Filling the Holes in the Bucket

By WHITETAIL INSTITUTE STAFF

 If you happened to get the last issue of the Whitetail News, you probably noticed – and did a double take of – the cover. It is hard not to, considering that the cover is the photo of the insanely huge, new world record buck taken in Iowa by Tony Lovstuen. In the article written about this buck by Bill Winke, you may have seen where I was quoted discussing the aspect of “filling the holes in the bucket.” This is a common euphemism by nutritionists to describe the theory behind nutritional supplementation.

In regard to the Lovstuen Buck, I used the phrase “filling the holes in the bucket” to help explain the tremendous growth in antlers from 2002 to 2003. In the article, Winke discussed how (based on sheds and trail camera photos) the buck seemed to be declining in antler size in 2002 and then suddenly made a huge jump the following year. What was different?

Well, one thing that was different was the addition of an Imperial Whitetail Clover food plot planted in the spring of 2003. Up to this point, the only food sources for the deer were CRP grasses and browse. Granted, the buck was a monster anyway, but apparently there were nutritional gaps in his diet that were not allowing the buck to achieve maximum-antler growth. Though we cannot say for sure, my opinion was the buck was lacking adequate amounts of highly digestible protein. Yes, even in Iowa or any other heavily farmed state, the protein in a deer’s diet can be lacking, especially at critical times. When the food plot was added to the diet of the buck, the hole in the bucket that was lack of protein was plugged, and this helped the antler to increase dramatically in size.

So what is exactly is meant by “filling the holes in the bucket.” First, let me tell you what the bucket actually is. The bucket is a deer’s full genetic potential. Some bucks are 3-gallon bucket bucks while others are 5-gallon bucket bucks. In other words, the 3-gallon buck has a genetic potential of maybe 160 inches. The 5-gallon buck may have a genetic potential of 200 inches. No matter what you do, you will never turn a 3-gallon buck into a 5-gallon buck because he simply does not have the genetic potential.

If the bucket is the genetic potential then the water in the bucket, or to be more exact, the level of water in the bucket is the level of antler growth that is actually achieved. For instance, if our 5-gallon buck has a genetic potential of 200 inches but the water level in the buck is only 3/4 of the way full, then the actual inches of the buck would be 150 (3/4 of 200 is 150). The actual total inches of the rack will not reach genetic potential until the bucket is completely full of water.

OK, so the bucket is genetic potential and the water is the actual growth of the antler, but what are are the holes? The holes are the various nutrients, or more precisely the lack of appropriate amounts of nutrients, used in producing an antler. This includes protein, all minerals, all vitamins, carbohydrates, etc., that are needed for the deer to reach his genetic potential. Each hole in the bucket depicts a certain nutrient that is lacking in sufficient quantities for the buck to reach his genetic potential.

To put it all together, you begin with the bucket or genetic potential. The water in the bucket rises until it reaches a hole, which is a nutrient that is lacking in sufficient quantities in the diet. Once the water reaches this hole, it cannot go any higher. Likewise, the actual growth of the antler will be limited by the first vital nutrient that is lacking in high enough quantities in the diet. If this is half way up, then a 200-inch deer becomes a 100-inch deer.

So, how do we help solve this problem? We supply the vital nutrients that are most lacking in the deer’s diet thereby plugging as many holes as we can. This allows the water to rise in the bucket.

If any nutrient is lacking in sufficient quantities, it can become a hole in the bucket. Typically, however, there tends to be certain nutrients that are insufficient. These are termed as the most limiting nutrients. When it comes to antler growth, the most limiting nutrients are usually protein and minerals. This does not mean that the other nutrients are not needed, but rather they may be supplied in higher amounts by natural vegetation and, therefore, less limiting. Using our bucket analogy we would say that if these other nutrients are lacking, the holes they create are much higher up the bucket, where protein and minerals tend to make holes closer to the bottom of the bucket.

Protein and minerals are usually the most limiting nutrients for two reasons. First, they are needed in high quantities. Protein, for example, makes up about 80 percent of a growing velvet antler. A substance called collagen, which is a type of protein, makes up a large percentage of the internal antler matrix. Furthermore, protein makes up a large portion of blood, which is also found in high quantities in a growing antler. Actually, anytime bone is made, high amounts of protein are needed. Minerals make up the remainder of the antler. It is the minerals that are deposited on the protein matrix to form the hardened structure. If you analyze a hardened antler it is 55 percent mineral and 45 percent protein.

The second reason for protein and minerals being the most limiting nutrients is that they are often lacking in high quantities in natural vegetation. Most natural forages are low in protein. Even those that are higher in protein may decrease in digestibility as they mature during the antler-growing season (spring and summer). Often natural vegetation averages 8-10 percent protein. A buck needs a minimum of 16 percent protein for optimal antler growth so obviously there can be a deficiency. Minerals are lacking either because the soil is naturally low in mineral or because that over the years, minerals have been depleted from the soil by vegetation.

To combat these deficiencies, we plant high protein food plots and supply mineral/vitamin supplements. For example, Imperial Whitetail Clover, Alfa-Rack and Extreme can provide up to 36 percent protein. When a deer adds these to part of its daily diet, the high protein food plot helps to increase overall average protein of the deer’s diet. Likewise, Imperial 30-06, 30-06 Plus Protein and Cutting Edge Optimize are all formulated to supply high amounts of the most lacking minerals needed for antler growth. These include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, copper, iodine, manganese, iron, selenium and cobalt. Any one of these minerals, if not in sufficient quantity in the buck’s diet, will cause a hole in the bucket.

Some customers have asked me if a calcium source or a phosphorus source would be sufficient. The problem is, even if you do supply the calcium or the phosphorus, you are still not plugging the holes made by zinc, copper, magnesium, etc. So the benefit, if any, is limited. It is also important to note that before you try mixing the minerals, keep in mind that proper and effective mineral formulation is very exact. If you do not have the right mineral source, mixed in the right ratios (for deer) and at the right amounts, you can actually harm the deer. The same can be said for using a cattle mineral. Remember, cattle and deer have different mineral needs and using a cattle mineral for deer is usually not very effective.

Our goal, of course, is to try to fill as many holes in the bucket as possible to raise the water level as high as we can. We are trying to supply the limiting nutrients to the buck to give that buck what he needs to help him reach his genetic potential. Can we cause the bucket to completely fill allowing the deer to reach his full genetic potential? Honestly, most likely no, but we can get real close. Every hole we plug causes the water to rise and antlers to get bigger.

The Lovstuen Buck had the genetic potential to grow a 319 4/8 inch rack. Maybe he had the potential for even more. But until the protein hole in the bucket was plugged by an Imperial Whitetail Clover plot, he could not reach that level. So the next time you think about why you are planting food plots and using mineral/vitamin supplements, remember that the antler will only grow as high as the lowest hole in the bucket. Fill every hole you can.