Morrison has backed Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s (B+LNZ) proposed genetics entity.
“It makes total sense to link all the organisations together and have that information more readily available,” he said. “The integration of resources is a decent step in the right direction.”
Morrison, a southern Growbulk sheep breeder, said his breeding operation was using extensive research, including from AgResearch and Ovita, a sheep genetics research consortium.
“We know the gains it has made onfarm and to be available to more breeders is a great move.”
Applied science was invaluable to NZ agriculture and without the contribution from B+LNZ such research would not be possible, he said.
“I just hope most people recognise that contribution (of B+LNZ).
“The exciting bit is that there is now a focus into the hill country, where sheep and beef have been pushed due to the success of dairy.”
A B+LNZ roadshow has started to inform farmers about its proposal to establish a new entity, B+LNZ Genetics, to focus on using genetics to add value to the sheep and beef industries.
B+LNZ Genetics will include the present activities of Sheep Improvement Limited (SIL), the B+LNZ Central Progeny Test and Ovita.
It will also include investment in beef genetics to support systems used by NZ bull breeders.
Meetings were held in in South Canterbury and Southland.
The roadshow aims to present farmers with the main elements of B+LNZ Genetics activity in innovation, adoption, and services.
Most significantly, it would look at what activity would lead to outcomes that could be used onfarm or which other groups in the industry, from processors to consumers, would value, B+LNZ genetics manager Mark Young said.
B+LNZ Genetics planned to improve the profitability of NZ sheep and beef farms through optimal use of genetics, including investment in beef genetics, Young said.
“The easiest and best way to increase profitability was to focus on areas within our influence and control.”
“B+LNZ Genetics will enable us to make the most of new and existing genetic technologies for sheep and beef cattle breeding to breed the animals NZ needs for the future.”
Mark Young
B+LNZ
A key focus was making it easier for farmers to use genetic information, he said.
“The meetings are a first step to re-shape industry good investment in genetic improvement and support the next lift in the growth curve of our industry.
“We want to shift the focus from animal productivity to more profit per farm, rather than per animal.”
To be efficient it needed to be done under one umbrella, he said.
“B+LNZ Genetics will enable us to make the most of new and existing genetic technologies for sheep and beef cattle breeding to breed the animals NZ needs for the future.”
Part of that was a stronger focus on performance in hill country because of the land use changes in NZ, together with the introduction of new traits that would have an impact on farm profit, efficiency, and product qualities, he said.
Maternal traits of the ewe and beef cow would receive particular attention.
Work carried out by the new entity would be a mix of innovation to develop new tools adoption and getting more use of genetic information by industry services to maintain and enhance the genetic evaluation services already used by the sheep industry, he said.
To gain support for continued genetics investment B+LNZ was seeking matched government funding over the first five years through a partnership with the Ministry for Business and Economic Development.
B+LNZ was already investing $2.9 million a year. A further $1.5m would be sought from commercial partners, including meat companies and breeding groups.
An application had been made to the Government to subsidise that $4.4m up to $8.8m a year, over the five years of the programme for a total of $44m, Young said.
“The calculated total return over 20 years was $742m, some of that captured by the farmers, some by the processors and some by the consumers.
“If we can deliver value to the breeders we can add value to the commercial stock.”
Mid Canterbury foothills sheep and beef farmer Blair Gallagher applauded the proposal.
“This is certainly in line with what our (Perendale) society has been talking about for the past 18 months,” Gallagher said.
“We have done four years of trial work, mainly on the male side. We have 600-800 ewe progeny on these farms that are ready for further trial work. This (B+LNZ Genetics) proposal is on track with the objectives of our society and where we are heading.
“They have taken on board what we have been saying, particularly in ewe efficiency, adult ewe weight at mating and condition scoring.
“A collaborative approach will, without doubt, produce the best result.”
B+LNZ Genetics will be owned by B+LNZ and will operate as a partnership with AgResearch.
The proposal to establish B+LNZ Genetics will be put to farmer vote later this year.
