Elk Farming 101

Page 14

Money is what makes the elk farming industry go round.

That, according to elk farmer Alan Gros-Louis of Wildwood, Alberta. Gros-Louis chose elk farming because of simple economics, said the Aboriginal man and former Indian Affairs employee.

"In the winter domestic cattle eat between seven and eight round bales of hay, but elk only eat two. A round bale of hay sells for about $30 so the savings are quite a lot," he explained. "In the summer domestic cattle need 1.6 hectares of land a head, but only elk need 0.6 hectares. The gross income would have been a lot less had I decide to raise something other than elk."

Gros-Louis got his start in October 1987 when he purchased a 120 hectare parcel of land, near Wildwood, approximately 130 kilometres west of Edmonton. A year later he purchased three elk, began fencing the land himself, and moved out to the farm.

With a background in biology, forestry and surveying, Gros-Louis developed a business plan and received funding from Aboriginal Business Canada, Alberta Agriculture, and a loan from his father.

According to Gros-Louis, elk farming has a large market. While elk are occasionally farmed for the meat, the bigger market is for their antlers.

"Financially, it makes sense to keep the elk around for many year because the velvet from their antlers sell for about $100 a pound and the average elk has 20 pounds worth of velvet. So that comes to $2000 every year, just for one elk," said Gros-Louis. "If you sell the meat, you get about $3000 but you can only do that once. It's important to think long-term in a business like this and that what I have done."

The velvet from elk antlers is used to help cure arthritis, rheumatism, tendinitis, gout, poor blood circulation, migraine headaches, menopause and multiple sclerosis. Velvet is commonly used in the Pacific Rim as a primary ingredient in holistic medicine, but is also gaining a large following in North America.

Over the past 15 years, the selling price for velvet has ranged from $35 to $115 per pound. Current prices are approximately $55 to $70 per pound.

The farm has grown in recent years. Gros-Louis now has approximately 95 elk. He plans to buy another160 acres of land and increase his herd to 200.

The elk entrepreneur is also grooming other Aboriginal people into the fast growing industry. He has three full-time and five seasonal employees and said he tries to hire Aboriginal workers.

Deespite his success, Gros-Louis' learning curve is far from over. This last winter Gros-Louis visited elk ranches in the northwestern United States.

"I realized how lucky I am to be elk farming in this part of the world," said Gros-Louis. "In Montana there isn't enough hay growing so they need more land to feed their elk."

In spite of his accomplishments, Gros-Louis said that being a perfectionist has made his success elusive.

"I don't think I will ever reach success because when your dream comes true you have to make a bigger dream. Success is only a mirage, you can't touch it, it's very abstract. It's always ahead of you."