Kentucky Winter 2022

Pneu-Dart

Jo Jo’s Whitetails

KENTUCKY ALTERNATIVE LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION - BOD’S

Tony Maddox

EXECUTIVE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jason Becker

PRESIDENT

Campbellsville, KY jasonbecker757@gmail.com 757-692-5820

Jake Anderson

VICE PRESIDENT

925 Guston Rd Guston KY 40142 janderson@theluskgroup.com 270-547-8432

DIRECTORS

Chance Groves

11158 New Bowling Green Rd Smiths Grove KY 42171 hdwhitetailbreeders@gmail.com 270-308-0973

David Miller

1873 Forestville Rd Mumfordville KY 42765 270-537-5357

Joe Miller

4195 Penchem Rd Guthrie KY 42234 jmgreenlandsod@safecom.link 270-483-2140

CHAIRMAN

725 Rabbit Town Rd Winchester KY 40391 solidrockwhitetails@yahoo.com 859-556-7253 • 239-340-1171

PRESTON THOMAS

SECRETARY

Princeton KY 42445 prestonthomasfarms@gmail.com 270-889-1001

WES

BREWER

TREASURER Hodgenville KY 42748 mwb5304@yahoo.com 502-297-1309

Henry Woodard

9776 Roseville Rd Glasgow KY 42141 woodardpropertiestn@gmail.com 423-595-8898

Ethan Woosley

9064 Shrewsbury Road Leitchfield, KY 42754

Singlecreekwhitetails@gmail.com 270-316-9698

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

JASON BECKER

It’s a great day to be a Kentucky Deer Farmer! Season’s greetings to all our KALA members, hopefully everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. The winter months are time to recover from a busy deer breeding and hunting season, but also a time to plan for all the big things happening on our farms in 2023. Are you building expansion pens this year, improving your current pens, building that handling facility, watching the upcoming auctions to get that next super doe or straw of semen to improve your genetics? Whatever your plans are this year, please don’t forget the power of belonging to KALA. Our organization is blessed with members that will go out of their way to help each other and ensure everyone’s farm is successful and profitable. Please feel free to reach out to any KALA Officer or Board Member for whatever questions you may have or advice on the next step of a project.

2023 will be a year of growth for KALA with new deer farmers getting their start. I urge everyone to make themselves available for farm tours and answer those beginner questions we all had when we got started. It is important to provide a realistic outlook on Kentucky Deer Farming, the initial capital investment can be high, and returns will take several years before the first buck sales start to materialize. The daily attention needed by our deer isn’t always the best fit for an individual or family that is already

stretched thin on time. Having a solid business plan with realistic goals will mean the difference between achieving profits and having to fold up shop. KALA is looking to increase the number of deer farmers this year, but we want them to be successful and stick around for many years. When KALA is contacted by someone interested in deer farming, we direct them to the www.kalaky.net website, the Resources page of the website has a lot of good information and the member directory shows them farms near them to possibly visit.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Quarterly KALA meetings, these meetings are a great chance to get everyone together and discuss the latest issues affecting deer farmers and show off those buck photos! Planning for the 2023 Summer Showcase has already started, and we will be looking for ideas, feedback, and volunteers to help with this year’s event. Our Summer Showcase is the one big fund-raising event that KALA holds each year and supports all our budget costs. Thank you to everyone who helped last year, and we hope for more volunteers this year.

Sincerely, Jason Becker KALA President

MEMERSHIP DUES:

Regular Voting Membership $100 Out of State Associate Membeship $50 (non-voting)

I hereby make application for membership the Kentucky Alternative Livestock Assocation.

I agree to confirm to the bylaws and code of ethics governing the association.

Signature Date: ______________________

Memberhip Application

Member Name: Farm Name: New Member: ________ Renewal: ________ Address: Phone: Email: Online application avaliable on our Website: kalaky.net

Mail to: Jason Becker 737 Finely Ridge Road Campbellsville, KY JasonBecker757@gmail.com 757-692-5820

On behalf of the Kentucky Alternative Livestock Association, we would like to thank everyone who played an integral role in making 2022 a smashing success! The Association would not be what it is without all of you! As we begin 2023, there are some major topics looming on the horizon but we are also beginning to try new things for the magazine! We are now adding a classified section for KALA members to share items they are looking to sell. Due to the limited space available in the magazine all listings need to be a brief description, and contact information so that potential buyers can contact the seller. If you are interested in placing an item in this section please contact: Josh Moore J&L Whitetails, Phone: 606-748-7563

Thank you, Josh, for taking on the responsibility of helping to make our magazine even better! 2022 has been an extremely busy year for all of us, but on behalf of KALA thank you Mary Ann Hall with Solid Rock Whitetails & Kathy Brooks with Sinking Creek Whitetails for helping so much with each of these quarterly issues! Happy New Year, and we are looking forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming meeting!

Ethan Woosley, Magazine Chairman

KALA FARM FEATURE

SUNSET PLACE WHITETAILS - CRAIG JOHNSON

Written By: Kathy Brooks

“Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day of your life,” is an old adage that has become the current life motto for Craig Johnson of Sunset Place Whitetails in Lebanon, Kentucky. When Craig reflects on his life growing up on a dairy and tobacco farm, he remembers that even though there was much physical labor involved, he can honestly say that he loved farm life. So, with Craig’s combined love for the outdoors and farming in general, he felt that there was no better way to plan for retirement than to return to his farming roots by establishing a deer farm.

The idea of becoming a deer farmer was presented to Craig just this past August. When Craig was considering this new venture, he learned that it was important to ask a lot of questions, then ask them all again and again and again. Craig has learned that there are a lot of great people in this industry and that each one of them has their own ways of doing things. “More importantly,” the newcomer adds, “Every deer farmer that I have spoken with has been eager to share not only their successes but their failures, as well. This shared knowledge helps to prevent others from making the same mistakes they did.” As we all know, every venture comes with hurdles, but we just have to keep doing the things that are working well and improving the things that are not successful.

“Since I am just getting started in the

deer business, I don’t yet know what I wish I’d know before I started.” Craig explains. “I feel like that there are so many things than can change on a daily basis that even when I have been doing this for 20 years, there will still be something pop up that I’ve never seen.” It’s sort like another old saying: “ You don’t know what you don’t know.” However, with the zeal and determination that Craig exhibits, he is sure to succeed.

Craig is currently just getting his business started and feels that his greatest accomplishment has been to actually get the first deer to his farm. He enjoys watching him get adjusted to his new surroundings. “It is quite amazing to watch; I could do it for hours and it never get old!” the excited new deer farmer gushed.

Because even a seemingly small problem such as infection, heat, predators, etc. can take a deer out, Craig feels that his biggest challenge will be to keep his deer alive and healthy. He admits that he knows that even when you spare no expense to prevent it, loss is still a very real possibility.

If all goes as planned, the future should be bright for Sunset Place Whitetails with a goal of selling the first round of deer from the farm in two years. Craig hopes to develop trust with his customers by providing honest dealings. By year three, he hopes to have his own line of bucks

started and established from the initial deer that he carefully selected. When year five arrives in 2027-28, Craig hopes to recognize a profit on his deer farm and retire from his day job to be a full-time farmer.

As with most endeavors, it helps to have a knowledgeable mentor to help make the undertaking successful. Craig wishes to recognize and thank his uncle, Tony Pivot, for mentoring him through the process of getting his deer farm off the ground. “Uncle Tony was a deer farmer back in the 90’s and has been great at guiding me through this process.” Craig says. “He, too, has started deer farming again, and I’m super anxious to see what we can do together with our farms!”

Craig also wishes to express his gratitude to his fellow KALA members and everyone else that he has met through the process of getting his business started. “Thank you all for being so supportive! It still amazes me at how noncompetitive everyone is in this industry; it is evident that each deer farmer wants the other farmers to succeed and is willing to help make that happen. I have been in business as a manager at various levels for over 30 years, and I can tell you from experience that this trait is not common in other industries. I guess that’s why I am so excited to do this. Deer farmers are just good people, and that’s the kind of people I like to be around.”

ANTLER REPLICATION TECHNIQUES

WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by the Missouri Deer Association (MDA)

Antler replication has joined the digital world and may offer conveniences not available through traditional antler replication techniques. However, both traditional and digital techniques offer their own unique advantages. Making an informed decision about which one is right for you comes with weighing the pros and cons.

In creating an antler replica “you want someone to think that set is the real one,” said Jon Dittmer of Spring Creek Taxidermy in Coder, Missouri. “If you are also taking these antlers to shows they need to be strong and hold up. Compared to what I do to make a realistic and durable set of antlers, 3D scanning would be easy,” he added.

Traditional replication methods:

• Require the customer to ship or drop off the antlers and leave them with the replicator for an agreed period of time.

• Provide the finer details of each set of antlers including veins, hair line fractures and even gnarly bumps.

• Are generally as heavy and as durable as the original set.

• Come complete with a lifelike coat of paint producing the most natural look possible (as a result of working directly with the original set.)

Yet 3D scanning, through creating a digital copy of the antlers using handheld scanners, can provide the opportunity to produce a replica the exact same size or smaller or larger than the original set of antlers. “Scanning also creates a permanent digital copy stored in the computer to have on file for fabricating another copy,” offers Dan Perreault, President of Neometrix, a 3D scanning company. Most companies who offer 3D scanning services, for a fee, may be able to bring their scanning machinery to you, allowing you to maintain possession of your antlers. In addition, 3D scanning companies:

• Use laser lines and positioning targets approximately ¼ in diameter to measure antlers, generally taking about one hour to scan a 200-inch set of antlers. Scans can typically cost between $200 and $500.

• Offer same-size resin machine printing (stereolithography) as well as “CNC” computer numerically controlled printing, allowing the antlers to be reproduced on a smaller or larger scale.

• Typically use resin materials lighter than those used in traditional replication methods, potentially making them more fragile or prone to break if mishandled.

• May or may not offer painting services once the antlers are done being processed by the machine.

Costs for traditional antler replication as well as 3D scanning are determined by the size of the rack and the amount of inches involved, usually not making cost an overly significant consideration factor when deciding which route to take. Customers should also make sure their timeline to receive a completed replica coincides with their needs, no matter which method they choose.

“Our customers have been happy with the results,” Perreault said. And while Dittmer is familiar with the 3D scanning process “there’s nothing as good or looks as real as traditional replication methods,” he said.

G FORC

E

Nutrient rich formula contains highly bioavailable ingredients, including our proprietary calcium/phosphorous complex with Antler D M, that are required to support body and bone growth, especially for fast growing bucks Contains probiotics and targeted enzymes to support gut health and proper digestion

Available in pellet or powder that can be top dressed or mixed in feed. Great for antler growing season and young bucks, too

PeaceMaker

PRECISELY FORMULATED TO HELP MAINTAIN A NORMAL AND RELAXED DISPOSITION IN

Provides optimal levels of magnesium, Vitamin B1 and inositol to promote calmness and provide help for restless animals

Contains no herbals, tryptophan or chemicals, eliminating concerns of unwanted side effects

Use PeaceMaker to “keep the peace” during pre-rut, rut, transportation, weaning and anytime destructive behavior may occur

ENTERIC HEALTH FORMULA

POWERFUL SOLUTION FOR HEALTH & PRODUCTIVITY

Helps maintain digestive health and productivity

Contains micro-encapsulated probiotics, targeted enzymes and a novel fiber complex

Use in does before fawning, during lactation and all cervids during times of environmental stress

FAWN ARRIVAL

POWDER & PASTE HELPS PRODUCE HEALTHY, FAST GROWING FAWNS

Helps maintain normal digestive health Supports a healthy immune system Feed powder for 14 days to bottle fed fawns Paste is ideal for fawns left on does

FAWN & DEER XTR

ROBUST FAST RESPONSE FOR FAWNS & OLDER DEER

Innovative formula delivers max digestive support, especially in newborns Rapidly delivers help for GI health and a functioning immune system May also be used post-tranquilization to support healthy recovery

FREE business card ads for members of Kentucky Alternative Livestock Association

If you would like your farm or business featured on our business card pages, email digital pdf file or scanned image (must be readable resolution) of your business card to:

This gives KALA members a way to reach out to one another for services and to buy or sell deer! There will be limited pages for these card spreads, first come first serve. The overflow would be placed in the next issue and cards will be rotated each quarter.

Ethan Woosley: Singlecreekwhitetails@gmail.com

THE NORTH AMERICAN DEER REGISTRY

CONTINUING TO

IMPROVE TECHNOLOGY

TO VALIDATE THE CERVID INDUSTRY

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by Iowa Deer Farmers Association

As the deer industry evolves, the North American Deer Registry (NADR) is evolving right along with it. Begun in 2007 to validate the industry by providing information on DNA and pedigrees, NADR, located in Edmond, Oklahoma, is now incredibly specific with the information it provides. In the summer of 2021, new CWD Genetic Assay Technology (investigative procedures that measure the presence of a targeted entity) was introduced and is currently utilized using approximately 50,000 genetic markers. This new assay provides Genetic Estimated Breeding Values (GEBV’s) to allow breeders to determine each animal’s susceptibility to CWD and make future breeding decisions in order to “move away” from this disease.

This CWD technology was only a dream when NADR, in its infancy, studied 18 markers merely for the construction of simple, non-disease related genetic maps for parentage. “The technologies then were very rudimentary and had been around for years in the cattle and sheep industry,” said NADR Executive Director Gary Cook. “They focused primarily on pinpointing the most accurate DNA analysis possible at the time.” As DNA technology advanced and NADR partnered with Dr. Chris Seabury and Texas A & M to license technology that shifted the focus to genotyping and identifying SNP molecular markers found in DNA, it resulted in 400 identifying markers utilized for parentage in whitetail

and mule deer. In addition, in 2016, NADR selected a new organization, Neogen (Geneseek), with state-ofthe-art laboratories all over the globe including Lincoln, Nebraska, to facilitate the transition to this new technology. To date, NADR has tested 350,000 fallow, mule and whitetail tissue samples combined, with a goal of providing official pedigree services for fallow deer later this year. Having a NADR registered deer doesn’t merely provide a handy reference for pedigrees, breeding values or breeding decisions. It’s a necessity should one wish to qualify for a consignment auction or prove their deer’s value to a potential buyer.

The efforts of two valued organizations, NADeFA and the Texas Deer Association (TDA), allowed NADR, a 501c4 organization, to become a reality. Several years later, Venados De Mexico (VDM) joined as an organization. NADR is comprised of a team of dedicated scientists and office administrators as well as a 14-member volunteer board, five from NADeFA, two from VDM, five from TDA as well as NADeFA Executive Director Shawn Schafer and TDA Executive Director Kevin Davis. To become a NADR customer, one must first be an active voting member of the TDA, NADeFA or VDM and submit DNA samples to NADR in tissue tubes. Samples could include pulled (not shaved) hair between 30-50 millimeters long from the underside of the tail, an antler core from the base of a shed antler, semen straws or used semen straws with the cotton plug still intact. Sample

submission options include an excel spreadsheet, GMS software or manually. Cook emphasizes shipping samples that will arrive on a weekday, and to include with your sample all possible sire and dam NADR numbers including A.I. and backup bucks.

NADR, who tests on average 25,000 deer per year, sends certificates to owners once results are completed. All results are confidential and available online. However, no one but NADR and its members have access to the results.

“We work very hard to offer the best in a genetic registry,” Cook said. “We continuously seek ways to provide knowledge and state of the art services to our customers.”

Reach NADR staff by calling 405-5137228, faxing 405-513-7238, sending an email to nadr@deerregistry.com or visiting their website at www. deerregistry.com.

NADR is located at 1601 Medical Center Drive, Suite 1 Edmond, OK, 73034

KALA’S Kitchen

If you are a Kentucky Hunting Preserve and would like to share one of your game recipes to KALA’s Kitchen and be featured in one of our upcoming KALA Magazine issues please contact Maryann Hall at solidrockwhitetails@ yahoo.com or call 859-556-7262. All you have to do is be a KALA member to participate!

BY BUCK CREEK WHITETAILS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (about 100 degrees F)

• 1 packet yeast (active dry, instant, or quick rise- 2.25 teaspoons) • 1/2 tablespoon fine grain salt • 3.5 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix together the warm water, yeast, and table salt, until yeast and salt are fully or almost dissolved.

2. Add the flour to the bowl all at once and stir together until a sticky dough forms. Don’t worry about mixing it too much, just make sure everything is uniformly wet. It WILL be messy and sticky. You can scrape what’s left on the spoon with a silicone spatula.

3. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel. Leave it for 2-3 hours to rise in a somewhat warm place until it’s doubled in volume.

4. 30 minutes to an hour before you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Place your Dutch oven in the oven, with the lid ON, while the oven is preheating. Once the oven reaches 450, keep it preheating for another 20 minutes, so the Dutch oven gets good and hot.

5. Scrape the dough into the edge of a piece of parchment paper dusted with flour.

6. Flip your dough and shape to the size of your Dutch Oven. Dust the top with a small amount of flour.

7. Use a very sharp knife or clean razor blade to cut a few slits across the top of the loaf about 1/2” deep, across the entire top. I did this in a cross shape for mine.

8. Take out the preheated Dutch oven and take off the lid, carefully! Grab the parchment from the sides and place the loaf in your Dutch oven.

9. Place the cover back on the Dutch oven and place in the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 35 minutes at 450 degrees F. Remove the lid and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until a golden brown color formslonger if necessary. Remove the loaf from the dutch oven (grabbing the sides of the parchment paper works well here) and place it on a wire rack or cutting board to cool for at least 10 minutes (preferably 30 minutes - an hour, if you have time)before slicing.

Buck Creek Trophy Whitetails is owned & operated by Michael Connelly III, Michelle Connelly, and their son Michael Connelly Jr. This 200+ acre high fence hunting preserve is located in East Bernstadt, Kentucky and offers 3 day hunts for trophy whitetail, elk, rams, goats, & turkeys.

When asked, what sets your preserve apart from the rest? Michael replies “at Buck Creek we try to value the experience more than the kill. You can go anywhere in the country to hunt an animal, so we try to bring a unique experience!” “Our hunts are solo hunters or groups, meaning we only take in one hunter or group at a time. This allows us a completely 1 on 1 experience with our hunters combined with southern cooking, quiet scenery, and world class animals.”

Michelle & Debbie Connelly are the masterminds behind the Buck Creek kitchen and prepare their hunters traditional southeastern Kentucky breakfasts, home-style lunches, and gourmet dinners.

*** If you would like to try this fresh, made from scratch Dutch Oven Bread along with other southeastern KY comfort food, while enjoying a self-guided hunt for world class trophy animals, please contact Michael Connelly III or his son Michael Jr at 864-934-7449 or email buckcreektrophywhitetails@gmail.com.

B6 WHITETAILS - JASON BENHAM

Written By: Kathy Brooks

At the B6 Whitetail Farm, the Benham family has learned the interesting effect that deer have on people-the unique way that deer farming has of bringing people and families together. Six years ago, Jason and his wife Mindy started the B6 Whitetail farm in Meade County, Kentucky, along with their four children - Samuel (17), Lydia (15), Preston(11), and Clayton (10).

Jason admits that when he first heard about deer farming, it grabbed his attention immediately and sounded like something he would be interested in learning more about. Since he was already looking for a way to diversify, to get his family involved, and to generate some income, deer farming seemed like a good fit for them. After lots of research, many farm tours, and several phone calls with informative deer farmers, the Benhams made the decision to join the deer farming industry.

The first few years for B6 Whitetails in Battletown, Kentucky were difficult and full of many learning curves.

“We went from raising cattle to raising deer and found that the process was similar but also completely different at the same time,” Jason explains. “One thing that we learned in those first few years is that you can’t treat deer like you do cattle, and, if you’re not careful, things can go downhill fast!”

Since the Benhams now have a few years of deer farming experience under their belt, they would like to give some critical advice to anyone who may be considering a venture into this industry. First of all, they recommend that you do lots of research before you make a decision. Then start slowly with a small, quality herd rather than jumping in with both feet and getting in over your head with a mess of sick deer that you don’t know how to help. Finally, plan to grow your farm gradually rather than starting big.

Regarding the challenges that he has experienced, Jason agrees with other deer farmers who have remarked about the difficulty in finding a veterinarian who is experienced with deer and their health issues. Even though Jason’s father is a veterinarian, he acknowledges that his father had to learn alongside him through experience

in order to properly treat and care for the deer. “That’s where using the knowledge of fellow deer farmers plays a huge role,” according to Jason. So, don’t be afraid to reach out to other farmers for help and advice.

“One thing that I wish I would have known before getting into the deer industry is that deer aren’t the easiest animals to raise,” confesses Jason. “As others have said, deer can hide sickness very well, so you always have to be on guard, looking for subtle changes in their body language.” Jason and his family have learned that it is important to watch the deer closely for the early warning signs and to start treatment at the first sign of illness to prevent the worst from happening. “ Each season of the year presents its own challenges, but, with experience, you will learn what to look for, how to prepare, and, ultimately, you will end with your herd in better standing than the year before.” Jason advises.

According to Jason, his biggest challenge as well as his greatest accomplishment in his deer farming experience came in the very early days of this endeavor. “As we all know,” Jason says, “the

deer industry isn’t the cheapest business to get into; there are a lot of up-front costs, and it’s only getting more expensive. When our family first started, I learned to find creative ways to keep the costs down by thinking outside the box and by utilizing the help that came from building good relationships with fellow farmers across the state.” Jason and his family are delighted that the

B6 Whitetails is still in business and steadily growing each day as they work together to make their deer farming dream come true. “Raising deer has taught us many life skills that we will use for the rest of our lives. Getting into the industry has taught us how responsibility hard work, dedication, and patience, along with a whole lot of faith and focus, can create something truly extraordinary. These skills keep the future of our farm looking bright.”

THE BENEFITS OF USING DEER TUNNELS

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by Whitetails of Oklahoma

Although a smaller deer farm might get by without a handling facility and tunnel system, larger deer farms can operate much more efficiently with one, explains Chris Ezell, owner of Dangerous Whitetails of Oklahoma, in Adair, Oklahoma. Deer tunnels, along with a handling facility, can allow a deer farmer to run several head of deer through in a matter of hours, greatly reducing stress on the deer while potentially negating the need to dart them.

“In my opinion, darting may hurt their immune system,” Ezell said. “If not done correctly, it could be detrimental to put them to sleep.” Yet many deer farmers depend on darts, developed by several companies through thoughtful technology intended to safely deliver antibiotics and sedatives to whitetails. While numerous farms depend on these efficient and carefully designed darts to accomplish a variety of goals including antler cutting, CIDR insertion and medication administering, for larger deer farms darts might prove

costly to buy. In addition, darting is thought by some to be best accomplished during cooler parts of the morning or evening, whereby with a tunnel system, the weather isn’t usually a huge factor, said Ivan Hochstetler of Double H Whitetails in Dundee, Ohio.

At his 23-acre farm with close to 200 typical deer, Hochstetler, like Ezell, maintains a CWD-Monitored herd. In addition to using their tunnel systems for procedures such as vaccinations, A.I. and (at Ezell’s farm) antler cutting, both men are required to test every three years for TB and brucellosis. Running them through their facilities for these purposes may take an entire day. However, in lieu of having a facility “it would take several days,” Hochstetler said. “For us, it would be a nightmare.” Yearlings, mature bucks with or without antlers and does can all be run through a handling facility. Two minutes is the maximum amount of time any deer should spend in the final phase, the squeeze chute, as additional time would be too stressful on them, Ezell emphasized. After leaving the facility, alley ways allow deer to find their way back to their pens at both farms.

When Hochstetler built his barn in 2009 with the support of his wife Ruby, he had visions of running a substantial deer empire. Even though at the time they only had two deer, the first thing Hochstetler did was put in a handling facility and tunnel system complete with solid wooden walls for added safety. Back then, the total cost was close to $10,000.

Although it would cost more today to construct the same facility, over time it would not only pay for itself, it could you save substantial time and money in the long run. “We put CIDRs in 60 does last year and then later, pulled them,” Hochstetler explained. “If our farm, as a larger operation, had to dart those does instead for the same procedure, it would have been a substantial cost. When you think about all the times you would use your facility, in two or three years that handler might be paid for.”

Ezell and his wife Jodie shared the same vision as Hochstetler when they first entered into the deer business 13 years ago and bought a farm with an existing facility. Through the years of using it, Ezell has realized the safety, comfort and ease of accomplishing whatever job that needs to be done. Although he was grateful to have bought a farm with a handling facility already in place “I would have done it anyway,” Ezell said. “When you think of all the benefits, how could you afford not to?” Consulting services for constructing handling facilities are offered by Ezell by calling him at 918-697-5389.

Deer Tunnel System and Handling Facility

HOW TO SPOT AND TREAT PNEUMONIA IN WHITETAIL DEER

By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by PDFA

In terms of saving whitetail deer from succumbing to upper respiratory diseases such as pneumonia “the most valuable animal on your property is the one that just died,” explains Josh Newton, COO of Cervid Solutions and Operations Manager of Red Ridge Whitetails in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. “Because this deceased deer can provide insight as to what caused their death and give you greater abilities to treat others with an appropriate antibiotic regiment.”

Being that pneumonia can manifest itself virally, bacterially, chemically or as a result of an injury, some antibiotics may work better than others for effective treatment. And pneumonia, aside from the type caused by an injury, is almost always contagious. In addition, fluctuating weather patterns, such as severe drops in temperature or significant precipitation, can play a vast role in the overall health and longevity of a cervid herd or how susceptible they may be in contracting pneumonia. “Each farm is judged on it’s merits individually,” Newton said. “A northern deer farm is far different than a farm in an area such as southern Missouri where winter is a lot less hard on animals from a pneumonia standpoint.”

Symptoms of pneumonia, which can affect deer of all ages including fawns to older adult deer, can include a chronic dry cough, erratic shallow rapid breathing (most noticeable as a bouncing motion in the flank area), foaming at the mouth (unlike the look of chewing cud), diarrhea and nasal discharge. These symptoms are usually accompanied by dehydration as fawns tend to lose their desire to nurse and adult deer tend to lose their desire to eat and drink.

“Pneumonia is probably one of the most significant diseases that affect farmed deer,” said Dr. Rachael Weiss of Applied Reproductive Concepts in Greencastle, Pennsylvania. “If a farmer is losing a significant number of deer, I always recommend a necropsy and culture because many don’t know what is affecting their deer. The necropsy and culture will be a baseline to appreciate what is going on and choose the most appropriate treatment options.” To this end, choosing the right antibiotic (such as Draxxin, Zactran or sulfa drugs such as SMZ’s) can be the difference between life and death as some forms of pneumonia may be resistant to certain antibiotics. “We refer to this as the MIC or Minimal Inhibitory Concentration factor,” Newton explained. MIC defines levels of susceptibility or resistance of certain bacterial strains to administered antibiotics. “Having a reliable MIC assessment impacts your choice of a therapeutic strategy because of the potential effectiveness on an infection therapy,” he emphasized.

Newton feels any decisions regarding treatment regiments should always start first with your veterinarian. Therefore, having a good VCPR (Vet Client Patient Relationship) is just as important as developing a keen eye for illness, as antibiotics can only be acquired through veterinarian prescriptions. Acting quickly to isolate sick animals could also help save others if done promptly.

This, along with maintaining an ideal number of deer in your pens, is another important proactive and preventative measure.

“Ask yourself, what is your “Morbidity and Mortality Goal” for your farm and how many deer you are willing or able to lose,” Newton asked. “Also think about this. What is the maximum number of deer you could safely raise in the worst conditions? Consider your fawn program, too, and then bump back the number of deer in your pens. Because realistically, how much time and money do you want to spend intensely managing deer or treating sick animals?”