The beef progeny test involves artificially inseminating 383 of Tautane Station's mixed-age cows in the 2014/15 season and again in the 2015/16 season.
The cows have their DNA recorded before being inseminated with semen from a range of international and New Zealand sires, selected to represent a broad range of types, from moderate bulls through to bulls which have strong emphasis on carcass attributes.
All progeny are then tracked, with their parentage verified through DNA.
Steers and cull heifers will be assessed on their carcass traits, while replacement heifers will be tracked for their maternal characteristics.
Station manager Matt Smith strongly supports the property's involvement in the beef progeny test.
"Because of the significant educational aspect of our operation, there is the added benefit of getting students used to research and technology.
Tautane Station's effective area totals 3375ha with about 100ha in flats, two-thirds in easy hill and the balance in steep, coastal hill country with its eastern boundary being 12km of coastline.
The 29,500 stock units include 600 mixed-age angus cows, 180 rising-2-year-old and 200 rising-1-year-old heifers.
The cattle are there to support and complement the sheep operation, which consists of 17,500 mixed-age romney ewes and 5500 ewe hoggets.
There are four permanent staff on the farm, as well as Matt's wife Claire, who works part-time for Taratahi in a pastoral care role with young students who attend in groups of seven and who live and work on the station in two-week blocks throughout the year.
Matt Smith said bulls were first selected on type, before their estimated breeding values (EBVs) were reviewed. "A lot of people are in one camp or the other - EBVs or type - when it comes to bull selection.
"I see room for both approaches and that's why Taratahi was keen to get involved in the beef progeny test."
He said the station wanted a cattle beast that was sound, a "good type" but one that performed, had good conformation, got in calf as a yearling and produced a live calf to weaning every year.
"We are focused on the maternal side of things as that drives our production system."
Smith said the artificial insemination programme had gone well. "We did it over two days to take the pressure off and to avoid having too many cows coming and going from the yards at one time."
Women in businessEntries have opened for the 2015 Enterprising Rural Women Awards offering women who run their own rural businesses the opportunity to boost their profiles and gain recognition for their achievements.
There are four award categories:
- Love of the Land - for land-based businesses.
-Help! I Need Somebody - for businesses providing any type of service, from retailers to agricultural contractors.
-Making It in Rural - for businesses that involve manufacturing or creativity.
-Stay, Play Rural - for businesses engaged in rural tourism or hospitality.
To enter the awards, women have to own and operate a small business with fewer than 10 fulltime equivalent staff, based in a rural area. The business must have been running for at least two years.
If in partnership, women must be an active partner with 50 per cent or more in the business. Entries close Friday, September 18. The awards will be presented at the Rural Women New Zealand national conference in Nelson on Saturday, November 21.
