Our Story
The business is called Arahura which, in Māori mythology (specifically that of the Ngāi Tahu people of the South Island), is a divine canoe which was made of pounamu (greenstone).
Arahura Genetics is to carry forward and build upon the outstanding work of the Alexander’s, and the Advanced Romney Designer Genetics (ARDG), group of farms, which we have now joined.
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Paul has an extensive 35-year background in agriculture and education both nationally and overseas; from working and managing large-scale properties in New Zealand’s North and South Islands to farm consultancy in Chile and Brazil along with developing the next generation of NZ farmers in his previous executive role of Director of Farms for Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre.
Paul oversaw the Taratahi sheep, beef, deer and dairy properties, each managed individually, carrying 37,000 sheep, 1,500 cattle, 700 deer and 1,500 dairy cows over 5,700ha.
Paul has been involved in various agricultural and social research projects in conjunction with Massey University, AbacusBio, Alliance Group, Beef + Lamb Genetics, AgResearch and is currently operating the Beef + Lamb Genetics Hill Country Central Progeny Test flock on their property.
Paul is also the Chairman of Beef + Lamb New Zealand National Farmer's Council and latterly have been appointed to the Board of the Workforce Development Council for Primary Industries.
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Dayanne is originally from Brazil where she studied Animal Science before immigrating to NZ in 2009. Since then she has been extensively involved in ram breeding, having worked previously for Wairere Rams as Research and Development Manager while completing her master’s degree in sheep genetics and breeding through Massey University.
Dayanne is currently Zoetis Genetics Sheep Technical Lead helping commercial and stud farmers achieve their breeding goals. She is working alongside Paul on their lease farm as Breeding Program Manager.
Together they have a six-year-old daughter, Isabella.
In March 2021 Paul and Dayanne had the opportunity to take over Ross and Gilly Alexander’s Makino flock. For around fifty years and two family generations, their focus was on the strengthening of the Makino flock sheep genetics, responsible for providing the highly tolerant Facial Eczema and Worm Resistant rams.
Paul and Dayanne are excited to carry forward and build upon the outstanding work of the Alexander’s, and the Advanced Romney Designer Genetics (ARDG), group of farms, which they joined.
Glenside
Paul and Dayanne are running Glenside, an 850ha sheep, beef and deer farm southeast of Masterton, Wairarapa, wintering 5000 sheep, 270 beef cattle and 750 red deer. In addition they operate the Hill Country Central Progeny Test flock for Beef + Lamb Genetics.
Glenside is traditionally summer dry and winter wet, 850 to 950mm annual rainfall. The commercial ewe flock breeding program is focused on key maternal traits including reproduction, growth, and ewe body condition as well as health traits such as worm resistance. All sheep on the farm, stud and commercial, are individually performance recorded.
All hoggets, yearlings hinds and heifer replacements are mated annually, dries sold.
2019-2023 (5-year average): mixed age plus two-tooths lambing 157% and hoggets 82%.
