Farm animal protein v/s deer protein
Whitetail Deer
I'd like to hear from anyone who has experience using farm animal protein pellets to feed deer. I realize that many of the popular farm feed producers, such as Purina Mills, also sell deer specific protein pellets and charge more with a picture of a buck on the package. I've read that dairy cow protein as well as goat protein works just a well and and is a lot cheaper. I'd like to hear your experience good or bad. Thanks
I put out salt blocks and protein blocks for my cattle and the deer use them regularly. I would think the goat protein would be very good as deer and goat are very similar in diet.
A lot of pricing involves marketing to our heads and not to facts. Take sea salt for example. Look at what people pay for that. Where do they think salt that's not labeled "sea" originated?
I go to the farm supply place to buy my lawn fertilizer. Works fine and is cheaper.
deer will utilize livestock mineral blocks and I have also seen them eating bulk mineral from animal feeders. Animal specific [deer] feed may be better for them from a dietary perspective. I have never seen deer eat livestock feed pellets or even alfafla cubes but have seen them eat dry alfafla hay. If you are just interested in protein stick with good old corn, especially if you are providing mineral
A local feed producer in my area that also blends deer feeds said the typical Mare and Colt feed is basically the same. It has a different label and is half the cost.
I'd have to respectfully disagree with you on the corn being a good source of protein for the deer, aceout. Way more carbs than protein. Soybeans have more protein for them than corn, however, beans are more expensive. Not sure which farm animal feed would be the most compatible for deer.
You have to remember that most livestock mineral is to get them to drink more and put on weight,usually higher amounts of sodium and may even have too high of amounts of selenium.Check out the mineral that John at grandparays
corn,mineral block,12% sweet feed for horses..
I'll put out corn mid summer to bring them in for the sugar and carb fix,,sweet feed for the season..corn again before a snow storm
OP what are you trying to accomplish ? Are you using this as a attractant or are you trying to grow bigger healthier deer ?
There is very little data out there on substituting farm animal proteins with deer protein. I imagine its because most everyone assumes if has a picture of a deer on the bag it must work better than farm animal protein LOL!!! I may not find any hard or reliable info on this topic. It may just be something I have to find out thru experience. Thanks
Protein is protein for ruminants. If calves and sheep and goats can utilize the protein, so can deer. Many times I will use 3/8" 20% breeder cubes and the deer eat them just fine. And they are $1.5 cheaper per bag.
The reason I normally use the smaller cattle cubes is that in this area, it is hard to find sheep and goat pellets without being medicated for coccidia.
That's the thing if you are going to do this. Make sure there is no mediation in the pellets. God Bless
Deer mixes and packaging are simply a gimmick to sell to those with no knowledge of ruminant nutrition. Save your money.
Protein is protein?? Except when its a prion or precursor to CWD or Scrapie. When protein from brains, contaminated placentas, etc. is fed to ruminants that's how the weird diseases may have started...
Shouldn't they always be eat protein from a plant source? That's how they were designed, otherwise would have been omnivores.
However, fossil evidence shows deer had fangs at one time and reports of today's deer eating small animals like rodents, birds or even eggs aren't that uncommon.
Some food (protein containing) for thought.
Tonybear61, If the feed is intended for a ruminant such as cattle, it will not have any meat or bone meal in it. This means that there is no SPM (specified risk material) in it. I have worked in the feed business for over 30 years and things have changed with respect to what is allowed in feeds. Here in Canada CFIA can trace all the feed from the cereal growers, all protein suppliers etc. right through the feed mills to the end users. If you buy any ruminant feed it will be prion free. Poultry feed will not be the same as it may contain meat or pork meal.
True for "bought feed", but farmers can be frugal and use their own materials for feed.
That said as you pointed out its good the industry does change their practices once a risk is identified.
Never mind..... I thought we were talkin' about eatin' em......
Mercy, I do believe there is more misinformation on this thread than I've seen in a while.
"Protein is protein?? Except when its a prion or precursor to CWD or Scrapie. When protein from brains, contaminated placentas, etc. is fed to ruminants that's how the weird diseases may have started... "
And where are you buying a sack of feed that has any of those in it? Not in the US. The protein in deer feed and cattle/sheep/goat feed bought in the US will have plant based protein. Not sure how your post speaks to the purpose of this thread.
The main thing we lack in this area is protein. Forage generally has enough energy and everything else, so protein is what I am after to supplement deer with. The deer breeders want a complete feed and for that "deer pellets" are probably the best because EVERYTHING they get comes out of a bag or a bale. But free range deer just need a helping hand and that is all I am after. Bottom line is try a bag of each and pour them out side by side and see what gets eaten
Thanks for all who posted. I'm new to supplemental feeding and I'm starting at ground zero. Like anything else, I'll try and learn as much as I can before starting this June. There appears to be several good deer supplements on the market but they do seem pricey. Two that I have been reading reviews on are BB2 and AntlerMAx. What I may end up doing is mixing a cheaper farm animal supplement protein, as long as their is no medication in it, with one of the pricey deer specific supplements. Of course there is always corn as a carb supplement during the fall and winter as well. Thanks again
LKH - "Where do they think salt that's not labeled "sea" originated?"
Umm..... the ground?
