BULLETIN: Famed Rotokawa herd sold…again…

A stunning announcement in the Devon world this morning:  the famed Rotokawa herd, which originated in New Zealand, has been sold to Massachusetts breeder Henry Hauptman of East View Farm in Hardwick.  Henry has been a fan of the herd from the moment he went into the cattle business and this fulfills a long-held dream.

Henry tells us that he would not have considered the purchase of the herd Ken McDowall developed in New Zealand, if Ken hadn’t promised to once again be personally involved in operations.  We talked with Ken last night and he said he would begin by traveling to the Hauptman farm in August to discuss breeding decisions.  Both men expect to be at the North American Devon Association meeting in New York in September.

A decade ago, Rotokawa, then based in New Zealand, was at the center of the Devon resurgence in the United States.  Ken exported semen and eventually 13 heifers to a partnership of Ridge Shinn, Gearld Fry and Chuck Lacy.  Four years ago McDowall sold his herd to the men and the entire herd was moved from New Zealand to Massachusetts.  Fry left the partnership in 2009 and was eventually replaced by Kim and Diane Miller of Ligonier, Pennsylvania and half the herd was moved to the Miller’s Kananga farm.

Last night, the paperwork signed, about 50 Devon were loaded onto trailers and trucked backed to Massachusetts.  The Millers retain a number of calves for their personal herd.  Shinn also received some animals under the agreement.

All the principals involved in the sale are good friends and we wish them well.  The Millers will continue raising cattle on their farm in Pennsylvania; Ridge Shinn expects to pursue several avenues including aggragating grass fed cattle to answer the growing demand; and Chuck Lacy has his own herd and is now the sole owner of Hardwick Beef, a growing meat operation in the northeast.