| 11 Reputation as a top Simmental breeder This year’s sale is scheduled for the 5th of May at the Kaikohe Saleyards. Richard Loader RURAL PEOPLE » Beef It Simmentals 5th June 2024 - Kaikohe Saleyards Contact Aaron Gubb: 021 590 915 30 r2 Simmental Bulls | Our bulls are guaranteed for structural soundness DNA tested | Fertility tested | Muscle scanned | Beef classed | EBL & BVD negative 5TH Rob Titter Farm Services Ltd Repairs on all makes & models r��er@xtra.co.nz Ph: 09 401 1774 Mobile: 027 522 6248 34 Station Road, Kaikohe. • Round & Square Hay and Silage • Cultivation, Cropping & Drilling • Maize Planting & Harvesting • Bulk Haulage • Conventional Hay • Weighbridge Services • Lime and Fert Spreading • Digger Hire Ryan and the team at RTA Contracting are proud to support Beef It Simmentals 160 Hariru Rd, Ohaeawai RD2 Kaikohe office@rtacontracting.co.nz 021 813 421 For the last five years Far North dairy and beef farmers Aaron and Bernadette Gubb have been quietly establishing a respected reputation as Simmental stud breeders, with the results reflected in the annual bull sale at the Kaikohe Saleyards. Aaron and Bernadette own and operate the Beefit Simmental stud. Last year, of the 28 two-year-old bulls and 6 autumn born yearling bulls put up for sale, three quarters sold on sale day, with the rest sold post sale. “We achieved $5500 for a couple of the twoyear-old bulls and averaged $4000, with a bit over $3000 for the yearlings,” says Aaron. “Most bulls are going to local commercial beef farms. A couple sold to other Simmental studs last year — one in Palmerston North and another in Dargaville. Some of the bulls were also sold to dairy farmers. So, we’re starting to grow our reputation and clientele.” Aaron acknowledges that while farmers with bigger herds come back every year to top up, those farmers running 50 – 100 cows might only need two bulls. “Simmental bulls have longevity and high libido with the ability to handle a high mating load. So, you only see some of the buyers every second or third year. Most of the bulls will go over commercial cross bred beef herds for hybrid vigour and the progeny finish very fast. In the Beef + Lamb Progeny Testing trials Simmentals have proven to be unbeatable with an extra 8.5% to 23.3% extra liveweight gain at weaning, and extra 10% live-weight gain at finishing and a 3% extra return on finished carcass weight.” This year’s sale is scheduled for the 5th of May at the Kaikohe Saleyards and promises to demonstrate a progressive improvement in Beefit Simmental’s offering. “We expect to put between 30 – 40 bulls up for sale. The stud is now into its 5th year so we have more bulls to select from and there’s a more even and consistent line of bulls than there has been in the past. The herd really is just starting to get to where I want it to be. We have plenty of cows to pick bulls from and we’re putting pressure on the cows themselves, culling those that are not performing. So, there’s pressure right from cow selection through to bull selection.” The placid Simmental breed has been a major part of Aaron and Bernadette Gubb’s lives. The couple had used unregistered bulls bred from their purebred Simmentals over their dairy herd for about fifteen years, before taking the opportunity to take things to another level about five years ago. “We bought an entire stud consisting of fifty cows and heifers from Peter Hill in Whangarei, along with other stud cows from disbursement sales. We’re up to about 230 pedigree cows and heifers calving this year, and breed for a structurally correct, docile animals suitable for both beef and dairy.” Aaron and Bernadette select genetics from Kerrah Simmentals. Located north of Wairoa, on the boundary of the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne districts, Kerrah is Australasia’s largest Simmental herd and one of the leading gene pools of fully recorded Simmentals. “We bought an entire stud consisting of fifty cows and heifers from Peter Hill in Whangarei, along with other stud cows from disbursement sales.”
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