Wayne and Jan Doran, with their children Moss (back), Kate and Rory. Picture supplied
A $470 million annual earner for New Zealand that was banned earlier this year could be revived by the new National-led Government, and Wairoa’s Wayne Doran is hoping to be back in the business of exporting live animals soon.
Mr Doran, who lives at Mahanga near Māhia — after renovating an old cottage on what used to be part of Pa-Nui station — is the North Island live export manager for South Australian Livestock Services.
He has been an advocate for live cattle exports for many years and was disappointed with the former Labour Government when, in 2021, it announced that live exports by sea would be banned after a review of the practice by Mike Heron QC.
That review came after the transport ship Gulf Livestock 1 capsized in a typhoon in the East China sea on September 2, 2020.
There were 43 crew on board, including two New Zealanders, and 6000 cattle. All except two of the crew died, along with all the animals.
“It is the worst kind of news you could get. It was sad for the families involved and for the livestock.”
Mr Doran said it was a tragic and painful disaster that caused widespread repercussions for New Zealand farmers, though the Heron review recommended a continuation of the trade — with some improvements to the processes of the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Mr Doran has his own views. He does not feel the ban was warranted.
“Infometrics quantified the value of live exports out of New Zealand to be $470 million after exporting 200,000 animals annually.
“Our company was doing a third — each shipment averaging around 7000 animals with about 200 farmers averaging 35 animals each, totalling approximately 30-odd voyages annually.”
Once the heifers reach their destination, and after they calve, the cow is used to produce milk. The calf then becomes part of the replacement herd.
Mr Doran cares about animal welfare and has an affinity with cattle. When you rear them they have their own pecking order and you get to know them by name and get attached, he says.
He has visited China, where his animals are sent, giving him an insight into Chinese farming practices. He was impressed with the way they treat their animals.
“The animals that live inside the barns all looked like show animals. It is so cosy and warm — they have no sense of summer or winter, and enjoy feeding on the highest quality grain/silage.
“The intensive feeding often causes the cow not to have a cycle, so they can be milked for up to three or four years continuously. Continuous milking without the cows cycling leaves the Chinese dairy farmer without having produced the replacements needed to maintain herd numbers. That’s the market for New Zealand’s surplus heifers.
“China paid a great deal of money for livestock and therefore had a vested interest in looking after them. So the farmers have to look after the animals to be able to extract a return from them.The trade has been built over a period of approximately 30 years.
“New Zealand has come a long way and we need continual improvements to ensure that the business remains robust.
“There is no way it should be halted.”
The ban had taken New Zealand out of this market and his company has had to make alternative procurement arrangements from Chile.
Mr Doran put in a submission to the Government for continued improvement within the trade but it was rejected. He wonders “who is pulling whose tit”.
“You can have passenger liners sink but they continue to operate. But they want to condemn live export because a vessel sank, animals and people perished.
“So does that mean we should condemn road transport by truck and trailer if they crash and animals die?”
The ban affects the wellbeing of the farming community, he says.
He worries about the expense, time and stress that the ban put on farmers who were already struggling.
“What has happened to the 200,000 animals previously raised to be exported that are still produced by the farmer?
“We were exporting a by-product of the industry. The animals are now surplus to requirement for the farmer. There is no value in rearing them when our only market for them is overseas.
“The only thing the farmer can do with bobby calves is kill them for veal. They make $25 each and so the 200,000 animals are now generating about $5 million for the New Zealand farming economy, instead of $470 million.
“The ban has not protected the animals at all — in fact, the ban has condemned them to an early death.”
However, farmers’ fortunes might change as both National and Act have previously spoken about reversing the ban.
In April this year — in the week that the ban on live exports came into force — the National Party said that if elected, it would restart live exports of cattle with greater regulation to protect animal welfare and safety, such as purpose-built ships, and a certification regime for importers.
A passion for farming and livestock
Mr Doran is one of two children and realised his passion for farming and livestock early on. He attended Otorohanga College and left home at 16 after his seventh form year. He moved into the livestock industry as a trainee stock agent, and worked in Paeroa as a livestock buyer for five years before deciding to move on because he did not think he was paid enough.
He headed for the Martha Hill mine in Waihi and stayed there for five years, drilling above ground. During that time he met Jan Pulman from Morrinsville and they married.
Over the five years the couple saved up enough money and bought their first farm of 20 hectares in Waihi, where they milked cows and reared calves.
They later started their own livestock company, which they grew with a partner to employing 25 livestock agents and owning four cattle trucks.
Eventually the couple ended up buying a farm at Kotemaori where they were overwhelmed by the beauty of the region.
Mr Doran was then introduced to his new farming partner, Chris Trower.
“Chris was a very ambitious man and a very hard worker, with the heart of a lion but also a high level of business acumen. Nothing frightened him.”
The partners bought a majority shareholding in Pa-Nui station and Opoiti Ltd, which they converted from sheep and beef to dairy farming.
Eight years later they sold the Kotemaori farm and agreed that Chris would keep Pa-Nui and Mr and Mrs Doran would keep Opoiti and a 3.6 hectare title in the front of Pa-Nui.
Another adventure came knocking when Mrs Doran’s brother Michael, who was in Australia building drilling rigs, identified an opportunity to enter the drilling industry. Mr and Mrs Doran funded the first drilling rig.
“We built six drilling rigs in North Queensland and hired 60 staff. It was not an easy industry to get into but we were paid by the metre to drill for mining companies. We drilled holes to recover all sorts of minerals, mostly gold, lead, copper, silicon and iron ore, and sometimes looked for rare metals.”
Dad Colin Doran hailed from Gisborne
Mr Doran’s mum Aileen (nee Prescott) was from Otorohanga and dad Colin Doran’s roots were well and truly in Poverty Bay. He was born in Te Karaka and was dux of Gisborne High School.
“My dad was a special kind of person. We are just so proud of him.
“He fought in World War 2 from 1939-1945. He started out in Egypt and after fighting the Germans there, fought the Japanese in the Pacific Islands and stayed there for another year doing an island clean-up.
“Dad spent the rest of his life after the war giving back to his community as secretary and treasurer of just about anything and everything. He was devoted to his community and his contribution was recognised with seven life memberships. The consequence of what he saw in the war meant he had no interest pouring his efforts into earning money — he just wanted to make the world a better place.”
Mr Doran senior was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal by Governor-General Cath Tizard in Wellington in 1990.
Wayne and Jan Doran’s son Moss is now managing Opoiti. He went to Australia where he played in the Australian Football League (AFL) for four years, then returned to New Zealand and worked on Opoiti. He progressed to managing dairy farms in Waihi, Cambridge and Putaruru, then moved back and took over the management of Opoiti.
Son Rory spent nine years in the navy, five years in the drilling business, and two years in live export.
Daughter Kate started her career in hospitality in Queenstown and progressed to managing the Oaks Motel, then moved to Hamilton where she now manages the accounts department of AB Equipment.
Mr and Mrs Doran now live in the 100-year-old converted cottage on grounds and garden that were formerly part of Pa-Nui. The property is beautiful and abundant with native trees, plants and flowers. Mr Doran gives all the credit to Jan who loves growing her own plants, feeding the birds and is determined to make the planet a better place.
Jan is proud of her home-grown nursery, along with the Wairoa community nursery.
Mr Doran loves fishing at Māhia and hunting. He reckons the deer are better at Marumaru, where he goes sometimes to wind down after a long day.
With his beloved pet Jack Russell terrier Juniper at his feet, he says he would not have achieved anything in life without the fantastic people he has met along the way, in particular Chris Trower, and the Wairoa district.
“I can’t say enough about the people of Wairoa, like stock agents, farmers and people I have met in the greater Wairoa district.”
Mr Doran is lavish in his praise for Wairoa Mayor Craig Little.
“Mr Little is somebody like me who is invested heart and soul in our Wairoa community and has made a whole raft of legislation to help our business community grow taller.
“Wairoa was on a decline with empty shops and one cannot deny Mr Little’s passion for Wairoa. He is so good for our town, so good for Wairoa.”
Mr Doran has had excellent local employees, who have all been hard-working people.
“I love it here in Mahanga and at the end of the day it was the finest people around who attracted me to live here in the first place.”
Tight starts before YMP and HSOG took control in midweek Premier netball