Christchurch will take centre stage this December as it hosts the 4th International Precision Dairy Farming Conference — the first time the event has been held in New Zealand.

From December 3-5, more than 300 delegates from 24 countries will converge to explore how cutting-edge technology is reshaping the dairy industry.

Delivered by DairyNZ in collaboration with leading research and industry partners, the conference aims to connect farmers, scientists, rural professionals, and agri-tech innovators.

This is the fourth time the event has been held internationally since 2016, following previous events in the Netherlands, the US, and Ireland.

“It is the first time it will be held in New Zealand,” says Dr Nicolas Lyons, DairyNZ’s Head of Science.

“Dairy is very big in New Zealand, so it’s very relevant to an international audience with New Zealand on the global stage.”

“We’re showcasing tools and insights grounded in farm reality, backed by research, and ready to support better decisions on-farm.”

Experts will present on topics such as animal monitoring, sensor technology, and data use, alongside local farmers sharing their experiences with precision approaches in pasture management, reproduction, animal health, and labour efficiency.

Lyons describes precision dairy farming as “the ability to manage and measure things at a smaller scale than would be otherwise.”

“A lot of tasks on farm are either manual or repetitive, or we don’t have enough data to make accurate decisions, and collecting that data is time consuming.”

Through the use of sensors, wearables, and automated systems, farmers can now gather vital information across their farms.

“You get a better understanding of what is happening across farm - be that animals, pastures, paddocks or the environment. You can manage that better because you can understand much better what is happening.”

Lyons said the conference was an opportunity to bring important conversation to our shores, whilst showcasing New Zealand as a leader in dairy innovation.

“It’s also an opportunity to bring the experts here to learn from them, and so we can possibly partner with them in the future, and we can leverage off their experience. It’s a win-win for everybody.”

The three-day programme includes farm visits, 120 accepted submissions, keynote presentations, and a grassroots farmer panel.

“Farm visits on the first day of the conference will focus on why and how farmers have adopted technology, and what problems they are trying to solve,” says Lyons.

“It’s seeing firsthand technology in action and talking to farms and staff around how they interact with technology, and how it’s impacted their daily operation.”

The farmer panel is another key element Lyons says will bring in the farmer voice to the conference.

“We will hear from farmers about what they are looking for in technology, what they struggle with when adopting technology, what research would they like to see more or less of.”

While precision dairy farming is not a one-size-fits-all solution, Lyons says it’s a powerful tool for the modern dairy industry and the conference provides an insight into what the future of dairy farming could look like.

“It’s opening people up to the possibilities of the kind of stimulating frontline work that is happening , and a peek through the door.”

“We hope that farmers that attend this conference, and the comms that we generate before or after, will provide farmers with the confidence that technology can be a good tool to address some of the issues facing farmers.”

Early Bird registrations are now open for farmers, rural professionals, researchers, and students.

Visit precisiondairyfarmingconference.nz/registration to secure your place.