Talking Dairy

Experience the energy and insights from the 2025 Precision Dairy Farming Conference.  
This episode features Sharn Roskam and Stuart Taylor, who were part of the farmer panel. Sharn farms in Winton, Southland, with her husband and four children, milking 600 cows on a 280-hectare self-contained system. Stu is a fifth-generation dairy farmer and General Manager of Farming at Craigmore Sustainables, overseeing 20 dairy farms and 16,000 cows across Canterbury and North Otago. He combines strong farming fundamentals with a focus on people, sustainability, and smart adoption of proven innovations. 
They talk openly about their wins, challenges, and lessons learned from adopting different farm technologies. They also share how technology can improve efficiency and work-life balance – while acknowledging it isn’t a quick fix.  
View the conference highlights, proceedings and more 
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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

Facial eczema is one of the toughest animal health challenges facing livestock farmers. It’s estimated to cost the dairy and red meat sectors $330 million in lost production every year. As summer gets hotter and more humid, the risk rises – and research shows it’s not just a North Island problem. 
In this episode of Talking Dairy, Jac McGowan talks with two experts who bring both science and practical know-how. Dr Cara Brosnahan, principal scientist at Beef + Lamb New Zealand, leads the Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts research programme. She explains what the team is learning about the disease, with results from a recent farmer survey and what solutions this research will deliver for farmers in the future. Mitch Cooper, DairyNZ senior technical and policy advisor and former dairy vet, shares practical steps to prevent facial eczema, from monitoring spore counts to planning zinc supplementation
Find out more about the research - B+LNZ Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts programme 
View DairyNZ information about facial eczema 
Download the DairyNZ Facial Eczema Management Guide 
Get the 7 Steps to Managing Facial Eczema Using Zinc 

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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

Whether you joined us in Christchurch or couldn’t make it, this episode is your chance to relive the energy and insights from the 2025 Precision Dairy Farming Conference. Hear from Dr Nicolas Lyons, Dr Callum Eastwood, and Dr Jenny Jago as they reflect on the event. 
If you were there, you’ll enjoy revisiting the highlights and hearing what stood out. If you missed it, you’ll get to hear from a range of speakers, their research and the ideas shaping the future of dairy. 
This conversation kicks off the Precision Dairy Farming podcast series, packed with practical insights from farmers, researchers, and innovators.  
View the highlights, proceedings and more from the conference here 
 
Meet the scientists: 
Dr Nicolas Lyons
Dr Callum Eastwood 
Dr Jenny Jago 
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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

More farmers listened to this episode in 2025 than any other. Tune in to find out why it was so popular... 
What does it take to build a top herd? South Taranaki farmers Donovan Croot and Sophie Cookson started strong with a high Breeding Worth (BW) herd. But reaching the top 1% for BW in the country? That took smart decisions and a clear plan to drive genetic gain. 
In this episode, Donovan and Sophie share how they've achieved their results and the highlights from the joint DairyNZ and Fonterra event they hosted with DairyNZ area manager Talissa Squire. 
Did you know?
More Progressing Dairy events on improving genetic gain are coming in 2026. Find one near you.

Get the DairyNZ tools and resources mentioned in this episode: 
Breeding Worth - DairyNZ | DairyNZ 
Tools - Animal Herd Averages | DairyNZ 
Bull Search - DairyNZ | DairyNZ 
Bull Team - DairyNZ | DairyNZ 
Ranking of Active Sires (RAS) | DairyNZ 
InCalf reproduction gap calculator - DairyNZ | DairyNZ 
Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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 of Talking Dairy, we unpack the findings of the most in-depth independent return on investment (ROI) ever – commissioned by DairyNZ to provide farmers with more transparency. 
Join host Jac McGowan as she talks with Dr Alan Pearson from Nimmo Bell, the independent analysts behind the report, and DairyNZ Chair Tracy Brown, who commissioned the work.
They explain:
How $341 million in levy revenue delivered an estimated $2.98 billion in value for farmers between 2020 and 2025.
Which initiatives delivered the biggest returns.
Why collective investment is critical to keep dairy competitive and ready for the future.
What DairyNZ is doing differently to ensure we’re focused on what matters to farmers.
If you’ve ever wondered “What's the return on my levy investment?”, this episode gives you the answer and the facts.

About the milksolids levy
Summary of report into DairyNZ levy ROI to farmers 
Report into DairyNZ levy ROI to farmers 

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]
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