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.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
The New Zealand Fish & Game Council has announced a leadership change in an effort to provide strategic direction for the sector and support the implementation of proposed legislative changes.
AgFirst, New Zealand's largest independent agribusiness consultancy, is turning 30 - celebrating three decades of "trusted advice, practical solutions, and innovative thinking".
Strong global milk production and rebalancing of demand among key buyers has delivered one of the biggest drops in whole milk powder prices in recent years.
Dairy farmers around the country are into the busy spring calving period.
Rural communities say support is required to shift away from the copper network that has been the only source of internet connection for some parts of rural New Zealand.
OPINION: Fonterra's $4.22 billion consumer business sale to Lactalis is ruffling a few feathers outside the dairy industry.
OPINION: Finance Minister Nicola Willis could have saved her staff and MBIE time and effort over ‘buttergate’ recently by not…