| 53 A sharp focus on genetic performance Alongside their core flock of 2500 ewes and 720 hoggets, the couple finish all their own lambs and trade 5000 to 6000 store lambs each summer. Jim Burrows and Kim Marshall. Kelly Deeks MEAT & WOOL » Glenlake Farm Waipara farmers Jim Burrows and Kim Marshall are putting a sharp focus on genetic performance and stock management for Glenlake Farm’s growing Angus stud, while continuing to run a successful sheep and trading operation across their 840-hectare property. The couple bought Glenlake Farm in 2018 and wasted no time establishing Glenlake Angus in 2019, after Jim had developed a passion for stud breeding through previous work on other Angus operations. “I really liked the stud side of things,” he says. “We started out with a base of heifers from a couple of large studs, a few embryos, and some quality cows from dispersal sales in the North Island.” Glenlake Angus places a strong emphasis on phenotype, a trait Jim has carried through from previous studs, and is now complementing this with an increasing focus on performance data and breeding values. “We’re targeting the yearling market, particularly for heifer mating, so calving ease is our top priority,” Jim says. “We’re also selecting for growth and other production traits, balancing structural soundness with genetic performance.” With a small herd of about 75 registered cows and 45 commercial breeders, Glenlake Angus is still in the early stages, and Jim admits that marketing is one of the biggest challenges. “We’re just doing private sales on-farm, mostly through word of mouth, emails, and a bit of social media,” he says. Beyond the stud, the wider farming operation is a flexible, mixed system that enables Jim and Kim to adapt to the vagaries of North Canterbury’s unpredictable climate. Alongside their core flock of 2500 ewes and 720 hoggets, the couple finish all their own lambs and trade 5000 to 6000 store lambs each summer, with a few cattle also running through the system depending on feed. “We can scale the trading side up or down depending on the season,” Jim says. “Last summer was one of the driest on record until Christmas, then it turned wet, so having that flexibility was crucial.” The couple run a high-performing sheep flock, with a strong focus on animal health and minimal need for drenching. While sheep represent a smaller proportion of total stock units, Jim says they are managed intensively and contribute significant value. In addition to livestock, Jim and Kim have made substantial investments in improving Glenlake’s infrastructure and productivity. “We’ve done a lot of fencing and pasture renewal over the past seven years,” Jim says. “The soil testing showed some major phosphorus deficiencies, so we applied higher rates and we’re seeing really good results.” Their ongoing commitment to sustainable and profitable farming earned them the Rabobank Agri-Business Management Award at the 2023 Ballance Farm Environment Awards, an experience that also provided valuable insights into their business performance. “It helped us set our benchmarks and confirm our systems are working,” Kim says. “But it also showed us how high the bar is , and there is always room to do better.” With Glenlake Angus now firmly established, Jim and Kim continue to build toward a resilient, high-performing farming business, driven by data, genetics, and determination. • LIVESTOCK CARTAGE • GENERAL FREIGHT • BULK & FERTILISER 99 Ward Rd, Cheviot 7310 03 319 8644 | 0276 776 787 ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited Walking the talk with generations of expertise Talk to us about how we can prepare your farm for the future. H250130_ANZ_Business_WaterfordPress_W257xH100mm_v2FA.indd 2 ɐDP
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