28,500 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast. March 2012 INSIDE Canterbury Farming 03 347 2314 Page 5 Licence changes to counter road toll Page 19 Improved pasture persistence Page 15 Companies join forces CONTACT US A seven-year-long battle over access to the Malaysian halal meat market has finally been resolved with New Zealand now firmly recognised as a source of meat slaughtered to authentic Muslim standards. The row began in 2005 over the legitimacy of the slaughter practices in the 41 New Zealand works certified to produce meat to Muslim requirements, and resulted in that number declining to just two. These requirements include the animal being killed by having its throat cut while facing Mecca, and while the Muslim slaughterman says a prayer. To simultaneously meet western animal welfare standards, in New Zealand halal animals are electrically stunned before their throats are cut. New Zealand has pioneered halal slaughter but has met repeated stumbling blocks as rival Muslim countries and sects try to dominate international standards: before the Malaysians it was the Indonesians who raised objections to New Zealand’s methods. In 2005, unable to settle the issues with Malaysia, the Meat Industry Association (MIA) asked the Government to step in through the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries and of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Long-running halal meat issues finally settled by Hugh de Lacy The resultant deal “enables us to meet the requirements. . . of the [Muslim] world,” MIA chief executive Tim Ritchie told Canterbury Farming. “That’s probably a slight overstatement, but certainly [it applies to] those big Muslim markets we trade with, whether they’re in the Middle East or Asia or even some of the other non-Muslim countries where there are significant Muslim populations Malaysia is the base for the International Halal Integrity Alliance which is pushing for an international standard, and represents as much as 80% of the world halal trade. The New Zealand system, backed by certification and training of slaughtermen under the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, “has been held up as an example to the rest of the world,” Ritchie said. “Muslim communities around the world are striving to be the halal hub of the world, so there’s always been a problem ratcheting the standard.” While “You never say never,” the Malaysian deal may signal an end to the problems New Zealand halal meat exporters have faced. New Zealand’s total halal meat sales are now worth more than $500m a year, serving 20 Muslim countries which take about two-thirds of the total output, with the rest going to another 25 countries, including India and China, which have substantial Muslim communities. Indonesia alone takes over $100m worth of meat, though that is dwarfed by the $500m worth of halal dairy products that the giant New Zealand dairy company Fonterra exports to it. Since New Zealand first signed a halal slaughter contract with the newly-installed Islamic regime in Iran in 1979, the global market for halal certified food products has grown from virtually nothing to around $US550 billion a year. In 2010 Dr Hanif Quazi, the former AgResearch scientist at Lincoln who was a key figure in the development of halal standards here, warned Canterbury Farming readers that New Zealand was in danger of losing its hard-won leadership of the trade because of certification competition from Asian Muslim countries. In 1984 Quazi, a winner of Lincoln University’s prestigious International Alumni Medal, had a leadership role in the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand’s efforts to establish a halal meat standard. Central to it was the electrical stunning of animals before their throats were cut, something that attracted commendation from the United Kingdom’s powerful animal welfare lobby. As the trade grew, the Asians, led by the Indonesians and followed by the Malaysians, sought to corner a slice of it by challenging the New Zealand certification method. It’s taken considerable diplomatic effort to secure New Zealand’s system against opposition from Muslim countries which wonder how a Western country like New Zealand came to be the world authority on the trade. Ritchie said the MIA had lately been talking to a Malaysian-based organisation, the International Halal Integrity Alliance, which is pushing for an international standard. “They say there’s no contest with 70-80% of the trade, that everybody’s agreed and on the same wavelength. “But then there are different interpretations placed on some parts of it that can lead to challenges to its authenticity,” he said. Part of the Government’s response to the industry’s plea for help was to promulgate an official notice that halal practices form part of the Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMAR). “That’s the framework for our halal system, and it includes making sure the halal slaughtermen have received appropriate training,” Ritchie said. Meanwhile, the Government last month rejected a report from the Office of Ethnic Affairs (OEA) calling on it to promote halal tourism in New Zealand. Halal tourism was an ‘emerging opportunity’, the OEA said, adding that ethnic rights should be enshrined in a written constitution for New Zealand that entrenched ethnic rights. 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Transcript
28,500 copies distributed monthly – to every rural mailbox in Canterbury and the West Coast. March 2012
INSIDE
Canterbury Farming
03 347 2314
Page 5
Licence changes to
counter road toll
Page 19
Improved pasture
persistence
Page 15
Companies join forces
CONTACT US
A seven-year-long battle over access to the Malaysian halal meat market has fi nally been resolved with New Zealand now fi rmly recognised as a source of meat slaughtered to authentic Muslim standards.
The row began in 2005 over the legitimacy of the slaughter practices in the 41 New Zealand works certifi ed to produce meat to Muslim requirements, and resulted in that number declining to just two.
These requirements include the animal being killed by having its throat cut while facing Mecca, and while the Muslim slaughterman says a prayer.
To simultaneously meet western animal welfare standards, in New Zealand halal animals are electrically stunned before their throats are cut.
New Zealand has pioneered halal slaughter but has met repeated stumbling blocks as rival Muslim countries and sects try to dominate international standards: before the Malaysians it was the Indonesians who raised objections to New Zealand’s methods.
In 2005, unable to settle the issues with Malaysia, the Meat Industry Association (MIA) asked the Government to step in through the Ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries and of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Long-running halal meat issues fi nally settledby Hugh de Lacy
The resultant deal “enables us to meet the requirements. . . of the [Muslim] world,” MIA chief executive Tim Ritchie told Canterbury Farming.
“That’s probably a slight overstatement, but certainly [it applies to] those big Muslim markets we trade with, whether they’re in the Middle East or Asia or even some of the other non-Muslim countries where there are signifi cant Muslim populations
Malaysia is the base for the International Halal Integrity Alliance which is pushing for an international standard, and represents as much as 80% of the world halal trade.
The New Zealand system, backed by certifi cation and training of slaughtermen under the New Zealand Qualifi cations Authority, “has been held up as an example to the rest of the world,” Ritchie said.
“Muslim communities around the world are striving to be the halal hub of the world, so there’s always been a problem ratcheting the standard.”
While “You never say never,” the Malaysian deal may signal an end to the problems New Zealand halal meat exporters have faced.
New Zealand’s total halal meat sales are now worth more than $500m a year, serving 20 Muslim countries which take about two-thirds of the
total output, with the rest going to another 25 countries, including India and China, which have substantial Muslim communities.
Indonesia alone takes over $100m worth of meat, though that is dwarfed by the $500m worth of halal dairy products that the giant New Zealand dairy company Fonterra exports to it.
Since New Zealand fi rst signed a halal slaughter contract with the newly-installed Islamic regime in Iran in 1979, the global market for halal certifi ed food products has grown from virtually nothing to around $US550 billion a year.
In 2010 Dr Hanif Quazi, the former AgResearch scientist at Lincoln who was a key fi gure in the development of halal standards here, warned Canterbury Farming readers that New Zealand was in danger of losing its hard-won leadership of the trade because of certifi cation competition from Asian Muslim countries.
In 1984 Quazi, a winner of Lincoln University’s prestigious International Alumni Medal, had a leadership role in the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand’s efforts to establish a halal meat standard.
Central to it was the electrical stunning of animals before their throats were
cut, something that attracted commendation from the United Kingdom’s powerful animal welfare lobby.
As the trade grew, the Asians, led by the Indonesians and followed by the Malaysians, sought to corner a slice of it by challenging the New Zealand certifi cation method.
It’s taken considerable diplomatic effort to secure New Zealand’s system against opposition from Muslim countries which wonder how a Western country like New Zealand came to be the world authority on the trade.
Ritchie said the MIA had lately been talking to a Malaysian-based organisation, the International Halal Integrity Alliance, which is pushing for an international standard.
“They say there’s no contest with 70-80% of the trade, that everybody’s agreed and on the same wavelength.
“But then there are different interpretations placed on some
parts of it that can lead to challenges to its authenticity,” he said.
Part of the Government’s response to the industry’s plea for help was to promulgate an offi cial notice that halal practices form part of the Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMAR).
“That’s the framework for our halal system, and it includes making sure the halal slaughtermen have received appropriate training,” Ritchie said.
Meanwhile, the Government last month rejected a report from the Offi ce of Ethnic Affairs (OEA) calling on it to promote halal tourism in New Zealand.
Halal tourism was an ‘emerging opportunity’, the OEA said, adding that ethnic rights should be enshrined in a written constitution for New Zealand that entrenched ethnic rights.
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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
Kate Wilkinson, Minister for Food Safety
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The Canterbury Region has had around 5,000 rural fi res recorded over the last fi ve years, making this area the highest fi re risk in the country. Blazes can spread from break-away controlled burns, campfi res, and even sparks from vehicles and welding equipment.
how best to prevent them.
Not only were staff able to understand each farmer’s fi re issues and get their support, they have also learned important information about the water resources available to fi ght fi res and the best access points on rural land.
DOC then talked to other fi re fi ghting authorities and the wider community, such as recreational groups and campers, to get their views.
By everyone working together the critical fi re issues have been identifi ed and the best way to tackle them has been agreed upon.
Fire breaks have been cut around the Ashburton Lakes area and a public information campaign is underway to try and prevent fi res starting in the fi rst place. It is also proposed less fl ammable native trees be planted around campsites along with additional training for rural fi re fi ghters.
This co-ordinated plan is the direct result of a high level of engagement with the community. As Conservation Minister, it is something I’m proud of and I think sets the standard for the future. It shows that by working together we can get the best fi re protection for all communities
Northwester will be backThe wet weather this summer seems to have kept the traditional spate of wildfi res around Canterbury at bay but don’t be lulled into a false sense of security — the dry heat and prevailing northwester that fans fi res will be back
Some Canterbury wildfi res have cost up to a million dollars just to extinguish and the results can be devastating. Communities suffer, people lose their homes, and critical infrastructure like power networks, can be destroyed.
Conservation land is no exception, with fi res wiping out native bush and scrub and killing native species that may never recover.
For the fi rst time the Department of Conservation has begun developing site specifi c fi re management plans in Canterbury, to help protect public conservation and private land alike.
The fi rst has been designed for the Ashburton foothills and high country, covering extensive areas of grassland inside the Hakatere Conservation Park and the surrounding high country pasture. But this is just the beginning, with another 16 plans in the pipeline across the Canterbury region.
The Department is
working closely with councils, landowners and other rural fi re authorities to get the priorities in the plans right.
Instead of sending out consultation documents and placing public notices, DOC and the Ashburton District Council did it the old-fashioned way — knocking on the doors of neighbouring farms and having a chat about fi res and
3March 2012
From the MinisterDavid Carter, Minister of Agriculture
Parliament recently gave the green light to the National Animal Identifi cation and Tracing scheme (NAIT), one of the biggest initiatives for the primary sector this year
The passing of the NAIT Bill is a signifi cant step in protecting farmers in the international marketplace and strengthening New Zealand’s biosecurity system.
Since work fi rst began on the livestock identifi cation and tracing scheme in 2004 it has copped a share of criticism, but the decision is really a no-brainer. If we ignore the fact that most of our trading partners already have animal ID systems in place and we fail to keep up, we will lose precious market share.
The NAIT Bill sets out the legal framework for the collection of information on livestock, their location and movement history throughout their lifetime. It also outlines the governance arrangements for the NAIT organisation.
The scheme is a good example of a partnership between industry and government. The Government has contributed to establishment costs and ongoing operating costs. DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, and Deer Industry New Zealand have provided some funding for establishment costs, and once NAIT is mandatory, their share of
ongoing operational costs will be recovered through levies.
NAIT needs to be mandatory to be effective. It will begin with cattle on July 1, and deer by March 1 next year.
The scheme will further lift New Zealand’s reputation for producing food to the highest standards of quality, safety and environmental responsibility.
Consumers are increasingly demanding more rigorous and visible systems relating to food origin and quality — and producers who can match these expectations are the winners.
The rising global appetite for green growth and sustainability is presenting New Zealand with opportunities we could only have dreamed of a few years ago. We are rich in natural resources and we sit on the doorstep of the world’s fastest growing region.
The challenge facing us is to tap into the right markets to lift our earnings and reputation for quality, and livestock tracing is a key link in this chain.
The majority of farmers I have talked to about NAIT agree that it’s the right step towards future-proofi ng New Zealand’s primary industries. The ongoing commitment of livestock and animal products industries to the scheme is great to see.
New Zealand punches well above its weight when it comes to accessing world markets and meeting the demands of our customers. NAIT is a logical move in ensuring market confi dence in our products and providing the best biosecurity protection and response possible.
Funny thing about global warming is that it seems the planet is suffering from a huge volley of storms that are turning mild seasons into snow covering events that drive people into their homes shivering and reaching for their brandy bottles.
In Roman times the British were growing Pinot Noir grapes, a feat that they certainly can’t even entertain in this or any other recent centuries.
And that followed what people recorded as an ice age, and was followed by an extremely cold period with people ice skating on the Thames for months at a time.
Remember last winter, as opposed to this one that seems to have leap frogged autumn and arrived totally uninvited, we endured snow falls that reached the seafront and totally brought Christchurch to a halt.
Funny thing is the earthquakes over-shadowed the snow falls and we took them in what was left of our stride. By then our stride had become more of a shuffl e and for many that hasn’t changed.
Europe has been hit with a series of very bad, cold and miserable winters that have dropped below the radar as their economic situations sends shivers of a different kind through the rest of the world.
New Zealand paying the rest of the world carbon tax to prevent the planet from suffering from pollution is fi ne in theory, but it is similar to somebody donating money to an African money scam saying they have an inheritance worth a million dollars and all you need to do is pay an administration fee to get it.
Everybody else thinks you are an idiot, and in fact you have proven it to them beyond all doubt.
OK I am not a scientist and haven’t got the facts and fi gures they have at their fi ngertips, but in my defence I remember seeing a report that a scientist had taken fi ve years to complete that stated quite strongly that soil temperatures on the southern sides of a hill will always be less than those on the northern slopes.
What the scientists are able to tell us is that last summer was the most overcast one in eighty years. Doesn’t sound like a long hot summer to this Kiwi.
I suppose the good side to the coin is that with the cold weather and the overcast skies, the risk of skin cancer must be reducing — shame the prattling on about global warming doesn’t drift off behind a cloud.
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NZDFA chairman Ed Noonan says “I was at a demonstration of RFID tags in North Canterbury recently, where we were shown how easy it is to weigh and record animals using this tag technology. The challenge to us all is to fi nd novel and unique ways to improve the profi tability of our farming enterprises utilising this. With the introduction of NAIT there is an opportunity to take advantage and utilise NAIT for more than just lifetime traceability.”
EID has so much potential to measure and improve on farm performance. Individual commercial farmers can now have easy evaluation of on farm performance.
EID enables measurement and analysis to obtain:Individual animal identity, breed, supplier etc• Accurate records• Benchmarking• Weight gain profi les and performance trends• Feeding performance analysis• Crop performance comparisons• Pasture composition performance • Animal health treatments benefi ts•
1 June to Mid July Mid July to 26 August
Mob Feed type Growth rateGrams/day Feed type Growth rate
Grams/day
1 Fodderbeet 171 Fodderbeet 38
2 Rape 73 Fodderbeet 107
3 Rape + Baleage 20 Fodderbeet 101
4 Swedes -7 Fodderbeet 90
5 Rape -33 Fodderbeet 175
Culling control and more accurate selection• Faster automated accurate drafting • Lower labour costs•
Further benefi ts off farm in value chain include:Full traceability• Stronger links between farmer and processor• Individual animals to be traced through the • processing chain
Feed back detailed • information to suppliers on the performance and value of each animal
EID (Electronic Identifi cation) or RFID (Radio Frequency Identifi cation)
Fodderbeet considerably increased overall growth rates throughout the whole winter. Weaners achieved an additional 10kg growth on fodderbeet through the whole winter compared to next best option and weaners changing to fodderbeet mid-July increased growth rates considerably.
EID recording will create a large amount of data from which farmers can make easy decisions on farm management and profi tability. Analysing this data will be complex. Farmers need comprehensive and quick data analysis and Farms IQ are setting up to offer this. The Farms IQ database captures and analyses on farm and processing data throughout the value chain so farmers can link an individual animals performance back to management practices.
Investment payback is quick with changes identifi ed in fi rst years recording. Massey University commerce students have completed a cost benefi t analysis for deer farming and found that both large and medium sized farms buying an advanced EID package would get full payback for the investment in less than one year.
But it must be easy to use. Some changes to deer sheds will be required to make weighing a simple one man operation. It
needs to be sited in shed so other activities can occur at same time as weighing. More than 200 deer per hour can be weighed through a good setup.
Set up costs vary from basic ie wand, scales and load bars at $5,200, intermediate ie advanced weigh scales, fi xed panel EID reader, load bars and auto drafter at $14,000 to advanced ie touch screen weigh scales, animal and farm management system, fi xed panel reader, battery control unit, load cells and auto drafter at $19,000 (all fi gures approx and excluding GST).
EID will be compulsory with the introduction of NAIT and alongside that EID data recording will become routine and a standard part of farm management, animal health programmes and productivity improvement in the deer industry.
Firstlight Foods has already expanded their traditional kill sheet to become a ‘venison value sheet’ reporting fi ne detail including dressing and meat yields and even individual tails measurements and other co products.
EID will help make farm management decisions to markedly improve profi tability.
EID made it easy to quantify weaner winter growth rates. Future farm winter crop selection based on the recorded growth rates will increase spring kill weights considerably.
The following table shows mixed sex weaner winter growth rates on different feed types at Stone Jug.
5March 2012
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Tough new tests for young people going for their driving licences are now in effect, with a major impact on rural residents, who will have to travel to larger urban centres for the tests
Licence changes to counter road toll
This has prompted criticism that urban areas are rather different from rural roads, more seal than gravel, and driving conditions are not quite the same.
However, those defending the new regime point out that the tests are more stringent, and getting ready for them leaves no room for lax preparation.
Young drivers are in fact expected to fail the new restricted licence tests unless they put in some serious practise, say driving instructors.
The New Zealand Transport Agency defends its new hard line approach, saying one teenager dies on the nation’s roads every week.
Restricted and full car licence tests have now changed and motorcycle tests will have a new restricted test introduced in October.
The restricted car test will now take one hour, with 45 minutes of driving, while the full test will be 30 minutes.
NZTA chief executive, Geoff Dangerfi eld, said both tests would be harder to pass than previous versions and drivers would need to have done at least 120 hours of supervised practise fi rst.
“A higher standard of driving will be needed to pass — that is the whole point,
by Paul Campbell
and we make no apologies for that. This is about making new drivers safer drivers by encouraging them to take the time to develop their skills.
“The more experience that drivers gain in the learner licensing phase, the less likely they are to crash when they begin driving alone. We are doing young people no favours with a ‘once-over-lightly’ approach.”
teenagers died in road crashes in the past decade, and New Zealand had the highest road death rate in the OECD for 16–17 year olds.
Research showed young drivers who completed 120 hours of supervised practise on their learner licence had a solo-driving crash rate 40 per cent lower than those who did only 50 hours.
To prepare for the tests, young drivers should be practising in all possible conditions, including on seal and gravel, in wet weather and at night.
The new tests have the endorsement of V8 Supercar driver and youth driving advocate, Greg Murphy.
“The move to a longer, more exacting test is a good one. New Zealand’s death and injury statistics are a terrible witness to the fact that we have too many young drivers on our roads who have had very little supervision or training, and as a result, lack the key skills necessary to become safe drivers.”
“ More than 700 Kiwi teenagers died in road crashes in the past decade”
6 March 2012
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Financial transactions within families are potential sources of misunderstandings which can eventuate into a confl ict which can be diffi cult to resolve. It is therefore essential that all parties are aware of the expectations of the other and it is always best if the terms of the loan are put in writing.
While many people would feel uncomfortable requiring a close friend or relative to sign a loan agreement it can prevent problems arising at a later date. Even if the paper is only receipt for the money with the date the lender expects to be repaid included, that provides evidence of the parties’ intentions. It is not necessary to involve a lawyer to prepare the loan document but if there are
terms which need to be spelt out correctly it may be wise to consult a lawyer.
It is a good idea to have some knowledge about the intended use of the loan money. If it is because someone is short of money a lender may be able to provide some budgeting assistance. On the other hand if the loan is required for a business enterprise it may be a gamble whether the lender will get the loan repaid. Many small businesses simply do not survive.
Most parents want to help their children as much as they are able to. Most banks would require a guarantee which often means mortgaging their own home to provide security for a loan to family. It is not a good idea to give a mortgage
Certainly it’s starting to get cooler in the mornings as we move into autumn after such a poor summer. The touring South African cricketers might be wondering if cricket is a winter sport in this part of the world as we cross over into the rugby season.
This month I wanted to have a look at the local fi xed interest market. Investors wanting to generate an income at a level over and above bank deposit or call rates have been turning to the local fi xed interest market in big numbers over the last few years. This has come about because of a variety of reasons such as the low interest rate environment we have been treading through post the global fi nancial crisis and because of the large number of new bank or corporate bonds that have come to the market as issuers seek to diversify their funding base.
We have seen many new investors turn to this market for the fi rst time, sometimes unaware it even existed after realising a large sum of money by a variety of methods such as selling a farm, commercial, or residential property. With the large sums of capital involved in many of these assets, prudent investment in a range of appropriate asset classes such as fi xed interest will go a very long way to achieving the desired outcome from the capital sum. Quite often the easiest outcome is just to put
the money in the bank but ultimately this offers no form of real diversifi cation and after the deduction of infl ation plus tax, the real returns are barely positive.
Investors looking to invest on the fi xed interest market can do so by either buying when a new issue comes to the market or buying on the secondary debt market. The secondary debt market is just like the share-market but trades in debt issues and serves as a vehicle for investors looking to exit an investment prior to maturity and for those looking to buy prior to maturity.
When we consider suitability of any debt issue a number of factors come into play. Credit rating, does it have one and how good is it? Who is the issuer and what sectors are they exposed to? Term of the issue, size of the issue, and also the maturity date? Ultimately investors ideally want an issue which has a very good credit rating, from a reputable issuer, an issue of good size for liquidity purposes and with a maturity that suits their profi le.
Looking at new issues on the fi xed market we have recently had two new seven-year bond issues come to the market from ANZ Bank and Rabobank. On fi rst glance you might be thinking that seven years is a long time but the reality is that from a portfolio perspective you do need to
have a spread of maturities for diversifi cation.
Very simply that ensures that you don’t have all fi xed interest maturing at the same time and all your eggs in the one basket when it comes to the interest rate cycle. The same principle applies for any borrowers locking in interest rates on debt, so having a portion of your fi xed investment out for seven years maturity could well form part of a fi xed interest portfolio. The other main point to note is that these bonds issues generally have good liquidity which is an important factor. That means that should an investor require the capital back prior to maturity this can be done which is a big advantage over taking out a bank term-deposit. It also offers the opportunity to spread your exposure from a trading bank to other quality corporates or to a local authority.
Finally on the interest rate front, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) recently left the Offi cial Cash Rate (OCR) unchanged at 2.5%. That was of no surprise but what took many by surprise was the RBNZ lowering its forecast for the OCR by 70bp to 3.3% in March 2014. The RBNZ also took aim at the strength of the NZD and warned that future strength may be detrimental to the tradable sector and the RBNZ always had the ability to reduce the OCR. Current market pricing is suggesting there is a 60% chance of a 25bp rate hike in January 2013.
That’s all for this month. If you would like to confi dentially discuss your investment position please give me a call.Andrew Wyllie is an Authorised Financial Adviser with Forsyth Barr in Christchurch. He can be contacted on 0800 367 227 or [email protected]. This column is general in nature and should not be regarded as personalised investment advice. Disclosure Statements are available on request and free of charge.
LOANS WITHIN FAMILIES AND FRIENDS
on a home for the benefi t of family as the Bank can and will sell the home to recoup the loan if the family members do not comply with the terms of their mortgage.
Similarly no-one should over guarantee a loan for anyone else if the borrower does not pay the lender the installments under a loan, the borrower will become liable for all moneys owing to the lender.
It is essential for anybody guaranteeing or providing security for a loan to get advice which is independent of the Borrower. A lawyer will charge for independent advice, which is usually paid by the Borrower, but it can be money well spent.
So with all loans it is essential to have a clear understanding of the nature and terms of the loan which is best put in writing and signed by both borrower and lender to avoid awkward future misunderstandings.This article has been prepared by Bessie Paterson, a Partner with Ronald Angland & Son solicitors, who may be contacted on Tel: 03 349-4708 or e-mail [email protected]
to book your free appointment at a clinic near you.
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I am totally confused.
Prime Minister John Key’s National Government claims that the last election win was a mandate to go lickerty split ahead to partly sell state-owned assets.
In my book this was not a referendum, or a mandate. I would wager that many National voters would have agreed with National’s policy statement in general on a variety of issues, not necessarily asset sales (and I am not saying who I voted for). But a lot more explanation needs to be forthcoming before I, personally, would agree that fl ogging off chunks of assets would be a good thing for the wellbeing of New Zealanders in general.
We have been told over
and over again that this country was fast becoming a basket case, owing billions of dollars, rapidly catching up with the European PIG nations.
Yet Key tells us that the expected $6 billion proceeds would go into health, education, infrastructure and various other entities. Excuse me, but I always though selling portions of the family silver, and hocking off real estate, was supposed to pay off debt. That is get out of hock. In more recent times we had been living well beyond our means.
I am also unsure how an administration can make rules to sell stuff already owned by the public of Godzone, built up over past generations, such as power company SOEs. Then there is the promise
Of referendums and mandates — What’s the difference
(and who can believe it) that the misdenomer of “Mum and Dad” investors would get fi rst crack at buying shares. At what price? Who can afford them? How many would each be allowed? How will this be administered? And whose to stop them selling them on to off-shore corporate or institutional investors?
As with all investors and shareholders around the world it is dividends and profi ts that they look for. Power prices are about to go up in April. Will this infl uence the share price for Mighty River Power? By hiving off the two other power companies, will this bring the price of electricity down? Don’t hold your breath.
I don’t claim to be an expert in economics, but there appear to be many fi sh hooks in this Government’s headlong rush into asset sales, which in the longer term may not just stop with the companies put on the line, including Air NZ and Solid Energy. Some economic commentators have been questioning the benefi ts of these sales. Lets stop for a cuppa tea.
Also I read that nearly 70% of people polled are agin asset sales.
One must ask the big question: is this Government becoming arrogant when handling some controversial issues? Opposition parties and many private individuals and organisations are calling for a nation-wide referendum on asset sales. Farmers are
questioning sales of productive land to off-shore buyers. Back down south a petition to save jobs at Kiwi Rail’s Hillside workshops in Dunedin has met with a blank ‘no’ by a Parliament Select Committee. And this was in spite of repairs having to be made on the out-sourced rolling stock manufactured in China. The work was basically shonky and will cost more in the long run.
Then to top everything off this Government wants benefi ciaries to get back into work, presumedly including the unemployed currently on the dole. What work? Where are the jobs? Particularly when 44 qualifi ed tradesmen get laid off at Hillside. Also when many service industries locate call centres and communication outlets to cheaper Asian economies. Globilisation is of little help to the jobless. Manufacturers move to where labour is cheapest. Fisher
and Paykel Appliances to Mexico. We could name more companies on the move.
Way back in the 1930s depression thousands of unemployed were paid by the then government to plant trees. Millions of trees. And in the long term it paid off at harvest. Perhaps similar types of jobs in conservation, environmental clean-ups may benefi t benefi ciaries. In the long term it may be worth it. Unfortunately governments these days suffer from tunnel vision and short term planning.
However back to problems faced by the Key Government, who currently appear to be losing it. There are some policies worth sticking to. For starters get back on track with rural communities and farmers.
They may be a minority voting block but still provide the commodities that keep
the wolf from the door. More research and development is needed into converting these commodities into market value processed goods. Back innovative companies that retain workers and refuse the temptation to locate elswhere.
And it is time for John Key to forget being a Merrill Lynch money trader. You are now dealing with a diverse crowd of citizens and countrymen. And it is timely to look at the vast disparity between the haves and have-nots, specially when even the middle classes are feeling the pinch. Particularly where a worker at the coalface who produce the goods gets a measily 3% wage hike while the CEO and local body managers get up 16%. And the company directors rake off bonuses doubling the salary rate.
Currently it is not a very even playing fi eld…
8 March 2012
were. They measured all the plant’s physical characteristics during the season and most importantly the final yield to be sold.
THE RESULTThey now know with 95% certainty that when the farmer sows
the seeds and applies the right nutrients, both granular and via fertigation, together with the correct amount of water via irrigation, they will achieve a result both in yield and return on investment that is better than they have achieved in the past.
It is interesting when you consider the millions of dollars that have been earmarked for this type of work in New Zealand over the next five years. This is one time that the Australians have been first to develop technology that will enhance New Zealand’s agribusiness sector. Normally it’s the other way around!!
Do we try and reinvent their technology or should we be wise and spend the research dollars to field test their technology and move forward at the same pace as the Aussies are? Simple answer really!
Just keep your eyes open for this exciting new development for New Zealand farmers in the very near future.
This last month has certainly tested the patience of the local farmers.
I escaped some of the wet weather by flying off to a warmer climate — Australia to see one of my product suppliers. Great trip for my wife and I — there has to be some perks in owning our business.
The first meeting opened our eyes to a new way of plant and crop management.
In NZ, FAR has completed some excellent work on what nutrients to apply to arable crops to obtain good yields and a good profit. Other research facilities have worked out how much water is needed for individual crops and Lincoln University has been
Water and nutrient management — the way of the future
by Graeme Pile
working on what nutrients leach through the soil. But no one has combined all three together and applied it in such a way that New Zealand farmers can utilise it to improve their bottom line.
This company has been able to successfully achieve this in the trial work it has conducted over the last two years. They have employed the best people in their specialist areas and have asked the hard questions — why do you apply water and nutrients to the plant at each stage and what is the desired outcome.
THE OBJECTIVEThey considered the plant’s physiology, nutrient requirements,
soil characteristics, local climatic conditions, irrigation water characteristics (pH and EC) plus another ½ dozen variables, including farmer’s involvement.
THE MEASUREMENTThey measured some variables using soil moisture sensors
and EC sensors to monitor what and where the water and nutrients
9March 2012Water
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Many anticyclones moved quickly over the southern South Island during the month, with frequent southerly changes arriving as the next anticyclone pushed across the Tasman Sea, and airfl ow remaining from the easterly quarter as the anticyclone moved away.
Sunshine hours were very much below normal for the month, with totals 30-40% lower than the long term average, more reminiscent of winter month sunshine levels. In some areas this was the cloudiest February for 50 years. Even inland, sunshine was lower then usual, although not so severely as near the coast.
Mean temperatures for the month were -1.0 to -1.5deg colder than usual across the Plains, with day time temperatures especially
affected, in some areas -3 to -4 degrees colder than usual. In the western basins and foothills temperatures were near normal. Rainfall for the month was near normal in North Canterbury and inland parts of Mid and South Canterbury, but 50-100% greater than normal across the Plains of Mid and South Canterbury.
As a consequence of low sunshine hours and increased days with rain, humidity levels were signifi cantly higher than usual for February, and prolonged periods had very high humidity levels. This led to problems with fungal disease in crops, and severely impacted harvesting.
So far in March temperatures have remained signifi cantly colder than normal, with departures
around -2 deg. Sunshine hours are generally 15-20% lower than usual, while rainfall is tracking near normal in Mid and South Canterbury, and above normal in North Canterbury.
In the tropical Pacifi c the Southern Oscillation Index has returned to neutral values. Other indicators of the recent La Nina event are also continuing to fade, indicting that this La Nina is dying out steadily. Near neutral conditions are confi dently predicted for the April to June period. There is currently no suggestion in the models of a move to El Nino later in the winter or spring, and indeed there are some suggestions that the decaying La Nina may return again in early spring.
With the decaying La Nina we expect unsettled
February was a cloudy cool month across Canterbury with persistent airfl ow from between south and east bringing many days of low cloud, cold air, and frequent rainfalls
Tasman Sea, leading to a rather unsettled time for Canterbury. Pressures are expected to remain low over the northern Tasman Sea, and the current trend for anticyclones and higher air pressures across the south Tasman Sea and extending onto the South Island from the Southern Ocean should continue over the next two months. There are some indications that from May we could see anticyclones returning to a more normal path over the North Island, bringing longer periods of fi ner weather to Canterbury. However, there are also some indications that the winter months may see a return to periods of light easterly airfl ow, which
would suggest a risk of a colder and cloudier than normal winter season.
We expect weather patterns for the rest of March and all of April to continue to be highly variable, with a good mix of anticyclones taking various paths across the country; depressions and troughs affecting the North Island from northern waters, and the South Island from the Southern Ocean. All this should result in a mixed bag of weather for the region, with temperatures near normal at best and probably a little colder than normal; sunshine hours likely to continue to be below normal, and rainfall at least normal.
Forecast — Canterbury
Rainfall Temperature Sunshine Air� ow
Late March through
April
Wetter than normal
Colder than normal
Cloudier than normal
More southerly
and easterly airstreams
May Near normal Near normalA little
sunnier than normal
More anticyclones
weather with highly variable airfl ow over Canterbury to continue through March and April. While there will be some periods of westerly airfl ow over the South Island, there will also be frequent cold fronts and troughs moving across the
10 March 2012 Water
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I could simply repeat the fi rst paragraph from January regarding the demand for irrigation from my article in December and January — other than the ‘sequences of clear sunny and some very warm days’ it just didn’t last. Within a week or so a lengthy period of cooler, humid, northeasterly weather dominated to be followed more recently by cold southerly outbreaks. Totally unsuitable for harvest and was instrumental in lowering water use by 1-1.5mm/day and soil temperature by 4°C (as shown in the plot of soil temperature up around Aylesbury where the average dropped by 3-4°C in February and has steadily declined over the last week).
Irrigation IssuesIrrigation IssuesDr Tony Daveron
The problem with temperature in irrigation
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Furthermore, the irrigation season is close to drawing toward an end. By the time this article is read it will be into the third week of March. We have managed to get through much of the 2011-12 irrigation season with little pressure on irrigation. The long days are drawing to an end and the equinox is upon us. We have long passed the peak in incoming solar radiation. Shorter days and less incoming solar radiation combine to reduce the demand for irrigation — without the infl uence of the northeasterly or southerly weather patterns.
The low demand irrigation season continues. Bar a few days in mid-January, the weather has continued to lower demand for irrigation. And to take temperature a little further into the ‘left fi eld’, how it (temperature) affects soil moisture sensors.
11March 2012Water
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I fi nished my January article with — How does temperature affect these instruments’ — in reference to the effect of temperature on the measurement of soil moisture with capacitance — frequency domain technology instruments. All these instruments are affected by temperature. The graph below is an example of data that has not been corrected for temperature. The soil moisture V% is shown in blue (▬) and soil temperature in red (▬). Both traces show a diurnal variation and disconcertingly the soil moisture has a similar diurnal variation as the temperature. Unfortunately, it is not a simple relationship. For example:
• The peak in the soil moisture occurs before the peak in the soil temperature as shown by the vertical red dashed lines;
• The diurnal peak of soil moisture is clearly incorrect — soil moisture cannot increase without an input of rainfall or irrigation (and in this period there was no irrigation and only a small rainfall on February 8);
• The diurnal minimum of the diurnal soil moisture (indicated by the ▬ ▬) may indicate the actual soil moisture and its trend, but one can’t be sure; and
• There is no simple correction factor (a constant multiplier) or an equation (it is not linear).
What to do? If you see this sort of variation in your soil moisture record from one of these types of sensors, well:
• You know it is sort of correct because it is doing what it should (fl uctuating with temperature); and
• It has not been corrected (internally) for temperature; and• You cannot be sure of the soil moisture measurement; and• It is not the right sensor for your soil type.
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12 March 2012
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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
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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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The compulsory payment of District Council rates is now becoming the major mortgage on freehold properties and the second signifi cant mortgage behind ratepayers’ bank mortgages.
Farmers, being taxpayers and major ratepayers, are fi nding the burden of rate payments on top of their payments to service $46 billion of farm debt, unsustainable.
The Local Government Minister the Hon. Nick Smith declared in the press that council debts are getting out of control and the average rate increases nationally are 7%. Council debt has moved from $1.8 billion to $7 billion. He is going to amend the Local Government Act to control costs and keep rate rises in line with the Consumer Price Index. Farmers of New
Continuing debt increases, unsustainableby Bill Guest, operations Director, Farmers of new Zealand
Bill Guest, Farmers of new Zealand
benefi ts are predominantly private and the transaction costs are low.
Annual service charges should be levied for specifi c services (eg. water, storm water, refuse and sewerage services) where the level of consumption of those services can be easily determined, and where user-charge fees are not practical. Only properties that receive such services should pay for them.
Territorial authorities should use uniform annual charges (UAC’s) to their maximum to fi nance people-orientated services, such as the costs of democracy and other non-attributable costs. Property-based rates should not be used for these purposes.
The statutory limit of UAC’s should be increased, so that the use of valuation rating as a revenue-raising mechanism becomes less signifi cant.
Zealand supports this, but there must be an alignment of councils’ fi nancial monthly and annual reporting, so it is easier to compare the costs of one council’s activities against another.
This must also include a Fiscal Responsibility Bill for local government that gives ratepayers more say. Poll provisions should apply to all affected ratepayers for the raising of loans by special order procedures, whether under the jurisdiction of regional or territorial authorities.
Local government should not fund social services from rates. Any such services
should be funded by Central Government or another external source.
District councils over the next few weeks will be signalling their rate increases in the Annual district plans. Some councils are signalling rate increases of 40% plus, six times greater than the national average. It is time for the silent majority to stand up and take an interest in the activities of their district councils and we need to send a clear signal to Local Government Minister Nick Smith that we have had enough of councillors acting irresponsibly and using ratepayers’ hard earned
money on expenses that have nothing to do with core business.
Local government exists to provide public good services that would not otherwise be provided by the public sector. Raising revenue to provide predominantly public good services should be based on a broad interpretation of benefi ts to the different classes of ratepayers ie. differential rating or annual service charges on the basis of benefi ts received.
User charges and fees such as building permits, library charges etc are appropriate where the
13March 2012
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Labour’s plan to pay for this by increased taxation revenue raises the ire of many. The plan is a transfer of wealth from one sector of the community to another. Unless a large proportion of graduates use their education to earn money overseas instead of contributing to the New Zealand economy, it would actually enrich the country. The problem of hordes of graduates fl eeing the country could easily be solved by bonding students exempted from interest to serve here for a time.
Education is viewed by economists as an aspect of human capital. Earlier capital investment largely accounts for the high productivity of today’s wealthy economies. We could expect the payback on investment in education to far exceed that in machinery or fertiliser. This is because humans have a productive life of more or less forty years provided they have the type of education that enables them to adapt to new techniques.
This applies equally to mechanics, farmers, doctors and teachers.
Productive people pay more tax, thus reducing the need for high tax rates.
It is strange then that National, the party which favours investment in business, is so stingy about investment in human capital.
For the rural community this is critical. A generation of agricultural scientists is nearing retirement. How will we remain competitive without students seeing science as a secure well paid career? Taxonomists needed for biosecurity are
I am amazed at times about the lack of support there is for farmers.
AS if it wasn’t hard enough struggling again the weather, the world economic storms and a dollar that refuses to drop to a realistic level without having block walls built to stop any further development.
Luckily we have a Government who want to reduce the public service population and encourage development of farming when they say they have budgeted for a $40 million injection of cash for irrigation to increase production, but E-Can are planning to reverse that focus on extra production with a series of moves that will leave the farmers gasping like a trout out of water.
Why any regional council would want to stop on farm water storage totally defi es comment.
I am lead to believe the reasoning is that if farmers have on-farm water storage, they will irrigate and that will increase product. Why else would you do it?
Increased production, to some people with power, means dairy farming, and dairy farming means pollution in our underground water systems and thence into our rivers.
Obviously all the work being done at the Lincoln University Dairy farm monitoring the
soils and what is leeched into them is totally meaningless.
Just as importantly Canterbury doesn’t just have dairy cows. We also have a huge cropping and horticulture base along with sheep and beef cattle.
The other area of major concern about moves being put forward by E-Can is the ban on trading water rights.
By closing that door less water will be used as those who don’t need it can’t sell or lease it to someone who does.
Another block in the path of production increases.
Surely people in the farming support world should be fi red up and trying to help and support farming, not slamming the door and stopping any progress.
Imagine what would happen if central Government set out a series of boundaries that needed to be met for consents in the rural sector and opened the process up for privatisation.
Farmers would be able to go to the most effi cient and fastest organisation, and there would probably be a bit of a price war that would only help.
Can you tell me who wins by slowing or stopping production?
Rob Cope-Williams gets ...
Farmer support, where do you fi nd it?
My point of viewallen Cookson
Human Capital
reputable economists round the world.
Compare such a scenario with the blowout of student debt blighting young people’s futures.
The National Party has been energetically critical of Labour’s intention to scrap interest on student loans
in short supply worldwide. Rural communities are the fi rst to suffer from a shortage of medical personnel. The nation is already in crisis in this regard. Numerous trades face impending crippling shortages of skilled workers because of retirements and lack of new entrants.
Remission of interest need not be a tax burden. Some, probably most, student loan money is lent by banks such as Chase Manhattan.
If the Reserve Bank were to create the money for interest free loans, the taxpayer would not be paying for the remission of interest. Similar suggestions have been made to Michael Cullen and Don Brash. They have always rejected them saying that it would be infl ationary. It would actually be less infl ationary than borrowing from banks. Interest adds to charges by doctors, electricians, etc. Interest free loans would be balanced by loan repayments as now. The new wealth created would be defl ationary. These views are supported by
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I fi rst met Derrick Parry back in ‘86 when he transferred up to Canterbury when his nursery at Albury was fl ooded out in one of those ‘one hundred-year fl oods’. After the demise of the NZ Forest Service in April ‘87 he took over the old NZ forest nursery under the new name of ‘Timberlands’, and again after its demise three years later he took over ownership. In those days irrigation was done by the ‘seat of your pants’. If the NW winds blew you knew that the soils would dry out faster, so when the soils got a bit dusty you knew it was time to get some water on those seedlings.
This encompassed getting the boys to lug large irrigation pipes around the nursery all day. This practise and the subsequent stress placed on the seedlings if water was not applied on time, was both time consuming as well as detrimental to seedling growth. Now those days have gone as the nursery is fully automated. A bore has recently been drilled down to 109m which can supply all the nursery’s needs. Each section of the nursery is monitored with information on both soil moisture and temperature being relayed back to a computer in the offi ce. Once this data has been logged Derrick then determines how much water is to be applied. Unlike in the past, irrigation is only switched on at night so as to maximise water effi ciency, and only a rate of 5mm an hour is applied eliminating run off and water wastage. The enclosed photo shows Derrick looking at the ‘Gizmo’ which monitors both soil moisture as well as temperature at depths
Rangiora Nursery
of both 5cm and 30cm. The results can be clearly seen with a fi ne crop of P.radiata seedlings in the background. There will be other articles on Derrick’s achievements in future articles.
Joke Time A psychiatrist was
conducting a group therapy session with four young mothers and their small children. “You all have obsessions,” he observed
To the fi rst mother, Mary, he said “you are obsessed with eating, you have even named you daughter Candy.”
He then turned to the second mom, Ann “Your obsession is with money. Again, it manifests itself in your child’s name, Penny”
He then turned to the third mom, Kathy, “Your obsession is with Alcohol. This too shows itself in your child’s name, Brandy.”
At this point the fourth mother, Joyce, quietly got up and took her little boy by the hand and whispered “Come on Dick, this guy doesn’t know what he is talking about. Lets pick up Willy from school and go home.”
As reported last month the exterior timbers’ market including the likes of fencing, pergolas, decking and so on, is seeing the biggest growth across the domestic segment at this stage. Some of that may be related to the larger framing market being supplied from other sources. Reports suggest some of the medium to larger sawmills in the South Island are starting to vie with the large North Island mills for volume in this segment.
News just in suggests the big mills are trying to drive Christchurch framing lumber prices back up to pre Q4 2011 levels. However a comment made by one of the suppliers suggests they will hold prices at the higher levels as long as sales by volume continue to grow. This suggests they are
making a good gallop up to the hurdle but are anticipating a refusal before the jump. The lack of commitment to achieve sensible returns for all stake holders, including themselves, is frustrating to say the least.
For the log export segment prices have come back at the wharf gate by $6 to $10 per cubic metre across the normal grades. The primary price driver has been shipping cost this month. CIF prices in the market have come off a little, US$2 — 3 per cubic metre whilst the US/Kiwi exchange rate is also working against exporters.
Prices in the market may come off the boil for April/May sales, although some uncertainty surrounds that proposition. All eyes are on demand levels particularly in the price determinant market
of China. Inventory levels there have gone back up through 4 million cubic metres with consumption running at about 50,000 cubic metres per day, 10,000 cubic metres more than it needs to be.
Sawmills have been slow to get back into gear after Chinese new year with restocking starting to see some signs of a demand lift. Unlike late last year the market does not appear to be panicking about the four-month inventory. Most seem to believe the inventory will come back to more realistic levels as soon as restocking takes hold.
The other main reason for lack of concern appears to be a realisation that much of the over inventory is the direct consequence of extra cargo arriving from the US, mostly Douglas fi r and Western
Hemlock. Those volumes are not expected to continue with much of the old stock sitting on US ports now cleared.
Shipping in the Handy class segment has been following the Baltic Index up with costs lifting US$3 — 4 per cubic metre over the last month. The main reason appears to lie in Northern Hemisphere trade together with some reluctance by ship owners to do a one-way steam down to NZ for cargo. Suddenly shipping has become harder than normal.
Most commentary is continuing to suggest 2012 will be one of relative price stability consequent on fl at demand in world trade, in particular China. As long as the US/Kiwi exchange rate behaves itself, preferably at below 80cents, we should see reasonable but not fantastic pricing at the wharf gate. On the domestic front, demand in the critical Christchurch market appears to be improving to reasonable levels across some segments.
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.
Over the last month domestic sales have held steady on price in Canterbury with demand starting to show the slightest signs of picking up. Most sawmills appear to be busy if not fl at out and an air of optimism pervades
15March 2012
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WHAT IS A TRUFFLE?Truffl es are fungi that grow in and on the
roots of specifi c trees and have fruiting bodies that grow beneath the ground. Truffl es of various kinds are found throughout Europe, Asia, America, Australia and Africa, but only a few species have any real commercial value. Truffl es’ fl avour, rarity and their extraordinary prices are exciting many people around the world. Until recently truffl es harvested for commercial uses were confi ned to the ancient oak forests in Europe, but with developing resources and ongoing research, the prize truffl e is now being produced in New Zealand.
Growing Gourmet is able to supply black, bianchetto and burgundy truffl e on a variety of tree species to suit your site and can act on your behalf once they begin producing. This includes cleaning, grading and packing truffl es before exporting, taking advantage of well-established and trusted relationships overseas. Any person purchasing trees from Growing Gourmet will have the chance of selling produce through this marketing group.
Perigord Black Truffl e (Tuber melanosporum)
These truffl es are considered the fi nest of edible fungi and have a place in gastronomy alongside saffron, caviar, and foie gras. An individual melanosporum truffl e varies in size from the size of a pea up to that of a grapefruit.
With a skin that is similar to an avocado, the fl esh of the truffl e is a dark brown/black with white veins running through it. The truffl e aroma is very powerful, with sweet forest-fl oor notes.
The Perigord black truffl e makes up the bulk of truffl es presently grown in New Zealand, but tends to be very site specifi c in order to succeed. The black truffl e is harvested in the winter months (June, July and August in New Zealand).
Bianchetto Truffl e (Tuber borchii)
Borchii truffl es are often described in relation to the Italian white truffl e which it resembles in appearance when young, as well as aroma and taste when mature. The skin is a yellow/brown and quite thick with fl esh that is pale brown. The Borchii truffl e, which is usually fairly small, is of a sphere shape and knobbly, however in well-aerated soil it can grow to the size of an orange.
The resemblance and comparison between the elusive Italian white and Borchii truffl e has helped to elevate Borchii to a prestigious and well-deserved place among the top four culinary species. Over the past three years in New Zealand, Borchii has proven itself to be a reliable commercial crop under variable conditions and is sought after in New Zealand and worldwide. Because Borchii can grow on various pinus species, the crop can be considered as a supplementary income to timber on farm and forestry woodlots.
Burgundy Truffl e (Tuber aestivum)
Occurs in France and Italy during summer and autumn, and is widely consumed in those countries. It is easily distinguished from the Perigord Black Truffl e by its coffee-coloured interior and the network of ridges that cover the surface of its spores. It is a heavy producer with a distinct fl avour and smell of its own, it has its own market niche. The Burgundy truffl e is less site specifi c than melanosporum and probably
a dog in action — sniffi ng out truffl es
Companies join forcesGrowing Gourmet is the result of Southern Woods Nursery joining with Southern Cross Truffl es to provide growers throughout New Zealand a variety of both tree and truffl e species. In addition, consultancy services are offered at any stage along the way, to help grow your success story in this exciting industry
better suited generally to New Zealand growing conditions.
Presently, there is a ready market within New Zealand for truffl es. As volumes increase, more will need to be exported. Growing Gourmet have already developed relationships with several distributors in USA, Hong Kong and Europe.
The limited amounts of Black and Bianchetto produced in New Zealand are currently selling in excess of $3,000/kg. Worldwide, the markets for truffl es all feature strong demand and limited
supply, suggesting prices are likely to be strong for the foreseeable future.
At present there are about 50,000 trees on more than 150 sites in New Zealand. Due to the relatively small size of the existing truffi eres, it is diffi cult to extrapolate precise production data, but it is claimed that yields equivalent to well over 100kg/hectare have already been achieved.
Visit growinggourmet.co.nz for more detail on truffl es, tree combinations and pricing, or call 0800 800 352 to have a chat.
“Until recently truffl es harvested for commercial
uses were confi ned to Europe, but the prize truffl e
is now being produced in New Zealand”
16 March 2012 Country MotorinG
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It’s sad though that easily the two best soft roaders available today each with several awards to attest to the title will only sell in miniscule numbers. Partly that’s due to price as they start at over $80,000 each — add some options and it can add 50% to the total. In the Ag sector that’s Discovery or Landcruiser money.
Sad too because they actually come standard with a host of safety and comfort features along with outstanding performance on road and surprising cred off road, that few will be lucky to enjoy.
The average vehicle purchased today is likely to be petrol powered and under two litres, where manufacturers
recognising this have invested highly and produced some very competent machines.
If however you want something different and stylish then read on.
Volvo XC60 The XC refers somewhat optimistically to cross {X} country. While the permanent AWD system operates in front drive most
Baby battle Volvo XC60 and the Range Rover Evoque
of the time the torque split to the rear can increase the drive to 50/50 allowing tenacious grip thanks to the long travel suspension. Translated to performance on road the 2400cc 177kw and 440nm Turbo Diesel engine {turbo petrol 2000cc + 3200cc are also available} streaks to 100km/h in 8.3 seconds despite its 1800kg mass. The unsealed road performance is amazing as the AWD system allied to the very taut chassis and clever electronics will hold a line through a corner despite heaped metal on the outside edge. I tried this several times on the same tight right hander at different speeds all with the same result, no drama!
I gave the 60 a good workout over different road and traffi c conditions and it still returned a consumption rate of diesel at 7.3 litre/100km, so the manufacturer’s claim of 6.9 should be easily obtainable.
The interior of this genuine fi ve seater is well laid out with thoughtful touches abounding. The signature gap to put a handbag or computer out of sight behind the lower central
dash is there as are the height adjustable squabs for the rear seats making it easy to convert from adult to little people in the rear pews without extra equipment. Leather as you’d expect abounds the tactile surfaces and is soft, with the standard posterior heaters very comforting on cold wet winter mornings or even our summer mornings!
Sat Nav, Rear camera, electrics for seats, windows, mirrors, keyless entry and a plethora of airbags as well as the other safety electronics of ESP ABS EBD BA and the very clever Crash Avoidance System that monitors the road and traffi c conditions ahead and will automatically apply whatever braking force required to stop an accident occurring. This works for vehicles, objects and even pedestrians. Also on parade is the blind spot info in the rear ¾ vision highlighting the presence of a vehicle or object, and the lane departure warning that lets you know you’ve drifted out of the lane.
Volvo has always been regarded as the safest vehicle
Volvo XC60
I write this with the belief that very few people will ever get to drive either of the smallest offerings from Volvo and Range Rover who until recently were kissing cousins
17March 2012Country MotorinG
Time to update to an Eight Wheeler?
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makers in the world. The rear lights a Volvo family trademark, as shown in the photo, are visual evidence of the commitment to reducing the chance of rear end collisions caused by a car following. The chassis and cabin as well as the doors all feature reinforcing to protect should an accident occur.
I drove the baby off roader across the farm finding both the limits of adhesion and suspension travel that would put many of the farming orientated bigger utes to shame. It will take on most conditions though is hampered by the lack of a low range for the six-speed auto only box which despite some engine braking will run away on steep downhill descents. That said the class equalling 2,000kg braked towing rating will find friends for those with horse floats or smaller boats to move.
The boot area accessed by a power tailgate opens up to allow two standard hay bales to reside without lowering the three individual rear seats, liberating room for three more if you really must use the beautiful 60 for feed out duties on a wet school morning. It will find friends, bring back a month’s groceries and the best deals in electronics or white ware as the floor is perfectly flat.
It’s hard not to like the XC60 and it should be on the must try list if a five-seater competent and super safe technology stacked wagon is being considered. Starting from $69,990 for the 2 litre petrol to $86,990 for the 3.2 litre petrol, both turboed — the model I drove was the pick I believe for NZ conditions — the 2.2 litre turbo diesel at $79,990. All of the variants come with options that can vary the prices significantly.
I always enjoy my time with a Volvo as the marque continues to be just that little bit special. Long may it continue.
Range Rover Evoque: Bringing to three the number of Range Rover variants the Evoque is all new and was released world wide late last
control beneath the interesting rotary gear selection dial that sits flush with the centre console allows a choice of five land surfaces thereby instructing the computer to set the transmission suspension and hill descent controls to safely and easily ‘conquered’ the terrain. Long-winded to describe, it works effortlessly in practise as does this very competent Range Rover. Hills, steep uphill starts or downhill descents on clay or grass or even driving across a hillside seem just too easy. But this wasn’t my vehicle so I didn’t keep going just to reach the ultimate levels of grip or performance. The Evoque certainly shares the DNA with its bigger older siblings!
Play time off the road over, I loaded the vehicle with four friends {He actually has some. Ed} for a quick trip north to try out the on road performance. The willing and oh so quiet 2.2 litre turbo diesel
year. I got my sticky paws on one early on this year and was split in my opinion of it. Despite winning numerous accolades I find the shape, read style, vaguely irritating as it looks as though it has been sat on over the rear half, particularly so with the coupe three-door. If you want an off roader surely then you want the most interior space?. The lowered roofline as the picture shows doesn’t affect the rear seat headroom though it has a dampening effect on the load area particularly bulky loads. That aside this is still a Range Rover in every sense and I was keen to try it off road as Land Rover has claimed that despite its lower ground clearance it will still tackle more than anything else in its class. In fact that turned out to be true as I was easily able to traverse steep entry exits from the stream as in the picture without crunching nose or tail and the rocky bed while occasionally touching the underbelly of the Evoque slid over them without effort or damage thanks to all the underpinnings — very well protected. Setting the terrain
producing 110kw and 400nm torque feels and sounds like a petrol until you come to a hill where the six-speed auto only gearbox holds 6th without appearing to labour the motor. In truth the diesel is right on the peak torque at 100km/hr and eases over the speed limit too effortlessly. In fact it finds 100km/hr from rest in just under eight seconds. Driving my favourite twisty hill section all within the appropriate lane between Cheviot and Kaikoura is a real pleasure. There is body roll though well dampened and not inducing that queasy feeling according to my passengers.
We returned all the way to Christchurch without stopping and got out refreshed. The huge moon roof a $1,300 option gave a panoramic view for all and helped reinforce the light airy spacious feel the Rangie exuded with its cream heated and air conditioned seats.
diesel showed we’d used it at the rate of 7.9l/100km which included the off roading and some traffic around the now busy streets of Christchurch that are still usable.
As I’d expected the Evoque has all the airbags you could ask for ABS ESP hill descent and hill start, electric hand brake and a fabulous audio system with USB MP3 and Bluetooth all working from the steering wheel controls along with cruise control and a cruise computer. A huge 10-inch screen top and centre of the dash, displays the Sat Nav and is used for the rear camera view. Towing rated at 2,000kg braked will find friends among Land Rover afficionados and may find sales from other marques.
Yes the Evoque’s styling will polarise and possibly be derided by some. It none the less is a brilliant concept well executed and engineered and in red as was the $86,990 test vehicle sent to me by Land Rover NZ, looks great.
range rover evoque
The fuel gauge barely moved and on topping up with
18 March 2012 Dairy
Hoof PrintWith Fred Hoekstra
BEEF FARMERSPlan ahead for Beef Calf SalesEnsure calves are compliantly tagged and have a fully completed ASD form
(Animal Status Declaration)
For information regarding TB testing or to book a TB test
Phone 0800 4TB INFO 0800 482 4636
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
Here is what a few past attendees of our training courses are saying:“I finally realise how the hoof becomes damaged and why our procedures affect the healing process. The course also helped my understanding of the correct hoof shape and how it affects the cows locamotion.” Duane Kristensen, Gore
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You will learn information about: • Foot anatomy and function • Recognition and treatment of claw diseases • Lameness protection • Relationship between nutrition and lameness • Preventative hoof trimming (Shaping the claw correctly) • Lameness treatment • Knife sharpening • Hoof trimming tools and accessories • Application of claw blocks • Use of angle grinder for hoof trimming • Plus much more!
HOOF TRIMMING SERVICES, EQUIPMENT & TRAINING
Poor tracks at fault?
At the Field Days I sometimes get into interesting discussions with farmers about lame cows. Every time I notice that physical damage is seen as the major cause of lameness. It seems so ingrained in people’s minds that it is hard to change their thinking. Often that thinking is based on what other people say, or on what we believe is logic.
Tracks (or races) for example, are blamed for the so-called stone bruising. Somehow it seems logical that rough tracks with more stones cause more bruising because there is more chance for a cow to stand on a stone. When we spend a lot of money on our tracks we seem to get less lameness, so therefore the stones must be the cause. I think that there are other possible explanations
that to me make more sense. I don’t see any evidence
of bruising caused by stones. If the bruising was caused by the stones then I would expect more bruising and damage on the inner (more vulnerable) claw than on the outer claw which has a thicker sole. So, what then can be another explanation as to why poor tracks seem to have such an impact on our cows that makes more sense?
I believe that time budget has a lot to do with it. Cows need 12 hours a day for resting and eight hours a day for eating. They also need some time for drinking and socialising. That leaves about three hours or so for the farmer to get the cows out of the paddock, milk them and back into the paddock again — twice a day. Many farmers
don’t manage that, therefore the cows become very lethargic and that is particularly evident from now when cows are increasingly slower in getting to and from the paddock. If we work 16 hours a day every day at some point it is likely that we will burn out. I believe that that is what is happening with our cows.
Improving the tracks does seem to improve cow fl ow, just like people generally walk easier/faster over tar seal roads than gravel ones. Improved cow
fl ow will result in more eating and resting time for the cows in the paddock — a factor which is much more likely to reduce lameness than the perceived extra physical force that poor tracks put on cows’ feet in and of itself.
The thing is that every cow in NZ has got laminitis to some degree. So, they have unhealthy feet. If you push cows with unhealthy feet then the physical force can aggravate the problem and you are then likely to see more lame cows!
The Field Day season is in full swing again. We have been in Waimumu and are about to go to Feilding and soon it will be time for the Hamilton Field Days again
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One of the many pleasing aspects to selling Golden Bay Dolomite is the development of long term relationships with all those involved, from the mine owners through to the end users. It is particularly satisfying working with farmers and growers who experience and appreciate the unique benefi ts provided by dolomite.
Some years ago when suggesting to a retired boat builder that boats of modern design and construction were superior to hand built launches of 40 years ago he tersely replied that waves had not changed shape in that time and would not do so in the future.
Plant requirements for maximum production are no different now than they were 50 years ago. One thing that has changed in that time is the use of fertiliser nitrogen. In the late 1970s and early 80s pasture growth from permanent pastures without the use of fertiliser nitrogen could and often did exceed 18 tonne of dry matter per hectare annually.
Today total annual growth for permanent pastures seldom exceeds 15.5 tonne, a fact that is becoming increasingly recognised. Given the loss of pasture plants under fertiliser nitrogen driven fertiliser programmes, do permanent pastures now actually exist? There are an increasing number of properties where 15 — 20% of pasture is renewed or renovated every year.
Properties where dolomite is applied each year, the rate of application dependant on the need for magnesium, and little if any fertiliser nitrogen applied have a much reduced requirement for pasture renewal.
Pasture pulling in autumn occurs only where soils are too hard for pasture roots to penetrate easily. An obvious visual sign is grass plants perched with their crowns well above the soil surface. The areas most affected are the high traffi c areas around
Improved pasture persistenceIt’s fascinating to watch companies with the miracle product suddenly develop a new product that will cure all ills. Could it be that the original product did not perform as claimed or is it a case of trying to chase the market as it changes?
gate ways, water troughs, and sites where stock concentrate to feed.
The loss of pasture plants due to pulling is almost entirely preventable without the long term use of mechanical soil aerators.
Earthworms and other benefi cial soil dwellers are able to do this work on all soils, provided the conditions conducive to their activities are created. Soils where test results indicate MAF QT levels of calcium exceeding 7, Base Saturation calcium in the 60 — 70% range, and soil pH between 6.2 and 6.5, nearly always contain suffi cient calcium for strong earthworm and other benefi cial soil dweller activity.
Golden Bay Dolomite, a proven soil conditioner in its own right, contains 11.5% magnesium, and 24% calcium. Where magnesium is a requirement, as it is on most intensive dairy properties, an autumn application of 200 — 250kg/ha will kick start the process of improving soil health and providing conditions conducive to excellent plant persistence.
For a delivered price call 0800 4 DOLOMITE, 0800 436 566.
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It seems to me that many farmers have forgotten that applying fertiliser is not an instant fi x. It is more like fuel in a tank — it needs replacing once used so that more grass can be grown.
To be fair this season has been exceptional and it is hard to work out whether this one is making up for the previous poor ones or there is a bad season to come. On the positive side, the stock are predominantly doing well with sheep and beef fi nishing well. The trick now is to keep the momentum going through this winter and into spring.
It is important to check your soil tests, taking special notice of the calcium and magnesium levels and their ratios. If levels and/or ratios are low or out of balance, milk fever and grass staggers could be a real possibility. These two ailments are something all farmers can do without on wet and cold spring days.
While potash is a really important element for growing grass, this should be limited from late autumn and through winter or else it will only cause grief during spring. Potash is also easily leached during this period which means much of it can disappear during the wetter months, and as it is so expensive this is another good reason to limit it during this period.
Consideration can be given to applying natural phosphate as science has shown almost no leaching, and accordingly trials in New Zealand show it grows around the same amount of dry matter as comparable phosphates. In soils with high phosphate retention, natural phosphate has proven to work better and last longer.
So back to calcium and magnesium. Now is the time to apply these products as both of these elements form the basis of almost everything else. If these elements are in the wrong ratio, your soils could be too compacted, have poor clover growth and on the animal side, there could be poor bone structure and poor milk production. Milk fever and grass staggers could feature in the animals or it may be a sub-clinical problem, and even if stock are satisfactory, a production loss of 10% can be experienced.
At Fertilizer New Zealand we have a range of products (solid, liquid and biological) which could easily be of help to you.
Give us a call on 0800 337 869 to set yourself up for spring.
Setting up for springAs autumn draws on, now is the time to start thinking about spring. Why do you say it is necessary to think of spring while it is still four to fi ve months away? In most districts pasture is growing well. The dairy herds are looking good. Milk production is going well
To advertise in the Canterbury FarmingPlease call 03 347 2314
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Management and feeding of cows over the next three to four months will signifi cantly infl uence milk yields and fertility during their subsequent lactation. It is important to assess cows’ body condition scores (BCS) now, then devise and implement some strategies to achieve target condition scores at least one month prior to calving, as they will not increase from then on. BCS of mature cows should be 5 to 5.5, and two and three-year — olds at least 5.5 at calving.
Visually assessing BSC can be subjective as one person’s score of 4 is another’s 3. It can become more objective by inviting your consultant or neighbour to score your cows, and attending workshops such as those held by DairyNZ. They have also produced a very good condition scoring booklet. Don’t just rely on automatic weighing systems as weight increases may not fully refl ect changes in BCS.
The following table copied from the DairyNZ website indicates the length of dry period required by cows, of varying BCS, to achieve target condition at calving. The shorter the
lactation the less milk produced, thus income per cow. Also, it takes more feed to gain condition when cows are dry as opposed to milking. Therefore, it is generally more cost effective to feed cows to gain condition during mid and late lactation, than dry them off early due to excessive loss of condition. Feed quality is important when trying to put condition on cows, as demonstrated in a recent study where dry cows required an additional 210kg DM of autumn pasture on top of maintenance to gain one BCS, but only 125–150kg of DM of a good quality supplement.
High starch or sugar feeds like cereal grains, maize or whole crop silages tend to work best when targeting condition gain. Mineral supplements containing selenium and zinc may also be benefi cial, as these are essential components in the formation of keratin plugs and in udder regeneration.
Most trace mineral supplements also contain the other key trace minerals, cobalt, copper and iodine. Balancer mixes containing the key major minerals should be fed if supplementary feeds contribute a signifi cant part of the diet,
Nutritional Strategies to dry off Cows at Target Condition Scores
as they tend to be low in these minerals. Using a feed ration programme can help determine the most appropriate products to feed.
Mineral supplements can be supplied in a number of forms and via a variety of delivery systems, such as via water or molasses, free access loose licks,
balancers with forage, meal or pellets. The form and route depend on a number of factors, such as location of cows, water supplies and dosing systems, types of supplements being fed and feeding systems. It is a case of working out which system best suits the farm, facilities, resources and staff.
by Dr. Julian Waters (BSc(Hons), MSc, PhD, CBiol, MSB, rnutr, CPag, MnZiPiM)
Table 1: Dry-off time based on body condition score and time to calving
BCS BCS Days cows need to be dried off before calving
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
While it’s great to have a good season, it’s important to look at the coming dry off when most people have machine tests carried out.
What tends to happen is that everyone wants their machine tests done around the same time. While service partners try to accommodate everyone, along with other major project work and upgrades, sometimes delays can happen with the high workload.
There’s really no reason why the machine tests can’t be done during the year between milkings, while it’s not so busy.
The service partners are good at working around your milking schedule. Also, the upside of getting work done during the year is that the service partners will have the time to carry out routine maintenance to keep your machine in top working order,
hopefully avoiding aggravating and costly breakdowns.
To go one better, talk with your local Milfos Service Partner and get them to tell you about the iCARE Scheduled Maintenance Programme.
This programme will allow you to tailor make a programme to suit your requirements and budget.
The Milfos iCARE programme takes the stress out of shed maintenance, right down to making sure you have filter socks on hand when you need them.
If you are considering an upgrade to your dairy, it would be a good idea to talk with your local Milfos Service Partner to arrange an evaluation as it is getting quite busy out there.
To check out Milfos products and services or to find your local Milfos Service Partner go to www.milfos.com.
There are a lot of things happening in the farming business, and as per usual the weather has dictated, with a bumper season for a lot of areas.
Install now and use autumn rains to clean the base of your tankNo smelly water. Remove bacterial colonies, E.coli and Giardia leaving water sparkling and rich in oxygen Developed by engineers at Waikato Uni and microbiologists at AUT University
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Install now and use autumn rains to clean the base of your tankNo smelly water. Remove bacterial colonies, E.coli and Giardia leaving water sparkling and rich in oxygen Developed by engineers at Waikato Uni and microbiologists at AUT University
See a demo tape at www.tankvac.co.nz
Other benefi ts include protection from disease and even the transfer of nutrients from one plant to another. Almost all crop plants (with the notable exception of brassicas) can host mycorrhizae with the main type of fungi being AM (arbuscular mycorrhizal).
The main benefi t that mycorrhizae bring to a plant’s root system is to expand the effective volume of roots. The is due to the mycelium threads
Fungal Networksby Dr tim Jenkins
Phone 0274 33 22 64 - ASHBURTON
We SpeciAliSe iN- Site works - Land clearing & development work - All drainage work with lazer - Clamshell holes - Hedge & stump removal - Installing culverts - Mainline excavation - Driveways & farm lanes - Dairy conversions - Water race & irrigation race cleaning - Dairy track capping - Screening plant hire - Industrial paved areas
of the fungi growing out into the soil and accessing water and nutrients from further away than the true roots of the plant would have grown. The mycelium is microscopically fi ne but with a high surface area ratio and an effi cient ability to take up nutrients.
Phosphorus uptake is one of the most signifi cant advantages of this greater effective root volume. Phosphorus is very immobile in the soil thanks
low mobility in the soil that is more effi ciently taken up by the fungi. But even more mobile nutrients such as nitrogen can be better accessed.
In addition to the extra root volume created by the fungal mycelium, AM fungi stimulate greater branching of the plant roots themselves. They also stimulate other activities in the plant roots such as fi ne feeder root formation, increased production of plant phosphatase enzymes and greater levels of nitrogen fi xing nodules.
But wait there’s more. There is a clear relationship between soil structure and mycorrhizal fungi with the fi ne mycelium holding together aggregates or crumbs in the soil and producing glomulin and other
White clover roots can benefi t in many ways from mycorrhizal fungi
to its quick adsorption to soil minerals and the low solubility of most compounds that phosphate forms. So it is a case of the roots come to phosphate rather than phosphate comes to the roots.
A non-mycorrhizal root may be taking phosphate up from within one millimetre of the root and can soon create a phosphate depletion zone that is slow to fi ll. On the other hand a mycorrhizal mycelium can travel several centimetres out from the true plant root to meet a greater resource. The mycelium is also able to produce phosphatase enzymes that can promote phosphate ion availability from more mineral compounds. And AM fungi have been found to be able to speed up the release of organic phosphate sources from dead organic matter, thus improving the rate of nutrient cycling.
Zinc is another element of
polyglucan sticky substances that improve the stability of the crumbs. Crumb structure in the soil can improve drainage while at the same time increasing water holding capacity within the crumbs — simultaneously reducing the risk of anaerobic, root disease inducing wet soils and increasing the ability of
Spore producing arbuscular mycorrhizal aM fungus on a plant root
Over the years there has been a greater and greater understanding of the importance of mycorrhizal fungi. These fungi grow in association with plant roots and while they utilise some of the plant’s carbohydrates, there is an important net gain for plants in better access to phosphorus and other nutrients as well as improved water uptake
plants to withstand dry periods (as roots and fungi can access the moisture held in crumbs).
Next month I’ll discuss how nutrients transfer in mycorrhizal systems, the special place that mycorrhizal fungi have in the soil carbon cycle, and how to encourage mycorrhizal fungal levels.
Office 03 307 7445 James McCloy 027 782 7606 Hamish Wilson 027 228 9430
HE-VA IntEr-row wEEdEr
- Working widths 3m to 12m Ideal for weeding in grain, rape, beets, potatoes, grassland, aeration
- Each 1.5m free floating section features 5 rows of double tines
- Aggressive or adjustable tines available
- Simply add the He-Va Multi Seeder for regrassing pasture
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CuLtiVation
It seems New Zealand machinery is continuing to fi nd favour far offshore.
Direct planting or pasture cropping simply means producing crops from year to year without turning over the sod and proponents say it boosts the water and nutrient content in the soil.
It’s a farming system in which the seeds are directly deposited into untilled soil which has retained the previous crop residues.
Special no-till seeding equipment opens a narrow slot into the residue covered soil which is only wide enough to put the seeds into the ground and cover them. The aim is to move as little soil as possible in order not to bring weed seeds to the surface to germinate.
export success boosts no-till cropping
by Paul Campbell
With harvesting underway or over for another season, thoughts are turning to the renewal of soils for the next cropping round, and a recent Kiwi success story has focussed attention again on no-till farming
The residues from the previous crops will remain largely undisturbed at the soil surface as mulch.
So it comes as no surprise to learn that Kiwi ingenuity has come to the fore in this farming discipline, as in so many others.
Earlier this year, Kevin Larson of Willow City, North
Dakota won the US Zero Till Farmer of the Year award and reasons cited were his introducing a New Zealand seeding sytem.
Last year, Baker No-Tillage of Fielding sold its Cross Slot toolbar to Mr Larson and other farmers in both Canada and the USA are now also sharing the
25March 2012
Our P-D Series is a Low Cost High output Arable Drill with low Horse Power Requirement.
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)
CuLtiVationconviction about the New Zealand equipment, which bodes well for the future.
“It’s another example of New Zealand marketing its tools of agriculture, not just its products of agriculture. And there is virtually no limit to how many superior agricultural tools we can produce in a given year,” says company CEO, Dr John Baker.
North Dakota experienced a particularly wet spring in 2011 but Mr Larson found he could handle the conditions with his New Zealand-designed Cross Slot machine better than most other US-
designed machines, which remained parked in their sheds.
“Now we can hardly wait for a dry year” says Dr Baker, “because our equipment is even better in dry soils.”
The no-tillage technology is being applied globally on hundreds of millions of hectares under very differing climate and soil conditions, and it’s caught the eye of the Wold Bank, which says in a recent report: ‘Agriculture is reaching the limits of available land and water resources. Thus, future increases in agricultural production and rural income must be derived
from smarter use of these resources.
‘Use of purchased inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, and pest control chemicals are necessary components of the formula. No-till farming integrates ecology into the farming system design and considers the complex biological web that is at work in a system of healthy and effi cient soils, plants, and animals. It recognises that management decisions affect the habitats and food sources of organisms important to regulating biological processes, and therefore agricultural productivity’.
To advertise in the Canterbury FarmingPlease call 03 347 2314
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Formerly Aerial Sowing Limited
Love your chooks? But hate being tied to daily feeding?
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Automatic chook feeder
…are made to save you time and money by eliminating the need for daily feeding and stopping the significant amount of food lost to rats, mice and wild birds. This is the ideal feeder for 1-50 chooks, allowing you to enjoy the goodness of your own farm fresh eggs without attracting pests and their associated diseases.
GRANDPA’S FEEDERSdeveloped and sold in New Zealand for over 12 years have become hugely popular and are now considered standard equipment for keeping poultry.
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Allen Custom Drills has exceeded the expectations of many contractors from all over New Zealand, with proven great results from a durable and reliable product. Farmers are now taking advantage of Allen Custom Drills and they are producing products for them that have all the benefi ts of any other Allen Custom Drill yet are more suited to the farmer.
One new model in particular is the P-D Series (packer drill) which is a conventional drill suited for arable farmers not wanting a direct drill. The P-D Series has a full width tyre packer followed by double disc coulters with press wheels. These drills are a lower cost option and a lot easier to pull than a direct drill (six-metre drill requires only 130hp). With the integrated tyre packer it cuts out another pass before drilling and won’t have uneven tyre wear issues like other imported drills because of its separate large fl otation wheels for road transport.
Craig Allen says: “We strive to meet the needs of any client, whether a small scale farmer or large scale contractor — at the end of the day we work towards the fi nal result of providing a product that will perform the requested requirements and more. We work closely with the client to ensure all expectations are met and within their fi nancial budget. We design our drills using four principles: Accuracy; Simplicity; Durability; Reliability. We take into serious consideration any factors that will provide a cost-effective, low maintenance and long lasting product.
We can build everything in the drill to the customer’s specifi cation from its working width, to whether or not it has a fertiliser box, insecticide box, crane, or even a specifi c colour! We have many features that not many other drills have.”
Allen Custom Drills come in working widths from 3.0m up to 8.0m and are built to handle harsh New Zealand conditions.
CuLtiVation
Exceeded the expectations
Craig says: “Most drills made in North America or Europe are designed to plant wheat 90 percent of the time but we don’t just plant wheat in New Zealand. A Kiwi farmer or contractor might want to plant wheat in the morning, clover in the afternoon, and brassicas the
next morning, so the drill has to be easy to adjust.
“It also has to be tough. Drills made in Europe are not designed to handle the stoney soils that we have.”
“We stand by our basic product line with the latest technology and innovation. All
Specialist seed drill manufacturer, Allen Custom Drills based in Ashburton mid Canterbury is constantly contributing new products to its line-up
Allen Custom Drills feature the renowned Accord seed metering and distribution system,” which Craig says, “has also been further enhanced with fi tting electronic variable rate control as a standard fi tment, making it simple to calibrate seeding rates from under 1kg to over 400kg/ha.
The front turbo disc system on all of Allen Custom Drills is rubber mounted. With no bushes to wear out and no springs to break, maintenance is reduced to a minimum.
Craig has developed a T-D series (tyne drill) with a signifi cantly lower cost and horsepower requirement as to disc drills. Designs can feature working widths of 3.0m or 3.5m rigid or folding 4.0m, 5.0m, 6.0m and 8.0m. The Tyne drill has a durable but light construction. It has
many options like fi ve or six inch row spacing, fertiliser box, insecticide box and disc openers. There are a number of contractors operating our T-D Series drills in the Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay and Bay of Plenty, and they are very satisfi ed with the results.
We are very proud to be producing a New Zealand-made product for New Zealand conditions and we build everything to an extremely high standard.
The Aguirre air drill revelation! • Low maintenance drill • Excellent seed establishment • Direct drill option • Low ground compaction
On farm demonstration program running March to May, enquire now.
CuLtiVation
SEEDSQUALITY PASTURE SEED
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Outstanding in the field
NORTHERN MIX:Riley, Canterbury perennial ryegrass, striker annual ryegrass, huia white clover, red clover, chicory and plantain.29kg – Cost including gst and freight $168 per haSOUTHERN MIX:Enticer long term ryegrass, cutter tetraploid Italian huia white clover, red clover, timothy ryegrass, plantain.30kg – Cost including gst and freight $162 per haNATIONWIDE ANNUAL MIX:Cutter, striker, white clover, red clover.29kg – Cost including gst and freight $150 per haMixes above are only a suggestion and can be altered to suit your farming requirements. All prices include gst and freight over 100kg, our place to yours.Stuart Cridge has owned the company since 1982 and has been involved for over 40 years. He can assist you with sowing requirements and mixes for your area.We are known for our high priority customer service, competitive prices, amazing results and prompt deliveries nationwide.
Please phone 0800 4 SEEDS or 03 324 3951Cellphone 027 432 3834 and talk to us
So far the harrow has resisted all attempts at modifi cation as people realise the simplicity of the old style harrows outweighs the cost and complexity of the newer varieties that try to replicate the results ineffectively.
There seems in recent times to be a resurgence in the use of chain and leaf harrows once again, as farmers remember or offer advice to the newer upcoming members of farming community, the effectiveness of the harrow as the tool for levelling a cultivated paddock and smashing the upturned clumps of root mass, along with the many other uses they seem to serve whether by design or not.
Harrows — The cultivator’s
assistant
SUSTAINABLE FARM MANAGEMENT
• Idealforfarmers,lifestyleblockownersandanyoneinterestedinsustainable land management
While many courses focus on theoretical concepts or hands-on outdoor skills, this course builds practical skills to improve decision-making.
The course introduces new perspectives to create solutions for old problems. Organic Training College tutor John King teaches sustainable farm management in New Zealand and Australia, drawing on many experiences from a network of local and overseas farmers.
A sustainable environment is the foundation of farming and the course looks at how environment helps farmers make money and how innovative farmers use free environmental services
New course offers fresh ideas and perspectives on farm management
The Organic Training College runs very successful courses in organic horticulture. It is now expanding its range by offering courses which bring a
fresh perspective to agriculture. For more information contact campus manager Bill Martin at 03 325 3684 or [email protected].
Whilst several organisations have made attempts to produce a version of the harrow and imports come and go, Lyndon Harrows has done its share of tweaking ideas to produce new products.
While the newer products have found their own place in the market, Lyndon Harrows has steadfastly maintained the basic harrow as the core of its product range to deal with cultivation needs of New Zealand’s conditions.
Lyndon Harrows experience in the farming arena means they are able to manufacture a long lasting reliable product or easily modify to suit custom needs.
Harrows have long been an integral part of the farming cycle. Throughout the years they have served as probably the cheapest but most versatile implement on the farm. The last decade or so has seen a great many changes in the way soil on the farm is managed. It has also brought about many attempts to re-invent the humble harrow as a cultivation tool
to be more profi table. This links into a cornerstone of the course, fi nancial literacy and its relationship to investment and expenses on farm.
The course also targets observation skills, as early awareness of environmental and livestock problems are the fi rst steps in maintaining a strong fi nancial business.
Telford’s Organic Training College at Lincoln University is offering a Certifi cate in Sustainable Farm Management. This part-time course is ideal for farmers considering organic or biological farming practices, lifestyle block owners wanting to improve agribusiness skills and farm workers keen to take on more responsibility
30 March 2012
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nature’s power boost for farmsThe Energy Effi ciency
and Conservation Authority (EECA) provides fi nancial contributions up to $1,000 — only to residential owner occupiers — to install solar hot water heating systems.
With dairy farmers, in particular, using substational amounts of energy, at it seems ever-rising prices, it would seem a logical step to join the shift to the sun.
Attracting more attention in recent months have been rural wind-power systems.
Micro wind turbines are small devices intended for domestic use.
Some of the smallest are designed to be mounted on the roof of a home or building; these generally range from 200W to 2.5kW devices. Larger turbines can be mounted on masts three to about 15m in height and range in capacity
from about 600W to 20kW. The larger machines in this category could power a farm or a cluster of buildings. In fact, these systems are ideal for farms. In most urban areas they won’t operate very effi ciently because the wind will be obstructed by other buildings and trees. Thus they are expected to become much more common on lifestyle blocks and farms where windy sites with minimal obstruction are available and where noise is less of an issue. On the solar front there is along list of benefi ts from solar energy.
But of particular importance to dairy farmers is the fact that a crack in the Maui pipeline that crippled many businesses in the central and upper North Island last October — and saw farmers pouring thousands of litres of milk down the drain could be alleviated. On farm power generation is a huge insurance against such losses.
Solar in fact has been adopted by many major businesses in New Zealand.
Auckland Airport’s new international passenger terminal is one of the fi rst buildings in New Zealand to receive world-recognised accreditation for its sustainable and energy effi cient design.
The roof of the building incorporates 300 square metres of photovoltaic cells, which produce 49,000kWh every year towards lighting, as well as solar water heaters for hot water.
And if there should be any rural doubt, many of DoC’s offshore island installations have converted from diesel generation to solar.
There have been small-scale alternative power systems installed on fi ve islands around our coast.
Attracting quality job applicants can be diffi cult for farmers, especially in a tight labour market.
Farming has a unique recruitment model and most positions are not only about work, but also involve living on the property.
Farmers and farm staff have very different stresses from people in other jobs. For
example if you have a bad day at the offi ce or a disagreement with a work colleague, you can go home and switch off, but on a farm you may live next door or even share the same accommodation.
Family dynamics play a major part in the farm recruitment process — which is why it is very important both potential employees and employers are open and honest.
by eric Jacomb FarmWise Consultant, Canterbury
Recruitment challenges for farmingThe potential employee is
not obliged to disclose personal information for example if they are married/in a relationship or if they have dependant children — and equally would not expect to be made aware of their potential employer’s marital status and family.
In the farming environment however, people often need to know this sort of information to establish eg is the farm child-safe?
Employers and employees need to know where they stand so they can lawfully draw up the appropriate contracts.
It is important for all parties involved that legal and current contracts are used.
FarmWise have a suite of employment contracts available.
As a dairy farm owner and someone who employs staff, I have learnt not to underestimate the importance of relationships on farm between employers and employees.
Before beginning the recruitment process, always consider the attributes you require for the job, then research what the current market salary range should be.
Federated Farmers carries out a survey annually which provides useful information.
Consider what you can afford to offer the prospective employee before advertising the position eg roster, training, opportunity to learn new skills, hours of work, job title, areas of responsibility and pay.
Accommodation on the farm can be a constraint — is it suitable for the property or should it be upgraded? An employee with a family is more likely to stay for several seasons, however providing family accommodation is more expensive than single accommodation.
In my experience most farm jobs are fi lled through advertising on Fencepost, in the local newspaper or through word of mouth. When an employer
has established a reputation as a good employer, often the position is fi lled through word of mouth with friends and associates, or through referrals from other team members.
Local school newsletters, signs on notice boards, posting ads on websites such as Trademe are other options for advertising. Social networking sites such as Facebook are options also.
Overseas employees are often recruited through employment agencies.
Be careful not to oversell or undersell the job — it’s always a good idea to look at other advertisements for an example.
A good advertisement should include a title, job title and description, property description, type of person required, contact details and a closing date, and it should sell the job by highlighting the opportunities including training, career development, proximity to town, good schools etc.
It is often useful to provide prospective employees an information pack of the farm, with a job description, copy of employer CV, performance checklist, and description of farm policy.
Having a good job description in place ensures potential employees are clear on what their responsibilities and duties would be, what the job entails and what is expected.
They should then be able to explain why they are suitable for the position, provide an up-to-date CV and references from previous employers.
In order to get the right fi t for a job it is sometimes more important to get the right personality fi t with similar farming philosophies.
Remember that employers are obliged to reward staff, and equally staff are obliged to give the job 100% — the key to success is ensuring both employee and employer have their goals met.
Across New Zealand, more and more homes and businesses and now farms, are switching to the benefi ts of solar and wind-powered energy.
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The 828 Vario with SCR engine achieved a new world record for low fuel consumption in the 2011 German DLG Powermix test. Fuel use was measured at 245 g/kWh – an impressive 23 per cent below the average for tractors in its class.
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As a young farm boy growing up in Canada some sixty years ago, I inevitably came across snakes in my wanderings over farm land. Canada is a fairly-cold country most of the time but it is home to several snake species. The most common is the garter snake although I have come across rattlesnakes and others in my travels.
The garter snake is a great snake to get to know. It is not a large animal, rarely as long as a metre, and very brightly coloured, generally black with yellow and green stripes running down its back. It is very common where I grew up, in Alberta and Ontario. It is not so fast on the ground that a small boy cannot catch it. More importantly, it is a timid and docile creature so you can put it in your pocket and take it home. It hardly ever bites anyone and it is not poisonous so, again, it is a great snake for little boys to play with.
My chums and I rarely killed any since that would have been just too easy but we did take them to school, several at a
time. We sat in different places in the classroom and we would release one and then another to disrupt the class completely. The snakes were fast enough that none of us were fi ngered as the responsible culprits. The teachers were usually inexperienced young spinsters and they and the female students would be up on their chairs, screeching away. Of course a lot of time was wasted in the re-capturing of the snakes.
Occasionally we would hide one snake in the upright piano where it would peak out behind the sheet music while a teacher was playing, much to her consternation and our amusement. Such fun.
As animals, garter snakes were interesting. They showed up in spring after hibernating in the ground and have a bizarre mating ritual.
All the females in an area would slither into a huge writhing ball and the males would slide in to fertilise the females. These copulating balls would last up to three or four days in duration. As farm boys we didn’t have to watch
livestock to learn about the birds and bees. We just had to watch the snakes.
My best snake story concerns a classmate named Moses. At the time, we were in the last year of high school, about to go our separate ways after exams. It was a time given to various supervised picnics and outings. One of these occurred up the North Saskatchewan River at a big forested island. All the students, girls and boys, as well as teachers were dressed in swimming costumes and enjoying the island’s beaches and warm river water.
Moses by chance had come upon a young garter snake and captured it.
He then stuffed it down the front of his tight swimming togs.
leaving about six inches of snake protruding above the togs. It was pinned there to Moses’ midriff, perched with its beady eyes and red fl icking tongue. Moses said nothing and quietly rejoined the crowd.
It took some time before anyone noticed the strange
Snakes in the grassby Lorne Kuehn
apparition appearing above Moses’ togs but a wild pandemonium broke out when someone did. The teenage girls were very upset and some of the teachers were most cross.
The rest of us thought it all pretty funny and the snake was allowed to slither off, none the worse for wear. Moses was expelled from school on the spot and had to serve a long penance
to regain entry to school so that he could graduate.
It would have been interesting to hear the snake’s side of the story.
32 March 2012
Wool PerspectiveFrom Rob Cochrane
GM, Procurement, PGG Wrightson Wool
Wool PerspectiveFrom Rob Cochrane
GM, Procurement, PGG Wrightson Wool
WooL
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Recent weekly auction sales in Christchurch have contained relatively large quantities of crossbred lambs’ wool, the majority of which has been of combing length enabling wider spread competition from exporters who supply these types to customers in China and Europe. As supplies of fl eece have begun to run out, added competition for many of those types has also been noticeable.
Crossbred lambs wool sold very well at the latest Christchurch auction, at time of writing, aided by a lower New Zealand currency as more positive fi nancial news strengthened the United States’ currency. Combing length lambs, measuring around 30 microns, improved in price by between two and three percent
Refreshing tone to wool market
on March 15 compared to a week earlier, whilst similar length lambs wool measuring around 32 microns enjoyed an approximate fi ve percent increase compared to the sale held on March 8. Crossbred ewe fl eece wool also drew good attention from the exporting trade with spirited bidding evident for good washing colour wools with many of those types receiving increases of better than three percent compared to the week prior, pushing prices beyond the six dollar clean mark, and whilst poorer coloured fl eece also improved in value, percentage increases for those types were slightly more modest. Good competition for crossbred second-shear types has also enabled those wools to gain in value from between one and three percent during the same period. Both bulky oddments and well sorted good colour
second-shear oddments, drew good support from the trade with many of these gaining considerably in price as buyers scrambled to fi ll orders including those types.
The strength of the auction system has been well proven this season to date and, although prices did slump during the summer (does anyone remember the summer?) months, probably due mainly to a very high New Zealand dollar cross-rate and uncertainty in Europe more than due to quality or quantity of wool available, the benefi ts of auction with buyers able to select specifi c requirements and growers being able to capitalise on price trends have been glaringly obvious particularly to those of us at the ‘coal-face’ so to speak. Growers who have elected to build in a mix of auction and forward contract pricing this season have, in my
The Role of Trace Elements and VitaminsTrace elements are well known for the importance they play in ensuring healthy and productive livestock, and the effect they can have on production when deficient is equally well recognised.
Trace elements are a group of 15 elements essential for the health and productivity of all animals, however the elements of prime importance with well known deficiencies are Selenium, Copper, Cobalt and Iodine.
Adequate daily intake of these is required for maintaining efficient metabolism, resistance to disease, detoxification processes, healthy growth, good reproduction performance and efficient feed conversion.
If levels of these elements is inadequate, or if the daily requirements are above what can be obtained from natural feed such as can occur during pregnancy, reproduction or periods of stress, then a vitamin/mineral supplement should be considered.
It is with this in mind that Vetpak has developed a product containing a combination of these essential minerals and vitamins to help boost levels in sheep during those crucial periods.
Healthy Ewe is a water soluble multi- mineral, multi- vitamin powder containing Iodine, Selenium, Cobalt and Zinc and Vitamins A, D and E.
Healthy Ewe comes in a 1kg pack and is mixed with clean water to make to 5 Litres of liquid product, which should be drenched at 10mls per Ewe and 5mls per lamb.
Healthy Ewe has no meat or milk witholding periods.
For more information please contact you local veterinary clinic.
Healthy Ewe Part of your Pre-Tup Strategy
Freephone 0800 946 000 Helping grow the country
Doug McKayPh: 027 432 6910
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view, been very well rewarded for their commitment.
In the face of further land use change, particularly in South Island regions, sheep numbers and the relevant wool quantities will continue to reduce further, enhancing benefi ts for grower participation in a healthy mix of fi xed price forward contract plus spot auction price opportunities, most of which can only be achieved through a reputable broker, such as PGG Wrightson Wool, who are constantly offering good sound marketing opportunities to wool growers in order to maximise wool return and ensure payment.
Along with this remains the requirement that growers must prepare wool correctly in the shed to avoid disappointment upon delivery to their contract or discount from the wide range of buyers present in the auction room. That’s my view.
Latest wool auctions have seen wool prices rebound somewhat on earlier sales for the year and a rather refreshing tone to the market has been welcomed by all parties including growers, brokers and exporters
33March 2012WooL
One ‘newish’ technology that has been getting very good results in recent years is the use of Gibberellic Acid (GA) to boost grass growth in the cooler months. I say ‘newish’ as GA has been widely used in the horticultural industry since the 1930s.
Applications of GA in late autumn can help boost pasture production to build up a feed surplus heading into winter. However one fact that many farmers may not realise is that an application of GA in combination with nitrogen fertiliser will produce better results than GA on its own. Research in Canterbury has shown that a combination off GA and urea can increase dry matter production by up to 25% compared to urea or GA on its own.
Some farmers have already discovered this and are using a combination of urea and GA in autumn and spring. However, the majority of farmers are using solid urea as their form of nitrogen, meaning two separate applications of GA and urea have to be made – doubling the time a tractor or contractor has to go across the paddock.
What many farmers have not realised is that the two jobs can be done in one go. Solid urea, traditionally spread, can easily be dissolved in water and sprayed onto pasture
without to many problems. Once dissolved it remains in suspension and can be utilised when needed. Spraying liquid nitrogen or liquid urea is a common occurrence in many countries, and is normal practise in broad-acre cropping situations in Australia and the USA.
The use of GA in combination with dissolved urea or liquid nitrogen, cuts down the time and money needed to apply these products, yet creates a situation where grass growth can be maximised in these cooler conditions. It seems crazy that some farmers will pay for one contractor to spread urea and then will happily pay for another contractor to come and spray GA shortly after. In one situation I know of, a farmer had the spray contractor spraying Gibberellic Acid and right behind him, following the
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sprayer, was the bulk spreader spreading solid urea!
For very little extra cost, dissolving urea and spraying onto pasture in combination with GA will save both time and money.
In the fi eldPasture tips with Pasture First
The bringing together of the Ministry of Science and Innovation’s (MSI) undergraduate internship scheme and Frizzell Agricultural Electronics Hydrotec system is reaping benefi ts for farmers. Matt Almutairi, a recent graduate, and Dr Stuart Charters from Lincoln University’s Department of Applied Computing have been working with Nick and Alastair Frizzell to automate the data handling, communicating via SMS, of the Hydrotec system.
“Over the last fi ve years Frizzell Agricultural Electronics has developed and tested a unique soil moisture management system,” says Alastair Frizzell.
“The Hydrotec system provides irrigation farmers with not only information on historical and current soil moisture but also provides daily predictions on future
Farmers to gain benefi t from a high-tech soil moisture management system
requirements. The system, however, has been limited in its application by the need for daily manual input to send out the data to farmers.”
As a Lincoln University graduate himself, Nick Frizzell was aware of the skills available and sought an intern under the MSI undergraduate internship scheme to assist with the next phase of Hydrotec’s development. Matt Almutairi’s skills were matched with the Frizzell Agricultural Electronics’ project.
Matt and Nick began their research into the project by interviewing farmers to fi nd out the information the farmers needed and how it could be presented to make it user friendly. The conclusion they came to was that while most farmers checked emails occasionally, virtually all had cell phones or smart phones and this allowed them to access information as they went around the farm.
Matt found the talks with the farmers “were a real eye opener”. The message received from the farmers was that often the time when soil moisture information was needed was when an irrigator was about to be shifted. The information was needed on the job in the paddock, not back on a computer at the house or offi ce.
The MSI undergraduate internship scheme has provided benefi ts for Lincoln University, Matt and Frizzell Agricultural Electronics.
Lincoln University’s Dr Stuart Charters mentored Matt to bring this project together for Frizzell Agricultural Electronics. “The attraction for students to study at Lincoln University is our focus on understanding and evaluating existing and developing new techniques and theories and applying them to solve real world problems.”
With autumn well and truely here and the sniff of winter just round the corner, pasture farmers will be looking at ways to maximise the remaining growing season to ensure they head into winter with maximum pasture covers
34 March 2012
Abundant Health
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Most of us can get away with poor health choices in our 20s and 30s but from age 40 the first signs of decline start to appear. Raised blood pressure, cholesterol, arthritis and other problems all start to appear. Of course it is essential to get good medical advice but there are many simple, practical and effective measures we can implement to help our bodies as we age. I have seen thousands of people make real improvement using such measures built around good diet and appropriate supplements.
Our health is entirely dependent on optimum intake of essential nutrients including the 21 known essential minerals, all the vitamins and numerous antioxidants that protect our cells against free radicals. Farmers and Vets know too well the importance of good animal nutrition. Maybe it is time we took equally good care of our bodies.
The effects of these low nutrient levels can take decades to show their effect. Most people with hypertension find that this first appears after age 50. In most cases this is just a slow deterioration in the structure of blood vessels especially a lack of the antioxidants that protect the proteins (collagen and elastin) that make up most of blood vessels. Over time this increases the resistance of blood meaning your heart has to work harder to circulate blood to your cells. A study by hypertension researcher De Champlain (2004) “Oxidative Stress in Hypertension” concluded with: “Moreover, our studies suggest that the chronic treatment with appropriate antioxidative therapies could prevent the development of hypertension.” My experience is that people with primary hypertension can get real benefits from intensive antioxidant therapy.
Osteoarthritis is also caused by the slow
breakdown of antioxidant defences. In this case the target of excess free radicals is cartilage cells. When these cells die the result is a slow erosion of joint tissue. This attracts inflammation and we end up with sore, stiff or worn out joints. The same principle can also affect our energy where excess free radicals damage our energy conversion systems leading to a slow decline in energy levels.
If you are a baby boomer concerned about your health it is important to have a plan to help with current health problems and to ensure that your health can sustain you in your later years.
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.
Attention all Baby Boomers
I was privileged to be able to attend and speak at the 50-year celebration of the Sire Proving Scheme in Hamilton last week. 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. 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’ 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 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 first 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 it is within primary industries that 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 benefits accrue over generations not financial 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!
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36 March 2012
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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.
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