Feed and toppings Q.?

Hey guys, I have a few questions here!



We have been feeding Record Rack Sportsman for quite a while and as the doe are now putting there nutrients into growing fawns and the bucks are starting to grow antlers we wanted them to eat more feed. We got some feed grade molasses and the deer really increased their feed intake but the feed store ran out and hasn't received anymore for about two weeks now. In that time we grabbed some Buck Jam Ripe Apple and we didn't see the same intake as we did before. It tasted terrible to me but hey, I'm not a deer! (Yes I taste their feed if I haven't used it before, I'm weird like that! ) Have you guys tried different things to coax more food into your deer? Whats worked the best for you?



Second question! We bought some Record Rack Mineral and are putting about 2oz in their feed every two days for 4 bucks. The bag doesn't have a dose for regular feeding it just says to pour it in a hole. Here's the link http://www.sportsmanschoicefeeds.com/scf/en/products/big-game/mineral/index.jsp I don't want to overdose them! Has anyone ever used this or a similar product? We are also giving the bucks soy bean as a top coat.

Good afternoon Autumn, If you dont mind me asking why you stated feeding rercord rack. Its a long way from being a quality feed for deer. We lab test feeds for clients pretty regular and with the constant jumps in the grain markets, feeds have seen alot of drops in quality across the board the past two and a half years.WE had their product tested three times in 2012 all in about a 3 to 4 month span from each other and you would get different results each time and energy levels and macro /micro nutrient levels dropped. As far as their minerals. They are fair and better than nothing at all but do not cary a complete vitamin or probiotics pack, Neither do their feeds. As a top coat try to stay away from raw soybeans and go with flame roasted beans. Also be carefull how much molassas you are putting in your feeds. Hit me back and I will be happy to help you out with some of your health and nutrition questions.

Autumn-A said:

Hey guys, I have a few questions here!



We have been feeding Record Rack Sportsman for quite a while and as the doe are now putting there nutrients into growing fawns and the bucks are starting to grow antlers we wanted them to eat more feed. We got some feed grade molasses and the deer really increased their feed intake but the feed store ran out and hasn't received anymore for about two weeks now. In that time we grabbed some Buck Jam Ripe Apple and we didn't see the same intake as we did before. It tasted terrible to me but hey, I'm not a deer! (Yes I taste their feed if I haven't used it before, I'm weird like that! ) Have you guys tried different things to coax more food into your deer? Whats worked the best for you?



Second question! We bought some Record Rack Mineral and are putting about 2oz in their feed every two days for 4 bucks. The bag doesn't have a dose for regular feeding it just says to pour it in a hole. Here's the link http://www.sportsmanschoicefeeds.com/scf/en/products/big-game/mineral/index.jsp I don't want to overdose them! Has anyone ever used this or a similar product? We are also giving the bucks soy bean as a top coat.

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I believe you will do just fine feeding what your feeding. I think that comes in at 20% protein, Plenty for antler growth! I think you would do better with the buck jam rather than molasses. Seems like when i used the later i had more flies in the summer. I use Record Rack Minerals mixed in my feed everyday along with the jam and my herd is doing just fine.



Im sure you could pay alot more for another product and get the same results you are now or maybe pay less. Dont forget the big G has the most to do with the size of the deer in the herd you own. Add that with a healthy feed and you will have great deer!

Autumn we add record rack mineral to the feed as well during this time of year. Or feed has minerals and such in it from the feed store but I add 2 medicine cups to every 5 gallon bucket I feed to the pens. I don't know the exacts of what it is called for and I used to work for Cargill who makes record rack. Just my two cents but your two ounces seems fine to me

Extruded Soybean Meal and Calf Mana................Hands down they WILL MEET YOU at the gate for it!

I would recommend buying a good quality balanced feed with everything in it. If you have to add mineral it is inadequate or you are wasting expensive mineral. Too much mineral is not always a good thing. Perfect balanced nutrition is key to maximum Performance. Sample your feed to make sure.

I use a "Balanced" quality feed..............But by Top dressing my Feed with Extruded Soybean Meal and Calf Mana...............I can get my Bucks to up their intake of feed at the start of Growing season, helping build fat and vitamins when the buck needs them the most.

They can get it from the Quality Feed alone but helping boost them with an added feed source has worked well for us!



Best of Luck

I make Vita-pour a good balance of fat (energy) vitamins and minerals. It's a topping and my deer and other people that use it deer look great.

Whitetail Sanctuary said:

I use a "Balanced" quality feed..............But by Top dressing my Feed with Extruded Soybean Meal and Calf Mana...............I can get my Bucks to up their intake of feed at the start of Growing season, helping build fat and vitamins when the buck needs them the most.

They can get it from the Quality Feed alone but helping boost them with an added feed source has worked well for us!



Best of Luck

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Ditto.. You can have a..Balanced..Feed and also add a little xtra for the boys with meal or manna. Calfmana is tops for gettin the fawns on solid feed and tops for puttin the inches on the bucks!

Autumn,



I use Record Rack Breeder formula in the red bag. They have many varieties of feed but I am very pleased with the breeder formula. It's a textured feed, meaning it has a pellet mixed with other grains and molasses. My deer go crazy over it. Your deer will naturally increase their feed intake this time of year naturally. Mine have almost doubled recently.



As far a minerals, I'm not sure. I am going to add some free choice so if they want it, they can get it. I imagine deer are like people in some respects and if so, too many fat soluble vitamins can be harmful because they can build up in the body unlike water soluble vitamins in which you can excrete in urine.

We have a good product all you deer farmers need to look at , it is call cold mill flax.You can add 25# to a ton.It is loaded with Omage 3,6,9 and a typical 36% fat.We have it in a 50# bag .Call me 314-359-1742 OR 314-359-1741 that Faye cell

Just be careful about additions. You can get toxic levels of things like selenium and vitamin D. Mollases can even give toxic levels of potassium. Not saying you're using too much, just be careful. The beans can be roasted or extruded. As long as they hit around 300 degrees they'll be a much better source of bypass protein.

We add cold mill flax (omegas), kelp (blood flow), garlic (fights off bugs), diatomaceous earth (natural wormer), and we use soybean oil to make it all stick to our feed and we also feed food grade unroasted peanuts...

As a Certified Herd Health and Nutrition consultant, I'd like to reinforce the advice given by the gentleman at Whitetail Rack Ranch...What he's alluding to is tolerance...that is, anything ingested by the deer has a nutritional value, and subject to a tolerance level..Much work and research has been done to this point, although baseline mineral requirements for whitetail are sketchy at best. Selenium, for example, is regulated by the FDA and USDA in ALL other livestock...The legal limit for cattle is 3mg per head per day, thus one could reasonably assume that as an absolute ceiling for whitetail, though I prefer to stay just south of any possible toxicity possibilities. Keep in mind, Vitamin E is a percursor to selenium as it's metabolized...much in the same manner as a Cobalt Sulfate is a percursor to B12...My suggestion is the same for all...as you begin to take charge of your own nutrition application, start from the abstract...When dealing with (esp) farmed whitetail, you must learn first what the limiting factors are...we don't apply nutrition out of an abundance of resources, rather, what's the most limiting resource...then find a way to supply that need...Once again, all intake is subject to tolerance...only 3 options, deficient, optimum, or toxic...find out what limits...you'll be surprised..

Does anyone think it would be safe to say that Whitetail Nutrition will get you 12 different answers talking to 10 different nutritionist ? Much like Whitetail Health with a Veterinarian and their selection of treatment and dosages ?

Seems to vary in this Industry widely! Lol

Thanks for the input Livestocker. Wayne, if the industry had money we could get some real scientific data like other livestock has had. But you're right, there are lots of opinions out there!! The main thing is to use science and make educated guesses for deer. That's about the best we can do so far. Some of the opinions have been pretty wild. I've had some vets say my high dose Dexamethasone for EHD is crazy but it works. The more open minded ones see the value. As we 'experiment', we need to watch the animals closely. Maybe we won't kill them, lol.

Thanks so much to everyone who has responded! There are a lot of varying opinions but all of them are very interesting and helpful. There is a lot is information here!



I knew that selenium could be toxic but I didn't know the cons of molasses so thanks for posting that. I will keep that in mind when I mix their feed! I will definitely be printing out LiveStockers reply! I think I might compile the info in this thread into an article. There is so much to learn and not enough time to do it in! Lol

livestocker does nutritional consulting for a living so you might want to contact him