Performance recording commenced in 1979 and has led to an award winning stud and flock. Back then Hilary Paterson recorded the 1,000+ Polwarth Stud by hand diligently recording families and traits.

In 1996 Martin & Hilary were offered an exclusive sale of the Polwarth “Rockthorpe Stud” in Tasmania. Martin and son Andrew made their selection of 327 ewes and 19 rams from the stud. The selected sheep were put into quarantine for a month, went through a battery of tests to meet NZ import regulations of which they all cleared, and were then flown in a DHL Boeing 727 in specially made crates to Christchurch. They were then trucked to Matakanui. The Rockthorpe Stud still exists today however all rams are sold under the Matakanui name.

Tracy completes all of Matakanui’s stud recording using a program called Macrostock. There is a huge amount of information recorded on each animal from birth till death, recorded against every animal’s EID ear tag.

Matakanui also embraced the use of estimated breeding values (EBVs) to assist them and their ram clients with selection. There are about 200–250 rams sold annually.

Matakanui has been working on the prevention and minimisation of footrot in their sheep. Andrew is very passionate about this program and it is a strong focus for the stud. Ideally Andrew would like to be footrot free and Matakanui are working towards that goal.

Matakanui have also bred their own terminal rams out of Polwarth ewes and Snowliner rams (SLX). The progeny out of the SLX rams is fast maturing and the wool fits into contract.

While the majority of genetics are sold in New Zealand with live rams (mostly in the South Island) there is also semen being purchased by overseas growers.