METABOLIC DISEASES are complex disorders that occur when the cow’s ability to adjust to a major change (e.g. calving) is compromised. They have been a persistent problem for farmers for centuries, milk fever first being documented in 1793 in Germany and ketosis reported in the USA as early as 1849.

Over the past few weeks, US imported beef prices have dropped as a result of reduced demand for imported product.

YOUR COWS might not be pugging your paddocks, but are they causing unseen compaction and consequent production losses?

FARMING HILL hill country is never easy but at Landcorp’s Opouahi Station, Hawkes Bay, manager Sam Bunny has succeeded in lifting performance substantially, not that he’s making life easy for the stock, especially cattle.

Federated Farmers West Coast provincial president, Katie Milne, has been elected to the farmer lobby's board.

A FARM owned by Fonterra director Colin Armer has copped a $72,000 fine for unlawful discharge of effluent.

A MERE 0.5% drop in overall prices in last week’s GlobalDairyTrade auction is being hailed as a good result by commentators given the previous sale’s 13% price jump and continued economic uncertainties.

ROTORUA’S KAPENGA M Trust has won the Ahuwhenua Trophy for a second time, taking honours for New Zealand’s best Maori dairy farm. In 2003 it won the award for best Maori sheep-and-beef farm.

DROUGHT AND insect infestation lead to a testing time for ryegrass pasture establishment in the upper North Island from 2004 to 2010, but lessons were learnt.

IT’S THE calm before the storm as dairy farmers wait out the next month or so for the start of calving. But Manawatu DairyNZ consulting officer Abby Hull says there are plenty of important tasks to do in this ‘quiet’ period.