Business Rural North Winter 2021

26 | A tihau Whanganui Incorporation’s (AWHI) business operations are part of its goal to improve the well-being of its people, con- necting them to their land and heritage. The incorporation offers cadetship opportunities as part of this ethos. AWHI’S large scale multi-enterprise business includes seven sheep and beef breeding stations, two finishing stations, an apiary unit and a dairy unit on a total of 41,600 hectares. These businesses comprise 75,000 breeding ewes, 4,000 beef cows, 700 dairy cows, 2,400 beehives and 728 hectares of established woodlots. In recent years a focus on work place training and providing cadetships has become an important part of AWHI’s ethos. One of its farming operations is a sheep and beef breeding business, Te Pa, which lies south of Ohakune and Raetihi, managed by Jim Doolan. Before taking on his present role a year ago, Jim was a second-in-charge on another AWHI farm. Te Pa is a 5700 hectare/4200 hectare effective station which lambs 17,500 ewes and calves 1050 cattle with about 90% of the progeny finished on farm; the remaining stock are finished at AWHI’s neighbouring Ohotu farm. Te Pa provides a good balance of high hill country at one end, lower country with its own mi- croclimate that grows grass faster at the opposite end, and numerous flats, plateaus and terraces in between, with 2,500ha of the station cultivatable. Jim says he feels fortunate he has come at a Providing cadetships part of AWHI ethos Russell Fredric RURAL PEOPLE » AWHI: Te Pa David Hildreth - 027 468 0281 Marcus Hildreth - 027 353 0405 www.hildrethromneys.co.nz Hildreth Romneys is proud to support Atihau Whanganui Guaranteed Quality & Performance HILDRETH DA WINDLE LTD Raetihi for all your livestock transport needs phone kerry on 027 222 3431 AWHI’S large scale multi-enterprise business includes seven sheep and beef breeding stations, two finishing stations, an apiary unit and a dairy unit on a total of 41,600 hectares. time following extensive development of infrastruc- ture on the station. “We are reaping the rewards of all the hard work that’s been in front of me really.” Beef produced on Te Pa is aimed at a supermar- ket chain and the Angus Pure market which has stringent criteria for the supply of its product. Genetics come from Whangara and Totaranui studs and Te Pa’s angus bulls have to score 1.7 or higher on the intramuscular fat scale while also achieving a good marbling score. Cattle carcass weights are targeted at 300 kilograms at two years old for steers and 285kg for heifers. This season these weights have been exceeded by about 5kg on the steers and 30kg for the heifers “so we are well above target” due to an ongoing regrassing programme. The station has also achieved excellent weight gains in its lambs due to having rape and brassica summer crops available to them. “As a group we are really happy with the results we are achieving. It’s all coming together.” Te Pa employs six permanent staff in addition to hosting a three-year cadetship programme which currently has two cadets. Cadets live in the station’s whare and in their first year they learn basic life skills including cooking and cleaning to set themselves up for in- dependent living on the station in their second year. While there is no guarantee of employment with AWHI on completion of a cadetship, the knowledge and skills learned provides an excellent ground- ing and AWHI’s diverse businesses means a good range of experience is provided. “We are reaping the rewards of all the hard work that’s been in front of me really.”