Antlers

The functions of antlers are to:

• establish and maintain the social order, by being a visible expression of dominance
• attract hinds in oestrus
• defend the stag or a harem of deer from attack
• prepare wallows
• mark territory

In respect of dominance, the stag with the largest antlers tends to be dominant. This is evident by the temporary exhibition of dominance by a younger stag when the elder, dominant stag casts his antlers. (Older stags cast antlers first). The older stag resumes dominance upon the younger stag casting his antlers, despite neither of them having antlers at that stage. Occasionally dominance is attained by a stag that exhibits the most intimidating social behaviours.

Whilst hinds in oestrus preferentially seek the stag with the largest antlers, the lack of antlers does not impair a stag's ability to successfully mate a hind.

The male deer of most species develop a pair of antlers every year from bony outgrowths called pedicles at the top of the skull. In New Zealand, velvet antler is removed from red deer stags, wapiti (elk) stags and red/wapiti hybrid stags.

The annual growth cycle of antlers starts in spring with the rapid development of a soft cartilaginous core from each of the two pedicles. This core is covered with a layer of connective tissue, then skin with a dense covering of fine hair, and the whole antler is well supplied with blood vessels and nerves. 

Velvet antler is very sensitive during this growth phase, and the male deer are protective of it and non-aggressive. Velvet antlers grow very rapidly, at a rate of up to 2 cm a day. As growth occurs, cartilage is gradually replaced by bone by a process of calcification. When growth is complete, the antler ‘hardens’ or calcifies completely, the blood vessels at the junction between the pedicle and the antler close off, and the skin, nerves and connective tissue dry, shrivel and flake off. 

The bony cores remain as hard antler ready for the ‘rutting’ season in autumn, when the stags are aggressive and combative as they compete for hinds. At the end of the rutting season, in early spring, the pedicle-antler junction weakens and the antlers are cast naturally.

Deer velvet is a unique structure, because it is the only organised mammalian tissue that regrows completely, and it does so every year. Moreover it grows extraordinarily rapidly, and the rapid growth is likely to be regulated by pharmacodynamic substances that are either unique or that can be found in other tissues but are at particularly high concentrations in deer velvet. In Asia, the unique nature of deer velvet has no doubt contributed to its reputation as a powerful remedy.

For more detail on the antler growth cycle, click here >>

Antlers serve the purpose of sexual display and territory defence. Shape and style of the antlers is determined by the genetics,while mass and size is determined by feeding.

Antlers are only grown by males. They are a temporary bony structure arising from specialised regions on the skull, the pedicles. The new growth is called velvet. This cycle begins with the old antler being cast in late September/October and new growth beginning almost immediately. 

On a mature buck it takes about 140 days to fully develop a palmated antler. In its first years, growth on a young buck will only develop into a single spike of 10–25cm. As the buck grows older there is dramatic growth in antler size and palmation development. 

Antlers can reach 75cm plus in length and with large multi pointed palms reaching over 20cm in width.