Autumn gives you a short but valuable window to set your herd up well. 

In this Talking Dairy episode, DairyNZ scientist, Dr Susanne Meier, explains why hitting BCS targets before calving has such a big flow on effect—supporting recovery after calving, earlier cycling, stronger reproductive performance, and more milk in the vat next season. And DairyNZ farm systems specialist, Mark Williams, brings the farm system view: how to condition‑score your herd accurately, plan dry‑off dates with confidence, and choose feeding and drafting strategies that move the cows who need it most.

You’ll also learn about practical tools that make these decisions easier, including the dry off calculator, feed budgeting tool, and the BCS app many farmers now rely on to track progress through autumn.

Links mentioned in this episode and more:

• Milk On or Dry Off Calculator
• Body Condition Score (BCS) Dry-Off Calculator
• BCS App
• InCalf - Reproduction gap calculator 
• Autumn smarts - Essential autumn tools for farm success 
• FeedRight Module 26 - Allocate autumn pastures correctly (late lactation)
• FeedRight Module 27 - Measure and monitor body condition score (BCS) (late lactation)
• FeedRight Module 28 - Use crops and supplements profitably (late lactation)
• FeedRight Module 29 - Determine nutrient requirements (dry period)
• FeedRight Module 30 - Achieve body condition score (BCS) targets at calving (dry period)
• FeedRight Module 31 - Manage winter pastures and crops correctly (dry period)
• View all FeedRight Technotes

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]

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