Final season of Sheep Poo Study – farmers needed nationwide, Celebrating our Rural Women’s Day (15 October), MPI guide to the new Animal Status Declaration, World Iron Awareness Week (13–19 October)
This page contains this week’s e-diary national notices.
If there’s something you want to know specific to your region, contact your local extension manager – find their details here.
To sign up to e-diaries, create/login to a B+LNZ online account, go to ‘Account settings’ and select the e-diary box – you’ll be asked to pick which region/s you want to receive e-diaries for.
See elsewhere on our website for other e-diary info:
This week’s notices:
Final season of Sheep Poo Study – farmers needed nationwide
B+LNZ is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study. This research is helping build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across NZ and your farm could help complete the puzzle. Read our full media release and register for the next season here.
Celebrating our Rural Women’s Day (15 October)
With International Day of Rural Women celebrated this week, we acknowledge the incredible women driving NZ’s red meat sector – on farms, in leadership, and behind the scenes. We’re proud to work with organisations like the Agri-Women’s Development Trust, Rural Women NZ, and Dairy Women’s Network who uplift women in agriculture. B+LNZ also thanks the women in our own team – Farmer Councillors, Kāhui, Directors, Facilitators and more for all the work they do on behalf of the sector.
MPI guide to the new Animal Status Declaration
The Ministry for Primary Industries has published a guide to the new Animal Status Declaration (ASD) – you can find it on MPI’s website here. The guide includes information about why ASDs were changed and a list of frequently asked questions. B+LNZ is aware there have been questions and concerns raised by farmers so encourages them to access the new resource.
World Iron Awareness Week (13–19 October)
This week we celebrate World Iron Awareness Week alongside the rest of the red meat sector. World Iron Awareness Week spotlights important information about who is at risk of iron deficiency, the signs to watch out for and red meat’s nutritional value. Join the conversion by sharing statistics via the World Iron Awareness website or this Facebook post.
Submissions for measuring methane in sheep close 31 October
Stud breeders interested in measuring methane emissions in their flocks during 2026 are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) online. Combined with genotyping, these measurements generate methane breeding values. EOIs close 31 October, with outcomes communicated by early December. Find more info and the EOI form here.
Ram nominations for the Sheep Progeny Test
B+LNZ invites stud breeders to nominate rams for the 2026 mating of the Sheep Central Progeny Test (CPT). Open to Maternal and Terminal sires, the CPT underpins NZ’s sheep genetic evaluation (the NZGE). Including a ram from your breed group 'connects' you to the NZGE and validates the performance of your group’s flocks against other NZ flocks. Nominations close Friday 21 November. Access the nomination form here.