Screen Reader Mode Icon

Information for submitters

We welcome your feedback. Once the consultation closes, we will analyse the submissions and the Board will consider all of the points raised by submitters before determining whether to proceed with the proposed funding for Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics.
Submissions close 15 December 2019.
The New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB), as part of its purpose under the Meat Board Act 2004, provides funding from its reserves for a range of activities in the interests of livestock farmers, including funding for industry good activities. 
 
Previously, NZMB has been one of the funding partners for Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics (BLG). On 1 October 2019 BLG was amalgamated back into the main industry good body, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Ltd (B+LNZ), and NZMB is proposing that it will continue to be a funding partners and would provide $1.2 million this financial year to help fund BLG’s activities. 
 
Proposal for consultation – Industry Good funding to B+LNZ for Beef + Lamb Genetics 
 
Funding available from NZMB reserves interest income has been available for BLG over the last six years. 
 
NZMB grant funding from interest income for 2018-19 was capped at $1.8 million and is proposed to be $1.2 million in 2019-20 subject to investment returns.

This will enable Beef + Lamb Genetics to continue on its work, as the initial funding from government partners has now run its course. As an example of this, five years ago the Ministry of Business, Innovative, and Employment also contributed funding for the genetics partnership programme which had four objectives.  
  1. Establish a next generation genetic evaluation system. 
  2. Understand genetic by environment interactions.  
  3. Research and establish new traits of economic significance.  
  4. Understand the drivers and implement technologies for profitable genetic gain.
The key achievements from the BLG Partnership Program were:  
  • A Next Generation evaluation system giving seamless integration of genomic information with pedigree and performance records resulting in more accurate breeding values particularly in young animals.  
  • New traits contributing to 24 new breeding values, including Stayability, Body Condition Score, and Meat Quality.  
  • nProve – a new intuitive IT-customer interface to replace Sheep Improvement Limited (SIL).  
  • A new pathway for genomics – a collaborative lab policy between BLG and genotyping providers that provides a consistent platform of technologies for breeders, with flexibility and services that are compatible across genotyping labs.  
  • Dairy beef progeny tests – identifying beef genetics for profitable dairy-beef production.  
  • Software tools for sheep breeders and commercial farmers (Ram Finder, Flock Finder, Ram4Ram).  
  • First prediction of feed efficiency for the NZ sheep industry.  
  • Five beef progeny tests based on commercial farms identifying beef genetics which are most profitable for New Zealand farming systems.  
  • Establishment of a Quantitative Genetics Senior Lecturer position and postgraduate degree course at the Master’s level at Otago University.  
  • New breeding scheme with the setup of Next Generation Sheep Progeny tests, strengthening connections and benching across the industry.  
  • Leveraging the Beef genetics program to establish a $5.2M, three-year collaborative Trans- Tasman project with the Meat and Livestock Australia Donor Company to carry out research on maternal beef genetics. This project is completed in September 2019. 
  • Development and release of the new NZ Genetic Evaluation (NZGE). A single, weekly evaluation that includes all flocks. This is a change from the previous multiple evaluations and estimates of merit to a new single evaluation with one estimate of merit. The end result is an evaluation that includes all flocks, all information, best estimates of genetic merit and ability to benchmark rams.  
  • Introduction of National Breeding Objectives with the establishment NZ Standard Indexes (NZ Terminal Worth and NZ Maternal Worth) to make it easier for farmers to select genetics that will be profitable for their farming systems.  
  • New modules on SIL, sheep milking, meat yield, methane (PGGRC), Meat Quality (FarmIQ).  
  • In consultation with industry, producing a new beef genetics strategy with the following five pillars:  
    • Information infrastructure: collection data from multiple sources.  
    • More Phenotypes: e.g. GHG, N, Residual Feed Intake, Meat Attributes, Longevity, Disease.  
    • Phenotypes on More Animals: e.g. processor, commercial & dairy.  
    • Genomics: at both stud & commercial level.  
    • Future proof breeding strategy: cross breeds, multi-breed analysis.

Question Title

* 1. First name

Question Title

* 2. Last name

Question Title

* 3. Email address

Question Title

* 4. Contact phone number

Question Title

* 5. Postal address

Question Title

* 6. Do you support the proposal for the New Zealand Meat Board to provide funding of $1.2 m to Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics in the 2019/20 financial year?

Question Title

* 7. Are there any other comments you would like to make?

0 of 7 answered
 

T