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13 November 2002, Issue 13

VENISON

VENISON SCHEDULE This week (week 46): $5.18 (down 24 cents on last week) Down 24% on the 5 year average for this time of year ($6.78)

60kg AP Stag – Published National Schedule.

$4.00

$5.00

$6.00

$7.00

$8.00

$9.00

$10.00

$11.00

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51Week

Sche

dule

AP

60kg

Sta

g - $

/kg

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 (Source: Agri-Fax)

IN THIS ISSUE 1. Venison Schedule 2. Velvet Pool Prices 3. Note for Vets with NVSB Clients:

Update Client Details on the Net4. Free Website Listing 5. Tb Numbers Continue to Drop6. Towards a Sustainable NZ7. Shortcut to Check Your Details8. What Are The Neighbours Up To?9. What’s the Damage? $1 Million10. Resource Plan Submission11. New Zealand Venison Promotion In

Holland 12. QA Training Course for PGG

Livestock Agents

VELVET

VELVET POOL PRICES A range of indicator prices for the past week is set out below with comparisons against last season’s average prices.

Current Season Last Season's

Approx. change

Week to

7/11/2002 Weighted Average

from last season

SA 121 - 150 $132.64 2% A 107 - 124 $116.41 -1% B 103 - 117 $112.18 -2% C 87 - 106 $107.47 -10% D 75 - 80 $84.23 -8% E 60 - 64 $70.12 -12%

As previously reported, buying interest is currently subdued because of concerns over stock levels of Canadian and Chinese product in the market and also the impact of the strong NZ dollar. There are some reports of increased interest at these prices with buyers coming to New Zealand.

NOTE FOR VETS WITH NVSB CLIENTS: UPDATE CLIENT DETAILS ON THE NET The new way to access your clients’ NVSB programme details on the internet is to: • Go to the new Deer Industry New

Zealand website – www.deernz.org • Click the link to ‘Check your details’ • Enter your login ID and password as

previously.

FREE WEBSITE LISTING If you would like your website listed on the links page of the Deer Industry New Zealand website please email your website address and a brief description (up to 20 words) to [email protected].

Deer Notes is published by Deer Industry New Zealand PO Box 10-702 Wellington, New Zealand

Tel: +64-4 382 8626 Fax: +64-4 382 9143 www.deernz.org www.velvet.org.nz www.nzvenison.com

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its content, Deer Notes alone is not to be substituted for direct advice on any matter addressed.

Deer Industry New Zealand is the operating name of the Game Industry Board.

UPCOMING EVENTS

HAWKE’S BAY VELVET COMPETITION AND DINNER

Velvet Competition Judging begins at 1.00pm and public viewing will be at the Wrightson Whakatu Coolstore from 4.00—5.00pm. Dinner At Kemblefield Estate Winery at Maraekakaho Drinks from 5.30pm onwards. Speakers include Tony Pearse, the Producer Executive of the new Deer Industry NZ, who will judge the velvet competition and Shane Quinn, of Alpine Hunting NZ, who will present the inaugural Trophy Antler Award and give a rundown on the trophy hunting scene. Numbers are limited to 90 people and as previous years have always been fully subscribed, we suggest you book your space early. Cost is $50 per person and bookings for the evening can be made by contacting Matt Holden, Phone(06) 856-6760, [email protected]

Friday,22 November

SOUTH OTAGO DEER GROUP VELVET COMPETITION 6.00 p.m. Greenfield Tavern, Clydevale For more information please contact Ken Harrex Phone 03 485 9514 or Barry McCall Phone 03 415 9252

Wednesday, 27 November

TARANAKI BRANCH VELVET COMPETITION For more information contact Jo-Anne Huesser on (06) 758 1292

Thursday, 28 November

SOUTH CANTERBURY/NORTH OTAGO BRANCH VELVET COMPETITION 6.00 p.m. Poplars Reception Centre, Pleasant Point For more information please contact R Hudson, Phone (03) 686 1967

Friday, 29 November

NORTH ISLAND VELVET COMPETITION & DINNER 4.30 to 5.30 p.m. Icepak Coolstores, S H 1, Tamahere Velvet viewing will be 4.30 to 5.30 p.m. at Icepak Coolstores, S H 1, Tamahere followed by the Velvet Awards Dinner at the fabulous Narrows Landing. 6.30 to 7.30 pm: pre dinner drinks at Narrows Landing. 7.30 p.m. dinner and Awards at the Pirongia Deck, Narrows Landing. Entertainment by Tauranga's Top Group "THE BLARNEY BOYS". Bookings are essential. Cost per head $50.00 For further information phone Bob Dunn 07 8295 899 or 025 948 716

Friday, 29 November

FIORDLAND VELVET COMPETITION AND ‘LATE CHRISTMAS’ BBQ 4.00 pm, Chris Carran’s deer sales complex. All deer farmers welcome. For more information please call Chris Petersen, (03) 249 8996, [email protected].

Sunday, 26 January, 2003





NATIONAL 2YR VELVET COMPETITION AND BRANCH CHALLENGE Sponsored by West Bush Deer Stud, Masterton Alan Griffin, of West Bush Deer Stud, has kindly agreed to sponsor the event again and this year the decision has been made to provide prizes for the competition to the value of over $1,200. The Branch that wins the Branch Challenge will be presented with a case of wine. There will be $200 for first prize in each of the other two classes, $100 for second and $75 for third. To encourage entries in the Wapiti class, there will only be placings paid if there are more than 5 entries - for the last two years there has been only ONE entry. Velvet will be available for viewing at the Wrightson Store, Masterton from 5.00pm in the afternoon with dinner at the Copthorne Resort Solway. Entry forms will be in the December issue of the Deer Industry News and must be received by Monday February 3rd, with velvet at the Masterton store by Wednesday February 5th. For more information please contact Rachael Mitchell on 06 370 1051.

Saturday, February 8th, 2003.

DEER INDUSTRY CONFERENCE 2003 Timaru Branch Chairmen’s meeting and associated meetings 27 May. Details of conference events and schedule are still being finalised, but mark your diary now.

27 to 29 May, 2003

OTHER NEWS

TB NUMBERS CONTINUE TO DROP Numbers of deer herds infected with Tb continue to drop at a pleasing rate. The number of infected herds hit an all time low of 69 herds in August 2002 (a drop of 21% compared with August 2001). 59 (86%) of all infected herds are in the South Island, predominantly in Canterbury and Otago (with 22 and 19 infected herds respectively). A more detailed breakdown of infected herd numbers by region is available on the AHB’s website. See www.ahb.org.nz

Tb infected deer herds at record low.

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE NZ Agenda 21 was the name given to the programme of action adopted at the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio De Janeiro in 1992. A report on New Zealand’s progress in achieving the objectives set out in Agenda 21 has been published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. A full copy can be access at their website – www.mfat.govt.nz. The section containing information directly relevant to farming and agriculture is available for download from the Deer Industry New Zealand website – www.deernz.org

Report on NZ’s progress towards sustainability

available.





SHORTCUT TO CHECK YOUR DETAILS With the update of the GIB and DFA websites into the new Deer Industry New Zealand, it is now even easier to check your own details on the Deer Industry New Zealand Database. On the front page of the website (www.deernz.org) there is a link to ‘Check your details’ – click here and login using your user ID and password. This is the same user name and password as for the DEEResearch website. Call the Deer Industry New Zealand office on (04) 382 8626 if you have any problems.

Access your details on the Deer Industry New Zealand

website.

WHAT ARE THE NEIGHBOURS UP TO? If you’re interested to know what other branches are up to check out their branch newsletters. These can be downloaded from the Deer Industry New Zealand website: http://www.deernz.org.nz/?id=35. Recent Branch newsletters added to the site are: • Wairarapa: November • Hawke’s Bay, October • Nelson, October Please send your newsletters to [email protected] so we can make them available in this way.

Check out DFA Branch

newsletters.

WHAT’S THE DAMAGE? $1 MILLION Philip Irwin (Wrightson) is reported in the October issue of the Hawke’s Bay Branch newsletter talking about increased volumes of damaged velvet being noted at pools. After looking at velvet pool statistics for last year we found that ‘Damaged’ grades accounted for 6.3% of total pool volumes. Based on last year’s total production, this represents more than 33 tonnes of damaged velvet, 5 tonnes more than the previous year. Philip Irwin points out that damaged grades are penalised by approximately $30 per kilogram on average. This represents a loss to the industry of $1 million last year alone. We endorse Phillip’s advice to producers to check your yards and sheds before velveting, make sure you are set up properly for velvet removal and for the animal’s welfare and comfort and take temperament into account when culling.

Damaged velvet cost

producers $1 million last year.

RESOURCE PLAN SUBMISSION Deer Industry New Zealand and the DFA were pleased to be able to support submissions to the Queenstown Lakes District Council last week regarding a proposed variation to the District Plan which would impact farmers’ ability to fence and plant shelterbelts. Deer Industry New Zealand is registering its status as an Interested Party with District Councils nationwide in an effort to stay abreast of these types of issues in other areas. Please contact your Producer executive, Tony Pearse, on (021) 719 038 or [email protected] if you are aware of any issues we should be tackling at an industry level.

Putting the industry’s collective voice behind

local issues.

http://www.deernz.org.nz/?id=35





NEW ZEALAND VENISON PROMOTION IN HOLLAND New Zealand venison was featured in an article in Horecazine, a monthly magazine published by VEN, a Dutch cash and carry chain and longstanding customer of Duncan & Company. The article included a New Zealand venison recipe and information about Deer Industry New Zealand Executive Chef Graham Brown who has helped promote New Zealand venison at VEN luncheons in recent years.

QA TRAINING COURSE FOR PYNE GOULD GUINNESS LIVESTOCK AGENTS Last week John Tacon (Quality Manager) ran training courses in Christchurch and Gore for livestock agents belonging to the PGG group. 34 new live stock agents attended. These agents cover the entire South Island and are an addition to the existing staff. The courses followed the original successful concept of deer industry QA training that began back in 1996 covering sessions such as: • Background to Quality Assurance. • How Quality Assurance works and who drives it. • Role of Livestock agents within industry QA programmes. • Animal welfare. • Legal requirements and responsibilities under the new Animal Welfare Act. • Velvet & Velpool procedures. • Tb regulations. • Transport issues. • Fair trading. There were also sessions on PGG insurance requirements and procedures as well as Health & Safety. At the conclusion of the course agents are tested on both a written multi-choice questionnaire as well as a practical, on-farm assessment evaluating 10 deer being readied for slaughter. This involves assessing live weights, heaviest, lightest and average weights, carcass conversion rates and gross returns to the farmer. As a result of these two courses all Pyne Gould Guinness livestock agents are currently accredited to the industry DeerQA livestock agents programme

QA in all links of the value

chain.

All PGG Livestock Agents accredited to DeerQA

Programme

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