Projects

Aim: Jacquetta ward Wants to increase weaner growth without altering her stock numbers.

Background:

Jacquetta has two deer blocks on the farm, a breeding block  and and finishing block . The soil and herbage are quite different on these blocks. Analysis of farm performance indicates that the breeding hinds are performing adequately but the growth rates and kill weights and dates in weaner deer have room for improvement. The area on which the deer are finished is not great enough for the number of deer and to allow adequate pasture heights to develop. The rest of the finishing block is not deer fenced and is used to finish bulls. There is scope to increase the area of deer fencing to allow greater flexibility for deer grazing while also allowing cross grazing with the bulls as required. There is also the opportunity to increase winter feed availability and therefore winter growth rates in the deer by planting a crop.

 Tactics/Actions:

• Fence an additional land off her current finishing block
• Plant a crop of rape and plantain for wintering deer
• Determine whether weaner growth rates can be improved along with financial outcomes by increasing grazing scope without altering overall stocking rate including cattle.Plan

​Plan:

• Current data on slaughter weights will be used as a baseline
• The area to be fenced has been identified and a crop of rape and plantain is planned
• The crop will be sown by 1 November 2014 if possible
• Deer will be rotated around the additional deer fenced area and pastures in the other deer paddocks allowed to recover to higher lengths than previously
• Cattle will also graze the deer areas as required
• All stock numbers will be kept to same
• Kill data will be analysed at the end of the season and results compared to the previous two years.
• Total stock movements on and off the finishing block and total carcass weight grown will be measured.

Outcome/Results:

Results to come....