LIC extends New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards sponsorship
LIC has reaffirmed its sponsorship of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) by signing up as a national sponsor for another three years.
Calving is getting underway in many regions, seeing farmers excited to see their future herds hit the ground, LIC says.
"Getting the most out of these carefully bred young stock starts at birth, so here are some tips to help you and them survive and thrive in the rush of spring":
1. Immunity - Is delivered via colostrum. Make sure they have had 2-3L of first milking colostrum in the first six hours and another 2L in the first 24 hours of life.
2. Top notch process - When and how do you collect the calves? Do you have a system for making sure every calf gets navel sprayed, tagged and fed colostrum?
3. Roster well ahead - Make sure your staff know which days they're rostered on. If you're sole charge, consider hiring casual help occasionally to let you spend time elsewhere if you need to get essential jobs done.
4. Keep on top of bugs - There aren't enough hours in the day to do everything, but make sure you stay on top of calf shed sanitation. Mortality rates can soar quickly in dirty sheds. Talk to your veterinarian about the best products to use.
5. Calf care - For a refresher on the key points, read the Calf Care resource from DairyNZ. Make sure you know how to meet the calves' needs for colostrum, handling, shelter, bedding, and water.
6. The right rearer - Have you got the right rearer for your calves? They need to be reliable, hard-working, caring and observant, and have the willingness to deliver extra TLC when it's needed.
With processes in place, staff trained and the calves in good hands once they're in the shed, calving should go smoothly.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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