It's the middle of August, which for New Zealand dairy farmers means calving is in full swing.
Dairy farmers are busy working from early mornings, having lunch on the go, getting late knock offs and doing night checks. Calving is the busiest time of the year where farmers ensure that all animals including cows and calves are cared for around the clock, often forgetting about their own health.
Here are some tips from us that can help farmers look after their own health:
- Share the load, which includes having a roster for night checks where possible;
- Delegate tasks between the team;
- Have snacks and hot drinks available at the cow shed; make sure there is some healthy options available so you don’t just get hit with a sugar high and quick boost of energy;
- Take 5 minutes for yourself when you can;
- Get off farm even if its just to grab a coffee from town while you stock up on farm supplies;
- Get together as a team and have a shared lunch (great time to have some banter and also go over important aspects of the day);
- Try and get enough sleep every night.
Although calving is in full swing, there are still staff shortages all around the country in all industries. This is putting additional strain on dairy farmers during this busy time of the year. With New Zealand borders now open, we are able to bring in skilled workers from offshore to fill some of these gaps. Our Agricultural Recruitment Team is here to help and will walk you through the whole process with two Licensed Immigration Advisers by their side. Get in touch with us if you are interested to find out more. We hope you have a good calving season building up to a successful mating this spring!
