Science

Bruce Thorrold sees a wave of scientific opportunity on the horizon, with breakthroughs in methane reduction and genetic innovation set to reshape the future of New Zealand dairying.

In this episode, Anne Lee speaks with Dr Bruce Thorrold, DairyNZ’s former Chief Science Adviser, as he reflects on his career and his move into semi-retirement. Bruce shares insights from his recent presentation at the NZ Institute of Rural Professionals conference, describing a “wave of opportunity” ahead for New Zealand dairy through innovations such as methane vaccines, inhibitors, boluses and high-lipid ryegrass.

He highlights that for new technologies to succeed, they must not only work technically but also be underpinned by viable business models and gain acceptance from consumers.

In this episode, Anne Lee speaks to Andrea Dixon, General Manager of the Southern Dairy Hub, and Dawn Dalley, Senior Scientist at DairyNZ. Andrea provides a background on the farm’s history, how it’s set up, what’s on the agenda over the coming season and HubWatch - an easy to access, online way of getting the latest information from the Southern Dairy Hub.

Dawn explains the latest side-by-side herd study which is comparing a “standard herd” run at a 3.1 cows/ha stocking rate with a”future herd” of high genetic merit cows run at a lower stocking rate of 2.9 cows/ha. She gives an update on the first season’s results and shares insights from other studies including research on wintering practices with interesting insights into the importance of soil wetness compared with pugging depth.

In this episode, hear from LeAnne Blakelock - a Taranaki dairy farmer turning a long-standing challenge into a high-value opportunity by launching a rose veal brand from her non-replacement calves.

Drawing on her background in accounting and food production, LeAnne explains how she and husband Ian use targeted genetics and growth programmes to produce high-welfare veal. She also shares insights on calf care, rural mental health, and the need for stronger links between the dairy and beef sectors.

In this episode, Anne Lee chats with Dr John Roche, New Zealand Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser and Chief Departmental Science Adviser at MPI, to mark 100 years of dairy innovation.

From the early days of walk-through sheds to today’s AI-enabled systems, they explore how farmer-led ingenuity, scientific research and trusted rural media like Dairy Exporter have driven progress on pasture-based farms.

Deputy Editor Anne Lee attended the Australasian Dairy Science Symposium in November, and got the chance to talk to some of the researchers speaking at the conference. Hear the latest research in areas like managing heat stress, stacking mitigations to reduce N losses, and getting enough sleep.