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Bigfoot comes up trumps

Kawasaki reports that its Mule SX-XC Bigfoot is finding favour with many dairy operations around the country for its no-nonsense specifications, ease of use and low running costs.

Call them what you will, but UTV’s, side by sides or ROV’s have certainly found a place in much of New Zealand’s rural sector.

Tedder stays wide, folds smarter

Kuhn claims its latest 13m wide tedder can be folded and ready for transport in 25 seconds – about half the time taken by its predecessor.

Machines with wider working widths have become a lot more common on the farm, particularly in the grass and hay production arena, where oversized rakes and tedders have helped to increase daily output dramatically.

Tyreshift - a labour saver

The TyreShift mounts onto pallet tines and features a heavy-duty boom that incorporates a hydraulically driven chain with specially made links that grip the tyres.

With the maize harvesting season just starting, there will be lots of farmers and their workforces getting enthused about putting old tyres up onto the clamp to keep the sheet weighted down. Only joking! There really can’t be anyone out there who likes throwing heavy, dirty tyres, no doubt filled with cold dirty water since they were taken off the clamp last winter.

Plug-in truck from Pickman

Pickman EV- 1005 electric truck built in China with deisgn and component input from the US.

While battery or hybrid has become the buzzword in motoring circles, electrification is certainly not high on the radar in rural environments.

Sexed semen tech to lift genetic gains of herds

CRV’s sexed semen processing facility in Waikato.

CRV is introducing new sexed semen technology to New Zealand, claiming it will help farmers accelerate the genetic gains of their herd.

Undersowing helps pasture quality

Undersowing into existing pasture is a cost-effective method, says Agricom product development manager, Allister Moorhead.

Whether your pastures are starting to open up due to insect pressure, hard grazing or dry conditions, undersowing into existing pasture is a cost-effective method, according to Agricom product development manager, Allister Moorhead.

Meet NZ's coolest cows

LIC Chief Scientist, Richard Spelman, inspects dairy cows with the ‘slick’ gene.

As temperatures rise globally, heat stress is becoming more common among cows too.

Every blade of grass can help reduce rising costs

Barenbrug pasture systems manager Blair Cotching.

Every blade of grass holds the power to dilute rising costs

Humates miner scores patent

Malcolm Sinclair, Southern Humates, at the mine.

It all started when a small group of soil scientists and farmers considered the potential of humates to improve the quality of soil and the possible flow-on effects on pasture growth.

Winter milk and ketosis - the handbrake is on

Ketosis is the failure of the cow to consume adequate glucose in early lactation and the liberation of excessive body fats.

OPINION: One of the attractions of shifting from spring calving to autumn calving is perceived reduction in down cows, or milk fever. Our analysis of herds that go through this process suggest that this is certainly the case. However, our team has identified something else going on in winter milk herds in early lactation.