| Project
Title: |
Improving
Deer Industry Profitability |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
DIP-5A |
| Researcher: |
Chris
Tuckwell |
| Organisation: |
Rural
Industry Developments Pty Ltd
PO Box 1105
Gawler, SA, 1105 |
| Phone: |
(08)
8523 3500 |
| Fax: |
(08)
8523 3500 |
| Email: |
cdtuckwell@bigpond.com |
| Objectives |
To
continue the improvement of deer farmer profitability and increase new
interest in the industry by:
· Ongoing collection,
interpretation and reporting of deer industry statistics and databases
· Regular reporting
of project outcomes and industry activities to media and industry stakeholders
· Reproducing new
industry QA manuals produced by DIP-3A part B for dissemination to industry
· Producing computer
CD’s that holds an electronic format of new manual
· Encouraging and
training new industry QA facilitators as required
· Updating the accreditation
status of existing facilitators
|
| Background |
New
interest in the Australian deer industry is largely dependent on clearly
demonstrated, sustainable farm profit and favourable long-term market supply
and demand estimates. The expansion of the industry in Australia will continue
to be dependent on promulgation of positive market information and development
of marketing and production strategies based on accurate records. Industry
commitment to its QA programs is evidenced by its commitment to rewriting
existing manuals including the recognition of HACCP requirements and the
production of a computer record-keeping program for farmers who adopt the
program (RIRDC project DIP-3A part B). This project seeks to reproduce
manuals, both in electronic and hard copy formats for distribution to existing
manual holders and for new QA accreditation. |
| Research |
Project
methodology included:
1. Maintenance of deer
industry databases, including those related to industry QA, service provider
lists, technical resources, venison statistics and velvet statistics.
2. Regular and open reporting
of market and other information to industry.
3. Reproduction and dissemination
of new manuals developed by RIRDC project DIP-3A part B
4. Production of the new
manual in electronic format to assist distribution and to allow manuals
to be displayed on RIRDC and DIAA Internet Web sites.
5. Visits to all facilitators
to upgrade their accreditation. |
| Project
Title: |
Evaluation
of Diagnostic Tests for Johne’s Disease in Deer |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
DAV-194A |
| Researchers: |
Chris
Schroen, Jacek Gwozdz, Tracey Bradley, Robin Condron. |
| Organisation: |
Victorian
Institute of Animal Science
475 Mickleham Rd
Attwood.
Victoria 3049 |
| Phone: |
(03)
9217 4200 |
| Fax: |
(03)
9217 4299 |
| Email: |
chris.schroen@nre.vic.gov.au |
| Objectives |
To
evaluate and optimise the currently available diagnostic tests for the
detection of Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in deer for whole herd
testing. |
| Background |
Johne’s
disease (JD) is a chronic bacterial disease of ruminants that infects the
intestine and other regions. Subclinical infection usually exists for several
years before an infected animal will produce a positive result by current
diagnostic tests. In 2000, JD was detected in deer for the first time in
Australia and subsequently 6 infected deer herds have been identified in
Victoria. |
| Research |
Two
existing diagnostic tests used for cattle and sheep were modified and evaluated
for use with deer. Their performance was evaluated by comparison with individual
faecal culture (IFC) which is the current standard test for the diagnosis
of JD in live deer and by comparison with tissue culture (TC) and/or histopathology
(HP) following necropsy examination.
The commercially available
absorbed ELISA kit (Parachek, CSL) was modified by replacing the bovine
conjugate with either more concentrated anti-bovine conjugate, Protein
G or rabbit anti-deer conjugate. Agar gel immuno-diffusion (AGID) was also
evaluated against the ELISA and faecal culture. Faecal culture was evaluated
as IFC and as pooled faecal culture (PFC) of 5, 10 and 20 animals containing
faeces from one M. paratuberculosis infected deer. Quantification
of the number of M. paratuberculosis organisms excreted in faeces
of infected animals was undertaken using faeces from 39 infected animals. |
| Outcomes |
The
most sensitive method for confirming deer to be infected with M. paratuberculosis
was slaughter and culture of tissues and next sensitive was HP examination
of affected lymph nodes and intestinal tissues. IFC was positive for 50%
of infected deer tested by both TC and IFC. To achieve a specificity for
the ELISA, a cut-point similar to the cut-point for sheep (OD = negative
control plus 0.2) was selected and this had a sensitivity of 38.4% for
concentrated bovine conjugate, 38.4% Protein G and 40.7% deer conjugate
with specificity of 99%. 97.6% and 96.7% for these conjugates respectively.
The concentrated bovine conjugate appeared to have marginally better sensitivity
and specificity than Protein G or deer conjugates. The AGID test sensitivity
and specificity was 20.5 % and 100%. The AGID detected only those animals
with high concentration of antibodies. The average concentration of M.
paratuberculosis in faeces from deer with clinical signs of JD was
5x106 CFU/g and for other deer with subclinical infection the
concentration of M. paratuberculosis in faeces varied from 101
to 106 CFU/g. For specimens with concentrations of organisms
close to the detection limits of faecal culture it was not always possible
to reisolate M. paratuberculosis after the faeces had been frozen
at –20oC. PFC detected 54-60% of infected animals previously
found to be IFC positive.
While both faecal culture
and ELISA are suitable as whole herd tests to detect infected herds neither
test is capable of detecting a large proportion of infected deer in a single
test. Repeat testing is required to provide greater confidence in negative
herd test results. |
| Implications |
Both
the absorbed ELISA, IFC and PFC were found to be suitable for the diagnosis
of JD in deer. The absorbed ELISA modified for deer had sensitivity from
37.5 to 40% and specificity 96.7 to 99%. PFC was useful as a diagnostic
technique for identifying infected herds where herd prevalence is greater
than 5.6%. Given that the performance of the absorbed ELISA, IFC and PFC
of 5, 10 or 20 animals are equivalent to comparable tests where applied
for other species, the tests were found to be suitable for the diagnosis
of JD in deer. Consequently absorbed ELISA, IFC and PFC are recommended
tests for JD market assurance testing in deer herds. |
| Publications |
Papers
will be published in the Australian Veterinary Journal. |
| Project
Title: |
Near
Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy: Applications in Deer Nutrition |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
UQ-109A |
| Researcher: |
Gordon
Dryden |
| Organisation: |
School
of Animal Studies,
The University of Queensland,
Gatton,
QLD 4343 |
| Phone: |
(07)-5460
1255 |
| Fax: |
(07)-5460
1444 |
| Email: |
gmd@sas.uq.edu.au |
| Objectives |
To
review the application of NIR spectroscopy to agriculture and its potential
application to the deer farming industry in Australia, particularly deer
farming based on temperate pastures. |
| Background |
Deer
farmers can maximise the profitability of their enterprises by using nutritional
management to optimise the liveweight and condition of their slaughter
animals, and to ensure that calving rates are maximised. NIR spectroscopy
is an accurate, rapid and relatively inexpensive way of predicting the
nutritive value of animal feeds. Faecal analysis by NIR spectroscopy (faecal
profiling) is a powerful tool for describing an animal’s nutritional status,
and has been successfully used with cattle and deer in the US and Australia. |
| Research |
The
current literature on NIR spectroscopy was reviewed. Discussions were held
with the Texas A&M University group which is responsible for the beef
cattle faecal profiling service presently available in the North America. |
| Outcomes |
NIR
spectroscopy and its use in feed analysis and faecal profiling is reviewed
in this report. Emphasis is given as appropriate to its use in the deer
industry. |
| Implications |
NIR
spectroscopic methods should be developed for the analysis of deer foods
and for a faecal profiling service for the Australian deer farming industry.
An NIR-based nutritional expert system should be developed to give information
which is timely and relevant to individual deer farms. |
| Project
Title: |
Velvet
Antler – a summary of the reported health benefits |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
DIP-10A |
| Researcher: |
Chris
Tuckwell |
| Organisation: |
Rural
Industry Developments Pty Ltd
PO Box 1105
Gawler, SA, 1105 |
| Phone: |
(08)
8523 3500 |
| Fax: |
(08)
8523 3500 |
| Email: |
cdtuckwell@bigpond.com |
| Objectives |
Objectives
were (i) review and summarise information reported in available literature
reviews related to deer velvet antler deer with particular consideration
of its benefits for human and animal health and (ii) produce an educational
pamphlet for public use that outlines the composition, product forms and
medicinal benefits of processed deer antler and a list of references for
those wishing to do further investigation |
| Background |
Previous
RIRDC funded research identified potential demand for the sale and consumption
of deer velvet related products in Australia. Initial sales will be through
traditional medicine shops and tourist outlets mainly to resident Australians
of Asian descent and from Asian tourists. These people are aware of the
relative benefits and traditional use of these products and sales will
be related to exposure to the product and price rather than explanations
extracted from Western medical research. The project aims to provide information
to Australian clients that are not of Asian origin but who have interest
in alternative medicine. Information that is currently available on the
market often relies on unsupported and anecdotal information that may infringe
TGA guidelines. There is an increasing body of supported scientific information
available from Australian and overseas research that was summarized and
reported at the recent Velvet Antler Symposium in Canada. The research
work continues to validate, support and provide an increasing acceptance
for some of the traditional claims made for deer antler products. The pamphlet
summarizes information in a generic form relating to product safety, product
type, product use and medicinal benefits. Its format allows its use as
a first introduction for new clients. It also contains references for those
who wish to do further reading. |
| Research |
A
review of scientific literature and other available information (Internet)
relating to the chemical composition, safety, product types and consumer
benefits of deer antler products was undertaken. Five thousand copies of
a pamphlet containing details of consumer benefits, product types (powder,
slice etc) common chemical analyses, safety etc as well as a list of references
for further reading were produced and distributed to Industry organisations
and commercial companies |
| Outcomes |
Production
of an appropriately researched pamphlet that is a useful tool to inform
clients of the potential benefits of velvet antler and refer them to objective
research data that supports information provided in the brochure. The pamphlet
provides information about the strict industry quality assurance programs
that guarantee the quality of velvet antler produced in Australia and the
strict code of practice for the welfare of deer in Australia. The pamphlet
has been distributed to industry. The deer industry bookshop holds extra
copies of the pamphlet for ongoing use by industry. The project report
summarises an increasing body of supported scientific information available
from Australian and overseas research that continues to validate, support
and provide an increasing acceptance for some of the traditional claims
made for deer antler products. The report provides a detailed list of references
for those who wish to do further reading. |
| Implications |
Until
now, information on velvet antler available to the market often relied
on unsupported and anecdotal information that may infringe TGA guidelines.
Information provided in this report may assist TGA consideration of applications
linked to velvet antler. |
