40 | Progress does not happen overnight Hoggets with their twin lambs. Kim Bowden Richard Webby is a farmer who plays the long game. Managing 11,000 stock units at Ruakaka Station, 60 kilometres inland from Gisborne, Richard views genetics as a key driver of productivity and profit – but only when matched with good management. He is quick to point out progress does not happen overnight. “It’s a slow thing - you can’t just change something today and see change tomorrow. It takes years for things to come to fruition,” he says. For Richard, the motivation is simple: “I’m always trying to be better than I was the year before”. That drive delivers results. Eight years ago, the station was sitting at 120 percent lambing; today, it’s hitting 145 percent. Calving has followed suit, consistently landing in the low 90 percent range over the last three years. There are no hormones or shortcuts involved. Richard puts the gains down to smarter breeding decisions and better feed management. Good breeding, he says, is never just about genetics alone. “It’s a combination of both,” he says. “You’re not going to see genetic gains if your management is not there. For Richard, sustainable genetic improvement means more than just chasing numbers on paper. Animals still have to look right and perform well in his environment. He focuses on a small number of key traits and then manages the farm to bring out that potential. “It’s about focusing on three or four key genetic traits, making sure our phenotype aligns with them as well, and then putting that into a farm management system that’s going to try to realise the genetic gain as best as possible,” he says. “That’s what we’re trying to do.” An animal might have impressive figures, but it still needs the right frame for the farm. He looks for good bone, moderate size, easy finishing and fast growth. It is a mix of modern science and old-school stockmanship. “I don’t like sheep with little skinny legs,” he says. “Skinny legs don’t carry meat.” Body Condition Score is one of the key measures Richard uses when selecting stock. He looks for sheep that can hold their condition when the weather turns, rather than animals that require constant intervention. Growth indexes are also used to help lambs finish and leave the farm sooner. When it comes to cattle, Richard wants a moderate, efficient cow that can raise a calf every year without fail. “I want the progeny to grow and get up to mature weight fast, but not necessarily be big animals,” he says. He keeps a close eye on IMF (marbling) and carcass data but says an animal’s value is about more RURAL PEOPLE » Richard Webby than just what hangs on the hook. “Mothers have got to have maternal traits. It’s not all about what you kill,” he says. In a farming environment where a “no-show” spring or a parched summer is always a possibility, Richard sees his breeding policy as a form of insurance. The aim is to breed animals that can handle volatility, maintaining production in the good years and reducing losses when conditions turn. “Hopefully we maintain the peaks and lessen the troughs regarding the things we can’t control, like the climate,” he says. “It’s about focusing on three or four key genetic traits, making sure our phenotype aligns with them as well, and then putting that into a farm management system that’s going to try to realise the genetic gain as best as possible.” RUAKAKA FARMING PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH TOUGH SHEEP THAT PERFORM Rams put under high parasite pressure Cull what doesn’t handle the burden Strong emphasis placed on structure Cull those that don’t meet our fit Indepth DNA sampling Quantify our strong genetic traits CALL BEN TO ORDER YOUR 2026 RAMS MOTU-NUI ROMNEY & FE ROMNEY MOTU-NUI CROSS-BRED & FE CROSS-BRED MOTU-NUI ROMTEX Motu-nui Rams, 9263 Route 52, Weber Call Ben on 0273502424 | Ben.Morrison@xtra.co.nz admin@motu-nuirams.co.nz www.motu-nuirams.co.nz
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