Senior Quantitative Geneticist

Backing gates are tools used in the dairy yard to improve cow flow into the dairy, leading to more efficient milking. Moving the gate little and often takes up space in the yard, while still providing cows enough room is important.

Clusters in dairy milking are a set of components that include a claw and four fully assembled cups. Selecting the right clusters and setting them up correctly will increase milking efficiency and improve animal health.

Learn about teat preparation and spraying basics and how washing keeps milk quality high, prevents damage, and reduces mastitis. Discover handy tips like strategic washing, proper drying, and avoiding bulk washing.

Changing to shorter twice-a-day (TAD) milking intervals allows you to redesign your day and achieve a better work-life balance. The traditional TAD milking intervals in New Zealand have been 10-14 hours, leading to long workdays.

The page covers the essential design considerations for dairy entries and exits to ensure efficiency and cow welfare. It highlights the need for safe, reliable footing, a controlled slope at the entrance, and proper lighting conditions.

Here you’ll learn about ways to make your herringbone dairy more effective, often for little or no extra cost. The swing-over herringbone is the most common dairy type in New Zealand, used on 69% of dairy farms.

Establishing a successful sharemilking or contract milking relationship requires thorough due diligence. This page emphasises that understanding your own goals, values, and financial situation can affect not just you, but also your business partners.

Rotary milking systems have gained popularity due to their increased milking efficiency in larger herds. Learn how to improve milking efficiency in rotary systems with practical tips to save time and boost productivity.

Getting the pulsation and vacuum systems right is key to efficient and comfortable milkings. This page will cover the benefits of proper pulsation, how it works, and the essential components of a pulsation system.

Understanding the maximum milking time (MaxT) is key to making your milking system as efficient as possible. MaxT is a strategy to milk cows for a predetermined time based on milk volume.

Heifers, or young female cows, require careful planning and patience when introducing them to the milking herd. The page you're reading details steps to minimise stress and enhance milk production during this transition.

The design of the milking bail, pipework, and pit in dairy farming is crucial for the safety and comfort of both cows and workers. This page outlines ways to ensure optimal cow flow and worker efficiency in the milking process.

Automated mastitis detection (AMD) systems are technology tools used on dairy farms to identify signs of mastitis in cows by monitoring milk for specific indicators.

During the transition from dry to milking cows, it's crucial to manage their health effectively to ensure their reproductive performance, production, and longevity aren't compromised.

Milk cooling is the process of lowering the temperature of milk after milking to maintain its quality.

Good platform design in dairy farming keeps both cows and people safe, while enhancing cow flow into the dairy.

Dairy exit and entry races refer to the design of the pathways that lead cows in and out of the milking platform. Good exit and entry design can speed up the milking process and reduce cow injuries.

Peter and Joc Kinney are dairy farming near Culverden. The dairy farm has an effective milking platform area of 310 ha. At the start of the FRNL programme this was 95% irrigated, at a stocking rate of 3.8 cows/ha.