dairy farm

Where's the cream?

Fed Farmers dairy chair Wayne Langford says rising input costs and the drop in production has taken the cream off a record milk payout.

The dairy season ended last week with a record milk price, but farmers aren't popping the champagne.

Published in General News

John Roche, chief science advisor at the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), reckons despite all the local and international challenges facing the New Zealand farming sector, it has a lot of positives going for it.

Published in General News

Helping hand for inline dispensing

Inflex chief executive Mark Bell Booth (inset) says his company has relased a two-part solution to solve the problem of poorly mixed dry mineral dosing into stock drinking water.

Local company Inflex International claims to have made the job of inline dispensing of water medication a whole lot easier.

Published in Machinery & Products

Legen-dairy Kubota tractors

Reporoa farmer Alastair Neville says Kubota tractors have enabled him to run bigger, more efficient equipment on the farm.

Alastair Neville is a third-generation dairy farmer, at Reporoa in the central North Island, running the family’s 320-cow operation.

Published in Machinery & Products

Calf rearing expos coming

Attendees at the Dairy Women's Network 2021 Calf Rearing Expo in Waikato.

A series of calf rearing expos are being planned over the next months by Dairy Women's Network.

Published in Farm Health

Milk production, animal health top priorities when picking bulls

Manawatu farmers Ron and Amy Baker with two-year old Ollie.

Ron and Amy Baker are a busy couple. They are not only the owners of a 60ha dairy farm on the outskirts of Palmerston North but are also the holders of a 14-year-old contract milking position on the neighbouring farm.

Published in Farm Health

Controlling feed costs

Maize growers are urged to soil test to determine the right amount of fertiliser to apply to their crops.

Everywhere I go, whether it be in town or on farm, I hear a similar topic being discussed. It’s the fact prices have risen and as a result farmers and growers have become very focused on controlling on-farm costs.

Published in Management

Dealing with springer cows

A well transitioned cow will normally produce more milk, have fewer disease issues, and a better reproductive outcome.

Making key decisions around feeding and supplementation for springer cows can have a bigger impact on a dairy farm’s profitability than any other single set of management decisions made throughout the rest of the season.

Published in Management

State plan to ban feeding calves OAD 'unpopular'

The practice of feeding calves once daily on limited volume of liquid feed is not acceptable for the first three weeks after birth, says NAWAC.

A proposal by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to ban once-a-day (OAD) calf feeding will be unpopular, says Chris Collier, Probiotic Revolution.

Published in Management

Waikato farm a role model for riparian planting

NIWA researcher Fleur Matheson with farmer Grant Wills on his family’s property in the Waikato region.

A Waikato dairy farm which began its first riparian planting project 20 years ago now stands as an exemplar for rural land users, backed by science and clever long-term planning.

Published in Agribusiness