Top line-up in bull sale

Hinewaka will once again offer a top line-up of bulls for this year’s Shorthorn bull sale to be held on farm on Wednesday 6 June at 3pm.

The sale is one of the highlights on the shorthorn sale calendar as buyers from around the country come to Hinewaka to bid on some of the best shorthorns in New Zealand.

This year’s sale bulls include bulls sired by Australian sire Sprys Patent’s Ace, one of the highest muscled bulls in the breed. Also featuring are bulls sired by Sprys on Target. Both bulls are having a real impact on the breed. David is excited about the type of animals both Ace and Target have sired. They are full of thickness and muscle, and are the easy-going type suited to New Zealand hill country properties.

With the increase in dairying and dairy support on the better class of land in New Zealand, a lot of beef cattle breeding operations have been pushed to harder hill country properties, and the type of bulls needed for this class of country has changed.

Gone are the big framed, later-maturing cattle. An efficient animal is moderate framed, with good early growth, able to finish at 18 to 20 months. Fertility is the most important trait determining profitability in beef breeding operations.

Shorthorns are one of the best maternal breeds of cattle and are an ideal breed in crossbreeding programmes.

Hinewaka places huge emphasis on the female herd. All heifers have been calved as 2 year olds for the last 30 years. Today the Hinewaka herd numbers 150 cows and the best genetics are sourced from around the world.

David Blackwood uses a lot of Australian and Canadian genetics as the breeders from these countries are very commercially focused and produce cattle similar to the type we have in New Zealand.

There are 25 bulls in this year’s sale.

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