Beef + Lamb NZ head of genetics Jason Archer and Farming Excellence general manager Dan Brier have recently returned from a fact-finding mission to learn more about the work being undertaken in beef genetics in the United States and Ireland.
They found the Irish pursuing a long-term view and taking full advantage of all the tools and systems at their disposal. With a specific focus on dairy beef, that includes making use of advanced cattle progeny testing, such as feed and methane efficiency testing, and genotyping.
Dr Archer said the goal of the trip was to meet organisations and see first-hand what was happening around beef genetics including the significant work being undertaken in the US.
"We visited ABS Global, a world leader in bovine genetics and cattle breeding technologies, in Wisconsin to learn where they are at in their beef on dairy programme.
"Greater use of beef semen over dairy is a global trend. We found that was a big focus in Ireland too, and the challenges and opportunities around that.
"That is driven largely by using sexed semen in dairy cows. Dairy farmers can use semen that has been gender-sorted to get 95% heifers.
"You no longer need to mate all your cows to a dairy bull now to get enough replacements. That opens up opportunities for dairy farmers to use female sexed semen across their very best cows to generate their dairy heifer replacements.
"Then they can use top-quality beef semen across their bottom end cows to generate better beef animals," he said.
They spent time with Teagasc, Ireland’s agricultural research and extension service, and heard about how a combination of regulation and incentives is being used to encourage farmers to provide information and undertake genotyping.
"We saw so much in a week. They are incentivising farmers to do things that help the whole industry and help lower its environmental footprint. It is really changing things.
"They have a lot of building blocks in place in terms of their data system and their research, education and extension system. From an organisation point of view, education and extension research are measured by the impact they make on industry," he said.
They also learned about the Irish sector’s new "commercial beef value" system for cattle sales, which was impressive.
"Each calf comes into the sale yard with information based on its genetics. Farmers then have a choice if they want to pay a bit more to get a better-quality calf with more reliable performance."
A regulation in Bord Bias farm assurance scheme for dairy farmers also prohibits calves being processed before eight weeks of age.
"By that time farmers have done all the feeding and might as well bring them on. "Alternatively, if you want to sell at two or three weeks, farmers are incentivised to produce a very good beef calf to make it more attractive to calf purchasers.
"So, dairy farmers are putting more focus on producing a calf that is saleable at that age and have to think about more than only what it does for them so not just attributes like easy calving.
"They are looking for bulls that provide both easy calving and good growth to produce a calf that does a good job for them but also performs in the beef value chain. That is quite transformational."
The potential of genetics to address methane was high on the agenda everywhere they went, he said.
"When you go overseas, you find there is global attention on the opportunities to reduce methane output by using genetics,
"In Ireland, methane was seen as a significant driver for their systems and we found the same focus during our visit to ABS Global and at the Beef Improvement Federation 2024 Symposium in Tennessee.
"It is the prevalent topic. The headline talks at the symposium were about cow size and efficiency and the implications of methane production.
"There is a global effort going into it. We have the choice in New Zealand to be part of that or be left behind and potentially have that turned against us — and become a trade barrier even."
