World-first 'digital eyes' to assess pasture cover
Assessing pasture cover has just been become easier, thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI).
New Zealand Animal Evaluation (NZAEL), a subsidiary of DairyNZ, has set up farmer advisory panel to provide practical, farmer-based feedback on animal evaluation R&D and communication.
NZAEL manager Jeremy Bryant says it is important for farmers to be involved in genetic evaluation development.
“The perspective and experience of farmers is invaluable in enhancing the animal evaluation system.”
The panel will be a forum for discussion between farmers, researchers and the NZAEL team, and to assist NZAEL in identifying practical issues.
The panel’s six farmers have businesses that represent a range of NZ farming systems. They are advocates of genetic improvement, and will meet five times a year to give practical views on R&D proposed or underway by NZAEL and DairyNZ researchers.
It is now giving feedback on two R&D areas: first, a project to reduce the ‘reproof bias’ in AE enrolled sires; second, a mid-term review of the economic models used to generate breeding worth. The review will begin this spring and the panel and other stakeholders will comment.
At a gala evening held at Palmerston North in March, the sporting and rural communities came together to celebrate the Ford New Zealand Rural Sports Awards.
Assessing pasture cover has just been become easier, thanks to Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) has appointed Dr Scott Champion as its new chief executive.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has launched a powerful new tool to help commercial beef farmers select the best bulls for their farm businesses.
Air quality is a major safety issue for New Zealand, with approximately 650 deaths per year caused by cancer attributable to airborne contaminants.
Three weeks on from Bremworth’s board overhaul, the carpet maker’s chief executive Greg Smith is stepping down.