World Hereford Conference delegates visit
Avisit by Boehringer Ingelheim World Hereford Conference delegates to Otapawa Poll Herefords at Tiraumea was one of the highlights of the sold-out North Island Pre-Tour recently.
The New Zealand Hereford Association and Boehringer Ingelheim hosted the 18th World Hereford Conference in Queenstown from March 9 to 13.
There were 125 international visitors who disembarked into a beautiful windless day at Tiraumea prior to the conference.
The Robbie family hosted the group for lunch and a tour of the stud Hereford cattle and Donald and Marlene Robbie's 1ha garden.
A home-grown Hereford lunch was prepared by Black Stump Cafe which catered in the woolshed on farm.
“It was a bit of a squeeze to seat nearly 150 people together,” said Stuart Robbie.
“But it was great to be able to return host many of the international Hereford breeders who have been visited abroad by our family,” Stuart said.
With all the stud cattle on display it was a big undertaking to bring the display together on tour morning.
“With the lack of rain we had kept all of the cattle further away in the hills, making use of the rough feed and large dams.
“It was an early start to muster in and great to have family and friends all helping out and getting all the 450 head sorted into groups.”
“It’s very much a different way of farming for a lot of international breeders and a fairly new way of thinking for some also.
“Worldwide we all have the same responsibilities, more resourcefulness in the way we feed the world,” he said.
“Our genetics here at Otapawa are well sought-after as we specifically work on efficiency of production and longevity.”
For Otapawa Stud it was a successful day with sales for embryos out of Otapawa cows and orders for export semen from two young stud sires.