The Tiller family’s pair gave the main breeds a good run with a fourth in the Meat and Wool Cup at Christchurch’s New Zealand Agricultural Show.
Speckle Park was developed in Canada from Angus, Shorthorn and White Park breeds and was first imported into New Zealand about 15 years ago from semen brought into the North Island.
The Tillers’ Aniwaniwa stud from West Otago’s Tapanui got into breeding them nearly 10 years ago.
Mark Tiller said they put the bulls over their Friesian cross dairy cows to get a beef calf to sell and the aim with the breed was to get low birthweight bulls through for the dairy heifer market.
He said the calves had good vigour and got off the ground quickly.
"The first ones were about three or four years ahead of us. They are Angus, Shorthorn and White Park split three ways. Some might argue there’s something else in there but I don’t wade into that. They are tidy and attractive and most of them are easy-doing and easy-caring."
He said they were pleased with the performance of the two-year-old cow and calf in the Meat and Wool Cup as that was the "pinnacle" of cattle showing in Christchurch.
The two-year-old won the breed section to earn the right to contest the top final and also pleasing for the family was a second and fourth in the All Breeds competition.
Mr Tiller liked the look of his yearling heifer which was in the Junior Meat and Wool Cup, which he was betting would be a powerful cow when she matured and outgrew the two-year-old.
"We were up against the Anguses, Herefords and South Devons, so we’re pretty happy with that. One year we won the two-year-old section, but to be fair we come up here and reckon if we can get into the top six we will be happy because there’s big classes of 12, 14 and 15 animals here. Top six is good and top three is even better."
Often the breed was new to judges who could do a double-take when they first saw them, he said.
"We like mixing with the big breeds on the All Breeds day. We’ve only been here 10 years and some of these breeds have been here for 50, 60, 70 years, so they’ve had the time to perfect, I suppose. They’ve got the platform to build off, whereas I’m on the platform and hopefully our kids will take that on so we can build as we go."
Chances are at least one of them will take it on with a joint family of seven children and the youngest nearly 14.
The Aniwaniwa cattle, with their distinctive markings, are on pasture and winter crops, so the only pampering they receive is just before approaching the show ring.
Mr Tiller said they brought up nine Speckle Parks for the show this year and it was a lot of work, but rewarding.
"We are nine hours on the truck to get here, so you need to try and have the weight on them before they come up because we always lose weight on the truck ride — 15 to 25 kilograms. But we’ve got a good team here with a friend of ours from the North Island helping out."
The Tillers retired from milking cows two years ago, retaining an equity partnership.
That has left him free time for Speckle Park breeding and a commercial herd on top of dairy grazing.
The stud has 55 females going to the bull with about 100 purebreds in total including calves. Bulls are sold privately year-round with yearling advertising starting in the winter and they do embryo work with their top cows as well.
Mr Tiller said the main market last year was "beef boys", but there was greater demand from dairying this year with the goal to get to zero bobby calves a big driver.
Buyers were looking for a good calf they could get to the market and an easier calving animal, he said.
He said Speckle Park was in huge retailer demand for its meat with marbling improving the flavour.
"Especially in Canterbury, they can’t keep up with demand. Have you had any? It’s pretty good eating.
"They’ve got good marbling and, well, it’s like any breed there’s similar lines of good marbling and average, but the Speckle Park comes in pretty good at the start for marbling. So we’re happy with them."
