Success of any AI program hinges on management decisions made far in advance of the breeding season. The owner/breeder and all involved personnel must be committed to the overall management of the deer herd for an AI program to succeed. Semen stocks can be selected and purchased at any time of year. However, if semen stocks are to be prepared and frozen from local bucks, this should be done during the breeding season prior to the intended AI breeding season. This avoids problems associated with aquiring semen too early in the breeding season when bucks may or may not produce adequate ejaculates in terms of both semen quality and total volume.
Nutrition of the breeding herd must be considered throughout the year; females which are in either extemely thin or extremely high condition are less likely to fawn than does in moderate condition. (In a 1993 Texas experiment involving over 500 fallow females, mature does weighing less than 80 lb had a pregnancy rate of 83.3%, and does weighing 96 lb or more had a pregnancy rate of 81.2%. In comparison, females weighing between 80 and 96 lb had a 94.0% pregnancy rate.)
A high priority must be also given to internal parasite control. General herd health must receive attention throughout the year as healthy animals are more likely to perform as expected. Handling facilities must be well designed and maintained so that stock can be handled quickly, quietly and safely. Accurate record keeping is the basic tool which can aid the the breeder in selecting females with higher fertility for use in the intended AI program. Without quality records, resources may be wasted on barren females that probably should be disposed of before the breeding season begins. A positive attitude of all personnel involved in daily operations must become an acknowledged goal before a successful AI program can be developed.