Being raised a farm kid, I
would like to consider myself fairly handy when it comes to building or fixing
things. Give me a chunk of wood and I can build (or at least cobble together)
just about anything. On the other hand, hook me up with a 220-volt metal-melting
apparatus called a welder, and I and anyone around me will be lucky to escape with
their lives. I remember my only welding experience. I was building brackets for
shop shelves, and after an hour’s worth of feverish work, I tested the new
shelf with one quart of oil and watched the entire shelving system crash to the
ground.
So although welding is not my forte, I know a
few terms I can throw out if I'm with some hard-nosed metal melters. I can say,
“Yep, smooth bead on that weld” or maybe, “You need the right welding rod for
the job.” I really don't know what much of that means, but it sounds good, and
unless you are pulled in the deep end of the pool by a real welder, you have
decent chance of keeping your man card. The point is that you might know a
couple of terms associated with the subject matter, but beyond that, the knowledge
well dries up and you're winging it. If I asked you what you know about deer
minerals — in terms of what they are comprised of and why — I would wager that
many people would throw out things like calcium, salt or maybe even phosphorus.
And regarding the why question, I'm sure the largest percentage of answers
would be to grow big antlers or attract deer to a specific area. If you
answered in any of these fashions, you would be correct. Calcium, salt and
phosphorus are major parts of most deer minerals and a result of using them —
if you use one formulated correctly — would be increased antler growth and deer
attracted to the site. There’s little wonder that these are terms that most
people are somewhat familiar with, because this is how most deer minerals are
advertised and marketed. However, this is only a part of the deer mineral story.
There are many other components, all of which are vital to the effectiveness of
a deer mineral and, in most cases, these other components are the difference
between an effective product and one that lacks results.
What Are Minerals, and Where Do They
Come From?
Before we go into detail on the lesser-known
players involved in a deer mineral, it’s important to have a good understanding
of what minerals are and where they come from. Minerals are defined as
inorganic crystalline chemical elements and originate in the soil. In general, minerals
are broken into two categories: macro minerals and trace minerals. Macro
minerals are those needed in larger quantities for normal body functions and
consist of elements such as calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride, magnesium
and potassium. Micro minerals are the second category and are defined as
minerals needed in smaller quantities but nonetheless needed for proper body
function. Commonly used trace minerals found in deer minerals are copper, zinc,
iron, manganese, iodine, selenium and cobalt. It is this category that folks
discuss least and often know less about. A soil’s specific mineral content
depends on the type of rock formations in the area. For example, one source of
calcium is limestone, so theoretically, an area with large amounts of limestone
deposits should also contain a large amount of calcium in the soil. Age of the soil
is another critical factor to mineral content. Newly formed soils, such as
those formed by glacial movement, are typically high in many minerals, as
glacial movement grinds rocks and then deposits the minerals when they recede.
Agricultural practices will have a large impact on mineral content, as will
erosion.
Why Are Mineral Supplements Needed?
Minerals are used by vegetation as it pulls
mineral from the soil to support growth and reproduction. They are replenished
through the slow process of rock degradation, the faster process of degradation
of organic materials and the even faster process of manual fertilization. Mineral
content can also be positively or negatively affected by soil shifting through
water or wind erosion and many other processes. Animals get mineral from
consuming vegetation, consuming other animals or getting it directly from the
soil. Although some soils are richer in minerals than others, nearly every soil
is lacking in one or more essential minerals. As vegetation pulls minerals from
the soil, replenishment is needed by one of the aforementioned methods. If the soil
does not naturally have the types of rock formations to supply specific
minerals, that soil will be low in that specific mineral(s). Further, heavy
agricultural practices will deplete minerals from the soil, and those must be
replaced consistently through fertilization. But even then, most agricultural
fertilizing practices do not cover all of the mineral categories. So what you
end up with, even in fertile soils, is a lack of sufficient amounts of one or
more minerals to produce maximum results in the deer herd. The critical word is
“maximum.” If mineral supplements are not used, does this mean the deer herd
will suffer high levels of mortality? That's possible but not likely. What will
occur is lower body weights, decreased milk production and decreased antler
growth, as well as many other symptoms. One example is a ranch I worked with in
Texas that ran a low-fence, free-range hunting operation. Deer there continually
suffered from broken racks — more than what would be expected. A soil analysis
showed several mineral deficiencies that were likely causing an antler density
issue. A mineral supplement can help to fix problems like that outfitter was
having. Most of us who practice deer management are not just trying to have the
deer herd survive but rather want deer to exhibit their full genetic potential,
which cannot be done if there are mineral deficiencies in the diet. If you
question this, you might want to ask why cattlemen give free-choice mineral to
their cows on pasture, even in areas with productive soil. Because it has been
proven that doing so will increase milk production, body weights and calf
growth. It has also been shown to improve breeding success. So if we take a
whitetail deer that produces nutrient-rich milk or grows bone on its head, and
we recognize that the requirement for mineral is higher (percentage of diet) than
that of a beef cow, it makes sense why a mineral supplement would be beneficial
and produce results.
Trace Minerals: The Forgotten Group
The title of this article is “Minerals — The
Untold Story.” As we discussed, most people have heard of the macro minerals
such as calcium, phosphorus, salt (sodium chloride) and maybe even magnesium and
potassium. But most people do not have a very good understanding of the
importance of trace minerals. If you look at a label for a deer mineral and
compare a couple of products, you might see that they have similar macro
mineral levels. However, a difference in trace mineral levels is typically
found and can clearly distinguish the effectiveness of one product over
another. That’s not to say that more is necessarily better, but it’s one
indicator. But other factors need to be considered, such as trace mineral
source, as some sources (compounds) are more digestible/available than others,
and the ratios at which the trace minerals are blended. I will not go into a
lot of detail on the ratios, as it would take an entire other article, but
suffice to say, if you have too much of one trace mineral compared to another,
it can affect the effectiveness of the entire mineral formula. Trace minerals
have many functions, some of which are directly related to antler growth, and
some of which are indirectly related to antler growth. Keep in mind that antlers
are secondary characteristics of a buck, so his body weight and health have to
be maximized for antler growth to be maximized. Some trace minerals are
involved in enzyme activity, which affects digestion that affects body weight
and that has been shown to affect antler size. Further, some trace minerals are
involved in immunity, which affects health, overall body condition and
eventually antler size. Still others are used directly for antler production.
Regardless, trace minerals will most definitely have an effect.
Copper
Copper is one of the trace minerals that is directly
linked to antler production. One major function of copper is bone formation, and
considering antlers are basically bone, a direct effect can be made. Copper is
vital in collagen production, which is the major protein found in growing
antlers. Copper is also involved in hemoglobin synthesis and enzyme activity.
Copper also has been shown to produce an immune response reaction. Copper comes
in many forms, but the most common is copper sulfate. Copper sulfate is far
more bioavailable than copper oxide.
Iron
One of the major functions of iron is
hemoglobin production. The growing antler requires an extreme amount of blood
flow, as it carries nutrients to the growing tissue. Therefore, iron becomes a
main factor in the overall system. The source of iron in a mineral is very
important. Iron from iron oxide is nearly completely unavailable to deer.
Therefore, the sourcing to look for is iron sulfate. Often, iron oxide is used
as a colorant because it's inert to most animals.
Zinc
Zinc is another trace mineral that can be directly
linked to antler growth, as it's needed for bone development. Zinc is also involved
in many enzyme activities, thus being critical to overall digestion of food stuffs.
Like copper, zinc has been shown to improve immunity and is linked to hoof health
in particular. Zinc sulfate and zinc oxide are bioavailable, with the sulfate form
being slightly more available, but both are commonly used.
Cobalt
Cobalt has one major function that is considered
in ruminant diets. Cobalt is a component of vitamin B12 and is needed in the
rumen for vitamin B12 synthesis. The common sources of cobalt are cobalt carbonate
and cobalt sulfate, both of which are available and used in mineral formulation.
Manganese
Manganese is an activator to many enzyme systems
and is involved in fatty acid synthesis, and cholesterol metabolism making
manganese critical for digestive system functionality. Manganese is also one of
the trace minerals directly involved in bone (antler) growth, as it is involved
in the bone formation and growth. Typical manganese sources found in mineral
formulation are manganese sulfate and manganous oxide.
Iodine
Iodine is involved in thyroxin formation,
which is a hormone secreted by the thyroid gland. Iodine has been shown to
produce an immune response. Iodine sources include calcium iodate and EDDI.
Selenium
The major function of selenium is vitamin E
absorption and retention. In turn, vitamin E is important for proper muscle
function and reproduction and is an antioxidant. Therefore, without selenium,
vitamin E usage suffers. Interestingly, even though much is not known about
selenium, there are many soils deficient in selenium, and positive results have
been seen when selenium is supplemented in these areas. However, selenium also
has a low threshold between needs and toxicity, so you have to be very careful
not to have too high a level in the overall diet. The most common selenium
source is sodium selenite.
Fast Food Deer Minerals
When examining deer mineral supplements, you
need to be aware of the difference between products formulated with the intent
of supplying needed minerals at the right level in the right ratios, with the purpose
of improving overall deer herd productivity, versus what I call fast food deer
minerals. A fast food deer mineral is one that comes in a highly attractive,
colorful bag, typically with a very cool name. It can be highly attractive to
deer but, from a nutritional standpoint, falls far short of what is needed.
Much like a burger and fries from your favorite fast food restaurant chain, it
might taste awesome and is cleverly marketed but supplies little in terms of
quality nutrition. Not all minerals are created equal. I am not saying there is
anything wrong with a fast food deer attractant, but keep in mind that some, if
not most, are just that; an attractant and not a true mineral supplement. Most
fast food minerals are mostly salt (sodium chloride). Some have dozens of ‘minerals’
in them but if you look at the ingredient tag, they are still almost all salt.
Conclusion
Mineral supplements (where they can be
legally used) are a great tool in improving your overall herd productivity.
Reams of data prove that in domestic ruminants and thousands of field
observations from across the country have shown dramatic improvement in deer
quality when a mineral supplement is used. Of course, after reading this, you now
understand that there are dramatic differences in products, so make sure you
choose a product that has been properly formulated with the criteria we have
discussed before you make your purchase. Whitetail Institute’s deer
mineral/vitamin supplements are a great option and products I have used successfully
on my farms. Products such as 30-06 and 30-06 Plus Mineral or the trio of
Cutting Edge products were developed with the properly formulated criteria to
help deer maximize their potential. Also, you now know that the important
aspects of a deer mineral are not just calcium or salt. Trace minerals play a
valuable role and are often times overlooked by consumers and mineral
manufacturers. Now, however, you are armed with the information you need to not
only help in your purchasing decision but also with some bits of knowledge you
can repeat to your hunting buddies that will make you sound knowledgeable and
cool. I'm not sure which is the more important.
How to Properly Set Up a Mineral
Site Food plots rarely work well if you simply
walk out with a bag of seed and scatter it about without any preparation or
forethought. To have effective, heavily used mineral sites it likewise takes a
little work and forethought. First, if you have not used a mineral product on a
property, I suggest trying several test sites. For example, if you have an
80-acre farm, I would start with maybe six to eight test sites where you use
only a few pounds per site. Deer are finicky and will ignore one site and flock
to another even if it is the same product. I like to have about one site per 20
acres (maybe one per 10 acres with greater deer density) so you will eventually
end up with about four sites. It is best to have them spread out evenly across
the property, but that depends on what the property looks like in terms of
cover, food and other factors. In the end, the deer will tell you which sites
they want to use. There is not any need to hide it from the deer, so find a
heavily used trail or crossing of two trails. Back off that trail or crossing
about two to three feet and using a rake or shovel, scratch down into the dirt.
Apply the mineral directly on top of the dirt. You can also try using a mineral
feeder or trough but in most cases, deer prefer getting it right off the
ground. Mineral feeders work, but it normally takes time for the deer to get
used to them, and if there is product on the ground next to the feeder, they
will typically go for that first. I like to place sites in cover and not out in
the open and never where they can be seen by someone driving by the property.
Deer feel more comfortable in cover than in the open and there is no need to
tempt a passerby. When you have found the sites the deer prefer, stick with
those sites year after year. Studies have shown that when a doe finds a site,
it will bring its fawns back to that site, thus training the offspring to use
that area even after they go off on their own.
