HISTORY

Waikura station has been in the Hain family for almost 70 years. Douglas Hain initially purchased it in 1934. The farm was originally de-forested in 1910, but by the time Mr Hain purchased it, nearly 80% of the farm was re-growth scrub. This has been progressively removed and now only around fifty acres are in scrub. The farm also contains several tracts of native beech forest.


The farm is 1050 hectares in size, of which 850 are productive. The topography is mainly rolling to steep hill country and the rainfall is around 60 inches. It runs 8500 stock units, 60% cattle and 40% sheep.


Initially the farm was purely commercial, today the majority of the livestock are stud animals, however they are run as commercially as possible with high stocking rates and a very strict, hard culling regime. This is made possible in our cattle operation due to very sound reproductive performance.  We achieve over 95% weaning rate of cows to the bull and all yearling heifers are mated, so we have an abundance of replacements and are able to cull heavily.  The same is true with the sheep, we have averaged 147% weaning rate of ewes to the ram and only retain hogget’s who raise a lamb.


We don’t believe in pampering anything and have developed a reputation of stock which leave the property and really ‘go on’.

Hain farm.