Abstract:
Animal Production in Australia 1998 Vol. 22 OVERVIEW OF CURRENTLY AVAILABLE STATISTICS FOR THE DEER INDUSTRY IN QUEENSLAND S.E. SINCLAIR Dept of Primary Industries, PO Box 96, Ipswich, Qld 4305 Deer farming in Queensland is a relatively recent rural enterprise with the first recorded commercial farms being established in the late 1970s. While expansion of the deer industry has occurred, it is recognised that reliable deer industry statistics are required for strategic planning and management (Coombs 1996). Unfortunately no comprehensive or reliable statistics are currently available pertaining to herd size, composition and general resources for the Queensland deer industry. Earlier statistics provided by Woodford (1986, 1991 pers. comm.) are now considered dated, with current information quoted being acknowledged as fragmented and incomplete (Coombs 1996). The aim of the farm survey reported in this paper was to provide a database for the deer industry in order to compile and document reliable industry statistics and information for future development and planning. During April to May 1997 a deer information survey form was mailed out to all known deer farmers in the State of Queensland. Statistics were compiled from the responses of 82 active deer industry participants across the State. Details of herd composition (as at May 1997) and estimation of deer slaughter (preceding 12 months) are provided in Table 1. Table 1. Herd composition and deer slaughter characteristics as provided from farm survey 1 respondents Total Deer Total animal nos. 3 Herd number Range in herd size Deer slaughter Herd number Range in herd kill 1 2 3 Red 7530 54 2-1820 675 17 7-163 Rusa 9828 40 1-1720 1929 18 10-450 Fallow 1445 31 1-544 188 4 8-130 Chital 1471 23 1-390 74 4 4-50 Other 129 7 1-78 45 1 2 20403 82 5-3908 2911 33 4-472 Red deer (Cervus elaphus); Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis); Fallow deer (Dama dama); Chital deer (Axis axis) Other deer comprise Wapiti (Cervus elaphus canadensis), Sambar (Cervus unicolor) and Red x Wapiti crossbreds Species herd numbers exceed the total herd number due to many properties farming more than one species The majority of deer farms in the State are comparatively small in both area and herd size with 77% having less than 40 ha fenced for deer and 80% of farms carrying only 25% of the total herd. Consequently the majority of all species are farmed on relatively few properties. Rusa and red deer are the major farmed species (48% and 37% of total herd respectively). In excess of 85% of the total deer numbers are currently farmed in the south and south-east of the State. Temperate adapted species (ie red and fallow) are essentially confined to this area but rusa deer, being a cervid species adapted to sub-tropical and tropical environments, are also farmed in central and northern Queensland. Comparison with earlier survey data (Woodford 1986) suggests the increasing importance of this species for the deer industry in Queensland. Slaughter data suggest a reliance on rusa and red deer carcases for venison processing, with approximately 14% ratio of slaughterings to deer numbers. Most venison ( 70%) was targeted to the export market. Data compiled from this survey have provided an important benchmark for future strategic planning and development of the deer industry. COOMBS, R. (1996). Deer Industry Strategic Plan. (Deer Industry Association of Australia : NSW). WOODFORD, K. (1986). Economic Analysis. In Deer Farming into the Nineties. (Ed P. Owen) pp. 13 - 19 (Owen Art & Publishing Brisbane). 332