They are very cautious and flee with graceful bounds from anything or anyone following them which makes them easy to move from one place to another. Once herded into a dimly lighted facility they calm down for handling. Fallow deer originated in the Mediterranean region of the world and today can be found throughout Europe and the United States. There are only two species of fallow deer, European and Mesopotamian. Fallow deer have been sought after for centuries for their superior meat and their broad palmated antlers.
Fallow deer are a semi-domesticated animal, and are primarily a grazing animal.
They are very efficient grazers and produce a high yielding carcass. Fallow deer have the ability to adapt to widely varying climates and are a hardy, disease free animal, as well as being a low maintenance animal to raise. Deer farming in the United States got its start in the late 1970's. There is currently over 4,000 deer farms in New Zealand with 1.4 million head of deer, which consists mainly of red and fallow deer. In 1997 Canada reported nearly 13,000 head of red deer and over 28,000 head of fallow deer.