Aaron Gaines

Role: recurring guest
Appears in 5 episodes

Aaron Gaines, holding degrees in animal nutrition from the University of Missouri and over twenty years in the feed industry, appeared repeatedly to discuss deer nutrition, disease, and mineral products. He traces his interest in deer nutrition to 2012, describes EHD research partnering with the University of Minnesota and developing whitetail probiotics via the University of Illinois Diagnostic Lab, and says that work fed into the Maximizer mineral line. On CWD, he argues biologists work in a silo, questions feeding bans, and favors Earn-a-Buck programs. He also discusses mineral needs for antler growth, fawns, and amino acids in deer diets.

Appearances

What they said

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 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

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 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

cwd

• Aaron argues that state wildlife biologists are working in a silo on CWD instead of leveraging outside nutrition and genetics experts. 33:29 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• Aaron suggests that since whitetails have survived four million years, agencies should stop trying to overmanage CWD like playing God. 40:40 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• 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 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

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 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

ehd

• Aaron says his interest in deer nutrition really started back in 2012. 6:40 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• Aaron explains that his team began the EHD research by partnering with the University of Minnesota to screen compounds. 16:30 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

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 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

maximizer

• Aaron says the EHD technology was ultimately incorporated into the Maximizer mineral product line and complete feed. 19:21 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

probiotics

• Aaron describes getting deer pathogen isolates through the University of Illinois Diagnostic Lab to develop Whitetail-specific probiotics. 17:14 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

Questions they answered

• What role does mineral play for antler-growing bucks, fawning/nursing does, and newborn fawns, and what does each need nutritionally?
  Aaron says key antler-formation minerals include macro minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium plus several micro trace minerals. 29:06 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• What role does mineral play for antler-growing bucks, fawning/nursing does, and newborn fawns, and what does each need nutritionally?
  Aaron explains calcium and phosphorus are important for newborn fawns for bone growth. 29:28 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• What role does mineral play for antler-growing bucks, fawning/nursing does, and newborn fawns, and what does each need nutritionally?
  Aaron notes trace minerals like copper, zinc, and selenium support immune response and disease resistance, especially for fawns. 30:00 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• 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.
  Aaron says the problem is that deer amino acid requirements aren’t well understood, so values get extrapolated from beef cattle. 23:43 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• 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.
  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 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• Don asks for Aaron’s opinion on whether nutrition and/or genetics are the answer to managing diseases like CWD.
  Aaron argues there must be a better CWD solution than shooting deer over corn piles. 32:56 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• Don asks for Aaron’s opinion on whether nutrition and/or genetics are the answer to managing diseases like CWD.
  Aaron wants more investment in CWD management approaches beyond targeted sharpshooting. 34:40 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• Don asks Aaron whether supplemental feeding bans meant to slow CWD are actually warranted.
  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 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines
• Terry asks how storms, flooding, and spring weather affect deer health.
  Aaron predicts more ticks from the wet weather and displacement of flooded-out deer to different habitat away from food sources. 43:10 — Episode #270 - Deer Nutrition with Dr. Aaron Gaines

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