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Animals
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.
Below is a summary of projects carried out during the
2008/09 season in the Animals area.
Note: These were proposed contracted amounts. Actual final paid
amounts may vary from these numbers.
| Project | Project Number | Description | Partners | Funding (Excl. GST) |
| AE with Genomic Selection | AN701 | Update the National Animal Evaluation Model by developing procedures for integrating genomic information �� provided by breeding companies �� into the standard trait evaluation routines that use pedigree and phenotype data. | NZ Animal Evaluation Ltd | $226,000 |
| National Breeding Objective -
information delivery |
AN702 |
Regular provision of the most
up-to-date genetic information on dairy sires for improvement of
farmers' herds. This is achieved by the continued management by New
Zealand Animal Evaluation Limited (NZAEL) of the national breeding
objective, which has the goal to "identify animals whose progeny
will be the most efficient converters of feed into farmer
profit". This management entails updating of economic information related to the breeding objective and updating of genetic trait evaluations as new information becomes available for the national genetic evaluation system. New Zealand Animal Evaluation Limited is a subsidiary company of DairyNZ Inc; the Directors on NZAEL are four dairy farmers with expertise in the dairy industry, and the on-farm application of animal breeding programmes, and three appointments from: (i) the research sector; (ii) the milk processing sector; and (iii) an appointee representing the animal breeding marketers/ companies. |
NZ Animal Evaluation
Ltd |
$764,000 |
| Feed Conversion Efficiency | AN705 |
The ultimate aim is increased
productivity in the dairy industry through on-farm improvements in
the conversion of feed to milksolids, via improved
genetics. |
DairyNZ Ltd |
$977,000 |
| Lactation Management |
AN706 |
To provide farmers with a simple genetic/physiological test to determine which cows will be the best producers on OAD milking based on milk solids. | DairyNZ Ltd | $113,000 |
| InCalf
NZ |
AN707 |
The objective of the InCalf NZ project is to increase the 6-week in-calf rates on NZ dairy farms through a targeted adoption programme and to progress towards the Animals Programme 10 year targets for reproductive performance. | DairyNZ Ltd |
$356,000 |
| National Mastitis Advisory Committee - Basic Operations | AN711 |
The National Mastitis Advisory
Committee (NMAC) aim is to undertake activities that reduce the
incidence and severity of bovine mastitis, for the benefit of the
NZ dairy industry. |
DairyNZ Ltd |
$160,000 |
| Reducing mastitis in
heifers |
AN712 |
This programme of work aims to provide herd owners and their advisors with tools to make informed decisions about which of the various heifer mastitis control strategies to implement on their farms. To achieve this, an economic assessment of heifer mastitis and cost/benefit analyses of the various interventions will be undertaken. Some novel data collection will be required to perform these analyses, but data sets from previous studies will be used where ever possible. The models will be used to produce farmer friendly packages that will allow individual herd owners to assess various control options, explore the likely cost/benefits of these options and to select the appropriate strategy for their farm. These packages will be extended to herd owners, staff and rural professionals in autumn 2009 and beyond. These packages will be aligned with the SAMM plan. | Animal Health Centre Ltd |
$133,000 |
| Novel tools to prevent Streptococcuss
ueberis mastitis in dairy
cows |
AN713 |
This project aims to improve on-farm productivity and profitability by providing farmers with new and improved tools to prevent mastitis. These tools will include, but are not restricted to, genetic markers of resistance, and will be generated from identification and characterization of cattle with proven superior resistance to S. uberis mastitis. By 2013, this project aims to develop and validate selection procedures to identify cows with superior resistance, to assess this resistance under natural and experimental challenge situations and to identify biochemical, physiological and genetic markers of these super-resistant cattle phenotypes. | DairyNZ Ltd |
$302,000 |
| Mastitis control programmes &
farm productivity |
AN714 |
This project aims to improve on-farm productivity and profitability by providing farmers with relevant and practical information regarding the relative costs and benefits of key mastitis control technologies. This in turn should increase the motivation to apply new and existing control measures on-farm, thereby improving productivity and profitability. This will be achieved by evaluating differences in mastitis incidence, bacterial aetiology, herd production responses and mastitis-related costs incurred at a mob or herd level when cows are exposed to different mastitis control programmes. | DairyNZ Ltd | $53,000 |
| Healthy Hoof Programme | AN715 |
Reduce the number of lame cows on New Zealand dairy farms. | DairyNZ Ltd |
$150,000 |
| Reducing Lameness in the South Island | AN716 |
Develop effective strategies to reduce SI lameness through partnership with the SI industry and farmers by establishing baseline data on all aspects of SI lameness - including the role of herd size, management and nutrition. | Lincoln University |
$157,000 |
| Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD): Prevalence of infected herds and economic consequences of infection in dairy cows in Taranaki | AN717 |
To determine how BVD behaves in New
Zealand farming systems and to quantify the costs of
infection. |
Eltham District Veterinary
Services |
$86,000 |
| Farm Systems Extension | AN720 SY701 |
To drive farmer Adoption toward sustainable profitability targets through an integrated Programme of Field Extension. | DairyNZ Ltd |
$231,000 |
| Strategic Lactation Management Tools | AN802 |
This study will provide modified lactation and nutrition management strategies and associated phenotypic and genetic markers to identify suitable cows to contribute towards improved total factor productivity and increased profitable cow lifetime milk production for NZ dairy farmers. | DairyNZ Ltd |
$171,000 |
| Condition score and nitrate excretion responses to commonly-used supplements | AN803 |
To determine the effect of commonly
used supplements on body condition score change and nitrate
excretion in pasture-based dairy cows. |
DairyNZ Ltd |
$244,000 |
| Improving Dairy Cattle
Fertility |
AN806 |
The aim of this project is to Assess
the effect of implementing the InCalf programme in biophysical and
social terms on 100 dairy farms across New Zealand. Define barriers to uptake of InCalf by herdowners staff and rural professionals, Benchmark current fertility of the New Zealand dairy industry, Build capability in delivery of InCalf. |
Animal Health Centre Ltd |
$143,000 |
| Reducing Facial Eczema damage in dairy cattle | AN807 |
Develop a DNA marker test for Facial
Eczema (FE) resistance/susceptibility for use by the NZ dairy
industry. Identify causes of under-protection against FE, in FE-prone herds applying zinc treatment via the water trough [co-funding for MAF SFF-Climate Change contract No 08/034]. |
AgResearch Ltd | $53,000 |
| Improving Cow Fertility |
AN808 |
To improve reproduction on New Zealand dairy farms by expanding our understanding of the factors affecting the incidence of postpartum uterine pathology and the speed of uterine recovery, with a particular focus on the effect of energy status and uterine bacteriology. | DairyNZ Ltd |
$461,000 |
