January 2024 NZHCS Newsletter

NEWSLETTER - JANUARY 2024

RUMINATING REMINDERS

JANUARY

Annual subscriptions due

· Order Society and NAIT tags for Autumn calves

Consider nominations for Council

Send items/notices for Web alerts and the newsletter to editor@highlandcattle.org.nz

19 – 22 Jan – Horowhenua Royal Show

28 – 30 Jan Otago/Taieri A&P Show

FEBRUARY

Bull Assessments April round applications due. Contact Registrar or visit the website to download a form

Last day for acceptance of remits, 15 February

2 – 4 February Dannevirke A&P Show

4 – 5 February Gore A&P Show

11 February Central Otago A&P Show

14 February Valentine’s Day – Show us how much you love your Highland Cattle! Send your pictures through to editor@highlandcattle.org.nz for the April newsletter.

18 – 19 February Franklin A&P Show

19 February Masterton A&P Show

25 February Helensville A&P Show

25 – 26 February North Otago A&P Show

MARCH

Return Bull assessment requests by 1 March

Fill out your Spring/Summer registration for calves and send through to The Registrar

Remember to take photos suitable for calendar submissions, ready for August submission

4 March Southland A&P Show

4 March Morrinsville A&P Show

10 – 11 March Upper Clutha A&P Show

11 – 12 March Kumeu A&P Show

18 March Hawarden A&P Show

18 March Warkworth A&P Show

COUNCIL CORNER

Wow, what a year 2023 has been. It’s definitely been a year of up’s and down’s alongside a lot of new exciting ventures.

With a lot of you with calving well underway, and mating time just around the corner it’s a very exciting time to be picking your next season’s calving choices that will improve the breed for New Zealand. I’ve currently got a number of cows about to start their AI program alongside a group of recipient cows being prepped for some exciting ET work. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what 2024 has in store for us.

The council has a number of projects and changes underway to better help its members and promote our fantastic breed.

There is great interest out there for our breed. Recently I attended the New Zealand Agricultural Show in Christchurch. Our stall always had many people outside it. They loved being able to interact with the animals on show and just ask questions and of course be able to purchase our calendar. Our merchandise has been met with great demand which is very pleasing to see.

For anyone thinking they might like to venture into showing I’m always available to answer any questions you might have or to discuss anything Highland cattle wise.

I hope everyone has had a nice summer break away and a fantastic Christmas and New Year. Look forward to catching up with you all in 2024!

James Brown

‘’SHOWING OFF’’ OUR BREED … BY JUDY SMYTH

As owners of Highland cattle we have an inherent responsibility to promote our breed and choosing to show our cattle is one means we have of doing so. Shows and showing are great fun and important for the breed, in that they allow the public to see the unique characteristics of the breed and the cattle at their best, clean and well nourished. Essentially, you are choosing to show cattle from your fold that are good feeders and breeders, who are well trained and prepared for showing. When choosing to show cattle we must realise that effectively we are entering cattle into a bovine beauty contest and that presentation of the animal is a huge part of the game. Animals are being visually appraised by both judges and the public and should be thoroughly washed, dried, brushed, horns and hooves oiled and in a bulls case, a trimmed sheath (when necessary), if they are to look their best. Showing also provides competition within the breed and allows for comparisons to be made between individual animals and folds, although of course they are not the only means we have available for selection and comparison, others include carcass traits/frame scores, bull performance, functional convenience traits, genetic tests, pedigree information, impact of Dams and Sires etc. As Highland owners, who choose to show animals, it is our responsibility to try and make sure that we are attempting to select, where possible, animals that possess the unique physical characteristics of the breed (horns, head, dossan, coat etc.) whilst also building on the breeds tradition of producing a functional animal, whose sure future in New Zealand may well lie in the production of high quality beef.

The majority of shows are run under R.A.S rules and these can be inspected at the show secretary’s office but individual shows may have slightly different requirements. Always check that your cattle are of sufficient grading to be shown. Show Passports must be obtained for any cattle you will be showing. As members of the NZHCS you will need to notify the registrar of the names of animals you wish to show, their herd book number and identification and the show you are entering. Verification for individual animals is a once in a lifetime process, when approval is given the animal will be issued with a showing passport for its lifetime.

Classes of animals that you are eligible to enter will vary from show to show, if sufficient potential exhibitors are wanting to show, you may well approach the local A & P group and suggest that you have your own Highland rings, if not then you will probably be showing in All breeds rings, where you will compete with breeders of other breeds. If you have your own Highland rings then you may well wish to go on and compete in Interbreed rings later, held after the All Breeds have been completed. Note that not all shows run Interbreed rings.

Ideally, an animal being presented for showing will have been broken in and taught to lead well before it is being shown. Temperament or lack of nerves is important, if the animal is to be well exhibited and shown off by its handler. Using a show stick enables you to relax the animal and stand it to its best advantage. At 12 months and over, Bulls being shown must be rung, 2 handlers should manage a senior Bull. Cows are not required to have a nose clip, but if you do have a stroppy female, a nose clip helps for better control of that animal, as opposed to exhibiting an unruly animal, cattle can be taught to accept a nose clip during your training.

As an exhibitor it may be helpful to know what a judge will look for. From the moment you enter the ring, judges start their appraisal of your animal, beginning with the head and moving back through the animal to the length and depth of the loin, taking into account, shoulders, top line, mid section and underbelly. A judge essentially considers 3 views of the animal, top, side and rear view, whilst the animal is both walking out and at rest. Essentially a judge will consider 3 interrelated elements, 1. Eye appeal and breed character, 2. Clean lines 3. Structural soundness. Therefore, creating the right first impression as you enter the ring with your animal is very important. Training your animal to carry a high held head out of the top corner will create immediate eye appeal, this tends to give the animal an alert look and set the animal’s neck, shoulders and back line straight and evenly. If at all possible, try to select to show animals that have this attribute naturally. When judging breed character, a judge must look for animals that exhibit characteristics that best reflect the breed’s standards but must also define these characteristics in regards to the animal’s gender, e.g. a bull should have a masculine head/horns and neck, cows should possess a refined feminine head and neck with smooth shoulders. Clean smooth, well blended lines, of sufficient length or depth are important, particularly that of the shoulders and back. The underbelly should be straight and trim, trimming of a bull’s sheath may help. The animal must appear balanced and in proportion, with heavier well-placed muscling at the rear end and be devoid of a wasty front dewlap. The structural soundness of any animal is essential, legs must be correctly placed under the 4 corners of the animal’s body. The correct structure of the feet and legs is incredibly important as they carry the weight of the animal around. The judge will appraise heels, pasterns and leg joints for correctness, ensuring ease and freedom of movement, when walking. Sex character, that is respective masculinity and femininity plus the breeding anatomy of genders is also considered. A bull’s sheath and testicles will be of significance, as will the well-spaced hips and balanced even udders in a breeding cow. To sum up, the role of the judge is to look for the animals in each class that have eye appeal, whose breed characteristics are representative of the breed, that possess straight clean lines have height and length as appropriate to the breed, possess structural soundness and meat potential.

Always know the particulars of your animal’s, a judge may well question you on birth dates, perhaps to verify that you are in the correct class eg junior, senior calves, or perhaps to develop an understanding of growth rates. Never go into a ring unprepared for questions, an error could play out with an appeal being placed by other exhibitors, showing needs to be a

pleasant experience for all concerned. Too much time and energy goes into showing for it to turn to custard!!! After judging a class, the judge should always try to speak to good points of animals, whilst being honest and sincere but devoid of bias. The judge’s comments should reflect sound reasoning, offering effective reasons /statements for the choices they have made in placing animals. If you wish to discuss anything with the judge you may ask to do so, sometime later, but it is not deemed appropriate for a judge to approach an exhibitor, neither should a judge view the catalogue or animals prior to their being shown. When putting teams together the judge will make choices and selections of animals wanted. They will need to speak with you about which animals to bring out, but not by entering stalls and sheds, co-operation with the judge and effective communication between exhibitors is imperative. Co-operation, willingness and camaraderie between members certainly create an enjoyable day out for all and it’s a great means of learning to be an effective competitor. Your winning ribbons may be displayed around your stall and be worn in a grand parade, in the event of you having limited handlers of your stock, it is usually acceptable for a representative animal from your fold to wear all ribbons, if unsure ask. Your role and the judge’s role have been outlined but the role of the steward is an equally important one, they are there to control the ring, its classes, they know what each is about and timetabling of. A judge may request that they ask you a question, perhaps about animal age for example. The judge will probably also ask the steward for animals to be paraded in a particular way and they will bring forward the judge’s selection of place getters. Getting animals ready for a show takes time and energy, but the pleasures can be immense … If you are considering showing for the first time, do so, you will find fellow Highland breeders supportive, and the camaraderie is to be enjoyed. For those of you well versed in showing, a big thank you, your council is very appreciative of the support and commitment you give to the breed.

Good luck for the up-and-coming show season, may it be rewarding and successful for you.

EAR TAGGING

There is a NZHCS rule which outlines how all cattle should be identified. The requirement is for both a primary and secondary tag. The primary tag is the NAIT tag, with the secondary tag containing the NZHCS information.

The NAIT tag will have visual information including your NAIT number and unique animal ID and have the unique 15-digit number specific to your animal.

The secondary (management) tag will display the following: your herd code, the year letter and unique animal number. So, Arcadia Fold secondary tags would be ARCL24-1 for the first calf born, ARCL24-2 for the second calf born etc. If selling cattle to non-members of the Society, please ask them not to remove the secondary tag from their cattle. This ear tag needs to remain on for the life span of the cattle. Equally if your cattle have lost their secondary ear tag, please re-tag them and notify the Registrar of the new details. It is imperative that both ear tags are present, current and in the correct ear. If unsure as to what is required or how to go about the process, your local Councillor is available to contact for help.

If the tagging is not correct, the Registrar is unable to complete the registration. You will be contacted with a request to rectify any issues. Your ear tags will be letter L from now until 31 May 2024.

Harry Prescott-Ballagh and Hunter of Trellisick , Date unknown

Marjorie Dhubh of Strathburn, New Zealand Agricultural Show, November 2023

NEW ZEALAND HIGHLAND CATTLE SOCIETY IN THE RING – 1996 TO 2023

– JENNY AND DOUG SHELDON

The NZHCS was affiliated to the Royal Agricultural Society in 1996 and the first Highland classes were held at the Royal Show held in Palmerston North that year. Mathilda of Braco (NZ 1217) was the first Highland Supreme Champion. Until the advent of Mycoplasma Bovis, Highland Cattle were being shown in both Highland and Inter-breed classes at A & P shows around the country, greatly assisting in the development and the exposure of the breed. Over recent years, M.Bovis was assisted by Covid in keeping Show rings from flourishing, however showing Cattle at shows has now restarted in various areas, and a number of breeders are carrying on the proud tradition which began 27 years ago in New Zealand.

It is interesting to note the uniform at this first Highland ring. White coats over the day’s choice of clothing cannot compete with our current uniform of black trousers and footwear, blue monogrammed shirts and (if desired) black short-sleeved jacket and black NZHCS monogrammed caps. In the old photos of that show, the array of Highland animals in their stalls was quite impressive. It must have been a wonderful turnout and a real credit to the Society.

Great camaraderie was always a feature of showing, with an agreement that while cattle could be washed and brushed, and horns and feet shone with oil, further timeconsuming tricks would not be used. This placed all cattle on the same level and saved much time and effort for all those showing. Breeders would help each other with advice and active assistance such as leading animals in the ring. It was not uncommon for other competing breeders to comment on the friendliness and helpfulness of the Highland breeders.

It has been said that the breeders were very proud of their Highland cattle when they showed up in the early days: they thought they were beautiful. They admitted years later that the cattle had improved tremendously over the years due to careful breeding improvement, especially with the choice of good quality bulls that went through the bull assessment programme, a better feed regime and more time spent to get them show-ready. Once the breeders became more confident in the show ring their animals joined the other beef breeds in these classes. Obstacles they faced in the early years were mainly due to the fact that, Inter-breed judges were not familiar with the Highland breed characteristics, even to where showing a black animal was questioned. No other breed had horns, or long hair which camouflaged the muscle patterning. Feet often caused the most comments. Sometimes this was because trimming or tidying of the hoof was unheard of, and sometimes it was because of the different shape of the Highland hoof which characteristically is more splayed than other beef breeds and is why Highlands are so sure-footed on the hills and in the swamps. The breeders listened. In more recent years many of the non-Highland judges have commented on the improvement of the cattle, and particularly their feet.

Continued on next page

The first official show with a Highland Ring – Palmerston North 1996.

The last NZHCS North Island Show – Bull Calves, 2017

Rosalie and Brian Hutton, date unknown

Pete Holloway, Stratford Show 2023. Photo credit to Spinna Photography

Royal Easter Show, Auckland. The exhibit took out Best Dressed Team. Note the “Tindall” Tartan on both cattle and leaders.

There have been a number of NZHCS RAS trained Show judges and Royal Show Judges involved, including Willie Christie, Ian Blanchard and Judy Smyth who are able to Judge at Royal Show level and Kevin Hill, Errol Clark and Jan Dudding who have judged at numerous Shows. All have professionally waxed eloquently and lyrically about the attributes of the breed to audiences all over the country, helping to promote and explain the assets of the Breed to public audiences.

The work of the early 1990’s breeders across both the North and South Islands, who attended countless A & P Shows also set the standard for friendly, helpful support of each other down through the decades, and we hope this legacy will continue for many years to come.

TIDBITS!

Check your spam! - We notice that sometimes our emails to you go unanswered. This may be because our correspondence is going to your spam/ junk section of your emails. The Herd Return is an example of this. Please make us a preferred sender in your emails so that when we contact you, our message gets to the right place.

· Show Passports are still compulsory if showing your animals at any event. Email registrar@ highlandcattle.org.nz to apply for a show passport.

· At present there is a two month delay for DNA results. If you did not complete a herd return this year, then any animal you want to register will need a compulsory DNA test.

· Please get your Herd Return back to the Registrar. If you cannot find it, please email us and we can resend.

MYOSTATIN GENE IN HIGHLAND CATTLE

There is currently a review being undertaken by the Highland Cattle Society (UK) of mutation nt821 of the Myostatin Gene in Highland Cattle. They plan to meet to consider what this may mean for affected registered animals, if anything. The MSTN gene manages a protein called myostatin. This is the protein that controls the growth and development of tissue in the body. In a myostatin mutation the protein does not do its usual job of limiting skeletal muscle development. This leads to an animal being heavily muscled, smaller organs, reduced feed conversion, a weaker skeleton, fertility problems, reduced milk production and decreased calf viability.

This gene mutation has recently been found in Highland Cattle outside of New Zealand and as, yet NO NZ Cattle have been tested, though this is a discussion topic that the Breed Committee will be discussing in the future. The Australian Highland Cattle Society has formed a committee to discuss this matter. They will share their findings with us as they come to hand, and we will then make a plan for moving forward.

Max Van Eyt – Ngatea

Image taken from The Irish Farmers Journal, March 2020. An Example of double muscling in a non-Highland breed.

MERCHANDISE

To celebrate the Society’s 30 year Pearl Anniversary we have the following merchandise available with the one off 30 year anniversary logo specially printed on, specifically designed by Bella Marshall, to mark this significant, Society milestone:

We will also be able to embroider the 30 year anniversary logo onto our usual style of cap if we receive 15 orders. Email editor@highlandcattle.org.nz if you would be interested in purchasing a cap please.

Cordia Travel Coffee Mug $18

Milan Hiball Beer Glass $18

Rock Tumbler $18

Mahana Wine Glass $20