| 13 Embryo transfer programme in full swing The farming business also includes a bed and breakfast which allows visitors to enjoy the farm. Karen Phelps RURAL PEOPLE » Forest Road Deer Farm Forest Road Farm is in the thick of the first embryo transfer programme completed on farm. Owner Grant Charteris says that Forest Road Farm had once before dabbled in embryo transfer, sharing a stag with another farmer, and the results prompted the family to invest more heavily undertaking their own programme. “We harvested the velvet off those two-year-olds last season and were pleased with the consistency and result. That was the push we needed to do a bigger programme on our own,” he says. Forest Road Farm has selected eight top hinds chosen for their proven ability to breed consistent sales stags. The hinds were super ovulated and artificially inseminated with top semen from around the country. The farm has prepared 67 recipient hinds and a Mike Briggins, who works in AI and embryo transfer programmes across America, Mexico and New Zealand, will complete the process with his team. “The semen sires that have been selected for this programme have been chosen to try and create a velvet sire stag that has different bloodlines and is a bit unique as an industry our bloodlines are becoming closely related and repeated,” says Grant. Forest Road Farm is producing three-year-old velvet sires, for its own use and for breeders, with a focus on big heavy beamed tidy clean velvet. Grant says that because velvet has a highly heritable trait quick genetic gain is possible. “Twenty years ago any stag that cut over 5kg of velvet was considered sire stag material. Now they have to cut at least that at three years of age to stay in the velvet herd. We want to continually strive to build our reputation as a recognised velvet stud in New Zealand and work with our clients, listening to their feedback, to make sure we are producing what they and the market wants.” Forest Road Farm’s annual velvet harves typically totals about 3.5 tonnes and the main market for the velvet is South Korea and China. Grant has been managing the farm for over 20 years, which covers 327ha of Class 6 hill country at Tikokino, on the eastern flank of the Ruahine Ranges, central Hawke’s Bay. It was in the late 1970’s that his late father Bruce started farming deer and today the farm runs 500 breeding hinds, 500 velveting stags and about 400 young stock. There are also around 65 Hereford cattle and 200 sheep, which are mainly used as lawnmowers to maintain pasture quality for the deer so the deer can express their genetic potential. Everything is single-sire mated, apart from the yearling hinds that are multi-sire mated to the very best two-year-old velvet stags. Fifty per cent of yearling hinds are sold at the on-farm auction mid-December. Environmental stewardship is a big focus of the operation and the farm is a past winner of the Deer Industry New Zealand Elworthy Premiere Award. “Our philosophy is that when we look at areas to fence off and plant it has to also make farm management better as environmental sustainability has to work hand in hand with profitability. We are getting close to having 100% of waterways fenced off on the farm and with over 25,000 natives over the past six years I get a real buzz from driving around the farm and seeing the biodiversity and enhancement.” The farming business also includes a small bed and breakfast, run by Grant’s wife Sally, which allows people to enjoy the land. The couple have two children Harry (10) and Lottie (8). “The bed and breakfast helps tell the story of what drives our business and us as people,” says Grant. “It’s been very popular and we really enjoy having it as part of our business.” Sally and Grant Charteris with family Harry and Lottie. Mobile: Andrew 0272 458 906 | Graham: 0274 432 437 Email: cultnsow@xtra.co.nz For all your cultivation requirements
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=