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ISSN 1176-0753<br />
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS<br />
Issue 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> • Official magazine of <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand and the NZDFA<br />
Season's Greetings to all our readers<br />
Focus Farms<br />
launched: p38<br />
Also in this issue:<br />
• Profile: Tower Farms<br />
• Environment project shown off<br />
• Tb control on game estates<br />
• Venison – ‘heartbeat food’<br />
• Venison features at meat industry workshop<br />
• Velconz explained<br />
• DEEResearch and VARNZ annual reports<br />
National and North Island<br />
Velvet Competition results<br />
enclosed
editorial<br />
Looking to challenges of 2008<br />
As <strong>2007</strong> draws to a close, it’s a good time to look at some of the opportunities and<br />
challenges coming up for the deer industry in 2008.<br />
Venison production appears likely to continue to fall as<br />
the effects of the last four years work their way through<br />
the system. At this early stage, most venison marketers are<br />
working to a range of 480–510,000 deer being processed<br />
in the year ended September 2008. This is a drop of about<br />
100,000 compared to the year ended September <strong>2007</strong>.<br />
Over the past two years, venison exports have dropped by<br />
23% (27,000 tonnes to 21,000 tonnes). During the same<br />
period, chilled exports have increased by 73% (2,900 tonnes<br />
to 5,000 tonnes) to comprise a very significant 23% of total<br />
exports. This increase has not happened by itself. There<br />
has been a sustained effort by New Zealand marketers and<br />
importers in product development innovation and promotion<br />
– supported by DINZ. If the gains in chilled volumes hold,<br />
there will be significantly less venison available for the<br />
frozen market. The DINZ Board’s view is that lower volumes<br />
are likely over the next several years. This needs to be<br />
reflected in the Venison <strong>Industry</strong> Strategic Intent, and the<br />
Board will be reviewing it with producers and marketers.<br />
On velvet, the Board has been pleased with the robust,<br />
passionate industry discussion on how New Zealand velvet is<br />
best sold. This has resulted in the Velconz initiative between<br />
Contents<br />
Editorial: Looking to challenges of 2008.................................... 3<br />
DINZ news: NVSB: the basics; Agricultural census........................ 4<br />
General news: Conference 2008; Coming events.......................... 6<br />
Profile: Tower Farms.......................................................... 8<br />
Environment awards 2008; CWD monitoring update................10<br />
Ambitious environmental project at Rodway.........................12<br />
Tb control on game estates: lifting the bar...........................14<br />
Sexed semen technology...................................................15<br />
Market Report: Venison and velvet ..........................................16<br />
<strong>Industry</strong> news: Venison features at meat industry workshop.........18<br />
‘Pick and mix’ convenience; Impressing the doctor.................22<br />
Venison - the heartbeat food.............................................23<br />
MARKET TALK: Export success starts with clean, green............24<br />
Cervena in front of top NZ food writers................................24<br />
Christchurch chef wins Cervena competition; Recipe...............25<br />
Selin triumphs in Culinary Challenge...................................31<br />
<strong>Industry</strong> connection for new team member...........................31<br />
Million milestone for Robinson...........................................32<br />
Stagline Supplement: Focus Farm update.................................32<br />
Branch Chairman profile: Brian Russell, Southland................33<br />
Tb Strategy tracking ahead of targets................................. 34<br />
Branch Chairman profile: Andrew Peters, Taihape..................35<br />
Velconz explained; Rumpole Cup revived..............................36<br />
Focus Farms update..........................................................38<br />
Stagline - online; Hawke’s Bay numbers down.......................40<br />
NZDFA backing Velconz; <strong>Industry</strong> loses battler.......................41<br />
National velvet competition to remain in South.....................43<br />
Research: VARNZ research update........................................... 44<br />
VARNZ annual report........................................................45<br />
DEEResearch annual report................................................49<br />
Johne’s Research Group activity winds down.........................53<br />
Tracking deer with GPS; <strong>Deer</strong>select update........................... 54<br />
PGG Wrightson and velvet suppliers to PGG Wrightson and,<br />
reportedly, in more producer interest in Velexco.<br />
The velvet industry must better manage its key accounts<br />
and supply issues. Producers should not immediately relate<br />
these initiatives to current market prices (either high or low).<br />
Market conditions will have a major impact on returns. At<br />
the time of writing, there are significant stocks of velvet in<br />
Korea, it’s selling more slowly than expected, the Russian<br />
wholesale price has dropped by 10% in the last two months<br />
and the South Korean won is weaker against the $NZD by<br />
about 14% in comparison to the same time last year.<br />
It’s important that velvet producers continue to contribute to<br />
the discussion and to the resulting actions in 2008.<br />
A focus on improving venison productivity will continue<br />
next year. The industry must get more deer on the ground,<br />
earlier and heavier at the time of slaughter (reproductive<br />
performance and heavier carcasses). The Venison Supply<br />
Systems research programme, a partnership between<br />
AgResearch and the industry (see www.DEEResearch.co.nz),<br />
is underway. DINZ is part of Pastoral 21 – a pan-pastoral<br />
sector initiative to drive productivity, and DEEResearch<br />
participates in Pastoral Genomics which is driving for<br />
forage improvement through biotechnology (see www.<br />
pastoralgenomics.com). These sources of new information,<br />
particularly the Venison Supply Systems programme, will<br />
inform the suite of Focus Farms to encourage adaptation,<br />
adoption and technology transfer to deer farming systems.<br />
Efforts to manage Johne’s disease will gain momentum<br />
in 2008 and build on the very good work undertaken by<br />
the Johne’s Research Group (JRG) since 2002. The JRG<br />
has raised producer awareness of this issue and achieved<br />
outcomes which will allow more effective management of the<br />
disease. Although they are still active, I would formally like<br />
to thank them for the excellent job they have done. Johne’s<br />
Management Ltd became operational in <strong>2007</strong>. It is collecting<br />
a wealth of very useful data which will inform future studies<br />
and enable better management of Johne’s disease.<br />
Government action on climate change will accelerate and<br />
grow in 2008. Although we question New Zealand’s approach<br />
on climate change, and the merits of an Emissions Trading<br />
Scheme (ETS), the deer industry will need to understand<br />
its ‘carbon footprint’ through the production cycle and<br />
understand the concept of an ETS – both in terms of benefits<br />
and costs. These issues will not go away.<br />
Finally, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the very<br />
best for the New Year.<br />
John Scurr, Chairman, <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong> is published by <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand six times a year in February, April,<br />
June, August, October and <strong>December</strong>. It is circulated to all known deer farmers, processors, exporters<br />
and others with an interest in the deer industry. The opinions expressed in <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong> do<br />
not necessarily reflect the views of <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand or the New Zealand <strong>Deer</strong> Farmers’<br />
Association.<br />
Circulation enquiries: <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand,<br />
PO Box 10-702, Wellington, Ph 04 471 6114, Fax 04 472 5549, Email info@deernz.org<br />
Editorial and advertising enquiries: Words & Pictures, PO Box 27-221, Wellington, Ph 04 384 4688,<br />
Fax 04 384 4667, Email din@wordpict.co.nz<br />
Cover: Visitors at the Northern Region Focus Farm field day on the finishing unit at Dave Dewar and<br />
Kay Garland’s property Ngakuru, Rotorua – yearling crossbred stags above. Photo: Tony Pearse.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 3
news<br />
National Velvetting Standards Body: the basics<br />
With the velvetting season in full swing, it is timely to discuss the system we have in place for the safe removal of<br />
deer velvet, in line with animal welfare, hygiene and drug safety requirements. The ability to remove deer velvet is a<br />
hard-won right, secured through industry negotiation and a formal agreement with the welfare guardians. That right<br />
can only be protected by strict adherence to the procedures set out in the Farmer Velvet Antler Removal Manual.<br />
Annually, the National Velvetting Standards Body (NVSB) is<br />
required to report on audit reviews and recommendations<br />
for any change or upgrading to the programme, based on a<br />
philosophy of continual improvement with advancing welfare<br />
as the driving force.<br />
The NVSB<br />
The NVSB administers a training and certification programme<br />
for the removal of velvet based on a Code of Practice.<br />
The NZDFA and the New Zealand Veterinary Association<br />
(NZVA) each appoint two representatives to the NVSB, and<br />
the programme is managed by <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand<br />
Through the NVSB manager (John Tacon) and quality<br />
systems administration (Pam MacLeman). There are about<br />
1,300 farmers certificated under the programme.<br />
Current members of the NVSB are: Andrew Conway, Nelson<br />
(NZVA); Ian Scott, Waikato (NZVA); John Spiers, Hawke’s<br />
Bay (NZDFA); David Stevens, Southland (NZDFA).<br />
Legislation<br />
There are two key pieces of legislation governing the removal<br />
of deer antler velvet:<br />
• Animal Welfare Act 1999 (AWA)<br />
• Agricultural Compounds & Veterinary Medicines Act 1997.<br />
The removal of velvet without veterinary supervision or<br />
anaesthesia is a contravention of the AWA. The antlers can<br />
be removed by a farmer who has received the appropriate<br />
training under the supervision of a supervising veterinarian<br />
through the NZSB velvet removal programme. Part of that<br />
programme is a formal audit that ensures all accredited<br />
velvetters will be audited as part of the programme.<br />
The programme is approved under the Agricultural<br />
Compounds and Veterinary Medicines Act and endorsed by<br />
the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC).<br />
Velvetting is classed as a ‘controlled surgical procedure’<br />
under the AWA, which specifies conditions under which<br />
such procedures may be carried out. The NAWAC Code of<br />
Recommendations and Minimum Standards for the Welfare of<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> During the Removal of Antlers (1992), provides detailed<br />
requirements. The NVSB programme is aligned to this code.<br />
NAWAC<br />
NAWAC is a ministerial advisory committee established under<br />
the AWA. The Committee advises the Minister of Agriculture<br />
on animal welfare matters relating to farm, companion, wild<br />
and pest animals. It also provides advice on the content of<br />
codes of welfare, including the above-mentioned code of<br />
welfare for removal of antlers, and the more recent Code of<br />
Welfare (<strong>Deer</strong>) <strong>2007</strong>.<br />
The Committee is progressively reviewing existing voluntary<br />
codes of recommendation and minimum standards which<br />
will be replaced by codes of welfare. The minimum standards<br />
4<br />
in codes of welfare can be used to support a prosecution<br />
under the AWA, or conversely, as a defence to prosecution.<br />
In order for NAWAC to approve of certain procedures used in<br />
the removal of velvet (e.g. for ensuring adequate analgesia),<br />
the committee requires a robust, science-based case to be<br />
made. A number of research programmes funded by the<br />
deer industry have been carried out in order to provide this<br />
scientific backing.<br />
Current research<br />
VARNZ is currently working on a number of research projects<br />
relating to the safe removal of velvet. These cover issues such<br />
as analgesia and safe administration of prescription animal<br />
remedies used in velvetting. A listing of current projects can<br />
be found in the DEEResearch and VARNZ Annual Reports<br />
published in this issue of <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>.<br />
Contacts<br />
General information about NVSB velvetting programme:<br />
• John Tacon, Quality Manager, <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand,<br />
phone 03 312 2227 or 04 471 6117;<br />
mobile 021 242 2873, email john.tacon@deernz.org<br />
Administration enquiries:<br />
• Pam MacLeman, Quality Systems Administrator, <strong>Deer</strong><br />
<strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand, phone 04 471 6114,<br />
mobile 027 392 4795, email pam.macleman@deernz.org<br />
DINZ website:<br />
www.deernz.org/n19<br />
Every deer counts<br />
With the recent volatility in herd and kill numbers,<br />
industry-wide planning is not easy. The DINZ industry<br />
survey is not being carried out this year, the results<br />
of the Statistics New Zealand <strong>2007</strong> Agricultural<br />
Production Census are all that much more important.<br />
Statistics New Zealand has reported that there has been<br />
a great response to this year’s census from farmers and<br />
growers so far, with more than 80 percent having returned<br />
their completed questionnaires. They have asked us to<br />
thank those deer farmers who have sent in their returns.<br />
If you are among the minority who have still to complete<br />
the questionnaire, DINZ urges you to do you bit for the<br />
industry. The better the data we have, the better we can<br />
plan. If you have any questions or require assistance<br />
completing the questionnaire, call Statistics New Zealand<br />
toll free on 0800 333 104.<br />
Statistics from the <strong>2007</strong> Agricultural Census will be<br />
published next year – key provisional figures in February<br />
and final figures in May. The information will be available<br />
on www.stats.govt.nz<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
general news<br />
Coming events<br />
Competitions/Conference<br />
Conference 2008 heads<br />
for heartland<br />
It’ll be oysters galore, an abundance of venison in new<br />
cuisine, the thrill of bracing weather and a field trip<br />
into deer farming’s heartland next year as our annual<br />
industry conference heads south to Invercargill.<br />
Pencil in 13-15 May 2008 for the NZDFA Annual General<br />
Meeting, DINZ Formal General Meeting, Awards Dinner<br />
and a field trip to the Mossburn/Lumsden area to see how<br />
Southlanders farm their deer. Venue will be the Ascot Park<br />
Hotel, a regular haunt for deer industry events.<br />
Details are still being mapped out, but you can be assured of<br />
a convivial and information-packed gathering as the industry<br />
reflects on one of its better seasons in recent years.<br />
Public agribusiness seminar planned<br />
While not yet finalised, the Southland committee is exploring<br />
the idea of a pre-conference public agribusiness seminar<br />
on the afternoon of 13 May. The proposal is to invite some<br />
‘big-name’ speakers to explore the agricultural pressures on<br />
changing land use in New Zealand, particularly dairying<br />
impacts in the South. They will also be invited to extend<br />
an agribusiness overview of both productivity and market<br />
developments, looking at where the New Zealand story sits<br />
as part of ‘Brand NZ’.<br />
Among possible topics are the growing demands for<br />
renewable energy through wind power, and its impact<br />
socially and on farming. The invitation for public<br />
participation should attract a wider audience to stay on<br />
for the industry opening social night and its venison<br />
extravaganza theme that has been so successful in recent<br />
times.<br />
Conference themes will include the call to focus on what<br />
the industry does well, the positive energy currently being<br />
enjoyed, productivity gains, – all wrapped around the<br />
Southland ‘Spirit of a Nation’ Brand. The Southland group is<br />
determined to carry this event off with style and character, in<br />
tune with the positive future ahead.<br />
Once again, the conference organisation will be in the<br />
capable hands of Pat Johnston and Dunedin Conference<br />
Management Services. We’ll have more details for you in the<br />
February 2008 issue of <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>, and for those<br />
on email who have joined their local Branch of NZDFA<br />
there will be updates in the electronic newsletter, Stagline –<br />
Online.<br />
6<br />
Photo: Venture Southland Tourism.<br />
Friday<br />
18 January 2008<br />
Saturday<br />
19 January 2008<br />
Second annual NZ Elk Ltd/Clover Export Ltd Elk/Wapiti Carcass<br />
competition, Clover plant, Gore. Contact: Secretary, EWSNZ, PO Box 945,<br />
Invercargill, 03 217 6443.<br />
Elk and Wapiti Society: National Elk/Wapiti Velvet competition. Bowling<br />
Club rooms and Reds Café, Winton. Tickets from the Secretary, EWSNZ,<br />
PO Box 945, Invercargill, 03 217 6443.<br />
16 February 2008 2 yo and super heavyweight (10kg+) velvet ; 1, 2 & 3 yo Red hard<br />
antler; Wapiti 2 yo velvet and 2 or 3 yo HA Competition. Contact Sharon<br />
Love 0274 486 431 or Joe Crowley 0274 727 436.<br />
Venue: “The Oaks” Cambridge.<br />
13-15 May 2008 <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> Conference: NZDFA Annual General Meeting and DINZ<br />
FGM. Ascot Park Hotel, Invercargill (see preview this issue).<br />
Stag walks *<br />
20 <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> Canterbury Red <strong>Deer</strong>, 10.00 am, Cossars Road, Christchurch<br />
Gloriavale, 12 noon, Andrew Taylor’s Property, West Melton<br />
Unfehlbar, 3.00 pm, Tresillian Drive, RD5, West Melton<br />
Sire sales *<br />
19 <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> Taihape Red <strong>Deer</strong>, 1.30 pm, Waiouru complex<br />
20 <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> Maranoa, 1.30 pm, Takapau<br />
Egmont <strong>Deer</strong> Farm, 1.00 pm, Bishop Road, New Plymouth<br />
5 January 2008 West Bush <strong>Deer</strong> Stud, 1.00 pm, West Bush Road, Masterton<br />
6 January 2008 Buy North:<br />
Love Red <strong>Deer</strong>, 3.00 pm, 380 Te Waerenga Road, Rotorua<br />
Kelly Oaks, 6.00 pm, 138 Tarukenga Road, Rotorua<br />
7 January 2008 Buy North:<br />
Windermere, 11.00 am, 341 Koromatua Road, Hamilton<br />
Tower Farms. 2.30 pm, Discombe Road, Cambridge<br />
Raroa Red <strong>Deer</strong>, 6.00 pm, Fergusson Gully Road, Cambridge<br />
8 January 2008 Buy North:<br />
Pampas Heights, 11.00 am, 240 Te Waerenga Road, Rotorua<br />
Rodway Park/Sarnia <strong>Deer</strong>, 2.30 pm, 540 Poutakataka Road, Rotorua<br />
9 January 2008 Unfehlbar, 10.00 am, Insignis Park, Christchurch<br />
Peel Forest Estate, 2.00 pm, Geraldine<br />
Pelorus <strong>Deer</strong> Stud, 6.30 pm, Frasers Road Ashburton,<br />
10 January 2008 <strong>Deer</strong> Genetics, 9.30 am, 273 McKeown Road, Geraldine<br />
Foveran <strong>Deer</strong> Park, 2.00 pm, 860 McHendrys Road, Hakataramea<br />
11 January 2008 Stanfield’s Bushey Park, 1.30pm, Palmerston, Otago<br />
12 January 2008 Black Forest, 12 noon, 125 Woodside Road, Outram<br />
Netherdale Red <strong>Deer</strong>, 6.30 pm, Balfour<br />
13 January 2008 Remarkables Park, 12 noon, Hawthorn Drive, Queenstown<br />
Canterbury Imported Red <strong>Deer</strong>, 3.00 pm, Cossars Road, Christchurch<br />
14 January 2008 Arawata Pure Reds, 1.30 pm, Pinebush, Wyndham<br />
Ingor <strong>Deer</strong> Farm, 4.30 pm, Waimatua, Invercargill<br />
15 January 2008 Doncaster <strong>Deer</strong> Partnership, 12 noon, Waipahi, Gore<br />
Brock <strong>Deer</strong>, 3.00 pm, 561 Merino Downs Road, Gore<br />
16 January 2008 Harwood <strong>Deer</strong>, 12.30 pm, Maronan Ealing Road, Lismore, Ashburton<br />
17 January 2008 Gloriavale <strong>Deer</strong> Farm/Littledale <strong>Deer</strong> Park, 1.30 pm, Insignis Park,<br />
Christchurch<br />
18 January 2008 Rothesay <strong>Deer</strong>, 1.30 pm, 185 Darts Road, Rakaia<br />
19 January 2008 Mayfield Elk Farm, 11.00 am, Winton<br />
Littlebourne Wapiti, 1.00 pm, Winton<br />
Tikana, 3.30 pm, Winton<br />
Colin JH Smith, 5.30 pm, Winton<br />
20 January 2008 Lochinvar Wapiti, 11.00 am, 561 Te Anau-Mossburn Hwy, Te Anau<br />
Maryland <strong>Deer</strong>, 4.30 pm, Malvern Downs, Cromwell<br />
21 January 2008 Edendale <strong>Deer</strong>, 1.00 pm, Mt Somers, Ashburton<br />
22 January 2008 Raincliff Station Wapiti, 1.00 pm, Pleasant Point, South Canterbury<br />
*Correct as supplied by agents and vendors at press time. Some of these events may have passed<br />
by the time you receive this issue – they are included here for the record.<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
general news<br />
Profile: Joe Crowley –<br />
Tower Farms<br />
Man on a mission<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> farmers from the Waikato region have a reputation<br />
for putting a blowtorch under DINZ and NZDFA on<br />
various issues, and it would be easy to suggest Tower<br />
Farms’ Joe Crowley is cut from the same cloth. But you’d<br />
be wrong. A man of strong convictions, yes, but you<br />
won’t find him hogging the microphone at industry<br />
conferences or jostling for power on committees.<br />
He’s passionate about deer and has strong opinions about the<br />
industry all right, but he’s happy to direct his energy into his<br />
business and leave the politics for someone else.<br />
The youngest of six, Joe was born ‘in the bush’ on a dairy<br />
farm at Ohiwa Harbour, near Opotiki. Never one to go with<br />
the crowd, he left behind the family dairy farming tradition<br />
(most of his brothers stayed in the business), and started<br />
training to be a MAF farm adviser when he left school. He<br />
soon transferred to the old MAF Meat Division where he<br />
worked his way around the country and up through the<br />
system for 15 years, finishing as a senior meat inspector at<br />
Horotiu.<br />
His interest in deer started while he was still at MAF. Starting<br />
in the late 1970s with a small block at Ruakura on the<br />
outskirts of Hamilton he began, together with wife Amy,<br />
sharefarming deer. “We increased our numbers by selling<br />
15-month old hinds, and then using that income to buy twice<br />
as many weaners.”<br />
30-year journey<br />
And so started a 30-year (and counting) journey into the deer<br />
industry that now takes in around 1000 deer, four separate<br />
blocks of land, a thriving stud business and commercial<br />
velvet and trophy breeding operation.<br />
It wasn’t a straight career swap, however. While the deer<br />
business was slowly building, Joe bought an earthmoving<br />
business, which he stayed with until 2000, when he leased<br />
the 160 hectare Oak Hill Estate near Cambridge – currently<br />
his home base. He also runs a 20 hectare lease block west of<br />
Hamilton.<br />
That move came at an interesting time. “After we leased The<br />
Oaks, deer prices dropped and land values went up,” Joe<br />
notes. While that period may have crimped development for<br />
a while, the stud business, focusing on velvet and trophy<br />
genetics, has surged ahead in the past 18 months, giving<br />
Tower Farms renewed momentum and an opportunity to<br />
purchase a fourth block of land.<br />
“We’d got to the stage where we needed to expand and<br />
diversify our income, with the opportunity to keep some our<br />
velveters rather than selling them.”<br />
The latest acquisition is at Hoe-o-tainui, about 30 kilometres<br />
northeast of Hamilton as the crow flies. The 178-hectare<br />
property was a neglected former sheep farm that was<br />
starting to revert to kanuka. Joe intends to develop it in<br />
stages, starting with about 60 hectares deer fenced, with the<br />
Tower Farms’ Joe Crowley: believes there is still plenty of scope<br />
in the industry for genetic progress.<br />
rest being used to provide income from dairy grazers from<br />
neighbouring farms.<br />
He’s working on the yards at present and hopes to have the<br />
shed in soon after his sire sale next month.<br />
More space needed to realise<br />
potential<br />
The expansion was a necessary one for Tower Farms, which<br />
needed more space to realise the potential of unsold 2-yearold<br />
offspring. The velveting stags will be moved to their new<br />
home after their regrowth has been cut.<br />
“Ultimately I’d like to have a velveting and trophy herd of<br />
300-400 and start condensing my hind numbers,” Joe says.<br />
“We’ll probably end up with about 1,300-1,500 deer overall.”<br />
Always keen to adopt the technology that’s available, Joe<br />
has made extensive use of embryo transfers to maximise the<br />
genetic potential of his top females. But mother nature can<br />
be fickle, and it can be a roller coaster ride. “I’ve had great<br />
success and I’ve had disasters – like the time I had 72 eggs,<br />
all unfertilised, at $1,000 a straw.”<br />
He is a strong believer in the importance of hind quality, and<br />
says at least 60 percent of genetic improvement is hidden in<br />
a hind’s DNA. “You have 10 to 12 seasons to maximise their<br />
potential. Our commitment to ET has <strong>help</strong>ed us accelerate<br />
that genetic progress.”<br />
Of course the stags have a part to play in all of this, and Joe<br />
believes that visceral response we all have to the sight of a<br />
magnificent stag in full antler is what fuels most farmers’<br />
passion for deer. “How many people would farm deer if the<br />
animals never grew antlers? Not many!”<br />
Tower Farms’ foundation sire was an ex-Stanfield’s stag,<br />
Baron. His influence in the stud is still strongly felt today.<br />
The torch was picked up by Heathrow and of course<br />
Buccaneer.<br />
8<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
general news<br />
“When you look at life, it’s the attractive things that catch<br />
your eye. In a trophy head it’s things like tyne length,<br />
multiple royals and spread. Over the years I may have<br />
developed an eye for these things and that I think that’s<br />
starting to show in the demand we’re getting.”<br />
Plenty of room for progress<br />
Of course it doesn’t happen overnight, and Joe is not a<br />
patient man. “There is still plenty of room for progress in<br />
antler genetics – your three score years and ten just isn’t long<br />
enough to achieve what you want to!”<br />
While he champs at the bit waiting to see how the son of an<br />
elite female will turn out – perhaps a wait of up to five years<br />
including the female’s first two years – he is appalled at the<br />
prospect of <strong>Deer</strong> Improvement ‘warehousing’ trophy genetics.<br />
“They could ruin what we’ve worked so long and hard to<br />
develop using our passion for deer and our eye for what<br />
makes a good head. Do we really want a corporate, which<br />
has access to a bottomless pit of money from the dairy<br />
industry, to come in and blow away what every deer farmer<br />
has taken 30 years to develop? The sale of semen for revenue<br />
is a numbers game which exists in venison but not in the<br />
boutique safari industry.”<br />
Joe says the use of <strong>Deer</strong> Improvement’s genetics and<br />
breeding technology to increase venison production makes<br />
good sense, but he draws the line at trophy animals. “We<br />
should learn from the thoroughbred industry. They could<br />
use AI but they never have – they understand the value<br />
of what they’ve built up and they protect it. And what a<br />
fantastic industry they have! That should be our model.”<br />
Joe also notes that while milk and venison production can<br />
be quantitatively measured, the value of a trophy animal is<br />
far more subjective and complicated than just figures and<br />
scientific equations.<br />
“<strong>Deer</strong> Improvement uses intellectual property clauses to<br />
protect its own genetics from competitors like Ambreed<br />
and others. It is imperative for any deer farmer who wants<br />
a future for their children in this industry to include an IP<br />
clause when they sell any stag.”<br />
Negative publicity a concern<br />
He is unsettled about some of the recent negative publicity<br />
surrounding the trophy industry, particularly the now<br />
infamous article about the Sheik and Brusnik, and the<br />
dispute over Brusnik’s recovered semen.<br />
Joe Crowley at The Oaks with 3-year sire, Shocknor.<br />
“Sale prices for trophy stags should be kept confidential by<br />
outfitters, producers and agents; the publicity around the<br />
shooting of top named sires like Hotspur and Brusnik is<br />
very damaging. It’s not a good look and it undermines the<br />
mystique around the genuine hunt for a trophy animal. The<br />
old sires should be allowed to slip away quietly.”<br />
If Joe feels strongly about the trophy industry, he’s just as<br />
fired up about the velvet industry. A Velexco shareholder and<br />
supporter, he is happy with what the cooperative has been<br />
achieving and the premiums he’s received for his commercial<br />
velvet.<br />
PGG Wrightson, on the other hand, has not achieved much<br />
for producers in the past 20 years, he says. “Until Velexco<br />
came along, no-one else was prepared to go in and do<br />
something for producers other than clip the ticket. I’m<br />
normally wary of co-ops, but I’m very comfortable with what<br />
they’ve been doing in the market. The entry into Velexco is<br />
easier than some may think.<br />
“Velconz seems like a duplication of Velexco, but in the end<br />
the market will prevail.”<br />
Although not interested in farmer politics, Joe is nonetheless<br />
a people person, and enjoys working with his colleagues<br />
in the industry on new initiatives like the rejuvenated two<br />
and three-year-old velvet and hard antler competition. The<br />
Waikato/Bay of Plenty Region has produced an innovative<br />
group of “assertive” women who get things done in the<br />
industry, Joe notes. Reeling off names such as Sandra Wood,<br />
Sharon Love, Rachael Mitchell (admittedly an import),<br />
Christina Floyd and his own daughter Vanessa, Joe says<br />
women such as these have made a big contribution to the<br />
industry in the region.<br />
“It might sound strange to say, but women often take a more<br />
rational and hard-nosed approach to getting things done. Us<br />
men can let our emotions get in the way at times!”<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> in the family’s blood<br />
And if genetics is important in the improvement of deer<br />
herds, so it is in the family – Joe’s two children also seem<br />
to have inherited his love of the animals and the industry.<br />
Daughter Vanessa and son Todd are both “voraciously”<br />
committed to deer farming, he says. All three – Joe and his<br />
two children – were educated at Lincoln, where Vanessa<br />
completed a B.Ag.Sci and honours dissertation in deer and<br />
Todd completed a Dip Ag after being named the top deer<br />
student in his year at Telford Rural Polytechnic.<br />
Vanessa ran the Ruakura block after work during her time<br />
with <strong>Deer</strong> Improvement, and is now employed by<br />
DINZ as Velvet Marketing Services Manager. The<br />
improvement in the stud business has meant Joe<br />
has been able to employ Todd in the business,<br />
giving him time and space to plan and implement<br />
the latest expansion to the new block. “The<br />
situation works well and Todd takes immense pride<br />
in the management of the stock – something which<br />
is clearly evident in their current performance.”<br />
A risk taker, a thinker, and a man with a<br />
profound belief in his industry – you can’t <strong>help</strong><br />
thinking that when those three score years and<br />
ten get used up, Joe Crowley will really be just<br />
getting warmed up.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 9
general news<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> Farmers’ Environmental Awards: Have a go!<br />
In 2001, DINZ’s predecessor and the NZDFA ran the first deer farmers’ environmental awards.<br />
The awards, now a biennial event, have so far produced five<br />
Sir Peter and Fiona Lady Elworthy Premier Award winners.<br />
The programme has also recognised many other entrants over<br />
the years, who have won awards from the sponsor family of<br />
Duncan & Co, Fish & Game New Zealand, Summit-Quinphos,<br />
Velpool, and New Zealand Landcare Trust.<br />
The five award winners have been:<br />
2001 Victor and Margaret Clark, Taupo<br />
2002 Brian and Bridgitte Richards, Kaipara, Northland<br />
2003 Wayne and Patricia Aspin, Awhitu Peninsula,<br />
Auckland<br />
2004 George and Mary Scott, Strathmore, Gore<br />
2006 Murray Neutze and Keith Nattrass, Weirton,<br />
Geraldine<br />
In 2008 the industry will once again celebrate a premier<br />
award winner. A farm and its owners or managers will have<br />
been rewarded for the environmental management they are<br />
putting in place on their deer farm.<br />
From a judge’s perspective, these awards have grown to<br />
represent something tangible and meaningful and are a real<br />
2003 Premier Award property, Wayne and Patricia Aspin, Awhitu<br />
Peninsula, Auckland.<br />
CWD surveillance update<br />
Farmers and deer vets are continuing to support the<br />
surveillance programme for chronic wasting disease (CWD)<br />
in deer, with the target of at least 300 brain samples a year<br />
being easily exceeded. CWD is one of the group of diseases<br />
known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs),<br />
a group that includes BSE (mad cow disease) and scrapie (a<br />
disease of sheep and goats).<br />
A total of 430 deer brains were submitted for analysis in the<br />
year to June 2006, compared with 535 brains in the year to<br />
June <strong>2007</strong>. A further 154 samples were sent in for analysis in<br />
the three months from July to September <strong>2007</strong>. Samples are<br />
taken from deer two years and older which are showing signs<br />
of progressive disease, particularly wasting or neurological<br />
symptoms, and, less commonly, aspiration pneumonia.<br />
strength for the industry. Matching environmental promotion<br />
and expectation to reality and practice. In fact the awards<br />
could be said to have opened the door for more industry and<br />
agency collaboration on deer-farm issues.<br />
Forty-odd farms have entered, allowing their workmanship<br />
to be assessed. It’s not easy opening up your property to<br />
assessment by judges. However, the judging programme has<br />
been geared to provide feedback to the entrants so that there<br />
is an exchange of ideas and opportunities. Each property<br />
is rigorously judged in a relaxed environment. The judging<br />
focuses on four main categories:<br />
1. Specific environmental practice: soil conservation,<br />
riparian, biodiversity, and amenity tree planting<br />
2. Farm management practice. There are eight scoring<br />
areas here, relating to environmental management of<br />
chemicals, biosecurity, animal welfare, waste, etc<br />
3. The ‘Sir Peter Elworthy’ element. This is about social<br />
responsibility, innovation and promotion of deer<br />
4. Overall perspective: an assessment of overall<br />
management and efficiency, and farm management.<br />
As you can see, while the environmental aspects of a farm<br />
are critical to winning, the judging has evolved to also<br />
include the ‘broader environment of a farm’. This brings in<br />
Sir Peter’s original intent for the awards, to recognise that a<br />
farm must approach their business from a triple bottom line<br />
approach, not just focusing on the environmental issues. This<br />
is what makes a premier award farm stand out.<br />
Support the biennial awards and enter! Your farm does not<br />
have to be ‘finished’ in terms of trees well grown and all the<br />
work completed. In fact, when you’re working in a living,<br />
dynamic environment, projects like these are never really<br />
‘finished’.<br />
The deer industry needs to keep its environmental message<br />
up front, and these awards are a great way to tell a good<br />
news story for you, your region and your industry.<br />
• For an information pack, contact Natalie Fraser at DINZ:<br />
phone 04 471 6110, fax 04 472 5549,<br />
natalie.fraser@deernz.org<br />
DINZ, PO Box 10-702, Wellington<br />
The sampling is jointly paid for by DINZ and MAF, and the<br />
programme <strong>help</strong>s underpin New Zealand assurances to its<br />
trade partners that it is TSE free.<br />
While the total numbers are good, distribution of the<br />
sampling is uneven and this is less than ideal. MAF figures<br />
show the majority of sampling is clustered in the central<br />
North Island and Canterbury.<br />
MAF is contacting deer vets to reinforce messages about<br />
the types of neurological signs that should be recorded on<br />
laboratory submission forms. Both DINZ and MAF are urging<br />
farmers and vets from throughout New Zealand to support<br />
the programme to ensure a better spread of samples taken<br />
from suitable cases.<br />
10<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
general news<br />
Landcare: Mitchells show the way with ambitious<br />
environmental project<br />
The <strong>Deer</strong> Farmers’ Landcare Manual was a big project and one to be proud of, but if an AgResearch survey in the South<br />
Island is to be believed, only about a quarter of all deer farmers are still aware of it. For Andy and Rachael Mitchell, that<br />
simply isn’t good enough. They’ve breathed new life into the Manual with a $120,000 wetland project to show deer<br />
farmers what can be achieved with vision, teamwork and forging strong partnerships.<br />
The Mitchells farm at Rodway Park <strong>Deer</strong> Stud, Ngakuru,<br />
south of Rotorua. They have contributed $50,000 towards<br />
the project, with the balance coming through the Game<br />
Bird Habitat Trust ($30,000), Waikato Catchment Ecological<br />
Enhancement Trust ($20,000) and Environment Waikato’s<br />
Clean Streams Project ($20,000).<br />
They have also set aside land valued at around $70,000 to<br />
the project, which was unveiled at a Riparian Management<br />
Field Day at Rodway Park on 16 November. About 50<br />
guests attended the day, at which Fish & Game took the<br />
opportunity to personally present Cambridge deer farmer<br />
John Carter with the Fish and Game Riparian Management<br />
Award he won as part of the 2006 <strong>Deer</strong> Farmers’<br />
environmental awards.<br />
Andy says he was motivated to give real meaning to the<br />
Landcare Manual by using its advice in a high-profile,<br />
practical project that involved stream care organisations,<br />
farmers, the Drystock Liaison Committee coordinated by<br />
Environment Waikato, environmental consultants, local<br />
government and the local community.<br />
Along with the Mitchells’ unbounded enthusiasm and<br />
willingness to tackle such a challenge, the essential ‘fuel’<br />
for the project is a pair of natural springs on the property<br />
which produce 20 litres per second and run for 1.7<br />
kilometres through the farm.<br />
Andy explains that the spring provided water for four<br />
neighbouring farms, and had been carried there through<br />
a 32mm alkathene pipe. The new project covers a total of<br />
3.5 hectares of retired grazing land traversed by the spring<br />
water in a 15-centimetre-wide stream. There is now 1.25<br />
hectares of water, in a cascade of 10 dams. The wet areas<br />
are a mix of open water and wetland with carefully chosen<br />
riparian plantings to protect some of the more vulnerable<br />
land.<br />
A key objective for the project is to ensure to quality of the<br />
water coming out of the wetland matches that going in,<br />
Andy explains. There have been extensive earthworks, over<br />
3,800 natives and exotics planted, a stock crossing, fencing<br />
and engineering. The dams are connected by 315mm pipes<br />
with fluming to minimise<br />
the impact on the<br />
sensitive pumice soils.<br />
Andy says an interesting<br />
challenge has been the<br />
sediments left behind<br />
by the ash fall from the<br />
12<br />
Andy Mitchell (right) talks<br />
to guests at the Riparian<br />
Management field day at<br />
Rodway Park last month.<br />
(Photo: Bala Tikkisetty,<br />
Environment Waikato.)<br />
1995 and 1996 Ruapehu eruptions. Sediment traps have been<br />
provided to cope with this as nature slowly chips away at the<br />
volcano’s legacy.<br />
Another key objective has been to enhance biodiversity. The<br />
trees and shrubs include some exotics such as Tasmanian<br />
Blackwoods, ash and alder for colour, with native flora<br />
Environment Waikato supporting<br />
sustainable agriculture<br />
The Rodway wetland project is<br />
exactly the sort of development<br />
Environment Waikato likes to see,<br />
and they are keen to stay involved.<br />
Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator<br />
Bala Tikkisetty says the project has<br />
two strong themes.<br />
“There are the environmental benefits,<br />
and under this heading there have been<br />
five principles of riparian management<br />
achieved at Rodway Park,” he explains.<br />
Bala Tikkisetty,<br />
Environment Waikato.<br />
“First, there is a good riparian margin.<br />
Often people don’t create a big enough<br />
margin, especially when you take soil type, slope and farming<br />
system into account.<br />
“Secondly they have planted appropriate vegetation and thirdly<br />
they have made sure it is properly maintained. You can’t just<br />
plant it and leave it.<br />
“Fourthly, they’ve made sure the effects of land use on the<br />
waterway are minimised, and fifthly the supporting works such<br />
as culverts and bridges are well designed and robust.”<br />
Bala says the second theme and secret to the success of the<br />
project has been the commitment and enthusiasm of the<br />
Mitchells. “There is now plenty of research, technology and<br />
expertise available for landcare projects, but a key ingredient has<br />
been the fantastic attitude of the Mitchells, who are open to new<br />
ideas and willing to learn.”<br />
Environment Waikato has invested in the work through its Clean<br />
Streams project. “Some waterways in the Waikato are fine, but<br />
we do have problems with invasive weeds, erosion and poor<br />
water quality in places. Farming systems and land management<br />
programmes are very important to improving water quality in the<br />
region. And if you have clean water, you’ll have healthier stock<br />
and higher productivity!”<br />
Bala says Environment Waikato is also involved in the Northern<br />
Region Focus Farm at David Dewar’s property and is keen to see<br />
the farm used to <strong>help</strong> leverage messages about economic and<br />
environmental sustainability. “It’s all about working and finding<br />
solutions together.”<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
general news<br />
providing a filtering service for any leachate. The<br />
Ohakuri Dam (part of the Waikato River hydro<br />
system) is only one kilometre away. It is an<br />
important breeding ground for the New Zealand shoveller,<br />
but is starting to silt up. The Mitchells were delighted to see<br />
shovellers turning up at their newly created wetland less than<br />
two months after the dams started to fill. They’ve also added<br />
nesting boxes for teal, which have been sighted, along with<br />
herons, pied stilts and “millions” of mallards.<br />
The project was begun more than two years ago and is still<br />
in a young state, Andy says. It will take a while for the new<br />
environment to settle in and water quality to improve which<br />
residual dead vegetation finishes decaying and new plants<br />
establish. He says there was plenty of legwork involved with<br />
Before (left) and after (right): Well-built fencing and stock crossing are integral to<br />
the success of the wetland project. (Photos: Andy and Rachael Mitchell)<br />
funding and getting resource consents before the first sod<br />
was turned.<br />
“Because of my recent role with the NZDFA, we had the<br />
opportunity to show leadership for the deer industry in<br />
environmental management,” Andy says.<br />
“The case studies in the Landcare Manual set a benchmark<br />
for us to build on. The project has already generated good<br />
local publicity for the deer industry.” This could be enhanced<br />
further, with the Mitchells entering the project for a Ballance<br />
Environmental Award, and long-term plans to covenant the<br />
area to the QEII Trust.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 13
general news<br />
We had over 500 unique visitors<br />
in the first 5 weeks<br />
With over 170 comprehensive animal profiles<br />
from 21 of the country’s best breeders<br />
It’s no wonder 86.1%<br />
have added us to their favourites list<br />
Tb control on game estates: lifting the bar<br />
There is cautious optimism among game estate operators that the Animal Health Board (AHB) policy for game estates<br />
will deliver what it promised without compromising their operations.<br />
There are no Tb-related restrictions on where game estates<br />
can be set up. They have long been viewed by some as a<br />
possible ‘hole in the net’ around bovine Tb, and a threat to<br />
achieving the objectives of the National Pest Management<br />
Strategy. In response, the AHB last year launched a new<br />
policy to <strong>help</strong> better manage the Tb risk on game estates.<br />
The policy recognises the special conditions of management<br />
for game estates. While requiring certain outcomes, it does<br />
allow some flexibility in how these are achieved.<br />
Each estate owner is required to register their herd with<br />
the AHB in the same way farmed deer herds are registered.<br />
AHB’s DDCM will then work with the owner or manager to<br />
develop an individual management plan and vector control<br />
programme for their game estate.<br />
AHB’s policy for game estates requires that no deer may leave<br />
the property alive and any killed animals intended for human<br />
consumption are to be subjected to the usual inspection<br />
requirements under the Animal Products Act. <strong>Deer</strong> or cattle<br />
brought onto the game estate must be from a C5 herd or<br />
higher. Cattle moving from the property and are not going<br />
direct to slaughter, have to be Tb tested before they leave.<br />
Game estate boundaries need to be secure, either by means<br />
of fencing or natural geographic features.<br />
Comprehensive record keeping is required and covers such<br />
things as movements of deer and cattle on and off the property,<br />
and the types and amount of wild animal control undertaken.<br />
Flexible, tiered approach<br />
It is the Tb surveillance requirements which provide the<br />
greatest flexibility in the AHB policy. It calls for a ‘tiered’<br />
approach, with preference given to ‘primary tier’ surveillance<br />
– either through conventional skin and blood testing of as<br />
many deer as can be rounded up and tested, or through postmortem<br />
inspection of deer shot or culled.<br />
Where primary methods cannot achieve the desired level<br />
of surveillance, testing for presence of Tb in wildlife can be<br />
achieved by sampling wildlife taken off the game estate such<br />
as possums, ferrets and pigs.<br />
AHB Technical Manager Paul Livingstone says pigs tend to be<br />
very reliable indicators of the presence of Tb in wild animal<br />
populations, followed by ferrets and then possums. Thus the<br />
actual number of animals that the game estate owner needs<br />
to sample is calculated from a formula which depends upon<br />
the species. “In the end, the species and number of wildlife<br />
sampled, together with deer tested through the primary<br />
surveillance tier, must be equal to the level of surveillance<br />
expected from a deer farm rather than a game estate,” he says.<br />
Paul notes that for some estates it is relatively easy to round<br />
up animals and test conventionally, whereas other operators<br />
might use a combination of post-mortem inspection of shot<br />
or culled deer together with wildlife sampling.<br />
14<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
general news<br />
Safari client Steve Parker of Dallas, Texas, with a Red stag on James Guild’s High Peak Estate. Photo: John Berry, Kimihia Safaris New Zealand.<br />
Where Tb is diagnosed on an estate, the policy requires a Tb<br />
testing programme to be set up for all cattle and deer on the<br />
property, with all reactors slaughtered. Alternatively, the estate<br />
can be destocked to slaughter or a combination of testing and<br />
destocking used. The policy allows up to 24 months for any<br />
destocking, depending on individual circumstances.<br />
The policy also allows for increased surveillance and<br />
appropriate vector control if Tb is found in a wild animal on<br />
the estate.<br />
Paul Livingstone says the total number of game estate<br />
operations in New Zealand is unknown at present, but the<br />
policy is currently being implemented on properties which<br />
are members of the New Zealand Association of Game<br />
Estates. “We will evaluate how it’s working and continue to<br />
expand the policy – eventually all game estates will need to<br />
comply with the policy.”<br />
Policy ‘pragmatic’<br />
James Guild, chairman of the New Zealand Association of<br />
Game Estates (NZAGE), says the AHB’s policy is pragmatic,<br />
and means operators can be treated individually. “The last<br />
thing we wanted was something that would drive people<br />
underground.”<br />
He says one of the biggest impediments to a good surveillance<br />
programme has been the inability to harvest animals from<br />
game estates and put them through game packing houses.<br />
Recently, however, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority<br />
(NZFSA) agreed to a trial procedure on licensed game estates<br />
that are unable to muster surplus deer, allowing them to<br />
shoot culls for processing and export as wild game.<br />
“Under this policy, harvested animals can be available for<br />
testing, while the industry still gets a return for the carcass,”<br />
he says.<br />
James is comfortable that the policies of both the AHB<br />
and NZFSA will raise standards and lift the bar for people<br />
wanting to be part of the game estate industry. He is<br />
concerned at the growing focus on trophy values at the<br />
expense of the total hunting experience.<br />
“I am nervous about the constant references to named sires<br />
and trophies. The recent publicity concerning an overweight<br />
Middle Eastern trophy collector who was clearly incapable<br />
of hunting, and a named stud stag has been extremely<br />
damaging to the managed hunting industry and is precisely<br />
the sort of negative publicity that could kill the goose that<br />
lays the golden egg for many breeders of trophy stags.<br />
Ridiculously high-priced and high-profile animals shot on<br />
game estates are not the norm!”<br />
He says the AHB’s decision to implement the game estate<br />
Tb policy on accredited properties only fits into the NZAGE’s<br />
push for high standards and will <strong>help</strong> exclude the ‘animal<br />
assassination’ merchants from the industry.<br />
Sexed semen<br />
technology –<br />
possible benefits<br />
for deer<br />
The introduction of sex semen technology to New Zealand<br />
could benefit deer farmers, says <strong>Deer</strong> Improvement.<br />
Parent company LIC has brought the technology to New<br />
Zealand and Peter Gatley, who is LIC Genetics General<br />
Manager and Director of <strong>Deer</strong> Improvement, says there is<br />
no doubt the technology works.<br />
“For cattle it’s been used heavily for several years and<br />
commercial operations now exist in the United States<br />
(at least four installations doing over one million<br />
inseminations this year alone), Canada, Brazil, The<br />
Netherlands and United Kingdom.<br />
“It is used on a large number of species including rare<br />
zoo animals and even marine mammals. It has been<br />
successfully trialled with deer in the United States and is<br />
said to work even better with deer than it does for cattle.”<br />
The process, developed in the United States and owned<br />
by Sexing Technologies, is called flow cytometry. It uses<br />
lasers to determine the mass of DNA in each individual<br />
cell and then electro-magnetic charges to physically<br />
separate the X and Y sperm.<br />
Peter Gatley recently visited the headquarters of Sexing<br />
Technologies in Texas and saw the technology in action.<br />
“The limitation is the flow rate so the number of cells<br />
per frozen straw is much lower than we would normally<br />
use. This has implications for conception rate but we are<br />
excited about the potential to combine the sorted product<br />
with our own fresh semen technology which demands<br />
fewer cells per insemination.”<br />
LIC is importing frozen Holstein Friesian semen to trial<br />
in New Zealand herds during the current mating season,<br />
and is sending a scientist to Texas to work with Sexing<br />
Technologies on a trial with fresh semen. Peter says <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Improvement will start trialling the technology with deer<br />
semen once the equipment is installed in New Zealand.<br />
“If we invest in this for New Zealand we’ll apply it in deer<br />
immediately.”<br />
For the deer industry, semen sexing technology has<br />
potential benefits in favour of both sexes: for farmers<br />
wanting to quickly establish velveting or trophy herds<br />
with high quality genetics, and for those wanting to<br />
quickly build herd numbers by producing predominantly<br />
females.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 15
Market Report<br />
Venison<br />
Strong market prices and a stable currency provided a venison schedule that peaked at a national published average of<br />
$6.75 in week 43. It stayed there for three weeks and has now slowly tailed off to $6.63 in week 48. By comparison, at<br />
the same point in 2006 the schedule, which had peaked at $5.89, had fallen by 11%. In 2005, it had fallen 26% from the<br />
peak of $5.43.<br />
Schedule<br />
• At week 48, at $6.63 the schedule is<br />
21% above the same week in 2006<br />
and 19% above the 10-year average.<br />
00<br />
700<br />
EEK AEAGE SCEUE 60KG AP STAG<br />
Production<br />
• In the 12 months ending August <strong>2007</strong>,<br />
venison production accounted for<br />
625,652 animals, providing 33,819<br />
tonnes of venison – a fall of 17% from<br />
the same period in 2006.<br />
• But, more telling, venison production<br />
in the months of July and August was<br />
40% down on the same two months in<br />
2006. Because the early season chilled<br />
numbers were so much lower than in<br />
2006, the chilled market in Europe was<br />
left very short of New Zealand venison.<br />
Europe<br />
• For this reason, very high prices had<br />
been paid for what little chilled venison<br />
was coming into Europe.<br />
• At the same time, the proportion of<br />
frozen venison being exported from<br />
New Zealand is steadily decreasing.<br />
Those importers reliant on supplying<br />
a frozen product to manufacturers<br />
or food service customers had their<br />
orders left unfulfilled because of the<br />
reduction in total New Zealand exports.<br />
They have been seeking venison on<br />
the wholesale market in Europe, and<br />
consequently, the ‘spot’ or ‘traded<br />
wholesale’ price for frozen venison has,<br />
without precedent, been higher than<br />
the contract prices for chilled venison,<br />
set earlier in the year.<br />
• This an extremely unusual situation for<br />
the venison market. Historically, chilled<br />
prices have always commanded a<br />
premium over frozen.<br />
• Chilled exports accounted for 24% of<br />
total exports in 2006/7, up from 14%<br />
in 2005/6.<br />
• Exporters are now assessing the market<br />
as the last chilled consignments have<br />
left the country to reach Europe in time<br />
for Christmas. While chilled exports<br />
will continue to many countries, the<br />
volumes are smaller, and exporters<br />
are now turning their attention to the<br />
frozen venison trade.<br />
• Demand for frozen venison remains<br />
very strong, both from importers selling<br />
to outlets continuing to sell venison<br />
kg<br />
Source: Agrifax<br />
Euro per kg<br />
600<br />
500<br />
00<br />
300<br />
200<br />
100<br />
000<br />
Source: PPS<br />
1 7 10 13 16 1 22 25 2 31 3 37 0 3 6 52<br />
Week<br />
2002 2003 200 2005 2006 <strong>2007</strong> 10 year average<br />
MARET INDIATOR PRIES ONE IN AUN<br />
May Aug Dec Apr Jul Nov Mar Jun Oct Feb May Sep Jan Apr Jul<br />
2003 2004 2005 2006 <strong>2007</strong><br />
for consumption in the post-Christmas<br />
period, and also to manufacturers and<br />
processors who wish to secure sufficient<br />
volumes of product to manufacture<br />
their speciality items for the game<br />
season ahead.<br />
United States<br />
• At US$1.49 to the euro, the US dollar<br />
reached an all-time low in November.<br />
This means US dollar prices are<br />
struggling to compete with what can<br />
be obtained in Europe. To put this into<br />
context, the US$ bought €1.13 in 2001,<br />
it now buys 67 euro cents, a 40% fall<br />
in value. Exporters are committed to<br />
supporting key account business in<br />
North America, but must weigh this<br />
against the opportunity cost of not<br />
supplying European customers.<br />
Germany<br />
• Fifty one days of in-store tastings are<br />
planned with German retail chains.<br />
The emphasis has shifted a little<br />
from providing the tools to win retail<br />
accounts, to providing promotional<br />
support to reinforce venison’s appealing<br />
benefits. Advertising has been taken<br />
in store newsletters and specialist<br />
magazines, promoting the availability<br />
of venison to German shoppers, and a<br />
series of activities designed to improve<br />
consumers’ and health professionals’<br />
knowledge of the nutritional benefits of<br />
New Zealand venison.<br />
16<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
Velvet<br />
Market Report<br />
There has been a difficult start for the <strong>2007</strong>/08 velvet season, with a late start to winter, increased stocks in Korea, slow<br />
sales reported for Russian and Chinese velvet and a 14% increase in the exchange rate. DINZ is engaged in ongoing<br />
access issues for New Zealand velvet in Australia, Taiwan and the United States. Meanwhile, promotion activities<br />
continue in Korea, China and the United States.<br />
New Zealand<br />
• The <strong>2007</strong>/2008 velvet season has had<br />
a difficult start with demand for velvet<br />
more sporadic than the same time last<br />
year, due to a combination of factors:<br />
– A long summer and late start to<br />
winter affecting consumption of<br />
velvet through oriental medicine<br />
clinics.<br />
– An increased volume of stock in<br />
Korea in early winter (New Zealand<br />
November), some 06/07 New Zealand<br />
velvet, Chinese, Russian and other<br />
velvet present in the market.<br />
– Sales of Russian and Chinese velvet<br />
in market are generally reported as<br />
slow.<br />
– The value of Russian velvet has<br />
reportedly declined by about 11%<br />
(from about US$380/dry kg to about<br />
US$340, wholesale).<br />
– The exchange rate was 14% higher<br />
in November than the same time<br />
last year – at the start of last season<br />
(06/07) buyers were paying 58,000<br />
KRW per kg for A2S, compared to<br />
14% more at the start of this year<br />
(66,000 KRW).<br />
Australia<br />
• With the recent change in Australian<br />
Government, DINZ’s efforts with<br />
the Australian Therapeutic Goods<br />
Administration (TGA) to list New<br />
Zealand velvet as a supplement in<br />
Australia have temporarily stalled,<br />
with the TGA in “caretaker mode”.<br />
The application process is expected to<br />
proceed from early January.<br />
Korea<br />
• The “velvet as a healthy food” concept<br />
continues with the Seoul Millennium<br />
Hilton Hotel preparing for a monthlong<br />
“Velvet Vitality” promotion. Seven<br />
dishes containing New Zealand velvet<br />
will be featured in its most popular<br />
restaurant in <strong>December</strong>. Marketing will<br />
include: posters, a hotel e-flyer, flyers,<br />
press coverage, door prizes and bigscreen<br />
TVs playing the New Zealand<br />
velvet DVD.<br />
• A new website (www.nzvelvet.co.kr)<br />
aimed specifically at Oriental Medicine<br />
Doctors is now under development to<br />
add to the Korean language website<br />
www.dinz.co.kr. It will provide accurate<br />
and comprehensive information on the<br />
high-quality aspects of New Zealand<br />
velvet including the NVSB system, New<br />
Zealand’s farming environment and<br />
high-quality processing factories.<br />
Taiwan<br />
• The five-tonne velvet quota in Taiwan<br />
was formally discussed during the<br />
recent New Zealand/Taiwan Informal<br />
Economic consultations held in<br />
Wellington between the New Zealand<br />
and Taiwan governments. DINZ<br />
presented a comprehensive submission<br />
addressing the current issues, potential<br />
benefits of lifting or abolishing the<br />
quota and also suggestions of ways<br />
to collaborate or work together to<br />
grow the market. Since then, the<br />
Vice Minister (Council of Agriculture)<br />
has requested a meeting with DINZ<br />
Executive in <strong>December</strong>, when he will be<br />
visiting New Zealand.<br />
• The Taiwan <strong>Deer</strong> Farmers Association<br />
visit to New Zealand in <strong>December</strong> has<br />
been cancelled again. The invitation has<br />
been re-offered for the National Velvet<br />
Competition 2008 or earlier.<br />
China<br />
• In conjunction with a New Zealand<br />
exporter, DINZ is working with a Hong<br />
Kong-based company to assist in the<br />
promotion of a deer velvet supplement<br />
aimed at companion animals. The<br />
company currently sells product<br />
through retail pet stores and via the<br />
internet. Recent activities include<br />
attendance at the Natural Products<br />
Expo, Guangzhou Pet Festival and the<br />
Shanghai Pet Asia Expo as a means of<br />
finding potential distributors. Efforts are<br />
now being aimed at gaining registration<br />
of the product into mainland China.<br />
United States<br />
• Joint promotion continues with a New<br />
Zealand company currently marketing<br />
its velvet supplement in the United<br />
States through the world’s largest<br />
health supplement retailer, GNC. An<br />
infomercial aimed at the over 50s,<br />
outlining the benefits of New Zealand<br />
deer velvet, is in its final stages of<br />
production and will be shown on<br />
a small-scale on channels such as<br />
Discovery and ESPN.<br />
• Anti-terrorism US legislation introduced<br />
post 9/11 is causing market access<br />
issues for New Zealand exporters. Velvet<br />
products travelling through the postal<br />
system have been hardest hit, with a<br />
significant increase in inspection, duty<br />
charges and product being destroyed.<br />
DINZ is working with authorities in<br />
the United States and New Zealand<br />
Customs in an effort to improve access<br />
for velvet products.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 17
industry news<br />
Venison features at meat industry workshop<br />
Venison tenderness improves favourably, compared to beef, after a week post-slaughter. Pelvic suspension (tenderstretch)<br />
gives better tenderness in most valuable cuts and using faster growing deer for venison production can affect<br />
meat quality attributes according to Dr Eva Wiklund and Robyn Clemens, two AgResearch scientists presenting at a<br />
recent two-day AgResearch MIRINZ (Meat <strong>Industry</strong> Research Institute of New Zealand) workshop in Hamilton.<br />
‘Venison eating quality and food safety’ was one of 26<br />
presentations at the workshop that focused on market<br />
assurance and research and development initiatives in the<br />
red meat industry. AgResearch MIRINZ ran the workshop<br />
in association with the Meat <strong>Industry</strong> Association and<br />
MIRINZ Inc. About 60 people including meat processors,<br />
marketers and exporters attended and were provided with<br />
a forum where they could learn from each other about<br />
how to be more efficient and ultimately produce better<br />
products. Presentations covered a variety of topics from<br />
meat safety and spoilage, eating quality, measurement,<br />
research opportunities, traceability and process technology/<br />
automation.<br />
with beef 1-3 days after slaughter but improved if aged for a<br />
week. Fallow deer was found to be more tender, while she<br />
explained there is no need for ageing Reindeer meat due to<br />
its unique composition that makes it the most tender type<br />
of venison. Reindeer has a small muscle fibre size and high<br />
proteolytic enzyme activity (the enzymes that break down<br />
proteins), she explained.<br />
Tenderness and ageing measured in striploins from unstimulated carcasses<br />
Shear force (kg/cm 2 )<br />
1-3 days<br />
after slaughter<br />
Shear force (kg/cm 2 )<br />
1 week<br />
after slaughter<br />
Beef 11.7 9.8<br />
Red deer 11.4 8.2<br />
Fallow deer 5.4 Not analysed<br />
Reindeer 2.9 2.6<br />
Source: AgResearch<br />
Hanging methods<br />
A presentation by AgResearch’s Eva Wiklund and Robyn<br />
Clemens looked at the special attributes of venison.<br />
Venison is normally a tender product which is a very<br />
important attribute for consumers, they said. Other<br />
consumer-appealing qualities are low fat content, favourable<br />
fat composition and high levels of minerals. On the negative<br />
side, venison has high drip loss and poor colour stability,<br />
both quality related problems that require further research,<br />
they added.<br />
Dr Wiklund outlined progress in Foundation of Science,<br />
Research and Technology-funded work by AgResearch into<br />
venison quality.<br />
Tenderly yours<br />
In terms of tenderness,<br />
which is measured in kg<br />
per square centimetre<br />
(kg/cm 2 ) ‘shear force’<br />
– the amount of force<br />
needed to cut through<br />
the meat – Eva told the<br />
audience that, without<br />
electrical stimulation<br />
to accelerate ageing,<br />
venison from Red deer<br />
compared very closely<br />
18<br />
Robyn Clemens (left) and<br />
Dr Eva Wiklund outlined progress in<br />
venison research at the AgResearch<br />
MIRINZ workshop in Hamilton.<br />
This machine determines the<br />
tenderness of meat through an<br />
objective ‘shear force’ measurement.<br />
Two methods of hanging the<br />
carcasses – pelvic suspension<br />
and Achilles hung – while<br />
ageing were compared. Both<br />
techniques stretch muscles in<br />
different ways, but Australian<br />
and Alaskan studies have shown<br />
that pelvic suspension increases<br />
the tenderness of several<br />
valuable cuts from Fallow deer<br />
and Reindeer, Eva said.<br />
“The Fallow deer study also<br />
demonstrated that pelvic<br />
suspension increased waterholding<br />
capacity of fresh chilled<br />
venison stored at +2ºC for up to<br />
six weeks post-slaughter and the<br />
trained panel found this meat to<br />
be juicier than meat from the<br />
Achilles-hung carcasses.”<br />
The degree of tenderness was<br />
determined both by shear force<br />
and a trained sensory panel.<br />
Pelvic suspension of fallow<br />
deer carcasses improved<br />
the tenderness of several<br />
valuable cuts.<br />
There is currently no data available on the effects on<br />
tenderness of pelvic suspension of Red deer carcasses.<br />
Faster growing deer, more tender<br />
The workshop was also updated on a recent AgResearch pilot<br />
study that looked at the quality attributes of fast-growing<br />
Red deer stags slaughtered in late June (winter) compared<br />
to slower-growing animals slaughtered in early <strong>December</strong><br />
(spring).<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
industry news<br />
“The New Zealand deer industry is set up to produce most<br />
slaughter animals in early spring at 9-11 months of age to<br />
supply market demand, but the seasonal growth depression<br />
in winter sometimes makes this a challenge. A small<br />
proportion of deer reach slaughter weight before winter and<br />
this study was designed to establish how early slaughter of<br />
fast growing stock will affect the quality,” Eva explained.<br />
Carcasses from seven faster-growing deer were compared<br />
against seven slow-growing animals – all were electrically<br />
stimulated as a part of the normal processing protocol. The<br />
study indicated some differences in meat quality attributes,<br />
mainly in tenderness, with the fast-growing deer having<br />
slightly more tender meat in shear force terms. However, in<br />
a taste test, 176 consumers judged meat from slower-growing<br />
deer to be more tender, but preferred the flavour of the meat<br />
from fast-growing deer.<br />
Comparing the shear force values from this experiment with<br />
the previous values mentioned for beef, Red deer, Fallow deer<br />
and Reindeer clearly shows that all the venison from fastand<br />
slower-growing deer was very tender.<br />
“More consumer data has been added to this study including<br />
another muscle/meat cut (topside) so in the final evaluation<br />
we can also find out if there seem to be differences in<br />
consumer preference looking at two separate high-value meat<br />
cuts,” she said.<br />
Meat quality measurements:<br />
Striploins from electrically stimulated carcasses<br />
Trait<br />
Fast growing<br />
(n=7)<br />
Slow growing<br />
(n=7)<br />
Liveweight: kg 95.4 97.8<br />
Carcass weight: kg 49.6 52.3<br />
Dressing: % 52 53.4<br />
Sarcomere length 1.8 1.5<br />
1 day post-slaughter<br />
Meat pH 5.51 5.66<br />
Shear force: kg 3.4 5.6<br />
Thaw loss: % 3.1 2.9<br />
Cooking loss: % 22.4 25.7<br />
3 weeks post-slaughter<br />
Meat pH 5.72 5.83<br />
Shear force: kg 2.5 2.7<br />
Purge: % 5.1 4.8<br />
Cooking loss: % 22 22.2<br />
Source: AgResearch<br />
Blown-pack spoilage<br />
The presence of clostridial<br />
bacteria that grow in low<br />
temperatures causes meat spoilage,<br />
conspicuously signalled by<br />
grossly distended vacuum-packs.<br />
Resolving the problem of “blownpack”<br />
spoilage in the chilled<br />
meat industry was another area<br />
covered by Robyn Clemens in the<br />
session. The work was funded by<br />
DEEResearch.<br />
Robyn Clemens is looking<br />
at “blown pack” spoilage<br />
for the venison industry.<br />
Clostridial spores are present in soil, water, vegetation<br />
and manure. They enter the processing environment on<br />
slaughter animals, through the air intakes with dust and<br />
pollen, and are present on hides. They can be transferred<br />
to carcasses when the opening cuts are made. They grow at<br />
extremely low temperatures – they are quite at home in the<br />
Antarctic – but can’t grow at body temperature. They don’t<br />
seem to produce any toxins so they are not deemed a food<br />
safety issue as such. The aim of the research is to minimise<br />
spoilage losses in the production of vacuum-packed chilled<br />
venison, Robyn said.<br />
The scientists looked at the use of a pre-slaughter wash to<br />
effectively inactivate or remove clostridial spores from deer<br />
hides and determined that a commercially available animal<br />
wash, closely followed by water, was the most effective way<br />
to remove spores. It was noted also that the commercial<br />
wash that was most effective in reducing spores on the<br />
deer pelt probably did so due to mechanical action (i.e. the<br />
detergent in the wash <strong>help</strong>ed remove the spores, rather than<br />
inactivating or killing them). In addition, another trial found<br />
that the subsequent storage temperature of -1.5°C had more<br />
of an effect than the initial cooling regime for vacuum-packed<br />
chilled venison in the prevention of blown-pack spoilage,<br />
though efficient initial cooling is essential. Also, washing<br />
the carcasses with peroxyacetic acid “Inspexx 200 ” delayed the<br />
onset of blown packs in packs artificially inoculated with<br />
clostridial spores and stored at -1.5ºC.<br />
R&D needs more<br />
integration<br />
A key outcome of the two<br />
days, according to AgResearch<br />
chief executive officer Dr<br />
Andy West, was an industry<br />
acknowledgement that research<br />
and development needs<br />
more integration and that<br />
collaboration was the way for<br />
the future.<br />
Dr West says that the<br />
workshop provided an ideal<br />
opportunity for processors,<br />
marketers and exporters to<br />
connect with researchers<br />
working with the meat<br />
industry.<br />
AgResearch CEO Dr Andy<br />
West: R&D needs more<br />
integration.<br />
“Consumers are demanding<br />
product functionality, quality, integrity and assurance and<br />
this requires an integration of research and development<br />
along whole value chains,” he said.<br />
Workshop attendees also voiced their concerns regarding the<br />
fact that MIRINZ Inc funding for meat processing on plant<br />
research and development will run out in two years’ time.<br />
Dr West said at an international level it is imperative that<br />
New Zealand can produce better, more efficient and new<br />
products. To achieve this, active industry participation in<br />
research is essential.<br />
For more information visit: www.agresearch.co.nz/mirinz<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 19
industry news<br />
‘Pick and mix’ convenience opens up whole new sector<br />
Like other red meats, venison struggles with the convenience requirement at retail, but new packaging and presentation<br />
developments seen at the ANUGA food trade fair and further afield in Europe are opening up a whole new sector.<br />
According to food marketing lore, there are three core<br />
consumer drivers – health, enjoyment and convenience.<br />
Consumers will make different purchasing choices depending<br />
on which driver they wish to satisfy. If your product ticks all<br />
three boxes, the more it will satisfy their requirements, and<br />
the more people will be willing to pay for it, DINZ Venison<br />
Marketing Services Manager Innes Moffat says.<br />
In the retail environment, venison struggles with the<br />
convenience driver. When venison is presented as a large<br />
cut, shoppers are uncertain how to cook it, which leads<br />
to dissatisfaction with the second driver<br />
‘enjoyment’. Over-cooking sometimes makes<br />
eating venison less enjoyable than it should be.<br />
DINZ executive recently attended ANUGA – the<br />
world’s largest food trade fair – near Cologne<br />
in Germany, as part of a series of meetings<br />
and appointments in Europe. Chief Executive<br />
Officer Mark O’Connor and Innes Moffat saw the<br />
development of ready-to-cook consumer retail<br />
items using New Zealand venison in several<br />
European countries.<br />
“The growth of convenience packaging opens<br />
up a new sector for New Zealand venison,”<br />
Innes Moffat says. “Companies are now<br />
packaging New Zealand venison in portioncontrolled<br />
packs – enough meat for a meal<br />
for two, with accompanying sauces in<br />
sachets. These are not TV dinners. The cook<br />
is allowed to feel they have created the meal.<br />
But ‘assemble’ is probably a better term.”<br />
The pinnacle of this concept, Innes says, was<br />
observed in a Dutch supermarket, where<br />
food manufacturers worked in tandem with<br />
the retailer to develop a ‘pick and mix’<br />
approach to create meal solutions.<br />
A prominent display was stationed near<br />
the entrance to a large supermarket, upon<br />
which sat four rows of food, he describes.<br />
The rows were numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4. Row<br />
one carried a variety of different pre-prepared<br />
salads, row two carried a variety of carbohydrates, such as<br />
rice, pasta or potatoes. Row three carried portioned meats<br />
– fish, chicken or pork – and row four carried ready-made<br />
sauces. Alongside this stood a display unit with recipe flyers<br />
showing how combinations of one, two, three and four could<br />
be assembled to produce a meal for two. All combinations<br />
carried the same price, and shoppers could follow the<br />
prescribed order, or mix them up themselves.<br />
“The beauty of this approach to meat retailing is that it<br />
takes the shopper’s focus from price and provides them<br />
with virtually complete meals, while still<br />
allowing them the feeling they are making<br />
a choice and cooking for themselves.”<br />
Other concepts included ready-prepared<br />
meats, with complementary sauces.<br />
New Zealand venison items are being<br />
promoted through this concept in the<br />
Netherlands and Germany this year.<br />
Portion-controlled packs including<br />
a pre-prepared sauce, like this one,<br />
are on the rise in Europe and let the<br />
consumer feel they have created a<br />
venison meal from scratch.<br />
Consumer Drivers<br />
Convenience<br />
Health<br />
Enjoyment<br />
The three consumer drivers of<br />
convenience, health and enjoyment<br />
overlap.<br />
DINZ is supporting a promotion with<br />
a Dutch retail chain, to promote New<br />
Zealand venison leg roasts and portioncontrolled<br />
leg steaks. The two venison<br />
items will be promoted via direct mail<br />
into the homes of 150,000 targeted<br />
store card holders. The chain has over<br />
700 supermarkets and is enthusiastic<br />
about promoting New Zealand venison.<br />
The importer which DINZ and the New<br />
Zealand exporter are working with is<br />
committed to developing venison as a<br />
12-month business and increasing the<br />
amount of higher-value chilled venison<br />
they import throughout the year.<br />
“This work, and similar work being<br />
done by other companies committed<br />
to developing New Zealand venison<br />
products for retail is <strong>help</strong>ing shift our<br />
products out of the commodity trade<br />
and reduce our industry’s reliance on<br />
the traditional restaurant sector,” Innes<br />
Moffat says.<br />
Impressing the Doctor<br />
Dr Oetker (left), a fourth-generation owner of one of the world’s largest ingredients<br />
and bakery companies, was so impressed by the New Zealand venison tasting wagon,<br />
this picture was used to illustrate a press release distributed to the German food<br />
media announcing the recent opening of a large speciality goods supermarket, Fresh<br />
Paradise in Zuendorf, Germany. Run by a German family, Oetker is headed by the<br />
fourth generation Dr Oetker. He was the guest of honour at the opening, where DINZ<br />
and a local importer had arranged to host a venison tasting on one of the mobile<br />
tasting wagons. Not only was a picture of the IYG tasting wagon used, Dr Oetker had<br />
his picture taken in front of the IYG wagon by the company’s publicity staff.<br />
Visit www.oetker.ca/en/home for more information about the company.<br />
22<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
industry news<br />
Venison – the ‘heartbeat food’<br />
New Zealand venison is so healthy, it should be called the ‘heartbeat food’, according to a well-respected German<br />
nutritionist.<br />
In a series of press releases to food writers and nutritionists<br />
in Germany, DINZ-contracted author and dietician Dr Nicolai<br />
Worm says “A creative term for this delicate meat might be<br />
‘heartbeat food’, because, in comparison with other types of<br />
meat, it contains a high level of omega-3 fatty acids which<br />
are known to protect the heart.”<br />
His comments are based on an analysis of New Zealand<br />
venison cuts undertaken by LUFA-TIL GmbH, the German<br />
Institute for Food Analysis, in Kiel in August this year,<br />
providing an up-to-date – and German – reference point.<br />
Based on the results, Dr Worm has prepared and distributed<br />
articles and healthy recipes to the health profession and food<br />
writers in Germany, highlighting the nutritional profile of<br />
New Zealand venison.<br />
The German study showed that, as we here in New Zealand<br />
know, New Zealand venison is low in fat, high in iron and B<br />
vitamins, and what little fat there is, is of the correct sort. It<br />
also highlighted that in German terms, there are high levels<br />
of omega-3 fatty acids in New Zealand’s farm-raised venison,<br />
which are known to protect the heart.<br />
Being raised on extensive<br />
pastureland and feeding all<br />
year round on green fodder<br />
are “prerequisites for lean<br />
meat with an ideal fatty-acid<br />
profile,” according to Dr<br />
Worm. He is the developer<br />
and proponent of the Logi<br />
Method, a diet designed to<br />
prevent obesity through an<br />
increased intake of foods with<br />
a high level of omega-3 fatty<br />
acids. Intensive farming and<br />
the high proportion of grain<br />
in both human and animal<br />
nutrition, mean that people are<br />
not receiving adequate highquality<br />
fatty acids, which has<br />
consequences for health, he<br />
says.<br />
“Apart from salt-water fish,<br />
organically farmed meat (such<br />
as New Zealand venison) is by<br />
far the most important source of these healthy nutritional<br />
substances.”<br />
Dr Worm also points out to German consumers that New<br />
Zealand venison has a “high nutrient density” – the<br />
relationship of nutrients to calories – exactly what “one<br />
should aim for in the present, sedentary age”.<br />
“New Zealand venison fulfils all the prerequisites of a highgrade<br />
food suitable for a modern, wholefood diet.”<br />
In addition to the material for the press, a radio feature and<br />
short television advertorial have been produced, showing the<br />
ease with which New Zealand venison can be cooked, and<br />
The goodies in your portion<br />
The new German nutritional analysis shows that a portion<br />
of 100g of New Zealand venison contains:<br />
• Predominantly mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty<br />
acids (c 50-60%) which, depending on the cut,<br />
represents only 1.5-2.0g fat.<br />
• A very high level of omega-3 fatty acids, which are<br />
known to protect the heart.<br />
• Only 100-110 cal.<br />
• Only 30-50mg cholesterol.<br />
• Particularly high levels of vitamins B 2,<br />
B 6<br />
and B 12<br />
(representing 33%, 34% and 90% respectively of the<br />
recommended daily intake).<br />
• High levels of essential minerals, especially iron<br />
– 3.4 mg, representing 24% of the recommended<br />
intake.<br />
Source: Analysis carried out in September <strong>2007</strong> by LUFA-<br />
TIL GmbH in Kiel, Germany.<br />
German consumers are being told New Zealand venison should be called<br />
the ‘heartbeat food’, by author and dietician Dr Nicolai Worm.<br />
its nutritional benefits. These are being distributed to regional<br />
television and radio stations to be broadcast over the coming<br />
months. The cities where these features are to be broadcast<br />
have been chosen to coincide with where importers are<br />
planning promotions with retailers.<br />
“Nutrition is increasingly important to a segment of the<br />
buying population,” says DINZ venison marketing services<br />
manager Innes Moffat. “Obesity is a concern in Germany as<br />
in other developed countries, so while it is not a key driver,<br />
we have a very positive message about venison that we will<br />
use where we can.”<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 23
industry news<br />
MARKET TALK:<br />
Export success starts with clean, green<br />
Export success for velvet starts with a focus on clean and green, according to Brian Blanchard, technical manager for<br />
Albany-based Good Health Products. The company has an encapsulated formula called Vigor which it has successfully<br />
sold in Asia for 12 years. It consists primarily of New Zealand deer velvet and also contains New Zealand bee pollen,<br />
ginseng, and zinc. The formulation is based on some sound studies that indicate these ingredients assist with energy,<br />
vitality, the immune system, and nutrition. Blanchard explores the reasons behind its export success for Market Talk.<br />
“If you ask me, the key reasons for our success in export<br />
markets, and in particular Taiwan, starts with a focus on<br />
New Zealand’s clean, green image,” Blanchard says.<br />
“Second is having a brand with good standing for 20 years<br />
and third is the emphasis we put on giving the customer<br />
confidence in our product. Our development team has a<br />
combined 139 years of chemistry, 21 years of food technology<br />
and 16 years of naturopathic experience.”<br />
New products start by building an evidence dossier of<br />
credible studies and reference texts that the company<br />
matches to its formula and claims.<br />
“Confidence in our quality is born out of our Medsafeaudited<br />
good manufacturing practice (GMP) quality system.<br />
The Asian market product registration places high emphasis<br />
on certification and our GMP certificate is very well received.<br />
This <strong>help</strong>s tick a lot of boxes through the process.”<br />
Blanchard says he is continually educating customers that<br />
Good Health’s GMP quality system means four layers of<br />
testing:<br />
1. Supplier and ingredients are evaluated and<br />
comprehensively tested before acceptance.<br />
2. All ingredients undergo full identification and activity<br />
testing.<br />
3. After manufacture, comprehensive testing of ingredients<br />
in finished products.<br />
4. Stability testing at 30ºC and 65% relative humidity for<br />
product shelf life.<br />
“Many people don’t realise that this means we sample and<br />
test every single pack in every single delivery of ingredients.<br />
For this reason, we have our own on-site laboratory. Being<br />
able to invite overseas customers down and show them that<br />
they are dealing with the manufacturer and not a middleman<br />
gets them interested. Walking them through the process<br />
from ingredients to finished product sells them on the spot.”<br />
The customer confidence built by the company has boosted<br />
the success of Vigor, and Good Health no longer has to<br />
compete directly with cut-price Chinese producers.<br />
“Partnering with our customers and building relationships is<br />
priceless so we have an export team who are permanently<br />
jetlagged. We have proven time and time again that we<br />
cannot do export business by sitting in New Zealand.<br />
“I hope that more people are encouraged to invest in getting<br />
to know their customers and committing to quality systems,<br />
allowing them to maintain and utilise the strengths we have<br />
here in New Zealand,” Blanchard says.<br />
For more information about Good Health visit<br />
www.goodhealth.co.nz<br />
Cervena® in front of top NZ food writers<br />
Cervena® Natural Tender Venison was placed in front of over 100 guests at the <strong>2007</strong> Culinary<br />
Quills Awards, the New Zealand Guild of Food Writers’ biennial awards held in Wellington in<br />
September. The lunch, sponsored by Cervena, featured a main course of barbecued rack of<br />
Cervena and caramelised onion tarts, served on platters in an Italian-style casual lunch. It was<br />
paired with Martinborough Vineyard’s 2004 Pinot Noir, one of a selection from Wines From<br />
Martinborough presented at the lunch.<br />
“It was an ideal opportunity to present Cervena to New Zealand’s top food writers in a<br />
light spring menu,” DINZ Venison Marketing Manager Innes Moffat says. “We’ve had many<br />
complimentary comments and it will <strong>help</strong> keep Cervena front of mind for them when planning<br />
features over the summer.”<br />
Food writing award winners were:<br />
• The Press’s Zest Food section edited by Kate Fraser:<br />
Canterbury University Food Section Journalism Award<br />
Brian Blanchard: walking customers through production process<br />
builds confidence in products.<br />
Guests tucking into the barbecued Cervena rack. Pictured are<br />
(left to right) top food photographer Kieran Scott, Fiona Chard<br />
of the proposed UCOL International School of Cuisine that will<br />
be based in Martinborough and Jill Brewis, a food writer and<br />
former Guild president. (Photo: Nicola Edmonds)<br />
24<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
industry news<br />
Christchurch chef wins Cervena® competition<br />
Chef Ivan Butera, of the Scenic Circle<br />
Russley Hotel in Christchurch, is the winner<br />
of the hotel group’s Cervena venison<br />
competition held in October.<br />
The competition, which was initiated and<br />
run by DINZ, aimed firstly to get some<br />
coverage for venison into the local media<br />
and, secondly, to get it onto the menus of<br />
the mid-range restaurants. The nationwide<br />
hotel group Scenic Circle Hotels was happy<br />
to partner with DINZ in October, to promote<br />
Cervena on its menus and challenge its chefs<br />
with a recipe competition.<br />
Chef Ivan Butera<br />
proudly holding<br />
the Cervena Plate<br />
awarded to him<br />
in the <strong>2007</strong> Scenic<br />
Circle Hotel’s<br />
Cervena Dish<br />
competition.<br />
“Following a demonstration by Graeme<br />
Brown to the Scenic Circle chefs in the<br />
middle of the year, we have worked with<br />
the hotel chain to work up the competition<br />
and to obtain media coverage,” DINZ Venison Marketing Services<br />
Manager Innes Moffat says.<br />
Judged by submitted recipe as well as by an in-restaurant<br />
assessment, Ivan Butera’s winning recipe was Seared Cervena and<br />
Lavender in a Waipara Cabernet and Tamarillo Jus (see Recipe this<br />
page). It is a contemporary and stylish dish, commented Cervena<br />
chef and chief judge, Graham Brown.<br />
“The chef has really put some thought into the preparation and<br />
presentation of this recipe. Our dining assessor thoroughly enjoyed<br />
the meal. It is interesting to see some unusual ingredients being<br />
used to complement the venison and the focus on local produce is a<br />
nice touch.”<br />
Other mouth-watering top place-getters included Cervena Shortloin<br />
on Red Cabbage With Crispy Shank Dumplings in second place from<br />
Chris Fortune of the Scenic Circle Blenheim Country Hotel and Citrus<br />
and Sweet Paprika Cervena with Asparagus and Polenta from Head Chef<br />
Karl Quinn of MLC Café & Bar, Scenic Circle Airdale Hotel in Auckland.<br />
The winning waiter is Jakob Barwick, also from the Scenic Circle<br />
Russley Hotel in Christchurch, who recommended the venison to the<br />
competition’s mystery diner.<br />
The Scenic Circle Hotel group is 100 percent New Zealand owned,<br />
and that’s why they choose to work with local, uniquely New Zealand<br />
ingredients, managing director Brendon Taylor says.<br />
“For us, Cervena venison is a natural fit with our philosophy of<br />
showing visitors from overseas the best that New Zealand has<br />
to offer. Nowhere else in the world is such good quality venison<br />
produced and we want visitors going back to their home countries<br />
talking about the great food they enjoyed during their stay.”<br />
• Richard Till’s “Kiwi Kitchen”: Ocean Spray Electronic<br />
Media Award<br />
• Mary Browne and Helen Leach for their article,<br />
“Consuming Roses”: Fisher & Paykel Gastronomy Award<br />
• Fiona Smith: Regal Salmon Food Styling Award and the<br />
Guild of Food Writers Tui Flower Recipe Award<br />
• Fiona Carruthers: NZ Pork Award for Educational,<br />
Health & Nutrition Writing<br />
• Julie le Clerc: Kapiti Fine Foods’ Book of the Year<br />
• Lindsay Neill: Eggs Incorporated Emerging Food Writer<br />
of the Year<br />
• Penny Oliver’s ‘Beach, Bach, Boat, Barbeque 2’:<br />
Rangitikei Chicken Recipe Book of the Year.<br />
A winning recipe<br />
For those who like a challenge, here is Ivan Butera’s<br />
winning dish for you to replicate from the <strong>2007</strong> Scenic<br />
Circle Hotels Cervena® Venison Recipe Competition:<br />
‘Seared Cervena and Lavendar in a Waipara Cabernet<br />
and Tamarillo Jus’. It’s sure to impress. Serves 4<br />
Ingredients<br />
800 g Cervena – rump cut<br />
500 g Maori potato<br />
600 g broad beans<br />
6 stalks of lavender flower<br />
4 tamarillos<br />
300 ml Cabernet Sauvignon<br />
50 ml red wine vinegar<br />
100 g sugar<br />
400 ml olive oil<br />
Seasoning – salt and pepper<br />
Spring onions x 3 stalks<br />
Sprig of thyme<br />
100 g butter<br />
2 tspn tumeric oil<br />
3 cloves garlic<br />
Method<br />
Tamarillo pickle<br />
1. Peel tamarillo under hot<br />
water.<br />
2. Prepare reduction of red wine<br />
and wine vinegar and sugar.<br />
3. Add tamarillo to reduction<br />
and preserve for 24 hours in<br />
a jar.<br />
Tumeric oil<br />
1. In a saucepan place two<br />
teaspoons of tumeric, ¼<br />
teaspoon of thyme, 300ml<br />
of olive oil and three whole<br />
cloves of garlic.<br />
2. Gently boil for five minutes<br />
then pour through a fine<br />
sieve.<br />
Broad bean mash<br />
1. Place broad beans in a pot<br />
with cold water and season<br />
with salt. Bring to the boil<br />
and drain.<br />
2. Peel beans and discard skins.<br />
3. Mash beans in a food<br />
processor with olive oil and<br />
salt and pepper.<br />
4. When consistency correct,<br />
add spring onions julienne.<br />
Maori potato<br />
1. Peel and turn into shape.<br />
2. Place in boiling water and<br />
boil for five minutes. Drain<br />
3. Pan-fry in butter and<br />
chopped thyme and season<br />
to taste.<br />
Cervena<br />
1. Cut meat into 200 gm<br />
portions – across the grain<br />
to achieve a finished tender<br />
portion.<br />
2. Sear the Cervena in olive oil<br />
and two stalks of lavender<br />
flower in a hot pan. Sear<br />
each side for one minute.<br />
Season with salt and pepper.<br />
3. Bake in a hot oven until<br />
cooked to medium-rare for<br />
approximately four to five<br />
minutes. Then rest the meat<br />
for a further four to five<br />
minutes.<br />
To plate each serving<br />
1. Place warm mash in the<br />
middle of plate.<br />
2. Slice the Cervena and one<br />
tamarillo.<br />
3. Place one slice of Cervena<br />
on its side with a slice of<br />
tamarillo next to it. Continue<br />
in this fashion until you have<br />
four slices of Cervena with<br />
the accompanying sliced<br />
tamarillo.<br />
4. Place three to four Maori<br />
potato on the side of the<br />
plate.<br />
5. Garnish with liquid left in<br />
the pan over the Cervena and<br />
tamarillos (about three to<br />
four tablespoons). Garnish<br />
also with 3 – 4 tablespoons<br />
of tamarillo pickle preserve<br />
juice.<br />
6. Top garnish of one lavender<br />
flower.<br />
7. Drizzle of tumeric oil around<br />
the plate.<br />
8. Serve.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 25
industry news<br />
Selin triumphs in Culinary Challenge<br />
Organisers of this year’s NZ-UK Link Foundation Culinary Challenge in London say they were sweating a bit, when<br />
they realised that New Zealand venison was so scarce in Europe they might not get any for the competition at the UK’s<br />
leading hospitality trade show.<br />
However, luckily for Selin Kiazim of the renowned<br />
Westminster Kingsway College, it was all right on the day<br />
and her menu including the main course ‘Herb crusted<br />
venison loin, game sausage, cabbage, carrot and bacon,<br />
smoked onion and parsnip mash, black olive and pepper jus’<br />
impressed the judges.<br />
The eight nervous young British finalists, all aged under<br />
21, had gathered for the final cook-off on 9 October at the<br />
Restaurant Show in London’s Earl’s Court 2 exhibition centre.<br />
In the competition, organised by the British Craft Guild of<br />
Chefs and the Link Foundation, they were required to create<br />
and cook a three-course menu of New Zealand seafood, New<br />
Zealand farm-raised venison and a chocolate-based dessert<br />
for two in the allotted two hours. Judges included Miles<br />
Kirby of the Providores and Tapa Room, Nic Watt of Roka,<br />
John King of Crockfords and David Mulcahy, Vice-President<br />
of the British Craft Guild of Chefs.<br />
The competition was supported again with New Zealand<br />
farm-raised venison<br />
complemented by wine<br />
from Trinity Hill. Wine<br />
tastings were held by New<br />
Zealand Winegrowers and<br />
Stoneleigh of Marlborough.<br />
Kiazim, whose win was<br />
announced at a reception<br />
at New Zealand House on<br />
16 November, will travel<br />
to New Zealand early<br />
next year to take up her<br />
prize, a five-week working<br />
holiday in some of New<br />
Zealand’s top restaurants.<br />
Kiazim hard at work in the<br />
final cook-off.<br />
A very happy Selin Kiazim, pictured (left) receiving her award<br />
at the function in New Zealand House from Link Foundation<br />
Trustee Pat Alston, New Zealand High Commissioner, His<br />
Excellency the Rt Hon Jonathan Hunt and David Mulcahy of the<br />
British Craft Guild of Chefs.<br />
Her opposite number, winner of the NZ-UK Link Foundation<br />
Modern Cookery Apprentice of the Year in the Hospitality<br />
Standards Institute’s Awards of Excellence, was Porsha Fraser<br />
from 35 Degrees South Aquarium Restaurant & Bar in Paihia.<br />
She has already been to the UK for her work experience in<br />
some of Britain’s top restaurants and hotels.<br />
The NZ-UK Link Foundation’s Culinary Exchange is five years<br />
old and growing fast. Since its establishment in 2003, it has<br />
attracted entries from hundreds of young British and Kiwi<br />
chefs, about 80 finalists have battled their way to the top and<br />
10 young chefs have exchanged countries to gain the work<br />
experience of a lifetime.<br />
“Standards of cooking and presentation just continue to rise<br />
year after year – it’s amazing,” says Peter Gordon, Londonbased<br />
celebrity Kiwi chef, food guru and inspiration behind<br />
the award. He was on hand at the British finalists’ cook-off to<br />
offer advice and steady the nerves.<br />
<strong>Industry</strong> connection for new team member<br />
Top swimmer Willy Benson, 19, is the newest member of team Powered by velvet.org.nz, the group of athletes<br />
sponsored by DINZ.<br />
Born and raised in Hastings, Willy is the<br />
oldest of five children and attended Hastings<br />
Boys High, where he was head boy and dux.<br />
He is nephew to Warwick Kent, one of the<br />
North Island’s largest velvet farmers, giving<br />
him first-hand experience of deer. “As young<br />
kids we used to visit our cousin’s deer farm in<br />
Tikokino, which was always good fun.”<br />
He started competitive swimming, at the age<br />
of 11 for the Sundevils club, where he still<br />
holds the New Zealand 15-year-old age group<br />
record for 50m butterfly. He started a Bachelor<br />
of Business Studies at Massey University in<br />
Willy Benson: newest<br />
member of DINZ-sponsored<br />
group of athletes.<br />
North Shore, Auckland in early 2006 and says his<br />
swimming has progressed well since making the<br />
move. He won the 50m and 100m butterfly and<br />
100m freestyle in the recent Spring Nationals.<br />
DINZ currently powers nine athletes with velvet<br />
in the Powered by velvet.org.nz programme.<br />
In addition to swimmer Willy Benson, are<br />
Julia Grant (duathlon and triathlon), Morgan<br />
Foster (surf sports), Jonny Collett (triathlon)<br />
and adventure racers Sonya Clark, Rhys Burns,<br />
George Christison, Chris Morrisey and Ross<br />
Rotherham.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 31
industry news<br />
Million milestone for Robinson<br />
It takes 20 years to handle one million kg of velvet – that’s if you’re Steve Robinson, processing manager for UB Bio<br />
Ltd (formerly National <strong>Deer</strong> Horn). Gunning for his 20 th anniversary with the company in January, he has pulled out the<br />
records and calculated that he has already handled over one million kg of velvet for the Christchurch-based processor<br />
and exporter.<br />
Christchurch born and bred, Steve joined the company<br />
on 12 January 1988, fresh from the New Zealand Army’s<br />
Artillery Division. A friend of his mother’s gained him an<br />
introduction, which led to an interview on the Friday and<br />
brought his army logistics and administration training to<br />
the fore in his new career in velvet processing the following<br />
Monday.<br />
‘Part of the furniture’ now, Steve says when he joined the<br />
company it was just himself, managing director Youn Soo<br />
Lee and a secretary; then Charlie Ford joined them a year<br />
later (to leave in 2001). Nowadays, the processor has grown<br />
to a complement of 12 staff, six in processing and six in<br />
administration.<br />
He’s seen the processing industry grow from a “small family<br />
of factories” with velvet earning $200-300 per kg in the mid<br />
1980s, to a highly competitive environment with many plants<br />
at its peak. This has pulled back over the past four or five<br />
years as competition strengthened.<br />
“It was when production went over 600 tonnes that the<br />
industry lost stability and the price started to fluctuate,”<br />
he says, adding that he and Youn Lee believe with lower<br />
tonnages in the pipeline, balance can be regained.<br />
During his two decades in the industry, Steve has seen<br />
overseas competition against New Zealand product grow,<br />
particularly from cheaper Russian and Chinese velvet into<br />
Korea. With their competitive pricing, it’s been difficult to<br />
compete even with New<br />
Zealand’s ‘clean and<br />
green’ reputation, he<br />
says.<br />
Attempting to counter<br />
that competition, in their<br />
biggest year – 1997 – UB<br />
Bio imported 23 tonnes<br />
of Canadian product<br />
plus 90 tonnes of New<br />
Zealand product.<br />
In the last year or two<br />
particularly, Youn Lee’s<br />
concern is that New<br />
Zealand is losing control<br />
of the market.<br />
“The industry is hurting,<br />
exporting frozen velvet<br />
from New Zealand. Our<br />
primary aim is to add<br />
value in New Zealand<br />
by processing powders,<br />
capsules and tablets.”<br />
The New Zealand Food<br />
Safety Authority has<br />
got harder on the velvet<br />
processing industry,<br />
introducing requirements for more paperwork, more<br />
inspections and even hairnets, Steve says, accepting this<br />
is essential for marketing and maintaining New Zealand’s<br />
reputation for high standards.<br />
Asked what UB Bio product excites him most, he surprisingly<br />
picks out one that is only known colloquially as ‘The<br />
Medicine’. It is not able to be exported, but is hugely popular<br />
with contacts and local customers.<br />
“It tastes really, really bad, but contains 12-15 Chinese herbs<br />
and really works for general wellness and restoring the yingyang<br />
balance.”<br />
Steve’s many market visits will have been enhanced more<br />
recently by his having learned to fluently read and write<br />
the difficult Korean language– although he says his spoken<br />
language is less fluent.<br />
When he’s not working, he is a keen hunter, and he also<br />
used to do competitive pistol-shooting.<br />
However, the Oxford velvet competition had his full attention<br />
on Friday 7 <strong>December</strong>, when he was a judge – something he<br />
has done regularly over the past few years.<br />
Steve Robinson’s 20-year working milestone will be<br />
celebrated quietly with colleagues, probably combined with<br />
Christmas festivities. Here’s to the next million, Steve!!!<br />
Steve Robinson: Gunning for his 20 th anniversary with<br />
velvet at UB Bio.<br />
32<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
Branch Chairman profile:<br />
Brian Russell – Southland<br />
stagline supplement<br />
When Brian Russell came to Wellington in October for what was only his second Branch Chairman’s meeting,<br />
representing Southland, he carried in his briefcase the outline of a carefully thought out argument. He was ready to put<br />
the case for keeping the National Velvet Competition in its Invercargill base and home for the past 25 years (see separate<br />
article in Stagline Supplement). The suggestion that it was time for the competition to move from the South presented<br />
an early challenge for the new Chairman, who took over the reins from Peter Allan in May <strong>2007</strong>.<br />
In the event, he didn’t have to present his case in great<br />
detail. Consensus was soon reached that the competition<br />
should stay in the South, with the added bonus of four<br />
volunteers from the North Island to come and <strong>help</strong> out this<br />
year, and suggestions for making the top heads more widely<br />
available to be viewed by farmers who couldn’t make the trip<br />
south.<br />
Brian took up Chairman’s role after four years on the<br />
committee. He says the group functions efficiently, with all<br />
members well versed in their roles. Having NZDFA Executive<br />
Committee Chairman Bill Taylor as a mentor and living in the<br />
same area is also a big <strong>help</strong>, he adds.<br />
Branch duties compete with a busy and large-scale farm<br />
work programme. Brian, who lives with wife Kristine and<br />
four-year-old daughter Adine, farms 13,000+ stock units<br />
with his father Bruce and <strong>help</strong> from a casual farm labourer.<br />
The operation comprises three blocks: The original Avondale<br />
block is 370 hectares, of which 230 hectares is deer fenced.<br />
Brian took this over about 10 years ago, not long after<br />
returning from his OE in the United States. At this point his<br />
parents Bruce and Annabel bought a 110 hectare Dunrobin<br />
block about 30 km away. Then in 2001 the Russells bought<br />
the nearby Kowhai block, 1320 hectares of then unfenced<br />
and undeveloped northwest-facing country running up to 950<br />
metres above sea level. Original fences had been removed to<br />
make way for a forestry development that never happened.<br />
Brian says with the exception of a couple of 16-hectare<br />
paddocks the ‘steep and rocky’ country is fairly rough, but<br />
is ideal as a deer breeding block. It required fencing – often<br />
following the original lines – and paddocks are sprayed and<br />
oversown as finances allow. The regrassed areas produce<br />
surprisingly well.<br />
The three blocks complement each other well. Brian carries<br />
about 330 mixed age hinds and 50 yearling hinds (with the<br />
velvet genetics) on Avondale, with 350 velveters. He also<br />
finishes most of the weaners from the Kowhai and Avondale<br />
Blocks – about 2000. In addition to the deer they carry<br />
1400 Romney ewes, 500 hoggets and dairy grazers from a<br />
neighbouring farm – about 100 heifers and 100 calves. The<br />
Kowhai block carries about 2000 breeding hinds, while<br />
the 110 hectare Dunrobin block carries 400 hinds and 575<br />
weaners, and is set up as a specialist venison breeding unit.<br />
Brian says his is an intensive operation, which he’s still<br />
fine tuning. “We’re looking to drop the number of mixed<br />
age hinds on Avondale to about 120-150, and finish more<br />
weaners from the run block. I think replacing two weaners<br />
for very hind will be about right.”<br />
Sires have been sourced from Netherdale and Arawata, but<br />
for the past two years the Russells have also tried AI using<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> Improvement and have been pleased with the results.<br />
“We got 87 percent conception rates last year and this year,<br />
Brian Russell: sustainability will be the key issue for deer farmers<br />
in years to come.<br />
and didn’t lose a fawn in 2006. I think <strong>Deer</strong> Improvement<br />
has been good for the industry. It’s shaken things up and<br />
lifted everyone’s game.”<br />
In his own herd Brian has started paying more attention to<br />
the quality of his breeding hinds and has been DNA testing<br />
to identify the top 100 females which will go to the top stag.<br />
Like all venison producers, he’s been pleased to see the<br />
schedule staying higher for longer this season. His first line<br />
of 50 averaged 58 kg and nearly all achieved $6.90, at a time<br />
when the spring peak has usually passed by.<br />
He strongly believes that sustainability will be the key issue<br />
for deer farmers in the immediate future. “It’s an issue we all<br />
need to watch closely. Our industry must stay squeaky clean<br />
if we’re to protect what we’ve got. On our Avondale block<br />
I have 12 kilometres of creeks which eventually I’d like to<br />
have fenced. None of that will lift my productivity, but it will<br />
need to be done.”<br />
While he finds writing submissions demanding, frustrating<br />
and time consuming work, it must be done. “We can’t afford<br />
to relax. For example, Variation 5 of the Southland District<br />
Plan was a reasonable agreement on stock access to water,<br />
but we understand Fish & Game is appealing it, so the work<br />
will continue.”<br />
Echoing industry trends, the Southland Branch has shrunk in<br />
recent years, although numbers have now stabilised, Brian<br />
says. “Some of the smaller finishing units have disappeared<br />
or changed to dairying, while other operations have moved<br />
to steeper, extensive terrain.”<br />
The farmer population is ageing, Brian says, and that<br />
concerns him. But there are signs of the next generation<br />
coming through. At 36 years of age, Brian is one of the<br />
younger Branch Chairmen. He is supported on the committee<br />
by another youngblood, John Somerville (Arawata), and <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Improvement’s Des Ford as his Vice Chairmen.<br />
Plenty of hard work ahead, Brian agrees, but the future for<br />
deer farming in Southland looks assured for now.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 33
stagline supplement<br />
Tb Strategy tracking ahead of targets<br />
The Animal Health Board (AHB) had positive news for the deer industry when they reported to Branch Chairmen at their<br />
October meeting.<br />
AHB Chief Executive William McCook said implementation<br />
of the VectorNet system to plan, manage and control vector<br />
operations was due early next year. Some components were<br />
already operating and working well. Also on the IT front is<br />
Tb Investigator, a software tool that provides a good visual<br />
analysis from the Tb database.<br />
William said compliance activity has featured a tough line,<br />
including one successful prosecution, a herd depopulation<br />
and many official directives.<br />
The past year hasn’t been without its challenges, however.<br />
The demise of Target Pest in the South Island had an impact<br />
on vector control operations, and the merger of Asure and<br />
AgriQuality removes some contestability from services. There<br />
is continuing uncertainty over the direction of NAIT, and<br />
heavy pressure on vector control funding, which is very<br />
thinly spread in some areas.<br />
Despite the challenges there was excellent news on the disease<br />
control front. Over the past 11 years, the total number of<br />
infected herds (cattle and deer) has fallen from 1,555 to 148,<br />
a drop of over 90 percent. Since 2001, the period prevalence<br />
figure has been falling at a rate well ahead of targets as it<br />
tracks towards the magic 0.2 percent (see Figure 1).<br />
1.6<br />
1.4<br />
1.2<br />
0.8<br />
0.6<br />
34<br />
1<br />
0<br />
NPMS PERIOD PREVALENCE<br />
2001 NPMS Amendment Proposal Projections vs Actual Annual Period Prevalence<br />
0.4<br />
Period prevalence (%)<br />
0.2<br />
Jun-01Dec-01Jun-02Dec-02Jun-03Dec-03Jun-04Dec-04Jun-05Dec-05Jun-06Dec-06Jun-07Dec-07Jun-08<br />
2001 NPMS AmProp mean projection Actual annual PP% 0.20%<br />
Figure 1: 2001 period prevalence projections versus actual annual<br />
period prevalence.<br />
As at June <strong>2007</strong> there were 18 infected deer herds, three in<br />
the North Island and 15 in the South. William noted that<br />
the areas that have done the best in terms of disease control<br />
have had the longest-established vector control programmes.<br />
All infected herds were in vector risk areas – a sign that the<br />
programme to tighten the noose around problem areas is<br />
working.<br />
From 2001 to <strong>2007</strong>, the number of reactor deer recorded<br />
dropped from 1351 to 340.<br />
Andy Mitchell (Rotorua) questioned the AHB speakers on the<br />
impact of deforestation on vector control, commenting that<br />
a 24,000 hectare tree harvest in the central North Island had<br />
led to a huge migration of possums. They said there was no<br />
evidence that this was impacting vector control or spreading<br />
disease, but William McCook undertook to discuss the issue<br />
with Central North Island control management staff.<br />
Bob Kingscote (Selection and Appointments Panel) expressed<br />
frustration with the Tb risk that some safari operations<br />
present, saying there were problem operators on the West<br />
Coast and North Canterbury. He urged the AHB to use a<br />
‘heavy hammer’ on the few rogue operators who weren’t<br />
pulling their weight. In reply, William McCook conceded<br />
there were still some gaps in Tb coverage, but referred<br />
Chairmen to the AHB policy in this area, currently being<br />
implemented (see separate article in this issue).<br />
NPMS review<br />
The Chairmen were then given a detailed preview of the<br />
National Pest Management Strategy Review currently being<br />
undertaken by the AHB. This will be revealed in detail in<br />
early 2008 after economic analysis of the various options has<br />
been fully tested. However, in a nutshell, the review explores<br />
four options for the strategy over the period 2011 – 2030:<br />
• no Tb control<br />
• ad hoc control with no formal strategy<br />
• continuation of the NPMS with a strategy of<br />
containment<br />
• continuation of the NPMS with a strategy of eradication.<br />
We hope to bring readers a detailed description of this review<br />
early in 2008.<br />
The AHB presentation to deer farmers continued with some<br />
reminders about changes in funding.<br />
Funding for Tb clear herds<br />
• The financial assistance for alternate year whole-herd<br />
tests in special testing areas (annual) increased to $2.50<br />
+ GST per animal tested on 1 October <strong>2007</strong>. To get<br />
your refund, you must be registered with AHB, which<br />
includes providing your bank account details and GST<br />
number. AHB will pay the refunds after your Tb tester<br />
has entered the test results into the AHB database (don’t<br />
send an invoice).<br />
• Owners who use the ETB test, a more sensitive test<br />
than the CCT, are eligible for refunds of lab costs and<br />
administration fees, for up to three tests per year,<br />
backdated to July 2005. Refund procedures are as above.<br />
Funding for Tb infected herds (with<br />
approved Tb Management Plans)<br />
• Refunds of $2.50 + GST per animal tested are now<br />
available for all whole-herd tests. The funding pays the<br />
full cost of ancillary serial and ancillary parallel tests.<br />
This is done to encourage a speedy clearance rate.<br />
• Tb reactor compensation will be paid at schedule price<br />
for all reactors slaughtered up to a maximum of 100<br />
animals per herd per year.<br />
AHB will be writing to all owners of infected herds with<br />
further details of these payments.<br />
Any deer farmers with questions about eligibility for refunds<br />
should call AHB on 0800 482 4636<br />
continued on next page<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
Branch Chairman profile:<br />
Andrew Peters – Taihape<br />
The newly appointed Chairman of the<br />
Taihape Branch and wife Pam farm<br />
417 hectares northwest of Taihape.<br />
They have a daughter at secondary<br />
school and a son in the Air force.<br />
There are 60 or so deer farmers in<br />
the Branch region, which runs from<br />
Raetihi in the West to Temahanga in<br />
the East and Ohingaiti in the South.<br />
Like most of them, Andrew runs a<br />
mixed operation: 500 breeding hinds,<br />
2000 Romney breeding ewes and 120<br />
steers plus replacements. But unlike<br />
some deer farmers who have felt<br />
their other livestock classes have kept<br />
them afloat during the last few years,<br />
Andrew says that over the longer<br />
term it is deer that have kept him in<br />
farming.<br />
He grew up and started farming in<br />
the Mamaku district of the Bay of<br />
Plenty. Starting out with breeding<br />
hinds, he switched to finishing stags<br />
in the 1980s when the economics of<br />
sheep farming was turned on its head.<br />
“I bought three stags for each hind I<br />
sold. It was deer that got us through<br />
in the 1980s,” he says.<br />
The family moved to their present<br />
farm 15 years ago, bringing a small<br />
stagline supplement<br />
When Andrew Peters sent in his weaners to the annual auction at the Waiouru deer sales complex last April he was<br />
pleased to see prices double those achieved in 2006. “They needed to,” he says.<br />
continued from previous page<br />
Budget for deer industry initiatives<br />
The AHB reported that of the total $439,500 budgeted for this<br />
deer industry initiative assistance in 2006/07, some $267,200<br />
was spent, about 83 percent of this on fringe testing. The<br />
AHB has budgeted $200,000 for deer industry initiatives in<br />
<strong>2007</strong>/08.<br />
Modified ETB<br />
Progress with the approval of the modified ETB test was also<br />
updated. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand has provisionally<br />
approved the test provided the trial protocol is acceptable,<br />
that they receive 6-monthly reports on tests and results, and<br />
that it is only used on deer from C5+ herds.<br />
Testing equivalence programme<br />
Responding to a question about the Testing Equivalence<br />
Programme, which will offer a QA system for C5+ herds<br />
in lieu of whole-herd testing, William McCook said an<br />
implementation date hadn’t yet been decided, but would be<br />
early 2008 at the earliest.<br />
deer herd with them. Andrew says<br />
it is very much a breeding property.<br />
With the farm running from about<br />
500 to 800 metres above sea level the<br />
season usually starts late. When <strong>Deer</strong><br />
<strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong> spoke to Andrew in late<br />
November, fawns were just starting<br />
to appear. “I think the cold windy<br />
weather had the hinds hanging on a<br />
bit longer this year,” Andrew suggests.<br />
“It’s been a hard autumn, winter and<br />
spring and we’re still tight for feed.”<br />
Surprisingly, and against the national<br />
trends, their lambing percentage is<br />
better than it’s ever been.<br />
For all his livestock he is looking<br />
for tough animals suited to the<br />
environment. He doesn’t like<br />
production systems where animals<br />
have to be propped up with too many<br />
animal health products. “<strong>Deer</strong> should<br />
be low input – high profit.” Stags are<br />
sourced locally from the Taihape Red<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> Stud, and Andrew keeps a few<br />
stags of his own.<br />
He uses a powdered mineralised<br />
fertiliser mix, with a different brew<br />
containing more copper for the deer<br />
country. He feels there has been<br />
too much emphasis on phosphate<br />
fertiliser, which he says can suppress<br />
uptake of important elements. Calcium, magnesium, sodium,<br />
zinc, copper and cobalt are among the elements used.<br />
He stepped into the Branch Chairman’s role when<br />
predecessor Craig Bryant found he was spending too much<br />
time out of the country to be able to do the job justice.<br />
Andrew says the Branch hasn’t been very active in recent<br />
times, with most farmers hunkering down in survival mode<br />
over the past few seasons.<br />
However, he’s hoping to revive a few activities such as field<br />
days, and got the ball rolling recently with a Branch dinner to<br />
get farmers from the area together.<br />
He went to some of the early industry conferences in the<br />
heady days of the 1980s, but has not attended in more<br />
recent years. Reconnecting with industry affairs at a national<br />
level, Andrew found his first Branch Chairmen’s meeting in<br />
October an interesting and constructive two days. His own<br />
Branch has no major burning issues to pursue at national<br />
level, but Andrew says he’s found the meat companies’<br />
demands for loyalty somewhat ironic.<br />
“We all have to survive. You can hardly blame farmers for<br />
targeting whatever will pay the most after what we’ve been<br />
through.”<br />
Andrew Peters: deer have kept him in farming.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 35
47 Haining Street, PO Box 6220, Wellington, New Zealand creative@toolbox.co.nz<br />
stagline supplement<br />
Velconz explained<br />
We have received some comments that producers do not understand the new joint venture velvet marketing platform,<br />
Velconz, since its launch this velvet season. To ensure all producers are up to speed, we again CONCEPT 2 : VELCONZ bring IDENTITY you details on<br />
Velconz and how it works.<br />
At a glance<br />
• Velconz Ltd is a 50:50 joint venture (JV) between PGG<br />
Wrightson (PGW) and velvet suppliers.<br />
• People who supply velvet to PGW will become<br />
shareholders in Velconz Holdings Limited (VHL) which<br />
owns the suppliers’ 50% share of Velconz.<br />
• Company details (constitutions, shareholder agreements,<br />
future planning) are being finalised.<br />
• Producers do not have to choose between Velconz or<br />
PGW. This year, PGW Velvet is operating with Velconz.<br />
• Everyone who chooses to supply Velconz is a participant<br />
unless they prefer not to be. For this year, Velconz is the<br />
existing branded PGG Wrightson velvet pools system.<br />
• Velconz directors will have a role in discussion on<br />
systems, trends and market for velvet this season.<br />
• If producers supply at least 280 tonnes through Velconz<br />
this season, PGW will contribute an estimated $5.60<br />
per kg on each kg of velvet over 280 tonnes supplied<br />
to Velconz. Initial success depends on this 280 tonne<br />
threshold being passed.<br />
• The long term success of this venture relies on more<br />
than 70 percent of New Zealand’s velvet being sold<br />
through Velconz.<br />
• As the service organisation, PGW offers a number of<br />
options for individuals and their velvet, especially the<br />
Velvet Supply Management or the ‘sell or no sell’ option<br />
based around price and timing.<br />
Three entities involved<br />
Velconz Limited: the Joint venture company between<br />
suppliers and PGG Wrightson (see below for detail).<br />
Velconz Holdings Limited (VHL): The suppliers’ holding<br />
company. Shareholding is based on velvet volume supplied<br />
(see below for detail).<br />
PGG Wrightson Velvet: Offers, on a fee for services basis,<br />
the current velvet collection, grading, reporting, sales and<br />
payment systems on behalf of Velconz.<br />
Velconz Limited<br />
Velconz has been created as a 50:50 JV between suppliers<br />
(through VHL) and PGW to maximise returns for<br />
shareholders (i.e. velvet producers who supply through<br />
Velconz) by putting some governance around the pool system<br />
including influence on selling and grading. It also creates a<br />
marketing platform that can eventually exert influence further<br />
up the supply chain.<br />
The full Velconz Ltd Board will have two supplier appointees,<br />
two PGW appointees and an independent chair. Board<br />
members appointed to date are: Stuart Nattrass (supplier),<br />
Keith Neylon (supplier), Tony Cochrane (PGW),<br />
Conrad Wilkshire (PGW).<br />
The independent chair has yet to be appointed.<br />
PGW will match investment in Velconz Ltd on a $1 for $1<br />
basis, up to limits. The medium term objective is for Velconz to<br />
take over the pool operations on fair commercial terms. If this<br />
is not supported, there will be a move back to the status quo.<br />
Secretariat services to Velconz Ltd will be provided by PGW.<br />
Velconz Holdings Limited (VHL)<br />
This is the suppliers’ shareholding entity. There will<br />
initially be no call for capital, with shares issued this year<br />
in proportion to volumes supplied. The purpose is to keep<br />
barriers to entry low for suppliers.<br />
The only decision suppliers need to make this year is<br />
whether or not they support the initiative. VHL’s structure<br />
is being kept simple until there has been more time for<br />
suppliers to articulate their wishes for the new entity (by<br />
supplying or not supplying).<br />
VHL has a three-person board, to be appointed by direct<br />
votes, weighted by volumes supplied. The board members<br />
will appoint supplier directors to the Velconz Ltd Board,<br />
monitor the performance of Velconz Ltd and provide a share<br />
registry service. It is essentially responsible for matters<br />
‘inside the farm gate’. Inaugural VHL board members are: Ian<br />
Scott (Chairman), Bill Taylor and Grant Cochrane.<br />
If there is a future call for capital from shareholders, a<br />
prospectus will be issued. It is likely that any call for capital<br />
would be based on volumes, possibly in the $5-$10/kg range<br />
based over five years and partly paid over time. There will be<br />
reasonable provision for shareholders to withdraw capital but<br />
there will be some provision for risk.<br />
Road buyers who supply through Velconz Ltd will have the<br />
same shareholding rights and opportunities as producers who<br />
supply Velconz directly.<br />
For further information:<br />
Ian Scott 07 833 1382 or 0274 732 657<br />
Bill Taylor 03 236 0940 or 0274 347 886<br />
Grant Cochrane 03 415 8885 or 0272 234 053<br />
Tony Cochrane 027 591 8438<br />
Rumpole revived<br />
After going MIA in 2006, the Rumpole Cup, awarded for the best<br />
newsletter by an NZDFA Branch or Affiliated Society, has been<br />
resurrected. This year seven Branches contested the award.<br />
Judge was Jackie Bedford, editor of The <strong>Deer</strong> Farmer.<br />
Winner of the <strong>2007</strong> Rumpole Cup was the NZDFA’s “newest”<br />
Branch, Central Regions. Editor is Andy Jarden, Wanganui.<br />
Southland and Hawke’s Bay Branches were highly commended<br />
for their entries.<br />
Jackie said a good newsletter should be anchored by a strong<br />
opinion piece from the Chairman. She was impressed by some of<br />
the contributing columnists such as vet Andrew Roe, and praised<br />
the passion shown by the writers in many of the newsletters.<br />
The Rumpole Cup was first presented in 2000, when the<br />
winner was the Coastal Bay of Plenty Branch. The Award was<br />
inaugurated by deer farmer and QC, Colin Perrior.<br />
36<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
stagline supplement<br />
Johne’s disease herd status<br />
classification scheme<br />
A revamped and simplified scheme has been presented to DFA<br />
Branch Chairmen for comment, and also has been circulated<br />
through deer science groups, agents and the Johne’s Research<br />
Group for comment (see JRG article, page 53).<br />
The voluntary scheme (to be updated in February 2008 in<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong> as part of a Johne’s disease update series)<br />
is currently based on the Paralisa test, which detects the<br />
Mycobacterium paratuberculosis bacteria. As the data from Johne’s<br />
Management Ltd (JML) becomes available to farmers, they will<br />
also be able to add value to the classifications (based on risk<br />
assessment) and also track progress of farms that undertake a<br />
testing regime.<br />
Further details of herd history, prevalence and risk are also gained<br />
from other tests and indicators of clinical Johne’s disease. These<br />
are the indicators of Johne’s disease status that people should be<br />
asking about when buying stock:<br />
• post-mortem and on-farm clinical diagnosis<br />
• history of testing for subclinical disease<br />
• losses from scouring and sudden weight loss<br />
• age and class of animal losses<br />
• in-plant history of Johne’s disease lesion detection (JML<br />
results)<br />
• lesion culture results from detained Tb reaction animals<br />
slaughtered<br />
• high Tb reactor rates and results<br />
• co-grazing history (particularly young dairy and beef<br />
cattle).<br />
New Venison Marketing<br />
Manager for PPCS<br />
Karl Buchanan has<br />
been appointed<br />
as PPCS Venison<br />
Marketing Manager,<br />
replacing Michael<br />
Smith. Karl has<br />
over a decade<br />
of experience in<br />
meat marketing at<br />
PPCS, undertaking<br />
a variety of roles,<br />
mainly in lamb<br />
marketing. He also<br />
worked for the<br />
company in the<br />
United Kingdom<br />
for two years,<br />
based at the PPCS<br />
Brooks plant in<br />
Norwich, working<br />
with foodservice,<br />
wholesale and retail customers. In recent years, he has dealt<br />
with the company’s lamb business in the UK, Scandinavia<br />
and France, with extensive experience in European markets.<br />
Outside work, Karl is a keen mountain biker, and currently<br />
studying MBA papers part-time at the University of Otago.<br />
21st Annual Sale - Elite Red <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Saturday 12th January 2008, 6.30pm on property, Balfour, Southland<br />
Champion<br />
Open<br />
Section<br />
2002<br />
Maximus @ 6 years<br />
Armani @ 8 years<br />
• Approx 30 Elite Red Sire Stags - 3 year old - cutting up to 7.40kg SA2 velvet<br />
• Approx 4 Commercial Stags - 3 year old<br />
- Sons of Branko (pure Yugoslavian)<br />
- Selected for velvet, growth and temperament<br />
- Velvet will be displayed on sale day<br />
Progeny of the following Stags<br />
• Maximus - 8.38kg SA2 @ 5 years, Champion Open Section 2002<br />
• Armani - 8.66kgs @ 6 years (son of Squire)<br />
• Argus - 8.38kg SA2 @ 5 years (son of Maximus)<br />
• Banks - 423 SCI @ 4 years, son of Raroa Horsham<br />
• Major Peel - (Peel Forest) 11.60kg SA2<br />
Offering will also include<br />
- Approximately 60, 13 month recorded red hinds (daughters of<br />
Maximus, Armani, Argus)<br />
- Approximately 60, 2 year old velvet stags (2.30kg minimum velvet weight)<br />
Semen<br />
• Bonhomme - 3 year old Maximus son - 7.70kg SA2 velvet @ 3 years<br />
• Marley - 3 year old Banks son - 8.44kg SA2 velvet @ 3 years<br />
Enquiries Welcome<br />
David Stevens<br />
Ph/Fax 03-201 6330<br />
Mobile 0274-331 383<br />
netherdale@xtra.co.nz<br />
www.netherdaledeerfarm.freeservers.com<br />
Brian Duggan<br />
PGG Wrightsons<br />
Ph/Fax 03-248 7760<br />
Mobile 0274-324 212<br />
Graham Kinsman<br />
PGG Wrightsons<br />
Mobile 0274-223 154<br />
or<br />
Brian Newell 027 595 6448<br />
Craig North 027 241 4179<br />
Ron Schroeder 027 432 1299<br />
Max Bensemann 027 432 2617<br />
Glen Hopkinson 027 591 8421<br />
QA & Tb Accredited<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 37
stagline supplement<br />
Focus Farm programmes taking shape<br />
Making the DIFFerence, the DINZ-funded <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> Focus Farm project, has at last moved from planning into concrete<br />
working projects. Introductory community open days have now been held on three properties during late October and<br />
November, while the facilitator and community group seek to finalise a fourth Focus Farm in Canterbury.<br />
This new Focus Farms programme complements the ongoing<br />
Otago and Southland Sustainable Farming Fund-funded<br />
initiatives which are now in their final 6-8 months. All<br />
information from the open days will be collated and posted<br />
on the DINZ website as a permanent record, and is available<br />
on request from the DINZ office (call Natalie Fraser at 04 471<br />
6110 or email natalie.fraser@deernz.org)<br />
There has been a great response from farmers in each of<br />
the regions, with a rapid uptake of discussion on property<br />
programmes and where the focus of the productivity strategy<br />
– more calves heavier and earlier – fits with each farm.<br />
Each of the projects has fitted neatly into the Foundation<br />
for Research, Science and Technology programme (growing<br />
sustainable venison production systems). All steering groups<br />
are supported through the contribution of AgResearch<br />
Scientist David Stevens, the DINZ Producer Manager Tony<br />
Pearse and a core of committed NZDFA Branch members and<br />
interested farmers.<br />
Northern Region: Dave Dewar and<br />
Kay Garland, Upper Atiamuri, South<br />
Waikato<br />
Facilitators: Mark Macintosh (Ag First), Robin Hopkirk (Animal<br />
Health Services, Rotorua); Community Group Chairman: Andy<br />
Mitchell<br />
The opening Northern Regions field day was attended by<br />
about 50 farmers covering all the five Northern NZDFA<br />
branches supporting the project, Environment Waikato and<br />
AgResearch representatives. The property has been profiled<br />
in depth in The <strong>Deer</strong> Farmer (<strong>2007</strong> Annual) and was featured<br />
in presenting the Focus Farm concept to the Environment<br />
Waikato Drystock Liaison Group.<br />
This 169-hectare property (155 hectares deer fenced) breeds<br />
and finishes crossbred deer, and complements Dave Dewar’s<br />
full time working life at Kinleith. Its 2000 deer stock units<br />
are mainly bought-in weaners for finishing, primarily for one<br />
season with some carry over and the flexibility to stock up in<br />
winter and early spring.<br />
Richard Hilson (third from right), facilitator for the Central Regions Focus Farm, leads discussion during a technical group familiarisation tour<br />
of The Steyning, during October. The group is looking at the revamp and upgrading of the self feeding silage pad system. Photo: Tony Pearse<br />
38<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
stagline supplement<br />
A special satellite-style riparian management field day was<br />
held on 16 November at the nearby Rodway Park, where a<br />
substantial wetland conservation project has been completed.<br />
(See separate article in this issue of <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>.)<br />
That event also allowed Fish and Game New Zealand to<br />
recognise the 2006 New Zealand <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> Riparian<br />
Management Award winner (John Carter) and feature how<br />
constructive relationships between regional councils and<br />
other bodies can be managed as a source of advice and<br />
support funding. This will include developing a resource and<br />
farm mapping project from Environment Waikato for the<br />
Dewar property.<br />
The project has also held a technical planning session<br />
following feedback from the introductory field day and for<br />
the community group to suggest some on-farm productivity<br />
improvement areas on the primary property.<br />
Dave will target:<br />
• improving an already high 90 percent calving<br />
performance<br />
• parasitism<br />
• strategic cropping<br />
• improvement of feed quality.<br />
There are two facilitators with this project: the project<br />
overseer (Mark McIntosh) and the specialist deer veterinarian<br />
(Robin Hopkirk), who will lead discussion on deer health<br />
programmes, and identify areas for management change and<br />
efficiencies.<br />
Central Regions: Tim Aitken and<br />
Lucy Robertshawe, The Steyning,<br />
Central Hawke’s Bay<br />
Facilitator: Richard Hilson; Chairman, Community Group, Mike<br />
Holdaway<br />
A comprehensive technical working group farm<br />
familiarisation tour and discussion was held in mid October,<br />
followed by a community group strategy planning session.<br />
The Steyning is currently developing a summer autumn<br />
forage crop programme based on advice from Massey/<br />
AgResearch and the commercial seed industry. The property<br />
also features a self-feeding silage pit system that is new for<br />
the area. The system faced drainage and utilisation issues<br />
in the first season, but these have been addressed. Hawke’s<br />
Bay Regional Council has committed staff to the community<br />
group and will focus on water quality and over-wintering<br />
programmes. The first on-farm public day being is planned<br />
for February 2008.<br />
Overall 316-hectare property is summer safe, but winter<br />
wet. It is a breeding and finishing unit, integrated with<br />
bull beef production. Management has concentrated on<br />
sustainable deer farming and is featured as an example of<br />
an environmental management system (EMS) in the <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Farmers’ Landcare Manual. Venison production also features<br />
as part of the CERCO Firstlight group.<br />
Tim wants to develop more emphasis on cropping and<br />
quality silage conservation, timing of finishing and lifting<br />
weaning performance from the current mid 80 percent<br />
levels to 90 percent plus. The technical group has identified<br />
production, animal health and genetic options to consider in<br />
an early part of the programme.<br />
Canterbury: Focus farm be<br />
confirmed.<br />
Facilitator: Peter Bradley, (Macfarlane Rural Business);<br />
Community Group Chairman: Mark Shadbolt<br />
This region has not been able to confirm the central<br />
Focus Farm as yet, but has had some excellent interest<br />
and response. The facilitator and community group have<br />
identified further possible candidate farms, with a view<br />
to being ready to go in March 2008. It is proposed that<br />
an intensive dryland unit in North Canterbury will act a<br />
specialist satellite farm featuring a well-planned approach to<br />
a breeding management in a dry climate.<br />
South Canterbury: Ross and<br />
Sally Stevens, Whiterock Station,<br />
Rangitata Gorge<br />
Facilitator: Nicky Hyslop, (Macfarlane Rural Business); Community<br />
Group Chairman: John Acland<br />
The 1300 hectare Whiterock Station is an extensive hill<br />
country property which features above-average performance<br />
but faces climatic challenges. It runs sheep and cattle and is<br />
a breeding (1000 hinds) and finishing unit. Record-keeping<br />
and monitoring are well advanced, and the property is well<br />
known to the facilitation group. Its transformation from a<br />
store stock to a breeding and finishing unit has allowed some<br />
specialist cropping. Hill country development was keenly<br />
discussed after the introductory field day. Options considered<br />
included spraying and oversowing to increase stocking rates<br />
(pioneered at the neighbouring Mt Peel Station), strategic<br />
use of nitrogen in hill country, and the balance of sheep and<br />
cattle on the property. The Stevenses’ immediate goals are:<br />
• maximise added value to yearling venison deer<br />
(genetics, reproductive success, timing)<br />
• plan and implement hill country development<br />
• review best use of the resources of land area, stock type<br />
and stock policies to allow the best fit of resources,<br />
capability and earning potential<br />
• investigate adding a finishing property to business.<br />
• build a feed buffer to better cope with difficult winters<br />
and summers (cropping, pasture development)<br />
An introductory field day was held on 20 November and<br />
attracted 100 attendees. It was a truly spectacular day out,<br />
attracting interest, commentary and a raft of suggestions for<br />
coping with the climatic challenges.<br />
As a focus farm, this property will be balanced by an<br />
intensive high-performance breeding and finishing property<br />
on the Ashburton plains that also features an advanced<br />
Johne’s disease control programme.<br />
• We will be carrying regular updates on the Focus Farm<br />
programme in <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>. For further information<br />
on the programme contact:<br />
• Tony Pearse, Producer Manager, <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand,<br />
phone 021 719 038, email tony.pearse@deernz.org<br />
Background photo: Visitors at an introductory field day at Whiterock Station make their way across the farm. Photo: Tony Pearse<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 39
stagline supplement<br />
Stagline-online: Members only!<br />
While each issue of <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong> is packed with useful information, there’s always plenty going on between<br />
mailouts. Now paid-up members of NZDFA can receive more timely and regular information from their association<br />
through a new monthly electronic newsletter: Stagline – online.<br />
Launched in October, three issues have already been sent out. The newsletter brings<br />
the latest from the Executive Committee and Producer Manager, news about Branch<br />
activities, AHB news, progress reports on NZDFA Remits, events calendars and much<br />
more.<br />
NZDFA Executive Committee Chairman Bill Taylor says the newlsetter is another way to<br />
provide a tangible benefit to those who support NZDFA through direct membership.<br />
Compiled by DINZ Marketing and Communication Assistant, Natalie Fraser, the newsletter<br />
is tailored for different regions, with a focus on local events. Producer Manager Tony<br />
Pearse says all Branches are encouraged to share their news with those outside their<br />
boundaries through the new electronic newsletter.<br />
“Stagline – online will never replace Branch newsletters, but it will <strong>help</strong> fill an important<br />
information gap,” says Tony. “We welcome feedback on the newsletter, and urge NZDFA<br />
members to give us their up-to-date email addresses so we can ensure they receive it.<br />
Many farmers have changed service providers recently, and quite a few of the emails<br />
from the first edition of Stagline – online bounced.”<br />
The newsletter is being kept deliberately simple and uncluttered so that those on dialup<br />
and slow internet connections won’t have to endure snail’s-pace download times.<br />
Stagline – online will be joined in cyberspace next year by Market Report, which DINZ<br />
intends to transfer to an electronic platform. (Unlike Stagline – online, however, Market<br />
Report will be sent to all those on the industry list with an email address, not just NZDFA<br />
members.)<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> farmers wishing to join NZDFA and get on the distribution list for Stagline – online<br />
should contact their local Branch secretary. A list of Branch contacts can be found on<br />
www.deernz.org/n163.html<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> decline continues in<br />
Hawke’s Bay<br />
A combination of drought, poor returns and<br />
competing land use has continued to force people<br />
out of deer farming in Hawke’s Bay.<br />
At the October Branch Chairmen’s meeting,<br />
Hawke’s Bay DFA Chairman Mike McCormick<br />
presented figures compiled by veterinarian and<br />
deer farmer Richard Hilson from Central Hawke’s<br />
Bay. They made depressing reading. In the four<br />
years since 2003 the number of herds in the area<br />
has dropped from 73 to 47. The total number of<br />
hinds declined from 25,589 to 13,360 over the<br />
same period.<br />
This year’s scanning figures for the area provided<br />
no consolation, with the effects of Hawke’s Bay’s<br />
drought clearly seen.<br />
Of 6711 mixed age hinds scanned, 1,279 (19%)<br />
were dry. For the 3,441 R2 hinds scanned the<br />
reading was even bleaker, with 1,120 (33%)<br />
showing up dry.<br />
Mike said deer farmers throughout the East Coast<br />
drought area, right up to Gisborne, had been<br />
suffering similar problems.<br />
Stag and yearling hind sale at Fraser Road,<br />
Ashburton on Wednesday 6:30 PM, 9 January 2008.<br />
Contact:<br />
Mac Bryant (03) 574 2249<br />
Canvastown, Blenheim<br />
David Bryant (03) 302 5989<br />
Fraser Road, Ashburton<br />
PGG Wrightson agents<br />
Most of the stags are 3 years and a few at 2 years.<br />
Son of Lewis sold to Alf Kinzett at Murchison and<br />
cut 10.7kg of velvet this year.<br />
The stags for sale are by Awesome, Mr. Peel,<br />
Kane, Lewis, Adonis, Midmar Sovereign, Motsumi DG,<br />
Tyson, Austin, Charlie Mac, Hotspur and Clive.<br />
The hinds for sale are by Charlie Mac,<br />
Sampson, Harry, Lewis,<br />
Alby (34 points;<br />
8.5kg HA at<br />
2 years; 11.3kg<br />
at 3 years) and<br />
Kane & Tyson.<br />
TROPHY STAGS<br />
CHARLIE MAC 522 SCI<br />
SCORE 20.6 KG HA<br />
ALBY 2YRS: CLIVE X HARVEY<br />
HIND. 34 POINTS 8.5 KG HA<br />
SPIKER<br />
BY JAMIESON<br />
THIS STAG X 077 HAS<br />
SINCE PRODUCED TWO VERY BIG<br />
SPIKERS. ONE CUT 3KG SA, THE<br />
OTHER HAD 18 POINTS.<br />
SAMSON WHEN GROWN<br />
OUT 544 SCI SCORE<br />
This sale in January, we<br />
are able to offer the<br />
best animals we can<br />
produce. We have<br />
been building up our<br />
hind base over the last<br />
few years and<br />
trying different<br />
combinations.<br />
We offer these animals for sale full of<br />
confidence that they will carry on and<br />
produce the best for their new owners. All<br />
animals are out of our best proven hinds.<br />
All animals are DNA tested.<br />
SH0016911<br />
40<br />
0016911.indd 1<br />
12/3/07 2:28:42 PM<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
stagline supplement<br />
Strong NZDFA backing for Velconz<br />
Bill Taylor isn’t just advising others to support Velconz – he’s putting his money where his mouth is and selling all his<br />
<strong>2007</strong>/08 season’s velvet production through PGG Wrightson to show his support for the new entity.<br />
When he spoke to <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong> in mid November, the NZDFA<br />
Executive Committee Chairman and inaugural director of Velconz<br />
Holdings Ltd said it was still too early to draw any firm conclusions<br />
about farmer support for Velconz, but the indications were<br />
promising.<br />
Although the first pool of Korean-grade velvet reached $20-$30<br />
more than at the same time last year, giving cause for initial<br />
optimism in the face of the high dollar and volumes in the market,<br />
prices had softened considerably by the time we went to press.<br />
<strong>Industry</strong> loses battler<br />
Dick Valentine, stalwart of the Fallow <strong>Deer</strong> Society and longtime<br />
battler on behalf of the ‘little guys’ of the industry, passed<br />
away on 25 November after his own battle with the cancer which<br />
had flared up again 12 months ago.<br />
A remembrance service for Dick was held on 30 November in the<br />
local Awakaponga Hall in Dick’s Whakatane neighbourhood. We<br />
will acknowledge Dick’s contribution to the Fallow breed and<br />
NZDFA in the next issue.<br />
Both the DFA and DINZ extend their deepest sympathy and<br />
condolences to Enid and family. Messages can be sent to the<br />
Valentine Family, RD4, Manawahe Road, Whakatane.<br />
“Our industry couldn’t keep sitting back and doing nothing,”<br />
Bill said. “There is no way velvet producers can endure another<br />
downturn like the two we’ve had in the past 10 years. Velvet<br />
production at $40-$50 per kg just isn’t viable, and there are much<br />
more attractive alternative land uses if velvet won’t pay.”<br />
He invoked the crossbred wool industry as an example of what can<br />
happen to a weak seller. “Lines are getting passed in at $2.60/kg.<br />
Not too many years ago they were getting $5.”<br />
Providing a stable base of suppliers will encourage more buyer<br />
commitment, Bill suggested. He believes that DINZ’s involvement in<br />
the genesis of Velconz was totally appropriate and in line with their<br />
strategy of supporting industry-good activities.<br />
“No-one can question the value of DINZ’s investment in getting<br />
this initiative started and it’s important the new initiative isn’t<br />
hampered by lack of resources before the cashflow starts, and DINZ<br />
can pragmatically assist in getting it started.”<br />
Bill said initial funding, by way of a loan, covered activities such as<br />
the consultation roadshows and drawing up of a constitution and<br />
rules. DINZ’s financial involvement in the new entity is minimal.<br />
“<strong>Deer</strong> farmers shouldn’t worry about their industry organisation<br />
funding a commercial venture. That’s simply not the case.”<br />
gloriavale deer park<br />
~ Littledale <strong>Deer</strong> Park ~<br />
Elite Sire Stag Sale<br />
Insignis Park, Christchurch, 1:30 pm Thursday 17 th January 2008<br />
BBQ lunch & Drinks provided before sale at 12 noon<br />
Offering approx 60 stags and 20 yearling hinds bred from the country’s leading sires<br />
WIN 2 Mystery Stags<br />
- ABSOLUTELY FREE -<br />
2 pre-determined<br />
stags to be given away<br />
absolutely free to the<br />
highest bidder on that<br />
stag. Lucky winners<br />
announced at end of sale.<br />
Featuring sons of AUSTIN, KINGSTON, TITAN, HOTSHOT, TAMAR, KANE, CPDG, MCLEOD, TAYLOR<br />
TITAN (Son of Taylor)<br />
Shown at 6 yrs, 17.2 kg HA, 410 SCI<br />
10.5 kg SA Velvet at 7 yrs<br />
KINGSTON (Son of Hotspur)<br />
Shown at 4 yrs, 531 SCI<br />
10.8 kg HA at 3 yrs<br />
TYLER (31 pt spiker)<br />
(Son of Taylor x Clive dam)<br />
Stag Walk - Thursday, 20th Dec<br />
Mark or Jonathan Christian:<br />
Ph: 03 738 0224 Fax: 03 738 0212<br />
Gloriavale <strong>Deer</strong> Park, Private Bag 611, Greymouth 7840<br />
Email: deerfarm@gloriavale.co.nz<br />
or your local PGG/Wrightson Agents<br />
Mike Dempsey:<br />
Mobile: 027 351 0879<br />
Ph: 03 318 6560, Fax: 03 318 6501<br />
Downs Road, Glenroy Rd 2, Darfield<br />
Email: demps@farmside.co.nz<br />
LITTLEDALE<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> Park<br />
Breeders of leading English Red <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 41
stagline supplement<br />
National velvet competition stays anchored in South<br />
First we’ve had Christchurch swiping the Ellerslie Flower Show from Auckland. Now could we have an even more<br />
venerable institution – the National Velvet and Trophy Antler Competition – being shifted from its Southland base?<br />
Not likely.<br />
Central Regions DFA Chairman Wilton Turner floated the<br />
idea at the NZDFA Branch Chairmen’s meeting in October,<br />
prompting a constructive discussion on the pros and cons of<br />
shifting the competition around the country.<br />
Far from being jaded after 25 years hosting the competition,<br />
the Southland Branch made it clear they have well-oiled<br />
machinery in place, and they are keen to continue hosting<br />
the awards into the foreseeable future. It was noted that<br />
shifting the competition to another centre could create<br />
logistical problems for southerners who generally have to cut<br />
their velvet later.<br />
David Stevens said it is already a struggle to get three-yearold<br />
heads to the nationals on time, and if the competition<br />
moved north, a separate South Island competition would<br />
probably have to be held.<br />
And with nearly twothirds<br />
of all velvet<br />
produced in the South<br />
Island, 20 percent<br />
in Southland alone,<br />
National Velvet<br />
Competition 2005:<br />
staying put in Southland<br />
for now.<br />
Invercargill still remains a natural home for the competition,<br />
it was argued.<br />
One of the key motivators for shifting the competition site<br />
around the country was that it would show a wider range of<br />
people the industry’s top velvet and trophy antler.<br />
There was general agreement that technology such as DVDs<br />
or the internet could <strong>help</strong> bridge this gap, showing the<br />
products off to those who can’t make the trip south. It was<br />
also suggested the top heads could also be exhibited at other<br />
velvet competitions, although some top studs like to keep<br />
their heads handy to show at their sire sales, so not all may<br />
be available to tour.<br />
Andy Mitchell (Rotorua) said the two-year-old competition<br />
had recently been rejuvenated, and it made sense to share<br />
ideas around and standardise the way competitions are run.<br />
There was general agreement that the Southland Branch<br />
would welcome interest, ideas and assistance from North<br />
Islanders or others in the South, but in the meantime the<br />
Branch was happy to keep hosting the competition.<br />
Executive Committee member Sharon Love<br />
(info@tradedeer.co.nz) has taken responsibility for<br />
coordinating any further dialogue on the issue and welcomes<br />
feedback from deer farmers.<br />
Find the<br />
perfect<br />
stag @<br />
More than 170 individual animal profiles with detailed photos and current information giving you the best<br />
genetics on offer this season from;<br />
Tower Farms Foveran <strong>Deer</strong> Park Stanfield’s Bushey Park Black Forest Park Peel Forest Estate<br />
Sarnia <strong>Deer</strong> Love Red <strong>Deer</strong> Pampas Heights Pelorus <strong>Deer</strong> Stud Raroa Red <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Rockvale <strong>Deer</strong> Arawata Pure Reds <strong>Deer</strong> Genetics NZ Netherdale Red <strong>Deer</strong> Gloriavale <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Mayfield Elk Farm West Bush <strong>Deer</strong> Stud Rothesay <strong>Deer</strong> Unfehlbar English Red <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Canterbury Imported Red <strong>Deer</strong><br />
Xcell Breeding Services Bob Dunn Livestock PGG Wrightson Elders<br />
Rotorua <strong>Deer</strong> Transport and those listed since 6th <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong><br />
For the opportunity to join those already listed with us:<br />
Contact Sharon or Rebecca Phone: (07) 332 5892 Mobiles: Sharon(027) 486 4341 Rebecca (021) 146 7383<br />
Email: tradedeer@xtra.co.nz<br />
Website:www.tradedeer.co.nz<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 43
esearch<br />
VARNZ research update<br />
NZDFA Branch Chairmen received an update at their October meeting on the research programme of Velvet Antler<br />
Research New Zealand (VARNZ). The presentation by VARNZ Chairman Dr William Rolleston outlined current work on<br />
RepaiRx (wound healing product), velvet removal and the effect of velvet on pre-existing cancer.<br />
Looking at the unique ability of deer to regenerate tissue<br />
each year, William noted that scientific knowledge of this<br />
process can then be applied to <strong>help</strong> increase velvet sales, add<br />
value, create new opportunities and overcome challenges for<br />
velvet and velvet products.<br />
Reviewing work carried out to date, he updated Chairmen on<br />
recent small animal efficacy trials. While we can’t publish the<br />
detail we can tell you there were promising results in reduced<br />
scarring and time to heal.<br />
William said there were three options for product<br />
development:<br />
• a pharmaceutical product – this required considerable<br />
work and expense to justify any therapeutic claim<br />
• a natural product – the bar is lower in terms of research<br />
backing, but ability to make therapeutic claims is<br />
limited<br />
• abandon the product.<br />
He said most animal welfare-related projects were now<br />
completed or nearing completion, with work still continuing<br />
on the ability of NaturO rings to provide analgesia. He<br />
reiterated the essential nature of this work to demonstrate<br />
the industry has sound animal welfare practices in order to<br />
ensure velvet can continue to be removed.<br />
Work was also continuing into the possible effects of velvet<br />
on the growth of pre-existing tumours.<br />
Future research possibilities identified by VARNZ involve<br />
some of the most exciting areas of the biological sciences.<br />
William said studies of antler renewal would involve stem<br />
cell science and the early stages of antler development.<br />
Regenerative medicine is a potentially ‘hot’ area. Studies<br />
could provide insights that may potentially contribute to<br />
human regenerative medicine, potentially leading to the<br />
re-growth of spinal cords, cartilage, skin and maybe even<br />
whole limbs.<br />
New product research will continue to explore velvet efficacy<br />
for human athletic performance as well as for animals<br />
as a pet supplement. Other possibilities include velvet<br />
components in anti-ageing products and cosmetics. Work will<br />
also continue into uses for the bottom tyne and co-products<br />
(tails, blood, etc).<br />
In addition to developing breakthrough velvet-based<br />
products, William reminded Chairmen that research is also<br />
needed to protect and enhance the markets we already have.<br />
To this end, there will be further work to support animal<br />
welfare claims for velvet removal procedures as required and<br />
safety trials for toxicity in co-products.<br />
Market access work will encompass a velvet quality measure<br />
programme and velvet grading, as well as country of origin<br />
labelling and identification through isotopic signatures (see<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong> October <strong>2007</strong>, page 10 for more on this).<br />
Functional food registration in South Korea has also been<br />
identified as a future work area.<br />
In conclusion, William said VARNZ is developing a new<br />
strategy that features a balanced portfolio of high- and lowrisk<br />
research.<br />
In order to keep up the momentum, William said it was<br />
essential that VARNZ received input from the deer industry<br />
and in addition to the meeting with Branch Chairmen,<br />
VARNZ is exploring other ways to receive ideas and input<br />
from the industry.<br />
What is VARNZ?<br />
Velvet Antler Research New Zealand (VARNZ) is a 50:50<br />
partnership between AgResearch and DINZ via Group Research<br />
Holdings (GRH). Funding is provided through the Foundation for<br />
Research, Science and Technology via AgResearch (historically<br />
about $1.5 – $1.8 million per annum) and the deer industry<br />
through the Game <strong>Industry</strong> Research Trust (typically about<br />
$350,000 – $400,000 per annum).<br />
Established in 1994, VARNZ and GRH signed a new Deed of<br />
Participation in 2005. Under this deed, VARNZ is required to:<br />
• undertake/commission research and development of<br />
velvet and deer co-products aimed at being of benefit to<br />
the deer industry<br />
• consult with the deer industry to identify research<br />
relevant to its needs<br />
• develop and protect intellectual property and new<br />
technologies in the interests of the deer industry.<br />
A 2002 review of VARNZ activities concluded that the direction<br />
of research was clear, management of farmed-deer and velvetquality<br />
work was necessary, and that more emphasis was needed<br />
on the health-enhancing/therapeutic effects of velvet. The<br />
review estimated that the net benefit of velvet research was $11<br />
million.<br />
In support of the 2005-2010 industry strategy for velvet and<br />
co-products, VARNZ work is focused on:<br />
• reducing dependence on the Korean market<br />
• supporting development of new products and markets<br />
• leveraging science funding to create new intellectual<br />
property<br />
• ensuring the industry can continue to remove velvet.<br />
Hand Reared Fallow Hind Fawns<br />
(two to four fawns required)<br />
Contact: Mark Paterson<br />
Rainbow Springs Ltd, Rotorua<br />
Phone: 07 350 0440 ext. 710<br />
Email: mark.paterson@rainbowsprings.co.nz<br />
44<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
esearch<br />
ANNUAL REPORT<br />
FOR THE YEAR<br />
ENDED<br />
30 SEPTEMBER <strong>2007</strong><br />
CHAIRMAN’S<br />
REPORT<br />
Dr William Rolleston, Chairman,<br />
Velvet Antler Research<br />
New Zealand Ltd<br />
Velvet Antler Research New Zealand Ltd Objectives and Achievements<br />
Velvet Antler Research New Zealand Ltd (VARNZ) was established in 1994 to undertake<br />
research on deer velvet and co-products in order to advance the production, processing and<br />
ultimately the promotion, sale and distribution of deer products.<br />
In order to achieve this purpose VARNZ has a range of functions including:<br />
• Commission and fund research and development in respect of deer velvet antler and deer<br />
co-products aimed ultimately at being of benefit to the deer industry;<br />
• Consult with the deer industry and the scientific community to identify the content of<br />
research programmes relevant to the needs of the New Zealand deer industry;<br />
• Identify, develop, protect, transfer, license or otherwise commercially exploit Intellectual<br />
Property and new technologies, products and services in the interests of the New Zealand<br />
deer industry;<br />
• Control and manage the outputs of such work for the benefit of the New Zealand deer<br />
industry.<br />
I am pleased to report the following achievements against these objectives:<br />
• VARNZ has identified that a number of issues confronting the industry several years ago<br />
are now close to resolution in terms of required research. This will enable VARNZ to seek<br />
out more pro-active research opportunities that seek to add value to the deer and velvet<br />
industry. VARNZ is in the process of formulating a research strategy that will reflect the<br />
information needs for the velvet and co-products strategy. This work was started in<br />
2006/07 and will be completed in <strong>2007</strong>/08.<br />
• Patents for the Low Molecular Weight Extract (RepaiRx) have been granted in New<br />
Zealand and national phase patent applications have been filed in a number of other<br />
territories including China, Korea, Europe and the USA.<br />
• New areas of research emerged over the course of 2006/07 and will continue into<br />
<strong>2007</strong>/08. Co-product research has been initiated at the request of the Velvet Processors<br />
Association (VPA). With the proposed Therapeutic Products and Medicines Bill in<br />
abeyance there is less urgency, but the research remains relevant and fills a knowledge<br />
gap of some importance to the VPA. Determining country of origin for velvet products<br />
has become a pressing issue and enquiries into techniques have led to a pilot trial on<br />
isotopic signature of New Zealand grown velvet being scheduled for <strong>2007</strong>/08. A business<br />
plan for the use and application of a velvet quality measure is being developed to <strong>help</strong><br />
provide velvet marketers assess and differentiate velvet products according to biological<br />
activity (a similar approach to the Manuka honey “Unique Manuka Factor”).<br />
However I must also acknowledge that VARNZ has also faced a significant challenge<br />
in 2006/07 with the loss of long-term FRST funding for the velvet research team at<br />
AgResearch, Invermay at the start of the <strong>2007</strong> calendar year. AgResearch internal capability<br />
retention funds have provided some level of assistance, but the <strong>2007</strong>/08 year will present<br />
challenges for the team. If successful, the applications for new FRST funding will serve to<br />
maintain the core antler biology capability at Invermay, but the chemistry and some of the<br />
tissue culture capability will only be partially covered: Alternative sources of investment will<br />
be required in the longer term if these elements of velvet expertise are to be retained.<br />
Velvet removal issues, both welfare and food safety, remain a threat to the deer industry,<br />
although research results from 2006/07 and communications with regulatory bodies (New<br />
Zealand Food Safety Authority and National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee) are<br />
encouraging and suggest that these issues will be resolved in <strong>2007</strong>/08.<br />
Acknowledgements<br />
I thank all of my fellow directors for their time, dedication and support in ensuring VARNZ<br />
continues to deliver its objectives for the industry’s benefit.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 45
esearch<br />
ANNUAL REPORT<br />
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER <strong>2007</strong><br />
RESEARCH IN 2006/07<br />
In the 2006/07 year, a research investment of $304,131 was<br />
funded by VARNZ from the Game <strong>Industry</strong> Research Trust.<br />
Nine projects were undertaken in 2006/07 with three being<br />
completed (in italics):<br />
Research Areas and<br />
Duration<br />
Notes and Key Findings<br />
Projects<br />
Area: Welfare and Velvet Removal<br />
2006-01: Tourniquet methods 2005/06 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • Approx 2 kg of force is sufficient to<br />
restrict arterial blood flow.<br />
• Prototype device has been developed<br />
and undergoing field testing.<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-01a: NaturO TM ring use<br />
for spiker deer (Massey)<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-01b: NaturO TM ring use<br />
for spiker deer (Lincoln)<br />
Area: New Products<br />
Obj 1: Development of RepaiRx<br />
Rat trial (Biomatech)<br />
Pig trial (Innovotech)<br />
2006/07 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • NaturO ring reduces or eliminates<br />
detectable responses suggestive of<br />
noxious sensation; no significant<br />
difference between NaturO rings and<br />
lignocaine (ring block).<br />
• Supports hypothesis that NaturO rings<br />
prevent pain signalling by compression<br />
and lack of blood on nerve conduction.<br />
2006/07 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • Level of analgesia achieved by a<br />
NaturO ring was indistinguishable from<br />
that achieved by lignocaine ring block.<br />
• Time to achieve analgesia was longer<br />
for NaturO ring (24 mins) than for<br />
lignocaine ring block (3.5 mins).<br />
2006/07<br />
2006/07<br />
• No statistical difference between<br />
treatments observed.<br />
• RepaiRx was 15 % better (wound<br />
healing time) than the standard<br />
commercial wound healing product.<br />
VARNZ IP costs 2006/07 • Patents protecting RepaiRx.<br />
BioCatalyst Consultancy<br />
(RepaiRx Management)<br />
2005-01: Chloroprocaine<br />
stability<br />
Area: Other (Safety)<br />
2006/07 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • External expertise for<br />
commercialisation of RepaiRx.<br />
2004/05 – 2006/07 • Shelf life of chloroprocaine<br />
determined.<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-03: Tumour re-trial 2006/07 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • Trial ongoing.<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-04: Co-product toxicity<br />
review<br />
2006/07 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • Review of blood products, sinews,<br />
pizzles, tails for processing, composition<br />
and usage.<br />
CURRENT YEAR’S PROGRAMME – <strong>2007</strong>/08<br />
Funding for <strong>2007</strong>/08 totals $400,000 and accounts for ten<br />
projects. This year sees the conclusion of a number of food<br />
safety and animal welfare projects representing a significant<br />
allocation of the <strong>2007</strong>/08 budget (38%):<br />
• <strong>2007</strong>-01a: NaturO TM ring use for spiker deer (Massey)<br />
• <strong>2007</strong>-01b: NaturO TM ring use for spiker deer (Lincoln)<br />
• 2008-01: Bioethical analysis of deer life cycle<br />
• <strong>2007</strong>-03: Tumour re-trial<br />
VARNZ has also committed to pursue commercialisation<br />
options for RepaiRx, noting that the animal trials showed a<br />
significant positive response in one (pigs) but an equivocal<br />
result in the other (rats). A range of pharmaceutical companies<br />
will be approached to gauge interest.<br />
Funding allocations and duration of projects are shown below:<br />
Research Areas and Projects<br />
Area: Welfare and Velvet Removal<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-01a: NaturO TM ring use for spiker deer (Massey)<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-01b: NaturO TM ring use for spiker deer (Lincoln)<br />
Status<br />
(Duration)<br />
Underway<br />
(ends 30/05/2008)<br />
Underway<br />
(ends 30/05/2008)<br />
Budgeted<br />
Funds<br />
$61,000<br />
$15,000<br />
2008-01: Bioethical analysis of deer life cycle Underway<br />
$19,000<br />
(ends 30/05/2008)<br />
Area: New Products<br />
Obj 1: Development of RepaiRx<br />
Ongoing<br />
$129,000<br />
(ends 30/09/2008)<br />
IP costs<br />
Ongoing<br />
$25,000<br />
(ends 30/09/2008)<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-02: Companion animal supplements Pending<br />
$35,000<br />
(ends 30/09/2008)<br />
Area: Other<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-03: Tumour re-trial Ongoing<br />
$56,000<br />
(ends 30/06/2008)<br />
2008-02: Iso-trace pilot trial Underway<br />
$25,000<br />
(ends 30/04/2008)<br />
2008-03: Co-product review (tails) Pending<br />
$10,000<br />
(ends 30/09/2008)<br />
2008-04: Velvet grading review Pending<br />
$5,000<br />
(ends 30/04/2008)<br />
Area: Administration<br />
Directors’ expenses 15,000<br />
DINZ support expenses 5,000<br />
Total <strong>2007</strong>/08 budget $400,000<br />
46<br />
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esearch<br />
DIRECTORS<br />
As at 30 September <strong>2007</strong> the Board of VARNZ Ltd. comprised:<br />
An independent Chairperson appointed by the<br />
shareholding directors<br />
• William Rolleston; Director and owner of South Pacific<br />
Sera Ltd.; Director of Aoraki Development Trust; Director of<br />
SPS Biomedia Ltd.; Member of the Life Sciences Network;<br />
Member of the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy<br />
Liaison Committee; wr@southpacificsera.co.nz<br />
One director appointed by AgResearch<br />
• Jimmy Suttie; Science & Technology General Manager –<br />
Agriculture and the Environment, AgResearch; Director of<br />
Grasslanz Technologies; Member of the Sheep Genomics<br />
Project Consultative Committee; Member of the Possum OBI<br />
Biocontrol Governance Board; james.suttie@agresearch.co.nz<br />
One director appointed by <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand<br />
• Mark O’Connor; CEO, <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand, Director<br />
of Cervena Company Ltd.; Director of DEEResearch Ltd.;<br />
Director of Group Research Holdings Ltd.; Director of<br />
DEEResearch Emissions Mitigation Company Ltd.; Director<br />
of DEEResearch Pastoral Genomics Company Ltd; Director<br />
of Johne’s Management Ltd.; Director of Johne’s Disease<br />
Research Consortium; Member of the Animal Health Board<br />
Representatives Committee; Member of the Animal Identity<br />
Traceability Governance Group; mark.oconnor@deernz.org<br />
One independent director appointed by the shareholding<br />
directors<br />
• Doug Wilson; Director of Neuren Pharmaceuticals; Director<br />
of Merinva Ltd.; Director of Te Wharetoa Health Services<br />
Ltd.; Director of BioPharma Consultants;<br />
jdoug.wilson@xtra.co.nz<br />
ACCOUNTS<br />
An extract from the financial statements of VARNZ Ltd. for<br />
the period to 30 September <strong>2007</strong> is set out below for general<br />
information purposes only. A full set of audited financial<br />
statements is available on request from info@deernz.org.<br />
Statement of Movements in Equity. Twelve Months ended 30 September <strong>2007</strong><br />
<strong>2007</strong> 2006<br />
$ $<br />
Opening Equity - 89,082<br />
Net Surplus/Deficit After Taxation - (89,082)<br />
Total Recognised Gains and Losses - -<br />
Closing Equity - -<br />
Statement of Financial Performance. Twelve Months ended 30 September <strong>2007</strong><br />
<strong>2007</strong> 2006<br />
$ $<br />
Research Income<br />
Group Research Holdings Limited - (34,738)<br />
Game <strong>Industry</strong> Research Trust 304,131 360,797<br />
AgResearch Limited<br />
FRST Funding 1,667,847 1,478,286<br />
Other Income<br />
Group Research Holdings Ltd<br />
44,025 20,501<br />
Administration Funding<br />
AgResearch Administration Funding 43,441 20,501<br />
Interest Received 11 14<br />
Royalties 1,380 2,132<br />
Total Income 2,060,835 1,847,493<br />
Expenditure<br />
Research Expenditure GRH/RT AgResearch VARNZ VARNZ<br />
Tissue Metabolism - - - (29,193)<br />
Frozen & Heat-Dried Processing - - - (46,131)<br />
Chloroprocaine stability trial (2005-01) 15,000 - 15,000 (25,284)<br />
Bioassays (2005-08) - - - 230,000<br />
Tourniquet Methods (2006-01) 31,000 - 31,000 111,679<br />
Velvet Activity Index - - - 2,000<br />
Toxicity Trials (2006-03) - - - 30,000<br />
Preclinical development of RepairX -<br />
15,039 - 15,039 -<br />
Biomatech<br />
Preclinical development of RepairX -<br />
112,662 - 112,662 -<br />
Innovotech<br />
Spiker removal / NaturO ring (<strong>2007</strong>-01-a) 61,000 - 61,000 -<br />
NaturO ring (<strong>2007</strong>-01-b) 15,000 - 15,000 -<br />
Tumour Retrial (<strong>2007</strong>-03) 23,690 - 23,690 -<br />
Co product toxicity 8,000 - 8,000 -<br />
FRST Projects - 1,645,107 1,645,107 1,441,826<br />
Patent Costs (VARNZ-IP) 22,740 22,740 45,480 89,448<br />
Total Research Expenditure 304,131 1,667,847 1,971,978 1,804,345<br />
Administration Expenditure<br />
Audit Fees 1,803 1,802 3,605 3,815<br />
Directors' Fees and Expenses 14,058 14,058 28,116 30,036<br />
Consultancy 27,935 27,936 55,871 -<br />
Sundry Expenses 632 633 1,265 9,283<br />
Total Administration Expenditure 44,428 44,429 88,857 43,134<br />
Other Expenditure<br />
Write down of Patent costs & EST database - 89,096<br />
Total Other Expenditure - 89,096<br />
Total Expenditure 2,060,835 1,936,575<br />
Net Surplus/Deficit Before Taxation - (89,082)<br />
Taxation - -<br />
Net Surplus/Deficit After Taxation - (89,082)<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 47
esearch<br />
ANNUAL REPORT<br />
FOR THE YEAR<br />
ENDED<br />
30 JUNE <strong>2007</strong><br />
CHAIRMAN’S<br />
REPORT<br />
Collier Isaacs, Chairman,<br />
DEEResearch Ltd<br />
DEEResearch Objectives and Achievements<br />
DEEResearch was incorporated in 2001 to:<br />
• co-ordinate and provide efficient management of industry-good research in the deer<br />
industry essentially in the production (on and near farm) area;<br />
• enable broad input into the establishment of research priorities and the direction of the<br />
industry’s research programme to ensure alignment with the industry’s short term needs<br />
and long term strategic goals; and<br />
• illustrate the deer industry’s commitment to research to leverage other funding sources,<br />
including government funding.<br />
I am pleased to report the following achievements against these objectives:<br />
• DEEResearch funds a broad programme of science which is in line with identified<br />
priorities and needs following consultation with industry participants. In particular a<br />
major achievement for DEEResearch this year has been its pivotal role in securing a longterm<br />
commitment (six year funding) from FRST for the industry-led programme “Growing<br />
Sustainable Venison Supply Systems” which will enable research to address a range of<br />
issues around on-farm productivity and sustainability that require both long-term research<br />
and more immediate technology transfer. This programme has been described in last<br />
year’s annual report (when it was at the proposal stage) and represents the industry’s<br />
biggest investment in scientific research, development and technology transfer in terms<br />
of funding level and duration. As a result while DEEResearch will form the core of a<br />
governance group for this industry-commercial-government funded programme, other<br />
key industry stakeholders will also be asked to be part of the group to better reflect the<br />
needs of industry.<br />
• DEEResearch consults widely on its annual work programme; work funded in <strong>2007</strong>/08<br />
has been subject to review and input from the NZDFA productivity sub-committee,<br />
NZDFA Branch Chairmen, NZDFA Executive Committee, the Venison Processors Technical<br />
Committee and the <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand Board and Science Sub-Committee.<br />
DEEResearch wishes to thank all these groups and the research organisations who have<br />
all worked together to secure long-term funding commitment and stability from the<br />
government.<br />
• DEEResearch’s communication activities are an important way that DEEResearch engages<br />
with industry participants. Communication channels included the website www.<br />
deeresearch.org.nz, articles in <strong>Deer</strong> Notes and <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>, and presentations by<br />
researchers at various field days and conferences.<br />
• For the 2006/07 year, as well as the $1.57 million in FRST funding contributed from<br />
FRST via AgResearch for deer research projects within the DEEResearch programme,<br />
DEEResearch is involved in projects supported with more than $5 million in funding from<br />
other funding organisations and research providers.<br />
• Administration costs represent about 3% of DEEResearch’s total budget. These costs are<br />
kept to a minimum with administrative functions provided by DINZ.<br />
Acknowledgements<br />
I thank all of my fellow directors for their time, dedication and support in ensuring<br />
DEEResearch continues to deliver its objectives for the industry’s benefit. I would like to<br />
thank Graham Barrell for his contribution to DEEResearch and welcome Frank Griffin to the<br />
Board, who replaced Graham in May <strong>2007</strong>, as the Tertiary Education Institute’s appointed<br />
director.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 49
esearch<br />
ANNUAL REPORT<br />
FOR THE YEAR ENDED<br />
30 JUNE <strong>2007</strong><br />
RESEARCH IN 2006/07<br />
In the 2006/07 year, a research investment of $639,609 was funded by DEEResearch from the Game <strong>Industry</strong><br />
Research Trust. A further $82,000 was provided by the Johne’s Research Group for project 4.02 Epidemiology<br />
of Johne’s disease.<br />
Sixteen projects were undertaken in 2006/07 with nine being completed (in italics):<br />
Research Goals and Projects Duration Notes and Key Findings<br />
Goal: New Technologies for Wealth Creation<br />
1.16 Pastoral genomics 2001/02 – 2011/12 Pan-pastoral industries consortium. http://www.pastoralgenomics.com/<br />
Goal: <strong>Deer</strong> Health and Welfare<br />
4.02 Epidemiology of Johne’s<br />
disease<br />
2004/05 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • Observations of possibility that grazing with sheep may be “protective” (ovine strain of M. ptb may give<br />
resistance).<br />
• Cattle and irrigation are risk factors for young deer.<br />
6.03 Johne’s disease vaccination 2006/07 • Oil adjuvanted whole cell vaccines give some protection against clinical disease and reduce the severity<br />
of subclinical disease, but do not produce sterile immunity. They also cause interference with Tb testing.<br />
• Only vaccinate young deer that are destined to be sent for slaughter by 15 months of age and “works<br />
monitored” for Tb, rather than subjected to skin testing.<br />
6.04 Internal parasitism 2006/07 • Anthelmintic resistance is evident on both trial farms. Project will continue under the Venison Supply<br />
Systems project.<br />
Goal: Sustainable Production and the Environment<br />
1.03 Methane and nitrogen<br />
mitigation<br />
2001/02 – 2008/09 Pan-pastoral industries consortium.<br />
https://www.pggrc.co.nz/<br />
4.04 Stream recovery 2004/05 – 2006/07 • Fencing-off significantly improves water quality for nitrogen, particulate and total phosphorus and<br />
suspended solids, but not for E. coli or dissolved reactive phosphorus.<br />
• Fencing-off and planting is an expensive exercise but may be cost-effective where there is a large<br />
catchment area relative to the receiving waterway.<br />
• A fenced-off/planted area for settling out contaminants will have a limited lifespan.<br />
4.06 OVERSEER® for deer 2004/05 – 2006/07 • Upgrade of OVERSEER® to be released in Dec <strong>2007</strong> and will include:<br />
• upgrades of deer databases<br />
• link DM intake module from Inver<strong>Deer</strong> to OVERSEER®<br />
• P losses, N distribution, conversion of deer numbers to SU<br />
Goal: Productivity Gains<br />
4.10 Strategies to achieve early<br />
calving<br />
2004/05 – 2006/07 In progress – final report due <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong><br />
5.04 What controls gestation<br />
length in first-calving hinds?<br />
6.01 The early-breeding gene<br />
hypothesis<br />
6.05 Breeding values for elk and<br />
wapiti<br />
6.06 Economic indices for deer<br />
selection<br />
Goal: Market Access and Development<br />
6.03 Pre-skinning interventions for<br />
“blown pack” control<br />
2005/06 – 2006/07 • Gestation length is influenced by conception date, for every 10 days of advancement in conception date<br />
there will still be 6-8 days advancement in calving date.<br />
• Yearling hinds exhibited shorter gestation lengths than adult hinds by 2.2 days.<br />
• From an on-farm management perspective there is only minimal scope to modify environmental<br />
conditions to advance calving dates. Genetic factors appear to be more likely to advance calving dates.<br />
2006/07 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • Conception date trait has a moderate to high heritability. Analyses have not separated out the influence<br />
of breed versus that of individual sire at this point, but indicate that there is substantial genetic variation<br />
in the trait.<br />
2006/07 • A separate module to analyse Elk/Wapiti growth data within DEERSelect has been written and<br />
implemented.<br />
2006/07 • Growth rate is important for early kill and terminal sire production systems.<br />
• Carcass composition, maternal reproduction ability and fawn survival are important in late kill<br />
production systems.<br />
• Indices will be added to DEERSelect after approval from the DEERSelect Committee.<br />
2006/07 • One commercial stock wash (out of four) was the only treatment that was more effective than water at<br />
reducing Clostridia spores from deer pelts. The reduction was most likely due to physical removal of the<br />
spores rather than killing spores.<br />
• A wash may have benefit when used in combination with other management measures (i.e. it is one step<br />
along a series of control measures that will incrementally reduce spore levels).<br />
Goal: Accelerated Learning and Technology Transfer<br />
5.06 Forage Master workshops 2005/06 Workshops deferred to <strong>2007</strong>/08 for Focus Farms<br />
Goal: Support for Post-Grad Operating Costs<br />
4.12 Dietary manipulation to<br />
reduce greenhouse gas<br />
emissions<br />
6.09 CT scanning for study<br />
of gastro-intestinal<br />
development of young deer<br />
2004/05 – 2006/07 • Methane emissions of red deer stags were measured between 4.5 and 11.5 months of age. Methane<br />
production (g CH4/day) increased with age (24.6 – 40.1)<br />
• Methane yields were at least 21% lower than previous measurements from adult red deer (22.5 g CH4/<br />
kg DMI/day) on similar pasture.<br />
2006/07 – <strong>2007</strong>/08 • In progress – final report due February 2008.<br />
Copies of all final reports for completed projects are available on the DEEResearch website. For more detailed<br />
information on DEEResearch and the programmes underway please see www.deeresearch.org.nz.<br />
50<br />
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esearch<br />
ANNUAL REPORT<br />
FOR THE YEAR ENDED<br />
30 JUNE <strong>2007</strong><br />
CURRENT YEAR’S PROGRAMME – <strong>2007</strong>/08<br />
Funding for <strong>2007</strong>/08 totals $660,000 and accounts<br />
for five allocated projects and two pools of funding.<br />
This year marks the start of a significant shift in<br />
DEEResearch funds to medium/long-term strategic<br />
funding in a number of areas:<br />
• Venison Supply Systems (increasing on-farm<br />
productivity), 62% of budget.<br />
• Johne’s disease research consortium (tools/options<br />
for managing Johne’s disease), 15% of budget.<br />
• Pastoral genomics (improved pasture species), 5%<br />
of budget.<br />
• Pastoral greenhouse gas research consortium<br />
(methane mitigation), 5% of budget.<br />
Funding allocations and duration of projects are<br />
shown below:<br />
• Peter Benfell: Science & Technology General<br />
Manager – Agriculture and the Environment,<br />
AgResearch; Director of Biopolymer Network Ltd.;<br />
Director of Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research<br />
Consortium; Director of the Bio Commerce Centre;<br />
Member of Sustainable Land Use Research Initiative<br />
Governance Council; Member of Better Border<br />
Biosecurity Governance Council;<br />
peter.benfell@agresearch.co.nz<br />
One director appointed by the New Zealand<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> Farmers’ Association<br />
• Noel Beatson: Director of Rural Veterinary<br />
Services South Island Ltd; Director of <strong>Deer</strong> Records<br />
NZ Ltd, Director of <strong>Deer</strong> Reproduction Services<br />
Ltd, Veterinary Surgeon with Rural Veterinary<br />
Services; deer farmer; nbeatson@mail.es.co.nz<br />
Project Status (duration) Funds<br />
($000)<br />
7.02 Venison Supply Systems (includes projects 6.01, 6.07)<br />
1. Early breeding and optimising feed requirements<br />
2. Focus Farms and parasitology<br />
3. Extensive system benefits<br />
The Venison Supply Systems project forms<br />
co-funding (along with funds from Landcorp<br />
Farming Ltd.) for a much larger central government<br />
funded (FRST) research programme (Growing<br />
Sustainable Venison Supply Systems). This<br />
programme was originally intended to include<br />
venison research and development (clostridia<br />
management, drip loss, spray chilling and on-line<br />
quality measurements), but this component was not<br />
funded in the final approval process.<br />
As a result DEEResearch has re-allocated $52,000<br />
from Venison Supply Systems and earmarked this for<br />
venison research to be commissioned independently.<br />
Criteria for use of these funds are being developed<br />
and expressions of interest will be sought from<br />
industry stakeholders in the next few months.<br />
DIRECTORS<br />
As at 30 June <strong>2007</strong> the Board of DEEResearch Ltd.<br />
comprised:<br />
An independent Chairperson appointed by the<br />
other directors<br />
• Collier Isaacs: Strategic Planning Manager,<br />
Landcorp Ltd; Chair of <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> Genetic<br />
Evaluation Steering Committee;<br />
isaacsc@landcorp.co.nz<br />
Two directors appointed by AgResearch<br />
• Margot Buick: Commercial Team Leader – Food<br />
and Textiles Group, AgResearch; Director of<br />
Ultrafine Merino Company, Director of Seperex,<br />
Director of Meat Biologics Consortium; Director of<br />
Nutrigenomics NZ; Director of AgBio Innovators<br />
Academy; margot.buick@agresearch.co.nz<br />
Approved<br />
(ends 30/06/2011)<br />
Goal Alignment<br />
408 • Productivity Gains<br />
• Sustainable Production and the Environment<br />
• Support for Post-Grad Costs<br />
• Accelerated Learning and Technology Transfer<br />
7.03 Massey <strong>Deer</strong> Research Unit Approved (ends 30/06/2008) 10 • Strategic Support<br />
7.01 Johne’s disease research consortium (includes project 4.02) Pending (ends 30/06/2012) 100 • <strong>Deer</strong> Health and Welfare<br />
1.16 Pastoral genomics Ongoing (ends 30/06/2009) 34 • New Technologies for Wealth Creation<br />
1.03 Methane mitigation Ongoing (ends 30/06/2009) 35 • Sustainable Production and the Environment<br />
Venison Processing Pending (annual) 52 • Market Access and Development<br />
Discretionary Unallocated (annual) 21 • Tactical/Strategic Support<br />
TOTAL 660<br />
One director appointed by <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New<br />
Zealand<br />
• Mark O’Connor: CEO, <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New<br />
Zealand; Director of Cervena Company Ltd.;<br />
Director of VARNZ Ltd.; Director of Group<br />
Research Holdings Ltd.; Director of DEEResearch<br />
Emissions Mitigation Company Ltd.; Director of<br />
DEEResearch Pastoral Genomics Company Ltd;<br />
Director of Johne’s Management Ltd.; Director of<br />
Johne’s Disease Research Consortium; Member<br />
of the Animal Health Board Representatives<br />
Committee; Member of the Animal Identity<br />
Traceability Governance Group;<br />
mark.oconnor@deernz.org<br />
One director appointed to represent venison<br />
processors and exporters<br />
• Graeme Keeley: Technical Manager PPCS Ltd;<br />
g.keeley@ppcs.co.nz<br />
One director appointed to represent<br />
Universities<br />
• Frank Griffin: Head of Department and Professor<br />
of Microbiology and Immunology, University<br />
of Otago; Director of the Disease Research<br />
Laboratory; Member of Scientific Advisory Group<br />
for the Johne’s Disease Research Consortium;<br />
Member of the Johne’s Disease Investigation<br />
Programme (USA); Member of PARATBTools<br />
Consortium (EU);<br />
hod.microbiology@stonebow.otago.ac.nz<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 51
esearch<br />
ANNUAL REPORT<br />
FOR THE YEAR ENDED<br />
30 JUNE <strong>2007</strong><br />
ACCOUNTS<br />
An extract from the financial statements of DEEResearch Limited for the period to 30 June<br />
<strong>2007</strong> is set out below for general information purposes only. A full set of audited financial<br />
statements is available on request from info@DEEResearch.org.nz<br />
DEEResearch Limited. Statement of Financial Performance<br />
For the Twelve Months Ended 30 June <strong>2007</strong><br />
Consolidated<br />
<strong>2007</strong><br />
$<br />
Parent<br />
<strong>2007</strong><br />
$<br />
Parent<br />
2006<br />
$<br />
Research Income<br />
Johne's Research Group 82,000 82,000 -<br />
Game <strong>Industry</strong> Research Trust 639,609 639,609 524,650<br />
AgResearch Limited 1,570,000 1,570,000 1,570,000<br />
Other Income - Administration Funding<br />
Group Research Holdings Limited 10,971 10,971 1,690<br />
AgResearch Limited 10,971 10,971 5,713<br />
Sundry Income - - 5,718<br />
Total Income 2,313,551 2,313,551 2,107,771<br />
Less Expenditure<br />
Research Expenditure<br />
Funded by FRST through AgResearch 1,570,000 1,570,000 1,570,000<br />
Funded by GRH/NZDFA/GIB 721,609 721,609 524,650<br />
Total Research Expenditure 2,291,609 2,291,609 2,094,650<br />
Interests in joint ventures<br />
Share of Net Income of<br />
7,346 - -<br />
Unincorporated Joint Ventures<br />
Administration Expenditure<br />
Chairman's Fees 6,000 6,000 6,000<br />
Audit Fees 6,703 6,703 6,990<br />
Website Depreciation - - 820<br />
Sundry Expenses 7,879 7,879 1,555<br />
Total Administration Expenditure 20,582 20,582 15,365<br />
Communication Expenditure<br />
Annual Report 2,050 2,050 (350)<br />
Total Communication Expenditure 2,050 2,050 (350)<br />
Total Expenditure 2,321,587 2,314,241 2,109,665<br />
Net Result Before Taxation (8,036) (690) (1,894)<br />
Taxation - - -<br />
Net Result After Taxation (8,036) (690) (1,894)<br />
Statement of Movements in Accumulated Funds For the<br />
Twelve Months Ended 30 June <strong>2007</strong><br />
Consolidated<br />
<strong>2007</strong><br />
$<br />
Parent<br />
<strong>2007</strong><br />
$<br />
Parent<br />
2006<br />
$<br />
Opening Accumulated Funds 30,983 6,798 8,692<br />
Net Result After Taxation (8,036) (690) (1,894)<br />
Total Recognised Gains and Losses (8,036) (690) (1,894)<br />
Closing Accumulated Funds 22,947 6,108 6,798<br />
Research Expenditure by Project For the Twelve Months<br />
Ended 30 June <strong>2007</strong><br />
Funded by Game <strong>Industry</strong> Research Trust and Johne's Research Group<br />
Project<br />
Year ended<br />
30 June <strong>2007</strong><br />
$<br />
NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR WEALTH CREATION<br />
1.16 Pastoral genomics 30,000<br />
DEER HEALTH AND WELFARE<br />
4.02 Johne's epidemiology project 152,100<br />
6.03 Diagnosis, epidemiology and control of Johne's in<br />
deer<br />
75,000<br />
6.04 Internal parasitism in deer 60,000<br />
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND THE ENVIRONMENT<br />
1.03 Methane mitigation 35,000<br />
4.04 Stream recovery 10,000<br />
4.06 Overseer for deer 25,000<br />
4.12 Dietary manipulation to reduce greenhouse gas<br />
emissions<br />
PRODUCTIVITY GAINS<br />
3,000<br />
4.10 Strategies to achieve early calving 40,000<br />
5.04 Control of gestation length - first-calving fawns 11,250<br />
6.01 The Eastern European Red deer early-breeding gene<br />
hypothesis<br />
100,000<br />
6.05 Developing breeding values for Elk and Wapiti 25,000<br />
6.06 Economic indices for deer selection 10,000<br />
6.08 Lifting the profitabliity of deer farming through<br />
adoption of integrated livestock policies<br />
MARKET ACCESS AND DEVELOPMENT<br />
6.02 Pre-skinning interventions for "blown pack"<br />
spoilage control<br />
30,000<br />
85,000<br />
6.07 Muddy deer and wintering systems 19,000<br />
ACCELERATED LEARNING & TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER<br />
6.10e Focus Farms 509<br />
SCIENCE NETWORKS<br />
5.07 Provisional support fund - PhD Students<br />
6.09 CT scanning for study of gastro-intestinal<br />
development of young deer<br />
SUPPORT FOR POST-GRAD OPERATING COSTS<br />
7,000<br />
5.06 Forage Master Workshops 3,750<br />
TOTAL SPEND 721,609<br />
52<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>
Johne’s Research Group activities winding down<br />
The current work programme of the Johne’s Research Group (JRG), a special interest branch of NZDFA, is largely<br />
complete.<br />
research<br />
In his report to Branch Chairmen at the October meeting,<br />
JRG Chairman Peter Aitken said hoped-for funding from<br />
the Sustainable Farming Fund for work on multi-species<br />
management had failed to materialise thereby significantly<br />
reducing the scope for further JD information activity. There<br />
are three remaining projects under way.<br />
• Validation of the modified ETB: AgResearch’s Colin<br />
Mackintosh has been asked to oversee data collection<br />
from the field and science evaluation of the test,<br />
including data from mixed Tb and Johne’s infections.<br />
• Epidemiology study: This is scheduled for completion in<br />
mid 2008 at which time a lay report will be circulated to<br />
deer farmers.<br />
• Voluntary deer herd Johne’s Disease status scheme:<br />
The first draft of this scheme was circulated in February<br />
<strong>2007</strong> (see <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong> April <strong>2007</strong>, page 9). JRG<br />
member Tony Pearse conceded the Mark I version was<br />
overly complex and a stripped-back version is now out<br />
for assessment with researchers and stock agents. He<br />
said the scheme may have been a year or two ahead<br />
of its time, and may end up being incorporated into<br />
a DINZ scheme similar to that administered by the<br />
National Velvetting Standards Body. While a voluntary<br />
scheme is a challenge to implement, Tony said the<br />
revised version contains the kinds of questions farmers<br />
should be asking when they buy stock. “We can’t force<br />
the issue. It’s a commercial and production disease, but<br />
not notifiable. It may take farmers a while to get their<br />
heads around a voluntary herd status system.”<br />
Peter Aitken said the JRG’s busy communications programme<br />
has two more tasks to complete: publishing the results of<br />
work on a Canterbury case study property, and an envisaged<br />
workshop for vets.<br />
“Our information programme has been very successful, as<br />
evidenced by the 400 percent increase in testing, using the<br />
Paralisa test as a basis.”<br />
Johne’s Management Limited (JML) is now also up and<br />
running. Peter said feedback provided by processors through<br />
JML, combined with increased testing, heightened awareness<br />
and questioning when purchasing livestock will all <strong>help</strong> build<br />
a picture of Johne’s and give farmers the information they<br />
need to manage the disease.<br />
“If you keep testing clear, and keep buying stock from other,<br />
like-minded farmers, it will <strong>help</strong> protect your Johne’s status,”<br />
he said.<br />
Looking ahead, the JRG will probably remain as a specialinterest<br />
branch but activity will have to be kept fairly low key<br />
unless funding circumstances change. “There remain many<br />
significant JD issues to be addressed and the JRG is still<br />
committed to getting farmer-friendly information out there,”<br />
Peter said.<br />
Issue No 27 • <strong>December</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 53
esearch<br />
Tracking deer<br />
Global positioning system (GPS) collars are being used<br />
on deer in an AgResearch Invermay trial to track the<br />
animals and find out more about their behaviour.<br />
Karren O’Neill from AgResearch is working with scientists<br />
from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial<br />
Research Organisation Livestock<br />
Industries (CLI) to develop<br />
techniques that use the GPS<br />
collars to determine grazing<br />
distribution. CLI uses the collars<br />
in Australia to track cattle in<br />
the Northern Territory’s Barkly<br />
Tablelands.<br />
Karren says that by understanding<br />
how deer use their environment,<br />
better farm management practices<br />
can be developed for extensive<br />
systems. She says tracking deer<br />
could <strong>help</strong> farmers with such<br />
things as riparian management and<br />
seeing what vegetation the animals<br />
are eating.<br />
With their high price tag, the GPS<br />
collars will only ever be a research<br />
tool, not a day-to-day farm<br />
management tool, Karren says.<br />
Source: AgResearch Intouch<br />
newsletter, October <strong>2007</strong>.<br />
AgResearch Invermay<br />
Research Associate<br />
Karren O’Neill fits a GPS<br />
collar to a hand-reared<br />
deer at the campus.<br />
Photo courtesy of<br />
AgResearch.<br />
DEERSelect updated<br />
Latest growth traits, BVs and rankings are available online.<br />
The latest DEERSelect Sire Summaries were calculated in early <strong>December</strong> and are<br />
available on the DEEResearch website: www.deeresearch.org.nz<br />
The sire summary contains information on Breeding Values (BVs) for all sires with<br />
progeny recorded on DEERSelect during the last two years. The last analysis (October<br />
<strong>2007</strong>) reported information on 223 sires. BVs on sale stags are normally available from<br />
breeders using DEERSelect – just ask your local breeder for the latest BVs on sale animals.<br />
Every three months the analysis is re-run and the website updated to ensure that the<br />
latest information is available, particularly as the stag selling season approaches. For those<br />
without internet access, the information can be mailed if you contact Natalie Fraser at<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> New Zealand (phone 04 471 6110).<br />
UNFEHLBAR ENGLISH RED DEER<br />
On<br />
Farm<br />
Stag Sale: 10 am Wednesday, 9th January 2008<br />
Featuring Sires from: Mount Battern,<br />
William John, Rohan (Bedford/Russel x WA 33)<br />
Rambo (Harvey x James), Malvern (Lord T x W Andrew)<br />
Also including full, ¾ and ½ brothers to Balmoral<br />
Unfehlbar’s <strong>2007</strong> top sale stag<br />
Balmoral<br />
2 years, 10. 6 kg<br />
Overgrown Velvet<br />
Sale on-farm 5 minutes<br />
from SH1, 20 minutes<br />
from the airport:<br />
Tresillian Drive, RD5,<br />
West Melton<br />
(map in catalogue)<br />
Visitors always welcome<br />
Contact Guy Brady & Lynette Terry-Brady, Phone 03 3478158, Fax 03 3478159<br />
Mobile 021 664 805 Guy, Mobile 021 058 3566 Lynette<br />
Email Unfehlbar@xtra.co.nz, Website www.english-red-deer.co.nz<br />
PGGW Agents: Graham Kingsman 027 422 3154 Ron Schroeder 027 4321 299<br />
54<br />
<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Industry</strong> <strong>News</strong>