The Bois Clairet deer herd is one of the most renowned and high-quality in Europe. We achieve this by making the right choice in terms of the animals we breed in Journet, France. To do this, we follow a few important breeding principles.
30 years of breeding have given us some splendid stags
For 30 years, our herd of stags has been rigorously selected for its growth capacity, calm temperament and antler qualities. Over the years, our stags and hinds have evolved considerably. Today, our hinds, at least five years old, weigh between 130 and 135 kg, and some as much as 150 kg. To achieve such hind weights, we have never used elk blood, the North American sub-species of deer that some breeders crossbreed with their red deer to obtain heavier carcasses. As a matter of principle, however, Le Bois Clairet has always chosen to stick to European red stags, without using exotic ones.
Our stags' antlers have also developed positively, in terms of shape, antler weight and number of points, thanks to rigorous selection and the purchase of high-quality central European stallions. The CIC value score has risen by several dozen points.
The highest safety standards
In terms of health, we offer our customers a number of guarantees:
- every year, individual blood samples are taken from our entire breeding herd for brucellosis testing
- every year, the same breeding animals are tuberculated and the reaction is checked three days later. To date, this reaction has always been negative (i.e. good)
- at random, we also subjected the blood to a serological test for para-tuberculosis: we never obtained a positive (i.e. bad) result
- when animals are sold, they are treated with an injectable antiparasitic just before delivery.
A system in its own right: the "stag hustle"
To handle animals safely for medical examinations, we have a sophisticated handling system with an electrically powered deer crusher and connected animal scales. Each animal entering the crusher is weighed at the same time. This crusher, designed by Paul Audenaerde, has served as a model for several French and Belgian deer breeders. It works much more easily than the drop-floor shredder (it is wider, so the deer enter more easily), but also than the hydraulic shredder in New Zealand, which is much more expensive.
Create your own stag?
If you'd like to start your own deer farm, provide your herd with a supply of high-quality blood, or reinforce subsequent fawns with a new stallion, we're the people to talk to. And if you wish, you can call on our advice at a later date.
Discover our stags available here, or ask your questions via the contact page.