New Zealand wapiti bull Red 53 fetched the highest price of $6000 at Littlebourne Farm's 33rd annual wapiti sire sale in Winton. Photo / Shawn McAvinue
New Zealand wapiti bull Red 53 fetched the highest price of $6000 at Littlebourne Farm's 33rd annual wapiti sire sale in Winton. Photo / Shawn McAvinue
Serene wapiti stags attracted buyers to a sale in Central Southland.
Littlebourne Farm owner Geoff Pullar said he was "pretty happy" with the 33rd annual on-farm wapiti sire sale in Winton last week.
Littlebourne Farm owner Geoff Pullar at his 33rd annual wapiti sire sale in Winton. Photo / Shawn McAvinue
Of the 19 bulls on offer, 17 sold.
The remaining two bulls were sold by private treatythe following day.
Keith and Annette Stanley, of Fairlie, paid the top price at Littlebourne Farm's wapiti sire sale in Winton. Photo / Shawn McAvinue
The catalogue listed Red 53 as being rated second equal for velvet on New Zealand's national deer recording database Deer Select.
Keith and Annette Stanley bought Red 53 for their 340ha farm Scotston in Fairlie.
Jesse Saunders and his son Ryan Saunders (12), both of Winton, wait for bidding to start.
Photo / Shawn McAvinue
Stanley said the temperament of the bulls kept them coming back to the sale.
"They are quiet and I really enjoy working with them and I can take my grandkids into the paddock," Stanley said.
Rochelle Laffey (left) and Jenny Pullar, both of Winton, attended the sale. Photo / Shawn McAvinue
Pullar said the bulls had good temperaments because they spent their first winter in a shed.
He would continue to improve the traits of his herd by introducing genetics using artificial insemination.
Lily Hamilton (9), of Winton, at Littlebourne Farm's 33rd annual wapiti sire sale in Winton. Photo / Shawn McAvinue
He usually used the process every second year but had used it for the past two consecutive years to continue to improve traits, which included heavier velvet and carcass weight.
