Bikinis in cowshed
OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content posted on social media and adult entertainment subscription site OnlyFans.
Flood-affected farmers in the South Island are being encouraged to make use of livestock feed support services funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Widespread flooding across the Canterbury, West Coast, Tasman and Marlborough areas this winter has damaged pasture and caused losses of supplementary feed.
Since June, MPI has boosted feed support services and allocated more than $4.7 million for recovery grants, technical advice and wellbeing support.
"Several of these regions had been battling long-term drought prior to the floods which have put further pressure on feed supplies heading into calving and lambing," said MPI's director of Rural Communities and Farming Support, Nick Story.
MPI funds Beef+Lamb New Zealand, Federated Farmers, and other specialist providers to offer free, one-on-one feed planning support to livestock owners.
Farmers are encouraged to get flood-deposited silt covering paddocks tested, so the correct fertiliser can be applied.
To get help from the Feed Planning Service, or to list or source feed or grazing through the Feed Coordination Service, farmers are encouraged to call 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646). Farmers who need wellbeing support should contact their Rural Support Trust on 0800 RURAL HELP (0800 787 254).
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
The New Zealand Fish & Game Council has announced a leadership change in an effort to provide strategic direction for the sector and support the implementation of proposed legislative changes.
AgFirst, New Zealand's largest independent agribusiness consultancy, is turning 30 - celebrating three decades of "trusted advice, practical solutions, and innovative thinking".