fbpx
Print this page
Wednesday, 25 March 2020 09:59

COVID-19: Keep calm and consider grain — Feds

Written by  Staff Reporters
Federated Farmers Arable vice-chairperson, grains, Brian Leadley. Federated Farmers Arable vice-chairperson, grains, Brian Leadley.

Federated Farmers has some advice for farmers operating under COVID-19.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says farmers are an ‘Essential Service’ that can continue operating under the Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown from midnight tonight. 

Services associated with the primary sector, including food processors, diagnostics, farm suppliers, freight and trucking can also go about their business, while taking all practical steps to limit people to people contact. 

Federated Farmers says the confirmation that these services are vital to helping the nation survive the virus crisis will be a relief and reason for pride for many farmers and workers in those associated industries. 

But for some, there remains a pressing concern - the drought, and how to feed stock. 

Manawatu-based Dion Fleming, Federated Farmers arable vice-chairperson, maize, says that while national grain stocks are depleting there is still maize grain available from the Manawatu and Gisborne districts, as well as barley from the South Island. 

"In what is normally a slower time of year for our silo complex/feed mill we have seen a large number of dry stock farmers turning to maize as a solution to help fill their feed gap," says Fleming.

"Whole maize for sheep and kibbled maize either straight or blended for dairy and beef animals are proving popular and every day there are utes, trailers and truck units rolling in the gate from all over the lower North Island for 1-tonne bags and bulk loads of feed for dry farmers." 

Care needs to be taken while transitioning animals onto different diets/feeds but Fleming says it’s not difficult and the results are well worth it, 

Brian Leadley, the Canterbury-based Federated Farmers Arable vice-chairperson, grains, says the South Island grain harvest is largely complete now, with most growers happy with yields and quality.

"From spring 2019 surveys the expectation was for a slightly reduced total tonnage due to a reduced planting, particularly in feed wheat and barley. The feeling now is the reduction will have been replaced with a return to good yields following the last two poor production seasons," says Leadley. 

"Currently wheat and barley would be available from the South Island suitable for many classes of livestock to help bridge feed shortages and support the North Island feed suppliers and livestock farmers." 

Leadley says care is needed gradually transitioning stock to grain — they’ll need adequate water while this happens.

"For this reason it is best to start feeding early while there is some other feed available to feed with the grain. The grain will also ensure the other feeds last longer. Also, following the harvest there is still supplies of ryegrass straw, as well as limited supplies of baleage available that would be a great blend with grain." 

More like this

A significant fertiliser breakthrough?

Former ACT MP and Federated Farmers president Owen Jennings believes he's come across a new fertilising method in Australia that yields "outstanding results".

Marlborough drought declaration welcomed

Marlborough Federated Farmers has got some real concern about the mental wellbeing of farmers and their families in the region because of the drought and there’s a lot of pressure starting to build.

SNAs will go - eventually

Despite some earlier confusion around the exact timing, the new Government is moving to reform the way local bodies implement Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) rules on farmland.

'A complete dog

OPINION: It's not just a rural banking inquiry that farmers want. Freshwater farm plans are another major headache for farmers.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…