German press visit - Deer Industry New Zealand

Deer
Industry
News
Deer industry
conference
26–28 MAY 2015, NAPIER
Feeding and
breeding for velvet
REXDALE, NORTHERN
WAIRARAPA
APRIL/MAY 2015
German
press
visit
Duncan (NZ) Ltd
25 YEARS OF
RESTAURANT QUALITY
Editorial
Deer
Industry
News
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF DEER INDUSTRY
NEW ZEALAND AND THE NEW ZEALAND
DEER FARMERS’ ASSOCIATION
ISSUE 71 | APRIL/MAY 2015 | ISSN 1176-0753
Contents
Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Deer Industry Conference 2015
Preview and programme . . . . . . . . . . 4
Awards/competitions . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Constitutional matters . . . . . . . . . . . 8
On farm
Feeding and breeding for velvet . . . . .12
NZDFA
Branch merger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Markets
Velvet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Venison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Passion2Profit
Action on multiple fronts . . . . . . . . . 22
Environment
Sediment traps workshop . . . . . . . . .23
Environment focus farm . . . . . . . . . 26
Animal health
Drench residue study . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Antler
Rising to the occasion . . . . . . . . . . .28
Industry News
Duncan (NZ) Ltd profile . . . . . . . . . .30
MIE report overlooks venison . . . . . . .33
Alpine Deer, Lowe Products join . . . . .34
NAIT
Workshops to upskill farmers . . . . . . 35
Cover: Executive Chef Graham Brown with a
German Press tour, discussing what makes
New Zealand venison a great meat (page 19).
Deer Industry News is published by Deer Industry
New Zealand in February, April, June, August,
October and December. It is circulated to all known
deer farmers, processors, exporters and others
with an interest in the deer industry. The opinions
expressed in Deer Industry News do not necessarily
reflect the views of Deer Industry New Zealand or
the New Zealand Deer Farmers’ Association.
EDITOR Phil Stewart, Words & Pictures
EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES
PO Box 27221, Wellington, Ph 04 384 4688,
021 620 399, email [email protected]
CIRCULATION ENQUIRIES
Deer Industry New Zealand, PO Box 10702,
Wellington, Ph 04 471 6114, email [email protected]
Passion still
running strong
The Passion2Profit programme
was given its name with good
reason. “Passion” has been a
common thread running through
the industry right from its
beginnings in the 1960s. Farmers
are passionate about the animals
they grow, but that’s not enough
Jerry Bell.
to guarantee success. Those who
process and market deer products must share the passion.
They need to love the product and be motivated to ensure
its true value is captured where it should be and producers
share in the success.
VENISON IS A “champagne” product and it needs to be placed above commodity
status – not alongside other red meats or a filler. Food service craves other proteins with
good stories and venison is a good story. Let’s not kid ourselves though – the GFC has
run very deep into our traditional venison markets. The high dollar nails all exporters.
There is value in virtually the whole deer carcass. That creates tremendous
opportunities for farmers and processor/exporters, but it also poses a risk that too
much of this is lost to us along the value chain.
Having been involved in the food business for many years, I know how important
it is to develop a trusting and fair relationship with our customers in markets. That
takes a lot of legwork, time and experience, but it’s worth it. There’s no place for
traders in between good producers and good customers. Traders do not add value and
every effort needs to be involved to establish vertically integrated supply channels.
Producers need to understand where their products go and who captures the value so
they don’t miss out.
Red meat producers are not overly happy with the job that companies are doing.
(See page 33 for summary of Meat Industry Excellence group report.) DINZ has also
been getting the message loud and clear from venison producers that they are not
happy with the lacklustre prices. That frustration is understandable and we have been
doing all we can within our mandate, but it’s important that you also air these views
directly to your processor/exporters. When companies are farmer owned, it’s within
your power to exercise real pressure for change.
This message can also be conveyed around the DINZ Board table and our unique
structure ensures that those who pay levies and are directly exposed to the lower
prices are talking directly to processor/exporters.
It’s also important that the NZDFA retains a strong, independent voice for those
who are feeling the effects of poor returns and rising costs. I’m concerned that the
structure of the Association might not be keeping up with the changes in the industry.
The Canterbury, Southland and Otago regions account for nearly two-thirds of New
Zealand’s farmed deer but only five of the 22 branches, so there may be a case for
structural change in the Association also. That said, two North Island branches have
announced they are merging (see page 16) so perhaps this process is starting.
This comment is not meant as a criticism of the current NZDFA leadership. On
the contrary, I’ve been delighted to see the injection of youth, professionalism and
enthusiasm at national level. These “green shoots” augur well for the future but a
continued on page 4
APR/MAY 2015
3
Deer Industry Conference
The NZDFA and Deer Industry New Zealand warmly invite you to the 40th Anniversary Annual
National Deer Industry Conference.
THIS MILESTONE EVENT is proudly hosted by the DFA’s Hawke’s
Bay Branch and will be held in the Napier War Memorial Conference
Centre, Marine Parade, Napier, on Tuesday, 26 and Wednesday
27 May, concluding on Thursday 28 May with the Hawke’s Bay
Branch NZDFA’s classic field day at Te Maire, the fabulous property
of George Williams and Laura Billings at Tikokino.
Getting registered
The registration process allows delegates to book
accommodation at the properties that have been reserved
for conference guests. These are:
Te Pania
Across the road from the venue – room rates
$170 for 2ppl
Quest
10 minutes’ walk to the venue – room rates $139
for 2ppl; interconnecting rooms $278.00 for 4ppl
The Nautilus 15 minutes’ walk to the venue – room rates $145
for 2ppl; Exec Suite $175 for 2ppl
To register go online at www.dcms.co.nz or linked via
www.deernz.org
If you are unable to access online or would like assistance,
please contact conference organiser, Pat Johnston, Destination
Conference Management, phone 03 477 1377, 027 215 9807,
[email protected]
Quality Inn
10 minutes’ walk to the venue – room rates $128
for 2ppl
These specific conference options for accommodation can only
be booked and confirmed through the registration website or by
calling Pat or Eliza (details above).
Editorial continued
serious conversation about structure and function of the industry
needs to be had on a regular basis to ensure the structure is
delivering for all stakeholders.
Ours is a small industry and we’ve had to fight for the resources
we need to become more productive and profitable, especially in
scientific research. We have been fortunate that the scientists who
have supported our industry over the decades have shared our
passion for deer and belief in the future of deer farming. But just as
the first deer farmers are stepping aside for the next generation,
so will a new generation of deer scientists need to pick up the
torch from their forbears. The retention of a deer science presence
at Invermay, with the research farm, was an important victory,
but I’m also encouraged by the possibilities for deer offered by
AgResearch’s development of a science hub at Lincoln.
I have spent six years on the DINZ Board and will be stepping
down shortly. It’s a maxim of good governance that you need fresh
blood from time to time and I’m more than happy to provide that
opportunity. Of course there have been frustrations mainly around
the market but many of the wins that DINZ achieves are in the area
of regulation, market access and genetic productivity. The P2P was
a huge effort and will add substance to our industry. There’s plenty
for my successors to run with to influence marketers to extract as
much as possible from these magnificent animals.
For me, the passion for deer and their products still runs very
strong.
–Jerry Bell
Join us to deliver pure
quality venison to the world
Co-operative company structure ensures profits distributed to farmers
Involved with the product at all stages through to retail and food service customers
For all enquires contact your local Alliance Group representative or email: [email protected]
4
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
www.alliance.co.nz
Platinum
Conference
Partners
Conference registration details
Social
Full registration is $360 plus
GST ($414 inclusive) before
Be quick!
15 May 2015. After 15 May the
Early Bird registration registration is $410 plus GST
at $360 plus GST
($471.50 inclusive).
This includes all conference
($414) closes on
sessions, conference
15 May 2015.
programme, all conference
daytime catering. Registration
also includes the social functions including: Tuesday evening’s
Welcome Function, Wednesday evening Awards dinner and
entertainment, and breakfast at Napier War Memorial venue on
Wednesday. The field day cost is not included.
Welcome Function: Tuesday 26 May – Alliance Group
Day registration cost options: with functions
• Tuesday 26 May: $155.25 (incl GST) includes Welcome function
• Wednesday 27 May: $276.00 (incl GST) includes Awards dinner
• Thursday 28 May $23.00 (incl GST) for Hawke’s Bay Branch
field day including lunch
Day registration options: no function
• Sessions only Tuesday 26 May: $92.00 (incl GST)
• Sessions only Wednesday 27 May: $172.50 (incl GST)
• Thursday 28 May $23.00 (incl GST) for Hawke’s Bay Branch
field day including lunch
Day registration includes:
• Conference programme, conference daytime catering (and the
evening function if selected).
• Additional tickets for social functions
• Welcome function 7.30 – 11.00pm Tuesday 26 May: $60.00
(incl GST)
• 40years on Awards Dinner and entertainment 7.00 – 11.30pm,
Wednesday 27 May: $80.00 (incl GST)
There are a range of options for day registrations on the Tuesday
and Wednesday, social functions and partners’ programme.
Sessions open at 11.00am on Tuesday 26 May with the NZDFA
AGM, which is open to all by right. The Conference proper opens
with the Agribusiness session at 2.00pm with lunch from 1.00pm.
This evening features a balanced social and dining experience
with a theme of Hawke’s Bay food and wines presented as a buffet
seated meal as a change to the usual for this event. Taste and mix
with New Zealand wines, beers and quality non-alcoholic options.
A cash bar will be available after limited drinks are included
in the meal and a reflective slant on the industry will entertain,
a bit differently.
40 years on Awards Dinner:
Wednesday 27 May – Silver Fern Farms
With a theme of Razzmatazz in this Art Deco city, expect glitz
and glamour!
We will experience four venison courses, reflective of four
decades’ evolution of venison cuisine with courses of quality
venison dishes. A new spin on entertainment will be rounded
out with the presentation of the 2015 Deer Industry Award and
presentation of the NZDFA Matuschka Award.
This year’s support from Platinum and Gold sponsors,
exhibitors and other partners in every aspect of the industry has
been outstanding and there will be a large variety of exhibitor
stands in association with the meals and entertainment.
A full programme and conference timetable will be available
in your registration packs and will be published on
www.deernz.org/events
The emphasis this year has been to continue to align a
programme of excellent speakers from outside the industry, mixed
with deer industry companies in the venison and velvet marketing
fields, latest science and research and latest developments from
the Passion2Profit programme.
Hawke’s Bay Branch NZDFA
field day on Thursday:
Temco Agriculture,
Te Maire, Tikokino
continued on page 6
APR/MAY 2015
5
Deer Industry Conference
Programme
Tuesday 26 May
10.00–11.00am
11.00am–1.00pm
1.00–2.00pm
2.00–3.00pm
3.00–3.30pm
3.30–4.00pm
4.00–4.00pm
4.30–5.30pm
5.30–5.45pm
7.30–11.00pm
Registration welcome coffee
40th NZDFA Annual General Meeting
Lunch
Welcome and industry overview: Andy Macfarlane and Dan Coup
Keynote address: Steve Carden, CEO Landcorp Farming
Afternoon tea
P2P: The Advance Party Programme. Actions and experiences. Observations from the front line
Sustainability and deer industry environment awards
Keynote address: Blake Holgate, Sustainable Farm Systems Manager, Rabobank “Environmental regulations
and impact on red meat sector farming”
Keynote address: Andy Lowe. Managing Director Lowe Corporation. The Cape Sanctuary Project
Presentation of the biennial Premier Elworthy Environmental Award. Convenor: Janet Gregory, NZ Landcare Trust
Welcome function: War Memorial and Conference Centre
Wednesday 27 May: Hindsight to Foresight
8.20–8.30am
8.30–10.00am
8.40–10.30
10.30–11.00am
11.00–11.30am
11.30–12 noon
12.00–1.00pm
1.00–2.15pm
2.30–3.20 pm
3.20–3.50pm
3.50–5.20pm
5.20–5.50pm
Welcome and introduction. Chair: Dan Coup, CEO DINZ
Venison: A premium positioning plan for new markets, coordinated by Innes Moffat, DINZ Venison Marketing
Services Manager
Developments with the Primary Growth Partnership business case
From the market: Video link Ben Veldkamp, Hanos, Nederland and Firstlight Foods
Company presentations on venison market prospects and programmes
(Alliance Group, Silver Fern Farms, Duncan New Zealand)
Sponsored morning tea – exhibition area
Venison Q&A with company representatives DINZ Board, participants and delegates
Mike Petersen, Special Agricultural Trade Envoy. A world market perspective on the red meat trade and outlook
Lunch
Velvet antler session, coordinated by Rhys Griffiths, Velvet Marketing Services Manager
Address: Professor Jang – President of Korean Ginseng Corporation (KGC)
Science update: Dr Stephen Haines, Velvet Immune function research
Velvet industry update: Rhys Griffiths
Q&A with industry panel and DINZ Board
Innovative science session
Jamie Ward and Dr Geoff Asher: Deer Progeny Test results and Q&A
Afternoon tea
Forum: Innovation and inspiration in agribusiness
So this is success! Lessons from the edge of life, leadership and business
Chair: Prof Jacqueline Rowarth, Waikato University
Panel: Anna Campbell, GM AbacusBio
Karen Silk, GM Westpac Corporate & Institutional Banking
Sue Lindsay, Think Actual Business mentor
Dr Scott Champion, CEO Beef + Lamb NZ. The Red Meat Profit Partnership
Closing remarks and discussion Chairman DINZ, Andy Macfarlane. Chairman Kris Orange
Wednesday evening function
7.00–11.30pm
40th Annual Awards Dinner
• Matuschka Award
• Deer Industry Award
• Entertainment “The Chris and Chet Show”. The Variety Artists Club Award “Best Comedy Act”
in song and smile. Your music over the past 40 years, with a twist!
Thursday 28 May: Hawke’s Bay Branch NZDFA field day
8.30 am
9.00am–3.00pm
3.00pm
6
Buses leave for Field day: Temco Agriculture, Te Maire, Tikokino
Facilitated by Dr Richard Hilson, including farm tour, highlight stops, lunch and presentations
Hosts: George Williams and Laura Billings
Transport departs for Napier
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Deer Industry Photographic Awards
FOLLOWING THE COMPETITION’S ongoing success and the
large number of high quality entries last year, the annual deer
industry photographic competition will again feature at the 2015
annual conference. We’re delighted to welcome MSD Animal
Health as the major sponsor of this event. The competition will be
judged through the DIN editorial group with prizes presented at
the conference including both a judges’ and people’s choice award.
In general, all photos must be of subjects that are suitable for
wider publication, taking into account the public’s perception of
the deer industry. The judges retain the right to disqualify any
photo they deem unsuitable in this regard.
Judging criteria
• technical aspects (composition, balance, quality of print etc).
• conveying core values including best practice for animal
welfare, environmental stewardship and animal husbandry
• ability to show the industry in a positive light
• that special “wow” factor that makes the shot stand out.
Eligibility to enter
The competition is open to all participants in the deer industry
– farmers, farm employees or those employed in a subsidiary
industry (transport, vets, research, fertiliser, seed etc).
Preferred subject material
• Deer in the field: This shows farmed deer in their “natural”
setting – in crop or pasture or tussock hill country for example.
It could be individual animals or groups; stags, hinds, fawns,
weaners).
• People working with deer: Positive images of animal
husbandry work, e.g., shifting animals, drafting, tagging,
Tb testing, vaccinating etc).
• Our deer farming environment: An opportunity to show
off the environmental enhancement that goes hand in hand
with best practice. In these photos the farm environment is
the star. The deer are present but play a bit part. Shots will be
aesthetically pleasing but also have a practical side, e.g. retired
areas, protected waterways, nicely landscaped and fenced
areas, good shelter plantings, well constructed deer sheds with
runoff taken care of and so on.
Format of entries
Photos are to be submitted as 8” x 10” prints for mounting and
display. Either landscape (wide) or portrait (tall) format are
acceptable. The electronic file used to make the print must also
be submitted.
Make sure your digital camera is set to take pictures in high
resolution format. The electronic file, which should be a minimum
of about 2600 x 3875 pixels (printable to A4 size at 300 dpi).
It should be a jpeg file of about 2.5Mb to meet these criteria
but .tif file format is also acceptable. The digital file must be in its
original state and not altered in any way.
For an entry form contact:
• Producer Coordinator Amy Wills 04 471 6110,
[email protected]
or download the form from: http://tinyurl.com/nyqf4tc
The downloadable form can be filled out on screen before you
print it out to send in with your entries, or you can simply print it
out and fill in by hand if you prefer.
Matuschka Award
NOMINATIONS ARE CALLED for a farmer or farming entity
who or which has made a significant ongoing or lifetime of
contribution to deer farming and the NZDFA in particular at
Branch level.
The award recognises the grass roots farmer and unsung
contributor to local area activities, functions and core spirit of
deer farming. It will be announced at the Hindsight to Foresight
– 40 Years On Industry Conference Awards function on the
evening of Wednesday 27 May 2015 at the Napier War Memorial
Conference Centre.
As recognition of the unsung heroes at Branch level, it is
appropriate that the award itself be presented to the 2014 winner
at a special mid-winter function in the recipient’s Branch.
Nominations should be made through the appropriate Branch.
It is not a requirement of the award that the nominee be aware
of the fact that a nomination has gone forward. Nominations must
be submitted to the NZDFA no later than 5.00pm on Friday,
15 May 2015.
For further information contact:
• Producer Coordinator Amy Wills 04 471 6110,
[email protected]
• Producer Manager, Tony Pearse, 021 719 038,
[email protected]
THE SCIENCE
OF HEALTHIER
ANIMALS
www.msd-animal-health.co.nz
APR/MAY 2015
7
NZDFA 40th AGM 2015
Constitutional matters
1.AGM: Notice of meeting
New Zealand Deer Farmers’ Association, Annual General
Meeting.
Notice is hereby given that the 40th Annual General Meeting
of the New Zealand Deer Farmers’ Association (Inc) will be
held at the Napier War Memorial Conference Centre, Marine
Parade, Napier on Tuesday, 26 May 2015, commencing at
11.00am.
The Chairman and Executive Committee of the NZDFA invite
all members of the NZDFA, industry levy payers and interested
parties to attend.
2.Executive Committee Appointments
Members of the NZDFA Executive Committee (one member
representing the North Island, one representing the South
Island and two “Members at Large” positions created by the
Constitutional change in 2012) are elected for a two-year term.
Members retire by rotation and are eligible for re-election.
According to the NZDFA constitution rules, the Executive
Committee elects a Chairman from among the four members,
for a term that is also decided annually. This has been
traditionally a 12-month term.
Nominations have been called for the two vacancies created by
retirement by rotation.
Member at large (1 position)
Two nominations have been received for the vacancy created
by retirement by rotation of David Morgan, South Canterbury.
DAVID MORGAN, SOUTH CANTERBURY (nominated
Ponty von Dadelszen, seconded Robert (Kelly) Hudson)
and LEITH CHICK, WAIPA (nominated Jacqui Wellington,
seconded Campbell Clarke) are the nominations for a two-year
term, with an election by postal ballot required. (Voting pack
enclosed for eligible voters.)
Candidate statements
David Morgan
I still have plenty to offer the industry
and I feel that as a member of the
executive I will be in a position to best
express my views.
I believe my strengths are:
• My commitment and passion to
the industry
• My vision and values for the industry
• My attitude to the brand
• A belief that we can improve on farm incomes
• A commitment to achieving greater productivity through
continuous improvement.
I am interested in the gap between market returns and
farmers’ expected returns, so all partners have a greater
understanding of each other’s need so that, as farmers, we
have a choice in what we farm.
As a membership organisation, the NZDFA needs to show
strong governance, vision and leadership to create discipline
and loyalty between all involved in our industry.
Getting a good structure and go forward in this industry is my
commitment.
Leith Chick
I am married to Rosemary and have
three adult children either farming
or in related industries. I have been
involved in the deer industry since
1968, first meat shooting, then
trapping. Deer trapping and contract
fencing provided the avenue to farm
ownership in 1978. Deer provided a return that could not be
matched by other livestock options.
The spring kill, which wastes 30–40 percent of the yearling
stag’s potential, has eroded hind viability. This, and the failure
to diversify markets, is among the major issues facing the
industry today.
continued…
Rural TV to stream conference live
RURAL BROADBAND SERVICES have now improved to the
point where live-streamed video is easy for most rural people to
watch, and the conference will be available remotely through
Rural TV. Anyone can join this and be part of the audience and
feedback through:
Facebook: deer industry conference 2015
Twitter: @DeerNZ15 and hashtag #dinzconf15
8
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
If you wish to get pre-conference information emailed to you,
register online for the free live stream and we will update you in
the lead up.
This live stream allows communication with all stakeholders,
without any filters, wherever they are in the world. In turn, they
can see and hear the speakers respond to questions and comments
from both the physical and on-line audience.
To find out more about the conference www.deernz.org/events
Leith Chick continued…
My background includes:
• Branch member since 1980 and currently Waipa Branch
Chairman
• Past Chairman of Waikato TB Free Committee
• NZDFA TB Free Working Group
• Past organiser/chief judge of the Golden Pliers fencing
competition
• Successfully competed in single and doubles fencing
competition at Mystery Creek
• Past Board of Trustees Chairman
• With four other farmers, successfully appealed the Otorohanga
District Council Landscape plan to the Environment Court.
Mike Henriksen continued…
position to provide some leadership. I feel that I owe it to
myself and my fellow deer farmers to do all I can to try and
help save this industry from its dramatic shrinkage.
It is disappointing to think that as we head into the next spring
cycle it will again be the European chilled game season that
will underpin the schedule for the season. It is hard to have
passion without profit.
As the current chair of the Canterbury branch and as a grass
roots deer farmer, I feel that I am in a position to provide strong
producer representation for the region, upper South Island and
all deer farmers who see a positive future in this industry. I thank
you for your time and support.
Executive Committee South Island
The successful candidates will join sitting members GRANT
CHARTERIS, HAWKE’S BAY, and JOHN SOMERVILLE,
SOUTHLAND as the 2015/16 Executive Committee of the
NZDFA following the conclusion of the 40th NZDFA AGM on
26 May 2015.
Two nominations have been received for the vacancy created by
the retirement by rotation of Kris Orange who has completed his
second two-year term and is eligible for re-election.
KRIS ORANGE, SOUTH CANTERBURY, (nominated Kelly
Bennett, seconded Noel Beatson) and MICHAEL HENRIKSEN,
CANTERBURY (nominated Corey Busch, seconded Grant Hasse)
are the nominations for a two-year term, with an election by postal
ballot required. (Voting pack enclosed for eligible voters.)
Candidate statements
Kris Orange
The deer industry has always been a
very passionate subject for me, and
while returns for velvet are on a high
with five years of consistent strong
pricing, this is sadly not the case for
venison at present.
The Executive Committee of NZDFA
have been very concerned at the
low value of venison and while there is no silver bullet, there
are initiatives by the industry along with the Primary Growth
Partnership (PGP) to investigate new markets. These initiatives
with government participation will mean a real difference
long term. The NZDFA co-signed with the five major venison
processors for PGP funding as we believe we are too reliant on
the German chilled game trade. The move in the foreign exchange
rate (euro) lately just reiterates that. We have to take a long-term
view and see them through to fruition.
I believe deer farming will prosper and, with your vote, we can
continue to positively shape deer farming in New Zealand.
Mike Henriksen
I have been farming deer in Hororata,
Canterbury for ten years. We run about
250 breeding hinds and finish 600–800
weaner deer. I am also self-employed
with a small mechanical repair business
and am a stay-at-home dad.
It is with some concern for the industry
that I stand for election to the NZDFA
Executive Committee. Having been involved in the Canterbury
branch of the DFA for five years, two as chairman, I am in a
continued…
3.Selection and Appointments Panel (SAP)
The SAP consists of the four-man Executive Committee and
four non-Executive Committee elected members. Two of the
non-Executive Committee elected members of the Panel retire
annually by rotation.
SAP North Island
One nomination has been received for the single vacancy
created by the retirement by rotation policy, that of the sitting
member, Donald Whyte, who is eligible for re-nomination.
A single nomination has been received for this position:
DONALD WHYTE, CANTERBURY, (nominated Ponty von
Dadelszen, seconded John Spiers). Donald Whyte is declared
appointed unopposed. Donald’s candidate statement is
included here as a matter of record.
Candidate statement:
Donald Whyte
I was bought up on a family farm in
Hawke’s Bay, and have been involved
with deer from the inception of deer
farming.
I captured deer in the North Island
and, when my parents bought a high
country property in Mid Canterbury, my new wife and I brought
our deer south, where we have farmed and raised our family.
Both children now own and farm deer in their own right. We
currently lead Whyte Farming Company with 40,000 stock units
(su) compromising sheep, beef and deer, of which about 20,000
su are commercial deer. We export around about 2,000 venison
carcasses and 8 tons of velvet annually.
I have been involved with the Elk/Wapiti Society for 15 years,
which included four years as chairman.
Now I want to continue giving something back and
contributing at a senior level with the NZDFA SAP role.
continued on page 10
APR/MAY 2015
9
NZDFA 40th AGM 2015
SAP At large
Two nominations have been received for the single vacancy
created by the retirement by rotation policy of siting member
David Stevens, who has retired.
MALCOLM GILBERT, CANTERBURY (nominated, Warwick
Wright, seconded Edmund Noonan) and BRIAN RUSSELL,
SOUTHLAND, (nominated David Stevens, seconded, Peter Allan)
are the nominations for a two-year term with an election by postal
ballot required. (Voting pack enclosed for eligible voters.)
Candidate statements
Malcolm Gilbert
Together with my wife Dawn, we own
and operate a velvet/breeding operation
at Omihi in coastal North Canterbury.
I have farmed deer and been a member
of the NZDFA since 1985 and a member
of the Canterbury branch committee
since 1996, serving as chairman
between 2010–2014.
I’ve been an elected deer farmer representative on the Canterbury
TB Free committee and have chaired that committee for the
past 14 years. I am also on the Deer Industry TB working party. I
am also involved with North Canterbury Federated Farmers at a
provincial level.
I believe in strong and effective farmer representation on the DINZ
board and see the SAP as the most effective means to ensure the
right candidates are elected for those positions.
I have developed the skills through my involvement in the deer
industry and other sectors to be a positive contributor to the SAP
on behalf of deer farmers and look for your support.
Brian Russell
Industry commitment, passion,
leadership, knowledge and a desire to
return these qualities to an industry which
has given me and my family so much
enjoyment over the past 35 years has led
to my nomination for the SAP.
I feel that the DINZ board should
continue to be a fair and equal
representation of our industry, which in turn is accountable
back to the grassroots level and the ultimate stake holders,
you the farmer. With the right governance, leadership, passion
and forward thinking vision, our industry can continue to be
successful, just as our entrepreneurial forefathers intended.
Selecting the correct producer candidates, for their future
contributions to the DINZ board is an important role that needs to
be done with the utmost professionalism.
My involvement in the industry starts at a grassroots level with
a 15,000 su property in Southland. The main focus is venison,
intermixed with sheep and beef and a history of velvet production.
For the next four years we have opened up our property as the
Southern region Deer Industry Focus Farm, with a triple bottom
line focus.
I have a varied skill set that I am able to bring to this position,
having been past Southland Branch chair, a founding committee
member of “Deer South”, a long-standing committee member
continued…
10
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Brian Russell continued…
of the National Velvet Competition and various other
committee positions within the community. The deer industry
sponsored me
through the Kellogg Leadership Programme, enabling me
to further enhance my leadership, professionalism and
networking skills, qualities that would be beneficial to this
position and the industry.
It would be a privilege and an honour to represent the farmer’s
voice on the Selection and Appointments Panel.
DONALD WHYTE and the successful nominee will join
current non-Executive Committee elected members PADDY
BOYD and ANDY JARDEN on the 2015/16 NZDFA Selection
and Appointments Panel.
Voting
Postal voting runs for 21 days and must close seven days prior
to the 40th AGM. It will open on Tuesday 28 April 2015 and
close at close of business on Monday 18 May 2015. Voting
papers will be distributed to all eligible deer farmers and DFA
members with the April 2015 edition of Deer Industry News,
which will also contain a short profile of nominated candidates
for the NZDFA elected positions.
4.NZDFA appointments to the Board of Deer
Industry New Zealand
Producer-appointed Board members are appointed directly to
the DINZ Board for a three-year term and that appointment is
advised to the Minister for Primary Industries as a formality.
There is a single vacancy for the 2015–2017 Board term,
created by the retirement by rotation of sitting member,
JERRY BELL, WANAKA who is not seeking a further term.
Four nominations have been received:
GRAEME MULLIGAN, WELLINGTON (nominated Steve
Carden, seconded David Stevens)
WILLIAM OLIVER, TE KUITI (nominated Murray
Templeton, seconded Ponty von Dadelszen)
JONATHAN WALLIS, OTAGO (nominated John Scurr,
seconded Graham Carr)
MIKE SALVESEN, CANTERBURY (nominated Michael
Henriksen, seconded Warwick Wright)
The candidates are invited under the NZDFA constitution
to present a short overview of their candidature at the 40th
AGM in Napier on 26 May 2015 before the meeting’s general
business session. The Selection and Appointments Panel will
carry out its interviews and make an appointment before 1 July,
as required.
DINZ Board candidates
Graeme Mulligan
I have worked in agribusiness for 37
years and am currently the General
Manager of Livestock Operations at
Landcorp. My portfolio of 70 properties
includes 22 deer farms running 54,000
hinds and specialist venison finishing
units.
My experience in the deer industry
comprises:
• National project manager of Landcorp’s 18,000 hectare deer
expansion
• Breeding programmes within Focus Genetics
• Member of Landcorp’s Livestock Marketing Committee
• Senior member of the New Zealand Institute of Primary
Industry Management
• Previous involvement with the Fiordland Branch of NZDFA
• Past private owner of a small deer finishing unit.
New Zealand’s deer industry was born from visionary pioneers, but
grown by the commitment and wisdom of many right through the
value chain.
This talent still exists and I believe we all have the opportunity
to transform our deer industry, overcoming the challenges of
productivity and market returns while retaining faith in the quality
of our deer products for discerning customers worldwide.
William Oliver
I am 48 years old and married to Karen.
We are based in the northern King
Country and have three teenage children
at boarding school.
Our business consists of two farms
totalling 1300 ha effective, wintering
2,800 deer. We focus on maximising
return from each land class, maize beef,
sheep and forestry with deer being a key driver on the class 3–4
land.
We run our business with a board governance structure. The
focus and planning this discipline brings was a stand-out feature
that the judges identified when we won the Silver Fern Farms
inaugural Plate to Pasture Award in 2014. The initial nomination
for this was through our venison production system.
I have a BCom from Otago University, completed the Rabobank
Executive Development Programme and was invited to, and
attended, the inaugural master class in the Netherlands. I am a
member of the Institute of Directors, completed an Institute of
Directors course and have roles as a director and a committee
member.
I am currently completing the Fonterra Governance Development
Course, which is focused on director training for the agricultural
sector.
Mike Salvesen
I was brought up on a traditional mixed
farm at Kelso in the Scottish Borders
and graduated with BSc Honours in
Agriculture from Aberdeen University.
I have been involved in many sectors
of farming, including potatoes and
other vegetables, daffodil bulbs and
flowers for export, cattle breeding
and finishing, along with cereals and processing peas, before
coming to New Zealand in 2003 where we have been farming
sheep, cattle and latterly deer on Wakare, a Mt Somers
foothills breeding and finishing property.
I have for many years been involved with, firstly the National
Farmers Union of Scotland and also Federated farmers, now
as the Meat and Fibre Chair for Mid Canterbury and on the
National Executive. I was appointed to the Scottish Seed
Potato Development Council before it was amalgamated into
the British Potato Council in the early 1990s.
I have been involved with cooperative and processing
governance and completed a Kellogg Programme in 2010. I
am a member of the Canterbury P2P Advance Party and on
the National Data P2P group. I am married to Nicky and have
four adult sons.
Jonathan Wallis
I live at Minaret Station on the west
side of Lake Wanaka with my wife
Annabel and three children, Phoebe
(10), Alice (10) and Angus (6).
Minaret Station is a 20,000 hectare
high country property carrying 30,000
stock units which includes 60 percent
red deer. In addition to the role of farm
manager I am also the managing director of the Alpine Group
Limited, a family-owned business with interests in pastoral
farming, adventure tourism, commercial helicopter operations
and the processing and export of venison co-products. The coproduct business supplies domestic and international markets
with both wholesale and consumer-ready pet food and human
consumption items.
I have an affinity with where this industry has come from, but
a focus on where it needs to be going. Internationally, New
Zealand is the only source of significant volumes of safe,
farm-raised venison and co-products delivered to such high
standards. DINZ needs to promote effective and realistic
cooperation within the industry to maximise the value along
each step in the chain without prejudice.
I have a Bachelor of Agriculture from Lincoln University and,
among other roles, sit as Chairman on the High Country
Accord, providing the link between the Government and the
South Island Pastoral Lessees.
AJ Pearse, Returning Officer for the NZDFA, 1 April 2015
APR/MAY 2015
11
On farm
Feeding and breeding for velvet
by Phil Stewart, Deer Industry News Editor
Ken and Steph Norman admit they knew nothing about deer when they bought the 196 effective
hectare Rexdale farm near Pahiatua from Bruce Timmins seven years ago. But the young couple
quickly became enthusiastic converts and are already looking for opportunities to expand
their interests in the industry. A big plus has been Bruce’s willingness to continue sharing his
knowledge with the Normans as they’ve settled into the business.
THE NORMANS ARE part of the
and are supplemented in some
Central Regions Advance Party1
paddocks with plantain. Chicory
has been tried but had poor
and were winners of the 2015
persistence. The late summer/
Outgro Tararua Farmer of the
autumn period is usually good; the
Year Competition.2 They hosted
pinch period is in late winter/early
a workshop on their property
spring, a period when nutrition
on 24 March, led by Pania Flint,
of the velvetters is especially
Farm Health Veterinary Services.
important.
The workshop wasn’t an Advance
The deer operation is focused
Party meeting but nonetheless
on velvet and makes up about
provided an excellent opportunity
one-third of the enterprise. The
to share what has been learned
Normans, who provide all the
from two Advance Party feeding
labour themselves, have 177
trials. The workshop drew in
breeding hinds and 243 mixedabout 25 Central Regions deer
age velvetting stags. In addition
farmers from both sides of the
Steph and Ken Norman: Enthusiastic converts to deer and keen to
they run 800 sheep including
main divide.
improve performance.
two-tooths, finish 300 head of
After a farm tour there was a
bull beef and they rear 550 calves
fruitful discussion on genetics
(half sold at 100kg – not wintered).
and feeding for improved velvet production. DEERSelect Manager
They cut just over 1.35 tonnes of velvet in 2014/15. The
Sharon McIntyre joined the workshop and was able to answer a
stag numbers have been steadily built up over the past seven
number of questions about the heritability of certain attributes
years. Interestingly, the cohort born in 2008 has consistently
including elusive traits like temperament.
outperformed its predecessors and successors as it moves through
The results of the two Advance Party feeding trials, one on
the age classes.
Rexdale and the other on Craig Hocken’s Rosemere Estate, were
Reproductive efficiency has been strong, with weaning
also presented. Each provided excellent fodder for discussion.
percentages in the high 90s for mixed-age hinds. Hinds are fawned
Rexdale farm profile
in paddocks with plenty of cover and contours and well away from
any disturbance.
The property is a mix of flats and hill, rising from 120 to 220
The stags are rotated in their mobs during the roar, with
metres above sea level. They enjoy 1700mm of rainfall – generous
one paddock as a buffer between each mob – a process that Ken
by Wairarapa standards.
Norman admitted could be tricky. Stags are put into velvetting
The ryegrass/clover pastures have been renewed in recent years
mobs of 25–30 from button drop.
During autumn, the hinds are flushed on the flats. Ken Norman
1 An Advance Party is a well-supported group of motivated deer
commented
that good subdivision is almost as important as
farmers who identify and implement opportunities to lift profit on
fertiliser when it comes to improving productivity.
their farms, consistent with “Passion 2 Profit” and its mission of
more deer, heavier, earlier and better. Members demonstrate the
The Normans are keen to use technology to help achieve
gains they make to their wider community and nationally to enable
their
objectives and were highly enthusiastic about the way RFID
wider adoption. The three-year Advance Party trial was developed
tags enables recording of individual velvet weights (including
by DINZ and is jointly funded by DINZ and the Ministry for Primary
Industries’ Sustainable Farming Fund. regrowth) using the Gallagher TSi weighing and EID system. Ken
said the data generated plenty of useful information and could be
2 A field day on the property is planned for 29 April.
12
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
linked to performance data on an individual’s relatives to reveal
the role of genetics. Having individual records of animal health
treatments like drenching also helped ensure withholding periods
were observed correctly.
Ken and Steph want to increase the profitability of their deer
and achieve the right balance between livestock classes. They’d like
to grow deer numbers without compromising sheep and profit,
increase velvet production, improve feeding and get a fix on the
weight of dry matter needed to produce each kg of velvet. The
deer nutrition trial carried out over 2013/14 (see sidebar) was one
attempt to explore ways of improving velvet productivity.
No economic benefit from grain-based
supplement
Nutrition, genetics and other factors
The workshop session concluded that both main factors have a
role: genetics has been the powerhouse behind increases in velvet
production, but improvements in feeding help express that genetic
potential. The following is a summary of the workshop discussion
on the various influences on velvet growth.
Nutrition
Good nutrition management should be practised throughout
the year, but some periods may be more significant than others.
Nutrition to promote velvet growth should start straight after
the rut rather than waiting until button drop. Research on this is
limited and trial results have been variable, but one farmer who
started feeding up his velvetters in May, straight after the roar,
said his average velvet weights climbed by 1.5kg after two years of
doing this.
Autumn
• This is the most critical time to get high-quality feed into
velvetting stags.
• Consider body condition scoring your stags during this period.
• Use good-quality grass if available – if not available, add in
supplements.
• Supplements to consider include maize, PK, barley, brewer’s
grain, deer nuts and baleage made with lucerne or red clover.
• Early use of concentrates can help preserve pasture covers for
the crucial velvet growth period in late winter/spring.
• Use some variety to cater for fussy eaters, e.g., in Southland
PK and ad lib baleage is used for deer while they are on fodder
beet.
• Monitor intakes, weights and body condition.
Winter
• Good nutrition is needed to maintain weights and compensate
for heat loss.
• Use saved pasture and good-quality baleage with concentrates
if required.
• In southern areas this is done with crops like swedes, kale and
fodder beet perhaps with grain and PK (some deer can tire of
fodder beet after about 40 days).
PANIA FLINT AND Ken Norman carried out a feeding trial
on Rexdale to see whether feeding velvet stags a concentrate
during antler growth would give a production and financial
benefit.
A group of 50 velvetting stags was divided into two mobs,
grazed on the same good-quality ryegrass/clover/plantain
pasture. The trial mob was also fed a supplement, Deer Velvet
Nuts, at 1.5kg/stag/day for about 50 days from button drop to
velvetting. The supplement cost was $51/head.
Average velvet weights from the trial mob were 0.3kg
heavier than those of the control mob. The difference was not
statistically significant.
Flint said the value of the additional pasture in the trial
mob’s paddock was up to $20 per head, depending how it was
used. In this case additional stags grazed it, freeing up other
pasture for the bulls in other paddocks.
She concluded that there was no financial benefit from
using the supplement for stags on good-quality pasture,
although the results may have been different if the pasture
quality or quantity had been poorer. There was also a potential
animal health risk to the stags from feeding the supplement
(one stag in the trial mob died, probably of acidosis).
Spring
• Velvetters have the earliest requirement for high-quality feed in
spring compared with other stock classes.
• Keep using supplements until good quality grass comes on
stream – uptake of baleage will indicate when this starts
happening.
• Early cultivars like Italian ryegrass or prairie grass should
be considered, along with strategic use of urea, but consult
your seed and fertiliser reps for advice on what’s best for local
conditions.
Summer
• Again, this depends on the farm situation.
• Good nutrition is still important and the stags should have good
fat cover going into the roar.
• Stags should be able to maintain condition on dry pastures.
continued on page 16
View of the flats on Rexdale from the
deer unit in the hills behind.
APR/MAY 2015
13
On farm
Genetics
The hind effect
• Velvet characteristics are highly heritable (80 percent)
compared with other traits such as growth or reproduction.
• If you keep hind fawns from top hinds and velvet stags, it is
highly likely they will produce good progeny too.
• While hinds are important, they can be four years old before
the merit of their sons is known. Assessing hinds’ genetic merit
can be accelerated by looking at records of their half siblings
and ancestors.
• Some hind–sire combinations can exhibit complementarity:
their genes combine particularly well to produce something
special.
• Try and avoid hanging onto poor-quality hinds too long
before culling.
• The dominant hind in a mob is aggressive and nearly always
produces a male fawn.
The stag effect
• The consequences of poor buying decisions may not show
up for several years.
• The cost of a poor velvet sire decision is higher than for
venison sires, due to the much higher cost of velvet stags
relative to venison stags. Good velvet/trophy sires may attract
even higher prices.
• Spread the risk by using a number of different stags and
different lines.
• For velvet producers who are interested, extra accuracy on
selecting female replacements can be achieved through the
use of DEERSelect, but it takes about five years to build some
depth to the pedigree and performance data. Back data can be
added to shorten this if the information is available. Recording
requires identification of sire and dam, liveweight at 12 months
and velvet records (preferrably for all age groups).
Roaring mad about
Johne’s disease in your deer?
So are we!
Contact the Johne’s Consultant Network and JML
on 0800 456 453 for a tailor-made Risk Management Plan
to suit your deer unit and a comparison of your productivity
figures with local and national averages
14
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Participants brainstorming ideas at the velvet genetics and nutrition
workshop.
Buying with your eyes
• Because velvet traits are so heritable, buying on the basis of
what you see at auction is probably valid – but be aware that
feeding and local environment affect how they look on the day,
so consider the catalogue information too.
Breeding values (BVs) for velvet
• Netherdale and Arawata are listed on DEERSelect with velvet
BVs, the only studs to do so thus far.
• Hinds with high BVs for velvet attracted a premium at their sales.
PK supplement has edge over maize/baleage
CRAIG HOCKEN REPORTED on a two-year comparative
nutrition trial he carried out with 80 velvetters at his property
near Feilding.
In 2013 he fed maize for 88 days at a cost of about $11/head,
and baleage (made on farm) for 118 days at a cost of about
$18/head, a total supplement cost of about $29/head. He
calculates that this additional feed yielded an extra 59.7kg of
velvet across the mob.
In 2014 He fed 80 stags palm kernel (PK) supplement for
118 days from June instead of the maize/baleage. The PK at
1.6kg/stag/day cost about $61/stag and yielded an additional
91kg of velvet across the mob.
Hocken calculates that the PK gave an advantage of about
418g per stag, over and above the natural increase in weights
on the previous year.
The per-stag cost of feeding PK was just over twice that of
the maize/baleage, but the extra weight of velvet more than
made up the difference.
Taking into account the cost of supplement (maize/baleage
and PK), he calculated that feeding PK only, rather than
maize/baleage, yielded an additional $16.72 profit per stag, or
$1,337.60 over the mob of 80 velvetters.
An additional benefit from feeding PK was that it allowed
him to increase the stocking rate of mixed-age stags from
7.41/ha to 11.85/ha. The additional revenue with the increased
stocking rate worked out at nearly $200/ha.
“Feeding PK only is a good option,” Hocken concluded. As
a footnote, he added that there is no evidence the using PK
will provide the additional copper that deer need, so the usual
programme for copper supplementation should be maintained.
• DEERSelect can be used to record herds
for velvet traits. It costs about $2,500 per
year for 500 hinds, but ask if you want to
know the cost for bigger or smaller herds
than this – it’s not just pro rata.
• Historical, as well as current data, can
be entered.
• Some studs advertise their own BVs but
because of the complex mathematics
that’s needed, these may not be as useful
or reliable as BVs provided through
DEERSelect.
• It is preferable to maintain some body size
in velvet stags so that culls can be sold for a
reasonable price.
Size of deer versus size of antler
Stockmanship
Semen sexing to produce more male
fawns
• This is possible and is used, but conception
rates are lower than for natural mating.
• A commercial product has been advertised.
Its claim to produce 75 percent males and
increased conception rates has not been
independently tested in New Zealand.
• Wapiti bulls have bigger antlers than reds
Veterinarian Pania Flint leads discussion
• Good farm management and stockmanship
on the factors affecting velvet growth.
but they require lower stocking rates and
(e.g., being able to assess stock condition)
more feed per animal than reds; measuring
are less tangible, but still very important
velvet produced per hectare would provide
factors.
the basis for a proper comparison.
• Even such things as judging the best time of day to feed and
• Overall, body size and antler size are correlated, although some
knowing not to feed out on ground that’s too wet are considered
lines have larger antlers in relation to body size.
important.
• There is a limit to how heavy you can get antler on small red deer.
• Balancing this, some farmers demand good scientific
justification for decisions and sound economic data to show the
Balancing velvet, trophy and venison traits
cost benefit of feeding additional supplement.
• There is some conflict between velvet and trophy traits –
as velvet, trophy heads will be downgraded because of the
atypical style.
continued on page 18
Feeding regular and small rations optimises rumen performance,
increasing growth rates while reducing feed consumption
BARLEY SUPP. TRIAL
Weaner deer supplemented through
Advantage Feeders reached killweights
earlier
and
exhibited
significantly higher weight gain when
compared to mobs historically trail fed
the same amount of barley.
Other benefits include no waste, the
feeders only required filling once/
fortnight and they were easier to
manage through a rotationary grazing
system.
Contact us or visit the website for the full trial report
the leader in controlled feeding
09 431 7276
www.advantagefeeders.co.nz
APR/MAY 2015 15
On farm
Temperament
• Aggression in stags is heritable and generally undesirable, but
they do tend to grow bigger antlers than more placid animals.
• Causes of flightiness are harder to assess, but animals that
smash their antler don’t make good velvetting stags.
• Broken velvet may be an indicator of temperament or
flightiness, but stockmanship is also a factor.
• Temperament is difficult to measure consistently. A proof of
concept for an objective measure is being developed through
the Deer Progeny Test programme.
• Presence of fungal endophytes in ryegrass, or low pasture
magnesium (Mg), are both thought to have a negative effect
on temperament. Stags are seen to be more settled on cloverdominant pastures, which might reflect the lack of endophytes
and high Mg in clover.
Light and shade
• Effect on velvet growth of the amount of sunlight is unclear,
although there could be an indirect effect through its effect on
pasture growth by increasing sugar content and palatability.
• Day length is probably more important for velvet growth than
direct sunlight.
• Some farmers noted that stags stay in the shade on frosty
mornings, rather than in the sun.
Temperature and shelter
• This is probably more important than sunlight; farmers observe
bursts of growth during warmer spells.
• Keeping stags in warmer, sheltered areas where they are not
Mating mob being
flushed on the flats.
expending energy on generating warmth, may help promote
growth, although this has not been scientifically tested.
Water
• Stags usually drink in the evening, not in the heat of the day
as one might expect.
• Water should be fresh and clean; dirty or stagnant water will
keep them alive but not producing to their full potential.
Parasites
• Farmers will generally use drench on velvetting stags only if
they are in poor condition.
• Despite evidence that they are ineffective against Ostertagia/
Teladorsagia in adult stags, some farmers are still using pouron drenches (see article on page 27 for a reminder of the most
effective combination drench for deer).
Acknowledgement: Pania Flint for meeting notes used in
this article.
NZDFA
Two North Island DFA branches
consolidate
The Rotorua and Coastal Bay of Plenty branches of NZDFA have been
holding joint meetings for the past two years and have agreed to
merge to become the Bay of Plenty Branch.
JOHN PATERSON, CHAIR of the Rotorua branch, says the two
branches had been functioning as one for some time and there
were be no objections to the idea.
Consultation with local deer farmers on the matter has included
a special general meeting and two surveys to gauge members’
views. Responses from the survey show deer farmers feel that
maintaining effective representation of farmer views to the parent
body is important and that the amalgamation is likely to serve
local deer farmers better.
At the Rotorua Branch AGM on 16 April, the Rotorua Branch
put a motion to change its name to Bay of Plenty Branch and the
resolution was passed; further discussions will now be held to
formally unify all aspects of branch activity. At the AGM, Sharon
Love was elected as chair of the newly merged branch.
16
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Pictured is Kevin
Morely, who won the recent
combined branch running
boar shoot with the best kill
shot and highest score.
The paper boar targets
speed down a wire stretched Kevin Morely with the evidence of his
marksmanship.
down a hillside at Paterson’s
deer farm.
Branch members used a semi-automatic 7.62 x 39 Kalashnikov
and were limited to one burst of three shots.
Shooters were tactfully described by the range master Don
Love as generally “needing more practice” but everyone had a lot
of fun.
A CLEAN BILL
OF HEALTH
Give your deer and profits a clean bill of health,
by actively managing these eight diseases.
There are eight diseases that are common in deer
farming. Along with deaths through misadventure,
these can have a significant negative impact
on your farm productivity even though the
symptoms might not always be visible. With active
management, you will improve productivity and
increase your venison returns. Let them take over
and these diseases could have a significant impact
on your animals and your profitability.
THE EIGHT COSTLY DISEASES
TO LOOK OUT FOR ARE:
Internal parasites
Leptospirosis
Johnes disease
Yersiniosis
Fusobacteriosis
Tuberculosis
Ticks
Copper deficiency
Make a habit of checking for the signs and
seeing your vet, and you could make yourself
a whole lot happier, healthier, and wealthier.
Find out more about the signs and impacts at:
deernz.org/deerhub
DNZ7294
Markets
Velvet market report
The 2014/15 velvet season continued to surpass expectations with strengthened demand for
New Zealand velvet reflected in firming prices. The free trade agreement with South Korea is
signed and this will provide good long-term benefits for New Zealand velvet; and velvet exports
are returning to record highs.
WITH THE SEASON all but over, many New Zealand velvet
producers report they are happy with the returns this year. What
is very pleasing to note is that the strong rise in farm gate velvet
returns is on the back of a pretty stable platform. For the two years
before this successful season there was about a 7.5% increase, year
on year, over their respective previous years. This year has resulted
in a sixth year of stable to firming prices.
The mature velvet procurement and selling environment in the
industry today and close networks with customers in the market
are the biggest reasons for the strong performance in this sector.
While velvet production figures are still to be finalised, DINZ
estimates that we have seen a further, albeit subtle, increase in
velvet production this year. This will help to fulfil the growing
demand. As long as global production keeps in step with global
demand, prices will remain strong. For this to happen, New
Zealand needs to keep investing in the healthy food strategy and
partnerships. This enables the New Zealand velvet brand (story) to
be better related to consumers and helps to increase consumption
with consumer-friendly formulations. Further, it strips some
serious volume available to the international traders.
New Zealand velvet in China
The appetite for velvet in China seems insatiable. Recent articles
from Chinese newspapers report that, while this Chinese New Year’s
gift giving was the worst experienced for many years, demand
for velvet only continued to firm. One article attributes this to the
growing middle class, meaning more people now have access to a
health product that was beyond (financial) reach a few years ago.
To ensure that the New Zealand velvet industry can take full
advantage of the growing opportunity, DINZ is making progress
on clarifying the regulatory pathway for New Zealand velvet’s use
in China as a healthy food ingredient. This work continues in true
partnership with commercial New Zealand exporter(s) who can
assist and test the process.
Trade Minister Tim Groser (back left) and Prime Minister
John Key and witness the strengthening relationships
between healthy food giant, KGC and the New Zealand deer
industry. DINZ CEO Dan Coup (left) shakes hands with KGC
CEO, Kim Jun-gi.
18
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
New Zealand–Korea Free Trade Agreement
The New Zealand–Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was signed
in Korea on 23 March 2015, with many reports dubbing it “the
catch-up agreement”. While DINZ expressed its disappointment
with frozen velvet’s exclusion from the agreement (along with
several other agricultural products), DINZ recognises that the FTA
with Korea was vital for other important New Zealand agricultural
sectors. Further, once detail of Australian and Canadian FTAs with
Korea emerged, showing an overall exclusion of all deer velvet
products, DINZ realised it needed to become creative to ensure
some benefit for the industry. As such, we recognise the hard work
and significant achievement by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
Trade negotiators to have New Zealand processed velvet included.
Essentially the inclusion will provide a much needed boost to the
New Zealand velvet processing industry because, although around
half of New Zealand direct velvet exports to South Korea are in
dried form, two-thirds of all exports from New Zealand are frozen.
Within three years of implementation, the tariff relief will become
meaningful to the New Zealand velvet processing industry and
result in us adding more value on New Zealand shores, rather than
simply exporting unprocessed velvet.
Exports returning to record highs
The latest figures provided by Statistics New Zealand illustrate the
growing and positive position of the New Zealand velvet industry.
For the year ending February 2015, the value of velvet exports
reached NZ$37.24m, the highest since 2001 and just shy of the
pre Asian Economic Crisis highs. In those times, most velvet was
exported in a higher-value processed form, whereas today, around
two-thirds is exported frozen. The challenge now is to add more
value in New Zealand and keep driving the exports figures up. The
recently signed FTA with Korea will help with this.
New Zealand Member of Parliament Melissa Lee (second from left) with two directors
from the Association Of Korean Oriental Medicine (AKOM) at the residence of New
Zealand Ambassador Clare Fearnley in Seoul. DINZ Velvet Marketing Services
Manager Rhys Griffiths is at right. The Ambassador hosted a dinner to celebrate
the FTA signing. AKOM represents all Korean Oriental Medicine Doctors, the largest
customer group for New Zealand velvet.
Venison market report
Pictured on Remarkables
Station during their farm tour
in February to learn about
deer farming are young
chefs Enrico Hirschfield,
Corinna Cepok, Johannes
Wäger and Nikolas Freibott.
German chef awareness programme
2015 press visit to New Zealand
THE PROGRAMME IN Germany to increase awareness of
the benefits of New Zealand venison among young chefs is into
its third year. At the outset of the programme there were three
primary objectives:
1. Increase awareness of New Zealand venison among young chefs
aged between 20 and 40.
2. Improve chefs’ opinion of the quality of New Zealand venison.
3. Increase the number of chefs using New Zealand venison.
The results of an interim survey were shared with venison
marketing managers. Results of the survey, conducted after two
years’ activity, show:
• a 4% increase in awareness of New Zealand venison among
chefs aged 20 to 40 (25% increase among chefs holding
Michelin stars)
• a 4% increase in the proportion of chefs who admit they use
New Zealand venison
• a 33% increase in the proportion of chefs who rated New
Zealand venison as “premium or good”.
The survey will be repeated at the conclusion of the current
programme to track changes in awareness. The promotional
programme in Germany is having its desired effect.
Graham Brown reports the group had a very interesting visit and
were, once again, astounded by the scale of deer farming in New
Zealand, the cleanliness of processing and the consistent quality
of the venison. We await the publication of their reports soon.
2015 Young Chefs Exchange Programme tour
New Zealand now has a team of 12 chefs working in Germany who
love New Zealand and our venison and are only too happy to make
themselves available for work to promote the product.
Chef Josh Emit talks about New Zealand venison with the food writers
from Germany at dinner at Rata in Queenstown during their short visit to
New Zealand in February.
Busche Press Top 50 Hotels
Busche Press is a publishing house that produces annual guides
to top food service establishments. Their annual gala dinner to
announce the top 50 hotels is watched by chefs in Germany. New
Zealand venison was a sponsor and served the product with soy,
ginger, chilli, shiitake, miso, Granny Smith and herbs.
continued on page 20
APR/MAY 2015
19
Markets
Ricky Seward, Young Chefs
Exchange Programme 2013,
prepares New Zealand venison at
the Busche Press event.
Karlheinz Hauser.
Gastro Premium Night 2015
Held in Hamburg Germany on 16 March, Gastro Premium
Night is, as the name suggests, a night of premium gastronomic
experiences, hosted in the complex run by Chef Karlheinz Hauser,
one of the chefs who visited New Zealand in early 2014. About 500
chefs and foodistas attended and sampled New Zealand venison
served by a young chef who visited New Zealand in last year.
The event was also attended by representatives of Prime Meat
in Hamburg.
Market reports
Europe
Quantitative easing, deflation, Gexit… how many more reasons are
there for a weak euro, and how low will it go? The DINZ Executive
recalls the naïve alarm expressed only a couple of years ago when
the euro fell through 0.60 cents against the kiwi dollar. It has now
fallen below 0.70 cents for the first time, although it has spent the
past two weeks hovering around this level.
Apart from currency disaster, the reports from Europe point to
improving market conditions. Exporters comment that demand
appears to be stronger than this time last year and attitudes are
among some customers are improving. Prices for frozen loins are
up €3/kg, shoulder CIF prices up 10% in euro, and strong orders
for manufacturing products. Prices and orders for frozen leg cuts
remain below expectations, as some of the larger buyers defer
decisions until they obtain a better indication of demand closer
to the 2015 game season. New Zealand exporters are warning
importers not to leave their orders too late, with the potential for
a significant reduction in venison availability in the coming year.
Exporters observe that stocks of frozen venison in New Zealand
remain low.
Edible and inedible offals continue to receive higher prices
than received this time last year, with good demand from
manufacturing and pet-food customers.
Prices for skins are back on last year as orders from
manufactures in China have reduced. An exporter spoken to
surmised this was because of a reduction in finished leather good
sales, and also because of a reduction in tanning capacity in China
as polluting factories were being closed.
Co-products continue to trade at good prices, but with the trade
into mainland China somewhat slower as importing procedures
undergo transition.
North America
Demand for chilled venison, table cuts, manufacturing products
and inedible offal continues in a strong vein among North
American importers. A company reports a new retail account in
Canada, which has substantial room for growth. Steady indications
of growing interest in New Zealand venison from mainstream
customers in the United States continue, as well as a number of
small retail accounts on the east and west coasts.
Venison production
During 2014, 414,600 deer were slaughtered, 2% down on 2013.
Total production is up 1.3% on the year earlier at 22,926 tonnes.
The number of hinds slaughtered in 2014 was up 1,800 (1%)
year on year, while the number of stags slaughtered decreased by
15,000 (-8%) year on year.
Table 1: Total venison exports: Top destinations by value, 12 months ending December
Volume (000 tonnes)
Destination
2013
2014p
2013
2014p
% change
Germany
5,263
5,061
-4%
$60,974
$53,502
-12%
Netherlands
1,297
1,448
12%
$20,891
$22,846
9%
% change
18%
United States
1,829
2,087
14%
$18,273
$21,648
Belgium
1,399
1,471
5%
$21,172
$20,848
-2%
Switzerland
931
1,021
10%
$16,230
$16,029
-1%
United Kingdom
856
1,389
62%
$7,794
$11,902
53%
Finland
951
1,071
13%
$6,636
$6,453
-3%
Sweden
538
398
-26%
$5,725
$3,879
-32%
France
325
230
-29%
$4,286
$3,291
-23%
Canada
301
271
-10%
$3,942
$2,809
-29%
Other
1,732
1,457
-16%
$16,058
$14,179
-12%
Total
15,423
15,905
3%
$181,981
$177,385
-3%
Source: Statistics New Zealand
20
Value (000 NZD FOB)
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Exports
Average chilled FOB returns eased down slightly over the
past 12 months as currency will have eaten in New Zealand dollar
returns. Volumes to the main continental European markets are
down as importers chose to take less risk with chilled venison
in this past year, apart from France, which saw a rebound.
Chilled exports to the United States and United Kingdom are
both up strongly.
The total value of industry exports over the past 12 months
recorded by Statistics New Zealand has dropped slightly from the
previous 12 month period. Venison and leather FOB receipts are
down, while co-products and hides have recorded increases.
Exporters continue to seek the best paying markets, and the
industry’s reliance on Germany and the euro-zone continues to
decline (Figure 1).
Currency
Figure 1: Proportion of New Zealand venison exports sent to Euro area
and Germany, 2006–2014
80%
Euro Area
70%
Germany
60%
Market share
In the week beginning 30 March the New Zealand dollar is worth
just under 0.70 euro cents, 13% higher than the same week a year
earlier. The US dollar was 0.75 to the NZ dollar, 11% less than this
time last year.
Schedule
50%
40%
The national average published schedule for AP Stags was $6.27
from Agrifax (Figure 2). This is 1% higher than the same week
last year, and 7% less than the average of the 5 previous years
($6.77/kg).
30%
20%
10%
0%
2006
2010
2014
Export year
Figure 2: Average weekly published venison schedule, AP stag 55–60kg
$10.00
NZ$/kg gross
$8.00
$6.00
$4.00
2009
2010
2012
2013
10 years average
2014
2015
$2.00
$0.00
1
4
7
10
13
16
19
Source: Agrifax
22
25
28
31
34
37
40
43
46
49
52
Week
Table 2: Chilled venison exports, 12 months ending December
Volume (tonnes)
Destination
2013
2014p
Value (NZD FOB 000)
% Change
2013
2014p
% Change
United States
565
590
5%
$10,911
$11,333
4%
Belgium
505
464
-8%
$10,813
$9,651
-11%
Germany
499
464
-7%
$9,924
$9,346
-6%
Netherlands
377
398
5%
$8,022
$8,542
6%
Switzerland
245
166
-32%
$6,694
$4,438
-34%
United Kingdom
124
242
95%
$1,607
$2,850
77%
France
34
104
208%
$727
$1,685
132%
Canada
70
58
-17%
$1,373
$1,272
-7%
39
49
26%
$1,179
$1,327
13%
2,461
2,535
3%
$51,343
$50,443
-2%
Others
Total
Source: Statistics New Zealand
APR/MAY 2015
21
Passion2Profit
P2P action on multiple fronts
As well as getting a few projects underway, P2P is currently finalising the
contract with government officials from the Ministry for Primary Industries
to get the Primary Growth Partnership underway, writes Innes Moffat.
Marketing activities
The P2P programme is roughly 50 percent marketing and 50
percent on-farm productivity. Over $7 million has been budgeted
for new marketing activities over the next seven years to
dramatically alter the times and places venison is eaten.
Non-seasonal markets
We’ve been talking about collaborative marketing for a long time
now, but we are finally on the cusp of launching a programme
in a new market sector that has the support of all marketing
companies. It is our objective to get five marketing companies
to agree to a collaborative trial of non-seasonal venison in a new
market. This trial is nearly underway. Keep an eye out for a formal
announcement on this programme soon.
New market development
The other component of the P2P marketing programme is
opening up new markets for venison. The marketing companies
have agreed that a collaborative approach to gaining a better
understanding of the segments of Chinese society that might have
an appetite for venison is a worthy goal and several approaches are
currently being considered. Activity on some programmes can’t
start up until the PGP is contracted, however.
DINZ has also been approached by New Zealand Trade
and Enterprise who recognise the collaborative nature of the
marketing programme and would like to partner the marketing
companies for some aspects. No formal agreement has been
reached yet, but we hope to bring an agreement to fruition soon.
Industry-agreed standards
A small group of processing company representatives has quietly
got on with it and come up with a single set of quality assurance
(QA) standards. We know several companies have their own
standards and some companies don’t. A uniform set of standards
will make it easier to comply with, and will be more likely to
be applied. New components have been introduced that will
strengthen marketing claims for venison produced under QA.
The single standard is being reviewed by individual company
management at the moment. DINZ is also watching a programme
being run by the Red Meat Profit Partnership and AsureQuality to
introduce a system to administer a single on-farm QA system for
beef and sheepmeat. Where it makes sense, venison marketing
companies might participate in this programme.
Market-led productivity projects
Advance Parties
Eight Advance Parties continue to meet and two new parties are
being formed.
22
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
An Advance Party Conference is to be held on 29 April in
Dunedin to encourage participants and continue the development
of the Advance Party method. At the time of writing, about 35
attendees are expected.
Advance Parties are co-funded by the Ministry for Primary
Industries Sustainable Farming Fund.
See www.ap.org for meeting schedules, minutes and projects.
Clean Bill of Health campaign
I hope you’ve seen the Clean Bill of Health advertising. This
has been done because not all deer farmers have a good handle
on the health status of their deer herd, or on what important
productivity-limiting diseases are affecting deer. DINZ fired ahead
with the Clean Bill of Health introduction to keep people talking
about deer health. Without healthy deer, no-one is going to make
any money out of farming them. Further activities and media
campaigns will follow under the Clean Bill of Health heading as
new information comes available. The next activity focuses on best
practice. We all know there are plenty of opinions and differing
approaches to managing animal health. P2P aims to disseminate
best practice recommendations to farmers and vets.
Feeding group
The feeding theme group is developing two sets of tools to help
farmers, as follows.
1. Benchmarking performance to encourage deer farmers to
monitor deer growth performance regularly and make both
tactical and strategic decisions to:
• target spring chilled market
• target a summer kill
• target a two-year velvet system.
2. Forage systems to support deer growth performance. Provide
deer farmers with options and analysis around forage systems
that will support higher deer performance. Information and
tools will be provided for deer farmers to be able to analyse
the farm forage base, a feed curve that differentiates based on
quality to support high animal performance, including costs per
hectare, and calculates meat output per hectare.
Forage is a whole-farm system that includes ability to generate
returns on additional feed freed up by improved deer performance.
P2P Genetics group
The P2P Genetics group will be waiting till the contract is signed
before starting work on new projects for the deer industry. The
group will be building on the framework supplied by DEERSelect
and the Deer Progeny Test but over the course of the next few years
will be adding market-led breeding traits to the suite of selection
tools available to farmers, developing new communications and
delivery mechanisms and potentially investing in new technology
to drive genetic selection for superior production-related traits.
Environment
Sediment traps workshop
a mine of information
by Phil Stewart, Deer Industry News Editor
Steep slopes, heavy “slippy” soils, plenty of rainfall and an all-deer operation on Kelly Bennett’s
Geraldine property, Crevale, can create interesting challenges for managing water quality. The
farm made an excellent setting for exploring environmental mitigation options at a workshop
last month, hosted by the South Canterbury/North Otago branch of NZDFA and the Kakahu
Catchment group.
traps and the experts on site were generous
ABOUT 30 PEOPLE attended the
with their advice.
workshop, and were given access to expertise
covering everything from dealing with
Slow it down
regional council red tape to managing water
flows and choosing the right plants.
Mark Talbot, Earthworks Aoraki, said
Bennett explained that since taking over
it’s essential to slow down water velocity
the property seven years ago they have
wherever possible to minimise scouring and
cleared and root raked about 60ha of gorse
loss of suspended sediments.
on the upper slopes. None of the waterways,
Straight, deep, narrow waterways are
which are partially spring fed, are fenced.
the worst. The more “meander” that can
Native Carex spp. are still growing in the
be created, the better and this can be
gullies and don’t seem to be affected by the
engineered by creating obstructions using
deer. Manuka stands have been preserved
rock, for example. Talbot said sand and
and there is abundant bird life including
silt will settle out reasonably quickly given
kereru and bellbirds in the adjoining forest
the opportunity, but clay particles stay
block. “We spotted a pair of tomtits the other
suspended for a long while, so it’s best to
Kelly Bennett: Keen to improve quality of
day, which was pleasing,” Bennett said.
prevent clay being exposed to runoff in the
water leaving the property.
Runoff is worst during winter, when
first place. Creating fresh turbulence or
soil gets saturated easily. There are usually
eddies can stir up sediment again and undo the good work that’s
eight to ten flooding events a year. All of the water running off
been done upstream, he added.
the property ends up in a single creek and he’s keen to ensure the
Another option suggested to slow down runoff on flatter
quality of that water is as good as it can be when it leaves the farm.
paddocks during heavy rain was to create bunds so that water
So far he hasn’t done any water quality testing – a very high
could be held back for a time before it continued draining. Farmers
quote for getting this done had put him off, but after he was
were quick to point out that deer would appreciate the opportunity
assured tests could be done elsewhere for not much more than
to create a wallow, however.
$100, he was prepared to reconsider.
Bennett is changing some fencelines, subdividing and
Should waterways be fenced?
regrassing and wants to ensure the changes are complemented by
In Canterbury, the rules aren’t very cut and dried. If there is
good environmental mitigation work. The focus for much of the
pugging and elevated E. coli levels in a waterway, then it is required
discussion was a fenced-off shallow dam that has a boggy area
to be fenced, but there are no defined limits. The Environment
above and below it, with some old willows and mature cabbage
Canterbury staff at the field day conceded that fencing waterways on
trees (see photo). The area is a good spot for developing sediment
continued on page 24
This area will be
redeveloped into a series
of sediment traps.
APR/MAY 2015
23
Environment
Clay particles
stay suspended for a
long time.
many properties, especially in the high country, may not be possible
and there is some work to do in the practical implementation of the
stock exclusion rules.
Creating sediment traps
Before rushing in with the digger, think about what you’re creating
and get some professional advice. Mark Talbot said the dam and
wetland area on Bennett’s farm could have another smaller trap
above the existing dam and perhaps another small one below it.
He had a few more tips besides:
• The size of the trap/s you create will depend on the area of the
catchment, as well as the space available. How you shape the
trap/s is very site specific.
• Keep the top sediment trap simple. It is the one that will be
cleaned out most often.
• Make sure you make a space along one side for machinery to move
in and maintain the traps later on. Don’t create steep banks.
• Use contouring along the edges to create a more natural look.
• Ensure the system is engineered so that water does not become
stagnant and de-oxygenated.
• Be aware of maintaining passages for migrating fish when
creating a water system. But do your homework first, because
sometimes you might be required to keep trout out of upstream
areas, where they could outcompete or decimate native fish
such as the mudfish.
What about the willows?
The water-loving willow can be a mixed blessing. Crack willow or
grey willow can be especially invasive so shouldn’t be encouraged.
As a rule, willows don’t do much to slow down water flow but they
can block up waterways completely when they get out of hand.
Mark Talbot suggested the old willows in Kelly Bennett’s
wetland area should be removed and the job could be done in one
or two days with another half day to tidy up.
But if you’re in South Canterbury, don’t knock over mature
willows out of hand – they can be a favourite roosting place for
long-tailed bats (Chalinolobus tuberculatus), so check first.
South Canterbury supports the only known long-tailed bat
population on the East Coast of the South Island. Bats are limited
to a small area from Peel Forest in the north, southwards through
the foothill gorges of the Orari, Waihi, and Te Moana Rivers,
Geraldine, and the Kakahu and Opihi Rivers.
Geraldine is one of the few towns in New Zealand where it is
possible to see long-tailed bats. They flit like large butterflies at
dusk as they emerge from giant totara and matai in Talbot Forest.
(Source: http://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/batspekapeka/long-tailed-bat/)
24
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
These old willows
could be removed,
but in South
Canterbury you need
to ensure they’re
not a roost for longtailed bats.
What plants to choose
Canterbury has less than 0.5 percent of its original native
vegetation, so a project to create sediment traps and a wetland
can help redress the balance. Consultant Tricia Scott of NZ
Environmental had some useful tips on planting.
• Don’t take on too much in one go, or you risk losing your
plantings to weeds or drought. Weeds are prolific in Canterbury,
so in that environment use fewer, larger plants to ensure they
establish and don’t get out-competed. It is important to choose
the right plant species for the locality and soil conditions. Build
on areas where there is existing vegetation.
• Once plants have established, natural regeneration will give
you a helping hand.
• Spring is traditionally the best time to plant, but beware
subsequent dry spells; autumn is a good time to plant too.
• Sediment will drop into grasses, but sedges and rushes will do
a better job of trapping solids and also help chemically bind
chemicals and sediments. Carex secta are water tolerant and
do well in wet areas.
• Plant mainly grasses in areas where heavy equipment will be
coming in to do pond maintenance. On the other side where no
machinery access is required consider flaxes, cabbage trees and
taller species such as kowhai. They don’t have the surface area
just above ground level to help capture suspended sediment
but their deep and dense root systems are particularly useful
in preventing bank erosion and aiding nutrient cycling; in
addition they improve habitat quality and have amenity value.
• If deer are given access to an area that has been planted with
natives such as the sedge, Carex secta, or grasses such as silver
tussock, red tussock, or narrow leaved tussock they shouldn’t
bother the plants too much as long as the pasture grasses don’t
get grazed out too heavily. (Environment Canterbury’s Kennedy
Lange was doubtful that deer would leave these plantings alone,
even with pasture grass available, so some caution might be
needed giving deer access to areas like these.)
• Remember that most of us over-estimate what we can
accomplish in one year and under-estimate what we can
accomplish in ten years.
Negotiating the red tape
“If you’re going to get your gear wet,” said Environment Canterbury
(ECan) Biodiversity Officer, Kennedy Lange, “you’re probably
going to need a resource consent.” That could even be needed for
maintenance work on an existing sediment trap system if it is going
to create a discharge.
That said, ECan is trying to help farmers manage their waterways
with minimal consenting requirement, by developing enabling and
practical provisions within the sub-regional sections of the Land
and Water Regional Plan. The key is to find out first before doing any
work. (See sidebar for more on regional council requirements.)
Talk of compliance usually has farmers gritting their teeth and
their mood wasn’t lightened when it was explained that getting a
resource consent for work on the scale being discussed for Kelly
Bennett’s property could cost in the $3000–$5000 range.
But there was a bit more to it than that, and the regional council
staff at the field day made it clear they want to make the process as
positive as possible.
For a start, it’s possible to gain a single consent for a range of
environmental projects on a property, covering several years.
And ECan is providing one hour’s free “pre-application” advice
so that people can get some idea of what compliance hurdles they
face before they commit to the process. The council is putting
together multi-disciplinary zone implementation teams for each
catchment to help people through the assessment and consent
process. The catch is that these teams are being assembled using
existing resources, so it’s not clear if any waiting will be required
to consult them.
Young stock on Kelly
Bennett’s South
Canterbury property.
Prosecutions do occur and Environment Canterbury staff
strongly advise getting advice on consent requirements before
proceeding with work.
From early March, ECan’s obligations on both themselves
and farmers seeking consent have been stiffened up. A consent
application will no longer be accepted if it has information missing,
but the council can only go back to the applicant for additional
information once. Once an application is accepted, EC is obliged to
process it within 20 working days.
What your regional council wants – summary available
REGIONAL COUNCILS ARE increasingly turning their attention
to land activities that might negatively affect water quality.
Monitoring has shown continued degradation of water quality
as intensive farming activities have increased. While many deer
farmers run extensive dry stock systems, they too are likely to be
subject to increasing scrutiny by regional councils.
Each regional council is now required to establish objectives
and set limits in a process that “flows” out of the Government’s
National Policy Statement (NPS) for Freshwater Management,
which came into force last year.
NZDFA branch chairmen recognised the need for better
understanding of regional council environmental management
for water and asked for DINZ assistance at their conference in
October 2014. A stocktake of regional council water policies was
commissioned by DINZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand, as both
industries are faced with the same environmental issues.
This project was completed last month and the findings are
now available online to all deer farmers at the following website:
http://tinyurl.com/ov9ujy4. The stocktake can be downloaded as
the entire 15 regions (excluding Nelson City Council) or by region.
The stocktake, which was conducted by DINZ researcher
Lindsay Fung, shows that nutrient budgets or plans are required
(or will soon be required) in the Bay of Plenty (Lake Rotorua),
certain Hawke’s Bay and Horizons catchments, Canterbury,
Southland and Otago.
In many other regions, little or nothing is publicly happening
in the water quality area, but Fung says this will change. Indeed,
Greater Wellington Regional Council is well on the way to
developing its plan and most industry groups are working together.
The NPS (among other things) requires councils to maintain
or improve the overall quality of fresh water within their region,
using water quality measures to monitor progress.
The big concerns are nitrogen from livestock, siltation from
livestock and forestry, effluent discharges from towns and industry,
and the effects of abstracting water for irrigation and other uses.
In catchments where nitrogen discharges need to be reduced
to meet the required standards, approaches may vary from
grandparenting (which allows high nitrogen emitters to continue
to emit at high levels, with possible phase-outs over time), to
catchment averaging (which involves allocating a uniform level
of nitrogen loss to all land in the catchment regardless of its
current use).
Grandparenting allows land uses with high emission rates to
continue to operate or to change land use, while land uses with low
emissions effectively get locked into those uses, with a consequent
reduction in land values. Both DINZ and Beef + Lamb New Zealand
have serious concers with the principle of grandparenting.
The importance of water quality issues for farmers in a region
will depend on how much quality has deteriorated and the level of
public concern, says Fung.
“Some councils for example will simply require evidence of
good management practices for nutrient use. Others, where water
degradation is more severe, may propose a threshold for nitrogen
leaching from a farm, above which the land owner will be required
to apply for a resource consent outlining steps taken to minimise
the amount of nitrogen leached,” he says.
“Still other councils may choose to bring all farming activity
under a consent regime if the catchment is severely degraded or
considered significant to the wider community, such as Lakes Taupo
and Rotorua. Even farms that have a light impact will still need
to provide nutrient budgets showing that nitrogen loss rates are
sufficiently low to allow farming to continue as a permitted activity.”
Fung says the focus on water quality will add to farmers’ cost of
doing business.
“Farmers can’t pass these costs on, so they will want to keep
them as low as possible. They will also want to see that the costs
are allocated fairly.”
He urges deer farmers to work with other dry stock farmers in
making submissions to their regional or unitary councils as plan
changes and reviews get underway.
APR/MAY 2015
25
Environment
Five-year plan
on environment focus farm
by Claire Grant, Deer Industry News Writer
AgResearch is hoping that its new focus farm project to improve water quality will help New
Zealand deer farmers come up with their own plans for improvements.
THE CROWN RESEARCH Institute has just started a new
Environment Focus Farm project on its 130 hectare Invermay
deer farm on the Taieri Plain near Dunedin. The farm is used
for research into deer production, behaviour and genetics, but
managed as a commercial unit. It runs around 600–700 red deer
and some Wapiti.
AgResearch Senior Deer Scientist Dr Geoff Asher explained
water quality issues had been identified on farm, so rather than
waiting to be told to take action, AgResearch invited the Otago
Regional Council in for a more detailed look at the problems and to
discuss possible solutions.
The regional council confirmed there were issues with the
quality of water coming off the farm, in particular with stream
management, drainage and localised erosion.
“It was clear that we had some reparation work to do and some
changes to make to current practices to turn around decisions from
many years ago, made in a very different farming era,” Asher says.
The regional council discussed how to develop a plan, looking
at a structured way to fix the problems for the Invermay deer farm
over a workable time-frame.
This has resulted in a draft five-year water quality improvement
plan. Asher admits it seemed daunting to start with, until
AgResearch saw it was also a good opportunity to look at the farm
with fresh eyes.
“The regional council wasn’t expecting overnight solutions to
a historical problem and the deer team quickly realised a five-year
plan means there’s no pressure to do it all immediately.
“With a bit of extra organisation it’s all achievable. When you
break it down there are actually several problems common to
different areas of the farm. For instance, filling all under-runners
with rocks to prevent wallow formation during wet weather can be
sorted at the same time with a digger over a couple of days,” he said.
The plan takes into account the practical need to continue using
paddocks to maintain production and to farm commercially, and
the time and resources needed to tackle some of the bigger stream
mitigation jobs.
AgResearch and its predecessors have followed accepted
farming practices, but as Asher noted, these have changed
significantly since the deer farm was first set up in 1974.
He pointed out if there are problems with this farm, then water
quality issues are likely to exist on other New Zealand deer farms
that have come about simply through following the accepted
practice of the day.
“We realised that if we didn’t know where to start to effect
change there would be other deer farmers experiencing the same
uncertainty. So rather than viewing this as a negative situation, we
26
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Damage to waterway flowing down into main stream.
realised we could turn it to the industry’s advantage by using it to
help others.
“Highlighting the problems and possible solutions over
the entire five years will make it easier for farmers to chart a
mitigation course for their own environmental problems, and to
make a start.”
Asher is hoping this could become a blueprint to guide farmers
through the practical steps needed to identify what the problems
are, where to enlist help, and exactly how to plan solutions with
realistic and manageable timeframes.
“No-one expects change to happen overnight, but this is a
positive way to begin, and to help facilitate change and remedial
work on an industry-wide scale. Our aim is to make compliance
a minimum standard for the Invermay farm, and at the same time
to see if we can raise the bar for sustainable deer farming in
New Zealand.”
AgResearch has enlisted the help of the regional council and the
NZ Landcare Trust to make this a Focus Farm-type project. DINZ is
also on board and, with DEEResearch Board approval, the project
also incorporates research into mitigation tools. Other experts will
be brought in as required.
A stakeholder advisory group is being formed, which it is hoped on the Invermay farm we could also help farmers identify small
practical steps for their own situations. This could potentially
will include the regional council, NZ Landcare Trust, DINZ and
help the deer industry to be at the forefront of proactive water
leading farmers. Its role will be to review the draft plan and turn
quality management.”
it into an action plan, monitor and report on progress and water
The first step in Invermay’s five-year mitigation plan is for its
quality improvements, and advise on field days.
Discussions are also taking place on whether the project should scientists, with help from the regional council, to measure various
aspects of water quality and count wildlife and fish numbers to
follow the well-established Focus Farm model, or use something
establish a benchmark. Ongoing
like the Advance Party concept, using
monitoring will be an important part
peer support to effect change.
of the project and there is potential
AgResearch is planning to hold at
for University of Otago zoology and
least one field day a year to showcase
botany students to be involved.
what’s being done. The first of these
Proposed remedial and recovery
will likely be in July or August this
work includes re-fencing paddocks
year. DINZ will support farmer
to protect the stream catchment,
communications, for example,
planting riparian strips, managing
through its website, and regular
under-runners and wallows and
updates will be provided through
retiring a couple of paddocks. Most
Deer Industry News.
of it is not major work, but re-fencing
Asher promises a “warts and all”
will involve a cost and planning
experience. “We are happy to stand
Water quality of main stream, which is fenced due to
sediment loss from surrounding paddocks.
to ensure enough paddocks are
up and say ‘we got this wrong’ or ‘we
available for normal farm operations.
could have done this better’, and to
Further integration of sheep and deer is also being planned
chart what we do to put things right. This includes putting both
with the neighbouring Invermay sheep farm, first as a way of
the costs and benefits up front for farmers to scrutinise. We are
managing the immediate need for enough paddocks, but also as a
expecting a lot of interest.
longer-term mitigation tool to reduce grazing pressure.
“It’s a small part of our research portfolio, but it is significant
Work will be done around farm production, and to suit fawning.
for New Zealand deer farming. By sorting a historic problem
Animal health
Residue study: 91-day withholding time
remains
by Dave Lawrence
Drench trials in recent years have culminated in veterinarians defining a triple combination that is
efficacious and offers the most sustainable outlook for use in deer.
THIS TRIPLE COMBINATION drench is made up of:
• Cydectin® Injection (contains moxidectin) administered at a
dose rate of 1ml/50kg
• Oxfen C Plus (contains oxfendazole and levamisole) mixed in
equals parts with Oxfen C (contains oxfendazole), administered
orally at a dose rate of 1ml/5kg.
This provides four times the label dose for sheep and cattle of
oxfendazole and twice the sheep and cattle label dose of levamisole.
Currently this combination has a default 91 day withholding
time (WT). The 42-day interval post treatment selected for this
study was considered a conservative time regarding the likelihood
of residues being present. Furthermore, 42 days was considered
more practical than the default 91 days for farmers to plan
treatment pre-slaughter.
Nine rising yearling deer were selected on a commercial deer
farm in Southland in late spring of 2014. They were tagged,
weighed and drenched. Forty-two days later they were slaughtered
on farm and samples collected from liver, muscle, kidney and fat
in each of the nine deer. Samples were sent for residue analysis of
moxidectin, oxfendazole and levamisole.
Each of these active ingredients has limits below which the
laboratory cannot detect and then there are set Maximum Residue
Limits (MRL) for each chemical in deer tissues.
The levels of moxidectin, oxfendazole and levamisole in liver,
muscle and kidney samples from all nine deer were below the
limit of detection. However the level of levamisole in the fat of one
animal was greater than the MRL.
The one positive residue result of the 108 samples tested means
that farmers must observe the 91 day default withholding period
when using this combination.
It is still recommended best practice to use the triple
combination detailed above. For use in deer not going to slaughter
within three months, e.g. weaners in autumn, there is no practical
problem.
Seek advice from your veterinarian about drench options in the
spring or within 91 days of slaughter.
APR/MAY 2015
27
Antler
Rising to the occasion
by Phil Stewart, Deer Industry News Editor
There were 131 entries at a well-sponsored and strongly supported Xcell Rising Stars National
Hard Antler and Velvet Competition held in the Woodbury Hall, Geraldine on 21 February.
THE HARD ANTLER entries accounted for an amazing 35,500
inches of antler – that’s 0.56 of a mile, or the best part of a
kilometre in new money.
The South Canterbury/North Otago Branch of NZDFA did a
magnificent job pulling the event together and have raised the
bar even higher for the organisers of the 2016 competition when
it returns to the North Island. Special mention must go to the
main organisers, Kelly Bennett with Felicia (Fliss) Evers-Swindell,
Graham and Shelley Lawson, Bill Robinson, head judge Hub Hall
and their small army of volunteers.
There was a huge array of product and other sponsors and
mention should also go to Grant Drew of Calibre Taxidermy for
There was more than
half a mile of antler in
the hard antler tent.
Bill and Jill Oliver won the National Super Heavyweight Trophy with this
15.15kg head from Bayley (sire, Bronson, dam’s sire, Austin).
28
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
The competition was a good opportunity to see the products of some of
the country’s top antler genetics at first hand.
Two good reasons to smile: Debra and Chris Petersen of Highden Deer
won the Two-year Red Hard Antler and the National Red Deer Hard Antler
Sire of Three awards.
the stunning displays of his craft that helped set the tone in the
hall, especially the sparring tahr that featured on the cover of the
results booklet (posted out with the February/March 2015 Deer
Industry News).
The day was started with a cricket match on the adjacent
domain which, while it couldn’t match the tension of the
showdown at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, more than
compensated with the quality of the sledging and groundside
refreshments.
The display of hard antler and velvet gave an opportunity to
see some of the country’s top velvet and trophy genetics at close
quarters, followed by a superb three-course dinner and goodnatured presentation ceremony. Who got what silverware is
spelled out in the aforementioned results booklet, but this month
we bring you a few more images from the event.
Well done, SCNODFA!
The Woodbury
Hall in Geraldine,
enhanced with
some fine
specimens from
Calibre Taxidermy,
made a great
venue for the
Rising Stars
competition.
Kathy and Donald Hudson with their son Ben Hudson and the People’s
Choice Velvet Award winner, a 12.76kg head from the 8-year-old McCaw.
The people in Geraldine showed good judgment – the same head won the
Open Red Velvet section and All-comers’ Champion trophy at the 2014
National Velvet and Trophy Antler Competition.
Junior at 5 years
688.1 IOA
20.2kg stripped
57 points
First Elite Weaner Hind Sale
including Mixed Age Hinds
FEATURING
• The first new Warnham bloodlines
• Daughters of Junior (688.1 IOA @ 5 years)
• Daughters of Baldy Mac (Current North Island
3 Year Velvet Champion)
• Daughters of Gibson, Norton II, Mars,
Sir Tristram, Travis, Sir Lamorek and others
Tuesday 7 July 2015
at 10.30am
at 240 Te Waerenga Rd,
Rotorua
Please diary in - we look
forward to seeing you!
Catalogues will be mailed out to our database.
Please email to [email protected] if you are not receiving our catalogues.
www.pampasheights.co.nz
The Bennett family had a great night, sweeping the pool in the National
Three-year Hard Antler Class and, among others, picking up the Supreme
Trophy Award for the three-year-old head of Leonides DG. From left
(front): Don Bennett, Anne Bennett, Craig Moore, Jade Moore, Taila
Bennett and Jerusha Bennett. At back: Felicia Evers-Swindell and Kelly
Bennett.
APR/MAY 2015
29
Industry News
Duncan (NZ) Ltd: Serving up
25 years of restaurant quality
by Ali Spencer, Deer Industry News writer
Duncan & Co – recently renamed Duncan (NZ) Ltd – has been serving up quality for its
foodservice customers for the past 25 years. Deer Industry News writer Ali Spencer talks to
owner and chief executive Andrew Duncan to find out what the company has on its plate.
its South Island base. The plant has since been renamed Duncan
DUNCAN FOUNDED DUNCAN & Co as a private specialist
South Ltd.
venison exporter and marketing company in 1990, initially
Duncan says the move reflects his confidence in New Zealand
operating out of his and wife Vinnie’s Mission Bay town house.
venison and the deer industry and he is comfortable about
After a couple of years, the family and company outgrew
increasing investment in the industry as it
the townhouse, so both moved to Whitford,
returns to a growth phase.
where they are still based today.
“We have great customers demanding
After establishing key customers in
more venison at a time when production is
Europe and the United States, along with
falling. So, for us, it’s about securing supply
an enthusiastic supplier base, the company
and building farmer support for a business
extended its operations to processing,
that is 100 percent focused on venison.”
beginning with a minority investment in
He is full of praise for the Browns and
Otago Venison Ltd in Mosgiel, Dunedin in
Martins for their role in the development of
1993. This was followed by the outright
the 21-year-old processing company.
purchase of the former AFFCO plant near
“They have done an outstanding job of
Rotorua in 2001.
establishing Otago Venison and steering the
In its earlier years, the company tollcompany through tough times in an industry
processed product through nine venison
that can be both challenging and vibrant.”
plants, with most going through John
Duncan South has continued to employ
Signal and Craig Hickson’s venison plants
Glenn Tyrrell, Duncan New Zealand’s new
all the of the plant’s dedicated and highly
in Feilding and Hastings.
general manager marketing.
experienced workforce, he adds.
Toll-processing is much less of a feature
Mosgiel is also the base for Duncan (NZ)’s latest senior
these days. The company now employs about 60 staff over its two
management appointment: general manager marketing, Glenn
plants and office and, with its more than 200 farmer–suppliers,
Tyrrell, who joined the company in October 2014 from Silver Fern
now produces around 12 percent of New Zealand’s annual exports
Farms (see Deer Industry News October/November 2014).
of venison.
Duncan says he was delighted to make such a quality appointment
A recent development was Duncan (NZ)’s move to full
to the key position. “Glenn brings a wealth of experience in venison
ownership of Otago Venison. The other founder shareholders –
marketing, as well as senior leadership experience across all areas of
Russell and Jaye Brown and Steve and Jenny Martin – were bought
the venison and red meat industry. He is a significant addition to our
out in early December 2014, cementing the Mosgiel plant as
specialised venison marketing company.”
During his first two quarters, Tyrrell has been getting to grips
with the integrated operation, from deer farmer through to the
customer and market network.
Finding its restaurant niche
The newly renamed Duncan South plant in Mosgiel.
30
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Duncan (NZ) is one of the four remaining franchisees of the
Cervena® appellation, into which industry invested in the 1990s.
In Cervena markets such as New Zealand and the United States,
Duncan’s products carry the Cervena appellation.
While many exporters focused on the traditional venison eating
markets in Europe, Duncan (NZ) took the hard road, seeking out
its niche in non-traditional markets.
Andy Duncan maintains that the way to sustainable higher
returns for the deer industry, is for venison marketers to becomes
Duncan Cervena, ready for despatch.
less reliant on central Europe, meaning diversification to
Australasia, North America and, eventually, Asia.
The company was one of the first New Zealand venison
exporters to work in the British market in the early 1990s through
a distributor there and it has also sold in Japan and other parts
of Asia in the past. However, it was the United States and the
possibilities of the restaurant trade there that primarily attracted
– and have held – the company’s marketing focus.
For the year ending December 2013, the US market accounted for
$18.27 million (eight percent) of New Zealand’s total venison export
revenue – an increase of 37 percent on four years earlier – and six
percent of volume. Ninety percent goes into the foodservice trade,
a good majority of that from Duncan (NZ).
Important to the success of the company’s trade with that
market, Duncan believes, has been finding and working with its
“trusted partners”, US importers and distributors Broadleaf
Game and Sierra Meat and Seafood.
Use Cervena for P2P, Duncan calls
Venison exporters are now more open to working together
to help the industry push forward. Duncan (NZ) is involved
alongside Firstlight Foods and Cervena franchisees Mountain
River Venison, Silver Fern Farms and Alliance in the P2P
collaboration of venison exporters looking to push into Europe
and/or possibly China with a new brand or quality mark.
While the new name and details of the programme have yet
to be decided, Andrew Duncan asks, “Why not use Cervena?
It’s already had the investment and is well known by chefs
around the world, who are a nomadic group.
“On balance it’s got enough cachet and would make sense,”
he believes, adding that as a prerequisite a business case is
being drawn up to substantiate that, including examining
whether there is a market. “Who is going to buy it and why?”
While New Zealand venison has historically been sold into
Europe, the United States and Australia, the group is also
asking where it fits in Asia.
“There is no tradition of eating it there, unlike beef,”
Duncan says, adding that in China and Russia, venison is the
co-product to antler and sinews, pizzles, blood and so on. In
addition, while it is true Asian buyers have money, getting
access in some markets can be an issue, he says.
Andy Duncan (left) with DINZ executive chef Graeme Brown.
The US distributors, both of which carry a speciality range of
selected meats for high-end restaurants – such as organic beef,
American buffalo and wild boar, alongside the venison – sell
Duncan’s venison right across the United States, but in particular
on the west and east coasts and mid-west.
The relationship has developed into a strong link over the
years, with Duncan travelling to the United States two or three
times in a typical year, alternating with visits from importers and
large customers to the New Zealand facilities.
“We work closely with them on educating their sales force
and customers about New Zealand venison,” he says. “Along with
keeping venison top-of-mind for the sales force, we advise them
about new additions to the range and give them ideas about how to
serve it.
“In foodservice, a distributor needs a wide range of high-end
speciality products to achieve economies of scale.”
Sampling is very, very effective, Duncan adds. “If you’re selling
the virtues of the product to a chef, wherever they are in the world,
they will want to try it.”
He lauds the assistance of the ambassadorial services of DINZ’s
executive chef Graham Brown and his colleagues for exporters in
talking to other chefs around the world.
“They’re a huge asset for the industry,” he says. “Graham is a
vastly experienced chef.”
At the Branch chairman’s conference he suggested teaming him
up with a nutritionist to influence key opinion formers, such as
young chefs and other nutritionists.
Creating demand
For Duncan, creating demand for farm-raised venison is vital,
but how the product needs to be promoted has changed over
the past two decades. There has been a move away from straight
advertising and point-of-sale marketing material, he has observed.
These days, chefs expect all of the boxes to be ticked for health,
wellness, animal welfare and production. These ticked boxes
remove the barriers to them selecting venison over other options,
he says.
continued on page 32
APR/MAY 2015
31
Industry News
He has observed that health – a venison attribute from day one –
failed for years to gain any traction. “As a well-known Chicago chef
I was introduced to about 10 years ago told me: ‘People don’t come
here to get healthy, they come here to eat well and have a drink’.
“Finally, it seems, that is changing in some restaurants with
diners, for example, who might have health issues needing a lowcalorie option. Venison can fulfil this need,” he notes, adding that
some establishments, including one leading edge restaurant chain,
now include the calorie content of each main on their menu.
“Generally, though, diners select venison because of its taste,
tenderness and speciality.”
Marketing is also now all about social media, which has
completely changed the game.
“It’s more consumer-focused – responding to consumer queries
and giving information about the producer and production
methods,” he says.
To reflect the changes, the company’s website will soon
undergo a transformation, enabling links with social media –
especially YouTube and Twitter.
Challenges ahead
People have asked Duncan if the industry is at the bottom of a
supply cycle. The industry veteran’s response is that the deer
industry is still too young to be settled into any cyclical pattern.
“Past boom and bust periods have usually been able to be
sheeted back to specific events such as the change in livestock
standard values in the mid-1970s (before there was any venison
meat industry at all), the Chernobyl disaster in the mid-1980s, the
“mad cow” outbreak in beef at the turn of the century (2000), the
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DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Duncan (NZ) Ltd: vital statistics
Number of deer suppliers
200+
Plants
Two (Mosgiel and Rotorua)
Annual venison produced
>1,700,000kg
Venison brand
Duncan New Zealand, Duncan
Cervena, Durham Ranch
Cervena, Broadleaf Cervena
Markets
20+ countries
Further information
www.duncan-nz.com
overkill of hinds in the mid 2000s which depressed prices and ran
into the GFC in 2008.”
He believes it will come to the point again when scarcity of
venison will see an increase in prices. At that point, if supply
becomes an issue, moving venison from the restaurant mains
plates to starter plates could be a solution,” he says.
“Typically, starter (appetiser) dishes might use just a quarter
to a third of the volume that a main course might use, but might
be priced at, say, half a main course, so the price positioning is
at least as good, or better, and the same volume of venison could
potentially be spread across a wider range of menus.”
For the New Zealand venison industry, however, Duncan believes
the biggest single challenge in the year ahead is to arrest the decline
in the deer herd and get back to deer herd growth in the face of a
steadily worsening euro and depressed European economy.
“When farmed well, on the right class of country, deer can still
be a profitable form of farming, especially if integrating some
velvetting into the venison finishing operation and taking account
of the relatively low labour input.”
Duncan (NZ)’s task in its milestone year is to keep its singleminded focus on the future of the venison industry, says Duncan.
Notice
anything
different?
WE HOPE YOU do! The look and feel
of Deer Industry News has been unchanged
since our first issue in 2002 and a redesign has been long
overdue. Our change to a new-look magazine has coincided
with a project to give a consistent and professional look to all
communications from DINZ and NZDFA.
Deer Industry News has been given a lighter and more open
feel and we’ve also taken the opportunity to change to
a non-reflecting matt finish paper that is easier to read.
There will no doubt be further tweaks to the design as the
new look beds in, but we hope you like our first makeover
in more than 12 years and 70 issues. Any feedback and
suggestions are most welcome!
— Phil Stewart, Editor
MIE report overlooks venison
Meat Industry Excellence (MIE)’s much awaited report Red Meat Industry –
Pathways to Long-Term Sustainability was launched in mid-March, omitting
any reference to venison and the deer industry and receiving muted support
from the meat industry.
sheepmeat plants from 36 to 21 and
beef plants from 27 to 21. While a
proposed “one hit rationalisation
strategy”, where rationalisation
of all companies happens at
one time, has been rejected by
MIE itself as unworkable, it
has suggested consolidation of the biggest three
companies – the big two cooperatives Silver Fern Farms and
Alliance with ANZCO or AFFCO – as the most likely option, or
at the very least a merger for Silver Fern Farms and Alliance.
A merger of Silver Fern Farms and Alliance Group, the
analysis has shown, could “show gains of over $400 million over
five years”, while further consolidation involving more meat
companies “offers billions of dollars in gains”.
MIE recommends that red meat processors put aside individual
differences and work collaboratively to find an industry-wide
solution – this is where the Cervena reference comes in.
The industry should consider “chain licensing”, including a
moratorium preventing the building of any new plants for a
period to enable restructuring outcomes to be “bedded in”. It also
advocates a structure – “Big Red” – and/or holding company for
plant closures into which supportive companies could transfer
their assets in plants or facilities that need to be closed.
continued on page 34
AERU’s cost benefit analysis of the rationalisation strategies claims
impressive potential savings.
Estimated Savings
2,000
1,800
2018/19
1,600
5 year total
1,400
$ Million
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
BIG 4 + OV + 7 × POP
BIG 4 + OV + 4 × POP
BIG 2 + AFFCO + OV + 4 × POP
BIG 4 + OV
BIG 2 + ANZCO + OV + 4 × POP
BIG 2 + AFFCO + 4 × POP
BIG 4
BIG 2 + ANZCO + 4 × POP
BIG 2 + OV + 4 × POP
BIG 2 + AFFCO
BIG 2 + ANZCO
0
BIG 2
WORK ON THE independent analysis of the meat industry was
funded by $219,000 from Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), after
its levy payers voted to support an MIE remit put to its AGM in
March 2014.
The 69-page report has been co-authored by MIE chairman
John McCarthy and the pressure group’s chief adviser, agribusiness
consultant Ross Hyland, who spoke at last year’s Deer Farmers
Association branch chairmen’s conference giving an insight
into the group’s work and viewpoints (see Deer Industry News,
December/January 2015).
The report highlights the gains possible if the industry can
tackle its structural challenges cooperatively, says McCarthy. The
organisation’s focus, it says, is to return more money to sheep and
beef farmers so that the industry’s productive base stops shrinking
and returns to growth. Of principal concern is the sheepmeat
sector, the reduction in stock numbers and loss of land to dairying
interests.
While these are familiar themes for the deer sector, the
impact of any proposed changes on other primary production,
including this industry, wider agribusiness or rural communities,
are not considered.
“The report does not mention deer or venison, except to very
briefly suggest our industry’s approach with Cervena as a model
to consider,” DINZ chief executive Dan Coup has noted.
Central to the document is a comprehensive analysis of the
red meat (beef and lamb) processing sector by meat industry
consultants GHD. Lincoln University’s Agricultural Economic
Research Unit (AERU) provided further analysis of those results
and other MIE work, while market researcher Cinta conducted
a nationwide survey of farmers. Discussions were also held
with 85 percent of sheepmeat processors and 86 percent of
beef processors.
Big numbers have been crunched and extrapolated and a range
of options suggested.
The MIE research found that farmers generally support a
cooperative-led structure and are concerned about the risk of
foreign ownership of their supply chain. In addition, if a cohesive
and comprehensive plan is developed, farmers would be willing to
invest to boost future returns, says MIE. Finally, “over-capacity is
costing farmers and processors a great deal, and distorting market
behaviour to the detriment of export value”.
Overcapacity, inefficient and old plant and technology, overinvestment in procurement and under-investment in marketing
and the quality of relationships between processors and sheep and
beef farmers are all weighed up alongside current and proposed
processing capacity and rationalisation options or pathways.
It suggests that 19 named processing plants – none of them
handling venison – could be closed, reducing the number of
Note: OV = ovine plants. POP = privately owned processors.
APR/MAY 2015
33
Industry News
Alpine Deer and Lowe Products
join forces
by Ali Spencer, Deer Industry News writer
Alpine Deer has merged with Lowe Products, taking the combined co-products businesses into
the future as one entity, Alpine Deer New Zealand L.P.
THE MERGER, WHICH became effective on 1 April, had been
“cooking for a while,” says Lowe Product’s general manager Hugh
Signal. He will lead the new partnership as managing director and
will also take a place on the new partnership’s five-strong board,
while Alpine’s current managing director, Jonathan Wallis, will
assume a position as executive director.
The announcement has been
made quietly, reflecting our
“The two businesses belief in deer, says Signal. The
have different,
merger came about from the
realisation that both businesses
complementary
shared common goals for the
strengths.”
deer co-products industry. At a
time of industry rationalisation,
the new entity will create genuine opportunities for existing
venison processors and marketers to work collaboratively.
“The two businesses have different strengths that complement
each other,” says Signal, adding that both wanted to avoid
fragmentation within the industry and firmly believed that
consolidation and a unified product offering strengthened the
industry’s sales proposition.
“Our immediate plans are to identify opportunities for stability
in the commodity market, while moving raw materials from
commodity- based markets into the value-add arena.”
Signal declined to put a value on the combined turnover, but
did confirm that, aside from the name change, it will be business
as usual for the companies and the two main processing plants
involved. These are Alpine Deer’s Luggate plant outside Wanaka
and Lowe Products’ Tauranga facility.
MIE report continued
MIE also believes that committed or contracted supply is
pivotal to achieving long-term stability and contends that the
sector should consider the initiatives employed by the New
Zealand electricity industry to respond to seasonal or severe
environmental events such as drought, under peak kill demand.
B+LNZ chairman James Parsons believes that the report is
a constructive document and has the potential to inform and
stimulate initiatives. “Every single sector has the opportunity to do
better. Even if the gains are not as significant as the report claims,
they are deserving of exploration as we continue to grow the
prosperity of the red meat sector and New Zealand.”
He noted that as the mandated commercial leaders, the meat
companies now have the opportunity to work collaboratively, “and
to realise these gains, if they are real”.
The Minister for Primary Industries has reiterated his position
34
DEER INDUSTRY NEWS
Hugh Signal.
Jonathan Wallis.
Lowe Products re-branded as a specialist ingredients
manufacturer, CervusBio, last year (see Deer Industry News June/
July 2014).
DINZ velvet marketing services manager Rhys Griffiths says the
industry organisation is excited about the merger.
“It shows forward thinking and a long-term view of the market.
Alpine Deer brings a lot of trading expertise going back to the
pioneering market development of Sir Tim Wallis. Lowe Products
is a well-established company with young and energetic leadership
and expertise in adding value to deer products,” Griffiths says.
that he would need a clear and cohesive plan, involving the
agreement of 80 percent of processors, before the Government
would get involved.
Meat company response has been muted and they are said
to be reviewing the information. However, the cooperatives in
particular, have disputed the claimed potential gains, as the figures
do not match their own detailed research during earlier merger
talks. Independent meat businesses such as ANZCO, in which its
major shareholder the Japanese company Itoham increased its
shareholding recently, are unlikely to relinquish assets without
consideration of the commercial impact on their operations.
One thing’s for sure: it’s unlikely there will be immediate
change.
For a full copy of the report: http://bit.ly/1Im0uFr
Free workshops to up-skill NAIT users
domestic markets and add value to farming businesses,” said
FARMERS ARE BEING encouraged to get along to a series of
Dr Hutchings.
workshops on how to use OSPRI’s National Animal Identification
“Being able to trace animal movements on and off farm is already
and Tracing (NAIT) programme.
proving invaluable when it comes to containing bovine tuberculosis
The workshops have been tailored to beef, deer and lifestyle
herd infections and identifying the source of the disease.”
farmers, and will provide a hands-on, interactive two-hour
The workshops give farmers a forum to ask
experience using NAIT’s online system. They
questions before 1 July 2015, when all cattle must
run from April June (the first few workshops had
be tagged and registered in the NAIT database,
been held by the time Deer Industry News went
“If a farmer finds
to press).
there is no workshop including animals born before NAIT became
mandatory in 2012. Those attending a workshop
OSPRI Acting Chief Executive Stu Hutchings
nearby, they should
will receive a handy set of instructions to keep at
said the workshops aim to help new users of
home, so they can continue to meet their NAIT
the NAIT system and those needing a refresher
contact us and we’ll
requirements. “As long as their NAIT information
course. The feedback to date from farmers
find a way to help.”
is up to date, farmers can use the system to keep
who have attended a workshop has been
track of stock they’ve received or sent away.
overwhelmingly positive.
For example, an increasing number of absentee owners are using
“The NAIT programme is critical to biosecurity and market
NAIT to remotely monitor stock going onto their farm,” said
access. To be effective, we need all cattle and deer tagged and
Dr Hutchings.
registered with NAIT as well as up to date data on their location
“We’re keen to ensure that everyone gets a chance to attend
and movements,” said Dr Hutchings.
You only need a computer and internet access to complete all of a workshop. If a farmer finds there is no workshop nearby, they
should contact us and we’ll find a way to help.”
your NAIT actions. The workshops provide people with a guided
Forty-two workshops have been scheduled nationwide. Each
tour on how to register animals, record the sending and receiving
workshop is limited to 20 people to cater for the needs and
of stock and update animal details in NAIT’s online system.
questions of all participants. To register, visit www.nait.co.nz/
“Accurate NAIT data can be used to contain potential animal
events or call 0800 624 843.
diseases, provide food safety assurance to international and
Tag and register
by March 1.
The reasons why
go way beyond the rules.
Yes, you have to, but spare a moment to think about why.
When your stock is traceable, NAIT can help swiftly contain
a disease that’s moved on to your farm and find the source.
It’s a big reassurance for your farm and business. It also helps
keep our exports competitive. Tag and register deer by 1 March
and you’ll do more than just play by the rules.
To learn more, visit nait.co.nz
An OSPRI programme
APR/MAY 2015
35
Breeding the difference
32ND ANNUAL ELITE HIND AND WEANER SALE
TUESDAY 21ST JULY 2015 @ 1PM
Offering features many new and exciting genetic combinations
including progeny of and matings to:
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GREGOR 5YR 605 IOA HA 20.05KG
MCCAW 5YR 570 IOA HA 16.57KG
STAPLEFORD 4YR SON OF ODYSSEUS
488 IOA HA 11.87KG
HOUGHTON 4YR SON OF ODYSSEUS
485 IOA HA 12.72KG
ELLIOT 4YR SON OF BROADBAND HA
11.54KG LIVEWEIGHT 302KG
VICKTOR 4YR PURE GERMAN 438 IOA
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FITZROY 3YR PURE ENGLISH 461 IOA
LORDE 3YR SON OF METALLICA 469
IOA HA 13.2KG
ALSO INLCUDES PROGENY OF AND MATINGS TO:
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Mentor
Davidson
Morpheus
• Myson
FaultyTowers
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Prince Philip
Image
Amadeus
Munich
HUNTSBURY II CHANCELLOR PEEL X
AMADEUS 3YR 480 IOA HA 11.57KG
CONTACT US FOR DETAILS:
Foveran Deer Park, PO Box 119, Kurow
Phone 03 436 0680, Mobile 021 222 8964
[email protected] www.foverandeerpark.co.nz