Deer-farming proposal

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33383, 15 November 1973, Page 2

Deer-farming proposal

The Craigmore Farming Company plans to farm red deer on irrigated country on the coast between Morven and Glenavy, in South Canterbury — if deer are available. A spokesman for the company, Mr P. H. Elworthy, said yesterday that they were developing an irrigated area of

640 acres on the new MorvenGlenavy irrigation scheme, and had applied for a licence i to run red deer on the whole | property. However, the enterprise was subject to the availability of live deer and this was in question at the 1 moment. ; It was considered that this irrigated country could carry I eight or nine stock units to the acre, and possibly three J to four deer to the acre — a | total, perhaps, of about 2000. The intention was to put ‘a high fence around the

block, with ordinary internal fences. The enterprise would be launched as soon as the stock could be obtained, he said. A Press Association message from Oamaru says that the Waitaki Catchment Commission will advise the Di-rector-General of the Forest Service that deer farming on irrigated pastures is unlikely to result in increased erosion. It will also recommend that the numbers of deer carried on an area of 325 acres should not exceed 1000.