2020 Spring WOO

Spring/ 2020/ Edition

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Table of Contents Board of Directors PRESIDENT Mr. Chris Ezell Dangerous Whitetails of Oklahoma 7134 W. 420 Rd Chelsea, OK 74016 918-697-5389 chrisezell@rocketmail.com VICE PRESIDENT Mr. Donnie Rivers Bent Pine Ranch, LLC. 1495 SE 683 Road Locust Grove , OK 74352 918-864-3525 donnie@bentpineranch.com SECRATARY Mr. David Van Natta 8005 S. 4260 Rd. Chelsea, OK 74016 918-695-0262 davidandtrina@att.net TREASURER Mr. Tommy Gleason Deer Creek Whitetails 571 Lone Oak Rd W Hartshorne, OK 74547 918-424-5293 tomgleason6@yahoo.com DIRECTOR Mr. Skip West Circle ‘W’ Whitetails 54301 South 351 Road Maramec, OK 74045 918-671-8669 skip@circlewwhitetails.com DIRECTOR Mr. Larry Armstrong Armstrong Whitetails 689 Whitetail Ridge Skiatook, OK 74070 918-639-6951 larry@armstrongwhitetails.com DIRECTOR Mr. Barry Reed 836 E 480 Pryor, OK 74361 918-798-1887 barryreed7@aol.com

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Bottle Feeding vs. Not Comparing Benefits of Both. . . . 25 Classified Ads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Director’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Habitat Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Health Preparation Prior to Fawning . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21 Membership Application. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Oklahoma Deer Farmers - Feeling Resilient About 2020. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Payroll Protection Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Secretary’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Treasurer’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Twins Take Toms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 WOO Welcomes Secretary - David VanNatta. . . . . . . . . . 4 Advertisers Index Antler Ranch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 C&E Wildlife Products . . . . . . . . 18 Cedar Breaks Ranch. . . . . . . . . . . 22 Cervid Solutions, LLC. . . . . . . . . 10 Countryside Veterinary Service. 22 Cross Canyon Whitetails. . . . . . . 12 Dangerous Whitetails of Oklahoma. . . . . . . . . . . . . Cover Dan-Inject. . . . . . . . . . . In. F. Cover Deers Not Beers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Deerstore.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 GKR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Head Gear LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

DIRECTOR Mr. Anthony Salyers Short Creek Whitetails 779 Blanco Rd. Mcalester, OK 74501 918-429-2382 anthonysalyers@att.net

Hilty Whitetails. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Honey Brook Whitetails. . . . . . . 24 PNEU-DART, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Prime Acres. . . . . . . . . . Back Cover Purina. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In. B. Cover Rocky Ridge Whitetails. . . . . . . . . 9 ST Genetics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Statite 50 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Stewart Creek Whitetails. . . . . . . 28 Sunrise Supply, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Summitt Supply, Inc.. . . . . . . 15-16 Townsedge Whitetails. . . . . . . . . . 5 Trophy Whitetails. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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Whitetails of Oklahoma Welcomes Secretary David VanNatta From the WOO Board of Directors Recently appointed Whitetails of Oklahoma Secretary David VanNatta hopes his organizational, computer and people skills further enhance an organization already known for it’s camaraderie and strong resolve. VanNatta, owner of Patriot Whitetails in Chelsea, Oklahoma stepped up to the plate in February to serve.

Having been a deer farmer for four years and counting, VanNatta feels he is well suited for the job.

“Think of this as a census of sorts,” VanNatta said. “We would like to know who all of our members are. Please contact me with your information.”

As secretary “I’d be more than happy to find answers for people and help make someone’s day easier,” he said.

“I’ve had so many wonderful people help me out and have learned so much from everyone. It’s my way of paying it back.”

As WOO moves forward in 2020, VanNatta is eager to help WOO run like a well-oiled machine. “Let’s keep on keeping on and get through this,” he said. “We are here to help each other. With fawning season coming on strong and antlers growing out, there is a lot to look forward to.”

Although Oklahoma suffered an unusually tough year in 2019 with heavy rains and EHD epidemic followed by this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, VanNatta, 54, hopes the monetary means is there for hunters to enjoy high-fence fall hunting this coming November. In addition to this vision, his immediate focus centers around determining the exact number of WOO members who are active and who receive this quarterly magazine. Although current numbers dictate the organization has around 108 members, VanNatta and rest of the board would like an exact count.

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When VanNatta isn’t busy with his fulltime job working for AT&T, attending to matters for WOO or spending time with family, he enjoys raising stocker deer on his 55-acre farm just minutes from WOO President Chris Ezell’s house. VanNatta, having grown up in the country, enjoys the peace and tranquility of his farm and in particular, his back porch which overlooks a pond. Surrounded by cattle ranches, his farm is a priceless treasure he shares with his wife Trina, a former city girl. “I sit on my back porch and watch the sunset and hear frogs,” he shared. “Trina came out here not too long ago and said she could never move back to the city.”

David VanNatta 918-695-0262 davidandtrina@att.net

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Oklahoma Deer Farmers Feeling Resilient About 2020

By: Gail Veley

The demand for deer is high in the state of Oklahoma this year, concurring with an available vaccine for EHD. “We’ve had a lot more ranches open up,” said Whitetails of Oklahoma President Chris Ezell. “No one here is going to be selling their deer outside of Oklahoma. We’ve got too much demand right here.

The price of our deer will be top dollar.”

That’s great news and a welcomed way to forge ahead in 2020, according to Ezell and various members of WOO. Events in 2019 challenged the resolve of virtually every Oklahoma deer farmer as unusual amounts of rain, an EHD epidemic and the inability to acquire the EHD vaccine caused many farmers to lose insurmountable deer and subsequently “close up” shop.

However, several established deer farms have ridden out the storm.

Likewise, Oklahoma deer farmers are joining together to make 2020 the year where optimism and perseverance pay off. “I’d say we’re a seven in terms of optimism,” Ezell emphasized.

Although rain amounts this year are “keeping pace” with rain amounts from 2019, the vaccine will help substantially combat the forces of Mother Nature, Ezell reassured. “We will do business with any state that does business with us,” he added.

WOO President Chris Ezell 918-697-5389

Their optimism will be rewarded. Through the networking efforts of NADeFA and Executive Director Shawn Schafer, an EHD vaccine is available this year through Medgene Labs located in South Dakota. While the vaccine is still considered experimental, it has been produced as a result of meticulous technology and numerous hours of field testing, in an effort to ensure its safety and effectiveness, said Ashley Petersen, Clinical Research and Development Lead Scientist at Medgene. In fact, Schafer’s own deer herd in Turtle Lake, North Dakota served as a test group in the late fall of 2018.

News about the vaccine and the recent national annual convention for Whitetails of Oklahoma held January 31st – February 1st helped to reignite enthusiasm for the deer industry in Oklahoma and also served as a vehicle to welcome a new set of guests also holding their national annual convention – The North American Elk Breeders Association. Close to 40 members of NAEBA representing approximately 30 farms joined forces with WOO for a first-time event. “We wanted to do something in the southern region and chose Oklahoma as they have been very active in recent years with CWD research,” said Brenda Hartkopf, office manager for NAEBA. “We wanted to support them in their efforts.” As a result, NAEBA members staffed six booths at the convention.

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As popular as raising whitetail may be, raising elk has begun to rise in popularity. States well-known for raising elk include Texas, Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, Nebraska, Utah and Idaho, according to Hartkopf. Although NAEBA routinely explores various other areas of the country for their national convention “we would certainly consider joining with (WOO) again in the future,” she said.

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DIRECTOR''S MESSAGE DIRECTOR Hello All, I’m in the hopes that this finds all of my fellow deer farmers, preserve owners, elk breeders, exotic owners, ranchers, etc. & all of your families doing well & keeping safe during these times. I know it is hard times for many & worse times for others, but I pray for the well-being of all.

As if we didn’t have enough in our personal lives or in keeping livestock in good health, we now have this COVID-19 to deal with. I know we all wonder & have concerns of what this will do with the future economy & what impacts it may have on our industry. I don’t think there is firm knowledge of the full effects or what to fully expect at this time. I know we all hope it will be gone or subsided enough before our breeding & hunting seasons to allow at least a little window of time in there for things to get on the upswing. Everyone’s health is first & foremost, but I know we would all still like things to get back to normal & have a good season.

On the more upbeat side, we are all getting ready & excited for the new fawn crops & watching the antlers bloom. I’m sure there are some great genetics out there in our state that are about to hit the ground & many others that are putting on those 1st,

2nd, 3rd set of antlers. We have a lot of good deer, elk & all in this state. Thanks to everyone keeping it to the best they can, it keeps our market strong in this state for this year & those future years to come. I look forward to getting around to some of the farms & ranches & seeing the results of the growing season.

I don’t know about all of our state, but I’ve had more rain this year than the old ground can even handle. We have been extremely saturated & then every 2 or 3 days another rain moves in. I just now have taken my first few steps without a squish. While I don’t like to knock any rain in Oklahoma, I wouldn’t mind if it slowed a bit for the sake of the fawn season coming. The constantly wet pens are never a good thing on the fawn herd. I hope each of you end up with a good number of fawns & hope they all stay healthy for everyone.

Take care of your families, take care of yourself & be safe everybody. We will see you soon.

Best Regards, Larry Armstrong Director, Whitetails of Oklahoma

TREASURER’’S MESSAGE TREASURER Hi all, Well it’s been a crazy year this year with the coronavirus and the oil prices.

I hope all of you are pulling through it ok. We have been busy at Deer Creek Whitetails. We have added several does to our breeding pens and have sold a lot of really great does. We are moving in a new direction. We lost Big Johnson last fall and just haven’t really recovered from that loss. We have some big hooves to replace and hopefully one of our studs will step up. Our coming 2 year olds are looking good and we have a lot of yearlings that are looking promising. Our fawns will soon be hitting the ground and we can’t wait.

On a good note, the preserves are already asking about shooters and wanting to lock them in so the virus isn’t going

to beat Oklahoma’s deer industry. There are several new preserves going up and lots of new deer farmers so guys get out there and get to know them. They are several new preserves going up and lots of new deer farmers so guys get out there and get to know them. They are looking for deer and want to get started. The more you put into the industry the more you’ll get out of it.

Good luck to all of you in the growing season and fawning season. Don’t hesitate to give me a call if I can help in any way!

Best Regards, Tommy Gleason Treasurer, Whitetails of Oklahoma 918-424-5293

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“TWINS TAKE TOMS”

(Slammin’ Thunderchickens) Many of you may remember once upon a time my wife Angel sitting at the front door of the WOO Annual Convention in Broken Arrow, OK registering everyone, taking dues & memberships while very pregnant. The Tuesday following that convention we were blessed with two tiny baby girls, Riley & Reese.

It has now been 10 years since that time believe it or not. These two have been a handful, but a lot of fun ever since.

For their 9th birthday, they got a new youth model 410 shotgun. We have been practicing on & off ever since. To be honest, they have never missed yet. Daddy is quite proud he’s got a couple little markswomen. Anyway, this year they were big enough to go try to turkey hunt. They were very adamant about wanting to kill “their” turkey. We practiced up a little with each of them a few days before youth turkey season & then again a couple days before their hunt. They both said they were comfortable shooting & wanted to kill their turkey so Daddy agreed to take them. Reese agreed that Riley would go get her bird first & so became the order of the hunts.

Reese was now chomping at the bit to get in the blind as fast as possible. One’s success ramps up the others will. After tending to Riley’s bird, we headed out. We got in the blind at about 3pm. For the first 30-40 minutes, there was nothing, not a sound. Then some hens arrived & Reese got ready on the shooting sticks. The hens saw her move & started walking off quickly. I called soft & the old Tom gobbled. We never saw him. I called, but nothing answered until I got aggressive. He gobbled 12 or 15 times at the bottom of the hill, wouldn’t come in & shut up entirely. We kept calling softly from time to time & then again all the 3 or 4 hens were back. And then old Tom was there, but stayed hidden behind the brush.

They all left, but in a little while circled back, yet that old Tom would veer away & slip behind trees & brush. He was a smart old bird & would not come out in the open.

The birds left again. Finally, a fourth time they showed up. The wary Tom strutted a few times, but wouldn’t come over the roll of the hill or out in the open. Reese was ready. Then all of a sudden he stepped out, stopped behind a tree, then finally made 3 or 4 more steps into the open & Reese hammered him at 6:15pm. She did so awesome with her patience & keeping her finger off the trigger until the right time. Reese had just killed her 1st Tom with 1 shot. He had a 9” Beard, ¾” Spurs & 23 lbs.

We were big eyed & smiling ear to ear.

It was an unbelievable & unimaginable day to get two Tom’s down on my girls 1st turkey hunt & them only being 10 years old. I’m still ecstatic & overjoyed just writing this story about them. It was a great day & I will be smiling forever about it. I know they will never forget the day & I shall remember it until the end of my days. I love my girls!

You are both so awesome!

The opening morning of youth turkey season was cold & drizzly weather. I took Riley out first & she toughed it out for about 2 hours. There was nothing moving or making a sound. We headed back to warm up. That afternoon we went again & she made it another 2 hours with us only getting 1 old hen to come by. As frustrating as it may have been, I was proud of her sticking with it & being patient. The next morning Riley wanted to skip the early daylight hunt, but was raring to go by 9am. We ended up getting back to our blind at about 11am. We were unable to get any responses to our calls, but at 1:20pm, two Toms came walking in quiet. They got within 15 yards, but Riley was unable to get a sight on them until they were spooking & walking away. Somehow though, she got lined out on a moving target & stayed on one of them Congratulation Riley & Reese!!! & lowered the boom on him at 20 yards. Riley had just killed her 1st Tom with 1 shot. He had an 8-1/4” Beard, ¾” Spurs & 21 lbs. We were excited beyond compare.

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15

Habitat Enhancement

Create Deer-Friendly Refuge, Terrain

By: Gail Veley

Increasing the number of free-range deer, wild turkey and other types of wildlife on your property may be as simple as rearranging the layout of your land. While this may be a popular subject to talk about, few private landowners have the time, equipment or expertise to make it happen. Hiring a land management company for this task can be one of the most lucrative and smartest investments you will ever make.

to increase the likelihood that your property will thrive with native wildlife and provide them with a much-needed refuge. While land enhancement projects might produce highly desired short-term results, it can take up to two years to see the full fruition of these efforts.

“Natural habitat in America is decreasing all the time and is happening all over the place,” said Derek Borkholder, manager for a habitat enhancement and land management company in Bremen, Indiana. “If you enhance your own property you won’t have to worry about what is going on around you. From a resale perspective, people are always willing to pay more for an enhanced property that attracts wildlife, should you ever decide to sell.”

Land management companies can provide additional services as well, such as regular year-round mowing, hunting blind installation and camera installation on trees or posts to catch and monitor wildlife activity. However actively managing a property ceases from October through December during the hunting season, and usually starts up once again in the beginning of the year.

Well-equipped land management companies can cover all aspects of habitat enhancement from eliminating less productive trees and vegetation and replacing them with perhaps younger, more desirable trees, vegetation and tall grasses. Taking into account the lay of your land and the direction of the wind, land management companies specialize in physically accessing your property, while addressing your goals for attracting wildlife. Aerial view drawings are typically created along with recommendations for making your property align with these goals. A “vision” for your property begins to take shape.

Land enhancement projects can range in size from a 20-acre parcel of land all the way up to 250 acres or even larger.

Customers of land enhancement projects are generally very happy with the end results. “The feedback has been very positive,” said Leon Miller, owner of the same land management company managed by Borkholder. “There is a science behind it.

You need the right ideas and approach, so you make the very most of what you have.”

Some recommendations include building hunting stands and planting food plots near the edge of your land, while creating a sanctuary in the middle of your property for wildlife such as deer to bed down, feel safe and hide at night. “When that deer gets up to go eat, it’ll head right toward the food plot,” Borkholder said. “If it ever gets spooked and runs off, it’ll just go deeper into your property.”

Deer populations may increase by 10 or 20 times on your property with the right habitat enhancement. As part of the enhancement, older trees are harvested to make way for young ones. Additional attractants such as man-made ponds, acorn trees, ever greens, white pines and spruce may be added

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Health Preparation Prior to Fawning There are many steps you can take in anticipation of fawning. Below are some practical ways you can actively ensure a successful fawning.

Breeding Pens Does need to be placed in breeding pens at the least several weeks and preferably 30-60 days prior to fawning to ensure they establish a social order. Before deciding which does should go into pens together, think about their social interactions and which are dominant versus which are more submissive. Sometimes placing the more aggressive does together is best as they are able to hash out the hierarchy and establish a healthy social environment. This is where paying close attention and taking notes can be helpful. Know how your animals interact and place them in pens for optimal health and the least amount of stress prior to fawning. They need time to acclimate to the new environment and animals, especially ones they have never been introduced to before.

Conditioning and Feed It’s always important to pay close attention to the conditioning of your doe(s) prior to fawning. Healthy adult does need some body fat but not too much. Excessive body fat or over-conditioning could cause difficulties when fawning. Dystocia, a difficult birth, is not often seen in Whitetail due to multiple births, but is sometimes seen in Elk. Knowing your species well, speaking to other cervid farmers and paying close attention when the due date is nearing is important to having a healthy fawning experience. The severity or mildness of the winter season will affect the amount of fat on your cervid. Keep all these factors in mind when thinking about what to feed and how much.

Most likely you will want to feed a diet full of rich nutrients, with adequate and balanced amounts of protein, fat and fiber. If a quality commercial feed is unavailable consider a custom ration. Custom ra-

tions can be tailored to best fit your farm conditions and animal type. Always use the best possible ingredients when researching or mixing feed. Not all ingredients are created equal and it will show in your herd health over the course of time. Outside of labor costs, feed should be your largest expense by far, therefore make it the best for your money. View the Red Ridge Whitetails Feed power by MaxRax [C & E Wildlife], with all guaranteed analysis and ingredient information.

Additionally, think about adding variety to your feed. You can look to feed seasonal fruit that may be left from a local orchard. Deer love apples and many times there are “seconds” or bruised fruit you can obtain from your local apple orchard with a heavy discount. Cervid are browsers by nature and benefit from browse (branches, leaves etc) from a maple, oak or fruit tree placed in their pasture or cut branches brought in. If you have access to fresh alfalfa and clover consider placing some in their enclosure for them to graze on. Another important aspect of feed is the addition of probiotics for your does preparing to fawn. C & E Wildlife produces probiotics for all your needs, at a minimum, including their “Farm Pack” in your regimen would be very beneficial. The Farm Pack is an all-natural micro encapsulated probiotic which is mixed into your feed and maximizes consumption, nutrient absorption and conditioning. A variety of all these feeds along with supplemental probiotics will help maintain a healthy rumen, intestinal tract and optimal health.

Worming Coccidia are parasites that many Cervid have to contend with. There are some ways you can facilitate preventing the infection of Coccidia. This parasite causes diarrhea and can be prevented with some practical steps. First of all the more room your deer and elk have the less likely they are to contract this parasite, so overcrowding should be avoided. Also, if past farm history suggests coccidia issues may be present, administering a preventative medication in their feed or water approximately 30 days prior to fawning should assist in keeping them clear from transmitting Coccidia.

There are a host of other parasites cervid could become infected with so it is important to keep good records and have your animals on a worming schedule in accordance with you VCPR. You can choose to use injectable wormers, oral wormers or topical applications. If you suspect your does have parasites, take a fecal sample and have your veterinarian or lab analyze the sample for Coccidia and other parasites. This is a very inexpensive test and provides a target result if a parasite(s) is discovered.

Record Keeping Good records are essential in diagnosing or noticing any problems within your herd. “The shortest pencil is better than the longest memory.” Know your animals as best you can and know their normal behaviors. In the cervid industry you would most likely use an ear tag or another method for identification. On your records you want to track their ID (official or unofficial), dates of any care, dates and dosage of any medication administered and any other physical characteristics or notes. You also need to record how many fawns they freshened and their condition upon birth. Note their udder before and after fawning to get a whole picture of how the doe performs. Cervid Solutions Life Cycles provides all the tools needed for record keeping.

Signs of Fawning Many experienced owners can recognize the signs that their doe will freshen imminently. Many will notice the appearance of a tight belly. Their bag will drop and udder will fill, sometimes this is called “bagging up.” Udder size is different on all animals so play close attention when the expected fawning date is close. Another factor in recognizing fawning is the does behavior; she may pace or walk the fences more often than normal. Overly aggressive behavior is another signal that a doe may be close to delivering fawn(s). Pay close attention and you should have an idea when fawns will arrive.

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Bottle Feeding vs. Not – Comparing Benefits of Both It never fails. Every spring Nathan and Christy Ross need to bottle feed a few of their newborn fawns. Although the plan is always not too, if a fawn appears as though it may not make it without intervention, both feel obligated to step in and help. It may not be nature’s way, but it does help save newborn fawn lives at Rockin R’ Whitetails in Mountain Home, Texas. Yet still, Nathan and Christy, who are in their eighth year of deer farming, believe the heartiest youngsters are those raised as naturally as possible.

“We love for the mama to be able to take care of them,” Christy said. “But we also want what’s best for that individual fawn. “ “We always try to do it naturally, but it always seems that out of 100 fawns or so, about ten percent of them need intervention for various reasons,” Nathan explained. “Some does have babies and just walk away from them while others are great at raising them. Or sometimes a doe has triplets and one fawn is too small to nurse or receive adequate attention from Mom. Bad, wet weather can also be an issue with umbilical cord infections or can cause bacteria in the soil.

Life or death is the determining factor for us (for intervention.)”

Other deer farmers, who feel intervention may not be the best course of action, agree that heartier deer are ones raised next to their mother. However, “if they were born weak and sickly, perhaps it wasn’t meant to be that they survive,” offered Chuck Blain of Twin Creek Farm in Fedora, South Dakota. “It’s nature’s way of promoting a stronger herd.”

Echoing similar sentiments is Brad Heath of Orion Whitetails in Plainfield, Wisconsin. “There can be many more overall health issues such as scours when you intervene and bottle feed,” Heath said. “I’ve never seen scours in natural settings.” Heath, who has been through 22 successful fawning seasons, also believes naturally raised fawns have stronger survival instincts, and he sincerely appreciates the money, labor and time saved by not bottle feeding.

However, given the high-quality of milk replacers available on the market, many farmers such as Lester Eicher of Springfield Whitetails in Grabill, Indiana, feel bottle-raising their prize inventory and remaining more up-close and personal with their deer is a better way to go. Milk replacers can mimic the same ingredients found in natural milk and may even contain additional vitamins and probiotics.

Many milk replacement companies go to great lengths to ensure their products are safe, thoughtfully manufactured and have long shelf lives. Bottle feeding with milk replacers also gives a deer farmer the control over the regularity and amount each fawn receives, ensuring all grow up with the best possible chance to thrive. Many deer farmers also feel that bottle-raised fawns are calmer and much easier to handle as they grow older, but will usually only bottle feed doe fawns, not bucks.

However, both Heath and the Ross’s feel that every deer raised naturally will be just as calm as a bottle-fed one, given that you are always around them and caring for them. “Fawns see the interaction and they think it’s normal,” Nathan emphasized. Heath agreed while acknowledging “I’ve sold deer that were not bottle fed and you could feed them treats out of your hands. Put a bottle-fed deer and a non-bottle-fed deer side-by-side, and you can’t tell the difference.” In addition, “bottle feeding has been a trend to increase marketability,” Kristy said.

After it’s said and done, whether you bottle feed or not, every successful deer farmer will agree about this: vaccinating does before they deliver fawns. Handsdown this is one the best pieces of advice any deer farmer can give or receive as it gives every fawn a head-start in life, regardless of what lies ahead. Because at the end of the day, every deer farmer wants the same thing. A hearty, healthy producing buck or doe that perpetuates quality genetics and longevity.

By: Gail Veley 25

PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM OFFERING SHORT-TERM ASSISTANCE IN A COVID-19 ERA By: Gail Veley • Sponsored by NYDEFA

F

ederal loans are available to offer hope and relief to small business owners. The Payroll Protection Program (PPP), a recently initiated federal loan program, is accepting applications from now until June 30th, 2020. Any business with less than 500 employees, any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, any 501(c)(19) veteran’s organization, any Tribal business concern (sec. 31 (b)(2)(C) of the Small Business Act with the greater of 500 employees, any NAICS Code that begins with 72 (hotels and restaurants), any sole proprietors, independent contractors and those self-employed may apply for a loan in an amount deemed necessary to maintain and pay employees, rent, interest on mortgages and utility bills. Determination for loan amounts should be based upon the lesser of $10 million dollars or two and a half times what it has cost a business to maintain their operation for one month during the previous year of business.

Included in payroll costs are hourly wages and salaries, commission, other work-related compensation, payment of equipment costs, cash tips, vacation and sick leave, group health care benefits as well as premiums for worker’s compensation. All employee wages are capped at $100,000 and all mandatory federal and income taxes still apply.

In New York, a state hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, these small business loans are offering a sense of much needed hope, said David Vanderzee, President of the New York Deer and Elk Farmer’s Association. As a consultant offering professional advice and assistance to his clients “we share stories with clients about what others are doing to get

through this,” Vanderzee said. “People feel paralyzed and are wondering how they are going to survive. These small business loans can truly help.”

“Those businesses that have incurred a supply chain disruption, or decrease in sales, or closure or employee or staffing problems are eligible,” Vanderzee said.

While an initial $3.49 billion was allocated

by Congress for the PPP, $2.5 billion of additional funds are speculated to be added to that amount. Perhaps one of the best and most important components of the PPP is that many loans could be forgiven (not paid back) if the money is solely spent to keep employees on the payroll and/or to pay rent, mortgage interest and utilities if used in an eightweek period after receiving funding. Loans can also be used on business related or equipment debts accrued prior to February 15th, 2020. However, at least 75% of a loan qualifying for forgiveness must have been used only for payroll, Vanderzee said. He also strongly advises potential loan recipients to open a separate bank account, should a business receive funding, so as to not co-mingle the money with other accounts and perhaps have a greater chance of loan forgiveness. Forgiveness may be declined if the number of employees or wages has decreased during the required eight-week fund disbursal period.

Businesses receiving loans will have deferred payments for six months, should payback be required, and will also have between two and ten years to pay the loan back at a mere 1% interest rate. Amortization begins at the time a business applies for a loan. If granted, no

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prepayment penalties are incurred and no fees or administration costs are added to the loan. Businesses can apply for a loan through any existing SBA lender such as your local bank, a federally insured depository institution or a participating Farm Credit System.

“A lot of deer farmers have other businesses and their farm is just a piece of their total business operations,” Vanderzee said. “They need to realize the benefits of this loan.”

Perhaps the greatest silver lining with any received loan is that “the cancelled debt is excluded from gross income,” Vanderzee emphasized. “This could truly be free money.” In addition, the filing deadline for 2019 taxable earnings has been extended until July 31st.

Dave Vanderzee offers advisor and/or consultant services through his business.

If any deer farmer is seeking these services during this difficult time they can reach Dave at 518/210-8889.

TO PRINT AND FILL OUT: https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/ files/2020-04/PPP%20Borrower%20 Application%20Form.pdf To fill out on your computer: https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/ files/2020-04/PPP-Borrower-ApplicationForm-Fillable.pdf

Whitetails of Oklahoma C/O TOMMY GLEASON 571 LONE OAK RD HARTSHORNE, OK 74547

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Medgene Labs

Offering Experimental EHD Vaccines

By: Gail Veley

A research laboratory turned immunological services provider/ vaccine manufacturer, Medgene Labs, anticipates having 150,000 doses of an experimental EHD vaccine available for use in 2020.

The company, based in Brookings, South Dakota, has been the answer to several deer farmers’ prayers, and although their vaccine is still considered experimental, it’s shown promise thus far at holding off Serotype 2 of the usually fatal disease. Since the development and release of the experimental vaccine, deer farmers in South Dakota, Florida, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, Texas, North Carolina and Louisiana have used it, according to Ashley Petersen, Clinical Research and Development Lead Scientist at Medgene Labs.

Using the same platform technology, Medgene began working on a vaccine for EHD, and Dr. Young expanded his previous relationship with NADeFA that had focused on helping deer farmers understand the emergence and spread of Chronic Wasting Disease in the U.S. “EHD is very devastating and the worst thing deer farmers have to put up with,” said Daniel Thomas of Daniel Thomas Whitetails in Springhill, Louisiana. Thomas, having purchased 310 doses of Medgene’s EHDV-2 vaccine last year, administered it to his herd in February, followed by a booster shot three weeks later.

As expected with any vaccine, his deer were a bit lethargic and backed off feed for a few days after receiving it. However, within a week after receiving the vaccine, all were behaving and eating normally again, he said.

“In the beginning of the summer of 2019 we got permission to field test the experimental EHD vaccine with interested livestock producers in the U.S.,” Petersen said. “It’s still considered experimental because we don’t yet have a license for it.” The first vaccine shipment went to the state of Florida at the end of July.

Under the direction of Dr. Samantha Wisely and Dr. Juan Campos of the Cervidae Health Research Initiative (CHeRI) in Gainesville, Florida, CHeRI provided the vaccine and diagnostic testing to several Florida deer farmers at no cost. By the end of 2019, about 7,000 doses of experimental EHDV-2 vaccine had been distributed throughout the U.S., including the doses used under the direction of CHeRI.

“One of my favorite veterinarians told me this,” Thomas said. “Less will get sick if you vaccinate and less of the animals that get sick will die.”

By this coming November, Medgene will have collected sufficient data to understand the role their vaccine played in holding off EHDV-2 and EHDV-6 and may acquire the necessary data for the final approval for the vaccine license. “We have had feedback from farmers who feel it did work,” Petersen said. “Although there is a lot of criteria to consider.”

In order to handle the anticipated number of doses needed by deer farmers this year, Medgene has added vaccine production staff, and is continuing ongoing vaccine research in five other animal species. Since inception, the company has grown to over 20 employees who are dedicated to the health and well-being of animals and the farmers and veterinarians they serve.

However, prior to ever testing the vaccine on a widespread basis, NADeFA Executive Director Shawn Schafer offered to test his deer with the experimental vaccine, as well as Chuck Blain of Twin Creek Farm in Fedora, South Dakota. Preliminary testing in those herds occurred in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. In those settings, the vaccine was shown to cause little to no adverse reactions in the deer and was able to elicit the intended immune response.

Based on those studies, the USDA granted Medgene permission to test the vaccine across the U.S., shipping directly to livestock producers and veterinarians.

“We’ve had many celebrations here because we realize we are making a difference,” Petersen said. “I’m glad we can make a difference to an industry that perhaps doesn’t get the attention of bigger companies.” For more information or to order the EHD vaccine, please contact Ashley at ashley@medgenelabs.com or call 605-692-1268.

Confidence to develop vaccines began taking shape when Medgene Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Alan Young, was asked to develop a vaccine for Rift Valley Fever, a foreign animal disease affecting hooved animals in Africa. “If the disease ever makes it into the U.S., it could present a real problem and we want to be ready,” Petersen said.

Dr. Young, in collaboration with Dr. Juergen Richt of the Department of Homeland Security’s Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases at Kansas State University, developed and tested an experimental vaccine against Rift Valley Fever virus for sheep and cattle. Following this success, Medgene took the technology further, receiving two substantial grants from the Department of Homeland Security and creating a Rift Valley Fever vaccine that could be commercially licensed.

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IT’S ALL IN THE DETAILS. Ranching is a lot like coaching. The details make a big difference. From feed to fertilizer to fence, I make sure to choose the best products. That’s why I use The 50-Year Fence by StaTite50 to protect my land. It’s guaranteed to last twice as long as other wires on the market and is backed by a 50-year warranty.

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