26 | Diverse business handles market shifts Karen Phelps Owner of Central Otago farm Craigneuk Johnny Duncan says having a diverse operation helps to weather market fluctuations. The operation comprises 14,500 sheep wintered including hoggets and 250 breeding cows. There are also 165 velveting stags, 60 hinds, 35 spikers and 35 yearling hinds. “We aim to get everything out of the stock that we can,” he says. With regards to sheep this means fattening all stock on farm and having wool that is both fine and strong. “Having good strong hill country with a good fertiliser history and good irrigation systems that we don’t have to quit stock when things get dry like this past season,” says Johnny. “So this year we are focusing on maintaining our ram and ewe hoggets, keeping them in a healthy state rather than pushing them along, so we can put the feed into fattening lambs to finish them at their peak. Then we’ll catch the ram hoggets and ewe hoggets up next spring and through the winter with good crops.” Johnny says not pushing young breeding stock is a general farm philosophy: “We get a better mature sheep out of not pushing the hoggets. It makes them stronger if they don’t MEAT & WOOL » Craigneuk grow too quickly for the natural state the body can handle. If they get too heavy too quickly we find it can result in issues such as twisted legs as their bodies can’t handle the rate of growth and they also learn not to forage.” Craigneuk has a Dorset Down stud and a halfbred ram stud, selling about 650 rams each year. About 250 are sold in the annual January on-farm sale, now in its 21st year, with the balance sold in February. Johnny says it was a strong sale this year with complete clearance and average price similar to the year before followed by a strong ram season as well. “I’m lucky in that I have good clientele. They are successful farmers who get the most out of their animals and take the long-term view.” Worm resistance is a focus for the stud, enhanced by the addition of worm resistant Romney ewes from Gordon Levet’s Kikitangeo Romney Stud in Northland to breed worm resistance into the halfbreds over the long term. Johnny says he is getting good worm resistance in the Romney flock and is working on this trait in the elite Merinos as well. Work done on the Romneys and Merinos filters through to the half breds. Daughter Briar tagging Dorset Down lambs and son Toby tagging worm resistant Romney lambs. “I think we have a lot to learn regarding what types of pastures to graze sheep on at certain times of the year and that will help with worm resistance as well. You can’t just look at one channel – it has to be a multi faceted approach taking into account feeding to make it easier for the animal to build up resistance as well.” Craigneuk consists of two main farms: 2500ha Craigneuk and 2800ha Awatea, both in the Maniototo Plains. An additional 1700ha hill block located between the two farms, and a 160ha block near Craigneuk have made more room for stock to spread out to balance the more intensively run flats of their farming operation. Two thirds of the farms is hill country with irrigated flat land going down to the Taieri River. The family has 425 shares in the Maniototo West Side Irrigation Company. The family also has shares in a 390ha dairy farm milking 1050 cows located next door to Awatea, the block has allowed them to fatten 70 beef cross calves they obtain from the dairy farm each year, creating further diversity in their eclectic business. • Glyphosate, Pasture & Crop Protection applications • Licensed ONEsystem Applicators • Latest GPS technology and accuracy including Auto Steer • Technical Advice Agricultural Spraying & Spreading Craigneuk Jimmy Pyle 027 447 9822 precisionworks@icloud.com Follow us on Facebook Dorset Down ewes heading to the hill for the summer. A stunning merino ewe fleece.
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