How do you run a high‑input dairy system that performs without burning out your people or drowning in feed complexity? In this episode, Matt and Wade are joined by Nic and Kirsty Verhoek to unpack how they’ve kept a high‑input system productive while simplifying the ration, lowering risk, and protecting time. They walk through the numbers behind the change, using Feed Checker to compare diets on ME, protein, and cost, and explain how they’ve built a stable maize‑based ration with flexible protein and energy on top. 

The team explain how lifting pasture and silage quality has helped protect milk production, how wearables and smartphone tools reduce key‑person risk and support better decision‑making, and what “no hungry minutes” really means for cow performance and condition. They also dive into liveweight targets, tightly controlled young stock growth, and the breeding and welfare decisions behind polled genetics and a future without bobby calves.