Chris Burke

Chris is internationally renowned for his expertise in reproduction, reproductive physiology, and ovarian physiology at a cow, herd and national level. He has authored an extensive list of research articles and book publications, delivering world-class science in collaboration with a wide range of teams. Chris led the technical advisory team tasked with delivering the InCalf book for New Zealand dairy farmers and the InCalf Herd Assessment Pack tools.

He began his career as a field technician at the Whatawhata Hill Country Research Station, managing the day-to-day operations of farmlets, including sheep, beef, goats, and the accompanying research. This hands-on experience in applied science laid the foundation for his scientific career.

Growing up on a sheep and beef farm, Chris developed a love for biology, particularly animal physiology. At DairyNZ, Chris and the team apply their scientific expertise to working farms, ensuring that their research is practical and impactful.

Chris emphasises that, “science rigour and discipline are crucial at an applied level as they ensure credibility, which is important for trust and confidence in the industry”.

Chris has received international awards for both his own work and his contributions as part of a team. This includes winning the Kudos Primary Industry Award in 2020 for ground-breaking collaborative research into improving dairy fertility genetics.

A personal achievement for Chris was completing his PhD at The Ohio State University, USA, where he worked with world-class supervisors and received multiple awards. He has a Master of Science with first-class Honours from the University of Waikato and a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Lincoln University.