The selection goal of the New Zealand dairy industry National Breeding Objective (NBO) is to identify animals whose progeny will be the most efficient converters of feed into farmer profit. Desired traits and their relative importance in the form of an economic value are combined to produce an index known as Breeding Worth (BW). This provides a method of ranking bulls and cows on their expected ability to breed replacements which will fulfill the national objective. This study sought to challenge some of the assumptions in the current index and investigates the value of an extra lactation and the value of liveweight in the NZ dairy herd using economic models. The models were informed by industry data for both economic and farm systems analysis.
A study of traits other than production in the New Zealand dairy industry National Breeding Objective
Executive Summary
Download and read the full report here:
Grow. Advance. Lead.
Do the Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme.
More Kellogg reports:
Opportunities and Challenges for the Future of Arable Farming in Canterbury
This report aims to provide insight from a grower’s perspective on the opportunities and challenges of arable farming in Canterbury for the future.
Read More →
Competition vs Collaboration: A Balancing Act for Success
This report by Tim Waehling shows how East Coast maize grain growers can boost resilience and profitability by building collaborative networks to overcome costs and ...
Read More →
How do we fund the next phase?
Access to capital is constraining the sector's sustainability, productivity, and transition to the next generation of farmers.
Read More →


