New Zealand’s Hereford cattle industry was on show last week when delegates from around the world attended the week-long Boehringer Ingelheim World Hereford Conference in Queenstown.
They also visited Hereford studs in the region as well as the Wanaka A&P Show to see the best the beef industry has to offer.
Conference organising committee chairman Phil Barnett said the conference had been fantastic.
He said the conference provided farmers the opportunity to meet like-minded people to network and share knowledge.
‘‘They [the delegates] were all enthusiastic,’’ Mr Barnett said.
‘‘They are interested in New Zealand’s systems, the use of progeny trials and the technology that is available.’’
Organised by the New Zealand Hereford Association, the conference had delegates from Europe, South America, USA, England and Australia, with the biggest contingent of 35 from Uruguay.
In addition to pre and post tours, delegates spent several days in Queenstown listening to speakers and hearing industry reports from the various countries.
Several coachloads of delegates also visited the Brown family’s Locharburn Hereford stud near Cromwell and the Campbell family’s Earnscleugh Station near Alexandra, last Wednesday.
While the delegates were at Geof and Joyce Brown’s stud, they watched Bill and Judy Austin, of Austin Ultrasound, demonstrate their scanning technology.
Mr Barnett said they had also heard industry reports from delegates from the various countries.
‘‘It was a good opportunity to promote the New Zealand story.
‘‘Typically we are not that good at doing that.’’
Mr Barnett said the industry faced several challenges, including legislation, especially around carbon farming and its consequences, as well as how to encourage more young people into the industry.
