increase font size
Allflex cow collars sense and transmit essential data on individual cows.
The winner of the 2021 Ahuwhenua trophy, announced this week, will be getting valuable new insights into their dairy herd's health, efficiency and productivity.
Silver Sponsor Allflex Livestock Intelligence is including an animal monitoring system in their prize package.
The prize, valued at $84,000, includes 450 Allflex cow collars. These sense and transmit essential data on individual cows, including reliable heat detection, rumination monitoring and early alerts for signs of animal health issues or distress.
Allflex says it has been a long-time supporter of the Ahuwhenua Trophy for Excellene in Maori Agriculture, which focuses on dairy, sheep and beef, and horticulture in a three-year cycle.
The award's heritage goes back to 1933 when it was launched by Sir Apirana Ngata and then-Governor General, Lord Bledisloe.
General manager Jared Briggs says Allflex's move of sponsor support from the cash contribution made previously to the Animal Monitoring system aligned more closely to what the Ahuwhenua awards were all about.
"We are keen to show our support for excellence in a more meaningful way and felt the Animal Monitoring system will provide the winning farm with a great plaftorm to take their operation to an even higher level," Briggs says.
Briggs, and Allflex national sales manager Austin Heffernan, attended the announcement of the three finalists - all located in the North Island - for the 2021 Ahuwhenua Trophy at Parliament's Grand Hall in March.
Pouarua Farms is a single milking platform running 4,600 cows on nine farms covering 2,200 hectares on the Hauraki Plains.
The Tataiwhetu Trust runs 432 kiwi cross cows in an organic farming operation at a property in the Rūātoki Valley south of Whakatāne.
Tunaphaore B2A Incorporation runs 385 cows on 376 hectares (milking platform 132 hectares) at Hawai and Torere on the North Island's East Coast near Opotiki.
Briggs says the finalists are three widely contrasting operations but share a desire to showcase excellence while sustatinably developing their land and environment.
"Each of these would be a worthy recipient of the Ahuwhenua Trophy for Maori Dairy Farm of the Year."
The animal monitoring system is scalable to any operation, large or small. Briggs says the heat detection offers much greater accuracy while reducing labour inputs and eliminating the need for patches and tail paint. By tracing rumination, the system also gives early notice of a cow's response to nutrition changes, while also raising an early red flag for animal health issues such as mastitis or lameness, he explains.
"We are looking forward to working with the winner to help them implement their animal monitoring system and enjoy its benefits.
Recently two of New Zealand's top Maori sheep and beef farms held field days as part of the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy competition. The two are: Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust, northeast of Whangarei, and the proprietors of Tawapata Onenui farm on Mahia Peninsula in southern Hawke's Bay. Reporter Peter Burke attended both field days.
Farms from Northland and northern Hawke's Bay are the finalists in this year's Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for the top Māori sheep and beef farms.
The search is on to find the top Māori sheep and beef farm with entries now open for the 2025 Ahuwhenua Trophy competition.
A dairy farm owned by one of the largest Māori dairying farming operations in the country has won the prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori dairy farm for 2024.
Kingi Smiler, the chair of Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani (WMI), said after winning the Ahuwhenua Trophy he was both elated and relieved and added it was a tough competition being up against Whakatohera Māori Board.
New Zealand’s dairy sector cannot expect India to be a market for all its dairy products.
Meat processor ANZCO Foods’ net profit has plunged on the back of lower market returns which squeezed margins and impacted business performance.
OPINION: Most people will be aware of the Government's plans to boost coal, oil and gas production to meet energy requirements.
AgriZeroNZ has entered a new partnership with Britain's national innovation agency, Innovate UK.
Twenty rural community hubs across New Zealand will receive $5,000 to upgrade their facilities having been selected as the winners of Rabobank's Community Hub Competition.
As the dairy industry prepares to celebrate its top achievers at an awards night this Saturday, attendees are being warned to be aware of protests planned outside the venue – Baypark Arena, Mount Mauganaui.
OPINION: Farmers won't get any credit for this from the daily media, so Milking It is giving the bouquets where…
OPINION: The Advertising Standards Authority’s 2024 report revealed that not only is social media rotting our brains, it is also…
