Competitiveness, Training and Trade
Elk
About the Industry | Velvet Antler | Breeding Stock | Products | Info & Contacts
The Manitoba Advantage
A herd of elk grazing on the lush pastures in Manitoba is a remarkable sight to behold; the majestic quality of the animal coupled with the serenity of its surroundings captivates all those who stop to admire.
It is the abundance of quality grazing pastures, Manitoba's unique climate and the ability of elk to survive in a variety of habitats that all contribute to the growth of the Manitoba elk industry.
About the Industry
The elk industry in Manitoba is a young but growing part of the Manitoba agricultural industry. Manitoba is currently home to approximately 3,125 elk that are distributed over 87 farms.
There are 834 bulls in the Manitoba elk herd and in its present state, the herd has the potential to increase by over 940 calves per year, which means the herd may double in size within five years as few animals are slaughtered for meat at this time.
Velvet Antler
The velvet antler produced each year by the bulls is the prize of the Manitoba elk industry.
A two-year-old bull produces on average approximately 7 pounds of velvet while an older bull would average approximately 18 pounds of velvet production per year.
Velvet antler is a commodity widely used in the Pacific Rim as a primary ingredient in traditional Oriental medicines and is gaining popularity in the growing North American alternative medicine market.
Since elk farming is a young industry in Manitoba, a licensed velvet antler processing facility is still in the planning stages.
Thus all velvet antler production is exported to licensed Canadian processing facilities in other provinces.
However, some of our producers will have their velvet antler processed and encapsulated into gelatin capsules and returned to Manitoba where they can market the finished product locally.
Breeding Stock
The sale of the animal for breeding stock is a growing part of the elk industry in Manitoba. Strong bloodlines are bred and sold as breeding stock so producers can increase the quality and the health of their overall herd.
Another option is the collection and sale of semen from superior quality bulls.
The semen from bulls with strong genetics and that have an above average production rate of velvet antler are in demand from other producers across North America.
Products
Elk is known to have an excellent flavor to its meat and is very low in fat and cholesterol.
The meat is also free of other additives, as the animals are not treated with growth hormones or other chemicals.
There is one processing plant in Manitoba that is licensed to process elk.
However, at the present time few elk are processed for their meat as they are considerably more valuable when marketed for breeding stock or velvet antlers.
But as the numbers of elk increase across Manitoba and Canada, the value of the animal should decrease to a point where a viable meat market will develop.
Information and Contacts:
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For further information on the Manitoba's Elk Industry, please see:
