Business Rural North Spring 2021

18 | Genetics gratitude and family matter Tumeke Suftex ewe hoggets with ‘Muzza’, their Suftex sire. RURAL PEOPLE » Carthew Genetics: Bill & Pascale Carthew I t’s not just good stock genetics that the Carthew family have passed through the generations, it is the recurring thought that, “there must be a better way”. Bill Carthew was the first to think it, back when he was farming traditional Romney sheep, and his son Simon alongside his wife Pascale, have contin- ued to strive for strong and practical sheep in their own way at Tumeke Farming. “Our point of difference is our sheep are bomb- proof,” says Pascale, “you can’t expect rams who were born and lived on easy country to thrive in tough conditions and produce daughters who per- form and hack it on steep hill country. Our recorded sheep receive no preferential treatment. All our stud animals are farmed, performance recorded and selected in a typical hill country environment with commercial stocking rates, steep hills and cold cli- mate. We are commercially driven, not stud driven” “Easy care and efficiency is what we produce”, says Pascale, “it has to be more than just the figures and what the sheep look like on paper. You have to look at the animals and get a feel for them too. “Simon has the eye”, says Pascale, “he has grown up with genetics and has a real feel for animals. He can go through the stock and see something before it happens.” All of Tumeke Farming’s sheep are also ap- praised by Guy Martin from Livestock Confirmation and are selected according to their core essence, presence and soundness. “Our huge advances around structural soundness and constitutional stamina coupled with 50 years of ancestry records, gives us a solid and reliable base to work with.” When it comes to lambing time the Carthews set stock and then go “on holiday” leaving the sheep to lamb on their own. “We check on them from time to time, but we haven’t had to intervene at all in the last few years. Our ewes are great mums, survival rates are high and along the way we have somehow bred sheep with thicker skin, which also plays a crucial role in lamb survival. The ability to perform and thrive, even in less than favourable conditions is what sets our sheep apart from the rest.” The Carthew family have very loyal clients who hark back to Bill’s days. And what they have come to rely on, says Pascale, is “high fertility, high sur- vival rates, fast growth and of course the consistent increase of profitability within their own farming operations.” The Carthews’ approach Tumeke Farming in a holistic way – it’s all about finding a balance be- tween evolving our genetics and meeting the needs of the animals, the land and us, the people … while having fun doing it. ”While pushing all our sheep hard we believe it’s our duty to care for and maintain the delicate balance of nature for the sake of the wellbeing of our children and of all future generations. It is a business but it is also a relationship - we look after them and they perform for us.” On Tumeke Farm all stock have EID and name tags. So, rather than just being a number , they also have a name. Pascale says it makes it more per- sonal. “It seemed like a natural progression of how we farm. We’re one big family all working together in appreciation of each other.” The Tumeke Farming brand, like their sheep, has recently evolved. For years they have been known as Carthew Genetics, and sticking to that ethos of finding new ways, Pascale says change is good. “At school our kids picked up the ‘tumeke’ phrase which they would say with the ‘shaka’ hand sign when something was awesome, cool or ‘too much!’. We thought it represented our values pretty well. Gratitude, harmony and authenticity - while also being awesome.” Carly Thomas P 06 323 0255 M 027 928 8630 W farmworxbikes.co.nz - On Farm Service - New and Used Sales - Fully Equipped Workshop Tony or Monika Kendrick 06 323 2944 027 2760963 t.kendrick@kinect.co.nz . . . We cover theManawatu, Rangitikei &Wairarapa areas Proud to support CarthewGenetics Call us today! Manawatu Shearing TopService CompetitiveRates MA Coopworth, CoopRom X and Coop FE ewes waiting for pregscan (just scanned 230 percent).