Nov 3, 2023
Noticeboard
- Received a paper subscription invoice? You've likely paid into a closed account
- New DINZ team member - Luka Jansen
- Veltrak tag allocations to farms
- Production feature: Drought feeding and management DeerFact
- MetService Outlook November 2023
- Joke of the Month
Events
- SCNO Velvet & Hard Antler Competition, 24 November Timaru
- North Island Velvet Competition, Awards Night 25 November, Fielding
- Environmental Award field day - Glen Dene, 1 December, Lake Hawea
- Stag, Hind and Wapiti Bull Sales
- 41st National Velvet & Trophy Antler Competition, Awards Night 8 December 2023, Invercargill
- CK Import Export Rising Stars, 9 March 2024, Te Awamutu
Noticeboard
Received a paper subscription invoice? You've likely paid into a closed account
We recently sent out paper invoices to those who were NZDFA members in 2022/23 but haven't paid in 2023/24.
If you received a paper invoice and believe you have paid, it's likely because you'll have paid into our old, closed ANZ account. The funds would have left your account but as the ANZ account is closed, these will have been refunded to you a day or two later. Please check if this is the case and make payment to the correct BNZ account 02-0506-0268055-000
Also, if this is the first you've seen an invoice, as we sent the initial invoice and reminder out via email, this may have ended up in your junk folder. Please ensure that nzdfa@deernz.org and info@deernz.org are added as contacts in your email account.
New DINZ team member - Luka Jansen
New DINZ environmental stewardship manager Luka Jansen joined DINZ at the end of September, arriving ready-to-go from her previous position with Horizons Regional Council.
Luka Jansen, DINZ’s new environmental stewardship manager.
Reporting to DINZ policy and research manager Emil Murphy, she’s looking after all things environmental.
Jansen will be working with individual deer farmers, NZDFA branches, the DINZ executive team and new project manager industry capability, Sara Elmes, whom she has replaced. She aims, “to help ensure deer farming remains a profitable, sustainable land-use within accepted environmental constraints.”
Well qualified for her new role, Jansen’s background is in sheep, beef and deer drystock farming in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and King Country. She graduated in resource and environmental planning from Massey University in 2013, before joining Horowhenua District Council as planning team leader, moving to Horizons in around 2015, where she worked for eight years as a planner in the regulatory team.
“Delighted” to have joined DINZ – where day-to-day Jansen will be responsible for environmental policy, regulation and societal perceptions impacting producers – she reports a “passion for helping farmers with their challenges and finding solutions.”
One of the first jobs on her desk is working on consultation for the government’s newly proposed biodiversity credit scheme (see above). She’ll also be attending the Environmental Field Day on 1 December showcasing Richard and Sarah Burdon’s Glen Dene station, winners of this year’s Supreme Environmental Award.
On her days off, the mum of two girls aged three and six and “strong Chiefs supporter”, enjoys “traipsing through the Urewera Ranges and other remote areas in search of deer,” and is an obsessive gardener.
Copy from the recent DINZ eNews
From Luka: "This month I enjoyed a road trip to the Hawkes Bay with Lindsay Fung to drop in to the DFA branch meeting. I was greeted by the farmers who welcomed me with a strong hand-shake and smile. I mentioned I enjoyed hunting in the Hawkes Bay and was told I’d missed a few.
It was obvious the farmers in the HB have a good sense of humour and are passionate about their work, especially the velvet competition approaching. Dinner after the meeting tested some hungry members patience when having to re-order their food three times due to a mix up! Eventually steaks arrived – unfortunately required “a chainsaw to cut” according to some members. They made us laugh with their witty remarks and funny comments. I thank the branch for their hospitality and wish them all the best with the up-and-coming events planned this month."
Veltrak tag allocations to farms
With the velvetting season now well underway we would like to remind clinics of the importance of allocating VelTrak tags to farms in a timely manner. We have had some velvet buyers and processors alert us to situations where farm businesses have sold tagged velvet this season, but the tags have not been allocated through VelTrak to the farm. These sales show up as not allocated to a farm/farm not known. With any traceability programme it is important that all steps in the chain are undertaken in a timely manner. Therefore, we would appreciate your support in ensuring vet practices that are part of the VelTrak programme are ensuring sales of tags are being entered into VelTrak at the time of sale.
If you know of any sales that have not been entered at this stage, please update these entries ASAP.
Production feature: Drought feeding and management DeerFact
Droughts are now predicted many months in advance by weather forecasters and this year there have been repeated message of a long, dry, hot summer for many parts of the country.
It is important to plan a drought response for feed and animal management well ahead. Farmers who have done this have shown it is possible to meet production targets for velvet and venison, as well as mating weights for hinds, despite severe drought.
MetService Outlook - November 2023
November starts off with the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Lola quickly moving away to the east, although another Tasman Sea low is likely to bring rainfall back onto the country later this week. This rain should particularly favour northern and western parts of the North Island, although some places like Southland and inland Otago could also see brief, but useful bursts for a time as well.
Once this low clears away, a longer period of drier and more settled weather is expected country-wide, as a large high builds over New Zealand from the Tasman Sea. Isolated showers could occur under this high, but overall rainfall should be limited for most places.
Around mid-month, we may see westerlies returning, resembling October’s predominantly westerly pattern. Fronts might move up the South Island but are likely to weaken quickly as they encounter the high over the North Island. Some of these fronts should bring slightly wetter than normal conditions to the west of the South Island, with the south seeing more uncertainty, coinciding with the return of bursts of gusty westerly winds for many places.
Temperatures are forecast run warmer than average through much of the month, although a cooler period might be seen during the start to mid-month under more settled skies.
| Bottom Line: November presents a mix of slow-moving lows, followed by an extended dry and settled period, which gives way to unsettled westerlies in the south. Overall, forecasts hint at slightly drier than normal for most places, but these conditions might occur at different times of the month depending on the location. |
You can sign up for the MetService's Monthly Outlook right to your inbox - click here to subscribe.
Source: www.metservice.com/rural/monthly-outlook
Events
If you have a velvet and/or hard antler competition coming up, please email nzdfa@deernz.org with details and we will add it to the list below and the events section of the website.
Mark your calendars
2023 Hawkes Bay Branch Velvet Competition
Join the Hawkes Bay Branch NZDFA for their annual velvet competition, 14th November, Hastings.
SCNO 2023 Velvet & Hard Antler Competition
6.00pm Friday 24 November, Phar Lap Race Course Timaru
The South Canterbury/North Otago NZDFA Branch and velvet committee team invites you to the 33rd Annual Velvet & Hard Antler Competition.
Details and entry form to follow. For further information, contact Brad Traversbtravers@hotmail.co.nz or 021 244 2265.
2023 North Island Velvet Competition
Awards dinner Saturday 25 November 2023 in Fielding. Entry forms and competition details to come soon. Contact Craig Hocken 0274 576 388 or chocken@inspire.net.nz for any enquiries.
Environmental Award field day - Glen Dene: Friday 1 December
Attend a field day to celebrate Glen Dene winning the 2023 Deer Industry Elworthy Environmental Award and the First Light Award.
Glen Dene is a 2,989 hectare high-country station on the shores of Lake Hawea. It comprises three integrated businesses: A camping ground; a sheep, beef and deer farm; and trophy hunting. It has a typical central Otago climate – hot, dry summers and cold winters and lies between 360 m above sea level on its Lake Hawea boundary, rising to 1,386 m above sea level.
Starting at 9:15am, the tour will finish with an awards ceremony and a BBQ lunch at 1.30pm.
Click here for more information >>
2023/24 Stag, Hind and Wapiti Bull Sales
Calendar of upcoming sales for December 2023 and January 2024 >>
2023 41st National Velvet & Trophy Competition
The 2023 Awards Night has been confirmed for Friday 8th of December 2023 in Invercargill. Contact southlanddeerbranch@gmail.com for any enquiries.
2024 CK Import Export Rising Stars
Saturday 9th March 2024 in Te Awamutu. Hosted by Waipa Branch NZDFA. Contact campbell.clarke@xtra.co.nz or 07 873 2785 for any enquiries.
