Sharemilkers are responsible for operating the farm on behalf of the farm owner. They don’t own the land but split milk income and expenses with the owner. There are two types of sharemilking agreements, herd owning and variable order.

Efficient water management on your dairy farm can save water, time, and money. Begin by mapping your farm’s water infrastructure and identifying and addressing problem areas.

We have completed a four-year trial at Scott Farm in the Waikato, validating the Forage Value Index (FVI) under typical farm management conditions.

The DairyNZ-led, Low N Systems research programme investigates stacking (or combining) management strategies and mitigation technologies on dairy farms to deliver reductions in nitrate leaching of over 40%.

Changing mating management on your dairy farm can offer benefits but comes with potential risks.

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.

Dead stock management is the process of dealing with farm animal fatalities. It is important to appropriately dispose of carcasses to avoid spreading diseases, contaminating water, and harming the dairy industry's public image.

Cows with heat, swelling or pain in the udder, or changes in their milk (wateriness, clots, discolouration) that persist for more than three squirts have clinical mastitis, and require treatment.

Summer dairy farming involves efficiently using spring pasture before summer heat and dryness diminish its quality. You should formulate a summer management plan early to ensure profitable production.

A pasture feed wedge is a tool that visually displays your farm's current pasture situation. By ranking your paddocks based on average pasture cover, it can help you make proactive decisions about pasture management.

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.

If you experience issues with somatic cell count, have a number of clinical cases, or rough teat conditions are persistent, professional help should be sought.

Pre-graze mowing is a technique sometimes used to manage surplus pasture. However, research shows it doesn't increase cow intake or performance, and actually reduces pasture performance.

White clover is crucial for New Zealand dairy pastures, offering nutritional value and fixing nitrogen to boost other grasses' growth. Yet, shade hampers its growth, and overusing N fertiliser can outcompete it.

Johne’s disease is a long term, infectious disease that affects the gut of cows and reduces their ability to absorb nutrients. There is no cure, so management focuses on reducing the risk of spread.

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.

Drought management in dairy farming is about preparing for and recovering from dry conditions. This page provides you with various options to deal with drought.