|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,295 Likes: 17
Campfire Ranger
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,295 Likes: 17 |
Do any of you guys use cottonseed, or cottonseed pellets as supplemental feed for your whitetails or muleys? I've heard there's nothing better, and have seen some that is 27% protein. We don't have high fences.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 796
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 796 |
Cottonseed is good in certain portions. There are studies out of Texas A&M that show that too much cottonseed can actually deterioate antler development in whitetails.
"Its a Model 70 thing, you probably wouldn't understand!"
The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other.
-Ronald Reagan
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
On the ranches I worked on, we had both available. In our research enclosures, it was just the pelleted feeds. When comparing our fed vs. unfed enclosures (200 acres with native brush, 12 total enclosures with varying density treatments) there is no doubt the feed made for larger bodied deer, larger antlers, more fawn production, better fawn survival, earlier pregnancies, earlier year of first reproduction (much more fawns and yearlings getting pregnant), more nontypical racks, and probably some other stuff. It works, but it's expensive and you have set up the feeders so that pigs and javelinas can't get in them. Also, the trough style feeders will get rain in them and really make a nasty mess of things.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,105
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,105 |
Some of the big ranch high fence ranches around here in Mason,Texas have their own high protein blended feeds with a deer wormer mixed in.I've talked to a few of them,they tell me the wormer has added 5-10 percent more antler growth.We added snow peas to our corn,it's something like 16% protein.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,974 Likes: 11
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 29,974 Likes: 11 |
Getting dietary protein over 9 or 10% is just peeing money down the drain. They need it primarily to keep the digestive process going. Also, ruminants are quite good at recycling nitrogen in their systems. Animals given extra protein every 4 to 5 days do as well as those getting a daily dose.
Excess protein is either pissed on the ground and/or coverted to an expensive source of energy.
1Minute
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,295 Likes: 17
Campfire Ranger
|
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,295 Likes: 17 |
On the ranches I worked on, we had both available. In our research enclosures, it was just the pelleted feeds. When comparing our fed vs. unfed enclosures (200 acres with native brush, 12 total enclosures with varying density treatments) there is no doubt the feed made for larger bodied deer, larger antlers, more fawn production, better fawn survival, earlier pregnancies, earlier year of first reproduction (much more fawns and yearlings getting pregnant), more nontypical racks, and probably some other stuff. It works, but it's expensive and you have set up the feeders so that pigs and javelinas can't get in them. Also, the trough style feeders will get rain in them and really make a nasty mess of things. This is exactly what I've been told several times. I'm looking for something the muleys will eat, and this seems to be the ticket. Was your experience with mule deer/whiteys, or both? This pelletized cottonseed feed can be had for significantly less money around here than commercial protein deer feed. Thanks for the info.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264
Campfire Tracker
|
|
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 6,264 |
Raider, my study was with whitetails down near Carrizo Springs on the Faith and Comanche Ranches working for Texas A&M-Kingsville. 1Minute also has a good point in that it isn't just the protein level that matters.
"For some unfortunates, poisoned by city sidewalks ... the horn of the hunter never winds at all" Robert Ruark, The Horn of the Hunter
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 18,881
Campfire Ranger
|
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 18,881 |
I'd bet that the deer worming additions had alot to do with that. One of the big reasons why my desert bucks get so big, grow such large antlers and live so long is their very low parasite loads. E
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 108
Campfire Member
|
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 108 |
JG, I have not personally used cottonseed for deer protein. However, the TPW biologist here does recommend it as an excellent source for protein. I have seen on some neighboring ranches where they use it. They build a cylinder about 3' in diameter out of V-mesh wire and stake it vertically, and fill it with "fuzzy" cottonseed. The deer love it and and the wire prevents the cattle from getting it. I don't think a hog will eat it but don't know about javeline. The "fuzzy" seed should be readily available in West Texas.
Amigo
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,194
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 2,194 |
JGR, Like amigo I don't have any personal experience using cottonseed, I checked into it about 3 years ago when I was hunting up in Hall county. It is supposed to be very high in digestible protein and at that time was substantially less expensive than commercial feeds. Here are a couple pictures of feeders made from v-mesh along the lines of what amigo described. I understand that some people have started using hog panels or cattle panels as they are stronger than the v-mesh. ![[Linked Image]](http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee39/pocred/csfeeder1.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee39/pocred/csfeeder2.jpg)
NRA Member
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,887 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,887 Likes: 1 |
Before you get too excited about this reread 1minute's post. He speaks the truth.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,767
Campfire Regular
|
|
Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,767 |
Any effect on buck sperm production with cotton seed? In bovine bulls its known to decrease sperm count.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,295 Likes: 17
Campfire Ranger
|
|
OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 28,295 Likes: 17 |
That's the first thing I wanted to know. This particular feed I've looked at has .07% Gasapol (sp?), which is what, I'm told, is the key to sterility. Being this low I'm told it's not an issue.
It is irrelevant what you think. What matters is the TRUTH.
|
|
|
|
|
164 members (338rcm, 160user, 300_savage, 44mc, 470Evans, 35, 13 invisible),
1,932
guests, and
1,086
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,194,326
Posts18,526,494
Members74,031
| |
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|
