To develop sustainable deer farming, Ha Tinh province has implemented many synchronous solutions, including encouraging businesses to maintain and improve the quality of deer breeding herds.
Deer farming is a key sector of Ha Tinh province at present and in the future. Photo: TN.
Balance velvet exploitation and breeding
Although born late, An Phong Production Trading Service Co., Ltd. (An Phong Company), Ha Tinh City is managed by a person who is very knowledgeable about sika deer, so the strategies from breeding to deep processing and trade promotion are all planned very methodically.
“In fact, at first I “targeted” the deep processing segment of deer antler products, but after getting into the business, I realized that the work of preserving and developing quality deer breeds was being “neglected”. Therefore, I borrowed capital to collect 5 hectares of land from 3 households to open a farm to preserve, produce and supply high-quality deer breeds”, shared Mr. Ho Phuc Dong, Director of An Phong Company.
The deer breeding farm built by An Phong Company is located in Ha Linh Commune, Huong Khe District. This land is quite fertile, far from residential areas and has abundant food sources, so it is very convenient for expanding the scale.
First, Mr. Dong bought the best quality male deer in the "capital" of sika deer in Huong Son district, then brought them back to breed with the female deer raised at the farm.
He supplies the young deer he harvests to people in his chain to both multiply quality deer breeds and create a source of raw antlers for the deep processing line of deer antlers.
In 2022 - 2023 alone, An Phong Company will produce and supply more than 200 breeding deer to the market for people in and outside the province. The vast majority of male breeding deer have been harvested for antlers, with some being harvested 2 pairs a year with antlers weighing nearly 2kg. Female deer also give birth to healthy, well-developed fawns.
Mr. Tran Huu Trung's family (Binh Ly village, Thach Binh commune) said that in August 2023, the family boldly bought 5 deer (4 males and 1 female) for trial breeding, at a cost of 130 million VND (after deducting the support policy of Ha Tinh city). After a period of care, Mr. Trung noticed that his family's deer herd grew well and produced antlers at the right time.
“In more than 6 months, we harvested 4 pairs of antlers, each pair weighs 700 - 800g on average, sold for 1 million VND/kg, total income reached around 30 million VND. The female deer have also mated and are about to give birth,” Mr. Trung said excitedly.
In fact, for hundreds of years, traditional deer breeders have been selecting breeding animals based on experience, and there has never been a deer breeding facility with a "quality stamp" attached, so prices are very erratic.
At peak times, breeding deer cost from 40 to 50 million VND/head, but sometimes it is only 1 to 2 million VND/head, leading to unstable and unsustainable economic efficiency, and the quality and stature of the deer herd degenerate over time.
“Preserving, maintaining and improving the quality of the breeding deer herd is extremely important and necessary in the context that Ha Tinh province has identified this as a key, long-term livestock. However, in the process of breeding from high-quality male deer, breeders need to balance the health of the deer to adjust the time and appropriate care methods to ensure that they can both exploit large weight antlers and be able to mate,” said Mr. Ho Phuc Dong.
In addition to An Phong Company's farm, implementing Resolution 51/2021/NQ-HDND dated December 16, 2021 of Ha Tinh People's Council on regulations on policies to encourage agricultural and rural development associated with building a province that meets new rural standards in the province, period 2022 - 2025, from 2022, Ha Tinh Agricultural Extension Center has carried out the work of selecting male deer for breeding.
To date, after 2 years of selection, the entire Huong Son district has 200 recognized male deer for breeding. Of which, in 2022, the Ha Tinh Agricultural Extension Center surveyed 155 male deer that met the selection criteria in 7 communes: Son Chau, Son Trung, Son Le, Son Lam, Son Giang, Kim Hoa and Quang Diem. From there, 100 male deer that met the standards for breeding were selected.
In 2023, the Center continued to survey 11,468 male deer in 4,000 households in 11 communes and towns. After the survey, 169 deer were eligible for selection, of which 100 male deer met the breeding standards.
To meet the breeding standards, the male deer must meet the following criteria: Balanced and healthy appearance. The deer has smooth fur, possesses the characteristic color of the sika deer breed, and is 3-10 years old. At least 1 male deer must successfully mate with 5 female deer/year. In addition, the antler yield of the breeding deer must reach a minimum of 1.2 kg/harvest (antler harvesting time is 45 to 55 days).
As one of the families with a male deer recognized as a breeding deer, Ms. Tran Thi Tuyen, Son Ham commune, said that her family's breeding deer is 5 years old. In the 2023 antler season, the deer gave a pair of antlers weighing 2.4 kg, bringing in a revenue of nearly 30 million VND. From this male deer, the family bred 5 female deer. The deer were born healthy and developed well.
“Branded deer breeds sell for a higher price. Now the market sells a young male deer for about 15-20 million VND, but we can sell it for 25-30 million VND/deer,” Ms. Tuyen shared.
It is known that each household with deer recognized as meeting the breeding standards will receive support of 2 million VND/deer/year. This level of support is a source of encouragement for breeding households to invest more in caring for and developing deer breeds. In addition, households are also advised and guided on how to care for and raise deer to keep them healthy and maximize their breeding ability.
15 months harvest nearly 7kg of velvet
In Ha Tinh in general, and the "capital" of spotted deer in Huong Son district in particular, in recent years, many male deer have produced "huge" antlers, with some reaching a record of nearly 5kg/pair.
However, according to experts on this wild animal species, in addition to the factor of producing large, beautiful antlers, a good male deer must also ensure a short antler growth period, with pairs of antlers growing evenly, avoiding antlers that are too old, which will reduce the quality. Furthermore, deer for antler harvesting must still be healthy enough to breed regularly, thus increasing economic efficiency for breeders on the same male deer.
An Phong Company's farm currently owns a male deer that has a near record for antler harvesting time. Accordingly, within 15 months and 8 days (from January 31, 2023 to April 8, 2024), this deer has been harvested for antlers 4 times. The first time weighed 2.3 kg; the second time was 2.2 kg; the third time weighed 1.75 kg and the fourth time was nearly 700g. In addition to harvesting antlers 4 times, this deer has also mated with 8 female deer, giving birth to 8 baby deer (5 males, 3 females).
“In 15 months, we earned nearly 84 million VND from selling antlers from this deer, equivalent to nearly 5.6 million VND/month. That does not include the money from selling the breeding stock,” the Director of An Phong Company happily calculated.
Previously, at the end of 2022, Mr. Dong bought the above male deer from a household in Son Lam commune, Huong Son district. After being brought to the farm and cared for according to the correct technical process, the deer's antlers grew evenly, the mating rate was good and, importantly, the deer always maintained the best health. Currently, each year this farm provides over 100 quality deer to people in and outside Ha Tinh province.
Huong Hoai (according to nongnghiep.vn)
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