Page 31 - Hereford Magazine 2022

Their beef market extends further south, with their son-
in-law in Otago buying some bulls for use over his yearling
heifers. He has been impressed with the ease with which
calves are born (compared with previously used Angus) and
their early vigour and growth. One of the highlights of John’s
breeding career was selling “a very good bull” to Matariki
Herefords for $13,000 in 2020.
John says Mahuta’s cattle are “top of the tree” as far as
temperament goes.
“We have a reputation for good temperament and it’s well
founded. Calving ease is another selling point, for both heifers
and cows. Many of our dairy heifer bulls are in the top 1% for
calving ease. We have a data set we aim for, which is top 10% for
high calving ease, negative gestation, above average growth,
days to calving well below average, above average meat, and
we’re looking for IMF. In recent years we’ve found a number John Allen in the ring with a bull at Mahuta’s first on-farm
of Limehills bulls with the data set we’re looking for. Our sale at Ararimu in 1982.
philosophy is to buy from big herds where stock are run in large
mobs; there is mob pressure and also more reliable EBVs.” First yearling sale to hit 40
The Allens believe in performance recording EBVs and place
a lot of emphasis on indexes. The Mahuta Herefords bull sale has been a family affair for
“In fact, we’re using three bulls that are in the top 1% for all almost 40 years.
indexes, and in 2021, we bought a Limehills bull for $36,000, This year marks John and Mary Allen’s 40th on-farm sale,
that is in the top 20% for calving ease and the top 1% for although a printing mistake several years ago – putting the
growth. Limehills Stardom 190158 is our current showpiece.” same date on their catalogue for two years in a row – has
Mahuta’s yearling sale average usually sits between $3300 made it seem like they’re celebrating a year early.
and $4000. The three Allen children grew up with the sale day as
“The 2020 sale was good. We were in alert level 2 so Covid important to them on their calendar as calf club, Mary
didn’t really affect it. In 2021 we were affected because the says. Both John’s and Mary’s mothers attended every sale
wider Auckland area, which contained a lot of our clients, to help Mary with the catering until they died.
was in level 3. Our sale average was good, just under $3500, “It’s a real family affair.”
but we didn’t sell all of the bulls and at least some of that was This is an important anniversary because Mahuta has
due to farmers not being able to get to the sale and not really also been selling yearling bulls for those 40 years. With a
trusting electronic media. It’s a new way of doing things. science background and a deep interest in genetics, John
Having said that, we had around 30 [people] looking on Bidr had set about breeding rapid-maturing, fast-growing bulls
and sold six bulls [online].” that could be sold as yearlings.

Year 2022 HEREFORD MAGAZINE 29