What Cows Prefer in Winter | Ep. 80

Talking Dairy

Welcome to Episode 80 of Talking Dairy. Winter can be challenging on dairy farms, and knowing what cows need during these cold, wet months is crucial for their health and productivity. In this episode, we are excited to have Dawn Dalley, a Senior Scientist at DairyNZ, sharing her wealth of experience and insights gained from over 15 years of research on managing cows in winter conditions.

Dawn talks about the challenges cows face in wet winter conditions and the key findings from extensive research on paddock-based wintering. She covers essential topics like grazing direction, critical source area protection, having a contingency plan, and why pugging depth might not be the best indicator of cow comfort. Dawn also highlights surprising results, some good management practices, and practical advice for caring for cows during extended wet weather.

Whether you’re from Southland or another part of the country, Dawn's expert advice and the improvements seen across New Zealand will provide you with actionable insights to enhance your wintering practices. This episode is packed with tips and strategies to ensure your cows thrive in winter, empowering you to make informed decisions for your herd's wellbeing.
Websites:

Cow care in winter | DairyNZ

Best practice tips on wintering | DairyNZ

Tools and Resources:

Download DairyNZ Poster: Managing cows during winter grazing

Download DairyNZ Template: Your Winter Grazing Plan

Download DairyNZ Guide: Improving your wintering system

Check out our other Talking Dairy Podcasts on Wintering:

What's next for wintering? | Ep. 10 | DairyNZ

Wintering – not just a Southland issue | Ep. 28 | DairyNZ

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [e-mail]

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Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Dawn Dalley's background in dairy, science and research (00:00:26)

3. The key challenges for cows during winter (00:01:27)

4. A summary of key research findings on paddock-based wintering (00:02:23)

5. How to protect critical source areas (00:04:52)

6. About the Southern Dairy Hub and good winter management practices (00:08:15)

7. How research changed winter management practices changed at the Southern Dairy Hub (00:09:37)

8. How does Southern Dairy Hub research apply to farms around the country (00:11:38)

9. How to prepare your farm team for winter (00:13:40)

10. Advice for caring for cows in extended wet weather (00:15:56)

11. Adverse climate events and how farmers are preparing for these (00:17:41)

12. How the research has impacted improvements to wintering cows on dairy farms in NZ (00:19:33)

13. Where to find more information on winter management practices (00:21:44)