The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

'Old-fashioned' sheep earn their keep

By by David Hill
Otago Daily Times·
6 Mar, 2018 10:08 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Jag the dog enjoys helping Rachel Foster with feeding her Finn sheep. Photo / David Hill

Jag the dog enjoys helping Rachel Foster with feeding her Finn sheep. Photo / David Hill

Rare breeds are a labour of love for North Canterbury lifestyle farmer Rachel Foster.

Mrs Foster has a small collection of rare birds and animals on a 4ha lifestyle block at Fernside, near Rangiora, including Zebu cattle, Finn and Damara sheep, Orpington fowl and Cape Barren geese.

''My husband would probably call me a collector as I like to have a bit of variety.''

She said she originally wanted to breed bucking bulls for rodeos, but soon realised it was unrealistic on a 4ha block, so she opted for the miniature-sized Zebu cattle, which were naturally small and originated on small islands off the coast of India.

She has a pure-bred bull, named Nero, and two half-bred cows, each with calf at foot.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Mrs Foster has been breeding Finn sheep for eight years and recently added two Damara sheep to her flock.

She said she was attracted to the Finn sheep by their short tails which did not require docking and the Finn ewes lambed at 300% or more.

''They have litters rather than single lambs, so we've had quintuplets and even sextuplets.''

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Finn sheep wool was ideal for spinning and crafts, while the Damara sheep had ''hair rather than fleece'' so did not need to be shorn, making them an ideal lifestyle sheep, Mrs Foster said.

As the Damara was originally from Africa the sheep were used to ''rough conditions'' and ate almost anything, including willows and rougher pastures.

''I like the old-fashioned or original kind of breeds which haven't had any interference from humans,'' Mrs Foster said.

She said her Finn sheep were starting to ''earn their keep'' as she was able to sell the rams to lifestylers and farmers wanting a ram for ''easy lambing''.

Discover more

Win a trip to Warbirds over Wanaka with The Country

22 Feb 10:13 PM

Federated Farmers aim to focus on Kiwi wool

26 Feb 11:30 PM

At the Yards: Small strong Levin sale and autumn stock at Rongotea

01 Mar 03:00 PM

Protect your dog with a $55 vaccine

06 Mar 07:30 PM

It would take another couple of years before the Zebu cattle paid their way, but the bull calves were finding their way to the freezer for now, she said.

A pair of Cape Barren geese, a breed originally from Australia, has been added to Mrs Foster's collection having been ''retired'' from Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.

Mrs Foster is helping to organise the Canterbury Rare Breeds Society's annual auction, at the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve on Sunday.

She said 230 birds and animals had been entered in the auction. While it comprised mostly poultry, pheasants, geese and pigeons, there would be plenty of rare sheep and some cattle up for sale.

david.hill@alliedpress.co.nz

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim

The Country

City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land

The Country

The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim
The Country

'We love you Jocko': Hundreds pay tribute to Stewart Island hunting accident victim

Jock Davies was remembered for his infectious humour, caring nature and great strength.

14 Jul 04:21 AM
City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land
The Country

City to Farm - how leftovers are giving back to the land

14 Jul 03:16 AM
The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath
The Country

The Country: Tasman farmer on flooding aftermath

14 Jul 02:16 AM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP