Herd about the 110% milk solids/liveweight goal?
Methven farmers Earl and Melissa McSweeney are breeders of one of LIC’s best KiwiCross sires, 523092 Plateau Dembe, son of popular 21-code bull Baldricks Spectacular.
LIC chairman Murray King has defended the $20 million bill for its transformation process.
King told a special general meeting in Hamilton today that the cost was “absolutely worthwhile”.
“It is a big number but it’s not just a fee to consultants: it has to be earned,’ he told the meeting.
The transformation cost is a one-off, he says.
The process looked at the business and recommended changes to make it more efficient.
The process was preceded by the cooperative being split into two parts: herd improvement and agri-tech.
The cooperative also ditched its $1 billion revenue target. “It was a poor choice on reflection,” King says.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.