KIWIFRUIT 2-5HEILALA VANILLA 6-7 HUNT, FISH, EAT 10-11DAIRY AWARDS 12DAIRY 13-18FERTILISER 20-23HORSE OF THE YEAR 29-31HORTICULTURE 35-37COUNTRY LIVING 42-45

INSIDEINSIDE

PF8561

PF8561

Conflicting varieties

On the same day Zespri announced it will look to tender more licences for the new Gold3

variety in May which is proving to be more resistant to Psa-v than Gold HORT16A

Turners & Growers announced its ENZAGold variety is resistant to Psa-V.

Meanwhile, the independent organisation set up in response to the Psa outbreak,

Kiwifruit Vine Health Inc, is unable to test the two varieties against each other as T&G is

suspicious of KVHs independence.

Grower David Marshall (pictured) is growing both varieties on his Te Puke

orchard. His ENZAGold is proving resistant to Psa. Read more page 2-3.

Photo by Bruce Barnard.

12 13-18

FERTILISER 20-23HORSE OF THE YEAR 29-31HORTICULTURE 35-37COUNTRY LIVING 42-45

Conflicting

Issue No. 139

Bay of Plenty & Waikato Farm, Orchard & Rural

Lifestyle news

Ph 07 578 0030

INSIDEINSIDEINSIDEmarch 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEINSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEINSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEINSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012march 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEINSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEINSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEINSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012march 2012INSIDEmarch 2012INSIDEmarch 2012

Coast & Country Page 2 COAST & COUNTRY

Varietal pressure put on Zespri

The Psa-V virus destroying Zespris Hort16A Gold

kiwifruit strain may provide Turners and Growers with the lever that opens New Zealand kiwifruit exports to non-Zespri varieties.

T&G is now declaring publicly something they have known for months Psa-V is not affecting its EnzaGold variety.

Te Puke orchardist David Mar-shall is growing both Hort16A and EnzaGold on the same orchard. His Hort16A vines are withering, while a few metres away the EnzaGold remains Psa-V free.

The Marshall orchard is the first in New Zealand to show the impact of Psa-V on the two varieties growing side-by-side.

David Marshall is cautiously optimistic his EnzaGold crop could be a potentially viable Gold variety that can be farmed through Psa. This season, production from his EnzaGold crop is increasing in line with projections. The crop, in its second year, is on track to jump in production from 6000 to 14000 trays per hectare. David estimates he will lose at least half of his Hort16A crop to Psa.

Not free to exportIts absolutely heart breaking to

see all the hard work and investment in the ZespriGold going to waste, but on top of that, I have all this beautiful fruit right next door and its doing so well, but growers cannot freely export it, says David.

Under the Kiwifruit Export Regulations 1999, only Zespri is permitted to export kiwifruit from New Zealand to markets other than Australia. It has only two varieties; the green Hayward kiwifruit, which even before Psa was uneconomic for many growers with returns below the cost of production, and Hort16A ZespriGold, which has been a cash cow for the industry. But now, according to some industry figures could, and should, be completely cut out as soon as possible to lower the

pressure from the airborne bacteria. David Marshall says he planted Enza Gold alongside the Zespris Hort16A because he thought it important to spread his risk across different varieties.

Ive always believed its good to have something else to compare with.

David says he grew the differ-ent varieties out of interest and he decided to put in the ENZAGold because there was nothing else at that time without a beak on the fruit.

David has been growing kiwifruit since 1975 and believes the industry should be run by a single desk.

Single desk is still the best system its the only way. But youve got to work in with collaborative market-ing. It takes all parties to make it work.

Hort16A must goThe fact of the matter is the

Hort16A vines must go, says Lee Hoggard, another Te Puke based EnzaGold grower.

The sooner we cut out every vine in the country and start again the better. While our other varieties are showing pretty good resistance to Psa at this stage, every time it rains the air becomes a toxic soup of Psa inoculum. So we continually have to spend more on sprays and disease management to keep our orchards safe.

When it comes to allowing other potentially viable gold varieties for export, Zespri and the government have got blinkers on, says Lee.

Im worried theyd sooner let the whole industry go down than let people sell other varieties overseas. Surely they must realise its not about the monopoly debate anymore, its about the survival of growers and the industry.

David Marshall says he planted Enza Gold alongside the Zespris Hort16A because he thought it important to spread his risk across different varieties.

Chris Dunn, another Te Puke orchardist says it is dangerous having the entire crop coming from a narrow group of genetics from Zespris breeding programme,

especially as no one can guarantee a variety to be 100 per cent resistant to Psa or any other future unknown diseases.

With horticulture you need biodiversity to ensure a safe future, says Chris.

If we get into the same situa-tion where we have a monoculture again, a year down the track we could find ourselves in the same boat. The ZespriGold crop in Italy was decimated by Psa, but across their national crop they had several different varieties, so theyre coming through it.

Our industry as a whole needs to spread the risk and invest in several viable varieties and orchardists themselves should also be growing at least two or three varieties for the same reason.

The way forwardTurners & Growers managing

director Jeff Wesley says allowing kiwifruit growers to graft over to a range of different varieties, which are showing potential to be farmed through in a Psa environment, is the only way forward.

One look at David Marshalls orchard will show you why, says Jeff.

Decisions this winter will be criti-cal to the survival of many kiwifruit orchardists. If they cant graft over to new gold varieties this year, they may not survive. We have plenty of vine stock, which in most cases can be grafted directly onto the growers existing rootstock and be producing within two years.

The international fresh produce trade is all about relationships says Jeff.

When theres a void, someone will fill it. If New Zealand gold kiwifruit is off the shelves for too long another country will fill that space and well be left on the side line. Every year that passes and we are talking in years, itll be harder for New Zealand kiwifruit to get back in.

In February, Zespri announced it will tender more licences for the new Gold3 variety in May. Zespri says this variety is proving to be more resistant to Psa-V than Gold HORT16A.

On the same day as the Zespri announcement, Turners & Growers declared its ENZAGold variety is resistant to the vine bacterial disease.

The independent pan-industry group set up in response to the outbreak of the vine bacterial disease, Kiwifruit Vine Health Inc, is yet to test the two varieties against each other.

T&G says its ENZAGold is resist-ant, however, the news is unhelpful as under the Kiwifruit Export Regula-tions 1999, only Zespri is permitted to export kiwifruit from New Zealand to market other than Australia so the economic payback for T&G grow-ers is slim.

It begs the question of what is right for the industry and the economy; kiwifruit growers want to be growing the hardiest, most resistant variety for security but yet the fruit has to be

marketable. Zespri maintains that it takes years to market a new export variety catering for fruit taste, size and shape.

It has invested 10 years and millions of dollars testing Gold3 on the export market.

Read C&C coverage of what Zespri, T&G and KVH has to say on the matter, and also read about a grower who says there is a lot to learn about growing the new Gold3 variety.

In other news, read about Taurangas leading vanilla plant which is set to push more into the global market; dairy farmers can learn some tips about smart water use, while some farmers are awaiting their fate in this years Dairy Industry Awards with the winners announced during March.

It is almost time for duck hunters to start thinking about getting their mai-mais ready and pegging their territory.

Check out the Hunt, Fish, Eat to read about some clay bird shooting competitions coming up to help get your eye in for the first Saturday of May.

The future of kiwifruit

By SHeryl Brown

TAURANGAHAMILTON

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PH 07 578 0030 Page 3COAST & COUNTRYLEFT: These pictures show healthy ENZA Gold

(left) growing alongside PSA-V impacted Hort16A Zespri Gold (right) on the same Te Puke Orchard.

Psa remedies in conflict

By Andrew Campbell and Sheryl Brown

KVH is a pan-industry group, established following agreement of the Industry Advisory Council to transition the management of the

Psa response from MAF Biosecurity NZ and Zespri to a separate entity.

KVH is working with T&G on ways to compare the relative Psa-V tolerance of dif-ferent cultivars.

One of the difficulties we are having is trying to get some quantitative field obser-vational data on the various cultivars, says KVH general manager John Burke.

Its all very well saying my variety is toler-ant, but whats the relativity of that?

KVH is trying to line up all the cultivars so an objective tolerance of the various cultivars can be made, but there is suspicion about KVHs place in the scheme of things.

I guess from their (T&G) point of view, they might be cautious about the independ-ence of that assessment, says John.

We will try and get a process underway where we can.

We have got to try and overcome some issues there and perhaps work out a process whereby they are comfortable that it is being handled in a proper arms-length fashion.

But it is important to growers and its important for KVH that we are able to meas-ure that properly. So thats what we are trying to overcome at this stage.

You cant say you have got a tolerant culti-var unless its lined up.

You have got to actually put your money where your mouth is, basically.

Unable to advise growersKVH would not be able to advise growers

on the relative merits without being able to back it up with a good comparative process.

We are trying to get everyone to line up and have a process whereby we can get an objective assessment of the relative tolerance of each cultivar. And we havent quite got there yet.

We are measuring G3, G9, G14 Zespri

cultivars, but just getting the permission of the owners to get in and look at the other ones and do some robust assessment is prov-ing a little bit difficult just at the moment.

Psa-V tolerance is only part of the puzzle, says John.

There are cultivars that have a known tolerance to Psa-V, but commercial attributes have also got to be considered like storage ability, and even if people like the taste.

You have to tick the boxes on those, its not that easy, says John.

Everyones got to front up and be meas-ured.

Zespri announced in February they would release more licences for Gold3 in May if it continues to show resistance to Psa-V.

G3 10 years in makingZespri innovation manager Bryan Parkes

says Gold3 has spent 10 years going through various testing and trials in the export market.

Bryan says Zespri has spent in the hun-dreds of thousands of dollars per year on the exploratory stages of testing G3 and then into the millions when testing against consumers and markets.

Were spending, on new cultivars, $5-6million a year, says Bryan.

Bryan says a company could market an untested variety of kiwifruit on the market, but there would be a high chance of failure.

A lot of cultivars fail. If youre a company that just wants to get

a cultivar out there you can just launch a whole heap of cultivars and if it falls over its the growers fault.

It didnt cost you much to release it because you didnt invest much and if it fails its not your problem.

We are at the other end of the spectrum; when we release cultivars and it fails, were in there with the grower, sharing the pain. So we put in the appropriate amount of work.

Bryan says he has yet to see any data from T&G on its ENZAGold performance.

I believe theyve started selling it, but I havent seen any data on how its perform-ing.

Zespri is considering two options for releas-ing G3 licences: The first option is a simple commercial proposal, offering an oppor-tunity to all. Under this option, Hort16A growers will be paid $5000 per hectare to return their existing Hort16A licence. The grower can then choose to join a commercial (closed) tender process, whereby the highest bids are successful.

Two options for licencesThe second option is intended to provide

opportunity for all Hort16A growers to access a licence if/when they deem the timing to be right to re-graft based on their personal circumstances. Under this option, Hort16A growers can make a fixed price bid (proposed to be $12,000 a hectare) for enough Gold3 licence to replace their existing Hort16A plantings.

Under both options, a further 400 hectares of Gold3 are being released to give non-Hort16A orchards an opportunity to buy Gold3 licences and diversify their growing portfolio.

Also, under both options there will be the opportunity to make a deferred payment, with deferred payment terms being offered on 80 per cent of the cost. Growers can re-pay the money when their orchards begin to produce again.

A further 200ha of Green14, a sweet Green variety, which is also showing a positive market response and a good level of tolerance to Psa, will also be made available.

Zespri says G3 has naturally high orchard yields, appears easier to manage through the supply chain than Hort16A, stores well late in the season and delivers a good eating expe-rience to consumers, with positive responses received through in-market consumer sen-sory work over consecutive seasons.

Zespri is discussing the options with growers and other industry representatives to seek their feedback on any licence release process during March, before the Zespri board makes a final decision on the release in March 2012.

Coast & Country Page 4 COAST & COUNTRY

One of the countrys top kiwifruit growers says

there is a lot to learn about growing the new Gold

variety G3.

It is being touted as a possible replacement for the lucrative Gold variety, Hort16A, as this variety is proving vulnerable to the bacterial vine disease Psa-V.

Colin Jenkins manages the Maori trust Ngai Tukairangi at Matapihi in the Bay of Plenty.

The trust has more than 50 hec-tares of kiwifruit, including 24ha of Green, 18ha of Hort16A and 10ha of new varieties.

He was one of the trial growers for G3 three years ago and then tendered and got more G3, G14 and G9 in 2010 when the licences became available for the new varieties.

The trust now has 4ha of G3 producing and a further 2ha, which were grafted last year.

Its no problem to get big fruit (with G3), says Colin.

But G3 does grow differently; we have to learn how to grow it.

Its less vigorous than Hort 16A and it appears you need more winter chilling than the Gold weve been growing because we struggled with bud break this year.

We were disappointed in our

bud break this year; there are probably about 3000 trays/ha we had hopes for more.

Colin says there was a poor bud break across all the crops after a mild winter.

G3 doesnt break bud so easily off the leader so there are more challenges in getting replacement cane for the following season.

I think we put the Hi-cane on too early; maybe the copper (Psa-V protectant spray) has upset it as well.

They got 15,000 trays per hectare last season off the G3 trial area though, which was a good crop, says Colin.

He says it was a struggle to get

good dry matter.Kiwifruit is graded into three dry

matter categories: Y, T and M (Y is the highest dry matter quality).

But all dry matter was down last

year. We got into the T band which is a reasonable dry matter result.

Colin has 13ha of Hort16A left after cutting out 3.5ha in August.

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New varieties: New lessons

Growers who have cut out their HORT16A vines with Psa-V should be stringing up the new suckers (as above) to be able to graft onto.

PH 07 578 0030 Page 5COAST & COUNTRY

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Orchard manager Colin Jenkins , right, with KVH general manger John Burke inspect the Gold3 fruit.Colin says growers have to learn how to grow the new G3 Gold variety.

By Sheryl Brown

By Sheryl Brown

Grafting on Gold

He cut the vines back to the stump three weeks after they showed symptoms of Psa-V.

We made the decision to cut them out early 1500 vines. We didnt want to risk it.

He is constantly monitoring the remain-ing vines in the orchard.

We cut fi ve canes out of the Hort16A last week.

We are monitoring the orchards very closely weekly during the wetter periods weve had.

Colin, who has been growing kiwifruit for the trust for more than 25 years, says they cant really complain about a bad harvest this year.

We were all Green, then in 96 we grafted to Hort16A we were one of the larger Gold growers for a number of years.

Forty per cent of the orchard areas went to Hort16A, and Colin says a couple of years ago they were thinking about why they

hadnt grafted over everything when the money was so good. But now, weve got Green, which is showing to be more toler-ant to Psa-V, and some new varieties which appear more resistant.

I think that were lucky because were so diversifi ed.

It hasnt been a good year for us because we didnt have a good bud break on any of our varieties.

Were a bit disappointed and weve been dealing with Psa issues at the same time and loss of crops, but weve had some very good years, so we cant complain really.

Colin says no other growers in the Matapihi area have Psa-V infections.

We have a very proactive Matapihi grow-ers group to look at Psa-V issues.

Kiwifruit Vine Health general manager John Burke says the aggressive decision to cut back vines early is paying dividends for Colin.

Psa-V is certainly not rampant (through his orchard).

Because Colin cut out the vines so early, the regrowth from stumps is signifi cant with four suckers growing up from the vines, which Colin has secured.

This is a good model, this is what were exploring for re-grafting, says John, having four suckers coming up from the root, strung up.

He says other Hort16A growers who have tried to take their affected crops through to harvest have given up and had to cut off the affected vines during summer.

They will not have the same level of sucker growth to graft onto. They will instead have to graft onto the stump.

Orchardists will usually graft onto a stump during winter and onto suckers in summer, but John says they would probably prefer to have suckers to graft onto.

Coast & Country Page 6 COAST & COUNTRY

Vanilla is the most labour-intensive agricultural crop on the planet; its fl owers have to be hand-pollinated within

a six hour window and then nine months later, the resulting vanilla bean is then carefully cured and dried

over a further six month period.

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Heilala Vanilla products are 100 per cent pure vanilla beans compared to 98 per cent of the worlds products which use synthetic chemicals instead making its products more authentic and taste substantially better than their rivals.

The vanilla is grown in Tonga and processed in the Tauranga factory.

Heilala Vanilla founder John Ross was gifted land in Tonga by the Latu family in recognition of his humanitar-ian efforts to help re-build their local community following a destructive cyclone in 2001.

The retired dairy farmer had per-sonally sent money to help repair the familys roof and organised his Rotary Club in South Auckland to undertake various repair projects in the local vil-lages.

Laulile Latu later offered John the lease on his familys plot of land in return for establishing a business that would provide for the local commu-nity.

John spent some time researching the best crop to grow and Heilala Vanilla was launched in late 2002.

The business has since fl ourished; John now supervises the vanilla crop in Tonga, while his daughter Jennifer and her husband Garth Boggiss are direc-tors in Tauranga.

Jennifer, an accountant by trade with skills in marketing, oversees business development, while Garth, with an IT and horticultural background, is responsible for Heilala Vanillas product knowledge and research and development.

Jennifer and Garth say they have set up a unique business because they control the growing rights from the plantation through to the pantry.

The family are off to a good start in

A 100 per cent pure podA 100 per cent pure pod

Vanilla runs in the veins of a family who share a passion for producing the resource: Garth and Jennifer Boggiss are directors of the

Tauranga-based vanilla factory. Heilala Vanilla has a new investor and is planning to target more international markets. Photo by Tracy Hardy.

A 100 per cent pure podover a further six month period.

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producing the richest grade of vanilla in the Asia-Pacifi c region, which they say calls for lots of tender love and care.

They say having the most perfect and natural grow-ing environment means they have a good foundation to produce high-quality vanilla.

Add to this our organic growing principles and you get vanilla grown in organic virgin soil, on coconut husk frames, hand pollinated and dried under the pacifi c sun.

This is then stored at optimum conditions to ensure full fl avour develops.

This is what gives our 100 per cent pure Heilala Vanilla, of the bourbon variety, its distinctive aroma, shine and plumpness.

Heilala Vanilla is now expanding its enterprise and this year signed a deal with New Zealand Venture Investment Fun and Enterprise Angels BOP a Tauranga-based consortium, which is investing in the com-pany.

The company can now take on the international gourmet food market after securing the support from the high-pow-ered investors.

Heilala Vanilla is an example of the kind of innovative world-class food company New Zealand can produce and the kind of company we look to invest in, says Enterprise Angels chairman Neil Craig.

The deal will provide the capital injec-

tion Heilala Vanilla needs to substantially expand its innovative business and ram up its current exports to Australia, the United States and South East Asia.

The company is also looking at new opportunities in the US, UK and Japan, something which will be explored this year.

This investment, with NZVIF and Enterprise Angels BOP, will allow us to move

Investing in quality vanilla products

you get vanilla grown in organic virgin soil, on coconut husk frames, hand pollinated and dried

This is then stored at optimum conditions to

This is what gives our 100 per cent pure Heilala Vanilla, of the bourbon variety, its distinctive aroma, shine and plumpness.

enterprise and this year signed a deal with New Zealand Venture Investment Fun and Enterprise Angels BOP a Tauranga-based consortium, which is investing in the com-

international gourmet food market after securing the support from the high-pow-

company New Zealand can produce and

in, says Enterprise Angels chairman Neil

The deal will provide the capital injec-

Angels BOP, will allow us to move

Founder of Heilala Vanilla John Ross at the vanilla plantation in Tonga.

Photo supplied.

forward with confi dence to both grow existing markets and develop new markets, while also driving product development and innovation.

The company has partnered with Massey University in recent years to develop their innovative creations such as their award-winning vanilla syrup.

Our new investment partners have seen the terrifi c commercial opportunity that lies ahead, and were very excited to be moving into the next phase of our companys development, says Jennifer.She says the companys aim is to

become a globally-recognised brand which professional chefs, bartenders and food lovers around the world will seek out.New Zealand has been a great test-

ing ground for our new products and we are confi dent we can achieve strong growth in Australia which has a similar foodie market.

Weve been exporting there for two

years now and in 2011 we gained listing with Thomas Dux (the Wool-worths gourmet food retail chain) ranging the full product range. The plan for 2012 is to focus on boost-ing our sales and marketing resources across the Tasman.

Americans are also big vanilla con-sumers and Jennifer and Garth say the company will establish warehouse facilities on both the West Coast and in New York in the near future.

Our Heilala Vanilla beans and paste are now in a number of high profi le New York restaurants and our Hei-lala Vanilla Syrup is in 200 US stores through prestigious food retail chain Williams-Sonoma.

Dean and Deluca, another US gourmet food retail chain, is also set to stock Heilala Vanilla Sugar from Easter 2012.

Weve made a good start on the US market, but theres still a long way to go. By Letitia Atkinson

JP

Coast & Country Page 8 COAST & COUNTRY

If aquaculture is to reach the $1 billion target by 2025,

it must diversify. Government has a leading role to

play in encouraging the research and development that will lead to diversity in crops and participation.

Will the aquaculture indus-try feature signifi cantly in New Zealands future? Yes, barring mishaps.

International markets for seafood are strong and likely to remain that way so long as more and more people join the middle classes in developing nations like China. These people now have the spend-ing power to include and demand protein in their diet, and the health benefi ts gained from seafood.

But as the market increases, wild fi sh stocks are diminishing dramati-cally. These factors, together with strong backing from the government, have created a perfect storm for aquaculture

that should allow the industry to reach its target of $1 billion exports within 15 years.

The fl agships for growth will be salmon and

green

lipped mussels, so when industry says that aquaculture will reach $1 billion, they are really saying that the salmon and mussel industries will reach $1 billion.

But there are great dangers in putting all the eggs into one or two baskets graphically illus-trated by the recent herpes virus outbreak that has all but destroyed the oyster industry in many

regions. Water, salt or fresh, is an alien

environment and, apart from a few identifi ed diseases, aquacultur-

ists dont know what is out

there and a single new

viral infection could put a seri-

ous dent in their target. Similarly, the industry is concentrated in only a few hands, so one business failure would be a disproportionate setback.

Diversifi cation in both farmed species and farmers is the indus-trys only protection, but diversity is not as easy to achieve as it should be. Established aquaculture businesses are focused on devel-oping their core products, and major new investors are generally risk-averse enough to eschew new species. Establishing an aquacul-ture farm is expensive and risky enough without adding more

risks. The alternative is to involve small business and interested individuals, such as farmers and coastal hapu, but there is little encouragement in New Zealand for small new entrants to become engaged and they are currently being largely excluded from the governments increased backing for the industry.

Encouraging small operators should be a win-win for the industry and government. Farm-ers, small communities and hapu often have access to good quality clean water, land and labour all the prerequisites for aquaculture. Many farmers would be interested in adding a second or third string

to their bows and small, often impoverished communities, are desperate for the employment, skills and income aquaculture would bring.

Australias Northern Territory, which has more than its fair share of impoverished communities, may offer a model for New Zea-land to bring these individuals and communities into the industry. They are establishing govern-ment, community and business partnerships that are helping indigenous communities into fi shing and aquaculture ventures. The NT Fisheries Department has established a dedicated team of extension and development

offi cers backed by a $1-2 million budget to work with communi-ties, secured the assistance of other State and Federal Govern-ment departments to work with communities on feasibilities and business plans, and developed industry partnerships for their marketing and business expertise.

An example of industry involve-ment is Arafura Blue, an aquarium fi sh supplier who has developed a strong market for giant clams. With the help of Fisheries Depart-ment experts, they have recently begun breeding clams and placing them with remote coastal com-munities to grow to market size and then buying them back for

on-selling.With our close cultural links to

water, such arrangements could work well in New Zealand and go a long way toward solving both industry and social problems. But success can only happen if the government gets behind it with incentives and legislative changes. Ultimately, it will all depend on the development of strategic gov-ernment, research, industry and community partnerships.

Future directions of NZ Aquaculture

By Graeme Dobson

Government has a leading role to play in encouraging the research and development that will lead to diversity in crops and

Will the aquaculture indus-try feature signifi cantly in New Zealands future? Yes, barring

International markets for seafood are strong and likely to remain that way so long as more and more people join the middle

nations like China. These people now have the spend-

demand protein in their diet, and the health benefi ts gained from

cally. These factors, together with strong

that should allow the industry to reach its target of $1 billion exports within 15 years.

The fl agships for growth will be salmon and

green

billion, they are really saying that the salmon and mussel industries will reach $1 billion.

But there are great dangers in putting all the eggs into one or two baskets graphically illus-trated by the recent herpes virus outbreak that has all but destroyed the oyster industry in many

regions. Water, salt or fresh, is an alien

environment and, apart from a few identifi ed diseases, aquacultur-

ists dont know what is out

there and a single new

viral infection could put a seri-

ous dent in their target. Similarly, the industry is concentrated in only a few hands, so one business failure would be a disproportionate setback.

Future directions of NZ Aquaculture

Community grown giant clams are in demand for aquria.

JP

GRUNDFOS

HiFLO PUMPSHiFLO PUMPS & IRRIGATION LTD

HiFLO PUMPSHiFLO PUMPS & IRRIGATION LTD

PH 07 578 0030 Page 9COAST & COUNTRY

Is your garden bursting with tomatoes or overrun with pumpkins? Are your

feijoa or lemon trees dripping with fruit?

Do you grow a few herbs in pots and wonder what

to do with them?Whether you grow a few

vegetables in the back yard or have a large kitchen garden or orchard, A Good Harvest: Recipes from the gardens of Rural Women New Zealand shows you how to make the

most of seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Practical, easy to use and dependable, these recipes from members of Rural Women New Zealand include chut-neys, jams, pickles, pestos, marinades and sauces, cakes, drinks and more.

Step-by-step instructions on bottling, jam making and other preserving methods are clear and easy to follow.

The book explains how to grow many types of fruit and vegetables, to help readers

achieve the bumper crop in the fi rst place.

A Good Harvest also includes many handy tips and comments, sharing gen-erational wisdom learned in country kitchens.

A companion volume to A Good Spread - Recipes from the kitchens of Rural Women New Zealand (2010).

A Good Harvest and A Good Spread can be purchased from the RWNZ website, visit

www.ruralwomen.org.nz/shop or

enquire at your local bookshop.

Rural women with emerging businesses should take the opportunity of benchmarking

themselves against others in the RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Awards.

Entries for the 2012 awards are due in by March 16 and 2010 winner Tineke Verkade from Homeopathic Farm Support Ltd says rural women shouldnt hesitate to enter.

Tinekes animal homeopathy business won both the North Island and the overall Supreme award.

It gives recognition for somebody who is maybe not well known; gives recognition of rural women who are working hard, who have a really good product, says Tineke. It defi nitely gives them a boost. It gets you to look at your business and you learn so much from it.

Tineke says the publicity alone generated from the awards whether you win or not gives your business great exposure.

Even a negative article written about homeopathy in a farming publication gave Tineke

more business.A professional wrote a negative article; there was an amazing response from farmers saying hang on feedback in letters to the editor about homeopa-thy.People said how dare you talk about someone who has

supported our whole family, our children as well as

our animals, for the last 15 or 20 years.

It was very heart warming. Some-

thing negative, something good came out of it.Tinekes business was set up to support farmers in a

complimentary way to make their cows happy.The farmers end up with happy cows, with good

animal health.Fonterra says a quarter to a third of its dairy suppliers

use homeopathy products.Tineke has been running her business, based in Ham-

ilton, since 1994 and is organically certifi ed and has class determination from ACVM.

Rural Women New Zealand national president Liz Evans says this is the fourth year they have run the Enterprising Rural Women Awards, which have been very successful in uncovering some exciting businesses run by women in rural areas.

The wide variety of businesses has seen past win-ners include Tinekes animal homeopathy business, a farm walk and homestay enterprise, a forestry trucking company, a childrens merino sock producer and a tra-ditional-style cheese maker. This year, there are three award categories: The Telecom North Island Award, the Access Homehealth South Island Award, and a new category, the Fly Buys Online Business Award, recog-nising the growth of internet-based businesses. Each category winner will receive $1000 in prize money.

The supreme winner of the RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Award 2012 is chosen from the three category winners, and will receive a further $1000 as well as a trophy.

The RWNZ Enterprising Rural Women Awards 2012 are open to small businesses with 10 staff or less, that have been operating for at least two years. Women must be an active partner of 50 per cent or more. Past entrants are welcome to re-enter.

For entry forms and further information visit www.ruralwomen.org.nz.

Attention rural business women

Cooking up a good harvest

Even a negative article written about homeopathy in a farming publication gave Tineke

more business.A professional wrote a negative article; there was an amazing response from farmers saying hang on feedback in letters to the editor about homeopa-thy.People said how dare you talk about someone who has

supported our whole family, our children as well as

our animals, for the

By Sheryl Brown

Coast & Country has two copies of A Good Harvest to give away to readers who send us their favourite rural recipe, which will be printed in our April issue.

Email Sheryl@thesun.co.nz or send to Sheryl at PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140.

with

The book explains how to Spread can be purchased from the RWNZ website, visit

www.ruralwomen.

HOMEOPATHY

HOMEOPATHIC FARM SUPPORT

Rural Women award winner, Tineke Verkade.

Coast & Country Page 10 HUNT FISH EAT

Eye Opener for hunters

SA

The Western Bay of Plenty Fish and Game Club Eye Opener clay bird shoot is

an excellent opportunity to get "your eye in" leading

up to duck shooting on the fi rst Saturday of May.

Vice chairman Ross Allen says the Eye Opener shoot on Sunday, April 15 at Turn-ers Farm (end of Works Road, Katikati) is open to anybody and everybody you don't have to be a member, just come along and enjoy a great day.

We are only too happy

to teach anyone to learn to clay bird shoot, says Ross.

We also teach fi rearm safety too.

Broncos owner Ben Tuck says its an excellent event to shoot.

There are great prizes; a gun to be won and all the prizes are drawn from a hat, so anyone can win.

Based in Katikati, the WBOP Fish & Game Club is celebrat-

ing its 20th Anniversary this year.The AGM

is in April and Ross says they would love to add to their 180 members, with member-ship costing $45 a year.

New mem-bers, new ideas makes for a strong club.

The club organises several annual events, including the swan shoot in Tauranga Harbour to manage swan numbers; pheasant shooting on Matakana Island; peacock and pheasant shooting in Coromandel and Opotiki to manage pest numbers on farms; and trout and saltwater fi shing, just to mention a few activities.

The club also sponsors the Katikati College clay bird shooting team its becoming a more fol-lowed sport in schools says Ross.

We also hold an annual game dinner where we supply the meat; wild pork, venison, eel, wild goat, trout and many more, and we announce the winners of our annual photo competition which has four categories; people, game, places and open.

Anybody interested in joining the WBOP Fish & Game Club or attending one of the clay bird shoots can contact Ross; phone 07 548 0997 or email padaroski@xtra.co.nz

The fi rst Hunting & Fishing clay bird shooting event at Taurangas new Tect Park is on Sunday, March 25 where the fi rst prize winner gets a Beretta 3901 Citizen Shotgun valued at $1899.

Clay bird shooting is a great way to prepare for duck shooting season. says Ben Tuck from Broncos Sports.

Ben says hunters should be getting their guns out now and checking if they're ready to go. Get your guns out now; most people bring them in to us in the last week leading up to duck shooting. So there is always huge pressure on us to get them all repaired in time.

Check your decoys and your lines and your mai-mais. Pick up your gun every day and get used to its weight again guys go out and wonder why their eye isnt in its the same thing every year.

For those interested in the Tect Park clay bird shoot phone 07 928 4303.

Ideal maimai set-up

Eye Opener for hunters

Ideal maimai set-up

Eye Opener for huntersEye Opener for hunters

We are only too happy

Maimais ranging from the spartan to the lavish. These fi ne examples are in the Coromandel.

Built-in water

collection and

a pot belly.

Concealment is the key: Keeping the ducks thinking theres nothing out of the ordinary. Even the fl ash of pink skin on the fi ngers may give the show away.

ing its 20th Anniversary this year.The AGM

is in April and Ross says they would love to add to their 180 members, with member-ship costing $45 a year.

New mem-

PH 07 578 0030 Page 11COAST & COUNTRY

When duck hunting, there are two crucial things to

think of stay out of sight and encourage the ducks to

think your place is safe.While camoufl age clothing and

thick vegetation can provide the necessary cover, often it will be necessary to build a hunters hut a maimai to escape the weather and for better concealment. Try to blend the maimai into the local area by using similar vegetation, but dont remove this from its

immediate surroundings. Build it well before the season so the ducks get used to it. For more informa-tion, visit www.fi shandgame.org.nz.

Another alternative is a portable maimai that you take with you. These range from a camo net and a few poles, to purpose-built collaps-ible systems available from hunting retailers. Once you are confi dent you can keep out of sight, select-ing a good site is important. This requires consideration of prevail-ing wind ducks prefer to land and take off into the wind fl ight paths, rising and setting sun.

When building a permanent maimai, you should consider the fol-lowing points:

You must be able to get in and out easily.

It should provide enough shelter for you, a companion and dogs.

A suggested size is 2x2m.

It must allow you to shoot comfortably and safely.

Incorporating a dog port. Any maimai has to be part and

parcel of the immediate surround-ings and well camoufl aged.

Dont clear the surround area of vegetation and dont use vegetation unnatural to the area.

Pegging and claiming a maimai or stand:

On public land you will need to peg or claim your maimai, and your licence explains how to do this. Pegging day is usually at least four weeks before opening week-

end, so you will need to purchase your licence before this date. On private land, pegging is not neces-sary, but you still need a licence.

Often there will be someone elses maimai present at a choice spot. You can set up 90 metres or more away from an existing maimai if theres free space. You can use any maimai on public land for the remainder of the day if it is unoccupied after 7:30am. After the fi rst week of the season, many such

spots are vacant, often with ducks right in front of them!

A person, following purchase of a 2012 Whole Season game bird hunting licence, can reclaim the stand claimed during the 2011 Game Season at any time prior to 10am on April 15, 2012 in all Fish & Game regions.

Otherwise, unclaimed stands can only be claimed any time after 10am on April 15, 2012 in all Fish & Game regions.

A stand may be claimed by planting on it a stake, having either a board or identifying label attached, plainly identifying the name of the claimant and the number of his/her licence. The hunting stand claim tag provided must be completed with the name of the claimant and affi xed to the board identifying the label.

Pegging out your maimai early The licence holder claim-

ing a stand must be present in person at the stand when marking it up. No one can claim more than one stand. A stand cannot be claimed

closer than 90m to a stand already claimed by another person without that persons consent.

Any stand not occupied by the claimant within one hour after the opening of hunting, on any day, can be occupied by another licence holder for the remainder of the day.

SA

Freephone 0800 BIO LOO (246 566)Email vanb@wave.co.nz Web www.bioloo.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND

MADE & DESIGNED

tWO SIZES AVAILABLE FAMILY & LARGE

and take off into the wind fl ight

enough shelter for you, a

fi rst week of the season, many such

Supplied by Fish & Game

A suggested size is 2x2m.

Pegging out your maimai earlymarking it up. No one can claim more than one stand.

closer than 90m to a stand already claimed by another person without that persons consent.

the claimant within one hour after the opening of hunting, on any day, can be occupied by another licence holder for the remainder of the day.

Theres a high degree of anticipation building among the

four-legged community too.

Milking out the rewardsCoast & Country Page 12 DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS

Wed like to congratulate Rob and Debbie Mackle

on winning the 2011 Meridian Energy Farm

Environment Award. Seeing our customers do

well makes our job all the more worthwhile.

Were wishing all entrants in the 2012 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards the best of luck. Let us know if we can do anything to help with your entry. If youre not involved with the Awards this year but would like to see how Meridian can help you on your farm, give the Meridian Agribusiness Team a call on 0800 496 444.

meridian.co.nz/forfarm

Meridian is proud to be part of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards family

Meridian is proud to be a

major sponsor of NZDIA

The three winners of the Bay of Plenty and Waikato Dairy

Industry Awards will be found out during March.

The Bay of Plenty Awards gala dinner is at Awakeri Events Centre on Thursday, March 15.

Regional convenors Jon and Steph Russell say the region received 36 entries across the Sharemilker/Equity Farmer of the Year, Farm Manager of the Year and Dairy Trainee of the Year competitions up from 27 entries last year.

We are really pleased with the number of entries received and

overall quality of entries. It is a great result. Bay of Plenty has had a great summer for grass growth and dairy farming, so that all helps to gener-ate positive thinking and attitudes heading in to the awards dinner.

The number of entrants and favourable farming conditions will ensure there is a tight contest between entrants to determine the regions winners.

Jon and Steph Russell won the 2010 Bay of Plenty Sharemillker of the Year title and are convening the awards for a second time.

The couple expects more than 200 people to attend the awards night.

Its going to be a great night and

the room will be full of the regions whos who in the dairy industry.

The three Bay of Plenty regional winners will each progress to the national finals in Auckland on May 12.

Tickets to the Bay of Plenty awards dinner cost $65 and can be purchased at the RD1 Edgecumbe and Te Puke stores or by contact-ing Charlotte Jones, phone 07 304 8040 or email scotts1@xtra.co.nz

The Waikato Regional Awards dinner is on Monday, March 12 at the Bledisloe Hall, Mystery Creek.

The dinner costs $85. To purchase a ticket contact Lisa Suisted, phone 07 824 2189.

The couple have entered the Sharemilker Farmer of the Year category for the second time. Last year they walked away with the LIC Merit Award for recording and productivity. Mark and Nika are 50:50 sharemilking 300 Jersey cows at Awakeri.

Nika says they learnt so much from entering the competition last year, they wanted to have another crack.

It really helped us focus on what were doing really well and also what we need to work on.

It really jump started us to do some major professional develop-ment. Weve learnt so much in the last year.

This year we feel like were a lot more equipped for the competition.

Nika says theyve seen a flow on effect into the financial and plan-ning aspects of their business; and it has helped them plan their business growth for the future.

The big goal is farm ownership; some days we think oh gosh its never going to happen, and other

days we think its possible.Competing in the Dairy Industry

Awards is getting them closer to their goal though says Nika.

She says now they have more of an understanding of what they need to do financially to achieve farm ownership.

Mark and Nika are looking for a new, bigger sharemilking oppor-runity for the next phase of their farming career.

By Sheryl Brown

Announcing the cream of the crop

Mark and Nika Booker will be amongst the competitors at the Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards dinner in March.

JD

At Ecolab we are proud to be part of New Zealands dairy industry and we are proud to support the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards. We believe in helping farmers succeed and further their careers in the industry and we look forward to a strong working partnership now and in the future.

For independent, qualified and free advice on all your farming sanitation and milk quality requirements please call your Ecolab Territory Manager on 0508 732 733.

proud national sponsors of the new zealand dairy industry awards

newrelease

PH 07 578 0030 Page 13DAIRY

Many years ago, I visited a family in Minnesota and found all their

cooking was conducted using potassium salts as opposed to

common sodium salts.

The dear lady of the house asked me to comment, which I did, much to my amaze-ment my comment was not well accepted; that is, until I explained why I thought she was putting her family at risk.

The fact that potassium salts are called salts, in no way can they be replaced by sodium. They are both found to be required at similar sites in metabolism, however, their functions are opposing.

Potassium controls the fluids within the cell and sodium controls the fluids outside the cell. They both function together and are

required for osmosis. Sodium is the major cation in the bodys acid-base balance and for the osmosis which controls the transfer of nutrients to the cells and the removal of waste materials and the maintenance of the water balance in tissues.

SodiumSodium is a constituent of pancreatic juice,

bile, sweat and tears. It is associated with nerve functions, see above, and plays a spe-cific role in the absorption of carbohydrates.

Deficiency symptoms include loss of appetite, reduced growth and a marked reduction in feed efficiency and utilisation in growing animals. Reduced milk production (cows should have access to sodium daily or their milk flow will be reduced) plus weight loss, infertility in males, and delayed sexual maturity in females.

Animals craving sodium will be seen to drink urine of other animals. This element may be toxic when a high intake is associ-ated with water restrictions. Excess sodium will result in hypertension as the fast food industry has worked out; they put the pop chiller right beside the fish and chip counter. Your taste buds cense a high sodium intake and this creates a craving for fluid. The fluid intake is required to dilute the concentration of potassium outside the cell, if this concen-tration is not diluted, self toxemia will result and you will die of saline poisoning.

PotassiumThis element is contiguously aligned with

sodium, but in no way can it supplement it. These two elements must be kept in bal-ance, a large intake of potassium may slow the heart to a standstill, and this is termed potassium inhibition. Excessive potassium will interfere with the animals magnesium absorption and many tetany problems are magnified when potassium is consumed in excess. Potassium is lost when sodium is fed in excess.

Misconception Ironically, our pastures are very high in

this element and its concentration has been misinterpreted as being due to high levels in the soils in which our feed are grown; this is not the case. The high level of potassium

Potassium salts versus sodium saltsfrom the lab

Peter Lester of Quantum Laboratories

Mamaku team are Supreme Winners of the 2012 Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm

Environment Awards.

Farm owners Jim and Barbara Hitchcock and sharemilkers, Rhys and Kim Meredith, also won the Ballance Nutrient Management Award and the LIC Dairy Farm Award. The Hitchcocks own Castlerock

Farm, a 190ha dairy unit in the Mamaku Ranges near Rotorua. Castlerock milks about 510 cows, achieving production of about 360kg/MS/cow. Castlerock utilises a low-input, low-cost system, with no purchased feed. Castlerocks location in the Rotorua Lakes catchment means it is subject to regional council rules that restrict most means of increasing farm production. Dairy efflu-ent is carefully managed and the Hitchcocks recently invested an extra $150,000 in their effluent system, even though the previous system already met council requirements.

Two large stand-off pads are used in winter to mini-mise pasture damage and reduce run-off.

A field day will be held on Castlerock Farm on March 27, 2012.

Other award winners in the 2012 BoP Ballance Farm Environment Awards were:

Hill Laboratories Harvest Award and Beef + Lamb NZ Livestock Award; Rangitaiki Station. PGG Land and Life Award and ZESPRI Kiwifruit Orchard Award; Mark Mayston, Bruntwood Farms Ltd.

Massey University Discovery Award; Harry and Anne Frost, Mamaku Blue. WaterForce Integrated Manage-ment Award; Bruce and Judy Woods, Dreamfields Farm Ltd. Bay of Plenty Regional Council Environmental Award; Whakaue Farming Limited, Tihiotonga.

A sustainable farming relationship

found in plant tissue is due to a cation imbalance in the soil. The atomic weight of potassium is almost the same as calcium, calcium has an atomic weight of 40 and the atomic weight of potassium is 39, almost iden-tical! Their valance electron charge is where they differ though; calcium is a dibasic cation whereas potassium is monobasic. That means potassium is poorly held to the surface of the soil particles and calcium is held tenaciously. As the plant feeds, hydrogen is exchanged and the weakest held are first displaced, this is why we find potassium concentrates the plant tissue in abun-dance, not because its concentration is greater.

In fact, high levels of potassium will be found in plants even when the concentration in the soil is low. Balance the soil cation ratios and the levels of K in the plant will fall, even when K is applied to balance the ratios.

The ratio of potassium to calcium, while critical, is no less critical than their ratios to magnesium sodium phosphorus or any other element. These nutrient ratios have been well established and equally as well documented along with the levels of protein and energy.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Environmental Award; Douglas and Cath-erine Bull, Lake Farm.

Jim and Barbara Hitchcock, left and Rhys and Kim Meredith and their children, Max and Libby.

Coast & Country Page 14 DAIRY

When the wells dry, we know the value of water. Benjamin Franklin, 1774.

Until recently, water has been seen by those in the US and New Zealand as an inexhaustible resource with no cost.

So the Royal Soci-ety lecture entitled Unquenchable: Americas water crisis and what to do about it, delivered by Prof Robert Glennon of Arizona to a large Hamilton audi-ence may have been a wakeup call for some, but a forceful confi rmation for others.

In many states of the US, there has been no permit system at all for drilling a hole and taking water, while in others, the appli-cants merely had to think of a reason to do it preferably one which would make money for permits to be freely granted at no cost.

Robert likened the US system to a milkshake; where an unlimited number of straws were allowed into the glass, with no knowledge of the original quantity.

The result has been unlimited ground-water pumping. In some places, ground levels have lowered up to 10 metres in 50 years and new measurements of major aquifers are showing levels up to 150 metres lower than a century ago.

They also built dams everywhere possible, but the pollution now caused from slower streams has seen hundreds removed in the last decade.

Land use capability has obviously not featured much either. Otherwise, why would they build Las Vegas in the middle of the Mojave desert and get 40,000,000 visitors a year every one of which will use copious amounts of water?

While a few cities are attempting to curb and tackle the water problems by recycling and reusing, rather than aiming for drinking water standards for every different usage, there are still Americans such as Senator Dianne Feinstein who think they have a God given right to water gardens and lawns in low rainfall areas such as California.

In New Zealand, we dont at present have the popula-tion pressures and pollution levels of the US, but we do also have a fi nite supply. The

calculations in the US are for the population there to rise by

120,000,000 by 2050 and if theyve got what is being called a crisis now, theyll have a catastrophe unless they start taking water usage seriously.

Hopefully, as yet, us Kiwis dont go in for power showers

with nine water heads, or their toilet fl ushing

system which fi lls the pan before swooshing it away, and which accounts for billions of litres fl ushed every day. One expert, Ann Coulter

has claimed that the fl ush toilet is mans greatest invention Really?

The US is already showing signs of a water crisis; theyve already had crop failures in places like

Colorado, levels in Lake Superior too low to fl oat cargo ships. They also have a national fi xation on ethanol produc-tion, which is calculated to use 2500 litres of water (including irrigation) to produce one litre of ethanol.

Water treatment plants dont remove pharmaceutical residues. In a pill-pop-ping nation, Robert says they are now producing some strange animals and plants downstream from such treatment plants, not to mention who gets to drink the stuff downstream.

Nobody pays for water used in the US. If they do get a bill, its for the utility cost of getting it to the tap. And there are some places where it gets cheaper if you use more! They have what they call the reasonable use rule, which in reality, means if you can think of a use for it, then you can have it.

Roberts view is that, while everyone has a right to water, it must have an appropriate cost and price. He considers we are moving into an era of water real-location and water marketing, using a demand offset policy.

Waikatos Variation 6 would therefore seem to Robert to be a move in the right direction. Maybe yard washing should be compared to power showers and we should think about our permit policy. Probably fi rst in, best dressed doesnt work with water.

Prof Robert Glennon of Arizona told a conference in Hamilton that while every-one has a right to water, it must have an appropriate

cost and price.

We need to value water

By Sue Edmonds

Proven Designs, Proven ProfitsWaikato Dairy Builders are specialists in the design and construction of herringbone dairy sheds.A Waikato Dairy Builders shed is designed to maximise milking efficiency and provide better profitability.

Ph Jim 07-850 5971 Mob. 0274 936 693Ph Chris 07-849 3630 Mob. 0274 936 692P.O. Box 10 188, Te Rapa, Hamiltonwww.dairybuilders.co.nz

We have built hundreds of high producing sheds Completed to your requirements and budget Innovation, workmanship and experience

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PH 07 578 0030 Page 15 DAIRY

A Katikati dairy farmer has a pressure gauge connected to his

toilet water pressure so while hes taking a leak he can also see if

there is a water leak on the farm.Its a good example of how to find water

leaks quickly; a key message DairyNZ is hammering home to farmers as part of its Smart Water Use programme.

Water is a finite natural resource and conserving water use is not only a smart environmental decision; DairyNZ says its a smart economic one too.

With an increasing number of regional council water regulations and restrictions, water use is an issue that dairy farmers will be forced to take more seriously in the future.

DairyNZ consulting officer Wayne Berry says traditional attitudes need to change.

We take water for granted on farms; how we use it. Its something that turns up daily and then disappears.

But water is a resource and farmers are going to have to pay for it, if they arent already, and will have more restrictions put on their water take.

Variation 6With the likes of Variation 6 being

introduced by the Waikato Regional Council, becoming part of dairy opera-tions, Wayne suspects water consents are going to be a nationwide requirement.

There is change in legislation coming; so as a farmer you want options and you want options for long-term sustainabil-ity, says Wayne.

How would you feel if your water was restricted? Or if you had no water tomor-row? Thered be no milk.

I want the choice of water use because I want choice of profitability; lets have control of our destinations.

Wayne says farmers shouldnt get tied up with thinking it is about compliance

though. A dairy farmer himself, Wayne says there are many ways farmers can become more efficient using water, which will create less effluent to deal with, and more importantly have a positive effect on their bottom line.

This water usage future has got noth-ing to do with compliance and your regional councils coming and whacking you with a compliance stick and the cost stick again; its actually reality.

And you can get more profit by being smart with your water.

Open water talksDairyNZ, together with the Bay of

Plenty Regional Council, held open discussions across the Bay of Plenty on Smart Water Use during February.

The sessions were framed to get farmers thinking about how they use water and where there are opportunities to conserve it or reuse it before it goes into the efflu-ent pond.

Wayne says there is a big theme coming on where water efficiency ties in on a dairy farm and the answer is effluent .

Effluent is a pain to deal with and there is going to be more and more requirements for us to deal with.

With the looming pressures on farmers to build bigger effluent storage ponds; have farmers stopped to consider using less water instead? The sessions discussed examples of water use both on the farm and in the dairy shed and how farmers can create a more efficient, sustainable and, more importantly, a more profitable system.

Everybody has a pet water line that requires more maintenance and is conse-quently costing more money; just like your pet cows, it requires more atten-tion than you can afford to give it, says Wayne.

Im surprised how farmers put up with pain-in-the-backside waterlines replac-ing it can save you time and cost.

There are many alert systems and tech-

nologies available to help farmers find water leaks early, including light alerts and pressure gauges, which can be put in good visual spots around the farm.

Dairy shed waterWayne says in the dairy shed there are several areas to

think about: Reuse the plate cooler water; by putting it into a

second tank for wash down purposes is a good start. Put a timer on the yard hose to get farm workers to

use less water. Use green water off the effluent pond for wash

down (a new regulation brought in last year).The DairyNZ average of water use by farmers is 70

litres/per cow/per day for drinking water, and 70 litres/per cow/per day in the dairy shed.

DairyNZ Smart Water Use programme manager Gord Stewart says these are old figures that vary hugely across farms, depending on what systems they have in place.

He says the key is for farmers to use the systems they have the most efficient way they can.

Water is a finite natural resource. Weve all got our part to play.

To read more ways of how to improve water efficiency, visit www.dairynz.co.nz

Plug the leak to improve efficiency

By Sheryl Brown

InnovativeDesign

ImprovesEfficiency

PITGATESezi-flo

Ezi-flo pit gates completelyclear exit ways and cannot

be touched by cows leavingthe milking area.

The fully galvanised gatesare available in kitset for

speedy installation

Ph Jim 07-850 5971 Mob. 0274 936 693Ph Chris 07-849 3630 Mob. 0274 936 692P.O. Box 10 188, Te Rapa, Hamiltonwww.dairybuilders.co.nz

0800 2269742COWSHED

JD

Coast & Country Page 16 DAIRY

Excessive antibiotic use is causing problems in farming systems around the world. In New Zealand we are increasingly relying on antibiotics and hormones

to keep cows in production.

Antibiotics depress the cows immune system and prompt resistance in microbes. Hormones, even in tiny doses, are harmful to the food chain and the environ-ment. The New Zealand average length of lactation is

2.5, compared to USA (mostly confi ne-ment dairying) average of 1.8 lactations per animal. Twenty fi ve per cent of NZ heifers are sent to the works each year for failure to cycle or hold, while 50 per cent of NZ herds have been on mastitis antibiotics at some stage during the season. The common treatments for dairy ills seem less effective now.

There are effective things farmers can do to naturally improve cow perform-ance while reducing use of hormones and antibiotics:

Keeps rumen ora intact and func-tioning productively.

No withholding of AB milk from vat income retained.

Reduces hassle of keeping AB milk separate reduces chances of error.

Helps soil microbes retain health and community integrity.

Easy to administer. Reduces likelihood of

antibiotic resistance in herd.

No jabs to cows. Strengthens instead of

weakening cow immune system.

Fights bacteria with powerful complex plant metabolites that microbes cant develop resistance to.

Cows back to health quickly.

We can support cow health and comfort through a range of natural therapies and botanical based prod-

ucts, such as: Aloe vera that stimulates the immune

system to ward off disease, increases skin healing and prompts better joint func-tion.

Herbal Tinctures or extracts of plant molecules that have specifi c healing effects. Generally these are alcohol-based and include parts from plants like garlic, Echinacea, Caulophyllum, Golden Seal, Red Clover, etc.

Essential Oils found in small amounts in aromatic plants which have strong energies to stimulate human and animal systems to better functioning. Oils such as Tea Tree, Peppermint, Thyme, Cin-namon and Lavender.

Homeopathy based on treating like with like was common in the early 1900s and effective in a range of conditions. Uses herbs and minerals to create power-ful healing memory for water.

Vitamins and Antioxidants that support the lymph and immune systems under times of stress and in am-mation.

Probiotics which are naturally occurring bacte-rial products to aid proper digestion. Trace and Macro miner-

als such as kelp and other botanicals rich in a wide range of micro and major ele-ments that may be unavailable from the soil or when extra is needed during stress times.

Complimentary cow care; less antibiotics more natural approach

SMAC Electrical and Auto Air condition-ing, located in Judea industrial area is the only Karcher authorised service agent in Tauranga, also servicing Katikati and Waihi areas.

The German-made Karcher products set a benchmark for quality says Steve they have been in the industry for 75 years.

A lot of people buy by price, when they should also be con-sidering the application and cleaning power of the machine, says Steve.

The cleaning power is the sum of the psi multiplied by water ow in litres per minute. The Karcher trained people at SMAC are only too happy to help and advise you of the best solution.

Karcher is a top quality brand, with a range of products to suit most budgets, but remember-ing that price also re ects

the expected life of the machine.For example, Karcher always uses stainless

steel springs which are non-corrosive instead of steel for some of their internal parts

so the products have better longevity, says Steve.

He says they are still servicing and repairing 20-plus year old Karcher machines.

Steve says the key is to look after the machines as you would a car.Compare it to a motor car;

they have oil and seals just like a motor car.If you get it regularly serviced,

it will last a lot longer.SMAC supply a wide range of

industries with water blasters and a full range of cleaning machines.

Key industries include the kiwifruit and avocado industries, the Tauranga wharf, car franchises, supermarkets, workshops, trucking and bus busi-nesses, through to dairy farmers and forestry.

Steve is happy to recommend the correct machine for your business requirements.

You dont want to buy an entry level machine if you want to use it 40-plus hours a week!

Were quite happy to advise what machine would suit your business. Karchers new HDS machines are really smart, with on-board computers telling you how many hours its been used, how many hot and cold water hours and are able to shut the machine down automatically if a problem should arise.

Karchers latest design has many user-friendly features, ergonomic hand gun, well-balanced for easy manoeuvring and a chassis designed with cut outs for use with fork-lifts.

Kim says Karcher make a wide range of machines, including oor cleaners, scrubbers and polishers, from battery powered to petrol or diesel run ride-on machines.

Another neat new machine is a window cleaner with an in-built vacuum, which sucks the water so your windows, your restaurants tables, or shower door is left without streak marks.

Steve and Kim McCarthy have been supplying and servicing Karcher water blasters to domestic, commercial and

industrial industries for more than 20 years.

A blast of new water technology

health and comfort through

Vitamins and Antioxidants that support the lymph and immune systems under

als such as kelp and other botanicals rich in a wide range of micro and major ele-ments that may be unavailable from the soil or when extra is needed during stress times.

Compact cold-water high pressure cleaner.

Page 17 PH 07 578 0030 DAIRY

photosynthesis as well as increased energy storage capacity.

Grasses at this stage develop a seed head and become stalky reducing their digestibility, however, clovers remain highly digestible.

Some of the energy developed is fed back down to the roots increasing

the activity of mycorrhizal fungi.

Mycorrhizal fungi

extend the effective area plant roots are able to harvest nutrients, particularly phosphorus, and moisture from.

With roots extending well beyond top 150mm, moisture availability seldom restricts pasture growth except in extended periods of dry weather and when grazing intervals are extended to 30-plus days, high quality feed is able to be stored ahead of the animals.

Healthy plants are largely resist-ant to flea, weevil and other pest

attack. Pests are always likely to be present, however, not in sufficient numbers to have a marked effect on plant growth.

DoloZest and CalciZest have been developed largely from local resources and during seven years on-going monitoring here in New Zealand, has shown pastures to which these products have been applied are able to steadily increase both the total quantity of pasture grown throughout the year as well as its energy content.

Energy content: Pasture to animals

The recent feedback from Eco-Logic Soil Improvement

dairy farm clients using DoloZest/CalciZest based soil fertility

programmes, is that this season, if not the most productive to date,

certainly rivals any in the last 15 years.

Pasture growth rates from our monitor property near Edgecumbe have provided the following grass growth figures for the last four months: October 71kgDM/ha/day; November 67kgDM/ha/day; December 71kgDM/ha/day; January 74kgDM/ha/day.

With approximately 55kgDM/ha/day required to fully feed cows, there has been surplus to conserve for possible use later in autumn, however, given the rain due in the second half of February it is more likely to be fed in winter.

Dry matter is a somewhat crude, but useful measure as there is a great deal of historic dry matter pasture measures to compare with; however, it is the quality of the feed that really counts.

Pastoral farming is essentially an exer-cise in converting sunlight to usable energy via photosynthesis. This means that when sunshine hours are greatest

and pasture growth is not restricted by lack of moisture, the potential to produce both volume and exceptional quality is greatest.

The energy content of pasture can be measured in different ways, however, it is animal performance that is the most relevant.

Farmer clients

have recently reported exceptional produc-tion with little drop in production since the peak production period

in October.The reason for this is that when soils

are calcium rich and well-structured, clover growth during summer can be quite exceptional. Clover, being higher in calcium and available energy than grasses, as well as being more digestible, is the ideal food for high producing lactating animals.

To achieve maximum energy, pastures must have passed their peak growth phase. At this time, there is maximum leaf surface area allowing more rapid

By Dr Paul Dettloff

These natural approaches involve all the systems of the animals body so farmers no longer chase bugs and cover up symptoms. Products used are safe to handle and have few, if any, side effects. This approach is useful and pow-erful for both organic and conventional dairies.

Hundreds of NZ dairy farmers are applying similar techniques and find they can get along on a lot less antibiotics and production doesnt suffer. The envi-ronment also benefits from having fewer chemicals dumped into it so crucial soil microbe communities can flourish. This is the way our market wants us to go and it has strong advantages over the status quo of continued or even escalated chemical usage in farming.

In mid-March Dr Dettloff will be delivering a day-long, practical workshop on alternative therapies for dairy health in Te Poi.

It will be one of seven workshops nationwide. His style is very approachable and enables farmers to check out the cutting edge of dairy health and production while picking up lots of easily usable tips for better calf care, better approaches to mastitis and better reproduc-tive outcomes.

Consumers are demanding better quality in food with fewer chemicals used in production.

Dr Paul Dettloff is a biological ag vet with 40 years extensive dairy experience. For the last 20 years, hes focused on alternative approaches including coach-ing organically certified dairies and developing herbal treatment products.

Natural = no more bugs

DoloZest/CalciZest based solid fertiliser programmes deliver:- * more natural nitrogen fixation

* fewer pests and weeds * improved moisture holding capacity

E S I programmes consistently out-perform fertiliser N driven programmes with more total DM grown containing

more energy resulting in higher levels of animal production.

DoloZest & CalciZest from

esi www.esi.org.nz 07 362 7288

or 0800 843 809

esi Eco-Logic Soil Improvement Ltd Changing the way we do soil fer tility esi

Page 18 Coast & Country DAIRY

Meeting natures balanceBill Webb says with the increased rain volumes this summer,

farmers are doing well; the cows are in good condition and theyre doing record production in a good payout season.

When Coast & Country talked to him in February he was hoping for a week of fine weather to dry paddocks out for maize harvesting.

Weve been challenged by the weather. We dont want wet ground conditions

because it causes a lot of drama; machines get stuck.Bill says they will be about a week to 10 days

behind their normal harvest schedule due to the rain.The maize crops are looking very good though, says

Bill, even though theyre lacking in a bit of height.Theyre not as tall this year; everyone thinks all the

rain is great for the maize, but maize actually needs heat units to grow.

The cob-stover ratio is really good though. The ratio of grain is going to be higher this year so

youll get good energy from your maize silage but less tonnage.

Bill says there will be many nervous farmers after the

wet muggy weather and they need to be mindful of facial eczema.

Dont over graze your pasture; dont let the residuals get too low because facial eczema can have an impact for years.

He says farmers need to be thinking of feeding out quality supplements to counteract stock over grazing paddocks.

Supplement feed is important going into a longer lactation too, says Bill.

Farmers will be milking for longer; everyone is going to be taking advantage of the payout because theyve got grass theyll want the benefits of the extra feed.

Bill says farmers need to keep their cows in calf in good condition if theyre going to milk them longer and be in good condition for the next season.

Weve still got some maize for sale and really good quality grass silage from our annuals last year.

We had some bales sampled; they are over 11.2 ME on average and weve had farmers ringing back for more because its such good quality.

Bill says as always; farmers need to think ahead about their supplements.

His weather forecast is saying the summer is supposed to return in March and April.

Nature has a way of balancing itself. Farmers have a lot of grass and supplements at the moment, but they always need to be thinking ahead.

It can be quite tempting to become complacent when you look out the window at the green paddocks.

I know there may be a shortage of straw as it hasnt been very dry for harvesting barley and grain. Its got wet and you cant bail the straw.

So theres not going to be a lot of straw around. Farmers need to ensure theyve got their orders in early.

By Sheryl Brown

PH 07 578 0030 Page 19FINANCE

We all probably differ on this, but I believe soil is the worlds most

valuable resource.

Some time ago, David Bellamy gave us a wake-up call on just how important the soil is to our very existence.

I studied under Professor Walker at Lincoln University (now deceased) who was one of only a handful of soil enthusiasts in New Zealand. He was an absolute advocate and very passionate about soil and taught me well during my time at Lincoln University.

He was a strong proponent of biological nitrogen fi xation and much of his research, and that of his staff and students, was concerned with the correction of nutrient defi -ciencies, such as sulphur, molybdenum and phosphorus limiting the growth of legumes and, as a consequence, nitrogen build up in soils. Professor Walkers great legacy to Lincoln University was the establishment of a strong, cohesive and happy Soil Science Department.

I fi nd it amazing, even after Prof Walkers efforts, there is no independent soil author-ity in New Zealand. Soils are formed over millions of years from dust, erosion of rocks

producing chips, pebbles, gravels, sands, silts and clays. These various materials hold and exchange all the essential elements as soil.

There seems to be a misconception that the more input we make to the soil, the faster the pastures will grow, but this is not always true. A P-level of 30 is apparently optimum, yet many farmers strive for a P-level of 70-plus!

Are the sprays used to minimise cultivation and fuel usage sterilising the soil and killing the micro-organisms that lie below the surface, which are so essential to the soils stomach or life? Will high levels of nitrogen input also sterilise our soils or can soils manage 200-300 kilograms per ha/per annum without upset-ting the balance?

Nicole Masters of Integrity Soils believes excessive use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides compromises this balance in the soil, achieving the exact opposite of what is required (NZ Dairy Exporter, 2012).

The avocado industry wanted 12 copper sprays per annum on orchards. From my expe-

rience, the result would have been dead soil, as worms and many micro-organisms just leave home under heavy copper toxicity.

Bowling greens and golf courses actually spray the greens with a weak solution of copper sulphate to dispose of the worms, so there are no worm casts on top!

To conclude, we as farmers are only cus-todians of this land and the soil, for your occupational time. We need to think about what we are doing to a vital and valuable world resource.

We need to remember the soil is alive and needs to be cared for and balance our expecta-tions against reality. Remembering Bellamy and Walker and thinking about what they had to say is vital for the future.

Soils in New Zealand, and for that matter, the world, belong to the universe not us! As with the land, we only have the right to occupy them for our lifetime.

These are the opinions of Don Fraser of