Data sharing initiative wins national award for saving farmers time
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
LIC has added 200 bulls to its sire proving scheme.
Most are the result of a contract mating between a top cow and one of LIC’s top bulls; all have passed inspection by LIC’s breeding team.
Simon Worth, livestock selection manager, says the bull calves are chosen for their potential to produce high performing, efficient dairy cows. The bull calf’s parentage, DNA profile and physical traits are all taken into account.
“We personally eyeball each calf to make sure of their physical condition.”
The bull calves will now be put through their paces, to see if they will be up to joining the Premier Sires.
Each will be named and reared to maturity, undergoing health testing, vaccinations and training. Their first semen collection will take place at one year of age, and their first daughters be born the following year.
Worth says getting a bull to Premier Sires status is a long game and only about 1% of all the calves inspected by LIC each year will make it.
“It takes four years for a bull to become daughter proven, which is when we can get the first lot of production and conformation information from their two-year-old daughters.
Calves that enter the sire proving scheme are bought by LIC.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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