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FOR E FUTURIA G R R S! U E N E R P
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Volume 26 I September 28, 2020 I email: agined@globalHQ.co.nz I www.farmersweekly.co.nz Not all beef is the same - here are some very brief definitions for the different classes of cattle at the processors. 1 Go the AgriHQ market snapshot page 2 What was the South Island bull price last week? 3 How is this tracking compared to year-ago levels?
STRETCH YOURSELF:
• Prime steers and heifers - This is the better quality beef that is exported overseas and then often used in restaurants. • Local trade - This is often what you will find in your local supermarket. • Manufacturing cow and bull - The majority of this is sold overseas to places like the US and mixed in with fattier meat for products such as burger patties.
did you know? 1 Go to www.farmersweekly.co.nz
Can you find these words in our Spring F ever puzzle?
2 Find and watch the OnFarm Story of Becs Mahoney “We are supporting the country” and read the accompanying article “Farmer is game for a challenge”. 3 Where in NZ do the Mahoneys farm? 4 A significant part of their business is rearing lambs, though not for the meat market. What will these lambs be used for in the future?
This graph shows the North Island average bull slaughter price in $/kg. In a farming system, bulls can be a good choice due to being faster growing than steers and heifers. Other classes of cattle must meet certain criteria for carcass weight and degree of finishing. Bulls have a wider window in which they can be processed and not be penalised. This is beneficial for situations such as drought or other reasons a farmer may need to offload cattle earlier than desired. 1 What may be another benefit of farming bulls? Think about the size/weight of a bull at finishing compared to a steer or heifer. 2 What would be some challenges in farming bulls? Hint: Are they as easy to handle as a steer or heifer?
STRETCH YOURSELF:
3 When did the slaughter price peak last season?
Massey University Young Farmers Club Fundraising
1 Luke Mahoney has an off-farm business, what is this? 2 Bex played top level rugby for a good number of years and now referees games both nationally and internationally. What NZ shield game was she the first woman to referee? 3 Often their workers come without a lot of farming experience. The Mahoney’s do not see this as a problem as long as they have two key attributes, what are these?
Massey YFC members recently spent a day planting native shrubs on Tuapaka, Massey’s hill country farm, near Palmerston North. The shrubs will be used in a large project funded by Beef&LambNZ looking at increasing the sustainability of hill country farming. Over 20 volunteers donated their time to raise money for the club on a fine Sunday morning. Club President William Robertson said that the funds will be used to support a variety of club activities such as running the Massey YFC Rural Student of the Year competition, which is designed to give people experience and confidence to enter regional and national competitions. It also helps with big social events such as the annual ball which this year had ‘a night in the maimai’ theme.
Many of the activities the club usually organises during the first semester were disrupted due to the recent nationwide lock-down, but almost all students are happily back on campus for semester 2. Most Massey YFC club members are studying agricultural science or agribusiness but it’s not restricted to Ag students. Students studying veterinary science or business for example also join club.
Massey YFC is the largest YFC in NZ with 240 members currently. https://www.facebook.com/masseyyoungfarmers/
Want to learn more about agriculture? Check out the Bachelor of Agricultural Science (www.massey.ac.nz/ programme/?id=93425) and the Bachelor of Agribusiness (www.massey.ac.nz/programme/?id=93420)
4 Following Covid-19 Bex believes that farmers will play a big part in NZ’s economic recovery. With the need to protect the knowledge and experience of current farmers paramount, in her opinion. How well as a nation do you think we do this? In what ways could NZ improve our support of primary industries?
For answers to last week’s questions and more content head to our website: www.sites.google.com/view/agined/home