Friday, March 29, 2024

Venison on the back-burner

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As a wrap-up of ‘the year that was’ Country-Wide writers revisit three deer farmers from around New Zealand to find out how they fared in 2015.
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More deer have been sent down the road at Alistair Robbie’s Popotunua farm in south Otago. When profiled by  Country-Wide last January, Alistair and partner Jane Duthie had recently halved the number of breeding hinds to 350 because of the depressed venison schedule.

Then in October last year they offloaded more, culling and selling the oldest in-calf hinds. That’s left 160, which as in past years will be mated to elk-wapiti bulls. The move followed the leasing of 110ha to a dairy farmer, leaving 125ha for deer and bull beef-dairy grazing. 

Although more hinds have gone Alistair is not totally turning his back on deer. Last year, for the first time, he bought in 22 rising-two-year velvet stags.

“The velvet price is good and looks stable at the moment and since I’m already velveting 20 elk sires I thought I might as well take on some more.”

Last season they once again kept 40 of the 100 bobby calves raised by Jane. They’ll be grazed and slaughtered at 15-months-old but could be quit sooner if feed is in short supply.

Also, 88 rising-two-year Friesian bulls are being grazed on a weight-gain contract.

The Advance Party that Alistair belongs to visited in the midst of a particularly bad winter last year. 

“We had virtually no grass – they couldn’t have come at a worse time.”

Even so, he’s found group participation to be worthwhile.

“It’s good – we all pick holes but it’s enlightening.”

Conditions had picked up over spring with crops and young grass sown. Weather permitting he’s looking to turn over another paddock for new grass this autumn.

Alistair is still looking to rebuild the hind herd when the venison price is right.

“If the schedule goes to near $9 for spring and sticks around $7.50 for the rest of the year we’ll look at increasing numbers again.”

Alistair Robbie yards spikers for velveting.

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