Zealand Agriculture Research Articles

Developing an approach to assess farmer perceptions of the value of pasture assessment technologies

AbstractMeasurement and monitoring of pasture have been identified as foundations for profitable and sustainable grazing systems. The value that farmers place on pasture assessment in feed management is difficult to ascertain and has seen limited research. The objectives of this study were to test a survey to quantify the perceived value of pasture assessment and identify key criteria for design of pasture assessment technologies. An online survey methodology was piloted with 44 New Zealand farmers to assess perceptions of actual and great grazing management outcomes, good and great pasture assessment, and the value associated with moving from good to great pasture assessment. Results highlighted that many farmers perceive a small potential for improvements in their current pasture performance, whereas industry‐level studies suggest that this is not the case. We found limitations with farmers linking better pasture management performance with eventual improvements in milk production. There were anomalies with assessing current and potential improved pasture performance through this type of survey methodology, with many farmers claiming very high levels of current performance, and some rating themselves as performing at more than 100% of potential. This research highlights that pasture assessment technology designers need to be aware of the high expectations of farmers regarding performance, for example measurement accuracy and data timeliness. Over, or under, specification of technology for specific tasks, such as daily allocation of pasture at a herd level, may lead to farmer dissatisfaction around costs of technology, return on investment, and if the technology is fit‐for‐purpose.

Application of circular economy principles to New Zealand pastoral farming systems

Global food production is under pressure to produce more from limited resources, with further expectations to reduce waste and pollution and improve social outcomes. Circular economy principles aim to design out waste and pollution, minimise the use of nonrenewable external inputs and increase the lifespan of products and materials. Waste sources on New Zealand farms and options to reduce waste and improve circularity were reviewed. Waste reduction should begin with systems design, while recycling should be at the bottom of the hierarchy. On-farm resource use efficiency has been widely studied, but there are also opportunities to repurpose waste and integrate systems. The use of organic waste products as fertiliser and supplementary feed occurs to some extent, as does use of excess dairy calves in the beef industry, but they present both opportunities and challenges. More farm waste recycling opportunities are becoming available, with new products available from waste processing, such as plastic fence posts. Circular strategies in New Zealand agriculture require more analysis to determine economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes.

Variability between farms of New Zealand raw bovine milk flavour: Identification and characterisation of odorous outliers

Raw milk samples (n = 66, 250) were odour tested, as part of routine industrial quality control, and those few outliers with atypical odour (n = 312; 8 types) were collected from New Zealand farms between September 2017 and July 2018. For every odorous sample, a control (n = 301) was collected on the same day from the same geographical region. Solid phase micro-extraction/gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to conduct a targeted analysis for naturally occurring flavour-diagnostic volatile compounds. Data were analysed to characterise the outliers and to determine the potential of using chemical analysis data for milk assessments. Butyric acid and ethanol were diagnostic of many odorous samples. para-Cresol may indicate butyric acid production through mechanisms other than lipolysis. An inability to reliably predict odour classification from chemical analyses was characteristic of many samples found to contain flavour concentrations near sensory thresholds or analytical detection limits or both.

Reshaping a farming culture through participatory extension: An institutional logics perspective

Historically the dominant farming culture in Western developed countries, such as Scotland and New Zealand, has been based on maximising food production and maintaining the family business. However, this culture of production and family is under pressure from societal calls to increase the uptake of environmental practices in farm management. The pressure is leading farmers to adopt environmental practices, which causes a clash with the beliefs and values underlying the culture of production and family business. This clash is problematic, as it might form a barrier to sustained environmental change, for which not only practice change is required, but also a change in beliefs and values guiding the farming culture. This study explores the clash using an institutional perspective to: i) analyse how farmer practices, beliefs and values change due to external pressure to adopt environmental practices; ii) identify mechanisms via which this change unfolds; and iii) understand the role of participatory extension programmes in this change. An institutional perspective enables this study to move beyond the role of individual's attitudes and behaviours in adoption of environmental practices, towards considering how farmers' practices, beliefs and values together constitute the culture of farming, and how these are shaped by societal and institutional mechanisms. Twenty Scottish and 52 New Zealand farmers participated in qualitative, open-ended interviews and were observed during discussion groups or advisory meetings. Our findings show that all farmers are guided by a ‘business’, ‘lifestyle’ and/or ‘learning’ logic. The institutional clash influenced practices underlying the business logic to change from being purely based on maximising productivity, to including environmental aspects. However, no change in values was observed. Participatory extension programmes influenced practices, beliefs and values underlying the learning logic (changing from a ‘linear’ to ‘multi-actor’ logic) and thus can help facilitate more effective practice change by providing support via micro-mechanisms and enabling dynamics. The study contributes to current literature by introducing a new lens for understanding change induced by participatory extension programmes and by providing change agents, such as extensionists, with more in-depth knowledge about the main logics guiding the culture of farming, and the mechanisms by which farmer practices, beliefs and values may change. The in depth-knowledge will help to communicate, frame and organise extension initiatives. • Farming culture in Scotland and New Zealand consists of a business and family logic. • Farming culture change is identified after external environmental pressures. • Change is observed in practices and beliefs, but not in values of farmer participants. • Participatory extension can support change, via e.g. timing of programme initiation. • Additional policy instruments are required to generate change in farming culture.

A herbicide resistance risk assessment for weeds in wheat and barley crops in New Zealand.

We estimated the risk of selecting for herbicide resistance in 101 weed species known to occur in wheat and barley crops on farms in New Zealand. A protocol was used that accounts for both the risk that different herbicides will select for resistance and each weed's propensity to develop herbicide resistance based on the number of cases worldwide. To provide context we documented current herbicide use patterns. Most weeds (55) were low-risk, 30 were medium-risk and 16 high-risk. The top ten scored weeds were Echinochloa crus-galli, Poa annua, Lolium multiflorum, Erigeron sumatrensis, Raphanus raphanistrum, Lolium perenne, Erigeron bonariensis, Avena fatua, Avena sterilis and Digitaria sanguinalis. Seven out of ten high-risk weeds were grasses. The most used herbicides were synthetic auxins, an enolpyruvylshikimate-phosphate synthase inhibitor, acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors, carotenoid biosynthesis inhibitors, and long-chain fatty acid inhibitors. ALS-inhibitors were assessed as posing the greatest risk for more species than other modes-of-action. Despite pre-emergence herbicides being known to delay resistance, New Zealand farmers only applied flufenacet and terbuthlazine with high frequency. Based on our analysis, surveys for herbicide-resistant species should focus on the high-risk species we identified. Farmer extension efforts in New Zealand should address resistance evolution in cropping weeds.

Drought Intensity, Future Expectations, and the Resilience of Climate Beliefs

Although past literature has suggested experience with the effects of climate change can affect people's belief in climate change, there is limited research on the duration of this outcome. If extreme events only update beliefs in the short term, there is a risk that long term investments and planning are only made in narrow windows around the events. Using a national survey of New Zealand farmers, we explore the effect of drought intensity on future climate expectations and plans for land-use change, focusing on the window of experience farmers use in planning. Results suggest farmers reference a short-term window rather than the historical record. Higher expectations of drought are also positively associated with land-conversion plans, highlighting the importance of beliefs in adaptation and planning behaviour. Climate change planning and adaptation require long term interest and investment. Our results suggest that short-term fluctuations in drought and weather can affect beliefs, so that a few good years might breed resistance to longer term investment.

Fluorine and white clover: Assessing fluorine's impact on Rhizobium leguminosarum.

The soil fluorine (F) concentration in New Zealand agricultural soils has increased with time as a direct result of the widespread application of phosphate fertilizer to land. Elevated soil F concentrations may potentially harm soil microorganisms, which are important for nutrient cycling and soil formation. Rhizobium leguminosarum is a N2 -fixing soil bacterium that is a fundamental component in New Zealand legume-based pastoral farming. Any impact of F on Rhizobium leguminosarum would have an adverse effect on New Zealand pasture production. In this study, F toxicity to Rhizobium leguminosarum was examined as a first step to develop F guideline values for New Zealand agricultural soils. Bottle-based experiments were conducted to examine the effect of the F- ion on Rhizobium-white clover (Trifolium repens L.) symbiosis by observing nodule morphology and growth. Results indicate that the F- concentration that causes 10% inhibition of Rhizobium respiration (IC10 ) for F- toxicity to Rhizobium leguminosarum was >100mg F- L-1 . Significant morphological changes occurred when Rhizobium was exposed to F concentrations of 500 and 1000mg L-1 . Both light and transmission electron micrographs confirmed that the Rhizobium leguminosarum-white clover interaction was not influenced by F- concentrations >100mg L-1 . The toxic F- concentration for Rhizobium leguminosarum determined in this study is orders of magnitude higher than the F- concentration in New Zealand agriculture soils under "normal conditions." There appears to be no indication of imminent risk of soil F to Rhizobium leguminosarum.

Investigation of Cell Envelope‐Associated Proteins in Rumen Methanogens as Targets for Understanding Host‐Microbe Interactions

The rumen microbiota is complex and almost totally composed of anaerobic organisms, including methanogenic archaea (methanogens). The latter occupy a unique niche in the rumen, using hydrogen, formate and methyl compounds to produce methane.Many of the proteins predicted from analysis of genome sequences of rumen‐dwelling methanogens, in particular cell envelope‐associated proteins, have no known biological function. To elucidate the role of these proteins in methanogen activity in the rumen and in the interaction of these archaea with other ruminal microbes, we have produced antibodies against selected methanogen proteins. The proteins were expressed in a standard bacterial expression system. An important first step was to determine if recombinantly produced proteins can generate antibodies that bind and recognise the native methanogens proteins.Bioinformatic analysis of the genome of Methanobrevibacter ruminantium M1 identified suitable cell surface‐located proteins for the studies. Predicted extracellular domains of these proteins were synthesised in Escherichia coli and circular dichroism analysis was performed to check that each recombinant protein had an ordered structure. Antibodies were produced against each recombinant protein and used in ELISA and Western blotting on lysates and membrane protein enriched fractions prepared from M1 cells. Proteins in the fractions were further separated by 2D gel electrophoresis and specific binding of the antibodies to the native targets was confirmed by LC‐MS/MS. Binding of the antibodies to methanogen cells was demonstrated using ELISA and flow cytometry.Our results to date suggest that expression of some of the cell surface proteins in bacteria produced recombinant proteins that sufficiently mimic the native proteins, with cross‐reactivity of antibodies to methanogen cell extracts. Our immunological studies, together with new information on gene expression from transcriptomic analysis of M1 in cultures, is being used to further understand the biological function of methanogen cell surface proteins and how methanogens interact with other microbes in the rumen.Support or Funding InformationThis research was funded jointly by Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium (PGgRc) and New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC)

Genetic parameters for efficiency of crude protein utilisation and its relationship with production traits across lactations in grazing dairy cows

ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to estimate genetic parameters of efficiency of crude protein utilisation (ECPU) and its genetic correlation (r G) with other production traits across lactation in grazing dairy cows. Data were originated from 467 (2016–17 season) and 460 cows (2017–18 season) representing Holstein-Friesian (F), Jersey (J) and their crosses (F×J), from two New Zealand farms. The ratio between crude protein yield in milk and crude protein intake is defined as ECPU. (Co)variance components between ECPU and other traits were estimated using bivariate random regression models (RRM) that included fixed effects of herd-test-date, parity, calving date, proportion of F, and F×J heterosis, with random effects of animal additive genetic, and within-lactation permanent environment. Estimates of heritability (h2 ) of daily ECPU ranged from 0.02 to 0.41. Estimates of r G between daily ECPU and milk yield traits were strong and positive throughout lactation suggesting that selection for milk production traits improves ECPU of dairy cows. Daily r G between ECPU and mid-infrared predictions of milk urea (MU) concentration were mostly negative during lactation confirming that cows with high ECPU had genetically lower MU. Estimates of genetic relationships between ECPU and fertility traits are required to assess implications of including ECPU in breeding objective.

Examining perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) persistence through comparative genetic analyses of two cultivars after nine years in the field

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) provides a cost-effective forage species for New Zealand farms. Vegetative persistence (maintained herbage growth and survival without reseeding) is an important trait for decreasing costs of pasture establishment. Breeding for vegetative persistence is difficult because of a deficiency of long-term trials to observe the complex interactions between plant genotype and environment. Over time in a long-term trial, a shift in the genetic mean of a cultivar could occur as plants with genetically enhanced persistence traits survive. This study aimed to identify a shift in the genetic mean of two cultivars sown in a long-term trial in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. Plots of 1 m rows were assessed in a trial for 13 months to compare changes in additive genetic variation ($$\upsigma_{\text{a}}^{2}$$), narrow-sense heritability ($${\text{h}}_{\text{n}}^{2}$$), and trait associations of half-sib (HS) populations generated from “Persistent” plants and commercially bought seed of “Original” cultivars Grasslands Samson and Commando. Significant (P < 0.05) $$\upsigma_{\text{a}}^{2}$$ and high levels of $${\text{h}}_{\text{n}}^{2}$$ for some populations were identified for scores of herbage growth, leaf width, plant habit and aftermath heading. This study found genetic shifts over time were cultivar specific. Traits that were different between Persistent and Original populations were previously associated with decreased pasture intake. Trait associations and cluster analysis identified HS families that could be used for developing enhanced persistence.

Digitalisation in the New Zealand Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System: Initial understandings and emerging organisational responses to digital agriculture

Digital agriculture is likely to transform productive processes both on- and off- farm, as well as the broader social and institutional context using digital technologies. It is largely unknown how agricultural knowledge providing organisations, such as advisors and science organisations, understand and respond to digital agriculture. The concept of ‘organisational identity’ is used to describe both initial understandings of, and emerging responses, to digital agriculture, which together show how organisations ‘digi-grasp’, i.e. make sense of and enact digitalisation in their organisations. The understanding is described using aspects of identity change (i.e. the nature, pace, source and context of digital agriculture), while the responses are outlined through the various attributes of organisational identity (i.e. capabilities, practices, services, clients, partners, purpose and values). We explore this question in the context of New Zealand through 29 semi-structured interviews with different types of agricultural knowledge providers, including farm advisors, science organisations, as well as technology providers. The findings show that digitalisation is often understood as farm-centric, despite being considered disruptive both on- and off-farm. These understandings influence an organisation’s digitalisation responses to digital agriculture. The responses were often ad-hoc, starting with adapting organisational capabilities, practices and services as their clients and partners require, rather than a strategic approach allowing for more flexibility of roles and processes and changing business models. The ad-hoc approach appears to be a response to uncertainty as digital agriculture is in early stages of development. This indicates that agricultural knowledge and innovation system should better support agricultural knowledge providers in digi-grasping and developing a digitalisation strategy, by anticipating possible futures and reflecting on the consequences of these for value propositions, business models and organisational identities of agricultural knowledge providers.

Excreta emissions in progeny of low and high enteric methane yield selection line sheep fed pasture of different qualities

Selection of sheep with low enteric methane (CH4) emissions is a greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation option suitable for pastoral systems. However, the effect of breeding sheep with low enteric CH4 emissions on excreta output and associated CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and therefore total GHG emissions are not known. The objective of the current experiments were to determine excreta output, and estimate associated GHG emissions, from progeny of low and high enteric CH4 per unit of dry matter intake (DMI) selection line sheep (CH4/DMI). The animals were fed two qualities of cut perennial ryegrass-based pasture (very mature vs. vegetative, 12 animals per CH4/DMI line) in Exp. 1 and cut pasture in two repeated seasons (autumn and winter; 15 animals per CH4/DMI line × 2 seasons) in Exp. 2. Total faecal and urine output was determined on individual animals, followed by enteric CH4 emission measurements in respiration chambers. GHG emissions from urine (N2O) and faeces (CH4 and N2O) were estimated based on New Zealand Agricultural GHG Inventory methodology. There was no interaction between CH4/DMI selection line and diet quality in Exp. 1 or seasons in Exp.2. Total daily faecal output of DM, organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF; all g/d) and associated calculated faecal CH4 emissions were greater for low compared to high CH4/DMI sheep in Exp. 1 (P < 0.05), while being similar between CH4/DMI selection lines in Exp. 2. Nitrogen (N) excretion and N partitioning into urine, faeces and body retention, and calculated excreta N emissions, were mostly similar between CH4/DMI selection line sheep in both experiments. Except, faecal N output (g/d and per unit of N intake) and associated calculated direct faecal N2O-N emissions (g/d) were greater in low compared to high CH4/DMI sheep in Exp. 1 (P < 0.05). Enteric CH4 emissions were numerically 8% less (P = 0.15) in Exp.1 and 10% less (P = 0.004) in Exp. 2 and total animal level GHG emissions (CH4 and N2O) were numerically 7% less (P = 0.21) in Exp. 1 and 8% less (P = 0.006) in Exp.2 for progeny of the low compared to the high CH4/DMI line sheep. In conclusion, the magnitude of difference in enteric CH4 (expressed as CO2-equivalent) between low and high CH4/DMI selection line sheep were still present when CH4 from faeces and N2O emissions from urine and faeces were also accounted for. The animal genetic traits were expressed independent of environmental factors, i.e. pasture quality and season.

A Comparative Analysis of the Hedging Effectiveness of Farmgate Milk Prices for New Zealand and United States Dairy Farmers

This study investigates the effectiveness of hedging and cross-hedging of fluid milk supplied by New Zealand farmers using derivatives offered by the NZX dairy futures market. The contribution of the paper is fourfold. Firstly, we have examined the use of other commodity futures to test the effectiveness of fluid milk hedging. Secondly, we have checked whether the other commodity futures provide lessons for the NZX dairy futures derivatives that are offered in New Zealand. Thirdly, we have compared the effectiveness of cross-hedging the farmgate milk price with the results reported in prior studies regarding hedging the farmgate milk price in the United States, while focusing on market factors that affect the effectiveness of the cross-hedge. For this we have used robust econometric testing techniques to evaluate the hedging and cross-hedging analysis. Our results show that the NZX dairy futures market suffers from illiquidity and displays relatively low correlation for cross-hedging purposes to the farmgate milk price. This implies that farmers either suffer from high volatility in their farmgate milk price or high basis risk in their cross-hedging. Our findings suggest that there is a need for a better price risk management tool for New Zealand dairy farmers.

Effect of irrigation management on pasture yield and nitrogen losses

While the benefits of irrigation for agricultural production are well established, the effects of irrigation management on production and environmental consequences are not well quantified. We used the APSIM (Agricultural Production Systems sIMulator) model to simulate the effect of six different irrigation management scenarios on pasture production and nitrogen (N) losses from both urine patches and non-urine affected areas using New Zealand farming systems as a test case. Nitrogen losses included nitrate (NO3) leaching, and gaseous emissions via ammonia (NH3) volatilisation and denitrification (nitrous oxide (N2O) and dinitrogen (N2) emissions). The effects of different climate and rainfall regimes were simulated for three different soil types – deep, poorly drained (Otokia), deep, well drained (Templeton) and shallow, well drained (Eyre) soils, using 20 years of data from two climate stations with mean annual rainfall amounts of 600 and 800 mm. In the shallow soil with the least plant available water, more frequent irrigation with higher total annual amounts resulted in a significant increase in predicted pasture production compared with less frequent irrigation due to less plant water stress. However, predicted N losses through leaching, denitrification and N2O emissions also increased. In the deep soils pasture growth was not affected by the frequency of irrigation, whereas denitrification increased with higher frequency irrigation, especially in the poorly drained soil, leading to increased N2O emissions. Based on these modelling results, N losses can be reduced with little effect on production by irrigating less frequently and maintaining soil water deficits.

Resilience and finances on Aotearoa New Zealand farms: Evidence from a random survey on the sources and uses of debt

AbstractDebt and income are keystones to financial resilience on New Zealand farms. This article utilises a survey on finance to assess farm financial health using a new model of resilience. It shows the majority of farms are financially strong. Further borrowing and development are possible. With increasing variability resulting from the longer term trade liberalisation as well as global warming impacts, the high equity will provide future resilience. On the other hand, profit levels are not high relative to the investment, but this has been the case for decades and has not caused problems due to farmer and farm family resilience.

Cows, Cash and Climate: Low Stocking Rates, High-Performing Cows, Emissions and Profitability across New Zealand Farms

Using the New Zealand Monitor Farm Data (NZMFD), this paper explores the cost-effectiveness of two mitigation options to reduce biological greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on farms: reducing stocking rate (SR; the number of cows per effective hectare of dairy land); and increasing animal performance (AP; measured by production of milk solids (MS) per cow). These mitigation options have been defined as “no cost” because, if applied together, they could reduce the carbon footprint of farms while also maintaining or even improving profits (de Klein & Dynes, 2017). We evaluate the effect of these mitigation options on three main variables: milk profitability of the farm (cash operating surplus (COS)/ton of MS produced); emissions intensity (ton CO2eq/ton of MS produced); and the value of emissions (COS/ton CO2eq). The paper has two main findings: high-AP farms show significantly lower emissions intensities and higher milk profitability; and higher SRs on farms are significantly associated with lower emissions intensities while not being significantly associated with milk profitability or negatively associated with profit per hectare. These results imply that higher levels of AP reduce the GHG intensity of the farm and increase profit – a “no-cost” option – but unless either the SR or the area under dairy farming fall, an increase in AP will lead to an increase in absolute emissions. However, our results cast doubt on the idea that reducing SR is a no-cost way to achieve absolute emission reductions. The two options do seem to constitute a no-cost outcome when combined, but potentially the same mitigation could be achieved with lower loss of profit by reducing the area of dairy land while maintaining high SRs and increasing the performance of the animals.

Agritourism and the adaptive re-use of farm buildings in New Zealand

AbstractThis paper reports findings from a study of the adaptive re-purposing of farm buildings for a wide array of agritourism activities. The research is being conducted in New Zealand where the international visitor sector is thriving. In response, an increasing number of farmers are attempting to boost their farm incomes by adding tourism ventures to their business portfolios. In doing so, many of them are using and preserving rural cultural heritage, particularly old agricultural and other rural buildings, while also diversifying farm activity. This element of agritourism therefore has an important role in the protection and adaptive re-use of farm buildings, farm landscape change, and the creation of new value and values in the countryside. In the cases we have studied, this entrepreneurial activity is largely farmer-driven and undertaken with some, but limited, financial support from central and local government. In considering the policy implications of our work, we call for the provision of advisory services to facilitate and enable New Zealand farmers to create profitable and sustainable high-quality tourism services that simultaneously preserve farm buildings.

“Yeotopia” Found … But? The Yeoman Ideal that Underpinned New Zealand Agricultural Practice into the Early Twenty-First Century, with American and Australian Comparisons

“Yeotopia” Found … But? The Yeoman Ideal that Underpinned New Zealand Agricultural Practice into the Early Twenty-First Century, with American and Australian Comparisons

The Effects of System Changes in Grazed Dairy Farmlet Trials on Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Simple SummaryDairy farm system practices aimed at reducing nitrate leaching can also reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide. A study comparing ‘current’ and ‘improved’ grazed dairy system practices showed that ‘improved’ systems generally produced lower greenhouse gas emissions while milk production was maintained. The amount of feed eaten per hectare was the key driver of total greenhouse gas emissions per area, with ‘improved’ systems generally exhibiting lower total enteric methane and less N flowing through the herd.An important challenge facing the New Zealand (NZ) dairy industry is development of production systems that can maintain or increase production and profitability, while reducing impacts on receiving environments including water and air. Using research ‘farmlets’ in Waikato, Canterbury, and Otago (32–200 animals per herd), we assessed if system changes aimed at reducing nitrate leaching can also reduce total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (methane and nitrous oxide) and emissions intensity (kg GHG per unit of product) by comparing current and potential ‘improved’ dairy systems. Annual average GHG emissions for each system were estimated for three or four years using calculations based on the New Zealand Agricultural Inventory Methodology, but included key farmlet-specific emission factors determined from regional experiments. Total annual GHG footprints ranged between 10,800 kg and 20,600 kg CO2e/ha, with emissions strongly related to the amount of feed eaten. Methane (CH4) represented 75% to 84% of the total GHG footprint across all modelled systems, with enteric CH4 from lactating cows grazing pasture being the major source. Excreta deposition onto paddocks was the largest source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, representing 7–12% of the total GHG footprint for all systems. When total emissions were represented on an intensity basis, ‘improved’ systems are predicted to generally result in lower emissions intensity. The ‘improved’ systems had lower GHG footprints than the ‘current’ system, except for one of the ‘improved’ systems in Canterbury, which had a higher stocking rate. The lower feed supplies and associated lower stocking rates of the ‘improved’ systems were the key drivers of lower total GHG emissions in all three regions. ‘Improved’ systems designed to reduced N leaching generally also reduced GHG emissions.

The story of Tara Hills high-country research

The 3340 ha Tara Hills high-country station near Omarama was a Government owned research facilitybetween 1948 and 2005. Here we present the story of the rise and fall of Tara Hills; turned from a depletedwasteland into the vibrant research centre of the 1980s, it was eventually sold to commercial interests in theearly 2000s. By the early 1980s, Tara Hills had 14 permanent staff and was internationally recognised as amodel for dryland farm development, experimentation and demonstration. However, subsequent changes inemphasis for New Zealand farming resulted in a decline in dryland research and to the inevitable sale of thishigh-country station. We summarise the broad range of research and its outcomes associated with Tara Hills,spanning soils, pasture species, their establishment and production, irrigation, grazing management,animal breeds, animal production and genetics, and farm systems. The changing face of New Zealand’sagricultural research and extension is an integral part of this story.