Helping heifers grow
Dairy farmers can easily track the performance of their replacement heifers and ensure they reach their genetic potential.
An automated body condition scoring system for New Zealand-bred cows will be launched at National Fieldays next month.
The technology, a world first, combines DeLaval's BCS camera system with LIC Automation's technology and knowledge of NZ herd characteristics.
DeLaval Oceania regional president Andrew Pooch says it is pleased to be cooperating with LIC Automation.
"It eliminates commercial barriers and will offer all NZ dairy farmers opportunity for body conditioning scoring to be fully automated, eliminating the guesswork and labour hours associated with a manual system.
"This could not be more timely with the new animal evaluation process in place in NZ since February 2016 making BCS trait mandatory for bull evaluation."
LIC Automation sells services and solutions such as dairy genetics and information, says Paul Whiston, chief executive.
"Collaboration in innovative technology... increases productivity and prosperity onfarm. Automating the body condition scoring process will deliver greater consistency and [finer] data to farmers to assist in their decisionmaking and herd management."
The DeLaval BCS is based on a 3D camera; when a cow passes under the camera the system recognises the movement and selects the best still image of the cow in the video sequence. The image is converted into an accurate BCS and can be accessed via DeLaval's herd management system DelPro or LIC's herd management system Minda.
The DeLaval BCS condition scoring allows the farmer to plan and optimise feeding according to a cow's BCS score, ensuring they have peak body condition in the lactation cycle.
Keeping cows at ideal condition during lactation ensures maximum milk yield, improves pregnancy rate and minimises calving and post calving problems, the company says.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…
OPINION: Synlait's financial woes won’t be going away anytime soon.