that was part of the decision to leave the tails on. Lucerne growth is kicking off about the same time lambing gets under way. Lucerne texts and updates from B+LNZ show the farm is generally about a month behind Marlborough, though this year’s early spring warmth was “one out of the box”. An old irrigation system consisting of sprinklers and pipes is used to irrigate 10ha of the lucerne, and they have plans to upgrade and develop the system further. The farm has been growing lucerne for about 40 years now, beginning with 9ha that was used to set stock the ewes. Now they have 35ha planted and intend to push it out to 50ha to feed ewes with lambs as well as the weaned terminal lambs. “If you can put weight on those ewes as wel, you get more bang for your buck.” After four weeks of lambing they box the mob and begin moving them from paddock to paddock of lucerne to enable regrowth behind them. Last year they were shifting 500 ewes with lambs on the lucerne and Tarsh says it didn’t take long
Pregnant Romney ewes.
before the mob began settling quickly after a shift. Before they move to the lucerne the ewes are set stocked, with single-lamb ewes stocked at 10su/ha, while those with twins are stocked at 8su/ha and triplets 6su/ha. Stocking rates are increased once they move to rotational grazing on the lucerne.
Having moved the lambing date back a couple of weeks they are now going to bring weaning forward this year. In the past they have weaned at 90 to 100 days and this year they plan to wean the terminal lambs at 70 to 80 days. That means they can quit 400 to 500 ewes earlier, which is in effect a new market for them, and keep the lambs on the lucerne
Meldrum Meldrum Romneys Meldrum Romneys Romneys
TE WHANGAI HILL COUNTRY ROMNEYS
OUR AIM is to ruthlessly breed, for high production with low maintenance.
94784©
IF THAT APPEALS TO YOU, GIVE US A CALL
Bay de Lautour PO Box 96, Waipukurau (06) 858-8486 tukipo@xtra.co.nz
94
Hamish de Lautour Lindsay Rd, RD3 Waipukurau 0274472815 del@wnation.net.nz
Harry de Lautour Rotohiwi Rd, RD2 Waipukurau 0274466996 hgbdel@gmail.com
Maternal Romney 2th Rams EM stablished and evolved M aternalRomney Romney 2thsince Rams1970 aternal 2th Rams LEE asting in theand fieldevolved since 1970 stablished stablished and evolved since 1970 DLual purpose superior growth and quality wool asting in the– field Lasting in the field RD obust, resilient–and reliable rams and quality wool ual purpose superior growth Dual purpose – superior growth and quality wool URnder highresilient mob pressure and selection criteria obust, and reliable rams Robust, resilient and reliable rams MUade to high improve flockand performance nder mobyour pressure selection criteria Under high mob pressure and selection criteria Made to improve your flock performance Made to improve yourEnquiries flock performance
JH0089018©
IF NOT - ask yourself this … HOW DOES EVOLUTION WORK?
Over 50 years of intensive selection under extremely challenging feed and parasite conditions has developed tough and fertile sheep.
John & Carol Wingate, Castlehill Road, RD 3, Enquiries Enquiries Eketahuna, Phone 06 375 0602 John & Carol Wingate, Castlehill Road, John & Carol Wingate, Castlehill Road, RD 3, RD 3, Eketahuna, Phone 06 375 0602 Eketahuna, Phone 06 375 0602 Country-Wide
CC0092435© JH0089018©
HAPPY WITH YOUR SHEEP PERFORMANCE??
October 2020