Prime Minister ready to tackle dairy challenges in major India mission, smart collars offer farmers new tool in facial eczema battle, and new survey shows deer farmers are cautiously optimistic.

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Prime Minister ready to tackle dairy challenges in major India mission

Dairy farmers will be watching closely as Prime Minister Christopher Luxon heads to India next week on a major trade mission. The four-day trip represents one of the largest prime ministerial delegations ever sent to the world's most populous country, with dairy issues expected to remain a significant obstacle to trade advancement.

India's dairy industry, dominated by small-scale rural farmers, has historically feared disruption from New Zealand producers. These concerns stalled previous trade negotiations between 2011 and 2015, with many Indian dairy stakeholders remaining resistant to opening their markets to New Zealand imports. Luxon acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying dairy will be a very difficult part of the conversation and very tough, but dismissed the idea of abandoning efforts with a nation on track to become the world's third-largest economy by 2030.

The Prime Minister signaled a potential shift in approach from previous governments, suggesting he might consider a dairy-free trade deal similar to Australia's "early harvest" agreement. This marks a departure from the former Labour government's position that a deal excluding dairy would not be worthwhile pursuing. Currently, just 1.5 percent of New Zealand exports go to India despite its rapidly rising middle class creating substantial market opportunities.

Beyond trade, the four-day visit to Delhi and Mumbai will include security discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Luxon set to deliver the inaugural address at India's premier defense and security dialogue.

 

Smart collars offer farmers new tool in facial eczema battle

 

Sheep farmers could soon have a new weapon against facial eczema with research showing wearable technology can detect early signs of the disease before visible symptoms appear. The Beef + Lamb New Zealand supported programme has confirmed accelerometer sensors attached to collars can effectively monitor sheep behavior patterns that may indicate health issues.

Senior AgResearch scientist Dr Karin Schütz says the technology allows continuous 24/7 monitoring without human presence, making it particularly valuable for extensively managed livestock. The collars track behaviors like grazing, ruminating and resting, with changes potentially providing early warning signs for conditions like facial eczema, lameness and gastrointestinal parasites. By identifying subtle behavioral shifts such as head shaking or avoiding sunlight, farmers could implement intervention strategies before livestock show visible symptoms.

The research conducted at AgResearch's Hamilton farm in November 2024 used Romney type ewes wearing specially designed collars developed by PhD student Bryan Thompson. Weighing just 230-250g with 23mm wide webbing, the collars proved practical for extended use without causing irritation or getting caught on farm infrastructure. Dr Schütz confirmed the sheep adapted quickly with minimal stress during fitting.

B+LNZ Senior Scientist Dr Mhairi Sutherland believes this technology could become a practical tool for farmers to manage disease risk, particularly in warmer and more humid regions where facial eczema is prevalent.

 

New survey shows deer farmers are cautiously optimistic

Deer farmers are showing signs of cautious optimism with a modest firming of herd numbers, according to results from a comprehensive industry survey. The Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) study, which gathered feedback from 144 randomly selected farmers across the country, provides new insight into the current state and future direction of the sector.

DINZ Policy and Research Manager Emil Murphy says the survey has helped explain why 19,000 fewer animals were processed than projected at the end of last year. While both stag and hind processing numbers have fallen, the rate of decline for hinds has been notably faster. This reduction, combined with feedback from Advance Party groups, NZDFA branch chairs and deer agents, points to farmers retaining more breeding stock - a positive indicator for the industry's future.

The survey revealed significant diversity across deer operations, with the average farm stocking around 350 deer. Approximately three-quarters of deer farms also run other livestock species, fewer than previously thought. Notably, younger farmers and those who have been in the industry less than a decade showed greater willingness to increase deer numbers, alongside larger-scale operations. These same farmers demonstrated more openness to adopting new regulations and practices, including integrated farm planning.

Smaller-scale farmers and long-time deer farmers expressed more caution about the future, with retirement planning influencing some decisions to reduce herd sizes. Murphy notes that retirement intentions are likely affected by frustration with changing environmental regulations and compliance burdens across the livestock sector.

 

Rangitikei farmer jailed for severe animal welfare breaches

A Rangitikei farmer has been sentenced to 28 months in prison and received an indefinite ban from being in charge of farm animals after failing to prevent the deaths of numerous sheep and lambs. Peter James Valentine was convicted on 12 animal welfare charges in the Taihape District Court, including three counts of wilful ill treatment – the most serious offence under the Animal Welfare Act.

MPI inspectors discovered a widespread pattern of neglect across Valentine's six hill country properties, which span approximately 2,360 hectares. Initial inspections revealed 24 dead lambs and three others requiring euthanasia, with the remaining 173 lambs suffering from parasites, flystrike and severe emaciation. Despite Valentine's claims of recent drenching, post-mortem examinations confirmed most deaths resulted from untreated gastrointestinal parasitism.

MPI regional manager Animal Welfare and NAIT Compliance Gray Harrison says Valentine repeatedly failed to follow official directives to improve animal care. Follow-up inspections found little action had been taken despite written warnings, with inspectors discovering another 18 dead sheep and four requiring euthanasia due to severe flystrike. A separate inspection later uncovered 57 recently dead lambs from nutritional deficiencies and parasite infestations.

The court ordered Valentine to pay $10,710 in costs for veterinary services and mustering fees in addition to his prison sentence.

 

Golden Shears champ continues winning streak in Kumeu and Palmerston North

Newly crowned Golden Shears Open champion Toa Henderson has continued his winning form with a commanding weekend double, taking out both the Kumeu Show Open final and the New Zealand Rural Games Speed Shear. The Kaiwaka shearer proved his Golden Shears victory was no fluke with these back-to-back performances.

At Saturday's Kumeu Show, Henderson successfully defended his title by shearing 20 sheep in 16 minutes and 2 seconds, edging out Te Kuiti's Jack Fagan by a narrow margin of 2.88 points. Henderson combined speed with quality, recording the second-best quality points of the six-man final. Mark Grainger from Te Kuiti achieved the best quality score but finished last in time, placing him fourth overall, while Whanganui's Simon Goss took third.

The dominance of Northland shearers extended beyond Henderson, with Ruawai's Tommy Stevenson winning the Senior final ahead of Golden Shears Senior champion Bruce Grace who placed fifth. Henderson's nephew Hamuera added to the family success by taking out the Intermediate title after his fifth placing at Masterton a week earlier.

Henderson completed his perfect weekend on Sunday at Palmerston North's Square, where he again bested Jack Fagan in the Rural Games Speed Shear final. The Golden Shears champion sheared two sheep in 42.86 seconds, narrowly defeating Fagan's 43.6 seconds. The victory was particularly impressive as Fagan had earlier qualified fastest with a blistering 17.4 seconds for a single sheep in their semi-final meeting.

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