NILBG meeting at Taupo
21 November 2009 at 1pm.
Conference Room, Prince Motor Lodge, Taupo
(on the corner of Titiraupenga and Roberts Street)
The meeting is being held in Taupo to make attendance easier for breeders living south of Hamilton. Hope to see you there. David
New Zealand NILBG
November 11th, 2009AGM’s
October 12th, 2009Yesterday, Sunday 11th October 2009, was the AGM for both ALCA and NSWLCPG.
At 12pm, midday, saw the start of the ALCA AGM for 2009. We were lucky enough to have 5 members of 2008/2009 Council present as well as a large youth contingent – this was incredibly encouraging to see.
President John Rowe chaired the meeting, and made reference to all the activities ALCA has overseen in the past 12 months, including the recent inaugural Youth Muster. David McDonald read out a letter composed by the Returning Officer stating that Lee Labrie from QLD, David Allen from VIC, Kellie Paterson from WA and Paul Phillips from NSW were successfully elected onto ALCA Council to join Tim Franzman, Sally Yearbury, Sue Foureur and Andrew Ristrom as Councillors for the 2009/2010.
Andrew Ristrom thanked outgoing Councillors – John Rowe, Keith Smith and Tammy Breuer for all their hardwork, dedication, enthusiasm and time they have given over the years they have been on Council.
Following the AGM was a short session regarding Sydney Royal 2010.
And to round out the day saw NSWLCPG hold its AGM.
Emma Germany thanked everyone for coming along and for their continual promotion of the breed for the year.
Paul Phillips commented that with the merging of the two groups saw everyone working together better as a team to promote all of our cattle. Keith Smith agreed with this sentiment and also put forward that as a group we were becoming more involved in more activities.
NSWLCPG also elected new office bearers for the 2009/10 year:
President: Paul Phillips
Vice President: Hayden Hollis
Secretary: Lana Kuipers
Treasurer: Gail Maranik
Promotions: Moira Smith
The year ahead looks to be a big one – starting out with Murrumbateman Field Days next weekend – all please feel free to come along. Especially on the Sunday we will be supplying tea/coffee and biscuits so as many breeders as possible can get together and discuss where they’d like to see the breed heading. November will see us camped out at Clarendon for the annual Farming Small Area’s Expo. Both these events will be the first time the Promotion Group will be attending as a combined unit.
Canberra Royal is not too far away now, with many breeders looking to use this show as trial for Sydney – make sure they have everything they’ll need.
We will have a busy time ahead, with many members involved in the process of organising Sydney Royal 2010. Being a home show for us we will also provide a lot of physical presence to help with the set up of the site.
All in all it looks to be a good year for promoting our Lowline cattle!
Lana Kuipers
NSW Promotion Group Meeting
August 9th, 2009Thanks to Judy for her comprehensive and very helpful instruction on how to accomplish this (technology and myself sometimes don’t always see eye to eye!)
For all those interested – current members, and for anyone interested in possibly joining the promotion group – there will be a meeting on Sunday 16th August to be held at Keith and Moira’s property in Goulburn starting at midday.
If you are attending our meeting and have something that you would like to be addressed, please inform the secretary so it can be added to the agenda.
Hope to see as many of you there as possible!
Lana Kuipers
New Zealand – South Island Newsletter Winter 09
July 20th, 2009WELCOME
Welcome to our first newsletter for the South Island Lowline Promotion Group online. Through this site we hope to keep our members updated with all the current news and events within NZ and overseas.
SILPG OFFICER’S
Chairman: Philip Worthington - woolstone@scorch.co.nz
Secretary: Debbie Guthrie – gguthrie@xtra.co.nz
Treasurer: Gordon Guthrie – gguthrie@xtra.co.nz
GROUP MEETING
The next SILPG meeting is to be held on Saturday the 22nd August 2009 at Rosebank Winery in Christchurch for lunch. Please RSVP to Debbie Guthrie to confirm numbers. A notice of this meeting has been emailed to all members.
ROYAL NZ SHOW IN CHRISTCHURCH 2009
The Royal NZ Show in Christchurch this year is from the 11th – 13th November 2009. The schedule is out now and cattle entries close on the 25th September 2009. An Australian judge will be judging Lowlines again this year so make sure you get those entries in.
The Lowline Plus group in Queensland will also be funding a Lowline youth to travel to NZ to attend the royal show as Associate Judge, they will be billeted with a NZ Lowline Stud.
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY (RAS)
Results Of Remits & Notices Of Motion At The 2009 RAS Conference: Important changes have been made that effects members showing cattle, I have outlined below these changes:
That the rules for showing beef classes include the following:
- All led bulls (born before 31 December last) must have a ring through the nose and be led by two leads and be under adequate supervision.
- It is compulsory that all beef females (born before 31 December last) be led by a halter and nose clip.
- Two handlers are allowed with senior bulls whilst they are parading in the show ring. (put forward by Southern District)
RAS JUDGE
We are proud to report that one of our members Mr Philip Worthington of Woolstone Park Lowlines in Rangiora has recently become a RAS approved interbreed national beef judge, congratulations Phil.
Phil was also invited to judge Lowlines at Beef Expo 2009 in Rockhampton, Australia . This is a very prestigious major cattle event and is only held every three years.
Debbie Guthrie
South Island Lowline Promotion Group Secretary
Lowline Plus Promotion Group July Newsletter
July 15th, 2009LOWLINE PLUS PROMOTION GROUP
Everyone has had a busy year with Beef 2009 and now the Brisbane Show almost upon us. We welcome all Queensland members and friends so come along to our events and meet some other
CALENDAR OF EVENTS.
May: Beef 2009 A wonderful display of Lowline cattle. It was also nice to meet the new members in North Queensland. They were very warm and generous in their hospitality organising dinners, hay etc and a special thank you to Tim Franzman for all his efforts. Congratulations to Lik Lik for showing Grand Champion Bull and Allambie for showing Grand Champion Female. Thank you also to Phil Worthington from NZ for doing such a great job of judging. Lowline Plus was able to contribute $2,500 to assist its members in transport costs to the biggest beef expo in the southern hemisphere.
July 11th: LAIDLEY SHOW -LOWLINES WON THE DAY! What a fantastic showing with 6 studs showing. Congratulations to Vitulus with Junior Champion Bull, Lik Lik with Junior Champion Female, Goomburra with Southern Cross Comet winning Senior, Grand & Grand Champion British breed bull on their first showing ever and to Lik Lik with Senior, Grand, British, Interbreed Female and Supreme Exhibit of the show! A fantastic achievement for the Lowline breed.
INVITATION TO ALL QUEENSLAND MEMBERS
AUGUST 13th: BRISBANE SHOW JUDGING & DRINKS 49 Entries for judging which will be in the main ring on Thursday 13th. Following the completion of judging drinks and finger food will be provided, by both Qld promotion groups, in the sheds so please come along and bring your family and friends. We also invite the judge as well so you can ask them all your questions. Lowline Plus AGM will also be held following judging.
NOVEMBER 7th: SMALL BREEDS OPEN DAY The Small Breeds Open Day will be on again at Vitulus Lowline Stud. Lowline Plus will be using the day as a fundraiser by running the food tent. Last year we raised over $750 with nearly 300 attendees. Lowline Plus members who would like to display their cattle or provide a list of sale animals on the day are asked to make contact with Margo Hayes. Provisio is you have to help with the BBQ!
DECEMBER: ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY Date and venue to be advised but plans are for a member to host it. Last year we had a memorabull time and lots of fun.
WE NEED YOUR MEMBERSHIP
ALCA gives the promotion groups a 15% rebate of your membership fees to assist them in marketing and promotions. New rules in 2009 mean that you must be a financial member of a promotion group for them to receive those funds and not just, as in previous years, nominate a group. New rules also mean we need our membership numbers finalised by the end of September to receive our rebates. Lowline Plus uses those funds to annually send a youth member to NZ, host drinks at the Ekka, provide the trophies for the Brisbane Show, print promotional material and financially assist our members in participating at major showing and expo events. So please consider joining.
Lowline Plus has introduced two categories of membership.
Stud Membership for $25 which entitles you to
- Newsletters, emails and mailouts
- Promotional material for members to use
- Free advertising on our sales page on the ALCA website designed and set up by John Mcdonnell
- Transport rebates to attend major events such as Beef 2009
- Site stands and sale lists at the Small Breed Open days
Commercial Membership for $2 which entitles you to
- Newsletters, emails and mailouts that keeps you up to date with whats going on
- Promotional material for members to use
- Social networking, meetings etc
If you would like to join then please send your membership fees to Marg Witherspoon.
DO YOU WANT TO WIN A TRIP TO NEW ZEALAND?
Once again Lowline Plus is offering a chance in a lifetime opportunity for one of our youth participants. As part of the Toowoomba Ag show activities we will be providing funding for a Qld Lowline youth to travel to New Zealand as an Associate Judge for the Royal Canterbury Show in Christchurch from the 11th-13th November 2009. Airfares and travel insurance will be provided for and the winner will be billeted with New Zealand Lowline members. It will be a wonderful opportunity to travel overseas, be an ambassador for the Australian Lowline Association and experience judging at an international royal show.The winner will be the person who, once nominated, scores the highest points in the open judging on Wednesday the 2nd September.
Those who wish to be considered must be able to fulfil the following criteria:
Details:
- aged between 15 and 21. Those under 18 must have their parents permission
- must be involved with the Lowline breed. Either someone who is already breeding Lowlines, is part of a school with Lowline or is significantly involved with the breed
- able to travel to New Zealand between the 11th- 13th November 2009. Exact travel dates to be confirmed.
- must be able to compete at the Toowoomba Ag Show Open Junior Judging in Toowoomba on Wednesday 2nd September.
- Previous winners are ineligible to enter for three years.
ALL SCHOOLS ARE WELCOME. WE INVITE YOUR PARTICIPATION.
LOWLINE ONLINE: FREE WEBSITE ADVERTISING THAT WORKS
Thanks to our new IT whiz John McDonnell Lowline Plus is continuing its sales page on the ALCA and Lowline Country website. A number of members already have had very successful sales from this site. With the websites excellent rating you would be mad not to take advantage of this free service to financial members of the Queensland Lowline Plus Promotional Group. To feature an advertisement on this page, please send the details in the format on the website to John McDonnell (email: irbernley1@bigpond.com by the 1st day of every even numbered month. Ads will run for two months and then be deleted unless renewed. Products advertised must be owned by Queensland Lowline Plus member and have Lowline genetics.
CHAIRPERSON: Margo Hayes, Vitulus Lowline Stud, 221 Mulgowie Rd, Thornton. 4341 Ph: 54667266 Email: margo@lowline.com.au
SECRETARY: Kimberly Rice, Allstar Lowline Stud, 223 Mulgiowie Rd, Thornton. 4341 PH: 0429341357 Email: kimberlyroserice@yahoo.com.au
TREASURER: Marg Witherspoon, Rosebank Lowline Stud, 281 Mulgowie Rd, Townson 4341 PH: 54667221 E: jmwitherspoon@bluemaxx.com.a
WEBSITE ADVERTISING: John McDonnell, Irbernley Lowline Stud, 1027 Mt Walker West Rd, Mt Walker 4340PH: 54640582 Email: irbernley1@bigpond.com
Queensland Lowline Promotion Group Mid-year Newsletter
July 1st, 2009 
Hi to all our members! Hope this finds you well and happy and not too cold!. Just to keep you up to date with what’s going on with your promotion group.
Introducing the Committee
Tim Franzmann – President – ph. 49354033 or 0413 147 649
Gail Barrowcliff – Secretary – ph. 49392193 or 0409 381 383
Dennis Hickey – Treasurer – ph 54944055 or 0419 622 989
Please feel free to contact us with any of your queries, requests, comments or concerns!
Some of our activities this year have included Rocky Show and other local shows. Please let us know of your activities in your local area and we can share these with the rest of the membership. Just email photos and a blurb to mitchmay@bigpond.com for inclusion in future newsletters. We’d also like to be kept up to date with your new calves, promotion activities, meat production and any other areas of owning Lowlines so send any info you would like to share! We’d like lots of feedback.
Promotional Material
We have promotional material available to you for field days, shows and other promotional events including magazines, new pamphlets,stickers, banners and a list of QLPG breeders. Just get in touch to let us know what you need and we will get it to you!
North Queensland
Cairns Show is doing a small breeds feature this year and some of our members are involved with the promotion of this event. Steven Merieder and Stuart Leibmann are the people to contact if you want further information.
Ekka 2009
We have been asked by Lowline Plus about providing drinks and nibbles after the showing. What do you think? Let us know at the contacts above.
Toowoomba Show 2010
The Toowoomba Show would like to have Lowlines as a feature breed at this show. If you are able to support this idea and/or wish to attend please let Tim know as the dates are close to the Sydney Royal Easter Show and the Australian Lowline Cattle Muster and those that cannot attend at Sydney may find Toowoomba a good alternative
Your Input
We need to know what the members want or need for our Promotions Group to be effective. We would also like to develop a relationship between all those in the group. So send in your information, photos, questions, whatever! Love to hear from you!
All the best for the rest of 2009 ! To misquote the old Irish blessing – may the rain fall softly on your fields, may all your cows have easy calvings and may the cooler weather not dampen your enthusiasm for our great breed.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Tim Franzmann
QLPG president and ALCA Councillor,
Phone:49354033 or 0413 147 649
mitchmay@bigpond.com
New Zealand North Island News June 2009
June 28th, 2009Annual General Meeting
The North Island Lowline Promotion Group AGM will be held on Saturday, August 1, at Tartan Farms, Mercer at 1 pm.
Other news
Rockhampton
I recently returned from a brilliant trip to Beef Expo 2009 at Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. It was a beef cattle only event and anything pertaining to them, which is held once every three years. There were hundreds of judging classes for every beef breed you could imagine especially Brahmans and all their crosses. Philip Worthington from Woolstone Park Lowlines, Rangiora, NZ was invited to judge the Australian Lowline classes. With a few butterflies before the start Philip did an excellent job with some very top quality Lowlines on show exhibited from as far afield as Victoria. The Grand Champion Female was Allambie Beaumont owned by P & R Miller & T Breuer with Grand Champion Male, LikLik Commander-in-Chief owned by C & J Schiller. There were a number of New Zealanders at the Show including Judy, ALCA’s Journal editor, and David Sainsbury. Also helping on a show team young Jess from Feilding High School.
For the first time ALCA had a display site organised by Council member Tim Franzmann with support from ALCA. The site worked well enough and was seen as a forerunner for Sydney next year. On site there were a number of speakers invited to give talks on a number of topics including Pfizer who launched a more accurate GeneStar testing product at the Expo
From Council
A Council meeting was held during Rockhampton week with the main topic being this coming year’s budget. Like a lot of other organizations in these flat financial times your council is aware of being prudent with expenditure but at the same time leaving breathing space for breed promotion and youth involvement who are our next generation of Lowline breeders.
Take note please, I know times are tight but if you pay your sub to ALCA on time during before the end of September it will mean your promotion group will get a refund back to your group to support your groups promotion funding
Sydney April 2010
Lowlines as feature breed for Sydney Royal Show in 2010 is fast approaching. This is a once in a lifetime for Lowline breeders to promote our breed to a worldwide audience. There is a lot to do and organise from council and anyone else who is prepared to put their hand up. Here is a very rough outline of events planned by Lowline Feature organisers.
Show week starts Tuesday 6th April with steer judging. Lowline feature site set up.
Thursday 8th and Friday 9th April speaker’s programmes on Lowline feature site.
Saturday 10th April Lowline judging will take nearly all day. PM, Lowline Dinner, venue at Showgrounds.
Sunday 11th April AM Youth Forum at Lowline feature site. 6.00 PM in main arena Lowline Tattoo Feature Parade.
Monday 12th April rest and tourist day
Tuesday 13th April PM Interbreed judging. 6.30 PM steer carcass results.
Wednesday 14th Junior programme with heifer paraders. PM show finishes.
Kiwi Meet and Greet
I have had feed back in New Zealand if NZ ALCA members can have a ‘Meet and Greet New Zealand Lowline Breeders’ slot in the program. We can have Friday morning ‘Breakfast’ time 9th April. It will be a time to promote your own Lowline stud and meet fellow breeders from everywhere. I don’t see any funds being available to provide any food but if we use the Lowline feature site which is under cover near the Lowline cattle stalls apparently there will be a good food outlet nearby providing all day meals which folk can get ‘breakfast’ from. If you plan on being at Sydney and would like to help and have brilliant ideas on what we could do from 8.00 am to 9.00 am can you let Robert Baird (ph 09 233 6688 or email rob@tartanfarms.co.nz ) or myself know please.
Tours
There will be no official ALCA pre or post show tours. Anyone who wants to do so can make their own arrangements. Robert Baird is looking at some possibilities.
Entries
ALCA wants as many Lowlines exhibited as possible including a large presence in the commercial steer classes. A lot of young people are involved with these classes. Many High Schools have their own teams showing cattle.
Would you like to exhibit?
Would you like to be an exhibitor at Sydney 2010? Consider buying a Lowline and bringing it home after the Show. The Sainsburys of Casablanca Lowline Stud at Kumeu have already bought theirs, Allambie Perfect Princess. She and her week old calf Casablanca Jebel Musa were shown at Sydney Royal this year (2009), won their class and came away with Reserve Champion Senior Female. They will exhibit in 2010. It would be nice to have some other New Zealanders doing the same.
Kiwi kids to join Australian Kids
It is very premature to mention it at this stage but I will, Kay Worthington and myself are hoping to be able to organise and select one or two young New Zealanders to join one of the local Sydney High Schools teams and work in with showing their cattle. The young people would be aged between 14 to 18 years old. They would have to be ALCA Youth members or sign up on Lowlinecountry.com. We believe it would be a great experience for them. More details concerning this to come later.
DNA Testing
I am very aware a number of you have had trouble dealing with GeneMark when it comes to DNA profiling and parent verifying your animals. The main trouble with GeneMark is they have been flooded with work in dealing with hundreds of thousands of dairy animal testing and don’t want to be involved with beef cattle. Other beef breed breeders have had similar problems.
ALCA will now accept Pfizer DNA testing. Pfizer New Zealand Limited, which was established late 2007, is a completely different company from LIC GeneMark. While at Beef Expo I was able to talk with the Australian/New Zealand CEO of the company who happens to be a New Zealander! Pfizer are focusing on doing DNA work with beef cattle and sheep. Many other beef breeds are now doing their DNA work with them.
Requirements
You still have to provide them with a tail hair sample with follicles on them. You must remember when sending your first samples to them that you provide them with DNA case numbers and where testing was done of both parents. This is until Pfizer has built up a database of Lowline profiles here in NZ. In the meantime they have to contact either GeneMark or QLD Uni to get the parent profiles.
Get started early, contact Pfizer and get them to send you their information pack:
Pfizer New Zealand Limited
Ph: 03 477 5920 or 0800228 278
Samples sent to PO Box 5520, Dunedin 9058.
The person dealing with cattle is Lucie Archer. Price per sample is $25.00 + GST
GeneStar MVP
GeneStar testing can be done at the same time as DNA testing for parent verifying and profiling. It is a gene test to evaluate each animal’s percentage of markers to determine tenderness, marbling and feed efficiency all-important factors in producing top quality meat. Some of you may have tested animals under the old 12 marker system. Under MVP system there is a lot more accuracy with 56 markers.
At Rockhampton Pfizer launched an updated product from the original GeneStar system, GeneStar MVP or Molecular Value Prediction.
Interesting Pfizer Talk
At our Rockhampton Lowline site, a talk was given by Pfizer personal explaining the updated system and how Lowline breeders can use it as one of the ‘tools’ to progress the breed past the warm fuzzy stage of breeding, into the commercial world of beef breeding. A number of times we were told our breed has some unique features, which we must not lose and must recognise commercially and maintain our breeding accordingly. Feed efficiency, our smaller compact animals rank near the top with being able to produce from every kilo of feed more kilos of meat. Tenderness is what consumers want in meat. Lowlines generally score well but if you use a bull with a low score your herd can go backwards and the same with marbling. As yet there is no ranking for milk production but Pfizer are working on it. To be improving your herd the bottom 10% should be culled each year. That doesn’t mean sell to new breeders but cull! When trying to build up herd numbers, that’s biting the bullet but we were told that is a great way to herd and breed improvement.
Five hundred tests needed
Once 500 animals have been MVP tested our breed can then come up on the board and be compared alongside other breeds. To be commercially accepted a good number of ALCA members want this to happen for the breed to go foreword. Old marker tests can be updated. If this would be of value to you please contact Pfizer. Update cost $30.00 + GST. New GeneStar MVP test $110.00 +GST.
Contact me
If anyone wishes to contact me about any matter in this newsletter please feel free to do so. In the meantime enjoy your Lowlines.
Sally Yearbury
Publicity officer NILPG and ALCA councillor
Ph: 07 8277113
Email: trgaho-3@xtra.co.nz