Agriculture & Pastoral
New Thinking
Farming confronting technical conundrums
AgResearch Pastoral Genomics scientist Michael Dunbier has warned that New Zealand's traditional pasture-based farming system faces a conundrum.
Changing farming climate AgResearch focus
A caravan that measures nitrous oxide emissions, software that helps manage soil nutrients and a full programme of measures to keep lambs alive is to be profiled by AgResearch at the Waimumu Southern Field days.
Soil value could be included in nations' accounts
The first steps have been made in placing a financial value on the soil and services it provides to any given piece of land.
New licensing deal could develop new animal health products
ParaCo Technology Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of AgResearch, has signed an international licensing agreement with leading Belgian Agro-Biotech company deVGen NG to access a range of small molecules that could facilitate development of active ingredients for new animal health products.
Grave time for sheep industry
Sheep farmers seem to have lost some of their nerve and enthusiasm in the wake of two years of low returns, AgResearch chief executive Andrew West says.
Deeper look into animal health targets
Sheep and cattle health are in view at AgResearch as it launches a venture called ParaCo Technologies Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary.
Pushing the boundaries
It may look like a typical Waikato dairy unit. But at the AgResearch farm at Tokanui, 35 kilometres south of Hamilton, they will do much more than milk cows.
Research farm aims to lower carbon emissions
AgResearch hopes to show dairy farmers how to reduce carbon emissions on their farms by experimenting with farm inputs on its new $6.5 million dairy research farm at Tokanui.
Farming below the soil
AgResearch scientists are looking to add soil bioengineering to the list of technologies that are used by pastoral farmers.
Grave time for sheep industry
Sheep farmers seem to have lost some of their nerve and enthusiasm in the wake of two years of low returns, AgResearch chief executive Andrew West says.
New Science
Greenhouse gases measured remotely
AgResearch has come up with a way to measure nitrous oxide emissions from paddocks.
Breakthrough in livestock emissions
After eight years searching, AgResearch scientists have finally made a discovery which will likely lead to a breakthrough in mitigating livestock gas emissions.
GM grass trial aims to cut cows' gas
A plan to grow paddocks of genetically modified grass created to cut the greenhouse gases produced by cows is in the pipeline at Crown-owned company AgResearch.
Scientists discover low-methane sheep
AgResearch scientists have proven not all sheep are created equal, at least when it comes to belching greenhouse gases.
Unique science collaboration in agri-food research
In a collaboration of unparalleled scientific expertise in New Zealand, AgResearch and the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute are seeking to discover how nutrients in food affect animals and humans to improve body composition.
Trouble runs off the farm
A 20-year study by Niwa found waterways flowing through farmland have higher levels of nitrogen and phosphorous than those that flow through unfarmed land.
Software accesses farms' greenhouse gas emissions
Software that enables farmers to estimate their on-farm emissions of greenhouse gases and assists their business in balancing profit and environmental impact was among the technology showcased by AgResearch during National Fieldays.
Automation technology set to boost productivity in meat processing
Industrial Research Limited (IRL) and Millers Mechanical will provide the R&D expertise for the project that is expected to provide significant productivity gains in lamb processing.
Release of bovine genome
AgResearch scientists have played a key role in genetic research that will transform the future selection and breeding of cattle worldwide.
Future-proofing New Zealand’s dairy cows
AgResearch scientists have unlocked the first keys on how to improve New Zealand’s dairy cows’ milk production.
New Value
Genetic tools boost breeding
A raft of new genetic technologies developed by AgResearch in consultation with Deer Industry NZ, will soon be put to use to boost breeding in the New Zealand deer industry.
AgResearch scientist Wins Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr Rex Munday of AgResearch has won this year’s Kudos Award for Lifetime Achievement, which was sponsored by the University of Waikato.
Nitrogen Modelling Wins Scientist Kudos
Agricultural scientist Dr Stewart Ledgard of AgResearch took out the Agricultural Science Award at the Kudos Awards this month for his research and development of the Overseer model.
Take a trip to the future
An Open Day on 20 November at the revolutionary AgResearch Research Dairy Farm at Tokanui will give visitors a glimpse of the future of dairy farming.
Scientist returns after bovine cloning work
AgResearch Scientist Dr Christine Couldrey has led a believed world-first: a successful bovine genome-wide methylation scan.
Lead science provider appointed for Overseer
Owners the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, AgResearch and Fert Research have completed the Government tender process and appointed a lead science provider for the four-year, $4 million programme to develop the Overseer® Nutrients Budget Model.
High-tech trace of wool's origin
AgResearch-developed technology that can prove the origins of New Zealand carpet wool is being used to try to boost record low returns to wool growers.
Facial Eczema DNA test can save dairy industry millions
New Zealand’s leading DNA animal testing service, Genomnz™, a service of AgResearch, is about to launch a DNA testing service for facial eczema (FE) that could save the dairy industry millions of dollars per year.
'Cow bidet' wins 2008 Fieldays award
A drafting and teat spraying system developed by IRL and Rotorua company Technipharm has been awarded Innovation Centre Equipment Entry of the Year at the 2008 Mystery Creek Fieldays.
Unique fabrics showcase NZ agri-science
Project Aho, the premier feature of ‘The Science of Farming’ exhibit at the National Fieldays, is a unique partnership between AgResearch, National Fieldays, University of Waikato and Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu and presents keynote research, ingenuity and clever marketing – all based on the sheep and the possum.
