Improving weaner growth rates

The Harpers have recently bought in a hill block to their deer unit and want to understand its potential carrying capacity and performance

Project Description Title: Assessing the performance of a newly fenced hill block.

1. Project Objective:

By autumn 2015 I want to have assessed the carrying capacity over set stocking of a newly deer fenced hill block.

2. Tactics to get there/or points to find out?

· Apply Fertiliser in September

· Set Stock 360 hinds (1.8 hinds per ha) in early October

· Monitor covers on the block at 1 November, 10^th January and as hinds are removed (20^th January if possible)

· Bring hinds and fawns off hill around 20^th January (5 weeks earlier than usual)

3. Success Criteria

What do you want to include, what do you not want to include:

Includes

Does Not Include

Hinds in good condition at weaning

Weaners at or above normal weaning weights

Covers and quality on hill benchmarked

4. Major Deliverables

How will you demonstrate the change?

Cover assessments

Assessment of hind condition vs other areas

Assessment of weaner weights vs other areas

5. What information do I need to collect to show the impact of the change?

The factors that need to be observed in order to measure the impact of the change.

Pasture covers

Sample hind condition scores

Sample weaning weights of Fawns

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