Sheep's milk yoghurt, kiwiberry smoothies, effluent-eating bugs, clothing made from chicken wire, quad bikes, very big tractors and inflatable cows are among the sights and tastes of Fieldays 2015.

Despite declining dairy pay outs and forecasts of gloom and doom in the rural sector, 28,000 people attended the first day of the Mystery Creek event – up nearly 8000 on last year.

Enjoying a kiwiberry smoothy at the Seeka stand are (from left) Campbell Wood, Blair Reeve, Keiran Harvey and Courtney McBride. Photos: Elaine Fisher.

Passing showers didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the thousands who quickly found shelter in the pavilions or on under cover among the hundreds of exhibitors' stands before venturing out to walk the Fieldays streets.

At every turn there's something to see, from the latest in dairy milking technology to treatments for effluent, to water tanks, fencing, fertiliser, animal breeding technology, tractors, machinery, cars, utes, and clothing – not to mention dozens of food and coffee stalls.

Innovation is Fielday's strong point, and every year there's a chance for fledgling and established companies to display their latest inventions to the public.

Chicken wire is among the material used in this entry in the 2015 AgArt awards at Fieldays.

Enterprise Ireland once again has a presence, with the latest in farming technology on display including an award winning system which enables maize to be grown in cold conditions.

During the opening ceremony, Prime Minister John Key said innovation in the farming and science sector can lift New Zealand's profitability.

He also talked about the current economic struggle of dairy farmers and the effect of the Psa virus on kiwifruit growers.

NZ National Fieldays Society CEO Jon Calder encouraged people to visit the Fieldays Innovation Centre and Fieldays Innovation Accelerator to see the best of Kiwi innovation and ingenuity.

Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy and Prime Minister John Key talk to visitors yesterday.

'Fieldays' mission is to advance New Zealand agriculture,” says Jon, 'and with the Fieldays Innovation Centre, Innovation Accelerator and Innovation Den, we have an incredible number of Kiwi entrepreneurs making a difference to the way we farm.”

Officials attending the opening ceremony included Minister of Science and Innovation Steven Joyce, Speaker of the House David Carter, Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy, Food Safety Minister Jo Goodhew and government delegates from Korea and Tonga.

Korean delegates are attending Fieldays for the first time after the Prime Minister's successful trip to Korea earlier this year, where the free-trade agreement between Korea and New Zealand was signed.

Fieldays continues today, Friday and Saturday.