August 2007

Aussies to focus on demand for lamb
While New Zealand sheep farmers are shrugging their shoulders at the poor lamb prices of last season the Aussies are already moving to boost their profile.

NFU in NZ to talk on lamb prices
National Farmers' Union representatives are in New Zealand at present for talks on the lamb trade in Britain.

Horse flu hits Aussie heartland - It's in the Thoroughbreds
Equine flu has struck at the heart of Australian racing, with eight horses at Randwick Racecourse returning positive tests to the virus.

Starling, sparrow shortage in UK
In the UK several once common animals such as the hedgehog, house sparrows and starlings have joined a new list of hundreds of creatures and plants in danger or in need of protection. Ironically they're surplus to requirements in NZ.

Shrubs outgrow grass on CO2
Shrubs far outgrew native grasses in Colorado rangeland when exposed to elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), according to a study at Colorado State University.

MAF testing NZ horses for equine flu
MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ) has classified as high priority 14 premises that have received horses from Australia in the last 10 days.

NZ tracing possible horse flu imports
In New Zealand MAF has moved quickly to trace horses that have entered the country from Australia since 1 August 2007.

Fertiliser limits could be costly
New Zealand farmers could do well to take notice ow what is happening in Britain with proposed changes to their Nitrates Directive.

Massive lockdown attempts to contain Equine flu
Australian authorities have launched their battle plan in a massive effort to contain an outbreak of highly contagious equine influenza.

Improved cell phone and Internet coverage to be lobbied
Southern Southland communities are planning to show strength in unity for improved cell phone coverage in their respective districts.

Young Farmers expands in NZ
The face of New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) is changing rapidly with strong growth being experienced throughout the organisation nationally and new clubs being formed in response to interest from young people.

Spray on skin for sheep
A spray-on sheep coat has been developed by a Sydney chemist to help protect sheep against hypothermia and sunburn.

Fonterra lifts milk payout forecast to $6.40
Fonterra Co-operative Group today announced a new payout forecast of $6.40 per kilogram of milksolids for the 2007/08 season, an 87 cent increase on its May forecast of $5.53 kg/MS.

Global co-ordination to improve lamb prices
Farmers must stick together if there is to be long-term improvement in lamb prices - that is the message from outspoken farmers John Gregan, Mark Crawford and their respective groups.

FMD: US lifts N Ireland animal trade restrictions
The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has lifted trade restrictions imposed on Northern Ireland after Foot and Mouth Disease was detected in Surrey, England, on August 3.

Affco back in the venison business
After a break of 12 years, Affco NZ successfully resumed venison processing today. It is processing venison at its Rangiuru plant in Te Puke and will airfreight its first consignment to customers in Europe.

Affco joins Meat and Wool promotion
Meat & Wool NZ has signed-off on a joint $120,000 lamb promotion with AFFCO New Zealand in the North American market. The joint promotion will run for 16 weeks from early September.

Aussie lamb prospects bright
Strong demand for lamb both in Australia and around the world, combined with the prospect of an end to the drought is set to push up returns for lamb producers, according to the latest forecasts from Meat & Livestock Australia.

Blue ear disease spreading in pigs in China
China has been hit by a highly infectious swine virus, which is bringing increases in pork prices and fears of a global pandemic among domesticated pigs.

Prisoners go organic in Christchurch
Prisoners will be able to gain valuable skills in the rapidly expanding industry of organics with the opening of two organic farms at Christchurch Men's Prison.

Red meat is important for good health
A new scientific report, released today has confirmed the importance of red meat in a healthy balanced diet.

FMD could negatively impact on NZ farmers
Often New Zealand sheep farmers end up profiting from the misfortune of farmers overseas but the latest Food and Mouth Outbreak in Britain could be different.

Vets confident about outbreak control
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been informed by veterinary and animal health officials that they are confident the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease is under control.

Ploughing depleting earth's soil supply: study
Traditional plough-based agricultural methods and the need to feed a rapidly growing world population are combining to deplete the Earth's soil supply, a new study confirms.

Pride family issues FMD statement
... it was started by my parents Derrick and Sheila about 50 years ago and is now being carried on by myself and my wife Valerie. During that time we have built up what I hope and believe is a well run and respected family business.

Key FMD findings released
The key finding from the HSE report has said there is a strong possibility that the FMDV strain involved in the farm outbreak originated from the Animal Health Institute or the Merial sites.

Time to think about magnesium and calcium requirements
At the onset of milk production dairy and beef cows have increased requirements for magnesium and calcium.

Otago University to survey farmers
A wide cross-section of New Zealand's farming community is to be surveyed by University of Otago researchers keen to find out more about ill health and injury in agriculture.

New research on Lepto
The bacterium that causes leptospirosis, one of the most widespread infections transmitted between animals and humans, appears to be changing in ways that could limit its ability to survive and thrive.

FMD surveillance zone widened - 2nd farm involved
Vets ordered the culling of more cattle on another farm yesterday after a further cow tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease.

High $ hits Aussie beef
First it was drought and then it was the return of US beef to Japan and Korea, but now the Aussie dollar has taken over as the biggest influence on Australia's cattle and beef industry.

FMD strain identical to vaccine strain
Defra has now confirmed that the strain of foot and mouth which was found in cattle on the Wanborough farm, where 64 beef animals were slaughtered yesterday, was identical to one used by US vaccine maker Merial...

FMD makes devastating comeback in southern England
Yesterday British authorities moved in and burned the bodies of 60 cattle found infected with foot-and-mouth disease on a farm in southern England. They moved in quickly in an effort to contain any spread of the disease, which devastated the British livestock industry in 2001.

First milk-made fuel poured today
There's been plenty of talk about bio-fuels and the money to be made out of milk... and now the two have combined at fuel stations in Auckland.

Meat and Wool Outlook offers little comfort
Meat & Wool New Zealand's 2007-08 Outlook offers little comfort for sheep and beef farmers ... but it's not quite as bad as most of the daily papers have reported....

Kiwi helps Argentine farmers with lame cows
Before Neil Chesterton came to Argentina, lameness in dairy cows was a big problem for dairy farmers. "No other thing causes more pain in dairy cows than lameness ... for this reason, lameness has become a main animal welfare issue in dairying," he said.

Aussie slaughter trends make interesting reading
The latest release of statistics from Livestock and Meat, Australia, makes for some interesting reading. The trend estimate for sheep slaughterings declined for the seventh consecutive month ...

Farmers least happy of self-employed workers
This study makes for interesting reading... but how would the average Kiwi sheep farmer rate? Possibly not too well at the moment. Previous research has found that jobs which are best for health and wellbeing are those in which the worker has a good deal of control and support...

Beef & lamb prices must rise to avoid global calamity
Governments, consumers and retailers must get used to the fact that the days of over-cheap meat are fast receding, said the National Beef Association yesterday.