Research
Co-developed with farmers and a range of partners, the solutions we develop are built to work on New Zealand pasture-based dairy farms and help increase profitability and sustainability.
We’re proud to support our world leading farmers to keep farming better by providing science solutions to farming challenges.
15 years of research: How DairyNZ’s research programme focuses on being internationally competitive, locally responsible, and regionally resilient for New Zealand dairy farmers.
1 / 3 videos 2:23 min
15 years of research: Milksmart and Flexible Milking research has helped farmers reduce working hours, while maintaining profitability.
2 / 3 videos 1:53 min
15 years of research: Pillars of a New Dairy System was a collaborative research programme that brought together leading international scientists.
3 / 3 videos 1:27 min
Internationally competitive
We’re always looking overseas and testing new ideas locally to push the boundaries of production efficiency and meet changing global expectations around greenhouse gases and animal care. This work ensures our farmers can remain world leading. Our research includes investing in genetics to improve herd productivity and how new technologies can help make dairy farming a more productive and attractive workplace.
Locally responsible
Farmers feel a deep connection to and responsibility for the health of their animals and their land. DairyNZ supports farmers with the information and solutions they need to operate sustainably and responsibly. This includes our decades-long work to reduce nitrate leaching and our focus on minimising methane emissions.
Regionally resilient
Climate change and changing regulation creates different challenges for farmers across New Zealand. We are working to provide farmers with information on how climate may affect their region, and science-based solutions to help improve farm system resilience while maintaining profit.
We are also developing new solutions to help farmers meet regional environmental requirements –like the Tararua plantain project, which used plantain as an environmental forage to help farmers reduce leaching by an average 60 percent to meet targets outlined in the Horizons Regional Council One Plan.
This year has been a busy year...
+ 1,000 Farmers involved
in our research, including helping design, trial and evaluate science solutions to farming challenges
+ 70 Peer-reviewed articles
published last year on topics, from fertility to animal health, environment solutions and forages
+ 45 Research partners
+42.5 k Samples taken
at DairyNZ's Waikato research farms to support research trial work last year.
Learn more about our science and research
Science projects
Our science initiatives include work to make farms more efficient and sustainable while improving animal welfare.
Learn moreRegional projects
Led by local farmers, our regional projects ensure solutions will suit the unique challenges of each part of our country.
Regional projectsResearch team
Our world-renowned research team includes animal, environmental, social and forage scientists and farm system experts.
Meet the teamDairyNZ Research Farms
DairyNZ's research farms are an important industry resource that provide 'real farm' platforms with associated science resources, enabling pasture and animal trials to be carried out. Over the years the two DairyNZ farms and partner farms have delivered countless trials for key areas of research.
Research news
Pasture-based partnership to grow knowledge of methane emissions
Media releases
•2 min. read
•21 Feb 2024
DairyNZ programme helps Canterbury dairy farmers achieve nitrogen targets
Media releases
•20 Nov 2023