Hinemoa Quality Producers Ltd

Brian and Jacqui Wellington
BEEF + LAMB NEW ZEALAND LIVESTOCK FARM AWARD
MASSEY UNIVERSITY DISCOVERY AWARD
Brian wears his passion for deer farming well,
and the award judges found it serving him well
too on his 620ha (600ha effective) family farm
southeast of Te Awamutu.
Brian and Jacqui are, according
to the judges, “enthusiastic
farmers with a clear long-term
vision”. The couple added deer
to the drystock mix at their
Wharepapa South property in
1978 and their commitment to
the deer industry has remained
steadfast since. “When people
were getting out of deer we
did the reverse, we increased
our numbers,” recalls Brian.
Since taking charge and purchasing the Wellington family
property 28 years ago, Brian and Jacqui have bought three
adjacent blocks of land. The original Wellington farm was a
sheep and beef property, Brian the third generation of his family
to farm it. But on Brian and Jacqui’s watch the business has
grown in size and evolved into the attractive, well developed
deer, sheep and dairy grazing unit it is today, a home base for
their children – Andrew, Susan, Christine and Robert – who
range in age from 23 to 18.
The judges commended the development Brian and Jacqui
have undertaken noting, “high standard internal access race, a
lot of thought gone into infrastructure, and excellent fencing
of waterways and planting of natives”. Brian lists facial eczema
as their “single biggest challenge”. “The climate is pretty good
JUDGES’ COMMENTS
here,” he says. “It’s not summer dry and doesn’t get too wet
in the winter either.” Last year 500 ewes, 250 lambs and 500
dairy grazers were wintered on the farm, but it is deer that is the
main focus, as the numbers illustrate: 1500 red deer hinds, 700
velveting stags and 1250 red and wapiti-cross fawns.
Contour is rolling with steep faces. Some of the steeper areas
were planted in pines but their intended use has altered. “They
were going to be woodlots for our retirement,” explains Brian,
“but instead we have found they have massive value for the
hinds. Those tree areas allow us to have 1000 hinds off the
pasture through the winter. The hinds love it in there and it
takes the pressure off everywhere else on the farm too.”
The management of the hinds in the pines is where Brian’s
observational skills and keen interest in deer behaviours are put
to excellent use. Every third day barriers on the self-feeding
silage pits are moved forward. Any hinds not able to get enough
food, or being picked on by more dominant hinds are spotted
and separated out during their monthly visit through the yards.
They are then run in a separate herd and, says Brian, “pick up
again really well”. There were just 30 (three percent) in this herd
when the hinds were brought out of the pines in September
last year.
The pines, high pruned up to eight metres, are an ideal
environment for the hinds, whatever the season. In addition to
winter, close to fawning they have open gate access from their
pasture to the tree cover. Brian has noted the behaviour of the
hinds is not dictated by space. In winter half are in a 10ha block
of trees and the other in two hectares. “But the smaller block
never has more picked on than the larger one.”
Silage in the pits is fine cut, so there is some wastage by the
deer. However, the Wellingtons have devised a way to ensure
•
Impressive innovation around deer farming practise; observation of behaviour, experimentation with fencing.
•
Well managed feed demand and surpluses for year round supply.
•
Very tidy well-presented farm with a lot of thought gone into infrastructure.
Always open to the sharing of new ideas and innovations.