Dairy farmers welcome NZ’s revised 2050 methane target
The Government's revised 2050 biogenic methane target range of 14-24% by 2050 is being welcomed by dairy farmers.
Farmers in Australia are experimenting with adding seaweed to cattle feed in order to stop cows producing as much methane.
Methane — which is nearly 30 times stronger than carbon dioxide — is a gas produced by cows that is known to be harmful to the planet.
Scientists from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have created an additive made from red seaweed, known as FutureFeed.
Adding just a small amount of FutureFeed to the cow’s food is estimated to reduce methane production by as much as 80%.
The red seaweed grows naturally in the waters of Australia and is also now being farmed in a number of other countries.
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.
The black and white coat of Holstein- Friesian cows is globally recognised as a symbol of dairy farming and a defining trait of domestic cattle. But until recently, scientists didn’t know which genes were responsible for the Holstein’s spots.
According to the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2024/25 report, New Zealand dairy farmers are achieving more with fewer cows.