36 | Glenrobin Stud built on partnerships The Robinson family. Karen Phelps “We’re now successfully developing sheep that combine the Beltex breed’s superior muscling with the structural soundness needed for New Zealand conditions.” MEAT & WOOL » Glenrobin Stud Glenrobin Stud – Beltex Sheep Ease of lambing due to the double muscling not developing until after birth. Vigorous and hardy in our cold southern spring weather, meaning good survival rates. Sires with at least half Beltex, will give you lambs with good growth and an obvious advantage in carcase weight and meat yield. The higher Beltex % you use will give you less fat and better meat yield. Inspection Welcome Michael Robinson 027 210 5977 133 Robinson Road, Glenham, 1 R D, Wyndham 9891 or Brent Robinson 027 206 4958 Two Tooth Sale end of November each year Ram lamb sale 3 March 2025 At Gore A&P Showgrounds incorporated with Bidr 50% Beltex X Lamb Carcases SHEARI NG & CRUTCHI NG C ON T R A C T I N G L T D CRENGLE - 0 2 7 4 4 4 9 4 0 6 - We are an experienced and reliable team providing top quality shearing and crutching services across Southland. Proudly Supporting Glenrobin Stud For enquiries, contact: 027 444 9406 | felicitycrengle@xtra.co.nz The Robinson family had no intention of breeding Beltex when they went to a Gallagher family sale, who were the first to import Beltex genetics to New Zealand. “We went out of curiosity and weren’t expecting to start a stud, but ended up buying a couple of Beltex rams and really liked what we saw,” says Michael Robinson. “We could see the potential in blending the high yielding double muscled Beltex with the fast growth of the Suffolk and Poll Dorset breeds.” It marked the start of Glenrobin Beltex, launched in 2018 and now comprising 380 stud ewes, a mix of Suffolk-Beltex and Poll Dorset-Beltex crosses. The stud’s foundation was built through strategic partnerships: Simon Howard from Taronga stud provided Suffolk ewes while Michael’s uncle Doug Irwin Paramount Stud contributed South Suffolk ewes, all in shared partnership. Additional Texel ewes from View Hill Stud and Poll Dorset genetics from Ohio Stud helped establish the breeding program. Glenrobin now runs two annual sales – achieving a full clearance at its inaugural two-tooth ram sale in 2023 with a second just held on 25 November, offering Beltex-Suffolk, Beltex-Poll Dorset, and three-quarter Beltex rams. The stud will offer approximately 60 ram lambs at the family’s sale at the Gore Show Grounds on March 4. “We’re now successfully developing sheep that combine the Beltex breed’s superior muscling with the structural soundness needed for New Zealand conditions,” says Michael, who operates the Glenham-based stud alongside his parents, Brent and Ann Maree Robinson. “The firm focus is on producing rams with good conformation, longevity, high growth rates, and good survival. We’re particularly focused on improving structural traits, especially feet, since there aren’t many ewes on flat country in New Zealand now.” The stud maintains careful breeding strategies, with Suffolk-Beltex lines stabilised at 50 percent, while gradually increasing Beltex percentages through the Poll Dorset program. “With the Suffolk cross, we’re aiming to maintain the black face as a marker while capturing the Beltex muscling,” says Michael. With its focus on superior genetics and practical farming solutions, he hopes that Glenrobin Beltex is positioning itself as a significant player in New Zealand’s sheep breeding industry, offering commercial farmers access to genetics that will enhance their flock’s carcass characteristics and overall performance. The 650-hectare property, which has been in the family for five generations and also runs 5,000 commercial Romney ewes and a complementary cattle operation, finishing up to 300 head annually. This includes Charolais and Simmental calves raised to 18 months, or Angus and Angus-cross cattle finished at two years old. A dedicated feeding shed is used to feed silage and fodder beet to the cattle with 30 hectares devoted to winter feed crops, kale and swede, for the sheep. Working alongside Michael is his wife Christie, who balances off-farm work as a planner with helping manage the property. The couple has three children: Oliver (5), Lucy (3), and Sophie (1), representing the next generation of this farming legacy. As succession planning gets underway, Michael’s commitment to the family farm is clear. “The plan is to take over and carry the farm on, like the previous generations have, for the generation coming after me. I have the attitude to do the best I can all the time.”
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