Gisborne bull breeders urged to enter genetics programme

Beef + Lamb NZ genetics specialist Dr Jason Archer.

Angus, Hereford and Simmental stud breeders in the Tairāwhiti region have been encouraged to nominate sires for use in a ground-breaking beef genetics programme.

The Informing New Zealand Beef (INZB) programme seeks bulls for the next mating season on Pamu’s Kepler farm near Te Anau and Lochinver Station near Taupō.

The seven-year INZB partnership, supported by Beef + Lamb NZ (B+LNZ), the Ministry for Primary Industries and the New Zealand Meat Board, aims to boost the sector’s profits by $460 million over the next 25 years.

It remains focused on increasing the uptake of genetics use 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,” said Dr Jason Archer, genetics specialist at B+LNZ and INZB science lead.

“The Beef Progeny Test (BPT) allows breeds to be compared as well as bulls.

“It means B+LNZ 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,” he said.

“The BPT is playing a critical role in creating a stronger future for New Zealand’s beef farmers and the industry.”

Archer said breeders of bulls selected for use in the BPT would be provided with detailed information about the performance of their bull’s progeny, including processing data (in the case of steers).

“The INZB BPT 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.”

Bull owners can nominate their bulls through the B+LNZ Genetics website: https://www.blnzgenetics.com/news/media-releases/beef-progeny-test-call-for-bull-nomination

Nominations close on Friday, August 23.