Feeding deer can be difficult at the best of times, but feeding them during a drought poses daunting challenges.
Murray Feist of Saskatchewan Agriculture said the drought has made the “somewhat tricky” business of feeding deer “pretty complicated” as producers look for feed alternatives and ways to control costs.
Unlike cattle, which have been bred and adapted over hundreds of generations to farm production, deer have a digestive system that remains more closely linked to their environment, so feeding them on a farm requires a careful balance of rations.
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The prairie droughts of the past few years have resulted in poor pastures and hay, and high-priced traditional deer feeds such as oats.
According to Saskatchewan Agriculture, in the past three years alfalfa, a staple of deer production, has risen in price by 70 percent and oats, the basis for many deer producer’s rations, is up 127 percent.
“Poor quality hay can be a problem,” he said.
The deer may browse low-end alfalfa, but Feist said obtaining a true, representative feed value from it may be difficult. Deer will browse the coarse material, leaving poor and stalky elements.
Feist told those attending the Saskatchewan Whitetail and Mule Deer Producers Association annual convention in Saskatoon last weekend that they have feed options, but the price will be high.
Oats are ideal for deer because of a balance of high levels of crude fibre, high fat and protein. As well, the starch in oats is segmented into pockets that delay its breakdown in the rumen, preventing sudden microbial and chemical imbalances.
“Supplements are way up and while they are a very good choice, at $320 to $360 a tonne it makes those difficult for a lot of folks,” he said.
The drought has also pushed pelleted feed makers to use alternative feeds and Feist said deer producers must be careful about them.
“Make sure if you have used a particular feed in the past with success that it is still the same feed today,” he said.
Other choices will be expensive as well.
Barley and wheat prices have risen and they aren’t ideal for deer, he said.
The unknown factor at this point is corn. Its price is high, but lower than other feeds. The Americans have been feeding corn to deer for years and have good results, Feist said.
Corn can be fed as a part of a ration, but more crude fibre from another source must be introduced because corn is low in the fibre necessary for the rumen to take advantage of the extra calories corn contains.
“Peas are an excellent choice. They have 5.5 percent crude fibre and 24 percent protein, an excellent balance for deer,” he said.
When feeding alternative feed, producers must ensure the animals are getting enough minerals.
“Just because free choice (minerals) are present doesn’t mean all the deer are going to (eat) them,” he said.
Minerals are generally included in pre-mixed, pelleted feeds and supplements, but when feeding whole grain alternatives, the mineral may have to be incorporated into the grain ration using molasses or other carriers.
“Supplements will stabilize feed costs at a higher price level than grain rations, but are the safest and most reliable … until the price for feed turns around, hopefully with the new crop in September, deer producers can be assured there aren’t likely going to be any cheap alternatives.”
Feist said an agrologist can usually figure out a safe ration for a herd from whatever feed producers are using.
“The good thing is that if you are feeding deer you only need 3.5 pounds of feed (per day). Elk need 14 lb., bison 24. And be glad you’re not that cattle producer down the road who needs 38 lb of the most expensive feed we’ve seen in years, each and every day.”
