Wednesday, 13 July 2022 07:55

Go back to the drawing board

Written by  Pam Tipa
DairyNZ claims NAWA seems to have lost sight of the overall purpose of the dairy welfare code. DairyNZ claims NAWA seems to have lost sight of the overall purpose of the dairy welfare code.

DairyNZ wants the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) to go back to the drawing board on many areas in its proposed Code of Welfare.

It then wants NAWAC to go back out to the industry including farmers for another round of consultation. It supports the code update for clarity, to incorporate recent animal welfare science and lift the bar in areas of the code where common practice surpasses previous standards.

But it does not support changes to the code that increase complexity and inhibit its value as a useful tool, the industry body says in its submission to the code.

DairyNZ wants NAWAC to review all of the proposed changes to minimum standards, example indicators and recommended best practice to align with the criteria in its own guidelines and those of MPI.

It says the volume of change is difficult to review and analyse to provide valuable feedback on, particularly as the discussion document only covers a small proportion of the changes.

"We are concerned that this consultation will not be able to provide for adequate feedback from affected parties (such as farmers) due to the complicated nature of what is being proposed," it submits. "DairyNZ has made considerable effort to collect farmer feedback through multiple methods to support our submission, including a farmer survey, farmer group meetings throughout the country and a simple submission template for farmers.

"However, due the volume of changes, we were only able to focus these efforts on a smaller set of priority issues.

"NAWAC seems to have lost sight of the overall purpose of the code which is to provide detail on the minimum standards that need to be met and to promote recommended best practice. It does not need to be a complete 'how to' manual.

"Industry stakeholders are constantly working on voluntary improvements to animal welfare, for example, the latest intensive winter grazing inspections from previous years. DairyNZ suggest a further round of consultation should be carried out to ensure that all impacted parties have the opportunity to understand the implications of these changes."

DairyNZ says it has concerns regarding cross over and duplication and at times inconsistency of how the code has been written. A few examples where the way the code is drafted does not support farmer understanding are:

  • Body Condition Score minimum standard 6 (b) does not align with Body Condition Score example indicator under pretransport selection.
  • Duplication across sections: Calf feeding detail sits as an example indicator under the feed minimum standard. Heifers being familiarised with milking facilities is mentioned under animal handling and milking (where it is mentioned twice).
  • Duplication within sections: Many of the example indicator are rewording of what is written in the minimum standard.

More like this

Strong uptake of good wintering practices

DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.

Better animal genetic gain system

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

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of a major software project.

Musical chairs

OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter