CONGRATULATIONS

TO ALL 2008

STOCK SHOW WINNER'S !

FEEDING DEER BY SEASON
FROM LARRY VARNER, PH.D.--LAND O'LAKES PURINA FEED

Deer change their diet patterns and adjust their metabolism as seasons and conditions change. By
anticipating their needs, you can produce more robust deer and help reduce mortality.

Winter

To conserve energy as the weather gets colder, deer instinctively reduce their activity levels, including
even searching for food. Voluntary feed intake plummets to nearly half. Lack of shelter, wet and windy
conditions or physical disturbances by humans or predators often result in a deer die off. But research
shows that a winter feeding program can greatly reduce mortality.

Autumn

The best way to ensure healthy body condition for harsh winter months is with good nutrition during the
summer and autumn. Offering a high quality, palatable diet will help reduce wasted energy on foraging.
It can be tempting to rely on corn for this purpose, however it may cause digestive disturbances and is
very low in the protein and minerals deer need.

Spring & Summer

Spring and summer are also periods of high nutrient demand. Males are growing antlers, so protein and
minerals in the diet are particularly important. Females are in late gestation, fawning and then lactation.
Undernourished does will sacrifice fetal growth to maintain their own body condition. Malnutrition during
pregnancy will lead to a greater number of stillbirths.

But with a proper nutrition program, including products such as AntlerMax with patented Protein and
Mineral Technology, deer increase their chances of remaining healthy and strong for years to come.