Farmers push for greater fitness
Dairy farmers Neil and Glenda Gray are ready to swap the paddock for the tarmac as they prepare for the Farmstrong Fit4Farming Cycle Tour.
Fitness tracker devices have a worldwide following; now there's one for cows, by the Japan tech giant Fujitsu, to boost their breeding efficiency.
The estrus detection system for cattle (EDSC) determines exactly when cows are biologically primed for artificial insemination, reports Digital Trends.
Smarter breeding and birthing are the aims. They consist of a wearable cattle pedometer and a stationary receiver to process tracked data.
The data collected by the receiver is sent to the Microsoft Azure cloud, from where EDSC automatically sends the feedback to a computer or laptop. This gives cattle owners access to loads of valuable information about the livestock, such as timing for early conception and predicted due dates.
'Common sense' cuts to government red tape will make it easier for New Zealand to deliver safe food to more markets.
Balclutha farmer Renae Martin remembers the moment she fell in love with cows.
Academic freedom is a privilege and it's put at risk when people abuse it.
All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.
Claims that some Southland farmers were invoiced up to $4000 for winter grazing compliance checks despite not breaching rules are being rejected by Environment Southland.
According to the most recent Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey, farmer confidence has inched higher, reaching its second highest reading in the last decade.