Page 122 - 2020 NZ Hereford Magazine

On Farm

Herefords perfect choice

for Birch Hill

WORDS / PHOTOGRAPHS KATE TAYLOR

PICTURED: The station has 300 Hereford cows.

A CHANCE COMMENT has led to a Wairarapa commercial beef hops up to point out the farm on the map on the wall.
station helping to fill a market gap in the dairy industry. “That’s the road out to White Rock and that’s the wind farm
“A large-scale dairy farmer made the comment they were and we’re the wedge in between,” he points out. “So we have a
finding it hard to source Hereford service bulls,” says Birch Hill long way to bring stock into the main yards, although we have
manager Stuart Ross. satellite yards out there now.
So, for the past two seasons, Birch Hill Station near “The hills at the back of the farm are the boundary
Martinborough has left its young bulls entire before selling them between the Tuturumuri area, and on this side, you’re in the
to an agent in Central Hawke’s Bay. Martinborough district.”
“He buys the bulls for clients who then grow them out as Like many farms that have been subdivided in more recent
service bulls for the dairy industry. It has been successful and I am decades, the paddocks have been named after shepherds,
receiving feedback from the buyers as to what type they prefer, managers and family members.
e.g. markings, constitution, temperament and early gestation.” “Mike was the manager before us and Rachael was his wife,”
The station has 300 Hereford cows including R3 heifer he says, in reference to paddocks with those names. “She got a
replacements, plus about 70 younger replacements that aren’t better paddock than he did,” he says, with another laugh.
calved. The couple have been managing Birch Hill Station for 23 years
“Any cow I don’t like goes to the works, whether that be for a Baigent family trust from Nelson. “The farm is Harry Baigent’s
temperament or losing a second calf; they’re allowed to lose passion. When they sold out of the timber industry in the South
one, but the second one, they’re gone.” Island, Harry had always wanted a sheep and beef farm but the
Nine bulls service the cows. ones in Canterbury and Marlborough were too expensive. He knew
“We try to have two bulls with every mob. We were single someone up here who found this property. Mike Wallace was their
sire mating and swapping them over, but we were getting too manager for seven years and then we came on board. The family
many dries. The vets suggested more bull pressure and that did up the old shepherds’ quarters and come and stay on the farm
seems to have worked,” he says. four or five times a year. They love coming here.”
Angus bulls are put over the first-calvers and they buy two Stuart says he farms the property like it’s his own, but that’s
Hereford bulls a year for the cow herd. Angus/Hereford bull probably because Harry has always valued his opinions and
calves are made into steers and sold at the Martinborough experience.
weaner fair. Angus/Hereford heifers are sold in September – “They had been in the timber industry so he needed
they sold for $1200 last year to a Dannevirke buyer. Hereford guidance with the farm. But he is a very good reader so if I
heifers are kept as replacements and the bulls are left entire and suggested something then he would go away and read all about
sold into the dairy industry. it, do his research, and talk to me about whether we should go
Stuart and his wife Caroline have been managing Birch Hill ahead with it or not. But generally, he has left us to get on with
Station since 1997 and are proud to say they farm it like it was their it and do our own thing.”
own. The 1600ha property, 1350ha effective, has very little flat land. When Stuart and Caroline moved to the farm, it already had
“Some of that is up the river and stony. Perfect for grapes, good infrastructure thanks to the previous manager.
not so much for livestock,” he says, laughing. Being asked “Mike had a good plan with a lot of fencing and a laneway through
about the shape of the farm brings another laugh, as Stuart the middle. But it needed more fertiliser – I’m a strong believer in
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