MAF Prosecution of Welfare Infringement

3/17/2005

Deer Industry New Zealand’s CEO, Mark O'Connor, commended MAF’s Welfare Enforcement Unit on effectively dealing with the recent case of a serious welfare infringement where a producer removed deer velvet outside the deer industry’s National Velvetting Standards Body programme.

“Deer Industry New Zealand is pleased to see that the government system for dealing with welfare violations is robust” said Mr O’Connor. “The successful prosecution sends a clear message that producers must remove velvet in accordance with industry programmes and anything else is unacceptable. A case such as this is rare in an industry that takes its welfare obligations very seriously. The actions of an individual have the potential to undermine the efforts of all producers who conduct their farming operations according to the required standards.”

The National Velvetting Standards Body programme requires velvet to be removed by veterinarians or specially trained producers. Producers sit theoretical and practical exams, are audited annually and are required to keep extensive records of their operations.

Velvet is the growing antler of the male deer which is an important ingredient in traditional oriental medicine and used mainly as a family wellness tonic at the start of Winter.