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Our Rams
Season Update 2024
Summer dry is the norm for this area but this year was not normal! Despite an El Nino prediction , our area was fortunate to receive rain every few weeks. The year was exceptional and grass growth was steady all summer. March tupping is usually challenging as it is often when feed covers are at their lowest and low quality, ewes are often losing weight. This year feed was available and ewes were in great condition. I actually held them up at tupping to try to cap fertility. The risk of a great season is too many triplets. It is the price you pay for ewes that will conceive twins in a drought, while losing weight, which is a more typical situation.
2024 was a flush year with great conditions
214% scanning for ewes, including 2ths which all lambed as hoggets. 3 % dry.
155% hoggets.
The ewe flock is no drench. Barbers Pole is not an issue. Tough selection pressure for dags is ongoing.
Our Nikau bred ewes have shown resilience!
Through the tough conditions over the years, with drought, high spore counts and losing body condition especially at tupping time , they still perform !
Roger Johnstone
“Kapamahunga Station “
Summer dry is the norm for this area but this year was not normal! Despite an El Nino prediction , our area was fortunate to receive rain every few weeks. The year was exceptional and grass growth was steady all summer. March tupping is usually challenging as it is often when feed covers are at their lowest and low quality, ewes are often losing weight. This year feed was available and ewes were in great condition. I actually held them up at tupping to try to cap fertility. The risk of a great season is too many triplets. It is the price you pay for ewes that will conceive twins in a drought, while losing weight, which is a more typical situation.
2024 was a flush year with great conditions
214% scanning for ewes, including 2ths which all lambed as hoggets. 3 % dry.
155% hoggets.
The ewe flock is no drench. Barbers Pole is not an issue. Tough selection pressure for dags is ongoing.
Our Nikau bred ewes have shown resilience!
Through the tough conditions over the years, with drought, high spore counts and losing body condition especially at tupping time , they still perform !
Roger Johnstone
“Kapamahunga Station “
Hogget Lambing
Hoggets are farmed exclusively on grass. I strongly believe that by successfully mating hoggets on grass we are developing genetics to perform in any environment. This year was a great on for hoggets. Good grass growth throughout the summer. Scanning 155 %. They have achieved this with minimal drench and no crop.
We did get some high spore count. All young stock are blood tested to assess GGT- an enzyme released by a stressed or damaged liver. Any showing even slight liver damage are culled. This lifts the integrity of the ewe flock and all rams sold have passed the Natural Challenge test.
Clients using top feeding and management are achieving consistent hogget scanning rates of over 130%. They are realizing the full genetic potential of these sheep. It is a challenge most years getting hogget lambs up to tupping weight by April as they are Sept/Oct born. The only dry hoggets retained in the stud flock are those that are themselves hogget lambs, these must produce twins at their 2th lambing.
Hoggets are farmed exclusively on grass. I strongly believe that by successfully mating hoggets on grass we are developing genetics to perform in any environment. This year was a great on for hoggets. Good grass growth throughout the summer. Scanning 155 %. They have achieved this with minimal drench and no crop.
We did get some high spore count. All young stock are blood tested to assess GGT- an enzyme released by a stressed or damaged liver. Any showing even slight liver damage are culled. This lifts the integrity of the ewe flock and all rams sold have passed the Natural Challenge test.
Clients using top feeding and management are achieving consistent hogget scanning rates of over 130%. They are realizing the full genetic potential of these sheep. It is a challenge most years getting hogget lambs up to tupping weight by April as they are Sept/Oct born. The only dry hoggets retained in the stud flock are those that are themselves hogget lambs, these must produce twins at their 2th lambing.
Hogget Lambing
5
Longevity
At the other end of the flock are the old ewes. Longevity is highly valued and Nikau has a 'longevity mob' of aged ewes, 6 yrs plus. These are Nikau ewes with consistent twinning and solid feet, mouths and constitution.
An old ewe in this environment is the gold in the flock. She has never been 'on the radar' and has survived and produced through drought, FE, parasites and all the other challenges our areas has.
Facial Eczema Tolerance
Flock sires are all Facial Eczema (FE) tested at .63mg/kg. FE testing has been done for the past 44 years. Nikau Coopworth is an FE Gold flock, leading genetics for Facial Eczema tolerance.
We also GGT test all ewe and ram hoggets in the face of natural challenge to assess them for FE tolerance. It is very important to be screening out the intolerant females as well as dosing the sires.
GGT is an enzyme released in the blood that is apparent when liver damage has occurred. This gives an indication of an animal’s tolerance to FE. All animals with elevated GGT are culled from the stud flock.
We are farming in a very 'hot' FE area, meaning we see spore counts each autumn. The GGT screening one of the most important tests we do. Screening our ewe flock this way, dosing all flock sires at 0.63mg/kg of sporidesmin and farming in such a challenging area gives us confidence that we have one of the most FE tolerant flocks in the country.
In the hottest FE years on record Nikau clients report higher than average lambing results. With top FE tolerance they were able to take advantage of the good feed available. Nikau clients report minimal effect and good scanning.
SIL ACE
Nikau features highly on the SIL ACE DPX list. This index is a assessment of FE tolerance, however the ACE run does not take dose rate into account. Look at the star rating to differentiate flocks testing at different levels. 5 * is the highest level.
The new NZGE on SIL shows Nikau genetics to be at the top for health traits, FEC and FE. Selection for over 40 years for a strong immune response has rewarded us with top rankings on SIL with over 1100 flocks in the evaluation.
Sheep Industry Award Winner
Nikau Coopworth - Maternal Trait Leader for Parasite Resistance.
Nikau has had a strong focus on parasite resistance. The ewe flock as been no drench since 2002. Lambs are on extended drench intervals and selection is based on above average performance with exposure to high parasite challenge.
Nikau is a founding member of Wormfec Gold. Top breeders in the country for parasite tolerance.
Lambs are weighed and drenched at weaning in mid Nov. FEC levels are monitored and all individually fec sampled in late Jan/ early Feb, and weighed and dag scored. This gives a good indication of the ability of the lamb to grow under parasite pressure and reduce fecal egg count. Barber Pole is apparent but no BP long acting drenches are used. Ewe Hoggets may receive a drench pre tup, depending on the season. This is the last lifetime drench they will receive. Hoggets were not drenched pre lamb. They are mature enough at this point to mount a strong immune response to parasites and monitoring fecs has proven they do not need another drench.
Rams
Selection is based on the use of DNA to assess heritable traits, ultrasound CT muscle scanning, faecal egg counts, GGT testing, frequent weight taking, dag score and wool weights.
This years sale rams have had 3 lifetime drenches and been selected for no dags.
Rams are sold by auction in early November. They are presented in index order with the first draft having a Reserve Price of $1000. 2nd draft $750, 3rd draft $500.
Call Kate for more information on 09 2333 230 or email [email protected]
Longevity
At the other end of the flock are the old ewes. Longevity is highly valued and Nikau has a 'longevity mob' of aged ewes, 6 yrs plus. These are Nikau ewes with consistent twinning and solid feet, mouths and constitution.
An old ewe in this environment is the gold in the flock. She has never been 'on the radar' and has survived and produced through drought, FE, parasites and all the other challenges our areas has.
Facial Eczema Tolerance
Flock sires are all Facial Eczema (FE) tested at .63mg/kg. FE testing has been done for the past 44 years. Nikau Coopworth is an FE Gold flock, leading genetics for Facial Eczema tolerance.
We also GGT test all ewe and ram hoggets in the face of natural challenge to assess them for FE tolerance. It is very important to be screening out the intolerant females as well as dosing the sires.
GGT is an enzyme released in the blood that is apparent when liver damage has occurred. This gives an indication of an animal’s tolerance to FE. All animals with elevated GGT are culled from the stud flock.
We are farming in a very 'hot' FE area, meaning we see spore counts each autumn. The GGT screening one of the most important tests we do. Screening our ewe flock this way, dosing all flock sires at 0.63mg/kg of sporidesmin and farming in such a challenging area gives us confidence that we have one of the most FE tolerant flocks in the country.
In the hottest FE years on record Nikau clients report higher than average lambing results. With top FE tolerance they were able to take advantage of the good feed available. Nikau clients report minimal effect and good scanning.
SIL ACE
Nikau features highly on the SIL ACE DPX list. This index is a assessment of FE tolerance, however the ACE run does not take dose rate into account. Look at the star rating to differentiate flocks testing at different levels. 5 * is the highest level.
The new NZGE on SIL shows Nikau genetics to be at the top for health traits, FEC and FE. Selection for over 40 years for a strong immune response has rewarded us with top rankings on SIL with over 1100 flocks in the evaluation.
Sheep Industry Award Winner
Nikau Coopworth - Maternal Trait Leader for Parasite Resistance.
Nikau has had a strong focus on parasite resistance. The ewe flock as been no drench since 2002. Lambs are on extended drench intervals and selection is based on above average performance with exposure to high parasite challenge.
Nikau is a founding member of Wormfec Gold. Top breeders in the country for parasite tolerance.
Lambs are weighed and drenched at weaning in mid Nov. FEC levels are monitored and all individually fec sampled in late Jan/ early Feb, and weighed and dag scored. This gives a good indication of the ability of the lamb to grow under parasite pressure and reduce fecal egg count. Barber Pole is apparent but no BP long acting drenches are used. Ewe Hoggets may receive a drench pre tup, depending on the season. This is the last lifetime drench they will receive. Hoggets were not drenched pre lamb. They are mature enough at this point to mount a strong immune response to parasites and monitoring fecs has proven they do not need another drench.
Rams
Selection is based on the use of DNA to assess heritable traits, ultrasound CT muscle scanning, faecal egg counts, GGT testing, frequent weight taking, dag score and wool weights.
This years sale rams have had 3 lifetime drenches and been selected for no dags.
Rams are sold by auction in early November. They are presented in index order with the first draft having a Reserve Price of $1000. 2nd draft $750, 3rd draft $500.
Call Kate for more information on 09 2333 230 or email [email protected]
A few of the reasons why I’m pleased with the rams I buy from you...
Kaipara Lamb
Supreme Winner of Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards 2016
- Very good fertility which has contributed to a docking percentage above 175% this year and hoggets on target for around 130%.
- The rams have a strong constitution.
- My footrot problems I had previously had have virtually been eliminated, one of the traits I’m most pleased with.
- Good growth rates and wether lambs sent away at around 20kg cw early in the New Year. I’m getting good meaty offspring.
- I’m very pleased that you are targeting worm resistance and I’ll continue to look for rams showing the ability to show worm resistance.
- One thing I have noticed of interest is some black spots in the wool on the odd ram. Sadly wool so depressed that that is the least of my concerns!
Kaipara Lamb
Supreme Winner of Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards 2016