8 | RURAL PEOPLE » Rangiputa Station Good wintering land, tougher in summer Previously 4000 Romney ewes/1000 replacement ewe lambs were carried, but these have been reduced to 3000. Russell Fredric Rangiputa Station, like many other Northland farms, has struggled to grow grass this spring. Manager Colin Rakena says cooler spring temperatures that followed a very wet winter has meant grass only started to grow in earnest towards late October. “We will be starting to kick into weaning lambs in the next week or two.” The sheep and beef station is located on Karikari Peninsula north-east of Kaitaia. The peninsula is only about four or five kilometres wide at its narrowest point, consequently Rangiputa’s pastures include free draining sandy ridges and peaty soils. This, combined with a widespread chalky-natured pan makes it good wintering land, however it is also its Achilles heel during summer. Rangiputa covers 3232 hectares effective out of a total of 3600ha with about 70 to 80ha being in wetlands. This winter 2ha of native species such as manuka, flaxes and cabbage trees were trial planted to assess if they were suited to specific areas, while further poplar planting has been undertaken. The station provides secondary school vocational training for a two-day Enviro Schools programme that involves two of the station’s fencers and about 50 students learning about fencing riparian areas. During the past season stock numbers have been tweaked as a part of adapting systems to enable nitrogen inputs to be reduced as well as to cater for the dry summer. Previously 4000 Romney ewes/1000 replacement ewe lambs were carried, but these have been The reduction in nitrogen has been compensated by 60-day pasture rotations with the aim of keeping a viable pasture cover ahead of the wintered breeding cows. “We are de-stocking by killing those bulls before our summer really takes off, it eases the pressure on water as well.” 0210 348 999 mawlimited@outlook.com mawlimited@outlook.com For all your agricultural contracting services in the Far North For all your agricultural contracting services in the Far North · Livestock · Logs · Water · Readymix Concrete · General Cartage 09 406 0087 | mangonuihaulage.co.nz reduced to 3000, while there are now 1300 Angus breeding cows instead of 1500. The station also supports 2000 Friesian and Angus trading beef bulls on 1175ha. These are either transferred from other Pamu farms or bought in as rising two-year-old’s at about 350 to 400 kilograms, held on the property for one winter and grown to around 600 kilograms. We start killing from October through till the end of January. We are destocking by killing those bulls before our summer really takes off, it eases the pressure on water as well.” The reduction in nitrogen has been compensated by 60-day pasture rotations with the aim of keeping a viable pasture cover ahead of the wintered Breeding cows. Angus genetics are sourced from Focus Genetics and from the nearest Pamu stud farm at Kapiro near Kerikeri to ensure high performing livestock. “[We are looking for] for good maternal instinct, good milking ability and good 400- and 600-day growth rates. We are selecting mixed-aged bulls with better breeding values to go over the mixedage cows and not so much lifting that calving ease but better birth weights to get a bigger calf.” Although it was intended to reduce or even eliminate the sheep, they are proving helpful in controlling gravel groundsel, an invasive weed that is toxic to cattle. Rangiputa Station employs 10 staff and Colin feels fortunate to have an experienced team who are passionate about their work and the lifestyle it provides as well as the peninsula and the surrounding area being “not a bad spot”.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=