Rob and Rachael are farm owners for Brooklea Farm Ltd at Wendonside which was converted to dairy in 2008-09. They supply milk to Fonterra. A 100-ha unirrigated support block was purchased in 2020 allowing more of the wintering to be done in house.

Eric and Maxine are arable farmers from Wakanui. They were part of a network of farmers in Canterbury who contributed to the direction of the FRNL research, influenced priorities, shared experiences and provided a practical check to research.

Tokoroa Pastoral Ltd is 70ha of Taupo deep sand soil type, milking 175 cows (2.6 cows/ha). The farm operates at system 2, with 7% of the annual feed supply brought onto the farm.

The Climate Change Ambassadors are an important part of helping dairy farmers and our farming communities understand how they can make environmental improvements on their farms.

Prepare your team for a successful calving season with CalvingSmart. This workshop is designed to build confidence, strengthen skills, and ensure everyone on farm is ready to support cows and calves safely and effectively during calving.

Parekarangi Trust Farm, Rotorua, straddles the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Regions and comprises a dairy and dry stock unit. The farm became a monitor farm in 2016.

Tait Family Trust is an intergenerational family-owned dairy business. The home farm (275ha total) is located in Lowcliffe, Ashburton and produces around 1,601kg MS/ha, 513kg MS/cow operating a system four production system.

Mastitis affects udder health and milk quality, impacting farm productivity. To manage it, use SmartSAMM, which offers guidance on reducing mastitis and somatic cell counts.

Duncan and Anne-Marie are equity managers of a 210 ha flat farm near Taieri. They supply milk to Fonterra. Planned start of calving is 5 August with the majority of cows being wintered off-farm.

Brent and Maryn are arable farmers from Mayfield. They were part of a network of farmers in Canterbury who contributed to the direction of FRNL’s research, influenced priorities, shared experiences and provided a practical check to research.

Blair and Amie Kirkland are sheep and beef farm owners from Parnassus. 

Jon and Birgit Pemberton are owner-operators of a 139ha farm in Brydone, milking approximately 400 cows producing 560 kg MS/cow through a 28-aside herringbone dairy with in-shed feeding. They supply milk to Open Country Dairy.

Being prepared for the future of your dairy farm means understanding four key numbers that show how ready your business is for what's ahead. These numbers include operating profit per hectare, debt-to-asset ratio, and tonnes of methane.

Rachel and Kenneth Shorts' self-contained, very low input, organic, coastal Taranaki farm is embracing regenerative pasture management practices. 

Choosing the right plant species and cultivar is essential for optimising pasture life, feed availability, and your profit. Match these to your farm's specific conditions like climate, soil, and pests.

Read more on how DairyNZ is understanding how predicted changes to climate will affect cow health and welfare.

Milk disposal on your farm may become necessary after an adverse event. This page covers guidelines for various disposal methods, including applying milk directly to the land or discharging into effluent ponds.

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

The NZIPIM Certified Dairy Farm Systems Consultants focus on identifying risks and opportunities on farms through a whole farm systems approach, providing tailored recommendations.

Prolonged wet weather poses challenges to normal farming activities by saturating soils. This page provides information on managing the impact of wet weather on dairy farming.