increase font size
Data driven decisions: a dairy farmer trains on DelPro FarmManager.
Farmers and DeLaval staff around the globe now have access to an e-learning solution developed by a Hamilton company.
Software specialist Company-X was asked by DeLaval to build an e-learning solution to teach dairy farmers and DeLaval staff around the globe how to begin using robotic milking systems and farm management software.
Company-X was chosen for the project because its team had a track record with DeLaval NZ: project started when DeLaval International’s Lynda McDonald, a New Zealander based in Sweden, approached Company-X consultant Lance Bauerfeind.
“They already knew the company well,” McDonald said.
“I thought it would be less of a learning curve to work with Company-X rather than a new company.”
The solution had to be relevant to every farm model from the small European farms to the large corporate operations in China.
Company-X project manager Dilan Prasad and senior software developer Wonkee Kim had input from DeLaval staff in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and Latin America. The diversity and geographical spread of stakeholders added to the project’s complexity.
“It’s very much about providing value through knowledge to dairy farmers and staff,” McDonald said.
“We are moving from manual milking systems to farms now managing their herds by data. We need to make sure that we transfer knowledge and give them the best possibility to optimise their systems from the time they purchase them. Customer satisfaction was really a significant driver.”
Company-X worked on the e-learning programme in small iterations, allowing the DeLaval subject matter experts to provide frequent feedback on the solution as it was built.
The DelPro Interactive E-Learning solution Company-X built offers 64 e-learning modules that take about four hours to complete: comprising nine separate courses including milking, feeding, health, reproduction, performance and body condition scoring. Modules are animated and narrated by an automated voice. Users can turn text prompts on or off. Teaching resources are offered for download for future use as the user progresses. Users can choose to use either the imperial or metric measurement system.
One challenge was keeping all of the stakeholders around the world fully informed and engaged. Company-X used project management tool TeamWork to collaborate and define a multi-stage review process. Reviewers and approvers were chosen for each region and a new role called DeLaval Voice to ensure content was consistent with DeLaval style.
Kaikōura families affected by July's severe storm have found a practical solution to a problem that's kept some children away from regular schooling for weeks: a washed-out section of Inland Kaikōura Road, which has stopped the local school bus from running its usual route.
Special courses for secondary school teachers to help excite kids about agriculture and horticulture are now being run at Massey University.
The Government has announced a new rural scholarship designed to back emerging primary sector leaders.
OPINION: This old mutt went to school to eat his lunch, but still knows the future of the country, and the primary sector, depends on a conveyor belt of well-educated youth coming through the system.
Feilding Agricultural High School isn't alone in offering agricultural or horticultural subjects as part of its curriculum, but the location of one of its farms on the northern edge of the urban fringe makes for some interesting considerations.
LIC shareholders have elected a new North Island representative to the co-operative's Board, along with five representatives to its Shareholder Reference Group (SRG), following the company's Annual Meeting held in Invercargill.
Farmers across parts of Southland and South Otago are continuing to deal with difficult conditions after a prolonged run of wet weather, with pressure building around feed supply, stock management, pasture damage, farm infrastructure and everyday workloads.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes Labour's commitment to reviewing the Sharemilking Agreements Act, calling on other major parties to do the same.
For Canterbury dairy farmers Sian Meijer and Rick Wobben, wearable technology has become one of their most valuable on-farm tools - helping manage 1850 cows across an expansive, high-performing dairy operation while improving efficiency, mating outcomes and day-to-day decision making.
Fonterra has unveiled its annual results for the 2026 financial year, posting $27 billion in revenue and close to $20 billion returned to New Zealand farmer owners and unit holders.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
