20 | A huge development in their business The Kaipara Hereford herd was started in the late 1940s by Sam’s grandfather Hugh Biddles. Aimee Wilson “It was unusually hard because of the rain and we got an awful amount of grass in a short period.” RURAL PEOPLE » Kaipara Herefords Kaipara Herefords opened up their farm for the first time this season, organising a successful on-farm sale day for new and existing clients. The Biddles family have been farming on Northland’s Pouto Peninsula for 70 years, and its breeding programme produces 120 15th month and R2 bulls for the dairy industry every season. Sam Biddles and wife Kate usually sell to clients privately through stock agents, and so the farm sale day in September 2025 marked a huge development in their business. Kaipara Herefords sold all 77 bulls on the market, showcasing the success of its breeding programme and giving a much wider audience a look into the business. All of the Hereford bulls for sale had an extra level of authentication - DNA samples which outline the cow’s breeding merits, “that was done to reinforce the purchaser’s confidence in our cattle, and to give them another level of information,” Sam said. Their clients are mostly from around Northland down to the edge of Auckland, but the Biddles have realised there is so much more scope for business in the upper North Island. This past season has been one of the more challenging ones after a very wet winter. Numbers have peaked at 448 historically but the farm currently mates 425 females to accommodate the dry summers. In 2025 they experienced the wettest season in at least 14 years. “It was unusually hard because of the rain and we got an awful amount of grass in a short period.” Sam said the growth didn’t have the quality they were looking for because it became waterlogged and lacked nutrients that the animals needed. They had to provide more supplementary feed and their bulls were sold 25kg lighter than usual. “I have never seen calves cold on my farm like they were this year.” The farm cops the south-westerly winds and the wind chill can be unforgiving at the northern coastal end of the country. The Kaipara Hereford herd was started in the late 1940s by Sam’s grandfather Hugh Biddles. In 1982 half the breeding herd was purchased by Sam’s father and since this time, registered bulls have been sourced from a variety of studs, including Koanui, Matapouri, Otengi, Moana, Mahuta, Arahou, Streamlands, Big River and Karamu. Sam and his family then introduced fresh genetics from both Craigmore and Koanui studs. The key priorities when it came to breeding Herefords is the temperament of the animals followed by ease of calving, fast growing progress and a low to moderate birth rate. Sam said Herefords have some specific traits that make them special, including their maternal nature and hardiness in terms of how well they cope under pressure. The Biddles learnt a lot from organising its first on-farm sale and plan to make it an annual event, Working! 100A Jervois Street, Dargaville Keeping The West 0272139665 | ella@westcoastservices.co.nz Gunson McLean CHART E R ED ACCOUNTANT S PROUDLY SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMING BUSINESSES We’re at Poto Street, Dargaville and Semeno StadiumWhangarei. Get in touch on 09 438 1001 or send us an email at admin@gunsonmclean.co.nz gunsonmclean.co.nz as Kaipara Herefords starts to make more of a mark on the industry, and promote itself further afield. Check out their Facebook page www.facebook. com/kaiparaherefords to learn more.
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