Taimate Update

April/May 2011

The Autumn rains have started to arrive and it is very welcome, hopefully with a bit of warmth now there will be some good feed going in to Winter. Summer was kind to us, cooler than usual and even the odd bit of moisture!

It has been a pleasure to work in our new yards, now all complete and working superbly. Weaning was as easy as could ever be experienced. A big credit to John for all his work building the yards virtually from scratch.

Much development is happening at Taimate. With the yards complete we have moved on to new fence lines, repairs to old lines and a great deal of renewing pastures after last years shockingly wet Winter.

The Lucerne seed is just being harvested and is coming off well, freeing up paddocks for grazing which is always handy with the ram out, weaning etc.

The bulls have come through Spring and Summer out on the hill very well, they have only just come down last week to prepare for sale, with all the vet tests etc. to happen in the next couple of weeks. Scroll down and take a look at the photos below from January. I'm sure there would be hardly any bulls throughout NZ doing any where near the hill work these boys have done. Also having been run in one big mob, they've had competition for what feed there has been. 

Two bulls this year from Taimate are heading to the Nationals in mid May so the bull season is approaching incredible quickly. We are looking forward to our on farm sale on June 20th. There will be approximately 40 bulls in this years sale, up from 35 last year. The quality is just as strong, if not stronger.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to discuss or view any Taimate cattle.

Paul Hickman

March 2011

Pregnancy testing

All the rountine jobs are much lighter work in the new yards.

January 2011

The 2011 Sale Bulls enjoying the summer out on the hills.

September 2010

It has been the wettest Winter on record. In the last 4 months we have had close to 30 inches (750ml), around 50% more than our average annual rain fall.

It was a great feeling to put the first lot of cattle through the new yards, although still a work in progress, they are already having a very positive impact on day to day workings, saving time, frustration and man power. Not to mention to the pleasure of not having to work in inches of mud.

Progress on the building of the new Taimate yards...

Matt tests out the new cattle crush.

April 2010

Progress on the building of the new Taimate yards and Bull Sale Complex

As at 21/5/2010

As at 8/5/2010

Bull Sale complex pens.

Cattle yards loading bank.

March 2010

It has been a good season for the local area after a good late spring and a cool summer. Heat in late February and early March has been good for ripening crops, but a good rain is now needed for sheep and beef farms to ensure a good autumn and lead in to the winter.

It is pleasing to see the store producers getting rewarded this season, let's hope the finishers are dually rewarded also. Prices at early calf sales are very strong and it looks like this will continue with the amount of grass around the country. No doubt the Angus and Angus cross calves will be the top sellers again with finishers getting even more rewarded with such initiatives as Angus Pure.

At Taimate weaning is about to happen, the new sale complex is under way, and pregnancy testing done - with outstanding results. The rising 2 year old bulls that will go forward for sale on June 21 came down off the hill country on March 2^nd looking very well. The bulls were put out on to the hill after muscle scanning in October and have been out there unshepherded since. The results speak for themselves, the bulls are going to be looking great come June.

We wish everyone all the very best for the coming season and look forward to seeing you all here in June at our new sale complex.

Paul Hickman.