Kelso Genetics

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Kelso Genetics

Supplying high health & high performance sheep genetic options What you can expect from us -

A trusted ram breeder who acts with integrity.

Kelso is a family based operation jointly owned by the Marshall, Holden, Bibby and Ellis families. Scale with discipline to deliver profitable genetic options. Carefully balanced stockmanship with leading technologies. Farming families and enduring relationships that stand the test of time.

23/06/2026

Blimey! These lucky lads are going international! 🇬🇧

George Ellis visited Kelso back in November and got a front row seat to ram sales at Kelso HQ. Fast forward six months and George is now importing three Kelso ram hoggets as sire rams for his sheep stud, Grafton, located in the West Midlands, UK. George runs 480 SIL performance recorded ewes and his passion for sheep breeding was clear. He came with plenty of questions and even more knowledge.

George said “The Kelso rams were robust, well fleshed, growthy sheep. I really liked Kelso’s attention to detail and emphasis on FEC, dag and body condition to breed resilient and productive sheep”

One of these ram hoggets has been used over our stud ewes to create an international genetic linkage between the Kelso and Grafton flocks, something we’re really excited about.

We look forward to hearing how these boys get on!

14/06/2026

Things are looking woolly good right now!

Maternal ewe second shear is underway — what a time to be a sheep farmer with strong wool prices soaring at 15-year highs 💥

We select for a fault-free, even fleece with open points and hitting 80% yields. That wool cheque is nothing to be sheepish about…

Big thanks to Tom and the team at Marsh Shearing for the tidy work on our stud ewes.

💰

10/06/2026

PIOPIO - we are coming for you!

Whether you’re a Kelso client or just curious to know more about Kelso, come along and have a beer with us next week at the Fat Owl, Wednesday 17th June from 5pm.

Flick us a message with your RSVP!

08/06/2026

What’s your ewes’ body condition score right now…and does it matter?

Short answer: Yes. A lot.

BCS is measured by feel. You run your hand behind the last rib and over the spine. Too low and your ewes are more vulnerable in tough conditions and less likely to cycle well.

BCS is highly repeatable and highly correlated across the year - meaning ewes that rank above or below average at one time are expected to rank similarly at another. So the hard doers in your mob are likely the same ones struggling at every measurement point. That’s useful information when you’re making culling decisions.

It’s also moderately heritable (20%) - meaning if you’re selecting rams with good BCS indexes, you’re breeding ewes that naturally hold condition better. Less intervention, less cost, more resilience.

Breeding for balance.

*We will let Hamish off for missing the BCS on one of the ewes!

03/06/2026

They say it takes 10,000 hours to master something. Matt Holden has done about 87,000 hours and he’s mastered it.

30 years at Kelso. Embryos to China, semen to South America and Australia, live rams to the UK - if it’s got four legs or a straw, Matt’s probably exported it. He gave us 10 years of Kelso Winter Workshops that somehow managed to be genuinely educational AND a great night out for our clients. Matt built a brand people believe in, now that’s no easy feat! He makes everyone feel welcome, doesn’t take life too seriously, and can dish it out just as well as he takes it.

We’d say we’ll miss him, but he’s not going anywhere - and neither is his Hilux 😅 Matt steps into a governance role with Kelso, so we’re fortunately stuck with him. We look forward to his return from Uganda and Europe in a couple of months. Thank you, Matt. Absolute legend! 👏🏼

02/06/2026

Matt Holden sat down with REX last week to reflect on 30 years at Kelso Genetics, what’s next for him, and his upcoming adventure — climbing the Ruwenzori Mountains in Uganda. He also talks about his passion for strong wool and the family legacy that’s driven it all

Go have a listen!

31/05/2026

We are proud to announce the winner of the inaugural Roger Marshall Scholarship is…

💥 Maddy Buckley 💥

Maddy grew up on a sheep, beef, and dairy farm in Te Kuiti, is very proud of her family, and spends her spare time helping her parents with all their on-farm projects. She is now in her fifth and final year of a double degree — Bachelor of Business majoring in Agribusiness and Bachelor of Law — at the University of Waikato.

Maddy has a real passion for gaining a role in the agricultural industry — specifically international trade, market access, and trade negotiation for New Zealand’s premium product. She brings strong analytical thinking, a critical perspective, and a drive to find real solutions for NZ farmers. New Zealand farmers are really good at what they do, and Maddy is keen to showcase their products on the world stage and ensure they consistently get more money in their back pocket.

We look forward to seeing Maddy become a strong advocate for our industry and wish her all the best for her final year of studies.

Congratulations Maddy! 🎉

NZ Farming

29/05/2026

It’s goodbye from Matt and it’s hello from Olivia 👋🏼
Kelso’s social media succession is underway…

28/05/2026

With one day to go, I am extremely humbled by this very cool piece of art my team has given me, thank you…
I will be reminded daily of the 30 great years I’ve had originally as a client, then working in and for Kelso…
To you all out there from the far north to the deep south, and everywhere in between, I say ‘thank you for all the friendships, memories and stories and the odd ram sale’ - my cup is full…

Address

744 Blackburn Road, Ongaonga
Hastings
4278

Telephone

0800 4KELSO

Website

http://www.kelso.co.nz/

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