Spring Valley Enterprises

Kaituna sheep and beef farmers Matt and Lynley Wyeth are focused on selling a top quality product with a great eating experience. Their emails carry the tagline “Where efficiency meets farming – putting the pride and passion back into farming” and they have a Facebook page telling the story of their farming business. “We are proud and passionate about farming and you couldn’t pay me to do anything else”, says Matt.

Matt believes the sheep and beef sectors are coming back as a competitive land use. But he says, “for us to do that we have to be more efficient in how we operate in converting our grass into saleable product. We have a high performing ewe flock on some pretty marginal country. We love measuring and monitoring, and we use Farmax and EID to measure bodyweight, scanning percentage, weaning weights and growth rates.”

Matt and Lynley have been farming on their own account for 14 years, and in the last couple of years have achieved three special accolades:

1. Wairarapa Farm Business of the Year
2. For the last three years they have been finalists in the Glammies, a national lamb eating quality competition
3. Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Award supreme winner 2014

Matt says this has proved their business is a sound business model and that their product is consistent. “We wanted to prove that we were farming sustainably. Having the three awards covers all aspects of our business.”

The most recent of the three was taking out the supreme winner of the 2014 Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards. They had entered back in 2004, winning the sheep and beef section then. “We wanted recognition for all the people involved in our business. Every farm involves about 77 people off farm from soil scientists to mail delivery people. We are proud of what we produce and want people who buy from us or support us to be recognised.”

Judges said the couple’s 800ha (effective) farming operation, Spring Valley Enterprises, was exceptionally well run. “This is an extremely high performing business with a defined aim to stay in the top 10 percent of equivalent farming operations.” At the 2014 Ballance Farm Environment Awards ceremony on April 16, Matt and Lynley also collected the Beef+Lamb New Zealand Livestock Award, the Hill Laboratories Harvest Award, the Massey University Innovation Award and the PGG Wrightson Land and Life Award.

The Wyeths farm a total of 1,000ha on two properties west of Masterton. They run 12,500 stock units on hill country that includes about 500ha of steeper contour. The home block, 737ha Spring Valley, is owned by Matt and Lynley and sits on the boundary of the Tararua State Forest. Another 250ha is leased. Matt managed Spring Valley for his parents for a year then share-farmed with them for two years, before he and Lynley purchased the farm in 2001.

With a heavy focus on breeding and finishing sheep, Spring Valley Enterprises wintered 6,850 ewes and 2,500 hoggets last year, along with 220 breeding cows and replacement heifers, 200 R1 cattle and 150 R2 cattle. In addition, about 2,500 ewe lambs are also farmed on contract on other family properties.

Judges said the health and quality of stock is a real highlight of the operation.

They were impressed with the complex level of monitoring of both stock and pasture on the property, noting the couple’s willingness to set new boundaries and embrace new technology. EID is used extensively, and all facets of the operation are comprehensively analysed.

Lambing dates are staggered over a five-week period to reduce the risk of loss in bad weather while also spreading the workload during lambing, docking and weaning. Triplet-bearing ewes are lambed undercover to improve lamb survivability. “Spring is our harvest time,” Matt says. Judges also noted the “impressive utilisation and management of plantain” on the farm.

Matt and Lynley run the operation with the help of Simon Johnston and Andrew McKay. They also have two sons, Cameron and Alex. Staff numbers increase to seven during lambing. “They only have to pick up a cast ewe a day and they are paid for,” says Matt. “We have no problems paying people to work at this time of the year.” Judges said the Wyeths clearly have strong respect for their staff. All team members have an equal passion for the property and this creates a strong team ethic. Matt says they are very focused on their team and team culture.

They also praised the Wyeths’ care for their environment and their commitment to enhancing biodiversity. Rock screes on the steeper contour are carefully managed and riparian and other sensitive areas have been protected and planted. A 2.5ha wetland is covered by a QEII National Trust covenant.

Currently a Beef+Lamb New Zealand demonstration farm, Spring Valley has been a finalist in the ‘Glammie’ awards for the last three years. The Wyeths also won the Best Livestock Farm Award in the 2004 Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards. At that time the judges said, “Matt and Lynley are hugely committed to the success of Spring Valley but they are also committed to the success of sheep meat production in New Zealand.”

Matt says his father, who was quite innovative in his farming career, has been his biggest influence. After failing School C twice, he worked on the home farm and then in the South Island high country. Three of the guys in his rugby team had been to Lincoln and encouraged him to go too. At Lincoln, he completed a Diploma in Farm Management, which he says was “hugely galvanizing”. He then went back to farm at home and his father put the onus back onto him, standing on the sidelines and watching his progress. “He said I could do anything I wanted on the farm as long as I could justify it.”

Now Matt and Lynley make a point of knowing where they want to be in the future and targeting people who are where they want to be. Matt says he’s been lucky to be involved in the Primary Platinum Producers, a group of 100 NZ and Australian agricultural leaders. “There are some pretty high calibre people in that.”