Bottle Feeding versus nursing with does

Bottle feed only where necessary unless you started with a wild herd. Bottle fed deer are significantly smaller than nursing. This is not so obvious with the doe, but I had to bottle feed two buck last year because the mother wouldn't nurse and they are light years behind the bucks that were nursed...both in antler growth, body weight and body height. There is an argument that they will catch up but I truly don't believe they ever reach their maximum potential.



Also, the way you work with your herd everyday can play a giant role in how they respond when people are around or when you're trying to work with them. Spending alot of time around them helps. This is not true for all deer, some deer will never be calm. I have one mature doe and one yearling doe (the yearling was bottle fed) on my farm that always stay to the back of the pen hiding in the woods. Those two deer startle very easily and act almost as bad as wild deer. Nothing will change those deer. However, being around and taking your time with herd helps a great deal.



If you bottle feed some of your doe you can then divide them into your other herds as they seem to help calm the others. I have had much success in incorporating a few bottle fed deer into bigger herds.



Hope this helps

I must dissagree my bottle fed bucks were actually bigger than the mother raised bucks. So far their antler growth is ahead of the mother raised also. It all depend on your bottle feeding program in the past mine were smaller but since feeding red cap all they want to eat at each feeding they were much bigger and healthier.

I do agree with the rest of your post. A few calm deer in a pen can really calm the rest of the herd down. Also the more time you spend in your pen makes a big differance

That's an excellent point. The nature of your complete bottle feeding program will obviously make a difference. Perhaps you should start another thread on the different types of bottle feeding programs that are out there, including the type of formula, amount of formula, frequency of feedings and cost and then you can decide if that is an option given your time and expense constraints. You should have this info available even if you decide not to bottle feed because eventually, sooner or later, you will have to bottle feed some of your deer.



Thanks

However, if at all possible, never bottle feed bucks. The two I had to bottle feed last year can never be sold to a preserve as they are too friendly. It would be unethical. I doubt they will ever turn into breeders so they will either stay on the farm or be sold as pets. On the bright side, they are valuable assets because they helped to keep my buck pen calmer without compromising ethics. In fact, I will probably keep them for that purpose.

Hollowroad you do make some great points however I know several farmers that bottle feed all of there deer and they are as big and bigger than most deer farms out there....there bucks are also turned out into the hunting preserves and once out there in the preserve they wild up in quite a hurry....it doesn't take them long to wild up when put into a preserve and they need to survive. I thought the same thing you did that it would not be ethical because they would walk right up to you .....but I have been to there preserves and you wouldn't know any of the buck were bottle fed that are in the preserve they hide and run just like any wild ones would. The biggest thing with bottle feeding the bucks is that they can be dangerous come hard antler time when you go in the pen with them as they are not as afraid of you and you are more likely to have problems with the bottle feds......however, that piont being said i would'nt trust any buck bottle fed or not come hard antler time they all are a threat!!

thuntclub said:

The only con that I can think of is that it is a lot of time and work to bottle feed, but the benefits far outway the work it takes. the deer are much calmer and easier to handle. If you need some help getting started or you have any other questions call me or drop me an email. 334-346-2255 Ask for Troy. I'm planning on bottle feeding around 25 this summer.

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Troy; new to this. Raising 5 wk old fawn - Mom killed by car. Have 100 acres; building her a 140' long pen. Have lots of questions... Can you (will you) help?

I would be more than happy to help. I sent you a pm also. Call me or email.