Make vets part of your management team
Farmers are being urged to make their veterinarians an integral part of their farm management team.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy says he had always intended to "fast-track" some of the new animal welfare regulations on the treatment of bobby calves.
These regulations will come into force in time for spring calving this August. Initial drafts have been the subject of nationwide public consultation meetings, along with other proposed changes to animal welfare laws.
Rules in force from August will require bobby calves be four days old before being trucked, and no journey may exceed 12 hours. The rules will prohibit young calves being shipped across Cook Strait and being killed by 'blunt' force unless in an emergency.
Guy says by February 2017 calves will have to be fed at least once in the 24-hours prior to slaughter, and the new rules will mandate shelter for calves and proper loading and unloading roadside facilities.
Guy has announced the new regulations now to give farmers time to comply by August, but he says none will be a surprise to farmers.
"This brings more transparency into the system and farmers realise consumers are demanding more of this inside the farmgate; it's an opportunity for farmers to respond accordingly. The great majority of farmers are already adhering to this, but it will be a bit tougher on the odd scallywag -- not a bad thing."
The new regulations are among work by the government and the industry to ensure bobby calf best practice, Guy says.
"They also provide MPI with a wider set of compliance tools including the ability to impose direct fines for lower level offending, and a wider set of offences to undertake formal prosecutions against."
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.