28 | Passionate operator Richard Loader Canadian by birth, Kate Broadbent has been the passionate owner and operator of the Nikau Coopworth stud since 2009, when she made the call to make New Zealand her permanent home, after spreading her time between here and the world shearing and shepherding. “I love farming. They say when you love what you do you never work day, and that would be me. I’ve been fortunate enough to buy this stud and genetics is something that I am really interested in.” Located in the Waikaretu valley, half way between Raglan and Port Waikato on New Zealand’s west coast, the stud was established by the Woodward family over fifty years ago. Prior to Kate purchasing the stud, it had been run by Clive Woodward. “Clive was the visionary who said sheep farmers were using too much input in terms of drench and dips, and started to reduce those inputs,” says Kate. “Everyone was getting into drench capsules and he was stopping using drench altogether. For years we had top parasite resistant genetics that no one was interested in. Until four years ago, no one ever came to the ram sale and said they wanted our top parasite resistant ram. Now they all want them because the drenches are failing, and parasite resistance is a valid tool for reducing farm input, which is so important today. We haven’t drenched ewes in well over twenty years. I’ve continued the work Clive commenced, but he gave us a big step up ahead of most of the flocks in the country.” As a breed, Coopworth was established in the ‘70s and ‘80s by Professor Coop from Lincoln University, and paved the way in terms of ovine performance recording. RURAL PEOPLE » Nikau Coopworths • Annual Accounts • Income Tax Returns • GST • FBT • Cash Flow Budgeting • Monthly Management Reporting • Setup and Structure Advice • Xero & MYOB Partners Proudly Supporting Nikau Coopworths 64 Beaver Road West R D 2 Pukekohe Ph: 09 - 238 8925 | Mob: 027 - 249 9443 | Email: admin@theclajCA.co.nz Prior to this, genetics were based on the biggest ram as determined at the Christchurch or Feilding shows. “Prof Coop did an F1 cross of the Romney Leicester in order to lift reproductive traits, started measuring weaning weights, daughters, six-month weights, adult size, survival and fleece weights. The first cross led immediately with hybrid vigour as well as fertility. Fairly quickly it wasn’t the biggest ram that was the best and Coopworth led the way with performance recording. Today all of New Zealand’s stud flocks are performance recorded, and we have the best recording service in the world.” Considered a dual purpose breed, it is the Coopworths’ maternal components that really shine says Kate. “They have high fertility and are well known for their exceptional mothering ability. They have lots of lambs but there is also a very high survival rate, within the parameters of the elements you’re dealing with. They are a moderately sized ewe that will wean more than her weight in lambs, and do it year-afteryear. And of course the North Island Coopworths have been selected for facial eczema tolerance. There’s a group of breeders called FE Gold, which is the top breeders for eczema tolerance. Half of those breeders are Coopworth breeders, even though we’re not half of the national flock by any means. Coopworth is also a component of many of the composites.” Every November around 100 Nikau Coopworths are auctioned at the Frankton Saleyards, with another 50 – 60 sold on farm. Kate Broadbent has been the passionate owner and operator of the Nikau Coopworth stud since 2009.
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