Nithdale Romneys & Suffolks

About Nithdale Station

Nithdale was first part of the Isla run taken up in 1856 and farmed from 1858 by William Dalrymple and then by Angus Macdonald. This run was split up in 1875 and James and Samuel Scott bought the northern part of the property and named it ‘Nithdale’ after their Scottish homeland near the River Nith.

In 1924 at the age of 22, Charles Tripp bought Nithdale and farmed it until his death in 1991. In 1988 Charles Tripp's second son Dick and his family bought into the farm and in 1994 Dick's youngest son Andrew took over management of Nithdale. In 2001 Andrew and his wife Heather formed a new company and took over ownership of the stock and plant leasing the land off their family.

Nithdale covers an area of 1478ha with an effective grazing area of 1409ha. Forestry (pines, macrocarpa, douglas fir, eucalyptus nitens and red beech) covers over 45ha along with extensive plantings of shelter belts consisting of both exotic and native species. Nithdale is a well balanced property with an even mix of hill (both north and south facing) and paddocks (flat to rolling). The property is situated 17km South East of Gore in the southern most province of New Zealand. It has an average rainfall of 1050mm distributed evenly over the year. Snow falls can occur over the winter with yearly average temperatures just under 9oC.

Overall Production and Stocking Rates

Stock Wintered 2007:

MA Ewes	7000
2ths	3684
Hoggets	3340
Ram Hoggets	300
Rams	60
R1yr steers	10
R2yr steers	243
Total SU	14563

2006/2007 Season:

• Lambing percentage (Lambs tailed to ewes mated) - 132% (144% including hogget lambs)
• Lamb weights 10250 @ 17.0kg CW. Average kill date end Feb
• 463 2 ½ yr steers killed (average 319kg CW). Killed Jan — May 2007)
• 85000kg wool for year