Is Cat Food Safe For Deer? The 199 New Answer

Wild resistant vegetables and herbs

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If you want to minimize game damage in an open garden, it’s best to start with plants that game doesn’t like. Deer will “browse” almost anything when wild food sources are low. However, some garden edibles are less attractive to these voracious eaters than other plants.

Certain plants, such as rhubarb, are poisonous to deer. Deer also typically avoid root vegetables (which require digging) and prickly vegetables like cucumbers and squashes with hairy leaves. Varieties with strong odors such as onions, garlic and fennel are not palatable to deer.

Please consider the following list of deer resistant garden plants as a general guide. Hungry deer are unpredictable and will sometimes eat even the most “deer resistant” diet. If planting resistant vegetables is not deterring deer from your garden, consider more serious deterrents like barriers and fences or visit our Deer Damage and Control fact sheet for additional options.

Plants rarely damaged

asparagus

carrots (root)

chives

cucumbers

dill

aubergine

fennel

garlic

artichokes

lavender

Leek

lemon balm

mint

onions

Parsely

pepper

rhubarb

rosemary

sage

tarragon

thyme

tomatoes

Plants occasionally damaged

These plants are moderately safe, but deer may turn to this group of vegetables and herbs when favorites aren’t available. Be careful to protect the young shoots, which are always tender and delicious!

basil

Bok choy

Cauliflower

chard

coriander

Corn

Kale

melons

okra

Potatoes (can eat poisonous leaves)

radish

swedes

summer squash

winter squash

Deer Favorites

apples

beans

beets

berries (most types)

broccoli

cabbage

cauliflower

carrot (tips)

Kohlrabi

Lettuce & leafy greens (red lettuce less tasty)

Peas

pears

plums

spinach

strawberries

sweetcorn

sweet potatoes

Swiss chard

turnip

Revised by the UConn Home & Garden Education Center, 2017.

Issued to Encourage Co-operative Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in conjunction with U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dean of College, Cooperative Extension System, University of Connecticut, Storrs. The Connecticut Cooperative Extension System is an equal opportunity employer and program provider. To file a discrimination complaint, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, Stop Code 9410, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720 -5964 on.

Rescue. The first two said they could send someone to “drop them off”. I wanted to help her! I put out creeper we feed the deer and gave her a tomato. We have a pond in the yard so they have access to water. I’ve researched on google and providing a safe place, food and water seems like the best thing to do. I am. I hope she stays in our safe yard until she gets better.”

…”

“A wounded deer (female) wandered into my garden yesterday. I called the sheriff’s office, the wildlife bureau and the wildlife department

Do deer eat rice? Not the cooked or processed variety, of course, but if you’re a hunter you’ll probably want to learn more about using rice bran as a deer attractant.

Deer hunting requires many strategies. Even though deer will usually eat anything, you need to find the right deer attractant. For some people, blocks of salt, blocks of game, blocks of cattle and many more are used effectively. However, you may also consider using bran as a deer bait or supplement. So the question you need to ask yourself is: do deer eat rice?

Rice bran as an attractant for deer? The answer is yes and no. Deer can eat rice, but not rice flour or whole rice. What they eat is rice bran because it provides high concentrations of fat and is an excellent source of nutrition. Many growers have talked about using rice bran in the past. It is also a common component in commercial feeds for white-tailed deer. Some supplements also contain rice bran in smaller amounts. However, there are still a good number of people who will say that deer don’t eat rice bran. So bottom line:

Deer can eat rice bran, but it depends on:

The presentation

Using feeders to present rice bran can be difficult. Many hunters have found more creative ways to make them presentable. For some, small troughs work well in their location. For others, just opening the bag of rice bran and leaving it open on the floor is enough. However, laying the sacks of rice bran on the ground can only work in drier regions.

The season

Deer will likely eat rice bran in late winter when it becomes more difficult for them to find food sources elsewhere. At this point, they are not usually fussy and will eat almost anything in their path. During the dead of winter, deer tend to use foraging plots more frequently.

phosphorus content

If you live or hunt in areas with low phosphorus levels, rice bran is an effective deer attractant. Rice bran is high in phosphorus and could become a popular meal for deer in this area. However, if the surrounding plant matter is high in phosphorus (particularly from manure), deer may abandon your rice bran.

Final Thoughts

Do deer eat rice? Yes they do, but it depends on the time of year, the food available, and how you present the rice bran. However, rice bran can spoil relatively quickly in many environments, as it tends to mold when wet. So if you want to use them in raw form, do so while deer hunting. If you have other plans of using rice bran as a supplemental feed, you may have a difficult time as they are not as affordable as they used to be. Nevertheless, they are also contained in many supplementary and commercial feeds. Therefore, there are many ways to use rice bran depending on your budget and usage.

Additional Articles

By Jeff Maynard

If you use corn as an attractant to lure deer to your game cams or bird feeders, it sometimes takes a while for the deer to find it. I have a tip for something that will yield them faster than corn. And it will help keep them around longer.

When I set up cameras and feeders in a new area or in early season, I pick a few nearby trees and rub them down with my favorite super attractant: peanut butter.

I’ve found that peanut butter’s flavor is stronger than corn’s, and the scent will spread quickly over a larger area than corn.

I use a stick to spread peanut butter on the legs and PVC tubing of my feeder, as well as on the trunks and low-hanging branches of trees I’ve strategically chosen in front of my wildlife cameras.

Once deer find peanut butter at a bird feeder, they always return to the corn store.

I’ve often observed deer rearing up on their hind legs to reach peanut butter smeared on overhanging branches. They absolutely love it!

A dollop of peanut butter spread on tree bark JUST over her reach also makes her pose longer in front of the camera. You can’t do that with corn.

Later in the season, when baiting is legal in your area, spread peanut butter back around the area to sweeten it and give the deer something else to keep them interested.

Peanut butter has physical properties that help deer hang out in front of your wildlife cameras better than corn. It tends to leave a longer-lasting residue than corn, allowing whitetails to stick wherever you smear it.

Even when other animals like birds, possums, and raccoons are done cleaning the corn, the smell of peanut butter and the oils found in peanut butter linger. This is a great way to encourage deer to come back to your trail cam setups.

If you have a unique or special tip that you would like to share with Buckmasters fans, please email it to [email protected]. If you choose to, we’ll send you a Jackie Bushman signed cap along with a knife!

Read the last tip of the week:

• Whistle while you . . . Hunt? A long time ago, a father asked his son to bring home meat for the table with the last two scoops. So the boy had his shots counted.

It’s no secret that cereal grains — wheat, oats, grain rye, triticale — are a popular choice for growing in forage plots farmed for white-tailed deer. Cereal grains are very attractive to deer and they serve well in a variety of conditions. In terms of deer preference, oats consistently rank higher than the other grains and most other feeds for that matter.

species description

Oat (Avena sativa) is a cool season annual grain and looks very similar to the other grains in the early stages before flowering. However, experienced food plotters will note that oats are a deeper green color compared to the other grains. Even when oats are mature and produce a seed head, it is very easy to distinguish them from the others since their seed head is considered a panicle while the others have a spike. At maturity, oats typically reach a height of about 2 to 3 feet if soil fertility is good.

As previously mentioned, oats are highly preferred by deer and consistently rank among the top species consumed by deer in forage preference trials. Oats are also very nutritious. In well managed forage plots with neutral pH and good fertility, oats can contain more than 25% crude protein. This rivals any other cool season feed and is well above the levels deer need for optimal growth and production. Oats are also very easy to digest. In fact, oats are one of the most digestible game foods on the market, with an acid wash fiber count of under 20%. Acid detergent fiber is a measure of the indigestible fraction of the plant, the lower the better.

Another appealing feature of oats is that they germinate and grow very quickly, making them ideal as nurse plants for slow-growing perennial clovers and chicory, and providing early-season hunting opportunities. Total forage production in fall/winter is very respectable at 3,000 to 4,000 lbs./acre (dry weight) and oats have excellent resilience to heavy grazing pressure.

One problem with oats is cold tolerance. In the northern half of the US, oats are killed when cold weather sets in unless a cold hardy variety is used. For this reason, in northern regions, oats are usually planted in spring, except when attempting to provide a quick source of attraction in fall hunting grounds. Regardless, it’s important to select an oat variety that is cold hardy, which can be determined by contacting your local Extension representative or seed store. Also, oats don’t do well in wet, poorly drained soil, so be sure to plant them in well-drained locations.

Soil preparation and planting

Before planting oats or other forage, it is important to collect soil samples to determine the pH and soil fertility of your plots. This allows you to add the recommended amount of lime (if needed) and fertilizer to maximize forage production, attractiveness and nutrient quality. Oats definitely perform best and are most attractive to deer when soil pH is 6.0 or greater and nutrient levels are kept in the high range.

Similar to other grains, oats are very easy to grow and can be either spread or sown in a prepared seedbed. When dispersing seed, ensure you create a smooth, firm seedbed by disc tillage/till to ensure optimal germination and seedling establishment. If planting alone in a pure stand, scatter seeds at 120 to 150 lbs./acre PLS (Pure Live Seeds) and lightly dig 1 to 2 inches deep into the soil. Oats will not establish well unless incorporated into the soil with good seed-to-soil contact.

When no-till, be sure to kill existing vegetation with glyphosate a few weeks before planting to eliminate weed competition and expose the soil before planting. Oats should be drilled at 70 to 80 lbs./acre PLS at 1 to 2 inches deep when planted alone.

If your goal is to extend the life of forage fields into the following summer, it’s important to include other forages that are available when the oats sow and die in late spring. Planting a mix also helps cushion winter death if a cold hardy oat variety is not used.

Oats thrive very well in mixtures with other annual forage crops such as crimson, arrowleaf, balansa and frosty barley clover, as well as winter peas and cabbage. I prefer to include annual shamrocks as they can extend plot life after oat ripening and produce nitrogen that benefits the oats. Otherwise you only get about 7 months of quality feed if you only plant oats. When oats begin to mature and produce seeds, palatability and digestibility are significantly reduced.

Oats are also an excellent choice for perennial clover/chicory plots. Oats germinate very quickly and offer an early attraction as the slower growing clover and chicory show up later. However, be sure to reduce the planting rate of oats to around 40 to 50 lbs./acre PLS using this strategy to avoid choking on the clover and chicory. Also, the height of oats, which is about 2 feet at maturity, is more accommodating than taller grains like grain rye and will not choke out the lower-growing clover and chicory, which need ample space and sunlight for heavy production during the summer.

when to plant

In the south, oats should be planted in September or October when adequate soil moisture or rain is in the forecast. In the north, a hardy oat variety should be planted in August in conjunction with other cool season forages that will be available should the oats be killed in winter. This strategy will provide a quick source of attraction for hunting grounds in northern regions. Alternatively, oats can be planted in April as spring/summer forage or seeded with frost. However, some of the forage legumes, such as soybeans and cowpeas, would be better suited if you are aiming for increased forage production in the summer.

weed control

Since oats are very quick to establish, the rapid growth rate helps to naturally suppress weed pressure. In some cases, however, weed control measures are necessary. Fortunately, there are numerous herbicide options for controlling cool-season broadleaf weeds—like chickweed, wild mustard, henbit, and crimson deadnettle—as long as oats are planted. Herbicides such as 2,4-D, Harmony Extra, Banvel or Clarity are very effective in controlling broadleaf weeds. When grass weeds are a problem, such as B. annual ryegrass in the south, your options are more limited. Unfortunately, I’m not aware of any herbicides that kill ryegrass without killing oats. Therefore, you need to adjust your planting strategy and only use forage that allows you to most effectively manage the weeds in your plots.

If ryegrass is a problem and you want to grow a cereal grain, you need to substitute wheat for oats. When planting wheat, you can spray the plot with either Axial XL or Achieve. These herbicides will kill ryegrass but will not harm wheat or other broadleaf feeds contained in the mix. When using herbicides, it is important to always read and follow the herbicide label for specific advice and safety information on proper handling and application.

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White-tailed deer get fatter when it gets colder outside. This helps them during the colder months when food is scarce. What do deer eat in winter? Here are the rules for feeding deer in the US and Canada.

Deer eat woody foliage in winter. This can be leaves, berries, seedlings, bulbs or buds. In winter, they get their prey from the ground. You can also have some rich foods such as kale, radishes, turnips, apples, or cabbage if it’s available.

Deer can usually forage on their own, but some states allow people to feed deer in their area.

It’s important to know the laws so you don’t interfere with the deer’s usual feeding habits. More information about this can be found below!

What deer like to eat

Deer eat hundreds of different types of plants. They love fruit and some vegetables. They will also eat most of the greens.

Corn is a deer’s favorite treat.

Some other foods they love are blackberries, greenbriers, seedlings, honeysuckle, hackberry, grapevines, acorns, apples, pears, kale, radishes, beets, canola, cabbage, cauliflower and sugar beets.

They also like to eat the leaves of elm, birch, white pine, white cedar, and maple trees.

Most flower bulbs, roots, vines and seedlings also make great wild food.

New fodder for deer

When it comes to feeding deer at any time of the year, you need to consider the current condition of their bodies.

Depending on the season, the deer look for specific foods to put on their bodies that will help them prepare for the future or what is available.

Deer’s bodies will also be better adapted to digesting certain foods during certain times of the year. In the fall, deer are more inclined to eat corn and acorns. They make a great cleaning crew after you’ve harvested all your corn.

Therefore, feed deer plants that usually grow around this time of year. Here are some examples for each season.

Fall: Corn, acorns, raspberries, apples, kale, radishes, and beets.

: Corn, acorns, raspberries, apples, kale, radishes and beets. Winter : vines and leaves.

: vines and leaves. Spring: Greenbriers, honeysuckle, vines, pears and radishes.

: Greenbriers, Honeysuckle, Grapevine, Pears and Radish. Summer: blackberries, raspberries and pears.

Deer can eat corn in spring and pears in winter.

However, you must be extra careful. Don’t just leave a bucket of pears for the deer. Do a little at a time. Put some of the new food where they usually eat.

This will help your body slowly adjust to the change in diet.

If you feed deer regularly, do this for two to three weeks, then they will adjust to the new food. If this is a one-time thing, just don’t overfeed them.

rumen acidosis:

Rumen acidosis is a deer disease they can get in winter if they are fed improperly. During the wintertime, their bodies rely mostly on the fat they gained in the fall for energy.

Rumen acidosis is caused by an excess of carbohydrates, especially grains, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

You’ll still eat a good amount, but it’s minimal and will take a while to digest. The food they eat in winter, such as leaves, provides them with the nutrients they need to survive. However, if they eat the wrong foods or too much of anything during the winter, it can affect their health and they could die.

Problems with feeding deer

First of all, consistently feeding a deer is not recommended. There are some people who regularly feed deer for hunting purposes.

Of course there are regulations and guidelines for this. Over time, the deer can get used to the process and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

You shouldn’t skip a meal in the hopes of deer flocking to your yard. You should also avoid feeding a deer regularly as a pet unless you have done extensive research and spoken to an expert. They can carry parasites and diseases if you’re not careful.

Rumen acidosis is most commonly caused when deer overeat corn during the winter. Corn does not have as much fiber and has more carbohydrates.

In winter, the deer’s digestive system is slow and absorbs more necessary nutrients. Eating corn can affect the digestive system and make it difficult to absorb other foods. This then dehydrates and kills the deer.

Leave it to the deer to fend for themselves. They have the biology to survive and probably did so many winters before.

I know you might want to hold out some food hoping they’ll nibble a bit off your hand, but you shouldn’t. It’s best to let them live their lives and we live ours to keep them safe and healthy.

Additional nutrition can help deer in winter

Deciding to feed deer early in the season, introducing feeds gradually, and sticking with the program through spring are all good ways to keep them healthy during the winter.

Avoid rapid feed changes to avoid health problems like rumen acidosis. Source: Bangor Daily News

This is how deer stay warm in winter.

Deer feed on corn in winter.

Is it legal to feed deer in my state?

Every state has different laws and regulations when it comes to deer feeding. This is mainly for people who hunt because they like to keep herds of deer all year round or to attract many to an area with a constant food supply.

Even if you don’t hunt, these rules are good to know for the beautiful deer that live near you or if you’re thinking about starting a good deer zoo or sanctuary.

Most states focus on three main things: feed, bait, and feed placement. I won’t go through every condition because they are all different, but I can give you some general information.

First, you should check if you can even feed the deer in your area and what the restrictions are. Some locations allow you to feed and keep deer on or near your property, while others do not.

Second, you need to see if you can use the feed for deer baiting or for hunting purposes.

States might allow you to bait deer closer, but then they can also say you can’t do that during certain times of the year.

That’s the last thing to check when you can and can’t feed the deer in certain areas when it comes to baiting.

Depending on the state you live in, there are various other little things and regulations. Be sure to find out about everything.

Here is a summarized list of regulations for each state.

Deer Feeding in Canada: All Regions

Here it is legal and illegal to feed deer in Canada. This list includes all 10 provinces and 3 territories.

It is important to note that these rules are subject to change. And while a particular region may allow it, smaller communities within that province or territory may prohibit it.

Where I live in Nova Scotia Canada there is no need to feed them. They are visible year round and we frequently let them come into our backyard to eat apples that have fallen from the trees. They will even dig them through the snow.

You might see deer while hiking this winter. Here are 35 tips for winter hiking.

Film your backyard wildlife

If you plan to feed deer in your area, consider setting up a wildlife camera. This is one of Bushnell’s readers’ favorites.

How to hide your trail camera from people. And how to connect a trail camera to a computer.

It’s your turn

Have you seen wild feedings in your area? Do you have a question for me? Join me in the comments!

This article was updated on March 24, 2022

The 30 most critical days for winter deer survival have a name, and it’s March.

Deer have a limited supply of fat reserves to carry them through the winter. In fact, research at the University of New Hampshire has shown that a healthy deer starts the winter with a 90-day supply of fat. This ticking clock starts ticking down in March and is why weather patterns often play the biggest role in deer mortality during that month.

If January and February are brutal, but timely relief is provided with the warming temperatures of March, most deer will sail through without a problem. When January and February are mild but winter lasts through late March, or brutal cold and snow hit late, deer carcasses can pile up.

If March comes in like a lion and eats the lamb for breakfast, is there anything we can do to give the struggling deer a survival kit so more of them can see April?

What do you feed deer in winter?

The best option is to give them more of the winter food they are already adapted to: winter grass. These include buds and branches of woody plants. Introducing new feeds in the middle of winter, especially suddenly in large quantities, can actually be more damaging to deer than not feeding them at all.

In my home state of Georgia, we don’t often see major problems with deer mortality during the winter. So I spoke to our Education & Outreach Director, Kip Adams, who is from Pennsylvania. Before working for QDMA, Kip was a deer project manager at New Hampshire Fish & Game. Kip has been involved in many annual winter surveys looking at wintering grounds and deer mortality.

“A deer needs to eat a new feed for a week or two before it can start absorbing nutrients from that feed,” Kip told me. “That’s because the microflora – the bacteria that live in the deer’s gut and help with digestion – need time to adapt and become capable of the new food source. The best thing to do in March when conditions are tough is to give the deer more forage of a similar quality to what they’ve been eating all winter, and that’s woody grass.”

How to prepare the winter food How to prepare the winter food

That means breaking out the chainsaw or pruning shears and getting more buds and twigs within deer reach (like the buds on a twig end seen in the photo to the right). In late winter, especially a harsh winter like the one we saw in 2014, much of the reachable grass can be gone. Use hinge pruning to drop branchy trees and shrubs within reach of deer.

“Do any type of TSI (Timber Stand Improvement) where you put those buds at ground level where deer can eat them,” Kip said. “Some of the better species to cut are trees like red maple and yellow birch, but species matters less than quantity. There is not much difference in the nutritional quality of the buds and branches depending on the species. Quantity is more important.”

Of course, hinge pruning and TSI can also help improve deer habitat quality over the long term by producing more grass and cover at ground level for future winters.

If you have apple trees or perhaps ornamental plants in your yard that need pruning, leave the pruned branches in piles where deer can reach them.

Below is a short video I filmed showing an experiment using honeysuckle and a trail camera. Watch how quickly deer found the newly available quest.

Do not disturb deer

When setting off with your chainsaw, do your best to avoid entering known litter or yard areas where you could disturb bedded game.

“If weather conditions remain harsh in March, don’t run for cover looking for shed antlers or doing habitat work,” Kip said. “Deer count on their fat reserves, which run out in March. Don’t let them waste extra energy trying to escape you.”

What NOT to feed deer in winter

If you haven’t already given a supplement, don’t suddenly introduce it in large quantities in late winter.

“The worst thing we can do to deer in a harsh winter is shock their system by offering them a new food, especially a high-energy food like corn or a high-protein food like alfalfa hay that they’re not used to,” he said he crashes. “In most cases, the deer are worse off than if they hadn’t been fed. The benefits of supplemental feeding come from long-term feeding rather than a short-term food supply when the deer are already in poor condition. So if you have provided supplemental feed, continue to do so. If you haven’t already, don’t start now.”

If you can’t provide woody scrub and feel you have no choice but to provide a new food source, introduce it slowly and in tiny amounts in multiple spots scattered across the landscape. Allow the deer to adjust over a period of two weeks or more before providing unlimited amounts of food to the deer.

“It depends on how bad they are when they’re exposed to the new food and how much of that food they’re getting,” Kip said. “The worse off they are when they receive the food, the more likely they are to die from it. Many studies have shown that.”

Think predators

When offering supplemental food, give it in as many places as possible rather than in one or two spots to avoid creating concentration points that predators like coyotes use to their advantage.

“Deer are at their worst year-round in March and they’re easier prey for coyotes,” Kip said. “In our winter surveys in New Hampshire, we often found increased coyote predation near feeding sites. These locations herded a lot of deer into a small area and made it easier for coyotes to kill them.”

If you’re concerned about the deer’s survival in this year’s harsh winter conditions, the best thing you can do to help them get through the critical final days of March is to get the chainsaw and provide more of the fodder to the they are used to in winter : browse woody.

In the meantime, let’s all hope and pray for an early spring. The deer and deer hunters need it badly this year!

Here’s why the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department urges you NOT to feed the deer

Feeding deer makes them more vulnerable to starvation, predation, disease, and vehicle collisions, among other things.

A little deer biology

Located at the northern limit of their range, New Hampshire white-tailed deer have several natural adaptations that help them survive the winter. These include a thick winter coat of hollow hair and storing fat in the fall for later winter use. Adult deer lose up to 20 percent of their body weight during the winter, regardless of the amount or quality of forage present.

Adult deer get up to 40 percent of their daily energy from their fatty tissue in winter.

In winter, cover – not food – becomes the key to survival. Deer seek softwood shelter (stag yards) to avoid deep snow, high winds, and extreme cold. Deer move little in these areas and use a community network of paths. Traveling is easier, as is escaping predators. Wintering deer tend to spread out over an area large enough to reduce competition for food and risk from predators.

Despite these adaptations, some deer die in winter. This is more common in older or smaller deer, especially those with less fat reserves. If the winter ends before the fat reserves are used up, the deer survive. If the fat reserves are depleted before the end of winter, the deer will die. Therefore, any activity that increases energy expenditure can lead to the death of individual deer and reduce the population.

“I fed deer one winter, but have stopped since then because the bigger deer kicked the smaller ones. I know people care about deer, but wild animals should feed on wild forage. When deer depend on us for food, they are no longer wild.” Harmony Anderson Strafford Landowner

Supplementary feeding can harm deer

Feeding stations congregate deer in unnaturally high densities. This high deer density can:

attract predators and increase the risk of death from coyotes or domestic dogs.

Spread disease among deer.

Causing aggression, wasting vital energy reserves and resulting in injury or death.

Reduce fat stores, as deer use energy traveling to and from the feeding station.

lead to an overgrowth of local vegetation and ornamental plants.

deny access to food because subordinate deer are kept away from feeding sites and foraging by larger deer deprives fawns of available food.

Increase collisions between deer and vehicles. Deer killed by vehicles near feeding sites may outnumber those that would naturally succumb to winter mortality.

Other issues related to feed sites:

Tamer Deer Feed sites result in deer being less dependent on their natural environment and more dependent on humans. Deer can lose their fear of humans and get used to feeding stations.

Transition from eating to feeding Deer receive little nutritional value from a new food source for about two weeks of feeding as the microorganisms in the stomach have to adapt to the change in diet. Ironically, while people with good intentions try to help the deer by feeding them, they can harm them due to the time and energy it takes to transform the microorganisms.

Substandard habitats and migratory energy feeding sites lure deer away from natural wintering grounds. This attraction can trap deer in a substandard winter habitat, increasing the likelihood of malnutrition and predation.

Unintended Effects on Good Winter Coverage Logging companies and other landowners are changing logging practices to protect good wildlife shelters. If the game goes to feeding grounds instead of protected game enclosures, then the timber companies see little point in further protecting the wintering areas. Additionally, young deer that associate feeding sites with winter habitats may never learn to occupy natural winter habitats. Therefore, feeding can result in long-term habitat loss and critical behavioral changes. Position of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department recognizes that the long-term viability of the deer herd does not depend on supplemental winter feeding anywhere in the state.

The Fish and Game Department does not advocate supplemental feeding of deer, does not participate in winter feeding efforts, and urges landowners not to supplementally feed deer.

How you can help deer

For the long-term health of the deer, the best management strategy is to keep the deer dependent on their natural food and cover. A healthy deer population is maintained when New Hampshire maintains mature softwood wintering grounds, young hardwood stands, nut-producing trees (such as oak and beech), and forest openings.

Landowners can help by developing a management plan that uses wildlife and their habitat as key targets. Sustainable timber harvesting is compatible with protection of winter enclosures and other features of deer habitat. Additionally, landowners can recognize the role of hunters as the primary tool for wildlife biologists to regulate red deer densities. Allowing hunters access to huntable land is an effective way to maintain a healthy balance between deer and their habitat.

For more informations:

Deer attractants such as salt and protein licks can attract deer to your hunting ground. Many also provide additional nutrients for better rack growth and a healthier flock. When choosing the right deer lick, you should consider whether you want to offer only salt or additives, a block or granular form, and whether it is important to you whether the lick is obvious to passers-by.

Salt or supplements?

Check Price This mineral block contains additional apple scent to attract deer. developed habitat

All hoofed mammals love salt, so all-salt salt licks are great for attracting deer. Salt licks with added flavors, minerals, and nutrients can be even better, especially if you find one that the deer in your area really love. Try different types until you find what works for you. And always check the applicable hunting laws in your area, as some jurisdictions consider protein supplements as bait and have outlawed the practice.

Block or granules/powder?

Check price This powdered attractant can be poured directly onto the ground and requires no mixing. developed habitat

Salt and mineral/protein attractants are mostly available in block and powder/granule form. Blocks last longer in bad weather and even a very heavy rain doesn’t wash them away. Large ones, however, can be a chore to carry your way back into the woods. Powdered or granular supplements can be spread over a larger area, allowing room for multiple deer to use at once.

Obvious or unnoticed

Check Price This salt/protein lick has the appearance of a rock and blends in with its surroundings. Trophy rock

If you hunt on public lands or other areas of high hunting pressure, a traditional block of protein or salt cubes can reveal the location of your main hunting ground to other hunters. Because of this, many companies make salt/mineral blocks that look like rocks or other natural objects. Powders/granules can also be better in this situation as once they’ve seeped into the ground a little, they’re only noticeable through all the deer tracks. If your area has little hunting pressure and you’re not worried about revealing your hotspots, blocks of any shape work well.

Fall is a popular time when many people head to the forest. With deer hunting season well under way, it’s a great time to learn more about a deer’s diet and how to spot deer prey. Browse is a collective term for the leaves, branches and buds of trees that deer and other animals like to eat; Browse is also the verb that describes this activity. Foliage eating is an important part of what deer eat, especially during the winter months when food is hard to come by.

If you don’t see deer on your hunt, why not explore the forest and look for signs of deer browsing?

deer diet

A deer’s diet consists of a variety of crops, grasses, plants, acorns, and nuts. A healthy deer will have a varied diet with a variety of foods. Each day, a deer needs to eat and graze about 6 to 8 percent of its body weight in green foliage to stay healthy. For a 150 pound deer, that’s up to 12 pounds of feed a day!

Too much deer browsing can kill tree seedlings or stunt growth, a fact foresters and forest owners know very well. Deer populations can strongly influence the appearance of forests over decades. Luckily, knowing which tree seedlings are growing in your forest and which ones are browsed can give you more details about a deer’s diet.

Search sensitive trees

In Minnesota, tree species that top deer lists include a number of coniferous and hardwood trees.

Northern White Cedar and Eastern White Pine are two of the main conifers that deer love to browse.

Maples (sugar and red) and oaks are well-known hardwood trees frequented by deer.

Moving east, eastern hemlock and yellow birch become favored species, where they are more common.

While deer prefer these tree species, they also avoid certain plants. Deer begin by searching the most preferred or palatable trees first. When there are many deer populations in an area, favored plants become more feral, which can result in other plants (which deer dislike) crowding out and taking over the competition.

So what does it mean when deer graze for spruce seedlings? It is likely that the deer are becoming desperate and other food sources are limited.

Evidence of large deer populations in the past can be seen in a forest area dominated by invasive plants such as buckthorn and garlic mustard and even ferns. Deer avoid browsing invasive plants and ferns as they are not as digestible as other plants.

How to recognize deer

Grazing of deer on branches can resemble grazing of other forest animals such as rabbits and hares. Deer are messy eaters and you can tell this by examining a seedling. This is because deer only have incisors on their lower jaws and this requires them to “crush” their food. The snout of rabbits and other herbivores is always sharp and cut at an angle, as they have incisors on both the upper and lower jaws.

Further evidence of browsing by deer is the presence of a browsing line on nearby trees. Imagine a northern white cedar growing along a lake shore where there are no green branches to a height of about two meters. In Minnesota, the grassline is typically about six feet, but with deep snow depth and a hungry deer, the grassline could be closer to nine feet.

Healthy trees and forests

In order to have a healthy forest, tree seedlings must develop into healthy, mature trees. As an example, consider a grass-sensitive species like oak.

First, it can take more than 30 years for an oak tree to produce acorns.

Second, an acorn harvest only occurs every two to five years.

After all, a single mature oak tree can drop as many as 10,000 acorns in a single year.

During these good harvest years, acorns can make up the bulk of a deer’s diet in late fall. If oak seedlings never make it from seedling to seedling to healthy mature trees, habitat quality for deer can suffer over time.

Knowing which species to browse can also give you insight into what methods can be used to protect seedlings.

Bud topping of trees is commonly done to protect pine trees from winter browsing. Bud-capping involves attaching a small 3×4 inch piece of paper along the seedling’s central bud. A similar process can be used for the central buds of oak trees, using balloons instead of paper.

Although much more expensive and requires more time and effort, fences can be erected around individual trees or larger areas of several acres.

Protecting tree seedlings ensures you have healthy trees for the future while diverting game to other food sources.

The University of Minnesota Extension conducts the Assessing Vegetation Impacts from Deer program to monitor the impact of deer on vegetation across the state. The program is beginning to receive a lot of data from citizen scientists who are monitoring these effects. Stay tuned for more information or look for more workshops across the state next spring!

Do deer eat fruit?

What fruits do deer eat?

What deer eat in the wild

Do deer eat fruit?

That’s a common question among farmers and deer lovers, and you may be wondering the same thing.

The answer is yes.

Deer are not picky animals. In the wild, they will eat weeds, grass, flowers, seeds, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and just about anything else they can get their mouths on. If food is very limited, they will even nibble on twigs and other woody plants.

Unless it’s meat, deer will probably eat it. That doesn’t mean that all fruits and vegetables are healthy for them.

Certain plants provide deer with more nutrients than others, and some of the foods they enjoy eating can be detrimental to their health.

Food availability is another important factor in what they eat. In the wild, fruit is the equivalent of a rare treat. You don’t really get it until it hits the ground. Plants that grow out of the ground make up the bulk of their diet.

When setting up a deer feeder, you want to know which foods are okay for a deer and which are bad for them.

Do deer eat apples?

Deer naturally eat apples, and apples are perfectly safe for use in a deer feeder.

Apples provide deer with a sweet treat that gives them a major nutritional boost. However, deer are not able to properly digest apples. Because of this, deer usually don’t eat them until the end of winter.

You should try to fill the game feeders with apples towards the end of winter. You benefit more from easily digestible foods during the winter months.

Deer naturally eat apples, and apples are perfectly safe for use in a deer feeder.

Apples provide deer with a sweet treat that gives them a major nutritional boost. However, deer are not able to properly digest apples. Because of this, deer usually don’t eat them until the end of winter.

You should try to fill the game feeders with apples towards the end of winter. You benefit more from easily digestible foods during the winter months.

Do deer eat oranges?

Oranges are not a particularly common part of a deer’s diet. Like apples, oranges are out of reach of a deer until they fall to the ground. For deer, however, they are healthy. They also have plenty of water and vitamins that can help a deer survive.

Oranges are easier for deer to digest than apples and provide a comparable amount of nutrients. If you have a solid supply of oranges during the winter, you can easily use them in your feeders without harming the deer.

Do deer eat tomatoes?

Of course they do.

Deer love tomatoes. In fact, they are a tomato grower’s worst nightmare. If they can get into your crop, they will destroy entire tomato plants with ease.

However, that can be a good thing if you enjoy feeding deer. Tomatoes are cheap and deer love them.

They are also exceptionally healthy for deer.

You can load your wild feeders with tomatoes all year round and they will not have a negative impact on your local deer population. Just try not to overfeed them.

Do deer eat carrots?

Deer eat carrots, and they’re one of the better ways to feed them.

A deer’s stomach is able to digest carrots with ease, and they provide the deer with enough nutrients to help it survive.

Carrots aren’t any better than formulated deer products, but they’re a decent option if you’re running out of commercial fodder.

Do deer eat bananas?

Deer will eat bananas, but it’s better to feed them seeds, nuts, and other foods that they naturally eat.

Bananas can provide deer with plenty of potassium and fiber, but they don’t provide deer with much more than that. Bananas are best used as an occasional treat for your local herd of deer.

Do deer eat corn?

Corn is extremely bad for deer and you should never feed it.

While deer can adapt to most plant-based foods, corn is far too high in carbohydrates and deer cannot digest it.

If they eat too much corn, they can die of acidosis.

Don’t make the common mistake of supplementing your game feed with corn. Your attempt to help your local deer population may end up harming them far more.

Do deer eat peanuts?

Peanuts are high in fiber, protein, and other nutrients, and deer love them.

They are a woody plant and easily digested in a deer’s stomach. If you don’t want to invest in a proper game feeder, peanuts are a great substitute.

However, deer require large quantities of peanuts to get the nutrients they need and you will find it difficult to obtain enough peanuts in a cost-effective manner. Price aside, you can’t go wrong with peanuts in your wild feeder.

Do deer eat potatoes?

Deer do not digest potatoes properly.

Potatoes won’t kill a deer by causing acidosis, but they will fill up a deer’s stomach and they won’t go anywhere. Without room for food that a deer can actually digest, the deer will slowly starve and die.

Do deer eat strawberries?

Strawberries are one of the favorite foods of deer.

They are extremely sweet and somewhat nutritious for deer. That’s not a good thing for strawberry growers, but it does mean you can safely add a small amount of strawberries to your wild feeders. Just try not to add too much.

Deer benefit more from eating nuts and vegetables.

Do deer eat pears?

Pears are just as good to deer as apples, and deer love them just as much.

However, they are not easily digestible. So you need to take the same precautions as with apples.

Try feeding them pears towards the end of winter, being careful not to overfeed them.

Considerations when feeding deer

There are a few considerations when feeding deer that you should be aware of.

You can get into legal trouble, and you can cause great harm to any deer that eats what you offer if you do it improperly.

You must know your local laws. If you try to feed deer to lure them into hunting, many states will have criminal charges against you.

It is considered an unfair method of hunting and the penalties can be quite severe if caught. However, this is not a problem in all states.

So you just need to check your local laws.

It may also be illegal to feed deer in general. This is for a number of reasons which I will explain in a moment, but it is important that you check your local laws before introducing any type of forage to deer.

Diseases can be spread via wild food and this is one of the most common reasons why feeding wild animals is prohibited.

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has become a major concern in the hunting community, affecting deer across the country. Since deer eaters tend to attract groups of deer, it makes it easier for the deer to spread the disease among themselves.

Acidosis is another deadly disease that occurs due to feeding. However, it is almost completely preventable by feeding deer the right food.

Finally, you need to consider how much you’re putting in your feeders.

Deer should only eat about 4 pounds of food per day, and overeating can kill them. Get an idea of ​​how many deer will eat from your feeding troughs and fill them accordingly.

The Quality Deer Management Association – QDMA has some great advice on setting up deer forage plots.

As you watch the local deer population feeding, see if you can perform an aging deer on the hoof test.

OR

Learn about the scent and body language of deer sounds

Alternatives to using corn in a deer feeder when feeding deer

At this point you know that corn is one of the worst things to put in your feeders. It’s a food that has deadly consequences for any deer that eats it in winter, and it’s banned in several places.

So you may be wondering what you can use as an alternative to corn.

Soybeans, protein pellets, and cottonseed are great alternatives to using corn in a game feeder. They are nutritious and deer can digest them well. They’re also pretty cheap to buy in bulk.

You can also use peanuts, acorns, and other types of nuts in your feeders, but they tend to be much more expensive to purchase, and some of them require special types of feeders.

Regardless of what you choose, you need to make sure it’s high in fiber and not high in carbs.

Foods high in carbs and low in fiber cause the same problems as corn, and you harm your local deer population.

You should also be on the lookout for commercial feeding products designed for deer.

They usually consist of alfalfa, seeds, and various fibrous plants.

They’re the healthiest, safest supplements you can buy, and they’re not too expensive to buy in bulk.

matthew

Walk a little……Look a lot

The economics of deer farming: start-up costs and annual maintenance costs

introduction

These materials are intended to accompany three case studies programmed in the DeerCalc software. There are three scenarios: a small, a medium and a large farm. The program has three files for the small startup, one for each of the first three years of operation. There is one file each for the founding years of medium-sized and large companies.

material price information

The following prices and materials are constant in the three scenarios.

cost of the fence

A roll (300 feet) of an 8 foot fence is $365.

10ft T-Post + Clips = $9/post.

2 3/8 inch pipe is $1.25/ft.

12 foot gates are $195.

Guillotine gates cost $150.

Cost of water and feeding troughs

Water tanks are $36.

Feeders cost $50.

In all scenarios, insurance and repairs are estimated at around 2 to 2.5 percent of the value per year.

Description of the small scenario

The small operation consists of four pens covering approximately 15,000 square feet and one pen measuring approximately 30,000 square feet. Pins are arranged in a block with a central lane. Four pins are 123 feet square. The fifth pen is 123 feet by 246 feet. The alley is 12 feet wide. Outside corners are cut at a 45 degree angle to mitigate deer behavior when accumulating in corners. A guillotine gate is installed between the pens. These gates allow the deer to move between pens or, when closed, prevent movement between pens. The entrance gates into the main alley are 12 feet wide and 8 feet high. These gates are wide enough to block the lane, aiding in sorting and moving animals between pens. The exterior of the facility is surrounded by a two-wire electric fence to keep predators (mostly dogs) out of the enclosures. See Figure 1.

Construction work is expected to be provided by the owner/operator. Pens will be built over a three-year period to support cash flow and meet space requirements. In the first year, the three stables on the left are built. In the second year, the alley and the enclosure on the lower right are built. In the third year the large enclosure is built.

The three pens on the left are used first to house four bred females. The females are allowed to move freely between the three enclosures via the guillotine gates. After birth, fawns are separated and bottle-fed. Young goats are kept with their mother animals. After weaning, the bucks are separated from the dams and previously separated kids.

In the second year of operation, the bucks are moved to the fourth pen (bottom right). Four year-old females are bred and housed separately from adult females in the upper pen on the left. The four adult females are allowed to move between the two lower left pens. Fawns are separated into the center left pen after birth. Mother deer and their fawns are left in the lower left corner of the pen. At the beginning of the third year, the one-year-old rams are brought into the large pen (newly built). Weaned fawns are placed in the lower right pen. Annual females and adult females are confined to the two bays on the lower left. Fawns are separated into the top left pen.

At the end of the third year, 2.5 year old rams are sold. The producer must decide how many 1.5-year-old females to breed or sell. Over time, the grower must replace breeders who die, become ill and/or injured, or are unable to breed. The breeder needs to find a market for surplus fawns or increase the number of pens.

Figure 1. Pin, alley and gate design for starter operation.

material requirements and costs

Table 1. Year 1

Item Cost Four Fence Rolls @ $365 per $1,460 60 T-Posts and Brackets @ $9 per $540 Corner Braces (×4): 4 × Six 12.5 ft. Posts and Cross Braces (2 3/8 tubing) @ 1.25 $per foot $375 4 × Two 10ft traverses (2 3/8 pipes) @ $1.25 per foot $100 Two guillotine gates @ $150 $300 Three water tanks @ $36 $108 Three feeding troughs @ 50 $150 USD Three entrance gates and bracing: 3 × gates @ $195 $585 3 × three × 12.5 ft posts and cross braces (2 3/8 tubing) @ $1.25 per ft. $141 Electric fences and fencing materials $150 Material cost for the first year $3909

Table 2. Year 2

Item Cost Two rolls of fence at $365 each $730 32 T-posts and brackets at $9 each $288 Outside corner bracing (×2): 2 × Six 12.5 ft. posts and cross braces (2 3/8 tubing) @ 1.25 $per ft. $188 2 × Two 10ft traverses (2 3/8 pipes) @ $1.25 per foot. $50 Inner Corner Bracing (×3): 3 × Three 12.5 ft. Posts and Cross Braces (2 3/8 pipes) @ $1.25 each ft. $141 3 × Two 10 ft. Cross Braces (2 3/8 pipes) @ $1.25 per ft. $75 A guillotine gate @ $150 $150 A water tank @ $36 $36 A feeding trough @ $50 $50 An entry gate and bracing: 1 × Gates @ $195$ 195 1 × three × 12.5 ft posts and cross braces (2 3/8 tubing) @ $1.25 per ft. $47 Electric fence materials $50 Second year material cost $2,000

Table 3. Year 3

Item Cost One roll of fence @ $365 per $365 19 T-posts and brackets @ $9 per $174 Outside corner bracing (×2): 2× Six 12.5-foot posts and cross braces (2 3/8 tubes) @ 1 $.25 per ft. $188 2 × Two 10-foot traverses (2 3/8 pipes) @ $1.25 per ft. $50 Two water tanks @ $36 $72 Two feeding troughs @ $50 $100 One entry gate and Bracing: 1 × gates @ $195 $195 1 × three × 12.5 ft posts and cross braces (2 3/8 tubing) @ $1.25 per ft. $47 Electric fence materials $50 Third year material cost 1,238 USD

In addition to the cost of materials, the breeder must purchase a dart gun for administering medication and stunning game for veterinary care. Dart guns range from $300 to $3,000. A serviceable dart gun chambered for .22 caliber blanks can be purchased for $700.

feed costs

A standard ration for deer includes alfalfa and a high-protein (20 percent), high-fat (8 percent) pellet such as Purina 595 or another “sweet food.” (This is not an endorsement of Purina products or any other company’s products.) The price of alfalfa varies annually based on local supply and demand conditions. A bale of alfalfa costs between $6 and $12 in Oklahoma. A high protein, high fat pelleted feed costs about $440/ton.

Four adult deer will eat a ball (65 to 75 pounds) of alfalfa in a week. The pad needs to be “flaked” as deer normally only eat leaves. Fresh alfalfa is ideally fed daily, with uneaten stalks removed from the stalls. Alfalfa exposed to moisture spoils quickly and harbors pests, so it should be removed from and around the bays.

Adult deer (bucks and roe deer) consume about 4.2 pounds of a sweet diet (20 percent protein, 8 percent fat) daily. Here, too, fresh food should be offered daily. Refusals should be removed if exposed to humid conditions or left unused for more than two days. In case of significant refusals, the amount of feeding can be reduced.

Newborn fawns should be nursed by their mothers to ingest colostrum. Within a few days of birth, fawns are usually separated and bottle fed. Milk replacer is $36 to $45 for 25 pounds. Typically, a milk replacer costs around $100 per fawn. After two weeks, deer and fawns will eat a maximum of one pound of sweet food. After weaning (around 12 weeks of age), both buck and fawns should be fed sweet food (up to 4.2 pounds per day) and alfalfa.

veterinary costs

All captive deer in Oklahoma should be vaccinated against bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). The vaccine currently costs $250 for 100ml. A single dose is 2ml to 3ml (or cc) for adult deer. Two or three doses are given annually for adult deer. Annual vaccination costs per breeding animal range from $10 to $23 per animal. Fawns require an initial vaccination of 2ml with a subsequent booster. The cost of vaccinating a fawn is $10 per head. Check with your veterinarian for the recommended dose and number of booster shots in your area.

The animals should be dewormed about every three months. Deworming pellets are $24 for 50 pounds. Four dogs require 100 pounds per treatment. Note that less expensive internal parasite control methods may be available. Oral dewormers can be administered in the drinking water. Check with your veterinarian about the advisability of this method. External and internal parasites can also be controlled with topical and/or injectable parasiticides. Fawns are dewormed when they are four to five months old.

Other veterinary expenses that should be budgeted for include therapeutic treatment of pneumonia with injectable antibiotics. A single dose of penicillin costs $1.20 to $1.60 for a 6mL to 8mL injection. Darts for use in a dart gun cost $16 for five darts. A flock of four females will require at least three packs per year. Miscellaneous veterinary supplies, including needles and syringes, are priced at $8 per head. If a TB/Brucellosis test is required, an additional $50 per capita should be budgeted for.

Storage Prices and Assumptions

The “start-up” scenario assumes that the producer buys four offspring (naturally or artificially inseminated). Bred females with unproven or inferior genetics cost around $1,500 per female. Note that high genetic quality deer can cost more than $5,000 per head and go as high as $10,000 per deer. By purchasing bred females, the breeder does not need a breeder buck in the first year.

In the second year, the breeder will need either a breeding ram or artificial insemination (AI). Note that even with artificial insemination, a breeder ram is usually used to achieve 100 percent (or close) conception rates. A lower quality 1.5 year old breeder buck can be purchased for $1,500 to $2,000. Artificial insemination is costly but may be necessary if the breeder decides to improve herd genetics. Very good quality semen is currently available for $300 per straw. (A straw can be used to breed two females). However, veterinary costs are high. The drugs used to stun and breed currently cost about $310 per head. A vet charges about $250 per deer for artificial insemination. The total cost for the AI ​​is about $710 per deer, making purchasing a breeder buck desirable for most small-scale producers.

death loss

The number of fatalities in captive deer populations varies widely. Outbreaks of EHD and Blue Tongue can claim more than 50 percent of the herd in a few days. In some areas of Oklahoma, EHD and bluetongue disease losses are rare, but other areas have annual outbreaks. When budgeting, a minimum loss of 10 percent should be taken into account for all age groups.

sale

Producers generally do not sell deer until the third year of operation. However, there are markets for younger deer. Lower quality or unproven quality genetics can produce weaned fawns with a market value of $500 and weaned buck fawns with a market value of $750. At 1.5 to 2.5 years of age, an open deer can fetch $750 and a captive deer $1,250. A year-old buck can fetch $1,000 or more, depending on the size of the antlers. At 2.5 years old, a ram can fetch $1,500 or more.

Description of the medium-sized scenario

The medium-sized operation is similar in shape to Fig. 1 except that there are six pins of equal size. Each pen is approximately 30,000 square feet (173 feet by 173 feet). The central 12ft ally is retained in this scenario. As in the small scenario, it is assumed that the labor for the construction will be provided by the owner/operator. Construction will be completed in a single year but could be spread over three years for cash flow considerations if required.

material requirements and costs

Table 4. Year 1

Item Cost Eleven rolls of fence at $365 per $4,015 180 T-posts and brackets at $9 per $1,620 Corner Braces (×8): 8 × Six 12.5-foot posts and cross braces (2 3/8 tubes) at 1, $25 per foot $750 8 × Two 10 ft traverses (2 3/8 pipes) @ $1.25 per ft. $200 Four guillotine gates @ $150 $600 12 water tanks @ $36 $432 12 feeding troughs @ $50 $600 Six entrance gates and bracing: 6 × gates @ $195 $1,170 6 × 3 × 12.5 ft posts and cross braces (2 3/8 tubes) @ $1.25 per ft. $281 electric fence – and fencing materials $200 First year materials cost $9868

feed costs

In addition to the feed costs described for the small scenario, the medium-sized farm will likely have additional feed costs. The goal is to provide enough food for the bucks to reach their genetic potential. Fawns are fed 0.5 pounds of calf manna daily at a cost of $0.42 per pound. Fawns are also given 0.5 pounds of a 38 percent protein pellet. After weaning, the bucks have a free choice of 38 percent protein pellets. Typically, weaned bucks will eat 1 to 1.5 pounds of 38 percent protein pellets per day initially, increasing to 1.5 to 2 pounds per day 180 days after weaning. 38 percent protein pellets cost $22.50/50 pounds, or $0.45 per pound. Both deer and fawns can receive a dose of probiotic for $2 per dose. Adult females and bucks receive the same ration as in the small case.

veterinary costs

Most vet costs are the same per capita as in the small scenario. However, the females are artificially inseminated and “cleansing bucks” are used. AI procedures are expensive as mentioned above, budgeted at $710 per deer for seeds, medication and veterinary services.

Storage Prices and Assumptions

Twelve farmed (fed naturally or artificially inseminated) doe are purchased at $6,000 a head. Prices for growers in this group range from $4,000 to $14,000. A breeder buck will sell for $15,000 with a range of $8,000 to $20,000.

death loss

As above, a minimum loss of 10 percent must be considered for all age groups.

sale

Market prices for weaned fawns from this producer group could fetch $1,500 or more. Weaned fawns could fetch $1,500 or more. At 1.5 to 2.5 years of age, a farmed deer can fetch $2,500 to $4,000. A year-old buck can fetch $1,500 or more, depending on the size of the antlers. At 2.5 years old, a buck can bring in $2,000 or more.

Seed could be sold. For cost reasons, 50 straws are sold at $300 per straw.

Description of the large-scale scenario

The large operation is usually a ‘turnkey’ operation where the owner/operator provides little or no manpower. The layout of the pens and work facilities will differ from the previous two scenarios due to the increased size and number of pens. In addition, the bulk producer will have a work facility with sorting/waiting bays, a closed lane and a drop floor chute. There are no material requirements for a major operation. A quote was obtained from an experienced local contractor. A turnkey operation with 20 40,000 square foot pens, alleyways, an 80 foot by 120 foot pole barn, sorting/holding pens and chute was estimated to be priced at US$300,000.

feed costs

The feed cost per capita is the same as in the medium-sized scenario.

veterinary costs

The vet cost per capita is the same as the medium scenario, except seed prices are higher. Seed costs can be as high as $15,000 for the highest quality bucks.

Storage Prices and Assumptions

Twenty-four breeding females are purchased at $7,000 a head. Prices for growers in this group range from $4,000 to $14,000. Three breeder rams will be purchased for $35,000 with a range of $25,000 to $125,000. These breeder bucks should have the genetic potential to reach 300 inches or more.

death loss

As above, a minimum loss of 10 percent must be considered for all age groups.

sale

As a rule, large farms do not sell animals before they are three years old. After three years, 2.5-year-old bucks start at $10,000. Seeds are usually sold. Given the genetic potential of the farm’s breeder bucks, seed prices can range from $300 to $1,500 per straw and even higher, depending on antler size.

Eric A. DeVuyst

associate professor

Institute of Agricultural Economics