LIC Space folds for good
Farmer co-operative LIC has closed its satellite-backed pasture measurement platform – Space.
Some of the country’s top Jersey genetics from joint breeding by LIC and Jersey New Zealand are now available to farmers.
Breed society, Jersey NZ and LIC signed the Jersey Future agreement in June last year, and have worked together since to jointly select and prove the genetic merit of top young Jersey bulls.
Jersey Future aims to increase genetic gain in the breed for NZ dairy farmers, and produce more bulls for the Jersey breed that have diversity, reliability and longevity.
A limited number of artificial breeding (AB) straws from the seven Jersey bulls are now available for farmers to purchase from Jersey NZ for the upcoming mating season.
Casey Inverarity, LIC bull acquisition manager, points to the benefits the scheme will bring to the breed and dairy industry.
“Jerseys once dominated the dairy industry in NZ. Focussed breeding programmes like Jersey Future help ensure there is enough genetic diversity and gain for the breed to continue to strengthen and develop.”
Jersey NZ board member Steve Ireland says the relationship between LIC and Jersey NZ was valued, and the sort of collaboration Jersey Future offered was important for the breed’s growth and the dairy industry’s continued success.
“Jersey Future offers us the opportunity to prove bulls in a widespread manner which I’m certain will generate high quality animals for the industry, and that’s our way of helping with continued genetic gain within the Jersey breed.”
To ensure the success of the programme, a minimum of 70 herd tested heifers per bull within 35 herds have to be generated.
By purchasing straws from these golden sires, farmers will be doing their part to benefit the Jersey breed.
Questions are being raised about just how good the state of the dairy industry is - especially given that the average farmgate payout for the coming season is set to exceed $10/kgMS.
A leading financial and banking advisor says he doubts if most dairy farmers fully understand the dynamics of banking.
Dairy farmers are shoring up their balance sheets, with almost $1.7 billion of debt repaid in the six months to March 2025.
Virtual fencing company Halter is going global but for founder Craig Piggott, New Zealand farmers will always remain their main partners.
A former Fonterra executive is the new chair of the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ).
New Federated Farmers national dairy chair Karl Dean is looking forward to tackling the issues facing the sector.
OPINION: A last-minute compromise ensured that the election of the new Federated Farmers national dairy chair wasn't a repeat of…
OPINION: Just as it's healthy for cockies to get out of the shed and off the farm occasionally to get…