Stud breeder still believes in sheep

Te Rae Genetics owner Chris Wilson, flanked by dog Scott, reflects on his journey taking on his grandparents stud and where he is heading at his home recently. Photo / Nicole Sharp

As the sheep have gone to the hills, Te Rae Genetics has diversified its operation to move with the times.

In 1978, Lance and Bev Wilson started the Coopworth stud at South Hillend, near Winton.

Now, almost 40 years later, their grandson Chris Wilson is taking the stud into the future.

The Wilsons have farmed sheep at South Hillend for almost 100 years, with Chris representing the fifth generation on the farm.

Lance always had a passion for Coopworths, and still did, Chris said.

At the peak, the stud was selling more than 300 rams.

The stud started out breeding Coopworth-Texel cross sheep when the Texel breed was introduced into New Zealand in 1990.

A few years later they started breeding Texel-Poll Dorset cross.

Four years ago, Lance and Bev sold the Te Rae stud, with Chris keeping the Coopworth-Texel cross and Texel-Poll Dorset cross, while the Coopworths went north to Moeraki Downs Genetics.

When the stud was sold, Chris's father Kerry and wife Sharyn bought the remainder of the farm.

Kerry and Sharyn were sheep farming up until 2007, when they converted to dairy.

Chris now leases 75ha off his father and manages the remaining 230ha, which is run as a sheep, beef and dairy support operation.

"Sheep still have their place on this farm," Chris said.

After buying the Te Rae stud off his grandparents, Chris wanted to keep their hard work going, he said.

Carrying on the composite side of the stud, he also started another path for Te Rae Genetics, buying a Perendale ram to start breeding another composite - the Coopdale.

"I bought a Kinnear Perendale in 2015, to try to get more into that [the Coopdale] market," he said.

"It was about broadening what we offered. With sheep moving into the hills we had to follow the market."

Around the same time he bought two Coopworth rams, which meant he could also carry on where Te Rae began, breeding Coopworths.

The main focus for Te Rae Genetics was to now keep improving the composites within the stud and to sell a good number of rams, he said.

This season was the first year Chris had sold Coopdale rams. He was aiming to sell 150 rams from all of the breeds.

"It'll take a few years to get into it [the Coopdale market]. .. I've started up a Facebook page and a website to get the name out there more."

Offering the Coopworth crosses and the Texel-Poll Dorset cross meant Chris had something for both the maternal and terminal breeder.

"The Texels, the lambs grow faster, so that's where the crosses come in. There's still a demand for the Coopworths. The land use has changed. A lot of farmers who were on the flats have gone to dairy or sold, so you have to get new buyers . It's been challenging trying to sell the rams; with sheep getting less it's hard to sell more rams."

While it was challenging it was also enjoyable, Chris said.

"I want to improve the genetics continuously and try to get into the Coopdales more. We test for the Myomax gene, with it showing more and more prominent every year and always try to get high growth rates in the lambs."

The Te Rae Genetics sheep also offered large eye muscle area Chris said

In total, he runs 350 stud ewes and 150 ewe hoggets.

Most of the Te Rae's rams are sold on farm.

Some buyers had been coming back to buy the rams for more than 20 years, he said.

And while his parents follow the dairy path next door, it is the sheep where his future is headed, he said.