• Mauldslie Farm is 438 ha @ 300 – 500m AS• The farm was in a very poor state BUT had potential• Currently in Year 3/4 of a 10 year Project aiming to get to 700 breeding

hinds.• We are currently on plan…

– 1st Calves born 2015– 1st Production Venison Nov 2016– 2nd Production Venison Dec 2017 – (95 animals)– Currently have fenced over 100 ha– Built new Deer shed 1000sqm– Installed race system and new roading– Undertaken significant ditching clean out– Spread 200 tonnes of lime per year– Reseeded 4 fields– Installed 2 Fodder Crop Fields– Forestry Development

Next Steps

• Aiming to Fence 1600m +/- annually

• Bringing new fields into production and up to Region 1 specification– Lime, fertilise, reseeding

• Roading and drainage will continue as funds permit

• Increase animal performance with a focus on production carcass weights

• Phase 3 Forestry plan to assist with field and fence development

• Pasture Management and Improvement !!!!!

Mauldslie Forestry Grant Application

A

B

C

H

D

E

F

G

I

1

2

3

4

5

6

16

19

14

1121b

21c

21a

Mauldslie

Farm Deer

2016/17 Rut Rut

September October November December January February March April May June July August

125 Calves 1 Kg + Silage 1 Kg + Silage

0.75 Kg +

Silage 0.5 Kg + Silage

0.5 Kg + Silage

+ Hay

0.75 Kg + Silage

+ Hay

1 Kg + Silage +

Hay

1 Kg + Silage+

Grass Grass Grass Grass

Grass +

Barley Creep

196 Hinds Grass

Grass /

Fodder

Silage /

Fodder

Grass / Silage

+.5KG .5Kg + Silage .75Kg + Silage .75Kg + Silage .75Kg + Silage Grass Grass Grass Grass

52

Yearling

Hinds Grass

Grass +

Barley

Grass +

Barley

Grass / Silage +

Barley .5Kg + Silage .75Kg + Silage .75Kg + Silage .75Kg + Silage Grass Grass Grass Grass

6 Stags Grass Grass 1 Kg + Grass 1 Kg + Silage 1 Kg + Silage 1 Kg + Silage 1 Kg + Silage

1 Kg + Silage+

Grass Grass Grass Grass Grass

Calving

Feed Plan

Questions From the Group

• Infrastructure – How easy is it to scale up if successful• How would it fit here?• What facilities would be needed?• Is availability of breeding stock an issue?• Are there any issues with disease susceptibility• How does it stack up with Costings vs sheep?• It seems too good to be true! Why aren’t more people doing it?• Marketing options? Contracts?• What are the opportunities for Antlers etc/5th quarter• How do feeding requirements differ from sheep?• What is the biggest stress point for you?

Infrastructure – How easy is it to scale up if successful

• Deer Infrastructure is expensive so you must have a vision about what you want to achieve longer term

• Its is all about design –– 2 types of approach

• Perimeter Fencing and infill later • Field by Field

– Race systems are essential for easy movement so understanding your total vision is key

• Field design is vital • Designing in Cover and woodland blocks can be very useful• Calving fields need to hold stock for 3 months• A fencing team who understands the movement of deer is

essential

What facilities would be needed?

• Deer Handling Facility

• Deer Crush

• Weigh Box

• Indoor Housing for calves

• Feeding / Bedding equipment

• Indoor / Outdoor Coral

• Loading Facilities

Is availability of breeding stock an issue?

• Breeding Stock is constrained• Forward Planning is required • 1st Venison / BDFPA can connect you to sources

Are there any issues with disease susceptibility

• Key diseases – TB– Johnnes– MCF - Malignant catarrhal fever in deer is incurable and invariably fatal, and if diagnosed the

animal should be put down as soon as possible to prevent further suffering. It is probably contracted from sheep

– Yersiniosis - caused by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, is one of the most serious and common infectious diseases of farmed deer. It causes acute inflammation of the intestines. It typically affects young deer (four to eight months) during their first autumn/winter. They tend to go off food and stand alone, becoming dehydrated and weak. Diarrhoea causes staining of the hocks and tail, with diarrhoea colour changing from watery green through dark or bloody as the disease progresses. Acute cases may be found dead without any obvious clinical signs.

– Trace Element Deficiencies - Copper is the main trace element where deficiency is likely to be an issue in deer. Cobalt, iodine and selenium deficiencies also occur but are much less common.

– Abscess

How does it stack up with Costings vs sheep?

Sheep • Price volatility• Sheep arguably £3.80/kg killed out

weight (£80 at market) • Avg Lamb live weight 42kg• Shearing / Foot treatments / wormers • Grazing conditions key (2 sheep = 1

deer)• Vaccination • Concentrates and Silage Costs • EID and Management Tags• Sub 12 month slaughter• Replacements £120 gimmers• Productive age 6 years• Mortality – 10-15%

Deer• Negotiated price curve / season• Base £5.50/kg killed out weight• Avg killed out 18 month stag 57Kg

(£316 at abattoir gate)• No shearing / No foot rot / Good Health• Cost of finishing depends on grazing

conditions• Concentrates / Silage Cost• Mineral supplements £3.50 / dose• Vaccination• EID and Management Tags• Replacements £450 yearlings • Productive age 16 years • Mortality less than 3%

First venison Pricing2012/13 £4.75

2013/14 £5.24

2014/15 £5.29

2015/16 £5.29

2016/17 £5.43

E U R O P Base Price Base Price

1 Base Base Base -15 -40 Week P/KG/DW/WK Week Commencing Week P/KG/DW/WK Week Commencing

2 +10 +5 Base -15 -40 1 5.29 12-Sep

3 +10 +5 Base -15 -40 2 5.30 19-Sep

4 Base Base Base -15 -40 3 5.31 26-Sep

5 -20 -20 -20 -20 -40 4 5.32 03-Oct

5 5.33 10-Oct 1 5.43 09/10/2017

6 5.34 17-Oct 2 5.44 16/10/2017

7 5.35 24-Oct 3 5.45 23/10/2017

Under Weights Deductions 8 5.36 31-Oct 4 5.46 30/10/2017

40 + Spec 9 5.37 07-Nov 5 5.47 06/11/2017

35.0 - 39.8 -15 10 5.38 14-Nov 6 5.48 13/11/2017

30.0 - 34.8 -25 11 5.39 21-Nov 7 5.49 20/11/2017

less than 30 -50 12 5.40 28-Nov 8 5.50 27/11/2017

13 5.41 05-Dec 9 5.51 04/12/2017

14 5.42 12-Dec 10 5.52 11/12/2017

15 5.43 19-Dec 11 5.53 18/12/2017

16 5.44 26-Dec 12 5.54 25/12/2017

17 5.47 02-Jan 13 5.57 01/01/2018

18 5.50 09-Jan 14 5.60 08/01/2018

19 5.53 16-Jan 15 5.63 15/01/2018

20 5.56 23-Jan 16 5.66 22/01/2018

21 5.59 30-Jan 17 5.69 29/01/2018

22 5.62 06-Feb 18 5.72 05/02/2018

23 5.65 13-Feb 19 5.75 12/02/2018

24 5.68 20-Feb 20 5.78 19/02/2018

25 5.71 27-Feb 21 5.81 26/02/2018

26 5.74 04-Mar 22 5.84 05/03/2018

27 5.77 11-Mar 23 5.87 12/03/2018

28 5.80 18-Mar 24 5.90 19/03/2018

29 5.83 25-Mar 25 5.93 26/03/2018

2016-17 Proposal for 2017-18 Season

It seems too good to be true! Why aren’t more people doing it?

• Up to 2015 No Subsidy – post 2021??

• Historic Market Niche – Now in every supermarket

• Demand Supply Imbalance

• Funding packages available

BUT

• High Cost of establishment

• Need Long term vision

• 3 yrs before 1st return.

Other Questions

• Marketing options? Contracts?

• What are the opportunities for Antlers etc/5th

quarter

• How do feeding requirements differ from sheep?

• What is the biggest stress point for you?