I have made some deer mineral posts recently and here is also some more things to consider.
Many deer minerals on the market contain too much salt. The acceptible levels of salt in ANY free choice mineral is in the 15-25% range. Why is this? Salt encourages uptake, but if you have too much salt it will also limit consumption. Deer need salt but once they get they get to to about 1/4-1/3 oz/hd/day they will stop consumming. This is true with most ruminants. If you want to prevent an animal to lick too much of a palatable mineral, you simply add extra salt.
Many deer minerals on the market don't have enough calcium and phosphorous. Antlers are made up of 22% calcium and 11% phosphorous. The average ruminant diet also needs about a 2-1 ratio of calcium to phosphorous. The more units of calcum and phosphorous you can get into a deer, the better for antler growth, reproduction, fluid transportation and pH regulation. The biggest reason many use lower levels of phosphorous is because of the cost. It is one of the more expensive ingredients.
In Grandpa Ray's Ultimate Deer Mineral, mine lists 7% phosphorous, but because it's purified by extracting 30% of the aluminum and molybdeum from it, it really feeds like a 9% phosphorous deer mineral.
Many deer minerals are not palatable. They either aren't using a natural flavoring agent, the mineral might not have dust control on it or perhaps they aren't using other natural carriers. Grandpa Ray's has 5 flavors that are natural as well as 2 other palatability enhancers. Most companies use 1 flavor and perhaps one palatable carrier.
Many deer minerals on the market contain only enough trace minerals to meet 1/10 of an animals daily requirements for trace minerals, if the deer was consumming 1 oz/hd/day of the mineral every day. Most deer minerals aren't formulated to get that type of intake into a deer. Many companies besides using low levels of the trace minerals, they also use lower bio available versions of the traces. For example, if a company has 300 ppm zinc on their tag and uses zinc oxide, when you compare it to Ultimate deer mineral that has 3000 ppm's, Besides having 10 times the level of zinc, mine is over twice as bioavailable. I use zinc sulfate and zinc polysaccarides (time release trace minerals). So, comparing tags, mine would be 20 times more bioavailable compared to a standard 300 ppm zinc deer mineral.
So what why Grandpa Ray's Ultimate Deer Mineral besides the $1 from every bag that goes to youth hunters education and disabled hunts?
Grandpa Ray's Ultimate Deer Mineral contains the following features that makes it the top deer mineral on the market and here is why:
This product uses B&B premium monocal. 30% of the iron and aluminum is extracted using an unique process. This reduces antagonists as well as provides a lower dust product. Deer do not like anything dusty and many deer minerals on the market are.
There is the correct ratio of trace minerals to help balance a whitetail’s diet. For example, the correct ratio of zinc to copper is 4:1
This product contains yeast, probiotics and digestive enzymes that help with overall health, stimulation of digestion as well as improvement of the immune system.
This mineral contains redmonds salt, which is what trophy rock is.
This product has antimicrobial, antibacterial and anti-bad radicals in it.
It contains a salmonella, ecoli and clostridium blocker in it.
It contains chelated (time released) trace minerals that are over twice as available as the oxide form used by most of the competition.
It contains a product that helps coat the gut, as well as reduces ammonia, which increases protein conversion.
It contains a natural blend of flavors and attractants, unique to the industry.
Check your local laws to make sure if it's legal to use it in your area.