Halter goes global, but NZ farmers remain core to innovation
Virtual fencing company Halter is going global but for founder Craig Piggott, New Zealand farmers will always remain their main partners.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Genetics has launched a new tool to help New Zealand farmers find suitable rams.
The free tool, named nProve, enables farmers to use a series of buttons and slider scales to describe what they need from a ram. nProve then generates a list of breeders whose rams meet the farmer’s criteria.
B+LNZ Genetics general manager Dan Brier says the launch reinforces New Zealand’s position as a trailblazer in sheep genetics.
“We’ve long been the envy of the world for our genetic evaluation service SIL. However, while SIL is traditionally the domain of ram breeders, nProve is for both breeders and commercial farmers,” says Brier.
“It has taken three solid years of development and input from farmers and some of New Zealand’s leading ram breeders. The result is an on-line tool that is a pleasure to use. It’s simple to navigate and the transparency of data invites users to engage and really question their breeding priorities.”
nProve has been developed in partnership with B+LNZ and RMPP. Over time, it will replace the SIL tools, FlockFinder and RamFinder.
The National Wild Goat Hunting Competition has removed 33,418 wild goats over the past three years.
New Zealand needs a new healthcare model to address rising rates of obesity in rural communities, with the current system leaving many patients unable to access effective treatment or long-term support, warn GPs.
Southland farmers are being urged to put safety first, following a spike in tip offs about risky handling of wind-damaged trees
Third-generation Ashburton dairy farmers TJ and Mark Stewart are no strangers to adapting and evolving.
When American retail giant Cosco came to audit Open Country Dairy’s new butter plant at the Waharoa site and give the green light to supply their American stores, they allowed themselves a week for the exercise.
Fonterra chair Peter McBride says the divestment of Mainland Group is their last significant asset sale and signals the end of structural changes.

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