Visiting Aussie rates Kiwi farmers

IMPRESSED: Farmer Ben Hutch of South Gippsland, Australia (left), is in Wairarapa learning from Kopuaranga farmer Roddy McKenzie.

Australian farmer Ben Hutch has a huge amount of respect for the way farmers in Wairarapa conduct their business.

In particular, he respects Roddy McKenzie and his farm at Kopuaranga, north of Masterton.

Mr Hutch's farm "Three Oaks" in South Gippsland, Australia, is 222.5 hectares (550 acres). It holds 150 breeding cattle, 300 Coopworth ewes and four regular cattle studs. The farm, operated by Mr Hutch and his mother and father, sells 40 bulls a year.

He said he had come to New Zealand for a general overview of farming practices, including "intensive stock management", that he may be able to take back to Australia, and to buy "up to twenty" Southdown rams from around the country, in conjunction with two other farmers who are also over from Australia.

He was looking at buying "two or three" of Mr McKenzie's rams.

Mr Hutch's farming philosophy is that the "trappings" of younger farmers who are overly engaged in technology are not for him.

"I'm interested in good stockmanship."

He said he looks for the characteristics of the animal and the farmer's knowledge of these characteristics and can tell "within 10 minutes" if a farm has the goods.

"A farm can have the flash gate and the flash shed but if a farmer can't tell you which one 'that sheep there is' he's no good.

"You can tell if they are running the farm as a hobby or as a business.

"I'm very impressed with Roddy's setup."

As far as a comparison between Australian and New Zealand farming goes, Mr Hutch said there was "not a lot of difference" between the two countries.

"Similar climate, similar terrain, but slightly different soil."

He said dairy farming in the two countries was very similar but beef farmers were finding it "hard going" in Australia.

Mr Hutch has another farm to visit in Wairarapa and then he will head down to Christchurch in the hope of picking up more tips there.

Roddy McKenzie said it was "great to have someone from Australia coming over and having a look".

"I'm only too pleased to talk to him."