THE HIGH milksolids forecast means most farmers are focused on extracting as much milk as possible from the current season.  With pasture growth in many areas again affected by low rainfall, supplements will play a key role.   

FORGET EVERYTHING you learnt at college about rumen function: chances are it doesn’t apply to New Zealand cows because digestion of pasture is quite different from a total mixed ration (TMR), delegates at one of the first of a DairyNZ series of FeedRight workshops were told last week.

RESTRICTED PASTURE growth and milk production occurs in many parts of New Zealand as a result of dry summers and irrigation restrictions. 

AMID A flurry of new product releases by Polaris last week was an ATV developed especially for farm down-under.

THE WAIKATO Regional Council and stakeholders are discussing potential action if dry, drought-like conditions continue in parts of the Waikato and South Auckland.

RURAL COMMUNITIES will be celebrating record milk production as well as an increase in Fonterra's forecast Farmgate Milk Price for the 2013/14 season by 35 cents to a record level of $8.65/kgMS, says DairyNZ.

DAIRYNZ CHIEF scientist Dr Eric Hillerton has decided to semi-retire, leaving his post at the industry body later this year.

TWO BIG American livestock groups say they will fiercely oppose a compromise farm bill agreed to by House of Representatives and Senate agriculture leaders that includes an end to direct subsidies to farmers in favour of beefed-up crop insurance.

KILLING bobby calves with hammer blows to their heads should send shivers down the spine of every Kiwi dairy farmer. 

With regards to the big promo for AberHSG ryegrass (Rural News, February 4), I know it is that time of the year when all kinds of claims are made about the dozens of pasture seed cultivars on offer.