By May most cows have stopped milking. From here on, the farmers’ focus is making sure the cows’ condition is maintained:

• Cows are fed just enough to maintain their body condition (feed only maintenance) to ensure there is enough grass available for their increased requirements once milking again in the spring
• Farmers start to put minerals on their paddocks
• The traditional date for changing farms is 1st June – Gypsy Day/Week, with sharemilkers moving cows from one farm to another
• Many cows go to other farms for grazing
• Winter is the usual time for feeding hay and silage to make up for the slow pasture growth rate.

The dairy season starts in June but the real action begins around July/September with spring calving.

This is a busy and exciting time of the year. Days start early when farmers get up to check the paddocks for newborn calves and start the morning milking. Once milking is finished there's time to go home for breakfast and a break before feeding the calves and carrying out farm duties.