A32News - Increased demand for deer penis and various other body parts of the animals to be used as drugs, making deer farm in Australia overwhelmed.
Jill and Michael Vella during this menangkarkan types of fallow deer (dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Koonwarra region, in south Gippsland, around 140 kilometers from the capital city of the state of Victoria, Melbourne.
The couple has been raising deer for 30 years, and currently sells venison to some restaurants in Melbourne.
Jill Vella said, as long as they adhere to the principle of do not want to waste the existing materials.
They also seek to ensure that there is a market willing to buy all the parts of the animal.
"We make sure that they live well and then cut them in a humane manner."
"We are grateful to be able to maintain and benefit and strive to take full advantage."
Jill Vella said, now they sell some parts of the deer to China. There, certain parts of the body of a deer used as a medicine.
He said, antlers are sold to those who lack calcium, tendon for health drinks, and dried deer penis for sexual power.
"Penis deer is viagra for Chinese, for sexual health drug."
"And in fact when Viagra is widely available, no one wants to buy a deer's penis, but now demand is increasing again."
Jill Vella said demand is now so increased that he sometimes had to import these deer body parts from New Zealand.
Meanwhile, antlers is the most important part, and to cut it, done under local anesthetic, under the supervision of a veterinarian.
"Horns of deer has been used in Chinese medicine herb for a long time," he said.
"Demand is high, very expensive, and we sell it to the rest of Australia," he added.
Livestock Vella bring their deer to a slaughterhouse in Camperdown. The return journey went as far as 670 kilometers from their farms.
Jill Vella said, the option to process the deer is limited in Australia because not many deer farm in Victoria as well as in the rest of Australia.
They were able to maintain a sustainable business because it can use materials that others may have to be discarded.
"We have the benefit of nearly 100 years of what we ternakkan," said Jill.
"So for example we do not raise our deer for several years and when ready to be cut, just take the meat, and the rest is thrown away."
"We make the most of what we produce," he stated.
Livestock Industry Association President Rusa Australia Andrew McKinnon had cattle, goats, and deer on their land in Strathdownie in Western Australia.
McKinnon said that, although the cost of expensive breeding deer, venison is not unable to compete with the price of beef or mutton.
"It's happening up and down in price over the past few years," said McKinnon.
"Now the price is about Rp 45,000 per kg," he continued.
According to McKinnon, it is difficult to understand why the price is so low venison when the price of beef and mutton reached its highest point.
"The price of mutton, now Rp 60,000 per kg," he said.
McKinnon said the value added generated by various other parts of the body reindeer make them stay competitive.
"Oxtail, penis, deer tendon in the foot was still a high value," he said.
"So everything when added will make cost cuts to be cheaper."
McKinnon also said that deer velvet, part of the bone around antlers are also much in demand and can be sold at Rp 1.2 million in China.
He said, with transportation costs and limited abattoir, sales of other parts of the body deer farmers can still make a profit.
"For us that's where the market is," he said.
"So it is not just selling reindeer meat alone," said McKinnon.
