Winter preparation for cows is key to their health and productivity. Ensure they're in good condition, as fat acts as insulation. Group dry cows based on their condition and calving date, enabling tailored feeding and protection from dominant cows.

Breeding Worth (BW) is an index that ranks cows and bulls on their ability to breed profitable, efficient replacements. This page explains how BW is used to create herds resilient to changes and disease, therefore increasing farm profits.

A breeding value is an estimate of an animal's genetic merit for a particular trait. Using breeding values to select cows and bulls to be the parents of the next generation is the most effective way to achieve genetic improvement.

The page tracks genetic trends in the national herd, noting improvements in economically important traits.

Cow performance measurement lets you identify the most and least productive cows in your herd.

Effective cow data recording and performance measurement on your farm can make the difference in breeding decisions.

A new multi-year programme of work, led by AgResearch and jointly delivered by DairyNZ, is working with farmers to understand and reduce E. coli losses into waterways.

Scientist

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, posing a significant threat to New Zealand's economy and agricultural sector.

The Healthy Hoof programme focused on the prevention of lameness. The programme was a simple, stepwise approach to managing lameness on dairy farms caused by physical factors. NZVA now offer their own lameness training.

What’s the best way to manage internal parasites in young dairy stock? Find out how worms limit production in calves, when to start drenching, how to choose the right drench, and why we need to focus on management factors other than drench.

The Healthy Hoof app has been discontinued and is now unavailable for use. Visit the page for alternative solutions.

Extreme weather puts pressure on daily farm operations, so you'll find guidance below on getting back to a normal milking schedule, managing feed, and keeping your cows healthy.

Planning and preparing for calving with your farm team will reduce stress when calving is in full swing and will help keep everyone safe and healthy. Spend time with your team prior to calving to create a plan that works for everyone.