Actual start of calving (ASC)
The date on which the first cow in the herd calves in the current season. This may occur earlier or later than the planned start of calving.
Anoestrus
A condition in which a cow is not cycling and does not show normal signs of oestrus, commonly identified before or during the mating period.
Artificial insemination (AI)
The placement of semen into the reproductive tract of a cow by human intervention rather than natural mating, widely used to distribute high-value genetics.
Average pasture cover (APC)
The average amount of pasture dry matter available across the farm at a given time, measured in kg DM/ha, and used to guide grazing and feed decisions.
Balance date
The point in spring when daily pasture growth first equals herd feed demand, after which pasture surpluses begin to accumulate.
Backing gate
A movable gate in the collecting yard used to gently advance cows toward the milking shed entrance during milking.
Bails
Individual cow positions in a milking shed or rotary platform where cows stand during milking.
Bobby calves
Surplus dairy calves, predominantly male and some female calves, that are slaughtered shortly after birth rather than reared for dairy or beef production.
Body condition score (BCS)
A standardised assessment of a cow’s body fat reserves, scored on a numerical scale to guide nutrition, reproduction, and health management. In New Zealand dairy systems, BCS is typically measured on a 1 to 10 scale.
Breeding Worth (BW)
A national genetic index estimating an animal’s ability to produce profitable replacement offspring under New Zealand pasture-based conditions.
Bulk milk somatic cell count (BMSCC)
A measure of somatic cells in bulk milk, used as a key indicator of udder health and milk quality.
Calving pattern
The cumulative percentage of cows that calve within successive three-week periods from the planned start of calving.
Targets:
Calving spread
Another term for calving pattern, describing how compact or extended calving is within a herd.
Clean-up bulls
Beef or dairy bulls used for natural mating after the artificial insemination period to impregnate cows that did not conceive to AI.
Cluster (milking unit)
The set of four teat cups and associated tubing that attach to a cow’s teats during milking.
Collecting yard
The yard where cows gather immediately before entering the milking shed.
Conception to AI rate
The percentage of artificial inseminations that result in a confirmed pregnancy.
Target: >60% for the whole herd.
Contract grazing
An arrangement where young stock or dry cows are grazed on another property for a fee, reducing pressure on the milking platform.
Contract milking
A farm ownership model in which a contractor manages milking operations for a fixed fee but does not own the cows or land.
Culling
The planned removal of cows from the herd due to infertility, low production, age, disease, injury, or welfare concerns.
Cup removal
Systems that automatically detach teat cups once milk flow drops below a set threshold.
Cup slip
The unintended partial detachment or loss of vacuum of a teat cup during milking, which can disrupt milk flow and increase the risk of contamination and mastitis.
Cups off
The point in the milking process when teat cups are removed from the cow’s teats, either manually or automatically, once milk flow has sufficiently declined.
Cups on
The stage of the milking process when teat cups are attached to a cow’s teats and milk extraction is underway.
Dry-off
The planned process of stopping milking at the end of lactation to allow cows to enter the dry period before calving.
Dry period
The non-lactating period, typically 6–10 weeks before calving, allowing cows to recover before the next lactation.
Effluent
The mixture of faeces, urine, wash-down water, and other liquids generated in high-use areas such as sheds, yards, and feed pads.
Effective milking area
The grazeable, productive hectares on the milking platform that directly support the lactating herd.
Feed pad
A purpose-built area, often located near the shed, where supplementary feed is offered to cows.
Feed wedge
A pasture management tool that ranks paddocks by pre-grazing pasture cover to guide grazing order and identify surpluses or deficits.
Free-stall barn
A housing system with individual stalls for cows to lie in, alongside dedicated feeding and walking areas.
Gypsy Day (Moving Day)
The first day of the dairy season (1 June), when many sharemilkers, staff, and herds move between farms as new contracts begin.
Herringbone shed
A milking shed design in which cows stand at an angle to a central pit, described by the number of cow positions on each side.
Inter-service interval
The number of days between successive inseminations in an individual cow, used to assess heat detection and conception efficiency.
Target distribution:
Kilograms of milksolids (kgMS)
The standard unit of milk production in New Zealand, representing the combined weight of milk fat and protein.
Laneways
Tracks or races used by cows to move between paddocks and the milking shed.
Lactation Worth (LW)
An index estimating a cow’s expected profitability in the current season only, based on recent production data.
Loose-housed barn
A roofed structure where cows can move freely and rest in a shared open area.
Milk let-down
The physiological release of milk from the udder in response to stimulation, primarily driven by oxytocin.
Milking interval
The time between successive milkings, influencing milk yield, udder pressure, and cow comfort.
Milking pit
The sunken area where the milker stands while attaching cups and carrying out milking tasks.
Milking platform
The block of land where the lactating herd lives, grazes, and moves during the milking season.
Mixed-Age Cows
Cows that have given birth to at least one calf and have ages typically ranging from 2 to 10 years.
Mob
A defined group of cattle managed together as a unit for grazing, feeding, movement, or husbandry.
Non-return rate
The percentage of inseminations where cows do not return to oestrus within a defined period, used as an indicator of conception success.
Target: >70% for the whole herd.
Not in-calf rate
The percentage of eligible cows that fail to become pregnant over the entire mating period.
Targets depend on mating length:
Once-a-day (OAD) milking
Milking cows once per day, often used later in lactation or during feed shortages to reduce labour demands and cow stress.
Overmilking
The continuation of machine milking after milk flow has dropped to low levels, which can increase teat-end damage and the risk of mastitis.
Pasture dry matter (DM)
The weight of pasture excluding water, measured in kg DM/ha, used to quantify feed supply and demand.
Planned start of calving (PSC)
The date a herd is expected to begin calving, calculated from the planned start of mating plus an average gestation length of approximately 282 days.
Planned start of mating (PSM)
The date a herd is scheduled to begin the breeding period, marking the start of artificial insemination and/or natural mating.
Polled
An animal that is naturally without horns.
Post-grazing residual
The amount of pasture left behind after grazing, critical for pasture regrowth, quality, and persistence.
Pre-mating heats
The percentage of eligible cows that show at least one observed oestrus before the start of mating.
Target: ≥85% of cows.
Production Worth (PW)
An index estimating a cow’s expected lifetime profitability based on her own production and liveweight records.
Pugging
Damage to soil structure caused by the hooves of livestock on wet ground, resulting in compacted, uneven surfaces and reduced pasture growth.
Race
The main, well-constructed laneway leading directly to the milking shed.
Replacement rate
The proportion of cows replaced each year through culling and young stock entering the herd.
Reproductive key performance indicators (reproductive KPIs)
Standardised measures used to evaluate reproductive efficiency, including submission rates, conception rates, in-calf rates, calving pattern, and not in-calf rate.
R1 heifers
Rising one-year-old heifers, typically aged 3 to 12 months.
R2 heifers
Rising two-year-old heifers, typically aged 12 to 24 months and usually mated for first calving.
Rotary shed
A milking system using a rotating platform that allows continuous cow flow and high throughput.
Rotation length
The number of days it takes for cows to complete a full grazing cycle through all paddocks.
Scurs
Horn-like growths formed from skin tissue rather than bone. Unlike true horns, scurs are not firmly attached to the skull and can often be moved slightly when handled.
Season
The New Zealand dairy production year, running from 1 June to 31 May.
Sharemilking
An ownership arrangement where the landowner provides land and infrastructure and the sharemilker owns cows and receives a share of milk income.
Six-week in-calf rate
The percentage of eligible cows that become pregnant within the first six weeks of the mating period.
Target: >78% for the whole herd.
Springer
A cow in late pregnancy that is close to calving and managed for increased monitoring.
Springer mob
A group of springer cows managed together and kept close to the shed or calving area for observation.
Standing heat
The phase of the oestrus cycle in which a cow or heifer stands to be mounted, indicating peak fertility.
Stand-off pad
A drained loafing area where cows are held off pasture during wet conditions to protect soil and pasture.
Three-week submission rate (3-week submission rate)
The percentage of eligible cows that receive at least one insemination or natural service within the first three weeks of the mating period.
Target: >90% for the whole herd and >90% for first-calving heifers.
Teat spray / teat dip
A disinfectant applied to teats after milking to reduce the risk of mastitis.
Throughput
The number of cows milked per hour, reflecting shed efficiency and labour demand.
Total mixed ration (TMR)
A fully mixed feed ration commonly used in intensive housed dairy systems overseas, in contrast to pasture-based systems.
Twice-a-day (TAD) milking
Milking cows twice per day, the standard practice during peak and mid-lactation in most New Zealand systems.
Ute
A utility vehicle commonly used in New Zealand farming, similar to a small pick-up truck and typically fitted with an open rear tray.
Withholding period
The minimum time that must pass after an animal is treated with a veterinary product before its meat or milk can be supplied for human consumption.
Works (meatworks)
A colloquial New Zealand term for an abattoir or slaughterhouse where cull cows and surplus cattle are processed for meat.
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