Celebrating early success

Weaning hinds early before the rut is proving a good move for Hawke’s Bay deer farmer Rupert Gaddum. Marie Taylor reports. Photos by Graeme Brown.  The Hawke’s Bay Advance Party suggested some trial work on the question of weaning time at the Gaddums’ Kereru farm, Rangimoe Station, in the hills west of Hastings. Gaddum has been farming at Kereru since 2008. He manages Rangimoe for the larger family company where 70% of stock units are deer in a breeding, finishing and velveting operation. The business runs 1750ha altogether, including 258 Angus cows and 1000 breeding ewes.