26 | MEAT & WOOL » Joseph Burston Sue Russell Goats add to diversity of income streams Joseph Burston (inset) farms sheep cattle and angora goats near Oxford in North Canterbury. Joseph Burston’s 115 acre farm is located about 5km from Oxford, North Canterbury, not a large farm but home to a collection of sheep, cattle and angora goats. “It’s a beautiful spot near the foothills and it works really well to have a mix of animals from a grazing perspective and also different income streams,” says Joseph, who has a full-time job as Head of Science and Agriculture at Oxford Area School. The goats play an important part in pasture management, taking off the seed heads and weed species, broom, gorse, dock and thistle. As such, they contribute signi cantly to pasture health. These past two years Joseph has been experimenting with a regenerative approach; trialling multi-species pastures which contain upwards of 20 or so species, including legumes, sun owers, grasses and three or four different types of clover. “This is about bringing different nutrients to the surface, like a lolly-mixture of species that all contributes to pasture renewal.” Joseph picked-up on the concept at a workshop with Peter Barrett. Peter uses deep rooted species to bring up minerals to help the very dry country sustain green pasture longer. “Part of the thinking is you will build up soil carbon, mitigating climate change. It’s a symbiotic cycle where your plants are feeding organisms in the soil by providing them with carbon to bring essential nutrients to the plant.” As a result Joseph has noticed a huge increase in earthworms and pasture production, particular January through to March. And this plays through into bre production. “The pasture looks beautiful with species owering at slightly different times.” Joseph has 270 goats and more feed than he can use, proving the value of this biological approach. The interest in goats stems back to an Oxford A & P show exhibit. After a little more research Joseph started with 10 and built up the ock of goats by keeping the kids. Asked why he chose to farm goats Joseph says there were two key drivers. “There’s an easy and accessible market for the bre. Most of it gets sent to South Africa for processing. There is a ready market. The other reason is the ease of managing the livestock for smaller life-style blocks or farms. They’re an easy animal to herd and move around.” Having said that, Joseph also says they are not an animal you can lock up and leave. Like any good farmer, it’s necessary to keep on top of animal health issues through drenching and foot trimming. The gestation period is 150 days and Joseph says its important goats have access to shelter. “Especially for the rst two or three weeks after they are shorn as the bre contains much less lanolin than wool.” Shearing happens twice a year, timed to avoid the worst of the heat and the cold, the district experiences. Angora is used in the knitting and the Italian suiting market. Each year Joseph goats produce about 1 tonne of bre which he hand packs into fadges of about 80 to 100kg. The average value per kilo sits at $25 to $30 and this year the nest grade kid mohair has paid $58 per kilo. And having the farm provides opportunities for students to visit and experience real farm work. “I run a couple of agricultural programmes. We do classes in a local wool shed.” The history of farming goats for bre production hasn’t always been that positive here, a situation driven by what Joseph describes as a ‘Queen Street’ speculative mentality back in the 1980’s and 1990’s. “The price of the animals just got too high. Today an angora goat price is on par with sheep carrying good quality genetics.” With plentiful rain and kind temperatures Joseph says pasture growth this season has been amazing. He plans to grow the number of goats he carries on the farm as there is still additional capacity. “Having such great pasture and the mix of animals makes this farm really ef cient with optimum use of pasture. I certainly would encourage landowners to consider goats as part of their livestock mix. There’s reliable and growing demand for the bre and they’re a great animal to farm.” PHONE: Bill 027 485 8012 ~ EMAIL: oxfarm@hotmail.co.nz • ROUND BALING • (Mowing through to Cartage) Balage 1m - 1.5m Hay 1m - 1.6m • CULTIVATION • (Full Culitvation Service) 6m Roller Drill & 6m Direct Drill Rut Buster for HIRE Joseph Burston Regenerative Agriculture ELECTRIC OR COMBUSTION? Powerful 15kW electric motor; Up to 220kms on a single charge; Huge 1.6m x 1.4m of deck space; Low, low, low running costs; Equipped with 2WD/4WD, diff locks; Regenerative braking for control on steep inclines; Battery repowering; Powerful 1,000cc, 3cyl. Engine, 69HP; All steel construction; Manual 5 x speed transmission; Electophoresis anti-corrosion treatment; Equipped with 2WD/4WD, diff locks; Huge towing & carrying capacity; Equipped with a catalytic converter for low emission operation; www.tuataraatv.com info@tuataraatv.com Tel. 027 477 0070 Machinery Limited ELECTRIC ENQUIRE NOW! 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