Latest news with #PCBS
NZ Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Waikato sharemilker launches AI-driven cow breeding tool
Traditionally, Zonderop said, he would take a month, post-calving/pre-mating, to develop a spreadsheet of the best bulls for his 380-cow herd at Te Poi, near Matamata. This would initially involve thumbing through dairy herd improvement companies' bull catalogues. He said farmers would sometimes select multiple sires to cover their herds, or simply the 'bull of the day' from the listings. With PCBS, he can input data on bulls and cows covering a variety of preferred traits. 'Everything is the individual farmer's preference. 'What we are all looking for, though, is peak milk production.' Zonderop narrowed the field down to eight bulls this season for his home herd, with PCBS producing a report in less than a minute. Idea hatched Perfect Cow Breeding Solutions founder Matthew Zonderop. Correcting a mistake via AI while using several workbooks for a spreadsheet led to the business idea being hatched two years ago. Zonderop initially used the system for his own herd, but decided to create a business that would help other dairy farmers achieve greater herd efficiency and milk production. He pays a monthly subscription for the AI programme and on-charges farmers for inputting data and generating a report on the top bulls for their cows. Zonderop said that apart from a quick conversion of data, his system also uses simple language: 'farmer-speak'. 'It is designed to help dairy farmers make precise breeding decisions for their herd, both now and into the future. 'The mission is simple: to maximise herd performance, improve milk production, and drive sustainable profits for dairy farmers using cutting-edge science and technology.' Listen to Jamie Mackay interview Matthew Zonderop on The Country below: Zonderop said the RAS database contained a list of about 27,000 bulls available for use by New Zealand farmers. This is narrowed down by the preferred breed of bull that farmers wish to use. Using the RAS database – and farmers' individual preferences – a bull's desired traits to be passed on are identified. Zonderop said a clear breeding strategy was vital in building a stronger herd. Leading bulls were selected in PCBS on their 'genetic merit' through established breeding indexes. These include Breeding Worth (BW), which ranks cows and bulls on their ability to meet the National Breeding Objective: to breed dairy cattle that efficiently convert feed into profit. Desired traits Desired traits for bulls to pass on in cows include milk volume, liveweight, milk protein, milk fat, gestation length, somatic cell count, udder conformation, body condition score and fertility. Zonderop said data used in PCBS also included Production Worth, which ranks a cow based on its expected lifetime performance. Added to all evaluations is genomics, the breeding of dairy cows using genotypes (DNA) to predict an animal's potential for future profitability. He said this examines how genes interact to influence the animal's development and growth. Farmers had an idea of a cow's traits from its parents, but were dependent on its production information to determine how reliable this information was, he said. Zonderop said genomic information could better predict which production qualities an animal had inherited and provide a much more reliable Breeding Worth at a younger age. The farmer sends the final list of preferred bulls to a herd improvement company, which supplies the associated semen, which is administered on-farm by an artificial insemination technician. PCBS data for each farm is reviewed annually and changes are made as required. Zonderop said it would 'take generations' for results to come through, as calves graduated into the milking herd. He now also uses artificial intelligence for all his grazing plans and feed budgeting, while soil test results are put into the system for fertiliser application recommendations on his property. In another extension, PCBS processes data on cow health in his herd, which he receives from a sensor inside the stomach of each animal. Zonderop, the Waikato and Matamata Federated Farmers' Dairy Section chairman, was on-site in the Rural Advocacy Hub at Fieldays last month and said visitors had learnt about PCBS either through word-of-mouth or online. 'They seemed to be impressed and enthused, and keen to know more.'
Days of Palestine
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
Gaza Strip Population Declines by 10% Compared to Mid-2025 Estimates
DayofPal– The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) reported on Thursday an unprecedented decline in the population of the Gaza Strip. This shrinking is driven by increasing numbers of martyrs and missing persons, the departure of thousands from the territory, and a drop in birth rates, all as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression. Population estimates indicate that the number of residents has fallen to approximately 2,129,724, a 6% decrease compared to projections for mid-2024. Furthermore, the population is estimated to have dropped to 2,114,301, representing a 10% decrease compared to the expected figures for mid-2025. The PCBS highlighted that this decline is expected to cause a profound shift in the age and gender composition of Gaza's population. The deliberate targeting of young age groups, especially children and youth, by the Israeli army threatens to distort the population pyramid, particularly its base, which is critical for natural population growth. This impact is not limited to the present but is projected to extend into the medium and long term. The loss of a significant number of men and women of reproductive age is expected to lead to a further decline in birth rates, creating a widening demographic gap that will affect Gaza's population structure for decades to come. Demographic estimates reveal that the Palestinian population is predominantly young, with individuals under 30 years old accounting for 65% of the total population. This percentage varies by region, with 63% in the West Bank and rising to 68% in the Gaza Strip. Children aged 0-4 years constitute 14% of the overall population, 13% in the West Bank and 15% in Gaza. Those under 15 years old make up about 37% of the population, split as 35% in the West Bank and 40% in Gaza. Meanwhile, children under 18 represent 43% of the total population, with 41% in the West Bank and 47% in Gaza. This youthful demographic underscores the urgent need for investment in critical sectors such as education, health, and employment to empower this large segment of the population to contribute effectively to the future development of Palestine. Shortlink for this post:
Shafaq News
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Israeli operations escalate in Gaza and Occupied West Bank
Shafaq News – Gaza/Nablus Israeli forces intensified artillery shelling and demolitions across the Gaza Strip on Friday, targeting areas in Khan Younis and eastern Gaza City, while also expanding raids and settler activity in the Occupied West Bank (OWB), according to Palestinian media reports. The Palestinian Information Center reported that Israeli forces carried out large-scale demolitions of residential buildings in eastern Gaza and detonated three explosive-laden robots near Masoud Street in the Jabalia area, north of the Strip. Separately, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted soldiers as saying that troops had intentionally fired on Palestinians near aid distribution points in Gaza. Health officials at al-Shifa Medical Complex warned the hospital could shut down due to dwindling fuel supplies, exacerbating an already severe humanitarian situation. شاهد |الرضيع أحمد طليب "عمره شهران" استــشهد في غزة؛ جرّاء سوء التغذية الناجم عن المجاعة والحصار 'الإسرائيلي" — المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) June 27, 2025 According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS), 55,999 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, including 18,000 children and 12,400 women. The data also reports the deaths of more than 1,400 medical staff, 219 journalists, 203 UNRWA employees, and 112 civil defense workers. Over 11,000 individuals remain missing. In the Occupied West Bank, tensions escalated in several areas. In Nablus, clashes broke out after dozens of Israeli settlers, escorted by military personnel, entered the eastern part of the city to perform religious rituals at Joseph's Tomb (Yousuf a.s) — a site considered sacred by Jews and located in an area under Palestinian Authority control. Local sources said settlers damaged both public and private property along Jerusalem Street. They later gathered at the tomb under military protection and performed Talmudic rituals, prompting confrontations with residents. قوات الاحتلال تقتحم المنطقة الشرقية في مدينة نابلس — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) June 27, 2025 In East Jerusalem, Israeli groups entered the Western Wall plaza to mark the start of the Hebrew month of Tammuz. In the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya, Israeli forces reportedly turned a civilian home into a military outpost during a raid that continued into the morning. According to PCBS, Israeli military operations in the Occupied West Bank have resulted in the deaths of at least 993 Palestinians, including 197 children, and injuries to nearly 7,000 others since the war began. — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) June 27, 2025
Saba Yemen
12-06-2025
- Business
- Saba Yemen
Palestinian CPI surges 23.59% in May, driven by Gaza's 43.21% spike
Ramallah – Saba: The Palestinian Consumer Price Index (CPI) dramatically increased by 23.59% in May, primarily due to a sharp 43.21% rise in the Gaza Strip compared to April 2025. In contrast, al-Quds saw a marginal 0.09% decrease, and the West Bank a slight 0.05% decrease. The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) attributed Gaza's surge to the renewed Israeli aggression and limited commercial truck entry, which caused a severe shortage of essential goods like chicken, meat, and dairy products throughout May. The PCBS noted that Gaza's price fluctuations are directly linked to aggression and crossing movements, rather than typical market factors, significantly impacting the overall Palestinian index. Given these sharp regional variations, the PCBS emphasized that the overall Palestinian average index for this "exceptional period" cannot accurately represent changes across all regions, urging a focus on regional cost-of-living data. Comparing May 2025 to May 2024, the overall CPI in Palestine rose by 47.57%, with Gaza experiencing a staggering 101.42% increase, while Jerusalem and the West Bank saw more modest rises of 1.31% and 0.87%, respectively. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Saba Yemen
06-04-2025
- Business
- Saba Yemen
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics: Industrial Production Index Increases in February
Ramallah - Saba: The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) announced that the industrial production index increased by 1.86% during February compared to January 2025. The PCBS explained in a statement on Sunday that the industrial production index rose to 80.73 in February 2025, compared to 79.25 in January 2025. It indicated that despite the slight improvement in industrial production during February 2025, it remains significantly lower than it was before the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, by about 26.39%. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
