Page 53 - Hereford Magazine 2022

Bulls at Fern Flats at Marton.

The farm has properties at two locations: Fern Flats at
Marton with 370 hectares, predominantly good fertile flats,
and Mangara Station 10km to the north, with 900 hectares of
hill country. The two properties total 1150 effective hectares,
and winter 14,000 stock units with a 50:50 sheep to cattle
ratio. The flats are used for growing heifers and hoggets, and
finishing lambs and bulls.
The Ardo Hereford herd is an Ezicalve herd that produces
250 bulls for sale annually (mostly as yearlings). It is one
of only four NZ Herefords’ Herds of Excellence, and a New
Zealand Steak of Origin producer of the decade. It calves 650
stud Hereford cows and heifers in September and October,
embracing science, technology, performance recording and
objective selection to produce performance-leading cattle.
The Ezicalve brand was established in 2008 when the
Morrisons and nearby Cranstone family jointly purchased
the trademarked, but at that point unused, name from A bull out with the cows on Mangara Station.
NZ Herefords. For a bull to have the Ezicalve brand next
to its name in the catalogue it must be in the top 10% for
calving ease and low birth weight, with shorter than average
gestation length, for the NZH estimated breeding values
(EBVs). The bull’s sire and dam must both achieve this
standard too.
“The Cranstone family has a great farming business and
a fantastic Hereford herd. I really value our honest, working
relationship,” Will says.
Despite wet weather, Ardo had a successful bull sale in
September 2021. It was a complete sale clearance with 92
1yr bulls averaging $3560 with a top price of $6700, 18 2yr
bulls averaging $3300 with a top price of $4400, and six elite
yearling heifers averaged $3800 with a top price of $4400.
John says they generally try to put six of the best heifers
back into the industry to say thanks for giving them a chance
to breed a champion. Cows learn to work the high country at Mangara Station.

Year 2022 HEREFORD MAGAZINE 51