Home | Headwaters

"When they’re on their summer holiday at up to 5000 feet they spread out and forage over inch of Mt Burke as well or even better than the Merinos used to."
Tim Burdon, Mount Burke Station
"Formerly an all-store property we now sell only prime lambs - we’re proud of this and the Headwaters ewes that make it possible."
David Douglas, Dome Hills
"The R & D has fundamentally changed what a breeding and finishing system can achieve - at Stag Valley we’re pushing the boundaries of what we previously thought was possible."
Simon Saunders, Stag Valley
"When we brought our ewes up to the North Island our neighbours saw them as just another composite. We had a field day here the other day and all the talk was about TE MANA."
Dave McCurdy, Waipounamu
"If we as a group can't revolutionise the value of lamb, who can? We shouldn’t overlook how far we’ve come."
Tony Plunkett, Coleridge Downs
"Last year we scanned 197% and this year 199%. We believe every ewe is capable of maximum productivity through superior genetics and huge emphasis on animal monitoring and condition scoring."
Oli Topham, Dry Acheron
"After 40 years as a price taker it’s great to be involved with like-minded and forward-thinking people challenging traditional marketing of a traditional product."
Grant Ruddenklau, Mt Burke Station
"The key is not doing the same old, same old. As a booster property we get the additional benefit of more data for picking trends, making better decisions planning for the future."
Mitch Taylor, Morelea
"It’s been a challenge, an opportunity to test new ideas and a huge team effort, from beginning to end."
David Harper, Braided Waters
"TE MANA LAMB is more than simply tender, it’s succulent, easy to cook and is absolutely beautiful. It just melts in your mouth."
Millie Harper, Braided Waters
"Our Headwaters ewes bounce back quickly from any lean period with the additional benefit of producing lambs with breakthrough fat constitution. That’s a powerful combination."
Hamish Murray, Rotoiti
"With the disruption that’s coming agriculture’s way, producing quality and marketing it well is vital."
Boyd MacDonald, Lone Star Farms
"Growing out the Headwaters ram hoggets is a balancing act between optimal growth and staying true to Headwaters’ breeding objectives, including performing during the feed-poor months of June to August."
Andrew Bendall, Lochar Downs
"Our 15,500 Headwaters ewes have a real presence to them and they’re now consistently achieving more than 150% lambing."
Jason Sutherland, Caberfeidh Station
"With extensive use of body condition scoring, DNA parentage and ultrasound we’re identifying the very best ewes, and using their respective sires to enhance the profitability of shareholders’ flocks."
Charlie and Ems Smaill, Glenlapa
"TE MANA LAMB brings a new dimension to sheep; decision-making in real-time, better identification of trends and more efficient farming."
Scott Rome, Waifield Farm
"It’s exciting to be part of a group committed to producing a consistently high-quality product – the whole thing is reinvigorating my attitude to sheep farming."
David Gardner, Melford Hills
"I love the sheep and enjoy farming them. We’ve gone from 3,500 to 8,000 stock units with the same labour input and the same quality of life – that’s all you need to say."
Basil McLean, Toroaruru
"I believe if you get a chance to go into business with good people, the rest tends to look after itself."
Paul Corboy, Tahatika
"Headwaters is not a co-operative, but it works like a co-operative should. It’s like a happy family and long may that last."
Marty Deans, Barewood
"It’s interesting how curious other farmers (outside of Headwaters) are becoming – they’re starting to say; 'you might be on to something here'."
Blair Thwaites, Barewood
"Most ram breeders tend to promote one or two particular characteristics. Ideally they’d promote 10 characteristics, with the profitability being the sum total of those parts."
Mark Everest – TE MANA LAMB farmer advisor
"From the start we knew that with the right system we’d discover things, and when we discovered things we’d have the right system to do something about it."
Andy Ramsden – Headwaters founder

Headwaters

About the Group

WAIPOUNAMU:
Dave & Binks McCurdy

DOME HILLS:
THE DOUGLAS FAMILY

GLENLAPA:
Charlie & Ems Small

CABERFEIDH:
MATT AND CLAIRE SMITH

BURWOOD STATION:
RUSSELL, ROS, HAMISH AND CHANTAL MCCLEAN

John Watherston:

Contractor:

About the Group

WAIPOUNAMU: Dave & Binks McCurdy

DOME HILLS: THE DOUGLAS FAMILY

GLENLAPA: Charlie & Ems Small

CABERFEIDH: MATT AND CLAIRE SMITH

BURWOOD STATION: RUSSELL, ROS, HAMISH AND CHANTAL MCCLEAN

John Watherston:

Contractor:

WAIPOUNAMU:
Dave & Binks McCurdy

DOME HILLS:
THE DOUGLAS FAMILY

GLENLAPA:
Charlie & Ems Small

CABERFEIDH:
MATT AND CLAIRE SMITH

BURWOOD STATION:
RUSSELL, ROS, HAMISH AND CHANTAL MCCLEAN