36 | Fawning rates up on harder country Angharad and Charlie Johns, Tom and Samantha Macfarlane (back row) with children Amelia and Arthur Johns and Jack Macfarlane. Karen Phelps DEER » Melior Genetics: Tom Macfarlane Shifting breeding hinds to new harder, hill country has seen fawning rates at Melior lift from 85% to 98% this season. Melior director Tom Macfarlane has enjoyed the opportunity to test the genetics on harder, hill country. “This type of country at our new lease block in Kimbell, Fairlie, is more suited to hind breeding because profitability has now dictated it needs to be on lower intensity, lower opportunity cost land. This is good natural breeding country for deer which brings many breeding advantages,” he says. Tom says the figure has lifted due to the cover on the hill and lower stocking rates that allows for more natural behaviour. The performance of the animals has been great with fawns shifted two weeks after weaning to The Kowhais, Melior’s 800ha commercial breeding and finishing unit 25kms away on Gudex Road, which produces higher quality feed. They weaned at a 68kg average on the 20th March. The top half of stag fawns was killed at 57kgs carcass weight in mid-September and the other half at the same weight a month later. The reproductive performance of the hinds also remained high with a 98% in-calf rate when they went back to the stag in March. The new 1500ha lease block has also allowed Melior to increase hind numbers by 600 and shift a higher proportion of its hinds to more extensive country. Across Stanton Station at Kimbell and The Kowhais 1800 hinds are now run. The Stanton lease block has also seen Melior diversify into sheep with 2700 ewes. This was reduced from the original 4000 to make way for more deer. The goal is to run around 2000 ewes and 2000 hinds. There are also 430 beef cows and progeny run over the two Fairlie properties. Melior also comprises a 490ha stud-breeding base in Balfour, Southland carrying 1200 stud hinds, 500 stags and 1100 yearling progeny. The three properties work hand in hand and are run by Tom and wife Sam. Despite the impact Covid-19 had on the venison industry it has bounced back, says Tom. The venison schedule is now $2 per kg more than the same time a year ago and rising. Melior focus on producing the fastest growing venison genetics on offer. Tom says this has proved a good investment as even in tougher times they still maximise their income producing capability. Melior runs three red deer breeding programmes – High Growth Rate, English-Cross and Red Terminal. The high growth rate programme focuses on fast growth red deer genetics without compromising on productivity, constitution or temperament. Tom says that Melior has a long term-vision to be self-contained for a variety of reasons including biosecurity for the likes of mycoplasma bovis and the control of their own genetics. “We take great pride in our genetics and know what they’re capable of. Now with farmers needing to meet more climate change regulations, we need animals that will be efficient converters of feed who finish earlier and heavier.” Melior has its annual Stag Sale season coming up and people can download the catalogue from www.melior.nz. Their annual hind sale occurs in July 2023. “This type of country at our new lease block in Kimbell, Fairlie, is more suited to hind breeding because profitability has now dictated it needs to be on lower intensity, lower opportunity cost land. This is good natural breeding country for deer which brings many breeding advantages.” • High country fencing • Farm fencing • Line preparation • Deer, cattle & sheep yard construction • Explosive/blasting certified Proud to support Melior Genetics Ph: 021 523 291 | Email: info@bhfencing.nz Ben Haugh Fencing §ƂƚƬ ƠƇƼƑ ³ƀ źƕƻ ƤŴƹƚ ǀƂ ±ƢƷ Ƥżƻƕ ƨ± żơ³ Ɠ± $ƅƒ& ŴƙƬ ƒƁƻƒ ƻŴ ƁƚƬ ơ±& Ŵƛƫ ơŻƨơÊ ±ƎƳ ²Źưƛ ³ ƁƑ³ ƎƁƫƦ× ºƂƤƬ ƒƅÖ Ɗƒ³$ƟŸƭƒ ³Ƈ ±ƙƬ ²ƂƼƟ ƨƁ ƀƎƳ ²Ƈƶ² ƶ± Żƒ³ ƎſƲƖ Ʈ±ƁƑ³ ƒƇ³Ƒ ƾƁ ƇƜ³ ƢƆưƛ ƺƆ & Ɗƕư ƕ±ưƠ $ƈơƻ ƛź³ƚ ƹŸ ƀƜƵ Ʀ±ưƛ ǀƂ ƅ²Ʒ ƐžƬơ× «Ÿ²ƯƣŸ³Ɛ ƵƆ ƆơƬ ơſǀ² Ƭſ ±ơƯ ²ƇƶƝ ƻƊ Ɓơǀ $ſƎƪ Ơ±ưƛ ŜŸ ƅƠƬ ƒŶƻÖ ŹƜƹ ,+ ƀƜƵ ƕ±ƨƛ ³ ŸƎƵ ƛź³Ƥ ưź Ƈ²ŚªƠ× Ļƒ³ ƎƉƬ² Ƶŷ Ɔơƹ ²ſƬƎ ưƁ ± ÁĥŐŤ²ŴƵƑ ŝı±ŀŮ × ijƢƹ ƒƀƩƟ ƶ± ƅƎƵ ƓŸƹ² $ƅƜƮ Ǝƀƴƒ ³Ŵ Ÿ²Ƭ ơŸƵƠ ƽŸÖ ±ƎƵ ²ƂƼƟ ƺŸ ŸƐƻ ƜƁ³ $ƅƒƺ ƢƅƬ² ƺ± ŸƐƶ Ƒ±ƻƜ ƵƂ Ÿ²ƩƠŸƫ² Ƶ± ƈƟ³ ƐŴƳƒÖ ſƙ³ ƢƁ³Ƣ ƫŸ ±Ɛƶ ƚŸƹƐ ƨſ ŶƜƵ ƖƇưƜ ƺ± żơƯ ¹ƁƔƳ ƠŻ³Ǝ ƫ±¹ŴƠƻ ƟƁ³Ɣ ƵŸ żƐƺ ƐƂƴƏ ƵŸ × «Ÿ²ƻ ƖƁƲ² ƻÊ ±Ǝ³ ƜƂƫ² ƹŸ × ¢ŴƘƬ ơŻƬ² ƶƆ ±Ǝƪ Ƣƅƨơ ³Ŵ ŷ²ư ƓƂƹƚ ƫ± ŸƐư ƖƂƵ² ƂƟ³ Ɯƈƹ² ƨƅ ±ơƯ Ơ±ƺƎ Ƭ± ŸƎƺ ƛ× ¸ĩŃŪ§²ijŪ² ¸ĶŃŝŇljş²ªřİ©ĩő] – «Ÿ²Ƴ ƘŸ³Ə Ƭƅ ŴƠ³ ƢŶƯ²ƺ±ƁƦ³ ŴƟƫ& ƂƟƲ ƛź³Ɠƹƀ ƅ²ƫ ƒƆ× 246 STANTON ROAD RD1 7 FA I RL I E 270 ARDLUSSA ROAD RD6 GORE I NFO@MEL I OR / WWW. ME L I OR . NZ ¨Ƃ²ƽ ƒƊ³Ɯ ƹ±+*++%+/ Ɔơƨ ²ŶƨơƳƂ ƈƒ³ ƖƆươ ƊƤ× Ÿƙư Ɵ× ƍ²ƶ ²Ƈƶ² ưƆ ƈƠƺ ƦƂƼƟ ƫŸ ƅ² ŸƛƬ ƖŶƺÖ ŶƎƳ ²ĸƶƚ ƶƁ *+. 0** 3111
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