| 43 RURAL PEOPLE » Rosedale Growbulk Rosedale’s second century selling rams Sale rams. Russell Fredric It has been interesting to reflect on what has changed and what remains a constant as Rosedale Growbulk enters its second century of selling rams, Don Morrison says. The stud operates from the Morrison family’s 8000 stock unit farm in Waikaia Valley, Southland, established in 1876 and now in its sixth generation. “Predictive DNA breeding with the latest gene technology, SNP chips and blue toothed data capability are new tools which have allowed us to move our breeding programme forward.” The Myomax and Loinmax muscling genes are now well established through all Rosedale’s sale rams, and the GDF9 twinning gene has become a crucial part of its commercial operation and is “an exciting bonus” to offer to ram clients, Don says. Trait measurement and data analysis systems have identified the heritable traits around IMF (intra-muscular fat) and pH which influences the consumer meat eating experience, and Rosedale continues to incorporate crossbreeding options into its base breeds to further maximise performance. “What hasn’t changed though is the basic mantra instilled in me by my grandfather Les; feet, constitution, conformation, and top-line – the premise for breeding good sheep.” “Les was a great stockman and a great mentor and, growing up at Rosedale, nothing was better than the times spent with him and the Romney stud.” “Preparing rams for sale, getting ready for the Gore show and following ram fairs, mating time in April when every ewe was individually scrutinised, and September school holidays which were the best because you could spend all day with him in his 1958 Plymouth doing the lambing beat. “It was great to be a kid at Rosedale and it was a great way to learn.” At a time when there were no breeding values, other objective measurements or biological tools such as DNA or IMF measuring technology, a good stockman relied on their own stock sense, Don says. While technology is extremely useful, the lesson of feet, constitution, conformation and top-line in tandem with having a good eye for sheep remains in driving good production, he says. “In a recent telephone conversation with a new prospective ram client those words were bought home to me when she asked what is the single biggest advantage of our Rosedale rams.” This was a tough question to narrow down to one compelling feature, Don says. “It’s easy to highlight a combination of traits which affect production, but what is the one single attribute you should be breeding for that drives production. I gave it consideration and also thought back to the lessons I’d learnt from Papa (Les) and realised how nothing has really changed.” “After consideration I did answer. Body condition score; the one attribute that most drives performance.” As a foundational attribute, body condition score drives fertility and lamb survival, ewe lactation, and lamb growth rates both pre and post weaning, along with underpinning the ability to recover from a tough summer/autumn for the following years’ mating and the ability to thrive in a tough winter. “That was what Papa was talking about when he spoke of constitution and conformation. It was what he used his stock sense for in his pre-tech, pre-computer, pre-DNA breeding programme and thankfully that’s something I learnt from him and is still a core mantra at Rosedale. Rosedale still sells some of Les’ Romney’s, but has expanded with its Rosedale Growbulk maternal rams. The stud also offers Beltex/Growbulk cross for hogget mating and Suffolk and SuffTex rams as a terminal option, plus a Wiltshire cross for those who may be interested in a shedding option. “Performance and production have lifted with our high-tech breeding operation, but as it was 101 years ago at Rosedale Stud, the basics remain the same and a good sheep is still a good sheep.” For experienced professional legal assistance with • Buying and Selling of Farms • Farm Succession • Finance and Re-Finance Phone: 03 208 9385 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 PROUDLY SERVICING FARMS ACROSS SOUTHLAND/OTAGO Southern Vegetation Control Limted Agricultural Spraying www.southernvegetationcontrol.co.nz (+64) 027 4 713 705 Stock Cartage, General Cartage & Fert Spreading admin@waikakatransport.com 032072885 Don, George and Lochie Morrison.
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