DEER FARMING IN AUSTRIA

Franz Vogelmayer

Deer farming in Austria has a long history. The agricultural keeping of deer has been documented since the 1st century. In the Middle Ages, Fallow deer were kept in royal parks because of their tender and digestible meat; always to be able to offer fresh deer meat at any opportunity. But then over the centuries that way of keeping deer disappeared.

About thirty years ago some farmers who were seeking a new way of utilising grassland for meat production started farming Fallow deer again. In order to support these pioneers, regional associations of deer farmers were founded. The first group to get together was the Organisation of Deer Farmers in Upper Austria in 1981. Then associations in other regions of Austria followed.

The following table shows the number of farms and animals in 1999 (authority: livestock census).

Region Deer farmers Deer

Upper Austria 662 12787

Lower Austria 361 7770

Styria 441 9539

Carinthia 179 5120

Burgenland 66 1140

Other regions 241 3015

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Total 1950 39371

As the figures show, most farms are small with an average fenced area of 3 hectares with about 20 animals. Many farms are situated in less favoured areas with hills and mountains. Approximately 70% are Fallow deer, 25% Red deer and 5% Sika deer.

About 25% of all deer farmers are members of a regional association. Employees of the regional chambers of agriculture, which have a similar task to farmers unions in other countries, are secretaries of these associations. Deer farmers get much support from the chambers of agriculture because they have specialists who can give advice on production, marketing and law.

In 1997 the regional associations founded a national organisation called "Arbeitsgemeinschaft der landwirtschaftlichen Wildhalter Osterreichs". It is the primary task of this organisation to represent the deer farmers in negotiations with ministries and other federal authorities.

After the foundation of the regional associations the main task was to offer production guidance and to support farmers in starting this new, previously unknown, production. In recent years support in all areas of direct marketing has gained importance.

Regular circulars inform the members about new legal rules, themes of commercialisation and activities of the associations, e.g. co-operation in developing legal regulations, participation in fairs, press releases, seminars, the preparation of brochures and leaflets and excursions.

Law of Hunting - In Austria, deer farming is ruled by the law of hunting or, in some regions, by the law of animal welfare. On the basis of these regulations, deer farming for meat production is only authorised on farms. Permission from the district administration is requird for every new enclosure. Fallow, Red, Sika and Mufflon are permitted for agricultural production. The forest may amount to a maximum of 15% of the fenced area.

Meat inspection and the regulation of meat hygiene - Slaughter of farmed deer is subject to the law of meat inspection similar to other types of livestock production. Therefore rooms for slaughtering, cutting and processing deer have to fulfill the same standards as slaughterhouses for cattle, pigs or sheep. So the consumer has guarantees that deer meat from Austrian farms has a high standard of hygiene.

From the beginning the Austrian deer farmers were in competition with imported venison, especially from Eastern European and overseas countries. Selling meat directly to consumers has always been the best way to achieve an acceptable price, so the client living near the house of the farmer has always been very important. It is a crucial activity of the deer farmers associations to give support to this way of marketing. They publish brochures and other means of advertising. The members are continuously informed about new regulations. Various activities take place to facilitate the work of deer farmers.

Deer farming is an opportunity for grassland, land which otherwise would soon be covered by wood, because no-one else would be interested in cultivating it. So deer farming also helps to maintain the typical picture of the Austrian landscape.