Talking Dairy

What does a beef finisher need from the calves you breed? Annie O’Callaghan of Temataa Station and Jo Sheridan of Owl Farm bring together two sides of the dairy-beef supply chain. They discuss Owl Farm’s dairy-beef programme, Annie’s experience buying and finishing calves, and how genetics, colostrum, calf health and traceability influence value. They also cover finding the right buyer, agreeing on a fair price and building relationships before mating. Their experiences show why breeding decisions need to work for the dairy farm, calf rearer and beef finisher. 
Links to more info 
Dairy Beef Opportunities programme  
Beef-on-dairy guidance  
Dairy-beef case studies  
Owl Farm Facebook page 
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz
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How do you keep your pasture and profit goals on track when your farming situation changes? In 2024, Leighton and Hayley Parker hosted around 280 people at a Pasture Summit event on their Canterbury farm. Their business stood out for strong cost control and profitability, high pasture use and production, and improved reproductive performance. Two years on, they’re farming somewhere different. Leighton shares how their plans are tracking, what has changed, and where they’re heading next.
Join the 2026 Pasture Summit Spring Events:
North Island: Tuesday 24 November, hosted by Todd and Renee Halliday in Reporoa, Bay of Plenty
South Island: Thursday 26 November, hosted by James and Laura Bawden in Hinds, Canterbury
Find out more and register for Pasture Summit.
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz
Connect with DairyNZ
Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected

Kim Robinson from Agfirst and Dr Paul Edwards from DairyNZ join Willie McKnight to discuss findings from a multi-season trial comparing different supplementary feeding systems. They explore the full cost of producing extra milksolids, from feed costs through to the wider impacts on your farm system, and share insights to help you assess whether extra feed is delivering value for your business.
Links to more info
Marginal milk research, tools and resources
Supplement Price Calculator
FeedChecker Calculator
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz
Connect with DairyNZ
Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected

New results from a four-year trial show plantain reduced annual nitrate leaching by an average of 33% while maintaining milk production.
In this episode of Talking Dairy In 10, Kate Fransen from DairyNZ and Canterbury farmer Andy Macfarlane discuss what the findings mean for dairy farmers, how the research compares with on-farm experience, and the practical considerations when including plantain in a farm system.
Find out more about the research 
Get tools and resources on plantain
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz
Connect with DairyNZ
Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected

In this episode, Julian Reti Kaukau sits down with Ahuwhenua judges Rito (Basil) Tapuke and Peter Ettema to get a behind-the-scenes look at what judges notice when they visit a farm. They explain why bigger does not necessarily mean better, what stands out beyond the numbers, and how strong governance, clear decision-making and alignment between owners, trustees and farm teams can shape performance. 
The kōrero also explores what Māori farming businesses can gain from entering the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition, including the chance to share their story, gain fresh insights and recognise what is already working well.
Most importantly, Basil and Peter challenge the idea that your farming business needs to have everything sorted before entering. They explain the support available to entrants and why opening the gate to a fresh perspective could show that you are more ready than you think.
Thinking about entering?
Ahuwhenua Trophy entries close 2 December 2026.
Young Māori Farmer Award entries close 29 January 2027.
Find out more and enter here.
Questions? Contact the DairyNZ Māori agribusiness team at maoriagribusiness@dairynz.co.nz
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz
Connect with DairyNZ
Stay up to date with advice, latest research, tools and resources. Read, browse, scroll, listen, or be there in person. Visit dairynz.co.nz/get-connected