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Review
. 2021 Dec 19;53(3):259-303.
doi: 10.1080/03036758.2021.2008985. eCollection 2023.

Pastoral agriculture, a significant driver of New Zealand's economy, based on an introduced grassland ecology and technological advances

John R Caradus  1 , Stephen L Goldson  2 , Derrick J Moot  3 , Jacqueline S Rowarth  3 , Alan V Stewart  4
Affiliations
Review

Pastoral agriculture, a significant driver of New Zealand's economy, based on an introduced grassland ecology and technological advances

John R Caradus et al. J R Soc N Z. .

Abstract

The New Zealand economy is export-driven and heavily reliant on the productivity of the pastoral sector. The transformation of native forest and tussock grassland ecologies to temperate grasslands occurred rapidly with the arrival of Europeans. However, this transplanted ecology required the development and use of plant, microbial, animal and management technologies for successful grassland farming. These have enabled New Zealand pastoral agriculture to compete effectively in international markets, without subsidies. The extensive list of plant-based and associated microbial-based adaptations, and the management strategies that have enabled the development of highly productive grasslands are described and reviewed. Credible science is required to inform the debate on the environmental impacts of pasture production to avoid misinformation proliferating. This needs transparent and objective integrity from the science community using funding that seeks no defined or preconceived outcomes. Critically, much of the success of New Zealand pastoral farming has been due to the willingness and ability of farmers to use, adapt, adopt and integrate new ideas and technologies into their farming systems. Historic, current and future challenges, and threats that impact on the productivity and sustainability of pastoral agriculture are described and the means to achieve further technology development to manage these is discussed.

Keywords: Environment; grazing management; microbial-based; plant-based; productivity; research and development; sustainability.

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Conflict of interest statement

John Caradus is employed by Grasslanz Technology Limited and is director of Grasslands Innovation Ltd and Foundation for Arable Research; Jacqueline Rowarth is a director of Ravensdown Ltd, Dairy NZ, Oraka Farming Ltd, Lake Okoroire Ltd, and Two Four Ltd; and Alan Stewart is employed by PGG Wrightson Seeds Ltd.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The estimated adaptation of pasture species to continuums of (a) winter cold, drought, and (b) frequency and intensity of grazing. Adapted and modified from Hoglund and White (1985).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Four possible future scenarios for New Zealand grassland (Campbell-Hunt – with permission).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Profit from productivity gains for dairy from 1998/99 (sourced with permission from DairyNZ Economics Group, DairyNZ 2021a).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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