Tough times and tough cattle

Simplicity has been the key to success for Rit Fisher who grew up on Shenley Station, a 3500 hectare sheep and beef property at Albury, inland from Timaru.

Shenley, bought by his grandparents in 1912, has now been farmed by the Fisher family for 106 years. 

Originally running only halfbred ewes, cattle were introduced in the 1950s by Rit’s parents Win and Anne who took over the property in 1946.

The move to cattle based the herd on Te Mania and Stern genetics but down the track it was an embryo transfer programme, partnered with Five Start Beef, that really set the genetics firing.

Embryos were sourced from Lawsons Angus, Australia, which had a connection to Gardiner Ranch in Kansas. 

Using the Shenley cows the Fishers bought back bull calves for use over their own herd.

“Dad was passionate about his cattle. In the early days he made some very big strides in consistency of breeding.

“He was ahead of the time a bit. He started doing radical things like weighing then bought in the best bulls he could get his hands on.” 

Before the days of Beef Plan, Shenley was one of four stations that formed the Canterbury Angus Development Group in the 1960s.

By the time Rit and Sara took over running the stock the Shenley Angus herd was made up of 650 fully recorded Beef Plan cows. 

While there have been a number of changes over the years one of the more significant is about to happen. 

But first a step back in time – as a young man of the land Rit, with his worldly possessions comprising a ute, a saddle, a rifle and a team of dogs, worked on farms in virtually every corner of New Zealand.

It wasn’t until 1977 that he returned to the family property and with three sisters he wasn’t in for sharing so in 1978 he fronted up at the local bank in Timaru to secure a $1.2 million mortgage to take up Shenley in his own right.

“I was bloody lucky really.

“All I had was a ute, saddle, rifle and five dogs as collateral. It wouldn’t happen these days.”

In 1979 he married Sara, the girl he’d known all his life virtually round the corner at Black Forest Station, and the couple set out on their Shenley journey.

The first five years saw a huge amount of development.

“We did 65 kilometres of fencing, grew sheep numbers to 7000 ewes, dropped cattle to 400 and used a lot of fertilisers.

“Then Roger Douglas came along. Luckily, I had read his book and was ready for him.

“We ran the place with a horse and a pair of pliers, me, Sara and 10,000 sheep. We lived on $90 a month.”

Life was a struggle over the next eight years but in 1992 they ambitiously bought a 200ha neighbouring property for $450,000.

Then the “big snow” hit and they lost 3000 ewes.

“It put us broke. No bank would touch us.

“We were lucky to find 13 Timaru farming widows willing to fund our venture. 

“That pulled us through until we were able to refinance with a bank.”

By now the Fishers had moved to a holistic farming programme aiming for a low-cost operation so the focus was on simple systems.

“We had to find a low-cost farming system we could survive in and work with the environment at the same time.”

Animal health inputs were low, not only from a cost perspective but to ensure the survival of the fittest.  

Now every decision is focused on improving the performance of the engine of their business – the land.

Shenley runs 1300 breeding cows retaining 250 heifer replacements each year. The station also runs a 2500 terminal Merino ewe flock.

All the stock work is done on horses and on foot.

“There’s not a motorbike on the place.”

The Fishers have always had a long-term perspective to their business planning and with 40 years of farming behind them there are big changes afoot as the fourth generation steps up.

Daughter Kate and her husband John Hughes have come home to farm Shenley.

Growing up on a cattle ranch in Queensland, John is no stranger to the challenge, taking up the reins as stock manager. 

The NZ National rodeo champion has plenty of experience with horses as does Kate, a former showjumper now into barrel racing.

Son Nick has also moved home to live on Shenley with his wife Erin and two young children.

“So we are blessed. It’s a real family affair and while we will still be here and involved, Sara and I can enjoy the journey now from the back seat,” Rit said.

While generations of the family have poured heart and soul into breeding the ideal cow for Shenley – efficient and tough to fit the fragile nature of the land, that won’t change.

All along the goal has been to reach estimated breeding values (EBVs) in the top 10% of the Australasian stud index – on average that has been achieved.

To keep moving forward with their genetics Shenley must now buy only bulls above 180 Angus Pure Index (API) which is the top 20% for the breed, to date sourced almost exclusively from Kakahu Angus. 

“We owe a huge debt of gratitude for the years of infectious enthusiasm of Jamie Gordon (Five Star) and Gerald and Sue Hargreaves (Kakahu).”

That, along with their scanning results for IMF and EMA, has the family excited about the future as Shenley prepares for its first-ever calf sale.

Until now calves have been sold under a long-term contract to Five Star Beef but changes to that operation coupled with the Shenley herd reaching the upper end of its genetic threshold will see Shenley’s Angus Pure calves going to the open market.

It’s a big break away from tradition and a step into the unknown but after the blood, sweat and tears and input of $1.5m over the past 20 years on their genetic programme, the timing is right, Rit said. 

As he and Sara soak up the satisfaction of looking back where they have come from and got to now, the next generation, Kate and John are reeling with excitement about the prospects in the Angus premium market.

“It’s pretty exciting heading into this very first sale. That’s where the genetics will now have the biggest impact,” Kate said.

“We have got to keep pushing the boundaries. 

“It’s time to go to the market where there is now a wider understanding of EBVs among finishers and a huge impetus in those top finishers looking for cattle with the ability to finish.”

In a unique sale offering for NZ. Shenley will put up 1000 certified Angus Pure calves in the station’s inaugural sale to be held at the Temuka saleyards on April 24.