#WhyChickensCowsPigsConsumedMoreThanDeer
#DeerBreedingForConsumption
#LivestockVsWildGameConsumption
Have you ever wondered why chickens, cows, and pigs are bred for maximum consumption, but not deer? Let’s dive into this interesting topic and find out the reasons behind it.
As a society, we have been consuming meat from various animals for centuries. However, not all animals are bred for consumption in the same way. Chickens, cows, and pigs are raised in large numbers to meet the high demand for their meat, while deer are not typically bred for consumption. So, why is there a discrepancy in the way these animals are bred for consumption? Let’s explore the reasons behind this phenomenon.
##The Demand for Meat
When it comes to the consumption of meat, there is a high demand for chicken, beef, and pork in the market. These animals are bred in large numbers to meet the ever-growing demand for their meat. On the other hand, the demand for deer meat is not as high as other livestock, which is why they are not bred in the same way.
– Chickens, cows, and pigs are raised in large-scale commercial farms to meet the demand for meat.
– Deer, on the other hand, are typically hunted in the wild, and the demand for their meat is not as widespread.
##Livestock Farming vs. Wild Game
Livestock farming is a well-established industry, with farms specifically dedicated to raising chickens, cows, and pigs for consumption. These animals are bred and raised in controlled environments to ensure a steady supply of meat for consumers. On the other hand, deer are wild game animals and are typically hunted in their natural habitats.
– Livestock farming involves controlled breeding, feeding, and raising of animals for consumption.
– Deer hunting is a popular outdoor activity, and the meat from deer is sourced from wild game.
##Cultural and Culinary Preferences
The cultural and culinary preferences of different regions also play a significant role in the breeding and consumption of animals. For example, in some cultures, the consumption of deer meat is more common and may be bred for consumption. In South East Asia, for example, deer hunting is a popular activity, and the meat is widely consumed.
– In some regions, deer meat is considered a delicacy and is bred for consumption.
– In other regions, the culinary preferences may not include deer meat in the same way as chicken, beef, and pork.
##Regulations and Conservation Efforts
Regulations and conservation efforts also impact the breeding and consumption of animals. In many regions, there are strict regulations on hunting and consuming wild game, including deer. These regulations are put in place to ensure the sustainable management of wildlife populations and to prevent overhunting.
– Conservation efforts aim to protect and maintain healthy wildlife populations, including deer.
– Regulations on hunting and consuming wild game impact the availability and consumption of deer meat.
In conclusion, the breeding and consumption of animals such as chickens, cows, pigs, and deer are influenced by a variety of factors, including market demand, cultural preferences, farming practices, and conservation efforts. While chickens, cows, and pigs are bred for maximum consumption to meet the high demand for their meat, deer are not typically bred in the same way due to lower demand, cultural and culinary preferences, and regulations on hunting and conservation efforts. Each animal serves a different role in the overall meat consumption landscape, and the factors mentioned above contribute to the way they are bred and consumed. It’s worth noting that the consumption of deer meat may vary in different regions and cultures, and the sustainability of wildlife populations should always be considered. So, the next time you wonder why deer are not bred for maximum consumption like other livestock, remember the various factors that play a role in this interesting phenomenon. 🦌🍖🐓🐄🐖 #DeerConsumption #WildGameMeat #LivestockFarming #CulinaryPreferences #ConservationEfforts
Deer farming is a thing, so I don’t know what you mean exactly.
it’s only an assumption but I’m guessing they are harder to keep than say cattle, cows and pigs.
Deer are raised as livestock in some places but it’s not all that common. They’re not great candidates for domestication because they’re big, dumb, fragile, fighty, and can easily launch themselves over a fence. All that makes them a pain to care for.
Venison’s gamey, maybe that’s off putting to too many people to make it viable as a new category of livestock?
The long and short of why some animals were domesticated and others weren’t is that some were just easier to work with. People say the same thing about Zebras, why were they never domesticated like horses? And any zookeeper or animal expert who’s encountered a zebra will tell you that zebras are ornery, aggressive, mercurial creatures that just won’t behave even under the best conditions. They are not striped horses, they are angry zebras. Other animals just don’t do well under domestication.
moose are the end state of this road and are quite difficult to manage individually. keeping them as a herd would be down right lunacy.
Deer are harder to domesticate than the common livestock species. They yield less meat than cows, pigs and sheep, etc. They can easily run away from a confined space too.
They practically are. We removed all the predators of deer and now they have like six times their natural population density. It is enough to completely stop forest regeneration in some places and is turning the USAs great forests into weed fields because the deer eat every single sapling before it has a chance.
I love how the answer to this is basically “deer are too fucking mobile.”
Think it was tried and the herd got TB
Deer meat isn’t in high enough demand to support a large livestock industry. Deer farms do exist, but venison is basically a niche market.
They can jump over fences..
Deer where I live in the US are a.) plentiful, hunters shoot them to keep the population down and the meat is collected and given out at food pantries, and b.) a health hazard, they are the primary vectors of the ticks that carry Lyme’s disease. If someone tried to breed them they would probably be lynched.
Meat to waste ratio is much higher on deer than domesticated animals.
I haven’t seen anyone mention the diet part, deer are browsers, not grazers like cows and sheep, they eat a variety of leaves and can’t persist on mainly grasses (or be used as a recycling bin like pigs and chickens). This is why reindeer have been bred and herd for meat in northern regions where there are no persistent green pastures, otherwise they just weren’t efficient enough to be worth the effort of domesticating fully.
Deer arent but some other game is. In northern scandinavia reindeer are herded in the thousands.
It’s generally considered to not be possible to domesticate deer. They behave erratically in captivity. They will continuously try to escape, to the point of injuring or killing themselves. They are high strung, and can die from stress.
we actually covered this in Wildlife Mnagement class back in the seventies. the big reason is that most domesticated meat animals run in herds, and deer pretty much don’t (reindeer and caribou to the contrary notwithstanding) Deer run in small family groups, but when they are startled they scatter, running away from each other as much as from the predator. Good strartegy when a pack of wolves show up. But it makes it hard to raise them and the fact that they can jump over pretty much anything other than a deer leap means you won’t keep them in without effort. Northern deer run in herds, huge ones sometimes, and they don;t jump very well, but there weren’t any farmers up there where they live, just hunters. Reindeer are domesticated and the meat is available if you want to pay for it.
not enough demand.
it would have a higher demand IF the cost of production wasn’t so ludicrously high which in turn makes it too expensive for the average Joe.
livestock production benefit from economies of scale pretty significantly and deer are exponentially more expensive because while they have been infrequently tamed, they’ve never been domesticated.
add in strict government regulation from a very real fear of chronic wasting disease (which in turn could render a loss of an entire herd or farm) and significantly higher costs of containment…
it’s expensive as shit. and they have no real way to compete for market share bc of government subsidies for cattle and easy substitutes to venison.
add to that that culturally and societally we no longer have ties to deer.
it’s a niche market and a hunters field. some small deer farms exist. but they’ll never have real market share unless something radically goes wrong with cattle.
maybe a huge resurgence of mad cow. who knows.
This is more of a question of why some animals are domesticated, [CGP Grey explains this subject very well](https://youtu.be/wOmjnioNulo?si=qpLKYVWI5ukO3K1o).
For deer, they’re too skiddish so it would be a pain or even impossible to catch a breeding population and maintain them since they would try to flee at the smallest indications of danger all the time.
Livestock are raised to live a very short life.
For example chickens are slaughtered at about 7 weeks old. IF they live longer they develop troubles because their breasts are too heavy and they often get tendonitis in their joints.
Wild animals can live for years, if they were scientifically modified they might end up living a painful life.
Probably because deer meat isn’t in demand. They’d have to do something to increase the demand of deer meat or there would be no point in domesticating them. Even if the demand rose a significant amount, it would still be so much harder to raise deer than it is to raise cows/pigs/chicken. They’re dumb, agile, and fast. You would need very high fences around lots and lots of land.
They are in Britain and it was great being able to grab something different for dinner.
That said, I think in the US it’s because we don’t have tested domestic herds. Deer are prone to some very dangerous diseases and you can’t really offer up wild game in the supermarket.
You could try and establish one, but it’s not a meat Americans eat commonly. There would be risk in the massive startup costs. Might be very restrictive rules as well.
That’s just where I am though. I’d love to have more protein options (mutton is also amazing) but there we are.
1. High cost of meat
2. High cost of food compared to limited weight gain. 3 years to fully grow and will get to 200ish lbs. can get a steer to 1000+ lbs in less than a year on less expensive feed
3. Extension on #2 but the fat is no good and the meat doesn’t really marble
4. Very fragile animal, dies very easily compared to traditional livestock
5. Laws- many states consider deer the property of the state even if you bought them, high fence, feed, and butcher
6. Laws- any suspicion of chronic wasting disease and the state will kill your whole herd and owner pay for disposal
Maybe deer are too sexy. Farmers can’t keep focused on the job.
Along with the other answers.
When one deer gets sick it falls behind the herd and dies. When you fence them in they all get sick.
in germany there are places that breed them… but no industrial farming
Chicken beef and pork are much tastier than venison. (yeah, I know your venison, after being marinated for days and grilled just right is delicious._ Simply if there is beef, pork chicken and venison in the meat department, I find it hard to believe the venison is going to be selling well.
Deer are overpopulated in the US, and have been since wolves (their natural predators) were hunted to near-extinction. Thus, hunting deer is encouraged. There is truly no need to try and domesticate them.
We don’t breed deer. Fawns are made by whichever buck is able to catch a doe, while in heat, without another male trying to stop him and take his place. This happens in my front yard. And other places I’m sure, but definitely in my front yard.
Reindeer are domesticated. Used for meat and milk and transportation.
They are nasty ass forest rats. Disgusting creatures.
Because it tastes like shit, which is why i stopped hunting them after the first time