Can deer obtain minerals from plants?
Filed under: Deer Biology, Minerals
You are the MAN! I really enjoying learning from your words and actions and I greatly appreciate the time and effort you take to bestow your knowledge on people. I have many many question to ask you and would one day like to come and fellowship with you in Missouri.
Since deer are ruminants(like cattle and goats) and have different digestive systems than humans do they get any minerals at all from the food they ingest or does it all come through they way of ingesting soils?
If they do get some from lets say a food plot you have planted, it would make it even more important to have your calcium and phosphorous levels in your soil at optimum levels to make sure that plant isn’t deficient in those so it would benefit both plant and animal.
Nutrition has always been very interesting to me in both humans and wildlife. I have a very strong interest in wildlife conservation and being a steward of the land. Just enjoying God’s creation right? Thanks Dr. Woods in advance and God Bless.
Garrett
Garrett,
I hope you do join us for one of our Field Events! I’d enjoy visiting with you.
There’s way more research about cattle mineral needs than deer. This is because cattle are much easier to research than wild, free-ranging whitetails. I’m confident there’s some overlap between how cattle and deer can obtain minerals.
The University of Georgia does some great research. The following is from The University of Georgia.
Beef cattle require a number of minerals for optimal growth and reproduction. Selecting the correct mineral supplement is important for maintaining healthy animals, and optimal growth and reproduction. Since high-quality forages and/or grains can furnish a large portion of the required minerals, producers should select supplements that will meet animal requirements and avoid excesses that reduce profits and lead to unnecessary mineral excretion. Minerals not provided by feed can be easily and inexpensively supplied with a simple mineral supplement. A good mineral program for brood cows should cost about $10 to $20 per year. This bulletin provides information on basic mineral nutrition for most forage and feeding programs in Georgia.
Minerals essential to cattle nutrition are classified as either macrominerals or microminerals, depending on whether they are found at levels greater than or less than 100 parts per million (ppm) in the animal’s body.
This and other research is why I use Trophy Rock’s Four65. Deer rarely require a high volume of minerals but do require a lot of different trace minerals. Trophy Rock has 60+ trace minerals is almost the exact same concentration as found in mammal’s blood.
I don’t wish to gamble that all the trace minerals deer at my place need are available in the forage so I keep Trophy Rock’s Four65 out year round.
Enjoy creation,
grant
October 30, 2015
