| 51 Move to spray irrigation Karen Phelps As Gibberslea Farm at Glenavy, South Canterbury, faces regulatory changes it is prompting small changes to the farming system to ensure the 246ha property remains viable. The farm has to convert from 180ha of land under border dyke to spray irrigation by 2028. “We plan to put a lateral irrigation system in as the first stage in 2026, which will cover around 70ha,” explains Ross McCulloch. “This will instigate a change to farming policy as farming ewes under these areas probably won’t make commercial sense. So we’ll look at fattening more lambs or more beef under the irrigated areas to pay for it.” The farm has already begun testing this approach. “We did store lambs this year as we had a good year growing feed so bought 300 store lambs and that worked well,” says Ross. “We bought them end of March and sold them around June/July so hopefully we’ll be able to do the same this year.” The farm’s use of specialist pasture mixes has supported this diversification. Over the past five seasons, Gibberslea has planted paddocks of plantain and clover, which have improved lamb growth rates. “The lambs do well and mums milk good on it so it’s been a good move,” says Ross. “Through experimentation we have refined the mix after discovering stock would eat the plantain down hard and leave the chicory. We now do plantain with clover and small amounts of prairie grass.” This improved pasture performance has had practical benefits. “Because we had a good growing season and put in some paddocks into plantain and clover, we got more lambs off mum at Christmas and sent them to the works, which is less lambs to fatten over summer.” Ross, who farms with father Bruce, says Gibberslea remains committed to its core sheep operation. The farm runs 1200 commercial Coopworth ewes and 300 hoggets, alongside small Coopworth, Texel RURAL PEOPLE » Phoebe Stud / Gibberslea Farm and Dorset Downs studs of around 60 sheep each. In an area where sheep farming has become increasingly rare, it stands as one of the last bastions of this tradition. “I want to keep the studs going while I’m alive,” says Bruce. “Ross says there is more money in cattle. He’s probably right, but I’ve always liked sheep.” One of the distinctive aspects of Gibberslea Farm’s operation is its small-scale business Nat-ewe-ral Wool (nateweralwool.co.nz). Bales of the farm’s ewe lamb wool - white and black wool of multiple shades - is spun into balls of wool and woven by century-old weaving machines in Oamaru into products such as blankets, hot water bottle covers and scarves. It’s also sold to knitters. “We have sold wool as far afield as the USA. People love how well it knits up and how soft it is.” Believing that good farming starts from the soil up, partnering with Bio Active Soil the family has a commitment to soil health through organic fertilisers, which has yielded good results. “We’ve noticed a huge difference in animal health. We’ve just been tailing and the ewes hardly have a dag on them now,” says Ross. “They are in better condition, not under stress and have plenty of ‘go’ in them.” He believes this is because the soil is now healthier and producing better feed. “When we started with Bio Active Soil we might have got eight worms to a spadesful with conventional fertilisers, now there might be 50. The worms aerate the soil and apply nutrients. They do a lot of the work for us.” This focus has also improved meat quality. “They have been killing out well and have good intramuscular fat for our area,” says Ross. “We are what we eat and if the animals are eating healthy it’s a win-win.” The farm also has a small cattle operation, around 60-70 bobby calves get taken through and fattened on farm to two years old. This year, responding to strong beef prices, the farm will take 50 bull calves through to 200kg for autumn sale. 3 Usk St, Oamaru 9400 | www.nops.co.nz | 03 434 7766 for Gibberslea Farm Plenty to keep Grant busy Sue Russell Grant and Di Beckett own and operate Phoebe Stud, founded in 1994 and located at Broadfield, near Christchurch, though originally based on the home farm at Cheviot, where the Beckett family has farmed for over 130 years. The entire operation includes standardbred race horses, Suffolk sheep and more recently the Beltex sheep breed, plenty to keep Grant busy on a day-to-day basis. “As long as I can remember, there have been horses around. My grandfather had some success breeding and racing, while Dad always had a mare or two, but with limited success. “It’s become a real passion of mine to breed race horses. I’ve always held an interest and followed bloodlines,” says Grant. In 2002, the first Broodmare, Ashley Sunset, was bought, having seen her advertised in the Harness Weekly. Grant was drawn to her because she traced back to the old breed of his grandfather’s. “We’ve had significant success breeding a dual Group 1 winner, amongst many that have crossed the line first, but nothing compares to the thrill of seeing Ashley Sunset’s first foal win at our local Cheviot meeting at Addington in 2007.” Prudent purchasing, following rigorous studying of bloodlines and performance followed to grow the broodmare numbers, with a shift in focus from breeding for sale to stud services, when the opportunity arose in 2018 to stand a couple of stallions, in Imperial Count and Royal Aspirations. “This was a huge challenge and a steep learning curve, as I had no experience handling and marketing a stallion.” In Phoebe Stud’s case, all the Stallions are NZ Bred, supporting local and keeping the money in the country, is something Grant says is important. “Each season we take on 30-odd outside mares for foaling and breeding, so its a busy time.” The vet is here every second day scanning the mares, while stallion collections are also done every second day, as required. Semen is sent all around the country in a chilled state. Phoebe Suffolk stud was also established in 1994 with the main focus to breed an early maturing, medium framed sheep, suited to the drier demanding north-Canterbury conditions, where its important for a lamb to grow well and be off the farm before it gets too dry. However, in very recent years Grant has added the relatively unknown Beltex breed, a heavily muscled sheep with unsurpassed meat yield. In the late 1980’s Belgian Texels were exported to the United Kingdom’ where through breeding, the modern Beltex was established. “I have a lot of time for Beltex, sometimes you need a new challenge, so when the breed was introduced to NZ, we decided to replace our Sufftex ram option with a Beltex/Suffolk cross and have just had 35 pure-bred ewes registered in the NZ Sheepbreeders flock book this year. These have been “bred up” to purebred status from our Suffolk base.” Grant acknowledges Beltex have some faults. The legs don’t necessarily point in the direction they should do, due to the wide well- muscled hind legs and they’re not the most mobile. “We are working on this through rigorous culling and sire selection. My intention is to grow the stud number to about 50.” Often meat yield is a trade off on meat quality, however, Grant says, in the case of Beltex, the meat-eating quality is superb! The carcasses are low in overall fat but do have some intramuscular fat, particularly in the loin. “This is where the market for the breed should be in my opinion. Anyone out there that is promoting and selling their own meat will take their business and their customers eating experience to a whole new level, with the introduction of some Beltex blood. As proof of this meat yield/quality capability, at the 2023 Ellesmere A & P Show hoof n hook competition, the meat works judge gave a Phoebe Stud carcass 99 out of 100. “We’ve been approached by restaurants as well, I’m not big enough to supply regularly so it’s a matter of getting some clients to commit to the breed. Opportunities exist, even for speciality butchers, as is seen with the Beltex in the UK.” Each year, from November, Phoebe Stud sells rams for sale privately. This year approximately 30 Suffolk rams will be joined by 25 Beltex/ Suffolk rams and 10 purebred Beltex rams. “It will be good to see how the market responds to this offering. I’m hoping in time Beltex, as a breed for meat yield and quality is seen as a commercially viable option for buyers wanting low birthweight, vigour, fast growth and yields like we haven’t seen in this country.” • LIVESTOCK CARTAGE • GENERAL FREIGHT • BULK & FERTILISER 99 Ward Rd, Cheviot 7310 03 319 8644 | 0276 776 787 6 Blake St, Rangiora PH: 03 313 7824 team@prosser-quirke.co.nz www.prosser-quirke.co.nz Proud to be associated with Phoebe Stud Personal & Professional Service, Farm, Commercial & Business Accountancy, Taxation Advice, Financial Returns
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