The Math of Deer Mineral
Let’s use a 130 lb deer eating 2.7% of their body weight in dry matter = 3.5 lbs dry matter per head per day.A deer needs a minimum of 0.38% phosphorous in their diet.
If we have brassica, clover and perennial food plot sources and native browse that average 0.28% phosphorous, we need the following amount of supplemental phosphorous.
Daily browse 0.28% x 3.44 lbs of dry matter consumed per head per day of forage = 0.0096 lbs phosphorous a deer takes in.
Needed in a diet 3.5 x 0.0038 = .0133 per head per day phosphorous taken in
.0133 - .0096 = .0037 lbs phosphorous needed supplementally
.0037 / .06 lbs per head per day of deer mineral = .0616 (6.16% phosphorous needed in the deer mineral)
So you need to get a deer to eat 1 ounce per head per day of a deer mineral that is 6% phosphorous to balance themselves out.
Now moving onto salt.
A deer needs .014 lbs salt per head per day. If we use a deer mineral that they eat 1 oz of it per head per day to get their daily requirement the math is…
.014/.06 = .2333 or (23.33% salt needed in a deer mineral)
Lastly, let’s look at Zinc
We need 40 ppm of zinc in a diet. If that 130 lb deer eats 3.5 lbs dry matter per head per day here is the math. 3.5 x 40 = 140 ppm
140 ppm / .06 lbs per head per day of deer mineral = 2,333 ppms zinc needed in a deer mineral to meet their requirements
So my challenge to all of you is to actually spend money on getting something other than food foo dust. Why buy products from people who offer you 10-50% of what a deer needs for a price that is the same or more than what a reputable company offers. Why is the wildlife industry the only industry where it's ok to have illegal tags, poorly balanced products at hugely inflated prices?
I challenge you all to educate yourselves. This isn't rocket science.
Disclaimer, only use deer mineral where legal. For those who follow me, know my suggestion is to plant the proper forages and improve your soil health so that you get what a deer needs from their daily diet. It's the most healthy way and most economic way.
