The Informing New Zealand Beef programme is bringing together the right science and tools to produce great tasting, environmentally friendly meat while boosting productivity.
Programme manager Gemma Jenkins said beef genetics had traditionally lagged behind sheep and dairy, but this seven-year Sustainable Food & Fibre Futures partnership – supported by Beef + Lamb New Zealand, the New Zealand Meat Board and the Ministry for Primary Industries – aims to change that. “New Zealand’s beef industry has relied on using international systems for our genetic improvement, even though these are not necessarily fully fit for purpose for New Zealand conditions.” By developing a beef genetic evaluation system that includes traits important to New Zealand beef farmers, the programme aims to boost the sector’s profits by $460 million over the next 25 years. Informing New Zealand Beef has opened its annual survey to track awareness, knowledge and the use of genetic tools over time. The responses help the programme team know what resources they need to develop and measure how perceptions have changed over time, Jenkins said. The programme will also help farmers and ...
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