Get the most from spring
Explore our research-backed tools and resources to support key management decisions and help drive farm performance throughout the season.
Setting calves up for success
Healthy calves now mean more productive cows later. The nutrition calves receive in their first weeks of life can have a lasting impact, and providing enough milk more often from birth supports stronger growth, a more resilient immune system and better outcomes throughout a cow’s lifetime.
Research shows that growth before weaning can influence first lactation milk production, making early nutrition an important investment in the future of your herd. DairyNZ’s new calf rearing guide brings together practical, evidence-based advice to help farmers give calves the best start in life. It also provides an opportunity to review your current approach ahead of proposed changes to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare, which is likely to place greater emphasis on calf nutrition from birth.
Use our new calf rearing guide to make informed feeding decisions from birth that support growth, health and future performance.
Turn pasture into profit
Spring pasture growth can change quickly, making regular pasture assessment one of the most valuable tools for managing feed supply. Measuring pasture and monitoring grazing residuals can help you make timely decisions around pasture surpluses, maximise the amount of homegrown feed eaten by cows, and boost profit.
Maintaining target post-grazing residuals is key to keeping pasture quality through spring. Allowing plants to reach the three-leaf stage before grazing, adjusting rotation length as growth rates change, and identifying surpluses early can help maintain pasture quality and quantity. Taking out surplus paddocks promptly allows them to re-enter the grazing rotation earlier.
Use the Spring Rotation Planner to help you stay on track through early spring, supporting better pasture utilisation and reduced reliance on imported feed.
Mastitis prevention and early detection
Spring is a high-risk period for mastitis, particularly for freshly calved cows in wetter conditions.
Paying close attention to teat health and picking up problems early can help reduce infections, maintain milk quality, and minimise disruption during a busy time of year. Our updated mastitis resources provide practical guidance to support prevention and detection.
Healthy teats are the cow’s first line of defence against mastitis. Good teat spraying, hygienic milking practices, and managing exposure to challenging conditions can help keep teats in good condition and reduce infection risk. Regular teat monitoring can help identify damage before it increases infection risk.
At every milking, keep an eye out for signs of clinical mastitis, such as swelling, heat, pain, or changes in milk appearance. Acting quickly when genuine cases occur can help reduce infection spread and limit chronic cases.
Find the key steps to assess teat health and reduce mastitis risk.
Setting up winter crops
Spring is when many of the key decisions for next winter’s crops are made. Taking the time to plan crop establishment from September can help protect valuable topsoil and reduce environmental risk.
The location and layout of winter crops can have a significant impact on soil and sediment losses. Leaving critical source areas like swales and gullies in permanent grass can significantly reduce topsoil losses, while maintaining grass buffers around waterways, drains and wetlands can help reduce the risk of sediment reaching water.
Clear communication with contractors can help ensure cultivation and spraying occur in the right areas. It's also worth considering how crop design will support winter grazing management, including cow movement, break-out areas, and opportunities for increased cow comfort.
Find more guidance on establishing winter crops while reducing environmental risk.
Know your numbers, back your decisions
Regular financial check-ins help you make more confident, agile, in-season decisions during a busy period.
Short check-ins against budget can help you keep track of cashflow, feed position, labour costs, and production as the season progresses. This makes it easier to identify emerging cost pressures early and adjust plans before they affect profitability.
The DairyNZ Econ Tracker brings together up-to-date economic information for New Zealand dairy farming, helping you test budget assumptions and understand how your farm is tracking against sector trends. It provides benchmarks such as breakeven milk price, forecast payout, and farm working expenses, supporting more confident in-season decisions.
Use the DairyNZ Econ Tracker for more support with financial planning this spring.
Reduce the risk of BVD infection
Increased animal movement at this time of year, especially bulls onto dairy farms, raises the risk of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) spreading. BVD can lead to significant reproductive losses, lower milk production, more disease in general, and reduced young stock growth rates. The good news is that monitoring and controlling BVD at farm level is achievable and cost-effective. BVD testing of calves, the herd, and animals coming on farm is an important pre-mating step.
Key steps to mitigate BVD risks and reduce potential financial loss
Additional tools and resources for spring
Explore more tools and resources to help you navigate through a successful spring.
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Spring management
Spring management focuses on the critical period from calving through to your balance date when feed supply meets demand.
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Feeding Cows in Spring
Answers to the frequently asked questions about feeding dairy cows in spring.
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Spring tools and resources
Find publications, tools, templates, research papers and advice on best practices for spring.
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Plan ahead for El Nino
The exact impact of El Niño varies from season to season and from region to region, so early planning, and flexibility, can help reduce pressure and keep options open as the season unfolds.