Category Archives: News

Weekly genetics review: Avoiding common mistakes at this year’s bull sales

Although developing a breeding objective and selecting bulls that suit that objective has been a focus of industry advice for many years, there still appears to be a large gap between those who know what their objective is, and those who don’t.

Many people see breeding objectives as an academic exercise and are often reluctant to define their objective as a result. However, in not being clear in their objectives, they expose themselves more to mistakes that can have costly and long-term implications for their program.

AI program success starts eight weeks before insemination

As August begins, the spring bull-selling season is gathering momentum. Most breeding decisions will continue to involve new bulls and natural mating, but artificial insemination remains an established tool in many seedstock and some commercial programs.

Artificial insemination represents an investment not only in semen, but also in synchronisation treatments, labour and technical services. Choosing the genetics is therefore only one part of achieving a worthwhile result.

Managing mature cow size

Mature cow weight is a consistent theme of discussion among seedstock and commercial beef producers.

Several recent Beef Central genetics columns have looked at implications associated with mature size, ranging from concerns associated with increased feed demands and fertility implications through to impacts on profitability. The emphasis from these articles is that larger cows require more feed and infrastructure, and they may not yield proportional gains in productivity.

Cows return to hill country

Beef cows are making a slow but steady comeback to the hill country of Limestone Downs. Massey University modelling shows that decreasing sheep and increasing cattle numbers is more profitable, and is likely a win-win for both stock classes.

B+LNZ focuses on Beef on Dairy

How does the beef industry accommodate the 1.8 million calves born on dairy farms every year that are not currently entering the beef supply chain?

They are both an opportunity and a challenge, and Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is working alongside other organisations to find solutions that benefit both the dairy and red meat industries as work continues to minimise calf wastage.

Duncan Elliott, who has recently joined B+LNZ as an Operations Specialist, is certainly up for the challenge.

Worm Egg Counts in Angus Cattle

Internal parasites remain one of the most persistent productivity challenges facing beef graziers across New Zealand. While seasonal conditions vary, the impact of worms on growth and overall performance is consistent — and costly.

At Angus Australia, we are investing in research aimed at providing breeders another tool in the box: the ability to genetically improve resistance to internal parasites through Worm Egg Count (WEC) data.