Hawkes Bay Advance Party inaugural onfarm meeting
10 April 2014
Ru, Harry and Ben Gaddum with
Hugh McArdle
“Tuapae” and “Rangimoe”
Agenda:
Be on farm by 11.00 am please
11.00: Introductions and plan for the day. Tony Pearse and Amy Wills in attendance.
Two stop tour of Rangimoe- fawns and crops, top of hill to Trig with views
12.15: Lunch (provided) at Ru’s house, Tuapae
1.00: Two stop tour of Tuapae- through fawns on flats by house, to deer shed and
crop then up the hill to Top Paddock, weather permitting
2.30: Return to homestead, smoko (provided) and group discussion to agree on
way forward for Gaddum’s operation...
Note: We will get around in four 4WD vehicles so no bikes are necessary unless
you wish to ride with the wind in your hair. We will advise on 9 April by email if
tracks are dodgy and bikes will be required- forecast is currently marginal
Stock class
Effective area
Deer fenced area
MA hinds rws
MA hind cull
R2 hinds rws
R2 hinds cull
R1 deer
R2 stags
R3 stags
MA stags
MA cows rwb
R3 heifers rwb
R1 cattle
R2 steers
MA ewes rwr
2T ewes rwr
Lambs
Tuapae
436ha
372ha
Rangimoe
810ha
360ha
Huia
160ha
160ha?
612
39
224
97
424
300
58
22
800
312
100
21
350
150
680
500
20?
190
50
200
29
103
200
800
200
600
Sires for MA hinds on Tuapae and Rangimoe are all Spiers and Wilkins European
stags which are mob mated.
Huia has 112 English hinds that were purchased with the property (ex Hatuma Deer
and Langslow) which are running with English stags for a venture into velvet.
The balance of the Huia hinds are culls and dries from both home farms that have
been mated but will be culled depending on scanning results.
R2 hinds on Rangimoe have been joined to MA stags. The R2 hinds at Tuapae have
been joined to Charteris R3 stags with velvet background.
An animal health plan is in progress now as a result of a meeting 3 April.
Identified issues for Gaddum properties at previous meeting...





Identifying late born small fawns to their dams so dams can be culled
Adding terminal sires into the breeding programme
Improved weaner growth rates
Use of crops for R1 deer in particular
Developing a firm long term direction- venison and/or velvet?
Identified group member issues at previous meeting...
Grant, George and Matt:

Improving velvet production through DNA or use of a spotting scopecost/benefit and use of data
John and Matt:

Weight loss in stags over autumn- management (feed, space) or science
Richard Lawson:

Improved weaner weights (55kg in 2013)- feed quality, cattle, silage, crops
Matt:

Feeding two year olds at pinch periods and effects on lifetime performance
Karen:

velvet in a venison system
Karen and Richard:

Cannot remember what I said- probably improved weaner weights and
continually improved velvet production
Evan:

absent