AmmoMax ® – Broadleaf seedling weeds. 1.7L/ha after first grazing. More bite for all round weed control, but important that pasture is grazed prior to spraying.

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INSECT CONTROL • Acclaim™ – Seed Treatment – Black Beetle Adults, Grassgrub larvae. • Cypher® – Tasmanian Grassgrub (100-150mls/ha) in autumn at first appearance of grubs and pasture damage. • Chlor-P™ – Argentine Stem Weevil, Army Caterpillar, Lucerne Flea, Porina, Tasmanian Grass Grub, - rates species dependent (200mls – 1.7L/ha). • Diazinon 600EW – Army Worm, Grassgrub, Clover Flea, Porina, Springtails, - rates species dependent (460mls – 4L/ha). May be added to tank at spray out. • Gesapon® 20G – Grassgrub, Porina, Broadcast 11kg/ha evenly over cultivated ground, work into a depth of about 5cm during final cultivation. Or drill with seed at 5.5kg/ha.

Dusk™ (10 – 15kg/ha) at planting for slug & snail control.

WEED CONTROL (4-8 WEEKS POST PLANTING) • Blast™ – Broadleaf seedling weed control. 65 gms/ha, 4th leaf stage. Especially useful against most chickweed. Good mixing partner with other pasture herbicides. Always apply Synoil™ (500ml/100L water).

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™Acclaim, Blast, Deal, Dusk, Silmaxx, Synoil, Tillmate, Quasar and Chlor-P are Trade Marks of Orion AgriScience Ltd, Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, Nos P7770, P8496,P7340, P8179, P7160, P8615, P4852. ®Cypher, Tandem, Ammomax and Gesapon are Registered Marks of Orion Agriscience Ltd, Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, Nos P7409, P7655, P7782, and P2130. See foodsafety.govt.nz for registration conditions. See epa.govt.nz for approval conditions.

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

NEWS 15

Robotics revolution will see old gear gone PAM TIPA pamelat@ruralnews.co.nz

SEEING OBSOLETE machinery on New Zealand farms and orchards and in factories is a “bugbear” for Professor Mike Duke, from Waikato University’s engineering and robotics department. Simple engineering automation and computer programs can solve many issues, he told the Agcarm summer conference. An in-field ‘robotics revolution’ is coming, says Duke. And with the research now solving problems here is an excellent opportunity to export high value machinery worldwide. He says an example of obsolete machinery and the use of relatively simple automation to solve problems is seen in work done for a large NZ forestry company. “It plants six million seedlings every year -- all manually. The cuttings are taken off and dropped into holes and harvested in a year or so.” The holes are made

by a spiked wheel or manually using a spiked board. The spikes dig a trough, but the seedlings do not grow correctly if the trough is not straight. Duke outlined a research project that designed a robotic digging machine to precisely drill the holes. “There are a lot of technology changes that enable us to build machinery quickly using computer aided design.” The robotic digging machine -- ‘Debbie the Digger’ -- is pulled behind a tractor and the computer works out how to drill the hole. Using encoders and sensors it ensures the rig drills straight holes. ‘Debbie’ has precisely drilled at least 20 million holes during its threefour year life. The workers no longer have to straighten the seedling in the hole, so they can plant two at a time. “They got improved productivity; they just dropped them in the holes and got beautiful nice straight seedlings.”

The machine solved that problem and had a knock-on effect of solving problems further down the line. “That is smart

computer-controlled, not too hi-tech equipment introduced to replace obsolete machinery,” he says. “I reckon there are thousands of machines

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ROBOTS TO HARVEST KIWIFRUIT? A $10 MILLION horticultural robotics project is researching harvesting kiwifruit robotically. “Can we harvest kiwifruit robotically? Mike Duke asks. “Can we navigate around orchards with robots? Can we pollinate kiwifruit flowers robotically?” “Driverless car technology is very applicable to robotics because ultimately you will have vehicles selfdriving around farms and orchards.” Driverless tractors that navigate by GPS are already in use. Researchers are looking at the next level -- fully autonomous agricultural vehicles. They are looking at a kiwifruit prototype using electric engines which scan the vines. They envisage that by yearend it will be able to get around two or three orchards with no human input. It now can get around an orchard, but a lot of work remains to ensure it is safe, including trialling dummies in the front. A kiwifruit harvesting device under research uses machine vision to find and pick the kiwifruit. It creates a 3D map of where the kiwifruit are and schedules how they will be picked. “If you are taking these images for harvesting they could also monitor for diseases,” says Duke. “If you can train it to recognise a flower, you can train it to recognise a stink bug or a caterpillar or a disease.” MBIE, Auckland and Waikato universities, Plant and Food Research and Robotics Plus, the originators of the work, are all involved.

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New Zealand Driving a Short-Term Rally RURAL NEWS MARCH 20, 2018 New Zealand Driving a Short-Term Rally New Zealand Driving aProduction Short-Term Rallyregions growth key exporting Latest month Rally Last three months New Short-Term growth key exporting New Zealand Zealand Driving Driving aaProduction Short-Term Rallyregions

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global agribusiness research analysts sharing market outlooks

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NZ agri-sector remains positive Latest month

Last three months

Latest month

Last three months

4.0 (December) 4.9% EU Production growth key exporting regions

S LA B

CONCRETE

E XT R A B A Y

GA T E S

INTERNAL WALL 520 500 480 460

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

2016/17

Jun

July

Aug

Sep

2017/18

season has been for lamb exports, with the value of NZ lamb exports for OctJan up 39% (NZD 961m) on the same period last season. Of note, the average value received per tonne is 17% ahead of last season, despite export volumes increasing (up 13% YTD), indicating that demand from end-users in NZ’s major export markets remains strong. While two key export windows have now closed (Chinese New Year, and chilled Easter production), exporters are reporting that demand for NZ lamb remains robust across all markets (apart from the UK where demand for frozen cuts is still weak). Rabobank expects schedule prices to remain strong over the next month as processors seek

AL L WNAL AL R ERN TE

A R T EX T CE N S LU G NT RAN E T O OF I N C R LU G NS IN A F R O

T RO

INT

GUTTERING & DO W N PI P E NG

May

L ER

2015/16

Source: NZX AgriHQ, Rabobank 2018

Apr

D OO

Nov

LE OR OL O R D

Oct

SHEDS ROLLER DOOR

RO L

T R A N SL U C E N T R O O F IN G

540

Source: NZX AgriHQ, Rabobank 2018

G UT T E R IN G & D OW N P I P E

INGE TE R P GUT OWNPI & D

G E IN P R I E P T WN UT O

560

A LACK of lambs available for slaughter, combined with solid ongoing demand from key export markets, saw positive pricing levels persist through February. As of the start of March, the slaughter price in the North Island averaged NZD 6.95/kg cwt (1% higher MOM), while South Island lamb averaged NZD 6.85/kg cwt (1% higher MOM). Prices remain well up on where they were at this stage last season, with the average slaughter price for North and South Island lambs up 30% and 32% YOY respectively. B+LNZ export data reveals just how strong the start to the 2017/18

K TAN ER

G& D

580

Sheepmeat

WAT

North Island Bull Price 600

schedule prices once the cow supply increases from late March onwards.

in supply. Given Rabobank’s expected New Zealand’s total beef production for 2017/18 to be like 2016/17 levels, the available supply for the remainder of this season will be down compared to last season. Rabobank expects tight domestic supplies to hold schedule prices firm over the next month, however, there is some potential downside for

NK GEA I NA T L

E G NA IL AI O R C

PROCUREMENT Source: Rabobank 2018 PRESSource: pushed Rabobank 2018 SURE prices up towards the end of February with recent rainfall slowing the supply of cattle available for slaughter. As at the start of March, the North Island bull price is 3% higher MOM (month on month), averaging NZD 5.40/kg cwt (2% higher YOY [year on year]), while the South Island

Beef

DRA

North Island Bull Price COEIR

k 2018 k 2018

SMP SMP

tion, which is likely to put averaging NZD 5.20/kg pressure back2018 on global cwt (6% higher YOY). Source: Rabobank -0.7% (season-to-date at 31 January 2018) NZ markets. Dry conditions in sev-0.7% (season-to-date at 31 January 2018) NZ eral key cattle-producSource: Rabobank 2018

k 2018

-0.7% (season-to-date at 31 January 2018) NZ 3.9% (January) 3.5% Australia Source: Rabobankpeak 2018 approaching is up 2% MOM, 3.9%produc(January) bull price 3.5% Australia -0.7% (season-to-date at 31 January 2018) NZ

R G BE CIN IM N

SMP

3.9% (January) 3.5% Australia 1.7% (January) 1.2% US -0.7% (season-to-date at 31 January NZ 1.7% (January) 1.2% 2018) US 3.9% (January) 3.5% Australia Source: Rabobank 2018

T FE

k 2018

ing regions late in 2017 forced many farmers to kill stock earlier than anticipated, resulting in a significant lift in production for Q1 of the 2017/18 season (Oct-Dec). New Zealand’s total beef slaughter for the quarter was up 15.5% on the same quarter in 2016. However, rainfall since January has eased the pressure to kill stock, resulting in a slowdown

1.2% Last three months 4.9% Last three months 1.2% 4.9% 3.5% 4.9% 1.2%

B TIM CING

SMP

US EU Australia EU US

1.7% (January) Latest month 4.0 (December) Latest month 1.7% (January) 4.0 (December) 3.9% (January) 4.0 (December) 1.7% (January)

F EN

k 2018

DRY CONDITIONS continue to bite in New Zealand as milk production tumbles in January. Latest statistics show milksolids production in January was down 7.2% from a year ago to 194.1m WMP Cheese kg. This means production in New Zealand over WMP three months Cheese is the past trailing the corresponding WMP period by 2.7%. Cheese The drop in New Zealand WMP milk supply Cheese over WMP Cheese summer has supported global processing of Oceania product in the short term. Importantly, wholemilk powder (WMP) has been the best performing commodity through this period. In Rabobank’s view this has removed any downside risk to fullyear farmgate milk prices for the current season. Milk flows in Europe are healthy ahead of the

US EU

NZD cents/kg cwt

Dairy

SMP

WIRE E F NC ING

Production growth key exporting regions 4.0 (December) 4.9% EU

Production growth key exporting regions Production growth key exporting regions

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40 Lamb Price and NZ Lamb Slaughter South Island

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

Rabobank supports clients from farm to fork in

MARKETS & TRENDS 17

COUNTRIES

NZ Dollar Reverses January Rally

Content supplied by Rabobank – Grow with the bank founded by farmers for farmers South Island Lamb Price South Island Lamb Price

750 700

head

600 550 500

NZ Dollar Reverses January Rally

NZ/US dollar Cross Rate 0.76

0.74

0.72

0.70

0.68

0.66

Improved Exports Helping to Clear NZ Stocks

450 400 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun July Aug Sep 2016/17

2017/18

Coarse Crossbred Indicator Coarse Crossbred Indicator

Source: NZX AgriHQ, Rabobank 2018

to source sufficient stock to full processing capacity.

Wool NEW ZEALAND coarse wool prices remain under pressure, with the indicator just touching over NZ300 cents/kg in midFebruary. Importantly though, both clearance rates and wool offered have been much stronger compared with last season and are helping to

South Island

North Island

Source: NZ Meat Board, Rabobank 2018

move through the volume of wool accumulated in stocks last year. Overall there has been a 25% lift in the bales of wool offered at auction this season to date, and a 40% lift in the bales sold. Exports in the first half of the 2017/18 season are also reflecting the improved demand with 16.5% more wool shipped compared with a year prior. China is, as discussed, the main driver

700

600

Source: RBA, Rabobank 2017 Source: RBA, Rabobank 2017

ing base of 1.50 in Februthe rally seen in January. ary), followed by another The currency was worth Chinacents and India lift in 12 export months. US72.1 on thedriving first thewithin volumes this season to date The NZ domestic sitday of March. 25 uation appears more Much of the change stable. The RBNZ left was driven by the hawk20 of the first its overnight cash rate ish tone unchanged in February at statement by the new 1.75 percent. Governor of the US Fed15 And a larger than eral Reserve. The futures expected trade deficit in market responded to January further reduced these10comments by expectations of near-term increasing the implied hikes. odds 5of an increase in With US monetary rate hikes in all quarters policy tightening set to of 2018. 0 outpace that of NZ over Rabobank EUanticipates North Asia South Asia Oceania Other the next 12 months, we a 25bps hike in US Fed 2017/18 continue to expect that funds in the next 2016/17 three the NZD will eventumonths (from its startmillion tonnes clean

2015/16

500

NZD c/kg

NZ c/kg cwt

650

th Jan) Lamb27% Slaughter their(YTD way–to27market. ofNew the Zealand increase with Beyond the broader more8,000,000 wool being sent this season to date, solid gains end of the market, lambs’ wool has maintained in India and the UK are much of its early 2018 also encouraging. Austra6,000,000 improvement to prices lia, although remaining and the outlook remains a relatively small market constructive through the saw a4,000,000 lift of 70% in volumes over the six months season. Fine wool has continued to go from to December. strength to strength. This improved 2,000,000 demand is important to underpin potential price NZ dollar improvement through NZD LOST 1 cent against 0 2018 as the stocks accuin Febru2016/17 the US dollar 2017/18 mulated in 2016/17 make ary, essentially reversing

USD

400

300

200 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

Source: NZWSI, Beef and Lamb New Zealand Rabobank 2017

ally soften further against the US dollar. After trading around current levels over the next six months, we expect the NZD to fall to US68 cents by March 2019. • Want to keep up-todate with the latest food & agribusiness insights? Tune into RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness Australia & New Zealand podcast channel. Most Apple devices have the Podcasts app preinstalled—if not, you can find it in the App Store. These are also available on Android devices.

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18 AGRIBUSINESS

Put heart into agribusiness PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

IT’S TIME to put some heart into the agricultural sector. That’s the view of a Maori leader and member of the NZ Business Hall of fame, Mavis Mullins. She says most people seem to recognise what is best practice in land use, but she says this is very compliance driven and actions are taken mainly because of the fear of breaking the law – rather than out of a genuine sense of love for the land. Mullins believes Maori offer a very different perspective on land, which comes from the heart. She says the compliance model is very much a one-legged strategy. “The time has come to personalise the land in the way Maori do. “Right now, across all the sectors, we are going down a very commercially driven one way street and it’s not a nice

Mavis Mullins

street,” Mullins explains. “ It’s a matter of introducing a balance and being clear about what that balance means. People are not engaging the issues of the land with their hearts and this needs to change,” she says. She says Maori have names for land and water and because of this they see land through a different lens. Mullins believes the aspirations of capital and cap-

ital returns alone are a big driver, especially as more land becomes corporatised and commercialised. “The drivers are numeric as opposed to walking on the land and getting to understand how it responds especially when there is some form of degradation or weakness. Seeing land in a personal sense makes it more meaningful,” she says. Love of our natural resources does not necessarily

mean a drop in productivity or long term profit. Mullins says it’s not only the land, but also about the people. She claims the corporate model tends to take the spotlight off people and communities, and these get lumped into a resource line. This brings everything into a seemingly heartless financial model. She says looking after the people and family is not an obligation, rather a privilege and an honour. Mullins adds that Maori see the land very holistically, in a less narrow way. She believes it is vital for the future of NZ agri for people to see the long term value of this Maori world view. “I’d like to see people come to this in their own minds. It would be wonderful if a couple of light bulbs went on and instead of just thinking about complying with the law, people restored the mana of the land because they wanted to.”

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

AGRIBUSINESS 19

Sheep milking serious business PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

THE SHEEP milk industry has made huge strides in the last four years, says Massey University associate professor Craig Prichard. The 4th annual Sheep Milking Conference was held in Palmerston North last week, attracting 150 producers, scientists and interested observers. Prichard, known as a driver of the industry, says four years ago only four cheese makers attended; this year there were 16. He says in four years the industry has moved from being “gee whizz isn’t that interesting” to a serious business with a future. “I’m not getting calls from people asking what sheep milk tastes like. Instead the calls are from people asking, can you tell me more about it – the returns, investment required and products

Craig Prichard (right) demonstrating sheep cheese at an earlier conference.

you can produce?” Prichard says sheep milking has made big strides in the last year, giving the industry confidence and attracting new producers. He points to the importation of new

genetics to increase milk production and the industry’s profile being boosted by a sheep cheese wining the top overall cheese award. “We are moving into the next zone, which I would see as more sheep

milk producers coming on in Waikato and South Waikato, working with two major companies – Spring Sheep Dairy and

RESEARCH WILL FEED GROWTH

Maui Milk. This is a new era but not a boom-orbust situation. “People are making careful decisions to engage with a new potential sector. What’s important to notice now is this interest is coming even when the cow milk price is relatively good and at the same time as lamb and beef prices are also relatively good.” Prichard says people are seeing the sheep milk industry as a viable form of diversification – a way of expanding their business portfolio. They are seeing the returns and recognising the shift taking place and want to be a part of it. Big growth is visible: one company grew 400% last year. New large producers are entering the industry – people with flocks of 300 to

CRAIG PRICHARD notes the research work AgResearch is doing as part of an MBIE project. This research will help drive the direction of the sector and, in particular, the health benefits of sheep milk and its associated products, he says. And research into sheep milking’s environmental benefits will also give it a push. Long-term research is aimed at getting definitive results on nitrogen loading and leaching, and results from looking at all sorts of feed crops. “There are good stories coming through on the environmental side,” he says. Prichard hopes that in the next couple of years New Zealanders start to realise that sheep cheese is an important part of our cheese diet. Sheep cheese makers are keen to contest awards and this will help lift the profile of the sector. “I am hoping some established cheese makers will get involved. “Even Fonterra -- God forbid -- may take an interest in doing something interesting with sheep milk and producing a distinctive sheep cheese from different regions that will stand up in the international market,” Prichard says.

400 sheep. “They are not lifestylers; these are trying to make a business

producing sheep milk. We are in a whole different space from what we used to be.”

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Dairy cows are responsible for about a quarter of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions. That’s the cost of supplying the world with dairy products. But it doesn’t have to be. Planting forests is an easy way to offset greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. An average dairy farmer could plant nearly two hectares a year in radiata pine to totally offset the gases their cows make. It wouldn’t even have to be on their own land. The farmers profit from the trees at harvest – and then replant. There’s a lot of win in this package.

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LOVE OUR FORESTS OUR ENVIRONMENT DOES

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

20 OPINION EDITORIAL

EDNA

What’s Fonterra hiding? THE OLD saying ‘if you’ve got nothing to hide, don’t hide’ comes to mind following Fonterra’s recent draconian move to muzzle the news media. The dairy co-op’s heavy-handed legal moves to impose an injunction on all media earlier this month simply raises more questions than answers. Fonterra’s high court injunction gagging a former director, Leonie Guiney, and the news media ends later this week, yet farmer shareholders and media remain in the dark about why it was imposed. While the court order may please Fonterra in that it has shut up anyone willing to talk specifically about the case, it has also led to unhelpful speculation, most of it negative about the co-op’s performance. Federated Farmers says farmers have been contacting them asking what the injunction was about. “Farmers want more information and they are asking questions but there is a vacuum; what the injunction is all about only time will tell,” said a spokesman. Feds dairy section chair Chris Lewis is urging Fonterra shareholders to question the co-op directors and management at farmer shareholder meetings later this month. “Get to a meeting and ask your questions; you are a valued part of the co-op. And don’t leave the meeting until your questions have been answered,” he says. Lewis is right: Fonterra will have no option but to be very open on the matter at these meetings. Meanwhile, the co-op’s owner - farmers deserve answers, not just about this injunction but also Fonterra’s dismal performance in China. Continuing reports about its train-wreck of an investment in Chinese company Beingmate have been rife for months. Yet Fonterra’s attitude - ‘nothing to see here, move on’ - has been arrogant, dismissive and stupid. It appears the only thing Fonterra has learnt from its less-than-stellar performances in China over the years (remember the San Lu debacle?) is how to try to control the media as do that country’s communist rulers. This is no way for New Zealand’s leading company - a farmer co-operative no less - to behave. Fonterra’s latest actions can only lead to one conclusion by farmers, media, government and others: what is it trying to hide?

RURALNEWS TO ALL FARMERS, FOR ALL FARMERS

HEAD OFFICE POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 331100, Takapuna, Auckland 0740 PUBLISHER: Brian Hight ......................................... Ph 09 307 0399 GENERAL MANAGER: Adam Fricker ....................................... Ph 09 913 9632 CONSULTING EDITOR: David Anderson .................................. Ph 09 307 0399 davida@ruralnews.co.nz

“There was nothing dead in the shed – but I did find where I’d put my gear at the end of last footy season!”

Want to share your opinion or gossip with the Hound? Send your emails to: hound@ruralnews.co.nz

THE HOUND Cheapskates A MATE of the Hound reckons the penny-pinching going on at rural service company PGG Wrightson has hit a new level. Apparently, PGGW recently sent out its annual farming notebook to farmers – minus the pencil and farming data that has gone with the notebook for as long as this old mutt’s mate has been farming. Somewhat miffed, your canine crusader’s pal wrote to PGGW’s boss returning the notebook and pointing out that it was about as much use as teats on a bull without a pencil or the useful data. He got a reply explaining that “consultation” with clients had revealed they no longer wanted the pencils or the notebooks. This left yours truly’s farmer mate surmising it is just a cost cutting exercise as he reckons most well organised farms still need a notebook pouch and pencil.

Coincidence? YOUR OLD mate notes that former Environmental Protection Agency chief scientist and Rural News columnist Dr Jacqueline Rowarth has recently ‘left’ the EPA. Before her EPA role, Rowarth was an unabashed rural advocate – using scientific argument to back her promotion of the agri-sector. Rowarth especially earned the ire of these enviro-fundies when she took on the patron saint himself, the selfproclaimed freshwater expert Mike Joy, contesting his claims about farming’s impact on water quality. This led to calls last year from the Green Party and their supporters for Rowarth to be sacked from the EPA. Now, some months later – and with the Greens helping prop up Jacinda and Winston’s government – Rowarth’s appointment to the EPA has ended.

PRODUCTION: Dave Ferguson ........................Ph 09 913 9633 davef@ruralnews.co.nz Becky Williams ........................Ph 09 913 9634 beckyw@ruralnews.co.nz REPORTERS: Sudesh Kissun ....................... Ph 09 913 9627 Pamela Tipa ............................ Ph 021 842 220 Peter Burke .............................Ph 06 362 6319 Nigel Malthus ...................... Ph 021 164 4258 MACHINERY EDITOR: Mark Daniel ............................. Ph 021 906 723 or 07 824 1190 SUB-EDITOR: Neil Keating ............................Ph 09 913 9628

That explains it

Fonterrible

SPEAKING OF political hypocrites, most Kiwis are rightly confused by Labour’s about-face on the TPP -from outright hatred while in Opposition to now fully supporting the deal. Apart from a silly name change (CPTPP) and some tinkering at the edges, the trade deal looks pretty similar to what the former National government promoted, except for Donald Trump withdrawing the US from the agreement. Remember it was not long ago that Jacinda Ardern and David Parker were marching in the streets alongside anti-TPP commentator Jane Kelsey, and decrying how evil the deal was. A mate of the Hound reckons when the Labour luvvies discovered the ‘T’ in CPTPP stood for ‘Trans’ they had to support it for fear of upsetting the rainbow faction of the party.

THIS OLD mutt has been around the traps a few years now, but he has never seen a more draconian attempt to shut down debate than Fonterra’s recent legal move to prevent former director Leonie Guiney talking to rural media. The Hound reckons Fonterra’s actions would even make Vladimir Putin and the little fatty from North Korea blush. Your old mate wonders if Fonterra chair John Wilson is wanting to change his moniker from ‘Little Johnny’ to ‘Little Vlad’ and the dairy co-op’s name to ‘Fonterrible’? Your canine crusader suggests that if Fonterra thinks this kind of action is going to deflect media interest from its major Chinese cock-up – namely Beingmate – then its shareholder farmers are paying co-op’s huge legal bills in vain. It prompts the question, what is Fonterra and its directors trying to hide?

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

OPINION 21

Perception is not the reality! THE MISPERCEPTION Index published at the end of 2017 makes a point with evidence. The index asks people in 40 countries questions on, say, the nation’s car ownership, suicide rate, teenage pregnancy and personal health. The answers are then assessed against actual data. New Zealanders rank 19th of 40 countries in accuracy, well behind the Scandinavian countries, where people know the correct answers to things (which could be something to do with their education system). Kiwis are particularly bad on the personal aspect of health: we rated 39th in accuracy of assessment, ahead of only South Korea. Weaknesses in perception could explain some of the debate on our environment: there seems to be a perception that we are affecting our clean green image with farming practices and the use

of 1080. However, overseas people, including Scandinavians, rank NZ’s environment highly -- far above topics such as ‘food and beverage outlets’, ‘accommodation’ or even non-environmental ‘tourist attractions’. The Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) published results from the ‘International Visitor Survey’ last year. It said at least 92% of visitors scored NZ’s natural and built environment above 7, giving it the highest ranking of any category, even above safety and activities experienced. Only about 70% of people gave ‘above 7’ to their

accommodation, eating and drinking, and tourist attraction experiences. Note that 70% could still be considered high – but 92% support for the environment is exceptional. Criticisms about the natural and built environment included ‘litter’, ‘lack of recycling facilities’ and that ‘the built environment didn’t live up to the natural environment’. Results from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) research on ‘New Zealanders’ views of the primary sector’, published in February, are also worth considering in the light of perception. In 2008, 83% of rural respondents and 78% of urban respondents held a positive view of farming in general. In 2017, 63% of rural respondents and 59% of urban held positive views of beef and sheep farming, but only 50% of rural and 47% of urban held

positive views of dairy farming. Horticulture fared best, with more positive scoring than beef and sheep. Of note, however, is that whereas contribution to the economy was regarded positively by both sectors in both years (46-51% range), negative views of environmental management increased substantially between 2008 and 2017 (24 to 47% for urban and 35 to 64% for rural). This is despite more integrated pest destruction schemes and more chemical monitoring and regulation, as well as increased precision technologies. The regulations and advances have been focussed on decreasing environmental impact, improving safety and increasing efficiencies -- yet concerns have increased. The change almost certainly reflects increased awareness and

perception. Good news for the primary sector is that most respondents -- urban and rural – agreed expansion of the primary sector, particularly in value and efficiencies, will be good for NZ. The overall result from the MPI survey showed close alignment of urban and rural thinking, so questions can and should be asked about the misperception of ‘divide’. Next time somebody

says ‘perception is reality’, ask them what sort of television show they live in; shows labelled ‘reality’ seldom reflect it. Or just ask them for the facts. People from overseas rate our environment highly. Most farmers have taken innovative measures to protect it with shelters, plantings, QEII covenants, wetland creation and sediment traps, and are using technologies to improve efficiencies. The data are

available and more understanding will improve perception. And here’s a suggestion: send a photograph of your environmental initiative to TV One Weather. Show the evidence and help change misperceptions. • Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, PhD (soil science) has been analysing agri-environment interaction for several decades. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

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In 2008, 83% of rural respondents and 78% of urban respondents held a positive view of farming in general.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

22 OPINION

More to trade deals than trade TODAY’S TRADE deals are broadening their focus, from just addressing tariff reductions to including issues that are challenging the world today, such as protecting the environment, encouraging the growth of small to medium

businesses, and fair treatment of workers. These goals are recognised through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), signed earlier this month. On the day, Canada’s Trade Minister Francois-

Philippe Champagne said: “We’re very proud to show the world that progressive trade is the way forward. Trade is not a race to the bottom, it is a march to the top. The CPTPP aims to make trade real for all people.” This is to be achieved through the CPTPP’s

commitments to raise and safeguard high labour and environmental standards across the Asia-Pacific region, and to actively enable small and medium businesses to understand what has been agreed, take advantage of those opportunities, and

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to bring their unique challenges to the attention of the CPTPP governments. There is yet work to be done on the details to establish how this can be achieved, but the aim of the CPTPP is to raise labour and environmental standards in the Pacific, reduce the impact of unfair practices and promote sustainable development. As the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade notes, these outcomes are the most comprehensive New Zealand has ever achieved in a free trade agreement, with the standards being made legally enforceable for the first time. The CPTPP will be a world first for including a prohibition on granting or maintaining subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing, or that negatively affect over-fished stocks. It also ensures the signatory countries will have laws and practices in place governing minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational health and safety. These additional measures, as noted above, are new in trade agreements, and are likely to have a significant impact on all businesses and commercial operations in New Zealand. The media coverage to date has largely focused on the financial benefits from tariff reduction, as these are not inconsiderable. But as the CPTPP goes through the consultation process before being ratified by our Parliament, we need to focus on what the impact will be of the new environmental, labour, and health and safety provisions, many details of which are still in negotiation by the CPTPP

countries. Firstly, across all CPTPP countries, there should be similar laws and, most importantly, similar enforcement. One of the consequences of this will be a level playing field for these standards, so that lesser standards in one of the CPTPP countries does not advantage that country against another CPTPP country. How that will be achieved is a difficult question, with particular emphasis on how similar levels of enforcement can be achieved across the CPTPP countries, considering that a wide range of economies and standards are represented by these countries. For example, are the standards to be required going to be those that Japan or Australia currently require, or those of Vietnam? What it could mean for New Zealand companies is that higher standards and greater compliance could be required in these areas; the likelihood of lower standards would appear to be a non-existent. This will need to be a key focus point during the consultation rounds before ratification with the New Zealand Government: what are the standards, how will these standards be made uniform across the CPTPP countries, and how will consistent enforcement be achieved across them. We are considering how to address these issues and make appropriate submissions, but the ramifications are far reaching, so this will take time. This trade agreement is about much more than tariffs and market access. • Mike Chapman is the chief executive of Horticulture New Zealand.

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

MANAGEMENT 23

Grass-only farming just as profitable SUDESH KISSUN sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

A GRASS-ONLY farm can be as profitable as a farm using imported feed, according to a study in Northland. A paper presented at the recent Northland Dairy Development Trust conference, relates the first two years of this study (2015-16 and 201617 seasons): “when all costs are considered a grass-only farm system may have similar profitability to a farm system importing PKE”. The trial, to reduce reliance on imported feed, started in 2015-16 season at the Northland Agricultural Research Farm (NARF) in Dargaville. It pits two farms -- one grass only and the other home grown crops -- against a farm using PKE as supplementary feed. Stocking rate averaged 2.6 cows/ha on the grass-only farm and 2.8 cows/ha on the other two farms. The study is backed by DairyNZ, MPI and the Hine Rangi Trust. Results of the first two

years of trials were presented by AgFirst science manager Northland Chris Boom and the NARF manager Kate Reed. According to Boom, weather conditions were relatively kind during the first two seasons, resulting in good pasture growth and pasture covers on all farms: 17.4 tonnes DM/ha and 18.8t DM/ha for the two seasons, respectively. In contrast, the 201718 season has been difficult with very wet conditions from July through to October and then dry conditions through November and December. Results from this season will be announced at a field day on the farm later this year. Supplement use during the first two seasons was lower than expected on the PKE farm: 469kg DM PKE/cow fed in 2015-16 and 513kg DM PKE/cow in 2016-17. Crops were established on the cropping farm totalling 23% of the farm area in 2015-16 and 21% in 2016-17; crops sown were turnips (average yield

Cows eating only PKE at the trial farm in Dargaville.

9.3t DM/ha), fodder beet (15.6t DM/ha) and maize silage (19.0t DM/ha). In the 2015-16 season, milk production was highest on the cropping farm at 1049kgMS/ha versus 870kg MS/ha on the grass-only and 1028kg MS/ha on the PKE farm. For the 2016-17 season, milk production was highest on the

PKE farm at 1118kg MS/ha versus 965kg and 1053kg MS/ha for the grassonly and cropping farms, respectively. Boom says the current season has proved more difficult. By the end of January, the grass-only farm milk production was 14% down on the average of the previous two seasons,

the cropping farm 20% down and the PKE farm 1% down. Poor soil structure on ex-crop paddocks led to high levels of pugging damage on the cropping farm during winter/ spring of 2016 and 2017, compromising cropping farm production. Costs were calculated for each of the farms, including differential

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the highest operating profit at $787/ha followed closely by the PKE farm at $733/ha and the cropping farm at $433/ha. For the 2016-17 season at a $6.12/kgMS milk price the PKE farm had the highest operating profit at $2,887/ ha followed by the grassonly farm at $2761/ha and the cropping farm at $2300/ha.

& ID l r E ina Fo rig O

NEW ZEALAND dairy farms have come to rely heavily on importing feed onto the farm. There is widespread concern in the Northland farming community about the impact if this feed was not available due to lack of supply, market pressures, milk composition requirements or food safety concerns. Increased levels of imported feed have also driven up farm working expenses, making farm systems vulnerable during seasons with lower payout. A farm systems trial was run at the Northland Agricultural Research Farm (NARF) at Dargaville to test and demonstrate how dairy systems might maintain production and/or profit without imported feed. The trial started June 1, 2015 and is now in its third season. It may be extended for another season.

(NZ)

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labour requirements for the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. Over the two seasons, farm working expenses/ kgMS averaged $3.73/ kgMS for the grass-only farm, $4.27/kgMS for the cropping farm and $3.92/ kgMS for the PKE farm. In 2015-16 with a $3.90/kgMS milk price, the grass-only farm had

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

24 MANAGEMENT

Software softens blow of M.bovis hit GOOD FARM records have Star’s 5300ha farm in Hakatahelped to relieve a South Island ramea Valley, and then just a farming business of some of week before the disease disthe effects of getting through covery half of them were sent a Mycoplasma bovis infection, to another farm -- The Wandle (1950ha) in Midreports Farm IQ dlemarch. Both Systems Ltd, a are large farms software cominvolved in tradpany. ing, and they MPI placed winter about a restricted 55,000 stock place notice on units between two properties them.” owned by Lone Using Farm Star Farms in IQ software, mid-January Lone Star is able because they Lonestar general manager Boyd to show exactly had infected Macdonald. where the calves calves. Lone Star was among the first non- have been at any time as both dairy businesses identified with farms have been recording all stock movements for about 18 the disease. “We brought in about 400 months using the Farm IQ softcalves for rearing -- 200 of them ware. from a Southland property later “Staff record any movement found to have M. Bovis,” says using the Farm IQ app on their Lone Star general manager phone,” Boyd says. “Tim in Boyd Macdonald. “So we know our office was able to take the exactly how it’s got here.” records and produce a report The calves were reared on with help from their support one block of Caberfeidh, Lone desk. It meant we could prove

Canterbury farmers collect their milk sampling kits at a recent meeting in Dunsandel.

where the calves have been and what animals have been in close proximity.” This has helped the farm explain the situation to near neighbours and has resulted in a smaller area being placed under restriction. Boyd says since finding out,

the company has invited all the immediate neighbours of each farm to a meeting at which they were shown exactly where the calves had been, using a map in Farm IQ. “That was useful; they got an understanding that we had a good handle on where the stock

had been and that we can contain and isolate it within our own farm. “We know 100% where the calves have been and what other stock had been around them,” adds Caberfeidh farm manager Matt Smith. The Farm IQ records could tell us, then it

is possible to see what risks are associated with them.” The MPI case manager and a vet checked the Lone Star stock records and as a result in midFebruary it allowed the area on Caberfeidh that is covered by the notice to be reduced to a third of the farm. This helped cut the time and mental stress experienced by the farm staff, says Smith. “The restricted place notice means we have to have a permit to do many things and wash anything that goes in or out of the area. You have to be vigilant and think through the impact of everything you do.” Boyd says having good information in a biosecurity situation was an unexpected benefit of using the Farm IQ software. Four of the Lone Star farms have used the software since late 2015. “This whole thing has been a wake-up all for all of us about managing biosecurity.” @dairy_news facebook.com/dairynews

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ANIMAL HEALTH 25

Global animal welfare role for Kiwi vet PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND’S reputation as a world leader in animal welfare has led to Massey University professor Craig Johnson being invited to join a group reviewing world standards on the subject. The Paris-based World Animal Health Organisation, with 197 member countries, is now updating the Terrestrial Animal Health Code that sets best practice-standards worldwide. Two of the group’s chapters are looking at the codes for slaughter and for killing animals if a major disease breaks out. NZ research on these –

especially on pre-slaughter stunning is seen as world class. One of those researchers is Johnson, hence his appointment. “My background is in the field of electrophysiology research which measures the brainwaves of animals,” he told Rural News. “I developed a model which allowed us to identify brain wave responses to pain in animals that were anaesthetised. This shows that while the animals can’t perceive pain because they are anesthetised, we can measure the wave forms in their brains and say that if the animals were awake they would be feeling pain

because of the stimulus we have given. “We validated that with castration, dehorning and tail docking to show they were all painful,” he explains. Johnson says animals slaughtered without stunning would also experience pain, hence the importance of stunning prior to slaughter. It is incorrect to suggest animals do not suffer pain, he says. NZ’s Animal Welfare Act is seen as among the world’s best, in part due to the close links between research providers and legislators. “We are talking to each other and we get to hear what the legisla-

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AS A vet and a scientist, Craig Johnson says it’s important that people in his field have a ‘societal licence’ to operate. He believes it is important that society gets to hear about what happens in farming in a reasonable and educated way, so they can make informed decisions about that societal license. Johnson sees his role as being an unbiased scientist, providing data people can use to make their own decisions. He says he’s not an advocate of any particular outcome or action that

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

26 ANIMAL HEALTH

Trucking, slaughter advice for Chinese PETER BURKE peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

A MASSEY University professor of animal welfare has been advising China’s animal production officials on raising

their industry’s welfare standards. Professor Craig Johnson joined an international team in Guangzhou to help run a two-day workshop on the welfare of animals during truck-

ing and at time of slaughter. About 50 people influential in animal production in provincial China attended the event to improve their ability to give consistent informa-

tion to people working in their provinces’ industries. Many were veterinarians and production people responsible for large slaughter plants or transport systems. Some

China is looking to NZ to help raise its animal production standards.

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are in roles similar to MPI veterinarians in New Zealand meat plants. “At the root of this is cultural differences [causing] animals to be treated differently in China from how they are in NZ,” he told Rural News. “But there is a very strong movement there to improve animal welfare as part of farm production systems,” he told Rural News. “This is partly because the Chinese culture is catching up with the way of thinking about animals that we have in the west. It is also partly because China wants to be seen as a good international player and wants to be able to export freely to countries in the western world where animal welfare is important.” Johnson says the Chinese officials were keen to hear the information buy he doesn’t think it would have surprised them. A point of interest was how the Chinese can change cultural practices to better align with the information the visitors gave them. The presentations were based on research literature on the effects on animals of transportation and of stunning prior to slaughter, and different methods of slaughter. “We talked about welfare, and about meat quality and all the other issues that surround good welfare. What follows is how they can use the information we have

given them in the management systems and what they have to do to improve the welfare of animals in these systems.” Johnson says his goal was to talk about the science of animal welfare in a language the Chinese can translate in their day-to-day practice. He took care to avoid coming across as an advocate for improving their practice. “It is for them to make the change. I try to be an unbiased outsider who understands the science and explains what the science is saying, which infers to them what they should be doing. But I don’t see it as my particular role to get involved in their management systems; that is their job.” Giving his presentation -- in Microsoft PowerPoint -- was no simple task despite his experience, Johnson says. It was delivered via simultaneous translation and was quite different from giving a seminar in English -- relatively short sentences in simple language, containing the idea you want to put forward. “Then you have to pause while the translator feeds that back to the people. “Questions come back to you in Chinese. The translator translates the question and you get it in English and you answer it in English – so there is a time delay. It changes the way you think and the information you are presenting.”

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 27

Navara a better load bearer ADAM FRICKER

NISSAN HAS enhanced the Navara’s performance under heavy loads by redeveloping the rear suspension and testing it in Australia, the country where feedback about the ute’s load-bearing ability was loudest. No surprises there. The Aussies buy a lot of utes and the Navara accounts for nearly a third of Nissan Australia’s sales volume. The updates, initiated by Nissan Australia, and tested extensively in Australian conditions by a global contingent of Nissan ute experts, have been developed for Dual Cab SL, ST and ST-X variants in the Australian and New Zealand markets. The only visible clue that anything has changed is the higher attitude of the rear of the vehicle when unladen, the raised setting allowing a more level attitude with a load on. The new dual-rate rear spring system has an integrated lower and higher spring rate that provides a comfortable ride in unladen and light payload conditions, and allows higher payload to be carried without compromise in posture or ride and handling quality. When laden, the new rear damper is designed to contact the chassis rail which causes the

damper to compress and the resistance to increase – reducing lateral body movement and improving the Navara’s handling and stability. Rural News drove the truck unladen, then with a 325kg load in the tray and finally towing a 1200kg trailer. The unladen ride is improved and gets better with a load on, and towing performance was excellent. Through miles of winding unsealed roads and

The Navara’s new dual-rate rear spring system has an integrated lower and higher spring rate that provides a comfortable ride in unladen and light payload conditions.

track, there are four additional tie-down hooks located lower within the tray. The same two engine options remain, the most

better secure load. On the RX, SL and ST Pickup grades, tie-down hook positions have been lowered, and on the ST-X grades with Utili-

on faster sealed roads through rural Victoria, Australia it was easy to forget the trailer was even there. The changes have worked. No hitting the bump stops and not a hint of unwanted lateral movements when the loaded suspension hit a bump or rounded a bend. Other changes to the 2018 Navara: in a series of steering adjustments, the steering ratio has been improved from 21.5:1 to a lower 19:1. This means the steering wheel is turned less to get the angle, or the degree of

turn, from the wheels. And it gets an assortment of new safety and technology updates including a 360 degree camera on all ST-X grades, second row ISOFix child seat mounting points on all dual cab grades, and rear view cameras on all variants. From June 2018 production, all Navara SL, ST and ST-X models will have a digital speedometer housed in the instrument cluster, and tie-down hook points have been either increased in number or re-positioned to help

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

MACHINERY & PRODUCTS 29 Discs make right cut

Getting more for less MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

AFTER PICKING up plaudits at the recent Agritechnica Event – Machine of the Year 2018 – a Case IH Maxxum 145 tractor with the new ActiveDrive 8 transmission has gone on to set the lowest specific fuel consumption for a 4-cylinder tractor at the DLG test station. The Powermix test looks at 14 different cycles typically encountered by tractors, and simulates pure pulling, ploughing, PTO and heavy and light transport duties at full or partial loads. The Maxxum 145 showed an average specific fuel consumption of 258 grammes/kWh in the field work section, almost 9.5% better than the previous record. Powered by a 4-cylinder, 4.5L FPT engine with turbocharging and intercool-

ing, the Maxxum 145 meets Tier 4 final emission regulations using the SCR process. This set-up helps deliver 145hp at a rated speed of 2200rpm, which uses Power Management to boost to 160hp. Maximum is delivered at 1800rpm with 155hp available, which also uses a boost function to achieve 175hp when conditions dictate. Vincent Hazenberg, product marketing director for Case IH, says a key factor in the impressive result was the tractor’s new 24 x 24 speed, semi-powershift transmission, which offers eight powershift steps in each of the three main ranges. The set, which offers a maximum ground speed of up to 50km/h, is said to be particularly suited to “power-hungry” tasks where maintaining momentum is critical — such as powering cultivators or triple mowers

DRAINAGE AND SOIL AERATION PAY BIG DIVIDENDS Don’t put good fertiliser on compacted soil which can’t absorb it. If your soil can’t support 15cm root growth and good worm population check for compaction. You could need aeration. In dollar terms, what would 20% production increase mean to your yearly turnover?

AMAZONE HAS extended its range of Catros disc harrows with its heavy-duty linkage-mounted XL series. Available in 3, 3.5 and 4m widths and equipped with 610 mm serrated discs, the cultivators are capable of working depths to 16 cm. The XL series fills the gap between the Catros Plus and Certos trailed cultivators. The former is equipped with 510mm discs and working to depths of 14cm, and the latter has 660mm discs and capable of working down to 20cm. Besides the increase in disc size, a wide row spacing and open frame design ensures passage of crop residue, making it ideal for incorporating heavy cereal, maize or potato stubble. A disc stagger of 12.5cm and steep 17 degree angle of attack on the front row of discs and 14-degree angle on the rear row are said to achieve good incorporation of organic matter alongside the cultivation process. Run 12 - 18km/h, the Catros XL achieves high work rates, and independent tests by the DLG in Ger-

many showed fuel use of 4L/ha when cultivating to a depth of 6cm. Working depth is adjusted via manual spindles or an optional hydraulic system, with a link arm connection between the first and the second disc rows to ensure both gangs work at the same depth. Machines can be specified with coarse-serrated convex discs -- recommended for stubble incorporation -- or lightly-serrated discs to produce a finer seedbed at shallower depths.

Each disc assembly is mounted to the shank via a maintenancefree, oil-immersed bearing. Meanwhile, each shank is mounted to the frame with a solid rubber mounting, in a design that has been proven over several hundred thousand operating hours worldwide. The rear of the machine can be equipped with a choice of ten different rollers to ensure optimum soil reconsolidation in different operating conditions and soil types. – Mark Daniel

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RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

30 MACHINERY & PRODUCTS

Irish trailers make their mark MARK DANIEL markd@ruralnews.co.nz

HIGH CAPACITY trailers, increasingly popular in New Zealand, suit the short distances typically travelled between paddock and clamp. Smyth Trailers, imported by Toplink Machinery, is gaining a loyal following. Set up in 1994, Smyth Trailers is located in County Carlow, Ireland, a country that’s a hotbed of trailer production. Promoting the line ‘built by contractors for contractors’, the company makes trailers for roots, grain, silage, hay and dumping, and offers a bespoke service to individual specifications. One such unit, for Southern contractor Hayden McKenzie, made its debut at Waimumu in the shape of a FM 18 Super Cube unit with nominal volume of 50 cu.m. The 2.9m wide trailer has a sloping front headboard that helps increase overall capacity by 8 cu.m. A heavy-duty chassis uses single 100 x 50mm leaf springs mounted above a 127mm, 10-stud axle that is said to offer improved ground clear-

ance in difficult conditions. At the drawbar, a single transverse leaf spring provides suspension and doubles to carry out a load-sensing function to give smooth, progressive braking via the 420 x 180mm commercial-grade brake set-up. This makes for better tyre wear on the BKT 560-65R22.5 rubber, which in turn is mounted on 50mm oversize rims to reduce tyre roll -- important when each tyre is rated to seven tonnes. The heavy-duty body with one-piece floor tapers to be 100mm wider at the rear, for easier unloading and less risk of vertical jack-knifing. Twin, chrome plated lift rams lift the load and, interestingly, these are plumbed through twin return lines to help reduce cycle times during unloading. At the rear, a highclearance door allows rapid discharge, and the lifting arms are at least 2.5m above ground level, eliminating the risk of catching gateposts in areas of limited access. Standard equipment includes a mesh upper panel in the front head-

The FM 18 Super Cube unit on display at Waimumu.

board to allow the driver to see the load, LED rear lighting, auto reversing lights mounted on the main chassis, a hydraulic parking jack, rear trailer hitch and a bolt-on ring hitch on the drawbar. The McKenzie trailer is also configured as ‘airbrake ready’ if needed in future. www.toplink.co.nz

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DEALERSNATIONWIDE

The modified undercarriage of the McHale Fusion baler sees two extra flotation tyres under the centre of the machine.

CLIMATE CHANGE (global warming?) is giving us wetter, colder springs; look at 2017-18. Hence huge difficulties for farmers and contractors harvesting grass for winter feed, and damage to paddocks in many instances. A nifty idea from Cashels Engineering, County Mayo, Ireland, looks to address the problem with a modified undercarriage for the popular McHale Fusion baler/wrapper combos. Although shod with serious rubber as standard, the Fusion weighs a hefty 5.5 tonnes, and much more if there is a bale in the chamber and on the wrapper table. Cashel’s 4-wheel chassis concept sees two extra flotation tyres mounted under the centre of the machine, reducing overall ground pressure by about 40%. European distributors wanting to address their customers’ wet-spring problems are said to have prompted Cashels’ idea. A prototype was built in 2013 and sent to the McHale distributor Maskindrift in Norway, the biggest market for Fusion. It succeeded and now 40% of all the units in Norway have the modification. Endorsed by McHale, the unit comprises a fine grain steel frame, equipped with FAD 8-stud, braked outer axles and 6-stud unbraked units fitted with 500-50 R17 flotation tyres. In operation, the centre tyres have a 20mm clearance from the ground when travelling on the road or in normal field conditions. These improve stability in wet conditions and help to minimise ground damage. www.cashels.net

RURAL NEWS // MARCH 20, 2018

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