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Shaun Gardner
When Shaun Gardner did his homework on full autumn calving last season, he realised he'd need every heat detection advantage.
"With autumn calving, cows are likely to cycle, or are harder to pick up on heats," says Shaun.
Silent heats during wet winter months can drag down submissions, impacting six-week in-calf and empty rates.
Shaun says he asked around and FlashMate was consistently the answer.
The top autumn-calving herd in New Zealand for reproduction statistics is Dan and Abbie Hinton at Eureka, Wakato, who have been using FlashMate for six seasons.
Shaun and Michelle Gardner run 120 cows on their Waiiti dairy farm in Taranaki.
"After two weeks using them, I felt very comfortable that the right cows were going up for AB," Shaun said. Now, even his four-year-old daughter can spot cows on heat.
Then came the added advantage of detecting silent heats, quickly covering the investment right there and then.
"With FlashMate we picked up cows that we wouldn't have seen, with slightly lower heats and less rubbing," said Gardner.
Because it is touch-sensitive, when cows are quietly cycling, they still receive attention from other cows, which sets FlashMate off.
Overseas studies show silent heats can range 10 to 20% of herds. The wider product experience got the thumbs-up from Shaun.
"I had none come off the cows in the first six weeks. I was very, very happy with that!" FlashMate sticks firmly to cow hair, which stays with the cow a lot more during winter.
Shaun believes FlashMate takes away decisionmaking stress. He doesn't have to worry if he goes away for a weekend, that staff can see a flashing light and pull them out with no hesitation.
Visit FlashMate at the National Fieldays at site PC4.
This year’s Fieldays will feature a Rural Advocacy Hub - bringing together various rural organisations who are advocating for farmers and championing their interests as one team, under one roof, for the first time.
The lead up to another calving period means the next few weeks offer an opportunity to meet the nutritional demands of your cows.
As part of its strategic choice to lead in sustainability, Fonterra places a strong emphasis on calf wellbeing.
While most dairy farmers are heading into spring calving with lush grass cover, cows may need more starch and energy to compensate for pasture deficiencies this season.
With calving underway, dairy farmers are being urged to be vigilant for coccidiosis by planning their calf feeding regimes and using nutrition to combat the potentially fatal disease.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has informed staff it will cut 391 jobs following a consultation period.
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