Demand for trophy stags at game parks is spiking demand for in-calf hinds at southern sales.
Deer Genetics owner Kelly Bennett, of Geraldine, had a full clearance of 14 in-calf hinds last week.
The deer sold for an average price of nearly $2000.
“We were very happy with the result.”
The top price was $2800 for hind 0386/20 was a daughter of stag Tommy, in-calf to sire Asmodeus.
All of the deer were bred to target producing “attractive stags” for the trophy market.
The trophy market was going “gangbusters”.
After the pandemic, game parks buying trophy stags had continual record years of visitors, which showed no sign of abating, Mr Bennett said.
Black Forest Park owner Richard Currie, of Clinton, said he was pleased with his hind sale result last week.
He sold 33 of the 42 lots of red deer genetics offered, a mix of semen and hinds of various ages.
The result included a top price of $16,000 for 8-month-old hind 24049, a progeny of sire Tennessee and dam Kraken Sister.
Demand for hinds had not been impacted by a drop in velvet prices.
“People are prepared to pay money for good genetics and they are not viewing the issues with the velvet prices last season as being a long-term problem.”
Diamond Point Deer Park owner Jonathan Christian, of Dunsandel, said he sold 16 of the 25 lots on offer at his second hind sale last week.
“It went good.”
The hinds were red deer with pure white coats.
Prices ranged between $800 and $5500.
A target of his breeding programme was to produce stags with white coats for the trophy market.