March 2025

Just been taking this moment in the middle of events season to write this update – it’s been a hectic couple of weeks with East Coast farming Expo in Wairoa late February and on to Northland Field Days the next week. Then is off to Central Districts Field Days for my final field day show this autumn.

NZC has March 17th locked in for the first Field Day at Tomera Downs, Canterbury, to showcase the initial findings and journey to date for this focus farm. The date is still to be confirmed yet, but late April is looking like the day for the North Island Focus Farm’s initial Field day at John Steenkamer’s property, Maraetotarta, Hawkes Bay.

In between events I have busy chasing up leads and looking to place surplus animals for growers – Jayden Corbett has a nice line of F2 hoggets and Mark Bicknell has 100 F1 MA does available if anyone is looking to bolster their stock numbers a bit.

All the kids should be weaned by now and moved onto better paddocks with high protein feed available to maximise growth before the winter. As always, it’s exciting to see the cashmere fluff develop and show through on the next generation of animals.

With the kids weaned there is an opportunity now through until early April to get the does tidying up some weedy areas. Be vigilant looking out for Wild Bucks as these does will now be cycling and you don’t want them pregnant before introducing your good cashmere buck in May.

If I have missed anyone and you haven’t heard from or been in contact with David Shaw and you require bucks for this season, please get in touch ASAP.

I have also been working with another family in Hawke’s Bay over the past couple of months in preparation for them to start the first large scale North Island Foundation Flock Up Programme. Utilising young coloured does they will rapidly breed into a white cashmere flock. Stock supply is still tight as growers build there flocks so I am still on th look out for another larger scale Foundation Flock Up farm to specifically breed white F2 and F2 stock for sale.

We have a couple of new tools here at NZC. The recently released breeding guide, compiled in conjunction with David Shaw, Hēpara Genetics. It is a great resource packed full of key information and tips on breeding cashmere goats, available in the resources section on the NZ Cashmere website – www.nzcashmere.com.

We are also in the final stages of testing the NZC Web App to discover the benefits of adding cashmere goats to your stock mix. The app takes account of your existing stocking rate, weed browse available and goat fencible area to calculate an estimated return from adding cashmere goats to your existing farm system. I am keen to test the results and see how the numbers stack up against your experience. I will be in touch soon to run through the app with you, or if your super keen give me a call and I will get it done for you.

Cheers

Duncan.