Business Rural Winter 2021

| 63 DEER » Thornicroft Station Thornicroft maximising production in deer herd Karen Phelps P amu’s Thornicroft Station has tried a new sys- tem to maximise feed for its wapiti cross red deer operation. Last April the station weighed all the fawns on mum to identify the elite fawns. It then weaned all the smaller fawns and put the larger fawns back on mum. The hinds that were weaned were lured out of the main mob and fed baleage. The weaned hinds were then shut down for winter and fed silage while the elite fawns still on mum were fed well with the aid of high M.E supplement for six weeks, then sent to the works straight off mum. Station manager Mike Cooney says the system worked really well last year. “We are aiming to kill 35% off mum this year, which will be a great achievement given the very challenging dry autumn,” he says. Wapiti stags are sourced from Pamu’s Freestone Stud in Te Anau. The stud has been operating for 25 years and is managed by Tim Smith, with support from Focus Genetics. Freestone is the only wapiti stud using CT scanning, with its main focus being meat yield and growth. The Thornicroft Station venison operation fawns 2400 red hinds and last year scanned 96% with around 70% in the first cycle. This year fawning was 90%. Unlike most properties Thornicroft Station fattens all its fawns and buys in its replacement red hinds as wet dries. They are sourced from other Pamu farms in the Te Anau basin and given a second chance and mated to wapiti stags on arrival. Mike says this system works well for the operation. Thornicroft Station is located in Otago against the slopes of the Lammerlaw Range near Lake Mahinerangi. Totalling 3000ha, of which 1800ha is cultivatable, the station winters 22,000 stock. The land ranges in altitude from 400-740m above sea level. Mike says the topography and altitude are perfect deer country. All progeny is finished on farm and last year the operation killed 30% of fawns off mum at an aver- age carcass weight of 51kgs. The fawns are pro- cessed at Duncan New Zealand Venison in Mosgiel, a long-term relationship, and Mike says Thornicroft really enjoys working with the Duncan team. The deer unit is run as part of a sheep and beef operation, which comprises 6200 lambing ewes and 460 calving cattle. 95% of everything is finished on farm. Mike likens his cattle and sheep winter grazing strategy to an older approach to farming where mob sizes are increased along with rotation length. For example, they do a 120-day winter rotation for 4000 ewes with 370 cows following straight behind, rather than multiple rotations. Covers are decked to 1000kgDM/ha, which creates more feed in front of the animals and results in better grass quality to lamb and calve on. Mike says Thornicroft couldn’t function with- out its young, enthusiastic team including stock manager Caleb Neilson, who drives the deer side of the operation. Caleb brings seven years experience with the animals to his role and has a real passion for deer. “People are our biggest asset,” says Mike. “We couldn’t do what we do here without our team.” Covid-19 has hit venison prices hard internation- ally and the focus now is on waiting until the world economy frees up again and people can go out and enjoy the high quality product. Mike expects that the bounce back could be rapid and see a spike in demand as people enjoy new-found freedom after a tough 12-18 months. Steers and hoggets grazing overlooking Lake Mahinerangi. HYSLOP RURAL TRANSPORT For all your fertiliser spreading, livestock & general cartage needs 28 Bell Street, Outram | Ph 03 486 1777 | hysloprural@xtra.co.nz Ph Tyler 027 946 9803 or Bailey 0274 953 006 185 Centre Rd, 1 RD Outram, ALLANTON PROUD TO SUPPORT THORNICROFT STATION We can do one job or the whole job, It’s all “Total Quality” • PIT S ILAGE • HAY • BALAGE • EX CAVATOR • MU CK SPREADING • TR U CKS & TRAILERS • HEDGE C U TTING • GROUNDWORK • BOOM & HAND GUN SPRAYING TOTAL HARVESTING L I M I T E D A mob of hinds on silage and Wapiti stags post mating at Thornicroft Station. The deer units is run as part of a sheep and beef operation. DINZ QA Accredited Drivers/Crates (Single Decks, Double Decks, Specialised Trophy Crates and Rubber Matting fitted throughout ) For Safe, Honest and Cost Efficient Transporting of: For all enquiries contact STEPHEN GRANT: Kill Stock, Farm to Farm, Sire and Trophy Stags. M. 027 433 5159 E. otagodeertransport@xtra.co.nz Proud to be associated with Thornicroft Station i i i i From farm, to forest, to front lawn Findlaters Yamaha 11 Clyde Street Balclutha 9230 Ph 03 418 0527 Findlaters has the right gear for the job