Sheep NewZ #21 Summer 2020 - NZ Sheep Breeders
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Sheep NewZ #21 Summer 2020
Hello Members,
Special thanks to Janine Smith for putting together a great
ASSOCIATION NEWS & VIEWS
profile for her Glen Leith Romneys. Also thanks to our
From The President
regular contributors of articles and photos for the NewZ. I
have had several favourable comments lately on its content. What interesting times we live in at
Very encouraging. This time we’re all about wool with present. The Covid pandemic marches
several interesting articles. on around the world - seemingly out of
control in some parts. Two important
A couple of weekends ago I attended the AGM of the NZ
elections have been held with both the
Rare Breeds Conservation Society – a very select gathering
USA and NZ looking forward to being controlled by the
of 16 this time, regrettably (though many apologies) - as
Left/Centre Left – I say “looking forward” with tongue – in
there were three very interesting speakers – a well-known
- cheek! I find it very strange that a block of people, who
poultry breeder, Mr Ian Selby from Taranaki; an equally
produce around sixty percent of our country’s income, will
well known pig breeder and international judge, Mr Pierre
have virtually no representation in Parliament. Perhaps its
(Peter) Le Bas who shares his time between family in NZ
time for a Farmers’ Party or Producers’ Party!
and the UK and finally Chris Garrett, a harness maker and
head of the Donkey Sanctuary, UK. On talking to Chris I As I write we have had 58mm of rain, which was very much
learned he had also trained as a blade shearer in the UK but needed for crops, and more importantly to keep the grass
now only does a few for small holders. On the Sunday we growing for lambs. The lambing season here in Canterbury
visited John Earney’s property, “Avonstour Island”. This is could not have been better. Although scanning was back
a specialist rare breeds farm off the Forgotten Highway out this was, by all reports, balanced out by very good survival
of Stratford. John has several different feral sheep breeds as rates. Hopefully, we will not see any further drastic price
well as his now unregistered Dorset Horn stud and a variety reductions for our sheep meat.
of other species.
The NZRBCS is trying to track down remnant flocks of NZ What to do with wool? I find it hard to believe that such a
Drysdale sheep – once 600,000 strong - they seem to have wonderful product is only worth a pittance of its true value.
vanished from NZ farms. Please advise me if you know the The agricultural media is awash with articles from all
whereabouts of any purebreds as they would be keen to corners of this industry, so basically anything being said is
acquire some, at least to take semen and or embryos for only repeating what has been said before. As I see it the
future use. Maybe with the recently much touted resurgence major problem with wool is that it only commands approxi-
in wool they will be needed in the near future? mately 2% of the World’s fibre market. Therein lies the
problem. The high-end fashion market that has been using
The photo below is of our Ryeland (W/F) & Shropshire Merino wool to make some wonderful products is perhaps
(B/F) ram hoggets on their way to the shed to be shorn the example the rest of the wool industry needs to follow.
tomorrow. Final pick is still to be made. Make something out of your particular style of wool that the
consumer wants and really push it!
The ram selling season is about to start. I would like to take
this opportunity to wish all ram breeders well in their sales.
To the ram buyers remember that your ram purchase has an
effect on your breeding programme for the upcoming year
[and the future! - Editor]. Use the data that is provided
wisely in your decisions.
All the best for the upcoming festive season.
Tom Burrows
Helen McKenzie President NZSBA
Editor
(06) 372 7842 or
Email: rosemarkie@wise.net.nz
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
From The General Manager As this topic is in everyone’s conversation, I should also
mention Covid-19, as it is really optimistic news about the
I am writing this report a week after show week, which many vaccines now surfacing. I don’t take the flu vaccine,
should really be renamed race week, as we had races, but no but if it means the only way I will be able to travel overseas
show. The NZ Agricultural Show (formerly Canterbury A & to see my daughter I will be taking it.
P) agreed in May not to have a show, and so we had
tremendous weather and races. To our sponsors thank you for your continued support, and
to members, let’s hope Ram Selling goes well, and here’s
Congratulations to the Canterbury Racing Industry for their hoping for a normal 2021.
perseverance and commitment and the Canterbury business
community is most thankful. Greg Burgess
Regarding Sheep 125 due to the uncertainty regarding General Manager, NZSBA
covid-19, planning has been on hold, but our committee will
soon get back into action regarding activities in and around
next year’s show.
We are having an audio conference call this week. “Wood burns faster when you have to cut
and chop it yourself.”
Jumpers for guys and jumpers for gals are being made and Harrison Ford
will be available early next year. Sizes and the cost will be
circulated to members next year.
Our office will be undergoing much needed renovations and
painting over the Christmas break, so I will be at the office
every day trying not to get in their way, but the remaining
staff won’t return until Monday 25th January 2021.
This year’s Flock Book is being circulated and remember
the Flock Book can be also sourced from our website
www.nzsheep.co.nz
I was asked about Pedigree recording this month. Pedigree
recording like Performance recording isn’t mandatory, but is
encouraged, and is an option for interested breeders to have
their records stored, a good management tool, and should
they ever wish to performance record then it is an easier
transition.
Remember our Youth Initiative - If a young breeder
qualifies being 10 - 21 years old and has less than 50 ewes
they are exempt from all fees (subscription, breed levies,
maiden ewe fee) except activity fees… eg registering a sire.
If you qualify please contact the office and give your details.
My next communication to you will include the breeds and
the numbers so far on board.
This is a decision we should be really proud of.
The New Zealand Ewe Hogget Competition was cancelled
this year, but a significant sponsor has pulled out for next
year, and this long running commercial competition is now
in jeopardy of not being able to continue.
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
Feature Breed numbers were then the third most numerous behind, in
order, Leicester 67 and Lincoln 82.’
Romney Sheep
The following short excerpt is from Graham Meadows’
book, “Sheep Breeds of New Zealand”, Reed Books, 1997.
‘Romney were first imported into New Zealand in 1853. In
1904 a separate Romney Marsh Breed Society was
registered, with the first flock book published in 1905. In
1956, in recognition of the changes it had undergone from
its original ancestors, the name of the breed was changed to
New Zealand Romney.’
There was an earlier importation by Messrs Bennett and
Young, reaching Wellington in 1843 but according to Sheep
Production, Vol. 1 by GA Wickham and MF McDonald, the
first sustainable introduction was in 1853.
Recently the NZ Romney Sheep Breeders Association has
joined with the many breeds registered under the aegis of the
NZ Sheepbreeders’ Association.
BREED DESCRIPTION (From NZSBA Flock book)
‘The NZ Romney should be a large scopey animal, alert,
with a strong constitution able to adapt to varying
Above engraving from The New Zealand Farmer; a Century
environments. It is a dual-purpose sheep producing the
in Retrospect, August, 1982
majority of our wool exports. It produces a good proportion
ORIGIN & HISTORY – compiled by the Editor (Abridged of our prime export lambs as straight Romneys, and dams
in places) for the bulk of our down-cross prime lambs.’
I quote from well-known Australian sheep breeder, Ivan
Heazlewood’s book, “From the Sheep Pen – Short Sheep
Tales and Long Lambs Tails, published in 2012 by the Romneys have provided the dam breed for the NZ
Australian Stud Sheep Breeders’ Association Ltd. developed breeds of Perendale – Cheviot over Romney
(Tasmanian branch). initially; Coopworth – Border Leicester over Romney; and
may also feature as one of the two dam breeds used in the
‘The Romney has been known variously as the Marsh sheep, make-up of New Zealand Half Bred sheep (the main one
the Canterbury, the Kent, the Romney Marsh, and more
being English Leicester) with Merino as the sire breed.
lately the Romney.
The South of England was really the stronghold of the Down
breeds and in fact they formed a barrier around the
60,000acre area of the Kentish Coast, which had earlier been
Bodyweight
reclaimed from the sea, known as Romney Marsh…
Ewes: Average 65-67kg Rams: Average100kg
Like all longwool breeds the Romney was touched by a
wave of New Leicester enthusiasm which swept through Meat
England around 1800. That infusion was minor and
thankfully not enough to detract from the hardiness and Fleshing should be leanish, firm, dense and deep, yet
centuries-long acclimatisation of the breed to the marsh resilient to the touch.
environment…
Breeding/Lambing
In the early 19th Century, every breed had its “Bakewell”. In
the case of the Romney breed that person was Richard
Lambing percentage: 120-160%
Goord of Sittingbourne, Kent. He used the recently
demonstrated Bakewellian methods; selection, culling and
inbreeding to change the sheep of Kent from a localised,
Numbers
vaguely common type to a standardised, recognised breed.
Registered ewe numbers (NZSA Flock book (2020) are
Sixty four Romney flocks were recorded in New Zealand around 13,500
Flock Book Volume 1, 1895, about one third of them
quoting establishment in the 1870’s, four in the 1860’s and Wool
one in 1857. Of the 64 flocks registered in 1895, nine had
over 100 ewes, seventeen over 200 ewes, seven over 500 33-37microns. Fairly soft, full handling resilient wool.
ewes and five over 1,000. Interestingly Romney flock
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
STUD PROFILE # 1 One of the great successes of this joint venture is my ram
Glen Leith, Flock #3339, 176/16. He was Supreme Champion Romney at
Established 1964 Christchurch Show in 2017 and 2018. His wool is his
Owned by Janine R. Smith, outstanding trait, being white, soft and well crimped. About
75% of my hoggets have wool under 30 micron so I am
Ranfurly
definitely heading in the direction Dad intended.
Glen Leith Romney Stud was founded in 1964 when my
father, Ian Smith, purchased ewes from D.H. Kennedy and
J.F. Murray. I took over the stud in 2017 when I returned to
New Zealand after 26 years in the yacht charter business in
Greece. It was not my intention to get involved in stud
breeding, but Dad became unwell, so I was challenged with
a steep learning curve while he had to get used to
supervising from outside the race.
Glen Leith 176/16. He was Supreme Champion
Dad shearing Romney at Christchurch Show in 2017 and 2018.
Dad has always focused on wool and
progress was made quickly with the
purchase of semen from a ram called
‘Elmo’, from Tintern Grammar in
Victoria Australia. Elmo caught the eye
of Hugh Taylor, of Doughboy Romney
stud, when he had been in Australia judging so arrangements
were made to bring his genetics into the country.
Glen Leith Romneys and Dorset Downs in the mist
I sell my rams at the Maniototo Ram Fair on December 4.
Janine
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
STUD PROFILE # 2 2020 sees the Paki-iti Romney continuing with the
Pak-Iti Farms, Flock #806, foundations laid before it with continued focus on growth,
Established 1920 reproduction, survival, meat and incorporating Facial
Eczema and breeding for parasite resistance. Other breeding
Owned by Paki-iti Farms Trust, Feilding
options have been added over the years with Suffolk’s being
bred since 1995 and a Suftex flock being added in 2007
PAKI-ITI ROMNEYS - 100 YEARS OF RAM
resulting in over 500 blackface rams being sold and leased
BREEDING last year. A stabilized Romtex flock was also added in 2011
With the changing trends in breeding animals not many to offer enhanced maternal growth and meat.
studs can proudly say that they have been breeding for 100
years or more. 2020 sees Paki-iti achieve this milestone.
Our Great Grandfather, Archie Morton, began breeding
rams in 1920 with the purchase of 130 Romney ewes from
Ernest Short. The stud was then taken over by our
grandfather Pete Morton in 1937 at the age of 25, with the
Great Depression forcing Archie to find off farm work as an
animal lecturer at Massey University.
Pete then transferred the stud to William, our father, in
1975, only to have to take the running of it back over in
1988, following William’s death in a car accident. Pete, and
then a manager, ran the business through to 1999. At this
point, Stewart (26) and Andrew (24) took over the
management of Paki-iti.
Over the 100 years the sheep have changed, adapting to the
requirements of the day, but always being bred for the hill
country.
“In addition to these points, it must have a ruggedness
of constitution which will enable it to thrive under the
variety of conditions, climatic and physical obtained in
the terrain over which it is grazed, from which ranges
from Invercargill in the south to the North Cape. Of no
other breed is so much expected…”
A C Morton 1948 - describing Romney sheep – not much
has changed with the points he makes.
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
Game Changer for the Wool Industry (reprinted with the author’s permission)
Has the Green Party gifted the wool entering the waterways, being consumed and
bioaccumulating up through the food chain, and then they
industry the lifeline it needs? would show the end of life of that carpet.
In 2008 a dreadlocked Nandor Tanczos bought the ‘Waste They would show that synthetic carpet lying in a landfill, a
Minimisation Act’ through parliament, a piece of legislation thousand years from now, never to decay, a permanent blight
which has transformed the landfill and recycling industries on the living world, while they would show a woolen carpet
in New Zealand. This year the ‘Product Stewardship’ going into an industrial composting facility, pure compost
component of that legislation was enabled which makes rolling out the other end, and that returning to a farm to
manufacturers responsible for the end of life disposal of grow the next carpet.
their products. In the example of a television this would add
the $50 dollars it might cost to dismantle and reassimilate all Symbiot
its materials back into production cycles into the purchase For most of the millenia since hominids gave up their fur
price, rather than attempting to recover that cost at the end our ancestors have relied on plant and animal fibre to keep
of its life. us warm, and no fibre has warmed us like wool. Wool has
The first 6 priority products addressed by the legislation are: clothed us, given us blankets for the cold winters and rugs
for floor coverings. Human-kind has been in symbiosis with
1. plastic packaging our plant and animal domesticates, and much of the
2. tyres complexity of the modern world would not have been
possible without these relationships. It is time to forget this
3. electrical and electronic products (e-waste) gross and absurd chapter of consuming the finite fossil
resource just to replace what the living world provides us.
4. agrichemicals and their containers
Opportunity
5. refrigerants
It is important to recognize the moments to build bridges
6. farm plastics
between those who seek to protect the natural world, and
Cradle to Cradle those that derive their livelihoods from the natural world to
achieve our common goals. If the coarse wool industry were
In the seminal book ‘Cradle to Cradle : Remaking the Way
to recognize Product Stewardship as the gateway to a radical
We Make Things’ the authors Michael Braungart and
shift in consumer demand, lobby the Green Party for both
William McDonough describe remaking our industrial
Carpets and Home Insulation to become the next Priority
processes to manage a separation between ‘Biological
Products to be addressed under the legislation, then the wool
Nutrients’ and ‘Technical Nutrients’ .
industry could return to the place it belongs.
Technical nutrients are finite resources like aluminium
If the cost of dissecting a synthetic carpet into its various
where the primary energy is in extraction, and these need to
materials, and returning those materials to their
be recycled and returned to the crucibles of manufacturing.
manufacturers were included in its price then it would level
Biological Nutrients on the other hand are those which need
the playing field with woolen carpets.
to be returned to the earth, composted, and become the
fertility that grows the next generation of product. The industry could seek Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certification
to enjoy international recognition as a leader in a space
Marketing
where synthetics can never compete. This would give the
The wool industry has long struggled to muster convincing industry a massive ecological, technical and marketing
points as to why a consumer should buy their product, to the advantage over the tragedy that is synthetics.
point that carpet sales representatives frequently refuse to
endorse their products.
Simon Thomson has a 260ha drystock farm near
Raglan and is a Materials Technologist who has
But how would Greenpeace market woollen carpets? They worked in Research & Development of high
would ask where your carpets come from; they would show
performance composites in the drone and yacht racing
the oilfields of the Middle East versus the King Country’s
industries, and natural fibres and biopolymers within
green pastures, they would show an infant rolling around in
an oil slick on the floor versus on a blanket of natural wool,
the agricultural industry.
they would show the inhalation of plastic microfilaments
into that infants lungs, they would show those microplastics
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
Both rams will blow out by approximately another 6
Improve the Quality too! microns for MFD as they mature, meaning the first will be
about 32 microns as an adult, and the second about 40
It is fantastic to see new-found microns.
enthusiasm for promoting the
virtues of wool, especially in the The first ram has great wool, and if every Romney was like
this there wouldn’t be a problem, but the second has garbage
strong wool sector. It is a product
wool. It has huge fibres that likely exceed 80 micron in
with a great story and good
diameter and that are in all probability medulated, meaning
sustainability credentials in the they will remain white if dyed and stand out prominently in
emerging carbon economy. It any carpet made from this wool. Equally the fibres that can
should be a winner! Jon Hickford be seen at around 8 microns in diameter will break and fall
There is one challenge though: high value markets demand out of carpet as lint. It will be the carpet that ‘keeps on
quality and consistency, and I am not sure that we can giving’! Together these fine and strong fibres will give the
deliver that currently based on what I am seeing on the back carpet buyer a bad experience, and you could understand
of the average cross-bred sheep in New Zealand. Part of the why they might then choose a synthetic product.
problem is that we ‘took our eye off the ball’ and let quality
slip, but it has been further aggravated by our obsession with Wool testing is a valuable tool for ascertaining wool quality,
wool weight as opposed to wool quality. Twice as much and while used by many fine and medium wool sheep
worthless product is no match for something that is vastly breeders, it is not something routinely used for the majority
more valuable, yet the sheep industries genetic engine SIL, of our cross-bred flocks. I know the argument will be that it
insists on having a wool weight term in the NZ Maternal is costly to do, and while that might be true if you were to
Worth Index. As I have said previously, that needs to test every flock ewe, I think you owe it to yourself to test
change, because it adds little value to breeding, or the key rams, especially stud rams. This is easily done by
‘worth’ of a sheep. sending mid-side wool samples to a test house like the New
Zealand Wool Testing Authority. It isn’t expensive relative
Quality is what is needed, not quantity, yet we still have a to many other tests you might choose to use on your sheep,
large number of low wool quality maternal rams being sold. pastures or soils.
The problem can be addressed with increased use of wool
testing, but before I get to that, I will illustrate the problem. There are most certainly good cross-bred wool rams ‘out
Here below are two wool fibre diameter histograms. They there’ in the industry and given that many of the key wool
are both from Romney ram hoggets. quality traits are moderately to highly heritable then using
them will lead to rapid improvement in wool quality. This
has to be done without losing ground for other key traits, the
ones that should be in the SIL Maternal Worth Index:
reproduction, survival, growth and adult size. Albeit,
balance that against what I have said in the past about
‘horses for courses’, because your specific breed may have
other key breeding objectives too.
Now don’t get me wrong here. Some of you will be saying:
“but where is the value proposition”? It is a fair question,
because there isn’t one currently. It would be a gamble to go
Ram 1. MFD = 25.4 micron, FDSD = 4.5 micron, 0%
down this path, and I can’t deny that, but to give a bit of
medulation
perspective, if all your lambs’ wool was similar to Ram 1,
then new market opportunities open up, and in what is
already a higher value market. Who is brave enough to take
the first step?
Jon Hickford
Professor Jon Hickford
Lincoln University
President of the NZ Institute of Agricultural and
Horticultural Science
Ram 2. MFD = 33.5 micron, FDSD – 13.6 micron, 12.5%
medulation
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
2020 Ram 18-30 months
Amberley Show October 2020 1 Andrew Sidey, 2 Hoban Family, 3 Hoban Family
4 M & J Sidey, 5 M & J Sidey
More than 240 sheep were entered at the Show held at the
Amberley Domain, with more than 50 Corriedales, 40
2021 Premier Golden Ribbon Ram Hogget
Dorset Downs and good numbers in the other breeds
1 GR & RW Wilson, 2 GG & BM Gilbert, 3 A Sidey,
according to the Sheep Section convenor, Jimmy Gardiner.
4 A Sidey, 5 GG & BM Gilbert, 6 A Sidey
The All Breeds Champion Ewe Hogget was won by a Texel
owned by Waipara farmers Keith and Ruth Berry. They
Champion Ram GR & RW Wilson
have been breeding Texels since the 1990’s.
Reserve Champion Ram GR & RW Wilson
The Corriedale sheep breed was the Feature Breed of the
show with a special ribbon for the Champion Corriedale
2022 Woolly Ewe, over 18 months, 2 or more lambs at
Ram Hogget won by Robin Wilson of West Melton. The top
foot
sheep from the NZ Corriedale Council’s Annual Production
1 GG & BM Gilbert, 2 GG & BM Gilbert
Ram and Ewe Hogget Competitions were also on display.
The Council President, Mark Sidey won the Production Ram
2023 Shorn Ewe Over 30 months, 2 or more lambs at
Hogget Class while the Ewe Hogget Class was won by
foot
Gordon Gilbert of Southbridge.
1 Hoban Family, 2 Hoban Family
Corriedale Feature Breed Results 2024 Shorn Ewe 18 -30 months, 2 or more lambs at foot
1 Hoban Family
Class 2018 Woolly Ram over 18 months
1 GR & RW Wilson, 2 Longfield Stud 2025 Ewe, Under 18 months
1 TJ & FM Burrows, 2 TJ & FM Burrows, 3 Hoban family
2019 Ram, Over 30 months
4 TJ & FM Burrows
1 M & J Sidey, 2 Hoban Family, 3 M & J Sidey
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
OBITUARY He founded his “Burtergill” Merino stud in 1967 and
was a stud breeder until his flock was withdrawn in
Mr Arnold van Asch 2008.
Arnold supported the Merino breed very well over the
By Greg Burgess, General
40 years he was a registered breeder, serving on the
Manager NZSBA
Merino Breed Committee from 1971 to 2006 and being
I have just been informed that its chairman from 1981 to 1983.
Arnold van Asch, a Past
He was the NZSBA Merino Council representative
President of the New Zealand
1977 to 2000 and NZSBA President from 1991 -1995.
Sheepbreeders’ Association,
passed away recently. He was also the Vice President of the World Merino
Association in 2002.
Arnold was the 5th generation on the family’s Awatere
Valley Farm, “Burtergill”. A renowned Merino sheep
breeder over the years he also owned a well-respected
South Devon cattle stud. Arnold showed livestock for Arnold van Asch, RIP
four decades at his local Marlborough Show. He also
judged sheep and cattle at A & P shows throughout
New Zealand.
Arnold was always a keen supporter of the New
Zealand Sheepbreeders’ Association. He even attended
our NZSBA Council meeting this year and contributed
to the meeting.
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”
SUFFOLKNZ Expo held at Ashburton in November.
Suffolk ram hoggets at Ashburton Photo: Ian McCall
Results
Open Ram Hogget
1st Norm& Marg Carr
2nd Kerry Dwyer
3rd Stuart Sinclair
4th Eric Ross
5th Kerry Dwyer.
Commercial Ram Hogget
1st Norm & Marg Carr
2nd John Miles
3rd Symon Howard
Ewe Hogget
1st Chris Hampton
2nd Norm & Marg Carr
3rd Penni Loffhagen.
Novice class
Ram Hogget
The chairman of the Suffolk breed committee, Symon
1st& 2nd Elizabeth Hampton
Howard presents Norman Carr the Suffolk Ambassador of
Ewe Hogget the Year award Photo: Ian McCall
1st Elizabeth Hampton,
It was great to have the 4 breeds involved, everybody
Everybody had an enjoyable day it was a very relaxed enjoyed each other’s company. The day was followed with
atmosphere under a hot mid Canterbury sun. an enjoyable dinner at the Ashburton hotel.
Symon Howard
Thanks to both Carrfields & PGG Wrightson for the BBQ & Chairman, SUFFOLKNZ
refreshments well received by all.
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”Three other breeds were invited to participate at the
Ashburton showgrounds
No results (except what is below photos) given but the
following four nice photos from Ian McCall.
Guy Letham's, Hermiston, First placed Romney at
the special show at Ashburton
Dorset Down rams at Ashburton
Mark Copland holding Westmere farming's, First
place Border Leicester at Ashburton
Noman Carr holding his and Margaret's, Omagh
stud's First place Ram at the Suffolk breeders special
show at Ashburton
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”Whilst our mandate is to promote the education and
awareness of wool, I feel it goes further than this in that we
must be focused on supporting commercial entities to create
and sell wool products to drive the demand for wool fibre in
New CFW Chairman general. Under my leadership I can assure you all this will
I would like to take this opportunity to be our core focus.
formally introduce myself as the new
Chairman of Campaign For Wool NZ Trust Industry Direction
(CFWNZT). My name is Tom O’Sullivan I am acutely aware of the dire predicament we find
and I joined the Campaign as a farmer trustee ourselves in for strong wool. I recognise that our efforts
following the tragic passing of our past need to address the fundamental issues with the way wool is
chairman, Renata Apatu. grown, processed, and marketed. As the saying goes - "if
nothing changes, nothing changes". Doing nothing is now
I was raised on the family farm in Hinds, Mid Canterbury simply not an option for the industry.
where my grandfather and father both farmed sheep and
cattle. Due to the dairy boom in Canterbury in the early To this end, the Campaign For Wool proactively approached
2000’s we decided to exit farming sheep on flatland in Marketing and Agri-Strategist Brian Richards (Richards
Canterbury and move to a new property, at Ashley Clinton Partners) in June to discuss the dire situation for NZ strong
in south western Hawkes Bay – Pukenui Station. wool. The Campaign For Wool board then agreed to take the
proactive step of funding Richards & Partners draw up a
My career after completing a Commerce and Marketing scoping document of a possible new transformational
Degree at Lincoln University has been a varied one but one strategy for the NZ strong wool industry.
that has been largely involved with NZ Agri Business,
particularly the meat industry. Upon the family purchasing We presented this proposal to MPI in Wellington in August
Pukenui Station in 2009, I exited my ‘corporate life’ to take as well as many stakeholders in the industry and the
up the challenge of hands-on farming in the hills of southern feedback we received from most who have seen it was very
Hawkes Bay. positive.
Over three generations of farming sheep my family has seen More recently, as many of you will be aware, the
the high and lows of the wool industry. In 1953, due to the government has announced their decision to support the
huge demand for wool (to be made into soldiers’ uniforms formation of the Strong Wool Action Group (SWAG).
for the Korean War), my grandfather Dennis O’Sullivan
paid for his entire 1,600acre block with the wool cheque that The groups’ mandate is to deliver on the key three
year! Dad recalls he and his brother picking wool off recommendations made in the recently released industry
barbed-wired fences that year such was its value. report, being;
Dad therefore struggled with the depressed prices he
• Develop a market-focused investment case and
received for wool through the 1980 and 90’s bemoaning the
strategic roadmap for the strong wool sector by
fact he could barely “buy a second hand-car” from his yearly
partnering with global experts to identify
wool revenue.
opportunities for the sector.
Sadly in the past 10 years over-seeing our farming enterprise • Establish the capability necessary to get the sector
in Hawkes Bay, I have witnessed the dramatic decline in the match fit, including the appointment of an
strong wool price to the point where in FY19, for the first Executive Officer to co-ordinate actions.
time ever in my family’s history with wool, the cost to shear • Establish a governance and co-ordination group to
our animals exceeded the revenue we received for it by represent the sector and oversee the sector’s
$6,500. Unbelievably in part due to the COVID-19 developments.
pandemic, the cost of wool to our farming business has
increased in the past 12 months to a staggering $25,000! This SWAG governance group of twelve, is being chaired
by Rob Hewett from Silver Fern Farms. I have been also
This is deadly serious and unless we can collectively move been invited to join this committee, both as a farmer and as
the industry in a new transformational direction, we are chairman of the Campaign For Wool.
seriously facing the possibility of a sunset industry. I see my
role as Chairman for the campaign as critical in doing all we Others on the group are: Kate Acland (Farmer, PAG
can to unlock a new future for this back-bone industry of our member), Andrew Morrison (Beef & Lamb NZ), Tony
country. Balfour (Ice Breaker and Nike), Steve Williamson (NZ
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”Merino), Nadine Turley (Iwi representative), Craig Hickson other wool industry stakeholders to also put forward seed
(Progressive Meats), Peter Whiteman (Seagard Masurel capital has been communicated. The key incentive here is
Wool), David Ferrier (NZ Wool Scours), John Rodwell that MPI have agreed to match industry contributions to this
(PAG author), Paul Alston (Cavalier Bremworth). initiative on a 4 to 1 basis.
Andrew Caughey has been appointed as the Executive The SWAG group is keen to provide regular updates on
Officer for the group to co-ordinate activities. Andy has vast progress and I will endeavour to keep you all posted via this
experience with wool and a strong marketing background. I CFW newsletter. I am also more than happy to discuss
am eager to contribute positively to this industry initiative SWAG or CFW matters in person if required.
and I am keen to see it move as fast as possible. I know, like
me, all NZ strong sheep farmers have seen wool transition Whilst this SWAG initiative has effectively put on hold the
from a revenue to a sizeable animal health cost in the past work we had commenced doing with Brian Richards and his
two years which is really hurting our businesses, so we team in Auckland, we will be watching developments very
urgently need action. Not that we will see the current closely and look to complement what SWAG is doing if at
situation resolved within a year or two, but we at least need all possible.
a new long term direction to give all stakeholders in the
industry some ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. I believe the work we have done with Brian will be
extremely useful in creating a new industry strategy and we
Seed funding for this group has been initiated by the big NZ hope to pick it up again when the timing is right to do so.
meat companies namely, Silver Fern Farms, Alliance,
ANZCO, Progressive Meats and AFFCO. The invitation to
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”Time to Explore Unique Areas of the South Island… Molesworth Tag a-long tours have existing itineraries that work
On this magnificent journey of a lifetime, your guide will give you a well; however, they also create bespoke tours on request. For
full understanding of life and land in this region, with the bonus of further information on the ‘Molesworth Four Day Tag-along Tour’ or
meeting Merino sheep and beef station owners. Naturally, the other exciting South Island tours, please contact Geoff and Lee.
farmers have wonderful stories to share, as farm life here is quite “We did the 4WD Tag Along Tour in October 2019. We would
different with rugged terrain, extreme scorching summers to highly recommend this tour for its mix of magnificent scenery,
snowy, freezing cold winters. At the majority of these Stations the challenging 4WD tracks, highly entertaining commentary,
farm couples will host lunch or morning tea. hospitality and good fun. It is one thing to look at great scenery
At South Island Tours NZ, Geoff and Lee Swift are tour experts, and marvel at it; but this tour also gets you right in the middle of it
they have 28 years of South Island tour knowledge and are hands to enjoy all it has to offer.
on owner/operators. Over the years Geoff and Lee have made Our tour guide Geoff Swift was extremely knowledgeable about the
many friends and contacts which enables them to provide you with areas covered, its history, people and highlights. The
an extra special tour experience. accommodation and food were of very good standard too. We
Smaller groups allow them to offer a more personalised, off the came away with a real understanding of the area and its people; as
beaten track tour, with a varied selection of accommodation to suit well as dozens of great photographs to help us re-live the days.
each individual group. On this tour, you have an option of Our trip will live long in the memory and we wouldn't hesitate to
individual rooms in the shearer’s quarters or a higher level of book another tour with this company”.
accommodation within a new farmhouse. Kind Regards, Graham and Joyce Bell - October 2019
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”#BALES4BLAIR
Slopedown sheep farmer Amy Blaikie,
along with Eastern Southland farmers
Brooke Cameron and Sarah Dooley, are
thrilled to be offering a unique
opportunity for local sheep farmers to
contribute towards the Southland
Charity Hospital.
Amy came up with the idea that farmers could donate
bales of wool to insulate and carpet the hospital. Her
friends Brooke and Sarah quickly got on board, and
they have gained the full support of the New Zealand
Wool Industry.
The three passionate friends who met at the local rural
playgroup are encouraging Southland farmers to help
support their vision and create a lasting memory of the
epic Blair Vining.
The Southland Charity Hospital website quotes that the
hospital will be ‘founded by the community, for the
community, and will provide healthcare for those
living in the Southern DHB Zone who would
otherwise be unable to access treatment through the
For more information on how to donate, check out
private or public systems’.
Bales4Blair on Facebook, contact your local Broker or
It goes on to say that ‘the story is just beginning: but the organisers on the numbers above.
with your help, we can ensure our community receives
the care they deserve’, and this is Amy, Brooke and
Sarah’s way of both making a contribution, and For more information contact:
encouraging local farmers to get on board. Amy Blaikie 027 389 4214
Farmers from throughout New Zealand are able to Brooke Cameron 027 737 7218
donate any full bales of wool (fleece or bellies and Sarah Dooley 027 473 365
pieces) and it will be sorted into lines at the New
Donations are being accepted until the
Zealand Wool Scouring factories.
end of January 2021
This project would not be possible without the support
and generosity of Nigel and Tony at New Zealand
Wool Scouring.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to
contact Amy Blaikie 027 389 4214,
Brooke Cameron 027 373 7218 and
Sarah Dooley 027 473 3655.
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”The Canterbury
Poll Dorset club
had a day at
Leeston for the
breeders to bring
some of their rams
for display. This is
the top pick of
each breeder. ➢
Photo: Ian McCall
A BIT OF HISTORY use coarse-woolled sheep. About 1874 Mr Ludlam’s flock
was dispersed, and most of the ewes sold were fourth, fifith
ROMNEY MARSH SHEEP.
and, sixth cross ewes, and a comparatively small number of
NZ National Library Papers Past
purebred sheep, a few very good imported rams among
Marlborough Express 9 October, 1909
them. For some time after the flock was disposed of there
ORIGIN OF THE BREED IN THE NORTH ISLAND was some difficulty in obtaining purebred rams, and in many
INTERESTING REMARKS BY AN AUTHORITY cases rams no purer than the ewes were used with the result
(NZ Times correspondent) Masterton, Oct. 6. that no progress was made in obtaining purity of the breed.
This difficulty was got over later on by the importation of
In the course of an address on Romney Marsh sheep before both Romney Marsh ewes and rams from Kent, which have
the pupils of the wool-classing classes of the Masterton had the effect of imparting more of the true Romney
Technical School and prominent breeders of the district, Mr character.
A Matthews, the well-known Romney Marsh breeder, of
Wairongomai, who is probably the best authority in the “I have often found sheep in the showyards carrying
Dominion on that particular breed of sheep, made some beautiful fine wool, but deficient in most of the
interesting remarks on the origin of the breed in the North characteristic features of a true Romney Marsh, the wool
Island of New Zealand. having the fineness of a merino but not that of a long-
woolled sheep.
“Most of our Romney Marsh sheep,” said Mr Matthews,
“have been bred up from merino ewes, as until the last few HINTS FOR WOOL GROWERS.
years scarcely any purebred ewes were imported. The early “There is no fixed type of Romney as far as wool is
settlers selected their sheep runs along the coastline or on concerned, either in England or New Zealand. At the
the banks of rivers in order to obtain water carriage for their English shows you will see sheep from the same flock
wool to the nearest shipping port, there being no roads or carrying quite different wool, and in New Zealand, if you
bridges in those days. The sheep introduced from Australia wish to sell your rams readily, you must grow two different
were merinos, and probably the most useful breed for the classes of wool. With our climate we should be able to grow
settlers’ purposes when one took into consideration the the best wool in the world, but we have to be careful not to
rough condition of the country. At that time it required a allow wool to carry us away and suffer constitution to be
light sheep to climb the rough and steep hills of the coast, neglected. In order to produce healthy wool and well-grown
and to travel to the Wellington market over the coast tracks. sheep we must feed the Romney well. The Romney is
credited with being one of the hardiest of long-wools, but in
“About the year 1856 a Mr Leonard Young imported two or its original home in the marsh or uplands of Kent it was
three Romney Marsh ewes from England, which, after accustomed to rich pasture, and consequently we cannot
running for some time at Porirua On Mr Drake’s property, hope in New Zealand to bring the breed to perfection unless
passed into the hands of the late Mr Alfred Ludlam. Mr we treat it well. It is a large sheep, and an early maturing
Ludlam obtained some merino ewes from Dr Hildebrand, of one, and if you treat it fairly it is fit for market at from
this district, and by using imported Romney Marsh rams sixteen to eighteen months old. I have grown Romney
started his flock at Waiwetu. In a few years he was able to Marsh wethers for show purpose that weighed over 90
supply settlers all over the Wellington district with crossbred pounds [40.8kg, Editor] when only fourteen months old and
rams, and they were soon used largely among the merino fed on grass only.”
ewes. Footrot about this time became such a serious trouble
among merino flocks that settlers became very anxious to .
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”Wools of New Zealand Update
Wools of New Zealand, a company 100% owned focused on driving increased demand for wool
by farming families and established in 2006, is on and capturing more value by “being no more than
the brink of making big changes. In February one step removed from the
2021, we plan to have branded Wools of New consumer”. We believe
Zealand woollen carpet sold in retail stores in that this move will help all
New Zealand. As consumers are becoming more New Zealand wool farmers
conscious about the products they buy and how as it aims to increase the
they are made, we at Wools of New Zealand see demand and consumption
an opportunity to encourage the purchase of of woollen products.
woollen carpets, with all its benefits, over
synthetic carpets. Our aim is to deliver quality
woollen carpets to New Zealanders with prices Make sure to follow the journey via our website
that are competitive with synthetic carpets to woolsnz.com or facebook @woolsnz.
provide good farm gate return on wool. We are
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”The Lost Sheep
by Lynne Grove “Replace plastic with a product that lasts.
Meet UN goals, climate forecasts.
Pull the wool from your eyes
Make carpets, blankets, insulation. Give wool-
Look locally, the answer lies
growers compensation!”
across the paddock, in the shed.
Quickly, before the last sheep’s led Wool kept us warm, saved our mental health
to slaughter at the Alliance through Lockdown, and could lead to wealth
meek as a lamb, without defiance. with R&D, targets, investment,
let’s seek production reassessment.
A dollar a kilo, too scant to restore,
too low to keep the wolf from the door. Buy wool! Grow New Zealand’s flock.
Too late, the world will realise Increase our national woolly stock.
The last sheep’s gone, wool’s demise. ‘Wild and woolly’, an NZ campaign,
Yesterday’s cream of the crop, Eco plus, economic gain.
Wool industry for the chop.
Peak sheep in nineteen eighty-two
Lose a sustainable resource? Now five per person, way too few.
A world without wool? There must be recourse…. Under the weather, short of assets?
But wait! Knitters are up in arms! Wool should be a vital facet
No fleece to spin, no source for yarns. to aid our regions in recovery,
Needles crossed, carders in hand, Spin a wool-based rediscovery.
they ply their message, yarn-bomb the land.
Soon shearers gather, handpieces raised No more our family’s black sheep
Demanding policy be re-appraised. Wool should peak, a resource to keep.
Our lost sheep found, rejoice together,
Farmers block roads with four-wheel bikes,
Each lamb is precious, each ewe, each wether.
Battle opinion, gain Facebook likes.
Shear joy! For work and for pleasure,
Herd their mobs to mob the steps
Wool – New Zealand’s national treasure.
of Parliament, joined by reps
of Agriculture, Fibre and Food,
growing support, charging the mood.
Schoolkids emerge in wool uniform
advocating product reform.
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”The office had this query from a firm in Norway re
NZ farmers possible interest in the product below.
SMARTBELLS
Smartbjella is the brand name for Smartbells, company
founded in Norway by farmers with over 20K units
deployed in the market already. The tracker is a robust,
simple to use and affordable solution for farmers to keep
control of their stock and faster herding time while free
grazing season. The ultra-long battery life given by the
innovative NB-IoT technology provides farmers a
maintenance free unit with up to 10y service lifetime.
Historical data, accounting loss of stock, movement patterns
and death alarms are some of the benefits while using
Smartbells form your phone or PC.
Marcos Arizti
CEO // Smartbells AS
T: +47 99 55 71 00 M: +47 979 580 35
W: https://smartbjella.no/
Youtube: https://youtu.be/rUSZ61SXGmU
Received these two photos of SAMM sheep from Australia
after publication of the last newsletter which featured
SAMM. The top photo says “Gracefield ewes” but no
caption was given for the ram photo.
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”FOR SALE Note: CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
FREE advertisements are available for member
Kaituna Ram Sale breeders with surplus stud sheep for sale.
Full or half page ads may have a charge. Talk to
Wednesday 9 December 2020 Greg!
95 rams on offer
Remember the “Sheep NewZ” goes up on the
Hampshire, South Suffolk, Poll Dorset and website, available to be read by anyone with an
Southdown interest in sheep!!!
Email adverts to the Editor or
Ram videos and full catalogue also available
greg@nzsheep.co.nz
here: bidr.co.nz/auction/573
Sheep Breeds posters are available at The Closing Date for next issue of
the Office. the newsletter will be February 20th
Contact: greg@nzsheep.co.nz for the March 2021 newsletter.
Please get items in well before the
deadline!!!
“FEATURE BREED” open to
NZSBA JERSEY/PULLOVERS – We All Breeds, but particularly
are currently investigating producing a breeds not featured yet.
large run of jersey/pullovers for
members to purchase. They will have If you would like to be part of this section or the
the NZSBA logo on them and some will newsletter, photos and stud histories of all
breeds are accepted at any time for next issue.
have Sheep 125 on them also to celebrate
125 years of stud breeding. EMAIL OR POST TO THE EDITOR – see
https://www.truefleece.co.nz/collections front page for address details.
https://www.wildsouthclothing.co.nz/Product/MM047/
320-AWAKINO-P%7COVER Published by NZ Sheepbreeders’ Association
Email: greg@nzsheep.co.nz
Any feedback would be appreciated –
Phone: (03) 358 9412
greg@nzsheep.co.nz
The Association accepts no responsibility for the
accuracy of any published opinion, nor information,
supplied by individuals or reprinted from other
sources. Items may be abridged or edited.
“Fostering the improvement of all sheep breeds and providing a unified body whose collective voice
has a beneficial effect on the total New Zealand sheep industry.”You can also read
