Deer

Synopsis – Australian Industry

The main products from deer farming are venison and velvet antler, the immature antler that is widely used in traditional Asian (particularly Chinese) medicine. Other parts of deer are also used in traditional Asian medicine including the tail, sinews, heart and blood.

The Deer Farmers Federation of Australia represents farmers, processors, transporters, breed organisations and any other party involved in the deer industry. In 2005-06, there were 533 farms carrying deer in Australia, with a total population of 68,600.

Deer in Australia are usually sold direct to processors. A processor will purchase animals direct from the farmer and arrange the transport, slaughtering, boning, packaging and marketing. Around 85 per cent of all venison produced in Australia is exported, principally to Europe. Australia also imports venison from New Zealand.

Australian velvet is sold through pooling arrangements or at the farm gate. The largest pooling arrangement accounts for around 55 per cent of total Australian velvet sales and is operated by Deer Horn and Co-Products Pty Ltd, a wholly owned company of the Deer Farmers Federation of Australia. Deer velvet makes up around a quarter of the value of deer products in Australia. The main export markets for Australian velvet are Hong Kong, China, Korea, Chinese Taipei and New Zealand.

Most of the world’s venison comes from feral herds in northern Europe, North America and the Russian Federation and from farmed deer in New Zealand. The main sources of antler velvet are Russia, China, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand.

Links

• Deer Industry Association of Australia (www.diaa.org), range of production and marketing information for deer in Australia.
• Deer Industry New Zealand (www.deernz.org.nz) , information on production and prices for deer products in New Zealand.