NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

just thought I would try and get some opinions on this.
The apr./may '04 issue of NA Hunter (great issue by the way - taken me weeks of "bathroom" reading to get thru it and still not done, anyway..) has some interesting info on food plots. The problem I have is the statement "..clovers engineered for deer differ from those grazed by cattle. Cattle clovers yeild stiff, lignin heavy stems, whereas whitetail clovers have fine, delicate stems." To me this is absolute hogwash. I have seen the new ladino clovers and other grazing varieties and they are about as lush as you can imagine. And I have seen the bare spots in my plot and my pastures where the deer have obliterated the Alice clover. What is so different between a cow and a deer? Yes, deer do browse more than cattle, but they are both ruminants and have similar digestive anatomies.
So after the above statement, they go on to describe every over-priced commercial mix there is (good info, but a bit narrow-minded for me). I just can't see how they can concede that agricultural clovers are "no good" for deer. I don't get it. Am I missing something. Am I wrong about the new grazing clovers. Please tell me if I am. Maybe I am looking at it all wrong (I doubt it, but am open to others insight).

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

Cows have more parts to their stomachs and regergitate (sp?) more times then deer. Most "deer clovers" can be digested easier and within 3 chews they are quite mashed and easily consumer and digested allowing easier absorbtion of nutrients. Stalky clovers are much harder to break down. Also, deer and cows have different tooth configurations from what I understand.

The clovers in many of the current commercial mixes have finer stems and braoder leaves then those bought as the local feed store. Mind you, this is a generalization but I hope it helps. TGK

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

thanks for the info
it would be neat to see a comparison study done between the different clovers

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

Not sure if the story fits here, but you have to remember that the advertisers money can taint the story sometimes.

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

Have to disagree with Osiris. As far as I know cows and deer are both rumants with four stomachs each. Their teeth are similar as well. Their eating habits do differ (graizer vs. browser)

Their are differences in types of clovers as far as the stem is concern in relationship to its agricultural uses. Most of difference has more to do with whether the clover is used as a hay crop vs. a graizing forage. For a hay crop, a more upright species is preferred such as red clover. For graizing, it doesn't make any difference. Finer stem species are preferred by both deer and cows.

The engineer stuff may just be hogwash. It use to generally takes years to engineer a specific variety through selection trials, although they have new techniques which can increase the process. Those "deer" varities are just strains with high protein that deer prefer. The rest is advertisement and selection trials of multiple varieties.

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

Nice move....key point is advertising and claims that have no third party data to back up.

If a company made these claims selling in the true agriculture market they would be run out on a rail.

Buyer beware...

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

Hey guys, Just want to addd my .02 worth on this subject. I am not trying to upset anyone but this is complete B.S. I strated putting in perinaial food plots in 2 years ago.I looked through all the commercial stuff and talked to the local farmers. Then I went out on the internet and did a serch for New Zealand white clover. I found a company in Organ {where 95 percent of all North American clover seed is produced} that has the contract with Tecomomte. The owner told me that the only difference between his seed and tecomonte is the package it comes in. I bought 25 LBS. for less than have the price I would have paid going to Tecomte. The owner also told me that 95% of all commercial Clover {deer} seed comes from someone in the Pacific North west. This is also the same clover seed that farmers get a the local co-op.

I cannot say if all the comercial deer crops are like this but as far as clover is concerned you are buying the same thing that the farmers are planting.

Also rember 1 thing. Record book bucks were being taken long before the push for deer seed existed.

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

OK slobbyrobby33 please give link to the Oregon seed company.

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

:D:D:DSounds like a quick name change to fool the novices[:'(] ... It is not cattle verses deer clovers.

What the real difference is Hay verses Pasture forage. Clovers, Alfalfa, Birdsfoot Trefoil, each have different varieties. Some varieties have stiffer, longer stems designed for better cutting and hay production. Other varieties make better pasture forage.

The marketing of "deer" specific products is designed to trick you into buying the products. ONce you figure that out, and learn just a little bit about the seeds, it all becomes clear and simple. ;)

Oregon clover seed production

RE: NAHC Food plot Article - bone to pick
 

what gets me is when someone says "i got some ready to spray roundup from walmart along with a few hundred pounds of bagged lime, now i'm going to start a food plot". that ready to spray stuff costs 10-20x more than the equivalvent amount of the concentrate, and i'm not a big fan of massive quantities of bagged lime @ $3 per bag or more when i can get ag lime for $6/ton.