| 31 DEER » Mcintyre Family Chris and Rhiannon McIntyre run the deer milking operation at Benio. The milk goes into food service for high-end desserts both here and Australia, and is also used for skincare and nutritional products in Vietnam. Deer milking operation a learning curve Richard Loader Ten minutes out of Gore, in a little farming area called Benio, the McIntyre family operate a deer milking operation in partnership with Pamu, which is in its eighth season. The journey started in 2013, when Queenstown entrepreneur Graham Shaw approached Peter and Sharon McIntyre with the idea of establishing a deer milking operation. The McIntyres already had a well-established deer velvet operation across two farms currently encompassing 800 acres. While Peter and Sharon were interested in the new venture, their children, Chris and Rhiannon were really keen and have been involved throughout. The milking plant was in Christchurch and the idea was for it to be transported to the farm in a forty-foot container, all ready to operate, but like the best laid plans of mice and men, things don’t always go to plan. “When it arrived, we had to completely re-build the plant and so it was pretty rushed to get it all ready to go for the 2014 season,” says Peter. “Milking was done in the container, and 60 – 70 hinds all had to be trained for milking that first season. There was quite a bit of experimentation and learning involved. There was also a lot of off-farm experimentation, turning the milk into powder.” At the end of the first season the plant was pulled out of the container, completely rebuilt and put into existing covered yards. It was at that stage that the McIntyre’s entered into a partnership relationship with Pamu. “We supply Pamu with frozen deer milk and they do all the processing, product and market development. It’s beautiful milk and goes into food service for high-end deserts both here and Australia, and is also used for skincare and nutritional products in Vietnam. While the McIntyre’s have milked up to 160 deer through their single side 10-booth milking system, they have found that 80 – 90 deer is optimal for the current infrastructure. The season starts mid-November with twice-aday milking, and then tails off to once-a-day from Christmas, finishing the season around mid-February to the end of March, depending on the season. “Each hind averages about a litre per milking,’ says Chris, who is now on the farm fulltime working with his parents, and is the sixth generation on the land. “Total production depends on how much milk Pamu requires, but we did 12,000 litres last season. The milk is frozen in food grade bags on farm and boxed up, then transported to Pamu’s drying plant in Hamilton every couple of weeks.” Peter adds that there can be a big variation in the hinds when they are being milked. “It can go from 200mls to three litres. We certainly select for good milk production and bring a few new hinds in each year, selected from the main herd.” Working on the principle of leaving the land in better shape for the next generation, as each successive generation has done, Peter says he has always loved farming life. “I think it’s the interaction with the deer that we have loved the most. It’s also about planting trees. Every paddock has shade and shelter in it. We have thirteen ponds here, all landscaped with trees and native plantings around them.” Proud to be associated with Benio - Peter Mcintyre DINZ QA Accredited Drivers/Crates (Single Decks, Double Decks, Specialised Trophy Crates and Rubber Matting fitted throughout ) For Safe, Honest and Cost Efficient Transporting of: For all enquiries contact STEPHEN GRANT: Kill Stock, Farm to Farm, Sire and Trophy Stags. M. 027 433 5159 E. otagodeertransport@xtra.co.nz Proud to be associated with Peter Mcintyre - Benio Farm
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