The latest Australian Breeding Values (ABVs) will be under the spotlight when Australia hosts an international genetics conference in Lorne, Victoria, next month.

Tail painting remains the most widely used form of heat detection in New Zealand, according to GEA FIL, the makers of Tell Tail heat detection paint.

Many farms are running with lower than target average pasture covers (APC) this time of the year. The months of June and July were cooler than normal so pasture growth rates have not been where they would normally be.

Last month we discussed the importance of colostrum, the consequences of insufficient colostrum feeding and how to assess colostrum management on farm.

Ensuring every calf goes into the herd at target weight makes sure a Patea, Taranaki, dairy farm is running at full capacity, even on once-a-day (OAD) milking, says calf feed maker Fiber Fresh.

For the next couple of years, some dairy farming challenges will be a reality.  It will be a slog for some, financially and psychologically. 

The latest Pioneer brand ‘Maize for Silage 2015-16’ catalogue gives average estimated growing costs for maize silage planted in high fertility or low fertility paddocks (Table 1).

The rural sector will need a major financial re-set as a result of the current low dairy prices, says the director of business, innovation and strategy at Massey University, Professor Hamish Gow.

The dairy industry’s ongoing volatility coupled with a cold wet winter in many parts of the country has highlighted the real value of New Zealand’s pasture based system.

European dairy giant Arla Foods is setting out this month to make it clear to its consumers that the company is owned by farmers.