Interspersed throughout the book are the photographic essays and stories of some of NZ's leading Angus studs. From Waitangi in the far north, to NZ's oldest operating Angus Stud, Turihaua on the East Coast, down to Fossil Creek in Otago, each one has a different story
to tell. What impressed the authors most was
the dedication that each family put into their farm and cattle. They are all extremely
hard working and busy people who truly believe in producing a high quality beef that
tastes great. They all have an inbuilt love, not only for their animals; cattle, sheep, farm dog’s chooks and pigs but also for the land. It is in their DNA perhaps. We would very much like to thank the 6 Angus studs for taking part and welcoming us into their homes and onto their properties.
Although
each stud takes a slightly different road to reach their destination, the
destination for everyone is the same—to improve the New Zealand Angus Breed in
order for dry-stock farming to be commercially viable and to create an animal
that calves easily, grows quickly and is able to be killed early at a good
weight, with good marbling and great taste. The work that each stud puts in is intensive, calves are weighed at
birth and then at regular intervals thereafter, terminology rolls off the
farmers’ tongues as they speak eloquently and knowledgably about their stock
and what they wish to achieve: terms like EBV’s (estimated breeding values),
performance recording and marbling.
You may visit the participating studs own websites to find out more about their operations;
