B+LNZ’s Fieldays site this year was packed full of information for farmers, highlighting the latest tools, resources and support available. Visitors had the chance to put Bella and nProve Tracker to the test, and connect with our team from across extension, advocacy and policy, and B+LNZ Genetics.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) thanks everyone who stopped by its site at Fieldays this year. It was great to connect with so many farmers, hear what’s top of mind, and talk through the tools, support and work happening across B+LNZ.
Our site brought together people and expertise from extension, advocacy and policy, and B+LNZ Genetics, with plenty of practical conversations happening across all areas.
Extension built by farmers for farmers
A big focus this year was our increased investment in extension, and what that means on the ground for farmers. Visitors had the chance to meet their local Extension Managers, Toni Walker and Flo Nebel, and talk through the events and support available in their area.
Ian Tarbotton, Head of Extension, was also on site, talking to farmers about the team’s current focus on planning next year’s delivery plans, and working with B+LNZ Farmer Council and B+LNZ Kāhui to shape these. In a short interview, he shared what this process involves and encourages farmers to talk to their local extension team, Farmer Council or Kāhui to have input into the plan.
He adds, “Feedback on events and programmes, or broader challenges and opportunities, helps shape how we deliver extension so it’s practical, relevant and farmer-led.”
Dairy-beef
The Fieldays was a great opportunity to highlight B+LNZ’s investment in research relating to dairy-beef integration, including our Dairy Beef Progeny Test, which is improving calf quality by identifying high-performing bulls across key traits, and our involvement in the recently announced Dairy Beef Opportunities programme. The programme aims to unlock more value from non-replacement dairy calves by strengthening integration across the value chain and developing practical, New Zealand-focused pathways for raising them for beef.
nProve Tracker: understanding your flock’s genetics
We also had strong interest in nProve Tracker, a newly released tool by B+LNZ, designed to help sheep farmers better understand the genetics in their flock and make more informed decisions.
The tool enables farmers to follow sire genetics through their ewe flock, tracking genetic progress over time. It provides a clearer picture of where their flock sits across all traits, where there could be room to improve, and how ram-buying decisions can influence performance over time.
B+LNZ Genetics Programme Manager – Cool Sheep®, Cynthia Lawrence, was on site demonstrating the tool and how it can be used on-farm, with conversations covering a wide range of topics.
“There’s real interest in tools like nProve Tracker, which helps quantify and visually communicate the value of good genetics, helping support more informed breeding decisions on-farm. The overall vibe was positive, with good levels of optimism in the discussions.”
nProve Tracker was developed through the joint B+LNZ and Ministry for Primary Industries’ Cool Sheep® Programme.
Bella put to the test
Bella, B+LNZ’s AI-powered assistant, was another popular feature on site, with plenty of farmers keen to give it a go.
Visitors could ask Bella a question and see how it draws on B+LNZ’s Knowledge Hub to deliver tailored, practical answers. Everyone who tried it went in the draw to win a life-sized Bella soft toy.
Bella brings together around $100 million worth of science-backed, New Zealand-specific research and turns it into usable, on-farm insights tailored to user’s questions. With access to thousands of pages of information, plus podcasts and videos, she helps farmers quickly find an answer to their question, and can also create resources such as checklists to help apply the info to specific situations..
Importantly, Bella is trained only on B+LNZ’s verified Knowledge Hub content, meaning farmers can trust the answers and apply them with confidence.
Give Bella a go at: www.AskBella.co.nz
Opportunity to connect with partners
Fieldays also presents a great opportunity for B+LNZ to connect with its many industry partners. One of those is Ballance Agri-Nutrients. Watch a short conversation between Alan Thomson, B+LNZ’s CEO, and Dani Darke, a Ballance Agri-Nutrients Director, about their long-standing and growing collaboration.