Sheep of the future

By focusing on production efficiencies, resilience and low touch traits this will result in “greener lamb production”

Outstanding in adding value

Facial Eczema Tolerance
Industry leading FE tolerance programme – we test 80 ram hoggets from 16 sire lines annually and Waipuna Maternal is the most FE tolerant composite sheep in the industry.

Ewe Efficiency
Moderately sized ewe that rears multiple-born lambs with a total weaning weight equivalent to her own live weight.

Milking Ability
Waipuna Maternal has a great ability to milk, ensuring good growth rates of her lambs until weaning and more lambs prime off mum.

Lamb Growth
Waipuna Maternal lambs have outstanding growth.

Hogget Fertility
Enabling you to commercialize financial returns from ewe hoggets onwards.

Excellent Reproduction
Despite harsh mating conditions she maintains good pregnancy scanning results.

Compared to industry **

As the genetic gains graph shows above, our 2022-born rams have an average genetic merit of 2576 cents greater than industry per ewe mated. This equates to a marginal value of $3676 per ram, assuming the ram is used for 3 years and 140% lambing percentage.

          That is $36,760 more over 1000 ewes mated!

                           ** Values are based on NZGE run 40599 2nd June 2023

Genetic gain for NZMW + FE index **

Waipuna Maternal – Highlander Genetics is flock 4591 on SIL. Look us up on nProve and see for yourself.

Waipuna Terminal

Maximizing your grass into dollars

By breeding a productive terminal with growth, meat yield, lamb survival and eating quality

Perfect for adding value

Lambing Percentage
If your lambing percentage is high, a higher ratio of Waipuna Terminal sires can be used at mating (see graph). Some of our clients use Waipuna Terminal rams over 50% of their breeding ewes.

Heavier Lambs Earlier
The big advantage of mating a greater portion of ewes to a Waipuna Terminal sire is more and heavier lambs away in the first and subsequent drafts.

Production Efficiency
Production efficiencies can be optimized with Waipuna Terminal rams, as large lambs can be produced at weaning from moderate sized efficient (Waipuna Maternal) ewes.

Optimized Growth
Waipuna Terminal rams have been purposely bred for growth and meat yield, so their offspring are always going to outperform straight maternal offspring.
We have many clients killing lambs at 24kg carcasses.

Breeding for value

The Waipuna Terminal is an open composite. We source the best terminal stud sires that will continue to progress the important growth and meat yield traits we expect of the Waipuna Terminal. In addition, we focus on stud sires that are darker and with a downier type of wool. Ensuring marking at birth and reducing the need of shearing.                 

Genetic Solutions

Maximizing your grass into dollars

By demonstrating how much a correct ram team can add to your bottom-line

Tailored genetic solutions

1- Determine on-farm breed objective
Assist with determining your on-farm breeding objective

2- Make genetics “visible”
Genetic merit of your ewes is made “visible” based on your past ram purchases

3- On the right track?
Determine if the current genetic merit on-farm aligns with your breeding objective and current on-farm production

4- Marginal value
Express in dollar terms how much the correct ram team can add to your bottom-line

5- Recommendations
Recommend sire and breed selections and a guide to help with your next ram purchase that suit your on-farm objective

Do you ever wonder...

•How do I know what rams have the right genetics for my circumstances?

•What is the genetic merit of my ewe flock?

•What does all that genetic language mean?

•How can I make sure I get this right?            

Tailored ram selections & sales

We select a pool of rams that fit your specific genetic needs, so you can pick the final ram team on "looks".
Ensuring you get the best genetic package.