Cervid Facts

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Quick Facts

- Canada has been raising domestic cervids since the 1960s — over 60 years of farming heritage

- Canada has approximately 400 cervid farms and 30,000 farmed animals

- Elk (wapiti) are the primary species raised, along with red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, and white-tailed deer

- Farmed cervid are a regulated livestock species under federal and provincial frameworks

 

Multiple Revenue Streams

Cervid farming allows producers to generate several products from the same animal:

- Velvet antler (harvested annually, renewable)

- Hard antler (naturally shed, used for dog chews and crafts)

- Venison (lean, high-protein red meat)

- Breeding stock and genetics

- Hunt preserves

- Agrotourism (on-farm experiences)

 

Interesting Cervid Facts

- Cervids are the only mammals that regrow a complete set of antlers every year

- Antlers are among the fastest-growing tissues in the animal kingdom

- Elk can grow antlers weighing over 40 lbs in a single season

- Antlers are initially covered in velvet, a living tissue rich in blood supply

- Cervids are ruminants with a four-chambered stomach, allowing efficient forage use

- Elk can run up to 70 km/h (45 mph) and are strong swimmers

 

Unique Production Model

- Antlers regrow annually, creating renewable products

- Hard antlers are collected after natural shedding

- Animals are raised in fenced pasture systems

- Cervids are well adapted to Canadian climates and can effectively utilize marginal or mixed-quality land

 

Industry Today

- The industry has transitioned from over 1,800 farms historically to a smaller, more efficient sector

- Modern operations are more focused on genetics, efficiency, and market-driven production

 

Animal Health & Oversight

- Regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

- Mandatory identification and traceability systems