Page 70 - Hereford Magazine 2021

The 110 yearlings sold for an average price of $3120.

docking gang prior to full-time employment there. keep killing them every fortnight. We weaned the calves early
“Farming is about work ethic and initiative and these guys and fed a lot of baleage on the flats. That was all gone by the end
have plenty of that,” Mike says. of April; we don’t generally rely on baleage as we normally grow
“And I run the docking gang, so they have to get on with me enough grass in winter. We were also grain-feeding the hoggets.
too,” Cath says with a laugh. “Cranny hung up his Shemozzle “It was a dry season but we were fortunate we had options.
boots last year because they were beating him all of a sudden. With the help of a kind winter, the bulls met target sale
It’s a bit that way in the dagging pen too.” weights and calves and lambs were in good
“But I haven’t hung up my handpiece yet,” “Whether condition.”
Mike adds quickly. At the other end of the scale from
Three other junior shepherds catching up it’s climate drought, the 2004 and 2015 storms are still
with Mike and Cath are their children – Sam, challenges fresh in their minds.
14, Hamish, 12, and Sophie, 10. or targeting “Both storms had half of the flat area
“Farming is extra rewarding with when the different markets, underwater and in 2004 that was unheard
kids are keen to be part of it,” Mike says. of. It was almost surreal when the water just
“Their two-wheeler motorbikes give them Herefords have kept rising,” Mike says.
independence and they can safely go and been a constant “It hadn’t happened in the previous 100
be really useful. Both the boys have been and good to us for years the family had been here. Fortunately,
number one helpers at times, yarding four generations.” it was in February and most of the rainfall
numerous mobs of bulls for trucking and was up country. But in 2015 it was winter, the
also helping draft cattle.” middle of June; 80ha of our 100ha bull unit
Cath says that also reinforces the quiet temperament of was flooded and covered with varying depths of silt. We also
the cattle, but shows their stock sense too. “It’s fun to have copped the rainfall ourselves, so our hills were obliterated. The
them involved, growing in confidence, and being part of the challenge was lack of access and no stock-proof paddocks.
business.” “We had brought the ewes forward for scanning so two days
Cath says they’re all good at school work, but over later we still scanned. The silt wasn’t particularly deep in the
lockdown, Sam in particular would finish his work as quickly covered yards,” he says, wryly.
as possible so he could get out on the farm. “We couldn’t get anywhere else on the farm because every
“Our staff use him as their junior shepherd; he really thrives track was blocked so we thought we may as well scan. We
on being trusted with a job and doing it well.” learnt lessons from 2004, so after 2015, we made a plan and
Covid-19 meant a lot fewer off-farm commitments for the just got on with it.
family, leaving them to concentrate on farming, particularly “It was tougher on a lot of the older generation of farmers
Mike, who is the Federated Farmers Whanganui Provincial who had spent their lives breaking in their farms and were
president, and founder of his local catchment group. nearing retirement, seeing so much of their life’s work washed
It was also in the middle of one of the farm’s driest seasons away. That was tough. But once we started seeing progress, we
in Mike’s tenure. Average annual rainfall is 960mm and from were on the way to recovery.”
October 2019 through to end of April 2020, the farm only had Mike is positive about the future.
40% of normal rainfall for that time. “Whether it’s climate challenges or targeting different
“The drought was tough and ongoing and it shows the value markets, Herefords have been a constant and good to us for
of good relationships, particularly with the works buyer. We were four generations. We are looking forward to hopefully having a
able to kill lambs lighter, but more importantly, we were able to fifth generation stamp their mark on the stud’s future.”

68 HEREFORD MAGAZINE Year 2021