@conference {41704,
	title = {The deer industry{\textquoteright}s productivity strategy : A five-year vision},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {67},
	year = {2007},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {73-77},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Wanaka},
	abstract = {Advances in deer farming productivity have been muted in relation to other livestock industries but the 
potential for dramatic improvement clearly exists. Anindustry working group has developed a productivity 
strategy closely aligned with the venison industry strategy that emphasises extending the four-month 
consumption demand of the traditional game seasonto a 12-month chilled supply of high-value retail 
product. Underpinning this, the productivity strategy targets two basic outcomes; more calves conceived, 
born earlier and surviving to sale, and heavier prime animals supplied earlier in the season. Productivity 
targets include a 2\% annual increase in survival to sale over the next five years and a 2.5\% annual individual 
growth rate increase. Emphasis is on capturing genotype advantages in growth and seasonality, and 
determining aspects of seasonal nutrition and the potential of new forage cultivars to add to this potential for 
growth. Productivity success must be measured in economic indices (carcase returns per hectare, cost of 
production per kilogram of dry matter consumed and per hectare economic performance) and the planned 
timing of carcase harvest against a variable seasonal schedule. Productivity improvements are best illustrated 
in clear practical situations providedby focus farms to inspire technology uplift and practical feedback from 
farmers and researchers. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Pearse AJ and Fung L}
}
@conference {41240,
	title = {The farming of game species .... horses for courses},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {61},
	year = {2001},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {38-41},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Christchurch},
	abstract = {Pastoral-based animal industries utilise only a handful of domesticated species. The relatively recent development of farming "game" species (i.e., species traditionally harvested by hunting) has been largely prompted by changing first-world consumer demographics. Pastoral farming of red deer in NZ is often seen as a glowing example of diversification away from traditional livestock. In tropical regions, specific species adapted to local climate, vegetation and diseases include axis deer, sambar deer and rusa deer. In the arctic regions, reindeer are the species of choice due to their cold tolerance and food selection habits. Various species (e.g., antelope, buffalo, elephants, zebra, etc) form the basis of a growing game ranching industry in the dry savannah regions of Africa, structured around sustainable, low-density, multi-species grazing of rangelands that are generally unsuited to domestic livestock due to aridity or parasites/diseases (e.g., tsetse fly). Thus, there are many examples of successfully picking "horses for courses" ... game species suited to particular environments. Conversely, there is a danger that in the enthusiasm to promulgate particular systems around the world, there are occasions when "horses are on the wrong courses". Classic examples for this include attempts to farm (1) tropical species in temperate environments, (2) temperate species in tropical environments, and (3) species behaviourally and physiologically misaligned with pastoral environments. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Asher GW and Pearse AJ}
}
@conference {40938,
	title = {Gestation length in Pere David{\textquoteright}s and red deer hybrids},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {57},
	year = {1997},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {225-227},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {P{\`e}re David{\textquoteleft}s deer (PD) have a 49 day longer gestation than red deer (283.4 {\textpm} 6.1 (SD) and 234.4 {\textpm} 3.4 days). In F1 hybrids (PD sire), male progeny had a longer gestation than females (268.8 {\textpm} 6.4, n=10 and 262.0 {\textpm} 4.5, n=10, P<0.01), both greater than the mid-parent mean of 259 days. The male and female progeny of F1 sires and red dams had a gestation length of 249 {\textpm} 5.5 (n=275). Segregation analysis suggests two normal distributions with a difference in means of 7 days. In the reverse hybrid (F1 dams), the gestation length of 242.5 {\textpm} 3.3 days (n=19) was significantly shorter than the backcross hybrid progeny of F1 stags. The control of gestation length in PD hybrids is clearly very complex although we have found evidence of two linked markers which individually account for 2.4 and 2.7 days of the difference in gestation length. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Goosen GJ and Fennessy PF and Pearse AJ and McEwan KM}
}
