Spring management focuses on the critical period from calving through to your balance date when feed supply meets demand.

The transition period in a cow's life requires precise feed management to ensure health and optimal milk production. It’s important to set BCS targets, monitor those targets and adjust your feed budget as required, especially pre- and post-calving.

A feed pad is used for regular supplementary feeding and loafing of cows on an area that is either formed with a solid foundation and/or concreted and can be covered or uncovered.

Free stall barns are engineered structures for housing dairy cattle. Free stall barns can significantly improve feed usage, herd comfort, and reduce maintenance costs, but they can require a substantial initial investment and experienced management.

Regular pasture assessment on your dairy farm helps you manage your feed, plan grazing, and detect surpluses or deficits in pasture.

What’s your plan when pasture growth slows or a dry spell hits? In this episode, DairyNZ’s Mark Williams and farmer Enda Hawe share how to choose the right supplements, use tools like the Supplement Price Calculator, and plan to avoid feed shortages.

Fall Armyworm is a plant pest that can feed on over 350 plant species, particularly sweetcorn and maize. Its spread typically begins in December, so early detection and regular monitoring are key to protect your feed and prevent the pest’s spread.

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.

Fish need to move up and down waterways to feed, breed, and migrate between the sea and freshwater to complete their life cycle. Anything that stops fish movements is called a ‘fish passage barrier’.

Nitrate poisoning in cows happens when they eat feed with high nitrate levels, often in late autumn or winter.

Grass silage is pickled pasture, preserved through the conversion of its sugars into lactic acid by bacteria. This process extends the shelf life of the pasture beyond what it would have if exposed to open air.

White clover is a top-quality feed used widely in New Zealand's dairy pastures. Different types have varying purposes in dairy farming. Italian and Annual ryegrass, and Red clover perform well in summer dry areas, complementing white clover in mixes.

Managing high-quality pasture during feed surplus periods is a crucial skill in pasture management. This page explains that pasture surplus often develops in spring, which if unmanaged, can lead to low-quality pasture affecting milk production.

Calculating Metabolisable Energy (ME) needs is important for dairy cows. You adjust for feed quality by adding or subtracting 4% per MJ ME/kg DM from the standard 11.0 MJ ME/kg DM.

Kale is a winter feed crop with a deep root system, making it drought-resistant. It's tolerant to many pests and is often grown after swedes due to its resistance to club root and dry rot.

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.

Heifer grazing involves estimating your farm's ability to support the growth of dairy heifers to meet their target weights. It's important to evaluate the number of heifers your land can sustain based on the amount and quality of pasture.

Dry matter is a crucial dietary requirement for dry cows. This page outlines the energy a cow needs, considering its weight gain or loss. The feed requirement considers the cow's maintenance, pregnancy, and weight gain.

Comparative Stocking Rate (CSR) is a tool to measure the balance between feed demand and supply on a farm. It is determined by calculating the amount of livestock weight per hectare versus the annual feed available.