Improved antler production can greatly increase the profitability of a deer farming enterprise

Interest in deer farming is at historically high levels and this has created an explosion in research and products designed to improve herd health and animal performance.  Antler production is one of the main products produced by deer farming. Are you convinced that you have the tools available to ensure you are maximizing your antler production?   

The main factors affecting antler development are Age, Genetics and Nutrition.  Several other factors are responsible for the size of a buck's antlers including: over population, buck to doe ratios, rainfall and winter severity.

Nutrition is very important in determining antler size. Even a deer with good genetics and age will not grow large antlers on poor quality nutrients. On the other hand young bucks are capable of growing relatively impressive antlers when fed a high quality ration from early in life.

Nutrition can be affected in many ways that producers cannot always control - the quantity and quality of the natural mast crop, fruit crop and all forages is highly dependent on the weather. Mineral supplements are a great way to provide increased nutrition to deer herd and can be considered a vital part of a deer management plan. These supplements provide an increased amount of nutrition for deer that help increase overall health, body size, and promote maximum antler development; fulfilling genetic potentials.

The results of a comparative trial conducted in South Texas showed a dramatic increase in antler diameter and length in the deer fed Tasco^®.

Fine Tuning for Large Antlers

Proper nutrition has many benefits beyond just antler development. A healthy deer herd means productive does and healthy offspring. Better reproductive success and greater stress and disease resistance are also results of adequate nutrition.

Tasco^® has shown positive effects on reproduction in other ruminants improving pregnancy rates and decreasing calving intervals. link

Research on feedlot cattle concluded that Tasco^® increased immune responses helping animals cope with different stress – heat, disease and other environmental factors. link

Does also require higher amounts of minerals for milk production.  Research has shown that feeding dairy cows Tasco^® increased pounds of milk, milk solids, lactose and protein. link

Tasco^® is a versatile product that can be included in several types of available supplements including blocks, bagged minerals, buckets of minerals and more.

Ensure your deer management plan includes Tasco^® to maximize your antler production and profitability.

A healthy gastrointestinal (GI) system is essential to the general overall health of a horse. Animals with healthy GI tracts have reduced gas and/or colic, improved digestion and absorption of nutrients, enhanced immune systems, are more protected against infection (i.e. by diarrhea-causing organisms such as Salmonella or Clostridium) and have fewer occurrences of laminitis.

In horses, stress, illness and antibiotics can cause an imbalance of “good” GI tract microorganisms (such as yeasts, bacteria, protozoa, and fungi) versus “bad” microorganisms (Salmonella and Clostridium difficile) in the GI system.

Prebiotics can be administered to horses to improve GI-related health. Functional foods, in the form of prebiotics, encourage the growth of the beneficial microbes and minimize the invasion and growth of the undesirable or disease-causing bacteria.

Although Tasco^® has several bioactive components, the single most evident effect of Tasco^® is the increase in beneficial GI tract microorganisms after the ingredient is added to the animal’s food ration. When Tasco^® is incorporated to the horse ration, we can see responses such as increased GI tract health reflected in a reduction of soft stool, improved feed intake and digestion, increased body condition and improved disease and stress resistance. Recent research has shown Tasco^® to have this same potent prebiotic activity in a wide variety of animal species.

Tasco^® is an all natural food ingredient derived from the brown algae, Ascophyllum nodosum. Tasco^® contains important sources of complex sulfated polysaccharides that provide Tasco^® with unique properties and distinctive characteristics not found in terrestrial plant sources or other common marine plants.

Acadian Agritech is a long established specialty feed ingredient manufacturer. We take pride in attaining food grade quality standards for our products. Tasco^® is produced at our state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, using advanced processing techniques and the highest quality and safety standards.

The Tasco^® processing facility holds an organic certification by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. The operation is compliant with the OC/PRO Organic Standard, the Canadian Organic Standard, EEC Regulation 2092/91, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program (NOP) and the Quebec Organic Reference Standard (CARTV).

Tasco^® is suitable for all classes of horses - young, growing horses, horses at work, mature, idle horses, pregnant mares and lactating mares. Use of this ingredient should be considered an essential part of a healthy feeding program for any equine management system.