Layout Solutions for Deer Farming Ventures

When you begin planning your deer farming venture, it is essential to consider the land you have available, as well as the deer you consider breeding here, to come up with a land layout that is optimum for both your and the deer's requirements.

Any water sources, natural hills and rocky outcrops and ravines need to be considered, both for safety, as well as for easing the handling of the deer.

It is generally most practical to situate the holding pens, handling pens and catchment passage in the center of the deer farm, with the enclosures surrounding this area. The size and shape of the enclosures is not as important to the deer's well-being, as is the ease of handling them from there, and the number of deer in each enclosure.

Consider the following factors when laying out your deer farm:

Ensure that each area of each enclosure is easily accessible by vehicle and by foot. This will be necessary for when you need to repair fences, see to water supplies, apply treatment and medication and for herding the deer.

Although long narrow enclosures are handy in easy deer handling, smaller camps can only hold one herd, with one breeding male. Paddocks should never be less than 1,5 ha, even for just one herd, as fighting deer need space to escape. This also allows the male to mate with the whole herd's females.

Larger camps allow for several dominant males to build up their harems or herds, and allows for several of these herds, where all females are bred. However, paddocks should not extend for more than 10 ha, as this makes herding the deer much more difficult and time-consuming. For areas larger than 10 ha, it is advisable to break the land into smaller paddocks to allow for rotational feeding.

Young weaned deer should be separated from their mothers, and kept in a separate paddock from the breeding stock.

Each deer farm requires a deer handling yard which is situated centrally on the deer farm. The yard should allow 5 - 6 m² (15 - 18 yards²) for each deer to be kept there at one time, even if it is only for a few hours. This handling yard should include an initial raceway that has a bend in it, to encourage the deer to run up it, and into the handling yard, without sensing humans, and turning away from the yard. If this raceway is on a gentle downward slope, they will not be as likely to break away in another direction. Never build the raceway on an upward slope, as this can have disastrous results.

Holding and handling yards should be round, to prevent deer from crushing other deer into a corner, and they should have swinging gates, (hinged to swing both ways), as these are more desirable for all paddocks, to prevent breakaways when a half open gate is encountered.

Fencing should be avoided at the bottom of a steep hill, as this makes escape easy for the deer. Where it is unavoidable, make the fences higher in these areas, to prevent deer from running and jumping clear of the fences. Ravines can often not be avoided, but wherever possible place such areas to the center of a paddock.

Also ensure that planning and initial outlay of your deer farm includes emergency exits for fires and floods.

With thorough planning and sensible layout, you will find that maintaining the land and fences, as well as handling the deer will be a pleasure on your deer farming enterprise.

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