38 | Merchiston gearing up for bull sale A group of yearling sale bulls on their daily break. Inset: Merchiston homestead from the lower gardens and lakeside. Karen Phelps Merchiston Angus is gearing up for its on farm yearling bull sale in September. It’s the second on-farm sale the stud has run in recent years after a period of only offering its yearlings by private treaty. “This way everyone gets the opportunity to get their hands on the best of our genetics,” says farm manager Richard Rowe. Richard’s father started the stud in 1955. The stud aims to breed practical, high performing cattle that add value to commercial breeding programs. Up to 30 yearling bulls will be offered at the sale from a combination of AI and homebred sires. A group of progeny from AI sire Australian bull Milwillah Napa will be in the mix. Richard says they have good data with key traits including low birth weight and short gestation. People can head to www.merchistonangus.com or Angus NZ for the catalogue. The stud’s R2 sale is held each June. Earlier in the year Merchiston Angus held a rare foundation female sale and sold 150 from the herd. The cows headed all over New Zealand to both existing and new stud breeders. “It will try the genetics all around the country in different environments so it will be interesting to see how they get on. Releasing a lot of older genetics means we are starting now from a young base. We’ve mated them to more modern genetics so the EBV base will take a big jump. We may have lost the certainty of how an older cow will breed but will have more performance data out of the younger ones in years to come. We’re looking to the future and breeding higher performance cattle,” explains Richard. The stud also operates what Richard calls a ‘satellite herd’ comprising 120 females at Glencorran in Rangiwahia under the Ruahine Ranges, which is about 45 minutes drive from Merchiston Angus. The cattle are owned by Mike and Kate Gee Taylor and Merchiston Angus supplies the genetics, then, when they are ready to be weaned, the bull calves head back to Merchiston. Richard says it allows them to make better use of their land, which is around 50% nishing country, and the rest suitable for breeding. He says Glencorran is steep hill country with harsher weather conditions, which provides a great environment for testing those animals. Merchiston Angus is part of a family farming operation, which spans generations. RURAL PEOPLE » Merchiston Angus: Richard Rowe 06 323 2944 027 2760963 t.kendrick@kinect.co.nz . . . Call us today! Manawatu Shearing Top Service Competitive Rates Covering Manawatu, Rangitikei &Wairarapa areas Proud to support Richard Rowe Merchiston Estates Ltd Today it is run by Richard and brother Lloyd and their sons Nick and Willie. Richard’s wife Vicki helps with the bookwork. The farm is located on the Rangitikei River at Hunterville and totals 950ha. There are 8000 stock units split almost evenly between sheep and cattle. The farm runs 3000 ewes and fattens around 60007000 lambs each year depending on the season. It buys in 100-120 weaners and aims to nish them. The family has also just leased a 40ha neighbouring block that will be added into the nishing operation. There is also 50ha of cropping, mainly barley under contract and also a tourist operation rounding out this diverse farming business. Merchiston homestead, where Richard and Vicki live, is a magni cent historic home going back ve generations. In summer and spring the family open the homestead and gardens to the public to tour. Guided by a family member, people can explore the 34 rooms across the four levels and hear the stories each room has to tell while admiring the monumental effort it took to build such a place at the turn of the century. “We’ve mated them to more modern genetics so the EBV base will take a big jump. We’re looking to the future and breeding higher performance cattle.” 0272452910 RICHARD SIMPSON CONTRACTING LTD Cultivation, drilling, harvesting, baling and transport services. RANGITIKEI & MANAWATU WIDE Proud to be working with Richard Rowe & his team at Merchiston Estates Ltd rr.simpson@hotmail.com BROWN BROTHERS B IKES Contact Karl 027 572 7696 | brownbrothersbikes.co.nz FOR ALL SERVICING & REPAIRS • NEW & USED PARTS NEW MODELS AVAILABLE AT x400eps - $8490+GST x500eps - $9490+GST
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