Building a high BW herd - one decision at a time | Ep. 101

Talking Dairy

What does it take to breed a high performing herd - now and into the future?

Earlier this year, DairyNZ and Fonterra co-hosted a series of on-farm events focused on lifting genetic gain through better breeding decisions. One of those events was held at Clovalley Farms, run by Donovan Croot and Sophie Cookson in South Taranaki. Now, we’re bringing that conversation to you.

In this episode of Talking Dairy, hosted by DairyNZ Taranaki Area Manager Talissa Squire, Donovan and Sophie share how they’ve built a herd that ranks in the top 1% nationally for Breeding Worth (BW). They explain how they’ve applied DairyNZ’s 'Five ways to a high BW herd' in a way that fits their farm, their values and their goals.

They talk openly about what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what they’ve learned along the way.

Whether you're just starting out with genetics or already fine-tuning your approach, this is a must-listen for any farmer wanting to breed a better herd.

Listen now to learn how to make smarter breeding decisions, improve genetic gain in your herd, and future-proof your business.

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]

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Kapitel

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Starting from scratch (00:01:11)

3. The spark for breeding (00:06:54)

4. Buying a top herd: A game changer (00:09:01)

5. Choosing the right bulls (00:12:13)

6. Mating strategy in action (00:14:34)

7. Picking top replacements (00:21:34)

8. Tracking what matters (00:23:17)

9. DNA verification makes a difference (00:24:44)

10. Measuring performance (00:26:42)

11. Breeding challenges and lessons learned (00:30:51)

12. Advice for famers (00:33:45)

13. Episode summary (00:35:05)