Hamilton-based farmer co-operative Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) is selling its automation business for $30 million.
The LIC Automation product portfolio joins Allflex Livestock Intelligence (a business unit within MSD Animal Health which has manufacturing facilities at Palmerston North New Zealand).
The deal includes continued migration onto new generation Protrack systems for customers with legacy technology, as well as associated software development
LIC will continue providing service and support to customers through transition and there will be ongoing interaction between Protrack operating systems and LIC’s herd management system, MINDA.
LIC chair Murray King says the divestment of the automation business is in line with LIC’s refined strategy, and will allow the co-op to sharpen its focus and play to its strengths delivering world-leading pasture based dairy genetics and herd management for New Zealand farmers.
“We are confident this is the best way forward – for the technology, for our farmers who have invested in these systems and for the wider co-op shareholder base.”