Show Notes
How do you build a team that can assess pasture consistently, spot changing conditions and act early? Host Mark Williams talks with Mick O’Connor from Dairy Holdings about how to strengthen pasture decisions across your farm team with lessons learnt from his 20 years in dairy farming and overseeing 10 farms. They discuss teaching pasture assessment, how to build confidence and keep everyone aligned on the grazing plan. The conversation also covers round length, pre-grazing covers, residuals, ...
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What do high-performing farmers do differently, regardless of the farm production system they run? DairyNZ farm systems specialists Mark Speight and Steve Veix share findings from the Farm Systems Review, which looked at successful farm businesses across different regions and production systems. They discuss the practical things these farmers have in common, including how they manage pasture and supplementary feed, keep on top of finances, make decisions, work with people and use technology. ...
What does a beef finisher need from the calves you breed? Annie O’Callaghan of Temataa Station and Jo Sheridan of Owl Farm bring together two sides of the dairy-beef supply chain. They discuss Owl Farm’s dairy-beef programme, Annie’s experience buying and finishing calves, and how genetics, colostrum, calf health and traceability influence value. They also cover finding the right buyer, agreeing on a fair price and building relationships before mating. Their experiences show why breeding deci...
How do you keep your pasture and profit goals on track when your farming situation changes? In 2024, Leighton and Hayley Parker hosted around 280 people at a Pasture Summit event on their Canterbury farm. Their business stood out for strong cost control and profitability, high pasture use and production, and improved reproductive performance. Two years on, they’re farming somewhere different. Leighton shares how their plans are tracking, what has changed, and where they’re heading next. Join ...
Kim Robinson from Agfirst and Dr Paul Edwards from DairyNZ join Willie McKnight to discuss findings from a multi-season trial comparing different supplementary feeding systems. They explore the full cost of producing extra milksolids, from feed costs through to the wider impacts on your farm system, and share insights to help you assess whether extra feed is delivering value for your business. Links to more info Marginal milk research, tools and resources Supplement Price Calculator FeedCheck...
New results from a four-year trial show plantain reduced annual nitrate leaching by an average of 33% while maintaining milk production. In this episode of Talking Dairy In 10, Kate Fransen from DairyNZ and Canterbury farmer Andy Macfarlane discuss what the findings mean for dairy farmers, how the research compares with on-farm experience, and the practical considerations when including plantain in a farm system. Find out more about the research Get tools and resources on plantain Have ...