Keeping an eye on the clock
Keeping an eye on the time for morning milkings is something you do every day during the milking season. But while a seemingly insignificant 15 minutes here or there can just slip by, there's a group of ladies to whom it makes all the difference.
Last year FMG paid out more than...
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You're never too old for parking lessons
In your average paddock, you'd think there'd be plenty of room for both your irrigator and your tractor, right? Well not always so, given how often the two seem to meet each other with disastrous consequences.
In 2008 FMG paid more than $530,000 in claims relating to damaged or destroyed...
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Staying on track on your ATV
Going about your daily on-farm tasks will almost certainly involve your quad bike; but because you ride it so often, you may forget to take a safe approach each time you grab the keys. It pays to know the "dos and don'ts" when it comes to riding quad bikes - following industry...
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Add sense to your fencing
In October 2009, a Wairoa farmer was successfully sued for damage to a car which hit one of his calves on the road. This Disputes Tribunal decision received wide news coverage and highlighted a clear trend towards a higher standard of care being expected from farmers in stock on the road...
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Plant shelter belts to help save your buildings
A nor' westerly gale, a southerly blast, or an easterly storm ... no matter where it's coming from, strong winds can cause catastrophic damage to your farm buildings.
FMG supports many customers each year who suffer a loss to their farm buildings, feed and equipment due to strong winds, and...
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Curing a hangover
Making the time to conduct regular maintenance checks can be difficult during the busy season. Spring is a good time to improve and maintain your farming operation after the winter storms.
We know, because last year we paid out more than $800,000 for...
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Avoid your boots giving you the slip
New Zealand’s farming industry accounts for most of the new injury claims received by ACC. In fact, slips, trips and falls on New Zealand dairy farms cost them around $1.2 million annually. And one of the most common claims is for foot slip events in the milking shed.
Autumn saw an FMG...
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Check for hazards and save your tyres
When time’s short and the pressure’s on, unexpected events such as tyre damage have a habit of occurring. Expensive, inconvenient, and often the result of something as simple as a waratah lying forgotten in a paddock, FMG paid out over quarter of a million on incidents like this last year.
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Keep hold of your keys; keep hold of your ute
Having your keys in plain view is the best way to loose your vehicle. We know, because our claims records show that last year FMG paid out more than half a million dollars for farm vehicle thefts, often with the thief just collecting the keys and driving away.
Unfortunately it's a story we're...
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Don't expose your assets to the elements
A corrugated iron roof that's well maintained will last a lifetime. But neglect it and you could soon be facing a number of problems. Damage caused by roofs lifting (and in some cases completely disappearing) off farm buildings during storms is costly and often avoidable.
A...
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Who said cow sheds don't burn?
Most people have the misconception that cow sheds can't burn down, simply because they’re made of concrete. But in the case of a recent FMG claim, a suspected fault with the submersible pump led to water getting into the wiring system causing an electrical short.
This electrical short...
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A spot of bird-watching could save your tractor
In the springtime the days are longer, the weather's warmer, the grass is growing and birds make their nests wherever they please - with starlings the main culprits - including tractor engines! Fires often start as the nests catch fire once the engine has warmed up. ...
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Invite farm pests to dinner or sparks may fly
Some animals are hard to love, especially those wild little furry ones with really sharp teeth. They’re ideally suited to nibble through electrical wiring, shorting circuits and causing sparks to fly. We understand, because last year FMG paid out over $1.5 million in claims for damage to...
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