Ag&Ed

Volume 121 I September 5th, 2022 I email:agined@agrihq.co.nz I www.farmersweekly.co.nz/agined

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DO COWS' PERSONALITIES AFFECT DAIRY PRODUCTIVITY?

A recent study by DairyNZ and AgResearch has been published. It investigated whether personality traits of pasture-based dairy cattle are associated with daily behavioural patterns and milk production. To find out more head to: https://www.farmersweekly. co.nz/cow-personalities-affect-productivity/?utm_ source=GlobalHQ&utm_campaign=46d9eb089d-EMAIL_ CAMPAIGN_7_18_2022_16_27&utm_medium=email&utm_ term=0_4f497899e6-46d9eb089d-82897495 1. Why is this seen as an exciting step for animal welfare experts? 2. How many cows were studied? How long was the study carried out for?

STRETCH YOURSELF:

1. What breed of cows were studied?

Do you think that the results may have been different if another breed was studied? e.g. Jersey or Friesian? 2. How were the personality traits of the cows measured? 3. What other aspects were studied? 4. This study is seen as a “first” in its field as it recognises cows as sentient beings with individual behaviours. Do you think this thinking is new to most dairy farmers? Why or why not? 5. What was the hypothesis of this study?

Was the hypothesis confirmed or dispelled? 6. Do you think that studies like this are useful? Should there be more studies like this carried out on a greater scale?

Why or why not?

MUTTON DRESSED AS LAMB?

It is that time of year when a good number of spring lambs are on the ground and most of last year’s lambs are in limbo with some still being classified as lambs while others graduate as they lose their baby teeth and replace them with two permanent incisors.

1. Once they have cut these incisors what are they known as? 2. What is another term commonly used for them? Are these terms interchangeable or is there a difference? 3. When do they then become mutton? 4. Why do lambs lose value once they cut their teeth? 5. On a purely culinary level - what are the differences between lamb and mutton?

Proposed new welfare codes for pork are seen as unworkable by the bulk of the NZ pork sector.

Do some research and find/read the draft code of welfare for pigs by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC). Then head to

https://www.farmersweekly.co.nz/ pork-sector-releases-plans-of-its-

own/ to read the alternative proposals made by NZ Pork who have worked to find options that are workable on farm. 1. Why does NZ Pork consider the original draft untenable and that it would have negative animal welfare outcomes? 2. Why do they think that their proposals will have better outcomes? 3. What are the main differences between each group’s proposals? 4. If NZ Pork proposals are adopted where would that leave NZ standards in comparison to international standards? 5. Are these standards high enough or do we need to make other changes? If so, what do you think these need to be? With the very real threat of foot and mouth disease literally as close as someone’s footprint on farm or even in the bush after travelling from an infected country. Liz Shackleton, Biosecurity Manager for DairyNZ, talks about the level of risk, who is involved, and shares some tips for farmers on what to look for and what to do.

Listen at https://www.listennotes.

com/podcasts/talking-dairy/ take-action-against-foot-and0rXguFUQNyC/

1. What is the most important thing that travellers can do to stop the spread of foot and mouth? 2. What would it mean to our food and fibre industries if foot and mouth made its way to NZ shores?

At the end of July Damien O’Conner (Minister of Agriculture) talked about NZ’s biosecurity systems and the threat that foot and mouth poses if it reached our shores.

Follow this link to watch the video https://www.

nzherald.co.nz/the-country/video/focus-ministerof-agriculture-on-foot-and-mouth-disease/ ZAVV6HO64EFOWB5NWCCJYHP7LY/

1. What steps have been taken to minimise the risk of foot and mouth disease reaching NZ 2. The government has made further investments in biosecurity. How much more has been invested?

How much of this has been used for diagnostic, surveillance and investigative capabilities? 3. Is the government doing enough? 4. Mr O’Connor refers to a public awareness campaign that has been undertaken recently that was intended to target all New Zealanders. Have you or your family seen or heard of this campaign and its intended messages? Do you think it has reached or is reaching enough Kiwi’s for there to be a good understanding of the risk to our country’s primary industries? If not, what do you think needs to be done now?