DairyNZ’s subsidiary NZAEL (New Zealand Animal Evaluation Limited) has recently made a new fertility trait update – in this episode we’ll discuss what this change will mean and how it will benefit farmers.

To coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, we’re sharing the powerful story of Emma Walton, a young Waikato contract milker. Emma not only loves dairy farming, but says it saved her life.

NZ Animal Evaluation Manager

Disbudding is the process of removing a calf's horns between one to six weeks old. This prevents injuries to both the farm team and other animals.

The Mastitis Focus report helps you manage mastitis in your herd. This two-page report identifies problem areas and risks to udder health, letting you and your veterinary advisers track changes.

Dead stock management is the process of dealing with farm animal fatalities. It is important to appropriately dispose of carcasses to avoid spreading diseases, contaminating water, and harming the dairy industry's public image.

Understanding calf digestion and rumen development is crucial for successful growth and future production.

Early detection of clinical mastitis is key to protecting milk quality and cow health. Check regularly for signs such as, heat, swelling, pain in the udder, and changes in the milk. Learn how to recognise the signs and take appropriate action.

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.

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.

Body Condition Score (BCS) is a critical element in managing the health and reproduction of your dairy herd. It's essential to maintain BCS targets, as too thin or too fat cows can negatively affect reproductive performance.

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.

Tail management is crucial in dairy farming to ensure animal welfare and a positive working environment. Tail injuries can cause pain and impact how cows communicate.

Thousands of New Zealand dairy cattle are wintered and/or grazed off farm. There are many ways graziers can protect the health of the stock they manage.

Exotic animal diseases, pest plants, and insect pests are significant threats to New Zealand's dairy farming. The page details DairyNZ's proactive steps to identify these risks through the Dairy Biosecurity Risk Evaluation framework (D-BRiEF).

DairyNZ's research farms are an important industry resource that provide 'real farm' platforms with associated science resources, enabling pasture and animal trials to be carried out.

Volcanic eruptions pose a risk to dairy farm animals due to toxic ash containing fluorine. Hungry animals grazing short pastures are especially at risk, but rainfall can reduce the danger as fluoride is soluble.

The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) has reviewed the existing code of welfare for dairy cattle and has consulted on updated minimum standards and best practice guidance as well as recommendations for regulations.