Abstract

Deer breeding has made significant progress in a relatively short time. However, opportunities exist to make further advances in several areas. Development and implementation of across-herd breeding value analyses could significantly benefit the deer industry through providing opportunity to accelerate rates of genetic gain, and by providing commercial stag purchasers with objective information on which to base stag selection. This will require the development of standard recording protocols and a central performance database, but the technical issues surrounding this are solvable and suitable models exist in other livestock industries. With changing composition of industry returns, deer farmers and breeders might re-evaluate whether they are best served by selection for specialist velvet and venison lines, or whether a dual-purpose animal remains the best option. There may also be value in broadening the traits objectively described to include aspects of venison production other than growth.

JA, Archer

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 63, Queenstown, 233-236, 2003