Is augmented reality the future of farming?
Imagine a farmer being able to tell a paddock’s pasture cover and dry matter content just by looking at it, or accessing information about a cow’s body condition score in the same way.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Genetics has launched a new tool to help New Zealand farmers find suitable rams.
The free tool, named nProve, enables farmers to use a series of buttons and slider scales to describe what they need from a ram. nProve then generates a list of breeders whose rams meet the farmer’s criteria.
B+LNZ Genetics general manager Dan Brier says the launch reinforces New Zealand’s position as a trailblazer in sheep genetics.
“We’ve long been the envy of the world for our genetic evaluation service SIL. However, while SIL is traditionally the domain of ram breeders, nProve is for both breeders and commercial farmers,” says Brier.
“It has taken three solid years of development and input from farmers and some of New Zealand’s leading ram breeders. The result is an on-line tool that is a pleasure to use. It’s simple to navigate and the transparency of data invites users to engage and really question their breeding priorities.”
nProve has been developed in partnership with B+LNZ and RMPP. Over time, it will replace the SIL tools, FlockFinder and RamFinder.
Farmer-led charity, Meat the Need is calling for donations to enable it to supply more meals to families in need.
Weaker pricing and demand from China continue to impact New Zealand red meat export earnings.
Fonterra has cemented its position as the country’s number one cheesemaker by picking up nine NZ Champion of Cheese trophies this year.
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
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