Both rye grass and paspalum plants can cause similar neurological conditions – commonly referred to as staggers – as opposed to ‘grass staggers’ – which relates to low magnesium in livestock soon after birth. These two fungal-neurotoxin...... Read More

Horticulture is growing. Exports grew 40 per cent in the two years from 2014 to 2016. This growth is supported by an increasing workforce made up of permanent Kiwi workers and seasonal workers. Research New Zealand recently released a report about this. This...... Read More

Financewith Don Fraser Fraser Farm Finance The world has changed forever. Globalisation is now threatening the people and they are voting against bureaucracy, control and the money in their countries, going into the hands of a few. Donald Trump’s...... Read More

Beneath the surfacewith David Lawof Forward Farming A lot can be learned or assumed by a slow drive down a farmer’s tanker track, particularly if cattle are close enough to observe. To a trained eye, the state of their health is very noticeable...... Read More

Robin BoomAgronomic Advisory Services The week before Christmas both Ballance and Ravensdown dropped their prices on some imported products – and for the farmer it just keeps getting better. In my 27 years of providing independent fertiliser...... Read More

What can you say, when you realise that soluble synthetic minerals are the cause of toxic nutrient leaching into the environment? You can say: ‘Ban all soluble, synthetic, toxic minerals!’ The farmers are being blamed for this problem. As...... Read More

Bill WebbFeed SolutionsOutlook Many dairy farmers have responded to the drop in payout by taking long hard looks at their businesses and making savings of between $1 kg/ms and $1.20 per kg/ms, according to DairyNZ’s figures. DairyNZ also...... Read More

Stock Sensewith Paul McKeeRavensdown Technical Manager Insect Growth Regulators have been revolutionary chemicals in the management of flystrike in sheep. These chemicals (cyromazine, dicyclanil, triflumuron and diflubenzuron) work by interfering...... Read More

Vet’s VisionPhil RennieTauranga Vets A recently published peer reviewed study has thrown new light on the common pitfalls of facial eczema control in New Zealand. The full article was released in the ‘The New Zealand Veterinary Journal’...... Read More

Brent TrailManaging DirectorSurveying Services Ltd Managing a family landholding for the benefit of future generations can be a challenge, but taking opportunities along the way can create significant flexibility. During the years council rules...... Read More

John Morris – CEO Agrissentials NZ Ltd. A Sanskrit text written around 1500 BC noted: “Upon this handful of soil our survival depends. Husband it and it will grow our food, our fuel and our shelter and surround us with beauty. Abuse it and...... Read More

No facial eczema spores were found on this Waikite Valley grazing property, which uses the Albrecht-Kinsey system of soil fertility, while the neighbour’s stock was severely affected. The following is an abridged quote from a ‘Training Manual...... Read More

Soil matterswith Peter Burton Functional Fertiliser Ltd  Functional fert C&C Jan 2017: Soil organic carbon is the basis of humus and provides storage for both nutrient and moisture. A popular belief at present is that a concerted push to...... Read More

Bill WebbFeed SolutionsOutlook Another lift in the Global Dairy Trade auction in December is good news for farmers because it means prices are going in the right direction with, in all likelihood, a payout of $6-plus for the season. However, the...... Read More

Robin BoomAgronomic Advisory Services The easy contoured and soil fertility at optimum levels on Robin Broom’s property near Whatawhata, Hamilton, produced pre-Christmas lambs with a carcase weight of 22kg. In July I sold my 7.68ha block...... Read More

Financewith Don Fraser Fraser Farm Finance Well, Christmas and New Year are over. And 2017 has arrived. So do we feel any better or any worse as another year has just flashed by? And we are wondering what 2017 will bring? Are you happy and have...... Read More

Mike ChapmanNZKGI Chief Executive Horticulture New Zealand celebrates 100 years of representing growers, outside Parliament, Wellington, in November 2016. On November 20, 2016, Horticulture New Zealand celebrated 100 years of representing growers. It...... Read More

Brent TrailManaging DirectorSurveying Services Ltd Having your farm in several titles allows you to keep the mortgage under control while you expand and restructure. You may not have realised that in owning more than one adjoining block of land...... Read More

Bill WebbFeed SolutionsOutlook What a turbulent month November was – Trump became the United States President against all predictions; a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Kaikoura and on November 18Fonterra increased its 2016-2017 forecast Farmgate...... Read More