Case study - Springvale Station - Hawkes Bay - Stampede CM142

Future-proofing a long legacy - Hawke’s Bay family ramps up red meat capacity

Carbon might be the crop of the moment in Central Hawke’s Bay, but one sixth generation farming family is bucking the trend and planting hundreds of hectares of new grass, not pine trees.

It’s part of a major sheep and beef development programme on Springvale Station at Tikokino,

When it’s done, the farm will be ready to produce over 25% more meat and fibre per ha, capitalising on its natural cool season growth potential from June through November, and mitigating the impact of dry summers and autumns.

Tim and Lucy Mouat own the flat to rolling 1440 ha property in partnership with Lucy’s parents David and Sharron Holden.

Tim says the decision to significantly ramp up farm output was made with an eye to their children’s future as well as lifting current earnings.

“When you do the numbers on buying more land, you might as well make the stuff you’ve got more productive.”

Soil fertility was already good, so fencing, stock water and improved pastures have been key priorities.

Part way through the project, with another 240 ha of new grass due in this coming autumn, initial investment is already making a difference.

On cold southern faces which historically under-performed, for example, autumn-sown Stampede perennial ryegrass with CM142 endophyte hit its straps at just the right time this past year.

“That country doesn’t usually grow a lot of grass, but we were able to fatten trading lambs on it right through winter,” Tim says. “It worked really well.”

Cool season growth – for both pasture and animals – is a big earner for the farm, and relatively reliable in what he calls their ‘semi summer dry’ location: “We farm to the grass we’ve got!”

Springvale currently carries approximately 11,000 stock units, including Simmental-Hereford beef cows, and Wairere Romney ewes.

The aim is to finish as many home-bred animals as possible, with 45% of terminal lambs drafted off mum and non-replacement cattle carried through to two years old. Winter trading lambs and trading cattle make up the balance.

Chicory, and a mix of Kea kale and plantain, are sown for summer and winter feed respectively; otherwise production is all grass-fed.

Crops and pasture are all direct-drilled using the farm’s own equipment.

The development will upgrade a total of 900 ha to high quality finishing land, and is projected to increase production from 261 kg/ha meat and fibre to 353 kg/ha.

Tim says when red meat prices dropped in recent years, the family did consider pausing the big project but they’re glad they persevered.

“It’s exciting. We’ve been able to hit the ground running now that things are looking up.”

Stampede is a new perennial ryegrass from Cropmark Seeds. It’s growthy, dense, and late heading with reliable yield in winter and early spring. CM142 is Cropmark’s own novel endophyte, providing robust insect protection and staggers-free grazing for sheep and cattle.