HubWatch – 14 November 2025

Weighing of young stock: We completed our second weigh of the 2025-born calves and were very happy with the 90kg average (range 56-126kg). That’s an average daily gain of 0.9kg. We have about 70 calves left to wean from the 207 heifer replacements reared. We also have our three Hospice Southland calves in this mob, averaging 119kg. These are great dairy-beef (Charolais and Murray Grey) animals supporting an important regional community fundraiser. Our first replacement born is our heaviest this weigh at 126kg – we look forward to seeing this animal progress through the dairy herd in years to come.

Mating submission rate: Ten days into mating, 53% of the Standard herd has submitted and 59% of the Future herd. Both herds are well ahead of the industry target of 4.3% per day. Technicians and vets across the southern region are reporting higher submission rates this year, which is great feedback. This is a strong start to mating for us and the wider region. We are nearing the end of our two weeks of fresh sexed semen for our top quartile cows (high BW, aged 2-6 years, and early calvers).

Male sexed semen: This year we purchased male sexed Changus straws for the fourth quartile animals (lower BW). We use the sexed breeding window in Allflex to ensure the straw goes into the ideal cow. We decided to use male sexed semen because male calves are in high demand and command a higher premium at every stage of their life at point of sale. Male calves grow 3-5% faster and finish 40-50kg heavier in carcass weight than their female counterparts. We did this as a point of difference to secure homes for them regardless of the market and to achieve higher returns, given the greater proportion of male calves. This aligns with our strategy of non-replacement AB calves entering a value stream that supports a sustainable future for our entity and the industry.

Beef semen – Why Changus? (Kakahu Angus and Charolais): Through the Dairy Beef Progeny Test, Changus 924 – sired by Milestone – is arguably one of the most influential Charolais sires of the decade. This sire crossed with a specifically selected Angus results in shorter gestation and smaller calves with higher calving ease than their sire. We wanted to test these dynamics before the dilution gene makes these calves fully marked in 2026, when they will no doubt be widely used.

Grass and soil temperatures: We’ve seen another significant lift in soil temperatures this week (from 12.4°C last week to 14.8°C). Grass has certainly rocketed away, with growth rates lifting to 74kg DM/ha/day for the Future herd and 80kg DM/ha/day for the Standard herd. The Future cows continue to outperform the Standard herd in milk production (2.2kg MS/cow for Futures and 2.14kg MS/cow for the Standard herd). This is significant given that the Future herd has a lower stocking rate and less imported feed than the Standard herd. We look forward to seeing how this trend continues throughout the season.