Climate-friendly cows closer
Dairy farmers are one step closer to breeding cow with lower methane emissions, offering an innovative way to reduce the nation's agricultural carbon footprint without compromising farm productivity.
Six years of exceptional dairy progeny will remain the legacy of CRV Ambreed jersey bull Okura Lika Murmur as he retires this month, the company says.
Breeding manager Aaron Parker says Murmur has given nearly 500,000 doses of semen, and has 22,464 daughters herd testing in New Zealand and a long list of sons.
He is credited with having expanded CRV Ambreed's exporting market, especially in South Africa, North America and Australia.
"He has bred outstanding sons and daughters with super production, udder and capacity traits," says Parker. "Hundreds of his cows have been contract mated in NZ and as a sire of sons he has produced some of country's best Jersey bulls."
This season six Murmur sons were released to market as 'daughter proven sires' and are among NZ's highest ranking bulls including Roma Murmur Kingpin, Kaitaka Murmur Lazarus and Ashvale OLM Highlite.
"Kingpin, CRV Ambreed's highest selling jersey sire this season, is a superstar in production because he is Murmur's son."
Other sons and grandsons include Kingpin's son, Puketawa King Connacht JG.
"Connacht is an elite young sire in our Jersey team this year based on his parental information and scientific data. With his daughters coming into milk this season, we expect to see big things from him," Parker said.
Murmur was bought in 2005 from breeders Luke and Lyna Beehre of the Okura Stud, north of Whangarei. The stud bred Okura Manhatten, a game changer for the industry.
Parker says after Manhatten, Murmur is the next most influential Jersey sire to have been bred in NZ. "We will be hearing Murmur's name in the dairy industry for many years."
According to ASB, Fonterra's plan to sell it's Anchor and Mainlands brands could inject $4.5 billion in additional spending into the economy.
New Zealand’s trade with the European Union has jumped $2 billion since a free trade deal entered into force in May last year.
The climate of uncertainty and market fragmentation that currently characterises the global economy suggests that many of the European agricultural machinery manufacturers will be looking for new markets.
Dignitaries from all walks of life – the governor general, politicians past and present, Maoridom- including the Maori Queen, church leaders, the primary sector and family and friends packed Our Lady of Kapiti’s Catholic church in Paraparaumu on Thursday October 23 to pay tribute to former prime Minister, Jim Bolger who died last week.
Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Todd McClay is encouraging farmers, growers, and foresters not to take unnecessary risks, asking that they heed weather warnings today.
With nearly two million underutilised dairy calves born annually and the beef price outlook strong, New Zealand’s opportunity to build a scalable dairy-beef system is now.
OPINION: Voting is underway for Fonterra’s divestment proposal, with shareholders deciding whether or not sell its consumer brands business.
OPINION: Politicians and Wellington bureaucrats should take a leaf out of the book of Canterbury District Police Commander Superintendent Tony Hill.