What’s the real cost of lameness and what can we do to stop it? In this episode, Winston Mason and Frank Portegys cover the common causes, the direct and indirect costs, and the most effective strategies for reducing its impact.

This case study considers the learnings for a large dairy farming operation bordering the South bank of the Rangitata River when it flooded in the summer of 2019.

The calculations made with this tool are estimates of the ‘opportunity cost’ of less-than optimal reproductive performance in a specific herd.

A contract milker is a self-employed farmer, managing the property and paid on a negotiated price per kilogram of milksolids (kgMS) produced. Learn more about the considerations, advantages and skills required for this type of business ownership.

Find out how new technology can benefit your farm business, the sorts of technology farmers are investing in, and the considerations that go into a decision to invest in technology that supports positive outcomes for people.

Water meters are the most effective way to monitor water use. They can detect small leaks and losses and enable you to track seasonal and annual water consumption.

Creating a safe and healthy culture needs to be a conscious and deliberate effort every day. Lead by example to show your team that safe practices are expected.

Maintaining profitability in dairy farming is a challenge, especially with increasing costs. The page provides guidance and tips from seasoned farmers on how to manage your farm's budget effectively.

Animal feed can affect animal health, milk quality and food safety, and the source of dairy products can be important to buyers and consumers. That’s why it’s important when buying and selling feed, it can be traced to its origin.

Many farmers are looking for ways to get better value from their pasture, get through NIWA’s predicted El Niño summer, and control on-farm costs. Could deferred grazing provide a solution for some farmers?

The BCS competency assessment determines your ability to accurately and consistently body condition score.Assessment is required for those who have not passed an assessment before or for those whose certification lapsed more than 2 years ago.

The Biosecurity Response Levy rate is set each year and is administered by milk supply companies. On a milk docket, it shows as ‘Biosecurity Response Levy’.

Deferred grazing is an alternative pasture management tool used to manage pasture quality, defer spring feed to early summer and increase the number of plants in the paddock through natural re-seeding.

The Mastitis Focus report helps you manage mastitis in your herd. This two-page report identifies problem areas and risks to udder health, letting you and your veterinary advisers track changes.

Here you’ll learn about ways to make your herringbone dairy more effective, often for little or no extra cost. The swing-over herringbone is the most common dairy type in New Zealand, used on 69% of dairy farms.

Establishing a healthy pasture requires attention to several factors: sowing date, seedbed preparation, sowing depth, and perennial ryegrass sowing rate.

Improving your herd's reproductive performance starts with understanding and adjusting the calving pattern. Late calving cows often have less recovery time and hence a lower chance of getting pregnant in the first six weeks.

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.

A well-designed and maintained track for your dairy herd can save time and money, and improve cow welfare.