Milking longer with maize silage
This season's dry conditions have made one thing clear: not having enough feed on hand can bring your season to an early close.
Liz Coutts has been appointed the new chair; Coutts joined Skellerup’s board in 2002, and is currently chair of the company’s audit and risk management committee.
Coutts said it was an exciting time for Skellerup, which has delivered solid results over the past couple of years despite many of its key customer groups having to manage tough market conditions.
The company provides rubber products to the dairy industry; low milk prices affected the company’s agri business.
Coutts paid tribute to Cushing’s contribution and noted he remains a director and Skellerup’s largest shareholder.
“Selwyn has been an outstanding chairman. Under his leadership Skellerup has greatly improved its performance to deliver shareholders consistent financial results, a robust financial position and increased dividends. His are big shoes to fill.”
Over the past 20 years, Coutts has been a director of companies operating in various sectors including primary production, manufacturing, logistics, and sport. She is currently chair of aged care provider Oceania Healthcare, Ports of Auckland and privately-owned fishing company Urwin & Co, and a director of EBOS Group, Sanford, Yellow Pages and Tennis Auckland. She is also vice president of the Institute of Directors, and was last year appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to governance.
Coutts is one of four independent directors on the six-strong Skellerup board.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.