Martin Farming

The Martin family has been in the meat business in Nelson for over 100 years.  Initially the family ran a butchers business but it has since grown to incorporate breeding beef cattle and registered seed stock cattle.

Martin Farming is owned and operated by brothers Richard and Craig Martin, along with their wives Denise and Rosanna.  They run a traditional sheep and beef grazing operation on three properties in Upper Moutere and Wakefield.  The farm runs 8,000 stock units including 350 breeding cows and a commercial flock of Romdale sheep.

All up, the business comprises three farms totaling 935 hectares.  There are 100 hectares of flat land, around 30 hectares are irrigated and dedicated to prime lamb production.  The Wakefield farm is a finishing and breeding unit.  Their Rosedale property, around 525 hectares in size, is located in the Upper Moutere.

Having three separate properties can create some issues but Craig says the brothers tend to leave stock where they are bred and solve other distance problems with a truck.

The Martin’s have an annual bull sale on their Wakefield property in June each year.  In their annual catalogue they comment that their policy is to offer competitive and non-pampered bulls with a good balance of traits.

Craig has been quoted as saying that breeding bulls is a bit like being in the motor trade.  “You’ve got a whole lot of people with essentially a similar product, just trying to differentiate themselves a bit to get market share.  Once you lose sight of your customers, you’re gone.  The people we look to sell to want problem-free, no-nonsense cattle.”

In a similar vein, Craig says if breeding cattle were likened to a game of cricket; he’d like to be able to provide animals for sale that could bat, bowl and field, all to a high standard.

They run Angus, Simmental and Hereford Bulls.  At the 2013 Beef Expo the brothers took 3 bulls and 3 steers. Their Angus bull was Reserve Champion, the Simmental bull was Reserve Champion (and got top sale price), and the Polled Hereford was judged third.  In the steer category their Hereford steer was Champion Steer on the Hoof and Champion Steer on the Hook, which gave it Supreme Champion status.

Bull calves spend their first winter on the block where they are born.  At 400 days they scan, cull and select females that will be bred from, the bulls they will cull and those young bulls they wish to further evaluate.

All surplus yearlings are either finished to slaughter and those that are suitable go into the dairy industry.  The brothers comment that the dairy industry is an important market.

Richard Martin says all the breeds are subject to heavy selection programmes.  They have a “one strike and you’re gone” policy.

They expect heifers to be in calf at 16 months, be able to calf unassisted and be back in calf at 28 months. They also need enough milk and be structurally sound enough to rear 10 calves in their lifetime.

They are keen to retain individual breed character and strength, however the goal for all of them is a moderate framed, early maturing cattle that is easy care while good enough to enable their progeny to go into premium markets.

The Martins are deeply involved in breed societies and the programmes and initiatives of each breeding group.

Along with the pure breed cattle, the Martins also have a cross bred line of bulls that have a moderate frame and a good temperament.  They produce a Simmangus – a cross between Simmental and Red Angus.  Craig says that it has been long recognized that the most cost effective and quickest route to lift production and profits is through crossbreeding.  In the case of the Simmangus they believe that they offer an animal that combines maternal strength and the raw power of the two breeds.