As part of the overall investment, the Deer Breeders Corp. recently provided a $325,000 gift to the program, which is in addition to an initial start-up grant and other investments valued at approximately $370,000 from the company.

Eligible for matching funds from the Texas Research Incentive Program, the $325,000 gift is anticipated to be matched at a 50-percent rate of $162,500, bringing the total investment for this research project to more than $850,000.

The funds are being used to establish a white-tailed deer and cervids research program at Texas Tech, which includes the construction of a dedicated research facility. As part of the project, researchers at TIEHH will look for drug residues; investigate insect-borne disease transmission dynamics; and study nutrition and genetics in white-tailed deer and cervids.

The funds will be used to establish a white-tailed deer and cervids, species similar to the white-tailed deer in the deer family, research program at Tech, according to the release, and will include the construction of a dedicated research facility.

Part of the research includes the study of white-tailed deer and cervids for drug residues, insect-borne disease transmission dynamics, nutrition and genetics, according to the release.

“Despite being an $8 billion industry in the United States, deer breeders have no antibiotics or other pharmaceuticals labeled for use in these animals,” Russell Thomasson, interim vice chancellor of research and commercialization for the Tech system, said in the release. “This research program at Texas Tech will work to provide health solutions for deer and the industry.

In addition to an initial start-up grant and other investments valued at about $370,000, the corporation also provided a recent gift of $325,000 that is eligible for matching funds from the Texas Research Incentive Program and will bring the total investment for the project to more than $850,000, according to the release.

“Deer Breeders Corporation is proud of Texas Tech for stepping up to the plate and helping the deer industry with research that is long overdue,” Chris Timmons, Tech alumnus and president of the corporation, said in the release. “We hope to further this industry in a big way by producing healthier, hardier animals – not only for our breeders but also for our native deer.”

Texas Tech University accepted a research investment today from the Deer Breeders Corporation.

The investment in support of a white-tailed deer and cervids research program totaled more than $850,000. Tech researchers at The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, led by associate professors Ernest Smith and Steve Presley said the investment provides unique research opportunities.

“We are very grateful for the continued support from the Deer Breeders Corp. and are excited about this unique research opportunity,” Smith said. “The forward-thinking of the Deer Breeders Corp. has led to a great collaboration with our researchers at Texas Tech that will strengthen and promote an emerging and growing sector of the agricultural industry.”

The funds will be used in part to construct a dedicated research facility for the project. The facility will be used to investigate drug residues, insect-borne disease transmission dynamics, and study nutrition and genetics of white-tailed deer and cervids.

Deer Breeders Corporation is a non-profit company that provides deer auctions and other support to deer breeders.

The Texas Tech University System Oce of Corporate Engagement is hosting Chris Timmons, president of the Deer Breeders Corp., and members of his board in Lubbock Dec. 13 to discuss the ongoing research project and opportunities to develop a white-tailed deer research program at Texas Tech, with the vision to construct a dedicated research facility in the Lubbock area.

“Our oce wants Texas Tech to be the research university of choice for the Deer Breeders Corporation and white-tailed deer industry,” said Russell Thomasson, associate vice chancellor of corporate engagement.

This grant is expected to mark the start of a long-term research partnership between the two entities. The grant went to TIEHH associate

professors Ernest Smith, Steven Presley and senior research associate Galen Austin.

“Deer breeding and farming is a big industry,” Thomasson said. “Signicant dollars are invested by breeders and ranchers to meet the demand of private and commercial hunting operations. Currently, deer breeders have no antibiotics or other pharmaceuticals labeled for use in these animals, and so they use medicines developed for cattle and other animals. We hope to nd healthy solutions for the deer industry.”

Timmons, a Texas Tech alumnus and president of Deer Breeders Corp., said that deer breeding is an $8 billion industry in the United States.

Part of the problem producers face is that veterinary medications used on their animals are labeled for use in livestock, not white-tailed deer.

“We keep having the same questions crop up in our industry, such as how long do these medications stay in the deer’s system,” Timmons

said. “No one is doing any research on it.”

“Right now, there are very few vaccines or antibiotics labeled for use in deer,” Timmons added. “Knowing the lifespan and eectiveness of these medications in white-tailed deer helps us, as producers, continue to oer a healthy product for the market. Finding these answers will be a real breakthrough for the deer industry. The beneciaries of these studies not only will be the deer breeders but the ranchers who are managing their native herds for prot, which results in a better product for the hunter. Who better to do it than Texas Tech?”

For this initial study, Texas Tech will receive blood samples from deer bred in captivity. Texas Tech will develop testing procedures to detect pharmaceuticals to see how long it takes for the deer’s body to eliminate them.

Thomasson said deer breeders have signicant capital invested and need to use pharmaceuticals for the humane treatment and protection of their deer herd.

“By conducting the drug residue research, Texas Tech hopes to provide deer breeders with the information they need to ensure that their deer herds are healthy and protable,” Thomasson said.