56 | Grassendale Genetics busy delivering The Williams family. Clients of Grassendale Genetics are achieving excellent results, with their rams helping to drive on-farm production gains. Kim Newth George and Luce Williams, of Grassendale Genetics, are renowned Wairarapa hill country sheep breeders focussed on producing hardy, resilient hill country sheep with high production, efficiency and structural soundness. The couple’s steep, summer dry hill country farm, with a particularly high wind run, is the perfect proving ground for their breeding strategy. They are totally committed in their drive to produce the perfect ram for their clients. Their key focus areas are reproduction, growth, meat, wool and survival and their breeds are Romney, (Mainstay), Romworth (Built for Hill Country) and Suftex (The Sunday Roast), as well as the most recent development the Grassendale Streaker (A Shedding Breed). Clients of Grassendale Genetics are achieving excellent results, with their rams helping to drive on-farm production gains. Robert and Becks O’Neale run 6000 stock units on a 540ha effective coastal Wairarapa property at Riversdale beach. The couple have been getting rams from Grassendale Genetics for the past seven years, going back to when they started as farm managers there. Grassendale’s Romworth rams, used on the maternal side of their operation, have driven significant advances in production. “When we took over here seven years ago, production was fairly average,” says Robert. “We were docking around the low 130s and scanning around the mid-150s. For the past three years, we have been scanning around the mid-180s, with 12% triplets also being bang on for what we want. We scanned at 187% over everything this year and are pretty happy with that. We’re docking around 150% to 153%.” At weaning, they generally have a minimum of 40% go to the truck to be killed, with the average carcass weight trending upwards and currently sitting at around 18.5kg. “These are very tough sheep too. We have made huge progress and are growing every year. That is partly down to how we manage the farm but the sheep are a big part of it too and the genetics we are getting. We’re really happy with how things have gone, including using Beltex as our terminal ram too.” Southland sheep and beef farmers Dean and RURAL PEOPLE » Grassendale Genetics Sarah Rabbidge, who farm at Wyndham, run 9000 stock units including 4400 ewes and 1200 hoggets on a 580ha effective property. This year will be their fifth drop of lambs on the ground using Grassendale Genetics Romney as their maternal ram.“I really respect George and Luce’s breeding objectives,” says Dean. “Our farm aligns with their breeding philosophy of hardiness, good mothering and survivability. We want a sheep that can look after itself at lambing time. It can be a pretty tough environment here. The largest range of side by sides in the Wairarapa We service and repair all makes and models of ATV's, Side by Sides and Bikes. High St, Carterton | 06 379 7887 sargentmotorcycles.nz
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