Red deer: from aborigenes to farm animal | No aborigēnā staltbrieža līdz lauksaimniecības dzīvniekam
2014
Parfianovics, M., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia). Inst. of Agrobiotechnology | Kairisa, D., Latvia Univ. of Agriculture, Jelgava (Latvia). Inst. of Agrobiotechnology
The area of population of wild red deer in the NE Europe in the 21st century is similar to the one dating back to the last meltdowd period of the ice age almost 8000 years ago. The very name of the animal in the Latvian language – ''briedis'' has come in use quite recently – in the 2nd half of the 19th century. Until that the animal both in Latvia and Lithuania was named "alnis" a common word in the Baltic language group generally bearing the meaning of being well-built with a strong body. The repopulation and reintroduction of the red deer in Latvia has much to do with German hunting traditions being followed still today. There are around 60 red deer farms in Latvia nowadays, the number of animals reaching almost 10000. Mostly the red deer farming seeks to provide trophees and live-stock markets. Animals are registered in herds and individually, marking them with ear tags. All the rules for well-being of farm animals are fully applied to the red deer farming as well. Farming practices involve getting the originally wild animals used to farming-based processes and interaction with humans. Thus it is possible to conclude that the red deer is an animal which is undergoing the domestication process.
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