Deer health project finds very low levels of harmful E. coli O157 strain in wild deer in Scotland
A project undertaken by the Moredun Research Institute and the University of Edinburgh into harmful E. coli O157 bacteria in Scotland’s wild deer has established that the bacteria has a low prevalence in deer of less than 0.3 per cent. Richard Cooke, Chairman, LDNS, says: “When we signed up to the project it was in part a leap of faith and we hoped that science would show that the occurrence of this bug in our wild deer species is extremely low, and this has turned out to be the case. Whilst we cannot make comparisons with the level in livestock or other foods, or comment on the level of...
Read MoreBids being sought by SNH for Flanders Moss NNR Deer Management Permission
Scottish Natural Heritage requires a more focussed culling effort to address the expanding deer population on Flanders Moss NNR. SNH is offering a unique opportunity to bid for deer management permission on Flanders Moss NNR over the land specifically owned by SNH (this is c ~90 hectares). The proposed lease would be for one year from 3 September 2018 to 2 September 2019. Here are the important dates (all 2018) for this contract: Tender goes live: Friday 10 August Site Visit to Flanders Moss NNR: Thursday 16 August, 11.00am Questions from bidders (if applicable): Friday 10 August to Tuesday...
Read MoreDVCs and Deer Management
A gathering of 20 deer managers took place at Raehills Estate, courtesy of Lord David Johnstone, on Tuesday 12 June to discuss the issue of deer vehicle collisions and possible steps and mitigation measures that can be put in place to reduce numbers of road traffic accidents with deer. There are currently an estimated 8,000 to 14,000 deer vehicle collisions in Scotland each year of which 70 result in human injury according to Dr Jochen Langbein of Langbein Wildlife, the UK deer vehicle collision expert. Pictured before the start of the morning seminar are the speakers (left to right): Angus...
Read MoreNew food safety films for venison sector now online
Three food safety films specifically to highlight potential high risk areas of contamination in the venison food chain are now available online. The three films, titled Field dressing a roe buck, The gralloch on the hill, and Essential red deer larder work have been produced by the Scottish Venison Partnership, Scottish Quality Wild Venison, and Scottish Natural Heritage (Best Practice Guides) in order to increase awareness about contamination risks and steps that can be taken to prevent this. The three films, made by Pace Productions, will be shown at two special workshops for stalkers and...
Read MorePilot deer management project to north of Glasgow needs deer managers to get in touch
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is currently undertaking work for Scottish Natural Heritage to better understand current models of lowland deer management in relation to the delivery of public interests. SRUC is collating relevant information to develop a deer management database for a 950 km2 pilot study site to the north of Glasgow, bounded by the main trunk roads and Loch Lomond to the west and Stirling to the east (see map below – click to enlarge). The area includes a mix of land uses and landownership types typical of lowland and peri-urban areas and includes areas of commercial...
Read MoreScottish Deer Health Survey 2017 – 19
Deer stalkers and deer managers across the uplands and lowlands are being encouraged to take part in the Scottish Deer Health Survey, possibly the largest research programme ever of this type in the UK, to establish the prevalence or otherwise of a number of health risks across all of Scotland’s wild deer species. The research project, which runs over two years and is funded by Food Standards Scotland and the Scottish Government, is being undertaken by the Moredun Research Institute and Edinburgh University, and is supported by Scotland’s wild deer sector, the Association of Deer...
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