Grain Mix for Feeders
 

I remember reading here last summer somebody wrote that you could mix soybeans with other grains to produce your own high protein feed cheaply. Can somebody help?

RE: Grain Mix for Feeders
 

You are correct, you can put soybeans in with other grains to create your own mix... I know that the deer will eat everthing else and then the soybeans, so you have to gradually cut back on the other grains. This will give them the chance to get used to the soybeans. Which are roughly 36% protien, where corn is only 6 to 10%. But corn is like the candy and soybeans are the green beans to a child. You have to get them used to eating the beans before you make them...

I made this happen on my property, by changing the percentages each time I filled the feeder... First it was 3/4 corn and 1/4 soybeans. The next time I droped it to 5/8 corn to 3/8 beans, and so forth. Till they were eating the oposite, which is 3/4 soybeans to 1/4 corn. That seems to be a good mix for me. The corn is still somewhat the draw, but they are getting the protien that they need from the beans.!!

Just my two cents...

RE: Grain Mix for Feeders
 

You can also use plain cow sweet feed with some beans. If you have access to a peanut mill that has cull peanuts you can get, the deer love them and they run 30%+ protein. The hardest thing is to keep the feed dry.

RE: Grain Mix for Feeders
 

Acco feeds parent company makes an 18% protein corn mix named sportsmans choice. Acco's name for it is buck and doe mix and it is a 16% protein yeild. The protein pellet is slick sided not extruded so it wont absorb moisture as easily. On our lease we find that the combo of corn and pellet works well in spin cast feeders. The corn keeps the the protein from jamming at the funnel of the feeder. You can buy the soy bean mixed with corn or corn and pea mixture ( this seemed to swell and jam the worst). Unless you are feeding deer in breeding pens, anything above 16% protein is considered a waste in studies by the Texas parks and wildlife departments Kerrville research facility. I guess the feed is considered a supplement to a free ranging deer who has alternate sources of protein. Check out the Texas Paks and Wildlife Departments web site and look for the study at the Kerrville unit and see what their control group studies showed about antler growth in relation to various protein diets. You may never shoot another young spike.