Tag and applicator a winner
Tagging thousands of new-born lambs at docking takes precision and tag technology that handles the volume at a good pace.
New ear tags for dairy stock will sort out genuine Angus dairy cross cattle from all the rest, say its promoters.
A new Angus X Dairy tag, launched in partnership by Angus New Zealand, CRV Ambreed and Allflex, allows farmers to tag and identify dairy calves which are 50% Angus, having been sired by a registered Angus or Performance Recorded Angus Cattle (PRAC) bull.
Angus breed representative Guy Sargent says the ultimate goal with the new tag is to ensure dairy farmers get the premiums they deserve for higher value offspring. It also gives the buyer of a calf certainty about what their purchase.
“It’s to improve the integrity of the offspring,” says Sargent.
“Angus cattle are highly sought after and the tags verify that a verified Angus sire has been used over the dairy cow.”
Using registered or PRAC recorded Angus bulls allows farmers to tag their progeny with Angus X Dairy tags. These bright green tags identify the premium quality of the offspring, enabling the dairy farmer to attract higher premiums at the point of the sale and further down the supply chain.
Beef semen has become a more attractive option for dairy farmers wanting to on-sell calves to the beef industry, adding greater value to their business and making sure every mating results in a saleable calf.
Last year was a record year for beef semen sales for CRV Ambreed with an 8% jump in beef straw sales. This trend is expected to continue.
And the return is good: a straw of beef semen costs about $20 and quality dairy/beef bull calves sell at $150 to $300.
Grazing product manager Peter van Elzakker says dairy farmers in the past may have chosen other beef breeds over Angus because their offspring can be harder to identify among other black calves. The return may not be as good if a calf cannot be verified as Angus, he says.
Only dairy farmers using registered or PRAC Angus bulls with their herd, either via AB or natural mating, may use the tags on their progeny.
The Angus X Dairy Allflex tags are fully compliant with NAIT regulations. They are compatible with all dairy and beef operations and are endorsed by Angus New Zealand.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
Rural retailer Farmlands has reported a return to profitability, something the co-operative says shows clear progress in the second year of its five-year strategy.
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