Abstract

Three beef breeding cow technologies (heifer mating, dairy cross cows, and exotic terminal sire bulls) have the potential to increase cattle gross margins by 48% and increase output from the national beef herd significantly. However, on a whole farm basis where the extra feeding levels required to implement these technologies are taken into account individual farm surpluses increase by only 21%. Samples of farmers from the Taihape/Hunterville and coastal Hawkes Bay regions were all aware of the technologies but had chosen not to use the new technologies for rational reasons. The most frequently stated reason was that the technologies were not suitable for harsh farming environments. Other reasons stated by farmers related to the farmer not being able to provide the breeding cow herd the preferential feeding required for these technologies to express their potential.

R, Brazendale, J Reid, and A McRae

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 54, , 413-416, 1994