Business Rural North Summer 2021

30 | Potaka embracing the Charolais bull Charolais cross two year steers on kale getting finished (top). One of the top calves last summer in the dry months (below left). Some stud calves this year by Whananaki lex (below right). Hugh de Lacy T he value of the Charolais bull as a terminal sire, and the performance he gets out of the cows on his classic Taihape hill-country farm, Potaka, are what endears Marcus Totman to the French meat breed. Marcus sank his savings into Charolais 20 years ago, at the age of 16, when he acquired two cows, the foundation of the herd of 45 stud animals. “One of the main reasons for breeding Charolais cattle is their ability to cross so well with other breeds,” Marcus says. “The Charolais heifers are a great example of this.” Marcus and his brother Matt are the fourth gen- eration of Totmans to farm Potaka, 20km south-east of Taihape, comprising 830 effective hectares and backed up by a 115rha lease block. The Charolais – and an associated Suftex sheep stud – are jointly owned but Marcus takes personal responsibility for them. The farm otherwise runs 5200 Romney ewes and 1400 hoggets with bloodlines from the Wairere Stud in the Wairarapa, and a herd of 150 Angus and Hereford-cross cows. “This place is genuine Taihape hill country with a great balance of finishing country, the bulk of it be- ing 180ha of dead-flats in one area, which is pretty unique for round here,” Marcus says. Marcus has built up the clientele for his Potaka Charolais stud around the breed’s suitability as a terminal sire, and 18 months ago he sold semen rights for one of his bulls to one of the leading Charolais studs in Canada. “The virtue of the Charolais terminal sire is that you’re getting all that extra growth and meat quality effectively for nothing, because of the hybrid vigour,” Marcus says. RURAL PEOPLE » Potaka Stud Enough Veterinary Excellence to Fill Your Gumboots! 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek! Here at Taihape Veterinary Services we pride ourselves on a ordable, high quality care for your livestock, working dogs and pets. 06 388 0863 / Fax 06 388 0657 taihapevets@xtra.co.nz Emergency Contact: 06 388 0863 • 24-hour service Proud to be supporting Potaka Stud Devlin Cameron & Hayes Limited Level One 165 Broadway Avenue PO Box 1595 Palmerston North 4440 Phone: 06 357 0746 Email: office@dch.co.nz Our Firm has provided three generations of the Totman Family with a range of services including, farm succession, financial and taxation advice. Proud to support Potaka Stud