50 | RURAL PEOPLE » Aoghaire Romney / Gleniti Romneys Top dual-purpose breed Robust, easy-care sheep Karen Phelps Karen Phelps The Romney remains one of New Zealand’s most enduring and versatile sheep breeds, yet many farmers underestimate just how capable it is, says Aoghaire Romney Stud owner Rod McCaughan, who has spent more than 25 years building one of the country’s most progressive Romney studs. “It’s the best dual-purpose breed available,” says Rod. “High reproduction, good survival, mothering and wool. An all-round sheep that is overlooked at times.” Top commercial flocks are achieving lambing percentages of up to 170% on hill country. “That’s pretty bloody good for Romneys,” says Rod. “I just don’t know if you could achieve this with composite breeds as much. It’s horses for courses of course, everyone has a different idea.” Aoghaire Romney Stud - named after the Gaelic word for shepherd - is run from Ngaputahi Station in the Pohangina Valley, north of Feilding. The stud comprises around 300 Romney ewes and their progeny and has been shaped by a philosophy centred on natural parasite resistance, fertility and growth, all achieved with minimal chemical intervention. Romneys, says Rod, have earned their place in New Zealand farming for good reason. “Romneys have been bred for generations and have a great genetic base to build on. You want to enjoy what you’re breeding and for me that’s Romneys. I like their temperament, intelligence, do-ability and resilience. They are adaptable, smaller sheep that consistently produce strong, healthy lambs regardless of climate.” The stud focuses on practical traits that suit commercial conditions. “We are trying to breed open-headed, clear points and breech, not much wool on the head or legs,” says Rod. “Years of shearing my own flock has taught me the value of less B-wool. Instead of getting a shedding sheep, as some farmers are now doing, get a Romney with less B-wool where the bulk is A-wool.” He says Romneys also excel in hogget lambing and environmental adaptability. “They grow to the environment. They’re easier to move and work in the yards and have good structure,” says Rod. Higher lamb survival means more ewe hoggets to Gleniti Romneys offers farmers robust, easycare sheep that convert cheaply grown grass into valuable protein and wool. With high fertility, strong growth rates, excellent survival and medium-style wool, the flock continues to prove why sheep can be easier and more efficient to winter than cattle, says stud owner David Hume. “While some farmers have moved to cattle to reduce labour, Gleniti remains committed to sheep, confident in what the Romney breed delivers,” he says. “Grass-fed, high-growth lamb remains a premium, healthy protein source, and Gleniti’s selection for good fat cover ensures ewes have the reserves to handle all seasons while producing tender, flavourful meat.” Located at Pirinoa in South Wairarapa, Gleniti runs 1,700 stud ewes and typically docks between 150 and 165 per cent. For David, whose family roots in the district date back to the 1850s, the focus has always been on producing resilient sheep that thrive under pressure. David learned his craft from his father Bill, who still lends a hand on the farm. Bill’s own foundations were shaped by legendary Romney breeder and neighbour Holmes Warren. Along with Bill and nine other breeders, Holmes helped form the Wairarapa Romney Improvement Group in 1969, a collective that has played an important role in lifting Romney performance across the region. The group embraced recording systems from the beginning, drawing on expert advice from leading geneticists such as Professors Al Rae and Dorian Garrick, and Dr Mark Young. Gleniti’s flock has now been recorded for over 50 years. “After all that time, there’s high accuracy in the breeding values generated by SIL,” says David. “These breeding values form the basis of the index we use to select for a balance of fertility, survival, growth rate and wool weight. That balance gives the best return to those using our rams. The genetic analysis essentially gets us a generation in front and offers potential for selecting traits such as longevity, muscularity, tenderness, meat distribution, and facial eczema tolerance.” select from, allowing stronger culling pressure. “We’re culling for dag and worm resistance with the ability to thrive in a commercial environment. We put them under quite a bit of pressure from lambs to hoggets and anything that doesn’t come through is culled. It means we end up with a better line that has performed in a commercial environment at a high stocking rate.” Rod’s stud journey began in Taihape in 1998, later moving to Ngaputahi Station when owners Forbes Cameron and son Angus offered him a shepherding position that also allowed him to continue his stud. “It’s bloody hard now with the price of land to get into farming,” says Rod. “I’m appreciative of the Camerons who have given me the chance to have a farming job as well as my own stud so I can keep on breeding my Romneys.” Based on Bendall Romney bloodlines, the stud rebuilt from missing records by retaining all ewes that twinned and introducing Ngaputahi sires. Today it averages a WormFEC index of 600–700, placing it among the country’s top performers. “The top 5% in New Zealand is 1000 index,” says Rod. “My flock is run without drench for adult sheep and without dipping, relying instead on culling to build genetic resilience.” Fertility consistently exceeds 175% to the ram, and growth remains strong despite a deliberate focus on moderate-sized ewes. “I purposely bred a smaller sheep for ease of management that grows well and the progeny still perform,” explains Rod. Around 70 rams are sold directly each year, with a further 40-45 going through the Ngaputahi brand. One client recently docked 120% in his hoggets - a testament to the breed’s capability. “I enjoy breeding Romneys and I believe in them,” says Rod. “They’re a bloody good all-round sheep, and people are starting to realise how well they perform.” The property’s high stocking rate helps identify animals that fail to thrive. Mothering ability is central. “Any ewe that doesn’t stand with her lambs as we tag them is culled,” says David. “The result is a flock with quieter temperament, aiding finishing and improving meat tenderness.” Fertility remains a hallmark of Gleniti. Recent scanning results show two-tooths at 184 per cent and the overall flock at 188 per cent, with just 1.5 per cent dry. The lambing percentage was 166%. “The strong performance of the younger ewes, mating at around 64 kilograms, is particularly pleasing,” says David. Gleniti is also pushing ahead in facial eczema tolerance through Sporodesmin testing, while its focus on nutrition and pasture management aims to improve worm resistance. Yet David stresses that it’s not time for farmers to throw away the drench gun just yet even though Gleniti Romneys ewes are not drenched. “As research into worm resistance advances, the critical role of the animal’s immune system is becoming increasingly clear. Ewes that are well-fed with adequate mineral intake provide the building blocks for the development of their lamb’s immune system. In addition, management practices that reduce pasture contamination are key to tackling this ongoing challenge. Gleniti Romneys is focusing on immune system development to build worm resistance. While these research developments are promising drench gun-continued parasite control remains vital for maintaining optimal growth and productivity.” Financial success is more than just keeping your books in order, That’s why we go far beyond book keeping. Warren Patterson | Daniel Willson | Ian Brooke Directors 06 357 5793 | office@lpw.co.nz | www.lpw.co.nz Proudly supporting Aoghaire Romney Proudly Supporting Aoghaire Romney Chris Spark 027 218 0036 | scanaspark@gmail.com Real People, Real Value! 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