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SCS-1998-34
Texas Agricultural Extension Service
The Texas A&M University System
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Forage Management for Non-Native Deer Farming
Dr. David H. Bade, Professor and Extension Forage Specialist
The following statements are taken
from Non-Native Deer Farming
Symposium Proceedings and
based on experience working with
deer farms forage programs.
u U.S. producers are only supplying
10% to 15% of the venison consumed
domestically.
u Deer farming refers to raising of deer for venison and
other products. This occurs on small acreages of
improved pastures in the U.S.
u The population of non-native deer in Texas has increased
over 300)% over the last 20 years.
u Breeds include axis, fallow, sika, red deer and elk.
u White-tailed deer are not as easily farmed since they
are more browsers (concentrate selectors) than other
improved breeds.
u A 25 to 30 does one-buck herd and their weaned fawns
can be carried on 5 acres of improved pastureland.
u Exotic deer are not cows, they are not sheep, they are
not white-tailed deer in diet preference and nutritional
needs.
u Deer have smaller rumen and shorter digestive tracts
(per unit body weight) than cows or sheep; hence,
feed passes through the gut faster, and gets digested
less well.
u Deer need higher quality nutrition than do other
domestic animals.
u Deer vary in feeding habits and nutritional requirements.
— White tails, mule deer ..... are concentrate
selectors-browsers.
— Red deer, axis deer, and sika deer ..... are
intermediate feeders-browsers or graze.
— None are true grazers.
u Protein requirements:
—
—
—
—
Fawns ..... 15 to 20%
Adults ..... 14 to 16%
Lactating does ..... 18%
Bucks ..... 13 to 16%
u Intake decreases with decreased daylength in autumn
and winter, and increases during spring and early
summer with increased daylength.
u Energy requirements of a lactating doe is about double
that of a non-lactating doe. Minimum of:
— 65% DMD - weaned fawn
— 62% DMD - does nursing
— 55% DMD - bucks
u Deer are very selective grazers and browsers —
forage must tolerate close and frequent grazing if a
grazing system is not used. Recommended stocking
rates:
— Warm season perennial grasses (bermudagrass)
1200 to 155 pounds/animal weight/acre
— Legumes
1000 pounds/animal weight/acre
— Winter pastures (oats, wheat, ryegrass)
600 pounds/animal weight/acre — cold months
1200 to 1500 pounds/animal weight/acre — spring
u Hay must be high quality — minimum 12% protein,
55% TDN.
u Cool season grasses (ryegrass, oats, wheat, rye) and
legumes (alfalfa, clovers, vetch) exceed the forage
quality of deer when they are in the vegetative state
of growth.
u Warm season legumes (alfalfa, cowpeas, lablab,
soybeans) have adequate forage quality for deer.
Quantity is often the problem as these can be “grazed
out” if not managed properly.
Educational programs conducted by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability,
age, or national origin.
Texas Agricultural Extension Service • Chester P. Fehlis, Deputy Director • The Texas A&M University System • College Station, TX
u Warm season perennial grasses (bermudagrass,
bahiagrass, Kleingrass, bluestems) are typically lower
in quality than other forage species. They must be
adequately fertilized (according to a soil test recommendation) and kept in a young, high quality, leafy
stage of growth if they are to meet a deer’s require-
Figure 1.
ment. Periodical shredding to remove rank, mature
plant material is necessary throughout the season.
u Deer species differ in how much and how well they
will use bermudagrass and other warm season
grasses.
Digestibility percent ranges for several forage groups and requirements of different classes of exotic
deer.
% digestibility dry matter
75
70
65
Weaned fawn
Doe/fawn
60
55
fescue
50
sudangrass
45
bermudagrass
bahiagrass
bluestems
Warm-season
perennials
millets
Warm-season
annuals
clovers
rye
wheat
oats
barley
alfalfa
cowpeas
Cool-season Cool-season
perennials
annuals
Legumes
Influence of season on digestibility of continuous grazed sod grasses at Overton, Texas sampled at
2 week intervals (Duble, 1970).
80
In vitro digestibility dry matter (%)
Figure 2.
timothy
orchardgrass
bromegrass
Doe
ryegrass
70
60
50
40
Coastal bermuda
30
Common bermuda
Pensacola bahia
20
4-23
5-21
6-16
7-16
8-13
Date
9-10
10-8
11-15
Concentrate Selectors
Intermediate
(opportunistic
adaptable
Grass - Roughage Eaters
selective)
selective
non selective
Musk deer
Père David’s deer
Chin. water deer
Muntjak
Caribou
Sika deer
Roe deer
dom. goat
dom. sheep
White-tailed deer
Eurasian Red deer
Pudu
Fallow deer
Maned deer
Mule deer
Sambar deer
Mazama
Axis deer
American Elk
(Wapiti deer)
Barasingha
deer
dom. cattle
Moose
Feeding
frequency
Figure 3. Classification of the world’s deer according to morphophysiological feeding types (Hofman, R.R., 1985)
45
4
1000
40
0
0
0
35
1
2
3
4
5
Weeks (May 6 to June 24)
6
Yield
IVDMD
Protein
4000
3000
2000
12
Protein (%)
Yield (lb. D.M./acre)
5000
60
55
50
8
45
4
1000
0
40
0
0
35
1
2
3
4
5
Weeks (July 15 to Sept. 2)
6
7
55
50
8
45
4
40
0
0
0
65
16
2000
12
1000
7
6000
3000
60
35
1
2
3
4
5
Weeks (June 10 to July 29)
6
7
6000
65
16
Yield
IVDMD
Protein
5000
4000
3000
2000
12
60
55
50
8
45
4
1000
0
40
0
0
35
1
2
3
4
5
Weeks (Aug. 19 to Oct. 7)
6
In vitro dry matter digestibility (%)
50
8
4000
65
Yield
IVDMD
Protein
16
5000
In vitro dry matter digestibility (%)
2000
55
6000
Yield (lb. D.M./acre)
3000
Protein
12
Protein (%)
Yield (lb. D.M./acre)
4000
60
Protein (%)
Yield
IVDMD
Protein (%)
65
16
5000
Yield (lb. D.M./acre)
6000
In vitro dry matter digestibility (%)
Interaction of yield, in vitro digestibility and protein concentration with age of Coastal
bermudagrass throughout the growing season at Tifton, Georgia (W.G. Monson, 1971)
In vitro dry matter digestibility (%)
Figure 4.
7
Table 1. Relative comparisons of body weight and size for various species of farmed deer.*
Species/Subspecies
Axis Deer
Fallow Deer
European
Mesopotamian
Sika Deer
Japanese
Formosan
Manchurian
Dybowski
Wapiti (Elk)
Rocky Mountain
Roosevelt’s
Red Deer
Scottish
New Zealand
Relative Body Weight (lbs.)
Male
Female
Average
Height at Shoulder (ft.)
120 - 180+
80 - 110
2.5 - 3.0
125 - 180+
150 - 210+
80 - 110
110 - 150
2.5 - 3.0
3.0 - 3.6
130
180
220
288
70 - 95
90 - 120
90 - 135
80 - 140
2.5 - 2.7
28. - 3.2
2.8 - 3.2
3.5 - 3.7
600 - 1000
600 - 1000
300 - 600
300 - 600
4.0 - 5.0
4.0 -5.0
250 - 420
350 - 550
180 - 210
200 - 250
3.3 - 3.7
3.5 - 4.0
105
160
160
120
-
*Note that body weights and heights for deer reported in this table are for relative comparisons of the size of one species to another. These
parameters may differ greatly depending on age, region, diet, management, and genetics.
Table 2. Reproductive characteristics of farmed deer.
Species
Axis Deer
Fallow Deer
Sika Deer
Wapiti (Elk)
Red Deer)
Estrous Cycle (days)
18 - 20
21
21
19 - 25
18 - 21
Gestation Length (days)
230
230
220
250
230
-
240
240
240
260
240
Breeding Season
All Year
Sept. - Feb.*
Sept. - Feb.*
Sept. - Feb.*
Sept. - Feb.*
*Generally, the peak of the breeding season occurs in Sept., Oct. or Nov. depending on your location and the condition of males and females prior to
the breeding season. Many farmers restrict the breeding season to a 45 to 90 day interval depending on the desired timing for fawns to be born,
weaned and females prepared for the next year’s breeding season.