Biology And Management Of White-tailed Deer In Alabama

and living body tissue. Many of the foods that cattle can efficiently
digest are unsuitable and inefficient for deer—fescue is a prime example.
The daily nutrient requirements of deer are very complex and
still not properly understood by researchers. Nutritional requirements
of deer include water, protein, carbohydrates, lipids (fats), minerals,
and vitamins. These nutritional requirements change throughout the
year and also vary with age and sex of the animal. Deer need about
three to six quarts of water per day (Brown 1985). Much of this water
requirement is met by moisture in the food they consume. The water
found in plant cells is known as “preformed water”. Deer may use “free
water” from ponds, streams, and even dew. Deer also use “metabolic
water” produced in their cells during metabolism. Most deer habitats
in Alabama have adequate sources of free water. Rivers, streams, and
drainage areas abound throughout most of the state. Deer may use
puddles of accumulated rainwater during periods of rain.
Protein in a deer’s diet is important for several things, including
fawn production and antler development. Bucks need a diet of at
least 16 percent protein for optimum antler growth. At fawning, does
need increased protein levels to promote sufficient lactation (milk production).
Deer are able to survive the winter months with very little
protein in their diet and with reduced total food intake. Carbohydrates
and fats are found in acorns and other hard mast, which allow deer to
store fat reserves for the winter. This process is far less critical in Alabama
than in other regions of the whitetail’s range, where harsh winter
conditions require an abundance of stored body fat.
Research on mineral requirements relative to antler growth has
yielded conflicting reports. This may be due to small sample size and
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