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New Text Service To Alert Eastern Bay Farmers Of Changing Facial Eczema Spore Counts

A new initiative by Beef + Lamb New Zealand has brought some relief to Eastern Bay farmers in the fight against facial eczema.


Beef + Lamb New Zealand have recently launched a free text message service to alert farmers to any changes in facial eczema spore count within their region.


The service helps farmers make informed and fast management decisions in response to any changes in spore counts.


Will Halliday, B+LNZ’s Senior Advisor Biosecurity and Animal Welfare, says "FE costs the country many millions of dollars every year in lost production as well as having serious animal welfare implications,"


“The faster farmers can respond to changes in spore counts, the better the outcomes will be in terms of production and animal welfare,”


The service also provides management tips and links to more information about facial eczema. In addition, farmers can send in their questions, to which Beef and Lamb will ask experts for an answer.


Beef + Lamb states, The facial eczema text is one of the three text alert services they offer. Others include ‘Pest Alerts’ a regional-specific pest and weeds information service (run in conjunction with AgResearch) and the 'Lucerne Advice’ (run in conjunction with Lincoln University’s Dryland Pastures) which gives farmers timely lucerne management advice throughout the year.


Farmers can sign-up to the service by visiting https://beeflambnz.com/user/newsletter-signup and creating an account.


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