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.
If taking dust baths and rolling around in the mud are your favourite pastime, you're bound to get pretty dirty. But for New Zealand's top ranked bull, LIC's Howies Checkpoint, it is also a great reason to be treated to the full spa experience.
New Zealand's number one artificial breeding sire, Howies Checkpoint looked his best on Tuesday as he strutted his stuff in front of some of the country's top bull breeders.
Checkpoint certainly seemed to enjoy the special attention given to cleaning behind his ears, the ear trim and power-shower, and pedicure, before strutting his stuff in front of hundreds of people during LIC's Premier Sires Breeders' Day in Hamilton (April 17).
LIC's Breeders Day recognises the contribution breeders of an elite 'band' of bulls have made to the genetics of New Zealand's dairy herd.
Checkpoint was among the more than 20 bulls from LIC's 2011/12 Premier Sires teams to meet their breeders and their families who had travelled from around the country.
Premier Sires bulls are responsible for siring three out of four dairy cows in New Zealand – contributing around $300 million each year to the economy, or more than $17 billion since LIC began artificial breeding .
LIC Premier Sires product manager Mike Wilson said Breeders Day is a very special day on Livestock Improvement's (LIC) calendar because it celebrates a unique group of farmers whose expertise, as breeders, deserves commendation.
Around 120 breeders and their families attended the special VIP day at the herd improvement company's Newstead headquarters.
"Premier Sires accounts for more than 70% of all the New Zealand dairy industry artificial inseminations carried out, and thus produces the next generation of high genetic merit, high performing dairy animals," says Wilson.
"With the dairy industry accounting for somewhere in the region of 40% of New Zealand's GDP our Premier Sires Breeders make a real difference not only to dairy farmers throughout the country but the country as a whole."
Premiers Sires is an artificial breeding programme unique to LIC, it's purpose is to provide farmers with teams of high Breeding Worth bulls. Premier Sires provide an economical, convenient way for farmers to breed high producing, fertile, easily managed, efficient cows, proven for generations to generate more income per hectare.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
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