The evolution of total energy inputs in the New Zealand dairy industry

In 1998, Wells (2001) conducted a national study of the total energy inputs of New Zealand dairy farms. The study demonstrated the superiority in energy efficiency of New Zealand dairy production compared to that of European farms. Over the past decade, New Zealand’s dairy industry has transformed. With the growth of the industry in nontraditional regions, as well as a significant increases in irrigation, nitrogenous fertilisers, and supplementary feeds, there has been a substantial growth in milk production driven by an increasingly commodified export market. While the industry has experienced significant changes in the past 10 years, these changes have not yet been reflected in research. As a consequence, the impacts of these developments on the energy requirements of milk production are not yet fully documented. This study addresses that gap in data. This study is the first comprehensive, national assessment of energy requirements of New Zealand dairy farms since 1998. In this study, the total energy inputs of 135 New Zealand farms were calculated to determine their energy intensity and efficiency. Results were compared with energy input records from 1978 and 1998. Results of this study suggest that, in comparison with historical data, dairy farm energy intensity has significantly increased in all regions of New Zealand; energy efficiency has worsened in all but one geographical region. Despite this, New Zealand dairy farms are still more energy efficient than those of other major international competitors, which suggests the competitive advantage still remains. This research identifies the key drivers of changes to energy inputs, and offers recommendations for reducing the energy consumption of dairy production, to safeguard against energy vulnerability, and to reduce the environmental impacts of the dairy industry