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Rural Industries
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Within the context of the Corporationís Five Year Plan, we have committed ourselves to the development of five year plans for each of the major RIRDC programs. Deer R & D has been supported by the Corporation and its predecessor body since the mid 1980s. This is the first deer plan for the Corporation and one more step to meeting our commitment of having plans for each of the major programs that we manage.
The plan identifies eight key objectives for the R & D investments made on behalf of the deer industry and the Commonwealth Government. Each of the objectives are important in their own right and all mutually support each other towards the development of a deer industry which is a highly profitable and efficient mainstream agricultural enterprise.
This publication represents the joint efforts of the Corporation and representatives of the Deer Industry Association of Australia Ltd. It draws heavily on a Deer Industry Strategic Plan completed in June 1996 for the Association and the industry. In many senses, this R & D plan is a component part and a vital one.
The plan is for all stakeholders in the industry. It will be distributed widely by the Corporation and used by RIRDCís Deer Industry Research and Development Advisory Committee to guide the ongoing R & D investments that are made. Details on this committee are set out at Appendix 1 of the Plan. The Plan is consistent with RIRDCís Five Year Plan 1995-2000 and will be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989.
Peter Core
Managing Director
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
This plan has four main purposes:
The plan is based on extensive consultation with the Deer Industry Association of Australia Limited. It takes into account the constraints, opportunities and priorities identified by that Association. The plan can be reviewed at any time and updated as required.
A vision and mission for the future shared by the deer industry, RIRDC and those involved in research, development and extension.
An Australian deer industry which is a highly profitable and efficient mainstream agricultural enterprise, based on the growth and development of participants, producing internationally competitive premium products.
To be a professionally organised and coordinated industry working to worldís best practice by:
The most recent description of the industry was reported in the Deer Industry Strategic Plan (Stage One Report August 1995; Final Stage Report June 1996).
The commercial deer farming industry commenced in 1971. By 1996 there were approximately 1,500 deer farmers with a population of about 230,000 deer. The present rate of annual increase appears to be lower than 10%.
The population is scattered between states with up to 65% in Victoria and NSW. Approximately 48% are Fallow deer with increasing numbers of Red Deer amounting to 45% of the population. Other breeds - eg Rusa and Chital - are more adapted to tropical regions.
Approximately 30,000 deer were slaughtered in 1995 - 96. Although there are sufficient abattoirs, using sheep and cattle chains for domestic venison demands, there are few which have licences for exporting to European markets. This constraint is of particular concern to producers who regularly have to transport deer interstate for processing.
Up to 85% of venison is exported - approximately 50% to Europe with most of the remainder to Asia and the USA. Velvet production/harvesting has increased rapidly in recent years with about 18 tonnes harvested in 1995 -96. Over 80% is marketed by the Australian Velvet Pools Pty Ltd and 90% of this exported to New Zealand and both directly and indirectly to Asia.
Prices for venison have increased in 1995 -96. Selling prices for prime stock have climbed above $3/kg liveweight. Prices for velvet have increased in recent years, remaining buoyant at about an average selling price of $100/kg.
Deer imports gathered momentum during the mid 1980ís and by the early1990ís up to 900 animals were being received annually until quarantine limitations were imposed. On the other hand, live exports from Australia have increased during the past two years with about 5,000 animals being exported in 1995 -96. Most of these have been exported to Korea and there are increasing concerns that the level of females being exported is rising.
From the formation of the Australian Deer Breeders Federation in 1979,
the industry organisations have moved through a Deer Farmers Federation
of Australia to the Deer Industry Association of Australia (DIAA ) Limited
which was registered in 1995. The DIAA represents all sectors of the industry
and approximately 400 farmers are subscribers either directly or through
state organisations or a specific breed society or processing association.
The human resource base of the industry is good in that it has a core of skilled and successful producers and exporters. However, many within the industry are new to the business and there is a need to ensure that they are well informed about the industry, with regard to both its potential and pitfalls. It is important that they have improved access to information and training in both business and technical skills. The very small size of some enterprises restricts the numbers of formally trained people who enter either the industry or the organisations that serve the industry. The industry urgently requires an influx of additional producers with existing livestock skills to develop the size of the deer herd and support the small number of full time deer farmers.
The establishment of industry bodies such as the DIAA should do much to improve communication and collaboration within the industry and importantly, with government bodies and other industries that react positively with or serve the industry. The need for those within the industry to have better information on markets and on production and handling of deer products is frequently highlighted in industry circles.
An important goal for industry is to foster the development of a ìchain of confidenceî within the industry that attests to its increasing ability to produce, market and deliver reliable supplies of economically competitive and consistently high quality Australian deer products on both the export and domestic markets.
The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation is a statutory Corporation of the Commonwealth established under the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development Act 1989. RIRDCís predecessor, the Australian Special Rural Research Council supported deer R & D from the mid 1980ís. By 1992 statutory levies were introduced under bills covering deer slaughter, live deer export, deer velvet, and processed deer velvet exports.
Over recent years the RIRDC Deer program has had a program budget of $350,000 funded partly and increasingly from levies and complemented by funding from the Commonwealth through the Corporation. During the last three years the emphasis of research has been on market development, which was an area of need recognised by RIRDC and industry as of prime importance for increased industry productivity. At present the constraint for industry is supply rather than demand.
Besides RIRDC, Universities, state and federal organisations provide funds for deer industry R & D and enterprise/industry studies.
Last updated: 26 November
1996
Copyright © RIRDC
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/deerr&d1.html
