In this episode of the myCOW podcast, Shaun Balemi sits down with Reporoa dairy farmer Alastair Neville to talk through his family farming story, the move to autumn calving and how better information is changing day-to-day management.

Alastair shares how a more consistent diet through mating has helped improve in-calf results, why rumen consistency matters and how collar data, milk test results, vets and nutrition support are helping him make better decisions on farm.

The conversation also covers covered feed pad systems, homegrown feed, proactive management, cow efficiency, community involvement and the value of getting outside your own farm gate.

Listen now for a practical farmer conversation on consistency, data, autumn calving and feeding cows well.

Key takeaways

• Autumn calving has helped create more consistency through mating and improved in-calf results.
• A consistent diet supports rumen performance, milk production and reproduction.
• Collar data can help farmers connect changes in diet, milk test results and mating outcomes.
• Proactive management means making feeding decisions earlier, rather than waiting for production to drop.
• Vets, nutritionists and data tools can help farmers get more value from wearable technology.
• Covered feed pads, homegrown feed and flexible systems give farmers more control through variable seasons.
• Small feeding adjustments can help improve cow efficiency and overall performance.

Keywords

Dairy farming, myCOW podcast, autumn calving, in-calf rates, rumen health, dairy cow nutrition, collar data, proactive management, feed efficiency