A study to assess both the cost and sustainability of potential marketing advantages (UK and overseas) of beef and lamb produced from high welfare systems.

Tuesday, 3 November 2009

Gallagher and AgResearch







Our fourth day in New Zealand began with a visit to one of the most successful family owned and run companies in New Zealand - Gallagher. The company is famous for its manufacture of electric fencing material, but have over the years expanded into the manufacture of EID recording equipment, plastics and fuel dispensing systems. The company was established in 1938 and is today run by the second generation of the family, Bill Gallagher. The company operates in 130 countries world wide and has a 100 million + NZ$ turnover. We were shown around the expansive Hamilton office and workshops , and were impressed with the ability of the company to develop, test and manufacture most of their products in house. We were also given a chance to view the latest EID equipment that the company has on offer, some of which will be used in the TAG project currently being rolled out in Wales.

After a quick working lunch at Gallagher we drove a few miles to the world renowned AgResearch facility at Ruakura, near Hamilton. AgResearch is a Crown Research Institute and probably the equivalent of our IBERS at Aberystwyth, and is at the forefront of biological science in New Zealand.

We were met by Dr. Jim Webster a senior research scientist and team leader at AgResearch, and after some introductory discussions I was privileged to deliver a presentation on the Welfare Challenges and Opportunities facing the Welsh sheep farmer. The audience was made up of research scientists, PhD students and animal welfare technicians. This led onto a robust discussion on animal welfare in terms of guardianship, link to economics, and the role of legislation and enforcement versus leaving welfare standards to market forces.

I also finally got to see some sheep as work is being done on condition scoring and they wished to compare my assessment criteria with their own. It was all fine until my smart light coloured trousers got covered in sheep sh**t and I had to face Sheila on my return to the main building.

A two hour drive from Hamilton to Lake Taupo took us through some very beautiful and hilly dairy country. Jim Webster has a wonderful chalet overlooking Taupo and offered to host us for the night in one of New Zealand’s most attractive locations. I was a bit worried when he told me that there was an active volcano a few miles away and the last eruption was five years ago!After an evening meal overlooking Lake Taupo, (the most delicious Hawk Bay beef steak) we retired to bed exhausted!

Jim’s residence which is available for rent……..www.belenus.co.uk

1 comment:

  1. Serves you right for wearing dodgy strides!

    ReplyDelete