32 | The farm is classified as Class 3 Hill Country. Richard Loader RURAL PEOPLE » Poko Poko Station Poko Poko ‘love a good challenge’ P: 06 838 8282 M: 027 483 0644 | 027 230 8713 Proudly Supporting Poko Poko Station Specialising in rural and lifestyle fencing 0273892021 tfencingltd@gmail.com East Coast Simmental and Romworth farmer’s Russell and Margot Dever love a good challenge, and their gnarly, steep 600-hectare property, Poko Poko Station, nestled between Napier and Gisborne in Wairoa, certainly provides that. Twenty minutes from Lake Waikaremoana, the farm was originally bought by Russell’s parents sixty years ago at a time when it was carpeted in scrub and divided into twelve paddocks. A lot of clearing and fencing has been done since then and now the farm has sixty paddocks. There is still the matter of continuously keeping the kanuka scrub under control. Russell says the East Coast is bad for weeds — you just have to keep on top of it. Russell and Margot bought the farm in 1993, and operate the farm together doing all stockwork on horseback, aided by a team of helpful dogs. “The farm is classified as Class 3 Hill Country,” says Russell. “We have 500 effective hectares, including 20 hectares of flats that we use for both finishing and storing stock, depending on the season. The Waikaretaheke River flows from Lake Waikaremoana and bounds one edge of the farm, and we’re also surrounded by DOC and forestry. It’s pig haven, and we’re keen pig hunters.” While Margot owns and operates her own chocolate business — Margot’s Handcrafted Chocolates — now that the couple’s children have left home, Russell says with tongue in his cheek, that she is also the farm’s Head Shepherd. They are a good team, supported by their children Jack, Tom and Milly. As well as relishing a good challenge, Russell loves growing their stock, and says the aim is always to grow and sell the best stock. “We have 2100 Romworth ewes, 600 hoggets, and 34 rams. The Romworth rams are from Hinenui in Gisborne, but we get Turiroa Tiger rams for the fiveyear-old ewes. We manage to kill some of those weaned off the ewes, and sell the rest store. With a 150% lambing every year and the farm just can’t cope with all the lambs.” Poko Poko Station’s commercial Simmental herd is comprised of 220 mixed age cows, 52 R2 heifers, 52 R1 heifers and 10 bulls. There is an annual calving rate that sits between 90 – 94%. “The main mob of cows are pure Simmental, but we put a Hereford bull across the first calvers for ease of calving, and those yearling heifers are then sold on the export market. Yearling steers and heifers are all sold around September/October. We have been averaging 342kgs, and they have been going to regular buyers in the Hawke’s Bay and Waikato for fattening. Simmental are known for fast growing and with hybrid vigour they bulk. We started doing weaners, but changed to yearlings because it provided better cash-flow. If we can get the growth into them as yearlings, when the next person takes them on in September, they will be killed by June the following year.” For the last 15 years Poko Poko Station has used Glenanthony Simmental bulls, but this last year has gone to Gold Creek Simmentals to get some new blood. “Gold Creek stud is off the hill country in Gisborne, and we wanted some more hybrid vigour and toughness,” says Russell. 14/6/24 Selling Simmental Bulls to PokoPoko Station for the last 25 years.
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