Dairy

Commercial Mycoplasma bovis test being developed

A commercial diagnostic tool which will allow farmers to test for cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis themselves is being developed by a partnership comprising commercial laboratories, industry representatives and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The tool will be released once sampling guidelines, a testing strategy and possibly an accreditation programme have been developed – to ensure the test can be accurately applied and interpreted. MPI Response Director Geoff Gwyn said since the discovery of Mycoplasma bovis in New Zealand last year the partnership had been working hard to provide practitioners and farmers with better diagnostic tests to assist in detecting the cattle disease on their farms. “However, while testing options and solutions are becoming available, we have identified that interpreting a one-off test result, even at the herd level, in isolation to other factors, is challenging and carries inherent risk for farmers. The tests currently available will lead to a significant number of farms being falsely identified as positive and farms that may be real positives being missed. “That’s why we are developing robust processes, including a testing strategy and sampling guidelines which may form part of an accreditation programme.” The partnership behind the test programme includes representatives from NZ Veterinary Association, Beef & Lamb NZ, DairyNZ, Dairy Companies Association of NZ, Federated Farmers, AsureQuality, MilkTest NZ, Livestock Improvement Corporation, New Zealand Veterinary Pathology, SVS Laboratories and Gribbles Veterinary Pathology. The NZVA Chief Veterinary Officer, Helen Beattie said the partnership was focused on helping farmers who were dealing with the many uncertainties around the disease. “All parties in this partnership are acutely aware of the need for a robust on-farm solution for farmers who are concerned about Mycoplasma bovis. All parties are working urgently on developing this tool, and all the elements needed to support it.” Any accreditation programme will likely […]

New $13m infant formula can facility in Christchurch

International packaging manufacturer Jamestrong has opened a state-of-art infant formula can manufacturing facility in Christchurch as part of its NZ manufacturing investment strategy. Jamestrong ANZ Managing Director Alex Commins said the Christchurch facility in Hornby will supply New Zealand milk powder to the burgeoning Chinese infant formula market. “In excess of 20 million babies are born each year in China. Producing 16,000,000 infant formula cans per year, the new Hornby facility will contribute to New Zealand’s reputation as a global leader in dairy exports and provide jobs for local workers. “It is imperative the canning facilities are in close proximity to the raw product and associated services. Christchurch is ideally located, close to NZ dairy producers and processors,” Alex said. The Hornby facility is the second of three high-care infant formula facilities Jamestrong is developing as part of its commitment to manufacturing in Australia and New Zealand. “Kyabram in regional Australia was the site of the first high-care infant formula can manufacture. A third facility in Auckland is in the planning phase and expected to be rolling cans off the line by February 2019,” Alex said.

Fonterra has new Bangladesh partnership

Fonterra is breaking new ground in South Asia’s rapidly growing dairy market, with the signing of a new distribution agreement that will make Anchor available to millions more consumers in Bangladesh. The deal is part of the Co-operative’s ongoing efforts to win in key overseas markets, by spreading the goodness of dairy nutrition. The population of Bangladesh has grown by more than 10 per cent in the last 10 years reaching over 160 million people and it now makes up over two per cent of the world’s total population. Matched by strong economic growth, consumers in Bangladesh are looking for affordable healthy nutrition options, such as high-quality dairy. Fonterra’s Managing Director of Sri Lanka and Indian Subcontinent, Sunil Sethi said Anchor is well placed to drive growth, while improving the wellbeing of Bangladeshis. “The Bangladesh market creates an exciting growth opportunity. Partnerships like the one we’re announcing today will enable us to bring dairy nutrition to even more consumers across the country, so we can do well, by doing good. “Our Anchor Full Cream Milk Powder, for example, comes with more than 23 vital nutrients including protein, calcium, vitamins and minerals. Anchor is specially formulated with ‘NutriShakti™, a nutri-bundle that supports growth, energy and immunity.” Managing Director, ACI Agrolink Limited, Dr. F H Ansarey said, “Anchor is a renowned global dairy nutrition brand and we have a shared vision alongside Fonterra to enrich people’s lives by supplying safe, high-quality dairy nutrition to the people of Bangladesh.”

TB-free progress means fewer tests for some farmers

New Zealand’s TBfree programme is demonstrating progress with the reduction of testing requirements for cattle and deer herds in a few areas of the North Island from 1 March 2018. The TBfree programme manages cattle and deer TB testing through Disease Control Areas (DCAs) throughout New Zealand that focus on areas of varying risk of livestock TB infection from the main wildlife vector of disease, possums. TBfree’s strategy combines targeted possum control, TB testing and stock movement controls to helps control the spread of bovine TB beyond these boundaries. DCA changes show the progress of TB control towards the ultimate eradication of bovine tuberculosis from New Zealand’s cattle and deer herds. So far OSPRI’s TBfree programme has eradicated TB from 1.83 million hectares – with 7.9m hectares of Vector Risk Area left to be eradicated. Each year, DCA boundaries and the TB testing regime within them are assessed and adjusted according to progress in the TBfree programme. From 1 March, reductions to DCAs affect 317,000 hectares and 1029 herds, resulting in more than 31,000 fewer TB tests for cattle and deer herds. The changes are relatively small after the large reductions in 2017, when 2.3 million hectares and 7400 herds were affected. Michelle Edge, Chief Executive of OSPRI, which manages the TBfree programme, says that as TB management in each area proves successful, disease control areas are reviewed based on detailed scientific analysis and data modelling. Accordingly, where TB eradication targets have been met, testing requirements are reduced. “The progress of the TBfree programme is a credit to farmers, the industry and Government organisations that invest in the TBfree programme and in the ultimate goal of making New Zealand TB-free.”

Farm machinery sales back to 2014 levels

Sales of tractors in 2017 increased markedly, just topping the previous highest recorded levels of 2014, says NZ Tractor and Machinery Association (TAMA) General Manager, Ron Gall. Mr Gall said the association recognised that some farmers in both islands were currently experiencing hardship with the very hot and dry conditions. The challenging drought conditions may affect sales in the coming months but it was hoped changing weather would provide some relief. Mr Gall said in 2017, a total of 4079 tractors were sold. This is up 13% on 2016, up 14% on 2015 and even slightly up on the boom dairy year of 2014, which had 4062 sales. Sales were particularly strong in the dairy areas of Waikato, Taranaki, Manawatu, Canterbury and Southland and in the horticulture, viticulture and arable areas of Northland, Hawkes Bay, Nelson and Marlborough. Otago, home to dairy and horticulture and viticulture, experienced particularly impressive growth, with a 28% increase on 2016. The biggest increase on last year’s sales was Taranaki with 214 sales in 2017 compared to 158 in 2016, representing a 35% boost. Combined, the areas of North, Mid and South Canterbury had a 22% increase on 2016. Mr Gall said the increased sales reflected the improved dairy forecast payout along with steady growth in horticulture and viticulture. According to TAMA’s biennual industry value and employment survey, the total number of people employed in the tractor and farm machinery sales and servicing sector had also increased. There has been a 14% increase since 2015 – from 2492 to 2846 roles. Nearly 40% of those employed earned salaries of more than $75,000. Of respondents to the survey, 57% said they had difficulties hiring staff and 19% had hired migrants. “The machinery/technology sector offers innovative and well-paid jobs with a strong career pathway, including senior roles in […]

Emerging aliens threaten New Zealand’s environment

New Zealand’s environment and primary industries are under threat from pests we don’t even know about yet. That’s the message from Professor Philip Hulme of the Bio-Protection Research Centre, based at Lincoln University. Professor Hulme was part of a large international collaboration of scientists that analysed 46,000 recorded sightings of invasive animal and plant species around the world. Their research* showed that one in every four new pest incursions were from species that had never before been recorded as being invasive. “We looked at patterns over the last five centuries to see whether there was any evidence of a slowdown in the number of new pests and weeds emerging around the world, but there wasn’t,” said Prof Hulme. “Just as many new pests are emerging now as in previous centuries. “If we look at the pests and weeds already in New Zealand, most have come from Europe, Australia or North America, our traditional trade partners and sources of immigration. However, Asia is now becoming more important to both trade and immigration, and this is where many new pests and weeds appear to be coming from.” Prof Hulme says we may be entering a new era for biosecurity as we face an increasing wave of unknown emerging pest species. “We need to make sure our biosecurity system is sufficiently flexible and well-resourced to deal with unexpected incursions by species we probably will know nothing about,” says Professor Hulme. “The responsibility rests with all of us: government, industry, the public, and every tourist who crosses our borders,” says Prof Hulme. “We all need to be vigilant, understand the risks and all act in a way that minimises the chances of any new pest or disease making its way to our shores.” *Seebens, H., Blackburn TM, Dyer EE, Genovesi P, Hulme PE et […]

Dairy robotics success story attracts Australasian investors

The latest investment offering for inspection industry disruptor Invert Robotics has closed after attracting considerable interest from a number of high net worth and institutional investors from across Australia and New Zealand. Invert Robotics provides non-destructive inspection services using state of the art mobile climbing robots. Their climbing robots enable precise and accurate remote inspection of non-ferromagnetic surfaces such as stainless steel, carbon fibre, aluminium and glass. Patented robots are installed with high definition cameras and sensor technology to allow for equipment to be assessed for maintenance and for preventative analysis on a remote basis. Inspectors are fed real-time video during the inspection that allows for immediate and highly accurate analysis. The device is already being used by the major Australian and New Zealand dairy companies and co-operatives such as Fonterra, Synlait and Murray Goldburn, as well as a number of global food and beverage brands. It is also attracting interest across other sectors and throughout the food and beverage manufacturing industry in Europe and Asia such as FrieslandCampina and Heineken. The Company has also captured the attention of those working in the lucrative aviation inspection market and is poised to make a European partnership announcement soon regarding its successful development of further advanced robot technology. Invert Robotics is also looking at potential opportunities in the chemical industry, in addition to further work with energy, oil and gas companies. Following an almost million dollar crowdfunding campaign through the Sydney-based platform Equitise, a further NZ$6.4 million has now been raised from a limited sophisticated private investor round. Shareholders now include the former CEO of Macquarie Group Ltd, Allan Moss, and Inception Fiduciary Pty Ltd. These investments add to the considerable funding received from government and private venture capital sources soon after the company was founded by its now Chief Technical Officer, […]

Synlait can now make twice the amount of infant formula

Synlait Milk has opened its new Wetmix kitchen, which will enable it to simultaneously run both large-scale infant formula spray dryers. This will double the amount of infant formula powder which can be produced at the Dunsandel site, from 40,000 metric tonnes (MT) to 80,000 MT per year. “We were at the point where our current Wetmix facility was at capacity, and our consumer demand was continuing to grow. Building this new Wetmix kitchen will relieve that pressure,” says John Penno, Managing Director and CEO. Synlait has invested $37 million in the new Wetmix kitchen, which is at the core of the production process. It’s where the dry ingredients (such as dairy proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) are mixed into the liquid milk. That mixture is then sent to the dryer, where it is dried into infant formula base powder. Mixing the dry ingredients into the liquid milk before drying ensures a superior blend quality. The project has been in planning since December 2015 and contractors began work on site in February 2017. At times there were up to 125 contractors on site per day, but the construction of the Wetmix kitchen did not disrupt the activities of other areas on site. “We’re really happy with how the build went,” says Mr Penno “it was a smooth process which was completed on time and within budget, without the need to alter our day-to-day operations.” Designed with staff in mind, some manual steps (e.g. lifting and tipping large bags of ingredients) have been reduced with the help of automation. This creates a safer environment and provides operational efficiencies. “It was really important for us to make this new facility as user-friendly as possible. We want our employees to be safe at work, and to work under the best possible conditions,” he […]

Dairy not all about milking it

A Lincoln University pilot study is backing the importance of environmental and social responsibility, as well as the bottom line, to dairy farmers. Seeing themselves as “guardians of their land” and adopting environmentally friendly ways of farming is a key component of the farmers’ personal convictions. The study, What really drives dairy production systems: economic rationale or social and environmental responsibility? surveyed owners, share milkers and managers, to format a questionnaire for much larger sample of interviews with farmers, due to take place in January. Co-author, Professor of Farm Management Alison Bailey, who teaches primary industry systems in the Bachelor of Commerce (Agriculture) degree, said all the study subjects recognised social and environmental responsibilities as key areas that have to be integrated into their objectives and decision making. However, profitability and financial performance remains the basis of their system and their first objective. “In the context of changing internal and external pressures on agriculture it is important to determine whether the dimensions of sustainability – economic, social, environmental – can be integrated successfully at the farm level. “Having this knowledge is critical if we are to more fully understand the social and environmental consequences of changes in agricultural management,” Professor Bailey said. One of the farmers’ objectives was to leave the land in a better shape than when they took it on themselves so that the next generation could also benefit from it as a productive resource. It was generally agreed amongst all respondents that, in the long term, equal importance should be given to all three areas, financial, social and environmental. Most of them also mentioned sustainability concerns as one of their main objectives, and they wanted a system that is productive in the long term, resilient and environmentally friendly. Key findings • The farmers interviewed were all reasonably […]

Holstein Friesian Genetic Leaders reaches unprecedented success

Holstein Friesian New Zealand (HFNZ) and CRV Ambreed’s joint sire proving programme, Holstein Friesian Genetic Leaders, has reached an unprecedented strike rate of bulls graduating to market with the latest addition to the CRV catalogue, Rivendell GForce Axel. With six bulls in the team annually, and at least one bull on average per team graduating to be marketed by CRV, Holstein Friesian Genetic Leaders is the most successful sire proving programme in the bull industry to date. The Holstein Friesian Genetic Leaders programme has been running for 22 years, with the aim of ensuring the best genetics within New Zealand’s own pedigree Holstein Friesian population are sourced and made available to the dairy industry. Over 18 HFNZ-member-owned pedigree bulls have reached market via CRV since 1995 (with at least one per year for the last 11 years), realising many and varying benefits to HFNZ, its members and the wider dairy industry. “We’ve been enjoying success with the Holstein Friesian Genetic Leaders programme for 22 years now, and the ongoing, long-term nature of it has seen excellent genetics from HFNZ members’ pedigree herds enter the market,” says Doug Courtman, HFNZ Sire Proving Committee Chairperson. Danie Swart, CRV Sire Analyst, says that since the massive influence of Top Deck KO Pierre more than a decade ago, the strike rate has been consistently good with bulls like Lornlace VHA Dumpling S3F, Maire Oman Franklin, Middlevale Mint Brave, Maire Mint Richie, and Rivendell Gforce Axel more recently. “Over the last year we’ve received very positive feedback (type and production) from farmers milking Richie, Brave, and Franklin daughters.” Another benefit of the Holstein Friesian Genetic Leaders programme is breeder members’ pedigrees holding pedigree status in the commercial world, increasing their relevance dramatically. “Whereas commercial bulls that have been supplementary registered have heavily dominated the market, […]

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