Page 125 - Hereford Magazine 2022

Small cattle

for small farms

Miniature Hereford cows and calves at the Rocklyn Stud on the outskirts of New Plymouth.

hey’re real Herefords, just smaller, says Vicky
Ashton from the New Zealand Miniature Hereford
Breeders Group.
Miniature breeders pay a subscription to belong
Tto NZ Herefords and an additional $50 per year to
become a member of the Miniature Hereford Breeders Group.
“That opens the way for fellowship and getting to know
people, also getting help or advice when it comes to breeding
miniatures,” says Vicky, who is the group’s publicity officer.
“We are under the umbrella of NZ Herefords; we use their
website, and get access to more technical breeding advice,
help with DNA, and other important breeding information
that isn’t just specific to miniatures. Posy and Christine in
the [NZ Herefords] office have been amazing to work with
and are full of important advice.”
The Miniature Hereford Group has a growing membership
after some quiet years, she says. Vicky Ashton at her Rocklyn Stud with one of her favourites, R2
“We have 23 members – mostly breeders – scattered heifer Ruby.
around New Zealand, in places such as Akaroa, Kaikoura,
Blenheim, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Waikato and Auckland.” lifestyle blocks as well. They’re grown for meat, but if you
Miniature Herefords first came to the national association’s hand-rear them, they can be awesome pets.
attention in 1997. Embryos were imported from Canada and “They haven’t been in New Zealand that long, so we’re still
live animals from Australia to establish the first breeding a young group, and are still bettering the [miniature] breed.”
stock in New Zealand. Miniature Herefords originated in The original Heritage Miniature Hereford was stocky and
Texas and were bred by the Largent family, who have been much smaller than today’s Hereford: the minis average
breeding top show Hereford cattle since the early 1930s. around 42 inches in height (approximately 1.07m).
Since then, the interest in these smaller, chunky Herefords Data Vicky was given when she took over the publicity role
has grown, and the appeal of easy handling and less with the group shows an average carcass weight for a two-and-
pasture damage has given smaller acreage farmers who love a-half-year-old animal is 246kg. At the end of last year, she had
Herefords the chance to have the breed they prefer to suit two steers of that age killed out at 265kg carcass weight.
the size of their farm. Miniature Hereford cattle have been Some breeders sell animals to the works via stock agents,
deliberately bred smaller and originate from top quality while others have them as homekill animals. “You would be
bloodlines, all proven free of dwarfism (they do not carry the surprised how much meat comes from the Miniature Hereford.”
achondroplasia (dwarfism) gene). Calf losses are extremely Real estate agent Vicky and builder husband Cameron
small and even heifers show ease of calving. Newborn calves bought 4.8 hectares at Hurworth on the outskirts of New
are vigorous and healthy. Plymouth in 2012. The idea of rural life appealed, alongside
Miniature cattle are naturally quiet in temperament and Vicky’s renewed interest in Western Riding and desire to
are easy to handle and raise. breed American Quarter horses. By 2017, they had added
Vicky says miniatures are versatile cattle. the Rocklyn Miniature Hereford Stud and a small purebred
“They’re brilliant on hills, quite sustainable, and don’t Suffolk sheep flock. Buying the block next door has taken
wreck the paddocks like big cows do, but they’re ideal for their land holding up to almost 10ha.

Year 2022 HEREFORD MAGAZINE 123