NZ Dairy Autumn 2021

100 | nz dairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Te Matai Stud: Stuart & Delwyn Honeyfield Focus on genetic gains paying off Te Matai’s Delwyn and Stuart Honeyfield. Kim Newth S erving on the governing board of Ayrshire New Zealand has deepened Taranaki farmer Stuart Honeyfield’s appreciation for the breed and the ongoing genetic gains being achieved. Stuart and wife Delwyn are the third genera- tion of Honeyfields on the family farm, north of Waitara, home to Te Matai stud and a herd of 360 cows comprised predominantly of pedigree Ayrshire, plus 80 or so dairy heifer replacements. Stuart purchased his first Ayrshire – pedigree Burnside Marie – in 1984. The stud has produced some outstanding animals over the years: homegrown bulls to have made it into the Semayr catalogue include Te Matai Whiskey Seven, Te Matai Wendy’s Boy, Te Matai Protein Pak and Te Matai Elvis. Stuart is enjoying being able to make a contri- bution at the national level, after his election to Ayrshire New Zealand. “I’m very interested in the breeding side and am also on the Semayr subcommittee that chan- nels the breeding arm of the association,” he says. Ayrshire New Zealand runs a sire proving pro- gramme to ensure the breed maintains its position as a breed of choice and an annual herd book is published each year with details of all animals registered as pedigrees. “It’s all about trying to encourage and make available better genetics that will take the Ayrshire breed forward into the future. “We can use genomic selection as a tool to increase the reliability of young bulls coming through – it takes away the guesswork – some of the Ayrshire bulls making it through LIC are some of the best bulls we have had in years.” At Te Matai, Stuart says the emphasis has always been on commercial farming rather than producing show animals. “To that end, our focus is on animals that perform and produce – what I’m interested in is, ‘will they produce and perform under my conditions’. We’re a coastal farm and it gets pretty dry here so the animals have to be hardy. They need to hold their condition and still milk during the harder periods of the season.” Selection has always been targeted at achiev- ing good all-rounders – easy care, functional cows with good temperament and capacity. • to page 101 Supporting Regional New Zealand www.velocite.co.nz Is your business heading in the right direction? See us for your Agri accounting & business solutions www.energyvets.co.nz enquiries@energyvets.co.nz ENERGY VETS TARANAKI LTD Inglewood Clinic (06) 756 7228 Waitara Clinic (06) 754 8791 Payne Electrical 2014 LTD PROUD TO OFFER OUR SERVICES TARANAKI WIDE Electrical installations & servicing, plus repairs on a wide range of appliances & equipment. Full Electrical Designs • Electrical Installation & Servicing • Electrical Inspections Network Installations, ICP’s & Connections • Phone / Data Installation & Servicing Air Conditioning Installations & Servicing • Appliance Testing On & Off Site TV Installation & Servicing • Aerial & Dish, Freeview Installations 24/7 After Hours Emergency Call Out Service phone. (06) 754 8341 email. office@payneelectrical.org.nz www. payneelectrical.org.nz