Veterinary- Farmed Cervid Requirements
Program Requirements
Farmed Cervid Program requirements are found in North Carolina General Statutes and Administrative Code including importation requirements. Basic program requirements are provided below but do not include all of the program requirements. For any questions, please call 919-707-3250.
Tab/Accordion Items
- Apply with the Veterinary Division by either calling (919) 707-3250 or emailing farmedcervid@ncagr.gov.
- Must be 18 years of age or older.
- Cervid can only be farmed for commercial purposes.
- Herd is enrolled in either the Herd Certification Program, the Monitored Herd Certification Program, or both.
- Farmed cervid licenses are valid from July 1 through June 30 for the year in which it was issued (e.g. July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018).
- A farmed cervid license will not be issued for: the purpose of holding non-farmed cervid or farmed cervid that were transported without a valid transportation permit, the purpose of rehabilitating non-farmed cervid, or the purpose of commingling farmed and non-farmed cervid.
- Must be of sufficient strength and design to prevent ingress and egress of both farmed and non-farmed cervid under any circumstances.
- Must be at least eight (8) feet high.
- Must have a ground clearance of no greater than three (3) inches.
- No exposed barbed wire, nails, or other protrusions that may cause injury to the animals.
- Minimum enclosure size is one half (1/2) acre.
- You may keep three (3) or less animals on the first one half (1/2) acre, excluding fawns.
- Each additional animal requires an additional one fourth (1/4) acre until the facility reaches two (2) acres, excluding fawns.
- Facilities larger than two (2) acres may have more than nine (9) animals, provided animal husbandry practices are utilized.
- Bodies of water and other impassable areas are not counted toward the minimum enclosure size.
- Farmed cervid are not allowed to enter or be contained in a place of residence.
- All cervid twelve (12) months of age or older must be officially identified.
- All farmed cervid must be officially identified with two (2) forms of identification in accordance with USDA standards.
- One form of identification consists of a USDA tamper-resistant ear tag (Button Tag) approved by the Veterinary Division that is affixed to one ear of the animal.
- The licensee can use Veterinary Division supplied bangle tags as the second form of identification, to be placed in the other ear of the animal or another Veterinary Division approved form of identification.
- All farmed cervid born on the facility must be tagged prior to twelve (12) months of age.
- Fawns will be considered one (1) year of age by the first July 1 following their birth unless records of birth month and year are maintained.
- All farmed cervid, regardless of age, must be officially identified prior to intrastate or interstate movement.
- All farmed cervid must be officially identified and included in inventory records.
- For any questions/concerns regarding the import of animals into North Carolina, please contact NCDA&CS Veterinary Division at 919-707-3250.
- An individual must have a Farmed Cervid License to import and possess Farmed Cervid. Please call 919-707-3250 to obtain license requirements.
- Farmed Cervid Species that are susceptible to Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) are not allowed to be imported into North Carolina.
- These species include: White Tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Black Tail Deer, Elk, Red Deer, Sika, and Moose.
- North Carolina recognizes Reindeer, Caribou, and Muntjac as susceptible to CWD. Due to this recognition, these species are not allowed to be imported into North Carolina.
- Farmed Cervid Species that have been found not susceptible to CWD may be imported into North Carolina.
- These species include: Fallow Deer, Axis
- For non-farmed cervid (i.e. free ranging cervid), contact the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission at 919-707-0050.