What&#39;s the situation? 


Emissions intensity in New Zealand agriculture has declined on average by about 1% per year since at least 1990. 


Who is responsible for this? 


New Zealand farmer businesses have become more efficient over the past twenty years. Improved animal genetics and management, combined with better grassland management and feeding practices mean that farmers are using resources more efficiently to increase their outputs. This has happened across all sectors of the pastoral industry. 


What has changed since 2012? 




	
		
			 On-Farm Practices
			 Effect on farm productivity
			Net effect on emissions intensity 
		
	




	
		
			 DAIRY
			 
			 
		
		
			
			
				Consistant supply of high quality feed and increased use of supplements (maize silage, PKE, brassicas)
				Improved pasture mangement, including more targeted use of fertilisers and irrigation
				Continued imporvement in genetic merit of animals through breeding and herd testing
			
			
			
			
				Increased milk yield per cow * and per hectare **
				Actual milk yields are closer to the genetic potential of cows
			
			
			
			
				Greaster proportion of feed going into milk production, rather than maintenance 
			
			
		
		
			BEEF
			 
			 
		
		
			
			
				More finishing cattle and reduction in the breeding cow herd
				Increased use of dairy origin livestock for beef finishing
				Better feeding and management of animals
			
			
			
			
				Faster growth rates
				Increased weight of finished animals
				Increased kg meat/ha
			
			
			
			
				Greater proportion of feed going into meat production rather than maintenance
			
			
		
		
			 SHEEP
			 
			 
		
		
			
			
				Increased genetic merit of sheep for growth and reproduction, and increased use of pregnancy scanning
				Increased hogget mating
				Improved pasture production and quality, resulting in faster growth
				Optimised stocking rate to fit pasture growth
			
			
			
			
				 Increased lamb weights at slaughter
				Increased kg meat/ha
				Increased lambing percentage - greater number of offspring per ewe carried
			
			
			
			
				 Reduced ewe population needed to produce equivalnet amount of lamb meat at slaughter
			
			
		
		
			 DEER
			 
			 
		
		
			
			
				 Increased carcass weights
				Shorter time to slaughter
			
			
			
			
				 Increased weight of finished animals and kg meat/ha
			
			
			
			
				Greater proportion of feed going into meat production rather than maintenance 
			
			
		
	


* kg MS/cow ** kg MS/ha