Maximising venison production in Southland : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the Diploma in Farm Management at Lincoln University

Abstract

Based on my research and results I conclude that maximum returns to Southland deer farmers can be obtained by slaughtering Hybrid stags that have been wintered inside as fawns at 2 years of age post-velveting. But as there is a limited supply of suitable Hybrid stags, available I suggest than Southland deer farmers stay with there Red hind herds. And only use Wapiti as terminal sires and keep all their stags to 2 years of age before slaughtering. This will increase the returns / stock unit dramatically, and allow the top producing velveting stags to be sold as velveting stags based on their records on 2 year old velvet production. Inside winter feeding could be beneficial to farmers in very wet areas of Southland or in seasons of below average winter pasture growth. By getting the stock off the paddocks this prevents pasture damage by pugging and allows a feed bank to build up over the winter. This feed bank insures that when the weaners are put onto the paddocks in the spring there is efficient pasture mass to obtain targeted liveweight gains.