Dairy Beef Opportunities

The Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) programme is a joint initiative by New Zealand’s dairy and beef industries and the New Zealand Government to grow the country’s dairy-beef sector, create new revenue opportunities for farmers and strengthen the efficiency and sustainability of the wider livestock industry. The Programme aims to unlock more value from non-replacement dairy calves by strengthening dairy-beef integration and developing innovative, New Zealand-focused pathways for raising them for beef.

DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the Meat Industry Association, and Dairy Companies of New Zealand have jointly developed the Dairy Beef Opportunities (DBO) Programme, co-funded by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

This four-year programme is designed to support a more sustainable approach to calf management while unlocking the significant economic potential of these animals through viable dairy beef integration, new products, and innovative value chains.

The programme aims to:

• Grow the economic return from non-replacement dairy calves.
• Strengthen integration between dairy and beef systems.
• Improve efficiency and sustainability across the livestock sector.
• Create sustainable pathways that benefit farmers, processors and communities.
• Maintain New Zealand’s strong animal welfare standards.
• Protect the country’s global reputation as a producer of premium, sustainable and ethically raised food.

By strengthening dairy-beef integration and developing new value chains, the programme will increase the proportion of calves entering profitable beef pathways, improve productivity, and open up opportunities for farmers to diversify revenue streams. Farmers will benefit from improved genetics, better systems, stronger supply chain coordination and clearer market pathways.

DairyNZ is proud to help lead this programme alongside our sector partners, B+LNZ, MIA, and DCANZ.

Farms already adapting their systems

Find out more about farms that are already adapting their systems and management to further increase the value of their surplus calves.