Passer au contenu
For future success and sustainability, our produits et services are developed with a rigorous, science-based focus. Our scientists, who are extensively published, provide technological solutions with quantifiable benefits for our customers.
Click below to visit our New Zealand website and learn more about: –
Nos scientifiques et leur Publications de recherche
Projets
We work on a range of research and development projects in these key areas:
- Data and Machine Learning – leverages genomics, AI, and advanced algorithms to transform animal breeding and on-farm decision-making through innovative data-driven insight.
- Variant Discovery – identifies key genetic variants to improve dairy cattle health, fertility, and performance, enabling farmers to access superior genetics and future innovations for hard-to-measure traits.
- Reproduction – liquid semen diluent, sperm metabolism, sexed semen, and cow fertility.
- Herd Improvement – drives genetic and herd performance gains for dairy farmers through data insights, technical expertise, and collaboration across LIC and the industry.
- Animal health – trialling within the NZ dairy industry new or improved diagnostic tests, ELISA and Real-time PCR technology, and pregnancy testing via milk.
- Methane and Farm Trials – leads on-farm data collection and trials to integrate low-emission genetics into breeding programmes without compromising productivity.
- Genomics domain / Genomic evaluation – genomic selection, breeding scheme technical support, and genomic sequencing.
Data and Machine Learning
The LIC Data and Machine Learning group’s research & development programme advances the collection, management, and utilisation of genotypic and phenotypic data to support innovation in animal breeding and on-farm decision making. The team develops and maintains custom genotyping arrays and explores new sequencing technologies to enhance the resolution and cost-effectiveness of genomic insights. Cutting-edge algorithms are created to maximise the value of genotypic data, underpinning tools such as Genemark® Genomics which is helping to expand LIC’s large across-breed genomic reference population, resulting in increased accuracy of genomic predictions.
Beyond genomics, the group applies Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to a wide spectrum of data, including phenotypic traits, animal health records, farm management information, pedigrees, image, and video data. This work includes developing novel phenotypes derived from ML approaches, enabling new ways of assessing animal performance and resilience. The group is also investigating the potential of generative AI to provide farmers with tailored insights, supporting timely and data-driven decision making on farm.
Variant Discovery
Our New Zealand based Variant Discovery team aims to find genetic variants of key importance to NZ’s dairy industry. Discoveries include the ‘slick1’ variant that improves the heat tolerance of animals, the ‘production variants’, genetic disease variants, and variants affecting other animal characteristics such as coat patterns. The team has also identified several variants that impact cow and bull fertility. These discoveries allow us to screen and supply bulls with the best genetics – either through selecting variants with positive effects, such as the heat tolerance breeding programme, or selecting against negative variants, such as those that cause disease.
As genomic datasets and methods advance the potential for additional discovery is also increasing. Enabled by these technologies, the future focus of the team is on identifying variants for traits that have been traditionally difficult or expensive to progress – such as improvement of urinary nitrogen concentration or resistance to infectious disease. The team regularly publishes its discoveries in scientific journals.
Click below to visit our New Zealand website and learn more about: –
Le heat tolerance breeding programme enabling farmers to breed more heat tolerant cows.
Nos équipes Publications de recherche
Reproduction
The Reproduction research & development team aims to deliver bovine reproduction research and Artificial Breeding (AB) systems to make farming easier and more profitable.
LIC reproduction research spans both male and female fertility. Specific reproduction research areas include semen technology, novel fertility phenotypes to enhance fertility BVs, genomic research and genetic evaluation innovations to help our customers continue to breed more fertile herds.
A large part of our group’s research & development is focused on liquid semen, ensuring that high quality semen products are delivered on NZ farms to get cows in calf. In the short term, we’re working on process improvements to make the current liquid semen system more robust, such as the implementation of computer assisted semen analyses (CASA) for semen quality control. In the long term, we’re conducting fundamental research to understand sperm biology under storage.
Amélioration du troupeau
The LIC Herd Improvement Team champions the value of herd improvement for New Zealand farmers. Through strong collaboration with LIC’s product and customer experience teams, they deliver practical, relevant support.
Using the rich database of information available in New Zealand the work helps define herd improvement principles and metrics that are globally relevant. Modelling and data insights reveal the impact of herd improvement on farm performance – helping to show how genetics, reproduction, and animal health drive success.
The close collaboration with LIC’s research and development team can enhance animal evaluation methods and services, provide technical expertise on cow genetics and genomic evaluations, and share knowledge through presentations to farmers, staff, and industry groups. From on-farm discussions to detailed data analysis, our focus is to deliver measurable value for farmers and elevate the principles of amélioration du troupeau across LIC and the wider industry.
La santé des animaux
The Animal Health team plays a vital role in LIC’s mission to support healthier, more productive herds across New Zealand and the world. Working at the intersection of science, technology, and farming, the team focuses on improving disease diagnostics and understanding NZ epidemiology, as well as developing genomic tools to enhance animal health, productivity and welfare.
Their work spans a wide range of health challenges including Johne’s disease, BVD, mastitis, and facial eczema. Through research, innovative testing methods and data-driven insights, they help NZ farmers make informed decisions that benefit both animal welfare and farm performance and expand the understanding of disease pathogens and epidemiology on farm.
Collaboration is at the heart of what they do. The team partners with universities, government agencies, and industry groups to drive national initiatives and share knowledge. They’re also exploring cutting-edge technologies like advanced reporting tools, machine learning, and mid-infrared spectroscopy to unlock new possibilities in animal health and genetics that can benefit the industry globally.
Whether it’s developing breeding values for disease resistance or contributing to the products delivered by LIC Diagnostics, the Animal Health team is shaping the future of dairy farming – one discovery at a time.
Click below to visit our New Zealand website and learn more about: –
Le Programme de recherche sur le secteur laitier résilient utilising disease management technologies and genomic advances to enhance the health, wellbeing and productivity of the NZ national dairy herd and beyond.
Methane and Farm Trials
LIC is helping farmers tackle current and future climate challenges and the methane and farm trials team are the on-farm animal data collection experts. They work across the research and development team, taking discoveries such as the ‘slick1’ variant and testing the performance of these animals in commercial and research conditions. In collaboration with CRV and AgEmissions Centre (formerly known as NZAGRC), LIC has run multi-year trials measuring methane emissions from young bulls and their growing (and now lactating) daughters. Using GreenFeed technology, methane from cattle burps is recorded in parts per million, enabling accurate assessments of genetic influence on emissions. The goal is to integrate methane breeding values into selection programmes, allowing farmers to select low-emission sires without compromising productivity.
Click below to visit our New Zealand website and learn more about: –
Our world-leading research programme reducing methane emissions in dairy animals