Can musk deer be farmed artificially? Application and precautions for farming forest musk deer

The musk deer, also known as the musk roe deer or fragrant roe deer. There are 5 species including the forest musk deer, alpine musk deer, Siberian musk deer, black musk deer and Himalayan musk deer. The dried secretion from the musk gland sac in the umbilicus of the male musk deer forms a perfume material known as musk, which is a very precious medicinal material and also an extremely precious perfume. This has also led to a sharp decline in the number of musk deer——because people kept hunting and killing them in order to obtain musk. Therefore the state approved artificial farming of musk deer.

China's musk deer resources face a serious crisis. The musk deer population has dropped from 2.5 million head in the 1950s to just tens of thousands.

The reasons for the decline in musk deer resources include:

(1) The price gap for musk between domestic and international markets is too large; international musk prices keep rising, and the high profits from musk smuggling stimulate indiscriminate hunting and killing;

(2) Human economic activities have led to the insularization and fragmentation of musk deer habitats.

At present, the state has required a comprehensive ban on hunting musk deer from the wild, further standardized the domestication and breeding of musk deer, and is studying the establishment of an incentive mechanism of “whoever invests, owns and benefits”, to guide and encourage relevant traditional Chinese medicine enterprises to actively participate in the artificial breeding of musk deer.

Since 1958, China has undertaken artificial musk deer farming trials and has achieved success, with the forest musk deer being the main farmed species, accounting for 86.8% of the national total farming number. As of the end of 2011, the State Forestry Administration had approved 17 musk deer farming units, and there were about 30 farms or self-employed individuals that were unapproved or approved by local forestry bureaus. However, many factors still restrict the expansion of the musk deer farming industry, such as management problems, weak feeding and breeding capabilities, high costs of farming musk deer, high disease incidence in musk deer herds, and lack of suitable site selection, among others.

How to apply to farm forest musk deer:

Farming enterprises need to first go to the branch office to which they belong to have the name verified, submit relevant documents such as the "Animal Epidemic Prevention Inspection Certificate" issued by the animal husbandry and epidemic prevention departments, the environmental impact assessment report, and the animal husbandry filing form, and then apply for registration.

The construction of farming enterprises should conform to the overall plan for the city's economic and social development and the development plan for animal husbandry. There are strict standards and requirements for site selection, hardware facility construction, farming scale, and production management record archives. Farming enterprises should preferably consult the animal husbandry and veterinary departments at the time of site selection.

If nationally protected animal species are involved, farming enterprises, in addition to handling normal farming procedures, also need to apply to the competent forestry department of the county, city or district where they are located for a "Domestication and Breeding Permit".

The following four points need attention when farming forest musk deer:

1. Site selection for the forest musk deer farm

When establishing an artificial forest musk deer farm, whether captive-bred or free-range, one should choose hillside land at an altitude above 1000 m, with few people around, a quiet environment and lush forest and grass, preferably a place with a mountain spring flowing out. If it is fenced free-range farming, choose gentle slope land facing south with rich plant species in the area. The area of the fenced free-range site should be determined according to the farming scale. The fence must be sturdy and have protective measures to avoid forest musk deer injuring each other when chasing one another.

2. Selection of green feed and preparation of concentrate feed

1. Selection of green feed: forest musk deer farms are generally built on hillside land with lush grass, and the plant species they like to eat are collected for daily feeding. Forage grass can also be planted artificially, dried and stored, so as to serve as a supplement to green feed during the dry grass season. The main forage species usually selected for feeding include: apricot leaves, mulberry leaves, Liangzi leaves, black locust leaves, elm leaves, crop leaves and the stems and leaves of some other herbaceous plants, etc. In addition, some succulent red and white radishes, pumpkins, apples, sweet potatoes, etc. are also fed.

2. Preparation of concentrate feed: two relatively effective formulas are: (1) corn flour, soybean flour, wheat bran, oil residue and eggshell powder can be mixed into concentrate feed in a ratio of 50:30:10:5:5; (2) corn flour, soybean flour, wheat bran, bone meal, fish meal and additives can be mixed into concentrate feed in a ratio of 40:25:25:5:4:1. As for the preparation method of the concentrate feed, the mixing ratios of the components can be appropriately adjusted according to the different developmental stages of the forest musk deer.

3. Feed combination and artificial feeding

1. Feed combination: adult musk deer are fed about 1000 grams of forage and about 100 grams of concentrate feed per day, and the forage species fed each time should be more than 5 kinds. Forest musk deer have different nutritional needs at different biological stages. Therefore, during the feeding process, the feed combination and its quantity must be adjusted in a timely manner to achieve good results.

2. Artificial feeding: forest musk deer are usually fed 3 times a day, at 6-7 o'clock in the morning, 1-2 o'clock at noon, and 6-7 o'clock in the evening; in summer it can be slightly earlier, and in winter slightly later. The proportions of the daily ration are 30% in the morning, 20% at noon and 50% in the evening. Grass and concentrate feed are fed separately, and concentrate feed is fed individually. The afternoon portion is fed all at once. Concentrate feed should not be fed too much. Artificial feeding should be timed and quantitative, which helps establish a good food reflex and improves the digestive function of the musk deer's body. In addition, attention should also be paid to the musk deer's drinking water. The time, frequency and quality of water supply have a direct impact on its various physiological processes. Practice has proven that natural spring water is best for musk deer drinking. When changing feed types in different seasons, the replacement should be gradual. They cannot all be directly replaced. If the feed is suddenly changed in large amounts, it easily leads to adverse consequences such as reduced eating and diarrhea.

4. Disease prevention

Common diseases of forest musk deer include enteritis, colds, rumen impaction, chondropathy, abscess disease, etc. Once a forest musk deer becomes ill, the cure rate is extremely low. In order to reduce losses caused by illness and death of forest musk deer, the key lies in early prevention.

1. Dig a shallow pool at the entrance of the pen, put lime into the pool to make a disinfection pool, and when personnel enter, they should first step in the pool a few times to sterilize and disinfect their shoes.

2. Disinfect the pens once a month, using cresol water, potassium permanganate solution and lime alternately. Disinfection of each small room should be thorough, and urine-soaked and dirt-accumulated areas in the rooms should be cleaned up at any time or covered with dry soil. Places with excrement in the activity area should also be carefully disinfected.

3. Green forage grass that has heated up due to piling and whose leaves have turned black cannot be fed; forage grass with soil on it cannot be fed; in addition, cornmeal cannot be fed continuously.

4. Observe every day whether the feces are normal; otherwise change the grass. If the feces are clumped and thin, immediately feed bitter lettuce, dandelion and Li Bi grass, stop the concentrate feed, or use stir-fried yellow wheat bran.

5. Observe the musk deer's body: a nose that is oily black and shiny and eyes with strength are normal. A clear runny nose belongs to cold; if mild, it does not matter, but if severe, cold medicine should be fed.

6. In winter, feed more carrots. Their role is that carrots are succulent, easy to digest, their nutrition is easy to absorb, and they are beneficial to body metabolism, but in winter green hay is still the main feed.

7. When ill, use oral medicines as much as possible and try not to give injections, to reduce disturbance, so as to avoid worsening of the condition and death. If an injection must be given, anesthesia should be performed first before injecting; especially when giving an IV drip, general anesthesia must be performed, otherwise the animal may die on the spot from fright.