Semen from top sires kept safe and sound

Semen from top sires kept safe and sound
Priests Sierra has 151,937 daughters. (Image: LIC)
Rebecca Howard
A significant foot-and-mouth disease outbreak could decimate New Zealand’s herd, but Livestock Improvement Corp has a system to safeguard decades of genetic gain. “For every bull that we purchase, and we buy 200 elite bulls per annum at the moment, the first straws of semen that we collect from that bull, we put away in an area which we call genetic insurance,” said Livestock Improvement Corp's (LIC) chief scientist, Richard Spelman.  Biosecurity NZ deputy director general Stuart Anderson has warned any response...

More Primary Sector

Port of Tauranga ‘reluctantly’ doubles MetroPort rail fees
Primary Sector

Port of Tauranga ‘reluctantly’ doubles MetroPort rail fees

The port says it's working with KiwiRail on 'long-term arrangements'. 

Oliver Lewis 04 Jul 2025
BX Foods settles director disputes, posts $7.9m loss
Primary Sector

BX Foods settles director disputes, posts $7.9m loss

The Chinese-owned food company removed three executives, alleging fiduciary breaches.

Riley Kennedy 03 Jul 2025