Business Rural North Winter 2021

| 35 Environmental work lauded by judges King Country stud breeders Russell, Mavis and Uriah Proffit (front) at the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment awards. Raupuha’s $17,500 perendale ram sold in November was the top price in NZ in 2020. Cam Heggie (PGG Wrightsons) Sue Maxwell, Russell Proffit and Graham Maxwell. Riparian plantings at Raupuha. Russell Fredric RURAL PEOPLE » Raupuha Studs: Russell & Mavis Proffit K ing Country stud breeders Russell and Mavis Profit are part of a family legacy which is producing top quality livestock from their business, Raupuha Studs. On top of continuing this legacy, the couple are also cutting their own tracks with being named a 2020 Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Award finalist. Raupuha Studs is a sheep and beef operation, which also grazes dairy cattle, on 1500 hectares of easy to steep contour in the Mahoenui district, 30 minutes south-west of Te Kuiti. The couple have three children Uriah, Alarna and Te Ana and took over the farm from Russell’s parents, Jeff and Lyn, in March 2008. The multi-faceted operation supports per- endale, romdale, suffolk and suftex sheep and shorthorn cattle and grazes 1100 dairy cows each season, however this will soon change. Of the 1500ha, 700ha is leased, but land sales and purchases will result in the farm totalling 1100ha from June. “It was an opportunity to own land we are currently leasing, basically for a succession plan, so we can get ourselves set up for our family,” Russell says. The farm currently carries around 3000 ewes, 2000 of which are recorded through Sheep Improvement Limited (SIL), 1200 ewe hoggets which are mated, 1000 ram hoggets, 120 short- horn cows and 500 trading cattle. A highlight last year was one of Raupuha Studs perendale rams being sold in November for $17,500, the top price paid in New Zealand in 2020. “Facial eczema tolerance has been our big driver in the perendales and romdales. We are trying to breed a good robust sheep for the current New Zealand climate. We are measuring methane, wormfec, facial eczema, meat, wool; you name it we try and measure it.” The stud’s facial eczema resistance breed- ing programme has been operating since 1999 and Russell feels fortunate his parents had the foresight to start breeding for this trait. Also part of the legacy is breeding shorthorns for the past 50 years, focused on good tem- perament, maternal traits, milk production and carcass traits including intra-muscular fat. Environmentally, work undertaken that caught the attention of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards judges includes fencing waterways, moving fences and gates to make the farm easier to manage, better placement of culverts, ripar- ian plantings and 25,000 trees that have been planted over the past four or five years. Russell has a big beef with productive farm land being converted into forestry. “We’ve lost five farms within half an hour of our place to pine trees or carbon farming, it’s a disgrace.” Russell’s concerns include the loss of food production nationally, and what he believes is the negative aesthetic value of pine plantations, including by overseas tourists. If trees are planted for carbon credits and not harvested, they would eventually fall over and create a mess, he says. The five farms sold around the Profitt’s have all gone to overseas companies, Russell says. “How is that good for New Zealand? Personally, we’ve lost 25 rams (sales to clients) a year and maybe five or six bulls a year.” In addition there is also the loss of employment for shearers, truck drivers and other flow-on ef- fects, he says. “That’s five of six families that will no longer be in the community.” “We’ve lost five farms within half an hour of our place to pine trees or carbon farming – it’s a disgrace. How is that good for New Zealand? That’s five of six families that will no longer be in the community Personally, we’ve lost 25 rams (sales to clients) a year and maybe five or six bulls a year.” Quality shorthorns have been bred at Raupuha for 50 years Enquiries and inspection always welcome ƥ email: ƥ̻ǤǤ ͚͛͛͘ ͛ǡ ǡ ͛͟͡͠ phone: ͘͟ ͟͟͠ ͟͟͠͡ ͚͘͟ ͛͝͝ ͚͚͟͡ www.raupuhastud.co.nz Raupuha Stud Bull & Heifer On-Farm Sale 1st June 2021, 9:00 am Red,White & Roans of our world