Animals Investment Priorities 2009-15
1st year investment: $4.7 million
Proportion of Levy: 9%
The cow is the engine room of the New Zealand dairy industry, which relies on healthy, efficient animals to convert grass into profit. DairyNZ is working to ensure the New Zealand dairy herd is based on healthy cows that have good reproductive performance and efficient feed conversion rates.
|
Activity |
Objective |
Benefit |
|
Selective breeding of dairy cows. |
An animal evaluation system that allows breeding companies and farmers to identify cows and bulls carrying desirable genetic traits. Investment in the evaluation, development and implementation of optimal approaches to breeding. |
Estimated at $50 million p.a *. |
|
Increasing pregnancies and maintenance of pregnancies in cows. |
Average of 78% of cows in calf 6 weeks after planned start of mating. Empty rates of 10, 6 and 3% for mating lengths of 9, 12 and 15 weeks respectively. 95% of herd replacements to complete first lactation and 90% to complete their second. |
$90 million per year to the dairy industry. |
|
Reducing mastitis. |
Reduce prevalence of mastitis Reduce incidence of mastitis to less than 10% of heifers and 5% in older cows. Reduce culling to less than 2% Milk from all herds maintained below 400,000 somatic cells/ml |
$100 million per year to the dairy industry. |
|
Increasing feed conversion efficiency. |
If successful this research could result in a 2% increase in milksolids production within 15 years, increasing to 3% in 20 years. |
The potential size of benefits is significant with a 2% increase in today's production worth approximately $180 million p.a. to dairy farmers. |
* Animal Evaluation Activity Record 2006 – includes costs of $15 million for herd testing
