Sustainable direction for spotted deer farming model in Phu Thien

(GLO)- From only raising deer for breeding and collecting velvet, in early 2025, Pho Yen Cooperative (Thang Loi 3 village, Phu Thien commune) launched the sika deer balm product to the market. The product has just achieved 3-star OCOP certification in 2025, opening up a sustainable direction for the sika deer farming model in the locality.

Mr. Do Hoai Trung (member of Pho Yen Cooperative) takes care of the deer herd. Photo: Vu Chi

Link to raise sika deer

After 3 years of focusing on developing bird's nest farming, in October 2024, Pho Yen Cooperative expanded its business to raising sika deer for antlers and reproduction.

Mr. Hoang Thanh Tung, Director of Pho Yen Cooperative, said: After receiving support from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Phu Thien district (old) with 14 deer to implement the model, 4 members of the Cooperative decided to contribute capital to buy 11 more deer.

In order to create favorable conditions for the members, Mr. Tung invested in a solid barn system on an area of ​​1.6 hectares, ensuring coolness, cleanliness, and enough light for deer to grow and develop. The barns are built in separate compartments to prevent male deer from attacking each other, causing injuries and affecting the quality of antlers. 4 members of the cooperative contributed capital to buy the breed, took care of it, and shared the benefits.

As the person who directly takes care of the deer herd, Mr. Do Hoai Trung (member of the cooperative) said: Deer are wild animals so they are easy to raise because the food source can utilize waste products from plants, vegetables, and tubers. Particularly during the period of deer pregnancy and velvet production, it is necessary to supplement starchy food to help the deer increase their resistance.

Male deer are kept in separate cages to avoid attacking each other, causing injury and affecting the quality of antlers. Photo: Vu Chi

Thanks to buying mature deer, after only 9 months of raising, the number of female deer has given birth to 10 fawns. The number of male deer starting to produce antlers is about 0.7-1.5 kg/animal, selling price 14 million VND/kg. The fawns weigh from 12-18 kg/animal, the cooperative sells for 30 million VND/pair. For deer in the breeding period or starting to produce antlers, the price is up to 50 million VND/pair.

“Raising deer is not too hard. Every day I cut the grass, use a cutter and mix it with rice bran to feed the deer twice a day. The local climate is hot and sunny, very favorable for deer growth. In particular, deer products have high economic value, so if any household has a need to raise deer, the Cooperative is ready to provide breeding animals as well as provide technical guidance on raising animals, and build a chain of links to promote local socio-economic development,” Mr. Trung added.

Sustainable direction

In order to solve the output, find a sustainable direction for the deer farming model as well as maximize the nutritional value of deer antlers, in early 2025, Pho Yen Cooperative invested in a modern machinery system to process The Ricky's Cervus Nippon Pseudaxis deer antlers to supply the market.

Deer balm products of Pho Yen Cooperative. Photo: Vu Chi

Sika deer extract is a combination of deer antlers and deer bones at a ratio of 90-10, in which sika deer bones are 90%, deer antlers are 10%. Deer antlers and bones are cleaned, dried, crushed, boiled continuously for many hours, then the juice is extracted, repeated many times until the extract is thick. The process is strictly followed, ensuring the nutritional value of the product is preserved.

Sika deer extract has high nutritional content, especially rich in minerals, vitamins and proteins to help strengthen bones, limit pain and osteoporosis. Especially for stunted, slow-growing children, sika deer extract is a functional food that stimulates the development of the child's body. Currently, the product is sold on the market for 14 million VND/kg.

With outstanding advantages, The Ricky's Cervus Nippon Pseudaxis deer antler product of Pho Yen Cooperative has achieved 3-star OCOP certification in 2025. This is also the first deer antler product in the western communes of the province to achieve OCOP certification.

Mr. Tung expects: “Cervus Nippon Pseudaxis is the scientific name of Vietnamese spotted deer. Ricky is his familiar nickname. With this unique and unmistakable name and OCOP certification, the Cooperative hopes to introduce and promote the product to consumers not only domestically but also in foreign markets; thereby increasing income for members. It is expected that in the near future, the Cooperative will expand its livestock scale to about 100 animals, meeting the increasing demand of consumers.”

The main food of deer is chopped grass mixed with rice bran. Photo: Vu Chi

Talking to reporters, Mr. Mai Ngoc Quy, Head of the Economic Department of Phu Thien Commune, said: Raising sika deer is not a new model in the locality, but it has only stopped at a small scale of households. Pho Yen Cooperative is the first unit to implement a model of linking breeding, processing, and consuming products from sika deer.

Through monitoring, the nature of deer is wild animals so there are few epidemics, the local climate conditions are quite suitable for deer growth. In particular, deer are not picky about food, rural areas like Phu Thien have many deer feeds such as elephant grass, banana tree trunks and vegetables, so the cost of investing in feed is saved. In addition to deer antlers with a stable consumer market and high economic value, the birth of deer extract products opens up a sustainable direction, creating conditions for replicating the deer breeding model in the area.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/huong-di-ben-vung-cho-mo-hinh-nuoi-huou-sao-o-phu-thien-post561998.html