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China looking towards New Zealand Expertise

Ben H

Well-known member
I didn't think a lot about this at first, but then got to thinking. China is looking to use New Zealand Expertise to help manage land they want to develop for Agriculture in Latin America. We keep talking here about how opening up exports to China is going to help us grow, but the fact is that if we can't become low cost producers (without subsidies) we aren't going to be able to compete with the Kiwis. What they are doing isn't a secret, we're just too darn stubborn to change our ways...in my honest opinion. It's time for our "policy makers" to wake up and face reality, all this BS of trying to plan and manipulate the marketplace doesn't work, let the free market work, even in agriculture. If we don't wake up to reality, we're going to be left behind. The Kiwis have got it together. This is a global marketplace, protectionism and subsidies don't work.

http://www.3news.co.nz/NZ-could-run...medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+3news/Farming+
 

andybob

Well-known member
Most cattlemen have lost their pioneering spirit and have been lulled into an hypnotic state where we believe we need to buy expensive machinery, invest in high maintenance cattle to produce large weaners, and buy in feed to maintain them. I used a rotational grazing system in fragile environments, now in the English temperate climate, the grazing system is based on a longer period of grazing, using measuring grass length to dictate when to move cattle or sheep,( New Zealand system) in all environments, using adapted breeds of livestock has been an integral part of low cost, profitable production.
Has anone read "Time to Change" by Chip Hines?
I would be interested in opinions from American/Canadian ranchers.
 

Ben H

Well-known member
Never heard of it, I'll check it out.

One of the battles I'm up against in my state is Animal Welfare laws requiring stupid crap because they don't consider adapting animals.
 

Ben H

Well-known member
It's one of those books you have to send a check, can't order on amazon. I'll pick it up anyway.

I get the impression that Europe is really in to bigger machinery. A lot of the "cool" equipment seems to come from there. Is that because of subsidies? I am aware that euro farmers tend to work together and buy bigger machinery together to be more efficient. People used to do that here, but now they've become more independent. When my grandfather upgraded from a sickle bar mower, he bought a mower conditioner with two other guys.
 

andybob

Well-known member
Ben H said:
Never heard of it, I'll check it out.

One of the battles I'm up against in my state is Animal Welfare laws requiring stupid crap because they don't consider adapting animals.

What problems do you have with the powers that be? Do they want you to house the cattle or breed Galloways for winter conditions?

The two popular systems for machinery ownership over here, are shared ownership, or one family farm will own a full range of quality machinery and contract to other smaller acreage farms, running the contracting business as a seperate business.
 

Ben H

Well-known member
5. Livestock. Livestock must be provided with shelter suitable for the health of
the animal. Livestock must have access to a constructed or natural shelter
that is large enough to accommodate all livestock comfortably at one time.
The shelter should be well drained and protect the livestock from direct sun,
rain, wind and other inclement weather. Notwithstanding this subsection,
shelter for equines must be provided in accordance with Subsection 2,
Paragraph B, Subparagraph (1). For purposes of this subsection, "livestock"
includes large game as defined in Section 1341, Subsection 5 kept at a
licensed commercial large game shooting area as defined in Section 1341,
Subsection 1.

http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/aw/documents/2006ANIMALWELFARELAWBOOK.pdf

It would make it simple if there was a pasture exemption.
 

andybob

Well-known member
Here in Hampshire England it doesn't get anywhere near as cold as Maine, but we outwinter the Angus and Hereford herds in fields, with only hedges for protection, the Buffalo have to be kept indoors.
My grandad kept his Galloways on a treeless mountain in Scotland when I was visiting in the 60's.
Recent visits to relatives in Scotland prove this is still the case, Highlanders and Galloways are commonly left on the mountains all winter with the 'hefted' sheep.
I was of the impression that the UK had the most strict animal welfare legislation in the world, I find it surprising that they are so strict in your neck of the woods!

Check the photo album on this site, the Bonsmara herd in Alberta seem to be coping with the cold weather, and they are far from what I would consider adapted for that climate as a purebred!
http://sangacattle.webs.com/
 

Ben H

Well-known member
The law allows "natural" shelter, that's all my animals get in the winter. It's easy because I don't have to manage a back fence in the winter. I bale graze away from shelter/water. The problem is the growing season when best management practices for Management Intensive Grazing conflict with this welfare law. This is one of the reasons I'm a Farm Bureau member, to fight this.
 

andybob

Well-known member
The British breeds should be adapted sufficiently to your climate to cope with the winter conditions with sufficient wooded areas to shelter from the worst of the weather, mainly the wind. Indoor herds here often suffer respiratory tract infections during the winter due to being confined, hardly good welfare!
 
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