Page 80 - NZ Herefords Magazine 2018

On Farm

Pivotal

change

beefs up

production

at Matakanui

Station

WORDS / PHOTOGRAPHS LYNDA GRAY

Irrigation development has been a focus for Andrew and Tracy Paterson since taking on ownership of Matakanui Station in 2014.
They have installed spray guns to water 270ha and two centre pivots watering 130ha.

MATAKANUI STATION, OMAKAU
POLWARTHS AND FINE WOOL PRODUCTION are a long-
held passion for the Paterson family of Matakanui Station, but OWNED AND OPERATED BY ANDREW AND
Hereford cattle are an important supporting act. TRACY PATERSON
“If we didn’t have the cattle we wouldn’t be able to run as • Fine wool and cattle breeding/finishing on 8700ha
many sheep as we do. They’ve opened up the dark faces and comprising 2200ha flat-to-rolling paddock country, and
the matagouri areas on the hill country,” Andrew Paterson says. 3200ha semi-developed hill plus 3400ha of leasehold
But over the past three years Matakanui Station’s Herefords undeveloped country up and over the Dunstan Range.
have stepped up to the mark along the base of the Dunstan
Range hill country, keeping in check the pastures on the 130ha ALTITUDE: 280 to 1600metres above sea level
of newly developed centre pivot country. RAINFALL: 500mm annually (homestead)
“They maintain quality feed for the sheep, are relatively low CLIMATE: hot, dry summers and cold winters
cost to run and are low labour input.”
But centre pivot development has also been a win for the STOCK:
cattle side of Matakanui Station’s farming business. SHEEP:
“It’s meant that we’re now able to get weight on them sooner • Polwarth
and secure feed for winter.” • 19,200 including stud flock
Over the past three years an increased number of steers CATTLE:
have been finished before their second winter. • Breeding cows (mated to Hereford bull): 410
“Ten years ago we were finishing them at 27 months but with • Heifers (yearlings mated to low birth weight Angus): 176
better feeding through winter we reduced that to 20 to 24 months. • Steers: 237
Now our goal is to have them finished at 16 to 18 months.” • Bulls: 13
Last year about 150 had left Matakanui Station by the start TOTAL: 836
of May at 500kgLW. This year Andrew’s confident of getting
more steers on the truck before the end of autumn due to the
improved quality of 2017 winter feeding, which was largely the The cattle performed best on the barley/lucerne mix,
result of timely irrigation. although Andrew prefers to use maize because the same
The weaners wintered on about 320 tonnes of silage, a mix tonnage can be grown on a smaller area.
of lucerne/maize and lucerne/barley. The high ME barley and This year the winter feeding set up will be much the same for
maize crops were grown under irrigation and, after mixing with the 300 cattle, comprising weaners and tail-end steers held over
lucerne, was fed in two buns with a 40ha run-off on matagouri for a second winter. However, an addition will be a 10ha block of
blocks tagged for eventual irrigation development. short-term ryegrass on the run-off for feeding at the end of winter.
78