New Zealand farmers are already contributing to lowering New Zealand&#39;s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.


The emissions intensity of New Zealand agriculture has declined on average by 1% per  year since at least 1990.


How? 


Farm businesses have become more efficient over the past 25 years.  Things like improved animal genetics and management, combined with better grassland management and feeding practices mean that farms are using resources more efficiently to increase their outputs.  


This has happened across all sectors of the pastoral industry.


What&#39;s changed since 1990? 


Dairy 


	
		
			On farm practice
			Effect on farm productivity
			Effect on emissions intensity (net)
		
		
			
			
			Consistent supply of high quality feed
			
			
			 
			
			
			Use of supplementary feed (e.g. maize silage, PKE, brassicas)
			
			
			 
			
			
			Targeted use of fertilisers and irrigation in pasture management
			strategies  	
			
			
			 
			
			
			Breeding and herd testing for animals with improved genetic merit
			
			
			
			
			Increased milk yield per cow (kg MS/cow)
			
			
			 
			
			
			Increased milk yield per hectare (kg MS/ha) 
			
			
			 
			
			
			* Milk yield is closer to genetic potential of the cow *
			
			
			
			
			Lower 
			
			
			 
			
			
			* A greater proportion of feed going to production rather than maintenance *
			
			
		
		
		
	


 


Beef


	
		
			On farm practice
			Effect on farm productivity
			Effect on emissions intensity (net)
		
		
			
			
			Reduction in breeding herd numbers
			
			
			 
			
			
			Increased number of finishing cattle - use of dairy origin animals for finishing 
			
			
			 
			
			
			Feed management strategies
			
			
			 
			
			
			Pasture management strategies 
			
			
			
			
			Faster growth rates
			
			
			 
			
			
			Increased finished weight of animal
			
			
			 
			
			
			Increased meat yield per hectare (kg meat/ha) 
			
			
			
			
			Lower 			 
			
			
			 			 
			
			
			* A greater proportion of feed going to production rather than maintenance *			 
			
			
		
	


 


Sheep

<

	
		
			On farm practice
			Effect on farm productivity
			Effect on emissions intensity (net)
		
		
			
			
			Breeding and flock testing for animals with improved genetic merit (gorwth, reproduction)
			
			
			 
			
			
			Use of pregnancy scanning
			
			
			 
			
			
			Hogget mating
			
			
			 
			
			
			Pasture management (growth quality)
			
			
			 
			
			
			Optimisation of stock numbers to pasture growth
			
			
			
			
			Increased lambing percentage 
			
			
			 
			
			
			Increased number of offspring per ewe
			
			
			 
			
			
			Increased finished weight of animal (lamb)
			
			
			  
			
			
			Increased meat yield per hectare (kg meat/ha) 
			
			
			 
			
			
			
			
			Lower 			 
			
			
			 			 
			
			
			* Lower ewe population needed to produce equivalent lamb meat *			 
			
			
		
	


 


Deer


	
		
			On farm practice
			Effect on farm productivity
			Effect on emissions intensity (net)
		
		
			
			
			Increased carcass weight
			
			
			 
			
			
			Shorter finish time 
			
			
			
			
			Increased finished weight of animal (venison)
			
			
			  
			
			
			Increased meat yield per hectare (kg meat/ha) 
			
			
			 
			
			
			
			
			Lower 			 
			
			
			 			 
			
			
			* A greater proportion of feed going to production rather than maintenance *