Best Starter Exotic Hoofstock Species?

Sarus Crane

Sarus Crane

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
I was doing some research on exotics and wanted to know what others would suggest as good species to start out with for exotic hoofstock one day. I'm looking for a species that I can keep about 3-10 of total (including offspring) and graze them on at most 5-6 acreage with supplemental feed. From what I've heard it seems that people like the ease of keeping Blackbuck, Scimitar Horned Oryx, Addax, Pere David's Deer, Plains Zebra and various sheep species.

Right now I'm thinking of a herd of Blackbuck & Nilgai with some Demoiselle Cranes for a Northwestern India vibe to my future property. Another idea is a couple of Burchell's Zebras, a few Grant's Gazelles, a pair of Crowned Cranes and some Guineafowl for a savannah option. My third option would be some Pere David's Deer but I don't want to deal with a potential CWD problem although this species seems be be more resistant to the CWD prions.

What do you think?
 
Keeping cranes with hoofstock is regarded in some quarters as outdated. Cranes are safer kept free winged under netting, away from large animals that can injure them. Collections that keep flight restricted cranes with hoofstock are putting the birds at risk. It works till it doesn’t.
Zebras are inclined to hunt and kill new born antelopes
 
FBBird said:
Keeping cranes with hoofstock is regarded in some quarters as outdated. Cranes are safer kept free winged under netting, away from large animals that can injure them. Collections that keep flight restricted cranes with hoofstock are putting the birds at risk. It works till it doesn’t.
Zebras are inclined to hunt and kill new born antelopes
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Ok that's good to know! I knew Grevy's could be territorial and mean but never thought of Plains being that nasty! Forget the zebras then...
 
Sarus Crane said:
Ok that's good to know! I knew Grevy's could be territorial and mean but never thought of Plains being that nasty! Forget the zebras then...
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My personal preference, for an Indian flavour, would be Blackbuck (but be aware they can jump higher than you might expect), with free ranging Blue Peafowl (and/or Red Junglefowl) for an Indian vibe, with Demoiselle Cranes in a netted aviary, possibly with Ruddy Shelduck. Free flighted Peafowl and Junglefowl with hoofstock are much safer than flight restricted cranes
 
FBBird said:
My personal preference, for an Indian flavour, would be Blackbuck (but be aware they can jump higher than you might expect), with free ranging Blue Peafowl (and/or Red Junglefowl) for an Indian vibe, with Demoiselle Cranes in a netted aviary, possibly with Ruddy Shelduck. Free flighted Peafowl and Junglefowl with hoofstock are much safer than flight restricted cranes
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Great idea! I discovered that Blackbucks can be trained to pull carriages so that’s definitely a plus!
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Nawab Mir Vazir Ali Khan, Barkharar Jung, Asif Yawar-Ul-Mulk

Also since you mentioned Red Junglefowl them and Banteng in a Bamboo forest habitat would be amazing as well. Private landowners are starting to raise them and its great that more Bovids including Lowland Anoas are reaching the non AZA holders to help build their numbers and grow the population.
 
For reasons that I will intentionally leave vague. I too have been interested in getting involved with exotic hoofstock at some point in the future. Until then, would any of the following also qualify as a “starter” species?
  • Domestic Water Buffalo
  • Common Eland
  • Guanaco
  • Lowland Nyala
  • Sitatunga
  • Kudu (Greater and Lesser)
  • Waterbuck
  • Impala
  • Reeve’s Muntjac
  • Chital / Axis Deer
  • Thompson’s Gazelle*
  • Blue Wildebeest
  • Hog Deer (regardless of the risks with CWD)
  • Dromedary Camel
(*not sure if they’re available in private hands, but I would be interested if so)
 
Austin the Sengi said:
Additionally, I have also been thinking about maintaining Slender-Horned Gazelles; but just like with the Thompson’s, I’m not too sure there are enough individuals in the private trade to source from?
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There's always inbreeding, but you have to be willing to cull hard.
 
@Wisp O' Mist, to be fair, I would only maintain one of the two listed species of gazelle; not both simultaneously. So inbreeding / hybridization wouldn’t be too much of a concern in that scenario.
 
Jana said:
These species I would consider starter pack for unexperienced:
  • Domestic Water Buffalo
  • Common Eland
  • Guanaco
  • Reeve’s Muntjac
  • Chital / Axis Deer
  • Dromedary Camel / Bactrian camels (far better)
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This is a great list! I can ride the Eland like a horse, use the Water Buffalo as an ox and use the Guanacos as pack animals or pull a carriage. I get the best of the best with these choices! :):D
 
Is this an actual possibility?

The answer is, I think, what is your experience with owning hoofstock?

If you haven't much or any, I would suggest starting with sheep and goats, possibly of some of the more exotic types like Soay or Jacobs.

Llamas are easy to obtain as camelids.

Ostrich, Emu or Rhea could be kept with these in a mixed herd.

Deer species endemic to your area, but they would require high fencing and sensitive treatment to maintain successfully.

Water buffalo again are a relatively easy to obtain as an "exotic domestic".

Ankole or Zebu as an unusual domestic.

Donkeys, mules, burros or something like Falabella or Shetland ponies if you want an unusual horse without the murderous intentions of zebra!

Depends on your motives for wanting them-are you keeping them for milking, or meat or wool, or hunting, or decorative purposes?

What is the climate, housing, fencing like?

Some of the species you mention are extremely highly strung and potentially lethal, so would require extra controls for management/husbandry purposes, like a crush cage.
 
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