Deer Corn vs. Feed Corn

knute_m · Sep 7, 2006

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.

BB_TX · Sep 7, 2006

His reasoning about the feeders is correct. Around here, deer corn is often labeled as "recleaned". Clean it twice?

But the pricing makes absolutely no sense to me.

jinman · Sep 7, 2006

We've been feeding deer corn to our animals for over a year. It just doesn't make sense to pay extra for it. I think the packaging and distribution of deer corn makes it cheaper. After all, you can't buy "feed corn" at Wal*Mart or Academy Sports, Bass Pro, Cabellas, or any of the hundreds of outlets for deer corn. Competition and mass packaging really does make a difference.

EddieWalker · Sep 8, 2006

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

I used to buy the 40 pound sacks from Walmart for $3.98 a sack and thought it was a good deal. The animals rarely touched it, and sometimes it would start to turn green on the ground from sitting so long. I just thought people were crazy thinking deer and hogs like corn. hahahah

But then my neighbor told me he was getting his corn from the feed store and that the hogs were loving it. This just seemed like BS to me from what I'd seen. But one day I bought a few sacks of corn from the feed store because Walmart was out. I'm stuborn, but I do learn after awhile.

The hogs started coming around and the results are amazing!!! We have wild hogs eating it just about every night, and when it's cool out, they come in during the day.

Price is about the same. Fifty pounds for $5.

There is a huge difference in corn. I also feed the same corn to my ducks. They seem to like it since they eat it every day and get every single piece.

Eddie

texbaylea · Sep 11, 2006

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

knute_m · Sep 11, 2006

I think it is pretty interesting that all four answers are probably pretty accurate.

After I saw Eddie's post last Friday before leaving work, I stopped by the local co-op and got a bag of feed corn. Six dollars for 50 lbs. I am guessing that it is local corn from last season. I must say, it sure is a lot brighter yellow. The deer corn has what almost looks like mold on some of the kernals.

But, like Eddie's ducks, my silly ducks wait for their nightly ration like a bunch of old-time British sailors waiting for their daily ration of rum. Never a kernal seems to go to waste.

If I were feeding real livestock, I might be a little more particular. Except maybe for the fish in the pond, all the rest of the feeding is pretty much for the moochers. For the last couple of weeks we've seen a big old bear waddling between the pond and the barn. I'm not sure what he might be mooching. The deer have already gotten most everything edible.

Thanks to all for your insight.

Knute

texbaylea · Sep 11, 2006

I haven't researched the regulations but corn is one of the feed grains that can have aflatoxin contamination. If the USDA regulations do not address feeding to wildlife some of the deer corn could be condemned stocks that have a higher than permitted aflatoxin levels.

Vernon

BB_TX · Sep 12, 2006

We went down and set up our feeders last weekend. Stopped at a local feed store to get corn. They also had two types. The "recleaned" deer corn we normally get. Then they had a second type that was $.50 more per bag. The guy said it was cleaner (i.e. had less cob pieces and other debris) than the "recleaned" corn. "Re-recleaned"?

He said a lot of people preferred it as it was less likely to clog a feeder. Seems just the opposite of what the TSC guy said. We got the regular type since we always have and never had a problem with it. However, as we were loading the feeders, I noticed more cob pieces than I remembered seeing in the past. Will have to wait and see if that is a problem. Already know the deer like it though as it was already disappearing after each throw.

jinman · Sep 12, 2006

BB_TX said:
We went down and set up our feeders last weekend. Stopped at a local feed store to get corn. They also had two types. The "recleaned" deer corn we normally get. Then they had a second type that was $.50 more per bag. The guy said it was cleaner (i.e. had less cob pieces and other debris) than the "recleaned" corn. "Re-recleaned"?

That's pretty funny.

I went to TSC the other night and I saw "triple-clean" corn. Can quad-clean be far behind?

Now what I gotta figure out is if triple-clean is really clean, what were they doing on cleanings one and two.

bigdaddymomma · Sep 17, 2010

jinman said:
That's pretty funny. I went to TSC the other night and I saw "triple-clean" corn. Can quad-clean be far behind?

Now what I gotta figure out is if triple-clean is really clean, what were they doing on cleanings one and two.

The Feed Store in Raleigh near 84-lumber on old wake forest rd. has
60lbs. for 9:00