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Minimise metabolic herd risks

It's the calm before the calving season and a bit of planning now will help herds get through without the risk of metabolic disorders, such as milk fever, which can lead to downer cows or impact future milk production, claims mineral supplier SealesWinslow.

Vets help boost farm income

A vet-designed programme is helping farmers to boost their gross farm income.

TB on the decline, but outbreaks costly

OSPRI NZ’s Stu Hutchings (right) and farmer Raewyn van Gool discuss TB issues at the Primary Industries Summit.

The stigma of bovine TB remains huge in rural communities despite a decline in the number of infected herds, says Stu Hutchings, group director of OSPRI.

Awards toast top sheep breeders

Overall winners of the 2015 Ewe Hogget Awards Wendy and Ben Hopcroft of Southland.

Attracting young people to sheep farming and transferring expert knowledge and experience were two recurring themes during the recent National Ewe Hogget Awards.

Farmstrong a hit at Fieldays

Farmstrong say they are pleased with level of interest they received at this year's Fieldays, with 70 farmers getting a free health check and 376 testing their physical health.

Auckland signs up for BFEA

Simon Saunders, chairman of the NZFE Trust and Penny Webster, councillor, Auckland Council.

Farmers in the Auckland region can now enter the prestigious Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

Steele by name and nature

Anna Steele grew up with farmer politics: her father Richard Steele was twice the chair of Ruapehu Federated Farmers and was integral in setting up Ruapehu Feds to take control of the fight against Bovine TB in the region.

Farmers need to make better use of accountants and other professionals

Anna Steele works as an accountant and takes an active interest in farming.

Farmers could make better use of accountants, says Federated Farmers’ Ruapehu meat and fibre chair Anna Steele.

Science suffers as middle managers meddle more and more

The announcement that AgResearch will invest $5 million in the new Southern Dairy hub, matching the investment from DairyNZ and supporting the $1.3 million raised by farmers, has mystified AgResearch scientists.

Too many people are dying on farms

The current workplace health and safety law has been in place since 1992 and the responsibilities of those in charge of a workplace have not substantially changed since that time.

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Quack, quack

A mate of the Hound reports how on the opening weekend of duck shooting a farmer and his mates had just finished shooting for the morning, when over the hill came a quad with three people on it – one policeman and two rangers who proceeded to go over the group with a fine-tooth comb.

Shallow puddle

Your old mate notes that NZ First leader Winston Peters, was not red-necked or stupid enough to ask some really dumb questions about the proposal of Hong-Kong-based He Run Ltd to set up a new dairy processing factory in Otorohanga.