The small New Zealand dairy goat industry is getting scientific support to help it meet the rapidly growing demand for goat milk products.
About 60 mostly Waikato farmers supply the Dairy Goat Co-operative processing plant in Hamilton, which focusses on producing high-quality infant formulas which are exported to many markets.
The industry's production and efficiency will be boosted with an AgResearch project funded by nearly $7.5 million from the government.
Senior AgResearch scientist Dr Warren King, who is leading the project, says production is already up 20% on last year but there are some challenges to continuing that growth, such as animal welfare practices.
"... particularly around the housing of these goats, because they are predominantly housed indoors, and coupled with that the disbudding practices, so how do you dehorn these kids," Dr King says.
"At the moment that's a little bit inconsistent."
As well, the New Zealand dairy goat system is unique in the way the animals are fed but there has been little research done on the effectiveness of that, he says.
