54 | Every additional kilogram more valuable Sale rams. Russell Fredric With high sheep meat prices engendering renewed confidence across the sector, every additional kilogram of carcass weight is becoming increasingly valuable. For Southland sheep stud Rosedale Growbulk, this environment reinforces a breeding philosophy focused on helping commercial farmers capture as much value as possible from every lamb they send to the processor. Operating from the Morrison family’s farm in Waikaia Valley, Rosedale Growbulk has spent decades refining genetics designed to improve productivity, profitability and resilience. Don Morrison says the stud’s breeding programme centres on producing sheep that can consistently convert grass into saleable kilograms while maintaining the maternal traits needed to underpin flock performance. “Every extra kilo matters when lamb prices are strong, and the genetics behind those kilos become increasingly important.” A key component of the programme is the widespread incorporation of Myomax and Loinmax muscling genes throughout Rosedale’s sale rams. These genetics have been selected to increase muscling and carcass yield, helping commercial producers maximise returns from finished stock. Alongside muscling, fertility remains a major focus. The GDF9 twinning gene has become firmly established within the stud and commercial flock, contributing to higher lambing percentages and greater overall productivity. The stud has also embraced predictive DNA breeding, SNP chip technology and advanced electronic data collection systems, allowing traits to be identified and accelerated with a level of accuracy not available to previous generations. “Body condition score is still the one attribute that most drives performance,” Don says. As a foundational production trait, body condition influences fertility, lamb survival, milk production, growth rates and the ability of sheep to recover from seasonal challenges. It also underpins a ewe’s ability to perform consistently from season to season, particularly through difficult summers or tough winters. While modern technologies now guide breeding decisions, these tools are used to complement practical stockmanship rather than replace it and Don believes many of the principles underpinning profitable sheep farming remain unchanged. Trait measurement and data analysis have also enabled Rosedale to identify and select for characteristics such as intramuscular fat (IMF) and meat pH, traits increasingly linked to consumer eating quality and repeat purchasing decisions. This allows the breeding programme to target not only production gains on-farm, but also performance further along the supply chain. The production focus extends across the stud’s range of sheep. RURAL PEOPLE » Rosedale Rosedale offers its Growbulk and Romney maternal rams, alongside Growbulk/Beltex crosses suited to hogget mating programmes and Suffolk and SuffTex terminal sires designed to maximise finishing performance. “Performance and production have lifted with our high-tech breeding operation, but a good sheep is still a good sheep.” The emphasis on production reflects a significant evolution from the stud’s earlier focus on dualpurpose Romney sheep and wool production. While market changes prompted a shift toward meat traits, wool production has been retained, benefiting from strong prices of nearly $7 a kilogram clean achieved this season. “The adoption of crossbreeding and advanced genetic technologies has delivered faster gains and greater commercial relevance in a true dual purpose sheep.” Established by the Morrison family in 1876 and selling stud rams since 1925, Rosedale Growbulk now combines more than a century of sheep breeding experience with modern genetic tools, all directed toward a simple objective; helping commercial farmers produce more kilograms of quality lamb from every season. Despite the advances made, Don believes the fundamentals are still the same. “What hasn’t changed is the basic mantra instilled in me by my grandfather Les; feet, constitution, conformation and top-line.” “Body condition score is still the one attribute that most drives performance.” Phone: 03 208 9385 Fax: 03 208 9388 Email: admin@abgraylaw.co.nz www.abgraylaw.co.nz PO Box 293 33B Main Street, Gore, 9710, NZ DX YB92511 A.B. Gray & Associates BARRISTERS & SOLICITORS For experienced professional legal assistance with • Buying and Selling of Farms • Farm Succession • Finance and Re-Finance
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