Red deer. It’s in our DNA.

Our Facilities

At Peel Forest Estate, nothing is more important to us than the welfare of our animals. And our facilities play a big part in that.

We have four deer sheds across the farm, including our main building - a spacious new shed measuring 29m x 18m. This building was specifically designed to make handling easier, minimising the stress on our animals. This is particularly important for stud operations, where the animals are handled more frequently than commercial stock. Rubber matting throughout the shed helps to reduce injury during velveting, and minimises the risk of foot issues like fusiformis.

Of course, hygiene is another huge consideration. The shed has been fitted with high-pressure hoses and walk-in freezers to store our velvet harvest, as well as the latest EID equipment from Gallagher. This not only ensures NAIT readiness, but also facilitates herd data recording.

A custom-designed crush and an automatic electronic weighing and drafting crate have also been installed by Farmquip, and we have a dedicated surgery where we conduct a large Embryo Transplant programme each year.

Our Technology

We’ve always been early to adopt new technology, and have some of the most innovative tools and resources at our disposal.

All of our deer have electronic ear tags, with Gallagher equipment used to monitor everything from animal health, weights, grouping and pedigree analysis to trait and activity recording. We use bar code printers for labelling lab test samples (streamlining the handling process and limiting the risk of human error), and employ a highly-advanced data collection system, analysing that data on HerdMASTER or Gallagher’s APS office software.

We also utilise the AgHub app. This allows our team to monitor and administer stock movements on a digital map, straight from their smart phone or tablet. It also helps them oversee task management, feeding programmes and pastoral management.