All sheep and beef farms in New Zealand are run on low-input pasture grazing systems, sometimes supplemented with hay, silage and fodder cropping. This low-cost system enables New Zealand farmers to supply high-quality pasture-fed meat and wool to world markets at competitive prices.

Resources

• Farm Monitoring Reports
  MPI's Policy Group runs an annual monitoring process to examine the production and financial status of farms in terms of the cash income and expenditure. The information is published in the Farm Monitoring Reports. Trends, issues and sheep and beef sector concerns are also monitored and reported annually.
• Situation and Outlook for New Zealand Agriculture & Forestry (SONZAF)
  MPI's Situation and Outlook for New Zealand Agriculture & Forestry (SONZAF) report provides an annual overview of issues faced by the sheep and beef industry.

Statistics

• Livestock statistics

Overseer

Nutrient budgeting is an important part of good land management. Nutrient budgets are a tool to help understand the environmental impact and sustainability of nutrient use.

OVERSEER® is an agricultural management tool, developed by AgResearch and widely used throughout NZ, that assists in examining nutrient use and movements within a farm to optimise production and environmental outcomes.

Animal Welfare

Codes of Welfare

• Sheep and Beef Cattle
• Dairy Cattle
• Painful Husbandry Procedures

Codes of Recommendations and Minimum Standards

• Animals at Saleyards
• Emergency Slaughter of Farm Livestock
• Sea Transport of Sheep from New Zealand