Milk processors and emissions
OPINION: Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – especially scope 3 emissions that occur on the farm – has been on the agenda of leading dairy companies for many years.
New research headed by Lincoln University finds that delaying when animals are fed means they will urinate at night in colder temperatures.
The cooler temperatures mean less nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas, is produced from the nitrogen in the urine.
Co-author Dr Jim Gibbs, senior lecturer at Lincoln University in livestock health and production, said understanding the relationship between time of feeding and subsequent nitrogen excretion may lead to better farm management strategies to reduce greenhouse gas output.
"Animals fed in both the morning and afternoon excreted approximately 60% of their urine volume and total urea within 12 hours of being offered fresh feed.
"This work sugegests that shifting animals to new pasture late afternoon would result in more urinary notrogen being deposited at night when lower ambient temperatures should lead to reduced volatisation and lower N2O production."
"This is good news for the dairy industry, as South Island farmers already use evening shifts for fresh feed, to better judge pasture use in daylight hours. This work shows the value of evaluating management of the whole production system to improve farming outcomes."
The work was funded by the Ministry of Primary Industries Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change (SLMACC) Fund.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.