A new $25.68 million innovation programme for New Zealand’s dairy industry will drive improvements in the health and wellbeing of the national dairy herd and a step-change in sustainable milk production.

AB technicians are safer onfarm after a national safety campaign to improve their work environments.

Northland farmer Ken Hames has been elected to the Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) board.

A “one of a kind” Jersey bull, Okura Integrity, has been inducted into the LIC Hall of Fame.

LIC has spent $1 million to revamp its semen processing centre in the Manawatu.

More dairy farmers are opting for artificial breeding (AB), boosting sales for LIC.

A field trial using frozen sexed semen didn’t produce the desired results, says LIC.

LIC chief executive Wayne McNee says the co-op remains well placed in the face of mergers of global dairy genetics and herd improvement companies.

The farmer-owned co-op LIC says the $20 million cost to transform the business has been money well spent.

The future growth and sustainability of the New Zealand dairy industry will be underpinned by innovation and investment in research and development (R&D).