Business Rural Spring 2021

| 23 MEAT & WOOL » Rangiatea Perendales: Blair Gallagher Genetic policy of selecting the best Blair Gallagher with Perendale Stud Two Tooths and Mount Somers in background. Perendale flock mixed of age hill ewes in winter mode. Hugh de Lacy scanned 170% (excluding triplets) with a 1.4% dry rate. The triplets incidence is adjusted through the SIL (Stock Improvement Ltd) system. The ewes that went to a terminal sire, either Beltex or Beltex-cross, scanned 191% at 2.3% dry. The quality of the stock won Rangiatea the Beef and Lamb industry award for maternal traits in lamb survival in 2016, and this year at the Gore sale the stud topped the average price for Perendales at $7100, while the Cheviot rams averaged an impres- sive $4200. “We take all the hoggets through and run them with the ram for 24 days, then retain only the ones that are in lamb,” Blair says. “They’re mated to either pure Beltex or Cheviot- Beltex rams, after three weeks with the teasers to ensure they’re cycling. “Only about 30% of the ram lambs born are offered for sale, which allows us to cull really hard, and all stud sheep are EID-tagged and recorded on SIL. “It’s important to have a balance of traits in stud breeding, and have structurally and constitutionally sound sheep of a type that suits the country they’re being run on, Blair says. “Only about 30% of the ram lambs born are offered for sale, which allows us to cull really hard, and all stud sheep are EID- tagged and recorded on SIL.” Mixed age ewes on their way to the shearing shed. R angiatea farm’s stud Perendale flock has its roots in Sir Geoffrey Peren’s original Romney- Cheviot cross at Massey University, and it also runs a Cheviot stud to ensure the continued development of that side of the genetic mix. The Perendale stud at Rangiatea, near Mt Somers in inland mid-Canterbury, was first registered by Colin and Margaret Gallagher way back in 1971, and today comprises 600 ewes, and the Cheviot stud of 175 ewes was launched some time later. Rangiatea consists of three farms, the home block comprising 720ha of high altitude tussock land that’s flat to rolling with some cultivatable paddocks, and with the homestead at 530m above sea level. Adjacent is Waianawa farm of 228ha, bought last year after being leased for the previous ten, and a mile down the road is Glengyle farm of 120ha. The three are run as an integrated unit sup- porting 5000 ewes, 1920 ewe hoggets, 465 ram hoggets and 80 aged rams, alongside 530 cattle, including 150 Angus cows. The business is run by the Gallaghers’ son Blair, his 27-year-old son Hamish and a farm worker, with Hamish’s particular responsibility being the Beltex stud also run at Rangiatea. Blair Gallagher’s over-riding breeding policy is one of “selecting the best possible genetic material to enhance bottom-line profitability in the commer- cial environment.” The Perendales are objectively measured at 100 and 200 days to assess their milking ability and their optimum weight, along with eye muscle, total meat, NLB fertility (number of lambs born) and wool weight. About 150 rams are sold annually, either by private sale or at the Gore Ram Fair in January, and all are guaranteed. The single-sire mated stud ewes, including the two-tooths, scanned at 199% this year with just 2.1% dry, while last year the commercial ewes scanned 206% with a dry rate of just 1.5%, including triplets, while the replacement two-tooths RANGIATEA PERENDALES CHEVIOT RAMS available for hogget mating AVERAGE ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH MAKE PROGRESS WITH US. Winner of NZ Sheep Industry Award for Maternal Trait Leader for Lamb Survival 2016 NZ Standard Maternal Worth (NZMW) Enquiries: Blair C Gallagher Rangiatea, Mt Somers, 8RD Ashburton Ph 03 303 9819 Mob 021 0223 1522 gallagher.rangiatea@xtra.co.nz Rangiatea Perendales Dual Purpose NZ Flock Average