GUA MUSANG - A senior citizen in Felda Perasu, Nenggiri, here started his deer farm with only a buck and a doe in 2021. He is now a small-scale deer farmer, and it has become his primary source of income.
Mohamad Fauzi Mohamad, 62, said the Sunda sambar (Javan rusa) buck and doe were gifted to him by a friend, adding that over the years the deer multiplied. The modest enclosure outside his home could no longer accommodate them, prompting him to sell the animals.
Mohamad Fauzi told Bernama recently that the price of a deer depends on its physical condition, adding that mature deer between two and three years old are sold at between RM2,500 and RM5,000 each.
Owning 10 deer, he said, deer farming is easier compared to raising cattle and goats as the animals are less prone to illness, have simpler nutritional needs, and their manure does not have a strong odour typical of other animals.
"Deer eat all kinds of fresh vegetation and chicken feed and their manure is odourless, which means no flies swarming the farm,” he said.
Mohamad Fauzi said the venison is sweet and tender, suitable for frying or making soup, and high in iron and mineral content, which helps boost blood levels in the human body.
According to him, deer are fed twice daily, and the monthly cost of raising deer is also lower than raising cattle and goats.
The Sunda samba deer adapt well to Malaysia’s climate. An adult buck can weigh up to 100 kg, and a doe typically weighs around 60kg. - BERNAMA