Rural

No-one really knew if the Hauraki Rail Trail would be successful, but now the trail's hub town Paeroa has a new motel,  new cafes and cycle rental businesses. Audio, Gallery

Canterbury vet Jim McPhee runs a Dorper sheep stud on his small farm near Darfield. The meat-focused Dorper is attracting interest from farmers because the breed sheds their own wool, which eliminates… Audio

Disappointing apricots could be a thing of the past thanks to the work of Plant and Food Research scientists in Clyde. They're breeding new apricot cultivars that should be a hit with both consumers… Audio

Apple pruning is well underway in Hawkes Bay in cold but excellent conditions. Winter has arrived in Canterbury bringing with it frosts and snow on the mountains. Audio

Ken Eade milks 550 cows with his son Bruce at Kelso in West Otago. Like most other dairy farmers he is concerned about the spread of Mycoplasma Bovis and the potential impact it will have on the… Audio

Hauraki Cycle Trail, Developing Dorpers, Concern for Calves, Luscious Apricots and the Regional Wrap. Audio

ANZCO chief executive Peter Conley explains what happens to cattle infected with Mycoplasma bovis, including how they end up in the food chain just as all the other cows processed for meat do. Video, Audio

Thousands of cows are on the move today as sharemilkers relocate their herds for the winter months as part of gypsy day. Conan Young travelled to mid-Canterbury to talk to farmers during their busiest… Video, Audio

Landcare Research is reporting positive results from early analysis of the impact of a rabbit virus release several weeks ago. Audio

The first day of winter and a big day for the rural community, with dairy farmers all around the country shifting thousands of cows. Audio

The Mycoplasma bovis 'road show' headed to Makuri, near Palmerston North, today. John Campbell called the Makuri Country Club to speak to farmers. First up was dairy farmer and Tararua District Mayor… Video, Audio

An infant formula exporter says the government should have been more emphatic that Mycoplasma bovis is not a risk for human health, when announcing 150 thousand cows would be culled in an attempt to… Audio

Tomorrow on the first of June, cows right around the country are shifted to new properties for winter grazing or new sharemilking contracts. Audio