Hay/alphalpha mix for deer ??

[lew]

Hey guys, I have lots of deer on my property every morning and evening, infact upwards of 20 some days, and I'm gonna start putting feed out for them. A local farmer has bales of hay mixed with alphalpha that he feeds to his cows and horses that I can get very cheap, but I don't know if deer would eat it or not, but I'm assuming they would.

 

My neighbor puts out grain everyday and they really like that stuff but I just wanted to offer something different.

 

I'm gonna pick up 1 bale on Tuesday to try it out and if they like it I'll get more, but I was just wondering if anybody here knew for sure if they'd eat it ??

 

The last couple mornings there's been a big buck standing just 100' from the house watching his harem feed but sofar there hasn't been enough daylight to get a decent picture of him but I'm sure the day will come...hopefully.

[Twocoda]

Having farmed deer and elk for years...i can assure you they will eat it...the only thing that might make them turn their heads to it would be if it has gone moldy look for blackness in the hay)...then they will not touch it ..

 

get some good pics...

[Old Man]

Trust me, they will eat it. They love the grain because of the high energy but will only be able to eat so much. Then they look for high fiber feed like hay to fill up on.

They would also love it if you bought a mineral block or salt lick at a feed store.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Old Man

[Roy]

They'll bloat...give them anything but alphalpha.

[lew]

Thanks guys, that's what I was hoping to hear !!

 

Anything else you can think of, relatively inexpensive, that I could also put out for them ??

 

I'm not a hunter and really enjoy watching them and sharing my place with them and if I can help them out anyway thru the long cold winters, it'll be my pleasure.

[lew]

They'll bloat...give them anything but alphalpha.

 

Sorry Roy, we were posting at the same time.

 

Any idea why it would bloat the deer when the farmers say it works well for their critters ??

[bushart]

I know this is always backed with good intentions but unless there's 5 feet of snow I would maybe pass on feeding wild deer. Ultimately your call but there has been concerns.

 

I believe the MNR would back this up.

[Old Man]

Sorry Roy, we were posting at the same time.

 

Any idea why it would bloat the deer when the farmers say it works well for their critters ??

 

 

Bloat associated with Alfalfa primarily occurs when grazing cattle on pasture with a high concentration of alfalfa to grass and when the alfalfa is young. Cut as hay with hard grasses such as brome or tmiothy in the mix, it should pose no problems. If the farmer is feeding horses with this hay, it will pose no risk to deer.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Old Man

[Woodsman]

If you start feeding them you must be committed to it for the rest of the winter. Your herd may increase & your costs also.

To start only to give up a few weeks to a month later will only cause more harm than good.

Unless their stressed I'd leave well enough alone.

Edited December 26, 2010 by Woodsman

[aplumma]

Lew see if you can get some Timothy hay or Orchard hay it is closer to what deer should eat. Alfalfa hay is great for cows but tough on deer,horses,and goats (25% or higher will bloat them). The deer are used to eating leafy vegetation and if the hay you feed is mostly chafe (the part of hay other than the head) it can give them bulk in their belly but little to no nutritional value. If you want to get a mineral block at the local feed store that will bring the deer in to see and give them all they help they need from humans. If the deer are starving you will notice them barking the trees and you will see plants close to the house eaten to the ground.

 

Art

[Big Cliff]

Sorry, hit the wrong button:

 

Lew this is from the MNR site.

 

DEER FEEDING NOT NECESSARY THIS WINTER

The Ministry of Natural Resources reminds you that it is not necessary to feed local deer this

winter. There is abundant natural food available this year such as twigs and foliage.

The ministry asks people not to feed deer because:

• Using the wrong feed can result in digestive problems. People may inadvertently do

more harm than good through improper feeding practices.

• Feeding may encourage more deer in an area than the habitat can support. This can

result in poor reproduction, smaller fawns, and, ultimately, higher winter mortality

rates.

• Deer-vehicle collisions often occur as deer cross roads to and from feeders. Deer

that come to feeders may lose their natural fear of humans and become a problem in

summer gardens.

• A concentration of deer around artificial feeders can tempt natural predators of deer

such as wolves to change their natural habits and come closer to populated areas.

• Concentrating deer in an area increases the risk of disease transmission between

animals. Although Chronic Wasting Disease has not been found in Ontario, there

are concerns that encouraging concentrations of deer increases the risk and speed

of disease transmission. In other areas of North America where Chronic Wasting

Disease is a concern, concentrating deer at feeding stations is discouraged.

Deer can store fat in the summer months and successfully process that fat in the winter,

adding natural foods as needed. If deer become dependent on artificial feed, their metabolic

rate increases and they need even more food. When artificial feeding stops, deer can die

from the resulting stress. In areas where natural food is plentiful, supplemental feeding may

do more harm than good.

For more

[chilli]

I know this is always backed with good intentions but unless there's 5 feet of snow I would maybe pass on feeding wild deer. Ultimately your call but there has been concerns.

 

I believe the MNR would back this up.

I agree. Please don't feed the deer. They are already there for your pleasure, there's no need to turn them into pets. I mean this in the nicest way but it's in the deer's best interest. Not only that but if your not into hunting you don't want deer crowding around or becoming dependent on visits to your property. You'll be surrounded by hunters next season.

 

There must be a reason they're visiting now. Take some pictures and enjoy the wild as the wild. Our interference is why hunting is so necessary these days.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/FW/2ColumnSubPage/STEL02_168419.html

Edited December 26, 2010 by chilli

[Carp]

I usually put out some corn and apples. Smaller apples are easier for them to bite into.

You can buy 40kg bags of corn for about $12 at feed supply stores. Cracked corn is easier for them to chew than whole kernels.

A guy I know buys big sacks of carrots to feed the deer, but I've never actually seen them eating the carrots myself.

 

One of the guys I deer hunt with told me to try something called "sweet feed". I haven't tried it yet, but you should be able pick it up at the same feed supply stores.

 

If there's an apple orchard nearby, ask if you can pick up some of the apples that are on the ground. Even when they start rotting, the scent will attract deer. Some places may charge a few dollars for a bushell. I used to get them for free at an orchard 20min. from home. The new owners want $5 a bushell, which is still a good deal. You could also pick a few apples up from wild trees if you know of any in the area.

 

 

[irishfield]

Drop by the house at 5am Remo... you'll see as many as 6 bucks at a time eating carrots!! To bad for Marty they're smart enough to leave before sunrise! lol

 

I said it last year Lew.. .don't feed them, your neighbour shouldn't be doing it either. Sumptin about screwin with Mother nature...

[Blue Lk]

My GF has 4 horses & there is allways hay in the pasture,she also has 100+ acres with lots of deer.We have never seen the deer eat any hay.We see deer allmost daily but never near the hay.

The hay is mainly Timothy,I can't comment on Alfafa.

[Old Man]

There's a lot of different view points on the ethics or practicality of feeding deer in the winter. The original question of this thread was whether "whitetail deer would eat alfalfa/grass mixed hay. The answer is yes and safely. Alfalfa hay and pure alfalfa pellets, as well, are used by various wildlife biologist in studies of all type of ungulates including deer. Below is a description of the methods use by the Starkey Project, which is a long term study into the interaction of ungulates such as deer and elk and the practices of agriculture, forestry and recreation industries in the state of Oregon.

 

 

WINTER FEEDING PROCEDURES

During the winter months deer and elk are fed to maintain a consistent body condition regardless of weather. Deer are fed 5 pounds of alfalfa hay or pellets per day and elk are fed 10 pounds of alfalfa hay or pellets per day. The average amount of hay is adjusted upward as the weather becomes colder or the snow becomes deeper. The hay and pellets are distributed in long lines throughout each pasture to prevent the larger, more aggressive males from dominating the food source. Also, deer and elk are fed separately so that elk don't dominate the food source. Pellets are also placed in feed troughs. Deer tend to utilize the pellets better than hay, and elk use both hay and pellets effectively.

 

http://www.fs.fed.us...key/index.shtml

 

 

That said. lew, your best approach and probably cheapest would be to provide the local deer population with a mineral block or salt lick.

Edited December 27, 2010 by Old Man

[lew]

Thanks for all the thoughts and info guys, but after reading the MNR link supplied by Cliff I've decided against feeding the deer.

 

There's alot of deer around here, infact when I wander thru the bush behind me there's hardly a square yard of snow that doesn't have hoof prints in it. My thoughts, and the reason for this post, were to find a good healthy food for them just to help them thru the tough months, the same way we put out bird feeders, but if the MNR are advising against it, that's all I need to hear.

[bushart]

Good Choice Lew,

 

Whitetail deer were surviving harsh winters long before we hit this continent.

 

If there's a loss---usually makes the gene pool tougher

[SmokestackLightnin]

So far it's a wise choice not to feed this year, but that could change. The other concern with feeding by a residence is they will return which may be bad news for you or your neighbours who may have a vegetable garden.

 

 

[Rattletrap2]

Smart decision Lew!

 

We get quite a few Deer around here as well, but I find it more interesting to try and get a glance at one naturally. I have resisted putting out feed for them, but did place a couple of salt licks out in the woods for them. I don't think drawing wildlife close to your home is wise at any time.

 

We had a bit of an issue with turkey at the bird feeders last winter. The buggers were within a few feet of our back door. They make a hell of a mess and it ain't natural for them to be this close.

 

Placing food close to your house can bring in unwanted critters as well.