Deer antlers
What we purchase:
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Antlers shed by red deer
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Antlers shed by fallow deer
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Antlers shed by sika deer
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Antlers shed by David deer
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Antler trophies from the ears up
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Deer pizzles, tails, and tendons
We weigh, clean and process shed antlers in our warehouse before preparing them for loading and shipping.
Antler growth
Antlers are a periodic secondary sexual characteristic in all male animals in the deer family (as well as female reindeer). Due to their annual growth cycle, antlers are not available during specific seasons.
The antler cycle includes growth, rubbing of the velvet, use of the full-grown antlers as well as shedding of the antlers. The antler cycle is regulated by male sexual hormones. Antlers start growing in the spring. During this period, the antlers are very soft and the deer avoids contact with hard objects. The living bone of the antler is supplied with oxygen by a vascular skin called velvet. The blood vessels can later still be seen on the antlers as grooves and furrows.
Hirschgeweih
Antler structure
The bone tissue consists of:
56% inorganic substances made up from:
-> 49% calcium phosphate
-> 5% calcium carbonate
-> 2% magnesium
44% organic substances
The organic substances are mainly protein compounds containing several mineral salts.
Fresh antlers have a relatively high water content which decreases considerably until they are shed. Antlers lose approx. 10% of their weight by the time they are shed.