Animal welfare is of paramount importance to New Zealand’s dairy industry, with consumers increasingly interested in how food is produced, not just the quality of the final product.

As more and more farmers adopt wearables, new research aims to assess how they affect reproductive performance.

The DairyNZ team is continuing to explore the potential of digital technology to support animal wellbeing and the overall health of farm systems.

Under its innovation strategy, Craigmore Sustainables is collaborating with new innovators of technology across sustainability, people, animals and business management to enhance New Zealand’s dairy sector.

Thermal comfort and non-replacement calves are two key focus areas as national and global standards increasingly require greater attention to livestock in our production systems.

DairyNZ has submitted to the Health Select Committee on the Government’s Gene Technology Bill.

Rebecca Keoghan has been appointed as Independent Chair of the Animal Evaluation Governance Group.

Genetic gain has been a key driver of success in the New Zealand dairy sector, and NZ Animal Evaluation, a DairyNZ subsidiary, aims to see that continue.

In the December Animal Evaluation (AE) run, NZ Animal Evaluation (a DairyNZ subsidiary) will introduce three important updates that may lead to some re-ranking of bulls and cows.

A governance group has been formed, following sector consultation, that will seek to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is forming a road map for improving New Zealand’s animal genetic gain system.

The Government has announced it will introduce a bill to Parliament by the end of the year, with a dedicated regulator established to oversee applications to use gene technology before 2026.