The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Deer farming can make big bucks
My enthusiasm at seeing a 2p per kg increase in lamb prices this week was tempered by the annual onslaught on our sheep industry by the influx of cut-price New Zealand lamb just in time for Easter.
Certain supermarkets are just full of it. I was so irritated that it prompted a bit of a rant on Facebook but surprisingly it did not draw much reaction.
The next commodity that will follow from New Zealand is venison.
The consumption of this healthy and largely organic meat has risen from sales of £43 million in 2009 to sales of game meat in the region of £95m in 2014, the majority of which is venison.
Scotland produces in the region of 3,500 tonnes of venison annually. Most of this is from culled wild animals, with only about 2% coming from farmed deer, but we still rely on importing more than 1,000 tonnes to satisfy demand.
If there is a demand for the product and the upland grass farms are facing an uncertain future with falling subsidies and Brexit and independence uncertainties, why do we not have more deer farms? There is plenty of scope to accommodate deer as they are the most efficient animals at converting low-quality herbage as well as silage and turnips into quality low-fat healthy meat.
Dr John Fletcher, the renowned vet and deer farming guru from Auchtermuchty, has been extolling the benefits and virtues of deer farming for years but only a few have taken up the challenge. So why has deer farming been slow to expand? I suspect that fear of the unknown has a lot to do with it, but there is a wealth of experience to tap into from those that are farming deer for profit.
It is true that start-up costs can be a detraction. Fencing is the major investment. High-quality deer fencing is required as well as good quality gates, but buildings are not essential for producing store calves, as deer are well suited to harsh environments.
They do require to be handled from time to time so a well thought out and central handling race is important, but these are the only capital items required. Those looking to finish calves can easily adapt existing buildings at little cost.
Until recently the lack of abattoir facilities was regularly cited as one of the barriers to the growth of deer farming, but the establishment of a new purpose-built facility in Fife could now open the market.
Once established, there is a relatively low labour demand for looking after deer which would allow it to fit in with existing stock management.
The economics of deer farming look attractive. The average cost of a breeding hind is £300- £500 and a stag will cost anything between £500 to £2,000. Typically, farms run 30 to 50 hinds with one stag.
In theory, deer farming looks to be a suitable enterprise to complement stock farming. It is encouraging that several lending institutions are happy to consider lending to establish deer farming. Hopefully some will rise to the challenge of more home-produced venison.