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Thorough tests have found no ram lamb effect, according to SFF’s Grant Howie.
Genetic selection for taste seems to outweigh other onfarm factors such as breed, lamb gender or fat cover in the eating quality of lamb, says Grant Howie, general manager sales, Silver Fern Farms.
SFF says this in a report on research into lamb eating quality under the FarmIQ Primary Growth Partnership Programme. Based on at least 3200 consumer taste tests in New Zealand and the US in 2016, the results confirm earlier research that consumers view NZ lamb as a consistently high-quality eating product.
Howie says they had “absolutely confirmed” that consumers see lamb as a good quality product, “so it gives us confidence that the product the farmers are producing is meeting consumer taste expectations.”
Interestingly for farmers, the research did not find a significant or consistent effect on lamb eating quality from breed, lamb gender, pasture, growth rates, fat cover and marbling, butt conformation or locality, he says.
Several of these factors had minor effects, but all were outweighed by the right cut and correct ageing, he says.
“This wasn’t just a one-off study; there were several studies over that time. We were getting more and more information the more we tested,” Howie told Rural News.
“I think early on we were expecting, for example, a ram lamb effect; there is a lot of talk in the industry about that. But the more we tested it and the more thoroughly we looked at those sorts of things we couldn’t see any ram lamb effect and it wasn’t just a one-off study; we did several studies on that.
“There is more variation in the genetics within a breed than there is one breed versus another.
“AgResearch and FarmIQ have invested a lot of money in the last few years developing a SNP chip which helps identify different gene markers that can identify the markers for tenderness, low pH and marbling in lamb.
“The same technology has been used in the beef industry.
“Ram breeders can now use that technology to improve the genetic make-up of lambs – or of rams and passed on to lambs obviously – for tenderness, pH and marbling.
“All the studies have confirmed that farmers are on track, and they can ensure we remain on track if the breeders use the genetic technology of the SNP chip and keep our lamb eating as good as it is now.”
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Six livestock industry groups have signed a new agreement with the Government on how to prepare for, and respond to, a possible outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease.
The deal, announced at National Fieldays, also sets out how the costs of FMD readiness and response activities will be shared between the Government and the group – made up of DairyNZ, the Dairy Companies Association, Beef + Lamb New Zealand, NZPork, Deer Industry New Zealand, and the Meat Industry Association.
The livestock sector partners will meet 40% of readiness costs, and 15% of response costs which are capped at $450 million. The Crown's reference exposure is $2.5 billion for responding to an FMD outbreak, but this could run higher in the very unlikely event of more than one outbreak during the term of the Agreement.
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says an outbreak could cost up to $3 billion to eradicate.
“But doing nothing would be far worse - potentially slashing export values by $14.3 billion per year until it’s controlled,” says Hoggard.
“Through this agreement, we’re locking in a truly collaborative approach. Industry will contribute 40% of readiness costs and 15% of response costs - capped at $450 million - and in return, they’ll have a formal seat at the decision-making table.”
Hoggard says the agreement reflects years of work and a shared commitment to protecting New Zealand’s vital livestock sector.
“This is a significant and practical step forward for our national biosecurity system.”
DairyNZ chief executive and inaugural chair of the Foot and Mouth Disease Council Campbell Parker welcomed the signing.
“Biosecurity is a key priority for DairyNZ as it helps us to power more productive and resilient farms – with dairy farmers the biggest sector investors in the biosecurity system,” he says.
“Dealing with an outbreak of FMD would cost the livestock sector billions, and we want to be involved in deciding how those costs would be best spent.”
Beef + Lamb New Zealand chair Kate Acland says the wide sector support for this agreement was reflected in a clear ‘yes’ vote from sheep and beef farmers, following the high-profile voting campaign undertaken by B+LNZ over April and May.
“We needed their formal approval to sign the agreement, and our farmers told us they want to have a voice in decision-making about readiness and response activities and funding,” she says.
Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand executive director Kimberly Crewther says the agreement is a major milestone after over a decade of engagement to establish the foundations for partnership in addressing this most significant biosecurity risk for the livestock sectors.
“Recent overseas FMD outbreaks, including in Europe, reinforce the importance of getting to this point and ensuring government and industries’ combined resources, knowledge, and capability can be deployed in the most efficient and effective way to reduce risk and impacts.”
Deer Industry New Zealand chief executive Rhys Griffiths says the legally binding agreement gives the deer industry a seat at the table, which is vital for representing the voices of our farmers.
“Such representation is crucial, not just for the deer industry but for the wider primary industries and the channeling of farmer perspectives to government."
NZPork chief executive Brent Kleiss notes that pig farmers will have a seat at the table in planning and decision-making “so that our sector’s unique needs are understood and addressed as we shape a co-ordinated national response”.
MIA chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says the agreement has support across the agricultural sector and shows a clear commitment of both Government and industry to work collaboratively on FMD.
Sectors’ cost shares:
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