Rowarth appointed DairyNZ deputy chair
DairyNZ has appointed Jacqueline Rowarth as its first deputy board chair.
A team led by DairyNZ received a Primary Industries Award at the Kudos Awards last week.
DairyNZ received the award for its Improving Dairy Fertility Genetics research project.
The project determined new ways to select inherently fertile cows and has demonstrated that genetic selection for cow fertility will improve herd reproduction.
“It is tremendous to receive this award recognising the value of the research,” said project co-leader Dr Susanne Meier.
The Improving Dairy Fertility Genetics project used a genetics approach to achieve herd reproduction targets by increasing the fertility breeding value’s accuracy.
“The ability of cows to become pregnant each year to calve in a seasonally concentrated period is critical to the profitability and sustainability of New Zealand’s pasture-based systems,” Meier said.
The second phase of the research is currently underway, focusing on validating the results of the study on a larger scale.
“When we get that validation, we can recommend the industry use the puberty trait and other novel measures for better fertility,” said project co-leader Dr Chris Burke.
The work is part of DairyNZ’s Pillars of a new Dairy System research, which is funded by both DairyNZ and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
Further support has been given by AgResearch, Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), CRV Ambreed and AbacusBio.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
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.
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