Farmed deer represent a growing sector in UK agriculture, and the welfare of these semi-wild animals in captive systems requires attention to their stress responses and behavioural needs.
Farmed deer are not domesticated and retain strong wild behavioural responses including flight reaction, anti-predator vigilance and seasonal stress during rut and calving. Handling for health procedures causes acute stress that can be fatal from capture myopathy. Inadequate outdoor space, inadequate cover and poor stockperson approach technique cause chronic stress. The welfare challenge of deer farming lies in meeting the needs of an animal with near-wild stress responses.