How Do Deer Use Nutrients

Although antler growth, from pedicle development to velvet shedding, takes about 100 days on average, feeding for antler growth is a 365-day a year job.  So let’s step through how a deer uses nutrients from late March through to early March the next year and how that bears on nutrient requirements.  

In March and April as pedicle development starts, the buck needs amino acids from protein and minerals which can come from the buck’s diet.  During antler growth from pedicle to the forked antler stage, the buck pull amino acids from the diet, but minerals start to come from bone reserves as well. 

During the rapid growth phase of antler development, late June through mid-August, the buck cannot consume enough amino acids or minerals to meet the maximum possible antler growth rate, so the buck has to pull from bone and body reserves.  If there are not ample reserves to pull from, maximum antler production will not be obtained. The main beam could have a smaller diameter and points could be reduced in size or number of points off the main beam could be reduced. 

By the end of August or September when antler growth is complete for the season and velvet is shed, antler growth and hence nutrient demand for their growth is done.