{"id":33779,"date":"2018-11-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-11-18T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmersweekly.co.nz\/love-of-cattle-leads-to-stud\/"},"modified":"2018-11-19T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2018-11-18T11:00:00","slug":"love-of-cattle-leads-to-stud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmersweekly.co.nz\/news\/love-of-cattle-leads-to-stud\/","title":{"rendered":"Love of cattle leads to stud"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Hansen, who lives with her mum Brenda, dad Andrew and siblings Cooper, 12, Alexis, 9, and Mitchell, 7, on a small lifestyle block at Orini near Huntly is the proud owner of Limited Edition Speckle Park stud.<\/p>\n

As a young girl attending a country school she always had a calf for calf club but had to give them back to the farmer. She wanted a calf of her own that she could keep.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her loan calves had always been dairy beasts so decided to mix things up and go with a beef breed because they can be shown longer than dairy calves.<\/p>\n

She liked the look of Speckle Park animals and spent hours researching the breed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hansen was blown away by the possibilities of the breed and fell in love with it.<\/p>\n

The family set out to buy the best Speckle Park they could and found the perfect animal at Ruawai in Northland, bred by John and Jan Bellamy of Below Sea Level Speckle Park stud.<\/p>\n

This animal is now at the heart of Hansen\u2019s small but perfectly formed herd.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He was named Master of Mayhem because his name had to start with M but Hansen is quick to say that was a bit of a joke because he isn\u2019t any trouble at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call him M&M for short.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hansen\u2019s first show with M&M was at Orini Combined School then at the Group Day, Waikato A&P Show and several other northern shows collecting first ribbons along the way. Then came the big one and they won the 2017 Royal Easter Show\u2019s Calf Club supreme calf and supreme Speckle Park trophy with M&M.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After the Easter Show the Bellamys invited her to stay with them during calving and they were impressed with her attitude and talent for rearing and handling calves.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They had a number of embryo transplant Speckle Park calves being born from their dairy herd so loaned Hansen a heifer calf to help her progress her Speckle Park herd.<\/p>\n

Brenda says the family is extremely grateful to the Bellamys.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Not only did they help make Hansen\u2019s dream of breeding Speckle Park come true but also having the calf has been a real boost for her because she struggles with the need to wear a back brace to help overcome a spinal problem.<\/p>\n

\u201cTayla has scoliosis of the spine, a disorder which causes pain in her arms and back,\u201d Brenda said.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has to wear a specially made brace for as many hours in the day as possible but she cannot wear it when she is working with the cattle because it stops her from bending.\u201d<\/p>\n

What keeps her going is her love of competing \u2013 something she has done since the age of five.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a passion for cattle. I\u2019m not going to stop because of a brace.\u201d Hansen says.<\/p>\n

Brenda says the brace has worked well and has decreased her pain levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cHer back is straightening up and if things carry on the way they are she may not need surgery.<\/p>\n

\u201cTayla still has a couple more years of growing to do but things are looking positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

The brace and her scoliosis condition have not stopped her working with her precious cattle and she has now taken on relief-milking and works at the local fish and chip shop at least once a week to earn money to feed and keep her animals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hansen has been to Australia four times in the last year to spend time in both Melbourne and Adelaide at different Speckle Park pedigree studs and to attend the Royal Melbourne Show.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust the knowledge of the Australian group was amazing. They were all keen to help and to talk to me, to help increase my knowledge about the breed and about showing and handling cattle,\u201d Hansen says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey took their time to show me things \u2013 like their clipping technique and other show tips and animal handling. Australia is just bigger \u2013 more studs, more cattle but great attitude and all willing to help and to share their time and knowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now with six Speckle Park-cross calves, a crossbred cow and a purebred yearling heifer plus M&M, Tayla needs to find a small block of land to lease to grow her stud. Next year she will have her first calf on the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am very excited but a bit nervous. I hope the calf comes out safe,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am also looking to buy another purebred heifer calf that I can also show and breed from.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brenda thinks Tayla will be living on the front lawn as the birth gets closer to make sure she is right there when the cow has her calf.<\/p>\n

Tayla is now also selling semen from M&M to earn money to increase her stud and care for the animals.<\/p>\n

Most of her clients are dairy farmers with a few beef breeders, both commercial and some are pedigree users.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy bull M&M is a lovely natured animal perfect for any dairy operation and his record in the show ring is impressive,\u201d Hansen says.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has wins at Hawke\u2019s Bay Royal 2017 Supreme Exhibit, Franklin A&P Junior Meat and Wool, Waikato A&P Supreme Exhibit and won the 2017 Royal Easter Show\u2019s supreme Speckle Park bull trophy so he has all the right attributes and credentials.\u201d<\/p>\n

MORE:<\/p>\n

For more information or to buy Master of Mayhem semen contact Tayla Hansen by email limitededitionspecklepark@gmail.com or visit her Facebook page – Limited Edition Speckle Park with Tayla<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Determined 14-year-old Waikato girl Tayla Hansen who is putting her stamp on the Speckle Park beef breed is quite possibly once of the youngest stud owners in the land.\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":33780,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t