Spring is a dangerous time for cattle.
The results from analysis of Southland plants collected last season is backing up DairyNZ advice to farmers that feeding maturing swede crops increases the risk of ill-health in cows.
Following the analysis, the industry body is recommending that farmers do not feed herbicide-tolerant (HT) swedes to cows in spring when the animals are in late pregnancy or early lactation. It is also advising caution if farmers are considering other leafy varieties.
DairyNZ arranged for swede sample analysis from 11 Southland farms in September last year following issues with cows becoming ill and some dying after feeding on swedes.
Staff collected samples, dissected plants quickly and froze the samples in liquid nitrogen to stop spoiling and breakdown of the glucosinolates (GSLs, compounds in brassicas that have been linked to cow health problems).
Swedes were dissected into up to six plant parts so that each section could be analysed separately. Up to 150 plant parts were analysed from three swede varieties across the 11 different farms.
DairyNZ Southland-South Otago regional leader Richard Kyte says the new plant data supports the current DairyNZ advice that farmers should be very cautious when feeding swedes.
"This analysis confirms that feeding maturing swede crops increases the risk of ill-health," he says. "We're continuing to advise farmers to focus on managing a number of factors involved in feeding swedes this season, including the proportion of swede that makes up the diet of their cows.
"And these new plant results back up our earlier farmer survey findings that feeding swedes on the milking platform [farm] in spring when cows approach calving and early lactation increases the risk of ill-health.
"The farmer survey we released earlier indicated that, in spring 2014, there was a higher risk of ill-health for herbicide-tolerant swedes compared with other varieties of swedes in spring. Given those findings and now the plant analysis, we're recommending that farmers do not feed HT swedes to cows in spring when the animals are in late pregnancy or early lactation and when the risk of all the factors that can lead to ill-heath and potential cow deaths can rapidly combine.
"In spring, air temperatures are expected to increase rapidly, leading to "bolted swedes" and bolted HT swedes have much higher levels of total GSLs.
"At the time of planting their swedes, farmers have no idea what the following winter/spring is going to be like. The spring is a key risk time as swedes will be closer to going into the reproductive stage."
However, Kyte says the climatic and growing conditions for swedes this season are very different from last year. "We identified through our farmer survey a departure from the 10-year climate average for the region in 2014. The warmer air temperatures and fewer frost days may have enhanced both leaf growth and maturity last year.
"We're seeing quite a different growth pattern this season. Plants don't appear to be bolting. Last season was a bit abnormal.
"The general advice we're giving to farmers is that special care is needed with HT swedes and other leafy varieties like Aparima Gold and Triumph, when warm air temperatures from northerly weather conditions cause swedes to regrow and change quickly.
"By early August last year farmers were seeing the plant in an advanced reproductive state. But that's not the case this year.
"This plant analysis has shown that HT swedes, collected in September 2014, had higher concentrations of GSLs in 're-growth" components of the crop, increasing the risk of ill-health for cows grazing swedes that have bolted and have elongated stems. In a nutshell, we're saying don't feed bolted swedes to livestock."
He says it has been a slow process to get the robust plant analysis completed. "Unfortunately there is no quick test for plants and we've spent a lot of time developing and establishing a method to determine GSLs with a commercial laboratory -- Hill Laboratories."
He says DairyNZ is still monitoring the health of a small number of cows this season. "This is the first step in assessing how we can develop baseline monitoring for detecting early signs of ill-health in cows."
10 pegs, three holes Three DairyNZ director positions will be hotly contested over the next month, having drawn in 10 farmer candidates -- the most received by the industry body in recent years.
Along with the 10 standing for three board positions, four farmer candidates have put their names forward for three seats on DairyNZ's Directors' Remuneration Committee.
Results from the double election will be announced at the DairyNZ AGM in Morrinsville on October 13.
The the three four-year directors' terms became open as chairman John Luxton and directors Michael Spaans and Ben Allomes are retiring by rotation. Luxton has been on the board for 12 years.
The board candidates are:
* Kevin Old (Lincoln, Canterbury);
* Michael Spaans (Te Aroha, Waikato);
* Greg Maughan (Marton, Manawatu);
* Kevin Ferris (Te Awamutu, Waikato);
* Michelle Wilson (Waihi, Waikato);
* Ben Allomes (Woodville, Palmerston North);
* Grant Wills (Walton, Waikato);
* Elaine Cook (Hamilton);
* Steve Hines (Mangakino, Waikato);
* Murray Jamieson (Hamilton).
The second election is for three members of the Directors' Remuneration Committee, which annually reviews and recommends changes to directors' payments and other benefits.
The four candidates are:
* Chris Lewis (Pukeatua, Waikato);
* David Gasquoine (Matamata, Waikato);
* Gerard Wolvers (Te Awamutu, Waikato);
* Harry Rich (Taupiri, Waikato).
electionz.com returning officer Anthony Morton is encouraging farmers to have their say.
"It's easy to vote and quick to do. Farmer levy payers can vote by the internet, post or fax -- or in person at the AGM. These candidates will represent dairy farmers nationwide so it would be great to see a strong turnout of voters," says Morton.
All dairy farmers who pay a levy on milk solids can vote in both elections.
Voting opens when packs, with candidate profiles, are sent to levy-paying farmers on September 14.
"If anyone has any queries or doesn't receive their voter pack by the end of September they can contact us at elections@electionz.com or telephone 0800 666 030," says Morton.
Good news for WaipaThe 2015 Rural Women New Zealand and Access Homehealth scholarship has been awarded to Heather Leong, a rural Waikato nurse. Leong is a community registered nurse working for Access Homehealth Midland Region and is also self-employed, providing nutrition and lifestyle advice.
She will use the $3000 scholarship to help fund her studies to complete an international integrative nurse coach certificate in the United States.
Leong's goals are to build on her skills in wellness education to promote and support holistic health in the rural community. The coaching certificate integrates health promotion strategies with traditional therapies.
"I intend to use the coaching certificate alongside current medical practices, coaching rural clients in Waipa with chronic health conditions such as heart disease to makes changes, where necessary, to their usual practices and improve their status."
Access Homehealth CEO, Graeme Titcombe, says, "Heather was selected as support resources are often scarce or limited in rural and remote areas, as is education on how to manage these issues.
"The coaching certificate is relevant to restorative and enablement programmes that already exist in New Zealand home-based health services and Heather will benefit from learning about international advances and applying those techniques in her rural community."
The annual Rural Women New Zealand and Access Homehealth scholarship is awarded to a health worker who wishes to further their health or disability studies at post-graduate level, with a focus on the rural sector. Leong was chosen from a strong field of 32 applicants. "We were thrilled with the high calibre of applicants," says Rural Women's national council chair, Wendy McGowan.
Leong is planning to travel to the United States to complete the certificate in 2016.
Armed Offenders Squad and drug detector dogs executed two search warrants on Wednesday.