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.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
Rural retailer Farmlands has reported a return to profitability, something the co-operative says shows clear progress in the second year of its five-year strategy.
According to a new report, the Safer Rides initiative, which offered farmers heavily discounted crush protection devices (CPDs) for quad bikes, has made a significant impact in raising awareness and action around farm vehicle safety.
OPINION: In the past weeks, much has been said and written about one of New Zealand's greatest prime ministers, James Brendan Bolger, who died just a few months after his 90th birthday.