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 shareholders will meet on April 7 to vote on a $109 million deal to buy 50% of Israeli agritech company Afimilk.
LIC’s board has signed a conditional deal and is seeking shareholder approval.
Based in Israel, Afimilk has a global presence across all its products and solutions, with particular success in regions of intensive dairy farming.
Afimilk is widely regarded as one of the industry leading producers of milk meters, behaviour sensors, and farm management software, with particular strength in having strong distribution across Europe and North America.
LIC chairman Murray King says the investment will help give LIC access to the data it needs to deliver superior herd improvement services and agritech for New Zealand farmers into the future and will improve access to on-farm technology solutions.
“To do that, it’s vital we keep our world-leading edge in pastoral dairy farming data, while broadening access to new information to meet future needs and challenges. The proposed investment in Afimilk will do both.
“It will help ensure LIC’s on-going access to pastoral dairy farming data through the increased use of in-line milk meters and animal monitoring systems (such as collars).
“We believe there are likely to be further development opportunities for in-line milk meters, to increase LIC’s resilience to the threat of disruption to access to pastoral dairy farming data posed as a result of the move away from traditional herd-testing services.”
![]() |
---|
Afimilk inline milk meter technology. |
The investment will also help to drive future growth by opening LIC’s access to data on other farming methods beyond pastoral held by Afimilk.
Access to Afimilk’s resources and information on other farming methods will assist LIC to develop genetic programmes for the farming systems of the future.
The investment is proposed to be funded primarily through debt provided under LIC’s existing banking facilities, with the balance paid out of its cash reserves.
Shareholders will be sent a Notice of Meeting containing important information about Afimilk and the proposed transaction.
DairyNZ chief executive Campbell Parker says the industry-good organisation is proud to be an ongoing industry partner of the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards, providing judging expertise and facilitating field days.
A major floodway infrastructure upgrade has been completed in Edgecumbe, providing enhanced flood protection and resilience for the local community.
Rural retailer Ruralco says it has made a $10,000 donation to the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust (MCRST) following the Ruralco Golf Classic held last month.
According to a new farmer survey, many farmers are rejecting New Zealand’s current ruminant methane strategy.
As the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards night unfolded, it became evident that Waikato’s Thomas and Fiona Langford were the frontrunners for the biggest prize of the night – the 2025 Share Farmers of the Year award.
New Zealand’s dairy sector cannot expect India to be a market for all its dairy products.
OPINION: The good fight against "banking wokery" continues with a draft bill to scrap the red tape forcing banks and…
OPINION: Despite the volatility created by the shoot-from-the-hip trade tariff 'stratefy' being deployed by the new state tenants in the…