# Ginned cotton seed for supplemental deer feed?



## Lip Ripper (Jan 14, 2010)

Has anyone got any information regarding cotton seed as a deer feed.  I've found alot of articles online, but I end up being more confused after reading them.  Has anyone ever tried it and what kind of results did you have.  The stuff is loaded with protein, but I think it's bad if deer over consume.  Any information would be great.  Thank you.


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## dfhooked (Jan 14, 2010)

*seed*

I am sure a few folks will chime in on this that are more knowledgable than myself. Cotton seed is very high in protein, but i think the problem lies in that it is not a digestable nutrient, therefore the protein is not a benefit to the deer. I could be mistaken here but I met with a person regarding the matter this summer and that was my take on the issue.


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## striper commander (Jan 14, 2010)

I have saw my uncle mix cotton seed mill in with cow feed before. I don't know how it would work for deer.


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## jimbo4116 (Jan 14, 2010)

Cottonseed as a Supplemental Food for Deer
BuckManager.com | Supplemental Feeding



An important component of any deer management program is ensuring the physical health of individual white-tailed deer, as well as the overall deer herd. Individual deer health is important for maintaining body mass, promoting maximum antler growth in bucks, and optimal milk production in does. Because the energy and protein requirements of deer have become more understood over the years, deer managers now focus much of their attention on meeting and even exceeding the food requirements of white-tailed deer. This can be done in either of two ways, either from native habitat or through supplemental food.        

Although protein pellets ranging from 16 to 20% protein are often offered in free-choice feeders, people often consider other sources of protein for diet supplementation. Several sources of “alternative” protein include crop seeds such as soybeans and whole cottonseed. However, cottonseed contains a compound known as gossypol, a toxic pigment the plant naturally produces and is believed to discourage consumption by animals. Gossypol can reduce reproductive ability in some mammals when consumed at high rates. Fortunately, recent research in Texas has found that white-tailed deer are not negatively effected by whole cottonseed, even when it makes up a high percentage of a deer’s diet.

LSONEWS: “We’ve done a series of independent projects,” said David Hewitt, the institute’s Stuart W. Stedman Chair for White-tailed Deer research. “We had five bucks on a 40-percent whole cottonseed diet and five bucks on pellets and chopped alfalfa from June through September. We looked at body weight, semen samples, and blood. We did not see any negative effects the first year.

The bucks on 40-percent whole cottonseed did lose some weight while the other bucks (on pellets and alfalfa) did not. Again, there were no toxic effects on the sperm or red blood cells. The bucks maintained their weight while the control group bucks gained weight. The doe weights did not change.”

And at over 22% percent crude protein, cottonseed really is a high-protein food alternative that is also rich in phosphorus, one of the most limited nutrients in native forages. And in addition to deer performing well on it, there are some other positives surrounding the feeding of whole cottonseed. Non-target species, such as feral hogs, raccoons, and other varmints do not eat cottonseed. This can help your bottom line by limiting consumption by animals other than deer.

Cottonseed is a solid choice as a supplement for whitetail because it’s high in protein and does not easily degrade in moist conditions. In fact, you can simply place it out on the ground or in a free-choice feeder. EasiFlo cottonseed has the same nutritional benefits as regular (fuzzy) whole cottonseed, but is starch-coated to improve handling. This new cottonseed flows freely and can easily be augered through traditional grain-handling equipment. Whole cottonseed as a supplemental food for deer can increase growth rates, improve fawn production, and increase antler development in bucks, but it is not a complete ration.

Whole cottonseed does lack many of the micro- and macro-nutrients that protein pellets contain. And although cottonseed has many great qualities, its availability may be limited in your area. So remember, regardless of whether you decide to supplement a deer herd through protein pellets, crop seeds, or food plots, supplements are only intended to compliment native forage, particularly during periods of stress.


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## crackerdave (Jan 14, 2010)

300mag said:


> I have saw my uncle mix cotton seed mill in with cow feed before. I don't know how it would work for deer.



Not sure about for deer,either. I _do_ know cottonseed mealcakes are killer fishbasket bait - if you can find it anymore.

Right behind you,Jimbo!

Good article.


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## jimbo4116 (Jan 14, 2010)

crackerdave said:


> Not sure about for deer,either. I _do_ know cottonseed mealcakes are killer fishbasket bait - if you can find it anymore.
> 
> Right behind you,Jimbo!
> 
> Good article.



Not unusual to see deer browsing through cotton stalks on late picked fields picking off the seed in open bolls the picker missed .  Government requires them mowed.  Want see them in mowed cotton patches, no cover.

Cottonseed meal is used in dairy and cattle feed.


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## crackerdave (Jan 14, 2010)

jimbo4116 said:


> Not unusual to see deer browsing through cotton stalks on late picked fields picking off the seed in open bolls the picker missed .  Government requires them mowed.  Want see them in mowed cotton patches, no cover.
> 
> Cottonseed meal is used in dairy and cattle feed.



Why? So it won't turn into a food plot?


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## fountain (Jan 14, 2010)

i remember david morris saying that he fed cotton seed meal on his ranch.  
with the huge amount of cotton planted around us this year i am going to look for some to try.  the only thing is that i am not quite sure what i am needing.  do i just ask for some cotton seed?


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## jimbo4116 (Jan 15, 2010)

crackerdave said:


> Why? So it won't turn into a food plot?



Boll Weevil Eradication Program.  Not actually a government program.  The farmer pays for the program, but the FSA helps implement it. 

The cotton farmer has to mow within so many days of harvest.


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## DeepweR (Jan 15, 2010)

tecomate ranch useses it. i buy a cattle feed made by godfreys called ECONO that is full of cotton seed. i feed it to the deer at my club. its $6.00 a bag. i mix it 50/50 with corn.


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## Knotwild (Jan 15, 2010)

When I was younger I worked on a farm with cattle. Cotton seed _meal_ was considered "hot" due to the amount of protein in it. A hot feed will cause the animals to eat more browse/grazing. I don't know if this is the case with deer, but I do know that on the farm I worked, high protein feeds caused the cows to eat more low quality grazing.


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## daisy102998 (Jan 15, 2010)

Cotton seed also contains a large amount of oil.  Cotton seed meal does not.  Also rumenaints like deer and cows can make their own proten if they have nitrogen source.  Thus protien make them consume more forage.  Which they convert in protien.  I was an animal science major.


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## EastALHunter (Jan 17, 2010)

*You are correct Dustin....*



dfhooked said:


> I am sure a few folks will chime in on this that are more knowledgable than myself. Cotton seed is very high in protein, but i think the problem lies in that it is not a digestable nutrient, therefore the protein is not a benefit to the deer. I could be mistaken here but I met with a person regarding the matter this summer and that was my take on the issue.



Whole cottonseed has very little by-pass protein (about 27%) compared to 43% of cottonseed meal and special oilseed meals that run up to 74% by-pass.   If you want to grow big antlers you have to feed by-pass protein sources.  A deer is only going to eat a maximum of 5 pounds of feed per day so every bite that goes in needs to be as high in by-pass as possible. The other thing you have to consider is those by-pass percentages are the % of protein that is by-pass.  Whole cottonseed is 22% total protein and of that 22%, only 5.94% is by-pass protein.  Compare that to cottonseed meal that is 41% protein and of that 41%, 17.63% is by-pass.  That is a HUGE difference.

You have to be careful when feeding small enclosure breeder deer too much by-pass because the rumen (or first stomach) on a deer needs rumen digestible protein (just the opposite of by-pass) for the microbes to remain healthy.  The rumen microbes maintain overall health of their deer but unfortunately they will also use the protein that they can digest for their own benefit - which doesn't benefit antler development very much.  By-pass protein that makes it straight to the small intestine is highly utilized for antler development and milk production in does.  Unfortunately, by-pass protein sources are expensive because beef and dairy folks love them too!  Free-range and high fence deer that have other parts of their diets beside pellets can be fed more by-pass because they get rumen digestible protein from natural browse.  And getting maximum by-pass protein is what grows bigger antlers for free-range deer.


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## alphamaxhoyt (Jan 23, 2010)

STAY AWAY from cotton seed...  AND, STAY AWAY from feed that has cotton seed in it.  Some are using cotton seed mill to raise their crude protein levels on their  feed tags so one will think they are getting a high protein feed. Cotton seed mill is cheap and will indeed give you a reading of HIGH crude protein but too much cotton seed mill in a whitetail deers diet will have adsverse effects in a mature whitetail deers ability to reach it's genetic potential.


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## crackerdave (Jan 29, 2010)

gadeerwoman said:


> Used on some ranches in Tx where the climate is a lot drier than around here and it is readily available as feed. Much rain on it and you have a huge mess. Be very careful about the stuff you may find in Ga. It could well be treated with chemicals.
> If you are looking for a supplemental protein feed than I'd stick with one formulated for deer. It's not something to start and stop on a whim. And be prepared to spend the bucks it's going to take to do it long term. If you don't have money in your pocket then put what you DO have to better use and lime and fertilize natural vegetation and quality food plots.



Good advice! 
Controlled burning will also help promote growth of natural vegetation of the type that deer _love!_ I can help with that part.


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## EastALHunter (Jan 30, 2010)

*Cottonseed meal.....*



alphamaxhoyt said:


> STAY AWAY from cotton seed...  AND, STAY AWAY from feed that has cotton seed in it.  Some are using cotton seed mill to raise their crude protein levels on their  feed tags so one will think they are getting a high protein feed. Cotton seed mill is cheap and will indeed give you a reading of HIGH crude protein but too much cotton seed mill in a whitetail deers diet will have adsverse effects in a mature whitetail deers ability to reach it's genetic potential.



is cheaper right now than soybean meal by almost $40 per ton.  They use cottonseed meal in every deer feed in Texas (and they make 3 times as much in a year as the Southeastern states combined) for a good reason - higher by-pass protein.  You can also find cottonseed meal in most every deer feed in the Southeast as well for the same very good reason and it has nothing to do with raising the protein level on the tag.  The gossypol issue is with whole cottonseed - and there's little evidence that whole cottonseed does cause problems.


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## vsudoc (Jan 30, 2010)

I have found research supporting both of your opinions(alphamax and eastal)  Some of the research tends to support the cotton seed meal product in deer feed and other research has been somewhat conflicting.  My land manager suggests limited use of the product and based on having known him for 20 yrs and followed many of his management programs, he seems to know what he is doing.  He really does help produce some large whitetails around the country without using the cotton seed product.
In fact, we had the worst ,overall ,results, with the deer herd supported by my farm, while using a  feed that had a good bit of cotton seed meal in it.


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## EastALHunter (Jan 31, 2010)

*You didn't play runningback at VSU did you?*

Or shoot an AlphaMax Hoyt? 



vsudoc said:


> I have found research supporting both of your opinions(alphamax and eastal)  Some of the research tends to support the cotton seed meal product in deer feed and other research has been somewhat conflicting.  My land manager suggests limited use of the product and based on having known him for 20 yrs and followed many of his management programs, he seems to know what he is doing.  He really does help produce some large whitetails around the country without using the cotton seed product.
> In fact, we had the worst ,overall ,results, with the deer herd supported by my farm, while using a  feed that had a good bit of cotton seed meal in it.


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## vsudoc (Jan 31, 2010)

EastALHunter said:


> Or shoot an AlphaMax Hoyt?



No, I am actually a music professor ot the University.  My land manager, Chad Tanner, was a student of mine, and did, in fact, play running back at the University.  I don't hunt, so, I don't shoot a bow at all.  I think Chad shoots a Black Widow recurve.  
If you don't mind, why do you ask?


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