Easily missed on its expansive Agritechnica site, John Deere offered visitors to the bi-annual event, the first opportunity in Europe to see John Deere’s E-Power 130hp electric tractor prototype.

In a market already well supplied with agricultural spec’ two-wheeled motorcycles, a new arrival with an aggressive price point is sure to raise a few eyebrows.

Given that most countries who favour the humble ute have maximum braked towing limits of 3500kg, those seeking to use mobile plant and machinery need to find a solution that fits within those limits.

As we move towards the warmer, more humid months, farmers across New Zealand are already preparing for the annual challenge of facial eczema (FE).

A question many farmers ask themselves each year is: do we select individual bulls or take the team approach?

Animal welfare is of paramount importance to New Zealand's dairy industry, with consumers increasingly interested in how food is produced, not just the quality of the final product.

The way we manage livestock is constantly changing, and the advent of virtual fencing and herding technologies represents a significant advance for pasture-based dairy farming, offering flexibility, efficiency, and improved animal welfare.

With the pressure of winter and spring behind us, and the groundwork laid, now is a good time for many farmers to pause, check progress against plan, and think ahead to ensure resilience for whatever summer and autumn may bring.

OPINION: We do dairy very well here in New Zealand and our products are revered internationally. With our products exported to 130 countries, on any given day an estimated 90 million people could be consuming our dairy.

OPINION: The year has started positively for New Zealand dairy farmers and things are likely to get better.