NZBT Enjoys Successful Workshop Series

The New Zealand Beef Technology (NZBT) project was launched in late June with a round of very successful workshops. This workshop series was titled “BREEDPLAN & Related Technologies – Getting Back to Basics” and specifically concentrated on the fundamentals of BREEDPLAN, Selection Indexes & Internet Solutions. The workshop series comprised a total of 4 workshops which were held in Christchurch, Te Awamutu, Havelock North and Feilding. A fifth workshop was planned for Cromwell but was cancelled due to inclement weather conditions.

A combined total of 162 people attended the workshops with participants ranging from long term users of the BREEDPLAN technology to producers looking to record their cattle with BREEDPLAN for the first time. Feedback from the workshops was very positive with producers leaving with a much better grasp of the fundamentals involved in BREEDPLAN, Selection Indexes and Internet Solutions. Workshop participant learning outcomes are summarised in Figure 1.

Craig Martin, Chariman of NZBT commented that NZBT is well satisfied with the reception and delivery of the first round of what we hope will become annual workshops. The four workshops were well supported by in excess of 160 breeders with the initial feedback being positive. There were some concerns the content was too basic for some but ideal for others. We are grateful to the facilitators for there professional and relaxed delivery. Plans are well under way for the 2008 workshop series that will include a more advanced programme for seedstock producers and an introductory programme for commercial producers, in as many regions as is possible.

The NZBT team would like to thank everyone who participated in the workshop series. Another innovative workshop series will be delivered by the NZBT team in 2008.