By PHILIPPA STEVENSON agriculture editor
A dairy industry biotechnology enterprise will aim for genetic discoveries in milk production, animal health and added-value milk products.
A joint venture between Fonterra subsidiary ViaLactia Biosciences and farmer co-operative Livestock Improvement, boviQuest, will have $60 million of the $150 million the dairy industry has committed to
biotechnology over five years.
Denis Jury, boviQuest product and business development manager, said the joint venture would use genomic science to enhance the production and composition of milk, and look at animal health issues.
The goal would be to customise milk sourced from easy-care cows.
No genetic engineering of dairy cows was being done now but boviQuest was "extremely positive" about biotechnology opportunities for the dairy industry, including GE.
"boviQuest is also involved in gene discovery. Once we've clearly determined the benefits these discoveries offer farmers, we'll select suitable organisations to commercialise the testing for these genes so these benefits can be passed on to farmers," Jury said.
Two genes already identified affected production of milkfat, protein and milk volumes, and tests had been developed to allow farmers to select for these characteristics.
A New Zealand licence-holder of the technology would be announcing its commercialisation within weeks, and international licensees were being sought.
