Get ready for Moving Day
Moving Day is a big day in the farming calendar and requires good planning and communication to ensure success.
Facial Eczema (FE) is a production-limiting, potentially fatal disease that affects both sheep and cattle.
While it has traditionally been associated with warmer and wetter parts of the North Island, it has recently been identified in northern South Island areas.
Will Halliday, B+LNZ’s senior advisor animal health and biosecurity, says under a changing climate, FE is predicted to become more widespread and track further south.
FE is caused by spores of a fungus growing on the litter in the base of the sward. The spores contain a toxin, which attacks the liver.
The fungus is always in the pasture, but when temperatures and moisture levels are high, and grass minimum temperatures remain above 12–13˚C overnight, the fungus suddenly goes on the rampage, growing rapidly and producing vast numbers of toxic spores.
Halliday says the liver damage associated with FE results in production losses that are much greater than may first appear.
Even when no symptoms are visible, FE can reduce lifetime productivity by up to 25%.
He adds that there are tools available for farmers to help mitigate the risk of FE in their sheep and cattle. Halliday is encouraging farmers in at-risk northern South Island regions to start considering FE management strategies – even if they have yet to see the disease on their property.
“For example, sheep farmers have FE tolerant genetics available to them, so it might be prudent to start considering FE tolerance in ram selection criteria as a way to future proof sheep flocks.”
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
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