Lipids or fats, found in plant and animal products, are a key energy source in dairy cows' diet. They are typically low, between 2-6% of dry matter in pasture-based diets, as excess can harm rumen function and milk production.

Proteins are essential for many metabolic functions in dairy cows, including growth, lactation, and reproduction. This page explains that the protein in feed, known as crude protein (CP), is calculated based on the feed's nitrogen content.

A successful dry period for cows entails hitting body condition score (BCS) targets before calving. This page emphasises the importance of meeting the cow's energy needs for maintenance, activity, BCS gain, and pregnancy during this time.

Dry matter is a crucial dietary requirement for dry cows. This page outlines the energy a cow needs, considering its weight gain or loss. The feed requirement considers the cow's maintenance, pregnancy, and weight gain.

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.

Dietary fibre is essential for a cow's healthy rumen function. This page explains that when cows eat fibre, it stimulates chewing, saliva production, and rumination.

Farmers often ask what, when, and how to feed their cows. The Feedright programme and resources were created to answer these questions and separate fact from fallacy.

Can your farm be both highly profitable and low in emissions intensity? New research from nearly 8,000 farms reveals how top-performing NZ dairy farms are achieving both and offer practical insights on how to achieve this on your farm.

In this episode of Talking Dairy, we explore the Resilient Pastures programme - a new research initiative tackling pasture persistence problems. Hear how farmers, scientists and funders are working together to find lasting, practical solutions.

What’s your plan when pasture growth slows or a dry spell hits? In this episode, DairyNZ’s Mark Williams and farmer Enda Hawe share how to choose the right supplements, use tools like the Supplement Price Calculator, and plan to avoid feed shortages.

An overview of dairy beef, beef on dairy, and how to select sires for beef production. The successful production of dairy-beef requires both the beef and dairy industries to work together to increase profitability and efficiency.

With NIWA’s prediction of an El Nino weather pattern and a high likelihood of a drier summer, how are farmers preparing? In this episode, we’re talking to Trevor Hamilton and Kevin McKinley who share their strategies for preparing for a dry summer.

Many farmers are looking for ways to get better value from their pasture, get through NIWA’s predicted El Niño summer, and control on-farm costs. Could deferred grazing provide a solution for some farmers?

Rotorua farm owner Steve Holdem joins us to share his experience with Ecotain plantain: what’s worked well, what he and wife Paula have learned about maintaining it, and how it’s saving them from reducing their stocking numbers.

It’s been an incredibly tough time for farmers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. For many, the recovery will be long and challenging.

Fodder beet offers many benefits as an alternative crop to brassicas, but it also presents risks and challenges. So, what can we learn from recent research about how to deal with those risks and challenges?

Does fodder beet have a positive future as a feed for cows in New Zealand? What are some key things to consider when feeding beet through winter?