Animal health industry supports the health and wellbeing of farm animals, working/service animals and pets by providing medicines (such as antibiotics, vaccines, worm flea and parasite treatments, painkillers, and diabetic treatments), nutritional products, and services.
The sector provides products to reduce gastrointestinal and external parasite loads, prevent pain and suffering resulting from conditions such as mastitis in dairy cattle, fly strike or footrot in sheep. Other products prevent epidemic outbreaks of animal diseases within production systems or in pets, while others protect human health through the control of diseases.
The animal health industry also makes products for veterinarians performing surgery.
Read more about animal medicines
Value of animal health industry
Annual sales of animal medicines in NZ are estimated at $360 million. The animal and livestock production that these products support is considerably larger - with exports of dairy products, meat, wool, honey and live animals having a projected value of $30 billion. The sector also supports domestic food supply (meat, eggs, milk, cheese, butter, and honey), the racing industry, service animals, zoo animals, pets and other companion animals.
Continuous investment in breakthrough technologies and innovation is imperative to controlling diseases.
KPMG Report
The 'Assessing the value of the Animal Health Industry to New Zealand’ report showcases a small industry, employing over 1,100 people, with an estimated revenue of $430 million. It provides cutting-edge technology to support the health and wellbeing of animals and helps sustain the industries that generate most of New Zealand’s exports. Without animal health products, animal-based industries would lose $12.68 billion in revenue.
