Agriculture & Pastoral
New Thinking
Getting farm animals through the winter chill
As people hunker down for another cold New Zealand winter, challenging times also lie ahead for animals exposed to the elements out on farms. AgResearch scientists say a wealth of research is now providing a much greater understanding of how the livestock cope with the wintry weather, and what can be done to help manage them through those icy periods.
Huge savings for economy from humble wasp
AgResearch estimates a humble Irish wasp has saved New Zealand almost half a billion dollars
Wool as a `last line of defence’ for armed forces and emergency services
AgResearch scientists have been putting the heat on wool garments to see what level of fire protection they can provide
Novel microbial seed treatments protect wheat seedlings from insect damage
AgResearch scientists are following promising leads to identify effective environmentally benign microbial seed treatments for use by arable farmers
AgResearch to invest $100 million in new science innovation hubs
AgResearch, New Zealand’s largest Crown Research Institute, has today announced a major investment programme that is the largest of its kind in New Zealand agricultural science.
AgResearch thanks partners for DuPont Innovation Award
Boosting milk production major focus of research
New era for wool research
NZWTA acquires Textile Testing Laboratory
AgResearch boss eyes dairy
New Science
Science discovery already returning millions to New Zealand sheep farming
An enormous international effort to map the sheep genome has already had very valuable spin-offs for New Zealand agriculture
AgResearch develops unique biopesticide
AgResearch scientists are working on a chemical-free biopesticide that kills the pasture-munching caterpillars
New research shows oral cattle drench most effective
A new study by AgResearch scientists shows oral cattle drenches are far more effective than the equivalent pour-on or injectable products. In a study soon to be published in the international science journal Veterinary Parasitology, AgResearch scientists Chris Miller and Dave Leathwick measured how effective the same drench active (moxidectin) was when given orally, as a pour-on or as an injectable.
A scientific world first at AgResearch
AgResearch scientists have bred the first cow in the world to produce high protein milk that may be hypo-allergenic.
AgResearch at National Agricultural Fieldays 2012
AgResearch’s role in the changing face of farming is the theme for AgResearch’s stand in the Premier Feature area at this year’s National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek.
Buttercup pest developing resistance to herbicides
Giant buttercup, a damaging European dairy pasture weed that is avoided by cattle due to its acrid taste, is costing New Zealand hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue as dairy farmers battle to control it.
The attractive yellow-flowered weed is developing resistance to modern herbicides, in part due to farm management practice, according to AgResearch scientists.
AgResearch team finds missing link
AgResearch scientists have made a breakthrough proving a long-held hypothesis that white clover originated as a hybrid of other clover ancestors, followed by a chance doubling of the chromosome number to restore fertility.
Bird-deterrent ryegrass
Early settlers rapidly transformed lowland forests with fire
How Snapdragon flowers got their stripes
New Value
NZ to benefit from new science links to China
AgResearch intends to form a joint international research centre with China's largest state-owned food company and largest university research department specialising in food science and nutrition.
New international science links to benefit New Zealand
New relationships forged between AgResearch and key overseas science organisations will provide a host of valuable opportunities for New Zealand
Research to set NZ sheep milk apart
New Zealand's sheep milk industry is set to benefit from ground breaking research by AgResearch
Irish wasp more than match for clover root weevil
The Irish wasp is back to battle the clover root weevil this summer, after a slump in numbers.
Like many farmers in the northern North Island, Mike McKie from Opunaki has been benefiting from plentiful clover in recent years, but is now alarmed at the reappearance of the distinctive feeding notches of the adult clover root weevil and the number of larvae in the soil.
