10 | Top stag takes out Richard Loader RURAL PEOPLE » Canes Deer Products With a wry sense of humour, Central Plateau deer farmers Malcolm and Kathy Cane have a penchant for naming their trophy stags after alcoholic beverages and this year a four-year-old named Tennessee delivered outstanding success at the deer industry’s Rising Stars National Velvet and Hard Antler Competition. The Rising Stars competition looks for the country’s best one, two, three and four-year-old hard antler heads, and two-year-old velvet heads. Tennessee won the four-year-old Hard Antler award, as well as the People’s Choice – Hard Antler across all classes, and went on to win the Supreme Trophy Award for both Velvet and Hard Antler. “Tennessee had a total score of 1040 inches of antler (IOA), which takes into account all the tines, beam circumference, the spread and length of the antler, and the length of all points,” says Malcolm. “We mostly breed our own trophy stags through AI and ET (Embryo transfer) programmes, but do buy in the occasional sire stag if we feel it will add some value to our genetics. You’re trying to amalgamate different traits to get the perfect stag. It has been said that you’re designing antlers by matching certain traits whether that be length or width, beam or points.” As for why the spectacular animals are named after alcohol ... “Well,”’ says Malcolm, “sometimes farming can drive you to drink.” Malcolm and Kathy’s deer farming enterprise started in 1985 with a few deer for venison, before purchasing 80 hectares in Reporoa, between Taupo and Rotorua. Over the next decade they farmed for the velvet market till the velvet buyer suggested they grow a few stags out for the trophy parks. “We grew half a dozen out, had a bit of luck with them and thought this was a great way to make a dollar,” says Malcolm. “From there we started buying hinds with top trophy pedigrees and went from there really.” Now encompassing 190 hectares and located in the eastern slopes of the Reporoa Valley, the farm is home to 330 hinds and their progeny, and 900-1000 velvet stag two-years-old and older. Kath and Mal Cane with Lockie. Their four-year-old stag delivered outstanding success at the deer industry’s Rising Stars National Velvet and Hard Antler Competition (below). Are you getting a cane-ing from the IRD? Reach out to the M&L rural tax specialists for a free consultation and tax review. Proud Chartered Accountants and advisors to Kathy and Malcolm Cane. hello@murphylandrigan.co.nz | www.murphylandrigan.co.nz D Burmeister ACA | K Landrigan FCA | M Landrigan CA | P Landrigan CA | T Mohammed CA
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=