Noticeboard & Events | Issue 218

Mar 13, 2026

Noticeboard

Events

If you have an event that would be of interest to the deer farming industry, please email info@deernz.org with details.

MSD/Allflex Deer Industry Photo Competition - Entries close 28 April
Freshwater Farm Planning workshop - April 8th & 22nd, Darfield
Deer Industry Conference 2026 - 13 May, Palmerston North

NZDFA Matuschka Award

The NZDFA Matuschka Award recognises the grass roots farmer and unsung contributor to local area activities, functions and core spirit of deer farming.

Nominations should be made through the appropriate Branch or can be direct to the convenor. There is no set format or form to nominate someone. The nominations can be informal, from individuals or Branch nominations or industry groups, or have a nomination endorsed by the branch or other individuals and it’s not necessary to advise a candidate of the nomination. 

For more information, click here >>

Nominations must be submitted to the NZDFA via lindsay.fung@deernz.org by 5 pm, Friday 3 April 2026.

Deer Industry Award

The Deer Industry Award is an annual award presented each year to the person, persons jointly, or organisation who, in the opinion of the judges, has made the most outstanding contribution to the New Zealand deer industry, either in the previous year, or over a period of years.

The selection panel is made up of three judges who are the nominees of the following organisations: Countrywide Magazine (NZ Farm Life Media), The NZ Deer Farmers' Association (Inc) and Porter Holdings Ltd.

An nomination form for 2026 can be downloaded here >>

MSD/Allflex Deer Industry Photo Competition

2025 winner: Leeza-Marie Pratt - Sunset roar

It's time to get snapping again! Gather up those great shots you have buried, or head out on the farm with your camera and enter the MSD Animal Health/Allflex Deer Industry Photo Competition.

Entries close 5:00pm, 28 April 2026

See the event page for more details >>

Industry Conference 2026: 13 and 14 May - save the dates

Following on from this year’s Queenstown conference, planning is underway for the 2026 conference with the North Island’s turn to host.

The venue is the Awapuni Racecourse, Palmerston North – the same venue that hosted the DINZ Tech Expo a few years ago. Registration will open in March. The conference format will follow:

Tuesday 12 May:

NZDFA Branch Chairs meeting

Wednesday 13 May:

NZDFA AGM
Industry Conference
Awards Dinner (Photo competition, Matuschka and Deer Industry awards)

Thursday 14 May:

Central Regions DFA Field Trip

Find out more information here >>

New DINZ podcast features DRL

While down at the International Deer Biology Congress, DINZ visited the DRL lab and sat down with the team of Simon Liggett (lab manager) and Sara Ferguson (operations manager) for a chat. We also invited congress attendee and North Canterbury vet Georgie Martin to join to offer a vet’s perspective. Our conversation covered the recent parasite PCR testing research done by DRL in partnership with the Bioeconomy Science Institute, as well as the lab’s work, both historic and current, on Johne’s disease and Tb.

Listen to the podcast here >>

Media release:

Promising new test to detect parasites in farmed deer | Bioeconomy Science Institute

A belated thank you and appreciation.

(Te pohue cyclone damage) Photo Credit: Bill Symons

Three years since Cyclone Gabriel and we have almost completed our recovery of our two properties.
I wish to firstly thank HBDFA for their massive help with recovery and especially Evan Potter who coordinated the help which we needed after the Cyclone.
Our gratitude is extended to firstly the two Southlanders who came to our Te Pohue property and did the repairs to secure the boundary fencing to stop the deer from escaping.
Our sincere thanks go also to Southland Deer farmer Mike Wilkins for the massive post drop at our property.
Also Mike Thomas and son for bringing their great dogs up and chasing most of the escaped stags back into their paddocks at Te Pohue.
Our thanks also go to the help we received from Steve Annon PGG and partner Ann-Marie. Carl Lynch S.F.F. for their massive efforts with temporary fencing and the clean-up of our house on Springfield Road.
Unfortunately, we lost all our Puketapu velvet stags and most were shot by non-caring people on rivers or land adjoining our property.
Lastly, great thanks to Scott Graham and his worker who came from Galatea to do the refencing.
To others who helped, and I have not named but you know who you are, thank you.

Sincerely
Bill & Hiromi Symons

Bills lost Stag on Sugarloaf. Photo Credit: Bill Symonds

Jokes of the month

Why did the scarecrow win an award? It was outstanding in its field.

Why couldn’t the bike stand up on its own? It was two-tired.

North Island farmers - is Deer Select for you?

Recording your deer for velvet or growth? doing parentage? Getting hard to keep track of everything?

Deer Select has an interactive programme where you can record your data and work with it on your own computer.

If you are interested in a visit and discussion to see if this might be helpful to you, I have plans to be in the North Island in Mid-April and again around conference (13-14^th May) and would love to visit as many interested deer farmers as possible to make the best use of airfares and travel costs.

Please get in touch by phone or email to talk or set up a visit.

Sharon.mcintyre@deernz.org or 027 634 9387