Hybrid Venison Line
Careful seasonal management and low-stress handling keep the Hybrid Venison Line calm, healthy and productive.
Our red deer rut starts in late autumn, with sires chosen and introduced to each group once the first cool nights settle over the Karoo Edge farm. Calving runs from late November into December, with calves arriving as the summer rains bring new veld growth. We watch closely for mismothering or weak calves, checking each camp at sunrise and dusk.
Antler velvet is watched but not commercially harvested, as our line is bred for venison. By early winter, the team moves the Hybrid Venison Line onto rested camps where natural grazing is best, bringing in drought buffers if needed, especially during strong El Niño years. Fodder is supplemented with high-fibre hay in dry spells.
Each Hybrid Venison Line group is kept in medium-sized veld camps, with well-established shade along the koppie edges and access to fresh water from piped troughs. Camps are rotated to prevent overgrazing, and our pasture and forage manager walks the pasture each week to check forage levels and water lines. Where trees are sparse, we use shadecloth shelters to give deer a resting spot in the midday heat.
Electric perimeter fencing is backed up with a solar battery to keep the line secure during power cuts. Camp gates are well signed and always locked, with double gates between deer types to make sure reds and sika never cross.
We handle our Hybrid Venison Line with calm, quiet movement, using wide handling kraals and short races to reduce stress. Our herd husbandry manager leads the team in regular visual checks, with extra visits during the rut and calving. Routine vaccinations are kept up to date, and our veterinary liaison officer schedules state veterinary visits for health checks, movement permissions and the annual review of our biosecurity plan.
Before any animals are moved off farm, we ensure they meet all foot-and-mouth disease control measures laid out in the Animal Diseases Act. Only healthy, non-quarantined herds are considered for sale or transfer, and all transport is pre-cleared with the state veterinarian.
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