32 | Velvet sector remains in good heart An 18-year-old Netherdale hind with a set of twin stag fawns. Sue Russell To be able to track the family’s farming history in a district back four generations is something David and Lynley Stevens are very proud of. They own and operate Netherdale Red Deer Stud at Balfour, Southland. The farm was first settled in 1881 William Cowie, and run as a sheep and arable farm. Through two world wars when times were tough for many in agriculture the farm existed by selling milk to a local dairy factory from a small herd of cows. Then in 1948, the property was sold to William’s grandson and David’s father Henderson Stevens, with David and Lynley buying the farm in 1982. Pioneering days involved capturing wild deer alongside running a successful Coopworth Stud. “My time farming deer goes back many decades now and I’ve seen a lot of change come and go in the industry,” David says. Netherdale Red Deer Stud sells sire stags, velvet stags and hinds each year at it annual on-farm sale. Last year was the farm’s 35th sale and the best one yet in terms of highest price paid for a magnificent Velvet Stag at $135,000 – bought by a syndicate in South Canterbury. With the next sale not too far away in mid-January David was in the process of planning animal selections. He says the velvet sector of the industry is in good heart with strong interest from throughout the country. Twenty years ago, David says, the average weight for a velvet head at sale was four kilograms – that has now doubled. To do this, there had to be some serious advance in genetics and management. “We’re probably one of the few studs that has kept our genetics based on velvet production without deviating.” DEER » Netherdale Elite Looking back on an industry he knows so well, David says that when they first established the deer stud and right up until about the year 2000 there was a lot going on, with quality assurance programmes and a lot of enthusiasm from those pioneering deer farming. “It certainly added a lot of colour and professionalism to the sector. Then in the 2000’s the industry lost a lot of its momentum and enthusiasm. Today, I’m impressed with the enthusiasm of what the young ones want to achieve.” David recently attended the 50th anniversary of Invermay, an agricultural research institute at Mosgiel, where he says a great deal of valuable deer research has taken place, whether in the areas of management or animal health that research has had a huge influencing on deer farming practices. “It was great to catch up with pioneers in the sector and talk about the early days of the industry and how much influence Invermay had on deer farming. As a research institution we all worked together so much compared with other farming industries. Frankly the deer industry would not be where it is today without the research that took place at Invermay.” Each annual sale David tries to put up about 30 rising three year-old sire stags and about 80 twoyear-old velveting stags, along with 40 rising two year-old Hinds. This year’s sale will be much the same although the R2 hinds will be sold on account of the Hudson family. In February the stud hinds and their weaners were purchased by the Hudson family, Donald, Kathy and Ben, who David says have a really interest and understanding in deer breeding and genetics’. “We will keep in touch as he progresses with their own stud. At some stage I knew we would be ending our time as breeders. In 2024, the last sale will take place at Netherdale, a bit of a sad day especially not having the opportunity to catch up with everyone each year.” Above all, David says, to be a successful breeder, one has to be prepared to be focused on what you want to achieve, be in it for the long haul and be slightly obsessed. “We would like to think we have made the best of the years and opportunities to add value to the breed, both on our own farm and to the clients we have sold stock to.” David is also about to end his six-year term on Southland’s Regional Council. David says his time with the organisation has been enjoyable and worthwhile. “Wellington does look to the Regional Council for direction at times. With some of the issues around farming we’ve had the opportunity to give some direction.” Equally there’s been times of frustration and David feels there’s a huge void of people in decisionmaking positions lacking farming and environmental experience. “We’ve been very lucky that the majority of councillors around the table here have been excellent.” One thing David knows well is that to be a successful deer farmer, be it for velvet, stud or meat, a high level of stockmanship is required. “The velvet sector in particular has grown exponentially. Now we’re exporting upward of 1000 tonne to markets in Asia where value-added processing takes place, meeting the needs of large populations seeking the health benefits that come from consuming velvet supplement products.” “We would like to think we have made the best of the years and opportunities to add value to the breed, both on our own farm and to the clients we have sold stock to.” 461 Glenure Road, RD6, Gore 9776 David & Lynley Stevens | 03 201 6330 netherdale@xtra.co.nz MASTER SIRE Bronx 17.28kg SA2 5yrs MASTER SIRE 207/12 NETHERDALE WILTSHIRE SHEEP see website for details 36th Annual Elite Red Deer Sale 11th January 2023 at 1.30pm on farm David Stevens 0274 331 383 Ben Beadle 0277 281 052 or your local PGG Wrightsons agent NETHERDALE ELITE RED DEER STUD
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