Judges have tough decisions ahead

Cows need to be vaccinated against leptospirosis

Six judges have been named to cull entries in the 2015 Ahuwhenua Trophy BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming Award for sheep and beef down to three finalists.

The judges are Gary Walton, from Beef+Lamb New Zealand, Peter Ettema, from the Ministry for Primary Industries, Peter Little, from Te Puni Kokiri, Peter MacGregor and Abe Seymour, from Primary ITO, and BNZ's Rob Gemmell.

Entries close on January 30, and a new panel of three will take over after the finalists are named on March 26. The winner will be named on May 29.

WOOL SALE

There was a mixed reaction, with targeted buying, at last week's sale, with 89 per cent sold from an offering of 8800 bales.

Compared with the previous week's sale, fine crossbred fleece and shears were firm to 2 per cent dearer.

Good Colour Fleece and Early Shorn wools were firm to 2 per cent dearer, with average and poor styles generally 2 to 5 per cent cheaper.

Short Shears were firm to 3 per cent easier.

A nominal offering of early season Lambs' Fleece were 1.5 per cent dearer. Oddments ranged from firm to 5 per cent dearer. Merino fleeces were nominally 4 to 5 per cent cheaper than in the November 20 sale, with mid-micron wools generally firm.

NEW APPOINTMENT

Chris Neill has been appointed DairyNZ regional leader for Northland, replacing Tafi Manjala, who has moved into banking. Neill grew up on a dairy farm in South Waikato and has worked in a variety of roles in agriculture and other businesses. He left Landcorp in 2012 for contract employment in South America and to work on a property at Waipu, where he has lived for 26 years.

VACCINATION CHANGES NEEDED

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of leptospirosis infection in the world, with 120 human cases reported annually.

Dr Jenny Weston, president of the NZVA's Society of Dairy Cattle Veterinarians, says common practice is to vaccinate calves at 6 months to stop them spreading the disease, but evidence now suggests this needs to be done at 3 months.

COST OF TARIFFS DROPS

Tariffs imposed by other countries on horticulture products cost New Zealand's 5000 commercial growers an average of $36,000 over the past two years, a reduction of $8000 on 2012 figures.

A report found fruit and vegetable exporters paid an estimated $181 million in tariffs to importing countries since 2012.

ANNIVERSARY APPROACHING

It's four days to the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the first cattle in New Zealand.
Shorthorns, then known as Durhams, were introduced for mission stations in the Bay of Islands on December 22, 1814, by missionary Samuel Marsden.

REBRANDING

Carr Elders Group, formed following Carr Group's acquisition of the Elders New Zealand business earlier this year, will rebrand as Carrfields early in the new year. It was announced to staff recently. It is anticipated Carrfields will be the parent identity and there will be minimal changes to existing product and division names.