Saturday, March 30, 2024

Casting a wide net

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Fencing and subdivision have been the immediate priorities in developing the Shabor deer breeding block. When the company formed by Steve Borland and Bob Sharp took over the farm in June last year some deer fencing needed to be put up fast so the breeding hinds could be released in August.  The 200ha area chosen because the deer unit was initially ring fenced to contain the hinds. More fencing has been under way ever since to subdivide the deer unit and gain adequate control over the breeding hinds for management and grazing.
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Steve runs the deer farm with help from son Chris – who will manage the deer unit once development is complete – and a casual staff member. The trio have been doing all the fencing themselves, starting at the furthest part of the farm and working their way forward.

The deer unit will grow in size as more old fencing is replaced with deer fencing and stag numbers increase. Steve says it was no more expensive to build a netting deer fence than a traditional wire fence.

Eventually the breeding farm will also run a velvet herd. Paddocks are currently as big as 60ha but subdivision will reduce that to 15-20ha.

Steve says the area selected for the initial deer unit includes some gullies and bush, providing good shelter for hinds and fawns. It also contains about 60ha of flats ideal for growing out weaner deer although these will need shelter belts to reduce the significant wind chill. These paddocks have produced almost 400 bales of silage as winter feed for the deer.

Some of the easier country on the farm has been reserved for lamb finishing. Eventually, the development work will lift the stocking capacity of the entire farm from 6000 stock units to 10,000su. To avoid taking on any more debt, the development will only be done from cashflow. So far, it has cost about $600,000 including more than $300,000 on fertiliser.

As more land is fenced for deer, Steve says they want to lift fertility to maintain lamb production on a smaller area of land. About 180 tonnes of DAP fertiliser has gone on in three applications to help lift grass covers for set stocking before lambing and fawning, ensuring the farm can finish lambs and grow deer out.

Olsen P levels were about 10, probably even lower on the back country when they bought the farm. Soil tests are done regularly and Olsen P levels have lifted by three points already.

The capital fertiliser programme starts in February and will probably include triple super phosphate (to help lift phosphate levels) and lime.

“It all costs money and it’s all got to be done out of our income. I refuse to take on any more debt,” Steve says.

The deer unit starts at the deer shed where the end of the gravel road meets the farm. It’s a 2-3km walk for deer from the back of the farm but will ensure year-round access for a stock truck and trailer unit.

Steve bought the shed for $1000 from a couple who were retiring from deer farming. He and his team cut the shed up and carted it out to Oparau on trailers. It took seven weeks to complete the deer complex – putting the shed back together and building the surrounding yards – just in time to start the artificial insemination programme. Steve says it was important to meet that deadline. Missing one year of AI would have cost at least 15% genetic gain.

The entire complex cost $28,000, including hiring builders to lay the concrete foundations. It would have cost $80,000 to build a similar designed shed from scratch, Steve says.

Using semen from a single stag, 333 mixed-age hinds went through Shabor’s AI programme in March.

Farm environment plan

Steve Borland is working on a farm environment plan. Sheep should help balance the environmental footprint of the deer and cattle and the farm will never run more than 15su/ha.

Being so close to the coast the salt air wreaks havoc with vehicles and machinery so everything needs to be cleaned regularly.

Before becoming a deer farmer Steve worked as an engineer in the forestry industry. The skills he learnt in forestry, especially around planning and safety, are proving invaluable in the farm development.

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