Homework pays off
By Chris Gardner
The price received for weaner cattle on Tiroa Station has soared under the tenure of manager Wayne Fraser. Fraser has managed the Mangaokewa Road property near Benneydale on behalf of the Tiroa E Trust and Te Hape B trust for 14 years.
He has seen weaner cattle prices continue to rise since he switched to exclusively using bulls from Rock-End Herefords in the nearby Paraheka Valley, in what he calls the “back blocks” of Aria, put over their traditional Angus herd.
“We were getting $500 to $700 per head. Now we are getting more than $1000 per head. A strong market helps, but if you haven’t done your homework looking for those areas that can improve your bottom line you miss out.”
The station winters 36,000 stock units on 3170 hectares. When Fraser started at the station on a farm cadet scheme in 1983 the farm wintered 70 percent sheep and 30 percent Angus cattle. He’s changed that balance to 35 per cent Hereford-Angus-cross cattle and he is looking to increase that ratio to a 60-40 per cent sheep to cattle ratio.
“That means fewer sheep, improving the condition of the available grass feed, and more cattle bred from Hereford bulls over the Angus herd.”
About a quarter of the cattle on the station now have Hereford genetics.
Wayne puts the massive leap in profitability mostly down to the genetics from Rock–End’s Hereford bulls over the traditional Angus herd.
“We get good muscle and bone structure in our weaners, and that has improved over time,” he said. “A big plus is good temperament.”
Words like “do-ability” and “constitution” spring to mind when describing the station’s moderate-framed, masculinelooking Hereford bulls. They arrive at Tiroa Station in prime condition, having been raised and grazed on the steep back blocks of the Aria hills.
“They come off quite hard country down there,” Fraser said. “It is very steep, compared with the station, which is a lot flatter than rolling country.”
He credited his six staff for their animal management skills on the mixture of flat to rolling land and hill country.
“We use the Hereford bulls to put across our older cows and tail off with the first-year calves.”
Bull ratio is one bull to 30 to the heifers and one bull to 40 to the older cows.
Wayne Fraser manages the Mangaokewa Road property near Benneydale.
Photo: Chris Gardner
Continued on page 3
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No two days are the same...
By Chris Gardner
Taylor Lincoln loves working on Reon and Wendy Verry’s King Country farm.
“It’s really good here,” said Lincoln, 19, of Maihihi, near Ōtorohanga.
“I’m learning different stuff about sheep and beef farming every day without heaps of pressure. No two days are the same.”
The former Te Awamutu College pupil joined the Verry farm, south of Te Kūiti, last year as a Growing Future Farmers student. She will complete her time with the Verrys later this year.
“We are trying to give back to the wider industry,” Reon said.
“This is a pathway for people to get into farming.”
Lincoln is the fourth Growing Future Farmers student to benefit from living and working at Verry Farming Ltd alongside the Verrys and their staff, following in the footsteps of Teagan O’Shea, Tegan Sutton and Jodie Piggott.
The Verrys have been sheep and beef farming their own private 1900-hectare piece of paradise since 2007.
They employ farm managers Rameka Edwards and Tom Fuller and shepherds Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer of the Year finalist Grace Watson and Ethan Poppelwell.
The Verrys are King Country farmers through and through. Reon was raised on a farm on Waipuna Road near Waitomo, while Wendy is from just over the hill.
“We started with a massive drought, the biggest since the 1970s, and have just leaned our business to not assuming it’s going to rain,” he said.
“Farms used to get advertised as ‘summer safe’.”
“I have not seen that on farm adverts for a long time,” Wendy said.
They farm about 5800 ewes, 1800 hoggets, 1000 bulls, 160 cows, 150 steers, and 550 dairy grazers.
The farm is in recovery mode following last summer’s drought.
“We had a feeling it was going
to be dry and learned to make decisions early,” she said.
“We had to bring in 90 tonnes of palm kernel to feed our dairy heifers. We’ve not bought any for three years.”
They also planted 20 hectares in drought-resistant chicory to provide high quality feed for livestock.
“I feel like we have been on life support the whole year,” he said.
Before this month’s heavy falls, the farm has received a little over 200 mm of rain this year, around 100 mm of that in April, less than half the 430 mm of rain it usually receives by May.
Some parts of the farm have fared worse than others.
“If you have got steep north facing slopes, then you are buggered,” Reon said.
Many ponds and drains were still without water, but the feed situation had improved with Aprils rain.
“The pain has been eased by un-drought like meat prices, “he said, Lack of rain meant lack of grass and the Verrys sending lambs to the saleyards much earlier in the season than usual.
“Half of the lambs have gone store,” he said.
“We’ve sold no store lambs for the last two years. As far as droughts go, this has been a good one, it improved prices. Our lambs have gone to Hawke’s Bay and mid-Canterbury. Store lamb prices were better than works lamb prices last year when there was a widespread drought in the rest of the country. There’s a bit of recovery in the wind. What did not come together for us last year came together this year.”
As immediate past chair of King Country River Care, Reon is passionate about improving water quality.
The organisation gained $1.4 million funding from the government one-billion trees campaign for riparian planting on multiple farms in the catchment.
It’s a project that has set those farms up well for achieving the goals of improving freshwater quality set out in the Waikato Regional Council’s Plan Change One.
“Farms need good water. Everyone needs good water,” he said
Since 2014, he has worked with other farmers – such as Graham Pinnell and Graeme Gleeson – to represent the sector’s concerns on the workability of the plan to the council.
He is awaiting the outcome of an Environment Court appeal with anticipation.
“The regional council needs to have a lot of tools to be able to make that easy for farmers,” he said.
These should include tools to calculate total and winter stock units, waterway identification at farm level, slope calculator at farm level to 10 or 15 degrees and a flow chart to help farmers identify their activity level.
“Also required will be a hefty dose of pragmatism from the council... we need to be involved with any farmer meetings to resocialise Plan Change One, ´ he said in his annual report to Waikato Federated Farmers.
“The longer all this regulation takes to land the better off farmers are. It gives us more time to prepare, inject some commonsense to make rules practical and if you know nothing about it, enjoy farming in ignorant bliss.”
Some of the Verry Farming Ltd team gather on farm including, from left, Taylor Lincoln, Rameka Edwards, Reon Verry and Wendy Verry.
Photo: Chris Gardner
New president for feds
By Chris Gardner
Keith Holmes has handed the presidential chains of Waikato Federated Farmers to Phil Sherwood after one term.
“No president would want it as their legacy to see farm environment plans implemented,” Holmes, who took on the role from King Country dairy farmer Jacqui Hahn in 2023, said in his last annual report.
“It is mine — but I’m immensely proud that Federated Farmers, and especially the Waikato Federated Farmers Plan Change One team, has moved it to a point where it won’t be loved but will be acceptable.”
The implementation of farm environment plans is a key requirement under the plan change.
“Starting with the collaborative stakeholder group, it has been incredibly costly — Waikato Regional Council $30m, Waikato Federated Farmers and Federated Farmers of New Zealand millions, plus all the other participants,” Holmes said.
The plan change has taken approximately a third of Holmes’ time.
“At the early stages, we would have been forced off our land with draconian and impractical demands to be enshrined in local and national legislation. And while we don’t yet know the final outcome, I can hand on heart say that Waikato and national federated Farmers have saved our industries and farmers over 50 per cent of the equity on every farm in New Zealand.”
Holmes said the plan change was the template for farm plans throughout New Zealand.
“Others will claim credit — as will the current government — but it was Waikato Federated Farmers, supported by national and an incredibly dedicated staff, that played the long battle to get us where we are today.”
Building relationships and networking was an essential part of the influence and advocacy work the branch did, he said.
“Through the leadership of Pamela Storey, chair of Waikato Regional Council, we have continued to build a good working understanding at both governance and staff levels.
“While there will always be territorial tensions between us all, many bridges have been crossed this year — with good outcomes.”
The branch started working with the Waikato Chamber of Commerce under Holmes’ presidency.
“We have a lot in common, and we literally feed each other,” he said.
“Our first joint venture was a very successful networking event at Innovation Park. So successful, people are lining up asking for the next one.”
Holmes warned members the recent sale of the Waikato Farmers Trust tower building in Hamilton meant Waikato Federated Farmers headquarters was likely to move at some stage.
“I’m very proud to be part of the Federated Farmers family and to pass on the baton to those who are younger, smarter, and with more fire in their bellies than I.”
Sherwood succeeded Holmes at the branch annual meeting on Friday.
Sherwood farms two dairy herds totalling 500 cows on Puketutu Road south of Matamata and at Richmond Downs, Walton, and supplies
milk to Open Country.
In 2024-25 season he operated the Sherwood Family Farm Maize Maze in the summer.
Asked about farmers’ biggest challenge, Sherwood said, “Certainty around freshwater is going to be an ongoing challenge for us in
the Waikato.
Ngāi Tahu has taken the Crown to court, seeking recognition of its rangatiratanga over freshwater and pushing for a co-designed management system and Sherwood is watching with interest.
Homework pay off
Continued on page 3
“Calving ease is an important thing for us.
As soon as they hit the ground they are up and running. That is a big plus.”
While the Tiroa Station terrain is softer than the Rock-End Herefords farm at Aria, winters on the station are usually longer and harder.
“We are about a month to six weeks behind everyone else, and it does get cold up here,” Fraser said.
“The calves are all grass-fed, once weaned and they have settled down they head on to some decent quality pasture. Then in June and July they go behind a wire on winter crop swede and kale and become noticeably quiet with us shifting the wire daily.”
All male perogy are sold either to neighbouring finishing blocks under the Tiroa Te Hape umbrella or sold to the store market.
Female progeny is retained and grown out, as replacements heifers and the surplus are retained and finished
Wayne is thankful to PGG Wrightson stock agent Bill Harrison for introducing him to Pete and Kirsty McCormick and helping improve farm profitability.
“Billy does a lot behind the scenes, and helps to promote the Hereford breed,” Fraser said. “He introduced us to Pete about 10 years ago and it just started from there. They have done the job for us and kept our
quality up.”
Fraser likened farming to a fairground rollercoaster ride with its peaks and troughs, and said it is important to stay on the horse to avoid disaster.
“Like most farms, you have just got to ride the wave and not make too many changes.”
“Not so long-ago farmers were ditching breeding cows for finishing stock like bulls and steers because they were uneconomical. What they failed to see is all the good work a cow can do when we have a season when the grass is growing crazy, and the old cow will turn it into gold for your young stock. They never give the old cow credit for her true value with a good calve to boot.”
Keith Holmes has stepped down after one term as president of Waikato Federated Farmers.
Dairy farmer Phil Sherwood is the new president of Waikato Federated Farmers.
BULL SALES 2025
BULL SALES 2025
RAUPUHA SHORTHORN
Shorthorn On-Farm Bull Sale
Tuesday, May 27 – 11.30am
Russell & Mavis Pro t 2033 State Highway 3, RD1, Mahoenui 3978
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79TH ANNUAL ON FARM SALE
Wednesday 28th May 2025 at 12noon 99 years of breeding functional, reliable, fertile cattle for NZ commercial conditions
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Sound, quality, quiet bulls bred to perform Inspection and enquires welcome
TAIMATE MAJOR R14 (FULL FLUSH BROTHER TO ROY) 42 R2 Bulls
Bulls sired by: KayJay BigMac Q324, Tangihau Thumper Q336, Waiterenui Brickyard R037, Shian Trojan 19-681, TAIMATE MAJOR R14 BVD, Lepto & 10 in 1 Vaccinated, Semen Evaluated & 50K
Contact: Rob & Tracy Sherson Ph 07 895 6694 / 027 230 8230 Email r.sherson@xtra.co.nz www.shianangus.co.nz/Follow us on
HINGAIA ANGUS
“A balanced breeding programme for all environments” Annual Bull Sale Thursday 29th May 2025 147 Hingaia Road, Te Awamutu - 1.00pm 147 Hingaia Road, RD4, Te Awamutu 3874
INSPECTION AND VISITORS ALWAYS WELCOME
Richard Jolly Mobile: 027 499 7159 Email: jollyrt57@gmail.com
Andrew Jolly Mobile: 0272 090 037
Cam Heggie PGG Wrightson Ltd Mobile: 027 501 8182 Brent Bougen NZ Farmers Livestock Mobile: 027 210 4698
Bruce Orr Mobile: 0274 922 122 www.hingaiaangus.co.nz
SIRES:
Kincardine Rainstorme R25 n Oregan Smokin P129 n Tarangower Tycoon 18006 Turiroa
Getting into drone zone
By Chris Gardner
A gorse-busting drone will soon benefit outgoing National Fieldays Society board chair Jenni Vernon’s 224-hectare Te Akatea farm.
Hill country farmers use drones to spray weeds in areas hard to reach with traditional equipment.
“We have got a contractor coming up to spray our gorse with a drone,” Vernon said. “That’s just fascinating, isn’t it? The fact that a drone can have enough water. It’s really targeted. We’re not going to have spray drift on our neighbour. It’s cost effective.”
She and husband Gordon lease a dry stock unit near Glen Massey to their son Simon and his wife Nicola.
Vernon works for the Ministry of Primary Industries, and works on the farm when required.
“My son is hoping that one day we might have a drone that might open the gates of the back paddock for him and shift the stock, or check the water troughs, and that’s not beyond the realms of possibility really, is it?”
On-farm uses of drones have led to the Agricultural Drone Association supporting the inaugural Fieldays Drone Zone where industry experts will share knowledge on how
drones are revolutionising farm management.
Drones equipped with multispectral cameras can help farmers analyse crop health, detect pest infestations, and optimise irrigation schedules. Farmers can use drones to track and locate animals and to apply pesticides and fertilisers with remarkable accuracy.
Drones also help farmers document environmental compliance, monitor soil health, and assess water management.
“People like to see, and touch and investigate, and eyeball new products,”
Vernon said. “That’s one of the attractions of Fieldays. You can see it, hear it, experience it, share ideas, and chew the fat with people.”
Vernon will also be busy running the Fieldays kitchen where she and her team feed volunteers, staff and emergency services.
Punters are given the option of adding a $5 donation to the Rural Support Trust which supports farmers when times are tough.
“We haven’t done that before, it will be interesting to see how it gets for a really good cause, and an opportunity for us to give back to the community directly. They do an amazing
National Fieldays Society chair Jenni Vernon is looking forward to visiting the drone zone at Fieldays.
job. All of it’s voluntary.”
Ahead of Fieldays Fonterra is forecasting between $9.70 and $10.30 per kilogram of milksolids, a record, for the current dairy season.
“The drought, as you would expect, has been quite tough, but there is a quiet feeling of optimism,”
Vernon said. Vernon has served on the society board for 10 years and will relinquish the chair in December, but her involvement with the society is expected to continue after that.
Every month we have 3 prize draws. Every 3 head qualifies for 1 entry into the draw. Winners receive $300 worth of MTA fuel vouchers (conditions apply)
CONGRATULATIONS MARCH 2025 WINNERS
• MW & CM Ogle-Stratford
• JM & BJ Beck Ltd - Te Kauwhata
• Motuiti Farms - Mōkau
CONGRATULATIONS APRIL 2025 WINNERS
• 8 Mile Farms Ltd - Te Kūiti
• C Murray & CS Semenoff - Kaitaia
• A & L Janssen Ltd - Atiamuri
Introducing new Buyer Warren Charleston
Universal Beef Packers Ltd buyers are
● Peter Knowles, Stock Co-ordinator, Te Kūiti - 07 878 5160 or 021 798 097
● Warren Charleston, Buyer, Ōtorohanga/Waipa - 027 496 3007
● Kevin Donovan, Buyer, Te Awamutu - 07 871 9366 or 0272 467 457
● Nigel McClure, Buyer, Waikato - 021 860 101 Farmers send your cattle to
