Calvert Louden from Jamaica and Erick Owino from Kenya came as part of the Red Poll World Congress, visiting farms all over the country to check out Red Poll herds.
Calvert Louden from Jamaica and Erick Owino from Kenya came as part of the Red Poll World Congress, visiting farms all over the country to check out Red Poll herds.
Athbey Farm in Papatawa had a few visitors last week as delegates from the 17th Red Poll World Congress dropped in to check out the herd.
Athol and Betty Sowry bought their first herd 14 years ago, starting with five in-calf cows and 11 rising one-year heifers.
Red Poll cattle at Athbey Farm, Papatawa, owned by Athol and Betty Sowry. The farm had a visit from delegates in the 17th Red Poll World Congress.
Athol says theircurrent registered herd numbers sit around 25 cows to calve, five bulls and 12 rising one-year heifers.
The other cattle on the farm are share-farmed with their son Elroy, who has a calf-rearing business.
He was looking at both mature bulls and younger bulls and assessing them for consistency with an idea of trying to “identify animals that have the character, including the genetics”.
He’d like to take some of the genetics back with him to Jamaica to include in his herd.
Orville Palmer, chief technical director of the Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, says the visit is part of the government’s strategy to provide high-quality animal protein for Jamaica’s population.
“We recognise the importance of Red Poll and our strategy identifies it as a breed of priority for Jamaica.”
Palmer says they had come along to the congress so they could identify lines of the breed which could be used to increase the productivity of the country’s animal population.
He was pleased with what he’d seen so far with regard to the size and conformity of the New Zealand bred stock, as well as weight gain and maturation time.
On New Zealand, he says it’s a “wonderful country”, adding he was impressed with the rolling topography and lush green vegetation.
Alan Couch enjoyed his time in New Zealand. He came as part of the Red Poll World Congress, visiting farms all over the country to check out Red Poll herds.
Alan Couch, who owns Nyalindee Red Poll Stud in New South Wales, said he was blown away by the pasture.
He says it’s been a “fantastic time” visiting the various farms and seeing what New Zealand is producing.
