increase font size
Murray Jagger.
The perception needs to change of Jersey growth rates and finishing times, says Whangarei Heads dairy farmer Murray Jagger.
Jagger has a jersey-cross beef business at his Whangarei Heads dairy farm as a valuable sideline.
“They grow as well as any other animal, the cow has an efficiency in its smaller body size so it is able to be more efficient in what can be stocked.
“Its finishing time suits us because we can get our two and half year cattle away before Christmas so we are not carrying through a dry summer and we are not carrying through another winter.
“We generally quit one third prior to Christmas, another third straight after.
And the last lot go March-April. So we have a good flow in moving the stock on.”
Asked about problems with getting small-framed animal up to 300kg weight, Jagger says the first cut of cattle they send to the works about November at two and a half years old are 260 - 290kg. The last ones are 300 - 320kg.
But with a smaller animal you can carry more stock.
He says the industry needs to reinforce that the Jersey breed enhances the marbling effect. Another customer who buys the second cut of heifers mates them to Wagyu. He sees the advantage of the Jersey-cross in adding to the Wagyu programme.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.
Northland farmer Murray Jagger says it's time to focus on alternative pastures that can deliver better milk and beef yield.
Breeding and genetics are a long-term game and it’s three years from the time we make the choice around which straw or bull to use, until we really know whether it’s been a smart decision. So, it’s understandable that most farmers are thinking ahead when it comes to their breeding.
A farmer group promoting Jersey cows says stock and semen sales indicate the breed is on the rise.
Improving the reproductive performance of a herd by getting more cows in-calf is a key way to cut farm emissions says Stephen Sing, Jersey Advantage member.
South Waikato farm manager Ben Purua’s amazing transformation from gang life to milking cows was rewarded with the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer award last night.
Bankers have been making record profits in the last few years, but those aren’t the only records they’ve been breaking, says Federated Farmers vice president Richard McIntyre.
The 2023-24 season has been a roller coaster ride for Waikato dairy farmers, according to Federated Farmers dairy section chair, Mathew Zonderop.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) director general Ray Smith says job cuts announced this morning will not impact the way the Ministry is organised or merge business units.
Scales Corporation is acquiring a number of orchard assets from Bostock Group.
Family and solidarity shone through at the 75 years of Ferdon sale in Otorohanga last month.
OPINION: This old mutt well remembers the wailing, whining and gnashing of teeth by former West Coast MP and Labour…
OPINION: Your canine crusader gets a little fed up with the some in media, union hacks, opposition politicians and hard-core…
