Business Rural North Spring 2021

| 37 RURAL PEOPLE » Rangitaiki Station the focus falls on cattle All in the genes at Rangitaiki Station Karen Phelps P amu farm Rangitaiki Station is focused on genetics recognising it as a driving force in the farm’s success. Each programme within the system is carefully thought out and how it can also be integrated into Pamu’s overall goals, says farm business manager James Van Bohemen. The sheep programme lambs down just under 8,800 ewes. Genetics for the Romney based breed- ing flock are sourced from Pamu farm Goudies Station. James has also just introduced some High- lander genetics into the mix on Rangitaiki Station, which has been mated across the four tooth ewes to increase performance in the flock. “We’ve gone down the Highlander route because we lamb in a fairly tough environment and have good fertility from the Romney so now we’re trying to seek more survival and weaning weight and also enable hogget fertility and fecundity,” he explains. Lambing is around 130-140 percent and weaning at 27-28 kilograms. The target is 140% at a 30kg average weaning weight. The farm winters 6,800 hinds and of those ap- proximately 1,800 went to a Wapiti sourced from Freestone Farm in Te Anau and used as a terminal sire to help improve growth traits. The balance went to a Red maternal deer, which Rangitaiki sources its replacements from and kills the stag progeny. Stag genetics are sourced from the early kill index, which combines growth, meat and reproductive traits into one measure. Overall the deer programme is targeting weaning weight, conception date and scanning percentages. The farm is targeting conception in the hinds before 25 April and scanning percentages above 95% in the mixed age deer and above 90% in the two year olds with a mating weight of 105kgs and a weaning weight of 65kgs at 90% fawns weaned and hinds mated. The farm’s cattle programme includes 750 two- year old heifers and 750 mixed age cows. There are two bull teams including Angus, focusing on low birth weight and calving ease with high growth. This year an AI programme on the yearling heif- ers saw just under 60% hold to AI. The bulls were Angus sourced from Focus Genetics. Simmental genetics from Waikite Simmentals near Rotorua haven been introduced as a terminal sire into the mixed age cow programme to target growth and carcass traits. James says the farm is moving away from being an Angus self-replacing herd to a dairy beef cow herd with replacements sourced from Pamu dairy units. The aim is to integrate the dairy and livestock industries, which Pamu believes will help farmers mitigate environmental challenges by making the most of every animal they produce. In order to transition the farm has a Once Bred Heifer programme, which involves the heifer calving down prior to being sent to the works as a prime heifer. “The ability of the heifer to increase her feed in- take in the spring driven by lactation enables better spring pasture utilisation than that of a traditional prime steer or heifer finishing system. At Rangitaiki Station we like to challenge what we do every day to create an even more profitable and sustainable system.” Summary 8308Ha effective (9752Ha total) including: • Sheep & Beef 2013ha • Deer 3743ha • Efficient Bull System 2552ha Stock Numbers: • 8800 Romney Breeding Ewes • 2900 Romney Ewe Hoggets • 7200 Red Hinds (reducing to 6800) • 750 MA Angus Cows (transitioning to Dairy Beef Genetics) • 750 R2 Heifers (Once Bred Heifer programme) • 600 R2 Steers • 1700 R1 Steers (1100 sold store in January) • 4000 R2 Bulls • 3600 R1 Bulls Genetics for the Romney based breeding flock are sourced from Pamu farm Goudies Station. Blue Grass enjoys working with James Van Bohemen of Rangitaiki Station Brook 027 471 9765 www.bluegrasscontracting.co.nz Excellence in Agriculture For all your Aerial Agriculture and Horticultural Services. SMS Certi ed Contact: John Chittick - 027 2249039 Matt Wilson - 027 3300482 126 Rakaunui Rd, Taupo, PO Box 547, Taupo Office: 07 377 0868 Email: office@waterservicesnz.co.nz Mobile: 027 488 0621 www.waterservicesnz.co.nz • Farm Water Reticulation Systems, Design, Installation & Supply • Water Meter Installation/Verification • Effluent Systems • Water Reserviors • Trenching • Deepwell & Submersible Lifts • Domestic & Commercial Pumps • GPS mapping • Pipes & Fittings Supply (concrete, steel, PVC, Polythene all grades) reading his face and whether he will have a go at you. That’s where I do a little dance. Will I push off from the right or left foot to dodge him.” But Charlie says it’s also about what the future holds for cattle farming in New Zealand and finds the business of feed efficiencies and methane reductions very intriguing. “We’re a Stabaliser herd, which is a dual purpose composite. Our herd is 50% Angus with the other 50% whatever I want it to be. In the early days there was a bit of Texas Longhorn, now there’s Gelbvieh but mostly Simmental.” For the last couple of years Charlie has been pushing for feed efficiency. “The less dry matter eaten the less methane is produced. From an environmental point of view we prefer to reduce the methane levels that way rather than through genetically modified grass.” Part of Rissington Breedline’s customized bull programme, the goal is to pick the sire and dam that will produce bulls customised specifically for Tepapa and its conditions. “Our whole herd has been genotyped and now we do that with our heifers so we can select replacement heifers. Once more farmers start doing that it will revolutionise New Zealand cattle farming.”