Page 68 - NZ Hereford Magazine 2023

‘Tidy farm, tidy mind’

philosophy for Taihape farmer

Dave has been buying Te Taumata bulls since 2003.

Words and photos: Rachel Gordon

eavy culling and meticulous upkeep are two
non-negotiables behind the success of Dave
Hintz’s sheep and beef operation.
A third-generation farmer, Dave runs FT Huia
Hfarm – 550 hectares of rolling to steep hill country
with 50 hectares of flats – in Mataroa, just north of Taihape.
Dave took over the farm in 2003 from his father, John, who
ran Angus/Hereford-cross cattle and Romney sheep. Dave cut
his teeth on casual work and in the shearing sheds around the
area, which he credits for much of his farming knowledge.
“You’d go to someone’s place to shear and if the sheep Dave’s impressed with his herd’s fertility, which allows him to be
and sheds are a mess, I’d sit down and eat my lunch. But if more selective with progeny.
everything’s spick and span then I’d sit down and pick the
farmer’s brains,” Dave says. Dave’s now bought 20 bulls from the McWilliams, about one
Following the 2003 handover, Dave began to implement per year, and has never looked back. He usually spends about
all he’d learnt, as well as his ‘tidy farm, tidy mind’ philosophy. $12,000 on a sire.
He put in two kilometres of fencing and aimed to complete a “They’re nice and big, and placid. You could go down the
project every year – including new cattle yards and satellite road and pay $10,000 more for a bull, but these ones do the
docking yards – until the place was, in his words, shipshape. He job, and they just seem to last.”
also cut down on ewe numbers and started grazing more cattle. When looking for a sire, temperament is number one. “Then
He now runs approximately 180 Angus/Hereford-cross cows birth weight and 200-day growth rate. I’ll have a quick look at
and 40 R2 yearling heifers, selling about 80 weaner steers the facts and figures, but a lot of it you’ll just see when a bull
before winter. He carries a further 40 weaner heifers through is in front of you, like good feet, and a damn good rear end.
to yearlings, selling privately. Cattle are stocked at about 11.8 “Another reason I’ve stayed with Te Taumata is the service. I
per hectare. Six bulls round off the herd. know if there was ever a problem it’d be 100 percent dealt with
Dave sought out the McWilliams of Te Taumata in Masterton – fixed and no complaints. They’re just genuine people; Alistair
in 2003 after hearing of their bulls’ placidness from a stock and Eileen are 10 out of 10, as was Alistair’s father, Jim.”
agent. Dave also applied his tidy farm theory when choosing Once he got the weights up, Dave worked on quietening
a stud partner: “As I came up the driveway, I could see the herd down by culling heavily. “Anything that’s crazy – out;
everything on the farm was neat and tidy, and I thought ‘if don’t mess around. In some yards you need more than running
that’s how they run it, it’ll reflect in their stock too’.” shoes, you need a climbing rope. Yet with our herds, you can
When he first started, weaning weights were 230 kilograms. happily walk through them. Temperament is so important.”
“I was buying in cows at that point to get the numbers up. Dave crosses with Angus bulls from Ed Sherriff of Pine Park
Then I started buying Te Taumata bulls and keeping my own in Marton.
progeny, which meant I got rid of any rubbish.” His weaning “The Angus/Hereford-cross is hardy, which is ideal for
weights now average 280-290kg. these hills.”

66 HEREFORD MAGAZINE Year 2023