Drive around the Waikato at this time of year and there’s activity everywhere.

Milking is back in full swing. Grass is growing. Contractors are coming and going. There are tractors on the road, crop paddocks are appearing, and fertiliser trucks are moving between farms.

There’s a lot going on, and a lot of decisions being made along the way.

Which paddocks need to be grazed next? Is there enough feed coming? Is there about to be too much? What needs fertiliser? What needs to be shut up? And can the contractor get in there without making a mess?

One of the things we’ve noticed is just how much depends on different people having the right information at the right time.

The farmer knows what’s happening with the herd and pasture. The fertiliser rep knows what product is required. We need to know where it’s going and at what rate. Meanwhile, someone else might be coming in to spray, mow, plant or make silage.

It’s also made us appreciate just how useful some of the precision farming technology available now can be.

We use Tabula in our trucks, along with Whitehead rate controllers, so the operator has the application area and rate in front of them while they’re spreading.

Even better is when the job starts with good information from the farmer.

Spread requests can come through electronically using tools such as the Tabula Farmer App, MyBallance or Ravensdown Hawkeye. Instead of instructions being passed from one person to another, the paddocks and application details can come through clearly from the start.

It takes a surprising amount of ambiguity out of the job.

We still talk to farmers, of course. Technology doesn’t replace a conversation, particularly when something has changed on farm.

But when everyone is busy, having one clear version of what is supposed to happen makes life considerably easier.

There are enough moving parts on a Waikato dairy farm in spring already.

Anything that keeps one of them simple has to be a good thing.