Wednesday, 10 July 2019 07:56

Cows in calf top priority

Written by 
Craig Scott, CRV Ambreed. Craig Scott, CRV Ambreed.

CRV Ambreed has a new national artificial breeding manager, Craig Scott. He was formerly national franchise manager at pregnancy tester Ultrascan Ltd.

Scott says delivering ‘gold standard’ service to farmer customers is a core focus of the CRV AB delivery business. 

“CRV is continually investing in new technologies and genetic innovations to help farmers breed healthy and efficient cows with great temperaments and smaller environmental footprints.

“But getting cows in calf is our number one priority. The AB technician team [must] do a good job of delivering these products and services to farmers.”

Scott grew up on a Taumarunui sheep and beef block and experienced family dairying in Waikato. 

He has been in operations management, customer support and relationship management, working in the agriculture, sports and information technology sectors, including 10 years managing Verusco Technologies, supplying video analysis software and statistics to rugby union teams.

CRV Ambreed’s operations manager Andrew Medley says Scott “brings leadership and management experience with the necessary planning and organisational skills to add value to our AB service”. 

Scott looks after about 200 AB technicians NZ-wide, contracted to CRV during the mating season. Next month he will attend the ‘pre-mating’ seminars CRV holds each year for its AB technicians. team. A key part of their role is using CRV’s PortaBULL app, which links the mating to the cow to update herd records. The data can be viewed on the spot.

CRV technicians also use an inbreeding alert provided to farmers who are also using the company’s SireMatch service, yielding a report specifically tailored to a farmer’s herd. It helps prevent inbreeding and genetic defects using the cow’s pedigree information, and recommends the ideal sire to match with each cow. 

This year CRV technicians will have some added fun -- looking out for five golden straws hidden inside farmers’ CRV AI units, worth $2000 each.

More like this

More testing as M. bovis resurfaces

As Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) resurfaces in Canterbury, CRV is reassuring dairy farmers it has rigorous production processes and health testing programmes in place within its supply chain.

'Green bull' to help reduce urinary nitrogen emissions

A Canterbury Hereford stud specialising in providing beef genetics for the dairy industry is claiming a major breakthrough in breeding for more environmentally friendly animals, with reduced urinary nitrogen emissions.

Genetics can help herds lift efficiency

Genetics can help dairy farmers take steps this season to reduce their emissions while they wait for further new tools and technologies to be developed, says CRV managing director James Smallwood.

Featured

Vaccinate against new lepto strain

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.

TV series to combat food waste

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.

National

Frontline biosecurity 'untouchable'

Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has reiterated that 'frontline' biosecurity services within Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) will not be cut…

Machinery & Products

New name, new ideas

KGM New Zealand, is part of the London headquartered Inchcape Group, who increased its NZ presence in August 2023 with…

All-terrain fert spreading mode

Effluent specialists the Samson Group have developed a new double unloading system to help optimise uphill and downhill organic fertiliser…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Plant-based bubble bursts

OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter