Competition is alive and well down on the farm, especially among young workers.
Hours of practice backing tractors through gates, running out fence breaks, and putting the 4WD farm bike through demanding agility tests all had a sequel this month when the agriculture industry training organisation AGITO held its annual skills day.
Cold winds and driving mist were forgotten at the St Andrews Domain by the more than 50 farm trainees from Rangitata to North Otago who had assembled with just one thing in mind - to be better than their colleagues at the demanding tasks.
AGITO training officer Chrissy Williams said each region had an AGITO regional committee made up of farmers who helped organise the sections and run the day.
‘‘For the day to be a success we need plenty of support and our skills day this year required 25 helpers,'' Mrs Williams said.
‘‘The trainees really look forward to this day every year.
‘‘It's a social event for people who do not usually see one another regularly throughout the year,'' she said.
The competition was good-natured and not designed to form any part of assessment as part of the workers' training package.
‘‘But it does give everyone an opportunity to see where each is at with their own skills compared with the skills of others.''
The agri-sports section involved running out an electric fence, fitting a pipe joiner, shifting 50kg of Causmag (a fertiliser supplying high grade magnesium oxide), carrying a strainer, tying a termination knot and putting a liner in a shell.
‘‘This was all done against the clock,'' Mrs Williams said.
‘‘It really brought out the competitive edge with a lot of laughs along the way.''
The motorbikes and ATV section required competitors to ride a course, back a trailer and point out the faults on a motorbike.
The fencing section required trainees to tie fencing knots and to pick up the faults in an electric fence, along with some theory questions.
The ID and feeding section required the trainees to identify breeds of cattle, sheep, sports stars, weeds and fertilisers and then to identify a range of feeds and put a dry matter percentage and metabolisable energy value on them, Mrs Williams said.
In the milking section, the trainees had to complete a rapid mastitis test and find the infected sample, answer questions about treating mastitis, identify details from a tanker docket, and identify parts of a
milking plant.
The animal health portion required them to fill out an Animal Health Board Tb docket and identify a range of liquids and answer questions on the parts of the cow. The tractor section required trainees to shift a load and place it in a precisely marked area, Mrs Williams said.
Perhaps reflecting district trends within agriculture, most trainees were from dairy farms. However, a few were from sheep and beef properties and the Timaru District Council's Washdyke Training Farm was also represented.
Mrs Williams said the judges were impressed with the great attitude towards tackling some of the harder questions and activities and noted that everyone gave it a go willingly.
