Millers Flat, New Zealand

Today we visited Limehills Hereford located in Millers Flat, they were founded in 1974 by Tom Pannett. They focus on producing big sound free moving cattle that have traditional Hereford traits of fertility and efficiency. Their cow herd consists of 280 cows on various sized paddocks in both high and low countries. We were split up into 5 different groups, then asked to pick the top 3 Hereford bulls. After viewing the bulls and each group choosing their top 3 the owner gave us his opinion of the top 3. Then following it up with a trivia game over New Zealand. 

Millers Flat, New Zealand

--

Kaila R. Williams

Oklahoma State University 

Bachelor of Science in Animal Science & Agricultural Communications

American Jr. Shorthorn Association, Vice President

(580) 736-2386

kaila.williams@okstate.edu

"If you know what you want, believe in it, and make it happen."

Good Shepard Gospel Church

--

Kaila R. Williams

Oklahoma State University 

Bachelor of Science in Animal Science & Agricultural Communications

American Jr. Shorthorn Association, Vice President

(580) 736-2386

kaila.williams@okstate.edu

"If you know what you want, believe in it, and make it happen."

Thursday, May 24

This morning, we traveled to Mount Linton Genetics where they have had about 5 inches of rain in the last 48 hours. Mount Linton is a very diverse operation running 105,000 stock units which makes them the largest farm in New Zealand by way of stock units their operation runs on 32,000 acres. They run about 55,000 head of sheep, 7,500 head of Angus cattle, 23 brood mares and progeny and 1 stallion. Their sheep flock consists of Romney and Texel ewes. They have both maternal and terminal rams. 

In the afternoon, we traveled to Westholm Polled Herefords and Blue Mountain Angus stud. They run a very diverse farminng operation that includes dairy cows, beef cattle, and cross bred ewes. Their goal is to breed stock that performs well and has high production on a grass based system. 

Tonight, we are all dividing up and staying with different farm host families. 

- Halie Schovanec

Breathtaking

Today, the group didn’t go to any farms or learn anything about agriculture; today, we were strictly tourists! We first took an hour or so boat ride, where we had to disembark and take a bus over the Milford pass. At the top of the hill, we saw snow, and it snows there 300 days of the year. We then got on another boat and sailed around Doubtful Sound, which is not a Sound but a Fiord and was inaccurately named. A Fiord is carved out by a glacier while a sound is formed by erosion. The Sound goes all the way from the inland at Manapouri to the Tasman Sea. On the cruise, we saw waterfalls, rainbows, beautiful lush mountains, and a beautiful sunset over the water.

      -- Kaila Williams, Haley Bokern, and Zane Hilbig

Day 8: Earnscleugh Station

Today we traveled to Earnscleugh Station in Central Otago, which is in the South Island. It is a 52,500 acre ranch that primarily focuses mainly on producing Merino sheep. These sheep are used for their wool. We were able to tour the area where they sheer their sheep. This wool is very valuable and used in fine clothing. The wool we felt was around 12 microns. After this we toured around the ranch and were able to look at their bulls. These bulls are used on mostly commercial ranches all over New Zealand. We were able to learn a lot and see a different type of sheep operation on this tour.

Saturday Morning

Saturday morning started with an alarm call from the hotel at 4:15 a.m. It was time to travel to the south island. The airport fed us breakfast and we loaded the plane. We watched the sunrise over the mountains as we landed in Christchurch. Then we were off to our next destination!

 Silverstream Charolais, which is right outside of Christchurch, is widely recognized for their Charolais genetics. They additionally have Hereford cattle, which they incorporated into their operation 8 years ago. They were established in 1968. Brent Fisher, the owner of the operation, shared they focus their genetic selection off their customer’s needs. He said they focus on the structure of their cattle so they can handle the rugged terrain. He shared his wife earned a Ph. D. in genetics. He credits her knowledge of wealth to their success with Charolais genetics. Silverstream Charolais fattens 1,000 head of cattle per year on grass and fodder beet. They slaughter these between 14-15 months at 650-pound carcass weight. 

During the winter, Brent shared they gain about two pounds a day, he added this is unheard of in New Zealand. During the spring, the cattle can gain four to five pounds a day, this is when the cattle gain most of their weight. 

Their family is very involved with cattle genetics around the world. Brent shared he had just returned from Australia where he was judging a cattle show. They also attend the National Western Stock Show. He added they source most of their genetics from their own herd and have brought in semen from France. 

The group was extremely impressed by the quality of cattle Silverstream Charolais had on display. They were stouter, heavier muscled and had a robust rib shape compared to Charolais in the U.S. You can tune into their 30^thannual bull sale on June 13 streamed on Facebook live, Silverstream Charolais.

           After leaving Silverstream, we stopped for lunch at the Laboratory. While there we met Matt Beck and Dr. Pablo Gregorini. Matt obtained both his B.S. and M.S. from Oklahoma State. For his Masters, he studied underneath Dr. Ryan Reuter. His thesis was measuring gas emissions from grazing cattle. He is currently a PhD student at Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand where he is studying underneath Dr. Gregorini. Matt and Dr. Gregorini took us to three research stations at Lincoln and told us some of the research they are doing. The stations we went to were their dairy farm, deer farm, and the Ashley Dene Research and Development Station. They are currently researching the effects of feed supplements on Nitrogen excretion in the urine of ruminants. It was interesting to see the difference between the U.S.’s research and New Zealand research. Dr. Gregorini said, “We have met the full efficiency of products for our farms. Now we have to start finding different ways to help our environment for future generations to come.” As the U.S. is more focused on efficiency and developing new products. 

-Kaila Williams, Kiera Leddy, Jake Gould, and Samantha Howe