| 33 Farm passed down through generations Beef cattle herd. Bernadette Cooney Dunrobin Valley Farm, owned and operated by David and Liz Thomas, is a scenic 1900-hectare sheep and cattle farm located near Mossburn, halfway between Queenstown and Milford Sound. The farm has been passed down through the generations and Liz’s great-grandparents were the original owners. Today, Liz and David carry on the legacy of their forefathers, maintaining a Hereford and some Angus cattle herd and a large ewe breeding operation. The farm is spread across a diverse landscape, extending up into the foothills of the Takitimu Mountains and bordered by the Aparima River, renowned for its trout fishing. The Thomases’ farming operation includes 320 breeding cows and 60 replacement heifers, primarily Hereford cattle, with some Angus crosses. “We’ve got a little bit of Angus coming through now. We calve our two-year-olds using a low-birthweight Angus bull,” says Liz. “So, we ‘ll have some black calves that are generally terminals, but we’ll keep some for breeding, but we are still predominantly the Hereford mob we have traditionally always been.” The decision to incorporate more Angus into their herd is in response to growing current market demand. In addition to cattle, Dunrobin Valley Farm is home to 7300 Headwaters breeding ewes, plus 2000 own hoggets for replacement stock. Their Headwaters breed is a composite of Romney, Perendale, Texel, and Finn selected for their adaptability to the hill country and ability to thrive on the farm’s mixed terrain, which ranges from river flats, terrace land, and tussock high country. Becoming a part of Headwaters breeding program enables farmers like David and Liz to achieve higher premiums and returns through improved sheep’s genetics and farm systems, plus the collective know how of a nationwide network established to produce the highest quality export quality lamb for Headwaters, Lumina Lamb brand. Headwaters have won the Silver Fern Farms Market Leader Award at the 2024 Beef & Lamb Awards. Judges described Headwaters as a fine example of farmers collaborating to add value by improving their product using a combination of genetics, pasture systems, finishing and processor input. The Thomas’s will finish some of their Lumina lambs on chicory this season says David “The Headwater composite ewes are well suited to our farm. They’re adaptable to our farm type, they’re good foragers and good mothers and are easier to handle as they are a slightly more compact animal.” Liz and David will sow winter crops this summer including kale and swedes and will produce their own baleage for maintaining livestock weights over winter. MEAT & WOOL » Dunrobin Station ELECTRICAL REGISTERED ELECTRICIAN • Alterations • Maintenance • New builds • Farm buildings • Heat pump installation including full ducted systems For all your commercial and domestic electrical needs, servicing Northern and Central Southland Phone Dave 027 406 7357 Email: beerelectrical@outlook.com The farm’s balance of land types and natural shelter belts and tussock country, ensures the wellbeing of their livestock, even in challenging weathers. Dunrobin Valley Farm is not just a working farm, it also offers visitors a chance to experience rural New Zealand life through its farm stay accommodation and agritourism activities such as farm tours, fishing and hiking trails. Employing two experienced shepherds and a cultivation contractor, Dunrobin Valley Farm is a well-run, intergenerational operation that combines tradition with innovation to meet the demands of the modern agricultural market. Beef + Lamb New Zealand Silver Fern Farms 2024 Market Leader AwardWinners Providing a strategic partnership, based on leading edge genetics and management processes to create a highly efficient farm system and robust connected value chain. To find out more: www.headwaters.nz
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