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