Deer Industry News - Deer Industry New Zealand

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editorial Deer a sound investment in turbulent times The world is in the throes of systemic adjustments that most of us have not witnessed in our lifetimes. Tighter credit markets, shrinking balance sheets and slowing economic activity will affect the markets in which we sell and the environment in which we grow and process our products. Your Board commits to maintaining prudent fiscal governance of DINZ while continuing to invest in promotion and other industry-good activities. Despite turbulent conditions, now is not the time to slow or stop industry development. With a new Government come new policies which affect the deer industry. I’d like to briefly run through my perspective on a number of them: Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS): DINZ welcomes a select committee review of the ETS but is concerned that the scope appears narrow. DINZ believes an intensity-based ETS rather than cap-and-trade is pragmatic and less likely to reduce our competitiveness. The pastoral sector must continue to work collectively on this issue. Resource Management Act (RMA): The RMA should not be a means to tie up projects in process costs and red tape. DINZ welcomes the Government’s commitment to introduce a reform bill in its first 100 days of office. Broadband: DINZ believes the Government has this wrong. A roll-out of ultra-fast broadband to 75 percent of New Zealand homes will include few rural homes, where the Contents Editorial: In turbulent times, deer farming is a sound investment .................3 DINZ news: Grand velvet photo competition ....................................................4 CWD surveillance: come on southerners – do your bit! ...........................6 NAIT show goes on ....................................................................................8 Ticking the right boxes – it matters ..........................................................9 NVSB Update ...........................................................................................10 Venison production shows healthy gross margins .................................12 General news: Landcorp would be hit hard by ETS .......................................15 Animal Health Board Update ..................................................................16 Time getting tight for Pest Management Strategy review ......................17 Johne’s information networks taking shape ...........................................18 Coming events and sire sales .................................................................18 Elk/Wapiti: Utilising mother nature for bigger gains .............................19 Industry news: New Zealand Velvet Marketing Company launched .............20 Tyrolean dried venison .............................................................................22 Venison Industry Strategic Intent ............................................................22 Powered by velvet.org.nz in world’s top 10 .............................................24 Wild Plaza ................................................................................................25 Latest Chef Ambassador to endorse Cervena® in United States .........31 Farmers’ markets in New Zealand ..........................................................32 Market Talk: BOGO F&D Ltd ....................................................................33 Market Report: Venison and velvet updates .................................................34 Stagline: NZDFA velvet and hard antler competitions review ........................38 Focus Farm and productivity group Conference 2008 ............................40 North Island Velvet Competition .............................................................41 Venison added to menu for local derby ..................................................42 Economist knocks ETS into shape ..........................................................44 Research: Collaboration points way to Johne’s-resilient bloodlines .............45 Learning how venison holds its water ....................................................46 NZDFA invited to invest in pastoral genomics programme ....................48 Scientist honoured for deer vaccine work ...............................................49 DEER Select Sire Summaries: 1 December 2008 ...................................50 need is actually greatest. Farming families are remote, but are comfortable collaborating with each other to achieve a better result. The internet, particularly Web 2.0, is all about collaboration and removing distance. The $48 million for the Broadband Challenge Fund is only 3 percent of the size of the Government’s planned $1.5 billion investment in ultrafast broadband. The Government does not appear to have a specific goal for rural broadband access. One is required. Research, Science and Technology: The Government appears to have decided to discontinue the R&D tax credit and the $700 million Fast Forward Fund. It will instead invest more money in research consortia, more secure Crown research institute (CRI) funding, have Prime Minister’s prizes for science and create a role called Prime Minister’s Science Adviser. DINZ supports more investment in consortia for industry-researcher-Crown collaboration. There should be circumstances where the Government invests more than 50 percent where warranted. DINZ supports more secure funding for CRIs to provide more career certainty for scientists. However, there is a risk that CRIs will act in isolation, or worse, on political whims. Industry involvement is necessary to avoid wasted, ill-directed use of resources. We do not want researchers to climb a ladder only to find it’s up against the wrong wall. The venison schedule is 60 percent higher than the 10-year average for this time of year. Prices have increased faster than for competing proteins, some of which are seeing price softening. This is a real threat. It is more important than ever for producers to stay connected to the market through close, committed relationships with processor/marketers who in turn have close, committed relationships with distributors in touch with the final consumer. The industry needs to avoid the trading of venison in the market and procurement-driven rather than market-driven schedules. Turning now to the financial performance of our industry, there is always a lot of discussion about the most profitable livestock farming option. At present, venison offers very attractive returns in terms of cents per kilogram of dry matter consumed. I am very pleased to see confidence returning to the deer industry, and I’m sure financial institutions will support developing and growing deer units, based on the very compelling evidence provided in this issue of Deer Industry News (pages 12-14). I wish readers a happy and safe Christmas. I hope you have a refreshing break and come back ready for a positive 2009. John Scurr, Chairman Deer Industry New Zealand Deer Industry News is published by Deer Industry New Zealand six times a year 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 NZ Deer Farmers’ Association. Circulation enquiries: Deer Industry New Zealand, PO Box 10-702, Wellington, Ph 04 471 6114, Fax 04 472 5549, Email info@deernz.org Editorial and advertising enquiries: Words & Pictures, PO Box 27-221, Wellington, Ph 04 384 4688, Fax 04 384 4667, Email din@wordpict.co.nz Cover: Katherine Sharp of Stag Genetics, Anakoha Bay, Picton, was the deserving winner of our Grand Velvet Photo competition with this finely composed shot. Issue No 33 • December 2008 3
news Grand velvet photo competition: The Winners! A late flurry of entries meant our judges were kept busy right down to the wire, sifting through the many wonderful photos submitted for our Grand Velvet photo competition. We now have a great new pool of images for helping promote our velvet antler products to the world. Judges’ comments First Prize: $600 The overall winner is Katherine Sharp of Stag Genetics, Anakoha Bay, Picton, with this stag in an excellent pose, against a nice backdrop of native bush, emphasising New Zealand’s clean green environment. It’s our cover shot for this issue of Deer Industry News. Condition of deer: Some great photos were spoiled by shabby winter coats still being shed, which is obviously what typically happens this time of year. Backgrounds: Try to avoid features such as fences, yards, dead trees, tracks or buildings in the background unless they’re a part of the story you’re conveying. Framing: Deer don’t always cooperate by standing still, but try to think about the composition of the photo. What part will features such as trees, water, horizons and pasture play in the shot? Will they enhance the photo or be a distraction. How does a group of animals look together? Are any partially obscured or facing the wrong way? Cropping: Be careful not to crop photos too tightly. Some great shots were spoiled when the lower legs or back end of an animal were cut off. On the other hand, cropping can also be used to create an unusual effect. Light conditions: Difficult light conditions can become an asset. For example, backlit animals and their velvet can look stunning in silhouette. Strong sunlight can be good, but it also creates strong shadows. The diffused light during bright but overcast weather can help pick out details and give an almost luminous look to your subjects. Picture resolution: Make sure your digital camera is set at high resolution. Some wonderful photos were Second Prize: $250 Third Prize: $150 Chris Petersen’s photography featured over many years in the Warnham & Woburn photo awards, and this delightful photo captures his stags advancing expectantly on the photographer after a late spring snowfall in the Te Anau Basin. Tom May’s stag looks in excellent form – happy with life and rather pleased with himself. This is a nicely composed photo showing a healthy stag, a good head of velvet and a wellmanaged farming environment. 4 Deer Industry News
Page 1: ISSN 1176-0753 DEER INDUSTRY NEWS I
Page 5 and 6: news CWD surveillance: come on sout
Page 7 and 8: news On the plus side…. Speaking
Page 9 and 10: news Venison production shows healt
Page 11 and 12: news Icon at 7 years - 9.60 kg SA2
Page 13 and 14: general news Animal Health Board Up
Page 15 and 16: general news Johne’s information
Page 17 and 18: industry news New PGG Wrightson/Tas
Page 19 and 20: industry news Tyrolean dried veniso
Page 21 and 22: industry news for this race. The on
Page 23 and 24: industry news Farmers’ markets in
Page 25 and 26: Market Report Velvet As the world
Page 27 and 28: stagline supplement NZDFA velvet an
Page 29 and 30: stagline supplement Making the DIFF
Page 31 and 32: stagline supplement Venison added t
Page 33 and 34: esearch Collaboration points way to
Page 35 and 36: esearch variation in calpain activi
Page 37 and 38: esearch Containment facilities at L

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