Deer Industry NZ

Foot and mouth disease (FMD) remains one of the most significant biosecurity threats facing New Zealand's livestock industries. In Episode 3 of the Deer Country Podcast, DINZ Chief Executive Rhys Griffiths and Science and Policy Manager Emil Murphy unpack what the deer industry and wider primary industries are doing to prepare.

DINZ’s Europe‑based contract chef, Shannon Campbell, shares on‑the‑ground insights into how venison is positioned and perceived across European and US markets — where demand is coming from, how each market differs, and what those differences mean for producers back home. 

DINZ, DRL lab team Simon Liggett and Sara Ferguson, and North Canterbury vet Georgie Martin had a chat about recent parasite PCR testing.

In the final of this series, Geoff Asher, Jamie Ward and Sharon McIntyre address some of the old myths and misconceptions about breeding and genetics.

Episode five takes a different angle, this time from the perspective of the customer. Susan Murray talks to Duncan New Zealand’s procurement manager, Ray Coombes. He explains what they and their end customers are wanting their venison suppliers to produce, and the role that good genetics plays.

Sharon McIntyre talks over breeding objectives on the farm with Otago breeders and finishers, Tony and Debi Chittock. They discuss the farm system they have developed on their property near Balclutha and the breeding objectives that will allow them to make the best use of what they can grow in this environment.

Susan Murray explores the genetics that go into terminal and maternal sires, with some ideas about where your investment can go, depending on and your breeding objectives.

In this episode, Susan Murray digs a little deeper into genetics and explains how breeding values work, and how that translates to value in dollars and cents.

In the first of the series, industry experts Sharon McIntyre (Deer Select Manager), Geoff Asher and Jamie Ward (AgResearch) will explain genetics and how superior genes get to work in your breeding herd.