Could be birds not cows

E.coli has been found in the swimming holes in the Taieri River.

. . . Council director of engineering, hazards and science Gavin Palmer says staff have tracked the river through nearby farms looking for the source of the contamination but haven’t found any cause of the e.coli.

Further inspections and water quality testing are planned this week. . .

Cows are usually the first to be blamed for poor water quality and sometimes there is just cause for that, but that’s not always the case.

High levels of E.coli in the Kakanui River last summer were blamed on cattle but it turned out the culprits were seagulls.

A large colony nesting upriver from popular swimming spots – and the intake for the water scheme which supplies the district’s homes – was fouling the water.

But because some are a protected species no action was taken.

China culls 2m cows

We know dairying is big in New Zealand, but it’s even bigger in China.

China’s dairy herd has shrunk by two million cows in the past year.

There has been a mass exodus of small dairy farmers due to high production costs and record beef prices.

Dairy Australia industry analyst John Droppert says China has killed more cows this year than the entire Australian dairy herd.

That’s about 20% of New Zealand’s dairy herd.

“Basically it means production in the country is in a hole, in short,” he said.

“But you are certainly seeing a reduction in production, I think they are talking 10-15 per cent this year.

“Effectively that means at the broader level they have a bigger gap.

“Demand is growing and at the same time supply is shrinking.”

This is the main reason demand for milk from New Zealand is so strong and is likely to remain so which is good for the whole economy.