Lower North Island farmers “cautiously optimistic” heading into winter – DairyNZ
Cautiously optimistic is how DairyNZ's regional manager for the lower North Island, Mark Laurence describes the mood of farmers in his patch.
The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) says it is addressing concerns about the long-term housing of dairy cattle.
NAWAC is seeking public consultation on proposed changes to the Animal Welfare (Dairy Cattle) Code of Welfare 2010.
NAWAC chair Dr John Hellström says that off-pasture management systems for dairy cattle, including purpose-built housing, are becoming increasingly common in New Zealand.
"Farmers are already seeing the benefits of these systems in effluent management, feed intake monitoring, winter shelter and pasture protection. However, facilities have to be designed and managed with the welfare of the animals in mind," says Hellström.
Key proposed amendments to the code include a new section to address behavioural needs for all dairy cattle - where NAWAC considers that the behavioural requirements for cattle kept on pasture are the same as those for dairy cattle kept in off-pasture management systems; and Sections 4.4 Stand-off Area and Feed pads and 4.5 Housing cows and calves are removed.
This review was based on a substantive animal welfare risk assessment of off-pasture management systems in the New Zealand dairy industry.NAWAC worked with dairying, science and veterinary experts on the proposed changes to ensure the animal welfare needs of cattle are met when farmers are considering these systems.
"We expect a lot of interest on this issue. It's important that people express their views on these proposals so that we can ensure any new minimum standards reflect not only best practice, but also New Zealand's animal welfare expectations," says Hellström.
For information on making submissions, visit the MPI website:
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/biosec/consult
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
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