Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

Published: 2025-04-27
Episode page
Duration: 70 min

In this episode

amino-acids

• A listener asked what amino acids are and whether it’s a good idea to include rumen-protected amino acids in a deer mineral product. 21:30

career

• Aaron recalls that leaving the corporate world to start his own business in 2017 was a big, white-knuckle decision for his family. 65:58

credentials

• Aaron states he holds a bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD in animal nutrition from the University of Missouri and has over twenty years in the feed industry. 5:47

cwd

• Aaron argues that state wildlife biologists are working in a silo on CWD instead of leveraging outside nutrition and genetics experts. 33:29
• Don points out that Ohio allows year-round baiting yet doesn’t see CWD spreading any more than states with strict bans. 39:09
• Don states the captive deer industry has proven a certain gene exists that makes some whitetails resistant to CWD. 31:43
• Aaron suggests that since whitetails have survived four million years, agencies should stop trying to overmanage CWD like playing God. 40:40
• Aaron shares that this is the first year he couldn’t supplemental feed after his area entered a CWD containment zone with a feeding ban. 37:53
• Don asks for Aaron’s opinion on whether nutrition and/or genetics are the answer to managing diseases like CWD. 32:47
• Don asks Aaron whether supplemental feeding bans meant to slow CWD are actually warranted. 35:57

deer-management

• Aaron says he’s a big advocate of Earn-a-Buck programs, requiring hunters to shoot a doe before taking a buck. 37:30

ehd

• Larry Haren told Don that his friend Aaron had come up with a cure for EHD, sparking Don’s introduction to Aaron. 1:50
• Aaron says his interest in deer nutrition really started back in 2012. 6:40
• Aaron explains that his team began the EHD research by partnering with the University of Minnesota to screen compounds. 16:30

expect-healthy-deer

• Don explains Aaron sold Real World the Expect Healthy Deer technology when he left to work for a competitor. 3:23

fatherhood

• Aaron advises young fathers to cherish moments with their kids because they only get one shot and will be remembered for whether they showed up. 66:43
• How would Don’s hunting priorities have been different if he’d had sons instead of two daughters? 61:56

first-meeting

• Don recalls that right from the start of meeting Aaron, he could tell Aaron was the real deal. 2:11

land-consulting

• Terry says the Missouri farm he consulted on with Brent is probably one of the top five properties he’s ever been on. 47:01

maximizer

• Aaron says the EHD technology was ultimately incorporated into the Maximizer mineral product line and complete feed. 19:21

mineral

• What role does mineral play for antler-growing bucks, fawning/nursing does, and newborn fawns, and what does each need nutritionally? 28:31

probiotics

• Aaron describes getting deer pathogen isolates through the University of Illinois Diagnostic Lab to develop Whitetail-specific probiotics. 17:14
• Don claims Real World’s Whitetail-specific probiotics are likely unique, with probably no other company in the industry doing similar work. 15:25

speaking-engagement

• Don announces a makeup speaking event on Tuesday, June 3 at JB’s Warehouse in Millersburg, Ohio, where he’ll share a story about a missed Ohio giant. 59:24

sponsor-announcement

• Terry announces that Emerson Day is now fully outfitted with ASIO Gear as of that day. 13:19

weather

• Terry asks how storms, flooding, and spring weather affect deer health. 42:29

Deer activity

• unnamed buck (history) 45:40
• cedar house buck (hunt) 48:11
• hackberry buck (hunt) 55:18

Listener questions

Question: What role does mineral play for antler-growing bucks, fawning/nursing does, and newborn fawns, and what does each need nutritionally? 28:31 — asked by Terry

• Answer: Aaron says key antler-formation minerals include macro minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium plus several micro trace minerals. 29:06
• Answer: Aaron explains calcium and phosphorus are important for newborn fawns for bone growth. 29:28
• Answer: Aaron notes trace minerals like copper, zinc, and selenium support immune response and disease resistance, especially for fawns. 30:00

Question: A listener asked what amino acids are and whether it’s a good idea to include rumen-protected amino acids in a deer mineral product. 21:30

• Answer: Aaron says the problem is that deer amino acid requirements aren’t well understood, so values get extrapolated from beef cattle. 23:43
• Answer: Aaron concludes he would not put rumen-protected amino acids in a mineral since consumption is too inconsistent; a complete feed would work better. 24:44

Question: Don asks for Aaron’s opinion on whether nutrition and/or genetics are the answer to managing diseases like CWD. 32:47 — asked by Don

• Answer: Aaron argues there must be a better CWD solution than shooting deer over corn piles. 32:56
• Answer: Aaron wants more investment in CWD management approaches beyond targeted sharpshooting. 34:40

Question: Don asks Aaron whether supplemental feeding bans meant to slow CWD are actually warranted. 35:57 — asked by Don

• Answer: Aaron says it’s common sense that deer already congregate naturally at licking branches, water sources, and ag fields, so banning feed sites has limited effect. 36:29

Question: Terry asks how storms, flooding, and spring weather affect deer health. 42:29 — asked by Terry

• Answer: Aaron predicts more ticks from the wet weather and displacement of flooded-out deer to different habitat away from food sources. 43:10

Question: How would Don’s hunting priorities have been different if he’d had sons instead of two daughters? 61:56 — asked by Jeff Morris

• Answer: Don answers that he believes God knew what he was doing giving him two daughters, though he’d likely have given up big-buck opportunities for sons. 62:33

Don talked with Aaron about how their partnership began after Larry Haren connected them over Aaron’s work on an EHD cure. Aaron described his background in animal nutrition from the University of Missouri and over twenty years in the feed industry, his 2012 start in deer nutrition, and research with the University of Minnesota and University of Illinois Diagnostic Lab that led to Whitetail-specific probiotics folded into the Maximizer line. Aaron argued CWD management should draw more on outside nutrition and genetics expertise, questioned agencies overmanaging the disease, and said feeding bans have limited effect since deer already congregate at licking branches and water. He backed Earn-a-Buck programs and noted his own area’s new feeding ban. Listener questions covered mineral needs for antler growth and fawns, amino acids in deer diets, and weather effects on deer health. Don announced a June 3 speaking event at JB’s Warehouse in Millersburg.

Unofficial fan project. AI-synthesized from public episodes; may contain errors.