Talking Dairy

How do we reduce methane emissions from cattle within our pasture-based farming system? And when will farmers have solutions ready to use on-farm?

In this episode, recorded at DairyNZ’s Lye Farm, you’ll hear about the options being tested by our scientists, including feeding methane inhibitors to calves from birth. DairyNZ principal scientist Dr Jane Kay and technical team leader Olivia Jordan take us on a walk around Lye Farm’s world-class research facilities, explain when you might start seeing solutions, and discuss other methane research being done across the sector.

Show notes

Less methane - DairyNZ
Inside Dairy Aug-Sep 2023 - DairyNZ
Lye Farm - DairyNZ

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With farm business viability top of mind and soils still very wet around the country, what are some steps you can take to make sure you’re spending your fertiliser dollar wisely? In this episode, hear solid advice from two legends of the fert industry: Dr Ants Roberts, chief scientist at Ravensdown, and Warwick Catto, science strategy manager at Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd. They discuss trends in fertiliser use, whether you can afford to skip soil testing, the best time to apply nitrogen fertiliser and in what quantity, herbage tests, sulphur and lime use, placement tools, effluent spreading, specific strategies for wet soils, and much more.

Notes

Booklets (fertiliser.org.nz)
Managing nitrogen fertiliser - DairyNZ
Soil Fertility for Pasture - DairyNZ

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What are the main things to consider before approaching the bank for backing to go into herd-owning sharemilking? Sian Mitchell, ANZ agri manager, explains how to get yourself into as strong a position as possible to secure the bank’s support. She also covers the loan approval process, how and why the bank takes security over the cows, GST loans, loan structures, coping with profit ups and downs, and more.

Notes
Sharemilking and contract milking arrangements - DairyNZ
Budgeting tools - DairyNZ
Buy Contracts (fedfarm.org.nz)
Business by the Numbers - Dairy Training
Progression Management - Dairy Training

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

Connect with DairyNZ

Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected 

Is herd-owning sharemilking in your sights? Already in a HOSM partnership? In this episode, pick up some fresh ideas for both farm owner and sharemilker on how to succeed in this popular business structure. Our guests are Waikato sharemilker Rachel Bunnik and Dairy Farms NZ CEO Craig McBeth, who discuss what they like about the agreement, how the financials work, common challenges, keeping the relationship sweet, doing your due diligence, and much more.

Show notes

Sharemilking and contract milking arrangements - DairyNZ

Budgeting tools - DairyNZ

Buy Contracts (fedfarm.org.nz)

Business by the Numbers - Dairy Training

Progression Management - Dairy Training

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

Connect with DairyNZ

Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected 

Rain, rain, rain. How are other dairy farmers managing their way through this exceptionally wet winter? Hear from Hauraki Plains farm owner John Garrett, Cambridge farm owner Marc Gascoigne, and Northland herd owning sharemilker Carl MacDonald, who explain how they're trying to minimise soil damage while still adequately feeding the cows. They discuss round lengths, cow comfort, team morale, mental health, lessons from previous wet winters, and more.

Notes
Wet weather management - DairyNZ
Spring Rotation Planner - DairyNZ
Rural Support Trust: Help and support for rural NZ (rural-support.org.nz)
Home - Farmstrong - Live Well Farm Well
Farmer wellbeing - DairyNZ

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

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Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected 

Our guests Matte Kirk and Kelly Dickey share their thoughts on mental wellness in the rural sector. Are farmers getting better at talking about how they’re feeling? Why is getting off the farm so important? How do Matte (former dairy farmer, Pioneer area manager) and Kelly (sharemilker, Rural Support Trust facilitator) stay in top form? The pair also talk about the great work of Surfing For Farmers, which they both help to run in Raglan, on Waikato's west coast.

Links
Where to get help - DairyNZ
Surfing for Farmers
Farmer wellbeing - DairyNZ
Rural Support Trust: Help and support for rural NZ (rural-support.org.nz)
Home - Farmstrong - Live Well Farm Well

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

Connect with DairyNZ

Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected 

Waikato farm owners Bryce Anderton and Aleisha Broomfield share how the current period of increased farm costs and high inflation is affecting them and how they’re coping. Speaking live at Fieldays 2023, Bryce and Aleisha talk about the impacts on their businesses, actions they’ve taken to maintain profitability, the role of cost control, advice for other farmers, and their go-to tools and resources.

Useful links
Budget Case Studies
Budgeting when inflation is high
Dairy operating profit
Dairy Training Business by the Numbers course

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

Connect with DairyNZ

Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected 

In today’s tight labour market, we need to ensure our dairy farm assistant jobs are attractive and competitive – but how? In this episode, find out about DairyNZ’s new tools to help farm employers know if their job role 'meets the market' and what factors could be tweaked to create a bigger pool of applicants. Our guests are DairyNZ’s Geoff Taylor and Pouarua Farms CEO Jenna Smith.

Useful links
Know the Market project - DairyNZ
Job competitiveness calculator - DairyNZ

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

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Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected 

Our guests on this episode are Morrinsville farmer Johan van Ras, planting professional Antony Snodgrass, and DairyNZ’s Aslan Wright-Stow, Senior Manager – Environment. 

Hear their perspectives on how to successfully undertake a planting project on the farm, including some common mistakes to avoid, tips on prep and maintenance, what we can learn from science and research, and what benefits (some unexpected) you’re likely to see.

Shownotes

Planting waterways - DairyNZ

DairyNZ Riparian Planner - DairyNZ

Native Planting Services - Koroneiki Developments

Waikato environment award winners, Johan and Kylie van Ras, hope to spur others into environmental action (linkedin.com)

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

Connect with DairyNZ

Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected 

Overwhelmed by workload pressure, self-doubt and a fear of what others expected of him, fifth generation farmer Sam Spencer-Bower stopped being able to function. It took six months before his wife – and Sir John Kirwan – helped convince him to get help.

In this episode, Sam kindly joins us to share his mental health journey: the underlying causes, learning to talk about it, the road to recovery, and the skills he’s developed to cope with the stresses of the job, so he can keep on enjoying dairy farming. 

Notes
Where to get help - DairyNZ
Farmer wellbeing - DairyNZ
Inside Dairy - DairyNZ (see page 13 of June/July 2023 edition)
Rural Support Trust: Help and support for rural NZ (rural-support.org.nz)
Home - Farmstrong - Live Well Farm Well

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

Connect with DairyNZ

Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected