Are you feeding your calves enough to unlock their full potential?

In this episode, you’ll hear what the latest research says about early calf nutrition, and why feeding more milk before weaning can help your heifers hit growth targets sooner and produce more milk later.

You’ll also hear from Canterbury farmer Cam Henderson, who’s made the shift to ad-lib feeding. He shares what’s changed, what surprised him, and how the costs stacked up.

But this isn’t just about ad-lib systems. DairyNZ’s senior animal care specialist Penny Timmer-Arends shares other feeding approaches that achieve similar results. She discusses the principles behind calf growth, and how to weigh up the trade-offs and choose what fits your farm. You’ll also hear about the risks and how to manage them.

Download the Calf Rearing guide

Feeding milk to calves | DairyNZ

Read more:

‘Feeding more often feels natural and important to me’ | DairyNZ

Good as gold: the calves who feed themselves | DairyNZ

Laying the right foundation | DairyNZ

Inside Dairy - More milk, healthier calves, stronger heifers | DairyNZ

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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

Winter will test your system, but a clear plan helps you stay in control. In this episode, DairyNZ Environment Manager Justin Kitto shares practical advice to help you set up a winter grazing plan that works when conditions turn. You’ll hear why putting a written plan in place matters, and how simple practices like back-fencing and smart water placement can protect your paddocks and improve cow comfort.

Justin covers how to make your plan work by involving your team and keeping it visible, so everyone knows what to do and when to act. He explains what to watch in your cows and your soil, including early signs that conditions are slipping, and why acting early protects lying time and overall cow wellbeing. You’ll also learn how having a Plan B helps you stay ahead of wet weather and keeps your system on track.

Get practical steps to manage winter grazing, protect cow condition and make decisions under pressure. When you’ve done the thinking upfront, you’re prepared to act quickly and confidently to deliver good outcomes for your cows, your people and your farm system.

Get information on wintering and animal care

Get the DairyNZ Winter Grazing Plan template

Get the poster - What to look out for in winter

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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

New Zealand’s reputation for producing sustainable, high-quality food is closely tied to how animals are cared for across the farming system. One of the sector’s ongoing challenges – and opportunities – is how non‑replacement dairy calves are managed.

In this episode of Talking Dairy, we explore the newly launched Dairy Beef Opportunities programme, a cross-sector initiative designed to lift the value of dairy-beef, unlock better outcomes for non‑replacement calves, and strengthen integration between the dairy and beef sectors.

Paul Edwards (DairyNZ), Richard McColl (Meat Industry Association), and Jim Inglis (Beef + Lamb New Zealand) share insights into what the programme aims to achieve, what’s underpinning the work, and what it could mean for dairy farmers – including how to get involved and where new value could be created across the supply chain.

Read more about the Dairy Beef Opportunities programme

Would you like to get involved? Find out more and register your interest here

Read the Inside Dairy story: Boosting the dairy beef sector

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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

Strong advice plays an important role in confident decision‑making. As farming continues to change, the way advice is shaped, shared, and supported matters more than ever.

In this Talking Dairy episode, you’ll hear how strong, well‑connected advisors help farmers grow their businesses, and why investing in advisor capability lifts outcomes right across the sector. Jo Finer from the Institute of Rural Professionals of New Zealand and Mark Williams from DairyNZ share what this means in practice for farmers and rural professionals alike.

For dairy farmers, this episode looks at how well‑supported advisors bring the latest knowledge and connected support to your farm business.

For rural professionals, it explores the value of being part of a connected professional community that supports learning, lifts standards, and helps you stay relevant in a fast‑changing sector.

Find out more about the Institute of Rural Professionals of New Zealand

Visit the DairyNZ Rural Professionals Hub

We’re proud to partner with the Institute of Rural Professionals of New Zealand

Supporting trusted advice. Strengthening on-farm decisions.

DairyNZ partners with the Institute of Rural Professionals to stretch your levy further — helping connect farmers with high-quality, practical advice across the sector. Their broad membership of vets, consultants, bankers and farm advisors plays a key role in supporting farm businesses every day. Our partnership strengthens that network by backing their annual conference and growing capability across rural professions. It’s all about making sure the people who support you have the knowledge, tools, and confidence to help you make informed decisions on farm.

See how your levy is working harder through partnerships

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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

When the pressure is on, having the right support makes all the difference. In this episode of Talking Dairy, we hear directly from the organisation supporting farmers through challenging times. Rural Support Trust national chair Michelle Ruddell joins DairyNZ people specialist Jane Muir to discuss the common pressures they’re seeing across dairy communities and what they do to ensure the right help is available at the right time. They also share practical insights to help ease the load and reset for the season ahead.

We’re proud to partner with Rural Support Trust.

Whether it’s financial pressure, a weather event, or personal struggles, they’re here to help. And so are we.

Rural Support Trust provides essential support during adverse weather events to help farmers respond and recover. Their team of local rural people understand firsthand the pressures that can mount up. Their network and training can help with a wide range of situations.

Our partnership helps ensure farmers, their teams, and their families get the support they need, when they need it most. Together, supporting farmers through every challenge.

Find out more about the Rural Support Trust

See how your levy is working harder through partnerships

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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

Global conflict can feel a long way from the farm gate until it starts showing up in your fuel bill, freight costs and next season’s budget.

In this episode, you hear from DairyNZ economist Mark Storey and farm system specialist Mark Speight about what the escalation of global conflict could mean for your farm business over the months ahead. They share insights into why fuel and freight costs are rising, how long higher costs could stick around, and what that means for inflation, interest rates and farm working expenses.

Most importantly, they share practical steps you can take now that are within your control such as stress‑testing budgets, planning for different cost scenarios, keeping cashflow front of mind, and maintaining strong farm system fundamentals.

You’ll also hear why New Zealand dairy remains resilient through periods of global volatility, and how your pasture‑based system gives you an advantage compared with many overseas competitors.

Links mentioned in this episode and more:

• Managing higher fuel costs on-farm
• Pasture assessment
• Budgeting
• Strategies to improve body condition score
• Team communication

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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

What can dairy learn from the way horticulture uses robotics and automation?

In this episode, we're joined by Professor Mike Duke from the University of Waikato, recorded at the 2025 Precision Dairy Farming Conference where he was a keynote speaker. He works in horticulture robotics, and his insights translate to the challenges faced on farm. Mike talks about how new thinking around automation, data and design could shape the future of dairy, what dairy already does well, and where there’s room to go further.

View the conference highlights, proceedings and more

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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

When effluent systems are designed and run well, they support your whole farm.

In this episode of Talking Dairy, Debbie Care from AgVice and Shaun Hazelton from DairyNZ share insights into how to set your effluent system up to improve productivity, make the most out of valuable nutrients and protect your business over the long-term. This conversation looks at what’s involved in establishing good systems, what’s worth prioritising, and why autumn is a smart time to get things in shape.

Links mentioned in this episode and more:

• Get DairyNZ info about effluent management and operation
• Download the effluent management plan poster
• Find DairyNZ accredited effluent system design companies
• How does your effluent system stack up? Do your own Warrant of Fitness.
• Effluent Training Courses - DairyNZ
• Find out more about AgVice and Debbie Care

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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