Facilitator: Deane Carson, Ph:  0274 44 2326  email: deane@agribusiness.co.nz   

Monitor Farm Nigel and Lynda Gilkison 
Location: Castle Rock ,Lumsden
         
Farm Summary:
Area: 937 ha total in two blocks, 824 ha Summer dry flat block, 113ha Summer moist hill block
Average rainfall: 950mm but extremely variable in the summer
Altitude:221m
Soils: Oreti and Riversdale (880Ha) Both are light, alluvial soils that are drought prone.
The hill block has no soil information available(120ha) pH Ca P K S Mg   Na
2006 test  5.9 12 36 10 7 32 5 (S04 levels have been fluctuating)
Stock Numbers: 5800 MA Ewes, 1600 Hoggets (mated), 60 Rams,  640 Hinds,
 510 Fawns,42 MA Stags, 88 Dairy Heifers, 4 R2yr Steers,10,024 SUs / 937ha = 10.7SU/ha.
Sheep policy:  Romney/Coopworth ewes put to a Texel for 3/8 of the flock. The other 3/8 of the Romney/Coopworths are put to the Romney/Coopworth ram. Cross bred progeny (1/4 of the flock) are put to the terminal sire.
Lambing starts on the 1st of September with all lambs finished on farm in good years.
Ewe hoggets are mated.