Raetihi beef day attracts overseas interest

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 585, 9 May 1995, Page 3

Raetihi beef day attracts overseas interest

There was a strong interest from overseas visitors to Okahu Farms last week, during the North Island's week-long 'Open Beef Day' visit. Pat and Kelly O'Neill could be justifiably proud of their hard work in recent years to produce some of thi s country ' s top Hereford bulls . The main attraction had to be the Okahu Genius, this year's 'Champion of Champions' Hereford bull. The idea of the open days is to give visitors first-hand viewing of the best produced beef of the farmers' stock andto see the conditions under which they were bred. Cattle included were 18-month old heifers and mixed-aged cows. Another prize-bull, known as 'Okahu Delivery', described recently as "the Hereford bull with the limousine muscling", was standing at hand and also attracted a lot of interest. Delivery is a five rising six-year-old. Pat is considering putting him forward in the Hereford Association progeny-trial to further improve him. About 40-50 visitors attended the open-day and all commented on both the length and muscle condition of the stock. Aside from the lower North Island, visitors came from Australia, the USA and Canada. The next Okahu sale is set down for 22 May.