Deer Industry New Zealand says it is making progress in identifying ways of increasing the production of venison.
Industry chief executive Mark O'Connor says its productivity improvement programme has come up with 15 initiatives designed to improve farmers' profitability by producing more deer which are heavier and ready for killing earlier.
Mr O'Connor says most of the initiatives deal with changing farm practices need to be prioritised and Deer Industry New Zealand will not necessarily approve them all.
Six stakeholder groups are working on various aspects of production, including feeding, genetics and deer health, he says.
Deer farmers will have the chance to discuss the programme at their annual conference in Wanaka in May.
