38 | Great example of farm forestry integration Bernadette Cooney A former president of NZ Farm Forestry, North Canterbury farmer Dugald Rutherford of Melrose Stud hosted a farm visit for delegates from the New Zealand Farm Forestry Conference in April. The visit marked the second time in 20 years that the conference has toured the Rutherford family’s farm and attendees left impressed by both the innovative sheep breeding program and the balanced, integrated forestry operations. Dugald farms west of Hawarden with his wife Mandy and son Andrew across 6700 hectares with 2000 hectares fertilised and 2500 hectares of high country running up to 1300 metres above sea level. The Rutherfords took over Edward Orr’s Corriedale stud 17 years ago and have used genetics and a challenging environment to develop a rugged sheep breed with low micron wool. “It’s just a quarterbred now. It’s quite a long way from a Corriedale,” says Dugald. “We’ve developed a robust sheep with a merino-type fleece that is pretty much the same to run as a crossbred. A lot of the problems associated with fine wool breeds, like poor lamb survivability, or worm susceptibility and footrot have been bred out through a variety of genetics.” The result is a physically different sheep with greater muscle and fat, selected for strong fertility traits and resistance to footrot and flystrike. Selecting for health and survivability under tough hill country conditions is bringing results for Dugald’s clients he says, citing the example of a Wanaka farmer who came to him because he had footrot issues and was drenching monthly. “He came to us for select animal health traits. He has never selected for fertility, but he’s now regularly weaning 140 percent. Which is as good as lots of crossbred flocks,” says Dugald. “I’ve always culled any sheep for flystrike. This year the ewes had no fly treatment and only 4 percent got fly,” he says. An emphasis on Merino genetics, has helped Melrose ewes average 23 microns wool and hoggets around 20 microns, though Dugald is aiming for finer. The average fleece weight is around 4.5kg. MEAT & WOOL » Melrose Stud R J PRESTON LTD Farm Accountants JAMES GORDON IAN COOKE E-mail: James@rjpreston.co.nz GRANT DAVID McCULLOCH E-mail: Grant@rjpreston.co.nz TELEPHONE: 03 358 5686 www.rjpreston.co.nz 32B SHEFFIELD CRESCENT PO BOX 39065, CHRISTCHURCH 8545 Drilling & Cultivation Nick Abbott 0274 302 413 Proud to support Melrose Stud Proudly supporting Melrose Stud The result is a physically different sheep with greater muscle and fat, selected for strong fertility traits and resistance to footrot and flystrike.
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