Deer Industry Genetics Initiative

8/12/2004

Deer Industry New Zealand (DINZ) and the New Zealand Deer Farmers Association (DFA) are joining forces with AgResearch and Meat & Wool New Zealand’s sheep genetic evaluation service Sheep Improvement Ltd (SIL) to set up a national genetic evaluation system, in what is seen as a major step forward for the industry.

New Zealand’s sheep, beef and dairy industries already evaluate their flocks & herds on a national basis; now it’s the deer industry’s turn to reap the benefits of adding value to the country’s elite animals.

A national system will allow the breeding values of deer throughout the country to be independently evaluated, identifying the top genetics required by the deer industry to meet market demand.  That will mean a long-term, sustainable improvement to the genetic base of the New Zealand deer herd, and ultimately to the economics of deer farming.

DINZ Chairman Clive Jermy welcomes the move, and is looking forward to the industry reaping the benefits from the investment.  “It’s a very important initiative for our industry – we’ve seen other livestock industries here and overseas make tremendous gains through the genetic evaluation and selection process.  The deer industry is recognised for its innovation, yet it’s the one area of technology we haven’t grasped, up until now.  I predict it will become a tremendous asset, providing a very important tool for farmers to ‘lift the bar’ for genetic performance in the national herd – the potential is huge,” he said.

Meanwhile, DFA Chairman Andrew Mitchell sees this major new initiative as positive for the whole industry.  “We’re pleased to be making this investment on behalf of our membership, and to be fully utilising this innovative research.  The deer industry makes good use of new technology; this adds to what’s already in place, and will open the doors to further exciting developments for our deer farmers.  It’s an extremely positive move; in fact it’s the future.”

The new genetic evaluation system builds on a genetic evaluation service established by AgResearch several years ago to promote performance recording.  Liveweight, velvet weights and close accurate pedigrees from several New Zealand deer herds have already been recorded and combined statistically to establish breeding values for individual performance traits.

Joint funding from DINZ and the DFA will allow AgResearch to combine the genetic evaluation software and data from this service, with Sheep Improvement Ltd’s considerable service delivery infrastructure.

Sheep Improvement Ltd already leads the world with the structure of its sheep recording database, and in particular its internet interface with farmer clients and its data-entry bureau system for recording.  This easy-to-use system allows individual farmers to load their own farm’s breeding information.

The SIL database combined with the AgResearch genetic evaluation software will make leading-edge science in genetic evaluation easily accessible to stud and commercial deer farmers.

“It gives us the best possible basis for genetic evaluation to identify good breeding animals using objective scientific means, with a sound commercial industry footing,” said AgResearch deer scientist Dr Jason Archer, who will be involved in the establishment of the new database.

While the direct clients of the system will be studs and deer farmers running breeding nucleus herds, the entire deer industry will reap the benefits through improved genetics and availability of evaluated stags.

DINZ and the DFA will form a steering group, to set policy and oversee the information going into the new database.  Work will start shortly on modifying the software and loading data, and it is expected the system will be available in early 2005.