Senior Shepherd General. 

Livestock Manager.  Some of Dion's  training was at Taratahi, (see http://www.taratahi-ag.ac.nz.) 

2010 autumn born calves.

Two thirds of the ewes have twin lambs.

Land in this unit consists of 90 hectares of fertile river silts and 2,060 hectares of low fertility coastal sands.  90% of the farm is in one block. The light soils mean grass growth is very variable over the summer. The soils are best suited to cattle pastures with a high proportion of trading stock to give flexibility with stock numbers. There is an ongoing development program of improving soils and pastures with fertiliser and subdivision. Every year Wanganui Aero Work using GPS precisely apply fertiliser, to balance the nutrients available, to the sheep and beef farm.

On this unit we winter 16,500 stock units predominately cattle.  The farm participates in purchasing Meat Company quality assurance programs. 

Pasture growth is measured at five different sites on the farm and live-weight changes in key mobs are monitored regularly. All staff are equipped with handheld radios that have coverage over the whole property.

Twice a year, the Egmont - Wanganui Hunt Club hunt for hares with horses and hound dogs over the farm. In the autumn many pheasant shooters enjoy trying their luck on the expansive coastal part of the farm.

Basil:-

A visitor to the farm in 2004 was Basil a seal. Below is a photo of Basil taking a leisurely springtime look up a creek on the farm. After several weeks on the farm DoC returned Basil to a colony back on the coastline.