Talking Dairy
DairyNZ
Talking Dairy is your go-to podcast for New Zealand dairy farmers. You'll hear from farmers, scientists, and experts who share practical tips and insights to help you succeed. It's all about giving you the tools and knowledge to make the best decisions for your farm. Brought to you by DairyNZ, we help farmers lead the world in sustainable dairying by investing in research, new solutions and advocacy. Follow now and stay informed with the latest episodes.
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Top 10 Talking Dairy Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Talking Dairy episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Talking Dairy for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Talking Dairy episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
What cows prefer in winter | Ep. 80
Talking Dairy
07/09/24 • 23 min
Welcome to Episode 80 of Talking Dairy. Winter can be challenging on dairy farms, and knowing what cows need during these cold, wet months is crucial for their health and productivity. In this episode, we are excited to have Dawn Dalley, a Senior Scientist at DairyNZ, sharing her wealth of experience and insights gained from over 15 years of research on managing cows in winter conditions.
Dawn talks about the challenges cows face in wet winter conditions and the key findings from extensive research on paddock-based wintering. She covers essential topics like grazing direction, critical source area protection, having a contingency plan, and why pugging depth might not be the best indicator of cow comfort. Dawn also highlights surprising results, some good management practices, and practical advice for caring for cows during extended wet weather.
Whether you’re from Southland or another part of the country, Dawn's expert advice and the improvements seen across New Zealand will provide you with actionable insights to enhance your wintering practices. This episode is packed with tips and strategies to ensure your cows thrive in winter, empowering you to make informed decisions for your herd's wellbeing.
Websites:
Best practice tips on wintering | DairyNZ
Tools and Resources:
Download DairyNZ Poster: Managing cows during winter grazing
Download DairyNZ Template: Your Winter Grazing Plan
Download DairyNZ Guide: Improving your wintering system
Check out our other Talking Dairy Podcasts on Wintering:
What's next for wintering? | Ep. 10 | DairyNZ
Wintering – not just a Southland issue | Ep. 28 | DairyNZ
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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12/10/24 • 31 min
What’s your game plan when pasture growth slows down or a dry spell hits? Do you know which supplement will give you the best value for money? And how do you balance cost and risk when planning for the future?
In this episode of Talking Dairy, DairyNZ’s Mark Williams, and Rakaia dairy farmer, Enda Hawe, discuss how to choose the right supplements for your circumstances. They cover the concept of marginal milk and how it can be used to ensure your feed strategy is financially sound. And they discuss the how to make the most of DairyNZ’s Supplement Price Calculator and the FeedChecker to guide decision making.
Find out what steps you can take now to minimise the impact of future feed shortages.
Find out more:
Supplement Price Calculator - DairyNZ
FeedChecker calculator - DairyNZ
Using supplementary feeds profitably - DairyNZ Facts and Figures
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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Heat stress strategies with Owl Farm | Ep. 17
Talking Dairy
12/20/21 • 21 min
How does heat stress affect cows, what are some warning signs, and what can you do on farm to make life more comfortable for your cows? In this episode, Tom Buckley, farm manager for Owl Farm in Cambridge, goes into detail about the strategies they’re using to combat heat stress. Meanwhile, DairyNZ’s Jac McGowan talks about the science behind heat stress: how it affects cows, the warning signs, and what current research is underway.
Links:
Owl Farm’s heat stress strategies
DairyNZ’s heat stress info
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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04/18/24 • 19 min
When it comes to budgeting on farm and forecasting spend, how do others do this? Join us as we talk to Mark Storey DairyNZ’s Head of Economics and Louise Collingwood – a South Waikato farmer, about the latest economic insights and newly updated DairyNZ Econ Tracker tool.
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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09/03/24 • 30 min
What milking frequency trends are emerging across different regions? What factors are driving the adoption of once-a-day (OAD) milking in early lactation? And what are the pros and cons?
In this episode of Talking Dairy, we’re joined by Dr. Paul Edwards, Senior Scientist and Kent Weston-Arnold, Area Manager for North-West Waikato, from DairyNZ. Find out about new insights on milking frequency and regional trends, plus hear about the experiences of some farmers who have been using OAD milking in early lactation this season.
As calving season continues across the country, this discussion offers advice for those considering OAD milking in early lactation next season. Tune in to discover the pros and cons, hear some farmers stories, and get practical tips to help you decide if it could be the right move for your farm system.
For more information, visit: Early lactation once-a-day (OAD) milking | DairyNZ
General flexible milking tools and resources:
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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An inside look at transporting stock | Ep. 6
Talking Dairy
06/14/21 • 23 min
Once cull cows are on the truck for transport, they can be a bit out of sight, out of mind. But our responsibility for their welfare doesn’t end at the gate. In this episode, DairyNZ animal care specialist Jac McGowan joins a local truck driver for a day to see first-hand the ins and outs of transporting stock, and what challenges you’re preparing them for.
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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11/01/22 • 23 min
We all know that attracting and retaining great staff is an ongoing challenge for the dairy sector. A group of Canterbury dairy farmers have put their heads together and come up with one solution to the problem – they’ve set up a training programme to attract young university graduates into dairying, fast-track them in their careers, and give them skills and support to succeed. Each graduate is matched with a reputable farmer, paid a competitive salary, and paid to attend 25 modules covering everything from pasture management skills to banking basics. This year’s pilot programme has gone brilliantly, and to tell us all about in this episode is Campbell Tait, one of the farmers who’s helped set up this programme, and Peter O’Connor, one of the graduates taking part.
Chapters:
00:57 – About our guests
03:30 – About the graduate training programme
09:23 – Peter’s experience in the programme
13:06 – Modules – frequency, topics, creation
16:58 – Employment agreements, pay and accommodation
18:27 – DairyNZ’s support
19:26 – What’s next and who’s interested
20:51 – Programme benefits and how to sign up
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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03/14/23 • 40 min
Covid-19, the Ukraine War and extreme weather events have created ongoing disruption globally and locally, with knock-on effects for New Zealand’s dairy sector. So, what can we expect in the coming seasons with farm costs, interest rates, labour supply and demand for dairy? What are the challenges and opportunities for farmers to be thinking about? And what are some emerging trends that could affect dairy farming?
Our guests in this episode are DairyNZ head of economics Mark Storey and foresight practitioner Melissa Clark-Reynolds, who bring some great insights and food for thought. Melissa is one of the speakers at DairyNZ’s 2023 Farmers’ Forum events, which will have a strong focus on science and research. Visit Farmers’ Forum 2023 - DairyNZ for details.
Notes
- Farmers’ Forum 2023 - DairyNZ
- Melissa Clark-Reynolds – Signals from the Future (BOMA webinar, 14.2.23)
- Melissa Clark-Reynolds – learning from NZ Primary Sector Unicorns (BOMA conference, 2020)
- Mark Storey – Managing cost pressures in an uncertain environment (Fieldays interview)
- Managing a profit squeeze (Talking Dairy podcast Eps. 41 and 42)
- DairyNZ cyclone response: advice, tools and resources
- DairyNZ decision tree for flood-affected farms
Chapters
01:40 – Melissa's role as a foresight practitioner and her skill in recognising patterns
04:00 – Spotting trends before they emerge
08:09 – ‘Pandemic century’, our post-Covid situation, Russo-Ukraine War’s impact, demand for protein
14:05 – How much dairy farmers should be thinking about these global changes, and what can they do on-farm
16:02 – Cost pressures, rising interest rates, forecast farm working expenses
17:18 – Fertiliser prices being pushed up by Russo-Ukraine War
17:55 – A mixed picture: rising interest rates, but lower dairy debt levels
19:55 – Post-Covid-19 challenges, recovery and reasons for optimism
25:40 – A long way to go until we’re out of ‘Post-Covid recovery’ phase
28:20 – Cyclone Gabrielle’s impact on NZ’s total dairy production, infrastructure, wellbeing
29:54 – Building our resilience to extreme weather events
35:37 – Reasons for farmers to be excited; good news stories; challenges of other products; opportunities to improve total return to farm (not just milk)
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
Follow DairyNZ on socials for the latest updates:
09/17/24 • 20 min
In Episode 85 of Talking Dairy, Jac McGowan chats with Dr Bruce Thorrold, DairyNZ’s Chief Science Advisor, about gene technologies in relation to the dairy sector. With the New Zealand Government updating its laws on gene technology, Bruce explains what this could mean for farmers, from reducing environmental impact to increasing productivity. He also discusses the opportunities and risks, and shares the questions which are top of mind for dairy farmers as this topic comes back into focus. This episode provides a clear and balanced look at how gene technologies could shape the future of dairy farming in New Zealand.
For more information about this topic
DairyNZ webinar for dairy farmers:
Shaping the future: New Zealand’s gene technology reform
For the first time in over 20 years, New Zealand’s gene technology laws are getting a major overhaul. Greater access to gene technologies presents both opportunities and risks for the dairy sector. Join DairyNZ in this webinar to explore how these reforms could impact farmers in the future and how you can participate in this important government process.
Available on two dates:
- Monday 14 October 2024, 11.30am-12.30pm. Register here
- Tuesday 15 October 2024, 7pm-8pm. Register here
Resources:
- Gene technologies | DairyNZ
- Opinion: Gene technologies - time for a change - NZ Herald
- DairyNZ engaging with farmers as Govt moves to update gene technology rules
- Gene technology regulation | Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment
- Pasture biotechnology: Breeding for a better future - AgResearch
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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Recovering from an extreme weather event | Ep. 44
Talking Dairy
03/07/23 • 33 min
It’s been an incredibly tough time for farmers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. For many, the recovery will be long and challenging. We thought it would be helpful to hear from one farmer who’s been through something similar and can talk about what the recovery looked like.
Dean Bailey was sharemilking in Manawatu when, in February 2004, a devastating flooding event left his farm submerged beneath two metres of water. It was six months before they were milking cows again on the farm. Dean will talk about how the recovery unfolded, the importance of good communication, rallying together as a community, and taking it one day at a time.
Michelle Greaves, a Regional Partner in DairyNZ’s Lower North Island Team, also joins us to talk about DairyNZ’s role in the response and recovery, and provide advice on how farmers can prepare for the seasons ahead.
Notes
- Cyclone response - DairyNZ
- Decision tree for flood damaged farms: https://www.dairynz.co.nz/media/5787035/flood-damaged-farm-decision-tree.pdf
- Government grants and funds: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/dmsdocument/55630-Cyclone-Gabrielle-farmer-and-grower-recovery-grants
- Completing a feed budget: https://www.dairynz.co.nz/feed/improving-pasture-performance/assessing-farm-performance/feed-budgets/
Chapters
1:18 - Intro to Dean
1:41 - How Dean’s been affected by Cyclone Gabrielle
3:30 - Dean's been speaking with Hawke’s Bay farmers hit by the cyclone
3:48 - ‘Taken out of farming’ in the Manawatu floods of 2004, and how they recovered: what worked well, keeping morale up
9:14 - Dean discusses support organisations, talking to mates, getting through it as a community, and keeping the cows in lactation
12:05 - Deciding what to prioritise in each day of the recovery
15:30 - Dean’s advice for Cyclone Gabrielle-affected farmers
17:45 - Ways to make a farm and business resilient to the effects of extreme weather events, e.g. positioning fencing to run with the water
20:00 - Michelle discusses key support avenues and tools to help farmers recovering from an adverse event
22:15 - What Michelle’s hearing from farmers in affected regions: power, fuel and water supply, roading access, cows dried off, stock movement, infrastructure
25:25 - Dealing with the silt
26:33 - What’s DairyNZ’s role in the response and recovery?
29:30 - Resilience of dairy farmers, and advice for farmers on preparing for future extreme weather events (contingency plans, generators, means of communication, fuel storage)
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
Follow DairyNZ on socials for the latest updates:
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FAQ
How many episodes does Talking Dairy have?
Talking Dairy currently has 98 episodes available.
What topics does Talking Dairy cover?
The podcast is about Research, Podcasts, Science, New Zealand, Agriculture and Business.
What is the most popular episode on Talking Dairy?
The episode title 'Protecting profit in a high payout | Ep. 16' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Talking Dairy?
The average episode length on Talking Dairy is 27 minutes.
How often are episodes of Talking Dairy released?
Episodes of Talking Dairy are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of Talking Dairy?
The first episode of Talking Dairy was released on Apr 6, 2021.
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