Once in charge of US$1 billion daily in international currency markets, Charlotte Aitken swapped the rat race for milking cows on the West Coast. Words Anne Hardie, Photos Jules Anderson.

Mīti smokey kānuka and honey beef bites were a hit at the Fieldays, a protein snack that could be one of the solutions to the dairy industry’s non-replacement calves. Words Sheryl Haitana.

Pāmu’s beef-on-dairy strategy is maturing from concept to large-scale operational reality, with the state-owned enterprise on track for its aspirational target of rearing all non-replacement dairy calves by 2030. Words Kara Tait.

Taranaki dairy farmer LeAnne Blakelock has launched a Rose Gold Veal brand in an attempt to reduce bobby calves and connect her dairy business closer to the beef value chain. Words Sheryl Haitana, Photos Natalie Waugh.

With calving on the horizon, pelletised mineral supplements help dairy farmers keep their herds healthy and productive. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Creating pastures to sustain a profitable farm system has been central to the Armstrong family’s expansion and improvement of their Taranaki operation over the past three generations. Now as the fourth generation take on their roles and the Newells take on contract milking the dairy farms, pasture performance remains a top priority. Words & Photos Anne Lee.

The combination of a shrinking milk pool, increasing geopolitical volatility, and heavy market concentration in China, is placing unprecedented pressure on dairy exporters. Malinda Wynyard’s 2025 Kellogg Report explores the fertile ground for innovation, differentiation and strategic global positioning into emerging markets. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

The Net Zero Pilot Dairy Farm in Taranaki is giving farmers valuable insights into the levers they could pull to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), sharing what’s working and what tactics they should assess with caution. Words Anne Lee.

A Waikato school dairy farm’s tertiary collaboration is proving a successful model for sharing best practice with farmers and bringing on the next generation. Words Anne Lee.

As nutrient regulations tighten, farmers need solutions that are effective, practical and proven at scale. DairyNZ’s plantain programme is putting a dent in nitrate leaching. Words Dr Kate Fransen.

Could a 24-month calving interval ease spring workload and reduce non-replacement calves? After two years of research, DairyNZ is now working with a commercial farm to test the system – and early signs are promising. Words Dr Paul Edwards.

A panel discussion at the summer South Island Pasture Summit was packed with valuable take-home messages. Words Anne Lee.

Northland veterinarian, Rory Dean, highlights a success story of wearable cow collars health alerts preventing a twisted gut turning fatal. Words Rory Dean.

Latest DairyBase data shows that pasture and crop harvested remain one of the strongest drivers of operating profit per hectare nationwide for both owner-operators and sharemilkers. Words Jodie Goudswaard, DairyBase Manager, DairyNZ.

A major rethink of how New Zealand dairy farms feed their animals. Kaitlin Bates says smarter, science-based nutrition may hold the key to dairy’s next productivity and profitability gains. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

A high Brix test may mean high sugar for the horticulture sector, but when it comes to measuring pasture quality, farmers are being told to look to traditional feed quality analysis. Words Anne Lee.

A deep dive into the numbers shows just how big the dollar benefit is to utilising pasture well and reveals the surprising real cost of supplement boosted milk production. Words Anne Lee.

Research from a recent Canterbury farm study shows wintering on diverse pastures can have a range of benefits. Words Dr Racheal Bryant.

In a shift from an exclusively mitigating approach, to one that includes restoration and rehabilitation, DairyNZ’s focus on improving freshwater is working with dairy farmers and catchment groups in a new wave of environmental care. Words Jacob Quinn.

A sire list for the Dairy–Beef Progeny Test 2025 mating will be published on Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s website in October. Words Sandra Taylor.