increase font size
LIC says its bulls have again taken the top spots in the all-industry list for top bulls across New Zealand.
Animal breeding company LIC says its bulls have again taken the top spots in the all-industry list for top bulls across New Zealand.
The ranking are based on a system developed by independent industry experts.
LIC says it has the following positions in the latest Ranking of Active Sires (RAS) List:
· 22 of the top 25 Crossbred bulls are LIC's (including 19 of the top 20)
· 44 of the top 50 Holstein Friesian bulls (including the top 10 of 10 and the top 18 of 20)
· 17 of the top 30 Jersey bulls (including 8 of the top 10)
· 27 of the top 30 overall across all breeds.
LIC bull acquisition manager Malcolm Ellis says LIC's bulls were in great shape on the RAS List and are set to continue to contribute significant genetic gain to the dairy industry.
"Superior cow quality provides such an injection of productivity into farm systems. The value of good cows is never more important than in these more economically challenging times and this current wave of improved genetic merit is great news for farmers and the New Zealand dairy herd," Ellis says.
LIC enjoyed unprecedented levels of graduation to its elite bull teams across the breeds last year; a mark of quality.
"When you look at the Premier Sires teams we are marketing this upcoming mating season, a good half of them graduated last year. They are the new boys on the block and have absolutely proved their potential."
The herd improvement co-operative's genetics team reports it looks like an even better new crop of bulls is shaping up this year, with a real air of excitement among the staff. "We are now looking at the new crop waiting to be analysed and have every reason to believe they have the potential to exceed last year's exceptional graduation rate.
"The daughters of these bulls will be coming into milk production for the first time this season, and the merits of the bulls will be analysed on their daughters' performance within the Sire Proving scheme. We look forward to reporting the next class of top bulls to our farmers in early October," Ellis said.
The latest RAS List results were evaluated and released by DairyNZ on 16 July 2016.
LIC chief executive David Chin says meeting the revised methane reduction targets will rely on practical science, smart technology, and genuine collaboration across the sector.
Opening a new $3 million methane research barn in Waikato this month, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay called on the dairy sector to “go as fast as you can and prove the concepts”.
The Government has announced it has invested $8 million in lower methane dairy genetics research.
The first calves of a new crossbred dairy-beef offering are now on the ground at a Pamu (Landcorp) farm near Taupo.
Academic and former Fonterra director Nicola Shadbolt has been elected as LIC director.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling for nominations for director roles in the Eastern North Island and Southern South Island electoral districts.
Going one better than a frustratingly close second place finish at last year's event, the country's top axeman, Jack Jordan of Taumaranui, last weekend won the Stihl Timbersports World Championship individual event in.
Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show president Brent Chamberlain says a big development for this year is the Wool Zone, first introduced two years ago as a showplace for everything produced from wool, but now greatly enlarged with its own Wool Marquee and more than 30 trade sites.
Salmonellosis is a serious disease in cattle.
Drench resistance is already hitting farm profits; it's not just a future problem.
Applications are open for Horticulture New Zealand's (HortNZ) 2026 scholarship programme, with 20 funding opportunities available.
OPINION: Microplastics are turning up just about everywhere in the global food supply, including in fish, cups of tea, and…
OPINION: At a time when dairy prices are at record highs, no one was expecting the world's second largest dairy…
