Speckle Park NZ History
In 2007 Mark McKenzie made a trip to the Canadian Agribition where Speckle Park cattle caught his eye. He spent hours looking at the general makeup and structure of the breed. Mark found them to be faultless in structure, moderately framed and a soft, easy doing cattle. The further he looked into the breed it became clear that they are easily one of the most exciting breeds for an ever changing environment, being able to adapt to extremes i.e. -35 below to +35 degrees, yet able to achieve the ideal carcass qualities for what the beef industry is striving for - high marbling with low fat cover.
Speckle Park are an ideal cross over larger beef breeds of cattle to decrease size and increase quality. The most important traits of the breed are temperament, (quiet and docile), moderate birth weights, high maternal instinct and with their easily identifiable speckle colour they will suit both the beef and dairy industries.
Maungahina and Waiorongomai formed a partnership in 2008 and brought 70 Speckle Park embryos to New Zealand. 50 pure bred calves resulted, selected from the best herds in Canada. Waiorongomai artificially inseminated 100 cows (Hereford, Angus, Shorthorn) to the Speckle bull and have 70 half Speckle cross calves on the ground of which 50% show the distinctive colour pattern associated with the Speckle Park breed. In 2009 another 60 embryo's were implanted. 70 rising 2 year old heifers were artificially inseminated.
The pure bred and crossbred progeny are being trialled for daily weight gain, EMA scanning, IMF and fat covers, birth weights and their identification with their speckle colour pattern.
"We believe Speckle Park to be a superior breed of cattle and from what we have seen in the pure bred and cross bred calves on the ground, they will play a major part in the beef industry in New Zealand".
