Canterbury Farming, April 2012

28,500 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast. April 2012

INSIDE

Canterbury Farming

03 347 2314

Page 5

The Canterbury dog trial season

— thus far

Page 21

Abundant Choices

Page 24

End of Season Blues

CONTACT US

A little over a decade after the dairy industry faced down a National Government and formed the co-operative company Fonterra, another stoush is looming with another National-led administration.

Intensely sensitive to any threat to its rigidly producer-controlled capital structure, the Fonterra Shareholders Council is gearing up to fi ght the Government over the Dairy Industry Restructuring Bill (DIRA).

The Bill was introduced to Parliament earlier this month by Agriculture Minister David Carter, immediately copping a broadside from the shareholders council that took even the chief executive of the company, Theo Speirings, by surprise.

The Bill contains three major provisions:

Trading Among Farmers (TAF) to create a sharemarket in which the co-op’s members can trade its shares exclusively among themselves, thereby preventing the damaging annual swings of large amounts of capital as farmers buy in and sell out the company’s shares as they begin or cease producing milk;

Transparency in the company’s farm-gate milk price-setting mechanism, presently contained in a manual which will be enshrined in the law;

Reform of milk regulations

Fonterra – Government on collision course

by Hugh de Lacy

to allow the Commerce Commission to monitor and enforce them.

Parliament has given the Bill a fi rst reading and sent it on to the Primary Industry Select Committee, which will receive submissions on it until April 24, then conduct hearing starting in the week of April 30.

In language whose strength surprised observers, the Shareholders Council warned the company’s 10,500 supplier members that the Bill’s TAP and milk price-setting regime contained a ‘hidden’ threat of ‘disintegrating’ the country’s largest company, the earner of about a quarter of New Zealand’s overseas income.

Speirings was reported as saying the shareholders’ statement came as ‘a bit of a surprise’ but he didn’t think it would have a serious impact on ‘the total construct’ of the Bill.

He added a plea to the council to keep its misgivings in-house until they could be sorted out.

The council’s reaction to the Bill seems to refl ect a deep-seated fear that the Government is trying to prise the company open to wider ownership, with domestic and global capital markets being allowed a slice.

The suspicion that National is anti-co-op has lingered since former chairman Sir Dryden Spring had to bluntly tell the then National government in 1999

that it was going ahead with the merger of two dominant co-ops to form Fonterra, whether the Government liked it or not.

Fonterra was accordingly formed in 2001 with only two small co-ops staying independent.

To create an element of competition in an industry otherwise 98% owned by Fonterra, the Government insisted it be required to supply milk at its farm-gate price to potential competitors.

Since then Fonterra’s share of the industry has slipped to just below 90% with the emergence of private companies like Canterbury’s Synlait.

But last year a new element arose with public protests about the price supermarkets are charging for milk — roughly four times what Fonterra pays its producers.

Agriculture Minister David Carter has defended the Bill, telling Canterbury Farming that transparency around Fonterra’s price-setting mechanism is “absolutely paramount” because “the price that Fonterra sets effectively becomes the price that all other processors must match.

“There had to be some protection to ensure that Fonterra didn’t manipulate its dominance to drive other players out of business.”

Carter conceded that inquiries by the Ministry of

Agriculture, the Ministry of Economic Development and Treasury had concluded that Fonterra had not exploited its dominance, but without DIRA the capacity remained for it to do so.

“The new legislation is going to enshrine the milk price manual that Fonterra uses today, and also has the sanitising effect of the Commerce Commission looking at Fonterra’s milk price every year,” Carter said.

He strongly denied that DIRA was a response to public anger over supermarket milk pricing, but said the price-setting transparency would ensure that consumers knew how much the supermarkets were marking milk up.

That would encourage competition at the retail level, something that was already expressing itself in Auckland boutique supermarket Nosh offering milk at $2.49 a litre, 50c cheaper than the two big supermarket chains, Carter said.

Since Speirings’ public comments, the Fonterra Shareholders Council has gone to ground, with chairman

Simon Couper not returning Canterbury Farming’s calls.

But Federated Farmers Dairy Section chairman Willie Leferink of Mid-Canterbury said the Feds’ views largely coincided with the council’s, and “what worries me is the depleting in the shareholder base.”

Though the overview of the price-setting mechanism by the Commerce Commission might mean government agencies in effect imposing a milk price on Fonterra that subsidised its competitors, that was of less concern than what would happen if the Trading Among Farmers system was rejected by the capital markets, Leferink said.

That could open the door to outside investment in the company.

In that case, “The problem [would be] that all of a sudden you’re going to have to service two parties — one party plainly after dividend, and the other that’s only going to be satisfi ed by the milk price and the dividend,” Leferink said.

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It has driven increased production from our Kiwi cows to the highest levels on pasture fed systems in the world. And there is more to come if the latest bull is an example of their present outputs.

What was very clear from all the people attending and celebrating the 50 years was their genuine passion and commitment to the New Zealand dairy industry that has driven this genetic advancement and industry success.

They have utilised the newest technology available through all of the 50 years and provided the scientists and breeders with selection methods that identify, prove and then implement superior breeding outcomes for dairy herds throughout the country.

With the latest genomic selection for the traits desirable for our pasture based dairy farms, happier, healthier and more productive cows will deliver for farmers and the entire nation through more exports than ever before.

The science, training and skills utilised throughout the LIC network is something every Kiwi should be proud of and grateful for. We simply have some of the best in the world.

But all this knowledge and skill in breeding must be implemented and proven

Hearts, heads and hands

commercially by the thousands of people who work hard to milk the cows and the farmers who take the risks through the purchase and seasonal management of their farms.

It is through the smart combination of these hearts, heads and hands that the dairy industry is our most successful. We still own and control the vast majority of it for now and all of us must work to keep it that way.

But dairy and farming alone won’t deliver all the export growth we need to sustain our fi rst world status. We need to quickly identify additional high value exports that build off our strengths and generate the wealth we need to pay for our lifestyles.

People who see our future as new technology instead of primary production miss the reality that within primary industries we often nurture and develop new commercial products and ventures.

We have to learn to build and retain the value from those new opportunities without hocking them off to the highest bidder when, as with Sire Proving, the benefi ts accrue over generations not fi nancial quarters which is the measure for too many Kiwi enterprises.

Congratulations to the Sire Proving Scheme and I hope they never start on us blokes!

I was privileged to be able to attend and speak at the 50-year celebration of the Sire Proving Scheme in Hamilton last month. Now under the capable control of the co-operative company Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) this scheme, which selects only the best bulls for mating with the majority of New Zealand’s dairy cows, has been an amazing success

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3April 2012

From the MinisterDavid Carter, Minister for Primary Industries

Last month several hundred people took part in a simulation exercise in Wellington that we never want to see happen for real in New Zealand.

Exercise Taurus 2012 was a whole-of-government exercise to test how well prepared we are for an outbreak of dreaded foot and mouth disease.

The exercise, which tested the response to a number of different scenarios involving an outbreak, was the fi rst held since 2005 when a foot and mouth hoax on Waiheke Island put the country on high alert.

My ministerial colleague Nathan Guy and I got a fi rst-hand look at the exercise in action, joining a briefi ng in the Beehive bunker nerve centre and watching the response teams at work. It showed that top-notch communication across government agencies, with industry, and with farmers, is the most critical factor in such a crisis.

An outbreak of FMD would have a catastrophic impact on New Zealand. It could cost New Zealand $10 billion and put thousands of jobs at risk. The economy would take years to recover.

What Exercise Taurus hammered home most was how important biosecurity is to a small trading nation like ours.

Some believe that biosecurity begins and ends at the border, when in fact our system works on three fronts: working overseas to stop travellers and importers from bringing pests here; working at the border to identify and eliminate pests that do arrive; and working in New Zealand to fi nd, manage or

eliminate pests that have established here.A staggering 175,000 items come across

our border each day. This year MAF can expect to clear over four million international passengers, many thousands of containers and tens of millions of items of mail.

The system works as designed. Despite claims of an increase in introduced pests and diseases, the number of incursions — where biosecurity staff found a self-sustaining population of an organism thought to be new to New Zealand — has been steady since 2005.

And, signifi cantly, most of these fi nds presented little threat to our economy.

But the fact is, even with a carefully protected border, some new organisms will get through.

Biosecurity must be a collaborative effort — everyone has a role to play in keeping out unwanted pests and diseases, and containing or eradicating those that establish here.

That’s why the Government’s proposed Government Industry Agreements, or GIAs, are so important.

Industry can argue that Government is primarily responsible for biosecurity and I accept that — but in fact, all New Zealanders have a role to play in protecting our island nation.

Working together — much like we saw with Operation Taurus — creates a joint understanding of the critical importance of biosecurity and better investment in preparedness can only lead to better results.

Canterbury is very lucky because the majority of farmers have a love of trees and have planted woodlots and shelter belts all over the region, but there seems to be a swing away from the common pine towards specimen trees and fi lling corners.

Chatting with a nurseryman recently he was saying how the trend now includes rows of fl owering cherries along access ways and making paddocks round by planting clusters in the corners.

He suggested that people are planting fi ve or more deciduous trees for effect, and in some cases planting single specimen trees to give the landscape character.

The other thing that excited me (I can be excited quite easily when it comes to trees), is that he said more and more dairy farmers are now planting shelter belts and shade trees for their stock.

It seems the day of the centre pivot ruling the plains is gone, and now plantings are working in with the irrigation systems rather than trees being bulldozed out to allow access.

Yes you are right, farmers are working out that there are corners where the pivot doesn’t rumble over and they are planting trees.

It means that there’s shade and an end to the animal welfare issues that seem to

come up in conversations so often when one talks dairy farming.

I note with delight that the Lincoln University Dairy farm has an on-going project with respect to planting native trees.

They want to bring trees back to the area and the trees are bringing the birds back.

When you add up the land lost to production and then take into account the shelter and shade effects, the trees win.

Apart from all that trees are wonderful to look at.

There is also a swing back to trees such as tree lucerne. I know that many farmers will say there was never a swing away from them, but people are now realising that the bees do need their tree fl owers and that tree lucerne can save your bacon in a bad drought.

It isn’t often you can tidy up your shelter belts and feed your stock in one go rather than having to clean up and burn the trimmings.

The other thing my mate pointed out was that trees are like wine. You don’t need to be able to pronounce the names, but you can enjoy the ones you like, and no nurseryman will look at you with scorn if you use the common name and not the Latin one.

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This year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of the fi rst protected land under the QE II National Trust — and I’m proud to say that the people of Canterbury are among the biggest contributors

Across Canterbury hundreds of farmers have protected more than16,300 hectares under QE II covenants. Working with the trust these farmers are helping to protect our outstanding landscapes and threatened native ecosystems for future generations.

Farmers appreciate the importance of conservation and stewardship as much, if not more, than others. It’s great to see that 150 covenants cover low land areas, where our native fl ora can regenerate, fenced off from stock. These are quite rare in Canterbury.

Conservation on private land — a win-win for everyone

Covenants also help protect the habitat of our native species. For example, 63 QE II protected properties are home to New Zealand’s only indigenous falcon.

The covenants include 34 wetland ecosystems — which are a national conservation priority — and at least fi ve areas that are home to the highly endangered Canterbury mudfi sh.

Once prominent across the plains these little native fi sh have only been recorded in about 80 habitats, and today many of those are threatened.

New Zealand has unique and beautiful natural environments that go to the heart of our clean green image internationally and how we imagine ourselves.

It was the vulnerability of these areas to human activity that in the 1970s saw a handful of farmers look for a way to protect them. Today QE II is the trustee of almost 120,000 hectares of land nationwide.

As a Government we want to encourage more conservation on private land which is why we boosted the trust’s funding by $600,000. It is pleasing to see more and more landowners taking up the conservation opportunities they offer.

A QE II open space covenant is a legally binding protection agreement, which is registered on the title of the land. It is voluntary but once

in place binds the current and all subsequent landowners in perpetuity.

It can apply to a whole property or just part of a property and there can be different management areas within a single covenant. Conditions can be stringent where rare or vulnerable natural features or habitats are being protected.

The trust will monitor the area.

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Today, more individuals, communities and businesses are getting involved in conservation than ever before. And the work with the QE II National Trust just highlights how our farmers are no exception.

Owen Symmans has today been announced as new Chief Executive Offi cer at the New Zealan d Pork Industry Board (NZPork), following the departure of Sam McIvor.

Ian Carter, NZPork Chairman, said “Owen joins NZPork from the NZ Seafood Industry Training Organisation, where he repositioned the business to meet the industry’s training needs.”

“As former Chief Executive Offi cer to the NZ Seafood Industry Council Ltd, Owen boosted the public profi le of the seafood industry and successfully managed a number of challenging policy issues,” Mr Carter said.

“NZPork is thrilled to bring Owen’s skills and experience to the pork industry, along with his excellent working knowledge of primary production and the food, science, local government and training sectors.”

Mr Carter also paid tribute to Sam McIvor, saying “Sam has guided the pork industry through diffi cult times, including the adoption of world-leading animal welfare standards and the ongoing campaign to keep our animals safe from Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS).”

“Modern pig farming requires high levels of technical and practical farming skills, along with the dedication and understanding to compete in a highly aggressive local market. Owen’s strategic leadership skills and his wide experience in the food-producing primary sector will place NZPork in a strong position as we seek to continue to meet industry and government objectives for our sector,” Ian Carter said.

Owen Symmans takes up his new position on 23 April.

Owen Symmans appointed CEO of NZPork

Kate Wilkinson, Minister for Food safety

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Cheviot, at the top end of the Centre, kicked off the season on the 9th and 10th of February with a well attended trial, setting competitors up with those fi rst qualifi cation points.

Waikari followed with two very hot days and great entries. 119 Long Heads, 116 Short Heads, 107 Zigs and 100 Straights. The sheep were good and the points accumulated for competitors.

Amuri came in the following weekend, again with good entries in the 90s over all courses and well supported by local and travelling competitors.

Into March and the Canterbury season gets crazy. Mackenzie at the western edge of the Centre, on the 2nd and 3rd of March and Methven on the 4th and 5th with the Winchester Handy Dog Event being held also on the 3rd of March. Both club trials were well attended with Mackenzie enjoying over 100 runs over all of the four courses and Methven, over 100 in the heads and mid seventies in the Hunts. The lambs on all four courses at Methven worked very well.

The next weekend saw the Hilton-Gapes Valley Collie Club Trial run in conjunction with the Canterbury Centre Championships. Two days of intense competition culminated in four very good run offs. With big entries, the trial had to be kept moving and it was a credit to the whole team involved that the trial ran smoothly. The sheep

were good, taking no prisoners and were a credit to Log and Merv King in their preparation. All competitors in the run offs came away with their six qualifi cation points.

Glenroy followed on mid week and Geraldine at the weekend, both well supported. Waiau on the 18th and 19th , Mt. Nessing on the 21st / 22nd of March and then Mayfi eld 23rd / 24th , all with good entries and a sprinkling of success for local competitors in both the Open and Maiden events.

Banks Peninsula on the 30th and 31st of March saw good heading entries but down slightly in their hunt entries. Into April, with Omihi on the 1st and 2nd with over 100 Heads and mid 90s in the hunts. A sign posted in the secretary’s offi ce caught a lot of folk out. The sign stated that ‘Due to unforeseen circumstances the Omihi Collie Club may not be able to pay out prize money this year. We apologise strongly for this and thank you for your sportsmanship and co-operation in this. Qualifying points etc will still be awarded. We hope we can make an announcement later in the day’. After mid-day it became clear!

Malvern on the 6th and 7th of April enjoyed having Merv Williams and Don White judge the heads, and Grant Plaisted, the Straight Hunt, all from the North Island. The club enjoyed good entries with the sheep working well.

The Canterbury dog trial season — thus farLoburn is the last trial to hand at

time of writing with good entries and those sought after points being gained as time runs out. Only Levels, Oxford and Tai Tapu left on the Canterbury calendar. It must be made mention of young George McLean winning both maiden heads and placing 5th in the Open in the Short Head at Loburn. George’s home is the Omihi Collie Club grounds and he is a year 12 student at St. Andrews College. Although a relative newcomer to the sport, trialling is in his blood, with his two-year-old heading dog Nick given to him by Uncle Neil Evans.

There are too many individual successes to make mention of everyone here, not only the competitors and their dogs, but the many folk who give of their time to put the work in before,

With the Canterbury dog trialling season nearing its end and the focus shifting to the Island and New Zealand Championships, clubs throughout the province have enjoyed a good season

during and after a club trial. It is all the folk at the grass roots level that form the foundation of our great sport and none, more so, than in the Canterbury Centre.

Full Results of all Dog Trials can be viewed on www.sheepdogtrials.co.nz

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6 April 2012

Money TalkW ith Andrew W yllie

rUrAL ProFessIoNALs

Personalised investment adviceForsyth Barr’s portfolio management services ensure you receive personalised, confidential, investment advice backed up by quality research from our highly regarded research team.To find out more, call Forsyth Barr Investment Advisor Andrew Wyllieon 03 365 4244 or 0800 367 227, or email him at [email protected].

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Our normal account opening criteria and Terms and Conditions apply. Full Terms and Conditions for residential and agribusiness lending apply. Personal loans are provided by Finance Now Limited, a subsidiary of SBS Bank (Southland Building Society). SBS Bank insurance products are administered and managed by Southsure Assurance Limited, a subsidiary of SBS Bank. Full Terms and Conditions for residential and agribusiness lending and copies of our current Investment Statement and disclosure statements are available on request and free of charge from any branch or agency of SBS Bank or viewed on our website www.sbs.net.nz

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The Government has been looking at closing as many loop holes as it can in an effort to keep us all honest and to increase the tax take. It has now devised a plan to alter the method of farming stock valuations for income tax purposes.

There have been two methods of valuing farming stock for tax purposes. One treats the stock as capital items and relates to breeding stock, which will be retained for some years thus preventing capital items having an adverse effect on taxable incomes. The other relates to stock which are reared for sale purposes and is commonly known as the national standard cost.

Under that system the cost of rearing stock for sale is calculated on fi gures provided by the Government for various classes of stock and used to work out taxable income.

It became apparent to the Government that some farmers (mainly dairy farmers, it seems) were changing the classifi cation of their stock from one system to the other to get the best result for them under our tax system.

If the plan is implemented farmers will no longer be permitted to switch the stock valuation from the capital value system as from August 18, 2011. It is unusual for legislation to apply

TAX MATTERS

retrospectively but it is clear why the Government would decide to take that course.

Succession planners have objections to the Government’s decision. They are mindful of passing family owned farms between generations as painlessly as possible. There are still many families whose next generation want to take over the family farm but this is less prevalent than in earlier times. Under the Government’s plan if a purchaser buys stock from a close family member in the capital valuation scheme they are compelled to continue with that system. So it would be better tax-wise for a young farmer to buy stock from an unrelated party, or look at an alternative plan which would not contravene any proposed changes to tax rules.

This is obviously an impediment for younger farmers embarking on a farming career and wanting to take over the family farm which is usually a gradual process rather than it all happening in one transaction.

These matters all need to be taken into account when considering estate and tax planning which usually go hand in hand and professional legal and accounting advice should be sought on any plans to undertake an estate and tax planning venture.

This article has been prepared by Bessie Paterson, a Partner with Ronald Angland and Son, Solicitors, who may be contacted on: 03 349-4708 or e-mail [email protected]

Great to have some warm sunny days over the Easter period, which has been followed up by some well-needed rain in many parts of the province.

Crusader rugby fans like me will be pleased we fi nally have a local rugby ground up and running again, the local derby against the Highlanders in June should be a classic!

This month I wanted to review the returns of equity markets over the last quarter and also a have a brief look at the outlook for the rest of the year.

The fi rst quarter of 2012 saw a solid rebound in equity markets of between 5% and 12% around the globe. Offshore some of the strong performers included the S&P500 up 12%, Germany up 18% and Japan up 19%. Closer to home our neighbours across the ditch were up 8% whilst locally the NZX 50 was up 7.2%.

All in all very pleasing results for anyone invested in any of these markets. A standout company example has been the stellar performance of Apple shares, listed in the United States. Many readers may well own an iPhone, iPad or an isomething and the popularity of these devices has had a strong impact on the company’s bottom line and in turn the share price. They sold three million of the new iPad within four days of the market release and by the end of March the share price was up an iwatering 50% for 2012 and 83% over the past 12 months.

Improved company earnings and a general increase in risk appetitive from investors have been the key drivers behind these markets. Even so global risks remain higher than normal, with the main concerns being European sovereign debt issues, the potential for higher oil prices, slower growth in China and (for New Zealand) the slow down in the Australian non-mining economy. On the bright side, the United States economy continues to slowly but steadily improve, the risk of disorderly European defaults has been reduced, and Asian growth remains strong.

Global economic growth is expected to improve in 2012, led by emerging markets and a modest improvement from the United States. The view on Europe is that while growth will be negative through the fi rst part of the year, sovereign debt issues will be managed without precipitating a banking crisis.

Locally the economic outlook for New Zealand over the next couple of years is considered favourable. This will be driven by exporters, particularly in agriculture, but also a modest improvement in consumer demand. The key driver for the equity market will be the timing of the economic growth recovery, which will bring improved revenue and profi t growth. One very positive note is that we are already seeing the fi rst modest signs of a turnaround in the earnings downgrade trend experienced over the last few years.

New Zealand equities, with a median gross dividend yield of 7.7%, are trading at a large premium to the 90-day bank bill rate of 2.8% and also the fi ve-year government bond rate of 3.6%. Investors are being compensated to wait for earnings growth to come through as the economic recovery strengthens.

That’s all for this month. If you would like to confi dentially discuss your investment position please give me a call.

7April 2012

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Irrigation IssuesIrrigation IssuesDr Tony Daveron

Just when harvest is all but done the Indian summer arrived. It is the time of the year when factors other than soil moisture content become the overriding determinants of ‘to irrigate or not to irrigate’. Be careful not to provide additional groundwater recharge at this time of the year.

Just as I consider a theme for this month the ‘golden’ Indian summer has a welcome interlude — rainfall. We have waited for the past two to three weeks of ‘summer’ weather since about September 2011. Given what has preceded in terms of demand for irrigation (nil to a little), who would have thought that in the second week of April ‘a little shower would not go amiss’. For those who waited, well done for your patience and the best irrigation has given you what you need for the rest of April. For those that didn’t wait, let’s hope you were judicious and only put on 15-20mm. If you irrigated more than 20mm, well you have just added the rainfall to groundwater recharge — and that is not all bad.

The ‘golden’ weather has been most benefi cial to

Irrigation, soil moisture and temperature in Autumn

what I consider the most important determinant for irrigation decisions at this time of the year. Autumn is a time of decreasing day length, decreasing solar radiation and decreasing degree growing hours. These factors ‘conspire’ against signifi cant growth during April and May. However, the sunny weather has resulted in soil temperatures staying up above the base temperature for growth of 10°C.

The plot of soil temperature from Aylesbury shows how good the growing conditions (from a soil temperature perspective) have been in the last month. While there have been a few dips in temperatures nothing dropped below 10°C — temperature has remained a full degree above this

base. What is important about the temperature pattern is the timing of the minimum and maximum and how that might affect growing conditions in the next few weeks. Crop models use the 9am base temperature as the base. In the plot

the time of the minimum temperature has shifted:

• In mid-late march the minimum was occurring somewhere between 5:30am and about 8am; but

• Since late March it has shifted to about 9am.

Similarly, the time of the maximum has shifted:

• In mid-late March the maximum was occurring somewhere between 5:30pm and about 6pm; but

• Since late March it has shifted to about 3:30-4pm.

While the temperature never dropped below the base of 10°C, the number of daylight hours when the crop can transpire and photosynthesize has been reduced.

The Toyota Hilux is as common as a dog on farms around the South Island and just as handy. Some would say that the newer models of Hilux are not quite as tough as the old ones, maybe due to them being largely designed for on-road use and having to comply with safety requirements and passenger comfort! Ironman 4x4 offers quality suspension and accessories at affordable prices, that will allow the off-road ability of your Hilux to be greatly enhanced.

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continued on page 8…

8 April 2012 WAter

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In the farming world that is changing every year with pressures from all different angles, fertigation is one of the new technologies that may help alleviate a few of these pressures.

It has been used in intensive horticulture and orchards for many years with great success with extra production and lower costs contributing to better profi tability.

It has been used on some Canterbury farms for 10 years now and they have seen the same benefi ts, extra production with fewer costs.

At the moment, farmers who are using fertigation use it as an integral part of their nutrient programme. It combines seamlessly with the application of other nutrients that are essential for good pastoral and crops production such as super and lime. It is looking at the most effi cient way to apply the correct nutrients at the right time to optimise plant growth. For example, fertigation should not be used to apply the equivalent of two tonne lime via the irrigator.

Some ways that fertigation is helping farmers is:Reducing costs of applying fertiliser;• Less soil compaction;• Reduce nutrient leaching by applying the nutrients little and • often;Easier to manage grass production.•

Regulatory pressures — environmental and complianceAs with anything directly connected to our land and water,

there are approved ways that need to be complied with. ECAN has set out the following rules:

Chemigation valves need to be installed on any head works 1. that are directly connected to underground bores. These can be fi tted when water meters are being installed. Yes it will cost the farmers more money but as I mentioned above these costs will be recouped in one or two years.The fertigation pump power source is connected directly to 2. the irrigator control panel or the irrigation pump so if the irrigator stops the fertigation pumps stops.

In the future fertigation will:When fertigation is combined with tools such as soil moisture

sensors, precision irrigation and nutrient budgeting, the farmers will have an easier way of farming in a sustainable manner. There will be no fertilisers being applied to sensitive areas, such as creeks, springs or rivers, or to roads and tracks that are on the farms. How much urea gets spilt daily on our country roads!

They can apply fertiliser when the soil is able to hold the nutrients as the moisture level is below fi eld holding capacity.

Where they have applied fertiliser will be recorded on their computer automatically, the fertigated area is highlighted on the screen and the amount applied is automatically recorded in the fertigation pump.

Integral part of their nutrient programme

So the ‘Indian Summer’ has been all good. But what if, and what will happen as the days sneak in and/or we get a cold snap that lowers soil temperatures — like a very cold southerly or a sequence of frosts, not unusual for Canterbury? The soil temperature pattern is more likely going to look like the second plot. Soil temperature will:

• Be below 10°C at 9am on those ‘colder’ days (say 12 out of the 30 days shown);

• Take till about midday to pass through the 10°C barrier on those colder days; and

• Still reach its maximum at about 4pm.Very quickly the degree growing hours have been

signifi cantly reduced — by about 50%. As a consequence the plant will not transpire water for long and the soil moisture use is signifi cantly reduced.

Take home message — as the days get shorter, solar radiation decreases rapidly and soil temperature becomes an important determining factor in growth and the decision to irrigate or not. Be cautious and measure your 9am soil temperature.

… continued from page 7

9April 2012WAter

Forecast — Canterbury

Rainfall Temperature Sunshine Airfl ow

Late April

through mid May

Near normalColder than

normalCloudier

than normal

More south-

erly and easterly

airstreams

Mid May to early June

Below normal

A little milder than

normal

A little sunnier than

normal

Periods of westerly airfl ow

Mid June to July

Near normalColder than

normalCloudier

than normal

More southerly &easterly airstreams

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The month saw anticyclones move repeatedly over the southern South Island, bringing regular periods of southerly and southeasterly rain to the region, and cooler temperatures. Low pressure systems over or near the North Island maintained easterly airfl ows even as the anticyclones moved away.

Sunshine hours for the month were generally in the 90-100% of normal range, although the fi rst half of the month was much cloudier than the second half. Some inland basins escaped much of the low cloud and the monthly totals were around 20% sunnier than usual. Mean temperatures overall were signifi cantly colder than usual, with departures -1.5 to -2 deg, but some inland areas near -3,0deg. Both day time and

night time temperatures were below normal. Rainfall was 20-50% greater than normal in North Canterbury, but a little below normal in coastal mid and south Canterbury, and less than 50% of normal inland.

So far to mid April, sunshine hours have been above normal, but temperatures are still cooler than usual for the time of year, and rainfall is tracking to be at least normal, if not above normal, for the month.

In the tropical Pacifi c the Southern Oscillation Index has returned to neutral values. Other indicators of the recent La Nina event are also neutral, indicating the end of the 2011/12 La Nina event. Near neutral conditions are confi dently predicted for the May to July period. There

is currently no suggestion in the models of a move to El Nino or La Nina later in the winter or spring, or early summer. Predictability of the computer models tends to be low at this time of year, so we may yet see the models predict a shift away from neutral in the months ahead. As of now, the outlook is uncertain.

The May to July post La Nina phase is expected to continue to see anticyclones moving mostly over the South Island, with periods of easterly quarter airfl ow affecting the North Island, and occasionally affecting Canterbury too. For the fi rst time in many months we expect some periods of westerly airfl ow to appear, but they are unlikely to be pro-longed or dominant.

As anticyclones move across the Tasman Sea onto

Like February, March was a cool month over Canterbury, with reduced sunshine hours in the fi rst half of the month compensated by above normal sunshine in the second half. Rainfall was variable with generally higher than normal monthly totals in North Canterbury, and lower than normal elsewhere

the South Island periods of southerly or southeasterly airfl ow are expected to wash over Canterbury, and these may increase the risk of cloudy periods, and should bring regular cold rainfalls. Temperatures are likely to be normal at best, and probably colder than normal, due to the easterly/southeasterly cloudy periods.

10 April 2012 WAter

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By law you must be able to record water use by 10 November 2012*

*Resource Management regulations mean that by 10 November 2012, consented water takes of 20 litres of water a second or more must be recorded.

Our solution will measure your water use accurately and regularly, helping you comply with the law and make better

With the increased returns for primary commodities, farmers over the last twenty years, (especially with accelerated dairy growth in the last fi ve years), have been cultivating the land, turning effort and inputs into commodity items sought after in our export markets. An essential ingredient for farmers in the dry Canterbury

Plains is water. Not only are farmers requiring water, but Canterbury also supplies water for the majority of New Zealand’s hydro-electric power generation.

So, what does this mean for you?

With many stakeholders sharing the water resources in Canterbury, we must ensure there is enough water for

everyone to enjoy. At the same time, we should also realise that water use has huge implications for productivity of our farming hinterland, which helps drive the Canterbury economy. Therefore we have to strike a balance between the two sides.

The Government has created legislation which comes into force on November 10, 2012. In less than seven

Are you ready for upcoming water regulations?by Bruce Franks

seen a letter from Environment Canterbury reminding irrigators of the regulations and the need to install a water measuring device. The cut-off date for you to have your installation registered with an authorised service provider is June 30, 2012.

To assist consent holders in making the right decision, DataCol has developed the hardware and software solution to solve your water compliance needs. As an ECan-authorised provider, we supply a data logger complete with telemetry, and display data collected in 15 minute intervals in real-time on our water monitoring website www.managemywater.co.nz.

DataCol enables farmers to view key measures compared with their consent conditions in real-time, giving them piece of mind and valuable data to help make more informed operational decisions.

Together, let’s change the mindset from regulatory compliance to embracing technology and extend our reputation as New Zealand’s and the world’s smartest farmers.

More than any other place in New Zealand, Canterbury must get smarter about managing its water resource

months, any consented water user that extracts 20 litres of water a second or more must be able to record that usage.

This means a meter, data logger and in most cases telemetry to display the data on a website.

You may have recently

Bruce Franks

11April 2012Forestry

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FARM FORESTRY

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To get an idea of the nutrient requirements of your stand of trees, now is the time to foliar sample.

Soil sampling can be taken at any time during the year to give you an idea what is available for tree growth, but Autumn is the only time to take foliar samples in order to get some idea of the correct nutrient requirements (balance) of your stand.

It is this time of the year where the trees exhibit maximum stress but also a period where nutrient concentrations are relatively stable.

Nutrient ratios are just as important as nutrient levels within the stand, and once your foliar samples have been analysed the optimum ratios as well as appropriate nutrient levels will be suggested by the laboratory. However what is also important is where in the crown should the samples be taken.

The enclosed diagram shows where the sample should

Foliar and soil sampling of woodlotsbe taken from, that is, the second order branchlets (last year’s growth). Samples should be taken from the top third of the tree so as not to get needles which are growing under stress due to suppression.

I suppose the most puzzling point of this whole exercise, is sometimes your soil shows ok nutrient levels but the tree doesn’t appear to be able to utilise these. This rather complex subject will be left for another time.

Joke timeA duck walks into a bar

and orders a beer. The barman thought he had seen just about everything with his 40 years’ experience behind the bar, but a talking duck certainly took the cake. But in true barman’s fashion he took it in his stride, and once he gave the duck his beer he asked what the duck was doing in this part of town. The duck explained that he was working as a plasterer at the local building site at the corner.

After he finished his beer

he left but would always return every lunch time for a quick beer before heading off back to work.

One day the ringmaster from a touring circus came into the bar for a drink, and could not believe his ears as the barman explained about this talking duck. Eager to get a hold of the duck the ringmaster asked the barman to get the duck to give him a call next time he came into the bar.

Sure enough the duck came in next lunchtime. The barman was all excited as he explained to the duck that the circus was in town and that he could get a very well paid job if he wanted to work there. Confused, the duck asked the barman if it was the same circus with the big tent recently erected down in the park. “Yes, yes it is”, replied the barman. Still confused the duck replied, “What would they want with a plasterer?”

For further information on the above or any past articles please give me a call

As reported last month, we are finally starting to see an improvement in demand for logs consequent on the Canterbury earthquakes rebuild. Sales for the sawmills involved in house framing in Canterbury are generally seeing improved levels. The earlier demand for exterior timber products like fencing and decking is also continuing.

Meanwhile in the export segment, April sales have seen a small decline in price at the wharf gate against an earlier prediction of slight improvement. This decline can be directly attributed to shipping cost increases, whilst the selling price in the market has remained quite stable.

We have been predicting for some time 2012 was going to be a rather lack lustre year on pricing and demand fronts across both export and domestic segments and for the time being those predictions appear to be a reality. However medium term indicators are for general improvements across the board.

For local sawmills both earthquake rebuild demand and slight changes to demand profiles internationally for lumber is seeing order books filling up and enquiries good but not great. For export markets the ever so slight improvements in the US new house start stats together with a significant reduction in inventory is leading to less log and lumber heading to China. Positive spinoffs are anticipated.

Last month I reported the log export segment prices fell at the wharf gate by $6 to $10 per cubic metre across the normal grades consequent on CIF prices in the market having come off US$2–3 per cubic metre. This month all elements have remained stable except shipping costs which, depending on who you talk to, have increased US$2–3 per cubic metre.

In our key market of China, Pacific Rim softwood log

inventories have moved down to a much more respectable 3 mil cubic metres. Consumption across all key ports is running at a very credible 50,000 cubic metres per day or 1 mil cubic metres per month. Meanwhile deliveries have also been much better constrained running at about 40,000 cubic metres per day.

Market commentary is suggesting the demand profile is directly consequent on actual usage rather than post Chinese New Year restocking which was anticipated to see a false demand blip. The construction sector is busy so impacts from European woes are of concern but not impacting on the total demand profile at this stage.

In our other key export destination of India, the Government have been trying to rein in inflation by increasing interest rates. Indeed the Reserve Bank of India have increased interest rates no less than 13 times as they try to curb inflation which has been essentially driven by a booming rural sector. These factors have been seeing a slow down in wood fibre demand, although certainly not to a level that would give rise to concern. Indeed most market commentators are suggesting a surge in wood demand for Q3 and 4, 2012.

Korea consumption levels have been strong on the back of significant improvements in export sales which is confounding most. Wood fibre demand is also strong but prices are tending to track very close to the dominant China market.

As reported last month shipping in the Handy class segment has been following the Baltic Index up with costs lifting US3–4 per cubic metre over the previous month. Northern Hemisphere trade, together with some reluctance by ship owners to do a one-way steam down to NZ for cargo has been seeing shipping cost increases. Indeed

the words ‘slow streaming’ have been creeping in to the shipping speak. Apparently ship company owners have been telling their captains to pull the throttle back and save on fuel costs.

Such a tactic apparently reduces a China/NZ voyage fuel cost by US$8,000–9,000. This practice can be expected to continue whilst international trade demand remains weak. Unfortunately in NZ, delays in vessels arriving is causing more than the odd headache, and cost increases have been dominant. Fortunately, for the moment at least those costs appear to have hit a high point with one or two cheaper vessels appearing over the horizon in the last week.

All in all the early 2012 faltering appears to be levelling off. Better pricing and demand levels appear to be having a peak over the horizon suggesting better times ahead. To repeat that which will be obvious to those with a tilt toward our wonderful industry, the only way forward for climate and country is to get out there and plant more trees.

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12 April 2012

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Do you have an ‘itis?If you have a health problem that ends with ‘itis’ it is an infl ammatory disease

The term arthritis describes various in� ammatory joint diseases. More speci� cally bursitis describes the in� ammation of the � uid � lled sac (bursar) in joints. Tendonitis is in� ammation of tendons and so on. If you have an ‘it is’ you have unwanted in� ammation.

I remember about 15 years ago having bursitis in my elbow. Goodness me it hurt. My elbow was swollen, hot to touch, red and very painful. In my case this was caused by an infection and needed IV antibiotics.

Following this I had a weakness in my elbow which lasted till about 10 years ago when I started adopting seriously anti-in� ammatory diets and supplements.

The four main indicators of in� ammation are swelling, redness, heat and pain. This is of course what we can feel and observe. In� ammation goes a lot deeper than that. Our immune system responds to real (or imaginary) threats by sending a cocktail of chemicals with exotic names including prostaglandins, histamine, complement and cytokines. These chemicals cause a series of events that include dilation of blood vessels which increases blood � ow. This extra blood � ow causes both heat and redness. These in� ammatory chemicals then cause capillaries to become more

permeable causing protein rich � uid to leak into tissue spaces. With joints this causes swelling, stiffness and of course pain.

They also attract white blood cells to help clear out pathogens and dead tissue.

This in� ammatory response is critical when needed to repair damage or � ght off bugs. It is unwanted when it occurs in otherwise healthy tissue. It is even worse when it is triggered to � x something it cannot repair. This is generally what happens with osteoarthritis. The joint tissue has eroded and the immune system thinks this is something it needs to � x and in� ames the joint unnecessarily. Anti-in� ammatory medicines such as diclofenac or ibuprofen block the unwanted in� ammation reducing the symptoms. Even better is when you can coax the immune system into shutting down the unwanted in� ammation.

There are many naturally occurring compounds including antioxidants and some fats that actually switch in� ammation off and bring sanity to in� amed tissue. If you have an ‘it is’ you it is essential you adopt the dietary changes and supplements that can reduce in� ammation and your ‘it is’ may reduce or even disappear. Feel free to contact me for personalised advice.

John Arts is the founder of Abundant Health Ltd. You can contact John on 0800 423 559 or email [email protected]. You can join his weekly newsletter at www.johnarts.co.nz. For product information visit www.abundant.co.nz

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13April 2012

0800 990 014North Island Brett Brindle 021 270 1888

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OSL3327 John Deere 7930, 50KM IVT, Super Singles, 1500 Hrs, Front Linkage & PTO $184,500

OSL3375 Massey Ferguson 7495 50KM Dyna VT, FL & PTO $165,000

3 x 818 Fendts available from 4700 hours and starting at $69,000

OSL3329 John Deere 8530, IVT, Duals 2800 Hrs $205,000

OSL3350 John Deere 6534 Premium, FS40.1 Stoll Loader 1600 Hrs $99,500

John Deere 6420, 4000 Hrs, TLS and Cab Suspension, Duals, 30 Series IVT $60,000

Loader available for $12,000

3365 Fendt 716, 50KM Vario, Front Suspension $142,000

OSL3353 John Deere 6830 Premium, PQ, 1700 Hrs $105,000

OSL3318 Fendt 820, Front Linkage & PTO,Air, 3000 Hrs, $160,000

OSL3340 Berti Forestry Mulcher ANY SERIOUS OFFER CONSIDERED

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These and other trace elements are commonly incorporated into fertiliser or lime applications to avoid an additional application cost. Direct treatment of the animal is far more effi cient per unit trace element, and ensures the correct dosage is given to every animal, but at considerable cost. Salt licks and addition to drinking water are considerably cheaper but do not ensure adequate ingestion by individual animals — some consume too much, others not enough.

Direct application to the land with fertiliser or lime ensures that all pasture is treated, provided the spreading is even. The issue then is to ensure that the trace element is applied in a manner and form that will ensure that adequate amounts are taken up by the plant, whether it be required for plant growth, animal health, or both.

Ensuring that as little as 150 grams (eg Mo) to a few kg (copper) in solid form is very evenly mixed through every 200-500 kg of solid fertiliser being applied per hectare can be done, but it requires good equipment and real diligence on the part of fertiliser store staff. Most trace elements applied in solid form are used as the sulphate or carbonate form (‘chemical’ form), for cost and ease of handling. Only

Improving trace element effi ciencyDr Bert Quin, fertiliser and soil fertility consultant

a few percent of a trace element applied in this way gets taken up by the plant and ingested by the animal, and this fact is allowed for in recommended application rates. A very high percentage becomes more or less permanently fi xed or bonded onto stable soil organic compounds.

The easiest ways to improve the utilisation of trace elements, without higher product costs immediately destroying any advantage, are (a) foliar application in liquid form, and (b) use of chelated or polymer-bonded forms of trace elements, particularly if these two practises are used together. Chelated trace elements are typically twice as expensive, but can be up to ten times as effi cient, especially if maximum opportunity is given for foliar uptake.

Of the major nutrients, only nitrogen (N) can be taken up directly through the leaves of pasture in suffi cient quantity to meet 30% or more of total requirements, or provide a real boost to production — and then only if the N is applied as urea, in fl uid or solution form, and if a urease inhibitor of some sort is incorporated. However, pasture can take up suffi cient quantities of most trace elements to easily control any plant or animal defi ciencies, provided it is applied as a

chelated or polymer-bonded form, in water.

The necessity for the product to be sprayed on — therefore requiring an expensive separate application to the solid fertiliser or lime — has greatly limited the use of foliar application of trace elements on pasture. However, new aerial and ground-spreading technology has signifi cantly reduced the cost premium of applying maintenance fertiliser, N and lime in high-solids fl uid form. One of the many advantages of this new technology is that trace elements and additives such as gibberellic acid and weedicide can easily be incorporated into the fl uid. This ensures extremely even application, and means that nutrients that can most effi ciently enter the plant through the leaves will do so. The rest fall through the leaves to the soil as they dry out, also

Applying trace elements directly to land to overcome de� ciencies has been practised in New Zealand since the 1930s. Early examples include cobalt (Co) to cure ‘bush sickness’ in sheep, selenium (Se) to improve animal fertility, and molybdenum (Mo) to improve � xation of atmospheric nitrogen (N) by clover

minimising dust and risk of run-off. Note that it is simply not necessary to have all the product in very fi ne form. For most ingredients, excepting the trace elements, a size range of 20-250 microns is ideal. This applies to lime also.

Please call 03 347 2314To advertise in the Canterbury Farming

14 April 2012 CoUNtry MotorING

Avon City FordCnr Main South Rd and Epsom Rd, Sockburn | CHRISTCHURCH | P 03 348 4129 or 0800 655 551Rangiora Service Centre | 78 Ivory St | P 03 313 7059 | avoncityford.co.nz

The latest evolutionof the FALCON has arrived.

Take a look at the latest Falcons. Better yet, take one for a spin. Get behind the wheel and feel the exhilarating power and acceleration of the Falcon engine range. Choose from the all-new 2.0L EcoBoostTM 1 engine, providing great fuel economy without comprising on performance, or the new EcoLPi1 engine offering advanced LPG technology. Or simply stay true with the legendary 4.0L engine powerhouse, delivering fantastic fuel economy of 9.9L /100kms.

Book a test drive today and experience the latest evolution of Falcon.

New EcoBoostTM 1 Engine.From April, the New Falcon XT will be available with the new 2.0L EcoBoostTM 1 engine. Using direct injection turbocharging and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT), it delivers the performance of what you’d expect from a Falcon with the fuel economy of a smaller car.1. Only available on Falcon XT. 2. Only available on G6E models. 3. Not available on XT model. 4. Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG Inc., and is used under licence. Customer should consult their Ford Dealer on the ability of their mobile phone handset to integrate with the Bluetooth® system prior to making a purchase decision.

Enhanced Styling.The New Falcon’s sophisticated contemporary exterior with excellent proportions and bold styling make for a more composed and confident vehicle on the road. European inspired LED position lights2 help create a signature identity for the Falcon.

Intuitive Technology.The Falcon’s advanced new technologies, like the intuitive8” colour touch screen3 anduser-friendly Bluetooth® 4 mobile phone integration, give you greater control and more comfort. With Satellite navigation3 and seamless control of your smartphone, the Falcon is more intelligent than ever.

Phone NOW0800 PLUCKS0 8 0 0 7 5 8 2 5 7

www.plucks.co.nz • [email protected] Main South Road Rakaia 7710, Mid Canterbury

r Unique double shoot opener, used to place fert and seed in paired rows.

r Seed is placed first, to each side of the drill point centre (80mm apart), the fert is placed below and down the middle.

The new Morris Narrow Transport Contour Drill folds up to a very slim 3 metres (9ft 10in) for safe road transport.

Contour Drill9.4m (31ft)

Drill Assembly

r The opener assemblies feature parallel linkage for ultra precise seed and fert placement.

r Each opener moves independently of the frame and each other to closely follow the contours of your land.

r On row packing wheel on each opener provides excellent seed to soil contact.

r Hydraulic trip out pressure for the opener assemblies can be altered as well, from your tractor cab.

r Drilling width of 9.45 metres (31ft)Drilling width of 9.45 metres

Call for more

information

ALLNEW

Cultivation & Drilling GearFrom Plucks New Zealand and Morris Industries Canada

Heavy duty Cultivation equipment from 3 metres to 12 metres wideIntroducing the Morris Industries 340kg, auto reset, trip leg.

New to world market of Air Seeding equipment, built especially for New Zealand and European

farmers and roads

r The leg is 50mm x 30mm as before, but now with no pivot points or axles on or through the leg.

r The leg is simply clamped to the trip mechanism.

r 340kg trip pressure allows you to run points from 50mm wide to 305mm wide and keep them in the ground without the leg flexing back letting the point out of the ground.

r And with the wide points fitted you get wing overlap meaning all the paddock is moved in Just One Pass.

r All this finished off with the Morris no blockage Harrows, leaving a Cambridge rolled type finish to your paddock ready to drill.

r 310mm of trip lift (50mm more than before)

New versions of popular models are always an interesting exercise. Toyota with a three-year model cycle and Kia with an even faster update process recently released their 2012 Yaris and Rio. Known in

the trade as MY12 cars they both draw heavily on past successes while upgrading to the latest technology and safety equipment.

What is not evident just by looking at them is how the

improved ride performance and handling allied to bigger internal dimensions now makes them a much nicer proposition.

The increase in demand for smaller more fuel effi cient cars has manufacturers responding

A new standardThe Toyota Yaris YRS and Kia Rio EX

with ever better offerings that now offer levels of comfort and ride that rival many of the larger models.

Two of the most popular on the market today are the subject of this month’s review — the Yaris from Toyota and the Rio from Kia.

Both are less than 1500cc, the Yaris being 1497 and the Rio just 1396, though they share an 80kw power output with the Toyota just piping the Kia with 141nm versus 137nm. Both are 4-cylinder front driven 5-door hatchbacks, (the Yaris now offers a sedan and a 1300cc 3-door hatch) both are all new and they both offer 4-speed automatics or 5-speed manual versions along with electrics for everything, remote locking and push button starting. Climate air and ABS EBD EBA and TC are likewise standard fare. Importantly they now have 5-star ANCAP safety ratings largely due to ESP being fi tted.

Toyota has played it safe with the inoffensive styling of the Yaris. Gone are the edgy quirky looks and the centrally mounted speedo. In fact the only unusual feature is the single wiper for the front screen.

It would be a bold move by Toyota to increase the Yaris in size any more as it already matches much older

sibling, the evergreen Corolla in several areas, notably rear seat room and spec levels, even outplaying it with nine airbags to the Corolla’s seven. The wide opening doors and high set seats make it easy to access. I liked the use of contrasting fabrics, light colours and well contoured seats making the interior seem much larger and more airy than its dimensions would suggest. That said, the boot area easily held my standard hay bale increasing to two when the split rear seats are folded almost fl at.

Yaris’s new found standard entertainment units common to many Toyotas embody AM/FM CD Stereo with Bluetooth hands free phone technology all accessed from steering wheel mounted controls along with the cruise control stalk that is found even on the upmarket Lexus. A blank space on the right side of the steering wheel would be an ideal home for a new cruise control design.

On The Road: I didn’t get to drive a manual Yaris which is a pity as the 4 speed auto box doesn’t do justice to the power available. I found myself wanting a lower revving top gear and a cog between 3rd and 4th for overtaking. The use of 3rd meant that the super quiet nature of the Yaris is upset during passing manoeuvres as the revs hit the limiter to extract

the right acceleration.I did however like the

relaxed easy driving nature on the open highway and the very tight 9.6 metre turning circle. The 175/65R16 tyres were quiet but felt undertyred when pushed into corners with some understeer evident though the taut chassis and ESP took care of any safety issues. Even with a disc/drum brake set up the Yaris braked incredibly quickly that left me wondering how much better it would be with discs all round. On unsealed roads the smallest Toyota performed faultlessly giving a secure glued to the deck feeling and permitted enthusiastic driving. The noise of stones hitting the underside was evident though not intrusive.

Fuel consumption was a creditable 6.6l/100km though the claimed 6.3 should be easily achievable without using so much right pedal bolted to the fl oor time. Interestingly, I drove the 1300cc YR auto version that consumed exactly the same amount while being slower overall. 0-100km/h came up in just 10.7 seconds which was incredibly quick considering the mass of 1045kg. The YR 1300cc used 14.3 seconds.

Overall Toyota has once again produced a very good vehicle that does everything asked of it, without being spectacular or offending in

15April 2012CoUNtry MotorING

Branch Manager: Terry Gordon 027 260 7820Sales Consultant Christchurch: Nick Wilson 027 498 7044Service Ashburton: Christoph Kalin 027 260 7833Service Christchurch: Dave Paris 027 260 7822Sales Consultant Ashburton: Michael Dewes 0272 607 821

24 hour service 03 344 5645 / 03 307 6031

JJ LTD Christchurch36 Hickory PlaceHornbyChristchurchPh 03 344 5645 24 HoursFax 03 349 8241www.jj.co.nz

JJ LTD Ashburton9a McGregor LaneAshburton

Ph 03 307 6031 24 HoursFax 03 307 6025www.jj.co.nz

SOUTHLAND • OTAGO • CANTERBURYMF 8220 Dyna shift. Power shuttle, front axle suspension, Datatronic 2, SMS joystick. 4,600 hours $70,000+GST

MF 6265 Dyna shift fitted with a Quicke Q740 front end loader 5,200 hours $59,000+GST

McHale Fusion series 1 only, 16,800 bales a bargain at

$70,000+GST

MF 7475 Dyna VT. Front axle and cab suspension. 50KPH transmission 2,700 hours $87,000+GST

Welger RP 220 Round Baler 43,500 bale count Profi rotor-25 knife unit, E-Link controller $25,000+GST

Webco Centre Feed Silage Wagon

$8,000+GST

MF 7480 Dyna VT. 50KPH, climate control, 8,000 hours $59,000+GST

MF 185 3x3 Baler would suit farmer choice of 2 from $25,000+GST.

MF 5455Dyna4 tractorc/w Stoll loader, 5100 hours

$57,000+GST

MF 3075 Dyna shift.Bare tractor 10,500 hours $14,000+GST

McHale Fusion baler wrapper 63,000 bales $60,000+GST

Maxum 3300 Twin Wilter Drum Mower

$8,500+GST

Diesel tank (including ladder), 1,500 litres, repainted�� $900Duncan 620 13 tine grubber �� BEING PREPAREDDuncan 734 triple disc direct drill 19 run, tidy condition ��SOLDFarmall super A tractor fitted with front and rear tool bars

shed stored OBO ��$4,000Farmgard grader blade, had little use ��SOLDKale Cutters - locally made, easily fitted to most four wheelers �� $600 Lemkin 5 furrow plough, fully reconditioned and repainted �� $15,000Lemkin Smaragd* 4m, one pass cultivator, new steel �� $16,000 *For Hire: phone today for our competitive ratesMonzentra S fodder beet drill, 6m, end tow kit & marker arms $10,000Stephens round bail feeder, tidy condition ��SOLDWilder Mulcher 1�8 cutting width ��$3,500Hay Trailer 5�5m deck ��ARRIVING SOON

For further information and viewing phone Hamish 0274 246 637 or Jeff 0276 537 969

Highfield Rd • RD1 • Christchurch 7671

I tems Current ly In Stock Prices excl. GST

its styling. Prices range from $23,290 for the YR 3-door auto to $27,490 for the YRS 5-door auto.

Kia Rio EX: The Rio like its namesake host for the 2016 Olympics has gone all out for achieving the maximum bang for its buck and has largely hit the mark.

The Rio available in two model spec levels LX and EX and with an auto/manual choice is a car that feels of a higher standard than its class. It even looks the part with an impressive cabin ambience.

At only 1400cc you’d expect the near 1200kg vehicle to be challenged on the performance front and it is with an acceleration of 0–100km/h

of a shade over 14 seconds. But that’s not the whole story. Leave it in automatic mode and that’s what you’ll get. Use the tiptronic shifter and the revs in each of the four gears and you can shave more than a second off that time. In itself this is unusual as most autos today are so well sorted that they are better performers when left to their own devices.

Like the Toyota it’s a shame the excellent 6-speed DSG gearboxes both companies use elsewhere in the range haven’t been used on this otherwise brilliant vehicle.

On The Road: In most cases the Rio drives and handles like a much bigger car, thanks largely to the class leading 2570mm

wheelbase. Open roads with off camber corners failed to upset the poise of the Rio though hills with restricted speed uphill corners did fi nd the revs rising to maintain traffi c speed. Off the seal the small Kia felt in its element, loving being tossed around on metal roads. It always felt under control and with the disc brakes all round and 195/55R16 tyre shod alloys pulled up strongly. Fuel consumption turned out to be 6.6l/100km which was better than I’d expected and in line with the claimed 6.4.

The interior: I loved the cabin as it felt huge in fact more like big brother the Cerato. It has an ambience of quality and nicely chosen fabrics and

surface coverings. Helped by its size the well laid out dash and central console looks good with the muted red glowing LEDs for the instruments and screens being easy on the eye during the day and night driving. The rear seats are set low which is surprising given the high roof of the cabin. While it does allow for the fl at fl oor of the boot to extend I felt that some passengers, children especially would feel disappointed.

All the entertainment Bluetooth and cruise control functions are well laid out on the wheel. Equally well sorted is the storage around the cabin allowing for all the stuff we commonly endow our vehicles with. In common with

most hatches the cab forward windscreen design makes using a Sat Nav a challenge if it is attached to the centre of the screen. I found the extreme right edge was better though my passengers said they couldn’t see it. I’ve long been an advocate of a fl at dash top area that suction cups could adhere to being included on non Sat Nav equipped vehicles.

The boot like the cabin is large, though when the rear seats are folded it becomes huge, the biggest area in the class [nearly double that of any of the others] and has a fl at fl oor. It swallowed three hay bales.

Both these vehicles go someway to prove that small

vehicles will work well out of the urban environment. However they need at least one, preferably two extra cogs in the auto transmission.

Even without that they now set the new standard for the class.

Spec’s at a glanceToyota Yaris YRS Kia Rio EX

Engine/capc. 4cyl petrol1497cc 1396ccPower kw/rpm 80/6000 80/6300Torque nm/rpm 141/4200 137/4200Fuel use test/claim 6.6l/6.3l 6.6l/6.4Tank litres42 43

16 April 2012

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John Deere 6620P (2007) 22289 T4WD, 5220 hours, Pearson 20/42SL Loader, Bucket & Forks, Very tidy.

$66,000

John Deere 6320SE (2007) 22316 G4WD, 100hp, 2200 hours, A/C Cab, JD 633 NSL Loader & 2M bucket.

$69,000

John Deere 6010SE (1999) 22229 K4WD, 75hp, 5250 hours, A/C Cab, Pearson 20-36 NSL Loader, PQ Trans, 3rd Service.

$37,500 all prices exclude GST

BLENHEIM Warwick St Ph 03-579 1111GrEyMoutH 3 Charles O’Connor St Ph 03-768 5116KaIKoura 80 Beach Road Ph 03-319 7119NELSoN 16 Poutama St Ph 03-543 8041oaMaru Main North Road Ph 03-437 1111tIMaru 40 Racecourse Road Ph 03-687 4005

NEW MACHINERY LocationAgrimaster AF230 Mulcher G $20,818Celli Celli 140F305 Rotospike G $38,790Hooper 12x3 x 12 covering harrows t $1,050Kinghitter Series 2, 4.25m mast 250kg weight top t $10,370Lyndon 3 Leaf Zig Zag Harrows and Bar o $1,270 Lyndon 5 Leaf Zig Zag Harrows o $1,270Lyndon Harrows 2.4m x 12mm Square K $810Rata Fixed 1500Kg Pallet Fork B $1,100Rata Silage Fork N $1,300Trimax P3D178 Double Roller G $8,350Trimax Procut 210SR N $8,650Trimax Procut S3 178 DR K $8,350Trimax Warlord S2 205 t $9,650Trimble EZ250 GPS System G $3,800NEW TURFJohn Deere 45 Loader W/48" Bucket (4WD) B $4,300John Deere 4720-R1 Compact tractor o $39,950John Deere LA105 19.5 HP Gear 42 In K $2,900John Deere LA145 22 HP 22V-Twin 48IN EPTO o $4,520John Deere LA145 22 HP V-Twin 48IN EPTO G $4,520John Deere X540 26 HP Hydro 54 In HDAP B $11,500USED TRACTORSDeutz Agroplus 80, 4WD, Cab K $20,000Fiat 72-94 4WD, Cab, Pearson loader, AS IS G $24,000John Deere 2800, 4WD, Cabin Tractor B $6,000John Deere 2850, 2WD, Cab t $15,000John Deere 6120P, 4WD, Cab B $45,000John Deere 6120SE, 2WD, Cab B $40,000John Deere 6200, Cab, 2WD B $25,000John Deere 6300, 4WD, Cab, 80hp G $18,000John Deere 6310SE, 4WD, Cab, Stoll F16 Loader o $55,000John Deere 6506P, 4WD Cab t $38,000John Deere 6920S, 4WD, Cab, IVT 50, TLS t $60,000Massey Ferg 5435, 2WD, Cab B $31,000New Holland TN80F, 4WD ‘N’, S/Steer t $25,000USED MACHINERYAitchison 22 Run, 3 boxes, disc coulters, trailed K $28,000Aitchison 8122CT 22 Run SeedMatic Pro Direct Drill t $30,000Alpego D2-300-4, 4 leg aerator K $7,500Celli Tiger 190, 305 Rotospike, 3.0m, Packer t $24,000Clough Triline Plough, 5 furrow t $6,500Giltrap M90/70 Silage Wagon, s. axle, PTO drive o $5,000Hillary Belt Type Post Driver o $2,150Lister Gen Set t $15,000Taarup 465 Loader Wagon G $25,000USED TURFHusqvarna LR12 38"side,12.5HP,Gear o $1,244MTD Ride On Mower 18HP, 42" deck, Hydro o $1,600MTD Yardman 38" cut, side discharge, hydro t $2,300

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Native Landscaping PlantsWaiora Nursery not only produces native plants with an emphasis on ecosourcing and producing niche plants, but can also provide in-house expertise on assessment of proposed revegetation sites and species suitability for those sites. Riparian zones are an important and often not well understood part of this assessment

A riparian zone is the interface between land and water where planting water tolerant plants can in� uence the health of waterways and how they function.

• The plants act as a buffer providing:• Flood protection / control• Prevent erosion / stabilise stream

edges• Provide shade and shelter to fauna• Recreation / fi shing and swimming• Filters the fertiliser runoff from

surrounding paddocks• Therefore improving the health of the

waterway• Enhances the environment and adds

biodiversityWe can give good advice to make

sure the � rst project is manageable. To understand what is involved and how much maintenance time will be required in the

� rst year means there will be less stress and less plant loss! Fencing to keep stock out is crucial and must be done along with weed spraying before anything is planted.

Aim for plantings that are self sustaining in the long term, that will self seed and keep weeds down. Planting density is a crucial factor, the wider the buffer the better. Groups of plantings are better initially — don’t bite off more than you can chew! Plant the basics, get them going and in the following years only plant what has survived well in the � rst plantings. Eventually the groups will establish and you can start under-planting in the following years and plant in between as well.

Eventually the aim is to have the larger shrubs and trees form a closed canopy that shades the ground — reducing weed dominance and favouring the establishment of any new self sown seedlings that have gotten started. The buffer should ideally be about 15m wide, but where the space is limited, dense shrubs can be planted on the edges to keep the light in� ltration down that encourages weeds.

We are happy to do site visits and assessments. Plants can be provided from our current stock, or we can contract grow what’s required. We can collect any existing plants’ seed and offer very competitively priced plants.

See our advertisement for contact details or go to www.waioralandscapes.co.nz

17April 2012

Contact us for a free mail out analysis on 03 3184 707 or email [email protected]

Or contact your local spreading contractor

Ivan Stubbs Oxford 021 312 080Frews Transport Darfield 03 318 8516Plains Groundspreading Kirwee 027 283 8522McCarthy Contracting Cent. Canty 03 329 6655 Frews Transport Oxford 03 312 4016 MA Bruce Hororata 027 489 2201Ellesmere Transport Dunsandal 03 325 4039

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I’ve written before about my experience as a Canadian farmer on a small block in the central highlands of Ontario near the town of Bancroft. This property was an outlet for me from an intense involvement in my salaried work as a military intelligence offi cial. It was also a place that my young family could enjoy lengthy periods living in primitive conditions, like the pioneers of old.

The farming community there abounded with eccentric characters. I was hoeing my potato patch one day when I spied an elderly gentleman scurrying like a beetle along the gravel track that led to a small hamlet some miles away. I went out and said hello.

It turned out that he was named John and carrying several cartons of eggs to the hamlet general store. John was totally blind. We had a long chat and then he scuttled away at a speed that I would have found diffi cult to match. He did not use a cane. Rather, he kept to the grass turf at the edge of a deep ditch alongside the road and used the difference in friction to keep him out of

the ditch and off the road. He had apparently walked this distance many times, trusting his ears to tell him that he had arrived at the hamlet, where he would sell his eggs and pick up a few supplies for the long walk back.

I was quite taken with the old gentleman and visited him several times, usually taking along my young daughter who developed an affi nity for the old man. John lived about two miles away in a small one-roomed shack in a dense forest. The shack had no running water or electrical power and was heated by a small pot-boiler wood stove. There was another small building that served as a hen house where several dozen contented hens lived and ran free. John accessed his property through a narrow walking track that he again sensed by the friction of his feet along the dirt.

On visiting him, we would fi nd him usually sitting in the sun with hens sitting on his lap and clucking around his feet. He needed no radio or other distraction. The sounds of the forest were there for him to

enjoy. His shack was about one mile from a large lake where loons would abide and sing/laugh to him in the evening and the night. Then there were the wolves who howled in the nearby mountains.

John enjoyed our visits. He had very few visitors. An uncle would drop off food and other supplies about once a month but that was all. He was rarely bothered by social workers, missionaries, or other do-gooders. Yet, he seemed not to mind his isolation. In fact, he enjoyed it. He had been blind from birth and left to fend for himself when his parents had died.

So that was all there was to his life. A simple existence that could have occurred (and probably did) centuries ago in Europe. There were just a few visits and long periods of tending to and enjoying his hens, in all sorts of weather. He had only his wits and his sensitive hearing to amuse himself. What was remarkable was his brave optimism and genial good nature. One could say that he was poor and neglected but he did not see

Hermits that I have known and becomeby Lorne Kuehn

himself this way. By and large, he was pleased as to how things had turned out for him.

In a river valley several miles distant, I encountered about the same time another old fellow who ran lengthy trap lines by himself up and down the small isolated river deep in the Canadian forest. He was older than John and fully-sighted but very taciturn. He spent his days trapping and skinning lynx, sable, marten,

and stoats as had generations of trappers and Indians before him. Like John, he spent most of his life alone.

He too was happy and content in his solitude. He lived in a shack on the river, miles from the nearest road. His only vehicle was his canoe which he would use to tend his lines and get supplies from another village far up the river.

Now that I am pretty

much a hermit myself, I have come to understand these old gentlemen and live a life not too dissimilar to theirs. My wife is happy residing in the city and spends much of her time travelling the world. These old boys have become an example to me of how to get on in my own life. My farm gate is always locked and I am rarely disturbed unless I want to be. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

18 April 2012

Fast effective crop establishment!The Aguirre air drill revelation! • Low maintenance drill • Excellent seed establishment • Direct drill option • Low ground compaction

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Sowing the Seeds for farming success

Keith Wild is no exception — with 400 hectares in mixed crops from potatoes to corn to peas along with wheat and barley, he’s a fi rm believer in saving time and money with the right tools for the job. That’s why just over three years ago Keith traded in his old seed drill on a new model from Murray Implements. He chose to step up from a three metre Duncan machine to the added practicality of a six metre Aguirre air-powered drill, and it’s been a profi table choice… especially as Keith’s peas are earmarked for frozen food giant Talley’s and the supermarket freezers of the nation.

“Since I’ve owned the Aguirre RS 6000 it has covered 12,000 hectares and it’s not missed a beat,” says Mr Wild. “I’ve only turned the points once and it’s still going strong.”

Reliability — both season to season when specialist implements can stay in the shed for long periods of time and also out in the fi eld — is paramount when your nearest service centre is an hour’s drive away. But the Aguirre has been a solid performer, a fact

which Keith puts down to its no-nonsense simple construction.

With the aid of his new seed drill Keith Wild is attaining planting rates of up to six hectares an hour — compare that to the two hectares an hour using a smaller machine. Word’s been getting around and other local farmers have taken Mr Wild’s advice and visited Murray Implements to pick up similar machines.

It certainly helps that Murray Implements have a deserved reputation for good business. “I’ve done a lot of business with them since buying the drill,” says Keith. “I’ve actually bought an auger and a roller since. They’re happy to consider trade-ins and they’re friendly to deal with.”

With backup and support from Murray Implements — not to mention the right advice on power equipment for your farm — you’ll be able to share in the success which Keith Wild is enjoying. Seed drills like the RS 6000 are just the beginning of the story and, no matter what sector of agri-business

The Canterbury Plains north of Ashburton are a wide expanse of fertile soil spreading out across miles of productive farmland. It’s the perfect country for growing the fresh produce which feeds New Zealand, but in order to make the most of the land, it’s been important for farmers here to keep pace with developing technologies

you’re in, they can help you stay ahead of the curve of developing technology.

You can bet that this year Kiwis will be sitting down to dinner and a plate of Keith Wild’s peas, unaware that he, Aguirre and Murray Implements have made it all possible. But to those who know just what it takes to bring a crop from seed to table, the advantages of adopting the right advancements are crystal clear.

“ Since I’ve owned the Aguirre RS 6000 it has covered 12,000 hectares and it’s not missed a beat”

Sowing the Seeds for farming successThe Canterbury Plains north of Ashburton are a wide expanse

produce which feeds New Zealand, but in order to make the most of the land, it’s been important for farmers here to

19April 2012

10 Curraghs Road, Rolleston, Christchurch 7678

PO Box 16069, Hornby, Christchurch 8441


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When it comes to long rows to hoe you can’t go much bigger than 533 hectares of fertile southland soil. When a big portion of it is planted out in wheat and barley to feed the voracious appetite of the region’s dairy cattle the resultant post-harvest stubble can provide excellent nutrients — so long as it can be turned and folded under to leave a fresh seedbed for the next crop

The three-ton answer for a cultivated fi nish

Turning the stubble from a corn or wheat fi eld into the next crop’s head start isn’t a new science — farmers have been using this technique since Biblical times or earlier. But modern technology helps Balfour farmer Ian Orr handle the wide open spaces of his over-500-hectare farm, including the otherwise demanding task of cultivating barley and wheat stubble back into productive fi elds of grain. With other areas of his large southland farm devoted to beef cattle and sheep, and with only two full-time helpers pitching in beside him (one of them his wife), it was important to get the right tool for the job fi rst time.

His implement of choice is a 3 ton, 4.5 metre wide Farm Chief disc cultivator — no sandbox toy at this size. Towed behind a tractor that’s hired especially for this task, reliability is paramount… not only for turnaround time between crops but also because each hour behind the tractor costs money!

Ian bought the Farm Chief last season from

Invercargill’s Murray Implements, after a trial right on his own cropland.

“They’re very customer focussed,” he says of the team at the Invercargill branch, “Nothing’s a problem for them and it’s excellent that they provide demos of their equipment, as what’s good for one farm may not work so well for another. Seeing machinery in use on your own farm makes all the difference.”

Ian has been impressed with the performance of the disc cultivator over the end of last season and expects great things from the big machine this year.

“One pass is enough, even for coarse stubble. The extra weight does the trick and it’s a good design.”

Cutting tough farm jobs down to size with solid, reliable machinery is the name of the game in modern agri-business and it all begins with good advice. Murray Implements offer demonstrations for just this reason… they know farming just like you do and if a particular piece of machinery is right for your farm and your

“ Nothing’s a problem for them and it’s excellent that they provide demos of their equipment”

situation they’re more than happy to show you fi rst hand, making it easier to make an informed choice.

After all, 533 hectares is a big investment. Investing in the right technology to maximise its output is what makes all the difference.

20 April 2012 DAIry

Hoof PrintWith Fred Hoekstra

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Some dairy farmers think that cowslips are wonderful; some think they are too expensive and some could not make them stick on longer than a few steps.

Others commented: “just

make sure you don’t have any lame cows!”

Most of the farmers I know do not have easy answers to their lameness issues. Sometimes we come across a cow that has had a block applied to its sore claw.

This clearly shows that some farmers do not understand how cow blocks or cowslips work.

The idea of a block is to glue it underneath the healthy claw so that the sore claw is relieved from carrying any weight, allowing it to heal faster.

The cow should then walk better immediately as her pain has been greatly reduced. A block should last on a cow for three to four weeks.

This gives time for the damaged claw to heal.

Our company sells the Demotec FuturaPad claw blocks and the Bovi-Bond Block Adhesive and blocks instead of cowslips. This is mainly because they are easy to work with, are nowhere near as weather dependant in the time they need to set (can be used on cold or hot days) and, most importantly, we can place the block much better on the claw.

Often you fi nd with the shoe-type blocks that they sit too far forward.

This makes the heel part of the block wear too fast or they may even collapse in that part of the block. The cow has no choice but to walk on the heel of her foot which puts an enormous strain on the tendon keeping the pedal bone down. This can cause so much stretch in some cases that there is a degree of lasting damage.

With a FuturaPad or Bovi-Bond block you can place the block as far back as you like, though obviously you would not want to place it too far

back. The back part of the block should be fl ush with the heel of the cow. It doesn’t matter at all if the toe is sticking over the front as long as the heel is fl ush. This way the block will wear more evenly and that is also better for the ligaments. The block should also be placed fl ush with the inside of the claw and needs to be as fl at as possible and not on an angle. Remember that the block is there to support the weight of the cow — that can only be achieved if the block is placed square and not too far forward.

The price of a block is often challenged. It does pay to shop

around — there can be big variations in the prices of the same products. But, even if the blocks were sold for $100 each they would still be cheaper than a lame cow!

We have recently become a distributor for the Bovi-Bond block. This is a fantastic product. We will also have an amazing launch deal on these blocks at the Southern Field Days. So if you are in the area pop in to check them out.

For more information and tips on working with blocks and on either of the two above-mentioned products, contact us on 0800 833 463.

Cheaper than a lame cowCowslips are lifesavers for many cows — without them many more cows would go to the works. This is assuming that the slips are put on correctly; I have seen many instances where they were not

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21April 2012DAIry

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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 fi nish milking this season.

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 trace elements.

To make DoloZest Dolomite, containing 11.5% magnesium and 24% calcium, is mixed with soft carbons inoculated with a range of soil friendly fungi and bacteria, with added carbohydrate to provide initial energy.

The fi rst obvious benefi t in spring is the lack of calcium/

magnesium related metabolic disorders. Few if any cows need treating at calving resulting in less work and higher levels of production.

As soil temperatures rise toward to 20°C in early November clover begins to dominate the sward reducing the requirement to shorten the round in order to maintain quality, enabling high levels of production to be held for longer.

Mating performance is enhanced 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 suffi cient plant available calcium for thumbnail sized leaves supported by long strong stems to establish.

Under these conditions clover fl ea 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 signifi cantly higher than grasses that grow over summer, providing the benefi ts 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 ratio of the milk.

With strong and abundant clover growth high quality aromatic hay is able to be harvested and it is this hay that provides the perfect

complement to rapidly growing spring pasture.

Under ideal conditions clovers are able to fi x more than the necessary 300kgN/ha required to grow 18,000kg DM each year, with little (if any) fertiliser nitrogen applied.

When soils are moist enough for strong autumn growth dung and other litter on the soil surface is rapidly reincorporated providing a natural fi x of nutrient including nitrogen.

With little requirement for pasture renewal, increasing the interval between grazings is easy, allowing pasture cover to be steadily accumulated and a drying off date set that provides suffi cient time for relaxed family holidays. For more information contact Peter on 0800 843 809 at any time.

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22 April 2012 DAIry

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Over the years the variety of vegetables grown in New Zealand has increased slowly. Having just been toured market garden production in Italy though, I see there’s still a lot more diversity yet to make it to our shores.

One Italian producer was growing a wide variety of herbs and even weeds (e.g. fathen and nettle) for salad additions. The Italians generally are experts at selecting varieties for and expertly producing such delicacies as bulbing fennel, celeriac (celery’s cousin with a bulbing base destined for superb soups and other culinary destinations — grated for salad, fritters etc) and globe artichoke. These vegetables are still marginal in NZ but take prominence in Italy. Even less commonly seen in NZ but popular in Southern Europe is

Foreign Vegetablesby Dr tim Jenkins

the parsley that forms a carrot like white taproot — the roots are superb for soup.

While New Zealand is expert at getting grazing chicory into pastures, some of the European countries can have dozens more chicory varieties available in the markets and stores compared

to our comparatively limited offerings of raddichio and the related endive (3 chicory types are pictured amongst lettuce and artichokes in the photo). These green and red leafy offerings bring excellent nutritional qualities and will probably become more common in NZ over time.

Another source of vegetable diversity has been from Asia. The multitude have Asian greens has been growing for a while now and there are still hundreds more varieties to discover. Daikon or mooli (Japanese harvest time is pictured) shows what is possible from the radish species (closely related greatly enlarged compared to the European equivalent). This giant radish is useful for soups, pickling, grated skin as a condiment and as a main vegetable fare steamed or stir fried.

A wide variety of fringe vegetables are on offer from the various seed companies in the country now. Farmers markets are one way that the diversity of vegetables on offer commercially in NZ is growing faster than ever but it is still a risk for growers to invest time and effort in producing unfamiliar fare. And that of course is why it takes time for NZ to add vegetable varieties to its repertoire.

Italian vegetable stalls contain a mix of the familiar and the unfamiliar

Daikon freshly harvested in Japan

by Dr. Julian Waters (BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD,CBiol, MSB, RNutr, CPAg, MNZIPIM)

Dr. Julian Waters proudly sponsored by...

Many spring calving herds generally produce only 30-35% of their milk after December, often due to low milk yields in the latter part of lactation and/or short lactations. This indicates there may be an opportunity to increase farm income through a combination of higher daily yields later on, and extending days in milk for another 20-40 days. The extra milk produced will increase farm pro� tability, as its value exceeds the marginal cost of producing it, as overheads have already been covered. There would also be a carry over bene� t to the next lactation if feeding supplements also increase condition scores at drying off.

There are an increasing range of supplements being offered to dairy farmers, of widely varying nutritional value and handling characteristics. These can be used effectively to reduce feed costs whether purchased on their own, in blends or meals, according to feed storage, handling and feeding facilities and equipment on individual farms.

There are a number of potential pitfalls when purchasing and using unfamiliar feeds that need to be considered. High moisture feed prices should be converted to a dry matter and energy basis, and allowances made for losses in handling and storage, to gain a better understanding of their costs. Care needs to be exercised with many of the energy density predictions based on laboratory analyses, as these may be incorrect if based on inappropriate calibrations or calculations.

Many of the supplements available are not complete feeds, being by-products of some food or other manufacturing process. Therefore, it is important to understand their nutritional composition, to identify how best they can be

included in a balanced ration. This will also help minimise any risks associated with feeding some high risk feeds, such as those containing high levels of rapidly degradable starch or sugar, which could lead to acidosis.

Supplementary feeds can comprise a signi� cant part of the daily ration, often exceeding 15% on a dry matter basis. The higher the proportion of supplements, which includes maize or whole crop silages, and the lower the proportion of pasture, then the more imbalanced rations can become. It is common to balance for protein, but less so for the major trace minerals and vitamins, which can signi� cantly compromise production, health and fertility.

Therefore, it is important to seek sound advice on the best products to avoid or correct any imbalances, which can easily be determined using a reliable feed rationing programme. If supplementary feeds are fed in troughs in paddocks, on feed pads or in barns, then appropriate mineral and if necessary vitamin balancers can be added to or mixed in with these.

It is slightly more dif� cult to include minerals if feeding supplements in milking sheds, unless these have been blended and pelleted, as there may be risks of blockages or separation if inappropriate grades, ie too � ne, of minerals have been used. This may be the case with mixes made on farm, added to which is the risk of inaccurate weighing and mixing. Therefore, it will generally be safer to use products specially formulated for this purpose.

Balancing strategic supplements in late lactation

23April 2012DAIry

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Philippines eyes dairying expertise

Now attention has been focussed slightly closer to home.

The national dairy industry has found a steady labour supply from the Philippines, and it comes as no surprise that they’d like to be dairy farming in their own country.

There are 6,000 to 8,000 Filipino dairy workers employed in farms across New Zealand.

The Philippines’ ambassador to Wellington, Virginia Benavidez, says they want to share “the knowledge and experience that they have gained from their employment, particularly on dairy production technology and pasture management.”The Dairy Confederation of the Philippines has also approached its government to discuss new opportunities for the domestic dairy industry, and the possibility of co-operating with New Zealand to “include the drafting of a comprehensive industry roadmap.”

At the same time, the Philippies National Dairy Authority is set to ask the Australian government to subsidise as many as 50 dairy processing facilities in the Philippines.

dispersed in various dairy-producing provinces.

These facilities will enable our dairy sector to rise above the challenges of improving production and the quality of our milk and dairy products,” he added,

The Crafar farm sale issue has thrown the spotlight on China and it’s future as both a New Zealand dairy market, and also a possible competitor

“ There are 6,000 to 8,000 Filipino dairy workers employed in farms across New Zealand”

“We’re proposing that Australia make us a satellite processing centre. We could start to service local consumption and try to slowly penetrate the region (Asian),” said NDA manager Rene De Guzman.“We’ll be needing, at the onset, 50 facilities that will be

noting that each facility would cost at least 100,000 Australian dollars.

At present most of the Philippines’ milk imports come from New Zealand (52 percent), followed by the US (16 percent) and Australia (9 percent).

24 April 2012 DAIry

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With the payout high and interest low, it’s a really good time to fix the things that are causing some grief around the Dairy.Before you upgrade to new Milfos cup removers or a Milfos Variable Drive Vacuum System it would be sensible to evaluate things that could impact on your proposed upgrade.Sparkies generally do a great job, however, we regularly come across wiring of all sorts that has been installed incorrectly.For instance we see the right cable used on say, a milk pump controller, but still bundled with everything else so it creates interference with the controller and bingo, a slightly crazy controller. Unless you know what to look for it can be a painful process to find as it looks like a faulty controller.This is important for all sorts of systems from pulsation controllers to cup removers and the more sophisticated the system the more careful you have to be. We recommend keeping data cables as far away from power as possible.We have all heard about stray voltage, yes it does exist and can cause all sorts of issues, we have found a major source is the cable and terminations between Variable drives and Motors.There is a lot of documentation supplied with variable drives with regard to the cable to be used and metal glands for terminations etc, these are minimums and a good Sparky will follow manufacturer’s recommendations or better. If in doubt get it checked.Don’t forget the effluent or water pump, same deal, and move the electric fence unit to the implement shed, they can be an interference nasty in the dairy.For sensible advice on Upgrades, find your local Milfos dealer or Area Sales Manager at www.milfos.com.

Notes from the shed with Mark McKewen

1. Milking Machine Automation: This is all about milk quality, convenience and saving you money. This automation is generally considered during new machine installation, although most products can be economically retrofitted as well. Products like auto washes, auto drains, iNTELFLOW variable drive milk pump and iNTELVAC Vacuum pump controllers are common. Other less known examples include the Multiport Wash Glands (so you don’t have to park a rotary platform and plug it in to wash) or our iCONVERTER Chilling system, capable of delivering milk to the vat snap chilled, look after the vat temperature and produce heaps of hot water. Think about the electricity savings! These things are all designed for maximum returns for your business.

2. General Automation: With Milfos the scope is huge! Drafting,

weighing, heat detection, milk yields, fat, protein, in line mastitis detection, cup removers, cow restraints, powered pit gates, herd management. You name it we usually have a solution!

A lot of farmers in today’s environment need to create a fluid system that can be easily upgraded from a quality iCR cup remover to yields and mastitis detection to full iDATAFLOW herd and cow management. Milfos products are specifically designed so that you can update as your budget dictates.

There is so much scope to the Milfos product range, it’s important to think and plan what you need now with a view to where you want to be in the future.

A good place to start is www.milfos.com to see our product range and to contact people who can help you get what you need.

We have been talking to a lot of people lately about Dairy Automation. This can be categorised into two distinct areas; Milking Machine Automation and General Automation.

DAIRY FARMERSGrazing Off Or Moving Farms?

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The end of the dairy season is a stressful time for all staff and management on farm. When change is imminent, previously friendly working relationships have the potential to become tense and diffi cult. Uncertainty and risk are part of the change process, but it is in the interest of all parties to avoid a bad end to the contract.

Remember, all parties will usually want to conclude the existing contract with dignity and knowledge of a job well done.

The following tips will help avoid potential for problems:

Communication is vital. • Staff should know their employer’s expectations. Inevitably, and perhaps understandably, departing staff will not be as focussed on the job at hand. Employers should make it their duty to clearly communicate expectations.As season-end nears the emphasis on • farm frequently moves from production to maintenance. For example, all loose wires and pot-holes in the race are suddenly more noticeable. Ensure staff get fair and reasonable notice of maintenance that should be complete by the end of the season. Remember, be reasonable — don’t expect three years of maintenance neglect (that was not chased up earlier) to be complete in a few weeks. On the other hand, staff should ensure repairs and maintenance are complete, even in the absence of clear direction: keep in-mind that how you leave the farm is an advertisement for your next job.Whether cows are moving with staff (ie. • 50% sharemilkers) or are to remain on the farm, the basic criteria is similar — cows need to be in good order for the winter. In addition, grass cover needs to be on-target. Together, plan the criteria for once-a-day milking, drying off, rotation length, and associated management decisions. Houses: • Staff should leave their accommodation (both indoors and

End of Season Bluesby eric Jacomb

outdoors) clean and tidy before the end of the season. People have different expectations of what is required; the employer should be clear about what standard is acceptable. Accidents: Staff tend to break machinery • shortly before the end of a contract: In nearly all cases this is not deliberate, but can be a result of relaxing around the gear (it’s nearly fi nished with after all). Avoid carelessness in fi nal few weeks before moving.Herd records: If records have been a • delegated responsibility, ensure they are current and up-to-date well before departure date.Make sure bonuses or payments-due are • confi rmed, and that the payment date is well defi ned and understood. Staff get especially annoyed when a hard-won bonus is either forgotten or calculated incorrectly by an owner.Consider exit interviews to establish • why staff are leaving, as high turnover is expensive.Sabotage: Unfortunately this can and does • happen. If stress and tempers are running high don’t resort to any illegal act. It may be tempting but even a suggestion of

sabotage will carry ongoing stigma.

Managing the end of the relationship is important for both parties; do everything you can to minimise the risk of relationships ending on a sour note. Both prospective employers and employees often use unoffi cial referees, and the channels can be both past staff and other farmers in the area. Reputations can be hard to shake, and, thanks to electronic media, bad news gets around quicker than ever.

25April 2012DAIry

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Fonterra and fi nance

This would allow Fonterra a permanent share capital, with farmers buying and selling shares among themselves rather than with the company.

Farmers could place shares with a Fonterra Shareholders’ Fund which could sell investment units through the stock exchange.

The proposed capital structure change has received widespread backing, with some dissent.

Said farmer Lauchlan McKenzie: “As soon as you have outside investors then you have dual control — one is to maximise return to investors which invariably, if everything else is status quo, reduces milk price to farmers.”

A fi ve per cent block of farmers could force a special meeting. “We’ve got those numbers,” McKenzie said.

However, Fonterra says it has a strong mandate for the change from the majority of farmers.

Whatever the outcome, the Fonterra surge continues, with talks on China expansion on the heels of half-year results, showing an 18 per cent jump in half year net profi t after tax to $346 million.

Record milk collections last season meant

sales growth was up fi ve per cent and revenue up seven per cent and payout at between $6.75 and $6.85 per kilogram of milk solids.

Fonterra Chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden said the company performed well given the weak global economy.

“International dairy prices were supported by strong demand for quality dairy ingredients in emerging markets across a number of Asian economies, as well as Brazil and China, offsetting economic uncertainty in Europe,” said Sir Henry van der Hayden

Fonterra CEO, Theo Spierings, said strong economic and population growth is expected to lift global demand for milk by 100 billion litres by 2020, with New Zealand likely to boost output by fi ve billion in that period. “With overall demand growing, we need to grow volumes to protect our position as the world’s leading dairy exporter,” he said.

“We see the potential to signifi cantly grow milk volumes outside of New Zealand by developing a high quality local milk supply and integrating it more closely with our business in China,” he said. An interim dividend of 12 cents was declared to be paid on April 20.

The Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill, which has passed its fi rst reading in Parliament, contains changes that lead to a proposed Trading Among Farmers system

by Paul Campbell

26 April 2012 DAIry

All applications for � nance are subject to Westpac’s current lending criteria. An establishment fee may apply. Funding only available on the GST exclusive price of the asset. Terms, conditions, fees and charges apply to Westpac products and services. For more details, visit your nearest Westpac branch or www.westpac.co.nz. Westpac New Zealand Limited.

A strong dairy performance, but could you raise the bar?With a healthy payout forecast, lower feed costs and abundant silage, dairy farmers are looking like the cat that got the cream. But could you lift your game further? Could automated drafting gates, auto cup removers and herd management software boost your productivity even more?

At Westpac we’re really happy to back farmers who want to drive greater productivity gains in their operations. That’s why we’re offering up to 100% fi nance on new farming equipment with as little as 0% deposit.

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Be my GuestIn our agricultural history

over the last hundred years, thousands of young men and women began their farming careers starting on wages. Those who chose the dairy industry worked on wages followed later on by 29%, 39% and 50/50 sharemilking agreements with dairy farm owners.

It is generally accepted that sharemilking originated from the Scottish concept of share farming and was melded with the American share-cropping arrangement in the 1880s to produce an agreement which has led to the development and institutionalisation of sharemilking in the New Zealand dairy industry.

In 1937, the Sharemilking Agreements Act was introduced by statute of Parliament. This lower order sharemilking Act allowed young men and women to be independent contractors, without having to own dairy cows to enter into the New Zealand dairy industry. Many over the years have purchased their own farms.

The Sharemilking Agreements Order 2011 has been ratifi ed by Parliament and while there have been some changes to dividend related payments, it is still, we believe, the best performance related employment agreement available for dairy farm owners today, when employing an employee in a farming management position.

As the farm manager, the sharemilker is responsible for the employment of staff and the farm owner is not subject to concerns about staff employment, the involvement of statutory and annual holidays, sick leave and ACC payments. All this is the responsibility of the sharemilker.

The farm owner still controls the farming business under a sharemilking agreement and he is comforted by the knowledge that if he has a good sharemilker and production increases, the remuneration for the farm owner and sharemilker refl ects the benefi t.

Some dairy farmers pay their employee managers on a kilogram of milk solids basis. This

is called a Walsh type of agreement. In doing so they run the risk of the IRD not accepting that the employees are deemed as independent contractors and have sought PAYE reimbursement payments from farmer employers, who have entered such contract agreements.

There is a big difference between the status of independent contractor and that of an employee (who is covered by the Employment Relations Act). The law requires that employers look at the control test. What is the degree of control that the employer or principal exerts over the work an employee or contractor is to do and the manner in which the work is to be done.

The greater the extent to which the principal specifi es work content, hours and methods and can supervise, regulate and/or dismiss a person, the more likely it is that the person would fall under the category of being an employee, not an independent contractor.

Farmers of New Zealand encourage dairy farmers looking for managerial employees, to seriously consider using the new Sharemilking Agreements Order 2011. This is still the best way to encourage the next generation into the agricultural industry and on to farm ownership with the support of the banks.

Farmers of New Zealand provide our members with free agreements and professional advice.

Farming facing a lost generationIn a press release last week, the banks have now decided they believe farming is under threat of a lost generation, because young people are not turning to farming as a career. Banks are now planning to make available special fi nancial loans to encourage emerging future farmers. No doubt this will include future sharemilkers

27April 2012DAIry

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Retired Ashburton farmer, author and inaugural irrigation association chairman Brian Cameron knows full well the trials and tribulations of irrigation development having spent more than four decades working tirelessly to transform the arid Mid Canterbury plains into the diverse food bowl of agriculture it is today.

Cameron’s leadership, passion, drive and determination to tackle the challenges in securing water for irrigation has not gone unnoticed. IrrigationNZ honoured him with the organisation’s Ron Cocks Memorial Award for outstanding leadership in irrigation as part of the IrrigationNZ 2012 conference.

“I am honoured and delighted to receive the award, yet very humbled. I believe that it’s an award for all irrigation pioneers of the time,” he said.

He remains modest about his achievements, but acknowledged he gained much satisfaction from his time and effort pioneering irrigation.

“It was a long hard 40-year slog. We took one step forward and two backwards. There was a tremendous amount of work going on behind the scenes.”

Inaugural IrrigationNZ chairman Brian Cameron receives the 2012 Ron Cocks Memorial Award for outstanding leadership in irrigation

the potential of irrigation in Canterbury. They prepared a constitution for a national organisation and organised a two day conference in Ashburton in 1978.

“The conference was highly successful and adopted the suggested constitution. A committee was elected. Some of the key members were Government employees or had very busy jobs and declined the chairman’s job. Almost by default I became chairman.”

Cameron left the conference not so sure he was excited to be the inaugural chairman of the NZIA. “All of sudden we had something new, we had nothing to go by, we had a new organisation that needed drive and direction. There was a lot of soul searching.”

Right from the beginning the NZIA’s aim was not just to benefi t Canterbury, but all

of New Zealand. Interest was quickly forthcoming from Hawkes Bay and Otago.

“The mission was simple — to promote irrigation to farmers and lobby politicians.” The early stages went well with conferences held biennially taking the association to Oamaru, Rangiora, Kerikeri and Alexandra until the rocky road set famers back under “Rogernomics” in the late 1980’s.

“A lot of farmers borrowed a lot of money to put in irrigation. Farmers were set back and that set back irrigation development for quite a few years and despite desperate attempts the association was forced into recess.”

One of the biggest challenges of the early days was securing fi nancial membership. “A lot of people saw the good in what we were doing but it was hard to

commit them fi nancially. There was a tremendous amount of voluntary work went on.”

But Cameron has no regrets as he recalls the association’s revitalisation in 1993, and progress to the launch of

Irrigation New Zealand in 2004.

“The general direction hasn’t changed, but everything has moved up a peg or two. The organisation now is far more professional and more fi nancial.

by Annette scott with additional reporting Annie studholme

Perhaps his greatest highlights were striking water on the farm at Pendarves despite hydrology experts strongly advising against the idea, and receiving the water-right for the Barrhill Chertsey Scheme virtually unopposed by employing techniques (meetings, consultation and mediation) used with success by ECNZ to gain renewal for its use of the Lake Coleridge Power Station.

Initially community water management schemes were instigated by central government and largely treated as engineering projects with little or no recognition, or understanding of the on-farm requirements associated with irrigation.

Cameron farmed through such times. An expert dryland farmer he had the vision that with water he could do much more. And he did, when in 1968 water turned his Pendarves farm into an oasis.

In 1968 the risks of not getting water were high, but the budgets were robust so Cameron forged ahead. That 150mm diameter six-inch bore was the start of Canterbury’s dramatic transformation, and put Cameron in the history books as the fi rst person in Canterbury to sink a deep bore.

For Cameron, the eventual sound of irrigation sprinklers clicking away and the sight of water disappearing into the parched ground remain vivid.

As do the days he spent pioneering the New Zealand Irrigation Association (NZIA). “It certainly took up time. My family can tell you that.”

Cameron said a small group of passionate people, including close friend, Bob Engelbrecht, had a vision of

28 April 2012

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Various trade negotiations with other nations are planned or currently taking place

The objective is to improve access for our exports. One problem is that we are so small a market that we have little to offer to our trading partners in the way of improved access. Anyway, as we are almost free of trade barriers, there is almost nothing to give away there.

What our negotiators are likely to be pressured into accepting during the haggling, are increased immigration allowances, increased investment opportunities and a legal framework favourable to foreign business.

The forms of foreign investment which take place here as a result of trade agreements will determine whether they are harmful or benefi cial to New Zealand. Takeovers of existing business and natural assets such as land are harmful to the New Zealand economy. The increased outfl ow of investment earnings will increase our already high foreign indebtedness. In contrast foreign investment which sets up new business or links with New Zealand fi rms to create synergies or improve access via marketing contacts and local knowledge overseas, is benefi cial to the New Zealand economy.

Many recent trade agreements include restrictions on the participants’ law-making powers. These have included bans on a country’s environmental, health and labour standards if the trade agreements have take precedence over domestic law. John Key assures us that we will not sign any deal which leaves New Zealand worse off. We should be wary of such assurances when, despite communications from concerned citizens, New Zealand’s Mike Moore attended a function for Trans-Pacifi c Partnership negotiations delegates organised by the tobacco giant Phillip Morris. Australia and other nations turned down Phillip Morris’s

invitation. The fi rm has already signalled what it expects from a TPPA by planning/taking legal action against Australia and Uruguay for requiring plain

Government, please be careful!

exteriors on cigarette packets.In the 1990s the National government was preparing to sign

a treaty (Multilateral Agreement on Investment — MAI) without parliamentary debate. The drafting was secret, but a draft was leaked and circulated via the internet. Global non-government opposition grew. In NZ Labour, Alliance and Greens opposed, but National were intransigent. However French politicians didn’t want to surrender their governing powers, so in 1998 premier Lionel Jospin withdrew France from this OECD initiative, which scuppered the treaty.

This sorry history must surely give cause for alarm over National’s present TPPA negotiating parameters. Will government disempower Pharmac? The details of TPPA will remain secret for years. We won’t know whether some irrational decisions by government are due to TPPA commitments. Maybe that is happening now.

National doesn’t understand that NZ’s uncomfortable debt situation is overwhelmingly due to foreign ownership of our productive capacity, not trade defi cits.

My point of viewAllen Cookson

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29April 2012

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It is Good Friday. Nothing much is happening. We fi nished with the spring raids end of March. It is now mid-summer. The sun is shining. The grass in the paddock is almost knee high. And I’m stuck in front of this machine trying to think of something signifi cant to write about. That is without becoming repetitive. It is roughly 15 years since I started this column for CANTERBURY FARMING. Garrick Tremaine’s cartoon character for Straight Talking needs some changes. The hair is shorter. The beard longer. And it was not supposed to

look like me anyway The title was to compensate for my poor spelling. Long words stuff me up. And I continually need a spell-check. Thus losing my train of thought. The object is to get at the nitty-gritty without losing the way with wordy gobbledegook, favoured by bureaucrats and the legal profession. Also some fi nancial columnists in the business media. Acronyms are out. I hate having to go back to checking what they stood for.

The object was to emphasise basic common

Putting the world to rights — a column writer’s mind-block

aware that mining and fossil fuel extraction could get this country out of hock in the short term, but to go hell bent into these projects is not only dangerous but could stuff up our other land based industries relying on our good environmental stewardship (clean, green if you like) of producing high value products. The environmental watch dog body elected to monitor any moves of this nature needs to be independent of any political infl uence and use all the scientifi c material available to make it 100% safe to go ahead. Any clauses to do with economic development at the expense of (even minor) environmental degradation

should be wiped. One cannot go without the other.

Another is potential new regulations for dairy farming and pricing of milk products. When the dairy farmers earn only 25% of the price of milk in retail outlets there is something very wrong with the way the domestic market is set up. Are there too many middlemen taking a cut? Transport is always an issue. So is processing. But surely the prices at the supermarket level should not be quadruple the farmgate price. It would seem that any regulations will mainly affect the grower. As always.

sense. Avoid triviality. And avoid the promotion of celebrities, currently the main theme in both print and electronic media.

Don’t get me going on this issue, but trivialisation and celeb’ worship is fast becoming bulk tabloid reading in popular mainstream media. Even in Parliament personality takes over from policy. I see both the Green Party leadership, and to some extent Labour, is attempting to emphasise policy over personality. Then we have a no-no article in a Sunday paper giving the new Labour leader a bunch of useless tips how to become more prominent in photo opps’. One of them by some women semi-celeb’ journo’ suggests better use of ‘moisturiser’. For crissake I don’t vote on what a person looks like. Like most intelligent voters I want to know what policies are going to help this country and its citizens achieve a better quality of life.

Current affairs are what most columnists should be concentrating on. Not side-show politics. And leave human interest yarns to women’s mags. The teapot tapes has (and still is) taking up kilometres of print media space, and weeks of visual space. It was a stupid thing to do in the fi rst place by two prominent politicos. But nothing much has changed,

and both parties carry merrily on in the same old way.

And now the ruling party is doing its best to commit hari-kari with the ACC fi asco. This is still not going to make a big difference with the price of fi sh and chips. Perhaps make politicians think twice before pushing the boundaries of infl uence and due diligence. Perhaps whistle-blowers are a necessity for democracy and keeping the admin’ on the straight and narrow.

Although unable to raise much enthusiasm on this sunny afternoon to pontifi cate on any individual issue, there are one or two current issues that deserve a mention involving the environment and land based industries. One of them is the National Government trying to achieve a balance between the economy and the environment. That is mineral and fossil fuel extraction. From what I read many organisations and individual New Zealanders have considerable misgivings about how the Key Government is going about it. Government ministers are saying it is all about job creation, but somewhat light on how the country benefi ts from royalties and associated benefi ts (taxes, GST). Also it seems to favour the economy over possible environmental degradation. That is if it applies when in comes to deep sea oil and gas drilling. We are all well

30 April 2012

FARMING FACT INCREASED PROFITABILITY STARTS WITH HEALTHY SOILBy simply correcting your soils calcium and magnesium base saturation levels with a calculated application of fine ground dolomite you will significantly reduce your farms liming/animal health & fertiliser outgoings.

For a no obligation consultation of your farms soil contact:

TREVOR PEARCE | 027 230 9934 (South Island Sales Manager)

BRUCE HORE | 027 576 0303DON HART | 027 432 0187 www.goldenbaydolomite.co.nz

Septic Tank OwnersHow you can save money by keeping your septic system effective and healthySeptic tanks and multi-stage septic systems are delicately balanced environments. It does not take much to upset them.Common practice is to ignore the septic system until problems occur. Good and best economical practice is to always keep your septic system well maintained.

A malfunctioning septic system can become a health hazard. When a system is not maintained or operated as a delicately balanced environment, problems occur. These problems include nasty odours, leach line blockages, untreated liquid rising to the surface, toilets gurgling and taking time to empty.At this stage your septic system is a serious health hazard to you and your children. Human waste produces faecal coliform bacteria, a source of viral and bacterial gastroenteritis as well as Hepatitis A and other diseases. Hepatitis can be a debilitating condition and cause long-term harm to children.

There are only three remedies.One: stop using the septic system until it recovers. This can take over a month and is not normally practical. Two: excavate your septic system and relocate it. This is very costly and time consuming, sometimes requiring new resource consents and different systems. Three: treat your septic system with Septi-Cure™ every six months.

Septi-Cure is Cost effective.By far the most cost effective solution is to pour one litre of Septi-Cure™ down each toilet bowl every six months. This simple action will help keep your system working at top effi ciency by reducing solids and scum. Instead of emptying your tank frequently, the reduction in solids and scum saves you expensive pump out costs. Your irrigation fi eld and leach lines will become clear of slimes and

blockages so nature can handle the gradual seepage and evaporation for you. When this is happening your system will be operating effectively and not endangering you or your family’s health.

What is Septi-Cure™Septi-Cure™ is a concentrated mixture of selected naturally occurring micro-organisms. These harmless tiny organisms live and multiply by feeding on waste

material. When introduced to your septic tank system, they go to work straight away digesting waste material, reducing solids and scum, allowing your septic system to start operating to its maximum effi ciency. As they progress through to your irrigation fi eld they feed on the slimes that prevent seepage and evaporation. When seepage and evaporation return to normal, you have reduced the risk of contaminating groundwater and the environment as well as reducing the chances of infection for you and your family. Eventually, they get washed out of the system and have to be replaced to continue their work. This is why you introduce Septi-Cure™ to your septic system every six months for maximum effi ciency.

A satisfied customer in Hamilton has been using Septi-Cure™ for three years.He says this allows them to have an odour-free septic tank with low maintenance costs. He also says that his service person is amazed at how well Septi-Cure™ works, keeping their tank in very good condition.

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HINDSITECanterbury Branch NZ Deer Farmers AssnSponsored By Mountain River Processors Ltd

The venison market is changing from a focus on the European game market to a year round global market at both retail and in restaurants. The current emphasis on the spring

schedule comes from European demand and the ability of New Zealand to supply this shortage in their traditional game season so a change to service a year round global market is also

expected to make the schedule more stable, year round.

The great opportunity for NZ is our farmed deer. By farming deer we already have

What the customer wantsby Gerard Hickey, from ‘Firstlight’ foods the ability to adapt to demand

from new markets and supply throughout the year.

‘New’ markets such as the USA with Cervena and the United Kingdom are demanding a product that is tender, nutritious, lighter coloured and mild fl avoured. Young deer fi t this demand well. Although older hinds have been tested to be as tender, the perception at retail is that younger is better.

With regards to the carcass, there is very little bone in venison consumed. The majority of the carcass is consumed as boneless cuts (steaks, diced, roast and cutlets) with trimmings going for burgers and sausages. While the traditional game market perceived larger carcasses as being inferior due to their presumed older age, there is an opportunity with the new markets to produce and market

a heavier younger animal. This means more meat and better yields for the customer.

Customers also have concerns about Quality Assurance. Animal welfare is very important, how they are farmed/treated, as is sustainability. Customers want to be sure that what they buy and consume is sustainable and has had no adverse impact on the environment, the animal, the farm and the staff — they want to lock into the right long term secure supply. This is where EID can be very positive. Farmers can embrace the benefi ts of it and allow the venison to be marketed as such. If we can be proactive rather than reactive we will satisfy the customer and it can be a very effective marketing tool.

In addition to the on farm benefi ts of EID (measuring live weight performance etc),

other benefi ts of EID are the traceability of individual animals when scanning for carcass value and yield. This will become more important as farmers will be paid for meat produced. It will also allow us to measure and track the more valuable parts of the animal.

In summary the reliance on the game market is diminishing. This may result in farmers being rewarded for taking deer through to the autumn on a fl atter schedule, rather than the traditional peak of the game season.

This will lead to better effi ciencies on farm such as better yields and better use of feed. Supplying in spring vs. autumn might be about weighing up the value of the feed eaten vs. the yield and market advantages of selling later.

31April 2012

Wool PerspectiveFrom Rob Cochrane

GM, Procurement, PGG Wrightson Wool

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Talk to your local Elders Primary Wool Representative about maximising the returns on your wool clip.

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CANTERBURYMark Greenlaw 027 227 8898Roger Fuller 027 683 6993Tim Black 027 600 5067Grant Andrew 027 481 6219

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The down-side of a good feeding season, is often that the washing colour of fl eece wool can be affected with yellowness appearing due to moisture retention within the fl eece, while still on the sheep’s back, aided by warm atmospheric conditions but generally during the current season the over-all visual and tested colour of summer shorn wools has been very good. However there have remained lines of wool coming forward for sale which have not been prepared to the best possible standard, resulting in discounted prices paid. For as long as I’ve been involved in the wool industry (and for a long time beforehand), much emphasis has been placed on the need for wool growers to prepare their wool to the best possible standard at the fi rst stage of the processing chain — at shearing time in the wool shed either across a wool table or on the shearing board. Three basic instructions still apply to ensure returns are maximised — keep discoloured wool separate from good coloured wool, keep short fi bre separate from long fi bre, keep tender wools separate from sound wools. Sound simple? It is simple, but too often they (the three basics) are not followed resulting in mixed length, part tender, poor colour wool being offered for sale and lesser than maximum prices paid. Make no mistake — all wool is good

Preparation in woolshed important

wool but as far as scourers and processors are concerned, their requirements are specifi c and mixed lines of wool from farms may well require either re-handling prior to fi rst stage processing, or be destined for a lower-end (cheaper) fi nished product. Whilst it may be frustrating for wool growers who do spend the extra effort and money at shearing time to ensure the best possible wool handling job is done, to often end up receiving a similar price for each of their lines, it

is wool exporters, with their orders for specifi c processor customers, who make the fi nal assessment on the suitability of the wool for their customer and the price paid to the grower. They (the exporters) have their reputations at stake and will therefore ensure that they assemble the right wool for the right job or, in other words, pay best prices for best wools.

Over past years there have been various Quality Assurance systems introduced into the NZ wool industry at farmer

level and beyond, many with limited success due to slow uptake by growers skeptical of any measurable benefi t. As all of us who have been working within the wool industry during even the past 20 years know only too well, wool prices during a large percentage of that period certainly did not offer incentive to growers to take pride or extra care in their wool clip, particularly if there was expectation of added input costs. An initiative from the New Zealand Shearing Contractors Assn was recently the launch of an integrity programme called ShearNZ, based on excellence and best practise from a wool harvesting perspective.

Although wool prices have remained relatively stable over the past couple of months after easing back from their extreme highs of last season and earlier this season, the better than anticipated wool weights shorn as a result of the rather good growing season have added to the over-all value of sheep farming. An abundance of grass across the majority of the country has been refl ected of late in wool weights shorn from ewes as well as lambs

A component of ShearNZ includes wool preparation and communication between the grower, shearing contractor, wool handlers and wool selling brokers, to ensure the right job is done in the wool shed for

the right reasons at shearing time. From my perspective, ensuring that wool preparation in the wool shed conforms to specifi c requirements must be an advantage to the industry as whole. That’s my view.

32 April 2012

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FPV muscle carThe hot new 5.0-litre, all-aluminum, supercharged Boss V8 pumps out a massive 335kW of power and a staggering 570Nm of torque. All of which makes this new GT the most powerful in history. And yet this new Boss 335GT also happens to be the most economical in history. As Allan Moffat says: “This is the most outstanding vehicle ever to wear the iconic GT badge and in my opinion, the greatest Australian muscle car ever”.

For more details contact our FPV Sales Specialist, Ben Graham 027 223 6295

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If you have invested in pasture renovation this autumn, it is important that you put the right management practices in place to ensure you get the best out of this investment.

Below are some quick tips to help get the best out of your new pasture.

‘Pluck’ TestBefore the fi rst grazing, the new grass should be given the

‘pluck test’ to assess whether or not it is ready to be grazed. This should be done by simply plucking the new grass with your thumb and fore fi nger. If the new grass breaks off when ‘plucked’ the pasture is ready to be grazed. If the grass is pulled out of the soil wait another few weeks and reassess then.

Young StockThe fi rst grazing of this new pasture should be done with young

animals, preferably calves or young heifers. This fi rst grazing should only last about 24 hours or until the stock have lightly and evenly grazed the paddock.

Tillering and clover growthThe purpose of this fi rst light grazing is to encourage the

tillering of the ryegrass. Tillering out is essential for grasses to perform to their maximum ability. This early fi rst grazing will also give clover a chance to compete with the new grass by reducing the shading effect of the faster establishing grasses.

NitrogenAn application of Nitrogen will also aid in the tillering process

as well as enhancing pasture growth. Regular applications of small

Successful management of your new pasture

amounts of nitrogen (about 30kg N/ha) will be more effective than fewer and larger applications. However it is important to regularly graze the new pasture to give the clover a chance to compete. Gibberellic Acid should not be used on new grass or pasture under 12 months of age.

Weed sprayingEarly applications of herbicides should be made to ensure

that the weeds are sprayed when they are young. Waiting until the weeds are big will reduce the effectiveness of the herbicide and will cost more money! Selective, clover friendly herbicides such as Select and Thistrol Plus (MCPB/MCPA), and Preside and Valdo (Flumetsulam) etc. should be used on new grass and clover. Products like Baton (2,4-D Amine) should only be used after the new grass has been grazed a few times to avoid clover damage.

Pasture First can provide the right products and advice to ensure you are getting the best out of your new grass. For more information contact Nigel Johnston on 03 347 6440 or 027 777 2877.

Nigel Johnston is a Pasture Agronomist and Managing Director of Pasture First

33April 2012

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As part of its nationwide quad bike safety campaign, Department of Labour health and safety inspectors will again be visiting farms in an effort to reduce accidents.

Last year 400 farms were visited during the autumn round of the campaign with nearly one third of those issued with a written warning or improvement notice.

In the spring campaign almost one half of the 503 farms

visited received written warning or improvement notices.

Department of Labour spokesperson Ona de Rooy said inspectors also talk to farmers about the four key safety steps and provide them with copies of the Quad Bike Safety Guidelines.

“Our hope is that we will see a sustained improvement from farmers,” said Ms de Rooy.

“Farms are workplaces and farmers must remember that they have a responsibility to ensure the health and safety of their staff.”

According to Department of Labour statistics, an average of 850 people are injured each year and fi ve people killed as a result of quad bike accidents.

“We encourage farmers and their workers to go through a quad bike rider training course,” said Ms de Rooy.

Nationwide focus on quad bike safety

photo supplied by Department of Labour

Quad bike safety includes ensuring riders are trained and experienced, always wearing a helmet, never letting kids ride adult quad bikes, and choosing the right vehicle for the job

In a joint effort to focus on the prevention of accidents through competency and training, FarmSafe in association with Agriculture ITO (AgITO), introduced the Quad Bike Farm Licence in August 2010.

The Quad Bike Farm Licence consists of a practical

training package covering safe quad bike riding practices.

“The aim was to provide a robust method of ascertaining that not only have people undertaken training and been assessed against the standards, but also that participants are required to answer a set of questions designed to test their

knowledge of the Department of Labour’s guidelines,” said FarmSafe national manager Grant Hadfi eld.

The FarmSafe’s Quad Bike Farm Licence is issued after graduates successfully complete the training and assessment process.

34 April 2012

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Canterbury Farming prints material contributed by freelance journalists, contributing columnists and letters from readers.

The information and opinions published are not necessarily those of Canterbury Farming or its staff. Canterbury Farming takes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers.

Canterbury Farming is published byNorthSouth Multi Media Ltd

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*Stock crateoptional

extra

*$200+GST. Offer available on any new 4WD Honda ATV. Stock crate available as optional extra with purchase. Offer valid from 15 Feb 2012 while stocks last. Cannot be substituted for cash or discount. Kea trailer model K64SF 6’ x 4’.

Hampton Honda20 Carmen Road, Christchurch

Ph 03 329 8968 | Email [email protected]

36 April 2012

Call us now on 03 379 6195 0800 DINKUM (346 586)

www.durasteel.co.nz72 Durham St, CHRISTCHURCH

NOTE: All prices quoted include GST & Delivery and are for building kit only. Prices are for Region A, Terrain category 2.5 and a Topographic and shielding factor of 1.

Other design loading conditions including snow loading and earthquake loading are available.

• All sheds available as Kitsets • All prices are GST inclusive • Free delivery New Zealand wide • 15yr manufacturers warranty• Bird-proof option • Flexible custom designs allowing uneven bay sizes

fair dinkum • MAY SPECIAlS

Double Garage with StudioGarage 6.0m wide x 6.5m long 42.25m2 Studio 3.5m wide x 6.5m long 19.5m2

Height 2.34 - 4.14 - 2.4 Includes Flashings / Spouting / Downpipes 2x Roller Doors and 1x P.A. Door / Window / Zincalum

$11,809 including GSTFor kitset and deliveryColoursteel add $1200

3 Bay Gable Farm Shed Bays 1 x 3m / 2 x 4.2m Depth 6.0m Height 3.6-3.0m includes Flashings / Spouting / Downpipes / Roller Door / Zincalum


American lifestyle Barn Bays 1 x 4m / 2 x 3m Depth 7m Height 3.8 - 4.6 - 3.8m includes Flashings / Spouting / Downpipes / 3 x Roller Doors & 1 x P.A Door / Skylights / Zincalum


Quaker Barns

Industrial Quaker

Sheds with Garaports

Open Farm Shed with 1 Enclosed Bay

4 Bay Gable Farm Shed

Industrial Buildings

Mezzanine Floors

Canterbury Barns

Traditional Barn + lean-to

2 Bay Farm Shed

All prices GST incl. • 50yr Structural WarrantyAll Sheds / Buildings available as Kitsets

Free delivery New Zealand wide

INTRODUCINGINTRODUCINGINTRODUCING100% NeW ZeAlANd STeel • deSiGNed ANd MAde iN CANTerburY

Durasteel are the Distributors of 'Fair Dinkum' Homes & Sheds. located at 72 Durham Street, Christchurch.

We make American and Quaker barns, Farm Sheds, Garages, Industrial and Commercial Buildings.

Using Heavy Guage Steel & Superb Design... Strength / Quality / Value... means a ‘fair dinkum’ shed.

Custom Designs

Canterbury Farming, April 2012

Documents

Transcript of Canterbury Farming, April 2012