Funded by EBLEX (the organisation for the English beef and sheep industry) and retail chain Marks and Spencer, it will run until June next year and involves eight sheep and beef farms in England and 10 farms in New Zealand.
The farmers involved will use the Farmax farm management software suite, which has been developed in New Zealand over the past 20 years, to monitor and model how changes in farm and grassland management practice can influence productivity and profitability.
Each farmer is responsible for monthly monitoring and information recording. Farmax consultants will visit the UK about every two months, checking on progress and providing farm management insight.
Silver Fern Farms chief executive Keith Cooper said the company's involvement in the initiative demonstrated its commitment to improving the sustainability of sheep meat production in collaboration with international partners.
"We envisage this initial programme will be potentially further advanced with the learnings and systems generated by Farm IQ Systems, a business formed to increase the productive capacity of farmers.
"It is another example of how partnerships can be built to enhance global sheep meat production and potentially assist the promotion of the end product to consumers," Mr Cooper said.
The project had "massive potential" to help understand grass supply and feed demand, which was a first for the English sheep and beef sector, EBLEX beef and sheep scientist Dr Liz Genever said.
It would also help demonstrate the benefits of improved grazing management for animal performance and profitability, she said.