2024/25 Dairy Statistics: NZ dairy farmers boost production with fewer cows
According to the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2024/25 report, New Zealand dairy farmers are achieving more with fewer cows.
717054 Rissington C200 was one of the top 5 all-round sires as reported in the September 2019 interim report of B+LNZ Genetics Dairy Beef Progeny Test.
Making quality beef genetics easier for dairy farmers to access is the aim of a new industry partnership.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Genetics and LIC are collaborating to help fulfil growing demand for beef genetics suitable for New Zealand dairy cows.
The collaboration has seen the creation of the B+LNZ Genetics Dairy Beef Progeny Test, devised to identify quality beef bulls and help enable their widespread use for dairy beef.
Beef breeders can nominate their best bulls for consideration for the programme, with successful bulls then becoming part of the progeny test scheme.
B+LNZ Genetics and LIC says this will offer breeders a potential path to the dairy market for the first time.B+LNZ Genetics’ general manager, Dan Brier says he is excited about the collaboration and says dairy farmers are an important and valued part of B+LNZ.LIC chief executive, Wayne McNee says the collaboration helps add value to all stages of the dairy beef market.
“Beef sales are likely to increase significantly over the next decade and it is important LIC aligns itself with industry leaders such as B+LNZ Genetics and beef breeders to ensure the best beef bulls are available for the domestic and international dairy markets.
“We know farmers are focused more than ever on doing their bit to help reduce the number of bobby calves leaving their properties and the addition of this progeny test will further help with this objective.”
Nominations close 14 August with successful farmers notified 28 August.
The sale of Fonterra’s global consumer and related businesses is expected to be completed within two months.
Fonterra is boosting its butter production capacity to meet growing demand.
For the most part, dairy farmers in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Tairawhiti and the Manawatu appear to have not been too badly affected by recent storms across the upper North Island.
South Island dairy production is up on last year despite an unusually wet, dull and stormy summer, says DairyNZ lower South Island regional manager Jared Stockman.
Following a side-by-side rolling into a gully, Safer Farms has issued a new Safety Alert.
Coming in at a year-end total at 3088 units, a rise of around 10% over the 2806 total for 2024, the signs are that the New Zealand farm machinery industry is turning the corner after a difficult couple of years.