Investing in genetic gain for long-term resilience
The dairy sector is in a strong position, with high milk prices, declining interest rates, and renewed confidence.
Graham Alder, the former genetics business manager of Zoetis, has been appointed general manager of Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics.
The appointments follow the successful vote at the Beef + Lamb New Zealand annual meeting to combine the organisation's current genetics investments. This means Sheep Improvement Ltd (the national sheep genetic dataset), the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Central Progeny Test and Ovita, with added investment in beef genetics, come together with government funds to create the new entity Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand will continue its annual investment of $2.9 million a year for the next five years and the Government's contribution is $3 million a year over the period.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chief executive, Dr Scott Champion says it is an exciting time as the work planned would be speeding up genetics gains to match market requirements and deliver more profitable sheep and cattle.
Investment will be made in a range of research and of particular focus will be finding the traits that thrive on hill country as increasingly this is where New Zealand sheep and beef production is based as flatter land changes to dairy.
Dr Champion says there are estimated genetic gains of $742 million for the sector over the next 20 years and this should be a confidence booster for sheep and beef farmers nationwide.
