New genetic tool for beef farmers
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) has launched a powerful new tool to help commercial beef farmers select the best bulls for their farm businesses.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) will exit Lanercost, its hill country Future Farm, in March 2023, it was announced earlier this week.
B+LNZ general manager farm excellence Dan Brier says the decision to end the lease on the North Canterbury property was the result of consultation with the B+LNZ Board, the local Farmer Council, and its national executive.
He says a lot has changed since the lease for the property was acquired back in 2018 and B+LNZ needs to ensure its priorities align with those of levy payers.
“The organisation is dealing with a number of other priorities, including supporting farmers dealing with climate change, an unprecedented number of new environmental regulations and changing market dynamics so there was a risk that the Future Farm could become a drain on resources,” Brier says.
He adds that the Future Farm now sits outside of B+LNZ’s core business and while it is starting to generate a profit, more input and resources are required in the future to realise the farm’s full potential and deliver for farmers as an extension tool.
He says during the lease of the 1,0310ha property, B+LNZ hosted numerous field days, ram buying and quad safety workshops, developed internal parasite resources and demonstrated the use of low methane genetics in a commercial environment.
Much of the material included in B+LNZ’s Farm Plan was trialled on Lanercost, as was B+LNZ’s GHG Calculator.
“We saw vastly improved farm and livestock performance over the period of the lease and most satisfyingly, we helped develop two talented young farm managers, one of whom will transition into his own farm business,” says Brier.
He says B+LNZ has worked hard to ensure there is a well-planned and successful change of management back to the farm owner, with the farm manager planning to stay on the farm.
The current projects being run or demonstrated on the farm (parasite management, farm planning and low methane sheep breeding) will be wound up before the end of the lease and the outcomes communicated to farmers.
According to ASB, Fonterra's plan to sell it's Anchor and Mainlands brands could inject $4.5 billion in additional spending into the economy.
New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.
The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.
Dignitaries from all walks of life – the governor general, politicians past and present, Maoridom- including the Maori Queen, church leaders, the primary sector and family and friends packed Our Lady of Kapiti’s Catholic church in Paraparaumu on Thursday October 23 to pay tribute to former prime Minister, Jim Bolger who died last week.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Todd McClay is encouraging farmers, growers, and foresters not to take unnecessary risks, asking that they heed weather warnings today.
With nearly two million underutilised dairy calves born annually and the beef price outlook strong, New Zealand’s opportunity to build a scalable dairy-beef system is now.

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