Between October and December is when the cows produce the most milk. Most farms milk their cows twice a day at approximately 5am and 3pm, however the timing of milkings will vary from farm to farm. This is also the time of year that mating occurs in order to get the cows in calf for the next season.

Spring on-farm means all hands to the pump:

• It is the best time of the year – cows are coming into milk
• Farmers start to get 2-3 mobs of stock on the farm. These are:
1. The cows that are about to calve (the springers)
2. The cows that have calved
3. Young calves that have to be taught how to drink. They are often housed in buildings for the first five to six weeks to keep them out of the weather
• It is also the time of year to start planting crops that might be needed for feeding to the cows in late summer, e.g. turnips or maize
• After calving, you may see cows with painted tails – this helps identify the cows that are ready to be mated
• Mating is by artificial insemination for the majority of cows, and bulls are used to finish the breeding season.