The Economics & Methods of Farming High Quality Deer
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Alberta has many diverse livestock species within its rural economy. This is a direct result of farmers searching for new ways to support declining profits in today's tough agricultural markets. Since 1992, Albertans have looked to the whitetail deer and the mule deer as a way to diversify their farms. The deer industry has had many ups & downs during its growth, but has developed into a viable alternative to traditional livestock
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Agro-tourismAgro-tourism, as it relates to deer farming, is currently the largest market available to deer breeders. Cervid Harvest Preserves, or CHPs for short, bring millions of dollars to Canada's economy - both directly to the farming community and indirectly to the service industries such as hotels and restaurants via trophy hunters' travel expenses.
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Breeding MarketsThe breeding market is critical to the success of both the deer farmer and the CHP (Cervid Harvest Preserve) operator. The demand for large antler trophy deer has increased over the past several years and deer breeders must strive to meet these increasing demands by continuing to improve the genetic foundation of their herds.
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Management TechniquesThe management of deer has greatly improved over time. And although there is still much to be learned about this topic, today's techniques are widely used by all successful deer breeders. These management techniques can be broken down into 3 core groups: nutrition, vaccinations, stress.
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Benefits of Superior GeneticsGenetic lines in today's deer industry are very predictable. With proper genetic selection and calling, the producer can improve his profit margins greatly. Input costs such as feed and vaccinations on most deer operations for bucks are very similar, averaging about $200 per buck per year.
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Breeding MethodsThe breeding of farm deer can be broken down into 3 methods:
natural breeding, cervical insemination, laproscopic insemination. |
International DemandsThe whitetail deer is the most widely hunted game animal in the world. The majority of hunters looking for trophy deer are from the United States. Over 30 million American hunters head out every fall in search of trophy deer.
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L E A R N M O R E
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Alberta Whitetail & Mule Deer Association
Box 591 Eckville, AB CANADA T0M 0X0 |
Ph: 403-748-4040
Email: [email protected] |
All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2019 AWMDA.
Updates to the website have been funded by the Government of Alberta's Community Donation Grant
Updates to the website have been funded by the Government of Alberta's Community Donation Grant
