No I in Murphy – Robin gives back – Tim Fulton:
A career in dairying and the irrigation sector is only a start for Robin Murphy. The South Canterbury farmer gives heart and soul to his community. Tim Fulton reports.
On Sundays Robin and May Murphy used to travel the back tracks of Waimate District looking for seal and shingle in need of repair.
Murphy was a local councillor so they figured they had to do their bit.
He reckons he got to know 95% of the roads. . .
Research will be first of its kind for NZ – Yvonne O’Hara:
Now results from the first cohort of the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics Beef Progeny Test have been released, researchers will begin collecting data for the next stages of the project, including data from cows and heifers.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand Genetics national beef genetics manager Max Tweedie said some of those studies would be ‘‘a first for New Zealand’’.
‘‘Now we are looking for on-going information about cows: their maternal performance; constitution; fertility and stayability [in the herd],’’ Mr Tweedie said.
‘‘That is the long game.’’ . .
What is dairy cow breeding worth and why does it matter? – Esther Taunton:
It’s a hard road finding the perfect cow, especially when changing consumer demand redefines what “perfect” even is.
Increasing demand for high-fat dairy products means Kiwi farmers will earn more from milkfat than protein in the 2018/19 season.
With the upward trend expected to continue, high-fat breeds and animals will become more valuable as farmers aim to get as much fat in the vat as possible.
But how does a farmer, let alone a townie, pick an animal likely to produce high-fat milk from a paddock full of swinging tails and stomping hooves? . .
Pie in the sky – Mel Poulton:
Farmers such as Mel Poulton struggle day in day out with poor digital connectivity and want service providers to up their game.
New technology, providing innovative solutions to the challenges and demands we all face today, is exciting.
We want to embrace it, adopt and adapt this technology to our needs. . .
Shot sheep mum too committed to die – George Block:
A sheep shot through the head near Dunedin has made a stunning recovery and continues to raise her three lambs.
Roy Nimmo awoke last week to find three of his lambs had been shot dead in a paddock near his home in Cemetery Rd, beside the East Taieri Church.
They were only 1 or 2 weeks old.
A ewe had also been shot, through the head just below its droopy ears, but had somehow survived, he said. . .
Final report on review of Fonterra’s 2017/18 base milk price calculation:
The Commerce Commission has released its final report on Fonterra’s base milk price calculation for the 2017/18 dairy season.
The base milk price is the average price that Fonterra pays farmers for raw milk, which was set at $6.69 per kilogram of milk solids for the 2017/18 dairy season. The report does not cover Fonterra’s forecast price of $6.75 for the 2018/19 dairy season.
Deputy Chair Sue Begg said no issues had been raised in submissions to the Commission’s draft reportthat warranted a change in the conclusions. . .
Winning with help from a mentor – Brenda Schoepp:
The editor at Country Guide asked, “After meeting someone who could be a potential mentor, what makes a farmer pursue a full mentorship? When do they make the decision, and why? What is the impact of the relationship for themselves and their business? How do we relate this to leadership?”
I didn’t have the answers so I went to 25 individuals who have experienced mentorship through their industry, business or education.
The questions I asked were:
- How and why did you choose to contact a mentor? . .
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