Best of 2025: Building a high BW herd - one decision at a time
Animal • 19 Dec 2025 • 36:19 min
More farmers listened to this episode in 2025 than any other. Tune in to find out why it was so popular...
What does it take to build a top herd? South Taranaki farmers Donovan Croot and Sophie Cookson started strong with a high Breeding Worth (BW) herd. But reaching the top 1% for BW in the country? That took smart decisions and a clear plan to drive genetic gain.
In this episode, Donovan and Sophie share how they've achieved their results and the highlights from the joint DairyNZ and Fonterra event they hosted with DairyNZ area manager Talissa Squire.
Did you know?
More Progressing Dairy events on improving genetic gain are coming in 2026. Find one near you.
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For more information about this research and other sources mentioned in this episode, follow the links below:
Breeding Worth
/animal/breeding-decisions/breeding-worth/
Animal Herd Averages
Tools & Apps
Breeding decisions
Bull Search
Tools & Apps
Breeding decisions
Bull Team
Tools & Apps
Breeding decisions
Ranking of Active Sires
Tools & Apps
Breeding decisions
InCalf reproduction gap calculator
Tools & Apps
Repro and mating