Performance Beef Breeders

What Performance Beef Breeders does

Performance Beef Breeders (PBB) is a New Zealand-based livestock genetics and performance services company established in 1996 as a cooperative venture between the NZ Hereford Association and Angus New Zealand to eliminate duplication of breed society services. Operating from a purpose-built headquarters in Feilding, PBB delivers a vertically integrated suite including SNP-based genomic DNA testing (via Neogen and, since October 2025, Weatherbys Scientific's Bovine Versa 85K chip), breed registry management through ILR2 and the proprietary Helical platform (designed by Daniel Garrick), genetic evaluations integrated with BREEDPLAN, IGS, TACE and Igenity systems, NAIT-compliant ear tag supply (Allflex and Z Tags), in-house graphic design and sale catalogue production via Pivot Design, and meeting room hire.

The company serves nine beef breed societies and their stud, commercial, and dairy-beef crossover members across New Zealand and Australia, with distribution via territory managers (Ella Holland, Trudy Bensted), phone, email and an online DNA ordering portal. Revenue is generated through subscription-style registry and DNA testing services, transaction-based tag and consumable sales, professional services from Pivot Design, and ancillary facility hire. PBB sits at the center of a multi-breed data network — including access to the world's largest multi-breed evaluation pool of 23M+ animals via IGS — which it translates into breed-specific genomic bundles and commercial herd scoring tools.

Name

Performance Beef Breeders

Legal name

NEW ZEALAND PERFORMANCE BEEF BREEDERS LIMITED

Website

https://pbbnz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Performance Beef Breeders (PBB) is a New Zealand cooperative-owned livestock genetics services company, providing DNA testing, breed registry management, genetic evaluations, ear tags and design services to nine beef breed societies and their breeders across New Zealand and Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Livestock Genetics Services

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Genomic Testing & Genetic Evaluation Services (AFAEAJAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Breeding Program Design & Genetic Consulting (Mating Plans, EPD/Index Selection) (AFACAEAD)

Keywords

• Livestock genetics services
• DNA genomic testing
• Breed registry management
• Animal identification tags
• Beef cattle evaluation

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. DNA and Genomic Testing Services: DNA testing services including SNP profiles, parentage verification, genetic condition testing, and genomic evaluations through partnerships with Neogen and Weatherbys Scientific. Turnaround time approximately 5-6 weeks.
2. Ear Tags and Identification: Sale of Allflex and Z Tags livestock identification tags including NAIT birth tags, management tags, and duplicate tags, with custom printing options.
3. Registry Management Services: Administrative services for breed societies including calf registrations, animal transfers, weight and trait data processing, and performance recording support.
4. Boardroom and Meeting Room Hire: Meeting room hire at Feilding headquarters with AV/video conferencing, whiteboards, and catering options. Half day $130, full day $240, meeting rooms $30-$50.
5. Transaction Fee: Catering and tea/coffee service for meeting room hire at $35.
6. Graphic Design and Catalogue Builder: In-house design team specialising in bull and sheep sale catalogues, branding, print, web and digital marketing through Pivot Design.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Performance Beef Breeders provides integrated livestock genetics, registry, and identification services to beef breed societies and commercial breeders in New Zealand and Australia. The company processes DNA samples through partnerships with Neogen and Weatherbys Scientific to deliver SNP-based genomic profiles, parentage verification, genetic condition testing, and commercial herd evaluations, while also managing breed registries via ILR2/Helical platforms and supplying Allflex and Z Tags livestock identification products. Supporting services include BREEDPLAN and IGS genetic evaluation integration, Pivot Design graphic design, Catalogue Builder, and boardroom hire.

Product overview

Performance Beef Breeders operates as a one-stop service company offering integrated livestock performance and genetics services. The core portfolio consists of: (1) DNA and Genetic Testing Services including Neogen-powered genomic bundles (AngusGS 75K SNP, breed-specific 100K SNP bundles) and Weatherbys Scientific VERSA 85K SNP chip testing; (2) Commercial evaluation products including GenSELECT (Profile/Heifer/Steer tests for Hereford breeders) and Igenity (17-trait scoring for commercial beef herds); (3) Registry Management through ILR2/Helical/BREEDPLAN/IGS platforms; (4) Ear Tags and Identification (Allflex and Z Tags brands); (5) Supporting services including Catalogue Builder, Pivot Design marketing, and Boardroom Hire. All services are designed to support breed societies and commercial beef farmers across NZ and Australia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DNA and Genetic Testing Services Comprehensive DNA testing service for beef breeders and breed societies, including parentage verification, genomic profiling (SNP testing), genetic condition screening, and BVD testing. Services are delivered through partnerships with Neogen and Weatherbys Scientific, with a typical processing turnaround of approximately 5-6 weeks. Targeted at breed societies, stud breeders, and commercial beef farmers in New Zealand and Australia.
• Neogen Genomic Bundles Breed-specific DNA testing bundles powered by Neogen Australasia, including AngusGS (75K SNP), breed bundles (100K SNP profile with parentage, horn/poll test, myostatin, tenderness), and add-on tests for genetic conditions. Many bundles are required for breed registrations and are tailored to suit individual breeds.
• Weatherbys Genomic Bundles DNA testing bundles powered by Weatherbys Scientific featuring the next-generation Bovine Versa 85K SNP chip. Includes VERSA 85K SNP profile, parentage verification, and Poll/Horn testing. Made available through PBB's 2025 partnership with Weatherbys Scientific — the latter's first major partnership in the New Zealand beef sector — giving NZ cattle breeders expanded genomic testing options.
• Igenity Beef DNA Profiling DNA-powered commercial in-herd beef evaluation system that provides 1-10 scores across 17 maternal, production and carcass traits. Enables selection, management, and marketing decisions based on verified genetic merit for pure and crossbred commercial beef cattle. Results delivered through an Encompass dashboard with sorting, filtering, and custom index builder. Backed by 18.5 million animal reference population.
• GenSELECT Genomic Evaluation Genomic evaluation range developed by ABRI and powered by BREEDPLAN for commercial Hereford farmers. Delivers Genomic Breeding Values (GBVs) on a 1-100 scale (50 = average, higher is more desirable) plus Index dollar values. Includes GenSELECT Profile (benchmarks breeding herd across 6 maternal and 5 carcass traits), GenSELECT Heifer (replacement heifer selection), and GenSELECT Steer (finishing performance predictions).
• Ear Tags and Identification Products NAIT-compliant ear tags and livestock identification products including Allflex and Z Tags brands. Options include Birth Sets (NAIT Birth Tags + Management Tags), NAIT Birth Tags Only, Management Tags Only, Duplicate Tags, and Replacement Tags (TRAKA). Customisation and TSU integration for combined DNA sample collection available.
• Allflex Ear Tags Allflex brand ear tags distributed by PBB with customisation options including TSU (Tissue Sample Unit) integration for DNA sample collection at the time of tagging. Available with various applicator tools and NAIT-compliant configurations.
• Z Tags (Zeetags) Ear Tags Z Tags brand ear tags including TRAKA replacement tags, distributed by PBB. Options include HDX (High Performance) and FDX (Low Cost) tag types, available with various applicator tools.
• Breed Registry Management Services Comprehensive breed registry services including calf registrations, animal transfers, weight and trait recording, and ADL (Active Dam List) management. Operates through ILR2 database, Internet Solutions interface, and Helical platform. Supports nine beef breeds plus alpacas. Delivered to breed societies on a subscription/recurring basis.
• Helical Platform Innovative cloud-based breed registry platform designed by Daniel Garrick and team for storing and using performance and genomic data. Provides a customised dashboard with herd performance snapshots, streamlined data submission, and continuous updates. Customer interface presents IGS data in metrics and EBV format.
• BREEDPLAN Genetic Evaluation Modern genetic evaluation system for beef cattle developed by AGBU and delivered by ABRI. Uses BLUP (Best Linear Unbiased Prediction) technology to produce Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for weight, carcase, fertility, and other production traits. Enables genetic comparison across farms, regions, and years. PBB acts as the bridge between New Zealand beef breeders and BREEDPLAN.
• IGS (International Genetic Solutions) Evaluation World's largest multi-breed beef genetic evaluation system with over 21 million animal records and 500,000+ genotypes. Uses single-step model with BOLT software for calculating EPDs (Expected Progeny Differences) with pedigree, phenotypes, and DNA simultaneously. Provides weekly evaluation runs for up-to-date genetic information. PBB is the NZ license holder facilitating data flow into IGS for crossbred evaluation benefits.
• Catalogue Builder Easy-to-use online tool allowing breeders to send catalogue content to Pivot Design for compilation. Available to all breeders for creating bull and sheep sale catalogues with required traits, weights, and registrations.
• Pivot Design (Graphic Design and Marketing) In-house design team specialising in bull and sheep sale catalogues, branding, print, web, and digital marketing for PBB clients. Provides social media marketing, photography services, and graphic design. Located in the same building as PBB at Feilding and has worked with sheep and beef breeders for over 20 years.
• Boardroom and Meeting Room Hire Meeting facility hire at the PBB Feilding headquarters. Boardroom seats 16 (or 40 theatre style) with AV/Video Conference equipment supporting Zoom and Microsoft Teams, whiteboard, projector, screen, and outdoor patio. Two additional meeting rooms seat up to 4. Pricing: Boardroom half day $130, full day $240; meeting rooms $30 half day, $50 full day. Tea/coffee service $35.
• Tissue Sampling Units (TSUs) Allflex tissue sampling units for DNA sample collection, enabling quick precise sample collection using a single-squeeze motion with visual confirmation. Samples are sealed in preservative for safe storage and can be collected from animals as young as one day old. Available in sets of 10, pre-printed with barcodes or NAIT numbers. As of January 1, 2025, only TSU samples are accepted for BVD testing.
• DNA Customer Portal Online customer portal for tracking SNP DNA testing history with email notifications at various stages of the DNA testing process and alerts for results requiring attention. Allows search of SNP test details and results. Orders processed from February 2023 onwards are loaded into the portal.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability5 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Weatherbys ScientificcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2025Partnership to provide New Zealand cattle breeders access to Weatherbys' next-generation Bovine Versa 85K SNP chip genomic testing services. This is Weatherbys' first major partnership in the New Zealand beef sector.
• International Genetic Solutions (IGS)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2023PBB partnered with IGS (world's largest multi-breed beef genetic evaluation system with 23M+ animal records) to facilitate data flow into the evaluation system and provide benefits for breeders with crossbred animals.
• NeogencoreTechnology or IntegrationNeogen Australasia provides genomic solutions including GGP Bovine 100K genotyping, genetic traits and conditions, and tailored products such as AngusGS and Igenity.
• Pivot DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn-house design team specialising in bull and sheep sale catalogues, branding, print, web and digital marketing. Located in same building as PBB.
• ABRI (Agricultural Business Research Institute)coreTechnology or IntegrationABRI delivers BREEDPLAN genetic evaluations and developed the ILRNext software for breed registry management.
• AGBU (Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit)coreTechnology or IntegrationAGBU scientists developed the BREEDPLAN genetic evaluation system used by PBB.
• Angus NZcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal shareholder and partner in developing Angus GS genotyping platform. Provides breed management services from PBB office.
• NZ HerefordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal shareholder (co-founded PBB in 1996) and partner in GenSELECT genomic evaluation for commercial Hereford farmers.
• neXtgen AgristrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerGenetics consultancy partnership to collaborate on projects bringing new genetic offerings and solutions. Also supporting tech company Genesmith (facial recognition for livestock).
• Speckle Park InternationalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBreed society partner listed on PBB website.
• Simmental NZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShareholder breed society partner.
• Charolais Breeders NZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShareholder breed society partner.
• South Devon Cattle Society NZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShareholder breed society partner.
• Murray Grey Beef Cattle Society NZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShareholder breed society partner.
• Shorthorn Cattle Society NZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBreed society partner listed on PBB website.
• Red Devon Cattle Society NZminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBreed society partner listed on PBB website.
• FMGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFMG supports bull sale season, attending sales around NZ and offering insurance cover. Each year FMG supports over 120 on-farm bull sales.
• TACE (TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation)coreTechnology or IntegrationTACE evaluation system for Angus cattle, integrated with BREEDPLAN and genomic testing.
• Generation AngusNZminorGTM or Marketing Partner$1 donation per AngusGS Total Bundle sold goes to Generation AngusNZ.
• HelicalcoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud-based breed registry platform designed by Daniel Garrick for storage and use of performance and genomic data.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tru-Test Group (Datamars): NZ-based livestock management technology provider (now part of Datamars) offering milk meters, EID readers, and weighing systems; a direct peer serving the same NZ farmer customer base with complementary but overlapping livestock tech infrastructure.
• International Genetic Solutions (IGS): Multi-breed beef genetic evaluation system with 23M+ animal records; PBB acts as the NZ license holder and integration layer, making IGS both a partner and the closest platform peer.
• Neogen Corporation: Global animal genomics and food safety testing provider; PBB distributes Neogen's GGP Bovine 100K, AngusGS, and Igenity products in NZ, making Neogen both a partner and a direct upstream competitor in the genomic testing value chain.
• Agricultural Business Research Institute (ABRI): Delivers BREEDPLAN and ILRNext registry software used by PBB; a direct platform peer providing the underlying genetic evaluation and registry infrastructure PBB integrates.
• Weatherbys Scientific: Ireland-based DNA testing laboratory whose Bovine Versa 85K SNP chip is now distributed exclusively in NZ through PBB's 2025 partnership—a direct peer for genomic testing services.
• Datamars Livestock (Allflex): Global livestock identification and TSU provider; Allflex tags are distributed through PBB. A direct peer in ear-tag and tissue-sampling consumables, and a potential vertical competitor via Datamars' broader livestock data platform.

Regional players

• Select Sires: US-focused cattle genetics cooperative offering genomic evaluations and artificial insemination services; comparable in cooperative model and genetics focus, though primarily serving North American dairy and beef markets.
• ST Genetics: US-based beef and dairy genetics provider offering genomic testing, IVF, and breeding services; comparable in product offering but primarily serving North American markets rather than Australasia.

Broad incumbents

• IDEXX Laboratories: Animal diagnostics and reference laboratory giant; while primarily focused on companion animal and livestock disease testing, its veterinary diagnostics platform represents a broad incumbent in adjacent livestock testing services.
• Zoetis: Global animal health and genetics powerhouse; a broad incumbent offering genomic and reproductive services across species that overlaps with PBB in cattle genetic evaluation and herd health diagnostics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PBBNZ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pbbnz
• Instagraminstagram.com/pbb_nz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Performance Beef Breeders