Sustainable Science In Action At Fieldays© 2025

Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University returns to Fieldays® with a future-focused, solution-driven theme, showcasing research that delivers practical advancements in agricultural efficiency, sustainability and longevity.

Visit us at the Mystery Creek Pavilion (site PE51) from 11-14 June to see how Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University is shaping the future of farming and how you can be part of it.

Laying the genetic groundwork for the future of Aotearoa New Zealand’s working dogs

Right Dog for the Job is a three-year research project led by Massey University, in collaboration with industry partners including Pāmu and Focus Genetics. The project is co-funded by the Ministry of Primary Industries through the Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund and supported by Ancestry.com. The goal? To better understand the genetics of New Zealand’s unique working dogs and lay the foundation for future genetic testing and selection tools.

The project began with New Zealand’s first large-scale genetic study of working dogs, sequencing the genomes of 249 Huntaways, Heading Dogs and crossbreds. This revealed over 19 million DNA variants, a vital first step in uncovering how genetics influence health and performance.

Researchers are now analysing the frequency of potentially harmful recessive variants, comparing them to those known in overseas breeds. This work supports more informed breeding decisions and aims to improve the health, working ability and longevity of our working dogs.

Of nearly 400 known variants linked to health or physical traits in other breeds, 27 were found in the dogs sampled with five appearing at high enough frequency to warrant further testing. Learn more about the five DNA variants.

Professor Matt Littlejohn and members of the research team will be at Fieldays to share insights into the project and demonstrate how selective breeding can support healthier, more capable working dogs. Visitors can even get hands-on with an interactive ‘Tinder for working dogs’ experience, where they’ll be tasked to identify the healthiest breeding matches based on genetic compatibility. Dog whistles will be up for grabs for successful participants, along with the chance to win a genetics kit, thanks to Ancestry.com.

As the project moves into its next phase, including collecting more DNA samples and collaborating with farmers and vets to track health and performance traits, Professor Littlejohn says connecting with the farming community is key.

"The long term aim is to enable future tools for breeders and dog owners, not just to avoid genetic disease but to select for the traits that really matter on farm. If the research can help pick the best dog for the job, it will make a real difference to farm efficiency and the wellbeing of both dog and handler.”

Where culture uplifts innovation: packaging that expands with purpose

Bringing together contemporary Māori design and engineering science has been the focus of the Kōwhaiwhai Pūtoi Koiora (auxetic kōwhaiwhai) packaging project, a collaborative effort between our College of Creative Arts and College of Sciences.

The fruit packaging uses an auxetic design, a material that expands rather than contracts when stretched, unlike conventional materials. Developed as part of a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) Smart Ideas project, a key objective was to create packaging that not only protects delicate horticultural products more effectively but also celebrates Māori culture. Kōwhaiwhai patterns are woven into the design, symbolising protection and care, signifying that what lies within is taonga (treasure).

Packaging expert Dr Eli Gray-Stuart explains that the moulded tray suspends the fruit off the base of the box, working in tandem with the auxetic structure to offer an added layer of protection.

“The goal of this packaging is twofold. First, it minimises damage to the fruit, which can reduce their saleability and contribute to food waste. The auxetic material absorbs and distributes impact more evenly, moulding around the product to protect it during transport. Second, the Kōwhaiwhai Pūtoi Koiora design integrates cultural and company values and narratives into a visually compelling and sustainable packaging solution.”

The packaging has already been used successfully by Māori Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated at their collaborative marketing launch in Hawaii last year. The team hopes to move toward commercial production through future partnerships.

Visitors to Fieldays can explore demonstrations and prototypes at Massey’s stand, where Dr Gray-Stuart will be on hand to share more about the development process and the cultural and scientific thinking behind the final product. Visitors interested in the project will have the chance to take home a keepsake featuring the auxetic kōwhaiwhai packaging material.

Mitigating the cost of shearing through self-shedding sheep

With many farmers finding that the price of wool no longer offsets the cost of shearing, what was once a profitable process is now an increasing expense.

To explore alternatives, a long-term project at Massey’s Riverside Farm in Wairarapa is investigating the viability of self-shedding sheep, specifically Wiltshires which naturally shed their fleece once a year. The research has two key aims: first, to model the profitability of transitioning from traditional Romney sheep to self-shedding Wiltshires, and second, to conduct a multi-year flock study tracking the production and performance of the sheep as the flock is gradually bred towards Wiltshire genetics. Read about the background of the self-shedding sheep project.

Running since 2020, the project has already yielded promising insights. By collecting animal performance health and wool data from sheep from varying proportions of Wiltshire to compare with the original Romney-type sheep, the study aims to better understand the genetic control of shedding. This study will continue to collect production data to support farmer decision making for the future of their flocks. The project will extend until 2028.

Dr Nick Sneddon and his team will be sharing more about the project at Fieldays, including its findings and what they could mean for the future of farming in New Zealand.

“We’ve noticed a range of how much shedding the sheep in our trial will do, and that variation is really useful for to selecting the next generation. Understanding the drivers of these differences means farmers can move more quickly toward a fully shedding flock, while still keeping the other important traits they value in their non-shedding sheep. We’re also digging into the genetics behind self-shedding. The goal is to eventually develop a genetic test so we can easily identify which sheep carry the right genes,” he says.

Discover your future with Massey

Massey experts will also feature at the MPI Science for Farmers site, providing updates on Whenua Haumanu, New Zealand’s most comprehensive regenerative and pastoral agriculture research programme, and the Catchment Solutions project, which builds capability to improve freshwater outcomes. Our experts will be on hand all week to discuss the latest in these projects, and how farmers, communities and others can get involved. Programme Leader Professor Danny Donaghy will be giving an informative talk on diverse pastures on Thursday 12 June at 9.30am at the MPI Science for Farmers site.

You can also catch Bachelor of Agriculture Science alumna and KS Agri consultant Nerissa Edwards at the Wāhine toa o te Whenua – Young Leaders panel discussion, taking place at site E38 on Thursday 12 June from 10:30 to 11:30am. The panel provides a platform for young female leaders in the food and fibre sector to share their experiences and highlight the diverse range of roles available.

Academic and Future Student Advisors will be available throughout the four days to answer course-related questions and connect visitors with study and career opportunities. With over 150 qualifications and degrees on offer across five colleges, our advisors can set you on the right course for your success.

Get your tickets for Fieldays® 2025 here: https://tickets.fieldays.co.nz/tickets/

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