Efficient lamb producer
Sometimes our ewes get a bit lean, especially if we have a poor autumn. The ewes are highly geared to lactate well and pour a lot of energy into their lambs. Their ability to bounce back once spring hits is remarkable.
Born To Thrive
Kaituna Romneys have been specifically bred with modern day requirements in mind. Drench resistance is one of the biggest threats to the sheep industry at present and the antidote to too much drench is NIL drench. It is one thing to go NIL, but production is essential. That is why we lamb our hoggets NIL drench and have incorporated Kg of lamb weaned as a hogget into our own index for sire selection. SIL currently do not reward hoggets for their weaning statistics - we think it is important for the long term production outlook that hoggets wean what they have at scanning time - without help.
Barber's Pole - NIL drench at its toughest
Isolate Genetic Variables
Our role is to breed better sheep so that you can feed better sheep. So many of the issues sheep present are solvable through breeding.
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Extreme Pressure
We run 1000 ewes plus hoggets and we lamb all of them undrenched. If you are born on a farm, you should thrive on that farm. Drenching dilutes genetic merit.
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Data built on Structure
Many flocks that focus mostly on breeding values lose their conformation. We started with confirmation and will keep it as we maximise provable performance.
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SIL Recorded
Supported by nextGen Agri, we record most traits and endeavour to measure as many as possible. Reproduction, growth, dag, body condition, eczema, CARLA, nextResist, resilience, eye muscle - the list goes on.
Heart room
Large Rumen
Sprung Hindquarter
Sound Feet
Growth
We believe that if hoggets are put under competitive pressure, the natural performers will show themselves. There has been no magic solution to become NIL drench, we just stopped.
It hasn't always been pretty, but it has ensured thousands of naturally effective sheep will be born into the future. Sourcing genetics from a NIL drench stud provides reassurance we are doing everything we possibly can to provide flexibility to your commercial enterprise.
Journey of a NIL drench ewe lamb
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August
Birth
The ewe lamb is born sometime between mid August and mid September to a NIL drench mother.
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September
DNA Parentage
All lambs are brought in for marking, tagging and DNA sampling. They receive a B12 5in1 + Se.
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November
Weaning
Lambs are weaned between 80 and 90 days of age and given their second B12 5in1 + Se. Ewes and lambs are dag scored.
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December
Shearing
Lambs are shorn and put back on all grass pasture. Wool 29mic average.
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February
Growth
Ewe lambs are getting into the mid to late 40kg range about now, Toxo Vax and 2 Campy Vaccines will be given through this period. Barber's Pole worm begins to really get going. Poorest performers may lose 10kg over the next 30 days to worm burden. About 20% manage to grow through Barber's Pole infection, most will significantly slow down as they adjust.
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April
Mating
Many will have lost some weight over the last month. Regular weighing ensures we can build a picture of who has adjusted to worm burden. Truly worm tolerant sheep will begin to put weight back on for 3-4 weeks leading to the ram on 25th April. Eczema ramps up. Copper Multi-min + Depodine given pre ram.
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July
Scanning + Shearing
2026 we scanned 114% in our NIL drench ewe hoggets. Growth has slowed but good condition maintained. Dry hoggets are culled from stud. Tests have shown a mid winter B12 is useful at this point. Second Shear avg 31mic.
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September
Lambing
Pre-lamb 5in1 + Selovin LA Selenium. Hoggets begin lambing, improved pastures but still an all grass system. Weights are normally 65-75kg range depending on size at mating and litter size of pregnancy.
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January
Weaning
Lambs are weaned at 90-100 days if born to a hogget. Our hogget that we have followed from birth is now a freshly minted 2th and ready to join the ram mid March. Target weight to the ram is their pre-lamb weight as a hogget.
Middle Gully
One of the main gullies on the farm that backs onto the Pelorus Sound. Typical sour Marlborough Sounds country, perfect for the stud ewes to prove their willingness to climb and forage.