Resources for Fertiliser Advisors
Tools, insights, and resources to support your conversations.
Welcome, Fertiliser Advisors
A central place for tools and information to support your expertise, and drive dairy farming success - on farm, every day.
Your go to tools and resources
You're at the heart of the dairy sector, connecting farmers and the wider industry. As a fertiliser advisor, your expertise already drives nutrient planning and paddock performance. This hub supports your broader farm systems knowledge and offers tools and resources to help you advise confidently on feed demand, pasture management, and seasonal planning.
-
Gibberellic Acid
Use this page alongside your own tools to reinforce best practice and help farmers understand when and how gibberellic acid can be most effective.
-
Nitrate Poisoning
Read how nitrate transforms to nitrite in the cow's rumen and binds to haemoglobin in the blood, stopping it from carrying oxygen, which can lead to rapid death.
-
Reducing N loss
Explore more on how to reduce nitrogen loss, improve fertiliser efficiency, lower greenhouse gas emissions, enhance water quality, meet regulatory requirements, and strengthen farm businesses.
Explore hidden gems in DairyNZ’s toolkit
These resources are designed to help you deliver clear, data-driven support that empowers farmers to make informed farm-system decisions. Use them to strengthen your impact and support sustainable farm success.
Support on-farm decisions that improve water quality
Continue to support farmers with practical, science-backed advice on managing nutrients, reducing nitrogen loss, and protecting waterways, while keeping productivity on track with the resources below:
Stay up to date on policy and advocacy
Stay up to date with DairyNZ’s advocacy efforts and the latest policy developments affecting fertiliser use and farm planning. This includes key government-led initiatives such as the Freshwater Farm Plans, which aim to support farmers in managing environmental risks, and the Nitrogen Cap. This regulates synthetic nitrogen fertiliser use on grazed pasture. These resources are designed to help rural professionals guide farmers through compliance and sustainable practice.
Connect fertiliser performance with pasture performance
Help farmers get more from their pasture with tools that support fertiliser decisions. Use the Pasture Renewal Guide, Pasture and Crop Eaten Calculator, and Pasture Damage Score Guide to assess performance, plan recovery, and align nutrient inputs with paddock needs.
See on farm success in action with these case studies
Trying different forages for reduced nitrate leaching
Brent and Maryn are arable farmers from Mayfield. They were part of a network of farmers in Canterbury who contributed to the direction of FRNL’s research, influenced priorities, shared experiences and provided a practical check to research.
Reducing nitrogen loss while maintaining profit with a low input farm system
The Everest family own a farm in Longbeach, Hinds, with heavy soils leading to low N loss. They've made strides in using a low-intensity system and efficient irrigation to address greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and N loss.
Considering a compost barn to reduce N loss
Alderbrook Farms, located northwest of Rakaia.They're achieving their goal of a 30% reduction in nitrogen losses. As part of DairyNZ’s sustainability project, they're considering a composting barn system for Karetu to further reduce nitrogen losses.
Podcasts
Uncover insights driving nutrient strategies and farm system performances
If you're looking for insights and perspectives to support your work with farmers, these podcast episodes are a valuable resource. We've curated a selection we think you'll find both relevant and thought-provoking for your role.
New research: Resilent Pastures Programme
The Resilient Pastures programme is a seven-year initiative led by DairyNZ with MPI through the Primary Sector Growth Fund and industry partners Beef + Lamb New Zealand. It focuses on enhancing pasture performance and persistence on dairy, sheep and beef farms across the upper North Island.
Looking for something else?
Explore the links below to return to the Rural Professional Hub, contact your local area manager, explore current research, or sign up for updates on upcoming events, resources, and insights to support your work with farmers.
