Ayrshire cattle, right fit for future business
Author: Anne Boswell
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NZ Dairy
With a herd of 440 cows, predominantly pedigree Ayrshire, Duncan is proving that this hardy breed is well-suited to the challenging conditions of North Canterbury.
When Duncan Allison first witnessed the hardiness and efficiency of Ayrshire cattle, he knew they were the right fit for his future business. Now on his Culverden dairy farm, he is making a name for himself as a dedicated Ayrshire breeder. With a herd of 440 cows, predominantly pedigree Ayrshire, Duncan is proving that this hardy breed is well-suited to the challenging conditions of North Canterbury.
Duncan comes from a strong farming background. He was raised on a beef farm in Ashley, north of Rangiora, and his family own multiple dairy farms on which they employ sharemilkers. After finishing school Duncan headed to coastal Taranaki, where he learnt the dairy farming ropes. There he gained extensive experience and developed an appreciation for the Ayrshire breed, which is well-represented in the region.
Duncan is now two years into farm ownership, operating a 260-hectare property (180 hectares effective) in Culverden. Located in one of the colder parts of Culverden, where snow is a regular winter feature, Duncan found the Ayrshire breed thrived where other breeds struggled. “Previously, the farm had Jerseys and crossbreds, but they didn’t handle the conditions as well,” he says. “Unlike other breeds, which sought shelter under hedges in winter, the Ayrshires forage in the snow. They are tough animals.”
He took his first significant step in his Ayrshire breeding journey back in 2019 when he purchased his first Ayrshire stud animals from Northland. “They came off the truck into a -4 degree frost, but it didn’t faze them at all” he says. “They don’t mind the hot, dry harsh summers either; they are good foragers so they are well suited to both extremes.”
In an area known for intensive dairy farming, Duncan is taking a different path. “We’ve kind of stepped back and are looking a fewer but better cows, doing the same production,” he says. His farm operates as a partially self-contained unit, with all young stock retained on the platform until the bulls go out before becoming R2s. Despite this approach, Duncan’s herd has demonstrated impressive production gains.
Last season. his cows averaged 506kgMS per cow, and this year – even with a significant reduction in supplementary feed and a shift towards a more pasture-based system – production remains strong at 480-490kgMS per cow. “With the Jerseys and crossbreds, we were lucky to do 420kgMS per cow,” he says. Beyond production, his Ayrshires offer positive traits that include calving ease, docility and lower incidences of mastitis and lameness.
Each year, Duncan buys a line of pedigree Ayrshire cattle as calves from Sanrosa Ayrshires, and a line of heifers from other influential Ayrshire studs. He also runs eight homebred Ayrshire bulls that tail off the herd at the end of mating. Their male offspring are steered and sent to the beef market, adding another income stream.
Currently, Duncan’s herd includes 170 purebred pedigree Ayrshires, with the remainder of the herd Ayrshire/crossbred. For the past four years he has bred Ayrshire across the entire herd, including crossbreds, to enhance hybrid vigour. He plans to transition to a fully Ayrshire herd over the new few generations.
He also aims to host his first on-farm sale next year, a significant milestone for his growing stud. Inspired by industry leader and former Ayrshire Association President Gordon Glentworth, Duncan is passionate about strengthening the breed’s presence in New Zealand.
