Deer cost farmers dearly

Local Land Services estimates a stocking rate equivalent of two to three deer to one cow, which gives a herd of 80 deer a similar impact to a mob of 32 cows.

On the current cattle market, with prime cows at about $850 a head, this is effectively $27,000 of lost potential income for that farmer, and that's not including the lost profit from the calves those cows would have produced.

Some farmers have tallied herds of deer 100-head strong.

Yet, this cloven-hoof pest - which was introduced to many areas during the 1980s and '90s as an alternative industry - is not a listed pest in NSW.

The Land spoke to several farmers and each said deer had become a serious problem, noting the population had grown rapidly in recent years.

Among these was livestock producer Angus Civers (pictured on our cover), who, like most of his neighbours between Glen Innes and Inverell says deer have made "a hell of a mess" of his fences.

"During winter we see them every day. When we were feeding heifers, we would see 12 deer a day on this place, getting into whatever was left of the feed.

"We have just redone a boundary fence, just over a kilometre and all up that would have cost $1000."

He said a contributing factor to deer populations were absentee landholders, who did not always cull deer on their property.

David Worsley, a landowner north of Inverell, said "deer are just starting to impact" in his neck of the woods.

His new crop of oats had recently been invaded.

"The writing is on the wall - their numbers are a real concern. It can be like running half your neighbour's stock on your oats."

Budge Frend, also between Inverell and Glen Innes, said deer herds had increased to "pretty big numbers".

"I have seen up to 80 of them at one time," she said.

Deer are difficult to control because they are "very, very, flighty" and travel long distances at night to reach good feed.

National Parks pest management officer for Glen Innes, Stuart Law, oversees 40 different reserves.

"Deer populations have increased so much to the extent when you talk to a producer, it is a fait accompli that there is deer on their property."

Mr Stuart said deer are a "generalist browser".

"They will eat the best pasture if it is there to eat. But they'll eat leaves and twigs if it's not," he said.

"Deer can adapt to the conditions like a goat.

"If there's a reasonable season then nothing's stopping them from penetrating into the western districts of NSW. It can certainly become a bigger issue."