November 27, 2025 • 7 mins
Brenton Howden looks at grass technology and it's constant evolution.
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Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome back to the muster on Hakanui very much an
emo sounding song that it is everil Levigne. His song
is called Bite Me Friday Afternoon. Of course we're away
over to Brenton Howden. Now he's farming sheep and beef
overing near ben Moore. Howdy, good afternoon. How sings in
your neck of the woods?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good Andy, it's pretty good over here. We've got a
feeling a nice day day. We've been around yesterday in
a little dirty share this morning, but otherwise it's pretty
good here today.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Are you starting to dry out like a lot of
other places.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Ah, it's definitely definitely dried out from what we were,
but it's not pennext stations yet. But we've got a
really good share. On last Friday we got thirty five
mil and then you're a little bit yesterday, so we're
chipping away all right. Yeah, we're good for now. But yeah,
the drought's only ever two weeks away, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Well, that's the thing. At this time of year. People
you actually on their feet thinking well, where's their next
rain coming from. It's like that for the next six weeks.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Yeah, And that's the time of year when you look
at why are or your weather apps and they say
there's rain, but when it gets to the day, it
just sort of disappears. It's a bit different than the
winter when it says there's no rain and then you
get there and there is rain.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Well, you can get all the apps in the world,
and like we say, just look at the one you
agree with and stuck with it. So getting the cowl
in today winter crops and the likes that time of year,
I suppose yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Just getting my second paddock for the day in winter kale,
they've got leafy turnip in yesterday it was the last
paddic of that, and then the next week my direct
drill padict will get in their second spray and I'll
be into that for two or three days. Yeah, and
that should be just about everything.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
And yeah, did you just broadcast the kaline or how
do you go about it?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I've got a dunken and drill, so we're just yeah,
this stuffs or second year crops that's worked around in
the next week it's direct drilled straight into spray.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Makes life nice and easy when you've got the drawer. Suppose, Yeah,
I was good.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
A definitely brought about twelve thirty years ago. Its Yeah,
it's definitely pay for itself several times over now.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Absolutely, you can't be an infrastructure as far as weaning
and that. Have you got the weaning out of the
road yet or that still to happen down.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
A fortnight away? Yep, I just drenched the lambs last week.
That a full day and then a half day and
you've got it boded up.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
So yeah, So traditionally weaning mid mid December, like yeah, normally.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
That that second week of December. Yeah, with lambing about
a week or ten days later than I used to,
but just kept that winning date about the same, And
I think the lambs are as good, if not better.
Just yeah, I think lambing earlier doesn't actually give you
a bigger lambs at the other and I don't think.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah, Graham Butcher is always pushing that theory just to
extend the lambing day down and not just to put
everything in a rush situation. Do you think it pays
dividends as far as that.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I think so. You this definitely definitely more grass about
when I set stock and yeah, I'm mass she even
keen to go another two or three days next year.
Maybe try to avoid that first weekend of September, which
seems to be always the nafty one.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
But yeah, now you've had an interesting week. You've been
up at ch christ Church. Of course you have a
research farm up there. What's been happening.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Baron Brugg, the seed outfit, had a they call it
Grass to gold Field Day thing and then twelve of
us from Southern flew up there on Monday night and
we had a Tuesday and Wednesday at the research farm
at Darfield and how do we look at their distribution
center Rolston And yeah, it was very interesting just sort
(03:42):
of seeing what what they got coming along in the
works and what it takes to get a new cultivar
of grass to market. Yes, the lock goes into it,
which you don't really realize.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
What does go into doing a new cultivar of grass
as such? Like you say, it will be interesting.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Least twelve years of trials and testing they go from
breeding to get a new one and then yeah, she's
basically twelve years of just trialing and cutting out different
ones that aren't hitting the mark. And then yeah, after
that twelve years they hopefully get to one or two.
But then even after that twelve years, if it won't
(04:21):
take the end of fight. It can still get tossed
to the wayside. So you can see why these companies
get quite excited when they bring out a new swede
or grass seed or something.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Yeah, so you constantly looking at your grass mixes as
to what you want to put on the farm or
do you stick with the tried and drew.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
I've had a good mix the last couple of years,
but I'm wanting to try and mix in a few
more tetraploids, which is a bit of a challenge on
a sheep farm because you've got that sort of forty
to fifty days where your set stocked. And yeah, the
old tetra boys can take quite a hiding.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
It's interesting you bring that up. Actually, you talk about
the wider conversation ge genetic engineering and the likes. What
are your thoughts around that.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I'm a little bit on the on the fence on it.
I'm just I don't really know enough about it yet.
I think it's probably something we need to look into
if we're going to keep up with the rest of
the world. But as long as it's not gonna hinder
us in the world markets, yeah, I'd hate to be
shut out of some markets because we've gone down that track.
(05:25):
But I think if we can use it and not
be hindered, it could be something worth looking at. But yeah,
as I say, I don't really know a whole lot
of about it.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yet that seems to be a general concern. I suppose, Brendan,
the fact this has been brought onto the table and
a lot of people are urging that there's the discussion
needs to be here before we get looked gets looked
at any further. So the ramifications that you just talked about,
we don't go down that line.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, I think there's there's definitely probably a space for
a mature conversation about it, but we're probably still five, ten,
fifteen years away from having it. But it was definitely
spoken about there. Baron Bruggen, Yeah, you were. Basically everyone
in the group is sort of about the same as
we just didn't know too much about it. But yeah,
(06:13):
I think it's definitely worth looking into anyway.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
It's like a lot of things at the moment, like
the Paris cord for example. It's all well and good,
not wanting to be involved with it, but I think
the bigger conversation is we need to have more information
as such.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, I think with the Paris we as much as
as a dog. I think we can't really go jumping
out of it because we need the world more than
the world needs us. So if yeah, if we go
jumping out and trading partners are like, well we don't
really need you, Yeah, we might be a bit bugget.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, certainly going to be interesting how that pans out. Hey,
we'll let you carry out on the track to getting
the kail. Then always appreciate your time and you're going
to get some rams off howe the save Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Not very good. Ante Andy, you have a good weekend,
and yeah, cul cu later
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Britton Helden of ben Moore, you're listening to the muster
up next to political double travel in the studio actually,
MP Joseph Mooney for Southland, nytech E MP Miles Anderson
Welcome back to the muster on Hakanui very much an
emo sounding song that it is everil Levigne. His song
is called Bite Me Friday Afternoon. Of course we're away
over to Brenton Howden. Now he's farming sheep and beef
overing near ben Moore. Howdy, good afternoon. How sings in
your neck of the woods?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good Andy, it's pretty good over here. We've got a
feeling a nice day day. We've been around yesterday in
a little dirty share this morning, but otherwise it's pretty
good here today.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Are you starting to dry out like a lot of
other places.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Ah, it's definitely definitely dried out from what we were,
but it's not pennext stations yet. But we've got a
really good share. On last Friday we got thirty five
mil and then you're a little bit yesterday, so we're
chipping away all right. Yeah, we're good for now. But yeah,
the drought's only ever two weeks away, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Well, that's the thing. At this time of year. People
you actually on their feet thinking well, where's their next
rain coming from. It's like that for the next six weeks.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Yeah, And that's the time of year when you look
at why are or your weather apps and they say
there's rain, but when it gets to the day, it
just sort of disappears. It's a bit different than the
winter when it says there's no rain and then you
get there and there is rain.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Well, you can get all the apps in the world,
and like we say, just look at the one you
agree with and stuck with it. So getting the cowl
in today winter crops and the likes that time of year,
I suppose yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Just getting my second paddock for the day in winter kale,
they've got leafy turnip in yesterday it was the last
paddic of that, and then the next week my direct
drill padict will get in their second spray and I'll
be into that for two or three days. Yeah, and
that should be just about everything.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
And yeah, did you just broadcast the kaline or how
do you go about it?
Speaker 2 (01:50):
I've got a dunken and drill, so we're just yeah,
this stuffs or second year crops that's worked around in
the next week it's direct drilled straight into spray.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Makes life nice and easy when you've got the drawer. Suppose, Yeah,
I was good.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
A definitely brought about twelve thirty years ago. Its Yeah,
it's definitely pay for itself several times over now.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Absolutely, you can't be an infrastructure as far as weaning
and that. Have you got the weaning out of the
road yet or that still to happen down.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
A fortnight away? Yep, I just drenched the lambs last week.
That a full day and then a half day and
you've got it boded up.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
So yeah, So traditionally weaning mid mid December, like yeah, normally.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
That that second week of December. Yeah, with lambing about
a week or ten days later than I used to,
but just kept that winning date about the same, And
I think the lambs are as good, if not better.
Just yeah, I think lambing earlier doesn't actually give you
a bigger lambs at the other and I don't think.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yeah, Graham Butcher is always pushing that theory just to
extend the lambing day down and not just to put
everything in a rush situation. Do you think it pays
dividends as far as that.
Speaker 2 (02:59):
I think so. You this definitely definitely more grass about
when I set stock and yeah, I'm mass she even
keen to go another two or three days next year.
Maybe try to avoid that first weekend of September, which
seems to be always the nafty one.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
But yeah, now you've had an interesting week. You've been
up at ch christ Church. Of course you have a
research farm up there. What's been happening.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Baron Brugg, the seed outfit, had a they call it
Grass to gold Field Day thing and then twelve of
us from Southern flew up there on Monday night and
we had a Tuesday and Wednesday at the research farm
at Darfield and how do we look at their distribution
center Rolston And yeah, it was very interesting just sort
(03:42):
of seeing what what they got coming along in the
works and what it takes to get a new cultivar
of grass to market. Yes, the lock goes into it,
which you don't really realize.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
What does go into doing a new cultivar of grass
as such? Like you say, it will be interesting.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
Least twelve years of trials and testing they go from
breeding to get a new one and then yeah, she's
basically twelve years of just trialing and cutting out different
ones that aren't hitting the mark. And then yeah, after
that twelve years they hopefully get to one or two.
But then even after that twelve years, if it won't
(04:21):
take the end of fight. It can still get tossed
to the wayside. So you can see why these companies
get quite excited when they bring out a new swede
or grass seed or something.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Yeah, so you constantly looking at your grass mixes as
to what you want to put on the farm or
do you stick with the tried and drew.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
I've had a good mix the last couple of years,
but I'm wanting to try and mix in a few
more tetraploids, which is a bit of a challenge on
a sheep farm because you've got that sort of forty
to fifty days where your set stocked. And yeah, the
old tetra boys can take quite a hiding.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
It's interesting you bring that up. Actually, you talk about
the wider conversation ge genetic engineering and the likes. What
are your thoughts around that.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
I'm a little bit on the on the fence on it.
I'm just I don't really know enough about it yet.
I think it's probably something we need to look into
if we're going to keep up with the rest of
the world. But as long as it's not gonna hinder
us in the world markets, yeah, I'd hate to be
shut out of some markets because we've gone down that track.
(05:25):
But I think if we can use it and not
be hindered, it could be something worth looking at. But yeah,
as I say, I don't really know a whole lot
of about it.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Yet that seems to be a general concern. I suppose, Brendan,
the fact this has been brought onto the table and
a lot of people are urging that there's the discussion
needs to be here before we get looked gets looked
at any further. So the ramifications that you just talked about,
we don't go down that line.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, I think there's there's definitely probably a space for
a mature conversation about it, but we're probably still five, ten,
fifteen years away from having it. But it was definitely
spoken about there. Baron Bruggen, Yeah, you were. Basically everyone
in the group is sort of about the same as
we just didn't know too much about it. But yeah,
(06:13):
I think it's definitely worth looking into anyway.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
It's like a lot of things at the moment, like
the Paris cord for example. It's all well and good,
not wanting to be involved with it, but I think
the bigger conversation is we need to have more information
as such.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, I think with the Paris we as much as
as a dog. I think we can't really go jumping
out of it because we need the world more than
the world needs us. So if yeah, if we go
jumping out and trading partners are like, well we don't
really need you, Yeah, we might be a bit bugget.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Yeah, certainly going to be interesting how that pans out. Hey,
we'll let you carry out on the track to getting
the kail. Then always appreciate your time and you're going
to get some rams off howe the save Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Not very good. Ante Andy, you have a good weekend,
and yeah, cul cu later
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Britton Helden of ben Moore, you're listening to the muster
up next to political double travel in the studio actually,
MP Joseph Mooney for Southland, nytech E MP Miles Anderson
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