Angus, Hereford and Simmental stud breeders are being encouraged to nominate sires for use in an innovative beef genetics programme.
The Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) programme is seeking bulls for the next mating season on Pāmu’s Kepler farm near Te Anau and Lochinver Station near Taupō.
The seven-year INZB partnership, supported by Beef + Lamb New Zealand (BLNZ), the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the New Zealand Meat Board, aims to boost the sector’s profits by $460 million over the next 25 years.
It is focused on increasing the uptake of genetics in the beef industry. The four main components are building a genetic evaluation and data infrastructure, progeny test herds, developing breeding objectives and indexes and developing new data sources.
Dr Jason Archer, genetics specialist at BLNZ and INZB science lead, said the Beef Progeny Test (BPT) allows breeds to be compared as well as bulls.
“It means BLNZ can evaluate good bulls on the same level playing field while demonstrating the differences and similarities between the breeds as well as the benefits of hybrid vigour.
“The BPT is playing a critical role in creating a stronger future for New Zealand’s beef farmers and the industry.”
Breeders of bulls selected for use in the BPT will be provided with detailed information about the performance of their bull’s progeny including processing data (in the case of steers).
The programme builds on data gathered from the previous Beef Progeny Test with mating carried out between 2014-2020 on several large-scale commercial cattle operations throughout the country, said Archer.
Bull owners can nominate their bulls through the BLNZ Genetics website: https://www.blnzgenetics.com/news/media-releases/beef-progeny-test-call-for-bull-nomination
Nominations close on Friday August 23.
