McFadzean Family

Helen and I have one daughter, Tessa (33), a Marketing Manager for Fonterra and three sons, Johnie (34), Lachie (30), and Corey (27). All three sons are farming.

Johnie manages Glenbrae with the help of Hayden Sargeant , Mike Larkin, and Mike Walker (shared with Glenburn).

Lachie and I co-manage Glenburn with the help of two shepherds.

Corey is shepherding at Wairere north of Masterton.

All Three boys are as enthusiastic about farming as I am and are very capable hill country farmers and stockmen.

Taking breeding to another level, recording and DNA testing cattle has been Johnie's initiative backed up by his wife Laura and his two brothers.

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Property overview:

Over the years Helen and I increased the size of Glenbrae to 4000 acres. Johnie has taken it to 4500 acres. Other properties have been leased and purchased over the years, the most significant purchase being Glenburn station in 2007.

The two properties Glenbrae and Glenburn run 11000 ewes, over 1000 cows and all supporting stock. All lambs  and some cattle are finished.

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History 

My father was a returned serviceman and over his farming career put together the original Glenbrae farm of 400 acres –  a mixed dairy and sheep farm. The benefits of cross breeding were highlighted to me at a young age.  As a 18 year old my father allowed me to select sires to mate with his 90 dairy cows.

I selected high value AI sires and crossed Jersey and Friesian, dependent on the fat content in their milk. The percentage of each breed did not matter. There was an immediate lift in production from each crop of heifers introduced into the herd 

A very high producing herd was sold six years later in 1975.

 

The lucky generation:

Looking back I consider myself one of the lucky generation who started sheep farming at a time when the goverment of the the day provided concessional loans for young farmers aspiring to farm ownership. I was able to purchase a 500 acre property 5 kilometers away from my fathers 400 acre block qualifying for the governments 85% loan scheme at the time. With the purchase of this property sheep and cattle farming began on a larger scale and in earnest. Like most farmers I was only able to purchase very average ewes and cows. After 3 years farming we had put together 120 Angus cross cows. At the time my neighbour Tom Checkley, a very good stockman, was topping the Masterton weaner fair with lovely Angus Hereford calves. I knew I would need to breed cows for probably 20 years or more if I wanted to compete with Tom at the weaner fair.

 

Clay university:

During these early years I read data from Clay University in America where different breeds were compared over a range of attributes. The two top performing breeds were Simmental and Angus, particularly in relation to grass fed conditions in New Zealand. Both breeds were strong maternally, Simmentals had more growth, but the Angus were medium framed. Both had good carcass attributes. I thought that these two breeds would complement each other.

A few Simental herds had been established in NZ . I went to a bull sale, purchased 3 Simmental bulls, went home and put 3 Angus bulls in the works the next day (much to my father’s horror).

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And so, began 40 years of crossbreeding.

 

Over the years as the farm grew in size , so did the cow herd. For many years now we have run 1000 cows.  While building up the herd capital stock cows of various breeds were purchased. All were mated to top preforming bulls, none compared with the Simmental Angus cows

 

Top Genetics:

From the early years I have had an intense interest in genetics. With significant mortgage’s that go with expanding farms establishing a highly productive ewe flock and cow herd was of the upmost importance.

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Climate

Farms on the east coast of the North Island are subjected to varying seasonal conditions, and from time to time ewes and cows have to survive and thrive in adverse conditions.

In such times the constitution and do-ability of the breeding stock are tested

The cows that come though time and time again, rearing good calves every year are those with strong confirmation, deep bodies and square backends. This is what we have endeavored to breed.

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Cattle:

At our Glenbrae property Heifers and second calvers have always been mated to Angus bulls. Mixed age cows have been mated to Simental and Angus bulls. Replacements are selected on their merits regardless of whether they are from heifers or mixed age cows

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Cows and heifers have varying percentages of Angus and Simmental in them. Traditional cattlemen have always questioned where you go after the first cross. The answer is back to whichever breed you wish to influence the next generation. I think we have proved this with commercial success. Our hill country weaners have topped the Masterton weaner fair for 30 odd years and often achieved the highest prices in NZ.

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John McFadzean