Disbudding is the process of removing a calf's horns between one to six weeks old. This prevents injuries to both the farm team and other animals.

Lipids or fats, found in plant and animal products, are a key energy source in dairy cows' diet. They are typically low, between 2-6% of dry matter in pasture-based diets, as excess can harm rumen function and milk production.

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.

Recycling, collection and safe disposal services are a responsible way to deal with farm waste, reducing the negative effects on the environment and the health risks for both people and animals.

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.

Dairy stockmanship covers interactions between cows and people, and when practised effectively, creates a safe and efficient work environment; it also improves animal health and production.

Chief Science and Innovation Officer

Mastitis is one of the most common and costly animal health issues on dairy farms. Understanding the basics will help you protect cow health, maintain milk quality, and do your job confidently in the milking shed.

How are farmers helping to shape DairyNZ’s animal care research and why does it matter for our global competitiveness? Penny Timmer-Arends and Dr Stacey Hendriks explain market expectations and the key factors influencing cow comfort.

This page covers the concept of a base cow. Breeding Worth (BW) and Breeding Values (BV) are presented as the difference between an animal’s genetic merit and the average genetic merit of the 'base cows’.

This page covers the concept of genetic reliability, highlighting the confidence in an animal's breeding value and worth.

Clusters in dairy milking are a set of components that include a claw and four fully assembled cups. Selecting the right clusters and setting them up correctly will increase milking efficiency and improve animal health.

How did we arrive at our current wintering practices? What’s next for wintering animals on crop? And what kind of changes can you make on farm now?

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.