C&C May

INSIDE May

FIELDAYS FORESTRY RURAL DRIVER DAIRY CALF REARING HORTICULTURE

11 - 17 18 23 27 34 37-39

Buffer zone backlash

Transpower wants legal restrictions placed on land use in buffer zones under power pylons and Ohauiti farmer Tony Parkes is among those concerned about the implications for land owners throughout the country. Read his story on page 5.

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 2

Coast & Country

Elaine joins Coast & Country

a group of kiwifruit growers to Latina in Italy to learn Coast & Country has a new editor. how the disease PSA-V had impacted their industry.

Elaine Fisher has joined the team now that Sheryl She also visited Antwerp and Tokyo to see Zespri’s Brown has left to write for Rural News and the Dairy marketing in Europe and Japan. Last year Elaine won Exporter. Elaine is an experienced rural journalist whose the Horticulture New Zealand Journalism Award for career in newspapers began even before she left school. a series of articles she wrote about the out-break of the “Mr bus driver, Gus Dallas, himself a kiwifruit vine disease Psa-V in New Zeaformer journalist, suggested this career land. While she was editor of the Katikati and got me my first role as Paparoa/ Advertiser, the newspaper won the Qantas Maungaturoto Correspondent for the Media Award for the best community Lower North Weekly News when I was in project, heading off both the Herald and the sixth Form at Otamatea High School, the Christchurch Star to take the award and I was hooked.” for a project Elaine helped co-ordinate to Elaine has worked for daily and comraise money for a second full time St John munity newspapers in the Bay of Plenty Ambulance office in the town. and Waikato and as a free-lance writer and Elaine and Graham have three adult magazine editor while her children were children, all of whom have left home, and young. the couple now live at Tanners Point, just For 10 years she and husband Graham north of Katikati.

Elaine Fisher. owned a small deer farm in the Kaimai “I’m delighted the be part of the Ranges near Katikati and both share a love of the bush Coast & Country and Sun Media team and look forand boating. In 2009 Elaine travelled to the USA to see ward to continuing to write about those who live and work in our rural heartlands.”

Fonterra’s operations there and in 2010 accompanied

Plenty to read in our May issue The summer that wasn’t has gone and instead we’ve enjoyed a wonderful run of fine autumn weather but despite the sunshine there’s no denying winter is on its way.

The drop in temperatures sparked one of the most exciting events in the hunting calendar – the roar. Read about two hunter’s early successes on page 8 of this issue of Coast & Country. Winter of course also means it’s Fieldays time and once again one of

the largest events in the Southern Hemisphere opens its gates on Jun 13 - see page 14 for more information.

Sue Edmonds bring us news and views from her slice of rural `heaven’ in The Good Life on page 10 and as always there’s a wealth of good information and advice from our regular columnists on issues from finance to employment, animal health to surveying, fertiliser to kiwifruit.

There’s an interview with New

Zealand’s first Dairy Woman of the Year Barbara Kuriger on page 3 and the new executive officer for Kiwifruit Vine Health Barry O’Neil on page 39.

New associate editor Elaine Fisher writes about Pohokura, a remote and privately owned conservation estate in the central North Island on page 6.

We hope you enjoyed the May issue of Coast & Country and as always, appreciate your feedback: email elaine@thesun.co.nz

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 3

Dairy Woman of Year Farming didn’t figure in the early career plans of New Zealand’s first Dairy Woman of the Year, until love changed her mind.

Barbara Kuriger, inaugural winner of the Dairy Women’s Network, Fonterra sponsored award, says farming was the last job she imagined for herself when she was growing up on her parent’s property in Taranaki.

“For my parents, dairying was a lifestyle but not a passion.”

Barbara’s view of the industry changed when she married Louis Kuriger and the couple moved to a farm at Oanoui in 1979 as 20 per cent sharemilkers.

“I quickly learned to love breeding the cows, the industry and the people involved and that hasn’t changed,” says Barbara.

By 1988 the couple owned their first farm and were milking 200 cows – quite a sizable herd by Dairy Woman of the Year Barbara Kuriger with Taranaki standards of the time. husband Louis, who changed her mind about a Like many farming families, future in dairying.

Louis and Barbara shared milking and caring for their children, Craig, Rachel and Tony.

Barbara, who was the first women director LIC and “There were times when I did the milking and has often been one of few women on other boards, Louis bathed the children.” has encouraged women to aspire to take active roles Dairying is one of the few careers which give in determining the future of the dairy industry. parents the opportunity to spend so much time with Even though there are few women on industry their children and it’s a lifestyle Barbara sees her own boards or in high profile leadership roles, Barbara family enjoying now her grandchildren have come doesn’t believe there are barriers to them being along. there – other than perhaps those women put upon “We didn’t expect our three children would end up themselves. farming. They have tried other occupations but all, “I have never faced any discrimination because I am with their partners, are now part of the family busia woman and while I’m proud to be a woman, I don’t ness which is wonderful.” consider gender is important. It’s about doing a good To allow the next generation to make their own job and I tend to get in boots and all.” mark on the business and in the farming world, BarMany other women can do what she has done, bara and Louis have moved to live in New Plymouth Barbara says. and while Louis keeps in touch with the land by “It’s a matter of having confidence in yourself and carrying out contracting work on the properties, Barbelieving you can achieve.” bara says she seldom at home, so absorbed is she in Becoming the first New Zealand Dairy Woman of leadership and governance roles within the industry. the Year is both an honour and a responsibility.

Those roles grew naturally from her very hands“I haven’t done what I have done to win awards on involvement in farming with Louis and through but it is nice to be appreciated. I hope to encourage the many awards the couple won, which introduced people to nominate entrants for next year’s award.” them to other like-minded farmers. Barbara’s passion Now she represents women in the industry in a to help the agricultural industry and those involved whole new way Barbara is blazing a trail for those in it prosper saw her take on a number of leadership who will follow and plans to record her year through roles. a regular blog yet to be set up.

She is currently director of Dairy Training Ltd, a “I’m not sure how to go about it but the team at director of AgricultureITO, chair of the NZ Dairy the Dairy Women’s Network will help me. I think Industry Awards Trust, a former member of the Fonterra Shareholders' Council, and past chair of the it will be easier to record things as I go rather than try to create a report at the end of 12 months, and it LIC National Council.

might be more interesting for people to follow.”

It will without a doubt be an interesting year. As Dairy Woman of the Year, Barbara has won a scholarship for the prestigious Women in Leadership course run by Global Women, valued at $25,000. The scholarship is sponsored by Fonterra Milk Supply.

Michelle Wilson, chair of Dairy Women’s Network, says Barbara repre-

sented the type of leadership the Dairy Women’s Network wants to foster.

“The judges saw in Barbara a real demonstration of leadership by example. She exemplifies the Dairy Women’s Network values of innovation, commitment, inclusiveness, credibility and integrity. Barbara displays an absolute passion for all people involved in the dairy industry.”

By Elaine Fisher

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 4

Coast & Country

Pylon action group to be formed Steve Bailey (left) and Ohauiti land owner Tony Parkes are among those affected

by Transpower pylons on their land and are working for form a nation-wide action group to protect landowners’ rights.

By Elaine Fisher

A land and pylons action group is to be formed to represent landowners whose property rights are affected by electricity transmission lines passing through their land.

Te Puke farmer and member of Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers Steve Bailey says the call for the group came from two public meetings in March to discuss the possible impacts of incorporating protected transmission line buffer zones in the Western Bay of Plenty District Council District Plan.

“Land owners are really worried that Plan Change 5 could seriously affect what they can do with land underneath and either side of

transmission lines and they want a group formed to take action on their behalf.”

The action group will be for landowners throughout the country as Steve says the issue is not just a Bay of Plenty one.

“These provisions are included in all council district plans and people need to be aware of that and make submissions if they have concerns.

“If they don’t, they can’t complain later if someone else is making decisions about their land use.”

Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers president John Scrimgeour has warned the proposals don’t just affect rural landowners.

“Non-farming landowners are affected as well, with similar processes happening in other districts, including Tauranga City Council.

“It is important that all affected

landowners challenge this scheme if they disagree with it,” says John.

Steve says many landowners were unaware of the full implications of the proposal, even though they had received notification fcouncil about the changes.

“Farmers receive so much information it’s hard to take note of it all, so many missed the opportunity to make formal submissions on the proposal.”

The proposed plan change would mean activities within the buffer zones would be restricted and in some cases subject to resource consents. A pre-hearing meeting on Tuesday April 17 between Transpower and other submitters did result in some concessions, with the company agreeing to reduce the width of one class of buffer.

Steve says the action group wants

to work with Transpower and continue the conversation, but he believes buffer zones should not be part of any council’s district plan.

Transpower communications manager Rebecca Wilson says the meeting was a good opportunity to talk to the other submitters directly.

She confirmed Transpower has reduced the width of buffer zones required beneath 110kV lines and changed restrictions on normal farming activities within the zones.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council manager for resource management, Phillip Martelli, says the meeting was constructive. The formal hearing regarding the inclusion of buffer zones in the District Plan will be on May 25 before an independent commission,.cCouncillors will then decide if the changes should become part of the plan.

Zones to protect power lines The move to protect Transpower’s transmission corridor has come about since the Government released a National Policy Statement on Electricity Transmission.

The statement says councils need to ensure their district plans reflects those policies. The NPSET requires that an `appropriate buffer corridor’ be identified on the district plan and

the buffer area put in place to protect the transmission lines from `sensitive activities’.

Councils throughout the country are now considering adding protected buffer corridors to their district plans.

Buffer zones are aimed to protect transmission lines from `sensitive activities’.

COAST & COUNTRY

PH 07 578 0030

Page 5

Buffer zone proposal is ‘land theft’

By Elaine Fisher

Tony Parkes has tolerated the impacts on his business and property values of three power pylons on his Ohauiti farm but now Transpower wants legal restrictions placed on what he can do around the lines, he’s had enough.

“What they are asking amounts to land theft,” says Tony.

“I understand we have to have power and that these lines serve Tauranga City but what is proposed would affect how I can work and develop the farm,” says Tony, who could potentially lose control of up to six hectares of his 40 hectare dry stock farm.

That’s because Transpower has asked the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to include transmission line buffer zones in its District Plan which could see restrictions placed on buildings, trees and any development in an area of between 24 metres to 32 metres either side of the pylons and the lines they carry.

Western Bay is the first council in the country to consider Transpower’s request to protect the transmission corridor under the Resource Management Act and Steve Bailey of Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers says this is a test case landowners throughout the country are watching with interest.

“From Federated Farmers’ point of view, buffer zones should not be part of the district plan and Transpower should negotiate with land owners individually.”

Steve says nationally at least 48,000 hectares of privately owned land could be affected if a precedent is set by the proposed changes to Western Bay council’s plans.

“If council incorporates buffer zones into its District Plan it will amount to a significant land grab and seriously affect what owners can do on their land, as well as the value of their properties,” says Steve.

The three pylons on Tony’s farm were installed around 40 years ago and while his parents May and Norm received some compensation for their construction, Tony says that in no way made up for the issues the transmission lines have caused in the decades since.

“My parents weren’t happy about them going over

their land but they had no choice. The construction process left our farm tracks in a mess and all of the pylons are in hay paddocks which affects how we can mow them.”

While Tony receives notice when staff go on to the property to maintain or upgrade the pylons and lines, exactly when they will arrive is never clear.

“They are good about closing gates but sometimes come in very wet weather – I’ve even had to pull one of their vehicles out by tractor after it got away on them.”

However, that’s a minor inconvenience compared with what might happen if Plan Change 5 is adopted into the District Plan. That could mean restrictions would be imposed on how the land affected by the buffer zones would be used and there would be new rules for earthworks, buildings and subdivisions.

Tony says the pylons have already affected a subdivision he made on part of the farm, which enjoys extensive views of Tauranga.

“Two of the pylons are right in the view which put some people off buying the land. This farm is so close to the city its long term future is probably urban but if Transpower has its way it could be difficult to subdivide.”

Steve believes if buffer zones become law it will open the way for other energy providers to seek similar protection without compensating land owners.

“People tend to think farmers have plenty of land so why should it be a problem but just like someone in the city, every meter of land is important to those who have bought and paid for it. It is wrong if anyone, especially a large company, is able to profit from the free use of someone else’s land.”

The width of the buffer zones originally proposed could mean owners of smaller lifestyle blocks or orchards through which the lines pass may have restrictions imposed over their entire property.

Twins Kyle and Regan Parkes (13) and their father Tony illustrate how much land a proposed buffer zone beneath a power pylon on their Ohauiti farm may be affected by proposed new district council rules. Regan is standing at the 12 metre mark and Tony at 32 metres.

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COAST & COUNTRY

Coast & Country

Conserving native flora and fauna The `forest fairy’ skipping along the narrow bush path stopped beside a slender tree.

“That’s a pittosporum turneri and it’s very rare,” said Jemma Shaw with authority few six-year-olds could match. A little further on she pointed out white coral lichen and then ran off to catch up with the family dog Tui. Later, back at the cottage home she shares with parents Peter and Julie, Jemma coloured in a princess picture and played with Barbie dolls, a counterpoint to the environment she was born into and one few modern youngsters experience.

Jemma, Julie and Peter live on the remote 11,348ha property called Pohokura on the Central Plateau north of the Napier-Taupo Highway.

Owned by Auckland businessman Simon Hall, executive chairman of Tasti Products Ltd, Pohokura is predominately covered in red beech forest and managed as a

private conservation block under the Forest Lifeforce Restoration Trust (FLRT) of which Simon is chairman. Peter, also a trustee, is manager of the trust and of Simon’s forest properties.

It’s nine years since Peter left a senior position with the Department of Conservation and he and Julie moved to Pohokura – about one and a half hours drive from Taupo along a maze of forestry and private roads.

For Pete it is a dream job and he’s full of admiration for the investment and commitment Simon has made into four properties, three in the North Island and one north of Milford Sound, all with the intention of the restoration of threatened native fauna and flora.

“Since 1999, Simon has established, at his own expense, good backcountry infrastructure which is necessary for the project work and recreation at Pohokura.”

This includes 120 kilometres of walking tracks, eight huts and other accommodation, vehicles, equipment and communications.

Jemma has grown up at Pohokura, in a wild environment close to the way New Zealand used to be and she loves it.

“I love everything about living

loves the isolated lifestyle and the wildlife

here. The walks in the bush, swimming in the river in summer – just everything. Do you know you can eat this plant if you get lost and hungry?” she said as she guided us along the tack known as the Nature Trail.

Julie and Pete have fostered Jemma’s love and understanding of the environment at every opportunity and her first five years were spent immersed in the outdoors. Now she and Julie spend four days a week at Ohope with Pete’s father so Jemma can go to school in Whakatane, but she’s always happy to return home on Thursday nights, despite the long drive.

Fortunately for Pete, Julie also loves the isolated lifestyle and the wildlife and worked alongside Pete in track construction and other tasks.

Pete has little desire to leave the land he administers. The young man who grew up in Whakatane and wanted to become a deer culler had his plans thwarted by a knee injury when out hunting.

“I couldn’t go deer culling so I went to uni as a second choice.”

Pete later joined the Department of Conservation where his knowledge of the bush, developed from teenage years spent hunting deer and trapping possums in the Te Urewera National Park, and his academic abilities, were quickly recognised.

d the rare Jemma Shaw an rneri. pittosporum tu

Julie, Pete and Jemma with dog Tui love their isolated lifestyle at Pohokura.

PH 07 578 0030

COAST & COUNTRY

An isolated lifestyle

However, the opportunity to manage a privately owned conservation estate, and Simon Hall’s commitment to realising Pohokura’s ecological potential, were too good an opportunity to miss, so Pete and Julie moved onto the property and into a newly built cottage late in 2002.

In 2005 Simon bought the 6120ha property called Maungataniwha some seven kilometres east of Pohokura and Pete took over its management too.

Maungataniwha is bordered to the north by Te Urewera National Park and the west by the Whirinaki Conservation Forest.

The area has three main types of forest, kanuka/kamahi, tawa/ podocarp and red beech with emergent rimu.

It is of national importance geologically as the site where palaeontologist Joan Wiffen first discovered evidence of land-based dinosaur fossils in New Zealand.

“Before Joan made that discovery, it was thought New Zealand didn’t have any land dinosaurs and her find caused quite a stir among scientists.”

Pete has also found a section of rock containing large vertebrae, believed to be from a plesiosaur, in the Mangahouanga Stream.

A keen hunter since teenage days, Pete now admits to getting just as much thrill from finding a

A crystal clear river runs through Pohokura.

rare plant as having a deer in his sights. Among those plants he’s enthusiastic about are Pittosporum turneri, kakabeak (Clianthus maximus), mistletoe (peraxilla tetrapetala) and the native wood parasite commonly known as the wood rose (dactylanthus taylorii).

It was Pete’s botanist brother Willie (of Wildland Consultants) who first discovered a kakabeak plant in 1983; at the time the only confirmed record of the plant, believed to number around 100 in the wild, in the Waiau catchment of Te Urewera National Park.

Subsequently in 2008 Willie and Pete found three other plants and the FLRT approved the establishment of a kakabeak restoration project, using plants located in the Te Urewera National Park as a source of seeds and cutting. Pete now oversees a nursery set up to propagate the plants as a seed source to repopulate the wild.

Pittosporum turneri has tiny flowers and non-descript foliage, but Pete (and Jemma and Julie) have become experts at finding plants which are ranked by DOC as ‘nationally critical’. This is the most threatened ranking and Pete says the plant is at serious risk of extinc-

tion, largely due to predation by possum.

“Possums feed on and kill the adult form of the plant, supressing the emergence of the adult foliage and only adult foliage can produce flowers and seed.

Since on-going periodic aerial 1080 poisoning of possums began in 2005, we have seen the emergence of the adult foliage and seed.”

Pohokura and Maungataniwha are also home to many endangered birds, including little black shag, fernbird, yellow crowned kakariki, long tailed cuckoo, kereru, bush flacon, grey duck, North Island kaka, and whio (Blue duck).

Native bats and gecko are also to be found.

In 2005 trust members discovered a remnant population of kiwi at Maungataniwha, a find which was unexpected because the area had no history of pest control and more than 95 per cent of wild kiwi chicks die mainly because of predation by stoats.

Pete consulted Dr John McLennan, an expert in kiwi, and the result was the establishment of the Maungataniwha Kiwi Project. In March international fashion model and actress Rachel Hunter took part in

100 kiwi chicks have been released

the return to the wild of the 100th kiwi chick to be hatched and released by the project.

This is the sixth season the trust has worked alongside BNZ Operation Nest Egg and Kiwi Encounter in Rotorua to take kiwi eggs from the wild, incubate them and release the birds once they are big enough to defend themselves.

Fifty of the trust’s 100 kiwi chicks have been released back into the Maungataniwha Native Forest, where the eggs came from, and 50 have been relocated to the Cape Kidnappers and Ocean Beach Preserve. Another 30 are due for release at Maungataniwha from this season’s eggs.

Pete’s role as manager for FLRT is varied, from cutting and maintaining walking tracks, to identifying and protecting endangered flora and fauna, pest control, writing funding applications and annual reports, and working with scientists, to helping Simon host guests to his unique properties.

It’s a life he loves, despite the long cold winters, and never leaving home without a chainsaw in the ute to cut trees off the forestry roads just to get to town.

By Elaine Fisher

Simon Hal chicks rele l with one of the ki ased at M aungatan wi iwha.

Page 7

HUNT FISH EAT

Page 8

Coast & Country

Safety first for The Roar 4: Identify your target beyond all doubt from deerstalkers in many hunting Movement, colour, sound and shape can all areas and the subsequent danger that deceive you. Assume colour, shape, sound, and comes into play with so many out in shape to be human until proven the hills. On that otherwise. note, it is a good Zealand and 5: Check your firing zone time to reinforce overseas hunters Think! What may happen if you the importance of travelling here. miss your target? What might firearm safety.

It is an exciting you hit between you and the Let’s take look time. Deer are at target or beyond? at the seven basic their most active Do not fire if you know others principles. during this time g sta int po a 10 are in your firing zone. of the year and Nik Maxwell with ku ranges.

6: Store firearms and ammuniThe firearms the hills come he shot in the Mama tion safely safety code: alive with the When not in use, lock away the seven basic rules of safe firearms activity of rutting red stags, wapiti bolt, firearm and ammunition handling bulls and fallow bucks.

Beginner’s luck - Scott bag separately.

1: Treat every firearm as loaded With that comes the added pressure ged fallow deer on his first hun a Never leave firearms in a vehicle Check every firearm your ting that is unattended. self. Pass or accept only an trip in April.

7: Avoid alcohol and drugs when open or unloaded firearm. handling firearms 2: Always point firearms in a safe direction Loaded Good judgment is the key to safe use of firearms. or unloaded, always point the muzzle in a safe All it really comes down to is simple common direction. sense and an understanding and respect for firearms.

3: Load a firearm only when ready to fire. Load the I don’t want to preach on about this but simply say magazine only after you reach your shooting take care out there and be safe. area. Load the chamber only when ready to shoot. Completely unload before leaving the

By Nik Maxwell, associate editor/creative director, shooting area.

New Zealand Guns & Hunting Magazine

Hi and welcome to the first column on hunting in the Bay of Plenty.

It’s been a busy few weeks over March/April. Quite easily the most exciting and anticipated time of the hunting calendar is upon us, The Roar. Plans have been made, gear packed and families waved farewell to as eager hunters make their way into our backcountry in search of that elusive trophy.

This period of hunting would have to be the highlight for every young and old, amateur to professional deerstalker from both New

Hunting prospects in the Bay I have spent the last three weeks hunting an area in the Mamaku just out of Rotorua.

The red stags there were roaring spasmodically and I have heard that they don’t seem to roar that well in this particular area anyway.

Nonetheless, my good mate Scotty and I came away with a result and took home a decent 10 point red stag. The Kaimai State Forest Park also offers reasonable hunting for

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those who are prepared to put the effort in.

Fallow deer are just beginning to mob up and in several doe territories throughout Oropi/Otawa Scenic Reserve, buck scrapes and rubs are beginning to appear. The fallow rut is underway.

Also, I took a young, keen teenager out for his first deer hunt on April 17 and after several hours stalking through some typical Te Puke bush, he bagged himself a fallow spiker right off the track!

Talk about beginner’s luck, good on ya Scott! Not only that, he carried the whole animal back to the car, which was a decent 5km hike.

Good stuff!

Duck hunting begins May 5, this year; another exciting time for hunters. I’ll confess, I am not much of a duck hunter, but I always try and get out on opening morning and bag a couple of high fliers.

Best of luck though for those who are out on opening morning or still out searching for a trophy!

By Nik Maxwell

PH 07 578 0030

COAST & COUNTRY

Living up to its reputation Rotorua local John (‘Keeno’) Keen has fished for decades but the monster he hauled out of Lake Rotoiti in the middle of April still had him beaming.

He and long-time fishing mate Phil Heron were harling from his boat Dr Hook when Keeno hooked the 6.46kg (14lb) wild rainbow on a Pat Swift fly.

John says the 750mm whopper was his biggest trout ever. He graciously describes it as a team effort noting that his mate netted the fish superbly, with all the panache of “an Aussie top order batsman.” The pair caught one other fish, “a smelt by comparison,” at 2.5 to 3lb.

Meanwhile, Trent Thomson caught a solid hatchery-bred rainbow off Gisborne Point, Lake Rotoiti, around the same time. The trout measured 745mm and weighed 5.95kg.

Fish & Game Officer Matt Osborne says the “very solid fish are right up there” for rainbows caught in the

Rotorua lakes district over the last decade.

The fact that John Keen’s fish was a wild trout shows that some natural spawning does take place, which is valuable for the fishery. However the value of the hatchery’s work lies in the fact that there’s not enough natural spawning – and Fish & Game’s big fish breeding programme means they can keep pace with the “demand” from anglers. “We release 28,500 rainbows into Lake Rotoiti every year.”

Rotoiti has produced some fine fish for a number of years as a lake which provides plenty of food for trout to grow large on, he adds.

Matt Osborne says the winter shoreline fishing is heating up around the Rotorua Lakes. The Te Wairoa fish trap at Lake Tarawera is getting an earlier run of fish than staff have seen during the last two years. “ Autumn has kicked off very well with 65 fish through the trap already in two weeks of running it, and fish averaging just under 600mm and in at weighing 2.63kg.”

Warning 1080 drop zone Waikato Regional Council is urging hunters not to use dogs in the Whareorino–Herangi Ranges, and surrounding land in the western King Country, now a large possum control operation gets underway.

The previously announced operation, jointly funded by the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Waikato Regional Council and being carried out by experienced local operator EcoFX, began in April.

The first phase of the operation will cover 25,000 hectares of forest using baits dropped from helicopters. A nontoxic pre-feed will be laid first, followed by 1080 pellets baits a week or more later.

The second phase of the operation involves 8000 hectares of ground control on the surrounding farmland and smaller patches of bush. The council says possum numbers have risen considerably since the last big operation in 2006, meaning the operations are likely to kill a lot of

possums. If dogs eat poisoned carcasses they can die as well. Hunting with dogs is strongly discouraged from the start of the operation until the end of the caution period. This will probably be four to six months after the operation has finished, depending on rainfall and temperatures over winter.

The scale of the operation reflects the high environmental and biodiversity values in the Whareorino and Herangi Ranges, council says.

The possum control method being used in the latest operation will also drop rat numbers down for a period.

High on the ranges is a unique wetland (cushion bogs) and the most important population of Archey’s Frog in New Zealand.

DOC has just completed a six year study of rat predation on frogs, which found that frog numbers clearly decline without rat control.

The area to be treated also has large and important examples of coastal forest trees that will benefit from low possum numbers. Goat control over the past two years has also removed around 3000 goats from the forests.

John Keen says he was still too stunned to smile when this photo was taken.

Page 9

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 10

Coast & Country

Keeping the animals fed The lime is spread! My lovely neighbour whooshed round four of my paddocks in double quick time, putting two bags of lime on each. The animals stood gloomily in the smallest paddock, which is still waiting for a top up.

The small field was my sacrifice paddock last winter and does it show! It’s full of lumps and bumps, and obviously the feed in there is not nearly as nice as elsewhere, despite looking deep green and lush. I haven’t got round to comparing sweetness with my brix meter, but the tribe definitely think it’s inferior.

One thing I have noticed in recent weeks is the

amount of extra grass in my two hay paddocks.

Because it was made late, the ryegrass had dropped its seed, and the response has been nearly as good as a complete pasture renewal - at no cost! Sometimes I think that instead of spraying, ripping, disking and sowing, some farms could save money by just making some hay and letting nature do the rest.

Having been listening to the biological and liming experts of late, and hearing how fast cowpats should disappear, I’m obviously not being kind enough to my earthworms. And donkeys are tidy creatures that don’t just drop dung anywhere, but create spreading piles in

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Bessie throwing a hissy fit! favourite places. Now there are folk who dutifully trot out several times a week and collect it, particularly those with horses. In my ‘honeymoon’ days as a mini-farmer I gathered barrowloads, but the speed of life has increased, and my standards have slipped rather.

Donkey doo is very acid, so I’ve hit on a compromise. Once a week I now march out to the most recently used paddock, armed with half a bucket of lime and a three-pronged long handled tool designed to scarify soil (which I bought for $15 when I found real hay rakes were $105). This does a perfect job at spreading the piles far and wide, and I then sprinkle the whole area with lime. So far the dung is disappearing much faster, and is replaced with grass, rather than docks. Lime is a lot cheaper than fertiliser, so I’m achieving two goals with one swipe. I just hope the earthworms are appreciating my efforts!

Bessie, the new donkey, has fitted in wonderfully, although she’s had to learn about animal pecking orders, having been unused to large bossy cows and

goats. In the mornings I roll out with apple helpings before shifting the fence.

These days I am greeted with huge snortings and even full bodied brays from Bessie. However her idea that she should be treated first is not what two goats consider correct. They get whole small apples, but these have to be held out and turned around so they can take several bites. Meanwhile Bessie snorts, with ears back and nose thrust forward.

I only have two hands and these are full of goat apples, so she has to wait.

In the interim, if she gets too stroppy, Lily goat merely turns her head with a mock butting move, and continues to bite and chew furiously. Bessie watches it disappear and then stands with mouth open for hers.

Sally cow gets an ice cream pot of squashy apples, Rosie likes me to go to wherever she is and thrust one into her mouth, Tomas donk stands patiently with a resigned expression, waiting for his two halves, delivered one at a time.

But if I didn’t go through the process every day, I’m sure they’d let me know!

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FIELDAYS

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Page 11

Last chance for creative entries Time is running out for those with a creative flair who want to enter two of Fielday’s most popular competitions.

The closing date for entries for both the 2012 Fieldays Innovation Competition and the 2012 Ag Art Wear Competition is May 16.

Ag Art Wear, a competition and sub-event at NZ National Agricultural Fieldays challenges designers to create ‘wearable art’ garments from materials found or used on farms or the land. The categories this year are Avant Garde, Avant Garde under 21, Designer Traditional and Landcare Awareness.

In the innovation competition participants can enter one of two categories, invention or equipment. The invention section attracts rural innovations which are not commercially produced but demonstrate ingenious ideas to aid farming processes.

The equipment section invites professionals and businesses to showcase new or improved rural products. Innovations can already be on the market for up to six months before Fieldays, with businesses treating the innovation competition as a platform to firmly launch their product to the industry.

For those new to the competition, The Next Step evening, sponsored by Dairy Automation Limited, provides insight for first time entrants. The forum, held by experienced business leaders, addresses start up challenges often faced by entrepreneurs.

“Competitors not only enter for the substantial prizes but also because they have the ability to gauge public perception, gain media coverage and receive invaluable advice from industry professionals,” says event coordinator Adam Reinsfield.

Interested candidates in AgArt and Innovation competitions are urged to enter on the Fieldays website www.fieldays.co.nz.

All entries are kept confidential until they are unveiled on the first day of Fieldays, June 13, 2012.

Stunning and innovative designs, using materials found on the farm or in the landscape are always a feature of the Ag Art Wear competition at Fieldays

FIELDAYS

Page 12

Coast & Country

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imagined just how successful the feeder would be.

Not only is it widely used for feeding hens, Grandpa’s specialised feeders for zoos and bird sanctuaries are becoming increasingly popular due to their indestructible quality - necessary for kea.

Mark exhibited the Grandpa’s Feeder for the first time at Mystery Creek Fieldays in 1999, confident he would sell many units as everyone with chooks had the same problems as Bill. However, he only sold eight feeders.

Although a little discouraged, they didn’t give up. They made improvements and designed different sizes to meet what the market wanted.

Last year Grandpa’s Feeders completed its 13th Mystery Creek Fieldays with six family members manning the exhibit but still struggling to speak to everyone visiting the site.

There are a growing number of copycat feeders popping up around the country trying to muscle in on the market they’ve created, but Grandpa’s believe that their feeder is of superior design and quality. They also offer a full money back guarantee for 12 months after purchase, and full after-sales service.

Grandpa’s is continually innovating and improving its products while maintaining that old fashioned quality that has been the foundation of the company’s success.

The latest addition is a grill designed to prevent poultry from flicking food out of the feeder. The team often get feedback from customers who have feeders up to 15 years old that are still working well.

www.wetit.co.nz

PH 07 578 0030

FIELDAYS

Page 13

Homes for people and horses The company well known for its American barn houses and light commercial buildings is also expert at designing and constructing equestrian facilities.

Econobuilt has more than 30 years’ experience in designing and building homes, workshops, commercial buildings and stables but such was the demand for specialist equestrian buildings it formed a new division called Harrison Lane.

Both divisions of the company will be at the 2012 National Fieldays at Site N18.

Econobuilt’s Rural and Lifestyle Division is committed to creating an outstanding building experience for customers, says Neville Dennis Econobuilt Manager.

simply astounding, our design team works ``To achieve this we work hard to really with to develop our client’s vision, ensuring understand what’s important to our client, the end result reflects their personal style. then, armed with this information and our We handle the entire project from concept experience, we strive to deliver the best posto handover, ensuring plans come to sible outcome for the project.’’ fruition without the stress and Harrison Lane was born to the standards agreed at the out of a growing demand “Our design team outset.’’ for purpose built, custom Neville says the comdesigned equestrian works with to pany’s philosophy is facilities, he says.

‘Building better for less’ ``We specialise in develop our client’s by combining high qualthe design and convision, ensuring ity with reasonable prices struction of stables, and consistently deliverequestrian facilities, the end result ing a great customer barns, lofts and funcreflects their experience. tion venues that are ``Our commitment to stylish, of high quality personal style.” traditional solid timber buildand completely satisfy each ing techniques and the experience customer’s unique requiregained while completing over 3000 ments. buildings has firmly established Econobuilt ``Whether the stable complex as New Zealand’s leading barn style builder.’’ is to be relatively simple or

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Page 14

FIELDAYS

Coast & Country

Working for agricultural exporters The independent National Fieldays Society company, NZ Agribusiness Centre, has recently acquired NZ Agritech Inc, a group of Kiwi agricultural exporters set up in 1994 to assist its members to achieve export growth.

A significant role of NZ Agritech was arranging group participation in major agricultural shows internationally and NZABC will continue to build on NZ Agritech’s progress, aiming to bridge the gap for exporters even further.

As part of National Fieldays Society and responsible for the international exhibition area and business visitor lounge at the Fieldays event, NZABC is well aligned to be able to work with both New Zealand exporters and overseas customers year round.

The NZ Agribusiness Centre was formed to provide pooled resource and expertise to coordinate commercial opportunities and implement marketing activities for New Zealand’s agricultural businesses within the country and most importantly, abroad.

The NZABC aims to be known as an advocate for the industry on issues

such as bio-security, accessing funds for business growth, and promoting to the world the amazing capabilities New Zealand has to offer.

Benefits to members include: • NZABC arranging attendance and visibility as a group at a range of international agricultural events, providing an affordable way for NZ agribusinesses to promote themselves internationally.

• NZABC facilitates visits to New Zealand for international agricultural visitors, and offers an introductory service to connect overseas agricultural customers to members.

• NZABC organises a range of networking and intra-industry events and discussions, to develop relationships with others in the industry and build capability through mentoring and knowledge sharing.

• A variety of advertising and promotional opportunities for NZ agricultural companies, and access to industry research and information.

For further information on NZ Agribusiness Centre, visit www.nzagribusinesscentre.co.nz or phone Terry Blackler, international agribusiness manager, 07 843 4497; email terryb@nzagribusinesscentre.co.nz

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FIELDAYS

PH 07 578 0030

Page 15

Building company widens its scope

Innovative Design Improves Efficiency Ezi-flo pit gates completely clear exit ways and cannot be touched by cows leaving the milking area.

The fully galvanised gates are available in kitset for speedy installation

0800 226974 Design and build contracts, rural and residential buildings, industrial and commercial builds, kit set homes, even garages and garden sheds – it’s all part of what they do at Letts Construction.

In fact, the company has recently changed its trading name from Letts Buildings to Letts Construction, to better reflect its scope of works.

Letts has been operating in the Bay of Plenty and throughout the North Island since 1967. Rob and Jennie Campbell have owned Letts since 1998. Their son, Phil, is involved in the construction management side of the family business based at Mount Maunganui. The Letts premises include a large factory where all components, such as framing and trusses, are fabricated. The site is also base for four teams of Letts builders and their architectural designer.

Manufacturing in-house has many

advantages, Rob says.

“It means our customers get to deal directly with us as the manufacturers, rather than with agents or franchise holders. It also means we maintain strict quality control and build expertise in our own team rather than relying on out-sourcing.”

Letts Construction is about steel as well as timber framed buildings. Subsidiary companies are the Steel Sheds R Us franchise, which was started by the Campbells, and Steel Plus Buildings, which has a history of 45-plus years of structural steel and half-round buildings.

Letts has developed a loyal following over the years, with satisfied customers keen to recommend this highly professional and exacting company.

The company’s New Zealand market is expanding, as is its involvement in overseas projects. Kitset homes destined for foreign shores are a recent contract. This company is continuing to build on its already impressive strengths.

This new commercial building in Tauranga is an example of a Letts Construction design and build project. The company also builds kitset homes, garages and garden sheds.

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Page 16

Coast & Country

Fieldays’ growth from modest beginnings CHICKEN FERTILISER & LIME The Changing Face of Farming is the premiere feature for the 2012 Fieldays.

cken certified organic chi We sell standard & manure. ctive, all year round It is a natural, cost effeture, maize crops, N.P.K fertiliser for passmall blocks. market gardens and spread.

We supply, cart and le in bags or bulk.

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Located in the centre of the New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays the feature examines New Zealand's land ownership models, showcasing the rewards, progresses and challenges in the ever changing landscape of the rural sector.

The purpose of a Fieldays Premier Feature is to highlight an important topic of relevance to the rural industry, forming a primary theme for the annual event.

In recent years Premier Features at Fieldays have emphasised topics such as Productivity, Innovation, Science, Traceability, The Business of Breeding, People on Farms, Energy Efficient Farming, efarming, Landcare, Information Technology and Electronics.

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Fieldays Facts

• 1968 idea proposed by a group of local Waikato men • 1969 1st Fieldays at Te Rapa Racecourse budget of $10,500 • 15,000 people attended 1st event • 1971 moved to Mystery Creek • 1995 Mystery Creek Pavilion and Events Centre created • 117,495 people attended 2011 Fieldays

The size and scope of the vent itself has changed dramatically too.

The New Zealand National Agricultural Fieldays Society is a not-for-profit organisation that relies heavily on volunteer input. The Society was originally set up over 44 years ago to provide a conduit between urban and rural business.

The land at the Fieldays venue, Mystery Creek Events Centre was purchased by the society in 1971, and has been developed constantly since that time. More land has been purchased (now 95 hectares of land); buildings have been built; many of the roads have been sealed; power and water infrastructure has been installed; and a water treatment plant has been developed.

The NZ National Agricultural Fieldays event remains the cornerstone of the society, with more and more events now being hosted every year. The society now owns and manages the property, Fieldays, Transport and Heavy Equipment Expo and jointly operates the Waikato Boat Fishing and Leisure Show.

The society consists of a pool of dedicated volunteers and a professional event management team. Both of these groups report through to the Board of Directors.

Being a non-profit organisation, any surpluses generated from the events, or from hosting others, are invested in further development of the property, venues and facilities.

For detailed historical accounts, courtesy of National Fieldays Society members, visit the official 'Fieldays History' website.

PH 07 578 0030

FIELDAYS

Page 17

Teen encouraged to seek careers in agriculture When school leavers think about careers in agriculture, it’s probably a safe bet that many of them don’t see past a lot of standing in a pit faced with cow udders!

For farm problems with insects, fungi, and weeds and pests, the importance of what to use where, and how to read the labels on the containers intelligently was a whole new ballgame for some.

Breeding good stock, the complexities of choosing the right bulls for the right cows, and then exploring the intricacies But the multiple facets of the whole of AI brought biology to the fore, and business of agriculture need a whole lot ‘Breed’nBetsy’, the artificial cow, must more young people to realise how many have been a revelation for some, given options there are out there. It’s not just the hoots of laughter from the different working on farms, but everything from groups. chemistry and biology, to food science, Managing finances and making sensible marketing and export. In fact, everything decisions on best options was more involved from ‘pasture to plate’. complex than When around many students 120 senior students had previously turned up to thought.

Karapiro, having Our export expressed some meat markets interest in agriculare many and ture, they were in various, and for an interesting learning which day. They were countries take required to try our different to identify and cuts, and what match seeds to needs to be on finished products, Which seeds make which product? the packaging to identify plants and suit their market requirements also needs appropriate fertilisers, estimate feed and a lot of learning, and was obviously way pasture allocations, to work out prime beyond some, who needed to read a few lamb weights and relate them to market more farming papers to find out where prices. Each task appealed to different those valuable exports go to. kids, but demonstrated new ways to Getting our dairy products etc onto think about their skills. ships sailing at appropriate times, to get They also had to work out which areas them to their destinations before they of a farm should be used for different spoil, appealed to the maths whizzes in purposes, including how to deal with streams, bush and wetlands, where to site each group, but left others looking a bit stunned. effluent systems, and how to best utilise Those whose aim was vet school rela variety of different animal species. ished distinguishing the ‘things’ in jars of Some kids were pretty knowledgeable, while others had never given it a thought formalin, while others were definitely not impressed. before.

Beams & Timber Direct Ltd (BTD)

The afternoon was spent ‘speed dating’ where representatives from the variety of industries talked about their jobs.

Talking to some of the students at lunchtime, some were very decided on what they wanted to do next year, while others appeared blown away by the huge range of choices and the knowledge required for them.

There will be 10 of these sessions held this year, six in the North Island and four in the South, with the final ones being held in June.

Funded jointly by DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the organisation of each experimental day has been handed over to Young Farmers members, who urged their teams on and made sure the shy ones participated too.

Page 18

FORESTRY

Coast & Country

Pest-free vision in forest Sir Paul Callaghan left us a vision of a pest-free New Zealand, where our silent forests would be filled with bird song and the rustle of lizards and insects.

Described as one of New Zealand’s most distinguished public scientist and a ‘giant’ in the world of molecular physics, Sir Paul died from cancer in March.

He suggested we could begin by creating forest sanctuaries and extending them, like ripples spreading from stones thrown into a pond. In a small way, this is what is happening at Aongatete Forest.

The area where the Aongatete Forest Restoration Trust is controlling possums, rats and stoats

has been increased to 280 hectares and includes and extends way beyond the short loop track. Now the margin is further extended by a ring of stoat traps to the banks of the Aongatete Stream. This stoat trapping is the beginning of a Forest and Bird project which will progress into possum and rat control in an ever-widening loop.

Already the effects on the wildlife are apparent. Insect life like weta and giraffe weevils is abundant. There are lots of robins, fantails and tomtits.

Eggshells on the tracks show where kereru have nested in the trees above and hopefully reared their single chick, unmolested by rats A male and stoats. A gecko, Tomtit favourite food of

rats, was found climbing a tree trunk and a mystery footprint was photographed in a patch of mud.

Could it be a kiwi footprint? It certainly looks like one, though no kiwi have been recorded in the Kaimais for decades.

As the projects grow, more volunteers are constantly needed, both in the forest and helping with administration. If you would like to help or find out more, email myself, Basil Graeme, basilann@nettel.net.nz or Al Fleming kaimai. project@gmail.com

By Aongatete Forest Restoration Trust trustee Basil Graeme

Wood part of Christchurch rebirth Wood is a vital part of the ‘rebirth’ of Christchurch says Phil Taylor, New Zealand Institute of Forestry Chairman, and its use will be show cased at the institute’s conference in the city in July.

“One of the highlights of the conference programme will undoubtedly be the rare opportunity to visit the Christchurch CBD “Red Zone” and witness first-hand the destruction, clearance and subsequent rebirth of the heart of Christchurch.

“We will be visiting new buildings being constructed right in the heart of Christchurch using wood and wood technologies. The use of wood in the reconstruction programme is part of the leading edge, the vanguard if you like, of the rebirth of Christchurch.”

The conference theme is "Engineering value: growing and harvesting forests for novel wood structures" and the event will be held at the Ilam Campus at the University of Canterbury, from Sunday July 1 to Wednesday July 4.

Along with a line-up of top industry and government speakers, the conference includes a second field trip into Bottle Lake Forest to a mechanised harvesting operation. That visit will address log value recovery using the latest optimiser software developed by Wara-

Bulk r e Fertiliz

tah Forestry Services. Log processing is a key area in any harvesting operation where sub-performance can lead to significant value loss. Those attending will see how harvesting performance standards can be achieved when mechanised harvesting is managed correctly and in comparison with motor manual systems.

The conference prospectus says New Zealand has a well-earned reputation as a leader in growing sustainable plantation forests. In an increasingly competitive international market place it is important to take the next step and increase innovation within our timber related industries.

Engineering solutions can drive improvements through the value chain from growing, harvesting, and use of timber products. The sector faces predicted growth in harvest volumes, rising demand for structural logs, increasingly steep harvesting terrain, and growing national and international interest in wood buildings.

Against this context, the 2012 NZIF Conference will discuss how engineering solutions can add value and improve performance within New Zealand ’s plantation forest, wood processing and building sectors.

For more information visit http://www.nzifconference.co.nz

FORESTRY

PH 07 578 0030

Page 19

Farm forestry still a good investment The Woodmetrics team will be at Mystery Creek in June, as we are every year, catching up with old clients and talking to people about their forest harvesting needs.

The Mystery Creek Fieldays are a great opportunity to see a lot of farmers in one place at one time.

This year will we again host the Farm Forestry Association on our site.

We are happy to do this because they are a dedicated bunch of volunteers committed to the furthering of tree planting in the agricultural context. The passion of farm foresters about all matters to do with appropriate land use is always infectious.

Unfortunately farm

forestry is going through a low ebb at the moment and this is reflected in membership of the association. I see a couple of reasons for this. One is the changing face of land use and ownership.

There certainly seems to be less enthusiasm for tree planting on corporate owned large dairy farms which are run more on a financial return model then the traditional family farm. The other reason is that forestry performance has not been impressive

in recent years prior to the recent upturn in log markets.

Let's hope the current upturn, and the opportunities presented by the ETS will encourage more planting of trees on our landscape. I can attest personally from sales Woodmetrics have made, especially in the last year, that forestry can still be an incredibly good investment, especially for the steep unproductive areas which most farms have.

When agriculture eventually joins the ETS, which is inevitable, farmers with young to mid age trees will be in a perfect position to offset their carbon deficit with their own

tree plantings. Some are already spotting this opportunity and moving already.

My personal hope is that membership of the NZFFA grows, reflecting a new-found enthusiasm for planting trees for both aesthetics, environmental and economic reasons.

As a passionate tree man myself who has lucky enough to travel all over the central North Island, I would like nothing better than to see more trees enhancing our landscape and stabilising our catchments.

And the best place to start is with membership to the NZFFA who are a source of a wealth of information from a passionate membership.

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Woodmetrics’ competitive tendering process is your best option to realise your investment and our complete sale management process will ensure you get paid — why take the risk?

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Stop the blame game “Be responsible for your actions’’ is another of my simple messages and related to last month’s philosophy called “A rural handshake no longer means enough”.

We often think that things are covered or presume somebody else has taken responsibility for our detail.

A good example here is where we entrusted other people with our money to invest in dodgy finance companies with the consequences being history.

I tell my clients to always stay in control of their money and their assets. You need to be able to see your money or drive past your assets or at the very least, to be in control.

Often clients will tell me that the accountant or solicitor has sorted that only to find that yes, it has been discussed, but no action has been taken. Why? Because they failed to instruct in writing.

My business is built around getting people to take responsibility to make decisions and then being accountable for the resultant actions, and following through.

When you sign a contract of any sort, you must know what you are signing and be ready for any action or consequences that may flow from that signature.

It is mindful to realise that with every action there will be a reaction. Consider what the reaction may be and plan for it. In other words, take responsibility for your actions, or inactions.

It is just too easy to blame everybody else for your

failure. “This was not done and that happened ...” In actual fact, it was probably just your failure to take responsibility for your actions that caused the loss or problem.

I am seeing it now in the poor economy, with farmers failing and blaming the bank for lending them the money. Yes, the banks were over generous and very keen to lend more and more money, but at the end of the day, it was us who wanted to buy the neighbours farm, build a flash house and a big rotary shed. It was also us who signed the mortgage documents, so we must be accountable for our actions.

So, we need to dig deep and realise that we are responsible for our own actions and the consequences that flow from them.

Ducking down, blaming others and not identifying who actually took, or did not take action will see us stuck.

We must stop the blame game and be accountable for our own actions.

Be prepared — call 0800 96 63 63 now to talk about your trees with Peter Harington, your Regional Manager.

FOREST & WOODLOT OWNERS

ABLE TASMAN FORESTRY SERVICES LTD

Page 20

CONTRACTORS

Coast & Country

First ‘accredited’ effluent design IrrigationNZ has announced the first round of companies who have passed through the industry’s new farm dairy effluent system design accreditation programme.

Four companies share the recognition with industry partners IrrigationNZ of being the first to achieve accredited and the New Zealand Milking and designer status. They are AgFirst, Opus Pumping Trades Association to give International Consultants, WaterForce farmers confidence in the quality and Hi-Tech Enviro solutions. of design advice they receive from The accreditation scheme was develproviders of effluent system services. oped with investment from DairyNZ IrrigationNZ manage the scheme.

Specialists in Brushweeds and Pasture Control

IrrigationNZ chief executive Andrew Curtis says the process is particularly thorough and the four accredited companies presented very good designs and processes for assessment.

“The standard accredited companies have to meet is high and is set out in the FDE Design Standards and Code of Practice.

“They put their work to a panel of experts for assessment of their competency and we are confident they will provide a high level of service to their clients.”

Andrew says there is also a heavy emphasis on displaying that they have skills around areas like effluent characterisation and block allocation, soil and climate considerations, understanding regulations and legislation, hydraulic design, pond storage requirements and nutrient management.

“They also have to show they can integrate this information into a farm system and provide a high standard of service.”

NZMPTA’s Maria Scott says the organisation

backs the scheme because their members want to demonstrate to their clients they can design systems that optimise the nutrients in effluent and can meet regulatory requirements.

“We want to congratulate the first round of companies that have achieved accreditation status. It should give their clients confidence in their skills.

“It’s also important to note that accredited companies also sign an agreement stating all their designs, from the date of accreditation, will be consistent with the Farm Dairy Effluent Design Code of Practice and Standards.”

DairyNZ project manager for effluent services Dr Theresa Wilson encourages farmers to check the accreditation website www.effluentaccreditation.co.nz before contracting an effluent system designer for an up–to-date list of accredited suppliers.

“This list is expected to grow as companies pass through the review process. If you’re looking at upgrading your system, do it once and do it right by using an accredited design company.”

Largest importer of NZ seafood China is the leading importer of New Zealand seafood according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s latest fisheries and aquaculture production and trade figures.

The total value of fisheries and aquaculture exports for the calendar year (to December 31,2011) was up 2.9 per cent on the previous year, at NZ$1.53 billion.

China imported NZ$299.6 million worth of New Zealand seafood in the 2011 year, becoming the leading importer ahead of Australia for the first time. Their main imports are New Zealand live rock

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lobsters, hoki and squid. The United States is the third-largest importer of New Zealand seafood and Hong Kong fourth.

Total wild fishery landings for the year were similar to previous years, at 435 thousand tonnes.

A lower catch of deep water species, inshore finfish and inshore shellfish was offset by a higher catch of the pelagic species, mainly tuna, squid and mackerel.

The total volume of seafood product exports increased marginally (0.5 per cent) to 301.5 thousand tonnes.

Aquaculture export volumes increased by 3.8 per cent to 45,031 tonnes during the year ending December 2011, and total aquaculture export earnings increased by 12 per cent to $307.4 million.

Currently aquaculture export species are limited to green-lipped mussels, salmon and oysters.

Most seafood is traded in US dollars, and with the NZ:USD exchange rate still above the historic average this presents an on-going challenge.

Also, the seafood sector uses significant amounts of diesel, for both catching fish and getting it to markets, and the cost of diesel has been generally higher since late October 2009.

For more information, go to the full reports in the Publications section of the MAF website.

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Take the chance to sharpen your leadership skills, widen your networks and learn more about the horticulture industry by applying for this year’s HortNZ Leadership programme.

Last year's participants gave the course an average satisfaction rate of 7.5/10. This is one of those initiatives that is good for you as an individual, good for your business and good for the fruit and vegetable industry. Over 60 per cent of former course participants are now in commercial or industry leadership roles.

Applications for this year close on 31 May. For any queries contact or call Sue Pickering ph 04 472 3795 or email sue.pickering@hortnz.co.nz (Source HortNz newsletter)

CONTRACTORS

PH 07 578 0030

Page 21

Fencing improves efficiencies Well positioned and constructed fences can have a significant impact on farm management and efficiencies believes Nigel Timbs of Stockland Fencing Services.

Much of the fencing work he and Jordan Hill carry out involves re-fencing large properties with the end result of easier stock movement and preserving pastures.

“We are happy to have a look at a job and discuss the owner’s needs, and if they want, look at the best position for the fences. Sometimes another pair of eyes cast over the plan can help.”

The positioning of gates and fence lines to take advantage of the way stock will naturally run, and to link with farm races is important as is fencing off erosionprone areas.

Fencing off erosion prone-prone areas is important.

Stockland Fencing has the experience and equipment to construct all types of wire fences across most terrains or more attractive post and rail fencing to enhance the roadside appearance of a property. They also build yards and pride themselves on a good quality job.

“We are prepared to travel throughout the Bay and can supply all the fencing materials needed or install what the client supplies.”

As well as fencing, the company has the expertise, machinery and equipment to carry out under sowing and direct drilling on pasture or maize stubble.

Preparation vital for stock transport facilities than the wintering block.”

When animals are being moved to a wintering block, care must be taken to ensure that a feed transition plan is in place, so the animals adjust to the different feeds of the two farms. A gradual adjustment over 7-10 days is recommended.

Cows should receive a diet containing 80-100g elemental magnesium a day for three days either side of transport. The stress of transport causes a significant drop in blood magnesium levels so some supplementation is required.

Nita says that farmers who would like more detailed support or advice should contact their local DairyNZ consulting officer or phone the Farmer Information Service 0800 4 DairyNZ (0800 4 324 7969).

The main things farmers should consider when moving any stock, are: all people responsible for transporting cows need to have the experience and knowledge to look after their welfare cows should be fit, healthy and strong, and able to bear weight on all four legs cows with a body condition score of three or more can be transported, those less than three need immediate remedial care cows should receive a diet containing 80-100g elemental magnesium/ cow/day for three days leading up to transport and for three days following cows in the last three months of pregnancy should not be transported for more than eight hours without a rest period cows should be stood off green pasture for 4-12 hours before transport

to reduce effluent during the journey – preferably on grazed-off pasture or a wood chip pad rather than on concrete. Make sure water is provided during this stand-off time Feed and water should be immediately available to the animals when they arrive at their destination.

Transporting stock information is available at dairynz.co.nz/transportingstock

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Dairy farmers are being advised to make sure their cows are properly prepared for transport when being moved off the farm.

DairyNZ development team leader for animal husbandry, Dr Nita Harding, says that many farmers are transporting cows at this time of year, either to winter on another farm or as cull cows.

“There are a number of things farmers need to do and some checks they should make with the driver before their cows are loaded onto trucks or trailers for transport.

Travel can be stressful for the animals and it's important that they are well presented for transport.

“At this time of year, farmers who are wintering off stock are moving animals which are in late pregnancy and they need to be handled with particular care and patience.

“Farmers should take the opportunity to have a good chat with the driver to make sure the truck is in good order for transport. The truck needs to have sufficient effluent collection capacity for the journey and be in good repair.”

Farmers should also make sure that the transport provides enough space, including crate height for larger cows, adequate ventilation and that the animals are protected from adverse weather.

“And also, with the requirements of the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme taking effect from July 1, it may be better to tag animals before transport, especially if the home farm has better animal handling

EQUINE

Page 22

Coast & Country

Feeding the Horse Part One tion of their bones, their brain and their constitution is set at conception; set in its DNA. In essence, energy is the amount of combustible material in a feed; the portion of the feed that can produce heat.

When this commodity is restricted, all other functions are placed on the

of cellulose and starch may have a slight effect on the gross energy as well.

Feeds which are composed mostly of minerals are very low in potential energy simply due to the fact that most minerals are virtually incombustible.

When feeds are assessed for horses and cattle, the energy level is usually expressed as the amount of Digestible Energy (DE) present. This equation is based on the amount of apparent digestible energy in the

Intake Energy As feed (EI)

Heat Energy (HE)

Fecal Energy (FE) Undigested food

Energy (DE)

Heat Energy (HE)

Tissue Energy

Metabolism Waste and excretion feed. The digestible energy content of most feeds for horses has been determined using the foregoing trials. Cattle trials are fairly inac-

feed and is calculated by subtracting the gross energy in the feces from the gross energy consumed.

Obviously the true DE in the feed can only be calculated if the fecal endogenous losses are known. As these losses are seldom determined, the DE values represent ‘apparent DE’ not the actual DE. See Table A. There are two aspects which impact on the amount of DE in a feed and they are the amount of DE in the feed and the energycontaining components of the

Table A.

Horses like any other animal, respond to kindness and good nutrition just like a child. As the Good Book says, “bring up a child in the way it will go, and when it is old it will not turn from it.” That statement is just plain logic.

The performance of all land dwelling mammals is set in the womb. The forma-

back burner. The energy content of a feed may be expressed as the amount of heat produced from the combustible portion of the feed in question and is usually expressed as the Gross Energy of the feed. The chemical portion of the feed will affect the gross energy, whereas fats, or lipids as they are often termed, and have a higher gross energy per unit (energy potential in Fat = Fat X 2.25) than either carbohydrates or proteins, and the type of carbohydrate, such as the content

Metabolisable Energy (ME) Recoverable Energy curate as in the case of the cow, the digestion is performed mainly by biological processes in the rumen.

For example, when lucerne is fed to

Lactation Energy Waste Urinary Energy a ruminating animal such as a cow, it has a digestible value of 2.6 Mcal/ kg, but when fed to a horse the DE value falls to 2.43.

Body Weight (kg)

Minimum (30.3 Kcal/kg BW)

Average (33.3 Kcal/kg BW)

Elevated (36.3 Kcal/kg BW)

NRC (1989)

200

6.1

6.7

7.3

7.4

400

12.1

13.3

14.5

13.3

500

15.2

16.7

18.2

16.4

600

18.2

20.0

21.8

19.4

800

18.2

20.0

21.8

19.4

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Table B.

To produce a Triple Crown winner you must first address its nutrition in the womb. You cannot expect to raise a child on poor nutrition until it reaches adolescence and then beef him up for the Olympics. Nature doesn’t work that way.

The total energy source for horses comes from the consumption of carbohydrates, fat, and protein which can be metabolized.

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the major source of chemical energy in the animal’s cells and is generated from the catabolism of carbohydrates and fats under normal circumstances. The amount of

ATP produced is influenced by the animals feeding, its physical condition and the amount of energy potential products in its diet.

For an animal that is not pregnant, lactating or growing or performing work, the amount of energy required is often referred to as the amount required for maintenance.

Kcal/kg BW Wooden et al., 1970 Lucerne 27.2 Vermorel et al., 1997 Grass hay/barley 27.6

Three Proposed levels of digestible Energy Intake for Maintenance (Mcal/d) in adult Horses as compared to previous NRC recommendations.

See Table B. This amount is that required to prevent changes in the total energy contained in the body; the loss of condition.

The following is the amount of heat produced in horses at Maintenance: The amount of energy required for daily exercise

(effort) and the amount required for maintenance.

It has been suggested (Doherty et al., 1997) that the energy used in transportation may be similar to the animal walking. Therefore, several hours of transportation could add significantly to the animals total energy requirements.

While no levels were given, a level akin to medium work would be appropriate.

By Peter J Lester

RURAL DRIVER

PH 07 578 0030

Page 23

Nissan Navara STX 550

Navara adds more muscle to market The competitive and popular ute market is sparking and after going through a bit of a lull in new releases it is now the talking point again.

This is thanks to the launch of some new grunty machines from major brands in the past few months.

That company already had the big oil burning engine on hand for its top end luxury cars, so it made sense to drop it under the hood of the Navara, and behold....a silky smooth, ultra quiet, extra grunty power plant.

One that takes the agricultural knock out of the ute’s power plant and gives it a smooth Euro sound that will gain it even greater appeal among urban based buyers who may not need all that extra torque, but Even VW has entered the fray with its love the sound of the torque’s source.

Amarok, while Ford and Mazda have There is some smart technology in the turned heads with their Ranger and BT50 3.0 litre diesel engine that ensures it meets machines. Now Nissan have the torquey the ultra strict Euro 5 standards on emisNavara 550 STX to go head-to-head with sions. One of the secrets to the Navara’s those two players, and it looks destined to quietness is the five injections of diesel fuel keep the ute market a lively and competitive the technology can deliver in a combustion one. cycle, keeping fuel burn efficient and even, The Navara is powered by a V6 turbo reducing that familiar diesel “knock”. charged diesel engine that is the first of its It also helps with economy. On an Easter type in this class, and has Nissan’s alliance run up to the Coromandel with a couple of with Renault to thank as a source. passengers and some gear, the Navara managed a very respectable 9.5L/100km on a windy trip that included some quick stretches and slow grinds behind logging trucks.

The seven speed auto box with Sport and a Manual mode was an Nissan Navara 550 STX ideal means to get power to the road – it never Engine: V6 3.0 litre turb felt mismatched to speed o Wheels: 17” alloys charged Diesel. or conditions, nicely Price: $67,990.

Power: 170kW @ 3700 picking ratios and revs. It Available from: rpm,550Nm@1750 rpm also proved enjoyable to .

Farmer Auto Village Transmission: 7 speed auto flick through to Manual Hewletts Road, with Manual mode mode on some of the Mount Maunganui Carrying capacity: 833kg more erratic parts of the Phone 07 578 6017 trip, smoothly moving up Towing Capacity: 3000kg Mark Vercoe or and down with barely a Fuel Economy: Roger Matthews. murmur of strain from the 9.3L/100km big engine.

Inside the 550 is testimony to how closely utility

SPECS

cabins resemble cars, or is it the other way around now?

There is a nice sense of uncluttered, classy styling through the 550’s cabin. It is not a macho bulging dash and console that greets you, but one sensibly laid out, with its many extras nicely featured, without screaming “look at me”.

The passenger’s dash is

The interior is tidy, simply laid out, in a way that belies the high level of equipment that comes as standard.

The driver’s seating proved firm but comfortable across a variety of road surfaces, and the whole cabin had an airy, expanThe adjustable tie-downs that sive sense of space that would move on their own rails. make it a pleasing workplace for anyone lucky enough to be able to make the Navara their finished in nice soft touch plastic that can work vehicle. accommodate a bit of dirt and grit without The rear practicality of the tray was scratch or fade, while the seats are finished heightened by the adjustable tie-downs that in a quality cloth trim that intuitively makes move on their own rails. Carrying three more sense than taking the leather route. surfboards, this system meant a roof rack There is all the Bluetooth, iPod connecwas unnecessary – the tie-downs could be tivity you are ever likely to need, and the easily adjusted to get the board straps good stereo console was a dream to operate, keep- and tight. ing the traditional dial motion for scrolling Overall the big Navara will not disappoint through iPod selections, or seeking out anyone who may have been lured to a larger radio stations through the hilly parts of the ute by the profile two other big companies trip safely and simply. have had with their recent releases. It is a My passengers maintained there was worthy contender in town or on the farm, plenty of rear leg room, and that came from and no doubt there will be plenty of fights a couple of ute aficionados who remarked over who gets to drive the boss’s on the relatively low, open window heights new wheels.

By Richard Rennie the rear shared with the front.

RURAL DRIVER

Page 24

Coast & Country

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Page 26

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Coast & Country

Plans for Waikato River’s future Many people don’t realise just how much volunteer Landcare groups contribute to ‘greening’ and protecting the environment in this country.

A recent networking day, held at Te Ohaaki Marae near Huntly, allowed some of the movers and shakers from

these groups to get together to share progress and learn new stuff.

With the new funding and arrange-

ments for co-management of the Waikato River, holding such an event on a riverside marae gave real impact to the day, with a formal welcome and generous hospitality by marae members.

The talkfest began with a presentation by Dawn Metcalfe, one of the founding members of Waikato RiverCare. This group began life in 1999, and were incorporated in 2001. Since then huge efforts have gone into selecting sites along the 240km of riverbanks which stretch from north of Hamilton to the Waikato River mouth. Consultation with locals on what they want, and preparation of detailed project plans are first steps. Later in the day the group travelled to Huntly College, where selective clearing and planting of 1.5km of riverbank was the group’s first big project 10 years ago.

That project taught them many lessons, including careful research of what might have grown there originally, and a need to eco-source native plants to get the best results. Not to mention how to be sure your volunteers will turn up on the planting day, whatever the weather!

Waikato Regional Councillor Stu Kneebone, gave a background on the complexities of making a regional plan change, particularly in relation to water use and regulation. The success of this long running project is yet to be seen, but progress has recently been made with the publication of the ‘final’ version of Variation 6.

Norman Hill, who was wearing three hats on the day - head of the marae, Chair of Waikato RiverCare and biodiversity ranger for DoC - gave an enlightening

picture of Maori views on what the river means in terms of a cultural perspective of environmental management (Kaitiakitanga). In the past it represented food, recreation, transport, communication as a minimum, and there is a keen desire to retrieve some of these factors.

Bruno David, a scientist at WRC, presented a lively session on the problems and some possible solutions to the koi carp infestations on the lakes, streams and the river itself. Push traps may manage to catch huge tonns of fish, but what do you do with them then? The discovery of a local firm running a thermophilic bacterial digester, housed in shipping containers, may just hold the answer. What is produced looks like coffee grains, and some quiet research has been done on adding it to potting mix in different percentages to help grow native seedlings, because the grains are high in phosphorus and not suitable for pasture spreading.

He also talked about the difficulties native fish, such as the giant kokupu, have in moving upstream to spawn when man inserts blockages such as perched culverts along the way. While these fish can, with difficulty, climb falling water, their route is much eased by the installation of ropes (such as used mussel spat ropes) laid in the culverts and down the fall.

The morning session closed with a number of local representatives of involved groups updating on their findings and progress with their projects. It demonstrated just how much learning can be done when such a variety of organizations get together.

A lot of knowledge and experience in this group!

By Sue Edmonds

Orchard tractOrs

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DAIRY

PH 07 578 0030

Page 27

Pasture is a crop - treat accordingly

New Zealand farmers are growing less grass than they used to and most are making up the shortfall with supplements but the big question is why are pastures not performing so well?

There is no one answer as the reasons for less dry matter are many, among them the increase in cow numbers per hectare, how hard the pasture is grazed, winter pugging and how well the pasture is fertilised.

If we go on doing what we’ve always done, we will always get what

we’ve always got so the challenge is to think outside the square.

Newly sown pasture must be treated as a crop as that’s what you’re growing. It needs the same care and attention given to other crops and at this time of year that includes weed control.

Taking the time to control weeds now will avoid the issues of a high weed population in spring. If you have spent money on good quality pasture seed you don’t want weeds to take over.

Managing grazing is also important and it’s best to avoid grazing new pasture too close. Dressings of fertiliser and nitrogen each time it’s grazed will help the pasture recover

and enrich the soil until clover becomes established.

Some farmers are questioning the durability of new pasture species but what’s important is to grow what does best in your region. It’s no good planting a species which produces great results in Northland if your farm is in the Waikato. Find out from local trials what best suits your climate and soil types.

While farmers have been pleased with the wet summer which produced plenty of grass, it was not ideal for those of us who grow maize.

Maize is a tropical plant and it needs heat to do well and this summer there wasn’t enough

On your bikes for early entrants Organisers of the 2012 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards have given away three Honda farm bikes, each worth about $4000.

The Honda XR125 Duster farm bikes were provided as an incentive to enter the New Zealand Sharemilker/ Equity Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions by December 1 last year.

“It’s the best incentive we have ever had and it helped to achieve a record number of entries,” national convener Chris Keeping says.

The 2012 awards programme received 525 entries in A farmer named Sid was overseeing his stock in a remote moorland pasture in North Yorkshire when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced toward him out of a cloud of dust. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the cowboy, "If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, Will you give me a calf?"

Sid looks at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looks at his peacefully grazing stock and calmly answers, "Sure, Why not?"

The yuppie parks his car, whips out his Dell notebook computer, connects it to his Cingular RAZR V3 cell phone, and surfs to a NASA page on the Internet, where he calls up a GPS satellite to get an exact fix on his location which he then feeds to another NASA satellite that scans the area in an ultra-highresolution photo.

The young man then opens the digital photo in Adobe Photoshop

total, with 381 of those eligible for the farm bike early prize draw.

One bike was awarded to an early entrant in each competition and the winners were: • Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year – Glen & Wendy Drummond, Culverden, Canterbury • Farm Manager of the Year – Brenna Wynn, Levin, Horowhenua • Dairy Trainee of the Year – Brett Sampson, Strat ford, Taranaki.

More information on the awards and the 2012 winners can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

and exports it to an image processing facility in Hamburg , Germany.

Within seconds, he receives an email on his Palm Pilot that the image has been processed and the data stored.

He then accesses an MS-SQL database through an ODBC connected Excel spreadsheet with email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, receives a response.

Finally, he prints out a full-colour, 150-page report on his hi-tech, miniaturised HP LaserJet printer, turns to the farmer and says, "You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves."

"That's right. Well, I guess you can take one of my calves," says Sid. He watches the young man select one of the animals and looks on with amusement as the young man stuffs it into the back of his car.

Then Sid says to the young man, "Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?"

The young man thinks about it

about with Rick for a second and then says, "Okay, why not?"

"You're a Member of Parliament for our Government", says Sid. "Wow! That's correct," says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?"

"No guessing required." answered the farmer.

"You showed up here even though nobody called you; you want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked.

‘You used millions of dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are; and you don't know anything about how working people make a living - or about cows, for that matter.

“This is a herd of sheep...

Now give me back my dog.”

sunshine and too much wind. Harvesting was difficult too, especially in wet swampy areas and because of the weather the season was four weeks’ later than last year (which admittedly was an early season). However, we managed to harvest enough maize to meet all our orders and while the plants didn’t grow as tall, the cobs were well formed and the end result

is good quality feed.

In general terms maize offers a far more effective feed for cows than other alternatives at this time of the year, because of its complex carbohydrates and higher ME which results in better animal condition, better output and more content stock - so represents more value for the feed dollar.

By Bill Webb

Page 28

DAIRY

Coast & Country

The young and ambitious compete for top title The cream of New Zealand’s dairy farmers compete for the industry’s top awards this month and the judges for the 2012 New Zealand Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year are in for a tough task.

contest will compete for cash and prizes worth more than $80,000.

Whakatane farmer Bryan Power, DairyNZ consultant Miranda Hunter and Westpac banker Andy Ewen will spend two hours on each finalist’s farm judging them on aspects ranging from hygiene, pasture and financial “This year’s finalists are a high calibre group focused management to leadership. New Zealand and confident in achieving their goal of owning a Dairy Industry Awards trustee and farmer stake in the dairy industry. They are young, ambiAlister Body will join the judging panel for tious and growing their businesses at great rates,” says its final component, an interview. national convener Chris Keeping.

The finalists are dominated by tradiThe finalists are a mix of experienced and new dairy farmers, and small, medium and large-scale operators. tional 50 per cent sharemilkers, with nine of the finalists operating with 50 per cent The winners of the New Zealand Sharemilker/ contracts. Central Plateau sharemilker John Equity Farmer of the Year, New Zealand Farm ManButterworth is the only single man, and ager of the Year and New Zealand Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions will be announced in Auckland he is also the youngest in the group at 24 on May 12. They will compete for about $140,000 in years, although 10 of the finalists are aged less than 35 years. cash and prizes.

The oldest among the finalists, West The 12 finalists in the sharemilker/equity farmer Coast Top of the South representatives Paul and Debra Magner are the only equity farm managers and came into the industry nine years ago. Paul previously worked as a geologist and Debra as a rural banker.

The Magners are also operating the

biggest dairy farm in the finals, with the Hokitika property milking 1470 cows and expanding. Northland representatives Miles Harrison and Lucy Heffernan have the smallest herd, with 240 cows.

Lucy is from the United Kingdom, as are the Otago finalists James and Helen Hartshorne and Canterbury North Otago finalist Edna Hawe, while Taranaki finalist James Van Den Brand is Australian.

“With such diversity it is going to be really interesting to see who comes out on top,” says Chris.

The Dairy Industry Awards are supported by national sponsors Westpac, DairyNZ, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda Motorcycles NZ, LIC, Meridian Energy, Ravensdown and RD1, along with industry partner AgITO.

Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year finalists: • Auckland Hauraki – Scott & Alicia Pater son, 50% 630 cows, Paeroa • Bay of Plenty – Richard & Amy Fowler, 50% 345 cows, Te Puke

• Canterbury North Otago –Edna & Sarah Hawe, 17.5% 1400 cows, Ashburton • Central Plateau – John Butterworth, 50% 500 cows, Mamaku • Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa – William & Sally Bosch, 50% 330 cows, Martinbor ough • Manawatu/Rangitikei/Horowhenua – Shaun & Liza Connor, 50% 242 cows, Shannon • Northland – Miles Harrison & Lucy Hef fernan, 50% 240 cows, Wellsford • Otago – James & Helen Hartshorne, 50% 540 cows, Tapanui • Southland – Billy & Sharn Roskam, 50% 910 cows, Winton • Taranaki – Rebecca & James Van Den Brand, 45% 380 cows, Hawera • Waikato – Barry & Nicky McTamney, 50% 275 cows, Otorohanga • West Coast Top of The South – Paul & Debra Magner, equity farm managing 1470 cows, Hokitika.

More information on each of the finalists can be found at www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

Blast away dirt and diseases Reducing the spread of horticultural diseases has become a major focus for the industry and a Tauranga company has the vehicle cleaning equipment to help meet that need.

New Zealand in 2010, can be spread on plant material and in dirt so cleaning vehicles before they enter or after they leave orchards has become a routine in the industry.

Steve says the Karcher petrol or electric hot water-blasters can be fitted with different length hoses and wands to enable

SMAC is an agent for Karcher, a company internationally recognised for its high quality equipment, which includes a range of petrol and electric waterblasters.

Steve McCarthy of SMAC says Karcher portable water-blasters are used to clean vehicles from utes to mining trucks. They are ideal for cleaning applications where there is no power supply, and the highpressure cleaners with combustion engines guarantee the highest level of flexibility and independence.

Psa-V, which was discovered in

Peter Hull using a Karcher water blaster

thorough cleaning of vehicles, machinery and bins from top to bottom.

Karcher is well known for its diverse range of water-blasters, including those suitable for domestic and commercial use.

The company also produces a range of cleaning equipment for around the home and garden, to that used by professional cleaners.

Karcher-trained SMAC technicians are able to advise on the equipment to best suit a client’s needs. The 27-yearold company has been an agent for Karcher for 20 years and Steve and the team also offer a full repair and parts supply service as well as advice on the safe and efficient operation of the equipment.

It’s that personal, expert service and after sales care which see customers return time and again to purchase equipment from the company, which is based on Koromiko Street, Tauranga.

DAIRY

PH 07 578 0030

Page 29

Excellent end to exceptional season Properties using DoloZest based nutrient programmes are currently looking forward to winter with well-conditioned cows, excellent pasture covers, and record levels of supplement; a comfortable position from which to decide when to finish milking this season.

and weevil damage is minimal particularly when compared to the damage caused by animals grazing once every 30 days.

The energy content and palatability of clovers is significantly higher than grasses that grow over summer, providing the benefits of higher production with less weight loss.

With longer intervals between grazing greater leaf surface is available ensuring plants convert more nitrate to full protein resulting in a lift in the protein to fat

There are a number of reasons for these advantages. The base of DoloZest is Golden Bay Dolomite, New Zealand’s most effective magnesium fertiliser, containing a wide range of naturally occurring Clover dominates the trace elements. sward in favourable To make DoloZest growing conditions when Dolomite, containthere is sufficient plant ing 11.5 per cent available calcium for magnesium and 24 thumb nail sized leaves per cent calcium, supported by long strong is mixed with soft stems to establish. carbons inoculated with a range of soil ratio of the milk. friendly fungi and bacteria, with added With strong and abundant clover carbohydrate to provide initial energy. growth high quality aromatic hay is able The first obvious benefit in spring is the to be harvested and it is this hay that prolack of calcium/magnesium related metavides the perfect complement to rapidly bolic disorders. Few if any cows need growing spring pasture. treating at calving resulting in less work Under ideal conditions clovers are able and higher levels of production. to fix more than the necessary 300kgN/ As soil temperatures rise toward to 20°C ha required to grow 18,000kg DM each in early November clover begins to domi- year, with little (if any) fertiliser nitrogen nate the sward reducing the requirement applied. to shorten the round in order to maintain When soils are moist enough quality, enabling high levels of producfor strong autumn tion to be held for longer. growth, dung and Mating performance is enhanced other litter on the as higher pasture energy levels permits cycling without intervention as well as the maintenance of high levels of daily milk production.

Clover dominates the sward in favourable growing conditions when there is sufficient plant available calcium for thumb nail sized leaves supported by long strong stems to establish.

Under these conditions clover flea

soil surface is rapidly reincorporated providing a natural fix of nutrient including nitrogen.

With little requirement for pasture renewal, increasing the interval between grazing is easy, allowing pasture cover to be steadily accumulated and a drying off date set that provides sufficient time for relaxed family holidays.

For more information, phone Peter on 0800 843 809 at any time.

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Page 30

DAIRY

Coast & Country

‘What if ?’ vital question for successful farmers The Bay of Plenty round of the Dairy NZ sharemilker, farm manager and dairy trainee of the year are over; I was privileged to be one of the sponsors of the event. Good luck to all the local finalists going forward to compete in the national round.

The field day presentations by sharemilkers Richard and Amy Fowler and farm manager Grant Clarke were a great insight into why both entrants have been chosen as the winners in their categories. They have a plan, know where they want to end up, have set a clear pathway to get there, and have followed it, while still remaining flexible.

But even with the best planning in the world, farming is a business dependant on so many external factors, and full of the unexpected. To give your farm and yourself the best possible chance of reaching your goal, as many ‘what ifs’ as possible have to be addressed and included in any planning process.

Some ‘what ifs’ such as droughts and floods are obvious; of course you would include them in your planning, and have a clear contingency in place. But human risk is so often forgotten, and yet it is absolutely essential to consider this, because without you, your farm will not be productive.

How would

your farm operate if you were taken out of the picture due to an accident or sickness, for three months, or longer? Have you included a contingency plan for this, such as key person cover for yourself, your farm manager, or your right hand person? Do you know where your financial backup will come from to provide the farm with the funds to pay for a replacement person?

I specialise in looking after farmers like you. I will make sure that you, your farm, and your family, have a financial back stop in place in the event of an illness or accident. There is no use ‘crying over spilt milk’.

Make sure you and your farm are covered if you were unable work. If you’d like to know how to put a plan in place, please phone me on 0800 838 676.

A copy of Theresa Pharo’s Disclosure Statement is available free of charge upon request - phone 0800 838 676 or email theresa@planwise.co.nz

By Theresa Pharo

Richard and Amy Fowler with Hadlee 2, Grace 18 months and baby Briar.

DAIRY

PH 07 578 0030

Page 31

Magnesium supplements save millions

By Gavin Globle

Magnesium supplements are used extensively in dairy cows from now until mid-lactation, although some herds are supplemented year-round.

They are used to prevent magnesium deficiency, or hypomagnesaemia which is estimated to cost the New Zealand dairy industry tens of millions of dollars annually in lost production, cow deaths and costs associated with prevention and treatment.

In late pregnancy and early lactation, dairy cows’ high demand for magnesium usually outstrips supply, which is limited by low magnesium levels and/or high potassium levels in pasture.

Severe magnesium deficiency can result in the very serious condition ‘grass staggers’, usually in late pregnancy or early lactation and is often fatal, even with treatment.

Grass staggers caused by low magnesium levels is totally different from ryegrass staggers that is caused by a pasture endophyte (fungus) and is usually seen in the summer. In addition hypomagnesaemia is also a factor in increasing the incidence of the far more common ‘milk fever’, which is a calcium imbalance, usually seen around calving.

Most magnesium is supplemented as magnesium oxide (usually dusted or added to supplementary feed) and/or magnesium chloride or sulphate (usually put through the drinking water).

Dose rates vary depending on the situation but it is important that it is

started early. Historically farmers were advised to start three to four weeks pre-calving but this is usually too late to prevent cows’ magnesium levels dropping to low levels.

The industry standard for 200-mesh (dusting grade) magnesium oxide (MgO) is a minimum 90 per cent MgO (54 per cent elemental Mg).

Beware of low-strength (65 per cent MgO) product that seems cheap, because to get the same amount of magnesium you will need to supplement nearly 40 per cent more compared to a 90 per cent MgO product.

The other important aspect is the particle size; make sure the product you buy is fine enough to do the job and that the product is imported for animal health use rather than industrial use (the bag should contain the contents/purity, instructions for use and dose rates).

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Page 32

COAST & COUNTRY

Coast & Country

Future-proofed shed gets upgrade The budget was tight when Margaret and Greg Schumacher built their 64-bail rotary cowshed in 2009.

“Milk prices had dropped just after we got the loan, so we were lucky the bank had approved it. We had to cut back on some of the programmes we would have liked to include.”

However, the couple ensured the Reporoa shed was ‘future-proofed’ and now it’s undergone an upgrade using DeLaval programmes installed by Caldera Water and Dairy Solutions of Taupo.

According to farm manager (and Greg and Margaret’s son-in-law) Jordan Forrest, the newly installed software has made herd testing and drafting cows a breeze.

The ALPRO programme means Jordan can select any cows he wants to draft out of the herd while they are on the milking platform and check them in the yards later. It also means any cow that he doesn’t want milked will not get vacuum sunction to the cups in her bail.

With more than 800 cows to milk twice a day, anything that makes the process easier and more efficient is a bonus, says Greg.

Farm manager Jordan Forrest checks records after milking using the newly installed ALPRO software.

“The drafting option is great because if you spot a cow on the platform which doesn’t look right for any reason, or you have cows you want to cull, it’s easy to separate them using the new programme.”

Cows selected for drafting are automatically identified by their ear tags and sent through a drafting race to a different part of the yards.

The shed may be three years old but it’s pristine.

“The staff are all young but they take real pride in keeping the shed clean,” says Margaret, who is quite happy to let the next generation take care of milking.

When she and Greg began milking 200 cows on the farm owned by Greg’s family in the 1980s, they did all the work themselves, taking their young children to the herringbone shed with them at milking time.

In 1987 the couple built a new 35-aside herringbone shed.

“Back then we were paying 21 or 22 per cent interest on our mortgage and it was a struggle but we managed to pay it off.”

As the farm and the herd grew, that shed became too small and Central Plateau Farm Services (a company that no longer exists) built the new one.

“We looked at what other farmers,

Margaret and Greg Schumacher with the drafting race outside their Reporoa dairy shed which has undergone a software upgrade using DeLaval’s ALPRO system. including Landcorp, were doing in this area and decided on this style of shed,” says Greg.

Much as they liked the shed, it took the Friesians a while to get used to it.

“The first week was hard work, having to man-handle the cows onto the platform, however, once they got the idea they were fine.”

Margaret says the cows know they will be fed supplements while being milked and some even try to get back on after being milked.

PH 07 578 0030

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 33

Starting from the ground up Future-proofing their new dairy shed was a wise move for Greg and Margaret Schumacher of Reporoa and it began even before the concrete floor was poured.

“There’s a lot you can’t see under here, but it’s all designed to ensure the cables are there to meet future needs,” says Steve Hay of Allan Simms Electrical.

He and Dave Roper, who wired the Schumacher’s earlier shed, carried out the wiring of the new shed. Greg says the long association he has had with Allan Simms Electrical and staff is important to the smooth operation of his business.

“If something goes wrong, they are on call to sort it out, which is vital, especially if we are in the middle of milking.”

The forward planning done when the

shed was built in 2009 has allowed for the smooth upgrade to DeLaval’s ALPRO system, which Ryan Wood, director of Caldera Water & Dairy Solutions and his team installed.

“The programme allows milking point control to draft cows from one bail locations, or to control which cows get milked and which don’t.”

ALPRO is a modular system which means farmers can start by installing that which meets their most immediate need, and gradually add more herd management functionality. The next step for the Schumacher shed would probably be milk meters, which Ryan says would clearly identify which cows were good or poor performers.

“Milk meters can assist in mastitis detection, as infected cows normally show a significant drop in milk production.”

The software programme processes all the information and its large working database holds comprehensive cow milking, feeding, breeding and health records, plus historical data on individual cows and the whole herd.

Clear graphics provide easy to read reports, action lists, and graphs. Farmers can customise reports and comparison tables, for instance, to suit their particular needs.

The programme also links to CRV and MINDA.

By Elaine Fisher

Ryan Wood of Caldera Water & Dairy Solutions has installed the DeLaval ALPRO system in the recent upgrade of the Schumacher dairy shed.

Dave Roper and Steve Hay of Allan Simms Electrical with the switch boards, which like the Schumacher’s dairy shed wiring, are designed to allow for future growth.

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Page 34

CALF REARING

Coast & Country

Farming know-how helped in calf feeder design Raising 350 calves each year taught Glennis and Garry Wilson a thing or two about the most efficient means of delivering their food.

Today that experience is put to good use in the design and construction of the calve feeders their company Wilco 2003 Ltd produces in its Whakatane factory.

“We learned a lot from raising calves, including the importance of having feeders which minimised waste and were able to stand up to the conditions,” says Gary.

Wilco calf feeders come in a range of

sizes and design from hang-on-the-fence feeders which hold just a few kilos of hay, to mobile feeders which can take 150 kg of meal and three bales of hay. There are feeders on skids and feeders with wheels and two tow bars so more than one can be towed at a time.

The feeders are fully galvanised and the wheeled versions have ball bearing wheels designed to withstand towing down farm races and across paddocks. They have lids to protect feed and one version has a trough below the hay rack to reduce waste.

“Hay which would normally drop onto the ground falls into the trough so instead of 20 to 30 per cent being wasted, only about one per cent ends up on the ground.”

Gary says the feeders are designed to hold just hay or just meal, or both, but because of a standardised frame, meal feeders can be fitted to existing hay feeders if farmers want to upgrade.

Wilco will be at the Fieldays in June. Find them at site F14.

Calf feeders need to be robust to cope with the environment, towing and the animals which use them.

Colostrum vital to calf health Colostrum is vital for the long term health of all new born mammals – none more so than calves.

New born calves must receive two to three litres of new colostrum within six hours of birth and experts recommend there is little to be gained from leaving calves with cows longer than 24 hours.

Colostrum is of course not all they need. Young calves must have access to warm dry and draught free shelter. Fresh water and good quality hay should be made available to calves within four days after birth.

They should be fed twice daily for the first one to two weeks of age and can then be fed once daily.

Aim for a milk temperature fed to young calves of

18-20 deg C but feeding antibiotic or mastitis milk to calves should be avoided. Calves are best grouped by similar age and drinking ability.

Ensure calves to be collected for sale are in a separate pen. Meal can be introduced to calves at one week of age. Use specially formulated calf meal with a high protein content.

Maintain high levels of hygiene and regularly disinfect pens. Immediately after weaning calves must have access to fresh leafy pasture.

To achieve the desired live weight gains a combination of milk and meal is the best option, as calves given large quantities of milk will have a slower rumen development After about six weeks of age milk to each calf can be reduced and the meal ration increased.

Health problems can afflict calves The most common health problems which occur when rearing calves are scours both nutritional and infectious, pneumonia, navel infection, coccidiosis and parasites

and change in milk quality.

Feeding of electrolytes to scouring calves is critical to maintain fluid levels.

Infectious Scours may be caused by bacterial – (E.Coli), salmonellosis, protozoal – (coccidiosis, cryptosporidia) or viral infections – (rotavirus, coronaovirus).

Treatment for infectious scours is different to that of nutritional scours and it is recommended to isolate infected calves and ensure that adequate measures to maintain hygiene and regular disinfection of pens takes place.

Consultation with your local vet is essential, especially if the scouring is caused by infection.

However, the most common cause of calf deaths and ill thrift is scouring. These problems are preventable if the system is well planned and adequate housing and feeding is supplied.

There are several types of calf scours and nutritional sours is caused by overfeeding, stress, poor feed quality

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CALF REARING

PH 07 578 0030

Page 35

Standoff, feed pad or herd shelter?

Changes in environmental rules, bigger herds and the pasture cost of creating sacrifice paddocks each winter mean that a number of farmers are considering new alternatives.

The smaller farm group SMASH and DairyNZ recently ran two on-farm workshops for members, to explain the differences between standoff pads, feed pads and herd shelters (or Herd Homes).

Chris Glassey of DairyNZ explained that the vagaries of winter weather could be hard on cows, the people working with them, and the environment. Any changes being considered needed to be kind to all three.

He produced a number of options, in ascending order. These included maintaining the status quo, introducing more supplements, moving the stocking rates up and down and adjusting calving dates, moving to once a day milking, installing an in-shed feed system or building a standoff pad, feed pad or shelter.

Whatever is chosen, it needs to be incorporated in the long term plan for the farm, and will to a large extent depend on which of the five recognised dairy systems are being used. The environmental effects of what is used must be considered, along with the effect on the people involved, and the existing infrastructure and machinery. How much more work will it make for you and staff, and are tractors and feed wagons suitable for the feed out systems?

Today’s cows have bigger appetites and so farmers either need more feed or fewer cows. Figures quoted showed that these days 300 high BW cows need an extra amount of 5 tonnes of dry matter to produce to expectations. Feed wastage or using inappropriate methods can be up to 40%, so not getting it right can cost a lot.

Nowadays, at least in the Waikato Regional Council area, all standoff areas which are to be used for more than three hours at a time must be sealed. So using races or pads, overlaid with post peelings and woodchips for overnight standing, now requires a sealed base and good drainage to effluent storage.

Feed and standoff pads need to be large enough to give cows sufficient space, which means a minimum of 3.5sqm per cow for short holding periods, and at least 6sqm per cow for periods of 12 hours or more. They must also be sited 25m from milk lines for uncovered pads, or 45m if a roof of some kind is added.

The areas also require regular cleaning and resurfacing, to enable cows to lie down for their required 8-13 hours a day. If this is not possible or comfortable, they will lie down rather than eat when feed or pasture is offered.

Bruce Sinclair of Richmond Downs has recently gone through the decision making process, ending up with a 60m sloping feed pad that leads off the main race. Because of the dip in land contour close to the farm dairy,

The result works brilliantly

Sludge pond and weeping wall.

On shore pump and warning lights. the process had been fairly complex, and they had ended up calling in QConz to help. The result works brilliantly, combining easy access to and from the dairy, with a sludge effluent capture and storage system, that provides a flood wash of green water for the pad once a day. The water is pumped from the 2.5 million litre lined pond to a holding tank on a nearby knoll, from which it travels by gravity down to the water holes in the pad. At the lower end of the pad is a concrete ditch, which leads through 300mm pipes to either of two sludge ponds, each of which has a weeping wall at the far end.

DairyNZ (then Dexcel) had produced two booklets in 2007 giving guidelines and case studies on standoff and feed pads - ‘Minimising Muck, Maximising Money’. In regard to standoff pads, the team had gone back to eight of the case study farmers to find out how they had found and used them. Four remained the same, two had been increased in size and two had

by Sue Edmonds

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FROST PROTECTION

Page 36

Road Cloth

Coast & Country

Shade Cloth

swathed in gleaming white crystals.

56 Allens Road, East Tamaki, Auckland, New Zealand PO Box 2379, Auckland, New Zealand Phone +64 9 274 4152 Fax +64 9 274 8945 Email sales@jarvis.co.nz

www.jarvis.co.nz

Put a positive ‘SPIN’ on your next fertiliser application

beautiful and sometimes deadly Frost can be disastrous to fruit crops, especially kiwifruit and grapes, and over the years many ways of combating the threat have been devised.

Among them are low flying helicopters which use their downdraft to good effect – dragging down warmer air from inversion layers into the orchards, displacing the cold air and preventing frost from forming.

Orchardists spend sleepless nights monitoring temperatures and deciding when the time is right to call in the choppers, which can fly several hours in the dark, mixing up the air and protecting crops.

Frost protection fans are another option to keep air moving and prevent frosts from settling.

Other methods include lighting controlled fires in orchards or using huge mobile `heaters’ to Irrigation systems spraying water on orchards are another method of frost protection which can result in leaves and fruit being encased in ice – a sight which looks quite startling, but in fact means the fruit is protected. This works because as water is sprayed onto the fruit, it freezes, giving off latent heat and preventing the temperature of the fruit falling below zero at which point tissue damage occurs.

Frosts form when temperatures fall to the point where air can no longer hold water in a vapour state. Clear, calm nights especially in autumn and winter are often ideal for frost

formation but frosts can happen in spring too, which is why they are such a threat to kiwifruit.

Surfaces which become frosted are colder than what’s called the dew point of the surrounding air and colder than freezing point.

Frost is made up of crystals which grow depending on the temperature and the amount of water vapour available.

The most dramatic frosts are called hoar frosts which tend to occur in the South Island and create the beautiful picture postcard images of trees, fences and buildings swathed in gleaming white crystals.

More common in the North Island is the white frost which covers the ground in white and freezes puddles.

While frosts at the wrong time can be destructive, many plants, including kiwifruit, benefit from winter chilling during their dormant period and frosts also have the effect of killing off many pests and diseases, at least for a time.

HiFLO PUMPS HiFLO PUMPS & IRRIGATION LTD

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HORTICULTURE

PH 07 578 0030

Horticulture careers flourish Ashleigh Mercer always knew an office job wasn’t for her, so it was no great surprise to friends and family when she started her working career at the tender age of 17 picking kiwifruit on orchards around Katikati.

Now firmly entrenched in the industry, Ashleigh works for Satara as an orchard supervisor, supervising a team of workers who do all of the orchard work on around 15 orchards.

“I just like being outside,” says Ashleigh.

“The orchards change every day - one day is different to the next, the plants change; you never know

what you’re going to find.”

To get her career on track, Ashleigh knew she would need some great qualifications under her belt – and that’s where Bay of Plenty Polytechnic’s Orchard Skills course came into its own, offering her an opportunity to gain a qualification which reflected the valuable skills she’d already picked up on orchard.

The polytechnic consults widely with industry to ensure the programme is relevant and upto-the-minute – for example the programme now includes current KVH hygiene protocols. And of course, all training and assessments are completed on-orchard, meaning everything learnt is highly relevant.

Ashleigh’s career has never looked back –she’s currently com-

pleting her two year cadetship.

The cadet programme is taught in Tauranga one day a fortnight and Ashleigh says she is gaining loads of plant science knowledge, a better understanding of how plants behave and how to grow better quality fruit.

A bonus of studying at the polytechnic was the social aspect for Ashleigh, who really enjoyed meeting people her own age also working in the industry.

“The course is great; meeting like-minded people to hang out with socially.”

And, according to Ashleigh, the academic workload has been okay to manage too.

Ashleigh Mercer enjoys working outside in a different place each day.

HortNZ conference registrations open Registrations are now open for Growing – Your Business, the 2012 Horticulture New Zealand Conference 2012, at Ellerslie Event Centre, July 24-25.

The keynote speaker is Rabobank chairman John Palmer. This year’s event will feature a number of break-out sessions intended to help growers focus on the key issues HortNZ believes will present barriers to business growth in the next five years, and what growers, product groups and HortNZ can do about them.

To find out more, visit: www.hortnz.co.nz

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Page 38

HORTICULTURE

Coast & Country

Do we want the Aussie dollar?

One of the biggest issues facing New Zealand exporters is the high value of the NZ dollar.

What it does is take away money from the producers of the exports. In turn the high value of the NZ dollar reduces growers’ return.

So I was somewhat surprised to read that the New Zealand and Australian Productivity Commission is suggesting a common currency with Australia – a monetary union. This would involve New Zealand adopting the Australian dollar and our monetary policy being set by the Reserve Bank of Australia.

My issue with such a move is that it would make the position of NZ exporters even worse. For a start, not only would the small exchange advantage we have with our exports going into Australia be lost, but the exchange rate for the US dollar would climb from US 82 cents to US$1.02. Across the board New Zealand exporters would be significantly worse off. In turn growers would be much worse off as well.

The New Zealand economy is the weaker of the two.

You only have to look to Europe to see what happens to the weaker economies when there is both a common monetary policy and currency. Common monetary policy can cause interest rates to be too low and exchange rates to be too high for the weaker economies, forcing them to the brink of ruin.

We don’t want that for New Zealand.

The New Zealand Government, for the sake of the country, needs to do much more to weaken our dollar and in result improve our export returns. Common currency and common monetary policy with Australia will not achieve that. What the Government

needs to urgently do is reduce New Zaland’s exchange rate for the economic well-being of the country.

In addition to the high NZ dollar, there are the economic problems being faced in Europe. For example Spain, which is our second largest market by value, is currently facing a crisis being able to borrow enough money to keep the country afloat, unemployment is soaring and house prices have crashed. Meanwhile in Asia the current growth forecast has been cut back from 7.2 per cent to 6.9 per cent, which means selling anything from New Zealand around the world and getting reasonable value back to the growers is a stern challenge this year.

Now to the kiwifruit harvest, which has started with picking now well underway. The first fruit has arrived in the Japanese market and ships laden with kiwifruit are en route to all our other major markets. The total export volume for 2012 will be down compared to last year. In 2011 there was a record crop for the industry of around 115 million trays, an increase of 12 per cent on the 2010 season. In 2012, due to Psa-V and seasonal factors, the crop will be around 95 million trays. This is closer to the production for a more normal season. The estimate is this year we’ll harvest up to 22 million trays of gold kiwifruit (Hort16A and the new varieties), around 70 million trays of green kiwifruit and around 3.5 million trays of green organic kiwifruit.

So we have the kiwifruit to sell.

The challenge will be selling it for good value so as to offset the high NZ dollar so growers can get a reasonable return. As the national grower organisation we will be doing everything we can to achieve that outcome for growers.

By Mike Chapman NZKGI chief executive

LandWISE 2012 registrations open PLUS Finance package at only 3%

Deposit 1/3 plus GST content, 1/3 12 months, 1/3 24 months

Barkes Corner, Tauranga. Ph. 543 0021

The 10th Annual LandWISE Conference is on May 22-24, 2012. This year’s conference is all about site Ssecific management: growing within limits and will look at the changing requirements for farming, in particular the increasing need to demonstrate that

farming has minimal environmental impact. There will be a focus on soil water management, irrigation, monitoring and drainage. The draft programme and more details are available at http://www.landwise. org.nz/events/landwise2012/

Fruit and vegetable prices down for year For the year to March 2012, food prices increased 0.2 per cent, but fruit and vegetable prices were down 7.2 per cent.

According to the Food Price Index release from Statistics New Zealand, higher prices were recorded for grocery food (up 1.7 per cent), restaurant meals and ready-to-eat food (up 1.4 per cent), and nonalcoholic beverages (up 2.5 per cent).

These rises were partly offset by price falls for fruit and vegetables and meat, poultry, and fish (down 0.9 per cent).

Read the full release on: www.statisticsnz.govt.nz.

HORTICULTURE

PH 07 578 0030

Page 39

‘Industry needs more teeth’ - Barry O’Neil The New Zealand kiwifruit industry needs more `teeth’ to protect it from further spread of Psa-V and future pest and disease threats, believes Barry O’Neil, newly appointed chief executive for Kiwifruit Vine Health.

support affected growers and plan a pathway forward.”

That pathway includes the grafting this winter of new varieties that have proved to be more tolerant of the disease but Barry says finding a cure for Psa-V is unlikely and growers must Legal powers similar to those now learn for the control of TB in liveto live stock could assist the industry with it. to take action over Psa-V and Te Puke any other serious diseases or has been pests, says Barry, who has an Barry O’Neil, new chief hardest extensive background in bioexecutive for Kiwifruit hit but the security.

Vine Health. disease has There is concern among also appeared in South Auckland, growers that poorly managed and Katikati, Whakatane, Opotiki and abandoned orchards that may be Tauranga and while infection levels infected with Psa-V (Pseudomonas are currently low, it is vital they syringae pv actinidiae) could cause remain that way. further spread of the disease, which Keeping Psa-V out of the curhas severely impacted Hort16A gold kiwifruit vines in the Te Puke area in rently uninfected areas of Kerikeri, Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Nelson and particular. the Waikato is also essential, which “Many growers think the industry needs more teeth and legal powers to is why KVH will increase its focus take action over such orchards or the on bio-security.

Barry says everyone involved in movement of risk equipment and the industry must play their part to plant material, especially into areas reduce the risks of spreading Psa-V currently free of Psa-V.” and he commends the postharvest Barry also says reporting of the companies in particular for the disease should be mandatory, even initiatives they have taken to put in though there may be a perceived place codes of practice and to invest stigma attached to admitting growin equipment to clean bins and ers have Psa-V in their vines. vehicles.

“The last 15 months since Psa-V Even in a Psa-V environment, was first identified in New Zealand have been a roller coaster ride for the Barry has every confidence the New Zealand kiwifruit industry has a industry as the disease spread rapbright, sustainable future and the idly. I congratulate KVH staff and John Burke (former general manager integrated nature of the industry is among the reasons for his optimism. of KVH), Kiwifruit Growers Inc, It is also the reason he was happy Zespri and the wider industry for to take up the new three-year their response to the disease and appointment as chief executive with the measures they put in place to KVH, moving to the Bay of Plenty

to live on the two canopy hectare orchard he and wife Hilda own at Ongare Point, just north of Katikati.

“Just before Psa-V was discovered in New Zealand we grafted some of our green kiwifruit vines to the new gold variety G3 and so far the fruit is looking great.”

It’s not the first orchard the O’Neils have owned. They invested in the industry in 1984, even though Barry’s professional background is in animal health rather than horticulture.

“I have always enjoyed the kiwifruit industry and the people involved in it. I’m looking forward to doing more of the work on our Ongare Point orchard now I am living in the Bay and renewing my contacts across the industry.”

Barry is no stranger to the Bay of Plenty. His family moved from the Manawautu when he was at primary school and he completed his secondary education at Te Puke High School before doing a veterinary science degree at Massey University in the 1970s.

His first position after graduating was with Barkes Corner Vets in Tauranga before he joined MAF as a veterinary officer, which included inspections in meat works and TB control. In 1994 he became the chief veterinary officer for New Zealand.

Barry has significant biosecurity knowledge from several years in senior management and leadership roles with MAF Biosecurity NZ, in New Zealand and overseas, including four years in Brussels with New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Trade. His experience includes international standard setting and trade negotiations; biosecurity riskmanagement activities involving the border, surveillance, response and eradication; and organisational change management. Barry led MAF's emergency response efforts into a number of incursions, includ-

ing the Rabbit Calicivirus Disease in 1997, the Waiheke Island foot and mouth disease hoax in 2005 and, more recently, the initial MAF response efforts to Psa. When Barry left MAF he established his own consultancy business, which took him to Abu Dhabi and Europe.

He is also past president of the European-based World Organisation for Animal Health, having held the presidential role from 2006 to 2009.

“The organisation has 178 member countries from very poor developing nations to the most affluent. It works to develop policy to keep animals free from diseases so member nations can trade safely.

It is one of three sister World Trade Organisation agencies. The other two are concerned with plant health and food safety.”

Hilda and Barry have four children: Andrea, 28; Kerry, 26; Eamon, 24; and 16-year-old Liam. “Liam and Hilda will move from Wellington to the Bay of Plenty at the end of the school year. We are all

looking forward to making our home here, as Hilda also grew up in Tauranga and has family here.”

Barry says the Bay’s weather is another attraction.

By Elaine Fisher

Call Andrew

2 Mulch Services

0274 991 349

Correct installation vital for artificial shelter The tender young canes of new kiwifruit varieties grafted this winter will need careful protection to foster their growth, including from the wind.

Warren Murphy of Cosio Industries says growers planning to install new artificial shelter or replace existing fabric should give careful consideration to the support structures for the cloth to gain maximum benefit from their investment. ``Different support systems are required depending on how exposed an orchard is to wind and what type of soil structure the poles are going into. Our fabrics have a 10 year guarantee, but those which are erected correctly last considerably longer,’’ he said.

Hundreds of hectares of orchards are expected to be grafted to Zespri’s new gold and green fruits in the coming months, many of them replacing Hoft16A, the gold fleshed variety which has been so hard hit by the vine disease Psa-V. Warren advises the use of plastic covered wire for `billow wires’ when installing shelter fabric. ``The most common cause of fabric damage we see is when ordinary wire has been used. Plastic fabric rubbing against wire is only going to cause one result and that’s damage to the fabric.’’

Windbreak can be installed on frames, fences, timber poles or post and wire structures. Cosio’s sales depart-

ment can give advice on the pole or post sizes and spacing required, wire sizes including billow wires windbreaks are best suited for each location.

Cosio’s range of windbreak fabrics are not designed to stop the wind, but filter it, reducing its impact on the crops it protects. Conversely shelters formed by rows of trees can force wind upwards, `dumping’ it on the other side, causing damage to plants.

COSIO COSIO INDUSTRIES

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Comes complete with eyelets or can be hemmed with drawcord for pulling wire through. Custom made to your requirements.

Contact us for your nearest stockist.

Cosio Industries Ltd, P.O.Box 15014, New Lynn Auckland Email : sales@cosio.co.nz 27-33 Lansford Crescent, Avondale, Auckland Website : http://www.cosio.co.nz Ph 09 820 0272 Fax 09 820 0274

My Name is Neil Woodward.

I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run business, our team consists of three, being myself, my son and my brother.

Our organisation has been established for over 18 years. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966.

We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We have the equipment to spray orchards with our two Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom Formula tractor which is also available for mulching and mowing.

Enhances cane growth Increases production Larger fruit size Makes orchard warmer increases dry matter prior to picking

Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this combined with fully automated sprayer controllers and three nozzle rings enhances application efficiency and accuracy.

We also use a quad bike for strip weed spray applications.

We hold all certificates needed to meet Globalgap compliance.

We look at all challenges to help ensure we protect your crop with excellence.

216 Pongakawa Bush Road Te Puke

To contact us: Phone: 021 907 621 E-mail: zcl@zanadu.co.nz

Page 40

BUILDING & HEATING

Coast & Country

Modern wood burners offer many advantages Modern wood burners are highly energy efficient and produce limited air pollution. They use a form of renewable energy and so are essentially carbon neutral, according to the website EECA engergywise.

By comparison open fires are often very inefficient as most of the heat is lost up the chimney. Open fires may warm the room they occupy a little bit, but create such a draft that they draw cold air into the rest of the house. Open fires also produce large amounts of air pollution Older wood burners and pot belly stoves are less energy efficient and produce more air pollution.

Modern wood burners are one of the heating options that are relatively cheap to run , even if firewood has to be purchased.

For those who have access to free firewood, running costs will be close to zero.

Burning wood from sustainable forests is carbon neutral. While trees are growing, they capture carbon dioxide from the air.

This carbon dioxide is released either when the wood is burnt, or when the tree dies and rots.

While some emissions are produced in the transporting and processing of the wood, this is only a very small amount per unit of heat produced.

Wood is renewable and sustainable. New Zealand has extensive areas of forestry.

Generation after generation of trees can be successfully harvested to produce firewood.

Another significant advantage is that wood burners will work during power cuts.

Some wood burners can be equipped with a wetback system to heat household hot water, and with others the top can be used for cooking or heating food.

Keep warm, wherever you are Forget the kitchen sink – take a solid fuel Sparky stove on holiday instead.

Kaitaia-based Wagener Stoves has just released its new 7 kilowatt stove, designed to be installed in mobile homes, campers, house boats or the holiday bach.

Sparky has both top and rear flue outlets so can even be installed in front of inefficient old open fire places.

“He’s a good looking, compact wee fire that we’ve designed to fit a gap we saw in the market,” says Ngaire McClure, who with business and life partner Barry Kernot has just completed a South Island sales trip promoting Sparky.

“He’s a bit of fun but very functional, as well as a good looker and he will keep you cosy and warm without producing so much heat that you have to leave your camper.”

The Wagener Sparky has a stove top cooking surface and can also be fitted with a wetback to heat water too.

Ngaire says the concept for the solid 5mm steel multi-fuel stove came as a result of customer feedback.

“We take our leads from our customers and saw that there was a need for a small, efficient stove, especially among mobile home owners.”

Wagener Stoves has been designing and manufacturing solid fuel stoves for more than 30 years and it’s Barry’s experience and expertise that led to the development of Sparky, which is 505mm high (or 795mm with a log box base), 310mm wide and 400mm deep.

Ngaire says while there is a desire among many New Zealanders to have a solid fuel stove for space heating, water heating and cooking, increasingly tough national and regional clean air regulations have seriously

curtailed the market, especially among urban residents.

“The regulations have had a significant impact on our industry, which is a shame because it has left people with few choices at a time when electricity generators are struggling to meet demand and prices are constantly going up.

“We had customers affected by a winter storm in the South Island who were without power for days but managed fine because they could cook, keep warm and heat their water with a Wagener stove.”

Being self-sufficient in the basic needs of warmth and hot water and having the ability to cook a hot meal gave them comfort and confidence during a difficult time, she says.

Ngaire believes education on the correct fuel to use could have done much to avoid the problems with air pollution and associated restrictions on wood fires.

Most New Zealand homes are too cold Heating accounts for about 29 per cent of all the energy consumed in a typical New Zealand home but despite this, the majority of homes are under-heated by international standards, according to the EECA engerywise website.

There are lots of heating options for homes, but using the right kind of heater for individual circumstances will mean that a home is warm, healthy and comfortable to live in while keeping running costs low. An appropriate heating system can also help the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

Clean effective heating means more than just having a good heater. It's also about having a well-insulated house and using heaters wisely.

Keeping a home warm is important for health and comfort, and a good heating system (coupled with proper insulation) makes it much easier to do.

The World Health Organisation recommends the following minimum indoor temperatures, which are also supported by the Ministry of Health.

• A minimum of 18 ˚C, or a minimum of 20 ˚C for more vulnerable groups like children, the elderly and people who are ill.

• A minimum of 16 ˚C in your bedroom overnight.

These recommended temperatures apply to all rooms while they are in use.

BUILDING & HEATING

Coast & Country

Is wool back in fashion?

The great promise of emerging markets is beginning to crystallise for New Zealand wool, leading to renewed optimism among growers that finally, wool may be ‘back in fashion’, according to a new industry report.

The report, ‘Wool – back in fashion?’, by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank, says while a number of challenges remain, the past year has seen global wool markets perform strongly as the supply-demand balance has tipped in favour of demand after many years of a supply overhang.

Report author, Rabobank analyst Airlie Hoskins, says the structurally low level of global wool supply has created conditions for a tighter market, however new demand drivers also appear to be playing a more prominent role in global markets, adding to competition for available supplies.

“Changing dynamics in global wool consumption, historically low wool supplies and wool’s improved price competitiveness relative to cotton and man-made fibres have resulted in above-average levels for wool prices over the past year,” says Airlie.

New Zealand wool production has fallen to historically low levels, particularly as a result of a sharp decline in the national sheep flock in recent years, Airlie says.

“Dairy milk production expanded by approximately 15 per cent from 2007 to 2011, diverting a greater percentage of resources available for wool and sheep meat production into dairy.

“The on-going conversion into dairy production and competition from alternative fibres will continue to challenge the New Zealand wool industry.”

The Rabobank report shows that total raw wool exports from New Zealand declined by approximately eight per cent from July to January 2011/12 (clean weight) compared with exports for the same period last year.

Airlie says global macroeconomic uncertainty and the historically high value of the New Zealand dollar against the US dollar have weighed on demand this season.

“By contrast, exports to the EU have been weaker, falling by 15 per cent year-on-year,

as the impact of the sovereign debt crisis begins to take its toll on textile retail sales.”

Globally historically low wool supplies are expected to continue to support the New Zealand wool market above long-term average levels in the foreseeable future, although the high level of the New Zealand dollar is expected to ‘take some of the shine off ’ the market going forward.

Despite generally favourable seasonal conditions, any supply response to more buoyant market prices is forecast to be limited in New Zealand due to the depleted state of the national sheep flock, Airlie says.

“Any longer term recovery in production will likely be challenged by competing demand from other farming enterprises.”

Airlie says the demand outlook for wool has softened in the 2011/12 season in line with the fragile economic environment in many of the main woolconsuming countries.

“A sustained period of elevated profitability will be required to sway New Zealand farmers to return to the fold, however the great potential of emerging markets is likely to deliver promising opportunities, provided the necessary investment in innovation and marketing is made to secure them.”

above-average levels for wool prices

By Rabobank analyst Airlie Hoskins

JORDAAN

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COUNTRY LIVING

Coast & Country

Are your muscles complaining? Part 1 This month we start a two-part series looking at the most common problems affecting our muscles.

Abundant Health

The term myopathy is used to describe a group of problems that cause some loss of muscle function.

The term myalgia is used to describe syndromes including polymyalgia and fibromyalgia that cause muscle pain.

One of the most common forms of myopathy is statin myopathy. This is a collection of muscular symptoms caused by side effects of commonly prescribed cholesterol lowering statin medication.

While statins are very effective at lowering cholesterol they can cause muscle problems. Statins work by inhibiting an enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) and subsequently reducing mevalonate needed to make cholesterol. Unfortunately mevalonate is also needed for the production of Co enzyme Q10.

The main function of CoQ10 is to produce the energy needed for our body demands especially in muscle cells. Think of CoQ10 like the spark plugs and exhaust system in your car engine. Without a good spark a petrol engine will not run properly.

Without a good exhaust system engine exhausts will pollute the air. With insufficient CoQ10 the trillions of little engines (mitochondria) in your cells will not produce enough energy and you feel that as weakness, stiffness and pain in your muscles. Additionally CoQ10 is a potent antioxidant to clean up the barrage of toxic free radicals as by products of energy production.

If you think you have these muscular symptoms you should talk to your doctor as sometimes a change in

medication can help. I recommend everyone on statins take 100mg of high grade CoQ10 to compensate.

Interestingly I note an increasing number of doctors including cardiologists who suggest CoQ10 supplementation to counter statin myopathy. The one I use is a trademarked product that is proven to increase cell CoQ10 levels and includes compounds called tocotrienols known to help cholesterol balance. In most cases this can help muscle function by restoring lost CoQ10.

For those on statins my first goal is to prevent or reduce any statin myopathy but just as importantly to create a full cardiovascular nutrition programme. I invariably add a range of nutrients to help with circulation and to protect blood vessels especially coronary arteries from the free radical damage and inflammation central to the formation of artery-blocking plaques.

Give me a call if you need help. To join my weekly newsletter go to www. johnarts.co.nz and visit www.abundant.co.nz. John Arts is the founder of Abundant Health. To contact John, phone 07 578 9051 or 0800 423 559.

Home Show bigger and better than ever It’s one of the most popular events on the calendar for the Bay of Plenty region, and this year, visitors can expect even more excitement.

The Tauranga Home Show which opens on Friday May 4 and runs until Sunday May 6 at Baypark’s new TECT Arena, with exhibits, displays, live cooking sessions, family fun, fine foods and live entertainment.

The show will host more than 200 exhibits, covering everything from home and living products and services, including kitchens, bathrooms, furniture, spa pools, swimming pools, home heating, energy

SPOT the

difference?

™

saving options and more.

With key show features this year including the Winter Warmth and Heating Show, the Taste Tauranga Food Zone, the ever popular live cooking and tasting demonstrations, and the music and entertainment zone with a special area for the show's 'younger visitors' - this event just gets better and better every year.

There will also be an added bonus for attendees – an entry into the draw to be in to win a share of $20,000 worth of prizes, including a brand new laundry renovation package worth more than $8,000, double glazing worth $5,000 from the Energy Savings Centre, and an ANZ Serious Saver Account worth $5,000.

As Tauranga’s premier home and lifestyle show, it’s consistently voted one of our region's most enjoyable events, and draws in around 10,000 attendees annually.

The show is on all weekend from Friday to Sunday from 10-5 daily, $10 for adults and free for under 13s.

Coast & Country

COUNTRY LIVING

Avocados part of diet research Avocado production is increasing in New Zealand and while the industry’s focus has been largely on exports, new medical research may give a boost to local market sales in the future.

A new pilot study investigating if the dietary habits of New Zealanders can be changed will encourage participants to eat avocados and other specific foods every day to help reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases.

Nutrigenomics New Zealand (a collaboration between AgResearch, Plant and Food Research and The University of Auckland) is asking a group of people aged 20 to 60 to change their diet for six weeks to incorporate foods rich in healthy fats such as avocado, along with fish and seafood, lean meat, fresh vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts and whole grains.

It is thought an ‘anti-inflammatory’ diet such as this, could assist in reducing the chances of developing cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimers as well cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological and autoimmune diseases.

The study is being led by The University of Auckland’s head of nutrition, Professor Lynnette Ferguson. It draws inspiration from the Mediterranean diet which relies heavily on such foods and avoids processed food or items high in sugar, fat or white flour.

“This sort of eating pattern is based on the traditional foods and lifestyle of individuals that border the Mediterranean Sea, including Greece, Spain, Italy and Turkey. Although the specific dietary guidelines that we are asking people to follow are not identical to this, they have a number of things in common,” says Lynnette.

“In particular, we request that people eat at least seven servings of fresh fruit and vegetables, two or more servings of fish per week, and that their sources of fat are mainly from extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.”

This pilot study is nearing completion. Nutrigenomics New Zealand will use the information gathered to gauge how feasible it is to get Kiwis to change their diet long enough to see changes in inflammation.

Different levels of support, education, recipes and food was given to participants to establish how much intervention is needed to successfully get people to modify their diets. Blood and urine samples will also be taken before and afterwards to see if there is a change in people’s inflammation profiles.

“We would like to use the outcomes of this research to then design a large scale study for Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients who could benefit greatly from a diet like this. We ultimately wish to be able to provide dietary guidelines that will aid individuals suffering from IBD,” says Lynnette.

The Avocado Industry Council supported Nutrigenomics New Zealand with avocados and recipes throughout the pilot study.

AIC chief executive Jen Scoular says the industry is excited to see the results of the study as avocados have long been renowned for their health benefits.

“The fats in avocados are classed as ‘good fats’ because they lower your cholesterol and are good for your heart. Eating at least some avocado every day will definitely make a difference to your overall health and well-being so hopefully the information and insights gained from this study will benefit all New Zealanders,” says Jen.

Time running out for Hauraki subdivisions It has now been eighteen months since Hauraki District Council publically notified their Proposed District Plan and we are still largely working under the old rules.

This is good news for those wanting to subdivide or carry out any development conceived prior to this notification, or when they purchased.

Only rules that protect air, soil, water, flora and fauna; or relate to historic features or aquaculture come into play immediately under current resource management legislation. Other rules need to go through the full public consultation process, potentially including an appeal to the Environment Court, before they can be fully implemented.

Currently many landowners are allowed to subdivide off a small lifestyle block from their farm and most, with the better land, can even subdivide the farm into six hectare blocks if they wish.

This opportunity may only last a few months now and unfortunately many won’t realise until it is too late. Council are also proposing to increase the minimum size for town sections to 550 square metres from the current 350 square metre minimum. People who aren't aware of the rules changing are often disappointed when they actually need to subdivide in the future and find that they can’t, due to changed rules.

The rules announced are far reaching for landowners in the area but fortunately there is still time to salvage the situation if you take action right away.

Council has completed the hearing process and is now under pressure to announce its decision on all new rules before September this year – two years after the date of public notification. The new rules propose to limit future rural subdivisions to a minimum 40ha block which will take away many options currently available to farmers in the Hauraki District.

Whether you want to subdivide a smaller block for retirement, obtain a separate title to the family home before entering an equity partnership or even

subdivide the farm into several lifestyle blocks, you should look at your options before the new rules are set in concrete.

Other districts including Matamata-Piako, Waipa and Thames-Coromandel are all reviewing rules following Western Bay of Plenty earlier and the outlook is not looking good for rural subdivision. If you are interested in finding out how the changes may affect you, feel free to give me a call.

F QUOREE TES!

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COUNTRY LIVING

Coast & Country

Trial period – make sure you get it right The new 90 day trial period is very useful for employers because an employer can now asses a new employee over that time to ensure they are a suitable fit for their business, without being troubled with the risk of personal grievance claims.

However, it is never that easy. The Employment Court has issued a judgment, Blackmore v Honick Properties Ltd, that may create problems for

employers relying on a 90 day trial period.

In this case, Mr Blackmore was employed as a farm manager for

Honick Properties Ltd. On October 5, 2010 Mr Blackmore was formally offered employment by way of a letter setting out the basic terms of employment.

The letter also stated that on his acceptance of the position, a Federated Farmers employment agreement would be filled out containing those basic terms of employment. Mr Blackmore accepted this offer by email on October 10.

Mr Blackmore began work at 7am on November 15, 2010 and was given an employment agreement to sign shortly after 8am on that day. The employment agreement included a 90 day trial period. The trial period had not been discussed previously. Mr Blackmore was then told there was work to be done on the farm and that the employment agreement should be signed so they could get on with the farm work. Mr Blackmore signed the agreement on that day.

Around January 31, 2011 Mr Blackmore was told his employment would not continue after the trial period and he was given two weeks’ notice. Mr Black-

more raised a personal grievance.

The Court found the trial period was invalid on the basis that it had been unfairly bargained for. The Court stated that to effectively institute a trial period, the employment agreement containing the trial period provisions must be provided to the prospective employee at the same time as, and as part of, making an offer of employment to the prospective employee.

The prospective employee must also be advised of their right to, and be given a reasonable time to, seek advice about the terms of employment.

If you have any employment queries that you would like assistance with, please email Wendy directly at wendy@accordservices.co.nz

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Coast & Country

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 45

Psa - “answer’s in the soil” “The significant problems we face today cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them” – Albert Einstein

I attended a rural professional meeting in Tauranga in February, to listen to a Kiwifruit Vine Health (the organization set up to ‘manage’ Psa) presentation.

In my view this is a huge crisis being mismanaged from the very top. $50m has been allocated to deal with the problem. I don’t believe any of it has been well spent. The bottom line is growers are being advised to cut back their kiwifruit vines, particularly the gold ones. They are then to re-graft more resistant varieties onto the stumps. The cost will be $40-$50,000 per hectare.

As for La Nina being a major factor; the cause is not poor weather, it is poor nutrition. Infected plants are malnourished. Vines that have died have starved to death. The weather may have triggered a bad reaction but the advisors and growers have loaded the gun that fired the bullets.

We maintain you can make your vines healthy for $1,000-$2,000/ha by using the right fertiliser substances. We’ve proved this by doing it on almost 30 orchards and having no Psa on any of them. If it is there, it is not thriving.

To do that you must have a decent soil test. That’s where all the problems start; in the soil.

We get tests from Perry Agricultural Laboratories in Missouri, USA, and our recommendations from Kinsey Agricultural Services. We are also trained to calculate what is required to balance a soil, and to recommend according to the results. It can get complicated.

KVH did not even mention the soil.

According to them, this is all hearsay and they take no notice of hearsay.

Police listen to hearsay; then sort out the facts from fiction later; not before they act.

There was much said about controlling the level of inoculum available to infect vines. At the same time, it was stated that manuka pollen carrying

bacteria from Coromandel can travel to Te Kaha. So (KVH) trying to control bacterial spores is an exercise in futility. In any case, the level of inoculum is irrelevant depending on the health of the plant. That means a healthy plant can’t become seriously infected even when the inoculum level is high, while an unhealthy plant can. That also applies to the so-called susceptible varieties.

A highlight for me was a scientist from a rival company approaching us after the presentation and saying we were “dead right.”

Once the vines are healthy, the number of chemical sprays needed, will reduce to almost zero. Most chemical sprays are chlorine and nitrogen based. They physiologically damage the leaf in particular by causing protein break-down, making it increasingly susceptible to disease infection and insect attack.

The most important thing is to balance your soil so the plants immune system is fully functional. From there, the plant can self-protect and self-heal.

To do that you must have an accurate soil test and recommendation. I am not suggesting we can bring vines back from the grave. Nor do I claim a monopoly on healthy plants. Others have been saying the same thing, but like us, they are ignored. Sadly, we can claim that KVH has not got a viable plan to restore vine health.

Growers must take responsibility for their own misfortunes and take action to protect their vines from the soil up.

The only way I know how to do that is to get a Kinsey soil recommendation and act on that.

Below is a questionnaire and guidelines. Get just a few answers wrong, and your crop could do better.

Do the fertiliser recommendations vary much from year to year, or is it more or less the same?

Is your calcium high enough in the soil, so it is at least two per cent in the leaf?

Is magnesium in the right amount in the soil compared to calcium?

If it is too low or too high, both conditions lead to a deficiency of

magnesium in the plant. Phosphorus will be adversely affected by incorrect magnesium. Is your phosphorus too high?

Does the zinc correctly match the amount of phosphorus in the soil?

If they are not right, they can tie each other up.

Is the potassium 7-7.5 per cent of soil base saturation? If calcium is not two per cent in the leaf, then potassium may show high in the leaf but be too low in the soil.

Do you apply more sulphur than phosphorus?

Do you apply too much nitrogen and in what form?

Nitrogen and other chemical sprays will alter the physiology of the leaf in favour of pathogens.

What is your soil iron level?

There are 500,000 iron deficient hectares in NZ, discovered in the 1920s. Is your iron higher than your manganese, or is it the other way around?

One NZ lab shows leaf levels at low-medium to be 2:1 in favour of iron, but at high- medium levels, 2:1 in favour of manganese. Do you believe they can both be correct?

When manganese is higher than iron, it oxidises iron in the leaf.

Ever noticed leaves that have dried up or look sun-burnt? That may be too much manganese relative to iron. Do you know how to fix it?

What are your soil boron levels?

What are your soil copper levels?

Are they 1ppm or 15ppm?

Do you apply cobalt and selenium?

Do you follow the experts’ advice and still get Psa? Do you believe you are doing your plants a favour by restricting the fertiliser budget?

Is gold kiwifruit more susceptible to Psa than green? Gold produce more fruit than green. That makes it prone to more stress. Does your fertiliser programme allow for that? Do you believe the level of disease inoculum is the problem, rather than the health of the plant?

Do you believe healthy plants and animals can catch a disease? Is it logical that truly healthy plants and animals get diseases?

KVH told us that 98 per cent of gold and 87 per cent of green was infected by Psa around Te Puke.

KVH is concentrating on removing sources of inoculum. That means cutting out the gold and replacing with another variety. If the soil is not fertilised properly, nothing will change. When the pressure or stress increases for whatever reason, Psa will reappear.

Your future is in your hands. Do you want to spend $40-50,000/ha?

Can you afford to?

If not, we are offering a far cheaper solution based on true science that is highly repeatable, year after year, soil after soil, and crop

after crop.

The system we use is proven all over the world. This system has produced the best yields of wheat in NZ; best quality and quantity of wheat in Germany; 37t+/ha maize silage in USA; best quality and quantity raspberries; best quality and quantity bananas in Guatemala and South Africa; 20t+/ ha of lucerne all over the world, and growers are paid US$10/kg for their high yielding grapes by wineries in California, to name a few successes.

Kiwifruit have the potential to produce 12 flowers and 12 fruit per cane. Currently, 4-5 are produced. Do you think you are doing well enough when crops are below 50 per cent of potential? The difference is lack of carbohydrate brought about by poor nutrition and some current cultural practices.

Many kiwifruit growers will also be involved with other types of farming. So are we.

It is not just about crops. It is more about the soil. It does not matter what plant, crop or animal you grow, or what disease you get, the best answer always comes back to getting the soil fertility right.

By Brett Petersen of Kiwi Fertiliser

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 46

Tuesday 15 May

Mark & Measure Business Performance Seminar – Taupo At Bayview Wairakei Resort, State Highway 1, Taupo May 15 and 16 9.30am – 5pm. During this seminar learn how to: compare and benchmark key performance indicators with other farmers; use the new industry database DairyBase; Understand the

0800 382 828

Coast & Country

principles of leveraging and compounding to grow your net worth; evaluate your farm business performance; understand the financial aspects of your business. Ph Michelle Greaves 021 280 8405 or 06 350 5218 or email: michelle.greaves@dairynz.co.nz

Thursday 17 May Mark and Measure Strategic Management Seminar – Taupo At Bayview Wairakei Resort, State Highway 1, Taupo May 17 and 18 8.30am – 4pm. During this seminar learn how to: develop a strategic plan for your life and your business; assess how your farm business fits into your personal life and goals – not the other way around; plan to delivery outcomes that fulfil your personal, business and financial goals. Ph Michelle Greaves 021 280 8405 or 06 350 5218 or email: michelle.greaves@dairynz.co.nz

Rotorua Dairy Women’s Network Hayley Marie Accessory Boutique – Hayley is going to show 29 different ways to tie a scarf and how to get accessories right from necklaces to making colour work for you. A great evening of wine, chatter and new friends. At 1186 Eruera St, Rotorua 6.30pm. Ph Tania 07 216 3268 or 027 499 8510. Email: taniaearnshaw@ hotmail.com

Wednesday 23 May DairyNZ Farmers’ Forum 2012 Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton May 23 & 24. Starts 8am. The forum brings dairy farmers together with insights from leading national and industry experts. Registration essential prior to the event. Free to levy paying farmers and their staff. $100/day or $175 for both days for others. www. dairynz.co.nz

Ph 07 928 3042 or classi@thesun.co.nz adult entertainment

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Own water scheme. Fantastic community to belong to - be in quick! Price of house has been slashed! to $550,000 - urgent sale.

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COAST & COUNTRY Tuesday 29 May

Leading Thinking in Agriculture – Dairy Seminar.

At Millennium Hotel, Rotorua.

Broadcaster Keith Quinn will MC the day and give a keynote address, sharing stories about his life as one of New Zealand's best known sports commentators.

Keith has covered eight Summer Olympics, 10 Commonwealth Games, three Paralympics and too many All Blacks tests to mention. Cameron Bagrie, Chief Economist of the ANZ National Bank will give an update on the current economic climate and his thoughts as we move through the financial year. You'll also hear

informative presentations from a number of other key industry leaders and PGG Wrightson technical experts. Places are limited and filling fast. To register email Kirsty Bliss at PGG Wrightson - seminarseries@pggwrightson. co.nz or phone her 03 372 0904.

Wednesday 30 May

Leading Thinking in Agriculture – Sheep and Beef Seminar At Don Rowlands Centre, 601 Maungataurtari Road, Lake Karapiro. Broadcaster Keith Quinn will MC the day and give a keynote address, sharing stories about his life as one of New Zealand's best known

sports commentators. Keith has covered eight Summer Olympics, 10 Commonwealth Games, three Paralympics and too many All Blacks tests to mention. Cameron Bagrie, Chief Economist of the ANZ National Bank will give an update on the current economic climate and his thoughts as we move through the financial year.

You'll also hear informative presentations from a number of other key industry leaders and PGG Wrightson technical experts.

Places are limited and filling fast.

To register email Kirsty Bliss at PGG Wrightson - seminarseries@ pggwrightson.co.nz or phone her 03 372 0904.

Page 47

To list your rural event please email: julie@thesun.co.nz with Rural Event in the subject heading.

Kaimanawa muster In late May, over 170 wild Kaimanawa horses will be mustered out of the Kaimanawa Ranges as part of the area’s ecological management strategy. Kaimanawa Heritage Horses (KHH) is urging applications now from people interested in taking a horse or horses from the Department of Conservation muster.

“The next muster will not be held until mid-2014, so anyone who wants to take on a wild Kaimanawa should act now,” says KHH Spokesperson Elder Jenks.

“This coming muster is the only chance people will have in the next two years to take a Kaimanawa horse straight from the wild.

“Once handled, Kaimanawa wild horses have exceptional temperaments and are delightful ponies to interact with. They're flourishing in Pony Clubs around New Zealand as great all-rounder’s and are highly sought after as jumpers, eventers and games ponies.” This year a Kaimanawa horse, Watch Me Move, won the “Pony of the Year” award in the show jumping at New Zealand’s most prestigious equine show “Horse of the Year”.

Prospective Kaimanawa owners need to contact Kaimanawa Heritage Horses urgently, as applications to take a wild horse close on May 15.

The cost for taking a Kaimanawa from this year’s muster has been set at $250 for the first horse and $220 for subsequent horses. Mare and foal combinations are $400. This cost includes; processing of applications including referee checks, home inspection, and transport from the muster site to a central distribution point, membership and registration of the horse with KHH. A gelding rebate of $75 is also available to new owners who take colts.

Elder says new Kaimanawa owners have access to a strong support network and should feel free to contact KHH if they have any questions about the horses or the application process. Those who would like to take a wild Kaimanawa but would prefer it to receive basic handling before coming to their property can arrange to have horses delivered direct to their handler.

KHH is a registered charity and welcomes donations from those who want to help save Kaimanawa horses but are unable to take a horse themselves. All donations go towards helping saving the horses described as living historical treasures, and are tax deductable.

“I can’t emphasise enough how important it is for people to contact us immediately if they want take a Kaimanawa from this year’s muster. As always, those horses that can’t be rehomed will be slaughtered and that is a tragic and unnecessary end for animals that are unique part of New Zealand’s heritage.”

Looking for your next Superstar or Versatile Riding Pony?

Agile Kaimanawa Watch Me Move wins HOY 2012 Pony of the Year

New Homes urgently required, as un-homed horses will be slaughtered.

Applications are now open to secure one of a limited number of horses from the biennial DoC Muster.

© 2012 KellyWilson.co.nz

Contact

Simone on(09) 431 6111 or Muster@KaimanawaHeritageHorses.org

Q: What does lime do to the soil?

A: It raises the pH level to provide the best conditions for growing pasture.*

Download an Application form KaimanawaHeritageHorses.org Applications close 15 May 2012 Like to help but can’t take a horse? Make a tax deductible donation.

* Lime improves the soil by lifting the pH level to between 5.8 and 6.2, the ideal conditions for growth. This encourages earthworm and microbe activity in the soil, which improves structure and root development, essential for vigorous, healthy pasture. Lifting the pH also reduces the effect of harmful elements like aluminium, which can reduce the effectiveness of fertilisers, or manganese, which can taint pasture and build to a level where animal growth rates are reduced.

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Further information and application forms for muster horses are available on the KHH website: www.KaimanawaHeritageHorses.org or by calling 09 431 6111 Contacts: Elder Jenks Spokesperson, Kaimanawa Heritage Horses P/F: 09 236 4115 E: info@KaimanawaHeritageHorses W: www.KaimanawaHeritageHorses.org

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 48

Coast & Country

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Allan Turner, 12 point Stag “Luck of the draw”

Austin 4yr old on his pony Rambo, cowboy style.

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Ella, 15 months and her pony Snowy (who is in his late 20s and is blind in one eye).

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Sent in by mum, Helen.