Farm Tech

Research & Development & Transfer

The goal of Meat & Wool Innovation’s Research & Development & Transfer programme is to provide information and technology to sheep, beef and goat farmers to promote an annual income gain of 3 per cent.

Research & Development

Each year some 35 R&D projects are facilitated and funded by Meat & Wool Innovation (to a total of around $2m) with AgResearch, Lincoln University, Massey University, Otago University Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand and other research providers.

Many of the projects are co-funded by the Foundation for Research, Science & Technology (FoRST), and other funding agencies. This approach of co-operation and partnership ensures that our R&D investment is focused and beneficial to the industry.

R&D projects are organised into the following programmes:

• Animal health and welfare
• High performance sheep systems
• Innovative products
• Sustainability
• Wool quality and market access

Research principles

Priorities for R&D investment are set through consultation with farmers, researchers, consultants and veterinarians as well as the processing sectors of the wool industry. These priorities have been defined as measurable production and profit outcome statements.

Getting useful information and technology from R&D programmes out to farmers is a high priority for Meat & Wool Innovation. Our field staff liaise with researchers, the media and farm servicing groups as part of a comprehensive extension strategy. A range of Meat & Wool Innovationpublications reinforces this approach.

Technology Transfer

Transfer activities are co-ordinated among Meat & Wool Innovation Sheep Production Officers and other farm servicing groups including consultants, scientists, and veterinarians.

Farmer networks are an important part of transfer activities;
these include:
Monitor Farms (contact – Richard Gavigan richard.gavigan@mwi.co.nz) and the
New Zealand Sheep Council (contact – Alan Marshall alan.marshall@mwi.co.nz)