Day on the farm thrills CHB's Argyll East pupils

School parent Hamish Davidson jumped in to give a shearing demonstration to the Argyll East schoolkids at Ranui Farm Park.

Argyll East School had the distinction of being the first Hawke's Bay school to take part in a national project that will put kids from 100 schools onto sheep and beef farms.

Funded by the Red Meat Profit Partnership (RMPP) and delivered by NZ Young Farmers' school engagement team, the aim of the joint project is to introduce primary school pupils to the career opportunities available in the agri-food sector.

New Zealand's red meat sector says it will need to find an extra 33,000 workers by 2025 to replace those who will retire or exit the industry. In 2012, 36 per cent of workers in the red meat sector had post-school qualifications.

The pupils get close to the sheep during the visit.

By 2025 that figure will need to increase to 55 per cent. CORE Education has developed a resource for the project, which teaches primary school students about how science and genetics are being used to boost productivity and profitability in the red meat sector.

As part of the course, more than 60 pupils from Argyll East — nearly the entire school roll — enjoyed a visit to Ranui Farm Park, a working sheep and beef farm south of Waipukurau, on March 28.

Trevor Ennor, the third generation of his family to work Ranui, told the pupils the 400ha property had 1000 sheep, around 100 beef cattle and grazed around 200 dairy cattle for other farmers over winter.

Trevor Ennor from Ranui Farm Park talks to the pupils about drenching sheep.

After rounding up the sheep with his heading dogs, Ennor then showed the school kids how to draft the sheep before drenching and weighing them. The pupils then moved into the farm's woolshed where school parent and driver for the day, Hamish Davidson, showed how to crutch the sheep before shearing two of the animals.

Despite many of her pupils already hailing from farming families, school principal Julie Thelwall said the farm visit was still worthwhile.

"About half of them put their hands up when Trev asked them who lived on farm. But for the kids who come to school from town, it's still a nice opportunity for them," she said.