Deer farming may not be the most popular sector of the industry, but with growing demand for venison in a market which is hugely under supplied in the UK, there are real opportunities for those willing to invest.

And, with deer able to complement any livestock unit, exploring venison makes perfect sense according to Malcolm Taylor, a rural land management partner at Bell Ingram, who said that Scotland currently imports almost 1000 tonnes of venison to meet demand while only 2% the 3500 tonnes produced at home is from farmed stock.

Low start-up costs and a good return on stock make deer farming a potentially rewarding prospective investment, he said.

“Consumption of venison meat has risen from sales of £43m in 2009 to sales of game meat (mainly venison) in the region of £95m in 2014 – a number which has continued to grow and has been valued at £106m in 2016.

“There is a wealth of experience to tap into from those that are farming deer for profit. What’s more, several lending institutions are happy to consider lending to establish deer farming – a sure sign of the positive outlook for the sector,” said Mr Taylor.

Once established, he said there is a relatively low labour demand for looking after deer, allowing it to fit in with existing stock management.

While fencing is the major investment, buildings are not essential for producing store calves, as deer are well suited to harsh environments. Deer are also the most efficient animals at convening low-quality herbage as well as silage and turnips into quality low-fat healthy meat, Mr Taylor said.

Until recently the lack of abattoir facilities was regularly cited as one of the barriers to the growth of deer farming, but the establishment of a new purpose-built facility in Fife could now open the market.

“The economics are attractive – the average cost of a breeding hind is £300-£500 and a stag will cost anything from £500-£2000. Typically, farms run 30 to 50 hinds with one stag. In theory, deer farming looks to be a suitable enterprise to complement stock farming.

“My hope – and encouragement – is that more farmers and landowners will rise to the challenge of investing in more home-produced venison,” concluded Mr Taylor.