The Better Herd Podcast

Better Cows - myDNA

CRV's myDNA Product Manager Anna Morrow and Hawera dairy farmer Hayden Lawrence discuss the benefits of DNA testing dairy herds.

Using breeding to achieve your farming goals

Our host Anne-Marie Case-Miller is joined by CRV product development manager Peter Van Elzakker and West Coast farmer Mark Van Beek to discuss how breeding can help you achieve your farming goals. We talk about a healthy and efficient herd, and the importance of tailoring your breeding programme to help unlock the potential of your farm business.

Facial Eczema

Facial Eczema is a devastating disease that costs New Zealand dairy farmers hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost milk production each year. Not only is it costly in dollar terms, but it can also have severe implications for animal health. In this episode, CRV’s Mitchell Koot is joined by CRV head geneticist Phil Beatson and VetEnt vet and research head, Emma Cuttance. Listen as they discuss why FE is such a concern for our dairy industry, and the short and longer term options available to manage it.

Flexible Milking

Dairy farmers and their staff spend about 50% of their time milking. Milking times have a big impact on the structure of the working day. An increasing number of farmers are looking for more flexibility in their milking routine and considering alternative options to twice-a-day. CRV’s Rosanna Dickson talks to DairyNZ Senior Scientist Dr Paul Edwards about how farmers can maintain productivity and profitability, while reducing the number of milkings per lactation. They also discuss how genetics can help farmers breed cows suited to a flexible milking regime.

Driving genetic gains using sorted semen

Breeding for increased numbers of heifers has become popular for dairy farmers wanting more from their top cows. An increasing number of farmers are considering sorted semen as a tool to get more from their herd improvement programme, getting replacement heifers from high genetic merit heifers and top producing cows. There are also significant benefits for farmers in using sorted semen to reduce their number of bobby calves and potentially have easier calvings for heifers. Decisions based on animal welfare outcomes is becoming an increasingly important consideration. Rosanna talks about the ins and outs of sexed semen with Marleen Broekhuijse from CRV HQ in The Netherlands and Canterbury dairy farmer Ian Hopping.