The dairy industry in New Zealand plays a large part in our economy contributing 25% of total merchandise export earnings. It is the biggest export earner and is a well-known and reputable industry with a thrilling future. New Zealand’s all-grass farming system, large-scale processing, high research and development investment and creative marketing make it a world class outfit.

This industry has been incredibly successful at varying and branching out with both its products and the number of markets it exports to. The product range from top quality goods such as milk powders, butter and cheese through to specialty foods like infant formula milk powders with very specialised ingredients like spray-dried milk proteins, active pharmaceutical lactose, protein hydrolysates and freeze-dried biologically active proteins. Alongside this, growing trends in the industry include new functional foods such as low-fat, high calcium and protein milk. Biomedical and bio health products are also developing trends in the industry.

Over the last five years the industry in New Zealand has grown substantially. There is always strong supply and demand for dairy cows for sale as cow and heifer numbers have increased by about 10% during this time and the growth does not look close to dissipating. This expansion has occurred because other agricultural divisions have shifted land out of these areas and into dairying or dairy support. Read the rest of this entry »

Friesian cattle, often referred to as Holstein or Holstein-Friesian, are the most common cow found on New Zealand dairy farms; renowned for their superior productive capacities. Their origins are linked to North Holland where they were the regional cattle dating back over 2000 years ago. The breed was developed and bred with the aim of increasing the output that the cattle produced, maximising the benefit of an abundant supply of grass. As time has passed, Friesian cows have developed their characteristic black and white appearance due to the artificial selection of breeders; a sign that is associated with high production dairy cows throughout the world.

Friesian cattle are distinctive in their appearance, being a large animal with distinguishing black and white colourations over the entire body; others white with red patches. Calves generally weigh between 40 and 45 kg at birth; although much larger have been recorded. On average, a fully grown Friesian cow will stand approximately 1.48 metres tall and weigh in the vicinity of 550 to 600 kilograms.

The New Zealand dairy industry is world leading in respect to the quality of product and the production levels that the farming operations within the industry are able to achieve. Being a leader in innovative technologies, management processes and productive additives to the farming production cycle, the basis of much of the increases in output is down to the breed of the cow. Over 40% of cows utilised in New Zealand dairy operations are Friesian, contributing significantly to the productive capacities as a result of their innate ability for increased production, as well as their positive response to external inputs in the farming environment. Read the rest of this entry »