| 31 nzdairy Rosa Watson Glenalla and Snowfed Stud is gearing up for a sale in March that will be a first for the Mid Canterbury-based Jersey breeders. The sale will be held as part of the Tahora Farm sale on March 28, that will tie in nicely with the last day of the South Island Fieldays held at Kirwee. Owner Nick Gilbert said the stud was invited to be part of the sale by Dean Geddes of Tahora Holstein at Tai Tapu near Christchurch. “It’s actually his sale and he invited us to join in with him, which was quite special because he hasn’t really done that before.” It was exciting to be involved, Nick said. “It’s quite cool to be involved in that. It’s just him showing his support for us.” While Dean will have around 50 lots of his own animals, mainly Holstein Friesian cattle, Glenalla and Snowfed will have 20 to 25 Jersey cattle for sale with a handful of Holstein Friesian. It is the fourth sale Dean has held, and it was always something a bit different, Nick said. “Two years ago, he had a sale at the Tai Tapu pub. So, this is his next instalment. “He tries doing something different each time.” Glenalla and Snowfed Stud has never held its own sale before, but had sold stud breeds at shows and tag sales. Nick said stud cattle to be included in the Tahora sale would be chosen over the coming months, depending on age and in-calf and in-milk cows. “It will be all finalised before Christmas.” Spring had been kind on the farm and things were looking good, he said. “We’re really happy with the lines of two-yearolds that have come in.” The milk solid payout had come at a good time for the sale, he said. “We hope to see a good crowd there.” Nick, a fifth-generation dairy farmer, developed a keen interest as a child watching his father show jersey cows, along with his two brothers. His family owns Glenalla and Snowfed Stud. The stud goes back to his great-grandfather’s Glenalla stud that has been carried on by the family. His brothers, Michael and Luke, are also involved in the operation, along with father, Peter, who has previously sat on the Jersey New Zealand board, his mother and his wife. The family own two 180-hectare farms in Mid Canterbury – Glenalla near Rakaia and Snowfed, which is 20-minutes’ drive away at Winchmore towards Methven. Snowfed also leases another 180-hectare property. Snowfed Unix Nelda. First sale for Canterbury Jersey stud DAIRY PEOPLE » Nick Gilbert Nick runs Snowfed and Glenalla is managed by Michael. Both properties milk 600 cows. Snowfed and Glenalla have enjoyed successful showing over the years, and over the 2022/2023 summer their stud Pukekaraka Elle Delilah Exc won Supreme Champion All Breeds at the 2022 and 2023 Canterbury show. At the NZ Dairy Event, she won Senior All Breeds cow, and Snowfed Unix Nelda got an honorable mention Senior All Breeds cow. Glenalla Casino Brandy won first place Jersey and All Breeds two-year-old at the New Zealand Agricultural Show, and took out Intermediate Champion Jersey and Reserve Intermediate Champion All Breeds, and Grand Champion Jersey. She went on to take second place in the Jersey two-year-old class at the New Zealand Dairy event, and third place Jersey two-year-old at the Stratford Show. A highlight for the stud breed was a two-year-old Holstein cow that sold for $12,000, and a jersey cow that sold for $13,000. Nick Gilbert willie@littlemobileengineering.co.nz Pukekaraka Elle Delilah. Photos: Di Malcolm.
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