Benefits | crwhitetails

Here's just a few of the benefits of deer farming!

Fawn Survival

Average Lifespan

Domestic Deer

Up to 100%! Survival rates of farm raised deer are much better for obvious reasons. They have protection from bad weather,predators, and are vaccinated against the worst diseases.

3 and a half years for harvest animals and 6 - 14 years for breeding stock. We have deer up to 16 years old on our farm. There are many examples of 20 plus year old deer that are enjoying a lazy retirement at their home.

Wild Deer

Wildlife experts estimate that about 50% of fawns make it to adulthood. Actual mortality is better or worse depending on many factors including region, weather, predation, disease and more. Regardless of the location the results are always grim.

18 months. As a rule, age 4 and a half seems to be about the maximum life of a wild deer. On rare occasion we do hear of one that survived to be 8 or 10 years of age. When tested, these old deer usually have no teeth and would soon be facing starvation.

Diet

Farmed deer are well fed. Their feeder is always full and they can munch whenever they like. Having a diet of corn, soybeans, oats, barley, molasses and fresh hay keeps our deer fat and sassy! They also get treats like apples, peanuts, marshmallows and grapes!

Deer entering the winter months in poor physical condition are doomed. Every state in the Upper Great Lakes region and in the Northeast, as well as the southern provinces of Canada, has recorded massive deer die-offs during certain winters. Sometimes as much as 20 percent to 40 percent of the herd may perish. The magnitude of the loss will hinge entirely upon the severity of the winter and quality of the deer wintering range