Redefining what’s Possible

When Tom Sanson and Dr Andrew Cribb took on the lease at Whangara in 2021, they knew they had to make rapid changes to bring the objectives of the stud back to fruition.

Three generations of Lane brothers have farmed Whangara, most recently the late Patrick Lane. Patrick had a big focus on using high-growth American Angus genetics that had carcass quality to boot. However, in more recent years, rightly or wrongly, the reputation of their structure had come into question and change was needed.

Cow Herd Efficiency

When you’re looking at efficiency in cattle there are two main aspects. There is profitability — maximum output from minimum input — and there’s environmental — every kilo of input produces methane so reducing input ultimately reduces the total methane emissions.

Neither of these concepts is anything new, however, the addition of the Net Feed Intake EBV on animals registered with Angus Australia has brought efficiency into the spotlight here in New Zealand.

Building Blocks of IMF

IMF gives beef its flavour, taste, tenderness and juiciness, and processors are rewarding farmers who deliver it in their cattle because the more there is, the more beef the consumer demands. The process of achieving IMF begins at conception, and there are a number of opportunities throughout the year when the farmer can get things right or wrong.

Performance Starts Here

Bryan Bendall at Seven Hills Angus has done his research and knows that for taste and flavour in beef, IMF (intramuscular fat) is the only answer. Seven Hills has been artificially inseminating (AI) their entire herd of 250 mixed age Angus cows and 110 heifers for more than 10 years.