THE MOOD on dairy farms around the country has lifted into positive territory as rain falls and pasture recovery is better than expected, says DairyNZ regional team manager Craig McBeth.

HAWKE’S BAY dairy farmer David Hunt says people in rural areas should not be afraid to offer help to fellow farmers and friends they think might be suffering from stress and/or depression. The drought caused many farmers to struggle to cope and Rural Support Trusts have been active. 

IF IT wasn’t for low interest rates, and the improved payout forecast, the recent drought would have caused “chaos” in the dairy sector, says a leading farm consultant.

HAVE YOU dried-off cows early? Did they get dry cow therapy and/or teat seal?

LAST WEEK’S meeting in Dannevirke about the impacts of One Plan on dairy farmers was scary for a number of reasons.

PLANS BY Labour to slash household electricity prices have been criticised by some in rural sector. 

IT’S NOT as though David Hunt isn’t prepared for the drought or any other adverse event. His 210ha milking platform on which he runs 650 cows is supported by an additional 220ha. On one of these he grows 40ha of maize, on the other silage, along with winter replacements and some dry cows. On a further 260ha he runs bulls, but at a pinch can use this to support the dairy operation, which has happened this year.

THE 11 finalists competing for the 2013 New Zealand Farm Manager of the Year title are split between contract milkers and farm managers – as well as age, experience, and farm size.

AN AUSTRALIAN farming couple have been investigating ways to achieve faster milking without the need to outlay for a major extension to their shed. 

‘LITTER FALL’ – the feed wasted when some of each cow mouthful falls to the ground – is a hitherto little-noticed contributor to nitrous oxide gas emissions to atmosphere.