Sustainable Genetics Newsletter

March 2006

To wrap up our recent New Zealand trip………we parted company with John O’Brien, as he was off to inspect a grazing selected Charolais herd while we were quite anxious the visit the Rotakawa Devons in Wanganui.  We’d just spent five days viewing what I consider potentially the most commercially profitable Angus seedstock that I’d ever seen so with them fresh on our minds we headed to evaluate the cattle that Gerald Fry has widely spread throughout North America.

Mr. & Mrs. Ken McDowall, Rotakawa proprietors, greeted us warmly with a hardy lunch on a damp, windy NZ day.  The McDowalls had recently returned from a marathon trip across North America, including a stop in Georgia, which provided us much conversation.  After lunch Ken and I donned rain suits, climbed aboard a four-wheeler and off we went in a downpour to see the Rotakawa Devons.  Between showers I observed smooth, easy fleshing females of all ages that were quite uniform, though as Ken explained, he doesn’t practice close breeding.  The cows were larger (taller and heavier though the same pattern) that the Waigroup Angus, possibly due to not calving until three years of age or yet lighter stocking densities with sheep on flatter terrain, but very maternal all the same.   The bulls exhibited strong masculinity, smooth muscularity, excellent dispositions and appeared very business-like within their breeding groups.  Again, we observed cattle very much in synch with their environment that potentially offer a non-industrialized genepool for commercial application, especially where a red hide has the advantage in warmer climates.

After spending several days in NZ’s dairy region around Taranaki, we headed back to Auckland for a couple of days of sight seeing before leaving for the US.  The primary lesson learned from the trip was observing the efficiencies the New Zealand farmers were forced to build into their operations when agricultural subsidies were removed in the mid 80’s.  They are “grass farmers” in the truest sense and their livestock production models reflect those efficiencies.  We as North American livestock producers can much learn from the Kiwi’s if we’re willing to listen.

Reports of 41/97 calves across the country continue to be positive.  Most of the birth weights being reported range from the low 70’s to the mid 80’s, the calves show very little white and exhibit excellent vigor.  Our predictions however, that he generally follows the birth weight genetics in the cow/heifer he’s bred to have been confirmed.

Sustainable Genetics distribution network continues to expand with the addition of Christoph Weder in NW Alberta coming on board recently.  You can learn more about Christoph’s operation at www.spiritviewranch.com.  Also, Genetic Horizons in Kansas has added our bulls to their lineup.  Check out our website www.sustainablegenetics.com for the latest updates.

Bill Hodge 

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