Late summer strategies in dairy farming involve continuous monitoring of feed demand and body condition score (BCS). This page discusses how managing pasture effectively, considering factors like over-grazing and dry periods, is crucial.

Yellow bristle grass (YBG) is a pest plant harmful to pastures. This fast-spreading weed lowers pasture quality as cows avoid eating it. YBG spreads mainly through its seeds, which can move via dung, water, animals, or contamination in hay and maize.

Body Condition Score (BCS) is a critical element in managing the health and reproduction of your dairy herd. It's essential to maintain BCS targets, as too thin or too fat cows can negatively affect reproductive performance.

Maize silage is a high-quality forage supplement made by ensiling maize crops in stacks or bunkers, used to supplement pasture. This silage has notably low levels of sodium, calcium, and phosphorus, making it a useful carrier to supplement magnesium.

Cocksfoot is a resilient pasture grass, ideal for dry conditions and resistant to many pests. Though its feed value is typically lower than ryegrass, it supports summer growth in dairy pasture mixes, especially in drought-prone areas.

Johne’s disease is a long term, infectious disease that affects the gut of cows and reduces their ability to absorb nutrients. There is no cure, so management focuses on reducing the risk of spread.

Drought management in dairy farming is about preparing for and recovering from dry conditions. This page provides you with various options to deal with drought.

Using the LEAN principle, DairyNZ developed this training programme to help enhance dairy farm management by identifying and eliminating waste, improve safety, streamline milking times, and enhance team communication and engagement.

DairyNZ's research farms are an important industry resource that provide 'real farm' platforms with associated science resources, enabling pasture and animal trials to be carried out.

Volcanic eruptions pose a risk to dairy farm animals due to toxic ash containing fluorine. Hungry animals grazing short pastures are especially at risk, but rainfall can reduce the danger as fluoride is soluble.

DairyNZ is leading a potentially game-changing catchment project to test the benefits of plantain in local pastures.

Dairy cow fertility is essential to every dairy business being productive. It is important to consider areas to focus on, in order to maximise the herd's reproductive performance.

This high input, highly stocked farm, depends on effective feed monitoring, efficient effluent management and improving herd fertility for success.

Driscoll Dairies Ltd, Home farm, is a 675 cow, high input farm near Winton. Good pasture utilisation, and efficient use of in shed feeding are a priority. Building a sustainable and resilient business are important for the farm owners.

Adverse weather events are becoming more common and can significantly impact dairy farm operations. Dairy farmers must have a plan to look after their people, animals, business and pastures to minimise the impact and ensure a quick recovery.

How do we reduce methane emissions from cattle within our pasture-based farming system? And when will farmers have solutions ready to use on-farm?

Create a spring rotation plan that matches pasture supply with herd demand, helping you manage pasture through early spring and set up production for the season.