Genetic variant reduces cows' excretion of nitrogen

Federated Farmers dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard has praised Hamilton company CRV Ambreed. Photo / Supplied

Federated Farmers has congratulated Hamilton company CRV Ambreed around its work in identifying a genetic variant which reduces nitrogen excreted in the urine of cows.

''This on its own isn't some magic bullet that will solve everything, but it is another tool in the toolbox that farmers can use in those catchments that have an issue with too much nitrogen in waterways,'' Federated Farmers dairy chairman Andrew Hoggard said.

The major challenge New Zealand dairy farmers faced was that most of the nitrogen lost on farm was from urine patches.

CRV Ambreed's work was not the only new science development helping farmers improve their impact on the environment, Mr Hoggard said.

Added to the work on the cow itself, work was going on with pastures that would need less moisture to grow, and again when ingested by the cow would not create as much nitrogen in urine.

Precision agriculture also held much promise in reducing environmental impacts, he said.

Extension work was ongoing in many catchments to help farmers optimise their farm systems to leach less and make more profit.

The dairy sector was moving ahead in using science to ensure it could maintain its ''vital'' role in the economy but to also reduce the impact it was having on the environment. The solution was more science, he said.