My Feed Dilemma

Where do I begin? I've taken over as caretaker for a small exhibition facility where the public can come in and feed the deer. I have experience with caribou, fallow and red deer. But this is a whole different ballgame. Since April I've been calling, emailing, and meeting with as many deer farmers, wildlife biologists, whitetail vets and livestock nutritionists as possible. Everyone has a different view on feed.



These guys were mainly on whole kernel corn and a sweet feed mix for horses when I got here. (and some crappy hay) How did they not die from acidosis???? Since April I've gotten them completely off the corn and sweet feed. It was a slow process!!! They've been on a 20% protein pellet in the back and good alfalfa hay (free choice). The public used to feed straight corn. We now are using a simple mix of corn, molasses, a mineral pellet, sunflower seed and some oats.



My big problem is this: we just had an issue with coccidiosis. We've treated but now I need to get some weight back on these guys. Is the corn mix from the public enough? Heard of giving white bread as treats??? I need to get weight on them before fall hits. What is the quickest and safest way to do this? Would you guys just switch up to the Redoy mix from Heartland for the feed in back instead of the pellets? Would this be too much corn again with what the public gives them?



I have 4 doe's, 5 yearlings, 4 adult bucks and 2 fawns. The public on a decent day is giving them roughly 35 lbs. of the corn mix. I was thinking of switching to a pellet coated in apple or persimmon. PLEASE HELP!!!!

Golden deer nuggets would be my choice.( Instead of corn) Our deer love them.

We have given our deer a Purina product called Woodland Mix. It is sweet and is 17% protein. To add weight there is a product called Amplify that you can add. It is actually for horses but it has a high fat content to add weight. You need to mix it with something else since they don't like it straight. But these two products together should help put weight back on.

I personally think you could save yourself a few dollars and go down to a lesser protein grain mix. I feed 16%. Not sure 20% is necessary. Feed mine bread alot. They love it and I've never seen any adverse affects. Gotta believe bread would help some to put weight back on. But if you have your coccidia problem under control, they will gain weight back by just a well rounded diet w/o doing anything ''fancy''. My deer also love the leaves off of the mulberry and elm branches I throw in the pens...hard to keep up. Have a hard time this time of the year getting them to eat my hay, and it's really good hay, hence the reason I feed branches.

i agree on going to a lesser protein percent. they will put the weight back on, i wouldnt worry about that too much. but if you think they really need it, up the fat a percent or two. i pretty much agree with everything sandridge says. just dont feed them cherry tree branches, ive never had trouble but have heard of people that have.

Contact Kate Jackson Phd. She can answer your questions.

618-654-2070



Chuck

To put weight on deer I add to their normal pelleted feed, rice bran and a product called "power phat" (a weight gaining aid for show goats and other ruminants. Not knowing your feeding regiment, I can recommend adding to your normal daily feed amount, by weight, 15% rice bran and 3% power phat along with 82% pellet feed (regardless of the brand) and offer good alfalfa free choice.

What I posted is what Purina suggests. They suggested cutting back on corn and trying the amplify. If you change up your pellet sometimes the deer don't like it and won't eat it - we've had that happen in the past. If you need to give them something you know they will eat, the Woodland Blend stuff is it.

Thank you for your help everyone!!! I guess the most expensive is not always the best I've been working alongside my local feed dealer but he's a little lost too because our situation is different here. We can't feed "free choice" pellets. So were just concerned about what to feed nightly in the back and what to allow the public to feed.

I will definitely be researching your links!!!

Maybe you can offer the public small bags of feed to purchase for the deer that they can hand feed them. You could package it up and price it to cover your cost. When I was a kid we went to the Wildlife Sanctuary and fed the geese - we bought bags of corn for 25 cents - which just shows how old I am! But same idea for the deer - that way you don't have to worry about what they are getting.

Dee



You have an elevator near West Branch that has built deer feed for years, and has grown some nice deer in the area. Next is Armada Grain with pelleted feed they probably sell more feed in Michigan than any one supplier.

Wild Rivers has a great idea, once you get something established, let some one else help pay to feed them.

Thats exactly what the public does. They buy a corn mixture for .75 a bag and hand feed the deer.

That is what the golden deer nuggets would be for. Much healthier for the deer than corn is.