Contents:

• Herd testing – it’s essential to your farm
  Herd testing in New Zealand is a powerful on-farmmanagement tool and also contributes significantly to the efficiency of the national herd. Herd testing enables accurate genetic predictions which allow farmers to make good decisions regarding which animals to breed from and which to cull.
• Herd testing in tight times – what are the options?
  It’s tempting to try to save money by cutting back on herd testing. But if you don’t perform a minimum amount of herd testing each year, your information isn’t accurate.
• Herd testing on the way for automatic milking systems?
  Changes to the New Zealand Dairy Herd Test Standard could soon make approved herd testing an option for farmers with automatic milking systems (AMS). How is it likely to work and what have studies on the subject revealed?
• Fertiliser costs – what to do in the downturn?
  When times are tight, good knowledge of your farm’s soils and intelligent use of fertilisers can save valuable dollars. This article provides a number of options for reducing fertiliser costs.
• Science snapshots
• Snippets of hot science