Deer Corn vs. Feed Corn

[D7E]

I am just guessing but perhaps there are more regulations as to source, age and storage,etc, for corn meant for farm animal feed that do not apply to "deer corn".

Vernon

Not sure but this sounds the most viable reason to me , Corn was rejected as farm animal feed for mold / toxins etc that are not visible by eye but show on lab tests but maybe some loophole that ok for "wildlife" or maybe just too much mechanical damage /cracking etc "dockage too high" and can be bought for a fraction of the price off farm .

 

[RonDon]

It seems to me that the deer corn has less volume than the feed corn the bags look smaller. Maybe the corn is not dried as much therefore you are not getting as much corn for 50lb weight.

 

[npalen]

I couldn't believe the prices at the start of this thread for 50 lbs of corn but then realized it was 2006.

 

[jaxs]

I believe y'all are correct in saying there are no quility control for deer corn. I once set up a viewing/photographing blind for my DIL and deer abruptly slowed in coming and corn piled up under feeder. On a hunch I dumped feeder and poured 2 bags in it. I kept a bucket of corn and offered it to some cows and they smelled but hardly ate any. Cows will hardly eat corn from a rat infested crib and rats will stop after a period because rats dribble urine everwhere they go. Try it for yourself by setting a bucket where rats can get at it and they will stop eating pretty quick.
If a farmer bought bags the cows refused to eat you can bet the feed store would get it back.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm surprised by what corn sold for back in 2006 too!!!! I'm paying twice that today.

 

[5030]

I don't know about the price difference, but I have found that there is different quality of corn out there.

Deer corn usually has molasses in it to enhance the smell and taste.

 

[oosik]

Couple things I've noticed around here. Not much talk about GMO products anymore. It finally soaked in - the human race is GMO. And now the big thing is "ORGANIC". Gotta have some clever advertising twist to keep those folks happy.

I don't know of anybody that feeds corn around here. Any quantity of corn would have to come from you folks back there in the midwest. We feed wheat. Last time I bought a bag of wheat - about 15 years ago - $4.75 for a 50# bag.

 

[BnRidge]

For a really interesting discussion of the development of agriculture and crop breeding, "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamon

Two more books for perspective:
Return to Resistance: Breeding Crops to Reduce Pestcide Dependence
R. Robinson

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations
D. Mongomery

 

[Gem99ultra]

I'm surprised by what corn sold for back in 2006 too!!!! I'm paying twice that today.

Sure right about the 2006 prices. And now corn has gone up $1.00/50# bag this week. If it gets any higher I'm going to have to stop feeding the geese. (hmmm - probably a good idea anyway, right?)

 

[Eagle1]

Not sure I want my geese hungry, feeding calms down the flock and its fun to have all the geese and ducks chase you around at feeding time.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

The other day I went to Tractor Supply for my bi-monthly bag of corn for the ducks that live on my pond.

There were two pallets of corn -- one pallet of fancy and colorful bags called "deer corn" at $4.99 for 50 lbs. The pallet next to it had corn in plain white bags at $5.99 for 50 lbs.

I asked one of the workers what the difference was between "deer corn" and "feed corn." He told me that the deer corn was cleaner than the feed corn. Supposedly it is just kernals, without any pieces of cob or other debris. He said the feed corn tended to jam automatic deer feeders.

I then asked why the deer corn was cheaper. He didn't know.

Anybody have any clues why cleaner corn should be cheaper?

The deer corn sure looks like the feed corn I've been buying for years. So far, my ducks haven't complained.

The other day I went to Tractor Supply for my bi-monthly bag of corn for the ducks that live on my pond.

There were two pallets of corn -- one pallet of fancy and colorful bags called "deer corn" at $4.99 for 50 lbs. The pallet next to it had corn in plain white bags at $5.99 for 50 lbs.

I asked one of the workers what the difference was between "deer corn" and "feed corn." He told me that the deer corn was cleaner than the feed corn. Supposedly it is just kernals, without any pieces of cob or other debris. He said the feed corn tended to jam automatic deer feeders.

I then asked why the deer corn was cheaper. He didn't know.

Anybody have any clues why cleaner corn should be cheaper?

The deer corn sure looks like the feed corn I've been buying for years. So far, my ducks haven't complained.

You don't know, and it is so important. Alfatoxin causes cancer. If you feed it to cows and eat the meat, you get cancer. Read the parts per billion of alfatoxin on the deer corn and feed corn. Deer corn is not dried as much and has more alfatoxin in it. That is the main reason human lives are longer now days. If you haul an 18 wheeler load of corn to sell it, they stick a moisture probe in the load of corn, in multiple areas. The price you get is based on how dry your corn is. If it's dry, full price. If they have to dry it more, they charge it against your payout for the load. I wouldn't touch deer corn. We used to haul loads to Natchez Ms. I wouldn't feed deer corn to any critters I know or like as a pet. I live in the very rural country. Deer, squirrel, rabbit, coons, fish are all common foods at my shack. No alfatoxin. There is a reason for a difference. I dare anyone to try and contradict me on this. My uncle made so much whiskey that they was buying 24 pallets of sugar twice a week. Corn by the big truck loads. Learned a lot about corn, sugar cane, stainless steel drums. He didn't drink.