DEER LOADOUT FACILITIES. by Garry Smith, Stanhope.
The following are some ideas that I have gathered from the many farms that I have transported deer from - mainly Fallow and Red. The ideas that I am putting forward are in no way a criticism to others that may be totally different. They are designs that I have found work better for the operator and are less stressful on the deer. These are the two most important factors when handling deer.
It is only a matter of time before handling facilities, deer transports and their drivers will be accredited. I see this as a big plus in our industry if we are to produce a top quality product. We are competing with other countries as we export most of our product.
Handling facilities work much better under a roof. There are many designs that work well. In choosing a plan for a shed, you first need to look at the numbers you will be handling at any one time. Secondly, you must consider the ease with which deer can be drafted. This is particularly important when you are selling deer. You need to be able to draft off and accurately count your deer.
Lighting should be a top priority in your shed. Night loading of deer is common as most abattoirs slaughter deer early in the morning. Deer are often picked up and transported to the abattoirs the night prior to the slaughter. Hopefully this will change as our access to abattoirs becomes easier.
The handling race that I have found to work very well comes off a raised wooden slatted floor, approximately 600 mm off the ground. The pen before the race should be the same height. It is advisable that this pen be approximately 3 x 3m and have a ceiling, as this will darken the pen. The deer will move slowly through this pen into the loading race. An adjustable ramp needs to be at least 3.3m in length if on a raised floor and longer if from ground level. The width of the race should be approximately one metre and its height between 2 and 2.4m. When the race is raised to its highest point, it should be 1.3m from the ground in order to load deer into semi-trailers.
You will find that a load-out ramp of this size will attract the deer rather than frighten them. They will walk quietly up the ramp into the truck, reducing the risk of bruising. In this case, they are less likely to turn around to try to get past the person loading the deer. In this situation, one person can easily load deer on his own. Finally, an adequately gravelled area is a must to turn and back in large trucks, trailers or semi-trailers. Also check to see if you have a minimum of 4.5m clearance to allow in double-deck trucks.
Page courtesy of VicDeer
Go back to the top of this page.