Farming smarter with technology
The National Fieldays is an annual fixture in the farming calendar: it draws in thousands of farmers, contractors, and industry professionals from across the country.
Farm technology solutions provider DTS has released the latest version of its driving and herd management app, Herd-Man.
Created for users of DTS' drafting solution, Auto Drafter, his update marks a significant milestone for the company.
It says over the past decade the Herd-Man app has been a trusted companion for dairy farmers and this new release incorporates the feedback from its farmer customers.
DTS chief executive Gavin Thwaites says the release is just the beginning of its revised digital roadmap.
"Our dedicated team of programmers will regularly enhance the Herd-Man app based on farmer feedback," he says.
"We welcome farmer input and aim to create a seamless experience for our users."
Thwaites revealed that the next stage of updates is already planned, aligning with the feedback from farmers, and driven by a desire to create cost-effective and collaborative solutions on farm.
"We strongly believe in collaboration within the dairy industry," says Thwaites.
"Rather than reinventing existing solutions, our philosophy is simple: let's work together to maximise value for our customers. That's why our Auto-Drafter integrates with leading cow wearables and herd management platforms. These solutions enhance the capabilities of our cow drafting technology."
Thwaites points out that farmers should not have to change their gate when they invest in new cow monitoring technology.
It's about "just having one drafting solution that works with all of them".
"Take Active Tag, for example. We've started selling Active Tag because farmers can own it outright, with no per cow subscription.
"Farmers get all the heat and health monitoring features bundled into one product. It represents good value for farmers and integrates seamlessly with Auto Drafter."
DTS says it invites other farm technology developers to collaboratw with them and is in advanced discussions with some larger co-ops "but the ink isn't on the paper yet".
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford says the 2025 Fieldays has been one of more positive he has attended.
A fundraiser dinner held in conjunction with Fieldays raised over $300,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
Recent results from its 2024 financial year has seen global farm machinery player John Deere record a significant slump in the profits of its agricultural division over the last year, with a 64% drop in the last quarter of the year, compared to that of 2023.
An agribusiness, helping to turn a long-standing animal welfare and waste issue into a high-value protein stream for the dairy and red meat sector, has picked up a top innovation award at Fieldays.
The Fieldays Innovation Award winners have been announced with Auckland’s Ruminant Biotech taking out the Prototype Award.
Following twelve years of litigation, a conclusion could be in sight of Waikato’s controversial Plan Change 1 (PC1).
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