Winter 2016

VOLUME 6 | WINTER 2016
Keeping you in touch with your co-op
Capital & Governance
What is proposed?
Since then we’ve done some
more thinking. You told us you
want us to think out loud and
that is what we are doing.
Murray King,
LIC Board chaiman
Creating value
and options
of significant
impact
In the last edition of The LINK
we told you about work the
LIC Board has been doing
looking at some of the
opportunities and challenges
facing your co-op.
When we talked to you
during our roadshow last
year, farmers told us they
wanted a range of things:
Some wanted investment
returns by way of dividends,
others wanted growth in share
value and most wanted new
and innovative products
and services.
All wanted their cows in
calf to quality genetics and
information to help manage
their herd and farm.
As we also said back in
January, it was clear to the
Board that LIC is essentially
two components:
i) A herd improvement
co-operative supplying
core products and services
such as our breeding
programme, and;
ii) a more risk-taking
corporate business,
investing in new and
innovative products
both in New Zealand
and abroad.
So in early June we undertook
a second roadshow to talk
to you about what we are
considering. We have firmed
up on some ideas which have
the potential to create more
than $50 million of value for
you, our farmer shareholders,
by separating LIC into two
parts:
1) LIC – a herd improvement
co-op focused on genetic
gain at an affordable
price, including:
• Artificial breeding
• The database
•FarmWise
• Genes on Legs
• Genetics Research
& Development
2) A beefed up LICA (LIC
Automation) – an agritech
company focused on
developing new software,
hardware, and sensing
systems for New Zealand
and international
farmers, including:
•Automation
•MINDA
• Herd Testing
•GeneMark
• Animal Health
•International.
shareholders have been
raising with us. These include;
• Divergence of interest
between the current
co-operative and
investment share classes
• Illiquid market created
by thin trading in the
current shares
• Lack of appetite from the
current shareholder base
for investment
• Funding needed to develop
and grow the information,
automation and sensing
businesses
• The co-op can ‘stick to
its knitting’ and focus
on its core business of
genetic gain
• The LIC Agritech company
can focus on developing
new products and growth
All AB? You've gotta
be on your game.
What happens next?
Now the June roadshows are
complete, the Board will be
thinking about your feedback
and making any necessary
changes to our proposal. We
plan to update shareholders
at our Annual General Meeting
in October. We will form the
two businesses (still under
one Board and management
team) in December this year.
Any investor proposal for
external equity would be
considered by shareholders
and a vote held, possibly
in 2017.
The core business would
most definitely remain
a co-operative.
We think this is a truly
transformational opportunity
for LIC. It will ensure your
co-op can continue to deliver
the core AB services you
need at an affordable price
and invest in developing
new technologies for you
for the future.
Aside from the potential
opportunity to create
more than $50 million of
value for shareholders,
we’ve been looking for
ways to respond to issues
Read more on page 14
• The technology world is
moving fast and we want
to be in control of our
destiny otherwise it may
be decided for us.
This would give the Board
options, including the
potential to raise capital
by bringing in other
shareholders into the agritech
business if approved by
existing shareholders.
Why change?
It's all about
efficiency of output,
says Ellis.
Read more on page 13
Journey of the
Packhorse.
Opportunity
We look forward to discussing
it with you further.
Read more on page 10
2
SHAREHOLDER COUNCILLOR PROFILE
FRASER MCBETH, WARD 16, TASMAN.
Tell us about your
farm business.
My wife Christine and I have
owned our 115 ha dairy
farm for 11 years. After
sharemilking our way
north from Canterbury,
we purchased a share in
a runoff 2 years ago at the
end of the high payout (timing
could have been better).
Our farm is about one hour’s
drive south-west of Nelson.
We calve 240 Jersey and
KiwiCross™ cows and after
having done once-a-day
(OAD) milking this season,
we plan to continue with
OAD into the future.
We have 100 R1 and 100 R2
heifers, and 80 R1 and 45 R2
high-BW bulls on our runoff
block: As a result, stock
sales make up 25 to 35 %
of our gross farm income,
depending on payout.
Bulls are sold or leased as
high BW for breeding.
Genetics and the Jersey cow
are our main passion, and
after close to 20 years we
have just moved our herd
BW into the top-10 in the
country. We hope to maintain
this ranking while slightly
increasing focus on type and
conformation traits.
Obviously with the lower
payouts of the last few
seasons we have had to
make adjustments to the way
we run our business. Until
now these have been small
tweaks, however now, with
sub-$4.50 payouts, we really
have slashed expenditure
with $100,000 planned to
come off total farm expenses
this season. This level of cost
cutting is only sustainable
in our business over the
short term.
Christine and I have four
children. The youngest son,
19, has special needs and
is still at home. Our eldest
Jason, 24, is contract milking
in Murchison.
Fraser McBeth
Our two daughters, Kelly, 23,
and Ashleigh, 22, both live
in Nelson.
Why are you on LIC’s
shareholder council?
I was co-opted onto the
shareholders council three
terms ago. I felt I should
contribute to an organisation
which has delivered immensly
positive results to the dairy
industry's profitability (since
the advent of AB and herd
testing all those years ago).
What are the strengths
of your area/community
– what makes it
so special?
The Tasman/Marlborough
is the greatest region in NZ.
Geographically we are the
largest LIC ward, extending
from Puponga in the west of
the top of the South Island,
to Maruia near the Lewis
Pass in the south, and across
to the east including all of
the Marlborough district.
However, we only have 1.7% of
New Zealand’s dairy cows and
2% of New Zealand's herds.
We have the highest sunshine
hours, and the most national
parks (Abel Tasman, Nelson
Lakes, and Kahurangi). Blue
Lake in the Nelson Lakes
National Park has the clearest
water in the world. The region
also has the most vineyards
in the country, and maybe the
best beaches!
The breeders of the highestBW Jersey bull in the country,
Chardonary Frankie, and
Friesian bull Sanray FM
Beamer, both live in Golden
Bay in the heart of our ward.
Off-farm, what else are
you involved with?
What does a co-op
mean to you?
I don't like to get off the farm
much, but do enjoy a bit of
fishing and unwinding in
the Marlborough Sounds.
I do some judging for The
Dairy Industry Awards,
attend Jersey NZ's annual
conference, and get involved
in the Nelson/Marlborough
and Golden Bay Jersey
Club activities. Of course I
also enjoy catching up with
the kids, and I don't mind
watching Game of Thrones!
I believe a co-op exists to
deliver services to its members
at the best possible price, and
that pricing is as similar as
possible for every shareholder,
regardless of scale and
location, while continuing to
invest for the future.
What are your key
interests in LIC?
Without doubt my key interest
in LIC is genetics and herd
recording, and the evolving
science behind dairy cattle
breeding. The animal
evaluation model and its
evolution are of huge interest
to me.
LINK Keeping you in touch with your co-operative
This newspaper is written and produced by LIC, to take our shareholders behind the scenes, so you have a greater understanding of your co-operative. Published at six-monthly
intervals, LINK is mailed to all LIC shareholders and customers. If you would like additional copies for your farm team, let us know. And if you have feedback or suggestions of topics
you would like covered in future editions, don’t hesitate to contact us: LIC Marketing & Communications • Phone: 07 856 0700 • Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer
Livestock Improvement Corporation Limited (“LIC”) has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information in this publication is as accurate and up-to-date as possible. The information is provided in
good faith with no guarantee as to the accuracy or currency of any information, and LIC its employees, agents, and all other persons associated with the compilation, writing, editing, approval or publication
of, or any other kind of work in connection with, the information:
1.disclaim any and all responsibility for any inaccuracy, error, omission, lateness or any other kind of inadequacy, deficiency, or flaw in, or in relation to, the information; and
2.without limiting (1) above, fully exclude any and all liability of any kind, on the part of any and all of them, t o any per son or entity that chooses to rely upon the information.
The information provided in this publication is only intended to be general information. It is not intended to take the place of other sources of information available to you regarding your business and before
acting on any information you should take specific advice from qualified professionals. Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service whether by trade name, trademark, manufacture, or
otherwise does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by LIC.
Forward Pack, Premier Sires, Alpha Nominated, KiwiCross, Sire Proving Scheme, DataMATE, MINDA, Protrack, Protrack EZ Heat, KAMAR, GeneMark, and FarmWise are all trademarks belonging to LIC. SGL
Dairy, SGL Marker, Premier Sires Fresh Sexed Semen, AB Technician, MINDA Mobile, FarmKeeper, MINDA Land and Feed, MINDA Identification, MINDA Milk, MINDA LIVE, Herd Testing, MINDA Weights, LIC
Webshop, MINDA apps, Protrack Vantage, Protrack Vector, Protrack Drafter, PI Hunt, PI Clear and 6 Week Challenge are all products belonging to LIC.
3
Wayne McNee, LIC chief executive
2016:
launched at Fieldays
Available on the internet, MINDA LIVE – LIC’s eventual
replacement for MINDApro – will be demonstrated and
at June’s National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery
Creek near Hamilton.
MINDA LIVE is an alternative to MINDApro,
but comes with improved web-based
features that can deliver on-the-spot
answers, anytime, anywhere on farm.
Transforming LIC
so we can be here
for you for at least
the next 50 years
By Wayne McNee, LIC chief executive
I’m passionate about New Zealand agriculture and
the New Zealand dairy industry. That’s one of the
reasons I came to LIC.
LIC makes a huge contribution
and I want to ensure we are
here in 50 years to continue
to deliver that value to
our farmers.
I also love our focus on
new product development,
especially in agritech, and want
to make sure we can get our
new products to our farmers
faster than ever before.
These are tough times for
farmers and for agribusinesses.
LIC has a responsibility to
farmers, and to the dairy
industry, to have a long-term
sustainable future.
We need to prioritise the
most important areas for the
business. We need to ensure
LIC is still here not only next
year, but in 50 years. We also
want to be in a position to
grow and innovate when the
time comes.
To do this, we need to make
the most of our great products
and great people.
LIC is starting a
transformation process and
we are bringing in outside
experts where we need them.
We are reviewing everything
we do to ensure we are as
efficient as possible, and
to identify new sources of
revenue. We are working
with the best in the world and
following a proven process.
I believe we will transform
the business for a stronger
future because we have the
drive to succeed and we are
passionate about what we do
for our farmers.
We want to meet our
responsibility to ensure LIC is
here for the long term for our
owners and farmers and for
New Zealand. Transforming
LIC will deliver better value to
dairy farming communities
and the dairy sector, enabling
them to get through these
tough times and be set up
when dairy prices go back up.
For some time, LIC has offered a select
suite of web-based features, such as
Land and Feed and MINDA Weights,
which are typically used to complement
LIC’s traditional herd recording software,
MINDApro.
However, for the first time MINDA LIVE can
be used to submit Events and generate
Reports, online and in real time.
This new capability offers a range of
benefits: One of the foremost is that
multiple users on farm can access all, or
some, information – depending on settings
dictated by management. In other words,
farm managers or owners are able to
control the level of features accessible
to each member of staff. Settings can
be aligned to staff responsibilities,
experience, and capabilities.
One other major benefit is that the
need to ‘synchronise’ information will be
eliminated.
Waiting on a MINDA sync to access up-todate animal information is set to become
a thing of the past, because MINDA LIVE
offers on-the-spot, latest, information in
real time, where and when it’s needed.
That means instant updating of calvings,
matings, pregnancy diagnoses, and all
other important events. Events, however,
can still be reviewed in the ‘holding pen’
– catching any mistakes before being
submitted to LIC.
The holding pen also contains ‘version
control’, enabling farmers to review
changes that took place during recording
of specific events; this allows a full audit
trial of changes, including the time at
which they were made, and identifying
the user who inputted data.
The beginning of a new reporting
framework will also be offered atFieldays
and completed shortly after.
New reporting functionality will allow full
flexibility, allowing farm management to
design reports specific to the farm’s needs.
Reports can be saved for later reference,
and shared between other devices on
farm.
MINDA LIVE can be accessed at
www.minda.co.nz.
LIC encourages visitors to Fieldays to
experience MINDA LIVE at the LIC site.
Demonstrations and training will be
offered, and farmers will be able to reset
usernames and passwords (i.e. in case
it’s been while since you used LIC’s online
tools).
LIC's Fieldays site will help farmers discover the benefits of MINDA LIVE
We will ensure we are the
best at what we do and will
continue to deliver quality
services and solutions for
our farmers.
Some of this requires hard
decisions. It simply costs us too
much to deliver our services
to you. We need to find ways
of lowering the cost of service
delivery. We also need to find
ways of improving our service
to you while we lower our costs.
It won’t be easy.
You will see change at LIC
over the next 18 months, just
as you are making changes in
your business.
LIC is here for the long haul –
we are your cooperative.
Discover what
MINDA LIVE
offers at LIC's
Fieldays site
LINK : Winter 2016
4
STRAIGHT LINES OR CIRCLES
– FINDING HEATS SHOULD BE EZ AS
Farmers who milk in herringbones
now have an easy-to-use and
high tech solution to accurately
identify which of their cows are
on heat.
Developed by LIC, the solution
is commercially available
to farmers in New Zealand
and overseas.
The aim of the system
is to save farmers staff
resource, time, and
money during their
busy mating season,
using exclusive
camera technology to
automatically identify
heat events.
Paul Whiston, LIC Automation
chief executive, said the
technology was developed
to meet farmer demand
for a herringbone heat
detection solution.
Protrack’s EZ Heat for rotaries
had been available for four
years, and a large number
of farmers had asked for a
herringbone solution.
A prototype for herringbones
was first released at Fieldays
last year. It was then refined
in field tests before recently
becoming available for
commercial release.
Protrack’s EZ Heat
system (for both rotary
and herringbone sheds)
integrates with LIC
Automation’s Protrack
system to draft cows after
heat detection.
The system also integrates
with LIC’s MINDA herd
management software
to record the heat events
– making life even easier
for farmers.
For the 2016-17 season
LIC is offering interestfree terms on a range
of products, including
Protrack EZ Heat
and Protrack™
drafting solutions.
Whiston said the
heat detection technology
was designed to improve
efficiency and herd
management decisions.
“Protrack EZ Heat™
reduces production
losses through missed
heats, while removing
the stress and labour
costs associated
with manual heat
detection.”
Identifying cows on
heat is critical during the
farm’s mating season –
and the following year’s
production depends on it.
Achieving accuracy can
be challenging for even the
most experienced farmer.
“The system is very accurate
at detecting activated and
missing heat patches,”
Whiston said.
The herringbone system
includes a unique in-race
photo booth that cows walk
through as they leave the
shed after milking.
A camera in the booth
photographs the cow’s
heat patch above its tail,
and evaluates the heat
patch for signs of activation.
By comparison, the rotary
system photographs the
heat patch while the cow
is on the platform.
In both systems, cows deemed
to have no activity are drafted
back to the paddock.
If a patch is deemed
activated or missing,
the cow is automatically
drafted by Protrack to
a pen ready for the farmer
to inspect and put the
cow up for artificial
insemination.
Heats detected by
Protrack EZ Heat are
automatically recorded in
MINDA®, removing the need
for manual data entry.
5
THE IMPORTANCE OF BCS
By Darren Sutton,
FarmWise® consultant,
Waikato
With variation in where the
rain falls comes a variation
in pasture covers.
And so it follows with cow
condition. At the beginning
of autumn there was a wide
range in cow condition,
both between farms and
within herds.
If the situation is not managed
well, the herd average BCS
may appear okay, but the
range of cows can be 3.0 to
6.0 by late autumn.
Below, I cover off what you
should be thinking about
to ensure cow condition is
protected through autumn
and winter.
BCS Targets
Low Cow Condition
Cow condition and feed
planning are two areas
requiring careful monitoring
to ensure the season’s milk
production and reproduction
is not dictated by climate.
As lactation goes on during
the season, it becomes clear
who the high producers are
within a herd.
High performance cows tend
to keep milking despite limited
levels of feed, and lose weight
in the process.
Meanwhile, other cows
(often lower-PW cows) will
begin to partition energy
toward BCS gain, getting
fat in the process.
To optimise opportunity
for profit, DairyNZ research
reiterates industry targets
(at calving) of 5.0 body
condition score (BCS)
for mixed age (MA) cows,
and 5.5 BCS for firstand second-calvers.
These are not merely
‘nice targets to achieve’.
They should be the aim
of every farmer at calving –
because condition will directly
affect milk production and
reproduction potential.
DairyNZ’s research shows
that the net gain in milk
production – through
calving cows at 5.0 BCS
rather than 4.5 BCS –
is 7.5kgs of milksolids.
A separate (DairyNZ) study
also shows that cows calving
at BCS 4.0, compared to
BCS 5.0, results in a seven
percent lower chance of
cycling at planned start of
mating (PSM), and will take
about nine days longer to
begin cycling.
Cows that have not cycled at
PSM typically have:
(i)a 16 percent lower six-week
in-calf rate, and;
(ii)a six percent higher
empty rate.
So what is the best way
to manage your herd?
If you’re not already doing so,
start body condition scoring
your herd to get a realistic
understanding of condition
– as opposed to the mind-set
that ‘they’re okay apart from
the odd light one’.
Dairy NZ’s Body Condition
Scoring Made Easy booklet
helps guide farmers through
condition scoring.
Aim to do at least 70 cows to
get a good cross-section of
the herd.
The DairyNZ booklet explains
how to work out an average
from these cows’ scores.
There is also the very
handy BCS app from Dairy
NZ that you download to your
smart phone. This provides
the mob's average and
percentages of differing BCS.
You can also ‘flag’ individual
cows that need attention.
It also has pictures of what
the different BCS look like
for the different breeds.
Alternatively, get an
accredited BCS assessor to
independently score your herd,
which will allow objective and
impartial data to work from.
To find a local assessor,
check out DairyNZ’s website.
Once you have worked out
what percentage of your
herd are in the ‘4.0 BCS or
lower’ category, decide
what management changes
you can make to hit BCS
targets by the planned start
of calving (PSC).
of grass or maize silage,
or 125 kgs of PKE above her
maintenance needs.
So in the middle of June
a Friesian cow calving on
1 August, that is 4.5 BCS,
is going to need about 9.5 kgs
offered of pasture dry matter
(DM) for maintenance, and
will need about 5 kgs of PKE
offered per day to reach the
5.0 BCS target three weeks
out from calving.
Quantify what supplements
are needed for late winter
and spring.
On crops, the same cow will
need to consume 210 kgs of
DM of kale, 180 of swedes
and 155 of Fodder Beet above
maintenance. This explains
why after allowing for feed
wastage, 14 kgs DM offered
of feed can be needed to
gain 1 BCS over 60 days on
winter crops.
Do a feed budget to project
if your annual pasture
cover (APC) will be at target
at the PSC and will track
okay through spring to
balance date.
This highlights the importance
of drying cows off in the
autumn based on calving
date and BCS in a timely way
so that you are not chasing
BCS when time is short.
Build into the feed budget the
required amount of feed to
lift the BCS to have the entire
herd at 5.0 for MA cows and
5.5 for R2s and R3s.
To really get accurate you can
create a matrix of cows' BCS
and their calving date.
So what are the best
options for managing
BCS in the dry period?
You cannot expect any BCS
gain in the final three weeks
of gestation. Also, realistically
you cannot expect more
than half a BCS gain in 30
days, unless you are using
some form of a high quality
supplement.
The types of feed can have
a major influence on whether
you can gain more than half
a BCS in 30 days. To gain
1 BCS, a Friesian cow of 500
kgs will need to consume
either 200 kgs of dry matter
of autumn pasture, 160 kgs
This is where the MINDA lookup app is so useful. You can
draft cows based on whether
they are calving in August,
September, or October and
what BCS they are.
A cow calving on 1 October
has a lot more time to lift from
a 4.0 BCS, than say, a cow
calving on 1 August (she can
therefore be fed differently).
By being proactive (in not
letting BCS slip) and by
altering management now,
you should help provide the
farm with options for days in
milk at a lower cost structure.
LINK : Winter 2016
6
PREMIER SIRES
Tony and Ali Van Der Heyden
On their Tokoroa dairy farm, Tony and Ali Van
Der Heyden calved and reared 111011 Ashdale FM
Kelsbells S1F. They had their inaugural year as
Premier Sires breeders in 2015. And with Kelsbells’
retaining a lofty place on 2016’s Ranking of Active
Sires lists, Tony and Ali look set for their consecutive
year as Premier Sires breeders. Here, we gain a
unique insight of the Van Der Haydens' breeding
philosophy, and their approach toward milking
great daughters.
“Since I was a five-year-old
boy dairy animals have
been a passion of mine, and
my interest in genetics has
developed over time.
When you get your first
contract cow, that’s a real
buzz, and I suppose that
thrill continues each time
the breeding company is
interested.
And then of course you want
your first bull to make the
Premier Sires team.
It (bull calf Kelsbells) may
have been a bit of luck, the
result of Mint Edition on a
really good cow family. Mint
Edition is the best bull I’ve ever
used. So there’s a bit of luck
in there because there’s a lot
of permutations that go into
getting a good bull.
Kelsbells’ dam was an ‘03
born, and was the result of
one of my own matings rather
than a contract mating. I’d
done a bit of ET (embryo
transfer) work on the granddam, a 1988-born cow who
was ET’d at 14 years of age.
Kelsbell’s mother was the
result of one of the progeny
from that ET mating.
We got about 16 embryos
and eight held, 5 bulls and 3
heifers. Kelsbells’ dam was
the best of the heifers, and
the mating was to Hugo which
was another LIC bull.
Because the herd may go up
for sale in the next five years
or so, I’m becoming more BW
oriented. I always want a good
conformation sort of a cow,
a compact sort of a cow – all
the things that I suppose go
in to BW, but with good dairy
conformation and good
udders, and still being able
to look after themselves with
good production – I suppose
that’s where body condition
score (BCS) comes in now.
Kelsbells has done alright
out of the system review in
February – the introduction of
the BCS breeding value has
helped Kelsbells.
I nominate. I look for Friesian
bulls with 40 protein, and
pretty reasonable BW. With
crossbred bulls I’ll look for
25-30 protein. I want my
nominated packs to have a
BW-equivalent to Premier
Sires teams, so that I’m not
losing out by nominating. I’ll
look for an udder overall and
dairy conformation of 0.60.
Because I can’t just have Mint
Edition sons, I always look for
variation in genetics. I want a
low-somatic cell count herd.
Fertility I look at as well, just in
general. In terms of selection
I want some Mint Edition sons
and some Solaris sons – just
bulls I like, and I try to keep
that going.
It’s always exciting looking
for the progeny of bulls I
haven’t used before. I chose
Priests Sierra when he was
at 215BW. I was just taking a
punt because he looked good
with 30 protein, 40 for fat.
Now he’s at 288BW, and I look
forward to seeing progeny
from the next generation
of bulls – the Beamers and
the like.
I’ve sort of moved away
from Mint Edition and Solaris –
so now it’s a few different bulls,
and I look forward to them (the
daughters) hitting the ground
and then milking them two
years down the track.
I like to have surplus heifer
calves so I get choice on
which ones to keep. I eyeball
the calves as much as I
look at the figures – good
constitution is a big factor.
I’ll walk through the calf
pen every day looking at
the calves, and I suppose
that continues through
until they hit the platform;
it’s important to monitor
whether TOPs (traits-otherthan-production) match up
to expectations.
For me it’s a culmination
of a lifetime of breeding,
and getting rewarded
with the satisfaction of getting
a bull in Premier Sires.”
7
2015:
BREEDER
Evan & Shirleen Smeath – Hikurangi
Northland
Luke & Lyna Beehre – Hikurangi
Northland
Mark & Megan Heslop – Cambridge
Waikato
Daniel Jefferies – Hamilton
Waikato
John & Christine McCormick – Huntly
Waikato
Andrew & Nicola Walford – Matamata
Waikato
Brent & Cindy Morris – Morrinsville
Waikato
George & Glenda Howie – Morrinsville
Waikato
Des Hickey – Ohinewai
Waikato
Gavin & Rosemary Fleming – Otorohanga
Waikato
Pat & Kathy Edwards – Otorohanga
Waikato
Peter & Jill Rabarts – Otorohanga
Waikato
Stewart & Kathryn Anderson – Otorohanga
Waikato
Peter, Nola & Gay McDonnell – Putaruru
Waikato
Graham & Glenys Bell – Te Aroha
Waikato
Malcolm, Jody, John & Ann Ellis – Te Awamutu
Waikato
Raeden & Lyn Jackson – Te Aroha
Waikato
Robert & Anne Siddins – Thames
Waikato
Roger Crawford – Tokoroa
Waikato
Rowan Priest – Te Aroha
Waikato
Shaun Good & Michelle Adam – Te Awamutu
Waikato
Tony & Ali Van der Heyden – Tokoroa
Waikato
Goodwright Family – Waiuku
Waikato
Dennis & Heather Wilks – Katikati
Bay of Plenty
Charles & Ellen Mitchell – Murupara
Bay of Plenty
Alan & Anne Looney – Opotiki
Bay of Plenty
Stephen & Astrid Wells – Eltham
Taranaki
Kelvin & Sandy Tosland – Hawera
Taranaki
Kevin & Olwyn Duthie – Hawera
Taranaki
Merton Family Trust – Hawera
Taranaki
Murray & Judith Brown – Hawera
Taranaki
Paul & Kirsten Midgley – Hawera
Taranaki
Rob & Alison Thwaites – Hawera
Taranaki
Mike & Christine Gyde – Inglewood
Taranaki
Robert & Rosemary Cartwright – Inglewood
Taranaki
Chris & Kerry Mullin – New Plymouth
Taranaki
Kelston & Diane Dickson – New Plymouth
Taranaki
John & Jennifer Lawn – Opunake
Taranaki
And we’ll do the same next year. And the year after
that. And the year after that.
Lynskey family – Opunake
Taranaki
Mark Tobeck – Stratford
Taranaki
You get the picture.
Adrian Collins – Waitara
Taranaki
Jim & Sue Webster – Waitara
Taranaki
Gavin & Graeme Drysdale – Eketahuna
Manawatu-Wairarapa
Graham & Julie Moody – Eketahuna
Manawatu-Wairarapa
Bruce & Bronwyn Jensen – Feilding
Manawatu-Wairarapa
Bryan & Jo Guy – Feilding
Manawatu-Wairarapa
Huzziff Farms Ltd – Foxton
Manawatu-Wairarapa
Craig & Chantelle Rowe – Palmerston North
Manawatu-Wairarapa
Keith, Gayle & Tania Cresswell – Woodville
Manawatu-Wairarapa
Brian & Mary-Anne Nesbit – Takaka
Nelson-Marlborough
Ray & Sandra Hocking – Takaka
Nelson-Marlborough
Phil & Donna Lowe, Todd & Fleur Anderson – Ashburton/Winton
Canterbury
Neville & Raewyn Tidey – Christchurch
Canterbury
Brendan & Jacqui Durcan – Timaru
Canterbury
Steve & Nina Ireland – Temuka
Canterbury
Mike & Chris Moffatt – Waimate
Canterbury
Hans & Margaret Schouten – Invercargill
Southland
Allison Family – Outram
Southland
Geoff Wilson – Outram
Southland
John & Jenne Kennedy – Winton
Southland
Singh Family – Wyndham
Southland
Todd & Fleur Anderson – Winton
Southland
ROLL OF
HONOUR.
LIC shareholders rely on the industry’s best farmers
to nurture world-beating dairy genetics, resulting in
bull calves that help secure the continued future of
New Zealand’s low-cost pastoral system.
So in our top dairy breeders there’s much to be
grateful for.
For many breeders perhaps the highest honour
is producing a bull calf that goes on to become
a member of LIC’s Premier Sires® bull team.
Premier Sires is the country’s widest distribution
network of top dairy genetics – to any New Zealand
dairy farmer, anywhere in the country.
Sharing in the spoils is what being part of
a co-operative is all about.
Being part of a co-operative is also about the spirit
of celebration.
Therefore, as progeny of last year’s Premier Sires
begin hitting the ground as newborns this calving
season, LIC takes enormous pleasure in listing the
breeders behind 2015’s Premier Sires teams.
We salute them.
LINK : Winter 2016
8
CANTERBURY COUPLE
CAPTURE KUDOS
LIC chair Murray King with Susie and Michael Woodward
Susie and Michael
Woodward are the
2016 winners of
LIC recording and
productivity award,
taken out at the
recent National Dairy
Industry Awards held
in Wellington.
“When I first came to
New Zealand (July 2005), I
came to a 3000-cow farm…
I took a look at the MINDA
records at the time and there
was a high number of cows
that were mis-recorded –
or the calves got allocated
an ear tag, were given
a random Mum and Dad,
and away they went.
farmers so they’re able to
have the best genetics out
there,” Susie said.
The couple, aged 33 and
35 respectively, are 50/50
sharemilkers for Purata
Farming Ltd at Dunsandel
in Canterbury.
“I was flabbergasted, because
I was used to a system in the
States where you knew exactly
the cow you were looking at,
and you knew exactly what her
genetic line was and what her
capabilities were.”
“We’ve taken the time to do
the crossbreeding on those –
we’re looking for that half to
three-quarter Friesian so she’s
all-black with all black feet…
we just find it suits us really well
where we are in Canterbury.
Susie spent a good part of the
following few years tidying up
the farm’s MINDA records.
“When we look at our calves
this year compared to last
year we’re seeing fewer
outliers – so it’s really cool to
see them come through and
know that we’ve played our
part in making that change.
Taking out the LIC prize, along
with being runners-up at the
national awards, has helped
them to finish the tough
2015/2016 season on a high.
Having won the Canterbury
regional award earlier this
year – in which they walked
away with $17,000 in cash
and prizes – they won four
category merit awards
(including the LIC one)
at the awards dinner, picking
up a further $33,000 in cash
and prizes.
“With the right information on
the right cow it allows you to
make the best decisions you
can with your herd. Because
we straightened up the
records we helped to improve
the herd.”
Susie, who grew up on a dairy
farm in up-state New York,
said winning the LIC recording
and productivity category was
a real highlight.
The strategy of improving
herd performance through
accurate record keeping was
part of the reason Michael
and Susie became involved in
LIC’s Sire Proving Scheme in
2014/2015 (the year they first
became 50/50 sharemilkers).
“I’ve always taken a lot of pride
in the record-keeping I do.
“It’s nice to pass on accurate
information on to other
When Susie and Michael
ventured into the 50/50
sharemilking they purchased
lines of cows out of both
a predominantly-Friesian
herd and a predominantlyJersey herd.
“Breeding is definitely
something we think about
long-term. The decisions
we’re making now we know
will take a long time to come
through so we’ve got to be
patient with, confident in,
and committed to, our plan.”
Susie has an interesting
‘side project’ when it comes
to breeding.
“I particularly like the Brown
Swiss breed of cow, which
Susie and Michael Woodward
I had a lot to do with in the
States, and I think there are
a few characteristics in that
breed that would suit the
New Zealand system really well.
“It perhaps goes against
the BW/PW system, but I
do feel the characteristics
of that breed might go well
here in Canterbury. I had
about 25 straws we put into
the herd this year just to see
what happens.
“Everybody needs their own
little thing that gets them out
of bed every morning and
for me that’s it – being able
to tinker around with that
sort of stuff. I absolutely love
the opportunity to do that,
and yes, it’s fair to say I do
like to push boundaries and
experiment, testing the waters
if you like.”
Most of the couple’s recording
is done via MINDA’s yellow
notebook and regularly keyed
into the software, and Susie
reiterates that she’s absolutely
fastidious when it comes to
event recording.
“For me having no queries
on the herd is the natural,
default, state. No doubt the
people in the LIC call centre,
when I was trying to organise
and get things right, got to
know me quite well.”
She and Michael have
“tinkered with” MINDA Apps
“but what I really like about our
paper based system is that I
can go back and see where
the errors came from.”
The also use MINDA LIVE
for weights reports and to
check on data following
Herd Testing.
“We use the Culling Guide for
voluntary culls and the repro
reports are really handy to
see how we’re tracking after
mating – I love those ones.
We also use the livewight ones
for the calves, and we’re body
condition scoring so we use
those reports as well.”
9
SISTERS DOING IT
NOT ONLY FOR THEMSELVES,
BUT FOR THEIR INDUSTRY
LIC’s own Michelle Wilson was
a finalist in the recent Dairy
Woman of the Year award.
Michelle made the shortlist
of three, but in the end was
edged out by Rebecca
Keoghan, who is a Landcorp
business manager on the West
Coast (Rebecca’s husband
Nathan Keoghan is an LIC
shareholder councillor).
In her day job Michelle
services the needs of farmers
in the Waihi and Paeroa area
as a Farm Solutions Manager.
“It was an honour
to be named
as a Dairy
Women’s Network
finalist, and I
believe it was an
acknowledgement
of the service and
leadership I’ve
given over recent
years within the
industry,” she said.
Michelle is a former executive
chair of the Dairy Women’s
Network, an organisation
that fosters leadership and
knowledge for women in
dairying. During her tenure
at the organisation she
oversaw phenomenal growth
in membership, which today
stands at more than 8000.
In 2013, she represented the
industry at the APEC Women
in Leadership Forum in Beijing.
When not on the road in her
LIC role, Michelle owns and
runs a 120-cow Waihi farm
with her husband Pete, which
they took on two years ago,
having moved “back home”
from Southland.
Beside bringing up their three
children (now 19, 23, and 26),
the Wilsons spent 12 years
in Southland on a 650-cow
farm, which they part-owned
in an equity partnership with
their former sharemilking
employers, Mark and Diane
Townshend of Ngatea.
As an LIC Farm Solutions
Manager, Michelle said she
gets a privileged insight
into farm operations and
decision making processes
among many couples, and
gets an excellent feel for
farmer sentiment on a variety
of issues.
“Every farm varies, but
typically the male does
a lot of the physical stuff
and often has expertise in
animal husbandry, and will
therefore largely make the onfarm day-to-day decisions.
“But women also have
a big influence because
they’re often the ones who
go off-farm for networking
events, training sessions,
and upskilling when it comes
to finance, HR (human
resources), or health and
safety compliance.
“So we, as women, are
very often the tactical and
strategic decision makers,
and we’re able to influence
change, and challenge the
status quo.”
Because of increasing clout
on farm, it was apparent
that women were feeling
empowered to transfer their
influence and knowledge
beyond the farm gate,
Michelle said.
It was heartening to see
more women making the
board table and senior
management positions in
the rural industry.
A good example of that
was the LIC board itself.
In 2014 Dr Alison Watters
was the first woman to be
elected to LIC’s board of
directors, and the board has
since welcomed two further
women directors (Abby
Foote and Candace Kinser).
Note: Barbara Kuriger, now
a National Party MP, was the
first woman to chair LIC's
national shareholder council.
It was expected more women
would take on leadership roles
as the industry recovered from
the global dairy downturn,
Michelle said.
Michelle Wilson
“Taking part in awards like this (Dairy Woman of the Year) is about
showcasing talent and hopefully inspiring others. When I first
attended a Dairy Women’s conference, I never imagined being up
on stage talking to an audience as an industry leader, or becoming
a board chair.
“It’s important to communicate that we, as women, are not merely
support people on farm and we shouldn’t limit our thinking to this
kind of role – many of us are in fact leaders and decision makers.
“It’s about tapping into the incredible potential that exists in most
of us – it serves not only ourselves to step up and become better,
it serves the industry as a whole.”
Michelle is the second LIC employee to become a Dairy Women’s Network finalist. In 2014,
Reproduction Solutions Manager Joyce Voogt also made the final three.
LINK : Winter 2016
10
Kirk (left) and Richard of Team LIC
JOURNEY OF THE PACKHORSE
YOU EMERGE FROM YOUR
FIRST OPEN-WATER SWIM
AT THE BEGINNING OF A
517KM ENDURANCE EVENT.
You glance to your right.
Richie McCaw is exiting the
drink alongside you.
You’re in God’s zone.
“I didn’t see him after that
point,” says Kirk Wotherspoon.
Kirk was one of four members
of ‘Team LIC’ to compete
in New Zealand’s mostbrutal endurance event,
held in early April (in his
day job, Kirk is LIC’s heifer
production manager).
Being among the 41 teams
to have completed ‘the
long course’ was a genuine
thrill for Team LIC, and it
marked the fulfilment of the
team’s goal.
“For three of Team LIC, it was
the first time we’d done the
event,” Kirk says.
“Only Richard in our team had
done GODZone before."
“Unless you’re one of the top
teams, the true challenge
is to make the long course.
That means the entire team
hitting the cut-off points
(stages) within an allotted
time, and getting ranked.”
For the record, the LIC team
was 39th, finishing in 6 days,
9 hours, 55 minutes; the
winning team did the course
in three days, 12 hours,
44 minutes; McCaw’s team,
Cure Kids, did the course in
five days, 56 minutes.
“There are teams that have
done it up to five times that
have never made the cut-off,”
Kirk says.
Team LIC was made up of four
part-time amateur athletes,
all with fulltime jobs back at
the co-operative’s Newstead
headquarters.
Outside work hours, the team
members each trained for up to
30 hours a week for four months
leading into the event.
One of the biggest motives of
doing GODZone was facing
the unknown, Kirk said.
“You don’t know what’s
happening until the morning
of the race. At 6am you get
maps, then you need to start
planning and organising
before the start at midday.
“We all had special roles.
Thomas and Richard were the
navigators, and Christine was
the organiser… she had to
attend to the logistics of
packing a box ahead of time,
which is what you pick up at
each transition, so you need
the right gear, like cycling
pants, and food, prepared
ahead of time. It’s hard
when you’re mentally and
physically fatigued.
“My role was one of team
packhorse. I carried
extra weight like tents.”
Not that much sleeping in the
tent was done.
The team planned, and lived up
to, three hours’ sleep each day.
“It really was a mindset.
Because you’re buggered,
once you put your head down,
that’s it. So for example,
one night we were on a side
of a mountain, sleeping on
sloping rocks which was
uncomfortable as hell, but
once our minds told us to rest,
we were out to it.”
Kirk insists there were no
moments of despair.
“You hear stories of people
losing their minds or not
functioning due to in-fighting.
We didn’t have that.
“Fortunately we did the Arc 24hour race in Coromandel about
six weeks prior and it was great
to do that because we ironed
out a few things. We learned
from it: I’m like a bull out-of-agate, and other team members
were more conservative. I knew
I had to scale back and adjust
my behaviour to fit in with
others. So that was why I
carried more weight.
“If we hadn’t have done the
Arc, I maybe would have
pushed harder and that might
have had a negative effect on
team mates.
“When it came down to it,
everyone knew their role,
everyone had done the
training. Everyone was of the
same fitness and pretty much
the same pace.
“The hardest part was the
weather.
“In the first three days or so it
was cold, windy and at times
pouring with rain, and you’re on
the side of a mountain, trying
to navigate and it’s misty and
you can’t see 10m ahead of
you, and you’re thinking ‘what
am I doing here’.
“But when that clears and
you’re suddenly in beautiful
sunshine kayaking through
valleys that are surrounded
by mountains, you’re like ‘man,
this is amazing’.”
• Team LIC navigated, trekked, mountain biked,
kayaked, canoed, ascended, swam, and ran
its way through Nelson Lakes, Kahurangi,
and Abel Tasman National Parks.
• Team members included Richard Spelman,
LIC chief scientist; Christine Couldrey, LIC
senior scientist; Thomas Johnson, research
programmer, and; Kirk Wotherspoon, LIC heifer
production manager.
• Except for Richard, the team had all done
adventure races, cycling tours, or Iron Man
events before, but in nothing on the scale
of GODZone.
• High calorie low weight food, eaten at eighthour intervals, was arranged in zip-lock bags.
Bags comprised energy bars, wraps, lollies,
chips, and freeze-dried meals (edible once
water was added).
• Another LIC staff member, Russell Price of
LIC Automation, also took part in GODZone,
but was a member of a separate team.
11
BLACK BOXES
& COMPOUNDING CASH
‘Understanding your herd’ was the theme of a recent series of workshops
fronted by several LIC personnel. We poked our head in on one session,
and here is a report on some of the content.
Mike Rose fronts a DWN workshop
Commonly thought of as
something akin to ‘the black
box’, a few fundamentals of
Breeding Worth (BW) Index
are not well understood by
many dairy farmers – and in a
handful of cases this can lead
to misconception, confusion,
and, at worst, sub-optimal
decision making.
But with a basic
understanding and
application of a few key
principles, any pasture-based
dairy farmer can profit from
the system and add value to
their asset.
That’s according to LIC
territory manager Greg McNeil,
who recently spoke at a series
of workshops organised by the
Dairy Women’s Network.
The ‘how to’ workshops, of
which LIC were a sponsor,
were held in 10 locations
throughout the country.
Hundreds of farmers
attended the sessions,
with a large part of the
day dedicated to the topic
of herd improvement
(the remainder of the day
involved practical workshops
on how to produce various
MINDA® reports).
Farmers lacking basic
understanding of the index
principles were in danger
of dismissing the index’s
credibility, or applying
the wrong tools in certain
situations, Greg said.
Greg said the Breeding
Worth model was complex,
and involved an intricate
series of calculations
and breeding value
weightings that changed
from time-to-time. However,
the beauty of the index was
in its accurate reflection
of the value, and quality,
of dairy farm animals.
“The key thing is that, for
specific decisions, you know
what measures to look at.
“For example, I’ve had farmers
comment that they doubt
the index in general,
because in their herd they
have a case of high-BW cow
who’s not a great producer,
or vice-versa.
“But what they’re more likely
to have is a misconception,
because BW isn’t about
her production as an
individual – it’s about how
well her daughters are going.
More generally, it’s about her
wider family.
“So Breeding Worth is about
reproduction – in other words,
what efficiencies her offspring
are capable of. It’s not about
her milksolid production in any
direct sense.”
Related measures like
Production and Lactation
Worth, on the other hand,
were about the individual
animal. “So production
and culling decisions,
based on these measures,
might be more appropriate.”
Feedback from the audience on what
‘herd improvement’ meant to them fell into
six categories:
1. INCREASED PRODUCTION
2. BETTER EFFICIENCIES IN CONVERTING FEED
TO MILKSOLIDS
3. HEALTHIER UDDERS
4. COWS THAT CONSISTENTLY GOT BACK IN-CALF
5. COWS THAT LASTED LONGER IN THE HERD
6. POOREST PERFORMERS IDENTIFIED AND REPLACED
WITH BETTER GENETICS
It was no coincidence
that many of these herd
improvement desirables could
be related directly to various
breeding values that fed into
Breeding Worth, Greg said;
these breeding values included
fat/protein, liveweight,
volume, body condition score,
somatic cell count, fertility,
and residual survival.
Mike Rose, regional solutions
manager, presented the
module alongside Greg.
Mike said the average
New Zealand cow lasted
4.8 lactations “and this
compares very favourably
to the rest of the world.”
He explained that the national
herd’s 11-point increase in
BW, year on year, was not
reflective of individual farm
performance, so any sense
of complacency about how
the industry was progressing
was risky.
“Some farms will go up
14 to 16 points, or more.
Chances are you’ll find
these are run by managers
or farmers that are actively
implementing the principles
of herd improvement,
and they’re probably
deliberately leveraging
this in their business.”
An 11-point annual increase
equated to 2.3kg extra
milksolids per cow, per
lactation.
Feedback from the audience
suggested 2.3kg did not
sound significant.
“Add that up across the
entire herd,” Mike said.
“But the big point is that
I’m talking about
improvements that are
permanent and cumulative.
So making BW gains is a lot
like compounding interest
with cash in the bank. It builds
on itself.”
Cows were performing
a lot better than they were
10 years ago, Mike said,
and this had significant
implications on inputs such
as feed supply and stocking
rate decisions, and ultimately,
costs of production.
Mike detailed the 16 traits
other than production (TOP),
four of which were farmer
assessed and the remaining
12 of which were done by
specialist inspectors. “That’s
why not all high-BW bulls get
marketed by LIC – if a bull
doesn’t measure up in terms
of TOP, they won’t make a
Premier Sires team.”
In summary, Greg told the
audience to think of their cows
in their herd that they and
their staff liked to milk.
“And think of those cows
you don’t like milking. Then
make a breeding plan that
will produce more of the
ones you like milking, and
use herd information to
make farm decisions around
this (culling, rearing, AB/
reproduction, buying/selling
stock, dry off, feeding).
“Always remember
too that it's very
hard to achieve herd
improvement without
good reproductive
performance.”
LINK : Winter 2016
12
Andrew Scott catches a wave
MANAGING TIDAL SHIFTS
IN DAIRY SCIENCE
ANDREW SCOTT'S TWO GREAT PASSIONS
COULDN'T BE MORE DIFFERENT.
At work he manages a
team of "heavy-hitting
scientists" who plunge
into the depths of mindboggling mathematics and
challenging computations
as part of a Primary Growth
Partnership (PGP) funded
gene sequencing project
to improve the national
dairy herd.
At home he explores different
depths altogether. But more
on that later.
The numbers are big at LIC.
So big they require the muscle
of the country's most powerful
computers.
But tiny changes or
improvements in desirable
traits and genetic variations
can be worth many millions
of dollars to the industry and
national economy. Some
of that research has even
aided those studying genetic
abnormalities in humans.
It's a subject that has
fascinated Andrew since
he was young.
budgeting, etc, to give them
the room so that they can
concentrate on their stuff."
"I've always been
interested in biology,
how things work at the
molecular level," he
says. "How life is able
to replicate itself."
That "stuff" involves mining
the extraordinary numbers
of genetic variations to
find those tiny but valuable
improvements. It's supported
by co-investment through
the Transforming the Dairy
Value Chain programme, part
of the Ministry for Primary
Industries' PGP.
That led to a Bachelor of
Technology degree at the
University of Auckland,
where he majored in
biological technology.
After a bit of his own heavyhitting science he considered
studying for his PhD before
choosing to advance his
career "on the commercial
side of things". That eventually
led him to the LIC, where
he manages the work of
a dozen scientists.
"I do a lot of the leg work;
I'm a virtual lab manager,
administering their work,
"Before PGP this work and
the opportunity to be part
of a world-class sequencing
project based in New Zealand
did not exist," Andrew says.
"This was the first sequencing
project in New Zealand on
a scale seen internationally."
The scale might be big, but
the advances in the science
do not need to be. "Just a
1 per cent change can mean
a massive difference in the
New Zealand economy."
It's not just the economy that
benefits. The environment
also gains from those small,
incremental improvements
achieved by Andrew and
his colleagues.
"There are lots of gains
to be made around feed
efficiency and its impact
on the environment.
"We are studying what's
going to maximise the
milk production of a
cow while minimising
the waste that impacts
on the environment. It's
about sustainability."
That's a lot to think about and
Andrew is often doing just that
during his 45-minute drive to
work from the coastal Waikato
community of Raglan, where
he lives with Irish girlfriend
Sarah and their dog Enosh,
an interesting genetic mix
of Hungarian vizsla and Kiwi
heading dog.
When Andrew got the role at
LIC he moved to Raglan from
Sydney to indulge his other
great passion, surfing.
"I'm always thinking, I never
really turn off. When I'm driving
to work it's about
what I'm going to do that
day. But when I'm in the water
all I'm thinking about is that
next wave," he says.
Calculations are limited to
reading the weather reports,
reviewing the tides and
scanning the horizon.
No computers needed.
It used to be skiing for the
former Waiouru lad, but he
became hooked on surfing
while studying in Auckland and
now happily rises at 4.30am to
ensure he can get his fix before
heading off to work.
Whether he's working
to maximise the genetic
improvement of the national
dairy herd or striving to
hit that next great wave,
Andrew's after liquid gold.
This article first appeared in a March
issue of NZ Farmer, and has been
republished with permission from
author Rob Mitchell. Mitchell wrote the
article on behalf of the Primary Growth
Partnership (a joint venture between
the Government and industry).
13
ALL AB?
YOU’VE GOTTA BE ON YOUR GAME.
From health and safety
compliance to costreduction or avoidance
of hassle, repairs
and maintenance –
whatever the reason,
come mating time,
it seems increasing
numbers of farmers
are opting for no
natural-mate bulls.
There’s little doubt
‘bang for buck’ is a
common motive, but
first it’s vital to go into
the season with eyeswide-open.
Below we discuss major
considerations of the
‘all-AB’ approach.
Before settling on a
programme of all-artificial
breeding (AB) this spring,
ensure homework on heat
detection performance is
done – because if submission
rate and non-return rate
targets aren’t met, results
can be costly!
Check out previous years’
heat detection performance
through MINDA® reports to
make sure all key targets
are typically met.
Be honest about what
you’ve achieved, and ask
for professional help if you’re
not sure what to look for.
The heat detection process
should be specific to your farm
and staff.
Consider the appointed
personnel who are doing the
detecting – is their experience,
diligence, and training up to
a high standard?
And, given the relatively
long-term period that
detection will be carried
out, are management
and staff performance
expectations sustainable?
Breaks for staff to keep
people fresh and focused
are imperative – as are
appropriate strategies
to cover the unforeseen
circumstances (staff sickness,
for example).
With an all-AB programme,
the biggest risk centres
on heat detection errors,
particularly missed heats
(i.e. when a bulling cow is
not detected). Invented
heats, when a cow not-onheat is mated, can also be
an issue.
Heat detection errors are
more likely if fatigue or
loss-of-focus set in over time.
Fundamentals common among
successful ‘all AB’ herds:
• Heat detection skills are
top-notch
• Heat detection fatigue
and inattention are
avoided through good
management strategies
• Focus is sustained for
a longer period of time
Don’t underestimate the
importance of maintaining
focus. It is a significant
challenge to ‘see the
wood from the trees’
after consecutive weeks
of concentration in
spotting heats, and
maintaining confidence
in the ability to pick cows
can be an issue.
Using additional resource
and sources of information
can help, which might include:
• secondary heat detection
aids;
• previous mating history
of the animal;
• herd paddock checks;
• an experienced colleague
on farm.
The use of secondary
heat detection aids
is highly recommended
(e.g. LIC heat patches),
especially in the latter part of
mating when tailpaint is likely
to be more difficult to maintain
and interpret.
If you intend using heat
detection aids that are
new to the farm, practice
interpretation in the premating period so staff are upto-speed before mating starts.
Remember, the longer the
mating period, the harder
it gets to pick cows on heat!
Bulling activity drops off
markedly when most cows
fall pregnant, and the sexually
active groups get smaller.
This point is especially
important in the latter rounds
of mating; mating an already
pregnant cow can cause
pregnancy loss.
Heat detection training and
refresher courses, before
mating kicks in, will ‘set the
scene’, and may help some
team members gain a better
appreciation of the difference
that good heat detection
practices can make. Courses
are regularly put on by
DairyNZ, and some LIC Farm
Solutions Managers organise
their own ‘heat detection
days’ during September.
All AB is an
increasingly
attractive option
for some farmers
as it can have
both economic
and health and
safety benefits.
Potential benefits
can include:
• Reduced cost
per pregnancy
• More mating
options available
to create the
desired end
product and
to capture
added benefits
(e.g. SGL Dairy®
semen, Compact
Calving plus BW,
or SGL Hereford).
• No bulls eating
grass on the
dairy platform
• No bulls for staff
to handle in the
milking herd
It is useful to ‘have a plan B’ in
the wings – in case a change is
required as the farm gets into it!
LINK : Winter 2016
14
OUT & OUT OUTPUT NOT A PATCH ON
EFFICIENCY OF OUTPUT, ELLIS SAYS
The past two years have seen a “quantum
shift” in farm philosophy and goal-setting
among New Zealand dairy farmers.
That’s according to
Malcolm Ellis, LIC sire
acquisition manager.
“In November I will have been
at LIC five years, and I tell
you, I am privileged enough in
my job to travel far and wide
around New Zealand and I get
to see many different farmers
on all sorts of terrain and soils,
facing all sorts of conditions.
“But the correction we’re
seeing in the dairy industry
and the low payout conditions
is forcing a massive change
in thinking.
“Three years ago, when
we were all in the midst of
an $8.40 payout, it was
all about output.
“Now, it’s all about efficiency
of output.
“There’s been a quantum shift,
and it’s pretty important we’ve
got two quality parent-breeds
to deal with that.”
Malcolm was speaking at a
series of 10 ‘LIC Jersey Days’,
held at venues throughout
New Zealand during April
and May.
“I don’t have any doubt
in my mind that the most
efficient convertor of pasture
to milksolids is the Jersey
cow,” he said.
Malcolm lamented the
diminishing influence of
the Jersey breed during the
past 30 years, going from
25% of the New Zealand
cow population in 1985
(Holstein-Friesian 57% and
Crossbred 18%) to just 9%
today (Holstein-Friesian
39% and Crossbred 53%).
However, over the past three
years the downward trend
had been halted, and Malcolm
said this could be due in-part
to the resurgent performance
of Jersey-bred bulls on
the Ranking of Active Sires
(RAS) list.
Other factors were at play,
Malcolm said, and this
included better-quality
advice being given to
farmers. Coinciding with the
low payout climate, there
appeared to be “an almost
overnight” awareness among
professionals about what
made a genuine difference
on farm.
“On this roadshow I visited
the farm of Andy and Karen
Slater – some people would
remember Andy picking up the
ball at the back of the scrum
for Taranaki in the NPC.
“Andy’s your classic,
quintessential dairy farmer:
200 Holstein-Friesians and
300 Jerseys – he doesn’t
cross, so hasn’t used
crossbred bulls before,
just parent-breed to
parent-breed.”
For the last few years Andy
had been told by advisors
his Jersey cows ‘just weren’t
big enough’, and this was
reflective of what had typically
happened all around the
industry, Malcolm said.
“So the recommendation
was ‘those Jerseys are not
big enough, we need to cross
them to Friesian, we need
a bigger cow. A bigger cow
means bigger output, and
bigger output means we hit
the production target’.”
Malcolm believed this kind of
advice, though well-intended,
was wide of the mark, and
it was a relief to see some
balance being brought back
to the equation.
“We talk about the p-word,
being profit, not production.
I think I've come up with a
better line than that: ‘Are you
making money out of milk, or
milk out of money’?”
It was interesting that
consultants were now pushing
for animal weights at every
herd test so calculations could
be done on milksolids per
day compared to liveweight,
and, as the season
developed, milksolids per
cow (season to date) per
kilogram of liveweight.
In light of this renewed focus
on ‘efficiency of output’,
Jerseys were suddenly a
more-attractive proposition,
Malcolm said.
“So things have changed.
I couldn’t believe, in the hour
I was with Andy, how many
times he used the phrase
‘kilograms of milksolids per
kilogram of liveweight.’ It was
just rolling off his tongue.”
The purpose of the Jersey
roadshow, therefore, was
about spreading the word
that there’s a bull team at
LIC that is worth using to
achieve that measure
Malcolm Ellis
(kg milksolids per kilogram
liveweight), Malcolm said.
“It’s about instilling confidence
back into the farmers, who
have perhaps moved away
from Jersey, or LIC Jerseys,
that it’s worth thinking again
and coming back.
“I see farms milking 340kg
cows doing 360kg milksolids,
420kg cows doing 450kg
milksolids, even 480kg
Jerseys doing 600kg solids.”
“I’m thinking that ought to
be the main measure here.
When it’s about profit-notproduction, what we’re really
saying is that it’s about
margins. Margins is about
feed-in and profit out, not
necessarily feed-in and
milk out.
“I think we’ve had a view,
as an industry, a false
assumption that there’s a
straight-line relationship
between feed in and milk out.”
In reality, the ‘law of
diminishing returns’ would
at some point kick in.
“For the second year in a row,
I’m going to use Premier Sires
Daughter Proven, and I can’t
wait for even the eighth bull
to turn up – the team is that
good… it offers outstanding
value for money.
“When you think of Conrad,
Dynamo, and Speedway at
the tail end of the team, I
wouldn’t mind if one-third of
my replacements were mated
to them.”
It was heartening to see the
hard work and smart decision
making of four years ago now
bearing fruit with LIC’s Premier
Sires teams. Referring to the
RAS List, LIC has eight of the
country’s top-10 Jersey sires,
21 of the top-25 Crossbred
sires, and 42 of the top-50
Holstein-Friesians.
LIC had achieved these
figures by sire proving fewer
than half the bulls in the
artificial breeding industry,
Malcolm said.
“But make no mistake, these
are not LIC bulls – they’re
your bulls. You are the
shareholders, and they’re
your bulls to use.”
In the top-30 bulls in the RAS
List (across all breeds), there
were 11 Jerseys, nine HolsteinFriesians, and 10 Crossbreds,
Malcolm said. “So when you
represent only 10.4% of the
national herd (as Jerseys do)
that number for Jersey bulls
on the RAS List should equate
to three – so in the Jersey
space it’s fair to say we’re
going alright!
It was pleasing to see
incredible depth in LIC’s
Premier Sires teams.
“Maybe what we’re talking
about – that this breed is the
most-efficient – is true.”
LIC had a decent line-up of
bulls, as evidenced by the
performance of all its Premier
Sires® teams on the RAS List,
Malcolm said.
15
Craig Purcell
A BIG PICTURE VIEW OF
YOUR HERD’S HEALTH
By Craig Purcell, FarmWise®
consultant, Bay of Plenty
Despite the New Zealand
dairy cow being among the
most efficient in the world in
converting pasture to milk,
a heavy reliance on pasture
does come with downsides.
Because grass is frequently
the main form of intake, there
are times when the cow may
have to ‘buffer’ intakes and/or
nutritive levels: This may leave
the cow more susceptible
to illness.
Every year New Zealand
dairy farmers spend more
than $400 million on animal
health, and this encompasses
all costs from antibiotic
treatment, through to
drenches and minerals.
Many of these costs are
essential, and as farmers we
have a responsibility to ensure
stock are in good health and
that sound animal husbandry
techniques are being followed.
In addition to vet and drug
expenses, are the costs
associated with reduced
productivity and increased
culling and/or wastage.
Farmers tend to be
reactionary to individual
animal health issues.
However, in some cases the
adherence to simple policies
and procedures is likely to
reduce stress levels of both
the farmer and the cows.
With good awareness, some
emerging problems can
be detected early, and the
treatment of these issues
can minimise financial cost
and wastage.
Applying a big
picture view to
your herd’s health.
Have a plan
There are several stages
through the year where animal
health issues (e.g. calving,
bloat, facial eczema) are
almost inevitable.
Make a plan with your vet
(they are the professionals!)
for these times, and
encourage staff to attend vet
days/workshops.
Cows store minerals in
different ways at different
times, so make sure you know
the details and requirements.
For example, at pre-calving,
cows cannot store magnesium
too well, so ensure uptake is
adequate every day.
Through calving, death rates
and animal ill health can
account for approximately 75%
of the farm’s total health issues.
Unfortunately this period is
when we are most busy on farm
– so draw up a plan and use it.
Observation
Ensure staff show empathy
with stock. If staff don’t value
the stock they’re working
with, results will always be
the same – poor. Good
animal husbandry skills are
a fundamental of good
farming practice, and without
this, a career in the dairy
industry is limited at best.
Cows can be a great gauge
of potential animal health
issues, which is why it is so
important to know the stock
you’re working with. Knowing
all individuals may not be
easy in large herd situations,
but keeping an eye on any
changes in behaviour can
help early identification of
emerging health issues.
• Look for the cow by herself,
either in the paddock or on
the way to the shed.
• Know who the last cows on
the raceway or in the shed
usually are, an unusually
late cow is generally an
early sign of something
that’s not right.
Spend time actually looking
at the stock – driving past
the herd at 30kmph doesn’t
count!
You may spend countless
hours in the shed milking
but how much time do you
actually spend observing
and noting individual
cows in the paddock
environment?
Also remember that, in
many cases of a ‘general
outbreak’ (e.g. milk fever
or facial eczema) one
clinical case is frequently
accompanied by six to
10 sub-clinical cases.
Train staff
Junior staff don’t
necessarily need to
know all treatments,
but it is important for the
business and the farming
future that they develop
capability to visually assess
animal health issues.
Coach staff to look for
simple signs:
• Reduction in milk
production
• How the cow moves/ walks
• Attitude in the paddock
and cowshed
• Obvious ill thrift symptoms –
weight loss, appearance
Protect your
investment
Is spending in the right
area? After the cost of
land, the next largest
asset in the balance
sheet is stock. Look after
them and they will look
after you.
It costs approximately
$1500 to rear an animal
from birth to first calving.
For an average herd
of 400 cows, at 25%
replacements, this
equates to $150,000.
Raising good quality stock
commands significant
investment in time and
money, and any major
health issues or deaths
increases these costs.
Look to trim the fat not the
muscle out of your animal
health costs, remember
you still want to milk the
best cows, in the best
health, next year. Animals
in good health provides
them with the opportunity
and ability to meet targets.
LINK : Winter 2016
We can’t say we
have the best bulls.
But that doesn’t stop
others from saying it.
In the latest RAS (Ranking of Active Sires) the top 15 bulls by Breeding Worth all came from LIC.
More than that, of the top 30 bulls, 26 came from LIC. And that is across all breeds; Friesian,
Jersey and KiwiCross.® So if you’re looking for the best bulls to improve your herd’s productivity,
then you know where to look. Not that we can tell you. To find out more about Premier Sires® and
our genetics options, talk to your local Farm Solutions Manager or visit lic.co.nz/premiersires