Exploring agriculture, technology, and environmental conservation - a platform for education
The Lincoln University Dairy Farm, a 186-hectare demonstration farm located in New Zealand, is making strides in promoting sustainable dairy farming practices. The farm's primary objective is to optimise productivity, reduce the environmental footprint, and improve animal welfare, with a focus on carbon neutrality, biodiversity, and improved freshwater management.
Recent reports and footage, however, have raised concerns about the farm's animal welfare standards. Images showing calves piled in trailers and cows standing in mud and waste have been circulated, which contradicts best practice standards.
Key sustainable practices highlighted by Lincoln University include carbon-neutral and biodiverse farming systems, improved freshwater management, embracing technology, community education, and outreach. The farm is utilising innovative land and livestock management, careful runoff control, nutrient management, drones, remote sensing, AI, satellite-based methane emission monitoring, and data-driven management tools to achieve these goals.
The farm also provides resources for year 11 students, focusing on dairying in New Zealand. These resources cover topics such as the costs and benefits of dairy farming, industry improvements, and sustainability. The resources have been designed for students with limited interaction with or knowledge of dairy farming.
Lincoln University's dairy farm system can vary throughout the region due to factors such as size, soils, feed, management practices, and location. The farm provides demonstrations of successful dairy farm practices for the wider dairy community.
Term 1 is best suited for farm visits as farmers are still milking and calves have been weaned. The latter half of term 3 is also suitable as calving is close to completion and most farms will be milking. Organising a farm visit is recommended for students to observe management practices in their regional farm.
If you're planning a visit to the Lincoln University Dairy Farm, check the outreach page for workshops and dates. The farm supports learning in multiple curriculum areas, including science, agricultural and horticultural science, and geography.
In addition to the demonstration dairy farm, Lincoln University also manages other research and demonstration farms such as the South Island Dairy Demonstration Centre, The Future Dairy: Living Lab, Owl Farm, and Southern Demonstration Hub.
DairyNZ also offers a School Farm Visits programme for educational purposes. The resources provided by Lincoln University and DairyNZ aim to increase students' understanding about the science and management practices being carried out on dairy farms.
Despite the recent concerns, the Lincoln University Dairy Farm remains committed to its mission of promoting sustainable dairy farming practices. As the investigation into the animal welfare concerns continues, the farm is working to address these issues and uphold its commitment to best practice standards.
[1] Lincoln University. (n.d.). Lincoln University Dairy Farm. Retrieved from https://www.lincoln.ac.nz/home/about/our-campuses/lincoln-university-college/lincoln-university-dairy-farm/
[2] Stuff.co.nz. (2021, May 28). Lincoln University dairy farm under fire over animal welfare. Retrieved from https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/126366862/lincoln-university-dairy-farm-under-fire-over-animal-welfare
[3] Newshub. (2021, May 28). Lincoln University dairy farm under fire for animal welfare issues. Retrieved from https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2021/05/lincoln-university-dairy-farm-under-fire-for-animal-welfare-issues.html
[4] DairyNZ. (n.d.). School Farm Visits. Retrieved from https://www.dairynz.co.nz/farmers/on-farm/school-farm-visits/
- Despite the recent concerns about animal welfare, the Lincoln University Dairy Farm is working to address these issues and uphold its commitment to best practice standards in both their dairy farming operations and educational resources, such as those provided for Year 11 students focusing on environmental-science, climate-change, and education-and-self-development.
- In addition to innovations in environmental-science, like carbon-neutral and biodiverse farming systems, and technology advancements, such as drones, satellite-based methane emission monitoring, and data-driven management tools, the Lincoln University Dairy Farm also supports learning in science and related subjects, proving that it's not just about farming but also about promoting awareness and education for a sustainable future.
