Displaying items by tag: dairy

The revolutionary robotic rotary dairy is now a reality with the world's first commercial installation in operation at Gala, the dairy farm operated by the Dornauf family in northern Tasmania.

Farm sales are on the rise. Data released by the Real Estate Institute of NZ shows there were 153 more farm sales (+52.8%) for the three months ended April 2012 than for the three months ended April 2011.

Giant buttercup, a damaging European dairy pasture weed that is avoided by cattle due to its acrid taste, is costing New Zealand hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue as dairy farmers battle to control it.

Dairy prices have fallen to their lowest level in almost three years.

Retirement advice will be provided to farmers at this year's DairyNZ Farmers' Forum at Mystery Creek Events Centre in Hamilton next week.

Cow behaviour expert, Darold Klindworth, says farmers need to identify the signs of cow stress to improve the milking experience for their animals and staff.

People, perception and pride is the theme of this year's South Island Dairy Event (SIDE), challenging dairy farmers' views on the industry now and into the future.

Dairy farmers should take particular care when planning to transport cows in their third trimester of pregnancy, says DairyNZ's Dr Nita Harding.

The country now has more than six million dairy cattle, an increase partly driven by higher milk solid payouts, Statistics New Zealand says.

Fonterra has appointed Professor Sally Poppitt to a newly established Fonterra Chair in Human Nutrition based out of The University of Auckland. The new Chair will also sit within the Riddet Institute, New Zealand's Centre of Research Excellence for food science and technology.