Handling facilities and raceways

I have a small deer park and am considering installing some basic handling facilitities connected to a couple of paddocks by a raceway. Does anyone have any illustrations/drawings/photographs/ of such things.



Thanks



Grant

What exactly is a deer park? Is that a deer farm?

Its a grey area at the moment, probably due to it being very much a marginal business.



The description below is how a trade association over here understands the difference.



There are two basic systems for enclosed deer, although many farms fall somewhere between the two.



1. Park – Deer are raised in a park type setting, where they are able to roam freely with minimal input.

They may be provided with some supplemental feed, calves are unlikely to be weaned, nor antlers removed, stock is not housed and

management is generally with a rifle. When contact with the deer is minimal, they may be classified as being wild and not farmed and

as a consequence the slaughter and carcass handling procedures are those applicable to wild deer.

Other parks consider their deer farmed and follow the requirements for farmed deer at slaughter; these may be organic whereas

wild deer cannot be.





2. Farm – Deer may be farmed following the conventional agricultural practices, including organic, grazing is rotated, some or all stock

may be housed in the winter (not all year round). Nutritional and mineral supplements are provided when necessary to maintain the

deer’s health, injuries and health problems receive prompt veterinary attention. Calves are usually weaned, antlers, certainly of the

young stock, are removed on safety grounds.



It may very well be that building handling facilities would tip me over into being a farm, which would be a mistake. At the moment the only method of 'handling' is with a rifle. As soon as its a 'farm' the animals would need to be transported for slaughter.



The problem therefore is to have sufficient facilities to aid management without having to endure the nightmare of regulations that cover modern livestock farming.



Grant

Guess not.

Not very patient Grant..........one thing I can tell you is raising deer takes patience. Look back throught the old forums on the subject and you might find what ur looking for!!

ddwhitetails said:

Look back throught the old forums on the subject and you might find what ur looking for!!

Click to expand...

Thanks for the contact Dennis,I thought I had changed my name to Tony Hawood for a moment there. Have already checked old posts on the subject but thought my post may unearth new sources of information.



Grant

Since we here don't know your laws on deer farming in England some are hesitant to give advice, it could be all wrong for you. You said that having a barn may switch your status over to being a farm which you think may be a mistake. Some of our deer farmers here have an outside facility for handling. It's a series of chutes, starting with a pen moving them into a smaller pen then down an alley way into enclosed chutes with guillotine doors to separate the deer. The last one being the squeeze or drop chute. Where you would do your work on the deer. Hope this helps. If not, I am sure some others with more knowledge could jump in here.



Sandy Malone

Pasture Prime Farm

Rush, NY

Thanks for that Sandy.



Was only after a few sketches of designs so that I can see how might include them in my place. I have found plenty now (largely from New Zealand) so all is ok.

Deer farming in the UK does not seem to have developed in the way that it has over in New Zealand or the states and as such purpose built facilities/equipment is rather hard to come by.



I have no desire for it to become any more than a hobby, but at the moment the only way to get them off of the ground is to shoot them or tranquilise them. In the UK this would mean that they could never go into the food chain.



Grant

There are many sketches and drawings on this forum already. Just search for handling facilities.

Thanks for that Scott.



I must have used the search facility incorrectly. I did do that before starting the thread and was surprised to find very little.



Grant

Here are some links from the old site about deer barn designs. I searched this new forum and couldn't find much for you either. Anyways, I hope this helps, and if it doesn't feel free to ask.



http://www.deer-forums.com/discus/messages/4/9636.html



http://www.deer-forums.com/discus/messages/3/6558.html



http://www.deer-forums.com/discus/messages/4/18255.html



http://www.deer-forums.com/discus/messages/4/4160.html

Ahhh, cunningly hidden where I couldnt find them.



Excellent thanks.



Grant