Herd Manager – Lye Farm (DairyNZ Research Farm) 

Full-time, Permanent  

Location: Near Hamilton (Newstead / Ruakura) 

DairyNZ’s story 

Deliver a positive future for New Zealand dairy farming 

Te whakaputa i te anamata kounga mō ngā pāmu kau o Aotearoa 

DairyNZ is seeking a capable and motivated Herd Manager to join our team at Lye Farm, our indoor dairy research farm located near Hamilton. 

This is a hands-on farming role where you’ll manage the day-to-day care and performance of the herd while supporting research that benefits dairy farming across New Zealand. This is a drive-in role; no accommodation is provided. 

About Lye Farm 

Lye Farm is a working dairy farm of around 300 milking cows, set up to support high-quality research into areas such as animal health, nutrition, reproduction, and emissions reduction. 

The farm includes: 

• A 30-bail rotary dairy with automatic cow ID, in-bail feeding, and daily electronic milk weight recording 

• Indoor housing and feeding barns, including free-stall facilities 

• Systems that allow individual cow performance and intake to be measured 

• On-site specialist facilities supporting milk quality and animal health research 

The role 

As Herd Manager, you’ll take a lead role in the daily management of the herd, ensuring high standards of animal welfare, productivity, and consistency. You’ll work closely with farm staff and alongside research teams, following agreed farm plans and trial protocols to help ensure research outcomes are robust and meaningful. 

This role is well suited to someone who is confident on-farm, values good systems, and is interested in contributing to something bigger than a typical commercial operation. 

Key responsibilities 

• Lead day-to-day herd management, including milking, feeding, animal health, mating, and calving 

• Maintain high standards of animal welfare, hygiene, and udder health 

• Support on-farm research activities by following trial protocols and farm plans 

• Collect, record, and work with farm and animal data 

• Operate and care for specialised farm infrastructure and equipment 

• Uphold health, safety, and biosecurity standards 

About you 

We’re looking for a capable Herd Manager who combines hands-on farming skills with curiosity and attention to detail. 

You will ideally bring: 

• Proven dairy farming experience, with herd management responsibility 
• Strong understanding of animal health, nutrition, and reproduction 
• Confidence using farm technology and digital recording systems 
• Leadership skills and the ability to support and guide others 
• A collaborative mindset and genuine interest in dairy research 
• Excellent communication and organisational skills 
• A full NZ driver licence and eligibility to work in New Zealand 

If you’re passionate about farming and interested in playing a part in the future of dairy, we’d love to hear from you. 

Check out the full position description here to read more detail. Applications close: 4th May 2026 at 11:55pm