Deer Feed Consumption

I suppose you mean pints? During late winter, Jan. Feb. until grass started growing my pregnant does ate only about 1 pint a day (each) plus about 4-5" slab of alfalfa hay (for both does). Then they still ate only that small amount of grain until they gave birth. Since then they increased dramatically to about 1 gal. a day, but no hay. Late gestation to current I've been feeding approx. 18-20% protein, lately some sunflower seeds extra to get some fat on them. Last week they started eating hay again. I'm in KY and it's still 60's-70, no frost at night. In order to get the does in good shape (both had triplets) for winter/breeding and the fawns to get all the nutrition they care for, I started feeding free choice. Left the feed tote in barn open, so if food dishes are empty, they can eat out of bin. Has been working well.


Hope this helps.

On the average adult does will eat 6 to 8 pounds some will eat much more feed a day, bucks more fawns less.  Given the opportunity they will all eat more grain and pellets when it is cold.  I think my average is 3.5# a day on grain and pellets in fall the rest is hay.

My adult females consume 3-5lbs of pellet, Bucks are 5-7lbs. During summer months when antlers are growing they consume a lot more. I am also not including hay or treats. Ryan

My 5 bucks (4yearlings & a 2yo) ate 15-18#/day nearly all summer. August they started eating a little more and in September they were eating 22-25#, but now they are back down to 14-18ppd.

My does averaged about 3# per head per day until late September when they started increasing and are currently at 4.5 each.

Feed increase correlated close to adding a little Purina textured feed to my mix but it's $200-260 more per ton than ADM pellets so they only get about 1/2# per deer of it.

This is the absolute most my deer have ever ate.

It's going to depend on location. Northern genetic deer are going to eat more than southern genetic deer deer.

Looking for ideas on a good deer feed?  I know some feed a pellet some a mixture .  Will be getting deer in December and I live in Indiana, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  Thx Mark

From what I've been reading on various threads it would depend on how many deer, meaning quantity, and what storage/mixing facility you would have. I got my 2 does end of January, have not really a place to store feed, let alone mixer etc.. I checked around for feed that is readily available at all times, so I ended up with a 16% dairy feed, a mix from local feed mill and TSC Record  Rack Sportsman deer & elk feed. I had TSC put me on rain check so they'll keep half a dozen bags for me in the back, that way I should not be bothered by empty shelves. The Sportsman deer & elk pellets are 20%, same as Purina which they have during hunting season only. I mix cracked corn, dairy feed, sunflower seeds in. Fawns and adults I have 9 deer total here and mix/store the stuff in a big plastic totes. I could not find fawn pellets, so I had to come up with something that is available locally. TSC also has deer mineral and if I would want to up the protein I can get 50% soybean meal at feed mill. Took some foot work to find proper stuff in small town KY.