Emma Blom, AgriHQ/Farmers Weekly cadet
Peru has never been the most desirable export destination for New Zealand trade, but in 1952 Doc Sidey’s father clearly had an entrepreneurial mindset, embarking on a one-man mission to sell Corriedale sheep in South America after receiving funding from the World Bank.
The stud had been established in 1923 with high-quality sheep focusing on meat and wool. The trip was successful, and 70 years later rams are still being exported from Glenovis. Four rams have been sold to Peru in the past three years, including Ram K-145 in 2022.
Doc Sidey believes he was the oldest ram ever exported at seven years old. In 65 years working and improving the stud, Sidey snr had three to four “superheroes”, and K-145 was one.
Doc inherited the Corriedale stud from his father and wanted to create his own legacy. After 49 years, Jandoc Hereford is a well-established stud thanks to Jan and Doc Sidey. The herd was built up from five heifers and later 36 females were introduced from nine different herds. Today 75 calves are born annually with a focus on fertility, calving ease and milk blend. After careful selection, only five descendants from the original herd remain.
Minimal modern genetic technology is used on Jandoc. Through experienced stockmen, animal selection is made on the structure and cosmetics of the cow. The next step is improving carcase data and polled animals while holding on to the genetic heritage of horned Herefords.
Hereford breeding is a hobby but at the end of the day bulls still need to be sold in the market and the current market demands polled animals, Sidey said.
One of his cows, Jandoc Leonora, became a legend in the Christchurch show after having spent 36 days of her life on the show grounds. In her first year in the competition, she came straight from the hills to place as reserve champion in her class. For the next six years Leonora was champion and on the final year of her showing the Aussie judge broke the winning streak, placing her as receive champion.
Leonora had favourable genetics with plenty of descendants and produced one successful bull, allowing her legacy to live on in the Jandoc Hereford stud.
