Fernvale Genetics continues to bring its ‘A’ game and a lot of pride in the quality of stock it breeds and grows. The family-owned business is part of a large sheep and beef operation that encompasses five properties in West Otago and Central Otago. Lloyd and Angela Brenssell along with their children are the fourth and fifth generation to live on the 760-hectare home farm at Moa Flat. It is mostly used as Fernvale Genetics’ beef and sheep stud base and as a finishing block.
Lloyd reflects on his father’s legacy and the growth of the business. “Dad is not with us anymore, but he had a goal and a passion to keep growing the business and then I just leap-frogged off that and carried that same process on,” Lloyd says. “It’s not just about Fernvale Genetics, it’s a lot bigger than that now.” The farms cover 9,700 hectares, and of 45,000 stock units carry 14,000 breeding ewes, 1,450 mixed-age cows and 230 first-year calving heifers, plus seasonal trading stock.
Fernvale sells its Romney, Romdale, Suffolk and Suftex two-tooth rams each year by private treaty over three or four days each season. These are sold as commercial sires to properties that range from high country farms in the Southern Alps in the South Island to the intensive fertile Canterbury Plains as well as the North Island.
“Our Romney rams are fully recorded right from parent history dating back to the 1940s, and come with full, current data analysis.” DNA testing is conducted on all ewes and sires and profiled. The DNA/pedigree of lambs born is obtained at tailing time. It would be very difficult for a farmer to get the type of ram they want, especially taking into account the variables of genetics, bloodlines and specific traits in these numbers at an auction, Lloyd says.
“Genetics go so far, but then animal health and our husbandry, the way we feed our stock, plays a massive part in our productivity.”
“We’ve got a lot of buyers that are needing 30 plus rams a year; in fact, we’ve got some that are needing 40 rams a year. We find it a lot easier to cater to the different unique needs of our clients by selling it on farms as a private treaty.”
“We’ve got a long string of clients who already know the type of sheep they want when they come, what price bracket they’re in, what index group they’re in; all of these things are predetermined. We usually know our client’s requirements 12 months out.” About 70% of Fernvale’s rams are sold by private treaty. The balance of sales typically comes from new enquiries, with a total of about 650 to 700 rams sold each season.
Despite Fernvale’s heritage and the quality of the genetics developed over the decades, they are part of a much broader picture that Lloyd takes into account when dealing with clients. “Genetics go so far, but then animal health and our husbandry, the way we feed our stock, plays a massive part in our productivity. All these things mesh in.”
Until recently, the business had four other blocks comprising rolling to steep terrain and gullies: Ettrick, Whitcombe Run, McKays Block and Gem Lake Station, plus a 2,000-hectare lease block. Fernvale since added a 320-hectare fully irrigated finishing property at Poolburn in Central Otago in 2021 that involves an equity partnership.
The irrigation combined with the favourable climate and its suitability for winter grazing means it adds enormous value to the overall operation. “That block by itself is finishing north of 1,200 two-year-old cattle and 5,000 lambs.”
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