Leaders on dairy farms are the people most able to affect outcomes on the farm from team culture through to the farm’s productivity and performance.

Chief Science and Innovation Officer

Strong advice underpins confident on‑farm decisions. In this episode, hear what sits behind great rural advice and how connection, capability and shared learning help advisors better support farmers in a fast‑changing sector.

SMASH began as a local idea to celebrate and support smaller herd farmers and now it’s grown into a nationwide network offering practical learning open to everyone. Find out what’s coming up on their calendar, and what to expect at their events.

Senior farm systems specialist

Head of Regional Teams

Enhance team communication by getting to know the different personalities within your team, leading to a more efficient and productive workplace.

Heat stress can negatively affect dairy cows in many ways. DairyNZ is researching methods of identifying when heat stress might occur to help farmers manage their herds and lessen its impact.

BCS training is open to all but is recommended prior to assessment. It will guide you through theory and practical hands-on learning.

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.

Managing your cows during the transition from pregnancy to lactation helps prevent diseases and optimises seasonal performance. This period sees the cow's nutrient requirements spike but intake doesn't match up, leading to negative energy balance.

DairyNZ is leading a potentially game-changing catchment project to test the benefits of plantain in local pastures.

Crunching the numbers before spending money is critical. Use the Investment Calculator to work out what it might cost and what your return could be.

Use this calculator to measure the depth of effluent applied from a variety of effluent systems.

A monthly cashflow budget takes your annual cash budget and spreads your income and expenses across the year giving you a month-by-month basis picture of expected income and what you can anticipate spending.