Welcome tothe2024RamCatalogue Herewegiveyouthe opportunitytolearnabouttheall-importantramsalesandreadaboutwhatsomeof ourNorthandSouthIslandbreedersareupto
We’veaninterestingselectionofarticleswhichwehopewillinform,entertainand providefoodforthought
Takeabreak,relaxandreadthisissueoveracuppa Feelfreetocontactusifyou wishtoadvertiseorifyouhaveanystoryideasfornextyear
FEATURESMANAGER
Shirley Randel shireyrandel@nzmeconz
FEATURESWRITER
Chrys Ayley chrysayey@nzmeconz
CREATIVEDESIGN:
Alex Dsouza alexdsouza@nzmeconz
Cover photograph Romdale Rams kindly suppied by Bair and Jane Smth of Newhaven Farms Ltd
Commentaryby
Sheepandcattlenumbers down
TOP QUALITY ROMNEYANDBORDER LEICESTER RAMS Good stockmanshipand attentiontodetail arekey toour top performingsheep,beef and deer breeding/finishing family farming operation in theWairarapahills.
PatrickCrawshaw
Genetic CHOICE ByAlastairReevesofWaimaiRomney
Everyyearsheepfarmersmakeone ofthebiggestdecisionsthataffects theprofitabilityoftheirbusiness. Theyselecttheirramteamsfortheir breedingoperation.Thisdecisionisoursto make.Wehavelittleabilitytochangethe weather,interestrateswereceive,orwhat ourprocessorsarewillingtopayforour produce.Thequestionis,howdowemake thischoice?
Eczemaismovingdownthecountry,with thewholeoftheNorthIslandandalarge partoftheSouthIslandnowaffected.Well respectedvetTrevorCookbelieves“not touseeczemagenetics,whileknowingly inaneczemaareaisananimalhealth transgression,buttodosoisproduction enhancing.”Asfarmers,weareresponsible forthehealthofthelivestockwecarefor. Eczema,likesummer,iscoming.
Drenchfailureisanincreasingproblem inNewZealand.Selectingworm-resistant geneticsisoneofthetoolswecanuseto helpmitigatethis.Alongwithintegrated stockpolicies,goodfeeding,crops,refugia, andstrategicuseofanthelmintics,they allplayapartinhelpingtoreducedrench resistance.Asfarmmanagers,weneedto bemindfulofthis.
Methanegeneticsarenowavailable asthefirsttooltoreducemethane,but farmersarenotyetbeingrewardedforthis. Itisimportanttorememberthatgenetics
taketimebutarecumulative.Asalivestock producer,isitgoingtobeimportant,inthe future,toreducethebiogenicmethane weproduceinourfarmingsystems?Who knows!AllIknowisthatmethaneisa wastedgasandselectingforitdoesn’thave tocomeattheexpenseofproduction.
Sheepbreedersareactivelytryingtofind waystominimisethe“touchtime,”wehave withourlivestock,asinvariablyittakes timeandcostsmoney.Lowdagsandbare breechesaretraitswecanselectforwhich makeahugedifferencetothecostsand workloadonafarm.Ifyourbreederisn’t testingforwormresistanceandlowdags, youneedtoaskwhynotandfindabreeder whois.
AtWaimaiRomney,wehavebeen selectingallthesetraitsformanyyears, sotheyareembeddedintoourgenetic program.Wehavebeenabletodothis, whilestillimprovingourproductiontraits, whichinevitably,arethetraitsthatmake sheepfarmersmoney.
Oursiresforthe2024yearaveraged inthetop15%forNewZealandMaternal Worth(NZMW),withourmajorfocuson reproduction,growth,andsurvival.We regularlyhaveanimalsinthetop5%inNew Zealandforeachofthesegeneticproduction traits.Thesetraitshavethegreatesteffect onasheepbreeder’sprofitability,andwe needtoexerciseourchoiceandusethem. Assheepfarmers,wehaveachoiceasto whatgeneticswepurchase.Makesureyou makeaninformedchoice-thebestforyou
andyourbusinessandmostimportantly thehealthofyourlivestock.Theyareour responsibility,andweneedtobevery mindfulofthis.
AtWaimaiRomneywebelievewehave therightcombinationofgeneticsforthe modernsheepfarmer.LowInput.High Production!
RamSales ARECOMINGUP DaveWarburton,BVSc
VetServicesHastings
Thesheepindustry isevolving,withthe perceptionofstrong woolreachingacrossroads andmanyfarmerslookingto convertflockstofinerwool andsheddingbreeds.
Therearesomefinancially rewardingopportunities fromfiningupthefleece ofastrongwoolflock.However,beforechangingthe geneticsonfarmyouneedtodevelopaclearplanabout howtoachievethiswithoutlosingthe‘meatandfertility’ ofyourexistentflock.Thegeneticsyourselectonram purchasedaywillimpactyourfarmformanyyears, usually4years’worthofdaughters,andthentheir progeny(7+years).
Thereislotstoconsiderandwritingthisdownin aformalgeneticplangivesyouaclearandobvious directionofwhatthatlookslike.
Consider
1.Whereareyounowandwhatlevelofperformance doyouwanttoachievewithyourflock?
2.Whatdoesthepurchaserofyourproductwant?
3.Whatistheconsumeroftheendproductlookingfor? Fromananimalhealthviewpointit’sveryimportant tohavethetraitsoffacialeczemaandwormresistance/ resilienceonyourradar.FacialEczemaanddrench resistancearenotgoinganywhereandhaveabig financialimpactwhentheyreartheiruglyhead.Evenif youthinkyouareonlyslightlyatriskatthemoment,will thisstillbethecasein5years’time?
VetServicesworkcloselywithindividualNewZealand breedersacrosstheEastCoastandofferarangeof SheepReproductionProgrammesfortheadvancement ofsuperiorgeneticstosupportyourfarmingoperations. Someoftheseservicesincluderamtesting,semen collection,artificialinseminationandembryotransfer.
Whatbenefitcouldtheseservicesofferyou?
INSURANCE–Losingatopramwithouthisgenetics storedcanbefrustratingandabiglosstoyour production.
ACCESS–Ifyoucan’tgettheramfornaturalusethen usingsemencouldbeaviableoption.
MULTIPLYINGYOURBESTGENETICS–Allowsyouto growfromthetopratherthantoretainthebottomof yourflock.
LINKAGE-Artificialinseminationallowslinkage betweenflockswherematingdatesaresimilaror transportingramsisn’tviable.
INTRODUCINGNEWGENETICS–Youmayhaveaccess tonewbreedssuchasWiltshires,AussieWhites,Exlana, MeatMasterandBeltexandhavetheoptionofbreeding withgreatgeneticswithfacialeczematolerance,worm resistance,finerwooletc….
MARKETINGSEMEN–Wecanmarketyoursemento ourclientsandawideraudience.
MOREPROGENYPERSIRE–Ifyouhaveanelitesire (orjointownershipofone),thenA.I.canallowmore progenypersireandnaturaluseaswellforallowners. Ifyouwouldlikeassistancewithyourgeneticsplan, tofindoutmoreaboutourreproductionservicesor helpsearchingforlocalbreedersandramsthatmeet yourcriteriapleasegetintouch.ContactyourlocalVet Servicesclinicorheadtoourwebsitetofindoutmore www.vshb.co.nz
Overthelast20yearsewes(including2ths)havescannedbetween Overthesameperiodweaningweights(adj.100days)have exceeded36kgfromalambing%consistentlyabove150%.
•AllsheepDNAandSILrecorded.
• •Ewehoggetshavebeenmated(toRomneysires)forover20years.
•Breedingprogrammeputsanemphasisonwormresilience-lambsdrenchedonlyonce priortoautumn.FEtoleranceintroducedmorerecently.
•Scoredfordagsandfeetshape.SiresDNAratedforfootrotandcoldtolerance.
•Weare‘handson’breederswithafocusondetailandquality.
•Wetakeanuncompromisingapproach-sheepmustconstantlymeasureup.
STAMINAdogfoodisspecificallydevelopedinNZusing animalsciencetodeliverthenutritionalqualitiesthat enablefarmdogstoconsistentlyperformattheirbest andholdconditionduringthebusiestworktimes.
ThefreshmeatinSTAMINAdogfooddeliversthehighfat andhighproteincontent,reducingthecarbohydratelevel andallowingtheuniquebenefitof fatadaption tooccur.
Fatadaptation referstoastatewherebytheworkingdogonahigh-fat, high-protein,low-carbohydratediethastheabilitytoconvertfatinto energy.Whenadogis fat-adapted,theydonotneedasteadystreamof carbohydrates(glucose)forenergy,insteadtheytapintofatforamore abundantenergysupply. Fatadaption resultsinbothincreasedenergy levelsandthemuscleglycogenbeingpreservedmoreeffectively.
HearwhatNZfarmershadtosayafterfeedingSTAMINA: www.stamina.co.nz/testimonials
FindSTAMINAatyourlocalPGGWstoreorcallusatMedallion(06)8589899
FormoreinformationonSTAMINA,gotowww.stamina.co.nz
There’snoonesizefitsall WITHDNATECHNOLOGY ByZoetisNorthIslandSheepGenetics
Allelsebeingequal,whydosomeramsoutperform theircontemporaries?Simple.It’sintheirDNA. Geneticsplayakeyroleinanimalperformance alongsideanimalhealth,nutrition,managementand structuresoundness.DNAtechnologyisanothertool inthetoolbox,usedbyleadingsheepbreedersto evaluateandpredictananimal’sgeneticpotentialmore confidently.ThewideradoptionofDNAparentageand genomictechnologiesbyrambreedershasresulted inmoreaccuratebreedingvaluesgeneratedinSheep ImprovementLimited(SIL).This,inturn,benefits commercialfarmersusingthedatatomakeinformedram buyingdecisions.
Asthereisno‘onesizefitsall’solutionwhenitcomes tofarming,whyshouldtherebewhenitcomestoDNA testingforyourflock?
ZoetisSHEPHERD®takesDNAtestingtothenextlevel byofferingrambreederswholeflockDNAparentage identificationwithanannualperewescanned-in-lamb chargeratherthanaperlambsample*.Alongwith parentageidentification,theZoetisSHEPHERD®range offersacomprehensivesuiteofgenomictools,thatcanbe tailoredtotheindividualNZsheepstudbreedersneedsto enablemoreprofitablebreedingdecisions.Withabroad rangeofoptionsandperewescannedinlambpricing*,a higherlambingpercentagedoesnothavetomeanhigher DNAtestingcostsANDenablesgreaterflockinsightsby makingitaffordabletosampleALLlambsborn,notjust thosethatmakeittothedockingchute.
ZoetisSHEPHERD®benefitsbothstudandcommercial breeders.So,asarambreeder,whyshouldyouchoose ZoetisGeneticsforallyoursheepDNAtesting?
1)Singleprovider:Zoetiswillhelpyouthroughoutevery stepalongtheway–fromtechnologyimplementation strategythroughon-farmsupport,includingdataentry,to nextstepsandfollow-up.
2)Atthetable,intheyards:Zoetisfieldextension managersareatthecoalfaceworkingcloselywithfarmers. Developingaplantohelpyoumeetyourbreedinggoals fasteraswellasoutonthefarmhelpingyouwithsystems setup,animalidentificationanddatacollection.Asfresh resultscomein–ourfieldteamisalsoensuringyouget themostoutofyourreportstomakethebestbreeding decisionspossible.
3)Turningresultsintoaction:Armedwithyournew information,thefieldteamwillhelpyouapplyitwithin youroperation,soyougetmaximumbenefitfromyour investment.
4)Manageyourdataeasily:Ifyouwanttobemore hands-onwithyourdata,youwillwanttotapinto SearchPoint®.SearchPoint®isouron-linegenetic informationmanagementsystem.Haveeasyaccessto on-lineanalyticaltools,soyoucanmakemoreinformed decisions.
5)Outonthecuttingedge:Asabreeder,ifyouare harnessinggenomics,thenyouwanttobeatthefrontof thepack.ZoetisGeneticsisthesame.Asaglobalcompany, ithasthebackingtoensureitsadvice,technology,labsand processesaretheindustrygoldstandard.
Withtoday’stechnologyyoucanmakesmarter decisions–identifysuperioranimalsearlier,and reducecostlyselectionandbreedingmistakes,allwhile minimizingmanagementcosts.Wehaveadedicated teamofexperiencedandknowledgeableexpertsready tohelpthroughouttheprocess,fromsamplingtoresults interpretation.Comechatwithourteamabouthowwecan helpyoutoday,toimproveyourflockforthefuture.
*excludinginitialsamplingofsiresanddams.
ARomani’seasy-careflocks major14kmriparianfencingand plantingproject,theusualdemands ofthefarm,asuccessfulbattlewith somehealthissues,andadaughter’s wedding,allmadeforahecticyearat RomaniFarms.OwnersRossandRuth Richardscanlookbackknowingtheirefforts tobreedlowmaintenance,easycaresheep havebeenwellproventhisseason,withthe flockcontinuingtothrivedespiteitsowner’s focusbeingonotherpriorities.
Justtoaddtotheintensity,theyalsolost theirlong-timeshepherdDanStevens,who lefttoworkinAustralia.
“Soit’sbeenaprettybusytime,”says Ross,withtypicalunderstatement.
Hiseffortstobuildgreaterworm resistance,facialeczematolerance,and soundbodycharacteristicsintotheRomani CoopworthandRICHWILTsheddingflocks providedthemwithmuchneededflexibility overthatbusytime.
“Wereallyhaveproventheycanlookafter themselvestoagreaterextent.Ifthelambs weredueadrenchforexample,Iwouldbe confidentthatifweweretoobusy,which weoftenwere,wecouldleavethemaweek ortwoandtheywouldnotbeanyworsefor it.”
BothRossandRutharelookingforward toanewseasondoublingdownontheir effortstobreedrobustsheepthatmeet
agrowingdemandforlessmaintenance, andinmanycasesalsohavingshedding capabilities.
WellknownfortopCoopworthgenetics, Romanisteppedintoself-shedding Wiltshire’sfiveyearsago,morerecently addingExlanageneticstotheRICHWILT flock.
Determinednottobesimplyclimbing onaself-sheddingbandwagon,Rosshas diligentlyappliedthesameparametersfor production:constitution,diseasetolerance andsoundnesstotheRICHWILTflockas heappliestotheCoopworths.Thegrowing demandfromclientssuggestsheiswellon track.
“TheExlanacrossrespondedwelltotheir facialeczematolerancetestsat.4mg/kg liveweightwhichisveryencouragingand compareswellwiththeWiltshiresthatare exhibitinggoodtoleranceat.5mg/kg.”
Carefulselectivebreedingforbothworm resistanceandresiliencehasproduced progenydeliveringtheentirepackage.
“Theycanhandleawormchallenge, mountingastrongimmuneresponse,and continuetogrowwell.Wearebasically lookingforthefastestgrowingwiththe lowestFECnumbers.”
Continuedonpage10
B.B.S.,C.A. SeniorAssociate We’vetrainedtohelp youreachyourbest
Whateveryour businessand accountingneeds, getintouchtoday. SharyneWimsett
FullySILrecordedundertrue commercialconditions
Selectedfortopgrowthand muscling,lessdags,parasite tolerance,minimaldrench.Not dippedsince2013
Highperformancewithlowinputs ExcellentFlystriketolerance
ExcellentWormtolerance
Lesswork.Moreincome
Romaniramsaretopperformersin B+LNZGeneticsLowInputProgeny Test
SearchusonBLGNZNProveand seehowwecomparetoyour currentrambreeder
Ross’focusonimprovingtheshedding flockhaspromptedinvolvementin theformationoftheSheddingSheep ImprovementGroup,like-mindedbreeders workingtogethertoensuregoodgenetic connectivitybetweensheddingflocksof anybreed,toallowaccuratecomparisonof performancebetweenflocksalloverNZ.
OneoftheRICHWILTWiltshiresireshas beenincludedintotheBeef+LambNZ CentralProgenyTesttorepresenttheSSIG group,withanumberofotherflocksalso usinghissemen.
HeisalsoencouragedthatPamu’s“Sheep oftheFuture”projectincludesaflock triallingmultiplebreedsofsheddingand hairsheep,withafocusonheatanddisease tolerance.
Romaniisnotwalkingawayfromwool entirely,withRossandRuthcontinuingto focusonmakingtheirRomaniCoopworth geneticsevenlowermaintenance,selecting themforbarebellies,nodagsandshort tails.
Theiraimistopushtheflocktothepoint wherenohand-pieceisrequiredexceptfor shearingtime.
MatingtheircommercialCoopworthewes toCoopshirerams,andthestudewestotop DagandConditionScoresireslastyear,has deliveredlambsexhibitingsignificantlyless dagsthisseason.“Ifthedifferenceindags onthelambsthisseasonisallgenetics,Iwill kickmyselfforeverfornotfocusingmoreon thattraitsooner,”saysRoss.
AfterthepasthecticyearatRomani,the Richardsarestartingtofeeltheirhardwork ispayingoffandtheycancatchtheirbreath. TheyhaveemployedToby,ayoungshepherd andformerTaumarunuiHighschoolintern atRomani,whoiskeentolearnmoreand
whoappreciateshavingRoss’syear’sof sheepbreedingwisdomathand. Theycontinuetocheckandcullon physicaltraitswithintheflock,includingthe
likesofbodycondition,feetandteeth,and Rossisencouragedtoseethecullratedrop from30%afewyearsagotoonly12%this year.
“Itisgettingharderandhardertofind thingstocullon,whichsuggestswearewell ontherighttrack.”
AWAPIKO PERENDALES &ROMDALES Sheddingwoolto maximizeprofit WITH KAAHUGENETICS ByMurraySargent
WhathasbeenhappeningatKaahu Genetics?TheKaahuWhiteskeep gettingbetterandourshedding sheepprogramisprogressingreallywell. Thisyearwillbeourfifthannualsaleandthe ramsarelookingexceptionallygood.
“WedecidedtocreateourKaahuWhite breedbecausewewantedaverylowinput, highoutputsheepthatiscalmerandmore userfriendlythanWiltshire.”TheKaahu
Whitebreedisaconcepttocreatehighly productivesheddingsheepwithvigour, toughnessandveryimportantlylongevity whilstminimizinglabourinputs.
WayneandIarealwaysstrivingtosee wherewecanmakeimprovementswith ourKaahuWhitesandstayingfocusedon thefundamentaltraitsiscrucial–feet, shedding,animalhealthandFE.
Onboththefeetandsheddingtraitswe havemadefantasticprogress.Ourgoals aretocreateKaahuWhitesthatareas profitableaspossible.
Ourwormresistance/resilience programmehasundergoneachangeandwe havechangedfromWormFECtotheCARLA SalivaTest.Thesalivaofourramhoggets wastestedintheautumnforthepresence ofantibodiestoworms.Ourramshada verygoodimmuneCARLAresponse,ranking usthirdfortheflockstestedthisyear.
Lastyearwedecidedtowidenthegene poolandintroducedtwoEasycare/Exlana ramswhichwerecreatedviaembryo transfer.Thesewereusedaspartofour rammatingteamlastautumn.Wewill haveapproximately55sonsbytheserams includedinthisyear’sauction.TheEasycare andExlanabreedsarefromtheUKandare bothmaternalsheddingsheepbreeds.We areverypleasedwiththecross.whichhas createdaverymeatycompactsheep.
BothEasycareandExlanageneticshave beenselectedtoaddtoourgenepool becauseinbothcasestheyhavebeenfully
recordingtheirstudsheepforapproximately 20years.
WeknowthatFEToleranceisextremely importantforalotoffarmers.So,we areworkingtogetherwithanFEGold,SIL recordedstudCoopworthflock.Theyhave beenusingourramstoshedthewooloff selectedstudCoopworthewestocreate aSILrecordedFEtolerantsheddingsheep flock.Theynowhavefullysheddedrams whichhavebeenRamGuardtestedatover 0.5whichwewereabletousethisyearas partofourramswapprogramme.
OuraimistolifttheFEtoleranceof ourKaahuWhiteswhilstkeepingavery productivemeatysheepandwe’llaimforFE GoldCertification(Testingat0.6).
Wewillalsohavealimitednumber of2toothramsthatwillhavebeenFE RamGuardtestedatoursaleonNovember 15,2024.
PPPPSheepJetter ASPOPULARASEVER PPIndustriesLtdwasestablishedin 1962.Wearealeadingsupplierof agricultureequipmentinNewZealand andPPPalsoexportourproductstoover20 countries.
PPPbeganmanufacturingthesheep jetterintheearly1980’sunderlicencefor HarringtonofAustralia.Thisrelationship continuedforabout15yearsbefore HarrigtonclosedtheirbusinessinAustralia. AtthispointPPPre-brandedthejetterand committedtoR&Dtomakesomechanges tothedippingunit.
In2013PPPlaunchedthenewelectronic eyesheepjetter.Thenewmodelsheep jetterhasprovedtobeverysuccessfulnot onlyinNZbutalsoexportingtoAustralia, SouthAmerica,India,Europe&theUK.
Thesimplicityofthemachineforend userscoupledwiththestainless-steel fabricationhasbeentheleadingselling point.Abilitytodipeasily800–1,000 ewesperhourandpricedasthemost competitivelypricedunitonthemarkethas alsobeenafactorinthesuccess.
Asalightweightproductweighing50kg butmanufacturedfromstainlesssteel forstrengththeunitisveryeasytomove aroundorpullupontoatrailer.
Theunitisveryquickandeasytoset up,allhoseshavecamlockfittings.The unitisidealforfarmstafftouseandwith apressuregaugeyoucanvisuallyseethe pressure.
Withtheconfigurationofthenozzleson thejetterandtheabilitytoapply2.5-3litres
ofproducttoanadultewegoodsaturation oftheanimalcanbeachieved.Good saturationensureslongevityoftheproduct applied.
KeyFeatures:
•ManufacturedfromStainlessSteel
•Goodsaturation
•Ewesandlambscanbedippedatthe sametimeifrequired
•Effectiveforbothflyandlicecontrol
•800–1,000ewesperhour
•Quickandeasysetup
•Mostcompetitivelypricedjetteronthe market
PPPmanufacturetwomodels,theLincoln
andtheSaxon.TypicaltheLincolnisthe standardgotomodelinNZwiththelarger SaxonsoldmoreintoAustraliawithmuch largerbreedingewesandthelikesofthe MiddleEastwithhornedsheep.
PPPselldirecttoendusersorfarmerscan purchasethroughtheirfarmmerchandise stores.
Resilienceand INNOVATION GeorgeandLuceWilliamsruna 2200-hectaresheepandbeeffarmon Wairarapa’seastcoast.Grassendale isasteephillcountryfarmwherethey’ve developedtheirsuccessfulrambreeding enterpriseGrassendaleGenetics.
“Westartedoffin2007andcurrently have4000DNArecordedewes,four differentbreedsand110clientsfrom GisbornetoTeAnau,”saysGeorge.
In2019theywereWairarapaSheepand BeefFarmBusinessoftheYear,andtheir goalorientatedapproachhaspaidoffwith innovationalsoakeypartoftheirsuccess.
“OurlatestventureisnamedThe Streaker-ahairbreedandasheddingbreed comprisedofaWiltshireandAustralian White.Farming’schangingrapidlyandas ageneticsproviderwewanttobeatthe forefrontofit,”saysGeorge.
TheStreakerfollowssomecommercial farmersmovingawayfromshearingdue tothestrugglingwoolmarket.“It’sterrible becauseit’sagreatproduct.Westillclip 50,000kilosayearandit’ssustainable, butwejustcan’tseemtogetrewarded financiallyforit,”saysGeorge.
GeorgeandLuce’sfarmcametoa grindinghaltonFebruary14,2023,when thefloodwatersstartedtorisefollowing CycloneGabrielle.Theyknewitwascoming andwereprepared.
“Butwhenithappeneditwasstillashock. Thewholevalleybecameariver,”saysLuce. Theymovedstocktohighergroundandas thewatercontinuedcomingupevacuated
theirstaffandretreatedtotheirhouseon thehill.“We’reuptherewatchingwaterflow throughthewoolshed,thetwohouseswe hadjustrenovatedsoitwasdevastating,” saysLuce.
“Thankfullywehadgoodinsurancecover withFMGotherwisewewouldhavebeen upthecreekwithoutapaddle,”saysLuce.“I wouldrecommendreviewingyourinsurance policiestomakesureyou’vegottheright thingscovered.Theassessorcameout quicklysothatprocesswasawesome,”says George.
Hesaystheywerebombardedwith peoplewantingtohelp.“Thenextdaywe juststartedcleaningup.Itwaswhenwe flewaroundthefarm,wesawhowmuch damagetherewas.Eightykmsofnew fencingandnewyardsandroadingwasjust gone,”saysGeorge.
Whiletheinsuranceprocesstookawhile, theyknewwhathadhappenedfurtherup thecoastandthatalotofpeoplehadit worse.“Itwasanemotionaltimeforall involved,”saysLuce. Georgesaysthingsarebacktowhere
theywereatGrassendaleandinsome waysimproved.“There’ssomegoodto comeoutoftheseevents.Youlookatthe infrastructurewe’vegotnow.Theroading, newwatersystemsandpaddocks,the fencing.It’sworthhavinggoodinsurance cover.”
GeorgeandLuceWilliams.
TheStreaker.
Grassendale infloodduring Cyclone Gabrielle.
What’sinaname? ByGlennDwight, CreativeDirector,NZME
Whenitcomestobuyingaram,there’splentyto ponder.Frombreedsuitabilityandwoolquality tofertilityratesandtemperaments,theRam Catalogueisyourgo-toguide.Butthere’sonecrucialaspect oftenoverlooked:choosingtheperfectnameforyournew woollywarrior.
AsShakespeareoncemused,“What’sinaname?”Well, whenitcomestorams,quitealot!Wouldarosebyany othernamesmellassweet?Andwouldaramnamed‘Rose’ performquiteaswell?(Eweknowwhatwemean).
Tohelpyournewramliveuptohisfullpotential— whetherit’sracingacrossthepaddockorwooingthe ewes—we’vecompiledthedefinitiveguidetonaminghim. Preparetomeetsomeofthefinestandmostfittingram namesthataresuretogetpeakperformancefromyour woollywarrior:
Ram-bo:Toughandfearless,he’stheactionheroofthe flock.Alwaysreadytochargeintobattle(oratleastthe neighbourspaddock),there’snochanceoffriendlyfirewith thisram—it’sallbusinessfire.
Wool-i-am:Themusicmaestrooftheflock,thisram’sgot rhythmandhelovesdroppingbleats!Whilerapisinhissole, ifthebarnsarockin’don’tcomeaknocking!
FleeceLightning:Atruethrowback,thisram’sgot morestylethanamulletatabarndance.He’sautomatic, systematic,andhydromatic—whateverthatmeans!But bestofall,he’s‘greasedlightning’,sohe’sgo,go,go!
SirRamsalot:Thechivalrousknightofthepaddock,this
ramstrutsaroundlikehe’sthekingandsitsonabaleof haylikeitwereathrone.He’sgotanoblestance,amajestic woollymane,andreadyforaction(winkwink)—dayor knight!
Ram-a-lamb-a-ding-dong:Emphasisonthe‘dong,’ becausethisram’srunningagreatkeelandhe’sgotmore energythanahuntawayonespresso!Meaning he’salwaysupforagoodtime—ifnotalong timesorryladies.
WoolSmith:WestCoastbornandraised,in thepaddock’swherehespendsmostofhisdays. Chillin’out,maxin’,relaxin’allcool,nibblin’grass andkeepingitoldschool.Butdon’tletthelaidbackvibesfoolyou—whendutycalls,he’san actionhero!
Lamborghini:Sleek,stylish,andfasterthan afarmdogtoaTUXbiscuit.Thisramwasbuilt forspeed.Sure,theewesmightrolltheireyesat hisneedforspeed,buthe’sallaboutefficiency… andwhenitcomestoservicingtheewe,you knowthat’sawinner.Butlet’sbehonest—you probablyoverpaidforthebadgeonthisone.
Woolverine:Toughasnails—literally.This ram’sgotclawssharperthanthebestshearson thefarm.Hedoesn’tneedashearer;he’sfully equippedtohandleanywool-trimmingneeds onhisown.Andasanypassingewewilltellyou, he’sshredded!
EweHefner:Smooth,suave,andalwaysthe centreofattention,thisramlivestheultimate paddockplayboylifestyle-completewithtrough grotto.Thatcaptain’shatmightbeabitmuch,
buthey,he’stheramthatcanpulloffanything.He’seven gotawoolrobetomatch!
So,thereyouhaveit,folks!Whenitcomestonamingyour newram,remember:alotliesinaname.Choosewisely,and yourwoollywarriormightjustliveuptohismoniker.
Apowerfuland PROFITABLE PACKAGE MindaHillsisa320hahillcountry propertyWestofTaihape.Thefarm isrunbyMark,LorraineandKristina Illston.AftercompletinganAgricultural Degree,Kristinaworkedforanagriculture dataservicecompanyandtravelled overseas.Shehasreturnedtothefamily farmandisnowmanagingthepropertywith Mark,withtheviewoftakingoverfromher parentswhentheyretire.
TheIllstons’have2300fullyrecorded SILPerendalecrossewesontheirproperty. Theseanimalsareahardyandprofitablehill countrysheep.
Emphasisisputonmaternal conformation,feetandgoodbonestructure, alongwithhighsurvivability,growthand meatyield.Reproductionisafocus,with selectionfortwinningonlyewesandramsin thebreedingprogram.
Allsheepareassessedphysicallybefore thedataandSILrecordsareconsulted. DavidKitneyhasbeenanintegralpartof thisselectionprocessonMindaHillsfor manyyears.Hisprofoundknowledgeand experienceinthesheepbreedingindustry hasbeenaveryvaluableassettothe operation.
Withtheupsurgeoffacialeczema(FE)in manyareasofNewZealand,theIllstons’
sawtheneedtoinputsomeFEtolerance intothesheep.FEisalongtermissue, sotoleranceisbestintroducedthrough geneticsfromcertifiedbreeders.MindaHills havebeenFEtestingandselectingforFE since2012.Theyarecurrentlyrated4Star forRamGuardandtestingupto0.6mg/kg.
Survivabilityandlongevityisalsotaken intoconsideration,asthismakesthis breedmoreprofitablefortheirclients, manyofwhomfarmonsteephillcountry. Importanceislikewiseputona‘type’of sheepwhichwillmakeauniformline.An advantagefortheirclientswhenselling stockatthesaleyards.
TheIllstonsareproudofbeinghands onfarmersandareveryhappywiththe additionofKristinatotheteam.Sheis aspassionateaboutMindaHillsasMark andLorraine,andbringsabackground ofworkingintheagriculturetechnology industry.Sheisarealassetwithinputting andrecordingdata,whichisalargepartof operatingthestud.
TheIllstonsencouragepeopletocome andvisitMindaHillsandviewtheir sheep.Theyvaluebeingabletodiscuss theindividualneedsoftheirclients’and supplyingsuitablegeneticstosustainthem fornowandthefutureoftheirbusiness operations.
Aninteresting ANDPRODUCTIVEEXPERIMENT ByChrysAyley
Aria,halfanhoursouthofTeKuitiinthe KingCountry,ishometoPeterand CarolineFoss,theirfamily,aSouth DevonStudandaWiltshireStudthatbear theIpuruaprefix.
Thecouplefarm530haofhillcountryand altituderangesfrom200-600ftabovesea level.Itcanbewet,especiallyinthewinter astheWestCoastcanreceiveupto70 inchesofrainannually.
IpuruahasbeenhometoPetersincehe wasababyandhe’snowbeenfarmingfor almost37years.Helefthometostudy agriculturalscienceatLincolnUniversityand laterreturnedtothefarmashisparents’ healthwasdeclining.
Severalyearsago,hisdisillusionment withthewoolindustryledPetertoresearch alternatives.Althoughinitiallyhewasn’t consideringcrossbreedingPeterdecidedto breedWiltshiresoverhisRomneys,andhe wishedhe’dstarteddecadesago.
Therehavebeenseveralmajorchangesin thelastfewyearsasthefocushaschanged
tocrossbreeding.Stocknumbersaredown to500Romneyswiththeremaining1200 being½and¾bredRomneyWiltshireewes. Therearealso500SILrecordedWiltshire’s.
LastyearPeterandCarolinevisited EnglandandIrelandforfiveweeksand inspectedseveralfarmsand“didsome deals.”
“Wemetsomeverygoodpeople.Itwas anenjoyabletrip-wesawalotofflockson farm:wesawa2500recordedeweflockin NorthernIrelandand3000strongflockin thenorthofEngland.Theywerealllambed andshepherdedoutdoors.”Theyalsoviewed
indoorlambingoperationsbutweren’t interestedas“thestockhastobesimilarto whatwe’redoinginNewZealand.”
Lastyearrepresentedanother breakthroughasPeterweaned30English embryolambsfrom50implants.They usedanExlanasireoveraWelshEasycare ewe.TheWelshEasycareewesarepart ofa2,500recordedeweflockinNorthern Ireland.BoththeExlanaandWelshEasycare arefullsheddingBritishbreeds.
Thisyeartheyhavebeensuccessful inachieving90embryolambsfrom130 implantswhichisanoutstandingresult.
“Mostpeopleconsideryou’reluckyifyouget over50%,”Petersays.
Peter’sunderstandingofthesheep hasdeepened,andtherealisationofthe considerablylesserworkloadisappreciated. “We’regettingolder,theworkisgetting harder,butthesethingsarealoteasier tofarm.it’sallaboutworkingsmarternot harder.”
Anotherpositivefactoristhatthere arefarlessstocklosses.“Theydon’tdie, theydon’tgetstucklambs,theydon’tget bearingsandtheydon’tdieliketraditional ewesatlambingtime.Ourlosseshave droppedfromabout5%downtoaround2%.
LossesareconsiderablyfewerandIbelieve it’sdowntobirthsizeofthelamb.Theyare bornsignificantlysmallerthanmostcross bredlambsandtheygrowwell.”
“TheUKbreedsareverygoodmeat breedsthatkilloutbetterthanthestraight Wiltshire’s.
There’salsoasignificantreduction inwormdrenchingthat’srequiredwith theseanimals,butitwilltakesometime tounderstandtheUKbreeds.Mostyears Peter’sWiltshireeweandramhoggets haveonlybeendrenchedtwicebythetime theyareoneyearold,andtheyneverget drenchedagain.“Theydon’tgenerallyget flystruck.Timehasfurthercementedour earlierbeliefsaroundwormtoleranceand noflystrike.”
LookingtothefuturePetercansee themstabilizingat¾NZWiltshireand¼UK genetics.“Obviously,we’llbeexperimenting alongthewayandsofar,theexperimentis provingveryinterestingandverygood.”
“OnehugequestionmarkovertheUK geneticsistheirabilitytohandleeczema. Onlytimewilltellus.UntilIunderstandthe UKgeneticsabilitytohandleeczemaIwill treadcautiously.AssoonasI’mconfident withtheireczematolerancewemaydevelop a½NZWiltshireand½UKgeneticanimal.”
“UKgeneticsarefarbettersheddersthan themajorityofNZWiltshiresandtheyare bettermeatanimalsthanthemajorityofNZ Wiltshires.Butnoneofthatisanygoodif theyaredyingofeczema,isit?
Fouroflastyear’sembryoshavejustbeen dosedandPeterisexcitedtoreceivethe results.
Thisyear’ssaleisonfarmat2pmon Thursday21November.Inthemorning thefarmwillbeopenfrom10.30amand allstockwillbeondisplay.Lunchwillbe available.Onsaleare70Wiltshire2Trams. ThesalewillbelivestreamedonBidr.
Strengthenyourcommercialflock usingprovengeneticswhichenable amoreproductiveandprofitable futureforyourfarm.
Our2thramsaleseason commencesmid-November. Formoreinformationortoorder contactuson 0508159159 orat info@focusgenetics.com
Positive start TO A NEW SEASON By Patrick Crawshaw
Director Beef + Lamb New Zealand
The East Coast has enjoyed a great spring so far, with the good weather ensuring that the new season’s lamb crop got off to a good start
The grass is growing which is helping drive ewe lactation and pre-weaning growth rates.
There are indications that lamb prices might be starting to head in the right direction and with an easing in interest rates, there is a feeling of cautious optimism as we head into 2025
While the profitability forecast in Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s recent New Season Outlook report for 2024-25 is sobering, there are a number of factors that could see the economic recovery be more rapid than anticipated
Beef prices remain positive and if the significant decrease in lamb processing in Australia continues and we see supply tighten from New Zealand, the EU and UK, then we could see global lamb prices lift higher than forecast.
However, it is still necessary to keep a lid on farm spending as the positives will take time to trickle through.
Along with a team from B+LNZ, I have just completed our annual round of East Coast Director Roadshows We hosted five meetings between Masterton and Gisborne,
and it was great to get out and reconnect with farmers in our patch.
Along with opportunities for New Zealand’s beef and lamb, we discussed B+LNZ’s refreshed strategy The organisation is deliberately focusing behind the farm gate to add value to farmers’ businesses through extension and the supported adoption of practices that will help drive productivity and profitability
We also had some valuable conservations with farmers about freshwater farm plans, national bottom lines and climate change
All the feedback was welcomed, and much is already influencing what we say to Government Ministers and officials
There will still be opportunity to feed into these conservations and be part of farmer forums, particularly on climate change policy advocacy approaches.
Environmental issues have not gone away, and as custodians of the land, we need to be able to demonstrate that our farming practices are sustainable and that we are all working to protect our natural resources and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions
International market access is becoming increasingly dependent on our ability to demonstrate our sustainability credentials This puts the onus on us, as farmers, to provide evidence of our natural, pasturebased farm systems through programmes such as the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme.
Farm plans are another valuable tool we can use to help protect and enhance our natural resources in the context of our own farm system
They also provide evidence of good practice management
I really encourage farmers to view farm plans as a valuable management tool rather than a regulatory requirement They are living documents and should be used to inform management decisions rather than a tick-box exercise
Thisisnotimeforeaseorcomfort, itisthetimetodareandendure”, wisewordsfromWinstonChurchillrelevanttothedrenchresistancebattlethat oursheepsectorfacestoday.
OtagosheepbreederDavidRuddenklau’s decision30yearsagotobreedasheepthat requiredverylittledrenching(andeventually nodrench)wouldbeagame-changerforthe NewZealandsheepsector.
The1990swereahardtimeinthe farmingsector,especiallyNorthOtagoanareathatspentmostofthedecadein debilitatingdrought.
David’soriginalgoaltodecreasethe amountandfrequencyofdrenchingwasn’t fromacostsavingpointofview,butfrom a“robustness”ethos,frustratedatthe industrymindsetofblanketdrenchingevery fewweeksormonths.
Intheearly1990’sDavidceasedall drenchingofewesandthenworkedwith AgResearchtoidentifygeneswithin Newhavenstudlambsandhoggetsthat hadthegeneticresilienceto“fightand stillgrow”underahighwormburden.The “feastorfamine”grassgrowthcurveof NorthOtagomeanthighwormburdens oftenoverwhelmedsheepduringwarm, wetperiodsfollowingadrought.While FaecalEggCounting(FEC)wasamassive stepforwardfortheindustry,Davidwasn’t particularlyinterestedinseasonalpeaksand troughsofwormburden,butinsteadhow eachanimalrespondedtotheburdenofhigh wormcounts.Findingbloodlinesthathad
theinnateabilitytogetonandearntheir keepintermsofgrowthrateswhilesomeof theirpeersneededtobeculled-outundera nil-drenchregimewasthekey.
In1990WormAntibodytesting commencedinallhoggetsatNewhaven, analysingantibodylevelsatworktofight bothclinicalandsub-clinicaleffectsof thechallenge,linedupagainstseasonal conditions,weightandgrowthrates. Interestingly,the1990test-kithandbook pre-warnedof“loomingdrenchresistance throughoutNewZealandfromrelianceon highdrenchregimes”-ahauntingprediction ofthepositionthesectorfindsitselfin today.
Romewasn’tbuiltinadayandnorwas theidentificationofbloodlineswithan inbuiltresiliencetowormburden,butas astudoperatorDavidfeltanobligationto marchonandcontinuetoidentifyaway forward.In1996asatrial,athirdofallram lambswereun-drenchedfrombirthtosale. Thedemandforthese‘NilDrench’rams conservativelyincreasedoverthefirstfew years–initiallyfromorganicfarmers-but afterobservingthatthenil-drenchrams lookedjustasimpressiveastheirpeers,the demandforthenil-drenchramsskyrocketed anddemandoutgrewsupply.By2009all ramlambsbornwouldremaintotallyundrenchedfrombirthtosale,twodecades aftertheoriginaltestingwascarriedout atNewhaven.Thisremainsapioneering industryinitiativetodaywithgeneticsone ofthefewtangibletoolsavailabletoface drenchresistancehead-on.
Nil-drenchregime FROMHUMBLEBEGINNINGS AtNewhaven,webreedforproductivetraits, notpoliticalones.
Wearenotbeingsuckedintobreeding“low methane”sheepwithsmallrumensthatneed toselectivelysearchforhighqualitypasture. Justlikebureaucrats,selectivegrazerswould lastlessthanaweekonourhills.
Yourfarmisarealfarmwithamortgage, notalaboratory.
Youneedgenuinegeneticgains,notpolitical boxticking.
BlairandJaneSmithcontinuetochallengeallNewhavenStockundernil-drench threedecadesonfromDavid’swork.
JAprofileofProfessorJonHickford &THEGENE MARKERLAB onHickfordisaProfessorofAnimal BreedingandGeneticsatLincoln University,Canterbury.Hejoinedasa studentin1983andwithasmallbreakof threeyearshehasbeenthereeversince.“In thattimehavetaughtacrossahugerange ofdisciplinesfromgeneticsandbreeding tomolecularbiologyandbiochemistry, andthenthemorepracticalaspectsof agriculture,meatandwoolproduction.”He hasnowpartretiredtopursuearangeof personalandcommercialinterests.
“Withresearch,Ihavepublishedover250 refereedscientificarticles,workingwith studentsandcolleaguesfromacrossthe globe.Ihavesupervisedresearchprojects forover100postgraduatestudents,with manyofthemgoingtoestablishtheirown successfulcareersacrosstheglobeandhere inNZ.”
“IhavetwicebeenthePresidentofthe NewZealandInstituteofAgriculturaland HorticulturalScienceandamaFellowand HonoraryFellowofthatInstitute.Ihavewon majorprizesformyresearchworkinNew Zealandandoffshore.”
“TheLincolnUniversityGeneMarker Laboratorycameaboutinthelate90’s courtesyoftheresearchthatIwasdoing withmystudents.UsingDNAanalyses,we hadrevealedthatwecoulddifferentiate sheepbasedontheirimmuneresponse
totheorganismsthatcausefootrot,and accordinglyselectsheepthatwhereless susceptible.Thisunderpinningresearchis nowwidelycited,andthetestdeveloped
fromthatresearchusedacrossmany differentcountries.Itworksirrespectiveof breed.Inthelastyear,thattestremainsour biggestearnercommercially.”
“Sincethen,wehavecommercialised arangeofothertests,includingtoolsto selectsheepthataremorecoldtolerant, lesssusceptibletoscrapie,andmorefertile. Wehavetestsforsheepthatcarrygenetic mutationscausingmicrophthalmia,Gaucher disease,anddermatosparaxis,andcattle testsforCelticpolledgenetics,SLICKand A2milk.Ourfullrangeoftestsisavailable here:https://research.lincoln.ac.nz/testinganalytical-services/gene-marker-lab.”
Theinheriteddiseasedermatosparaxis inalambthatwasbroughtinfor tailing.Thelambwaseuthanised. Basedonthispoorlambandothers wedevelopedagenetestfor dermatosparaxis.Wesuspectthatwe mighthaveeradicatedthediseasein NewZealandsheep.
Friday13thDecemberat1pm 80PollDorset&20Poll/TexRams
NowfullflockSILperformancerecordedandDNAtestedforaccurate pedigreeinformationusingZoetisShepherdUltratechnology.
NewtotheTeRuanuiflockisafullyrecordedSuffolkStudfromthe SouthIsland.Wewillhave30Suffolkramsforsalethisyear,please contactCraigdirectlyoryouragentforfurtherinfo!
Tailing-asthetailsarecutoffthesheep,thelabcollectbloodfromthetailfor DNAtyping.
“Wehavemoretestsindevelopment, lookingatsuchthingsaswooltraits, intramuscularfat,subcutaneousfat andgrowthandothercattletraitswith milkproduction.Therearecurrentlynine peopleworkinginthelaboratory,eitheras students,foreignvisitorsorcommercial staff.Iwouldbelostwithoutmytwo‘right handmen’,PrincipalResearchScientist, DrHuitongZhouandTechnicalOfficerDr FreemanFang,mycolleaguesofnearon25 years.”
“Thegenetestingweundertakeallows
breedersandtheirclientstoselect superiorgeneticsandcullsheepthatcarry undesirable/lethalmutations.Theycan makebetterinformedbreedingdecisions, thatdocontributetotheirbottomline.”
“Eachtesthasuniquebenefits,withuse forbreeding,butalsoforscreeningsheep andcattlegeneticsforexport.Wetryhard tokeepthecostofgenetestingaslowas possible,andasthefirstlaboratorytooffer commercialtesting(datingbackto1999), ourcompetitorshavemulti-millionoreven billion-dollarbackers,soIliketothinkwe
WooltestingatTheDooneinNorthCanterbury.Mid-wintershadowsaswetest outdoors.Ourambitionistoproducestrongwoolofmuchhigherqualityusing testingtoreducefibrevariabilityandimprovequality.Theworkislookingvery promising.
holdthemtoaccountalittle.Mostofour testshavebeendevelopedwithfarmersfor farmers,sowehaveourfeetwellplacedon theground,andLincolnUniversitydoesof coursehaveagreatreputationfordelivering toNZagriculturesince1878.”
“Withsheep,wehaveworkedassiduously withAustralianandNewZealandstudTexel breederstoeradicatethemutationthat causesmicrophthalmiainTexelsheep.The diseaserenderssheepblind,andyetwestill seeunregisteredbreedersandsomesheep geneticsimportersNOTtesting,sothe
RaupuhaStuds mutantformofthegeneisstillenteringthe countryandacosttoNZsheepproduction.”
“Workingwithvarioussheepindustry people(breedersandAI/embryotransfer experts)wehavebeentryingtogetMPI tomandatecompulsorygenetesting,but tonoavail.WeknowofTexelstudsinthe UKthatareriddledwithmicrophthalmia andthatexporttoNZ,anditwasonly earlierthisyearthattheBritishTexelSheep BreedersSocietydecidedtodosomething abouttheproblem,targeting2026for implementation.”
JonHickford,left,intheGene-MarkerLaboratorywithoneoftheirhonours students.
BDeclinein STOCKNUMBERS eef+LambNewZealand(B+LNZ)has releaseditsannualStockNumber Survey,showinganotabledeclinein bothsheepandcattlenumbersasof30 June2024.
Thereductionfollowssignificant decreasesinthepastcoupleofyears.While theprimarydriverinpreviousyearshas beenland-usechangeasaresultofthe conversionofsheepandbeeffarmsinto forestry,thisyear’sprimarydriverwas droughtinkeysheepandbeefregions.
Droughthasseenfarmersneedingto destockandimpactedtheoutlookforlamb productionforthecomingseason.
Sheepnumbersareestimatedtohave decreasedby4.3percent,downto23.31 million,withbreedingewenumbersfalling by2.9percentandtradingsheepstock numbersfell7.9percent.
Farmerssoughttomaintaintheirbreeding ewesanddecreasedtheirtradingstock more.
Thedeclineinewesandalowerexpected lambingpercentage,alsocausedbydrought, meansthelambcropisanticipatedto decreaseby4.8percent(970,000head)on lastyear.
Beefcattlenumbersaredown2.8percent overall,mostsignificantlyintheSouth Island,wheredroughtledtoa7.1percent decrease,whiletheNorthIslandisrelatively steady,down0.8percent.
“Thisyearhasbeenparticularlytoughfor sheepandbeeffarmers,”saysKateAcland, ChairofB+LNZ.
“Thecombinationofdroughtacrossmany partsofthecountry,highcosts,andlow sheeppricesandhasputimmensepressure onfarmers.
“Farmersarefacingtoughdecisionson theirfarms,withmanyhavingtoselloff capitallivestocknotonlyduetodrought butforcashflowreasons.Thiswillnotonly affecttheirincomethisyearbutwillalso havelong-termimplicationsforfuture profitability.”
Thereportindicatesthatwhiletheremay beapartialrebuildofstocknumbersin someregionsinthecomingseason,thefull recoveryofsheepnumberstopre-drought levelsisunlikely,duetoongoinglanduse changeintocarbonforestry.Thenumber ofbeefcattlemayrecovermorequicklyas priceshaveremainedstrongforbeefand farmershavebeenswitchingfromsheepto cattle.
Theearlydestocking,lowerstock numbersoverallandcurrentdesireto rebuildlivestock(inregionsimpactedby adverseweatherevents)iscontributingtoa shortageofanimalsavailableforprocessing. Thisisexacerbatedbylowerbullnumbers duetolesscalvesrearedtwoyearsago, whenprofitmarginswerelow.
Aclandsaysthechallengesofthelastfew yearsarelikelytohavewide-rangingand lastingrepercussions.
“Thelong-termdeclineinstocknumbers isconcerning,itdirectlyimpactsthe ongoingsustainabilityoffarmingandrural communities.
“Oursectorisaneconomicpowerhouse, generatingsignificantexportrevenueand supportingthelivelihoodsofthousandsof Kiwisacrossthecountry,sotheseimpacts willbefeltbythewholeeconomy.”
AclandsaysB+LNZhasrecently strengtheneditsstrategicfocustositmore stronglybehindthefarmgate,focussingon issuesthatfarmerscancontrolthatdirectly
impactproductivityandprofitability.
“Whilecurrentconditionsaretough,the medium-termoutlookremainspositive, we’veweathereddownturnsbefore, andIremainoptimisticaboutthefuture. Worldwidedemandforhigh-quality sustainablyproducedproteinisgrowing andNewZealandiswellplacedtofillthis demand,”shesays.
ByZandyWallace
It’snotgettinganyeasiertobearam breeder-changesinlanduseand pressurefromnon-woolproducingbreeds iscreatingashrinkingmarket.However,the pastfewyearshaveseenmodestgrowth inWai-itiRams’salesacrossallbreeds whichwetakeasrecognitionthatthe improvementsweareimplementingonour breedingprogramaretherightones.
For49yearsourvisionforWai-iti Ramshasbeentobreedfunctional,high producingsheepwithabalanceofhigh fertility,outstandingmotheringabilityand exceptionalgrowthrate.Thisvisionhasn’t changed;ratherithasevolvedwiththe needsandexpectationsofourclients.
Technologycompliments stockmanship Wecontinuetheuseofgenomictools forsomesireverificationandtoenhance breedingvalueaccuracies.Animalhealth traitswemeasureandselectforinclude wormresilience,dagscore,bodycondition scoreandFEtolerance.Puttingupa consistentandevenlineoframsisalways challenginginaworldofrapidtechnology developmentbutitisapointofdifference inanowneroperatedsystemsuchas
this.Maintainingrocksolidstandardsand expectationswithinourflockisfundamental topresentingaconsistentandrepeatable product.
Ifyourrambreederisn’t
‘walkingthetalk’-howcan you? •Wai-itiRams’twotoothandMAewes havenotreceiveddrenchfor19years. Ifaewecan’tcope,she’sculled.Often ourtwo-toothsinparticularfacesome seriouswormchallenges,butconstant
cullingofthenon-doersandrepeat singlesensureswearecontinually improvingtheoverallresilienceofour flock.
•100%ewehoggetsarematedannually.
•Weareconstantlychallengingour sheeptoidentifythoseindividualsthat cannotthriveunderahighstocking rateandintensivefarmingconditions. Puketiritiriislocatedinasummerdry districtandourstudewesdon’tgetany specialtreatmentoverthecommercial ewes-autumn2024wasnoexception.
Studandcommercialewesareruntogether(twotooths included)year-roundwithexceptionsaroundtupping andlambing.
Themainstayandbackboneofour breedingoperation.Over45years’ ofhighselectionpressureunder commercialconditionshasputthese ramsonthemap.Sheepthat‘hold ittogether’duringtoughtimesand deliverpredictableandrepeatable performance.
Maintainingrocksolidstandards BRINGS CONSISTENCY FarmersacrossNewZealandarecoming toWai-itiRamsbecauseofthegenuine challengeweputtoourflock.
•Westillprioritisethebasics-strict cullingacrossthewholeramandewe flockforpoorstructureorshapeof feet,whitefeet,slackpasterns,black spotsandjawformationallcomeunder scrutiny.Therearenoexcusesforsheep thatshowpoorstructuralattributes. Wewelcomevisitorstoinspectour operationatworksopleasedogetintouch toarrangeanappointment.
ZandyandCarolineWallacefarm4200eweson860Haeastof Masterton.Annualramsalescommenceatthebeginningof November,offeringRomney,RomTex(½Romney½Texel)and SufTex(½Suffolk½Texel).
Annualsalescommence1November:secureyourpicktoday.
Bredoutofourreplacementstud Romneyewehoggets(geneticgain). Robustandmeatyramsrununder thesameconditionsastheRomneys andsubjecttothesamestrictculling standardsandtraitmeasurements.
Anationallyprovenandpredictable terminalram.Weunderstandand appreciatetheneedforculling/selection pressuresohaveastrongfocuson providingstructurallysoundramswitha focusonlongevity.
CRobust,healthyandhighly arthewGenetics,nowTumekeFarming, hasbeenrevolutionizingthesheep farmingindustrysince1967.Stud ownersPascaleandSimonCarthew’s philosophyissimple-breedingsheep thatperformwellinanyconditions,while minimisinginputsandmaintainingbalance withnature.It’sanapproachthat’searned themareputationforproducingsheepthat arerobust,healthy,andhighlyproductive.
“Wearecommittedtobreedingsheep whoareeasycare,tough,healthyand structurallysound”saysSimon.“Allour sheephavefullancestryinformationon bothdamsandsiresgoingbackto1967. Thislevelofdetailallowsustoselectively breedfordesiredtraits,suchasdisease resistance,lambingperformanceand carcassproductivity.”
Unlikemanystud-drivensheep breeders,hesaysthatTumekeFarmingis commerciallydriven.Preferentialtreatment isnotgiventoanyofthesheepandtheyare farmed,performancerecorded,andselected inatypicalhillcountryenvironmentwith commercialstockingrates,steephills,anda coldclimate.
“Thisapproachensuresthatoursheepare bredforreal-worldconditions,”saysSimon. Allofthesheepalsogothroughan independentstructuralconfirmationaudit byGuyMartin,LivestockConfirmationLtd. andareselectedaccordingly.Theresultis sheepwhoarestrong,healthy,andlonglived,saysSimon.
“Byselectingandbreedingonlyfrom
soundanimalsweimitatethenatural selectionprocess,whereweakanimalsdon’t survive.Thisisarealpointofdifference andoneoftheresultsisthatwehaven’t drenchedewesforthelast25years.
Carthewscommitmenttobreedsheep whosurviveisalsoevidentintheirapproach tofacialeczema(FE).TheirCoopworth FElineisbredfromthehighestFEsires availableinNewZealand,ensuring resistancetothiscommondisease.
TumekeFarmingoffersseveralbreeds ofterminalsheepincludingTumekeSuftex andLambSupreme(awhitefacedterminal breeddevelopedbyLandcorp).Simonsays thatoneofthemostexcitingofferingsisthe TumekeCoopworthRomneyX.
“Thiscrossbreedisablendofthebest withthebestandmaybethefutureof farming.Bycombiningthebesttraitsof CoopworthandRomneysheep,Carthews havecreatedabreedthatishighly adaptableandproductive.”
TumekeFarmingisoperatedfroma 325hafarminWoodvilleanda200hablock inRangiwahiaandeachyearinDecember Carthewssellaround450-500ramson farm.Thecoupletakesahighlypersonal approach,spendingacouplehourswith eachclient,helpingthemtoselectthe bestramsfortheirneeds.It’snosurprise thatmanyclientsarelongtermandhave becomefriendsovertheyears.
“Whenpeoplebuyramsfromus,they knowwe’vedonetheselectionandthehard yardsontheirbehalf.”
Coopworth2Trams.
Driving GENETICPROGRESS ByBeef+LambNewZealand
PaulCrickandDayanneAlmeida farmGlensideStation,an850ha, 7700supropertynearMasterton.The couplerun5,000sheepontheirtypical Wairarapa,summer-dryhillcountryfarm, whichincludesacommercialflock,astud operationandCentralProgenyTest(CPT) ewesandtheirprogeny.
PaulandDayannetookovertheformer TaratahiFarmTrainingInstitutepropertyin 2019.Paul,whowasTaratahi’sDirectorof Farms,alsoinheritedtheBeef+LambNew Zealand(B+LNZ)CPTflock.
RecognisingthevalueoftheCPTtothe NewZealandsheepindustry,Paulhadbeen instrumentalinestablishingtheflockat Glensidein2011—thefirsttimeaCPT flockwasrunonhillcountry.
Formuchoftheyear,theCPTewesare runalongsidetheirowncommercialand studewes,exceptatmating,whentheCPT ewesareartificiallyinseminated.
“TheCPTisrunundercommercial conditions,sotheewehastodowhatevery othersheephastodowhichistoreara lambtoweaning,”saysPaul.
FundedandoverseenbyB+LNZGenetics, theCPThasbeenunderpinningNew Zealand’snationalsheepgeneticevaluation bycreatinggeneticlinks,benchmarking sires,investigatingnewtraits,and demonstratingthepowerofgenetic selection.
InadditiontoGlenside,AgResearch’s InvermayfarmnearDunedinalsohostsa CPTflock.Everyyear,around20rams-both maternalandterminalbreeds-areselected fortheprogramme.
SarahPowdrell,B+LNZ’sGenetics ExtensionandOperationsManagersaysthe ramsareusedover1400ewesacrossboth sites,andthetechnicalteamensureeach ramismatedtoanevenrangeofeweages, sizesandbodyconditions,givingthemall equalopportunitytoexpresstheirgenetic potential.
“Breedersusetheirramsintheirown environment,buttheCPTwillassess theirperformanceindifferentfarming environments,likeGlenside.Theresulting dataultimatelygivescommercialbreeders thesuretythatthegeneticstheyselectwill performintheirownfarmenvironment.”
SarahemphasisesthattheCPTewes atGlensideareexposedtoeverythingthe commercialflockexperiences,makingita truetestinggroundforgeneticperformance.
ThepurposeoftheCPTistoconnect flocksacrossbreeds-whichwouldn’t happennaturallyinindustry,creating connectionsbetweendiversebreedsand groupsfromthewiderindustry,givingthe greatestindustrybenefit.
Aswellashelpingdriveconnectivity,the CPTprovidesanopportunityfornewand hard-to-measuretraitstobeinvestigated.
HostingaCPTflockinvolvesasignificant amountofwork,withmeasurements takenthroughouttheyear.Theseinclude liveweights,bodyconditionscores,eyemusclearea,wormfaecaleggcounts, methaneemissions,carcasedata,
ProgenyTestewesaretestedincommercialhillcountryconditions. Photocredit:Arahura
reproductiveperformanceandwooltraits. AllofthedatafeedsintotheNZGenetic EvaluationtogenerateindexesandBVsfor sires.Whilebreederswithgeneticsinthe CPTbenefitfrombetter-informedindexes andBVs,commercialbreedersusingnProve canbeconfidentthatthegeneticstheyare selectingareprovenperformers.
PaulCrickandDayanneAlmeidaat GlensideStation.
DRecognitionfor advances INFACIAL ECZEMARESEARCH rTanushree(Tanu)BGuptais leadingresearchworkonreducing incidencesoffacialeczema(FE)in livestock–adiseasethatcancausedeath, photosensitizationandloweredproduction asaresultofliverinjury,andwhichis mainlyseenduringperiodsofwarmhumid weather.
Tanuandherteamofresearchers acrossAgResearch(Plantandendophyte technologiesandInfectiousdiseases)are currentlyfocusedoneradicatingthefungus associatedwithFE.Theaimistoreducethe germinationofthefungalsporesinpasture withthedevelopmentofanantifungal productwithasafeandeco-friendly biomoleculeasanactiveingredient.
Thecompoundiswatersolublethereby facilitatingeasyapplicationthrough sprayingonpastures(notanimals)and increasingaffordability.
Tanuseespotentialforherresearchinto naturalantifungalsolutionsforFEtoextend beyondanimalfarmproductiontoother applications,includingthedevelopmentof fungicidesforcropprotection.
“Continuedexplorationandapplicationof thesenaturalbiomoleculesholdsimmense potentialforaddressingpressingglobal
challengesinhealth,agriculture,and environmentalsustainability.Naturaland safebiomoleculesidentifiedinourresearch willbetailoredforpestmanagement offeringeffectivealternativestotraditional chemicalpesticides,asbiopesticides.”
Tanuwastheonlyresearcherfrom NewZealandamongstparticipantsacross AustraliaandNewZealandselectedfor AgriFuturesandAgriFuturesgrowAG CatalystProgramme,2024.Thispresented heranopportunitytodeepenher understandingofthecommercialaspect ofresearchanddevelopmentandgaveher aplatformtoadvocateforthisimportant researchandinnovation.
TheCatalystProgrammeempowers femaleleadersinagricultureandtechnology byenhancingtheirnetworksandcapabilities withintheagrifoodandinnovation ecosystem,whileprovidingaplatformto advancetheirresearchorinnovationtothe nextdevelopmentalstage.
Tanuadmitstosomenerves-being theonlyscientistinacohortofteam leadersandCEOsinthefinal-butsaysher confidencequicklyroseastheprogramme developed.Segmentsincludedlearninghow topitchideastoinvestorsandstakeholders.
“Itwashighlydemandingprogrammeas wehadtowriteourownscript,learnhowto modulateourvoicesandbeveryclearabout ourconceptsandneeds.Wehadregular meetingseveryweekwithourmentors whoweretrainingusonpitchingandalso understandingourneedstoputusonright directionandmeetingrightpeople,”she says.
“Wealsohadweeklymeetingswiththeir communicationsteamwhotrainedushow tocommunicateeffectivelywithjournalists andothernon-scienceaudiences.”
Tanuthenhadtopitchherideatomore than150peopleatagalaeventinSydney.
Asaresultofherparticipationinthe programme,Tanuhasapersonalised networkingsupportthroughgrowAGasthey promotehercommercialisationopportunity toinvestorsandpotentialpartners.
“I’mincrediblyfortunatetohavebeen selectedforthisprogrammeandhighly gratefultomyteamandtheAgResearch CommercialisationTeamwhohelpedtaking thisworktowhereitisnow.”
“Ouraimistogetthisproductoutinthe marketandhelpfarmerstohaveasafeand naturalsolutionagainstthisdisease.Our focusliesintransformingthisinnovative conceptintoapracticalandcommercially viableproductthataddressesthecritical needforenhancingfoodsafety,crop productionandanimalhealth.”
**AgResearchisalsoapartytoa programmecalledEliminatingFacialEczema Impacts,fundedbytheMinistryforPrimary Industries,Beef+LambNewZealandand otherindustrypartners.
SourceAgresearch.co.nz
$7,825 +GST
