{"id":120,"date":"2025-08-11T20:46:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T20:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/?page_id=120"},"modified":"2025-09-14T21:34:33","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T21:34:33","slug":"rams-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/?page_id=120","title":{"rendered":"RAMS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Rams<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHogget Lambing<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFacial Eczema Tolerance <\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSIL ACE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSheep Industry Award Winner<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRams<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Season Update 2024<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Summer dry is the norm for this area but this year the dry extended a bit longer than we liked. After a mild winter and a great spring the rain stopped and soil moisture dropped to 14 % in January. There was plenty of residual feed and stock ticked along until late Feb. Then things got grim. March tupping is usually challenging as it is often when feed covers are at their lowest and low quality, ewes are often losing weight. This was no exception. With no green feed and just enough rain to lift parasite loads and FE counts it was a tough autumn. Years of selection for ewes which will conceive twins while losing weight has paid off. The ewe flock is no drench. Barbers Pole is not an issue.
196% scanning and only 3 dry ewes.
13 % triplets<\/p>


Hoggets went to the ram at 38 kg and gaining. They had 3 lifetime drenches. At scanning it was apparent that we had an abortion issue this year. I had seen several slips and more occurred through the winter. Toxo ? With standing water everywhere and far too many feral cats, toxoplasmosis is a likely culprit, despite vaccination. The challenge was just too high. Hoggets\u00a0scanned 125 % despite slips. Not a bad result but behind the usual average.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Hogget Lambing<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Hoggets are farmed\u00a0exclusively\u00a0on grass. I strongly believe that by successfully mating hoggets on grass we are developing genetics to perform in any environment. Over the past 5 years scanning has averaged 143 %,\u00a0this with minimal drench and no crop. Consistently weaned 120 % +

We did get some high spore counts.\u00a0All young stock are blood tested to assess GGT- an enzyme released by a stressed or damaged liver. Any showing even slight liver damage are culled. This lifts the integrity of the ewe flock and all rams sold have passed the Natural Challenge test.

Clients using top feeding and management are\u00a0achieving consistent hogget scanning rates of over 130%. They are realizing\u00a0the full genetic potential of these sheep. It is a challenge some years getting hogget lambs up to tupping weight by April as they are Sept\/Oct born. The only dry hoggets retained in the stud flock are those that are themselves hogget lambs, these must produce twins at their 2th lambing.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Facial Eczema Tolerance <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Flock sires are all Facial Eczema (FE) tested at .63mg\/kg. FE testing has been done for the past 44 years. Nikau Coopworth is an FE Gold flock, leading genetics for Facial Eczema tolerance.<\/p>

We also GGT test all ewe and ram hoggets in the face of natural challenge to assess them for FE tolerance. It is very important to be screening out the intolerant females as well as dosing the sires.

\u200bGGT is an enzyme released in the blood that is apparent when liver damage has occurred. This gives an indication of an animal\u2019s tolerance to FE. All animals with elevated GGT are culled from the stud flock. \u00a0

Farming in a very ‘hot’ FE area, meaning we see spore counts each autumn. The GGT screening one of the most important tests done. Screening the ewe flock this way, dosing all flock sires at 0.63mg\/kg of sporidesmin\u00a0and farming in such a challenging area gives us confidence that we have one of the most FE tolerant flocks in the country.

In the hottest FE years on record Nikau clients report higher than average lambing results. With top FE tolerance they were able to take advantage of the good feed available.\u00a0 Nikau clients report minimal effect and good scanning.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

SIL ACE<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Nikau features highly on the SIL ACE DPX list. This index is a assessment of FE tolerance, however the ACE run does not take dose rate into account. Look at the star rating to differentiate flocks testing at different levels. 5 * is the highest level.
The new NZGE on SIL shows Nikau genetics to be at the top for\u00a0health\u00a0traits, FEC and FE. Selection for over 40 years for a strong immune response has rewarded us with top rankings on SIL with over 1100 flocks in the evaluation.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Sheep Industry Award Winner<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Nikau Coopworth\u00a0–\u00a0<\/strong>Maternal Trait Leader for Parasite Resistance.
Nikau has had a strong focus on parasite resistance. The ewe flock as been no drench since 2002. Lambs are on extended drench intervals and selection is based on above average performance\u00a0with exposure to high parasite challenge.\u00a0
Nikau is a founding member of Wormfec Gold. Top breeders in the country for parasite tolerance.
Lambs are weighed and drenched at weaning in mid Nov. FEC levels are monitored and all\u00a0individually fec sampled in late Jan\/ early Feb, weighed and dag scored. This gives a good indication of the ability of the lamb to grow under parasite pressure and reduce fecal egg count. Barber Pole is apparent but no BP long acting drenches\u00a0are used. Ewe Hoggets may receive a drench pre tup, depending on the season. This is the last lifetime drench they will receive. Hoggets were not drenched pre lamb. They are mature enough at this point to mount a strong immune response to parasites and monitoring fecs has proven they do not need another drench.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Rams<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Selection is based on the use of DNA to assess heritable traits, ultrasound CT muscle scanning,\u00a0faecal\u00a0egg counts, GGT testing, frequent weight taking, dag score and wool weights.

Rams are sold by auction in early November. They are presented in index order.
Call Kate for more information on 09 2333 230 or email \u200bbroadbent.ka@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rams Hogget Lambing Facial Eczema Tolerance SIL ACE Sheep Industry Award Winner Rams Season Update 2024 Summer dry is the norm for this area but this year the dry extended a bit longer than we liked. After a mild winter and a great spring the rain stopped and soil moisture dropped to 14 % in … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-120","page","type-page","status-publish"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=120"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":304,"href":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/120\/revisions\/304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nikaucoopworth.dev.pivotdesign.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=120"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}