Deer farming on a large scale

Two thousand hinds, in close formation, drift in front of the ute, heads high, slender legs stretching forward, with hardly a sound but for the distinctive clicking of their dainty hooves.


There are 400 breeding and velvet stags on Rangitaiki Station.

Five farms
“This farm is the result of five smaller farms, owned by Landcorp since Lands and Surveys days, and amalgamated,” says Sam, who with wife Christina and their three children have been at Rangitaiki for 18 months.

While his role is to oversee the entire operation, Sam admits to having an affection for deer and strong interest in the aim to improve their genetic performance.

“Deer have only been farmed in New Zealand for about 40 years, so obviously the industry is young and we are making rapid improvement in genetic performance.”

The aim of the breeding programme includes increasing weight gain in fawns so they reach 90kg within 10 months to meet the high-paying chill venison market of September and October. Currently that weight is achieved by most fawns within 12 months.

When ready to leave the farm it’s Jack Turner Transport of Taumarunui which provides the transport. Genetic improvement is also aimed at increasing velvet yield from stags – and Russell and Sam say temperament is an important factor.

“If you can’t easily handle deer in the shed, no matter how good their genetics, they aren’t worth keeping,” says Russell, who has been farming deer for 40 years.


Landcorp’s Rangitaiki Station deer stock manager Russell Waite and farm business manager Sam Bunny.

Genetic gain
Sam says genetic gain is achieved by using red deer stags as terminal sires, with a small number of Wapiti stags to add hybrid vigour.  Artificial Insemination, using Landcorp sire stags from its Stuart Deer Farm in the South Island and some from Deer Improvement, is also used.

“Together Stuart Deer Farm and Deer Improvement probably have some of the best deer genetics in the country. We have a stud book of 400 hinds and use EID scanning to keep track of performance,” says Sam.

Another of the programme’s aims is to bring conception dates forward, which would increase the number of fawns up to weight by September-October.

Traditionally, hinds don’t come into season until March-April, but Sam says it appears possible to change that.

Improving live weights and animal health isn’t all about genetics. Feeding the deer well, of course, plays an important role and at Rangitaiki’s altitude of about 700 metres to 880 metres, growing and maintaining feed requires careful management.

“The seasons are about four weeks later here than say the Bay of Plenty.”

However, 600 ha of swedes and kale are planted each year and break-fed to deer using five-wire electric fencing.

That cropping is part of a regular programme of pasture-renewal with tall fescue and rye grass, plus some clover – the main species grown. Plateau Sprayers of Taupo is among local contractors who work for Landcorp.

A further 600ha is devoted to silage and 2,500,000kg of dry matter is produced to feed stock through the winter.


Silage is made on 600ha each year at Rangitaiki Station.

Snow and frosts
It snows at Rangitaiki and frosts are common but the soils are good, and improving with a careful fertiliser plan. So far this year the weather has been reasonably kind and grass growth promising in spring, but Sam says droughts have taken their toll on production during the last eight years – and he’s farming with dry seasons in mind.

That means being flexible about stocking rates, with provision, mainly through the sheep and beef unit, to increase or decrease numbers to suit conditions.

Sam says when it comes to deer, having the right people to manage them is vital.
“Not everyone likes working with deer but those who do have a great understanding of them.”

Among those at Rangitaiki is Russell, whose introduction to deer farming included working on a farm with some of the first deer captured from the wild by aviation and deer farming pioneer Tim Wallis.

He says the changes deer farming has undergone since then are impressive.

“The genetic gains are amazing. We used to think a stag with two kilograms of velvet was pretty good, now you question whether one which produces four kilograms should stay in the herd.”

Deer handling techniques and facilities have also improved dramatically. “In the early days it was pretty tough. We used to pretty much man-handle the deer. When I think of what we did, it’s a wonder we survived.”


Pasture renewal at Rangitaiki Station underway on a former cropping paddock.

False teeth
Deer were worth big money back in the 1970s. “One of the partners in one farm I was on was an Auckland dentist. Some of the older deer had worn their teeth down so much they were having trouble grazing, so he made them false teeth and glued them in. It worked for a little while,” says Russell.

Tooth wear is a problem at Rangitaiki too, because deer browse down to the ground and pumice in the soil can be abrasive. However, 10 year-old hinds are still productive members of the herd.

Worms and copper deficiency are the main health problems for Rangitaiki deer, both handled by regular drenching and dosing. The herd is TB-free but testing every three years takes two six-day weeks to complete.

“Landcorp works closely with AgResearch on a number of projects, including fertility and we are always keen to be involved as we have the scale researchers need,” says Sam.  

Taking part in research is in line with Landcorp’s strategy to “drive adoption of science, systems and new thinking that will boost the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of farm operations” – and to share the learnings with the wider farming community.


Christina and Sam Bunny are enjoying life on Landcorp’s Rangitaiki Station.


Races at Rangitaiki Station are designed to allow easy movement of deer, sheep and cattle from one part of the property to the other.


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