Lincoln University Students Visit | Issue 224 | September 2026

Lincoln University Students Visit | Issue 224 | September 2026

Lincoln University students connect with New Zealand’s Deer Industry

Lincoln University Diploma in Farm Management students recently had the opportunity to connect with and learn from the deer industry first-hand during a field visit to Riverside Elk, as part of their Beef and Deer Production course.

Hosted by Grant Hasse, deer farmer and NZDFA Executive Committee member, the students explored practical aspects of deer farming, including genetics, feeding, pasture management, deer handling and velvet production. This experience enabled students to link their classroom learning with real-world deer management in a commercial setting.

A key part of the day was engaging people from various sectors of the deer industry. Rob Millar from Mountain River Venison Ltd and Luke Thompson, a deer specialist with PGG Wrightson Livestock, along with James Petrie from Merchant of Venison Ltd and Holly Stokes, an extension agronomist at Agricom NZ, all gathered at the field day. Together with Grant Hasse, they shared insights and discussed the deer markets, including current opportunities and challenges facing the industry. This gave students a broader perspective on the deer value chain beyond the farm gate.

After visiting the deer farm, the group proceeded to Omana Dairy farm, hosted by Andrew Slater, who, besides showing the students his beautiful dairy-beef calf-rearing setup, also organised a fantastic BBQ (courtesy of FarmSource) featuring venison and refreshments supplied by Mountain River Venison and PGG Wrightson. The informal environment allowed students to engage directly with farmers and industry representatives, ask questions, and learn from their experiences.

This is the second time Lincoln University has collaborated with Riverside Elk on this field visit. It is increasingly becoming a valuable component of the Beef and Deer Production course, offering students practical experience in deer farming and fostering connections among students, farmers, and the broader industry.

The course coordinators greatly appreciate Grant Hasse and all industry partners for their time, knowledge sharing, and for creating a valuable learning experience for our students.