<p>
New Zealand farmers are already contributing to lowering&nbsp;New Zealand&#39;s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
</p>
<p class="h7">
The emissions intensity of New Zealand agriculture has declined on average by 1% per &nbsp;year since at least 1990.
</p>
<p>
<span class="h5">How?</span><span class="h5 h5">&nbsp;</span>
</p>
<p>
Farm businesses have become more efficient over the past 25 years.&nbsp; Things like improved animal genetics and management, combined with better&nbsp;grassland management and feeding practices mean that farms are using resources more efficiently to increase their outputs.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</p>
<p>
This has&nbsp;happened across all sectors of the pastoral industry.
</p>
<p>
<span class="h5">What&#39;s changed&nbsp;since&nbsp;1990? What has been the effect on productivity? What is the effect on emissions?</span>
</p>
<p>
<span class="h6">Dairy</span><span class="h6 h6">&nbsp;</span>
</p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" width="100%">
	<tbody>
		<tr valign="top">
			<td width="33%"><strong>On&nbsp;farm practice</strong></td>
			<td width="33%"><strong>Effect on farm productivity</strong></td>
			<td width="33%"><strong>Effect on emissions intensity (net)</strong></td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="top">
			<td>
			<p>
			Consistent supply of high quality feed
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Use of supplementary feed (e.g. maize silage, PKE, brassicas)
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Targeted use of fertilisers and irrigation in pasture management
			strategies&nbsp;&nbsp;	
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Breeding and herd testing for animals with improved genetic merit
			</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p>
			Increased milk yield per cow (kg MS/cow)
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Increased milk&nbsp;yield per hectare (kg MS/ha)&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			* Milk yield is closer to genetic potential of&nbsp;the cow&nbsp;*
			</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p>
			Lower 
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			*&nbsp;A greater proportion of feed going to production rather than maintenance *
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="top">
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
&nbsp;
</p>
<p class="h6">
Beef
</p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" width="100%">
	<tbody>
		<tr valign="top">
			<td width="33%"><strong>On&nbsp;farm practice</strong></td>
			<td width="33%"><strong>Effect on farm productivity</strong></td>
			<td width="33%"><strong>Effect on emissions intensity (net)</strong></td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="top">
			<td>
			<p>
			Reduction in breeding herd numbers
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Increased number of finishing cattle -&nbsp;use of dairy origin&nbsp;animals for&nbsp;finishing&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Feed management strategies
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Pasture management strategies&nbsp;
			</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p>
			Faster growth rates
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Increased finished weight of animal
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Increased meat yield per hectare (kg&nbsp;meat/ha)&nbsp;
			</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p>
			Lower 			 
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			*&nbsp;A greater proportion of feed going to production rather than maintenance *			 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p class="h6">
&nbsp;
</p>
<p class="h6">
Sheep
</p>
&lt;
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" width="100%">
	<tbody>
		<tr valign="top">
			<td width="33%"><strong>On&nbsp;farm practice</strong></td>
			<td width="33%"><strong>Effect on farm productivity</strong></td>
			<td width="33%"><strong>Effect on emissions intensity (net)</strong></td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="top">
			<td>
			<p>
			Breeding and flock testing for animals with improved genetic merit (gorwth, reproduction)
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Use of pregnancy scanning
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Hogget mating
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Pasture management (growth quality)
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Optimisation of stock numbers&nbsp;to pasture growth
			</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p>
			Increased lambing percentage&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Increased number of offspring per ewe
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Increased&nbsp;finished&nbsp;weight of animal&nbsp;(lamb)
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Increased meat yield per hectare (kg&nbsp;meat/ha)&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p>
			Lower 			 
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			*&nbsp;Lower ewe population needed to produce equivalent lamb meat *			 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p class="h6">
&nbsp;
</p>
<p class="h6">
Deer
</p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="10" width="100%">
	<tbody>
		<tr valign="top">
			<td width="33%"><strong>On&nbsp;farm practice</strong></td>
			<td width="33%"><strong>Effect on farm productivity</strong></td>
			<td width="33%"><strong>Effect on emissions intensity (net)</strong></td>
		</tr>
		<tr valign="top">
			<td>
			<p>
			Increased carcass weight
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Shorter finish time&nbsp;
			</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p>
			Increased&nbsp;finished&nbsp;weight of animal&nbsp;(venison)
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			Increased meat yield per hectare (kg&nbsp;meat/ha)&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			</td>
			<td>
			<p>
			Lower 			 
			</p>
			<p>
			&nbsp;
			</p>
			<p>
			*&nbsp;A greater proportion of feed going to production rather than maintenance *	
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p class="h6">
<br />
<span class="h5">What else can farmers do now?</span><span class="h5 h5">&nbsp;</span>
</p>
<p>
At this point,&nbsp;keeping on with getting the most out of your farm through improving herd genetics, and&nbsp;managing pasture and feed options is the best option for contributing to lowering New Zealand&#39;s greenhouse gas emissions. 
</p>
<p>
You can get a farm level report of your GHG emissions on farm when you have your farm analysed by Overseer<sup>TM</sup>,&nbsp;the nutrient budgeting tool to learn more about how your on farm&nbsp;decision making has a direct impact on emissions.
</p>
<p>
The NZAGRC is funding research on the impacts of farm management on emissions.&nbsp; <strong>Read more</strong>
</p>
<p class="h5">
Any questions?&nbsp;
</p>
<p>
The NZAGRC maintains a <strong>Q&amp;A page</strong> of some of the most commonly asked questions.&nbsp; If you have a question, please <strong>ask us</strong>.&nbsp; 
</p>
<p>
<strong>Sign up</strong> to our newsletter to stay updated on the latest research and on farm practice updates. 
</p>
