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When Isaac and Angelique Korpershoek first discussed switching to biological farming a decade ago, Isaac was “curious” and Angelique – a veterinarian – wanted the evidence-based science. At the time they were struggling to get their protein percentage above 3% during early lactation and Isaac said, “We were just at that point where you can only adjust so much in your grain ration, and I was starting to think that we couldn’t continue putting nitrogen on at 400kg/ha a year.”

A leap of faith has transformed the way Steve Chilcott farms in the Meander Valley, Tasmania.Biological farming still comes with enough naysayers and doubters. But there is no denying a paddock full of four and five-leaf clovers, night and day fertility results, and a somatic Cell Count (SCC) that has tracked downwards from a harrowing 300,000 to a consistent 50,000 on 350 cows. The reason? Turns out, while it’s a complicated subject, it’s not hard for farmers to switch…

Mike Copland’s fodder beet crop topped the Ashburton region this season – yielding 44.5 tonnes Dry Matter (DM) per hectare.

Anyone who has followed a lame cow up the track, knows it’s a lesson in fortitude for the cow, and patience for the person landed with the job. 

Ferdie Vries is exactly where he wants to be – dairying on some of the best country New Zealand has to offer. 

Bill O’Sullivan says getting cows safely through calving in Southland is their priority.