December 8, 2025 • 7 mins
Andrew Welsh of Twin Farm Genetics catches up for our regular chat.
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome back to the muster. Andrew Welsh joins us now
out of Twin Farm Genetics, the home of Teff from
good afternoon, Andrew, how's everything of the way Mere Valley today?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah, tibyem pretty good? Andy. We had a nice wee
share of rain there, yeah, yesterday morning. So it's good
to get things greening again, because yeah, we certainly need
it would have been good to have more of it.
We'll take what we get this time here.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Is it about the same situation as what you've seen
last year or different synergies altogether? No?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Different altogether. We probably had quite a lot of moisture
to come through last season and had good feed, whereas
at the moment we're just just riding that sort of
borderline of wanting a bit more just to get it
really kicking away. But yeah, getting into a bit of
weaning now and getting getting rid of some lambs and
hopefully'll get rid of some work shoes and free out
a bit of space and get it groun.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
So with your weaning, how long does that take over?
A couple of days?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, we split it out now. We do do a
day on studs and then a couple of days on
commercials rather than trying to jam it all in one
or two days. Just yeah, it takes the pressure off
and a lot easier. So when you weep up and
starting nice and early in the morning, stock always run
better in the morning, and yeah, freezer up for the
rest of the day.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Then, So are you're drenching once you've weaned the lambs
or is it a matter of just getting the lambs
off mum and you deal with all that in a
week's time or so.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, we're going through, we're wean them. We'll run them
around and give the lambs a five and one with
a bit of B twelve on it and then they
just let go out in the paddock for sort of
three or four days and then we'll bring them back
in and drink them. Then.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So would you say the lambs are just making a
little bit of color at the moment, a bit of
sun on the backs perhaps to make a difference.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, there's a real good top end on them there.
But then there's other ones that just ones that come
through certain mobs that were but tighter going through the spring.
They're just they're good lambs, they're just not quite there.
So yeah, we were hit space for three hundred down
yesterday and I've got like two twenty or something to go,
so just down a wee on what I thought we
were going to get out of them. But yeah, they're
(02:02):
still killed out. I think they're eighteen point threes or
something I heard this morning. So yeah, tipping long, not
too bad.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
There'll be going through near two hundred bucks, is it.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah, we've got to wait and see what the kill
sheet comes back, but yeah, it'll be pushing on it anyway.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
It's pretty good. Con You wouldn't have thought that a
couple of years ago.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
No, exactly, No, And even the workshoes tripping along at
sort one hundred and seventy odd there. Yeah, just keeps
things tipping along pretty good, really, and.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Even war with these little green shoots, which is a
phrase we seem to use these days. So it's only
small small steps at the moment. Certainly looking in the
right direction, it sure is.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
But don't you drink that wall When andy Or is
reckoned before Christmas, not a lot on the market and
the price seems to be high, so wait and see
what it does. January February, when the bulk of the
wall comes to the market.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Hey, don't shoot the messenger. How I'm just reading and reading.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Okay, we would blame someone andy, I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
What about treat the work of the like? So is
the weather? Hew'd you up? I do say you've had
a pretty good run getting the crops done. It has.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
It was a slow start of getting going, but when
it actually come ready, it was bang. That was that
the ground was read to get into it. So we're
all up to date. Winter crops or the last two
kale paddits are actually going in today as we speak,
so there'll be good get that and all the rest
are up and going. Young grasses are all coming through
the ground, certainly behind where we normally would. We'd be
(03:20):
starting to look at grazing them coming up the next
week or two. But yeah, they're still going to be
a month away yet.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Is feed quality becoming in issue?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Not really? To be fair, there was no top round here.
We're right on top of everything. I'd like to be
a bit further head with grass growth and have a
bit of baylage or something closed up by now, but
there's yeah, you can still see the popping most paddocks
and no top. So the only thing we'll be control
a few fist will sticking their heads up at the moment.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
So what are you doing as far as winder cross
for next season? Are you keeping the same methods of
this year or are you're putting a bit more but
less then.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Still sticking the same thing, trying to cut down on
that spence with thee and that and feeding out baylage
in the window. So sticking with the higher rate of
the kale going through and gives us a few more
options with wintering, well, not windering, but taking some lambs
on through summer through there and grazing it, get that
multi grazing out of it, and still locking it up
in the winter for the use.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Well you do that at your fun, don't you. You
put the lambs on the kale for a while to
give them a bit of a flush.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, if we need to. Last couple of years we've
had sort of demper summers and we've managed to get
away with it without grazing it. But it certainly gives
us the option if you want to, you can go
around and put sort of twenty five lambs of the
heat here on your kale for sort of four weeks
and just take a lot of meals off the grass
and a little bit easier that way.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Now you're in the middle of the Rams selling season.
By the sounds of it, how's that been so far?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah, chipping on pretty good. Actually, Andy rams have come
through pretty good after the tough spring. They're looking really good,
made some really good genetic progress there with some rams
too showing up really good and clients really positive this
season as you can tell with the the prices being
up and everyone getting into their winnings for the time
of year at the moment. But yeah, another job. We're
trying to cram in and get through before the big
(05:08):
fellow and the red suit arrives you.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
So, how would you surmise a year when you look
back compared to say, this time in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
We've probably it was another slow start to the season
with grass growth in the spring. We would certainly be
drier this year than we were last year. We were
getting dragging the tailing pin around. Last season, we were
getting stuck at tailing time, whereas this year you could
actually it was just damp and greedy on top, but
you get round it, right, But you're just the whole
outlook this season just so much more positive. With the
(05:40):
lamb and mutton and beef and everything's up. Venison. Everything's
looking really good, just scept for the velvet.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, as far as the velveting stags that you're running there,
you're changing your philosophy around the venison side of things.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
We've always been just for the venison anyway, so it
doesn't affect us too much. We had a handful sort
of velveting spy is there that we're doing a trial
with and just seeing how they'd suit their situation. But well,
the venison prices are high. We're just going to yes
another jobs, We're going to drop those out. Will certainly
cull very hard on what's not making the grade.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Well at least the venison schedules holding out what is
it eleven dollars or something, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
There or thereabouts anyway, andy in the high tens.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
So it's fantastic really, so it needs to be. We've
sort of been a couple of tougher sort of farming
years across all the industries really, so it's good to
see positivity over the whole she being.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And that's the thing. We'd like to think this resonates
for the next twelve to eighty months, especially for the
red meat sector.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yes, yeah, and so far it's looking good like it
sort of has a habit of going from highest to
low's rather quickly, but it is looking positive and yeah
long mate, last really it needs to stay there for
these levels to Yeah, just take a bit of pressure
off a few farms and that out there.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Hey snow, we'll let you carry on. Of course, you
are the sponsors of the five Day Forecast here at
Hakanui of course with Tiff from and you, Catherine and
the kid. You have a fantastic holiday season and we'll
catch up with you again next year and we always
appreciate you ongoing support for Hakanui.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Thank you very much, Andy, and Merry Christmas do all
those yeah listeners out there.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Andrew Welsh of Twin Farm Genetics, a home of Tiff from,
sponsors of the Five Day Forecast. This is the muster
before the end of the year at Daryl Moyles from
Satan dan Stock Foods. But up next talking young farmers,
Eiler Pringle
Welcome back to the muster. Andrew Welsh joins us now
out of Twin Farm Genetics, the home of Teff from
good afternoon, Andrew, how's everything of the way Mere Valley today?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Yeah, tibyem pretty good? Andy. We had a nice wee
share of rain there, yeah, yesterday morning. So it's good
to get things greening again, because yeah, we certainly need
it would have been good to have more of it.
We'll take what we get this time here.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
Is it about the same situation as what you've seen
last year or different synergies altogether? No?
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Different altogether. We probably had quite a lot of moisture
to come through last season and had good feed, whereas
at the moment we're just just riding that sort of
borderline of wanting a bit more just to get it
really kicking away. But yeah, getting into a bit of
weaning now and getting getting rid of some lambs and
hopefully'll get rid of some work shoes and free out
a bit of space and get it groun.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
So with your weaning, how long does that take over?
A couple of days?
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yeah, we split it out now. We do do a
day on studs and then a couple of days on
commercials rather than trying to jam it all in one
or two days. Just yeah, it takes the pressure off
and a lot easier. So when you weep up and
starting nice and early in the morning, stock always run
better in the morning, and yeah, freezer up for the
rest of the day.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Then, So are you're drenching once you've weaned the lambs
or is it a matter of just getting the lambs
off mum and you deal with all that in a
week's time or so.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Yeah, we're going through, we're wean them. We'll run them
around and give the lambs a five and one with
a bit of B twelve on it and then they
just let go out in the paddock for sort of
three or four days and then we'll bring them back
in and drink them. Then.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So would you say the lambs are just making a
little bit of color at the moment, a bit of
sun on the backs perhaps to make a difference.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Yeah, there's a real good top end on them there.
But then there's other ones that just ones that come
through certain mobs that were but tighter going through the spring.
They're just they're good lambs, they're just not quite there.
So yeah, we were hit space for three hundred down
yesterday and I've got like two twenty or something to go,
so just down a wee on what I thought we
were going to get out of them. But yeah, they're
(02:02):
still killed out. I think they're eighteen point threes or
something I heard this morning. So yeah, tipping long, not
too bad.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
There'll be going through near two hundred bucks, is it.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Yeah, we've got to wait and see what the kill
sheet comes back, but yeah, it'll be pushing on it anyway.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
It's pretty good. Con You wouldn't have thought that a
couple of years ago.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
No, exactly, No, And even the workshoes tripping along at
sort one hundred and seventy odd there. Yeah, just keeps
things tipping along pretty good, really, and.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Even war with these little green shoots, which is a
phrase we seem to use these days. So it's only
small small steps at the moment. Certainly looking in the
right direction, it sure is.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
But don't you drink that wall When andy Or is
reckoned before Christmas, not a lot on the market and
the price seems to be high, so wait and see
what it does. January February, when the bulk of the
wall comes to the market.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Hey, don't shoot the messenger. How I'm just reading and reading.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
Okay, we would blame someone andy, I'll take that.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
What about treat the work of the like? So is
the weather? Hew'd you up? I do say you've had
a pretty good run getting the crops done. It has.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
It was a slow start of getting going, but when
it actually come ready, it was bang. That was that
the ground was read to get into it. So we're
all up to date. Winter crops or the last two
kale paddits are actually going in today as we speak,
so there'll be good get that and all the rest
are up and going. Young grasses are all coming through
the ground, certainly behind where we normally would. We'd be
(03:20):
starting to look at grazing them coming up the next
week or two. But yeah, they're still going to be
a month away yet.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Is feed quality becoming in issue?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Not really? To be fair, there was no top round here.
We're right on top of everything. I'd like to be
a bit further head with grass growth and have a
bit of baylage or something closed up by now, but
there's yeah, you can still see the popping most paddocks
and no top. So the only thing we'll be control
a few fist will sticking their heads up at the moment.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
So what are you doing as far as winder cross
for next season? Are you keeping the same methods of
this year or are you're putting a bit more but
less then.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Still sticking the same thing, trying to cut down on
that spence with thee and that and feeding out baylage
in the window. So sticking with the higher rate of
the kale going through and gives us a few more
options with wintering, well, not windering, but taking some lambs
on through summer through there and grazing it, get that
multi grazing out of it, and still locking it up
in the winter for the use.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Well you do that at your fun, don't you. You
put the lambs on the kale for a while to
give them a bit of a flush.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, if we need to. Last couple of years we've
had sort of demper summers and we've managed to get
away with it without grazing it. But it certainly gives
us the option if you want to, you can go
around and put sort of twenty five lambs of the
heat here on your kale for sort of four weeks
and just take a lot of meals off the grass
and a little bit easier that way.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Now you're in the middle of the Rams selling season.
By the sounds of it, how's that been so far?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah, chipping on pretty good. Actually, Andy rams have come
through pretty good after the tough spring. They're looking really good,
made some really good genetic progress there with some rams
too showing up really good and clients really positive this
season as you can tell with the the prices being
up and everyone getting into their winnings for the time
of year at the moment. But yeah, another job. We're
trying to cram in and get through before the big
(05:08):
fellow and the red suit arrives you.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
So, how would you surmise a year when you look
back compared to say, this time in twenty twenty four.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
We've probably it was another slow start to the season
with grass growth in the spring. We would certainly be
drier this year than we were last year. We were
getting dragging the tailing pin around. Last season, we were
getting stuck at tailing time, whereas this year you could
actually it was just damp and greedy on top, but
you get round it, right, But you're just the whole
outlook this season just so much more positive. With the
(05:40):
lamb and mutton and beef and everything's up. Venison. Everything's
looking really good, just scept for the velvet.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
Yeah, as far as the velveting stags that you're running there,
you're changing your philosophy around the venison side of things.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
We've always been just for the venison anyway, so it
doesn't affect us too much. We had a handful sort
of velveting spy is there that we're doing a trial
with and just seeing how they'd suit their situation. But well,
the venison prices are high. We're just going to yes
another jobs, We're going to drop those out. Will certainly
cull very hard on what's not making the grade.
Speaker 1 (06:14):
Well at least the venison schedules holding out what is
it eleven dollars or something, Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
There or thereabouts anyway, andy in the high tens.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
So it's fantastic really, so it needs to be. We've
sort of been a couple of tougher sort of farming
years across all the industries really, so it's good to
see positivity over the whole she being.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
And that's the thing. We'd like to think this resonates
for the next twelve to eighty months, especially for the
red meat sector.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yes, yeah, and so far it's looking good like it
sort of has a habit of going from highest to
low's rather quickly, but it is looking positive and yeah
long mate, last really it needs to stay there for
these levels to Yeah, just take a bit of pressure
off a few farms and that out there.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Hey snow, we'll let you carry on. Of course, you
are the sponsors of the five Day Forecast here at
Hakanui of course with Tiff from and you, Catherine and
the kid. You have a fantastic holiday season and we'll
catch up with you again next year and we always
appreciate you ongoing support for Hakanui.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Thank you very much, Andy, and Merry Christmas do all
those yeah listeners out there.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
Andrew Welsh of Twin Farm Genetics, a home of Tiff from,
sponsors of the Five Day Forecast. This is the muster
before the end of the year at Daryl Moyles from
Satan dan Stock Foods. But up next talking young farmers,
Eiler Pringle
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