Page 81 - NZ Herefords Magazine 2018

As well as getting more beef out the gate sooner, centre
pivot irrigation is helping unleash the reproductive potential of
heifers. Yearling heifers are grazed on irrigated pastures during
October and November then mated to low birth weight Angus
in December. Andrew likes the hybrid vigour of the offspring,
which are all finished for slaughter. Also, about 100 heifers are
sold privately each year as herd replacements.
All cattle are supplied to ANZCO through Aleph and
12-month contracts.
“We’ve supplied the Aleph programme since it started. The
other contracts have been good for us because we can plan
ahead based on guaranteed prices, and if we do need to sell
earlier we can sell them forward with the contract.”
Herefords will always play their part at Matakanui Station but
Andrew admits he’s in a bit of a dilemma on how to maintain
and balance the breeding and finishing side.
“I need to run more cows to supply the beef but don’t have
the area to run the cows on unless I open up more matagouri
country. I’ve started down that road before but found the risk is
that we get hit with a dry season, which puts the cows in a feed
stress situation and I don’t want to do that.” Opening up more matagouri country is both an opportunity
The best course of action is yet to be decided but in the and risk for Matakanui Station’s cattle operation. Development
meantime Andrew says he’s happy with the overall look and would make it possible to increase the number of breeding cows
performance of Matakanui Station’s hardworking Herefords. and progeny for finishing, but could put the cows under stress in
dry years.
“I think we’ve got a good balance. The cows are looking
good and performing well so I think we have the mix right.”

“TEN YEARS AGO WE WERE FINISHING
THEM AT 27 MONTHS BUT WITH BETTER

FEEDING THROUGH WINTER WE
REDUCED THAT TO 20 TO 24 MONTHS.
NOW OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THEM
FINISHED AT 16 TO 18 MONTHS.” Matakanui Station cattle help maintain the quality of the
irrigated pasture.

HEREFORD HISTORY
Herefords have long been part of the Matakanui Station mix and
predate the Paterson family’s arrival in 1958. At one stage a
Horned Hereford stud was run; Andrew is unsure of the details
but has a faded photo of a horned bull, featured in an Otago
Daily Times story from the 1920 to 1930 era.
His parents, Martin and Hilary, took on, from Martin’s father
Jim, the resident Horned Hereford herd upon buying Matakanui
Station in 1972. However, their tetchy temperament made the
horned cattle less than popular with staff, and the many hapless
dogs that bore the brunt of pointed encounters. By the early
1980s Martin had offloaded the horned cattle, replacing them
with the more docile polled red-and-whites. Memories of the hell-
raising horned times obviously linger in the family, with Andrew
staying clear of any bull with an inkling of a horned heritage.
During the early 1980s the selling of weaner calves and
breeding heifers was the main source of cattle income, but
RIGHT: These yearling heifers on young irrigated pasture in
November were mated to a low birth weight Angus in December.
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