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Gallagher fencing solution slashes sea lion attacks on Chilean salmon farms by 70%

An innovative fencing solution developed by Gallagher in Chile has reduced sea lion attacks on some salmon farms by 70%, saving the country’s US$6.5 billion salmon industry millions of dollars in fish and financial losses.   The technology keeps farmed salmon contained and prevents sea lion attacks on the fisheries. It was developed by Gallagher in partnership with pioneering Chilean aquaculture company, Mowi Chile.Gallagher is now working closely with global salmon farming company T...

Plan now as El Niño summer heightens FE risk

The anticipated El Niño summer is expected to heighten the risk of Facial Eczema (FE). While farmers are well aware of the crucial role zinc plays in combatting FE, their investment could be wasted if it’s not delivered in the right dose, at the right time, alongside other preventative measures. With FE reported to cost individual farmers more than $100,000 a year in lost milk production, SealesWinslow Consultant Nutritionist Paul Sharp says getting a preventative plan ready now will hel...

The rise of the influencer

Go back 30 years, most of us were happy enough watching adverts on our TVs. Companies shamelessly peddled their wares, and it had the desired cause-and-effect: the more they promoted, the more we bought.  Then we stopped responding. Not immediately, but the buying numbers steadily dropped, regardless of how incessant the adverts. The issue was trust. We no longer believed anything and everything the marketers told us, and ‘mute’ became the most worn button on the TV remote. Th...

Surviving a business crisis

In the event of a fire, every business knows what to do. When the alarm sounds, the person designated as the fire warden heads for the clipboard while everyone quickly evacuates to the safety assembly point outside. How does everyone know what to do? First, the protocols are clearly laid out. Second, businesses practise the drill at least once a year.However, when it comes to business-related crises, most companies have little or no plan for managing the upheaval. It’s true, most businesses wi...

Morrinsville man becomes youngest leader at SealesWinslow

Morrinsville local Ashley Taylder (25) has become SealesWinslow’s youngest people leader, rising from forklift driver to Production Manager in just five years. Now, he is encouraging other young people to strive for their goals.Despite his relatively young age, Ashley has proven his worth at SealesWinslow and earned the respect of his colleagues, leading a team of 13 at the animal nutrition company’s Morrinsville plant.“I think when you get clear on what you want and you have a goal in min...

Herd testing reveals rising BVD cases in Waikato

The Waikato region is currently experiencing a concerning surge in Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) cases within dairy herds, with the highly contagious disease potentially causing significant economic losses for farmers.Bulk milk testing, conducted by herd improvement companies before the mating season to assess herd health, has revealed a significantly higher number of Waikato herds testing positive for the BVD virus compared to the previous season.Vet and CRV National Sales and Marketing Manager ...

Winning the War for Talent

As one year comes to a close and we stare down the barrel of 2024, many companies will be assessing their teams and their skill needs. In the current employment market, there isn’t enough talent to go around, and employers are fighting to attract and retain good people.  A March 2023 EMA survey found that 9 out of 10 New Zealand companies are struggling.   Job seekers know they are now in control. Many are approaching job interviews with a clear idea of the kind of pla...

Empowering Agriculture's Next Generation

When New Zealand Young Farmer of the Year Emma Poole became the first woman to win the title in the event’s 55-year history this year she also shone a light on a path less trodden for women all over Aotearoa.While she may have shattered the grass ceiling, it's no secret that farming in New Zealand is still primarily seen as a male-dominated industry.This perception influences young women as they contemplate their future careers and higher education after high school. Ask most teenagers what fa...

Nailing heat detection will help protect South Island farmers’ profitability

With mating underway for most South Island dairy farmers, getting heat detection right will be the linchpin of reproductive success and crucial for protecting bottom lines.“Getting cows in-calf quickly can significantly impact a farmer’s profitability while simplifying farm management,” says CRV National Sales Manager and veterinarian Julia Baynes.“Cow fertility is the cornerstone of every dairy farm business, so it’s imperative dairy farmers have a comprehensive heat detection plan in...

Failing to plan will put cashflow and profitability at risk as dry summer looms

As a dry summer looms, dairy farmers need a plan for their herds’ nutrition now to keep their cows in milk, protect their cashflow and secure long term business profitability. SealesWinslow Consultant Nutritionist Paul Sharp says the repercussions of a challenging summer, coupled with an unfavourable payout, extend beyond the current season. “Reduced in-calf rates, lower body condition scores at calving, and diminished pasture reserves can compromise cows' early lactation potential...

GPS mapping & automated POA saves Otago farmer time and money

With the fertiliser spreading season in full swing, a Central Otago dairy farmer has embraced the benefits of GPS mapping and automated data management, resulting in substantial savings of both time and money.Jeorge Barroga contract milks a total of 1500 cows across two milking platforms and a support block covering 500 hectares in Ranfurly.Given the extensive land area, fertiliser spreading has always been a significant investment and a big job each season, with a tractor driver employed to man...

The Power of Trust

 “If people like you, they will listen to you. If people trust you, they will do business with you.” Zig Ziglar. Legendary salesman and authorTwo people who have spent decades building businesses with trusted reputations are Heather Claycomb, owner of award-winning PR firm HMC, and Chris Williams, the director and CEO of King St, the largest marketing agency in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty. They understand why trust is the oil that greases the wheels of transaction, and they know how c...

Farmers urged to closely monitor replacement nutrition to protect their investment

With dairy farmers gearing up to send their replacements off farm for grazing, closely monitoring their nutrition will be crucial before the first mating to protect farmers’ bottom lines. Best practice is to wean replacement heifers at approximately 80kgs for Friesian-Jersey crossbreeds with weaning targets dependent on breed and rearing system. After months investing time and money into nurturing the health of these calves from birth and providing them with the best start in life, they g...

Biodiversity credits to fund land use change on the table following new research

A market for biodiversity credits is one financing option that could be instrumental in helping New Zealand farmers fund land-use change to meet environmental targets, according to a new study.The Options for Rural Investment project was carried out by Perrin Ag and GHA Chartered Accountants and Management Consultants as part of the Government’s Our Land and Water National Science Challenge.The year-long study evaluated 17 different funding models to support land-use change and saw researchers...

Farmers encouraged to maximise value from self-spreading fertiliser this spring

With Spring fertiliser season underway, more dairy farmers are anticipated to turn to self-spreading to help keep costs down, according to Precision Farming Head of Sales, Aaron Wilson.Aaron (51) has farmed all his life and now owns a 900-hectare self-contained dairy operation in Northern Southland. He knows firsthand the challenges facing dairy farmers.“We're all trying to do more with less right now to protect our bottom line, not just for the immediate future, but for the long term. We all ...

Unlocking the power of podcasting: why businesses should consider developing their own podcasts

Podcasting is a dominant way people are consuming their content. Every second of the day, over 460 million people listen to podcasts, and they are learning about anything and everything. About Brazilian jiu-jitsu. About Elon Musk’s plans to fill the skies with satellites. About how to make a family meal in 15 minutes for under 10 dollars. Businesses are catching on. Large and small enterprises are podcasting their expertise and personalities to new audiences, and many are expanding as a r...

Hospice Waikato Calls on Politicians to Recognise the Importance of a Dignified Death and to Elevate ‘Dying Well’ as a Post-Election Priority

When Vikki Blundell was living overseas in Peru, she took a phone call no parent would ever want to receive. Her 22-year-old son, Ryan was calling to say he had terminal liver cancer. Immediately returning to New Zealand in the middle of the 2020 global lockdown, after two weeks of quarantine, she moved Ryan out of his flatting situation and into her accommodation so that she could look after him. “I couldn’t have looked after Ryan if Hospice Waikato wasn’t there. It’s as simpl...

Do TikTok and business mix?

Seven years ago, TikTok was the digital playground for teenagers. Back in 2016, if you could gyrate for 10 seconds to a catchy track, you could be a TikTok sensation. Dance and music are still big, but businesses have now entered the fray and are using this skyrocketing platform to boost their sales. How are they doing it, and is TikTok a good match for your own business? What is TikTok? In a nutshell, TikTok is all about short-form video content. While users can post up to 10 minutes ...

HMC welcomes Emma Letessier as Senior Account Manager

Award-winning PR and communications agency HMC has appointed Emma Letessier as senior account manager.With almost two decades of experience, Emma has a wide range of skills in both the B2B and B2C mar-comms disciplines, with a key focus on engineering and technology. She brings a mix of corporate communications, media relations, public affairs, product marketing, e-commerce and digital marketing experience to the agency.Beginning her career in the UK, she has worked both in-house - as the UK PR ...

Research shows dairy farmers could miss out on 30% more income by not crunching the numbers

Dairy farmers could be leaving up to 30% more income on the table by not doing the numbers on supplementary feed, according to SealesWinslow General Manager Grant Jackson. His comments come as Fonterra relaxes the rules around its Fat Evaluation Index (FEI) grading system by temporarily suspending minor downgrades in the wake of a downgraded forecast payout. The move gives dairy farmers more flexibility around how much Palm Kernel Expeller (PKE) they feed their cows, which has traditio...

Hawkes Bay recovery underway but more staff are needed as construction season begins

Surveyors working in Hawkes Bay on Cyclone Gabrielle recovery say the biggest challenge they face is having enough staff on the ground as the construction season gets underway. Consultancy firm CKL has been surveying sites in the Wairoa District including compromised bridges and roads, some completely washed away in February’s severe weather, leaving rural communities completely disconnected. Senior Surveyor Steve Rickerby has worked for CKL for 26 years and has returned to fieldwork...

Personal branding

“Build your personal brand” is something you’ll hear a lot in the US. In New Zealand, not so much. Over there, everyone wants to be seen as somebody, whereas Kiwis gladly avoid the limelight, preferring to let their work do the talking. But in business, personal branding may now be a necessary tool for success. What exactly is personal branding?When your name is mentioned and you’re not in the room, what is it that people say and think about you? Whatever the sum of those menta...

Is the news really news and should you care?

Last month, it was revealed that the Government paid TVNZ to develop news content to promote its political agenda on the topic of climate change. The Government’s sponsorship, through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, included the guarantee of several news items covered on Breakfast and Seven Sharp as well as the development of an hour-long documentary. Sponsored content – news stories that are paid for by a company, organisation or government body to promote their ...

Practise what you preach: award-winning PR firm launches podcast

Hamilton public relations firm HMC has today launched its podcast, CRUNCH, designed to lift the lid on public relations and communications and encourage important conversations on subjects that affect business leaders and professionals across a wide range of industries.The CRUNCH podcast is an extension of HMC’s popular CRUNCH events for corporate and community leaders. These “crucial chats over lunch” brought together business experts and HMC team members to provide valuable insights into...

Scholarship winner an advocate for Māori agribusiness principles

Caleb Dudin believes that the principles of sustainability and kaitiakitanga (guardianship and conservation) that are interwoven through Māori agribusiness could help New Zealand farmers future-proof their operations.The Lincoln University student is in his final year of a Bachelor of Commerce in Agriculture and is the recipient of Perrin Ag’s 2023 John Perrin Scholarship, receiving $3,000 towards his final year of study.While Caleb grew up on his parents' farm in Winton, Southland, he spread...