Farming for the Future….Do we support Innovation by Leading Farmers?

Farming for the Future….Do we support Innovation by Leading Farmers.

Craige & Roz MacKenzie, are the Canterbury Farm Environment Award winners 2013. Very deserving winners....Congratulations.

The MacKenzie family (including daughter Jemma) are one of the most innovative, creative, Push-The-Boundaries, Farm & Research businesses I’ve ever seen. 

GreenvalePastures Ltd Facebook page

Andy MacFarlane (MacFarlane Rural Business) last week chaired a very successful Ballance Farm Environment Award fieldday at Greenvale Pastures farm near Methven in Canterbury, New Zealand.

 Ballance Farm Environment Awards. The Regional Winners

 Greenvale Pastures Ltd Mission Statement – “Farming for the Future” That was our mission statement when we started out in 1994 and continues

today. Our aim is to be the best at what we do, maximizing

production and profitability while ensuring that the systems and

resources we use show an excellence in total farming practice

and that the methods we use have good scientific backing and are

sustainable for our family, farm and the environment.

We believe that:

• The environment in which we live is our legacy

• water is a valuable multi-use resource

• attention to detail is what gives us an edge

• understanding of costs is essential

• knowledge is the key.

The NZ Ballance Farm Environment Award regional competition rewards farming families who are working hard to minimise the environmental footprint of their farm. This is to be applauded as it identifies some imaginative &  innovative farmers who in their own right are very effective researchers and implementers of world best practice for the environment. Last week we saw some very advanced smart technology being used to reduce water use, mimimise fertilizer and maximise production for a range to crops & dairy.

I was excited, I could see a future through Craige & Roz’s vision and I can imagine the likely impact both in Canterbury and across New Zealand.

 However on the flight home I felt slightly gutted and left wondering about innovation in NZ and NZ innovators. Are we in New Zealand fully supporting these leading farmers who are at the forefront of Agricultural Science innovation? The research that the entrepreneurial MacKenzie family are energetically leading could not realistically be completed by a NZ institutional research facility.
Where are the R & D tax incentives for farms like Greenvale Pastures???

New Zealand has been constructively criticized by Shaun Hendy and Paul Callaghan (in their book “Get off the Grass”) regarding the lack of innovation or support for innovation.

“The country’s lack-lustre economic performance following the free-market reforms of the 1980s is often cast as a paradox: why haven’t sound economic policies led to growth?  Shaun Hendy and Paul Callaghan argue that the New Zealand ‘paradox’ can be explained by our struggle to innovate. On a per capita basis, OECD countries on average produce four times as many patents as New Zealand. Why is this? What determines a country’s capacity for innovation?” Read about it

New Zealand struggles to innovate.
 

In addition to the 200ha Arable farm there is an interest in a 1200 cow 326ha dairy farm. 
Some of the smart technology we were privileged to see included :- Profit mapping, Electromagnetic EM Variability(soil moisture management), Variable Rate Base Fertilizer, Lysimeter Project, Pasture Mapping with “GreenSeeker” technology, Variable Rate Nitrogen, Variable Rate Irrigation and the BioBed-managing sprayer cleanout waste. 

The list of smart technology on this farm is very long.

BioBed-managing sprayer cleanout waste

Let’s not forget the environmental concerns like pollination & the  Honeybee…..responsible for approx. $50million in honey exports but a $3 Billion contribution to all of NZ food production.

On the dairy farm Variable Rate Irrigation was saving up to 30% of water used. Sure there is a need to invest in capital smart technology but really it’s a “#No-Brainer” if there are different soil types on the farm.

Pasture Mapping w/ GreenSeeker®

􀁄 Mapping biomass variability

􀁄 Identify high nitrogen areas

􀁄 Reduce or eliminate nitrogen application from high N unproductive areas

􀁄 Keep records of pasture

production

5

􀁄 Average rate/ha decreased

to 49kg/ha with use of GreenSeeker & VR application

􀁄 Savings = 21 kg/ha of Urea = $19/ha

Much of the commercial technology is managed through the family business. Agrioptics  Learn about this technology 

Craige also plays a leading role in Precision Agriculture in NZ.

Precision Agriculture NZ.

This was one of the best days I’ve had in New Zealand….what is slightly amusing in that I was completely out of my depth most of the day but loving the discussion!   

Thinking as I reflect that most institutional research farms could not compete and may no longer be fit for purpose. Yet they have better access to funding.

 Quite unsettling is a conviction that leading innovative farmers don’t get the support they should in NZ.If we in agriculture, are to positively impact the environment this surely must change!

December a Crucial Month for Spring Calving Dairy Cows in UK

Dry cow feeding in December is really important. For February calvers December is make or break month. Young stock have target weights to achieve & most spring calving dairy cows need to gain condition.

Today at Stafford I saw a group of extremely well grown heifers outwintering on Swift forage crop. Not only were they well grown but they were in great condition as well. At last weighing these heifers were on target LWTs. Makes a huge difference when you actually know the weights. Too few farmer weigh the young stock.

NZ targets at 21months (630 days) are Friesian 475kgs, XBred 420kgs & Jersey 365kgs LWT. For 24month (730 days) targets add 60-110kgs. The 10 week calf target is 100kgs....these calves need at least 17MJ/day for maintenance alone.

So lets look at the feed requirements for heifers....a 212kg LWT heifer (10months of age) requires 30MJ/day for maintenance. A 440 kg LWT Heifer (22 months) requires 46MJ/day for maintenance. To acheive winter weight gains above 0.5 kgs/heifer/day the 22month heifer needs approx 9kgsDM/day...(2% of LWT).....whereas the younger heifer (10months) requires nearly 5kgsDM/day(2.2% LWT). This assumes top quality feed.

Dry Cows need very good feeding in December if they are to calve in good calving condition. A mature aged 500kg cow has a maintenance requirement of 54MJ-60MJ/day. To gain a Condition Score (NZ) in a month requires at least an additional 55MJ/day above maintenance. Remember in the last 30-40 days before calving you can't expect to put extra condition on a cow that is about to calve.

I am working with three keen Discussion Group members to both monitor Cow Condition & to develop a decision making tool that combines Cow Condition Score with Calving Date information.

To date there are some interesting findings.....most cows continue to lose condition in late lactation even with very good feeding (this maybe genetic??)...........Cows initially lose additional condition when they are dried off (possibly change of diet??).......Dry Cows need to be fed very well to put on 1kg LWT/day....its a tough target!......and finally maybe heifers need extra time compared to mature aged cows to gain condition.

Can dry cows gain the necessary condition when outwintered on forage crops......the jury is out!

Lastly some interesting Irish work showed that dry cows of high genetic merit could gain weight faster than 1kg LWT per day.......mind you they tended to lose it more easily in late lactation too.

Achieving good cow condition at calving is key to good milk production & better fertility results. A lot hinges on a good December.

Pasture Based Dairy Farmers Must Commit to Research

Last week I attended the UK Nuffield Farming Scholarship Conference in Chester. I was very impressed by the obvious learning & excitement that is the "Journey" that Nuffield takes young people in Agriculture. A "Nuffield" creates an opportunity to travel the world & enter into the wonderful experience of personal research in something agricultural.

Every 'Pasture to Profit Discussion' Group member should be aiming to win a Nuffield....its a journey that changes peoples lives & businesses forever.

Yet within the excitement of Nuffield there was also reason for deep concern. As each scholar spoke about their travels & research.........I got more troubled about where agriculture in the UK is going...what is the future? Why? Each Nuffield speaker spoke of the amazing advances in agricultural research, on farm innovation, the large scale of farming in some advanced countries like NZ, Australia, USA, Brazil, Canada & Argentina.

How are we going to compete???? In Europe agriculture is besieged by regulators, research is under funded (& in the UK almost wiped out completely) & farming innovation has been squashed by decades of debilitating subsidies. Sadly there is a culture within agriculture that does not include research as a focus for progress.

This very sad culture includes UK politicians who clearly don't respect nor value research. The inane politicians are more likely to be influenced by popular 'of the day' lobby groups (eg TB eradication & GM technology) rather than 'Good Science'.

'Pasture to Profit' grass based dairy farmers & their Discussion Groups need to totally embrace agricultural research. Our very future depends on it. Make no mistake without research & active on farm innovation there is NO future.

There are a number of different levels of research that we need to consider.

Dairy Research Funding in the UK

Recently Discussion groups financially contributed to fund young Irish researchers to travel to NZ. This is a great illustration of commitment to research.

However it begs the question about the value of DairyCo levies & the research return we get as grass based dairy farmers from DairyCo. I see little tangible evidence of research that is of value to grass based dairy farmers in the UK. Dairy research in the UK is in serious trouble in my view.

Participation in On Farm Research in the UK

At every opportunity we must get involved with & encourage on farm research projects in the UK. We can contribute, enhance the research & effectively back good science & top research teams. Being part of the projects also means we have quicker access to the results & can spread it amongst the groups. Good research will be taken up quickly.

We (members of Discussion Groups across the UK) are currently working with Dr Christina Marley's group from Aberystwyth measuring green house gases with dairy farmers who outwinter on saved pasture. A Dairy Cross Breeding research project headed by Gillian Butler from Newcastle University is about to start with another group of 'Pasture to Profit' dairy farmers. Several OMSCo grass based organic farmers are acting as Demo farms for research into energy use on dairy farms. This involvement must continue at a pace.

Access & Face to Face Contact with Top Researchers

Dairy farmers must get access to the very best Agricultural researchers & their work. We must establish a dialogue & create opportunities for direct Face to Face contact where ever possible. Many group members have benefitted by their conversations with the likes of Dr Padraig French from Moorepark, Valerie Brocard from Travarez in France or Dr Jock MacMillan from Melbourne University Australia or Dr John Roche from Ruakura NZ.

On Farm Innovation & Personal Research

Dairy farmers in grass based Discussion Groups must be at the forefront of new ideas & innovation. This involves personal research, accurate recording & bright ideas. We in the UK should 'walk tall'...........I think we lead the world in some areas eg Dairy Cow fertility & Outwintering techniques & are leaders in grass management & utilization in the Northern Hemishere.

Doing a Nuffield is an extension of this concept of 'do it yourself research'.

We in the UK are going to have to fight for our right to exist in a very competitive world. For this to be reality we must embrace research in all of its forms & spread good agricultural science & the results of the research to our Discussion Groups as fast as possible.

We are going to have to initiate change in the UK......compared to the rest of the world we are being left behind. So what are we going to do about it NOW.

"The foundation of every state is the education of its youth" quote Diogenes (Ancient Greek Philosopher 412BC-323BC)

I wonder what Diogenes would make of the state of dairy research in the UK???