COLIN and Carol King are renowned for breeding Hereford cattle, at Bexley Stud, near Awakino. Photo supplied
TRAVELLING to the famous Awakino Gorge to attend the Bexley Hereford Sale, could be described as an adventure all in itself.
Reached via an historic road tunnel, the property of about 696 hectares, is a former dairy farm made up of easy rolling to fairly steep country.
The scenic location is where breeders Colin and Carol King have over about the last 12 years or so, set themselves the challenge of raising the ideal Hereford bull.
The couple’s stock agent, Grant Ross of Carrfields NZ, said they were – as one would expect – presenting bulls with a low birth weight and also bulls more suitable for the beef industry.
“They look through a lot of catalogues and select on certain traits, purchasing bulls from across the country. They look for a good constitution with plenty of both stretch and depth. Obviously they have to achieve very good weights at a very young age. And above all it must be quiet.”
Grant said if the Kings liked a bull and felt it would suit their herd, money seemed to be no object. An indication of how seriously they regarded the challenge of improving the genetics of their herd was that they had purchased a bull from Kairuru Stud, Reporoa, for $36,000.
“Over the years they’ve sourced bulls from the Beef Expo, and out of the South Island and across the North Island. After years of breeding they are also selecting home bred bulls. Colin has an excellent eye and states, ‘a bull must look like a bull’.
“Bulls purchased must have good growth rates along with good structure and most importantly, good temperament.
The bulls down there are also quiet which is basically a credit to Colin and Carol,” Grant said.
