Tracking The Industry . . .

June - July 2001 Issue

CONTENTS

SWAMDPA PRESIDENT'S PEN

As deer farmers, we are entering our most exciting time of year. Does are beginning to fawn, those who AI'd are seeing how successful their program was, and of course we're all monitoring the antler growth on our farms, trying to anticipate which one might be this year's "monster buck". Already, I have received a few phone calls where a fellow producer is all excited about the amount of growth one of his bucks has.

Be sure to bring photos of your bucks to our field day this August 11 (Mark your calendars now!). Details as to location, time and agenda will be mailed out to you shortly. This year's field day will be different because there will be no annual meeting. This should free up more of the day for socializing and tours.

Just a quick update on the CWD situation and how it is affecting us. We continue to be sideswiped by what is happening in the elk industry. Just when we thought that the trace outs were nearly complete and we could go back to concentrating on growing our industry, four more elk herds have been diagnosed with CWD. This of course means a whole new round of trace outs. One of the herds also had white tailed deer until the fall of 1998, therefore there will likely be some deer put down and tested. I am familiar with the history of the herd in question and am quite confident that the CWD would not have transferred from his elk to his deer. This can, however, have a negative impact on how people view our industry. I believe that it is of the utmost importance that all producers join the CWD surveillance program as soon as possible. This is the only way that we can prove to potential investors and "anti's" alike that we are clean. These are challenging times, but I am confident that we can survive this and be a stronger industry than we were before.

I look forward to seeing all of you and the photos of your bucks at our field day.

Ron Friesen

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FROM THE EDITOR

Ahhh! Spotted babies, fuzzy antlers, and a fresh appreciation for God's great creation; life is good down on the deer farm. Oh, I don't deny the controversy and conflict that continues, but this erosion process can't keep up with the promise and progress that also permeates the industry. Sure, exaggerated claims from misinformed media makes CWD sound like some evil disease that mysteriously materializes on game farms and suspiciously spreads to the wild. I know there's no explanatory mention of "the seek and ye shall find" regarding so many health issues, and no news reviews of the non-scientific studies and crazy conclusions that have created such chaotic rumours. When it comes to slaughter, deer are suddenly elevated to mystical status, and the "antis" rant and rave over game ranches, pausing only occasionally for a hamburger or hotdog. And I'm tempted toward hostility when "one of our own" grabs a paintbrush and in the eyes of the ever watchful, paints us all the same ugly colour.

Competition and conflict "at home" and with "our neighbours", however can be equally unjust and damaging. It is with high hopes of unified strength that we now officially welcome the Ontario Whitetail Producer's Association to a Canada-wide and U.S. sampled "Tracking..."

There's way more to deer-farming than the rivalry. There are economic and "pure pleasure" aspects that must be periodically reviewed and, undoubtedly, enthusiasm will be refreshed. What a privilege we've been granted in raising these critters.

And in this season of dreams and hopes, I have a daily family tour to make...maybe a few fawns to tag.... certainly some antlers to admire! We're so fortunate to be deer farmers!

Randy Barks

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OWTDPA PRESIDENT'S PEN

Congratulations to all Ontario Whitetailed Deer Producers who have renewed their 2001 membership, and welcome to any new producers. With fawning season in full production there are many restless nights and watchful days filled with anticipation. Best of luck to all.

To those raising fawns for export, just take a minute and read the protocol agreements so there are no surprises. Even though foot and mouth has subsided in Europe please check with visitors to your farm of their whereabouts previous to their visit. "Be safe not sorry"

OWTDPA Annual Meeting August 12, 2001
2:15 pm during ODEFA barbeque which is 2:00 - ???
Glad to be new subscribers to TRACKING. Thank you for the opportunity.

Ontario Deer & Elk Farmers Association Barbeque
Dan McNiven & Bonnie Walkers
Ballinafad, Ontario

Mabel Dougherty
519-752-1322

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ALBERTA CONVENTION 2001

"Head west, young man! Head west!" a respectable voice in the phone urged one fine Friday morning. Needing all the advice I can get and ready for an adventure, April 6-8 was soon booked for the 4th annual AWMDA (Alberta Whitetail and Mule Deer Association) convention in Edmonton.

We were westward bound and to this Saskatchewan convoy, the signs were everywhere. A mule deer indecisively and rather humourously stepping forward and back obviously marked the border. Three corporate-minded geese striving for top-position, nested 30 feet up in old crows' nests. A red flag by the road apparently meant "pebble in the way" rather than "hold on to your hats we're about to see what China's up to." Yup, we were in the province of Alberta!

A warm welcome awaited us eastern aliens at the Edmonton Ramada, and a quick peek at the weekend program confirmed that we had made the right move. Close to 30 booths attractively ringed the trade show room with a wonderfully wide range of exhibitors. A spacious center area was the social arena for the soon-to-be-famous Ring-A-Buck contest. A "Producer wall" was a nice touch, allowing photo displays for those without booth space. Coffee was served there in the trade show room and gave spectators and participants plenty of time to browse through the excellent array of silent auction items and antler competition entries. It was a great showing for a great show!

The line-up of speakers and sessions was long and diverse ensuring time and fees well spent. Though most would have liked to attend all sessions, that was simply impossible. Some families split up so as to glean from all and amalgamate information afterward. Certainly choices were tough to make with so many aspects of our expanding industry being targeted by a select group of presenters. Without question, there was something of value for all, regardless of experience or farm focus!

New Alberta Board of Directors

Left to Right - Bryan Taitinger, Jason Marsland, Brad Cabay, Allan Wearmouth, John Boyko and Lance Schneider. Missing from the picture are Norm Hanson, James Sheret and Marvin Gill.

The antler competition is always a much loved show-and-tell event, but the top-end results in some of the categories were truly astounding! Yearling and two year old whitetail and mule deer are faster maturing than ever before with some incredible scores resulting in these categories. Yearling and two year old whitetail records again fell with the typical scores of 115 5/8" and 156 2/8" respectively. The "tweaking" of Alberta bloodlines is obviously working! The North American Open categories allowed only a maximum of three Alberta entries so the Alberta showing was somewhat limited here. These categories also included all age classes so it will be interesting to watch some of the younger bucks climb the ranks over the next few years. Awards were presented at a Sunday breakfast. While there's far more to deer farming than antlers, they are an obvious indicator of genetic and nutritional progress. It appears that all's well in these areas!

While designated social times are pleasant and popular, the less structured get-togethers really draw the crowds. Whether storming Boyko's "Thunder Room" or sidetracked with the crowd in Schneider's hospitality room, everyone found plenty of friendly chatter to enjoy. Needless to say, coffee was solely responsible for any semblance of alertness through the days.

The days were obviously full already, but an annual general meeting was fit in while sessions still ran in other rooms. A new board of directors was elected along with lots of discussion on a variety of always hot topics and issues. Good things are in store for the deer industry!

A fine Saturday night banquet precluded the fundraiser auction. Well-attended by generous folk, the auction was another huge success, raising approximately $33,400 . Straws of semen, 2000 and 2001 fawns (male and female), and a long, long list of other items brought in deserved and substantial funding for the association. All donations were greatly appreciated! Healthy average prices and remarkable highs clearly show buyer confidence in the deer industry and the value in genetic improvement.

AWMDA Convention 2001 was all the success it set out to be, thanks to the tremendous investment of time and energy of the organizers (Zone 7 along with the association board). From trade show to sessions, from competitions to accommodations, no one could go home with anything other than appreciation and optimism in this fantastic industry called deer farming (except Len Jubinville who fell from his throne as King of Ring-A-Buck).

Admittedly, our convoy headed home with mixed thoughts and emotions.We'd met many new neighbours and friends and, while originating from two such distant and distinctly different provinces, we seemed strangely similar as people and producers. For that experience, we were thankful. We were increasingly amused by that same mule deer still trying to recall which side of the fence-line it was supposed to call home. And with extreme trepidation, we re-entered the land of the little red flags!

Randy Barks

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AWMDA ANTLER COMPETITION 2001

ALBERTA COMPETITION

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NORTH AMERICAN COMPETITION

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GENETIC IMPROVEMENT

Introduction

Genetic Improvement is a process with a number of essential components, which should be carried out or developed in a particular order. These components, which will each be discussed in detail, include a breeding objective, genetic parameters, trait measurement, genetic links between herds, pedigree recording, EPD calculations, and selection and dissemination of superior genetics.

Breeding Objective

The first step is the development of a breeding objective, which is a statement of what is important, i.e. what traits need to be improved. In some cases, the breeding objective may consist of a single trait, but it is usually comprised of a number of traits of importance, e.g. antler size and shape traits might be combined with growth, carcass, reproduction or longevity.

When the breeding objective consists of more than one trait, the relative importance of those traits must be determined, i.e. we have to know not only which trait is the most important but how much more important than the next one it is. There are a number of ways to perform these calculations, but one relatively easy method is to develop a spreadsheet model of the costs and returns of deer farming. The model is then set to determine the impact of changes in each trait (e.g. a 10% increase in fawning rate) on the profit earned by the operation. The development of this model would require some consensus among breeders on the parameters used in the model (e.g. feed costs, feed consumption, velvet weights, sale prices, etc.).

Genetic Parameters

Another essential component of a Genetic Improvement program is a set of genetic parameters. Most livestock producers are familiar with the concept of the heritability of a trait, which is a measure of the relative importance of genetics versus the environment. Traits with low heritabilities (e.g. reproductive traits) are heavily influenced by the environment, while traits with medium (e.g. growth traits) or high (e.g. conformation traits) are determined to a higher degree by the genes that an animal has, and are therefore passed more predictably from one generation to the next. The higher the heritability of a trait, the faster will be the rate of genetic improvement when the trait is selected for.

The heritabilities in the following table were taken from papers in the scientific literature and were estimated from a number of deer species, including white-tails.

Genetic correlations are another type of genetic parameter. A genetic correlation is an indication of how selection for one trait affects other traits. Genetic correlations can be either positive or negative. For example, if selection for large antlers leads to increased body weight, then they are positively correlated. In many species, selection for growth has an adverse effect on reproduction, which means they are negatively correlated.

Genetic correlations reported in the scientific literature appear to be high and positive for the following combinations of traits:
- birth and weaning weight
- a variety of postweaning weights
- velvet antler weights in successive years
- body weight in males and velvet antler weight in males
- body weight in females and velvet antler weight in males
This is an extremely favourable set of circumstances, as selection for body weight in either males or females should lead to increased antler weights in males, and selection for body weight or antler weight at young ages should produce animals that are above average at later ages as well.

Trait Measurement

Objective measurements using a device such as a scale, a yardstick or a measuring tape are preferred over subjective or 'eyeball' assessment of an animal's performance. However, it is possible to select animals for traits where a subjective assessment is converted to a numerical score, e.g. body condition scores where an animal's condition is rated on a scale of one to five.

It is desirable to measure as many of the traits in the breeding objective as possible, but where measurement of a trait is impossible, that trait can still be improved by measuring other traits that are positively correlated. For example, breeders of beef cattle, sheep and swine use ultrasound to measure fat depth and muscle depth to evaluate animals for the amount of meat and fat in their carcasses, without having to kill the animals.

Genetic Links Between Herds

It is relatively easy for breeders to determine which of their own animals are the best for a given trait, but problems arise when it comes to purchasing outside genetics, whether live animals or semen. Physical differences between the best buck in one herd and the best buck in another herd may be due to superior genetics - or may simply be the result of a better feeding program! For breeders to feel confident that they are taking a step forward and not backward, it is necessary to have some method of directly comparing animals in different herds.

This is really the whole point of a genetic improvement program and the crucial component that allows this direct comparison is the provision of genetic links between the herds, i.e. there must be some animals in each herd that are related to animals in other herds. These animals act as genetic benchmarks, and allow the direct comparison of each of the animals in all of the herds on the program. This will be further illustrated with an example.

If Buck A in Herd A sires fawns that weigh 40 lb. at weaning, and Buck B in Herd B sires fawns that weigh 35 lb. at weaning, it is tempting to assume that Buck A is genetically superior to Buck B.

However, if the feeding program in Herd A is vastly superior to that in Herd B, then the difference between the offspring of the two bucks could be due to the environment (feeding), not to genetics. To separate the two, it is necessary to have some animals in Herd A that are related to some animals in Herd B.

If it were possible to breed some of the does in each herd to a third buck, Buck C, then the genetic links created by Buck C would allow us to separate the effects of genetics from the effects of the environment. The table below shows one possible outcome from such a scenario:

Consider the results in Herd A (middle column). Buck C's offspring are heavier than those of Buck A, and all the fawns in this column of the table were raised in the same environment (Herd A), so we conclude that Buck C is genetically superior to Buck A.

Now look at the results in Herd B. Buck B's fawns are heavier than the offspring of Buck C, and all those fawns were raised in the same environment (Herd B), so we conclude that Buck B is genetically superior to Buck C.

Now, if Buck B is better than Buck C, and Buck C is better than Buck A, we can also conclude that Buck B is better than Buck A, and that the higher numbers in the Herd A column are the result of better feeding, not better genetics.

This is an extremely oversimplified example of how genetic relationships between herds allows us to compare the genetic merit of animals in different herds; in practice the calculations required to sort out the genetic and environmental factors that affect the performance of animals in a dataset, and then assign estimates of genetic merit to these animals are very complex.

Pedigree Recording

Of course, in order to make use of the genetic links between herds, pedigrees have to be recorded. The ideal situation occurs when sires and dams of all animals are known, but a less complete genetic evaluation could also be done if only the sires were known. It is also important to be able to pinpoint the date of birth to within a few days, as most traits are adjusted for the actual age of an animal when the trait is measured. In other words, it wouldn't be fair to weigh two animals on the same day and compare the weights if one is several weeks or months older than the other, without making some adjustment for their actual age.

EPD Calculations

Once the pedigree and performance data has been collected, it is combined with the genetic parameters to calculate Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs). An EPD is an estimate of the superiority of an animal's offspring, relative to the offspring of an average animal in that population. For example, if a buck has an EPD of 1.0 kg for weaning weight, it is expected to have offspring that weigh 1.0 kg more than the offspring of an average buck (one with an EPD of 0) and 2.0 kg more than the offspring of an animal with an EPD of -1.0 kg.

EPDs can be used to compare animals in different herds, but also animals of different sexes and ages, e.g. EPDs can be used to compare the genetic merit of a five-year-old buck in one herd with a nine-year-old buck in another herd.

While producers rarely make choices between a male and a female animal, it is important to remember that does carry just as many genes for antler size and shape as bucks do, even though they do not produce antlers themselves. Animals inherit half of their genes for each trait from their sire and half from their dam, whether the parents express the trait themselves or not. Dairy farmers routinely purchase semen from bulls that are expected to pass on superior genes for milk production to their daughters, even though the bulls have never produced a drop of milk themselves!

Selection and Dissemination of Superior Genetics Once the EPDs have been calculated, they can be used to rank available animals from the best to the worst, and the best animals can be selected as parents. If the breeding objective includes more than one trait, the EPDs for each can be combined into some sort of index that weights each EPD by its relative importance, and that index can be used to rank the animals, rather than any single EPD.

Identification of the best bucks would probably be followed by having semen collected on those bucks and made available for purchase by other breeders. In this way the superior genetics are disseminated to the rest of the industry, and the industry as a whole makes genetic improvement for the traits in the breeding objective. The EPDs also contribute to genetic improvement by giving breeders a more accurate way to choose the best bucks and does to be kept as replacements within their own herds.

A Model of a Successful Genetic Improvement Program, The Western Suffolk Sire Reference Program, is a genetic improvement program that has been in operation in Alberta since 1995, consisting of 11 Suffolk (sheep) breeders from Lethbridge to Flatbush. Each spring the members of the program chooses two reference sires, rams that will be used in each flock by AI to create the genetic links necessary for EPD calculations.

In the fall, each flock AIs 15 ewes to those rams. The ewes lamb in the winter and in the following spring all of the lambs in the flock (not just the AI lambs) are weighed and ultrasounded for fat and muscle depth. EPDs are calculated for weight, muscle depth and fat depth, and these EPDs are combined into a Lean Growth Index, designed to obtain maximum genetic improvement for weight and muscle, without increasing fat. This index is used to rank all of the rams in all eleven flocks, and two more reference sires are chosen for the next year from the rams at the very top of the group.

In the six years this program has operated, it has achieved a genetic improvement of 23% for Lean Growth. This has resulted from a) the widespread use of the reference sires (superior genes) in each of the 11 member flocks and b) the greater accuracy with which the breeders can now select ram and ewe replacements from their own flocks, or the flocks of another member, using the EPDs. This extraordinary rate of genetic improvement has been achieved in spite of a number of problems that the group has encountered in collection of semen from reference sires, and poor AI conception rates. It shows what can be done when sires are assessed for traits based on the performance of a large number of offspring, rather than just on their own performance for a trait.

Association Possibilities

If the membership of an association were interested in starting a program similar to that outlined above, it would be necessary to look at each aspect of a genetic improvement program, and determine what components were already in place and which ones needed to be worked on.

A breeding objective could be arrived at fairly readily with a computer spreadsheet model, providing breeders could arrive at some consensus on costs and returns of production and other model parameters (feed consumption, reproduction rates, etc.)

There are enough genetic parameters in the scientific literature to start a program. After a few years of data collection, an association's own data could be used to estimate parameters specific to the provincial population.

The genetic parameter estimates reviewed above are very favourable, with most of the traits of economic importance having very high heritabilities. The high and positive genetic correlations indicate that selection for any one of the desired traits would result in genetic improvement in other traits as well.

Measurement of some traits (e.g. body weights) may be problematic, but antler traits should be relatively easy to record. Measurement for additional traits will increase the accuracy of selection for all traits, and should be pursued where possible.

If exact pedigrees are not possible, then sires must be known. Without parentage information, genetic evaluation is reduced to just measuring individuals and choosing the ones with the highest numbers.

EPD calculations are available on a fee-for-service basis here in Alberta. If an association were to collect, organize and edit the data from all of the participating herds into a single computer file, then it could be analyzed once per year at a relatively low cost.

The use of AI is already quite common in Canada. This is a big advantage for your industry, as the use of AI to create genetic links between herds, and to disseminate genetic improvement, is essential to the success of such a program.

There do not appear to be any factors that would make it impossible for an association to pursue an organized genetic evaluation program. The most important component of such a program, however, is the commitment of the breeders who participate in it. Programs such as this do run into obstacles in their development, and these problems can be dealt with, but only if the participants are completely committed to the success of the program and are in it for the long term.

Cathy Gallivan, PhD

Box 4, Site 8, RR#1
Olds, Alberta
T4H 1P2
403-224-3962
gallivan@sheepcanada.com

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SUMMARY OF CANADIAN FARMED CERVID REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS - January 2001
(Source: Information compiled by Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, Sherri Dobbs, from information provided by other provincial departments

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NORTHERN BIG BUCKS
3rd Annual Field Day

Oh, I like these days. We all advise new & potential producers, "Get as much hands-on experience as you can with these critters!", but few can or do provide such experience, at least to large numbers of people. We see the value in the confidence gained from efficiently and safely handling a creature that is notoriously known to possess potential for problems. Good and bad experiences spread tales, but the good ones really benefit the entire industry. Thankfully, Schroeders provide such a positive experience and have been planning these invaluable days for three years now.

Approximately 35 people from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario were in attendance for the April 22, Third Annual Northern Big Bucks Field Day at the scenically set ranch north of Loon Lake, Saskatchewan. Rick and Sherri, along with George and Lil, run a fairly large-scale deer operation including a breeding program and trophy ranch. On this suitably sunny day, opportunity was given to see how the lay-out of pens, gates, and corral systems allows deer to be herded in for handling in a relatively stress-free manner. In the corral, yearlings were moved easily through a series of overhead gates connected by ropes and pulleys to an elevated "cat-walk". The "cat-walk" also provides an easily accessed observation point for many bystanders. A series of tunnel boxes moves deer from the corral to Schroeders' feet-on-the-floor squeeze that Rick and George developed, build and distribute. While handling, vaccination, antler removal, hoof care and other procedures were thoroughly explained and Brent Mitchell spoke on the many factors and procedures involved in successful artificial insemination of deer. Murray Feist was also on hand to discuss nutritional queries. Fencing tips, wire wrapping and a miriade of general deer farming questions were answered that day. There's nothing like being right there and seeing it all first hand!

There's also nothing like the fine feast provided by the Schroeders each year. We devoured fried chicken, all the fix'ins and a delectable desert. This year also included the presentation of terrific door-prizes provided generously by sponsors Northridge Enterprises Inc., Smeaton Fence Supplies and Heartland Feeds. A straw of semen from Parker's Tiny, four buckets of staples, four pairs of leather gloves, two canes, two deer med, combos and a vet supply bucket were bonuses to the learning experiences, tips, and advice already offered. It was a pleasant end to a well-planned day.

Thank you Schroeders for organizing and hosting another fantastic field day. We all benefit from these days through the education of new producers and the positive promotion of the deer industry.

Randy Barks

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LIVESTOCK PREDATION PROGRAM
Questions & Answers

Q: What is the program?
A: The program assists livestock producers in controlling problem wildlife which kill or injure livestock. It also has an education component to prevent/reduce future losses from wildlife predation.

Q: How does the program work?
A: The program contracts predation managers from around the province, who are experienced hunters and trappers, to assist producers who have had livestock injured or killed by a wildlife predator. When a producer has had livestock injured or killed by wildlife, he/she should phone the Saskatchewan Sheep development Board in Saskatoon at 306-933-5200. The Sheep Development Board will contact the nearest predation manager to the producer. The predation manager is dispatched to the farm to assess and correct the problem wildlife and to educate the producer on how to prevent further losses of livestock from predation by wildlife.

Q: Who can access the program?
A: Any livestock producer that has had livestock injured or killed by wildlife predators.

Q: How do I access the program? or Who do I call?
A: When a producer has had livestock injured or killed by wildlife, he/she should phone the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board in Saskatoon at 306-933-5200. The Sheep Development Board will contact the region s nearest predation manager.

Q: Is there compensation for livestock losses from predation by wildlife?
A: No. This program is designed to minimize or prevent future losses of livestock by wildlife predators.

Q: What is a predation manager?
A: Predation manager is an experienced hunter and trapper that has been contracted and will be dispatched by the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board (SSDB). The SSDB has contracted over 60 predation managers that are located throughout the province to assist with this program.

Q: Why is a livestock predation management program needed?
A: The need for this program is due to increased livestock production in Saskatchewan, increased populations of wildlife predators and low fur prices which have led to increased predation of livestock.

Q: Are there other programs to prevent wildlife predation of livestock?
A: The Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board administers a guardian dog refund program. A guardian dog is one that stays with the livestock and aggressively repels predators. It is not a herding dog or a pet, but rather a full-time member of the livestock herd. Producers interested in obtaining a guardian dog to protect their livestock from wildlife predators, should contact the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board. The refund is $100. This program is funded by Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management.

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BOTTLEFEEDING WITH WILDERNESS WHITETAILS

What is one of the most asked questions posed by fellow deer farmers? Very often we receive questions and queries on bottle-feeding, so we make it a habit to quiz successful deer farmers about their bottle-feeding programs. Some bottle-feeders have fascinating records based on numbers and experience. It was not Sheret's experience or numbers that impressed us, but their methods and philosophy. We spoke with James and Kathy at the Alberta convention and although they profess no expertise, we were fascinated with the "training" aspects of their program. We decided to follow up with an impromptu interview.

1. Why do you bottle-feed? Well, we don't go out of our way to bottle-feed fawns. Mainly just to save the ones that seem distressed (crying). Deer farming is supposed to be as easy as possible and bottle- feeding really ties you down. Some bottle-feed to allow the doe some extra time to get into peak condition. We usually introduce the does and fawns (once fawns are moving along with their mamas), to new lush pasture. We run about 15 does to 7-10 acres of pasture. Then we try to wean the fawns a bit earlier to give mama some recovery time before breeding season.

2. What do you feel is the most common cause of fawn distress? Probably young mothers/inexperience. They tend to abandon fawns most often if weak or sick.

3. Don't you find that bottle-feeding calms them down? Yes, but we would rather put the time into training the deer rather than bottlefeeding if possible. Lots of close contact (deer pens right by the house)

4. Do you think the stress factor limits them from reaching their potential? Stress is probably somewhat of a factor in growth. But that doesn't explain the ones that grow big in small pens with little good nutrition.

5. How many years have you been deerfarming? About 6

6. How many years have you bottlefed fawns? How many? 5 years now, only 1 or 2 fawns at a time.

7. How old have fawns been when you removed them from the doe? From 1 day to 1 month old (have usually had opportunity for mother's colostrum, so we don't supplement).

8. What equipment do you use? A pop bottle with the screw on little red non-vac nipples

9. Have you a preferred milk replacer? (a) Yes, we have tried a few but we really like the Canadian Agri Blend ungulate milk replacer -Agri-Melc. It has good consistency and mixes nicely with a whisk. Len has it at Deerstore. (b) tips: use warm water, make formula fresh, and don't microwave, and have a variety of people bottle-feed so they don't bond to just one person.

10. Where do you bottle-feed? We begin raising them in the house for about 2 weeks. At feeding time, we feed the fawns in the litter box. By feeding them here, we train them to actually go back to the litter box when they need to use it. We used to raise/feed them in the dog run beside the house, now we start them in the house, then when moving around well in the house (and when they start trying to climb into bed with us,) we move them to the handling facility (corral) (which is when we start using "the bell" ), then to pasture with the other deer.

11. The bell? We ring an old cow bell to call the fawns over to eat ;(we feed them through the fence). This also allows us to reintroduce the fawns back into the herd as soon as possible. They are trained to come to the bell. (A whistle would probably work too). This training usually starts after the fawns have had about 2 weeks of bonding time.

12. Why do you want to return them to the herd so quickly? Reintroducing them to the herd early on makes their transition easier. When isolated as they usually are, reintroduction of bottlefeds to the herd is cruel. The herd can be very hard on them. Also, this way they will generally wean earlier as they will browse with the rest of the herd in good pasture. Quality pasture is what makes for healthy deer, not replacer. Plus, they will not be so tame that they are hard to handle. These bottlefeds go where you want them to go. Ideally ,they will run with the herd but not be quite as wild as the others.

13. How often do you bottle-feed? And how much? Well, we don't get up at night. We feed at 11:00pm and then 6:00am. We only feed for a total of 12-15 weeks. By Sept. 15 they are usually weaned. Bottle-feeding is very labour intensive, which is not what deer farming is about. Our basic schedule looks something like this (and is not set in stone):
1st 2 weeks= 7x/day 3oz
week 3= 6x/day 4oz
week 4= 5x/day 5 1/2 oz
week 5= 4x/day 6oz
week 6,7,8= 3x/day 7oz
week 9= 2x/day 9oz
week 10= 2x/day 8oz
week 11=2x/day 8oz
week 12= 1x/day 7oz

14. Were scours ever a problem? No. Not with this replacer. But we did have to bring in a sick fawn to bottle raise and the antibiotics caused some scouring. We just used electrolytes instead of replacer for a bit.

15. How often do you need to wipe them? We wipe every feeding until we notice them going on their own or until we move them out to the corral.

16. How important is sterilization? Not too important. We keep things clean and wash the bottles, but we don't make a point of sterilizing. At some point these fawns need to be allowed to build up their natural immunities too.

17. What has been your biggest challenge while bottle-feeding? Probably having to begin bottle-raising a month old sick fawn. We watched one day as a doe seemed to bring this sick fawn up to the fence by the house. She made it lay down, and took the other twin and left it- almost like she wanted us to notice that it was sick. It turned out that it had a navel infection. We brought it in, washed it up, and had to force feed it at first as well as give it electrolytes and penicillin. It took awhile.

18. Do you find that bottle-feds are smaller or stunted in their growth, (as is often a common concern)? They may be smaller at first. Generally, we feel it takes at least 2 years to catch up in body size. But they don't suffer in the antler growth because there is less stress to compete with growth.

19. Do you have any further tips? Generally we feel that fawns do much better with their mothers, but if we have to bottle-feed again we would not want to do just one by itself again. But by reintroducing them to the herd early, and training them with the bell, we find it even has a positive effect on the rest of the herd. When that bell rings, we soon have all heads up and when the fawns come running up, the rest of the herd may come in for a closer look out of curiosity.

Well, we found out that deer are trainable if one cares to take the time. But by handling the critters most deer farmers realize that deer are really creatures of habit and thrive on routine, be it always walking their pen in the same direction, feeding on time, or becoming more comfortable with a facility, the more times they are through it. Isn't this why does usually choose the same fawning areas from year to year, or follow their specific feeding and bedding times in a day to day routine.

Bottlefeeding can be intensive , but if you would prefer not to have "pet tame" deer, perhaps this type of training and routine program is something to consider.

Randy & Tara-Lynn Barks
with James & Kathy Sheret

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BY-PASS PROTEIN FOR DEER

A common question posed to nutritionists about feeding deer is what level of protein should I be feeding? Answers often range from 10% crude protein up to 22% crude protein. So what is the right answer?

In order to establish what protein levels should be fed, it should be noted that the requirement for protein will change depending on several factors. The main factors affecting protein requirements and dietary protein level is the age of the animal and the stage of production. Weaned deer require higher levels of protein than do adult deer. There are also maintenance and production protein requirements. Lactating does require higher dietary protein than do does in early - mid gestation. Some suggested protein requirements that I consider "close enough" are listed below. It should be recognized that these requirements are just a "guesstimate" of what the protein requirements are and are just targets to shoot for when feeding deer. If a supplement is required, feed type and quality will affect the protein level of the supplement. For example, deer fed alfalfa based diets probably do not require a high level of protein in the supplement versus deer on a grass based diet due to higher protein levels in the alfalfa.

What is Protein?

So what is protein? After water and energy, the third limiting nutrient is protein. Protein is constructed from amino acids that contain nitrogen. The main function of protein is for the development of muscles, nerves and other tissues. It also is involved in several body processes including normal digestive functions, is a constituent in blood, hormones, enzymes and body secretions, lactation, growth and development. Sources of protein for ruminants can be from non-protein-nitrogen (NPN) or plants (structured). Non-protein-nitrogen is nitrogen that is not in a protein form but in a free form. Free nitrogen is rapidly soluble and can be utilized by rumen bacteria to produce microbial protein. Microbial protein is digested and absorbed in the small intestine. Sources of NPN include urea, ammonia and nitrate, and as a rule of thumb, NPN should not be included in deer diets at all. Protein from plants is simply nitrogen or protein provided by the feed. The nitrogen is structured into amino acids and integrated within the plant.

The protein life cycle

Once consumed by a ruminant animal, feed protein is introduced to the rumen environment where it is assaulted by the rumen microbes. The consortium of rumen microbes consume what protein is available to them (both plant protein and non-protein nitrogen), digest it and create their own microbial protein. The microbial protein is then sent into the small intestine for absorption and utilization by the animal. A certain portion of the plant protein is not available to the microbes for digestion. This unavailable protein is called by-pass protein. This by-pass protein "escapes" breakdown by the rumen microbes and passes through to intestines. Too much bypass protein in the diet will starve the rumen microbes, reducing their efficiency and microbial protein output, and hence reducing animal productivity. Too little bypass protein and the microbes will produce adequate levels of essential and non-essential amino acids, but the animal may not be receiving enough "quality protein" or amino acids to optimize production. Dairy producers consider bypass protein levels of 35% adequate to enhance milk production without starving the rumen microbial population. Whether or not this value can be considered for deer still requires some consideration.

What about Amino Acids?

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Both plant and animal proteins (such as muscles and enzymes) are constructed of amino acids. It is known that most animals have requirements for 10 essential amino acids (must have) and 10 - 12 non-essential amino acids. Monogastrics such as pigs and chickens cannot synthesize amino acids and need to have them included in the diet. Nutritionists formulate monogastric diets to include certain amino acids in the feed and do not formulate for crude protein. In a ruminant animal, rumen microbes digest a large portion of the plant proteins and amino acids in order to producer their own microbial amino acids. Ruminants benefit from rumen microbes because the microbial protein produced contains many of the essential and non-essential amino acids required by the animal. One downside to microbial digestion is that the microbes may take high levels of essential amino acids necessary to boost or optimize production (such as lactation), digest it and convert it into a lesser essential or non-essential amino acid. Hence, a high quality feed containing high levels of "essential" amino acids may be reduced to a medium quality feed containing a blend of essential and non-essential amino acids. This microbial digestion of feed protein (or amino acids) into microbial amino acids complicates the determination of amino acid requirements for ruminants. For example, once an amino acid has been identified and a requirement level established, it has to be determined whether or not the microbial protein sent to the intestines for absorption contains an adequate level of that amino acid. If the level produced falls short, then that amino acid must be supplemented in the feed in such a way that the rumen microbes cannot digest it. The amino acid has to be protected and "bypass" the rumen microbes for absorption in the intestines.

Formulating deer diets with specific amino acids levels is probably awaiting us in the years to come. In the meantime, formulating diets for deer based on crude protein has and will continue to be effective. I predict that in the future, deer producers will begin to question nutritionists about what amino acids and what level of amino acids should I be feeding my deer.

Murray Feist
M.Sc., P.Ag.
Extension Research Unit
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: 306-933-5570 Fax: 306-933-5605
E-mail: mfeist@agr.gov.sk.ca

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OOPS! WE GOOFED!

Our apologies to these trophy SWAMDPA sponsors who were accidentally overlooked in the last issue:

3 Year Old Typical Category: Trophy Sponsor - Neil Kramer Auction Sales Ltd.
4 Year Old Typical Category: Trophy Sponsor - Willowhill Whitetails
Mature Typical Category: Trophy Sponsor - Bunny Combres
Mature Non-Typical Category: Trophy Sponsor - Sask. Agriculture and Food (SAF)

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FARM SUPPORT REVIEW COMMITTEE LEADING SAFETY NET CONSULTATIONS

What should farm safety nets and disaster programs look like for Saskatchewan? The Farm Support review Committee is asking producers for their input.

Last March, federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers agreed to a complete review of safety net and disaster programs available across Canada. Deputy Premier and Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Minister Clay Serby has asked the Farm consultations to ensure the views of Saskatchewan producers and farm organizations are communicated to the federal government.

Producers can send a written submission to:
Farm Support Review Committee
Room 302
3085 Albert Street
Regina, SK
S4S 0B1

The committee is also soliciting ideas through the SAF website at www.agr.gov.sk.ca

The deadline for submissions is September 1, 2001.

The Farm Support Review Committee is a 17-member committee representing seven farm organizations and 10 members-at-large from across Saskatchewan.

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UPCOMING EVENTS!

NORTHERN ALBERTA CHAPTER OF SCI
1st Annual SCI Fundraising Banquet
Saturday, June 16, 2001
St. Albert, Alberta
Call James Sheret @ (780) 675-7120

NORTHEAST REGION ELK ANTLER AND WHITETAIL HARD ANTLER COMPETION
Sponsored by the Michigan Deer and Elk Farmers Association (MDEFA)
July 27 & 28, 2001
Bellaire, Michigan
For more information or to obtain a registration form, call Dan Marsh (810) 367-8455, danmarsh@voyager.net or Marlene Weber at hunter100@cardina.net

SWAMDPA Summer Social
Sat. August 11/01
(Details to follow)

OWTDPA ANNUAL MEETING & ODEFA BAR-B-Q
August 12, 2001
Ballinafad, Ontario
Call Mabel Dougherty at (519) 752-1322

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PRODUCER PORTRAIT

Doug Horner

It was out there! Unknown to most, perhaps unbelievable to others, few spoke of it. An occasional glimpse by the odd fortunate soul brought only stifled comments. It couldn't be, not here in Saskatchewan...but it was! Lurking in the bushy hills south of Prince Albert, throughout 2000, something was transforming into a monster that would eventually capture the attention and anticipation of an entire association. A two year old whitetail buck was putting together a picture perfect - 151 1/8 inches of heavy "horn". "Buller" was about to put Doug Horner's home on every deerfarmer's road map.

I thought I'd seen ‘em, viewed pictures of ‘em or heard of ‘em all, but big Buller escaped even my phone line last summer. It was with childlike wonder, then, that I held those "horns" at the SWAMDPA convention this winter. Suddenly, Doug Horner was more than just a name on a list I'd seen somewhere. This was a deerfarmer to whom I'd have to pay a little visit, and a buck I'd need to keep tabs on!

Raised on a mixed farm at Blaine Lake, Doug became an Agrologist through the U of S. Farming was in his blood, but this educated farmer saw glitter beyond grain fields and capital beyond cows. He worked on wild rice and rainbow trout production in La Ronge until setting himself up as a game farmer near Prince Albert in ‘95. Doug's wife Val is a school principal while children Jeff and Lisa attend university and high school. The family's 160 acres of rolling hills and trees soon was home to a rather mixed, but intentionally matched group of animals.

Whitetails,