Proactive farming and a stringent plan is credited for minimising the impact of the industry-wide ban on routine inductions which came into effect this season, says Canterbury veterinarian Bernice Mangnall.

DairyNZ says the results of analysis of Southland swede plants collected last season backs up its advice to farmers that feeding maturing swede crops increases the risk of ill-health in cows.

Tail painting remains the most widely used form of heat detection in New Zealand, according to GEA FIL, the makers of Tell Tail heat detection paint.

Last month we discussed the importance of colostrum, the consequences of insufficient colostrum feeding and how to assess colostrum management on farm.

Nine months since reports of cows collapsing on swede crops in Southland, the exact cause of the casualties is still uncertain.

Working as a veterinarian pregnancy testing dairy herds helped shape the thinking of Australian farmer Tim Humphris when he and his wife Lyndal decided to go farming.

Farmers are being warned to assess the risks to their herds from the tick-borne disease Theileria if they are moving stock this autumn and winter.

Northland farm consultant Kim Robinson believes dairy farmers can achieve high fertility targets without CIDRs (controlled intra-uterine drug release), but they must have a plan.

The countryside is drying markedly in Waikato, though some areas that got recent rain are holding on. This may mean the third dry summer in a row for many areas, and this, with the poor payout, is putting pressure on some farmers.

UNHEALTHY ANIMALS ruin any farmer’s day. The extra time and out-of-pocket costs for treatment add up, especially as your herd grows. Most health issues your herd faces can be managed, monitored and improved through management and recording processes.