Richard and Andrea Plunket farm 440ha near Oamaru, and run about 300 Friesian bulls as part of their system. Richard was part of the RMPP pilot farm project with Alliance Group, exploring information transfer for farmers, and he had the chance to visit some top performing bull beef farms. In this podcast, he shares some of what he learned, and we discuss bull beef farming with renowned agricultural consultant Bob Thomson, of AgFirst. Topics covered include considering the whole farm system, why bulls are an underutilised option, management systems, and the key points for success.

BreakFeed: Talking Bull 1 – Why you should (or shouldn’t) farm bulls.

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Agribusiness in Schools in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, NZQA and the primary industries have collaborated to design an agribusiness programme that will prepare the best and brightest students for careers in the primary sector. Beef + Lamb New Zealand have been a proud partner of the programme since its conception in 2014. Hear from founding members John Jackson and Hon Nathan Guy on how the programme began, where the programme is today with Agribusiness Project Curriculum Director. Kerry Allen and hear first hand from current and past students on the impact the programme is having on careers within the food and fibre sector. 
Find out more at  https://www.agribusiness.school.nz/

Insight into Agribusiness in Schools

The Beef Progeny Test was a 5-year project run by Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Genetics, comparing bulls under commercial farming conditions. B+LNZ Genetics has been analysing the dataset collected from those farms to identify valuable insights for stud breeders and commercial farmers. In this podcast, Jason Archer, Livestock Genetics Specialist at B+LNZ Genetics, delves into some of the insights on measuring and predicting finishing performance in beef cattle.
Discussion explores the important role of 'subcutaneous fat', which is measured through rib fat depth, and 'intramuscular fat' also known as marbling, as well as the relationship between these traits. Jason also discusses different tools used to improve carcass traits – such as estimated breeding values (EBVs) and ultrasound scanning – and how effective they are at predicting marbling and rib fat depth within a carcass.
Useful links:
Read more (and see the graphs referred to in this podcast) on the B+LNZ Genetics Beef Progeny Test Results page: https://www.blnzgenetics.com/beef-progeny-test-results
Watch a video of Jason discussing these traits at a recent Beef Progeny Test field day: https://youtu.be/B9yhj1k6o9s?si=SI9pCx9cSusjG9_A&t=4703
B+LNZ’s Informing New Zealand Beef website:  www.blnzgenetics.com/informing-nz-beef

Fine-tuning finishing performance in beef cattle: outcomes from Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics’ Beef Progeny Test

Shepherdess is a more than a women’s magazine. It captures everyday life and extraordinary stories and is documenting the things that matter to communities across provincial Aotearoa. From the women, for the land. We are joined by Kristy McGregor, Publisher and Editor-In-Chief, who dives into all of the corners of the venture that started back in 2019. 
This podcast was recorded in February 2024.

Shepherdess: more than a magazine

Farmers can reap many benefits by participating in New Zealand’s national Open Farm Day, set for Sunday, 10 March 2024. We talk with Open Farms founder Daniel Eb about the overwhelmingly positive feedback received from farmer hosts and why a significant number of hosts return each year to be part of the initiative.
Daniel dives into the many benefits for farmers – direct and indirect – and how it is much more manageable than farmers might anticipate.
B+LNZ encourages you to consider hosting an event. Research shows that firsthand experiences are unmatched when it comes to creating better understanding with urban folk.
If you’re considering hosting an Open Farms Day, visit the official website here.

Farmers benefit from hosting an Open Farms Day: Daniel Eb

Recorded on a Beef + Lamb New Zealand webinar. Dr. Ty Beal is a well-recognised expert on global food systems, and the impact of dietary patterns on human health and the environment. Through an evidence-based approach, Dr. Beal presents a balanced view for the role of animal sourced foods (with a focus on red meat) in sustainable global diets.
View the presentation with Dr. Beal’s slides on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTb288eHv6c

BreakFeed: Talking Bull 1 – Why you should (or shouldn’t) farm bulls.

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