Velvet Season and Preparing Hinds for Fawning
Posted in: Deer Services
Velvet season runs alongside yearlings reaching prime weights and hinds heading towards fawning, which makes spring a busy time on a deer farm. A bit of planning keeps it running smoothly, particularly if you carry out your own velveting.
Ordering Velvet Drugs, Tags and Supplies
To avoid delays when you come in to collect velvet supplies, call us with your order or use the order form on our website. That way we can have your drugs, tags and other supplies processed and ready for collection.
Ordering in advance reduces waiting times, ensures product availability during the busy season, and keeps your velveting programme on schedule.
Facilities and Your Supervisory Visit
It is also a good time to make sure your facilities are ready and your annual Supervisory Visit is booked. The Supervisory Visit is an opportunity to review the requirements of the National Velvetting Standards Body programme, discuss any updates, and ensure your procedures continue to meet the high animal welfare and quality assurance standards expected of the New Zealand velvet industry.
Our NVSB velvetting update covers what you need ready for this season’s visit, including the 15 December deadline.
Nutrition Through Velvet Growth
Good nutrition remains essential throughout the season. Velvet growth places high nutritional demands on stags, and appropriate trace element supplementation can be beneficial where testing shows a need.
Hind Condition and Copper Before Fawning
Pregnant hinds are entering the final stages before fawning, with most fawns arriving from late October through November. Maintaining adequate copper status during pregnancy is particularly important, as deficiencies can increase the risk of swayback and other developmental problems in fawns. We recommend trace element testing hinds during winter to provide insight into liver copper stores. This can tell us if supplementation is required and if it is safe.
Parasite Management and Withholding Periods
Spring is also a good opportunity to review your parasite management programme. Some classes of deer may require drenching as they move through spring and into summer, but it is important to be aware of meat withholding periods. Confirming this before treatment rather than after avoids problems at processing.
Talk to Our Deer Vets
If you want to place a velvet order, book your Supervisory Visit, or discuss hind nutrition ahead of fawning, give your nearest clinic a call.
Timaru 03 687 9378 · Geraldine 03 693 1163 · Fairlie 03 685 8407
Frequently Asked Questions
When do fawns arrive in New Zealand?
Most fawns arrive from late October through November, which means hind nutrition and condition through the preceding weeks has a direct effect on how well those fawns start.
Why does copper matter for pregnant hinds?
Copper deficiency during pregnancy can increase the risk of swayback and other developmental problems in fawns, so maintaining adequate copper status through pregnancy is an important part of preparing for fawning.
When should hinds be tested for copper?
We recommend trace element testing hinds during winter. It provides insight into liver copper stores and can tell us if supplementation is required and if it is safe.
Can deer be drenched during velvet season?
Some classes of deer may require drenching through spring and into summer. Meat withholding periods need to be checked first.