Jersey World Conference 2011
LIC – an overview
Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) is a dairy farmer owned cooperative and is one of the largest integrated herd improvement organisations in the world.
We are one of the pioneers of the dairy industry, able to trace our roots back to 1909 when New Zealand dairy farmers first formed groups to compare the production of their cows.
Over the ensuing years, LIC has established itself as a world leader in dairy innovation and today provides a diverse range of products and services including
· herd testing and milk analysis
· Artificial breeding
· Animal health
· Farm advisory
· Herd recording
· DNA parentage analysis
· Farm automation systems
· Farm mapping systems
Dairy farming is LIC’s core business but the company has leveraged its expertise in artificial breeding to the deer industry through Deer Improvement.
LIC’s Head Office is located in Hamilton, New Zealand with regional offices across the country. We also have offices in the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Australia and agents in South Africa and South America.
The co-operative operates two bull farms within New Zealand – its main holding on the outskirts of Hamilton, adjacent to its Head Office, and a second property in the Manawatu (lower North Island).
LIC sires have won international acclaim for siring daughters that deliver the traits needed by all commercial farmers – easy-care fertile cows which are productive and profitable and which maintain these attributes over multiple lactations.
Jersey World Conference Delegates’ visit to LIC
It is a great pleasure to welcome Jersey World Conference Delegates to our Hamilton Head Office.
LIC’s Newstead complex is not only the home of the commercial business, it is also home to our elite teams of artificial breeding bulls.
Around 300 staff work out of the Newstead office which is located on a 600 hectare farm where our artificial breeding sires are grazed.
LIC has two teams of artificial breeding bulls known in the market, as Premier Sires.
Traditionally there was one team of Premier Sires bulls, but with the introduction of DNA Proven, farmers are now able to choose between two teams of bulls – those whose potential is indicated through DNA, and those with that potential confirmed through daughter performance. The teams are known, respectively, as the DNA Proven Team and the Daughter Proven Team.
The visit by Jersey World Conference Delegates to our Hamilton office will include :
- An overview of our international operations
- Overview of our genetics and genomics programme
- A visit to our Bull Barn for a parade of some of our elite sires
- Lunch with members of LIC’s executive team
Overview – LIC speakers to Jersey World Conference Delegates
Mark Dewdney
Chief Executive Officer
Mark Dewdney will be welcoming Delegates to LIC and providing an overview of the company.
Mark first joined LIC in the late 1990s when he headed the international division, and he returned in 2006 to take the reins as CEO. In the interceding years, Mark worked for Fonterra in various roles both in New Zealand and overseas.
John Redshaw
Bull Acquisition Manager
John Redshaw joined LIC in 1996 spending the first three years in the field as a Customer Relationship Manager, before moving to bull acquisition with the Livestock Selection Team in 1999.
John’s presentation to delegates, ‘Genomics - if not now then when?’, will discuss the commercial implementation of genomic technology in our breeding scheme and in the marketplace.
Aaron Wallace
Product Manager International
Aaron Wallace joined LIC in 1994 gaining extensive experience across the breadth of the company’s business before joining the International team.
Aaron will give delegates an overview of LIC’s international markets and operations.
