A network of ruminant nutritionists - enabling exchange of ideas and experience among professionals, to understand and improve health and productivity of ruminant livestock.
A network of ruminant nutritionists - enabling exchange of ideas and experience among professionals, to understand and improve health and productivity of ruminant livestock.
Knowledge base...
Members
GHG, Nutrients and Economics, A Modelling Exercise. Offering Alternative Strategies, Helwi Tacoma
Helwi presented a piece of work he has been a part of that used modelling to look into environmental impact of grazing dairy systems and their profitability across a number of different scenarios. The same farm parameters were used for
Fonterra’s Co-Operative Difference Overview (animal aspects), Michael Shallcrass
This presentation by Michael Shallcrass gives a comprehensive yet succinct explanation of the Co-Operative Difference, a framework on which producers are incentivised to manage environmental, social and governance standards in line with Co-operative expectations. Of interest to members of the
Lamb rearing in dairy sheep systems. Sue McCoard
Sue talks about the importance of good lamb rearing and its effects on lifetime performance of the lamb. This is a multi-factorial approach involving genetics, environment and people and discusses the year-round feeding program in a range of farming systems.
The sheep dairy industry and nutrition and management of dairy ewes, Sam Peterson
Sam Peterson has been involved in the NZ milking sheep industry for many years and through his involvement at Massey University. Sam provides some history as to where the industry has come from and the rapid growth we have seen
Can we have our cake and eat it too? – Designing systems that meet multiple bottom lines. Ian Williams
Nutrition is just one component of the wider farm system. Ian Williams provided a ‘big picture’ view of on-farm requirements around environmental requirements. The importance of profit remains central to all farm businesses when systems change to address future legislative
Management for improved fertility and lifetime productivity in grazing dairy cows: latest NZ research – Claire Phyn, Dairy NZ
Claire Phyn, senior scientist at DairyNZ presented about an 8 year research programme funded by MBIE and NZ dairy farmers through DairyNZ Inc. It aimed to provide management and genetic solutions to improve cow health, fertility and longevity. Claire reported about 1. Effect of
Interpretation of blood and liver macro mineral results. How useful for nutritionists? Richard Laven SoVS, Massey University
Interpretation of blood and liver results.
Ketosis is the Response, not the route cause
Ketosis is a metabolic challenge that can occur for a number of reasons. Ian Sawyer lead a detailed discussion on these metabolic changes that occur over the transition period, how ketosis can be an outcome and how to mitigate ketosis.
MPI Updates Regarding Winter Cropping, Penny Timmer-Arends and Amanda Turner
MPI winter cropping update
Sustainability of Winter Cropping and Cropping Techniques, Wayne Nichol
Emerging sustainable options for winter cropping
NZARN news...
OverseerFM – What is new, and the path ahead Alastair Taylor, Overseer Ltd.
OverseerFM is an online software that connects farmers to science to support sustainable farm businesses that protect the environment. OverseerFM is built on 30 years of science. The OverseerFM model has been updated to make nutrient budgeting more user friendly,
Nitrogen and Feeds – David Pacheco, AgResearch
Farmers use Nitrogen (N) to increase forage yields and increase profitability, however, there has been increasing requirements to minimise environmental impact and for this reason N use on farms is under scrutiny. N that is not used in an animal
Enteric Methane and Feeds – Arjan Jonker, AgResearch
Methane (CH4) is mainly formed in the rumen (87-92%) by methanogens which utilise microbially hydrogen produced in the rumen during fermentation of ingested feed. CH4 from animals is measured via gas exchange using flux methods like respiration chambers and marker methods
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