Hukaview Holsteins

Derek Berendt has always had a passion for the Holstein breed, and this shows with the Hukaview cows that are presented on show at the New Zealand Dairy Event (NZDE).

Derek, together with Michelle Matheson, has been showing cows at NZDE for ten years.

Michelle said at the start, not knowing anything about exhibiting cattle and getting their foot in the door, they found it quite daunting. 

Left to right:  Derek Berendt, Michelle Matheson, Hukaview Moovin Rosetta-Red, Hannah Lawson, Bob Lawson (Hannah’s Father).

Photo credit: Bradley Cullen / Cullen Marketing

They decided to give it ago and began by purchasing good foundation cows to breed from and now those cows are coming through with their progeny.

To have any chance of winning at a show event, an animal must have the right structure and be prepped correctly, and it can take many years to learn how to do this.

Each year, Derek and Michelle have been aisled amongst other breeders at NZDE and are grateful to have been able to watch and learn a lot from them.

Leading up to the NZDE, Derek and Michelle want to make sure their cattle are in show condition, and they like to keep the process as natural as possible. 

The show team of cows are drafted out of the herd and are given a paddock of short grass during the day and are fed hay at night.  They are walked to a back paddock on the farm with the idea being to get them toned up, showing bone and muscle.

Heifers are taken off grass and put on mostly freshly made hay and water for the last few weeks leading up to NZDE and are housed in a shed out of the heat. Derek said the idea of the hay is that it puts rib on the animal and expands their stomach. The heifer will strip a bit of weight off and get into a condition where they will show bone quality.

For Derek and Michelle, it is all about finding the correct balance, feeding their cattle and getting them into the right condition to make the show ring.

This year their proudest moment was when Hukaview Moovin Rosetta-Red won her class as a two year old and an Intermediate Champion Honourable Mention.  So far undefeated, she won her class as a calf in 2022 and went on to win as a yearling and Junior Champion in 2023.  Hukaview Holsteins are in partnership with Hannah and Craig Lawson from Nova Genetics, who purchased her as a calf at the NZDE in 2021.

Pictured: Hukaview Moovin Rosetta-Red