| 63 “When we started on that 10 years ago, about 25% would have qualified for the premiums; now our steers are sitting about 80%.” Leith Shearing: proud to support Matthew Tayler 027 355 1557 leith.shearing@outlook.com 126 Great North Road, Winton, Southland 9720 MEAT & WOOL » Matthew & Shona Tayler The farm has a manager, while Lorne Peak employs four staff, soon to be five. For the best deal on your NewHonda Motorcycle Pleased to support Matthew Tayler 25 Ordsal Street, Gore 03 208 0174 www.ewanallan.co.nz The farm has a manager, while Lorne Peak employs four staff, but Matthew is currently looking for a fencer/general hand. Lorne Peak’s cattle numbers have been increased by about 10% due to the addition of a third irrigation pivot. About 1500ha of the station is cultivatable. The station now supports 10,000 ewes and 3000 replacement hoggets, 400 Angus cows, 80 in-calf heifers and with all progeny finished depending on the season. Additionally, 700 to 900 R2 bulls or cull dairy cows are purchased in the autumn depending on how much feed is available. The dry summer has not created a feed shortage, but the quality of what is available is not great, resulting in some store lambs sold recently to ensure ewes maintain condition. The Angus cows have proved better suited to the hill and keep their condition better through winter and this carries through to their ability to get in-calf. They are being crossed with Angus to chase the quality beef market which includes qualifying for Silver Fern Farms EQ [eating quality system] rigid grading criteria. “When we started on that 10 years ago, about 25% would have qualified for the premiums; now our steers are sitting about 80%.” “Looking forward, I’m still a little uncertain what market we should be playing given there are alternative proteins and we’re going to have gas emissions that we are going to have to account for, so logic would tell us we’ve probably got to move towards supplying a premium product, but at the moment we’re still getting pretty well paid for a commodity - grinding beef product - so we’ve got a foot in both camps.”
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