Develveting Stags

Animal issues

The key is to minimise stress and damage to velvet and stag.

• Draft stags into mobs as buttons drop so stags are more settled at develveting time
• Adjust mob size to avoid overcrowding at the shed
• Stags must have a companion
• Allow for a settling period in the shed prior to develveting
• After develveting, release stags to a nearby paddock with shade and water available
• Monitor for any adverse reaction and persistent bleeding. Stags lying on their side, an unbalanced gait or difficulty breathing may require intervention. Blood spurting half an hour post-develveting requires re-application of the tourniquet
• Call us as soon as possible should any stag show difficulty behaving normally within a reasonable time

Holding facilities

The key is to allow for safe handling of animals; to minimise animal and human injuries; to allow rapid and safe develveting and the recovery of clean, undamaged velvet.

• Check that all gates and crushes are working well
• Eliminate metal protrusions in and around shed – this minimises injuries to animals and operators
• If your shed is not covered, think about covering it. Animals will be quieter and the ambient temperature lower
• Aim for bookings early in the day when the temperature is unlikely to be greater than 22^oC
• Fix any gaps between walls and roof. Deer like to head for light
• Provide clean flooring and where surfaces are hard, sweep prior to develveting. This reduces the risk of injection-site infection, produces cleaner velvet and minimises the risks of stags contracting respiratory infections while sedated

For more in depth information please refer to deernz.org. Click on the Deer Hub then follow the links through Deer/Antlers to find the new rules and regulations under the NVSB section.