Planning, Feeding, and Genetics: Key to Yearling Heifer Mating Success
Planning, feeding, a robust animal health programme and the right genetics are the critical factors in a successful heifer mating programme.
From March to June 2025, sessions on the nProve platform surged by 76% compared to the same period last year, up from 5069 to 8902.
This growth is almost entirely due to the launch of nProve Beef, which attracted 3800 sessions, making up 41% of total traffic.
nProve Beef is a key output of the Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) programme, which aims to enable the uptake of improved genetics across the beef industry by providing farmers with practical tools tailored to New Zealand farming systems.
"The response to nProve Beef has exceeded expectations," says Dan Brier, general manager, farming excellence at Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
"It confirms that there's strong demand among farmers for tools that take the guesswork out of bull selection and help build more productive, profitable and resilient beef herds.
"Farmers are not just clicking in, they're staying on the site. The average session duration exceeds six minutes, highlighting real engagement with the tool.
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"While use of the original nProve Sheep tool has remained steady, the rapid adoption of nProve Beef demonstrates the strong appetite among commercial beef farmers and bull breeders."
The top five regions using th etool - greater Auckland, Canterbury, greater Wellington, Manawatū-Whanganui and Otago - show the tool's reach across a range of farming environments.
The INZB Programme, a seven-year partnership between Beef + Lamb New Zealand and the Ministry for Primary Industries' Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, is focused on building a sustainable future for New Zealand's beef sector.
The programme is investing in new genetic evaluation tools, data systems, and extension to increase the rate of genetic gain and help farmers select animals that perform well in New Zealand conditions.
"Genetics are a key lever for long-term change," says Brier.
"The annual decision of which sires to buy, impacts the production and profit of a farm for many years.
"By making powerful tools like nProve accessible to farmers, we're helping to accelerate that change and build a more productive, efficient and environmentally sustainable beef industry."
