Business Rural North Winter 2021

| 29 Heifer grazing proves a game changer Russell Fredric RURAL PEOPLE » Murray & Janet Easton Hence, the deer block is 200ha, the sheep and beef blocks are 300ha while others can be around 500ha. Pasture utilisation has been steadily trending upwards over the past five years and is now up to 85%. Some 140ha is regrassed every year. A few years ago, Aratiatia Station’s young team of women shepherds – Kate White, Lesley Pollock and Kacey Johnson – drew some media attention. • from page 28 Women shepherds popular L ike many New Zealand family-owned farms, Murray and Janet Easton’s Te Kuiti property, Mamahi Farm, has its roots as a post World War II ballot block. Murray’s parents David and Marjory moved to the farm in 1954 after David, who served in the Air Force, successfully won a ballot after working as a shepherd in the Hawke’s Bay area. They balloted for the farm sight-unseen and had no idea exactly where it was, but knew someone in the area who recommended the property. Once a traditional sheep and beef operation, Murray and Janet took over Mamahi in 1984 after which it was split between them and Murray’s brother, but has since has had two small adjoining blocks added. Consequently it now comprises 333 hectares of about a quarter flat land, one third easy hill contour, and the balance easy to moderate rolling. This includes 290ha effective, 15ha under QE2 covenant, 25ha in pine plantations and several small areas of native plantings and wetlands. The farm supports about 1000 breeding ewes and 400 ewe hoggets which are mated, with their progeny finished on the farm. The choice of Piquet Hill genetics provides excel- lent facial eczema resistance. With carcass weights of 18 to 19 kilograms and lambing typically at 145% to 150% and hoggets around 100, Murray is happy with the performance of the sheep operation. Cattle are a small part of the business and are mainly used as a pasture cleaning tool, but it is dairy grazing that has been a game-changer on the farm. One summer about 25 years ago the farm had a very large surplus of grass. Through Murray’s hay contractor, contact was made with a dairy farmer from Otorohanga who was impressed with the farm and suggested wintering cows was a good option to deal with the excess, while a drop in the beef schedule was also a catalyst. Initially, full-sized cows were winter-grazed based on a charge per cow per week, but this sub- sequently led to longer-term heifer grazing. “Within about two years I had all his grazing stock.” The calves are grazed at Mamahi from December each season for 17 months and leave the farm be- fore their second winter with payment based solely on performance. “We worked out a system where I was only paid solely on weight.” While this was quite challenging, the farmer was prepared to pay well for results and this arrange- ment continued for several years until the farmer retired. “In the meantime we had several others who were keen to come on so now we have four clients, fairly long-standing and about 300 heifers a year.” One farmer’s stock grazes May to May with the balance grazing for 17 months. Weighed on arrival typically at 130kg to 140kg and again on leaving at 480kg to 500kg, the heifers are also regularly weighed throughout their stay. “They pay me an advance along the way so the incentive’s there for me to pack in as much as I can.” Heifer grazing secures close to half of the farm income, as long as the heifers meet target weights. Taking on heifer grazing was steep learning curve, but the Easton’s farm has turned out to be an ideal property for the purpose. “Pretty much rain, hail or shine we can achieve pretty good results year in, year out.” Lambs heading to the woolshed. The farm supports about 1000 breeding ewes and 400 ewe hoggets. Pat Lacy Livestock Ltd Buyer and seller of store stock & fat stock ll Sheep, Cattle & Deer Proudly supporting Aratiatia Farm , l l i i i Pat Lacy 027 495 35 64 nyanza@xtra.co.nz . . AGRICULTURAL HELICOPTER OPERATORS THE COMPLETE ON FARM HELICOPTER COMPANY CALL US TODAY 0800 2 ROTOR (0800 276 867) OR CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE WWW.ROTORWORK.CO.NZ “We now also have Everest, who is on one of the dairy support units, and a young man, Mason, on our deer farm, plus we’re advertising for a new role at the moment … we work really well together as a team.” A legacy of Mycoplasma bovisis that the station follows meticulous biosecurity protocols, so important on a property like this with a high turnover of stock from other properties. Planting to be carbon positive and for stock shelter is another ongoing priority, while existing riparian planting is also undergoing renewal. Grazing heifers at Mamahi Farm. The calves are grazed at Mamahi from December each season for 17 months and leave the farm before their second winter with payment based solely on performance.