increase font size
INZB programme manager Gemma Jenkins.
More bull breeders are using genetic tools according to the latest research.
One in five commercial beef farmers are now using artificial insemination and more than three quarters of commercial farmers (77%) are buying bulls from breeders that use genetic tools such as estimated breeding values, breeding indexes, artificial insemination, genomics and/or embryo transfer.
The research was done for the Beef + Lamb New Zealand-funded Informing New Zealand Beef programme (INZB).
Gemma Jenkins, programme manager at INZB, says it is encouraging to see the overall increase in awareness of INZB tools, a rise in the understanding of the numbers and science behind beef genetics and the ability to apply the genetic processes on farm, and a continued belief in the use of genetics.
“This is the third year we have undertaken the survey and it’s evident that the industry is making progress. Breeders are confidently using genetic tools,” she says.
Ninety nine per cent of breeders surveyed are using genetic tools and the usage has grown significantly across nearly all types of genetic tools compared to 2021 and 2022.
Ninety per cent of trusted professionals and breeders are also encouraging farmers to use superior genetics. There has also been a significant increase in the number of farmers using artificial insemination, up from 11% to 20% since 2021.
“This is interesting and we’re going to explore more about why we have seen this change,” says Jenkins.
“A significant majority of the farmers responding to the survey also want to be able to compare bulls across breeds.”
The seven-year INZB partnership, supported by B+LNZ, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the New Zealand Meat Board, aims to boost the sector’s profits by $460m over the next 25 years.
It is focused on increasing the uptake of use of genetics in the beef industry. The four main components are building a genetic evaluation and data infrastructure, progeny test herds, developing breeding objectives and indexes and developing new data sources.
The industry survey tracks changes in industry attitudes and behaviours towards beef genetics over time. An analysis of the findings and suggestions from respondents will help inform the programme.
There were 336 responses to the survey including 187 commercial farmers, 112 bull breeders and 37 influencers.
Having spent more than 23 years in the New Zealand dairy industry as a dairy farmer, technical adviser, and dairy farm consultant, including seven years working directly with farmers to improve herd performance and profitability, I have learned that outstanding fertility results rarely happen by chance.
Worms are present on every farm; it’s ensuring there are enough worms that are susceptible to drench within your farm system, through the use of refugia, that is a key tool in slowing the rise of drench resistance.
A dairy industry leader believes eradicating the common and costly disease, Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) is within reach.
Farmers with high-quality feed available in late spring could consider weaning at least a proportion of their lamb crop early to benefit both lambs and ewes.
The first major update to the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare in more than a decade has been released, marking what DairyNZ describes as an important step in ensuring animal welfare standards continue to evolve alongside scientific evidence and on-farm realities.
Three men have been sentenced in District Courts after Ministry for Primary Industries prosecutions over animal welfare, food safety and cattle tracing offences.
Fonterra’s 2026 financial year was a year of delivery, with record volumes of milk collected, processed and shipped by the co-op.
OPINION: The Government's decision to reinstate agriculture and horticultural science as a standalone subject from Year 11 is the right one.
Dairy farmers, still holding onto their Fonterra shares despite switching milk supply elsewhere or exiting the industry, now face a stricter share sell-down requirement.
Hamilton-based agritech company Aimer Farming has completed a $3 million capital raise to support its next stage of growth, including a beef farming product due to launch in 2027.
When dairy manager Miriam Lauridsen learned the farm, she was joining held weekly health and safety meetings, she initially thought that was “a bit over the top”. Experiencing that culture changed her mind.
