Described as a true legend who deservedly ranks highly alongside many of the deer industry’s pioneers and stalwarts, Geoff Asher is the 2019 recipient of the Deer Industry Award, the industry’s highest honour.
His contribution to the deer industry was recognised with the presentation of the award at Deer Industry New Zealand’s conference in Wellington.
Renowned for his passion for deer, his prodigious science output and for providing practical solutions to deer farming problems and opportunities, the leading deer production scientist at AgResearch was caught completely off guard.
Feeling humbled but honoured Asher said he was blown away and for probably the first time in his life was lost for words.
Asher has worked as a deer scientist for AgResearch and its predecessor organisations all his career, starting at Ruakura in1980 and transferring to Invermay in 1992.
His particular interests are deer reproduction physiology and it all stems from growing up in the Hutt Valley.
“I never grew up on a farm. My passion started from watching the wild deer across the valley from my house.
“I have had the passion virtually since I could walk.
“As a 12-year-old I was wandering across the Akatarawa Ranges in the Hutt Valley spotting possums and then I saw this fawn looking for its mother. It was such a beautiful thing to see.”
An enthusiastic and skilled hunter it was through his hunting experiences he realised his real love for deer.
“Through hunting I became acutely aware that deer are an amazing animal and from a science perspective too.”
After completing his doctoral studies at Victoria University and making the call over geology and botany to focus on zoology Asher joined the newly established deer unit as a scientist at the Ruakura Centre in 1980.
In his early work, under the guidance of mentor Ken Drew, he did comprehensive surveys of the fallow deer industry herds in the North Island.
Later rationalisation of AgResearch work saw the Ruakura deer programme closed and Asher shifted to Otago to work at Invermay in 1993.
With his specialist interests in research on reproductive performance Asher has run the Invermay programme since 2002, these days more related to venison.
“Today I manage a much wider programme incorporating a broader suite of projects.
“The move south was not a bad thing. There are more resources down here for the deer industry.”
Asher has not only made a major contribution to the deer industry with his scientific work on reproductive systems in Red, Wapiti and fallow deer, he has also been very practical in sharing his expertise with farmers.
“His expertise in basic biology of reproduction and breeding systems covers many fields and he has been very practical in transferring his knowledge to deer farmers,” Drew said.
Drew attributed the success of Asher’s special breeding programme with the rare Mesopotamian fallow sub-species as an example of his exclusive research contribution to the industry.
“This has been done at Invermay and today the species flourishes under an arrangement with AgResearch and a commercial farm in Hawke’s Bay.”
Much of the industry’s understanding of the effects of nutrition on reproduction success rate in Red deer has come from Asher’s work.
“This work has enabled the industry to focus on achieving prescribed weight range in order to reach good calving rates.
“This is a hugely important matter for deer farmers and getting it right has resulted in a spectacular lift in productivity and profitability,” Drew said.
“I have no doubt his contribution to the industry in his specialist and general role is unmatched as is his commitment to AgResearch, DEEResearch deer farming and the transfer of knowledge and advice to the NZ deer-farming industry.”
DINZ science and policy manager Catharine Sayer said Asher’s unparalleled knowledge in the deer research community has enabled the industry to identify areas of real opportunity where science can make a difference.
“His mana has pulled into deer research programmes the leading experts in animal production and allied fields and his focus maintaining capability in core disciplines has ensured that the deer industry can continue to be innovative and demonstrate leadership in evidence-based practice development.
“By encouraging the industry to invest in genetic improvement and supporting the development of the Deer Select platform the national herd has made permanent genetic gains in performance that have enabled NZ to increase its efficient and consistent production of premium quality products,” Sayer said.
DINZ producer manager Tony Pearse said Asher’s contribution to Focus Farm projects, Advance Parties, Deer Farmers’ Association branches and field days, industry and breed conferences is highly respected and studded with pertinent, practical analysis and advice.
“He also has a record of building exceptionally strong science teams over his years at the leading edge in the study of science and biology of deer and there are many examples,” Pearse said.
Asher said the people are one part of his 40 years in the industry that have stood out.
“The people, connecting with farmers, I have really enjoyed mixing with farmers at many field days, conferences and more recently Advance Parties workshops.”
From a science perspective he is proud of his international contribution to the deer industry, including the publication in international journals of more than 100 papers on reproductive physiology in deer.
He has also chaired and co-ordinated two international symposia for the international fallow deer industries and authored Progressive Fallow Deer Farming, a definitive text for modern fallow deer.
“Over the years I have been privileged to do a lot of research in most interesting projects and I am proud of the more than 100 papers I have had published.
“I have also been privileged to work with deer, deer farmers and really great people in science,” Asher said.
At almost 63 he is phasing in retirement, now working just three days a week while keeping his hand in hunting and fishing and enjoying his interest in geology and a spot of gardening.
He’s confident he will leave the industry in capable hands.
“When I do leave I will leave knowing there’s a great crop of keen, young, enthusiastic people coming through. They will need more funding but research will always need more funding.”
