The battle for the rural vote is on and parties are securing high profile names to try and bolster their chances at the general election.

More than 1200 exhibitors will showcase their products and services at next month’s National Fieldays, with sites nearly sold out.

The first weeks of a calf's life quietly shape the future of the entire herd.

In calf rearing, the smallest details often have the biggest impact. While feed and genetics remain critical, bedding is increasingly recognised as a key driver of calf health, growth, and overall performance.

For decades, probiotics in calf rearing have been treated as a reactive tool – something to reach for when illness strikes. That thinking, according to Matt Collier of Probiotic Revolution, is leaving significant money on the table.

When a cow goes down after calving, it is easy to blame the calving itself. Milk fever, calving stress, poor weather, bad luck. Yet many down cows are not caused by one dramatic event. They are the end result of poorly transitioned cows entering calving under nutritional pressure.

Dry-off feels like a break. For the cow, it's anything but.

Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) is one of the most common - and most expensive - health challenges on dairy farms. Often referred to as pneumonia or "shipping fever" (a stress-triggered form that can develop after transport), BRD can hit calves hard and fast.

Mid-season on farm is where good habits are tested. Workloads build, the days stack up, and what felt straightforward at the end of the season can begin to feel like a grind. It is also the point where small lapses in consistency can creep in, often without anyone noticing in the moment.

Westgold butter has been named New Zealand's tastiest in a blind tasting conducted by Consumer New Zealand.