46 | Resilient herd suited to hill country On this 910ha (effective) property, the winters linger long on the steep hill tops and native tussock country. Kim Newth Southland sheep and beef farmer Linton Palmer bought his first three stud Angus cows six years ago from Meadowslea Angus and purchased another eight at the following year’s sale. He then decided to register them all and is continuing to develop productive female Angus bloodlines at Wether Hill, Dipton. On this 910ha (effective) property, the winters linger long on the steep hill tops and native tussock country. The Angus beef side of the operation calves 71 stud cows and Wether Hill also runs 57 commercial cows. As well, Linton and his partner Jayden Pattison graze a hardy flock of 2800 Romney ewes on the hills. Linton has a strong background as a shearer and has worked around the world shearing sheep. He’s won a number of local community shear events at intermediate and senior levels. With his brother Corey, Linton ran a shearing business together for almost 20 years. “I still try and shear all my own sheep. Jayden and I run the farm by ourselves. Jayden has another job as well – working on a local dairy farm, milking and calf rearing.” Linton and his brother, together with their parents, started out in partnership with the purchase of the original Wether Hill’s 543ha block in 2008. Three years ago, Linton added another neighbouring block of 382 hectares. The family is currently going through succession planning that will see Linton and Jayden take over the whole farm. “Corey bought his own block four years ago that’s up the road from Mum and Dad’s farm on the other side of Dipton.” The Meadowslea Angus genetics that Linton and Jayden started with are well-suited to Wether Hill’s challenging conditions, having been bred for high natural rib and rump fat levels needed to survive and thrive in harsh environments. Linton has also sourced rising 2yo heifers and cows from Rangatira Angus and attended the 60-year-old stud’s dispersal sale last year, seizing the opportunity to acquire capital stock cows. “Breeding here in hill country, I’m looking for a good moderate deep-bodied cow that can handle herself in tussock and come through the winter in reasonable condition to rear a good calf and get back into calf reasonably early. “Buying stud animals is a big investment for the long term; our goal is to steadily improve the female line over the next 10 to 15 years. We’re gradually MEAT & WOOL » Wether Hill Farming: Linton Palmer making progress, strategically culling poor performing cows.” There is no doubt that Wether Hill is tough farming country. Grass growth comes late in spring and usually only gets going towards the end of October. Linton says a dry autumn this year slowed growth even more than usual. His goal is to bring the mean calving date forward. Once the grass gets away, he says the cows put on condition remarkably fast. All the bull calves are sold – the best ones going to beef buyers and the rest into the dairy market –- with the majority sold as two-year-olds. “Breeding here in hill country, I’m looking for a good moderate deep-bodied cow that can handle herself in tussock and come through the winter in reasonable condition to rear a good calf and get back into calf reasonably early.” VETSOUTH ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT WETHER HILL FARMING BALCLUTHA | GORE | WINTON | INVERCARGILL | LUMSDEN | OTAUTAU | CLYDEVALE | TAPANUI 0800 VETSOUTH | vetsouth.co.nz Supporting Wether Hill Farming with practical legal advice www.prlaw.co.nz Rebecca McLeod & Janiese Priergaard-Petersen Directors 280 Gt North Road, Winton Phone 03 236 9877
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