LIC extends New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards sponsorship
LIC has reaffirmed its sponsorship of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards (NZDIA) by signing up as a national sponsor for another three years.
Southland farmers Yvonne and Steven Dennis are LIC Sire Proving Scheme farmers of the year.
They milk 780 cows and have always used LIC products; they have been part of LIC’s sire proving scheme for 10 years.
Steven Dennis says the award is a result of a team effort of their farm staff, led by manager Barry Andrew. He thanked LIC farm solutions manager Meagan Colling for nominating them and LIC staff for their passion.
“We were blown away by the enthusiasm of LIC staff; everyone is passionate about their division,” he told Dairy News. “It’s nice to see people so motivated.”
LIC bull acquisition manager (Jersey and short gestation) Malcolm Ellis says the Dennis’s are successful, driven, passionate and have a real interest in herd improvement and recording.
“They have outstanding record keeping and attention to detail. With six weeks HF over the cows and KX over the yearlings, they regularly rear 25% replacements and select down to milk in the order of 22%.”
Ellis says the 50 year old sire proving scheme is the real gold. “Outstanding in its design, the scheme is also outstanding in its participation,” says Ellis.
Last year LIC sire proved 220 bulls in 273 herds; this year that number of herds will go over 300 to prove 250 bulls.
The team meeting at the Culverden Hotel was relaxed and open, despite being in the middle of calving when stress levels are at peak levels, especially in bitterly cold and wet conditions like today.
A comment by outspoken academic Dr Mike Joy suggesting that dairy industry leaders should be hanged for nitrate contamination of drinking/groundwater has enraged farmers.
OPINION: The phasing out of copper network from communications is understandable.
Driven by a lifelong passion for animals, Amy Toughey's journey from juggling three jobs with full-time study to working on cutting-edge dairy research trials shows what happens when hard work meets opportunity - and she's only just getting started.
The New Zealand Fish & Game Council has announced a leadership change in an effort to provide strategic direction for the sector and support the implementation of proposed legislative changes.
AgFirst, New Zealand's largest independent agribusiness consultancy, is turning 30 - celebrating three decades of "trusted advice, practical solutions, and innovative thinking".
OPINION: Westland Milk may have won the contract to supply butter to Costco NZ but Open Country Dairy is having…
OPINION: The Gene Technology Bill has divided the farming community with strong arguments on both the pros and cons of…