Page 91 - NZ Herefords Magazine 2018

Industry Focus

Hereford

Grazing Units

extend value with

new livestock

management technology

WORDS NZHA PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED

NEW LIVESTOCK TECHNOLOGY is being utilised at the NZ Hereford The opportunity to provide accurate weight data at the
Association (NZHA) grazing units this year, adding an element of Herefords Grazing Unit for the 2018 Tru-Test Super Sires and
measuring and tracking, and analysing the growth of sires. Honda Impact Sires coincided with the launch of Tru-Test’s new
NZHA is once again privileged to have two grazing units MiHub Livestock Management cloud software.
operating in the lead up to the PGG Wrightson Livestock MiHub Livestock Management is designed to provide
National Video Sale. farmers with fast, easy to view weigh data analysis, for informed
Over 20 top Hereford sires entered the South Island grazing decision making and tracking animals to target weights.
unit (Silverstream, courtesy of the Fisher family) and the North Tru-Test provided a Prattley crush and their own HD1010
Island grazing unit (Banklea, courtesy of the Brown family) in the load bars, which have a 3000kg capacity. Sire IDs were captured
first week of February. on the SRS2 EID reader and the weights on the XR5000 weigh
All sires entered into the grazing unit were fully parent scale. Weights and animal IDs were then transferred directly off
verified, DNA profiled (this year the choice was by microsatellite the XR5000’s via Wi-Fi into the MiHub Livestock Management
or SNP testing), tested and declared free from genetic defects cloud software.
(Hypotrichosis, Idiopathic Epilepsy, and Diluter) and BVD Information on the performance of each sire is accessible to
vaccinated, as well as holding TB C10 status. each breeder so they can confidentially see their sires’ weights,
The grazing units were designed by the association to ensure how they are tracking against their individual growth, as well as
that all sires are kept on a level platform, and managed close THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Paul Gilligan of Tru-Test checks
to commercial farming practices. This gives buyers confidence the data; Paul Gilligan and William Brown of Banklea Romney stud
that sires purchased will fit into their own farming operations on the job.
easily, and will be ready to perform at the drop of the hammer.
After a few weeks of being at the grazing units, all the sires
are inspected to ensure they meet the high standard of the
Hereford National Sale.
With other countries admiring the current concept of the
New Zealand grazing units, NZHA felt there was an opportunity
to extend the value of the grazing units by analysing the growth
of the sires while they were in one location.
After talks between NZHA and their loyal sponsor, Tru-Test,
it was decided to add an aspect of measuring and tracking.
“This has not changed the original concept of the grazing unit,
but it has added some benefit and reassurance to the vendors,”
notes Posy Moody, NZHA general manager.

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