NZ Herefords: Beef Expo News and Results

Waikaka Commodore 0769 the Supreme Champion Hereford at
Meat & Wool Beef Expo 2009.

A bull bred by Laurie and Sharon Paterson was awarded top honours at the 2009 Meat & Wool NZ Beef Expo.

The sire, Waikaka Commodore 0769 was judged champion South Island Tru-Test Super Sire and Supreme Champion Hereford. Out of homebred dam Waikaka Buttercup 03129 and sired by Okawa Commodore 020076, the young sire went on to sell for $13,000 to North Island breeders Bruce and Margot Robinson of the Kokonga Stud. This was also the highest price recorded by a Hereford at the sale.

Although not reaching the heady heights of previous years, prices at the auction were consistent and solid. The bull average was $6543.75 (including a yearling) and the heifers averaged $2587.50. Sale turnover was $146,100 with just two animals passing in. Judged by Bruce Robertson of Duncraigen Herefords, Wyndham and Philip de Waal of the Locheim stud in South Africa they deemed Waikaka Commodore to be the standout Hereford of the show and sale.

“Waikaka Commodore was a standout against the rest of the mob because of his style, length and balance. He had very good outlook.” Bruce also said Commodores combination of physical traits and EBVs worked well.

“They were very balanced EBVs. Philip and I were very comfortable with him.” Laurie and Sharon who have only been vendors at Expo occasionally in the past said it was quite a thrill to be recognised.

The bull was used in herd over a minimum of 20 females to be eligible for the Tru-Test Super Sire scheme.

“He’s proven he can get cows in calf and that’s the name of the game,” says Laurie. The Patersons farm 630ha near Gore with 170 Breedplan recorded Hereford cows, 740 SIL recorded ewes and 2930 commercial ewes. Laurie says the cattle compliment the sheep component of the business, particularly when it comes to pasture control. The cattle also operate in a counter-cyclical income stream to the sheep, spreading the cashflow of the business.

He says they aim to manage the herd as closely as possible to the reality the bulls will face when sold into the industry. Looking ahead their goals for their herd are to build on the base of traits, bringing the entire herd to breed average or below for the birthweight EBV.

NZHA President Geof Brown, left,
Merial-Ancare’s David Dodge and
Laurie and Sharon Paterson with
the silverware and sponsors product
awarded for taking home the title of
Supreme Champion Hereford at Beef Expo.

Improve calving ease and have male calves in the +70 range for 600 day weight who not increasing mature cow weight. He’s also like to build on the EMA to an average of +4 while not reducing fat.

“All this while maintaining the basic structural soundness and eye appeal required by our clients,” says Laurie. Praise for the Waikaka bull didn’t stop with the judges and buying bench. Fellow breeders and visitors to the Tru-Test Super Sire open day, prior to Beef Expo also voted in his favour - more than half the votes went to Commodore.

Other Hereford show and sale highlights include reserve champion Hereford being awarded to the only led two-year bull featuring at Beef Expo exhibited by Duncan Guy of Wando Park Herefords. Wando Notable 0711 was sired by Koanui Style 5230 out of homebred dam Wando Pearl 5013.

Led two year-old sire Wando Notable caught the eye of the judges and commanded accolades as the Hereford Reserve Champion at Beef Expo 2009.

Wando Notable went on to sell to Warkworth based breeders Dean and Marjorie Blythen. Bruce Robertson said Notable was a well framed bull with good thickness saying he was a sound, safe bull. “We recognised him for being a good all-round bull.” The Kairuru stud run by the McDonald family near Reporoa continued their Expo successes with yearling bull Kairuru Flint 080058 selling for a whopping $12,000 to Otapawa Herefords in north Wairarapa.

Roz Stokes exhibits the Champion
Yearling Hereford exhibited by
Kevin and Jane McDonald.
Roz is pictured with Cora de Waal,
South Africa. The bull went on to sell for
$12,000 to Otapawa Herefords in north
Wairarapa.

The second Kairuru entry, North Island Tru-Test Super Sire Kairuru Express 070028 sold for $6000 to new Taranaki based breeders, Colin and Carol King.

Cam Gerrard returned for a second time in the Tru-Test Super Sires with Te Puna Lenny 070824, selling for the second highest price of the day $12,500 to the Canterbury stud of Eion McKerchar, Merrylea.

Bruce said the standard across all the bulls was solid and that was reflected in the sale results.

“It was a consistent sale for good consistent bulls. They were all jolly good bulls – the pass ins prove that.” Matapouri Herefords, Hikurangi dominated the female component of the show and sale.

Two led heifers from the Clements stable took top honours in the show ring and their pair of Starter Pack heifers (in-calf heifers) commanded a price of $5000 each. They sold to Stoney Creek Herefords, Waikato.

Two of the winning led heifers
exhibited by the Clements family,
Matapouri Herefords. Ian Clements
is joined by Bryce Coughlan an upcoming
Hereford handler. They are pictured
with the judge’s wife Carolynn Robertson.

The Clements family took home with them a host of silverware, including the RA Donald (points) Trophy awarded for the best two animals exhibited by one vendor. It’s the second year in a row the Clements family have been recoginsed with this accolade. Bruce said the pair of Matapouri heifers were an outstanding example and clear winners in their class.

However the Clements’ success wasn’t just with the females. Their Tru-Test Super Sire entry, Matapouri Ipod 07313 was judged Champion of the North Island mob. The Starter Pack class, which had a complete clearance, also proved to live up to its name with several new breeders
making purchases.

Ian and Lorraine Clements, left,
Sam Hain with NZHA president
Geof Brown after receiving
their North Island Tru-Test Super
Sire accolades.

Two young breeders, Roz Stokes and Eamon Dean purchased a pair of Platform heifers to share, both having participated in the Future Beef NZ events in the days leading up to Beef Expo while another two pairs were purchased by the owners of a Wairarapa coastal property.

Rebecca McConochie was revealed the standout Hereford herdsperson at the 2009 Beef Expo taking home the EM Williamson Perpetual Challenge trophy and the Eastland Hereford Club mug for the third time in her career exhibiting at Expo.