LIC Chief Says BVD Eradication in NZ Is Within Reach
A dairy industry leader believes eradicating the common and costly disease, Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is within reach.
The farmer-co-op has entered an exclusive distribution agreement with Dutch dairy genetics supplier CRV.
As part of the agreement, LIC’s Australian subsidiary business will distribute CRV’s global genetics products to Australian farmers alongside its own genetics offering. In NZ, LIC competes with CRVAmbreed in the dairy sector.
LIC chief executive Wayne McNee says the agreement would strengthen LIC’s proposition in Australia.
“LIC has been supplying Australian dairy farmers with NZ genetics for more than 15 years, but the inclusion of genetics from CRV will allow us to cater to a wider range of farmers and grow the business in Australia,” McNee says.
CRV Oceania managing director Angus Haslett says the agreement will provide Australian dairy farmers with a range of genetics solutions while maintaining CRV’s strong reputation in the country.
“We see it as a positive move for Australia’s dairy farmers who… need quality genetics at competitive prices….”
The popularity of larger, North American and European-style Holstein-Friesian cow has limited LIC’s ability to provide genetics to a larger proportion of Australian dairy farmers, McNee says.
