Movement of cattle between farms is the highest risk for spread of Mycoplasma bovis, and winter grazing of dairy cattle therefore poses particular challenges.

Richard Laven is Associate Professor in Production Animal Health at Massey University, and was the person who first recognised that Mycoplasma bovis was likely present in New Zealand. He joins us to explain how the disease spreads, the precautions graziers and owners can take to further reduce the low risk of spreading the disease, and what farmers should be doing as good biosecurity management practice anyway.

For more details, click here to download the Beef + Lamb New Zealand/DairyNZ information for graziers factsheet.

Getting better calves from your cows involves getting the right breeder, selecting the right bull both on figures and on what you can see, then looking after that bull and making sure he can do his job. Max Tweedie, then National Beef Genetics Manager at Beef + Lamb Genetics, joins us to talk about what the figures mean, how to use them, what to look for in a bull, and how to keep him performing at his best. (Max left B+LNZ in 2019)

To view the B+LNZ Genetics bull selection tools, visit: http://www.blnzgenetics.com/bull-selection-tools

For a hard copy of the booklet containing the information discussed, email [email protected] – or to find out about Better Beef Breeding workshops in your area, contact your local B+LNZ Extension Manager at https://beeflambnz.com/contact-us

Beef + Lamb New Zealand provides funding to Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics so that New Zealand ram breeders have the best tools at their disposal, and sheep farmers benefit from rapid and effective genetic gain. On this podcast, National Sheep Genetics Manager, Annie O’Connell, discusses some recent advances in the information available to help choose rams, and how farmers can make the best use of it.

More information on the maternal and terminal indexes we discuss can be found at www.ramindex.co.nz, the ram buyer guide is downloadable at bit.ly/Ram-Buying-Guide and check out the B+LNZ Genetics website here: www.blnzgenetics.com

Steve Wyn-Harris is well known in farming circles in New Zealand, with his weekly newspaper column, speaking engagements and radio show. For a change he is the subject of an interview, and we are discussing his thoughts and lessons learned about farming successfully. Steve is an entertaining speaker and writer, and at the same time achieving very high levels of performance and personal satisfaction from running a family farm (a version of the Farm Profit distribution graph Steve refers to can be seen here: http://www.rmpp.co.nz/page/about/)

Lambing hoggets can be an effective way to increase flock productivity and profit – if it is done well, and in the right circumstances. Professor Paul Kenyon is Head of the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences at Massey University and has led research into successful hogget lambing for over 15 years. He joined us on the call to share what he has learned. For more details, check out Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s guide to hogget lambing at www.beeflambnz.com/knowledge-hub/PDF/hogget-performance

Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Chair and Farmer Director for Northern North Island James Parsons joins us to give an outline of B+LNZ’s refreshed strategy, and proposed priorities for the future. For more details, and to give your feedback, head to www.beeflambnz.com/consultation

The majority of New Zealand’s beef has dairy genetics in it, and most of that comes from calves born to dairy cows. Can the industry use improved beef genetics to safely and profitably produce calves from dairy cows, improve dairy farm profit and at the same time produce a fast growing, great eating animal? Doug Lineham and Bob Thomson were part of Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s Dairy Beef Integration Project and join us to talk about why the project was funded and what it found – opportunities for dairy farmers, calf rearers and beef finishers. The full report and a summary factsheet are available on the B+LNZ website.

"Break-Feeds" are 5 minute podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Will Morrison was recently elected National Chair of the B+LNZ Farmer Council, which is the key group that provides advice, and a connection with other farmers, for B+LNZ directors and staff. At the National AGM 2017 he talks about the purpose and activities of B+LNZ Farmer Council and what he intends to achieve in his role. Make sure to follow Will on Twitter: @morrisonfarming

‘Break-Feeds’ are 5 minute podcasts from Beef + Lamb New Zealand. Lynley and Matt Wyeth are well known for pushing the boundaries with their on-farm trials and running an intensive sheep and beef farm at large scale. This year Matt also nearly died from a leptospirosis infection. They join us to talk about the experience, the symptoms – and the silver lining with Matt forced to spend time working ON the business rather than in it.

For more information on protecting people on farms from leptospirosis, visit http://www.saferfarms.org.nz/guides/prevention-and-control-of-leptospirosis/

For more information on the Wyeth’s Innovation Programme projects, visit www.beeflambnz.com, call 0800 233 352 or email [email protected]