Podcasts

Farm ownership is becoming a harder goal to achieve, especially for the next generation who might not have the capital to meet increasing land prices. In this episode hear from Sarah How, Co-Founder of Landify, on how the platform is setting up young growers with established farmers; Conrad Wilkshire from Property Brokers about how the property market is gaining momentum this spring; and CEO of Pāmu Mark Leslie, on their new pathways programme.

Drench resistance is already a widespread problem in the sheep industry, so how can dairy farmers stay ahead of the game, to avoid the same fate? Regular testing and monitoring are the keys to staying ahead, according to our guests in this episode, who discuss the tools and technology available to farmers right now.

Learning to live with Kikuyu is the reality for more farmers in the upper North Island. Featured in the brand new Dairy Exporter Summer issue, Natalie and Andre Meier share their learnings from managing the subtropical grass on their farm. Also hear from Northland consultant Kim Robinson who gives her top tips for management of a Kikuyu system.

With mating underway it’s important to look at your pasture management systems to make sure your herd is eating well. Keeping quality while there is a surplus and then keeping an eye out on when to slow down your round is important to future proof feed supply. Hear from DairyNZ Farm Systems Specialist Mark Williams, and Chair of Pasture Summit Robbie Ferris, on the keys to successful spring pasture management.

With mating season underway farmers will be considering how to make their herds more efficient, through breeding. Fonterra have been around the country on their Efficiency Evolution Strategy Roadshow, and two of their presenters share the tools they encourage farmers to think about when it comes to getting the most from your herd. Also hear from two LIC Agri Managers on their MINDA tool, and how they’re using it to make bespoke plans for their farmers on what efficiency means to them.

Salmonella outbreaks in herds can be devastating, and given the wet spring across the country, it is a grim reality for some farmers at the moment.
In this episode, hear from a vet managing Salmonella outbreaks in Southland; two Veterinary Technical Advisors from MSD Animal Health about how to prevent a Salmonella outbreak on your farm; and a Waikato dairy farmer about how she managed an outbreak on her farm during the dry period, and what she’s doing now to prevent it happening again.

Springtime is said to be the best time of year to put your farm on the property market, and those across the real estate sector are feeling optimistic about the way the market is heading with rising milk payouts, and more interest from investors back into the dairy sector. After a tough couple of years, it looks like confidence and capital are building - so could it be a good time to look at buying land? Hear from Bruce Weir at Rabobank; Conrad Wilkshire from Property Brokers; and Craig Bates from PGG Wrightson Real Estate.

Dairy companies are finding ways to make their businesses more efficient in a bid to lower emissions. However, we are also going through an electricity crisis, and how we use energy needs to be looked at across the board. In this episode we look at new technology such as Miraka’s hydrogen powered milk tankers, and Open Country’s electric powered boilers, as well as new mapping and modelling tools coming from Fonterra.

With the latest Global Dairy Trade report out this week, the impacts of what’s happening overseas will be on farmers' minds. We chat to those with an eye on the global pulse about what New Zealand dairy farmers can expect for the rest of the year, and into 2025.
Hear from Stu Davison in the United States, Chris McCullough in Ireland, and Cristana Alvarado from NZX.

A busy calving season is underway across the country, and for farmers calf nutrition will be top of mind. In this episode we look at the different ways to develop your calf’s rumen, to raise healthy and feed-efficient cows. Hear from Jacqueline McGowan from DairyNZ about developing the rumen; Grant Jackson from SealesWinslow about raising feed-efficient cows; and Penelope Drysdale, a Manawatū farmer, about how integrating an organics system has benefitted her herd’s health.