Nitrogen Requirements for Antler Growth and Maintenance in White-Tailed Deer

Asleson, Mark A.; Hellgren, Eric C.; Varner, Larry W.

doi:10.2307/3802373

Cited by 50 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Massive starvation can occur during snowy winters, as has already been observed at the study site (Potvin et al 1981). Crude protein requirements for maintenance of yearling or adult white-tailed deer have been estimated at 7±8% (French et al 1956), 5±6% (Holter et al 1979) or 4±5% (Asleson et al 1996). These ®gures are consistent with the 6% need proposed by Schwartz et al (1988) for maintenance of moose, but lower than the 10% requirement proposed by Short (1981) for blacktailed deer.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Food choice by white-tailed deer in relation to protein and energy content of the diet: a field experiment

et al. 1998

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Optimality models of food selection by herbivores assume that individuals are capable of assessing forage value, either directly through the currency used in the model or indirectly through other variables correlated with the currency. Although energy and protein are the two currencies most often used, controversy exists regarding their respective influence on food choice. Part of the debate is due to the difficulty of teasing apart these two nutrients, which are closely correlated in most natural forages. Here we offer a test of the assumption that energy and protein contents of the forage are both currencies that large mammalian herbivores can use when selecting their food. We observed feeding behavior of 47 wild white-tailed deer (Odocoileusvirginianus) during winter while individuals were presented with four experimental foods representing two levels of energy and protein (dry matter digestibility: 40-50%; crude protein: 12-16%). Using experimental foods allowed us to separate the influences of energy and protein and clearly distinguish between the roles of these two nutrients. Deer discriminated between foods through partial selection, and selected diets higher in energy but lower in protein. The observed choices appeared consistent with physiological needs of deer wintering at the study site, where digestible energy was in short supply in the natural environment while protein was probably not. Results are in good agreement with recent findings on domesticated ruminants. They support a basic assumption of optimality models of food selection that use energy and/or protein as a currency, although the physiological mechanisms behind the food selection process remain unclear. We urge students of food selection by herbivores to replicate our experiment with other foods and/or in other circumstances before more general conclusions are drawn.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

Food choice by white-tailed deer in relation to protein and energy content of the diet: a field experiment

et al. 1998

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“…Most vegetation analyses did not meet these requirements and generally the only vegetation that did were fertilized. Asleson et al (1996) found that 9.9% crude protein in vegetation is required for white-tailed deer growth and Robbins (1983) found that 6-9% crude protein is needed for adult maintenance. All vegetation at both Wallowa sites and shrubs during mid-summer at the New Meadows ponderosa pine site basically met the requirement for growth regardless of treatment and all vegetation met the maintenance requirement except for grasses at the Goldendale mixed-conifer site regardless of treatment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Protein is important in wildlife and range animals for a variety of reasons including the production of enzymes, hormones, and antibodies against disease, and as a principal constituent of organs and skin (Holechek et al, 1995). An approximation of crude protein content is % N Â 6:25 (Asleson et al, 1996). Estimates of percent crude protein by site, sampling period, and life form were calculated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of multi-nutrient fertilization on understory vegetation nutrient concentrations in inland Northwest conifer stands

VanderSchaaf

Moore

Kingery

2004

Forest Ecology and Management

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“…On the other hand, deer avoid excessive protein content during winter (Berteaux et al, 1998). In northern cervids, somatic growth slows in winter (Suttie & Webster, 1995), and as a result, the demand for protein also diminishes (Aslenson, Hellgren & Varner, 1996). In addition, deer recycle nitrogen efficiently (Robbins et al, 1974).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Winter foraging strategy of white-tailed deer at the northern limit of its range

et al. 2005

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In winter ungulates must compete for forage of low quality that may be energetically costly to obtain due to high locomotion costs associated with snow. We hypothesized that white-tailed deer would select plant species and plant parts to maximize their net energy budget based on snow conditions and forage availability. We predicted that as winter progress or under deep snow conditions, deer would 1) reduce selectivity, 2) enlarge bite size, and 3) increase cropping rate. For three winters, we studied white-tailed deer found in the Pohénégamook wintering area (southeastern Québec), at the northeastern periphery of the species range. Utilization rates of plant species varied in relation to fibre contents but were not related to protein, ash, or phenolic contents, suggesting that energy represented the key nutritive element during winter. Deer were less selective as winter progressed and snow depth increased. Deer consumed all available plant species, but their foraging strategy was centred around deciduous twigs; deer were reluctant to increase the amount of coniferous twigs in their diet. However, snow conditions affected diet composition. During a very mild winter, deer reduced their intake of balsam fir and consumed some species that were likely unavailable when snow was deep. Bite size increased over the winter, whereas cropping rate increased with snow sinking depth. To cope with changing locomotion costs in snow, white-tailed deer adjusted three variables: travelling distance, forage intake, and cropping rate.Résumé : En hiver, les ongulés font face à une compétition intense pour une nourriture de faible qualité dont le coût d'acquisition peut être élevé lorsque les conditions d'enneigement entravent leurs déplacements. Nous désirions tester l'hypothèse selon laquelle le cerf de Virginie choisit les espèces végétales et les parties des plantes de manière à maximiser son bilan énergétique net en tenant compte des conditions d'enneigement et de la disponibilité de la nourriture. Nous avons prédit qu'à mesure que l'hiver progresse, ou lorsque les conditions de neige entravent les déplacements, les cerfs devraient : i) être moins sélectifs, ii) augmenter la taille de leurs bouchées et iii) accroître leur taux de préhension des ramilles. Durant trois hivers, nous avons étudié le cerf de Virginie dans l'aire d'hivernage de Pohénégamook (sud-est du Québec), à la périphérie nord-est de l'aire de répartition de l'espèce. Le taux d'utilisation des espèces végétales a varié en fonction de leur contenu en fibres mais il n'était pas relié à leur teneur en protéines, en cendres et en phénols, ce qui suggère que l'énergie représente l'élément clef de l'alimentation hivernale. Les cerfs sont devenus moins sélectifs avec l'avancement de l'hiver et lorsque l'enfoncement dans la neige a augmenté. Les cerfs ont consommé toutes les espèces disponibles mais ils ont évité d'accroître la proportion de ramilles de conifères dans leur diète. Les conditions de neige ont cependant influencé leur régime alimentaire. Durant un hiver très ...

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Nitrogen Requirements for Antler Growth and Maintenance in White-Tailed Deer

Cited by 50 publications

References 16 publications

Food choice by white-tailed deer in relation to protein and energy content of the diet: a field experiment

Food choice by white-tailed deer in relation to protein and energy content of the diet: a field experiment

The effect of multi-nutrient fertilization on understory vegetation nutrient concentrations in inland Northwest conifer stands

Winter foraging strategy of white-tailed deer at the northern limit of its range

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