“Good eating quality underpins all the other attributes that we also market on..”
up playing a game of averages, and not putting in place simple actions that have minimal cost or system impact and can make a significant difference. Meat quality is one example, but there are plenty of other examples of attributes that could be better used to improve the market acceptability of our beef by having a verification which applies over the animal’s whole lifetime, not just the time on the farm immediately before it was slaughtered. We could capture the fact that every farm the calf has been raised on, from birth to slaughter, is certified to meet a high standard of environmental care. Or include a verification around the standards of animal welfare practiced on the properties the calf has been on throughout its lifetime. In the future, we could verify that the animal has been produced with a lower greenhouse gas footprint or at least been bred and grown on properties taking measures to reduce carbon footprint.
ATAHUA
Taking the extra step I’m not advocating creating new certification schemes which are rods for farmers' backs. However, a lot of these requirements, such as the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme and the Beef + Lamb New Zealand farm plan, are either coming or are already here as part of the social licence to farm in NZ. So why not take the extra step to match what we already have (animal id and location) with other information to support our NZ beef story? This level of verification and traceability will be critical if we are to have any realistic chance of getting consumers of our products to pay a share of the cost of meeting these standards. There is additional benefit to be extracted as well, with information going back down the value chain as well as up it. To use the meat quality example, imagine if the person breeding the calf received some feedback as to how the calf graded for meat quality – and not just
MOANAROA ANGUS 1908
ATTENTION
COMMERCIAL BUYERS • NEW GENETICS PRIVATE TREATY 2021 COME AND SEE US
K George 589-16 was used at Kiwitea 2018, he has been used at Apiti 2019 and 2020.
2yr Bull Sale - Monday 14th June 2021, 11am 2021 Sale Bulls by: Hoover Emperor, Hoover Dam, Kaharau 589 To view sale bulls prior to sale, we will be open on 17th, 18th and 19th May by appointment. Please email or phone to secure a time that best suits you on these days.
VISITORS AND ENQUIRIES WELCOME
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Alan and Michele Dalziell 283 McBeth Road, RD7, Feilding 4777 Ph: 06 328 9784 Mb: 027 629 8954 Email: atahua.angus@farmside.co.nz
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113 YEARS of ANGUS BREEDING • 1908 - 2021 3179 COAST ROAD, AKITIO, DANNEVIRKE
DAN RAMSDEN 06 374 3889 HUGH RAMSDEN 06 374 3552
www.moanaroaangus.co.nz Country-Wide Beef
May 2021