Our schooling was scientifically orientated so that we were taught horticulture by the late Rod Syme, who’s career as a horticulturist was to visit schools and demonstrate how to grow a vegetable and potato garden, and the science included how to use artificial fertiliser to increase crop growth and production.
A leading Taranaki dairy farmer was at the forefront of developing the plastic ear tag for cattle, which ultimately led to the electronic ear tag of today.
Facial eczema (FE) was the bane of the livestock industry, which was eventually solved by Te Aroha-based dental nurse Gladys Reid who, through diligent research, solved the problem with zinc. I recall when farming at Eltham asking the local vet what he learned at a seminar on FE control and how much zinc you need to put in the trough. He replied, “When we asked Gladys (Reid) that question she said ‘depends on the size of your sharemilkers’ hand’.” Practical science application.
As a shearer and an AB technician, I was able to get enough money together to buy a herd and farm on my own account. Since those days, technology has expanded tremendously as science has come to the aid of many of today’s farmers.
In the 1970s we had a series of droughts and the Government of the day gave out suspensory loans to get us through that particular first drought. We invested our money into a paddock of lucerne. Feeding out had its problems, as it had to be mown and wilted beforehand, which was more cost and work. But the point I learned here was we were able to feed out; standing lucerne so long as it had about 10% flower. This was with assistance from our local Department of Agriculture (DoA) Advisory services, which was a free service until the Lange government changed the structure of the DoA in 1984.
This was a hell of a change for the advisory services and many of the DoA staff set up their own advisory services. So, it was with some trepidation that we hired an independent advisor and were able to remedy many farm traits such as grazing heifers off, changing the fertiliser application from ground spread to helicopter when contour, weather or ground conditions were a hindrance for timing. Twenty-odd tonnes could be put on in about an hour. Job done and no strainer posts broken with trucks.
All life moved on and our advisor moved on to greener pastures, but we had not overcome the high empty rate, which was put down to several causes, Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVD) being one of them.
One of the hindrances of the personal advisor was that they could not cross over into veterinary advice.
Our local veterinary services did a lot of research, but did not appear to have any answers either. We were incredibly fortunate to be able to obtain the services of a Waikato consultancy.
During our first herd inspection several trends were noted such as the colour of a black cow’s forelock that was blondish in colour, which it should not have been. The prescription that followed was extensive and raised more than eyebrows when it came to obtaining trace elements. I was told that we were doing something very new, which had not been accepted into local veterinary practice. However, if you are in the Waikato it’s standard practice and I was served there with no questions asked.
To wrap up this farming article, we do have to figure our future and acknowledge that science plays a significant role in our farming future and salute some of those great names such as the late Gladys Reid OBE, the pioneer of FE control.
But one of our challenges is the advocacy or politicisation of regenerative farming. Regen works well in other parts of the world, but in NZ we have a different climate. NZ farming is not subsidised like our agricultural competitors. Regen farming in NZ has never been peer reviewed. Considering NZ’s present parlous economic situation we need all the export dollars we can create. This is where ideology versus reality, a very weak policy of this present Labour government’s economic madness.
Who am I?
Nevill Wallace is a retired farmer, with a passion for farming and has been hosting the weekly rural radio programme Neville Rides the Boundaries for 10 years, which can be heard from Access Radio Taranaki and Arrow Radio Masterton
