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AI-powered system transforms body condition scoring for dairy farmers

Spending time manually body condition scoring cows and getting inconsistent results is now a thing of the past for dairy farmers, thanks to New Zealand’s first AI-powered body condition scoring (BCS) system.Developed by Herd-i in Christchurch by leading AI and machine learning experts, this technology saves time, improves consistency, and provides farmers with daily BCS data. Farmers can monitor trends for each cow and act quickly if body condition begins to decline, preventing issues at key t...

Maintaining milk flows to pay the bills

As spring calving farmers around the country enter in the final stage of lactation, the incentive to keep the milk flowing is certainly there. A strong milk price and kind first half of the season has left cows in good nick and milking well.Typically, during the warmer months low soil moisture levels and resulting issues with supply and quality of pasture can be a hurdle. Combined with the lack of advance payments from Fonterra, maintaining milk flows to cover costs, while building cow condition...

New facility allows Bovonic to commercialise production to meet farmer demand and drive international expansion

The opening of Bovonic’s new facility near Tauranga will allow the company to commercialise the production of its mastitis detection technology, QuadSense, to meet farmer demand and support plans for international expansion.The company will be keeping product assembly in-house, allowing it to uphold stringent quality control and achieve significant cost savings, so it can continue offering an affordable price point for farmers. QuadSense was officially launched at National Fieldays in Jun...

Proactive mineral management key to helping in-calf cows thrive

With mating well underway down South and early pregnancies progressing in the North, supporting your in-calf cows with the right balance of minerals can help maintain healthy pregnancies, grow strong calves, and set your herd up for a productive season.“Subclinical deficiencies in key minerals like selenium, iodine, copper and zinc can lead to embryonic and foetal losses,” says SealesWinslow Product Technical Support and Veterinarian Tiffany Menzies.“That means all the hard work to get cow...

Regional Targeting Now Available for TikTok Ads in New Zealand: A Game-Changer for Local Businesses

This might be old news to some, but for those who haven’t caught up, TikTok has rolled out regional targeting for ads in New Zealand. Until now, TikTok ads were limited to nationwide targeting. With this new feature, businesses can now engage more directly with the audiences who matter most—especially if your target market is regional. This is a game-changer for local businesses, as it allows for more precise targeting, improving your ad spend efficiency and campaign effectiveness. ...

Gallagher and FarmIQ Join Forces to Simplify Data Management for Farmers

Gallagher and FarmIQ are simplifying data management for farmers with the launch of a powerful new integration that will help them harness the power of having all their data in one place.Industry players often work independently, limiting the potential benefits for farmers. Gallagher and FarmIQ are changing that by collaborating on a solution that simplifies data sharing and management.The new API (Application Programming Interface) integration acts as a link, automatically transferring farmers�...

Water to wine: A lifetime contribution to irrigation

For Waipara local John McCaskey creating wine from water was probably one of his more eyebrow-raising farming ventures. But his vision nearly 50 years ago was instrumental in placing the north Canterbury region on the global wine-producing map.John has been recognised for his lifetime contribution to irrigation in New Zealand, receiving a special commendation as part of the 2024 Zimmatic™ Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Awards.John is a pioneer of Waipara in the Hurunui District about one h...

Canterbury Sharemilkers Win Top Honour for Excellence in Sustainable Irrigation

Canterbury sharemilkers Eugene and Sarah Cronin have been named the Supreme Winners of the 2024 Zimmatic™ Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Awards tonight in Wellington.Eugene and Sarah milk 500 cows on Falstone Farms near Methven through their sharemilking business Kilmurry Farm. Falstone is owned by the Molloy family. Eugene impressed the judges with his deep technical understanding of soil moisture and irrigation management. Head Judge Keri Johnson praised his passion and expertise.“Euge...

Prioritise hoof health to maximise repro performance and capitalise on payout

Dairy farmers can boost their reproduction success this mating season by prioritising hoof health and early lameness detection to keep cows in top condition and make the most of a promising forecast payout.That’s the message Herd-i is taking to dairy farmers this month during its on-farm demo days in Southland.With a positive payout forecast, Herd-i Area Sales Manager Bernard Anselmi says there’s an opportunity to get ahead of herd health and maximise reproductive performance this season.Dai...

Who do you think you are?! Aligning your identity with your reputation

As PR practitioners, we work with companies and leaders who are looking to shape their reputation and build trust with their audiences. It’s a process that involves balancing who they are with how they’re perceived. The truth is, how we see ourselves is not always how others see us.I was reminded of this during a recent exercise as part of the Escalator leadership accelerator run by the fabulous Agri-Women’s Development Trust. It was a chance to really dig into my values, strengths, and co...

Harnessing technology and industry partnerships key to efficiency gains

By Darrell Jones, Gallagher General Manager New Zealand & Chile New Zealand’s pasture-based agricultural systems are in the spotlight. As one of the world’s largest dairy companies, Nestlé is calling for a reduction in on farm emissions  and wants to see farmers continue to make progress to improve their sustainability as the company works to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030. Sustainability gains will come not just from improved productivity, herd nutrition and nutrient ma...

New graduate brings passion for inter-generational agribusiness and sustainable farming

Rhys Dawson will join Perrin Ag in 2025 as the firm’s newest graduate recruit, bringing a passion for inter-generational agribusiness and sustainable farming.Rhys, a 21-year-old Bachelor of Agricultural Science graduate from Massey University, may have grown up in the urban sprawl of Auckland, but his heart has always been rooted in rural New Zealand.His connection to the land runs deep, thanks to his family’s dairy farm in Te Poi near Matamata, where his ancestors have farmed for over 100 y...

Use sexed semen on top-performing cows to maximise genetic gains

As demand for sexed semen soars, CRV is encouraging dairy farmers to take full advantage of it by using it on the top quartile of their herds. This season, CRV has seen a significant 45% increase in sexed semen sales compared to last year. Sexed semen now makes up 4.8% of CRV’s total dairy semen sales - a 33% rise from last season. The number of CRV customers using sexed semen has also grown, from 20.6% to 22%, with average order sizes increasing by 25%. CRV Managing Director James S...

5 comms essentials for leaders navigating change

In every organisation, change is the only constant.Examples of major positive changes include mergers and acquisitions or even launching a new product line.And then there are negative changes such as redundancies, factory closures, discontinuing product lines, and more. If you are a leader managing these changes, you need to keep in mind five communications essentials.One mistake some leadership team make is to leave your communications planning to the last minute. Sometime you're so busy worki...

New Zealand’s First Earthworm eDNA Soil Test Paves the Way for Broader Agricultural Applications

New Zealand’s largest privately owned testing laboratory, Hill Labs has introduced a new test to detect earthworm eDNA levels in soils, marking a significant development in soil health assessment. This test, developed in collaboration with AgResearch, is a New Zealand first and represents the beginning of an array of potential applications to provide real benefits across the agricultural sector.Earthworms are often seen as indicators of healthy soil because they need good soil conditions to th...

Taranaki student excels in agribusiness winning John Perrin Scholarship

Taranaki's Oliver Cayley is proof you don’t need an agricultural background to excel in agribusiness. The second-year International Agribusiness student at Massey University, who has always lived in town, has just been awarded the Perrin Ag John Perrin Scholarship for 2024.Oliver topped his cohort in his first year. His remarkable academic achievements, dedication and understanding of the big picture industry issues made him the standout recipient for the $3,000 scholarship.John Perrin, founde...

New look SealesWinslow committed to helping dairy farmers harness the science of animal nutrition

Recognising how nutrition can limit or optimise the productivity of our livestock is crucial to growing the future of our dairy industry, according to SealesWinslow General Manager Grant Jackson.His message comes as the company reinforces its long-term commitment to New Zealand dairy farmers, including launching a new brand identity after it was acquired by Farmlands Co-operative from Ballance Agri-Nutrients in May.Grant believes the dairy industry is at a pivotal point where nutrition will be c...

What does my 20-year public relations career have in common with that of American PR man and spin-doctor, Phil Elwood?

Recently, the New Zealand Herald published an article titled ‘Confessions of a spin doctor for the world’s worst people’. Our director, Heather, made some great points in her recent LinkedIn post that explained the difference between PR and propaganda. This got me thinking about my own career in PR and how vastly different my experience has been from Phil Elwood’s – the person the article was written about – and why.I earned a Graduate Diploma in Public Relations from Wintec over 20 ...

Hill Labs at 40: Reflecting on the past to look to the future

HAMILTON. As analytical testing company Hill Labs celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, managing director, Jonno Hill credits the success of the company today to the legacy of the strong cultural values that his parents founded the company upon four decades ago.Started in 1984 by Dr Roger and Anne Hill, Hill Labs has grown to become New Zealand’s largest privately owned analytical laboratory. They use the latest technologies to supply a broad range of laboratory tests to domestic and inte...

Sexed semen a smart investment for Manawatu dairy farmers

High capacity, smaller-statured cows with good fertility and production are breeding goals for Manawatu dairy farmers Steve and Vera Shailer. CRV’s sexed semen is helping them get there faster.Steve and Vera have been with CRV for seven years and were sharemilkers before stepping into farm ownership where they currently milk 500 cows across 210ha with a 180ha runoff.Their operation is system four with a focus on nutrition and ensuring a fully fed herd.“I'm quite visually orientated. We place...

New Trailblazer judge brings strong freshwater expertise to the table

IrrigationNZ’s Principal Technical Advisor Stephen McNally is the newest judge on the Zimmatic Trailblazer Sustainable Irrigation Awards, bringing his expertise in freshwater management to the panel.Stephen holds a degree in Horticultural Science from Massey University and has over four decades of experience in agricultural infrastructure projects across New Zealand and Australia.His career has spanned from working as a greenhouse crop technology advisor to a horticultural export business oper...

From Injury to Insight: helping farmers see the bigger picture

A life-changing cricket injury forced Joel Hensman to step out of his daily routine and adopt a broader perspective on life. A skill, he believes, is also essential for farmers.As Perrin Ag’s newest Senior Consultant, Joel is dedicated to helping clients see the bigger picture of their businesses and make informed decisions that support both their operations and personal well-being.Joel Hensman’s journey into agriculture began on Thorn Flat, a 1,000 hectare block of Kereru Station backing on...

Dairy farmers urged to harness their biggest tool this calving for herd productivity

Dairy farmers have the perfect tool at their disposal this calving season to set their herds up for future productivity - the rumen in their replacement heifer calves.Raising healthy replacement heifer calves that efficiently turn feed into milk is fundamental to the future of New Zealand’s dairy herd, says SealesWinslow Quality and Technical Manager Paul Drew.“Farmers have a single fundamental tool at their disposal that can help them grow the most efficient dairy cows possible and that’s...

Perrin Ag bolsters agri-tech expertise as more farmers invest in automation.

Perrin Ag has welcomed former Halter account executive and DairyNZ consulting officer Michael Booth to its team, bolstering its agri-tech and dairy systems expertise as more farmers invest in automation to help drive efficiency on farm.While farmers have traditionally been cautious about adopting new technology, Mike believes mindsets are shifting as they realise its value in tackling challenges and doing things more efficiently.“For a long time, tech uptake by farmers has lagged and there has...

Red Meat Sector needs industry innovators to step up to the plate.

By Mark Maitland, Business Development Manager, GallagherCollaboration between farmers and industry innovators will be at the heart of helping New Zealand’s red meat sector move forward from one of its toughest years since the Global Financial Crisis.Reports of significant financial losses by Silver Fern Farms and Beef & Lamb NZ forecasting certainly make for grim reading. They predict that farm profits could plummet 54% or $62,600 on average for the 2023/24 financial year. These are profi...