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UAVs – coming to a sky near you!

Linda Bulk, sales director at Aeronavics NZ, displays one of the many UAVs now available for on-farm use in New Zealand.

We've all seem remote controlled helicopters for the kids at the airport duty free counter, but commercial UAV’s take the game to a whole new level and can offer some tangible benefits for agriculture or horticulture.

FE-tolerant genetics essential – farmer

FE is a disease that causes lowered milk production and even death from liver damage.

A large-scale dairy farmer, among the first in New Zealand to introduce facial eczema (FE) tolerant genetics into his dairy herd, says they are an “essential tool for dairy farming,” reports CRV Ambreed.

Farmers flock to field day

Marty and Janice Charteris of Maranga Station.

More than 200 people turned up to the field day Maranga Station. Maranga is a typical East Coast hill country sheep and beef property and lies about 30km southwest of Gisborne on the Tiniroto Road.

Dairy prices fall further

More bad news for dairy farmers as the latest Global Dairy Trade auction saw the average price index slip by 2.2% to $2,472.

What’s the true cost of winter grazing?

Cropping farmers are being urged to consider the true cost of winter grazing to their businesses.

Few opportunities to cut costs

A 42-day round and fine weather’s built LUDF average cover to just over 2600kgDM/ha, according to farm manager Peter Hancox.

In February the management team at Lincoln University were wringing their hands as the season appeared to be turning to custard, but at the latest field day the tone was much more upbeat.

Is it really an equal playing field?

To call it a perfect storm trivialises the difficulties primary producers are facing in the balance between environment, welfare (human and animal) and economics.

Real problems that need practical solutions

The vexed issue of quad bike safety is just one of the concerns farmers must consider with changes to health and safety laws coming.

Farmers are anxious about what the health and safety reform will bring and the new challenges that lie on the horizon.

Plonker!

The Hound reckons West Coast MP and Labour’s primary industries spokesman Damian O’Connor made a complete idiot of himself over his ‘support’ during the recent Anzac rugby league test.

Thanks mum – not

Your canine crusader had to giggle when receiving one of those pesky emails/adverts suggesting possible gifts for Mothers’ Day. One particular email from a rural retail supplier offered an alluring array of gifts for mum.