| 39 RURAL PEOPLE » Riverina Ltd On recovery path after autumn oods Kim Newth Hawke’s Bay farmers in the Wairoa area have had a lot of work to do following devastating oods in March. Local sheep and beef farmer Gavin Bowen, who manages Riverina Ltd, says the ongoing impacts are slowing ‘business as usual’ farming. Riverina Ltd is a sheep and beef breeding and nishing operation comprised of three properties: Riverina Station, a 1652ha effective hill country station; Pukehau, a 687ha nishing block; and Carter’s block, being an additional 333ha for supplementary grazing of capital stock. Gavin’s parents, Arthur and Olive Bowen, bought Riverina Station in 2000. Gavin has been at the helm since 2006; Olive owns 40% and the rest is owned by a trust. Gavin’s team of seven permanent staff includes block managers on the Pukehau and Carter’s properties. Over little more than two weeks in March, Gavin says the area got close to 700mm of rain. That’s 10 times what would usually come down in March. “We lost somewhere between 100ha and 150ha over the three properties in slips. The cost is not just in money but also time because the logistics of getting around the land are now very dif cult. We’ve opened the three main tracks at Riverina but still can’t get around some of the land out the back like we used to. For mustering purposes, we do a lot on horseback anyway but we’re now having to do even more that way. It just makes everything slower – everything takes longer.” Horses are a huge part of life for Gavin and his wife Anna. As well as using them for mustering and farm work, they both enjoy taking part in hunts when they get time. “We shoe eight to twelve horses over the three properties when the farrier comes.” Mustering of the mixed age ewes started earlier this year to ensure scanning could be done on schedule. Gavin notes that the ewes are not as t as they normally would be as a result of disruption to usual stock rotation practices. “[But] their condition isn’t too bad considering.” Riverina has a predominantly Perendale ock, improved over the years with genetics from Longview Perendale Stud, based on a Rangiora Trust property at Tutira, north of Napier. Using Longview genetics has improved lamb survivability at Riverina, as well as animal health as the stud proactively tests and selects for worm tolerance and facial eczema tolerance. Lambing starts with the B (terminal) mob around 27th July, followed by the mixed age ewes a month later and two-tooths 10 days after that. Scanning percentages range between 155% for the two-tooths and upwards of 180% for the mixed age ewes. Last year’s lambing percentage was a solid 135%. On the beef side, Riverina has a predominantly Angus herd. In total, 850 cattle including heifers go to the bull from November, starting with 220 R3 heifers. High performance genetics are sourced from Kenhardt Angus. For all stock, copper supplements are given to counteract the property’s low soil copper levels. A few weeks before lambing, feed was running “pretty short” compared to where Gavin would like feed levels to be, but he has supplementary feed on hand that will be used for cattle. L to R: Ross Mitchell, Daryl Fergus, Rob Fergus, Tim Petro, Luke Bates, Deano Brenssell. www.fergusrural.co.nz • admin@fergusrural.co.nz Gisborne: Wairoa: Rob Fergus 027 4496007 Deano Brenssell 027 8638923 Luke Bates 027 4211653 Daryl Fergus 027 2092787 Ross Mitchell 027 4048965 Environmental Solutions Consultant: Tim Petro 027 3390400 Livestock and Agribusiness consultants. AGRIBUSINESS P: 06 838 8282 M: 027 483 0644 | 027 230 8713 Riverina, a sheep and beef breeding and nishing property, lost between 100ha and 150ha in slips after disastrous ooding in March. “The cost is not just in money but also time because the logistics of getting around the land are now very dif cult,” says Riverina manager Gavin Bowden. Proud to be supporting Riverina Farm for 22 years
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