A SCHOLARSHIP WELL
WORTH THE WIN
I couldn't have asked for better
hosts to allow me to cover both the North
and South Islands of New Zealand. Visiting
7 studs of different areas in August and September
allowed me to experience calving where I was
able to see calves
by Australian, American and New Zealand bulls.
I was also able to see most yearling bulls
and heifers.
I attended the FMG New Zealand Angus Association
Bull Evaluation Unit which has been going
for 6 years. Members
wanted to bring bulls together in the same
environment that may go forward to the National
Sale, so that they
could all be treated the same.
I spent time at Taura semen and embryo centre
where older New Zealand Angus sires are still
milked. Due to the North Island having a very high bull meat
market, many bulls that are not sold as sires
are being sold direct to processors
for meat at $3.20-3.80/kg carcase weight.
I wouldn't have believed that New Zealand
suffer from drought as well if I hadn't seen
photos from earlier this year,
they were also supplement feeding and still
throughout winter. Many North producers are
using magnesium capsules>
for their cows before calving and copper capsules
their R1 bulls coming into grazing of the
locked up grazing pastures.
I saw some outstanding, moderate framed cows
with plenty of potential that produced some
thick yearling bulls
and well balanced heifers. Many New Zealand
breeders are into linear measuring. I had
the experience of staying with
the president Will MacFarlane whilst measuring
and cataloguing his yearling sale bulls. Linear
measuring consists of
measurements of the rump, 2/3 and top line,
rump height, rump width, shoulder width, heart
girth and around the flank.
Apart from visiting studs, I also spent a
lot of time with Performance Beef Breeders
and was able to spend time with
Mark Stevens, PBB Product Manager who allowed
me to experience the tourism side of the North
Island as well as
sending me down a 160km/hour flying fox face
first to see if the youth attending the Angus
Forum in 2013 would like
to experience the same as I did!
Te Mania is the South Island would be a dream
property to most, looking north is snow, east
is the beach and south
west is farming. Whilst staying at Te Mania
I was able to catch up with Marcus Holden
Ag College that were also
experiencing farming of New Zealand where
we enjoyed some New Zealand lamb and beer.
The scholarship allowed
me to experience the beef industry in another
country as well as at another angle.
To top off a great New Zealand industry experience,
I stayed in Queenstown for some skiing and
bungy jumping. Mind
you they did get the cattle prodder out on
me!
I would like to thank New England Travel and
Angus Australia, the sponsors of the Trans
Tasman Exchange and I
encourage all youth members to apply for the
scholarship, it's a win worth while. It was
pleasing to visit studs and
met people that my brother did in 2006. I
can also say that I have been to the longest
place name in the world that is
found in any English speaking country: Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu.
Eliza Newcombe - 2009 Scholarship winner
