Regular service and maintenance of your milking machine will help ensure that the speed and completeness of milking is maintained, and the risk of mastitis due to milking machine faults is minimised.

A risk pathway is a method through which infection or disease can reach or spread from your farm. This page emphasises the importance of being prepared to prevent foot and mouth disease in New Zealand.

Grass staggers is a metabolic disease in cows caused by a magnesium deficiency. By giving cows extra magnesium in their diet, you can prevent health issues like grass staggers and milk fever, which can help increase milk production.

The milk letdown reflex in cows stimulates milk flow from the alveoli in the udder into the teat canal. It has to occur before a cow will milk out freely.

Understanding the maximum milking time (MaxT) is key to making your milking system as efficient as possible. MaxT is a strategy to milk cows for a predetermined time based on milk volume.

Heifers, or young female cows, require careful planning and patience when introducing them to the milking herd. The page you're reading details steps to minimise stress and enhance milk production during this transition.

Successful weaning in calves relies on proper nutrition, adequate weight, and gradual transitions. It's important to ensure calves are consuming the right amount of feed and meeting their weight-for-age targets.

Feeding and nutrition play a critical role in a young heifer's development. A well-fed heifer grows more, produces more milk, and competes better with mature cows. Your heifer's diet needs sufficient energy and protein for optimal growth.

Early lactation once-a-day (OAD) milking is a short-term strategy used during the calving period. Understanding the benefits and trade-offs helps you make informed decisions for your herd and business.

An Automatic Milking System (AMS) lets cows choose when to be milked by a robotic system without human help. It has a robotic arm and an identification system. When a cow enters, it's checked if she's due for milking.

At the end of lactation, dairy cows require a dry period to allow udder tissue to repair and rejuvenate. The recommendation is that all cows are protected from mastitis during the dry period.

Understanding the maximum milking time (MaxT) is key to making your milking system as efficient as possible. MaxT is a strategy to milk cows for a predetermined time based on milk volume.

Body Condition Score (BCS) is a critical element in managing the health and reproduction of your dairy herd. It's essential to maintain BCS targets, as too thin or too fat cows can negatively affect reproductive performance.

Dairy shed feeding systems are tools to deliver concentrated feed to cows during milking, supplementing their pasture-based diet.

The Taits focus on balancing sustainability with profit in their dairy farming practices. Based in Lowcliffe, Ashburton, the Tait Family Trust oversees an intergenerational dairy business that began milking in 2011.

Maize silage is a high-quality forage supplement made by ensiling maize crops in stacks or bunkers, used to supplement pasture. This silage has notably low levels of sodium, calcium, and phosphorus, making it a useful carrier to supplement magnesium.

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.

The design of the milking bail, pipework, and pit in dairy farming is crucial for the safety and comfort of both cows and workers. This page outlines ways to ensure optimal cow flow and worker efficiency in the milking process.

Automated mastitis detection (AMD) systems are technology tools used on dairy farms to identify signs of mastitis in cows by monitoring milk for specific indicators.

The teat cup liner is the part of the milking machine that touches the cow's teat, significantly affecting milking performance, udder and teat health.