increase font size
Lochinver Station will play host to an Informing New Zealand Beef genetics programme field day next month.
Farmers will get an opportunity to see the Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) genetics programme in action at a field day at Lochinver Station next month.
The event on 5 March will provide insights into the seven-year INZB programme, which aims to improve profitability and enhance sustainability across the beef industry through the development and adoption of improved genetics.
Lochinver on the Rangiaiki Plains near Taupo is one of New Zealand’s largest farms and is a Beef Progeny Test site for the programme supported by Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), the New Zealand Meat Board and the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures Fund.
The across-breed Progeny Test, which builds on previous progeny tests, uses Angus, Hereford and Simmental genetics to identify the performance of agreed-on traits linking with international beef and dairy beef genetics.
It will provide the ability to demonstrate the differences and similarities between the breeds, along with the benefits of hybrid vigour, and to evaluate good bulls on the same basis.
The first round of artificial insemination of Angus cows at Lochinver, with Angus, Hereford, and Simmental bulls, was carried out in January 2023. A further round has been undertaken this year.
The field day will include insights into the station’s operation with Steve Smith, business manager for Lochinver owner Rimanui Farms. There will also be an opportunity to view the cattle involved in the Progeny Test.
B+LNZ Genetics will provide updates on the programme, including results from the Beef Progeny Test data. Accredited Structural Assessment Technician Bill Austin will provide a beef class structural assessment demonstration.
Ginny Dodunski, programme manager with the B+LNZ-funded Wormwise project, will lead a session on parasite management, and Melissa Snowden, agribusiness technical support for Silver Fern Farms, will be sharing perspectives on carcase traits.
In addition to developing a beef genetic evaluation system to support a sustainable beef farming industry in New Zealand, the INZB programme is creating easy-to-use tools to enable data to be efficiently collected, managed, analysed and used by commercial farmers to make profitable decisions for their operation.
For more information and to register for the field day, visit: https://beeflambnz.com/events/blnz-informing-new-zealand-beef-progeny-test-field-day
OPINION: Recently several Labour MPs, including leader Chris Hipkins and deputy leader Carmel Sepuloni spent two days in Waikato with representatives of DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ, Federated Farmers, Groundswell and Rural Women NZ among others.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) says documents released as part of the Government’s second emissions reduction plan consultation contain some positive elements, but also concerning ones.
The Government's decision to keep agriculture out of the New Zealand emissions trading scheme (ETS) has been roundly applauded by farmers.
Farmers groups are welcoming the Government’s decision to exempt agriculture from an Emissions Trade Scheme (ETS).
On-farm inflation for sheep and beef farmers has eased but high input prices continue to affect farm profitability.
The real winner of this year’s FMG Young Farmer Region-off have been the regional communities.
As calving approaches, farmers need to get their teams ready for what lies ahead in the coming months.
Feeling sluggish this winter? Then try some seasonal fruit, renowned for lifting mood, energy and immunity levels just when we need it most.
The missing link in getting maximum weight gain in your calves may be as simple as keeping them warm, says the Christchurch manufacturer of a range of woollen covers for young livestock.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) and Massey University are joining forces to help raise awareness and funds to combat leptospirosis.
Auckland-based supplement and nutritional company New Image International is celebrating 40 years of business in their home country.
OPINION: In 2021 a group of prominent academics got ’cancelled’ for daring to oppose changes to the school curriculum that…
OPINION: On top of the rural banking inquiry, several as-yet-unnamed banks are facing a complaint to the Financial Markets Authority…
