The diversity of the Hereford breed was showcased on the Great Southern Adventure Herd Tour in Central Otago and Southland.
Herefords on the thirsty paddocks of Central Otago were in graphic contrast to the lush pastures of Southland.
More than 100 breeders participated on the four day tour that covered 1255km and saw the announcement of two new and exciting ventures for the Hereford breed.
Silver Fern Farms announced a chilled beef export programme that is offering suppliers a 10cents/kilogram premium (read more on Page 12) and Goldpine has been revealed as a new business partners with the NZHA (read more on Page 11).
The 1450ha Palmerston property of Andy Denham was the first visit of the tour. A lack of rain was evident on the property that sits 400m above sea level. Andy told the tour he’d had no decent rain for a long time – the dry and dusty paddocks were testament to this.
Then it was onto Colin and Lynne Gibson’s Seadowns stud. Again an extreme lack of feed was evident but great calves were still on cows which were also doing well, given the extreme conditions. The Gibson’s aim to breed cattle of modest size while maintaining good muscling, constitution and temperament.
The tour then travelled through the Lindis Pass and the Benmore Dam, believed to be one of, if not the, biggest dams in the southern Hemisphere to Cromwell and the Locharburn stud of Geof and Joyce Brown.
The Locharburn stud is run on improved native pastures in a commercial environment. From weaning until calving the cows are run on dark frozen blocks of land where a cow of poor structure/constitution doesn’t survive. To stay in the herd heifers are expected to calve within 42 days and the cows 60 days.
Day two began with a sprinkling of snow on the hills surrounding Cromwell and a journey to Earnscleugh and the Campbell family.
Alistair speaking on one of the buses said they have had the “season from hell” with 50mm rain since mid October and it’s been blowing. He said for the last eight years they’ve had half their normal average rainfall, describing it as an “eight year drought”.
He said rabbits are the main limitation to farming on Earnscleugh. He said with any management decision that’s made, rabbits are the first consideration. They spend about $3/su on rabbit control and employ a full time rabbiter.
The Campbell’s farm 21,000ha and run the cattle studs (Hereford, Angus and composites) in conditions expected by their high country clients. The composites are a four way cross of Hereford, Angus, Simmental and either Gelbvieh or South Devon. There are also several Merinos flocks, one of which supplies the Ultrafine Merino Company.
The dryness continued for the tour when they visited Limehills and the Pannett family. Gray told the tour it was the driest year since records began.
boning room and talk to staff as they processed Hereford Prime. The small and cooked goods were also open for viewing along with the dry aging chiller, complete with Hereford carcases.
Next stop was Pourakino Downs belonging to Gordon and Lorraine Shearing. The Shearings have a herd of 135 cattle. Last year 50 cows and 15 heifers joined the bull. All progeny are finished and sold at 18 months with about 15 bulls also sold annually.
Gordon says cattle are a large part of his life and he’ll “tick away with them as long as he’s able.”
Then it was up the picturesque Lilburn Valley to the King family and their Waiau Hereford herd.
The Kings run 14,000su (Romdale sheep, Herefords and Red Deer) and all finishing is done on farm. The farm topography includes flats, rolling ridges and steep hills bordering onto the Fiordland National Park.
A road running through the centre of the farm ends at Lake Hauroko, the deepest lake in NZ.
The Kings have sourced genetics from abroad and have concentrated on keeping the muscular thickness of the original English cattle that the herd was founded on.
That evening was spent in Te Anau and saw the annual Hereford Ambassador auction hosted. It was an exceptional auction raising more than $16,000 towards the programme.
A huge and sincere thank you the breeders who made donations, the purchases and the clubs who all put forward regionally themed items for auctioning. The support of the programme and the ambassador programme itself is the envy of other breeds.
The fourth and final day of the tour began with a visit to Monymusk, the herd of Chris, Jayne and Henry Douglas.
The Monymusk Herefords are surrounded by some top notch scenery and framed by the Takitimu Mountains.
The family farms 570ha with 160 calving cows and two year old heifers. All progeny is sold at 18 months.
Extensive AI has been used and has seen leaps in genetic progress made with breeding programme focus to produce a type of animal that suits their commercial clients, structure, thickness and muscling are paramount.
The Eldin herd of the Lawson family was next. The Lawson’s farm 510ha that is being developed near Mossburn. They are developing about 100ha annually, in which the cattle play a pivotal role.
They run 70 cows plus replacements along with 2600 Perendale cross ewes, 500 hoggets with lambs finished to 16kg. There is also about another 100 head of cattle finished depending on the season.
The final visit for the tour was to Helen Miller on her immaculately Pyramid Downs property.
The stud began in 1979 with the purchase of Broadacre females. She has just over 100 breeding cows and calves 30 heifers as well. Helen also has a woolshed which houses antiques and collectables which opens to the public.
The tour concluded with an evening of fine dining and dancing at the Skyline, Queenstown.
A huge thank you must go to all members of the Central Otago Southland great southern adventure tour for the memories and sensational hospitality shown to all participants. You showcased the breed and your regions superbly. Thank you!
