48 | RURAL NORTH » Rangiatea Stud Scanning results reflects breeding mantra Beltex-Suffolk Lambs at Weaning (December) – Born September. Hugh De Lacy The latest scanning results from Rangiatea Stud’s mixed age Perendale ewes make startling reading, while its sister Beltex Stud is encountering strong demand especially for its Beltex-Cheviot crosses. The Rangiatea farms are near Mt Somers in the Mid-Canterbury foothills, comprising three blocks totalling 1067ha, run collaboratively by Blair Gallagher and son Hamish. Blair Gallagher’s breeding mantra is one of “selecting the best possible genetic material to enhance their profitability in the commercial environment.” The consistency of the high scanning results shows Blair’s philosophy paying off hugely. Over last three years the stud Perendale ewes, single-sire mated and including two-tooths, have scanned an average of 200%: 199% in 2021, 201% last year and 200% this year. Even higher scanning figures were recorded by the mixed-age flock of hill ewes which did 206% in 2021, a phenomenal 211% last year, and a nearly-as-good 209% this year. Even the older and poorer types of terminal ewes, including two-tooths, all mated to Beltex and Beltex-Cross rams, scanned 193% in 2021, 190% last year and 187% this year, while the Perendale flock two-tooths, after lambing at 8590% as hoggets, scanned 170% in 2021-22 and 171% this year. All hoggets were mated for just over one cycle and the in-lamb hoggets retained while most of the dries were killed or sold into the spring market. “We concentrate our emphasis on the three Ps:Perendale, Performance and Profit,” Blair says. “The Perendale genetics are aimed at lambing meat, with the emphasis on the 100-day weaning weight, and white, soft-handling crimpy wool. “In terms of performance we go for high scanning rates and an emphasis on surviving to sale, as demonstrated by our winning the NZ Beef and Lamb genetic mating trait leader for survival competition in 2016. “The profit factor is based on high-performing sheep adding more to the bottom line.” Rangiatea also includes a Cheviot stud to bolster that side of the Perendale’s RomneyCheviot hill-country heritage, and the Gallaghers recently purchased Francine and Stuart Murray’s Cheviot Stud of Springfield, Christchurch, making Rangiatea the largest SIL registered flock in the country. Perendale Scanning Results Breed 2021 2022 2023 Stud ewes 199% 201% 200% MA hill ewes 206% 211% 209% Terminal ewes 193% 190% 187% Two-tooths 170% 170% 171% “In terms of performance we go for high scanning rates and an emphasis on surviving to sale, as demonstrated by our winning the NZ Beef and Lamb genetic mating trait leader for survival competition in 2016.” Enquiries: Blair C Gallagher Mob: 021 0223 1522 Hamish Gallagher Mob: 027 550 7906 Email: gallagher.rangiatea@xtra.co.nz Mixed age Flock Ewes July 2023 scanning, 209% including triplers 1% dry Mixed age Flock Ewes ready to begin their winter rotation Selection of Perendale Two-Tooth Rams ready to go to a North Island client Maternal Dual Purpose NZ Flock Average Rangiatea Perendales MW+W+DPM 2800 3000 3200 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2800 3000 3200 The Murrays had founded their Cheviot stud in 2005 with breeding ewes acquired from Clifford Vance at Little River, Earl Neale of Motueka and Richard Orr of the Weka Pass in North Canterbury. TheRangiatea Cheviot stud now comprises 285 ewes, 150 of them mated to Cheviots and 135 to pure Beltex. “The use of the Beltex over the Cheviot ewes has greatly enhanced muscularity, carcass conformation and yield, and the Beltex have proved extremely popular for hogget mating,” Blair says. But it’s the Perendales that have benefitted most from the Beltex connection in the Rangiatea commercial operation with the small lamb, which doesn’t acquire it’s big Beltex muscling until after it’s born, making for easy lambing at high percentages, followed by rapid growth in weight.
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