R E S E A R C H Farming Captive Cervids in Michigan: R E P O R T A Review of Social, Economic, Ecological and Agricultural Michigan Agricultural Opportunities and Risks Experiment Station Michigan State University Information current as of 2001 I Research Report WO1026 Farming Captive Cervids in Michigan: A Review of Social, Economic, Ecological and Agricultural Opportunities and Risks Committee Chairperson: Thomas G. Coon Acting chairperson, Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife Committee Members: Henry Campa, III, Fisheries and Wildlife Alexandra Felix, Fisheries and Wildlife John Kaneene, Veterinary Medicine Frank Lupi, Agricultural Economics Ben Peyton, Fisheries and Wildlife Mary Schulz, Agricultural Economics James Sikarskie, Veterinary Medicine Michael Vande Haar, Animal Science Scott Winterstein, Fisheries and Wildlife 2 Table of Contents List of Tables......................................................................................................................................................................................4 List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................................................................4 Acknowledgements ..........................................................................................................................................................................4 Executive Summary ..........................................................................................................................................................................5 Introduction........................................................................................................................................................................................6 The Captive Cervidae Industry in Michigan...............................................................................................................................9 Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service data ...........................................................................................................................9 Data on number of operations in Michigan from the MDNR ..............................................................................................10 Location of enclosures ................................................................................................................................................................10 Operations offering hunting within enclosures......................................................................................................................14 Interstate sales of captive cervids in Michigan .......................................................................................................................15 Economics and Status of Captive Cervid Agriculture .............................................................................................................18 Number of captive deer and elk................................................................................................................................................18 Products and prices.....................................................................................................................................................................19 Velvet antler ............................................................................................................................................................................19 Velvet antler brands ...............................................................................................................................................................21 Venison.....................................................................................................................................................................................21 Paid hunting on preserves/ranches ....................................................................................................................................23 Breeder markets...........................................................................................................................................................................24 The U.S. market for breeding elk stock ....................................................................................................................................24 Example budget...........................................................................................................................................................................25 Export potential ...........................................................................................................................................................................27 Potential for continued growth of the captive cervid industry ............................................................................................27 Facilities Issues................................................................................................................................................................................29 Fencing..........................................................................................................................................................................................29 Ecosystem Management Issues ....................................................................................................................................................31 Issues/concerns associated with captive cervid animals......................................................................................................31 Issues/concerns associated with the existence of facilities...................................................................................................36 Health Management Issues...........................................................................................................................................................37 Disease transmission via captive animals................................................................................................................................38 Disease transmission via free-ranging wildlife.......................................................................................................................39 Transmission routes....................................................................................................................................................................39 Social Issues .....................................................................................................................................................................................40 Potential benefits .........................................................................................................................................................................40 Potential societal costs and risks ...............................................................................................................................................41 Information Needs for Effective Management of Captive Cervidae....................................................................................44 Effective regulation .....................................................................................................................................................................44 Monitoring and enforcement.....................................................................................................................................................44 Health management....................................................................................................................................................................44 Fencing standards and enforcement.........................................................................................................................................45 Animal welfare ............................................................................................................................................................................45 Regulation of recreational shooting on game ranches...........................................................................................................45 Criteria for evaluating proposed facilities...............................................................................................................................45 Status of exotic species................................................................................................................................................................45 References.........................................................................................................................................................................................46 Appendix 1. Captive White-tailed Deer and Elk Farm Tuberculosis Surveillance Requirements.................................52 Appendix 2. Requirements for Movement of Captive Cervidae within Michigan ...........................................................53 Appendix 3. Selected Values from NIH’s Tables of Nutritional Values for Various Meat Cuts (per 3 oz. cooked portion).........................................................................................................................54 Appendix 4. Selected Values from USDA Nutritional Values for Selected Cuts of Meat (per 100 grams edible portion)....................................................................................................................................................55