BRC Fallow Deer

Early this spring the Northern Top 30 Whitetail Extravaganza had its first ever Fallow Deer lot up for auction and………..We bought him! Well, 50% of him. This fallow deer lot was a 50% ownership opportunity to partner with Caveman Wildlife, Cross Canyon Whitetails and Cougar Ridge Fallow. These guys share the remaining 50% interest in the buck. It allowed us the choice of a yearling or 2 year old buck from a short list prepared by the owners. We just had to wait for the DNA results to come back on each of them before we could make our selection. Fast forward to a few weeks ago; the DNA results came in and we made our choice! Ez37 is now our partnership buck. Now I just need to convince the other guys to name him something cooler than Ez37…… Anyone have a good name suggestion??

We are beyond excited to have entered into a partnership on this buck. His pedigree is eye-catching with Chief over Bullwinkle, two widely known fallow bucks from some of the most productive bloodlines out there. These are definitely genetics we look forward to integrating into our herd. Not only are we excited about Ez37 but we are proud to be in a partnership with three industry leaders. There are several reasons why entering into a partnership would be beneficial to all parties involved. 

First, it increases the visibility of the buck as you AND your partners are working together to advertise. This is really beneficial as everyone has connections. Some of the best deals made are those through word of mouth.

Second, it increased the genetic exposure through breeding of multiple herds and genetic backgrounds thus giving a wider viewing of the bucks genetic and production potential faster. You never know which particular genetic cross will produce a giant. The more fawns thrown early is a great way to get an early prediction of what his genetics are capable of. 

And Finally, you get to share with your friends. That’s always fun right?! Yep! 

Now, let’s talk numbers. When you are in the breeding business it has to make financial sense. These handsome bucks have to hold up their own end of the bargain when it comes to paying the bills. BUT how does a buck contribute beyond being tossed out in the pasture with the girls?? I’m glad you asked! Because I asked too. There are a couple ways that bucks earn their keep:

Semen sales: Semen can be collected from the bucks and sold to others in the fallow deer industry to be used to artificially inseminate does. This laparoscopic intra-uterine insemination procedure is widely used on all species of deer. This is a very useful tool as it allows the owner to choose genetic lineups in the path of building a stronger herd. This also allows owners the ability to incorporate outcross genetics into their herds without having to find, obtain and transport a potentially very expensive buck to their facility.

Cover Bucks: They can also be used to physically “cover” the herd and breed anything that was not AI bred or that didn’t settle from the AI breeding. Artificially inseminating animals is never 100% successful. Current success rates for fallow range between 30-70%. That rate will improve overtime as the industry learns the idiosyncrasies of handling the fallow species. So there is a significant need for bucks to mingle with the girls and pick up the slack. 

Advertising: Bucks grow antlers. Some bucks grow really BIG antlers. This is a great way to gain attention and strike up interest in fallow deer. Fallow deer antlers have a unique palmate shape and become VERY impressive as the bucks mature. The use of buck pictures to highlight breeding potential, even to sell a doe daughter is very prevalent in the fallow deer industry.  

Since you can’t buy fallow deer on Amazon with 2 day prime shipping. Where do you buy fallow deer? There are several associations that host in person and online auctions. The Exoctic Wildlife Association, The Northern Top 30 Whitetails, Texas Top 30, and the Texas Deer Association are just a couple of the ones we have watched and purchased from. We find tuning into these auctions is very helpful to stay on top of the current market trends for deer, and for seeing which bloodlines are in demand. Another avenue to purchase fallow deer is directly from a breeding ranch. They know their animals the best and will work with you to find the best animal fit for your herd needs. Even if they don’t have what you need, they will direct you to a breeder that does.  

Forming a partnership is just another way for us to get involved in the deer industry. This is a great way to build professional relationships and create more personal learning opportunities. We are 100% committed to creating and maintaining a successful fallow deer ranch and we plan to utilize all the tools available to us. 

~The Deer Wife
BRC Fallow Deer