Dairy farmer profits to hit record levels in 2025
The profitability of dairy farmers is likely to increase in the coming year, accordign to the latest report by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the outlook for the primary sector.
After examining more than 20,000 genes, a DairyNZ scientist has discovered why some cows are better at getting pregnant than others.
DairyNZ scientist Caroline Walker has discovered there are about 1500 genes affecting the uterus that are altered in pregnant cows.
The results of her research "Endometrial gene expression during early pregnancy differs between fertile and sub-fertile dairy cow strains" have been published in the international journal Physiological Genomics.
"This is ground-breaking research published in a highly-regarded international journal," says DairyNZ principal scientist - animals, John Roche.
"This gives us a greater understanding of the reasons for sub-fertility, and puts us in a better position to discover gene markers that will produce bulls that give greater fertility. It's essentially enabled us to narrow down what we're looking for."
The work, which Walker has been doing for the last three years as part of her PhD, involved looking at differences in the expression of key genes in the uterus in pregnant and non-pregnant cows.
She studied two different strains of cows – US Holsteins and NZ Holsteins. Work done by DairyNZ scientists over the last decade confirmed that US-type dairy cows were less likely to get pregnant in the New Zealand pasture-based system.
"We already knew that the New Zealand cow is better at establishing pregnancy. Conception rates are 50-60% for New Zealand cows, compared with approximately 40 per cent for US cows," says Roche.
"Caroline's work has shown us some of the reasons why – basically the New Zealand cow is better at establishing pregnancy, and now she's identified some of the genes which determine this. The next step is to look at epigenetic changes, which are things that happen to alter the expression of genes.
"It's extremely exciting work because understanding the underlying physiology has great implications for improving the fertility of the national herd."
The work is funded by dairy farmers through the DairyNZ levy, and also by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, and has been done in collaboration with the Liggins Institute at Auckland University.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
Nationwide rural wellbeing programme, Farmstrong recently celebrated its tenth birthday at Fieldays with an event attended by ambassador Sam Whitelock, Farmers Mutual Group (FMG), Farmstrong partners, and government Ministers.
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