New milking frequency trends and the impact of OAD in early lactation | Ep. 84

What milking frequency trends are emerging across different regions? What factors are driving the adoption of once-a-day (OAD) milking in early lactation? And what are the pros and cons?

In this episode of Talking Dairy, we’re joined by Dr. Paul Edwards, Senior Scientist and Kent Weston-Arnold, Area Manager for North-West Waikato, from DairyNZ. Find out about new insights on milking frequency and regional trends, plus hear about the experiences of some farmers who have been using OAD milking in early lactation this season. 

As calving season continues across the country, this discussion offers advice for those considering OAD milking in early lactation next season. Tune in to discover the pros and cons, hear some farmers stories, and get practical tips to help you decide if it could be the right move for your farm system.

For more information, visit: Early lactation once-a-day (OAD) milking | DairyNZ

General flexible milking tools and resources:

• Flexible milking | DairyNZ
• Milking time planner | DairyNZ 

Have feedback or ideas for future episodes? Email us at talkingdairy@dairynz.co.nz

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Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:39 What are the emerging trends in milking frequency across NZ?
• 4:41 How many herds are using OAD in early lactation?
• 5:03 What's driving adoption of OAD in early lactation and across the season?
• 5:46 What flexible milking practices are trending in different regions?
• 8:57 Common reasons why farmers are using OAD in early lactation
• 10:09 Some examples of how OAD in early lactation impacted operations
• 12:25 Things to be aware of before trying OAD or flexible milking
• 15:59 What's the impact on total sleep during calving?
• 20:48 What are some of the benefits farmers have experienced?
• 25:36 Advice for implementing OAD milking in early lactation