Data sharing initiative wins national award for saving farmers time
The work Fonterra has done with Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd, LIC and Ravensdown to save farmers time through better data connections has been recognised with a national award.
LIC chief executive Wayne McNee says it hasn’t found any sign of the disease Mycoplasma bovis in its bulls or semen.
He says the farmer-owned co-op is continuing to “fully comply” with all instructions from Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).
“Protecting our bulls and their semen from Mycoplasma bovis is critical to us and critical to the dairy industry,” McNee says.
He was responding to social media chatter about LIC bulls and M.bovis.
On a Facebook page discussion, some farmers questioned why LIC bulls weren’t culled, given that some of them were bought from “infected farms”.
But McNee says all LIC bulls commercially available for AI were tested for M.bovis in September last year and were clear.
“As a precautionary approach we continue to routinely test semen and test any new bulls for M.bovis in isolation before they enter the main LIC bull farm.”
McNee confirmed that a specific bull purchased in January 2017 has been involved in an MPI trace. He says the bull was moved to LIC six months prior to when the herd in question received infected stock.
“Subsequent testing of this bull and all contacts by MPI and LIC have been clear,” he says.
McNee also debunked claims that M.bovis is less likely to spread through frozen semen.
“There is little evidence that freezing semen will impact M. bovis survival. Our focus is ensuring our bulls and their semen are M.bovis free regardless of whether the semen is delivered frozen or fresh.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
OPINION: Dust ups between rural media and PR types aren't unheard of but also aren't common, given part of the…
OPINION: The Hound hears from his canine pals in Southland that an individual's derogatory remarks on social media have left…