Calcium Requirements of Weaned White-Tailed Deer Fawns

Abstract

Two experiments, involving 51 fawns of both sexes, were conducted to define the quantitative dietary requirements of calcium for growing white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus). Doe fawns were fed their respective diets from September to late January. Buck fawns received their respective diets from September for approximately 1 year. Dietary phosphorus concentration was held constant at 0.25 to 0.27 percent. Dietary calcium concentrations were 0.22, 0.38, and 0.62 percent in Experiment l and 0.18, 0.29 and 0.40 percent in Experiment 2. The lowest level of calcium in both experiments resulted in signifi- cantly (P <0.05) lower weight gains during the second half of the study. Treatment differences in weight gain, serum alkaline phosphatase activity, serum calcium concentration, bone strength and compo- sition, and antler composition supported the conclusion that 0.40 percent dietary calcium in the presence of 0.25 to 0.27 percent phosphorus wa;s adequate for normal development.