Australia’s dairy sector is rich in performance data, and herd recording remains a key source of insights for on-farm decision-making and tracking national herd trends. In this episode, host Sheena Carter is joined by Michelle Axford (DataGene) to explore key takeaways from DataGene’s latest Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Report, including emerging trends in herd performance and how genetics and new research are shaping herd improvement.

Resources:

Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Report 2025

DataGene website

DataConnect

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries

Transcript here

Produced by Liam Driver

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.

Starting out as a milker and rising to herd manager of 900 cows, Tegan Gilfillan’s career is a true dairy success story. With more than 18 years spent on the one farm, Tegan has grown alongside Speldon Partnership, owned and operated by the Maslen family in the New South Wales Mid Coast region. Today, she leads both livestock and people, managing a large herd and a committed team of staff. In this episode, Tegan shares her journey and speaks candidly about the importance of people in a dairy business, developing strong teams, and the role the Maslen family has played in supporting her growth.

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries

Transcript Here

Produced by Liam Driver

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.

This month we revisit one of our very early episodes which was released on the 1st December 2023 which was a particularly dry period across most of NSW and other regions. My guest was Neil Moss, a veterinarian and consultant with Scibus.

The focus of our discussion was on heifer management in dry times and while we currently have much of southern NSW, Victoria and SA who have been managing very dry conditions for a prolonged period, these conditions are expanding. I am recording this introduction in December 2025 and the forecast in NSW moving towards Feb 2026 when this podcast will be released, is showing expansion of dry conditions further into central NSW and some coastal pockets.

Useful resources related to this podcast:

· Farming Forecaster (including instructional videos)

· NSW DPIRD Seasonal Conditions and drought forecast webpage

· Dairy Australia’s “Nutritional Strategies” webpage – comprehensive list of feed budgeting and management resources

This podcast is an initiative of the NSW DPI Dairy Business Advisory Unit – further information and resources are available here - Dairy | Department of Primary Industries

It is brought to you in partnership the Hunter Local Land Services

Please share this podcast with your fellow farmers and colleagues and feel free to contact us with suggestions or comments via this email address thebusinessofdairy@gmail.com

Further NSW DPI Dairy channels to follow and subscribe to include:

NSW DPI Dairy Facebook page

NSW DPI Dairy Newsletter - Connect with us | Department of Primary Industries

Transcript here

Produced by Liam Driver

The information discussed in this podcast are for informative and educational purposes only and do not constitute advice.