This long-running AgResearch-led project, supported by DairyNZ, demonstrated that adopting good farming practices on dairy farms to reduce contaminant loss into waterways improved water quality.

Getting the cluster attachment and removal right is crucial during milking. It ensures that the milk is of good quality, prevents harm to the teats, and reduces the risk of mastitis.

Having more productive dairy workplaces can save hours, shorten the working day, and create more attractive workplaces. In this episode, we share the findings of two recent studies on workplace productivity and farm tech adoption.

This study looked at the time requirements of dairy farm activities and priorities to better understand how systems, technology and management influence how productive our farm teams are.

Justin and Melissa Slattery have been on their 100 ha farm at Elstow, between Tahuna and Paeroa for 6 years.  Their approach to farming is to be good stewards of the environment through having simple systems that are resource efficient.

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.

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.

The key to preventing lameness on farm is good record keeping, identifying risk factors and developing a lameness prevention plan.

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.

Bull management involves ensuring the right number of healthy bulls for your herd, minimising stress and reducing injury risks. A correct ratio depends on your herd's size and percentage of pregnant cows.

Dairy exit and entry races refer to the design of the pathways that lead cows in and out of the milking platform. Good exit and entry design can speed up the milking process and reduce cow injuries.

Creating a new pasture isn't just about sowing. Good management, especially in the first year, can boost its performance and longevity. It's only successfully established once it's dense and has survived a summer.

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.

Huntly Road Dairies Ltd, an equity Partnership operated by Duncan & Anne-Marie Wells is a high-performing farm, with strong governance and supported by attention to detail, both on the farm and in the office.

Driscoll Dairies Ltd, Home farm, is a 675 cow, high input farm near Winton. Good pasture utilisation, and efficient use of in shed feeding are a priority. Building a sustainable and resilient business are important for the farm owners.

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.

The Total Package Value and Minimum Wage calculator helps you determine the minimum allowable salary for the expected hours of work.