Waikato Farming Lifestyles
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March 2021 Edition<br />
A trek to tranquillity<br />
Pages 6–7<br />
Ahuwhenua<br />
competition<br />
finalists<br />
Girls on the grid<br />
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2 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
Integrity<br />
community media<br />
The <strong>Waikato</strong> <strong>Farming</strong> <strong>Lifestyles</strong> is published with pride by<br />
Integrity Community Media, a privately owned NZ company.<br />
Phone: 0800 466 793<br />
Email: info@integrity.nz<br />
General Manager: Deb Wright | deb.wright@integrity.nz | 021 639 696<br />
Environmental<br />
leaders inspire<br />
Dairy farmers at the Dairy Environment Leaders Forum heard<br />
first-hand what will be required of all New Zealanders to meet our<br />
climate change obligations.<br />
Editorial: Ann van Engelen, Paul Campbell, Andy Bryenton<br />
Advertising: Teresa Steed 027 525 8223<br />
Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz<br />
Distribution: Laurie Willetts<br />
Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz<br />
Distribution details<br />
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“Human beings have a carbon<br />
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The science is now so clear that we<br />
have to act because greenhouse gases<br />
are causing the climate to change. The<br />
needle on the dial is moving toward<br />
doing what we can, when we can.<br />
“There is technical feasibility,<br />
economic effects and social acceptance<br />
we need to address. I think the journey<br />
is underway; we just have to configure<br />
how we do it. Long-term, we will need a<br />
technological breakthrough.”<br />
Climate Change Minister James<br />
Shaw echoed that view, saying there<br />
are diverse tools farmers can use in<br />
different farm conditions across New<br />
Zealand, and there is time to achieve<br />
the changes. “We can get to where we<br />
need to, over the next 30 years, with<br />
the options we have now,” said Mr<br />
Shaw. “Fortunately, we are not starting<br />
from scratch. There has been a lot of<br />
good work done in the last five years,<br />
including through the He Waka Eke<br />
Noa partnership.”<br />
Dairy Environment Leaders chair<br />
Melissa Slattery said farmers are<br />
committed to playing their part to<br />
solve environmental challenges and<br />
have a lot of great work underway<br />
already. She said regulations need to<br />
be practical behind the farm gate and<br />
have pragmatic timeframes.<br />
“Dairy Environment Leaders Forum<br />
is an opportunity for environmentallyminded<br />
farmers to get together and<br />
discuss the opportunities we see, the<br />
challenges we face and the support that<br />
we will need to succeed.”<br />
DairyNZ strategy and investment<br />
leader Dr David Burger said the forum<br />
is a valuable opportunity for farmers<br />
to hear first-hand the factors being<br />
considered for New Zealand’s future and<br />
to ensure decision-makers understand<br />
the challenges and practicalities<br />
on-farm.<br />
“It is one way our Dairy Environment<br />
Leaders can meet and hear from<br />
decision-makers, discuss the sector’s<br />
future and solutions farmers are rolling<br />
out for climate change and water quality.<br />
“Our farmers lead the world in the<br />
production of sustainable and low<br />
emission milk, and we want to ensure<br />
we protect that position.”<br />
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Ahuwhenua competition finalists<br />
Anahera Hale, Ben Purua and Quinn Morgan are the finalists in the 2021 Ahuwhenua Young Maori<br />
Dairy Award.<br />
WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 3<br />
The award is designed to recognise<br />
up-and-coming young Maori in the<br />
dairy, sheep and beef and horticulture<br />
industries, with this year’s competition<br />
focussing on the dairy industry.<br />
Judge Aaron Hunt says the standard<br />
of entrants in the competition was very<br />
high and reflects the number of young<br />
Maori who are making successful<br />
careers in the dairy sector.<br />
“The sector has natural appeal<br />
to young Maori because it offers an<br />
outdoor lifestyle and a significant career<br />
path,” says Judge Hunt.<br />
“It is also good for those with young<br />
families and allows them to have a<br />
supportive environment in which to<br />
work. The judging panel found all<br />
the entrants passionate about the<br />
industry and enthusiastic about their<br />
future prospects.”<br />
The Ahuwhenua Trophy management<br />
committee chairman, Kingi Smiler, says<br />
it is great to see another cohort of young<br />
Maori from the dairy industry entering<br />
this event.<br />
“The Young Maori Farmer competition<br />
is very important both for Maori and the<br />
dairy sector because it helps foster a<br />
Ben Purua, from Tokoroa, is a 2021 Ahuwhenua Young Maori Dairy Award finalist<br />
new group of potential leaders and role<br />
models for the future.<br />
“Since the award was inaugurated, it<br />
has proven to be very popular and has<br />
attracted high-quality entrants, many of<br />
whom have gone on to take leadership<br />
roles in the wider agri sector.”<br />
Twenty-five-year-old Anahera is the<br />
2IC farm assistant on Rod and Jacquie<br />
McPherson’s dairy farm near Whakatane.<br />
They run between 340/345 cows and<br />
winter about 360 cows. Anahera says<br />
she loves her dairy farming career —<br />
especially the fact that she can work<br />
outdoors and with animals.<br />
Ben Purua is 26 years old and<br />
currently working as the 2IC for a<br />
contract milker at Trinity Lands farm<br />
near Tokoroa, which runs 900 cows.<br />
He recognises that the dairy industry<br />
has helped turn around his life. Quinn<br />
Morgan, also 26, is very new to the dairy<br />
industry and is in his first season of<br />
farming, working as a farm assistant for<br />
Sam and Kate Moore on their 155ha<br />
farm in Otakiri near Whakatane.<br />
The winner of both the senior and<br />
junior competition will be announced<br />
on Friday May 14. More details are<br />
available at ahuwhenuatrophy.maori.nz.<br />
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4 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
Girls<br />
on<br />
the<br />
by Ann van Engelen<br />
grid<br />
The Nash family are big stock car supporters with<br />
Ange, Craig and daughters, 12-year-old Charli and<br />
eight-year-old Milla, all members of the<br />
Dargaville Production Stock Car Club.<br />
I was born, my dad<br />
Warren Beachen was a<br />
“When<br />
top Northland saloon<br />
driver, and I was introduced to the sport<br />
from a very young age,” says Ange.<br />
“I grew up in Dargaville and have fond<br />
memories of going to the track with<br />
mum and dad when I was very little.<br />
Dad gave up for many years but is back<br />
racing at Waikaraka Park. He is one of<br />
the big boys and drives a limited saloon.<br />
He pops up to our meets when he can.”<br />
Ange travelled overseas in 2000, and<br />
when she returned, she met Craig, who<br />
had started racing cars himself in 2003.<br />
“We met through a mutual friend. I<br />
started going as a passenger with him,<br />
and he eventually talked me into driving,<br />
and I got the bug. I started driving myself<br />
in 2006 and then he built his own car<br />
and gave me his old one.<br />
“Craig is so talented he can build<br />
a car from scratch. People talk to me<br />
about motors, and I laugh and say Craig<br />
does everything. I just hop in and drive.<br />
When I got Craig’s old car, we painted it<br />
pink, white and black. We are a Honda<br />
family when it comes to racing. I have a<br />
Prelude. Craig drives a Civic, and he and<br />
Charli rebuilt an Integra for her.<br />
“Getting out on the track is a huge<br />
adrenalin rush. It may look slow to the<br />
spectators, but when you are out there<br />
— it is all go. You are reading what<br />
the other drivers are doing and what is<br />
going on.<br />
“There is a competitive side, but it<br />
is more about fun. If you are not having<br />
Ange Nash enjoys every aspect of racing at the Dargaville Speedway and says<br />
the sport is fun and helps to build confidence in young drivers<br />
fun, you shouldn’t be out there. People<br />
are there for a good time. No one wants<br />
to put their car on a trailer pranged up<br />
every week.<br />
“Drivers have to meet the Circle<br />
Track Racing Association of New<br />
Zealand standards and rules for their<br />
vehicles. New cars go through a rigorous<br />
scrutineering process. We have the roll<br />
cage, five-point harness and safety gear.”<br />
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WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 5<br />
Three generations of speedway drivers — Ange, her dad Warren Beachen<br />
and Ange’s 12-year-old daughter Charli with their race vehicles<br />
“You have to be tight in your belts<br />
because you don’t want to be moving<br />
around in your seat. To begin a race,<br />
we go to the grid for starting. We do a<br />
slow lap in preparation, and then the<br />
flag drops, and the race is on.<br />
“You can have a plan on the day, but<br />
it depends on who is in front of you and<br />
how they drive. The track conditions<br />
come into account. Some people like<br />
wet tracks, and some prefer dry.”<br />
Craig had been asking Charli if she<br />
would like to try racing for years.<br />
“Last year, she was keen, and his<br />
brother had the Honda Integra sitting on<br />
his back lawn. He gave it to her to turn<br />
into a race car. Charli and Craig worked<br />
on it together. They dismantled it, built<br />
the roll cage and put it back together.<br />
Now she knows how it is done, and she<br />
helps tie the cars on to the trailer for<br />
race days. Charli and Milla also wash<br />
the cars.<br />
“Charli is in the novice grade, which<br />
is young learning drivers, and she will<br />
stay there for a few years. I go as her<br />
passenger as I freak out too much as a<br />
spectator. I am then a mentor helping<br />
her to learn the gears, watch the flags<br />
and everything else going on.<br />
“Being involved in racing early teaches<br />
children resilience and how to win and<br />
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“I cried the first time she was on the<br />
track, purely out of being proud of what<br />
she accomplished. Milla thinks when<br />
her dad wins Lotto, he can buy her a<br />
quarter midget.<br />
“There are so many talented drivers<br />
in our club. People come from Taipa,<br />
Kaikohe, Whangarei, Auckland and<br />
beyond at times. I race with the men<br />
because there are not many lady drivers.<br />
I really enjoy the challenge.<br />
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6 March 2021 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES<br />
A TREK TO<br />
TRANQUILITY<br />
by Andy Bryenton<br />
Deep in the central <strong>Waikato</strong>, Nicole Singh has created a thriving<br />
tourism business alongside the productive farm she and<br />
her husband Shaan live and work on. Balancing equestrian<br />
adventures with innovations in livestock, Stone Hill is a place of<br />
natural beauty and surprises.<br />
Growing up in rural Germany,<br />
Nicole lived in a town that has<br />
more in common with her current<br />
<strong>Waikato</strong> address than the cities one<br />
often associates with the heart of<br />
industrial Europe.<br />
“I came from a small village where<br />
everyone knew everybody else,” she<br />
says. “It was a remote location but<br />
perfect for owning and riding horses.<br />
Before I came to New Zealand, I was<br />
living in Berlin for my career, but I always<br />
wanted to go back to the countryside,<br />
and I wanted to have horses again.”<br />
A backpacking tour, working in Kiwi<br />
cafes provided one of those unexpected<br />
twists which make life interesting.<br />
Meeting and marrying Kiwi Shaan,<br />
Nicole moved to the <strong>Waikato</strong>, to a place<br />
near the green forests of Sanctuary<br />
Mountain in Pukeatua. Half a world away<br />
from the centre of Europe, this was a<br />
place of similar rural tranquillity to her<br />
hometown. It was also a place with a<br />
rich equine history.<br />
Shaan and Nicole represent the third<br />
generation of Singhs to farm Stone Hill’s<br />
rugged and rolling pastureland, where<br />
weathered remnants of old volcanoes<br />
thrust through the turf to create walls,<br />
pinnacles and a unique landscape.<br />
“We’ve had visitors comment that it<br />
looks like Lord of the Rings country,”<br />
says Nicole.<br />
However, the reality of farming there<br />
is far from the fantasy of moviemaking.<br />
To patrol the 1,500 acres of Stone Hill,<br />
Shaan’s father and grandfather took to<br />
horseback, eschewing the quad bike<br />
and motorcycle for sure-footed transport<br />
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WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 7<br />
Riders set off on the trail from Stone Hill’s<br />
farm base to the picturesque hinterland<br />
Picking horses with the right temperament<br />
and personality is all part of creating the perfect team<br />
and a bit of company while mustering<br />
and droving.<br />
Soon Nicole began to offer horse<br />
trek adventures through the interesting<br />
scenery of Stone Hill. She found that<br />
people were very interested in coming<br />
and exploring the landscape. Some were<br />
also there to explore the very concept of<br />
horse riding itself; people from big cities<br />
and foreign lands where getting in the<br />
saddle was never a day-to-day option.<br />
“Before Covid, when our lives were<br />
‘normal’, about 70 per cent of our<br />
guests were from overseas, places<br />
like Australia, France, England and<br />
Germany,” says Nicole.<br />
“About 30 per cent were Kiwis. Now,<br />
of course, it’s 100 per cent locals<br />
enjoying the experience, but we have<br />
not slowed down on the weekends due<br />
to Kiwis exploring their own country.”<br />
Those numbers mean it’s necessary<br />
to keep a large stable of horses onsite.<br />
Nicole has a herd of 10 currently<br />
living at Stone Hill, each with their own<br />
personality and temperament.<br />
“I think I have a good sense of<br />
choosing the right horse for my team,”<br />
says Nicole. “They also get a lot of<br />
care, training and attention here. They<br />
live together as a herd, which is very<br />
natural for them, and meet new people<br />
all the time.<br />
“Sometimes we have people returning<br />
who ask to ride the same horse as the<br />
last time because they have made a<br />
bond over the few hours of the trek, and<br />
that’s a wonderful thing.”<br />
Some treks take only a couple of<br />
hours, while others can last up to five.<br />
A favourite route allows riders to stop<br />
on a hilltop, drink from a natural spring<br />
of clear, clean water, and enjoy a picnic<br />
before riding back to base. Sometimes<br />
the working farm is as fascinating as<br />
the ride or the landscape, says Nicole.<br />
“We love educating people from the<br />
city about the real New Zealand farming<br />
experience. We get compliments,<br />
some of surprise, as to how clean and<br />
ecologically friendly everything is, from<br />
our clear streams to our happy livestock.”<br />
Building a functioning tourism<br />
enterprise next to and around a working<br />
farm with one-third in dairy and the<br />
rest in sheep and beef has been hard<br />
work, but good work. Nicole always<br />
has time for the next innovation; she’s<br />
thinking about glamping opportunities,<br />
and how to create a cabin or campsite<br />
for overnight trek-and-stay adventures.<br />
This is one of the few places where<br />
you can come on holiday with your own<br />
horse, and that’s an avenue of possible<br />
future expansion.<br />
Meanwhile, Shaan has brought<br />
45 water buffalo to Stone Hill, an<br />
experiment in cheesemaking with an<br />
Auckland mozzarella maestro.<br />
“The best part is that some of our<br />
visitors have absolutely loved the horse<br />
ride here. They’ve gone on to have riding<br />
lessons, and they’ve come back, and<br />
tackled the more challenging treks,<br />
and have gotten into having horses<br />
themselves,” says Nicole.<br />
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8 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
PRODUCING<br />
THE PERENDALE<br />
BY DENISE GUNN<br />
The late Sir Geoffrey Peren played a leading role in the<br />
development of the Perendale sheep breed, in addition<br />
to the establishment of Massey Agricultural College.<br />
PHOTOS: MASSEY UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES<br />
Born in Surrey, England, in 1892,<br />
Sir Geoffrey took a keen interest<br />
in nature from a young age. He<br />
was just 14 when he chose to leave<br />
England to go farming in Canada,<br />
moving to a small mixed farm in<br />
southern Ontario. Two years later, he<br />
took up work as a teamster in British<br />
Columbia and also gained orcharding<br />
experience. On winning a scholarship to<br />
the Ontario Agricultural College in 1911,<br />
Sir Geoffrey’s agricultural academic<br />
studies began. Four years later, after<br />
graduating with a Bachelor of Science<br />
in agriculture, Sir Geoffrey enlisted in<br />
the Canadian Field Artillery, serving in<br />
France during the first world war. He rose<br />
to the rank of major and was awarded<br />
the Croix de Guerre.<br />
At the end of the war, Sir Geoffrey<br />
worked at the Ministry of Agriculture<br />
and Fisheries (MAF) research station in<br />
Kent, England as an assistant then as<br />
a MAF inspector. From 1920 to 1924,<br />
he lectured at the University of Bristol’s<br />
agricultural and horticultural research<br />
station. Sir Geoffrey, and his wife<br />
Violet, moved to New Zealand in 1924<br />
following his appointment as the new<br />
chair of agriculture at Victoria University<br />
in Wellington.<br />
With much ongoing discussion about<br />
the need for an agricultural training<br />
institution in the North Island, Sir<br />
Geoffrey joined forces with the professor<br />
of agriculture at Auckland University<br />
College, Professor William Riddet. The<br />
two professors travelled to assess<br />
potential sites, settling on land near<br />
Palmerston North.<br />
Massey Agricultural College, named<br />
after former prime minister William<br />
Ferguson Massey, was officially opened<br />
in March 1928. Sir Geoffrey was<br />
appointed principal of the agricultural<br />
college, and Professor Riddet became<br />
the chair in agriculture. On returning to<br />
Massey after serving in the second world<br />
war, where Sir Geoffrey commanded<br />
the Manawatu Mounted Rifles and<br />
other units, he furthered his interest in<br />
research and teaching.<br />
The areas of sheep husbandry and<br />
wool, and the development of fleece<br />
testing, particularly interested him.<br />
Sir Geoffrey began looking at the<br />
development of a sheep breed that<br />
would particularly suit the North Island’s<br />
steep hill country. It followed on from<br />
earlier attempts by a handful of North<br />
Island sheep farmers crossing Romneys<br />
with Cheviots.<br />
The Perendale, named after Sir<br />
Geoffrey, was produced from the<br />
offspring of a Romney ewe and a Cheviot<br />
ram. In 1959, he was also a key figure<br />
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WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 9<br />
Sir Geoffrey Peren and Professor William Riddet check<br />
out a possible site for the new Massey Agricultural College in 1926<br />
in the formation of the Perendale Sheep<br />
Society of New Zealand.<br />
Horowhenua sheep farmer, Gilbert<br />
Timms, is a former president of both the<br />
Cheviot and Perendale Sheep Societies.<br />
His involvement with Perendales<br />
stretches back more than half a century.<br />
It was while working for sheep farmer<br />
David Law as a teenager that he met<br />
Sir Geoffrey.<br />
“He was a very enthusiastic man with<br />
sheep and did a great job for Massey,<br />
the Perendale breed, and every breed<br />
really,” said Gilbert.<br />
“He had a saying ‘keep the water<br />
dripping on the stone’. Just keep<br />
improving all the time.”<br />
Gilbert said Sir Geoffrey was very<br />
encouraging, particularly towards<br />
new breeders.<br />
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“Romneys and Southdowns were<br />
the main sheep breeds 60 years ago.<br />
Sir Geoffrey encouraged and helped<br />
people to get started and ensure they<br />
registered with the breed society. He<br />
would tell them what to do to improve.<br />
“The Perendales are really good<br />
dual-purpose sheep, really hardy<br />
and adaptable.<br />
“When things get tough, they don’t<br />
die. They might lose condition, but<br />
they hang in there and bounce back<br />
very quickly.<br />
“They are a good breed, and the<br />
Perendale Society has worked hard to<br />
keep the standard up, right through<br />
the years.”<br />
Perendale Sheep Society of New<br />
Zealand president Warren Ayers said<br />
Sir Geoffrey was the father of the breed.<br />
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The 1928 offi cial opening of Massey Agricultural College with<br />
Professor Geoffrey Peren on the left in the front row<br />
Photographer JH Daroux, Palmerston North — taken March 20 1928<br />
“He was very forward-thinking for his<br />
time, not only with Perendales but with<br />
other genetics as well.”<br />
Sir Geoffrey was awarded a CBE in<br />
1953 and a KBE in 1959. In 1977,<br />
Massey University awarded him an<br />
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New life for<br />
old police jerseys<br />
Police are supporting a repurposing initiative with a New<br />
Zealand-owned woollen mill to turn old jerseys into unspun fibre<br />
and then into blankets for official police use only.<br />
The blankets are initially due to<br />
be trialled with Wellington’s maritime<br />
policing unit and in patrol cars.<br />
The current uniform policy states<br />
that all obsolete or faulty items of<br />
police uniform must be returned to be<br />
destroyed and disposed of at a landfill.<br />
Since June 2019, 17 tonnes of uniform<br />
items have been returned for disposal<br />
in this way.<br />
“Working in partnership with other<br />
groups to explore ways to achieve<br />
broader positive outcomes is important<br />
to us, be they environmental, social,<br />
economic or cultural,” said manager<br />
procurement and contract management<br />
Ged Callaghan.<br />
“We’re hoping that this initiative<br />
to recycle what would have been<br />
destroyed and sent to landfill can be<br />
a springboard into other recycling or<br />
repurposing initiatives.”<br />
In July 2020, a call went out for old<br />
jerseys that could be used for the first<br />
test run. Procurement worked with<br />
Response and Operations Group (R&O)<br />
to ensure this went smoothly.<br />
Staff answered the call, and 145<br />
old jerseys were returned to Lockheed<br />
Martin, who manage police uniform<br />
supplies. The jerseys were sent on to a<br />
team at The Information Management<br />
Group (TIMG), who manage police secure<br />
document blue bins. They removed and<br />
destroyed the police coat of arms and<br />
anything else on the jerseys that was<br />
not wool.<br />
These leftover jersey pieces were<br />
then sent to Woolyarns, a 74-year-old<br />
Lower Hutt- based mill that’s usually in<br />
the business of turning natural fibres<br />
like wool and possum fur into yarn.<br />
“This is certainly a different project<br />
for us, and we’re literally breaking down<br />
the jerseys and turning them back into<br />
woollen fibre that can be repurposed<br />
into a new product,” said Woolyarns<br />
general manager Andy May.<br />
Old police jerseys are being repurposed and<br />
turned into blankets for official police use<br />
“The test run was a success, and we<br />
have proved police jerseys can become<br />
yarn once again.”<br />
In collaboration with police R&O<br />
Group, a prototype hand-knitted beanie<br />
was initially produced, and consideration<br />
was then given to other types of woollen<br />
products before deciding on a blanket.<br />
Staff at Police National Headquarters<br />
were canvassed for a name for the<br />
blanket. The winner was Ahurutanga,<br />
meaning warmth, comfort and security.<br />
Staff are encouraged to hand their old<br />
jerseys in to be recycled.<br />
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WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 11<br />
Inflammation<br />
Is your body hot, cold or lukewarm? I am not talking about<br />
your actual body temperature but the degree to which<br />
unwanted inflammation is affecting your body.<br />
Some inflammation we can feel and<br />
see. There is also silent inflammation<br />
that has no symptoms but can<br />
cause disease.<br />
Inflammation is an amazing part of<br />
our body’s healing systems. It is an<br />
essential part of how we fight infections<br />
and heal against damage caused<br />
by injuries. It is always associated<br />
with fighting infection. Without<br />
infl ammation, our fi rst infection or<br />
injury would have probably ended<br />
our lives. The signs of infl ammation<br />
are heat, swelling, redness and pain,<br />
including loss of function.<br />
Inflammation is a process where our<br />
immune (white blood) cells produce<br />
a wide range of chemicals that<br />
coordinate the process of removing<br />
the cause of the problem and then<br />
clean up the mess to complete the<br />
healing process. These processes<br />
are incredibly complex and involve a<br />
wide range of cell types and a variety<br />
of messenger compounds. Many<br />
infl ammatory problems are caused<br />
by overactive messengers triggering<br />
unwanted inflammation.<br />
The infl ammatory process is like<br />
your kitchen tap. When working well,<br />
you get cold water when you turn the<br />
cold tap and hot water when the hot<br />
is on. Unwanted inflammation is like<br />
turning the cold tap and getting warm<br />
or even hot water instead.<br />
A common cause of unwanted<br />
inflammation is when our body tries<br />
to repair a problem that it cannot<br />
fix. That is typical of osteoarthritis.<br />
The problem is caused by cartilage<br />
erosion. However, most of the pain<br />
is caused by immune cells inflaming<br />
joint tissue in an attempt to repair it.<br />
All this does is cause unnecessary<br />
pain, swelling and loss of function.<br />
If you are affected by arthritis<br />
or any infl ammation, I recommend<br />
following an anti-infl ammatory diet<br />
with supplements that can help reduce<br />
unwanted inflammation.<br />
Feel free to contact me if you<br />
have questions.<br />
John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.<br />
Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine<br />
practitioner and founder of Abundant<br />
Health Ltd. For personalized advice,<br />
contact John on 0800 423 559 or<br />
email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his<br />
full weekly newsletter at abundant.<br />
co.nz.<br />
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12 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
is our Pleasure<br />
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Dr Alani DelaRey Bartle<br />
Dr Henk Eksteen
Dairy women finalists<br />
A sharemilker, a Dairy Business of the Year recipient, and a<br />
contract milker and farm consultant have been named as this<br />
year’s finalists for the Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year award.<br />
WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 13<br />
Belinda Price, a sharemilker based in<br />
Whanganui, joins Ashburton dairy farmer<br />
Rebecca Miller and Chevon Horsford, a<br />
contract milker, farm consultant and<br />
Maori farm adviser in Whangarei, in the<br />
running for the respected industry award<br />
managed by Dairy Women’s Network.<br />
Already a celebration of leadership<br />
inside and outside the farm gate, this<br />
year’s award shows a strong focus on<br />
people and highlights the work of the<br />
three finalists in leading and mentoring<br />
others through their farming journeys.<br />
Dairy Women’s Network trustee and<br />
award judge Sophie Stanley said the<br />
three finalists were recognised by the<br />
judging panel as representing a wide<br />
range of diversity in leadership within<br />
the industry and for their commitment<br />
to supporting people as well as dairying<br />
as a whole.<br />
“Belinda showed strong focus and<br />
determination to not only improve<br />
her own farming business through<br />
continuous learning but to nurture<br />
and mentor others in the industry and<br />
contribute back to a wide range of<br />
industry organisations,” she said.<br />
“Chevon’s passion, purpose and<br />
vision for encouraging and supporting<br />
Maori farmers and other wahine toa in<br />
DRIVE SAFE<br />
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the industry are inspiring. Rebecca’s<br />
positivity, enthusiasm and holistic<br />
approach to farming and family life<br />
shine through her nomination, which has<br />
enabled her to give back to the industry<br />
in a number of varied roles.”<br />
The finalists were selected by a<br />
judging panel comprised of Sophie,<br />
2019 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year<br />
Trish Rankin and representatives from<br />
Fonterra, Global Women and Ballance<br />
Agri Nutrients.<br />
Sophie said the award and the judging<br />
process shine a light on the work these<br />
women do for the industry behind<br />
the scenes to encourage the next<br />
generation of dairy women to follow in<br />
their footsteps.<br />
“What excites me the most is being in<br />
the presence of incredibly hard-working,<br />
passionate and inspiring women who<br />
every day wake up to make the dairy<br />
industry a better place for their families,<br />
peers, the environment and New Zealand<br />
as a whole.”<br />
The recipient will be announced at a<br />
gala dinner in Taupo on April 3. Miles<br />
Hurrell, chief executive of Fonterra, will<br />
be presenting the award. Registrations<br />
are still open to join in and celebrate<br />
the finalists.<br />
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Pay attention!<br />
around road works
14 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
TO BUILD OR RENOVATE<br />
by Andy Bryenton<br />
Gas axed in proposed plan<br />
The plan is in from the central government; no new natural gas connections to the network or bottled LPG connections after 2025.<br />
Ailing gas heating and hot water systems may have to switch to electricity or biomass when replaced, and existing natural gas<br />
supplies might be phased out as early as 2050.<br />
The story of natural gas begins<br />
millions of years ago, with the mass<br />
extinctions that ushered out the<br />
dinosaurs. The end of that story looks<br />
likely to be written by government<br />
legislation, starting in the present day.<br />
Proponents are in favour, for green<br />
reasons, preventing what is being<br />
called the Anthropocene extinction,<br />
the climate shift that could wipe out<br />
life as we know it. Detractors point to<br />
the almost universal use of natural gas<br />
for barbecues, restaurants, welding<br />
and more.<br />
The end of gas is part of the Climate<br />
Change Commission’s report on how<br />
New Zealand could go carbon neutral<br />
by 2050.<br />
While many of the suggestions made<br />
in the report are focussed on agriculture<br />
and transport, the gas phase-out came<br />
as a shock to small businesses in the<br />
hospitality industry, where 95 per cent<br />
of restaurants are gas-powered. It’s also<br />
prompted a rethink by building firms<br />
looking at future-proofing their designs,<br />
and consumers considering the end of<br />
califonts, gas hot water heaters and gas<br />
fires, gas ovens and hobs.<br />
“We can’t continue to postpone what<br />
we need to do to reach our goals,”<br />
said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.<br />
“The government will not hold back,”<br />
she reiterated, saying that future<br />
generations should not foot the bill for<br />
current inaction.<br />
The cost of this is estimated at one<br />
per cent of our national gross domestic<br />
product each year, or roughly $2 to<br />
$3 billion.<br />
However, those in the gasfitting<br />
industry, those who supply gas to<br />
homes and restaurants, and those who<br />
sell heating, cooking and water heating<br />
appliances will feel a much bigger shake<br />
up coming.<br />
Already gas products have seen a dip<br />
in sales, based only on the revelation<br />
Government proposals to reduce carbon emissions include the recommendation that gas could be<br />
turned off for good, starting with no new installs in just four years’ time.<br />
that there’s 29 years to go before the<br />
tap is turned off. That, to some, is a<br />
price being paid today for blue sky (or<br />
green) promises tomorrow.<br />
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WAIKATO<br />
COROMANDEL
y Andy Bryenton<br />
TO BUILD OR RENOVATE<br />
Apprentice stars sought<br />
New Zealand’s building industry is searching for its top rising stars, as the 2021 Registered<br />
Master Builders Apprentice of the Year competition gets underway. Applications are open now for<br />
young builders to have their chance in the spotlight.<br />
‘As an apprentice, you are<br />
the sector’s future leaders,’<br />
states the invitation to get<br />
involved. ‘The competition<br />
will test your project<br />
management, business and<br />
presentation skills as well as<br />
practical skills.’<br />
The competition tests<br />
not just the skills of young<br />
tradespeople on the tools,<br />
but all those other aspects<br />
that make for a top builder.<br />
Fostering this kind of talent<br />
is vital to producing the<br />
leaders of tomorrow in an<br />
industry tasked with tackling a<br />
nationwide housing shortage.<br />
Applications are open from April 1 and<br />
run all month. Every entrant receives a<br />
complimentary pack of clothing and gear<br />
from Carters, the hardware and timber<br />
company, to help get them started. The<br />
middle of the year will see practical<br />
tests laid down and judging taking place<br />
region by region.<br />
Thomas O’Brien, 20 from the<br />
Northern region, employed by Beacon<br />
Construction and trained with BCITO,<br />
took the title of 2020 Master Builders<br />
New Zealand’s Master Builders, BCITO and Carters are proud to<br />
team up to foster young talent with the apprentice of the year awards<br />
Carters Apprentice of the Year. The<br />
competition runner-up went to Matthew<br />
Van Boheman, 23 from Bay of Plenty-<br />
Central Plateau who is employed by<br />
Beck Building, with Mark Lovelock, 27<br />
from the Upper South Island, employed<br />
by Timbercraft Construction, being<br />
awarded third place.<br />
As well as bragging rights and a<br />
fantastic boost for their CV, each<br />
regional winner in 2021 will receive a<br />
place at a specially designed Outward<br />
Bound course, top-flight tools<br />
and products from Carters’<br />
suppliers, and a business<br />
tools grant from Carters to the<br />
value of $2,000. Then there’s<br />
the honour of representing<br />
the north at the national<br />
competition in Auckland<br />
during November.<br />
There’s an extensive<br />
application to be part of<br />
this competition, as young<br />
apprentices will need their<br />
employer and training advisor’s<br />
support to get involved.<br />
However, it’s a great way of<br />
advancing young careers, and<br />
an opportunity to celebrate not<br />
just the young people who have decided<br />
to train up and become future builders,<br />
but also the companies passing on<br />
their skills and experience to make<br />
this possible.<br />
If you know an apprentice who is<br />
dedicated and talented enough to<br />
deserve a shot at the top honour in<br />
their profession, tell them to visit<br />
apprenticeoftheyear.co.nz and get<br />
prepared now to apply in just under a<br />
month’s time.<br />
WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 15<br />
Interior painting<br />
Wallpapering<br />
Exterior Painting<br />
Spray Painting<br />
(07) 873 9104<br />
027 290 8776<br />
www.daverowe.co.nz<br />
decorator@daverowe.co.nz<br />
Wear a helmet.<br />
A helmet is a must while riding<br />
a quad bike around the farm.<br />
THE KARAPIRO<br />
This 3 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom, 108m2 simplistic<br />
yet functional home design will work for a small<br />
family or couple.<br />
It utilizes space extremely well has everything<br />
you need including a light and bright open plan<br />
living area and master bedroom with ensuite.<br />
Pre-built in our factory ready to be delivered to<br />
your site<br />
$285,000 incl. GST Ex-Factory (exclusions apply)<br />
Contact us for an information pack on info@perrymodular.co.nz or<br />
call to arrange a viewing of our display home on<br />
0800 836 466 or visit www.PerryModular.co.nz
16 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
New Zealand Made Greenhouses<br />
Designed and Manufactured right here in New Zealand, our greenhouses are built to last.<br />
OPENING VENTS<br />
Auto-opening roof<br />
vents provide adequate<br />
ventilation and temperature<br />
control. Triggered by a wax<br />
mechanism, they open and<br />
close based on temperature.<br />
RAINWATER<br />
GUTTER SYSTEM<br />
Unique gutter system for<br />
collecting rain water.<br />
RUBBER BEADING<br />
Unique rubber bead sealing<br />
system designed to hold<br />
the glazing panels firmly<br />
in place while adding<br />
significant strength to the<br />
overall structure.<br />
ALUMINIUM FRAME<br />
Heavy duty aluminium frame<br />
to provide years of trouble<br />
free service with minimal<br />
maintenance.<br />
BASE INCLUDED<br />
All Winter Gardenz Greenhouses<br />
come with a strong aluminium<br />
base and have foundation<br />
mounting options to suit most<br />
applications.<br />
ACESSORIES<br />
From Thin Tanks to shade<br />
covers and everything in<br />
between, we have several<br />
accessories for you to<br />
choose from to get your<br />
greenhouse set up!<br />
DURABLE<br />
Long lasting, powder coated<br />
finish in black with Dulux<br />
Powder coat. Looks great and<br />
requires minimal maintenance.<br />
Covered by Dulux non-fade<br />
warranty.<br />
www.WinterGardenz.co.nz 0800 946 837<br />
For over a decade, Winter Gardenz has been manufacturing<br />
the highest-quality residential and commercial Greenhouses,<br />
right here in New Zealand. We create stunning greenhouses<br />
that are built to last and easy to assemble, using high-quality<br />
polycarbonate glazing and Toughened Safety Glass. This,<br />
combined with strong and sturdy aluminium profiles that are 2-3<br />
times the weight and thickness of most of other greenhouses,<br />
gives Winter Gardenz Greenhouses maximum durability.<br />
We have New Zealand’s largest range of greenhouse sizes, from<br />
6ft x 6ft structures for the hobby gardener at only $1,995, to<br />
12ftx24ft structures that are perfect for entertaining, all the way<br />
up to large-scale commercial and architectural greenhouses. We<br />
also offer a range of customisation options and accessories to<br />
help create the perfect greenhouse space for you.<br />
While we have always strived to stay competitive on price, we<br />
refuse to compromise on quality, and that’s why even our decadeold<br />
structures still look great. Cheap imported greenhouses<br />
often become a disappointment to their owners within a year<br />
or two, with panel blowouts, discolouration, broken glass, and<br />
even structures that completely blow over and twist up into a<br />
hazardous heap. With our strong and sturdy aluminium framing,<br />
our highest standard glazing materials, and our innovative design,<br />
you can rest assured that your Winter Gardenz greenhouse<br />
purchase will stand the test of time.<br />
Please visit our website for more details. We would love to help<br />
you get started with your backyard greenhouse today!<br />
New Zealand’s Leading Manufacturer<br />
of Innovative, Award Winning Residential,<br />
Architectural & Commercial Quality<br />
Greenhouses & Accessories<br />
www.WinterGardenz.co.nz 0800 946 837
ADVERTORIAL<br />
WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 17<br />
TO BUILD OR RENOVATE<br />
A home with a view<br />
Chris and Caroline Lewis don’t do things by halves. In one year, they demolished their house,<br />
renovated their farm cottage, excavated a section and built their 310sqm, four-bedroom dream<br />
home on a four-acre section. If that wasn’t enough, moving day was in the middle of calving season.<br />
DRIVE PHONE FREE!<br />
The family’s dream home is on<br />
their Pukeatua farm, at the base of<br />
Maungatautari Mountain. Although<br />
architecturally designed, the couple<br />
worked with the Urban Homes team on a<br />
number of suggestions that significantly<br />
reduced the cost of their build without<br />
losing any of the design elements.<br />
Central to the build was capturing the<br />
view of the mountain and creating an<br />
outdoor entertaining area, complete with<br />
a pool. It’s not just the mountain that’s<br />
a feature of Lewisridge Farm; there’s<br />
plenty to admire within, from feature<br />
barn doors and oversized windows<br />
to boldly painted statement walls. An<br />
increased 2.55m stud height creates a<br />
feeling of space and openness, while the<br />
polished concrete floor gives a stunning<br />
salt and pepper look in keeping with<br />
the modern style of the home, allowing<br />
Chris’s collection of 8,000 recycled<br />
Canterbury bricks to take centre stage<br />
behind the fireplace.<br />
Caroline says they wanted a beautiful<br />
home but something that wasn’t too<br />
show-home-like. “It was important for<br />
us that the house complemented the<br />
environment it was to be built in. We<br />
have a lot of established trees on our<br />
property, plus Maungatautari Mountain<br />
nearby, so the home had to hold its<br />
own. It’s all come together really well<br />
and looks amazing.”<br />
Having gone through the build<br />
process twice, Caroline’s advice for<br />
others building a home is to spend time<br />
on research. “Time is essential,” she<br />
says. “We had the time to look into<br />
renovation options first, then go down<br />
the build track.”<br />
She admits they asked many a<br />
question of the Urban Homes team, but<br />
nothing was ever too much trouble. “They<br />
are always so genuine and very honest<br />
about cost,” she says. “The service from<br />
the Urban team has been amazing!”<br />
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18 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
TO BUILD OR RENOVATE<br />
by Andy Bryenton<br />
Home of the year sets trends<br />
They’re the Academy Awards of tradespeople, the builders’ Golden Globes; the New Zealand Master Builders Home of the Year<br />
Awards has been handing out coveted titles for many years. Each of those years is reflecting in the styles, materials and designs<br />
utilised in the winning homes.<br />
This year 359 entries contested<br />
awards across many price-bracket<br />
categories, reflecting the ways in which<br />
graceful execution of architectural<br />
principles could be achieved with<br />
modest budgets and small spaces, as<br />
well as with grander designs. There were<br />
also awards for specific rooms, such<br />
as bathrooms and kitchens, awards for<br />
outdoor spaces and landscaping, and a<br />
special award for sustainability.<br />
“House of the Year continues<br />
to showcase what is possible in<br />
home building each year, across<br />
all price brackets,” said David<br />
Kelly, chief executive of the Master<br />
Builders Association.<br />
“We are delighted to play our part,<br />
supporting homeowners by protecting<br />
their investment during the build and<br />
for the next 10 years.<br />
“Building guarantees are an essential<br />
part of the build process, and we are<br />
proud to have the most comprehensive<br />
product on the market.<br />
“Our guarantee has protected more<br />
than 140,000 homes through all<br />
economic cycles of the past 30 years.<br />
Congratulations to all of this year’s<br />
winners — you’ve done our sector<br />
QUAD BIKE SAFETY<br />
The New Zealand Master Builders Home of the Year<br />
for 2020 has set the trends for 2021 and inspired designers and architects<br />
Think think think.<br />
Think about what you’re carrying. Think<br />
about where you’re going.<br />
ASAP DECORATIVE<br />
SPECIALISTS LTD<br />
proud.” Longevity, functionality, energy<br />
efficiency and clever use of space were<br />
all core factors in deciding winners<br />
across the country, from a 90 square<br />
metre modern bach-style home in<br />
Flaxmill Bay, Cooks Beach, through to<br />
the long, low, glass-fronted supreme<br />
renovation winner, brought to life by<br />
Haimes Building in Taupo.<br />
The supreme winner was constructed<br />
in Queenstown by Triple Star<br />
Management, but it’s not the views<br />
or location that cinched the top spot.<br />
Blending modern techniques and light,<br />
airy glazed areas with traditional stone<br />
created a visual impact. While it was<br />
the small details that impressed;<br />
this home also took out the supreme<br />
bathroom award.<br />
“This home is an outstanding example<br />
of the builder’s attention to detail.<br />
Clever use of natural materials creates<br />
an intriguing home that has visual<br />
warmth and a harmonious balance,”<br />
said the judges’ panel. “The geometry<br />
stirs the imagination with a dramatic<br />
use of steeply pitched roofs, sculptured<br />
shapes, and five interconnecting<br />
pavilions. It’s clear that this incredible<br />
home has been designed and built<br />
to successfully offer comfortable<br />
living. The flawless implementation of<br />
these details proves this build was no<br />
easy feat.”<br />
SERVICES<br />
• Building Maintenance – No job too big or small.<br />
• Painting - Interior and Exterior Plastering/Rendering<br />
• Treat and repair rusted steel in dairy sheds or buildings.<br />
• Ability to work in between milkings.<br />
• Acid washes and chemical treatments to remove grime and dirt build up.<br />
• Non slip epoxy coating, providing safe walkways in the workplace.<br />
• Maintenance programs to ensure upkeep on property assets.<br />
• Ensure high ratings on shed inspections.<br />
• Concrete grinding and resurfacing to remove pitted concrete.<br />
Before Before Before<br />
AFTER AFTER AFTER<br />
Web: www.asapdecorativespecialists.co.nz<br />
Ph: 07 390 ASAP (2727)<br />
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WAIKATO’S SPECIALIST<br />
CONCRETE CONTRACTORS<br />
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Contact our friendly, experienced team<br />
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5 SIGNS YOUR HEATPUMP NEEDS A SERVICE<br />
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2. 12 months or more since last service<br />
3. Strange noises or smells<br />
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morrinsville@laserelectrical.co.nz<br />
1 Anderson Street Morrinsville<br />
Laser Electrical<br />
Morrinsville
WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 19<br />
AG CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS<br />
Technology offers a helping hand<br />
The days when a farmer needed to walk the paddocks to check on pasture growth and see where a renewal programme was needed<br />
are still valid and a part of normal farm operation. Technology is also at hand, which makes the job quicker and less tiring perhaps.<br />
Technology is opening up handsfree<br />
pasture assessment. DairyNZ has<br />
established that in the past few years<br />
some 50 per cent of farmers are using<br />
this for pasture measurement, with<br />
the balance surveyed still using visual<br />
examination on the land.<br />
There are improvements on the<br />
old favourites: plate meters, sward<br />
sticks, and tow-behinds with Bluetooth<br />
connectivity and apps to automatically<br />
upload paddock data to software.<br />
Some of these tools come with global<br />
positioning systems (GPS), so you can<br />
link paddock pasture data to your<br />
farm map.<br />
Also, emerging recently has been<br />
pasture measurement by satellite or<br />
using a robotic tow-behind to populate<br />
your feed wedge or farm map with<br />
the data without slipping on the<br />
gumboots. Drones have also been<br />
found increasingly effective in remote<br />
assessment of far-distant paddocks.<br />
Of course, that doesn’t mean getting<br />
into the paddocks to check pre-grazing<br />
covers and post-grazing residuals are<br />
any less important.<br />
Pasture management software is<br />
getting simpler to use, DairyNZ says.<br />
With a growing number of options, from<br />
simple to advanced, it’s easier than<br />
ever to find something that fits with<br />
your decision making. Using tactical<br />
tools like a Feed Wedge and DairyNZ’s<br />
Drones are providing a farm overview<br />
Spring Rotation Planner will help keep<br />
you on track when pasture growth<br />
rates and covers fluctuate. Comparing<br />
whole-season paddock dry matter<br />
(DM) performance will lead to paddock<br />
improvements, including pasture<br />
renewal rates, drainage and soil fertility.<br />
The value of closing the gap between<br />
current annual pasture harvest and the<br />
farm’s potential, around $300 extra<br />
profit for every extra tonne of DM<br />
harvested/year, can be quite an eyeopener.<br />
Find out more about pasture<br />
management at dairynz.co.nz.<br />
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30kg per hectare<br />
$195 x store plus freight and gst<br />
Cridge Seeds Ltd. Canterbury<br />
High priority service- top quality seed<br />
Phone 03 324 3951 Julie 027 324 4431<br />
or 0800 4 seeds (473 337) www.cridgeseeds.co.nz<br />
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20 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
AG CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS<br />
The importance of renewal<br />
Pasture renewal is important for increasing productivity and long-term farm profitability, particularly in the dairy sector.<br />
While grasses can grow indefinitely,<br />
factors such as drought, pests,<br />
and pugging damage will cause<br />
deterioration. Total DM production<br />
drops, weeds increase and feed value<br />
is therefore reduced.<br />
Renewal can see increased total<br />
pasture yield (one–eight tonnes DM/ha/<br />
yr) and gives control over seasonality<br />
of production. It makes pasture<br />
management easier by using late<br />
heading varieties to minimise the drop<br />
in pasture quality as seed heads appear<br />
in late spring.<br />
New pastures produce, on average,<br />
0.5–0.9 MJME/kg DM more. Reasons<br />
for this include higher proportion of<br />
desirable species, later and more<br />
uniform flowering, leafier sward, with<br />
fewer seed heads produced and less<br />
dead leaf material.<br />
Most new perennial ryegrass cultivars<br />
are available with new endophytes<br />
developed to solve particular problems<br />
in different regions.<br />
Thus animals are fed better. Cows<br />
on new pasture graze more grass, and<br />
that grass is leafier, higher in ME and<br />
more palatable.<br />
That will be reflected in more milk<br />
solids production, faster live-weight<br />
gains, higher stocking rates, and<br />
at the end of the day, much more<br />
contented cows. Replacing poorproducing<br />
pasture is profitable. It is<br />
one of the simplest ways to invest<br />
on-farm for a significant and relatively<br />
predictable rate of return.<br />
Although the rate of pasture renewal<br />
is often set by historical practices or<br />
the budgeted levels, the most profitable<br />
rate of renewal for an individual<br />
dairy farm is best determined by an<br />
analysis of paddock performance, and<br />
from this, the cost/benefit for gains<br />
through renewal.<br />
Analysis of your pasture growth data<br />
will help you plan the most profitable<br />
renewal programme. While you may<br />
instinctively know your best and<br />
worst paddocks, without measuring or<br />
assessing pasture growth, paddocks<br />
cannot be accurately ranked to identify<br />
worst performance.<br />
The best paddocks to renew are the<br />
poorest producers as these have the<br />
potential for the greatest improvement.<br />
For example, where the yield can<br />
be increased by two tonnes of DM/<br />
ha, the return is around 130kg MS/<br />
ha. The return will be greater if the<br />
extra growth occurs at a time of the<br />
season when animal demand exceeds<br />
pasture growth.<br />
Renewed pasture has benefits<br />
The highest producing paddocks on<br />
a farm indicate the property’s overall<br />
potential. Under-producing paddocks<br />
highlight the opportunity for extra<br />
pasture growth.<br />
Use grazing and yield records to<br />
identify your best and worst paddocks.<br />
The more measures and assessments<br />
you have to compare, the better (and<br />
easier) the decision will be.<br />
If records are unavailable, use the<br />
Pasture Condition Score Tool and walk<br />
your farm at least six months before the<br />
sowing date.<br />
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WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 21<br />
Farmers need competent spreaders<br />
Drive through rural New Zealand anywhere from North Cape to Bluff, and you will soon see fertiliser spreading, by land or air, as<br />
farmers boost the productivity of soils often deficient in nutrients.<br />
The work is almost always carried<br />
out by contractors, specialists in the<br />
business of getting the best spread for<br />
the farm they are engaged on.<br />
Today, contractors must be skilled in<br />
many facets of their operation, abiding<br />
by increasingly tight regulations in<br />
several areas of their business, so it is<br />
incumbent on their employers to make<br />
sure they are fully accredited.<br />
WorkSafe New Zealand provides<br />
the ground spreading industry with<br />
guidelines in a specific manual aimed<br />
at doing the job well. It says that<br />
when working with fertiliser, you can<br />
be exposed to a number of potentially<br />
serious hazards.<br />
Farmers, contractors and workers<br />
need to be aware of the risks when using<br />
fertilisers and know how to use them<br />
safely. This material can be dangerous<br />
to work with, especially in adverse<br />
weather or if it isn’t stored properly.<br />
“With the Groundspread Fertiliser<br />
Association, we have produced guidance<br />
for farmers, contractors and workers on<br />
how to safely use fertiliser on the farm,”<br />
a Workplace Safety spokesman says.<br />
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“This covers general health and safety,<br />
job planning, storage and maintenance,<br />
pre-start checklist, dealing with hazards<br />
and emergency planning.”<br />
Another area where contractors need<br />
updated qualification is in following the<br />
government’s vision to see a noticeable<br />
improvement in freshwater quality. New<br />
regulations to effect this came into force<br />
last September.<br />
These are aimed at reducing the<br />
amount of pollution — nitrogen,<br />
phosphorus, sediment, E coli and other<br />
contaminants — entering waterways<br />
from our cities and our farms.<br />
These contaminants can be<br />
harmful to human health and<br />
damaging to freshwater fish and other<br />
aquatic species.<br />
Higher nitrogen levels contribute<br />
to the growth of slime and other<br />
harmful plants.<br />
The government is committed<br />
to supporting farmers to make the<br />
further changes needed to stop<br />
water quality from getting worse and<br />
starting the process of reversing past<br />
damage. MPI says it will continue to<br />
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work with the primary sector through<br />
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Many farmers are already following<br />
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reduce their impact on freshwater. It<br />
also sounds a warning on excessive<br />
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22 March 2021 WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES<br />
AG CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS<br />
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<strong>Waikato</strong> <strong>Farming</strong> <strong>Lifestyles</strong> - Oct20 Secure Covers 2.indd 1<br />
19/10/2020 6:47:57 AM
AG CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS<br />
WAIKATO FarMING LIFESTYLES March 2021 23<br />
Winter is time for stock care<br />
New Zealand’s codes of animal welfare generally require that livestock have access to areas that are free of surface water and<br />
mud, have protection from adverse weather and are able to lie down and rest comfortably for sufficient periods to meet their<br />
behavioural needs.<br />
Of course, it goes without saying<br />
that stock requires feeding. As winter<br />
approaches, farming thoughts are<br />
concentrating on good feed sources.<br />
Two main risks with winter cropping are<br />
that animals can get sick from changing<br />
their diet from pasture to crops too<br />
quickly, and paddocks can quickly get<br />
muddy during long, wet periods. These<br />
problems can quickly become welfare<br />
concerns. Mud happens. However, it can<br />
be managed; some resources to help<br />
are available online.<br />
The Winter Grazing Action Group,<br />
established in early 2020, is made up<br />
of 15 representatives from industry<br />
organisations, government, vets, farmers<br />
and other rural professionals. It’s tasked<br />
with implementing recommendations<br />
to improve animal welfare in winter<br />
grazing systems.<br />
The group has put together guidance<br />
for farmers. Short-term expected<br />
outcomes for animal welfare will help<br />
farmers understand what they’re doing<br />
well, highlights where improvements can<br />
be made, offer advice around planning<br />
during the year and has some important<br />
winter grazing management practices.<br />
Following the guidance will be good<br />
for the animals’ welfare. The group says<br />
the practice changes are realistically<br />
achievable by spring 2021.<br />
Action group chair Dr Lindsay Burton<br />
said it’s important everyone worked<br />
together to ensure farmers had the<br />
right tools to get through winter on<br />
MPI’s website.<br />
“Ensuring you follow a gradual<br />
transition plan when moving your<br />
animals from pasture to crop and back<br />
again will help prevent issues. This is<br />
particularly important for cattle wintered<br />
on fodder beet.<br />
“For farmers, the focus heading into<br />
winter should be on providing the right<br />
feed at the right time, as well as shelter<br />
and easy access to drinking water. Doing<br />
this should have the flow-on effect of<br />
limiting stock movement and help<br />
reduce damage to crop and soil.”<br />
Farmers and rural professionals<br />
should refer to the levy organisations<br />
websites — Beef+LambNZ, DairyNZ and<br />
Deer Industry NZ. They have advice on<br />
good winter grazing practices and specific<br />
recommendations for transitioning stock<br />
on to crop and balancing the diet, which<br />
differs between the species.<br />
During the lockdown period, Dr Burton<br />
says the action group has remained<br />
committed to progressing its work to<br />
improve wintering practices, meeting<br />
virtually to keep up the momentum.<br />
“We recognise the good work that<br />
has already been done by farmers<br />
throughout New Zealand.”<br />
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