Beef recording scheme

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33094, 8 December 1972, Page 8

Beef recording scheme

A recommendation that the existing weight-recording scheme for stud beef cattle, and the pilot commercial scheme at present under way, be combined into a national scheme for the 1973-74 season was made recently.

It was the main decision of the first meeting of the newly-formed interim livestock beef committee and the sub-committee of the Herd Improvement Council, set up to recommend methods of developing beef recording. The beef cattle weightgain performance recording scheme is at present being administered by the Dairy Board on behalf of the Meat and Wool Boards, which provide the necessary finance. About 370 farms are using the service. These are mostly stud breeders who have only one breed of animal recorded on their farm. The recording and weighing is done either by field staff of the survey, or, by the farmer himself. To launch a national performance recording scheme for next season, the combined committees recommended that this existing

scheme be combined with the pilot commercial scheme. This is administered by the Dairy Board’s farm production division in collaboration with the herd improvement associations. It provides, basically, calving, weaning, and weight-gain information. Farm advisory officers from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries are helping in the design of the scheme and the assessment of its success. For the financing of the new national programme, the committees also recommended that the Government be asked for a grant to cover the establishment costs of the beef-recording part of the new scheme. The Meat Producers’ Board will also be asked to join representatives of the present committees to negotiate with the Government financing arrange*

ments for the recording part of the scheme and to consider further financing. Members of the combined committees felt that initially the user should not be expected to pay the full cost of the service, which benefits not only the individual using it, but also the industry and ultimately the whole country. Members agreed that the initial charge for the scheme should not be too great as this might discourage use of the services. The combined committees are: Mr D. C. Lane (chairman), Mr J. Cookson, Mr J. D. Steele, Mr J. T. Thwaites, Mr J. R. Unwin, and Dr D. G. Edgar, for the Herd Improvement Council subcommittee, and, for the Livestock Improvement Interim Beef Committee, Mr A. M. Begg, Mr H. F. Saunders, Mr W. I. Mathews, Mr F. Graham, Mr R. Burnside, and Mr J. Innes. Also attending the meeting were: Dr L. R. Wallace, Mr J. M. Hercus, Mr J. W. Stitchbury, Mr H. J. Clifford, and Mr G. J. Pratt (secretary).