Talking Dairy
Episodes
Milk alternatives – will they cut our lunch? | Ep. 43
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a lot of conversation circling about milk alternatives and their potential impact on global dairy consumption and NZ dairy farming. But what...
Managing a profit squeeze (Part 2) | Ep. 42
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How are Kiwi dairy farmers managing their way through the current economic climate to maintain their profitability? In Part 2 of this series, you’ll...
Managing a profit squeeze (Part 1) | Ep. 41
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How are farmers managing their way through the current economic climate to maintain profitability? Over the next two episodes, you’ll hear from a gr...
Contract milking part 3: employing a contract milker | Ep. 40
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we wrap up our three-part series on contract milking. You’ll find out what a farm owner needs to know when it comes to employing a c...
Contract milking part 2: investigating a job offer | Ep. 39
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you figure out if a contract milking position is the right one for you? What things should you be asking the farm owner, what do you look for o...
Bonus Episode: Fieldays 2022 – From OE to winning opportunity
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this live podcast recorded at Fieldays 2022, we’re joined by Zoe Bryson, who came third in the NZ Dairy Trainee of the Year Award earlier this ye...
Bonus Episode: Fieldays 2022 – Shaping up our workplaces
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this live podcast recorded at Fieldays 2022, Bay of Plenty farm manager Dayna Rowe shares her thoughts on why we need to shape up our farm workplac...
Bonus Episode: Fieldays 2022 – Climate action for my family’s future
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this live podcast recorded at Fieldays 2022, our guest is Northland third-generation dairy farmer Andrew Booth, who’s gone from climate change sc...
Bonus Episode: Fieldays 2022 – From Philippines vet to NZ dairy farmer
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this live podcast recorded at Fieldays 2022, we catch up with Waikato farm manager Christopher Vila, who won last year’s NZ Dairy Manager of the ...
Testing a lower footprint while retaining profit | Ep. 38
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A lower stocking rate, less nitrogen fertiliser and less imported feed – those are the characteristics of a ‘future farm’ being tested down at D...
Contract milking 101 | Ep. 37
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do you prepare to go from being a farm worker to a contract milker? What are some things to be aware of, what are the foundations for success, and...
Growing the next generation of dairy farmers | Ep. 36
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Government’s emissions pricing proposal is not what sector proposed | Ep. 35
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Government has released its agriculture emissions pricing proposal. While the Government has accepted the sector’s recommendation for a farm-lev...
Getting the most from your accountant | Ep. 34
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a dairy farmer, how do you go about choosing an accountant who truly understands your specific needs and challenges? How can you take full advantag...
Tools for coping with farm stress | Ep. 33
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Taranaki dairy farmer Kane Brisco nearly walked away from farming, worn down by the constant physical and mental strains of the job. But at his lowest...
Young farm manager’s winning approach | Ep. 32
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With entries for the 2023 New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards about to open, we catch up with one of this year’s winners, north Waikato farmer Jimmy C...
How fodder beet’s use has evolved based on farm experiences and research findings | Ep. 31
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fodder beet offers many benefits as an alternative crop to brassicas, but it also presents risks and challenges. So, what can we learn from recent res...
Bonus Episode: Farmers' Forum Series - Better together
16 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded on 15 June 2022. We have some real challenges ahead of us as a country over the coming decades when it comes to improving water quality, incr...
Looking in new places for dairy staff | Ep. 30
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Three years ago, Quinn Morgan was a self-described city slicker, working as a personal trainer in Perth and spending hours sitting in traffic. But the...
Bonus Episode: Farmers' Forum Series - Attracting and looking after great people
02 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded on 20 April 2022. With over 12,000 businesses across New Zealand employing over 30,000 workers on farms, our success in attracting, retaining...
Take action against foot-and-mouth disease | Ep. 29
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Foot-and-mouth disease has reached the tourist hot spot of Bali, and the risk of it entering NZ on the footprint of an unwary traveller or by other me...
Bonus Episode: Farmers' Forum Series - Rural mental health and wellbeing
05 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded on 9 March 2022. Kiwi dairy farmers are increasingly under pressure with ever-changing regulations, acute workforce shortages, and all the co...
Wintering – not just a Southland issue | Ep. 28
21 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wintering on crop isn’t just a Southland issue. New National Environment Standards for intensive winter grazing will come into effect in November 20...
Digging into soil carbon with Dr Jacqueline Rowarth | Ep. 27
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s no secret that soil carbon levels on New Zealand farms are among the highest in the world. So, why aren’t dairy farmers being rewarded for it...
Rural women are struggling too | Ep. 26
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Stress, depression, anxiety, fatigue and other wellbeing issues are a growing concern in the rural sector. Often, the conversations we have about it a...
Fodder beet – know what you're feeding | Ep. 25
26 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does fodder beet have a positive future as a feed for cows in New Zealand? What are some key things to consider when feeding beet through winter? And ...
New tools for reducing methane | Ep. 24
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Methane is a big topic and it’s a pressing concern for our sector. We need to reduce our emissions, while improving profitability – but how? In th...
Recruiting great dairy farm workers | Ep. 23
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How do we find skilled, capable and enthusiastic farm staff when they just don’t seem to be available? In this episode, Lee Astridge, a leading agri...
Technology and data in dairy farming | Ep. 22
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What kind of technologies are farmers already using, why, and what are the next big things that could deliver value on-farm? In this episode we cover ...
Improving your herd fertility (Part 2) | Ep. 21
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How can we lift the national average six-week in-calf rate from its current position of 67%? Two exciting new traits have emerged – age at puberty a...
Plantain for production and environmental wins | Ep. 20
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How effective is plantain at both reducing nitrate leaching and helping to fill the feed supply in warmer months? In this episode, we’re exploring t...
Flexible milking case study and research | Ep. 19
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What prompted the Lincoln University Demonstration Dairy Farm’s move to full-season 10-in-7 milking? And what impact has it had on animal health, fe...
Improving your herd fertility (Part 1) | Ep. 18
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Does selecting bulls that have a high Fertility Breeding Value really improve your herd’s fertility? In this episode, DairyNZ senior scientist Susan...
Heat stress strategies with Owl Farm | Ep. 17
20 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 episod...
Protecting profit in a high payout | Ep. 16
06 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How do you hold onto more of your profit when the milk price is up? We’re chatting with DairyNZ business specialist Paul Bird and Waikato farm owner...
What are the two emissions pricing options? | Ep. 15
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Two agriculture emissions pricing options, alternative to the NZ ETS, have just been released by He Waka Eke Noa. How do the options work and how much...
Breeding the cow of the future | Ep. 14
31 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to breeding decisions, which animal traits matter the most to Kiwi dairy farmers? Should environmental traits should be part of the Bree...
He Waka Eke Noa: Is agriculture coming into the Emissions Trading Scheme? | Ep. 13
20 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is agriculture going to be brought into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)? And what role does the He Waka Eke Noa partnership have to play in reducin...
Strategies for reducing nitrogen use | Ep. 12
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Looking for some fresh ideas to reduce your nitrogen fertiliser use? On this episode, we chat with Waikato sharemilker Chris Numan, who with wife Rach...
Better workplaces through flexible milking | Ep. 11
23 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Could reducing the number of milkings in a week help the dairy sector attract new staff and improve work-life balance? One farmer who’s gone to a fl...
What's next for wintering? | Ep. 10
09 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How did we arrive at our current wintering practices? What’s next for wintering animals on crop? And what kind of changes can you make on farm now? ...
Transitioning off the farm | Ep. 9
26 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Stepping back from the day to day running of the farm is an exciting stage in life, but one that can be complex. What are the big things to consider? ...
Weather forecasting with NIWA’s Chris Brandolino | Ep. 8
12 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Good weather forecasting helps farmers to make better decisions. But how exactly do meteorologists come up with their predictions? Will forecasting be...
Colostrum: getting your calves off to the best start | Ep. 7
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Are your calves getting the colostrum they need? How are you supposed to know and what can you change to make sure they do? And what are some of the c...
An inside look at transporting stock | Ep. 6
14 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Climate change: straight from the Minister’s mouth | Ep. 5
31 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Where do dairy farmers fit in the climate change discussion? Can farmers have confidence that emissions targets won’t keep shifting? And what suppor...
National MP Todd Muller’s mental health journey | Ep. 4
17 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Taking over the National Party leadership was meant to be Todd Muller’s dream job, but instead, it thrust him into a season of intense anxiety and c...
Farm staff shortages and tips for recruiting and retaining staff | Ep. 3
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Staff shortages can cause big headaches for dairy farmers. In this episode, we discuss what you can do to attract and retain staff, and we look at the...
Making sense of the Climate Change Commission's carbon budgets proposal | Ep. 2
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What's in the Climate Change Commission’s carbon budgets proposal and what does it mean for dairy farmers? Do you need to do anything yet? Let’...
Contract milking and variable order sharemilking: tips for making it work | Ep. 1
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What's the difference between contract milking and variable order sharemilking? Are they still a viable progression pathway? And how do you make ...