man o war

Good calving conditions for Lower North Island

Conditions look promising for the start of calving in the Lower North Island.

Published in General News

Zoonoses prone should raise their hygiene game

Contrast the protective clothing and equipment being used at a typical meat works, for personal and end-product hygiene, with that in a typical dairy shed where aprons are used to keep the torso of the operator dry, but hugely deficient in protecting against urine splashes.

Whilst New Zealand’s rural and lifestyle communities seem to have a better awareness of the “physical” safety issues of farm equipment, PTO shafts and ATVs, in many cases other, “more invisible” safety issues can be overlooked.

Published in Farm Health

Disco mowers have all the moves

New Claas Disco Move 3600 and 3200 mowers, with mowing widths of 3.4 and 3m respectively, are designed for 1m of vertical travel and 30 degrees lateral movement, allowing efficiency and safety in rough paddocks.

Published in Machinery & Products

New approach on animal welfare

Government MPs Meka Whaitiri, Gareth Hughes and Mark Patterson at the recent Animal Welfare Advocate Hui held in South Auckland.

A new Framework for Action on Animal Welfare released last month sets out a better approach, says Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri.

Published in Farm Health

Farm in the middle of Auckland wins prestigious beef award

Visitors walk freely among the Simmental cattle at Auckland’s Cornwall Park Farm.

The four million people who annually visit the idyllic Cornwall Park Farm in central Auckland are now seeing some of the best-farmed livestock in New Zealand.

Published in Management

Sniffing out a new industry

Winter is the truffle harvesting season for Gavin Hulley and his truffle-hunting dog Sophie, an eight-year-old poodle-spaniel cross. Gavin runs the 2ha Amuri Truffiere at Waikari in North Canterbury, primarily servicing some of Christchurch’s high-end restaurants.

At up to $250 retail for a well-shaped 80-90g black perigord truffle, growing the gourmet delicacy has its obvious rewards.

Published in Management

Can grass-fed Wagyu beef become a new health food?

AgResearch senior scientist Matthew Barnett serving up Waygu treats to the punters at this year’s National Fieldays.

A three-year research project to try to discover whether grass-fed Wagyu beef has significant health benefits is in its final stages.

Published in Management

Zero to hero in agriculture’s chase for carbon neutrality

The current political climate has increased the emphasis in the media on how New Zealand will meet its international climate change commitments.

Published in Opinion

Mycoplasma bovis weighs down farmer confidence

Concerns about the impact of Mycoplasma bovis on the agriculture sector have seen New Zealand farmer confidence decline over the past quarter, the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey shows.

Published in Opinion

Dairy expertise could spin-off to plant protein

Expertise from dairy manufacturing could be adapted to develop a plant-based protein industry in NZ.

Expertise from the dairy manufacturing industry could be adapted to develop a new plant-based protein industry in New Zealand, says Plant and Food Research.

Published in Agribusiness