The Country: The chief executive of Dairy NZ looks at some of the good news stories coming from our biggest export earner and agrees the industry needs to address the question of capping cow numbers.
The dairy industry has come under fire recently with the release of a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions report that suggests reducing pastural livestock numbers by up to 35 per cent by 2100.
DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says that the industry is working toward reducing nitrogen emissionsthrough breeding it out of the animal. He refers to this as "embedded technology".
Another way of making a difference is through genetically modified grasses which emit 20 percent less greenhouse gas when eaten by grazing stock.
The Country's Jamie Mackay thinks the plan to lose 35 per cent of pastural livestock is a "nonsense", but he also wants to know if New Zealand is now at a tipping point with cow numbers.
Have a listen to Dr Tim Mackle's response in the interview above.
