Heat stress in cows happens when they can't dissipate the heat they generate, leading to discomfort and lower milk yields. Unlike humans, cows can start feeling the stress at temperatures below 20°C.

General Manager Policy and Government Relations

This episode shares practical insights on creating contract milking and variable order sharemilking agreements that work for farm owners and contractors. Learn to set fair rates, manage cashflow, and build lasting business relationships.

The Coalition Government is making changes to the Resource Management system. DairyNZ made an extensive submission to this process and will continue to engage with ministers and officials. This webpage outlines information on the process ahead.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is a practical tool you can use to inform decision-making, easily access information, save time and lighten your mental load. Many farmers are using simple, low-cost GenAI tools on their phones or computers.

Reducing nitrogen losses from your farm can help improve efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve water quality, meet regulatory requirements, and strengthen your bottom line. There are 10 main actions to consider.

Proactive visitor biosecurity management helps protect your herd and your business. Visitors can unknowingly bring in diseases, weeds or pests that threaten animal health and farm productivity.

Review your heat detection strategy each season, ensuring it includes careful planning, effective use of aids, keen observation, accurate record-keeping, and regular staff training.

How to interpret rumination data and use daily rumination time for day-to-day decision-making.

Understand the additional cost of feeding supplements for extra milk production. Read more on the research to learn how marginal milk costs compare to milk price and profitability.

Top episode of 2025! Find out how farmers Donovan Croot and Sophie Cookson built one of NZ’s best herds. They share the smart choices and tools that helped them reach the top 1% for Breeding Worth. Listen now for tips to improve your herd.

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.

Better decisions start with better data. Hear how DairyNZ research using wearables is paving the way for practical solutions to improve cow comfort and productivity on your farm.

The Dairy Effluent 'Warrant of Fitness' (WOF) is a voluntary programme that assesses your farm's effluent system to ensure it's compliant throughout the year.

Economic Values (EV's) are an estimate of the dollar value to a NZ dairy farmer of a unit change in each trait. Ten traits have been identified as having a measurable economic value to NZ farmers.

The Reducing GHG team at DairyNZ are working on several projects to develop viable solutions that reduce greenouse gas (GHG) emissions on New Zealand dairy farms.

Positive welfare goes beyond preventing suffering. It's about enabling cows to thrive. By supporting natural behaviours and promoting positive experiences, we can help ensure cows live a good life.

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.