For over eighty years the New Zealand Society of Animal Production has played an important role as a forum fostering research in all areas of animal production including production systems, nutrition, meat science, animal welfare, wool science, animal breeding and genetics.
History of the Society
It was during the second world war when 66 animal scientists met at the first annual conference. Our first president J.M. Ranstead reported to that meeting that "a small band of enthusiasts had gathered together the previous June to consider forming a new Society along the lines of the American Genetics Association." The name they chose for this new society was The New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
Fondly known as APS it has been a vital institution to generations of New Zealand farmers, scientists, advisors and agribusiness leaders interested in improving animal production.
Prior to 2018 papers presented at the annual conference were published in the form of a peer reviewed conference proceedings. From 2018 the society established the New Zealand Journal of Animal Science Production. A considerable amount of New Zealand research has been published solely in the conference proceedings or journal. The proceedings/journal, therefore, form a valuable record of the progress of New Zealand animal production research.