The best care starts with respect

On ZQ properties, often vast in scale compared with the smaller, intensive farms of the Northern Hemisphere, sheep are handled as little as possible. Growers manage their environment to ensure their needs are met – then leave them to thrive. 

We believe that care is what makes all the difference in farming. Caring for animals isn’t an add-on, it’s the way we farm. Our sheep live well: they’ve got fresh water and nutritious feed, space to roam across wide open pastures and natural shelter when they need it. They’re protected from harm and fear, and encouraged to live naturally by grazing, roaming and flocking freely. This is what the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare look like in practice, and it’s the standard every ZQ grower upholds. 

Autumn Muster at Omarama Station

 You can see these values in action during the autumn muster at Omarama Station. As winter approaches, Merino flocks are brought down from the mountains by experienced shepherds and their dogs. The muster is a picture of respect in practice: no roaring engines, no sudden movements, just the steady rhythm of animals moving at their own pace. Good shepherds know when to guide and when to step back, creating a flow built on patience, instinct and trust. It’s an approach that takes more time, but it ensures the animals are calm and comfortable, and it strengthens the bond between shepherds, dogs and flock. 

Merino sheep

For Henry, a fourth-generation shepherd, the responsibility is clear. “You’re responsible for thousands of animals,” he says. “You want them healthy and safe. Because that’s what they deserve.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by growers right across the ZQ network. They know that healthy, well-looked-after sheep produce better, brighter fibre. But beyond that, their care is about doing what’s right. By choosing to farm this way, ZQ growers are building a legacy of respect for animals, for the land and for future generations. It’s a commitment that unites the community and always begins with care.