Tag Archives: dairy

WWW -The Winter We Wanted

Posted on July 21, 2016 by hoddlecows

We had a long dry spell our region leading up to this winter, our fodder supplies were low and our pastures were struggling. The pastures needed rain and time to get their roots down and build reserves, the farm looked … Continue reading →

Posted in Cows, Dairy, Dairy Farming, Pasture, Weather | Tagged dairy, weather | Leave a comment

Checking in on the BIG boys

Posted on March 1, 2014 by hoddlecows

I enjoy checking in on cattle after I have sold them to other farms, it’s good to see how they have grown up and how they are going with their new owner. Recently I went to see how some of … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Calves, Dairy, Uncategorized | Tagged breeding, calving, dairy | 2 Comments

Plans sometimes need to be changed

Posted on October 17, 2013 by hoddlecows

Waking early most mornings to collect the cows for milking I sometimes head off in the dark thinking here we go again, ground hog day. But what I love about my job is each day is different and as much … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Dairy, Dairy Farming, Pasture, Weather | Tagged agriculture, dairy, Pasture, silage | 2 Comments

Winter milestones

Posted on July 17, 2013 by hoddlecows

Winter can be hard work on a dairy farm, wet, muddy, cold, windy and short days. It’s not all bad though, I love the crisp winter days and I must admit part of me enjoys the cold fronts which … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Dairy Farming, Environment, Pasture, Soil, Weather | Tagged agriculture, dairy, environment, Pasture, weather | 1 Comment

Agriculture and biodiversity cohabitate at Montrose Dairy.

Posted on June 1, 2013 by hoddlecows

Over the last few weeks we have had a black shouldered kite and a white faced heron feeding out our kitchen window. Productive agriculture and biodiversity cohabitate at Montrose Dairy. Providing habitat for native wildlife is something we really enjoy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Dairy Farming, Environment | Tagged agriculture, biodiversity, conservation, dairy, wildlife | 2 Comments

Sun setting on another season

Posted on May 17, 2013 by hoddlecows

The Montrose Dairy farming calender revolves around our herds calving date. Our herd is a seasonal calving herd, which means all the cows calve in one batch over a few weeks. This calving period is timed to match the seasons … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Cows, Dairy Farming, Pasture | Tagged calving, cows, dairy, Pasture, seasons | Leave a comment

Time to get our crap sorted

Posted on March 8, 2013 by hoddlecows

Our cows like the vast majority of dairy cows in Australia live in pasture 365 days of the year. Living in the pastures means most of the cows’ manure goes directly on the pasture, providing nutrients to grow more grass. … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Dairy, Dairy Farming, Environment, Pasture, Soil | Tagged agriculture, dairy, effluent, Pasture | 1 Comment

Comparing Notes

Posted on February 20, 2013 by hoddlecows

Dairy discussion groups have been important for many reasons over many years in the dairy industry. Sharing ideas, learning new ways, getting moral support or hearing from someone who has gone before are all valuable parts of being in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Agriculture, Community, Dairy Farming, Education | Tagged agriculture, dairy, education | Leave a comment

Straight into summer

Posted on December 11, 2012 by hoddlecows

There is often a lot of tractor work to be done on our dairy through spring. Silage to be harvested, pasture renovation work, summer crops to sow and all this tractor work is usually wrapped up with the end of … Continue reading →