DAIRY Country

The Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year award is designed to recognise leadership, contribution and future-focused thinking within the dairy sector, while also encouraging others to step forward and get involved.
In this episode, Anne Lee sits down with award recipient Jo Sheridan to unpack her experience as the 2025 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year, going through the Dairy Women’s Network process and what the recognition has meant both personally and professionally. The discussion sets the scene for why awards like this matter, how they can help bring clarity on your direction and why you don’t need to sit back and wait to be nominated. Self-nomination and backing yourself is a great way to open doors to new opportunities across the sector. Applications and nominations for 2026 close on February 28.
Host:
Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country
Guest:
Jo Sheridan, Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year 2025

Jo also discusses her work as Demonstration Manager at Owl Farm, which is run as a joint-venture between St Peter’s Cambridge school and Lincoln University. She outlines why future-focused farm systems, youth engagement and clear progression pathways are critical to the long-term success of dairy. She shares insights from a recent Fonterra study tour to the United States, including what global customers value, how technology and genetics are accelerating change, and what New Zealand farmers can learn from international systems. The conversation also covers how Owl Farm is tracking this season, what the data is showing around production and reproduction, and why continuous monitoring, adaptability and people development are central to building resilient farm businesses.

Find out more about the Better pastures together podcast from Barenbrug here: https://www.barenbrug.co.nz/podcasts
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Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) has been taking another look at establishing plantain and how to combat weed pests.
In this episode, Anne Lee finds out more about the approach from Farm Source Technical Ag Specialist Russell Hamilton and catches up with LUDF Partnership and Demonstration Lead Antoinette Archer about how the farm is performing in a tricky, cooler summer season. The conversation explores why treating pasture as a crop is critical to maximising both quality and total production, how setting clear objectives upfront shapes renewal and management decisions, and how onfarm monitoring and data are being used to guide timely responses as seasonal conditions shift.

Host:
Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country
Guests:
Russell Hamilton, Technical Ag Specialist, Farm Source
Antoinette Archer, Partnership and Demonstration Lead, LUDF

Russell outlines the importance of viewing each paddock as its own crop, assessing performance, identifying constraints and setting a clear plan to lift long-term productivity. LUDF wanted to improve plantain establishment and longevity by addressing weed pressure, soil fertility and pasture renewal sequencing, he explains. Russell steps through the use of an Italian ryegrass cropping phase to reset paddocks and allow the use of the right herbicides in a timely way to reduce weed seed banks and create the right conditions for ryegrass, clover and plantain-based pastures. He highlights how getting establishment right upfront can significantly increase lifetime pasture yield and farm profitability.

Antoinette provides a seasonal update from LUDF, describing what has been a tricky year to manage with cooler, wetter conditions limiting pasture growth rates and reducing energy levels in pasture. She explains how close monitoring of pasture, cow condition and milk production has enabled the team to assess conditions early and act, including the decision to move to a three-in-two milking schedule and begin putting autumn management plans in place. Antoinette also outlines how these learnings will be shared with farmers at the LUDF Focus Day on March 4, where the team will unpack the season’s challenges, decisions and practical takeaways in more detail.

Find out more about the Better pastures together podcast from Barenbrug here: https://www.barenbrug.co.nz/podcasts
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major research effort aimed at cutting nitrogen (N) losses without losing sight of farm viability is putting practical system change under the microscope.
In this episode, Anne Lee speaks with Dr Racheal Bryant, Associate Professor at Lincoln University, about the Low-N Farmlet Trial that’s found stacking a number of N mitigations together on-farm can cut N losses by up to 50%. The multi-year study is part of the DairyNZ-led Low-N Systems research programme with studies involving the Bioeconomy Sciences Institute (formerly AgResearch), Fonterra, AbacusBio and CRV with funding also coming from the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Dr Bryant explains how modelling and onfarm measurement have been used to test combinations of lower nitrogen fertiliser rates, diverse pastures, genetics and all-grass wintering systems, revealing where significant reductions in nitrate leaching are achievable, the trade-offs with profitability (a 7% reduction in some cases), and how farmers can assess which mitigations may work best in their own systems.

Host:
Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country
Guest:
Dr Racheal Bryant, Associate Professor, Lincoln University

Dr Bryant steps through how the research has played out on the ground at Lincoln University’s Research Dairy Farm, comparing modelled outcomes with real-world measurements across multiple seasons. She discusses reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, farmer involvement in shaping the work, and what the findings mean for farmers as they weigh environmental targets against production, costs, profitability and long-term system resilience.

DairyNZ Low N farm systems overview: https://www.dairynz.co.nz/research/science-projects/low-n-systems/
DairyNZ link to the live farmlet data: https://connect.dairynz.co.nz/Low-N/LowN_Farmlet_Summary.html
Dairy futures Living Lab: https://livinglab.codecrew.nz/
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A volatile start to 2026 has put global dairy markets back in the spotlight, with a sharp lift in the latest GlobalDairyTrade auction offering some early-year optimism for farmers.
In this episode, Anne Lee speaks with Stu Davison from HighGround Dairy to unpack what’s behind the 6.3% rebound in the GDT index after a prolonged run of declines. Stu explains how aggressive buying from the Middle East, shifting oil prices and heightened geopolitical tension have combined to drive short-term support across powders and milk fats, despite global milk supply continuing to run hot.

Host:
Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country
Guest:
Stu Davison, HighGround Dairy

Stu breaks down what’s happening across key regions, including strong production growth in the US and Europe, steady but subdued demand from China, and the implications for New Zealand as the season moves into its tail. He also looks ahead to the months and seasons to come, outlining why oversupply remains the dominant risk, what that means for milk price expectations, and how tools such as futures and higher-value processing will be critical for farmers navigating another year of volatility.
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This special episode of Dairy Country, powered by MSD Animal Health, dives into how SenseHub Dairy is reshaping modern herd management through real-time insights and connected on-farm technology.
Taranaki farmer Ed Whiting shares how adopting SenseHub Dairy has transformed the way he and his family run their system, lifting animal health, streamlining decision-making, and giving them greater confidence through timely, accurate data. Alongside Ed, West Coast sharemilker Terry Swney explains how the technology supports heat detection and herd performance in a challenging climate, while South Island team leader Laura Christensen offers a behind-the-scenes look at the tools farmers are using to monitor rumination, young stock, and milk-quality trends.

Host:
Sarah Perriam-Lampp, CEO, CountryWide Media
Guests:
Ed Whiting, Taranaki farmer
Terry Swney, West Coast sharemilker
Laura Christensen, South Island Sales Lead, SenseHub Dairy

Ed Whiting reflects on his journey in adopting technology on his Taranaki farm and how SenseHub Dairy has transformed the way he manages his herd. Farming a mixed operation with 400 cows, 300 beef calves, and a large free-range broiler chicken enterprise, he shares how real-time insights into heat, health, rumination, and milk quality have shaped his approach to herd management and decision-making.
He talks about integrating collars, milk meters, and young stock tags across his operation, fine-tuning feeding regimes, preventing metabolic issues, and monitoring every cow individually. Ed also discusses the value of using technology to connect his team, improve workflow, and make smarter decisions on farm, and encourages other farmers to embrace incremental steps when adopting new systems: start with one tool, learn, and expand from there.

Terry Swney reflects on stepping up to share milking on his West Coast farm and how SenseHub Dairy has helped him manage a 635-cow operation more efficiently. Operating in a low-stocking-rate, pasture-based system, he shares how collars and young stock tags have guided his approach to heat detection, animal health, and rumination, helping him make better decisions while saving time in the shed.
He talks about how the technology has allowed him to fine-tune feeding, prevent health issues, and monitor young stock development, while also highlighting the importance of reliable support and guidance from the SenseHub Dairy team. Terry encourages other farmers to adopt new systems step by step, focusing on learning and practical benefits rather than feeling overwhelmed by the data.

Laura Christensen shares her perspective as MSD Animal Health’s South Island Sales Lead for the SenseHub Dairy brand about how the technology is helping farmers across diverse environments make smarter decisions. She explains how customisable solutions from heat detection and milk monitoring to young stock tracking support herd health, reproductive performance, and feeding management, even in remote or challenging conditions.
Laura also highlights the importance of ongoing support, on-farm training, and practical guidance to ensure farmers can confidently integrate technology into their systems. She encourages farmers to approach adoption step by step, focusing on meaningful insights and improvements for individual animals and overall herd performance.
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