The food animals - Gracey's Meat Hygiene

Agriculture Reference

In-Depth Information

hills to 12-16 hinds with their calves, per hectare, on

good lowland pasture.

Handling of deer

Because of their relatively sensitive nature, aggression at

times and powers of agility, it is essential that they are

handled efficiently and with care. Housing has been

shown to be of value, especially for calves, but care has to

be taken with dominant types (which must be removed)

and to allow sufficient trough space.

Good handling systems are necessary for collection of

deer for tuberculin testing, blood sampling, weighing,

anthelmintic and other treatments, etc. Drugs such as

etorphine hydrochloride (Immobilon) and diprenor-

phine (Revivon) are frequently used to immobilise ani-

mals humanely, projectile syringes being fired from rifles

or blowpipes into the hindquarter or shoulder.

References

Department of Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). (2008) United

Kingdom Slaughter Statistics 2008 , https://statistics.defra.gov.uk/

esg/slaughterns.htm (accessed 8 April 2014).

Dransfield, E., Nute, G.R., Hogg, B.W. and Walters, B.R. (1990) Animal

Production , 50, 291.

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)

(2011) FAOSTAT, Statistics/Production/Livestock Primary/Cattle/

Animals Slaughtered Products Quantity.

Living Costs and Food Survey (2011) Department of the Environment ,

Food and Rural Affairs, Office of National Statistics, London.

Orr, D.E. Jr. and Shen, Y. (2006). World pig production: opportunity

or threat? Midwest Swine Nutrition Conference, 7 September 2006,

Indianapolis.

Woods, V.B. and Fearon, A.M. (2009) Livestock Science , 126, 1-20.

Figure 1.15 A red deer stag.

the other species, some of which can be aggressive, for

example, wapiti ( Cervus canadensis ).

The calves are weaned in September. Housed calves

appear to thrive much better than those out-wintered

unless very good shelter is available. The principal prob-

lem in housing deer is bullying, and it is important to

separate deer into groups of similar size and to quickly

identify and remove either aggressive deer or those being

bullied. Where there is abundant fenced rough pasture

and forest to provide shelter, adult deer are best out-win-

tered because of bullying indoors.

The most suitable areas for deer farming are good,

well-sheltered grassland with good fencing and shelter

because of the lower subcutaneous fat content than in

cattle and sheep and the consequent poorer insulation.

Rutting (the annual sexual display in the male) occurs

in the autumn and is accompanied by increased aggres-

sion, vocalisation, testicular activity, shedding of velvet

and a strong urine odour. The rut lasts for 2-5 weeks

(late September to October) (Fig. 1.15).

Single calves are born in the spring (late May to

June) after a gestation of 231 days. At birth, they weigh

an average 8.5 kg and reach sexual maturity at 16

months. Farmed deer are slaughtered at various ages

(8-30 months) and produce dressed carcase weights

of 53-60 kg live weight. Some 33% of the carcase is

regarded as first-class meat.

Stocking rates vary according to the type of land and

pasture utilised, from 0.66/hectare on heather-dominant