32 | ‘Campaigning for this for 15 years’ Raupuha Stud is a member of the FE Gold group. Karen Phelps President of the Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand Russell Proffit is excited about the potential of the Beef+Lamb NZ project led by AgResearch that aims to develop a laboratorybased test to predict the tolerance of pastoral livestock to sporidesmin A, the toxin attributed to Facial Eczema (FE).“It’s very exciting as I have personally been campaigning for this for 15 years. If we get a test like this the genetic gains we can make for FE in New Zealand will be huge as it will make it easier and cheaper for people to test, including females, allowing more efficient selection of FE tolerant animals to support breeding programmes. It will also be kinder on the animals. The project has created more questions than answers at the moment, which is typical of research in its early phases.” FE has been a persistent issue in New Zealand for over a century. To combat FE, New Zealand breeders and commercial farmers have primarily focused on breeding livestock with increased tolerance to the toxin. Currently, the standard method for assessing FE tolerance involves in-vivo testing, which requires administering the toxin to live animals. However Russell says this approach raises ethical concerns and is limited in scale. Russell and Mavis operate a diverse livestock farm spanning 1100 hectares, with 1050 hectares of effective farming area. Their operation is centred on a substantial sheep enterprise, managing a flock of 5579 sheep. A significant portion of this flock, 2000 ewes, forms their stud-breeding program. In addition to their sheep business, the couple maintains a herd of 1000 beef cattle. Their farm serves dual purposes: breeding high-quality rams and bulls for commercial sheep and beef farmers nationwide, and raising stock for meat RURAL PEOPLE » Raupuha Stud production. This mixed farming approach allows Russell and Mavis to maximize their land use, catering to various sectors of the livestock industry while also producing market-ready animals from their own breeding stock. The cornerstone of Russell and Mavis’s operation is their Raupuha Stud, which places a strong emphasis on breeding for FE tolerance. To support this goal, they maintain comprehensive DNA records for all their livestock. This approach to genetic tracking allows for more precise breeding decisions and progress monitoring. Raupuha Stud is a member of the FE Gold group, an association of breeders dedicated to producing and promoting elite FE-tolerant rams. This collective not only supports the development of resilient livestock but also works to educate ram buyers about the significant benefits of purchasing from FE Gold breeders. Through this initiative, they aim to improve the overall health and productivity of sheep flocks across the country by increasing the adoption of FE-tolerant genetics. Faecal egg count reduction tests are undertaken, challenging lambs and building data on individual animals. Every ram the stud sells includes these figures. With the annual sale at Raupuha Stud just around the corner on November 12, Russell and his team are gearing up to offer around 500 rams, including 200 through the on-farm auction. “We will be offering the highest tested Romdales and Perendales in New Zealand for FE tolerance as we’ve been testing for 23 years and the flock has been tested at 0.6mg of sporidesmin per kg of bodyweight,” says Russell. “We invest a lot into our rams for the benefit of our commercial clients. Our sale is a good opportunity for people to come along, have a look and get their hands on the best genetics.” Russell acknowledges the challenging times farmers are facing with low wool and meat prices. He says farmers’ general wellbeing and confidence is top priority for the 33 Moa St, Piopio 3912 07 877 8054 / 07 873 7273 / 021 202 9749 kchservice@kchonda.co.nz / honda.49@icloud.com Proudly supporting Raupuha Stud 027 276 0963 021 124 4 926 manawatu.shearing@gmail.com . . Call us today! Manawatu Shearing Top Service Competitive Rates Covering Manawatu, Rangitikei &Wairarapa areas Perendale Sheep Society of New Zealand. “Perendales are a good hardy sheep and generally a lot less work than some other breeds as they are more mobile and have better drench tolerance. They are good easy doing animals and some of the Perendale breeders are leading the way in FE and worm tolerance. The society is still promoting the breed and I’ve just been in Christchurch at the Sheep Breeder Forum to keep the flag flying for both sheep farming and the breed.”
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