Goat feed as supplemental feed for deer

[Mideighties]

Would like to hear pros and cons of using goat feed as supplemental for deer. Will deer eat it? Is it good for them? Anybody know of any extensive research that has been done by a reputable biologist or deer manager as to its viability for a supplemental feed for deer?

 

[ilbcnu]

Dabbled with it for a couple years and deer ate it if nothing else available. Molds quickly and will clog and ball up in feeders. Don’t know if moisture resistant pellets available but that’s the only problem we really had with it

 

[livinoutdoors]

Why goat feed?

 

[ilbcnu]

Never understood the goat comparison to deer. Deer more closely related to sheep

 

[ucfireman]

I used a medicated goat feed for a few years when I was feeding.
Did it late winter early spring.
I was hoping to get rid of some of the intestinal worms.
Who knows, but they would eat it.
I poured about 1/2 the bag on the ground around the feeder when no rain was expected, they would eat it in a day or 2.

I dont feed anymore so.

 

[SarahFair]

Never understood the goat comparison to deer. Deer more closely related to sheep

Interesting, and if that's the case goats and sheep do not have the same diet.
Goats are browsers, sheep's are grazers and they each need different minerals.

Goats need copper in their diets and I've seen it argued that goats and sheep can not share the same feed because the copper in goat feed will poison sheep, I've also heard that sheep will be fine on it but not to feed goats sheep feed because there isn't enough copper.

I never had sheep, but I did have to add an additional copper supplement for my goats because their feed wasn't providing enough.


This website says deer need large amounts of copper.

Unlike most other ruminants, such as cattle, sheep or goats, whitetails have a high need for copper. In fact, it's been my unpopular opinion for some time now that certain cases of chronic wasting disease in whitetails are related to copper deficiencies. Copper plays a role in a deer's formation of flexible connective tissue and in the functioning of muscles, nerves and the immune system. A copper deficiency also can cause weakened heart and blood vessels. You can see why getting the copper intake right is important.

...

On numerous occasions I've seen people act as though deer are goats or sheep and feed them accordingly. In reality, those animals can't tolerate the levels of copper needed by deer; thus, giving sheep/goat feed to whitetails can create a copper deficiency. Normally, copper should be supplied at a rate of 24-40 ppm. Deer have tolerated experimental rations with as high as 200 ppm copper, but I wouldn't recommend providing it in such large amounts.

Minerals: What Do Whitetail Need? - Part 2 - North American Whitetail

In Minerals: What Do Whitetail Need - Part One we began our look at the many minerals that play a

www.northamericanwhitetail.com

 

[livinoutdoors]

Still wanna know why bags of goat feed?

 

[NCHillbilly]

Deer have lived just fine here for about a hundred thousand years without goat food, I reckon.

 

[Mideighties]

Still wanna know why bags of goat feed?

Not advocating the use. President of my club is all about saving money and not concerned with actually giving deer what they need in a supplemental feed. I'm just doing research to find out the facts and I'm sure there are people who've tried just about everything. Facts help you persuade or dissuade on issues.

 

[C.Killmaster]

If you aren't already maximizing habitat work on the property then you are throwing money away on supplemental feed. Thinning, burning, and food plots are all significantly cheaper on a per pound basis for forage. If you can't do that sort of management due to landowner restrictions, it is possible to increase nutrition some through supplemental feed. However, most situations I've seen don't provide near enough supplemental feed to move the needle on antler growth or body weight. You really need a feeder per 100 acres that stays full all the time and adjust carbs and protein seasonally. You won't really see a measurable effect short of that.