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Nutrition & Supplemental Feeding Original Power Point Created by: Andy Harrison Modified by the GA Agriculture Education Curriculum Office July 2002 Nutrition • The greatest effects on antler quality are: – Age – Genetics – Nutrition Types of Feeders • Generalist feeders – Elk, moose, and mule deer – Stay in the same area and eat what is available in large quantities • Specialized feeders – Whitetail – Wide range – Stop in various areas looking for specific feeds Forage Categories • Grasses and grass-like plants • Forbaceous plants – Weeds • Browse – Leaves and twigs of woody plants • Fruits of woody plants • Mushrooms Deer Forage • Just because it’s green does not mean its good deer feed • Improved grasses such as coastal bermuda offer little nutrition to Whitetails • Grasses and sedges – High fiber content – Less digestible to deer Deer Forage • Only a small portion of the diet is grass; usually < 5% • High grass intake occurs in late winter and early spring • Newly emerged or developed grass shoots are more digestible • Exceptions – cereal grains – Wheat, oats, rye, and ryegrass are highly nutritious Deer Forage • In all areas deer prefer forbaceous plants (weeds) – Highly nutritious and easily digestible – Some studies have been hard to validate due to the rapid digestion of weeds – Weeds only occur for a short period of time – Value depends on weather or environmental conditions Deer Forage • Weeds are high in protein – Up to 35% protein • High in phosphorous and some vitamins Deer Forage • Browse is a mainstay in most deer diets – Includes the leaves and twigs of woody plants • Lower in quality than weeds but more dependable and available • Types of woody plants – Determinant – Indeterminate Woody Plant Types • Determinant – Growth usually occurs in spring and fall – After initial growth, young, tender shoots emerge • Indeterminate – Growth is continuous – Usually affected by rainfall – New growth after rain period Deer Forage • Woody plants – new growth varies with topographic position – For example, lowlands verses hills • Deer adjust movement to take advantage of this pattern Nutrition • Mast – hard and soft fruits of woody plants – Includes corns, pecans, blackberries, and grapes • Seasonable in availability • Counted on for supplement to diet • Mast is more important in saturation herd populations Nutrition • Mast usually important in colder months • Used as an energy source • Acorns – High in fats and carbohydrates – Low in protein • Corn – Attractant – Energy source • Apples and carrots – Consumed in low mast production years Mushrooms • Critical; especially in phosphorous poor soils – Mushrooms have a high phosphorous content • Mushrooms normally grow in wetter parts of the year • Generally a good food source at this time Meeting the Need With Native Forage • Protein and nutritional needs vary at different times of the year. • Generally, protein levels of forage are highest in spring and fall • Nutrition is affected by climate as well as by topography • Compensates for seasonal availability Meeting Needs • Deer have ability to recycle protein in their bodies – Recycle urea in the blood – Thus can live without high protein feed for a portion of the year • Importance of seasonal protein availability – Fawn production – Growth of antlers Supplemental Feeding Concept • An attempt to augment or supplement the quality and perhaps the quantity of available native forages • Never intended to be “replacements” • Should bring seasonal or periodic deficiencies in line with physiological needs of deer Supplemental Feeding • Popular with hunters, land owners, and sportsman • Mania’s - Joint vetch – Sidetrack sound balanced approach Quick Fix Mania • No magic method – Spike buck • Caused some to eliminate age class of herd – Joint vetch • Used for imbalance in feeds Basic Components • • • • Protein Energy Phosphorous Calcium – In most cases, one or more are lacking at some point during the year Basic Components • Even in well managed herds, some component may be the limiting factor in reaching potential • Supplemental feeding helps reduce the negative impact of limiting factors • Population control • Habitat management Supplementing • Feeding • Food plots • Mineral supplements Feeds • Feed requirements are different than those of other animals • Corn – – – – – High in energy Low in protein (7-9%) Low in certain amino acids Useful when carbohydrates and fat are needed Consumed late fall and winter Feeds • Prepared Feeds – – – – High in protein (16%+) 2:1 calcium: phosphorus ratio Essential vitamins and other nutrients Carbohydrates and fats are added to supply energy – Most are pelleted Problems With Pellets • Do not stand up to weather • Feeders – Should provide dry storage – Do not limit access – especially to bucks – Reduce possibility of spoilage or pest problems – Should provide enough capacity Feeders • In growing season, bucks do not like to stick their heads down into a feeder or any other area that may cause damage to velvet • They also do not like the idea of sticking their heads in a closed box Feed Spoilage • Fungi – Sometimes toxic • Disease organisms can be transmitted to infected animals • Feeder should have drainage holes in bottom • Feeders should be disinfected periodically Timed Feeders • • • • • Mostly used for baiting deer for harvest Seldom dispense adequate amounts Susceptible to moisture contamination Solar powered are best Best for dispensing corn or grain type feeds Supplemental Feeders • Use declines after rainfall period • Supplemental feeding critical after hunting season is closed – Offsets late winter stress • Located in home ranges – Deer will not move to include feeder in home area – Locate near travel paths and in protected areas Cost of Supplemental Feeding • Normally eat 4 – 6 pounds/day • Cost is around $200 - $300/ton • Each deer will consume 1,000 #/yr in a 210 day feeding period Food Plots • Should be in areas of adequate rainfall – east of 35” line • Should be properly managed and distributed Properly Managed Food Plots • Plant species should match climate and soil • Adjust soil for pH and nutrients (NPK) • There is no one single plant variety for every situation or climate • Avoid – Varieties touted to grow in all conditions – Varieties promising to solve all deer nutritional problems Choice of Plant Species • Supplemental feeding year round • Determine what season is most critical for nutritional stress • Make sure feed provides correct nutrients when needed – 16% protein – 2:1 Ca: P ratio – > 50% digestible Planning Food Plots • Timing – clovers have good summer potential but do not reach peak in critical time • Ladino clover peaks in May/June in the South and usually competes with native forage Planning of Food Plots • Cost consideration – Monitor cost of product – Competitive with native vegetation – Cost of controlling undesirable vegetation Combination Plantings • Cereal grains and legumes can be combined for cool seasons – Arrow leaf clover, ryegrass, oats, and elbon rye can be used on upland clay to sandy loam sites – White dutch clover and wheat can be used on bottom lands • Inoculate legumes – proper inoculants Plantings • Cereal grains and clovers – not much chance of winter kill • Summer Plantings – common field peas – High yield potential – Highly nutritious – In dry weather they do not produce vegetative growth because they are usually eaten quickly Plantings • Peas – In favorable years plants mature and then deer consume entire plants rapidly – Basically a short-term feed • Summer clovers and legumes – Type depends on geographic region – Alyce clover, sweet clover, red clover, and joint vetch are good choices Establishment • Cost for slightly acid soil – – – – – Liming Fertilizer Seed Labor Total $25 $40 $27 $15 $107 Establishment • Cost for properly maintained soil (mowed each fall) – – – – Fertilizer Seed Labor Total $20 $20 $15 $55 – Can further reduce cost by selecting species that reseed, such as arrow leaf clover Planting • Divide food plot in half – Half cool season – Half warm season • Include a year-round supplemental food • Plant a small plot test to assess varieties and management • Always soil test Mineral Supplementation • Salt in large quantities is not healthy for deer • Mineral should be limited to no more than 35% salt • Critical components of the supplement are calcium and phosphorous • Deer seldom lick blocks – They usually wait for salt to melt under rainfall Minerals • Best fed in small troughs covered by a roof • Laying a trough in the ground results in a potential for spread of disease pathogens • Must be periodically cleaned