Breeding the Ultimate Robot-Ready Jersey Herd
In the beautiful, scenic expanse of Invercargill, Joanne (Jo) Crack of Southern Star Farms is redefining what it means to run a modern, self-sufficient dairy operation.
Lely has launched a sprayable barrier against bacteria to boost the udder health of cows.
The Quaress Barrier is a spray especially for use with automatic milking. Lely calls it a ready-to-use udder-care product.
“After every milking, the robot sprays the product directly onto the teats of the cow, ensuring direct protection by applying a barrier layer.
“This physical protection closes the teat sphincter and protects against environmental bacteria until the next milking; it is ideal for use on dairy farms where challenging environmental conditions make well-protected udders essential.”
The product allows dairy farmers to broaden their interpretation of udder health.
When Northland leather worker Vernon Suckling started making horse saddles 50 years ago, quad bikes and side-by-side vehicles were unheard of.
Alliance Group has confirmed that eligible farmer-shareholders who supply and continue to back the business will receive up to $20 million later this year, following the strategic investment partnership with Dawn Meats.
With a general election under five weeks away, Rural News is asking major political parties about their policies and positions on key issues facing the primary sector. We will run their responses to each question over the next four weeks. The ACT Party and the Greens didn't respond in time.
The red meat sector is in great heart.
Dr Scott Champion, Foundation for Arable Research chief executive, says that everyone in the supply chain had a role to play in driving the sector's long-term success.
Entries opened on Monday, 5 October 2026 for the 2027 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA), which organisers describe as the nation's biggest celebration of excellence in the dairy sector.
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