Farm business and good animal husbandry practice

Animal health and welfare is an integral part of a successful farm business - encouraging greater competitiveness through increased productivity, sustainability and profit.

Good practice in animal husbandry provides optimal guidelines for animal care and management, and has positive flow-on effects on-farm, such as better production, fewer health issues and, therefore, reduced costs.

Achieving good practice will ultimately deliver fewer problems and result in greater efficiency. This should be what every New Zealand dairy farmer strives for. High standards of animal welfare are not only important legally, but also have direct economic benefits and ensure international market access for New Zealand’s animal products.

The Animal Welfare Act 1999 and relevant Codes of Welfare prevent standards falling below the minimum requirements.
However for the farm business to realise its potential, each component of the farm system should be working towards goals that incorporate good practice outcomes for animal welfare.