Limited feed puts ewes at risk
Severe feed shortages in parts of the country mean many ewes are on a nutritional knife-edge heading into lambing and could be at risk of developing metabolic disorders.
Fourteen top Hereford bulls will be offered for sale at the PGG Wrightson Livestock Hereford National Sale on May 14 at the Strahan Land Company, Kiwitea.
Sourced from prominent studs from the North and South Islands, the bulls have been grazing on the Strahan property at Kiwitea for three and a half months to create a level playing field.
“The bulls are looking great despite the adverse weather - no rain, no grass – showing how great the Hereford breed is under all sorts of conditions,” says Robert Kane, chairman of the breed’s show and sales committee.
The bulls' genetics will suit the many different beef breeding programmes in New Zealand today; 70% of the bulls have below average gestation length EBVs, 65% have below average birth weight EBVs, 80% have 600-day weight EBVs in top 30% for the breed and 80% have above average EMA, with 65% in the top 30% of breed.
“A high proportion are performance bulls with top carcase and growth genetics. Some are curve benders (low birth weight EBV to high 600-day weight) and some are ideal for heifer mating or breeding bulls for the dairy market.”
The sale will kick-off with an on-farm parade at 9.30am followed by paddock inspection and judging results.
On the day the bulls will be paraded down a laneway with Chris Douglas compering and giving vendors a brief pedigree summary.
They then can be sighted in the paddock and subsequently sold on site in the marquee with a photo displayed behind the auctioneer.
The on-farm sale starts at 11.30am and will be followed by a Hereford Prime BBQ lunch.
There is an online catalogue and photos of all the bulls are available on the NZHA website.
