The Muster- Nicola Blair: Dairy NZ

Nicola Blair looks at upcoming Dairy NZ events.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Clean and swagging down. Jery Cool Rule. My sister Squagan
down Jery Cool Rule.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Steve Earl is the music this afternoon. You're listening to
the Master on Hokanui. Nichola Blair of diaryan Z joins
us once again. Nichola, good afternoon.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
How are you good? Andy? How are you?

Speaker 2 (00:24):
You're just rocking and rolling along on this rather damp afternoon.
That's hunt Dale already. It's a shorter week for Maderiki.
Not that metters on the farm. I mean life continues on,
as does darien Z. What's been going on.

Speaker 1 (00:37):
Yeah, we've been busy. We've had a busy week last week. Yeah,
we had three events. We had we started with the
People weeks both earlier in the week. That was in
the cargo at the Scott Hotel there and yeah, it
was such an awesome day. It was such a good

(00:58):
opportunity to bring all the far and we're all professionals
and everyone in the industry together and sort of focused
a little bit more around people. You know, quite often
when we talk about successful dairy farming, we're sort of
you know, we're always talking about pastor or cows production
and financial performance, and you know, of course all that

(01:22):
stuff matters, but yeah, behind every good farm system there's
you know, there's people making those decisions every day and
doing the hard work, leaving the teams and all that.
So yeah, it was really really cool to have an
event focused on their people, and there was so many
key thing themes and take home moments throughout the day,

(01:44):
no matter what position you are you were in the industry,
you know, some of the stuff that I took home
was like retention, it starts from day one, you know,
and also like, if you're trying to build a strong
workplace culture, it's built through small daily actions, not just

(02:05):
every now and again, put some time and utane. You've
sort of got to be consistent with that. Yeah, so
we're really lucky as well. We had James Laylam's us
His last name is their headline speaker, so he's a
really well known high performance coach. He's got a podcast

(02:27):
called Habits of High Performers and yeah, so it was
really cool to have him there giving us some really
good stuff about habits and backing yourself and messages around leadership. Yeah.
So no, I really landed really well in the room,

(02:48):
and then we had some carving Smart events as well
last week through South and Enatago and these events. Yeah,
these are really cool so Vesta and Gary Training Limited
and yeah it's just all about helping farmers and their
teams just getting prepared and confidence and yeah heading into

(03:10):
the busiest, most important time of the year really in
the very season. Yeah, carving's always a big milestone and
the farming calendar, so yeah, just it sort of sets
the tone for the season, the head so getting things right,
you know, it's really important. Yeah, so they just covered
things around cow and carb care. Yeah, looking after your

(03:33):
springers and identifying cows that need support and all that
and yeah if you're if you're not sure, how to assist,
make sure you get help and all those things, when
to get a veep to step in. Yeah, I thought
it was really cool because what I found I went
to the one in Winton and yeah, just the willingness

(03:55):
of farmers in the room actually sharing the best reason
ideas and yeah, just talking openly about what works well
on their farms and what doesn't. And you know, there's
a huge amount of experience in Southland in the farming community.
So yeah, I think like these it's just a great
reminder that we're gonnall learned from each other, So that

(04:19):
was really cool midweek and then at the end on Friday,
we had a field day out at the Southern Dairy
Hub near Wallacetown there, so yeah, it was really cool
to go out there for a catch up and have
a bit of an update of what's been happening at
the hub. Yeah, we're really lucky to have their senior scientist,
Storm Deli. She came down to present to us sort

(04:44):
of what they've been researching in the cow rumination space,
which was really cool. So yeah, it was a really
good reminder that our behavior, you know, it can tell
us so much about how the animals are coping and
if we need to adjust their men into and you
to support the welfare and performance of these girls. And yeah,

(05:06):
it was also really really cool the hubs putting a
new stand off pad and the sort of halfway through
that project. That was really cool to go and see that.
It's pretty relevant to Southlands obviously, Yeah, the conditions that
some of their farmers have to farm and managing through

(05:26):
the winter periods and springs. Yeah, and they also had
a section about nitrogen youth just yeah.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
Don't tell the greens, you're doing nitrogen goodness.

Speaker 1 (05:39):
Well I should have worried a bitter responsible use of nitrogen,
I should say, yeah, and just making sure that, yeah,
your applications are targeted and timely and efficient, and yeah,
making sure that you're getting the best value from fertilizers
while also looking after the environment as well. It's always

(05:59):
really important. So yeah, overall it is a really valuable day.
It's always good to go out and see what the
hub's been up to, and.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
Just to wrap up as well. I suppose having a
plan B when the weather's a bit if he likes
of it at the moment, run offs, et cetera. It
comes to mind.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, just our opportunity, I guess to just
highlight with how weather has been, especially in the past
week things, Yeah, they're getting pretty moist under foot there,
and yeah, just the importance for farmers just to have
a plan B and place for their stock if things
are getting too muddy and looking a bit average. Yeah,

(06:39):
I think just if it's not looking too flash, just
follow your gap, you know, especially at the moment with
school holidays and a lot of farm owners are away
getting some time off. Yeah, just ensure that your farm
stuff or whoever's left in charge. Yeah, just that there's
a clear plan and play and make sure that they

(07:02):
follow it and it happens if they needs to. Yeah.
The last thing we want to hear is family is
getting getting in trouble or having drama with the local council.
It's the last thing you want at this time and
the year, on top of everything else.

Speaker 2 (07:17):
So yeah, Nicola Blair durryans it always got to catch up.
You stay dry this afternoon.

Speaker 1 (07:23):
Yeah, we'll try and d thank you if you too.

Speaker 2 (07:27):
Cheers as Nicola Blair of Derryen z up. Next we're
away to Gaston to catch up and Tim O'Brien and
before the end of the Yell and News Talk zb's
Nick Bewley. You're listening to the Master.

Speaker 1 (07:39):
You're a cool roo.