Methane campaign is 100% politics
OPINION: We are endlessly told that livestock are responsible for half of New Zealand's total emissions.
OPINION: Global warming could be more bad news for cows and humans, according to some research.
If the climate heats up, humans will increasingly suffer from rising temperatures. But how will climate change affect cows?
Turns out more heat can be harmful to dairy cows.
In recent year, US scientists have found links between human-caused climate change and heat stress, which can lower milk production and lead to diseases and other issues in dairy cows.
Cows eat less when they're hot - a factor researchers believe leads to a 50% drop in milk production. But those drops in production can reach up to 70% in hot weather.
In a search to account for the other 20%, researchers conducted a trial with 48 Holstein cows housed in temperature-controlled stalls. The research was published in the Journal of Dairy Science.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand says it is seeing strong farmer interest in its newly launched nProve Beef genetics tool, with early feedback and usage insights confirming its value in helping farmers make better breeding decisions and drive genetic improvement in New Zealand's beef herd.
The Innovation Awards at June's National Fieldays showcased several new ideas, alongside previous entries that had reached commercial reality.
To assist the flower industry in reducing waste and drive up demand, Wonky Box has partnered with Burwood to create Wonky Flowers.
Three new directors are joining Horticulture New Zealand’s board from this month.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) says proposed changes to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will leave the door wide open for continued conversions of productive sheep and beef farms into carbon forestry.
Federated Farmers says a report to Parliament on the subject of a ban on carbon forestry does not go far enough to prevent continued farm to forestry conversions.