Research
CRV invests in research to ensure New Zealand farmers have access to genetic solutions, enabling them to build healthier and more efficient herds. Innovation in genetics will help the sector:
As a global company CRV has access to research worldwide.
For many years, CRV has provided farmers with a choice of sires that perform not only in terms of production, but also from a broader health and sustainability perspective.
Our investment in research and development is ongoing, with at least 20 per cent of our revenue each year dedicated to finding innovative genetic solutions for New Zealand farmers.
Globally, CRV was the first cattle improvement organisation in the world to start large-scale measurement of the feed intake of dairy cows on working farms.
Targeted breeding still has huge potential to improve the feed efficiency performance of cows.
Recent research includes:
Genetics has been identified as a means of building a long-term solution to climate change,” says Smallwood. “As an industry, if cow numbers are reduced farmers will need to improve efficiency per cow to ensure farming remains sustainable, both environmentally and economically
A possible link between a bulls’ genetics and the amount of methane they produce is being investigated. If successful farmers will be able to breed cows that burp less methane per kg of feed eaten.
Genetics will play a key role in helping farmers achieve a premium for their milk as part of Fonterra’s new Cooperative Difference Programme.
