| 25 Breeding excellence in NZ’s hill country Kerrah’s cattle must prove their ability to thrive on challenging hill country. Anne Boswell RURAL PEOPLE » Kerrah Simmentals In the hill country north of Wairoa, Kerrah Simmentals has cemented its reputation as Australasia’s largest and most influential Simmental stud. Established by the Knauf family in 2005 – Kevin and Colleen and Jon and Sam Knauf - the stud runs alongside a commercial sheep and beef operation on 1,750 hectares of which 1400 is effective. Kerrah Simmentals was founded when the Knauf family recognised the superior performance of the Simmental cross cows in their crossbred herd: in growth, fertility, and milking ability. The foundation herd was built through the acquisition of leading Simmental genetics from Puriri, Ailsa, and Rissington studs. Today, with a cow herd of approximately 600 fully registered females, Kerrah Simmentals stands as one of Australasia’s most significant gene pools for the breed. Operating in true commercial conditions, Kerrah’s cattle must prove their ability to thrive on challenging hill country, competing with ewes for resources. The herd consists of 500 spring-calving and 100 autumn-calving cows, with all progeny carried through. The Kerrah breeding programme prioritises functional, high-performance cattle, selecting for docility and structure balanced with good estimated breeding values (EBVs). The goal is to produce easy-calving, fastgrowing, polled animals that finish well before their second winter. A key highlight in the farming calendar is the Kerrah Simmentals Bull Sale, held every May at Tangiwai Station. This year, the auction will take place on May 20th at 1pm, offering 80 rising two-year-old bulls. The sale consistently attracts a regular client base, consisting of commercial and stud clients from all over New Zealand. The large offering of bulls presents an opportunity for all budgets to source good bulls. Among outstanding results achieved by clients, a recent fielding sale saw Kerrah bred 15-month steers fetching $1900-$2080 per head (AgriHQ). Genetics from Kerrah’s elite sires - including Kerrah Kingdom, Kerrah Joker, and Rissington Johnny Walker - will feature in the sale catalogue this year, and will continue to influence the herd’s genetic progress. Jon says that while the Simmental breed’s growth rate and yield remain the biggest attractions for commercial farmers, other genetic aspects are at play. “We’ve worked hard on polled genetics, with over half of this year’s catalogue being homozygous polled bulls,” he says. “We’ve also focused on docility, ensuring our bulls are easy to handle.” Each sale bull undergoes comprehensive DNA testing, guaranteeing accurate parentage verification, polled status, and testing for important genetic traits such as the dilution gene, which influences coat colour. Performance recording is at the heart of Kerrah’s breeding philosophy. Every cow in the herd is registered and fully recorded through Breedplan, allowing for precise genetic evaluations. The large herd size provides meaningful comparisons, resulting in breeding values that are 10% more accurate than those of other Simmental studs selling 20-month-old bulls. Kerrah Simmentals’ success is built on years of careful genetic selection and hands-on stock manship, resulting in high-performing Simmentals that meet the needs of commercial cattle farmers. As Jon reflects on the operation’s growth he credits his late father, Kevin, for his role in securing Aldridge Contracting For your Hay and Balage needs Steve 027 395 1833 Tangiwai Station and laying the foundation for the stud. “Dad had a passion for farming, genetics, and getting young people involved in agriculture,” Jon says. “We believe he’d be proud of where the stud is today.” Bull Auction - Tuesday 20th May 1pm www.kerrahsimmentals.co.nz Venue: 1350, Hereheretau Rd, RD6, Wairoa 4196 Ross Mitchel l Fergus Rural 027-404-8965 Phi l Transom PGG Wr ightson 027-442-0060 Jon Knauf - Vendor 021-027-97922 jsknauf@gisborne.net .nz 80 DNA tested polled performance bulls Docility Growth Performance recorded Where performance meats phenotype
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