In a compelling discussion with Dan Brier, GM of Farming Excellence at Beef and Lamb New Zealand delves into the transformative practices reshaping the beef and sheep farming industries.
The conversation orbits around the Informing New Zealand Beef project, an ambitious endeavour that has reached its halfway mark and is set to enhance farmer profits by an impressive $450 million.
"Our goal there we want to put $450 million back into farmers' pockets...we've got some real key goals and things that we're working on to try and achieve that," Brier says.
A significant part of the conversation unpacks the novel strategies aimed at combating livestock diseases, particularly facial eczema, which is notoriously prevalent in the North Island. Highlighting the industry's proactive response, Brier shares insights into the ongoing research.
"One is where we've been working on a new test for facial eczema so that people can test their animals really easily and see if they've got it or not and hopefully a genetic link."
The conversation also emphasises the critical role of Beef and Lamb New Zealand in coordinating research and funnelling farmer funds into collective advancements that individual farmers couldn't shoulder alone.
"So it doesn't really make sense for one guy to try and figure out how to pay for the investment by himself, but it does for all of us together."
Genetics emerges as a pivotal theme, with the 'Cool Sheep' program taking centre stage. This initiative is poised to give New Zealand farmers a competitive edge by reducing methane emissions through genetic selection.
"I'm convinced that sometime in the future there's going to be an advantage to farmers who can show that they have produced their methane."
The conversation not only accentuates the need for continuous innovation but also throws light on the collective spirit of the farming community, evident from the enthusiastic involvement of farmers in research studies.
"That's really good, for farmers to be involved in a research study, and it's not the nicest piece of work in the world... but it's been really useful."
In sum, the conversation with Dan Brier serves as an informative guide on the progressive strides in New Zealand's livestock sector, the intricate balance between profitability and sustainability, and the unwavering commitment to a future that embraces both technological advancements and traditional farming values.
Listen to the full chat between Dan Brier and Dominic George above.
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