Thursday, 22 February 2024 14:00

Cows meta to Zuckerberg

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: Mark Zuckerberg's multimillion- dollar housing project on Hawaii is attracting a lot of interest.

The property, known as Koolau Ranch, will, according to planning documents, include a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter, have its own energy and food supplies.

But Zuckerberg’s activities there extend far beyond mere refuge. In a recent Instagram post, the billionaire divulged his newest venture: cattle farming.

“Started raising cattle at Ko’olau Ranch on Kauai, and my goal is to create some of the highest-quality beef in the world,” Zuckerberg announced. “The cattle are wagyu and angus, and they’ll grow up eating macadamia meal and drinking beer that we grow and produce here on the ranch.”

Zuckerberg is determined to keep the entire process “local and vertically integrated.”

“Each cow eats 5,000-10,000 pounds of food each year, so that’s a lot of acres of macadamia trees. Of all my projects, this is the most delicious.”

More like this

Milking fish

OPINION: It could be cod on your cornflakes and sardines in your smoothie if food innovators in Indonesia have their way.

Seaweed the hero?

OPINION: A new study, published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, adds to some existing evidence about a simple way to cut emissions dramatically - seaweed.

Misinformation

OPINION: Still on Bovaer, a wave of misinformation is circulating online wrongly linking Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates to the feed additive.

Bovaer BS

OPINION: One of the world’s largest dairy co-operatives has come under fire for embracing a new methane-reducing additive fed to cows. The claims, made on social media, says the use of a feed additive by Arla Foods farmers could ‘contaminate’ milk and allegedly cause cancer.

Carbon tax

OPINION: A group of University of Auckland academics claim a carbon tax is the most effective way for New Zealand to cut emissions while supporting a stable economy.

Featured

Celebrations at Muller Station

More than 260 people gathered at Muller Station in Marlborough recently to celebrate the 2024 Westpac + OsGro Marlborough Farmer of the Year winner.

New insights into rural fire risk

New student research from the University of Canterbury in partnership with Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) could improve knowledge surrounding the risk of wildfire.

Embrace mechanical weeding now

Mechanical weeding is exploding in Europe because increasing resistance means they have "run out of herbicide", says Canterbury agronomist Charles Merfield.

China still a good option

The ongoing rise of the Chinese middle class will drag up demand for New Zealand products there in the future.

UAE FTA signed

New Zealand’s free trade deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has now been signed.

National

Farm Source turns 10!

Hundreds of Fonterra farmers visited their local Farm Source store on November 29 to help celebrate the rural service trader's…

Machinery & Products

A JAC for all trades

While the New Zealand ute market is dominated by three main players, “disruptors” are never too far away.

Pushing the boundaries

Can-Am is pushing the boundaries of performance with its Outlander line-up of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) with the launch of the…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Milking fish

OPINION: It could be cod on your cornflakes and sardines in your smoothie if food innovators in Indonesia have their…

Seaweed the hero?

OPINION: A new study, published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, adds to some existing evidence about…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter