Wapiti attract ‘exciting’ prices

Tikana 3-year-old wapiti bull Mitey Green 128 sold for $46,000 in Browns last week. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Tikana 3-year-old wapiti bull Mitey Green 128 sold for $46,000 in Browns last week. PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Wapiti are riding a mighty high, a Southland breeder says.

Tikana co-owner Dave Lawrence sold 14 of the 17 wapiti 3-year-old bulls he offered at his farm in Browns in Southland last week.

The top price was $46,000 for bull Mitey Green 128.

"It is quite exciting when you’ve got a bidding war going on."

The $46,000 price tag was the highest in the history of the on-farm sale, which was launched in 2005.

John Ramsey, of Bay of Plenty, bought the bull.

The average price at the sale this year was nearly $14,000.

"Last year, the average was about $10,000 ... This is easily the best sale we have ever had."

He also offered four mixed-age hinds and all of them sold, fetching between $5200 and $9500, "which is outstanding for hinds".

"We are rapt with everything."

He believed factors driving the higher prices include New Zealand wapiti farmers being paid a premium for their venison due to demand from retailers in the United States thanks to the success of a Deer Industry New Zealand programme.

Traditionally, a premium was only paid for New Zealand wapiti meat destined for the chilled market in Europe.

Greater export demand in more markets meant farmers were being paid a premium for wapiti venison for a longer period than before.

"It has opened up exciting possibilities for deer farmers."

Wapiti velvet was exported to Korea and fetched $130 per kg.

"Everything is on a bit of a high for wapiti."

Littlebourne Farm owner Geoffrey Pullar sold all of the 20 wapiti 3-year-old bulls he offered at his 36th sale in Winton last week.

Littlebourne Farm 3-year-old wapiti bull Orange 16 sold for $14,000 in Winton last week.
Littlebourne Farm 3-year-old wapiti bull Orange 16 sold for $14,000 in Winton last week.
"We were pretty pleased with the way it went and the full clearance."

The average price was $4700 and the top price $14,000 for Orange 16.

Jessie Saunders, of Winton, bought Orange 16.

"He bought it for its velvet traits — Orange 16 cut 13.8kg of velvet," Mr Pullar said.

Orange 16 won the 3-year-old velvet category at the 42nd National Velvet and Trophy Antler Competition in Invercargill in December last year.

The $14,000 price tag was the highest fetched at one of his sales in the past seven years, he said.

Vendors were selling bulls off the stable prices for wapiti venison.

"Wapiti can do that at heavier weights. Overall wapiti sales have done pretty good."

Clachanburn sold 43 of the 57 wapiti 3-year-old bulls it offered in Ranfurly last week including a top price of $10,000 for bull OR21190.

In the sales catalogue, Clachanburn owner John Falconer said it had been a rewarding year for wapiti farmers including a contract offering premium prices for weaners containing a certain percentage of wapiti genetics.

The contract paid a bonus for large-carcass weights.

"This is a far cry from the days when the larger carcasses were penalised."

Wapiti velvet had returned between $30 and $40 per kg more than red deer velvet, he said.

A wapiti at the end of its life was a sought-after animal for trophy hunters.

Demand was outstripping supply for wapiti in the trophy industry.

"All up, we are looking forward to another year building on the last," Mr Falconer said.

shawn.mcavinue@alliedpress.co.nz

 

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