Unlocking tech’s potential in our unique dairy landscape

As New Zealand aims to double primary sector export value by 2034, technology will be central to unlocking the potential of its pasture-based dairy systems. At the 2025 International Precision Dairy Farming Conference, Dr Jenny Jago looked at where the sector stands and how innovation can drive productivity.

“Dairy already contributes significantly to New Zealand’s economy,” she said.

“But to meet these targets, we need to keep lifting productivity, and precision technologies are expected to play a big part.”

Adopting new tools isn’t always straightforward. Dr Jago noted that uptake is shaped not just by what a technology can do, but by economic and market conditions.

One of New Zealand’s biggest advantages – and opportunities – is its pasture-based system. Globally, only 10-15% of milk comes from grazing cows, making New Zealand an outlier. A lot of technology is built for indoor herds, which doesn’t always suit New Zealand’s cows grazing year-round.

“This gap highlights the need for technologies designed for our systems, and for New Zealand to continue developing solutions suited to its unique model.”

The sector has a long history of innovation. Since deregulation in the 1980s, dairy farmers have operated in a free market that rewards efficiency and practical solutions.

“For a technology to succeed here, it has to prove economic value quickly,” Dr Jago said. “It needs to deliver benefits in the short term while standing up to changing conditions.”

Tools that save time or reduce workload – particularly automation – are highly valued. And environmental sustainability is another driver.

“Sustainability is at the centre of rising global expectations.

“Technologies that help manage inputs and reduce excess outputs, including greenhouse gas emissions, are increasingly important for an export-focused sector.”

Looking back, many influential technologies weren’t obvious winners at first. Electric fences transformed pasture management, artificial insemination reshaped herd genetics, and nitrogen fertiliser and irrigation lifted productivity, she said.

Today, the focus is on data-driven decision support. So far, farmers have mainly adopted wearable technologies to streamline manual tasks such as heat detection.

We’re now beginning to see the next step: farmers using richer, real-time data to guide more complex on‑farm decisions.

“There’s huge potential in technologies that measure and monitor pasture productivity. For them to succeed, they must be easy to use, cost-effective, and directly relevant to day-to-day decisions – not just promising in theory.”