DEER TRACKING
". . . the many dimensions of the Canadian deer industry"

February - March 2002 Issue

CONTENTS

FROM THE EDITOR

Unlike most gifts, the gift of life and the privilege of deer farming maintain their inherent excitement. The past year is now encapsulated in photos and record data and a fresh year welcomes our participation and enthusiasm. We can not forget the past and we must not refuse to learn from it, but we can also look eagerly forward. CWD provided a massive blow to elk producers last year, but game farmers in general felt its effects and a recent new case in Prince Albert, Sask. shows we are not through it yet. We can not ignore the problem, as exaggerated as it has been portrayed, but on the bright side, the surveillance program is obviously working and should prove to critics that we are doing something positive and responsible. Individual provinces continue to face barriers that prevent fulfillment of industry potential. Ontario, somewhat "locked away" from the west, is challenged to tap into the huge potential within the province. Alberta and Saskatchewan also remain divided by border issues. Alberta has campaigned tirelessly for CHP's and now awaits government decision. Saskatchewan, with deer farming still going strong, can't ignore the "second hand" challenges of CWD in elk. Across Canada, wildlife organizations and animal rights activists alike, continue their ugly propaganda pressures. So we've all got something we can complain about. We all have much to be thankful for and excited about as well, but far fewer dare to see things this way for some reason. The fact is that deer farming is growing across Canada and the deer themselves continue to grow. Glance through the pages of Deer Tracking, take time to be amazed, and then imagine what our year ahead holds in store in the antler department. WOW! The economics are good, but these animals are incredible.

Speaking of growing, many thanks go out again to advertisers for their direct part in funding this magazine which now traverses Canada and into the U.S. Thanks also to SWAMDPA whose sponsorship of this issue of Deer Tracking allowed elk producers across Saskatchewan to receive a copy. These sponsorships are readily available and benefit everyone in the industry.

All in all, we are working together as never before. Whether elk or deer producer, new or veteran, and regardless of skills and professions, we need to be together on things, while feeling free to contribute constructive criticisms. To quote a "wise guy" I learn from, "Diversified unity is the strongest kind of unity." Let's choose to appreciate and encourage. Nothing else gets us far anyway. As for my family and me, we're looking forward to joining you in another amazing year, both in deer farming and in everyday life.

Randy Barks

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SWAMDPA PRESIDENT'S PEN

Our convention is just around the corner (March 15 to 17). By now you should have received your convention packages if you are a member of the Saskatchewan association. If you aren't a member you can still get a package from our office.

I'm excited about what we have in store this year. There will be the antler competition, trade show booths, speakers on various aspects of deer farming, and of course our key note speaker Dr. George Bubenik from the University of Guelph. Be sure to read his article in this issue of "Deer Tracking". If you are at all interested in how and why antlers grow (and what deer farmer isn't?) you need to attend his talk at our convention. His information should be useful to all of us who are striving for bigger, faster developing antlers.

Early in the new year you should have received a fairly thick envelope from Sask Ag and food. If you haven't read it yet you should take the time to do so. This is the information on the new mandatory CWD surveillance program. So if you haven't already signed up you must do so immediately. Although we are not happy with all aspects of the program, we believe that it is necessary if we are to be able to trade outside our borders, and even farm to farm. In my last letter I mentioned that once this was in place the entire province would have one enrollment date. This is not entirely correct. For the time being your old enrollment date will apply. There are some negotiations going on to try to work out some blending of enrollment dates that would still benefit those who signed up early, while not posing as large a barrier to trade as individual dates do. I am sure that this program will encounter a few bumps along the way, but, with patience, we will get through it. We are still pressing for our status to be separate from that of the elk since there have been no cases of CWD in farmed deer in the province. This probably will take some time to achieve.

Also, take a moment to read the letter from the honourable Clay Serby in support of game farmin. This has been a SWAMDPA initiative for many years, to garner official, written government support for our deer industry. This is a positive step forward for the industry!

One last reminder about the convention; as always we need volunteers, donations, etc. Think about what you can do to help support the industry and our Association. See you at our convention in Regina!

Ron Friesen

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AWMDA PRESIDENT'S PEN

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas and New Year s festivities and we are now refreshed and full of energy in order to ensure a strong start to 2002. We just completed our first board meeting of the New Year with a number of good messages coming from our various committees and from the industry as a whole.

Our CHPs initiative continues to be on track and the CHPs Committee has been communicating with our Alberta members separately, in order to keep them well informed about the status of that initiative. Obviously this is our most important project for 2002 and hopefully the good news will continue as we work with the Alberta Government. With certain amendments made to existing regulations, our industry will be much better positioned to achieve its full economic potential. Make sure you have contacted your MLA and are satisfied that he or she will be attending the upcoming meetings and that they will speak in favor of our initiative. We are only looking for equitable treatment from our legislative partners, similar to other agricultural ventures. Give James Sheret, Marvin Gill and Judy Cabay a call and let them know what a great job they are doing.

The Industry Development Committee has commenced its work with an ambitious agenda. More will be flowing out to the members over the next several weeks but we/they are putting together some of the bits and pieces necessary to contribute to the sustained economic growth of the industry. The environmental advantages associated with our animal along with the potential strength and viability of readily identifiable commercial markets should make this a fun committee to be involved with. If you have a little bit of time, some ideas, and a desire to see our industry move forward then give John Boyko, Len Jubinville, Marvin Gill, Lance Schneider, and/or Michele Gaumont a call and get on board. The experience will be rewarding; and what a great way to network, while making a lasting contribution at the same time.

The Communications Committee is not only working but also starting to fire on all cylinders. Jason Marsland, along with Judy Cabay, Michele Gaumont, Allan Wearmouth, Terry Osko and Gordon Young are all on board and preparing articles, information pieces, news items and maybe even some juicy gossip for frequent distribution to the members. Get in touch with one of these people and give them your best story. Jason is also our representative to CCC. Give him a call.

The Health and Nutrition Committee, chaired by Gary Schneidmiller, is all set to get underway later in January. This Committee will have some interesting topics to consider for their agenda. Give Gary a call and get involved in establishing this committee's direction and priorities right from the start. This is an area where we all have a lot to learn and we need the input and support from as many producers as possible. If we want to sell our breeding stock around the world then we need to develop and/or catalogue an easily accessible but comprehensive point of reference on health and nutrition issues. This library of information and best practices would be available to both existing and new producers in order to enhance their ability to raise these animals profitably, in a variety of different environments. We need to develop a diet or ration that will ensure, for the venison market, consistent yields and consistent quality and taste. We need to ensure the best " natural" diet is available to balance the producer's need to maximize returns while at the same time meeting consumer preferences. We need this committee to stay on top of research projects already underway in various jurisdictions relating to our animals as well as to suggest new projects and research, which may be necessary to allow us to better manage the ongoing health and viability of our herds. We need this committee to tell us what to feed our male animals in order to ensure that they grow progressively bigger antlers, year after year. A successful breeding program needs to be built on top of a successful nutritional and herd management program. We need everyone involved in some fashion on this committee. Please give Gary a call today.

I will let the Convention Committee tell their own story, but tremendous progress has been made in planning and organizing this year's event. See you in Red Deer, April 5, 6 and 7th. Everyone will be pleased to learn that despite some earlier rumors to the contrary, I will not be hopping out of a cake in the buff, or otherwise, for that matter.

Other good news: There are reports of semen, breeding animals and shooters selling for good prices. There has been some progress made towards establishing a relationship with a distributor to market fresh venison. The Board is looking at initiating the required actions to ensure a new generation co-op is registered and potentially available for producer participation as early as the second quarter of 2002.

Get out there and promote your farm, your animals, your genetics, your industry, and its potential. Once CHPs are operating in Alberta, we will need to promote that industry segment. Once venison animals are available for slaughter, we need to promote those markets.

Get your marketing and business plans up to date and Sell, Sell, Sell.

Bryan G. Taitinger, President AWMDA

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AWMDA HIGHLIGHTS

Cervid Harvest Preserves (CHPs) in Alberta

Standing Policy Committee (SPC) meeting request submitted to the Premier's Office:

SPC meeting date confirmed for February 11, 2002 (10:30 a.m. Room 512, Alberta Legislature x 30 minutes) - earliest possible date for a Joint SPC/Agriculture meeting. Approval at SPC moves this ahead to Cabinet, to Caucus, then onto the Floor of the House.

Mike Cardinal will not move ahead with any changes to the Wildlife Act without concurrent and consequential changes to LIDA. All amendments must proceed as a package. Essential procedure now is to ensure that ALL members of the SRD/Environment/Agriculture SPC's are informed and supportive before February 11th and that ALL of the supportive MLA's are in attendance on this date and speak in favour.

A business consultant is working with First Nations towards establishing a business plan for a CHP on reserve land.

For more information please contact: James Sheret (Chair) or Judy Cabay (Vice-Chair, Joint Committee)

Herd Health & Disease Management

CWD Outbreak Update [per Serge Buy, Canadian Cervid Council (CCC) Executive Director]:

The (almost) final numbers are as follows: 7500 farmed cervids were slaughtered due to CWD; 6500 of them were tested (1024 were not - elk calves: too young to be tested); 190 were positive - all elk and all in one single province; there were 38 infected premises

The public and consumers are demanding surveillance programs. We need to make sure the program can be implemented on farms - through liaison with AWMDA, the CCC's role is to negotiate with the federal government on these issues.

TB Research: The industry has agreed to submit 5000 samples over the next 3 years. Anyone working with their deer in the next 3 months contact Garry Schneidmiller for more information & sample collection requirements

For more information contact: Garry Schneidmiller (Chair)

Industry Communications

AWMDA renewal notice will be coming out by December 15th. If you have not received it before the holidays please contact the AWMDA office.

Major communications strategy: improve communications within the industry. Each of the new Board Committees has kicked-off and a number of initiatives are well underway. The AWMDA Highlights is a first step towards getting current information out to members and inspire others to get involved. Board Reports (like this one) will be circulated bi-monthly, with any "hot-off-the-press" issues in between. Feedback on this strategy or other suggestions is always welcome! Look for more exciting communications initiatives in the coming months!

For more information please contact: Jason Marsland (Chair)

-compiled by Jason Marsland

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OWTDPA PRESIDENT'S PEN

Happy New Year!

I certainly wish every deer producer the best year ever. I wish the Ontario industry good luck and success in negotiations for harvest preserves and marketing ventures.

We need to continue dialogue with the Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources and steer them in the appropriate direction to allow our industry the growth and expansion it deserves. Alternative farming is not a dream; it has become a necessary reality.

Our industry is still in its infancy when we observe the growth and knowledge accumulated in some other provinces. We should strive to collect information from our Canadian and American friends. Don't re-invent the wheel, but rub shoulders with other producers at their events and bring home expert advice that others have accumulated and share so everyone can benefit.

Some areas have had significant snowfall but in our area this has been the mildest winter with the least snowfall I can ever remember. But with no snow, water will be a sought after premium commodity this year.

I invite everyone to the Ontario Deer and Elk Farmers Association Conference, March 8,9,10/ 2002 at the Regal Constellation Hotel, Toronto, Ontario. The Ontario White-tailed Deer Producers Annual meeting will take place during this event on the Saturday afternoon. Mark your calendars; register before Jan 30, 2002 to benefit convention costs. See you there!

Happy farming.

Mabel E. Dougherty

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3RD ANNUAL BREEDERS CLASSIC...
MARKET STRONG & STABLE!

Strong and stable, the Breeder's Classic was undoubtedly the best thing to hit deer farming in a long time. While not the highest averaging sale on record, the Breeder's Classic reflected a stabilizing and even strengthening of deer farming in Sask. It was the most encouraging sale in the last 4 years. Here's why!

* The last four years have seen a gradual and sometimes not so gradual decline in average prices. One would buy stock hoping that the rate of increase in numbers combined with better breeding, would maintain a positive return overall, while at the same time the actual price on purchased stock was decreasing. Things are different now. Stock purchased in the last year is worth basically the same dollar today, plus a season's worth of offspring are available for a real return on the initial investment.

* Does averaged nearly $3000 ea. at the sale and including yearlings to 11 year olds, unknowns to well-known parentage, the results truly indicate average values 'out there'.

Doe fawns averaged about $1200 each and a buck fawn sold for $2300. On an average $3000 doe, that translates into a fantastic annual return. The highselling doe was $4000, great for an auction, but, leaving many on- farm highs still in the $6-8000 range provided the generations of key names are in the pedigree, offspring are showing their stuff, temperament is good, etc. The high dollars are evidently still there. More now than ever, AI ing and select breeding investments are proving their value in maintaining high and higher returns than 'average' stock. Expect such select stock to be had at a premium!

* Another extremely healthy sign was the number of buyers present. Fifteen different buyers, several new or relatively new producers, reflected the kind of demand that promises a great future ahead. These are the buyers who will continue to add to their herds over the next couple of years.

* It looks like we have detached ourselves from the public perception (ill conceived or otherwise) of the elk industry. The CWD scare is over, ranches are off and running, and confidence flows. Deer farming is affordable for the average Sask. resident and with lower initial investment, or an investment spread over more animals, the risk is way down. The end market meanwhile, is up creating an all around atmosphere of optimism.

The Breeder's Classic, put together by a classy bunch of guys, has done it again! Hats off to a well-run event! Deer farming's never looked so good!

Randy Barks

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DO FARMED DEER HAVE MORE NON-TYPICAL ANTLERS?

George A. Bubenik, (M.D., Department of Zoology, University of Guelph)

Function of antlers.

Deer antlers are often called "luxurious head ornaments", similar to peacock feathers or lion's manes. Antlers indicate the strength and the physical quality of their bearer and their architecture, size and structure is usually species-specific. Although antlers are occasionally used as weapons, their main purpose is to "impress" the females and other males and to help them to establish a higher rank. In addition antlers may function as dispersals of pheromones, hormone-like chemicals produced by various scent glands of the body.

Antler development.

Antlers are deciduous bony protuberances growing from pedicles, the permanent outgrowth of the frontal bones, developing during puberty. Antlers are the fastest growing tissues in mammals, which in elk and reindeer are elongating at the phenomenal speed of more than 2 cm (3/4 inch) per day. Various hormones, enzymes, neurotransmitters and growth factors promote this fast growth. Developing antlers are called velvet antlers, as a specialized type of skin, which resembles velvet, covers their bony core. The antler cycle is regulated by photoperiodicity and the most prominent hormone involved in the seasonal growth and development of antlers is a male sex hormone testosterone (T).

Trauma and antler growth.

Velvet antlers are provided with a vigorous blood supply and exhibit tremendous concentration of nerves, which make them very sensitive to touch. Because of this sensitivity, deer are trying to avoid any contact with the velvet antlers, which would damage their delicate structures. Unfortunately, accidents damaging antlers sometimes happen, such as in cases when a deer is running to escape the danger or if it is hit by hooves of another deer. Minor wounds, such as scrapes or cuts heal quickly without lasting effects on the final shape of antlers. Conversely more extensive injuries, such as those causing subcutaneous bleeding or splitting of the main beam or tines will often result in malformed antlers, called non- or atypical. The most damaging trauma, such as fractures of the pedicle, beam or a tine may result in "monster" antlers that often resemble size and shape of another deer species. Antler malformations resulting from trauma in one year have the tendency to occur in several sets of antlers grown in subsequent years. That happens even if no additional injuries to velvet antlers will occur. As a rule, the earlier the growing stage of antlers, the more malformed antlers develop as a result of trauma. Furthermore, the more malformed are the antlers, the longer the malformation persists, sometimes for many years. It appears as if the deer remembers the trauma.

Antler growth centers.

Because of some similarities with the process of memory, my late father, the prominent deer researcher Anthony (Tony) B. Bubenik, proposed to call this phenomenon of remembering the trauma, "trophic memory" (the memory for growth). He hypothesized that the deer brain has two "antler growth centers" (AGC), one for each side. These AGC are basically independent, but are usually synchronized, working in a tandem. Therefore, antlers usually grow in a mirror image, at the same speed and are cast at the same time. Stress or trauma may influence each AGC differently and then a desynchronization may occur in speed of antler growth and the timing of casting. The AGC has an inborn encryption that determines the species-specific shape and the size of antlers. A trauma to growing antlers, which is registered via numerous nerve endings in the velvet alters semipermanently this encryption. Unlike other memories, the trophic memory is not a mental process but a somatic one. It can be compared to a memory for the production of antibodies to a specific illness, which is initiated by vaccination or an exposure to the disease. It was observed, that small, but repeated trauma (such as a damage to tips of tines) acts synergistically and may prime the AGC to respond vigorously to a subsequent injury. Similarly to a memory process, a trauma sensitizes the brain's AGC to "remember" the shape of antlers resulting from an injury. It is this altered memory that "guides" the antler growth of the subsequent antler cycles to produce malformed (atypical) antlers. As both AGCs are interconnected, the malformed shape of antlers, developed as a result of injury in the previous antler cycle, will simultaneously occur on both sides and will often persist for years.

Antler growth centers and testosterone.

AGCs are influenced by testosterone. It has been hypothesized that the first substantial increase of T during puberty stimulates AGCs which in turn initiate the growth of pedicles. If a male deer is castrated before puberty, he will never grow antlers. Conversely, once the pedicles are formed and the first antlers are developed, castration does not prevent growth of antlers. Because of the lack of T in castrates, these antlers will stay permanently in velvet. During the regular antler cycle, high blood concentrations of T during the rut stimulate AGCs. The intensity of such stimulus is then "remembered" throughout the winter and via brain nerves determines the shape and the size of antlers in the following antler growth period. Therefore, if a buck or stag acquires a high rank during the rut, his antlers will become bigger. Conversely a defeat in the rut or a deterioration of a physical condition, which results in lowering of T concentrations, causes a decrease in antler size the following spring. The lack of stimulation of AGCs in castrates over several years results in progressively sluggish growth, often in atypical shapes. If a deer castrate is treated with T, his antlers will mineralize, be cast, and the shape and speed of antler growth in the next antler cycle will be restored. Trauma versus testosterone. An injury to pedicles can substitute for T stimulation. An accidental trauma initiated accessory antler growth in non-typical places on various bones of the skull (Fig.1). In addition, a unilateral antler growth was induced by trauma to a pedicle developed in a female deer with blocked ovarian function (Fig.2) or in females, which were given a small dose of T. The profound effect on the shape and size of antlers in deer whose pedicles or antlers were damaged during the early developmental stages indicates that trauma is an equivalent to T stimulation of AGCs.

Atypical antler growth on deer farms.

Do non-typical antlers occur more often on deer farms? As the density of deer is much higher in deer farms than in natural conditions, the probability of undesirable trauma or stress is also higher. In addition, large, more elaborate antlers grown as a result of trauma need extra energy that is often not available to wild deer. Finally, deer on farms are genetically selected for the maximal production of velvet antlers with multiple tines, thus predisposing them to respond more vigorously to any external stimulus. Therefore, large, non-typical antlers with a great number of tines will probably occur more often on deer farms and will persist for a longer period of time than perhaps in the wild.

Case histories.

In order to illustrate the process of development of non-typical antlers I will present a few examples of that phenomenon. These were observed and photographed on my white-tailed deer research farm in Cruikston Park, near Cambridge, Ontario.

1) Billy was found as a fawn in 1973 and was brought up on our deer research station. At the age of 2 he was an average 6 pointer of unremarkable size and weight. At the age of 3 he split his left antler just after the initiation of growth. The injury, incurred when he was recovering from an experimental immobilization, resulted in the formation of a double beam (Fig.3). The effect of this injury persisted in the 4th year as a malformation of the prong and the growth of a few supernumerary tines. In the 5th year, during a regular monthly blood sampling, the budding right antler was split again, now into three parts. This time, the antlers responded vigorously to the trauma by producing non-typical antlers with a great number of tines and a massive formation of antler bones (Fig.4). Although all the injuries occurred only on one side, the malformation (a split into three beams) developed also on the opposite site. In his 6th year of life, despite his average body size, Billy produced again huge antlers, which resembled more the antlers of red deer than white-tailed deer. The total weight of Billy's antlers that year exceeded 5 kg (11 lbs) and the main beam had a circumference the size of my forearm. In the 7th and the 8th year, the antlers were still atypical with massive developments of "royals" at the top of the beams. The antlers from the 9th year exhibit a decline in the antlerogenic capacity but even in his final year, 10 years old Billy still produced impressive antlers of a remarkable size. Billy died shortly after he polished his antlers in the fall of 1983. He broke his neck by trying to free himself from being stuck in the fence. The mineralization of antlers, which shifts calcium from the skeletal bones, probably weakened his vertebrae, which were then not strong enough to resist the vigorous jerking movement of Billy's head. He was found paralyzed by the fence and had to be sacrificed.

2) Alpha, son of Billy, was born on our deer farm in 1978. As he was the strongest and the most assertive of our fawns born that year, I decided to call him Alpha. During the first year of his life, Alpha produced "button antlers", signs of a strong antlerogenic potential. Also his true first and second antlers were of very good quality. At the beginning of the third antler cycle Alpha tried to escape from his pen, got his head stuck under the sliding door and trying to free himself, he was scared by a student who rushed to help him. Alpha jerked his head and broke his right pedicle with the attached antler bud. The wound healed relatively quickly but the regeneration of the pedicle took almost the whole antler growth period. That season Alpha ended up with only about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long antler grown on the weakly regenerated right pedicle. The left antler was also much smaller than expected. In the next spring the tiny right antler was cast, including the pedicle (Fig.5). Again the wound healed quickly and a new antler began to grow at a remarkable speed. At one point, the antler on the injured side was more than 3 times longer than the one on the intact side (Fig.6), thus indicating the independence of the AGC, which was stimulated by the injury, suffered in the previous year. As a result, the right antler grew very large, producing a remarkable number of tines. The left antler eventually caught up with the speed of growth of the right antler and as it is usually the case, it also developed a large number of points, almost matching the size of the uninjured antler. The number of true points on both sides is disputable (as some were rather small) but I counted at least 53 (Fig.7). The antlers lost a substantial part of the species-specific shape, looking partly as antlers of reindeer. In the following three years the antlers of Alpha still exhibited malformations (Fig.8), as they slowly returned to a normal shape.

3) Milan was one of the most durable deer I ever had. Despite repeated immobilization for blood sampling (at one point biweekly for 2 years), he was never seriously ill. His body weight and antler size was always superior to most other deer. Milan's T concentrations during the rut were the highest I ever measured in a captive buck. He was always very aggressive, sometimes attacking me with his front legs after casting the antlers. When Milan reached his 8th year, the shape of his antlers began to change from a very typical to a non-typical one. Two years later, when I found him dead from broken neck (he got stuck in the fence during the rut, like Billy), the shape of his antlers was really bizarre (Fig.9). The loss of the species-specific shape in an over-age deer is common to most cervid species. Some of them (surviving to a super old age in captivity) end up bearing single spike antlers. Similarly to a fading memory of old folks, the trophic memory gets extinguished, reverting antlers to a simple shape of yesteryears.

Acknowledgement: The excellent technical collaboration of Ian Smith as well as the editorial revisions of the text by my wife Ella Bubenik, are gratefully acknowledged.

References:

Bubenik A.B. 1990. Epigenetical, morphological, physiological, and behavioral aspects of evolution of horns, pronghorns, and antlers. In: Horns, Pronghorns and Antlers, G.A.Bubenik and A.B.Bubenik, eds., Springer Verlag, New York, N.Y., pp. 3-113.

Bubenik G.A. 1990. Neuroendocrine regulation of the antler cycle. In: Horns, Pronghorns and Antlers, G.A.Bubenik and A.B.Bubenik, eds., Springer Verlag, New York, N.Y., pp.265-297.

Bubenik G.A. 1990. The role of the nervous system in the growth of antlers. In: Horns, Pronghorns and Antlers, G.A.Bubenik and A.B.Bubenik, eds., Springer Verlag, New York, N.Y., pp. 339-358

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THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING GOOD FINANCIAL RECORDS

As a deer producer, there can be a struggle to control your costs, finances, and resources. By taking control of the administration of your financial information and farm records, you can reduce your stress and be better equipped to manage circumstances that are beyond your control.

To succeed, you need to know about financial management. It is important to recognize that controlling your numbers and understanding those numbers is KEY to making money in your farming enterprise.

The Benefits of Maintaining Good Financial Records

How you gather, manage and use your financial information can determine whether you win or lose in the world of business. Accurate records and information will:

- Provide you with data that can lead to insights into your business. Good records can assist you in monitoring the success or failure of your enterprises. Are you making money or losing it? Is your business on sound financial ground or are there troubles lurking ahead?
- Provide valuable historical information to see trends. You can compare the performance of the present financial period to previous periods.
- Assist in obtaining bank financing. A good working relationship with your lender is valuable. Complete and accurate records can assist you in your negotiating position. You should know your financial situation better than your lender! Meet with your banker knowing where your operation is and where it is headed.
- Minimize your accounting fees. If your accountant prepares your income tax return, taking in poor records will almost certainly result in paying a high accounting bill.
- Facilitate income tax planning and preparation. Accurate records help ensure that you are claiming all legitimate expenses. Accurate records can protect you in case of a tax audit.
- Assist in budgeting and cash flow planning.You need to have solid financial information to prepare a meaningful budget and a cash flow plan.

Creating Good Financial Records

The dollars you earn will slip through your fingers if you don't know how to effectively collect it, keep track of it, save it and spend or invest it wisely! Create order. Being organized will help you focus on your financial records and management.

- Clear the clutter off your desk. Your desk is intended to be a work surface not a storage surface! When you eliminate the clutter, you set yourself up to accomplish more because you can focus just on the tasks at hand!
- Sort out any financial information that is currently in piles of papers. Have your records organized before you start recording your daily transactions.
- Have a system for recording and filing day-to-day transactions - whether it is a computerized accounting system or a manual ledger system.
- Determine a specific location to file your financial records. Consider creating twelve folders to hold each month's business activity in the year.
- Keep your cheque book register up-to-date. This register is used to record transactions as they occur. It is a useful tool for tracking your expenditures and deposits.
- Reconcile your bank statement. It is an important part of your cash control procedures. It verifies the amount of cash in your chequing account and will assist in picking up errors you or your banking institution may have made.
- Develop a filing system for all your financial documentation. This could include your bank statements, loan agreements, investment records and payroll files.

Good financial records will assist in prompt bill payment and accurate recording of all your business activities (bills paid, income earned, etc.). Take control of your record keeping by getting in the habit of setting aside a specific time in your day, week, or month to keep your financial records current.

Financial record keeping is a vital part of your deer enterprise. Learn the skills involved in tracking your business's finances. Develop and maintain good financial records. You will enjoy an increased level of confidence knowing you can access vital and accurate information at a moment's notice!

Getting Organized Is Half Knowledge and Half Action

Visit www.paperchasesolutions.com. This site is dedicated to providing organizing solutions and strategies to individuals, small business owners and business professionals. Sign up for your FREE subscription to my monthly newsletter, "Sticky Notes". It provides quick and practical solutions to help you manage your records, files and information.

About the Author: Karen D. Wright is a workshop facilitator and author of Paper Chase Solutions, Solving Your Organizational Dilemmas. To contact Karen, call 306-398-3662 or e-mail her at karen@paperchasesolutions.com.

Karen D. Wright KDW Consulting Services

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ACIDOSIS EXPLAINED

Acidosis is a condition of fatal, or potentially fatal, high acidity of the blood. This is systemic acidosis. In ruminant animals (cattle, sheep, deer, etc.) the term also refers to acidity in the rumen (rumen acidosis or lactic acidosis). Development of acid conditions within the rumen is diet-related and is caused by an abrupt increase in consumption of readily fermentable carbohydrates (concentrates). The source of these carbohydrates is usually cereal grains, but other sources include tubers or root crops, as well as immature rapidly growing forages. Rumen acidosis is commonly brought about by a sudden increase in grain consumption or a rapid change from an all-forage or high-forage diet, hence the term grain overload. Acidosis can be acute and life-threatening, or chronic (subacute), causing reduced feed intake and weight gain.

Development of acidosis has 2 major phases. The first phase involves the sudden increased ingestion of concentrates followed by their rapid fermentation within the rumen. This produces acids that alter the population mix of rumen microbes. The second phase is the absorption of these acids into the blood stream, resulting in systemic acidosis.

Fermentation of carbohydrates by rumen microbes produces volatile fatty acids (VFA's) and lactate (lactic acid). However, some rumen microbes consume lactate and convert it into VFA's as well, such that there is normally very little lactic acid present in rumen liquid. VFA's are absorbed into the blood through the rumen wall and transported to the liver and kidneys where they are converted to glucose for use as energy by body tissues. Abrupt changes in diet destabilize the population mix of rumen microbes, especially with the sudden introduction of high-concentrate feeds. Rapid fermentation of carbohydrates within the rumen quickly increases production of VFA's and lactic acid. Increased acidity in the rumen favours bacteria that produce lactic acid over those that consume it, making conditions within the rumen even more acidic. Lactic acid begins to accumulate and can constitute 50-90% of rumen acids. Lactate produced in the rumen can be absorbed through the rumen wall, passed from the rumen with ingested food, or provide substrate for bacteria. Lactic acid accumulated in the rumen or passed through it into the lower intestinal tract is readily absorbed into the bloodstream. There, increased acidity disrupts electrolyte balance, kidney function, and oxygen transport. Persistence of these conditions can result in death.

In non-fatal cases of acidosis, acidic conditions within the rumen reduce its function and interrupt normal digestion. The rumen wall can also be damaged, giving rise to potential systemic bacterial invasion of the kind responsible for liver abscesses. The lower intestinal tract can also be adversely affected by acidic conditions. The small intestine can become inflamed and alteration of its bacterial population can occur, contributing to diarrhea and loss of electrolytes.

Symptoms of acidosis include reduction or cessation of feed intake, diarrhea, depressed or distressed appearance, intoxication, founder, and death. Other less obvious symptoms are poor weight gain or feed efficiency. Symptoms observable post-mortem include liver abscesses, rumenitis, or altered blood metabolic profiles. Immediate treatment for acidosis would be to remove the source of readily fermentable carbohydrate and replace it with a good quality forage diet. Where only one or a few animals are acutely affected, it may be practical to supply electrolytes or bicarbonate buffers intravenously. Antibiotics may also be useful to treat bacterial infections arising from acidosis.

The most effective treatment of course, is to prevent acidosis from occurring in the first place. Prevention centres around gradual introduction of feeds high in readily fermentable carbohydrates and close monitoring of daily intakes of such diets. Populations of lactate consuming bacteria begin to rise within the rumen immediately upon ingestion of readily fermentable carbohydrates and will increase 6 to 8 times their original numbers within 4 weeks. Gradually introducing concentrate feeds allows the lactate-consuming bacterial populations time to grow at a rate more consistent with lactate production, such that lactic acid is not allowed to accumulate in the rumen. Four weeks is the recommended time over which ruminants should be adjusted from primarily forage to high-concentrate diets. Observation of animal condition and provision of fresh feed and water daily are also important. Providing roughage in the form of good quality forage when feeding concentrates is useful in preventing acidosis for several reasons. First, acid production is reduced when diets contain adequate roughage. Second, roughage increases chewing and rumination activity, thereby increasing saliva production. Increased saliva will dilute and buffer the acidic products of fermentation. Finally, forages themselves provide some buffering ability. Providing adequate roughage is particularly important when feeding processed (rolled, ground, pelleted) feeds. While processing high roughage diets may improve animal performance, processed feeds that are low in roughage and high in concentrates reduce chewing activity, saliva production, and rumen motility. The rumen's ability to properly digest material and buffer acidic conditions is thereby reduced. Weanling animals are particularly susceptible to grain overload because of the stress of weaning as well as possible unfamiliarity with their feed. It is therefore important to provide good quality forage with which fawns are already familiar to help prevent acidosis at weaning time.

Terry Osko
Waskwei Creek Whitetails
Vegreville, AB

References:

Church, D.C. 1988. The ruminant animal: digestive physiology and nutrition. Prentice Hall, New Jersey 07632, USA.

Frandson, R.D. 1986. Anatomy and physiology of farm animals, 4th edition. Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia 19109-4198, USA.

Van Soest, P.J. 1982. Nutritional ecology of the ruminant. Cornell University Press, Ithaca 14850, USA.

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ASK THE EXPERTS

Question: We've heard that feeding too much peas or corn to deer is harmful because of high levels of carbohydrates. Why is this?

Answer: The sudden ingestion of large amounts of carbohydrate-rich feed, such as grain and peas, is the most common cause of a disease called "grain overload" or "acidosis" that is the result of excessive production of lactic acid in the rumen. It can also be seen with excessive ingestion of apples, bread, brewers grain and sugar beets. This overload of carbohydrate is followed within 2 - 6 hours by a marked change in the bacterial population of the rumen. Certain normal rumen bacteria increase dramatically in numbers and produce large amounts of lactic acid. This drops the pH of the rumen to below 5 so that a very acid environment exists. At this point many of the essential microbes of the rumen (the good bugs) are killed. The ensuing acidosis can result in acute death or, more commonly, chronic gastrointestinal disorders with diarrhea, bloating and even rumen ulcers. The condition is most commonly seen when deer are suddenly given access to high levels of grain.

Another complication of high carbohydrate diets is founder. This condition can occur concurrently with grain overload as above, or can be more subtle. Sludging of blood flow in the hoof leads to partial to complete separation of the hoof wall from the underlying lamina of the digit and leads to lameness and hoof changes. The mechanism is fairly complicated but can be avoided with the feeding recommendations above.

Randall S. Murray, DVM
(Randall is a vet in Texas who also raises
whitetail & elk at M4 Ranch)

Question: Is there a best time during gestation to handle/move bred does ?

Answer: In a perfect world, one would never have to handle a pregnant doe. However, from time to time it becomes necessary to handle these does (e.g.. vaccinations for necrobacillosis that must be done during pregnancy ). At times like this it becomes important to keep the risks to a minimum.

Gestation can be divided into trimesters. In the first trimester the fawn is developing into a complete animal and insults during this time could result in congenital abnormalities or loss of pregnancy. In the second trimester the fawn is completely developed and only needs to increase in size. It is developed enough to no longer be susceptible to defects yet small enough to be protected within the body of the doe. In the third trimester the fawn is large enough to be vulnerable to trauma through the doe's body wall - especially if there are twins or triplets.

Therefore, I recommend only handling does during the second trimester when the fawns are the most protected within the does. However, I am always astounded by how resilient these animals can be if handled properly. Deer are at much more risk of getting capture myopathy during handling than they are from losing a pregnancy. Any handling procedures that prevent capture myopathy are probably adequate to prevent pregnancy loss.

Ken Vanderwekken, DVM
Lacombe Veterinary Centre
Lacombe, AB

Question: Can you briefly touch on deworming deer. What is the difference between Safeguard and Ivomec in treating deer for parasites? Also, I have heard that Cydectin is approved for use in deer. Is this true? (and is Cydectin a pour on or injectable?) Is there any such thing as an oral dewormer (as in horses, often they are orally syringed injectable ivomec)? Also, the benefits of pour on vs injectable? And finally have any studies been done on the effects of deworming pregnant does? What types of parasites are we attempting to treat/prevent with these dewormers?

Answer: What is the active ingredient in Safeguard? In New Zealand we have found that Ivomec Oral, Pour-on and injectable at the cattle/ Deer dose rate are all very effective in red deer and elk for treating lungworm, but our experiences suggest that doubling the dose rate achieves better efficacy against abomasal parasites, especially during the dormant phase in winter. It is routinely used under NZ conditions at 4 - 5 weeks intervals in autumn to control lungworm. They can be used during pregnancy.

Cydectin/Vetdectin/moxidectin is licensed in NZ as a pour-on, but is also used as an oral drench. The injectable is not recommended in deer because they have low fat reserves. It is highly efficacious against lungworm and abomasal worms at the normal cattle/ sheep/ deer dose rate.

They are used at 5 - 6 week intervals.

Benzimidazole (white) drenches are also used in NZ but they must be used at 3 week intervals against lungworm and appear to be less effective against abomasal parasites, especially in elk. Some are not recommended during the first trimester of pregnancy.

Dr Colin Mackintosh
AgResearch Invermay
Mosgiel New Zealand

Safeguard and Panacur are just a couple of names for the anthelmintic (anti-parasitic) drug fenbendazole. It is available for oral administration (granules, crumbles & paste) and in some cases is prescription only. It is moderately effective in treating intestinal worms and lungworm. Not particularly effective on adult liver flukes. Withdrawal times established in New Zealand range from 4-14 days. Suggested time is 14 days in the US. (NOTE: AMDUCA (Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act)) does not allow extra-label drug use (ELDU) of feed mixed anthelmintics, but does allow pour-ons, oral, injectible and water mixed medications. None are approved for use in cervids aside from ELDU application. (Canada has approved the use of Ivomec Eprinex for cervid stock.) Most effective recommended dewormer for cervids is Cydectin (moxidectin) which is a pour-on. Label directions should be carefully read for this application to assure maximum effectiveness. (NOTE: not to be given to fawns with little body fat or emaciated adults.) Meat withdrawal times are not established in US or Canada. NZ rates 21 withholding, and Australia approves 7 days. Suggested withdrawal interval (WDI) in US is 21 days. Levasol (levamisole) is not effective in deer species, according to Dr. Ken Waldrup of the Small Ruminant Practitioner's Association and the Texas Animal Health Association. Valbazen (albendazole) dewormer should not be used in pregnant does, as it is known to cause birth defects. Ivomec (ivermectin) is available in sub-cutaneous injectible form as well as pour-on. Veterinarians tell me that it is just as effective to give the injectible form orally. Promectin (generally used for horses) is basically the same thing. Ivomec Plus includes a liver-fluke additive. Ivomec F is NOT effective against liver flukes. Ivermectin's withdrawal time is 28 days in New Zealand for the pour-on. No time established for sub-cutaneous. Suggested withdrawal here in US is 56 days.NOTE!!!! It is recommended that in whitetail deer the dosages be doubled when treating for intestinal worms. Ivomec and Cydectin deliver anthelmintics for control of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworm, liverflukes in some forms, cattle grubs, sucking lice and mange mites. October and April are months to routinely deworm deer. A repeat dose should be given in approximately 30 days. Even if only one animal is diagnosed, the entire herd should be treated with a preventive dose and afflicted animals receive the treatment dose. Fecal testing does not always tell the true story. Since first-round treatments may knock down the egg-laying process, second fecal samples tested may show "negative" infestation. Best to be safe rather than sorry and give the 2nd round of dewormer to be sure. Deworming should not be done on a continuing basis. Constant exposure to the anthelmintics creates parasites that are more and more likely to be resistant to the drugs. Use only under the advice of your Veterinarian, even if the medications are available over-the-counter. Pour-on dewormers are usually most easily applied to tame deer. All others will have to be run through a chute or immobilized for the process of pour-ons or sub-cutaneous injection. Deerfarmers must weigh heavily the risks of confinement or CI against the benefits of deworming. It is important to use preventative measures such as anthelmintic therapies coupled with pasture rotation to prevent repopulation after parasitic invasion. Quarantine of newly acquired animals for at least 30 days is also beneficial in determining if they are carrying unwanted parasites and preventing an outbreak in a clean herd. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!!!

Thelma Morgan

(Thelma has extensive training and hosts seminars in AI as well as CI -Chemical Immobilization, with Safecapture International. She is active with NADeFa as a current member of the NADeFA Legislative Committee. She is presently collaborating in on farm research collection with Charlie Alsheimer, field editor of Deer and Deer Hunting magazine. She is also a moderator on deerfarmer.com's forums. Thelma and her husband Tom own Morgan's Birchwood Whitetail Deer Farm, Union City, Pennsylvania.)

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BACK TO BASICS: DEER TAXONOMY

Taxonomy can be useful as well as fun! By ordering animals by genetic relationships, we can more safely generalize aspects of their behaviour, nutrition and management. For example, it is much safer to generalize that the high tolerance of wapiti for dietary copper applies to red deer but with less certainty to fallow deer and even less to white-tailed deer. In the first of this series on Back to Basics, we review the relationships of a sampling of the world's deer.

Some deer are not deer!

One of the most startling revelations is that some deer are not deer. The mouse deer (or chevrotain) is a small tropical animal that despite its appearance and name is not a deer and barely a ruminant. It is antlerless, tusked and has a 3-chambered rather than 4-chambered stomach. The musk deer is a tusked Asian species prized for the musk from its abdominal gland. Most authorities place this species in its own family (Moschidae) because it possesses a gall bladder.

Main branches of the family tree

Members of the deer family (Cervidae) are distinguished from other ruminants by the presence, in most recent species, of bony deciduous antlers which are generally borne only by males. However, some of the more primitive members such as the water deer of Asia do not carry antlers, but have long curved upper canines. The muntjac (fig. 1) or barking deer has both canine tusks and small antlers perched on long pedicles. In reindeer and caribou, antlers are also carried by a large proportion of females.

Modern deer arose from two distinct lines recognized on the basis of the structure of the metacarpals (bones of the lower foreleg). The plesiometacarpalia (subfamily Cervinae or Old World deer) are characterized by the retention of both distal and proximal parts of the metacarpals. Their main center of evolution was Eurasia but one member, the wapiti, entered North America in the late Pleistocene. In the telenmetacarpalia (New World deer), the metacarpals are greatly reduced; only the distal parts remain although they support generally better developed dew claws. This group comprises all the deer of the Americas (subfamily Odocoileinae) as well as the roe deer, moose and reindeer/caribou.

Plesiometacarpalia: The Old World Deer

Members of this group belong to the families Muntiacinae and Cervinae. The Cervinae have a northern circumglobal distribution but most species are found in Eurasia and the Orient.

Several lines stayed in the tropics. The genus Axis of India has two members, the brightly spotted axis or chital (Axis axis) and the smaller hog deer (Axis porcinus). Three species belong to the subgenus Rusa (the sambars and rusa). The subgenus (Rucervus) contains the barasingha and Eld's deer.

The genus Dama contains the palmate-antlered fallow deer, a medium-sized animal with characteristically palmated antlers. Most members belong to the type genus Cervus. This complex group is often divided into several subgenera. The type subgenus (Cervus) designates the red deer, maral, Asiatic wapiti and North American wapiti. At the moment, these forms are considered to be members of a single species (Cervus elaphus) but recent genetic studies may restore the distinction between the red deer and wapiti groups. The closely-related sika deer is assigned to the subgenus Sika and the rare Thorold's deer to Przewalskium. The genetic distance between red deer and wapiti is about the same as between sika and wapiti.

Telenmetacarpalia New World Deer

Odocoileinae

Odocoileinae (American deer) are represented by 6 genera. The diminutive Pudu inhabits temperate forests of Colombia, Equador and Chile. The spike-antlered brockets (Mazama) are distributed from Panama to northern Argentina. Branch-antlered deer include the guemals (Hippocamelus), marsh deer (Blastoceros), and pampas deer (Ozotoceros). White-tailed and black-tailed deer (Odocoileus) are abundant in North America and the white-tailed deer extends into northern South America.

Capreoleinae

The Eurasian roe deer (Capreolus) is the ecological equivalent of the white-tailed deer in Europe and Asia. Roe bucks maintain breeding territories and females have delayed implantation, the only ruminant with this unusual adaptation.

Alcinae

Moose (Alces) have a circumboreal distribution and are called ‘elk, elch, alg' in Europe where they appear to have first evolved. Their unusual but majestic appearance reveals extreme adaptation to their boreal forest home.

Rangiferinae

Rangifer (reindeer and caribou) probably originated in Beringia and the mountains of northeastern Asia. Three ecotypes are adapted to arctic islands (Svalbard reindeer, Peary caribou), tundra (mountain reindeer, barren-ground caribou) and northern forests (forest reindeer, woodland caribou).

Farming the world's deer

Deer have been farmed for centuries and even millennia. Today throughout the world, over 3 million reindeer are herded and almost 5 million deer of other species are farmed. Among farmed deer, sika, red deer, fallow and wapiti are the most popular species but rusa, sambar, chital and white-tailed deer are becoming established. Roe deer and mule deer have been rather difficult to farm with current experience and understanding. Production of species such as moose, musk deer and muntjac remains experimental.

Robert Hudson
Professor of Wildlife Productivity
and Management
University of Alberta

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BOONE & CROCKETT VS SCI SCORING
(PART 1)

When two major trophy scoring systems collide, the fall out may be confusion and questions. That need not be the case. In fact the collision does not need to happen in the first case. Probably the two most widely used and accepted systems, SCI and Boone and Crockett, each strive to consistently, universally and justly reflect and credit the natural wonder of a trophy. Both have been quite successful in achieving their goals, but admittedly by both systems, neither is perfect. The biggest obstacle is education. An understanding of both systems will make conversion to your preferred system much easier. For example, one may have trouble thinking in terms of metric measurements (Km, Kg, litres, etc), but an understanding makes conversion to imperial measurements easy. Boone and Crockett and SCI put slightly different emphasis on antler qualities which may reflect final scores. Understand both systems and conversion is easy. Boone and Crockett emphasizes balance and symmetry while SCI emphasizes total antler growth. Both systems have their values and in the end, measurement differences are quite slight. For the purpose of comparison, let's stick to discussion of North America's number one game animal, the whitetail deer.

Both systems categorize antlers into two categories (typical and non-typical). The definition of non typical characteristics are the same, but the categorization of a set of antlers may differ. Boone and Crockett places a trophy according to how well it ranks. If it places closer to the "book minimum" as a non-typical, then that is how it is categorized and similarly for "typical" placement. SCI has a 5% rule. If the total of non-typical tine lengths is equal to or greater than 5% of the animal's total typical score, then it is placed in the non-typical category.

B&C penalizes for asymmetry while SCI does not. B&C determines a net typical score regardless of category. This is done by adding up all typical qualities and then subtracting side-to-side differences (ie/ right G2 (9")-left G2 (11")= 2" deduction). If in the typical category, all non-typical inches are further subtracted for a "net typical" score. If in the non-typical category, these non-typical inches are added for a "net non-typical" score. "Gross typical B&C" refers to the typical total before any deductions (remember that non-typical inches are never added to the total for typicals) while "gross non-typical B&C" refers to the grand total of inches for non-typicals.

SCI credits all typical inches and simply notes non-typical inches as additional information if it remains in the typical category. If in the non-typical category, these inches are added. There is no gross or net score with SCI, just "typical" or "non-typical."

Pros and cons of both systems could be argued, but I'll simply point out some observations. The buck in the above examples could be described as a 156 net typical B&C, a 166 net non-typical B&C or a 167 SCI typical. With an additional 4" of non typical growth, the trophy would be reduced to a 152" net typical B&C, or increased to a 170 net non-typical B&C, or a 176 SCI non-typ. Many argue that full credit should be given as in Ex. 2, however, in such a case, it is possible for a perfectly clean, matched and balanced 167" typ. to score identically to a mismatched, unbalanced rack with five inches of non-typical growth. Obviously additional detailed info is required with either system to get a true picture of the trophy scored.

Other differences are slight. B&C measures to the top of the burr (or coronet) in determining beam length while SCI includes the burr. In the case of palmation or webbing between tines, if the tines are indeed determined to be separate tines, B&C measures circumferences between these tines. SCI replaces this "abnormal" circumference with the last "normal" circumference. Normally tine length is measured from the outside of the beam, except with the brow tine with which it is optional. B&C measures all other tines from the outside while SCI takes whichever measurement (inside or outside beginning) is greatest. Other than these few technical differences, only terminology variance remains. A tine is referred to as "G" by B&C and "T" by SCI. A circumference is referred to as "H" by B&C and "C" by SCI.

In the end, categorization and basic asymmetrical credit (SCI) or deduction (B&C) remain the major differences between the two antler scoring systems. Actual measurements are nearly identical. One may hold to a preferred scoring system, but if basic antler scoring is understood, both systems can at least be workably compatible.

Randy Barks

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BOONE & CROCKETT, SCI, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH?
(PART 2)

Now that B&C and SCI differences are outlined, let's examine them closely for ramifications to the game-farmer. In many cases, neither system is presently, truly used, not even in association competitions. In most situations, misuse of a system has been purely unintentional. Inaccuracies in the past need only be negative if we now knowingly repeat them. In the grand scheme of things, we're a young industry. It's okay and even expected that we change, modify and even establish our own unique standards and methods of evaluating our stock. It's also important that these standards and methods be commonly accepted and used across Canada.

The last few years have seen a growing debate over which scoring system to use for game farmed animals. Marketing is ever more important and scores are essential to promotion. The common use of B&C terminology is understandable in that most of us Canadians have used it since shooting that first buck when we were 12 years old. The use of B&C (Boone and Crockett) has created controversy though, primarily from wildlife clubs, who declare that farmed animals should not be grouped with wild animals. It's funny how "they" conveniently see our animals as farmed in this case, but define then as wild animals when it best suits them. The fact is, however, that these are not wild animals and avoiding such association, even in terminology, is inarguably prudent. SCI (Safari Club International) recognizes trophy ranched animals in its record books. At a glance, it seems animals will score higher with SCI, given gross score with no deductions, so game farmer favour has swung toward this system. Ahhhh, this is where it gets chaotic!

As often as we've seen "B & C" with our buck scores, we never were really using the system properly. B & C requires a net score along with gross. We've stuck to stating "gross." Now as some switch to using SCI with their scores, further problems develop despite good intentions.

Although B & C and SCI are very similar in scoring methods and SCI generally provides the higher score, there are significant exceptions that we may find ourselves unwilling to accept one day. The "5%" rule with SCI allows for very little non-typical growth and therefore many presently high ranking typicals would find themselves as low-ranking non-typicals. A world class 200" typical rack with only 10" of abnormal growth would instead be a 210" non-typical. There are precious few 200" typicals but non-typicals range up to 300". Many racks would be affected by the 5% rule. SCI does not credit massive circumferences when they occur as webbing. Fewer racks would be affected by this, but some big name bucks certainly would be! A 315" non-typical could quite feasibly be reduced to a 285" SCI and a 180" non-typ. could be a 168" SCI. In competitive markets those numbers are significant. Competition "records" (past to present) would certainly be inaccurate as far as ranking the #1 bucks in various categories. We're left apparently with two systems to choose from, neither of which best suits game farming across the country.

So far we've wanted our cake and tried eating it, too. We've either declared "B&C" scoring while failing to include deductions or we've stated "SCI while re-categorizing "typical" and "non-typical" and maintaining B&C credit on unusually webbed racks. Is it possible to enjoy the best of both worlds with a clean conscience? Absolutely!

Gleaning from many discussions over the last little while, here is a summary and listing of suggestions that seem quite workable across Canada. "Across Canada" is perhaps the key to success. A commonly accepted & published set of simple guidelines would allow fair comparison of bucks across the country. Right now that is not the case. For example, beam base allowances on cut antlers varies from SK to AB. A buck, scoring accuracy maintained, should "officially" score slightly higher in AB. Neither are typical and non-typical category criteria the same across the country. Three provinces marketing to each other and into the U.S. need to be on the same page on seemingly at least five main points in this competitive industry.
1> Simply stating that B&C measuring methods be used allows access to B&C rulings in general (ie/ we don't have to rewrite every fine point) and gives credit to unusual mass or webbing
2> State that all scores be termed "gross typical" or "gross non typical"
3> Define typical or non-typical category standards (5% rule, 7% rule, B&C standard, etc.)
4> Establish the fine points of spread credit and base allowance.
5> Help ensure the credibility of the system by minimizing "score enhancer" opportunities.
B&C's ruling of no score for detached antler parts will hurt sometimes, but we have to be willing to accept some stringent rules. It's been asked, "How can we accept picked up bases and broken tines as credible and give absolutely no credit to a photo-proven, obviously missing beam tip or tine?" It's a good point that I'm sure I'll one day be sorry about, but if we're consistent, I see the value. Perhaps these five points are too concise, but they are probably not far from sufficient either.

We could use the B&C antler scoring system, we could choose the SCI system, or we could establish our own blended system (label gross typ. or gross non-typ. with no "B&C" or "SCI" attached. Whatever our choice, it needs to be standardized between provinces and we need to strictly stick to it through the beneficial rulings as well as the times when a rack seems unfairly or insufficiently represented. Hopefully people would look at the rack, a photo, or additional information to get the complete picture of a rack's size and character regardless of system used. What we can not do is choose which system best suits us at the time and combine with the most beneficial label. Consistency among our 350 or so deer farmers will certainly be an effective way of establishing a system that makes sense, is easy to follow, and gives due credit to our antlers. We could continue to access official Boone and Crockett scorers in order to maintain credibility in declaring scores "official." We could educate our members consistently across Canada. We could, with very few changes and a wee bit of inter-provincial cooperation, know that we're portraying our bucks by identical standards.

Randy Barks

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PROUD TO BE A DEER FARMER

I am a little disheartened with the many negative comments directed at my industry of late. Yes, we have been faced with many problems lately in the game farm industry, but really they are no more or less hopeless than any other livestock/grain farmer encounters. Every livestock farmer deals with the threat of herd disease and sickness every day. Grain farmers handle new strains of hard to kill weeds or low grain prices as a regular part of farming life. But neither grain farmers nor traditional livestock farmers are misrepresented as badly or their problems overemphasized as much as those in our industry. Why is that? Wouldn't the media be better served to represent the facts accurately, positively and completely? Generally it is about money. Who can sell the most papers? Those with the most heated controversy seems to be the unfortunate answer. Well, I would like to challenge those in the media industry to rise above the perceived negatives and begin representing the reality in a positive, well represented fashion.

Why did we become deer farmers?

Because of our interest and obvious appreciation of the animal. For us, whitetail deer are an enigma and an enjoyment to have on farm. They are low maintenance, and require less labour and less to feed than the traditional cattle herd. Pastures can normally carry 6-8 mature does and their offspring for each beef cow/calf pair. (SAF, WTD Production and management, pg 8). They are hardy, intelligent and adaptable to our Canadian weather. They are highly productive and generally have twins and often triplets, making deer a good investment with an above average rate of return. And this investment can be maintained on less acreage of unfarmable quality. Yes, there can also be money made in this industry. Good! Finally a sector of agriculture that can be self-sustained, that may see some profit in a well-run farming operation. Is there money to be made in cattle? You bet, in a well run farming operation. In a province such as Saskatchewan, facing farm crisis, the economic benefits of diversification are a necessary and valuable source of saving the family farm.

Whether farmers raise cattle, pigs, goats, chickens, deer or elk, if the farming operation is ethically run and legal, it is all agriculture. I am proud to be a deer farmer.

Trophy Ranching- positive for our industry

Trophy ranching serves a great purpose in our fine province. It provides a final destination for those animals that have outlived their breeding potential. Slaughter on a harvest preserve/trophy ranch is a viable alternative to the traditional slaughter house idea. It is a humane and efficient method for slaughter of our commercially raised, domestic livestock. On farm slaughter occurs regularly in rural Saskatchewan. Who hasn't helped a neighbour kill and eviscerate chickens? Hogs are often killed on farm and added to the freezer in the form of chops or sausage. Goats are a sacred meat in some cultures and are sometimes killed on farm in a special ceremony with prayers said over the carcass. Consider the usefulness of a cow that has passed her productive prime. Has that usefulness been outlived? No. It becomes beef in that farmer's freezer. Where does the slaughter and processing occur? Usually on-farm. It is convenient and humane without the long trip to a slaughter plant. The deer that we raise are sheltered, well fed, and given every veterinary care necessary. Then, having lived a long and productive life, they are killed by hunters willing to pay the price for the meat, antlers and experience. Why not? Many creative farmers have incorporated the value-added benefits of pheasants, bison or wild boar to their agricultural game plan. As with all livestock, the purpose is to strive for quality production, which ensures a quality end market slaughter. In today's agriculture crisis, I applaud those who can develop new and creative diversification and investment value in their agricultural enterprise. Some might call it the ultimate marriage of the hunter/gatherer/farmer evolution in the tradition of the North American native peoples. Although the media and opposing forces would have the public believe this is a new and unacceptable venture, it truly is an age old tradition-we kill and utilize what we have produced. Call it hunting, harvesting or slaughter...I call it academic agriculture. And I am proud to be a deer farmer.

Environmentally sustainable rural development:

The raising of deer is not a new venture. Deer farms have existed in China since about 2000 B.C. Europe also has had a long history of captive deer farming. (SAF, WTD Production Information, pg1) Even QDM (Quality Deer Management), largely practiced in the US is a form of raising quality deer-without the fences. From an agricultural perspective, deer are some of the most "environmentally friendly" animals to raise. They do not contaminate the groundwater, they do not contaminate air quality, they don't require clear cutting or deforestation of farmland, and they don't require chemical sprays to encourage a higher than natural yield. Studies have actually been done on alfalfa hay pastures where the introduction of deer to the hay pasture has increased the quality and growth of hay over that of vacant alfalfa plots. As browsers, unlike grazers, quality growth in deer pastures lasts longer, is not chewed to the ground and allows for continual fresh growth. Since deer naturally eat less than cattle and forage in a manner less devastating to the pasture, deer farming is also up to three times as profitable as traditional livestock. (Nadefa.org, deer farming Q &A)

Virtually the entire animal has real value. Unlike traditional livestock raised specifically for the meat markets, deer have various uses. The creative deer farmer can find entrepreneurial merit in developing a variety of markets which may include the hide, urine, hooves, antler, pizzels (fly fishing products), taxidermy as well as meat and more! And then what about marketing the "experience"? That experience could mean a variety of different things to a variety of people. Perhaps it is an educational/interest tour, or a photo shoot, or a hunt. We truly believe that giving those impromptu tours is one of the best parts of deer farming. Few people have the chance for an up-close-and-personal look at a deer. The experience can be wrapped up in one word- tourism.

We cannot discount the value of a venison market as well. Venison has been the meat of choice for the gentry in Europe for centuries. Now venison is often the meat of choice for the health conscious. It now graces the menu plans for such well known health movements as Weight Watchers. Venison is low in cholesterol, fat and calories and high in protein. Many restaurants even locally are beginning to offer venison, bison and other specialty livestock meats on their menus. Even discounting our local markets, we in North America have not even begun to supply the demand for export of venison. According to the North American Deer Farmer's Association, "North American deer farms currently supply only one quarter of today's burgeoning North American venison market. Indeed, it has a very bright future." (www.nadefa.org) And I am proud to be a deerfarmer.

A Well Regulated Industry:

The deer farming industry in Saskatchewan is governed in joint effort by Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF) and Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). So we answer not only provincially but federally as well and we adhere to The Domestic Game Farm Animal Regulations Chapter A-20.2 Reg 10 of the Animal Products Act. These regulations outline requirements for enclosure, identification, import/export, transport, processing and penalties for non-adherence. For instance, as deer farmers, we are required to purchase a game farm license, TB test our entire herd every 3 years, have 2 unique forms of identification on every animal (eartags generally), apply for and file transport forms every time an animal moves on/off farm and send in a yearly inventory of births & deaths for our stock. The latest addition to the regulations is the Mandatory CWD Surveillance program. This program requires that we send in heads of all deceased deer within 15 days for diagnostics testing, and do a yearly head count (bring all animals through for an approved inspector to record all ear tags). We also are required to follow humane animal management as outlined in the Recommended Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Farmed Cervids (CARC). I would hazard to guess that the traditional sheep, cattle, or hog farmer would be shocked and appalled if this level of regulation were to be placed on their livestock industry.

Am I saying this level of regulation is bad? Well, it certainly is stringent...often too stringent. And that is where I believe that we need to work with the regulating bodies to help improve and make workable this system of regulation. We CAN be thankful, that here in Saskatchewan, because of regulations, we are largely supported by Sask Ag. who views our industry as a viable diversification model in the agricultural livestock industry. There are many states and provinces that do not have government support- generally the ones who disallow deer farming/trophy ranches. So, I can be proud to be a deerfarmer.

Media Hype and Misinformation:

We can not begin to count the negative articles and publicity our industry has received of late. Why is that? Again it is generally a ploy by the media to sell papers, market radio shows, and attract viewers. They thrive on the emotional rhetoric that will attract the uninformed public. Take CWD as one example. With all the publicity CWD has received, you would think it was Foot and Mouth or worse. Typically these types of headlines are reserved for diseases that have great consequence for human transmissibility. Consequently, CWD has yet to be proven to be directly transmissible to humans. As well, did any of these media outlets take the time to figure that out of 7500 farmed cervids put down due to CWD; 6500 of them were tested (1024 were not - elk calves: too young to be tested); 190 were positive (3%)- all elk and all in one single province; there were 38 infected premises. (CCC Report, Serge Buy) Now if you consider 28,000 farmed elk in the province (fall 1999 stats, SAF), 190 tested positive (not even necessarily clinical), that is less than 0.7% of the total farmed elk population in Saskatchewan (using old, low population totals)! So far this disease obviously is NOT the unbridled epidemic that the public has been led to believe. What about the numerous domestic (traditional) livestock diseases that can be transferred to wildlife populations. For instance, Johne's, liver flukes, or lungworm or even calf scours which are all more prevalent in domestic livestock farming than 0.7%. These can be found in farmed and wild populations. Deer (domestic and wild) can contract TB; but where does this form of BOVINE Tuberculosis originate? Without shutting down the entire domestic livestock industry, there is always going to be the possibility of transmission to the wild. Or, I pose also the possibility of wild to traditional livestock industries. Deer do not simply transfer deer diseases to deer, cattle to cattle, sheep to sheep......It is not a unilateral sharing within one species. Many diseases can be shared reciprocally between species.

It is time to be proactive:

It is time for our industry to step out and be on the offensive rather than defensive for a change. But we all need to work together. Expect opposition from those who continue to romanticize our livestock as "wildlife", from animal rights groups and from the general suburbanite public. Now is the time to be proactive.

It is time to make editors and writers accountable for the information that they choose to print. If you spot misinformation or one-sided negativity in articles depicting our industry, write, phone or email the appropriate people. We can no longer sit back and allow game farming to take the hits it has been taking.

Write "Letters to the Editor" and encourage your friends and family to do the same. Send in positive articles and letters promoting our industry. The more positive information submitted, the more informed and enlightened the general public will become.

Don't forget the radio stations. They also should be accountable for any damage they intentionally/unintentionally inflict on our industry. If you don't call in, call or email after the show to express your disappointment in the biased coverage game farming is receiving.

When talking on "coffee-row" be sure to point out misinformation and emotional rhetoric. Discuss the similarities with other agriculture livestock. Even trophy ranches are a form of agricultural expansion. We have a perfect model of farm diversification. As more of the general public hears the positives and benefits of deer farming, then more support will be generated. Agriculture on the prairies is our livelihood.

Finally we must work with our associations and with the CCC on creative promotional initiatives such as the CCC's "Good News Network" and the Cervid Farming Promotions Committee, or Public Relations Committee. By volunteering on these and at other public functions (Agribition/tradeshows, etc), you are helping to strengthen our industry. To those of you already participating in this promotion of our industry...thank you. Only with all of us working together and doing our own small part, can we overcome the backlash of negative publicity our industry has been receiving.

And I am STILL proud to be a deerfarmer!

Tara-Lynn Barks

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MANDATORY CWD SURVEILLANCE "ROADSHOW"

Attending one of a series of CWD Surveillance Program information meetings recently, I left informed, somewhat amazed, and certainly encouraged. One of six such meetings across Saskatchewan, this one, hosted by SAF and arranged by SEBA, was well worth my time. Denise Smith ,executive director of SEBA, chaired the meeting which involved a gathering of elk and deer producers alike. A history of the last year showed that of the 7500 elk put down last year (from 38 farms), 193 tested positive and 163 of these showed no clinical signs. Prairie Diagnostic Services explained the testing procedure and science as well as educating the crowd about the disease itself. Since the apex region of the brain is most detectably infected, farmers were instructed to include the upper neck when submitting samples for testing. No one can say for certain how long the surveillance program must continue, but it will be for a few years at least. With a minimal incubation period of 17-18 months and a maximum of 36 months (estimates), the time from infection to shedding is unknown while it is an estimated 18 months prior to showing clinical signs. It all adds up to 3-5 years in order to show with any certainty that a herd is CWD free. The truly amazing part of the meeting involved the realization that some producers still think we can ignore the whole CWD issue and maintain a strong market without regulation. By the end of 2001, of 586 game farm licenses, 47% were enrolled in the surveillance program with inspections complete, 27% had applied but were not enrolled (i.e./ had not completed inspections), and 26% had not applied (including investors and depopulated farms, as well as those who have animals but simply had not applied). While the "problem" is undoubtedly exaggerated by the media, with world focus on the issue, we have little choice but to deal with it. SAF was on hand to outline the now mandatory surveillance program and to discuss its shortcomings. Criticisms were many, but some constructive conversation prevailed. Many voiced concern over the necessary handling of animals in order for tags to be read. While most of a herd is handled within any given year, it often occurs over the course of several handlings. SAF, necessarily adhering to stringent guidelines in order to maintain the credibility of the program, seemed open to workable suggestions that could allow such high standards to continue. An excellent suggestion by a producer was for SAF to produce tags with larger, easily readable print. In this case, a second, visual tag would allow an inspector to read two tags per animal without any handling, still satisfying strict inspection standards. What a great idea! The program isn't perfect for all producers, but constructive ideas like this will go far in making the program workable for all. Denise closed the meeting, voicing support of SAF in appreciation of their support and cooperation. In turn, this is a time when support and cooperation from all game farmers is also needed. Feel free to call SAF (Shelagh Copeland- (306) 787-4700 ) with concerns, but bring some real, workable solutions with you!

Randy Barks

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GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS GAME FARMING
January 15, 2002

"THE SASKATCHEWAN WHITE-TAIL AND MULE DEER PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION IS WORKING HARD TO ENSURE THE FUTURE OF THE GAME FARMING INDUSTRY IN SASKATCHEWAN."

Dear Mr. Friesen:

I am responding to your letter of December 19, 2001. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of the recently announced mandatory Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance program. I believe the program is a fine example of how industry and government can work together to diversify and safeguard the agricultural industry in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan white-tailed deer sector has grown rapidly in the past four years to be the third largest in Canada. If this trend continues, Saskatchewan will surpass Quebec to become the second largest by the end of 2002. The current on-farm inventory is estimated to be approximately $10 million while the on-farm harvest generated over $1 million.

There are benefits to the economy from commercial harvest of domestically raised game farm animals, particularly in areas relating to tourism. The majority of clients come from outside Saskatchewan and bring money into the local communities through the accommodations and services they purchase. There are over 450 game farm operators in Saskatchewan who can gain economic benefits, either by operating the farms or by providing replacement livestock.

I applaud your organization's efforts to expand your industry and to add value to both agriculture and tourism in Saskatchewan. We are pleased, as a Department, to be able to deliver regulatory programs, such as the Domestic Game Farm Animal Regulations, that your industry needs to accommodate further growth and at the same time protect the public interest.

I look forward to future discussions with you and other members of your association on important issues facing the industry.

Yours truly,
Clay Serby
Deputy Premier
Minister of Agriculture and Food
Minister Responsible for Rural Revitalization

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SASKATCHEWAN PRODUCER PORTRAIT

GOLDEN VALLEY GAME RANCH

Their glistening reputation had beckoned me for years. Plentiful distractions had been pleasant and well-worth explorations, but this family's place in Saskatchewan's deer and elk farming lore along with their almost magical lack of public limelight was intriguing. I needed to meet Everette and Heather Ray for myself, but soon found the need to pass on my "discovery" to others.

The Ray farm (Golden Valley Game Ranch) was not hard to find, just easy to miss and it reflected well the family itself. Now Rays are far from reclusive, but you won't find them or a sign waving in passers-by. Near Paradise Hill, after a couple of missed turns, I found a rather typical-looking farmyard nestled in off the main road a way. That is, it was typical except for the combination of animals calling the place home. Both elk and deer contentedly roamed the landscape.

Through brief introductions, my first impression of the family was a good one and it only grew as the "short" tour turned into an all day visit. With friendly chatter, they led the way, and a routine boot wash in disinfectant seemed like a smart start to things. The 80-elk/40-whitetail deer farm was interesting to say the least. I've seen a few elk/deer combo farms. Some cater to deer and adjust for elk and some try to combine aspects for both. This appeared to be elk oriented with gapped slabs, big swinging plank gates, and fairly wide alleys. Yet a provincial inspector in the Northwest seems to judge all systems, deer and elk, by their comparative efficiency to the Ray system. "We used to run them through the same system," explained Heather. An expanding herd, separate pastures for easier movement and necessary feeding/catch corrals have gradually brought about changes. Now similar corrals and alleys lead to separate final stage handling systems, but with the load out area still shared. "The same corrals and runways work well," adds Everette. "All you have to do is have a neck in the alley and a gate to change the animals' direction." Farming both deer and elk since 1990, the Ray s innovation was a requirement in the early years. A series of box stalls, sliding gates, and a "press-wall" served the elk well. A small darkened room, a short, narrow alley with swinging gates, and a "Ray-original" squeeze allow Heather and Everette to handle any or all their deer in smooth-flowing fashion.

The Rays are a practical, creative couple on this combo farm. Swinging gates are used almost everywhere, many "spring-loaded" with tarp straps. Inexpensive, easily available, and so very quiet, the "spring" system is simple yet unbeatable. While Everette manages the elk and Heather manages the deer, together they run a fine operation, often pooling their ideas in order to meet new challenges. Progressive in nature, AI was a natural advancement, though unplanned for while building the system. An ingenious, easily portable structure was quickly built that slides in behind the squeeze, allowing great AI access. That is just one more example of the problem solving savvy on this farm. Problems have been few, however. Elk successes include "Lady's Choice" (365"), winner in Alberta @ 4 years, and easily moveable stock even in slow years. Animal health has been excellent and weaning rates high. "There are very few years where we don't get over 200% (with the deer)," exclaims Everette. Sourcing original stock from the Saskatoon zoo, some bottle-feeding along the way has kept some very quiet stock always around. 7-10 days in the house, box-stalled in the barn to Nov. and feeding fresh goat's milk has produced beautiful and tame fawns. The majority of stock by far, though, are not bottle-fed, but they remain very manageable. A single doe per pen (25' X 25') allows lots of human contact from mid-May to the end of June and then fawns spend their first winter in a small pen as well. "They really get used to people," explains Heather. Exceptional records prove that genetic gains are also a priority and factor in continued success. Flag, (original zoo bottle fed) officially scores 200 5/8" SCI (non-typical with 185" typical growth) and Flash is a big, clean 5x5. Turbo (Tiny / Poncho cross) shows that famous "6 point Parker promise" and now Son-of-the-Gun and Apocolypse have been added through AI. No wonder offspring move every year, simply by reputation and word of mouth.

The Rays are optimistic folk by nature, but based on realistic and annual realized returns, they have every reason to be. "We've never had a real problem moving deer," explains Everette. "The thing about deer is you don't need a big herd...even at $1500.00/ doe fawn that's about $3000.00/doe each year and AI stock is higher. Figure your costs out on cattle, figure your costs on deer, and then figure your return on deer. There's quite a difference." Everette adds, "For anyone that's got 5 or 10 acres of land, deer are a whole lot better investment than RRSP's."

They're down-home folk with big time hospitality. Modest to the core, they are also "brim-full" of business sense and stock knowledge, combining it all with diligent application. The patient and pleasant couple enjoy the placid calm of their elk and deer farm and there's something unique about the whole "Ray atmosphere" that not only precluded our meeting, but also will ensure my return. I knew about them for years; now I'll spread the word, too!

Randy Barks

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ALBERTA PRODUCER PORTRAIT

RACK RANCH

Some excel at breeding and management, some are highly successful in strategic marketing, and occasionally someone steps forward who simultaneously helps to advance an entire industry. He is to deer farming as oil is to Alberta....meet Jason Busat, his wife Arlene, and son Hunter of Rack Ranch.

The name of the ranch speaks volumes about this family. Their lives revolve around the production and marketing of big whitetail racks as well as the strengthening and furtherance of deer farming in Alberta. From garden decor, to living room walls, to deer pens, whitetail racks adorn every aspect of the ranch. I figure a sign of a good man is the priority placed on these amazing creatures and it's a better wife who puts up with such obsessions. An avid sheep hunter as well, Jason has guided in the N.W.T and/or Yukon for seven years, has outfitted for Alberta whitetails since 1994 and works as an oilfield consultant "on the side." Arlene, a registered nurse whose keen interest in deer farming matches that of her husband, has bottle-fed fawns the last three years and is now fully trained and practicing AI on their farm. 9 month old Hunter makes life complete on the ranch and in his own special seat on the quad, already accompanies Dad on his many outdoor escapades.

They've been farming deer for 5 years, much like the average producer, but there the resemblance to average quickly wanes. In a period of softening prices and more select sales, Rack Ranch has enjoyed solid returns and steady movement of animals (both breeding and hunt stock). Optimism continues to soar and for good reason. Busats have unravelled the secret to maintaining a strong market over the long haul and for anyone who thinks deer aren't moving in Alberta, just listen!

An estimated 1300-1500 bucks have left the province U.S bound over the last few years, and Jason, together with Jody Kulak will move another 200+ this winter. Loads of paperwork and organization is made easier as they work together, pooling their resources. This team is moving a lot of stock at fair prices, creating money in everyone's pocket. "The industry is certainly not stagnant," states Jason. Considering the reasonable rates on breeding stock, the returns on hunt buck