Scots Red stags settle in well

Press, 26 October 1984, Page 24

Scots Red stags settle in well

Three Red deer stags imported from Scotlaand in May have adjusted well to life in North Canterbury and are expected to take part in the local roar in March. The stags have just come through the Northern Hemisphere roar and have lost their semi-completed velvet which had started growing on arrival in New Zealand. The stags come from the Inshaun Estate, in the Highlands of Scotland and were selected by Mr Ron Schroeder, of Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd, The cost per stag landed in New Zealand was about $9OOO.

The two-year-old stags were quarantined in England for 30 days and spent another 30 days on Somes Island, in Wellington Harbour. When the stags arrived at the Rangiora deer farm of Mr Martin Bonifant, they were in light order and with the New Zealand winter under way they were just starting to get their summer coats. After five months the deer have adapted well to the change in hemisphere and their bodyweights are back to normal. The Inshaun herd is based on Warnham and Woburn bloodlines which have a reputation for producing big

stags. The imported stags were selected for body size and the impressive antlers they produced as young animals. Mr Bonifant will mate one of the imported stags to selected hinds. One of the other stags has been delivered to Mr Nick Wigley, of Rangiora, and the disposal of the third has not been finalised. Mr Bonifant’s deer farm was established seven years ago and has used stags from herds based on Southland and Rakaia bloodlines. Mr Bonifant said he . was aiming at establishing a high quality herd of Red deer to produce good quality breeding stock. A stag from Denmark will be imported as part of the breeding programme. It is expected to arrive in New Zealand in November, 1985. At present he runs 200 hinds on 53 irrigated hectares. Deer are grazed in mobs of 30 to 35 and in winter their feed is supplemented with good quality meadow hay. Mr Bonifant and the farm manager, Mr Bill Templeton, find the stock have virtually no health problems because, they feel, there is little competition between animals for feed and the small mobs allow close observation.