Deer are hoofed ruminant mammals from the Cervidae family. One of their unique characteristics is their antlers, which are shed each Spring, and immediately, a new set starts to grow, taking 16 weeks to reach full size in August. All species have it, except for the Chinese water deer. They are native to all continents except Antarctica and Australia, and many species have been introduced beyond their original habitats as game animals. The size of the deer species ranges from very large to very small.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Deer Trivia
- The fastest-growing tissue in the world are Antlers
- There are over 60 different species of deer worldwide.
- Deer also have excellent night vision which is particularly useful at dawn and dusk when they are most active
- The largest deer species was the Irish Giant Deer, which went extinct 11,000 years ago.
- Deer can have a homeland range that can span 30 miles.
- In winter, deer are less active in preserving energy as there is less food available.
- All species of deer have a four-chamber stomach, which allows them to chew the cud.
Definition:
Antler: The branched horns on the head of an adult deer.
Cud: Partly digested food returned from the first stomach of ruminants to the mouth for further chewing.
Ungulate: Any members of a diverse group of primarily large mammals with hooves.
Mammal: A type of animal that has mammary glands and a body covered with fur.
Herd: A group of animals, especially hoofed mammals, that live, feed, or migrate together or are kept together as livestock.
Venison: Meat from a deer.
Deer Buying Guide
When buying deer meat, it’s essential to use your senses of touch, smell, and sight. Always make sure the meat is firm, and you must check if the packaging doesn’t have any tears, holes, or excessive amounts of liquid. The meat should also be cold to the touch and have no odor.
Unlike beef, the fat of the deer does not taste good. Neither does the cord, membranes, and other connective tissues holding the various muscle groups together, so you must avoid those parts when selecting the cuts. Whether you are planning to cook a steak or hamburger, the meat should be trimmed free of anything that’s not rich, red meat.
Deer Production & Farming in Texas
Deer farming started to play a more prominent role in modern agriculture. It requires a lot of energy, and much time in research. The social structure of deers is based on the herd. Females and their newborns’ forms in one herd, while the male adults create their own herd.
If you are operating whether a large or small deer production, you should have a handling facility that includes runways, mazes, drop or squeeze chutes. An enclosure adequate for holding the deer in preparation for transport, observation during health testing periods, or quarantine is also required.
If you have a rotational grazing system, deer will rotate from pasture to pasture and can be led to the working chute with four-wheelers, a feeding truck, or even a bucket of feed.
In Texas, the deer breeding industry is growing, particularly the rural economy. With over 1,000 operations, the industry has an established presence across the state. Over $391 million in direct expenditures are poured into the state economy each year by the deer breeders and sportsmen. In return, this generates $652 million of economic activity while supporting 7,335 jobs. All told, these results highlight the fact that the deer breeding industry continues to be an essential and vital contributor to the rural economies of Texas.
Geography:
Experts say that deer inhabited in the cold regions around the Arctic Circle. They migrated to the United States about 4 million years ago and became an integral part of Native American’s lives.
The first settlers used to eat different animals, such as turkeys and grouse until they discovered the big Virginia whitetail. Native Americans taught the colonists how to utilize a deer efficiently, using every scrap of meat, hide, and bone. The meat and bone marrow of the deer made up a large part of their diet.
Over time, deer populations have undergone fluctuations. Native Americans killed an estimated 5 million deer per year to supply the business. In the early 1800s, due to a decline in fur sales and the natural expansion of deer into new habitats, populations were on the rise again. However, this increase did not last long.
Today, the whitetail species is the most widespread deer in the world. Scientists recognize 30 whitetail subspecies in North and Central America, and another eight in South America. North America’s whitetail population is estimated at 20-25 million animals. The whitetail is by far the most popular game in the U.S., chased by some 11 million hunters each fall.
