Unique deer-selling complex

Press, 27 April 1984, Page 17

Unique deer-selling complex

Next Thursday, May 3, sees the first sale in a new deer selling complex at the Temuka Saleyards, South Canterbury, which is the first facility of its kind in New Zealand. In six months since planning began, a committee representing the saleyards company, stock and station agents and the South Canterbury Deer Farmers Association, has constructed the first deer selling facility to be incorporated in a public saleyards. What was hitherto waste space beneath the seats around the covered cattleselling ring has been turned into 22 deer holding pens and a raceway. The cattle ring will be used for the actual auctioning. The total cost of the pro-

ject has been $45,000, contributed one-third each by the three groups involved. Ownership of the facility is vested in the Temuka Saleyards Company, a co-opera-tive company, and the contributions from agents and farmers have come by way of mortgages to the saleyards company. The chairman of the planning committee, Mr Denis Hazlett, who is Timaru manager for Wrightson NMA, Ltd, said the unique deer selling complex had sparked interest from a number of saleyards authorities throughout New Zealand.

Charles Lund and Sons, Ltd, of Timaru, constructed the solid ply walls and concrete floor of the fully-

enclosed deer holding pens. These pens have a capacity of 200 to 250 adult deer. The first sale in the com-

plex, at 1 p.m. next Thursday, will be of 350 mixedsex weaners from various local vendors.