Big US beef index job for AbacusBio – Sally Rae:
Dunedin-based agribusiness consulting company AbacusBio is rebuilding the selection indexes for the American Angus Association, the world’s largest beef cattle society.
AbacusBio partner Jason Archer, who has specialised in beef cattle throughout his career, was thrilled the company was chosen for the work.
The association has more than 25,000 members across the United States and Canada and the scale of the industry was “unbelievable”, Dr Archer said.
In fact, the work that was being done by AbacusBio meant it affected billions of dollars’ worth of production.
Often, breed societies had selection indexes balancing all the traits that were being measured, and those indexes were both a selection tool and also became “a bit of a benchmark” when evaluating bulls, he said. . .
Walk On history ‘pretty amazing Kiwi story’ – Sally Rae:
The establishment of Walk On is a “pretty amazing Kiwi story”, new chief executive Mark Davey says.
The company, founded by young entrepreneur Lucas Smith, produces blister protection products using soft merino wool.
It has appointed Dr Davey as its first chief executive as part of an initiative to carry the momentum of Walk On’s initial domestic success into international markets.
Walk On had secured a national distribution deal with outdoor and adventure sports multi-channel retailer Torpedo 7 and was also available in 10 retail stores nationally, Dr Davey said. . .
Milking it: NZ’s milk price: Who’s getting rich? Susan Edmunds:
New Zealand milk prices are “astoundingly high” – and we might have supermarkets to blame, one marketing expert says.
Bodo Lang, head of department at the University of Auckland Business School, said the price paid by New Zealanders stood out internationally.
“Particularly when considering that New Zealand is home to one of the world’s largest dairy companies, Fonterra. The problem, however, is not restricted to milk. Other dairy products too have, in comparison with other industrialised nations, exceptionally high prices.”
He said a litre of fresh milk in Germany was selling for the equivalent of $1.51, compared to $2.37 in New Zealand. . .
Milking it: ‘Micro differences’ between brands. Why are some customers happy to pay a premium? – John Anthony:
Craig Prichard remembers when milk tasted very different from region to region.
“Milk in Taranaki where I grew up was different to the milk in Napier,” Prichard said.
The Massey associate professor, and sheep milk specialist, said things like climate, pasture and production methods used to greatly change the taste profile and characteristics of milk.
“That’s largely disappeared.” . .
Rural land value a shrinking influence for a bank loan – Andrea Fox:
Banks’ rural credit decisions will increasingly depend on sustainable farming practices, not land value, says the country’s biggest rural lender ANZ Bank.
Commercial and agriculture managing director Mark Hiddleston said ANZ’s credit decisions have for some time been based more on farm performance than the traditional 65 per cent land-to-value ratio and that model looks likely to increase in use.
Also due for change he believes is the banking sector’s use of “a lot of averages”. . .
Horizons proposes plan change that will get farms compliant – Laurel Stowell:
In an effort to get intensive farms legally consented, Horizons Regional Council is proposing to change numbers on the maximum nitrogen they can leach in its controversial One Plan table.
The matter was discussed at a strategy and policy committee meeting on August 14, and councillors agreed to a three-staged approach.
Last year the Environment Court told the council it must refuse consent to farmers unable to restrict nitrogen leaching to totals in the One Plan’s Table 14.2. The totals were taken from a version of Overseer, a computer system for estimating the amount of nitrogen leaching through soil. . .
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