21 June 2007

2 minute read

Oceania

The workshops, being held in prime farming locations around the country, are offering beef breeders specific information on how to make genetics work for their bull breeding operation, and to get the most from BREEDPLAN analysis.

BREEDPLAN is a method for farmers to objectively measure and analyse what they can’t see, evaluating how their cattle perform in the inherited traits influencing performance, including fertility, milking, growth and carcass attributes. Selecting bulls on their genetic merit improves essential performance qualities of the herd, for greater returns and to provide objective information on stock sold to commercial breeders.

New Zealand Beef Technologies Chairman Craig Martin said the workshops they’re running will make no assumptions, offering the A to Z of what BREEDPLAN is, how it operates, how Estimated Breeding Values are used to rank performance traits, and a comprehensive look at how to apply that.

“We not only want breeders to gain a thorough understanding of how BREEDPLAN works, but also to equip them with practical skills to improve their own herd’s genetics, whatever the breed,” Mr Martin explained. “The aim is to get more breeders evaluating their animals using objective genetic analysis across a wide range of traits, in turn passing this on to commercial stock, ultimately improving the quality and performance of the New Zealand beef herd.”

Workshop presenters Christian Duff and Andrew Bryne, both heavily involved in the extension of BREEDPLAN and beef breeding technologies, are travelling from Australia to explain how to get the best from beef genetics. The day-long event will be interactive experience, with plenty of time for questions and discussion.

The five workshops are the first series in an annual round of training events organised by the NZBT, who’s role is to educate and support the beef industry. They are supported by New Zealand Performance Breeders Ltd, and by Meat and Wool New Zealand.

TheCattleSite News Desk