June 12, 2008

Merial and New Zealand to work on milk boosting treatment

The New Zealand government has decided to help fund a new project which will test a new, natural cattle treatment that is said to be able to boost milk output by a significant level.

The study with Ancare Scientific Ltd. will take a year and cost more than NZ$500,000 (US$377,000), said Andy West, CEO of state-owned AgResearch Ltd., at the opening of the nation's Fieldays agricultural fair.

Ancare Scientific has a development agreement with animal-health products maker Merial Ltd.

West said if the treatment works on a large-scale in real-world farming situation, it would be 'a truly significant technology' in global dairying, refusing to divulge further details. 

New Zealand is the world's largest dairy exporter and accounts for about 40 percent of the global trade in milk powders, butter and cheese.