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Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation |
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Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation |
Official Newsletter of the RIRDC Deer Industry Research and Development Committee. Contact the editor, Dr Laurence Denholm, at: PO Box 1564, ORANGE NSW 2800 Phone/fax 02 6361 3268, Mobile 0418 641957,
email: denholml@bigpond.comDecember 1999
In this issue:Other issues of this newsletter
VENISON LANGUAGE SPECIFICATION MANUAL - SECOND EDITION
RIRDC Project DIP-2A - Chris Tuckwell, Project ManagerFrom RIRDC Project DIP-2A the Australian deer industry now has a revised Venison Language Specification Manual. The first version of this manual prepared several years ago by AusMeat and industry has recently been reviewed and revised where necessary by Chris Tuckwell.
Together with Quality Assurance programs, Meat Specification Language provides the framework on which new markets are built and existing markets supplied with consistent products.
The objective specifications established by AusMeat for venison and the uniform “meat language” used to describe these specified cuts together provide the means for discourse between venison vendors and purchasers.The revised manual provides colour photographs of the cuts specified by AusMeat and the points requiring specification in the description of each cut, as well as anatomical descriptions of cuts.
A restaurateur who places an order for fifty 0026 Bone-In-Racks (photograph at right) for a function can be assured the venison he gets will be prepared as shown in the Specification Manual and prepared the same way as the last time he ordered that product.RIRDC is supporting the industry's marketing programs through development of materials like this new manual which processors require to sell Australian venison in export and domestic markets.
DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL DOMESTIC AND NICHE JAPANESE MARKETS FOR DIFFERENTIATED SPECIFIC CUTS OF VENISON
Progress Report - RIRDC Project DIP-3A: Lynelle Tume & Chris TuckwellThe objectives of this project are:
Progress to date in this project includes:To identify, investigate and report on niche Japanese and regional domestic markets for Australian venison. Develop cuts and packaging/presentation appropriate to individual niche market needs Prepare food service guide books for most suitable uses and methods for (a) selected fallow venison cuts and (b) selected red/rusa cuts To initiate development and coordination of industry serving to the markets on a basis of supplying any Quality Assured product while controlling growth demand to ensure that contracted demand does not exceed ability to supply. To target end user groups, organisations and training centres such as TAFE and professional associations in identified markets.
Research of the Japanese market has identified the autumn/winter period as the peak demand season for venison. The Japanese External Trade Organisation believes development of the venison market in Japan is possible with a planned program of promotional activities and attending various food fairs. Japanese producers prefer delicately flavoured venison sourced from the small local Sika deer but opportunities may exist for fallow venison from Australia in this market.Negotiations are proceeding to increase domestic consumption of venison by import substitution. Consultations have commenced with food-service professionals to determine the ideal information content to include in food-service guide books for venison. Most chefs and food writers still consider venison a “good” product despite past experiences with product consistency and supply.
NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AND GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS OF PREGNANT AND LACTATING RED AND FALLOW DEER
Progress Report - RIRDC Project UWS - 16A - Dr Robert MulleyThe objectives of this project are:
The investigators report that since the last progress report in December 1998 there has been extensive progress in all areas of investigation, with several projects reaching completion and the results published.to accurately establish the nutritional requirements of pregnant and lactating fallow deer to assess the impact of varying levels of maternal nutrition on placental growth, foetal growth, fawn survival and subsequent fawn growth to produce a “guide to feeding” manual for distribution to deer farmers that will advise feeding strategies for development of even lines of deer for slaughter, and optimal maintenance of breeding stock to maximise reproductive capability. To determine the requirements of pregnant and lactating fallow deer, data on feed intake was obtained from 24 individually housed does, the first definitive data of this type for fallow.
No significant difference was detected between the feed intake of Dama dama fallow does and 1/4 Mesopotamian hybrid does.
Dr Mulley provided the graph below for the newsletter.
This graph shows how the daily feed energy requirements of fallow does greatly increases in late pregnancy and lactation. The energy requirement of the lactating doe is about 2.5 times her requirement in mid-pregnancy. On a feed containing, say, 12.5 megajoules of metabolizable energy per kilogram of dry matter, lactating does will require about 2 kg of dry matter per day to supply their needs of 25 MJME/day. If 50% of this feed is water the doe will need at least 4 kilograms per day. (For animals on pasture, feed requirements are usually a bit higher than for housed animals on concentrate rations.)
The project has also determined feed requirements for fallow weaners. The results show that the energy requirements of weaner fallow deer fawns are surprisingly high - equivalent to those of non-lactating fallow does. In other words, the feed requirements of fallow does with their weaned fawns at foot will be double that of the does alone. As with weaned lambs, properly feeding fallow weaners is fundamental to farm profitability.
This project is also undertaking an assessment of the impact of maternal nutrition on placental and foetal development in fallow.
To assist fallow deer farmers with their nutritional management, the project will developing a system for body condition scoring.
QUALITY ASSURANCE, STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT
Progress Report - RIRDC Project DIP4A - Chris TuckwellThe objective of the project is to develop and implement strategies that will consolidate and expand production of Australian deer products and the position of the Australian deer industry as a commercial industry that complements Australia's traditional industries.
The research contractor reports that the industry database, particularly the compilation of venison processing statistics, continues to grow. However, input to the development of strategic alliances has only been undertaken from an “arms length” basis to date. While two or three major alliances are developing, commitment by producers has been minimal and assistance required by processors is small. Input to developing alliances is principally confined to requests for statistical data and some budgeting assistance.
A consultant has been contracted to assist with the development of Quality Assurance documentation. The second draft of the proposed documentation has been circulated to industry representatives for comment. A training/interaction workshop was undertaken prior to the industry's national conference in September 1999, but attempts to encourage new people train as QA facilitators have not been successful to date.
A paper was presented to the industry conference in September 1999 detailing the relationship between venison quality and farm profitability. Discussion focussed on the need for producers to better understand the management and feeding of their animals to improve overall farm profitability and the international of venison produced by the Australian industry.
THE DEER INDUSTRY COMPANY REPORT
NEW SPECIFICATIONS MANUAL:
During 1999 RIRDC recognised that few of the original Venison Specifications and Venison Language manuals remained for industry use, original publications contained a few errors and new specifications not described by the manuals are in use by industry. RIRDC initiated project to update the manuals in July 1999. Original manuals have been amended, updated and combined, into a new single manual. New manuals are printed in a practical size and format that allows individual pages to be easily and cost effectively updated as future requirements dictate. The new format allows us to easily and cost effectively, update the manual in the future as required. Copies of the manual are available from the Deer Industry Bookshop at a cost $25.00 plus postage and handling. In the near future, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) will make available an electronic copy of the manual on its internet web site (www.rirdc.gov.au) for viewing by the general publicDOMESTIC VENISON MARKET:
We have made good progress in the domestic venison market. An importer of high quality venison trim, (currently importing 18 to 20 tonnes of venison trim per month from NZ) has agreed to purchase trim from one of Australia's largest processors for a trial period. Reactions to the first trial shipment have been positive and we are hopeful that a longer-term supply contract may develop.NEW RIRDC FIVE-YEAR R&D PLAN:
Work on the new industry five-year R&D plan for RIRDC has begun. Although more than 90 people have been contacted for input to the new Plan, to date, fewer that 10 people have responded. We hope that a first draft of the plan will be available for comment by the end of February 2000.QUALITY ASSURANCE:
A program to develop the documentation that will allow registration of has begun. We plan that Documentation required for the registration of industry QA marks for venison and velvet is not yet complete. Delays have been unavoidable but we hope they will be finished by mid February. There has been little new activity in the QA program over the last three months. Currently 19 properties have level three QA (farm) accreditation and 8 of these have achieved level two QA (farm) accreditation. Six people have achieved level three QA (transport) accreditation and three people have achieved level two QA (transport) accreditation (my last report wrongly indicated that eight people had received level three transport accreditation). In an effort to prevent restricted European market access, the Board strongly encourages all producers to ensure that EU transport requirements for deer destined for processing for export are transported according to AQIS regulations.Venison sales:
Sales information presented in this report for the months of July and August 1999 is different information presented in my last report, as not all of those who provide data were able to provide details at the time of writing that report. A complete data set for November and December was not available at the time of writing this report. However, there has been a rise in the average price paid for venison since August 1999. The HCW price for fallow venison has risen from an average price of $2.22in August 1999 to $2.52 at the end of December 1999. During the same period, the average price for red and red hybrid venison (price per kg hot carcase weight, less the industry levy, delivered to the abattoir) rose from $2.53 to $2.72 in November but fell again in December to $2.37 per kg HCW. I previously reported that the number of stock processed during the first six months of the, 1999/2000 year, was similar to last year. However, a more complete data set shows that the number of deer processed during 1999/2000 is greater than the number processed during that same period in the previous year. For the six months ending December 1999, almost 27,800 deer were processed by the cooperating processors, while during the same period last year, only about 17,800 were processed (approximately 56% increase). The percentage of stock within weight ranges and the average HCW of stock processed is similar to that recorded for the same period last year. However, the total volume of venison processed from July to December has increased from about 642.5 tonnes to about 903.4 tonnes, an increase of about 41%, between the two years. -
Chris Tuckwell
VENISON PRICES ($A/kg HCW)
Graph 1 below demonstrates the change in average prices for all venison sold by the cooperating processors and the average price of venison for Red (and hybrid), Fallow and Rusa deer. Graph 2 shows the variation in volume of venison processed by the processors providing data to the Deer Industry Company.
FALLOW RUSA RED Weight Category SEP99 OCT 99 NOV 99 DEC 99 Weight Category SEP 99 OCT 99 NOV 99 DEC 99 Weight Category SEP 99 OCT 99 NOV 99 DEC99 Less than 20 $2.03 $2.25 $2.19 $2.00 less than 20 less than 30 $2.50 $2.20 20 to 22.9 $2.29 $2.30 $2.43 $2.28 20 to 24.9 30 to 34.9 $2.53 $182 $2.31 23 to 25.9 $2.49 $2.52 $2.57 $2.55 25 to 29.9 $1.62 35 to 39.9 $1.67 $2.21 $1.53 $1.54 26 to 28.9 $2.35 $2.61 $2.78 $2.64 30 to 34.9 $2.02 40 to 44.9 $2.37 $2.43 $2.22 $2.11 29 to 31.9 $2.04 $2.74 $2.76 $2.72 35 to 39.9 $2.32 45 to 49.9 $2.42 $2.65 $2.62 $2.45 32 and over $2.31 $1.94 $2.72 $2.72 40 to 44.9 $2.42 50 to 54.9 $3.03 $2.78 $2.92 $2.70 Maximum $2.62 $2.82 $2.92 $2.82 45 to 49.9 $2.42 55 to 59.9 $2.90 $2.90 $3.16 $2.83 Minimum $1.22 $1.77 $1.80 $1.52 50 to 54.9 60 to 64.9 $3.11 $3.02 $3.14 $2.77 Average $2.21 $2.37 $2.62 $2.52 55 to 59.9 65 to 69.9 $2.96 $2.80 $3.02 $2.57 60 and over 70 to 74.9 $2.82 $2.78 $2.69 $2.40 Maximum no no $2.42 no 75 to 79.9 $1.98 $2.50 $2.52 $2.11 Minimum prices prices $1.62 prices 80 to 84.9 $1.98 $2.45 $2.25 $2.26 Average quoted quoted $2.12 quoted 85 to 89.9 $2.36 $2.50 $2.52 $2.52 90 to 94.9 $1.68 $2.50 $2.17 $2.52 95 to 99.9 $1.68 $2.50 $2.52 100 and over Maximum $3.18 $3.18 $3.32 $3.02 Minimum $162 $1.62 $1.40 $1.32 Average $2.67 $2.64 $2.72 $2.37
Last updated: 27 January 2000
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