Is Pure Deer Musk Oil an ethical product???
At Sultan Fragrances we ensure that our deer musk is sourced from sustainable and ethical farming.
Some people argue that there is no pure musk anymore (especially Tonkin) as if they have searched the whole earth and found only what they have purchased. The subliminally cry "Come to me guys, everyone else is fake" The reality is there are many farms that have innovated methods of farming and harvesting Musk Deer & high quality musk grains without hurting the Deer or damaging the musk pod. This is a win win as the deer is safe and free to produce more heavenly musk grains the next year.
I have released the below, maybe to my own detriment to show you there is a viable, ethical and sustainable way of sourcing and making Pure Deer Musk Oil.
MUSK HARVESTING
Musk can be removed from the gland of live male deer without killing the animal and without harming their growth, breeding and health. The extraction of musk from live deer has been successfully conducted many times and the characteristics of musk have been studied at the Kathmandu Zoo in Nepal. The extraction technique involves physically restraining the deer, using three persons, in lateral recumbency with the umbilical region exposed. A sterilized silver scoop, lubricated with antibiotic cream, is gently inserted with a rotating movement. holding the musk sac with another hand. The scoop should be designed with a small groove at one end and larger groove at another. It is preferable to introduce the scoop with the smaller grooved end first. The edges of the scoop must be smooth and rounded to facilitate easy insertion and to prevent injury to the musk gland. The musk is collected by rotating and then removing the scoop. At completion, antibiotic cream is applied in the gland to prevent possible infection. The whole operation of musk extraction, including the restraint, is completed in 15 min. This technique is most suitable and can be repeated every year in adult male deer.The musk can also be obtained by a simple incision at the gland to open and collect the musk with the help of a scoop. This method involves chemical immobiliza- tion with more risk to the life of the musk deer. It was found that the harvesting of the musk is optimal between the third week of December and third week of January,
Since 1958, China has set up many musk deer farms in the areas of Maerkang, Miyalo and Manchuan of the Sichuan Province, in the Zhenping county of Shaanxi Province and the Fuzling area of Anhui Province. Over the past 20 years, much has been learned about most aspects of the musk deer’s habitat, feeding, management, domestica- tion, the extraction of musk from living animals, and the mechanism and regular pattern of musk secretion.
Having said this the demand still outweighs the supply
Take Care, Smell Great :)