The 180ha Manawatu farm allows flexibility and the chance to grow process crops as well as finish stock.
FARM FACTS: • Kiwitea, Manawatu • 180ha • Annual rainfall: 1000-1200mm • Predominantly Kiwitea silt KIWITEA loam soils • Contour: Majority flat, balance easy hill (90% croppable) • 1000-1400 R2 heifers finished annually • 600-700 mixed sex lambs finished annually • Processing peas grown for McCains each year.
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winter as we’ll be using so much more area to winter the cattle on.” Cattle will be in the swede/standing grass wintering system until about the second week of September, when they move on to straight grass. He says they plan to have enough grass behind them by then, as a rough rule. Because they are high, about 400m above sea level, they usually don’t get any grass growth until September. The cattle are fed nothing but grass from September to March, when they are sold. A lot depends on the buy-in weight. They target nothing under 380kg LW for buying in and the preference is for R2 heifers. The last three years cattle have averaged 0.6 to 0.7kg/ day weight gain over the wintering period. The general rule is to buy in an animal at 400kg, put 200kg on it and sell at 600kg. They don’t work off cents/kg DM, but on buy in and sell price to give them their margin. “Things are always changing but we aim to get everything on board for under $1000.” When it comes to what they buy they are fussy. “Our motto is breeding and feeding, 50% being genetics and breeding, 50% what you put in.”
They would rather buy quality than work off a buying price. Damien says that’s what they have learned from seeing the performance of genetics their sheep stud, it flows through to beef too. “If you buy from well-known farmers using good genetics you see the gains.” Damien admits that when running large numbers he can’t always get the right breed at the right price, but that’s the gold standard scenario. He says the best cattle to buy are an Angus first cross. He prefers heifers as he finds them easier to manage, but will buy steers if he has to. The right animal is one thing, then it’s up to how well you feed them. Their philosophy is buy good stock, put weight on as cheaply as possible and kill them. “I don’t measure feed, everyone says I should, I do it old school and it seems to work. “It’s solely down to the art of breeding and feeding.” Damien targets finishing 1000 animals a year though in good seasons it can be up to 1400. About 80% of the cattle are exported, while the balance go to local trade. “For local trade you need heifers. “I think people worry about the grading
Country-Wide Beef
May 2021