By September, most herds are already calved and are heading towards mating. The window to influence pre-calving minerals has passed, and decisions made in the transition period are only just becoming obvious.
It took a stint at university to remind Otago dairy farmer Megan Morrison that being stuck in a classroom was not for her.
Milton dairy farmer Chris Wills says he began using probiotics in spring 2023 to address somatic cell count (SCC) grades when cows transitioned from their winter barn to lush spring pasture.
The calving season brings with it significant nutritional demands on the herd.
Feeding infected milk is high risk for spreading diseases such as M. bovis.
To ensure optimal growth, health, and wellbeing of calves, feeding strategies should be considered carefully.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
Success in calf rearing is often measured by minimising health issues and achieving target weaning weights.
As dairy farmers know all too well, the calving season brings with it significant nutritional demands on the herd.
We've come a long way in dairy farming over the past couple of decades. Genetics are better, sheds are more modern and we have more data at our fingertips than ever before.
At the heart of the SmaXtec system is the ability to monitor animal health, including early disease detection, alongside reproduction issues such as heat identification, optimal insemination windows, calving notifications-on average 15 hours before the eventalongside abortion detection and fertility issues.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Six industry organisations, including DairyNZ and the Dairy Companies Association (DCANZ) have signed an agreement with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to prepare the country for a potential foot and mouth outbreak.
It's common to look at reproductive challenges through the lens of the mating season. If cows aren’t cycling, if submission rates are low, or if too many come up empty, most farmers will dig into their mating programme to figure out what went wrong.
As I write this article, we have just had our first frost in the Waikato, a change in weather signalling that winter is upon us.
Leaky teats and poor feeder fit are now a thing of the past for calf rearers - thanks to the Thriver range of calf teats from Skellerup.
ST Genetics breeding consultant Jean Macky believes that it is time for New Zealand farmers to look at Aussie Jerseys.
After helping many farmers detect lameness early using artificial intelligence (AI), Herd-i is rolling out its new body condition scoring (BCS) system.
Good milk flows, healthy cows and fewer spring headaches are all possible if cow body condition score (BCS) is well managed between drying off and next season's calving.
Autumn calves are born in kinder conditions than what their spring cousins enjoy. But it takes a careful nutrition regime and a close eye on growth targets to capitalise on the opportunity nature, through pasture, offers this time of year.
Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe (NZVA) awards.
Wintering decisions shape the success of early lactation.
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