6 | RURAL PEOPLE » Benmore Station Wool remains a passion for the family Benmore also runs 480 Hereford cows and the other two farms total 270 cattle. The Omarama based farming business includes Benmore Station, Ahuriri Downs and Clay Cliffs Station. Karen Phelps Despite many farmers throwing in the towel wool remains a passion for South Island farming family the Sutherlands. Comprised of Bill Sutherland and wife Kate and Andrew Sutherland and wife Deidre, their focus on the fine wool market has proved a saving grace, garnering them steady rolling contracts of 12 years with Merino New Zealand, which has been paying them above auction rates. The Omarama based farming business includes Benmore Station, Ahuriri Downs and Clay Cliffs Station. Benmore has 5800 hectares, and the other two add a further 5600ha. Stock units number around 40,000. Put to the ram this year were 13,000 Merino ewes, 4000 Merino / Romney half-bred ewes and 1000 half-bred /quarter-bred and Merino hoggets. Eighty percent of the half-bred lambs go to slaughter off Mum. Their contracts enable them to take merino lambs through the winter to get a wool cheque as well as the meat cheque. Benmore also runs 480 Hereford cows and the other two farms total 270 cattle. Cows are run on dryland on all three. Calves are weaned then go onto irrigated crop for the first winter. Steers are finished on property before their second winter and delivered to the ANZCO Aleph programme by the end of March. With regards to the sheep side of their operation the brothers have targeted balanced genetics in their studs and flocks of merino, half and quarter bred sheep, focusing on improvements in lamb survivability and growth rates and other traits while not sacrificing their fine wool with an average micron of 17.8 and clipping over 6kgs of wool for each adult merino. “Since being in the EBV system fat and muscle were the first two traits we concentrated on which also gave us a big lift in lamb survivability,” says Bill. “A focus on carcass traits has flowed through to the finishing of the wether hoggets in the spring. That’s giving us faster growth and higher yields.” The Sutherlands have built their reputation on producing quality sheep that meet both structural standards and breed type specifications. This foundation has allowed them to introduce more sophisticated genetic improvements without compromising the fundamental qualities they and their customers expect. Animal health traits form an important part of the breeding programme. “We’re regularly monitoring our drench status and using sires with a negative EBV YWEC (worm egg count),” explains Bill. “As a result, we’ve seen big improvements in parasite resistance, with historic drenching every 35-40 days over winter now extended to every 90-100 days. This development indicates the worm-resistant gene has gained traction within the flock. We also don’t have resistance to certain types of drenches. Trace elements have a big influence on our animal health.” Body condition scoring represents another key metric the brothers monitor closely. “We do this any time there is a mob of sheep in the yard to see where the mob is at. If they’re too light we find a better paddock for them if we can,” says Bill. Foot rot resistance has become increasingly important to the operation. All stud sires have EBV negative foot rot resistance. The brothers maintain a strict policy of not retaining any sires that test positive. Wool production remains central to the business model, with both brothers passionate about the fibre. They handle all their own wool classing, a skill passed down through generations. “We are so passionate about wool probably just living and breathing it all our lives. Our parents were into wool and it’s flowed down the line,” says Bill. “After a difficult three years this year we are seeing quite a rise in demand and price for fine wool,” says Bill. The genetic improvements of course flow through to their commercial flock, which is the bread and butter of the operation. The results have seen their genetics in demand and the brothers sell around 550 stud rams each year with clients from Lake Wakatipu (merinos) to the Northland (quarter-breds and half-breds). The rams are sold privately and people either come and select them from the farms or the brothers can do this for them. With Bill and Kate’s son Ben now working on Benmore the next generation coming into the family business. Waitaki Spraying 2024 Servicing the Waitaki Valley waitakispraying2024@outlook.com 027 360 7493 For all your ground spray needs Locally owned and operated by Pete and Emma Rapson PHONE 027 433 5523 DAVID O'NEILL CONTRACTING LTD Proud to be associated with Benmore Station • PLOUGHING & CULTIVATION • FINE CHOPPED SILAGE • MULCHING • FERTILISER SPREADING • DIRECT DRILLING • GENERAL CARTAGE • BALAGE • RUT BUSTING • GRAIN HARVESTING Pregnancy & Eye Muscle Scanning For all enquiries Ph Peter & Carolyn Clulee: Mob: 027 221 9799 • cluleesplace@xtra.co.nz Visual Assessment for IMF in Sheep “Respect for people, property, livestock and landscape is our overall focus,” says Bill. “We want to leave the land better than we found it. It’s about being conservatively stocked, not over grazing, good stockmanship and good stewardship of the land being passed in good condition to the next generation.”
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