PSXIV-17 - Evaluation of Dietary Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Products on Performance of Captive White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus)

Abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the difference between two dietary Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SCFP) on performance characteristics of young, captive white-tailed deer. Pregnant does were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatment groups. Does were offered a commercially available pelleted deer feed (Record Rack, Cargill, Inc., Wayzata, MN) ad-libitum formulated to provide 10g SCFP/kg feed (XPC; n=52) or the same basal pellet containing the other product at 8.8g SCFP/kg feed (NaturSafe; n=52) to provide approximately 12.5g XPC or 11g NaturSafe per animal daily (Diamond V Mills, Cedar Rapids, IA). Does were on diets for 86±19d prior to fawning and through lactation. Upon discovery of a newborn fawn, BW and morphological measurements were obtained using a soft tape measure. Fawns were weaned at 90d of age and remained on trial for 270-d post-weaning. Fawns were provided with the same diet as their dam throughout the study. Body weights were recorded every 90d during the post-weaning period. Antlers of yearling bucks were scored and weighed after removal of antlers the subsequent fall. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS with main effects of treatment and sex with age of fawn as a covariate. There were no differences in morphological measurements of fawns at birth. Fawns in the NaturSafe group had a greater (P=0.02) weaning weight than fawns in the XPC group, but there were no differences in post-weaning weights. There was a tendency (P=0.11) for a lower mortality rate for fawns in the NaturSafe group. Yearling bucks in the NaturSafe group had a greater antler score (P< 0.01) and antler mass (P=0.02) than bucks in the XPC group. Results indicate a reduction in fawn mortality, improvement in weaning weight, and increased antler growth in yearling bucks supplemented with NaturSafe compared to those supplemented with XPC.