What do roe deer eat? A detailed explanation of the roe deer's dietary characteristics

The roe deer, also known as the dwarf deer, wild goat, etc., is one of the most common wild animals in the forests of Northeast China. People in Northeast China call it "silly roe deer". It mostly inhabits open woodland areas. It is a mammal with relatively high economic value, has a wide diet, tolerates coarse feed, and has high prospects for farming. Let's take a look below at what roe deer eat!

What do roe deer eat

Wild roe deer generally feed on the tender twigs, buds, leaves, and bark of shrubs, and also eat grasses. When food is scarce, they also eat lichen and moss, and go to streams to drink water. In Northeast China, they mostly eat the leaves, buds, or tender twigs of willow, poplar, birch, pine, and other trees, and sometimes also eat saplings. When crops ripen, they also go into fields to steal and eat soybeans and grain, etc. They often consume alkaline water or saline-alkali soil, especially in spring.

What do farmed roe deer eat

Roe deer have very strong adaptability and tolerate coarse feed even better than sheep. When domesticated and kept in barns, they can be fed the forage grasses that sheep eat, as well as poplar, willow, oak, pagoda tree, and apricot leaves, corn, corn stalks, millet straw, etc. Feeding 20% legume forage (such as alfalfa) is even better, but do not feed water plants to prevent diarrhea and enteritis. Coarse feed should account for 95%, and concentrate feed 5%.

Key points for farming roe deer

1. Building pens: The roe deer enclosure should be chosen in a place with level terrain, high and dry ground, ventilation, sunlight, and good drainage, facing south from the north, and consisting of two parts: a shed and an exercise yard. Each animal should occupy 2-2.5 sq m. Use wooden poles or bricks to build a 2 m high fence or wall around it. Set up feeding troughs and watering troughs in one corner of the exercise yard. Trees can be planted outside the fence for shade.

2. Feeding: Feed 3 times a day, at 7 a.m., 12 noon, and 6 p.m. respectively. Because roe deer eat little, the daily ration for an adult roe deer is 1.5 kg of coarse feed and 100 g of concentrate feed. At the same time, sufficient clean water should be provided without interruption, allowing the roe deer to drink freely. In winter, they should drink warm water.

3. Disease prevention: Roe deer have strong disease resistance and rarely get sick, but it is still necessary to prevent disease before it occurs. Clean the pens every day and remove feces. In spring and summer, disinfect the roe deer shed once a week with caustic soda or a 20% lime milk solution. Brush and wash the feeding troughs and water troughs every day. Do not feed moldy or spoiled feed, and do not feed water plants. Common diseases include diarrhea and enteritis, etc. Once discovered, routine treatment can be used.

4. Marketing: Market at the right time. Fawns are weaned at 60 days, and they can be marketed after weaning. Commercial roe deer are mostly male roe deer and culled roe deer. Attention should be paid to seed selection to maintain a superior population.