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Molesworth Station
Molesworth Station is a high country cattle station. It is located behind the Inland Kaikōura Mountain range in the South Island's Marlborough District. It is New Zealand's largest farm, at over 1,800 square kilometres (440,000 acres) and supports the country's biggest herd of cattle. It also hosts government science programs, such as research into bovine tuberculosis and related research into possums. The station helps rabbit population reduction.
The present station was formed in 1949 when a third station, St Helens, was added to Tarndale and Molesworth stations which had been amalgamated in 1938 after the runholders "walked off" the land. The three stations had once run around 95,000 head of sheep. The land was brought back into production by a major investment in rabbit control followed by revegetation of the barren ground. Cattle replaced the sheep.
The land is owned by the Crown and is leased for farming. On 1 July 2005, administration of the land was handed to the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
The HVDC Inter-Island transmission line passes through the station.
Molesworth is a high country cattle station. Its Angus and Angus/Hereford-cross cattle range free on the high country in summer months and graze in the warmer valleys during winter. They are cared for by a team of stockmen camping with their dogs and horses in remote huts. Each October/November they achieve a calving rate of 92 per cent. The calves are weaned just before their mothers drop their next calf. Surplus heifers are sold as two-year-olds and steers as three-year-olds.
Permanent staff is five and another half-dozen stockmen are employed except in winter. During the most active periods there are around 80 horses and up to 45 working dogs working on the station. Molesworth uses aircraft to find cattle at mustering and to pick up any missed by the muster.
Weed control is expensive. Briar, broom and wilding pine and the flatweed, hieracium. Possums and ferrets can transmit bovine tuberculosis
There are restrictions in place to protect the working farm. Bad weather may also close some other areas.
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Molesworth Station
Molesworth Station is a high country cattle station. It is located behind the Inland Kaikōura Mountain range in the South Island's Marlborough District. It is New Zealand's largest farm, at over 1,800 square kilometres (440,000 acres) and supports the country's biggest herd of cattle. It also hosts government science programs, such as research into bovine tuberculosis and related research into possums. The station helps rabbit population reduction.
The present station was formed in 1949 when a third station, St Helens, was added to Tarndale and Molesworth stations which had been amalgamated in 1938 after the runholders "walked off" the land. The three stations had once run around 95,000 head of sheep. The land was brought back into production by a major investment in rabbit control followed by revegetation of the barren ground. Cattle replaced the sheep.
The land is owned by the Crown and is leased for farming. On 1 July 2005, administration of the land was handed to the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
The HVDC Inter-Island transmission line passes through the station.
Molesworth is a high country cattle station. Its Angus and Angus/Hereford-cross cattle range free on the high country in summer months and graze in the warmer valleys during winter. They are cared for by a team of stockmen camping with their dogs and horses in remote huts. Each October/November they achieve a calving rate of 92 per cent. The calves are weaned just before their mothers drop their next calf. Surplus heifers are sold as two-year-olds and steers as three-year-olds.
Permanent staff is five and another half-dozen stockmen are employed except in winter. During the most active periods there are around 80 horses and up to 45 working dogs working on the station. Molesworth uses aircraft to find cattle at mustering and to pick up any missed by the muster.
Weed control is expensive. Briar, broom and wilding pine and the flatweed, hieracium. Possums and ferrets can transmit bovine tuberculosis
There are restrictions in place to protect the working farm. Bad weather may also close some other areas.