New Zealand Agriculture Research Articles

Improving triplet lamb survival: management practices used by commercial farmers.

Prolificacy has become an important breeding goal in sheep farming to increase farm profitability. With the adoption of improved genetics and management practices leading to increased lambing percentages, the proportion of triplet-born lambs has also increased on farms. However, mortality rates of triplet lambs are higher than for single- and twin-born lambs, and additional management inputs may be needed to support survival. The aim of this study was to identify factors that affect management practices that are considered important for triplet lamb survival by commercial farmers from the United Kingdom (UK), the Ireland (IRE), and New Zealand (NZ). An online survey was developed and disseminated to farmers in each country, focusing on farmer demographics, flock characteristics, management practices and production outcomes. A total of 448 farmers completed the survey, from the UK (n = 168), IRE (n = 218), and NZ (n = 62). Respondents had larger flocks, higher scanning and lambing percentages than the country average for the UK and IRE. The mean percentage of triplet litters born within flocks was 9%, and lambs lost between scanning and lambing were 14% for UK, 15% for IRE, and 25% for NZ respondents (P = 0.063). Overall, 60% of all respondents reported to lamb indoors and 40% lambed outdoors, however NZ farmers almost exclusively lambed outdoors, whereas UK and IRE farmers lambed in both systems (P < 0.001). NZ farmers were more likely to rear all triplet lambs with the ewe, whereas UK and IRE farmers were more likely to remove a lamb to rear by another ewe or artificially (P < 0.001). Factors that influenced triplet lamb management practices of respondents in this study were respondent country of origin, flock size, age, and gender. In general, younger respondents (P < 0.001), and female respondents (P < 0.05), were more likely to engage in management activities that were considered to promote better triplet lamb survival, compared to older and male respondents respectively. These practices were associated with better lamb survival reported by respondents but were less likely to be carried out when flock size increased (P < 0.001). The results of this survey highlight future priorities or communication strategies needed to improve triplet lamb survival.

Use of stable isotopes to characterise New Zealand butter in a global market

Samples of New Zealand (NZ) butter (20), Australian butter (2) and USA butter (1), all with assured traceability, were characterised using stable isotopes. A further 45 butter samples from a range of geographical origins sold in Chinese supermarkets were compared for traceability evaluation purposes. Supervised PLS-DA of bulk butter and protein isotopes accurately distinguished genuine NZ butter from China, USA and European labelled butter. Carbon (bulk and protein) and sulphur (protein) isotopes of NZ butter had the highest discrimination ability due to characteristic isotope signatures arising from C3 pastoral feed and coastal proximity of NZ's farming regions; NZ butter was not completely discriminated from Australian or Irish butter due to similar dairy farming practices and environmental conditions. Nonetheless, stable isotopes could reliably identify NZ butter from Chinese, USA and European labelled products offering a useful tool to recognise mislabelled premium NZ butter in several key international export markets.

Nitrogen and carbon footprints of dairy farm systems in China and New Zealand, as influenced by productivity, feed sources and mitigations

Three dairy farm systems in China and in New Zealand (NZ) varying in intensity based on level of use of brought-in crop feeds were selected from surveyed data. Nitrogen (N) emissions were estimated using country-specific N and life cycle assessment models. Milk production per cow increased with increased use of grain-based feeds but there was no whole-system difference in energy and land use resource efficiency. The N footprint (∑reactive-N emissions kg-1 milk for cradle-to-farm-gate) was 1.3–2.3 times higher for the housed-cow Chinese farm systems than the year-round pasture-grazing NZ farm systems, associated with greater emissions of all forms of reactive-N. The N footprint decreased with increased feed use and milk production in both countries, mainly due to decreased ammonia emissions. There were similar trends in carbon (C) footprint (total greenhouse gas emissions) of milk, except within NZ where there was no change with feeding level. In NZ, the N loss to water kg-1 milk increased due to the contribution from feed crops. The source of feed was an important determinant of environmental impacts, and changing to low N-footprint feeds decreased the N footprint of milk by up to 10% in both countries. However, manure management was the dominant contributor to the N footprint for all farms, and particularly in China. Mitigation analysis of Chinese farm systems showed the potential to decrease the N footprint of milk by over 30% with improved manure management practices, particularly from utilizing manure that is currently discharged. The largest mitigation potential (up to -25%) in NZ was from ceasing N fertilizer use on pasture and relying on clover N2 fixation. Scenario analysis for late-autumn/winter housing of cows in NZ decreased N loss to water but greatly increased ammonia emissions, resulting in an increase in N and C footprints of up to 21%. Thus, Chinese dairy farms can improve environmental efficiency through sourcing low-impact feeds, improved manure management and integrating manure recycling with feed crops. In contrast, NZ farms can improve environmental efficiency through efficient use of grazed legume-based pastures rather than using crop-feeds or cow housing systems.

Frequency of occurrence and ground cover of Cirsium arvense on pastoral farms in New Zealand: a farmer opinion survey

To determine the peak cover of Cirsium arvense (Californian thistle) on pastoral farms throughout New Zealand (NZ), a postal and telephone-based questionnaire survey of 600 pastoral farms using a stratified-random sampling procedure was conducted. Three key results emerged from the analysis of data received from 502 responding farms: (1) overall, 89% of NZ farms support C. arvense (79%, 87%, 85%, 97% and 94% for beef, dairy, deer, sheep and sheep/beef farms, respectively); (2) the weed is spread across the entire farm in 45% of cases (35%, 40%, 56%, 50% and 53% for beef, dairy, deer, sheep and sheep/beef farms, respectively); (3) the peak percentage grazed area covered by C. arvense is overall 6% (4%, 6%, 6%, 12% and 6% for beef, dairy, deer, sheep and sheep/beef farms, respectively). This analysis provides the first quantitative information on the occurrence and cover of C. arvense on pastoral farms throughout New Zealand.

Greenhouse gas emissions from New Zealand agriculture: issues, perspectives and industry response

The prosperity of New Zealand (NZ) rests to a large extent on agriculture. Although our total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are unusually small for a developed nation, agricultural emissions make up almost half of the total emissions from NZ. Emissions from NZ agriculture have been rising at close to 1% a year since 1990 and by 2010, the midpoint of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, they are projected to be 7.2 Mt per year higher than the 1990 baseline. This excess has a potential cost of over NZ$0.5 billion. Despite the continued rise in absolute emissions, emissions intensity, the amount of GHG produced per unit of food produced, has been dropping and the emissions intensity of NZ agriculture goods compares favourably with that of other developed nations. The NZ agricultural sector has actively engaged in the search for cost-effective mitigation solutions and, in partnership with the government, has funded research through the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium (PGGRC). The PGGRC has been in existence since 2002 and has invested NZ$16 million in research into reducing methane and nitrous oxide emissions from pastoral agriculture. The structure of this research funding body, its objectives, achievements and future challenges are briefly outlined.

Using the OVERSEER nutrient budget model to estimate on-farm greenhouse gas emissions

The OVERSEER nutrient budget model is a farm-scale nutrient reporting and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission accounting tool used extensively throughout New Zealand (NZ) by farmers, farm consultants and fertiliser representatives. The model is increasingly being used as a tool for implementing regional council resource management requirements to limit nitrogen (N) and phosphorus losses to waterways. NZ’s main dairy company, Fonterra, also requires dairy farmers to have a nutrient budget as part of the national Clean Streams Accord. This means that a high proportion of NZ farmers can obtain reports of their on-farm GHG emission profile. The GHG emission model is based on models and algorithms used for the NZ GHG national inventory, modified to include a wide range of on-farm management practices. The model estimates methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and presents the results as CO2 equivalents. This paper describes the model and the benefits of combining nutrients budgets and GHG emissions into a single model. It also demonstrates the effects of management practices on a range of outputs, including N leaching and GHG emissions.

Update on ovine footrot in New Zealand: Isolation, identification, and characterization of trains

Dichelobacter nodosus, a Gram-negative strict anaerobe, is the essential causative agent of ovine footrot. Despite its worldwide presence, the disease has significant economic impact in those sheep-farming countries with a temperate climate and moderate to high rainfall, such as New Zealand (NZ) and Australia. In this study, we aimed to isolate, identify, and characterize as many D. nodosus strains as possible from NZ farms by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based technology. Understanding the virulence of this bacterium and showing extensive genomic variation in the fimbrial subunit gene (fimA) in different D. nodosus strains was very important to produce serogroup specific and effective vaccine for NZ. More than 100 footrot samples were collected from four different farming regions in NZ. Thousands of primary plates were cultured anaerobically and examined with Gram-staining in order to detect single colonies of D. nodosus. Approximately 500 plates that had potential D. nodosus colonies were subcultured several times to eliminate contaminating colonies until single colonies were obtained. Variable and a part of the conserved regions of the fimbrial subunit gene (fimA) were amplified directly from bacterial DNA extracted from footrot lesions and also from cultured NZ D. nodosus isolates, using the polymerase chain reaction. Different fimA amplimers were analyzed by DNA sequencing. On the basis of DNA sequence analysis, 16 new D. nodosus isolates belonging to eight different serogroups were identified from NZ. These new D. nodosus fimA sequences from NZ were different to previously reported strains and strains used in a commercial vaccine.

SOUTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE

New Zealand GeographerVolume 21, Issue 1 p. 80-82 SOUTH AMERICAN MARKET FOR NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE John Chapman, John Chapman New PlymouthSearch for more papers by this author John Chapman, John Chapman New PlymouthSearch for more papers by this author First published: April 1965 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7939.1965.tb00198.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume21, Issue1April 1965Pages 80-82 RelatedInformation

PRESENT STATE OF NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURE.

New Zealand GeographerVolume 11, Issue 2 p. 197-198 PRESENT STATE OF NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURE. G. R. Lewthwaite, G. R. LewthwaiteSearch for more papers by this author G. R. Lewthwaite, G. R. LewthwaiteSearch for more papers by this author First published: October 1955 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7939.1955.tb01355.xCitations: 1AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume11, Issue2October 1955Pages 197-198 RelatedInformation

PHOSPHATES IN NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURE

New Zealand GeographerVolume 8, Issue 2 p. 125-137 PHOSPHATES IN NEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURE M. M. BURNS, M. M. BURNSSearch for more papers by this author M. M. BURNS, M. M. BURNSSearch for more papers by this author First published: October 1952 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7939.1952.tb01803.xCitations: 1Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume8, Issue2October 1952Pages 125-137 RelatedInformation

NEW ZEALAND FARMS AND THE ‘PHOSPHATE ISLANDS’

New Zealand GeographerVolume 4, Issue 1 p. 55-68 NEW ZEALAND FARMS AND THE ‘PHOSPHATE ISLANDS’ SIR ALBERT ELLIS, SIR ALBERT ELLISSearch for more papers by this author SIR ALBERT ELLIS, SIR ALBERT ELLISSearch for more papers by this author First published: April 1948 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7939.1948.tb01505.xCitations: 2Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume4, Issue1April 1948Pages 55-68 RelatedInformation