Farming in the Lake Rotorua catchment means meeting challenging N-loss targets. Knowing they had to do their bit for the environment, Steve and Paula Holdem began looking at tools to reduce their N-loss from their farm.

DairyNZ is working with farmers to understand milking practices and technology use with a five-yearly survey showing which technologies are being adopted by farmers.

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.

Learn about teat preparation and spraying basics and how washing keeps milk quality high, prevents damage, and reduces mastitis. Discover handy tips like strategic washing, proper drying, and avoiding bulk washing.

White clover is a top-quality feed used widely in New Zealand's dairy pastures. Different types have varying purposes in dairy farming. Italian and Annual ryegrass, and Red clover perform well in summer dry areas, complementing white clover in mixes.

Feed density and storage are crucial for dairy farming. Proper planning optimises storage solutions and maximises feed resources. Use our tables to help calculate storage space requirements when planning new or evaluating current storage.

Getting the pulsation and vacuum systems right is key to efficient and comfortable milkings. This page will cover the benefits of proper pulsation, how it works, and the essential components of a pulsation system.

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.

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.

Effective irrigation management benefits your dairy farm by preserving water quality, reducing costs, and ensuring compliance with water supply conditions. Find out how to operate within these conditions efficiently.

If you’re experiencing issues with somatic cell count, have several clinical cases of mastitis, or persistent teat damage in your herd, professional help should be sought. Trained advisers are available in all regions to investigate and help.

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.

Alderbrook Farms have focused on continuous improvement over the past 20 years and are always striving to be better.

Peter and Joc Kinney are dairy farming near Culverden. The dairy farm has an effective milking platform area of 310 ha. At the start of the FRNL programme this was 95% irrigated, at a stocking rate of 3.8 cows/ha.

Mayview was converted in 2016 and purchased by the current partnership in July 2019.

Improving milking efficiency is one of the great wins for dairy farmers.

The Chicory and Plantain programme of work aimed to determine milk production responses to supplementing a pasture-based diet with chicory or plantain in summer, and how grazing management affected the growth and quality of these herbs, as well as

Three, two, done For most people, three doesn’t go into two. But for Taranaki farmers Daryl and Karyn Johnson, that formula has proven to be a winner, helping them improve herd health, staff wellbeing and farm profitability.

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.