Feed for Thought

• NZ Share Farmers of the Year Fiona and Tom Langford on balancing farm excellence

  Tune in as we welcome Fiona and Tom Langsford, winners of the NZ Share Farmers of the Year. Alongside taking out the overall prize, the Langford’s also took home the Sustainable Pasture, Business Performance, Environmental Sustainability, People & Culture, Leadership, Farm Safety, Health & Biosecurity, and Experience 2025 Dairy Industry Awards. In this episode, the team share their journey of balancing on-farm excellence at the South Waikato-based dairy operation.Fiona returned to her family's high-performing 262ha, 1,100-cow farm in 2017, taking over management after three weeks of training, focusing on maintaining and refining the already successful system. Tom joined after the arrival of their first child, and together, they have balanced farming with family commitments through job-sharing and strong systems, achieving commendable results while raising three young children. The team delve into their attention to detail in pasture and feeding management led to a farm record production of 510 kg MS per cow this season. Environmental stewardship is at the core of their operation, with significant reductions in water usage and extensive tree planting. Their environmental roadmap extends to 2030, with plans for continued improvements. As they take on a second contract milking role and create advancement opportunities for their staff, Fiona and Tom demonstrate that farming excellence is about strategic vision, communication, and creating systems that work for both people and the environment.

  --------  

  31:45
• New infrastructure helping to improve feed efficiency with Will Bailey

  Recorded on the Rural Roadie, tune in as Matt and Wade sit down in the caravan with Canterbury farmer, Will Bailey, to discuss the impact of a newly built feed pad infrastructure on his dairy farm operation. The team delve into Will’s feeding strategy and how targeted investments can deliver valuable returns. The 300-metre feeding face accommodates up to 400 cows whilst eliminating wastage. Beyond these efficiencies, the system has delivered additional benefits such as reduced lane damage, cleaner equipment, and the ability to feed in any weather conditions.Having found their "sweet spot" for cow numbers and feed efficiency, Will's experience offers valuable insights and considerations on feed pad infrastructure investments.

  --------  

  20:13
• Evolving the farm system with Dave Swney

  Tune in as Wade and Matt Towers, local Area Manager, sit down with Dave Swney, the 2025 maize silage catalogue cover and Waikato Dairy Farmer. Dave shares his journey of returning to the family dairy farm, transforming it into a sustainable and efficient System 5 operation south of Te Awamutu. In this episode, Dave shares the challenges faced over this period, including learning the importance of ‘time budgeting’, dealing with health issues and reducing the stocking rate to improve farm performance. By bringing young stock management back to the farm, Dave highlights the gains of better control and reduced costs, while balancing growing maize on farm with buying in feed to spread risk. The team then delve into Dave’s strategic approach to maintaining feeding consistency, improving reproduction results from 20% to 12% empty rates and emphasising the value of external expertise and farmer networks in continually improving the operation. 

  --------  

  44:32
• Strategic transition from Spring to Autumn calving with Craig Lynskey and Kieran Bourke

  Tune in to our latest episode with Taranaki farmers Craig Lynskey and Kieran Bourke as they share their journey transitioning from spring to autumn calving and the strategic advantages of this approach. The team discuss how increasing mild winters and challenging summer droughts pushed them toward this strategic shift. "Our growth rates through summer are often in single digits, yet consistently 40-45 in most winters," Kieran explains, highlighting the fundamental mismatch between traditional calving patterns and weather conditions.  Craig and Kieran’s systems now capitalize on the autumn flush and strong winter growth, with cows reaching peak production precisely when high-quality feed becomes abundant. Both system 4 operations with feed pads and storage facilities. The results speak for themselves, with Kieran's Holstein herd averaging an impressive 650-670 kgMS/cow despite high stocking rates.  The team dig into the practical aspects of their transition, from staggered calving dates starting in early March to grazing management strategies that maintain higher residuals through winter. Their advice for farmers considering similar transitions is clear: ensure you have a suitable climate, proper infrastructure, and systems to maintain feed quality year-round. The winter milk premium is "just the cherry on top" – the real value lies in aligning production with your farm's natural growth patterns in a changing climate. 

  --------  

  26:18
• Understanding maize seed production

  Field Operations Manager, Duncan Grant, shares his decade-long journey from field technician to leading the field operations in Gisborne. Discover the strategies and challenges of coordinating contract growers to maintain seed purity and manage cross-pollination risks. Learn from Duncan's insights the dynamic planning needed to tackle logistical hurdles presented by unpredictable weather conditions to produce some of New Zealand's highest quality seed.  

  --------  

  19:09

More Science podcasts

Trending Science podcasts

About Feed for Thought